Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Small Plates - July 22, 2013

POP TART ICE CREAM SANDWICH - I admit, I haven't had a pop tart in ages. If I'm going to have that many calories and sugar (one pop tart is about 200 calories and has 35 grams of carbs...they come in a pack of two don't they?). But when I heard that Carls Jr. is going to sell an ice cream sandwich made with Pop tarts, well, the junk food addict in me had to sit up and notice. It also got me thinking that maybe I should learn to make my own Pop Tarts and make my own little sandwich. Hmmm....No word on exactly when you'll be able to get this concoction at Carls.

 CHICKEN TENDER WAFFLES - Yep, the chicken and waffle craze is coming to fast food. Popeyes Chicken is supposed to roll out their version on July 29th. The Chicken Waffle Tenders are to be made with white meat chicken that is marinated, then battered in a waffle-style coating and fried and comes with a honey maple dipping sauce. Can't find out if this is country wide or just regional. Don't these folks know us junk food junkies wait for this kind of stuff and there needs to be some sort of pre-announcement so I can not eat for two days before these items arrive in stores?

CROISSANT DOG - Here in Northern California, we don't get the regular snacks and foods that other Starbucks serve. No we get baked goods from La Boulange. La Boulange is a San Francisco bakery that has been serving artisanal pastries and food since 1996 and that Starbucks bought earlier this year. I honestly am not that big of a fan of La Boulange's stuff (and I miss some of the great old food Starbucks had like the lemon cake). But there is one item that Mr. L and I tried that we really like. Croissant Hot Dogs. The flalky crust, the creamy béchamel sauce, the all beef hot dog? It's a combination that really works for us. Starbucks around here sells pastry like croissants such as Ham and Cheese, Tomato and Cheese, Wheat Spinach (shown below), and Summer Berry (think like a flat croissant bottom with these fillings on top in the middle) that are equally tasty. Next time you're around the San Francisco area I'd check out the croissant versions of La Boulange stuff sold at Starbucks.

 

 

 

Small Plates - July 12, 2013

SHARK WEEKS COMING - I know I missed probably one of the best TV movies of the year last night...Sharknado which ended up trending on Twitter and seems to have captured everyones attention. No worries though, I've recorded it and hope to watch that masterpiece this weekend (tongue firmly in cheek). In the meantime, Coldstone is gearing up for Shark Week which starts August 4th by offering some new ice cream delights pictured to the left. I think anything with gummy Sharks a kids gonna like. Hmm...maybe I'll like it too. And if you need a countdown calendar to Shark Week go here.

BEER IN A CAN - The beer can turned 80 recently. I'm sure college kids everywhere went out to celebrate...by buying a few kegs. Drinking beer out of cans has become very low class these days. It seems beer needs to be made at home or come in a bottle from some Microbrewery for it to have any status among beer drinking folks. New technology though is starting to make beer in cans mainstream again. From wider openings (which force your mouth open more so your nose gets closer to the smell enhancing your beer drinking experience-no folks I don't make this stuff up) to lids that peel off, manufacturers are spending a ton of money (Sam Adams just spend a million bucks trying to find the perfect can) to find the right can for beer.

BOW BEER - I think that canned beer manufactures also think that by making the can "hip" they can get beer drinkers back to getting plastered drinking out of cans. Did you know that Budweiser actually makes a beer can that is in the shape of a bow? Okay, raise your hands, how many of you even noticed that the label on a can or bottle of Budweiser actually had a bow? Yeah, me either, but now that the actual can is bow shaped I have one very important question. Will the bowed can crush normally when some college kid decides to smash it against his head?

WEARABLE FLASK - Okay, I'll admit. I'm not a beer drinker. I completely flunked my college days by not going to all those beer parties. I was more into rum or vodka (my tequila days came later). And lets be honest, trying to sneak a six pack of beer into a theater or concert is not the easiest thing to do. But sneaking in some rum? Not telling you my secrets, but it was done with ease. Designer Cynthia Rowley has not only made it easier to sneak alcohol into events, she's made it downright fashionable.  Her stainless steel Flask Bangle (which sells for $225) also dubbed "The Incredible Wearable Bar" can be seen on the most fashionable ladies. You can check out the bangle flask here.

So I'm taking bets, how many of you, the next time you see me at a concert or movie, will be checking to see if I'm drinking out of my wrist?

Colorado Cache Cookbook

COLORADO CACHE COOKBOOK by The Junior League of Denver.

This cookbook has a copyright of 1978. I believe this was a gift from my Mother. I have cooked from this cookbook before. Note: I believe the version I own is an edition printed about 2005. Colorado Cache is currently out of print but you can buy used copies online.

When I first got this cookbook, I had trouble finding recipes that I wanted to try. Sometimes, maybe it's my mood or my appetite, but I'll pick up a cookbook and just not be interested. That's what happened with the Colorado Cache Cookbook...at first glance it didn't do much for me. I even made a recipe from it years ago (Cauliflower au Gratin) that turned out okay but wasn't anything that I wanted to make again. But I kept coming across blogs with great sounding recipes that came from the cookbook and everyone seemed to rave and consider it an essential cookbook to have in their collection. So not to long ago I picked it up again and gave it a second look. Glad I did because I found quite a few recipes that I'd like to try out.

Unlike a lot of Junior League Cookbooks I own, there are no names attached to any of the recipes.  There are 700 recipes that were chosen by a "cookbook committee".  They do have a list in the back of all the members who "contributed" to the cookbook.

Chapters include the standards along with ones for Mexican Food, Microwave Cooking (remember this was originally out in the late 70's), and Picnics and Camping. There is a chapter titled "Potpourri" which includes dishes like mustards, chutneys, jellys, pickles etc. There is also a chapter with some recipes from local restaurants. Though there can be several recipes on a page, they are in a really easy to read format. No photos. Each chapter begins with a drawing of a Colorado area. Each chapter also has a "hint" page which comes from a place in the state. For instance at the start of the Pasta, Rice and Potatoes chapter is a drawing of "Pawnee Butte National Grasslands". The "hint" comes from "Golden" which happens to be the site of Buffalo Bill's grave. Each hint page gives some information about the foods used in the chapter, or info about techniques. Listed on the Golden hint page is that rice will be fluffier and drier if a slice of dry bread is put on top of it after cooking and draining.

The recipes seem pretty simple and straightforward. Most I don't think would take a lot of time to make. There are some recipes with long lists of ingredients and instructions but most are doable for the home cook.  Basic ingredients are called for though you might run into a recipe asking for venison or elk in the Fish and Game chapter. As with a lot of Junior League cookbooks, most of the recipes seem to be simple, downhome type versions of recipes.

There is a good index. If you come across a recipe that is found in the microwave chapter they will actually note that next to the recipe name (same with campfire foods).

With over 700 recipes, Colorado Cache has too many that I want to try for me to list them all. A few that I've marked:  The Bee Cheese; Green Chili Wontons with Guacamole Dip; Chilled Raspberry Soup; Garbonzo Soup (feeds 16!); Cheese and Sausage Grits; Garden of the Gods Sublime Salad; Twelve-Boy Curry; Chicken in Sour Cream; Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew); Spaghetti Pie; Green Beans with Water Chestnuts; Sour Cream Cabbage; Rum Flambeed Mushrooms; Pasta Walnetto; Quick Cheese Loaf; Mexican Quiche Appetizer; Cold Guacamole Soup; Taos Chicken Chalupas; Chocolate Run Dessert; Beer Cheese Spread (from the Microwave chapter); Gorp; Potato Chip Cookies; Sensational Rum Pie; Liqueur Pie; Drunken Casserole Cake; Hot Bananas Jamaica; Pikes Peak Spiked Apple Crisp; Apple Knockers (an alcoholic beverage).

Reading some reviews, this seems to have been a favorite cookbook for folks to give at bridal showers. I can see with it's wide range of recipes that it would be a fun cookbook to present to a young bride. The only thing I miss is some sort of background on the recipes. Looking forward to giving several of these recipes a try!

 

Small Plates - July 9, 2013

LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN - One week! One week until Twinkies make their triumphant return on July 15th! I know some of you think Twinkies are pretty gross, but as a person of a 'certain age' I grew up eating Twinkies. They were definitely my snack of choice back then. As I got older I admit I didn't have Twinkies that often (something about the widening of certain parts of my anatomy)  but I would occasionally buy them for my Mom. Towards the end of her life, Twinkies was an easy food for her to manage and I was grateful for any calories that I could get her to eat. You'll be able to find Twinkies at major retailers nationwide as well as convenience stores and dollar stores.

THE SAME OLD TWINKIES? - The new Hostess Brands, which bought the rights to start making Twinkies again, swears there will be no difference from our beloved older version. While that may be true, they now say they have extended the shelf life of a Twinkie from a 26 day shelf life to a 45 day shelf life (and you thought they would last an eternity didn't you?). So if they did something to change the shelf life, I'm gonna figure they also changed the Twinkie formula somewhat? We'll have to find someone who may have some older versions and see if a comparison taste test can be made.

COOKING WITH TWINKIES? - Did you know there was a Twinkie Cookbook? You know I had to own it right? And I've actually made something out of that cookbook.  Twinkie-Misu which is a version of Tiramisu where you use Twinkies instead of the old fashioned ladyfingers. People loved it! You can still buy the Twinkie cookbook here off of Amazon and the recipe for Twinkie-Misu is here.

FROZEN TWINKIES - Now this is an interesting new development with Twinkies. Some will be shipped to grocery stores "fresh". Others will be sent to grocery stores frozen and then when the stores defrost them, the 45 day expiration date will be applied. I don't believe you can buy them frozen, and I also don't think you'll be told if what you are buying are the fresh or previously frozen Twinkies. The Hostess company says there will be no difference in texture or flavor. Again, I want to do a taste test between the two. For research purposes of course.

OTHER HOSTESS BRANDS - While all the attention is focused on Twinkies, I do believe that some of the other snack cakes might also be available on July 15th if not later this summer (think Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and Hostess Cupcakes). No word currently when other products that were made by Hostess will return to shelves. Flowers Foods Inc. has the Wonder brand. McKee Foods, maker of Little Debbie snack cakes, took over the Drake’s line of goods.

 

Small Plates - June 14, 2013

Fathers Day is right around the corner, which means your Dad is probably ready to fire up the BBQ and cook his own meal Sunday. But if you are looking for somewhere to take him on his special day, earn a few paternal bonus points and not spend a fortune, there are a few places giving out free goods.

HOOTERS - Funny, I don't remember Hooters giving away free stuff on Mothers Day. But on this Sunday June 16th if you buy 10 wings, Dad gets 10 wings. Kicks under the table from Mom when Dad ogles the waitress are also free.

SWIMSUIT PAGEANT - And to try to change the subject when Mom is glaring at Dad whose eyes are looking where they probably shouldn't, be sure to bring up that Dad needs to head back to Hooters on June 27th to catch the Hooters 17th Annual International Swimsuit Pageant. You can watch it live only at Hooters that night (or encore airings in July on Fox).

WINGS DAY - Family still speaking to each other? Then be sure to tell Dad that Wednesdays are Wings Days at Hooters* where $6.99 will get you a Wingsday Platter of 10 Boneless Wings and Fries.

MORE FATHERS DAY FREEBIES - If you think that taking Dad to Hooters might not be the best idea, there are many other places that are offering free goodies Sunday. Spaghetti Warehouse will give away free spaghetti or lasagna entrees (with soup and salad) to dads who bring in downloaded coupons from the chain's website. Shoney's is giving Dads Hot Fudge Cakes with entrée purchases. TCBY frozen yogurt is giving away free, six-ounce cups and at some stores, cones. Buca di Beppo will give Dads free cannoli with down-loadable coupons.

*I have no problems with Hooters. I own the Hooters cookbook and love the wings. But the one time I did go to Hooters the difference in treatment given to men and women was pretty funny. At our table (2 men, 2 women) you could still tell that the waitress focused more on the men. Watching the waitresses talk to men who were at tables without women was entertainment in itself. And just as an FYI, as a waitress in my younger days, I learned early on, if there is a woman at a table with men, pay attention to her...the tips were much bigger that way.

Small Plates - June 4, 2013

NATIONAL DONUT DAY - Yep, this Friday June 7th is officially National Donut Day so be on the lookout for national and local donut shops to be giving out free donuts or having special deals.

FREE DUNKIN' DONUTS - Dunkin' Donuts is giving away a free donut with any beverage purchase Friday to celebrate. And it seems to be a world wide offer.

FREE KRISPY KREME DONUTS - Speaking of free donuts, Krispy Kreme is getting in on the National Donut Day festivities by giving away a free donut of any variety, no purchase necessary (not valid in CT and Puerto Rico).

FOIE GRAS DONUTS -And if a regular old donut isn't your cup of tea, how about a Foie Bomb from Psycho Donuts? It's a donut hole "stuffed with foie gras mousse and then pierced with a pipette of honey, fig and balsamic gastrique", then topped with a leaf of crispy fried sage. Psycho Donuts had help coming up with this concoction from local chef Charlie Ayers (he of former executive chef of Google fame). Since the donuts are being given away for National Donut Day instead of being sold, they get around the ban of selling foie gras in California rule.

DONUT BACON SANDWICH - Not quite the Donut Bacon Cheeseburger everyone had a fit about when Paula Deen had one but Dunkin' Donuts is going nationwide with their new offering this week. The new breakfast item comes with fried eggs and bacon served between one of their split glazed doughnuts. Supposedly coming in at only 360 calories, the sandwich is going to be part of Dunkin' Donuts permanent menu this Friday. Will I try one? I'd try one if there was a Dunkin' around, but I have already tried a Donut Bacon Cheeseburger (it was actually quite tasty). Should we all be in an uproar that this unhealthy item is on the menu? Nah, I don't see this as any worse than having a couple of pancakes with your eggs and bacon for breakfast every now and then.

As always with these free promotion give-aways, you need to make sure your local store is participating (you can usually check the companies website), and they can sell out quickly so make sure you get there early!

Small Plates - August 26, 2011

I don't really think I need to post anything else today, now do I?

Thank Something of That Ilk for todays Bacon Goodness.

Small Plates - March 8, 2011

  So today, Starbucks is touting their 40th anniversary. Have they really been around that long or does it seem like they've been around forever?

NEW LOGO - Starbucks new logo is being released on both cups and merchandise today (they mention just four cities...Beijing, Paris, London and New York..I can't seem to find out if it's just those cities or all over).  Notice the logo no longer incorporates the words "Starbucks". Guess they figure like McDonald's arches, that their new logo says enough. A few stores have also been said to have changed their signs with the new logo. Anyone seen the new logo on their cups today?

STARBUCKS PETITES - For their anniversary Starbucks is also debuting a line of "micro-sized sweet treats" which include cake pops (lets jump on the cake pop bandwagon Starbucks, but they are so last year!), mini-cupcakes, petite squares and whoopie pies. Each treat is said to be made with minimal ingredients and will be under 200 calories each.

There will be three kinds of cake pops: Birthday (170 Cal - Vanilla cake and icing, dipped in pink chocolate and white sprinkles), Rocky Road (180 cal - Chocolate cake and icing dipped in dark chocolate, rolled in mini-marshmallows and roasted almonds) and Tiramisu (170 Cal - Vanilla cake and Starbucks coffee icing, dipped in mocha chocolate and topped with a chocolate coffee bean). There are two types of mini cupcakes: Carrot Cake (180 Cal - Spiced carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with cake crumbs and carrot bits), Peanut Butter (170 Cal - Chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting topped with a mini peanut butter cup). One whoopie pie: Red Velvet (170 Cal - Cream cheese frosting sandwiched between two small red velvet cake pieces). Two sweet squares (traditional bar cookies): Lemon (120 Cal - Lemon curd on top of buttery shortbread drizzled with sweet white chocolate) and Salty Caramel (190 Cal - Salted Caramel and chocolate filling with a layer of crisp pretzels and pecans on top of a butter shortbread crust). I don't know about you but the Salty Caramel square with the Salted Hot Chocolate sounds like a great pairing! These little bites will run you $1.50 each or two for $2.50.

FREE SAMPLES - The good thing is that Starbucks will be giving away (while supplies last) free samples of their new Petites this Thursday (10th), Friday (11th) and Saturday (12th). All you have to do is buy a drink from them from 2 - 5 PM during those three days to get a sample.

COCOA CAPPUCCINO - Get ready to try a new coffee at your local Starbucks. Cocoa Cappuccino debuts today and features "caramelly espresso, bittersweet mocha sauce, steamed milk and a thick layer of silky foam". A tall with nonfat milk will run you 120 calories, with 2% milk 150.

TRIBUTE - As a "tribute" to you, the customers, Starbucks is releasing a new coffee (both in bean form as well as instant). It's called...wait for it...Tribute.

All photos from Starbucks. Check the Starbucks website for more info here: Starbucks.com

 

Small Plates - February 24, 2011

PEOPLE COOKS - There is a new special issue of People magazine out...all about celebrities and food. Did you know Eva Longoria is coming out with her own cookbook?  (Available here on April 5th). The special issue, on newsstands now, is supposed to be "choc full" of celebrity recipes, their tips and shortcuts to help you cook. They do talk about spaghetti tacos so the issue would be worth if for that LOL.

OSCAR FOODS - While Wolfgang Puck has his Oscar menu down (25 huge black truffles, 40 tins of black caviar, six Serrano hams, 800 pounds of lobster, 60 sides of salmon and 1,200 bottles of Moet & Chandon Champagne) I'm still trying to figure out what to make for this years Oscar party. Black Bottomed Pie for Black Swan? Shrimp and Grits for True Grit? Irish Stew for The Fighter? Alas the only movie out of the ten best I've seen so far has been Inception. We plan on watching several of the ten this weekend but that's going to be a bit late to try to figure out food ideas. Did any of the folks in the movies up for Best Picture eat anything during the films???

FREE PIZZA WE DON'T GET - There has always been a wonderful promotion with the San Jose Sharks and Round Table. The Sharks score X amount of goals, and Round Table will trade you your used game ticket for a free one topping personal pan pizza. For many years, the number of goals has been 4 which the Sharks were kind enough to score (along with a shutout and a hat trick) at last Saturdays game. We did notice that the rules had changed to "free pizza with purchase or $5 off a large". Which was okay, we planned on having a few drinks with our personal pan pizzas...but the store we usually go to has made that purchase "of equal or greater value". Which meant paying for a personal pan pizza to get your free one. My assistant was told at the Round Table where she went that she would have to at least buy an 'extra topping' on her pan pizza to get it free. And the downtown Willow Glen Round Table doesn't even participate in the promotion any more. Hmmm...me thinks maybe it's time for a change in this promotion. Make it buy one get one free, get another sponsor or drop the promotion all together.

COAST GUARD AND TACOS - Mr. L and I went to Fleet Week in San Francisco last October and were able (after standing in line for almost two hours...never again) to get a tour of a Coast Guard ship that was docked. Though I found the whole tour of the ship interesting, it was this note tacked on a walkway to the galley that I found the most interesting. "Taco Day" in big bold letters. I actually asked the Gunner who was giving us the tour if Taco Day was really that special. He didn't have much good to say about any of the food on the ship (grin), but I'm thinking it must be a no miss meal to have it highlighted so!

Small Plates - November 18, 2010

FREE STARBUCKS - Okay technically, it's 'buy one, get one free' but at least someone is getting a free drink. From today through Sunday, buy one of Starbucks signature holiday drinks and get one of an equal or lesser value free. It's only good from 2-5 PM which means I bet the stores will be pretty busy during that time frame.  The drinks in this promotion are the Caramel Brulée Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Gingerbread Latte, Eggnog Latte, Caramel Brulée Frappuccino, or Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino. For more info go here. I love the design of this years Starbucks holiday cups by the way.

BEST EGGNOG LATTE EVER - If you happen to live in the San Jose area and really like Eggnog Latte's, may I suggest you making a trip to Roy's Station in Japantown (corner of 5th and Jackson). They don't use flavored syrups in their eggnog latte's...whatever stuff they use really makes that latte shine. Actually, I happen to just like their coffee's in general. For more information on Roy's go here.

FREE SLURPEES - I realize it's a bit cold out there for some folks, but on Black Friday (November 26th) while you're out shopping, I bet you get a bit warm. Whether it's from traipsing from store to store trying to find that flat screen 52" plasma 3-D TV that someones selling for $400 or you're warm under the collar from fighting some idiot who jumped in front of you in line after you waited seven hours in the rain and he got the last tv at the reduced price...well, maybe a free slurpee will help cool you off. If you become a Facebook fan of Slurpees, you'll be able to download a coupon to receive a free slurpee on the 26th. Just don't use it to throw in the face of that jerk that got the last on sale tv! For more information go here.