Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures: It's GREEK to Me!

One of my favorite things about food is that with one bite, it can magically transport you to any time or place or memory in your life. Fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil, vine-ripened tomatoes, and a drizzle of hand pressed olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar always brings me back to The Jazz Club (a hidden, little restaurant that I was fond of) in Venice, Italy.

Greek food always reminds me of when I lived in Cluj Napoca, Romania. Yes, kind of a weird jump....who thinks Greek when you're in Eastern Europe?  The Akropolis was the most amazing Greek restaurant and a nice change from all of the pizza and pasta offered everywhere. The atmosphere was fun, the service was good, and the food was always delicious.  I have some very fond memories of celebrations at the little white and blue corner eatery.

The Akropolis Restaurant in Cluj-Napoca, Romania

My time in Romania was years ago at this point, and I'm still on the search for another memorable Greek meal.  Reno has some decent options for "one-the-go" Greek. I love Nick's Greek Deli (keep an eye out for an upcoming review). They do a mean gyro and Greek salad.  But Nick's doesn't offer that sit-down meal atmosphere, with linen tablecloths, plates with patterns of gods and goddesses, souvlaki that comes to your table in a fiery blaze, and an owner who will serenade you with Greek love songs.  You can't find that anywhere in Reno...that I know of.

So when I was craving Greek food the other day, I was THRILLED to stumble across this recipe in one of my cookbooks:

Greek-Style Chicken with Tzatziki Sauce

I found this recipe not only quick and easy (it was in my 20 minute cook-book after all), it was also way yummier then I had expected.  The lemon juice and oregano really brightened up the whole dish.

For the most part, I followed the recipe. I did add some extra veggies to the salad mixture -- had some extra carrots, peppers, and a few olives sitting around from a previous recipe.  I also opted to use a "spring mix" of greens instead of the called-for romaine lettuce.

Lettuce/salad mixture, tzatziki sauce, wild rice, and garlic-oregano chicken.

One of the biggest changes I would make to this recipe would be the tzatziki/yogurt sauce. 

I thought all of the flavors were spot on, but the combination of the non-fat plain yogurt and the wet cucumber made for a liquidy end result.  When I make this again I will "drain" the yogurt before adding the other ingredients.  This is done by putting the yogurt in some cheese cloth, which allows for some the extra liquid come out.  I will also remove some of the cucumber's extra moisture by blotting with paper towels. Taking those two extra steps, will result in a thicker and creamier sauce.

This meal easily serves four people.  Since I am just one, it made for one great dinner and three grab-and-go lunches.  Two of the days I opted to leave the rice out.  I felt the vegetable packed salad, chicken, and cucumber/yogurt "dressing" was plenty for my mid-day meal.

While this dish doesn't come close to that served at The Akropolis, it most definitely curbed my craving for Greek!

Rediscovering Reno: The Eatery Built on Granite

Do you ever get stuck in an "eating" rut?  You feel uninspired.  You're sick of your usual places.

Last week one of my friends and I decided to catch-up and chit-chat over a nice meal.  After throwing around several ideas, and vetoing the "usual suspects" we both decided on Old Granite Street Eatery in downtown Reno.  We had enjoyed a memorable meal at this cute restaurant when it had first opened, and decided it was time to give it another go.

We were not disappointed this time either!

Old Granite Street Eatery: 243 S. Sierra Street, Reno

One of my favorite things about Old Granite Street is the location itself; a brick building on Sierra Street that was erected in 1940, formally housed a wedding chapel. The inside is now simple:  a large chalk-board advertising the daily specials, black and white checkered floors, high-backed wooden booths.  The staff are cute, personable, hipster-type, with a great knowledge about the food they make and serve.  The cocktails are handcrafted (and strong). And the menu, while not extensive;  is complex, well thought out, and has all of your basis (and cravings) covered.

On this night my friend and I started with cocktails.  She had a Dark n' Stormy (rum and ginger beer) while I sipped on a Sloe Gin Fizz (sloe gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white & soda).  Both of these classic cocktails were delicious, but not at all what I expected.  The Sloe Gin Fizz was pink, frothy, tart...and DELICIOUS!  I would without a doubt order this again.  We split an order of creamy, smooth deviled eggs as we decided on our main course.

Classic Cocktails: a Sloe Gin Fizz and a Dark n' Stormy

Our patient waiter took our order after we spent much time deliberating.  Bless his heart for checking back so many times to see if we were ready, darn girl-talk was getting in the way!

We both started with a salad (she ordered the Lentil, I ordered the Summer).  Each were equally delicious and unique.  My favorite part of the Summer Salad was bed of couscous the salad was piled on top off.  We shared a bottle of wine as our main course came out. 

My friend ordered the Wood Grilled Burger with aged white cheddar and shoestring potatoes.  If you are craving a REAL hamburger, you definitely want to go to this.  It's big, juicy, and so simple that the quality of the ingredients really have a chance to shine. 

I opted for the Pan Seared Salmon with barely risotto, seasonal veggies, and preserved lemons.  I LOVED this dish!  The preserved lemons added a sweet, citrusy zing to the perfectly cooked salmon.  The barely risotto was not what I expected, and I was pleasantly surprised with the dish. The barely added an extra "toothiness" that you don't find in a rice-based version.  The creamy risotto paired with the light salmon made for the perfect bite.

I had planned to take some home, but it was all too good.  We both cleared our plates. Filled to the brim with delicious food, and a bit sleepy from the libations, we ventured out into the beginnings of a beautiful Autumn Evening in Reno.

An after-thought....Old Granite Street Eatery may have one of the best hidden secret Happy Hours in town. I need to remember this when my co-workers and I are looking for a place to enjoy our end-of-the-week-cocktail!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures: Bangkok Meets Bear

I LOVE THAI FOOD!  I mean, how could you not?  The vibrant spices, the complex flavors, the creamy sweetness of coconut milk.  Every time I eat a Thai Curry, I dream that I'm in Bangkok or along the water in Phuket (both locations I've yet to travel to, but are HIGH on my list).

What I don't love about Thai food is how calor-ific it is.  Lucky for me (and now you too) I found this awesome recipe in one of my Weight Watcher's cookbooks.  It's quick, and surprisingly easy.  You too can make amazing Thai Curry at home!

Chicken and Coconut Curry

Click on recipe to enlarge.

When I ate it for dinner, I served it with wild rice. For lunch, I just ate the curry as is.  The curry paste I used was a bit spicy (weird that something was too spicy...I like it HOT!) so I also ate this dish with a little non-fat plain yogurt.  SO YUMMY!

I would without a doubt make this recipe again. Because I bulked up the curry a bit by adding extra carrots and cauliflower, I had plenty of leftovers.  Enough leftovers actually for two days of lunch for me, and dinner for two for my mom and one of her friends while they went camping.  

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we all did!!!

  

Heart-Mind-Body-Soul: Eating Clean

This week's "Heart-Mind-Body-Soul" is going up a little late.  But a little late is better then never. 

After a 4th of July Weekend of over-indulging (hell, it's been a whole summer of that so far of gluttony) I realized I was feeling a little a lot sluggish.  In my effort to improve myself I realized that in addition to working on my outer-self, I also need to improve what I put into myself.

Over the years, I've tried a lot of different types of diets, fads, powders, and cleanses.  Some have worked, some haven't. 

A couple of my friends are currently on the quest to lose some weight and get healthy. Along with regular exercise, they are "eating clean".  This basically means eating simply, and CUTTING THE CRAP.  Your food intake is mostly fruits, veggies, and lean protein.  And TONS of water. 

After talking to my Bestie, she convinced me to do this as well.  For six weeks.  She has a Wedding Shower in six weeks, and I have my 10 year high school reunion.  Perfect reason to get down a few lbs and feel better!

So for the next 38 days (and when you put it like that, it's really not that much) I will be eating clean.  This is more or less what I will be eating:

Breakfast

Toast w/an Egg or Shakeology

 (This stuff is actually really tasty and fills you up.  CHECK IT OUT)

Snack

Fruit

Lunch

Chicken/Turkey Salad

 (protein, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, pepper, etc)

Snack

Fruit

Dinner

Lean protein and veggies

We will see how this goes, and you better believe I will be blogging about it.  My Bestie says that in addition to losing weight, she has more clarity and energy.  And really...how can you beat that? 

I'm actually excited by the fruit and veggie intake.  This is a perfect time of year to find great produce.  With several farmers markets around town each week, I have plenty of opportunities to get the freshest-of-the-fresh!

Right now I'm on a nectarine kick.  The ones I picked up last week are finally ripe.  So juicy, so sweet, so delicious!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures: Grilling without FIRE

Although I think Mother Nature is still a bit bi-polar, Summer for the most part, has arrived to the Truckee Meadows.  Between the warmer weather, and my renovated patio/backyard I was inspired to do some outside-entertaining.

I invited two of my Besties over for some "gourmet" shish-kabobs.  The fundamentals of shish-kabobs are simple: take the items you want to eat, skewer them onto some kind of stick, put over fire, eat once cooked.  The barbarians did it, this is easy.  I however was looking for some kind of yummy marinade for our skewerable food.

While I could have scoured through my bookshelf of cookbooks, I went to the internet.  Good ol' FoodNetwork never lets me down.  They had the perfect recipe, which included different marinades for each item you were cooking.

NOTE: Instead of re-writing the recipe like I do some weeks, I'm just going to post the link for this one. 

CLICK HERE for this recipe from FoodNetwork.com

I followed the recipe exactly this time around and didn't make any modifications to the marinade ingredients.  The ladies that were coming to eat aren't big red-meat eaters so we didn't make the steak kabobs (although they sounded amazing). My friends provided the veggies (mini-bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichoke hearts).


Not the prettiest presentation, but it sure tasted good!

The verdict?  This recipe was a HUGE SUCCESS!!!!  Besides the fact that my grill decided not to work at the last minute, and I had to use my grill pan instead (which totally defeated the whole inspiration for wanting me to cook this recipe). The chicken, by far, was the best part. It was so moist, and the simple citrus/herb marinade made it delicious.

I would totally make this dish again, as soon I can figure out how to make fire in my backyard!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures: The Perfect Bite

I have been part of a "Wine Group" for the better part of a year now.  The reason wine group is in quotes is, while we do participate in a wine tasting of sorts, it's really just a good excuse for a group of friends to get together every month, drink copious amounts of wine, and laugh a whole hell-of-a lot!

Each month, the party is hosted by a different member.  The host gets to choose the theme.  This month is Oregon wines.  And surprisingly, it's difficult to find wines from this coastal state here Reno. After going to two stores and striking out, and then having a friend go to the new Total Wine & More and only finding one bottle, we figured that any wine is good wine for this group of friends.

There wasn't a food theme this month, so I went with something that sounded good, "summery," and easy.  After wandering around Costco for a bit, this is what I came up with:

Italian Appetizer Bites

Nothing screams summer like fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and ripe cantaloupe.  This recipe is nice because you don't have to cook anything, which in the summer time is CLEARLY a bonus.  It takes a bit of time to assemble, but if you turn on some good music, the time will just fly by!

I assembled the "Caprese Bites" first.  It's simply mini-fresh mozzarella balls, fresh basil,

and cherry tomatoes on a cocktail toothpick.

Next was the "Tortellini Bites". 

These are pre-boiled cheese tortellini and a cherry tomato on a toothpick.

Lastly, I put together the "Melon-Prosciutto Bites"

which was just balled cantaloupe and prosciutto ham.

Arranged on a platter, I know this Summer themed appetizer is sure to please!!!!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures #3: Pizza and Football

In exactly one week from today I will be in Vegas. This will be the third time since May that I will be making the almost eight hour trek through the "scenic" state of Nevada.  The last two times over the summer, the goal was to cut loose, relax a bit, and party it up.  Although the plans are virtually the same this time, there is one other motive....the UNR vs UNLV annual "battle for the cannon" football game!!!

For those of you who don't live in Nevada, this is one of the most anticipated football games of the year.  It's the Pack blue versus the Rebel red.  The winning team not only gets the glory they also get the honor of ownership of the Fremont Cannon. The location of the game switches every year, and this just so happens to be a Vegas year.  (NOTE: I will write more about this football game and the North vs South rivalry later this week.  This is after all a "food-blog" entry today)

In preparation of next week's trip I got together with my girls for dinner and planning. My best friend suggested that we do homemade pizza. I thought the idea was brilliant (and something we hadn't done before).  Dinner was at my house, and I told my friends that I would make homemade Caesar salad, and would provide the basics for pizza (the dough, sauce, and cheese).  I invited them to bring their favorite toppings to use and share. 

Homemade CAESAR Salad and Pizza

 

Originally I was going to make dough from scratch, but then my day got busy and I never got around to proofing the yeast and dough.  I'm also not much of a baker (I'm a fabulous cook, but baking is a science that I seem to mess up

 5 out of 10 times). I went with the easier option and bought

 dough from the frozen section of the grocery store. 

As the dough was defrosting, I prepped the toppings I had chosen

 (sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, black olives,

 oregano, basil, fresh tomatoes, pesto). 

I then made my Caesar Salad with homemade dressing.  I forgot to take pictures of the processes (I guess I got into my "chef mode" and was busier measuring then remembering to take pictures).  I did want to mention a few things about this recipe though.  It is (again) a weight watchers adaptation. 

Usually Caesar salads are "off limits" because of their high caloric intake on the dressing.  In this recipe you're eliminating the raw eggs, using a fraction of the amount of Parmesan cheese normal recipes call for, and are substituting some of the oil normally used for water.  I also added additional veggies (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) to bulk up the salad. 

Yes I know those don't belong in a tradish Caesar salad but c'est la vie. 

Finished Caesar Salad, ready to serve

Once all of my girls arrived, it was PIZZA TIME!  I sprayed baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and dusted them with cornmeal.  We each took a ball of dough and began to stretch them out.  Once the dough was to our desired crust thickness, they were put on the baking sheets and baked for 10 minutes (no toppings just the dough).  Baking the dough first allowed for a less soggy crust.

Then it was time to make our personal masterpieces.  We had a huge variety of toppings!  In addition to what I provided there was artichokes, pepperoni, pineapple, alfredo sauce, chicken, bacon, and more. 

Pizzas are topped and ready for the oven!

My Pizza

Pizzas baked in a 400 degrees oven for about 15 minutes

 until the cheese was melted and bubbly. 

My YUMMY pizza!

Another pizza, made by one of the girls

Dinner was a huge success! Everyone left happy and with full bellies.

 And our Vegas planning?  All done!

 We are ready to hit the road next Thursday

and watch Nevada kick Vegas' booties!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures #2: Falling into Autumn

I am blessed to have some really FABULOUS friends in my life.  Friends that will be there for me in a drop of a hat. Friends who can make me laugh and smile. Friends who know how to give it to me straight and tell me the truth (even if it hurts).

Over the past year or so, I have become really close to an amazing group of women.  I felt so blessed when one of my best friends brought me into her group of friends.  These ladies have introduced me to a side of myself that I didn't know existed, and for that (among other things) I'm thankful. 

One thing I love about my girls is that we can have just as much fun staying in having dinner as we do hitting the bars around town.  We try to get together for a pot-luck dinner party at least every other month.  There is always a theme for the meal, and we always end up with such a feast!

Last night we had an amazing Fall-Themed Extravaganza! Homemade GBC (Green Bean Casserole).  Quinoa (a high protein grain) with sweat potatoes, edamame, and other veggies. A roasted Pork Loin.  WINE!!!  I made a homemade risotto as my contribution to the dinner.

Risottos can seem intimidating to make, but really they're SUPER easy. Here's my version:

Wild Mushroom and Herb Risotto

The trick with risotto's are to use short-grain rice

(it's starchier and will make a creamier end result),

have plenty of stock/liquid on hand (I always have a little more than what the recipe calls for at the ready), never walk away from it (this is a dish that needs to be watched the whole time), and never stop stirring!!!

Dried porcini mushroom reconstituting in hot water

Onion and Olive Oil cooking for 5 min.

Garlic and Mushrooms are added to the pot and cooked down for 4 min. 

Time to add the rice!

Porcini mushroom (with its liquid) and wine are added

The vino I used....YUMMY

Vegetable Stock is added to the pot a 1/4 cup at a time. 

Herbs: Sage (on the left) and Oregano (on the right)

After cooking for about 25 min. (all stock is absorbed and rice is tender), the herbs and cheese is added

The finished product!  De-LISH!

 Again, this recipe was taken out of a Weight Watchers cookbook. 

 You would never know the difference,

 and you feel like you're indulging when you eat this!

NOTE: The recipe calls for using a beef stock.  I used a veggie stock instead.  I'm currently not eating any meat except for fish

 (I will write about this in a future blog)

and wanted to make this a truly vegetarian dish.

Cooking Confession: When shopping for ingredients I thought that I had short-grain rice at home.  Turns out I only had a long-grain. I didn't feel like going back to the store, so I made the dish with what I had.  Obviously the recipe turned out just fine, but it would have been "creamier" with the other rice.

ENJOY!!!

Sarah's Gastronomic Adventures #1 : Are You Ready for Some Football?

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a "love-affair" with food. I love everything about food. Taste, smells, how a dish can invoke memories, how certain foods can comfort you. As a child, my mom would review restaurants in town. At a young age I was an adventurous eater. I mean, what 13 year-old asks for sushi to be catered at her Bat Mitzvah (mind you this was 1996 before the sushi craze swept the nation).

Through my love of food, I also have found a love for cooking. I've been cooking for as long as I can remember; ever since I was able to reach the stove and counter-tops. My early childhood specialties included scrambled eggs, microwave chocolate chip cookies, and potato salad. My cooking has definitely evolved over the years, and cooking ethnic foods doesn't scare me. My most requested dishes (and most "acclaimed") are my Hot and Sour Soup, Chicken Parmesan, and Eggplant Parmesan.

As much as I love cooking, I find it hard to cook for just one. The average recipe makes four servings. I absolutely LOVE leftovers, but eating the same thing four times in a row gets old. And I find that I rarely recover previous meals from the black-hole of my freezer.

This leads me to my love of entertaining and hosting dinner parties. I find cooking therapeutic and nothing brings me more joy then to see my food eaten by good friends. I can do "cabinet cooking" where I turn pantry items into a complete meal, and I can easily follow the most complicated recipe. I have begun to start with base recipes created through Weight Watchers. I figure it's better to start with a low-fat recipe, and if it needs to be adjusted I can do so accordingly.

Yesterday was my first Nevada Football Game of 2010. My friends and I have gotten into a tailgating routine over these past years. Hibachi for grilling? Check! Coolers filled with beer, JAGER, vodka, rum, and mixers? Check! Some kind of "Sarah Specialty"? Check!

In honor of our first tailgater of the season, I made a crowd pleaser:

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Everyone seems to love this recipe.

They love it even more when they find out it's low-fat!

I mean, you get a quarter cup of dip per serving!

And when you think about it (or actually measure the amount of dip you eat) this is truly a good portion. One of the best things about this recipe is that it holds up throughout the day. It's best right out of the oven, but it also is great after sitting on a table during tailgating for three hours. The recipe says to serve with reduced fat tortilla chips. It's also good with fresh veggies (I like carrots).

And if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, it can be converted into a pretty good dish with pasta.

When you read over this recipe, you will notice it calls for reduced-fat items. Some people think taste is lost by using these ingredients. Trust me. IT'S NOT!!! Here are a few pix of my cooking process.

Next time I do this I will remember to have my real camera charged.

These iPhone photos don't do my cooking justice.

Melted butter, garlic, and chopped onions saute in pan for 5 minutes

Spinach, water chestnuts, and artichokes are added and sauteed for 2 minutes

Remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top of dip before going into the oven for 18-20 minutes

I put the dip into a smaller (unbreakable) dish for the purpose of tailgating.

Already being enjoyed at the UNR vs Colorado Game.

No tailgating is complete with out Nevada BLUE Jello-Shots and Jager!

Tailgating was a blast. Nothing beats spending the afternoon with great friends! The weather was beautiful (prob one of our last 80+ degree afternoons we'll have for a while). And best of all, The Pack won by an astounding 51-6. Next week's game against Cal should be even more exciting. Can't WAIT!!!