My Creations- Week of February 12th, 2005

Dutch Meat Loaf (right)

Category: Entrée
Rating: Good

Standard meat loaf of ground beef, onion, celery, egg and bread crumbs.

Empire Meat Loaf (left)

Category: Entrée
Rating: Very Good

The more intricate of the two with taste to match. Besides ground beef includes pork sausage, spinach, garlic, oyster sauce, onion, mayo, nutmeg and oats. Served with a broth containing caramelized shallots.

Empire Mashed Potatoes

Category: Side
Rating: Excellent

These use red potatoes as the starch and I kept them lumpy making a chunky yet creamy mash infused with flavor from cream, milk, chicken broth, chives and, of course, butter.

Mediterranean Green Beans

Category: Side
Rating: Very Good

A foundation of garlic sautéed in olive oil then adding diced tomato and green beans and finishing with oregano and kalamatas really gave this great flair.


Chocolate-Chip-Cookie Ice-Cream-Sandwich Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

Category: Cake
Rating: Very Good +

A gourmet, supersize version of the frozen novelty. In between the cookie and ice cream is home made butterscotch.


Cinnamon-Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

Category: Brownie
Rating: Very Good

A great chocolate taste with zip from the spice. Medium density and a crumbly texture. Decadent and rich ganache worth it alone.


Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Category: Cookie
Rating: Very Good +

Soft with all the flavors prevalent on their own as they swirl around your mouth- molasses, ginger and clover.