Report from the Klondike Highway in the Yukon

View on the Klondike Highway in the Yukon - Skagway Expedition to White Pass and then the Yukon.

It's was my first cruise, on the Holland America Line (HAL), M.S. Zuiderdam - 7 day inside passage to Alaska.  What a wonderful trip!  Other than a bump in the middle when I got sick, the 5 days up and running were great.  Lots to see and do even at sea.  Favorites include tai chi (qigong for detox was especially great), cooking class, movie, crow's nest, ipod art tour of the ship, the Juneau drive through/ Glacier Gardens and Mendenhall Glacier of the Tongass National Forest, Twisted Fish for dinner in Juneau, the Skagway to Emerald Lake and Yukon territory tour on the Klondike Highway, ambling on Creek Street in Ketchikan and the little museum of history there, brews from Alaska, shipboard dining, and all the walks all over the ship!

OK, we know cruise = food.  So for the religious foodies out there, not to disappoint!
I've brought back a couple of recipes and snagged some from various sources, so here goes:

My favorite tops the list:

• The Dungeness Crabcakes with the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce from the Pinnacle Grill on board
• Halibut Caddy Ganty from the onboard cooking class
• Chocolate and Raisin Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, also from the onboard cooking class
• The regular HAL Bread Pudding
• Creme Brulee
• People raved about the morning Muesli, though I stuck to smoked lox, poached eggs florentine, and omelettes.
• Good soups on board - Roasted Shallot and Butternut Squash Soup with Beet Crisps (I'd probably skip the beets steps for ease)

Mangia! Some photos from the week!

Emerald Lake, Klondike Highway, Yukon, Canada

Glacier Gardens, Juneau, AK

Dungeness Crabcake Appetizer at the Pinnacle Grill on board

3 Kinds of Creme Brulee at Pinnacle Grill on board

Baked Alaska before the flame

Baked Alaska being served

Baked Alaska delivered

Cod Provencal or in my case Sole

So easy...so good.  I substituted sole.  The recipe is here! 

Reading Up on the Knickerbocker Glory ice cream sundae

The Knickerbocker Glory (<-- click to read more) is a British ice cream treat, but apparently it was in the U.S. early as well.  I have a subscription to Jacquie Lawson e-cards because I like her illustrations and her love of her dog Chudleigh who shows up in various of the cards.  So it is there that I first read about The Knickerbocker Glory Sundae with her Thank You ecard labeled Sundae Stroll.  This is a drawing of Jacquie Lawson's Knickerbocker Glory.

Still winter...cooking Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

Here's the yummy recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken with Wild Rice soup.  I made the following changes:

1. Used roasted chicken from store.
2. Didn't have lemon rind so used lime.
3. Added frozen corn, for my tastes.
4. Added a bit of pepper flake to give a little kick.
5. I use Better than Bouillon for my cooking, instead of cartons of broth.
6. Didn't have fresh rosemary and fresh parsley, so just substituted dried.

Used the high setting on slow cooker and cooked for less than 3 hours. Did not want the wild rice to be too soft and mushy.

Frittelle di Pere

PEAR PANCAKES (with a side of Fried Eggs)

It's my sister Susan's birthday today!  Hooray, Susan!

Thought I was pretty cool when I made muffaletta panino last night for myself, a variation on Rachael Ray's, with salad olives, Candoni Italian onions in Balsamic Vinegar (borettane onions, a cippoline pearl onion, small saucer like onions), capers, pepper flakes, EVOO, small baguette, deli-roasted turkey, salami, and dubliner irish cheese.

But this morning, breakfast sublime!


Giovanna's Frittelle di Pere (Joanne's Pear Pancakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup bisquick mix
• 1/2 cup milk (more if you like thin pancakes)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 pear, hand-chopped in small pieces (I used red anjou and was patient for the last several days to make sure it had ripened - but not too soft)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• syrup, or for me powdered sugar and splash extra virgin olive oil on top when serving

Directions

1. Heat griddle to 375 degrees
2. Stir first 5 ingredients until blended
3. Grease griddle if it is a non-stick surface
4. Pour slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle
5. Cook until edges are dry. Turn and cook until golden
6. Serve with butter and syrup if you are traditional, or with splash EVOO and shake of powdered sugar, if you are like me. I served mine with a couple of fried eggs (love to dip pancake into yolk) and a couple of slices of the pear. I'm sure some caramelized pear slices would make a nice topping too.

I love the Yelp, Cozi, Foodspotting, and Allthecooks Recipe Finder app for my Droid.  Here's a fun post from Foodspotting blog on some holiday recipes from various places:

Holiday Dishes from Around the World

Joanne's Thanksgiving

Here's my story and I'm sticking to it. Various recipes if you click on item:

Appetizer
Relish Tray (olives, pickles, carrot sticks, celery sticks, roasted red peppers, Italian onions, lupini beans, Buttermilk Blue and Dubliner cheeses) with vinaigrette for dipping, crackers
 
Main Course
Pollo alla Catanzarse (Chicken Catanzaro-style)
Cornbread and Oyster Stuffing
Whole Berried Cranberry Sauce
Garlic Mashed Potatoes/Simple Baked Sweet Potato
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Hazelnut Brown Butter


Beverages
I will choose among the following depending on my mood:
Apple-cranberry sparkling cider
A blond ale or O'Douls
Prosecco or a rich red
Moscato with dessert

Dessert 
Affogato al Caffè (my version - Hazelnut Gelato with Caffè D'Arte strong coffee poured on top) 
Slice of pear, red grapes, and Anna's chocolate mint thin.