Let's Infuse Some Vodka...

What do you do with some really crappy leftover vodka? Infuse it. At midnight on a Sunday.

Recently, we made a homemade Bloody Mary mix and of course, needed the perfect vodka to go with it (we are still perfecting the mix so that post will come later). It was late on Sunday and my lovely boyfriend thought it would be a good idea to run to the store for bacon and jalapeños. Oh yeah, and a surplus of mason jars. Apparently, the three we already had wasn't good enough. Despite the late hour, we had a pretty good time and learned that infusing vodka is very simple.

Infusing lemon vodka OR jalapeño vodka:
1. Fill mason jar 3/4 full of vodka
2. Cut up one lemon OR two jalapeños into quarters and put into mason jar with vodka
3. Let the two infuse for 5-7 days for maximum flavor
4. Mix your favorite drink - preferably a Bloody Mary, duh.

Infusing black tea vodka:
1. Fill mason jar 3/4 full of vodka
2. Place tea bag in mason jar and screw on the lid
3. Let the tea bag steep in the vodka for 3-4 hours (I did it for 6 hours and it was pretty strong)
4. Mix your favorite drink - we love hard Arnold Palmer drinks or something like this

These are the things we learned:
1. Infusing bacon vodka is not as easy as it looks. We had a blog DIY fail on our first attempt. Lots of recipes say to use the bacon fat but I don't recommend it. We had better luck with this recipe.
2. Crappy vodka is still, crappy vodka. Next time we are going to venture up a couple shelfs at the liquor store and go for something a little smoother.
3. It is hard to fall asleep when your house smells like bacon.

Let me know what your favorite recipes are!

A Piece of Pie at Apizza Scholls

Another birthday celebration calls for another new restaurant adventure. My brother loves pizza...I mean, he LOVES pizza, more than anyone I know. So, when he was trying to pick a restaurant for his birthday dinner, Apizza Scholls was an easy choice. Surprisingly, no one in our family had been there so it was a new experience for everyone.

You have heard me carry on about all the killer pizza places in Portland (Oven & Shaker, Ken's, Lovely's Fifty Fifty) and now we found another one to add to the list. The atmosphere is casual and doesn't really have a theme like most Portland restaurants, but it didn't seem to bother people because the place was packed! My favorite part was the crust...oh my gosh, yum. My brother doesn't eat crust (unless he as a dipping sauce) and even he ate it!

look at that crust! 

We ordered four of their house pies, but you have the option to make your own as well. They also have a selection of house made salads and antipasti dishes on their menu. All their food is reasonable priced and I have no problem paying for GOOD pizza. I wouldn't recommend going their to drink because their beverage prices aren't cheap with $5 pints and $18 pitchers. Wine prices aren't too bad but beer prices are a little steep.

Apizza Amore

Overall, a fun place for a casual birthday dinner and I will definitely be back for the pizza, even if I just order it to-go! 

Apizza Scholls

4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd

Portland, Oregon

503.233.1286

open mon - sat 5 - 9:30pm | sundays 4 - 8pm

Avocado, Tomato & Arugula Salad

I rarely have the chance to eat in our restaurant at work but when I do, I am NEVER disappointed. This past visit to JORY inspired me to try and recreate a lunch entree at home. It wasn't quite the same but it still turned out just as colorful and delicious!

Check out my Avocado, Tomato & Arugula Salad (topped with chicken).

As usual, I found several different citrus chicken marinades online and landed on one of my own (by combined ingredients until it had a good flavor). 

Chicken Marinade Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of white wine
1 tablespoon of brown sugar (white will work too)
juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
dash of salt and pepper 

Salad Stuff
1 cup of arugula
1 avocado, cubed
1 cup of sliced grape tomatoes (cherry tomatoes will work too)
2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup of cooked barley
2 tablespoons of your choice vinaigrette

Preparation 
Slice chicken breasts into small strips and set aside. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together and pour into a container with a lid. Add the chicken strips to the container and cover with the marinade. Seal container, refrigerate for at least three hours. I recommend marinating overnight if time allows. The flavor is so much better!

When chicken is ready, bake in the oven at 350 degrees like I did or you can grill it for some barbecue flavor. Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing. Top with your cooked chicken and voila!

The entree at JORY was prepared with Steelhead, farro and a house made dressing. So, you can see mine was slightly different, but still so fresh tasting!

Grüner Restaurant & Kask

Gruner Restaurant is one of those places that can consistently makes the "top places to dine" or "best chef of the year" headlines and I have always been curious to find out why. Chef Chris Israel's creative, Alpine (German-inspired) menu is filled with unique ingredients and I never knew what to make of them, until now. This restaurant is nothing shy of delicious and the perfect place for a birthday party of 10. We were not disappointed. 

All of our dishes were beautifully presented and extremely flavorful. We started with their signature beet-pickled deviled eggs and they were wonderful. The boys went for the man meal, by ordering the "choucroute garnie" which was pretty much pork...four different ways. The gnocchi and salads were popular with the ladies but I went for a buckwheat pasta dish with butternut squash, ham, chives and a cream sauce. The only mistake I made all night was sharing my dessert. The raspberry-filled donuts are not worth sharing...they are worth gobbling up all to yourself. 

Also, don't miss Kask, their cocktail counterpart. It is right around the corner from Gruner and worth taking a peak. You will find creative cocktails for all palettes, including whiskey followed with a swallow of their house made pickle juice. Yup...pickle juice. 

So, if you are feeling like some Alpine cuisine, but don't have the budget to fly overseas for a quick schnitzel, take a trip to Gruner in Southwest Portland. 

Gruner

527 SW12th Ave

Portland, Oregon

503.241.7163

open mon - fri 11:30-2pm | mon - sat 5pm | closed sundays 

Almond Vanilla French Toast

I am trying this new thing...cutting out dairy. Not completely because that would be impossible, but I am experimenting to see how it will make me feel over time. So, now I have almond vanilla milk in my fridge which is what lead me to Almond Vanilla French Toast. Yummy. This is a very simple recipe and it can be doubled or tripled with ease.

Ingredients 
3 large slices of sourdough bread (any bread will do, this is just what I had on hand)
2 eggs
1/4 cup almond vanilla milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
handful of sliced almonds

Preparation
Mix the cinnamon, brown sugar and almonds together in a shallow dish and set aside.

Make an egg wash in a bowl with the eggs, almond vanilla milk and the vanilla extract. Slice large pieces of bread in half.

Place a skillet on the stove at low-medium heat and melt the butter. Dip each slice of bread in the egg wash and then cover with the cinnamon/sugar/almond mixture. Place on the skillet with the melted butter, cook until one side is golden brown and then flip to cook the other side.

Top with some sliced almonds and maybe some powdered sugar too...enjoy.

Serves two.

Chicken Alfredo - Cajun Style

My cute apron was calling my name and it felt like a Cajun cuisine kind of night. To my surprise, I had all the ingredients on hand, so I went for it. My Creole dishes of choice? Cajun Chicken Alfredo & Jambalaya.  

The Cajun Chicken Alfredo recipe is not a new one but it took me a little bit to rack my brain on how to make it. After some online recipe research, I was ready. What I do remember from last time is that I had a heavy hand with the cayenne and pepper spices. This recipe is a bit more mild, but feel free to add red pepper flakes or more cayenne to your blackening spice. 

Ingredients 

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup of blackening spice (I made my own) 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of minced garlic 

8 ounces of roasted cherry tomatoes (sun dried tomatoes work too) 

1 pint of heavy cream or half n half

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 cup sliced scallions 

16 ounces of cooked fettuccine 

Preparation 

Dredge the chicken breasts in blackening seasoning. If they are thick, filet them in two and dredge with the seasoning. Place in skillet over medium heat until chicken breasts are fully cooked. Set aside. 

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and then add the minced garlic and roasted tomatoes. Sauté in the skillet for 2 -3 minutes. 

Slice the cooled chicken and add to the skillet. Pour white wine in the pan to deglaze and then add the heavy cream. Increase the heat to a simmer and reduce the cream sauce until you reach your desired consistency.  

Once the sauce's consistency is to your liking, add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in the cooked fettuccine pasta, garnish with scallions and the remaining Parmesan.  

 Enjoy! 

Portland's Little Italy - Piazza Italia

I can't believe it has taken me this long to write about Piazza Italia. I seriously love this place. I am sorry  because my photos don't do it justice...I am working on perfecting my "food photos." It is a quaint and cozy restaurant in the Pearl District. When I say cozy, I mean it. They squeeze quite a few tables in this restaurant and it is always busy. The friendly employees take pride in their work and are passionate about the Italian culture. They truly make you feel like you are in Italy. Wine is served in carafes and the fresh baguette baskets never stop coming.

Now, the menu. Where do I start? One word...lasagna. It is a bubbling, cheesy shallow dish full of goodness and I always seem to find a way to devour the entire thing. Their pesto is fresh and always has great flavor so you can't go wrong with that either. Check out the menu to get your mouth watering.

straccetti

Next time you are window shopping in the Pearl, have a special occasion or just feel like some Italian food, please check out Piazza Italia! You will not be disappointed. 

Piazza Italia

1129 NW Johnson Street

Portland, Oregon

503.478.0619

open seven days a week | 11:30 - 3pm | 5pm - close