little ms foodie

Hi! where do you live?? I find them now in most of the stores here. Do you have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes? Just curious. Sorry I don't have an online solution for you.

Afterburner- another thought on the fish and the halibut recommendation- I make halibut with a parmesean crust, she might like something like that! Susan, I think the photo is great. The colors really pop on that lentil salad. And it just gave me an idea for tonight!!

CRAP! I love those pretzels too....oh and I guess I should add individual pepporini pizzas sold at sporting events, hell- might as well add hot dogs at ball games. gee I love summer!

hmmm......now I'm thinking my recipe must be far from tradional as this is the list of ingrediants it calls for: Soy sauce 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce 3/4 cup Sherry, dry 1/2 cup Honey 1/3 cup Sugar 1 T Pork butt anyone care to point me to a recipe on line that they think is better??

Eden, I'd say you have emu legs! those are huge!! this reminds me that I'd like to make another batch of duck confit!

I love Big Macs- will get one with a small fry about 3 times a year. I also get cravings for the Taco Bell double decker taco with mexi fries. Taco Time soft taco with mexi fries dipped in thousand island. Yep, I know....it's bad. It tastes so good, until about 30 mins later. I also had an episode where my craving for chicken fried steak led me to a Denny's. haha! that was funny! Thank god I don't do the donut thing.....one of the Krispy Kreme main west coast offices is just down the street from me. I also love Pringles, eat them as often as I can justify it and serve them in my house with champagne!

Thanks bobby, I've made note of your recommendations!

Foodie- Remind me before you go to LV again, my friend is working high up at Wynn with all the chefs and I'll give you her nod as to who is really kicking butt!

I'm going to use a recipe I found which is from "Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook". The buns will be steamed. Not sure when we will start though.......

darn, pg 312 is the recipe but now I can't find the picture. It's shown with another dish. Will keep looking!

Ruth Chris (too high $$?), Outback (too low $$?) I would have also suggested Daniels.

all my guy friends have always gone out for a big steak and martini type of dinner. The Met, El Gaucho and Troiani all have that type of menu steak, cigars, martini's......men are simple! Congrats!

The best pizza my husband made recently was El Gaucho pizza from Food and Wine mag. photo here

Just got an email with the Vday menu for the very romantic Serafina: Valentine's Menu

I don't have any Chinese cook books so I'm searching online for one that looks good. I will compare them to jackal's. I assume we are making the bbq pork also? mmmmmmm

LOL, the turn this post took made me laugh! But the reason I'm topping it is just to let you all know that Oliviers & Co. in Pacific Place is having a huge sale right now. It's a twice a year clear out. Tons of tapanades, olive oils, spices, candles, dishes, etc all anywhere from 20-75% off. We did a bit of shopping last night!

What were the drinks like? Anything interesting? Did you have a chance to peruse the food menu? What else did it offer? Paul and I came very close to going there last night to watch the Sonic game (I'm an avid fan for those of you who don't know me) but the cocktails at Zig Zag provided a stronger pull. ← Awwww, I wish you guys would have been in there! Anyway some of the cocktails looked interesting- they are all named after sports teams, players, etc. then they also have lists of regular, premium and extra premium liquors (I didn't think that was a very good list- no premium or extra gins at all) We didn't look at the menu because we didn't want to get temped! haha! sorry. Maybe we'll have to run into each other there and discuss the menu and drinks.

Dayne and I stopped in to Sport last night after picking up some good stuff at the Cheese Cellar. It's not just Howie's but KOMO and some other big city execs all are partners (from what I heard in the bar). It's very posh for a sports bar, no smoking that I could tell. Flat screen tv's of all sizes all over, each booth has it's own. Pretty good prices on drinks. I think we have to go back and try the Kobe BBQ beef burger (Kobe as in Bryant)- it looked very good. The space has some weird design though. The bar area is actually quite small with the main part being a 'restaurant' that you are seated in. Also to get to the restaurant or bar you must walk thru where the kitchen and staff are- you get the feeling you aren't suppose to be there but there is no other way. It creates a bottleneck. If you are a sports fan and want a place to watch a game I'd think this would be comfy and well priced. If you really don't want to have 100 tv's all showing sweaty people than it's definately not a place to put on your list.

afterburner do you think the flour makes a difference in the chops being moist?? Tonight we had a quick dinner after stopping at our favorite cheese shop...Fondue or FUNdue as we call it with bread cubes, potatoes and green apples. Served with a Lange Pinot Gris (OR) yum!! (that is steam on the glass fondue insert, sorry!

I make risotto all the time, it's also a leftover user in my house. Personally I think my risotto kicks butt! I serve it as a main. I always toast the rice, use white wine and finish with parm and butter. no cream here either!

Neil those pictures are amazing!! Thank you

If the event and sleeping don't have to take place at the same event I have had large private dinners at Waterfront and they did a top notch job- better than eating there just as a regular diner by far. Another place that will totally accomidate you is Serafina. I've been in there many times and seen large private groups- especially in the spring/summer they will dedicate the patio to you. I rented out the whole restaurant on a Sunday.

Everyone's meals are looking and reading sooooo good!! I'm catching up as we have had family in town over the weekend. Friday Dayne and I made roast chicken that we rubbed with salt, pepper and thyme the day before and let it "dry brine" overnight. Turned out so extra juicy and crispy! Sauteed some carrots in herb butter with a splash of balsamic and roasted some potatoes tossed with onion confit. And I took the best picture which somehow my computer has eaten! but the dinner was fab! Last night we cooked for my in-laws, husbands aunt and uncle and my aunt and uncle. No pictures, no time! Started with foie gras on toasted brioche served with bubbles...Chateau St Michelle 1999 Luxe Garlic soup with gruyere croutons which many of you have seen in my blog Mixed greens with champagne vineaigrette with goat cheese salad Both served with a 2003 Lange reserve chardonnay Rack of lamb crusted with mustard, corn meal and rosemary Stuffed onions in tomato sauce Potato gratin Served with 1999 Erath Melrose Pinot Noir (awesome!) Cheese plate of Bouchon, Pet't Basque and morbier Molten chocolate cake (thanks Percy!) with an orange cranberry biscuit served with Witness Tree Sweet Signe Tonight was pantry cooking as guests have gone but didn't feel like grocery shopping boneless pork chops pan seared, finished in the oven. Sauteed apples, onions and garlic deglazed with hard cidre. (great minds SeaGal!...) Sauteed mushrooms and shallots with green beans. Merlot

this is how I do it: recipe yep, whole fennel thinly sliced. if using fennel then I just go with parsley. But sometimes I substitue thinly sliced onions and then I'll add tarragon or thyme as well as the lemon slices. We eat a lot of salmon in Seattle! If you use this fish really try and get wild not farmed. It is a huge difference in taste and texture.

poaching a whole big piece of salmon is very easy and very pretty. or you could roast a whole salmon, stuffing it with fennel, herbs and lemon.