Cycling Foodie

Follow

A day like today calls for some serious comfort food. Here are a few of my childhood favorites – and these came out just about as good as my Mom’s!

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Apple Crisp

Follow

Crisp, tart-sweet, and perfect for baking.

It’s crazy windy in Davis today. Far too windy to safely or comfortably ride, so I have been doing a few chores, making a big pot of soup, and feeling a bit cranky in general about this wind. There I stood in the kitchen, wondering what in the heck else I could do to keep me from interrupting the big game (again) … my gaze fell upon a bowl of apples in the kitchen. Hmm … what better way to beat this mood than with a warm, homemade apple crisp, and to fill my home with the spicy-sweet fragrance of freshly baked apples and spice?

Apple Crisp

Prepare the filling.

3 large Granny Smith apples
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 tablespoon of flour
A few dashes of apple pie spice blend
1 teaspoon sugar
A pinch of salt

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice blend
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat your oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the topping.

Prepare the filling:
Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place sliced apples in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour, a few dashes of apple pie spice blend, up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine and set aside and prepare your topping.

Prepare the topping:
Combine the flour and rolled oats, dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of your favorite apple pie spice blend, a pinch of salt, and toss to combine. With your fingers, work in about 1/4 cup of very cold butter (cut into small cubes). Do not overmix the topping. If desired, add the walnuts and quickly stir with a fork.

Ready to bake.

Evenly distribute the topping over the apples and bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

Serve warm and savor every sweet, spicy bite. Of course, it’s fantastic with a good vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, but it doesn’t need it.

Even though the wind is now howling out there, it feels cozy warm inside with a big pot of homemade soup on the stove and a fresh from the oven apple crisp. Time to light a few candles, serve up some soup, and watch the big game.

Follow

There was some great riding to be had this holiday weekend. I rode all 4 days, varying distances. July 4th was pretty darn windy here, but we got 50 or so miles in. The 5th, I just did about 20 in the morning; it was still pretty windy and I felt pretty beat up from the day before. Yesterday and today were nice – we got about 55 miles in yesterday and 77 today.

We had some pretty good food at home this weekend, too. We treated ourselves to a marinated tri tip on July 4th and enjoyed this with lemony Caesar salad with homemade croutons, and some grilled potato. We were a little too ambitious with food and also grilled a couple of ears of corn, but that ended up being too much, so we saved them for the next day. With the leftovers, we made some upscale tacos.

Tri Tip Tacos

We had some leftover mango-papaya salsa and a really ripe avocado, so I made a pseudo-guacamole by mashing the avocado a bit with some fresh squeezed lime juice and the stirred in the salsa. I made a simple corn relish by slicing the corn off the cob, adding a healthy heaping of chopped fresh cilantro, the juice of one lime, about a teaspoon of agave nectar, and seasoned with salt and pepper. In hindsight, a thinly sliced or chopped serrano chile pepper would have been a great addition. I cut the leftover tri tip into small bite-sized chunks, and sauteed it a bit in a little olive oil over medium high heat. In a cast iron griddle, I heated some corn tortillas, and then assembled some simple tacos. If you can find a local, artisan corn tortilla, it is worth the extra money. I have just recently discovered Mi Abuelita Bonita Tortillas Sonora Style traditional corn tortillas and might never eat “regular” store bought corn tortillas again.

Espresso-Herb Marinated Leg of Lamb

I don’t eat much red meat, but for some reason I was craving it this weekend, so I picked up a boneless leg of lamb at Costco. A few years back I made a leg of lamb with an espresso marinade. I couldn’t remember exactly what I had done, so I did a quick Google search and found this recipe for an Espresso Marinated Lamb Roast. I modified this just a little bit. I happened to have a bit of fresh mint leftover from another recipe, and lamb with mint is a classic combination, so this is my twist on the recipe …

Espresso-Herb Marinated Leg of Lamb

Boneless leg of lamb (about 3 pounds)
2 shots of espresso, cooled
1/2 large red onion, cut into a small dice
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the espresso, onion, garlic, herbs, honey, and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir to mix well.
2. Trim excess fat from the meat and blot with paper towels.
3. Place the trimmed meat into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Add a few grinds of black pepper.
4. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal it, and work the marinade around so that it covers the meat as evenly as possible.
5. Place the bag in a bowl and then into the refrigerator.
   

   Medium Rare

6. Marinate at least 6 hours, but overnight is better.
7. Grill at about 325-degrees to your desired doneness. Let it rest about 10 minutes before slicing.

We served this with grilled eggplant and squash. It was fantastic, if I may say so myself! The mint stood out a bit more than I expected it to, but it was not overpowering at all. We enjoyed this with a Willamette Valley Vineyards Barrel Select Pinot Noir, 2010. The wine was fairly light, not too fruity, and just earthy enough to compliment the grilled lamb and vegetables.

And then, there was dessert …

Fresh Blueberries and Strawberries with Just a Touch of Salt Caramel Gelato and a Bit of Dark Chocolate

This was all great motivation to get a good ride in today. I hope you got a chance to get out and enjoy some fun and exercise this weekend. How did it go by so darn quickly?

Here’s to a super busy work week ahead. I am feeling reinvigorated and ready to go and will need to keep that motivation for this entire week. I scheduled a lot of appointments and have extra events going on this week. What was I thinking? 

The weather forecast is promising and I expect to get a ride in each day, maybe even a few evenings after work, too.

Follow

Today was a great day for baking and doing a bit of much needed spring cleaning.

Early afternoon the sky began to clear ...

Oh, my! Now I was glad I'd stayed home!

The weather was rather unpredictable today. We had wind, rain, sunshine, thunder & lightning, and downpours. There were moments when I wished I was outside riding, but then the skies opened up and I was thankful to be home and safe and dry.

The recipes and photos will have to come later because WordPress has decided to stop working and won’t post photos correctly, but I had a busy day in the kitchen with homemade whole grain bread, chocolate chip cookies, and kale slaw – getting ready for a potluck at work tomorrow.

Kale Slaw

Multigrain Bread

Chocolate Chip

Follow

Low Fat Lemon Curd

For the recipe, see:  http://cyclingfoodie.com/2012/01/got-lemons-make-curd/

Follow

Tonight we’re making Wild Mushroom Lasagna with organic shiitake, oyster, Royal Trumpet, and maitake mushrooms from Solano Mushroom Farm; that recipe will have to be posted by a guest blogger. I can tell you, though, that it will have smoked mozzarella and fresh thyme.

I’m in charge of appetizers, salad, and dessert. For appetizers, a little cheese and bread … I made a goat cheese with fresh lemon and thyme spread. For salad, some lovely fresh greens lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, maybe some fresh tomatoes, whatever looks good. Yesterday at the Davis Farmers’ Market I picked up 3 absolutely stunning baskets of berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries) and restocked on fresh lemons, so for dessert, I’m making a low fat lemom curd tart with fresh berries.

Well, I’d better run! Got lots to do to get ready for company tonight! Gotta’ shop! Gotta’ clean! Gotta’ ride! Gotta’ cook and bake and play with some fabulous food!

Follow

Almost Meyer Lemons

These beauties were at the Davis Farmers’ Market this morning. According to the vendor, they’re from a 40-year-old tree. It’s not a Meyer lemon, but some hybrid that no one knows. He said they’re similar in taste to Meyers.

I’m thinking I need to revisit my Low Fat Lemon Curd recipe.

Follow

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Last night a little foodie exploration and treat was in order, so off to Paragary’s Bar & Oven in Midtown Sacramento. I’d never been there before, but have heard wonderful things about it. Now, I know why!

Malbec ... beautiful color!

We shared a special Manhattan and it was really good. I am not a big mixed drink aficionado, and have not had a Manhattan since I don’t know when, but wow. OK, we didn’t officially share it, but I sampled it a couple of times. I sampled an aperitif, Branca Menta, which was interesting and I’ll have it another time, but I decided to just stick with wine. I wanted something a little earthy to pair with the Wood Oven Roasted Portobello Mushroom appetizer, so I ordered a glass of the Sangiovese (Perazzeta, Tuscany, 2010). My fellow foodie friend had the Malbec (Crios, Mendoza, Argentina, 2010).

We started out with the Wood Oven Roasted Portobello Mushroom, Polenta, Garlic, Herbs, Parmesan.

The Wood Oven Roasted Portobello Mushroom appetizer was fantastic. Each item was divine on its own, but a little of each together formed the perfect bite.

Little Gems Lettuces

We then shared the Little Gems Lettuces salad, with pears, bleu cheese, pecans, and fresh pomegranate. Every aspect of this salad was fresh and perfect. The balance of sweet, tart, savory flavors, and tender crisp lettuce was exquisite. In hindsight, I think this would have been lovely with a sparkling wine.

Entrees ...

For entrees, we tried the special tortellini (filled with ricotta, goat cheese, greens, and served with a Gorgonzola cream sauce, garnished with walnuts) and a Pizza Sampler (half homemade fennel sausage with smoked mozzarella, wood-roasted onions, roasted Calabrian chile peppers, and half roasted mushrooms with leeks, fontina, garlic, thyme, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese).

Tortellini close-up

Normally, I am not a big cream sauce fan (and don’t really want to develop much of a taste for them), but this was fantastic! The pizza was lightly topped and the crust was thin and perfect. This is the kind of pizza I want to make at home. The crust stayed crisp and held up to the toppings, but it was not tough. I love the slightly puffy rim and super thin base. (It also made for yummy lunch leftovers!)

Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake

I was only going to look at the dessert menu, but someone promised to share this with me. We shared the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Espresso Gelato and Chocolate Sauce.

I’m not sure how many miles I’ll have to ride to work all of this off, but every bite was worth it.

This was my first trip to Paragary’s Bar & Oven, but my sincerest hope is that it will not be my last. Every aspect of the meal and experience was superb. Our server, Julie, was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. The atmosphere was comfortable, elegant, and unpretentious. Check them out online:  http://www.paragarys.com/sacramento-restaurants/paragarys-bar-oven/

Follow

Organic Raspberries & Blackberries with Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream and Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chunks

It almost seems unfair, with Hurricane Sandy pounding the East Coast, but we were so fortunate here to have had some gorgeous Fall weather this weekend; it was perfect for cycling. I got in rides with a girlfriend on both Saturday and Sunday.

After a healthy, light dinner last night, we shared a nearly healthy dessert. I came across some gorgeous organic berries in my adventures yesterday, and, well, who could resist?!

As you can see, I was especially motivated to ride again today.

Tonight's addition is grilled avocado.

Tonight’s dinner is more grilling experimentation. I love grilled vegetables, and that’s what’s on the grill again tonight.  This time, there will be enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Mondays should always include something special to look forward to!

Follow

Here’s an idea for an easy, light, and refreshing dessert. Pick up some pre-made filo tartlet shells. Scoop about a tablespoon of frozen fat free vanilla Greek yogurt, and top with a fresh berry of your choice.

Viola – dessert is served!