Another San Francisco Favorite...

The first time I fell in love with the Famous Ghirardelli Sundae was on a rainy day in Chicago with my dear friend, Naomi. She kept telling me about it and once I took a bite I understood the urgency in her voice when she said, "We have to go get one." Even if I described it's blissful taste my word just wouldn't do it justice. I know you're thinking, "What could be so great about a chocolate fudge sundae? Aren't they the same everywhere?" All I have to say is have a taste and tell me what you think.

Best Crab Dish!

I saw an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" on the Food Network where Tyler Florence (I believe) ranted and raved about the Hot & Spicy Crab from Penang Garden in San Francisco. Alas we went to SF and experienced the finger licking goodness of the Hot & Spicy Crab. The crab comes whole with the sauce and four buns for dipping. The sauce has a hint of sweetness and then the spicy kicks in but its not overwhelming (Note: I love spicy foods so my level of spiciness may differ from yours). Overall I give this dish a 9 out of 10 and must say that its worth the travel.  

Quick Chicken Paprikash

I saw the "quick" in this Whole Foods recipe and it instantly made it on my favorites list. The tanginess of the sour cream and acidity of the tomatoes make this dish.

Ingredients (1/2 original recipe):

1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used minced garlic)

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

1 can diced tomatoes, with their liquid

1 1/2 tbsp paprika (the original recipe called for Hungarian paprika but I couldn't find any)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

Other ingredients: olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley - chopped (I didn't have any fresh parsley so I used dried), and 1 tbsp cornstarch.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add onions and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in paprika until it coats everything in the pot. Add bell peppers and stir again to coat.

Add tomatoes, parsley and chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add reserved chicken and any accumulated juices, and return to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, to allow flavors to develop and chicken to become tender. Mix cornstarch and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl then stir in pot. Cook a few minutes more, until thickened.

Remove pot from heat and stir in sour cream.

In 30 minutes you can enjoy this one pot meal!

My Latest Obsession

To those that know me it is no surprise that my obsession comes neatly wrapped in a Nordstrom logoed bag. However, the contents of this bag may not be what you're expecting. Inside is a treat that I cannot go a few days without - Cafe Nordstrom's Lemon Ricotta cookie.

This is no ordinary cookie! It's fluffy, cake-like inside and crispy outer is worlds away from a regular cookie. And the frosting is a perfect blend of lemon and sugar...one word - delish! I found a recipe by Giada that I will try soon, stayed tuned.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Dutch Oven Beef & Noodle Casserole

Autumn is quickly approaching and what better way to welcome it than to cook a casserole! This Whole Foods recipe requires very little prep work and is very easy. The original recipe yielded 6 to 8 servings, I cut it in half and still had enough for leftovers. 

I liked the fact that the recipe doesn't use any oil but I like sauteed onions and that's the only I would change. I would saute the onions first, add the beef and the rest of vegetables. 

Ingredients:

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped (it's supposed to be a GREEN bell pepper but I accidentally grabbed the red)

2/3 cups sliced mushrooms (more or less - I love mushrooms)

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 cup frozen corn

 

About 1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I left this measurement as is because it looked like it needed more than half and I was right)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

12 oz. packed egg noodles

Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.

Add corn, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and salt and pepper and stir well.

Spread uncooked noodles evenly over the top

Then sprinkle cheese over noodles.

Pour can of tomatoes, with their juice, over the cheese and noodles.

Tightly cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour.

Uncover pot, set aside for 5 minutes then serve.