Las Palapas-My Tropical Getaway in Saskatoon

Dan    Restaurants, Saskatoon     awesome, eating out, mexican, saskatoon

Fill in the blank: You find great Mexican food in _________. Would you be surprised if I said Saskatoon? Well, be surprised then, because I am saying Saskatoon. A couple blocks off the busy sidewalks of Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon lies a true gem of Mexican cuisine. Las Palapas Resort Grill will immediately remind you of a Mexican cantina. Everything from the colour of the interior to the 2 palm leave umbrellas on their patio. Palapa translates to ‘a thatched roof made from palm leaves,’ hence the name, Las Palapas. So, don’t say you didn’t learn anything today!

Almost every time I make a trip to Saskatoon I try to stop by here for lunch. Sitting on the patio on a sunny afternoon will definitely make you reminisce of your last tropical vacation. I recommend sipping on a Dos Equis beer, as it will help you visualize the surrounding tropics! My favorite thing to order on their extensive menu are the Mariscos Enchiladas. They are stuffed until plump with shrimp and crab, and smothered in their home-made enchilada sauce, cheese, and creme fraiche, or as they say crema fresca. Served on the side is a Bean Salad Criollo, with chick peas, beans and tons of cilantro, it’s a nice ‘yin’ to the enchilada ‘yang.’ My lunch-date decided to go with the Baja Fish Tacos with fresh soft tortillas, fried fish, cabbage and radish cream sauce, topped with fresh home-made salsa. Needless to say, we feasted!

Next time I’m back in the city I am going to try out their Pozole…

To read the rest of this article and to see some more great photos head to Food Network Canada’s site here!

Espresso BBQ Sauce

Dan    Appetizers & Co., Recipes     bbq, coffee, quick and easy, sauce, summer

What you’ll need…

1 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup espresso

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 TBSP dijon mustard

2 TBSP worchestershire sauce

2 TBSP tabasco sauce

1/4 brown sugar

1 TBSP ground black pepper

2 TBSP chili powder

1 TSP red curry powder

olive oil

For the coffee fanatic in all of us! This unique BBQ sauce has a little kick, and goes great with anything you’re wanting to throw onto the grill, especially beef or pork. It’s so tasty you could even sip it like it’s espresso…on second thought, that’s weird. Please don’t do that.

Making home-made BBQ sauce does involve a long(ish) list of ingredients, but is actually really easy to make. In lieu of espresso you can use a 1/2 cup of strong, dark roast coffee.

Start off by chopping the onion and mincing the garlic cloves. Place them in a large pan with a bit of olive oil on medium-high heat. Once the onion has softened add in all of your wet ingredients and give everything a good stir. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn down to low heat. Now, add all of the remaining (dry) ingredients and mix well. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the sauce from the heat, and let it cool down for 5 minutes. Place contents into a blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Now your sauce should be perfectly pureed! Keep this BBQ sauce in a covered container in your fridge and it will last you for up to 10 days. Now, smother, marinate, grill, and enjoy!

Yields 2 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce

Total cook time…30 min

99 Bottles of Beer on the wall…

Dan    Calgary & Area, Restaurants     awesome, bar, beer, calgary, eating out, pub

Ok, so maybe not 99 bottles of beer (75 actually), and they’re not so much on the wall as they are in a cooler, chilled and waiting. Pilsners to stouts and everything in between, The Bottlehouse Beer Parlour has got a brew for everyone. The Bottlehouse opened up a few months ago in the business district of Kensington, just a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown Calgary. There is no shortage of establishments that put emphasis on beer selection in this city, but this pub stands out because of their focus on Canadian brews and great food.

Reading over their beer menu, you’ll realize that about 75% of the selections come from all across Canada. Of course standards like Big Rock and Molson are stocked, but opting for something more ‘micro’ like the Powder Hound Pilsner (Alberta) or La Fin Du Monde Ale (Quebec) is what this place is really all about. The food menu is definitely a step above your regular pub fare, with executive chef Hans S. Puccinelli cooking up Peruvian-influenced dishes. Everything is made in-house, and they put a nice emphasis on sourcing as locally as possible. Their pork and beef come from Highland Farms in Innisfail, Alberta, and the organic chicken comes from Sunrise Farms in Lethbridge. There’s a different lunch and dinner feature each day of the week as well!

To read the rest of this post and to check out some great pictures head over to Food Network Canada’s website here!

Alphabeat

Dan    Thoughts     alphabeat, awesome, euro-pop, music

Nothing can put a hop in your step quite like the tunes from Danish pop band Alphabeat. Fronted by a male/female duo, they definitely know how to rock the harmonies. Upbeat and quirky, I am just waiting for the day when they blow up in North America.Until then, they remain my little secret.

If you are intrigued, feel free to indulge in their music, and just try not to tap your feet.

www.thisisalphabeat.com

Dolmades Soup

Dan    Recipes, Soups     autumn, dolmades, greek, hearty, lemon, orzo, soup

What you’ll need…

1lb lean ground beef

1 yellow onion

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup grape leaves (can be found in most grocery stores in the ethnic aisle)

5 cups beef broth

2 lemons

1/2 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)

2 TBSP dried mint

2 TBSP fresh mint

olive oil

salt & pepper

So, I’ve managed to turn my undying love for dolmades (Greek grape leave rolls) into a soup. I am a sucker for these things. I pick some up regularly (perhaps too often) from the mom & pop corner store just a block down from my place. Yum!

Get things off to start by chopping up your onion and mincing the garlic. Please them into a medium-sized soup pot on medium-highheat with some olive oil. Cook until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until it has completely browned. While it’s browning, quickly chiffonade the grape leave rolls (ie: roll them up and cut into thin strips, I’m getting all fancy with my wording here!).

Once the meat has browned add in the grape leaves, beef broth, and 2 cups of water. Increase the burner to high heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add the juice and zest of one lemon (save the other for garnish) and the dried mint, reduce to low heat and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Grape leaves can be rather tough, so the longer you simmer this soup the better.

About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, throw in the 1/2 cup of orzo and increase to medium heat. The pasta should cook within 5-7 minutes, and then it’s ready for the table. Grape leaves are fairly salty on their own, so depending on your taste you may not have to add any salt whatsoever, but probably add 1 TSP of pepper at least.

Top with a lemon slice and some fresh mint! Perfect!

Serves 4

Total cook time…1 hour

Roasted Veggie & Almond Pesto Salad

Dan    Appetizers & Co., Recipes     appetizer, pesto, roasted, salad, summer, vegan

What you’ll need…

2 corn cobs

2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow)

4 portabella mushrooms

1/2 cup roasted almonds

2 cups baby arugula

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parmesan

extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Scenario: The summer is coming to an end and you’re planning one last, fantastic, delicious BBQ dinner with your friends. Now, you just need a perfect salad for that dinner…It’s a good thing I’m looking out for you!

Get that BBQ fired up! Toss the peppers, mushrooms, and corn in a bit of olive oil. Place them on the grill. Turn the vegetables several times so they don’t burn. The mushrooms will be done after about 10 minutes, the corn in 20, and the peppers in 30. Place them in the fridge to chill.

In lieu of a BBQ, roast the vegetables in the oven at 400 degrees. Mushrooms for 15 minutes, corn for 30, and pepper for 50.

Now for the pesto…Place the arugula, almonds, garlic, and parmesan into a food processor (or blender). Pulse, adding olive oil as you go, until the mixture is nicely blended. If you want to keep it vegan, just omit the cheese.

Chop up your now chilled veggies, cut the corn off the cob (obviously), remove the seeds and stems from the peppers. Mix together with the pesto, white wine vinegar, and salt & pepper to taste! Voila! Place in the fridge to keep it cool until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy the BBQ!

Serves 3-4

Total cook time…40 min (BBQ) or 1 hour (oven)