Houston Restaurants & Food

With Valentine’s Day less than one week away, the time is now to make sure that plans for the romantic day are in order.

Sara Brook from Dessert Gallery Bakery and Cafe and Elizabeth Stone from Stone Kitchen Catering suggest on FOX 26 Morning News Extra some gourmet meals to-go and some delicious desserts to make that favorite ’sweetie’ smile.

Beef & Pork Canneloni

Source: Stone Kitchen Catering & Special Events

Ingredients
· 1 tsp Onion Powder
· 1 tsp Garlic Powder
· 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 pound ground pork
· 1 pound lean ground beef
· 1/2 cup white wine
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
· 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
· 1 tsp celery salt
· ground black pepper to taste

· 1 stick butter
· 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 2 cup milk
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
· 1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
· 1/4 cup chopped parsley
· 2 egg yolks
· 4 cups tomato sauce
· 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
· 1 pound Manicotti or Canneloni Shells

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet. Add pork, and beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink. Add Garlic powder and onion power. Add Italian herbs and rosemary. Add wine, and reduce for 1 minute. Add herbs, celery salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan set over moderately low heat. Whisk in flour for approximately 2 minutes. Stir in milk, cream and grated nutmeg. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese.
3. Transfer the cooled meat mixture to a large bowl. Mix in egg yolks. Mix in the cheese and parsley sauce. Set aside.
4. Combine the tomato sauce and cream, set aside.
5. Cook pasta according to directions on the box. Cut the pasta sheets crosswise into 5 inch lengths. Transfer to a bowl of cold water. Spread the noodles in one layer on paper towels to drain.
6. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of one noodle, and roll the noodle to enclose the filing. Transfer the cannelloni, seam side down, to a well buttered Pyrex dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling, arranging in single layer. Ladle the extra cream sauce over the cannelloni, and drizzle with tomoato sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until bubbling.

The diva of dish and radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone, has some suggestions on where to watch the big NFL Championship game on Sunday.

Molina’s Cantina on Washington Avenue was recently named “Best Guy Food in America” by Men’s Health Magazine. The menu features great cheese enchiladas with chili con carne.

Christian’s Tailgate Bar & Grill on Bagby Street in midtown Houston is best known for their burgers and the restaurant also has a kids menu.

Little Woodrow’s, also in midtown Houston, is known for frozen mimosas and micheladas.

Stag’s Head Pub on Shepherd Plaza is well known for serving “The Great British Sunday Lunch” which includes “The Roast of the Day.”

Pennison’s, with two locations in Sugar Land and the Copperfield subdivision, is owned by former Houston Oilers player Jay Pennison, who wore jersey number 52. The pub will host a Super Bowl party with free gumbo at 5:30 p.m.

Rookies Sports Bar in The Woodlands features a beer buffet with more than 30 different beers, both domestic and imports. Cigars are also available ranging in price from $3 up to $20.

Armadillo Palace in the Greenway Plaza area has Cleverley’s favorite hamburgers in the city. The restaurant is
easy to find, has a huge mirrored armadillo sculpture in front and is owned by the Goode family from Goode Company BBQ.

Radio personality Outlaw Dave will host a party during the big game at Texas Rock Tavern in the FM 1960 area which will live entertainment and 25 cent wings all day.

To find more popular sports bars, visit http://www.sportstavern.com/.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on KIKK 650 AM. (PS: She gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a charity which benefits the youth of Texas. Since the Show’s beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has contributed more than $250 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs. Currently, 1,934 students are on Show scholarships. Enrolled students are attending 88 different Texas colleges and universities. The value of these scholarships is nearly $24.8 million.

The Best Bites event is on Feb. 21 and will feature announcement of winners of the International Wine Competition, a wine & food tasting and culinary competition between restaurants and catering companies.

Ronnie Killen, chef and owner of Killen’s Steakhouse in Pearland, won the 2009 Best Bites Competition. On Feb. 21 he defends his crown at the 2010 event. Killen shows the diva of dish and radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone, how to make his award-winning killer crab cake. Stephanie Baird, chairman of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Wine Competition Committee tells us about the winning wines that guests can sample at the event.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show, Saturdays at Noon on KIKK 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)

Killen’s Crab Cakes with Beurre Blanc Sauce
(Yields 6 cakes)
Source: Ronnie Killen, ownerand chef, Killen’s Steakhouse

Ingredients

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1/3 cup fresh toasted bread crumbs
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 egg
Dash of cayenne pepper
Panko bread crumbs, for coating
½ cup oil (plus 1 tablespoon for vegetables)
Beurre Blanc Sauce (see recipe below)

Directions

1. In medium pan sweat whites of onions, celery and peppers in 1 tablespoon of oil, until soft.
2. In a large bowl, mix together sweated vegetables, toasted bread crumbs and dash of cayenne pepper. Fold in egg, then fold in crab, (be careful not to break up the crabmeat pieces).
3. Shape mixture into patties and dredge in Panko bread crumbs.
4. Heat ½ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium heat till 325 degrees. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, (in batches), in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
5. Serve warm with beurre blanc or other preferred sauce.

Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

½ pound unsalted butter, ice cold
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2/3 cup of dry white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice
Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and put back in the fridge.
2. Put the shallots, white wine and lemon juice in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce liquid by two-thirds. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Briskly beat in the butter. You may strain out the shallots, if you like.