Fresh Pasta Blend

I have a calendar from Krafts foods and Mom and I vowed we would make each recipe on that calendar within the month that it was posted. So, being that we are getting close to the end of March - we had to cook this one.

Here ya go:

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

1 lb chicken breasts, diced

3/4 cup italian dressing

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 bag baby spinach

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup mozz cheese

Boil water and cook egg noodles. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid.

Saute chicken until done in the italian dressing.

When done, add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta water. Toss the chicken mixture in with the cooked pasta. Add the spinach until wilted.

Add the crumbled bacon and mozz cheese on top.

Serve.

It is good - use quality bacon and italian dressing as it adds a lot of flavor.

Taste of Lakeland - Dragon Buffet

Mom and I are on this weekly thing to taste new places in Lakeland. Dad doesn't like asian food much so Mom and I have to try new things in that arena.
We went to Dragon Buffet as many people we knew had suggested it to us as a good place to eat. It was cheap enough - 2 of us for lunch for 12.30. That's not bad. It wasn't that crowded and they had plenty of food on the buffet.
Chicken and broccoli was good. The boiled shrimp would have been better if they were peeled. The sweet and sour pineapple was great and I enjoyed the pork and mushrooms. Those were my fave. For dessert we had some lf ice cream and these almost coconut macaroon cookies, but they were fluffier than the usual flat cookies. They were yummy!
Then the problem came...Mom commented that there was a ladybug on the wall. Ah, how cute - they are all over the place down here. But, upon closer examination, it was a small roach. You know when there are small roaches around there are bigger roaches somewhere. I was grossed out, trying to hurry what I was doing so we could get out. Then the roach started crawling - right onto the table. I lept to my feet and said alright, we are going. Mom gently put her glass of water right on top of it.
We said we'd never go back there - no matter how good the coconut cookies are.

Taste of the Latin World

Since I've been in FL, I've gone to two Latin restaurants: Columbian in Ybor City and El Coqui in Lakeland.
The Columbian is my fave Latin (Spanish) restaurant and this one was in Ybor City (old Cuban cigar shipping doc. They bring you a big chunk of Cuban bread. I had the ropa vieja - it was great! I get other things, but that was great. I love that place! There is nothing like it!
Mom and I tried out El Coqui http://www.elcoquirestaurant.com in Lakeland today. It means the frog I think in Spanish. It is a small PuertoRican restaurant in south Lakeland in a strip mall. We had the ropa vieja as well (not as good, too vinegary, as the Columbian), the yellow rice with red beans (which was seasoned very well), the tostones (which were great, but I put ketchup on them), and then the flan because they didn't have any tres leches cake. We will go back, but we won't have the ropa vieja again - we'll try something else.
I'll definitely have to go back to both of these again.

Greene's and Grill

Went to this place at Millenia/Conroy (Orlando) last night with a good friend from college. We were both excited about it as she had heard from a friend that it was really good. There were some good points and not so good points. Here is the premise: a Moe's or Chipotle but a salad bar.
1. It was healthy (as long as you didn't get all the cream based dressings and cheeses as the toppings to your salad. I got the farmer's lettuce (romaine basically), craisins, mand oranges, green peppers, edamame, tomatoes, with citrus balsamic as my dressing. Then the grille on top that I chose was chicken. They mix it all up and serve it to you.
2. The grille had no flavor. The salad and the dressing I chose were quite good however.
3. We also got hummus and flat bread for our side (which of course cost extra). The hummus had a lime flavor to it, so I didn't really like it. The flat bread was more like a big tortilla that had been grilled, but in the mean time had been burnt in places, so it effected the whole taste.
4. The service was real good and the guy even came and cleared our place.
5. The restaurant was clean and bright/airy. It had quite a few people in by the time we left at 630.
6. The cost was the biggest downside. Mine was 12.50 for a salad (6.99), grille (2.50), and side. All I got was water. I could have gotten my salad much better and more of it at Sweet Tomatoes for 3 dollars less - and dessert and bread!

Anyway, the company was great, but maybe we'll pick a better place next time.

A newfound faith in Carrabba's

Dad and I took a break from the Ligonier Conference today and drove down Apopka Vineland and ate dinner at Carrabba's. (there may only be one of those letters in that word - my brain is almost done for the day).
I'm not a huge fan - but it was actually really good today.
The bread was very warm so that is always good.
The salad was great - even though it was just romaine and 2 olives - but the dressing made up for it.
We split the PorkChops Marsala. It was phenomenal! The mushroom and marsala sauce was perfect, not to wine-y. The mashed potatoes had the perfect touch of skin and garlic. The only bad thing I can say is that the sauteed brocoli was cold. It tastes like they had used soy sauce, which isn't too Italian - but I could have been wrong.
Our service by C was incredible and he always refilled my room temp water with lemon - no ice!
Maybe I'll try this restaurant again and see if other ones can live up to the one on Apopka Vineland.

Cinnichip scones

Go Mom and me - we make a good team!
I made some scones early in the evening from the new Southern Living cookbook - baked oatmeal scones - not too good, just not a good flavor - they were missing something, don't know what.
But, then I decided not to give them away, but abotu 930p I still wanted to bring something to St. Aug today, so we put our heads together and while I was watching House, Mom put them together. They were a maple-cinnamon chip-pecan scone (I finally used my Hershey's Cinnamon chips). They were some of the best scones ever made by me (or Mom). I tasted them while I was talking to Melanie on the phone - so I have to bring her one. We may put a maple/10x sugar glaze on them today - but they are good just the way they are. They taste like my fave Fall ones from Starbucks.

Cinnichip scones

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter, chunked
2/3 cup skim milk
1 egg
2/3 cup cinnimon chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp maple extract

375, spray mini scone pan (or just be prepared to cut them out with biscuit cutters). Mix dry, cut in butter, stir in milk and egg. Add flavoring and additives. Spoon into scone pan. Bake for 18 minutes or until light brown.

Yummy! Don't eat them all at once.

Potatoes Max and Chocolate Footballs

Well, my Mom and I do like to cook together. While they were at church this morning I made lunch. We just had some frozen coconut shrimp (not worth the fat grams really), brussel sprouts (always a winner), and Potatoes Max - something I did up real quick.

Potatoes Max

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 405 (or somewhere around there). Line your cooking pan with aluminum foil to make for easy cleaning).

2 large baking pototoes (skin on, thinly sliced)

1 onion (thinly sliced in rings)

5 strips of bacon already cooked

s/p

Grated monterey jack cheese

Olive oil

Lay sliced potatoes on pan in single layer (or slightly overlapped). Sprinkle with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil. Cook for about 25 minutes. Then lay onions on top and cook for another 10 minutes or until onions are slightly browned. Top with bacon and cheese and turn up heat to 450 for 5 minutes to broil the cheese. Serve immediately.

Then for dessert, we made some of Mark Tachmann's (411 in Chapel Hill) Crispy Chocolate Cake (which I will call chocolate footballs) - you know because you played football with those triangle folded pieces of paper when you were waiting for church or a family picnic to star - where you flicked it across the table and held up your hands in the shape of the goal posts (don't deny it).

Chocolate Footballs

Serves 6

5 sheets of phyllo dough

1/2 stick butter (and a brush)

Powdered sugar

6 pieces of chocolate cake cut in small squares (about 2x2)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Roll out each piece of phyllo dough, one at a time, brushing with butter, sprinkle powdered sugar, do another one -stacking them on top of each other. Then cut a 3 inch slice, put a little bit of chocolate chips down on the low end (closest to you), then top with a piece of cake, then fold up (like you would a paper football or a flag). Make sure the seam is on the bottom.

Bake at 375 for about 11-13 minutes or until golden brown (our's took a little longer I think).

MG - they were so good - you definitely gotta make them (because I know you liked them that night as well).

First Days in FL

Well, this has been an interesting week being in FL. Not even a week really - 5 days.
But, the guy down the street who has known our family for about 40 years now has the BEST Strawberries - and you know it is Strawberry Season in the Winter Strawberry Cap of the World. They are so juicy and sweet. "Like you are eating candy" - Dad.
I ate at Sonny's. Their mac and cheese wasn't that great, but their bbq sauce and smoked meat beats any of that vinegar based junk they serve in NC - no offense to people up there who like it.
I introduced my family to Gwaltney's Center Cut 40% less fat bacon on our BLTs today. They loved it as well - it will soon become a Davidson household staple!
My Mom and I take turns cooking, she has done a lot of it though as I have been sick and she knows what is what. She made these great sauces the other day for a meeting at church so we have been enjoying them as well.
My parents tried Lychees - a fruit from SE Asia that I tried both in Indo and Thailand this past year. I love them - they liked them as well (even if they were canned).
I miss George's Hummus and Madhatters and Caribou and Chai's. But, July will come soon and I can partake and bring back some leftovers to FL!

Last days in NC/First day in FL

Well, the move is over.
Friday my Dad came up and we moved everything down on Sunday.
Friday night was my first time to 518 West in D-town Raleigh. Italian Cafe - really great. The balsamic was very flavorful, bread could have been better (only downside). Out of recommendation from a certain worship pastor from the Summit my Dad and I split the chicken marsala - juicy, thicker chicken that was so easy to cut, moist flavorful mushrooms, tons of mashed potatoes - even the skinny asparagus was great! I gave Dad a lot of my chicken because there was so much food. Their salad had jicama on it - that was great too. We had a friendly waiter and since we got in there right when they opened - we didn't have to wait and it wasn't loud. We sat upstairs with a good view of the turkey baklava place where MG gets those treats for her hubby.
Saturday was scones from Fosters Market. Butterscotch, Blackberry and then Country muffins. Definitely the butterscotch was the best. I will so miss that place. Why can't we have one of those down here?
Saturday for lunch Rach, Dad and I went to Red Robin. Great burgers and onion rings. Rach and I each got one and then split it. Mine was juicier b/c it was cooked less and had mayo on it - her's wasn't as juice - but still ok.
Since we weren't really hungry for dinner we just got some cold stone after Jason and Leslie's wedding.
Sunday was hummus from George's Garage and a sandwich for my Dad.
Today...
Bob Evans for breakfast with my Dad. "Where everybody knows your name". Not great service but what do you expect. Oatmeal was really good and so were the grapes, but the pineapple wasn't really in season.
I went to Lakeland Square Mall today with my mom for lunch (I used to work there in high school and on breaks from college). We split a lunch from Asian Chao. Their orange chicken was good, but didn't have much of an orange flavor. Beef and brocoli was good and juicy. Lo Mein I could have done without but their plantains were great! My Dad doesn't like asian food that much so my Mom and I will have to go without him.

Mark Tachman - 411

Yeah! MG and I did our cooking class. We had fun.
We spent the evening with Mark - the pastry chef from 411 in Chapel Hill. It is her hubby's fave restaurant and who can go wrong with chocolate.
We watched him make several things.
Chocolate Espresso Creme Brulee - not as hard as I thought they would be, but I sent mine home with MG to give to Chris because I don't like coffee. She even said it was strong in the coffee taste.
Fudge Chocolate Chip cookies - just a great chocolate cooke recipe - very spongy and chocolaty and good. We made them into ice cream sandwiches - homemade ice cream out of his creme anglaise recipe (oh my goodness, rich and good)
Crispy Chocolate Cakes - chocolate cake wrapped in phyllo dough and baked -also had chocolate chips in the middle. yummy! I liked the crispiness of it.
My fave was the ever so rich almost flourless chocolate cake. It was so dense and amazing. I'm glad we only got a small slice! :)
Yummy - I'm going to definitely try these!

Cozy places and far away eats

My last Sunday in Durham has been great.
Started out the day with hot chocolate, eggs, bacon, and some of a massive White Chocolate Fresh baked scone at Fosters in Durham. Shared all that and good, chilled conversation with Claudia. it was so fun. I'll miss that place - great food. But, also just a relaxed place that gets to know its customers and they don't shove you out when you finished your last sip of coffee.
Then for lunch, I had Thai food at www.thaicafenc.com - new experience I'd heard about in Thai eating just about 2 miles away from me. I just always go to Chai's - but there is always room for new stuff. I had their coconut soup which actually was surprisingly fantastic. Very yummy. It had mushrooms, scallioons, chili powder and tofu squares in it. I ate the scallions and left the rest - but the soup was downed - every bit of it. I had the Pad Thai Shrimp. It was better than most Pad thai I've had (which i didn't even like in Thailand). but, I only ate half and since i don't have any more meals at home before I leave (save breakfast) - I gave the leftovers to Kristin. Thanks Siha for the recommendation on hearing chai's is not open on Sundays!
To end the day - dinner was Macaroni Grill with Erin for her b-day. We had the bread - which was great of course (that's secretly why we went). We had the shrimp, spinach, artichoke dip. It was kinda soupy to eat with the thin crispy croutons they gave us - so we asked for my bread - then it was good. We also split the Honey Balsamic Chicken. It was very yummy - and if you split it you don't stuff yourself of have leftovers. And since it was in honor of her 21st b-day - they brought out a huge piece of their chocolate cake and we ate half of it. It was so dense and yummy. It would feed 4 people - that's how big it was. But, we weren't complaining - we were eating. Erin will finish off the rest. Happy B-day roomie!

Restaurant Review Again - Cheesecake Factory

Went last night with a friend to the one at Southpoint.
Here's the scoop:
Charlie was kinda slow, especially in refilling the water for the first time and with our cheesecake.
It was too dimly lit. I guess that is good if you are out on a date - but if you aren't on a date - then you want to be able to see.
I was freezing (which isn't new) but it was cold outside too.
The salad (small salad, Market Salad) was delicious and still big. Needed some salt but the veggies were a good blend. Asparagus, beets, peppers, eggs, etc.
The bread wasn't warm - but it was still ok.
I went out of my comfort zone with the cheesecake and got something different. I got the Oreo Cheesecake. The slices are getting smaller (which is not a bad thing). It wasn't as good as my normal - dulce le leche. But, it was good. Oreos go well with anything!

Shrimp Caprese Pasta

I'm glad when you are just working on cleaning out your fridge and pantry and something comes together and is really yummy!

I called this what I did because it has basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese in it. I didn't put any spinach, but may next time.

Shrimp Caprese Pasta

1 box angel hair pasta
1 bag frozen ready to eat medium shrimp (thawed)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
4-5 fresh basil leaves, finely snipped
1/3 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, small diced.
Olive oil
S/p, garlic powder
1/2 stick butter

Cook angel hair pasta. In a saute pan, heat oil and butter. Add in seasonings and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add in shrimp and basil toward the end. you don't want to overcook either - take off the heat and cover with a lid. Let sit for about 3-5 minutes. Toss with pasta and add cubed mozzerella cheese. Serve immediately.

Superbowl food

GO COLTS!! I had a few of my girls over to watch the first half of the game and help me eat some food.
We had hummus, pita chips, veggies; oatmeal raisin cookies, fruit salad, Phyllis' baked mac and cheese, my brother's chicken wings, corn chips, chili (recipe to follow), salsa, diet coke. It was good.

I took this recipe from Rachel Ray - but then altered it and made it my own. It was yummy and spicy!

Chicken Chorizo Chili

1 pkg chorizo sausage (1 lb)
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 whole chicken, cooked and chopped in small pieces
1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 can rotel
1 bottle Amber Bock beer
1/2 rotel can of water
1 T garlic powder

Turn of pan of olive oil. Cook sausage for about 10 minutes. Put in onion and red pepper and cook about 5 more minutes. Add in everything else and let simmer for about 25 minutes. Serve with corn chips, sour cream, and cheese as toppings. Yummy!

Skinny Foods

Sorry - these are not foods that will make you thinner, just good foods you can eat that maybe are better for you.

1. NEW FIND: Weight Watchers Carrot Cake Cakes (4 bites - maybe) of a carrot cake slice with cream cheese frosting. Just enough of a sweet thing to satisfy you. 1 point (app. 60 cal)

2. Baked Cheetos - these are just as yummy as the original ones, but I could probably eat the whole bag with no problem, so I don't have them around too often.

3. Craisins - even the generic Target kind are great. These are good, but high in sugar. 1/3 of a cup is 130 calories, no fat, and 2 fiber.

4. Egg White Omelets - 3 egg whites (60 cal, no fat) with some 2% cheese in it - yummy and high in protein.

5. Granola - Whole Foods has a soy granola that is amazing!

6. Low Fat Ben & Jerry's Half Baked (chunks of brownies and chocolate chip cookie dough in a chocolate ice cream). Mom and I first had it in Boston when we went shopping. It was yummy then and a pint is always good to have in your freezer!

Banana Crunch Muffins

These I got from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and have modified them a little. They are very yummy and sweet - best banana bread type thing I've had!

Banana Crunch Muffins - makes 24 regular size muffins

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 ripe bananas mashed
1 banana chopped
1 cup diced walnuts
1 cup granola (I used the banana granola from Whole Foods)
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

350 - grease 2 12count muffin tins or use paper wrappers. But Alton says we are making muffins not cupcakes!
Melt butter in microwave and let cool. Combine all ingredients before the butter and then add the cooled butter. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Combine with dry ingredients. Fold in additives. Do not overmix. Top with leftover granola.
Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 of the way and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done in center!

Enjoy these warm - they are much better! :) Even people who didn't like coconut liked them!

Chicken a la King

I cooked this last night for Claudia's b-day dinner. I had to live up to her Aunts and the school she grew up in - that was tough competition. But, she said it was good - so that is all that matters. I kinda took a Food TV recipe and changed it up some. That is what I like about cooking - you can do that. Baking is exact...cooking is not...

Chicken Ala King

1/2 stick butter
1 large shallot
1 container mushrooms, sliced.
6 heaping tbsp of flour
1 1/2 cans of chicken broth, low sodium
1/3 cup dry sherry
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 box frozen peas
salt, pepper, red pepper
whole wheat egg noodles

Melt butter and saute shallots and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add in the flour to make a roux. Then add the sherry, broth, and chicken. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add in cream, seasoning, and peas. Let cook for about 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile - boil salted water for egg noodles. Cook till done.
Mix together and enjoy! :)

Green Minestrone Soup

This was fun cooking last night and then tasting the broth on a cold night in Durham. I have changed this recipe from a Rachael Ray recipe that I found on Food Network. It is quite yummy! :)

Green Minestrone Soup

Olive oil (pretty covered on the bottom of a big soup pot)
1/4 lb of pancetta (or proscuitto if you can't find pancetta)
1 med onion, diced
1 zucchini, quartered and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 can each garbonza and white cannellini beans, well drained
2 boxes low sodium chicken broth
s/p, oregano, garlic powder
1 can of green beans OR 1 pkg frozen chopped asparagus
1 cup mini pasta
3/4 bag of fresh spinach

Heat oil on medium and add diced pancetta for about 2 minutes. Add onion and fresh veggies. Let cook down for about 5 minutes. Add beans and broth and spices. Bring to boil. Add in pasta and either beans or asparagus once boiling. Cook till pasta is done. Add in spinach right at the end. Serve and enjoy. Makes a big pot! :)

Asian Food Week

This week - actually the first half of this week - I had a ton of asian food. My only complaint really was that they only have white rice, empty carbs. Oh, well.

I went to Chai's on Monday with Kristin. We shared edamame - which their's is so good. I don't know if it is the cooking process or the salt - but they are great and healthy! Then I had the chicken rice bowl with Thai yellow curry. I love that stuff. We then got bubble teas - look below for a thought on those. I had my leftover Chai's yesterday for lunch - I actually think it is better warmed up and mixed all together. Flavor melding going on! :)

Tuesday for lunch was Shanghai's with Cortnee. It was ok - not the best Chinese food I've had. The soup was good - but I like Charley's (now out of business in Chapel Hill) corn egg drop better. This didn't have the corn in it. The fried things you put on top were good. I had the Kung Pao chicken with rice. It was good - but nothing to write home about.

Tuesday night I went with Anne to Bali Hai - a Mongolian place in the 9th street district here in Durham. It was very good. Great price, less than 7$ for dinner for a huge portion. You fill your bowl up with all the veggies and meat you could want (all raw) then you tell them what kind of sauce you want and they cook it for you. I had a bowl piled high of veggies and a little bit of meat with a combo sauce of sweet and spicy. I had it medium grade spicy on a scale of 1-10. I enjoyed it very much! It was great.

So, all that being said - I think I'm done with Asian food for a while - but it was good while it lasted.

Calvin and Food

Never thought my two blogs would merge: theology and food. Got this from another blog today

On the subject of food, the esteemed Calvin writes, “If we ponder to what end God created food we shall find that he meant not only to provide for necessity but also for delight and good cheer” (qtd. in Redeeming the Time by Leland Ryken).