take a bite out of life

I've gone to the dark side...

2011-06-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

CHECK IT OUTTTTT and update accordingly. :-)

http://takeabigbiteoflife.wordpress.com/

I'm coming back...

2011-05-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

With about 25 things to post from the past 6 months of my life...get ready for a thunderstorm of fun.

I will update "retrospectively" and hopefully by the end of the week, I will be almost caught up. We'll see how I fair.

:-)

Peace, Love and BBQs.

Creamy Gruyere and Shrimp Pasta

2011-02-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

Back to Cooking Light Pasta. Heyooo. This recipe is a definite keeper and is really good if you are entertaining. Definitely a crowd pleaser...or just make it and eat a lot of it...yeah, do that.

Adapted from Cooking Light Pasta

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked Cavatelli (I used this) or orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 Cup of Baby spinach
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Olive Oil

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375°.
2) Cook pasta according to package directions, no salt. Drain well.
3) Combine the flour and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil.
4) Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.
5) Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, stirring until melted.
6) Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
7) Add shrimp and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in wine and pepper, and cook 1 minute or until shrimp is done.
8) Add pasta, shrimp mixture, and spinach to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine.
9) Spoon the pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with oil; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
10) Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
11) Share and Enjoy!

This wont last too long in your fridge or at the table. It is just that good. And despite the pasta and cheese, it is really not that bad for you! Yup. Cooking light does it again!

Made: 02/08/11
"Posted": 02/08/11
Posted: 06/03/11

Brunch Part IV: Spinach, Feta and Mushroom Quiche

2011-02-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

This was the home run. I actually ended up making it again...twice...for my classmates because everyone loved it so much. No matter what your audience is this is just a winner. WINNING, duh. (you see what I did there!)

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 cups of fresh baby spinach (USE THIS!) or 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach (thawed)
1 pint of sliced mushrooms
1 3/4 cup of Feta cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2) In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3) Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Spoon mixture into pie crust.
5) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
6) Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
7) Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center.
8) Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
9) Share and Enjoy!!!

Just delicious. If I knew quiche were this easy to make, I would have been making quiche a LONG time ago. Just saying. Super delicious. Super Easy. Make this as soon as you get a chance...please. Do it for me, your friends and your family. They need this quiche in their lives. :-)

Made: 02/04/11
"Posted": 02/04/11
Posted: 06/03/11

Brunch Part III: Mixed Veggie Frittata

2011-02-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

It is impossible to have a proper brunch without an egg dish...so I made one. Or maybe two...but more to that later. My frittatas in the past have gone over extremely well and this is definitely more of the same. I love frittatas because you can just throw whatever you want into them and cater them to yourself or your company.

Ingredients:

1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 white potatoes
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

0) Get baking pan
1) Boil potatoes until slightly soft (about 15 minutes) and drain
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3) Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat
4) Saute onions for about 4 minutes
5) Add green and red bell peppers to onions and saute for another 6-8 minutes
6) Meanwhile, beat eggs in large bowl with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese
7) Add potatoes to the onion and pepper mixture and then add eggs to the mixture and scramble for about 3-4 minutes until slightly cooked.
8) Turn of heat and transfer egg mixture into baking dish.
9) Top with rest of cheddar cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and there is a slight browned edge around the dish.
10) Share and Enjoy!

Add whatever you want to this beauty...it is sure to be delicious!

Made: 02/04/11
"Posted": 02/04/11
Posted: 06/02/11

BRUNCH Part II: Jalapeno Pepper Jack Scones

2011-02-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

This was another delicious feature of Joy the Baker. Usually, we make sweet scones...but not today! I really like this change of pace and making savory scones and I would definitely want to experiment along these lines again. Maybe even do a sweet + savory scone?!?! The options are endless.

I will say that scones are a fair amount of work and I actually made the dough the night before and refrigerated it to cut down on prep time the morning of brunch. I definitely recommend this.

Adapted from the Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

2 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing the tops of the scones)

1/4 pound pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes

2 medium jalapenos, some seeds removed, diced small

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

1) Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

2) Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small saute pan and cook diced jalapenos until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. DON'T TOUCH YOUR EYESSSSS.

3) Let the diced peppers cool and them mix with the diced cheese.

4) Toss mixture in 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside.

5) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

6) Work in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

7) Whisk together 2 eggs and heavy cream.

8) Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, fold together with a fork until almost fully incorporated.

9) Add the jalapeno and cheese mixture to the shaggy dough and work together.

10) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 30 seconds.

11) Form into a disk about 8 inches around and 2 inches thick. Cut disk into six wedges and refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking (yeah I did it the night before to cut down on time).

12) When ready to bake, place chilled scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

13) Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

14) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and making your kitchen smell like Paula Dean's kitchen...imagine that.

As I said before, these are delicious. Make them. It doesn't even have to be for brunch...but I also reckon that this would be delicious with a large bowl of Veggie Chili. Just sayin...

Made: 02/04/11

"Posted": 02/04/11

Posted: 06/02/11

BRUNCH Part I: Lox and Cream Cheese Breakfast Pizza

2011-02-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

Back in Early February, I had a bunch of the closest Scranton girl buds of BOOF over to my apartment for brunch. We were able to find a weekend that worked for everyone, and I was really excited to host a brunch because I hadn't done so in a while...and I LOVE to host friends and I LOVE brunch. Win. Win.

I started off with the simple Lox and Cream Cheese Breakfast Pizza. This was by far the easiest thing it takes a whopping 15 minutes to make. For real. And did I mention it is delicious?

Ingredients:

Frozen Pizza Crust
A Package of Lox/smoked salmon (or fresh)
An 8 oz. package of cream cheese
Capers (if you would like...)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) Oil pizza pan and dust with corn starch (FOR REAL...do this and your pizza crust will never stick again!)
3) Bake pizza crust
4) Once crust is cool, spread cream cheese over the crust.
5) Top with lox
6) Share and Enjoy!

Easy Peasy. Delicious. Success.

Made: 02/04/11
"Posted": 02/04/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Portobellos

2011-01-31T19:49:00.000-08:00

Back to pasta. Back to cooking light. Although I am a very conscientious vegetarian and I try to make sure I get enough protein by eating eggs and beans and what not, every once in a while I like to "treat" myself to a nice pescatarian meal. Therefore, we have a couple of those coming up.

Ingredients

1/2 package of Spaghetti (8 ounces)
2 Portobello mushroom cap
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup, vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound large shrimp
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Directions

1) Cook pasta according to package directions (minus the salt) and drain
2) Remove the brown gills from the underside of the Portobellos using a spoon and discard the gills.
3) Slice the Portobellos longwise into thin slivers
4) Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
5) Add mushroom, onion, parsley, salt and garlic and saute the mushrooms until they release their moisture...they will squeak in the bottom of the pan!
6) Stir in broth, wine, and shrimp and bring to a boil.
7) Add pasta and cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done.
8) Toss to combine and sprinkle with Asiago cheese.
9) Share and Enjoy!

I really like the Asiago punch and the flavors of this dish are really simple and clean and tasty. I used Spaghetti but I believe you could use Fetuccini or some other long noodle and have an equally delicious experience.

Made: 01/31/11
"Posted": 01/31/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Veggie Chili

2011-01-24T17:27:00.000-08:00

Winter staple. We all have one. I literally make a huge pot of this stuff every winter and eat it for a week. And guess what? It gets better each day. I know, I know...you're thinking why in the poop would I make veggie chili? Well, it's delicious and sometimes...you don't have meat on hand? Well, that and it's just plain healthier and with all the beans I put in this bad boy, it is nice and thick and extremely filling. So if you are looking for a change of pace with a nice punch of spice, try this. Make this. Have Chili for dayssssss.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 small white potato
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
1 (19 ounce) can dark red kidney beans with without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can light red kidney beans without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can Pinto Beans without the liquid
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon of Chili Red pepper flakes
Cheddar Cheese to top...(or sour cream, if you're into that)

Directions

1) Boil potato until tender and then drain
2) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3) Saute onions, carrots, and garlic until tender.
4) Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery, and chili powder
5) Cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.
6) Stir in mushrooms, and cook 4 minutes.
7) Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, potato and corn.
8) Season with cumin, red chili flakes, oregano, and basil.
9) Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium.
10) Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11) Top with CHEESE, PLEASE.
12) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 01/24/11
"Posted" 01/24/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Holiday Cookies: My Family's Favorite Cookie

2010-12-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

You are intrigued, right? Well this cookie goes out to my entire family but most importantly, to my late Grandma. The funny thing about this cookie is that EVERYONE in my family loves this cookie except me...actually, it's just weird. However, my Grandma made this cookie for my mom and her siblings and now my aunts make these for us, and now I am returning the favor and making it for them...and one day, I guess I will make it for my kid(s)? Yes, I will.

Now you must be wondering, what is this cookie that is at the center of your family? Mincemeat Cookie. It's special, it's delicious...and although we have them at the holiday season (that's when you can get mincemeat), we really like to eat them all year round.

If you start making this cookie, you will love it. I promise.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs beaten
1 9 oz. package of Borden Nonesuch Mincemeat

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375
2) In one bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda
3) In another bowl, cream butter, sugar until fluffy. Add eggs until smooth.
4) Stir in mincemeat to wet mixture and then gradually add flour mix. Mix super well.
5) Roll into two inch dough balls and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
6) Bake for about 10-12 minutes until slightly browned.
7) Share and Enjoy!!!

These cookies are about family and that is good enough for me. <3

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Holiday Cookies: Sugar Cookies

2010-12-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

These are simple and classic...and easily adaptable to any situation.

Adapted from Food Network

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon milk

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees (after mix has been refrigerated)

2) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3) In another bowl, place butter and sugar and beat until light in color.

4) Add egg and milk and beat to combine.

5) With your mixer on low speed, gradually add flour. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

6) Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator and roll it out until its about 1/4 inch thick. Becareful to not let the dough stick.

7) Form cookie shaped circles and place about at inch apart on a greased baking sheet.

8) Bake for 7-9 minutes until the cookies just BEGIN to turn brown.

9) Remove from oven. Top with red and green sprinkles (or whatever colors you fancy). Cool.

10) Share and Enjoy!

Just fun.

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Holiday Cookies: Gingersnap Cookies

2010-12-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

These are one of my favorite holiday time cookies. However, they are so good that sometimes I am tempted to make them all year round. Just saying...

Additionally, I am not a huge proponent of using shortening while baking (yeah, it's kind of gross), but a couple of the holiday cookie recipes I use, utilize it...so yeah.

Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2) Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Blend well.
3) Beat together the shortening and white sugar followed by the egg and molasses.
4) Add the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture and mix well.
5) In a separate small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
6) Make 1 inch balls of dough and roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
7) Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8) Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the cookies crack slightly.
9) Share and Enjoy!

What is the holiday season without gingersnap cookies?!?

Made: 12/24/10
"Posted": 12/25/10
Posted: 06/03/11

Oatmeal Holiday Cookies

2010-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

These are like Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies but better. Only because they have Holiday M & M's instead...so that automatically makes them better. Just saying. Make these next Christmastime, your family will love you.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup M&M's

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar until smooth.
3) Beat in eggs and then add vanilla
4) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
5) Stir the dry ingredient mixture into the creamed mixture until well blended.
6) Add in the oats and fold in the M&M's.
7) Drop by spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
9) Share and Enjoy!

Yeah just make them any holiday...and add the seasonal M&M's! So much fun.

Made: 12/22/10
"Posted": 12/22/10
Posted: 06/02/11

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2010-12-11T23:07:00.000-08:00

Holiday time= Cookie Time. This was my pre-cookie mania but these were really simple and super tasty. A little bit of mint extract goes a long way...

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt
3) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, and extracts until well blended.
4) Stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined.
5) Fold in chocolate Chips
6) Cover bowl and refrigerate for two hours (or don't...).
7) Roll cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookies sheets.
8) Bake for 11-13 minutes
9) Share and Enjoy!

These are super simple but I really liked the hint of peppermint because it was so unexpected. A perfect holiday cookie primer. :-)

Made: 12/11/10
"Posted": 12/11/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Oatmeal Blueberry Scones

2010-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Well my secret is out. Breakfast is my favorite. If I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day, I probably would be tempted to do so. That being said, I think it makes complete sense that muffins and now scones have been a recent popular item on BOOF. However, making scones have always scared me. I realized that I needed to conquer this fear so gathered up my courage and made some scones. They were good. They had blueberries. They also had oatmeal. I really like those things. I like them even more together in the scone form.

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 Cup of Blueberries
2/3 cup buttermilk plus additional for brushing

Directions

1) Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

2) Sift together flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3) Add 1 1/3 cups oats and mix together with your hands.

4) Add butter and and work until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small lumps.

5) Transfer to a bowl and add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms.

6) Gently knead on a floured surface a few times.

7) Pat into a 9-inch square (1/2 inch thick). Cut into 9 (3-inch) squares. Cut each square diagonally to form 2 triangles. (Or just make approximately 18 two inch blobs.

8) Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

9) Brush with buttermilk and bake until golden brown, about 16 minutes.

10) Share and Enjoy!

These were raved about. I will make scones again. They are the best when the just come out of the oven and still have a little warmth to them. Ugh, I want these with coffee right now. Like this second. Sigh.

Made: 12/09/10
"Posted": 12/09/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Cranberry Lime Muffins

2010-12-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

Apparently I go on sprees. Cookies. Muffins. Pasta. Yeah, it's a little weird. I guess I'm consistent though? These bad boys are tasty and tart and a perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee and the morning paper...for those of us who still read the paper and do the crossword. :-)

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping

Directions

1) Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners or grease muffin pan

3) Melt and brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove from heat.

4) Whisk milk, egg, yolk, vanilla and lime zest until combined. Add the brown butter and combine.

5) Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl

6) Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine.

7) Gently but thoroughly fold in the cranberries.

8) Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

9) Bake for about 18-20 minutes and a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

10) Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan.

11) Share and Enjoy!

These are really quite good especially for those who like tart flavored things. I really like the nutty flavor that the browned butter brought to the muffin and the lime provided the perfect citrus balance. I will make these again soon. Yes, yes I will.

Made: 12/08/10

"Posted": 12/08/10

Posted: 06/01/11

Pumpkin Walnut Butterscotch Muffins

2010-12-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

Apparently I was feeling like muffins on this particular day. I also felt very "autumnly" (don't judge me, I know it is not a word) and decided that I wanted to make some sort of pumpkin muffin because all of the pumpkin cookies that I had made prior went over extremely well. For some reason in my mind, both walnuts and butterscotch seemed like they would go together with pumpkin and trust me, they did.

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup water
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups of raisins
1 cup of butterscotch chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) Mix together sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water in a large bowl.
3) Sift together all dry ingredients and add to mixture.
4) Fold in raisins and walnuts.
5) Place in greased muffin tins and bake at 400° for 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
6) Share and Enjoy!!!

Yeah when fall comes back around, please make these. Do it for me as a favor. You will not regret it.

Made: 12/05/10
"Posted": 12/07/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins

2010-12-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

I was tempted to make these eggless. Next time, I think I will. Nevertheless, this a very tasty simple blueberry muffin with a hint of apple flavor that I think you will enjoy as much as I did.
Additionally, if you are not a blueberry person (which is just odd), I would not be oppose to adding whichever berry you love the most. And if you are very feeling very daring, add more than one type of berry! GASP! I think summer requires it...

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil (I used the almond oil I had on hand)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions

1) Grease and flour your muffin pan. (You could use muffin liners but I personally don't think muffins should have liners. Cupcakes, yes. Muffins, no...but that is just me!)

2) In a large bowl combine all of your dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3) In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg.

4) Make a well in your dry ingredient mixture and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist.

5) Fold in blueberries.

6) Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

7) Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

8) Share and Enjoy!

I am going to be completely honest with you and I think these came a out a little heavier than I would have liked. Everyone still loved them but I also think I would maybe do away with the egg (as I had previously mentioned) and just add more apple sauce to be a binding agent. Or maybe even yogurt....hmm. I like where this is going. So yeah, still make them because people really like their blueberry muffins. :-)

Made: 12/05/10

"Posted": 12/06/10

Posted: 06/01/11

Pecan Pie

2010-12-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

My Dad's most favorite dessert in the world is Pecan Pie. After making this for him, I told him that if I knew how easy Pecan Pie was to make, I would've made it a long time ago for him! Even if this Pecan Pie didn't turn out as well as it did, he still would've loved it because he loves Pecan Pie just that much. Also, he is my dad so I believe that I can do no wrong in his eyes? Or something like that...

Adapted from Epicurious

Oh and please excuse me as I use store bought crusts. Apparently, my grandma did it and she was a boss, so I will follow suit and do it too. HUMPH.

Ingredients

Crusts

3/4 stick unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

2 cups pecan halves (1/2 pound)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350degrees with baking sheet on middle rack
2) Place crust on baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until slightly browned
3) Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan over medium heat and add brown sugar while whisking until smooth.
4) Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, orange zest and salt.
5) Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl and then whisk in the corn syrup mixture thing.
6) Place pecans in a pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them.
7) Bake on hot baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
8) Cool. For real. Cool.
9) Share and Enjoy! (oh and throw some ice cream on that bad boy!)

My dad loved it which was to be expected. However, I also had a slice and enjoyed it and I am not the hugest proponent of pecan pie, so I think that is saying something?!? If you have a pecan lover in your life, just make it for them because they will be greatly appreciative...and it is easy!

Made: 11/24/10
"Posted": 12/05/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Brown Rice Casserole

2010-12-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

Oh Hey Heidi. Thanks for continual vegetarian deliciousness. I really do appreciate it.

Sincerely,
-Karri

I am not sure why I haven't made this since my original adventure because it was so delicious...and got better by the day. I believe that I will have to get on that soon. However, although this dish is vegetarian, you obviously don't need to be one to enjoy it but if you do insist, I think you brown up some ground beef or turkey and it would work well with the rest of the ingredients.

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

1/2 pound of sliced and cleaned mushrooms ( I just used a pint)
1 large onion
3 gloves of garlic
3 cups of cooked brown rice
2 large eggs
1 cup of feta cheese
1 cup of black olives
2 cups of spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Boil and cook brown rice
3) Heat a medium saucepan with a dab of oil and oil a 9x13 or 9x9 (just depends on how much you make) baking pan.
4) Add mushrooms to the pain and saute with olive oil.
5) Add onions to the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes until translucent
6) Add in garlic to the pan and stir for another minute or so.
7) Add Spinach and mix until they begin to wilt.
8) Turn of the heat and add brown rice to the pan and mix well.
9) In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, cheese and salt.
10) Combine the brown rice mix, black olives and the egg mixture, stir well and then spread evenly in your baking dish
11) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
12) Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes until a pretty golden brown on the outside border.
13) Top with remaining cheese and fresh herb of your choice
14) Share and ENJOY!

Yeah, I need to make this again. Warms my heart just thinking about it. Also, another cool thing about this dish is that you can make it and really cater it to your personal liking...add whatever you would like, it is sure to be delicious.

Made: 11/21/10
"Posted": 12/04/10
Posted: 06/01/11

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-12-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I read the recipes on the side panels of the package of the flour, or the nestle chips or whatever. This is precisely what happened in this instance. The side package of your standard Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour featured this tasty Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip recipe. These are quite simple and good and especially a treat for the peanut butter lover...and we all have a few of those in our lives.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of cream peanut butter
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars and egg. Beat until fluffy.

3) Whisk the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together.

4) Add the flour to the butter/egg mixture and beat.

5) Fold in the chocolate chips

6) Roll cookie dough into approximate two inch balls and place on baking sheets.

7) Bake for 10-12 minutes.

8) Share and Enjoy!

I really like these cookies. I mean what is there to not like about peanut butter and chocolate?

Made: 11/20/10
Posted: 12/3/10
Actually Posted: 05/31/11

Oatmeal Scotchies

2010-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

These cookies will transform your life. You think I am kidding but I am COMPLETELY serious. For real though. These cookies are just so delicious and so simple that I wish that I had been consuming them my entire life (although my waistline would have not been too happy about it).

Make these. Just do it. You will not regret your decision. I PROMISE.

Side Note: I usually half the usual recipe because If I made the full recipe, I would have about four dozen cookies and would be tempted to eat every last one of them. Seriously.

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup of Old-Fashioned/Quick Cooking Oats

1 Cup of Butterscotch Chips

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and set aside

3) Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl

4) Gradually beat in flour mixture over the course of 2-3 minutes

5) Stir in Oats and Butterscotch Chips

6) Round into approximate two inch balls and place them onto an baking sheet

7) Bake 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies

8) Cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes...or just eat them immediately. your choice. i can't resist.

9) Share and Enjoy!!!!

Made: 12/02/10
Posted: 05/31/11

White Chocolate Craisin Cookies

2010-12-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends.

It's been a while. Here is a repeat favorite that is always a crowd pleaser.

Oh did I mention it was super easy?

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted BUTTER

1 cup packed light brown sugar (or dark...if you prefer)

2 Tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup Craisins

Directions

1) Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla for about 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time.

2) Fold in White Chocolate Chips and Craisins

3) Round in 2 inch balls and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

4) Share and Enjoy!

These are simple and delicious. Make them from your friends. Make them for your non-friends and they will want to become your friends. I promise.

Made: 12/08/10
Posted: 05/31/11

Chickpea Spaghetti

2010-11-09T06:11:00.000-08:00

one day back around the time of the new york city marathon, deb from smitten kitchen made this wonderful pasta filled with chickpeas, veggies and all around deliciousness. luckily for me, I had most of these items in my fridge and with some spinach on the brink of going bad, I decided to put my own little touch on this gem.

as an "athlete", i am always looking for ways to eat deliciously while being healthy all at the same time. this bad boy definitely falls into that category, so I highly recommend this quick and easy recipe to any person...whether an athlete or not. ;-)

Adapted From: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
15 ounces canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained or about 2 cups, freshly cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock) stock
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch chile flakes ( I use red pepper)
1 Cup of Grape Tomatoes (Halved)
2 Cups of Uncooked Spinach
Salt to taste
1 pound spaghetti (or angel hair pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions

1) Cook Pasta and drain accordingly

2) Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan

3) Saute garlic and onions, until onions are translucent (4-5 minutes)

4) Add spinach to garlic and onions and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Then add tomatoes, veggie stock and chile pepper flakes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

5) Remove mixture in saucepan from heat and add it to the spaghetti and mix well. Season with salt and pepper accordingly.

6) Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

7) Share and ENJOY!

Notes: When you add the veggie(chicken) stock, you can simmer it up to 20 minutes, depending on how much you want the flavor to seep it. I thought it was delicious without all the additional time. Additionally, the original recipe also had pancetta in it, so if you are a meat-eater, there is your special protein! I would also consider using maybe arugula or swiss chard instead of spinach, just to mix up the flavor profile of the dish. Nevertheless, it was super delicious and very quick to make. I am sure that I will be making this again!

Made: 11/09/10
Posted: 01/30/11

Cauliflower Bean Salad

2010-11-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes thing just come together and they were better then you expected. This is precisely what happened with this dish. I was inspired by a dish that I saw on Deb's Smitten Kitchen and it just morphed it into my own tasty meal. This is a dish I really recommend trying and although it doesn't seem that it would be that filling, it most definitely is.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon of honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

A Bundle of Asparagus (Anywhere between 1/2-1 pound)

2 teaspoons chopped parsley (or herb of your choice)

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400°F.

2) Toss cauliflower florets and asparagus with 1/4 cup of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

3) Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

4) While cauliflower and asparagus is browning beautifully, combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, and honey. Stir over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cool.

5) Whisk lemon juice, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Add to olive oil, vinegar and honey mixture.

6) Combine roasted, still warm cauliflower and asparagus. Add the cheese.

7) Season salad with salt and pepper to taste.

8) Share and Enjoy!

So yeahhhh, go make this. you wont regret it. I promise.

MADE: 11/06/10
Posted: 01/18/11

Apple Spice Cake

2010-11-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

i love apples (peeled). i love apple (pie). i don't love apple (juice). i love hot apple (cider). i love apple (sauce). i love (baking) with apple (sauce).

Yes, it is true. I have a deep love for many things apple (except apple juice...i actually hate that stuff...it is weird but I won't get into it). When I first started really getting into my baking and I found out that BOOF buddy Mits did not eat eggs, I was unsure of what to use as a substitute. I found many numerous recipes that used all of these crazy supplements, but I wanted something more natural...and something that I could eat and use on a regular basis. Enter: Apple Sauce.

It has been a love-love relationship ever since and I have been able to create some pretty tasty things that are eggless which also makes them better for ya! Unfortunately this recipe has eggs in it, but I am on my way to finding a way to make it eggless but not too moist...that is the problem my friends.

I had never made an apple spice cake before but I have definitely eaten my fair share, but when I saw this recipe from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, I knew that I had to make this. Probably more than once. This recipe is super easy and super delicious and I chose to put the icing on it, but it works wonderfully as a breakfast cake minus the icing. So yummy. So Autumn. So Perfect.

Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

For the Icing:
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2- 1 teaspoon teaspoon cinnamon ( I use the full whopping 1 teaspoon...cinnamon just adds so much delicious flavor!)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Butter baking dish ( I recommend 8 or 9 inch square)
3) MAKE the CAKE: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4) Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
5) Add eggs one at a time, beating well.
6) Add in apple sauce and beat well.
7) Spread batter in pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes until golden-brown. Do the toothpick Test!
8) Cool for about 15-20 minutes and then loosen the cake before turning it upside down, so it comes out of the pan to cool some more. DO not forget this step...I may have...
9) MAKE the ICING: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
10) Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
11) Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
12) SHARE and ENJOY

I really enjoyed this cake and I was surprised at how easy this was. I find this cake hard to judge because it is so moist, so just try and use your best judgment when removing it from the oven. Remember, a little too moist never hurt anyone. ;-)

Made: 11/04/10
Posted: 01/13/11

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-11-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

These are just almost the same exact recipe except with choco chips...and powdered sugar. I think those two ingredients might just make them even more delicious than the butterscotch ones. Who knew that was even possible.

Well, Joy the baker knew. That's who gave me the idea. She's such a smarty pants.

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola or corn oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil

3) Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside.

4) In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and fluffy.

5) Once done mixing well, scrape the sides of the bowl.

6) On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended.

7) Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

8) Use a 1/4 cup or your hands to drop dough balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

9) Bake for 15-17 minutes and do the toothpick trick. Make sure the top feels firm before you remove them from the oven.

10) Cool for about 5-7 minutes and then top with powdered sugar (don't be sparing)

11) Share and Enjoy!

I am so happy that all my buds at school actually like pumpkin with the exception of a few. Anything of the pumpkin variety is quickly eaten up and these were no exception. Super tasty. Super fluffy. Super amazing. Go make these, please.

Made: 11/04/10
Posted: 01/18/11

Lemon Bars

2010-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

I had never made homemade lemon bars but after making these, I thought to myself, "Why Would anyone not make these homemade?". This is by far one of the simplest things I have ever made and it was so delicious too. I oddly made these for halloween...i'm not quite sure why but I did and everyone seemed to enjoy them.

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

For the Crust
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 Cups of Flour
1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs
3 Cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of fresh grated lemon zest (about 4-6 lemons)
1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from those zested lemons)
1 cup of flour
Confectioners' sugar for dusting on top
Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer

3) Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.

4) Dump the dough onto a well-floured cutting board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill for 30 minutes.

5) Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let it cool but leave the oven on.

6) For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

7) Dust with confectioner's sugar.

8) Share and ENJOY!

I really loved these lemon bars and they are so simple. If bringing them to a friend's, I recommend cutting them into little "bars". Makes it easier to serve and eat.

Made: 10/30/10

Posted: 01/12/10

Sweet Potato Pie andddd CRUST!

2010-10-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

As you will be able to tell soon, if you already were not able to, I really enjoy Joy the Baker's Blog. She is super legit, funny and her recipes are very easy to follow.

Sweet Potato Pie is a family thanggg where I come from, but I knew that if I had any intention of making Sweet Potato Pie for the upcoming holidays, I needed to start working on perfecting it now. I took to the Joy the Baker to find a basic recipe for Sweet Potato Pie, and then I proceeded to call my aunts to find out if this is essentially what they do...it was.

However, to be super ambitious, I decided to make the crust too. I had never made the bottom to a pie, so I thought that I would give it a go and although it is much more of a time consuming process, at least you know the ingredients are real and not all of that processed mumbo jumbo.

Ingredients for the Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature

2 Tablespoons cold milk

Directions for CRUST

1) Whisk together (in a medium sized bowl) flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

2) Add frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater and tablespoon of cream cheese.

3) Time to get "dirty"- work the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture, breaking the butter and cream cheese up until they’re in well incorporated into the flour. A little crumbly...

4) Combine the milk and oil.]and add to the flour/butter mixture. With a fork, begin to combine the ingredients, making sure that all of the flour mixture is introduced to the liquid.

5) Once mixed (doesn't have to be perfect) and place it into a clean 9-inch pie plate. With your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Molt to the pie plate as evenly as possible but don't worry about your finger indentations.

6) Place the prepared crust in the freezer while you preheat the oven and prepare your filling.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon of cloves ( I switched this up from the coriander in the original recipe)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2- 5oz cans evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

1) Boil two medium sweet potatoes in their jackets in a covered pot over moderate flame, until sweet potatoes are very soft and tender. Make sure a knife can go through a potato very quick and smooth.

2) Drain your potatoes and let them cool.

4) When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes, cut into chunks and place in a large bowl. Mash potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher. NO lumpssss.

5) Measure 2 cups and put in a medium sized pot with the packed brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves , salt, the 1/2 stick butter, and one 5 oz can of evaporated milk.

6) Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes, whipping with a wire whisk until butter and brown sugar are melted down and mixture is well blended, smooth and starts to bubble. Remove from fire and let cool in pot.

7) In a medium sized bowl, beat the three eggs with a fork. Add the second 5oz can of evaporated milk, granulated sugar and vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until creamy.

8) Pour the cooled sweet potato mixture from pot into a large bowl. Stir in the egg mixture. Blend thoroughly with a whisk and pour into your crust.

9) Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a cookie sheet inside.

10) After the crust is heated, pour the filling into the pie shell and place it onto the cookie sheet.

11) Bake at 450 for ten minutes and then turn your oven down to 325 and bake for 50minutes-1hr. The edges and the center will be slightly raised but shake to make sure the center is set.

12) Remove from oven. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

13) SHARE and ENJOYYY

Things I have learned: the first time takes the greatest amount of time. As I continued to make this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my speed of preparation increased greatly (I guess that is true for every recipe). Additionally, this is super delicious and completely worth the time. I will admit that I started using the pre-made crusts for the holiday season which obviously cut down on the time and was just as delicious. Sorry, the pre-made crusts win out this battle for me. I heavily recommend the "Oronoque Orchards" brand of pie crust. Gah, I want some pie like now...OH and this can be gluten-free using a gluten free pie crust!

MADE: 10/28/10, 11/24/10, 12/24/10
Posted: 01/12/11

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

2010-10-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

Oh Hey Joy. I made another one of your delicious treats. I love that browned butter thing you told me to do because it has done magical things for the baked goodies coming out of my kitchen. Thanks. you're the best.

Needless to say, I baked something delicious from Joy the Baker. This standard White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie was definitely taken to new heights with the addition of browned butter. I've been told that it adds a "nuttiness" flavor and frankly, i just thought the people telling me this were a little nutty. However, I tried it and I have to agree...Browned Butter is the way to go.

Adapted from: Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) BUTTER (and only BUTTER)

1 cup packed light brown sugar (or dark...if you prefer)

2 Tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli just tastes better)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) In a medium saucepan melt the butter, swirling and stirring the butter until nicely browned bits appear in the bottom of the pan (about 5-7 minutes).

3) Once the butter is browned, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.

4) Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer add the brown sugar and slightly cooled butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

5) Add egg and beat for one more minuteeeee.

6) Add milk and vanilla extract and beat to incorporate.

7) Turn the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients all at once.

8) Incorporate the dry ingredients until just mixed in and fold in the chopped nuts and white chocolate chips.

9) Scoop two teaspoon sized balls onto a lined baking sheet.

10) Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are deliciously golden.
Cool.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Well, I love this recipe. I love that it is very easy and that simple of step of browning the butter adds so much more flavor. I also love the size of the cookies...I hate a flat cookie (unless it is a "snap" and I hate a hard cookie but this cookie is perfectly bite size and filling. However, I can not promise that you won't go for more than one...

Made: 10/26/10

Posted: 01/11/11

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

2010-10-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

I believe in baking for the season. What I mean by that is, the fall is all about apple and pumpkin, so I was trying to infuse those two ingredients into all of my recipes. I had always seen those bags of butterscotch morsels in the isle next to the choco chips, etc...but i had never picked them up. However, this recipe looked so simple and busy, so I thought I had no choice. Don't get me wrong, I love me some butterscotch, but I just never had any inspiration to bake with them before but thanks to my good bud, Joy, I finally received that motivation I needed to make something magically butterscotch happen in the kitchen.

Oh did I mention that pumpkin was involved too? Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola ( I just used standard vegetable oil)

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil (the original recipe used parchment paper...which you have to butter) and butter the paper.

2)Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside.

3) In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute.

4) On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

5) Using a spoon/ice cream scoop/1/4 cup scoop/your hands, scoop mounds of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart.

6) Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm, about 16 minutes.

7) Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack (or I just use a plate) to cool.

8) Share and Enjoy!

These are like pillowy bundles of deliciousness. They are so fluffy and jam packed with flavor, you can definitely not eat just one. Everyone raved about these bad boys and they really hold their own. Definitely a cookie recipe that everyone should have and use. often.

Made: 10/26/10

Posted: 01/12/11

Ratatouille

2010-10-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

Sadly, this is not a movie review of that adorable movie. However, do not fret. This is a recipe of my first attempt at this staple entree meal in any chef's cooking adventures or road to becoming a chef. Something like that. Obviously, I am no Top Chef but I like to have my own "Julie and Julia" food adventures in the kitchen as you may have noticed and so one night, I decided to try out this infamous dish.

There are so many Ratatouille recipes out there, so it was just finding which one was closest to the fresh veggies that I had on hand. I think that I will definitely be trying this dish again in various forms, but more on that later.

I adapted this recipe from Palachinka

Ingredients

2 zucchinis

1 Large Eggplant

1 Red bell pepper (I didn't have one on hand...weird i know, so i used 1 red and 1 yellow )

1 Yellow bell pepper

1 big Onion (red or white or yellow)

1 small tomato (but I used a pint of grape tomatoes and halved them)

1 clove garlic

1 Cup of crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese

olive oil

various dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives....etc (whatever you have on hand and fits your taste buds)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 325

2) Slice zucchinis, eggplants, larger onion and peppers as thin as possible

3) Line them in a artistic fashion in either a OILED round, square or rectangular baking pan on an oiled round baking pan in the following order ( I think it looks pretty if you have a similar pattern) .

4) Continue your pattern until you have used the ingredients.

5) Pour oil on top of the veggies.

6) Halve the cherry tomatoes or thinly slice your regular tomatoes and de-seed them. Also mince your garlic clove. Add both the tomatoes and garlic to the pan.

7) Finally, top with various herbs, salt and black pepper and a dash of water. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and black pepper and pour very little water so the vegetables don’t burn inside the oven.

8) Bake in a preheated oven on 325°C for about 10-15 minutes.

9) Top with Feta or Goat Cheese ( I just like the added flavor)

10) Bake for another 15 minutes.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 10/24
Posted: 01/12

Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

2010-10-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

Well, they are not actually as adventurous as they sound, but nevertheless, I thought they were pretty ingenious.

for best buddy of BOOF's birthday (Mo), I wanted to send her something delicious and GLUTEN FREE to celebrate it with since I could not be there myself. It was fall and I love me some pumpkin and I know that Mo does too, but I wanted to do something other than a pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread because I needed to overnight whatever I was making. Because of their gluten-free nature, I decided on a Rice Krispie Treat of the Pumpkin variety. Now, I was not able to find some ingenious way to add to infuse the pumpkin into the rice krispies, but what I did was pretty stellar and i even had enough to give some to my classmates...who loved it too.

Ingredients:

1 Box of Rice Krispies (but you'll only need about 8 cups)
1 Pack of Marshmallows (mini or regular)
1 1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of Confectionery sugar

Directions:

1) Follow the directions on the box for making rice krispie treats :-)

2) Spread rice krispie treats into 9x13 or 9x9 pan

3) Add Pumpkin and Cream Cheese together and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of confectionery sugar to the pumpkin and cream cheese and mix well. Check the consistency and flavor. If too thick, add some more confectioners sugar.

4) Once icing is too your liking, spread on top of the rice krispie treats.

5) Share and Enjoy!

Man o man. these are quite tasty. It is not too inventive but yet it is quick, easy and delicious.

Posted: 12/28/10
Made: 10/17/10

Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin Gorgonzola Sauce

2010-10-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you make something that says that it is "cooking light" but really, it feels heavy BUT it also feels delicious, so then you just go with it. well, that is what this dish was for me.

When I first perused through my cooking light book, I came upon this recipe and immediately was sold. I love pumpkin, I love mushrooms and I LOVE cheese, so I may or may not have felt that this recipe was a god's gift to me. I had wanted to make this numerous times before but I ran into some issues with certain grocery stores not selling gorgonzola (really, who does that?) and other random dilemmas. However, the day finally came where I had all the ingredients to whip up this gem of deliciousness.

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked pennette (small penne)-- I am certain I just used regular penne...and I used about 3/4 of a standard box
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3/4 pound whole mushrooms)-- I used white sliced because that is what I had :-)
4 cups vertically sliced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage-- yeah, didn't use this
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
Fresh sage sprigs (optional)-- yeah, didn't use these...I know, I lack when it comes to fresh herbs but I am on a serious budget here!

Directions

1) Boil water and cook pasta but make sure to keep it warm.

2) Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or any largish pot/pan with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cover and cook 3 minutes.

3) Uncover; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

4) Combine milk, cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir with a whisk.

5) Add cornstarch mixture and cheese to milk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes or until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.

6) Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, salt, pepper, nutmeg and a tablespoon of brown sugar(my special ingredient).

7) Add pasta and pumpkin mixture to mushroom mixture; toss well to combine. Top with fresh herbs, if you like that sort of stuff.

8) Share and Enjoy!

I may or may not love this dish. It is a little time consuming but I had leftovers for almost the entire following week, so it was definitely worth it. I find that if you use canned pumpkin (as I do), there can be a strange after taste. This may just be me, so I added some brown sugar to add some more flavor but also to help mediate that weird taste.

Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/17/10

Apple Plum Pie

2010-10-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

it's no secret. i really do look up to deb @ smitten kitchen, heidi@ 101 cookbooks and joy @ joythebaker, an enormous amount. I love when I check my email in the morning and i have something delicious to potentially create awaiting me in my inbox. oh the little pleasures of life.

i had some plums that i needed to use up and i always have some apples around...so when this gem popped into my inbox, i knew I would be in business. I also undertook this adventure because i had never made a pie before! Although this is a single crust pie, so it's kinda cheating...it is still a pie in a form!

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Single Crust aka "The Lid"
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse or flaky salt (or less of table salt)
Milk or cream, for brushing crust
Coarse or fine sugar, for sprinkling crust ( I actually used some brown sugar)

Filling
1 pound ripe plums of your liking (i.e. quartered and pitted)
1 pound apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Squeeze or two of orange or lemon juice

Special Addition: 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

Directions

Make

the lid:

1) In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy.

2) Mix in the lightly beaten egg and scrape down sides.

3) Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until combined.

4) Scrape dough into a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and stick in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until firmed up.

Meanwhile...Assemble the pie:

5) Preheat oven to 350°F

6) Butter a pie or baking dish....gotta love that pyrex!

7) Add the fruit and spinkle it with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange or lemon juice.

8) Gently toss the ingredients together once or twice

9) Roll out the firmed-up lid dough on a very well floured counter and gently lift it onto the pie and trim the overhang. It will most likely tear (use those little torn pieces to patch up your holes :-) )

10) Brush the crust with milk (and melted butter), sprinkle with brown sugar and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

11) If you would like, serve with ice cream or whipped cream BUT this beauty stands alone just as well.

12) Share and Enjoy!

Notes: I may or may not have eaten this pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the following two days. be prepared for that. so good. make this. share this. I would also potentially just try the same thing with a (god forbid) pre-frozen deep dish crust just to give the entire whole pie appeal. but this is delicious, quick and easy.

POSTED: 12/28
Made: 10/15

Sicilian Gnocchi with Eggplant

2010-10-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

gnocchi. gnocchi. gnocchi.

there is just something about that word that can make a girls heart just crumble. the thought of those pillowy balls of pasta potato dressed in some delicious outfits...they really can be the life of the party.

although i am not at the homemade gnocchi place in my life yet (but soon!), i have found some super duper tasty things to do with gnocchi. I've think we've had fun with two gnocchi dishes before with the Fire Roasted Gnocchi the Lemon Gnocchi from a while back but for this dish, I thought I would take it "Sicilian Style".

I really had no idea what this meant but the blog that I adapted it from made it look delicious and super vegetarian, so I was all in.

Adapted from: Vegalicious

Ingredients

1 package gnocchi (shelf stable...can be found at most local grocery markets)
1 eggplant, cubed in small pieces
2 tablespoons oil
1 Cup of small cubed tofu
2 onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato chunks
2 handfuls raisins (yes, even I...the girl who doesn't like raisins...put raisins in the dish)
Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, thyme)...whatever you have in your fridge/cupboard
salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg

Directions

Boil the Gnocchi and boil until they float to the top.
Drain the Gnocchi from the water and set aside.
Meanwhile, saute the eggplant, onions and garlic in the oil until the eggplant begins to soften and the onion becomes glassy.
Add the ground tofu.
Add the chopped tomatoes, raisins and Italian seasonings.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
To serve, either add the gnocchi to the sauce, or serve the gnocchi with the sauce on top.
Share and Enjoy!!!

I really enjoyed this dish and it was really easy to make and really delicious. I love finding individuals who are dedicated to finding filling, healthy and tasty vegetarian meals...that are also well-balanced! it is a hard task but this definitely fits the bill and I would definitely make this again!

Actually Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/12/2010

DC Noodles

2010-10-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Stop 2 of Birthday Weekend in DC.

Apparently, I was trying to make up for all the time that I didn't spend in U Street during my time in DC...in one weekend. I met up with good buddy of Boof, Rach, for lunch at DC Noodles.

After hearing numerous good reviews from lots of buds, I decided to try out this place out. DC Noodles used to be formerly known as "Simply Home" and "", but nothing really changed in the U Street restaurant. Upon entering, the decor is very deco-modern with a cement floor, hardwood tables, and white deco seating. It features red walls and the bar is lined with those similar high white deco seats. The design scheme is very clean.

the menu is filled with every sort of noodle you could possibly imagine, so the biggest problem is making a decision. I ordered the Crispy and and Soft Tofu in the Spicy Broth which is served with soy and lime dressing, ground peanuts, bean sprouts, string beans, carrots, cilantro, spring onion and I ordered it with the thin rice noodles (but you can also have thick rice noodles). I was extremely happy with my choice as the flavor profile was spot on with a nice complexity and a lot of subtle seasonings coming through. Don't worry for all my meat lover buds, you can also choose to have chicken, pork, beef, seafood, shrimp & meatball, fish meatball & crab meatball, and vietnamese pork sausages...essentially, there is something for everyone.

there are various other dishes that I would love to try, so I am sure that when I get back to DC one of these days, I will find myself at DC noodles again. they also have a nice selection of appetizers, and various other non-soup/broth noodle dishes. the restaurant also features a full bar which is a nice touch with what appeared to be some very tasty mix drinks on the menu.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to DC Noodles. I know that best buddy of BOOF, Mo, really loves it because they use rice noodles which is obviously beneficial to Gluten-Free buds. I think everyone can find something that they will enjoy on this menu for a very reasonable price tag. If I still lived in DC, I could definitely see myself coming here more often.

Grade: B+

U Street Cafe

2010-10-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

This was the first foodie stop on my Birthday weekend way back when I visited my former stomping grounds, Washington DC.

I met up with BOOF buds, Brookster and Clairebear and Clairebear's new hubby(!), Grantsky. We met for breakfast at the small comfortable, U Street Cafe, most aptly named. U Street Cafe is located in the fantastic hipster and historical U Street Neighborhood of DC and the cafe is well known for it's really great coffee selection as well as their ALL DAY breakfast menu. They automatically received a point in my book...breakfast is THE best meal.

Although the location is small, it definitely gives it a more intimate and friendly feel in a very busy part of town. It has nice open windows in the front of the cafe which provides a host of natural light which definitely allows the cafe to feel bigger than it actually is.

For breakfast, Clairebear and Grantsky ordered the "Omelet as you like it" which also came with two pieces of toast and homefries. They had a whole bunch of delicious things in that omelet and they really enjoyed it. They also said the homefries had a good seasoning to them as well.

Brookster ordered the Breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese on an everything bagel. She said that it was really tasty, but it was a standard breakfast sandwich so nothing too special.

I ordered the veggie quiche which came with a side of fresh fruit and I really enjoyed it. I could tell the veggies were very fresh and there wasn't an overwhelming amount of egg and cheese to the veggies. Very well done.

Overall, I really enjoyed my breakfast at U Street Cafe. I would definitely venture back there for a day of studying or just a quick cup of coffee to catch up with friends. It is a good quick, inexpensive and filling meal for those of us young professionals/students on a budget. They also serve lunch and have a variety of sandwiches, but why eat lunch when you can eat breakfast all day long!?!

Grade: B

There are so many things to do in U street...it is hard to list them all. However, I think DC's best kept secret is Meridian Hill Park, so take your coffee to go and go for a stroll at the park located nearby.

Skewers Restaurant

2010-10-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

yes, we finally made it to the birthday dinner. BOOF buddy, Twin, and I share the same birthday (get the nickname, twin), so for our birthday weekend/my triumphant return to the district, we planned to have a large group of friends get together for dinner. Oh and ALSO, it was also the triumphant return of BOOF buddy, Dotus, and his birthday was a week prior, so we were celebrating him too! Boom Bam Thank Ya OCTOBER.

We had originally planned to go to Pizza Paradisio and then head to Biergarten Haus. Unfortunately, Pizza Paradisio doesn't take reservations (sad day because the pizza is delicious), and the Biergarten was all booked up. This left us scrambling for somewhere to go in the last minute. We had decided on La Moma but as you obviously can tell, I had already been there with Twin, so I honestly wanted to try something new and different. I got to opentable and tried to see what was out there, and I found this restaurant, Skewers, which was well rated AND could accompany a party of 20 that evening! woohooo.

Skewers is a Middle Eastern Restaurant and is partnered to the Mediterranean Restaurant, Cafe Luna. Cafe Luna is located on the basement/ground floor level of a Restored townhouse in Dupont, and Skewers is located on the upper level. Despite being under the same management and being located on top of each other, each restaurant has a very distinct feel, decor and identity. Skewers is filled with a lot of mosaic and middle eastern decor but all composed of very warm colors and dim but comfortable lighting.

Because we had such a large party, I was lazy and only reviewed my dish. However, I can say that everyone really enjoyed the whole experience and their food, most of all. However, as a table did order Hummus which was nice, fresh and extremely tasty. For my meal, I ordered the Shrimp Biryani and numerous members of the table also ordered Lamb and Beef Biryani. Biryani is a traditional Indian/Middle Eastern/Arab dish with spiced rice, sauteed vegetables and your choice of Kabob. I decided on Shrimp rather than the usual mixed vegetables and was really happy with my choice. Not only did they not skimp out on the amount of shrimp that they gave me (which usually happens in most restaurants), but the dish had a lot of great flavor and seasoning throughout.

There are numerous other dishes available at Skewers, and I think it is a great destination for a mid/large group celebration. There is also a Belly Dancing performance during dinner hours, which is fun but also kinda weird after it goes on for a few songs. Nevertheless, I had a really enjoyable time at Skewers and it was the perfect foodie and fun end to my DC return Birthday Weekend.

Grade: B+

Mushroom Lasagna

2010-10-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

Best guy friend of BOOF, Finance P, was stopping in on his way back to good ol' fishkill so I promised him dinner. I decided to be ambitious and make this Mushroom Lasagna that I had seen posted on Smitten Kitchen the day before.

This was my first adventure in making lasagna, despite my mastery of casseroles, so I knew it was going to be an adventure...i only could hope it would turn out well.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

Salt
Olive oil
3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used less, because this seemed like a lot)
1 1/2 pounds cremini or portobello mushrooms (I just used sliced white)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 cup of Shredded Mozzarella

1) Preheat your oven to 375°F.

2) Bring a large pot of water to boil with salt and a splash of oil, that will help keep your noodles from sticking together as they drain. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3) Making the sticky sauce: Bring the milk and garlic to simmer in a saucepan,

4) Melt 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 1 stick) butter in a large saucepan.

5) Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring

constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and stirring until combined. Once you’ve added half of it, you can add the second half all at once, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.

6) Cook over medium-low heat, stirring or whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Set aside.

7) Prepare mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium in a large sauté pan. Cook half the mushrooms with a couple pinches of salt for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly.

8) Assemble lasagna: Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 12 or 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top*, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup grated parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of parmesan and mozzarella.

9) Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

10) Share and Enjoy!

Well, this was really good but I definitely have a few things to work on for my next lasagna attempt. Make sure your lasagna cooks evenly...I had a slight problem with that. My sauce always was a little thicker then I believe it's supposed to be...so I might try to add some more milk the next time or I may have let it reduce too much. So don't do that. :-) Overall, if you like mushrooms (as both of us did), then you'll love this.

POSTED: 12/28/10

Made: 10/07/10

Peanut Butter Blondies with Milk Chocolate Frosting

2010-10-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

peanut butter is delicious.

do i really need to say more than that?

i guess i'll give you a little bit more of a preface. good new buddy of BOOF, Scrimalls, was taking her big test and so I wanted to make sure that I made her something special and delicious to celebrate the culmination of the end of that test. I subtly asked her what her favorite flavor profiles were to get an idea of what i would make. she told me that she enjoyed mostly anything but especially peanut butter. Clearly, we were meant to be friends. So, I got to baking. I knew that I would make some standard Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies but I also wanted to make something a little more special than that. I got to searching and found this gem...

Not only was I really excited to just make these from a pure "peanut butter gives me joy" standpoint, but I also was excited because I think this was actually the first thing that I made from Joy the Baker. Needless to say, I love her.

Ingredients
For the Blondies:

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 5 cubes

2 cups dark brown sugar

1 cup smooth and natural peanut butter

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Icing

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 – 2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted-- I actually omitted this because I was lazy and just added some more cocoa as needed.

Directions

For the Blondies

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Grease a 9×13-inch pan (you can also line it with parchment paper...if you choose to do so)

3) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sugar together until the butter is just melted.

4) Remove from the burner and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add the peanut butter. Stir until incorporated.

5)Allow to cool for 5 minutes more, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Make sure it is cool because you don't want scrambled eggs!

6) Whisk together salt, flour and baking powder.

7) Add dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients. Stir until just incorporated.

8) Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (really, let it cool).

Directions for the Milk Chocolate Frosting

1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa powder and salt.

2) Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar followed by 1 tablespoon milk. Beat well.

3) Add another cup of powdered sugar, followed by 2 tablespoons of milk.

4) Add cocoa powder as necessary and beat to incorporate.

5) Add the final 1/2 cup of powdered sugar if you need a bit more thickness. Spread evenly over peanut butter blondies.

6) Oh my goodness, please go Share and ENJOY!!!

These were delicious. yeah, they were really good. If you don't like peanut butter, than you obviously will have some issues with this but really, these were delicious. go make some. I'm also going to try and attempt to find away to make these gluten-free...I feel like it wouldn't be that hard with all the peanut butter.

Posted: 12/29/10
Made: 10/06/10

City Cafe

2010-09-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

finally winter vacation. i've done so much cooking, baking, dining in the past few months but because studying trumped all of that, i've had no time to do some blogging. i hope that in the next few weeks, i will be able to catch myself up with all the food fun that i have been involved in. it's a bit ambitious...but then again, i'm an ambitious girl.

let's take a journey back in time to august when i first was visiting scranton. the day that i signed my lease for my beautiful apartment, dad and I ventured to find a quick bite for lunch. little did we know, this little "city cafe" would be such a beautiful gem.

i already have this sore spot for mediterranean eats, so when i glanced at the menu before deciding this would be the place that we would dine, i was already sold.

to start, dad ordered the pasta fagioli soup which he really enjoyed. yes, my dad will order soup in the summer. the flavor and seasoning was there and the pasta was fresh. what more can you ask for?

i ordered a spanikopita (spinach pie) which had spinach and lemon seasonings. the spanikopita itself was really good but it was colder than i would have liked. It could have used some warmth that would have knocked it out of the ball park.

for our meals, i ordered the falafel wrap. It was served in a pita w lettuce, tomato, and tahini sauce. the falafel was super tasty and had a great seasoning. i only wish that it had a little bit more crunch to its shell but nevertheless, i really enjoyed it. each platter was served with a small pasta salad which was also really tasty and definitely helped fill you up with out weighing you down.

my dad ordered the chicken wrap platter which was served in a pita w/Lettuce, tomato, onion and Tzatziki sauce. He really enjoyed it and commented on that the seasoning was spot because it allowed the sauce to shine without being overshadowed by the other seasonings.

Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch and meal at City Cafe. It is a perfect lunch spot and offers up quality and authentic Mediterranean cuisine for an extremely reasonable price tag.

Grade: B+

POSTED: December 27th
Visited: August: 19th

Fire Roasted Gnocchi

2010-09-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

A while back, I had a dinner with good buddies of BOOF, Clairebear and Brookster. We were at Clairebear's place and she cooked this delicious meal featuring a Gnocchi recipe that I knew I had to recreate. Apparently, one of her good friends had been making it for her for the past few years, so she thought she would try and recreate it herself. Now, here I am trying to recreate her recreation! That is how these things work though...the beauty of passing recipes along. :-)

Unlike my previous Gnocchi recipe, this one was not simmered in a cream base but rather a spicy tomato marinate. Honestly, I like my gnocchi any way that it comes, but I really enjoyed the nice kick that this one gives.

Ingredients

1 16-ounce package of shelf-stable gnocchi
1 Medium yellow onion (Thinly sliced)
4 Garlic Cloves Minced
1/2 Cup of Water
6 Cups of Spinach (or Swiss Chard)
1 150ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used the tasty fire roasted ones from TJ's) :-)
1 15-ounce can of white beans, rinsed (i used garbanzo because that is what I had on hand)
1/2 cup of Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 Cup finely shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions

1) Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

2) Add Gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a bowl.

3) Add another 1 teaspoon of oil and onion and saute over medium heat (approx 2 minutes).

4) Stir in garlic and water and cover and cook until the onion is soft (4-6 minutes).

5) Add spinach and cook until it begins to wilt (1-2 minutes). Stir in the tomatoes, beans and peppers and bring to a simmer.

6) Stir in the Gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling (approx 2-3 minutes).

7) Enjoy and Share (and pass it on to your friends too!)

This recipe is super good and you should pass it on. Well, make it for you and your friends...and then pass it on. ;-)

Summer Berry and Peach Crisp

2010-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Not the band but I know it is no longer summer. Although with these recent warm weather days, it has definitely felt like it. Nevertheless, I made toward the end of the summer to capitalize on the last of my summer fruits, but never posted about it. I am sorry that I have hidden this gem from you but better late than never?

Adapted from: From the Board Room to the Barn

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 cup of fresh blackberries
1 cup of fresh strawberries (quartered)
3 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of your fruit)
1 cup regular rolled oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,chilled and cut into very small pieces
Pinch of salt

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Put the berries and peaches in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, flour and sugar to the bowl.

3) Gently toss and let sit for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens.

4) Meanwhile, combine the rolled oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and salt with a pastry blender or a fork. Mix together until the mixture is crumbly.

5) Pour the fruit with all the juices into the prepared baking pan. Evenly distribute the topping over the fruit.

6) Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until top is brown and the berries are starting to bubble up through the topping. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

7) Enjoy and Share!

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

2010-09-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

For Close Buddy of BOOF's Birthday a while back, I wanted to send her something to celebrate her special day despite my inability to be there in person. I knew that I was going to include my staple Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies , but I wanted to mix it up and try out something new. I like Oatmeal but I hate raisins...but I love Craisins, so I decided to try them out in the oatmeal cookie form. There it is not a huge difference between Craisin and Raisin, so I pretty much just used a standard Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and just morphed it a little bit.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick cooking oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 Cups of Craisins
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon* the Secret Ingredient!
1 teaspoon of Nutmeg* Secret Ingredient # 2!

Directions

	1) Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time. 2) Mix in Craisins 3) Round in 2 inch balls and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees F.

My Version of a Moroccan Cous Cous...Kinda Sorta

2010-09-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

So, you may remember my review of SOUK, and how I ordered the cous cous...which was good but not that great. I really like the idea of adding something sweet and chewy to the cous cous, but there version left me wanting something more. Although my version is still not as flavor packed as I would like, it is definitely a start to my creating the best possible imitation Cous Cous.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Uncooked Cous cous
1 Cup of Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cup of Craisins
1 Cup of Feta
1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions (Easy Peasy)

1) Cook Cous Cous according to package directions
2) Meanwhile, halve your tomatoes.
3) Once Cous Cous is finished cooking, transfer all additional above ingredients.
4) Mix well
5) Enjoy and Share!

I would have liked more of a kick and maybe something green in there, so perhaps on the next go around I might throw in some sugar snaps, snow peas or some other green pea like ingredient. I am also considering adding a more substantial protein because as it is now, I think it serves better as a side dish than a main meal, and my end goal is a main meal...maybe next time.

But, it definitely is a tasty side as is. And pretty too!

Pasta Primavera

2010-09-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Continuing the romp through "Cooking Light Pasta".

Unlike the previous pastas, it was not until that I flipped through the cooking light book that I had any desire to make any of those dishes. They were...different...not your typical pasta recipes. However, I saw this one dish and was like OMG, I love this pasta and I've had it in the seafood variety (and in my non-pescatarian days, the chicken variety), and I want to make it...now. Actually, because I made this dish so long ago now (yeah, I'm 1+ month behind...don't judge me), I saw the pictures and immediately put it on my list of recipes to re-create again soon. Gah, it was so delicious. Anyways...drum roll please....

Pasta Primavera! (Veggie Styleee)

This recipe is a bit time consuming with the chopping and sauteeing and simmering, but it is definitely worth it and you will have lunch for days. And when you re-heat it for your lunch, all of your peers will awkwardly lean over your shoulder because the aroma is just so delightful and it looks so delicious. True that. Be prepared to be the envied.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Uncooked Fusilli (Whole Wheat for meee)
2 Cups of Asparagus (Quarter them...but make sure you leave off the last 1/4...the stem)
1/2 Cup of Shelled Green peas (in my adaptation, I used about a cup of sugar snap peas...and they were PERFECT)
1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Small Red/Yellow Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)
1/3 Whipping Cream (I just used milk)
2/3 Cup of Chicken Broth (I omitted it)
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil

Directions
1) Cook Pasta according to directions with salted water but in the last couple of minutes while the pasta is cooking, add asparagus and sugar snap peas. Drain to Large bowl and set aside

2) Meanwhile, saute bell peppers, onions and garlic on a large skillet for about 5 minutes.

3) Add tomatoes to the pan and continue to saute for about a minute, and then stir in whipping cream (or milk).

4) Add in salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook for a couple more minutes while all of the flavors are marinating together.

5) Add the items from the large skillet to the pasta, asparagus and sugar snap peas.

6) Top with Parmesan and Basil

7) Enjoy and Share!

Like I said previously, I am making this dish again soon because it was so delicious. That's about it. Go make it.

Fusili with Spinach, Beans and Asiago Cheese

2010-09-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

first things first. the original recipe called for Cavatappi pasta, but I just used what I had in my cupboard and it was just as tasty.

maybe we can call this the 30days of pasta through "Cooking Light". It sure has felt that way. My tummy has been too full with veggies, beans, and deliciousness. Now onto this quick and easy recipe, perfect for any low on time 20 vegetarian.

Ingredients:
4 Cups of coarsely chopped spinach leaves
2 of uncooked Fusili (or Cavatappi)
1/2 Cup of Shredded Asiago Cheese
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Garlic cloves
1 19oz can of Cannellini Beans (White beans)

Directions
1) You are going to kill me for how easy this is
2) Cook pasta of choice
3) Meanwhile mince garlic cloves and shred Asiago
4) Drain pasta and transfer to medium sized bowl
5) First, add asiago and spinach mix around and then cover for 4-6 minutes
-- This allows the cheese melt and the spinach to wilt
6) Remove cover and add garlic cloves, olive oil and white beans and stir well
7) Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper
8) Enjoy and Share!

I would make this again in a heart beat. I usually really like to put garbanzo beans in my pasta dishes so the switch to Cannellini beans was a nice change of pace. I really enjoyed them in this dish and I definitely recommend covering the pasta with the asiago and spinach because it definitely enhanced the flavor of the asiago. I would also dabble with the idea of using Swiss chard or arugula instead of spinach, but we'll have to see about that. :-)

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill, and Lemon

2010-09-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

Now, you're going to be like WHYYYY are you making so much pasta? that is a poop load of carbs. I will not disagree with you there, but I will have you know that I am one of those whole-wheat pasta junkies...so at least I have that going for me? right? Actually, although the past couple of recipes have just come out of whatever I wanted to make, this next slew of recipes is courtesy of my "Cooking Light: Pasta" book. I mean, low carb and full of tasteeee. What more can a girl ask for?

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions ( I used regular yellow)
1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 can Chickpeas
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 tablesppon of salt
2 minced garlic cloves

Directions:
1) Cook pasta according to package directions
2) Drain and rinse with cold water
3) Combine cooked pasta, onions, feta, dill and chickpeas in a large bowl and stir gently to combine
4) Combine lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and ginger in a smaller bowl and mix well and toss over pasta mixture.
5) Stir well and season with additional salt and pepper to taste
6) Enjoy and Share!

I really liked this dish. It was a quick and filling meal with left overs for lunch the following day. it is perfect for a busy 20something, but can easily work well for a pot luck or family dinner. :-)

Orzo with Brussels Sprouts, Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

2010-09-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love Brussels Sprouts. There was a time that I never thought I would say those words, but it is true. I do. They are like little mini bite size cabbages, and I love cabbages so it only makes sense that I love Brussels Sprouts. I really think this "like" was a big kid development, but that is no big deal.

Anywho, I think Brussels Sprouts, like most vegetables, can find their way in some sort of pasta dish. So, I did just that. The only time consuming part of this dish is making the brussels sprouts, and this does not even take that long.

Ingredients

2 Cups of Brussels Sprouts
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cup of Orzo
1 Cup of Crumbled Goat Cheese
1/3 Cup of Parsley
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions

1) Preheat Broiler
2) Boil Orzo until cooked (approx 7-8 minutes)
3) Halve Brussels Sprouts and mix in bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper
4) Broil for 4 minutes on one side and then flip and broil on the other side for another 3-4 minutes until browned
5) Remove Orzo from stove and transfer to another bowl
6) Add in Brussels Sprouts and cherry tomatoes and mix well
7) Mix in goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste
8) Top with parsley
9) Enjoy and share!

I really enjoyed switching up this normal pasta with veggie and adding in those brussels sprouts. Not only do they add their own texture but they also add a nice warmth to the dish.

Pesto Pasta with Tofu, Olives and Cherry Tomatoes

2010-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh hey, off the book recipe. I've got a couple of those coming to you. This is a pretty simple one. Just add some stuff to some pasta and there ya go. Except, you should probably really make this one because it is super tasty and good. And if you have a gluten allergy, throw some gluten-free pasta in this bad boy and have yourself a little party. YUM.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Uncooked Penne
2/3 Cup of Diced EXTRA firm Tofu
1/2 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes
4 Tablespoons of Pesto
1/2 Cup of Kalamata Olives
1/2 Cup of Fresh Mozzarella
Directions:

1) Salt water and boil penne until cooked

2) Meanwhile, saute exta firm tofu in oil in large saucepan with salt, pepper and some red chili flakes for 5-6 or until browned.

3) Halve Cherry Tomatoes and add them a long with Olives and Mozzarella to the drained pasta.

4) Add your pesto and tofu and also about another tablespoon of olive oil.

5) Mix ingredients well and season to taste with salt and pepper

6) Enjoy and Share!

I found that the red chili pepper flakes added a nice kick...so yeah. Make this. :-)

Pizza in the Morning, Pizza in the noon day, Pizza at Supper time

2010-08-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

you must have thought that I forgot about you, NEVER! I have been actually in the kitchen quite a lot, BUT school is hard so I have little time to post. sad day. With a small break, I am going to try and throw together all that I have been cooking and baking since the end of August...which is a lot...so we'll see how much I get done.

Let's rock and roll.

So pizza is my lazy meal. however, it is so good and so easy and then look at this pizza, it looks so fancy...right?

Ingredients:

1 Pizza dough (TJs, Wegmans, Pillsbury (any grocery store), or make your own!
1 Cup of Spinach
1/2 Cup of Sliced Mushrooms
1/4-1/3 cup of Goat Cheese
1/2 cup of Kalamata olives
2/3 cup of Marinara Sauce

Directions:

1) Preheat that glorious oven of yours to 425
2) If using a baking sheet, line with foil or just oil with the sheet with olive oil and dust it with corn starch
-- If using a pizza stone, just pull that beautiful thing out of your cabinet
3) While oven is heating, saute mushrooms in olive oil, salt and pepper until soft and then add spinach until it just begins to wilt.
4) Remove spinach and mushrooms from heat and cover pizza dough with as little or as much pizza/marinara sauce as your heart desires
5) Top pizza with goat cheese, olives, spinach and mushrooms
6) Heat in oven until crusts browns and cheese is melted about 15-20 minutes
7) Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes
8) Enjoy and Share!!!

Yes, yes, Yes. I know. Karri, you've made pizza a lot before. Welp, it is easy, delicious and there are endless opportunities. So cry me a river. Well, don't but please go make yourself some pizza, preferably this one. One of these days when I have some more time on my hands, I definitely plan on taking to the kitchen and making my own pizza crust. GASP! That, and I also plan on taking on making my own gnocchi. CRAZY TALK. One of these days...

Sukho Thai

2010-08-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

friday night take-out.

maybe i'll start a special post for that. maybe not. we'll see.

nevertheless, this was the second to last stop on the short hudson valley tour.

After becoming cultured to Thai food during my time in DC over the past five years, I was always sad when I went home that I could not engage in the delicious Thai cuisine. However, I was definitely mistaken because Sukho Thai has been in Beacon for a while now, but it was only until a year or so ago that I had went for my first time.

This review, however, will only be about my Sukho Thai take out experience, but I will remark that the restaurant itself is located on the Eastern end of Main Street in Beacon (both Chill and Homespun were located on the western end) and it is adjacent to many of the well known antique shops in town. The restaurant does feature a nice modern decor and it is a really good spot for a small group of friends or a nice date night with your significant other.

For take out, I ordered the Fried Golden Tofu to start which was served with sweet chili dipping sauce. After having delicious golden tofu from Sticky Rice and decent tofu from Malaysia Kopitiam, I was expecting something at least in between. Unfortunately, I got something that was not really close. The Golden Tofu had absolutely no flavor and even with the dipping sauce which was standard, I was not off to a good start with my meal. However, my entree, the Penang Curry, a Thai panang curry with red bell peppers, snow peas, green beans, topped with a coconut sauce and Kaffir lime leaves, was a completely different situation. You can order it with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu, vegetable, or shrimp. I had my version with a mixture of tofu and vegetables and it was really really really good. I was almost shocked that two things, one with no flavor and another dish with such tasty flavors could come from the same restaurant. You are able to choose the spiciness of your food and I like some heat to my meals, so I chose the "medium" option which was the perfect amount of spice to give it some kick but I was still able to enjoy the other flavor profiles of the dish.

Despite the poor appetizer, my entree more then made up for the meal. Having also been to Sukho Thai a few times prior, I also know that they usually serve up really solid and delicious Thai food, but they definitely need to redo that Fried Golden Tofu.

Grade: B+

Chill Wine and Tapas

2010-08-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

Back home for a couple of weeks before the big move, I decided to meet up with the BOOF buddy that I have known the longest (about 18 years!), Ash. We were originally planning to get coffee earlier that evening, but I ended up having to take care of some things, so she threw out the idea of heading to the newish Wine Bar in Beacon, Chill.

Chill is located on the Northern part of Main Street in Beacon and has a very cool hipster/dive vibe to it. In the evening, it features live acoustic music that still allows you to carry on a conversation, dim/little to no lights and an overall relaxed atmosphere.

The bar features exposed brick walls, slightly elevated seating on the side opposite to the bar with small lamps on each table. In the back of the restaurant, there is more seating with big leather chairs and a similar intimate and relaxed feel.

For being a winebar, there wine list is somewhat short but it covers all grounds. Ash ordered the German Dr. Loosen Riesling and I ordered the South African Indaba Shiraz. Both wines were tasty and had a nice body to them. The red was served at the perfect room temperature which is always a necessity. Chill also features a nice food selection with food plates, grilled panins and hummus platters. I opted to order the Pesto Hummus which was served with toasted flatbread and it was really quite tasty. I wish that the flatbread was not as crunchy as it was but because the hummus had such a weight to it, it might not have held up otherwise.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Chill. I would definitely go back when I am in time, and I think it is really the perfect way to end your day. I would also go back and try their paninis because who does not like a panini? Chill definitely has the possibility of becoming a Beacon main stay.

Grade: B+

Homespun Foods

2010-08-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

Yea Man. First post outside of the DMV. Booyah.

I am from this really gorgeous part of NY (not the city) but the Hudson Valley which sits right along the Hudson River smack dab between NYC and Albany. If you really want to know more, just wiki it but needless to say, it is a really awesome part of the country (and NY state) that is filled with beautiful landscapes, mountains (or "hills" for you westcoast folks), and plenty of historic sites to see (West Point, Vanderbilt Mansion, FDR Estate, Samuel Morse Estate-- to name a few) and a plethora of other outdoor activities.

Only home for a few weeks before I made my big move out to PA (more on that in a later post), I decided that I would delve into more of the local cuisine, which I hear is actually quite delicious. Although I am not in NYC, the food from the area must be doing something right because Anthony Bourdain has highlighted our area on his show "No Reservations". Therefore, we are legit. I had never actually ate a meal at Homespun before but I did have a delicious cookie from there and best buddy of BOOF, Mo, is always a big fan of homespun because of their amount of gluten-free items on the menu.

Homespun is located right on Main Street in Beacon, NY, a little historic city sitting in the mid-hudson valley. Beacon has seen its share of ups and downs but it has recently been undergoing a transformation back to its former glory with the entrance of nice cafes, good cultural cuisine options, more antique shops (it has actually ALWAYS been known for these) and just more things to do. Homespun features nice warm colors, exposed brick walls and a nice but smallish dining area in the front but more seating in the back. It is definitely a cafe/lunch spot, but their lunch meals are absolutely delicious and they also serve breakfast, so why not? A major perk to Homespun is there large outdoor garden patio which is where I opted to sit on that beautiful summer day which has the perfect mix of shade and sun and I never felt as though there were too many bugs bothering me.

I ordered the Goat Gouda Pecan salad which featured goat cheese, grapes, dried cherries, toasted pecans and salad greens with a balsamic dressing. As you probably can figure from the ingredients, this salad was delicious. It had the perfect touch of fresh ingredients with the nice but simple balance of the sweet grapes, cherries with the more salty and sharp taste of the goat cheese and the pecans. Furthermore, the dressing was also nice light and refreshing and complemented but did not overwhelm the ingredients in the salad. I could eat the salad all the time but so many other salads, sandwiches and deliciousness on their menu look so good, I would have to try something else out first.

I also treated myself to a large chocolate chip cookie which was so delicious. The perfect balance of chewiness with that nice outer edge crisp. The owner/head chef of Homespun formerly headed a bakery in Seattle, so desserts and pastries are her thing, and she does it so well. As previously mentioned, they offer gluten-free desserts as well as vegan, and you can also put in order for specialty items to be catered or cakes for special occasions.

I would definitely go back to Homespun for a nice afternoon lunch and I would be hard pressed to find another better option on a nice day to eat lunch outside, then either go antiquing or hit up DIA: Beacon, the popular art museum.

Grade: B+

-- No dinner makes Karri a sad girl.

Spring Shells and Cheese

2010-08-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Dear creators of Tastespotting,

I love you. Although I dislike that anytime I visit your page, hunger consumes me and I am immediately in need of making/eating everything that I see. Nevertheless, thank you for putting every wonderful foodblogger's recipes smack dab in front of me. every day. Also, thank you for making it so easy to search for a specific item that I want to use that evening and coming up with wonderful options. You have made my life so much more delicious and satisifying, and I am forever indebted towards you because of it.

Sincerely,
-Karri

So yes. I went on taste spotting, typed in "Shells" and came up with a slew of wonderful recipes but then there was this one...

There was this recipe that looked so utterly delicious and then I went to this food blog's page and not only fell in love with the recipe but became an immediate fan of the two guys behind it...probably because they too were based in DC. I secretly wanted to meet them and become friends but that's a little stalkerish and crazy, so I just to make this delicious recipe and call it a day.

Adapted From: http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2010/05/spring-shells-and-cheese.html

Ingredients

• 2 pounds medium zucchini
• Kosher salt I used regular salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg * I used regular nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups whole milk * I only used about 2-3 cups and I am also certain that you could have used heavy cream as your base
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves * Omitted these (but probably would just give it more flavor)
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 pound medium pasta shells
• 4 shallots, minced * I just used one small white onion
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 4 ounces baby spinach

Directions

1) Grate the zucchini into a colander using the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon salt, then place in the sink to drain, about 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid.

2) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, nutmeg, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper to taste and mix with a wooden spoon to make a paste.

4) Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 3 minutes.

5) Slowly whisk in the milk, then add the thyme, and lemon zest and bring to a boil, stirring.

6) Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Strain into a bowl.

7) Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

8) Drain and add to the sauce.

9) Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat.

10) Add the onions and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

11) Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until almost tender, about 4 minutes.

12) Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta along with the egg yolks and all but 3 tablespoons of both cheeses; stir to combine, then add the spinach.

13) Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved cheeses. Bake until browned on top and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

14) Enjoy and Share!

It appears that there are a lot of steps but it really is not that time consuming. I definitely recommend this for a group of buds getting together for a potluck style evening dinner. No formalities needed just an appetite required. Oh and did I mention that the leftovers are maybe better then the original? Yeah, that just happened.

Grilled Shrimp Orzo Salad

2010-08-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

I like pasta. I like Seafood. I like pasta and seafood. Well, I lied. I LOVE pasta and seafood, especially together. I got a little inspired by this delicious looking orzo salmon salad on another foodblog but with no salmon in sight, I opted to use shrimp instead. Needless to say, the substitute was no problem and the dish turned out deliciously and wonderfully...like the shrimp deserved to be there from the beginning. Or something like that.

Ingredients

1 Cup of Shrimp (Peeled and deveined)
1/3 cup of orzo
1 medium white onion
20 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Juice of 2 large Lemons
1/4 cup diced Green Bell Pepper
2 tablespoons fresh Dill, chopped
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Directions

1) Boil Orzo according to package
2) Meanwhile chop onions, tomatoes and bell peppers.
3) Season shrimp with a little salt and pepper and some olive oil in a small bowl on the side
4) Heat oil in medium sized skillet and saute onions until translucent
5) Once onions are cooked thoroughly, add shrimp and cook until opaque.
6) Once done, remove shrimp and onions, add to orzo and chopped peppers and tomatoes.
7) Mix thoroughly, season with salt and pepper to taste and top with some fresh dill
8) Enjoy and Share!

Adapted from: http://thruthebugsonmywindshield.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/grilled-salmon-orzo-salad/

Mahoney's Smokehouse

2010-08-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

I've got a couple of more posts from the good ol' hudson valley before i hit you with scranton. wa bammmm.

yeah yeah yeah, these events happened almost a month ago (oh man, i've been living in scranton for almost a month! when did that happen), but grad school is hard and time consuming so clearly i just don't have time to post that often. sad day. however, with a small lull, i am trying to get caught up as much as possible.

back to the food. for the birthday of one of BOOF's aunts, some of the fam bam headed to Mahoney's Smokehouse in Wappingers Falls. The intention of heading to Mahoney's was that we had heard word that they boast some of the best bbq in the hudson valley and although this is no memphis, who does not want some good bbq to wrap up the summer? I was fully aware that I was going to be hard pressed to find something on the menu for me to eat, but at least I knew I would be able to get some fries...or something.

Mahoney's Smokehouse (not to be confused with its sister restaurant, Mahoney's Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie) is really nothing to look at from the outside or the inside. Frankly, if we would have not heard through the grapevine about Mahoney's SH, I am sure that we would have never found our way to it. It sits in a mini strip mall on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls. When you walk in, there is nothing really to mention besides the fact that it appears to be pretty much a hole in the wall with some food. So let's get to the food.

There are various bbq options on the menu from chicken to pulled pork to st louis ribs to baby back ribs and a few others. Mom and Auntie ordered the St. Louis and Baby Back Ribs respectively and luckily, they had some fish and chips on the bar menu because if that had not been the case, i would have been eating sweet potato fries for dinner. I ordered the fish and chips but substituted the chips for the sweet potato fries. Both types of ribs came with a two sides so everyone essentially ordered the corn on the cob and sweet potato fries on the side. Looking back, mom wish she would have tried the Baked Beans, and I had actually asked about these but found out that they do cook them with their meat...sad face.

The reason why Mahoney's SH is very good and well known is because they literally have a smoke house out back where they cook and cure their meat throughout the day. The St. Louis came with a dry rub and the Baby Back Ribs were slathered in barbecue sauce. The Fish n Chips was just a standard cod. The fish and Chips were fine but the Sweet Potato fries were really quite delicious. I mean, the fish was really just standard and nothing special at all. From what I gathered, both types of Ribs were really really tasty and worth the hoopla. Because the St. Louis was a dry rub, depending on your taste, you may have wanted to add some additional barbecue sauce (as did my mom), but the smokiness and tenderness of the ribs were stellar. The seasoning was good and the flavors were there. Additionally, the corn on the cob was cooked on the grill and that IS the best way to eat corn on the cob. Really fresh and sweet.

Despite its appearance and lack of vegetarian items, Mahoney's did not disappoint in the cuisine that is its staple. Nevertheless, I do believe that if Mahoney's wants to become a mainstay of the area, it definitely needs to up its decor and service because it's food, definitely backs it up.

Grade: B- (A- for the ribs; C for everything else)

Ted’s Bulletin

2010-08-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

For my last DC meal for a couple of months, best buddy of BOOF, Mo and I decided to head to Ted's Bulletin for lunch on my way out of town. Ted's Bulletin is a new restaurant located in Eastern Market/Barracks Row and after reading Tom Sistema's Washington Post review, I was really amped up to go. Because Mo works in that same area, she has already been to Ted's but because she has always enjoyed it, she was excited to venture there again with me. Ted's Bulletin has one of the coolest decors in all of DC restaurant because the restaurant is themed after old newspapers and bulletins. The restaurant is split into a front room which has a couple of high tables but that area is primarily for takeout and it also features a bakery with the most delicious homemade pop-tarts. The main dining room in the back has ground level booths in the middle and then slightly raised booths on the side with hardwood tables and gold/yellow leather cushioned seats. Similar to many restaurants in the Capitol Hill/Eastern Market area, the designers of the restaurant decided to maintain the integrity of the building with its exposed brick walls which also helps add to the old school feel. On one wall, the restaurant has continuous black and white movies being played and my favorite part of the dining area is the large skylight in the middle of the ceiling which allows for a great amount of natural light.

The menu comes in the form of a newspaper with actual articles on the front and then the food menu on the inside. I love that idea. So really, if your friend/date is boring you, just read a couple of the articles so at least you'll have something to talk about. Just kidding. I love that a restaurant decided to do something different and creative when coming up with a concept for their décor and the food is good too. We're on to that next.

Mo is always happy when she finds a restaurant that has a decent amount of gluten-free items available for her to enjoy. She was really craving breakfast, so she decided to order the "Mark on an Off Day". She really enjoyed how everything was cooked and the bacon was not to oily or greasy as well as the hashbrowns. Additionally, she ordered the fries as a side…yes, I know she was eating breakfast but fries are a universal meal item in my personal opinion. The fries are really really delicious. They are seasoned well and fried nicely with a little bit of crisp to complement the nice soft potato interior. Furthermore, I am always appreciative of places that keep the skin on their potatoes and this is becoming more popular, so that was also another good thing.

For my meal, I reverted back to most people's favorite childhood comfort food, Ted's Famous Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. Apparently it is one of the restaurant's top meals, and it was extremely tasty. I clearly had to ensure that there would be no surprise meat in the tomato soup (some weird places put meat in their tomato soup!), and it was all clear.I definitely I understand why Ted is famous for his Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup because both were definitely quite tasty. Although a grilled cheese is a grilled cheese and there was nothing too special about it, the toast was toasted perfectly and this can definitely be a make or break of a grilled cheese sandwich. The tomato soup was absolutely delicious. You could definitely tell that this was no canned tomato soup but definitely featured freshly pureed tomatoes and because tomato soup has the tendency to be too salty, this was perfectly averted by the use of other seasonings such as pepper to balance out the flavor. Additionally, I ordered the Mac & Four Cheese as a side because I am the queen of baked mac & cheese. A lot of restaurants these days also have the preference of adding some bacon into their mac and cheese which I personally think is just a travesty, so I had to ensure that there would be no little pieces of meat hanging around and I was in the clear (points for being vegetarian friendly!). I was not too blown away by the mac and cheese and it was honestly a bit of a disappointment. The top had a nice crisp to it but I think they were to heavy handed on the cream base that they used and didn't include enough cheese but you never got that delicious gooey cheese taste when you took a bite.

Now, we were way over the acceptable caloric intake so we just thought we would top it off with a Ted's Bulletin staple, the milkshake. Now in my Good Stuff review, I mentioned that they have the best milkshakes in town which I will stick to, but Ted's Bulletin is right behind them. They have delicious milkshakes and both Mo and I ordered them. I went with my classic Cookies and Cream shake and Mo went with the Heath Almond. I think it is just plain impossible to not do a milkshake justice but both Good Stuff and Ted's does a superb job at both making the consistency right (not too thin, not too thick) and the flavor is just delicious. They also have "Adult Milkshakes" for the evening time which feature delicious flavor combos plus some alcohol.

I really enjoyed Ted's Bulletin. The vision for the restaurant is new and interesting and the food is classically well done American cuisine. A big plus to the restaurant is that they serve breakfast all day (WIN!) and so I would definitely be inclined to head back to Ted's for both breakfast and dinner, and obviously another milkshake. Oh yes, and don't forget to get a homemade pop tart on your way out. :-)

Grade: A-

Hook

2010-08-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love when livingsocial/groupon deals come through for those restaurants that you really really want to go to. Hook, was one of those for me. For one of my final dinners in DC, best buddy of BOOF, sio and I decided to put my deal to good use and head to Hook for dinner. I previously mentioned that Hook is the "big" sister restaurant to Tacklebox which is located right next door. Like its little sister, Hook also uses local produce and sustainable ingredients in all of their food which is a major plus for me. The restaurant is located in the heart of Georgetown on M Street and its a perfect way to spend your evening meal.

The interior has a nice modern look with dim low hanging overhead lights, nice hardwood floors and tables but it also features a nice long high table top across from the bar. There is normal restaurant seating in both the back and front of the restaurant but I would recommend making a reservation with hopes of getting a seat in the designated dining area.

To start I ordered the Asparagus Soup. When this dish came out, I along with Sio was actually surprised that it was green. Clearly, it make sense that it would be green because it is asparagus soup, but I guess maybe I was thinking that it would be more asparagus infused then just pureed and asparagus. Nevertheless, it was so good. So delicious. The asparagus was definitely the primary flavor that came through but because there was such a great complexity of additional flavors as well as jumbo lump crab meat throughout the soup, that you never felt overpowered by the asparagus. I would order that soup every trip.

For our entrees, Sio ordered the Lobster Risotto. We both had this on our radar upon deciding what we would order and it was definitely a very good choice. Although we are not in New England, the lobster was fresh and there was plenty of lobster present in the dish along with the full tail. The Risotto was a little soupier then expected but the flavor profile was there and it was a very well done dish as well. My only complaint is that there could have been a little kick to this lobster risotto which maybe would have not only been a good surprise but it also may have taken this good dish and made it into a great dish.

Additionally, I personally like my Risotto a little softer but Hook cooked it to al dente but I guess that is just a personal preference.

I ordered the Halibut which was really a pleasant surprise. I had not had Halibut in a while and I am glad that I waited for this occasion to have it. I could not have asked for a better cooked piece of fish on this evening as the white fish just broke beautifully and melted in my mouth. Furthermore, the dish was perfectly balanced with the saltiness of the beans underlying the fish with the beautiful sweet honey glaze on top of the fish and surrounding it. The fish was also plated beautifully but the fact that the taste matched its beauty made it a winner. The texture balance was also perfect as the crunchiness of the shredded carrot matched with the sear on the halibut and then the nice soft crunch of the beans was near perfect. Despite my desire to order another fish off the menu at a future date, I am sure that I will be so inclined to order the halibut once again. It was better than I expected.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Hook. It was definitely one of the better meals that I have had in DC and also a top 5 for seafood dining experiences in DC, which is saying a lot. The dessert menu was definitely enticing but both Sio and I declined for the evening; however, the Pastry chef at Hook is getting ready to be featured on the new Bravo Series with Gail Simmons, Top Chef Just Desserts. That is my kind of show. I digress. Hook is definitely a perfect place for a date or just a nice dinner with a few friends but it is not a place that you want to be rambunctious and loud in. After a nice meal at Hook, I definitely recommend taking a walk either down the Waterfront or across Key Bridge.

Grade: A-

Sweet Green: Sweet Flow Mobile

2010-08-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

i like my meals on wheels. true that. who doesn't?

After the most perfect saturday morning kayaking on the potomac river, BOOF buds had a great idea to head to the Sweet Green Sweet Flow Mobile for "Free Sweet Flow Saturdays". Luckily for us, the sweet green mobile was only located a few blocks away and free fro-yo sounded perfect after spending the morning on the water.

Although you all know my strong bias for the deliciousness of Mr. Yogato, this fro-yo comes from Sweet Green, another fro-yo shop with a few DC locations. Having been to the Sweet Green shop, I enjoy the Fro-yo but I don't really think it compares to the deliciousness of Mr. Yogato. However, in the mobile version and the free version, I don't see how you can go wrong. Not only do they give you a medium-sized non skimpy version but they also give you not one, not two but three!!!! free toppings. that is unheard of. it's almost just ludicrous. Therefore, although the fro-yo amazingness might not be as great as Mr. Yogato, the Sweet Green truck is a wonderful treat. The plain tart yogurt is tasty and they offer a great selection of over ten toppings...both healthy and not-so-healthy. So find the truck, especially on Sweet Flow Saturdays and enjoy a delicious fro-yo treat on me. well, not really but you get the idea.

Grade: B+

Souk

2010-08-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

one of the final stops on my romp of H Street was another around the corner goody, SOUK. It had been a long time coming for good buddies of BOOF, Bill and AB and I to get together. I had been wanting to go to Souk for a while and I knew that Bill studied abroad in Morocco, so I threw out the idea of Souk and both agreed.

Souk is a smaller primarily tapas restaurant with a nice relaxed vibe. It is filled with warm colors and very decorative pillows on many of the seats throughout the restaurant. I had never realized that in addition to the small dining room in the front of the restaurant (along with the bar), there is in additional dining room in the back with very very dimmed lighting but more of the same color scheme. It also boasts an open kitchen and we all i know, i love an open kitchen. points for that.

to start off we ordered the hummus which was just a simple blend of chick peas puree, tahini, olive oil and lemon. i feel like it is difficult to go wrong with homemade hummus and Souk did a good job with it. No unexpected kicks or surprise flavors but it was good nonetheless.

i also ordered the Chiflour Bi Tahina which is fried cauliflour with herbs and tahina sauce. i can really never see anything wrong with a tempura vegetable and this was more of the same. The flavors were nicely balanced but there was no special kick to it. i think that it could have had some more complex flavors going on but it was still clean and simple.

Additionally, I ordered the Couscous a la Berebere which is couscous served with dry fruits, apricots, nuts and a yogurt sauce. this was recommended to me by Bill and my mouth may have been watering upon reading the description on the menu. unfortunately, it wasn't as good as the description leads it on to be. the couscous was cooked fine as were the ingredients but the flavor intensity that I was expecting from the dried fruits and apricots did not come through as much as I would have hoped. the yogurt sauce helped a bit but it was definitely one of those "great vision, not so great execution" dishes.

AB ordered the Chicken Shawarma which is roasted chicken with tomato onion salad served with Basmati rice. Both Bill and AB enjoyed this dish and Bill felt like she was back in Morocco, which is a clearly a good thing. The flavor and seasoning was there and definitely had mediterranean influences but it also had its own distinct identity.

Bill ordered the Lamb couscous which was a stewed lamb shank with a vegetable medley of squash, carrots, and zucchini served with couscous. This was a big hit and I even had some of the carrots which were really tasty. AB also took really well to this dish and enjoyed the flavor. There are occasions when restaurants mistake good seasoning from salting and this was not the case. The seasoning was nicely balanced.

Additionally, I ordered the Shrimp Biryani (i'm pretty sure that's what it was called), and it was really quite good. The flavor and seasoning was really present and had the nice "kick" that I had been looking for all evening. I would actually caution that unless you are accustomed to very spicy things and can take it, that you might not get it because I had to polish off that couscous to be able to finish it. However, I was really pleased with the dish and the flavor and I think that the bold seasoning that they used in this particular dish should be used more so throughout.

All in all, i enjoyed my time at Souk. There are definitely additional items on the menu that I would like to try and I think tapas is always a good choice among a small group of friends or for a date. If on a date, I would recommend asking to be seated in the back dining room because the front dining room can be a little bit of the fishbowl with the open windows. They had a lot of good flavors in some of the dishes, but I definitely would not be afraid to push the envelope if I were them.

Grade: B

Maoz Vegetarian

2010-08-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

oh hey, i'm a vegetarian. yup, i am. well actually, i'm a pescatarian...but you already knew that. i think. i hope?

when i saw the sign for Maoz Vegetarian one day when I was on M Street, i thought to myself "What is that little place there? I've never seen it before". good thing is that it was new to the south of dupont circle area of DC and DC as a whole, but after doing some research, i found that it actually is a chain. Maoz Vegetarian is a Falafel chain that is popping all over the states and is filled with an unlimited toppings bar and delicious belgian frites and sweet potato fries.

I had been wanting to go to Maoz for a while but when that glorious groupon/livingsocial deal finally appeared in my inbox, I quickly grabbed it up. Close buddy of BOOF, CCoast, was not going to be in town for my final DC weekend, so we decided to meet up and grab dinner on evening. I threw out the idea of Maoz and she had also been wanting to try it so it worked out perfectly.

As I had mentioned earlier, Maoz is located on M Street btw 18th and 19th and close to other previously reviewed eats, Penang and Malaysia Kopitiam. It is a very small restaurant and for dinner it is not too busy but word is that during lunch time there is a crazy line out the door. There is limited seating inside but it does have large hardwood picnic style tables that awkwardly contrast with the otherwise clean more modern interior.

Maoz has two main falafel meal deals, the Maoz Royal Sandwich which comes with a full falafel, a order of belgian frites and a soft drink. Maybe if you are there for lunch, you may consider the Junior Maoz Sandwich which is 1/2 the amount of falafel (3 falafel balls), frites and a soft drink. Both CCoast and I opted for the Maoz Royal Sandwich (only $9.00!) but I ordered the sweet potato fries instead of the regular belgian frites. The falafel is automatically topped with eggplant and hummus. However, there is about 15 other delicious looking self-serve-all-you-can-pile-on toppings bar.

The falafel is so delicious (and gluten-free!). The seasoning is delicious and the falafel is fried perfectly on the spot. I mentioned in my Pasha Bistro post how Mo commented that the falafel was not as fluffy on the inside as sometimes you like your falafel. I would say that this falafel has that fluffiness on the inside paired perfectly with the crispy exterior. Yum. Yum. Yum.
The fries were more of the same. Both the Belgian frites and sweet potato fries were seasoned well and perfectly fried. gosh, i want some sweet potato fries right now.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip and would definitely go back for some delicious falafel...even without a coupon! shocker! But honestly, if you are looking for a quick bite, especially to take on the go or during lunch time, then Maoz Vegetarian is definitely your spot. Don't be deterred by the "vegetarian" because we are people too. and we like food. good food.

Grade: A-/B+

Good Stuff Eatery

2010-08-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

"This is the Good Stuff".

That's the motto. Maybe not the great stuff but the stuff is definitely good. Having been to Good Stuff a few times, I finally made the adventure post-gym one evening (at least i know that I burned it in my workout) for a takeout dinner.

Good Stuff Eatery is the lovechild of Top Chef Alum, Spike Mendehlson located in Capitol Hill. It is known for its burgers, fries and shakes and had a large part in putting quality burger joints on the DC map. It is now located adjacent to Spike's second restaurant, "We, the Pizza". You definitely feel like you're in a "burger joint" when you walk into Good Stuff, but you also feel like you're in a "DC Burger Joint", if that makes any sense. I hope it does. They have upstairs seating and some on the ground floor, although, the majority of people who sit on the first floor are waiting for their take-out order. It also boasts a front outdoor patio which now is joined to the front outdoor patio of We the Pizza. Definitely a nice vibe on a warm evening.

For my burger, I obviously ordered the VEGETARIANS ARE PEOPLE TOO ‘SHROOM BURGER which is an Organic Portobello Tops Stuffed With Muenster & Cheddar, Flash Fried With Panko Crumbs, Ruby Tomato, Onions, Lettuce & Pickle With Good Stuff Sauce. The one thing that I will mention is that it is very refreshing to see something other than your run of the mill veggie burger on a menu for a restaurant. I really appreciate that Good Stuff "pushes the envelope" and does something other than your average black bean or some other frozen veggie burger variety. Nevertheless, i was a little dissapointed with the burger. It was a little to soggy and I personally love portobello burgers simply marinated and grilled, and I don't think the bread crumbs and flash fry is necessary. It became too much about the breadding rather then letting the delicious portobello stand on its own. Maybe if it the fry was a little crispier, I would have enjoyed it more but I just think you don't even need the breadding. I do appreciate that he was trying to do something different though.

I also ordered a snack size of Spike's Village Fries which are topped With Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Sea Salt. I enjoyed the fries but I almost would have rather the fries been seasoned prior to going into the fryer. However, they did have a good flavor balance and I enjoyed them.

Now onto the number one reason to go to Good Stuff. the MILKSHAKE. The milkshakes that come out of Good Stuff are absolutely delicious. I really really love milkshakes but not only does Good Stuff do the traditional flavors well but they also push the envelope with flavors like Toasted Marshmallow. I will definitely go out on a limb and say that Good Stuff definitely puts out the best Milshakes in town. On this trip, I ordered the Cookies and Creme and it was divine. Wow, I wan't that milkshake right now.

Overall, a trip to Good Stuff is always tasty. From my non-vegetarian friends, I hear that the normal burgers are very tasty, so I definitely recommend a trip...even if it's just for the milkshake. ;-)

Grade: B+ (A for the Milkshakes)

Mr. Yogato

2010-08-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And i liked to take a minute and sit right there
And tell you how I became the princess of a town called DC.

Well, not so much. But I could tell you a story about this place that I really like to go to. If I could go there every day (and If i did it for 30days continuous, they would name a flavor after me), I would. I would go there everyday. I will never forget that lovely fall day when I was out hanging with BOOF Best Bud, Apanda, and her family when she introduced me to this amazing establishment known as Mr. Yogato.

WARNING: This review is biased.

When people ask me what the Best Frozen yogurt place in DC is? I really almost gasp in shock because there is nothing that comes close to the Dupont Circle gem of Mr. Yogato. It is located on the downstairs of a small re-stored town-house and the lines can get pretty crazy in the midst of summer. There isn't a lot of space inside inside to sit (actually, almost none) but fro yo is better to take on the go as you walk around the neighborhood with your buds.

What makes Mr. Yogato so good? Not only is the ambiance always friendly and entertaining (they give you about 5+ ways to accumulate major money off your fro-yo) but the fro yo is just so delicious. I think they essentially revolutionized toppings on fro-yo before all these other fro-yo places popped up in DC because they were adding fun cereals, candies, cookies to their fro-yo before everyone else. quote me on that. The original flavor is just perfect, just perfectly tart and sweet but it allows for the toppings to take a leading role too.

Best thing in my opinion about Mr. Yogato: Tim Tams. That is when I knew I found love. Tim tams are the best cookie in the world which I discovered when I was in Australia and fell in love with. So, when I saw that Mr. Yogato had Tim Tams on the toppings list, I did a double and triple take in unbelief. I don't think I have not gotten Tim Tams on top of my fro yo (of course with other toppings). AND then, Mr. Yogato's had the nerveeeee to put Tim Tam SLAMS on their menu! some nerve. I could explain what exactly that is to you but then I would ruin it. Just go. Just do it. Your life will never be the same again. I promise. Quote me on that too.

Just go to Mr Yogato and eat copious amounts of delicious fro-yo for me. please. i beg of you.

Grade: A

Pasha Bistro

2010-08-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

After spending way too much money at Border's going out of business sale, best buddy of BOOF, Mo and I found ourselves hungry in DC. per usual. It was a Sunday afternoon so somethings are open and somethings weren't. We originally intended to check out Maoz Vegetarian because I not only have heard so many great things about it but also I had a groupon to use there. Unfortunately, upon arriving to Maoz, we noticed that it was closed. sad day. sad face.

we were in the dupont area, so we knew that we could find something to satisfy our vegetarian and gluten-free taste buds, but nothing we saw seemed to appetizing. we continued to walk and were eventually in the area of another place I had a livingsocial/groupon deal to (i have a TON, i know it's a problem), Pasha Bistro. It ended up being the perfect stop on a warm but cloudy sunday afternoon. Pasha Bistro is located on 17th Street, in I guess what we could call the East part of the Dupont Circle Neighborhood. It is close to Komi (#1 restaurant in DMV), Mr. Yogato and Cafe Green to name a few.

the inside of Pasha Bistro is really nothing spectacular but it does feature a nice large covered outdoor patio out front which I am really a fan of and 17th street is another one of those great places to people watch. first things first, we had to ensure that the falafel was gluten-free so Mo could eat it, and not to worry...it was.

we started off by ordering some hummus which was nice, creamy and delicious. there is nothing like fresh made hummus served with ezme, feta and pita. the flavors were there and it was a nice and simple dish and the pita was also super delicious.

i then also ordered the spinach pie which was sauteed spinach and feta baked in a puff pastry and this was also very delicious. the feta nicely balanced the seasoning of the spinach and this was a dish that Mo really wish that she could have eaten. I wish she could have too. :-(

for our meals, Mo ordered the Falafel Platter which came with fries, a house salad and hummus. Mo enjoyed every part of the meal and it was nice to see a restaurant not skimp out on the house salad. she did mention that the falafel was good but it was not as fluffy on the inside as some others. the seasoning of the crust, however, was really good. the fries were also tasty shoestring fries more so then your average shoestring fry.

I ordered the Veggie Pita which was filled with grilled zucchini, eggplant, onions, bell pepper, and feta cheese. the veggies were all cooked really well and seasoned nicely and i really enjoyed it. it came with a large helping of those shoestring fries and they were really really good. i am also a big fan of the fact that despite Mediterranean cuisine really favors a lot of meat (lamb), there was more then ample veggie options on the menu. i did like that they included a lot of veggies and the pita was overflowing with them. job well done.

all in all, both Mo and I enjoyed our time at Pasha Bistro. if you are looking for a cheap, casual and tasty meal with buds then pasha bistro can definitely be your stop. I would definitely recommend it on a spring, cool summer or fall evening with buds on the patio.

Grade: B

Ella's Pizza

2010-07-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

On an impromptu evening, the two BOOF buddies that have known me the longest, Mo and LB, and I ventured to Chinatown/Penn Quarter to use one of my livingsocial deals to Ella's Pizza. there are about a billion and one reasons that I am sad to be leaving DC this year, but one of them is definitely because LB just moved into town and it's been about 9years since we were in the same city together. sad face. nevertheless, both Mo and I bought the livingsocial deal because it is one of the few DC pizza locations that offer Gluten-Free Pizza.

Ella's Pizza has a really nice warm vibe to it and it sits right on the line of Chinatown/Penn Quarter (which I really don't understand that whole stupid distinction). It is dimly lit and almost has four different sections but all with the same casual hang out vibe. however, you definitely notice the distinction as one section has the power red walls, one section has a calmer sea blue wall, another section has a standard eggshell white wall and then there is the large bar spanning a large part of the left side of the restaurant (upon entering). although the restaurant was in my opinion good for a few friends, rather then an intimate date, I found myself wanting to have a little bit more harmony in the decor theme. but that's just an opinion. we didn't make it to dinner until much later but they also apparently have a really nice happy hour featuring $5.00 7inch Pizzas, $1.00 off American Draughts, and 3.50/16.00 (glass/carafe) of sangria(which is good). I think that happy hour is the only time I would probably go back to Ella's. More on that.

Mo ordered the Gluten-Free Napoletana which has tomato sauce, capers, anchovies, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. For Mo, it is all about grading the crust and for her, it was a well-done Gluten-Free crust. It had a good crisp to it but the only really good thing about the whole pizza was the crust. The anchovies, basil and mozzarella were all very fresh but there was no seasoning on the pizza and the sauce was extremely bland. This is something that we would all criticize in our pizzas.

LB ordered the Melanzane which was topped with a tomato sauce, red onions, olives, yellow peppers, eggplant and goat cheese. I also eyed this pizza on the menu but once again, we were underwhelmed by their "Wood Fired" pizza. The ingredients were great but there was little to no seasoning on the pizza. Mo made an accurate comment that if you have to put red-pepper flakes, pepper, and salt on you pizza, then there is something wrong with the pizza.

I ordered the wild mushroom with spinach, tomato sauce and mild goat cheese and it was more of the same. Good ingredients, poor outcome. I love me some goat cheese so I tend to think that is an automatic winner but the spinach and mushrooms lacked any flavorful depth that really could make this pizza sing.

After having good pizza at il Canale, 2 Amys, Liberty Tree, and even Vapianos, I guess I would at least expect a nice tomato sauce. I clearly think that the Tomato sauce was the downfall of the pizza. Well, under-seasoning all around. The combinations that they have on their menu are really great and the ingredients are good, but those factors are unable to outweigh the lack of flavor. The crust on the non-gluten free pizza was fine but nothing to call home about. Ella's just get a different sauce (I mean, even TJ's Tomato Basil Marinara has better flavor) and get a little heavier handed on your seasoning, and you'll be fine.

Grade: C

Malaysia Kopitiam

2010-07-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

After having such a great meal at Penang, I came to the conclusion that I must have more Malaysian food. I heard through some other buds that Malaysian Kopitiam also serves up some delicious authentic Malaysian, so when the living social deal appeared magically one morning, it was a quick and easy purchase. Best Buddy of BOOF, Hugdoll and I, would sadly be parting ways at the end of the month with her moving to Boston for her PhD (she's a Harvard smarty) and me moving to PA for med school, so we knew that we needed to have one last dinner before our respective departures. I threw out the idea of Malaysian and she was all for it, so we met up at MK for dinner.

MK is located just south of dupont circle right around the corner (literally) from Penang and a slew of other tasty restaurants. the exterior and interior both don't look like much of anything with its red block letter awning at its exterior and it's basement interior. there is a very unique smell that the restaurant features and it is not pleasant but it is also not repulsive to the point that you want to leave or vom...it's just there. it is located in a basement, which i mentioned earlier and it is not necessarily a bad thing but it is weird because you feel like you are going into basement. For example, in other restaurants such as Vidalia, you go below ground in what would technically be a "basement" but you don't necessarily feel like it when you get inside. nevertheless, the interior is just simple and nothing to annoying or spectacular.

the couple that owns MK has a special place in my heart simply for the fact that they are originally from Ipok Perah, Malaysia but then moved to Melbourne! Australia for a significant amount of time before heading to DC. they are also super friendly and sweet and when you are seated not only do you have a simple paper menu with all of the dishes, but you are also handed a three ring binder with pictures of all of their item menus. kinda genius. pick the prettiest.

after falling in love with this stuff at Penang, I insisted that we start off with Roti Canai which is a flat layer Indian bread served with a bowl of Malaysian Curry Chicken. Clearly, I didn't eat the Curry Chicken sauce that it is served with it but I didn't need it because the deliciously flakiness of the bread with that buttery taste is just so delicious, it didn't need any accompaniment, in my opinion. however, hugdoll mentioned that the sauce was super delicious and one of the tastiest parts of the meal, if not the tastiest.

we also started with the Satay Tofu (pictured at the top) which are grilled triangular tofu marinated in various spices served with cucumber and fresh. onion. This had a very interesting flavor because the sauce that it was marinated in was sweet, with an almost honey flavor but the tofu itself was quite salty. I guess some would call this balance very good, which I guess in some aspects it is but it didn't really work as well as I would have liked. I think it was a little too sweet and sticky and the saltiness tried to balance it out but then it was too salty. I ate it all but Hugdoll wasn't that big of a fan; nevertheless, I enjoyed them decently enough to polish them off. I like the vision just not the execution.

Hugdoll ordered the Vegetarian Stir Fried Mix Noodle which is a Stir fried long thin rice noodle and egg noodle with cabbage, Chinese mushroom, Chinese spinach and crispy tofu sheet. This had good flavor but nothing too special. the balance of the dish was really on point with the sweet, salty, sour and then texture all in nice harmony but there was no unique kick to the dish or a wow factor. we both agreed that it was good, just not great.

I ordered the Mamak Mee Goreng which is a stir-fried spicy egg noodle with shrimp, tofu, bean sprout, egg, tomatoes and potatoes top with lettuce and crispy shallot. This spoke both to the vegetarian and pescatarian in me but I was pretty unimpressed by this dish. The dish did have good flavor but I did consider topping it with lettuce was almost an afterthought and really not needed, in my opinion. The main thing I felt was missing from this dish was a good sauce. If there was sauce present, it was pretty absent to me because I didn't really have throughout my dish at all. It is a little sad because the ingredients are good but it just didn't have the flavor that I was looking for and was accustomed to after my trip to Penang.

Overall, I had a decent experience at MK and I would be willing to try it again, but maybe try a dish where Curry is the main ingredient because then I would be sure to have some sort of seasoned sauce throughout the dish. The ingredients were good and some dishes were a success, just not as much of a success that I wanted this Washingtonian Top Cheap Eats and Top 100 Restaurant to be.

Grade: B-

La Loma

2010-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Close buddies of BOOF, Twin and Nattag and I always try and get together but this does not always happen as often as we would like. however, with my DC departure imminently approaching, we knew that we had to make something happen very soon. we all finally found a day that we could meet up for drinks and because I was trying to use up all/most of my groupon/livingsocial deals before I left, I recommended Lounge 201 by Union Station for happy hour.

Unfortunately, as I reached Lounge 201 on one of many blisteringly hot DC summer days, I came to found that they are randomly closed for "special events" on mondays, none of which were actually occuring. weird. so sadly, i was unable to use my groupon, but with so many great places in such a close vicinity, we walked a little farther up Mass to a Capitol Mexican spot, La Loma.

La Loma sits in Capitol Hill on Mass just south of Stanton Square Park and just north of Union Station next to two other restaurants, Bistro Cacao and Cafe Berlin. I had previously been to La Loma before with BOOF buddy, ea, before BOOF officially began and really enjoyed myself. the best feature of these three restaurants are their large front outdoor patios. All three have very expansive outside seating and because it is in the front rather then in the back, it allows for a nice amount of people watching. however, the bushes are a little high in most areas so it limits outside people watching you eat. On summer evenings and afternoons, it can be one of the most pleseant places to be in DC with the hustle and bustle of the outdoor patios of each restaurant.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned before, it was really really really hot and humid outside (go figure DC), so we opted to sit inside in the nice air conditioning. sigh. The inside decor is very "traditionally mexican" (whatever that is supposed to mean) with bold color choices on the walls, a few cacti throughout but nothing too unexpected. we weren't really hungry so we just ordered the strawberry margaritas and the guacamole.

the margaritas were good and a perfect way to cool off on a hot hot summer day (did I mention that it was hot outside?), but not the best margaritas I have ever had and nothing to call home about. however, we did only start off with a half pitcher and we ended up ordering another half pitcher, so they had to have done something well.

the complimentary chips and salsa were decent, but the salsa was a little watery which I am not really a fan of because it makes it that more difficult to scoop the salsa on your chip. however, i could not stop eating the chips and salsa. the guacamole was nice and fresh but i do wish we would have been given a little bit more for all the chips that they put on the plate. the guacamole was served with a special more phyllo texture chip that was so good. i could just ate a bowl of those chips and been a happy camper. they should really make those chips the highlight of their restaurant because they were heavy enough to withhold the weight of the guac and not crumble but light and airy all at the same time.

all in all, i would maybe go back to la loma for a meal, especially because of its convenience. when I was there before, I am pretty certain that I had the Veggie fajitas which were tasty but nothing above average. there are plenty of things to do in the are (see, Cafe Berlin) but i would only recommend La Loma for a cheap bite, not necessarily for quality Mexican. Go to Casa Oaxaca for that.

Grade: B-/C+

Old Siam

2010-07-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

thai takeout. yum. i love those evenings when I call ahead, walk around the corner or hop in my car and drive 3 minutes and when I get to some location, my food is waiting for me ready and hot, then i make my way back home, plop on the couch or on my bed and enjoy a nice scrumptious dinner. all in the matter of tminus 20 minutes. i love takeout.

essentially, those are the lazy evenings, the "karri" evenings when I just need some meee time but i dont want to put in any effort of cooking anything. you have those nights. we all have those nights. sometimes, those are the best nights.

having been to Old Siam in Eastern Market on numerous occasions, I always enjoy the food here. It is located right on 8th street in the barracks row/eastern market neighborhood, one of my most favorite areas in the city. old siam also has a very nice happy hour and during the spring, summer and fall, the front outside patio is a really great spot.

i was not in the mood for trying something new so i just opted for the veggie pad thai. however, i have also had the Rama Tofu which is fried tofu stir-fried with yellow curry served on a bed of steamed spinach and topped with peanut sauce. Although the veggie pad thai is good and flavorful there is nothing extraordinarily spectacular about it. I personally would recommend one of their other curry dishes, such as the Rama Tofu because they offer more complex favors with a nice seasoning kick.

if you are lazier than I, I hear that Old Siam now offers delivery and they are also currently working on their web-based ordering. But really, Old Siam does have a pretty nice ambiance so I would also consider going to the restaurant, especially on a nice evening when you can head to Baskin Robins for a dessert afterwards. About the ambiance: The front room features the large granite topped bar with cooler blue colors and some red as well with dim lighting. The backroom has brighter lights with red walls but hardwood floors and tables adorn both rooms.

All in all, it is not the best Thai I have ever had but would I go back time and time again for takeout, absolutely.

Grade: B

BlackFinn

2010-07-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

for good buddy of BOOF's birthday, Coast, a large group of us ventured to new foggy bottom staple, BlackFinn, for dinner. Ever since BlackFinn came onto the scene in DC last fall, I have always enjoyed all my adventures there and I am a true fan of their happy hour. Furthermore, I also came to know that it is a pseudo big city chain, and the Foggy Bottom location is not its first DMV location but they also have another location out in Bethesda (which I have now also been to).

Black Finn takes on the identity of an "American Saloon" but it simply plays to idea of a restaurant/bar vibe. When it initially opened up, it was purely filled with the young and professional crowd which was definitely to my liking, but as GW (yup, i'm going to trash my alma mater for a second) students got wind of this new place, it quickly became a location of numerous frat parties and everyone's friends winning "happy hours". essentially, it became too collegiate. The decor of the restaurant does not have anything too special going on, it has a front bar and a back bar, and it has slightly elevated seating on the left side of the restaurant to accommodate those who would like to sit down for dinner. The right side and the back of the restaurant also has booth tables and seating along with high stools and tables for the more casual drink and happy hour partakers.

the divide that this BlackFinn has between the two (the dining area and the bar area) is very nice, but because the happy hour crowd is quite large and loud, the restaurant area definitely does not take well to a more intimate dining experience with your sig other. nevertheless, the dining area does do well for large groups, such as we were, but it is a shame that if you sit for dinner, you are unable to get the great happy hour deals even during "happy hour".

to start off, i ordered the spinach artichoke dip which is essentially is a staple on any menu and one that i am always inclined to order. i also find that it it something that is hard to mess up. the spinach dip was done well but i was not overwhelmed by some special and amazing flavor.

the birthday girl, CaCoast, ordered the Beef Sliders which are three miniature beef burgers topped with melted American cheese and grilled onions and served on potato rolls with au jus on the side for dipping. she enjoyed these and said the meat was seasoned well. she also ordered a side of fries and we all really enjoyed the seasoning that was on them.

Coast's bf, NY Sports Fan, ordered the Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich prepared in hot, medium or mild Buffalo sauce and served on a warm ciabatta roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a side of bleu cheese dressing. Not a fan of condiments, NY Sports Fan was pleased by this sandwich because it was not drowning in buffalo sauce as an afterthought. it was a nice balance of the sauce with the chicken because the grilled flavor still came through.

i ordered one of the summer specials which was a Grilled Portobello Pasta featuring whole wheat spaghetti, grilled portobello
mushroom, baby spinach, oven roasted tomatoes, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. I really quite enjoyed this dish and was happy to see something besides a salad and a veggie burger on the menu to satisfy this hungry vegetarian's appetite. my only recommendation is that the dish could have used a little more seasoning because I could barely taste the garlic coming through and the pasta was a little drier then i would have liked. a little bit more olive oil probably would have done the trick. however, to be able to see portobello on the menu as a center to a dish was really pleasing.

BOOF Buddy, England, had the Ultimate Bacon Cheddar
Twice the bacon, three times the cheese! A BlackFinn Burger topped with four slices of applewood-smoked bacon, three times the aged cheddar cheese, crispy fried onion strings and sliced dill pickles on a grilled bulky roll. England also enjoyed his burger and mentioned that it was cooked well and was very filling. Nothing too special in the burger but it was done well.

One of BOOF's closest buddies, Twin, ordered the simple Old School Classic which is just a BlackFinn Burger topped with your choice of melted cheese and sliced dill pickles on a grilled bulky roll. For a side, she ordered a side of grilled carrots that were superbly tasty and good. Similarly to everything else that evening, the burger was done well but nothing too special and to call home about.

Our group was larger than this but critiquing the other half of the table was nearly impossible/a bit excessive. however, i think everyone pretty much had the same quality food with simple american flavors done well but nothing too special. my favorite part of BlackFinn is the happy hour not even because of the drink specials but because of the food specials. All of their pizzas are half off and the pizzas are all really really good. They are flatbread pizzas and two of the four are veggie friendly (the roasted vegetable and the marghertia). During happy hour, they end up being $5.00 which is a deal that you just can't beat.

Overall, I think BlackFinn will always remain a happy hour joint for me and not necessarily a sit down meal. Although there was nothing wrong with the food, there was not special about it and if I am going to sit down for a nice dinner, there are plenty of places that I think I would prefer to try.

Grade: B

*I may have gotten a few of these wrong but no biggie.

Tacklebox

2010-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

why did i not eat seafood for so long? it was not a conscious decision but really, i love seafood. note to self: never not eat seafood for that long again.

good buddy of BOOF, kka and I met up for dinner at one of my many groupons-to-use tacklebox. kka is a buddy that i don't see nearly enough but we we can catch up, it is always such a great time. we both loveee seafood so it ended up being the perfect choice and she had been to tacklebox before but I was an unfortunate first timer.

tacklebox is the sister restaurant to Hook and both are located adjacent to one another on the always bustling picture perfect M Street of Georgetown. tacklebox is the more casual of the two, fitted with picnic table seating and a walk up order service. they have a few meal options but both kka and I decided on the "Maine Meal" which comes with your choice of fish, two sides and one sauce. therefore, the meal definitely becomes a make your own sort of deal which is really nice, especially if you know what you are doing ;-).

for the fish, you can choose from it being cooked two ways: crispy or woodgrilled. Depending on how you want it cooked you can have the choice of shrimp, bay scallops, calamari, catfish, haddock, clam strips (all crispy), or bluefish, trout, tilapia, catfish, cheeseburger, calamari or chicken (wood-grilled).

for the sides you can choose from a sleuth of options: corn on the cob • asparagus • broccoli • side salad • coleslaw • cornbread muffin • mac & chease • mash potatoes • rice • house cut fries • sweet potato fries • portobello mushrooms • potato salad • hush puppies

and you also have your choice of sauce (which is served delightfully on the side): spicy marinara • classic tartar • lemon-garlic aioli • grilled lemons • cocktail • BBQ • Basil.

kka ordered the bluefish woodgrilled with sides of asparagus and broccoli. she opted for no sauce and she really enjoyed the flavor of the fish and the veggies were nice and fresh and so that was also a definite plus. they also had a bit of seasoning, so they weren't bland which was definitely also a plus. veggies need flavor too!

to start i ordered the crispy calamari (you can also have it grilled) and these had great flavor. after having really good calamari at Il Canale and decent calamari at Liberty Tree , I was hoping for more of the former. The calamari was very good, super fresh and had nice seasoning. it had a really good amount of kick but it was not overpowering and they were fried very nicely. i would definitely want to try other appetizers on their menu on a trip back.

for my "maine meal" i ordered the catfish wood-grilled with a side of sweet potato fries and broccoli. I also asked for the spicy marinara on the side. this ended up being really quite delicious. i really enjoyed the flavor of the wood-grill coming through the fish and i think by topping it with the spicy marinara, it gave it that nice kick to balance out the grilled flavor. the sweet potato fries were also delicious but it is hard find "bad" sweet potato fries. i am pretty certain that is an oxymoron. as i mentioned earlier, the broccoli was really good, fresh and well-seasoned.

a favorite thing about both Hook and Tacklebox is that they only use sustainable seafood and ingredients and locally grown produce. they get bonus points just for that. all in all, i would definitely head back to tacklebox again (even minus a groupon) to try out other things on the menu. the seafood is good, not the best i have EVER had but nevertheless it is cheap and good.

Grade: B+

Things to do: Shop. plain and simple.

Le Pain Quotidien

2010-07-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

le pain is an international restaurant of obvious french flair. it is a very nice restaurant/cafe to dine for breakfast or lunch and it is well known for it's "communal table" dining. i had previously been to both the georgetown and dupont circle locations (unfortunately, no international ones for me :-) ), but to hang out with BOOF buddy, kku, we decided to meet one morning for a sort of after breakfast snack at the bethesda location.

the bethesda location is located on bethesda row which is an adorable area that i had never really ventured to previously, but if I ever find myself back in DC living (which i pray i do), i definitely would want to spend some more time there. i am fairly certain that all le pain's pretty much have a similar set up with a large communal table in part of their restaurant with more individual tables set up around the restaurant and then the bakery/casing taking a large part of space also in the restaurant. the furniture is dominated by a lot of "unfinished wood", and although i really like the concept of the communal dining, i still feel that you just end up communicating with whoever you are with. nevertheless, it is an idea that i do like.

le pain uses mainly (if not all) organic ingredients in their meals and i have had breakfast there before and really enjoyed it. on this day, kku and I just enjoyed a couple of breakfast pastries. le pain is one of those places that it can be difficult to order because EVERYTHING in the pastry cases looks delicious. nevertheless, i just ordered a simple croissant (i know how boring), but it was delicious.

kku was a little but more adventurous and ordered this really tasty bread topped with a creme and strawberries. it was really really good. the creme wasn't that sweet and the strawberries were sweet with enough tart that you were not too overwhelmed. and the bread definitely had a nice pastry puff/croissant taste to it, so it was nice and had a bit of a crunch to balance out the texture.

all in all, a trip to le pain is always good and never disappointing. if you need something quick, i definitely recommend just grabbing a pastry and a coffee to go (coffee is good and strong), but if you have time to sit down...then definitely do that and order something of more substance. their omelettes are pretty tasty...just a thought.

Grade: B

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

2010-07-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

man o' man. if i would have known that making a fruit crumble were so simple, i would've been making these a long time ago.

however, it was special BOOF buddy, cr's "not birthday birthday" and i knew how much he loved rhubarb so i thought i would delve into the wonderful world of a fruit crumble. at a friend's party a few months back, i had endulged in a strawberry rhubarb crumble and was really taken back by the flavor because i had never had rhubarb before, so i was excited and nervous to take to this new ingredient.

the roughest part about making this dish was finding rhubarb. rhubarb is extremely seasonal peaking in the spring and a bit into the summer, and it is really almost nearly impossible to find it in stores (farmer's markets are your best bet). I had to call about 4 or 5 grocery stores to find one that carried it but I did! WIN.

thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen, I found this most perfectly easy Strawberry Rhubarb crumble recipe and made a couple of additions just for a little added flavor.

Ingredients

For the Topping:

1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar (or turbinado sugar aka Sugar in the Raw-- that's what i used...maybe 6 packets?
Zest of one lemon
1/4 pound (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 quart strawberries plus a few extras, hulled, quartered
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt

Directions

1) Heat oven to 375.

2) Prepare topping: Combine flour, baking powder, sugar(s), lemon zest, and melted butter until large clumps begin to form.

3) Refrigerate until needed.

4) Prepare filling: Toss chopped rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a 9-inch deep dish plate.

5) Remove topping from fridge and cover fruit thickly and evenly with the topping.

6) My addition: dust top with brown sugar and cinnamon- i think this added a nice additional flavor to the dish.

7) Bake until topping is golden brown in certain places and the fruit is bubbling underneath (40-50 minutes).

Recipe adapted from: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/crumbling-crisp-convictions/

Clyde's

2010-07-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

on an impromptu friday evening, a few close buddies of BOOF including Sho, twinskii, their sig others (j$ and bl), and I all decided to head out to jazz in the sculpture garden, a friday evening favorite. after a few glasses of sangria, some brazilian jazz and a little too much DC heat and humidity, we all decided that we were starving and because this is Sho's former stomping ground, she recommended that we head to clyde's for a bite.

because Sho knew some members of the clyde's staff, my view of the restaurant will definitely be biased but i have always had a fond place for clyde's in my heart. clyde's is a DMV restaurant food chain and i have been to the locations in both georgetown and chinatown and had good experiences at both; however, this is a review for the chinatown location.

located right in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of chinatown, clyde's sits adjacent to the verizon center as a pronounced restaurant spanning two levels and with entrance from both the street and the cinemas. the restaurant is fitted with dim lights, varied artwork (a lot of european influences), dark brown tables and a mix of both hardwood floors and carpeting upstairs. there are three bars in the clydes in chinatown (two downstairs, one upstairs), so it never really gets too busy and too difficult to get a drink. nevertheless, because it is such a hot spot it does get busy for dinner but unless their is a big event going on at the verizon center (Caps game), you should always be able to get a seat for dinner with not too much of a wait.

clyde's features "traditional american" cuisine and with aussie buddy bl in town, it seemed like the perfect option.

to start off, i ordered the zucchini fritters. i love zucchini in any form so i was really excited to see it in the fried variety, in a restaurant! they were fried well, the seasoning was good and did not take away from the natural flavor of the zucchini. all in all, i was pleased.

BOOF buddy, twinskii, ordered the nachos which were topped with ground beef, cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream, sliced jalapenos and pic de gallo. she enjoyed them but nothing too special.

other BOOF buddy, j$, ordered the thai marinated steak salad which included mango, carrots, cucumber, toasted peanuts and chili lime dressing. the flavor was good and a very nice option as an entree salad.

you'll have to excuse my forgetfulness because i can't really remember what BOOF buddies bl and Sho ordered but I am pretty certain it was of the burger variety. I also do recall that BOOF buddy bl ordered some oysters on the half shell and he mentioned that they were good as well.

i ordered the grilled portobello topped with roasted peppers, zucchini, grilled red onions, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, pesto mayonnaise on toasted multigrain. the sandwich was very tasty and i think because it was topped with such great veggies but yet the sandwich could still be bitten into without being overwhelmed by too much stuff and too much flavor.

all in all with SUPER service to boot, i enjoyed my time at clydes. well, i always enjoy my time at clyde's. there is nothing too special and spectacular about the food and flavors that they produce but it is also a good and satisfying meal. perfect for a movie night or a pre/post-game meal.

Grade: B+/B (A for service C+ for food)