A GOOD FRIEND, LOTS OF GOOD WINE AND TONS OF GOOD FOOD = ONE HAPPY DAWN!

Awhile back I helped my friend Cathy with a little healthy cooking.  She just wanted someone to guide her through cooking some food with the whole bunch of dietary limitations she has.  She knows how much I love food and good food for that matter so she gave me a call.  I was happy to help.  We went shopping at the local co-op, good, all fresh, organic, gluten free and dairy free food.  The challenge for me was to cook without cheese!  I know, right?  No one should eat meals without cheese.  Just sayin'.

So I cooked up some incredible chicken broth from the chicken carcass that I baked, made some enchiladas with ground turkey, my grandma's recipe for stuffed peppers made with ground up bison meat, eggplant parmesan without the parmesan but with homemade marinara sauce, and a braised pork loin. Nummy!

Well, because Cathy is just this awesome person, she wanted to treat me to a night out.  A local winery here, called Four Daughters,  had a Chef's dinner night, so Cathy said we had to go.  Who could turn that down?  They were offering a tour of the winery, a three-course meal and wine tasting.

We took a cab so we could really enjoy ourselves and had just the best time chatting with the cabbies.  I never took a cab here in Rochester, didn't know they were so friendly and fun, them cabbies.

We got there about 7 and sat at the bar to wait, there were supposed to be a few more signed up for the dinner.  About 7:15 they assumed they weren't coming so we got started with the tour.

Our first course was a scallop with bitter greens and balsamic redux.  We got that while having the tour.  Then our next course was a peice of artisinal pizza.  At this point I'm thinking this is great!  But the best part is when the two Chef's announced that they were 'practicing' tonight and were gonna serve us more like 8 courses, which turned out to be 9.  Yeehaaa!  Glad I wore my leggings instead of my jeans. Seriously.  And don't forget wine poured with every course!  Yeehaa!  Dawn's living it up tonight!

We didn't get pics of the first two courses, we were still in a state of shock from the sumptuous taste of the them.

Next came a baby pear, goat cheese and beet …. I guess you can call it a... salad.

Then it was duck proscuitto and housemade grape jelly.

Then the Chef loves to use a noodle.  One long noodle.  And a shrimp with some house pickled pepper pepita salsa. Chef said he likes redundancy.

Then there was the potato soup with bacon - yes, BACON!  (Bacon should always have an exclamation point)

And then… it was the pan seared roasted duck breast with sauteed kale and this bread pudding made with housemade driend grapes and andiuolle sausage. I think… it was getting a little fuzzy by then and I didn't write all this down.

then the intermezzo was a house made pita chip with 5 year old cheddar.  Cheese!

Well, now that we are ready to roll out of the room, dessert arrives. It's two ginger pancakes stuffed with this amazing cream filling that tasted like heaven!

Now that's what I call a good time.  Great food, good wine, good friends and just an overall great night out.  I just really love my life.  Of course it wouldn't be this great without my really great friends. : )

And Marilyn.

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

As I sure I have mentioned before, I LOVE goat cheese!  One of the main reasons I bought a goat, so I could make chevre.  I know, I know, buy it from the store it's easier, but then - that wouldn't be me.  I like to make my own stuff.  So every now and them I get a craving some some great pizza, and usually it doesn't involve pepperoni.  At least not anymore, it used to…. but I've grown up.  No, not really, I just like new kinds of pizza.  Growing up is overrated anyway…

So I made the crust Gluten Free - cuz that's what I like to do (not because I have to, but because I want to).  And then I added the fabulous toppings to make the best pizza EVER!  Well, close to ever - because my favorite pizza ever is the one I'm gonna show you in a couple days.  I won't tell you the total ingredients now, but I will tell you it involves chevre goat cheese.  Surprised?

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust ( I prefer this Gluten Free Recipe from the Gluten-Free Goddess®) or if you prefer regular 'ol pizza crust, try this recipe.  I've used it before and it's great with a little added garlic.

Toppings:
1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates
1/2 cup chopped proscuitto
6 oz chevre - soft goat cheese

caramelized onion:

1 large onion - chopped
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbs butter, divided

chop onion - or you can cut in strips (I did both - sometimes I am indecisive)

melt 1 tbs butter in pan

sauté onions in pan until brown and totally caramelized (wait patiently - this can take up to 45 minutes - but it's worth it!

add balsamic vinegar and reduce, takes about 2-4 minutes

add 1 tbs butter and melt in

Take the caramelized onions and use as your 'sauce', then top with the other ingredients.

If using regular crust recipe- bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

If you are using the Gluten-Free crust, heat broiler and bake for about 4-5 minutes until toppings are brown.

Walah!  Awesomely good PIZZA!

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust (I prefer this Gluten Free Recipe from the Gluten-Free Goddess) or if you prefer regular 'ol pizza crust, try this recipe.  I've used it before and it's great with a little added garlic.

Toppings:

1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates

1/2 cup chopped proscuitto

6 oz chevre - soft goat cheese

caramelized onion:

1 large onion - chopped

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbs butter, divided

 

chop onion - or you can cut in strips

melt 1 tbs butter in pan

sauté onions in pan until brown and totally caramelized (wait patiently - this can take up to 45 minutes - but it's worth it!)

add balsamic vinegar and reduce, takes about 2-4 minutes

add 1 tbs butter and melt in

Take the caramelized onions and use as your 'sauce', then top with the other ingredients. 

If using regular crust recipe- bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

If you are using the Gluten-Free crust, heat broiler and bake for about 4-5 minutes until toppings are brown.