Eye of Round with Horseradish Cream

I've been trying to be good and eat little to no gluten. It's been tough. I should have never had the gluten free for all that was December. Getting back on track has been a little bit easier with a couple great recipes that I've found recently.

This is a new favorite!

I recommend using a Programmable Probe Thermometer.  You can also find them at Target with the kitchen gadgets.  The original recipe said to leave in the turned off oven for 2 hours....but because I was using the thermometer, I knew my roast was ready after only 35 minutes.

Eye of Round with Horseradish Cream
adapted from My Recipes

1 package of cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (4 pound) eye of round roast
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine the cream cheese, horseradish and mustard.  Stir until smooth, cover and chill.

Combine wine and butter in large bowl or a zip lock bag.  Add the roast.  Cover the bowl with a lid or saran wrap and chill for 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Remove roast from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the roast in a foil lined 13 X 9 pan.  Combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder in bowl, then rub on the roast.

Bake uncovered at 500 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  Turn the oven off and do not open the door until your roast reaches 145 degrees (for medium rare) or 160 degrees (for medium).  This can take up to 2 hours but my roast only took 35 minutes.

Thinly slice meat, reserving pan juices and serve with horseradish cream.

Coffee Talk: Two Rivers Coffee

 One of my Foodie Resolutions for 2012 was to visit more coffee shops.  And I don't mean Starbucks!

My friend Denise from Eat, Play, Love is always up for an adventure and I was thrilled when she agreed to check out a coffee shop in Arvada even though she was on day 20 of the Whole Living 21 Day Cleanse.  She is a super trouper!

I did a little bit of research before going to Two Rivers Coffee.  I knew that they had high quality small batch coffee offerings.  This delighted me!  I love trying new coffee and know that it all tastes different depending on how it's grown and where it comes from.

I really need to go to coffee school.  Is there such a thing?

 

I started with the San Sebastian coffee from Colombia and what I think was a blackberry scone.  I arrived early so that I could down a pastry before my detoxing friend showed up.  I didn't want to eat it in front of her.  I'm so considerate!

The coffee was full bodied and didn't need ANY cream.  I loved the cup it was served in....with a high backside so that I could breath in the vapors.  Each cup of coffee is brewed to order in a clover machine.  They weigh the coffee beans instead of measuring them.  It's very scientific and exact!

Denise arrived and went with a white tea so that she wouldn't cheat.  She is has amazing willpower!

She started talking to Eric (who we later found out owned the place) about different coffee pots because she wanted to get a gift for her coffee-obsessed husband.   Eric showed us some of what he has in the store and he offered to show us how the Siphon Coffee brewing works.

I was really excited about this because two years ago, I went to a Siphon Bar in Salt Lake City who shall remain nameless and had a fabulous cup of coffee there.  The reason that I won't tell you where I went...is because the guy was condescending and rude.

Eric was so excited to show us the Siphon and let us take pictures.  He explained each step...I felt like I was in coffee school! 

Two Rivers coffee will be my new go-to place when I'm in Arvada and need to escape from my children.  It think I'll be coming up with excuses to go to Arvada now.  Sunflower Market and Hobby Lobby are just steps away!

Two Rivers Coffee
7745 Wadsworth Blvd ste B
Arvada, CO 80003
303.424.1313
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Christmas Menu 2011

Do you ever look at your family tree and wonder what Christmas used to be like before your great, great, great grandparents came to America?

My family came from Sweden and Norway, they settled in Northern Minnesota in the early 1900s. There is very little about the Christmas of my childhood that resembles what they would have had in the old country. Only lefse. I love lefse!

I decided that this year I would try to bring some of my background into our Christmas and I was very pleased with how everything turned out!  Recipes will be posted tomorrow.

Scandinavian Christmas Eve

• Gravlax on Rye Crisp Crackers with cream cheese, red onions and capers
• Gravlax on roasted potato rounds with capers
• Cucumber Salad
• Lefse
• Rise Pudding
• Mulled Wine

rise pudding

Brie with Cherry Preserves and Walnuts

Christmas Day

• Brie with Cherry Preserves and Walnuts
• Spiral Sliced Ham
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Waldorf Salad
• Bavarian Cream Torte from Rheinlanders Bakery

Cinnamon Rolls: Friends for Life

If you got a pan of these Cinnamon Rolls from me today....then you know how I feel about you.

I think this will be our new Christmas Tradition.  But next year I'll make them at my brother in laws house because my galley kitchen was much too small!

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

If you want to see your kid with this look on their face.

You have to make these.

They only need to cook for a minute and a half.  Fast, easy and delicious!

Hot Chocolate Balls

It's time for another Pintervention Party post with Steph and Nicole! I've been looking high and low for things to put in the goodie bag for my son's Kindergarten Winter Party in two weeks.

I knew that I wanted to include my homemade marshmallows but I didn't know if I wanted to just put a stick in them with some frosting or......what.

Then....pinned Hot Chocolate Balls!

source

 

These Hot Chocolate Balls will be the perfect addition to the goodie bags with a chunk of marshmallow!

Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls
from melskitchencafe.com
*Makes about 10 hot chocolate balls
 

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
 

In a plastic bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring often, until the mixture is combined and very smooth and silky. Be extra careful not to overheat as the chocolate can seize. The trick is to stir often since the mixture will blend together even when it looks like the chocolate chips haven't melted completely.
 

Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the mixture is firm and scoopable, about 2-3 hours. Scoop out about 1/4-cup spoonfuls  (I used a cookie scoop) of the mixture and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. My cookie scoop is about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the mounds harden slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Roll the chilled mounds into balls and place on squares of plastic wrap.  Pull the sides of the plastic wrap over to cover the ball and place the balls in the freezer until ready to use.
 

To make the hot chocolate: pour 1 cup milk into a microwave-safe mug. Carefully drop one unwrapped truffle hot chocolate ball in the milk. Microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir well until the chocolate is combined with the milk.

Serve warm!

K Cup Review: Barista Prima Italian Roast

I recently signed up for Green Mountains Cafe Express Coffee Club so that I never run out of K Cups again.  I found their prices to be comparable to the cups I buy at Target and I'm hoping this will save me money in the long run because I won't run to Target for a $12 box of coffee and then spend $100.

I know this happens to people other than me.  Target is a money suck!

I was really excited to see what all of the buzz was about with this new line of K Cups called Barista Prima.  They are a little bit more expensive than my old standby but I don't mind for paying more for a really great cup of coffee.  This will be my weekend coffee.  Because I deserve it.

The website describes the Italian Roast as robust, heavy-bodies and very dark.   The first thing that I noticed was that it is very smooth and even though I did add a little bit of half and half....it was really creamy.  It makes me want to sit in front of a fireplace with a book.   I'm telling you....it instantly gave me a homey feeling.

Coffee should make you feel good.  I believe this is THE perfect cup of coffee.

**disclosure: Green Mountain and Barista Prima didn't pay me for this review.  I just love coffee and sharing my finds with my friends and readers.