I don’t guess I can write this column today without first giving the Razorbacks their due “high-fives” for a job well done! They played an exciting game against the Kansas State Wildcats in the Cotton Bowl this past weekend. And it wasn’t such an easy win. The Wildcats fought to the bitter end, even though some of their best players were injured and carted off the field on a stretcher. Good job to both teams, and I hope no one was seriously injured.
Dallas was a busy place during all the hoopla – traffic was heavy and restaurants were crowded, but we managed to make reservations at the time we needed and ate some pretty good food. It just so happens that the hotel we choose to stay at was the official hotel for the Wildcats, so there was a lot of purple, but there was some red, too. We weren’t alone – just outnumbered.
One morning for breakfast at the hotel restaurant, I ordered Banana Crepes. I was torn between those and the French Toast, but when I saw a plate of French Toast someone else had ordered, I quickly marked that off the list. There were four pieces of it on the plate – which isn’t unusual, but each slice was about three or four inches thick, which is unusual. If you had put all four pieces together, you would have had a full loaf of bread.
They were huge and I honestly don’t think anyone has probably eaten all of it at one sitting. This French Toast was monstrous! Then it came with tons of whipped butter, powdered sugar, syrup and strawberries. The only word I can find to describe it happens to be one of the few words my 16-month old granddaughter can say – wow!
Now on to the Banana Crepes. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well, so did the French Toast. The Banana Crepes were just as elaborate. I ordered all the “toppings” on the side, which I thought would be a good thing, but that really didn’t help a whole lot. These Banana Crepes were filled with whipped cream, bananas, and Nutella (the chocolate hazelnut spread). They were so very rich and stuffed fatter than any crepe I have ever seen.
The toppings (which I was really glad that I ordered them on the side) were more bananas, whipped butter and caramel sauce. I put the bananas on the top because I figured I needed all the real food I could find on the plate, but the rest I left sitting on the table. At least for a while. After a few bites I decided to give the caramel sauce a try, but that just made them so much sweeter. I was on a sugar high for quite a while. I drove all the way home, and never got tired.
These two dishes were a prime example of a chef taking something good and trying to make it extravagant. Which he did quite well. In fact, they were over the top in my opinion. The whipped cream and Nutella that lined the inside of the crepes created a sweetness that had my head spinning! Black coffee did not even help.
But there was a happy ending to the story. Once we got home, I whipped out my pots and pans and set to preparing a good meal. You’ll find the recipe above. Then on Sunday night we had a small group meeting from our church, and we ate homemade vegetable soup with sourdough bread. Another good meal.
Going to fancy restaurants can be exciting and fun from time to time, but as Dorothy was famous for quoting, “there’s no place like home… there’s no place like home…”
Chicken with Fresh Tomato, Onion, Garlic, and Feta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 boneless chicken breasts, 1 inch thick, skinned
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Heat two tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until golden brown. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and place in the skillet. Cook to desired doneness. Remove chicken from pan and set aside; keep warm. Heat remaining oil in the skillet; stir in tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Cook and stir about three minutes, until tomatoes are tender. Mix in balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sprinkle with feta cheese to serve.