Tag: “Karen Schmautz”

Blackberry Cobbler or What to do during an eclipse

Blackberry Cobbler

I have been very excited to write about this recipe ever since seeing it on Pioneer Woman (Food Network) this past weekend and then making it that very day. Blackberry Cobbler brings back memories from my childhood.  Growing up in Placerville, CA (which is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas near Tahoe), it was hot and dry in the summer.  Perfect weather for blackberry bushes.  In fact, most people around here consider them a nuisance because they can very quickly take over huge chunks of land.  I have one in my yard that keeps trying to grow and take over and I keep whacking it back.

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Karen Schmautz36 Comments

Julia’s Coq au Vin or Peasant Food is Happy Food

Romantic Coq Au Vin

So, here is the finished product…Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin – Chicken with Wine and pearl onions and tomatoes and mushrooms and wonderful wine. Yes!Chef! also made roasted potatoes and simple buttery broccoli.  We love chicken around the Schmautzhaus and we also love slow food, so this was the perfect food for Yes!Chef to cook.  He started making it in the morning, before the chickens were up .

Chicken warily eyes me.

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Karen Schmautz6 Comments

Roast Beast or Family Birthday Happiness

I am starting to fall a little behind with Yes!Chef!’s food blogging.  He’s pumping out great food faster than I can take pictures, edit them, taste the food and blog.  Then, there’s this whole world around me that is begging to be photographed, to say nothing of my photography business.  So many beautiful people, so little time.   I’ve been as busy as our Lavender Bees.  All this to say that I have some heavy duty catching up to do, hopefully in the next few days.

Busy Bees of Spring

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Karen Schmautz5 Comments

Funfetti Birthday or Cute Cupcakes Quest finally makes some headway

Funfetti Cupcakes for the birthday boy

If you have read any of my past posts, you know that I am always on the quest to make and photograph cute cupcakes.  You know what I’m talking about, don’t you.  You see these adorable cupcakes on the web or in a magazine or cookbook and you say to yourself, “I am going to make those cupcakes because they are just so adorable.”  Well, at least I say that to myself and, really, anyone else who will listen.

I had another opportunity to make cupcakes because it was my oldest son’s birthday and the family celebrated it on Sunday.

Christopher, age 6 months or so.

The above photo was taken a few years ago.  But here’s another more recent one.

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Karen Schmautz4 Comments

Skirt Steak and Artichokes or Let’s go to Tahoe for the weekend

We spent last weekend at one of my favorite places in the world (not that I have traveled the world over, but even if I had, I think this would still be my favorite place because this is where I grew up)…Lake Tahoe.  It was kind of spur of the moment, but the weather had been so nice and it was supposed to remain nice, so I talked Yes!Chef! into going there for a couple of days.  We are most lucky to live about one hour from Lake Tahoe and, even luckier, we are blessed to have a cabin up there that my family has owned for a very long time.

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Karen Schmautz20 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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Karen Schmautz3 Comments