Last night as Tony and I were finishing up watching Shameless (if you don’t watch that show, you really need to DVR it!) he looked over to me and said “you made some really good food this weekend.”
Well that’s music to my ears because Tony doesn’t like half the stuff I make. Like Chicken Tikka Masala, Zucchini Meatball Subs, and Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili.
We did go out to eat on Saturday though. We usually go to a place called Nozumi in South Barrington. However, we pulled up only to find out that the restaurant is closed and will soon become a Wok n Fire restaurant, which Mara says is a local chain.
So on to Plan B. A new sushi place opened up in the town next to us, so we decided to give it a try. My first thought was “why is it 12:30 and we are the only ones in the place.”
I never get the raw shit. I got two appetizers for my entrée. This was both breakfast and lunch. I got the bacon wrapped shrimp and asparagus and the agedashi tofu.
I loved that the dipping sauce for the tofu was on the side. Tony reached over and took one bite and immediately regretted that decision! I love it though. Tony’s plate:
He couldn’t have been happier. He said the fish was super fresh, and they had one of his favorites, fatty tuna. He made me try just a bit, and much like the tofu for him, I most certainly regretted that decision and immediately put a garnish of orange in my mouth to get the taste out of it.
By dinner time we both looked at each other and didn’t feel like the roast we had planned so lucky me, I just happened to have pizza dough in the fridge from last weeks deep dish pizza, so I made a thin crust pizza using what I had on hand – deli roast beef and green olives. #partypizzaSaturday!
When Tony went to the store to pick up steaks for dinner Friday, I looked at the sale flyer and said “can you pick me up a pork shoulder?” It was only .99 cents a pound people! I am going to post the recipe for this later this week, but again, yesterday this was my breakfast and lunch, so I splurged and made a Carolina pulled pork grilled cheese on marble rye with 50% Cabot reduced fat cheddar cheese.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of this show called Wisconsin Foodie. It comes on Channel 11 in the Chicagoland area. Saturday morning they were at a farm and a food truck was supplying the food for the luncheon. One of the chef’s on the food truck started talking about his third place finish at a grilled cheese contest. He said he made homemade yeast bread with door county cherries and paired that with a Wisconsin cheddar cheese.
I was immediately intrigued. I’ve had olive yeast bread before, but I loved the idea of having a slightly sweet yeast bread to make a sandwich with.
Longtime readers know I make my SIL her lunches every week. She’ll stop by on Sunday’s to visit and leave with a weeks worth of lunches. About six months ago I think I sent her home with one of my Artisan loaves of bread, and her son and grandson look forward to the bread every week.
That loaf above is half of the recipe. Since fresh cherries aren’t available yet, Tony had the great idea to buy frozen cherries.
I thawed one cup of cherries for about an hour, then quartered them. I took the second half of the bread dough, put the cherries on top and then kneaded it together – it was kind of hard because the cherries were very liquidy (not a word, but I am using it!) but I finally got it together. I decided to top it with an egg wash and slivered almonds.
This was delicious. You mind wants to think that this is going to be sweet, but it’s only slightly sweet when you hit the cherries. Imagine this bread as a turkey and goat cheese panini?! #winning! (I think Tony might have thrown up in his mouth at the idea of that sandwich!)
So last night we had the roast that was planned for Saturday. It had a nice fat cap on it, so Tony cross hatched it, and I just added minced garlic, salt and and pepper to it.
All the roasts were huge at the store, so we had them cut one in half. Plenty for dinner and leftovers (for me) later in the week.
125 is the magic number for rare meat. On the side I made my spring time risotto with carrots and edamame – I almost forgot the green apple until Tony reminded me. I added it last minute and it still had a bit of crunch to it.
A delicious way to end a weekend! Thanks for a great weekend Tony!
Tony has been toying with the idea of me selling my salsa. I have two signature salsa’s = my baja fresh salsa and my grilled cherry salsa. I have an idea of coming up with a bunch of grilled fruit salsas this summer, but obviously we have no idea how to even get started.
Well, we ran across a guy at our local grocery store who was selling his hot and mild giardiniera. You can check him out at www.ChicagoJohnnys.com.
Not only is this the best giardiniera I’ve ever tasted, he had a wealth of information about jars, and manufacturers and labels, etc. He said if I ever had any questions just to shoot him an email.
Here’s my question. Would any of you buy my salsa? I know only a handful of you have even tasted it, but just wanted to get a general idea of any interest. I have ideas to make grilled peach salsa, grilled orange salsa and even a grilled watermelon salsa! (these sound good in my head, but we’ll see!).
Alright, it’s an icky rainy day today, but I guess I still have to go to work. It’s always so nice to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday!
Happy Monday! Make it a great day!
I would absolutely buy it. I love salsa. Can you do a pineapple one? Grilled pineapple is amazing.
I wish you would just open up a restaurant already! I think your SIL and your bosses are so lucky! (Well, Tony is too, he just doesn’t appreciate it 😀 )
MaryBe
I’m with Tony on the sushi; that plate of his looks delicious.
And yes, I would ABSOLUTELY buy your salsa. 🙂
Tom is always out to try new salsa so I would get some! That pizza and bread has made me so hungry for carbs, looks delicious 🙂
Your bread and sandwich idea ARE winning! I’m really excited about you selling your salsa and do hope you try it. If you think you might try adding onions to any variety, I’d buy it for sure!
You should totally try and sell your salsa. I’m in awe of anyone who can do anything self employment related. In my mind, I feel like I could be an entrepreneur, but I have no idea in what arena or how to get started. I’d love to hear how the whole process goes.
i have to admit, i like the raw stuff, but i would have loved the tofu too. what a nice compliment. my hubs doesn’t readily hand out food compliments either so i can appreciate how good it must have felt.
i really need a grill because i really want to grill a roast now! we’ve been making roast on sundays for a while now and i’m SO. sick of them. grilling it would be such a great way to switch it up!
Isn’t that sweet when they acknowledge all your work in the kitchen? Makes my day.
And the salsa thing? I would LOVE to try your grilled cherry salsa, sounds so amazing. And the watermelon sounds like a wonderful idea to me as well! Keep us posted!!!
The bread looks amazing! Cherries? YUM! Glad Tony appreciated all your cooking- that always feels great! Bummer about your go to restaurant. Maybe you’ll find a new go to??
Well, I have to give Tony credit for Friday nights eats – that was all him and I kind of took all the credit! 😀
Biz I would definitely buy your salsa too, and I hope you would include your baja fresh in the available ones as well as the yummy fruit offerings! As a person with a serious (admitted) salsa addiction (I go through more than any human should in a week), I have been dying to try it for a while, it looks so great!
Thanks Amanda! 😀
I definitely would, assuming the price and shipping weren’t totally out of my budget! It’s delicious! 🙂
Thanks Errign! 😀
Mmm, that bread looks amazing!! Love the cherries…such a cool idea!
I would totally buy your salsa! 🙂
That bread looks really yummy, although I wouldn’t have known about it except for you. I wish I could watch Wisconsin Foodie, it seems like a good show but I cannot stand the host. I’ve met him a few times, at different events, and he is such a pompus ass. Maybe he is better on the show?
Mel!! My long lost blog buddy Mel! I miss your blog. 🙁 I must not have seen that many episodes, because I didn’t get that vibe. This last episode he wasn’t on it at all!
I would totally buy your salsa. Not to mention anything else you cook, I drool every time I visit your site.
Thanks Jenn – I appreciate it!
That bread looks awesome. I just bought frozen cherries for smoothies the other day. Expensive!! Can’t wait til they’re in season. I have not tried your salsa’s but, I would certainly buy your signature ones! I also agree with Renee to try and sell those two first and then branch out. I hope you do sell them Biz, I wanna’ place an order and I’m the queen of online shopping ya’ know 😉
I think my cherries were $3.99 a bag? You are the queen of online shopping!
I would love to try both of them 😉
Next time my Mom comes to visit, I’ll send you some through her Laura!
(Hand raised) I will, I will!!! Would love to try your salsa’s. There are lot’s of outlets you can try…..although “word by mouth” is the best!!!
You could also try selling your salsa’s on Etsy.com there are lots of people on Etsy that sell candy, bakery goods, and whatever else is edible. Soaps, teas, coffee’s, you name it, it’s on Etsy. I am on Etsy, once you get out of the back forty and into the fore-front you can get yourself a great little business. Then there is always farmer markets that you can sell at. Good luck on your venture!!!
That cherry bread looks really good!!
I never knew anyone sold food stuff on Etsy, do your cards sell well on there Louise?
My cards were doing well the last couple of years…not so good this year, no sales as yet. Guess the economy has something to do with it, thats what a lot of the artisians on Etsy are saying. Really have to do lots of promoting via blogs and teams.
Um, YES! I’ve been dying to try your salsa! Would you make a more traditional one, too, with grilled tomatoes and onions and such???
Maybe we should hit up Mariano’s at the same time and I’ll bring you some! And hells to the no – no Bizzy salsa is going to have onions in it! 😀
That would be awesome! 🙂 lol about the onions. I had to ask!
I have a question about your bread. Do you have to make it in a dutch oven?
Nope. Here’s how you do it. Put a baking stone in your oven and an empty broiler pan on the bottom of your stove. Heat to 450. When the oven is ready, put your bread dough on the parchment and carry it to the stone, gently set it down (the stone is really hot – be careful!) then put 1 cup of ice cubes in the broiler pan and quickly shut the oven door. Check the dough at about 30 minutes, up to 45 until it gets nice and brown.
It won’t get as crunchy as the Dutch oven method, but it’s pretty damn close!
Heck yea, I would buy your salsa.
Woop – thanks Wendy!
Hell yes, I would buy your salsa!! You would probably make a tidy sum just selling to us on your blog!! Happy Monday!!
Thanks MJ! 😀