Category Archives: Food

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Eggs, Nest, Chicken

Eggs-Nest-Chicken

In Chengdu we stopped at a western-style restaurant for dinner. As we’re traveling we do try to eat locally, especially at markets, but every so often we need to feed the kids familiar food to perk up their mood or just give them a chance to carbo-load on bread or pasta. In this case, we stopped at a little Italian restaurant called High Fly Pizza which was recommended in our Rough Guide China guidebook.

BigB ordered chicken wings which, as you can see, were presented in a uniquely Chinese way.

Head on over to WanderFood Wednesday for more travel-themed foodie photos and recipes.

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Expat Holiday Traditions

mulled wine mince pies

My husband and I are both Irish. We moved to the U.S. in 1995. Since then, we’ve spent only a couple of Christmases in Ireland but mostly, since international travel is so expensive during the winter holidays, we’ve stayed in Seattle.

We hosted our first holiday party in Dublin, and so it made sense to have a “Mulled Wine and Mince Pies” party since mince pies are a traditional Christmas food in the British Isles and on those short, cold days and long, cold nights, mulled beverages are a welcome treat.

Naturally, when we hosted our first holiday party in Seattle, it was also a “Mulled Wine and Mince Pies” party. A guest brought some Wassail – a German yuletide drink, another guest brought Italian Panettone. On other years, we’ve been able to offer Stollen, another German holiday treat. I’m not a good cook and actually making the mince pies has been a source of struggle for me every year. One year, a friend who loves to cook, came with ingredients and made the mince pies for me in my own kitchen (she’s on the invite list for life!!)

We hold our party every year and the tradition of friends, sometimes other expats, sometimes not, bringing their special holiday treat to share has become an important part of the event.

So there you go, a novel, travel-themed idea for you to incorporate into your holiday event this year. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised at how fun it can be.

Head on over to BestFamilyTravelAdvice for more family holiday and travel related information and ideas.

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Wanderfood Wednesday: Mercado Central Quito

roast-pig-ecuador

This semi-carved roast pig greeted us as we entered the Mercado Central in Old Town Quito, Ecuador. I had to take a photo for my pig-roasting friends.

mercado-central-quito-fruit-and-veg

The market is organized into sections for produce, fruits, meat, fish, poultry, etc. This photo of a produce-seller’s stall gives you a feel for the abundance and variety of foods on offer. I couldn’t help but linger by the two stalls selling herbs. They were not as visually appealing as this one, but the co-mingling scents of the many herbs stacked high was an aromatic delight.

mercado-central-quito-potatoes

The humble spud had it’s own aisle in this market.

mercado-central-quito-potatoes-detail

That last photo didn’t do justice to the variety of spuds on display so I had to take another photo so you could appreciate the detail :)

Head on over to WanderFood Wednesday for more travel-themed foodie photos and recipes.

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Wanderfood Wednesday: Cinnamon Rolls in Kona

hawaii-with-kids-cinnamon-rolls-kona

BigB and I stopped for coffee in Kona on our way to the airport after three really fun days on the Big Island. The Lava Java cafe is perfectly situated on the Kona waterfront for a sun-soaked relaxing coffee stop and some people-watching. BigB, as you can see was more interested in the cafe’s excellent (and huge) cinnamon rolls.

Hop on over to WanderFood Wednesday for some more fun travel-themed foodie posts.

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Frittata Salad

frittata-salad

Goodbye croutons!!!!
This is a great recipe for a fun change-of-pace for summer brunch. Make your frittata with all fresh herbs available in the summer, and add to your salad. You can make your favorite frittata instead of recipe below.

Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (1/4 c dry mint)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (1/4 c dry basil)
1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves (1/4 c dry oregano)
1/2 cup fresh fennel fronds
6 eggs
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 head escarole, cleaned and spun dry (or your favorite lettuce)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons real balsamic vinegar

Method
Chop together mint, basil, oregano and fennel leaves until bread crumb size and place into mixing bowl. Crack eggs into same bowl, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Place an 8 to 10-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, add virgin olive oil and heat until smoking. Add one quarter of egg-herb mixture to pan and cook thin frittata until golden brown. Flip over and cook 1 minute on other side, remove to plate to cool. Repeat until egg mixture is finished, placing successive frittata on different plates. When all of the eggs are cooked, allow the frittata to cool. Place the escarole into a large salad bowl and dress with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Slice the frittata into julienne strips and arrange over the salad and serve.

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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Sweet Olive Oil Quick Bread

sweet-olive-oil-quick-bread

Extra-virgin olive oil is the secret ingredient in this moist, dense, lightly sweet cake. Perfect as an afternoon snack or for breakfast with fresh fruit and a cup of fluffy cappuccino.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup raisins
grated zest of 1 lemon
unsalted butter for loaf pan
1/4 cup pine nuts

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sugar. Add the eggs, milk, and olive oil, and beat well.
Toss the raisins in a little flour to coat them lightly. Add the raisins and lemon zest to the flour and egg mixture and stir to distribute evenly.
Butter and flour a loaf pan. Transfer the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the top with pine nuts. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Let cool for a few minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack.

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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Couscous Salad with Olives and Feta Cheese

couscous

Couscous is a nice change of pace from rice or pasta plus it’s easy to make. Here I combine it with a simple dressing and some vegetables for a vegetarian entree.

Ingredients

2/3 cup couscous
2 cups boiling water
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced pitted Kalamata or other black, brine-cured olives
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup; chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Safeway SELECT Verdi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Butter lettuce

Instructions
1. Place couscous in large bowl. Pour boiling water over. Stir briefly. Let stand until couscous is soft and water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2. Add cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onion and parsley to couscous; toss gently.
3. Mix in oil, lemon juice, lime juice and feta cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve salad atop bed of butter lettuce.

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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WanderFood Wednesday Cherry Clafouti

cherry clafoutis

This cherry clafouti recipe, also know as clafouti aux cerises, is the most well-known version of the traditional puffed French custard cake. In France, it is customary to serve clafouti with cherry pits intact. For ease at the table, and to ensure dental safety, make sure to pit the cherries or forewarn your guests of the tradition. You can make with blueberries!!!

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon softened butter
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 large eggs
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups dark cherries, preferably pitted
* 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (powdered)

Preparation

Preheat an oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch by 9-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch deep-dish pie round with the softened butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt until it forms a smooth, thin batter. Spread 3/4 cup of the batter onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish and bake it for 2-4 minutes. Watch the batter closely and remove it before it cooks through completely. It should just start to thicken and set when it is removed from the oven.

Transfer the dish to a heatproof surface and arrange the cherries over the hot batter. Pour the remaining batter over the cherries and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle the confectioners’ sugar over the finished clafouti and serve it warm.

This cherry clafouti recipe makes 8 servings.

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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Wanderfood Wednesday Raspberry Lemon Vinegar

raspberry-lemon-vinegar

Summer is finally here and it is time to start reaping the summer harvest. Berries are in full swing so grab flat of raspberries from your local farmers’ market and make some raspberry jam or darn I say, raspberry liquor for Christmas!

We have been using beets in salads with the beet greens added. Tossed with some Oregon hazelnuts, blueberries and goat cheese. Fresh Alaska Salmon is

also showing up: perfect for a summer barbecue. An apricot salsa adds the final touch to this dish.

This vinegar is very easy to make, flavorful and versatile. It is perfect as the basis for a boldly flavored salad dressing by just adding olive oil, or it can be used as a tasty condiment for poultry or fish.

Ingredients
1/2 cup raspberries – fresh
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Serving Description: Makes approximately 8 ounces

Container: glass container, blender
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Directions
Place clean raspberries, lemon juice and vinegar in a blender and blend until combined.
Season to taste with salt and lemon zest.
There will be seeds and pieces of raspberries visible in this vinegar. (if desired strain the raspberry)

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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Wanderfood Wednesday Cauliflower Tabouli

cauliflower-tabouli

This recipe is provided by Rosangela at Seattle Catering

This is a fresh and very light version of “tabouli.” The taste is terrific and versatile. You can use any of your favorite dressing recipe. Great salad to have in the fridge in the summer. If you want to last 3 to 4 days in the fridge choose vegetables that does not get to soft, like tomatoes for example.

I hope you and your family enjoy this salad as much as my family enjoyed!

Method
Grate 1 head cauliflower into grain-size pieces with a box grater.
2 carrots, grated
1 bunch parsley, chopped (basil or cilantro)
4 stacks of celery, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 Jalapeño pepper, diced (optional)

Dressing
Extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and salt, to taste
Or
1/3 cup lemon juice,
3 tablespoons olive oil,
2 tablespoons soy sauce,
2 chopped scallions,
2 tablespoons chopped mint in a large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.

Thanks to Beth for hosting another Wanderfood Wednesday.

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