Moving On

Much to my surprise, I discovered that culinary school is not where I truly wanted to be. Cooking and creating food is my passion and I can't think of anything else that is so therapeutic and relaxing. In my absence from blogging, I have quit school, became a nanny to 4 wonderful kids, moved back in with my parents and am now currently working on both my dream and finding a job. No one said this would be easy and let me tell you, it's not. From now on, I will stay focused on the dream I want and I will pursue it. I have had many dreams and goals, but when I think of this one, I get so excited and can see the opening day. 

Growing up in rural southern Oregon, I have grown to love the beautiful countryside that God has so carefully created. Living in the city, I felt out of place. That's not where I belong and I knew that no matter what I did there in Portland, I would never be truly happy. I think of it as a lizard just going about his business until some kid catches him and puts him in a small tank. That was me. Now I am free and am able to think and process everything.

My goal, my dream, is to be the owner of a bed and breakfast. Nestled out in the country, I can think of nothing more tranquil than being there and away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. To own an establishment that brings people together in the peacefulness of the rural land makes my heart happy. I have always been the person to please people. I love the feeling of making people happy and the greatest reward is when they smile and tell me how thankful they are. It really makes one feel appreciated.

With lots of encouragement, support, and God's grace, I believe that this dream will be my reality. I cannot wait for it to come together. I have estimated that in ten years time, I will be standing at the door, key in hand, about to walk in and start the next chapter of my life. I have already found the *almost* perfect floor plan, I have paint chips and color swatches picked out, I know of the general area I want to have it, I have created a partial menu, and I know how I want it to be decorated and furnished. It may seem like I haven't gotten anything yet, but it's a start and you have to start somewhere.

From now on I will try to post recipes again. I have some amazing recipes from college and I would love to share with you.

Until then, follow me on Facebook. If you have a recipe you want me to try and review, click here.

The Chef

I am an aspiring chef. I love food and everything about it. I love cooking it, I love trying new things, and most of all, I love learning about it.

I grew up in a large family where family gatherings had a minimum amount of 40 people. That means someone was always cooking. That person was mostly my grandmother. Every major holiday her kitchen counters would be covered in an assortment of pies and treats. In the oven, you could count on a turkey or ham and sometimes both. Her house smelled of many wondrous scents like berries and fresh pastry, honey glazed ham, pumpkin, cinnamon, and of other spices.

Sometimes I would be over helping my grandmother make food. I was what she liked to call her "taste-tester" and she allowed me to lick the filling off the spoon, or nibble at the ham. I always felt so happy to help her. Young children are just so curious and it can be discouraging to one if they aren't allowed to explore their curiosities. I believe my passion for food is so strong because my family always allowed me to help in the kitchen. Even if it was something as simple as filling up a measuring cup with water, or cracking open an egg.

Mama liked to make chocolate cream pie and coconut cream pie for special occasions. She never really let me help her too much with the making of the pies, but when she wasn't looking I'd taste her concoctions. After hours of slaving in the kitchen over a hot stove, mama would rest and let the pies cool. We never ate these pies as if there wouldn't be a sunrise the next morning, but we would simply enjoy the rich, decadent flavors. A small slice goes a long way when it's that good.

My father raised me along with a sister and three brothers and did a lot of the cooking if he wasn't too tired after a long day of work. I can remember wanting to help chop vegetables but he wouldn't allow me to do it by myself, so he would grab my hand and guide it with his to ensure that I wouldn't hurt myself. Of course being the silly man that he is, would kid around and act like he was about to chop my little fingers off. Of course I'd squeal in sheer terror, but I always knew he would never hurt me.

Spending time with my family in the kitchen meant a lot to me and it brought us all closer. I would learn about the food, and what it took to make a tasty meal. I have always loved to cook because it reminds me of how blessed I am to be able to prepare a meal for my family. We never had so much money that we would make steak or ribs, but we always had just enough for baked chicken and vegetables. I used to think that chicken was the most disgusting thing on the planet mostly because it was all we could afford for a family of seven.

As I got older and family members started moving away, we had more money for food and that meant different food. I love baked chicken now. It reminds me of the simple days when money was tight and the only thing really keeping the family afloat was love and God.

Whenever I tried out a new recipe for my family, I would always ask if it was good and if there was something I could do better next time. Of course my dad and brothers would just gobble it down and between mouthfuls there would be the "Yum", or "It's good" comment that escaped from them. My mother on the other hand would taste and be silent while she tries to figure out what she feels about the food. Most of the time I would get the "Oh honey, this is fantastic!" comment, but never the "I can't eat another bite." comment.

I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Sometimes I wanted to be a doctor, other times an artist, like my father. About a year ago it hit me that my passion is food. I love serving people in many ways whether it be cleaning the homes of the elderly, serving the poor, or doing hours of strenuous labor on a ranch for no pay. Being a chef means I can do what I love and serve people good food. People have to eat, and people tend to eat what tastes good to them.

In the late summer of 2011, I was being questioned about what I was going to do for the fall. I usually replied with the same answer, work. I graduated early from high school and my plan was to take a year off from education to work and save some money. I applied for jobs, had an interview, got a job selling cutlery, but then turned it down a few days later. As much as I wanted a break from education, I knew it was what I had to do. I checked out culinary programs with the Job Corps, Culinary Schools of the Rockies, Le Cordon Bleu, and with The Art Institute of Portland. I made my decision. I would be a Culinary Arts major at The Art Institute.

I requested information and printed off an application late one night. For a few weeks I looked at the application and waited to fill it out until I was fully ready. My decision was fully supported by my family and close friends. Within the month of applying, I was accepted and would start Fall term which was only about five weeks away. I wasn't nervous whatsoever because I knew my family had my back, and of course I had God by my side to help guide me. It came to the night before I left when I cracked. It finally hit me that I would be moving three hundred miles away from my family and my best friends. Saying goodbye to one of my younger brothers was harder than saying goodbye to mama and dad. I knew it was for the best and that after all was said and done, I'd have something I was proud of. Finally, I was doing something for myself.

Mama and my sister moved me to Portland, Oregon on September 27th. I'd start classes on October 3rd. My first term went great. I learned a lot of new cooking techniques that were more practical than what I grew up being taught. It felt great to tell my mom that she

didn't need to cook the pork roast until the temperature said 165 degrees, but to cook to 150 degrees then take it out and let it continue to cook (carryover cooking method) for about another half hour. As it continues to cook, the juices rest in the meat making it moist and keeping it tender. I told her to NEVER slice the roast again as that allows the juices to escape from the meat and dries it out. Slice right before serving, that way the meat will be juicy, tender, and hot.

My second term is just now coming to an end. I can say that I have learned different cooking styles from different regions of the United States. I have learned history of New England cuisine, along with Southern, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, and the Pacific Northwest cuisines. Along with the history, I have learned to recreate the common cuisines such as Clams Casino from New England, Ahi Poke and Daikon Cakes from Hawaii, Cedar Plank Smoked Salmon and Oregon Pinot Noir Raspberry Sorbet from the Pacific Northwest, and some good old fashioned Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy from the South.

My goal at the end of my culinary education is not to just walk away with a degree in culinary science, but to walk away with the knowledge of modern cooking techniques and the education of food found from all over the world. I want to share my knowledge with people, and I want to share my food with everyone I can.

Someday I want to own a bed and breakfast. Most people tell me that I don't need a $50,000 education in food to run something that easy. And truth is, I really don't. I know how to make scrambled eggs, pancakes and bacon. My establishment won't be your typical homestyle place. Sure, food will be served in big dishes on a family sized dining table,

but breakfast, lunch and dinner will be food made from different world cuisines and not your typical American dishes. I don't have the money to travel all over the world to experience different cuisines so I attend an institution where my instructors have gone to these places, bring their knowledge to the classroom, and educate us on how it's done.

With this being said, you as my readers know more of where I come from and what drives my passion for food. Family, and love. Cooking isn't everyone's cup of tea, but next time you dread getting in the kitchen to cook a meal, remember how blessed you are for being able to create something and maybe try remembering who taught you how to cook. I'm so thankful for my parents, Jon and Julie and my grandmother for allowing me to stand beside them as they cooked. I know sometimes it would be a pain if I was in their space as they tried to maneuver around the small kitchens, but they were always so patient with me and let me help (even if they just wanted me to go sit in the living room and wait for dinner). I can't express how grateful I am to get the education I am getting, even if it is costing me a few limbs, nor how grateful I am for the support I receive from my family.

I am Jacquelyn Peterman, a chef.

New England

So it's been a while.... I have been super busy with school and life outside of school. I finally said this morning, "I'm updating my blog!" So here I am.

This term I am taking a hands-on lab course called American Regional Cuisine. We are studying the different regions in America such as The South, Floribbean, Pacific Northwest, and of course, New England.

New England was the first region colonized in America. Immigrants who moved, moved for reasons such as political and religious freedom, or because they were to poor to continue to live in England. The living conditions in this new land were hard and often the cuisine resembles that.

The first day back in class we made Clams Casino and Glazed Turnips. Both are classic dishes from New England, and are super yummy. I'm not a big fan of seafood, but I had to taste it and give my opinion. I actually liked it. However there was a slight taste of seawater which I did not enjoy. Glazed turnips when done right should taste somewhat like candied sweet potatoes.

Glazed Turnips

3 C. Turnips- Peeled, large dice (1" cubes)

1/2 C. Chicken Stock (NOT BROTH)

2 TB. Unsalted Butter

2 TB Maple Syrup

Salt and Pepper TT

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saute pan. Simmer until liquid is reduced and turnips are a light golden brown (Be careful not to caramelize- unless you want it sweeter).

2. Season to taste.

3. Serve with Clams Casino.

Clams Casino

1/4 Bacon- Small Dice (1/4" c

ubes)

2 TB. Shallot- Minced

1 TB. Garlic- Minced

1/4 C. (each) Red and Green Bell Peppers- Small Dice

1 C. bread crumbs

1 Tsp. Parsley- Minced

1 Tsp. Lemon Juice

12 Clams- Whole in shell

1 TB. Butter

Salt TT

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Render bacon over medium heat. Add shallots and peppers, cook until the peppers are tender.

3. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

4. Add Parsley, bread crumbs and butter. Salt to taste.

5. In a small pot, steam clams. Place clams in pot and pour water in making sure that more than half of the clam shell is exposed. We do not want to boil the clams.

6. When clam shells open (after about 5 minutes), remove and snap off top shell. Loosen the meat.

7. Top the clams with the bread crumb mixture, place on a baking sheet or in a hotel pan. Bake 8-10 minutes

8. Serve and eat!!

This is very traditional, and reflects the flavors that the early settlers had to work with. Being in the New England area, they ere exposed to all sorts of seafood. Besides clam, they also had crabs, shrimp, lobster and many others. Another traditional dish is the famous New England Clam chowder. Keep coming back, because that is my next post (:

Follow me on Twitter and 'Like' me on Facebook!

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!

The Roxy- Another Restaurant Review

The Roxy

In the 7 weeks that I have been living in Portland, I have eaten at The Roxy approximately 9 times. The majority has been in the last week alone. Why? I like the food, the service, and the feel of the whole establishment. For a 24/7 diner, they set standards that in my own opinion can’t be beat. The service at four o’clock in the morning is just as good as the dinnertime rush at seven o’clock, and even at three o’clock in the afternoon.

My favorite meal to eat at The Roxy hands down is The Roxy Melt. This hot sandwich is composed of a hamburger patty with cheese, bacon, avocado, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickles all atop toasted rye bread. I am not a fan of avocado, so I usually order it without, but I had to try it ONCE the way it is supposed to be. It wasn’t bad to be honest. For someone who will not eat avocados, I must admit I couldn’t taste it, and the texture wasn’t bad at all. Also with this sandwich you have your choice of fries, potato salad, salad, or soup. I usually get the fries because there’s something about a hot sandwich needing fries to go alongside it. Price of this meal: $6.45. It will definitely fill you up without breaking the bank.

Now lets talk about the service. I walk in the door, seat myself, and do not have to wait long for someone to come with the menus. With such short handed staff, the servers at The Roxy work like crazy to make sure you get everything you need, and will assist you in any way possible. Even with a full house, my menu and complimentary water is on my table within thirty seconds or less.

Can your favorite place do that?

Aside from the great food and service, this restaurant overall rocks. Seriously, there are always good jams coming out from the jukebox. For a dollar you can pick three songs to play during your meal. Have you ever seen plants in a toaster? Well if you have been to The Roxy you have. All along the shelves inside are white toasters with plants coming out of them. Also, there is a statue of David, who has recently acquired a Viking helmet, and a necklace. There are pictures of actors and actresses, and other celebrities signed and hung on the wall. One night I ate dinner with John Travolta. Yes I did. He sat right behind me on the wall, just staring at me. It was awesome.

Overall, I would give this place a 4.5 out of 5. For an all night diner, the staff at The Roxy make you feel welcomed. The prices are incredible, and the food, is just as incredible. I have been to a few places since I moved here, but I have to say, this is my favorite. If you’re looking for a good time, good food, and great service, you’ll find it at The Roxy located at 1121 SW Stark Street, Portland, Oregon.

VEGETABLE STALKER!!!

Hello everyone!!! Just thought I'd update everyone and say that I have finally started college at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Portland. I am loving classes so far! Except the fact that my kitchen classes start at 7:00 AM. It's pretty ridiculous.

Anyhoo, I am required to write journals everyday, so I wrote today's and decided to share it with you. Some info you probably won't care about, but the rest is about making a vegetable stock. It smells super yummy :) and you can add it to anything! So here it is!!

Jacquelyn M. Peterman

Fundamentals of Classical Techniques

Journal

Tuesday, October 4^th 2011

Today was an introduction day of the course and of the kitchen. I learned what the expectations are, as well as how to properly prep a vegetable stock, and how to properly make a small quarter-inch dice with the vegetables and potatoes. Also, we learned how to use our chef knife and make a Bouquet Garni. We reviewed the syllabus, and our kits.

Vegetable Stock

· 2 oz. Vegetable Oil

· 1 lb. Mirepoix ( ½ lb. onion, ¼ lb. celery, ¼ lb. carrots)

· 4 oz. Leeks (small dice)

· 4 oz. Fennel (small dice)

· 2 oz. Turnip (small dice)

Bouquet Garni

· Parsley

· Thyme

· Celery

· Bay leaf

· Peppercorn

Make the Bouquet Garni first by taking some parsley and placing the thyme, peppercorn, and bay leaf on it. Then sandwich it in between one stick of celery that has been cut in half then tie it together.

Next, make the vegetable stock by dicing the mirepoix, leeks, fennel, and turnip to ¼ inch cubes (small dice). Once they have been weighed to the right weight, put it all in a pot, and sweat the vegetables. This releases the flavor of the vegetables. Then add 3 quarts of cold water, and the vegetable oil. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes. Strain liquid, and toss vegetables. That is how you make a vegetable stock.

Okay so there it is. I promise to keep you updated with more recipes and new stuff! :)

Best Darn Butter Around

Alrighty folks. Today I made butter. Not just any butter. It is the most spectacular butter I have ever made! In fact, my guinea pigs (my family) and I have all agreed that my butter is so yummy delicious that I shouldn't write a recipe for it.

That's right, it's TOP SECRET.

However, I will be selling it! I do not have any pictures of the packaged product yet, but will hopefully soon! My main flavor right now is a garlic and herb butter which is oh so delightful! I can also make plain (duh!) and salted. I will be doing more experimenting so keep your eyes peeled! It is 100% all natural and made from cow's cream. I can also make organic butter for all you organic freaks :)

Prices are as follows:

1oz. Sampler................. $1.00
6oz. Butter..................... $3.50
6oz. Organic Butter..... $4.75

I also will be selling homemade buttermilk as well. Flavors I have are:

Plain
Vanilla
Maple
Caramel

The buttermilk is good as coffee creamer or to use in your cooking as well (buttermilk pancakes with a hint of maple? YES PLEASE!). There is organic and regular. Buttermilk only comes in an 8oz. glass bottle.

Plain, flavored.....................$3.50
Organic Plain, flavored.....$4.75

You can send me an e-mail at contact.gloriousfood@gmail.com to tell me what size, quantity, and flavor butter or buttermilk you want.

I will post more flavors as soon as I discover the good stuff! Also, if you give me a recipe that is better than mine, then I will reward you with a FREE gift and a special feature in my blog.

Follow me on Twitter and 'Like' me on Facebook!

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!

Sweet AND Sour Pork

Who doesn't like Asian food? My favorite item to order at an Asian inspired restaurant is always sweet and sour pork. Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular in Cantonese cuisine and may be found all over the world. A traditional Jiangsu dish called Pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce is considered its ancestor. Sweet and sour pork can either be deep fried or stir fried (Below, I give you the stir fried version).

I bought myself an old edition of Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook at a little thrift shop a few weeks ago. I saw the sweet and sour pork recipe and said, "That's it, I want that in my tummy!"

So I went to the grocery store and bought the stuff I needed to make this delicious feast. Now I didn't quite follow the rules (if I did I'd be wondering where my sanity went.) but I did manage to use the same ingredients. I just went about the cooking process a little differently.


Ingredients

1 1/2 Pounds of Pork (I used pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch chunks)
2 Tbsp. Hot Shortening
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
1 20 oz. Can of Pineapple Chunks
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 C. Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Medium Bell Pepper (diced small)
1/4 C. Copped Onion
Hot Cooked Rice

Directions

1. Brown the pork chunks in the hot shortening. Add the water, and bouillon cube plus 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well! Cover and let simmer until tender (The recipe says an hour but I am too impatient and did about 30 minutes-- pork was fully cooked and quite juicy!).
2. Meanwhile, drain the pineapple BUT SAVE THE JUICE! If you throw out the juice, you might as well throw out the rest! Kidding, but seriously, save the juice. Combine that with the brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. It will change color to a dark caramel-ish color. That's wonderful :)
3. Remove from heat, mix with the pork.
4. In some hot shortening, crisp up the pineapple chunks, onion, and bell pepper. drain and add to pork. Serve over hot rice.
5. Enjoy!
(**you can substitute the pork for chicken, just use boneless skinless chicken breast.)


Okay so there is that! I love sweet and sour pork so much that if any of you give me a recipe that is better than mine, then I will reward you with a FREE gift and a special feature in my blog.

Follow me on Twitter and 'Like' me on Facebook!

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!

Is She YOUR Cherry Pie?

Yesterday dad, the brothers, and I all went cherry picking.

Mmmm cherries!

So we are there at my dad's friend's house picking right? A beetle hiding among the leaves decides to drop into shirt as I'm working. I don't want to freak out and cause a scene so what do I do? I set down my cherry bowl and smooshed the intruder. Turns out it actually went down my bra.... Awkward moment for me. So I continued picking cherries with a dead beetle, guts hanging out, touching my skin. Gross. I'm pretty sure reading this makes you lose your appetite for delicious cherry pie right?

Wrong.

You see, if you absolutely LOVE cherry pie, you should be well aware of the sacrifices you make while picking cherries. Yes, it all has to do with the cherry picking. I walked away only to have eaten about 7 cherries, I had a dead beetle close to my heart- literally, also I had a mess of various other bugs in my hair along with parts of rotten cherries. These are just some of the things I endured to be able to create such a wonderful dessert.

All together, we probably picked around ten pounds of fruit (not counting the five pounds we all consumed). Dad decided to give some away to a lady friend last night, but we still have enough to make somewhere around 30 pies.

Okay so maybe not that many, but enough to hold us over for a while (;

I can promise you that my cherry pie is best. From the flaky pie crust, to the sweet thick cherry filling, this pie is sure to win a few ribbons- and blue ones at that! It's great topped with real whip cream that I make myself, or with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Everyone knows that every good pie starts with an amazing crust. That is why I am the queen of cherry pies. So here's the pie crust recipe:


Flaky Pie Crust

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (diced)
1/4 cup shortening
7 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and sugar until well combined.

2. Using clean hands, add butter and toss until just coated. Rub butter between thumb and forefingers to incorporate into flour mixture until butter is lima bean sized pieces and comes together in quarter-sized clumps when squeezed in palm, about 2 minutes.

3. Add shortening, toss until just coated in flour, then rub into flour mixture until mixture forms pea sized pieces (some big chunks should remain) and comes together in fist sized clumps when squeezed, about 1 minute.

4. Drizzle in half of the ice water, and rake through mixture with fingers until just moistened. Drizzle in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and comb through mixture with fingers to moisten. It will go from being a shaggy mess to coming together.

****Dough is moist enough when it is moistened through but is not wet when pressed. (Do not overwork the dough or it will become tough.****

5. While rotating the bowl with 1 hand, push dough between other palm and side of bowl to gather into a ball. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, then close in wrap. Place in coldest part of refrigerator (usually back bottom shelf) at least 30 minutes before rolling out and forming into a crust.

6. Place dough into a pie pan. Trim the edges. Poke the dough with a fork here and there. Bake at 250 degrees for 7 minutes. You do this so when you pour filling in, it won't make the dough soggy.

Now the other best part of the cherry pie is the cherry filling. I don't use canned cherry filling because honestly, it's disgusting. Instead, I spend hours working up a sweat in the hot sun picking cherries- one by one.

Actually, I only spent about an hour in nice weather picking handfuls of juicy, bright red, sweet cherries. Boy was this year's harvest a good one!!


Cherry Pie Filling

5 C. Pitted Cherries (make sure you have a ratio of 3 parts sweet ripe cherries, and 1 part sour almost ripe cherries for the sweet and the tart)
1 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Lemon Juice
Approx. 1/4 C. Water (see directions before adding)
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch for thickening

Directions:

1. Combine fruit and sugar in a pan and stir together. If cherries are soft and mushy, you won't need additional water, but if cherries are firm, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil.

2. Mix cornstarch with some cold water (about 2 tablespoons of cold water with 2 tablespoons corn starch), whisking to remove lumps.

3. When cherries are boiling, add thickening while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add enough thickening to make the consistency you desire. (We like our pies fairly thick.) Stir the thickening as it bubbles, just until the juices are clear. (When the filling looks clear, it's fully cooked. Over-cooking will start to break down the filling.)

4. Pour into pie crust. Make a lattice or full top, whichever you would like. Make an egg wash by lightly beating as whole raw egg and brushing on crust. This will make it shiny, and add a nice gold color to the crust.

5. Bake pie at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until browned.

So there you have it. My yummy cherry pie! I swear it is the best. If you think yours is better, leave me a comment and we'll talk pie. If any of you give me a recipe that is better than mine, then I will reward you with a FREE gift and a special feature in my blog.

Follow me on Twitter and 'Like' me on Facebook!

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!

Chocolate, Caramel, and Shortbread

Okay, so it has been a while since the last post. Truth is, I have been really busy lately and not cooking or baking much at all.

A few days ago I came across a recipe for these British yummies. Shortbread with a layer of caramel and chocolate on top. I decided right then and there I was going to make them. The recipe is fairly simple and I believe that any cook whether they be pro, or someone who only uses the microwave, can whip this up in no time.

Alright, here goes!

For the shortbread:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar 2 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Make the shortbread.
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a 9 x 9 baking pan with butter.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, salt, and sugar and whip on medium speed until the butter becomes fluffy and white - about 5 minutes.
3. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour and cornstarch. Mix to incorporate.
4. Pat the dough evenly into the pan.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges just begin to darken. The shortbread will remain white. Set aside to cool.














For the
caramel:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Next, make the caramel.
1. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Continue stirring and allow mixture to boil for another 5 minutes.
3. Remove caramel from heat and stir vigorously for a few minutes.
4. Pour over shortbread and allow to set up at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.




















For the chocolate:
1 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate, chopped

Chocolate.
1. Simply place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 45 seconds, then stir and continue to heat and stir at 20 second intervals until chocolate is completely melted.
2. Pour chocolate over the caramel layer and spread evenly to cover.
3. Chill to set the chocolate - about 30 minutes.






When this is all said and done, you will have an amazingly yummy British treat. Have a cup of tea too! :) Be prepared for soft caramel, and hard chocolate and sort of a bitter taste from the shortbread. Together all of the flavors are something I haven't really tasted. I loved it though and can't wait to experiment with it!


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Bacon, Beans, & Cheese

A friend, Jonah, recently told me about a sandwich that is supposedly amazing. The sandwich consists of baked beans, bacon, and cheese all on sourdough bread. Today I decided to make this glorious sandwich for lunch.

Oh.

My.

Word.

It was amazing. Actually, amazing is an understatement.

The sandwich Jonah makes is a little different than how I made mine today. Because I lacked the exact ingredients I had to improvise. But it was still delicious.


The Build:

Toast 2 slices of sourdough bread (I used wheat).
Heat up some baked beans.
Cook the bacon until it starts to crinkle.
Cut some cheese (C'mon you know what I mean).

• Use some really sharp cheddar cheese, I used colby jack because that's what I had on hand.

For the Miracle:

Top the bread with the baked beans.
Top the beans with the bacon.
Top the bacon with the cheese.

Put it in the oven on about 200 degrees just so the cheese melts and the bacon gets crispy.

Make it put a smile on your face:

Put the two halves together.
EAT IT!


Are you impressed yet? If not, I'm not quite sure you are even human.

The flavor combination is amazing. You have the salty bacon flavor, the sweet brown sugar from the baked beans, and of course that cheese flavor all topped with the slight crunch of the bread.

Jonah, your sandwich is probably the best thing that's ever made it's way to my yummy. For my readers, go make this sandwich right now.

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!

Rollin' in California

One thing you should know about me- I don't eat fish. It's a personal choice. I know fish is one of the most healthiest things you can eat, but this girl ain't going anywhere near it. I'll take the fish oil capsules instead.

However, my younger brother brought home some trout that he caught, and I cooked it up. And yes, I ate half of a small trout. It tasted okay, but the whole fish idea made me not want to eat it. I'll have a recipe on that later (which by the way, all my fish loving family LOVED it so don't worry, it's good).

For today, I want to give you a great recipe for California Rolls. I made this in my culinary class back when I was in school, and I loved it. I, however, was the only one to make mine without crab, and without nori. It was pretty difficult, and didn't really resemble a roll... Anyway, here's a recipe you'll love!


California Rolls

1 C Short Grain Rice
2 C Water
Nori
Imitation Crab, or Real Crab (your choice)
Cucumber
Carrots
Green Onion
Red Bell Peppers
Avacado

Directions:

1. Cook the rice. Bring it to a boil, stirring continuously. Put the lid on, and turn the heat on low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Cool rice completely before assembling your rolls.
2. Put rice on nori, covering all but 1/2 to 1 inch on the edge.
3. Place your meat and cut vegetables on the rice, parallel to the bare edge.
4. Roll carefully, making sure the nori doesn't tear, but tight enough that it won't fall apart.
5. Wet the bare edge of nori with a tiny bit of water so it sticks together when rolled up.
6. Cut into smaller pieces, each piece should make 6-8 rolls.
7. Dip in soy sauce and enjoy! Or use my dipping sauce below:

Sugar dipping sauce

1 tbsp. Rice Vinegar
2 tbsp. Sugar

1. Mix together and dip your California Rolls in it and enjoy!


So if you just wanted a snack, or you're looking for the perfect appetizer, these California Rolls will certainly be a hit! If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Feel free to send me recipes to try or perfect. I will add them to my blog so be careful if you don't want me to unleash the secrets of your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother's chunky corn bread. Check back often to see what else I'm cookin' up!


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Tap Rock- A Restaurant Review

Ever wanted to have a nice dinner overlooking a beautiful, and famous river? Ever wanted to go for a stroll after dinner- around the premises of the restaurant? Ever wanted to dine near a waterfall? Well you can.

For today's post, I wanted to do something a little different than the regular recipes you are used to. I decided to do a restaurant review. The restaurant I will be reviewing is a local favorite, Tap Rock Northwest Grill.

I have been here a few times, and thought the overall experience was great. My favorite meal was the Mt. Bachelor Burger. This burger is built with slow-grilled sweet onions and melted Tillamook® Swiss cheese. With crisp lettuce, tomato and Taprock’s burger sauce all for a great price of $9.99. It also came with my choice of fries, cole slaw, or cottage cheese. It ain't a real burger meal if you ain't got the fries right? So I went ahead and got the fries.

Aside from the food, I'd have to say the hostess I had was very friendly, and she made sure everything was perfect. The wait on my meal was about 20 minutes, which is good time considering it isn't fast food. When it got to my table, it was really hot! That doesn't happen often. I usually get warm food.

Below I have posted some pictures of Tap Rock and a brief description.


This is the front view of Tap Rock entering the city of Grants Pass, OR. As you can see, there is plenty of outside patio dining area that wraps around the front of the building and over looks the Rogue River.

Also, to the left, you can see a waterfall. All around the building there are numerous water features.

If you take a walk under the restaurant, there is bronze bear statues and beautiful paintings along with awesome rock features.

After a nice meal, you can take a walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery, and then take a ride on the jet boats! Of course that costs extra, and you'll have to book a reservation with Hellgate Jet Boat Excursions.



Now this is the main entrance to Tap Rock. The double doors are bronze covered wood. They are VERY heavy. It shows bears and a river, and some trees, most likely evergreens.



Here it is agian, but this time at night with the lights. I wish it had been a better shot so you can see the full detail, but I guess that's why you should come check it out for yourself.







This is one of the many beautiful fireplaces inside the restaurant. The feeling when you walk in is like you are walking into a log cabin.









Here to the left is just a simple salmon meal with sautéed vegetables, and some rice. I'm not a fan of fish, so I haven't eaten it. However, I heard that all the wild salmon, and other seafood dishes like the halibut is really good. So yay if you're a fish eater :)









So after dinner (or before), you can tale a short scenic walk around Tap Rock, and not only view the beautiful and famous Rogue River, but also the amazing features that Tap Rock has to offer.




If you are it the area, please stop by Tap Rock. It is amazing, and you won't regret it. The price is right, the food is good, and the hospitality is something of the rare sort. If you aren't in the area, next time you plan your get away, plan a trip to Grants Pass, Oregon. There's more to do here than just eat at Tap Rock. :) You can find them HERE!

Also, if you are in Poulsbo, Washington, or in the area, be sure to stop and eat at the Tap Rock there!