CONSERVING WATER IN THE KITCHEN Polkadot Dinners is making a concerted effort to reduce our water usage. There are so many ways to cut back on wasteful water practices. Here are just a few, VERY SIMPLE things we can all do to help preserve our most precious resource: Stop pouring out unused coffee! Do…
GIRL SCOUT COOKIE RECIPES – As featured on Good Day Sacramento
**GIRL SCOUT COOKIE RECIPES AS FEATURED ON GOOD DAY SACRAMENTO** Three MOUTH-WATERING recipes to make your Girl Scout Cookies… EVEN MORE AWESOME! RECIPE #1 RECIPE #2 RECIPE #3
Beer and cookies? Make me a match!
I’ve read a BUNCH of interesting articles recently about culinary pairings: beer pairings, wine pairings, and various food pairings; not that these are new concepts. But the things being matched up are becoming more and more…well…weird! Weird in a good way. Here’s what I mean: I recently attended a “Beer and Girl Scout Cookie Pairing”…
“Stuffing”? “Dressing”? WHO CARES? It’s delicious!
I’m not going to argue a side on the correct way to say it. Nope! If you’re looking for a debate, move along. Not gonna happen here! Why? BECAUSE I COULD CARE LESS WHAT IT IS CALLED! As long as it is prepared perfectly, and ON MY PLATE, I’m happy! Whether you call it “stuffing”…
Tomatofest! (Recipe included)
I will be a featured guest chef at this year’s Tomatofest at the Auburn Home Show (http://www.auburnhomeshows.com/), and I couldn’t be more excited about it! I’m demo’ing my Tomato Sauce, and I am oh so happy to share my recipe! (Follows) Come see me at 12:30 Saturday, Sept 28, 2013 in the Armory Building at…
Polkadot Dinners Features Fall’s Finest!
Fall is upon us! The planet has completed another full orbit, and has left us once again scratching out a sun-scorched “goodbye” to weekend barbecues, trips to the beach, and pool-side Bellini’s. We’ve begun to change our queries from a perky, “What’s the best snack to bring on a boat?”, to a sophisticated, “How can…
*Featured Recipe* Mandarin & Brie Toasts
This Saturday, August 31, at 7am. and again at 8am, I will be featuring this scrumptious recipe LIVE on Good Day Sacramento! I am so honored (and completely excited!!!!) to have Tina Macuha in MY KITCHEN! WOW!!!!! I’ve been watching Good Day as long as I can remember…and I’ve been a fan of Ms. Macuha…
Low-Carb Manicotti!
You won’t miss the pasta, I promise! I know that’s a BOLD statement, trust me. I am a carboholic! But this simple substitution of roasted eggplant instead of the traditional manicotti pasta shell is so delicious that I actually PREFER it! Give this recipe a try and let me know how much you liked it! Low-Carb Manicotti 2 Eggplants,…
When in Maui, eat like the locals…order the Ahi!
As a sushi fanatic, it seems as though I have tasted just about every sashimi-grade menu item available; from completely bizarre concepts that may or may not call to me again, to absolutely stunning presentations of sea food that I find myself craving over and over. One thing that almost always makes an appearance on…
Grill those chicken wings!
I’m not gonna lie…fried chicken wings are sinfully delicious and I love them. I mean, I REALLY love them. I like them sweet, I like them spicy. I like them dipped in Bleu Cheese, and I like them dredged in Tzatziki. I could eat them in a house, I could…ok, ok. My point: I could…
Maui bound…but it can’t come quite fast enough!
An up-coming trip to Maui has left me quite impatient for the tastes of the island. I just can’t wait for the flavors that captivate me when I visit Maui. From Kahlua Pig to Hula Pie, the local fare never ceases to leave me wanting more. My eager foodie desires were the essence of last…
Clamoring for Clambake…
I absolutely adore the delicious bounty that the sea has to offer, and I especially enjoy combining as many ocean flavors as possible into one dish. Not surprisingly, therefore, when some friends of mine declared that they were “seafood junkies”, I jumped at the opportunity to prepare my first Clambake of the year. There are…
Quinoa…The curiously delicious “Super-food”.
Despite its peculiar name, Quinoa (KEEN-Wah) is not only delicious, but also packs a surprisingly nutritious punch! Considered a “whole-grain“, Quinoa is chock-full of protein, potassium, and fiber. Its nutty undertones and brilliant ability to absorb most flavors, make it an incredibly versatile addition to otherwise ordinary recipes. As filling as it is flavorful, Quinoa has a…
Backyard Barbecuing? Don’t forget the veggies!
With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many are planning to celebrate the “unofficial start of summer” by inviting our loved-ones into our backyards to grub down on our favorite barbecue. Steaks, chicken breasts, fish fillets, and racks of ribs are being rubbed, dunked, slathered, and submerged in the hosts’ prized sauces. Guests will lovingly debate…
*UPDATE* Best Ballpark Food!
You don’t want to miss these amazing ball park offerings! BEST BALLPARK FOOD!
Starry-eyed for Strawberries…(recipe included)
Few things make my mouth water quite like a Strawberry. For me, it borders on an obsession. Even the color of a perfectly ripe, scarlet red strawberry can make my heart sing. It’s no mystery to me as to why they’ve become the subject of breathtaking photos, paintings, even fashion; they’re gorgeous! But they don’t…
Essential Asparagus…
Gone are the days of boiled, bland, mushy asparagus spears that seemed to be more of a plate-filler than a pallet-pleaser. Asparagus has made a comeback of paramount proportions and has reached celebrity status in restaurants world-wide. You can eat it fried, roasted, braised, steamed, and even confit! No matter how you enjoy your asparagus, one thing…
Spring never tasted so good…
There’s just something about Springtime that takes me back to my very first flavor-obsession: Red Huckleberries (Vaccinium parvifolium). The berries were perfect for picking in the late Spring, and were the star of many-a-show in my childhood memories. My brothers and I would be sent into the forested area that surrounded our family’s cabin in Northern…