Sac Foodies

A Delicious Julie & Julia Giveaway

In the foodie world, there’s one name that resonates above all others. She’s been a mother to some, a confidant to others, and a teacher to most of us. Who am I talking about? Why, the one and only Julia Child, of course!

You may be well aware of the latest tribute to this legendary foodie – Sony’s (an FH client) Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child and Amy Adams as food blogger Julie Powell. The movie tells a story near and dear to our foodie blogger hearts and has undoubtedly resonated highly with many of you!

We’re excited to announce that the Julie & Julia Blu-ray and DVD hit stores today – and we have one to give away!

These discs are jam packed with some awesome special features sure to satisfy anyone’s appetite. The DVD offers a behind-the-scenes featurette “Secret Ingredients: Creating Julie & Julia” as well as special commentary by Director/Producer Nora Ephron. With the Blu-ray, you can enjoy a tour of Julia Child’s kitchen, now housed at the Smithsonian Institution, cooking lessons with such master chefs as Julia Child, Suzanne Goin and Jacques Pépin, and a movieIQ feature allowing you to bookmark and email select Julia Child recipes while watching the film…just to name a few!

Leave a comment here or on our Facebook fan page sharing your favorite Julia Child memory and we’ll pick a winner on Thursday at 3 p.m.!

As Julia would say, Bon Appétit!

10 comments December 8, 2009

Reminder: Good eats for a good cause @ Lounge ON20

Don’t forget to join the ladies of Sac Foodies at Lounge ON20 tomorrow night where we’ll be raising funds and awareness for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS)!

Please click here to RSVP.

Ten percent of all sales from the evening will be donated to SFBFS and everyone who visits Lounge ON20 between 6-9 PM will be entered for a chance to win prizes included a night out with the Sac Foodies for an upcoming restaurant review, four tickets to an upcoming Kings game and other great Sac Foodies goods!

We hope you can join us!

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Add comment December 7, 2009

Hot Italian’s New Brunch Menu – That’s Amore!

Brittany - I love brunch. And I love pizza. Now I’m no mathematician, but I’d like to think that in the case of brunch and pizza, the whole is even greater than the sum of its parts. Are you following? To clarify …

BRUNCH + PIZZA = AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS

How did I discover this, you ask? Recently, fellow Sac Foodies Cecily Fuller, Julie Berge, Christine Schunk and I had the pleasure of sampling what we now know is one of the best brunch offerings in town, and it’s found at none other than Hot Italian. We feasted on pizzas and, of course, dabbled in the dessert, my favorite being the Zucchero – organic Italian chocolate hazelnut spread wrapped in a delicious dough then dusted with powdered sugar!

Cecily – I was looking forward to brunch at Hot Italian all week and I wasn’t expecting anything short of delicious – and boy did they deliver! Each entrée combines two of my all-time favorite foods (pizza and eggs) but with new and oh-so-yummy flavor like the Ventura pizza that features two sunny side up eggs, tomato sauce and fior di latte cheese! I also enjoyed the traditional Italian music that the restaurant plays during brunch hours.

Julie – As a recently converted vegetarian, I have come to learn that breakfast and brunch dishes without a ton of carbs and still full of flavor are hard to come by, which is why my taste buds were thrilled to discover the Nibali pizza at Hot Italian. The thin-crusted pizza consisting of scrambled eggs, mushrooms, spinach, truffle oil and crescenza cheese was incredible and a definite group favorite. (Note: for those meat lovers, there is the option to add prosciutto for just $2 extra.) I also especially enjoyed washing my meal down with the tasty Prosecco cocktails that are offered in three flavors including bellini (peach), tiziano (strawberry) and arancia rossa (blood orange). Finally, the icing on the pizza pie was that there was no wait to sit down and begin enjoying our Italian brunch experience.

Christine – I can’t wait to go back before this local breakfast secret gets out, because it’s just a matter of time that this place will be buzzing in the mornings. I definitely agree with Julie that the Nibali pizza was my favorite – perfect brunch pizza that could easily pair with a nice Italian latte, or a Prosecco cocktail (we “sampled” with both just to be sure, hee hee). I always knew pizza for breakfast was a good thing, but pizza made for breakfast is even better!

Hot Italian’s brunch menu is served on weekends from 11 AM – 4 PM.

Add comment December 4, 2009

Cafe Americain Grand Opening

The other night a few of us Sac Foodies found ourselves at a new champagne bar in Old Sacramento called Café Americain that we heard about on Sacramento Magazine’s “Ravenous” food blog.

What impressed us the most was the incredibly friendly and hospitable staff, all of whom seemed very excited for the upcoming Grand Opening Event. As we each enjoyed a bowl of delicious organic vegetable soup and sipped champagne, we were lucky enough to chat with the owner, Natalya, to get the details about the grand opening.

Café Americain’s Grand Opening Event will be on December 12^th at 6 p.m. The event will feature a reception with complimentary champagne and caviar appetizers, a presentation by a world renowned culinary expert and wine connoisseur on caviar and champagne and an exclusive tasting showcasing three exotic caviars and three of their featured champagnes. The evening will culminate with a three course sit down dinner with your choice of three entrees including Sterling Sturgeon Steak, Wild Sea Scallops or Organic Baby Lamb.

For pricing information or to make your reservation, call Natalya at (916) 470-6898 before December 8^th.

Cafe Americain
1023 Front Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 498-9098

Add comment December 3, 2009

Tightwad Tuesday: Dinner at Selland’s

Have you run out of those yummy Thanksgiving leftovers, but aren’t quite ready to step back into the kitchen for dinner tonight? With Selland’s Market-Cafe’s great new dinner for 2 special, you won’t have to worry about facing your kitchen for the next four days!

Every day after 3 p.m. through December 5^th, you and a dining partner can enjoy philly cheesesteak sandwiches, a mini version of their wedge salad with blue cheese dressing and Randall’s wine pick or a pitcher of beer, all for only $25. Dine in and share it with a friend, or take it home and feed the whole family!

Selland’s
5340 H Street
Sacramento, CA 95819
(916) 736-3333

1 comment December 1, 2009

Soup Series: Cheddar Corn Chowder

I was so excited that we were doing a soup series again because I love soup. Not only is it comforting in the cold winter months, but it is often very easy to prepare. The following recipe comes from one of my go-to cookbooks, “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.” I’ve made this recipe numerous times, playing around with the proportions and highlighting my favorite parts of the soup. This time, I added less corn and more potatoes, making for a chunkier, richer soup. I also used extra sharp cheddar instead of white cheddar because I was hoping for a stronger cheddar flavor. To top it off, I added green onions as a garnish which gave it delicious flavor and texture. Lastly, you’ll definitely want to purchase some of your favorite bread to slop up every last drip of this scrumptious soup.

Here is the original recipe for you to make it your own. It makes quite a bit, but freezes beautifully.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Ingredients
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
3 pounds frozen corn kernels
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

By Kim Bedwell

1 comment November 30, 2009

eat. write. give: The ladies of Sac Foodies serve up good eats for a good cause

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Sacramento opening of Fleishman-Hillard. To commemorate our last two decades in the Capitol City, the ladies of Sac Foodies will make an offline appearance at midtown’s Lounge ON20 to raise funds and awareness for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Ten percent of all sales from the evening will be donated to SFBFS and everyone who visits Lounge ON20 between 6 – 9 PM will be entered for a chance to win prizes including a night out with the Sac Foodies for an upcoming restaurant review, four tickets to an upcoming Kings game and other Sac Foodie goods!

Nothing would make us happier than to have all of our loyal readers and friends to join us for this special event!

Please click here to RSVP.

3 comments November 24, 2009

Burritos Give Back

We heart burritos. There’s never a bad time for a warm tortilla stuffed with steamy deliciousness. Breakfast, lunch or dinner – you can’t go wrong.

Needless to say, we’re pretty excited for today’s fundraising event at Chipotle benefiting our friends at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. Enjoy a tasty treat at any Sacramento-area Chipotle from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., show this flier and 50% of the proceeds will go directly to SFBFS. The flier is doubled, so share the giving and make a new friend by using half and give the other to someone in line!

Add comment November 23, 2009

Soup Series: No-Rules Beef Stew

There’s frost on your car in the morning, your shorts and flip flops have been laid to rest and it’s time to start bundling up in front of the fireplace with a tasty bowl of steamy soup. What does this all mean? It’s time to kick off this year’s Soup Series! Sit back, enjoy and warm up with some of our favorite soup recipes to come in the next few weeks!

Vanessa’s Beef Stew

I love this time of year; the weather turns cold and it gets dark a little earlier, which means it’s the perfect time of year to dust off the Crock Pot and whip up some easy, comfort food recipes, like beef stew. There’s nothing like coming home to the smell of stew – not to mention there’s nothing like coming home to dinner that can be on the table in five minutes flat! And, the beauty of stew is that there are no rules and you can make it your own by adding all your favorite ingredients for whatever suits your mood. I’m pretty traditional when it comes to stew, but adding fresh herbs, like rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf, is my favorite addition for maximum flavor.

Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut in 1-inch cubes
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups beef broth
½ cup red wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 sprig of rosemary (remove before eating)
1 teaspoon paprika
4 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes diced
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced

Put meat in Crock-Pot. Mix flour, salt and pepper, and pour over meat; stir to coat meat well. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours, or on high 4 to 6 hours. Stir stew thoroughly before serving. Pair with warm bread for dipping and, viola, dinner is served! (Makes 6 servings)

Nutrition
Calories: 330
Protein: 32 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Carbs: 23 grams
Cholesterol: 98 mg
Sodium: 542 mg

By Vanessa Smith

Add comment November 20, 2009

Grand Opening Party at Ten22

Last week, a few of the Sac Foodies were invited to attend the grand opening celebration for Ten22 restaurant in Old Sacramento. Since we had also been invited to a preview tasting a few months back, we were really looking forward to seeing how the restaurant had turned out now that it is officially open!

The four of us had a great time feasting on appetizers and enjoying the complimentary drinks while mingling with friends and fellow foodies. Even the mayor stopped by and expressed his excitement about the new restaurant opening and the jobs that have been created as a result.

We especially loved the huge outdoor patio and fire pit area – we’re already envisioning many a happy hour spent out there! The welcoming attitude of the owner and staff along with the casual atmosphere are sure to make Ten22 an Old Sacramento hit. And we couldn’t be happier to have a new hangout just a few blocks from the office – see you soon Ten22!