Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast with Custard Sauce

Sunday was my second meeting with the Potluck Dinner Club and the theme was brunch. As soon as I heard the theme in March, I knew I wanted to make Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast with Custard Sauce.

At Christmas Brunch my Mom established a new family favorite by serving this dish and I was certain I could replicate her rave reviews. The good news it that even though my custard sauce did not thicken very well, my plan worked.

The recipe is by Kraft. Strange, right? I was shocked too. I made some substitutions to ensure that my cream cheese and milk wouldn't have hormones and used the Argo Corn Starch Custard recipe for the sauce per my Mom but otherwise followed the recipe. The custard, questionable if I can call mine that since it really is very liquid, tastes a lot like vanilla soymilk after you have eat all the Cinnamon Toast Crunch out of it i.e. delicious.

Actually the whole dish was just as amazing the second time. While it takes a while with the sitting and cooking, it is easy to prepare and I'm sure you will agree the results are stunning.

Soft Yogurt Sandwich Rolls

This weekend I overcame my fear of yeast and made traditional bread from scratch i.e. bread involving yeast. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought, but it was much more time consuming. I never thought I would get out of the kitchen.

As promised this recipe for Soft Yogurt Sandwich Rolls turned out soft sandwich rolls with a nice texture that holds up to moisture. However, they were a little sour for my taste. I wouldn't rule out making them again but there might be a better roll recipe out there for me. Regardless, the rolls smell delicious while baking, which my roommates loved. The flour explosion also got me to clean behind out movable "counter" and I think they appreciated that too.

My only misstep was purchasing regular yogurt, so I had to drain it with cheesecloth into yogurt cheese to have the appropriate texture for the recipe. I recommend avoiding that step.

Crustless Spinach and Onion Quiche

I haven't tried making crust yet and was short on time, so this recipe for Crustless Spinach, Onion, and Feta seemed perfect for me. Quiches are a nice break from my typical grain heavy breakfast, but still a fairly portable option that I can rush out the door holding in my hand.

I'm not sure if I didn't cook it quite long enough, but I found it to be a bit wobbly for quick transportation. It was much better once I started taking the time to toast it, adding a bit of crisp to the outside, and put a sprinkle of salt on the top. As I was missing the Feta, I substituted a 1/2 cup of Parmesan which worked out fine but I suspect without this substitution I would not have needed the salt.

Taco Taco

One day in ballet, Meg was raving about having brunch at Taco Taco with her boyfriend and the memory stuck with me. When we finally made it to brunch this weekend, I suggested we revisit Taco Taco as it was so convenient to our apartments.

While she suggested and ordered the coffee, which apparently has a hint of cinnamon, I passed. Coffee still has not grown on me. Plus, it tends to give me a stomachache. I did get the dish she raved about after her last time though. I can't remember the name of it, but imagine a breakfast version of a taco salad. Really good, right? And filling too. I could barely touch the side salad.

Taco Taco's complimentary chips and salsa aren't bad either. The chips are clearly fresh, very crispy but not greasy, as is the salsa. I'll definitely go back here eventually. The guacamole and chips looked good too.

Location: 1726 2nd Avenue (between 89th and 90th Streets)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30a-11:00p, Fri 11:30a-12:00a, Sat 11:00a-12:00a, Sun 11:00a, 11:00p
Cost: $$

pinkberry And I Are Breaking Up

Jaime just sent me this article from the NY Times. I kind of already knew pinkberry wasn't exactly what it claimed and obviously dealt with it, but the fact that they use corn-derived sweeteners rules it out (see below).

Now I have to find something else cold and sweet to like for the summer. I can guarantee it won't be Tasti D-lite, which just seems too airy and gave me a headache.

The ingredients list for Original Pinkberry has 23 items. Skim milk and nonfat yogurt are listed first, then three kinds of sugar: sucrose, fructose and dextrose. Fructose and maltodextrin, another ingredient, are both laboratory-produced ingredients extracted from corn syrup.

The list includes at least five additives defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as emulsifiers (propylene glycol esters, lactoglycerides, sodium acid pyrophosphate, mono- and diglycerides); four acidifiers (magnesium oxide, calcium fumarate, citric acid, sodium citrate); tocopherol, a natural preservative; and two ingredients — starch and maltodextrin — that were characterized as fillers by Dr. Gary A. Reineccius, a professor in the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota and an expert in food additives.

Risotteria

As part of Lthug's bachelorette weekend, I made my second trip to Risotteria. (Does anyone else find it weird that bachelorette does not have real word status yet? First my cell phone thought it was gibberish and now Mozilla.) I was a bit reluctant to go back as my last experience left me feeling the risotto was only so-so. After this visit, I think the issue was actually my limited hunger in spite of the 8 hour gap between my half of a Carnegie Deli reuben and the risotto.

Given our party of six the wait was surprisingly short. Thank goodness as it was 3:00 p and we were starving. We started with two servings of complimentary bread sticks and a re-purposed wine bottle full of chilled water. Perfect. The wait staff was attentive and patient with our collective indecisiveness. They refreshed the jars of bread sticks without our having to ask.

I ended up ordering the Carnaroli Risotto with Roasted Leg of Lamb, Gorgonzola and Spinach ($15.50). It was creamy with an intense flavor courtesy of the Gorgonzola. I could barely taste the lamb or spinach, but both were tender and probably added subtle flavors. Vika had the Arborio Risotto with Shrimp, Mozzarella, and Tomato ($16.55). The cheese was much less overwhelming and you could taste the flavor of each ingredient. Both dishes were good.

This trip won me over and I definitely plan to go back to Risotteria. Also I'm in love with their pens; instead of business cards they have pens that say "Stolen from Risotteria" and their address on the side.




Location: 270 Bleecker Street (between Cornelia Street and Morton Street)
Hours: Sun-Sat 12:00p - 11:00p
Cost: $$

Yakiniku West

Yakiniku West was the first official stop on Lthug's bachelorette itinerary. I went in with some concerns. Will I have to sit on the floor? My dress is awfully mini for the up and down. Will I really have to take off my shoes? Did I forget my ID when rushing downtown after a brutal collision with a table in my apartment? The answers were all yes, obviously, and the only one that ended up problematic was my ID.

Jaime and I arrived on time or so we thought. Lauren, Vika, Jenn, and Jackie arrived a little later. Turns out Yakiniku pushed back Lauren's reservation 15-20 minutes without complaint, even with a bit of a wait forming outside. This was a sign of good service that would continue all night. Baskets of Dum Dum lollipops free for the taking also sweetened the impression.

Once our shoes were stored in plastic bags to carry or in cubbies we were led upstairs. While you do not sit on the ground, your table is on the ground with benches around it. Hard to explain. There were only three tables in the room we were seated it. One table had the perfect addition to our party - guys from West Point who were really into Sake bombs to the point of shaking the floor. Naturally Lauren ended up participating. Sake bomb? No, a Steve bomb. Right.

The basic portions of the bbq stuff, packaged with soup, salad, and a scoop of ice cream for dessert, are for one person. We ordered three, two with bi bim bop for $5.00 extra, edamame, shochu and sake and had just enough food. The burners are way too small to cook a plateful of food for each person simultaneously making eating a slow process. At least with Shabu Shabu, which I rapidly decided I prefer, you can prepare food for a whole group at the pace you want to eat. Alternatively you can order sushi, teriyaki, or regular bi bim bop but that isn't the point of Yakiniku.

The food we cooked on our own was good, but the edamame was barely salted and the ice cream flavors didn't pop. So if I come back it will be about the service and atmosphere not the food.


As for the ID, I ended up heading home after dinner rather than continuing on to go out. NYC never lets those slide for normal people...

Location: 218 East 9th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, closer to 3rd)
Hours: Don't know...We went for dinner! So that is a safe bet.
Cost: $$

Garlic Soba Noodles

I made these Garlic Soba Noodles last week. The recipe seemed promising as I have appreciated the individual ingredients in other experiments and it just looked good. But yeah, I'm unhappily eating leftovers now.

There is something about the recipe that just didn't hit the spot. Maybe it the sliminess of the soba noodles makes me think the leftovers have gone bad when they haven't? Or the inexplicable gritty texture is off putting? Or could it be the radishes turn like apples when exposes to air and gooey brown-ish soba noodles?

Regardless, I think I'll stick to the last soba noodle recipe that I enjoyed late last year, which is incidentally is much easier to make, and I think you should too unless you just loooove garlic too much to not try this one.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Once I saw the divine pictures of Whole Wheat Apple Muffins by Smitten Kitten, I knew I had to make them. They would help use my spontaneously purchased buttermilk and would integrate more healthy whole wheat into my life.

Since I actually had roughly all the ingredients on hand, I was able to get started right away. My only substitution was light brown sugar in place of dark brown sugar. I assembled the muffins and had them baking in under an hour. Not bad. They smelled great by the time Rock of Love 2 was ending. Nothing like a sweet treat to offset the ending of an awesome yet awful TV show.

These muffins have a very moist texture and flavor reminiscent of a lighter pound cake. I enjoyed them all week for breakfast; next time I am going to try decreasing the sugar used as they were too decadent a breakfast food for my taste. Seriously, I eat things like plain oatmeal for breakfast on a regular basis.

My big stumble with these was putting them in a gallon storage bag before they had cooled enough. As a result, my crunchy brown sugar topping just melted into a sticky mess. If only I could learn to start cooking before 9:00 pm.

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Saturday after my post route-marking plans fell through, I was wasting time online (as usual). I didn't know what to do with the night; since moving to NYC I seem to have forgotten how to sit and do nothing. When I stumbled across this recipe for Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage, I knew I had hit the jackpot.

Growing up my grandparents, mom, brother, and I would make galumpkies. It was an half day project with lots of trays for freezing extra batches. I remembered liking them, but forgot how much labor was involved. Things that might have sped up the process include following the directions to core the cabbage and having a food processor. Oh well! I also advise against starting the process at 9:00 pm.

Anyway, all that matters though is the end result, which was good. As I'm not a vegetarian, I think I'll stick to a meat filling next time and starting cooking earlier. Next time also will probably be in the winter as cooking all this really heats up the kitchen.

P.S.Don't skip the raisins in the sauce. They really add that extra something special.

Stir Fried Burdock with Sesame & Soy

I spontaneously purchased Burdock Root at Green market after reading on a sign it was good for your skin. I doubt the one large piece I purchased was enough to have an affect, but I was apprehensive and unsure of what to do with it. As usual searching online led me to a recipe (scroll halfway down the page to: Hiroko's Kimpira Gobo).

While the idea of preparing and julienning the burdock and carrot wasn't appealing, I couldn't resist the sesame based seasoning. I added parsnip to the mix and substituted olive oil for vegetable oil. I didn't see the changes mentioned in the burdock root, but felt it was reasonably cooked based on the increased flexibility of the carrots. The extended cooking time really brought out the natural sweetness in the carrots and the burdock root had a unique, slighly nutty flavor.

I meant to eat the amount below over two meals. That didn't happen. Next time, hopefully soon, I will make a double batch.

Hill Country

Adrienne says Brother Jimmys is not real barbecue. I suppose that for a Texan it wouldn't be... In light of this I tried her favorite place: Hill Country. As a first time visitor the large, cafeteria-style set-up is overwhelming. You go from station to station selecting your food while they complete your card. Thank goodness it wasn't busy on Monday at 7:00 pm.

I ordered a quarter pound of lean brisket, Adrienne's favorite, with a slice of very thick, white bread, a small side of longhorn cheddar mac'n'cheese, and the sweet tea (it just isn't barbecue without sweet tea). The fork tender meat was sliced into 1" wide strips thin like ribbon. The sauce, while made in Virginia Beach with high fructose corn syrup, was delicious. The mac'n'cheese was good, but didn't have enough of a cheese flavor for me. The sweet tea was very good, but not your traditional Southern-style as it had just a (perfect) hint of sweetness. Each item was roughly $5.00.

Realistically after all that, I was too full for ice cream, but Hill Country serves Blue Bell. I had it once before, in July 2006 visiting Britt in Mooresville, NC. Ever since then I have raved about it. I even have a picture on my cell phone. Bliss. It was a one time thing, because they only sell it where it can be shipped overnight. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to see it on the menu. I got a generous hand-scooped portion to go for $4.00. It was melt in my mouth mint chocolate chip. So good although a bit fierce with the green food-coloring.

Hill Country is really good, but I can't help but like best what I know - places like Lancaster's with hush puppys, pulled pork, and lots of great sauce. I still want to go back to Hill Country though to try some other sides, the ribs, and have more ice cream. Eating locally be darned, in this case, as Blue Bell ice cream is the best.


Location: 30 West 26th Street (Between Broadway and 7th Avenue)
Hours: Sun-Wed 12:00p-10:00p, Thurs-Sat 12:00p-11:00p (Kitchen hours...The bar is open later)
Cost: $ to $$ (depends on your appetite and extras)

German Pancake with Buttermilk Syrup

I ask my Mom to make this almost every time I go home. I'm obsessed with the syrup, which my roommates compared to cake batter. I knew it was good, but suddenly it all made sense. My favorite scent? Vanilla Cake baking. My favorite lotion? Vanilla Bean Noel. My favorite Coldstone ice cream? Cake batter.

While not the healthiest, this is really easy to make, done in 20 minutes, and, in case I was unclear, delicious. My Mom's recipe for the cake and syrup is below followed by my picture.

German Pancake with Butter milk syrup! Yum
Yields about 8 servings and 2 cups of syrup (if you aren't gluttonous)

German Pancake
In blender mix until smooth:
*6 eggs or equivalent egg beaters
*1 cup milk
*1 cup all purpose flour
*1/2 teaspoon salt.

Pour into 9X13X2 baking dish greased with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. (I didn't say this was healthy). I melt the butter in the dish to save dishes! Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Syrup
While baking make the syrup. The original recipe suggests in a sauce pan but it does well in a oversized glass bowl in the microwave be sure to serve hot!
*1 1/2 cups sugar *3/4 cups buttermilk (milk with 2 tablespoons of vinegar is the substitute let stand till sours about 1 minute) *1/2 cup real butter (this is the flavor) *1 teaspoon of baking soda

Bring to boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat add 2 teaspoons of vanilla, stir. Serve over hot pancake, dusted with confectioners sugar if desired (I never add the confectioners sugar since I use so much syrup).

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

Today I impulsively purchased buttermilk at Green Market. As I don't like to drink it I had to find things to make with it. I saved this southern-style buttermilk biscuit recipe a while ago, but was out of all-purpose flour. I found a whole-wheat biscuit recipe, but did not have enough butter on hand.

I ended using the first recipe substituting whole-wheat flour and a 1/2 cup of almond meal for the white flour. It worked out pretty well. The biscuits are fluffy, filling, and have a nutty flavor. I've been enjoying them plain as they have enough flavor that I don't need to add anything, which makes them great for rushing out the door in the morning (I'm always late).

The recipes both noted the need for something with a sharp metal edge to cut the biscuits or you would interfere with the biscuits ability to rise. Turns out we only have a star cookie cutter, so I present to you my finished product.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

I made Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini once before and after all the work involved hardly had a chance to enjoy the results as the pre-mixedTahini expired!! I found that out the hard way with an unpleasant stomachache leading to a label check and discarding virtually all of the salad.

A dish involving butternut squash isn't exactly seasonally appropriate, but just before the fridge disaster I had purchased most of the ingredients for making this again and I could not wait until Fall. While I didn't make buy pre-mixed Tahini, I had trouble believing the unopened Tahini would make it through a hot NYC summer in an uncooled kitchen.

I'm glad I tried the recipe again. It was great to confirm that the tahini was the issue not something else... The salad's flavors blend together well; it is slightly sweet, mostly savory, and very filling! I managed to get 4+ meals out of it as I used a 5 pound butternut squash. Needless to say I'm glad I can't have it again until winter. ;)

Lime and Raspberry Bread

I made this Lime and Raspberry Bread on Monday night and finished it by Friday morning. It was that good. As one would expect, the flavor is very lime. The texture is like a good cake - light and very moist. Perfect.

While the recipe's author suggests dusting them with flour to prevent bleeding, I didn't bother. I had already squeezed 12+ key limes to get the 3/4 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice, my hands were HURTING and I just wanted to be done. Besides skipping that step made the batter really pretty; it had deep pink swirls like tie-dye. Why did I have key limes instead of regular limes? Well, the roast chicken left a surplus that I had an insatiable need to use.

If I weren't in the middle of making whole-wheat buttermilk biscuits right now, I might make a new batch using the other half of my bag of frozen raspberries and squeeze bottle lime juice.

Proscuitto and Arugula "Pizza"

My favorite pizza to order at Cavatappo is topped with proscuitto and arugula. In order to save some money, I thought I should try replicating it at home. Nevermind that I already had a fridge full of ham from my parent's Easter visit. Basically this week was all ham all the time. Yum, but, maybe, not the healthiest.

Either way my project was successful. I used the amazing whole wheat pita bread made "locally" by Daily Pita Bakeries, Inc., organic tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella for the base. I love this bread; it has 4 ingredients, none of which are sugar, and 6 pitas cost 89 cents.

It took 12 minutes for everything to melt together nicely at 350. Based on my research, I then let the pizza cool for 5 minutes before sprinkling it generously with the baby arugula and arranging the somewhat defatted proscuitto on top. So easy and so good.

If you do this at home, I recommend this proscuitto. It has been my favorite one so far.

Nina's Argentine Pizza Restaurant

This place was so amazing that recalling the leftovers is making my mouth water. I've always been curious about Nina's since meatballs are the special every day I walk by and I have wanted to visit Argentina for quite a while now. My only complaint would be the half hour wait was actually an hour and a half; I'm pretty certain the only reason we were ever seated is we stood in the cold outside the window staring for the last half hour. Oh well, I got to show my parents Cavatappo.

Once inside I was in love with the cozy, tiny atmosphere and the olive oil/eggplant dipping sauce served with fresh bread. As I went with my parents, I was able to try everything I wanted off the menu: their lasagna, Cheta pizza, and the meatballs (of course!).

The pizza was my favorite... It was deep dish style, somewhat reminiscent of focaccia, topped with spinach, creamy ricotta chese, a pungent sauce, and regular cheese. It melted in my mouth and I can't wait to try it again. The lasagna had layers of eggplant instead of noodles and goat cheese instead of ricotta; both of these changes were creative and successful in my opinion. I enjoyed it, but would rather try recreating it at home than order it again.

As for the meatballs, I just was not in love. They were garlic-y, which is fine, but didn't really hit the spot. My Dad was perfectly happy with them though and the leftovers were great. :)

Location: 1750 2nd Avenue (Between 91st and 92nd Streets)
Hours: Mon-Fri: 5:00p-11:00p, Sat-Sun 11:30a-11:00p
Cost: $$

Roast Chicken

After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which is really good, I decided to make an effort to buy more of my food locally. I also decided I had to try roasting an entire chicken. I wasn't really ready to do it alone, so I was fortunate my parents were in town for Easter.

Conveniently, I found a little, baby chicken weighing a bit under two pounds at Greenmarket. Apparently calling it a little, baby chicken was gross, but, whatever, it recently was one. I also purchased tarragon and key limes. You have to put spices and citrus in its chest cavity for the best flavor and its chest cavity was too small for a real lime...

The process was simple; it is really only slightly more complicated than marinating and cooking chicken parts. I rinsed the chicken, rubbed it down with oil, salt, and pepper inside and outside, and then stuffed the garlic, tarragon, and punctured key limes inside. By thinking about it rationally, I was able to not get too squeamish to continue. I kept telling Mom it was like dissection in anatomy class.

The end results were good. I saved the leftover bits to make my own chicken stock. Fun! I'm excited to try again with different spices and a slightly larger chicken.

Caracas Arepa Bar

As Mike was out of town, Jaime decided to linger in the city a big longer than usual. We wasted time at my apartment, wandered around Rugby, and then walked over to Caracas Arepa Bar in the rain. I had the impression it was around 3rd Avenue. Yeah, I don't know how I was so far off. Our meal was well worth the walk though.

Caracas is super tiny, even for NYC. Luckily, we managed to grab a table. They have signage stressing that they don't serve fast food, but it isn't really slow either. Deciding what to order took longer than the preparation.

As I can't resist plantains, cheese, or beans, I chose the De Pabellon Arepa, the YoYos, and topped everything off with a Cocoda. The only thing I can compare to Arepas are Gyros; they are nothing alike other than both being delicious. The YoYos were supposedly deep fried plaintain rolls filled with cheese. It sounds like something I would love, but it didn't hit the spot. Perhaps because they were very breaded and I couldn't taste the plantains? I would have preferred another Arepa or, maybe, another Cocada milkshake.

The milkshake is what I can't stop talking about it. It was FRESH coconut - rich and just sweet enough. I wish they served pina coladas at Caracas, because they could rival the beach-side club's version in Salinas, Ecuador, which ruined all pre-made pina coladas for me. If you like coconut, you have to go here immediately and try the Cocada and some arepas. I know I'll be back for both, in spite of the need for Febreeze when I arrived home smelling like fried food.

Location: 93.5 East 7th Street (Between 1st Avenue and Avenue A - closer to 1st)
Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00p to 10:30p (sometimes only to go), Sun 12:00p - 9:30p
Cost: $ or $$ (depending on how much you need to get full)

Jing Fong

Today I went over to Jeff's to drop off the few things I just couldn't bear to throw away from our refrigerator that somehow survived the multi-week slow death (i.e. organic butter, chili-garlic sauce, wheat germ, minced ginger, etc.).

As both of our brunch plans had fallen through, I finally got my personal Chinatown tour. Yes, he knows all about Chinatown in spite of not actually being of Asian descent. We visited a bakery and supermarket, saw his jerky shop, stared a yummy looking ice cream with unique flavors, and discussed ordering so fresh it is killed in front of you fish from the stores.

Before all of that, we went for Dim Sum at Jing Fong. Upon entering you are corralled downstairs waiting for your parties' number to be called (kind of like bingo). Then you go upstairs to a massive room with red, gold, and black decor, I swear it is the size of a whole block, filled with tables unfortunately covered with poly-silk Pepto Bismol pink tablecloths and napkins.

The dim sum is displayed on a buffet or brought around on carts, you pick what you want to try, and they mark your card for each selection. The card becomes your bill. The carts have "safe" choices i.e. identifiable foods like fried or steamed dumplings with shrimp, pork, or beef, fried tofu, rice noodles, sesame rolls, and a delicious almond flavored tofu dish that resembles jello.

They also have mystery foods that turn out to be things like tripe, intestinal lining whose texture I can't get over to enjoy, and chicken feet, which I tried with much hesitation. Yes, the girl who complains about her pork having unidentifiable chewy parts tried chicken feet. The preparation Jeff picked out was reminiscent of buffalo chicken wings in texture and presentation. They really weren't so bad, except the mental hurdle involved. Don't know that I will pick them out without encouragement, but I would try them again prepared this way.

Jing Fong also has great tea that goes with your meal. I enjoyed the experience and am looking forward to my next trip. Deb and I are going to try for a group on April 6th, so we can try more things for less money. If you want to go let me know. :)

Location: 20 Elizabeth Street, 2nd Floor (between Canal and Bayard Streets)
Hours: 9:30 am to 10:30 pm Daily with Dim Sum served between 10:00 and 3:30 (it really ends closer to 2:00 pm)
Cost: $$ (for brunch)

El Paso Taqueria

For the first time in a long time I went on a date. Conveniently we both live on the UES, so when he suggested his favorite Mexican restaurant, El Paso Taqueria, I was happy to try something new and relatively close. I also was very nervous as my mind gets ahead of me all the time.

We met around 7:30 and started with fresh guacamole and chips. The guacamole was really, really good - super fresh with all the appropriate ingredients chunked in. I almost didn't notice that complimentary chips and salsa were not offered. I ordered Carnitas Tacos. They were served traditionally with open corn tortillas, more yummy guacamole, onion, cilantro, and the oven roasted pork. They were good. However, I still haven't decided whether they were better at the Mexican restaurant I frequented in Astoria. I guess I'll have to go to both and compare. The prices are reasonable enough that this will be easy to do...

I also had Cemitas Al Pastor, which turned out to be an elaborate sandwich. The description of a sesame bun suckered me in. It wasn't anything special; the roasted marinated pork, while mixed with onions and pineapples as expected, also had those weird chunks of meat that you would rather not encounter in your meal.

I probably won't make a huge effort to go to El Paso Taqueria again, but if I do I will stick to the tacos and guac. As for the date, it went smoothly aided by unobtrusive, pleasant service happy to let us continue talking until 10:30 long after our meal was done.

Location: 1642 Lexington Avenue at 104th Street
Hours: Don't know? I went for dinner.
Cost: $$ or $ depending on what/how much you choose to eat

bill's Coconut Bread

This first time I made bill's Coconut Bread, I ate it all before I could remember to take a picture. See, I have a thing for coconut. Freshman year of college a boyfriend's mom was an international stewardess and introduced me to Ferrero Raffaello candies. They are creamy, perfect candies that apparently caused me to make the same face making out did. Ahem. Next it was Edy's Coconut Sorbet by the pint in a single sitting. Writing this makes me what to sneak into the kitchen for my fourth sliver of the day, but I will resist as bedtime is soon.

Our refrigerator has been broken for almost three weeks now. I'm constantly challenged to make things I can eat quickly without buying perishable items that will need storage since to get the fridge fixed, when and if the part comes in, the whole thing must be unplugged for 48 hours. Remembering this recipe made me slightly less bitter about having to use my last two eggs and some butter just in case the call comes this week.

The bread is just as good as I remembered, obviously. It is dense, thoroughly flecked with finely shredded coconut, and not overly sweet. When toasted with butter it literally melts in your mouth. If you like coconut, you must try making this as it is pretty simple given what it provides. FYI, caster sugar is equivalent to superfine sugar in the US.

P.S. I really need to get better at taking pictures of my food, eh?

Mochi

I had two not-so-successful cooking ventures this weekend. Friday, I tried to poach an egg without paying enough attention. That foamy stuff on the pan? Apparently that is what happens to egg whites when you boil them. Oops. It was definitely cooked through - edible but not what I was going for at all.


Sunday I set about making mochi using this recipe that Vika sent me. Making the mochi itself was easy. I just had to mix together the three or four ingredients, cover, and microwave for 10 minutes. The hard part was handling it. If it gets cold or personally cool enough to touch, you aren't going to have any luck shaping it. It is mercilessly sticky. It is hard to flatten and several times once I managed to get it flat, I added the red bean paste (totally got a can of it instead of making it from scratch!) and shaped it only to have it break.

After the strawberry and halfway through the chocolate I had decided that it is totally worth the cost to buy mochi. As usual, I persevered and made the plain kind next. Somehow it seemed easier. Maybe maying mochi takes practice? It took roughly three hours for the results below. But hey, I had homeade neopolitan mochi that was very popular at the Potluck Club's Pan-Asian night.

Calle Ocho

First - how amusing is this thread? I thought my salsa and cottage cheese phase was something to hide. It seems so commonplace compared to lots of these items!

Sunday I met Renée for brunch at Calle Ocho. It had been months since we caught up and her suggestion of eating at a restaurant participating in Time Out for Hunger helped narrow things down to Calle Ocho. Plus, I've wanted to go for the longest time. Fortunately we had a reservation, which ensured prompted seating, as those without were turned away.

Upon sitting down our waitress informed us that it was Sangria Sunday (!) meaning FREE, UNLIMITED sangria with your brunch. Good sangria. 6 types to choose from. You also receive a tasty little crate with various sweet muffins accompanied by pink butter (didn't have a flavor) and a tasty black bean puree of some sort.

I ordered the Vaca Frita ($13). It was a little greasy, but not enough to put me off so it may or may not be noticeable to other people. I cleaned up the ENTIRE plate. The skirt steak was tender, the latin fried rice (spicy seasoning, bacon, and black beans) was unique and flavorful, the over medium eggs perfectly cooked, and the tomato/avocado offset everything perfectly. Renée had the cuban sandwich. It was good as far as they go... The amount of pickle was perfect for once - you could taste it but it wasn't like biting a giant chunk of kosher dill. The latino chips were thin, crisps of plantain.

The service was efficient without hovering and they didn't rush us through our meal and sangria. We lingered for almost 2 hours without any dirty looks or stolen half-finished plates. We could hear each other talk without trouble. The atmosphere was pleasant - very open, airy, and full of natural light. I'm curious about what it looks like at night, but I'll have to save up for that trip as prices are significantly more expensive then. All in all, I can't wait to go back!

Location: 446 Columbus Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets
Hours: Mon-Thurs 6p-11p, Fri 6p-12a, Sat 5p-12am, Sun 11:30a-3p
Cost: $$ (for brunch), $$$ (other times)

Food for Thought (A Forward from my Mom)

Truth IS stranger than fiction...Who says truth isn't stranger than fiction, but the following does make sense. I hope you enjoy the information, it's accurate. Sounds just like something a higher power would do.

Here is just a short list of examples of Whole Food Signatures.

* A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots great ly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

* A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

* Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape look S like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

* A Walnut looks like a little brain (come on be honest, you were thinking something else!), a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

* Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

* Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

* Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

* Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the number of Sperm, a way to overcome male sterility.

* Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

* Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

* Grapefruits, Oranges , and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

* Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

Orthorexia?

Jaime sent me this awesome article about food obsession (and not in a good way)!

Lentil Soup (Sort of)

This lentil soup looks delicious, right? The recipe was simple and ideal as I had most of the ingredients on hand and my monthly grocery budget was maxed.

I'm not sure how to explain the mess below since I followed the recipe for the most part. My only deviation was using regular lentils, but as you can see that wasn't the issue. My lentils held their shape. My version tasted okay, but it did not look okay and certainly didn't have the soup-y texture I expected.

It is going to be a while before I try this again, if ever.

Busy Day Cake

I love sweets. The Busy Day Cake recipe on Orangette with its cute story was irresistible.

It seemed so simple and really it was, except for my inspired hand creaming the butter and sugar idea. (I think the butter wasn't quite soft enough leading to blisters from my attempt to cream it by hand.) In spite of that mishap, this took maybe 20 minutes to pull together.

The cake isn't overly sweet and for once I managed to not over mix it, so it rose nicely. My only complaint is the cake is a little dry and crumbly. In fact, it resembles slightly sweet, dry cornbread without the corn flavor.

I'll probably make this again eventually. No rush.

Tomato Sauce

I've been taunted by the 28-ounce can of peeled, whole plum tomatoes on my shelf for almost a year. I purchased a few after reading Superfoods last year (good book!) and made soup with most of them, but none of the recipes I have selected since required non-diced canned tomatoes.

Hungover and tired, I decided I really wanted spaghetti and somehow my fuzzy thought process remembered seeing this recipe for Tomato Sauce on one of my favorite food blogs. It was an excellent rediscovery that made for a tasty, easy dinner.

It wasn't so good that I will stop buying pre-made spaghetti sauce, but I will make it again one day I'm sure.

P.S. Save the onions and eat them. Yum. They were almost better than the sauce.

Broiled Salmon with Spinach and Feta Saute

My arugula and feta were dying a slow, painful death. I felt an urge to eat fish. I have a never ending supply of pine nuts (thanks, Mom!). I wanted something nice to eat for Valentine's Day. Conveniently I had Everyday Food's March 2008 issue with the page folded down to a recipe for Broiled Salmon with Spinach and Feta Saute.

With a substitution of arugula for spinach, I was on my way. This was done in fifteen minutes, it looked classy, and while a little bitter tasted great overall. I can't even complain about the bitterness as it was likely caused by using aging arugula in place of the suggested spinach. I will definitely make this again with the proper ingredients and more greens.

Bon Chon Chicken i.e. KoFC

For months now Deb and I have been discussing Korean Fried Chicken (i.e. KoFC due to her cleverness not mine). She was going soon after our last dinner outing and I was intrigued. I've never loved American Fried Chicken - so greasy, crusty and slimy, and for a long time horrifyingly fattening -- but KoFC seemed different, especially after this New York Times Article. Last night we visited Bon Chon, which Gothamist has some great pictures of here.

Without help it would be hard to find as it looks closed from the outside, if you even realize it is on the second floor. While waiting for Deb to arrive, I was weighing our other options just in case. It turns out Bon Chon was very open; it just is dressed as a nightclub with dim lighting, not-so-attentive staff, loud music, and uncomfortable bottle service style tables.

We ordered a large platter, 9 drumsticks, half Soy Garlic and half Hot Spicy. It is accompanied by some sort of pickled white vegetable and a cabbage salad with a flavorless dressing. I'm pretty sure the purpose of these accompaniments is to tone down the Hot Spicy. Both sauces had a great flavor and the texture is unique - kind of like crispy rotisserie chicken. Don't come here if you want a quick meal; we had to wait for a table and it took a good 30 minutes for the chicken to come out.

I enjoyed it, but I think it will be a while before the urge to go again strikes me. Pio Pio trumps it in my book.

Vika, I hope my next visit will be with you... You love fried chicken and they serve a beverage called Soju. Apparently, it comes by the carafe and in Lychee flavor that doesn't even taste like alcohol. I didn't try as that would have been a recipe for a disastrous Wednesday night.

Location: 314 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor (closer to 32nd Street)
Hours: Sun-Thurs 4:00p-2:00a, Fri-Sat 4:00p-4:00a
Cost: $$

Black and White Rice Krispie Treats

Ever since spotting this recipe for Black and White Rice Krisipie Treats, I knew I had to make them. While they aren't exactly thematically correct for Valentine's Day it seemed like a good opportunity. I also am secretly celebrating my almost one-month anniversary at the new job where I have co-workers to share treats with!

I went to three CVS's to find cinnamon hearts to add in for a festive effect; unfortunately, we barely had bowls big enough to mix the marshmallows, Rice Krispies, etc. so I had to skip it. My application on top after the fact didn't stick too well either. Oh well! I've enjoyed eating them on the side. ;)

I had forgotten how easy Rice Krisipie Treats are to make. My two batches took around 45 minutes. I think I'll revisit this again when I have more than one cupcake tin... That slowed the process down as I had to be creative with the shaping of the other set. It appears that the original ones are thicker too. I'm starting to think my silicone tin is shallow and that a new tin MIGHT fix all these squat comments about muffins, cupcakes, etc. made in it.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pasta and Spinach Cream Sauce

Last weekend I made a dish that took less than an hour! It felt really nice to eat so quickly; I almost was able to resist eating food while I cooked.

This recipe for Pan-Seared Salmon with Pasta and Spinach Cream Sauce is surprisingly simple and a great way to add spinach and salmon into your diet. I am working hard to eat fish and green vegetables more often. It really is hard work.

I used 6 ounces of spinach instead of 5 and would have been happy to have more as it wilts down to such a small amount that it is hardly noticeable. As the recipe's authors said, it has a light flavor for being a cream sauce.

I'll definitely make this one again. The only problem is what to do with the leftover cream. I've been pouring it on my apple crumble and making, as my roommate pointed out, really lazy Fettuccine Alfredo with it, grated Parmesean Reggiano, Salt, Whipping Cream, Parsley Pseudo-Pesto - idea from here, and whole wheat noodles.

Apple Crumble with Whipping Cream

I really wanted to make cobbler to go with my Pan-Seared Salmon with Pasta and Spinach Cream Sauce, but crumble was so much easier. The crunchy contrast of the cobbler topping with the softened apples was all I really wanted anyway.

I used Sally Schneider's Crumble recipe from A New Way to Cook, which you can find as the very last post here. My only alteration was using almond meal in place of sliced almonds. I had it on hand and was not looking for a really crunchy topping.

As you can see, maybe, the crumble had a very crumble-y texture. I was hoping for something a bit more cohesive as the topping. I plan to try a different topping recipe next time with the hope of finding what I'm looking for.

Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins

I always eat breakfast. It prevents me from being crank(ier than usual), jump starts my metabolism, and tastes good. Cereal is good, especially Kashi Go Lean Crunch, but not the healthiest choice so I am constantly looking for other options.

Now that is colder, I am almost always satisfied by oatmeal with raisins and a splash of milk. However, I sometimes want something different. Eggs may be a great breakfast, but making them and doing the dishes afterward isn't quick; I thought these muffins would be a good substitute (pictured below).

After eating 18 you would think I would have a stronger opinion about them. No luck. They are pretty simple to prepare, filling, and tasty yet the texture just seemed odd. Texture means a lot to me, so this might end up ruling them out. For now they are on my list of recipes to try again.

Pureed Parsnip Soup

An unexpected perk of my new job is the free copies of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food that arrive every month. The downside is now I have access, without printing, to so many more recipes. The first issue I brought home inspired me to make three dishes i.e. way too much food for only me to eat.

The first one I made was Pureed Vegetable Soup and when you see the picture accompanying the recipe, you'll know why I absolutely had to make it right then. So pretty! Parsnips weren't my first choice, but the $1.00 per pound price at the Greenmarket swayed me.


It was super simple to put the soup together and it was a satisfying meal. The parsnips gave it a slightly sweet flavor with a hint of spiciness. I think I prefer parsnips when they aren't pureed and won't use them when I revisit the recipe.

Apple Cheddar Yogurt Muffins

As I grated the apples for this recipe, I realized I could have just used natural applesauce. While Mom always says I should follow the recipe exactly the first time, my slightly grated fingertips have their doubts. Ouch. I left out the cardamon. I didn't think I would use it often enough to spend the $4.00 involved with buying each new spice.

The muffins tasted fine, but something didn't go right. They were very dense and squat. With the amount of effort involved and the mediocre results, I probably won't revisit this recipe.

Spicy Soba Noodles with Shitakes and Cabbage

I have been cooking and eating out. I just haven't felt inspired to write about it after work; I want to relax whenever I do get home. Everything is marked for writing a back entry. One day, perhaps, I will get to it. Our first snow was last night. It is finally here, the dreaded winter, but that does mean I can eat oatmeal and soup all the time!

Yesterday, for the first time in weeks, I made it to Union Square Greenmarket. I loooooove it, even when my fingers go numb from the cold air as I pick my vegetables. It has been a busy, social weekend. I also ended up not having to work today, which is divine.

Anyway, I bought everything to make Spicy Soba Noodles with Shitakes and Cabbage. The recipe is fairly simple and would have been quick, if I wasn't so OCD when chopping. I used Chinese Garlic-Chili paste as I wasn't in Korea-town. It turned out really well! I am looking forward to eating this all week and will definitely make it again. I will probably add a bit more chili paste next time. For amazing pictures and the recipe click the link above. Otherwise, as always, my picture is below.


One note... Shitake mushrooms do not last. If you make this plan to eat it within a day or two or bad things happen. :(

Jap Chae

I just attempted to make Jap Chae at home using this recipe. I was so excited to make the attempt as I adore having Jap Chae when I go out.

It wasn't exactly like the Jap Chae I've had at Mondoo Bar or Bonjoo, but it was pretty close for a home version and surprisingly easy. I think my excessive use of carrot shreds caused the dish to be more orange than usual. Come to think of it, maybe that explains the difference in flavor. That and the noodles, I went ALL OVER trying to find glass noodles. Where do restaurants get them?!

Anyway, given Shitake mushrooms short lifespan, I would pare down the recipe if you are cooking and consuming solo. Somehow I never remember that is an option. Sigh.

Otto Enoteca and Pizzaria

Deb took me to Otto Pizzeria for my birthday. I arrived so late that we missed our reservation. Fortunately things improved from there and the wait wasn't too long. It emulates a warmer, more comfortable train station - the reservation sign flips just like Amtrak's in Penn Station.

The best word to describe Otto is inconsistent. The wait staff seemed on point, but then apologetically brought us a complimentary side dish of Brussel Sprouts and Vin Cotto ($4) for misplacing our order. The brussel sprouts were the best I have had to date - firm, full of flavor, and tangy sweet.

Eventually our main courses came out, we shared the Bsalmic Onion & Goat Cheese Pizza ($13) and the Pasta Alla Norma (Tomato, Roasted Eggplant, Basil and Bufala Ricotta - $9). The serving sizes were great; we couldn't finish either dish after the bread and brussel sprouts. The pizza was outstanding - the light, crispy crust and creative combination of complimentary ingredients won us over. The pasta was good, but we didn't feel like it was better than something we could concoct at home.

The gelato was amazing almost all around and at 3 scoops for $7 it is a good deal. I had Pumpkin, Ricotta, and Fig with Red Wine. Pumpkin and Ricotta were divine - smooth, creamy, and well flavored. The fig, however, tasted like kosher dill pickles. I'm serious. How is that possible? I love pickles, but that just isn't what you want for gelato.

Even with the inconsistencies, I hope to go back eventually. If not to the restaurant itself, I will at least visit the "Gelotto" cart by Washington Square Park when it warms up again.

Location: One Fifth Avenue
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30a-12:00a
Cost: $$