A preview of food to come …

I find myself about to embark on a 2 week trip that will be unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I am … wait for it … Africa bound. No doubt, there will be many stories to tell upon my return. It is my hope that the trip will be an adventure in food exploration as well – Weetabix and all.

Garlic dill fries

I’ve always loved French fries. They are my weakness (well, one of them, anyway). And fries accompanying a good, juicy burger is even better. But since I enjoy a healthier lifestyle than that of greasy burgers and fries, I often make them at home – oven-fried style. This time, I used sweet potatoes and seasoned with garlic and dill for something different. I’d never tried this flavor combo before and I have to say, I quite liked the earthy flavor of the dill with the sweetness of the potato.

1 large sweet potato, peeled
1-2 cloves garlic, freshly pressed
Olive oil
Dill
Parsley
S&P

Peel potato and cut lengthwise. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season generously with dill, parsley, salt, pepper and fresh garlic. Mix thoroughly. Spread on baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. *Baking time will vary depending on thickness of cut fries. Crisp up by broiling fries for 2 minutes per side but keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Crunchy granola

For those who like to rise and dine – I’ve never been one to skip breakfast – this crunchy, cinnamony granola has made my summer mornings a treat.

9 cups rolled oats
2 cups sliced almonds
2 ½ cups rice cereal
3 tbs. flax seed
4 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp maple flavoring
1 cup honey

Mix thoroughly and bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Makes 25, ½ cup servings.

I’ve been mixing my granola with non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt and fresh berries. It’s the perfect healthy breakfast to keep me full all morning. Yum!

Happy Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of my blog. So much has happened in one year … 73 posts, 2 foodie fundraisers, 4 food adventures, meeting 1 famous chef, becoming a featured blogger on Urbanspoon and LocalEats, 1 amusing recipe disaster, 15 Dine & Dishes, 27 ‘official’ followers and countless ‘unofficial’ followers < smile >.

Thank you to all who’ve journeyed with me - dish by dish. And to my blog … thank you for being my creative outlet and the forum for my love affair with all things food.

I guess I can have my cake and eat it too.

Need a bigger helping?:
Strawberry Country Cake

Best night ever, the report …

Taste of the Nation – fundraiser for Share Our Strength – has been rated the best food event in Denver. That’s a pretty strong statement, right? I thought so. And now that I’ve attended the event myself, I can say that I whole-heartedly agree with the boasting. In the life of a foodie, it was an amazing night.

Let me highlight a few things that made this event great …
• Inspired food from 30+ local restaurants
• A libation competition offering adult beverage creations
• An entire section devoted to tasting the products of local, small food businesses
• All this whilst supporting a good cause

It’s easy to imagine that such an event – with its overindulgence of decadent food juxtaposed against the raising of funds to support children with hungry bellies - would inspire a giving spirit.

On a personal note, the evening was “one of the best” for a couple of reasons: 1) I was recognized for the first time! Somebody recognized me from this, here, little food blog. And in my book, that's pretty exciting. 2) Something else came from the evening. But it’s too early to share. It will come, in time. Follow along this summer to find out what’s to come – all thanks to this great night.

All I have left to say is that a night like this is only made better when sharing the experience with somebody you love. I’ll raise my glass to that.

Need a bigger helping?:
Share Our Strength

Find a Share Our Strength foodie fundraiser in your town:
Share Our Strength Events

Dine & Dish: Aria

The dining options of Cherry Creek have expanded once more with the arrival of Aria, the recently opened sister restaurant to Opus.

We made an evening of it and ordered the Chef’s tasting menu with wine pairing. The tasting menu featured 5 courses and began with a seared sea scallop and carrot risotto. The scallop was perfectly cooked and the light risotto was encircled by vibrantly colored sauces. This dish was a promising start to our meal.

The second course came in the form of a ricotta salad with basil and spring strawberries. The smoothness of the ricotta with the basil and berries made for a light and summery dish. The salad course was one of my favorites of the evening.

The next course was a medium rare tuna served with a shallot cake and pineapple kim chi. I quite enjoyed the texture of the shallot cake but it had a bit too much heat for my liking so I passed on a second bite.

My other favorite dish emerged as the fourth course - the Dr. Pepper bison short rib with vanilla parsnip. My first bite was of the vanilla bean parsnip alone and the flavor profile was initially lost on me. That is, until I took another bite – probably as the chef intended – with the vanilla parsnip and short rib combined on the fork. This bite resulted in a mouthful of blissful flavor.

With already filled bellies, our meal concluded with a chocolate spring roll served with ice cream and accompanied by a glass of port. I especially enjoyed the crunch of the roll with the warm chocolate inside.

Having enjoyed the tasting menu with the wine pairing, Aria’s sommelier deserves notable mention as he made our dining experience. What I so appreciated about his wine conversation was that he maintained a balance of educational and approachable all at the same time.

Overall, the highlight of Aria is the food – as it should be – but being one who also thoroughly loves the atmosphere of a restaurant – I’ll also say that the size and layout of the main dining room doesn’t lend itself to the quaint, neighborhood feel I so enjoy. Even so, my final word on Aria is ... the menu hits several high notes on the flavor scale.

Need a bigger helping?:
Aria