Monday, November 30, 2009

Thanksgiving Dinner in New Jersey

Lou and I headed to NJ this year for Thanksgiving because my sister Kira and her family were going to be there with us. Kira and I told my mom we would cook dinner this year. Here was our menu. Turkey

Grandma's stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
dinner rolls with cranberry butter
Carrots, Celery and Walnuts
Pat Peabody's cranberry sauce
and a family tradition, Turnips.

For dessert we did all homemade pies and topped
them with fresh whipped cream spiked with a little brandy.


Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Pecan Pie

Here is the feast with some recipes! Because my brother in law
Chris is lactose intolerant, we used smart balance and soy milk in all recipes, except the fresh whipped cream.

For the Mashed potatoes we don't have a secret recipe, we just beat the heck out of them with a hand mixer and add a little butter and milk. This year the smart balance and soy milk, didn't change the flavor at all.
Our turkey was a 19 pounder which my mom told me was 23 pounds. I woke up about an hour earlier than I would have for that extra 6 pounds! The price was actually $23, unless you are my frugal mom, who got it for free. When cooking a turkey, I don't do much. I clean out the parts, rub the inside with salt, stuff the heck out of it, and rub it down with olive oil. 325 degree oven and about 18 minutes per pound. Makes for a golden brown, juicy turkey! I do baste it about every half hour too.
The stuffing is my Grandma Burke's recipe. I don't know where she got the recipe from. It is simple compared to what a lot of people do today, but I love it! We just cube a loaf of white bread, add 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped onions, 2 cups of finely chopped celery, 1 1/2 sticks of butter(this year smart balance) and a whole lot of poultry season. I used about 1/2 of a container. Then we stuff that bird like crazy.
This was a new recipe. Kira made whipped sweet potato bake with two toppings, marshmallows, and a crunchy topping made of pecans, brown sugar, and frosted flakes. This was her Georgia influence since she lives there now.

This next picture is a family favorite, Turnips! These have been around for years, and I think my father's grandmother came up with the recipe. It is a family tradition, and no matter where we eat, who we eat with, or what we are eating, we all make these turnips. You start by peeling and cubing two large turnips. Boil the cubed pieces like you would boil potatoes until they are soft. You don't want them to fall apart, just soft enough to eat. Next you fry up about 5 pieces of bacon extra crispy. Set it aside and reserve about 2 tbsp of bacon grease. In the same pan you cooked the bacon with the reserved bacon grease, add one small sliced onion. push the rings out so they are separate. Cook the onion until it begins to get soft and transparent. Add the cooked turnips, and crumble the cooked bacon into the pan.
Salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well mixed and hot, then serve. These turnips always taste better the second day, so feel free to make them ahead of time and heat them in the microwave before serving.Turnip on Foodista
This next dish is a new tradition, about 5 years now, and I have to thank my colleague Pat Peabody from Texas for giving me the recipe. It is homemade cranberry sauce. After the meal it is GREAT over icecream!

1 pkg fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
3 to 4 whole cloves
Juice of half an orange.
Bring all ingredients to a boil then cook on low until cranberries pop.
Set off the stove and add 1/4 cup brandy.
This dish has become tradition like our turnips, but was started about 15 to 20 years ago in our generation. We take equal parts celery and carrots. Boil
or steam them until they are al dente, put them in a frying pan with a little butter and toss in walnuts. The ratio is about 1/3 walnuts, 2/3 carrots and celery.
Kira took some of the cranberry sauce I made this year and stuck it in the cuisinart with smart balance to make cranberry butter! No measurements, she just eyed it.

These were our store bought dinner rolls, I could leave them out:)

And finally, the Thanksgiving dinner of a 4 year old! My 4 year old nephew that is. He isn't a big fan of turkey. Apples, Carrots, Ham Steak and a Chocolate Crescent roll. What can I say, the kid is adorable, he can have whatever he wants. .

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving in NJ.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I am thankful to be home in NJ with my parents, sister and her family, and my husband. My sister, Kira, and I cooked the meal this year. Her husband carved the turkey. Lou did the dishes. My parents have offically passed the torch. Pics to come! Peddlers village tonight for the gingerbread house competition. Viewing only we aren't that talented:) More info to come.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Oatmeal!!!!!!!

When I was young I can remember eating Gerber oatmeal for breakfast in the winter. My mom would put a big pat of butter in the oatmeal and hide it, and we would have to find it. I don't know what it was about the pat of butter in the oatmeal, but I loved to eat the oatmeal right around the sides of the butter as it melted into it. I would also sprinkle it with sugar.

As I got older, I didn't eat oatmeal as much. I thought, Gerber is for kids, I will look silly eating that. I also knew to be healthy, I should pass on the butter and sugar I added as a kid. I tried the infamous Quaker oats, but eating oatmeal was always a different experience than what I expected. I would look at it and think oooh that looks so creamy, but then I would taste it and it seemed more pastie and lumpy. I would still eat Oatmeal once in a while because of the health benefits. They say it may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, it can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, it's 100% natural, and can help you maintain your weight. My relationship with oatmeal, however, was a bit non-committal until I found McCann's Irish Oatmeal! I stumbled upon the brand in J.Pace and Sons in the Seaport area of Boston, When I saw the picture on the box, I immediately had those thoughts of "it looks so creamy!" Although I had been fooled many times before, I thought ,"what the heck," and bought a box. Now I have to say, I am hooked! I love this stuff! It IS creamy, and simple to make, and tastes good even without the butter and sugar.

Monday, November 23, 2009

UFood Grill, new name for a great concept

UFood Grill

Menu: Fast and Healthy sandwiches, panini's, entrees, bowls
Atmosphere: You feel healthy just sitting in the place because of the bright colors.
Kid Friendly: Yes Kid's Menu
Prices: Average for fast food, free yogurt with movie ticket at the Fenway location.

Lou and I went to UFood Grill this past weekend thinking we were trying somewhere knew, but it became apparent this was an old favorite rebranded and better than ever.



UFood Grill started out as a small place in Watertown called Lofat Nofat. It was created by a fitness guru who wanted to provide healthy fast food to a growing market. The concept then morphed into a franchised company and became the Knowfat chain. We first went to Lofat Nofat about 5 years ago, and we loved it. We were regulars, when the concept became a chain, Knowfat, we continued to frequent a location in Waltham, but we felt the place wasn't being run that well, and eventually stopped going. In the end, it appeared to have closed. We were disappointed because we both felt the concept had so much potential. Enter UFood Grill!!!!



We went to see the movie Precious yesterday at the Regal cinema in Fenway and decided to stop by the UFood Grill on the way out for dinner. It was obvious this place was similar to Knowfat. Healthy wraps, sandwiches and salads, they don't steam or have trans fats ever. We decided to try two wraps and share. Lou got the cheeseburger wrap and I opted for the buffalo bleu, and then we added fries. When our meals came out and we saw the fries, both of us said, "This has got to be the Knowfat guys, but this place is better!" Sure enough I looked them up today and we were right.



UFood bakes, grills, and steams their food, and taste is never forgotten. The unfries are as good as any fried potatoes I've ever eaten. The wraps are made the way a good wrap should be. Lots of items, cuts smaller so that you taste everything in every bite. The hamburger wrap was my favorite. The chicken in the buffalo bleu wrap was a little dry. UFood has grilled paninis, UBowls, grilled entrees like sirloin tips, they have vegetarian options, and even a kids menu. Some of their sides are Steamed Veggies, sweet potato mash, and the famous unfries.



The atmosphere of UFood is bright and fresh. The color scheme is greens and oranges, and the lighting is bright. You feel healthy just sitting there waiting for your food.



A new addition to the grill is UBerry. If you have ever had Pinkberry, the new tart yogurt which is all the rave, you will know what UBerry tastes like. This tart type of yogurt is popping up all over the place. In fact, I will be writing Yogurt quest in a few weeks to compare the tart yogurt contenders. UBerry stood out yesterday because by simply showing your movie ticket, you get a free small cup of yogurt, and that small cup is not so small!



If you are in the mood for healthy, quick food, UFood fits the bill.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Picco South End Something for Everyone

Picco Restaurant
513 Tremont Street
Boston, Ma 02116
617-927-0066

Menu: Pizza, Pasta, Salads, Sandwiches with a twist, full bar, and ICECREAM!
Kid Friendly: Absolutely
Atmosphere: Lively bright, laid back
Prices: Small Pizza and a cup of chili cost us $20 may seem like a lot but typical for Boston

Lou and I hit up Picco today for a little light lunch. Picco is in the South End of Boston towards the end of Tremont Street right before you drive over the Mass Pike. I had been to Picco before, but knowing I would write about it on my site, I took my surroundings in a bit more on this visit. What I decided was whoever is running/owns Picco is a genius.

I have only been to Picco during the day for lunch like today, so I always thought of it as pizza's, calzones, sandwiches, salads, and icecream, but what I paid a little more attention to today, was the bar.

During the day when Lou and I have been there, there is always an eclectic bunch. Families, couples, friends grabbing a bite, but what I realized was at night, this place must be a completely different crowd. Sure there were a couple people at the bar during the day, but there were a lot more people in the dining area having pizza and icecream.

The things I observed that make this place genius:


1. Two top tables which can be configured in any pattern to accomodate any size group.
2. Ice cream on the menu, making this place immediately kid friendly during the day


3. The menu items are typical but not plain. Pizza crust is light and toppings are original


4. This place can easily morph into a great place to hang at the bar at night


5. The dining area and bar are strategically separated by a long banquette with glass on top, giving the perception of complete separation.


6. There are those great curtains around the door for the winter to keep the cold out when people open the door.


7. The kitchen is wide open so you can see what the cooks are doing.

On this visit, Lou and I were greated at the door and sat within a couple minutes. There were a lot of kids in the dining room with their moms and most looked like they had just come from a ballet class. Lots of little girls with buns in their hair. A lot of the kids were coloring on plain white paper.

We stopped in to have just a small bite to tide us over until dinner, so we had decided to have pizza before we sat down, but once I looked at the menu, I had to get a cup of chili as well. In the end we ordered a small mushroom and sausage pizza and a cup of chili.

The chili was delivered first and it was a pleasant surprise. Instead of ground beef, the meat in the chili was tender pieces of steak. There were black beans and it came with a side of cornbread. The chili was great with a good hot spicy flavor. The cornbread was light and flakey. When the pizza came it was a perfect portion. 4 pieces in about an 8 inch round pie. The mushrooms were portabello and the cheese was ricotto. The toppings were perfectly balanced. The pizza crust was thin and crispy, and reminded me of a pita. When the pizza was served to us, it was placed on top of a large can instead of a fancy pizza platform. It was resourceful, and looked interesting. Picco gets green points for that one.

We didn't get desert this visit but a lot of kids were enjoying icecream. One of the more interesting flavors was honey. There isn't a huge selection, about 12-15 flavors, but definitely something for everyone.

I also noticed a great selection of beer behind the bar. Any bar which carries Lindeman's Framboise, definitely has an eclectic selection and knows their beer. Another interesting point about the bar is later in the evening we mentioned our visit to Picco to a friend. His reply was I love that place! They always have a great selection of beers! Proving my point.

If you want a light bite, afternoon snack, after work drink, or nightcap. Picco's got something for everyone.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Fuddrucker's


Fuddruckers


Route 1 Saugus, Ma
114 West North Andover, Ma
Jordan's Furniture, Reading, Ma
Village Mall, Methuen, Ma

Menu: Fresh Burgers, chicken, Salads
Kid Friendly: As friendly as it gets
Atmosphere: Family fun and Freedom
Price: Great place to bring the family for good food at a reasonable prices

"Welcome to Fuddruckers Home of the World's Greatest Hamburger, How may I help you?" That is how we used to answer the phone when I was 23 years old and working at Fuddrucker's in Saugus, Ma.. Eighteen years later, I am still going to Fuddruckers to get great food.

I hadn't been to Fuddruckers in a while, so when my good friend Banks asked me about going there this weekend, I jumped at the chance. A lot of people may read this and say, why review Fuddruckers? It is pretty well known, a lot of people have tried it, but I promised myself when I started writing this blog I would write about every place I ate at for a year. I am also pretty sure, if you have been to Fuddruckers and like it, you may not know everything that makes it oh so good.
Fuddruckers was started by Phil Romano in the 1980's. No matter what anyone tells you about the name, his intention was just what you think it was. The name was thought up over a night of drinking, and was meant to make you turn your head and question, "What did you just say?"
Phil Romano is a very successful restaurant entrepeneur. He creates concepts, makes them work and sells them. You may have heard of Romano's Macaroni Grill? Same guy.

Romano's philosphy is fresh, bountiful food. Go into any Fuddruckers and you will see what I mean. The buns are made fresh daily. The meat for the burgers is ground daily and pattied. The produce bar and condiments are plentiful and all you can eat. Milkshakes are made to order, and cookies, brownies and pie's are baked daily. Fuddruckers built its reputation on great burgers, but it also has fabulous chicken sandwiches and salads. This trip, I noticed the addition of turkey sliders and burger sliders on the menu. One of the best things about Fuddruckers is your meal is completely customizable to your liking. Want some cheese on that sandwich? Bacon? Mushrooms? Ask for it to be added at the counter. Are you more of a lettuce, tomato, onion or pickle kind of person? Dress your sandwich up at the produce bar. There's pico de gallo and jalepeno peppers for people who like it spicey. BBQ sauce for some southern flavor, and all the melted cheese you want.

This trip I opted for the original chicken sandwich. It is a 6 ounce chicken breast grilled and flavored with spud spice (Fuddruckers special spice mix), served on a pefectly grilled fresh bun. I also got my favorite, chili cheese fries, a basket of wedge cut fries smothered in coney style chili, and cheese. Softdrinks are from the fountain and all you can drink. Fuddruckers also serves up bottled beer.

The atmosphere at Fuddruckers is family fun and freedom. You order at the counter and sit where you want. Chairs and tables can be easily reconfigured to fit larger groups. Games are abundant to occupy the kids. The one in Saugus even has an old car/table you can sit it.

Fuddruckers began in Texas, but today you can find them all over the US. In Massachusetts you can find a Fuddruckers in Saugus, North Andover, Reading, and Methuen. Jim Boland is the owner. When you enter his franchises you can tell Jim is fully involved in the communities his restaurants are in, and committed to giving back.

If you are a Fuddrucker's fan, now you know a little more. Never been there? What are you waiting for? The World's greatest hamburger is waiting!

J.P. don't call me "House of" Seafood Cafe





JP Seafood
730 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, Ma 02130
617-983-5177



Menu: Japanese/Korean mix of items, sushi, tempura, noodles, grill
Kid Friendly: Sure if your kids eat this stuff
Atmosphere: Laid back, fast service, clean
Prices: Very reasonable for the amount of food and quality

Lou and I hit up JP Seafood this past weekend. If you read my review on Pino's Pizza, you know Lou brought me there early on in our dating life and it was tell tale sign of how he felt for me. I guess the same can't be said for me sharing one of my favorite restaurants, JP Seafood. I made Lou try JP Seafood over the summer. We love sushi but we don't seem to get it that much. JP Seafood is, by far, my favorite sushi place. Not only is their food awesome, but the price is right too. The menus is not only sushi, but noodles, rice, tempura, and grilled items. They also have plenty of dishes for vegetarians.


This visit we opted for a variety of items on the menu. Two Maki rolls(the dragon and New England), the scallion pancakes, and vegetable tempura. Our entire meal was $35 with tip, and there was plenty to take some home.


We started with the scallion pancakes, or should I say pancake. It was basically one very large scallion pancake, about 8 inch diameter cut into smaller pieces. This was the best scallion pancake I have ever had. It was light, fluffy, and flavorful. I had to keep myself from eating too much to save room for our other items. I wish I had taken a picture.


Our second course was our Maki. The dragon roll was shrimp tempura covered with eel and avocado. It is one of my favorites. I love the eel, but I think I also like that it looks like a big caterpillar. Our other roll was the New England Maki. This was lightly battered and fried white fish. Both rolls were very good.


Our last course was the Vegetable Tempura. It was a lot and we took most of it home, but I think there are two things that make Vegetable tempura good. A light batter, and a good variety of vegetables. This dish had both. The Veggies were asparagus, broccoli, onions, sweet potatoes, and peppers.


The first thing you want to remember about JP Seafood is, don't let the awning fool you. It is big, it is blue, and it looks a little cheesy. I always thought it was just me, but a good friend of ours, Jesson, from Salmagundi (http://www.salmagundi.com/) said the same thing. He slept on JP Seafood for a long time because of that terrible awning. Once you get inside though, the service is friendly and efficient, the interior is minimilist and perfectly asian inspired, and the food is outstanding.


As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I held out for a long time on bringing Lou to this gem in J.P. I have to honestly tell you he raised his eyebrows accusingly several times throughout our first meal here. His accusing look was saying one thing, "Why would you keep this place from me???" After this trip, we decided, JP Seafood is so good, you want to keep it to yourself. You may not even want to tell your spouse! I guess with this post though, the secret is out!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Don't wait until fall to enjoy Harvest


Harvest Restaurant

44 Brattle Street, on the walkway between Brattle and Mt.Auburn streets
Cambridge, Ma
617-868-2255

Menu: Traditional New England dishes with a modern flair
Kid Friendly: Get a baby sitter
Atmosphere: Warm, subtle sophistication, lively yet intimate
Prices: On the expensive side but worth it

Lou sent me a list of restaurants he had heard good things about yesterday and asked me to choose which one I was most interested in. I chose Harvest in Cambridge Ma. The website and menu made me think of Henrietta's table. The menu is a celebration of New England flavors and Harvest's current chef, Mary Dumont, makes use of the local farms for ingredients. Both restaurants are equally good, but they definitely each have their own personality.

I knew immediately Harvest was going to be a great restaurant because of two things. It was hard to find, and it was very busy. This is not a place you would necessarily stumble upon, and they can win a prize for the hardest to find valet.

The atmosphere at Harvest is what struck me immediately. It was the perfect restaurant for this time of year. There was a simple sophistication in the decor. There were signs of the harvest time of year throughout the restaurant but they were not overbearing. A painting on the wall of a field of corn, some wheat strategically placed in the ladies room. It was all done very well.

We sat in the main dining room, overlooking an outdoor patio. The patio was not open for dining, but we noticed a roaring fireplace outside, as well as, a few chairs, and assumed they may let people go out to enjoy the fire.

The wine list at Harvest is extensive. Lou and I opted for our usual water. The main menu had a broad selection from raw seafood, to steak, pasta and fish entrees. Our order exemplified the variety. For appetizers we chose the spiced sweet potato gnocchi, and the special appetizer, seared scallops a top a squid ink risotto. These turned out to be a great choice. The gnocchi had a subtle sweetness to it. It was covered with sprouts and pomegranate seeds, and was accompanied with roasted brussel sprouts. The scallops were tender and seared perfectly. The risotto was savory, and the squid ink gave it a pitch black coloring but was not an overpowering flavor in the dish. After the appetizer course, I got my nerve up to take a few pictures of the next dishes that came out.

For dinner Lou got the braised short ribs with root vegetable puree. The root vegetable puree was very similar to mashed potatoes, in fact Lou thought he had eaten potatoes. I went for the painted hills sirloin with yukon potatoes, mushrooms and creamed spinach. Both the ribs and the sirloin were melt in your mouth good. The creamed spinach matched with the potatoes and sirloin gave the whole dish a creamy texture to it. I ended up leaving half my dinner, so I could eat it again the next day for lunch, and have enough room left so I could enjoy dessert!


For dessert, I got the New England Carrot Steam Pudding. It was similar carrot cake but denser. It was served on a sweet bourbon sauce, with sweetened cream cheese and carrot shavings on top. The base of my pudding was a little tough to cut through. I think it was the top of the pudding when they cooked it and it had been turned upside down to serve it. Lou got the Chevre Cheescake. It was the perfect portion of cheesecake served on top of a short bread cookie, with a white trufflle balsamic vinegar. Both Desserts were a good portion, not too large.


As a whole, Harvest is one of the better restaurants I have been to. They paid attention to every detail. The vestibule is very warm as you come in from the cold. The host immediately welcomes you. A coat room is offered to the right of the door. The seating is close but comfortable. The decor is simple and sophisticated. The kitchen is open which is always a good sign because they aren't hiding anything. I observed a hostess checking the bathroom for cleanliness. The bussers win the award for fastest table turn in the east. I saw a busser turn the table next to us in about 30 seconds. He was so efficient, and precise, he made me want to do my own job better.


If you are looking for a special place for a date, a nice family dinner, or celebration of an important occasion, Harvest fits the bill.


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Knorr Fix Lachs-Sahne Gratin, a plead to Knorr's


About 5 years ago I went to Munich to visit my good friends Nancy and Ed. While I was there, Nancy made this fabulous salmon dish using the mix below. It is so easy, just take milk, or cream, mix it with the packet, pour it over salmon and cook it in the oven at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. The result is a creamy, dill sauce over perfectly cooked salmon. Nancy and Ed have been bringing and sending packets to me ever since. I just found a link to buy this on line, but I want it in my local grocery story. Please Knorr's!!!! Sell this at Stop and Shop! This was my last packet!

Gourmet Hot Chocolate

I know I have been giving a lot of shout out's lately, but this product is deserving.


At the Christmas Festival last weekend at the World Trade Center, Seaport District, Boston, I stumbled upon this gourmet hot chocolate, Ron and Frank's. This team was smart because they had coffee urns with samplings of every hot chocolate they make. Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Malt, Mint Chocolate, Peanut butter, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, the list continues. What hooked me in, is the samplings were made with just water and their mix. I don't think I have ever had a hot chocolate made with water which tasted this good. I got the Chocolate Malt. Shout out to Ron and Frank for the best Hot Chocolate made with water!

Pumpkin Pancakes from Trader Joe's

When I was at Trader Joe's the other day, I picked up a box of pumpkin pancake and waffler mix. It was a really simple recipe. Water, one egg, a little butter, the mix and a waffle iron or skillet is all you need. Here are the results:




This first batch came out a little skimpy. I find some waffle mixes poof up when you put them on the waffle iron. These did not. Not that I am making waffles all the time. This is based off my limited experience!




We ate the final product with some fresh whipped cream, and also tried them with the traditional butter and syrup. The end result was very good. The pumpkin taste was subtle, the waffles were more moist than most waffles I've had, and the whipped cream made me think of pumpkin pie!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Sprinkles Cupcakes


Sprinkles Cupcakes!

Menu: Cupcakes, Cupcakes and more Cupcakes
Kid Friendly: What kid doesn't like cupcakes
Atmosphere: small interior but pleasant, friendly staff, 3 outside tables for two
Prices: $3.25 each $36 a dozen

If you read my review of Glaceurs and Cupcakes, Montreal, you will see we have been on a quest to find the best cupcakes. It all started on my 40th birthday. Lou surprised me with a night at the Liberty Hotel complete with an in room massage. As I was lying on the table, there was a knocking at the door. The masseuse answered it and an employee was outside with a "birthday present". We both thought, AWESOME, the Liberty Hotel got me a birthday present! But, as it turned out, it was the Liberty Hotel's birthday, and they had sent us red velvet cupcakes to celebrate. The cupcakes were amazing, and so began our quest.

I found out about Sprinkles from "The Girl's Next Door", Bridgette, plugged them about a thousand times throughout the life of the show, so when we were in Hollywood, I wanted to see just how good they are.

The store front for Sprinkles is TINY, and the inside is as well. There are a couple tables out front for parties of two to sit at, and a wall of seats against the inside window, but expect to take your cupcakes to go.

We opted for the red velvet cupcakes but there are 21 flavors with seasonal flavors like pumpkin available. Not every flavor is available everyday, so check their website for any particular day.

The staff at Sprinkles was super friendly and very quick to serve us. We were greeted and served within less than a minute. The cupcakes came in a cute box, with the coolest wooden utensils with
Sprinkles embossed on the handle.

These cupcakes did not disappoint. They were moist, the cream cheese frosting was the perfect amount, and the size was generous. Sprinkles claims to have started the cupcake craze which has swept the nation over the past few years, and after tasting their cupcakes, I am not surprised.

Pink's

Pink's

Corner of La Brea and Melrose Ave, Los Angeles

Menu: Hotdogs, Hamburgers and Fries with very creative toppings
Kid Friendly: Yes but might want to have them wait at the table while you stand in line to order if the line is long
Atmosphere: laid back, on the side of the rode, casual.
Price: Extremely reasonable for the amount of food.


Lou and I were in California the first week of September. We stopped in Hollywood the last three days of our trip and had the chance to visit, the World Famous Pink's! Pink's has been a Hollywood Landmark since 1939 and is owned by the Pink Family. Paul and Betty Pink were the original founders. Pink's started as a hot dog cart, but today is a walk up building with inside and outside seating. They boast to be the hotdog of the stars! I guess this would be for the meat eating stars. Pink's is currently celebrating it's 70th anniversary. Starting Nov. 7th at 7 pm every night, they have been serving their famous chilis cheese dogs for 70 cents for 70 minutes. Each night, a different celebrity will be there during the 70 minutes and 100% of proceeds will go to that celebrity's choice charity.

Here is our Pink's story:

The line at Pink's when we arrived was a 3 row deep queue winding through the metal barriers an amusement park would have for a ride.

The first thing I noticed was how slowly the line was moving. At first I attributed it to East Coast girl, me, in West Coast laid back environment, Pink's, but the more I stood there, the more I realized how completely inefficient this place is run. One person takes one order, fulfills it and rings you out. There are signs saying this is because each order gets the individual attention it deserves. I would believe that if, the people behind the counter looked remotely interested in what they were doing.

Judging from the pictures of "The Pink's" on the website, none of the people working were related to the family. I felt like I was looking at a crew who had been working a 12 hour shift and had 5 hours to go. This was the most unmotivated, emotionless, slow moving group of people I have ever seen.

This lead me to the conclusion, the hotdogs must be amazing! People surely aren't coming here for the service. I didn't see one person behind the counter act remotely engaging towards any customers during our visit.

When our turn to order came, I decided to go with what I like. I am a coney island hotdog lover and once ate 11, yes 11, hotdogs in college with chili, onions, and mustard on them, so I ordered the chili dog. Lou, the purest, went for a plain dog. This was an interesting choice considering the choices Pink's has on it's menu. Things like:

The Pastrami Burrito: A tortilla wrapped around 2 hotdogs, grilled pastrami, swiss cheese, chili and onions

Pastrami Reuben dog-all the traditional Reuben toppings on a hotdog

The Guacamole dog- a traditional hotdog smothered in guacamole

This is only a small sampling of the menu, the choices are endless, with some hotdogs created by celebrities, like Rosie O'Donnell and Martha Stewart.

So as I mentioned, Lou ordered the plain dog, he said it was because, if you are going to boast as having the best dogs, your dog should be fantastic without all that extra stuff.

Look how content he looks! It's because of that cream soda he is grasping.
Once we ordered our food, we were really excited to see the choice of beverages Pink's had. I got the strawberry Crush, they also had cream soda, grape Crush, orange Crush, and many other fun drinks.

We sat on the back patio. It was nice to be outside, nothing too fancy, but perfect for this place.
For being so busy, Pink's was really clean. The tables were clean and there was no garbage on the floor or outside.

The picture below is my hotdog and drink right before the ultimate taste test. It looked tasty enough, and was a good size, but in the end, Pink's did not live up to the hype. I am sure there will be many people who disagree, especially anyone who has visited the stand at 3 am after several cocktails, but Lou isn't one of them, and, remember, he got the plain dog.
Lou's take? The dogs were regular old hotdogs, nothing special So could it be the creative toppings which makes Pink's so popular? To be honest, my chili dog wasn't anything special either. The chili was bland, the bun was average, and what can you really do to make onions and yellow mustard a cut above the rest?
In the end, I am glad I can say I went to the World Famous Pink's but I can't agree that it is the best hotdog I have ever had.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Trader Joe's




Trader Joe's
http://www.traderjoes.com/

I know a lot of people have heard of Trader Joe's and shopped at Trader Joe's. They seem to be popping up all over the place lately.

I had to take the time to give them a shout out today because of the excellent service I received.

I was shopping in the store when I received a call from someone in customer service. They had found the reciept for my wedding band! I finally decided to get it sized correctly after a year and 4 months of marriage. The man on the other side of the line said, I found a receipt that I think belongs to you and it looks important. Thank you Trader Joe's not just for the great products you sell at reasonable prices, but for hiring a staff that is willing to go above and beyond.

Stay tuned for my post about pumpkin pancakes. I picked up the mix at Trader Joe's!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Boss of the Sauce



This is a shout out to our neighbor Valerie Shea. For all the amazing food smells wafting out of your house into the hallway for the last 5 years. For always sending a little something upstairs to us whether it be cupcakes delivered by your adorable kids, butternut squash soup, or that amazing sauce with meatballs and sausage, and for not ever asking me why I set the fire alarm off so much when I cook. We want you to know how much we appreciate it. Thanks for another great meal!!!

This One Is For Lou


This is a shout out to my poptart, reeses puff, burger king loving husband. For making the best egg sandwiches in the microwave, and bringing home dinner from Cosi and Boloco as your way of cooking. Don't ever change.

Atlantic Beer Garden


Atlantic Beer Garden
146 Seaport Boulevard
Boston, Ma 02210
617-357-8000


Menu: Upscale bar food
Kid Friendly: Weekend days, or weekdays, nights seem to be older crowd/
Prices: Average for the area portions are large for what you pay
Atmosphere: Typical sports bar. Waitstaff where's local football, baseball, basketball jersey's Very Loud.

When the weather starts to get cold, but the sun is shining, I have this desire to go for long walks and shop. Today was one of those days. Lou and I took a walk over to the Seaport District to hit up the Christmas Festival at the World Trade Center. He wasn't too thrilled about going, but once he was there, he thought it was a pretty cool event. As craft like festivals go, I think this event has some of the better items to choose from. My favorite buy was wind chimes made out of a Jaegermeister bottle for my brother on law. Red neck wind chimes. Who could ask for more? Here's a shout out to the woman who makes them. The Crafty Peddler http://www.uniqueglasschimes.com/.

After all that shopping we worked up an appetite. Since we had walked to the Festival we figured we had been on our feet for about 3 hours so we opted for a close restaurant. The Atlantic Beer Garden. This restaurant opened about a year ago in the Seaport district where there used to be a Chinese restaurant for years. The location is at the top of the parking lot for Anthony's Pier 1. Although Anthony's has a huge parking lot, don't think you can park there for the Atlanic Beer Garden. There is a parking lot attendant in the paid lot next to Anthony's who is like the parking police. He will flag you down as soon as you try to pull the okey doke. Good thing we were walking today. We had been at the Beer Garden about a year ago when it first opened. We hit it up after work and there was a HUGE after work crowd. The acoustics aren't the best in the restaurant and that night it was extremely loud. Drunk people always get louder and louder, and when sports are involved it ups the ante. Surrounding the restaurant on ever wall, and every few feet are flat screen tv's to watch the games. Boston is a huge sports town. The one thing I can say is the guys who opened this restaurant made a wise choice of location and theme.

I never visited the chinese restaurant that was in this building previously, but I imagine these new owners were working with good bones. Across the back of the restaurant is a wall of glass doors that opens to a patio overlooking the harbor. There is a stairway inside that leads to a roof deck with great views of the Boston skyline, and in the front of the restaurant there is a patio for al fresco dining. The main room is very large, and with the back patio, the roof deck, and the front patio, it makes for a lot of dining space. The other thing that stands out to me about the Atlantic Beer Garden is there is no place in the Seaport with as laid back a vibe as this place to go after work and have a drink. It gives off a little more of a party atmosphere than other places in that area, and no other bar features sports. You would have to go fairly far into Southie to find another sports bar in the area, or brave the traffic and parking prices of Faneuil Hall. Parking in the Seaport District is only about $8 to $10 a day, when 1/2 a mile away in downtown Boston it is anywhere from $30 to $45 a day!

One of the reasons we chose the Beer Garden today of course was our tired legs and feet, but Lou also had a hankering for some good fish and chips, and we assumed they probably had that on the menu. We had been there once before, and most good pub like places in Boston have a fish and chips entree. We were right.

The restaurant was loud again just like I remembered it from our first visit. It wasn't AS loud, but the acoustics really are bad in the place. I wonder how it is when the back doors are opened. For drinks Lou went with our typical water, but I ventured out and got an unsweetened tea! Ooh so dangerous. I guess we just don' t want to waste calories drinking them. For lunch, Lou was hungry so we started off with some boneless buffalo chicken tenders. These got an A+ in my book. The tenders themselves were each a healthy portion. There were about 5 on the plate. The blue cheese was plentiful. The breading on the chicken tenders was light and not overpowering. The sauce wasn't too hot, and the carrot and celery sticks on the side were fresh and crisp. Chicken tenders are a staple on a lot of menus these days, but not every place pulls them off well.

For lunch I opted for the veggie panini. It had strips of eggplant, squash, zucchini, and even though the menu description didn't say it, I swear there were pickles in there. It said it was topped with a marinara sauce and mozzarella. I tasted the mozzarella, but if there was marinara sauce, it was very light. I didn't mind that much. The panini was good, the vegetables were a bit tough to bite through, especially the eggplant. I think it is just hard to to do eggplant on a sandwich like this. Lou got the fish and chips he had been craving. Both meals came with the choice of fries or curly fries. I got regular fries, Lou curly. The curly fries were $.95 extra which I think is wierd, but whatever. Honestly, I think all restaurants should offer something healthier from fries to choose from. I know you can often substitute, but I just don't think it should be the norm. The fries were nothing special. I am sure they get the typical Kraft foods frozen fries most restaurants get. The portions were very large. Lou really liked his fish and since it was so much, he brought half of it home to enjoy later.

The price for our meals was $35 for one ice-t, chicken tenders, fish and chips, and a panini. I would say that is about average for the area. The portions were well above average. The staff at the beer garden is always attentive and friendly. I remember on both visits seeing a manager actively involved in managing the front of the house of the restaurant. This is always a good sign of a well run place.

To sum it up, the Atlantic Beer Garden is what it is. A neighborhood sports bar, in a cool location with solid food, solid wait staff, and tv's galore. it is clean, the staff is friendly. A great place to hang out after work or have a casual weeknight dinner.



Vegetarian Collard Greens






A few months ago, Lou and I went to see Food Inc. to see where our food really comes from. I hear about it more and more in the news these days, factory farming, animals being fed hormones, mass producing food... I think everyone should make their own informed choices about what they eat. This movie definitely made me shop for us a little differently. One of the things we decided to do was check out
Boston Organics.
Boston organics is a company that delivers fresh organic produce right to your door. You can choose to have produce delivered weekly or every other week. There are different size boxes depending on your needs. We get the $39 box, but there is also a $29, and $57. You can also choose from different mixes, all fruit, all vegetables, 1/2 and 1/2. 2/3 and 1/3, and lastly you can add other items to your order each week, like coffee, tea, bread, dairy, cheese.

I first heard about Boston Organics from my friend Tammy on her blog http://www.bostonfoodandwhine.com/. I had wanted to try it out for a while and I think Food Inc. finally gave me the push.

When I started receiving my produce, I decided I wouldn't add anything to the do not send list without trying it at least once. This, I thought would force me to try new recipes, and vegetables in those recipes I haven't used before. So far, it has worked out pretty well.

One of the first items I got when I started with Boston Organics was collard greens. I had eaten collard greens many times in my life and really like them, but I had never made them myself. I know that one of the things you need to make collard greens is a big ham bone. I was too lazy to search a ham bone out, so went on a search to find a recipe for vegetarian collard greens. I found the recipe on the website Recipe Zaar. http://www.recipezaar.com/, and I think they were just as good as any collard greens I have had.


2lbs collard greens
4-5 garlic cloves minced
1 large onion
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Wash greens well submierging in a sink full of cold water to remove any dirt and grit. Drain well. Cut off the stems right where the leaf starts. STack about 5-8 leaves on top of eachother, then roll lengthwise. Cut rolled up leaves into 1" slices widthwise. Repeat until all the greens are done and add to a large pot.

Add all other ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes or until greens are extremely tender. Serve hot. using a slotted spoon to drain the liquid from the greens.

The finished product!

When Life Gives You Old Banana's Make Banana Bread!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread




I used to have this roommate years ago, Jess. She would save old bananas all the time with the ambition of making banana bread. I had no idea back then, that old bananas were the best for making banana bread, so I should thank Jess for making me aware of this. I have to say though, I never, in the several years I lived with Jess, witnessed her baking ANYTHING, especially not banana bread. If she only knew how often I make it these days.

Banana Bread is one of Lou's favorite things I make. I often catch him leaving a few bananas to overipe in the hopes I will make him a loaf. When I make banana bread, I often think of my grandmother. I don't remember many people in my life making banana bread, but I remember she did. She stayed with us once while my parents were away, and showed me all the ways she used food so there wouldn't be any waste. She had grown up in the depression when I am sure it was unheard of to waste anything. One of the things she showed me was to put fresh cucumbers into the left over pickle juice. It made extra pickles for less than half the cost. She also showed me how to let bread get stale, then food process it for bread crumbs. I am sure making banana bread was her way of not letting bananas go to waste. The other reason I think of my grandmother is I use her old mixing bowl, and her old glass bread pans when I make it. When my grandmother died, my mother took some of her kitchen items in case we needed them someday. My grandmother was a great cook, and call me crazy, but I feel like my banana bread comes out just a little bit better because I am using her pans.

The recipe I use for Banana bread is right out of the Better Homes and Garden's cook book. I make it so much, I should have memorized the recipe, but instead, the page is worn with flour stuck to it.

Preheat the Oven to 350
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon( I usually add a little more, I like cinnamon!)
1 egg
1 cups mashed bananas, (3 medium, or 2 large)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
the recipe also calls for finely shredded lemon and chopped nuts, but I don't add those in.

Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a loaf pan, set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.






In another bowl combine the egg bananas, sugar, and cooking oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir until just moistend, batter should be lumpy.






Spoon batter into baking pan and cook 50-55 minutes at 350, or until wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Banana Bread, one of life's simple pleasures:)

Run for the Border, On the Border that is


Border Cafe
Menu: Tex-Mex
Kid Friendly: What kid doesn't like chips, salsa and tacos?
Atmosphere: Southwestern decor, families, dating couples, singles
Prices: Average family eatery comparable to Friday's, Uno's, Applebee's


I went to lunch with my good friend Karen the other day at one of our favorite places, On the Border in Woburn, Ma. Not to be confused with the Border Cafe! Karen will be happy if she reads this to see I listed her as a good friend. She was my boss at one time and would get so mad when I introduced her as such. She would say, " WE AREN'T WORKING! I am your FRIEND when we AREN'T working!" Well I don't slip up anymore and call her my boss these days. One reason is I don't work for her anymore, but the main reason is she has been a very dear friend to me over the past 9 years.

There are several reason's the Border Cafe is one of our favorite restaurants to grab lunch. It is conveniently located off of 95 approximately halfway between Karen's house and mine. Since we both work from home. It is the perfect place to meet to get out of the house for a bit. We also just love the food at the Border Cafe. One of our favorite things to get is the Chicken Tortilla soup. It is a tomato based with a lot of mexican flavoring, chili, cilantro, salsa, avocado. On the Border's version is topped with tortilla strips, fresh avocado, and a bit of cheese. For Lunch you can get a small bowl with either a salad, a taco, an enchilada, empanadas, or tamales for $6.99. There is the , choose two items for $6.99 or the choose 3 items for $8.99 deals. All meals come with the usual chips and salsa while you wait for your meal. Karen decided she was back on Atkins this week which left me eating the whole bowl of chips! Yes I have no self control. The chips at On the Border though, are some of the best you can get. They are light and crispy. You can tell they are fresh, and they always come to the table warm. Their salsa is also good, not too chunky, not too hot.

The service at On the Border is another reason we return. The hostess is always quick to seat us. The lunch crowd is really busy, but the staff never seems overwhelmed. Our order is always taken promptly, our food arriving with the same promptness, and the servers are always very friendly.

On the Border has been a favorite of ours for the past 9 years we have worked for Nortel, and I am sure will continue to be a favorite for years to come. Someday I will have to check it out for dinner.


Friday, November 6, 2009

Paella for Easter



My Paella story






I was looking through some pictures I took of food before I started writing this blog and came across this delicious Paella my mother in law asked me to make last Easter. Linda, had gotten the recipe from a woman she knows on the Vineyard. It is pretty ambitious and I found the directions a little crazy, but if you know how to cook you can get through it. This took me about two hours to make start to finish. The final product was well worth the wait.




Chicken:

1.5 lb. chicken tenders, or 10 wings split after browning, or 10 thighs, or 5 chicken legs, or one whole frying chicken cut into 10 pieces. ( to make it simple for my self, I used skinless breasts)

- 8 oz. Chorizo, remove casing and cut on the bias about 1/4 inch slices
-1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 1/2 dozen mussells or small hardshell clams
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large Spanish onion chopped fine
-Garlic, at least 4 cloves chopped fine
-Can of diced tomatoes drained
-Olive oil
-3 Cups rice
-5 cups chicken broth, simmering,
-white wine
-1 cup peas fresh or frozen
-1 bunch parsley(garnish)
-5 lemons(garnish)
-1/2 bunch scallions(garnish)
-thyme
-saffron ( if can't find saffron, use goya paella rice, or another boxed paella rice and use the seasoning packet as if it is the saffron)
-Salt and pepper
-You will need a very large skillet or pan to cook the paella in the oven once all the ingredients are combined. I have about a 24 inch iron skillet for the final product

Heat small skillet and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Brown Chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, do not over cook, set aside.

Add Olive Oil to the pan to make soffrito: Add onions, peppers, garlic, and drained tomatoes. cook until onions are softened. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.

Add Chorizo to the same pan, cook until edges are brown. Remove from pan and place with the onion, pepper, tomato mixture.

Delglaze the pan with a small amount of white wine.

Heat oven to 375

In a large flat pan add 2-3 TBSP of Olive Oil, Add Rice and stir to coat with Oil. Add lots of chopped garlic, add Tomato-onion-chorizo-pepper mixture. Add the simmering chicken broth, and the saffron ( I didn't have time to hunt down saffron, so I bought paella rice by Goya and the season packet acted as my saffron. I prepared everything the same way as stated) Bring to boil on stove top. Add Chicken pieces on top. Place in oven covered for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes remove from oven. Check to make sure the rice is just done. Add Clams or mussels, and add shrimp. Set them into the rice. For clams place them hinge down. If mixture is dry, add a little more liquid. Be careful because clams and shrimp will give off some moisture. Add Peas. Cook an additional 8-10 minutes or until clams or mussels open. Allow to site for 5-10 minutes, garnish with parsley, scallions, and lemon wedges.


Bon Appetit!