by Sharm | Nov 20, 2016 | Decedent Desserts, Entertaining, Food & Drink, Health, Recipes
This delicious healthy caramel sauce is gluten, egg and dairy free. It is delicious over apples, ice cream or whatever you want to drizzle it over.
It is the sweet ingredient in this recipe for my healthy apple tart that is also gluten, egg and dairy free.
It is so easy to make and can keep for a week or two in the fridge. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2/3 cup granulated coconut sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
Dash or two of unrefined salt (more for a “salted caramel taste”)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
In a small saucepan, put in the coconut sugar, honey, and coconut oil or butter, along with the salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring to evenly melt the honey and coconut oil or butter.
As soon as it’s starting to bubble, set the timer for two minutes. Stir the bubbling mixture once or twice during these two minutes.
Very carefully stir in the coconut milk until it is mixed in.
Once it has returned to a low simmer, simmer for another minute or two, or until the mixture has thickened up again (it won’t be super thick while hot…but will thicken up considerably as it cools. You want it to be thick enough to coat a spoon, but still thin enough to be very easy to drizzle. Don’t heat longer than two minutes).
Take off of the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Let cool to desired temperature before serving. If you want a warm caramel sauce, simply reheat before serving.
Will keep at least 1-2 weeks refrigerated. Makes 2 cup.
by Sharm | Nov 18, 2016 | Entertaining, Food & Drink, Whole Foods Market
Creating an elegant cheese board is easy with these tips and tricks from Whole Foods Market. As an ambassador for Whole Foods Market we are given a monthly theme and gift card to create and share a recipe with you. This months theme is cheese and of course turkey!
Cheese platters are a great way to offer a tasty appetizer and this recipe for rosemary goat cheese would be a great addition to add to the platter.
Whole Foods Market has an amazing cheese island section with cheeses from all over the world and for all tastes. From mild to sharp and even those stinky cheeses that appeal to some distinguished pallets, you will find what you are looking for there. My favorite cheese is Dubliner from Ireland. It is a mild and flavorful cheese that pairs nicely with everything!
Below are some tips from Whole Foods Market and me for putting together a fabulous cheese tray.
I always like to add some olives, grapes and some type of cured meat.
Sometimes I will throw on a handful of my maple glazed walnuts, which are divine and great on salads or as a healthy snack.
Here are a few rules of thumb from Whole Foods Market for building a compelling cheese board, and a few solid cheeses for a variety of themes.
People eat with their eyes as well as their mouths — use a rustic butcherboard or slab of natural stone for an appealing, dramatic presentation.
Be sure to let your cheeses sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving. This brings out those lovely nuances of flavor and aroma.
Give your cheeses room to settle and breathe—you don’t want to crowd them on the dish.
Want luxury? Try these cheeses:
Delice de Bourgogne – rich & tangy; made by combining full-fat milk with creme fraiche
Rogue River Anniversary Blue – made in southern Oregon; pairs well with bourbon whiskey
Pleasing picky eaters? Try these cheeses:
Lamb Chopper – mild & creamy; made from Dutch sheep’s milk
Le Petit 60% French Brie – silky & mild; a crowd pleaser
Love bold and smoky flavors? Try these cheeses:
6 year Cheddar – bold, flavorful; will make sharp cheddar enthusiasts swoon
Applewood Smoked Gouda – lightly smoked; slightly sweet
Be sure to check out the Whole Foods Market website where you can sign up to win free groceries for a year and if you a foodie like me and love sharing your holiday traditions snap a pic of your favorite recipe or holiday moment and share on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #MyHolidayTradish. Whole foods will be following along and sharing some of them on their holiday website and social media channels.
Don’t forget that Whole Foods Market can do the cooking for you and if you place an order online by Nov 22nd, you will receive a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $75 or more in your email on Tuesday, Nov 29th. More details here.
by Sharm | Nov 18, 2016 | Food & Drink, Recipes
This rosemary goat cheese with honey appetizer is perfect for the holidays or any day for that matter. The combination of the salty goat cheese, sweet honey and distinct taste of rosemary is so good! The presentation on this can be done as one large cheese ball, log or small individual balls. I have done it both ways. You should be able to get about 12 medium size balls. You can always make them smaller to go further.
Rosemary Goat Cheese
1 10.5 oz goat cheese
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (reserve one whole sprig for garnish)
3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans or favorite nut
honey to taste
Mix rosemary and goat cheese together.
Rosemary Goat cheese
Scoop cheese mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into one large ball or log and chill about 15-20 minutes.
Remove cheese from plastic wrap and coat all sides with chopped nuts of choice pressing them gently into the cheese so they stick.
If you choose to make individual balls there is no need to shape in plastic and refrigerate. Just portion out a heaping tablespoon and shape into ball and then roll and nut mixture to coat entire ball pressing in nuts to make them stick.
This rosemary goat cheese can be made up to 12 house in advance so at this point you may place the nut covered cheese in the fridge. For the balls choose a large enough storage container that you can arrange the cheese balls in a single layer. The large ball or log can be stored in an airtight container or even wrapped in plastic wrap.
Arrange cheese on serving platter and drizzle with honey just before serving.
Sprinkle remaining nuts on top and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig. Serve with crackers. The leftovers are delicious to crumbled on top of a salad the next day.
by Sharm | Nov 9, 2016 | Food & Drink, Giveaways, Local Products, Local Restaurants, What You're Missing KC!, Wichita
If you were around the Kansas City area from 1980 to 2004, then you should be quite familiar with Tippin’s and are going to love this giveaway for two ways to win a fabulous Tippin’s pie. If you are not familiar with Tippin’s, here is a little history for you.
Tippin’s restaurants were sprinkled throughout Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas and were a staple to those areas being famous for pie, in about every flavor you could imagine. The last Tippin’s closed in the summer of 2004 and although the restaurants have been closed for quite some time, the pies live on.
Ball’s Food Stores rescued a piece of the Kansas City pie legend, by buying the brand and creating Tippin’s Gourmet Pies. The pies are made fresh all day long locally in Kansas City, Kansas. The pies are available at grocery stores in the Kansas City metro and beyond including St.Louis, Tulsa, Wichita and more.
If your local grocery store happens to be a Dillons or Hen House, now is your chance to win one just in time for the holidays.
Tippin’s Pumpkin pie
Details on winning the pie will come in a bit but first I have to tell you that if you were a fan of the pies, they are as good now as they were back then.
How do I know? My sister and I recently got together and since this opportunity came up for me to write about their pies, we decided we had better try one for old time sake as she used to work there in high school.
Not all pies are available at every store and some carry only the cream, some just fruit and others both. You can check the pie finder on the Tippin’s website for the closest store near you. If you find there is no store close to you, fear not as you can order them online and they will be shipped right to your door! My store happen to be Dillons in Wichita, Kansas where I found the beloved and classic French silk.
If you end up browsing the Tippin’s website, you will find a page with stories from devoted fans sharing their memories of the beloved restaurant and pie! So in addition to the giveaway, I must share my beloved memories with you, so, back to the French silk pie…
It looked just like we remembered with the fancy lattice design of fresh whip cream topped with hand-made chocolate curls. Although, it looked the same, the question was, did it taste the same?
Tippin’s French Silk
It did! And wow, how that first bite brought back a flood of memories. The chocolate filling was decadent, rich and smooth and there is no mistaking the taste of the real whip cream topping. The combination of the crust which is slightly salty and crunchy paired with creaminess of the sweet pie filling is one reason why this pie is their most popular seller.
I certainly had my share of Tippin’s food and their pies growing up as both of my sisters worked there in high school. After every shift worked, they got to bring a piece of pie home and many times being the little sister, they let me choose the flavor. Between the two of them working we literally had pie everyday!
Tippin’s peanut butter merengue pie was one of my favorites! I also loved the Boston cream pie, coconut cream, key lime, pecan, fresh strawberry when it was in season, German chocolate and of course the classic French silk. Really, I never met one I did not like.
Tippin’s was our families go to place for pretty much every occasion. My mom always gave her parents Tippin’s gift certificates when gift giving was in order and they loved it. When they passed and we were cleaning out their things, we found a stack of the old gift certificates in a cabinet which gave us a good laugh at that much needed time.
In addition to pie, their cornbread and frisco burger was my go to meal. I have mastered the corn bread recipe and still make it to this day for our family.
Years ago, my husbands grandpa was visiting us from out of town and whatever meal I was making included the cornbread. He was a sweet man who was just a little rough around the edges and leaned over to my husband and said, “God damn that woman makes good cornbread.” I can still hear him saying that to this day and is one of my fondest memories. One of these days I will get the cornbread recipe up on the blog for you. If you cannot wait for it just email me and I will send it your way.
Now that I have taken a walk down memory lane, we can get back to business on that giveaway!
If your local grocery store is a Dillons or Hen House you can enter to win! Hen House is offering a gift certificate, good for one Tippin’s Pie and Dillon’s, a gift card for $20.
To enter just leave comment of you favorite Tippin’s memory, favorite Tippin’s pie flavor or if you are not familiar with Tippin’s, your favorite pie flavor in general. Also please specify if your store is Hen House or Dillons.
Contest will be open for one week and close midnight Wednesday, November 16. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will be notified via email and the certificate or gift card will be sent to you to use on your favorite pie, just in time for the holidays.
If you do not have a Hen House or Dillons close to you but know someone who does, please feel free to share this giveaway with them.
Thanks for entering and while you are at it feel free to like and follow all of my social media channels:
Facebook: Discover Finer Living
Twitter: @SharminMeadows
Instagram:sharminmeadows
Pinterest: Sharmin Meadows
Happy Eating and Good Luck!
by Sharm | Oct 27, 2016 | Giveaways, Kansas City, Restaurants, Wichita
If your a seafood lover, then you will love the giveaway for a $25 gift card to Bonefish Grill to try their new fall menu. Heck, even if you don’t care much for seafood, like myself you will still want this gift card to try out the new Fall Apple Martini and Pumpkin Cream Brûlée along with other menu items that feature chicken, pork and steak.
Bonefish Grill Apple Martini
I was graciously sent a gift card courtesy of Bonefish Grill to try the new menu and the timing could not have been any better. My parents were in visiting from out of town and my daughter was home for the weekend from college so it was a lovely night out and also gave us a chance to try a variety of the dishes.
My husband went for the new swordfish and pumpkin ravioli dish which was quite good. I rarely eat seafood but knew I had to try a bite and to my surprise it was quite mild and almost reminded me of a pork chop. While one bite of the swordfish was enough for me, I could have eaten all of the pumpkin ravioli that was on the plate! The ravioli are filled with a tasty pumpkin filling and topped with crispy onions, crumbled feta and butter. The filling was slightly sweet and paired quite nicely with the salty feta.
Bonefish Grill Swordfish Pumpkin Ravioli
Never having salmon as a child growing up in a household where mom does not cook fish, my daughter has learned through having it elsewhere that she really likes salmon. So whenever she gets the chance to order salmon, she is thrilled and the new cedar plank bourbon salmon dish did not disappoint her. I cannot comment on how it tasted as I did not have any but the presentation looked great. The maple and bourbon glaze on top of the fish was perfectly caramelized and I would love to create that glaze for some chicken sometime.
Bonefish Grill Cedar Plank Bourbon Salmon
I went for the lamb chops. Although, I love lamb I rarely cook it at home so it is always a treat to get it when I see it on a menu. The lamb was tender and the garlic mashed potatoes paired perfectly. One thing I really like about Bonefish Grill is the ability to choose the sides you want. If your watching carbs it is nice to have quite a few vegetable choices like asparagus, steamed broccoli, sautéed spinach and green beans or if you happen to be carb loading you can go for both the au-gratin potatoes and garlic mash and maybe even some fries!
Bonefish Grill Lamp Chops
Speaking of au-gratin potatoes, my dad ordered the pork chop and got those yummy cheesy potatoes along side. Being the foodie that I am and of course wanting to tell you about the dishes it is my job to try a bite of everyones dish and I have to say the pork chop was tender and juicy.
Bonefish Grill Pork Chop
My mom ordered Lily’s chicken which is a tender chicken breast with goat cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts and a lemon basil sauce. I don’t know who Lily is but I am glad she shares my love of goat cheese. This dish was my second choice if I had not got the lamb chops, so I was glad that my mom ordered it. iI was tasty as well and the creamy goat cheese paired with the spinach and artichoke reminded me of an elevated version of a spinach and artichoke dip.
Bonefish Grill Lily’s Chicken
My husband and daughter took advantage of the Dine and Discover menu where two can dine for $50 which is a special going on right now. This includes an appetizer of their famous bang bang shrimp to share, 2 entrees off of the new fall menu and dessert! I do not know what they put in the creamy spicy sauce that tops the bang bang shrimp but I like it!
Dessert included their new pumpkin creme brûlée, which is perfectly fitting for the season. The filling is comparable to that of the classic pumpkin pie and the toasted sugar crust and house-made whip cream adds just the right amount of sweetness. And although, it is now fall, I cannot help myself when it comes to key lime pie and will order it year around. All of the desserts at Bonefish Grill are house-made and the key lime filling is creamy and balanced with being sweet and tart at the same time.
Bonefish Grill Pumpkin Cream Brûlée
Well hopefully I have made you hungry and now is your chance to try Bonefish Grill for yourself by entering to win the $25 gift card! To enter just comment below if you have ever been to Bonefish Grill and what your favorite dish is there. If you can’t wait for the gift card giveaway and want to make a reservation to try the new menu now, visit the Bonefish Grill website.
Contest will end midnight Friday, November 4 and winner will be chosen using random.org. Please be sure to include a valid email with your entry as that is how the winner will be notified. The folks over at Bonefish Grill will then mail out the gift card to the winner. Good luck and Enjoy!
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Oct 4, 2016 | Food & Drink, Restaurants, What You're Missing KC!
Cedar Plank Maple Bourbon Salmon
The new Dine and Discover menu from Bonefish Grill is the best deal in town, where two can dine on a three course dinner for only $50. In celebration of National Seafood Month in October, the new Dine and Discover menu from Bonefish Grill features items from their new fall menu.
This menu is only available for a limited time starting October 4. I’ve got a reservation to try out the new menu later this month so keep an eye out on a post that will describe my experience and a gift card giveaway to Bonefish Grill.
The Dine and Discover menu features a three-course dinner for two priced at $50 featuring a choice of entree, complemented by signature appetizer Bang Bang Shrimp and a delectable dessert to share. Entrees include fall favorite Fresh Swordfish with Pumpkin Ravioli, NEW Wild Snapper & Shrimp, NEW Cedar Plank Maple Bourbon Salmon and regional wood-grilled fish selections.
Fresh Swordfish with Pumpkin Ravioli
To accompany the seasonal dishes, a selection of wines given top 90 point ratings by well-known wine experts are available for $9 per glass to please even the most discerning palates. A 90 point rating indicates that a wine is outstanding and of superior character and style. Guests can enjoy Trapiche “Broquel” Malbec, Charles & Charles Cabernet Blend, Eroica Reisling and King Estate “Signature Collection” Pinot Gris, or choose from handcrafted cocktails including the seasonal Fall Apple and Fresh Pear Martinis, filled with the flavors and aromas of the season.
Fresh Pear Martini
Visit Bonefish Grill online to check out their full menu, find the location nearest to you or make a reservation.
Photos courtesy of Bonefish Grill.
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