Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Chanterelles & Baby Yukons

In which Mr B and I attend a cooking demonstration class with Chef Andrew Garrison, get to be “beta-diners,” and learn how to make dinner-party-worthy Pan-seared Sturgeon.

Many thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our cooking class with Chef Andrew. This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

One of the unique features of the new Headlands Coastal Lodge in Pacific City, Oregon is the culture of adventure they seek to offer guests. Erstwhile concierges, known as “Adventure Coaches,” organize and guide Lodge guests in a large number of activities, including dory boat tours, crabbing, kayaking, and cooking. The day Mr B and I spent with the Headlands Adventures Coaches was wet and blustery, so we chose a cooking class over kayaking. Our instructor for the day was none other than Meridian’s Executive Chef Andrew Garrison.

[Meridian is the Headlands Coastal Lodge in-house restaurant. Read our profile of Meridian here.]

Chef Andrew, until recently the executive chef of Salishan Lodge & Golf Resort, is a Minnesota native and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts of Minneapolis/St. Paul. He specializes in wine and food pairings, foraging, whole-beast butchery, charcuterie and gluten-free cooking, and developing seasonal menus; the latter a skill already clearly reflected in Meridian’s constantly changing seasonally-focused menu.

When we arrived for our class, held in one of the condos-cottages adjacent to Headland’s, Chef Andrew informed our group that he would be preparing a dish he was planning to add to the menu – “Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Sautéed Chanterelles and Baby Yukons” – and we were to be his guinea pigs. (Or, as one of our group quipped, “beta-diners.”)

Before he started the cooking demonstration, Chef Andrew shared with us a little about his cooking philosophy and approach.

“We don’t really work off any recipes [in our kitchen]. We try to do what we call “intuitive cooking,” where you understand the process and the method behind the recipes, and then expand them to other dishes. It teaches you how to actually cook instead of just following a recipe.”

It is in this spirit that this post is written.

🐟 Cook a man a fish: feed him for a day. Teach a man to cook a fish: he can cook himself fish any time he wants. 🐟 #cookingdemo #sturgeon #recipeby @plays_w_knives Click To Tweet

NOTE: What follows is not a traditional recipe, with weights and measures and exact cooking times. However, if you are a relatively experienced cook, the completed dish should be fairly easy to execute. The following instructions are transcribed almost verbatim from Chef Andrews remarks, and are presented as such.

Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Chanterelles and Baby Yukons

Sautéed Chanterelles

Add oil to pan and heat pan on stove to the smoke point. Add mushrooms and sear them. Once they are seared, finish by sautéing in a little butter with fresh garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs [GTR] thrown in. Set aside.

Always use a neutral oil like canola oil. It has a higher smoke point than olive oil and imparts less flavor.
You want the mushrooms to be dry, and you don’t want to move them much once they’re in the pan. You want them to sear.
Don’t add salt to the mushrooms until you are done cooking, or you will end up with a pan of soggy mushrooms.

Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes

Put the precooked baby potatoes in a pan and make a little hole in the middle. Throw in a couple knobs* of butter and few cloves of garlic. Bring the butter to a foaming point and then add some GTR. Glaze the potatoes with the garlic-herb-infused butter, then season with a little kosher salt. Set aside.

The potatoes were precooked: poached in duck fat. (If you are short on duck fat at home, you can simply parboil them.)
When you add the herbs to the foaming butter, you’ll hear the herbs frying and popping, and that’s the sound you want. Then you’re shallow frying, and the aromatic compounds in the herbs infuse into the butter a little better.

* A “knob” of butter is about 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons – about the size of a knob on a kitchen drawer.

Pan-Seared Sturgeon

Optional step: Brine the sturgeon for ½ hour before cooking.

Just as you did with the mushrooms, add oil to an oven-safe frying pan and heat on stove to the smoke point. Lay the fish in the hot pan, presentation side down. Sear the fish on one side, and then put it in a preheated oven (425° F) until it is done medium well. [An internal temperature of 140°F in fish is medium well.] It will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat, and will be well done by the time you plate it up.

“Proteins, with the exception of steak, I always just cook it on one side. The idea is to keep as much of the flesh as tender as possible.”

Once the fish is done, take it out of the oven, flip it over, add some butter and GTR to the pan and baste it. You want the butter to be frothing when you do this to really get all those aromatics going well. If it’s just [non-frothing] melted butter, you’re just going to make the fish soggy. You want the basting to be a fairly quick process. You don’t want to cook the fish more; you just want to glaze it.

For this demonstration, Chef Andrew used cold-smoked white sturgeon, farmed out of Idaho.
Brining seasons the fish all the way through and actually firms the flesh a little bit. It also gets rid of that white albumen that often comes out when you cook it.
If you are using fish that has been brined and/or smoked for this dish, don’t salt it before you pan-fry it.
Each piece of fish has two sides: the presentation side and the other, non presentation, side. The bloodline side is always the side you want facing down on the plate. In a fillet, the “inside” is always the presentation side. The skin side always goes down. (Unless you are doing skin-on fish.)
Chef Andrew likes to cook sturgeon to about medium well and then let it carry over to well. It’s not really a fish you want to eat rare.

“Kosher salt is my primary seasoning. I don’t put pepper on proteins before I cook them. Especially fish, because at high heat, you end up burning the pepper. I’d rather just have a crack of pepper at the end.”

“My approach to cooking is based on magnifying natural flavors. I use vinegar or citrus in just about everything. Salt… seasoning is really important, but acidity is another thing that really opens up and magnifies the natural flavors.”

Green Garlic Soup [Sauce]

Pureed soups make good sauces, and the soup used for this dish is basically a variation on vichyssoise, or potato leek soup: Yukon Golds, yellow onion, garlic, leeks, and a bunch of green garlic. (Green garlic looks like a small leek, and appears in the spring, about the same time as garlic scapes.) Then finish the soup with some cream, a whole bunch of kosher salt, and a little bit of cider vinegar to adjust the acidity.

Always try to use Yukon Gold when you make a smooth pureed soup. Avoid using russet potatoes for smooth, pureed soups: the starch in them is far too grainy.

Pan Sauce

Warm up the potatoes up in the pan with a little chicken stock. Once the stock is warm and potatoes are warm, reduce the stock a bit and throw a couple of nobs of butter in the pan, along with some aromatics [GTR]. As the stock reduces, keep the pan moving; swirl it around for a bit to keep things emulsified and make a pan sauce. Baste the potatoes in the pan sauce just before plating.

Rewarm the sautéed chanterelles at this time, too.

Foraged greens

For this dish, Chef Andrew used miner’s lettuce, which is plentiful all over the Pacific Northwest throughout the spring. (If foraging isn’t your thing, you can usually find it at farmers’ markets this time of year as well.) Alternatively, a handful of any fresh, tender greens will work.

Before I wrap this up, let me just say, Chef Andrew is personable, dedicated to his craft, and he made our cooking class “adventure” a pleasure to attend. Oh, and he is also adorable – I mean, how cute is this:

Which all goes to show that even the pros get excited when they get it right – and that’s a lesson for us all: Take pride when you put something wonderful on the table!

Disclosure: Our thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our complimentary cooking class with Chef Andrew. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Casual Elegance by the Sea: Meridian at Headlands {Pacific City, Oregon}

May 3 By Renée ♥ 22 Comments

If you’re craving some delicious, locally-sourced ocean-to-table cuisine, prepared with care and served up with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, then head to Meridian at Headlands Coastal Lodge in Pacific City, Oregon.

Many thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our complimentary brunch. This post may contain affiliate links.

Before I get started, let’s just take a moment to appreciate this beautiful plate of lox that Mr B had for brunch at Meridian when we stayed at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa last month.

Lox & Bagels at Meridian - Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa { Pacific City Restaurant } Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Lox [Cold Smoked Salmon] with pickled red onion, capers, arugula, hard-boiled egg, cream cheese, and bagel

OK, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me tell you a little about Meridian.

Casual Elegance on the Oregon Coast

We Oregonians are not known for our fussiness. Dressing up for a night out or a business meeting often just means wearing socks and putting on your “good jeans.” So it’s no surprised that Meridian, the newest upscale eatery on the Oregon coast, is all about casual elegance. Wear your (nice) jeans, your high-class heels, your fancy pants, or your little black dress – it’s all good. (Yes, baby…you can leave your hat on. 😉)

Meridian at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa { Pacific City Restaurant } Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

[Image courtesy of Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa]

When you walk into Meridian at Headlands Coastal Lodge, one of the first things that impresses is the natural beauty of the space. Exposed beams frame the vaulted ceiling, Oregon hardwoods cover the floors, and light streams in from the sky-high windows that open to a panoramic ocean view on two sides of the dining room.

Meridian’s seating options include window-side tables with gorgeous views of the Pacific and cozy tables by the double-sided glass fireplace. At the far end of the dining room, a lovely indoor patio lounge overlooks the ocean, with accordion-style windows that open completely when warmer weather blows in.

In the evening, and particularly on weekends, you can often enjoy live music at Meridian. The night we were there, Kevin Welsh and Lucas Cook of Satellite Blooms kept us well-entertained with both with their original “soul-folk” tunes and solid covers of everyone from Cash to Cole to Radiohead.

During our stay at Headlands Coastal Lodge, Mr B and I had the opportunity to talk with Meridian’s Executive Chef Andrew Garrison, who shared with us his passion for connecting with local sources to provide the freshest ingredients he can find. From wild caught fish to locally farmed meats to forest-foraged greens, Chef Andrew and his culinary team proudly partner with Oregon and Pacific NW producers, growers and artisans to create a menu that joyfully celebrates the region’s bounty.

Meridian, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa | The Good Hearted Woman

Potato stack with crème fraiche and salmon roe.

As I mentioned at the top of the post, Mr B and I enjoyed a wonderful brunch at Meridian. Our server was attentive, knowledgable, and friendly, and she gave us good insights about our menu selections. Our food arrived promptly, fresh and beautifully plated. We found the actual number of items on the menu somewhat limited (there were only about six or seven main choices on the brunch menu) but the quality of the dishes offered more than made up for any shortage of choices. We did not go hungry by any stretch, and I highly recommend both the lox and the Benedict.

Meridian at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa
33000 Cape Kiwanda Dr Pacific City, OR 97135-8011

HOURS: Open daily with menu availability below.

Brunch/Lunch: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bar: 8:00 am – Close with extended hours seasonally

Phone: 503.483.3000

Note that while reservations are not required, they will will help the Meridian staff prepare your table and service for your upcoming visit. Also, if you have a special occasion coming up, they will make sure you have an ocean view, serve a private meal in one of the lodge dining rooms, or cater your outdoor gathering right on the beach.

Coming up next time: Meridian’s Executive Chef Andrew Garrison shares his tricks and techniques for making seared sturgeon!

Disclosure: Our thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our complimentary brunch at Meridian. As always, all opinions and photos (except as noted) are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Take a Romantic Winter Getaway to Hood River, Oregon

February 22 By Renée ♥ 10 Comments

Nestled into the Columbia River Gorge against a stunning scenic backdrop, Hood River, Oregon offers visitors a perfect romantic getaway.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Every year for Valentine’s Day, Mr B and I take a little romantic getaway. It doesn’t matter if the holiday falls in the middle of the week or on a weekend – we always take at least one day off and head for a quiet destination, usually close to home. This year, as we are wont to do, we headed for the Columbia Gorge.

We left for our getaway after work on a Tuesday afternoon, and drove up to the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, arriving well after dark. Stepping into the lobby, we were promptly greeted by an amazingly friendly, enthusiastic hotel employee named Rick, who would act as our concierge, bell-hop, elevator operator, ice-bucket filler, doorman, and hotel historian during our stay.

The Columbia Gorge Hotel – once known as the “Waldorf of the West” – was built by Portland businessman and philanthropist Simon Benson in 1921. The elegant hotel has a rich history (complete with lots of ghost stories!), and at one time hosted such early film icons as Clara Bow, Rudolph Valentino, and Shirley Temple, as well as dignitaries like Presidents Roosevelt and Coolidge.

Our third floor King room was lovely, with a 180° view of the Columbia River, a large bathroom (by 1921 standards), and an little electric fireplace. Having stayed in a standard room at the Columbia Gorge Hotel the distant past, I can tell you with confidence that our King room was far superior to a standard room. Most notably, it was about twice as big: the space allotted for a standard in 1921 is what realtors like to call “charming” and “cozy.” The King room we stayed was about the same size as a contemporary standard mid-range hotel room.

Travel Tip: Weekday rates at the Columbia Gorge Hotel are often literally half that of weekend rates. If you can find the time during the week, it’s quite a deal!

The next morning when room service delivered our breakfast, we discovered that we had ordered twice as much food as we needed! Our breakfast croissants were huge, and each one came with a generous serving of O’Brien potatoes and an adorable little airplane-size bottle of ketchup. Everything arrived fresh, warm, and delicious. No worries about leftovers, either – after we finished eating, we popped our leftovers into the little room fridge to save for a midnight snack and set out to plan our day.

Mama Bear - Columbia River Gorge Getaway {Hood River, Oregon} | The Good Hearted Woman

Any other Mama Bears out there? 💚 {Sculpture by Ann Fleming; part of Hood River BIG ART Walking Tour}

We had a loose plan to spend the day touring and tasting at a few of the wineries near Hood River, so we started our tour in downtown Hood River, where we stopped in at a cool little espresso bar called Ground to enjoy a warm beverage while charted out our route. Being there on a Wednesday in the middle of winter made our choices very easy – only three of the fifteen or so wineries around the city of Hood River were open for us to visit.

Our first stop was Cathedral Ridge Winery, one of the only vineyards in Hood River with tasting room hours every day of the week year-round. The winery is located high above the Columbia on the west end of Hood River, with sweeping views of Mt. Adams to the north and Mt. Hood to the south west. We spent the better part of an hour in the Cathedral Ridge tasting room, where we were greeted warmly and treated like old friends. Pours for our tasting were generous, and extra varieties were introduced as we discussed our preferences with our attentive and knowledgeable host.

After we finished our tasting and purchased a few bottles to take home, we wandered outside to enjoy a walk around the grounds, where wooden benches and outdoor tables set up for picnickers dot the property. The middle of February was a little too chilly for a picnic though, so we instead opted for a quick selfie before we got back in the car.

Me & Me B - Columbia River Gorge Getaway {Hood River, Oregon} | The Good Hearted Woman

Look! We took a selfie!

We next ventured a little farther out into the country, where we found the Phelps Creek tasting room, which like Cathedral Ridge is open daily and year-round. The tasting room is located on the beautiful Hood River Golf Course, the features wines produced from nearby Estate-grown grapes. This small boutique winery focuses on estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; annually producing 5,000 cases total of all varietals.

One of the things Mr B and I like best about going out with just a tissue-paper plan is you just never know who or what will happen to surprise you. While we were visiting with the host at Phelps Creek, tasting room associate and sports photographer Brian Robb walked in, sat down at the bar and introduced himself. We were in no hurry, so we spent the next half hour chatting with Brian about some of the events he has shot around the world; in particular his experiences photographing World Skiing Racing Championships and the Olympic Winter Games. We thoroughly enjoyed both the company and the conversation at Phelps Creek.

(I have always to laugh at myself when I meet “action” photographers – I can barely get food to hold still for a good shot. Moving targets are usually way beyond my photography skillset.)

After finishing at Phelps Creek, we made the short drive back into town and grabbed a late lunch at The Trillium Cafe in downtown Hood River before stopping at our last tasting room – Stave & Stone.

Esthetically, Stave & Stone is the poshest of the three tasting rooms we visited, and the newest as well. The space itself is large and open, with lots of warm hues, subdued lighting, and naturally finished woods all lending a cozy feel. Besides the tasting bar, there are plenty of small gathering spots, too – comfy chairs, cozy booths, cafe tables, and a couch or two.

Our tasting room host was upbeat, friendly, and knowledgeable. As she poured our tastings, she enthusiastically shared a little of the history of this five generation winery with us – including the story of “The Old Man” – the last orchard apple tree standing on the family farm. The tree has been immortalized by local artist Kelly Phipps immortalized in an intricate metal sculpture that now hangs on the tasting room wall.

[This Gravenstein tree] symbolizes five generations of Fletchers, a touchstone of the legacy that began with apples and pears. The orchard has been transitioning into a vineyard for awhile now, but we’re keeping this ancient fellow. It is so old, it is nearly hollowed out inside, yet it still manages to produce blossoms and fruit every year. ~ Stave & Stone

Stave & Stone 3 - Columbia River Gorge Getaway {Hood River, Oregon} | The Good Hearted Woman

Local artist Kelly Phipps immortalized the old family Gravenstein tree in a metal sculpture that now hangs on the tasting room wall.

There was still plenty of daylight left when we left Stave & Stone, so we drove back to the hotel and took a stroll around the grounds, first exploring the south side in the front of the hotel.

The Columbia Gorge Hotel maintains seven acres of beautifully manicured gardens. Phelps Creek (for which the aforementioned winery is named) runs through the property, and natural water features dominate the landscape.

Ducks - Columbia River Gorge Getaway {Hood River, Oregon} | The Good Hearted Woman

I tried to get the ducks to pose for a picture, but they weren’t interested. 😉

On the river-side of the Columbia Gorge Hotel, you will find Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, where Phelps Creek flows and falls 207 feet into the Columbia. Once known as Lullaby Falls (apparently for the sleep-inducing properties that its soothing water sounds have on hotel guests) Wah Gwin Gwin now takes its name from a Chinook term meaning “rushing waters.”

Most people on a romantic getaway like ours would probably choose to dine on a fancy dinner in the hotel’s posh restaurant, Simon’s Cliffhouse and Valentino Bar. However, Mr B and I have along-standing tradition of homemade Shepherd’s Pie on our Valentine’s getaway, no matter where we are. Sometimes it takes a little creativity to pull it off, but so far, we’ve always managed to make it happen. This year, our room had a nice refrigerator to keep things cold, but no microwave to warm it up. Our buddy Rick-the-Awesome-Hotel-Guy saved the day by heating it up for us.

The next morning, we packed up and hopped in the car to make our way back to Portland. Which brings me to this – the first time I’ve seen the Gorge in the daylight with my own eyes since “the fire.”

*** * * * ***

If you’ve read this far, I’m hoping you’ll stay with me, because I need to turn a corner and get serious for a moment. I was more than a little anxious about going to the Gorge at all this year. In fact, I’ve consciously avoided driving through it in the daylight ever since September 2^nd, when a carelessly set wildfire took off and eventually burned 48,831 acres in the heart of the Gorge, changing its landscape for generations.

Columbia River Gorge - Eagle Creek Fire Images | The Good Hearted Woman

Image Credit: Staci W [Crafty Staci]

I wish I had taken some pictures while we were driving home that would illustrate the both the devastation and hope. Unfortunately, when Mr B and I were driving through, I was too busy crying to take any pictures. Many thanks to Staci W. [Crafty Staci] for sharing these images of the fire with us. They were taken on her phone from a moving sheriff’s car shortly after the fire started.

If you don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, you may not understand, but for many of us here, the Columbia River Gorge is far more than just the pretty place we keep our waterfalls. The Gorge is where we root our feet to the earth, and where we search our souls, and where we find our solace. When the Eagle Creek fire rushed through last fall, it was as if someone had come in the dark of night and burned down our church. Our synagogue. Our mosque. Our sacred ground.

So, I’m here to report to my PNW brothers and sisters who have not yet gone – what I saw from the highway gave me hope. Now, I know that most of the burn can’t be seen from the road, and we really won’t get a good feel for the whole of the loss until much later, but I did see more trees than I expected still standing tall. The high ridges, particularly on the west end of the Gorge, are lined with blackened evergreen skeletons, but there is far more life happening on the slopes than I imagined, even in the middle of winter. I may not ever see the Gorge in its full majesty again in my lifetime, but my grandchildren might, and that gives me hope.

Image Credit: Staci W [Crafty Staci]

Businesses in the Gorge are waiting for people to return. They need us. If you are thinking of taking a getaway and you live in the Pacific Northwest, consider spending some time in the Gorge. It’s still there, waiting for you.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running, and at the same time allow us to keep traditional advertising to a minimum. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Rogue Creamery {+ 24 Delicious Blue Cheese Recipes}

November 10 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

In my last post, I introduced you to the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor, a small alliance of artisan culinary shops in Central Point, Oregon, and shared our experiences at Lillie Belle Farms with Jeff Shepherd and his amazing chocolates. Today, it’s all about the Cheese.

Specifically, Blue Cheese…

… creamy, salty, savory, delicious, handcrafted, award-winning, internationally-acclaimed Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese.

For many years, I erroneously thought that blue cheese, Roquetfort, Gorgonzola and the like were distinctly different cheeses. And they are… but they aren’t. Like Swiss- and cheddar-style cheeses, there are a wide variety of blue cheeses, each with its own unique flavor and textures, but they can ofttimes be used interchangeably in recipes. So before we go any farther, let’s take a moment to discuss what blue cheese is.

Blue Cheese Basics

Blue cheese is most often made from cow, sheep, or goat milk.
Blue cheese is made by culturing milk with Penicillium, a type of mold.
Different blue cheeses are cultured in various ways, using unique strains of Penicullium, giving them their distinct flavor, texture, and aroma.
In the European Union, many blue cheeses (e.g., Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton) are protected, and can bear their name only if they have been made in a particular region.

Some Popular Varieties of Blue Cheese

Cabrales – Traditionally made from mixing goat and sheep’s milk together, Cabrales has a strong, spicy flavor.
Danish Blue – This strong blue cheese is creamy, with a semi-soft texture.
Dorset Blue Vinney – This English blue cheese is made with unpasteurized, skimmed cow’s milk, and has a hard texture, a crusty outer layer, and a strong aroma and taste.
Gorgonzola – Made with either cow or goat’s milk (sometimes both), Gorgonzola is a firm, creamy cheese with a salty and often slightly sweet taste.
Roquefort – Famously green-veined, Roquefort has a tangy, salty flavor with sweet undertones.
Stilton – This semi-soft cheese is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, and has a strong aroma and outstanding flavor.

A Trip Back in Time: Rogue Creamery {Est. 1933}

There’s something comforting and wonderful about the rustic feel of a real, honest-to-goodness (emphasis on the goodness!) cheese shop, and the Rogue Creamery is about as honest a cheese shop as they come. Founded in 1933 at the height of the depression, Rogue Creamery began producing blue cheese in 1954. Today, they continue to draw both inspiration and resources from Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, and offer award-winning varieties of outstanding handcrafted blue cheese, cheddar cheese, and TouVelle.

Step inside to sample cheeses to your heart’s content. Hungry travelers can order one of their crazy-good panini-style grilled cheese sandwiches, prepared with more than a generous amount of cheese. A great place to pack a perfect picnic, Rogue Creamery also offers a carefully curated selection of deli items, crackers, fruit, beer, and wine, as well as local artisan jams, jellies and sauces. The staff at the shop is helpful and knowledgeable, and will be more than happy to help you with your selections.

PRO TIP: There are always samples available, but if something you want to try isn’t out, all you need to do it ask.

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. {Gilbert K. Chesterton} Click To Tweet

Rogue Creamery Notes:

Smokey Blue: Referred to in-house as “Beginner Blue,” this smooth, smokey blue packs in all of the flavor (and then some) without the harsh, bitey quality of some blue cheeses. This classic Roquefort-style blue cheese is cold smoked sixteen hours with Oregon Hazelnut shells, resulting in a sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. It crumbles well, and is “easy to eat” as blue cheese goes, and pairs well with well-rounded “food” wines that are on the fruity side and lighter on tannins and acidity.
LaDiDa Lavender Cheddar: I know – it sounds weird, but Mr B and I both love this uniquely floral cheese. LaDiDa would be perfect on a dessert tray with chocolate or scones, and paired with a light dessert wine.
Caveman Blue: Full-bodied, buttery, and AMAZING! Rogue Creamery uses a unique aging environment to create this golden-hued blue that tastes of sweet, fresh buttermilk with hints of tropical fruit. Caveman’s earthy undertones pair well with a wide range of beverages, from bold reds to sweeter desert wines to full-flavored Stouts.
Blue Heaven (Powdered Cheese): Blue Heaven is a proprietary blend of Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Crater Lake Blue and special reserve blue cheeses. Perfect for sprinkling on salads, breads, popcorn, nuts, and anything else you can think of.

PRO TIP: Not a fan of dry, tannin-rich red wines? Me either. But next time you have the chance, try some with a bite of blue cheese. You may be pleasantly surprised (as I was) to discover that the pairing opens up whole new venues to you. Tannins literally bind to the cheese’s protein and fat, measurably softening the astringent qualities of the tannins, and making the entire tasting experience smoother in the process.

BLUE CHEESE RECIPE ROUND-UP

Blue Cheese is an amazingly versatile cheese; equally perfect on a fruit and cheese plate or as a stand-out ingredient in your next meal. Here’s a little Blue Inspiration 😉 from some of my favorite bloggers.

** Recipes are pictured in order, clockwise from the top left corner of each image.

Disclosure: My first trip to the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor was as part of the #TrailsToFeast Travel Oregon press trip. As always, all opinions and photos are my own.

Estate Grown, Naturally: Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard {McMinnville, Oregon}

August 24 By Renée ♥ 19 Comments

From their stewardship of the land to the award-winning wines they produce, Maysara Winery and Momtazi Vineyard stands as the legacy of a gracious family.

If there is one thing that stands out about visiting Maysara Winery, it is the warmth and passion radiated by the Momtazi family who created and run it. From the first moment Hannah Momtazi greeted us from behind the counter in the Maysara Winery tasting room, our gathering felt more like a reunion of friends than a press tour. We were welcomed with engaging conversation, generous pours, a delicious charcuterie tray, and Flora Momtazi’s homemade baba ganoush, which I could have eaten all afternoon.

The tasting room itself is a beautifully rustic space with a welcoming, intimate feel. The bar in the tasting room is the end-product of a massive oak tree that was felled on site, and the rough-hewn field stones from the property make up the ten-foot high walls.

A beautifully detailed tapestry depicting the Persian poet Rumi reciting one of his poems to a group hangs behind the bar. The air itself is changed with warm light: it is a space designed to welcome and embrace.

Maysara Winery isn’t one you are likely to simply stumble across in your next tour through Oregon wine country. Just bit off the beaten path (five minutes off Highway 18), Maysara is a destination for which you set out with the intent of spending a relaxing few hours. It is most definitely worth the drive.

The Momtazi family was beyond gracious during our visit, welcoming us to their winery and to their table like old friends. Family matriarch Flora Momtazi, known for her middle-eastern cooking, made all the food for our gathering herself, every dish a sumptuous nod to the family’s heritage.

Menu - Estate Grown, Naturally - A Tour of Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville, Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Our Persian-inspired menu was rustically elegant, from the homemade Baba Ganoush to the Shirini Napoleon.

Persian Macaroni - Estate Grown, Naturally - A Tour of Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville, Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Flora Momtazi’s Persian Macaroni was fabulous!

Steam - Estate Grown, Naturally - A Tour of Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville, Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Note all that no one is actually serving up food here. We all know the rules: “Pictures first, food later.”

As we enjoyed our meal, Moe Momtazi shared his story of emigrating from post-revolution Iran in the early 1980’s. As a storyteller, Moe reminds me a little of my Dad: his humor and gracious, affable demeanor providing a smooth veneer that belies a far more poignant narrative below the surface. (Sitting there listening to Moe tell his family’s story, I felt my inner storyteller spark: this is a family story that needs telling.)

Between lunch and dessert, we learned that after studying at the University of Arlington in Texas back in the 70’s, Moe returned to Iran. However, as life for the Iranian people darkened following the 1979 revolution, he knew he wanted to return to the US, so in 1982, he and his wife Flora escaped. They made their way west through Spain, where their oldest daughter, Tahmiene, was born. After arriving in the US, they added to their family as younger daughters Naseem and Hannah arrived.

Estate Grown, Naturally - A Tour of Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville, Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Naseem, Hannah, Tahmiene, Moe & Flora Momtazi. [Image provided by Momtazi Family]

Each of the three Momtazi daughters fills a distinct role at Maysara Winery. Tahmiene Momtazi, the eldest, is the primary Winemaker. Middle daughter Naseem is responsible for national sales and distribution. The youngest, Hanna, with her bright smile and open, convivial disposition, serves as the Events and Hospitality Manager.

I could write a whole separate post about the food! Savory and rich, every bite was genuinely delicious and authentically comforting.

After our meal, we went on a tour of the winery. The Momtazi’s have 252 acres of their Estate under vine, and from the time they planted the first rootstock in March of 1998, they have been committed to holistic, organic, biodynamic farming practices. Vineyards are cultivated without external chemicals or mineral additives; instead nurtured with compost teas distilled from plant material on the property. (The Maysara Winery became a Demeter Certified Biodynamic® Winery in 2007.)

We try to keep a natural balance. Healthy soil and healthy vines will produce healthy fruit.

~Moe Montazi

Currently, Maysara Winery offers Oregon Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Gris, and a Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé. My personal favorite from our visit was their Pinot Blanc (sorry, I forgot to note the year), which I found to be a rich, well-balanced, refreshing glass that paired especially well with the firm cheeses and savory charcuterie selections, and very affordable at just $20 a bottle.

Many Maysara’s wine names reflect their Persian roots. (The name Maysara translates to “House of Wine.”) For example, their Mitra Pinot Noir is named for an ancient Persian deity of friendship and oaths who was thought to be the source of cosmic light, while their Delara Pinot Noir named for a Persian word that translates as “capture one’s heart.” Others reflect their family story, like their Immigrant Pinot Noir, a wine created and dedicated “to all immigrants, including our own family members who risked their lives to escape and make it to America for the values of freedom and opportunity that this country stands for.”

Originally a civil engineer, Moe Momtazi’s passion for architecture and building is evident everywhere you look. As one of the largest indoor and outdoor venues in Oregon Wine Country, it’s difficult to effectively convey the architectural beauty and massive nature of the main Maysara Winery in just a few photographs.

Even more impressive is that nearly everything you see – from the stone floors and walls of the massive winery to the boards of the tasting room ceiling are made with materials from their land. The walls of the immense common room in the winery are faced with flatten staves, giving it the appearance of an old, carefully lined bookshelf.

From their stewardship of the land to the wines they produce, Maysara Winery and Momtazi Vineyard stands as the legacy of a gracious family; reflecting appreciation, dedication, and passion – to the past, the present, and the future.

Stave Wall - Estate Grown, Naturally - A Tour of Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville, Oregon | The Good Hearted Woman

Note Hannah Momtazi standing in the lower right corner, lending perspective to the massive nature of the winery itself.

I was not only impressed by their wines and facilities, but by my whole experience at Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard. If a relaxing drive in the country and an afternoon of wine-tasting and storytelling sounds appealing to you, I highly recommend you make a visit.

Visiting Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard

Maysara Winery is about a 1 ½ hour drive from Portland. Tasting room hours change seasonally, and due to special events on select Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays, they may be closed for a private events beginning at 2:30pm, so be sure to call before you go. Groups of seven or more require a reservation. The tasting fee is $15.

Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard
15765 SW Muddy Valley Rd
McMinnville, OR 97128-8551
503.843.1234
http://maysara.com

Many thanks to the Momtazi family for hosting our meal and winery tour. As always, all opinions and images (except as noted) are mine.

Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken {Recipe}

July 28 By Renée ♥ 79 Comments

Eat it in Nashville or make it at home. Either way, Nashville Hot Chicken is fiery, spicy, crispy, burn-your-tongue-but-can’t-stop-yourself, eat-it-’til-your-buttons-pop good!

^{This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

I love fried chicken. I don’t eat it often, but I love it. Back when I was a kid, my BFF’s Gramma Barbara kind of adopted me. She was fun and irreverent, and to this day I love her like my own.

Grandma B made ⋆ THE BEST ⋆ southern fried chicken I’ve ever eaten, or ever hope to eat, in my life. Tender, juicy, crispy, and seasoned just right, Gramma B’s chicken was so finger-licking delicious that it tasted like it had been fried in heaven. It was Perfect.

Gramma B will be 95 in a few weeks, so she’s not cooking much these days. Here she is standing the kitchen where she made the last batch of her heavenly fried chicken.

Gramma Barbara tried to teach me to make fried chicken a couple of times, and I think I got the basics down fine, but I could never make it quite as good as she did. I don’t know if was her skillet, or the lard (of course it was the lard) or some other sublime combination of environmental and mystical factors, but her fried chicken was absolutely divine and mine was, at best, pretty darn good.

In my quest to scratch my fried chicken itch, I’ve ordered fried chicken at nearly every place in Portland that serves it, and while some turn out a very decent plate, not even Screen Door – Portland’s refined Southern restaurant and brunch mecca, where the lines go around the block and the chicken and waffles are stacked to the ceiling – not even that rings that elusive Gramma B-worthy, chicken-fried bell for me. There’s always something missing.

Then we went to Tennessee – and discovered Hot Chicken.

Nashville Hot Chicken is heaven and hell in a one transcendent bite.

Nashville Hot Chicken is a hyper-regional specialty with a long, colorful, sordid history involving a philandering man, a jealous woman hell-bent on revenge, and a whole lot ‘a hot pepper juice.

The origins of Nashville Hot Chicken is a finely-woven tale that I simply can’t do justice and still keep this post under a couple thousand words, so I’m not even going to try. (And I don’t need to, because The Bitter Southerner has done a bang-up job telling the story for us: when you have a minute or ten, I strongly encourage you to read this great post about how Nashville Hot Chicken really came be!)

⋆ If you love Spicy and Fried Chicken, are traveling through Nashville, and can only eat one meal, make it THIS ⋆

While Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is the acknowledged home of the original Nashville Hot Chicken, when we were in town, we opted to go to relative newcomer Hattie B’s Hot Chicken instead.

Reviews said that the lines can get really long here (at the west Nashville location) but we arrived relatively late for a weekday – around 8:30 pm – and had hardly any wait at all.

We ordered two small plates (which turned out to be a ton of food!). Each plate came with a chicken quarter (dark meat for Mr B, light for me) and two sides. Mr B got baked beans and I ordered the potato salad, and we both got coleslaw.

Our chicken arrived very quickly, stacked in a basket between the traditional slice of white bread, topped with a dill pickle. It only took me one bite to know that Hattie B’s Hot Chicken was absolutely amazing. Possibly addictive.

Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken is literally the first chicken I’ve eaten in at least twenty years that even comes close to Grandma B’s fried chicken – with one important caveat: instead tasting like chicken sent from heaven, it tastes more like the devil himself cooked up a batch of fried chicken on his day off.

I need that recipe!!!

When we got back to ~~Oregon~~ our hotel room (like I waited until we went home 😉 ), I immediately searched Nashville Hot Chicken, and was absolutely thrilled to find Hattie B’s recipe right here, in Lee Brian Schrager’s cookbook Fried & True: More than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides.

Well, you can bet that it took me less than a Tennessee minute to order it.(Which, come to think of it, is probably substantially longer than a New York minute, but still…)

When my copy of Fried & True arrived, I opened it to find the pages bursting with great recipes, valuable tips and cooking methods, personal stories, and a true love of fried chicken.

**⋆ If you love Spicy and Fried Chicken and can only make one meal, make it THIS Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe ⋆**

Total props and credit for this Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken recipe go to Fried & True author Lee Brian Schrager. The ingredients list in the recipe below come directly from the book; however, the directions have been rewritten.

After the fry, you have the wet application. I take some soybean oil from the fryer, get it really hot, and add the dry rub into that fat. The heat activates all the spices. You want it hot enough that when you baste it over the fried chicken, the skin stays nice and crispy.

Matt Duckor, The Secret Behind Hattie B’s Legendary Hot Chicken

Note that the following Nashville Hot Chicken recipe is gauged as Medium Hot. Adjust spices according to your own tastes.

Hattie B's Nashville Hot Chicken {Recipe}

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cuisine: Southern

Author: Lee Brian Schrager, Fried & True

Ingredients

For the Dry Brine

1 whole chicken 3 pounds, washed, patted dry, and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

For the Dip

1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

For the Dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
Vegetable oil for frying

For the Spicy Coating

1/2 hot frying oil or hot lard
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Garnish

Dill pickle slices
White bread optional

Instructions

Step 1: The Dry-Brine

In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken pieces, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Up to 24 hours)

Step 2: The Dip & Dredge

Whisk together the milk, eggs, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the four and salt.
Drag the chicken through the flour mixture, coating evenly. Dip the floured chicken in the milk mixture, and then once again in the flour mixture. Shake off exceess between each step.

Step 3: The Fry

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer until it is between 350° - 375° F. The oil needs to be deep enough for the chicken to fully submerge.
The temperature will drop when you add the chicken. Keep the oil at 300° to 325° F while the chicken fries. (See NOTES)
Working in batches, use tongs to carefully add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until crispy. (15-17 minutes for breast quarters; 18-20 minutes for leg quarters.) Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on wire rack.

Step 4: The Spicy Coating

Ladle hot frying oil into a heatproof bowl. Whisk in cayenne, brown sugar, and spices. Baste the spice mixture over the hot fried chicken.

Step 5: The Serve

If you want to go traditional, serve your Hot Chicken up over a slice of white bread. Garnish with dill pickle slices.

Notes

IMPORTANT: The oil needs to maintain an optimal temperature of 325° while the chicken is frying. However, the oil temp will drop at least 25° when you add the chicken, so initially you need to heat the oil up to about 350°.

It’s important to maintain the correct temperature for frying chicken of 325° F. If the temperature of oil in the pan drops down below 300°, the chicken will begin to absorb the cooking oil, resulting in greasy, soggy chicken. If it rises above about 340°, the chicken will cook too quickly on the outside, and not get done in the middle. When fried at the correct temperature, the chicken will come out golden brown, having absorbed very little oil.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Read more about Nashville Hot Chicken's rough and tumble history, and get some great recipes in the deal! Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville's Beloved Bird.

Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville’s Beloved Bird. Read more about Nashville Hot Chicken’s rough and tumble history, and get some great recipes in the deal!

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this Nashville Hot Chicken recipe!

What is a favorite regional specialty from your part of the world? Let us know in the comments!

^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

“The Great Slider Debate” & Seven Savory Slow-food Southern Sliders

June 23 By Renée ♥ 30 Comments

In the last few years, sliders have been popping up like daisies on menus everywhere, from greasy spoons to gastropubs. In no place are they more ubiquitous than in Tennessee, home of “The Great Slider Debate.”

Depending on who you ask, a slider is either (a) a mini-hamburger, or (b) a mini-sandwich. Unless you ask Adam Kuban, Editor Emeritus for the website Serious Eats, who unequivocally states “A slider is something very specific. It is not just a mini hamburger. It’s a thin, thin slip of beef, cooked on a griddle with onions and pickles piled atop patty. The steam from the onions does as much cooking as the griddle. The buns are placed atop the onions, absorbing the pungent aroma and flavor.”

No disrespect, but I prefer to use the broadest interpretation possible – a slider is a little bun with some yummy, mostly protein-based stuff inside. Nevertheless, while I may not agree with Mr Kuban on the defining points, I do have to give him some serious props: he has constructed what I think is probably the best traditional (i.e., beef-n-onion) slider copycat around. (I’ll drop the recipe link for you at the end of The Great Slider Debate below.) Now, moving on…

In the last few years, sliders of every make and model have been popping up like daisies on menus everywhere, from greasy spoon dive-ins to upscale gastropubs. In no place that I’ve experienced are they more ubiquitous than in Tennessee, home of The Great Slider Debate.

The Great Slider Debate

Before we get on to the Good Stuff (i.e., some amazing slow-food slider recipes), I need to introduce you to Mister White Castle and his southern cousin, Krystal.

White Castle, which first opened it’s doors in Wichita, Kansas 1921, usually gets credit for introducing sliders – little two-inch square burgers with ridiculously thin meat patties – to the world. Krystal was founded eleven years later in Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you live west of the Mississippi, you may not be familiar with either of these two burger chains, but everyone else in the country has at least a passing familiarity with at least one of them.

Currently, White Castle has a soft monopoly on the Midwestern and Northeastern states, while Krystal dominates the Southern States. In some sort of modern-day Mason-Dixon fast food standoff, Tennessee and Kentucky are the only two states in which they cross paths. Since Mr. B and I had to grab a couple of quick meals on our Tennessee trip, we decided to seize the opportunity to weigh in on what is apparently known as The Great Slider Debate. [dundunduuuun….]

The Great Slider Debate: White Castle vs Krystal's | The Good Hearted Woman

Both White Castle and Krystal sliders take up about the same amount of real estate as a Saltine cracker.

Going into this, it had been at least 15 years since either Mr B or I had eaten a White Castle slider, so I thought we could be pretty objective. (Neither on of us had ever had a Krystals slider before.) However, after I took my first bite of that first White Castle slider last month, I knew it wasn’t going to be a fair contest. Nostalgia has a way of masking actual food flavors and textures by blanketing your senses in warm, fuzzy memories of days gone by. (Case in point: my Grandma Lucy’s fried bologna sandwiches.) Nevertheless, here’s our slider critique:

White Castle vs. Krystal

In both cases, we sampled the basic Cheese Slider (or Cheese Krystal, as the case may be).

Appearance: The sliders look basically exactly the same. The White Castle slider seemed a bit loftier; it was almost as tall as it was wide. By comparison, the Krystal slider was a bit flatter and had more the appearance of a miniature burger.
Size: I didn’t get out a caliper gauge or anything, but by all appearances, they seemed to be exactly the same size.
Buns: White Castle buns seemed much lighter and airier than Krystal buns. More importantly, they had a very slight, yet distinct sweetness that I missed in the Krystal bun. The Krystal bun felt a little more dense, and would probably hold up a bit better if you had to take it home before eating it. [Point: White Castle, because Mr B and I liked it more.]
Cheese: Standard fast food yellow processed cheese. Nothing distinctive in either case.
Meat: The meat in both sliders was the same size and thickness (just under 1/4′ high). White Castle’s slider meat seemed to be slightly seasoned, whereas Krystal‘s tasted a little flat to me. (It’s possible I’m just making that up in my own head.)
Onions: In both cases, the onions used were reconstituted from dried onion bits, or at least they tasted like they were. The onions were better on the White Castle sliders; they tasted like maybe they put a little Worcestershire sauce or beef stock or something on them to season them, or perhaps it was just “flavor crystals” from the grill. In any case, the Krystal onions were just not as flavorful. [Point: White Castle]
Other Condiments: White Castle sliders come with a pickle. Period. Krystal sliders come with a pickle and mustard, which Mr B and I both liked, so…[Point: Krystal]

WINNER: White Castle, by a slim margin, with what was probably an unfair advantage.

Summary: If you want a sweeter, lighter slider, White Castle is the place to go. If you like a more tangy slider with a denser bun, go with Krystal. In any event, if you’ve never even once sunk your teeth into one of these little east-of-the-Mississippi coronary cloggers, it’s an experience you might want to try. At least once.

Make’em yourself: Yes! You can make traditional White Castle-esque sliders at home! Try out this recipe from the aforementioned Adam Kuban: WITE KASTLE KLONES.

* * *

Now that’s out of the way, here are some sliders you can make at home that you can really sink your teeth into!

Seven Savory, Slow-food Southern Sliders

(Try to say that ↑ six times fast, why don’t you!)

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders from Buy This Cook That give a whole new face to the legendary Kentucky Hot Brown.

Hot Brown Sliders - Slider Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

“Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders” from Buy This Cook That

* * *

Who could resist these Carolina Pork Sliders with Sweet Coleslaw from Little Family Adventure? (Besides the obvious vegans & vegetarians, of course.)

Carolina Sliders - SliderRecipes | The Good Hearted Woman

Carolina Pork Sliders with Sweet Coleslaw from Little Family Adventure

* * *

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders from What a Girl Eats are the perfect comfort food, without all of the work! Pork is dry rubbed with spicy, smoky flavors, then cooked and topped with homemade BBQ sauce and creamy coleslaw. Yum!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders - Slider Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders from What a Girl Eats

* * *

Southern Charmer Sliders from I am a Honey Bee (and I’m quoting her website here) are “the kind of food that when you eat you do a little shimmy. You know what I am talking about.” Sold.

Southern Charmer Sliders - Slider Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

Southern Charmer Sliders from I am a Honey Bee

* * *

These Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Apples & Onions from Who Needs a Cape? are sure to be a new favorite! With tender pieces of pork and chunks of caramelized apples & onions. Delish!

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Apples & Onions - Southern Sliders - Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Apples & Onions from Who Needs a Cape?

* * *

A quick and easy dinner is only moments away. These Chicken Sliders with Peach Chutney from Food Done Light will make a delicious weeknight dinner.

Chicken Sliders w Peach Chutney - Southern Sliders - Recipes | e Good Hearted Woman

Chicken Sliders with Peach Chutney from Food Done Light

* * *

Looking for an easy lunch or dinner idea? Try these great tasting Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders from Ann’s Entitled Life. Fast, fun and simple to make, your entire family will love them!

BBQ Chicken - Southern Sliders - Recipes | The Good Hearted Woman

Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders from Ann’s Entitled Life

* * *

Quinoa Fritters with Arugula-Strawberry Salad {Sun Basket Review & Recipe}

September 26 By Renée ♥ 63 Comments

SUN BASKET organic meal kits deliver everything you need to cook easy, delicious, nutritious meals right to your front door.

BONUS: SUN BASKET will give you all their recipes – no strings attached!

Today, along with my review of Sun Basket’s meal kit delivery service, I’m sharing their recipe for these delicious, family-pleasing Quinoa Fritters. [Recipe at the bottom of post.]

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Let’s start with a little about Sun Basket. I have to admit that I’m kind of intrigued with the vast number of weekly or monthly food delivery services that have been popping up in the last couple of years. For a small fee, you can have everything from fancy European chocolates to curated vegan cuisine (and virtually everything in between) delivered to your door on a regular basis. In the past couple of months, I’ve been sifting through the chaos to discover the best of the bunch.

When I first learned about Sun Basket, there were a few things that really stood out:

Certified organic, non-GMO, sustainably sourced, seasonal ingredients from the country’s top farms.
Grass-fed, antibiotic-free, pastured meats, and sustainable seafood from ranchers & fishermen with whom they have a direct relationship. (Read: trust)
Paleo, Gluten-free, and Vegetarian options.
Healthy, innovative, easy-to-prepare meals that require 30 minutes or less to prepare.
Environmentally responsible, 100% recyclable packaging.

With all those points on their side, we decided to give them a try, so we sat down to order our first box. (Click here to get your first three SUN BASKET meals for free.)

The online ordering process itself is very simple, but our household dynamics make it just a bit tricky. Until very recently, we had very a full house – including kids home from college for the summer and married kids landing for a few weeks. And guess what? Everyone had a slightly different eating style!

Luckily, Sun Basket offers a variety of meal plans: Vegetarian, Rise & Shine, Paleo, Gluten-free, and Chef’s Choice. Since everyone home at the time was OK with fish, we went with Chef’s Choice, which means that you get to choose any three meals you want. We chose these three meals:

Roasted Salmon with Red Chermoula & Seared Endive
Quinoa Fritters with Arugula-Strawberry Salad
Shrimp Tacos Diablo with Pickled Cabbage & Lime

Our shipment arrived on time, as scheduled. I was very impressed with the packaging, which clearly reflects Sun Basket’s commitment to the environment. The packaging is 100% recyclable, plus they offer free delivery and free return shipping so that they can reuse the materials. Boxes arrive with clear instructions on recycling, and the sauces came in awesome little reusable plastic containers with lids.

All of the ingredients arrived fresh and in premium shape, including tricky-to-ship items like strawberries and cilantro. Ingredients for each meal were clearly marked and packaged together in a brown paper bag, except the fish and shrimp, which were packed separately in the bottom of the box with additional ice packs.

Sun Basket follows best practices when it comes to preparing ingredients, and all allergens are clearly listed. Moreover, while they are not a completely gluten free facility, they take ingredient preparation very seriously. Each meal came with a beautifully photographed, detailed recipe card as well.

Clean, Responsible, Healthy & Delicious: A Review of Sun Basket Organic Meal Delivery | The Good Hearted Woman

Quinoa Fritters with Arugula-Strawberry Salad

Each of the meals we ordered serves two. (Four-meal plans are also available.) However, as I mentioned earlier, we had a full house, so we decided to have a party and make all three meals at the same time. Sounds like a great idea, right?!?

Let’s just say, I do not recommend it. Things got a little confusing at times. I tried to keep things organized by arranging the ingredients for each meal on top of the bag that it came in. (This part wasn’t as easy as it looks.) Nevertheless, the meals were simple to prepare, and the directions were straight-forward. It definitely would have been easier it I hadn’t been trying to take pictures and access the process at the same time I was preparing the food!

Our meals not only turned out deliciously, but they plated up beautifully. I referred to the photos on the recipe cards for plating, and everything looked as good as it tasted.

Each meal provided enough for two decent-sized portions, but in the future, I think I’ll try to have a few extra sides to bulk up the meal for those with heartier appetites. Of the three meals we prepared, the Quinoa Fritters by far went the farthest.

Not only did they go a long way, but the Quinoa Fritters were without a doubt the biggest hit from our box as well – everyone in the family loved them! (Believe me, this is no small feat!) They were very flavorful, and had just the right amount of contrasting textures with the crunch of the fried quinoa and the smooth yogurt-tahini sauce. The arugula-strawberry salad paired with them very well too, although honestly, I think almost any light, slightly sweet salad would do the trick.

One of the things I appreciate most about Sun Basket’s business model is that (unlike some other meal delivery programs that keep their recipes as secret as an Italian Nona’s sauce recipe) they share all of their recipes online – free to anyone. You can go online right now and browse through their menu. Then click on the highlighted name of any dish, and – Voilà – there’s the recipe!

Note that if you order Quinoa Fritters from Sun Basket, the yogurt-tahini sauce comes premade; however, it is super easy to whip together at home. (My recipe follows.)

Quinoa Fritters with Arugula-Strawberry Salad

These simple cakes form a gorgeous, crisp crust when pan-seared.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Servings: generous servings

Author: Sun Basket