A Year in Review - 2012

I thought it would be fun to do a "year in review" of the most memorable (for me) moments in each month.   I'll also be writing a  piece featuring my most popular food related posts of the year.   I hope you enjoy my reflections and encourage you to drop by once in a while for updates on Wendy's Favorite Place.   Thanks for your comments and views during the years and Happy New Year!

The first 6 months of 2012:

  January brought an unwelcome event.  Fire just over the hill from us in Washoe Valley.  I was packed and ready to go.

 February, like most years around here, we experienced a balmy mild Winter.  So, a hiking we will go, near Bower's Mansion and Davis Creek Park.

In March we celebrated my mom's 82nd birthday.  Oops, sorry about the candles!  Mom, you're the BEST!

 April....We celebrated Easter....my dad's 83rd birthday and drum roll, please!  My son popped the question.  Jeremy and Leilani are getting married!  Wonderful news!!  And those cream puffs were pretty tasty, too!

 What a great Mother's Day in May!   My love built some raised garden beds and later I had a gourmet dinner made by my son and his fiancee.

 May is one of my favorite months....my flowers come back every year and that is cause for celebration.  This high desert climate can be very limiting in the garden arena.

June  A great way to "kick" Summer into high gear...The Reno Rodeo  Ye..Haw!  And, gentlemen, start those barbecues!

Stay tuned for the last 6 months of 2012.  

Mushroom Tagliatelle - Pasta of the Month

With each attempt, I find that my pasta making skills are getting better and better.  Like anything else,  it's a learning process and practice makes perfect!  Nothing better than perfect tasting fresh pasta, silky soft ribbons of goodness!

This tagliatelle was an "after thought", that is, some left over dough from lasagna making.  I wanted to try out the tagliatelle/fettuccine setting, and this was the result.

big ball of pasta

lasagna noodles

nest of tagliatelle

 I used "baby Bella" mushrooms along with a bit of pancetta for a meaty flavor and chopped hazelnuts to add crunch.  Even if you're not going to use fresh pasta this dish should be wonderful!

Mushroom Tagliatelle

Serves 4

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped pancetta, measured before cooking

1 shallot, thinly sliced

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

5 Bella mushrooms (about 2 inches in diameter), thinly sliced

1 Tbsp butter

1-2 ladles of pasta water

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

tagliatelle noodles for 4 people.  You can buy the "nests".  Use about 4-6 units.


In a large  (12 ") frying pan add 1 Tbsp of the oil and saute the pancetta.  Remove and put onto a paper towel to dry
.    
Add the other 1 Tbsp of oil, shallot, garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are slightly limp.

Meanwhile, start the water for pasta bringing it to a boil, then salt it.   If you're using fresh pasta it only takes a few minutes to cook, whereas dried will usually takes about 9-11 minutes.  Remember to reserve about 2 ladles of pasta water before draining.

Add the pasta to the pan with mushrooms, mixing well.  Add the butter and pasta water to make a "sauce", then add the hazelnuts and nutmeg, blend and plate.  Garnish with Parmesan if you wish.  Mangia!

A Glimpse of Christmas Past

Ah, Christmas is over!  The house is almost straightened up after Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day celebration with the family.  I really don't know why I stress so much about getting everything done and so perfectly every year.  The time is going to pass no matter what gets done.  And, when it got right down to the wire (putting dinner on the table) everyone pitched in whether it was dressing and plating the salad, mashing the potatoes, stirring the gravy or slicing the prime rib.

My family is awesome, and I love those moments when we can be together and work seamlessly together.  I thank them all for coming to our home, enduring the snowy roads to get here.  A few family members moved away this year...you were missed. But, we gained Mr Nacho, who supplied some moments of laughter, as he pranced around in his Santa outfit and sombrero.

For our meal I made garlic and horseradish crusted prime rib, Yukon gold/garlic thyme mashed potatoes, roasted mushrooms with pine nuts, butter lettuce with spinach and arugula salad with marmalade dressing and Parmesan crisp embellishment.  Grandma brought her homemade pumpkin pie and fudge, yum!  I made appetizers but forgot to take a picture, so  I'll need to prepare them again, puff pastry bites with cream cheese, cranberries and roasted red pepper. 

I hope everyone went home with a full belly but, more importantly a fullness in their hearts filled with joy and love that we have a beautiful life we are thankful for.  I am!  Merry Christmas everyone!

A Trip to "Ground Zero" for the End of the World

No, the world didn't end, but I had to get that revelation and reassurance from the Mayans themselves.  When asked, they just smiled.  Everywhere we went while vacationing on the Riviera Maya this past week, we saw no signs of doomsday preparation.  So, the only thing left to do was enjoy ourselves and that's exactly what we did.

We stayed at The Royal in Playa del Carmen, an adult all-inclusive property about 45 minutes south of Cancun.  Our accommodations, room choice, beach, food and location were top notch.  Most early mornings we began the day with a walk down the beach and a swim/snorkel in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, followed by a breakfast plate brimming with fresh fruit, melons, figs, pineapple, papaya and, of course, coffee.

Most days we lounged on the beach allowing our favorite beach "butlers", Celia and Andrea, to  bring us water, mojitos, margaritas....you get the picture.  Mid-day we wandered over to the beach restaurants for a spectacular lunch served by the MOST gracious and happy employees in the world!  

As the days crept by, (actually they flew by) we had visions of liquidating our possessions and re-locating to this land of the Mayans.  Sometimes it's so very tempting!  Perhaps, someday!

Here's a few pictures for this overview.  More to come on food and excursions.  Feliz Navidad!

Royal water

Ahh...mojito time!

Lunch appetizers

Chocolate Ginger Biscotti

When hubby and I travel I try to make healthy snacks to go along for the ride, especially when it involves air travel.  Chances are usually 100% that you'll have a "glitch", missed connection, delays, etc, etc.  For the trip down to Riviera Maya this past week, I started my Christmas baking with these chocolate ginger biscotti, knowing they wouldn't last but a few days.  Yes, they were that good!  My only regret was that I didn't make more...could have sold a few to the other passengers as they forked over $8.00 for a salty, tasteless airline snack pack!

More about our trip, later...  Right now you should run to your kitchen and give these a try.  

Chocolate Ginger Biscotti

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour

2 large eggs, for the batter

1 egg for brushing the tops, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, cut up

1/2 cup mini or regular size chocolate chips

2 Tbsp water (depending on the dough consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl stir the pecans, sugar, baking powder, 2 cups flour and the chocolate.

In a smaller bowl, stir the 2 eggs and vanilla until blended.  Add to the flour mixture, then add the ginger and stir.  Wet your hands and start to "work" with the dough.  It will be very sticky.  If it is too dry add some of the additional water until you can form a ball.  If they are too sticky, add some additional flour.  Cut in half. 

On a floured surface, shape each half into a "log" shape about 12 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch high.  Place the loaves onto a parchment covered cookie sheet.  Brush with the 1 beaten egg.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan half way through the cooking time.  They should be golden brown.  Remove and cool for about 20 minutes.  Lift the loaves onto a cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut into 3/4 inch slices.

Traditional biscotti get their crunch by baking twice.  I don't like them hard unless they're for dunking.  If you choose to bake twice, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Cool and hide store.  The chocolate and spicy ginger is a great combination.  Love them!