Monday, February 20, 2012
Events Photos: Sweet Tooth Festival
Posted by Kimberly Lawson on Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 1:46 PM
On Sunday, Feb. 18, dessert lovers invaded Black Lion in South Charlotte (10605 Park Road) for the first ever Sweet Tooth Festival, which benefited the Joe Martin ALS Foundation. And even though I'm supposed to be on a diet —Â I was one of them.
When we arrived, the two rooms reserved in the back of the store for the fest were packed, but not suffocatingly so. Attendees were given a passport of the list of vendors — 19 in all — which was stamped at each table offering samples (I'm ashamed to say the holes in my passport were almost all punched out by the time I left). Frozen yogurt, ice cream, cupcakes, cake, mousse, truffles and candies all decked out in flavors of chocolate, raspberry, lemon, vanilla, coconut, banana and more ... just recounting that for you makes my tummy ache a little bit. Thankfully, the organizers were thoughtful enough to include a to-go box in the goody bag (which was courtesy of Yelp Charlotte) and a table offering bottled water.
While the event left me with a sugar high like no other, I have to give a shout-out to organizers Rachel Sutherland and Rhonda Hodges. Ladies, my cavity wasn't a big fan, but it was a delicious event for a worthy cause.
Check out the slideshow of photos from our photog Justin Driscoll below.
Slideshow
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Dinner / slow cooker / Soup Crockpot Arsenal: Curry Chicken Soup
Posted by Kelly Davis on Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 8:07 PM
Quick pop quiz!
Are you...
a. Too busy to cook?
b. Not in the mood to cook?
c. At a loss of how to prepare an easy healthy meal?
D. All of the above?
Have I got a recipe for you!
When I want to put a healthy meal on the table, but have little to no time, I reach into my crockpot arsenal.
- Kelly Davis
- Crockpot Arsenal
My crockpot arsenal is a handful of easy healthy recipes that basically involve dumping a bunch of ingredients into a crockpot and walking away for at least eight hours, then coming home to a delicious home cooked meal.
Got that?
1. Assemble ingredients.
2. Dump in crockpot.
3. Walk away for eight hours.
4. Come back and enjoy!
It's really as simple as that!
- Kelly Davis
- Curry Chicken Soup
One of my favorite recipes to pull from my crockpot arsenal is curry chicken soup. Chicken soup is so comforting and delicious, but I love that this recipe is a little different than your traditional chicken soup by including curry.
- Kelly Davis
- Crockpot Soup
It's warm, delicious, and comforting. Exactly what I want to come home to on a cold winter day!
- Kelly Davis
- Crockpot Chicken Soup
Crockpot Curry Chicken Soup (serves 6)
1 pound chicken breast
6 cups chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups spinach
2/3 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cilantro, stems removed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Put all ingredients in a crockpot and stir. Turn crockpot to low heat and cook for at least eight hours. Once cooking is complete, pull chicken apart (shred) into bite size pieces with two forks. Spoon into bowls and serve piping hot.
- Kelly Davis
- Crockpot Curry Chicken Soup
If you think this soup is delicious, wait until the next day! This soup gets tastier and tastier over time.
Serve it with a side salad or veggies and hummus, and crusty bread to sop up the broth. This meal will feed a crowd or will serve a couple for a few days. Feel free to halve it for less servings or stick it in a sealed container in the freezer to keep up to a few months.
Now what are you going to do with all of the free time you have by not slaving over a hot stove?
Come back next week and I'll share another tasty, healthy, quick and easy recipe from my crockpot arsenal!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Recipe / Valentine's Day Simple but impressive Valentine's Day Meals: Part II
Posted by Kelly Davis on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:28 PM
Last week I shared with you a plan for a simple, but impressive, Valentine's Day meal with salmon. Well, this week, I'm sharing a romantic meal for all you meat lovers out there.
When it comes to steak, typically, I can take it or leave it. The only exception is a good filet mignon. Call me picky, but It's my absolute favorite way to eat beef. And since I'm married to a beef-loving man, it is often the center piece of my cooked-at-home Valentine's Day meal.
- Kelly Davis
- Valentine's Day Meal
In my humble opinion, the ultimate fancy DIY meal involves filet mignon, risotto, and a hearty green vegetable. I've made this meal so many different ways over the years ...
... with creamy sauces.
... with earthy mushrooms.
... with about as many ingredients you can think to add to risotto.
But I know that all of you reading this are not just like me. The typical cook doesn't like over-complicated recipes. You probably don't find it therapeutic to stand over a pan of risotto, babysitting it, nurturing it, pour by pour of broth, for an entire hour.
I'm betting that you want something simple, so you can spend Valentine's Day with the person you love ... or at least like enough to spend a holiday.
I get you.
And just for you, I have simplified my go-to fancy meal. There's no multiple cooking methods for preparing the steak. Instead of the classic laborious approach to making risotto, you simply bake it and forget about it.
- Kelly Davis
- Tiramisu
Did I mention that this meal includes an ultra classy, utterly simple dessert?
Tiramisu is one of those misnomer desserts: It sounds incredibly classy (and it is), but terribly difficult to make (but it isn't). In reality, it's a delicately sweet and elegant way to end a meal that will leave you thinking, "Is that really all there is to it?"
Food News Now open: Queen City Q
Posted by Laura Camilo on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Uptown may be a jewel on the Q.C.'s crown, but when it comes to the down-home, meat and potatoes staples our state is famous for, dining options have been surprisingly limited. Fans of all things finger-lickin', your prayers have been answered- Queen City Q is open for business.
The brainchild of seasoned restaurateur John Duncan, Queen City Q has pit master Dan "Boone" Gibson serving up cherished family BBQ recipes. “It’s a very exciting time in Uptown," says Duncan in a press release "And this is a fantastic opportunity to bring great BBQ to center city in a highly visible location."
The menu offers traditional favorites like hand-pulled pork, collard greens, and pimento dip, along with more contemporary fixings like Corn & Edamame salsa and Asian slaw, as well as an assorted taco menu. Best of all, your BBQ plates come with homemade sauces served on the side so you can sauce them in whatever style you want, East or West or not at all.
225 E. 6th St.
704-334-TheQ (8437)
Friday, February 3, 2012
Events Charlotte-area chefs vie for regional 'Chef of the Year' title
Posted by Laura Camilo on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Q.C. foodies know that our city’s chefs are among the crème de la crème, and the American Culinary Federation is all set to prove them right. On Monday, Feb. 20, two area chefs — Travis Dale, executive chef at The Point Lake and Golf Club in Mooresville, and Jean-Pierre Marechal, executive chef of the Charlotte Marriott City Center — will face each other, and a competitor from Virginia, in an Iron Chef style cook-off, vying for the title of American Culinary Federation’s 2012 Southeast Regional Chef of the Year. Unacquainted with our ambassador tastemakers? CL gives you the inside scoop.
Creative Loafing: Chefs can always pinpoint when they caught the cooking bug. What was that moment for you?
Chef Dale: When I was 10, my mother was in culinary school and she didn’t have a babysitter one night, so she took me and my brother to her class, where they were working on a banquet. One of the instructors asked us if we wanted to help. I started buttering herb toast, wearing the chef’s hat and apron, and I just knew.
Chef Marechal: At 6 years old I was already watching cooking shows. At 9, I taught my babysitter how to do a béchamel sauce, which I guess is very unusual. I was born to do this; I don’t know if I would be able to do anything else. I am very fortunate, not a lot of people love what they do.
How did you start paying your culinary dues?
Chef Dale: All through middle and high school, my mom did a lot of catering, and I would help her. When I was old enough to legally get a job, I worked the counter for her in a bakery.
Chef Marechal: I was 13 when I did my first catering banquet for 150 people in my mom’s kitchen. I needed to cook like 100 chickens and my mom’s oven only held six chickens, so I would cook them six at a time. I was so proud, it was magical.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Recipe / Valentine's Day Simple but impressive Valentine's Day meals: Part I
Posted by Kelly Davis on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Want to know the best way to impress your significant other this Valentine’s Day? Cook. Yes, it really is that simple.
Take it from someone who fell in love over my own dining room table. Cooking for the one you love (or really like) is magical. Early in my relationship with my (now) husband, I cooked for him. Almost every night. With hardly any prior experience in cooking entire meals.
- Kelly Davis
- Cooking in Italy on Our Honeymoon
He was so impressed that I was willing to go to such great lengths to feed him and spent a few minutes of every one of those meals telling me how wonderful the food was ... telling me how wonderful I was.
I ate it up.
And if I can do it, you can do it, too. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef or a domestic goddess to impress your date. You just need something that looks amazing, but in reality, is very simple to make.
Don't worry, I’ve got you covered.
I’m going to teach you how to make a complete meal that is just as beautiful as anything you would order in a fancy restaurant, but also a meal that anyone can cook. The ingredients and preparation methods are simple — dare I say, easy? — and you can totally do this.
Just follow my directions and you’re well on your way to making your Valentine’s Day date think that you’re an amazing cook.
Your Valentine’s Day Menu
Maple Dijon Salmon with Roasted Sweet and Yellow Potatoes and Green Beans Almondine.
For Dessert:Death by Chocolate Mousse with Whip Cream and Strawberries
- Kelly Davis
- Valentine's Day Meal
- Kelly Davis
- Chocolate Mousse
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Events Craft beer popularity continues to grow in Charlotte
Posted by Kimberly Lawson on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Last year, I wrote about a new local clothing company that targeted craft beer enthusiasts. The launch of Batch Apparel spoke to the growing popularity of craft beer.
"Craft beer is a higher quality beer. It is supposed to be served at a certain temperature and certain way that the brewery comes up with," explained Tanner Fritz, co-owner of Batch Apparel, in that interview. "The whole idea is that craft beer is done in smaller amounts so it is not mass-produced."
As a testament to the attention craft beer is getting here locally, the Queen City Brewers Festival, a tasting event featuring Charlotte-area breweries, will take place at Neighborhood Theatre this weekend.
If you haven't gotten your tickets already, though, you've missed out. The festival will feature two tastings on Saturday, and both time slots are sold out.
But hey, that's all the more reason for you to check out our local breweries directly. Here are links to all of the Charlotte breweries that will be showing off their goods on Saturday. Cheers!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Recipe Get back on track with 3 seriously delicious salads
Posted by Kelly Davis on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 5:05 PM
As January comes to a close and February is on the horizon, some of you might be feeling a little defeated in your New Year's resolution to eat healthy. Let’s face it. A lot of people fail at their resolutions to eat healthier, not because they don’t want to succeed, but because they set rules that are too restrictive.
I’m all about easy, delicious, and healthy guidelines. Not rules.
And here’s a guideline you can easily keep: eat a salad a day. But not just any ol’ salad. Eat a delicious, healthy, beautiful salad, full of creative and fresh ingredients — salads that use whole and filling foods.
These three salads will leave you feeling good about your food choices, without neglecting your tastebuds.
ORANGE AND POMEGRANATE SALAD (serves 1)
3 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1/2 navel orange, peeled and separated into segments
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1 oz. goat cheese 2 Tbsp. walnut pieces
Place spinach on a plate. Layer oranges, pomegranate arils, cheese, and walnut pieces. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the orange balsamic vinaigrette dressing (recipe follows).
Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 navel orange (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Events Grand opening of Savory Spice Shop
Posted by Laura Camilo on Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 3:59 PM
If you're counting items like achiote paste, frankincense tears and pure wasabi powder among your grocery list for the week, you may already be acquainted with the one-stop seasoning mecca that is Savory Spice Shop. Whether you're a regular or yet to be initiated, this Saturday's grand opening offers a full day of activities to satisfy the creative culinary soul.
Owners Amy and Scott MacCabe are kicking the day off at 9 a.m. The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, a free goodie bag of spices. Wendy Cardais of Cardais Gourmet Specialty Gift Foods will provide an assortment of delectable deserts and pastries. Personal Chef Dawn Maloney will serve up a curry demonstration from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., whipping up coconut curry chicken and herbal asparagus seasoned with Berbere (drool.)
The afternoon has Simplicity, a local professional organizing company, slated to share tips and best practices on how to clear out your old spices and organize the perfect spice cabinet to fit your lifestyle. If cleaning out the clutter ranks as high a priority for you this new year as it does for me, you won't want to miss this useful demonstration.
Saturday also marks the beginning of the Cash in your Cupboard promotion, offering customers who bring in competing spice containers $1 off a bottle of Savory Spice Shop's herbs, spices or blends.
Atherton Mill
2000 South Blvd., Ste. 150
980-225-5419
Events Ass Clown comes to VBGB Beer Hall & Garden
Posted by Kimberly Lawson on Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 10:38 AM
What? It's the name of a brewing company. And it's debuting its beers at VBGB on Jan. 20. This makes the N.C. Music Factory bar the only place in Charlotte to carry Ass Clown.
Ass Clown Brewing Company is located in Cornelius. It works to be a "green" brewing company that uses alternative energy, utilizing recylable materials and etc. More importantly, they grow their own hops.
Read more about Ass Clown Brewing by checking out this little diddy on Charlotte Beer.
