Room Service: Kate's 'W' Spiced Nuts

Last year we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary with our first trip to San Francisco. We were guests at the W Hotel, which was a short walk from both the Ferry Building (food market) and Union Square (clothing stores). Yes, my husband planned that one perfectly for me. As soon as we arrive in town we ditched our bags at the hotel and headed straight to Alcatraz. It was a bright and sunny day, and we had clear views of the bridges and the city from Alcatraz. The tour is a self-paced audio tour, which we found to be quite interesting. If you have never been there, I definitely recommend going – especially on a nice day!


We returned to the hotel for a quick change before heading to dinner at Isa, when there was a knock on our door. Room service had brought by a bottle of champagne, a cheese tray, and a card wishing us a happy anniversary! The champagne and cheeses were delicious, but what was particularly delectable were the spiced nuts on the cheese tray. They were sweet with a great spicy kick. The only problem was that there weren’t enough! The next night we found our way to the hotel bar where we were able to order a bowl of them to snack on.


A few weeks after we returned home I set forth to make a similar cocktail nut. They turned out really well and were easy to make. We returned to the W in San Francisco last summer and stopped by the bar just to order the spiced nuts. We were actually disappointed when we tasted them, because as my husband put it, “yours are better than this!”.

I made my spiced nuts for my niece’s birthday party. This recipe makes a large batch, so if you're having a gathering they’ll feed your crowd. If you’re just making them to snack on yourself, be warned because they’re a bit addictive!

Kate’s 'W' Spiced Nuts
Ingredients
12-16 oz. Roasted Almonds
12-16 oz. Roasted & Salted Cashews
12-16 oz. Pecan Halves
12-16 oz. Macadamia Nuts
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 250°F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites. Stir in sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add nuts and toss until nuts are coated with egg white mixture.

Arrange nuts in a flat layer on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, until nuts are golden but not burnt. Allow nuts to cool on baking sheet for 45 minutes, and then use a metal spatula to remove nuts from baking sheet. Break into bite-sized pieces and serve.

Figs Part II: Grilled Figs with Greek Yogurt

Yogurt is a food that has it’s health benefits, but a food that I never felt a strong connection to. I would purchase the non-fat, low-calorie yogurts from the grocery store. The consistency always seemed so runny. The flavors available are endless these days, but taste like an imitation.

Last summer I finally found the other side of yogurt: Greek yogurt. And I found my yogurt match. Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, and sour. It is fatty too, but you can also buy low-fat and non-fat Greek yogurts. It is strained in a cloth bag or filter to remove whey, giving it a thick consistency and preserving its sour taste. My friend Beth recently honeymooned in Greece and she was able to validate that the kind we buy at the grocery store here is the same kind that they sell in Greece!

My favorite way to eat Greek yogurt is plain with a little drizzle of honey. At my grocery store they sell Fage yogurt with a little honey compartment. Perfect for a packed lunch! My husband is partial to their yogurt with the strawberry compartment. I’ve also eaten it with fresh fruit, nuts, and even chocolate chips. I’ll substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in recipes when I can.

When I recently brought back fresh figs from California, I was excited to pair them with some Greek yogurt and honey. We’ve had a mild fall here, and were able to heat up our outdoor grill for potentially the last time this season. This was a fun treat, and another way to savor our fig souvenir.

Grilled Figs with Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
8-12 fresh figs, sliced in half
2 tbsp honey, plus more for drizzling
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup pistachios, shelled

Directions
Heat grill on high heat. Brush cut side of figs with honey. Place figs on grill, cut side down. Grill for approximately 3 minutes, until figs have grill marks. Remove from heat.

On 4 dessert plates, place on each plate: ¼ Greek yogurt, several figs, a couple tablespoons of pistachios, and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.

Celebration in Oaktown: Quinoa, Wild Shrimp & Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

During our recent trip out to the Bay, we were graciously welcomed by our friends, Amy and Chris. We spent a few days with them in Oakland, along with a fun-filled excursion to Napa. The four of us decided to venture to an area of wine country that was previously unexplored to us all – northern Napa county. We did the drive north past Napa and Oakville, and found ourselves driving through the rolling hills of northern Napa county and quaint towns of St. Helena and Calistoga. St. Helena had buildings with Victorian charm, while Calistoga reminded us of the wild west. The first stop on our wine tour took us to Chateau Montelena Winery, where we marveled at the stone castle, as well as their orange and lemon trees (the wines were good too, particularly their Riesling).




We next ventured to Sterling Vineyards, where a aerial tram takes visitors up to the winery and tasting rooms at the top of the hill.



Our last stop was Cuvaison Estate, where we had a sample of a special Cab, and the sommelier tried to show my husband a thing or two with our camera. After a wonderful meal at Tra Vigne, Chris and Amy gave us a lift to the airport, and we barely made our red-eye flight back home.



Earlier that week, Amy had been scheduled to take a graduate exam that she had long been studying for. While she was off at her exam, I went into San Francisco in search of the Painted Ladies. After an uncalculated walk through the Tenderloin, I finally found the famous row houses and had enough time to snap some pictures before heading back to Oakland to meet Amy.


She had aced the exam and a celebration was in order. Amy, Chris, and I went to a celebratory lunch at Bocanova in Jack London Square. After debating over several options on the menu, Amy and I both ordered the Quinoa, Wild Shrimp & Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette. It was delicious - so refreshing, light, and flavorful! As a fellow cook and foodie, Amy and I spent most of the meal trying to determine how it was prepared.


With the sun shining and a pleasant breeze blowing, Amy and I continued the celebration with a little wine tasting. And on this day, we did not have to hop in a car and drive north of the city to get to wine country. We instead only had to walk a few blocks to get to a couple of Oakland’s wineries. The tasting rooms of JC Cellars and Dashe Cellars are both in Oakland, and share the same location. You can taste flights of wine from each winery for $5, respectively (much cheaper than wineries in wine country!). Amy and I spent the afternoon sampling wines from JC and Dashe, and it was the perfect afternoon to follow up our delectable lunch.


I couldn’t get that quinoa out of my mind, and once I returned home and had a chance to spend time in the kitchen, I made an attempt to recreate our lunch (less the wine tasting). I was pleased that my version was pretty comparable to the dish that we had! I was only able to find a purple beet at my grocery store, but I recommend using a golden beet if you can find it. (The purple beet will color the whole dish, and if you are using one, I recommend adding it at the last minute to try to avoid coloring the rest of the ingredients purple.) You can omit the shrimp for a vegetarian version. Amy and I were contemplating adding some crumbled feta, which I did try, but found it to be too much. This is good as it is, and a lunch that I’ll forever remember!

Kate's Quinoa, Wild Shrimp & Roasted Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 medium-size golden beet
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup carrots, shredded
10 oz. cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 orange, segmented
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tbsp. watercress or microgreens, for garnish

Directions
Wisk together olive oil, orange juice, mustard, champagne vinegar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Cut off beet greens, wash beets, and gently scrub to remove any dirt. Wrap beet in aluminum foil and place in the middle rack of the oven. Bake until beet is thoroughly cooked (approximately 1 hour). Unwrap beet and allow to cool. Using a paper towel, rub off the beet’s skin. Cut beet into small cubes.

Place quinoa and vegetable broth in a 1 ½ quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all broth is absorbed (10-15 minutes). Allow quinoa to cool.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, shrimp, orange segments, carrots, cilantro, beets, and salt and pepper. Toss with vinaigrette mixture until lightly coated (you may not use all of the vinaigrette). Top with watercress or microgreens to garnish and serve.

Mission Figs: Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

The last week of October brought me and my husband a little getaway to the Bay. In a trip that was a fusion between work, school, and pleasure, we got to experience the pleasant fall weather in San Francisco, and a lot of time visiting with friends. It is rather ironic how just a year ago it seemed like we hardly knew anyone in Northern California, but now we have friends from SF to San Jose to Oakland. We were welcomed by all of these friends, and split our stay between Oakland and SF. Lucky for us, all of our hosts are fellow "foodies", so we had many memorable meals and abounding tastings of wine.



We stayed a couple nights with our friend Sarah at her fabulous Russian Hill apartment. When we arrived at her place she greeted us with a bottle of wine, hors d'oeuvres, and a plan to watch the sunset from her kitchen, before heading out to dinner. She has what must be one of the most spectacular views of the city and the bay! Her kitchen is a wall of windows, and you can sit at her kitchen table pondering life and watching the city and sailboats go by. The prime time to marvel at her view is when the sun is setting. The sun bounces off of Berkeley in the distance, and the reflection glimmers and twinkles, appearing as bouncing little flames across the cityscape.




Sarah prepared the perfect hors d'oeuvre, without even knowing my affinity for figs. I had actually placed myself on a mission for this trip, and was determined to eat as many figs as possible. This hors d'oeuvre is simple and tasty, and we devoured it before heading to our “real” dinner at hotspot Beretta in the Mission. (I actually could have tasted more figs for dessert at Beretta, but by the time we were offered the dessert menus it was late (particularly on EDT), I was full, and I may have been falling asleep at the table!)

A few days later we stopped at the Berkeley Bowl to pick up picnic supplies for a day in Napa, and I grabbed a couple containers of fresh figs. The ones that made it through the day accompanied me on the plane (in first class, nonetheless – not me, just the figs. Darn overhead bins getting full.) Upon arriving home, I gave half to my mother, and pondered over how I could savor mine. My mind went straight to Sarah’s crostini and I then set forth to replicate it at home.

After an exhausting day at work, I was able to put these together mindlessly and actually ate them as dinner. I’ll long for the next time I have fresh figs to work with. In the meantime I may try this recipe with fig spread, although I tend to pair that with blue stilton cheese. Thank you to Sarah for her generous hospitality and her ideal hors d'oeuvre idea!

Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
* 1 French baguette, sliced into small ½ inch rounds
* 12 fresh figs, sliced
* 4 oz. fresh goat cheese
* 1 tbsp. honey (preferably lavender honey, if available)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place sliced baguette on large baking sheet and bake for approximately 8 minutes, until bread is crispy. Spread goat cheese on baguette slices and top with 1-2 slices of fig, each. Drizzle with honey and serve immediately.

Special Side Dish: Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

When we returned from our vacation to California last spring I brought myself (and my family members) some souvenirs. Unfortunately, one can only fit so many bottles of wine and olive oil in a suitcase. (Not to mention the extra charge airlines are demanding per checked bag, and the further charge if you bag exceeds 50 pounds in weight – I will admit that over the past several years I’ve had several bags weigh in at 49.5 pounds!)

Among other goodies, I was able to fit a bottle of Meyer Lemon Olive Oil in my bag, purchased at the Oakville Grocery in Oakville, California. I’ve been savoring it in small amounts ever since, and one of my favorite applications is with steamed broccoli.



I slightly adapted this recipe from Giada de Laurentiis. (I found that I didn’t need as much olive oil as her recipe calls for, and I also like the addition of crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick.) If you don’t have lemon olive oil, I would recommend using extra-virgin olive oil along with 1 teaspoon of lemon zest (or fresh lemon juice).

Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
(Modified from Giada's Family Dinners)
Ingredients
* 1 pound broccoli florets
* 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Fill a large pot halfway with water. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water and add the broccoli. Boil until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Drain, transfer the broccoli florets to a large bowl, and toss with the oil to coat. Season the broccoli florets with crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Tuesday in Point Reyes: Kate’s Point Reyes Avocado Sandwich

I have a confession to make. I am a planner. I love to make lists, and even have a "book of lists". When I plan a vacation, I really plan it. Particularly the meals. I scout out restaurants way in advance, reading reviews, checking ratings, and asking friends and acquaintances for recommendations. I even memorize the menus and determine which items I want to order in advance. During our last trip to California, I did a substantial amount of planning, however I did not plan for it to be Tuesday.

After waking from our last night in San Francisco, we picked up our rental car, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge (Full House, anyone?), and spent some time in the Marin Headlands taking foggy pictures of the bridges and the bay.


We drove north through Mt. Tamalpais State Park, and then on to Point Reyes Station, where we planned to eat lunch before heading out to the Point Reyes National Seashore and Lighthouse.



We discovered Cowgirl Creamery cheese last year at the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace, and had planned to treat ourselves to some more Mt. Tam and Red Hawk cheese at their original creamery in downtown Point Reyes Station. Much to our chagrin, they were closed. Closed on Tuesday? Who closes on a Tuesdays? Sure, maybe Sunday, or even Monday. But Tuesday? We were starving, pressed for time, and had nowhere to eat. We got back in the car, and drove down the main drag (which is only about two blocks), and at the end of the row, we saw the Station House Café.


We checked the menu, saw many options to our liking, and also noticed that they had a beautiful garden for dining alfresco. Little did we know that we had stumbled upon a local gem! The Station House Café uses fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients from local farmers and from their own gardens. (They are open six days a week. Tuesday is one of those days!) My husband ordered their clam chowder and a bacon and fried oyster omelet. I was on a kick of trying to eat as many avocadoes as possible while on the west coast, and ordered their Avocado Sandwich. The sandwich tasted so fresh, and was so healthy with all of the veggies loaded on it. It was an $8 sandwich, and turned out to be one of my more memorable meals on our 10-day trip! Sometimes it’s okay not to plan everything.


Our lunch in Point Reyes was only day 4 of our trip, and I could not stop thinking about this sandwich for the rest of the week! I replicated it the first night we returned home, and haven’t stopped since. Each time I make it, it seems to taste better and better. You need to have several fresh ingredients around for this, and if you purchase pre-sliced vegetables (for example, mushrooms and carrots), your assembly will go quite quickly. In lieu of making a tomato coulis, as their version calls for, I simply use tomato paste (which I love and will gladly eat out of the can with a spoon. Or my finger.). Not only do I love the tastes and textures of this sandwich, but the colors are beautiful too!

Kate’s Point Reyes Avocado Sandwich
Ingredients
(Please note that the ingredient measurements are listed per sandwich. You should adjust the quantities for the number of sandwiches you wish to make.)
* 2 slices whole grain or wheat bread
* ¼ avocado, sliced
* 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Tomato Paste
* ¼ cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
* ¼ cup broccoli sprouts
* 2 tablespoons sliced carrots
* 2 tablespoons green onion, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch lengths

Directions
Lightly toast bread in toaster or toaster oven. Allow bread to slightly cool so it is easy to handle. Spread tomato paste on one side of each slice of bread. Layer remaining ingredients on one slice of bread. Finish by topping with other bread slice, and cut in half to serve.