Z is for Zingerman's

Zingerman's is a magical, fantastical foodie paradise in the middle of Michigan. I had heard of it but finAlly got to experience it first hand during our spring break trip up north this year. It's in Ann Arbor and we had lunch there before a day of shopping & sight seeing.

The food was incredible and the shop had an amazing assortment of all things food. I grabbee a catalog on my way out and had forgotten about it until I was doing a bit of clean up and found it again. I was reading it tonight and dicovered what might be the coolest thing I've ever heard of.

The Zingerman's premier food club. For $600 they will ship you a surprise box of culinary wonders four times in a year. The first shipment is March 31st, my birthday is Match 30th so I am starting now letting the hubby know this would be the perfect gift for me next year. I will dream of it tonight I'm sure.

Y is for Yoda

About a year ago we got a new puppy. His name is Yoda and he is a French Bulldog. I was not a small dog person but he has converted me. He has the most awesome playful personality. And cute as can be! We love him :)

X is for XO Cafe

Tonight I needed a cocktail. Patron makes an excellent tequila based coffee concoction called XO Cafe. It is delicious. Brewed a cup of Mayan spicy coffee with my Keurig and added a shot of XO, a touch of vanilla sugar and a glug of cream.

W is for Waldorf Salad

My Grandmother on my Dad's side was a really good cook. There are a few dishes that always remind me of her and one is Waldorf salad. It's a pretty basic recipe which many people make but hers was always the best. I made it last night so my girls could enjoy it.

Waldorf Salad
1 head lettuce chopped
2 apples chopped
2-3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 c chopped walnuts
*add cherries (optional)
Mix all ingredients in large bowl and top with Dressing: mayo sweetened with just a tad of sugar. I don't have the exact measurements- we used about 1/2cup mayo & 2 tbsp sugar. You want enough to coat everything but not be drowning in it. Start with less than you think and add as you stir. Chill well. Enjoy:)

*when I asked my Aunt for Grandma's recipe she found written in the book: add cherries. None of us remember her ever actually doing this, perhaps next time cherries are in season I will.

V is for Voluptuous

I adore cookbooks. This year for Christmas I received the latest New York Times Cookbook. I spent a good week just reading it and marking recipes that I wanted to try.  One of the first that caught my eye was called the most voluptuous cauliflower. Anyone who can make cauliflower voluptuous is hands down awesome. This recipe pretty much negates any nutritional value in cauliflower as it contains butter, cream and three kinds of cheese!  Mascarpone? Love.

It was luxuriously creamy and delicious. I might have to add maybe a dash of nutmeg or even a little cayenne to liven it up next time, but it's pretty darn good as is. Will make it again for maybe a holiday dinner or some other occasion for sure. Tonight I  served it with Salisbury steak (yes the 1.98 frozen kind) and some peas on the side.

U is for unmotivated

Today I was a bit under the weather so my grand plans to make some sort of Unleavened bread for my U post were thwarted as I was completely unmotivated. Instead we had throw it together sausage/corn/wild rice cassarole and carrots on the side. Uninspiring, I know.

T is for Tostadas

Today for lunch we decided to make nachos with homemade tostadas(tortilla chips). Making your own chips seems like a hassle but it's actually quite easy and the chips are so tasty!

I fried mine in lard on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet. Use corn oil or vegetable oil if you must but lard really makes them awesome. Use white or yellow corn tortillas & cut them in wedges.

As the chips came out of the pan we dusted them with sea salt and a sprinkling of corn seasoning from crate & barrel I had recieved as a gift- it was a great addition to the chips.

Once all the chips were fried we spread them on a bakung pan, topped with refried beans and shredded cheese and popped them into 350 oven til the cheese was melted and beans were bubbly. Serve with salsa & enjoy!