Irish Luck

I created this lighthearted, inexpensive tablescape to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I mixed green and gold items found at our local Dollar Tree, Homegoods, and Michaels. With spray painted branches anchored above the ceiling with monofilament, it works perfectly as an inexpensive "chandelier" with crystals, four leaf clover garland, and a few glitter ornaments. At Homegoods, I Found this … [Read more...]

Wild Game Tamales

Gilbert Loredo: Because this recipe is fairly easy but time consuming, make it a party by inviting friends and relatives to all share in the fun and make a large batch. And remember to taste test quite often. This recipe can be easily modified for added flavors or different types of meat from domestic to wild game!! By Gilbert Loredo         … [Read more...]

Horseradish Crusted Venison Top Sirloin with Black Currant Sauce and Caraway Seed Spaetzle Gratin

A roasted venison top sirloin (aka "football roast") is topped with a horseradish panko crust and served with an easy black currant sauce.  The sweetness from the sauce is a great foil for the bite of horseradish.  Add a side of homemade creamy cheesy caraway seed spaetzle and Sunday dinner just reached a whole new level!   … [Read more...]

Canned Venison Risotto with Smoked Gouda and Toasted Walnuts

What to make with my last quart jar of canned of 2013 venison before making a new batch? Risotto of course! Given my background, I can’t go more than a few weeks without making risotto. I have made risotto in many different ways with many different additions of vegetables, cheeses, and meats. Even making risotto cakes with leftovers makes the enjoyment of risotto last longer. And canning meats is … [Read more...]

Farm Raised Herb Crusted Duck Legs with Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes and Purple Carrots, Sautéed Lacinato Kale and Pickled Figs

When my time is limited and I don't want take-out, I make good use from ready made ingredients or those that need little prep to create a tasty meal on a busy weeknight.  I created this dish when I had only about 20 minutes to prep time.       … [Read more...]

Smoked Duck Strudel with Blueberry Pinot Noir Sauce

I made this for a client in my personal chef business when she requested "I'd like something with smoked duck, and blueberries." This strudel is crispy on the outside, and has a creamy salty flavor from the cheese on the inside.  The blueberries give the duck a sweet/tart taste. And because Pinot Noir has fruity notes, I added it to the blueberry sauce. The combination turned out great, so … [Read more...]

“Wild About You” Happy Valentine’s Day

Since we are "wild" about each other and feasting on wild game, I created this fun, wild inspired Valentine's Day tablescape and tree! I'm not a big fan of shopping before Christmas, but the day after is great because you can score Christmas trees for 75% off. I purchased this 6ft. white tree for about $20. I used a plywood tree box that's usually for our Halloween tree but I simply covered … [Read more...]

Danny’s Brownie Obsession

Danny has a brownie obsession.  If he had his way, brownies would be a food group. Making brownies from scratch isn't too difficult, but sometimes I'm just too busy to spend time making homemade brownie batter, from-scratch caramel, and chocolate ganache.  So I had a Sandra Lee moment and made up a semi-homemade brownie for him to enjoy when my time is limited.  So this is a step by … [Read more...]