Top Ten Après-Ski Cocktails

This time of year when spring is just around the corner, you have to do everything you can to keep the cabin fever at bay. This means, of course, taking advantage of the very thing you've come to dread by now, the weather!

Whether you ski, cross-country or regular downhill, snowboard, snowshoe, skate, ice fish, snowmobile, or just hang out in the chalet, we've got a few great winter warmers on the blog today. That's right, how better to warm up and recharge than with a few nips of the perfect Après-Ski (or snowboard or snowshoe or...) Cocktail?

We've rounded up our Top 10 favorite Après-Ski refreshments for your enjoyment!

1. The Après Ski itself: Vodka, Licorice Liqueur, Green Creme de Menthe, and Lemonade, mixed and served in a julep cup with a sprig of fresh mint.
2. Crème Brulee Martini: Vanilla Vodka, Frangelico, and Cointreau, shaken and served in a chilled cocktail glass with a Crushed Graham Cracker rim.
3. Absinthe Suissesse: Absinthe with Crème de Menthe, Orgeat, Orange Flower Water, Egg White, and Half and Half, shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Brandy Avondale: Baileys, Tuaca, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur and Cream are added to Brandy, shaken, strained into a snifter, and then topped with warm spices.
5. The Hot Toddy: Combines Brandy, Whiskey, or Rum with hot tea. Garnish with any tea accoutrements of your choice, and voila! A gorgeous winter warmer.
6. Pumpkin Pie Martini: Vanilla Vodka, Milk, Heavy Whipping Cream, Simple Syrup, and Hazelnut Liqueur are shaken with Pumpkin Pie Spice and poured into chilled martini glasses with Crushed  Vanilla Wafer rims. Sprinkled with a dash of Cinnamon. 
7. Vin Chaud: Wine, Citrus Fruit, and Spices boiled with Sugar and served Hot. A definite favorite! 
8. Wassail: Along the same lines as Vin Chaud, Wassail is made with Bourbon or Rye Whiskey, Ale, and Cider. Boiled with Berries, Ginger Root, Cinnamon, and Brown Sugar, it is a tasty complement to any winter activity. 
9. Snowball: Advocaat is combined with Lemonade and Lime Juice for the perfectly refreshing post-slopes treat. 
10. Cafè Amore: Hot Black Coffee is much improved with the addition of Cognac, Amaretto, and plenty of Whipped Cream. 

There you have it! Your very own Top 10 delicious Après-Ski cocktails. Now, when you hit the slopes this weekend, you have even more to look forward to!

À votre santé!

Restaurant Week - February 24 - March 1, 2013

After such a wonderful time celebrating Valentine's Day, we're now getting excited for the fabulous week-long adventure that comes but once a quarter,  Mpls St Paul Magazine's Restaurant Week! On a hiatus since this past October, we can't wait for all of the fun to begin again.

Starting Sunday, February 24 and running through Friday, March 1, we'll be offering several lunch and dinner options at two great price points.

We hope you'll join us for lunch, dinner, or maybe both, since the combinations are endless!

Lunch — $20

Entrée (Choose one):

Cranberry Chicken Salad - Mixed greens, dried cranberries, red onion, strawberries, gorgonzola cheese, cranberry-port vinaigrette, grilled chicken, and toasted walnuts

Goat Cheese and Beet Salad - Roasted beets, mixed greens, apple, goat cheese croutons apple cider vinaigrette & toasted walnuts

Reuben or Rachel - Sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, 1000 island and your choice of corned beef or turkey, served on grilled pumpernickel

Prime Rib Melt - Sautéed onions with provolone cheese, toasted baguette with Au jus and horse radish

Avocado Chicken Melt - Grilled chicken, avocado, pepper jack cheese and roasted red pepper aioli served on sourdough bread

Walleye Sandwich - Canadian walleye beer- battered and fried, served on a toasted bun with creamy tartar sauce

Cranberry Turkey - Sliced turkey, gouda cheese, arugula and cranberry cream cheese, on wild rice bread

Sausage & Broccolini Ravioli - Served with roasted garlic cream sauce

Quiche du Jour - Served with straw potatoes, vegetables, and house salad

Truffle Chicken - Pan-seared chicken breast, truffle mushroom cream, asparagus, risotto

Chicken Penne - Chicken, capicola ham, bell peppers, onions, celery, spiced cream sauce, smoked gouda cheese

Dessert (Choose one):

Crème Brulee - Homemade brandied vanilla custard

Profiteroles - Cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream, topped with hot fudge and raspberry coulis

Chocolate Mousse

Dinner — $30

Hors d'Oeuvres (Choose one):

Escargots - Wild burgundy snails baked in garlic butter

Scallops - Fillo cup, olive tapenade, aged balsamic, olive oil

First Course:

Beet Salad - Fried goat cheese, mixed greens, roasted beets, truffles, Dijon mustard dressing
Pear Salad - Belgian endive, roasted pear, Roquefort cheese, ground mustard vinaigrette red wine reduction, candied pecan

Entrée (Choose one):

Lobster Ravioli - Lobster ravioli with wild mushrooms, roasted artichokes, and lobster tarragon sauce
Lamb Chops - Pan seared, provencal-herb crusted lamb chops with demi-glace & house potato
Chicken Fettuccini - Fettuccini with chicken, wild mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, roasted garlic cream sauce
Sea, Land, & Air - Beef short rib, lemon-lobster mashed potatoes, demi-glace
Blue-Brie Chicken - Chicken, spinach, artichokes, onions, pine nuts, truffle-cream risotto
Scottish Salmon - Honey-lime marinated salmon wrapped in a fillo pastry, mayor lemon marmalade
Roasted Duck - Rosemary polenta, dried fruit compote
Dessert (Choose one):

Crème Brulee - Homemade brandied vanilla custard

Profiteroles - Cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream, topped with hot fudge and raspberry coulis

Chocolate Mousse

We hope you're just as excited as we are! Join us throughout the following week for Restaurant Week by making your reservations at 952.888.4447 or online at Open Table.

See you soon!

Valentine's Day at Chez Daniel

Love is certainly in the air at the "BEST" Romantic Restaurant in Bloomington! Our staff has been hard at work creating a special menu in honor of the most romantic day of the year, Valentine's Day. With just over a week left to plan the perfect evening for your sweetheart, make plans and reservations to join us for a night he or she won't soon forget.

Valentine’s Day Special Menu

Appetizers

Goat Cheese Salad

Roasted beets, red peppers, frisee, micro greens, truffle, Dijon mustard vinaigrette

$10

Clams & Risotto

Lobster risotto, clams, pancetta, fennel, dried Vermouth butter sauce

$16

  

Entrées

Dried Aged Pork Chop

Celery root puree, morel mushroom sauce

$32

Surf & Turf

Beef Tenderloin, Lobster Tail, demi-glace, citrus hollandaise, house potatoes

$38

Crab Stuffed Salmon

Honey-lime marinated salmon stuffed with crab meat & rolled in Filo, risotto & lemon sauce

$32

Roasted Chicken

Pan-seared chicken, roasted tomatoes, asparagus, caramelized onions, spiced cream, garnished with shrimp

$31

Dessert

Heart-shaped chocolate cup, filled with passion & raspberry mousses, truffle chocolates

$9

Sounds pretty delicious, right? In addition to the above special menu, our full dinner menu will be available for guests to choose from as well.

Space fills quickly, so make sure you secure your reservation for the perfect Valentine's Day celebration by calling Chez Daniel at 952-888-4447 or book online at Open Table.

Plus, if you're looking to make a whole night of it, our prime location within the Embassy Suites Bloomington offers you the opportunity for a mini getaway! To make your room reservation, CLICK HERE.

Bonne Saint Valentin from all of us here at Chez Daniel!

French Onion Soup - The Dip

Just in time for your Super Bowl party tonight, have we got a dish for you! In honor of our favorite house-made French Onion Soup, how about a quick and easy recipe for French Onion Soup Dip?

That's right, Food.com's three ingredient French Onion Soup Dip will have your fellow party-goers raving about taste, while only you'll know the secret about ease of preparation.

Easy French Onion Soup Dip

Ingredients

1 - 10.5oz can condensed French Onion Soup

8oz Cream Cheese, softened

2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded

French or Sourdough Bread, torn into rough chunks for dipping (Toasting optional)

Preparation

Mix Soup & Cream Cheese until smooth. 

Stir in Swiss Cheese. 

Spread in a 1 quart baking dish. 

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with bread chunks.

**For a fun presentation option, serve in a French Onion Soup bowl!

Voila! A super easy Super Bowl ready recipe. Simply mix up, let bake, and enjoy the big game!