Beer Cheese Dip

This is made in the microwave! Had to get that out there first.  My roommate has made this a few times out of an ancient Junior League Cookbook, Denver Cache.  It's seriously circa 1980's but has some great classics.  Annie (my roommate) has bumped up some of the measurements and tweaked it over the years. We've used a variety of beers in this recipe so feel free to be creative.  We've use dark lagers, amber beers, and basically anything that is darker than a Bud Light.  Please don't use a "college beer" in this recipe.  Splurge a little bit and buy a $2 bottle of beer; it will be worth it.  We serve this with crusty bread or veggies such as carrots and broccoli.  Basically, anything you can dip in beer-flavored-cheese.


Ingredient:


-1 block (8oz) light cream cheese
-6 oz cheddar cheese, grated
-2 green onions, chopped
-1/2 cup dark beer (about 1/2 bottle)
-1 Tbsp horseradish
-1 tsp dry mustard

French Herb Cheese and Radish Crostinis

I was so excited to pick my first bunch of radishes from the yard today.  I threw these seeds in the ground in the early spring and a few weeks later, I had a wonderful colorful variety: red, purple, and white...oh my! They're called the "Easter Egg Blend" because they look like little Easter eggs.  I wanted to use them in a recipes that showed off their colors and focused on the fresh root vegetables.  This is when I remembered an old-time favorite: French Herb Cheese.  I made a batch and smeared some on toasted french bread slices and topped with radishes.  It's a flavorful but simple appetizer or snack to bring to a party this spring!

Ingredients:

-1 bunch radishes

-1 french baguette

-2 blocks cream cheese, softened

-1 stick butter, softened

-1 bunch Italian parsley

-1 large handful of any herbs (pick your favorite...rosemary, chives, tarragon, thyme, oregano)

-2 dashes hot sauce

-1 tsp garlic powder

-salt and pepper to taste

Reckless Abandon Photo Shoot

Two of my great friends, food photographer Laurie Smith and food stylist Erica McNeish joined me last week for a fun evening of appetizers, wine and photos. Laurie was gracious enough to snap some pictures of me cooking and Lola trying to steal food in the process.  If you're local to Denver make sure to check out Laurie and Erica's newest website that launched last week.  It's called The Urban Almanac and is a seasonal online guide to Colorado featuring the bounty of food, drink and artisanal products. 

 

The afternoon started at 2pm poaching little pink shrimp for an appetizer. 

Erica taught me about "driveway gardening" so we went to the side of the house and picked some fresh dill in the potted kitchen garden. 

The second appetizer was smoky deviled eggs with a healthy glass of chardonnay.  

Laurie made sure to snap a few shots of my retro kitchen featuring a circa 1930's gas stove and oven.  Yes, that means a match is needed to light each burner and oven for every use. 

The poached shrimp came together on puff pasty squares with whole-grain mustard butter and a sprig of dill.

I photographed the appetizers as Lola sneaked behind me to try to grab some crumbs. 

    

The dinner started with a roasted chicken over a bed of onions making golden caramelized onions in chicken drippings. I make this recipe at least once a week.  

Handmade pasta is one of my favorite meals and the time is worth the results. We made egg noodle fettuccine. 

The chicken came out of the oven and I made a pan sauce with white wine and starchy water from boiling the pasta.  

Yes, you caught me...wardrobe change.

As the pasta dried a bit, I sauteed shiitake mushrooms and spring peas in coconut oil.

Took a deep breath and finished my glass of wine before dinner was served! 

I threw the chicken, pasta, peas and mushrooms together for a filling meal with fabulous friends! I wish I could do this every day with these girls.

Quick Tip: Freezing Salmon for Quick Meals

Salmon (or any fish) thaws pretty quickly making it a great weeknight meal option.  Freezing salmon in serving sizes has become my lifesaver for a meal in a rush.  I'm hungry and want something good for me.  Salmon is so versatile as well.  I've listed a few of my favorite recipes below.  If you pull it out of the freezer it will thaw in less than 20 minutes! That means you can having a filling, fresh dinner in less than 30 minutes.  To thaw, just place 1-2 salmon fillets (still in the baggy) in a medium bowl of lukewarm water.  Swap the water every 5-10 minutes. Viola! Thawed, ready-to-broil salmon, already sliced in serving sizes.  If you have a Costco card, you can buy a whole side of a salmon for $20-$30 depending on the size! That will make 5-10 meals in a flash.  I'm sure Sam's Club or your local grocery store will have large salmon fillets for sale.  Buying in bulk is the key to savings.

Needed:


-1 large salmon fillet (skinned removed or not, your choice)
-1 large sharp knife
-freezer quart plastic bags

Salmon Recipes: 


Salmon with Apricot and Pesto Glaze
Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon Spread
Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
Salmon Pho
Stuffed Salmon with Spicy Mayo Sauce