Hello Heaven Calling-It's Ashland Sausage, Pressed Pork Belly Bacon, everything is better with Bacon!

I don't care if you don't eat pork, you have to admit this is a beautiful piece of bacon.  Admit it, you want it...

 I know I do!

Buy Ashland Pressed Bacon here

Sambal Stir Fry

Tonight we have Indonesian Sambal Stir Fry, and as always, I modified the recipe to include more fresh vegetables. Using the recipe on the back as a starting point, I stir fried cut up fingerling potatoes, wedge cut onions, sliced leeks, carrot pieces, and lamb cubes in olive oil. I also added some finely chopped garlic. Once I had this partially cooked, I added the Sambal Siry Fry mix and some peeled, cut up whole tomatoes. I allowed this to simmer to get full flavor, and served with Kokita Yellow Rice.

This was an easy and very satisfying dish, and similar meals can be made using seafood, chicken, or beef. With about 10 -15 minutes of total prep time and 10 minutes of cooking, this is indeed an efficient meal with huge flavor.

Asian Home Gourmet Sambal Stir Fry Spice paste. This spicy, robust spice paste is used in authentic Indonesian cuisine to give the exotic flavouring to fried seafood and vegetables. Asian Home Gourmet Spice mixes are made in Thailand.

Donna's Salted Caramels

I have never had a salted caramel this good. In fact, I am not a caramel lover, but these make me come back time & time again. Simply an amazinig hand-crafted confection made in small batches with the very best ingredients. Unbelievable.

TASTING NOTES:

Perfect in texture, these caramels give a nice shot of salt, caramel, and buttery flavors, that literally make your mouth water. They go too fast!

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:

DONNA'S SALTED CARAMELS ARE HAND-CRAFTED OF THE FINEST PURE INGREDIENTS THE SIXTH STREET BAKERS KITCHEN IN "LITTLE NORWAY", WASHINGTON.

INGREDIENTS: Cane Sugar, Heavy Cream (Milk), Water, Corn Syrup, Butter (Milk, Salt), Sea Salt, Pure Vanilla.

Beef Roulade made easy with Asian Home Gourmet Szechuan Dan Dan Noodle Spice Paste

This is such an easy, elegant meal to make.  I have to warn you though this is a 2 out of 3 hot chili pepper spice blend!
Beef  Roulade (Serves 4)

Dan Dan Noodle Spice Paste Beef Roulade

Ingredients:
•1 packet Asian Home Gourmet Szechuan Dan Dan Noodle Spice Paste©
•350g (¾ lb) beef, thinly sliced
•100g (3½ oz) Enoki mushroom, discard the roots and cut into 5cm (2") lengths
•60g (2 oz) cucumber, cut into strips of 5cm (2")
•60g (2 oz) carrot, peeled and cut into strips of 5cm (2")
•1 small onion, finely chopped
•110ml (½ cup) water
•1 tbsp vegetable oil
•1 tbsp cornstarch (mix with 1 tbsp water)
•Spring onions, blanched

Method:
1.Place carrot, cucumber and mushrooms at one side of sliced beef. Fold in one end and roll up firmly to enclose the filling. Tie rolls with blanched spring onions.
2.Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and SpicePaste©, stir-fry for 1 minute.
3.Stir in water and cornstarch solution; bring to a boil. Put in beef rolls and simmer at high heat for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Buy Asian Home Gourmet Spices here

Marina Market sells the Canned Haggis featured on Chopped

Buy canned Haggis here!

There’s no time for a warm-up on Chopped All-Stars, and right out of the gate, the contestants were presented with a basket that judge Alex Guarnaschelli aptly labeled “a total act of cruelty.” Notable culprit, of course: that canned haggis
(collective shudder), which chefs and judges agreed had an aroma vaguely reminiscent of dog food. But somehow, all four All-Stars managed to use the stuff to create something that, judging from the empty plates on the judges’ table, was actually tasty. Unfortunately for all of us, who naturally wanted to see what pyrotechnics Duff might come up with in the dessert round, his flavors and technique weren’t enough to get him past round one.
For equal opportunity we also sell Vegetarian Haggis.

Vegetarian Haggis!

Where can I find canned Haggis?  Buy it here!

Golden Pineapple Rice the easy way with Asian Home Gourmet Cantonese Stir-Fried Rice Spice Paste

This rice dish is so tasty.  We used to order it all the time at our local Thai joint but it took on average an hour to get served- no matter if the place was empty or full.  Golden Pineapple Rice (Serves 3 - 4)


Asian Home Gourmet Golden Pineapple Rice



Ingredients:

•1 Asian Home Gourmet Cantonese Stir-Fried Rice Spice Paste©

•600g (3 cups) cooked rice

•3 tbsp vegetable oil

•100g bacon, cut into strips

•100g ham, cut into strips
•1 tin pineapple (450g), drain away juice and use 250g; cut into bite sized pieces
•2 tsp curry powder
•2 red chillies (seeds removed and thinly sliced)
•2 spring onions; cut into thin strips as garnish


Method:
1.Heat oil in a non-stick wok on medium heat. Add bacon; stir fry until crispy. Set aside.
2.Add ham; stir fry for 1 minute. Add rice, SpicePaste© and curry powder; stir fry for 5 minutes. Stir in pineapples and sliced chillies; stir fry for 2 minutes.
3.Add fried bacon; stir through or until hot. Garnish and serve hot.

Purchase Asian Home Gourmet products here

Lettuce Cups the easy way with Asian Home Gourmet Thai Pineapple Rice Spice Paste

This is a fun recipe.  I remember going to visit a childhood friend and loving that her mom let us eat 'finger foods' for sleepovers. This is a grownup 'finger food' meal.  I have used small cubes of pressed tofu in place of  chicken.  Never heard of pressed tofu?- it is the secret tofu ingredient restaurants use that collects the sauce flavors and chews like meat.  They will claim it is 'firm' tofu that has been frozen but  we all know that doesn't work!  The secret is pressed tofu- almost all of the water has been pressed out leaving a product that is supple and cheese like in texture and the moisture from any liquid re introduced goes deep into the product.

I also have fond memories as a child growing up in (and near) Washington DC, of my visiting teenage uncle, from South  Dakota, who loved the exotic foods he found at Safeway International.  I am certain he is the reason I am in the food business today.  I am still adventerous enough to try (almost) any food, but when you have already eaten chocolate covered ants and crickets and canned baby octopi at age six, there is a little baby foodie inside you-lol!

Easy Lettuce Cup Recipe

Easy Lettuce Cup Recipe

Ingredients:
•1 packet Asian Home Gourmet Thai Pineapple Rice Spice Paste©
•450g (1 lb) chicken, minced
•250g (½ lb) water chestnut, finely chopped
•150g (5 oz) mixed vegetables
•6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•2 tbsp vegetable oil
•Iceberg or Romaine lettuce leaves

Method:
1.Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add garlic; stir-fry for 1 min. Add chicken and SpicePaste©, stir-fry for 5 minutes or until cooked.

2.Add vegetables and stir-fry for 1 minute. Turn off heat, stir in water chestnut.

3.Fill each lettuce leave with 4 tbsp cooked mixture. Serve.

Buy Asian Home Gourmet here

Thai Green Curry Mussels made easy with Asian Home Gourmet Thai Green Curry Spice Paste

 Green Curry Mussels (Serves 4)

Asian Home Gourmet Thai Green Curry Mussels

Ingredients:
•1 packet Asian Home Gourmet Thai Green Curry Spice Paste©
•1 kg (2 lb) green mussels
•1 small red or yellow capsicum or bell pepper, finely chopped
•220ml (1 cup) coconut milk or milk
•110ml (½ cup) water
•1 tbsp vegetable oil
•½ tbsp sugar (optional)
•1 tbsp coriander or basil leaves, coarsely chopped (as garnish)

Buy Asian Home Gourmet products here

Method:
1.Heat oil in a non-stick wok on medium heat. Add SpicePaste©; stir-fry for 1 minute.
2.Stir in coconut milk or milk, water and sugar. Bring to a boil.
3.Add mussels, bell pepper or capsicum and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked. Garnish and serve hot with noodles or rice.

Lips of Faith Vrienden

TASTING NOTES:

Sour, spiciness, and red wine on the nose. Pours an unusual clear amber, much like brandy, with very little head. I don't get any of the expected bitterness from endive, but do get floral notes I would expect from the hibiscus, lactic middle, with a nice mouthfeel. This beer is tangy, with virtually no hop character, but well balanced nonetheless. To me, this tastes like a well made mild wild ale. Tasted @ 57F.

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MANUFACTURER DESCRIPTION:

Get a Belgian Brewmaster and a master of Belgian brewing together and theres sure to be spontaneous imagination that leads to micro-organisms mingling in fermentation. Allagash and New Belgium are pleased to offer you our collabeeration brewed with the slightly fruity hibiscus flower, the aromatic Brettanomyces, and the flavor-boosting Lactobacillus. We recommend pairing it with creamy, soft cheeses and charming Vrienden- that’s ‘friends’ in Flemish.

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RATINGS:

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ratebeer.com BeerAdvocate.com

Homemade Curry Herring

Ingredienser

3 kryddersildfileter
3 dl TINE Lettrømme
1 ss karri
1 dl finhakket purre
1 lite eple , i små terninger
2 ss finhakket dill

Recipe for homemade Herring in Curry Sauce

Ingredients

3 spicy herring fillets
1c  Light Sour Cream
1 tablespoon curry
1 cup finely chopped leek
1 small apple, small dice
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill


Duration-15 min   Difficulty-Easy
How-Place the herring fillets in water or equal parts water and milk, so they do not become too salty. Slice or cut the herring into pieces.
Mix together the sauce and pour over herring. Let herring and leave about 1 hours before

Purchase spicy herring fillets here

Goose Island Demolition Ale

GOOSE ISLAND DEMOLITION ALE

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TASTING NOTES:

Sweet aroma of stone fruit, bready/yeast, & hops. Pours clear golden with a thin white head, clinging to the glass. Dry, citrus, hits the center with hop bitterness, and finishes tart and nutty. Very nice mouthfeel. Meaty, not too thin! This a a good take on a Belgian Golden, a little ramped up on the ABV, and fairly complex. tasted @ 58F.

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MANUFACTURER DESCRIPTION:

Brewed to honor the brave souls who kept our brew pub open in the early 90’s while wrecking balls tore down the mall around us. Dry and smooth, with a grassy, citrus aroma and a honey malt middle. Brew House notes Style: Belgian Style Golden Ale Alcohol by Volume: 6.7% IBU’s: 40 Hops: Saaz, Chinook Malt: Pilzen Cellarman’s Notes. Demolition will remain fresh 180 days from the bottled on date. Unfiltered, so a light chill haze should be expected. Some yeast may settle in the bottom of the bottle, decant gently.

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REVIEWS:

ratebeer.com BeerAdvocate.com

Real Tine Nokkel Ost Souffle recipe

This recipe has been Google translated.  I would advise you to use it for ideas but to modify your favorite souffle recipe if you try to make one.

Cheese souffle with vegetables  Number of servings: 4

Nokkel Ost Souffle

Ingredients
3 leeks
400 g broccoli
2 tablespoons Butter for greasing the mold
1/2 c whole milk
4 tablespoons flour
250 g Original Key Cheese Nokkel Ost grated or diced
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
3 tablespoons grated cheese on top

Duration-1 hour 20 min

Difficulty-Demanding
How-Souffle shape, approx. 1 1 / 2 -2 liters. In the oven at 175 degrees for ca.60 minutes.
Cleaning and some leeks and broccoli into pieces. Boil the vegetables are barely tender (ca.5 minutes) in lightly salted water. Pour the water and add the vegetables in the bottom of a greased casserole dish or suffleform.

Mix milk and flour in the pan and stir until it boils. Stir in cheese and salt. Separate the egg yolks and mix well with cheese sauce. Whisk egg whites and fold them gently into batter. Pour cheese float over the vegetables and sprinkle some extra cheese on top.

Bake souffle's and serve it immediately taken out of the oven. An old rule says that "guests are always waits for souffle, and not vice versa. "

Serve with Good bread .    Purchase Nokkel Ost cheese here

Strawberries and Nokkel Ost cheese salad with yogurt dressing

Strawberries and cheese salad with yogurt dressing

Strawberries and Nokkel Ost cheese salad with yogurt dressing

Number of servings: 4
Ingredients
250 g mixed salad iceberg lettuce, Frieze, red chicory, dandelion, nettle, etc.

10 basil leaves

250 g strawberries, divided into two

100 g of  Key cheese Nokkel ost

1 cup nut kernels for example. pine nuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds

10 edible flowers such as crowns of marigold
Yogurt Dressing:
1 1/2 c  Natural Yogurt
2 tablespoons honey (optional)
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
¼ teaspoon lemon pepper

Duration 15 min Difficulty-Easy
How-Clean and wash the lettuce leaves and tear them into big chunks.
Place lettuce in bowl and add the strawberries and cheese. Sprinkle with nuts and summer edible flowers.
Taste the dressing well and serve in a bowl beside it. Good bread tastes good.

Purchase Tine Nokkelost here