Foodbuzz Festival~ The Opening Evening

Foodbuzz kicked off the welcoming opener at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, where 350 invited food bloggers enjoyed an indoor Street Food Fare experience.  We were assigned seats at the picnic like table setting, which was a fantastic idea because this gave everyone the opportunity to meet and socialize with new people.  And for someone like me, a fairly new blogger with Foodbuzz, it gave me the opportunity just to meet people and network. 

After a welcoming presentation, we were ready to get up, mingle and eat.  There were 10 street food venders in attendance.

  

I forgot to mention, there were numerous cheese and fruit platters at every table filled with artisan cheeses, breads, perfectly ripened figs and  Frog Hollow Pears.




Spencer on the Go was a contestant in Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race and he was serving up some French cuisine.  New England Lobster Cappuccino, Braised Lamb Sandwiches and Escargot Puff Lollipop.

There was quite the extensive line at his truck the entire evening.  I didn't try any, didn't want to wait!

Instead I headed for the Roli Roti line where they were serving up a crispy, tender and juicy Pork Belly Sandwich with potatoes.

Two words......OH MY!

There was plenty to choose from but after that pork belly, I was stuffed.

But no matter how full I am, I always find room for dessert.  I found out that Mission Minis DID get the reality TV pilot with the Food Network.  So we'll be seeing their new show air sometime in the future.

There was lots of activity at the cupcake display with the film crew capturing it all.

There were three mini cupcakes to choose from.  I chose the cinnamon and the pumpkin.  I didn't want to be greedy and take one of each.

Well, at least until I finished the first two.  I did go back for the vanilla, I couldn't help myself.  They go well with IPA as well.

Lots more to come........stay tuned!

Related Posts you may also enjoy:

Foodbuzz Fest Day Two-Eat, Eat, Eat

Foodbuzz Fest's Big Bash Dinner at the SF Ferry Building

Happy Sunday!

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Foodbuzz Welcome & French Toast Sticks for the K-1 Class

Last night was opening night of the long awaited {for me} Foodbuzz Festival.  The Welcoming Reception was held at Fort Mason on the Marina Green in San Francisco.

Here's a tiny preview.......hundreds of mini cupcakes from Mini Cupcakes.  Apparently, Mini Cupcakes scored themselves a reality TV pilot for Food Network.  Hopefully it will make it to TV because Food Network was there filming the entire night.

More to come on the Foodbuzz Fest......stay tuned.

Yesterday was also volunteer cooking day at Bryce's school yesterday.  This is where I volunteer to teach cooking to the small 5 student K-1 class.  I have about an hour with the kids, so sometimes it's a challenge to come up with something that's easy, kid-friendly as far as taste goes and that can be completed from start to finish in an hour or so.

I chose French Toast Sticks, and boy did they ever have fun.  It's amazing what the combination of sugary syrup and five, 5 and 6 year olds makes.  Let's just say, it got progressively louder in that small   K-1 room as the hour went on, especially when the syrup was thrown into the mix!  But SO much fun.  Kids really enjoy cooking and I'm cherishing these little moments with them.

Here's how it all went down........

Ingredients you'll need, eggs, milk, french toast bread, cinnamon, butter, corn flakes, syrup and powdered sugar.

Mix the eggs and the milk with a whisk until it's light and fluffy.  Cut each slice of bread in three or four strips.

Give each child a Ziploc with some corn flakes in it and let them pound them to smithereens!  This was, by far their favorite part!

Dip the bread strips in the batter mixture and roll in the corn flakes.  Then in a heated skillet with butter, toast up all the strips.

Top with powdered sugar and / or dip in syrup. 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Enjoy!

French Toast Sticks

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bread
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 cups cornflakes cereal
• 1 T butter
• Syrup or powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Cut each slice of bread into 3 strips on a cutting board, using a serrated knife. Put bread strips in baking dish.

2. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the milk to the eggs. Beat with a fork until the eggs look foamy. Pour over bread in baking dish. Turn bread strips over, using tongs, to coat other side.

3. Put the cereal in a plastic bag. Seal bag closed. Use rolling pin to crush cereal. Dump crushed cereal into a shallow baking dish or pie plate.

4. Put butter in the skillet. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted.

5. Take the bread strips out of the egg mixture, using tongs, and put them on the crushed cereal. Turn over to coat other sides.

6. Put the bread strips into the hot skillet. Cook for about 4 minutes or until bottoms of bread strips are golden brown. Turn them over and cook other side for about 4 minutes as well.

7. Serve the “stix” with syrup for dipping or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Happy Saturday!

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It's a Foodbuzz Weekend

Gosh, I've been waiting for this weekend for many, many months.....the second annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco!  Which equals *Foodie Heaven* in my book.  As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, selected for my Asian Noodle Salad, which was featured as one of the Top 9 Foodbuzz posts for a day last May, I have been invited to attend this much anticipated foodie fest.  So, stay tuned for my weekend recap soon to come.  But for now, here's a "peek" at some of the things I'll likely be experiencing.............

Some of the events include:

• Welcome Reception & Street Food Fare
• Food Blogging Guide to Success {whatever that is!}
• Photography Workshop
• Cooking Demos
• Taste Pavilion
• Gala Dinner
• Networking with other foodies

A jam-packed weekend that I'll be sure to share with you all!  I'll be sure to need some elastic waist pants after this weekend.

Here's what happened at last year's Foodbuzz Festival, just to give you {and me} a little inside look....

Happy Friday!  Cheers!

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Fall Sky & Fall Pear & Red Onion Gratin

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, fall is my favorite season.  There are many reasons I can think of to enjoy it, one of them being, the evening sky we are presented with when the wispy clouds find there way into our skies above.

No words necessary.  Just the beauty to view.

Another favorite of fall for me, is all of the harvest foods waiting to be prepared and enjoyed.  I was scanning the internet for some fresh, new Thanksgiving Day recipes to try out for this year and I came across this delicious looking Pear and Onion Gratin and wanted to share it with you.  It involves fall pears and sweet red onions.  Need I say more?

I can see this dish accompanying a pork roast tenderloin for a nice harvest meal.

Photo by Eating Well

Fall Inspired Pear and Red Onion Gratin

8 servings

Ingredients
1 large red onion
3 ripe Bosc pears
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation
1. Fill a large bowl three-quarters full with water; add a handful of ice cubes. Cut onion into 16 wedges, place in a strainer and lower into the water. Let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F.

3. Halve and core each pear; cut each half into 6 slices. Drain the onion wedges well and place them in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish along with the pear slices, 1 tablespoon oil, thyme, salt and a grinding of pepper; toss to combine. Cover with foil.

4. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

5. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; stir to combine. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the gratin, return to the oven and roast until the breadcrumbs are well browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipes you might enjoy:

Maple Chili Glazed Pork Medallions
Grilled Thai Tenderloin Cutlets

Happy Thursday!

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Political Party Night

Last night Dominic and I attended our first 'political victory party'.  I was excited to go, considering all the hoopla over the 2010 election across the nation.  The party was held at the Double Tree Hotel and it was to celebrate Jim Judd, who was running for Congress.

A few hundred people in attendance enjoying some good appetizers, desserts, beer and wine.

I went straight for dessert.  This was a creamy coconut square that was very sweet and tasty.....right up my alley.

I had already eaten dinner at home, so all I had room for was dessert.  I probably should have opted for some fruit for dessert instead of the coconut square, but I didn't.

Dominic had fruit and cheese and he snuck a bite of my dessert while I was snapping some photos.  He was amazed that I could tell he had taken a bite.  But when you only allow yourself a certain amount of sweets, you cherish every.  last.  bite. 

I wish I could remember the name of the young girl singing with her band, because she's definitely going to be one of the next big, country music stars.  She has an amazing voice!

There were a few TV's scattered throughout the ballroom, which some guests were glued to.

In the end, Jim Judd didn't gain the congressional seat he and everyone in the room had hoped for but he put up a really good campaign.  Maybe next time.

Happy Wednesday!

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My New Hobby on the Farm-Hint, it involves a tractor

After seven years of living here on the dairy farm, you may wonder why it is that I've never learned to drive a tractor.  Well, except that one time where I had to give poor Dominic a 25 foot ride up in the bucket that one time when he was hanging our American flag on the flag pole.  But other than that, I've never driven one. I think Dominic trusts me more than I trust myself!  Maybe the reason behind not learning to master the art of driving tractor {with my crazy way of thinking} was that I thought I might be "recruited" to a new position here on the farm......

Such as, but not limited to:

Head Pooper Scooper

Manure Spreader

Hay Hauler

Garbage Hauler

Barn Scraper

.........you get the idea.

And by not knowing how to drive the tractor, I would never be asked to do these chores. {Wow! how lazy am I?!!}

WELL, while I was watching the kids play in the commodity barn, I asked Dominic if he would teach me to mix the feed for the afternoon feeding.  Of course he would!  And he did.  And I liked it!

It was SO much fun!

I don't think I need to worry about being asked to take over any of the jobs listed above because by my fourth load, Dominic was antsy to finish the remaining loads.  I guess I was taking too long and he was hungry for lunch.  I got off, he got on and finished five or six more loads in about 10 minutes, where the four loads I did took 30 minutes.

Each load of feed is spread, layer by layer onto the cement pad.  Once all the layers are complete, you mix {scoop} the feed to one end of the pad, which mixes the feed.  It is then ready to be loaded onto the feed wagon, ready to feed to the dairy cows.

While I was busy learning to drive, I sequestered the kids to play atop the silage bags.....which they LOVE to do, as you can see.

Okay, time to go practice my driving.  Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

Happy Tuesday!

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Stuck in the Dairy Farm Cow Tofu

There are many, many days where we begin the afternoon looking like this.  Happy to be driving the feed wagon with Daddy.  Helping feed the dairy farm cows. 

I see especially witness large smiles when the kids can help Daddy drive the tractor.  I mean what four and six year old doesn't like to be in control........of anything, especially a large piece of machinery?

But inevitably, on the second or maybe third ride back up to the commodity barn, they end up staying  to play in the feed.  They can't help themselves, it's SO much fun!  Plus they know their mother LOVES doing laundry.

You may remember in one of my posts, that our dairy cows eat tofu mixed in their daily feed......14 tons weekly!  I'm not a tofu fan for myself but boy, the dairy cows sure like it!

With the wet weather we've been having lately, the tofu is a bit wet.  Bryce actually got his rubber boots stuck in it.  Just like wet cement. {I guess it's better the tofu than something else he could get himself stuck in on a dairy.....right?} 

I pulled him out.  I don't think he was too distressed over it.

We take a lot of baths at our house.  Sometimes two a day are required.

Happy Monday!

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