Holm Family Cookbook

Dungeness crab

During the fall and winter months in the San Francisco Bay Area and other communities along the west coast, many organizations hold crab feeds as their major yearly fundraiser. The crab feeds are typically held at an event center that can hold 200 - 300 people. The crab being served at the crab feeds are Dungeness crabs. Good, fresh Dungeness crab meat is sweet, tender and tastes great. The Dungeness crabs have hard shells and the crabs have usually been cleaned and cracked, but are still in the shell. Occasionally I hear about crabs feeds where the crabs are served already shelled, but it is really a lot of fun sitting around shelling and eating crab with your friends while wearing bibs. 

The Shrine Event Center in Livermore is a venue for several crab feeds every year

The menu at nearly all of the crab feeds that I have attended included all you can eat crab, salad, pasta, and garlic bread. Several crab feeds in the Bay Area also include all you can eat shrimp.  I would imagine that if someone were to attend several crab feeds during the crab feed season, they could easily pack on 25 pounds.

There is a group of friends and family members that I usually attend at least one crab feed with every year. Last Saturday night we attended the Livermore Rotary's crab feed. When we attend a crab feed, we don't just show up and eat. There are things to bring and some planning involved. Our friend Kim brings butter warmers, butter, and hand wipes. Although there is seafood sauce on the tables, my aunt Patsy brings her crab dressing, which I prefer over the seafood sauce. I bring light appetizers, such as crudités. Everyone brings tools to help make extracting the crab from the shell a bit easier.

One of Kim's butter warmers

Aunt Patsy's crab dressing

The tools we use to extract the crab from the shell

The salad

The pasta

A bowl of the all you can eat crab at the Livermore Rotary's crab feed

This was the first time we attended the Livermore Rotary's crab feed and fortunately, the Rotarians and their guests were well behaved. The event was much more low key than crab feed we attended a couple of years ago where there were "chick fights," dirty dancing, and wardrobe malfunctions (all performed by mom's that had way too many cocktails at this church affiliated crab feed).  The emcee for the Rotary's crab feed was Juliette Goodrich from CBS 5 news. It was a lot of fun seeing many old friends and coworkers at the event--even more so seeing them wearing bibs.

Emmy award winning reporter Juliette Goodrich emceed the event

It was a lot of fun seeing many old friends, like Jacob, at the Rotary Crab Feed

Aunt Patsy's Crab Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, and blend well.

~merry~

So, the West Coast has crab feeds, what kind of feeds do you have in your part of the country?

Super nachos made of leftovers from Super Bowl Sunday

On Super Bowl Sunday we had an impromptu party of 10 and as usual we had enough food for 20 or more people. There were pizzas, wings, veggies, chips and dips, a pot of chili, beer bread, brownies, BBQ beef, cupcakes, candies, turtle chex mix and more. Needless to say, there was a lot of food left over.

By the way, one of the favorite candies at the party were Hershey's Almond Joy pieces. My daughter picked them out as they met our criteria for the Super Bowl teams' colors (blue and white).  The Almond Joy pieces and the wings were about the only foods that were totally consumed.

We also had Patriot punch, which was made with fresh blueberries, blueberry flavored vodka, and lemonade. I'm not a fan of the Patriots--just thought it sounded better than Giants punch.

Since the room was full of Raiders and 49er fans, we were not as focused on the game as we could have been. There was a lot of talking and laughing, and when the commercials came on everyone quieted down and the sound went up.  One of my friends from elementry school is a movie/commerical editor and we watched for his commercials along with all of the other clever commercials that air during the Super Bowl. My favorite work of his this year was the Honda CRV commercial with Mathew Brodrick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA

Our Super Bowl fare included veggies, candies, scoop style tortilla chips, and chili

Artichoke dip, pita strips,  BBQ beef, turtle Chex mix, and sweet and sour chicken wings (click here for wing recipe)

To get rid of some of the leftovers I've been packing them to work the last couple of days for my coworkers to eat. Tonight I made some super nachos with the leftover chili, chips, cheese, and veggies. Below is my recipe.

Super Nachos

Ingredients

Leftover chili

5 oz. or more of Scoop style tortilla chips

1 cup or more of shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican cheese, or cheddar/Monterey Jack mix)

1 tomato, chopped

1 avocado, scooped out of shell and cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped onion (or more if you like onions)

1/2 lime or lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the avocado and onion. Squeeze lime juice over the top and mix. Salt and pepper avocado mixture to taste and set aside.

Place a layer of chips on the bottom of a cast iron frying pan or ovenproof pan with the scoop side up. Spoon half of the chili into the chips. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the top of the chips and chili. Place another layer of chips, chili, and cheese over the top. Bake for 7 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the chopped tomato over the top. Spoon the avocado over the top and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve immediately.

~merry~

"Men, I want you just thinking of one word all season. One word and one word only: Super Bowl." ~Bill Peterson, football coach

Over the last year, I’ve been swapping cookbooks with our cousin-in-law’s Grandma Patsy from West Texas, giving me the chance to try some Southern cooking. Over the summer we tested out okra two ways for the very first time from the Ropesville Cookbook that Patsy helped to publish. The next cookbook I received was Shirley B’s Country Cookin’ from a retired restaurateur in Anton Texas, full of down home family recipes like hush puppies, lemon pound cake, boiled shrimp, fried catfish, chicken and dumplings and more.

When two of the gals at work mentioned that they had a load of green tomatoes still on the vine, it was time for me to try the Fried Tomatoes recipe from Shirley B’s cookbook! I brought my big electric skillet to work along with the four ingredients needed, got set up on the loading dock and started to fry. By the time I was done, you could smell those fried tomatoes throughout the entire theater! I had never even tasted fried green tomatoes before, or cooked them, and they turned out delicious, tangy and tart. The staff and crew gobbled them up. After frying a few different color variations of the tomatoes, I could see why Shirley liked cooking with tomatoes that were starting to turn pink, they had a completely different, flavor, sweeter than the green.

I just received another cookbook from Patsy, Range Riders Cookin’, so I’m sorting through the recipes now, Cowboy Clyde’s Cabbage Salad, Lone Prairie Sheperd’s Pie, Virginia City Beef Brisket, Wild Bill’s Whiskey Biscuits or Jim Bob's Peanut Brittle. Time to pull out the Dutch oven and get to work!

FRIED TOMATOES

“Most people use green tomatoes but I prefer the tomatoes that are turning pink.”

-Shirley B

Wash and slice 3-4 medium tomatoes (thick slices)

In a small bowl add 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Add enough water to make a thick batter. (Should look like pancake batter.) Dip tomato slices in batter coating both sides and lay in a skillet of hot oil. Brown both sides and drain on a paper towel.

-Nancy

Tostada Dip, a Super Bowl party favorite

Watching the 49ers play the Giants a couple of weekends ago reminded me of the playoff game and Super Bowl parties I attended in the 1980’s when the 49ers won the Super Bowl four times. I often brought tostada dip to the parties and the dip was just about as popular at those parties as Joe Montana was to Niners Fans. Long time Livermore resident, Eleanor Barbera, gave me the tostada dip recipe.

Eleanor Barbera was one of those people that I would like to see as she always had a big smile for me. When my sisters and I attended Fifth Street Elementary School (which was where the Del Valle Continuation High School is now), Eleanor was the yard duty lady. Later she worked as a teacher’s aid at Almond Avenue School and after that at Jackson Avenue School. When we were older and played softball in the LARPD women’s softball leagues with her daughter Susie, she would watch our games and practices. She was quite a baseball fan and after she passed away I learned she played on a semi-pro women’s team in Merced—like the team from the movie, “A League of Our Own.” I wish I could have heard some of her stories about her ball playing days. Eleanor was of Irish and Native American ancestry and had high cheekbones, dark hair and olive complexion. She was married to Siberio “Sib” Barbera of Italian ancestry and also an avid sports fan. Eleanor and Sib lived on Third Street in one of the charming craftsman style homes that share the backside of the block that Loard’s Ice Cream Parlor is on. For several years, Sib owned and operated the Atlantic Richfield Service Station on the corner of South L and Second Street in Livermore. He retired and sold it in the early 1980s.

Sib and Eleanor Barbera

Eleanor and Sib had three children, Katherine (Kathy), Thomas Joseph (Joe), and Susanne (Susie). Kathy, also known as Kitt Gilmour, worked as a 911 dispatcher at the Lab for several years. During the last years of his life, Joe lived in the caretaker cottage on our family’s ranch and owned and operated a precision machining shop in Livermore. Susie Barbera was in our sister Nancy’s class at Fifth Street and together they would torment the boys on the playground. Susie is now Susanne Ramsey and is a computer security officer at the Lab and the daughter-in-law of well-known Livermore artist Carolyn Ramsey.

Unfortunately, the Niners won't be playing at the Super Bowl this year, but I am providing you with Eleanor's tostada dip recipe so you can eat it while watching the two teams that do make it to the Super Bowl. Following the dip recipe are some tips to make the recipe a 2012-style dip.

Tostada Dip – Serves 12

1 16-ounce can refried beans

1 7-ounce can chopped Ortega chilies

3 tablespoons mild taco sauce

2 cups guacamole dip

1 small bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)

1 medium ripe tomato, finely diced

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped (optional)

1 pint sour cream

1 small head of lettuce, finely shredded (optional)

½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated

On a plate or shallow bowl, spread the refried beans. In this order, add additional layers of chilies, taco sauce, and avocado dip. In a small bowl, combine the bell pepper, tomato and celery. Spread on top of the dip. Add a layer of sour cream on top of the chopped vegetables. Top with the lettuce, and then the cheeses.

2012-style dip tips: Garnish the top of the dip with sliced olives, chopped cilantro, and tomatoes. Use preshredded Mexican taco style cheese instead of just the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. Substitute the bell pepper with a chopped jalapeno pepper (be sure to remove the seeds). Serve with scoop style corn or tortilla chips, or tortilla chips made in your favorite team's colors.

Go San Francisco Giants! It's not too early to start cheering on our favorite baseball team, is it?!?

~merry carter~

Don't be fooled by outside of Knickerbockers in Greenwich Village, the food and decor is not like T.G.I. Friday's inside

Last October I attended a conference in Jersey City, New Jersey and right across the Hudson River from my hotel was my favorite city, New York. My sister Susie happened to be right across the river too, but we never did meet up.

The conference organizers coordinated a group of us to go to dinner together at the Knickerbocker Bar & Grill in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York one night. To get to the restaurant we took a ten minute PATH train ride from Jersey City to Greenwich Village. From the PATH train station we had to walk a few blocks (city blocks) to the restaurant. We were so focused on staying together, finding the restaurant, and getting to the restaurant on time that we really did not look at our surroundings. After dinner we were able to walk at a more leisurely pace back to the train station and although it was dark and drizzling, we really enjoyed the sights. At one cross street we looked down the street and saw the arch at Washington Square Park. We walked to the park, took some photos, and continued on our walk back to the train station. As we walked we saw small upscale restaurants in the basements of some of the buildings we passed by (check out the Lion restaurant). Limos and town cars lined the streets waiting for their passengers dining in these restaurants. Many of the buildings are over 100 years old and have ornate hand railings on the staircases leading up to the buildings. Some of the apartments had beautiful glowing chandeliers that we could see through the windows. There were window boxes with flowers on other buildings. I would sure like to go back during the daylight to see this charming neighborhood and check out some of the restuarants.

The arch in Washington Square

When we arrived at Knickerbocker's I thought we had been misguided and would be dining at a T.G.I. Friday's type of restaurant. The outside of the restaurant was quite deceiving as the inside of the restaurant has the look of a classic New York eatery with an old school bar, piano, and caricatures by the legendary caricaturist Al Hirshfield.

Caricatures by the legendary caricaturist Al Hirshfield.

Knickerbocker's bar

The group that I went to dinner with really enjoyed Knickerbocker Bar & Grill. A couple of the guys started off with the French onion soup that was served in the traditional soup crock with melted cheese over the top of the soup and a slice of bread. It looked great and the guys that ordered it said it was great. I had some of the best pasta ever. It was housemade pasta with linguine, shrimp, fresh chili, garlic, breadcrumbs and just incredibly good. Others had the filet mignon and the giant T-bone steak. One guy had a gianormous burger. For dessert I had the key lime pie that was also incredibly good.

My incredibly good linguini and shrimp at Knickerbocker Bar & Grill

The filet mignon

Knickerbocker's famous T-Bone steak

Key lime pie

I had always heard that New Yorkers eat late. As we were leaving the restaurant around 9:00 pm there were several groups of people waiting to get seated--this was not the case when we arrived at 7:00 pm. In my hometown the restaurants are starting to close at 9:00 pm on a Tuesday night. 

I love New York.

~merry~

Cowboy coffee brewing over the fire

When we were in junior high (that's what we called middle school) and high school, we spent a lot of time with our grandfather Dick Holm. We always seemed to have an adventure when we were with him.  Papa was born in 1900 and was in his late sixties and early seventies during those years. Every morning he would wake at about 4:30 a.m., would get dressed, make eggs, bacon, and cowboy coffee, and then be off to work in the vegetable garden, fix fence, unplug the plumbing from a spring feeding a cattle trough, gather cattle, or whatever chores needed to be done that day. In the midafternoon he would take a nap and then get up and make some more cowboy coffee. He drank his afternoon coffee with a cookie or two. Afterwards he would continue working until it was time for supper. When we weren't in school we would help him with some of his chores. Our favorite chore was anything that could be done on horseback, such as gathering cattle (if we weren't helping our Granny in the kitchen or papa with his chores, we usually spent our days on horseback). Other times we would pick rocks out of the vegetable garden or pick tomato worms off the tomato plants. He paid us 25 cents for a bucket of rocks or for one tomato worm. It was during this time in my life that I started to drink coffee. Well, it was more like a little coffee with a lot of milk and sugar. 

Our grandfather Dick Holm riding a trike with his nephews in 1928

Cowboy coffee is made by boiling ground coffee. The grounds are not filtered, but egg shells are thrown into the pot before boiling to keep the grounds at the bottom of the pot. To scoop and measure the ground coffee, Papa used one of our grandmother's Blue Denmark coffee cups, which lived inside the can of Hill's Brother's coffee and was missing its handle. He boiled the coffee in an old worn coffee pot. I can still smell the coffee as it boiled over on the stove, leaving coffee burned on the side of the pot and on the stove.

Today my sister Nancy and I still make cowboy coffee when we are camping or Dutch oven cooking, but at home I make sissy coffee with a filter in a coffeemaker and it is made with freshly ground beans. I have always hated grinding the coffee beans until I purchased a new coffee grinder at Costco in December. I bought a Krups grinder that has a coarse setting to select how coarse you want your coffee and a setting for the amount of coffee you will be making. Before I bought this grinder it was hit and miss for how my coffee tasted. Now it's a perfect cup every time. But I digress . . . .

My new Krups coffee grinder

A good strong cup of cowboy coffee

Next time you are feeling a little droopy, give cowboy coffee a try--just be sure to check your teeth for grounds before going out in the public!

Cowboy Coffee

Ingredients

2 quarts water

3/4 cup ground coffee

1 egg shell

Directions

Put all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Let coffee sit for a minute or two for grounds to settle.

~merry~

I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee. ~Flash Rosenberg

The other day we received an email from our cousin Lori who lives in Texas. Lori is a girl that was born and raised in California, and her job took her and her daughters to Texas. Her daughters met and married Texas boys (we all love their accents and their southern manners), and they had their own boys. Lori has lived in Texas for several years now, has five grandsons, and just loves Texas and being a grandmother (we are really not old enough to be grandmothers, are we?!?). So here's what she said in her email:

"It was Clint’s birthday dinner and he wanted Cajun Pasta.  I had to make some plain stuff for Jamie as I didn’t think Colby would like all the spices.  Clint took the picture so I could send it to you guys.  The Cajun pasta was from a recipe I got from Pioneer Women on the internet.  It sure smelled good when cooking.  Next time I need to cook it in the cast iron skillet.  I couldn’t get my non-stick pan hot enough to blacken the way I think it should of.  Everyone liked it so I probably will try it again." 

Here's the link to the recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/09/cajun-chicken-pasta/

The Cajun Pasta that Lori made, the plain pasta is on the right

If you are not familiar with The Pioneer Woman, let me give you a quick rundown. Ree Drummond is a blogger that started out with stories about how she, a city girl, met  "Marlboro man" at a bar and they later fell in love, got married, had children, they live on a large ranch in Oklahoma, she cooks and takes lovely photos. She incorporated some of her stories, recipes, and photos into a beautiful cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl, which became a New York Times Best Seller. She later published, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story, that chronicles her early relationship with "Marlboro man."  She most recently wrote a children's book, Charlie the Ranch Dog. To get to her website: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

The Pioneer Woman has now has a cooking show on the FoodNetwork and a new episode airs tomorrow morning at 10:00 am/9:00 am central time.   

For more info about her show: http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-pioneer-woman/index.html

The cooking cowgirls meet the Pioneer Woman

Warm buttery beer bread

In November my sister Nancy and I participated in the Alameda County CattleWomen's Dutch Oven Gathering. The bread that won the bread category was a beer bread made by the Alameda County CattleWomen's president, Allison Batteate. Her beer bread was some of the best bread I have ever tasted. I made the bread at our New Year's Day get together at the party barn and it was a hit. Besides being delicious, I think this bread has to be some of the easiest to make. There are only five ingredients in the bread and the hands on preparation time is less than 10 minutes.  In addition to baking it outside in a Dutch oven, it can also be baked in the kitchen in your conventional oven.

There are only five ingredients in the beer bread

The blob of beer bread dough before it has risen for 20 minutes

Preparing the coals

The bread is baking on the right

Drizzling the bread with butter while it's baking

Beer Bread – Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 cups self-rising flour

3 – 5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 can or bottle of beer (warmed)

1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

Warm a well oiled 10” Dutch oven. Mix the dry ingredients together. (You did use self-rising flour, right?) Add the warm beer and mix until all of the dry ingredients are mixed in with the wet ingredients. The batter will be sticky. Lob the dough into the middle of the Dutch oven. Cover and allow to rise for 20 minutes. Place 7 coals under the Dutch oven and 14 coals on top. Drizzle melted butter over the top every 15 minutes while cooking. Rotate the lid every 15 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the bottom coals. Continue cooking with the 14 coals on top of the oven. The total cooking time is about 1 hour. The bread is done when the top is golden and the bread sounds hollow when patted.

Directions for baking in a conventional oven:  Mix the dough according to directions above. Place the dough in a warm well oiled 10" skillet or Dutch oven. Cover and allow to rise for 20 minutes. While the bread is rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drizzle some melted butter over the top every 15 minutes while the bread is baking.  I have found the baking time in my oven is about 45 minutes, which is about 15 minutes less than over the coals in a Dutch oven.

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” ~Robert Browning

~merry~

The decor at El Sacromonte, Livermore's newest restaurant was inspired by its namesake in Guadalajara, Mexico

After months of renovations, Livermore has a new upscale gourmet Mexican restaurant on First Street. The co-owner of the new restaurant, Juan Delgadillo runs a string of successful restaurants in Mexico. El Sacromonte in Guadalajara, Mexico is the restaurant from which the new Livermore restaurant takes its name, menu, and inspiration.

My sister Nancy, daughter Laina, and I had lunch at El Sacromonte a couple of weeks ago. We enjoyed the eclectic decor that includes whimsical paintings and figurines, nontraditional lighting, and artifacts from Mexico. The tables, chairs, and a large wine rack are all made of dark hardwood. Three clocks above the bar (another full bar in Livermore folks!) keep the guests on track with the time in Guadalajara, Livermore, and New York. The dining room is fairly large and can accommodate large groups for lunch or dinner. 

Whimsical paintings and . . . . . .

. . . . . whimsical figurines

A few of the artifacts from Mexico

The large dining room can accommodate large groups

Three clocks keep the guests on track with the time in Guadalajara, Livermore, and New York

Nontraditional lighting provides light in the dining room

Instead of the tortilla chips we are accustomed to in Mexican restaurants here in California, a basket of warm bread was brought to our table shortly after being seated. The food we were served was all very well presented and well-seasoned. Most of the food was not spicy hot, and the food that was spicy was not over the top. My favorite was the rib eye tacos, which was a sliced rib eye steak served with small corn tortillas, salsa, guacamole, cilantro, and chopped onion. To finish off our lunch we tried the Natilla Mexicana, which is a Mexican version of crème brulee. It was served warm, which is how crème brulee can be served. However, it was a bit watery--but it tasted very good. We had coffee with dessert and the coffee was very good as well. Two things I would have liked to have seen different was instead of serving the cream for coffee in the individual plastic Mini Moo containers, the cream would have been better presented in a small creamer. The Mini Moos remind me of dining at IHOP. Also, the too cold butter pats came in the gold individually wrapped papers and should be whipped and served in a glass container.

The service the day we were there was spotty. There were only two other tables occupied in the restaurant and the servers appeared to be confused as to whom was responsible for our table. After waiting way too long, we had to flag someone down to order and to get our check.

Diners are served warm bread

Aztec Tortilla Soup - Traditional tortilla soup served with fried tortilla strips, panela cheese, avocado and pasilla chiles

La Chava Shrimp - Large shrimp prepared in a 12 dry-chile sauce with a touch of garlic

Comala Stuffed Avocado - Half avocado stuffed with hearts of palm and shrimp, served with black pepper and hard-boiled egg vinaigrette

Rib Eye Tacos - Rib eye fajitas served in a bed of tortilla accompanied with cilantro, guacamole and onion

Natilla Mexicana - A Mexican version of crème brulee

Overall, we enjoyed our experience and the food at the El Sacromonte and I would definitely go back. However, I hope the rest of Livermore is ready for an upscale gourmet Mexican restaurant.

Buena comida, buena carne, buen Dios, vamos a comer!

~merry~

The "Quaint" Mohonk Mountain House

If you read our blog with any frequency, you know my husband Troy and I traveled to New York in October. Our trip was inspired by the nuptials of Betty Higdon and Brendan Lovett. Betty, who was originally from Fairbanks and later Juneau, Alaska, moved to New York and became a Paramedic for FDNY. It was there that she met Brendan, an EMT for FDNY. Now residents of Brooklyn, they chose Mohonk Mountain House resort in upstate New York for their nuptials.

When telling her father about the location that she and Brendan chose for the location of their wedding, Betty described the Mohonk Mountain House as “quaint."  At first glance of the Mohonk Mountain House, you think grandeur, but once inside you see the quaintness.  Inside the hotel off the main passages are little rooms with fireplaces, comfortable chairs and couches . . . and just the right lighting.  The resort, described as a Victorian castle built on the spectacular cliffs above the deep-blue waters of Lake Mohonk, is located in the midst of the Mohonk Preserve and was built in 1869. The abundant porches have rocking chairs that look upon the lake, beautiful boulders and foliage.

One of the many seating areas inside the hotel

Just a sample of the Mohonk Mountain House's beautiful grounds

A few of the rocking chairs on the abundant porches at the Mohonk

Being the second weekend in October, the fall colors were making a grand appearance. The wedding was held inside due to the weather—it  wasn’t cold, but the fog hugged the mountainside. Betty's brother, Ben, played guitar as the wedding party walked down the aisle. A short, meaningful service was officiated by Brendan's grandfather. Betty and Brendan had special vows they whispered into each other’s ear.

While the wedding party was down on the dock having their pictures taken, the guests were up on the deck enjoying cocktails and appetizers. One table was set with a beautiful plate of cheese, crackers, and crudités with a variety of dressings. Another table had the warm appetizers that included sautéed mushrooms, a smoked duck with cranberry on a raisin crostini, and coconut shrimp.

While the wedding party was being photographed on the dock, the guests were served cocktails and appetizers

The appetizers

The newlyweds share a laugh with guests

A sit down dinner was served in the West Dining Room. Betty had paid such attention to detail! Each of the round tables were set with a birch vase filled with lit branches. There were candles, along with our name cards in birch holders, a small tree encased in a tube, and an ornament with their names and wedding date in a small organza bag. Betty and Brendan had their own smaller round table at the front of the room, providing family and friends an opportunity to visit with them. Of course, the newlyweds were up mingling with the guests as well.

Each table setting included a small tree encased in a tube and an ornament

The newlyweds had their own table at the reception

The dinner was absolutely delicious! A loaf of sliced artisan bread was served with two spreads – garlic and sun dried tomato. Next a roasted sweet potato and cranberry bisque, a delectable combo! The guests had their choice of entrees: a grilled New York strip steak with shallot mashed potatoes and Chasseur sauce or seared swordfish with eggplant puree and sweet tomato compote. There was also a vegetarian option, which was mushroom ravioli. I was privy to taste a bit of each and they were all bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection.

New York Strip Steak

Grilled Swordfish

Father of the Bride Greg Higdon, Bev Munsterman, Susie Calhoun, and Troy Bowers

Many toasts followed the dinner. The two best men, the maid of honor, bridesmaid and fathers each shared their emotional and reflective sentiments. Rather than tossing the wedding bouquet, Betty did something unique. There were four women among the guests that will be getting married in the next year, two of them sister-in-laws. Betty had a special bouquet made for each of them, which she handed to them as she said, "We already know who is getting married!"

The three tiered wedding cake was an Osnes family recipe, Betty's mom being Pauline Osnes. It was a zucchini cake, filled with lemon and iced with Bavarian Cream. Dancing followed the cake, with song titles provided by guests. They even played Troy's and my wedding song, Tequila!

 The wedding cake

Most of the family and Betty's personal assistant, Scott, traveled from Alaska. One uncle traveled from British Columbia, another uncle with her cousins from California. Brendan's family, mostly from the New York area didn't have quite the trek. People joyfully came from far and wide to celebrate the marriage of Betty Maria Higdon and Brendan Gerald Lovett! Here's to the newlyweds . . . and a gracious thank you for including us in an inspirational wedding celebration.

PS – you can see a picture of Betty and Pauline on page 150 of our cookbook, with Pauline's Oak Run Zucchini recipe.

The sight of lovers feedeth those in love.

~William Shakespeare - As You Like It, 3.4.54

~Susie Calhoun~

The tray of mini desserts that I served on Christmas Day

Mini desserts are the rage at restaurants, catered events, and parties these days. Most people want something sweet after dinner and don't want a large dessert. Many of us also like to try a few different things, so the minis are just perfect. I decided to serve mini desserts after dinner on Christmas day this year and my guests were excited that I served them.

To make it easy on myself I bought two premade mini desserts and my daughter, Whitney, and I made one. One of the desserts that I bought was a box of mini cheesecakes from Costco. There were actually three flavors of cheesecakes in the box, which brought the number of different desserts up to five. The second dessert that I bought were mini chocolate dipped vanilla ice cream cones from Trader Joe's. These were a hit. My guests were thrilled to get the ice cream cones.

Mini cheesecakes from Costco

Mini chocolate dipped vanilla ice cream cones from Trader Joe's

The dessert that Whitney and I made was a chocolate mousse layered with crushed Oreo cookies that we topped with fresh whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, and a Hershey's Kiss all made in shot glasses. Most dessert recipes can be prepared in mini containers.  I purchased the shot glasses that I served them in at World Market. Pier 1 Imports currently has a nice selection of mini glasses and other serving dishes for mini desserts and appetizers. If you stop by the store, Pier 1 Imports has a pamphlet about tasting parties that includes ideas and some recipes. The Pier 1 Imports website has a beautiful display of photos and recipes - click here to check them out.

Chocolate mousse layered mini desserts that my daughter and I made for after dinner on Christmas Day

Mini martini glasses available at Pier 1 Imports stores

Mini sampler set available at Pier 1 Imports

The mini desserts can be easy to make. Whitney and I really did not follow a recipe. We made a packaged mousse recipe, crushed Oreos, and made some whipped cream. To get the mousse and the whipped cream into the glasses without making a mess all over the sides of the glasses, we put the mousse and whipped cream into plastic zip-lock bags with a hole cut into one corner of each bag and piped the mousse and whipped cream into the glasses.  I put a frosting tip into the hole in the bag with the whipped cream so that the whipped cream looked a bit more decorative. We sprinkled some decorative candies on top of the whipped cream and topped the dessert with a Hershey's kiss.

Surprise your guests this New Year's Eve with some mini desserts. Go crazy with them!

~merry~

Tablecloths like this red one can be purchased for just a few dollars at the after Christmas clearance sales

I think it is imperative to have beautifully decorated tables when you are entertaining and one of the primary reasons for this is if you have a cooking disaster, your guests are less likely to notice it if the table is well decorated and the food is presented well. It is possible to have a beautifully decorated table and spend very little money.  At the after Christmas sales I purchase candles and other decorations that I can utilize at other times during the year if they don't look seasonal or for Christmas the following year. Garage sales are also great place for finding items to use for table decorations.

Last year I bought some beautiful red tablecloths and silver glass candlesticks at the Target after Christmas clearance sales and used them to decorate this year. The tablecloths and candlesticks were 90% off.  I have some strands of crystal beads that I purchased for 50% off at our local craft store that I wove in and out of the candlesticks. Years ago I purchased some plastic ice chips and glass shaped like diamonds at a discount store that I sprinkled throughout the centerpiece.

 Strands of crystal beads were woven in and out of candlesticks in my Christmas centerpiece

The only thing I purchased for my Christmas table centerpiece this year were some white hydrangeas that I placed in some ice cream sundae glasses that my aunt discarded several years ago. I purchased the hydrangeas at Costco. Trader Joes is also a great place to find inexpensive fresh flowers and plants. 

In my centerpiece this year I also used other candlesticks that I had in the house and used white tealight candles and white cloth napkins to tie it all together. The white cloth napkins can be purchased at World Market and can be used time and time again.

Discarded ice cream sundae dishes with white hydrangeas and silver glass candlesticks added a touch of elegance to our table this year

If you are planning a dinner party for New Year's Eve, you might want to shop for the decorations now at the after Christmas clearance sales. The prices can't be beat!

~merry~

Hey, what are you waiting for!?! Get out there and shop the after Christmas sales!

For nearly 50 years clam dip has been served at my parent's parties and family events

When I was a kid in the 1960's my parents belonged to two dinner clubs. Each month the members of the clubs would take a turn hosting a dinner party at their house. When it was my mother's turn to host "club" it was quite a production getting the house ready. I can remember using the electric floor polisher to polish the hardwood floors in the living room. The polisher was taller than I was. It had two rotating felt pads on the bottom and a long pole with handles to hold to control the polisher.  There was an electrical cord attached to the top portion of the pole and the other end would be plugged into the wall. I can remember polishing the floors a few times with no parental supervision. At least twice I lost control of the polisher (I think I may have lost control when I tried to ride it). It spun wildly around and around, the cord wound around me and the polisher. I don't remember how the polisher was stopped. Apparently I did not get hurt, but I have to wonder why as a small child I was operating it in the first place.

An Electrolux floor polisher just like the one I used to polish the living room floor

Another big job that needed to be done for the dinner parties was polishing the silver. My mother had a set of Wallace Grand Baroque sterling silver flatware that would always be tarnished when it was time to entertain. We would use silver polish and cloth diapers to polish the silver. The silver polish would always get into the ornate handles and it would take some work to get it out. While this job was tedious, it was much safer than polishing the hardwood floor.

Wallace Grand Baroque sterling silver flatware

Prior to the guests arriving, ashtrays would be set out around the house and a silver cup with cigarettes in it would be placed on the coffee table in the living room so the guests could help themselves to a cigarette. I really can't remember what my mother would serve for dinner for "club," but I do remember that a lot of highballs were served along with clam dip and ridged dip chips before dinner was served.

A cup like this would be filled with cigarettes for the guests

Highballs made of whiskey and carbonated water were served

While the highballs aren't flowing nowadays like they used to in the 60's and you won't find cigarettes at my parent's parties or our family events, clam dip is still being served. On Christmas Eve our cousin Lori usually makes clam dip for us to eat while we wait for Santa to arrive and sometimes two family members bring it to our Fourth of July family reunion. The clam dip is almost always served with ridged dip chips and is gone before you know it. Below is Lori's recipe from our cookbook.

Clam Dip

Ingredients

1 6-ounce can of minced clams

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped green onion

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco

Directions

Drain the minced clams, reserving some of the clam juice in case it is needed later. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green onion, lemon juice, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Add the clams and mix thoroughly. If the dip is too thick, add some of the clam juice and stir well. Serve with chips or crackers.

.

So I have a confession to make. In the morning after "club," I would take sips of the highballs that were still on the coffee table and end tables. The highballs with the cigarette butts floating in them really didn't taste that great.

~merry~

Bacon Date Tapas, easy to make and delicious to eat

My husband Troy and I had the opportunity to stay at the historic Casa Munras hotel in Monterey, California. The Estéban restaurant just off of the hotel’s lobby offers Mediterranean tapas and Spanish inspired cuisine. During the weekend we were there, the Sunday special in the bar was tapas. My favorite tapa was a date stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon. Knowing this would be a great appetizer to take to parties, I searched the Internet for the recipe. With only three ingredients, it is very simple to make.

The three ingredients: dates, blue cheese, and bacon

Last weekend one of our cookbook testers, Pat Byrne, had a gingerbread house making party, which these tapas were just perfect for. And, they were a hit! I thought our readers would enjoy them as much as I do. They are the perfect appetizer--simple and delicious!

Hey, maybe Pat will share her gingerbread recipe with us!?

The gingerbread house making party was a perfect event for the tapas

One of the gingerbread houses at the party

Bacon Date Tapas  -  Makes 24, prep time 30 minutes, bake time 30 - 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound bacon, medium thick slices work best

24 dates, fancy Medjools work well

8 ounces of blue cheese (I prefer Point Reyes Blue Cheese)

24 toothpicks

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan with non-stick foil. Split the dates open, remove the pit. Fill the vacancy with blue cheese. Cut the strips of bacon in half and wrap the filled date in the half slice of bacon, then secure it with a toothpick. Place on cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Put on a higher rack in the oven—the bottoms tend to burn when on a lower rack. Check after 20 minutes, if needed, turn them. Continue checking until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel. These may be served at room temperature.

Removing the pit from the dates

The dates filled with blue cheese

The stuffed and bacon wrapped dates ready for the oven

The tapas are almost done cooking!

Enjoy!

~Susie

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon."  ~Doug Larson

A sample of the wide variety of cookies and candies from this year's exchange: chocolate crinkles, double orange, snickerdoodle biscotti, shortbread, English toffee, lemon drops, chocolate balls

Three years ago I blogged about a Christmas cookie exchange 11 of my coworkers and I started that year at work. At the first exchange we were wowed by the French chocolate bark our coworker Louella brought for the exchange. She neatly packed the bark into twelve small green glass bread pans. The wife of another coworker brought chocolate Christmas mice, which were also a hit.  Click here to read about the first exchange

That year I brought the spritz cookies that my family and I make at a yearly spritz cookie making party. To read about the cookie making party and see the recipe, click here. 

Last year, I was not into making cookies for the exchange, so I made homemade peanut brittle. Believe it or not, peanut brittle is quicker and easier to make than cookies. Click here to learn how to make it and get the recipe.

I spent some time this past weekend prepping for the third annual cookie exchange. I made muddy buddies, a snack mix, instead of cookies. And, as I am writing this blog, it is 6:30 a.m. and I have potatoes baking in the oven for the luncheon we have in conjunction with the cookie exchange. The first year we had a taco and taco salad bar at the luncheon.  I made easy picante chicken in a crockpot for the tacos and salad. Click here for the recipe.  Last year we had a baked potato bar. When the call went out this year for ideas for the luncheon some people wanted tacos again, others wanted baked potatoes. There were no suggestions for anything new, so we are having a taco and baked potato bar.

It's now 9:30 p.m. and I'm feeling a bit queasy from all of the decadent sweets that I ate today. The variety of cookies and candy that my coworkers made for today's cookie exchange was incredible. There were snickerdoodle biscotti, lemon drop cookies, shortbread, English toffee, oatmeal raisin cookies, double orange cookies, chocolate mint chip cookies, and chocolate crinkles. Louella wowed us again this year with some chocolate balls made from an Ina Garten recipe. Besides the wide assortment of cookies and candies, there was also a variety of packages that the cookies were packed in.

A sample of the cookie packagings

Muddy buddies

Muddy Buddies

Ingredients

9 cups Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex, or Chocolate Chex cereal (or combination)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Measure the cereal into a large bowl and set aside. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 20 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the cereal, stirring until evenly coated, and taking care to not break the cereal. Pour into a 2-gallon resealable food-storage (Ziploc) plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal the bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

NOTE: If you don't have a 2-gallon resealable Ziploc bag, use two 1-gallon bags. Put 1/2 of the cereal mixture and powdered sugar into each bag. Rotate shaking the bags.

~merry~

Christmas cookies and happy hearts, this is how the holiday starts.

As Livermore's downtown continues to grow with new wine bars, pubs, and restaurants, one of the best is hidden out in Livermore's wine country

The first few miles of Tesla Road in Livermore is blanketed with vineyards, wineries, and tasting rooms. Hidden among them is the Underdog Wine Bar, which is one of my favorite places to go to unwind with friends and family or have a light leisurely lunch. The Underdog Wine Bar is adjacent to Concannon Vineyard's tasting room.

The decor at the Underdog is modern and tasteful

The wine distribution system keeps the wine at the optimal temperature

The decor in the Underdog is tasteful, modern, and leaves you with asking, "Is this really Livermore?!?" The decorator has also done a great job of incorporating grapes and vines into the decor.  One of the Underdog's assets is the outdoor patio that looks out on the Livermore hills, vineyards, and Concannon's grape arbor. The patio has heaters, so you can sit out there in all seasons and enjoy the view. There are tables, chairs, and couches for seating that can accommodate a fairly large group of people.

With views of the vineyards and Livermore Hills, the patio is one of the Underdog's assets

The wine can be ordered by glass, flight, or bottle. I usually order a flight which is three glasses on a wooden stand, with a fairly substantial pour. Ordering the flight gives me an opportunity to try a variety of wine. 

A flight of wine at the Underdog

The small plates served at the Underdog are incredible and designed by gourmet chef Barbara Llewellyn. The menu changes throughout the year and the items removed are replaced with seasonal foods. Currently on the menu is a braised short rib dish with seasonal vegetables that is out of this world. On a recent night when my sisters and I were at the Underdog, we could smell the short ribs cooking and it was a dizzying experience for the Calhoun sisters, especially since we were so hungry when we arrived. One small plate of the braised short ribs led to another . . . .

Homemade potato chips

Seasonal flat bread with walnuts, prosciuto, cheese, and grapes

There is an ahi tuna tartar tower that is always on the menu and is made with cucumber, avocado, radish, wasabi aioli, and coriander oil served with lightly salted wonton chips. Most of the people that I've been to Underdog with have ordered it and loved it (I don't do raw fish).  The desserts are not to be missed. One of the static menu items and always the best is the valrhona extra noir chocolate tart that is served with coffee bean caramel and sprinkled with grey salt. During the spring we took our cousin Becky and her daughter Kelsie to the Underdog for wine and dessert. My teen daughters and Kelsie thoroughly enjoyed the desserts especially the buttery strawberry shortcake that was on the menu at that time.

Valrhona extra noir chocolate tart with coffee bean caramel and grey salt

The seasonal straberry shortcake is made with a buttery pastry

The next time you're looking for a great place to spend some time enjoying a glass of wine, good conversation, and good eats, venture out to Livermore wine country's gem. You will be happy you did.  ~merry~

If all be true that I do think, There are five reasons we should drink:  Good wine— a friend— or being dry—Or lest we should be by and by—Or any other reason why.

~Henry Aldrich (1647–1710)

My husband, Troy, and I were able to attend the Brew Angel’s 63rd Annual Pub Crawl. The crawl was well attended, with 31 people boarding the bus for our trek to Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Third Street Ale Works and finally, Bear Republic. The back of the bus is reserved for the homebrews that members brought to share, very popular and tasty. It was a bright sunny day with beautiful views as we drove across Highway 12 from Lodi to the North Bay. This bus was equipped with a restroom, which we were discouraged to use for obvious reasons and “hold on” if we did!

Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant in Novato

Our first stop was Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant in Novato. The bartender lined up a plethora of brews for us to taste: Hopsicle Triple Hoppy IPA , Celts Golden Ale, Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale, Ryan O’Sullivan’s Imperial Stout, Irish Style Red, Orange and Black, White Christmas Spiced White Winter Lager. I would say my favorite was the Orange and Black, a special brew commemorating the San Francisco Giants World Series win. I first bought this beer in a bottle – a stout with hints of orange. All the beers were delicious and well balanced. Moylan’s has won many awards, both nationally and internationally. This was voted as our favorite brewery so far!

Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma

Up the road in Petaluma, we stopped at the Lagunitas Brewing Company.  A trip to the TapRoom and Beer Sanctuary is something to experience. A brewery that has always pushed the envelope, their facility is so very unique and artistically eclectic. Brian, our Lagunitas historian and tasting guide, shared much of their history and the story behind some of their beer names.

One such story would be the release of a brew to commemorate the Undercover Sting in their early days. They are in the process of a multimillion dollar expansion. We had the opportunity to taste Hop Stoopid, Pils – Czech Style Pilsner, Maixmus and a few others. Most of their beers I would consider “big beers” with high alcohol content, very well hopped.

Loved this stop! You may want to check out the Beer Circus in May. There was a great write up in The Celebrator Beer News about this now annual event, check it out!

Third Street Aleworks

Next stop was the Third Street AleWorks in Santa Rosa. This being our lunch stop, we were in need of food. The almonds and jerky I brought along were not holding up to the big beers! They had an extensive beer list, with lists posted on the wall, including alcohol content. We were offered a limited lunch menu with plenty of choices. Most popular at our table was the fish and chips.

At our table there were also grilled tri tip steak salad ,

and the Italian Pizza.

I ordered the Bird on Third - grilled chicken breast with bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese served on a toasted French roll.

What do I like best about pub food? French fries! They were cooked to perfection, with the skins on. Some of the beers we tasted were: Annadel Pale Ale, Bodega Head IPA, Stonely Oatmeal Stout, Cascadian Dark Ale and American Wheat Ale. The service was remarkably smooth for a large group. Some people took the opportunity to run over to Russian River Brewing and taste some of their famous Pliney the Elder.

Bear Republic Brewing Company and Restaurant

Our final stop was Bear Republic Brewing Company and Restaurant in Healdsburg. Known for their Racer 5 we tasted that along with Big Bear, Red Rocket, Peter Brown Tribute Ale. Brian, a brewing assistant, gave us a short tour and took us over to the Barrel Room. The Barrel Room was set up for a dinner that evening. Bear Republic has won many awards, is home of the Best IPA in the US and has expanded their brewing facility to Cloverdale. The beer was tasty, well hopped. You could tell the day was wearing on us by this stop and it was time to load up the bus. As we were leaving Bear Republic, the dinner crowd was filtering in.

The bus ride back to Lodi was quieter than the ride over. There was still beer in the back for those that wanted it. As we pulled into the Flying J lot at the intersection of I-5 and Hwy 12, designated drivers met the bus. All headed home, looking forward to next year’s 64th annual Brew Angel’s Pub Crawl.

Susie

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer."

- Abraham Lincoln

Apple French Toast Casserole with apple syrup spooned over the top

If you are like me and like to entertain, you are probably always looking for the perfect recipe to feed to guests. Last week I found the perfect breakfast/brunch recipe on the Tasty Kitchen Website (you should check out the Tasty Kitchen Website, there are a lot of great looking recipes there). The ingredients, description, and photo of this Apple French Toast casserole made the recipe sound and look fantastic, so I made two batches of it the Wednesday before Thanksgiving just to make sure it was as good as it looked. I took one batch to work and left the other for my kids and their friends to eat. I received rave reviews from both groups. We were leaving on Thanksgiving Day to stay at my cousin Becky's house in Yuba City for a couple of days, so I made another batch before we left. I figured we could pop it into the oven when we got back from our early morning shopping escapade on Black Friday. 

The two batches that I made the day before Thanksgiving were made with pre-sliced Texas toast. The batch I prepped on Thanksgiving was made with sourdough bread. While the casserole was good with the Texas toast bread, it was exquisite with sourdough bread.

Now about the surprise ingredient . . . It's Jack Daniels Whiskey. The original recipe called for bourbon, which I did not have, so I used the closest thing to bourbon that I had on hand. Just in case you're thinking Jack Daniels is bourbon whiskey, it's not. The Jack Daniels website set me straight: Jack Daniel's is not a bourbon - it's a Tennessee Whiskey.  Anyway, about the Jack Daniels in this recipe--it complements the butter and adds richness to the flavor. However, if you don't have or can't have whiskey or bourbon, I think the recipe would be fine without it.

Jack Daniels is the surprise ingredient in this decadent French toast casserole

This dish can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight or you can make it the day you plan to serve it. You do not need to serve it with syrup; the apples and brown sugar make a syrup that you can spoon over the top of each serving.

On Black Friday when we returned from shopping we did pop the casserole into the oven and it sure hit the spot for us hungry shoppers! By the way, I want to set the record straight about the shopping--Becky, Laina, and I were not some of the bad shoppers you might have seen in the news on Black Friday. We were on our best behavior and did not shoot, pepper spray, push or shove, or rip anything out of the hands of any of the other shoppers . . .

Apple French Toast Casserole - Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

½ cup butter (one stick)

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Jack Daniels Whiskey

4 to 6  baking apples (e.g., Granny Smith), cored, peeled, and sliced

1 loaf sour dough or French bread, cut into 1 inch slices

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Dash of salt

Directions

If you are making this dish the day you are serving it, preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Melt the butter and sugar together over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Cook until slightly thickened. Add the whiskey and whisk again. Continue to cook for about 1 minute.

Spray a 9″ x13″ pan with cooking spray. Pour the butter and whiskey mixture into the bottom of the pan. Arrange the sliced apples on top.

The butter, brown sugar, and whiskey mixture covering the bottom of the pan

Sliced apples arranged in the pan

In a medium or large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Dip each side of the bread into the egg mixture and arrange the bread on top of the apples. Pour the leftover egg mixture over the bread. 

Sour dough cut into 1-inch slices works best for this recipe

Dip both sides of the bread into the milk and egg mixture

If you plan to serve this dish the following day, cover the dish and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the uncovered casserole dish in the heated oven. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until apple slices have softened and bread is golden brown (one of my casseroles took about 70 minutes to cook). 

The casserole is cooked until the bread is browned and apples soft

To serve, use a large serving spoon or spatula to remove a slice of the bread and the apples below. Flip it over onto a plate and spoon some of the apple syrup from the casserole over the top.

I'm planning on serving this Christmas morning.

~merry

The last time I turned down a whisky, I didn’t understand the question.  ~Unknown

An Anything Goes billboard on the corner of Broadway and 47th Street

Last month my husband Troy and I made a quick trip to New York City. Before leaving on the trip we made a list of everything we wanted to see in the city. First on the list was  a Broadway production! The thought of standing in line with hundreds to get a half price ticket at TKTS had no appeal, so when Travel Zoo sent out an email with discounts to Broadway productions, I hopped on it. This helped narrow our choices. Troy and I chose Anything Goes, a revival of the 1934 musical, at the newly remodeled Stephen Sondheim Theater. When looking at the reviews on didhelikeit.com to make a choice, Anything Goes had rave reviews.

The newly remodeled Stephen Sondheim Theater

We had tickets for the Sunday matinee and naturally we had to get a meal before seeing the show. While we were on our way to the theater the first restaurant we came upon was Heartland Brewery . . . which was PERFECT for us craft beer lovers! First off we ordered the beer sampler that included one of the specialty brews and six other samples. We started with the Indian River Light which was described as having the flavor of orange blossoms with coriander to enhance the crisp finish. It was the best of all. This was followed by Cornhusker Lager and a Harvest Wheat. Red Rooster Ale followed, this one tasted really good with French fries. The IPA  was flavorful, but it really couldn't compare to the California IPAs. Farmer John's Oatmeal Stout has won various medals at the Great American Beer Festival - this was a bit light for my liking. Finally, the specialty brew that day was the Smiling Pumpkin Ale, which was a lightly spiced brew. One of their "beer cocktails" was Stumpkin, a blend of the stout and pumpkin brews. The stout was so light it could be over powered by the pumpkin.

The Heartland Brewery in New York City

The beer sampler at Heartland Brewery

Along with the beer and food, Heartland also served a variety of cocktails, beer cocktails and wine. On the wine list was an Axis, 2007 Lodi Zinfandel for $36. The menu was a typical pub menu, with some variations. We chose the mini bison burgers with BBQ sauce and sliced tomato, it was juicy and flavorful. The French fries had skins on, were well done, and sprinkled with sea salt - just like I like them! Finally I had a chop salad with capers, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red onions, grape tomatoes, celery and croutons. It was too heavily dressed for me and the vegetables a bit wilted. Heartland has several locations throughout Manhattan.

Heartland Brewery's mini bison burgers

The chop salad at Heartland Brewery

When we arrived at the theater, the line to go in had already formed and people were all ready entering to see Anything Goes. Each doorway had an usher dressed as a sailor. The sets for the musical are described as "deco." I cannot say enough about this production. Every detail left a favorable and lasting impression. The music, the dancing, the costumes, the sets, the performers – all made for a memorable theate rexperience.

It was a great first day in New York City!

 ~Susie

This month has been just crazy. I've traveled over 12,500 miles and lucky for me, I do love to travel. During my travels I attended a conference in Jersey City, New Jersey.  The conference was held in a hotel in the Newport area of Jersey City, which is just across the Hudson River from New York City. With all of the tasteless reality shows featuring residents of New Jersey these days, I was wondering what I was getting myself into. Fortunately, I never ran into anyone that even resembled Snooki or The Situation, one of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, or even anyone that looked Jerseylicious.

The yacht harbor in the Newport area of Jersey City, New Jersey

The view of New York from one of the walking paths in the Newport area

The Newport area of Jersey City was very nice. The conference was held at the Westin, which was one of the nicest hotels I have stayed at in a few years. The beds and linens in the rooms were awesome. They have gone above and beyond to provide you with a great stay by providing high quality soaps, shampoos, lotions in the sleeping rooms, heated towels and disposable ear buds in the workout room (the workout equipment all have individual TVs), and you can help yourself to apples in lobby. The food was incredible at the restaurants in the hotel and believe it or not, even the food served at the conference was outstanding. It also appears that the hotel staff has gone through extensive training to provide outstanding customer service, which I really appreciated.

Night time view of New York City from my room at the Jersey City Westin

Vegetable Rolls at the Fire & Oak Restaurant in the Westin

There are several restaurants in the area surrounding the Westin. One night during the conference we had an evening event at Michael Anthony's restaurant, which is situated on the Hudson River with a great view of New York. The event included a cocktail reception with passed appetizers and a sit down dinner. While the location of this restuarant is outstanding, I kept expecting chef Gordon Ramsey to appear for a Kitchen Nightmares makeover saying something such as, "What the f**k are you serving here? This food is f**king terrible. They quit serving this s**t in the 80's." He would have also had a field day with the servers serving the dinner as well. Given the great views of New York and the river, I would actually give the restaurant another try. I have found that even some of the best restaurants bomb when catering a large event.

Michael Anthony's restaurant on the Hudson River offers an outstanding view of New York City

The bar at Michael Anthony's

Another restaurant I tried in the area was Azucar Cuban Cuisine, a restaurant right across the street from the Westin. I really enjoyed the food, music and ambience at Azucar. One of the specialties at this restaurant is their Cuban sandwich, which is notorious for beating Bobby Flay in a throwdown. For a few weeks during October I was on a shrimp kick, so instead of the Cuban sandwich I tried a shrimp dish, Camarones a la Plancha, which were grilled shrimp seasoned with lime, fresh herbs and black pepper. The shrimp were great. My coworker, Rena, tried the grilled chicken breast, Bistec de Pollo al Grill, which was a lime juice marinated grilled chicken breast covered with onions and peppers. She said it was very tender and tasted great.

Azucar Cuban Cuisine restaurant

The Camarones a la Plancha, grilled shrimp seasoned with lime, fresh herbs and black pepper

Bistec de Pollo al Grill, lime juice marinated grilled chicken breast smothered in onions and peppers

I really enjoyed my visit to Jersey City.  Besides the Westin, there are other hotels in the area, such as a DoubleTree and a Courtyard Marriott. There is a Path train station about a block away from the Westin.  For $3 we took a seven minute train ride into Greenwich Village for dinner one night. Rena took the Path train into New York a few times and said she was able to easily walk to some of the attractions she wanted to see or transfer to the subway, which took her to other attractions.

I would definitely stay in this area again. I'll have to catch Snooki on some other trip.

~merry~