It’s kind of last minute, but I found out that Chef Michael Smith who, as luck would have it, is the head chef at Restaurant Michael Smith (funny how that happens) and the excellent Extra Virgin, is having a dinner with wine pairings featuring superstar Italian winemaker Antonio Sanguineti on Monday, March 1st.

The festitivities for the dinner begin at 5:30 at the Cellar Rat where you can meet Mister Sanguineti and discuss the ins and outs of making some of the best Italian wines on the planet.  The dinner begins at 6:30 at Restaurant Michael Smith and features a 6-course menu with wine pairings. 

Can you say drool?

The first course is marinated Cici Beans with (get this) grilled radicchio and cauliflower frito paired with Trevisiol Presecco.  I mean, jeez.  This course had me at Prosecco and fried cauliflower.  I can just see myself trying to trade my radicchio for more cauliflower like in third grade (only I won’t be trading for more French fries.)

If that weren’t enough, the other five courses include

• Grilled king fish
• Pancetta wrapped stuffed quail* (yowsa)
• Wild boar with papardella
• Bistecca alla flortine
• To top off the night, vanilla panna cotta. 

(*Yes, I realize quail are cute, but they are cute and delicious.)

That’s the kind of menu one should expect from a James Beard Outstanding Chef finalist.

Last I checked, space was still available, but with seating limited, I’d make a reservation soon.  To do so, call 816.842.2202 and tell them BlogWellDone sent you.  I promise that will make absolutely no difference!

Hey, like I said in my last post, Jasper’s Restaurant in Kansas City really is having a Slow Food Pork Demo and Dinner, which is proudly called from Snout to Tail (click on the link for the Google Calendar reminder.)   I’m pretty excited about it.  Scratch that, I really excited.

Why?  Well, I kind of like pork.  Especially local, organic pork.

But more than that, not only is the dinner/class a cooking demo put on by Chef Jasper (who, if you haven’t been to one of his classes, be ready to be both entertained and STUFFED full of good food), the food is really exciting.  Chef Jasper, along with other members of Slow Food, have put together a menu which accentuates the local pork including some guanciale I spied hanging in his wine cellar that he made himself.  The menu also includes Tuscan Bean Soup, Penne Amatriciana, Porchetta, and maybe some jalapeno pork?

(Need more convincing, check out the pasta con sugo all’ Amatriciana.  That’s going to be on the menu.)   Need even more more convincing?  Somerset Ridge Winery will be pairing their locally produced wines with each course in the meal.  Need even more more more convincing?  See that lovely guanciale over there?  That’s for dinner.

So if you want some great local pork, if you like good wine, if you want to learn how to cook like Kansas City’s iconic master chef, or if you just want to meet me, Blog Well Done, come to Jasper’s this Thursday.  But hurry.  Seats are limited.  Get yours by calling 816.941.6600 right now.

Match Meat Pizza

It’s another #MeatlessMonday!!  But wait you say, it’s Thursday!  That’s true, it is Thursday, but I’ve been pretty lax in my support of #MeatlessMonday the past few weeks and I wanted to get back in the swing of things.  So all this week, we’re doing meatless recipes.  (By the way, next week will be a celebration of all thing seafood in honor of lent and the sacrifices made around the world by Catholics everywhere.)

Anyhoo, this recipe is pretty simple.  I included it for two reasons.  First, it’s a simple.  It’ s not quick due to the fact I’ve included a whole wheat crust recipe, but that can easily be replaced by something store bought.

Secondly, it’s vegan.

Continue reading →

Yeah, I know it’s Tuesday, but I want to keep #MeatlessMonday going on all week long, so how about

Vegetarian Quesadillas with Mushrooms

Okay, so a quick footnote.  This entire week, I’m going to be blogging #MeatlessMonday recipes despite the fact that only one day can actually be Monday (and that, of course, was yesterday.)  However, I missed a few #MeatlessMondays and I am atoning for it this week with lots of vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Also, I am thinking that this is timely for lent since a lot of you have to go without meat on Friday.  I promise that meatless does not have to be borning.  And who knows, maybe next week, we’ll talk fish.

Okay, anyway, let’s talk quesadillas with Blue Meanie a good mushroom strain.  So, I got this idea tonight at dinner while perusing the vegetarian section (what can I say, I was looking for ideas?)  and on the menu there were several versions of quesadillas with “marinated mushrooms.”  Some came with zucchini and other vegetables, which all sounded good, but for some reason, the idea of a simple mushroom quesadilla just sounded good.

So, let’s roll with it.

Continue reading →

So the question was asked at today’s #FNI what’s my favorite soup, which has to be

Creamy Potato Soup

Specifically, the creamy potato soup from Panera served with a nice piece of whole wheat French baguette.  (Though, I answered Beef Barley soup, but that was just pandering.)  Anyway, I got to thinking how a good creamy potato soup recipe would be just the thing for a great #MeatlessMonday post.

Except for one thing.  Bacon.

I’m pretty sure one of the things that makes Panera’s creamy potato soup so good is none other than bacon.  And yes,  bacon does taste good, but this is #MeatlessMonday and so we’re going to take it out and see if we can’t make a great soup anyway.

Continue reading →