lavender brownies & Cinco de Callie

My sweet tooth has been on a rampage.

I can't finish any savory meal (or snack for that matter) without a bite of something sweet.

my "nice" bites have included:

dried apricots

orange marmalade with local goat cheese

kashi cereal bars

fresh raspberries with Greek yogurt

some "naughty" bites on my mind (and in my stomach):

homemade muffins

peanut butter and honey paninis

curly's vanilla custard with bananas and caramel

anything involving chocolate cake

While browsing the 7th St. area after a lovely lunch with Ms. Fort Worth Cookie, the two of us snuck into j. rae's bakery specializing in cupcakes, cookies & cheesecake for a peek at their sweet confections. Although I was a sucker for their adorable hand-decorated dinosaur cookies, I chose a simple chocolate cupcake with vanilla cream cheese frosting.

I took one bite and was completely content. The cake was moist and not too chocolately- nice with the tangy frosting (although there was entirely too much of it). I will definitely return to j. rae's-- perfect cookies for a baby shower.

During a recent Central Market raid, I stopped short at the meat market with interest in pristine, garnet-hued bison-- organic, grain-fed and antibiotic free. I settled on a robust striploin with dreams of steak sandwiches in my head.

Along with buttery greens, homemade compound butter, luscious local cheese and earthy mushrooms-- this sandwich was simple yet refined.

Seared Bison Loin with Wilted Mache, Local Chevre, Roasted Clamshell Mushrooms & a Dried Fig Butter

Makes 2 sandwiches.

1 bison striploin

salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup fresh mache leaves
1 c fresh clamshell mushrooms
goat cheese for spreading

(I used local Latte Da Dairy)
4 slices of fresh bread, toasted

(I used whole wheat Millet bread)
2 tablespoons dried fig butter, recipe follows
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil, a sprig of thyme and a drizzle of salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 30 minutes until browned and crispy. Keep warm.

Season bison with liberal salt and pepper. Sear in a heated saute pan approximately 4 minutes per side to develop a brown crust. Finish in 400 degree oven approximately 6 more minutes to achieve medium rare. Set steak on board to rest while assembling sandwich.

Layer fig butter, mushrooms, sliced, rested steak, mache and goat cheese on remaining bread slice. Serve warm.

Dried Fig Butter:

4 T butter, softened
1/2 c dried figs, minced
1/2 t fresh thyme, minced

dash of salt

Mash together ingredients. Chill until ready to use. This butter would be fabulous on plain toast for breakfast, croissants or poached fruits.

While planning dinner, I decided to raid my pantry and make an impromptu dessert for two:

Bittersweet Lavender Brownies with Pistachios & a Cinnamon Chantilly

Brownies:

1 c unsalted butter

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 and 1/4 c AP flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 c sugar

4 eggs

2 t vanilla bean extract

1 t dried lavender plus additional to garnish

crushed roasted pistachios for garnish

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan then set aside.

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Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler, stirring occasionally until smooth.

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Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and dried lavender in a small bowl.

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Whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl then whisk in chocolate mixture until combined well. Whisk in flour mixture then transfer batter to a baking pan.

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Bake approximately 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted has a few crumbs clinging. Cool brownies on a rack. Serve warm with chopped pistachios, a sprinkling of dried lavender and a dollop of cinnamon chantilly cream.

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Cinnamon Chantilly Cream:

1 pint organic heavy whipping cream, chilled

1 T ground cinnamon

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Beat cream in a stand mixer until soft peaks develop. Stir in cinnamon and serve chilled with brownies.

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Cinco de Mayo was this week-- an excuse for all to leave work a bit early, sip margaritas and parade around in sombreros. Since high school, my friends and I have also lovingly referred to it as Cinco de Callie-- in my opinion, it's the best day to have a birthday!

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I turned 25 this year and had a lovely day beginning with 1 a.m. text messages from high school friends, gorgeous hydrangeas delivered to work and thoughtful gifts, cards and flowers received from both jobs.

For lunch, I snuck away with my boyfriend to the Central Market sandwich bar and patio for diet root beer, thick-cut potato chips and customized sandwiches.

I went with my usual:

whole wheat bread, red pepper hummus, muenster and grilled veggies

toasted and topped with:

fresh avocado slices, arugula and cucumber

while boyfriend settled on a simple:

roasted turkey, ham and pepperjack

toasted on rosemary bread with basil pesto

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lovely lunch date.

After being cut early from my restaurant job that evening, I dashed home to shower and go glam in preparation of a surprise 5-course wine pairing dinner at Eddie V's Prime Seafood.

Our meal was sublime. The service was impeccable, the courses were perfectly timed, the wines were pleasantly matched and our dishes were cooked perfectly with gorgeous flavors.

Course 1:

Seafood Gazpacho with Lime Creme Fraiche

Sauvignon Blanc

Course 2:

Sliced Wagyu Beef "Hot Rock" Ishiyaki-- Togarashi Spice and Soy Broth with Wild Mushrooms and Julienned Scallions

Shiraz

Course 3:

Fuji Apple and Golden Beet Salad with Maytag Bleu Cheese, Haricot Verts, Candied Walnuts and an Outrageous Ginger-Orange Vinaigrette (for her)

Sweet Corn and Crab Chowder with Smoked Bacon (for him)

Course 4:

Incredible Jumbo Seared Georges Bank Sea Scallops with a Sherry Cream Sauce, Crispy Potato Strings and a Cilantro Oil (for her)

Pinot Noir

12 ounce Seared Filet of Beef with Boursin (for him)

Course 5:

Tableside Bananas Foster with Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Moscato de Asti

Highlights of the meal were the gorgeously-prepared scallops with the perfect sear and ginger orange vinaigrette bursting with an intense citrus flavor.

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After such a

rich, succulent dinner

rest was imminent with

well wishes

for the year to come.

Corn Cakes and Fresh Dates

What a treat these past weeks have been! Along with acquiring new foodie goodies for my apartment (pasta machine, mini food processor, bistro table, stemless champagne glasses and an adorable rainbow whisk!), it was time for the infamous Restaurant Week. I was only able to dine at Grace and Eddie V's but it was a fabulous time regardless!

Some friends and I started off the week with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Eddie V's followed by dinner from the Restaurant Week Menu.

Cocktails started in the notoriously dark and hip V Lounge with The Westsiders singing Frank Sinatra, a Dirty Belvedere in my hand and spicy fried calamari with wok veggies and cashews in my chopsticks. Although I think the appetizer presentation was a bit overkill, it still hit the spot!

After our "happy two hour" sesh, we were seated in the dining room and hungrily awaited dinner. To begin, we chose the hot rock with raw, thin-sliced filet to quickly sear and savor with a soy sauce and wild mushroom accompaniments. The mushrooms were lightly dressed, the filet tender and the sauce was addicting!

To begin our next course, I chose the heirloom mozzarella salad and my fellow diners opted for the butter lettuce salad with a fried egg, pancetta and lemon thyme vinaigrette. To my dismay, the salads were pretty awful. The cheese on my salad was definitely not fresh mozzarella and was topped with greasy fried onions- I pushed it aside. On the bibb salad, the anticipated fried egg was replaced with a fried, cold, overcooked hard-boiled egg....not a fan.

Fortunately, our second course, seared scallop with homemade gnocchi and sun-dried tomatoes was quite lovely. The scallop was seared to perfection, the gnocchi was airy and the sundried tomatoes provided a tart, salty contrast.

For our entrees, we each ordered a different offering: mango-stuffed Ahi for Ms. Annie, grilled chicken with jus for my lovey and New England Cod with corn and bacon for me. Although the Ahi was cooked well, it was hardly stuffed with mango (more like injected with a 1/8 inch cube.) The chicken was a bit overcooked but the sauce was delicious. My cod was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with the sweet corn and salty bacon.

For dessert, I anticipated key lime panna cotta from the on-line menu but received so-so vanilla creme brulee covered with powdered sugar instead. Ouch.

Later that weekend, my parents, a friend and I dined at Grace. Warmly greeted at the door, we were seated in the jam-packed green marbled dining room and welcomed by our fabulous server, Michael. As we scoured the menu, I ordered a trio of St. Caroline cocktails with St. Germaine, Prosecco, soda and fresh thyme.

For my first course, I chose the roasted eggplant soup with creme fraiche and rosemary. I know it's completely taboo to add salt at a fine dining locale but I had to do it. After the hint of salt, I was able to enjoy the wonderful flavors...the bowl was cleaned.

The second course was a seared scallop and Berkshire pork "surf and turf" with black eyed peas and tarragon....this course was cleaned as well.

My entree was a beef filet with stone ground grits and a squash medley with marjoram and roasted cherry tomatoes. The filet was a perfect medium with a sweet caramelization. Although my dad wasn't a huge fan of the fragrant "marjoramed" veggies, I was quite happy with the freshness of the squash and the sweetness of the roasted cherry tomatoes.

For dessert, our table shared chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and peaches with a cobbler-style biscuit. Both were understated and luscious.

Even though I was keen to try Restaurant Week menus around town, I was able to put some personal recipes together too.

This sandwich started with beautiful, sticky dates and went from there. I'm not trying to toot my own horn- wait, is that the phrase?!- but this sandwich was one of the best I've had....the salty bread with the woodsy rosemary, sugary dates, savory mushrooms, charred radicchio and creamy, tangy goat cheese.......agh! It was THAT good!

Dijon Chicken Breast on Open-Faced Rosemary Toast with Braised Dates, Cremini Mushrooms and Grilled Radicchio with Goat Cheese
serves 2

For dates:

1 c water

1/2 c brown sugar

salt to taste

1/2 cup dates, sliced in half with pits removed

Mix water and brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer dates in sugar water until plumped (about 10 minutes.) Set aside and salt to taste.

For chicken:

1 large breast dijon-marinated boneless skinless chicken breast (I bought mine at CM)

salt to taste

1 T butter

Sear chicken in a saute pan with olive oil until brown color has developed. Finish in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest then slice in two portions for sandwich.

Sauteed mushrooms:

1 c creminis, sliced

1 T fresh rosemary, minced

2 T butter

salt to taste

Saute mushrooms in olive oil with rosemary and butter until browned but texture remains. Set aside and reserve leftover pan sauce to spoon over sandwich.

Grilled radicchio:

1/2 head radicchio

olive oil to grill

Grill radicchio on grill pan to develop grill marks. Set aside.

Additional ingredients:

2 slices rosemary bread, toasted

crumbled goat cheese as desired

To assemble sandwich, line toast slices with radicchio, dates, chicken, mushrooms then goat cheese. Spoon over reserved pan sauce.

Later that weekend, my folks came into town and I prepared:

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Oil and Nectarine Salsa

Corn Cakes with Scallions and Fresh Herbs

Blackberry Pie with Vanilla Sugar

serves 4

For chicken:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c olive oil

2 T red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

2 T honey

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts with other ingredients for 30 minutes. Grill chicken on grill pan to achieve grill marks, then finish chicken in 350 degee oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest and slice before serving.

Nectarine salsa:

2 nectarines, diced

1/4 c minced red onion

1/4 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

zest and juice of one lime

1 t honey

2 T minced Italian parsley

1 clove shaved garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and let macerate until ready to serve.

Rosemary oil:

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed

salt to taste

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in food processor until blended well. Serve drizzled over chicken with nectarine salsa.

Corn Cakes with Scallions:

This recipe is an Epicurious recipe that I altered by using fresh corn and adding fresh herbs.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil

1/4 c minced herbs (I used sage and marjoram)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Whisk together eggs, milk and vinegar and combine with dry mixture. Fold in corn, herbs and scallions to develop batter.

In a deep skillet, heat vegetable oil (1 inch deep) until flour sizzles in the pan. Add batter 1/4 cup at a time until browned on one side. Flip cakes until browned on opposite side then finish in a 350 degree oven on a baking sheet until cooked through (about seven minutes.) Serve warm and garnish with scallions if desired.

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

3 c fresh spinach

1/3 c roasted pistachios

1/3 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

1/2 avocado, sliced and salted

For vinaigrette:

1 T honey

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 t dried lavender

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 c grapeseed oil

Combine first four ingredients then slowly whisk in grapeseed oil until an emulsion has developed. Toss with spinach, pistachios and cherry tomatoes. Top salad with avocado.

This meal was summery, light, yet comforting with the fried-deliciousness of the corn cakes. My Dad scarfed about four corn cakes...

Saturday morning, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed headed to Cowtown Farmers Market. After half an hour and a sore arm from my heavy bag, I left with fresh dates, baby okra, baby eggplant, gorgeous emerald basil and tarragon, goat cheese, breakfast bread and pesto bread from Artisan Baking Company.

With my pesto bread, I cut the bread into chunks and roasted them into croutons to dry the bread. I then combined the bread with a simple custard base (eggs and whole milk), sauteed baby okra, zucchini (salted to release moisture then dried), fresh basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper. I popped the mixture in my Le Crueset casserole and a delicious side dish was ready 30 minutes later. Paired with browned chicken sausage and caramelized onions, it was a hearty spread!

crab fest and PB&J's

The first of July has been exciting, stressful, busy, crazy, and of course, HOT! This was the first Fourth of July away from my family, the beach or the lake. Fortunately, I was surrounded with good friends from culinary school, a new experience at Rahr Brewery and of course, good food!

Before I start reliving my culinary "adventures", I wanted to give short disclaimer for those who recreate my recipes:

The recipes I provide are approximate guides but are by no means exact. I come up with my menu ideas, prepare them, then sit down to approximate the recipes.

A good rule of thumb when tasting food: If something seems too acidic or bitter, add a sweetener (I swear by honey). If something is too sweet, add fresh herbs, oil or an acid- whatever seems appropriate with what you are preparing. If you taste something that is under seasoned, add salt! Salt is a flavor enhancer and will make flavors more inherent. Finally, be wary with black pepper. When added too liberally, it actually changes the flavor of dishes and can make them bitter.

Now back to the food...

On a beautiful Friday evening, I dined with fellow "Fort Worth Foodies" at Ellerbe's Fine Foods promoting fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. The restaurant was very simple, almost plain, with starkly pressed servers and an anxious dining crowd. We sat outside, started with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc then shared:

Brazos Valley Feta and Moxia Peach Salad with Arugula, Citrus Vinaigrette and Toasted Pecans

Shrimp with Preserved Lemons and Celery Root Slaw

Bacon-wrapped Copper River Salmon with Scott Farms New Potatoes and Tarragon Creme Fraiche

Baseball Steak with Herbed Fries

Bread Pudding

Fruit plate with Amaretti cookies

The next week, I headed with work friends to Yucatan Taco Stand for happy hour followed by Nonna Tata for dinner. I'm going to skip straight to Nonna Tata because my experiences at Yucatan are just not worth mentioning anymore- It's one of those "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all" situations. Thanks, Dad.

Forgive me, I digress. Nonna Tata was delicious as always. Our table of 5 decided on an antipasto to share then split:

Tortolli with Goat Cheese
Veal Osso Bucco with Arborio Rice
Chicken Lasagna with Pesto

All three were delicious, but I couldn't stop eating the chicken lasagna. It was surprisingly light, yet rich at the same time. Our evening ended with a little too much wine and shots of Limoncello- much fun until I awoke the next morning...

Later that weekend, my partner and I had a Private Chef Event: A Summertime party for 45!

On our menu:

Lime and Mint Punch with Club Soda

(mint simple syrup with fresh lime juice, lime rounds and club soda for sparkle)

Roasted Red Salsa with Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions and Jalapenos

Roasted Green Salsa with Tomatillos, Orange and Lime

Traditional Guacamole (with chips galore!)

(Avocado, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, a bit of honey and orange zest)

Pulled Chicken Quesadillas with Queso Fresco, Red Onions and Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted Shrimp Skewers in a Harissa Marinade with a Fennel Orange Slaw

Veggie Spring Rolls with a Wasabi Aioli

(rice paper, asparagus, cabbage, cilantro, red pepper flakes)

Crostini with Walnut Pesto, Roasted Sliced Beets, Summer Squash and Fresh Mozzarella

Meringue Cups with Lime Curd, Blackberries and Lime Zest (shown at right)

This party was fun- complete with a margarita machine, beautiful bright decorations and lovely people. We take pride in making everything homemade (ok, I cheated with the mayo for the aioli) and I think it really shows in our finished product. The salsas were deep roasted and simmered away all day. The veggie spring rolls were wrapped, the lime curd stirred and the meringues piped then baked by yours truly.

My partner really shines at sauce work and flavor building. The seared, then pulled chicken for the quesadillas was extremely moist with an apparent depth of flavor. Same idea with the shrimp- start with a flavorful marinade and finish with a flavorful sauce and/or textural accompaniment (fennel orange slaw) for full flavor to stand up to the spicy salsas.

After a busy weekend and work week, I was finally able to try Fort Worth's Eddie V's on a warm, Thursday evening. I've always dined at my hometown Eddie V's in Austin and Fort Worth didn't fail to impress. Our dinner was lovely but we ordered way too much food- all of it being extremely rich due to my boyfriend's "I hate veggies" syndrome. On the menu:

Calamari with Roasted Cashews, Julienned Veggies and Spicy Ginger Soy Sauce

(Well cooked and spicy but overkill on portion size for two)

Soft Shell Crab with Watermelon Citrus Vinaigrette
(I liked the crab but the vinaigrette tasted like oil to me. I tasted no citrus or watermelon. Maybe we got the wrong vinaigrette?)

Pan-Fried Cod with Dijon and Morels

(earthy complex flavors, perfectly cooked fish, gorgeous plating with deep red micro greens)

Bone-in Filet of Beef

(like butter)

Truffled Macaroni and Cheese

(sinful...complete with truffle oil and shaved truffles)

Lump Crab Fried Rice

(always been a favorite of mine, delicious as always)

Often overlooked, the bread really stood out to me! It tasted sweet but I couldn't put my finger on the sweet flavor. Brown sugar? Honey? Nope... it was cardamom and it gave the bread a subtle sweetness that I loved.

On the eve of fourth of July, I had a girlfriend over for a movie, wine and some (semi) healthy chicken burgers. Although I seldomly grill burgers without some type of cheese, these were perfect without. The avocado added a simple buttery texture, heirloom tomatoes added tang and the tarragon mayo added an anise flavor surprise.

Herbed Chicken Burgers with Heirloom Tomatoes, Avocado, Tarragon Mayo and Micro Greens

For Chicken Burgers:

1/2 lb ground chicken

1 T olive oil
1 T kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
1 T chopped sage
1 T chopped tarragon

1/2 T lemon zest

1 garlic clove, minced

For Tarragon Mayo:

1 c mayo
1/3 c tarragon, minced
1/2 T lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

For burger building:

2 heirloom tomatoes- yellow and red, sliced thinly with kosher salt

1 avocado, sliced with lime juice and salt

1 package micro greens

2 whole wheat buns, toasted on grill pan with olive oil

Serves 2.

A few evening later, I decided to make a Surf and Turf-style dinner with a fresh-baked sweet for dessert. Although I love shrimp, I chose to work with lump crab for my surf element. For the turf, I chose a gorgeous prime ribeye from Central Market.

Lump Crab Napoleons with Fried Wontons, Braised Granny Smith Apples, Spicy Corn Salad, Pepitas and Cilantro Oil (shown at right)

Braised Apples:

1 granny smith apple, cored then thinly sliced in rounds

2 cups water

1 cup white wine

2 cups sugar

sprinkle of salt
1 large squeeze of lemon juice

Bring water, white wine, salt and sugar to a simmer in a sauce pan. Add apple slices in liquid and cook until tender. Set aside.

Spicy Corn Salad:

2 ears of fresh corn, cut off cob

1/2 jalapeno, minced with ribs and seeds removed

2 T red onion, minced

1 T butter

Olive oil to saute

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute corn, jalapeno and red onion in butter and olive oil for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper, keep warm until ready to serve.

Lump Crab:

1/2 lb fresh jumbo lump crab meat, picked over for shell remnants

2 T minced fresh basil

2 T minced fresh cilantro

1 thinly sliced scallion (dark green ends removed)

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

1 T honey

1/2 T lemon zest

1 squeeze of lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

For Cilantro Oil:

3/4 cup cilantro

3/4 cup olive oil

1 T honey

1 squeeze of lemon juice

salt to taste

Combine honey, lemon and cilantro in food processor. Slowly stream in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved. Salt to season. Set aside.

For building napoleon:

handful of pepitas to sprinkle on each plate (toasted and salted)

6 wonton squares, fried in vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy

Drizzle a bit of cilantro oil on plate followed by one of the wonton squares. Begin layering the spicy corn salad, lump crab mixture and braised apples with remaining two wonton squares. Top with pepitas, another drizzle of cilantro oil and remaining fresh herbs if desired.

Serves 2.

Seared Prime Ribeye with Sweet and Spicy Glaze

1 ribeye steak (approximately 1 pound)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to "crust" the steak

30 minutes before cooking, remove steak from refrigerator to bring to room temperature and remove chill. Crust the ribeye liberally with salt and pepper. In a hot grill pan, add olive oil and sear ribeye on both sides until a brown crust develops.

Drizzle glaze on steak and finish it a 350 degrees oven until desired temperature is reached (I cooked mine to medium rare). Drizzle with additional glaze if desired and a sprinkle of kosher salt before serving.

For the glaze:
Combine brown sugar, honey, sriracha, lemon juice, lime juice, lime zest and salt and whisk to get the flavor of your liking.

Serves 2.

Chocolate Chile Brownies with Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream

I used an Epicurious recipe for these brownies and although I was happy with the texture of the brownies, there was a bit too much Chile powder that actually overwhelmed the rich chocolate. Despite cutting down the Chile powder from 1/4 of a cup to an 1/8 of a cup, it was still a bit much- I'm thinking a tablespoon or two will be plenty next time.

I served the warm brownies with vanilla ice cream mixed with a drizzle of vanilla bean paste and cinnamon. The ice cream was fantastic with the rich brownies.

appetizers-to-go and the curry explosion

I've been the cooking Queen this week!

Yes, I'm a dork but I seriously feel like that's all I've done. I've even started to get the "chefs callous" from my knife...pretty exciting stuff.

On Monday, I spent my day making cold and room temperature appetizers to deliver for an all-women cocktail party. The menu was:

Cubed watermelon skewers with cucumber, mint, plum tomatoes, feta and a lemon mint vinaigrette

1/2 inch cubed watermelon

1/2 inch cubed seedless cucumber

mint leaves cut in half

plum tomatoes cut in half

1/2 inch cubed feta

for dressing:

1 cup mint

zest and juice of one lemon

1 tbl honey

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Assemble cubed watermelon, cucumber, plum tomatoes and mint leaves on skewers (save feta for the end of the skewer so it doesn't crumble apart).

For dressing, combine first four ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle skewers with vinaigrette and cool.

Roasted chicken salad with a tarragon mayonnaise, toasted pecans, green apples and celery served with toasted baguette

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and herbs de provence)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup minced fresh tarragon

1 cup toasted pecans (coarsely chopped)

1 cup chopped green apple

1 cup chopped celery

3 tbl honey

juice and zest of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

First, roast your chicken at 350 degrees until just cooked through- do not overcook or your chicken salad will be at the point of no return! Set chicken aside and let cool.

When cooled, cut into bite-sized chunks and combine with mayonnaise, pecans, tarragon, apples, celery, honey and lemon. Taste before seasoning because the chicken will already add saltiness. Serve with toasted baguette.

Asparagus and white bean hummus tarts (courtesy of Vegan YumYum)

I got inspiration for this dish from Vegan Yum Yum on-line.

1 sheet defrosted puff pastry

1 bundle blanched asparagus, ends trimmed

1 can white beans (rinsed and drained)

2 gloves garlic

1/2 cup basil leaves (reserve several for garnish)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

Make white bean hummus. Combine white beans, garlic, basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil in food processor. Combine until smooth. Spread on puff pastry leaving an inch border all around. Arrange asparagus side-by-side on top rotating tops and bottoms. Brush pastry edges with olive oil and sprinkle tart with salt. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until asparagus is tender and puff pastry is golden brown. Let cool, garnish with basil leaves and slice into squares (my tart is shown at right).

Vegetable spring rolls with a wasabi aioli

I've made these guys more times than I can count. You can find the recipe in older posts.

Later that evening, I had a fabulous dinner at the newly-reopened Piola for some Italian fare. We started with the antipasto platter complete with fried green olives, ricotta-stuffed fried artichokes, capicola, Italian sausage, herbs de provence coated goat cheese, fontina, manchego, red grapes and pears. I piled the pears atop the goat cheese and herbs de provence...great sweet/tangy/salty combination.

Next course was soups- lobster bisque with grilled shrimp and scallop and the leek, beef and potato soup with truffle oil. Although both were well balanced, the lobster bisque was my favorite- smooth, intense and full of cream I'm sure:)

For my entree, I tried the special of the night- grilled sea bass with a putanesca sauce, shrimp and an herbed polenta. I really enjoyed the mild fish, spicy sauce and firm polenta but I could have gone without the shrimp (underseasoned and seemed like an afterthought).

A few nights later, I met some foodie friends at Grace for cocktails. My current favorite is the St. Caroline cocktail made with Prosecco, St. Germain (elderflower liquer) and soda. After finally deciding where to go for dinner, we headed over to Zambrano's Wine Bar for wine and pizza.

We started with a light, white wine variety and the tomato bruschetta with serrano ham, tomato, melted brie and balsamic. I loved the wine but the bruschetta didn't deliver- I didn't get the salty ham flavor and the brie was lacking.

Next, we shared the caprese salad with field greens, mozzarella, basil and a balsamic reduction. The salad was beautifully presented and had nice flavors. Finally, we shared the traditional pizza with serrano, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, peppers, olives, red onions served with fresh parmesean and red pepper flakes. The pizza was delicious- the crust was thin and flavorful with herbs baked right in. I'll definitely be back for the extensive wine selection and flavorful pizza.

The next evening, I used leftover groceries from my catering event and helped make a delicious dinner. The menu was:

Artichoke stuffed chicken with roasted potatoes, sauteed brussel sprouts with lemon and pecans and a roasted yellow pepper sauce (shown at right)

The sauce was my favorite part of the dish- roasted yellow peppers, sauteed onions, garlic, salt, pepper and a bit of honey and butter at the end...well balanced and great to sop the chicken and potatoes in.

Also this week was the end to my second trimester in culinary school :( This was sad for me because I learned so much and felt like my skills grew drastically as well.

Fortunately, I still have two trimesters left and I will start pastry classes in May.

For our final, we had 3.5 hours to create a tasting menu using all components of a mystery basket we recieved minutes before. My mystery basket contained:

Cod filet

Sirloin steak

Bone-in, skin-on chicken breast

Shrimp

Pork tenderloin

Asparagus

Parsnips

Cabbage

Sugar snap peas

Mini purple potatoes

Purple grapes

Quinoa

Sesame oil

After 3.5 hours, a blender of hot soup exploding on me and a few other roadblocks I finished with six solid dishes:

Pureed roasted carrot and parsnip soup with curry, turmeric and saffron garnished with grilled shrimp and mint

This was my favorite dish. Even in my time crunch, I really worked to layer flavors by roasting the carrots and parsnips with curry and turmeric, then added them in with my aromatics, vegetable stock and saffron.

Pan-fried chicken and scallion wontons with a cabbage, sugar snap pea and sliced grape slaw with grapeseed oil and lemon

For the filling, I roasted then pulled my chicken and added a touch of sesame oil, chopped scallions, honey and salt then filled the wonton wrappers and pan-fried them. I liked the savory wontons with the fresh slaw.

"Steak & frites"- an open-faced grilled sirloin sandwich with toasted baquette, smoked gouda, wasabi key lime mustard and mini-fried purple potato chips

Asian "nacho" with sesame-crusted cod, fried wonton, grilled asparagus and a cucumber salad

Braised pork tenderloin with a quinoa, herb and mango salad

Vegetarian taco with fried white beans, thyme and a braised red grape salsa

After the final, the rest of my weekend was spent moving into my new downtown apartment, fufilling my curry craving at Bombay Grill, catching up with friends and having brews at the Ginger Man and most importantly, a delicious and event-filled evening at the Taste of Fort Worth at the Hilton downtown.

Benefiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the event celebrated 30 years of "fine wine and culinary excellence" with a plethora of local wineries, restaurants, a silent auction and great company. After tasting wines and falling in love with honey flavored vodka from 42 Below Vodka, we tried to sample as much food as possible.

My favorites were:

Buttons- Seafood gumbo
Eddie V's- Halibut with microgreens and saffron tomatoes
Fort Worth Boat Club- Lamb "lollipops" with a mint jelly and peppercorn gravy
Grace- Corn panna cotta with lump crab
Lambert's- Chili grits with braised lamb shoulder and radish slaw
The Culinary School of Fort Worth- delish chocolate chip cookies

The evening was lovely, the food was incredible and the company kept me smiling all night!

chocolate soufflé and a double birthday!

This past weekend was another trip to Austin- Mom's 59th! Thursday night was spent at Sago- the new modern Mexican pick in the Triangle- with my mom and a high school friend of mine. We devoured the brisket enchiladadas with the chocolately mole sauce along with the butterflied grilled shrimp tacos with chipotle crema, a cabbage jicama slaw and avocado. Drinks of the night were Mexican mojitos and martinis with Herradura, lime and a blackberry puree- perfect for the spicy company.

Friday was equally delicious- with Eddie V's, you can do no wrong. Tonight was the official celebration for my Mom. Despite her reluctance to be part of the seniors boat, she is looking pretty damn good- stylish, champagne hair, a lot of energy and perfect, creamy skin. Mom and i sat at the bar waiting for the rest of the Brennan clan. Martha- the quirky, hippy sister...fluent in Spanish, extremely intelligent and has the most funky, beautiful jewelry from around the world. Patti- my godmother...the conservative, yet outspoken sister who is reluctant to embrace my "foodie" ways..I'm trying to crack her. And Becky- the youngest sister, blonde and beautiful....on the inside and out. Unforunatley m.i.a. was Ellen, the middle sister... crazy, vivacious, recently-divorced but having the time of her life. And finally, Becca, my grandmother- strong, resilient, beautiful silver hair and as quick-witted as a teenager.

Drinks started first...a dry pinot for Mom, Martha and I and margaritas for the rest of the table. Our waiter recommended the special- soft shell crab with sliced grapes, blanched almonds with a sweet pepper sauce...followed by the infamous crab cakes. Dinner ranged from lightly fried prawns with a blackberry horseradish sauce, Hong-Kong style steamed sea bass with bok choy, crispy sea bass with crab fried rice and filet. My night quickly changed from a posh atmosphere with waiters in ties to cheap beer and jaegar shots on bar stools (while simultaneously drunk texting my boyfriend..I know he loves it:)

Saturday was "thank God for gays day!"...just kidding. Mom and I went to San Marcos for her bff Alberts' fabulous 45th birthday celebration. And yes, Albert is gay, and extremely chic I might add. He's the seemingly straight middle-aged metrosexual complete with an unbuttoned Paul Smith with his chest hair peeking out, his summer white D&G watch and one hand perpetually attached to a large glass of vintage merlot...and of course, I loved it. Thank goodness for afternoon cocktails because my hangover was creeping up from the evening before...enter Albert with a white wine remedy. The afternoon was spent in their eclectic, yet quaint backyard along with other couples...my mother and I were the only straight party-goers which made everything THAT more exciting. Hummus, crostini, grilled eggplant with pine nuts and shrimp were passed around...grilled zucchini, squash and salmon were the finale. After a few drinks, we ventured back to Austin and freshened up for dinner.

The dinner locale was Roy's for some Hawaiian fusion. We started with the most heavenly lobster pot stickers I've ever put in my mouth followed by a sushi roll with King crab, asparagus, avocado and topped with rare Wagyu beef- clean and delicious. The cocktail of the night was a Stoli bluberry lemondrop..I was already on drink 2 when our heirloom tomato salad came, followed by a simple surf and turf of filet with garlic aioli and soft shell crab with a citrus slaw. My girlfriends from high school, Tyler and Adrienne, met us for dessert and after dinner coktails. After I inhaled the chocolate soufflé, we set off for a night on west sixth. Our night of drunken antics ended with a 3a.m. breakfast of buttermilk pancakes and spicy breakfast tacos at the infamous Magnolia cafe.