New recipe, April 30, 2013

Tonight we joined many others at the Civil Soirée, celebrating the fact that gay and lesbian couples can enter into Civil Unions in Colorado at midnight tonight. An important step on the road to true equality!

So tonight's new recipe is the Bennett Cocktail from Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology. Nice flavors, it gets a 3.

New recipe, April 29, 2013

Strozzapreti with Favas Peas and Prosciutto from the March 2013 Cooking Light. Served with an impromptu salad with tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and avocado. Strozzapreti is a short curly pasta. We didn't have any so we used Christmas pasta shapes instead! This is a pleasant dish--we give it a 3.

Wine: Vigneto di Gino Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi 2009

New recipes, April 28, 2013

Lamb and Fennel Meatballs, from the April 2013 Food and Wine (made with Mario Batali's Basic Tomato Sauce from Molto Italiano). Served with Wilted Mustard Greens Salad with Bacon (we used smoked paprika in place of bacon) from Epicurious, and the Pea Pancakes again.

The meatballs get a 4. The tomato sauce also gets a 4, the salad gets a 4 (more oil to wilt it could make it a 5). The pancakes still get a 5.

Wine: Poggiotondo Chianti Superiore 2009

Fabulous Feast, April 27, 2013

This evening we held a dinner party for Mark's parents, Mike and Ann Groshek, and their friends, Ran and Mary Gardner, John and Barbara Moran, Ann and Marlon Weaver, and Frank and Susan King.

We started with the Smoked Salmon with Faux Caviar and White Chocolate Wasabi  Sauce from Top Chef, as an appetizer.  We have always found this to be a 5, and it still is!  Served with Gruet Blanc de Noirs, a lovely, cost-effective sparkling wine from New Mexico.

The amuse bouche was the Pea Pancakes from the April 2013 Bon Appetit.  This still gets a 5.  Served with Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010.

The next course is the Halibut and Shrimp in Minted Broth from the May 2013 Cooking Light.  We still give this a 5.  Served with Damilano Langhe Arneis 2011.

The next course is the still fabulous Spring Panzanella from the April 2012 Food and Wine, another 5!  Served with the Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010.

The main course is Lamb Roast with Mustard Sauce, from the April 2013 Food and Wine.  This gets a 5 again!  Served with a wonderful 2005 Bordeaux, Chateau Lafon-Rochet Saint Estephe.  The wine is a sublime match!

Dessert is the new recipe this evening--Syllabub with Strawberries and Black Pepper, from the NPR website.  Everything else we served this evening was something we had rated a 5, and this is another 5!  Served with a  perfect match, the Carod Fréres Clairette de Dies.

New recipe, April 26, 2013

From the May 2013 Cooking Light: Chicken Noodle Bowl. This has pleasant flavors, and we give it a 3.

Wine: Andre California Champagne (yes, someone gave us a bottle so we decided to have it with this meal)

New recipe, April 25, 2013

Grilled Asian Steak with Mango Salad from the May 2013 Cooking Light (thanks Carl for cooking for your road warrior!!). Tasty, gets a 4!

Wine: Von Schleinitz Apollo Dry Riesling 2011--a fair match

New recipe, April 24, 2013

Sent from my iPhone.

We have been cooking something new every day for more than 2 years! denverlifewithcarlandmark.blogspot.comPappardelle with Arugula and Prosciutto (we used fettuccine since we didn't have pappardelle) from the May 2013 Bon Appétit. Served with leftover White Bean and Radish Salad from the same magazine. Both get a 4.

Wine: Evolucio Furmint 2011--nice match

New recipe, April 24, 2013

Lewis and Martin Cocktail from the Gary Regan's Joy of Mixology. Yum, gets a 5!

New recipe, April 23, 2013

Pappardelle (we used Fettucine as that is what we had) with Arugula and Prosciutto from the May 2013 Bon Appétit. Delicious--gets a 4.

Wine: Evolucio 2011

New recipes, April 22, 2013

Both from the May 2013 Bon Appétit: Artichoke and Feta Tarts (a great reason to have puff pastry in the freezer!!) and White Bean and Radish Salad. The tart gets a 5, the salad a 4. Both very nice!

Wine: Glass Mountain Chardonnay 2008-a nice match

New recipe, April 21, 2013

Spring Peas and Greens with Cacio e Pepe Dressing from the April 2013 Food and Wine. Flavors were nice but not really remarkable--we give this a 3.

Served with grilled sirloin and a tomato salad.

Wine: Forgeron Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

New recipe, April 20, 2013

We attended the Human Rights Campaign Mile High Gala Dinner, so the new recipe is The Last Dance cocktail, from Cowboy Cocktails by Grady Spears and Brigit L Burns.

An unexpected set of flavors for tequila--pretty good! We give it a 4.

New recipes, April 19, 2013

Quinoto with Spring Herb Purée and Leeks, from the Denver Post, served with a poached egg and a blanched vegetable salad Carl made with watermelon radish, mini orange peppers, snap peas and grape tomatoes. Both get a 4!

Wine: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2009 Alto Adige

New recipe, April 18, 2013

Traildust Cocktail, from Cowboy Cocktails by Grady Spears and Brigit L Binns. Nice flavors (tequila, whiskey and black pepper)--it gets a 3.

We saw Sense and Sensibility, The Musical tonight, so dinner was from Chipotle. Can you imagine Jane Austen as a musical? It was delightful!

New recipe, April 17, 2013

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas with Avocado Tomato Salad, from the May 2013 Cooking Light. Good flavors, we give this a 4.

Wine: Borsao 2008

New recipe, April 16, 2013

Tonight we had dinner with Rich Lamm and Tim Charney. We did a repeat of the Orange Scented Pot Roast with Olives from April 2013 Eating Well (we tried using an eye of round, not as tender as the chuck was). Still great flavors, and gets a 4. The new recipe is the Snap Pea and Quinoa Salad, from the same issue. We give this a 4!

Wine: Forgeron Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

New recipe, April 15, 2013

Happy tax day! Today's new recipe is Halibut and Shrimp with Minted Broth, from the May 2013 Cooking Light. Please ignore the instruction to cook the shrimp and fish together--wait 5 minutes to add the shrimp! That said, this is still spectacular, and it gets a 5!

Wine: Damilano Lenghe Arneis 2011

New recipe, April 14, 2013

After an epic powder day at Winter Park, tonight's new recipe is Pea Pancakes from the April 2013 Bon Appétit. Served with a mixed green salad. Sounds simple, but really delicious. These are easy to make, and they get a 5!

Wine: Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010

New recipe, April 13, 2013

We overloaded them, but these tacos get a 5! Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo from the May 2013 Cooking Light. Make them--your mouth will thank you!

No wine, we enjoyed these with an Eau Bénite, a wonderful triple from Unibroue (it's a Belgian style beer, if that wasn't clear)--perfect for this dish.

New recipes, April 12, 2013

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Breast with Cucumber Salad from the May 2013 Cooking Light. Spicy and tasty, we'll give this a 3.

No wine as we were traveling.

New recipe, April 11, 2013

The new recipe is Ajo Blanco from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. This is a twist on a classic Spanish almond and grape gazpacho (the name, which means "white garlic" gives away another ingredient). We've not had it before, it is delicious and gets a 4.

Wine: Cantele Negroamaro Rosato 2010, a nice match!

The recipe is apropos, perhaps, for dinner following "A Weekend with Pablo Picasso" at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It was written by and stars Herbert Siguenza as Picasso, and is a delight! It shows through April 28. Siguenza is also an accomplished artist, and paints several Picasso style paintings during the play. One is for sale after each performance, with the proceeds benefitting arts education. We are proud to have bought this evening's painting, seen here with the artist!

New recipe, April 10, 2013

Hot Pepper Noodles from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. Nice Thai flavors, this gets a 3.

Wine: Evolucio Furmint 2011. A good wine, but not a good match!

New recipe, April 9, 2013

As we were both supposed to be on the road, the new recipe is a snack, Marcona Almonds with Smoked Paprika from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. Our blizzard kept me from leaving town, but it was still a tasty snack. If you haven't used smoked paprika, it infuses a bacon like flavor and aroma-how can you not like that? These get a 4.

New recipe, April 8, 2013

Steak Salad with Horseradish Dressing from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. Nice combination of flavors. This gets a 4

New recipe, April 7. 2013

Beer Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage from the March 2013 Bon Appétit, served with an arugula salad. Nice flavors, it gets a 3.

Wine: Infinite Monkey Theorem Petite Syrah 2009

New recipe, April 6, 2013

Swiss Chard with Raisins and Almonds from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. This might sound sweet, but it is actually well balanced and savory. A great combination of flavors, it gets a 5! (How can Ii not love anything with toasted almonds?)
Served with pan fried flank steak.

No wine, enjoyed with a St Martin Winter Ale.

New recipe, April 5, 2013

We've had a long week, so we had Chipotle burritos. The new recipe is the Sweet Pea Cocktail from the April 2013 Bon Appétit. Interesting, we give it a 3.

New recipe, April 4, 2013

Italian Vegetable Stew from the March 2013 Bon Appétit. Delicious and vegetarian! We give it a 4.

Wine: Villa Medoro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2008

New recipe, April 3, 2013

Raw Asparagus Mushroom and Parsley Salad with Nuts and Parmesan from the Denver Post. Nice--it gets a 4. Served with leftover Orange and Mint Stuffed Lamb with Sweet and Sour Cabbage, also from the Denver Post. This still gets a 4.

No wine--we had Unibroue's wonderful La Maudite Belgian style beer with it.

New recipe, April 2, 2013

This is a total 5!! From Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen: Smoky Braised Mexican Pumpkin with Seared White Onion. The flavors are excellent! Make this! It was great for dinner, even more amazin for lunch the next day.

No wine, as we headed to Opera Colorado's excellent Don Giovanni

New recipe, April 1, 2013

No fools are we this April Fools Day!  Tonight's new recipe is the Grilled Catfish Steaks with Chipotle Avocado Salsa from Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen.  We used halibut because that is what was fresh, and this was delicious!  We give this a 4.

We served it with leftover risotto with the radish pickle from the Romano Risotto with Radishes from the September 2009 Gourmet.  The radishes really made the risotto--we give this a 4!

Wine: Guy Drew Russell Vineyards Riesling 2010