Outdoor seating has opened on Steiner St. Yay! I went to Isa with the lovely Laura Tilly! Among other things, we shared the oysters. They were fabulous!!!
Cheesy Spicy Low Carb Crackers
I’m experimenting with a new Paleo-friendly, low carb flour mix: Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour. My first experiment -- these super yummy cheesy crackers have a nice spicy bite! By the way, if anyone’s paying attention… I might be a bit into cheese lately. :)
How To Make It
Ingredients:
8 oz. hand shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup room temp salted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
Mix the cheese, butter and Dijon mustard together. Separately, mix all the dry ingredients together (all the remaining ingredients). Next, in 3 or 4 phases fold the dry ingredients into cheese mixture.
Separate the dough into three balls. Take each onto about a 14 inch layer of plastic wrap. Roll the ball out along the plastic wrap. Wrap the cheese log completely and manipulate the log until it’s about the width of a quarter (I use my hands to roll it out until it gets to the size I want). Place the cheese logs in the freezer.
From here, preparation takes about 25 minutes. So, when you’re ready, pull a cheese log from the freezer and let it sit for about 10 minutes to let it soften a little. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the cheese log into 1/4 inch disks. Place on cookie sheet (use a Silpat or parchment paper to avoid sticking) spaced at least 1/4 inch apart. Check after 10 minutes, they should be slightly brown around the edges. If they’re not, bake for another couple minutes or so.
Let them cool and enjoy the cheesy yumminess!
3 Cheese & Ham Grilled Cheese
Michael’s been craving grilled cheese sandwiches lately. This 3 cheese and ham version got a big thumbs up!
How to Make it
I used sour dough bread, mixed shredded cheddar and jack, smoked ham slices and - the secret ingredient - herb soft spread cheese! Over one slice of bread layer cheddar jack mix, followed by ham slices, spread herb cheese over ham, top with cheddar jack mix and slice of bread. Warm a skillet with a pad of butter at medium heat. Cook covered for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and add a little more butter. Put the sandwich back in the pan - covered - cook the other side. This side only takes about 3 minutes. Enjoy the oozing deliciousness!
South Shore Burger @ Emerald Bay Bar
Oh yum! Yesterday, we tried a new restaurant in South Lake Tahoe near the “Y” - Emerald Bay Bar & Grill. I had the South Shore Burger, which is a House Special (and is it SPECIAL!) The Parmesan crusted sourdough bread takes this burger over the top for me. We will return!
What you get: 1/2 Pound Pat LaFrieda Chef Cut Patty Stacked With Provolone, Bacon, Tomato, And House Made Onion-Mayo Stuffed Between Two Pieces Of Our Parmesan Crusted Sourdough
City Ribs Night
I’m at it again. This time, it’s imperative we keep the kitchen door closed as the oven will be on for 3.5 hours and it’s 80 degrees in our apartment. This is a great sheltering-in option when you don’t have access to an outdoor BBQ.
Step One
Lightly season the underside of the ribs and generously season the top side. I use Oakland Dust for pork - it’s delicious! We used baby back pork ribs, but you can really do this with any kind of ribs.
Step Two
Next, fold over the aluminum foil and seal. I try to keep a bit of a tent over the top of the ribs to protect the seasoning.
Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours.
Step Three
Peel back the top layer of foil and cook for another 30 minutes. You can also brush BBQ sauce over the ribs at this point, but we prefer them dry rub.
Step Four - Eat!
The ribs turn out so tender they literally fall off the bone! Serve with your favorite sauce.
As ever, stay healthy and safe, everyone!