Restaurant Recap, TravelHere’s part two of my Callaway Gardenspost. I needed to do a whole other post about our dinner at The Garden Restaurant at Callaway Gardens. This flower will be the only non food thing in this post…enjoy.
During our stay at Callaway Gardens we dined at The Gardens Restaurant, the most upscale of the many dining options at Callaway. So upscale in fact that my husband made sure to teach our kids to eat like sophisticated people, both pinkies out please.
Let’s start with the appetizers:
The kids split a crab cake appetizer with lemon butter sauce and micro greens. They both loved the crab cake but my daughter raved about the sauce.My husband had a fresh, crisp garden salad for his appetizer. My appetizer was a deliciously creamy New England Clam Chowder. With tender clams it was perfect on a cool day.
On to the entrees
My son ordered the Balsamic Marinated Grilled Colorado Lamb Chops With toasted walnut pesto, Brussels sprouts with pancetta and cheddar grit cakeThe scallop entree. Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops, sweet potato puree, maple butter and spaghetti squash. Scallops were perfectly cooked to an almost creamy consistency.I ordered Braised Pork Shank with wild mushroom demi-glace, cheddar grits and sautéed spaghetti squash. DELICIOUS! I love a rich demi glace served with grits to catch it. The texture was perfect, the really know how to cook protein. They got it right every time. My daughter had the Marinated Grilled Flat Iron Steak With wild mushroom demi glace, oven roasted red and gold beets and herb mashed potatoes
Drinks and Dessert
Hot buttered rum with Pyrat rum. Pyrat is the Man’s favorite drank. He was not too sure about the “butter” but once he tasted it he was happyAnd he can’t resist any apple dessert. Warm Apple Galette With housemade cinnamon ice creamMy dessert, pumpkin creme brulee, super creamy and not too sweetChocolate Lava Cake The kids shared this Chocolate ganache center with housemade blood orange ice cream for dessert. They absolutely DESTROYED IT!
Chef de Cuisine Peter Stiles did a fantastic job. Service was smooth, warm and friendly all in all we had a great evening
TravelCallaway Gardens has one of the best Christmas lights displays on EARTH! Yes, it’s that good. It took just under an hour to get through the tour but the time flies by.
I love the weeks leading up to Christmas, I love driving around and seeing the neighborhood light displays. This weekend we saw one of the 10 best Christmas light shows on the planet (according to National Geographic). The Christmas light Show to beat ALL Christmas light shows the Festival of Lights at Callaway Gardens(Pine Mountain, GA). Pictures don’t do it justice, parts of the tour have animated light themes … it’s just great….but wait, there’s more. After you finish the Festival of Lights you have the Christmas Village.
a TON of vendors outside of the Christmas village. Deep fried everything and some great kettle corn. Even maple/bacon funnel cakeInside the Christmas Village at Callaway Gardens there were handmade gifts and a giant gingerbread man
Thankfully we had a cabin waiting for us
We had a two bedroom cabin at Callaway Gardens, that’s the kids room pictured above. They made themselves right at home. Our room was similar and each bedroom had it’s own bathroom. It’s not fancy, it’s like staying with a relative…a relative who leaves you alone. Full kitchen and cozy living room with everything you need to snuggle up by the fire. It was a little cool for the screened in porch
Still more stuff to show you…and remember this is in the late fall, almost Winter. I’d love to go back when it warms up in the Spring and the azalea’s are blooming.
We woke up pretty late the next day and were in no hurry to get moving so we had breakfast in the cabin. I brought cheese, crackers, grapes, cereal, milk and juice with us so we had plenty to eat. We finally got it together and headed out to the Birds of Prey (Raptor) show. All of the birds in the show were rescued in some way or another. Several were human imprints (some well meaning folks tried to raise the birds but now they can’t survive on their own ) and one that was hit by a truck and is blind in one eye. Now in the care of the center we can get a good look at them up close
Rescued birds of prey at Callaway Gardens. The Show was moved indoors due to rain and they added another show to accommodate the guests. Broad-Winged Hawk, Red Shouldered Hawk, Barn Owl and Red Tailed Hawk
Then the horticultural center, I could have stayed in there all day.
Inside the horticultural center Callaway gardens. I can only remember the name of the first one, it’s a chenille plant and the poinsettias below it.
Yes, there’s still more
Bikes for rent at Callaway Gardens
I still haven’t covered it all. There are bikes to rent and trails to hike and golf and a tree top obstacle course and ziplines.The kids were tempted to try the Tree Top Adventure but there was a bit of rain. They’ve been wanting to zipline for a while now, they thought long and hard about it. Some guests were up in the trees on the obstacle course in the rain but my kids decided against it.
recipesA trio of cookies: one no bake, one bar cookie and one fully decorated rolled out sugar cookie
Three cookies recipes: One no bake, one bar cookie and one traditional rolled out and fully decorated cookie.
DULCE DE LECHE COCONUT PECAN KRISPIE BALLS(I’m gonna have to come up with a shorter name)
Scoop out the dulce de leche cookie dough and drop it into the ground pecan and coconutI use this 1/4 ounce scoop to portion small cookiesSweet and delicious Dulce de leche balls are full of coconut, pecans and puffed rice for a bit of crispy texture
Dulce de Leche coconut balls recipe (makes 45 balls)
1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 ½ cups pecans
½ cup dark chocolate chips
14 oz dulce de leche (in your grocery store near the condensed milk)
1 cup rice krispies
Finely chop coconut and pecans in a food processor
Mix with chocolate chips, dulce de leche and rice krispies. Scoop into small balls, I used a 025 ounce scoop.
Topping
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup pecans
Roll the balls the topping mixture
BROWNED BUTTER BLONDIES
Rich browned butter blondies are moist and delicious.
Browned Butter Blondies(makes 16 blondies)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Cane Syrup
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
spray and 8*8 inch pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Brown the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan for about 4 minutes. When it’s ready the butter should smell nutty and be golden brown. Let the butter cool.
Beat butter sugar, cane syrup eggs, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add flour and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 35-40 minutes.
let cool completely and cut into 16 squares
SUGAR COOKIES
Use rolling pin rings to help you roll your cookie dough tho the perfect thicknessRolling pin rings help you roll your cookies (or pie crust) to the perfect thickness. No more guessingCrisp sweet sugar cookies are fun for the family to decorate in your favorite holiday colors
Sugar cookie recipe for rolling (makes about 30-40 cookies depending on the size of your cookie cutters)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 stick soft butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon your favorite spice like cinnamon, or garam masala (optional)
2 tablespoons colored sugar (optional)
I use a stand mixer, but this sugar cookie dough is easy to make by hand with a wooden spoon.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
In a bowl mix butter, powdered sugar , egg , salt and vanilla thoroughly in a bowl until combined (about 2 minutes on medium in a stand mixer)
Stir in the flour and optional spices and mix until well combined but not over mixed.
Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about a half hour.
Dip your cookie cutter in flour and cut out your shapes. Use a thin metal spatula ( dusted with flour) to lift the cookies off the counter and place them onto the parchment lined cookie sheet. If you are not decorating your cookies with frosting you can sprinkle them with white or colored sugar before you bake them
Bake the cookies for 10-12 (depending on the size of your cookies) until they are just very slightly brown around the edges. Let them cool to room temperature before you frost them.
You can re-roll the scraps of the cookie dough that are left over after cutting out your cookies. Just gather the scraps, form them into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a half hour before rolling)
Royal Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 ½ tablespoons pasteurized egg whites
Food coloring
You can find pasteurized egg whites in the dairy section of your grocery store
Mix Powdered sugar and egg whites together. Add more egg white to make a runnier consistency, add powdered sugar to make a thicker consistency. Add food coloring one drop at a time until you reach the desired color.
DECORATE:
Using a disposable pastry bag (cut a tiny bit off of the tip to make a small hole) pipe an outline with royal icing. Thin the icing slightly with a drop or two of egg white. Use this to fill in the outlined area.
recipesSweet peppers stuffed with Quinoa presented in a deviled egg plate=brilliant
I’m usually on the other side of the chef’s jacket, but not this night. This time instead of teaching a cooking class I got to take one from fantastic chef and food stylist Nancy Waldeck (TasteandSavor.com )at COOKSWAREHOUSEMerchants WalkNancy had great ideas about using unusual items to present your food. She told us a story about how once she and her assistant bought tons on mushrooms from the grocery store just for the cute boxes they were in ( I’m sure she did something wonderful with all those mushrooms). Her recipes were lovely, light and healthy appetizers great for any party.
The assistants at Cooks Warehouse had the mise en place prepped and ready to goAdorable presentation for pork sliders with red pepper jellyThis was the dish my “lab partner” and I chose to make. Teeny potatoes filled with Cajun crab salad. Also pictured, delicious Spanish paprika chicken bites with Romesco sauce.
I created this little app out of the potato scraps from the stuffed mini potato recipe and some stuff I found when I raided the fridge at Cooks Warehouse. Waste not want not…and eat well. This is a kale, broccoli and potato cake with bacon.
Mini Potato Cakes with Kale, Broccoli and Bacon ( makes about 15 potato cakes)
1 and 1/4 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes boiled and mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped kale
1/4 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/4 cup diced cooked bacon ( save a few pieces of bacon for garnish if you like)
2 garlic cloves grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or light mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons butter or canola oil
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Mix mashed potato, kale, broccoli, bacon, garlic mayonnaise and salt together in a bowl. Scoop about a tablespoon of the mixture and form into a small scallop shaped disk.
Heat a skillet on medium with butter or canola oil. Brown the potato cakes on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Serve on spoons (Chinese soup spoonsor regular tablespoons)
Garnish with a dollop or sour cream or Greek yogurt and top with a piece of bacon
Strawberries dipped in chocolate, peanuts and Dukkah (an African spice blend) DELICIOUSI love this presentation of tomato soup and shrimp skewers in shot glasses on top of a pedestal and gorgeous detailed wooden matThe fabulous Nancy Waldeck and me at Cooks Warehouse Merchants Walk5 Comments
recipesCute thrifted tableware. Just a dollar or two per item. Fun for a party or for everyday.
It’s time to restock my prop closet, so I headed to Goodwill on Monday to pick up some inexpensive items. Everything on the table (except for the tablecloth and the food) is from Goodwill. These items will be great for styling my blog and great for parties.
Cute little tea or sake cups are perfect for serving snacks and dessert. The three of them cost $2.71Some cute items purchased from Goodwill, cute and inexpensiveThis thrifted 10 Strawberry Street double handled bowl may be my favorite purchase. It’s perfect for putting snacks or fruit out on the table. Only cost me 99 centsSome cute items purchased from Goodwill, cute and inexpensive. I have no idea what that thing is in the upper left corner…do you?Here’s a better look. At first I thought it was a cake plate but if it was it wouldn’t have holes in the top. I’m going to put a tea light candle in the center and use it as a tea pot warmer. Any way, it was only 99 cents2 Comments
It’s that most wonderful time of the year again. It’s the time of year when we prepare our homes to receive friends and family in the spirit of the season. It’s the time of year when we heat up our ovens and start making those favorite dishes that will become favorites of those that taste them. It’s also the time when we need to stock out pantries to be prepared for unexpected visitors.
I was invited to BJ’s Wholesale Club a few days ago to get some a peek at some of their holiday products and get some tips on entertaining.
Bj’s does require you to purchase a membership to receive the benefits of their club, but their low prices and coupon policy more than makes up for that fee.
BJs invited a group of bloggers (myself included) to check out their holiday products. They even baked us a cake! We were given a lovely gift bag and gift card as a thank you for attending. All opinions expressed are my own.It’s a good idea to keep an assortment of cheeses and charcuterie on hand for when unexpected guests drop in.This multi pack of gift mugs filled with delicious, high quality chocolates makes gift giving easy. Break up the set and give these filled mugs to a co worker, neighbor, teacher or cousinPick up a few gifts for the artist in your life
One important difference between BJs and other membership clubs is that BJs sells many of it’s products in sizes more appropriate for families while other membership clubs have items packaged in large quantities for small businesses. This is especially important when purchasing perishable items (like produce) that can spoil before you have a chance to use them.
A deviled egg plate might just be mandatory for southern entertaining. You can even serve other little egg-less hors d’oeuvres in themTHIS is how I like to throw a party. Small plates and portable food make it easy to eat and socializeThese apothecary jars are a great way to display holiday sweets and can be taken apart to use as serving pieces
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recipesPumpkin Spice Latte cake. This moist cake is made with roasted pumpkin puree and warm spices like cumin and cardamom. The frosting is coffee buttercream…don’t worry, it’s decaf
My oven is HOT! I’ve been baking up a storm lately developing cake and pie recipes for my clients’ holiday tables.
This apple upside down cake is a wonderful addition to your holiday table. Made with honey crisp apples and baked in butter and Georgia’s own Alaga cane syrup for a sweet glaze. This moist cake has shredded apples and cinnamon in the batter.This brown sugar pound cake is moist, rich and not too sweet. Perfect for an after dinner treat.
Here’s a link to the Brown Sugar Pound Cake recipe just in case you’re in the mood for a little baking. If you’re in the Atlanta area you can order one of these delicious cakes from me. Here’s the rest of the menu:
Mmmm, Wouldn’t this BROWN SUGAR POUND CAKE be GORGEOUS on your holiday table! The perfect Thanksgiving dessert or Christmas Dessert but really it’s great any time of year. This cake is incredibly moist, lightly sweet, has a hint of lemon and a whole lot of DELICIOUS! (more…)
2-3tablespoonsheavy creamdepending on the consistency you want
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees .
Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, jam and sugar for 3 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla to milk, combine the flour, dry strawberry gelatin and baking powder in a separate bowl; stir flour mixture into the batter alternately with the milk and vanilla.
Scoop into lined cupcake tins
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
-------------------------------------------------
Place sugar, salt and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low speed until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 4 minutes or until smooth.
Add vanilla and cream. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. I needed, beat in more cream 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve the consistency that you like.
recipesPerfect for fall, this soup is a one pot meal. Kabocha squash, collard greens sausage and bacon in a rich chicken broth
I was browsing one of my favorite blogs, British Blokes Cooking, when I came across a great looking recipe for Milton’s sausage and potato soup. I guess I shouldn’t read food blogs on an empty stomach because I got REALLY HUNGRY! Now, here’s the thing, I can never follow a recipe…NEVER (almost never). I get inspired by them but then I take off in a completely different direction. In a nod to my Southern roots I used collard greens instead of the kale that was in the recipe. I went to the market and saw some beautiful Kabocha squash that I absolutely could not resist. I had some smoked sausage and some of my homemade bacon in the fridge and I omitted the cream altogether. This soup was FANTASTIC!! The broth was smokey and slightly spicy from the bacon and sausage and a little sweet from the squash.
So here it is, my kabocha squash and collard green soup recipe, I hope you try it or are inspired by it. Either way I’d like to hear about what you cooked and how you change things up.
Kabocha squash and collard greens. If you can’t find a kabocha squash you can substitute butternut or acorn squash or a pie pumpkin. Kabocha squash is referred to as Japanese pumpkin, it’s orange flesh (rich in beta carotene) is sweeter than acorn or butternut squashSaute chopped onions and collared greens in rendered bacon fat. Add smoked sausage, kabocha squash and chicken broth
Kabocha squash and Collard Greens Soup
4 ounces of diced bacon1 small onion diced (about ½ cup)1 bunch of collard greens washed and julienned ( about 15 ounces)1- 12 ounce package of smoked sausage sliced
1 small kabocha squash (about 1 pound) cut into 3/4 inch cubes (substitute butternut or acorn squash or pie pumpkin)
3 cups of chicken broth
Cook diced bacon over medium heat to render the fat from the bacon. Remove the bacon and save, keep the bacon fat in the pot.Add onion into the bacon fat and sauté until translucent for about 4 minutes. Add collard greens into the pot and stir around to wilt greens a bit.Add sausage, kabocha squash and chicken broth. Simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender.You could also bring the soup to a simmer then put it in the oven and let it cook, covered, gently at 300 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until squash is tenderTop soup with reserved bacon, serve and enjoy
