food

Dining Outside the Home: Café Belle Madeleine at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Belle Madeleine at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada! This French patisserie is the icing on the cake. Follow the cobblestone walk through the double French doors and you’ll find a casual bistro where the pastries are seductive, the savory sandwiches are divine, and the rich gelato is refreshing. The Parisian woven chairs welcome tired souls in a crisp checkered palette. Come in and stay awhile. The specialty brewed coffees are intense with flavor; a nice balance to the cream-filled desserts. Grab a prosciutto pickle baguette or chicken breast pesto brioche for the perfect picnic lunch the next day. 

Dining Outside the Home: Mon Ami Gabi at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Mon Ami Gabi at Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada! Just inside the gilded ornamental arches of the Eiffel Tower sits the entrance to a classic French bistro with international waiters bustling to and fro. Choose a quiet corner table for two inside the café or al fresco dining outdoors to “see and be seen”. Open-air bistro tables offer a perfect vantage point for taking in the flurried activity of Las Vegas Boulevard. The extensive menu boasts classic French favorites like Quiche Lorraine, Steak Frites, and Croque Madame in addition to the Plats du Jour. Sit back for a two-hour meal, sip on espressos that can clean an engine, and take life easy the French way. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! What I love about this recipe is any type of chicken will do. If you prefer wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts, or all of the above, it works! The lemony citrus accent is perfect with a side salad and a piece of warm crusty bread. If you can get your hands on a lemon infused olive oil, you may want to take the plunge. It’s also a great way to jazz up an ordinary salad with the bright, tangy flavor of citrus. Balance it out with a pomegranate balsamic vinegar for a winning combination. Who knows, you may have found a new favorite. 
WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER 
Ingredients:

6 chicken fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon granulated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 lemon, sliced and quartered 

6 green onions
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Trim and pat dry the chicken fillets. In an iron skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, carefully place chicken in pan. Season with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Sear both sides for 3-4 minutes each. Add lemon slices, wedges, and green onions. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve chicken with roasted lemons and onions. 

Dining Outside the Home: Battista’s Hole in the Wall in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Battista’s Hole in the Wall in Las Vegas, Nevada! Every time you visit Battista’s, you’re in good company. Slip into a semi-private cove to absorb the atmosphere, food, wine, and music. Gordy, the strolling musician, entertains like family, with a twinkle in his eye as the accordion plays on. Sit back and share a glass of wine while munching on buttery garlic bread. Check out the vintage photos of familiar faces that surround you among hanging baskets and wine bottles. Let time stand still. When the food arrives, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and dig in. Battista’s Hole in the Wall is spot on. 

Dining Outside the Home: Paris Baguette at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Paris Baguette at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada! Surrounded by elegant architecture on the edge of St. Mark’s Square where charming costumed characters entertain the crowds with music, song, and dance is Paris Baguette, a café and bakery. Sweetened pastries overflowing with light cream, decadent chocolate, and honeyed fruit as well as gourmet sandwiches abundant enough to share make the perfect picnic lunch along cobbled streets. Be serenaded in this deliciously delightful romantic setting. 

Dining Outside the Home: Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada! From the moment we stepped away from the jangle of slot machines, it was clear we were about to experience an authentic English pub. The renowned chef of “Hell’s Kitchen”, Gordon Ramsay has set the stage for the best sampling of British fare this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Waitresses scurrying by with heaping platters of Yorkshire Ale Batter Fish and Chips still take time to stop and chat with curious customers needing direction. The menu offers a plethora of pub temptations from Olive and Sea Salt Roasted Nuts to Grilled Lamb Burger to Sticky Toffee Pudding. Think about sharing a plate in order to experience “The Full Monty”.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Spinach Prosciutto Flatbread! As the King of Hams, prosciutto reigns. Its savory and aromatic flavor is a result of a slow-aged process known well by the Italians. You will immediately notice the paper thin velvety texture of prosciutto. The sea salting process has a regional influence on the curing results as well. Many remain trade secrets for all time. You and I reap the benefits by shopping around. Always keep a little prosciutto on hand. It can mean the difference between ho-hum and WOW!
SPINACH PROSCIUTTO FLATBREAD
Ingredients:

1 prepared flatbread 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, cut-up*

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup spinach leaves
Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush flatbread with one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread Greek yogurt over flatbread. Dot with goat cheese crumbles. Layer shredded mozzarella over all. In a skillet over medium low heat add one tablespoon olive oil, cut up prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears, tomatoes, and spinach. Stir with tongs to coat. Cover for 1-2 minutes or until spinach turns bright green. Spoon over flatbread. Bake assembled flatbread 2-3 minutes in oven. Cut into wedges and serve immediately. 
*Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus recipe may be found at the following link. 

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/08/10

Dining Outside the Home: Godiva Belgian Chocolates of The Grand Canal Shoppes in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Godiva Chocolate cravings are so satisfying. When the urge to nibble on creamy gourmet chocolate strikes, think chocolate-covered strawberries! Godiva chocolatiers are artists-in-residence who beautifully create these legendary masterpieces before your very eyes. Try not to drool. The struggle is real whether to admire its allure or succumb to that first bite of semi-sweet cocoa. Go ahead….oblige! The juicy ripe strawberries are the ultimate complement for white, dark, or milk chocolate indulgences. And never, ever refuse the decadent samples offered by the gracious hostess. Permission granted. 

Get Your Daily Double

The Mint Julep has got to be the greatest afternoon drink south of the Mason-Dixon Line, next to its nonalcoholic partner, Sweet Tea. Anyone who has ever heard of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby appreciates this smooth concoction of bourbon whiskey, sugar, mint, water, and ice. Derby Day is traditionally celebrated the first Saturday in May, as the Earth announces the arrival of mint. And if you’ve ever planted this herb, you already know it must be contained or it will overpower everything within its reach. Hence the reason for consuming this signature drink in a frosty chilled highball glass. Crowd control. Now that’s what I call Southern hospitality! 
MINT JULEP 
Ingredients:

4 mint leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons water

Cracked Ice

2 ounces Bourbon whiskey

Splash of sparkling water

Mint sprigs
Instructions:

In a chilled highball glass, gently muddle mint leaves. Add sugar and water. Stir to combine. Fill the glass with cracked ice. Add Bourbon whiskey and stir well; it keeps the glass frosted. Top off with sparkling water. Garnish with a mint sprig.