Cafe 59

Bowl of Tortellini Soup and Grilled Cheese Texas Toast Sandwich combo at Cafe 59 located on the corners of Allen and Franklin in Allentown. This delightful combo was served with no flair but a lovely smile and a perky "Enjoy!". I went for a meeting and left with a full belly and a head swimming with ideas. Thank you Cafe 59 for making my lunch time meeting so cheery!

Day 26 - Gramma Mora's Mexican Restaurant

Last night was hot and uncomfortable on so many levels. Too hot to stay inside and make anything. We went out instead for some authentic mexican food at Gramma Moras! The family that runs the restaurant have been in business for over thirty years and their commitment to serving quality food in a festive setting shows in so many ways. From the very chunky homemade guacamole, to their well seasoned homemade chorizo sausage, to using local vegetables and meats the whole experience at Gramma's is one of settle down and tuck in. Dishes are large and well plated and there are always leftovers!

We had Chicken and Steak Fajita and Quesadilla dinners. There were baskets of freshly made chips and red chilies salsa, a large bowl of bean dip and the guacamole was outstanding.

Day 13 - Grilled Chicken with Broccoli, Potatoes, and Salad

I am grateful to my fiance for making tonight's amazing locally sourced dinner and letting me kinda lay low this evening. Despite all of my good intentions, I got waylaid with a cold and was too tired and unwell to tackle anything more complicated than stirring the mashed potatoes! Make sure you show your appreciation to whomever made your meal today!

Break down cost of this meal.

3 chicken breasts $5.67
Broccoli $1.48
Heirloom Tomatoes from Eden Valley Growers $3.99
Fancy Leaf Romain $1.99
Cucumber $0.50
Greek Goddess Salad Dressing from Greek Goddess Products $6.48
Garlic Mashed Potatoes $7.00
Bread with Green Tomato and Raspberry Jam
Total cost for 4 servings = $27.11

First Light Farm & Creamery Double Creme Chevre Cauliflower served with Chiavetta's Chicken

When I went to the Bidwell Farmer's Market the morning of Saturday the 30th, I met Max, a goat cheese maker and co-owner of First Light Farm & Creamery.   We got to talking about my captaining Buffalo in the NY Locavore Challenge and our shared passion for all things cheese and he handed me this container and challenged me to make something with it. Frankly after tasting it at his tent I really wanted to just sit under the tree nearby and eat it with my fingers, but I took his challenge to heart and thought long and hard about what could be made with soft creamy goat cheese. 

Here is my dish:

Double Creme Chevre Cauliflower.

                                             

A brown butter barley roux to start, flavored with Irish Sea Salt and whipped with skim milk till stiff peaks formed. Then half of the container of Thyme and White Pepper Chevre is folded in until fully incorporated.

Separate the cauliflower into large bite sized pieces and pour all of the cream sauce on top. Sprinkle with panko and bread crumbs. I like combining the two for the difference in flavor and crunch. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, until a very pale golden brown.

Sprinkle with minced parsley just before dishing. 

Serve with Chiavetta's grilled chicken and a large herbed salad.

Penne with Zucchini, Red Sweet Peppers, and Italian Sausage

Slice 1 cup of zucchini.

Large cut 1/2 sweet red bell pepper.

Sliver 1/4 of a red onion and 6 baby bell peppers.

Boil 1 lb penne pasta with 2 tbls olive oil and a dash of salt.

Pan fry in olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of cumin until the onions are translucent.

 Brown the zucchini and peppers in butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper until the squash slices are limp but not falling apart.

Broil or grill the Italian sausages. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Toss the slivered onions and peppers in with the penne.

Dish pasta, layering the sausage, squash, and peppers on top.

Chiavetta's Long Chicken Wings and Seasoned Fries

This is how you cut a chicken wing. Remove the web and the tip and then crack the center of the joint and lay flat. Separate your wings ten (10) per one (1) gallon zip bag and add 3/4 cup of Chiavetta's Barbeque Marinade. Zip the bag closed and roll the wings to ensure each are fully coated. I recommend doing this any where from 24 to 48 hour before grilling so that the marinade saturates the meat and doesn't just flavor the skin.

Cut potatoes into aprox. 1/2 x 1/4 x 4 inch cuts.

Curry, Celery Salt and Olive Oil. Zip bag, toss, and freeze.
Bake at 425 degrees until crisp.

Sweet Paprika, Parsley, Garlic, Sea Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil. 

Zip bag, toss, and freeze. Bake at 425 degrees until crisp.