So along being there for business… and enjoying all the food.. the highlight of the trip for me was the Brad Paisley concert at Mandalay Bay.
So first let me say the venue rocked. I would love to watch anyone at Mandalay. (And plan to see Gary Allen in April) We had greatseats of course. [floor doesn't work for shorties like myself] I was already a big BP fan, but let me say. He really puts on a show. The part that even suprised my sister… is just how well that guy can play the guitar. I mean he can REALLY play. He is in the same league as many of the greats including Clapton and Stevie Ray. Yes. I said it!
The concert had the perfect mix of good ole country playin’ and entertainment from the fantastic stage. I love that the video and lights added to each song rather than distract from it. The only slightly negative of the evening was that we were in the old person section. And no one wanted to stand up. TOO BAD for them of course… it was a concert and I was getting my country on.
I think that Brad may be sneaking into the #1 spot right there with my Gary Allan. His playing was amazing and he didn’t miss a note with that gorgeous voice of his. I sure to love that country boy! And what better way to cap the night off than with a midnight snack at Hubert Keller’s Burger Bar.
Still full from our dinner at CUT – Lea and I split the $60 Rossini burger. A Kobe Beef burger topped with shaved truffles, foie gras, and served with a Fleur de Lys brown sauce that was to die for. Yes it rocked… yes.. it is worth every penny. It is one of the few things in this world that can actually bring a tear to my eye.
My LV restaurant round up is coming soon…
Making Vanilla Sugar is easy. I am sure most of you have the recipe, but just in case…
1-2 Vanilla beans *I like to use just the pods after I have scraped them for another recipe. So make some Creme Brulee then use the pods here…
2 cups sugar *if you use the seed, you can increase your sugar to 4 cups
Pour sugar into an airtight container. Bury the scraped pods and seal. Let sit for at least a week to infuse the sugar with an amazing vanilla taste and aroma. DELISH in hot drinks, over cereal, in recipes like french toast and more!
An easy supper. Just set it and forget it. Perfect on a cold winter night.
ingredients
- 3-4# chuck roast
- seasoning salt
- garlic powder
- fresh ground black pepper
- cooking oil
- 40 cloves garlic peeled left whole (about 2 heads)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- sprig of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
1. Begin by tenderizing the meat with a tenderizing mallet.
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There are lots of Caramel Apple options out there, here are our faves!
Dipping Caramel Recipe
- 1 c. Sugar
- 1c. Heavy Cream
- 1 T. corn syrup ( we used light, but if you want a deeper brown color, use dark)
- 3T unsalted BUTTER (no substitutions)
Combine all ingredients into a heavy, medium sized saucepan. Place on Med high (my knobs go lo-10 and I put on 
and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally and boil for about 12-15 minutes until thick and slightly darkened.
The caramel is pretty light, but trust me… OH SO GOOD.
The Technique. . .
To dip your apples, wash, dry, and stick them.
Dip the apples into the caramel and let the excess drip off. Scrap the bottom against the side of the pan, and place onto parchment or foil that has been sprayed with some PAM. At this point, you can dip into cinnamon sugar or another light flavoring. Heavier items should wait till the caramel has set a little, otherwise, it will all just fall off the apple.
For things like nuts, pretzels, and cookie bits, just wait about 10 min. then gently roll into the item. For double dipped caramel or chocolate…
Put in fridge to set for 1-2 hours. At that point you can dip into an new batch of caramel or into chocolate. You can also drizzle chocolate at this time. Put back in fridge to set… and eat!
I am not a huge fan of veggies, but this dish makes the cauliflower yummy! Even the kids loved it.
- 1 head cauliflower
- olive oil
- bread crumbs (1 T.)
- dried red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 with rack in the center.
Cut the cauliflower into a large bowl. Cut the pieces into small “trees”.
Drizzle with olive oil to lightly coat. Add breadcrumbs and seasonings, toss to coat.
Bake on a baking sheet for 20 min. Serve immediately.
(note: I left out the garlic this last time I made this and it was really sweet. It made for a more kid friendly dish but still had plenty of flavor.)
This recipe is adapted from the “More from Magnolia” cookbook. For special occassions try baking them in little nut cups in various sizes.
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