Traverse City: Part 1

Traverse City.......My home away from home! This town will always hold a special place in my heart for so many reasons! 

Its funny that I have lived in Michigan most of my life but I had never been to TC until I started looking into culinary schools. I looked at a school in Chicago and knew that the big city life just wasn't for me. A family member told me about a school in TC & after a day trip to meet with the schools director, I knew I had found something extraordinary! 

Allow me to take you down memory lane to share about some of the things I was able to do while I was there!

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March 2008

Making some plans for the Tasters Guild! 

April 2008

My mother & I after my first final dinner when I was nominated as Soux Chef!

November 2009

Advanced baking class working with fondant for the first time. I was so proud of my styrofoam cake and Christmas fondant wrapping paper!

December 2009

This was my final project for my Garde Manger class.

A South Carolina BBQ Terrine, half wrapped with smoked bacon, with an inlay of okra, peppers, onions, wrapped in calla greens. The corn cakes. Mozzarella cheese stuffed with garlic, bacon, onions & red peppers. Green Bean basket filled with the Mustard sesame slaw!!!!

One of my all time favorite photo's. Ashlyn's first visit to the school. She was so tiny!! I can't believe I just made her 5th Birthday cake! 

March 2009

My mom and I after I had won a scholarship! 

I was so happy I could have burst!!

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While I lived in TC I had the privilege of meeting some outstanding people!!

The Red Wings come up every year for training. 

Yes, that is.......Chris Osgood!

Actor Jon Tenney who has been in The Closer, Legion, The Stepfather & many more including Nicholas Sparks 'The Best of Me'

AHHHHHHH.....TYLER FLORANCE!! 

I was completely Star Struck! 

Last but certainly not least. I was BEYOND lucky to meet part of the film crew that was working with Josh Lucas! They were in TC for a couple weeks and I had the privilege to come on set and cook for some of the members! It was an experience I will never forget and although I was tempted, Im so happy that I didn't look into Josh Lucas beautiful blue eyes and stutter the words "so I can kiss you anytime I want!" (if you don't understand that reference, please go watch Sweet Home Alabama.....now!)

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While working at the Riverside Inn & Phil's on Front, I was grateful to have been able to cook for Mario Batali, Florine Mark, Tim Allen, Amy Smart & Michael Moore.

My time spent in TC was just an all around magical experience!! I was so blessed to have had the chance to go to school there, learn there, live there & love there!

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

Im a sucker for a good philly cheese steak...although I have not yet had the pleasure of having an actually cheese steak sandwich from Philly. {its on my to do list}

I love this combination of Cheese Steak & Pizza! I promise you it will be a big hit for any man in your life!! It is one of my husbands favorites!

What You Will Need: Steak (which is not pictured) I used Sirloin but feel free to use any cut you want. Onions, Bell Pepper, Green Onion, Cream Cheese, Butter, Provolone Cheese, Corn Meal, McCormick Grill Seasoning, A1 Steak Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce & your choice of Pizza Crust. I love the quick and easy pizza dough that you can find next to the canned biscuits at the grocery store. 

Preheat your oven to 425

Start by searing the thinly sliced meat in a little butter and or olive oil. Sprinkle on about 2 t. of the McCormick Grill Seasoning. 

Once the meat is cooked, add in the peppers and onions. 

While the peppers and onions sauté, mix the cream cheese (1/2 c.) with about 2 T. green onions and set aside.

When the onions and peppers have cooked down, give a couple of splashes of the Wor. Sauce.

Then a drizzle of the A1, mix and turn the heat down to low.

Sprinkle some Corn Meal onto your baking sheet. This gives the bottom of the pizza crust great texture! I never make a pizza without it.

Form your dough to desired shape/size

Par bake the dough in the oven for a few minutes, just till it starts to get some color. Now we can add the cream cheese/green onions mixture.

Smooth the cream cheese evenly over the crust.

Top with the meat mixture.

Place the slices of Provolone cheese over top and return to the oven till the crust is golden brown.

Garnish with some extra green onions.

Cut, serve & indulge!!

Enjoy & Always Cook with LOVE!

Someone give me a Beet!!

Anyone else grow up like me, thinking that beets were some strange item swimming in blood liquid at the end of a salad bar that only old ladies would eat?!?!?

It wasn't until I started my Culinary Internship at the Riverside Inn in Leland, Mi that I realized I was oh..so...wrong!! I can't believe I had deprived myself of this amazing root vegetable for so many years!

They are earthy, sweet and my favorite way to make them is by Roasting them whole!

Place them in a baking dish, drizzle with Olive Oil & Sprinkle with Salt/Pepper.

Cover with foil & cook in a 350 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes (depending on their size)

....ignore the sheet try of tomatoes, I was roasting those for tomato sauce....

They are done when you can pierce them easily with a small knife.

Once they are cooled, its time to peel off the skin. **Be careful on this step...beets can & will stain** If they stain your fingers, just rinse with some hot, soapy water and it should come right off.

Double up on some thick paper towels and rub over the beet, the skin should fall off.

Ahhhhh, looks like a massacre!!!

Beets are great just slices up on their own, tossed in any salad, pickled, juiced or turned into soup known as Borscht.

But, one of my favorite ways to enjoy them, is sliced in a Grilled Cheese!! Roasted Beets, Herbed Goat Cheese, Crusty Bread....seriously, my mouth is watering!! 

I highly recommend trying this delicious vegetable! 

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!!!

Homemade Potato Salad

Lets talk Potato Salad! 

Its an classic summer side dish served along side Burgers, Ribs, Kabobs, BBQ Chicken, etc....

Store bought Potato Salad, I found is either really bland or has an overly mustard flavor. 

For those who have the same view on the matter, here is an quick and easy way to create your own 'full of flavor' Potato Salad!

What You Will Need: 1 Can of Whole New Potato's (you can find these where the canned vegetables are sold), 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, Small Stick of Celery,  1/4 of a Bell Pepper, 2 Green Onion, Mayo, Sour Cream, Fresh Dill, Salt/Pepper & Crumbled Bacon (Oh No, I didn't put the bacon in the picture!!! For Shame!!)

Drain and cut the potatoes into desired size pieces. 

Note: By using the canned potatoes, you are saving yourself all the time it would take to peel, cook & cool whole raw potatoes. 

Chop up and add the Eggs, Celery, Bell Pepper, Green Onions & Bacon. 

Salt/Pepper, minced Dill, then add a scoop of Sour Cream & Mayo. Mix, taste and adjust the seasoning or the amount of sour cream/mayo.

::Normally, I would also add in some shredded Cheddar Cheese, but I didn't have any on hand. So by all means, if you have it, mix a handful right in!!::

Garnish with a couple of big sprigs of the Dill & chill till your ready to serve!

This salad will give the WOW factor at your next cookout and that blah, store bought potato salad will be a thing of the past!

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!!

Pecan & Bacon Green Beans!

Simple & Delicious, these Green Beans are so so good!!

What You Will Need: Blanched Fresh Green Beans, Bacon, Chopped Pecans, Butter, Salt & Pepper.

Start the Green Beans in a pat of butter, sprinkle in some salt/pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes. 

When the Green Beans get some color, throw in the pieces of Bacon.

Now the Chopped Pecans! Cook for another minute or two & serve. It is optional at this point if you want to add a drizzle of honey for some extra sweetness.

The Green Beans were a great accompaniment to these Bbq Turkey Burgers!

{This recipe would also be a great side dish for your upcoming Holiday meals!}

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!!

Awesome, Saucy Slaw!!!

My husband and I are coleslaw junkies!! We have to try it everywhere we go and I make it almost weekly in the summer season. 

I like to make the slaw mix by hand, then I take a little help from Kraft by using there coleslaw dressing (this is the cheating element...but it really has a nice flavor and constancy).

What You Will Need: Red or Green Head of Cabbage, Green Onions, Bell Pepper, Onion, Salt/Pepper, Sugar & the Coleslaw Dressing.

Slice the cabbage to desired thickness. 

Add the sliced bell pepper.

Thinly Sliced Onion.

Chop up the Green Onions.

Salt, Pepper & a Sprinkle of Sugar.

Now drizzle in the dressing. Mix and add more if necessary.

Cover and refrigerate till your ready to use.

Use it just as a side dish or our favorite way to enjoy it, on top of a meaty burger!

It was delicious on these BBQ Turkey Bugers!!

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!!