Incarnation Does It Again!

You guys may remember my post from last year about Incarnation Lutheran's first annual Oktoberfest.  It was one of the most impressive events I'd been to in all of Columbia.  Because of that, I've eagerly awaited their second annual Oktoberfest, which finally got here this past weekend.

My buddy Andy (left) is a very convincing Martin Luther!

 
The festival opened on Friday and ran through Sunday.  Once again, it was fantastic!  If you live in Columbia and haven't been yet, you simply must put it on your calendar for 2013 and beyond!  It is one of our best festivals, by far.  Incarnation goes all out and really delivers.  An awesome bier garten, schnitzel plates with your choice of homemade red cabbage, sweet & sour green beans, spaetzel or potatoes with onion and bacon. You can actually see the full menu by clicking here. If schnitzel isn't your bag, choose from bratwurst or simple hot dogs for the kids.  And speaking of the kids...the festival takes place in the backyard of the church.  So, they have their playground back there, jump castles, and a live German band, which just gets kids moving. It always does.  In fact, the Vivver was all over the dance floor until about 9:30! I mean, really what kid doesn't love the Chicken Dance?  What adult for that matter?

My mom and I shared a jaeger schnitzel plate with potatoes, cabbage and we added an additional side of green beans.  The schnitzel is made with pork and was a tender, high quality cutlet.  The sauce was packed with mushrooms and flavor.  The beans were delightfully sweet and sour, and the cabbage was nicely pickled but had a more subtle, light flavor than what you're probably used to.  The potatoes, onion & bacon dish was magnificent.  I would've eaten it with a shovel, if they'd provided me with one.  That's not weird, right? 

Woefully, I ran out of my house this year sans iPhone so I have no photographic evidence of this year's fest.  I guess I was so eager to get my schnitzel on, I lost all sense of reason. No biggie though.  It's not like schnitzel is the most photogenic meal out there, but man is it delish. Like, with a capital D and a capital ISH.  

The festival features free admission, $3 gets kids unlimited time in the jumpy things, beer and wine are reasonably priced, the food is awesome, the bands are fun and the atmosphere is one of happiness and frivolity!  If you haven't checked out this festival, I'm telling you PUT IT ON YOUR  CALENDAR!  If you don't, you're just cheating yourself out of a good time.

Unbelievable!

Are you familiar with AllRecipes.com? I have loved this website for quite some time.  If you don't know, here's what they are all about.  Recipes are submitted by REAL people, then other REAL people rate/review them.  The cool thing is that I've never made a recipe from this site that hasn't worked and worked well.  The coolest thing though is that you can plug in how many servings you want and the site will adjust all of the quantities for you.  Awesome.

I have a client who is preparing to move as soon as we get a buyer for her house.  One day, I stopped by and saw stacks of books in her dining room.  Curious, I inquired.  They were all cookbooks that she was going to donate.  I guess she saw my expression change, prompting her to say something like, "Should I donate them to you?"  Touchdown, goal, SCORE!  Even though I knew I don't even have enough bookcase space, and that Neil and my entire family would give me hell about adding more cookbooks to my bursting-at-the-seams collection, I happily loaded them all into the backseat.  

One of them has become my new favorite:  all recipes dinner tonight.  Basically, it's a "greatest hits" of the website.  The editors compiled a "Hall of Fame" of 20 recipes who all received 150+ ratings and reviews.  So far, I've made 5 of these 20 and haven't been disappointed at all.  The latest one is a recipe that I've read, re-read, re-read, contemplated, re-read.  I finally decided to jump off the cliff and try it and man, am I glad I took the leap.  So glad, that I wanted to share with you all.  Now, be prepared...when you see this title, you're going to be intrigued yet a bit quizzical.  Maybe even a bit cynical.  You might experience disbelief.  But, trust me.  Take the leap like I did and you will make yourself and your family/friends very happy.

Photo from www.AllRecipes.com

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

• 1 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tbs chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 tsp prepared mustard
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 Tbs soy sauce
• 12 (10") flour tortillas, warmed
• 4 cups cooked & mashed sweet potatoes
• 8 oz shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a medium skillet and saute onion & garlic until soft.  Stir in the beans and mash.  Gradually stir in the water and heat until warm.  Remove from heat and stir in chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne and soy sauce. Spread sweet potatoes evenly over the bean layer and top with cheese.  Roll up burrito style and place in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake for about 12 minutes. Serve with sour cream, salsa, green onion, whatever on the side, if you wish.  

To me, this was like the best bean burrito ever, but with that little touch of "je ne sais quoi." Amazingly, the sweet potato married so well with the spiced bean mixture.  I NEVER would have come up with this on my own.  It works and it works so well!  I also was just plain feeling good watching the Vivver eat this meal packed to the gills with protein and beta-carotene!  Please trust me and put your hesitation aside and make this recipe.  And, I'd really love to hear your feedback about it.  Sorry I didn't take any pictures.  We were all starving and dug right in.  Photography be damned!  But, the good people at AllRecipes made this great video:

 

Food & Wine Festival...Here I Come!

What better pairing of words is there than "food" and "wine"?  This coming Saturday, Lake Carolina hosts its 10th Annual Wine & Food Festival. (I like that wine is named first!)  Well, I am flattered and pleased as punch that I have been asked to attend the festival and then share my thoughts with you guys, my faithful foodie friends.  I happily accepted this invitation and am so excited about the festival.  I mean, three hours of food, wine, fun & frivolity...my kinda afternoon.

If you're interested in joining up with the Wanna-be and the Neilix, message me here or via Facebook.  Then, stayed tuned to the blog for our food wisdom and witty food for thought.

Gearing up for Fall & Winter

Before we get started, I need to get something off my chest:  I really hate the term "comfort food." Living in this current world where we are constantly combatting our weight (I'm totally in this crowd), we're lamenting childhood obesity (yet, how many Americans happily own McDonald's stock?),  and our Land of the Free is actually contemplating outlawing sugary drinks (really...protect us from ourselves, we know not what we do), the characterization of ANY food as comfort completely flies in the face of what we preach about proper eating, eating disorders and the obesity epidemic.  Food isn't supposed to be a source of comfort, happiness, love, acceptance, or stress relief.  At least, that's what we're told. Yet, it is all those things to most of us, in different ways at different times and under different and ever-changing circumstances.  Even so, I hate that term.

So, kids, on with the show!

Neilio loves the cool months and all the comforting foods that come with it.  Before I met him, I was afraid of crockpots.  My worst fear is having my house burn down, so am I leaving an appliance on when I'm not home?  Heck no!  But, once he and I became an item, he wore me down and got me to give it a try.  Now, I look for crockpot recipes, not only because they certainly make life easier, but most of the time, I just like the idea of him coming home after a long day, opening the door and inhaling a comforting aroma that makes him happy he's home.  (Yes, I realize how sappy that sounds, but dammit! it's true.) Of course, not all comfort food has to come out of a crockpot.  Think back to walking into a house filled with the smell of a slow simmering spaghetti sauce, or soup, or a big ol' pot of chili, pot roast, homemade bread.  Well, try this on for size:  beef short ribs simmering away in a red wine reduction sauce with onions, garlic and carrots!

Finished product...short ribs, super rich gravy over mashed potatoes & green beans!

I used 2 lbs of short ribs that I found on sale at Publix.  I seasoned them, dredged them in flour and seared/browned them in olive oil over medium-high heat.  

Seared and ready to rock and roll!

Removed them from the pot and added 1 cup chopped onion.  Sauteed a minute or two and added 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 1/2 tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1 Tbs chopped garlic.  Next, I deglazed the pot with about 3/4 cup red wine (yummm!) then added 4 cups of beef broth.  Brought it up to a boil and then cut to low for a simmer of about 2 hours.  

I just want to dive into this and swim around.

As I was nearing time to serve, I added a cornstarch slurry to thicken my gravy a bit then plated it all up.  The coolest part of it all was the reactions I got.  Upon returning home from karate, the littlest gourmet walked in and said "Wow, it smells YUM in here!"  One of my favorite compliments from the Vivver!  Then, the subtle, yet excited look on Neil's face as he entered and was greeted by the YUM factor. As we made it to the table, Viv was already declaring this as one of her top favorite dinners...and she hadn't even tried a bite yet!  Comforting, indeed!

 

 

santo taco de pescado!

As I get older, I'm really getting it through my head that some of the best restaurants seem to hide in strip malls.  Everything from nice, "glammy" looking strip malls to dumpy, worn-out looking strip malls.  Guy Fieri has demonstrated time and time again that some of America's best, most original and most popular food is being served up in the most non-glamorous settings.  And, once again, I have proven this to myself.

A few days ago, my mom and I set out with a friend to have Mexican for lunch.  We drove up to the restaurant we had decided on, only to be greeted by an empty parking lot and a handwritten note on the door..."Closed every Monday."  Well, I guess every Monday is better than random Mondays. Having control of the car is certainly an advantage.  As my companions began discussing some meat and three type set-up, my taste buds and my brain were already on the way to the border.  I turned left, just knowing that a Mexican eatery had to be in my path.  That's when I saw it.  It is a small sign in a strip mall marquis that I've seen before.  I haven't ever heard anyone utter a word about this place and have made mental notes when passing by that I need to check it out sometime.  That sometime had come. 

The place I'm referring to is called "7 Mares." This means Seven Seas.  That's right:  it's a Mexican restaurant that focuses on seafood.  If you've ever spent any time in Mexico, you know that seafood appears on menus all over the place, but here in the U.S., especially here in the South, about all you ever find is the cliche taco, enchilada, burrito, refried beans and rice.  Some Southerners only know Mexican fare as #1, #8 or "the Speedy Gonzales."  Mexican food is so much more, as evidenced by Rick Bayless and all his travels and awesome cookbooks and restaurants.  (Did I ever tell you guys about the time I got a table at his place in Chicago?) Anyway, I digress (yet again!)

7 Mares is a refreshing change.  They offer all the usuals, but there is TONS of seafood on the menu as well.  The waitress started us off with a different type of chips & salsa scenario.  These chips were homemade but with flour tortillas rather than corn.  And,the salsa was a tomato base but was sweet.  I'll elaborate on that in a minute. I ordered the shrimp relleno, mom had a combo with chili relleno, taco and guac salad and our friend Cookie had grilled steak & peppers, rice, beans and hot, fresh tortillas.  

This is Mom's

Her steak was awesome...you could really taste the grill, which reminded me of one of my favorite Mexico experiences.  My parents and my sister and I went to Cancun for a long weekend after K finished Colorado State.  When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in and then headed out toward the beach to check things out. Right on the sand was an elevated thatched deck with two ladies making homemade tortillas and filling them with beef right from the grill.  It was simple and off the charts!

Grilled beef strips

 Mom's was pretty typical, but certainly good tasting.  I tried her guacamole and it was quite nice, although I think my new favorite guac recipe is the best on the planet.  Now mine was the star...it was a ginormous Poblano pepper stuffed (and I mean STUFFED) with shrimp and queso and then covered with a tomato sauce so fresh and light that it was surprising.  My dish also came with a side bowl of "ranchero" beans that were also super flavorful, thanks to lots of bits of bacon in the sauce. This relleno was so large, I could only handle half and brought the rest home for the Neilio to try.  

My shrimp chili relleno

 As we were eating, a male manager came to our table to ask how we liked our lunch.  Always a nice touch, especially if you're really actually enjoying your food instead of just having to say the obligatory "fine."  Later, as we were finishing up, a female manager approached us to also check on us.  We began talking and she confirmed that the sauce on my dish was freshly made & went on to say that they make everything fresh each day.  She elaborated that their "sweet" salsa is designed to compliment their seafood emphasis, but they have spicy salsa available as well.  She also mentioned that the cool drink in the pineapple that we saw go by was their homemade pina colada...uhhh, hello Happy Hour!  We talked more about how it's so hard to find Mexican seafood meals and that we'd happily return to this restaurant.  

Now, here's the funny part of this story. I came home that evening and told Neil about this place and how I want to go back with him so he can try it out.  A little while later, he disappeared for a bit (he always goes outside to use the phone because the cellular signal in our house is schizophrenic).  So, he comes back and announces that he had just talked to our friend "Jeff-ro" who lives near this place and "Jeff says this place is the bomb."  You can probably guess what my response was..."what? you didn't believe me?  You had to get a second opinion?"

7 Mares is a nice, refreshing change for anyone who enjoys Mexican food.  It's in a strip mall, like lots of good places, but ya know, the decor is also kinda strip mall-y.  But that's ok.  The food makes up for it.  And, oh by the way, on this lunch outing, we were the only NON-Hispanic people in the joint.  ALWAYS a good sign! 

New Product Review

Many of you know this about me, but I'll say it again.  I am a coupon addict.  It pains me to go to the grocery store without a stack of them.  I love the rush of feeling like I just robbed the store.  I plan, I plot, I wait, I watch.  Then, I swoop in and buy, buy, buy!  Now, before you get concerned, let me clarify: I only buy stuff we actually use, unless I can get it for free and then I donate it; I have not built an addition onto my house to house 3 years' worth of groceries and I don't clean out an entire department of my grocery store in one fell swoop.  But, I do sleep well knowing that I have my own little personal hoard of olive oil, soup, rice and beans.  (and occasionally feta cheese, pie crust, spaghetti sauce and pickles)

Well, last week, I noticed that this new product that I'd never heard of was on sale at Publix.  It's Progresso's "Recipe Starters."  Now at first, I thought this was like those new concentrated stocks that a lot of the broth people have introduced. I downloaded some coupons and decided to check this stuff out.  Turns out they're not all stocks.  They are bases to start recipes with and the can actually has a recipe on it, in addition to the URL of more recipes and ideas.  I selected a variety to give it a try:  Creamy Parmesan Basil, Fire Roasted Tomato, Creamy Roasted Garlic and Creamy Three Cheese.  

Just a couple of days later, I received an email from MyBlogSpark to introduce me to "Progresso Recipe Starters" and it included a link to a high value coupon for it.  They have encouraged me to post this coupon link for you, my faithful reader, to download and give the product a try.  I decided to use one of them myself so I could give you my two-cents' worth, in case you're interested.  I used the "Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac n Cheese" recipe right on the label.  You can view the recipe right here. 

I served it with a grilled flatiron steak and green beans.  This dish was very tasty (BACON!) and very creamy.  I think the flavor could be boosted even more with a sharper cheese thrown in, like blue cheese maybe.  And, it was a snap to prepare.  It absolutely fits the bill for an easy weeknight dish.  If you are the type who prefers the old school, drier oven baked macaroni from your grandmother, this may not do it for you.  But, if you are one who digs hot, cheesy, creamy pasta...this is a winner.  If you're interested in trying out this product, the nice people at Progresso have made this coupon available to us.

And, their generosity doesn't end there.  They also included a coupon for Progresso Light Soups.  These are low calorie soups; some as low as 100 calories!  Please note that this information and the coupons were provided to me from MyBlogSpark and Progresso.  Download the coupons and try out the products.  Thank you Progresso!