IFBC 2010
September 1, 2010 by Andrea 
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Filed under Conferences
Last weekend I was in Seattle for the second International Food Bloggers Conference. I had to miss it last year and was very excited about the chance to participate this year. The conference was held at the Theo Chocolate factory in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, and the agenda had a number of sessions that caught my interest as well as a few that turned out to be pleasant surprises. Though the cost of the conference may make you feel a pinch in the wallet, I think it was an excellent value considering the quality of the sessions as well as the chefs they brought in to cook the lunches and dinners. Read more
An Afternoon in Seattle: Pike Place Market
August 30, 2010 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Featured, Travel
I sat for several hours at the Seattle airport last night, desperately wishing for a cup of hot chicken soup and a warm bed, but didn’t get home until this morning. I left Seattle with a cold but also brought home some wonderful memories. As I scan through my photos from a weekend in Seattle and the International Food Bloggers Conference, I find myself smiling and laughing as I see the faces of old friends and new and remember the fun we had this weekend.
I arrived in Seattle late Friday morning and spent the afternoon at Pike Place Market. This would be my only day to see some sights, and of course Pike Place was a no brainer. First stop, the famous fish market at the main entrance. Crabs anyone?
Weekend Gardening: Volunteers
August 28, 2010 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Gardening
This year the biggest surprise in our garden was the volunteers, which is much better than the bunny surprise we got last year. Apparently some of our compost didn’t cook long enough because we have volunteers aplenty.
Baba Ghannouj (Baba Ganoush)
August 26, 2010 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Appetizers, Featured, Grow Your Own, Middle Eastern, Vegetables
My first taste of baba ghannouj was at the cafeteria on the Saudi Aramco compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and I could easily make a lunch out of their hummus, baba ghannouj, and flatbread. Baba ghannouj is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made from eggplant that has been grilled or roasted, and the smoky flavor carries over to this simple dip that’s popular all over the Middle East. Depending on where you eat, it will probably have eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and parsley, and may also have chopped tomatoes, cumin, mint, onions, yogurt, or mayonnaise. So consider this a base recipe, a jumping off point to play with and have fun experimenting with the flavors. Read more
Asian Tuna Salad (LifeCafe)
August 23, 2010 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Asian, Featured, Seafood
A few weeks ago our Lifetime Fitness location hosted a Culinary Night that was sponsored by Toyota, and Michael and I thought it would be fun to see the cooking demonstration, which featured dishes from the LifeCafe. There were plenty of samples to go around and everyone received a handout with recipes, so of course we decided to try some at home.
Of all the things we sampled, our favorite was the popular Asian tuna, which the cafe serves on ciabatta rolls or as a green salad topping.
Ann’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
August 19, 2010 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Featured, Pork
The summer heat has hit hard this year with temperatures well into the 90s and higher, and with the humidity factored in it’s downright unbearable some days. Though we use the slow cooker much less in the summertime, on days like this it’s actually a lifesaver. No hot stove, hot oven, or hot grill, just the slow cooker working its magic. Michael’s mom has used this recipe for years and doesn’t know where she got it, but it’s an easy recipe for pulled pork. It’s slightly sweet, not smoky like our chipotle sauce, and a hit with the kids. During out last visit, she had both slider and regular size buns, and the sliders were perfect for the boys. Read more
