Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Monday, January 11, 2016

Not Gone and Not Forgotten - 2015 In Review




Dear food blog,
Oh, how I've missed you!  I've neglected you for a few months, but, I promise you I have been eating and referring to you for recipes and inspiration.   Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went.  Food was plentiful.  It just didn't make it to these pages.  Historically, I've created blog posts that summarized the year in recipes and pictures.  This year I'll only touch upon the highlights....  The purpose of my blog was to catalog, if you will, some family recipes that I could refer to.  It was a task to even recreate a few because I've ALWAYS been one to NOT to use a recipe, unless baking a treat.  With that said, here is a recap of Food 2015!

With all the cooking I've done over the years (a long time) I still try to have a "bucket list" in the works.  The two that came to fruition this year were a flour less chocolate cake and a wild boar sauce tagliatelle inspired by an Italian journey several years ago.


Tagliatelle with wild boar sauce

Strawberry sheet cake with Lemon cream cheese frosting....the best cake I've EVER made

Roasted tomato soup....at the Deli


Broccoli cheese soup...at the Deli, again

Coconut shrimp scampi...a new experiment!

Maple pancakes...must be on Atkins

Garlic broccolini...why haven't I made this before?

Peruvian Mung beans...gotta travel somehow!

Christmas cannolis...a huge success (from scratch)

Winter soup for all this snowy weather!

So, although the actual blog postings were sparse this year, feel free to browse past recipes.  It's surprising to me still that I wondered how I could come up with more than 75 recipes to fill these pages.  After 5 plus years, Wendys Favorite Place has surpassed well over 500 posts and more to come!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Top 10 Food Posts of 2014



Since the inception of this blog I've compiled a recap, if you will, of the most popular food posts each year.  This year is no different!  So, sit back and rehash some of your favorites.  Maybe you can try to make some of these!

1. Chicken Poutine  This dish originates from my French ancestry, although not an exact duplicate (minus cheese curds).  Evidently, this entree is popping up in certain eateries.

2. Zucchini Sticks  When you have an overabundance of zucchini, you are desperate for ways to prepare it.  

3. Almond Crusted Halibut  Need I say more?  

4. Lobster Rolls  One of those items on my food bucket list.  Although short on the amount of lobster, it certainly didn't lack in flavor.  Yum!  Let food transport you back to some of your favorite vacations.  In this case, back to the New England coast.



5. Artichoke Orzo How can something so simple be so delicious?  This is great hot or cold.

6. Turkey Sliders.  Quite good!



7. Chocolate Cherry Protein Smoothie  Anything with chocolate in the ingredients will always make my favorite list!

8. Spicy Cabbage  The inspiration for this comes from my Czech roots mixed with an Italian twist.



9. Turkey Pho  For those cold Winter nights!  (pictured above)

10. Chicken Cutlets Marsala   The prep time can be labor intensive but, it's worth it.  Just make a big batch and serve for dinner, the next day in a sandwich or freeze before actually cooking.



If any of these interest you, just click on the heading.  Who knows what this year will bring?  Follow along as I bring you new and old recipes, more travel, some reviews and photography.

Monday, April 14, 2014

New Review for Bavarian World


If you like Bavarian type food, check out this review for a well established restaurant in Reno, Nevada!  Just click on the Reno/Tahoe Review page.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Top 10 Most Popular Posts of 2013


I've gone back in time once again to compile a list of the top 10 FOOD posts of the year.   These are not chosen by me, but they are the ones that received the most "hits" for whatever reason.  Enjoy and I hope you try some of these in the future!

Starting with #10:

10)  Italian turkey meatballs

 9)  Soba Noodles

 8 ) Blackberry Balsamic Glazed Chicken

 7)  Angel hair pomodoro pasta

 6)  Italian limoncello pudding

 5)  Prime rib and sweet potato hash

 4)  Pesto tortellini edamame

 3)  Home made black bean burger

 2)  Strawberry lavender sorbet

 1)  Crispy baked squash chips (link not provided, made in April 2013)

Which is my favorite?  I love them all, but strawberry lavender sorbet?  What's not to like about that?  I was also pleasantly surprised by the black bean veggie burger and limoncello pudding.  With the exception of the prime rib hash all the selections are easy to whip up.

No surprise to me, but, actually the most "hits" overall went to my travel pieces!  I guess the passion is obvious...this girl needs more travel in her life!!  Thanks for continuing to read and feedback is always welcome.

Friday, January 17, 2014

2013 - A Year in Review - Part Two


The last six months of 2013 were joyous, tumultuous, with dreams coming true and dreams that turned into nightmares.  Let me explain.   As July approached my life was picture perfect.  We finished our remodel on time (just in time), celebrated our 39th anniversary and prepared for the upcoming wedding of my only son to his lovely wife, Leilani.  Some time was spent making batches and batches of assorted biscotti for the morning of the wedding
.
biscotti making day

The couple who plays together, stays together!

The wedding and after party finished up and the newlyweds went on their honeymoon without a hitch.  The weather in these parts is always scorching around my birthday so off to Lake Tahoe we went, although not as frequently as we should.  It's so close!  

My Love and Lake Tahoe

With so much pain and tragedy in the world I was feeling blessed that my life was beautiful and serene, never realizing that a train was fast approaching head-on.  The last week in July my brother decided to leave this world and for those left behind, our world turned sideways.  I think about you every day, Dave....R.I.P.  Life as we now know it continues to be "interesting".

August and September were a blur.  If I hadn't taken so many pictures, I probably wouldn't be able to recall what I did during that time.  We spent time with family, took my parents to the rib cook off, was able to see Steely Dan in concert and my hubby's brother came up to play with his band "Soul to Soul", a Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute band.  He rocked it!

Steely Dan - great show!

"Stevie Ray"  rockin it

During this time we welcomed a little bundle of cuteness to the family.  CJ, brother of Nacho!

CJ.......pretty cute!

Then we celebrated a birthday in Paris!  How does hubby get so lucky?  Yes, our trip to France was a lifetime dream of mine, but I only got a "taste" and need to return!

Paris...Notre Dame

French girl on the river Seine across from Notre Dame

November, of course, was Thanksgiving.  Grandma's pumpkin pie, grandpa's stuffing and gratitude for the blessings we continue to receive.

December brought Christmas, and a surprise visit from my sister.  I wish she lived closer...  Grandma DeMarzo finally received a pacemaker and her health is improving!  So, things are looking up and life is truly like a box of chocolates!  You don't know what you're gonna get!   2013 will go into the history books as one of the best and one of the worst!  Ahhh  life.....  I wonder what's in store for 2014!!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

2013 - A Year In Review - Part One


This is a tough one!  For me, 2013 was filled with joy, sorrow, trials and tribulations.  Hmmm..sounds like LIFE!  Fortunately, I'm the one who can pick and choose what I can write in this post, accentuate the positive, eliminate (skip over or diminish) some happenings that went on during the last year.  Here is just "the tip of the iceberg".


Ouch....that had to hurt!
Perhaps, this should have been an omen of things to come.  A screw!    This was implanted into my mother's foot/ankle to stabilize a problem after enduring several surgeries to correct it, this was her souvenir.  She appears to be doing better but favors that foot.


soup

lamb curry

February, because of the frigid Winter,  was spent mostly concocting more hearty dishes like soups and stews.  This is primarily a Food Blog so I need to mention food in a few paragraphs!  The main attraction was, however, my son as the host of Lake Tahoe TV!  Great job...a natural performer!  He stepped in from his behind the scenes position, that was Director, Producer, set design, etc, etc.


Mr. Lake Tahoe TV

In March we celebrated my mother's 83rd birthday!  We are blessed to have both of my parents here, and relatively healthy at that!  And in April, my dad turned 84....hooray!


83 candles!

French onion soup for grandma's birthday

Our house guest in February and April....Lulu

Along with much better Spring weather May started the BUSY season.  Tending to flowers, planting in my yard and my parents yard (the wedding reception site), a fun trip to Sacramento with future daughter-in-law for a wedding dress fitting,  A birthday celebration, Mother's day, and welcoming my brother as he moved back from a short stint in Montana.  Another fun time was digging up the septic tank lid....what??  Yes, you read that right, but no, it wasn't something we'd want to do again anytime soon!  Okay, that month made me tired!


Beautiful almost daughter-in-law...she said yes to the dress!

My May flowers never let me down

A wildflower walk in the forest
Digging up a large portion of our yard for septic tank.

June was equally a whirlwind.  Getting closer to the wedding day we planted more flowers, went to the Rodeo, planted sod in parent's backyard for reception, and decided to go forward with a family room/extra bathroom/guest bedroom remodel/makeover.  I guess I've been watching too much HGTV, huh?


Planting sod for the wedding reception

Part Two of my 2013 Year in Review will be in the near future!  It gets better and worse!  Stay tuned....


Thursday, March 21, 2013

Twisted Fork - Restaurant Review

Switching gears....a restaurant review for the Twisted Fork in South Reno


Twisted Fork

The name, Twisted Fork, for me, conjures up images from early days of MTV featuring a big hair band called "Twisted Sister".  I'll just say, I'm way off base.  This new eating establishment in South Reno hit a home run on a recent visit.

I confess, I was a little worried because I had started ANOTHER weight loss plan.  More on that when I'm willing to divulge, but this is neither the time or place, right now.  Eating out can make or break good intentions.  I was prepared and did my groundwork, perusing the menu online before I got to the door.  We didn't make reservations, big mistake, as it was jam packed.  That's either a good sign or it was Washington's birthday weekend.  Both were true!

Twisted Fork has an innovative, varied menu.  There is something for everyone!  Entrees such as tiger shrimp tamal, (tamale)  pan roasted salmon, roasted chicken & ham potpie,  porcini mushroom ravioli and risotto crab croquettes grace the menu.  I chose a root vegetable salad, mixed greens with a cashew encrusted goat cheese and topped with a side of seared ahi.  Wonderful and beautiful presentation.




The service was good as was the atmosphere.  I'll be sure to return...there is an order of tiger shrimp tamale with my name on it!

Open for lunch and dinner next to RC Wiley on Steamboat Parkway in South Reno.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Most Viewed Posts for 2012

As promised, here are the top ten most popular food posts for this last year.   In all honesty, it was not what I expected...I have my own "favorites". #5 and #6 made my personal list, how about you?

#10 Mini Turnovers



#9 Lasagna - A Work in Progress

This should have been titled, "How to Destroy your kitchen in 100 steps".

#8  Pulled Pork Tacos

#7 Margherita Pasta

#6 Butternut Squash Soup

#5 Green Chili Chicken

This is practically a staple in our house because it's so easy and flavorful.

#4  Limoncello Cake

Let the truth be know, this was not a complete success, but anything with limoncello in the title gets extra hits.  This has been revised but not posted  (or made) yet.  Soon, I hope.

#3  Eggplant Parmesan on the Grill
Very yummy and you can cut out a huge amount of oil usually used  with frying.

#2  Glazed Carrots

Really?? Number 2?

 #1  Panko Crusted Baked Cod

For all you fish fans here's the link for this mild fish.  Enjoy!
Panko Crusted Baked Cod

Thanks, again for all the views.  Hope you saw your favorites.  If not, stay tuned for more in 2013!  Happy New Year!