Burger and Fries

Tanette and I had some good friends over last night and I cooked some burgers and fries. But not just burgers and fries, Buffalo burgers and homemade french fries! I included some yummy toppings too, like cheddar, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and bacon. Luckily I found some 80/20 Buffalo at Sunflower, since it's so lean the extra fat keeps it moist and juicy. The Egg (thanks again Lehrer!) performed beautifully.

Maybe I have some kind of Potassium deficiency.....

 

I love these frickin' things. I can't explain it but I have acquired a bit of an obsession with Plantains. They're easy to make and they taste amazing. I like the ones that are pretty much black and very ripe. I sautéed them in butter and oil then pulled them out for a few minute and smashed them with a plate and put the back in the pan to sauté and crisp up the edges. Then you pull them out and sprinkle with a little raw sugar and a very small hint of Hawaiian salt. It's one of those things you walk right past in the produce section but next time grab a few and let'em ripen up and you will thank me. Shannon - Grub it like you mean it

Oh!, Miso Hungry

This is one of the things I made this weekend. I made some Sushi Rice then I marinated a couple of tuna steaks in a tasty miso marinade I made up. I used 2 cloves of garlic about 1 inch of grated ginger, unfiltered sake, rice vinegar, dark brown rice miso paste, a little bit of Sriracha, 1/4 onion and a little sesame oil. then stuck it all in the blender and pulverized it. I used some for the marinade and then made a vinaigrette by adding some grape seed oil and blended that separately. I think miso is very under used. I had enough left over to marinade a whole chicken the next night (I just added more garlic) that I also cooked on the grill. I'm not sure which one I liked more and I'm a big tuna freak. Next time your at a store that carries miso paste pick some up. It's awesome but don't add salt because it has plenty.  Thanks, Shannon

Crumbs

Some grub I made this weekend...

Friday:

Baked Ziti with Bolognese Sauce

Made with organic ground beef, italian sausage, roasted garlic, onion, canned tomatoes (I like Muir Glen because San Marzano, although superior, are too expensive), Ziti or Rigatoni, shredded mozzarella (stir some in as well as on top), grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Baked Caprese Bruschetta

Sunday:

Chicken Wings on the Egg

I made my standard wings (olive/vegetable oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder...toss in Frank's) and also some with Tammy's Herbal Rub (get it at Lehrer's). Both were very good. The Egg cooked them about 20 minutes faster than my old gas grill, the skin was crisp and they tasted delicious. My 3 year old loves my wings! How cool is that?! -- Drew

Corned Beef Panini

Thanks to the delicious leftovers from Becky's awesome dinner on Wednesday night, I made a couple corned beef paninis today for lunch. They included dark rye bread, spicy brown mustard, orange marmalade glazed corned beef (yes, it's as good as it sounds), and some Dubliner cheese. Grub O'licious! -- Drew

Vodka 14 IZZZ GOOOOD

Be on the lookout for Vodka 14, It's a hit and it's not just because it coincidentally has my idol Pete Rose's number on it. Get it? "a hit" Pete Rose was one of the greatest hitters of all time. Anyway, I have been on a role lately and I'm not talkin' about my jokes. I have found some real keepers in the Beer and Booze department. Most recently Vodka 14. It's made in the Rockies from all organic ingredients. Honestly, these guys don’t pay me to say this stuff but when I try something great I like to share it with others. That is why I started this blog in the first place. This is one of those Maven Moments as I refer to them as. If you like Vodka, I mean really good vodka then this one is for you. The true test for me with a good vodka is to take a sip at room temperature and see if you like it. I did and loved it. Then take another sip and hold it in your mouth, does it burn? Vodka 14 passed both of my personal vodka tests with flying colors. Oh and the best test of all, drink 3/4 of the bottle in one night and wake up the next morning without even the slightest hint of a hangover. It passed that test too. - Shannon - 'ello Grubna

Grand Lake Brewing Co. is a Grand Slam

So I'm walkin' through the huge beer section at Davidson's Liquors the other day and I run into this very nice guy named Richard. As I often do I had no idea what I was looking for, just anything that grabbed my attention. I could have talked to this guy all day. He knew everything about beer. Richard pointed me towards the Grand Lake Brewery Sample pack. Well let's just say that Richard is now my best friend, he doesn't know this but he is, like it or not. I was a little sick of IPA's but not anymore. Grand Lakes IPA's is awesome. The Plaid Bastard Scottish Ale is very very good and is just waiting for me to come up with a killer recipe using it. The Rocky Mountain Red is now one of my favorite beers. It's very drinkable, it's one of those things you taste then smack your lips then look at the glass and smile after every sip. I have a funny feeling that Richard was more than just a sales rep for the company. I should probably know this considering  he's my best friend now. This is a beer you have got to try. Check out their website at http://www.grandlakebrewing.com/ to find our where to get it in your neck of the woods. You will thank me.     Shannon  -  Grubin' N Chugin'

Grilling Competition this summer in Castle Rock - We need teams and sponsors

Stay tuned Summer is just around the corner. We need teams and Sponsors.

My wife is awesome

Tanette made an Alice in Wonderland cake for a client this weekend. I'll let it speak for itself...

...oh yeah...and they taste as good as they look!!

Check out her other creations at http://www.tanettestastytreats.com/

Shanahan's

I went out to dinner with my wife's family to celebrate her parent's 50th anniversary. We went to Shanahan's and Marc Steron and his staff took great care of us.

I had the Porterhouse and it was perfect. Beautiful crust on the outside, great flavor and cooked just the way I ordered it. The steakhouse's secret is the Montague broiler that gets over 2,000 degrees (!!). Now THAT's some high heat.

The jumbo shrimp cocktail were surprisingly tender. Many times, shrimp this size are tough but these were excellent and the sauce had just enough heat to make it interesting.

My favorite sides were the mushrooms and the Lyonnaise potatoes. The onions that accompanied both dishes were UNBELIEVABLE. In fact, they should just serve a side of those onions. They were that good.

Apparently the bread pudding was outstanding, but unfortunately, my dessert was disappointing. The marshmallow ice cream was delicious but the warmed brownie was rock hard. I love a rich, fudgy brownie and this was more of a square hockey puck. The saving grace was the hot fudge. I LOVE chocolate.

The dessert certainly didn't ruin the evening. Just about everything was cooked to perfection and the service was excellent. Just what I expect from a top shelf steakhouse. -- Drew

Bones in Denver - Frank Bonanno does it again

BONES - This guy is good, I mean real good.

Shishito Peppers (That's fun to say, Shishito. Say it Shi-Shi-Toe)

Steamed Buns with Suckling Pig and Pork Belly

Soba with Prosciutto, Oyster Mushrooms, Snap Peas and a Poached Egg

I have not had cold Soba in a long time and man did I miss it. This was really good. Ask for the poached egg on top. The salty Prosciutto with the Buckwheat noodles is the perfect match. This is something I will crave.

Udon with Pork Shoulder and a Poached Egg

Mocha and Ginger Snap Soft Serve Swirl

Drew and I went to Bones for lunch today - this was one of the meals you never forget. It was so friggin' good that when you leave it's the only thing you can talk about for the next two or three hours. The GM Adam was very helpful and he knew his stuff. You could tell the dude has a passion for good grub too. I think this is one of those places you can close your eyes and point to the menu and land on something good, real good. - Shannon - Keep on Grubin'

Breakfast

Goose egg omelette with chopped NY Strip and Asadero cheese. Good start to the day! Thanks to Trudi for the fresh goose and chicken eggs. Tasted soooooooooo much better than store bought. -- Drew

Steak and Egg

Cooked my first steak on the Egg tonight. Think it turned out pretty good. I'm still getting used to how quickly this thing cooks everything. I've been timing things by my old grill for the last 10 years!!!! I would normally have cooked this steak for 6 minutes a side to achieve a medium finish, but I cooked it for only about 7 minutes TOTAL and it was a touch overcooked. The Egg puts out some heat! Grub a dub dub. -- Drew

 Ribeye before

 Ribeye after -- ooooh baby

...Juicy, tender, crusty, mmmmmmm...

How 'bout a little Grillin' competition in Castle Rock this summer?

Stay tuned Summer is just around the corner. We need teams and Sponsors.

Iwayama Sushi - updated

I completely forgot to mention the homemade sweet soy that Lee serves. Really good! And love that he makes it himself instead of getting it delivered from Sysco or whatever. Grub on!

_____
Sushi, burgers and burritos. Ok, that doesn't exactly sound like a traditional combination, but it works! My sister recently took me to Iwayama Sushi and Da Big Kahuna Bistro (thanks Maren!!). Iwayama is the creation of Lee, an experienced chef and restauranteur from Hawaii. Among other things, he is the former Director of Operations for Hapa Sushi (see nachos below). His restaurant sits in a rather non-descript strip mall off of Bowles and Simms in Jefferson County, but once inside, you feel welcomed into the casual atmosphere. Although I've only had the sushi so far, which was as good as any other sushi joint in town, he insists that his Da Big Kahuna Burger is the best thing on the menu. That gives me something different to try the next time I'm on the west side of town. Big Grubs Up to Lee! -- Drew

 Hamachi and Salmon Nigiri

 Fried Oyster Po' Boy Roll (My sister's favorite!)

The "original" Spicy Tuna Nachos

Supper is Ready!: Blueberry Oatmeal

Supper is Ready!: Blueberry Oatmeal

THANK YOU TONY'S MARKET

A very BIG Thank you to Tony's Market for having nothing but the freshest meats and sea food to make our dishes special.  - Shannon