Crockpot Fig Apple Butter

The other day I polled my Facebook friends about what kind of things they would like to see from a food blog like mine.  As it has been two years since my last post I figured revamping it would be necessary.  The responses I got were that some just wanted straight up recipes, some wanted restaurant and food reviews and one very excited friend just screamed, "CROCKPOT RECIPES!"

I love crockpots.  They are time savers, easy to use and easier to clean.  It's the best way to make food when you are having a lazy day.  Also, it will fill your home with the scent of awesomeness.  And the best part is that there is no end to the number of recipes you can find for the crock pot.  For me, the first one that came to mind was a Fig Apple Butter that I made a month ago.  

That day I wanted a pizza, but didn't want a typical pizza and was feeling adventurous with toppings.  Looking into my fridge to see what I had to work with I started to cry when I realized that I had nothing.  It was my day off from work and I was exhausted. Going to the store isn't something that I wanted to do.  Then I noticed that I had some goat cheese near the back of my top shelf (don't worry, it wasn't THAT old).  Having some apples for an apple butter that I wanted to make I began to look up other recipes that might go with the goat cheese when I came across PaleOMG.com and their Crockpot Fig Apple Butter.  Having all of the items I threw it into the crockpot and went about my day (which then turned into running to the store for pizza dough and prosciutto) and then taking a nap because I had actually RAN to the store.   The rest was up to the crockpot.  So, as to fulfill my friend's wish (and to stop my mother from directing people to other blogs) here is my first recipe for the crockpot.  ENJOY!!

Fig Apple Butter Pizza with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto

Crockpot Fig Apple Butter - Recipe found at PaleOMG.com

Ingredients

• 20 dried black figs, stems removed, cut in half
• 6 apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup honey (or other sweetener such as maple syrup)
• 3 TBS cinnamon (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the slow cooker.  Mix well.
2. Put the slow cooker at low and cook for 6-8 hours until apples are completely soft and almost mushy.
3. Place ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth.  You may have to do this in a few batches.
4. Store in refrigerator in a glass jar.

This stuff is seriously amazing on almost everything and has a hearty cinnamon flavor to it.  Keep in mind that this recipe can be tailored to your palate especially where the cinnamon comes it.  Some people will love it as it is and some of you will probably want a little less cinnamon in it.  That is okay.  Recipes are meant to be like maps - they only offer suggestions, nothing is definite and the possibilities are endless.  So, eat your heart out Julia Child.

Until next time...

Happy Snacking!!

Luke

Lilly's Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant Review

Lilly's Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant

Last night a few friends and I went to Super Summer Theatre's production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  It's an outdoor theatre set within Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.  Tickets are a reasonable price and all you have to do is bring yourself, a blanket to sit on and maybe some food and beverage to enhance your experience that much more.

Being the classy people that my we are, my friends and I grabbed a 12 pack of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, picked up a pizza from CostCo and headed out to the ranch for an evening of fun.  Though I don't drink much at all, I began to have the biggest craving for Thai food as the night drew on.  It was sudden and out of place, but then again my partner and I have been getting our fair share of Thai food as of late.  My latest addiction: Pad See Ew.

Being that I live on the west side of Las Vegas I decided that I need to start trying new places in my area.  Just across from my favorite falafel house in Las Vegas I have noticed a few restaurants come and go, but nothing really stays.  Could it be bad location or just bad food?  I don't know, but what I did notice on my way past the area this morning is that there was a Thai restaurant that I have never been to.  And where there is a Thai café, there is Pad See Ew.

I decided to stop in at Lilly's Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant on West Sahara to give it a go.  My first impressions where mostly faded by the fact that I just wanted this noodle dish...NOW!  I placed my order for beef Pad See Ew (there is a $1 up charge for beef) and sat down to wait for my dish.  As I had a few things to get done this morning, I ordered it to go but the wait staff still poured me a glass of water as I waited which was quite unexpected but very welcomed.

Sitting down I began to take in my surroundings, and to be quite frank, there wasn't much to take in.  The tables were very plain and each one had a large sticker on it's edge to indicate the table number.  The front desk was made up of what looked like an ill fitted computer desk set to the side of another desk that could have easily been left behind by the previous tenants of this rental space.  The decorations were few, but I just kept reminding myself that I am here for the food and not the atmosphere.  Besides, I was taking my food to go.  What did I care?

My order only took about 5 minutes to make and when it was ready the host bagged it up, walked it over to me and politely thanked me and invited me back.  For me, the drive home is usually the worst part about take out as the smell of the food taunts me until I have reached my destination.  However, in this instance I got nothing.  It wasn't until I opened the bag fully and opened the To-Go box that I got a whiff of what was to come, and what I got was a short scent of the dish and then...nothing.  I enjoy food that lingers in the air and taunts everyone around that's eating something else to the point of jealousy and begging for a bite.

Upon further inspection of the opened box I noticed the beef.  It had been cooked to an eerie gray to it that made it seem like low quality factory meat that was cut into a uniform thickness.  Looking past that I was excited to see a spring roll that came with this lunch special as it meant that I would enjoy at least one thing.  How can you mess up a spring roll, am I right?

I began to plate my lunch, but was quickly losing my appetite (it's hot here and I don't have a big appetite during the hot Vegas summer's to begin with).  I took my first apprehensive bite and was underwhelmed.  There was so much anticipation that was leading up to this moment that perhaps I was the reason that it wasn't appealing to me.  I took another bite and again wasn't excited, but the food was forgettable.  After my fifth bite I decided to just take the spring roll and enjoy the little bit that I could.

After my meal I looked up Lilly's on Yelp to see if it was just me, but they have gotten some mixed reviews.  The photos make the food look amazing, but good photos don't make up for a lack of flavor which seems to be a common complaint.  Though I didn't get a Thai tea or dessert like I would have wanted to give this place an overall review, I can't say that I will never be back.  

Overall, this dish was not good.  It had little to no flavor, the protein was gray, but the egg roll and dipping sauce were not half bad.  The desserts look delicious and the wait staff is very attentive, but as far as this dish goes there are far too many other Thai restaurants around Las Vegas that make a better Pad See Ew to go to.  I will probably come back to get the curry, Thai tea and coconut ice cream as recommended by others on Yelp.

Thanks for checking out my first review and be sure to come back as I make this dish at home later this week.

Until next time....

Happy Snacking!

Luke

Update

It's been two years, I have moved to a new city and have had a lot of changes, but am happy to say that I'm rekindling this blog. Expect some new and awesome recipes to come.

If you were following my blog originally you will know that it focused on vegetarian/vegan food at affordable prices.  With the relaunch of the blog I will now be focusing on all foods as well as offer restaurant reviews from local eateries in and around Las Vegas. 

If you would like to see anything specifically on this blog let me know by contacting me and I will do my best to accommodate all requests. 

Glad to see you all again! 

                             

Until next post....

Luke

Bread and Pesto

Today's recipes are short and simple.  Bread and pesto... Here we go.

Pesto

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup pine nuts
• Basil, a good handful (about 1 cup if you are measuring it out)
• Garlic, about 3 cloves
• 1/4 Cup parmesan cheese
• 1 Cup Oil (traditionally Olive Oil, but any oil will work)

Directions

1. Roast the pine nuts in an oven set to 350° F for about 5 minutes. Make sure to stay close because you don't want to burn the nuts. If you start to smell them, pull them out quickly! Let them cool to room temperature.
2. In a food processor, blender (or even use an immersion blender if that's what you have) add all ingredients except the oil. Drizzle a little bit of the oil in before the first round of blending. As the pesto is blending slowly add the oil to get a better emulsion of ingredients. Once ingredients are blended you are all set.
3. Cool in the refrigerator and then serve or use!

Bread

Ingredients

• 2 Cups tepid water (about 100° F)
• 1 Tbsp instant yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Cups flour

Directions

1. Combine and whisk together water, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Slowly add flour into the wet mixture making sure to break up any clumps. Once thoroughly combined the dough will be watery. Continue to add flour until the dough sticky, but firm enough to pull out of the bowl.
3. Flour your workspace and place dough onto workspace and flour dough. Knead the bread until the dough is firm, but still a little pliable. 
4. In a large ovensafe bowl, spread some oil to cover the inside of bowl. Place kneaded dough into bowl and cover with oil from the bowl. Place cling wrap over the bowl and make it air tight. Method I use to raise dough: place covered dough in a gas oven that has NOT been turned. Turn on the oven to 500° F and keep it on for 30 seconds only then turn off the oven. Keep oven closed and leave the dough in there for 1 hour.
5. Next, place the dough in any pan you wish to bake it in. I usually use this bread for dipping and such, so I will usually bake it in a shallow pan. Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust begins to turn a golden brown. Take out of the oven and enjoy! 

This is all really less complex than I make it sound.  Go out and have fun with this recipe and enjoy!!!!

Until next time...

Happy Snacking!

Portobello Mushroom Philly

Hello virtual world. I am back after a brief hiatus. In that time I have started culinary school and have a TON of recipes that I have to share with you, but until I can get them all typed up I hope I can satisfy you with this cheap and easy recipe.

The Recipe:

Portobello Mushroom Philly

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (see Tip), sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES
The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello are edible, but if you like you can scrape them off with a spoon.

I made enough just for one sandwich and it was amazing!  Really didn't' need any sides for this as it is very filling.  I would suggest to not only clean the dirt from the mushroom, but take off the gill and the top layer of the mushroom.  It's easily peeled off, so don't sweat this step too much.  Hope you enjoy this recipe and look out for a huge uploading of new recipes!

Until then...

Happy Snacking!