Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns

CELEBRATING THE LONG WEEK-END!

For many Canadians, Victoria Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. It is Canada’s oldest non-religious holiday and although we still hang on to the British Queen’s name (for old times’ sake), this truly Canadian holiday has everything to do with the end of the cold weather and short days and a lot to do with some great food.

Canadians jokingly refer to this holiday as May ‘two-four’ day. This is an inside joke which refers to a case of beer, containing 24 cans. For many, this is the first (warm-ish) long weekend since Easter, so they head to campsites armed with a 24 (can) case of beer to celebrate the beginning of Summer.

Wherever you live across Canada, this May long weekend – typically marks the start of grilling season. It’s time to get outside in the sunshine, fire up the BBQ, and enjoy savory grilled food with family and friends.

Brion & I are enjoying some interesting burgers which are served on ‘swirly burger buns’.

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Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns
Instructions
Buns
  1. In a large bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water; whisk until yeast is dissolved. Let stand for about 3 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add butter, salt, sour cream & potato; mix well. Add bacon, chives & sun-dried tomatoes; mix until just combined. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. When dough is completely blended, turn onto a lightly floured work surface.
  3. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Assembly/Bake
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. Remove risen dough from bowl, turn onto lightly floured surface; roll dough to about a 12 x 15-inch rectangle. From the long side, roll the dough like you would for a cinnamon roll & seal the edges. Using a piece of floss, cut roll into 10 pieces.
  3. Place buns on lined baking sheet & lightly brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Allow to rise while oven is heating.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.
Burgers
  1. In a large bowl, place all burger ingredients. Mix ONLY until combined. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions & form into patties.
  2. Prepare all burger toppings. When buns are baked, grill burger patties, adding cheese slices toward the end so they can melt. Slice buns (grill for a few minutes if you wish) then 'load' burgers & serve.

Spinach Gorgonzola Pasta at Gayles

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. On one of these trips, I noticed a brochure advertising a place called Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria. It was in a small beach town called Capitola, about 64 km (40 miles) north of the Monterey Peninsula. We thought we should check it out as it would give us a nice day trip up the coast.

If you’ve ever been to Capitola chances are you’ve eaten at one of the most famous bakeries on the Central Coast. I’m talking about Gayle’s of course. Gayle’s has been an institution in Capitola, California since it opened as a bakery in 1978. It began with 800 square feet, serving 10 items. Five years later, the Rosticceria, an Italian deli with a beautiful rotisserie was added. Today, Gayle’s Bakery is a thriving 10,000-square-foot food emporium serving as a deli, a bakery (that could give any French bakery some pretty stiff competition) and an espresso bar with two successful cookbooks and 180 employees. The food is delicious, it’s clean, extremely well run and, although it’s been open for four decades, it still has a trendy feel.

It’s self-service, so you take a number and then decide what to put on your lunch tray. Once you have received your meal, you can sit indoors at one of the French mosaic ‘earthquake tables’ made from crockery broken in that infamous 1980s quake, or out on the enclosed brick patio. 

We arrived at Gayle’s right around noon. The place was bustling with business. I stood there trying to make a lunch choice and decided on a very ordinary looking spinach-Gorgonzola pasta. It consisted of pasta shells in a creamy sauce streaked with spinach, tangy from three cheeses, with a good hint of fresh garlic. Brion went with a hot ‘bacon & smashed tots breakfast sandwich’ which consisted of bacon, a fried egg, grilled tater tot hashbrowns, American cheese & special sauce served in a ciabatta bun. For dessert we tried a piece of ‘marionberry’ pie. A marionberry is a type of blackberry grown almost exclusively in the Pacific Northwest, which is why a lot of people haven’t heard of it.  It’s a cross between two different blackberries – the Chehalem blackberry and Olallieberry; and it’s named after Marion County in Oregon, where it was first developed in the 1950s. Our choices were just incredibly good, so much so that we made the trip back numerous times during our stay in the area.

That afternoon we explored Capitola with its beautiful beaches and historic and colorful architecture. One of the most recognizable landmarks in Capitola is the Venetian Court. This cluster of brightly painted wooden buildings was constructed in 1928 and later restored after a devastating fire in 1968.

The splashy Venetian Court has been an eccentric mainstay of the Capitola beach scene. Designed in a blend of Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival style architecture, its parapet walls, arches, balconies, carved doors and gargoyle sculptures are a nod to the Mediterranean city of Venice, from which it takes its name. The intensity of color captures what you might see from a gondola on the Grand Canal.

Rispin, an oil millionaire from Canada, purchased all of Capitola in the 1920s. His imprint forever changed the perception of a rustic Camp Capitola to a flourishing, seaside resort with the new name of Capitola-by-the-Sea. He dreamed of recreating the Italian town of Venice on our West Coast waterfront. The Venetian Court, with its Mediterranean influences, was just one step to making that dream happen. These vibrant condos were designed with an ocean view in mind, stair-stepping up the slope of the beach so each has a picture-perfect perspective on Monterey Bay. The first two rows are privately owned: the remaining units are part of the Capitola Venetian Hotel.

Needless to say, the trip turned out to be much more than what we expected …truly memorable!

I have included a few photos I hope you will enjoy.

  • Gayles Restaurant and the food we enjoyed there
  • Service Counter with hot & cold food
  • Cases of baked goods
  • The Venetian Court
  • The Wharf at Capitola

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Spinach Gorgonzola Pasta at Gayles
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Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Gorgonzola Sauce
Pasta
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Gorgonzola Sauce
Pasta
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Gorgonzola Sauce
  1. In heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until hot but not boiling. Combine flour & butter in another heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat with wooden spoon or whisk until mixture has gently bubbled for 2 minutes. Be careful not to brown flour.
  2. Add hot milk to flour mixture a little at a time, whisking. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, & simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes. It will look like heavy cream. Add gorgonzola, whisking until smooth. Add nutmeg & pepper. Remove from heat & cool.
Pasta
  1. Cook pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In large bowl, combine pasta, gorgonzola sauce, spinach, ricotta, & garlic. Taste & adjust to taste for salt & pepper. Place in 12 x 17-inch casserole dish & top with Parmesan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese browns a little.
  3. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until cheese browns slightly.

Beef & Potato Empanadas

CELEBRATING CINCO de MAYO!

Cinco de Mayo commemorates a regional Mexican military battle, but it has evolved to become an important celebration of Mexican culture. Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico. In fact, it’s even considered a minor holiday in the region where it is observed, Puebla. It commemorates the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when a small band of Mexican fighters defeated French invaders. It has nothing to do with Mexican independence, contrary to what a lot of North Americans may think.

Today Cinco de Mayo is celebrated extensively in the United States and to a lesser degree around the world, including here in Canada. Decorations use the red, white and green colors of the Mexican flag. There are the sounds of traditional folk music from Mexico. Schools use the celebration to teach about Mexican culture and the Spanish language.

Like any celebration of an important date, food typically plays a significant role in traditions. For the occasion I decided to go with some tender flakey empanadas loaded with ground beef, pork, potatoes, and spices. To keep it even more ‘authentic’, the filling is encased in a cornmeal pastry.

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Meat & Potato Empanadas
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Course Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
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Course Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Servings
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream & ice water: set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup cornmeal, sugar & salt. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut in butter until mixture resembles both coarse crumbs & small peas. Sprinkle the cold sour cream mixture over dough, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. Do NOT overwork dough.
  2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least an hour.
Filling
  1. Bring potatoes to a boil in salted water. Simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well and mash.
  2. While potatoes are cooking, brown ground beef, pork, onion, and garlic until no pink remains using a spoon to break it up. Add remaining ingredients (including mashed potatoes) except for breadcrumbs.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs to help the mixture hold together if needed. Cool for 20 minutes.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Divide chilled pastry into 10 balls. Roll each one in cornmeal. Place a ball between 2 sheets of plastic wrap & roll into a 6-inch circle.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Divide the filling into 10 portions. Place a portion on one side of the pastry circle, leaving about a ½-inch border (on filled side). Flip the opposite side over filling & press edges together to enclose it well. Use a fork to make the classic look.
  4. Repeat with the remaining pastry & filling. Lay empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash.
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until pastry is baked & slightly browned.

Dill Pickle & Bacon Bread

Pickles are one of those love it or hate it things. Brion & I are in the love category, that’s why I made this dill pickle bread, but if you’re a hate them kind of person, you may want to move along.

This savory dill pickle bread is an easy and tasty quick bread loaded with all thing’s dill – dill pickles, dill pickle juice, and fresh dill. It’s super easy to make and bakes up nice and soft with a golden crust.

It’s truly delicious on its own, but even better with a little dab of butter! Great served with a bowl of soup or in place of dinner rolls to complete a meal and even better made into grilled cheese sandwiches. This dill pickle bread is nothing short of irresistible!

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Dill Pickle & Bacon Bread
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings
SLICES
Ingredients
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings
SLICES
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, fry bacon until somewhat crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Crumble. Chop dill pickle's. Grate cheese.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, oil, eggs & sugar until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, onion & garlic powder & salt. Add to wet mixture along with pickle juice. Stir until combined.
  5. Fold in bacon, dill pickles, cheddar & dill. Pour into prepared loaf pan & smooth out on top.
  6. Bake until bread is golden & a toothpick inserted into the middle of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
  • I made salmon sandwiches with some of this bread & we really enjoyed it!

Hearst Beef Burger & Pretzel

There’s something about the sea – the waves, the salt air, the broad expanse of blue, the ambiance of coastal living that forever calls us back.

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. For the many times we have gone there, it seems like you can never quite absorb enough of the images of the Monterey peninsula.  As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. On this occasion we decided to take the Pacific Coast highway down to see the famous ‘Hearst Castle’.

The amazing thing about the Pacific Coast is that it is still mostly wild, open, and astoundingly beautiful country, where you can drive for miles and miles and have the scenery all to yourself. This famous stretch of rugged and mountainous coastline is known as ‘Big Sur’ and is one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world.

At the south end of Big Sur, the mountains flatten out and turn inland, and the coastline becomes rolling open-range ranch land. High on a hill above Hwy-1 stands the amazing sight known as Hearst Castle. It’s the sort of place that you have to see to believe and even if Hearst’s taste in interior design doesn’t appeal to you, it’s well worth the trip to see it.

The story of Hearst Castle is a long and colorful one. For the turrets, towers and temples that today crown this California hilltop did not spring into being overnight. The beginnings of today’s ‘Enchanted Hill’ started in 1865. In that year 43-year-old George Hearst bought a 48,000-acre ranch for seventy cents an acre that lay adjacent to San Simeon Bay in northern San Luis Obispo Country. This was the first unit of what eventually became the huge San Simeon property … a 240,000-acre area of mountains, foothills and valleys with an ocean front of more than fifty miles. After his death and that of his wife, Phoebe, ownership of the property went to their son, William Randolph Hearst.

Originally called ‘Camp Hill’, it’s wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to ‘rough it’ on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodation. In 1919, he told San Francisco architect Julia Morgan, ‘I would like to build a little something up on the hill at San Simeon. I get tired of going up there and camping in tents. I’m getting a little old for that. I’d like to build something that would be more comfortable’.  That ‘little something’ quickly became the vast mansion that towers over the property today.

Julia Morgan was the first woman to graduate with a degree in engineering from California State University, and she had studied architecture at the renowned Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

The main residence is much larger than the others (60,645 square feet). Known as ‘La Casa Grande’ (the Big House), it stands four stories high and is fronted by two towers with carillon bells inspired by the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor in Ronda, Spain. The three guesthouses are mansions in themselves, each containing between 10 and 18 rooms: ‘Casa del Mar’ (5,875 square feet) faces the Pacific Ocean; Case del Monte (2,291 square feet) faces the Santa Lucia hills; and ‘Casa del Sol’ (2,604 square feet) looks west towards the setting sun. Each of them too, is filled with treasures from Hearst’s inexhaustible and diverse collection of art and antiques.

The numerous galleries are crammed with European art and statues while the 90-foot-long library with its Spanish-Moorish ceiling and ascending shelves is filled with rare edition books. The visitor is treated to sights such as 400-year-old Spanish and Italian ceilings, 500-year-old mantel pieces, 16th century Florentine bedsteads, Renaissance paintings, Flemish tapestries, a dining table that seats one hundred guests, and much more. 

It is impossible to summarize the many magnificent rooms, but on the whole, they feature art deco, baroque and gothic architecture; with an array of arches, verandas and balconies that give way to sweeping views over the surrounding countryside. For one room, an entire Spanish monastery was bought, dissembled and shipped to California stone by stone before being reconstructed within the Casa Grande. In contrast to all the antiquity, the movie theater within the main house ran two screenings a night – once for the guests and once for the staff, always showing the latest releases from Hollywood.

There are two pools: The Romanesque indoor pool is laid out in a ‘T’ plan with mosaic and 22 gold carat gold tiles surrounded by Greek statues and globe lamps that create the impression of moonlight. The outdoor Greco-Roman pool is known as the ‘Neptune Pool’ and features an ancient Roman temple transported from Italy. The pool is surrounded by marble colonnades that manage to frame the main house, the mountains and the distant sea. It was rebuilt three times before it met Hearst’s exacting standards. The 127-acres of grounds also included tennis courts and a garage for 25 cars.

When most people think of Hearst Castle, they think of its lavish style and architecture. But what many don’t know is that Hearst Castle was once home to the world’s largest private zoo.

In the early days of the castle animals, including peacocks, ostriches, giraffes, Fahr goats, Berbery sheep, monkeys, cheetahs, lions, panthers and even polar bears were kept there providing a bit of exotic flair. The Hearst Castle zebras are one of the last remaining species after the dismantling of the zoo. If you’re lucky you can still see them from the Pacific Coast Highway as you pass the castle grounds.

Hearst Castle took approximately 28 years to build, with construction spanning from 1919 until 1947, and while the original cost was around $10 million, when adjusted for inflation, it would equate to roughly $700 million in today’s money. 

Hearst Castle is in pristine condition today, even surviving a 6.5 earthquake with no structural damage thanks to the incredible design by Julia Morgan. The estate still has its original floors, upholstery, stairs, ceilings, everything.

To take a tour, you first take a short 10–15-minute bus ride up the hillside to Hearst Castle. If you came by car, you park at the visitor’s center and get whisked up the mountain as a group. Your tour ticket includes the bus ride.

There are various guided tours to choose from. Over the years Brion & I have taken several tours and always enjoy them all. The kitchen was, of course, a very interesting part of the tour for me being a ‘food person’. It was full of practical devices, including stock pots, rotisseries, industrial-sized mixers, and early refrigerators—which stand today just as they did decades ago with the countertops being made of metal alloy. This would have been where all meals were prepared for the Hearst’s and vacationing guests. There is so much to see, it’s hard to take it all in without missing something.

After we had purchased our tickets, we had a bit of time before our tour, so we decided to have something to eat. The visitor center is the only location at Hearst Castle where food and drinks can be purchased serving casual international fare and boasting ‘grass fed’ locally raised Hearst Beef. Brion was interested in trying the Hearst beef burger and I settled on a ‘huge’ pretzel. Brion found the beef burger (which consisted of half-pound patty, artisan bun, smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic aioli, with a pile of perfect french fries or apple-olallieberry slaw), to be absolutely amazing and my pretzel was equally as good but more than I could eat at one sitting. I tucked it away for a snack later on after the tour.

I have added a small collection of pictures which are posted through the recipe section of the blog. There is so much to see it would be impossible to show it all so I have tried to summarize it in this blog and photos.

  • The main picture is an aerial view of Hearst Castle as well as the road from the Visitors Center by the ocean going up the hill to the castle
  • La Casa Grande showcasing its grand entrance
  • A Sitting Room
  • The Main library
  • Billard room
  • Assembly room and the Grand Dining Room
  • An Egyptian Statue and a Morning Room
  • Balcony view overlooking the vast property
  • Neptune Pool
  • Roman Pool
  • 3 views of the Hearst Castle Kitchen
  • Old photo of Zebras & Bison
  • Zebras can still be seen grazing with the Hearst beef cattle today

Needless to say, another great trip with some more precious memories made!

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Soft Pretzels
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Servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
Pretzels
  1. In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water, yeast & a pinch of salt; allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt & sugar. Add the frothy yeast mixture along with the melted butter; stir to combine. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough for about 5 minutes & shape into a ball. Lightly butter the bowl, place the dough in it, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for 45 minutes in a draft-free place.
Assembly
  1. After the dough has risen, cut into 12 equal pieces & form each one into a 14-inch strand. Roll each strand back & forth to create a ‘rope’.
  2. Shape into a pretzel by twisting the two ends around each other then bring it back down over the body of the pretzel.
Boiling/Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Bring 3 cups of water & 1/3 cup baking soda to a low boil.
  3. Dip each pretzel in soda water for 20 seconds, remove, using a slotted spoon to drain excess water. Lay pretzels on parchment lined baking sheet & brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
  4. Bake until the tops turn golden brown, 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack.
Recipe Notes

In this recipe I divided the dough into 12 pretzels. Cut your dough into fewer pieces if you wish to make the giant version.

Ratatouille Panini at Pebble Beach

If you have had the opportunity to travel to California’s central coast you’ve probably heard of the 17-Mile Drive. Tucked between the seaside towns of Pacific Grove and Camel-by-the-Sea, is where you will find the famous 17-Mile Drive, an amazing trail of nature and history, all conveniently lined up along a road that skirts the coast of Monterey Peninsula. The privately managed roadway (fee to drive; biking and walking are free), takes you through a wind-sculpted forest of cypress trees to a rocky coastline dotted with beautiful homes as this is some of the most exclusive real estate in the world. 

Over the years, Brion and I have vacationed many times in the Carmel / Monterey area on the Central Coast of California. As a rule, we make Pacific Grove ‘home base’ and from there do numerous day trips. 17-Mile Drive is always one of our favorite day trips. As a matter of fact, we rented a tandem bike a couple of times just to experience it in a different way. Cycling the road gives you a whole different perspective on such awesome natural beauty.

Before 17-Mile Drive became one of California’s most celebrated scenic roads, it was merely a description. Created as a tourist attraction for Monterey’s Del Monte Hotel, the 17-Mile Drive opened in 1881 to day-trippers in horse carriages. It traced the picturesque peninsula, circling the coastline of Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel, before returning to its starting point.

The route varied slightly depending on the driver’s preference, but the idea was to show affluent guests the spectacular forests, coastal views, and beaches between Monterey and Carmel.

Today there are a total of five gates where you can pay a toll, pick up a map, and enter the exclusive gated community of Pebble Beach that the drive cuts through. 

This winding, coast hugging journey has, coincidentally, 17 marked points of interest.  Seascapes, animal antics, cypress groves—it’s all there, with frequent turnoffs for views and for historical and natural information. The signage along the way mixes bits of history and legend with natural history; not only the look of the coastline but why this area formed a natural harbor.

China Rock, one point of interest, was named for the Chinese immigrants who made their homes in lean-tos against the rocks in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They fished and polished agates to sell to tourists to make a living.

Another interesting vista point is Bird Rock. Named for the thousands of birds that roosted there.  Bird Rock was harvested for its rich deposits of guano back in the early 1900s (bird droppings made great fertilizer!) and after the guano was gone, the seals and sea lions decided this rock seemed like a good place to lay in the sun.  So now, Brandt’s Cormorants, Western Gulls, pelicans and Ashy Petrels hang out with California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals, all vying for the perfect spot.

Fanshell Beach Overlook is a crescent-shaped, white-sand cove that is one of the primary pupping habitats for harbor seals on the Central Coast.

Probably the most famous sight along 17-Mile Drive is the famed Lone Cypress Tree.  The dramatically situated, wind-and-sea-sculpted tree lost a branch in a 2019 storm, but it still makes for a nearly too-perfect focal point in what is already a jaw-dropping setting.  Monterey Cypress trees are native to only two small areas, at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and at Point Lobos near Carmel.  The trees in these native stands are up to 40 meters tall, 2.5 meters diameter and 300 years old.  These trees are unique because as they age, they take on a twisted, spread-out form due to the high winds that they are exposed to on the coast of California. The Lone Cypress Tree is estimated to be around 250 years old. Little wonder that it’s one of the most photographed trees in the world.

The Restless Sea directly off Point Joe, is one of the few places in the world where ocean currents meet. The result is unusual turbulence, present even on the calmest days.

On the drive, you also come upon the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links and Pebble Beach Lodge.  The lodge is open to the public, and so is the golf course.  Out of curiosity, Brion asked what the green fee for a round of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links was currently. Answer: $675, plus a $55 cart fee per person. Definitely won’t be golfing there anytime soon but nothing says we can’t enjoy lunch at the Gallery Café that overlooks the 1st tee of Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Whenever we make the 17-mile drive trip, we have made this restaurant our lunch spot. On this trip I decided to try a ‘ratatouille panini’ and Brion had a ‘sunrise burger’. The panini consisted of balsamic roasted Portobello mushroom, squash, red bell pepper, provolone with basil pesto aioli. Brion’s burger was quite unique with Applewood-smoked bacon, Monterey jack, red onion, over-easy egg, green chili on a brioche bun. It is such a wonderful setting to enjoy lunch.

There is so much beauty to take in, I found it hard to condense it into a blog so I guess all I can say is try to experience it if you get the chance. I have added a few photos I hope you enjoy.

  • Gallery Restaurant outdoor seating overlooking the first tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links
  • 2 views of Golf Course
  • 2 views of 17-Mile Drive
  • Lone Cypress Pie
  • Bird & Seal Rock
Print Recipe
Ratatouille Panini at Pebble Beach
Instructions
Ratatouille Vegetables
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line one large baking sheet with parchment. Line a second baking sheet with foil then place a wire rack over it. Set aside.
  2. Remove & discard stems & gills from mushrooms then slice in 1/2-inch slices. Spray one end of the wire rack (over the baking pan) with cooking spray. Place mushroom slices on it & drizzle with balsamic vinegar, oil & sprinkle with garlic salt.
  3. Spray a small piece of foil paper. Lay drained red roasted peppers on it & place it on the other half of the mushroom baking sheet.
  4. Peel & slice Butternut squash. Arrange on one half of the parchment lined baking sheet. Brush slices with oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  5. Slice onion & place on the other half of the parchment lined sheet. Drizzle with oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  6. Place the two baking sheets in the oven. Roast the mushrooms & peppers about 30 minutes. Roast the squash & onions 45-50 minutes.
Basil Aioli
  1. Combine mayonnaise, garlic, basil & lemon juice in a small bowl & whisk together. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Assembly
  1. Slice cheese. Spread all 8 slices of bread with basil aioli. Layer 1/2 of the bread slices with a slice of provolone cheese, onions, squash, peppers & Portobello mushrooms. Top each with another slice of cheese & remaining bread slices.
  2. Spray a double-sided grill with cooking spray, cook the sandwiches until cheese has melted , the sandwiches are hot in the center & the bread is golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Cheesy Onion & Chicken Turnovers

Turnovers are a tasty handheld pastry stuffed with a variety of sweet or savory fillings. Depending on where you are in the world, you might know turnovers by another name. It’s a calzone in Italy, an empanada in Latin America, a pasty in England, a patty in Jamaica and a hand pie in North America.

Whether they’re made with pastry or yeast dough, these tasty morsels get their name from the folding technique used to enclose the fillings. They can be fried or baked, and the result is a convenient self-contained meal or snack.

While store-bought turnovers are readily available, there’s something uniquely special about crafting your own savory ‘pies’ at home. The aroma that fills the kitchen as the turnovers bake in the oven, the satisfaction of creating a perfectly flaky crust, and the freedom to customize the fillings to suit your taste – these are the joys that make them truly special.

During the summer months I like to have a big variety of savory turnovers in the freezer (already baked). There are so many times when you are too busy to make lunch and there they are — ready to heat and eat!

These cheesy onion and chicken turnovers were inspired by some Boursin cheese with cranberries & pepper I had waiting to be used. The total result has made them keepers!

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Cheesy Onion & Chicken Turnovers
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TURNOVERS
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Servings
TURNOVERS
Ingredients
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Instructions
Dough
  1. Cook potato, peel & mash. In a bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water. Allow to stand for about 3 minutes until foamy; add butter, salt, Italian seasoning, sour cream & potato & mix well.
  2. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. When dough is completely blended, turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough about 10 minutes, until smooth & elastic.
  3. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Topping & Fillings
  1. In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Sauté onion until caramelized & tender. In a bowl, combine shredded chicken with 1/2 of the Boursin cheese. Grate cheddar cheese.
Assembly
  1. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces & shape each piece into a round ball. On a lightly oiled surface, flatten each ball with a rolling pin to a 6-inch diameter. Spread each piece of dough with some of the remaining Boursin cheese.
  2. Divide chicken/Boursin mixture between the 6 turnovers, laying it to one side leaving a half inch border. Fold each one in half to form turnovers.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place turnovers on baking sheet giving them space to rise a bit. Top each one with some caramelized onions & cheese. Cover turnovers with a tea towel & place in a draft free place to rise for about 15 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Bake turnovers until a nice golden brown color. Remove from oven & allow to cool on a wire rack.

Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry

The Bedfordshire Clanger is a very unique and little-known meat pie recipe from England, specifically (not surprisingly) from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England.

In centuries past many of the working husbands of the area used to toil in the fields there. Their wives, knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from the famed local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the hard-working man – handheld, portable and delicious

I guess you could say, the Bedfordshire clanger is not only a tasty treat but also a piece of culinary history that has stood the test of time!

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Pork & Apple Bedfordshire Clanger w/ Cheddar-Sage Pastry
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Servings
CLANGERS
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
  2. When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
  1. Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Apple Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, cinnamon & brown sugar. Bring to a simmer then add diced apples, raisins, lemon zest & juice. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 7 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll the excess into a 3-inch length.
  2. From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
  3. On the 3-inch wide section of the pastry, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
  4. On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  6. Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
  7. Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.

Chicken & Mushroom Crepes

These chicken and mushroom crepes are a fantastic summer recipe to serve for lunch or a fancy brunch. The best part about it is most of it can be made the day ahead, leaving just the bechamel sauce, assembly, and baking to the day of your event.

Béchamel sauce is a key ingredient in hundreds of recipes, from simple dishes like creamed peas to elegant cheese soufflés. At one time considered a sauce reserved for the well-do-to, Béchamel today is probably the most frequently made sauce in the Western world.

Also known as white sauce, Béchamel is an ‘ingredient’ sauce – a sauce made to use in another dish or as a foundation for a more complex sauce. It is composed of whole milk heated and thickened with a roux.

The popularity of Béchamel sauce has spread far and wide, and today there are many variations of this sauce found throughout the world.

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Chicken & Mushroom Crepes
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Course Lunch
Cuisine French
Servings
SERVINGS
Course Lunch
Cuisine French
Servings
SERVINGS
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a rack & roast for 35-40 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool. Then shred of meat with forks & transfer to a bowl. Set aside until ready to use. This can be done in advance.
Crepes
  1. Combine flour & salt together in a large bowl then add the milk slowly, whisking until combined. Add the beaten eggs, whisking until smooth. Then whisk in the melted butter & the dill.
  2. Heat a non-stick 12-inch skillet on medium-high heat. Grease the pan with a paper towel with canola or vegetable oil. Once hot pour 1 ladle full of batter into the pan & swirl the batter around until it covers the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until set and edges start to turn golden brown.
  3. Slide a thin spatula under the crepe enough to grab hold of it & flip it quickly with your hands. Cook on the other side for 30 seconds more. Slide the crepe off the pan onto a cutting board. Repeat the process until all batter is used. Allow the crepes to cool while you prepare the filling.
Filling
  1. In a large skillet melt the butter, add the leeks & cook until they are soft & fragrant. Then add the mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper to taste & freshly chopped parsley. Transfer mixture to a bowl & set aside to cool.
Béchamel Sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a deep skillet. Once foamy add the flour, whisking together until a paste is formed. Slowly add the milk, whisking until combined. Simmer mixture until thickened, then add 1 minced garlic clove & season with salt & pepper to taste.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Place crepe over a small gratin dish, fill with 2 Tbsp of the mushroom mixture, top with ¼ cup of shredded chicken. Ladle 2 Tbsp of béchamel sauce on top. Roll crepe & drizzle more béchamel on top. Sprinkle with gruyere cheese & paprika.
  3. Bake for 10-12 mins. Then place under the broiler for another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Bedfordshire Clangers w/ Variations

July is such a wonderful month. The weather’s warm, there’s still plenty of summer left, and the produce is literally amazing.

Midsummer means the farmer’s markets are brimming with great fruit & veggies. With such a colorful bounty of goods, we can settle into our summer cooking routines with tasty meals hot or cold.

But, even in summer, we sometimes crave ‘comfort food’ such as a ‘hand pie’. The humble hand pie goes by many different names: call it a pasty, a turnover, an empanada, or a ‘Bedfordshire clanger’….

A Bedfordshire Clanger dates back to at least the 19th century. It was typically made for agricultural workers to take with them to work as their lunch. The original pastry was made from suet and cooked by a boiling method. There is a theory that the pastry crust was not originally intended for consumption but as a vessel in which to protect the filling from the soiled hands of the workers.

The clanger originated from the county of Bedfordshire, a small, low-lying and predominantly agricultural county nestled in the east of England and adjacent counties, including Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. 

The name is as intriguing as the food itself. The word clanger, it had been suggested, referred to the mistake of mixing sweet and savory fillings. But a more likely explanation was that in nearby Northamptonshire dialect, ‘clang’ means to eat voraciously.

Knowing their husbands would need lots of protein and carbohydrate sustenance, homemakers came up with the brilliant idea of a doubled, loaf-shaped pie. One end contained a savory filling that used the famed pork of the area while the other end was filled with stewed apples (made from local apples) as dessert. So, the two fillings didn’t combine, there was a ‘pastry wall’ in between blocking any flavors from mixing. A ‘secret code’ denoted which end was meat, and which was dessert: two knife slits on one end of the pastry top means meat, three small holes on the other shows the sweet. This was brilliant, an entire meal for the field workers – handheld, portable and delicious.

The version we have today is not its beginnings but its evolution. Once you’ve nailed this basic Bedfordshire clanger recipe you can experiment with all sorts of flavor combos, there’s really no limit to what you can combine in this savory/sweet pastry.

Since Brion takes lunch to work, I became intrigued with the idea and decided to get creative with the fillings. That way I could make a variety and freeze them and use as needed. These tasty little ‘clangers’ can be served as the main course for a warm-weather picnic or for a hand-held, backyard meal with the addition of a nice fresh salad at home.

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Bedfordshire Clangers w/ Variations
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Servings
Ingredients
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
Raspberry / Nectarine Filling
Blueberry Filling
Apple / Apricot Filling
Plum / Rhubarb Filling
Rhubarb / Apple Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
Raspberry / Nectarine Filling
Blueberry Filling
Apple / Apricot Filling
Plum / Rhubarb Filling
Rhubarb / Apple Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage & salt. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture & use your fingers to work them in. Alternately you could use a pastry cutter to do this.
  2. When the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, stir in cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 Tbsp ice water over mixture & stir with a fork until dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional Tbsp or two of ice water.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface & knead for about three times. Gather the dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Pork Filling
  1. Bake potato in microwave, peel & cut into small cubes. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet & sauté celery, onion, garlic & bacon together on medium heat until veggies are soft & bacon is cooked. Add ground pork, breaking it up well. Stir in dried herbs & spices. Cover & simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in cooked potato & cheese. Set aside to cool.
Spiced Meat Combo
  1. In a saucepan, sauté onion & garlic. Add ground meat, basil, thyme, cardamom & salt & pepper. Scramble fry until cooked, remove from heat & add parmesan & potato. Place in a dish.
  2. In the saucepan, melt butter; add flour to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add beef broth, stirring until sauce thickens. Season to taste. Add to ground meat mixture & combine to form filling. Set aside until ready to use.
Turkey Filling
  1. In a skillet, cook bacon until just crisp, then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain; chop when cooled. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon drippings from skillet.
  2. Add butter to the skillet, sauté onions, garlic & mushrooms with herbs & spices, scraping up any brown bits, until the onions have softened & mushrooms have lost most of their size & moisture. Stir in the bacon & shredded cooked turkey, taste for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from heat & set aside.
  3. In a saucepan, combine Boursin, milk & spices (if using). Stir until Boursin has melted. Remove from heat. Add to turkey/veg mixture.
Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions
  1. Heat butter over medium low heat in a heavy ovenproof skillet. Add the onions cook for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. When the onions are a deep golden color, remove them from the pan and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Combine the flour, salt, chili powder, thyme, allspice, & black pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. In the same pan as the onions, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add each piece of chicken & fry for a few minutes until golden brown; flip & cook for a few more minutes. Transfer to a plate (it will not be fully cooked at this point, just browned – it will finish cooking in the oven).
  4. Turn the heat down & let the oil cool off a little bit. Make a roux with excess oil in skillet & dredging flour. Add chicken broth & cook until a sauce forms. Add the onions & chicken to the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes longer. When chicken/onion mixture is cooked, remove from oven. Allow to cool until ready to use.
Raspberry/Rhubarb Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cardamom & salt. Add water & stir then add chopped nectarines. Simmer until nectarine is slightly soft & liquid is thickened. Remove from heat & carefully fold in raspberries. Set aside to cool.
Blueberry Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except blueberries. Cook until sauce starts to thicken then gently fold in blueberries & cook a couple of minutes more. Remove from heat & set aside to cool.
Apple/Apricot Filling
  1. Peel & dice apples. Drain canned apricot juice into a small saucepan. Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon & salt & combine. Add apples & cook until apples are tender. Cut canned apricot halves into quarters. When apples are cooked & sauce has thickened, remove from heat & add apricots. Gently combine & set aside to cool.
Plum/Rhubarb Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt & lemon zest. Add rhubarb & plums. Gently stir over a low heat. When enough juice has formed, allow to simmer until rhubarb is soft & juice has thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
Sour Cherry Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, place sugar, cornstarch & salt. Add juice/water mixture & stir to thoroughly combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat. Gradually fold in cherries. Set aside to cool.
Rhubarb/Apple Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, add the rhubarb, apples, salt & sugar. Add a drizzle of water if necessary & heat on medium. The rhubarb will begin to release liquid & break down as the apples soften. Heat the mixture until the moisture has evaporated & begins to thicken. Once the mixture is thickened, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and cinnamon. Place it in a bowl & allow to cool.
Apple/Pear Filling
  1. Heat butter in a small skillet until melted, add apples & pears & cook until fruit begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over mixture & continue to cook stirring often until fruit begins to lose its juices. Mix together cornstarch & lemon juice & add to pan. Simmer until mixture has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Assembly/Baking
  1. Divide pastry into 5 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface (or dry wax paper) roll out each piece of pastry into 14 x 7 1/2-inches. The excess trimmed from the sides will be used for little pastry ‘walls’ dividing the sweet & savory fillings. Roll excess pastry into a 3-inch length.
  2. Cut each piece of pastry in half horizontally so you have (2) 7-inch long pieces from each piece of pastry. From the top of each piece, LIGHTLY make a line across your pastry 4-inches from the outside edge. This will help to place your fillings properly.
  3. On the 3-inch wide section, place savory filling to cover 2/3 of the area. Place one of the rolled strips after that then place sweet filling on the remaining 1/3 to complete the 'clanger'. The little rolled piece of pastry divides the savory & sweet filling.
  4. On the sweet side make 3 holes for vents & on the savory side make 2 slashes. This is the 'code' to let the person eating the clanger which was savory or sweet.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  6. Brush the edges of each pastry with egg wash. Lift the pastry from the opposite side over the fillings & seal the edges with a fork.
  7. Brush clangers with remaining egg wash & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
  • Due to the length of this recipe, I found making the savory & fruit fillings on one day & the pastry, assembling & baking the next, worked out well for me. Although these pastries are VERY time consuming, believe me, the are well worth it in the end, especially if your freezing some to use later. I baked them all & then wrapped them well before freezing.
  • You will probably find there will be enough savory & sweet fillings left over to make about 10 more clangers.
  • All of them will freeze well which will be a time saver for your next batch. Just make a recipe of pastry & your ready to assemble & bake.
  • If your not interested in freezing the 'leftovers', the fruit combined will make a wonderful crisp & the savory fillings can be used in quiche or casseroles.