2009 July | Think Tasty

Archive for July, 2009

Vegtable Cream Cheese

by TT Jr. on May 14th, 2012 | Recipes, Spreads & Sauces

I love bagels. I just love them, specifically toasted. And with cream cheese. They are so delicious when they are still hot and the cream cheese starts to melt on them. My favorite flavor is salt bagels, and they are delicious with plain cream cheese, but sometimes that gets a little boring. So, I decided to make a vegetable cream cheese to see how it tasted with my mom's yummy salt bagels. It tasted like heaven on a hot bagel. The sweet crunchy carrots with the tangy, slightly spicy chives against the salty, hot, soft, crunchy bagel is incredible.

A

Leek & Goat Cheese Mini-Tarts

by TT on March 29th, 2012 | Appetizers

Although the sources of inspiration for my cooking may vary, I think the inspiration for this dish was unique. Over the weekend I made lobster newburg for my husband's birthday. As this was a dish I'd never made, I reviewed many recipes, seeking what seemed like the perfect combination of ingredients. In the end I debated between two recipes, finally choosing one that utilized a roux.

After our dinner on Sunday evening, our 15 year old asked why we had leeks in the refrigerator. I then realized that while shopping I had purchased all of the ingredients for the recipe

Feta Sauce

by TT on March 22nd, 2012 | Recipes, Spreads & Sauces

As I was planning the menu for the most recent Tapas Monday, I asked my daughter what she would like. The carb-loving girl that she is, she requested pasta. I asked if she wanted it plain with grated parmesan. She asked if I could make a parmesan sauce. I explained that this dinner would be just for her, as her brother was having meat sauce, so it seemed like a lot of work. She looked at me and said, "All you need to do is make a roux, add some milk and parmesan."

I must note that she said that

Blue Cheese & Dates

by TT on March 19th, 2012 | Appetizers

As I mentioned in my Maple Apple Mustard recipe, last Tapas Monday was not one that allowed for a lot of cooking time. Instead I worked on pairing each of the cheeses with a simple condiment: sharp cheddar with maple apple mustard, truffle cheese with pinot grigio sausage. I had a wedge of gorgonzola that was begging to be paired.

I personally love the combination of pears and blue cheese, but we were without pears. Looking for something sweet to contrast with the salt and bite of the blue cheese, I remembered that we had a package of dates.

Maple Apple Mustard

by TT on March 15th, 2012 | Spreads & Sauces

I know I've written about it many times, but I thoroughly adore Tapas Mondays. Even though it means not eating dinner until after 9:00, it is such a wonderful way to start the workweek. The kids are in bed, working on homework, or entertaining themselves on a different floor of the house. The dining room is lit by candles, and my husband and I sit down to a delicious dinner and some prosecco.

Many of these nights involve a fair amount of cooking. While the kids eat their dinner, I am working on that night's menu. However, sometimes there are

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Grasshopper Icing

by TT on March 14th, 2012 | Desserts, Recipes

To end our St. Patrick's Day recipe series, a dessert seemed like the perfect fit. What we found was a recipe that is the perfect combination of sweet dessert and Irish beverage. With a stout, such as Guinness, and dark chocolate in the batter, this cupcake is sure to please the majority of your holiday crowd. A grand finale of mint-flavored frosting should provide a bit of sugary brightness.

Make these cupcakes early in the day (or even the day before), and you will have a dessert that requires no last minute work. Once you're ready for dessert, it will

Pecan French Toast

by TT on July 13th, 2009 | Breakfast Dishes, Recipes

Breakfast is a popular meal in our house. Requests vary from savory items, such as cheesy grits or omelets, to sweet items, such as cinnamon rolls and scones. The amount of time available to make breakfast also helps to determine what will be made.

This past weekend both my husband and I were craving something sweet. However, I didn't feel like spending lots of time in the kitchen or making a batch of baked goods when only the two of us were home. And pancakes are made fairly frequently for the kids, so I was seeking something

Sauteed Rainbow Chard

by TT on July 10th, 2009 | Healthy Cooking, Recipes, Side Dishes

Our Fourth of July was celebrated in a truly foodie manner. We spent the afternoon in our kitchen making various food and drink products. We made infused vodkas (one of which was made with leaves from our lemon verbena plant), two types of homemade sausage patties, chicken salad with a new twist on ingredients, and Braised Prime Rib, which was our dinner.

Having enjoyed some espinaca dip while cooking, we didn't want or need a heavy side dish to accompany our prime rib. As it was a day of playing in the kitchen, I decided to try cooking with a

Review: Pangaea, North Bennington, Vermont

by TT on July 8th, 2009 | Restaurant Reviews, Salads

After a rainy, work-filled June, my husband and I decided to start July on a relaxing note. Although technically we started July with a 12-hour workday, we did get to the relaxation part on the second day. Not sure of weather and plans for the holiday weekend, we made reservations for lodging and dinner for our trip at 1:00 (the day of our trip!) and were traveling west by 2:00. With reservations at the Eddington House Inn that included a 5-course wine tasting dinner at Pangaea, we were hopeful of having an enjoyable night away.

Conveniently, the Eddington House Inn

Braised Prime Rib

by TT on July 5th, 2009 | Healthy Cooking, Main Dishes, Recipes

Slowly cooked meat is a new favorite at our house. However, not many days lend themselves to hours of prepping and cooking food. Over the long Fourth of July weekend, a combination of unplanned events lent themselves to a day with nothing to do but shop and cook. With a day such as this, braised meat was sure to be on our menu.

Making the short trip to our favorite butcher (which honestly is the only decent one within 30 minutes of our home) we were searching for beef shanks. Having braised lamb shanks recently, we wanted to try our hands

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