Tator Tot Nachos!

Tator Tot Nachos....WHAT?!  Why haven't I thought of this before?!  Potato nugget nachos topped with your favorite toppings.....I love it.  An easy and quick week night meal.

Recipe and photo courtesy Pillsbury

Ground Beef Totchos

Ingredients

2

bags (16 oz each) Cascadian Farm™ Spud Puppies™ organic frozen potatoes

1/2

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2

package Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix (about 2 tablespoons)

3

tablespoons water

1 1/2

cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (6 oz)

1

cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

Shredded lettuce

Sour cream and guacamole, if desired

Steps

1

• Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with sides with foil or cooking parchment paper. Place frozen potatoes on cookie sheet. Bake as directed on bag.
• 2Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Add taco seasoning mix and water. Cook about 2 minutes or until hot.
• 3Sprinkle potatoes with beef mixture and cheese. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or just until cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients.

Swap out the ground beef for a can of drained, rinsed black beans for a different twist!

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Hall Cabernet Cookoff Event

This past weekend, I was invited to attend the Hall Cabernet Cookoff fundraising event held at Hall Wines in the gorgeous town of St. Helena in the Napa Valley.  The weather cooperated, it was sunny and in the 70's....a perfect afternoon for scrumptious food paired with delicious 2011 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fourteen sample small bites were prepared by both San Francisco and Napa Valley based professional chef teams.  All ticket sales benefited Napa Valley non-profit organizations.

My first bite of the day was this very flavorful ox tail mini taco prepared by Paula LeDuc Catering.  Oh so good.

The Hall Cabernet Cookoff is a complete interactive event, which made it even MORE fun.  After tasting, we were able to cast our vote as to which bite we felt paired best with the Hall Cabernet....and we had 2 1/2 hours to accomplish this mission.  So much fun.

 We tasted power flavored pizza drizzled in balsamic.......

 Pork belly deliciousness......

Some of the other favorite bites included:  wild boar ribs, lamb and fava beans, salted cod, and brisket in a cherry BBQ sauce....so many to choose from and enjoy.

After we cast our vote, my friend, Devi, and I explored the upstairs view from this 1885 renovated barn.

 I want to have a party here....

The tasting room was in a separate building, also overlooking the lawn area.  Very modern, large in size and so comfortable, we didn't want to leave!

We chose to sip some wine on the deck, just outside of the tasting room, overlooking the vineyard and grounds.

Bookmark the Hall Cabernet Cookoff for next May.  It is a MUST do.  You can't go wrong....I, myself, cannot WAIT!

The participating chefs this year, included:

Oenotri
The Grill at Meadowood
Kara's Cupcakes
CA' MOMI
Bounty Hunter
Mark Hopkins
One Market Restaurant
Yankee Pier Larkspur
Paula LeDuc Catering
Culinary Mercenary
Earth's Bounty Kitchen
Press Restaurant
The Farmers Market Pantry
The Pear Southern Bistro

For more information on the event, please visit:  Hall Cabernet Cookoff

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National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!....True story, I didn't make this up.  Chocolate chip cookies have got to be one of our all-time favorite cookies.  What goes better with an ice cold glass of milk than a chocolate chip cookie?  No much, as far as I'm concerned.  So when Krusteaz offered to send me a box of their new Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie mix to try out, how could I say no?  AND, the best part, they've also offered to send one lucky reader a giveaway package as well!  Contained in the package will be a box of Krusteaz's Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie mix and three coupons for free Krusteaz products.

The mix is super easy.  Just add butter and one egg and mix with a spoon and then your hands.  Bake and eat while warm!

If you are a U.S. citizen and would like to enter, just leave a comment telling me what you think is Milk's favorite cookie....Good Luck!  Winner will be picked Friday, May 23rd.

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Hall Cabernet Cookoff Event!

Delicious food paired with Hall Cabernet, a beautiful afternoon spent in the Napa Valley sunshine on a Sunday afternoon = A Perfect Day.  This Sunday, May 18th,  the 5th annual Hall Cabernet Cookoff takes place.  I'll be there, hope to see you there as well!

Here's a little more about this fundraising event.....

The epicurean event celebrates Napa Valley chefs with 100% of Ticket Sales to Benefit Napa Valley Charities and will feature an all-star line-up of both San Francisco and Napa Valley based Chef teams participating in a culinary pairing challenge with 100% of ticket sales to benefit Napa Valley non-profit organizations. Bringing together local foodies and wine for a good cause, over 15 chef teams will compete for a local charity of their choice as judged by industry judges by creating small bite dishes paired with the recently released HALL 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

During the event, guests will be invited to taste farm-to-table dishes from each chef team paired with the wine and vote on their favorite for the People’s Choice Award.

Chef teams participating in the HALL Cabernet Cookoff include:
•       Tyler Rodde, Oenotri
•       Victoria Acosta, The Grill at Meadowood
•       Rodney Worth, The Pear Bistro
•       Corrie Beezley, The Farmers Market Pantry
•       Christopher Ludwick, Earth’s Bounty Kitchen & Winebar
•       Valentina Migotto & Dario De Conti, Ca' Momi
•       Jesse McQuarrie, Feast Catering
•       Jason Toji, Press
•       Will Wright, Bounty Hunter Smokin BBQ
•       Nenad Stefanovic, Intercontinental Mark Hopkins
•       Kara Lind, Kara's Cupcakes
•       Mark Dommen, One Market Restaurant
•       Alex Marsh, Yankee Pier Larkspur
•       Daniel Capra, Paula Le Duc Catering
•       Christian Graze, The Culinary Mercenary

Photos courtesy HallWines.com

WHEN:
Sunday, May 18 2014


WHERE:
HALL Wines, St. Helena
401 St. Helena Hwy. South
St. Helena, CA 94574
(707) 967-2626

For Tickets:  http://www.cellarpass.com/tickets_select.aspx?eid=165

The HALL Cabernet Cookoff is a community fundraising event organized by the Craig & Kathryn Hall Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  For more information, please visit www.cabernetcookoff.org  or via social channels using #cabernetcookoff.

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Raise The Macallan SF

A few weeks ago I received an invitation to attend a whisky tasting event in San Francisco, Raise The Macallan.  Who am I to say no to any sort of alcohol tasting?  Of course I found the time!  I had not heard of Macallan whisky and thought what better time to learn more about it.

"Raise the Macallan" was held at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco.  After finding street parking, I walked over to where a long line was forming just outside the Regency.  After a few minutes, along came a woman toting her ipad guest list to check me in and hand me a Macallan drink card.  Shortly thereafter, the line was shuffled in to the ballroom, along aluminum ramps that resembled and sounded much like the cattle ramps we use here on the ranch....but it was all for the whiskey, no complaints from me.  Once inside, I was given my very first taste of Macallan whisky.  Macallan 10.  Being a Macallan virgin and at my first ever whisky tasting, I lifted the glass to my nose, sniffed, sipped and swirled in my mouth before swallowing.  Mmmm, warmed my insides.  Good stuff.

Shortly after tasting Macallan 10 and being offered appetizers to nibble on, the group was then led into another room, the ballroom, for a seated presentation.

We were introduced to the evening MC, Kieron Elliott, straight from Scotland, accent and all.  He was a complete entertainment while telling the history of Macallan whiskey and how it came to be, many years ago in Scotland.  We went on a tasting journey through Macallan 12,15, 17 and then the most aged, 18 {years}.

 Unlike wine, where you swirl it in your mouth, I learned the proper way to taste whisky or scotch is to "chew" it.  Yes, chew, which helps to break it down in your mouth for the utmost tasting experience.

I now consider myself a complete Macallan fan.  I can definitely see myself  "chewing" a half glass of it after the kids are in bed on a cold night, in front of the fire.

If you're ever offered the opportunity to attend a Macallan tasting, go for it, you will not be disappointed.

For more info, go to..... the Macallan

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Citrus Glazed Salmon for Spring

Spring is in the air and with the feeling of the change of seasons, comes lighter eating in my house. Fortunately, the entire family enjoys eating fish and this Citrus Glazed Salmon is going to make it's way to our dinner table very soon....

"Straight from the bistroMD kitchen, this Asian inspired Citrus Glazed Salmon incorporates the seasonal spring veggies of peas and carrots, along with a citrusy kick of lemon; lime; and orange, for a colorful and refreshing twist on traditional salmon recipes.  Loaded with heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, salmon is a true superfood with disease fighting capabilities."

Recipe and photo courtesy BistroMD

Citrus Glazed Salmon (serves 4)

Ingredients & Preparation

Salmon:

• 1 pound of center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450F.  Season the salmon fillets lightly with salt and pepper and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Citrus Glaze:

• 1/2 cup Mandarin Oranges, drained
• 1 ½ tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 tablespoons Orange Juice
• 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• Corn Starch, as needed                                                                                                                                     

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the mandarin oranges, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, rice wine vinegar and scallions. Heat until it begins to boil then turn down the heat to a low simmer and allow to slightly reduce. If a thicker sauce is preferred, add corn starch to thicken to desired consistency.

Miso Carrots:

• 16oz bag, Petite-Cut Carrots
• 4 tablespoons Miso Paste
• 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil

Preheat oven to 450F. Toss carrots, miso paste and sesame oil together in a bowl. Spread onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ginger Snow Peas:

• 12oz Snow Peas, fresh or frozen
• ½ teaspoon Ginger, fresh, grated
• ¼ teaspoon Sesame Oil

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat with the sesame oil. When oil is heated, add the ginger and sauce for 1 minute. Add the snow peas and toss to coat with the oil and ginger. Saute 2-3 minutes if using fresh. Saute 7-8 minutes if using frozen.

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Baked Nachos! Happy Cinco De Mayo!

 Mexican food is definitely one of my favorite foods to eat.  Any day, any time.  I LOVE it.  Spicy, mild, I'll take it either way.  These flavorful baked nachos are one of my favorites to make at home.  Super easy and they're different every time, depending on what I have on hand in the fridge.

With Cinco De Mayo coming up, I had to re-post my recipe for the family favorite......

Baked Nachos.

It's like a hearty one dish meal you can throw together within 10 minutes!   Perfect with any beverage....margaritas, beer, sangria, MILK, Yum.

I began layering; chips, cheese, yellow and orange bell peppers, onions, ground beef and black beans.

A high protein meal, the entire family could devour.

Add a little salsa and or guacamole and sour cream.....perfect.

Here's what you need for success:

Ingredients:
Tortilla chips or pita chips
cheese of choice, I used low fat mozzarella, grated
1 pound of ground beef
taco seasoning
1 can of black beans
bell peppers
1 small red onion
tomatoes, chopped if you have them
and any other topping you feel like chopping up and adding
Salsa
Sour Cream

Directions:
Place ground beef in a skillet and brown.  Add taco seasoning to taste and cook a little longer.  Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the tortilla chips on the foil.  Sprinkle grated cheese on top of chips, layer with bell pepper, red onion, browned ground beef and black beans.

Place in oven on broil for 4-5 minutes.  Just long enough so the cheese is good and melted.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole if desired.

What's your favorite Cinco De Mayo dish??

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Bon Appetit's Mediterranean Egg Salad

One of my favorite breakfasts is egg salad on toasted whole wheat bread so when I saw this recipe from Bon Appetit for Mediterranean Egg Salad, one, I immediately began craving it and two, I had to share with you all.

Are you a fan of egg salad??  I could eat it for breakfast, lunch OR dinner.

 

 Photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetit

 

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon za'atar {see below}
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
• ½ cup chopped green olives
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Toast 

 Za'atar is a spice blend that translates from Arabic to the word "thyme." This is convenient, because there is thyme in za'atar. Also, you'll traditionally find sumac, sesame seed, and salt in the mix—some versions contain other spices and herbs, like marjoram, cumin, oregano, or hyssop. There's no exact science to mixing za'atar, though, because every home cook has a unique version. It's pronounced ZAH-tahr, and is found most frequently in Middle Eastern countries, flavoring everything from hummus to pita bread.

Preperation:

Whisk together oil, za’atar, and lemon juice. Toss with eggs, olives, cilantro, onion, and pine nuts; season with salt and pepper. Serve on toast.

Nutritional Information

Calories (kcal) 240 Fat (g) 23 Saturated Fat (g) 3.5 Cholesterol (mg) 215 Carbohydrates (g) 3 Dietary Fiber (g) 0 Total Sugars (g) 0 Protein (g) 7 Sodium (mg) 410

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Marbled, Speckled and Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

The other day when I shared Krups' recipe for Pepper Jack Bacon Deviled Eggs and their new egg cooker, also included in their email to me were these fabulous ideas for coloring Easter eggs....Marbled, Speckled and Naturally Dyed eggs.  Naturally, I'm excited to share the creative egg dying directions with you all!

Bright and Marbled Easter Eggs

 

photo credit and egg dying recipes courtesy Krups

Spread the newspaper over your work surface.

• Now prepare the dye for coloring your Easter eggs. You will need a separate cup or container for each color.
• In each container combine one tablespoon of each of the following: oil, vinegar, and your choice of food coloring.
• Add enough water to make the liquid deep enough to cover an egg.
• Swirl the liquid with a spoon, and quickly lower and raise an egg into it.
• Pat dry with a paper towel, and repeat with a second color.
• Swirl into a third color, if desired. Some white areas can be left on the egg.
• Gently pat dry the completed egg, leaving a bit of the oil to give the egg a varnished look.
• Place the finished eggs in a container, such as an empty egg carton to dry.

Once you're finished with all of your eggs, store them in the refrigerator.

Speckled Easter Eggs

Spread the newspaper over your work surface.

• Now prepare the dye for coloring your Easter eggs. You will need a separate cup or container for each color.
• Place one teaspoon of vinegar in each container. Add about 1-1/2 cups of hot water (hot tap water is fine) to the vinegar.
• Once you have the vinegar and hot water in the containers for your Easter eggs, add a few drops of food coloring to each container.
• Now dip each egg in the dye. Let the egg sit in the dye for several minutes to allow the color to adhere.
• Use a spoon to remove the egg from the dye and wipe the water off with a paper towel.
• To get soft pastel colors the eggs only need to bathe for a few minutes, then dry.
• To get the speckles: mix 10 drops of red and 5 drops of green food coloring in a small glass, a few drops of water and you have brown dye.
• To get the speckles use an old toothbrush, dip it in the brown, shake off excess. Point the toothbrush 6 - 10 inches from the egg. Run your finger across the bristles from front to back to get the splatter effect. (You might want to wear rubber gloves)!!
• Place the eggs in a container, such as an empty egg carton to dry.

Once you're finished with all of your eggs, store them in the refrigerator.

Naturally dyed Easter Eggs

 

Spread the newspaper over your work surface.

• If you want to make designs on your eggs, you can draw on the eggs with crayons. The wax will not come off when you dye the eggs.
• Combine spices, vegetables, water and vinegar in assorted pots on every burner on the stove.  (Example: Turmeric would yield a lovely gold.  Chili powder would yield a beautiful rusted orange.  Beets turned some eggs a pale pink).
• Now dip each egg in the dye. Let the egg sit in the dye for several minutes to allow the color to adhere.
• Use a spoon to remove the egg from the dye.
• Wipe the water off with a paper towel, and place the eggs in a container, such as an empty egg carton to dry.

Once you're finished with all of your eggs, store them in the refrigerator.

Happy Easter to all!

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Mexican Style Lasagna soon to be "Pritikinized"

Cinco De Mayo has been on my mind lately and one of my favorite Mexican dishes is this Mexican Style Lasagna....all in one dish.  We have been trying to eat a bit lighter lately here at home and when I received an invite to enter a blogger contest hosted by  Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Miami, FL., where you enter a recipe you love and challenge the chef at Pritikin to  “Pritikinize” {or lighten up} the recipe, making it healthy to eat...I just HAD to enter.

For more information about Pritikin, see below.

Mexican food is probably my favorite type of food to eat.  This Mexican Style Lasagna does not disappoint...melted cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, beef and more, all layered into one dish.  SO good.

So here's what you need to do.  Chop up 1/2 an onion and throw it in a skillet with one pound of ground beef to brown.

Drain any excess fat.  Add one can each of corn, black beans {rinsed}, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

In a baking dish, begin layering.  Start with 1/3 of the mixture.

Add a layer of flour tortillas.

More mixture and sprinkle some grated cheese on top of that.

Keep layering until all mixture is used.  Before adding the top layer of tortillas and cheese, spread some sour cream over the mixture {optional}.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!  SO good!

Mexican Style Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef or turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped {or half a large}
1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can corn, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 4 oz can green chilies {optional}
1 package taco seasoning
Flour tortillas
2 cups grated cheese {I used Mexican blend}
Sour cream {optional}

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion in pan.  Drain any excess fat.  Add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, black beans, green chilies and taco seasoning.  Simmer 10-15 minutes to blend.  Place 1/3 of the mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Place a layer of tortillas on top, add more mixture and sprinkle with grated cheese. Continue layering until all mixture is gone.  Add some sour cream to the mixture for the last layer, if desired. Finish with a layer of tortillas and grated cheese.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Pritikin Anniversary event from Thursday, May 29^th-Saturday, May 31^st.

Pritikin Longevity Center is recognized as one of the nation’s premier health and wellness centers, offering life-changing results in a luxury setting. 

"For over 30 years, more than 100,000 guests worldwide have come to the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa both to prevent and reverse problems such as excess weight, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cancer risk factors.  Over 10 million more have read Pritikin’s 10 best-selling books.  Pritikin’s one- and two-week lifestyle-change programs are tailored to meet the needs of the individual and focus on daily exercise and an eating plan based on natural, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, and limited lean meat.  Guests enjoy five gourmet meals and snacks daily, like grilled lobster, roasted bison, wild mushroom risotto, and chocolate mousse.  Pritikin is located in Miami, Florida, just 20 minutes from either the Ft. Lauderdale or Miami airport." 

 

For more information about Pritikin, please visit their website at:  Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa

and their Facebook page:  Pritikin Facebook Page

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