Minneapolis Taste Buds

I had my sister and cousins over tonight for a laid back dinner. Chips and corn salsa, Gorgonzola and strawberry salad, brats and veggie burgers, and raspberry swirl were on the menu. The husband took our dog to the Hound Dog Pet Hotel for doggie daycare, so I didn't need to worry about her while I was working and getting everything ready. Corn Salsa Recipe 5 T. olive oil 3-4 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob 2/3 c. chopped green onion 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 c. finely diced red onion 3 T. fresh lime juice 1 T. minced jalapeno chilies w/seeds 5 minced garlic cloves 1 large tomato, chopped Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add corn and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Remove pan from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Cool. Add the remaining 3 T. of olive oil, tomato, and remaining ingredients to the bowl. Toss to combine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Refrigerate and serve wit...

Last night we went to another fantastic wine dinner at al Vento with some friends. The theme was wine and food from Portugal. al Vento's wine dinner's are a great deal at just $40 per person for 4 courses and 4-5 glasses of wine. At each wine dinner event, al Vento's owner and a local wine rep talk about the food and wine pairings, and guests have an opportunity to order the featured wines at significantly discounted prices. We'll pick up our order at Lyndale Liqours this Friday. We typically make dinner reservations at al Vento and many other restaurants around town using http://www.opentable.com/ . Each time you keep a dinner reservation you made on Open Table, you earn points towards Dining Rewards (cash you can use at OpenTable restaurants). When making an Open Table reservation for al Vento's wine dinners, make sure you note that you're planning to attend the wine dinner in the comments section. Visit al Vento's website or sign up at al Vento to recei...

I was asked to bring dessert to the 4th of July BBQ at my sister's house and decided to bring a family favorite, Raspberry Swirl. The recipe card credits my aunt with the recipe though she doesn't remember ever making it. The Swirl makes a perfect summer dessert and doesn't require much oven time (just 6-8 minutes for the graham cracker crust), which is great on hot days. Raspberry Swirl Recipe 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs 3 T. melted butter Combine these 2 ingredients and press into a greased pan Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes until just slightly browned 3 eggs separated 1 8 oz. package cream cheese 1 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 c. heavy whipping cream 1 10 oz. package frozen raspberries - partially thawed 1* Beat egg yolks until thick. Add cream cheese, sugar, salt and beat until smooth and light. 2* Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. 3* Whip cream until stiff. Fold egg whites and whipped cream into cheese mixture. Pour cheese mixture on top of the graham cracker c...

We have 2 sour cherry trees in our backyard. Who knew they could grow right in the city? My husband and I pretty much picked the trees clean this year in an effort to keep our dog from ingesting anymore of them. She has a digestive disorder and any little thing she eats that isn't part of her diet (aka expensive prescription dog food) can trigger some ugly tummy troubles. The cherries freeze very nicely and make lovely hostess gifts for those who like to bake pies. My sister, the chef , used to work for an Uptown restaurant where they made cherry pie and cherry preserves. From last year's batch my sister made cherry pies, cherry sorbet, and cherry crisp. Beth, when are you inviting us over for more cherry-based desserts? Notice how we don't seem to cook with our own cherry tree crops . . .

Anyone who cooks has their favorite kitchen tools and appliances. Here are some that make cooking easier and much more fun at our house. KitchenAid Mixer I have the pretty standard version without too many bells & whistles, but it's my absolute favorite kitchen toy. Mine is white, but they now come in a variety of fun colors. Cookie Scoop My cookie scoop from Cooks of Crocus Hill is great for making the perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookie or Brandy Chocolate Truffles. Apple Wedger I'm a little lazy when it comes to cutting apples and pears, but this tool is fantastic! We eat apples pretty much everyday now since we received the apple wedger for Christmas a few years ago. Le Creuset Dutch Oven My cute little brown dutch oven is fantastic for searing short ribs and roasts. I also make the No Knead Bread in it and it looks great on our shelf in our brown kitchen. Wusthof Knives So far I have a pairing knife and a 6" Grand Prix Cook's Knife. You can't beat a Wust...

My husband was very "meat and potatoes" when we met, but he credits me with making him brave enough to try almost anything. I have my family to thank for that. My dad used to own a restaurant and did the bulk of the cooking while I grew up. My mom was also a great cook and I think I got my baking skills from her. My sister is a chef and teaches cooking classes, so she's always telling me about her latest creations and sharing her recipes. My mother-in-law cooks amazing feasts whenever we're home for a weekend or the holidays, and I've learned a lot from her. The way she creates fantastic meals for 10-20, depending on which kids and grandkids are home, is incredible. One of my favorite things about her meals is the huge bowl of fruit she always has on hand. My husband and I almost always end our meals with a bowl of fruit. It curbs my "I need something sweet" craving and gives us a little something healthy instead of a full-blown dessert. I have some oth...

I was thinking about my favorite family recipes tonight and my mom's spaghetti and meatballs came to mind. The year she passed away, my dad turned 65 and my sister and I decided to throw him a surprise party. I was in charge of making dinner. I made the sauce ahead of time and put everything in my little Cavalier to drive over to my dad's house where we were having the party. As I turned off of 94 to merge onto highway 52, a big wave of steam surrounded my head. I spilled almost an entire crockpot full of sauce in the back of my car. Even after a nice car detailing the Cav still smelled fantastic! Spaghetti & Meatballs Meatballs 1/2 pound ground pork 1/2 pound groud beef 2 medium onions, finely chopped 1 T. olive oil 3-5 large cloves of garlic 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup grated Parmessan cheese 1/2 cup dry Italian breadcrumbs 1 egg 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Brown onions and garlic in olive oil. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into small balls. Brown meatb...

Now that it's July our basil plants have become incredibly fragrant basil bushes so we're in homemade pizza mode. As our neighbor says, "I garden to eat," but my tomatoes got a late start so I had to stop at Lund's for some Romas . Last night we chopped a ton of basil after I took the hubby to his very first Yoga class at the Y. We keep our pizzas pretty simple, but you could add any combination of fresh veggies and herbs from your garden. Tomato Basil Pizzas One package of 4-5 pocketless pitas 3 Roma tomatoes - chopped Bunch of Fresh Basil - thinly sliced 3-5 cloves of garlic (we like a lot of garlic!) Sea Salt 2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil + extra 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese Use a garlic press to crush the garlic into a large bowl. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, 2 T. olive oil, and mix. Place pitas on a cookie sheet. Place a drop of olive oil onto each pita and spread over the whole pita. Cook at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes (pitas should start to tu...