Taste of RDU and Pumpkin Trifle

Thanks to my friend Laura who is a great photographer - this is what I made last week for our progressive dinner. Thanks Laura!

This weekend I was in the RDU area. I got to eat at some great places while traveling.

Sat am - the Manor House is the guest housing at SEBTS. They have a plethora of breakfast foods. The people I was traveling with ate there - but I ate with Nathan and Leah Finn and Georgia (and Baxter who wasn't born yet, but was born yesterday). I had a biscuit with pb and honey - yummy - thanks Leah!

Sat lunch was Las Margaritas! Amazing basement Mexican food place in dtown Wake Forest. Our food came about 7 minutes after we ordered it. I had the cream spinach enchilada - amazing goodness (and no spinach got stuck in my teeth). By the time I was done with that my cheese enchilada was cold - but I was so full I didn't need it anyway.

Dinner was at Southpoint at California Pizza Kitchen. We had the BBQ Chicken salad (wow, good salad!), the Jamaican Jerk Pizza and Mushroom Pizza. I think I liked the mushroom pizza slightly more - but both were good.

Breakfast was again at the Manor House - I had raisin bran crunch cereal and a banana. Loved the hospitality of Donna and Jeff Hagood! They were great and do a superb job running this place!

Lunch was Red Robin in Brier Creek. Best burgers hands down. I had a freckled lemonade with light minute maid, a bacon cheeseburger with Monterey jack, slightly pink, and bacon - yumm-y!, and their steak fries which I didn't eat all of.

Dinner was IHop in Knoxville at 9pm. I had their Heart-Nut and Oat Pancakes, and a bite or two of everything else on the plate. They were yummy but I was already full. Lorrie picked that place and it was a good choice!

Now - back to eating right and exercising! Just sick most of the weekend because I ate so much and was rarely hungry!

Fall Progressive Dinner

I had a great night eating dinner at three different places.Laura made a great fall salad. Romaine, pears, craisins, nuts, a Berry dressing, and nuts. It was yummy and light - a great starter course. She has such a cool water pitcher and gave us little baggies of candy corn! Yum! She also made the homemade bread with honey butter that we took to the next course...

Bonnie made a great full dinner. She roasted a chicken, roasted potatoes and carrots, green beans with a great seasoning from Aldi's, dressing with cheddar, craisins, and celery (from Taste of Home, I'll hopefully get the recipe). It was all so yummy!

I made a pumpkin butterscotch gingerbread trifle - individual so we could all enjoy our own! It is under the holiday link to the right.

What a great night. Thanks ladies - and I'm looking forward to a winter one!

Taco Chicken and Mojito Black Beans

I love my lunches with Brandi. We partner to make a quick, healthy, great meal between the two of us!
Today is was my turn to make the bulk of the dish. I made Taco Chicken and Mojito Black Beans.

Mojito Black Beans: 1 cup dry beans, rinsed overnight, boiled for an hour, 1/2 small onion, 1/2 cup Trader Joes Mojito Sauce (I have heard from a reliable Trader Joes source that they don't make it anymore). Yummy!

Taco Chicken (crockpot)
1 pkg (20oz) chicken tenderloins
1/2 pkg low-sodium Taco Bell seasoning packet
1/2 small onion
1/2 large green pepper
1 bottle Chichi's medium salsa.

Put the seasoning on both sides of the chicken, put the rest in the crockpot. Cover with the salsa. Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Shred. Enjoy!
We had them on tortillas. Brandi brought all of our taco toppings. It was yummy. No tip required, and we didn't have to drive anywhere. The makings of a great lunch! Can't wait to taste lunch next time!

Taste of Louisville- August Moon

Today, I finally tried a place some faculty members have been telling me about. August Moon is down the road from the seminary. I went with a friend for lunch to talk about college ministry at UofL. Great company, good food, and high priced.
Great atmosphere - very contemporary, a whole sitting area with cushions, a bar when you first walk in, not much seating inside, but there is more outside. It was pretty full when we went - definitely a popular place for the working lunch.
I got the Stir fry beef with peppers and onions - came with egg drop soup (which was almost as good as Chen's in NC). The beef was a different kind of beef then I am used to in Asian cuisine, but everything was still good. The brown sauce was great - not too salty. Becky got the beef and broccoli with onions. Her's was good as well - she raved about the broccoli.
To get our main meal it took a little time, but the soup/egg roll portion came out pretty quick.
The only thing that will stop me from going back is the price. Mine was 9$ for lunch (oh, a plate of rice between the two of us, which wasn't anything to write home about). Then add in tax and tip - I don't like paying close to 12$ for lunch. I'd rather pay half of that at Chen's in Franklinton or Charlie's in CH or Chai's in Durham. But, I've heard those places don't exist around here!
Oh, well.

Menu Week - Sept 22

I've been inspired by other food bloggers to plan my menu out here each week. Also, one of my friends, Laura and David (they are one because they are a couple), plan their menus for a month. Well, I can't go that far, but since I have nothing in my fridge (due to the power) and have to go grocery shopping - thought this would be a great week to start! :) I'll probably only do one meal a day - knowing that the other meal will be yogurt, or an egg white omelet or something not interesting like that! This will hopefully help me be more prepared and not spend or waste as much money! We'll see how it goes!
Monday - lunch with Becky - tonight is grocery shopping, so I'll probably either get sushi or something at Kroger or something quick at Wal-mart
Tuesday - Taco Slow-Cooker Chicken with Brandi. We are having our twice monthly lunch together - to chat and hang out. I've made this before but usually use a different recipe. We'll see which one I use and post it later on this week.
Wednesday - Progressive Dinner with Laura and David and Bonnie and Justin. L/D is making the salad, B/J have the main dish, and I have the dessert. I'm making pumpkin gingerbread butterscotch individual trifles and old-fashioned ginger cookies. The trifles are already blogged (in the holiday section) and I'll jot the cookies on here if they turn out well. I am still looking for a great ginger cookie
Thursday - Leftover taco chicken on a salad. Also, I'll be baking for a trip to NC on Friday. I think I'm doing chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal butterscotch cookies. Can't wait. I love to bake! :) Especially when the finished product doesn't stay in my house!
Friday - Sandwiches - we will be on our way to NC! What a great end to the week!

2 Years of Food

Happy Birthday Dear Food Blog!
I can't believe its been two years. For some reason it seems much longer than that. Some people ask me how I got started with food blogging. It was all for my girls. Some of the college girls I worked with at UNC would ask for recipes. So, I just said I'd start a blog. So - there you go.
It has been a fun thing for me to do the past two years - and I hope, if you are reading this, it has been a blessing to you as well.
I don't have a fun new recipe for you this week because I've had no power now since Sunday afternoon. TS Ike came through Sunday mid-day and knocked out power here in the ville. We got it back for about 30 minutes on Tuesday when our area in the city was being worked on, but then on my block a tree came down and blew and transformer. I still don't have it back on - but blessings are being heaped on me.
So, Lord willing I will have power on next week. If I do, expect these recipes: Taco Chicken, Pumpkin Butterscotch Gingerbread Trifles and Gingersnap Cookies, Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies, some chocolate chip cookies, maybe some biscotti - who knows?!
Thanks for reading! Happy cooking! :)

Quaker Oatmeal to Go

Well, for the past 4 days I have had no power in my apt (minus 30 minutes when we got power then lost it again). So, I've been eating (for free thank God) at the school's cafeteria.
This morning I woke up (still no power) but eager about the prospect of milk and one of those bowls of cereal or oatmeal from Founders. To my disappointment - there was no milk in either Founders or 5th and Broadway. The cafeteria has some but with their new policies effective August 1, you can't take the food out of the establishment - and I had to be at work.
So, I was getting hungry about an hour later - I headed down to 5th and Broadway to see what they had. I got one of the subject bars to see how they were. I got the brown sugar cinnamon (which I love the plain oatmeal bowl of this). It was hard and chewy - almost fake tasting with little real flavor. I just noticed on the package it says "Tastes great warm". I don't know how much 10 seconds in the microwave will help this sad little cookie. But, you know what - it was only 50 cents, had protein in it - so it will keep me going (that and a Sprite Zero) till lunch in the cafeteria later this morning!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love to bake for birthdays! Tonight is no different. Today is one of my prof's birthdays: Dr. Wilder. He is the associate dean for our doctoral program and many other things as well. One down side - he is a UGA fan. Good thing - he knows great places to eat in ATL.
Well, I thought I would make him a carrot cake. I've had this carrot cake recipe for over 10 years now. I got it from a lady who worked(s) in the youth ministry at Anastasia Baptist Church named Jari Strom. Her son, Bryce, was in my SS class and her and her husband served every week in some fashion or another. They are such sweet people - always an encouragement.
I've only had one carrot cake better than this - and that is a hot one that J. Alexander's here in Louisville serves. But, I love this one! Dr. Wilder - happy birthday. I hope you and your family enjoy this cake (even though there isn't much healthy stuff in it - except the carrots and pineapple).

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup canola oil
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups fresh grated carrot (do it right before you put it in, you get a more moist cake)
2 cups (2 8 oz cans) crushed/drained pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix the wet (eggs one at a time), add the dry, fold in the extras. Heat oven to 350 and spray 9x13 pan with pam. Pour in and bake for 45 minutes or until done. Let cool.

Frosting:
2 sticks butter, room temp
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix and lather on cake. Top with remaining grated carrots and chopped pecans. Enjoy!

Whole Grain Blueberry Banana Pancakes

These were much better than the uncooked batter would lead me to believe. I enjoyed mine with a little bit of Log Cabin syrup - just because I don't have any real syrup yet from W-S this season!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oats - ground in a food processor or small chopper

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 T syrup

2 T melted butter

1 small mashed banana

1/2 cup blueberries

Mix dry, add in wet, ending with folding the blueberries. Mix together. Cook over medium heat on a flat griddle - about 1/3 cup per pancake. Flip (I've gotten better at this over the years). Eat hot! Watch out - when those blueberries (from Huber's) pop in your mouth they are quite warm. You can hardly taste the banana, but I think it works as a thickener and sweetener since there is no granulated sugar in this.

Yummy!

Fresh Baked Pasta

Tonight was clean out the fridge night. And I am very proud of this dish. I love baked pastas - but I'm also trying to eat healthier - so this is a great mix.

1 box whole wheat rotini pasta

3 whole tomatoes (mine were a mix from Huber's and one from Tracy's Dad)

1/2 pint grape tomatoes (whole, I got mine from Garden Gate in the ville)

1 green pepper - chopped (mine were some fresh frozen ones from the Dixon farm - thanks T)

1/4 large white onion (thanks Tracy, I finally used it)

2 garlic cloves (I use the zester grater for mine)

Olive oil (not as good as Murphy's)

s/p

1 can chopped tomatoes

1/2 can tomato paste

1/3 bag spinach leaves

1 small container pesto

fresh grated parm cheese

Boil the pasta. Then saute all the rest till it is ready, dump in the pasta. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, top with grated cheese, cook for 5 more minutes. Enjoy! And I did all of it in one episode of Rachael Ray - so truly a 30 minute meal!

I loved the pesto flavor in there and the grape tomatoes. So yummy. Fresh grated parm is a must too! This is a great way to clean out your fridge and still eat healthy! I have plenty - anyone want some leftovers for lunch one day?

And the pics - they aren't the best - but you get the gist!

Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies

Found this cookie recipe out in blog world - had to make it. And I had a cookout to cook for and lunch with Brandi - so why not?

Loved the smell of these cooking and they are very moist! :) Sort of a cross between carrot cake and oatmeal raisin cookies - both which I love.

Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup oats

1 cup raisins

1 cup freshly shredded carrots (do this right before because it helps make them moist)

Bake at 350 on lightly greased cookie sheets for 13-15 minutes. I got 18 cookies out of mine.

Yummy!

Taste of Buckhead - Cafe Intermezzo

Another shout out to Dr. Wilder for recommending this place. It took us a little while to get there, but the travel was well worth it!

Such a unique and upscale coffee shop: everything really. We went there for dessert after eating at Murphy's.

The cheesecake Nena and I split was the creamiest cheesecake I have ever eaten. The decor was great. Price's of the dessert was high, but the coffee drinks were normal. But, you pay for the atmosphere and it was definitely worth every penny! The girls got a chocolate cake with coconut cream cheese frosting which was pretty tasty too! :)

Taste of Virginia Highlands - Murphy's

Thank you Dr. Wilder! That's all I gotta say about the choice of this restaurant. If you know where the Jimmy Carter Library is in Atlanta, you will easily find this community. Such fun shops and great dining.

Murphy's is a fresh seasonal restaurant with local ingredients, knowledgeable waitstaff, great olive oil (the best I've had) and reasonable priced food.

We got our free valet parking and got right in with a 6pm reservation on a Saturday night. We chose to get small plates and one regular plate to share:

Flash-fried calamari - this was hands-down the best dish. Not heavily battered or greasy. The best thing was the apple cider vinegar, apple, basil, and pink peppercorn dipping sauce. Such a great pair!

Handmade Potato Gnocchi - the broth was amazing, had lima beans and broccoli rabe in it, parm cheese, and then the gnocchi - I would have just eaten it without the gnocchi.

Farm Fresh Salad - Georgia tomatoes, greens, onions, with a citrus vinaigrette. So so good!Georgia White Shrimp and Grits - this was probably the least fave of mine. There was just nothing spectacular about it. I've had better.

But, thoroughly enjoyed our evening there!

In honor of Publix!

Ok - yes, I'm writing a whole blog post in honor of a grocery store - but when you are from Lakeland, FL - you have the right!

Since I was in Georgia this weekend - I was back in the land of Publix. And the girls dealt graciously with me as we went there a lot.

Their subs are the best! The bread, Publix meet, and mayo, lettuce and pickles - and then whatever else you get. Nena and I went for Turkey on wheat with white american, banana peppers, lettuce, pickles, mayo and mustard. Yummy!

Then their cupcakes - I NEED THE RECIPE! I can't get my cupcakes that light and fluffy and moist and a distinct flavor. And their buttercream - so fluffy!

I enjoyed it!

Brownie's Brownies

I'm going to visit a friend of mine tomorrow who's nickname is Brownie. Well - she loves chocolate - I think that is an understatement. And, her birthday is coming up (within 2 weeks). So, since her husband is working tomorrow night we are going to watch movies, eat dinner, and then eat these wonderful brownies. I hope she has some ice cream to go with it! :)

Brownie's Brownies
2 T water
3/4 cup sugar
6 T unsalted butter
6 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs (one at a time)
3/4 cup flour
3 pinches salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips/chunks

Heat 1-3 over medium heat until melted and boiling. Take off heat and stir in chocolate squares until smooth. Add in vanilla and then eggs, one at a time. Add in the dry ingredients and then fold in the chocolate at the end. Heat oven to 325 and bake in lightly greased 8x8 pan. Cook for 26 minutes (give or take depending on how gooey you like your brownies).
Enjoy with some ice cream.
The thing I love about these is that they aren't too sweet. Most brownies are too sugary sweet for me - these are a great blend.
And they may be a little more expensive then a boxed brownie, but they take under 10 minutes to prepare and they are so much better. Use GOOD Chocolate!
Lisa - I'll be there tomorrow - I hope you enjoy them. Happy Early B-day and thanks for letting me stay at your house! Love you - and I'm so excited for bonding time!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Craisin Muffins

Even with a non-working food processor - these still turned out pretty good. Zuks are in season right now so you can get them everywhere. What a great thing to use them for. And this recipe makes 12 (larger) regular muffins - yummy.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Craisin Muffins

3 cups grated fresh zucchini (I used 3 medium zuks)
1 1/3 sticks melted unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup craisins

Beat the sugar and eggs, add in the slightly cool melted butter, water, and vanilla. Mix in the shredded zucchini. Sprinkle with soda and salt. Add in the flour and spices. Fold in craisins.
use a 12-cup muffin tin, sprayed with pam, bake for 25 minutes or until done at 350.
Enjoy! :)

Fresh Veggie Night

I love vegetable nights! Growing up we would often have vegetable Saturday - where we would go to John's and get some veggies and have them for lunch.

Last night Tracy came over and she brought makings to make a wonderful sauce for some whole wheat pasta: eggplant, zuks, squash, 3 peppers, onions, asparagus, tomatoes, basil. Really yummy - Thanks Tracy!

I made a wonderful salad from Foster's Market and some roasted peaches also from the same cookbook. We had some homemade Italian Bread to go with the pasta.

Roasted Corn, Avacado, Tomato and Mozzerella Salad2 ears of corn (soaked for 10 minutes minutes in cold water in husk), roasted at 400 for 25 minutes

1/2 large avacado

1/2 pint cherry or pear tomatoes

fresh mozzerella

Lemon vinaigrette

Put it all together on mixed greens!

It was a great evening of cooking, eating, walking, sweating (it was hot here in the ville), peaches and cream, and M. Night movie: Signs!

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad

Last night was a perfect opportunity to try this salad. I've seen many blog posts on this but never a recipe, so I just kinda went with it.

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad (6 appetizer salads)

2 bunches beets, peeled, chopped, roasted (olive oil, s/p, 400, 25-35 minutes)
goat cheese (1 small package, whichever one your knowledgeable Whole Foods cheese person picks out) - one of my new fave cheeses! Dr. W says it goes great on an omelette - so I will try that soon!
greens (your choice)
I used a lemon herb vinaigrette, but use a tart dressing

This salad was good. The only thing I would have changed was use a different dressing - or chop the herbs up more fine. But the contrast of the sweet (beets), salty and creamy cheese, and tangy dressing was great. Our tastes change over time. I never would have eaten beets with anything when I was younger. My salads were iceburg, tom, cuk, and cheddar cheese. Now, I never purchase iceburg, like different color grape or pear tomatoes (yellow pear are my faves), seldom put cuks on my salad and use all types of cheese. Usually beets, nuts, chick peas, craisins, toms, romaine or spinach, raisins, pumpernickel croutons (like at Ruby Tuesdays), red onions, that all makes for a great salad!

New Baby Peach Cobbler

Well, as many posts were last week on peaches - I had to use the rest of them. I was sad to see them go, but this was a great cause. My friend Chris and Mindy had Baby Rylee on Friday, so I brought them a peach cobbler on Monday! (There is a Popeye character that says something like that!)

Peach Cobbler (adapted from Betty Crocker)

1/2 cup sugar

1 T cornstarch

sprinkle of cinnamon

7 medium-small peaches, unpeeled, slice

juice of half of a large lemon

scant 1/4 cup crisco

1 cup flour

1 T sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Bring peaches and syrup (all above peaches and lemon juice) to a boil over medium heat. Pour in ungreased casserole (2 qt). Then mix up the cobbler part and dollup over peaches. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Serve warm with ice cream!

Chris said it was good - so I'll take his word on it! :)

Congrats Chris and Mindy!

Sundays are MADE for Breakfast

I love going to church at night. That affords me things I haven't been able to do in the past on Sundays: prepare for church, sleep in a little, not have a rushed morning, and enjoy a great breakfast.

I love Sarah Foster. She is the chef/owner of Foster's Market in Durham and Chapel Hill. I like the Durham restaurant better because of the outside seating and the fact that Sarah is at that one more, plus it was only abou 1 mile from where I lived. Her cookbook, Fresh Every Day, is seasonal and simple - and a lot of recipes she uses in her restaurant!

So...today...I made my first Toad in the Hole. I know simple, but yummy.

1 egg

1 piece of bread (I only had whole wheat no added sugar, but any would be great)

olive oil, butter (tsp of each)

salt/pepper

Heat oil and butter (I probably used too much olive oil - I need to even it out for the taste next time). Heat bread, dump egg in a hole created by a cup or something (cut out). Cook for about a minute on the first side, then flip. Cook till desired doneness of egg. I never used to like mine runny, but it isn't that bad.

Then I had one of my peaches and tomatoes, some milk, water, and read in the Proverbs to help prepare for church tonight.

Fridge Pizza and Pasta Night

Ok - so...its not quite for a day ending in Weight Watchers, but so yummy and fresh and healthy!
Pizza:
1 whole wheat pita
1 T tomato paste
oregano, garlic powder, pepper
evoo
sliced fresh mozz balls
2 slices fresh tomatoes

Broil till cheese is melted! :)

Pasta was some leftovers I had made. Whole wheat pasta, lean ground beef, shredded onions and carrots, almost a can of tomato sauce, and some 2 % cheese. It is so good for leftovers - I have enjoyed it much more as leftovers than last Sunday when I just made it.

Tex-Mex Flat Iron Steak

I don't grill that often, but I found a recipe in a Weight Watchers cookbook, and found this piece of steak on sale - so why not? My Le Creuset grill pan has gotten a lot of work this summer, and I'm getting better - but still not as good as Alan at the outdoor grill! My friend brought some fresh green beans and caprese stacks (tomatoes, mozz, basil with a delicious balsamic, evoo, sugar, basil sauce - thanks Lisa).

3 T tomato paste

1 chili in adobe

2 T adobe sauce

1 tsp cumin powder

3 pinches kosher salt

zest and juice of one lime

1 lb flat iron steak

Take all and put in a big ziplock bag, marinate over night. Grill in a hot pan with olive oil for about 6 min on each side for medium (like in pictures). Alan would have flipped out if he saw me eating steak this raw - but it was yummy! I wish I could have gotten the marinade more even on the meat, but one end of the meat definitely had more of the "kick" then the other. But, it was good. Flat iron is a tender cut of meat as well - also tenderized with the acid from the tomatoes and lime juice.

Peaches and Cream Amaretto

Fresh peaches are delicious. I got about 10 lbs today from Hubers. A friend was coming for dinner, so I created a dessert! It was inspired by Bananas Foster (which is an amazing dessert), but I actually like this one better, I think. The different textures were great and the flavors were incredible!

2/3 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup amaretto (almond liqueur)

2 T slivered almonds

2 fresh peaches, sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla frozen yogurt

Almonds

Melt butter over med-high heat. Once melted, add in brown sugar. Add cinnamon, almonds, and peaches. After cooking some (3-4 minutes), add in amaretto. Let concentrate over medium heat.

For plating: spoon some of the syrup on bottom of bowl. Then a scoop of ice cream. The cover with peaches and more syrup. Top with almonds.

Incredible! :) Lick the plate good!

"Blondies" Do Have More Fun

I am a brunette, and the girl I am making for is a brunette - but these blondies are amazing. I've never made them - but after tonight - they will become a staple. I don't particularly love brownies - I mean they are good, but I can pass. I can rarely pass up a homemade chocolate chip cookie. These are a mix.
This is a Better Homes and Garden recipe. Not too time consuming and are incredible. It almost takes like you are eating a piece of caramel and chocolate - which I love both! :)

2 cups brown sugar (packed)
10 2/3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup ss chocolate chips

350, greased.
heat (on about 3) brown sugar and butter till smooth. Make sure it doesn't burn. It doesn't take very long, but it is mind-consuming. Let it cool. Add vanilla and eggs (one at a time). Add the dry ingredients. Pour into a 13x9 prepared pan. Cover with 1 cup chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes until done. Cut and enjoy! :0
WOW!

Birthday Cheesecake Brownies

I really should know this - never try new recipes for a friend's birthday, when its hot, and you are trying to get skype to work on your computer.
Oh, well.
Brandi - I hope you had a fantabulous birthday. TCF has much more to brag about their cheesecake.
I made this recipe and they looked great, so I said why not? Brandi loves cheesecake - so how bad can chocolate and cheesecake be? Right?
Well, the cheesecake doesn't end up this high in comparison to the brownie. I love the brownie part. It is very rich. I actually used 3 oz of dark chocolate instead of just 2. But I did everything that the recipe said. I didn't hear my buzzer go off the second time, so they probably cooked 3-4 minutes too long. The ratio is too much brownie, not enough cheesecake. Good thing the brownie is good.
They taste good, they just aren't perfect and amazing. So Brandi - know that I can bake better for this - and this will just mean that I'll have to make something else cheesecake for next year's birthday - and there are just a few days before that for me to redeem myself. I hope you enjoy them!

Mushroom Chicken Soup

Yes, it is 95 degrees outside, no A/C inside and I am making soup. I love soup!
Anyway, I got the idea for this from Cooking Light. But, ended up changing it quite a bit - and absolutely love it. It will become one of my favorite soups to make - right behind the WhitePlains Chili and White Chicken Chili. Enjoy!

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots
3/4 cup celery
1 regular can of sliced mushrooms (not the small can)
olive oil
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp each oregano, celery seed
2 cups water
32 oz homemade chicken broth (much more flavor)
scant 1/4 cup cooking sherry wine
1 6 oz box Uncle Ben's Whole Grain and Wild Rice, mushroom version
3 cups chopped cooked (boiled) chicken

Saute veggies in oil about 5 minutes. Add flour and seasoning, coat. Add in liquid and rice (and flavor packet). Cover and let cook until rice is almost done. Add the chicken. Cook until rice is done and chicken is heated.
This is so yummy - even at the beginning of August! :)

Oh, Canada!

Canada does offer us some wonderful things. First, we have Prince Edward Island. Still one of my dream places to travel too (all because of Anne of Green Gables). Second, are these bars. I saw someone mention them in food blog world and I saw them when a friend and I went to lunch today. So, had to pick it up and find out what they were. I couldn't figure out what the inside part was, thinking amybe a pb mousse of some sort - but oh, it wasn't. My only problem with these is finding what to make them for - so many people do not like coconut. But, I am bound and determined to make them. I had 1/2 of the small bar I had. It was very yummy. And quite worth 2 points! :)

Taste of Louisville: Havana Rumba's

Among the staff in the school I work, there are a couple of popular restaurants. One of those is a little Cuban restaurant in the St. Matthews area called Havana Rumba's.
I've been there plenty of times, never having a bad thing. The only thing that changes is the service, sometimes good, sometimes a little less than good.
I've had their cuban (my first time there) with their sweet potato fries. Amazing on both accounts. Maybe not quite the Columbian in Ybor - but close. The fries are amazing though, hands down the best.
Second was the Vaca Frita - beef with peppers, rice, black beans, and plantains - the black beans and plantains are worth a trip in and of themselves. One time a bunch of profs went there (and me) I think all but one of us got this meal. It is definitely a favorite.
I then got the Ropa Vieja. That has been the thing that wasn't good enough to have again - it was too greasy.
I've had their yuka fries (great), cuban bread pudding (good, stiffer than normal bread puddings).
Yesterday I went with a family after church and wanted to get something healthy. So I had their Tropical Salad with grilled shrimp. The shrimp was great, grilled and marinated. It has oranges, mango, papaya, and spanish walnuts on it. It was good. I just didn't feel like I had been to Havana Rumba. It was a salad I could have gotten anywhere.
But, I did have a yuka fry and I stole some of Hannah's sweet potato fries. I had some leftovers of pork and black beans for dinner - so, it turned out great!
If you like Cuban food - check it out. I took my parents when they came to town!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I love hummus! :) I came to love it when I was in seminary and Sarah made it for me. Then I had George's in Durham (dtown) - man, there is none better. But, I don't live in Durham anymore, so I have to experiment. Usually, though - I like to stick to plain old regular chickpea hummus. But, today - I went a little crazy!
This was amazing!

1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup water
juice of one large lemon
1 red pepper (roasted for 20 minutes with a tad bit of olive oil, salt, at 450), cooled
salt
olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
This has the freshness of the lemon, kick of the garlic, sweetness and color of the roasted red pepper, - oh goodness - so good.
You just have to play with the water, olive oil, and salt levels - to whatever thickness and texture that you want in your hummus!
I'll be enjoying this during the week with pitas, boiled chicken, veggies. :)

DQ, Godiva, and Vegetables

What a title! What a day!

Danny (Connections Pastor at my former church, the Summit, in Durham, NC) emailed the other day saying he had found an incredible drink - and only for $2.02 I think. It was the Starbucks Dark Chocolate Mocha. I do NOT like coffee, but I am glad he had found it. Well, I was at my neighborhood walmart today and thought I would look. I didn't find any Starbucks, but I did find a Godiva Dark Chocolate Mocha - for $1.28 (saving more than Danny). I got to my car, shook it up, popped the top (pop!) and oh goodness - it was good. I immediately called him and left a message and told him it tasted like a too good to be true Slim Fast shake - only better! There isn't much of a coffee flavor so that is great. And dark chocolate is similar to coffee - only a tad bit sweeter! So, I have a new favorite drink. Thanks Danny and Godiva!

I went hiking today and have exercised well all week - so I stopped by DQ on my way back from a park today. I love the combination of oreos (the best American store bought cookie hands down) and ice cream. You can't beat it in my opinion. So, I got the Oreo Brownie Earthquake. The oreos of course were great, the brownies were too rich, so I left one of those, and the ice cream is soft serve - so its not much compared to Cold Stone. But, it was good, cold, and I didn't gobble it down and I didn't leave it all.

Then I went to my favorite veggie stand - Garden Gate - on the corner of Bardstown and Breckenridge. I found all sorts of things: KY golden tomatoes and june Amish apples, patty pan squash, watermelon, pole beans, lemons, a tomato to have a tomato sandwich later in the week - yummy, kiwi, and some corn on the cob. Can't wait. I'm cooking the pole beans tonight!

Whoo hoo.

Well, that is my food for the day...good finds.

Food Blog World

I love Google Reader. Currently, I think I have about 130 blogs I keep up from theology, friends, food, etc. This picture is a mix. One of my dear friends, Tonya, just made this cake for her son's 1 year bday. I think she did an amazing job (she's the one who gave me the Strawberry Pie recipe). She's a fantastic cook as well!
I think you can tell a lot about food world if you see what other people are cooking since most people get at least their ideas of food from cooking shows, food magazines, etc.
So, here are some trends:
Grilled - of course its summer - grill anything and everything
Chocolate chip cookies - this has been the buzz word of the summer
Whoopie Pies - and I'm just not a fan, or maybe I'm just not a fan of moon pies - there is a difference.
Basil - and I have some cinnamon basil growing in my house right now, so I need to use that.
This is my other thought right now on food:
I am doing Weight Watchers (4th time, maybe this time I'll keep it off) - but discussing with a friend today:
Does Weight Watchers build in a "sin choice". This is what I mean. Overeating is a sin (at least in my thought process - being in light of the Bible). When I am full I need to stop eating. Bad things aren't good for me. Everything in moderation right? Well, when Weight Watchers builds in those 35 flex points - and I use them all on one day (usually after I weigh in once a week) - aren't I sinning just to keep "on program"? I eat weigh too much food - sometimes even when I'm not hungry - I just know I don't have to step on the official scale for another 7 days.
Thoughts? What are you cooking? Are you hip on any of the food trends?

Taste of Knoxville - Barleys

This weekend was spent in a gorgeous state - Tennessee - and the last leg of the trip was to Knoxville.
Our dinner was at a bar/pub called Barley's. We got in before cover so that was good since we didn't stay for the band. (But, we had to leave our cars because they were blocked in, oh, well. Add to the adventure).
By the time we figured out our pizza order - 2 girls, 4 guys - not easy to pick pizzas. We finally ordered 2 large, one Barley's All-American, 1/2 Hawaiian and 1/2 something with black olives.
These were the good things about the pizza:
1. The crust. We got the wheat crust. Very thin till you got to the back part of the crust - then it was nice and chewy - with just enough salt to make it really really yummy!
2. The Hawaiian. It has feta cheese on it (with ham and pineapple). The feta made the texture different and gave it a really good flavor. The pineapple wasn't the best, but oh well.
3. The Italian Sausage. This was on the Barley's All-America. It wasn't crumbled italian sausage - it was sliced italian sausage - and it was just a bit spicy and added great flavor.
We had a good time - despite our waiter who wasn't that great. It was a fun night!

Brownie Doctor

Ok - so when it is really hot in my non-ac-ed apartment, and it is the mid-90s and very humid outside, I don't feel like baking.
So...thankfully I had a box of brownie mix in the cupboard - I know - it was quite a shock to my system too.
But, I took my box of 8x8 pan size, Betty Crocker, dark fudge, fudge like brownie mix and doctored it up.
I added Reece's pb chips to the batter. Then when it was done, I sprinkled some on top so others could tell what was in them. Just kinda pushed them down into it with a spatula and covered the warm brownies loosely with foil - so they would melt a little.
Other things you can add:
mint chips
junior mints/york peppermint patties
cherries
mini baking chips
any kind of nuts

Be creative. Just because you use a box mix doesn't mean they have to be boring! :)

More work on Chocolate Chip cookies

Well, every blog I have been reading seems to be talking about chocolate chip cookies these days. You really start to get sick of them. But, you take little tidbits out of each one and then slowly start to work on your own recipe. I've seen recipes from the NYTimes, from Alton Brown, from Nestle, etc. They all seem to have something different about them.
Well, last night I was making some to take with me to TN this weekend for some friends, and I thought I would try my regular chewy recipe which I really love and change somethings.
So, here is the recipe as of a couple weeks ago. This time I did these things differently:
1/2 cup + 2 T of bread flour (then only 1 cup of regular flour)
1/2 cup each of mini baking m&ms, dark chips, semi-sweet chips
let the dough rest for about 3-4 hours in the fridge (this makes for even coloring, or so I've read)

These cookies kept their form, stayed puffy and chewy. Almost seemed like it had a crispy skin protecting chewy goodness. I really liked it - and the color from the mini m&ms.
These made about 25 cookies - and I baked them for 11-14 minutes on a lightly greased cooking sheet at 350.

Egg White Omelets

Simple. Protein. Cheap. Delicious. Easy. Quick. Low-fat. No cholesterol. Healthy.
All these words describe either dinner or breakfast for me - egg white omelets. I always use 3 eggs. Here are some choices:
Tonight's: 3 egg whites, 1 fire roasted red pepper, pepper, Mexican grated cheese, and hot sauce. Loved it - just thought I would put it together. Some heat. It was great. One of the best I've made.
Spinach: 3 egg whites, spinach leaves, parm cheese
Plain: 3 egg whites, salt and pepper - plain simple simplistic

Be original - it is so healthy. Try it! :) I eat it plain for breakfast - with some whole wheat toast and pb and milk, but for dinner I put something else in it. Go for it!

5 Grain Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I think I now own almost every type of flour known to man. Of course, I'm slightly kidding, but...I've got plenty of it! I found this recipe and thought I would try it - I actually liked it more than I thought I would. It is healthy!

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 rye flour
1/2 cup oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup oat bran
½ cup golden raisins
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup honey
1 cup all natural applesauce
½ cup skim milk

Mix all dry. The first bowl of dry ingredients I had ended up on the floor - so I had to start over. Then stir in wet just until combined - do not over mix. I used 4 small loaf pans, or you can just use 1 large. Spray bottom. Cook in 375 for 30 for small, 45 for large - or until knife comes out clean. Don't overbake!

Taste of Louisville - Skyline

"Its Skyline time" - at least it was for me today.
Today was my first chance to eat at Skyline. First, let me say the good things about Skyline
1. The price - I paid 5$ for lunch - salad and a coney
2. The company - I went with my friend Brandi
3. The oyster crackers. Instead of chips and salsa - they bring you oyster crackers. They were fluffier than most I've had.
4. Fresh tomatoes on the salad!
Ok - here is the negative (sorry, it wasn't my favorite place)
1. The chili - I think the cap came off their container of cinnamon.
2. Not your normal hot dog - don't know what it was.
3. I'm glad there wasn't much chili on my coney but that was sad too - there wasnt much on there.
4. The help: never brought ketchup for Brandi's fries and I got the wrong dressing for my salad, so I ate it plain.

Anyway, I guess there is a first time (and a last time) for everything.

Asian Green Beans

I love having a well-stocked kitchen. Today it really came in handy. After meeting with a nutrionist, I found out I'm not really supposed to eat carbs at night. So, I was going to have a pork chop that I had marinated in a light asian dressing. So, I went to www.myrecipes.com to find a side dish. And I found it - I just cut down the portions. And the only thing I needed to get at the store was the green beans because they needed to be fresh. And, my Dad wouldn't have liked these. They were al dente and had ginger (sorry), but Mom, I finally used that oyster sauce - and Sarah - I bought it in Chang Mai (or somewhere over there near the airport in that grocery store we were in).

1/2 lb green beans
1 T sesame oil
1 green onion
1 inch ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, grated
1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 roasted red pepper
black pepper
slivered almonds

Boil green beans until desired doneness, drain, set aside. In a saute pan, heat sesame oil, add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute for about a minute. Add green beans, oyster sauce, and roasted red pepper. Saute till heated through (on medium heat b/c the oyster sauce will stick). Serve with freshly grated black pepper and some almonds.
I really felt like I had just ordered them off a menu - the way they looked! :)

Simple Potato Gnocchi

And I do mean simple! This would be a huge meal for one or a great meal for 2 with salad and a simple dessert. Just kinda through it together and it tastes great! Will be a light lunch tomorrow.
I love going to Whole Foods and getting their fresh pasta. They have tons of it - including this Potato Gnocchi. I love it. The first time I had it was in NYC - yum, actually probably at a restaurant on Staten Island. Anyway, I digress! If you like pasta and you like mashed potatoes - you can't go wrong with gnocchi!

1 9 0z package of fresh potato gnocchi
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of sugar (to cut tartness of the tomatoes)
1/2 cup peas
fresh grated parm cheese

Boil water (with kosher salt) for gnocchi. While that is heating up, heat up sauce in small saucepan. Once water starts to boil, add in peas and gnocchi. The gnocchi will float when done (about 3 minutes, wow, how quick)! Drain off some of the juice from the tomatoes till desired liquid amount. Toss together with some parm cheese. It was very yummy and simple. Just a slight change from regular pasta
Get out there - try new food! Maybe I'll try making it one of these days!