Safeway Holiday Recipes Tastemaker Program

I was incredibly excited when I got the e-mail from FoodBuzz that I was chosen for the Safeway Holiday Recipes Tastemaker Program. 10 of us were chosen from all over the country to recreate a recipe listed on the Safeway Website. You can find that list HERE.

All that was asked of us was a photo of the recipe and a little blurb about the process. In return, our picture of our dish would be featured on ads circulated in the food blogger community. One recipe. One picture. One blurb. That’s it. BUT I wanted to challenge myself and completed a three-course meal! See what I got to do on my Sunday!

I got all my ingredients from the Safeway/Pac N Save in South San Francisco, which is less than five minutes away from my house. I ALWAYS go there for my cooking and baking needs. They have everything, so I was very pleased to know that I would be shopping in a place that is basically my second home when I want to shop.

-- Baked Parmesan Dip --
I chose this recipe because I love hot dips. I saw a picture of it on the Safeway website and it reminded me of dips that my cousins and I would share and various restaurants. The green of the spinach and the red of the paprika just makes it a very festive appetizer. Plus, I saw CREAM CHEESE in the recipe. Everything is good if it has cream cheese in it!

* 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 1 cup reduced-fat or regular Safeway SELECT® Mayonnaise
* 1 package (3 oz.) Lucerne® cream cheese
* 1 onion (6 oz.), peeled and minced
* 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
* 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. Shredded Parmesan Cheese
* 1/8 tsp. pepper
* 1/2 tsp. paprika
* 2 Safeway SELECT® Artisan Baguettes (8 oz.), thinly sliced


1. Squeeze spinach to remove liquid. With a mixer, beat spinach, mayonnaise, cream cheese, onion, garlic, 1 cup of the parmesan cheese, and pepper until thoroughly combined.

2. Mound mixture in a 3- to 4-cup baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese and paprika.


I am aware this is more than “lightly browned”

=)
3. Bake in a 350° oven until hot in center and lightly browned on top, 25 to 30 minutes.


4. Serve hot to spread on baguette slices.

Now doesn’t this look like Christmas on a piece of bread? I just know that my cousins would love to dig into this dip. The paprika on top gave off this incredible aroma and the creaminess of the dip was like velvet on the palate. Delicious!

-- Chicken Saltimbocca --
Initially I was going to make the spiced meatballs, but this caught my eye after I reviewed the recipes just before I left for Safeway. I chose this recipe because I have never worked with prosciutto nor sage before. Filipino food doesn’t use too many cured meats or fresh herbs, so this was going to be new. I also imagined how beautiful the green of the herb would be with the wrapped chicken. It’s one of those dishes that is very comforting and filling. Perfect for the cold days in the winter.

* 4 (6 ounce) O Organics™ Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 8 O Organics™ Sage leaves, plus leaves for garnish
* 1 (3 ounce) package Primo Taglio® Prosciutto
* 1/4 cup O Organics™ Unbleached All-purpose Flour
* 3 tablespoons Lucerne® Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter, divided
* 1 1/2 tablespoons O Organics™ Unbleached All-purpose Flour
* 3/4 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup O Organics™ Low-Sodium Fat Free Chicken Broth


Prepping the Chicken
1. Working with 2 pieces at a time, lay chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound meat to 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat with remaining chicken. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

2. Arrange 2 sage leaves on top of each chicken breast. Wrap 1 slice of the prosciutto around meat like a belt, covering sage. Pour 1/4 cup flour into a pie pan. Dredge prosciutto-wrapped chicken in flour and set aside.


3. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 2 chicken pieces and cook, turning once, until breasts are well browned and prosciutto is crisp, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover with foil; repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Do not wash frying pan.

4. Reduce heat to medium. In same pan, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter and whisk in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons flour to drippings and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in wine and broth. Let mixture come to a boil, then remove from heat. Pour sauce over chicken, garnish with fresh sage leaves, and serve on buttered egg noodles.



I was very impressed on how great it looked on the plate!

A dish I would love to make again! My fiancé and I had this for dinner and we were stuffed! No wonder people gain weight during the holidays! With fabulous food like this!

-- Baby Pound Cakes --
Dessert time! I thought these are so cute because of their small size. They are easy to wrap up and possibly give as gifts. I made so many of these today that I plan on bringing them to work for my coworkers. That is what I LOVE about the holidays. You can make awesome baked good at home for the people you love the most. Sometimes it isn’t about the material stuff. I would love to receive homemade food gifts also!

* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
* 3 cups sugar
* 6 large eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract


1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well, 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

2. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended; stir in vanilla and almond flavorings. Spoon batter into paper-lined standard-size muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.

Jo’s tip: I found that using a cookie dough scoop made the size of the little cakes more uniform. I love that thing. I have used it from shaping cookie whoopies to perfectly portioning red velvet cupcakes. It’s awesome!

3. Pound Cake Minis: Spoon batter into paper-lined (13/4") miniature muffin cups, filling three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 16 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Yield: about 9 dozen.


These were how they looked right when they came out of the oven. Aren't they just darling?


Then I thought that a little dusting of powdered sugar would make them so much prettier. Like snow on a cabin!


Wouldn’t this be just wonderful with a cup of hot chocolate, sitting in front of the fire with your sweetheart? I don’t have a fireplace at my house, but if I had one, you can be sure I would do that! The cakes were delicious and not too sweet. I love the addition of the almond extract. It lends a unique flavor fit for the season.

I just want to say thank you to FoodBuzz for giving me the opportunity to cook for once! I usually go out to restaurants for dinner, and it’s nice sometimes to make a meal at home. I had so much fun and even my fiancé gave me a hand in the kitchen...which is always good!

I wish everyone a Happy Happy Holidays!

Eat lots and love lots this season. =)

Finally Used My Gift Card

We were incredibly lucky! Those who went to the 1st Annual FoodBuzz Food Blogger Festival received "swag bags," and inside those fantastic goodie bags were gift cards from CHEFScatalog.com.


I thought that it was about time that I used it because I knew that there was going to be lots of cooking going on this holiday season. I did go over, so I had to pay a little bit, but it's going to be so worth it.

1st item is Flour and Sugar Storage Container
for $9.95 for a set of 2




I honestly hate scooping sugar and flour, so I wanted to give these guys a try. Hopefully they work!

2nd item is Chicago Metallic Lasagna Trio for $29.99


I am thinking of making three different lasagnas for Christmas - a chicken alfredo, spinach and mushroom pesto, and a classic beef with tomato sauce. It is going to be awesome and so festive!

So to all you #fbzfest folks, what did you buy with your CHEFScatalog gift cards? =) I wanna know!

Thank you again to FoodBuzz and CHEFScatalog for your generosity!

Taste of the Bay 2009 with My Hunnie

Event: Taste of the Bay 2009
Date: October 21, 2009
Location: Dockside on the San Francisco Belle
Dining Partner: Hunnie Bunnie

I was so honored when my longtime friend (FYI we met in the 4th grade) Hunnie Bunnie aka Spanish Janis invited me to a fundraiser food and wine event hosted by the hospitality department at San Francisco State University. A silent auction and live auction were going to take place during the night, and all the proceeds made go directly to the hospitality department. I didn’t know if I had the funds to participate in those auctions, but I was just plain excited to accompany Hunnie on this date.


The Venue for Tonight’s Extravaganza
This was a dockside event so we weren’t going anywhere on the boat, but it was just a fun place to wine and dine. When we got to the boat, just to the west of the Ferry Building, we were immediately greeted by SFSU students. Isn’t the Belle just gorgeous? Reminds me of the Staten Island Ferry or one of those Mississippi Riverboats. After checking in our coats and purses, we joined in on the food fun.


Sears Fine Food’s Paella Pasta
Blue Tiger Prawns, Merguez Lamb Sausage, Roasted Paprika Tomatoes, Petite Peas, Saffron Cream Sauce
Sears’ Chef Patricia Blecha was the nicest ever! The pasta had a creamy sauce with a nice sweetness from the tomatoes. I could have eaten a full bowl of this.


MacArthur Park’s Porks Ribs
with Guava BBQ Sauce and Horseradish Coleslaw
Since we were on a boat, it was kind of hard to eat these. BUT! I managed. The rib was juicy and went well with the sweet BBQ sauce. I liked the punch of the horseradish in the slaw. It would be nice to go to the actual restaurant, put my elbows on the table, and eat a whole rack of ribs.


Unfortunately, they ran out of champagne when we got to the table, but they did have some sparkling wine! That will SO do. Here’s to sweet 16 years of friendship, Hunnie!


Midi’s Gougères
Stuffed with Mascarpone and Goat Cheese
I was so happy to see Chef Michelle Mah again at another event! These little pastries filled with creamy cheese were delightful!


Luce’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches
I thought that these sandwiches from Luce were very generously portioned. I was so full after eating this. The brioche bun was piled with flavorful meat, but it wasn’t this sandwich that got me all giggly…


Hunnie, Chef Crenn and I
Chef Crenn from “The Next Iron Chef”! She was so gracious and so nice. She expressed her appreciation for the SFSU Hospitality Program saying that this was a great event for a great cause. I love her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t crowned the next Iron Chef, but it is for the best. We can’t lose another SF chef to NYC. She’s our’s! =)


Paragon’s Sausage
with Peppers and Onions
This reminded me of a deconstructed sausage I would get at Rosamunde! The sausage was perfectly browned on the outside and the pepper and onion mixture was super sweet.


Koi Palace’s Siu Mai
Daly City in the house! Or I should say, on the boat! Daly City’s famous dim sum eatery offered several small dishes including lobster salad, moon cakes, and these tasty siu mai.


That Takes the Cake
Mini Cupcake Assortment
Hunnie told me that she was excited to have seen That Take the Cake on the even program. Since I love cupcakes, I was ready to try these. Were they really better than any other cupcake place in San Francisco?


That Takes the Cake’s Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cleverly named, “Gentlemen Prefer Reds,” this little cake of ECSTACY blew my mind out of the water! I had to have more than one. They had the perfect sweetness and the cream cheese frosting was money! I also tried one called the “Blonde Bombshell” which is a classic vanilla cake vanilla frosting combo. I just checked their menu and they have “cocktail cupcakes.” Anyone care for a “min mojito” cupcake? YES! I cannot wait to visit this place.


Henry’s Duo of Stews
Belgian Witbier Pork Stew and Red Bean Chili
Hunnie and I were so impressed with these stews from Henry’s Gastropub. The Belgian Witbier (a wheat beer) stew, which was flavored with orange and tarragon was a favorite of Hunnie’s. She said that even though all the ingredients were all cooked together, you can make out each component. The red bean chili had the prefect warmth on this cool night. Both were great.


The Oak Room’s
Shrimp Ceviche
Eating this was almost like eating dessert. The sweet shrimp and scallops were combined with what looked like mango to create a super sugary concoction. Hunnie had two servings. They were THAT good.


Fig and Liver Mousse Crostini
I feel really bad for not remembering where these little guys came from. I want to say they’re from Kuleto’s, but I can be wrong. It took Hunnie to convince me to try one out because I don’t do liver, but these were incredible. The fig on top was like CANDY. SO sweet. Glad I tried it.


Miss Pearl’s Jam House
Smoked Fish Crostini
As you can see, crostini were popular because they were easy to eat. These ones that were topped with the fish, I want to say catfish, had a pleasant smoky tone which I liked very much.


One Market’s
Crab Cakes with Olive Oil
I KNEW these looked familiar. I had these at FallFeast 2008! Even though this was not my first time having it, I was VERY happy. The crab’s flavor was clean and fresh. Awesome.


New Delhi’s Vegatable Samosas
served with Tamarind Chutney for Dipping
These little samosas were just darling. Easily I could have stood there and eaten the whole platter. The tamarind chutney was sweet and a bit tart. Very nice flavor combination with the slight spice in the samosa filling.


Lupicia
Assortment of Teas
I had a Strawberry Vanilla tea…which is my favorite Lupicia tea flavor. Great beverage to wind the night down with.


Silver Moon’s
Frangelico and Cocoa Nibs Ice Cream Drizzled
with Chocolate Sauce
Dear oh dear, dear oh dear, dear oh dear. I am in love with Silver Moon. The first time I had their dessert was at SF Chefs a few months ago, and they didn’t fail to impress me again. I loved this hazelnut liqueur ice cream…the caramel-ly shell that was on top added a lovely crisp.


Silver Moon’s
Cranberry Chambord Sorbet Drizzled with Cranberry Compote
What a great palate cleanser this was the sorbet was refreshing and had a slight tang…pretty red and pink color…perfect for the holiday season!


Lark Creek Steakhouse’s
Butterscotch Pudding
Isn’t this display just darling? A lady thought these were little servings of liver mousse, but no, these were luscious cups of butterscotch pudding. They were so good. I felt like a little kid eating them. The best butterscotch pudding I have ever had.


The City looks gorgeous at night, doesn’t it?


I was going to go to SFSU when after I graduated community college. I got my transferable credits, went through the application process and got accepted; however, being a naïve young lady, I got addicted to working and making money that furthering my education wasn’t a priority. In retrospect, I should have gone to SFSU because of this department, but since I didn’t know about it or my career goals for that matter, I didn’t look into hospitality as a career choice at all. If only I had known…d’oh…


Hunnie and I
taking a breather after all that eating
Just want to say thank you to my Hunnie for inviting me! I had so much fun with you eating, wining, eating, talking, wining, talking, eating again, haha. This event is annual and it really is for a good cause. Toward the end of the night, the student organizers of the event took a group picture and I realized they were the future of the hospitality industry in San Francisco and beyond. Judging from this event, they will all do well in their careers. I had so much fun on this night, and I hope that they will have more of these events in the future!

And to Hunnie again: love ya!

I Heart Adobo...But Chicken Adobo Burritos?

Yes, I love adobo...especially chicken adobo. Today I heard about this event on Facebook and I am so excited to go. You can only imagine what Bub is thinking...combining two of his favorite foods ever? He might find himself in Heaven.

Much love to Miguel Escobedo, owner of Papalote, for letting me post this.

Here are the deets:

Start Time:
Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 11:00am
Location:
Papalote - 3409 24th St.
Description
HOSTED BY FRAN BOOGIE!!!

Back to Grill Again.. the Grill again

ONE DAY ONLY!! The LAST Adobo day of THIS DECADE!!!

Chicken Adobo and garlic Fried Rice BURRITO!!!

>>VEGAN TOFU ADOBO Version also AVAILABLE<<

Traditional Fresh Chicken Adobo and our Own Garlic Fried Rice
plus freshly diced Tomatoes... Nothing Else.. It doesnt NEED anything Else BUT you can add whatchalike...

SATURDAY @ the ORIGINAL PAPALOTE MEXICAN GRILL..since 1999!!
(3409 24th St ONLY)

*Full Menu Available..
Available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
Feel Free to call ahead 20 minutes before desired pick up time!
Papalote 24th St : 1 415 970 8815

Jo speaking! Hope to see you all there!

I Am Becoming Quite the Cookie Queen

So I’ve been baking a lot of cookies in the last couple of months. I never baked cookies from scratch before this year, so when I finally learned on my own how to make them, I ran with the idea. Here are just a few TwitPics of some of the cookies I have made. When I have the time, I will post nicer pictures taken from my CyberShot and post the recipes as well.

This Thanksgiving I was invited to Bub's family's party. It's always a potluck, so I offered to make a cookie platter. I hope they like it. I just have to figure out which cookies to make. =)

See? A restaurant girl like me can bake too!

Feel free to click on each picture. You will be taken to my TwitPic profile where you will be able to see larger versions of the picture as well as other pictures of things I have cooked and baked and food adventures I have had since I started TwitPic. Enjoy!