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

White Bean and Spinach Soup

January in Colorado means we're not yet past the possibility of wintertime snow storms. Cold weather always inspires me to make a big pot of soup! And I was craving a healthy veggie soup.

The great thing about making this soup - it's E-A-S-Y! And healthy too!

Perfect for supporting a healthy lifestyle. Can't get much better than that.

White Bean and Spinach Soup
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine

Ingredients: *Serves 6
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 c. vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can tomato puree
1 15 oz. can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. brown rice, uncooked
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 c. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
3 tbs. shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large non-stick skillet, sauté onions in oil until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. In a large pot, combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in onion and garlic.
3. Cover and cook on medium heat, to a slow simmer, for 2 1/2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, stir in spinach and garnish with cheese. Dig in and enjoy!

Milk and Cookies

I am currently in the baby phase of life - many of my girlfriends are pregnant. It's been such fun to watch their bellies grow! My own Mom wanted to honor my preggo friends by having a brunch for them.

A foodie in the making...

This little cutie is my niece, Josie. Isn't she a doll? She's not yet 2 and is already showing signs of being a foodie.

I come from a family of foodies. And Josie is right there with us. Here's how I know....

• She likes all kinds of foods.
• She loves to play in the kitchen.
• She learned to say food words (apple) before some people's names (mine, *sigh).
• And she's not afraid to taste from other people's plates - or spoons, for that matter.

Just like her auntie. And momma. And grammy.

Will be fun to watch as she moves from sitting in the saucepan to cooking in it.

Here's to foodies of all ages!

And we have a winner!

Or winners - plural - I should say....

Courtesy of the random selection from Random.org.

The spoons sets will be adding color to the lucky kitchens of: Deb from East of Eden Cooking AND DBuny. Congratulations! Please send an email with your contact info to kellyeats@gmail(dot)com

Thank you to ALL who entered! It was such fun to hear about your own kitchen styles!

I LOVED getting all your comments - kitchen style related or otherwise.

Happy spooning! (Hehe.)

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.

Colorado Cooler

What do you do on game day when the fridge is full of food? Make yourself a cooler - Colorado style!

Cheers!

The Broncos lost last night - badly. Here's looking to next year!

(Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY! Click here for more info.)

New spoons and a GIVEAWAY!

New condiment spoons for my kitchen!

It was the colors that drew me in ... I've never been one to shy away from bold color. The whole concept of color blocking is just my style. Even in the kitchen.

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!

Fan Page

A little news about The Salted Spoon ... I am happy to tell you that I've created a fan page on Facebook.

"Like" it for quick and easy posts and updates about all things food - both salted and spooned.

Click here to like us on Facebook: The Salted Spoon Fan Page

Whole Wheat Banana Pom Muffins

A quiet Saturday morning at home is perfect for breakfast baking. These muffins are made healthy with whole-wheat, banana and pomegranate seeds. I hope you'll enjoy!

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!

Ringing in 2012

A New Year's celebration, a tale in pictures....

Once a year, this "treat" makes an appearance at our house.
For Dan of course.

This is how I really feel about said "treat". Yuck!

On to the good stuff...

Hot cocoa bar
for our preggo friends and chocolate lovers alike

Sweet toppings

More sweet eats - gooey brownies

Savory eats - meats and cheeses

Blue cheese pretzels

White bean dip

Libation station

Some party goers turned in early.
Here's the ball drop countdown group.

Happy New Year!

It's here ... welcome to my NEW blog!

Happy New Year, friends!

2012 is going to be a great year, I can feel it. And to kick the year off in foodie style, I welcome you to The Salted Spoon!

I've been dying to share the new face of my blog with you. What do you think? I think my html-tinkering hubby did a darn good job!

As promised, you will continue to see many similar things from Apron Strings & Foodie Things. There will also be many new things along the way! I'd love to hear what you like and what you'd like more of as we share this virtual meal together.

Thank you for your readership and friendship!

Your readership flatters me. Your comments make me happy. And a forum to express my food obsessions thrills me!

Cheers to you, my foodie friends!

Bottoms up, Kelly