Karen Schmautz

Hamburger with Provolone and Reduced Wine Sauce, OR Where was I when Julia was invited to dinner?

The other day Yes! Chef! and I were watching some taped shows of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. One show was all about potatoes and the other was about duck. At any rate, it inspired Yes! Chef! to dig out one of Julia Childs cookbooks that my mom gave me in 1989 called, The Way to Cook. (You may wonder how I know my mom gave it to me in 1989. It’s because I’m rather OCD and I always mark the year and the giver in a book when I receive one. A little quirk that Yes! Chef! has had to learn to live with…my OCD, not the book marking.) So, tonight he made a couple of hamburgers from some burger he had ground up from a brisket (very meaty.) Then, he used Julia’s technique for Deglazing Sauce with Red Wine. He added shallots to the sauce which added a nice texture and flavor.

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April 4, 2012April 4, 2012

Karen Schmautz3 Comments

A Visit to ZacJack Bistro or Don’t Eat the Hero Until I Get the Shot

A few years ago, my husband, Yes! Chef!, had the opportunity to work with Chef John Evans at Zachary Jacques Restaurant in Placerville. He and his wife are co-owners and he is the chef. We have been dining at Zachary Jacques for many years and had always loved the food. So, it was a wonderful opportunity for my husband to be able to intern one or two days a week for over a year under this excellent chef. Chef John was an” honors graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. He has worked and trained under Chef Mark Hopper of Thomas Kelller’s Bouchon in Las Vegas. He also opened Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace with Bobby Flay.”

I have also been doing some of his photography for him for several years.

Recently he opened a new restaurant called ZacJack Bistro. And he gave me a call to come on down and take a few pics for his web page.

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April 3, 2012June 9, 2015

Karen Schmautz3 Comments

Chicken Gyros or Where can a nice girl like me find Greek Yogurt Around here?

I generally enjoy living out in the country, however, we do live 25 minutes from the nearest town and, more importantly, major grocery store. So, I have to plan carefully whenever I decide to coerce Yes! Chef! into cooking something for me. My youngest son works at Safeway in Placerville, so when I drop him off for work and I have planned appropriately, I can pick up what I need. I can’t just run into town every day because it is too expensive gas-wise and too time consuming.

What does this have to do with Chicken Gyros, I hear someone ask. Well, I think I might have mentioned in some earlier blog posts that I have been enjoying taking a Photography for Food Bloggers course over at PPSOP.com taught by Ron Goldman and Lara Ferroni. (Quite the high-powered duo, I know, right?) And this blog is my final assignment. I must say that I’m a little apprehensive about doing this post, but I will plow ahead anyway.

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March 31, 2012May 11, 2012

Karen Schmautz22 Comments

Mushroom Soup or Can I Train Obie to Hunt for Mushrooms that won’t Kill Us?

Mushroom Soup! I love mushrooms and I adore mushroom soup, but I have never had homemade mushroom soup. I have memories of my mom making my favorite meal of chicken thighs cooked with a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup mixed with a little mayo, herbs, maybe some Worcestershire Sauce and Parmesan Cheese. Add some green beans and white rice and I was in heaven. My mom would let me and my brother pick what we wanted for our Special Birthday Meal and I always chose this chicken. When my kids were small they didn’t like mushrooms so that whole meal was a non-starter. Even now, the male children still do not like mushrooms.

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March 27, 2012May 31, 2012

Karen Schmautz16 Comments

Tomato Soup or Look What Followed Me Home!

With all that snow we had the other day I began to crave some nice hot soup. Two of my comfort soups are tomato soup and mushroom soup. Yes! Chef! was going into town to drop the youngest off at his job and I suggested that he pick up some tomato soup for me.

Needless to say, he did just what I asked and came home with a can of familiar tomato soup. He plunked the can on the counter and I thanked him very much. However, the thought of eating condensed canned tomato soup was very unappetizing, so I ate oatmeal cookies instead. (Yipes!)

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