Kingsolver Menu

Another thing we started this year was a book club for the two of us, since we always read books and want the other to read them but then with all of our own books… aha, the dilemna. So anyhow, this year we are doing an NJ&CJ bookclub on our anniversary every month to discuss whatever book the other wanted us to read. In February, I read “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver and gave that to Nick as my pick for him in February too so that it would be fresh in both of our minds for discussion.

The menu for this week was inspired by the book, as it contains recipes for each season. The recipes in the book can also be found online.

First Course: Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Second Course: Chicken Recuerdos De Tucson
Third Course: Lite variation of Basil-Blackberry Crumble
Beverage: Czechvar Beer (yep, we’ve still got a bit of it in the fridge!)

Filet Menu

Well – the menu this week switched itself up at the last minute due to laziness in finding some ingredients – so instead, I came up with this 3 course ditty on the fly.

Beverages: Czechvar Beer
First Course: Butternut squash soup with Toasted Walnuts
Second Course: Filet Mignon with Mushrooms & Red Wine Reduction, Cajun Sweet Potato ‘Fries’
Third Course: Banana Cream with Chocolate – light Chunky Monkey if you will.

Was a bit excited about dessert. Simple to make and was really good! Took 2 frozen ripe bananas, half a container of sugar free cool whip and whipped the two together. Then added some crumbs from ’superbowl bars’ below and whallah – almost banana ice cream. Chocolate and bananas go so well together, don’t you think?

Mmmm…Yummy brunch place in NYC

Congratulations, Dan & Rachel!

Hahahahahaha

hahahaha – curtesy of Gizmodo.

Czech Menu

Obviously, the menu this week was inspired by Nick’s ancestry.

The customary Czech main course usually consists of meat and a side dish. Most dishes are pork, or beef, mainly served with some kind of sauce. Dumplings are the most common side dish in traditional Czech cuisine. There are two types of dumplings – bread or potato dumplings made of either wheat or potato flour that is boiled as a roll of dough, then cut into slices.

Tonight’s meal name mirrors the traditional Czech main dish named “Svickova” which is pork meat with dumplings and gravy.

As Czechs say before any meal “Dobrou chut!” which can be translated as “I wish you to enjoy your meal!”

First Course: Mushrooms Stuffed with Spinach
Second Course: Pork Roast (Vepoova Peeeni) with Red Cabbage (Eervene Zeli) and Dumplings
Third Course: Apricot Kolache and Strawberry Kolache Cookies

Beverage is not the standard Pilsner from the Czech Republic, but a new Computer-Sciency beer called “Czechvar”. Nick could code a czech var. Haha.

What did you do today?

While I was sitting at work, Nick waited in line for almost an hour and rushed up to the nosebleed sections to see Obama speak at UMD this afternoon. Don’t forget to get out and vote tomorrow if you are in DC/MD/VA!

VA Wine Expo

Usually, when hopping around Virginia vineyards, we have to get in a car or a bus between stops and drive at least 5 minutes before trying out the selections from a new winery. But the VA Wine Expo this weekend at the Dullus Expo Center eliminated that lag time, allowing us to hop from one booth to another, spanning the entire region of Virginia vineyards, and taste to our hearts desire. And we did. We arrived at about 11AM, left at 5PM, and tasted what Nick estimated to be about a bottle of wine each in the middle of that time – no small feat considering that some of these were very small pours! Our group of 8+ managed to find and lose each other many times throughout the day, but a good time was had by all.

We were good and only walked away with 2 bottles of wine, both from Cooper vineyards – one being the Noche – a chocolate red dessert wine. I still like the Solomon’s Island Meritage Sauce more, but we’re just not in that part of MD to visit the vineyard and get more, and well, I have no doubts that this will do in a pinch!

I think we may be wined out for awhile. Well, until Friday’s 3+ course dinner at least.

Crazy Corned Beef

Before setting off to the VA wine expo on this wonderful Saturday, we knew we’d be hungry when we got home, but not in the mood to cook. Our incentive to come home was this recipe for corned beef that cooked for 8-10 hours in the crock pot while we got our wine on…

1 corned beef
1 large can of sourkraut, drained
1 bag of Tater Tots

Layer in the crock pot in the order listed and let it cook for 8-10 hours. Sounds odd, but it was really good!

Random Menu

The goal for this weeks menu was to create a meal using pretty much the ingredients that we had in the house. Turned out pretty well

First Course: Mushroom Orzo Soup (Finally, a chance to use some exotic mushrooms!)
Second Course: Marinated Pork Tenderloins with Balsamic Reduction, Moroccan Carrot Salad & Buttermilk Biscuits
Third Course: Coconut Custard Pie
Beverages: Mediterranean Cellars Chambourcin, purchased during our VA wine trip last summer