Meal Marathon

This weekend my friend Bekah and I decided to make 4 meals to freeze and then eat over the next few weeks. We each bought ingredients for two meals (doubled) and then cooked up a storm all Saturday afternoon. In the end I think we saved time, money and the frustration of coming home from work starving and not having anything ready for dinner for our also very hungry husbands. As two full time working ladies who enjoy good food this was the perfect solution! Here was our line up:
Tamale Pie (oh the men will love this)...ground beef (or turkey) with beans, peppers, cheese and a cornbread crust
Chicken Enchiladas...tender chicken with corn and spicy peppers in a red sauce
Pasta Primavera...(my favorite of the four) tons of veggies in a creamy white wine sauce over penne pasta
Chicken and Rice Florentine...spinach and brown rice with Chicken topped with several cheeses.

Here are some photos of the extravaganza.



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About Vintage Mixer

photo courtesy of Micheal Frieberg

TheVintageMixer.com is a blog I write mainly about recipes I'm experimenting with and restaurant adventures around our city. As I run the blog, and social media outlets, my partner Heidi, runs the business side of things. The recipes I write about are primarily seasonal, many of which have ingredients straight from our local farmers market. We do take a break from fresh and seasonal food every Mondays to write about something indulgent like this Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, or this Mint Chocolate Pudding.

Lucky for me I have lots of friends who love to eat as well as a husband with a sweet tooth. My husband, Josh, is a singer-songwriter whom you can also find online through twitter, itunes, and his blog. A passion of ours is also to show folks in and outside of Utah the great things about Salt Lake City: good restaurants, great music, fun day trips etc.

Beyond just food, our goal of the The Vintage Mixer is to create community around chopping blocks and dinner tables. We host 'Vintage Mixers', like this wine tasting, and this raw foods class. Our events are not merely educational, though we hope you'll learn a thing or too, but the goal is that people would engage and enjoy each other. Relationships are the most important part of my life and I can't imagine anything better than enjoying the people around me while sharing a delicious meal.

I teach ESL to students from all over the globe and I've traveled to many foreign destinations. What I have discovered is that people are the same here as well as on the other side of the globe. Many have showed me that joy can be found in the simplest of things. My desire is to lead a simple life and bring joy to the lives of others through food and friendship. We hope you'll stop by the blog for a recipe or restaurant review or even better let's meet in person as you come to one of our Vintage Mixers.

"The social interaction that surrounds a meal feeds the soul; we tell tales and seek advice, we laugh and cry, we learn and teach, and sometimes we even fall in love around chopping blocks and dinner tables." - Good Food To Share, by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan

My comforts: boxed brownies, frozen pizza, peanut butter M&Ms, homemade mac n' cheese, and ice cream with cereal.
My more finer delights: profiteroles, gnocchi, risotto, cream brulee, steal cut oats, and Greek food.

To contact me you may email SLCFoodie at gmail.com


You can also find me writing for Visit Salt Lake, Taste of Salt Lake City and Nile Guide.

Hope to connect with all of you and hear about your passions in life and food.

Becky

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Sunflower Market

My new favorite place, the Sunflower Market. Seriously, some people go to the spa, their favorite clothing store, the mall, but I'm addicted to the Sunflower Market. I could just walk around and be entertained! Isles of bulk grains, fresh produce I've never heard of, organic breads, a wide variety of cheeses from all over the world, pre-made sauces, salads, and sides, and the best ginger snaps I've tasted...all fitting in our slim grocery budget. Sunflower Market comes up with weekly specials every Wednesday with amazing savings on produce, meats, breads, and organic products. Also, on Wednesdays you can use the specials for the current and past week (consider this a free tip from me to you). Here are this week's specials at Sunflower Market. Some of my other favorite things I've found there: agave nectar, risotto rice, asparagus, grapes, steal cut oats, Greek yogurt, and nine-grain bread. The list could really go on and on. Some people go to the grocery store for food, last week I met a good friend there and we just walked around and caught up while also picking up our finds…a social event I’d say! Organic and fresh foods and produce finally at a price the average person can enjoy. I hope you all find this helpful and visit the Sunflower Market nearest you. I only get this gitty about a few things: breakfast, traveling overseas, and date night with my husband!

Utah locations:
6284 S State St, Salt Lake City
1357 S State St, Orem

Thanks Halen!

For more Salt Lake City Restaurant Reviews by VintageMixer click here.

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Finn's Cafe, Salt Lake City, Utah

This weekend I finally made it to Finn's Cafe, a local Swedish Diner in Sugarhouse. I've been wanting check this place out for a while but kept talking myself out of it and going to my usual breakfast spots: Eggs in the City, The Park Cafe, and The Bakery. My parents were in town and we decided to try somewhere new. I'll set the stage for you: a small diner with old fashioned neon sign, white walled interior with small green plants on the tables, cute waitresses all wearing red and white checkered aprons, and the smells of breakfast- maple syrup, toasts and eggs. I think this is what my version of heaven would be like, plus God eating pancakes beside me of course. We ordered: Eggs Benedict, Egg White Omelet, and French Toast. Josh was a bit sick so he couldn't really taste his Eggs Benedict to see how it compared (he gets Eggs Benedict everywhere we go) but it looked really great to me! The French Toast was served on Cinnamon Raisin bread with strawberries on top and maple syrup. My egg white omelet came with lots of veggies, hash browns, and an English muffin with lingonberry jam. You have to ask for it because they serve raspberry jam with their toast. I must say I’m a real fan of ligonberries-I’m not real sure what they are exactly but they taste somewhere in between cranberries and raspberries to me. I have had them also at IKEA with their Swedish Meatballs. Here is what Wikipedia had to say about Ligonberries: often called cowberry, foxberry, mountain cranberry, csejka berry, red whortleberry, lowbush cranberry, mountain bilberry, partridgeberry, ligonberry is a small evergreen shurb commonly used in jam and is a staple food in Scandinavian cuisine. Whatever it is I liked it on my English Muffin as well as on Meatballs?!

More on Finn’s…I also ordered grapefruit juice, which was freshly squeezed! I have heard the Sourdough Norwegian Pancakes are amazing as well as the Waffles with Lingonberries. It was just warm enough that they opened the patio as we were leaving. I'm looking forward to lots of alfresco dining this summer so we'll be back to try the waffles and pancakes.





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Italian Cream Cake

Beware this cake is so good that you might eat all of it and not be able to share it with anyone. I made this for my parents and they wouldn't allow me to take some to work because of their unwillingness to share. It is a recipe from my friend's grandmother.

Italian Cream Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
5 eggs (divided)
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Crisco
2 cups sifted flour
1 Tbs vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 small bag of coconut (optional)

FROSTING INGREDIENTS
1 8-oz package regular cream cheese
2 sticks butter
1 tsp vanilla
4-5 cups powdered sugar
toasted coconut




DIRECTIONS
Combine soda and buttermilk and let stand a few minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff, set aside. (use electric mixer unless you really want an arm workout) Cream sugar, butter and shortening; add egg yolks one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add buttermilk mixture alternately with flour to sugar mixture. Stir in vanilla, fold in egg whites gently(be careful not to deflate the mixture). Gently stir in pecans and coconut. (I skipped on the pecans and coconut this time) Bake in three 9-inch greased and floured cake rounds for 25 minutes, or 2 9-in rounds for 35-40 minutes.

ICING DIRECTIONS
Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add vanilla, then add powdered sugar in stages. This makes plenty to cover and decorate one cake. Note: The more powdered sugar the thicker the icing and easier to decorate with piping etc but if you're only wanting to cover the cake it doesn’t need to be as thick. Toast coconut at 350 until golden.


Cake baking tips that I should have read before making this:
1) Apply thin layer of icing (the crumb layer) to seal in all of the crumbs, then refrigerate for 15-30 minutes before applying the top icing layer. This will leave the icing looking smooth!
2) If you are using traditional cake pans (not non-stick) try lining the pans with parchment paper plus butter and flour to insure that the cake doesn’t stick.

Blogs about cake baking tips:
Gateaufille's Cake Tips
Smitten Kitchen's Layered-Cake Tips

For a full list of VintageMixer recipes click here.

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Split Pea Soup

This is me trying to be somewhat festive. I made this for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at work. It's one of my favorites but is always a risk with other people. Maybe because the color is puke green. It tastes good I promise. Here is the recipe for Split Pea Soup.

Today is also my parents' anniversary. They are visiting today and we made them a Italian Cream Cake, officially the most labor intensive cake that I've ever made. I haven't experimented much with cakes but I definitely have a lot to learn! We got the recipe off my friend Nicole's blog, Gateau Fille. She has some great tips on making beautiful cakes. I will share the recipe and photo soon. For now I'll leave you with an endearing photo of my very sweet and extremely hilarious parents:

Taken Summer 08 on the Historic Heber Valley Railroad.

For a full list of VintageMixer recipes click here.

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Black Bean Burgers from Gourmet

I have cooked these twice since picking up the February Issue of Gourmet Magazine while wasting time in the airport last month. Traditionally, when I am traveling I splurge and buy a magazine. I couldn't help but choose this issue of Gourmet with the photos of homemade rolls on the front! Although I have yet ventured into making the rolls I have delved into the vegetarian side of burgers and am now fully embracing black beans as a burger meat substitute! Josh, my meat lover husband, begrudgingly tried the burgers and commented that he would like these every week! Just don't tell his Texas friends ;) So, we've made these two weeks in a row and both times have been more than satisfing- talking about them after dinner and the next day even! I hope you enjoy them as much as we have. I think they're entering the family cookbook.

Black Bean Burgers
from Gourmet Magazine

INGREDIENTS
2 14 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used planko)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 soft hamburger buns
accompaniments: sour cream, salsa, avocado, lettuce

DIRECTIONS
Pulse 1 can on black beans in food processor with mayo, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until coarse puree forms. Transfer to bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining black beans. Form mixture into 4 patties.
Heat oil in 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Serve on buns.
* note: if the burgers fall apart a little don't worry. They'll still taste amazing and you can reform them on the buns. Or you can put them in tortillas for a black bean burritos.

For a full list of VintageMixer recipes click here.

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Trend Towards Prepared Foods

As I sat and enjoyed lunch at Whole Foods today with my friend Traci, I remembered an NPR broadcast that got my attention. Yuki Noguchi, from NPR, had a broadcast about consumers spurning dining out for prepared foods and I thought it was interesting that people found an alternative to dining out, in casual cafe style dining at places like grocery stores. I love going to Whole Foods and being able to select the exact amount that I want to consume, pay a reasonable price, save some money on not having to tip, and enjoy a healthy meal. Many grocery stores are benefiting from the low economy by offering prepared foods that you can take home or even eat in the store (almost the experience of a restaurant). Restaurants like my favorite, Le Madeline, are enjoying the benefits also, by getting more take-out traffic. The photo above is of the Tomato Basil Soup that I am so in love with. You can by jars of it at their stores. Don't even bother looking at the calories...anything tomato is healthy:) As people start exchanging the full restaurant experience for more casual dining, here are some options to keep in mind:

PLACES FOR HEALTHY TAKE OUT OR CASUAL DINE IN
Whole Foods
Paradise Bakery
Au Naturale
Mini Cupcakes Brown Bag Lunches
Great Harvent Brown Bag Lunches
Fairweather Natural Foods (Park City)
Le Madeline (not in SLC)
Pret a Manger (New York City only)
Real Foods Market (Orem)


Any others I should add to the list?

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Silver Star Market & Cafe, Park City UT

I visited a new hot lunch spot in Park City, apparently the word is not out yet about it, but I'm sure it soon will be. Local Chef, Kristin Dumas, with the help of her husband James, who has experience at Goldener Hirsch, Ticino, and other local fine dining restaurants, opened Silver Star Market & Cafe with a new offering for Park City. A small version of Tony Caputos or Carlucci's (Salt Lake favorites), Silver Star Market & Cafe offers specialty cheeses and meats, desserts, and other items for purchase in addition to their served food. A few items on the menu worth taking note of: Grilled Cheese with Tallegio cheese (a fruity dessert cheese), Tyrolean ham and sun dried cherries on sourdough, Roasted Tomato & Garlic Burger, Euro Baguette, and a large selection of Artisan Pizzas made in their brick oven. Their special when I went was a lobster roll. Don't leave without checking out their 1938 vintage mixer, the huge red piece of machinery in the middle of their kitchen, which they use to make all of their homemade doughs for pizza and breads. They also serve breakfast including, Sourdough Waffles, Miner's Breakfast Sandwich, Pastries, and Cafe Ibis coffee. Their prices aren't too bad either, especially for Park City. My Grilled Cheese was only $7 and came with a side salad. For dessert you must try the Peppermint Brownie, a creamy yet chunky brownie, that will leave you with a flavor you won't soon forget.

Silver Star Market & Cafe is located slopeside to Park City Mountain Resort, by the Silver Star lift and Silver Star condominiums. I hope this entices you to come experience this new side of Park City that you may not have visited previously.

And I couldn't help myself...here are some photos of the yummy peppermint bronies and other goodies you can buy.



The 1938 life-size mixer:

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Cider Braised Chicken

For Christmas Josh bought me a French Oven and ever since I've been searching for new things to braise, boil, slow cook, and bake inside it. First I had to find out what braising was??

Braising def. (from the French “braiser”), is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavour. Braising of meat is often referred to as pot roasting, though some authors make a distinction between the two methods based on whether or not additional liquid is added.

I found this recipe for Cider Braised Chicken on The Kitchen Sink blog. You might want to check out her photos of the final product, which turned out much better than mine. Anyways, usually Josh hates the combo of meat and fruit but he loved this. Not all fruity dishes are for girls only! I made sure to give him the largest piece of chicken! I also added carrots and potatoes because I had them around and I figured, what the heck?! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Cider-Braised Chicken
Adapted from Food & Wine

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon pure or extra-virgin olive oil
4 whole chicken legs or bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large Spanish onions, halved crosswise and thinly sliced
4 sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°. Heat oil in a large skillet. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat until the skin is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Turn and cook for 3 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet or large platter, skin side up.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the sage, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and starting to stick to the bottom of the skillet, about 5 minutes. Add the apple cider to the skillet and simmer over moderately high heat until the cider is syrupy, about 25 minutes. Add the vinegar to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir stock and parsley into the skillet. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

Transfer the onion sauce to a large roasting pan. Arrange the chicken in the sauce, skin side up. Set the roasting pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350°. Roast the chicken until cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter. Set the roasting pan over high heat and boil the sauce until the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and serve with the chicken.

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