El Rancherito in Delta

I have missed good Mexican food. This place in Nowhereville, UT was surprisingly delicious. When my Jose Special said, "enough for two" I knew it was enough for me :). Kind of a taco salad, I shared with the kiddos. With my giant plate, bits of my parents' food, and a few sips of my mom's Senorial Sangrita, all my wildest Mexican food dreams came true. Maximus went crazy at the sight of all that food and Karl indulged him in rice and avocado.

In-n-out again and a Dunford donut

One of my biggest Utah weaknesses, Dunford Donuts. Maximus makes a great French fry holder.

Nielson's frozen custard

Went to Daniel's school play and then to Nielson's afterward. The vanilla is the best.

In n out

It's on our list. The whole family drove out. A late night burger party.

First meal back in UT

My mom's food is the best. To welcome us back, she made us koroke, my favorite comfort food.

To Eat in UT

Going to be in UT for a while. The list of places I have missed is pretty long. And as my cravings change the list gets longer.

So, with moms food obviously what I miss the most, here is my list so far. (I'm thinking the weight that this Kauai sun helped melt off won't be staying off. All for a good cause, though).

To Eat in UT:
Green papaya
Myung ga
Asian palace
Red ginger
Cafe Rio
La puente
Morelia
Thai orchid
Bakers de normandie
Chow truck
In n out
Italian village
Dasks
Settabellos

I want to try:
Ruby snap
Frida

Ani's home: home cooked feast

Man, Ani can cook. And her presentation made the food all the more delicious. These photos don't do it justice.
Two kinds fish, cooked Chinese style. Just putting the ti leaves on the platter made such an impact.
Awesome potato salad (for some reason I am incapable of making good potato salad), a beautiful soba salad with sesame dressing, burgers with all the fixings, rice, and ahi poke that she made herself. The best poke I have had so far. I need lessons on picking out ahi. I am afraid.
Dessert was Lilikoi chiffon cake and banana cream pie.
My little ritzy minty s'mores looked so hill billy next to all the fancy food.
The photos don't do it justice. Loved it.

Ani's house

Man, Ani can cook. And her presentation made the food all the more delicious. These photos don't do it justice.

Two kinds fish, cooked Chinese style. Just putting the ti leaves on the platter made such an impact.

Awesome potato salad (for some reason I am incapable of making good potato salad), a beautiful soba salad with sesame dressing, burgers with all the fixings, rice, and ahi poke that she made herself. The best poke I have had so far. I need lessons on picking out ahi. I am afraid.

Dessert was Lilikoi chiffon cake and banana cream pie.

My little ritzy minty s'mores looked so hill billy next to all the fancy food.

The photos don't do it justice. Loved it.

Lunch. Leftover gyoza

We made this gyoza for when the missionaries came. The skins were super thick and delicious. These were probably my best up to date. I think because I salted the napa and Karl squeezed it really well. I also added more shitake, ginger and shoyu.

Homemade gyoza is the best because you can eat as many as you want.

Sunset picnic at salt pond.

Grilled chicken kabobs, grilled veggie packets with feta & rosemary, spanikopita, tabouli, chicken and spinach salad with sesame dressing, two kinds of ahi poke, kimchee cucumbers, smoked salmon, ritzy mint marshmallows, potato salad made with homegrown potatoes... all set out on our boogie boards. Tonight's sunset potluck in the beach ended up being a foodie's dream.

Hyatt anara spa: Koloa fish sandwich and waffle fries with garlic and parm cheese

It didn't really matter what I ate here. The day was so good already. The tasty seared ahi sandwich and fries were good, though. The ahi was so fresh and mild it was a shame to eat it in a big bun with mayo.

Grind Cafe: veggie skillet and cajun ono sandwich

We liked our meals last two times we went so we went back again. The veggie skillet was salty and flavorful but I got bored with it after a few bites. I wouldn't order it again. Karl's sandwich was good but not amazing.  I would totally recommend the rueben if you are a rueben lover, the teri ono sandwich, and the grinds bread.  The last two times the kids have been happy sharing an order of pizza bread.

Tip Top Cafe: oxtail soup and sushi platter

All the reviews warned about the eerily plain interior. But they weren't kidding.
I loved the broth of my soup but it seemed like they only gave me about 10 noodles. And my kids ate 9 of them.

Karl's sushi was okay at best. I wanted to like this mom and pop joint but I just couldn't enjoy the ugly sushi. The tamago yaki was huge and they overdid the fish eggs on the California roll so Eva wouldn't eat it. Instead of crab or even Krab, they used mushy mayo based Krab salad. The natto in the natto maki was ammonia-esque. Ew, right?

Tip Top cafe. If I go back, it will be for their pancakes. Sushi and pancakes in the same place. Awesome.

Brennecke's: beach picnic

I don't really like to bring food to the beach because it is hard to transport healthy food and the kids end up sitting on the towels eating junk instead of playing. But we got a late start so I thought we would need dinner. Sandwiches made from left over BBQ chicken, chips and strawberries.

Red snapper from Ani

Ani was so kind and brought us a fresh red snapper. Karl cleaned it (along with the help of his twinned assistant) and I cooked it up according to Ani's instructions. Steamed it with shoyu, oyster sauce, and ginger. Topped it with green onions and hot oil.

It wasn't beautiful because it was all chopped up but it was so delicious. The kids loved it, too.

Brick Oven Pizza: the buffet

We went swimming and Karl wanted pizza. When we got down to the Brick Oven, we found that it was buffet night. $15 for adults, $10 for kids. Not a bargain but the kids talked us into it. Okay, okay, I wanted it too. I love having a little bit of everything dinners.

Samuel, after eating several slices of pizza, said he was tired and totally fell asleep.

snacks for the sickie

Once upon a long long ago, Eva was sick. I gave her three drinks on a tray and she loved it. Ever since then, when she is sick that is her request. When Samuel was sick, sweet Eva did the same for him.
Partitioned dishes are a great way to get the kids to eat a variety of foods.

Kukui Grove gourmet farmers market

Fancy shave ice, Korean noodles, artisan breads and cupcake pushpops.

Tianos: loco moco

When I think local cuisine loco moco is one of the first things to come to mind.  Rice, hamburger patty, an egg, all doused with gravy.
Tianos was one of the best that we have had.  Instead of just a plain hamburger patty, they used a meat loaf of sorts.  Our favorite is still Mark's place but this one is the fanciest presentation, meaning not in a styrofoam takeout container.

mom's sunday dinner: bibimbap

My mom never ceases to amaze us with her cooking skills. Constantly trying new recipes, she is an excellent example of always studying and improving. Bibimbap, kimchee, nikujaga, and hiyayakko. A total feast.

Tomato Zucchini Salad

I am such a fan of salads that I can keep in my fridge and pull out whenever I have the urge to chow. This one is so so so easy. Paula made it and I tried it. That was two days ago and I have made it twice since then. I loved it that much.

The perfect salad for gardeners...

Tomatoes
Zucchini
Salt and Pepper

Cube the tomatoes and zucchini. Salt and pepper. Toss. Enjoy!

Birthday for Paula

What started out as whipping up a quick batch of cupcakes for my friend's birthday...

I thought and thought and thought about how to make them special and this is what I ended up with:

• I used a round box (I scrounged it at a restaurant, it held a brie wheel... yahoo, for recycling!), and put two layers of ribbon around the edge.
• Decorated the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, Belgium Chocolate (V-Chocolates), silver dredgees (from Orson Gygi), and sprinkles (by Ghuitard so they look good and don't taste like wax).
• I printed out the "happy birthday paula" and a bunch of words to describe her on the computer.
• I punched them out with circle punches and put them on skewers (for the tall ones) and toothpicks (for the short one).
• I tied ribbons on the sticks of the happy birthday signs.
  
  

Dessert Cheats

Here are a few recipes that take a short cut and use a cake mix or a brownie mixes. I like to stock up when they have those crazy sales so I always have them on hand. So so easy.

I made these tonight for my weekly playdate with Mo and Sara. The kids (and the dogs, whoops) loved them.

Cake Mix Cookies

• 1 pkg. Devils Food Cake Mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil (1/2 c. butter also works... and tastes great, of course)

Mix batter. Roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet (use a cookie scoop if you have one. If you don't have one, put it on your wish list). Bake a 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.

You can use any flavor cake mix. Yellow cake mix and white chocolate chips are good.

For these sandwich cookies I used cream cheese frosting, but melted green mint chocolate chips are my favorite.

Brownie Mix Cookies

I love these ones as much as the cake mix cookies...

• 1 (19 7/8 ounce) box brownie mix
• 1 large egg
• 2 T. water
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil

Mix (easy, huh?). Drop by teaspoons (or, of course, by the handy dandy cookie scoop) onto a a greased cookie sheet. Bake about 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Variations: Add in 1 cup mini chocolate chips. These are great with the mint chips. My favorite with these it to drizzle them with white chocolate and then sprinkle with crushed mint candies or candy canes.

Bundt Cake

My friend made for a get together and we all raved about it and wanted the recipe. She sent it to us and I realized that it is a recipe that I have been making for years. Um, whoops. This is a great moist, rich cake.

• 1 pkg cake mix (I like chocolate, of course, but any flavor works)
• 1 (4 serving) pkg instant pudding
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1 c. oil
• 1 c. water
• 4 eggs

Blend. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool for 25 minutes. Invert onto plate.

Two of My Favorites from Janine

Tomato-Cucumber Salad

1 seedless cucumber, cliced
1/2 small onion, thingly sliced
2 cups small vine-ripe tomatoes, cut in quarters
Combine above and add:1/4 cupe olive oil & vinegar dressing (homemade or store bought is fine)
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Coconut Rice Pudding

2 14 oz. cans light unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened if you can find it; I've used sweetened before & is fine)
2/3 cup jasmine rice
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 vanilla bean or 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine coconut milke, sugar, shredded coconut, rice & salt in heavy saucepan. If using vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise and scrape seeds from bean; add seeds& beanto saucepan.
Bring misture to a simmer & simmer of medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat so that mixture is barely simmering; cover and partially cook until liquid is slightly translucent and pudding is thickened to consistency of loose oatmeal, stirring and scarping bottom and sides of pan frequently, about 45 minutes. Remove bean if using, or stir in vanilla extract. Can be made 6 hours ahead, cover and chill if serving later, rewarm in micro until just heat through before serving. Great w/ fruit on top! (We sliced up fresh Mango and it was so so so good).

Pork Tenderloin Surpise Packages

I first had these at a church function and felt so guilty because I was eating them at the end of my cleanse. Hardly any fat or calories for 10 days and then bacon wrapped pork. I later made them for the Fourth of July barbecue. Without all that deprivation 10 days beforehand, they were still delicious.

2 slices of bacon
1 slice of pork tenderloin
1 slice of onion
1 slice of tomato
1 slice of green pepper (I used red)

Cross 2 slices of bacon and place pork tenderloin where bacon crosses. Season with salt and pepper. Place onion on top, then tomato and green pepper. Bring slices up around stack and secure with a toothpick. Place on grill and cook for 45 to 60 minutes. Before serving, place a slice of cheese on top and heat to melt (the lady that made them for us used processed cheese. I didn't used any).

The heat has to be indirect because it cooks for so long so we put them around the edge of the Weber grill. Karl put them on their sides for part of the time. To make super sure that these were cooked thoroughly, I wrapped them in foil and put them back on for an extra 10 minutes.

Toffee Apple Dip

Or Bacon Grease is what my friend Sue and I call it. Because it really looks like it.

This is another from the Favorites cookbook. I guess that is why it is called "Favorites." Everyone seems to want these recipes.

1 8 oz block cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat one and it works great, the sugar and toffee make up for it)
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Mix well until smooth. I use my food processor because it is easy. A mixer or a spoon works too.
Then stir in:

1/2 bag Heath or Skor chips (found in the baking isle. I like the ones with chocolate and if I can't find them I add some mini chocolate chips)

Serve with apple slices (as we found out at Kristi's house, it is also good on pretzels. It is also good with a bunch of other fruits, too)

I am blogging this with a broken computer (I named him Stupid). The screen is mega dark but I can kind of see it if I get really close. Like how close Karl gets when he doesn't have his glasses on. I started texting Kristi the recipe but it was taking too long. Using Stupid was faster.

Rickshaw

Rickshaw 460 N Washington Ave., Ketchum

To start off our eating fest... Rickshaw! For some reason, either it wasn't here last time we came or we just didn't notice it, we didn't know this place was here.

I. Loved. It.

The idea of this place is that your order a bunch of dishes and try them all, tapas style. It is a very me way to eat. We ordered 4 dishes, the Green Papaya Salad, the Floating Market Soup, Pearl Balls, and Chiang Mai Noodles. The ambiance is hip-ish and full of sun-kissed athletic Sun Valley type people... and us.

I could eat the crunchy Green Papaya Salad and the comforting Chiang Mai noodles all day, they were that good. We wanted to try more dishes but there were only two of us.

*****This is a 5 timer, or at least an every time I come up here timer.