G'Day Mate at the Outback Steakhouse.

Outback Steakhouse

4921 E. Main Street
Farmington, New Mexico, 87402

(505) 324-2122

Website: http://www.outback.com/restaurant/locations/nm/farmington/farmington/index.aspx

Outback Steakhouse is mainly open for dinner, after 4pm, but this one in Farmington, NM is open Saturday and Sunday at 11am; starting July 1, 2013 it will be open for lunch everyday.  We were immediately greeted upon entering, and while the host wanted to seat us in the bar area, we insisted on a booth in the dining area.  Our waitress, Heidi, was friendly, took our drink and appetizer order quickly; brought warm bread and butter to nosh on; and made sure to keep our drink glasses filled.  Several times the General Manager, Chris, stopped at booths and tables nearby us; for whatever unknown reason, he didn't bother to stop by ours to introduce himself, nor ask how our meal experience was.  Another gentleman wearing a red shirt came by later on, stopped at each table and booth, asked how everything was before moving on; didn't introduce himself, so he could have been just some friendly guy.

We chose two appetizers, the new Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and a half order of Aussie Cheese Fries.
The Crab Stuffed Mushrooms were cooked well; moist, delicious stuffing with mushrooms that could easily be cut with a fork.  The lemon butter sauce served on the side was thick, yet creamy and went so well with this appetizer.

The Aussie Cheese Fries were deep fried shoestring potatoes covered in melted cheese and just a smidgen of bacon; definitely would have appreciated more bacon with this appetizer.  It was served with a spicy ranch dipping sauce, but nothing to rave about.



For the main entree, we both chose 6 ounce sirloins; The Bloomin' Sirloin which came topped with "petals" from Outback's Bloomin' Onion appetizer and the Sirloin with Wild Mushroom Sauce (new item on the menu); both came with a choice of potato, steamed vegetables or side salad.  If you wanted the choice of potato and a side salad, it was an extra $2.99 for the salad (lettuce, croutons, cherry tomatoes, red onion, shredded cheese).  While we both enjoy our steaks medium-rare, we ordered medium and surprise!, the steaks both came out medium-rare anyway.  I enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes with The Bloomin' Sirloin; they were not only creamy and delicious, but stayed hot throughout the entire meal. 

My husband had ordered the side salad which was served after the appetizers, so his steak looked so lonely on that large dinner plate all by itself.  Perhaps if the large slices of mushroom had been served on the side of the steak, the presentation would have been better; the sauce was creamy though.

We shared one dessert, Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting which is not house made, but brought in from an outside source.  However, the cake itself was moist with plenty of diced pecans and raisins; the frosting was not overly sweet and went so nicely with the cake.  It was a pleasant ending to the overall meal experience.

Normally I don't give ratings, but with a chain restaurant like Outback Steakhouse, I would give this one in Farmington, NM a B minus (B-).  Not overly bad, not overly good and just a touch above average.

Mary Cokenour

Saddle Up for the Bar D Chuckwagon.

 

Bar D Chuckwagon

8080 County Road 250

Durango, CO 81301

 

(970) 247-5753

 

 

                                               Website: http://www.bardchuckwagon.com

 

The easiest description I can give of Bar D Chuckwagon is FUN!!!  The atmosphere rustic and serene; the staff are so, so friendly; the cowboy food is hearty and filling; and the entertainment ranged anywhere to sentimental to fall on the floor funny.   The drive along Route 250 is beautiful; we saw two young Elk grazing, but unfortunately there is no real shoulder to pull off on to take photos.  To get to Route 250, make a turn onto 32nd Street in Durango (City Market side); follow to the 250 junction and turn to the left; keep on following the road till you see those welcoming gates to the Bar D; follow the paved road to the parking lot.

 

 

 

 

Once you park, head on over to the train station to purchase your tickets.  The price includes the meal and the show; the tickets have assigned table numbers, so the earlier you get there (it opens at 5:30pm), the closer to the stage you are).  There is a train ride for the children; also a wedding chapel for ceremonies.

As you continue walking around, you'll see the Record Shop where CDs and DVDs of the Bar D Wranglers can be purchased.  There are many more shops, and there is bound to be something that catches your eye; or your taste buds like at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Shop. 






The outside decor ranges from historic to simply fun.

The back area of the property contains the dining section with wooden, picnic style tables and benches; all with numbers that correspond with the tickets.  The kitchen area doubles as the stage once meals are done with.  The backdrop for the entire area is a beautiful forest and towering formations of stone.

 

 

 

Dinner begins at 7:30pm and Bar D is not chintzy with the food items; your cowboy plate is full.  For those with really large appetite, if there are extras available, they will be offered after everyone has gotten their firsts.  Lemonade, coffee and water are served in metal cups; remember this is a cowboy dinner and you're going rustic.  Choices in meat range from BBQ Beef, BBQ Chicken, Combo of both or Ribeye Steak; beans, baked potato, biscuit, applesauce and spiced cake are included too.  See, told you they were not cheap on the grub.

 

 

Bar D Wranglers

 

Matt Palmer and Richard Lee Cody
 

Gary Cook and Joel Racheff
 

Bar D Wranglers are the entertainment for the evening and they are, not just very talented, but absolutely wonderfully fun to listen to.  The Western songs vary from sentimental to hilarious; for instance, their updated version of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" to "Low Riders in the Sky".  At any moment I was expecting Gabriel Iglesias to walk on stage yelling, "Martin!!!" 

 

 



Cy Scarborough
 

One of the original founders and owners of the Bar D came out on stage to sing about opossums; Cy Scarborough started this Chuckwagon rolling along in 1969.  He helped to end the evening with a patriotic medley of the United States, and it was hard not to stand, put your hand over your heart and sing along.








If you're visiting Durango, whether spending a few days, overnight, or going home the same day; make sure to plan for an evening at Bar D Chuckwagon.  Get along little doggies.

Mary Cokenour


 

  

Summer Sides of Potatoes and Evil Vegetables.

Now that the warmer weather has finally made itself known here, time to get the barbecue grills and smokers primed and ready to work.  In the freezer I have already stocked up on Johnsonville brats (original and beer); slabs of ribs and mounds of brisket as big as babies.  Pork and chicken are still on my list, and that'll be taken care of on the next big shopping trip to Cortez, Colorado.  Now all that protein is a wonderfully beautiful sight to behold; but I still need some side dishes to help enhance the eating experience.

Oh yeah, got those cobs of corn waiting to be slathered with herb butter, wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked up on the grill alongside that meat.  Huge bell peppers to be cut in half, cleaned, oiled and roasted up with the corn as well, but it doesn't seem to be enough.  Potatoes!  Got to have a potato dish; and for those people yelling at me about a bigger assortment of healthy vegetables...the dreaded evil vegetables.

The first recipe is for my Nanny's Potatoes, Nanny as in my maternal grandmother.  She made a simple German style potato salad with only olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper; no bacon.  However, there are so many more options you can add to this simple recipe besides bacon; diced sweet pickles (not relish, but real pickles) or diced green onion are two.  Julienne up some tart green apple or sweet pear to give added flavors and crunch.  Well let me just give you the simple recipe, and let your own imagination take it from there.

Nanny's Potatoes
 

Nanny's Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 lbs red skinned potatoes, cut into wedges or chunks, washed and leave skin on
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fine sea salt

Preparation:

Place potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with water and set on high heat.  Boil potatoes until fork tender, drain and place in large serving bowl.  Mix potatoes with other ingredients; add additional salt and/or black pepper is necessary.  Serve hot to keep oil from cooling and coagulating.

Makes 8 servings.

Now for the second recipe, grilled evil vegetables; either use an aluminum foil grilling bag, or wrap up the vegetables in heavy duty aluminum foil, not the typical kitchen foil.  You're probably wondering why I'm calling them "evil vegetables"; I'm referring to cauliflower and brussel sprouts which I think are the two most foul tasting and smelling vegetables around.  My husband and his mom love them though, so I make this for them; they're my family, I love them and want them to have good meals that they enjoy.  Yes, you can spice these veggies up a bit by adding chile powder or diced chiles; or give a more Italian flare with crushed, dried herbs.

Grilled Evil Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, broken up
2 lbs brussel sprouts, remove stem ends and cut in half; quarter if very large
1 small onion, diced
1 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fine sea salt

Preparation:

Set barbecue grill to 350F; spray inside of large grilling bag with nonstick spray.  If using heavy duty foil, create a large bag by folding foil (32 inch sheet folded to 16 inches), seal short sides by folding ends three times; spray inside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; spread out evenly inside foil bag being careful not to puncture the foil.  Seal the long end of the bag by folding it three times.  Place on top rack of the barbecue grill and let it grill for 20 minutes.  Carefully open the bag by cutting a slit through the top of the foil, spoon out into a serving bowl and serve hot.

Makes 8 servings.

This recipe can also be made in the oven by spreading out the mixture into a rimmed baking sheet (jelly roll pan) or baking dish; sprayed with nonstick spray.  Set oven on 450F and roast for 20 minutes.

There you have it, two sides to serve up with your barbecued meats or poultry.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Expand on the Simple; Garlic Butter Sauce.

In my post on Baked Ravioli, I mentioned how I don't always use the sauce that might come in the box of Buitoni Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli. The sauce is a simple garlic butter sauce that I might use on another pasta dish, as a marinade, as a basting sauce for grilling, even as a sauce over simple vegetables. Having that packet of sauce in the freezer though is not always an option, so I have to consider the possibility of making it up from scratch.

The two main ingredients, of course, are butter and garlic; eight tablespoons of butter melted on low heat in a small saucepan, then three cloves of minced garlic added to the butter and let it cook until softened.  It is what you do with that simple mixture afterwards that makes the difference in your foods.  For a marinade, add two tablespoons of dried Italian herb mixture and two tablespoons of olive oil; put your meat, pork or poultry into a resealable bag and massage in that marinade.  Refrigerate for one to two hours and grill it up; don't forget to make an extra batch of marinade for basting.  

To make a creamy version, after softening the garlic, turn the heat up to medium-high, add five tablespoons of flour and begin whisking; this will be the roux. Once all the flour is incorporated, continue to whisk and cook until a light brown color forms; then whisk in 2 cups of heavy cream, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it thicken.  Add salt, ground black pepper, or other seasonings to taste.

Again, with two simple ingredients, butter and garlic, you can make different combinations of marinade or sauce for your food; lemon juice, ground black pepper and chopped parsley would be excellent for poultry and seafood, for example.  Or change that parsley to dill for the seafood; your possibilities are only limited by your own imagination.

 

Garlic Chicken and Pasta

 

 Ingredients:

 

8 Tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided in half

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 cups steamed broccoli

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cups cooked rigatoni

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation:

 

In a small saucepan, low heat, melt the butter; add the garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes and stir occasionally to keep from sticking or burning.  Remove from heat.

 

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat; saute chicken until fully cooked; remove from skillet.  Add remaining oil to skillet and saute vegetables until edges just begin to brown.  Add chicken back into skillet, add the garlic butter sauce, parsley and pasta; mix thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Makes 4 servings.

 

Two ingredients to make a simple sauce, but what you add to it afterwards opens up an expanded world of flavor.  Enjoy!

 

Mary Cokenour

 



Move Over 007, it's Ravioli, Baked not Boiled.

There are those days when making a meal is the farthest thought from my mind. New ideas are hidden deeply, and I am in the mood for nothing special. I look in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer; hoping that something will jump out at me and scream, "Here I am! Eat me!!!" That finally happened when Buitoni's Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli peeked its green box out. Hello my little friend. One problem though is that I didn't want to use the packet of garlic butter sauce that came with it. Oh no, I didn't throw it away; that will be used for another recipe featuring rigatoni, chicken and a few vegetables. So what to do with it, and suddenly the ideas started to pop into my mind...diced tomatoes, but a creamy tomato sauce, not chunky; cheese, not as a garnish, but as a main ingredient.   Of course a plain cheese, meat filled, even chicken and cheese ravioli can be used with this recipe.   Lets see what I finally created, and it sure did taste good!  

Baked Ravioli

 

 

Ingredients:
 

1 (22 oz) box Buitoni Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli

3 cups tomato vodka cream sauce

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup shredded Romano cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese



Preparation:

Take the packet of garlic butter sauce from the Buitoni box, label and return to the freezer (save for another recipe).  Heat a large sauce pan of unsalted water on high heat; when boiling, cook the ravioli for only one minute before straining.  All ice has been removed and the ravioli is no longer sticking together; it will finish cooking in the sauce while baking.



Preheat oven to 375F; spray a 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Begin the layering process by spreading one cup of sauce in the bottom of the dish. 








Spread out half the ravioli over the sauce.







Spread half the diced tomatoes over the ravioli.









Mix the Romano and mozzarella cheeses together; spread half the mixture over the tomatoes and ravioli.






Now repeat the layering of sauce, ravioli, tomatoes, cheese; finish off with the final cup of sauce.


 

 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes; sauce will be bubbling and all the cheese melted.  The box of ravioli I used had 18 ravioli in them; during the baking process they expanded their bulk by half, so a serving of three was just right.  Therefore, this recipe made six servings.

The ravioli cooked up perfectly; the flavor of the sauce was infused into the pasta.  Tasting the seafood, pasta, cheese and tomatoes all together made me feel as if I was eating a decadent seafood parmigiana over pasta.  Sometimes, you have to think outside of the box, and not use everything inside it either.

Mary Cokenour



Vanilla and Chocolate in One Cheesecake; No Complaints Here.

I guess it has only been about a year or so since Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese introduced their "Indulgence" line. During the 2012 holiday season, I pulled out of a cooking magazine a recipe for their "Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake", but didn't get around to making it.  Last week though, I took my mother-in-law out for dinner, yes we get along very well, and she kind of hinted that I hadn't made her a cheesecake in awhile. Looking through my cheesecake recipes, I came across that recipe I had pulled from the magazine; as I read it, changes came to mind. Instead of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies for the crust, how about chocolate cookies? Instead of fruit as a garnish, what about more cookies, or chocolate candy?

I wanted this cheesecake to be all about the vanilla and the chocolate, no other flavors would do.  I crushed up Oreo cookies that had chocolate filling instead of the traditional white cream; no mixing with butter, prebaking or cooling in the refrigerator.  As the vanilla layer baked, the chocolate filling oozed up into the cake layer here and there to create little pockets of chocolate inside the vanilla.  When I removed the springform pan, a little side piece broke off and it tasted so good!  For the chocolate mousse topping, I increased the amount used from one eight ounce container of Milk Chocolate Indulgence to two and only used the recommended two cups of whipped topping.  Oh my, Oh my, Oh my!!!  Drooling yet? 

When it comes to baking I've always been told that you have to follow all the precise measurements, ingredients and rules.  Sometimes being a rule breaker can be a really great experience.

 

 

Vanilla Cheesecake with Chocolate Mousse

 

Ingredients:

14 Oreo cookies with chocolate filling
2 (8 oz) packages plain cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 (8 oz) containers Philadelphia Brand Milk Chocolate Indulgence Cream Cheese
2 cups whipped topping
10 Hershey kisses

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325F; spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and spray the paper with the nonstick baking spray. Put 12 of the Oreo cookies into a resealable plastic bag, crush them and spread them out over the parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat the plain cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth; about 5 minutes on high speed. Spread mixture evenly over the cookies and bake for 35-40 minutes; cool cake on counter for a half hour, then for two hours in the refrigerator.

While cake is cooling, set milk chocolate cream cheese containers on the counter to soften. Once cake is cooled, remove from refrigerator. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute on high. Fold in the whipped topping until well incorporated and a uniform chocolate coloring. Spread over the cake in pan; place back in refrigerator for one hour to set.

When ready to serve, use a sharp knife to help release cake sides from pan before opening springform. Place unwrapped kisses evenly around cake; place remaining two Oreo cookies in center.

Makes 10 servings.

Note: Usually I bake cheesecakes in a bain marie, but since this cake was getting a topping, I wasn't concerned with the top cracking.  However, do wrap aluminum foil around the base of the pan, in case any fluidss find a way to seep out.

Mary Cokenour

Not Your Average Franks and Beans.

One of my husband's favorite casseroles is when I take miniature smoked sausages, mixed them up with pork and beans, molasses, cheese, onions and brown sugar; bake it till bubbling hot and he is in sausage and bean heaven. After making the Smoked Sausage Burrito the other day, I was inspired to keep on that Southwestern theme. What I came up with only has six ingredients and three cooking steps - prep, mix and bake. Eating is a whole other story, and this dish can be served two ways. First, serve it as a side dish at your next potluck or barbecue; or ladle it over a serving of homemade macaroni and cheese to make a complete meal.

Short blog post today, but with a big and tasty recipe to make.  Enjoy!

Barbecued Beans with Smoked Sausage

Ingredients:

3 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz) package Johnsonville Smoked Sausage, cut into ¼ inch pieces at an angle
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup diced chile peppers
1 cup Queso Casero, broken up into pieces (or Queso Fresco)
2 cups barbecue sauce (hickory or mesquite smoked)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together all six ingredients; spread out into baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour
May 22, 2013