Originally from an e-mail to my sister-in-law's father.
BFG,
Though Pine State has been on my mind since we talked about it, I have to admit that we only wound up going there for lunch today because the place we were attempting to go to originally (Blue Plate, also featured on Diners, Etc.) is closed Sundays. However, since we were (relatively) in the neighborhood, Pine State was definitely a suitable plan B.
We got there around 12:30 or so, and there was a line out the door that had clearly been growing steadily throughout the morning. The front of the place is all windows, so you have a chance to read the menu before you get to the counter to order. We stood in line for close to 30 minutes, and I admittedly had to make a clutch decision when it was time to order because everything sounded so delicious. I opted for the McIsley (fried chicken, pickles, honey and mustard) while my boyfriend kept it simple with a chicken biscuit with sausage gravy and bacon. I also got some gourmet chocolate milk to drink, and Beaver got some Cheerwine Soda, which apparently is more of a midwest thing, so he was excited to see it here in PDX.
I've already told Beaver that we need to go back ASAP so I can try the other sandwich I was debating (the Wedgie). The food was incredibly delicious and super filling. The pickles and honey actually went really well together, and mustard added just enough spice. I tried a bite of the sausage gravy, too, which was just as tasty as you'd expect. All in all, it's a solid place to eat, and we're both grateful for the recommendation.
Cory
As I found myself settling in for a quiet Friday evening at home, just me and the Mariners, it occurred to me that I never posted about my spring break bake-a-palooza. So, here you go.
The adventure started Sunday afternoon, when I decided to foray into homemade Cheez-Its. Amazon sent me the link for this recipe several months ago, then posted on her Facebook that she had attempted them a few weeks ago.
They were amazing. I'll definitely be making them again, as soon as possible.
Monday's project, while not food-related, was to finish the baby blanket and hat I had begun in January for my little nephew-to-be, who's scheduled to arrive in May. Starbuck, Wavey and their dog, Champ, all approved.
Next up was an edamame dip recipe I had found in Shape magazine. It was... okay. Not my favorite, but certainly pretty.
(Moron forgot to rotate these pictures before uploading)
Pita bread!
Red beans and rice! Okay, fine, this one is from tonight, but it's really, really yummy.
When the Steelers and the Seahawks met up at the Super Bowl in 2006, I was mostly indifferent, save for the fact that I was a native Washingtonian living smack in the middle of Steeler Country while attending Baron U. This year, the Steelers have once again made it to the big SB. Don't get me wrong, I'm still indifferent, but even before the playoffs, I was invited to spend Super Bowl Sunday with the Beaver's family at their annual get-together. This added a whole new level of pressure; after all, these are the potential future in-laws we're talking about, here, so I figured I'd take the opportunity to break in my new muffin tins that I got from my wonderful brother and sister-in-law for Christmas and make cupcakes. When it ended up that Pittsburgh would be playing yet again, I decided to step up my game and really pander to Beaver's stepmom, who is originally from that area (I'm shameless, I know).
The software.
The hardware. I absolutely love my mixer. It belonged to my grandmother, who moved into an assisted living facility a few years ago. When that happened, my dad traveled to Montana to help some of his siblings clean out her house so it could be sold. On his way back home, he stopped in at my place in Godforsaken Idaho with a few things he had saved for me, one of which was this mixer. So cute, so retro. Love.
The beginnings of buttercream frosting. My original plan had consisted of canned frosting, but as I thought more about the project, I figured I might as well go big or go home. Side note: how adorable are my measuring cups?
I had originally wanted to decorate these cupcakes with frosting alone, but when I called my mom with a cake question while at the store this morning, she suggested using candies instead to save myself some stress. Best. Idea. Ever. Thanks, mom.
Halfway there.
Beaver refuses to root for the Steelers; as a Seattle fan, he's still bitter about the 2006 game. Figured I'd throw him a bone and make a little homage to Green Bay.
Not to be outdone by... myself, I guess, I decided to go full-on domestic today and make some bread, too.
And, since a girl's got to eat (and since Beaver was busy serving a wedding this afternoon), I went ahead and made some tasty soup. This recipe is from Giada deLaurentiis' cookbook "Giada's Kitchen". Tuscan White Bean and Garlic soup has been one of my favorites for a few years, now; I love the texture that pureeing the white beans gives to the soup.
It goes really well with bread.
Also, red wine (not pictured, but delicious).
So apparently I'm the bacon girl now? Back in May, I flew to PDX to visit Mo, and before we drove south to her house, we spent some time downtown. We ate pad Thai at the Saturday Market, got Americanos at Stumptown Coffee and stood in line for 45 minutes to get bacon maple bars at VooDoo Donut. SO WORTH THE WAIT, let me tell you. It sounds incredibly disgusting, I know, but it's delicious. The bacon is extra crispy and the maple frosting is just gooey enough... Lordy, I can't even handle it. Anyhow, I texted a picture to pretty much everyone I knew and before I knew it, I had become the bacon girl. Chocolate-covered bacon at the coast over the 4th of July, a home attempt at recreating the bacon maple bar (not quite the same, but tasty nonetheless), and now these cookies that Starbuck shared on my Facebook wall a while back. I've been looking for an excuse to make them since I read about them, and "having most of the morning off" qualified as enough of an excuse for me!
I won't even bother reposting the recipe, because I didn't adapt it at all. I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.
*I briefly considered making some healthy substitutions when I was shopping for these this morning (pumpkin puree for butter, etc.) but quickly regained my sanity. Chocolate, peanut butter and bacon? If there was ever a go big or go home moment in my life, it was this one.
I don't often get the urge to bake. I love to do it, but I also know that I'm powerless to resist baked goods. Unless whatever I'm putting together has a place to go that is not my kitchen, I generally stay away from baking anything. There was something about today, though, that triggered a craving for carrot cake. Also, it gave me an excuse to wear the wicked cute apron that Handsy gave me for my birthday, so there you go.
I checked out a few recipes for carrot cake and decided that none of them were worth the calories (one was nearly 600 per slice; I DON'T EVEN THINK SO), so I figured I'd head on over to Food Network and see if anything healthier could be found. Lo and behold, my old friend Ellie Krieger has a recipe for carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting that was much more reasonable in the nutrition department. I debated just making the cupcakes and ditching the frosting, but what the hell? Go big or go home, right?
Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup natural applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese (recommended: Neufchatel)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Sift together the first 6 ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. The cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.
*NOTE: These are so. Good. I could eat two or three more right now, but I think there's enough frosting on my trackpad for one afternoon. I might leave out the lemon zest in the frosting next time, and I ditched the walnuts sprinkled on top at the end (ditched, forgot about before horking one down, whatevs), but otherwise, as Shmoopy might say, they are faboosh.
This is another recipe that I took and adapted to my own lazy ways. A few Christmases ago, my mom gave me a cookbook from Pampered Chef called "29 Minutes to Dinner", the premise being that each recipe is ready in under half an hour. As I was flipping through it this afternoon, trying to figure out a few dinners for this week, Roomie was chopping up some artichoke hearts for a dip she was making. At that moment, I happened upon this particular recipe and saw an opportunity to use some of the GIANT jar of artichokes that has been sitting in our fridge forever.
Artichoke Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (recipe calls for them to be pounded; I just cut them in half)
1 tsp dried rosemary
salt
pepper
*Artichoke Topping
1/2 c. chopped artichoke hearts
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (used dried because I haven't planted my herbs yet)
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 tsp. mayonnaise
Heat some olive oil in an oven-safe skillet. Mix the rosemary, salt and pepper together and sprinkle on each side of the chicken. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Preheat the broiler and place the racks as close to the heating element as possible.
Mix together the artichoke hearts, parsley, parmesan cheese and mayonnaise. When chicken is done cooking, spread the mixture evenly over the top of both breasts, top with an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and broil for 4-6 minutes.
*We ate ours with a green salad and baked potatoes (red potato for Handsy, a sweet potato for me). I generally stay away from things with mayonnaise in them, but it added just the right amount of creaminess and tang to this chicken.
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
by Ellie Krieger
*Note before I begin: as the recipe is written, you make your own simple barbecue sauce. Being both lazy and not wanting to buy liquid smoke, of all things, we just bought a plain bottled barbecue sauce at the store and added some sauteed onions and garlic. Much, much easier, and it gave me an excuse to use my garlic chopper, a la Brian Boitano. And that's just fun right there.
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
5 tbsp. unsulfured molasses
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 whole rotisserie chicken (I just poached some chicken breasts [not nearly as foolproof as some made it sound; I'M LOOKING AT YOU, INTERNET] and shredded them)
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns
6 large green lettuce leaves (we had a lot of spinach left over, so we used that instead)
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add the tomato sauce, water, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, liquid smoke and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the meat off the chicken, discarding the skin and bones, and shred the meat into thin strips. Add the chicken to the sauce in the pan, return to a simmer, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Split the buns. Place a leaf of lettuce on each, then pile 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto the buns.
*Note, part deux: I had a salad on the side of mine, Rose opted for chips. There was some talk of making parmesan steak fries, but the effort didn't seem worth it. No pictures, because I didn't want Rose to make fun of me, and I also didn't think of it until it was too late.
Cookbooks are like crack to me. It's like food porn; I can't help but be drawn to them, even if I don't ever plan on making half of the recipes in them. So, when a client's parents gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card a few weeks ago, I pretty much knew without a doubt what I would be spending it on. I had some errands to run in Spokompton this weekend, so I made a point to stop at the B&N in the Valley on my way home to see what might strike my fancy. I've been on a healthy eating kick lately, so I was already in the mindset to look for something in that vein, and I came away with Ellie Krieger's So Easy. She's a nutritionist, so hey, who better to write healthy recipes that actually taste good? This book has sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts, with each meal divided into two sections: quick and easy, and more in-depth recipes. I spent about 40 minutes Sunday afternoon flagging recipes that I want to try.
First up (and second up, because we tried two new recipes this week): Open-Faced Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches and Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches!
Open-Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
1 loaf whole-grain Italian bread (about 8 oz.)
2 cups jarred marinara sauce
4 5-oz. cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the broiler. Slice bread in half lengthwise, then in half again crosswise so you wind up with 4 pieces. Scoop out the bread to remove the soft inner portion and discard. Place the bread scooped side up on a baking tray. Spoon 1/4 cup of sauce into each piece of bread. Lay a piece of chicken on top and cover with 1 cup of spinach leaves. Pour another 1/4 cup of sauce on top of the spinach, then sprinkle each sandwich with 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1 tbsp. of parmesan. Broil until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is bubbly and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
*Notes: Actually, we did this one pretty much as the recipe was written, and HOLY MAN was it tasty. It was a pretty simple but filling dinner for two people (even though it's technically in the lunch portion of the book; TAKE THAT, SOCIETY), with a little salad on the side.
As a general rule, I can handle Rachael Ray approximately once or twice a month. If Food Network is my crack, RR and her pack-a-day-smoker voice are my Kryptonite (I know I just mixed metaphors; just let it fly on by, please). I'll give her this though: some of her recipes are pretty damn tasty.
When Schmoopy came to town last weekend, we decided to cook dinner Saturday night rather than going out again. I pulled out Ina, Giada and The Pioneer Woman for inspiration and we started poring through recipes. After some debate, Rachael Ray's Asparagus Penne was, surprisingly, our winner. Main selling point: I already had most of the ingredients. Also, involved a very small amount of actual work.
Asparagus Penne
by Rachael Ray
Salt
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 lb penne
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
¾ cup vegetable stock (we used chicken stock)
¾ cup half & half
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon zest
black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
grated parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Drop the asparagus in for 2 minutes, then remove, drain and chop into 2-inch pieces. Add the pasta to the water and cook to al dente.
To a skillet placed over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the garlic and gently cook for 2-3 minutes, then sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook for one minute, stirring. Whisk in the stock, half & half, mustard and lemon zest. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Add the lemon juice, and gently toss the asparagus and pasta with the sauce to coat. Turn off the heat and adjust the salt and pepper to taste, then top with grated cheese and serve.
*Note: the original recipe calls for fresh tarragon stirred into the sauce along with the salt and pepper, but I wasn't about to buy a bunch of tarragon when I have absolutely no plans to use it any time soon. Additionally, we added some pre-cooked chicken at the very end, stirring it in to warm it through before eating.
*Served with simple bruschetta and green salad.
I'm by no means a food blogger (hell, I'm hardly a blogger to begin with), but OH. MY. GOSH. this soup is amazing. Leave it to those crafty Italians to cut out the middle man and put the bread INTO the soup. Please make this soup. It's fantastic. And super easy.
Ribollita con Verdure
as written by Rachael Ray
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium, skinny zucchini, cut into thin slices
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (15-ounce) can petite diced or chunky style crushed tomatoes
6 cups beef stock
4 cups, about 1/2 pound, chopped or torn stale bread
2 (15-ounce), small white beans
4 cups chopped kale or chard
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to pass at table
Directions
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and the pancetta or bacon and render 4 minutes. Add rosemary, the garlic, 3/4 of the onions, carrots and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the veggies 7 to 8 minutes, then add wine and deglaze the pot. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring up the heat. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and stir in bread and beans. Pile the greens into the pot and wilt them into the soup. Simmer the ribollita 5 to 10 minutes, stirring soup as it simmers until it thickens to a dense stew-like consistency. A wooden spoon should be able to stand upright in the pot. Turn off heat, adjust seasonings and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a spoonful of reserved finely chopped raw onions.
(Stale bread would probably be even better, but I was too impatient to wait another day, so I bought a round loaf of dense bread and it turned out just fine.)
(Also, I put a little extra zucchini in, because zucchini is wonderful)
(Also, also, put the onions and cheese on top at the end. SO WORTH IT.)
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