Bloody Mary Martini

As most of my closest friends know, when I have a drink, I tend to try to turn it into a martini. I love bloody mary's, so I created a bloody mary martini. This is too easy and too good all at the same time.

2 shots of your favorite bloody mary mix
2 shots of your favorite vodka
Splash of worcestershire sauce
Splash of hot sauce
2 table spoons of pickle juice (Secret ingredient)

Put this in a shaker and strain into a martini glass. Enjoy!!!

Pork Chops w/white balsamic reduction

The other day i was just sitting around and trying to figure out what do use my white balsamic vinegar on besides a salad dressing? Then "boom" I might as well try reducing it! I decided to cook pork chops and use the pan drippings a for my reduction. I also chose to make a potato puree with fresh rosemary and black truffle oil. My green beans were fresh and I  sauteed them in a dollop of bacon fat. I told my wife what I was making and she was like, that sound ok... The first bite into the chops, and her eyes lit up! White balsamic, chicken stock, shallots, and pan drippings are as serious as they come! The potato puree was nothing to joke about either.
This meal was just as fun to eat as it was to make. I try to think a little outside the box when I cook, but sometime trial and error helps. White balsamic to me is a little more milder than its darker brother. I will be trying to reduce it with a dry white wine soon, so please stay tuned. If you have any questions or want recipes please let me know.

Chef's Abode

Tonight I did something that I never thought I would do. I went to an interactive cooking class. Chef's Abode, Chef's Abode, Chef's Abode! This place is amazing. It has a comfortable feel, and the instructor was so awesome! Chef John Michale Lerma, taught us how to make gourmet pizzas at home. We made pizzas with the likes of pine nuts, peaches, grapes, and even mascarpone cheese? Yes a pizza with mascarpone cheese. Chef Lerma put together some pizza creations, that left you palate screaming for more! I can't wait to go back to Chef's Abode for more classes. Please go their website www.chefsabode.com

Crab Cake Salad

I went out to lunch with some co-workers to one of our favorite burger spots. I was not in the mood for a burger, then I saw a special that said "Crab cake Salad". So I said to myself, self you should get that. It was a salad that had a crab cake, fresh baby mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, with a lemon basil vinaigrette. Needless to say, that salad was awesome! I said, I need to go home and recreate this and make it better. So i made my own vinaigrette with white balsamic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and pesto. That was the best vinaigrette I have ever made. The rest of the salad was easy. Romaine hearts, baby heirloom tomatoes, fresh baby mozzarella, and a crab cake (I used a crab cake from Trader Joes). When my wife took her first bite, she had this look on her face like, how did you come up with something that you only ate once? I did have to pat myself on the back with this one. My passion is food! Food is love!!!

Rootbeer Float Martini

Let me tell you the story behind this spectacular after dinner drink. I was stuck doing jury duty, but we were able to leave a bit early one day. I stopped down at a bar where a frined of mine was bartending. She asked me to try a drink she just made. She said do you like rootbeer floats? I said not really, but if its free, I will give it a try. She made the drink and told me to close my eyes and imagine a hot summer day when I was a kid and then take a sip. I was so surprised that it tasted just like a rootbeer float! I asked what was in it and then it dawned on me, why not make it a martini? So I gathered up the ingredients and made it for my wife. She is kind of my guinee pig when it comes to new drink. She loved it!! Its a great dessert or after dinner drink. It is almost too easy to make.
 1 shot of each: Baileys, Kalua, Rootbeer Schnaaps, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, Patron XO Cafe.
Add to shaker and shake away all your worries, and strain into a martini glass. "Please Drink Responsibly"

Zuppa Toscana

Last night a friend invited my wife and I over for dinner. She said that we were having soup. At first I was not thrilled about eating soup. I am not a huge fan of soup. My wife explained to me that its a soup that they serve at Olive Garden. Still, I was not thrilled. When we walked in the house, my mouth started watering from the aroma that filled the room. The smell of sausage, bacon, stock, put a smile on my face. As we sat down to eat, I took one bite and I was hooked. That soup is loaded with flavor. Spicy Italian sausage, Kale, bacon, russet potatoes, heavy cream, chicken stock, and a lot of love! I want to send a special shout out to Michelle Norgaard for making this incredible soup. There I said it, INCREDIBLE SOUP!!!

Tilapia Milanese w/ arugala salad

This particular dish was very simple to prepare and tasted like we were at a restaurant. Some tilapia can taste really fishy, but I used the loin of the fish. I soaked it in a milk and egg wash, coated it with flour, bread crumbs, fresh parsley, and salt & pepper. Heat a saute pan with olive oil and a little butter. Cook for about 3 minutes per side. For the salad I used baby arugala. The dressing was made with white balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and olive oil. This meal can be paired with a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

My first blog

I have created this blog because of my love for food. I have basically trained myself to cook. While most people hate doing it, I really enjoy cooking. It is my form of stress relief. I love trying new things and also pairing food with wine and spirits. I also love to take pictures of the meals that I have created and I share them with my Facebook friends. This is somethingthat I have always wanted to do, so now it my time to do it. What I will talk about in my blog is different restaurants in Mn, different wine and spirits, and favorite meals I have made. I hope you enjoy!