Monthly Archives: November 2020

Chili Mustard Glazed Butternut Squash With Bay Leaves

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Did you ever follow a recipe from a magazine and discovered that it taste terrible? That is how I started to developing my recipes. When I come across one I don’t like I do my best to make it taste good. I thought this one looked good and seemed ok…but the taste was not for me so I fixed it and it came out good in the end. Depending on the size of squash you use the servings may differ. I used a medium small butternut squash. It looks like four side servings to me. Your idea of serving size might differ from my idea of serving size.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

neutral non stick cooking spray

1 butternut squash (whatever size you want)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

fresh crushed sea salt – to taste

fresh ground black pepper – to taste

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

chili paste – to taste (all brands differ..you might want only a little or a lot….I used Calabrian Chili Paste that is delicious and only medium hot…I think I used a little more than a Tablespoon)

2 teaspoons mustard – I used Pommery Mustard Royal Cognac ….It’s like a combo of grain and dijon but laced with cognac

brine from jarred hot peppers to taste (I didn’t measure….I think I used about a quarter of a cup)

8 dried bay leaves

1/3 cup jarred sweet or sweet/hot peppers for garnish

Directions

Set oven to 425 degrees F. Set up a rack for the top third of the oven.

Spray baking sheet or a baking dish with non stick spray and set to the side.

Peel squash, cut in half (long ways) and scoop out seeds and membrane.

The squash go in the oven for only 15 minutes to get softer so you can cut it up easier.

While the squash is getting soft heat up the sauce.

In a small fry pan on medium high heat add the brine, mustard, maple syrup, butter and vinegar. Mix it up and let sit thicken some till it coats a spoon around 7 minutes. Take it off the heat.

Either cut in slices or be fancy like me and hasselback the squash.

I used chopsticks to hasselback the squash so I wouldn’t cut all the way threw.

Then each half of squash gets 4 bay leaves stuck into it.

Spray or rub the squash with oil and generously add salt and pepper to it.

Brush it with the sauce you just made.

Put it in the oven for only 10 minutes.

Repeat with brushing the sauce on the squash.

Leave it in for another 10 minutes.

You might want to do this a third time.

You want the squash to be soft and cooked.

Sprinkle some jarred peppers for serving.

Chili Mustard Glazed Butternut Squash with Bay Leaves

This is really Forking Delicious! Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Universal Yum Box – Russia – My Forking Thoughts

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I’ve subscribed to www.UniversalYums.com . It’s a subscription service that sends you an international box of snacks once a month. They offer three different size boxes.

Small (called a Yum Box)- 6 snacks, a 12 page activity booklet with a recipe) around $15.00

Medium (called a Yum Yum Box) 12 snacks, activity book & more around $25.00

Large ( called Super Yum Box) 20 snacks, activity book & more around $40.00

So far I’m just doing the basic 6 snack Yum Box.

I open the box and wonder what I’ll get?

I look at the first few pages of the activity booklet first.

I read a little about Russia. I see a recipe for beef stroganoff. Turn the page and I see some fun facts.

The box also comes with a scorecard so I can jot down my thoughts.

I should have read the next page before we started the tastings because they recommended to do the tastings in a certain order. I accidentally tasted the best one first. I picked it because it was a smaller treat and I wanted to start with something small.

We start by sharing one of the snacks.

I’m not sure what it is called but it is a wafer bar with cocoa, hazelnuts and peanuts.

WOW! It’s all melty like REAL chocolate.

Gosh this is delicious. I never tasted a wafer bar with such a delicious coating. No wax here! This is really good. It’s not even like a candy bar. It’s more like the chocolate ganache coating from a pastry shop. American candy bars are very inferior compared to this…….Even the wafers and fillings are good. WOW! I sure wouldn’t mind more of these.

Here is the next one we tried.

I have no idea what the package says but this is a pack of two white chocolate and hazelnut filled wafer bars.

The wafer bars are crisp and the filling is unusually good. More like something from a bakery and not from a shelf. No waxy feeling at all. No chemical taste. It’s rich with the right amount of buttery sweetness. I just wish the hazelnut flavor popped a little more but this is still really good.

We only wanted a little bit of sweet so we opened the Yum Bag.

I wonder what is inside?

Looks like fruity gummies and something more interesting with coconut and hazelnuts. I go for the more interesting.

It’s like a wafer bon bon. It’s a white chocolate coating mixed with shredded coconut that coats a wafer shell filled with extra sweet frosting that has a hazelnut center. This one its slightly waxy and slightly too sweet. Not my favorite.

Here’s the next one.

I was suppose to try this one first. It’s some sort of coated milk cake.

This one lacks sweetness and also lacks a good flavor. It is flavored with something I can’t identify. This its my least favorite so far.

Ok next was mushroom croutons.

They smell sort of odd. They are light, airy and crisp in texture. They taste better than they smell. some of them actually taste like mushroom base. (base the stuff you add to soup if you didn’t make a stock) some of them have more flavor and salt than others in my package. For me some of them run a little salt forward but they really do taste like mushroom. Not bad!

Next.

These are suppose to be Swiss cheese flavored potato chips.

They smell sort of buttery. They have a powdery exterior and are very thin but in my package the chips are not very crisp. At first I can almost imagine a Swiss cheese flavor but that quickly turns to an artificial margarine type flavor. I really don’t like these chips.

These were the gummies from the yum bag. They might be good but I don’t like gummy candy so I made my husband try them. He thought one did taste like lemon or something citrusy but he couldn’t identify the other one.

The last one.

It looks good……..????

I go to taste….The chocolate is extra milky and the filling is more like jelly than the creamy look it has on the wrapper.

You know I can sure go for another one of these………..The was the wafer with cocoa, hazelnuts and peanuts.

Those were my Forking Thoughts on Universal Yums from Russia.

I can’t wait to try what I get next month!

www.UniversalYums.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience and opinion may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

Easy DELICIOUS Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

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I make cauliflower often and wanted to season it in a way that was different and delicious. After doing a few Indian recipes I learned that the combination of mustard, cumin and sesame seeds are delicious together. All that and a few other things make cauliflower something special. Every cauliflower is a different size so exact portion size is impossible. This recipe will season around 4-8 portions depending on portion size and size of cauliflower.

Ingredients for around 6 portions

1 large cauliflower cut in florets (or two small)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (not an exact measurement. I used a spray bottle and guesstimated)

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro – chopped

sea salt – to taste

ground black pepper – to taste

Instructions

Set oven to 450 degrees F.

Spray baking sheet with olive oil.

In a small mixing bowl add the mustard, cumin and sesame seeds and mix well.

Spread the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the cauliflower with olive oil. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the cauliflower. Spray the cauliflower again with olive oil. Place baking sheet of cauliflower on the middle rack in the preheated oven. Remove cauliflower when cooked but not soggy and lightly charred. In my oven this took 20 minutes but your timing might differ.

Finish with fresh crushed sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Easy Delicious Roasted Cauliflower

ENJOY!

The Forking Truth

Taco Tasting at Tacos Calafia in Peoria AZ

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The only sign with the Tacos Calafia name of the restaurant is on the back of the restaurant. Tacos Calafia is a casual restaurant that serves what they call street size tacos of five varieties, quesadillas, mulitas, vampiros, burritos and taco nachos.

According to The Arizona Republic they say that Phoenix Magazine awarded Tacos Calafia as the BEST tacos in Phoenix. The Phoenix New Times wrote that it is worth driving from all corners of the valley to taste Tacos Calafia Tacos. On The Phoenix New Times this restaurant is mentioned often as a BEST so since I’m a foodie I wanted to try it for myself. I am very picky about tacos. Most I taste are not my favorite. I’ve been to Mexico a number of times. I don’t claim to be an expert on tacos but I ate many tacos in the streets of Mexico. I thought most tacos that I tasted in Mexico were more delicious than the majority of tacos I try here in metro Phoenix. They were more developed with flavors. Most tasted very slow cooked. They all had a special freshness to them as well. That is why (not all) but most tacos here are not as good and I’ve also tried tacos from many taco festivals. Well I’m giving Tacos Calafia a try today.

I see they have a patio so I will eat outside today.

Here’s the menu.

According to the Phoenix New Times Tacos Calafia was a BEST NEW Restaurant in 2017. Also according to Eater Tacos Calafia is one of the 11 Hottest restaurants in Phoenix.

It’s very casual inside. You order at the counter, pay and pick up at the window. Then you make a trip to the taco bar and load your tacos up.

Here’s the taco bar.

We wore gloves to use the taco bar.

Our tacos came out like this. They are generously stuffed with meat.

pastor, cabeza, cabeza on corn tortillas
chicken on corn tortillas and carne asada on flour tortillas

Then I made them look nicer with the taco bar and we tried a variety of salsas.

The first taco I try is the grilled chicken.

I add lime to all the tacos. The green and red salsas are a very thin consistency ……almost like water. The green salsa has a nicer flavor than the red so I try a little of that and a little bit of guacamole cream on the chicken taco. …………It’s ok and not bad. The tortilla is not as flavorful as others I’ve tried. The chicken is very average. It’s not bad because it is tender but it doesn’t have a lot of flavor or char taste to it. It taste like plain grilled chicken.

Next I try the carne asada. The meat is tender but also lacks any flavor and even a char taste. I use a small amount of the spicy smoky thick sauce on this one to give it some flavor. Flour tortilla is average. Don’t take what I say the wrong way…..This is not bad taco…I’ve had much worst……..but it’s not up there for me.

My husband eats one more tacos than me and tries the pastor. He said it was different but I couldn’t get him to explain to me why it’s different. he said it was ok….he thought good but he said it was like the asada…not so flavorful.

The last taco I try was the cabeza (pulled beef cheek) This one is much different from all the other tacos. This taco is very good. …..(finally)….The meat is infused with a good slow cooked beefy flavor. I’m not a beef person but this is the best and most flavorful of the tacos that I tried today. My husband agrees with me.

Well that is how the tacos from Tacos Calafia were today. I imagine that it is possible that when the Phoenix New Times, Phoenix Magazine and Eater were here they made some of the tacos different. Did they changed their recipes since???????….. Or maybe it’s just someone different cooking today?

That was my trip to Tacos Calafia in Peoria.

www.TacosCalafia.com

Every THING is subject to change and your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

Take Out Food In Metro Phoenix AZ During The CoronaVirus Pandemic Week 33 – Alzohour Market, Fabio On Fire

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Experts say that take out food and delivery are less risky options during the pandemic. So take out is a logical choice but we also do consider out door patio dining.

Our first take out of the week was from Alzohour Market in Glendale. They are offer Moroccan, Middle Eastern Foods, baked goods, a small amount of grocery and Islamic Clothing. The food is always delicious and if you can you must try the hot tea. Today we took out the cod tangine and a chicken dish. We asked for chicken couscous but we got rice instead. She gave us LOTS of rice…way more than a person can eat. It was still delicious.

The entrees came with fresh salads. The Cod tangine is always delicious. It’s made with red peppers, tomatoes, onions and lemons in a warm seasoned tomato based sauce. The cod is nice and light but is a generous portion. The chicken is also delicious, lots of olives, very tender and falling off the bones. Today it came with potatoes that soaked up all the delicious Mediterranean and chicken flavors. These meals came with an ultra generous portions of colorful fluffy rice. the dogs sure enjoyed sharing some of the fish and chicken.

We also did take out from Fabio On Fire in North Peoria #UpperWestSide. This is an Italian Restaurant that offers Italian Foods such as Neapolitan Pizzas, Pastas, Great baked goods, Specials that may include fresh seafood and the BEST GELATO maybe in the world.

We went with two of the specials halibut Mediterranean, polenta with Italian sausage and peppers and that amazing strawberry gelato. I didn’t try the sausage and polenta but I can tell you that the halibut was delicious and prepared to perfection. The vegetables were also nice and fresh and included rainbow carrots. Fabios bread is also excellent. It was nice to enjoy a piece with dinner. The next day we enjoyed more of the amazing bread with breakfast. We also had a small taste of that amazing strawberry gelato. I’m lucky to have the rest in my freezer. My dogs got to also enjoy some sausage and halibut.

That was Week 33 of Take Out during the coronavirus pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ.

Alzohour Market – Glendale

Fabio On Fire – Peoria #UpperWestSide

Everything is subject to change and we hope things do change for the better.

The Forking Truth

My Brunch at The Craftsman Cocktails and Kitchen in North Scottsdale AZ

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The Craftsman Cocktails and Kitchen is an American Restaurant and distillery in North Scottsdale AZ. If you were a fan of the fine dining Italian restaurant Sassi then you might be a fan of this restaurant because the same chef is here now. This restaurant offers a big dog friendly patio that wraps around the restaurant.

They also have garage door style windows that add even more patio space during nice weather days.

Inside is open, modern and airy.

Another dining area and the distillery is on the other side.

On my last visit we did take out but I thought if I got here early that the patio would be quiet.

Two weeks back I got to order from the all day menu but they now serve brunch on the weekends.

From my take out last time I did try the AZ Hot Chicken Lollipops over blue cheese slaw. They were tender and tasty but not really hot. We also tried the wagyu pastrami sandwich and the hammer and anvil porchetta sandwich.

I asked the waitress about the fried AZ hot chicken biscuit sandwich and she said it was the same heat as the lollipops. I prefer more heat when I eat something hot so I ordered something else. I left my normal comfort zone (chicken and fish) and decided to try the Distillers porcini crusted burger with a side salad slightly special ordered. I LOVE cheese but I think cheese makes my burgers too salty so I asked for the cheese on the side so I could put it on my salad.

The burger is large and is a blend of brisket and short rib. It is topped with caramelized onion, arugula and garlic aioli and a soft fresh brioche bun. The mushroom rub gives the burger a unique taste. I like that they prepared my burger to a perfect medium like I asked for. The side salad is especially good. Everything taste very farm fresh…..

My husband tried the short rib hash.

The eggs didn’t come seasoned so my husband had to ask for salt and pepper. The short ribs in it are fatty and succulent.

This spacious restaurant is almost empty-

and suddenly three tables walk in and the hostess clusters them all around us……

That was our brunch at The Craftsman Cocktails and Kitchen.

www.TheCraftsmanAZ.com

Every THING is subject to change and your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth