favorites

I woke up at 2am with a great idea for a topic for the blog today, and I have since forgotten what it was. So I'm going to post some random thoughts.

First, favorites. Last night we had mexican food from La Parilla Suiza (so tasty) and it made me think that I should post some favorite things on the web and hope to get some favorites posted back either in the comment section or on your own blog.

Recipes:

I first made this pasta sauce a few weeks ago when we had friends over for dinner. Since then I've made it at least once, and everyone loves it. It's easy and sooo good! This one is from Giada DeLaurentis.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
Yield: 6 cups

Chocolate Gelato:

3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
8 ounces granulated sugar
10 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Place whole milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean and seeds in a sauce pot and scald. Remove vanilla bean. Whip the granulated sugar and egg yolks to a pale yellow ribbon state. Your sugar and egg yolks should be nice and fluffy. Add about a 1/2 cup of your scalded cream to your chopped chocolate in a bowl. Stir until melted. Place the bowl over a double boiler of barely simmering water. Set up a second double boiler. Constantly stirring with a wooden spoon, add scalded cream to your whipped egg and sugar mixture. Place egg and cream mixture over the double boiler and cook custard until it becomes thick and creamy. See Cook's Note.
Once custard is cooked, place the bowl over a cold water bath to cool. Gradually add your melted chocolate. Once custard is cool place in an ice cream machine and run as per manufacturer's instructions. Enjoy the love.
Cook's Note: It is recommended that the custard not be heated over 140 degrees F.
This recipe is also from the Food Network.

Games:

We love games and have a few that we introduce to anyone who comes to dinner at our house. The biggest hits:

Carcassonne - great because you can play with 2 people or up to 5, and it doesn't take forever.

Lost Cities - a new favorite. This one took a few times to grow on us. You kind of love it and hate it, but it's another great one for 2 players and now we just love it.

Apples to Apples - for those who aren't into strategy games, this one is easy and fun. Add some liquor and it's a riot. Great for a group of people.

Fluxx - this is a game that I think pretty much only guys enjoy. But since Tim thinks it's great, I'll post it. A few years ago we had the Schweatys and the Tweeters over for New Year's Eve and the boys played 'just a quick game'. Ever since that 45 minute load of boringness, the game has not been on my list of favorites.

Toys:

Kate's favorites are the Little People, and her Dr. Suess book, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?

Since I'm hungry, here are some of my favorite local restaurants. Please leave comments on others you think are fabulous - it's nice to mix it up a bit!

Lunch:
Beyond Bread
Baggins
La Salsa
Rocco's Pizza

Dinner:
Eclectic Cafe
La Parilla Suiza
McMahon's Steakhouse

Onto a different subject, Kate tried cottage cheese yesterday for the first time. She did not like it.

http://media.putfile.com/I-dont-like-cottage-cheese