Duff's

Duff's brought Buffalo one of the finest versions of wings back in 1969 and has continued to do so ever since. They are hot, there doesn't appear to be a mild, but even so, despite the heat, the flavor is full on from first taste to finish. To top it all off, they are undeniably addictive.

Their hot sauce is locally made and their house beer is brewed by Rochester's CB's Brewing Company. If you visit their home base in Amherst, NY, ask for Maggie as your waitress, she's a real sweetheart!








We ordered the 1/2 pitcher of house brew, fries, and 20 wing special and Blue and Bacon Burgers. What impressed me were the crisp shoestring fries, the equally crisp bacon, and the soft rolls from Costanzo's Bakery!

Nothing destroys a perfectly good blue cheese and bacon burger than stringy under-cooked bacon or a crappy cheap roll, and as you can see pictured below this was not the case. It was a stupendous burger! If only this post was scratch & sniff.

      

Spinach and Garlic & Herb Jack Cheese Ring

I went to the Farmer's Market on Bidwell on Saturday. I stopped by First Light Farm & Creamery's table and picked up a brick of their Garlic & Herb Jack cheese.

Rolled out the dough as long and thin as possible. Then drizzled it liberally with olive oil.

The spinach came from Winter Farms. A light sprinkle of Grind to a Salt seasoning from Simply Organics was added and then the whole thing was rolled up as tightly as possible.

The oven was pre-heated to 380 degrees. I formed a ring and slid it on a greased pan. The crust was oiled and more Grind to a Salt was sprinkled on top.

The ring was baked for about 40 minutes and then set out on a cutting board to cool for ten minutes before slicing.

This produces a soft bread with flavorful cheese and spinach swirls and a light brown crust.

This was served with wild rice and a side salad. The salad had Asian lettuces from our garden along with Winter Farm spinach, kumatos and Jonathan's Organic pea shoots from the Lexington co-op.

Surf & Turf Date Night

 I am addicted to this blend of Simply Organic's Grind to a Salt. Sea salt, organic mustard, organic celery seed, organic garlic, organic onion, organic chili peppers, organic black pepper. This is tasty on rice, quinoa and popcorn. Especially popcorn!

I had picked up these two organic petite tenderloin tips and organic shrimp from Wegmans just for a night like this. An unexpected kid free evening gave me just the impetus for a surf & turf dinner.

The foil tray was seasoned with two pats of butter, a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and a bit of Grind to a Salt. A drizzle of oil and seasoning on top of the sliced tips and shrimp and then broiled until just golden.

This salad mix is scrumptious with sweet peppers, kumatos, a bit of balsamic vinaigrette and pistachios.

Asiago cheese bread from Lexington Co-op.

 Served with Rainbow Quinoa...

...and Magic Hat's Elder Betty.

Chicken Souvlaki Salad

This past summer, when I was canning, I tried making a jar of tzatziki base that could later have yogurt or cultured sour cream added to it. During the winter we tried it out as an alternative to

sauerkraut and as a sweet relish. Both were delicious, but this was the first time using it as I'd intended and it didn't disappoint.

 I love this Tzatziki recipe, it comes from fellow blogger Kalyn. I really admire her as a food enthusiast, home chef, gardener and writer, I think you might too.

Our salad had wild spring lettuces, sweet peppers, kumatos, Stacy's Pita Chips, mix of olives and feta from the Lexington co-op.

The chicken was marinated in Greek Goddess for two hours and then grilled. The meal was flavorful and filling and I will definitely make this again!

New Year's Dinner

We celebrated our Yule dinner on New Year's Eve with all the family squeezed round the table. Much like Thanksgiving, the table was loaded with all kinds of deliciousness. There was a giant salad, sherry mushrooms, sweet potatoes in maple syrup and La Fiera's 2009 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

As it was our first year as a married couple I decided to start an old tradition of "Feast of the 7 Fishes". Some families have multiple dishes with fish or shellfish being the main ingredient, coupled with vegetables and/or pasta. I made one dish with three types of seafood; Salmon, Shrimp, and Lobster. 

The fettuccine pasta was perfect for building a nest for the sauce and fish. The cream sauce was 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1 cup of water, 8 oz cream cheese, and 12 oz freshly shredded aged Italian asiago cheese. It was rich without being heavy and the flavor from the asiago was heavenly! 

Spar's Heritage Sausage Wraps, Smoked Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits, Organic Carrots, and Mixed Salad

Spar's Heritage Pork Smoked Sausage with Mushrooms & Bavarian Swiss wrapped in a soft buttermilk biscuit. Spar's also carries a number of deli meats and cheeses. In between two biscuits is a layer of their smoked cheddar. The carrots are rough jullienned and steamed. Their flavor was so amazing that they didn't need anything like butter or salt! Simple fair that's simply out of this world delicious!

Chicken Fajitas and Homemade Guacamole

Wednesday night's are South of the Boarder Nights. But to be honest we've had so many taco nights in the last two weeks (as if to make up for a month of no tacos, due to the Locavore Challenge) I put a ban on anything taco like, but relented when Bob offered to make chicken fajitas and homemade guacamole (my veggie weakness!).
He used local chicken and an organic mix from Simply Organic. The guacamole was 3 organic fruits mixed with minced red onion, 1/2 a lime's worth of juice, powdered garlic, red chili powder, salt, and pepper. Delicioso!

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 22 - Steak with Marinated Artichokes and Bergenost Cheese

Break down cost of this meal.

Steak from Lake Country Farm $5.80
Artichokes from Quarry Brook Farms $4.00
Boston Lettuce from Eden Farms $1.99
Greek Goddess Dressing and Marinade
Bergenost Cheese from Yancy's Fancy $3.48
Heirloom Tomatoes $1.00

Total cost for 4 servings = $16.27

Layer the steaks into an oiled pan with artichokes hearts that have been marinated. Add a layer of Bergenost cheese on top. Tent the foil over the pan and broil on low or at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and broil on high for two minutes or allow to continue to bake at 400 degrees uncovered until the cheese just starts to brown. Serve with a salad and a tangy beverage.

Day 16 - South American Quinoa and Beans with Cucumber Salad

Breakdown cost of this meal.

Beans $2.99
Quinoa $1.00
Honey from Dawes Hill $1.00
Lettuce $0.80
Cucumbers $0.50
Broccoli $1.00
Cumin, salt, and pepper
Peppercorns, Coriander and Dill seed ground
Sour Cream from Byrne Dairy $1.99
A splash of organic milk

Total cost for 4 servings = $9.28

Fry the beans in olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and honey. Turn flame down low and leave a pepper in until time to serve to add a touch of heat to the beans. Make quinoa like rice, adding 1 cup shaved broccoli in during the last five minutes. Crack peppercorns, dill and coriander seeds and mix with 1/2 cup sour cream and a splash of milk. Stir in the cucumbers and set in the freezer for 10 minutes to get very cold. Then dish and enjoy!

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

Day 1 - Strawberry Vinaigrette Chicken with Quinoa and Salad

Breakdown of cost for this meal.

Strawberry Vinaigrette (Homemade) $0.95

Quinoa $1.78
Chicken Thighs from Wendel's Poultry Farm $2.38
Cherry Berry Dried Fruit Mix from Singer Farms $1.15

Wild Greens from Native Offerings $1.30

Red Leaf Lettuce from Eden $0.85

Cherokee Tomatoes from our garden 

Sunflower oil from Full Circle Farming $0.25

Extra Sharp Cheddar from Cuba Lake $1.81

Total cost for four servings = $10.47

Make the quinoa like rice - 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of quinoa. Pan fry chicken thighs in Strawberry Vinaigrette until browned, about 20 minutes. Salad is wild greens, tomatoes, dried fruit, cheddar, and strawberry jam juice.