Dine & Dish: Slotted Spoon

The Salted Spoon meets the Slotted Spoon: A meatball eatery.

A what? Yes, a meatball mecca. An entire shop dedicated to meatballs of all varieties. You pick the meatball, the vessel on which to enjoy said meatball and then choose your sauce and extras. All this comes together to make one customized and enlightened meatball experience.

And in Denver style, the Slotted Spoon serves it up in a 'fast-casual' eatery. They've discovered and honed in on a niche in the ever growing fast-casual market that is inventive and fun. I anticipate we'll be seeing these guys open up numerous locations once the word spreads about their meatball goodness.

We lunched on Salmon Meatballs on a whole wheat hoagie and the Black Bean Meatballs on salad greens. Diner tip: Don't miss the Sautéed Greens which are divinely flavored with cracked pepper bacon and roasted garlic.

Need a bigger helping?:
Slotted Spoon: A meatball eatery

Citrus Herb Copper River King Salmon with Potatoes

As a member of the Fresh Catch Crew, I get to taste the salmon varieties of Copper River Salmon - the wild caught, high demand, top-of-the-market salmon.

I know, I'm one lucky gal, huh?

I posted a few weeks ago about Sockeye salmon. And now I am talking about King salmon. So, how is King salmon different? What makes it unique?

Dine & Dish: ChoLon Bistro

When entering ChoLon Bistro, a downtown dining hot spot, a friendly staff greets you with the ease and class of an long-time established restaurant. In their second year, ChoLon has carved out a particularly blissful section of the Denver dining scene - modern Asian cuisine.

ChoLon Bistro's Restaurant Week menu was served family style allowing dinners to try many dishes. We, along with my family, tasted nearly all the menu offerings.

A statement piece - a sesame crisp - served dramatically upright started off the meal. For dipping was a sauce with the strong, familiar flavors of chili powder.

Colorado Green Chili - Guest Post from SonnemanLand

Hi Foodie Friends....I've got a treat for you. My sister is guest posting! She is actually the person who got me into blogging in the first place!

You can read more about her life as mom to the adorable Josie at Sonneman Land. Take it away Meg......

Hi Everyone! I’m Megan, Kelly’s sister, and I too love food and trying new recipes. But sometimes you need staples you can always fall back on and this here is exactly that. Green Chili, it’s on of my favorite things to eat any time of the year, although getting fresh chilies is seasonal.

Roasted Rosemary Garlic

Entertaining this weekend? Roasted garlic is a sophisticated, yet simple, starter to an evening meal. The long cook time transforms the otherwise pungent raw garlic into a mild and buttery spread.

The fresh rosemary enhances the flavor even further. Crusty bread is the perfect carrier for enjoying this spreadable garlic.

When Kelly is away, what do I eat?!?!

Allow myself to introduce ... myself. I'm Dan. Kelly's husband. Also known as hubby, babe, that guy with the crazy sweet tooth, and the CTO of The Salted Spoon.

Being married to a foodie, I've become used to a certain level of cuisine, both out and at home. So, when Kelly is out of town, it puts me into a little bit of a predicament.

Mushroom Soup with Parmesan Crisps

There ground cover of snow outside seems to be growing rather than melting away. Hence, a nice bowl of soup is in order.

I've always enjoyed the hearty and earthy flavors of mushrooms. The use of a variety of mushrooms adds to the depth of flavor this healthy soup.

Tri-Colored Pepper Chili

Can you tell I am really on a soup kick?! Looking back over the past month is certainly a glimpse into my cooking cravings.

This one's no different - cold weather inspires my desire for soup. Or in this case, chili. I love it because making a big pot of chili on Sunday means I can eat it throughout the week.

Restaurant Week update

2 dinners scheduled ... hoping for 2 more!

So far, I will be dining with my foodie family - The Hubs, Momma, Sister, Bro-in-law and of course, Baby Josie.

Reservations at ChoLon Bistro & Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen

Restaurant week countdown ... 17 days!!

Denver friends - where will you be eating during Restaurant Week?

Restaurant Week!

My favorite time of the year is nearly here! In the life of a foodie, Denver Restaurant Week is big!

It's bigger than the excitement the Superbowl creates amongst a group of football fanatics. Why? Because it lasts for 2 weeks! The opportunities to try new restaurants are plentiful.

I am selecting my Restaurant Week eatlist now. It's hard to choose!

I can't wait!!

Denver friends - Where are you making reservations?

Long-distance friends - Many cities offer something similar to Restaurant Week. What exciting foodie events does your city offer?

Need a bigger helping?:
Restaurant Week Menus

Dine & Dish: Iggy's Cantina and Kitchen

We went to Iggy's based upon a word-of-mouth recommendation. The newly opened restaurant is located just east of Downtown Littleton.

Inside, you'll find a casual, colorful dining room with a small bar and 8 or so tables. A recently paved patio will double the seating come summertime.

Spicy Sausage & Shrimp Pasta

This dish is made healthier with addition of broccoli and whole-wheat pasta. The sauce is flavorfully rich and spicy!

Playoff Pizza Party

Every year - 22 and counting - my mom throws a Superbowl pizza party featuring 8-10 gourmet pizzas emerging from the oven every 20 minutes or so as we watch the game. Pizzas are sliced in small pieces so we can try all the varieties.

This year, our team - the Broncos, of course - are in the playoffs after unlikely odds. Naturally, this called for a shifting of the party to a Broncos playoff party!

Lightened-Up Seafood Chowder

I've always enjoyed a bowl of chowder but the restaurant version is more indulgent than I want. Here is a healthier version that's rich in favor - not in fat.

Adapted from Fine Cooking, One-Pot Meals

Ingredients: *Serves 4
4 slices center cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tbs. butter
1 large shallot, diced
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 6oz. can chopped clams
2 8oz. bottles clam juice
1 c. non-fat milk
8 oz. red potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped
3/4 lb. skinless cod fillets
8 oz. peeled and deveined cooked shrimp
S&P to taste

Directions:
Before cutting bacon, put in freezer for 3-5 minutes for easier cutting. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat for 8 minutes or until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease. Reserve half of bacon for garnish.

Add oil, butter, shallot and jalapeno to pot. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, almost toasting contents of pan.

Using whisk, stir in clam juice - bottles and juice from can. Add milk, potatoes, bacon, thyme and parsley and bring to simmer. Continue to stir occasionally. Reduce heat to medium to maintain simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Season cod fillets with salt and pepper. Add to pot and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in clams and cooked shrimp, cooking for another 2 minutes.

Serve in warmed bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley and bacon. Enjoy!

Vegetable Wellington

This dish is a healthy creation of the otherwise indulgent beef version that contains excessive butter and a pastry crust. The vegetable version is also quicker to cook. The result is fork tender vegetables in a light, yet flavorful, gravy sauce.

Ingredients: *Serves 6
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 lb cremini mushroom
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 medium yellow onion
1 large shallot, diced
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter
1/4 c. flour
2/3 c. red wine
1/2 tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 tbs. fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 c. chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
8 sheets filo dough
1 egg white plus 1 tsp. water, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In medium Dutch oven, heat oil on stovetop on medium heat. Chop potatoes, mushrooms and onion into 1 inch pieces. Halve Brussels sprouts and dice shallot. Add vegetables and butter to pot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to large bowl and set aside.

Return Dutch oven to heat and add wine, using whisk to deglaze bottom of pot. Add vinegar, bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add broth and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Salt and pepper vegetables to taste. Add flour and stir until coated. Transfer to pot and remove from heat.

Prepare egg wash. Gently place filo sheets across top of Dutch oven, brushing with egg wash every 2 sheets. Finish crust by gently tucking under edges of dough and sealing with egg wash on rim. Transfer to oven for 30 minutes.

Serve hot in shallow bowls and enjoy.

Happy holidays friends and foodies alike!

Peanut Shrimp Noodle Bowl

I often save the recipe pages from Health Magazine with plans of trying them at a later date. Over a year later, I've finally gotten around to a recipe from Dave Lieberman. I adapted the peanut sauce and added veggies and shrimp to make it a full meal.

Ingredients: * Serves 4
2 tbs. canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbs. low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
3 tbs. rice wine vinegar
3 tbs. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. chicken broth, divided
juice from half of lime
6 oz whole-wheat spaghetti
1 broccoli floret, cut
3/4 lb. shrimp
1 medium carrot, cut julienne
1/8 red onion, cut julienne
1/4 c. scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions:
In a large pot, bring water to boil and cook spaghetti as directed by packaging. Cut vegetables as directed above.

In small saucepan, heat canola oil on medium low . Add garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Do not burn. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, peanut butter, broth and lime juice. Stir with whisk regularly. Stir and cook until smooth and slightly thickened.

At the same time, cook broccoli in large saucepan with 1/4 cup chicken broth on medium heat. Approximately 6 minutes. Remove broccoli from pan.
Spray large saucepan with cooking spray and add shrimp. Sautee on medium heat on both sides until cooked through. Reduce heat. Add carrot, red onion and broccoli to pan. Let cook for 2 minutes. Add pasta to saucepan. Add peanut sauce and mix thoroughly. Garnish with scallions and red pepper (if desired).

Serve hot and enjoy!

Kielbasa & Vegetable Jambalaya

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit

Now that the weather has turned cold, it's time to cook the recipes I save for wintertime. This recipe is especially good for early-week cooking because the leftovers keep giving all week long.

Ingredients: *Serves 10

12 oz. cooked turkey Kielbasa
12 oz. applewood smoked ham steak
3 medium yellow onions
1 tsp. canola oil
2 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 green bell pepper
3 celery stocks
3 medium carrots, peeled
28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 c. long-grain rice
1 tbs. paprika
1 tbs. smoked paprika
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut kielbasa at angle into 1/4 inch slices. Cube ham steak. Brown together in saucepan. Remove from saucepan and set aside. Dice onions and sauté in oil until browned. Mince garlic and add to saucepan for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Rough chop peppers, celery and carrots and combine in large pot. Cook vegetables on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add kielbasa, ham, onions and tomatoes. Stir in paprika, chili powder, thyme and cayenne pepper.

Add broth to pot and stir in rice. Bring to boil. Remove pot from stovetop heat and place in oven for 45 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Serve hot and enjoy.

Pistachio & Cranberry Couscous

In a pinch for time, I needed a quick side dish to accompany dinner. This couscous was as flavorful as it was colorful.

Ingredients: *Serves 4

1 medium yellow onion
1 tsp. canola oil
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 c. couscous
1/4 c. shelled pistachios
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
S&P to taste

Directions:

Finely dice onion and place in non-stick saucepan with canola oil. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned. In small pot, bring broth to boil. Stir in couscous, remove from heat and cover with lid. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat on saucepan to low. Rough chop pistachios and cranberries and add to onions. Fluff couscous with fork. Add to saucepan. Stir in olive oil until ingredients are well mixed. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!

Leftover Turkey Soup

I roasted a turkey breast for dinner last week and had lots of leftovers! I repurposed said leftovers in a soup, perfect for cold weather days.

Ingredients:

4 c. chicken broth
2 1/2 lbs. leftover roasted turkey breast
2 medium yellow onions
1 tsp. olive oil
15 oz. navy beans, drained
15 oz. Great Northern beans, drained
28 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 tbs. tomato paste
1 tbs. cumin
1 tbs. chili powder
2 bay leaves
S&P, to taste
1 tbs. fresh parsley

Directions:

In large pot, bring chicken broth to slow boil. Rough chop roasted turkey breast into bite sided pieces. Add to pot. Finely dice onions and sauté with oil in non-stick saucepan. When sautéed to a golden brown, remove from heat and add to soup pot. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder and bay leaves to pot. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Finely chop parsley. Dish up and garnish with parsley and freshly cracked pepper. Serve hot and enjoy.


Sometimes, it takes a little creativity to use up those leftovers. How do you plan to use your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread

Featured in this month's 5280 Magazine, this flatbread recipe comes from local chef, Elise Wiggins.

Despite my challenged relationship with pizza crusts, I decided to give Wiggins' flatbread a try. Flatbreads are, after all, rustic and artisan by nature. Translation: imperfect. Hence, just my style. Flatbreads are also very thin. Translation: light. Also, my style.

Much to the amusement of my chef mom, I rolled out the flatbreads with my own version of a rolling pin. A proper rolling pin has been added to my 'Kitchen Wants' list. That way, next time, I will be able to drink the wine whilst rolling dough.

From the recipe, I altered the directions only slightly ... I placed the prosciutto atop the arugula to protect it from wilting as I baked it in the oven for 1 minute.

In the end, we 3 - Dan, Mom and myself - fully enjoyed the crispiness of the flatbread. That combined with the subtle saltiness from the prosciutto, earthy flavor of the arugula and slight sweetness from the aged balsamic came together to create the perfect bite.

Need a bigger helping?:
Dough Recipe
Flatbread Recipe