Baltimore Bites

I'll Eat My Hat!

2011-03-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung my friends. Ok, maybe it has not fully sprung, but it is indeed springing. I happily lost an hour of sleep this past weekend to gain an hour of daylight, my crocuses are blooming and we are getting ready for Purim.

Ah, Purim. One of the most fun Jewish Holidays to celebrate during the year. It is taken from the Book of Esther. I won’t take up the space with the story of Purim. You can read that here. But basically every Jewish Holiday is based on the same principal. The Jews are persecuted, the Jews find a way, and they celebrate their freedom.

Jewish people get together on 13th day of the Jewish month, Adar to read the story of Purim in the Megillah. Children dress in costume, adults are encouraged to get intoxicated and shake noisemakers and boo loudly when the name “Hamen” is read.

The villain of the Purim story is a character named Hamen. He was a prime minister of sorts to the Persian King who punished Jews for not bowing down to him. Basically the villain of Purim. Haman wore an triangular shaped hat , and that is the story of how the hamentashen cookie came to be.

Before attempting to make my hamentashen this year, I researched for the perfect recipe. Last year I decided to take a short cut and use ready made refridgarated pie crust for the dough. Big mistake. The dough was way too flaky and not sweet enough. Since the cookies are typically filled with a sweet fruit filling, you really have to be careful to balance the sweetness of the dough with the filling. You do not want it too sweet, but yet it shouldn’t taste like a dinner biscuit either. My sister had a disappointing hamentashen experience this year as well. She used a cake mix, added a few extra ingredients, but was not happy with her results. While the taste was decent, the dough did not hold together.

My friend pointed me to a blog that her cousin writes for her Jewish Community. I scanned the recipe and had all the ingredients on hand for the dough, which was one of my requirements for selection. The ingredients seem to provide what I was looking for in a dough. Butter which would lend the fat, a full cup of sugar which would give it proper sweetness, but not too much and a cup of heavy cream which I felt would give finished product a soft bite, unlike a sugar cookie.

I set to work with 3 little helpers ages 5-7. After rolling out the dough we all took turns cutting out perfect circles with an upside down drinking cup. As we were cutting, my 7-year old could not figure out how the cookies were going to be triangles. My 5-year old son an his friend filled each circle with a generous teaspoon of apricot and red raspberry jam. Traditionally poppy seed and prune filling is used, but since I figured the kids would be eating most of them, I stuck with the flavors I knew would be winners to younger, less advanced palates.
Folding up the edges of the circle to seal the fruit filling produced the triangle shape. Once my daughter saw how it was done, it was a easy job for her to do.
After a bake in the oven to turn light golden brown, it was decided that this will be my Hamentashen recipe. Easy ingredients, it came together easy, and tasted absolutely delicious!

Perfect Hamentashen

Adapted from the J.Mom.com

I found that chilling the dough for a few hours before rolling it out made a better cookie. The ingredients came together easily in the mixer and I patted it down into a disc and threw it in the fridge. I took it out about 45 minutes before rolling it out.

Dough:
• ½ lb butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 1/2-5 1/2 cups flour
• 2 heaping teaspoons of baking powder
• 8 ounces of heavy cream

Filling:
2 jars of preserves. I think apricot and raspberry work the best.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and baking powder. Slowly add the flour with the cream until the dough is no longer sticky. You will need some of the flour to put on the counter in order roll out the dough and put on the rolling pin.

Roll dough out and use a glass or round cookie cutter. Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of the circle. Pinch dough to form a triangle. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10-15 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

The Advantage of Being Indecisive

2011-02-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

The phone woke me up way too early this morning with the news I was dreading to hear. Schools will be closed today for inclement weather. Why is the woman delivering this recorded message so chipper? She must not have kids. My kids have been home now since last Friday (early dismissal day) through today and my patience level is wearing thin. We have had so many snow days this school year so far. Some legitimate, some that left me scratching my head. I do know when I hear the words “Snow Day”, my thoughts turn to baking. I know I am not unique to this association. Everyone seems to get their bake on when the white stuff falls.
I was not quite sure what I was in the mood to create this morning. I wanted some type of cookie, so that the kids can help with the measuring and pouring. I was drawn to the Monster Cookies by the guys at Baked.

Let me back track and talk about my love of Baked.

My first experience with Baked, was with their brownie mix. Normally I do not go for mixes. I figure with what you have to add to a mix, you get a sub-par product which you could have easily created yourself. However, the reviews for this brownie mix were obscene. Consistent 5 star reviews piqued my interest. I bought the mix ($16 dollars, no less!) and prepared them. The five star reviews were dead on. I have never had a brownie so good, from a mix, homemade or purchased from a bakery. It was positively perfect. After the brownies, I became obsessed. I bought the two cookbooks by the guys at Baked Bakery the area of Red Hook, Brooklyn and read them cover to cover, covering it with post it notes of what I wanted to conquer, including those brownies.

Today was Monster Cookies. These cookies are an insane combination of whatever cookie you are craving. Chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal cookies are covered by this recipe. So, if you can’t make up your mind, the monster cookie will fit the bill nicely.

Scanning the ingredients, you immediately see this is a hefty cookie. Three cups of sugar, both granulated and brown. Two cups of peanut butter. More than 5 cups of oatmeal. Plus a generous 2 cups of M&Ms and chocolate chips. I needed 2 hands plus a helper to lift the mixing bowl. A scant amount of flour (just a ½ cup) is needed. A very small amount of corn syrup (1/4 of a teaspoon) is essential to the recipe according the Baked guys. I can’t seem to figure that one out, but I am in full compliance.

After all the ingredients are incorporated, you are instructed to cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 5 hours. The mix was fairly soft, so I am guessing the extra chilling time was to give the dough a chance to tighten up to be able to form scoops. I took the 5 hours of wait time as the inability to snack on the insanely delicious dough.

I put 6 scoops on a tray, but soon learned that this was a mistake. The cookie dough portions were made with an ice cream scoop that was approximately 3 tablespoons.

The 6 scoops were too many and as they cooked, they spread into each other in the hot oven. I reduced it to four cookies for the next tray and had better results. The cookie spread a little more than I thought it would. The picture in the book showed a hefty, thicker cookie. Mine was a flatter, lacy cookie. Delicious, none the less. Even though it was thin, it still had a nice chew, mostly due to the oatmeal.

The batter was so good. Cleanup and waste was not an issue.

Monster Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Makes 3 dozen cookies bigger than your head

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
5 ½ cups of rolled oats
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter (NOT the natural kind)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's

In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and oats. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter until smooth and pale. Add sugars and mix until just incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla, corn syrup and peanut butter and mix until smooth but do not over mix. Stir in oat mixture in three additions, then fold in chocolate chips and candies. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop generously sized balls (about 3-4 tablespoons worth) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes until just barely browned, then remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Well worth the Wait (and the weight!)

2011-02-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am always apologizing for not writing. Here I am again, looking at my last post..5 months ago, and so much has changed in those past five months. Verizon finally got the iPhone, Egypt’s president finally stepped down, there is going to be another Royal Wedding (why are we so damn fascinated by that, anyway?) and Bel Air FINALLY has a Cupcake Shop.

Flavor Cupcakery finally opened in December in the convenient area of Tollgate Road and Boulton Street (118 North Tollgate Road). After months of delivering cupcakes to local area coffee shops, Flavor Cupcakery took the plunge and opened up a storefront.

Of course I went on opening day to wish them good luck and bring some treats home for the family. The shop sits between a take out chinese restaurant and Fritzies Deli, right across from the Bel Air Athletic Center. So, after I have burned 500+ calories during a workout, I can pass by and pick up my portion controlled cupcake without the guilt. Right? Don’t judge me!

Flavor offers tons of flavors. They rotate 4 flavors daily in addition to a classic nine flavors. The classics offered daily include Vanilla, Vanilla Milk Chocolate, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Vanilla, Red Velvet, Snickerdoodle, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel and Cookies 'n Cream. A gluten free option is also available daily. Milk, coffee and tea is also available to purchase.

When you walk into the shop, you are immediately charmed by the cuteness of it. A display of cupcake merchandise (aprons, T-shirts, notepads etc.) are available to browse and purchase while you wait to order your sweets. The cupcakes sit behind a beautiful bakery counter on silver cake stands, lined up like jewels, making the decision of what to get really hard. I have tried almost all the flavors to date (all research related, of course!) I have some stand out favorites including Maple Bacon, Key Lime, Creamsicle, Salted Caramel (My 7 year old’s favorite, what can I say, she has an advanced palate) and Red Velvet.

photo by Mark Rosica

Check out their website for all their additional flavors, cupcake accessories and pricing. They do gorgeous specialty cupcake displays for parties, showers, and corporate events. Also, give them a “like” on Facebook. You will get daily notifications of their flavors of the day and mouth watering photos from happy customers!

I wish Flavor Cupcakery tons of success! It’s about time that Harford County has gotten on board with what is hip and happening!

Flavor is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-6, and Sunday from 10-2. They are closed Mondays.

Get Your Free Dessert at Vaccarro's on September 15th!

2010-09-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

Oh Happy Day! Look what I got in my email mailbox tonight!

Dear Vaccaro's Customers:

Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop will be giving away our famous cannoli, colleseos, eclairs, large gelatos, large mochaccinos and a five-cookie assortment tomorrow, Wednesday, September 15th from 1-3 p.m.

Why all the SWEET free desserts? Vaccaro's is participating in a two-hour promotion tomorrow (Wed. 9/15 from 1-3 p.m.) to promote the season premiere of Top Chef Just Desserts, airing 11:00 p.m. Wednesday night on Bravo TV.

Four Vaccaro's locations that are participating: Little Italy - 222 Albemarle Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 Canton Square - 2919 O'Donnell Street, Baltimore, MD 21224 Hunt Valley - 118 Shawann Road, Hunt Valley, MD 21030 Harford Mall - 696 Belair Road, Bel Air, MD 21014

Other Baltimore places are participating too, along with Charm City Cupcakes and Godiva.

Win $5,000 - while at Vaccaro's eating your complimentary dessert, take a picture of you/Vaccaro's Desserts and upload to: www.facebook.com/TopChefJustDesserts justdesserts@bravotv.com

Additional information can be found on Top Chef Just Desserts Fan Page http://bravo.ly/TCJDfb

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow - tell your friends!

I'm not certain if you can do takeout for this deal, or you have to eat it there. I'm hoping takeout is an option so I can bring some home to Mr. Baltimore Bites.

I'm a huge fan of Top Chef, and I am really looking forward to Top Chef Just Desserts!

Baltimore Bites Goes on a Road Trip!

2010-09-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is winding down. You can see the hints everywhere. In my house it is school buses, new backpacks, new clothes and a schedule that is so tightly synchronized, the Pentagon would be proud.

Before we headed back to a "routine" we decided to "Get out of Dodge", mind you, with a little escape to that magical city of New York. For a 3 day trip, we put a lot on the agenda. American Girl for my daughter and me. The Lego Store and Nintendo for my son, ice cream at Serendipity, pizza from the oldest pizza restaurant in the country, Central Park, and heart attack inducing rice pudding. The final thing on our list not to miss was doughnuts.

Doughnuts. I am so "take it or leave it" with donuts. Mostly, I am a leave it (unless Krispy Kreme glazed are involved). I can proudly walk into Dunkin Donuts at any given time of the day, get my coffee and that's it. I can not make this statement anymore because I discovered Doughnut Plant.

Doughnut Plant has been getting a lot of press as of lately, which steered my husband and I to find it when we went to NYC this time around. The Neeleys of Food Network mentioned it on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". Bobby Flay challenged the guy on "Throwdown", and it was written up in Bon Appetit magazine as one of America's top 10 donuts. Yeah. We had to go see what the fuss was about.

After taking a jaunt to the Lower East Side, we found the place. Small little place. Non-descript with the exception of a sidewalk blackboard outside with today's specials. I've been to this neighborhood of NYC before and totally have walked by.

Walking in, we were armed to try a few. Sadly, they were cash only, and we only had $10. (This has changed since then!) Doughnuts were not cheap..we are talking anywhere from $2 to $3 per donut. We decided on the Peanut Butter and Jelly, the creme brulee and the tres leches.

These are not doughnuts. They are true pastries.

Peanut Butter and Jelly: Not a traditional looking doughnut. The doughnut is square shaped so that the filling (real raspberry jam) goes ALL THE WAY AROUND the donut. Not a glob in the middle. The outside is a yeast doughnut, smothered in a peanut butter glaze with chopped peanuts. Unbelievable. The four of of each had a bit and I can honestly say it was a huge doughnut.

Creme Brulee: This came out looking like an over sized munchkin. This was no munchkin, my friend. The exterior had caramelized sugary coating and the inside was a creamy custard. Yeah. Creme Brulee.

Tres Leches: Oh dear God, this was the most amazing doughnut I ever had. It is a cake doughnut that has almost a milk filling inside. I am generally not a cake doughnut fan. If I am going to eat a doughnut, I like my doughnut yeasty and fluffy.

Everyone agreed the tres leches was absolutely knee buckling. So, with the change we had from the $10 and some coins I found in the bottom of my purse we got another.

This location is the original Doughnut Plant. Doughnuts can be found in specialty food stores in NYC as well, including Dean and DeLuca, Zabars, Joe's Art of Coffee, among other vendors. Weirdly enough, Doughnut Plant also has bakeries in Japan and Korea.

Doughnut Plant 379 Grand Street, NYC, NY 10002 (212) 505-3700
Closed Mondays

Cupcake Wars in Haford County: It's On!

2010-08-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

I was on Facebook over the weekend and noticed one of my friend's "like" of a Cupcakery in Havre De Grace. Immediately I looked at the page, and indeed, there is a Cupcake lady in Havre de Grace who already has over 600 followers. How have I not heard of her before? Her shop is called Sweet Devotion Cupcake & Creperie and it appears that she will open a storefront location in the Havre De Grace area in early September. It will be located along route 40 (near Bulle Rock) in the small shopping strip next to Bruester's Ice Cream. Along with a variety of cupcakes daily she will also have sweet and savory crepes, scones and coffee. Sweet Devotion also does beautiful cupcake bouquets that are amazing and would be a unique centerpiece for a party.

Well Harford County, it appears we have 2 cupcake businesses which can mean some yummy and friendly competition.

Flavor Cupcakery has been public for about 3-4 months now and I can testify first hand that her product is delicious. There is not currently a storefront for the cupcakes, but 4 flavors a day (Tuesday through Saturday) can be found at several Bel Air area coffee shop locations. When I spoke with employees of the coffee shop, it appears that she provides them with a dozen assorted flavors each day along with some sampler packs. She also does custom orders as well. I have already had my fair share and the flavors are really great. I have been hearing some buzz that a storefront is in the future so we will have that to look forward too.

Sweet Devotion is in another area of Harford County. At first I thought to myself..Havre De Grace, Aberdeen...wasn't my first thought to put a cupcake joint. But with the changing demographics of that area, BRAC coming in...this may work. I don't have a business or marketing background, but I think of cupcakes as "impulse" buys (outside of ordering them for events, birthday parties, etc). Most cupcake places I know in other cities tend to be in walking neighborhoods. This location will definitely require the forethought of wanting a cupcake. I think an ideal location for a "Cupcakery" would be downtown Bel Air. There is quite a bit of foot traffic for local businesses, the courthouse and various town celebrations. Let's face it. Cupcakes are downright trendy right now, so that local would be a natural and fit in with the shops such as Tiddlywinks, Tiny Toes and Tiger Lily.

I have not had a chance to taste Sweet Devotion's cupcakes yet, but I'm quite excited to try them! She already has a few things going for her in her favor. It appears she has a large following on Facebook, a storefront that will be open 7 days a week and many more flavors to choose from daily. While I do not live close by (this may be a good thing!) I will have opportunity to stop by a bit as it may be a great place to have breakfast while my kids are in Hebrew School in Havre de Grace.

I'll be back with a review as soon as I can!

The Salad I Keep Going Back To

2010-07-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

So hot here last week. I'm sure that statement is like playing a broken record for the East Coast. I really do not remember a summer when the temperature has been this hot for so long. We are not even getting good rain out of it. We will get a dark sky, a rumble of thunder to set my dog off in an anxiety attack and a quick shot of rain. Not enough to cool things off. It's positively dreadful.

These days I don't feel much like cooking anything. Surprisingly I'm still hungry for meals though. I just don't feel like going through the efforts of preparation. Thoughts have turned to salad.

My routine this summer is pretty non-stressful. Two days of working out of the house where I pack my lunch and 3 days that I work from home. Those days, after dropping the minors off at camp I get a good workout in at the gym and come home wanting to eat, but not wanting to cook. Salad fits the bill.

The salad I have been making almost daily has been a goat cheese salad. Love, love, love goat cheese. Something about the texture and the tang. I also love the fact you don't need a ton of it to get great flavor. I used to make a breaded goat cheese salad as an show stopping first course, but wanted to make something a little faster and a tad healthier.

Goat Cheese Salad with Creamy Vinaigrette
1 serving

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of champagne vinegar
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 clove of minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste.
2 heaping cups of mescalin
4 very thinly slices of a leftover baguette from dinner the night before (if you are married to someone like my husband, there is always bread, but I have to hide the leftovers)
1-2 ounces of goat cheese.
2 tablespoons of roughly chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven (or toaster oven!) to 450 degrees

In a big bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the olive oil slowly until the mixture forms an emulsion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the greens on top of the salad and put aside.

On a cookie sheet, very lightly sprinkle some olive oil on the bread slices. Put the bread in the oven and watch it close. Since it is cut thin you do not want to burn it. You are looking for a nice golden color. Remove the bread and divide the goat cheese on slices. Return to oven and melt the cheese ever so slightly.

Toss the greens in the bowl with the dressing and put on a plate. Arrange the goat cheese toasts on the salad and sprinkle with the walnuts.

Is it Too Much to Ask?

2010-07-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Searching my archives for dinner yesterday I decided on a healthy chicken and veggie dish. I searched my pantry and had everything I needed for the most part except the veggies. I remembered that the Bel Air Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so I figured I would hit it after dropping off the kids at camp for the broccoli and red pepper I needed.

Let's go back a couple years. I had been to the farmer's market before and to say I was disappointed in it was an understatement. I think there were maybe 6 vendors basically spread out in a parking lot with what looks like was picked from their home vegetable garden. There were a few produce guys, flowers, a baked good lady and a meat truck.

Well, apparently there has still been no vision to what a farmers market should be. When I picture a farmers market, I see a variety of vendors selling produce, homemade food items, dairy, meats, etc. I also see places that shoppers can sit, enjoy freshly prepared foods purchased at the said market. The Bel Air Farmers Market remains exactly as I remember it from a few years ago. A huge disappointment. I was able to get a couple of heads of broccoli, but not a red pepper to be found.

Come on people. We are in Harford County. One of the more rural counties in Maryland. I pass by tons of farms when I drive around. Yes, there has been a boom in commercial properties in the last few years and yes, we are losing some of our green pastures to chain restaurants and shopping. However, there is still so much more that can be done!

I've been to the Pennsylvania Dutch Market in Cockeysville several times. While this is still not the big farmers market I envision, it is closer to what I think would be a no-brainer for the county. Open on the weekends. Fridays and Saturdays. A place to shop for fresh foods for the week. A place to have breakfast and lunch. A place to have ice cream and hang out with friends. Popular vendors can have satellite markets such as Bloom Broom for dairy, Bomboys for candy and ice cream. A local Italian restaurant can sell packaged, stove to table entrees. I have so many ideas.

Indoors would be ideal. The now abandoned Giant and Superfresh in Bel Air would be the perfect location.

Anyone on board with me?

The Unprentious Scone

2010-07-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love a day with nothing on the agenda. Trust me. This is a very rare occurrence in our household. Between family obligations, birthday parties, baseball games, other scheduled activities and other commitments a day off is few and far between. Today is one of those days. Nothing. I don’t even care if it stopped raining and it is sunny outside and I should go to the pool. I have a whole day to myself with my family to catch up on things at home.

Sleeping until 8:30 am was a great way to start off the morning. Even better was my kids were still sleeping. I can’t even begin to tell you how I treasure that window of time that I am up in the morning catching up on email or Facebook with my cup of coffee before the chaos sets in.

With days like this, the whole day looming ahead I think about things I can cook or bake. I really did not want to invest a lot of time with a hot oven while it’s record breaking heat out there, so It would have to be something that needed a small amount of bake time. Peering in my refrigerator I spot a pint of blueberries and a quart of open buttermilk and my thoughts turned to scones.

My husband loves scones. It is his usual "go to" pastry at Starbucks along with this coffee. However, this man is picky about his scones. He does not like them too sweet, does not want them too crumbly and they should have some denseness to them. I had the perfect recipe tucked away that is quick and easy and gets a seal of approval from him. These scones are from Tyler Florence, of Food Network fame. What I love about them is my choice of using buttermilk or heavy cream during the prep. Don’t get me started on the cream. Oh boy, does that make them good. Today, I had buttermilk in my fridge and since I am trying to eat more low fat this was the source of dairy today. Also, these scones aren’t prepped and shaped like traditional scones. They are not rolled out, cut with a cutter in traditional triangular scone shapes. Once the batter is combined the dough is a sticky mess that is just scooped out in large spoonfuls on cookie sheets to bake for 15 or 20 minutes. Presenting the more rustic, casual scone. No heirs about this breakfast biscuit.

For fast prep, I combine all the dry ingredients in my food processor. I keep my butter in the freezer, cut in little pieces and pulse it through the dry ingredients until it resembles damp sand. I then beat the egg with the buttermilk and ran that through the food tube until the dough is just combined. You could make them the traditional way that is stated in the recipe below. Personally I like to take shortcuts when I can.

The orange glaze is completely optional. I personally like it. I like my pastries to have a sweet side, and the glaze gives the not so sweet scones a little something extra. The orange complements the blueberries beautifully. My husband asked to leave the glaze off a few. He is purist and thinks the glaze was not needed. I obliged, but after he sampled it both ways, he ended up with the way Tyler meant them to be.

Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones (recipe by Tyler Florence)

Makes 6 enormous scones

• 2 cups unbleached flour, plus more for rolling berries
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut in chunks
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or cream
• 1 egg
• 1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; mix thoroughly. Cut in butter using 2 forks or a pastry blender. The butter pieces should be coated with flour and resemble crumbs.

In another bowl, mix buttermilk and egg together, and then add to the flour mixture.

Mix just to incorporate, do no overwork the dough.

Roll blueberries in flour to coat, this will help prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the scone when baked. Fold the blueberries into batter, being careful not to bruise. Drop large tablespoons of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until brown. Cool before applying orange glaze.

Orange Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons of orange juice

To prepare Orange Glaze:
Combine powdered sugar and orange juice in the a small bowl. Whisk until the mixture forms a glaze.

A Cake for Now. A Cake for Later.

2010-07-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

I am of the firm belief that everyone needs a basic cake recipe. I am not talking about the kind of cake that is covered in frosting and has candles stuck in it. Cheesecakes and fruitcakes also do not fit this statement. You know the kind of cake I am talking about. The go to cake. The cake that can be brought to the impromptu barbecue. The kind to serve at Sunday brunch along side of a good egg dish and really good coffee. The one that you can always have on hand.

I have been making this cake lately. I made it for the first time from a mix (shock..gasp!). While browsing through Stonewall Kitchens website for products I ran across Ina Garten’s pantry items that are sold on the site. Specifically I scanned down to the “sale” items. An orange pound cake caught my eye. Only $5.99, marked down from $10.95. I added it to my cart along with a few other goodies and waited for my shipment.

Flash forward 3 days. My cake mix arrives and I wrinkle my brow in a bit of frustration. To the mix I have to add my own butter, egg, fresh orange juice and orange zest. Hmph. This does not sound very convenient to me. So, I gather up the needed ingredients, lugged out my juicer and got to work. The end result was very good. A very good solid pound cake.

Out of curiosity, I took out my Ina Garten Family Style cookbook. I opened to the Orange Pound Cake recipe and scanned the ingredients. I had pretty much bought a mix for everything I already had in the pantry. Sugar. Flour. Baking Powder. Salt. Confectioners Sugar. Plus, this recipe makes 2 loaves. One for now, and one for later. I don’t need a mix for this. I can do this freehand!

Once again, I set out to work. It’s a basic pound cake recipe with all the ingredients you would suspect. A small amount of buttermilk added to the mix adds the slightest tang. Orange is the star here, so if you are not a fan of orange we really can’t be friends and you probably will not like this cake. It’s a triple shot of orange. Zest running through the cake, a sweet orange syrup infused in the warm cake as it cools on racks and an optional orange glaze to adorn the top.

This recipe makes 2 loaves, so make sure you have 2 pans before you start. I suppose you can half the recipe, but really..what would be the point of doing that? The workload would be the same to make two and you end up with an extra cake that freezes beautifully for the next time you need that “Go to Cake”.

I have a big container of blueberries that the markets seem to be giving away this week, they are so cheap that would complement that cake I have in my freezer right now.

Orange Pound Cake (adapted by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style)

*If you are freezing the cake for a later use, omit the glaze.

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup grated orange zest (6 oranges)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, and the orange zest.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cakes bake, cook the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Hello Cupcake!

2010-07-07T06:12:00.001-07:00

First, my apologize for being so lazy with the blog. What can I say? I can make excuses, but I won't. You know how life gets busy and things are put on a back burner. Yeah. That's what happened.

I'm also thinking of twisting the blog topics a little. Yes, when the blog was first created it was a place to talk about place to eat. I'm thinking about mixing it up a bit with some cooking of my own too. So..in additions to the places to go, hopefully I can offer up some great food to make as well.

Let's get back to the original purpose of the blog. Food to eat in and about Harford County. It's exciting people. We got Wegmans coming in about a year, Famous Daves just around the corner in August and we now have a cupcake lady! Cupcakes! I am obsessed with cupcakes. Love to make them..I even dreamed of having my own little cupcake shop at some point..still a pipe dream. In the meantime I can enjoy the Flavor Cupcakery.

My first experience with the Flavor Cupcakery was at my friend's 40th birthday party. My friend Lisa had the cupcakes at her party and told me that she was going to open up a bakery on Main Street in Bel Air. Bell and Whistles...I was so excited. At the party I was able to sample traditional vanilla and chocolate ones and they were quite good.

Flash forward about 6 months. Flavor Cupcakery is supplying many of the local Harford County coffee shops with several flavors a day. She also has a website with an extensive menu for personal orders and catering. It appears that you can pick up personal orders at the coffee shops she supplies or they can be delivered to you for a nominal delivery fee. I was in Coffee Coffee the other day with my little ones and we shared a Cookies and Creme (chocolate cupcake with Oreo icing) and a Turkish Coffee (vanilla with cardamon tones with an expresso icing). Both were delish. It does not appear that she has her own walk in bakery at this point, but is well on her way to a very successful venture.

I mean, really? Who does not love a cupcake. It is relatively harmless (I tell myself this every time I peel back the paper wrapper) with only a few bites, right? It's not like eating a piece of cake, huh?

The Baltimore List

2010-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Since moving to Baltimore 7 and 1/2 years ago, my husband and I have ventured into all aspects of the city and suburbs. Living in Harford County has its limitations. Basically we have our choice of almost every chain restaurant, but we definitely like to "eat outside the box". That being said, we also like to go where people recommend as well. Recommendations from trusted friends have led us to Blue Moon Cafe for breakfast, Salt for dinner, and Little Italy for the Pane Rotundo and all you can eat dessert at Vacarros. I found this list that appealed to me immensely from the Baltimore Sun.

100 Things that Baltimore Foodies Must Try

After browsing the list, I have had 28 of them. Looks like I've got another resolution for 2010.

A big cheer for Sushi..RA! RA! RA!

2010-01-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

Yes readers. I know it has been a long time since I last posted. I know that I really have no excuses, but I can claim 2 kids, 2 dogs, a husband, a job and running a house...but I know you don;t want to hear that. You are hungry and just want to eat. I'll try to do better.

Last weekend, my mother-in-law took my kids for a few days which allowed me and the Mr. to get out and whoop it up. We have been wanting to try Ra Sushi in Fells Point for about a year no. The restaurant is a chain out of Scottsdale, Arizona and serves traditional sushi and some inventive rolls in a hip atmosphere that does not represent the typical Japanese restaurant. It is noisy, with loud music pumping. So anyway, I was researching the menu before we went to get recommendations on what to get and I discovered that they do a happy hour every day of the week. From Monday through Saturday (3 pm-7 pm) they offer many of their drinks ,sushi items and appetizers for half price. On Sunday they do a reverse happy hour from 8 pm until midnight. We decided to go to the reverse happy hour. It was a no brainer. Most of the items on the happy hour menu were things we wanted anyway. It was a little tough waiting until 8 pm to eat, as we were used to eating with kids. So by 8 pm our tummys were rumbling and we were ready to take on some serious sushi. We ordered way more than we usually do, but we figured it was so cheap and allowed us to try different things. We ate ourselves silly along with drinks for about 4o dollars. Probably could have done it even cheaper if we did not order so much food.

Last night we went back to RA for the Saturday Happy Hour and took the kids with us. They were the youngest patrons there (and we were probably the oldest), but they were happy to munch on edemame, veggie tempura and chicken yakatori while we got our sushi on. We ate our typical favorites like spicy tuna and spicy yellow tuna rolls. RA has a signature rolls called the Viva Las Vegas Roll which is a filled with kani kama and cream cheese, the Viva Las Vegas roll is fried tempura style and topped with crab and a sliced lotus root. The lotus root is sweet and light and perfectly complements the spicy tuna and tempura batter. It is a pretty heavy roll and after 2 pieces I'm pretty much full from it but it is really good.

We were so happy to discover RA, and to be honest we would probably only frequent RA during the Happy Hour since sushi is quite expensive anyway and the happy hour is such a ridiculous good deal.

Finally, a sandwich I can get on board with!

2009-09-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Restaurant.com has become my good friend. I have mentioned it several times on this blog, but if you missed it you can read about it here. In this trying economy everyone is looking for a good deal. We love to eat out, and while the economy hasn't affected us terribly yet, we are always on the lookout for deals. Last week, the website ran a special to buy $25 gift certificate for $1. That is insane..basically it's a free $25 gift certificate. When browsing through the offerings, I found certificates to buy at Pickles and Chips in Towson (1220 East Joppa Road Towson, MD 21286 Phone: 410-321-1088). I have seen this place driving down Joppa Road to go to the mall but never stopped in. I further heard about them when they had a mention in Baltimore Magazine for a top sandwich.

With our $25 gift certificate in hand, we went to lunch on Sunday with the kids. The place was empty as we expected on the Ravens home opener. Brian and I got hot corned beef sandwiches on rye. My daughter got a turkey sandwich and my son got a bagel and cream cheese. We have been very skeptical of corned beef since moving to Maryland. No one seems to know how to make it down here. We are used to Jewish style delis from Philly and New York and frankly no one in Harford County has come close. While not as good as our favorite NY delis, Pickles and Chips had a very good sandwich that was what I was used to. Brian, the owner owned a deli in Owings Mills, MD and understands what pastrami and corned beef are really all about. The sandwiches came with really good homemade potato chips and a pickle as well.

They have a huge menu with many standard sandwiches and a selection of specialty sandwiches names after Baltimore celebrities. Order one of these and they donate 25 cents to charity. They also offer breakfast as well. We will definitely go back!

High on the Hog

2009-09-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

It's not always easy to eat healthy. Most of the times I can make a decent choice when eating out. However, my weakness this summer has turned to BBQ. We have been going to Famous Dave's a number of times this summer and it has become one of our favorite chain restaurants to go to. The problem was we had to drive at least 40 minutes to get to one. There is one in Columbia and a few in Delaware.

Our days of traveling far for BBQ are over. We happened across Andy Nelson's in Cockeysville last night. The place is a nondescript building on York Road with a pig on the roof. We have driven past it enough times and never gave it a second thought. After talking to some people and reading some reviews we decided to give it a shot.

Waiting in line to order, we noted it was counter service. Order your food and have a choice of taking it to go, or eating at one of the tables inside or out. Brian and I decided on sampler platter that let us try a little of several things. We got beef brisket, pulled pork and a half of slab of Memphis style ribs. We chose cornbread and potato wedges to round out our meal. Our picky kids wanted know part of BBQ and settled on Mac and Cheese and Hot Dogs. A bit of a ripoff, but you don't go to this place for the kids meals. Once we convinced my daughter to take a taste of what we had, she loved it and started eating our meals.

Can't wait to go back..the only bad bad thing to say about the place is that it is not open on Sundays. You would think they would make a killing on Football Sundays, but I guess they know what they are doing.

A Lovely Day for a Tea Party

2009-08-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

The school year is upon us. My kids went back this week..my son started daycare/preschool on Monday and my daughter stated first grade on Thursday. Last year, before entering the big bad world of kindergarten, I took my daughter to Afternoon Tea at Two By Tea in Bel Air (814 S Main Street, Bel Air, MD 410-838-3611).

I have been to tea a few other times in my life, but never as a little girl. I knew that if I ever had a daughter it would be something I would love to introduce her to at a young age. I decided that the week before school starts we would go for tea. And so the tradition begins.

For those not familiar with afternoon tea, it is an experience. This is not sitting down to a Lipton tea bag steeping in water. The Tea room has about 8 tables in the main room and a larger table in another room. All the staff got a kick out of daughter decked out in a cute summer sundress with her best manners. Tradiditional tea consists of hot tea (the Tea room has so many flavors to pick from) and it is generally served with a trio of traditional tea standbys..a scone, tea sandwiches and little pastries. You can vary the tradtional afternoon tea by adding soup, quiche or salad as well. For young kids under the age of 12..Tea By Two offers a Cambric Tea for young tea totters which includes a chocolate chip scone, peanut butter and jelly tea sandwich and a teapot shaped sugar cookie.

It was a nice relaxing afternoon with my daughter and my mom and already looking forward to the next tea time!

Sometimes You Just Have to Stop

2009-08-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

Our extended family all live in Delaware or Pennsylvania. A hop on 95 and we are at our destination in either an hour or 2...depending on who we are visiting. To get there we have to go through Cecil County to enter Delaware. We always thought that Cecil is a relatively rural county, more so than Harford, so there was no need of stopping. From what we understood there is no mall, no Target..so what's the point? I was tipped off to a restaurant in North East, MD that is supposed to be known for crabs and other seafood entrees. I gave a call to my mother-in-law who resides in Philly to meet for lunch..it would be a 40 minute drive for us and a shorter distance for her to see her grand kids.

I put the address of Woody's Crabhouse (29 S. Main Street, North East, MD 410-287-3541) in my GPS and set out on my drive..we were approaching quickly and turned onto the street of the restaurant..Holy Hell..it was a quaint little street lined with boutiques, antique shops. specialty stores and restaurants. It wasn't plentiful but it was several blocks that could keep me entertained for an hour or so after dinner.

About Woody's. A fun place. My mother and I ordered crabcake sandwiches (10.99) which were really good. The cakes were full of lump crab meat and barely had any filler. They served it on a standard soft hamburger roll with chips, cole slaw and pickle. There were lots of other things on the menu that looked worthy of exploring..but decided on what the restaurant was known for. They also ship their crabcakes nationwide. Woody's is a very kid friendly place. My kids were provided with activity books and crayons. Since it is a crab place, the tables were covered in brown paper which let them color on that as well. Kids meals were really reasonable..your standard kid fare served with fries, applesauce, a drink and ice cream for $4.95. Surprisingly they did not have macaroni and cheese, for which I was thankful cause I'm so sick of my kids ordering that every time we go out.

We will for sure go back. Its a great meeting place for our "northern" family. I just can't believe in our 7 years of commuting back and forth to Philly and Delaware we zipped right by. We seriously should have stopped.

Let the Real Summer Begin

2009-07-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

Summer is supposed to be a time of relaxing and not adhering to a schedule. Not in our house for the past five weeks. The kids went to camp at the Bel Air Athletic Club while I worked 3 mornings a week doing speech at summer school. I can't turn down the money..it's too easy and since the kids were already enrolled in camp..why not? So we have been having to rush in the morning to get out the door to get to our respective places on time and get to bed at decent hour so we are not grumps in the morning. Today was the last day of camp so I am declaring the next month to be one of no schedules. Sleep in, stay up a little late, vacation next week, see what the day brings.

Sometimes on Friday I choose to cook, but maybe half the time we grab something to eat locally. Since I snagged a few $25 gift certificates for $2 on Restaurant.com this week we decided to try The Open Door Cafe in Bel Air (528 Baltimore Pike, Bel Air, MD). We have never been there and have wanted to give it a shot. When we got to the place we were immediately greeted by a very friendly staff who gushed all over our kids (they are very gush worthy, if I do say so myself). The kids ordered their favorite dinner in the world, mac and cheese with a side of french fries (don't judge me). A drink was included, all for $4. I should note that after 4:00 pm kids eat free at the Open Door. A great deal, but did not apply to us tonight because we had a coupon. Brian had a hot turkey cranberry sandwich which included hot turkey breast, cranberry spread and Gouda on sourdough bread. ($9.79). I had a blackened ahi tuna salad which was served on spinach, onions and almonds ($12.49). The tuna was a bit skimpy for the portion and too well done for my liking. It was cut in small bite size strips. I like my tuna barely passed over a flame or else I don't like the texture or flavor. The seasoning on the tuna was good, so overall it was OK, but I would not order it again.

In addition to salads, soups and sandwiches, Open Door offers a selection of entrees that vary each evening. Breakfast is also offered each morning.

From the time we walked in the door, my kids were obsessed with the revolving dessert cabinet that had some amazing looking desserts. Homemade I'm sure, but definitely not house-made. My kids picked out a piece of chocolate cake ($5) before they even ordered dinner and it arrived (after our server made sure our kids finished their dinner!) doctored up with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Service was great. Everyone was extremely friendly and pleasant. We will definitely go back.I purchased a few more gift certificates, so it will continue to be a good deal for the next few times we go.

Scoops of Heaven

2009-07-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Living up in Harford County gives us some of the luxuries of living in a county that still has rural roots. I'm not a country gal by any means. Any time a commerical property pops up, I am all over it. I'm always excited for the next restaurant, shop and supermarket (yes, Wegmans..I'm talking about you) that pops up. However, one of the county delights that we have enjoyed for the past few years has been ice cream at Brooms Bloom Dairy.

They are located on 1700 S. Fountain Green Road (543) in Bel Air, owned by the Dallam family. We started going to Brooms when it first started selling its ice cream. Now the place is crazy on a warm summer night. We wait in line 40 people deep for a single dip of their farm fresh ice cream. Prices are excellent too. We are able to get an extra small dip for under 2 dollars and a small (which is huge by the way for a little over $2). Flavors change daily, (depending on the cows..hahaha) but you can usually count on the standbys of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc. They have some of their own flavors such as caramel cashew (my personal favorite) and cranberry walnut. Once my husband and I had a flavor, English Cream and it tasted like the very best vanilla ice cream I ever had. It tasted like frozen whipped cream. Every time we go back there we hope to see it scrawled on their blackboard of flavors..but we never saw it again. You can enjoy lunch there which includes soups, salads, quiches and sandwiches. Brooms also sells local products such a cheese, milk, pork, lamb and beef.
With the live music on Saturday and Sunday, you will feel like you have stepped into childhood, sitting on the porch, listening to music and catching the drips off your cone.

The other ice cream place that we love to go to Harford County is Bomboys in Havre De Grace (322 Market Street, Havre de Grace, Maryland, 21078). Bomboys is known for their candy. During the holidays you can wait up to an hour to get candy. They decided to get into the ice cream business and took an ice cream making course up at Penn State (just like those 2 famous guys on the pint..) and have created some amazing ice cream as well. Interesting flavors as well..Lick the Beater, Salty Dog (vanilla with chocolate covered pretzels), Myrtle Turtle (caramel with cashews). They have expanded the building since the last time we were there and now there is a place to sit as well.

Both these places are great for ice cream. Brooms is definitely less expensive and has that "farm" ambiance. Closer for us too. Those reasons alone makes us usually pick Brooms.

All that being said, check back for a future posting on my new craze, making homemade ice cream!

The Secret Word is "napkin"

2009-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

A little late in reporting this..I just found out myself. Head on over to Restaurant.com. I posted about this site earlier in the year about how you can do a search by zip code and buy gift certificates at a very reduced rate. You can buy a $10 gift certificate for $4, a $25 gift certificate for $10...etc. You aren't going to find the creme de la creme of restaurants here..such as Ruths Chris, the Charleston and others..but there are some hidden gems here. My husband and I were surprised to find places we go all the time.

Now through tomorrow (July 28th) you can buy $25 gift certificates for $2! That's 80% off, people! I bought 5 for $10 straight away. You have to read the restaurant stipulations on each one. Some may not honor on a weekend, some have you spend a certain amount before being able to use it.

You have a year from purchase to use the gift certificate and you can print them out as you need it. I love this site!

Put the word "napkin" in the promotional code before you check out and enjoy the savings!!!

I'm back..say cheese!

2009-07-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry friends. It has been a while since my last post. I really don't have any excuses..well, yes I do. I've been a little busy. With the kids out of school for the summer my schedule is a little less flexible and I am busy entertaining them, working summer school and still working the home business. With all this craziness, it leaves little time to cook and we have to go out to eat a bit more...and I really should have reported what's new. I'll try to do better. I feel really badly that I was not hear to tell you about free pastry day at Starbucks which was last Thursday. Brian was pretty pissed I missed the boat on telling him about that one. So here is the next great deal...and oh it is a good one. This Thursday, head on over to your Cheesecake Factory. It't National Cheesecake Day and all cheesecake slices are half off. Oh yeah...

PRESS RELEASE: CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With more than 30 decadent cheesecakes on the menu, The Cheesecake Factory is the perfect place to raise a fork in honor of America's favorite dessert - cheesecake! In celebration of National Cheesecake Day, The Cheesecake Factory invites guests who dine in at any of its 146 restaurants on July 30 to enjoy any slice of cheesecake for half price. The restaurant will also debut Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake(tm), which supports Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief charity.

On July 30, dine in guests will be the first to experience Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake(tm), featuring moist layers of Red Velvet Cake and Original cheesecake covered with special Cheesecake Factory cream cheese frosting. The idea for this new cheesecake originated with Redondo Beach, Calif., resident Stefanie Gaxiola, whose flavor suggestion was chosen from nearly 10,000 submissions in The Cheesecake Factory's "What's Your Flavor?" cheesecake contest earlier this year. The winner of the contest was given the opportunity to have their cheesecake creation named after them and included on the menu for one year. This represents the first time The Cheesecake Factory has named a menu item after one of its guests.

"Our famous cheesecake made with my Mother's recipe was the secret that inspired our restaurant more than 30 years ago and we're delighted that it has become America's favorite today," said David Overton, Founder of The Cheesecake Factory. "As we celebrate National Cheesecake Day on July 30, we are inviting our dine in guests to celebrate with us by offering any slice for half price; we are thrilled to honor Stefanie by naming a cheesecake after her and making it the centerpiece of our ongoing commitment to Feeding America."

With the introduction of Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake(tm), The Cheesecake Factory is strengthening its partnership with Feeding America by donating 25 cents for each slice sold over the next year. Feeding America is the nation's largest hunger-relief organization that helps to feed more than 25 million hungry Americans each year. During the past year, The Cheesecake Factory has donated more than $400,000 to Feeding America and hopes to surpass that donation in the coming year.

To become a "fan" of The Cheesecake Factory on Facebook and learn more about their plans for National Cheesecake Day, visit www.facebook.com/TheCheesecakeFactory, or visit their website at http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/.

I'll try to be better about posting more reviews and recipes. I've been into making homemade ice cream with the kids, and we have discovered Famous Dave's BBQ which is a bit of a drive, but oh so worth it. Until then, go get some cheesecake!

Cute as a Cupcake

2009-05-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day all you mommies out there!

Had a lovely day with the family. The morning started out with cards and the coveted Vera Bradley bag I had my eye on from the kids and my husband making me breakfast. Nothing too complicated...just my standard weekend egg-white sandwich.

We decided to head down to Annapolis today to walk around since it was such a nice day out. We checked out the shops, went down to the water and watched the boats and took in the atmosphere. Brian noticed several people carrying bakery boxes and his radar came out. My husband loves his sweets and is always on the lookout for his next conquest. Don't get me wrong..I love sweets too..but have been trying to be good as of lately so my will power needs to be way up.

The bakery boxes came from Nostalgia Cupcakes (188 Main Street, Suite 102) right in the heart of Annapolis. We walked into the charming clean little shop and stared down the choices. Since it was 4:00 there was not too much left. They had about 6 flavors of mini cupcakes left and a standard sized mocha cupcake. The minis were $1.75 a piece which we thought were a little pricey for a 2-bite cupcake. However, since portion control is the name of my game right now I went for a mini coconut cup cake and got 2 minis for the kids. The standard size cupcakes are normally $3.00 which is competitively priced. Today the cupcakes were 1 day old, so they were half price. Brian was all over that..so he got the standard sized mocha. My daughter had a pink lady (vanilla cake with strawberry filling, topped with pink butter cream frosting) and my son had a grandma's best which was vanilla cake and chocolate frosting.

Overall a very good snack..I can really never turn down a cupcake and the mini fit the bill nicely today.

Perfect Timing

2009-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

With these crazy Summer like temperatures, ice cream is a natural treat to enjoy. So, it is with good timing that Baskin-Robbins has their annual 31 cents scoop night today, April 29th. We went to our local Baskin-Robbins last year (18 Bel Air South Pkwy, Bel Air - (410) 569-4205) and it was pretty crowded. If they do it like last year, the scoops are very small..somewhere around 3 ounces. I'm not really annoyed about that..first of all it's free..and second of all..I really don't need to be consuming too much ice cream right now..I'm in crunch time for summer and vacation!

Here is the information I got in my email...

Join us for 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins®
and help us honor America’s firefighters with a $100,000
donation to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
National Junior Firefighter Program.

Participating stores will reduce prices of small ice cream
scoops to 31 cents*. At some locations, you may also have
an opportunity to make a donation to local fire charities.

I don't think they limit how many "scoops" you can buy, so maybe you can can spend a buck for a triple scoop..if you are inclined.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

2009-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not exactly dinner..but today you can get a free piece of chicken at Kentucky Fried Chicken. They are promoting their grilled chicken. I can't even tell you the last time I ate at Kentucky Fried Chicken, but I can tell you this..I didn't have a drivers licence when it was.

Today, April 27th, KFC is giving away a piece of their new grilled chicken. No purchase necessary. The piece is at the discretion of the restaurant. According to the email I got:

Since Kentucky Grilled Chicken was introduced last week, America has been UNTHINKING what they always thought about KFC; there's a lot more to us than fried chicken! Now, America will get to UNTHINK their definition of "Monday," as KFC introduces "UNFry Day."
KFC is so confident America will love our new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, we're inviting you to sample our newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a FREE* piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

Visit www.unthinkfc.com to view commercial outtakes, upload your personal video of the chicken dance and download a cool "Get Your Grill On" phone app.

And remember, for a limited time, you can enjoy a two-piece Grilled meal (breast & wing or drumstick & thigh) including two side items and a biscuit for just $3.99 plus tax. (Pricing and participation may vary by location.)

Obviously this is a nod to healthier eating, but I have a hard time visualizing grilled chicken in a bucket. It just doesn't seem natural.

Cheapies and Freebies!

2009-04-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Some great deals today, April 21st for those of you craving something icy and cold! Good thing we are not dealing with the weather we had yesterday. I wouldn't be in the mood for either of these.

For just half a George Washington bill you can get a 16 ounce iced coffee at your local Dunkin' Donuts. That is just 50 cents all day. For each small Iced Coffee you buy on Iced Coffee Day, 10% of the purchase price will go to The Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation to support Homes for Our Troops.

Today is also free scoop day at Ben and Jerry's scoop shops. From 12-8 you can get a free cone of your favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor. The bad news about this one is there is not one for locals of Harford County. If memories serve me, there is one in the Inner Harbor. So, it seems more reasonable for me that for the money I would spend in gas driving down to the Inner Harbor, parking my car and dealing with the lines for a 4-ounce ice cream scoop, I may be better off heading over to WAWA and picking up a pint of my favorite..coffee heath bar crunch!

Whatever you decide to do...enjoy the bargains!

Pie..Oh My!

2009-04-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

Last night was the last day of Passover, so I was really looking forward to dinner that night. It was all up for grabs..after not eating bread, noodles, most baked products, rice and the like all week. We decided to go with pizza and I decided that instead of picking up the phone, I would cook it up..homemade pizza seemed a fitting way to end the Passover holiday.

My favorite homemade pizza combination is caramelized onions, sausage and goat cheese. I can't remember where I first came across this combination. I'm thinking it was Martha Stewart. Anyhow, I have been making it for over 7 years.

I get my pizza dough from Trader Joes, and roll it out thin to fit my pizza stone. To make the caramelized onions I cut two large sweet onions into thin rings. I had to a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Start sauteing them on medium high heat. When they begin to brown, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Reduce the head to medium low and stir often until the onions are a deep amber color. This can take 45 minutes to an hour. For the sausage, I usually use turkey sausage. Three links typically suffice as I remove the casings and crumble to sausage in a hot skillet and cook until brown.

Add the onions and the sausage evenly to the pizza dough and sprinkle with 3-4 ounces of crumbled goat cheese. Bake on a pizza stone in a 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

So delicious.

Tax Crunch

2009-04-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

Freebie alert...

Tomorrow is the 15th of April. Lots of things happen on the 15th. Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the IRS tax deadline comes to mind. To help America get through the day of filing their taxes they are offering a FREE small hot McCafe beverage or a FREE medium iced McCafe beverage all day at participating McDonalds!
Drink up and hope you get a refund!

Over the Shoulder for Luck

2009-04-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

I was out with my girlfriends on Friday night and was gently reminded by my friend Kim that I have not posted for a little while. I admit I'm slowing down. Maybe it's because I haven't been anywhere overly exciting lately, maybe we are eating home more..I don;t know. I do know that when someone tells me that my posts are old I should start writing because I can't take my blog fans for granted.

We were able to secure our trusty babysitter last night and Brian and I headed down to Salt in Butchers Hill(2127 E. Pratt St). Previously Salt was a place you were not able to make reservations for. They had a rule that your party had to be 6 or more. It was a pretty popular place, so you either had to eat early or wait over an hour. In the last year, they lifted their reservation rule and now they take them for any size party. We were there once before and it definitely is on my list as one of my top 5 restaurants in Baltimore.

We started off our meal with a drink for Brian. Just an iced tea for me last night. Brian had the "Bottoms Up Doc" drink which was fresh squeezed carrot juice, blood orange vodka and triple sec. He liked it, although he thought it was a little strong. For appetizers we had the famous duck fat fries with a trio of aioli and an arugula salad with roasted beets and goat cheese. I know some of you may be grimacing from the mention of duck fat fries..but this is a piece of heaven I can't even describe. I may not be able to button my jeans this morning, but totally worth it. It's a once a year (maybe twice) treat. We were originally just going to go with the fries, but our waitress was quite a sales person, she talked us into the salad as well.

For our main entrees, Brian scored a grilled Kobe skirt steak Chimichurri.It had a smoked paprika rub, sweet potato short stack, huckleberry syrup and a jalapeno popper. I was debating between 3 things. I could not decide between the lamb chop, tuna or rockfsh. I let our waitress make the final decision and I got the rockfish which was served with Spicy crab empanada, mango butter, Chinese long beans and a pomegranate drizzle. Yum all around.

Even though we were really full, of course we got dessert. Salt makes all their desserts in house, including homemade ice creams. We shared a ice cream sandwich made with a homemade brownie and cotton candy ice cream.

So, there you go Kim. Grab Ernie and get down to Salt! (And call us when you go!)

I'ts Time to Make the Donuts (for pocket change)

2009-03-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

I pretty much have taken donuts out of my food repertoire, but must report on the recent article I read on the Internet last week. Looks like Dunkin' Donuts is getting back to basics.

From the AP (3/18/09)

It's time again to make doughnuts.

After focusing on waffle breakfast sandwiches and espresso-based coffee drinks, Dunkin' Donuts is coming full circle with a new advertising campaign to remind people it also sells doughnuts.

Francis Allen, brand marketing officer, said the company has not embarked on a major campaign for doughnuts since 1997.

"We've been doing so much innovation that it really is timed to refocus back on our core," Allen said.

Allen said the yearlong effort will include a $10 million promotional campaign featuring television, radio and Internet ads and a contest for customers to design their own doughnut.

The winning doughnut, to be sold in the chain's roughly 8,000 stores nationwide, will be unveiled June 5.

Customers can start designing new flavors on the company's Web site on Wednesday, when two other new doughnuts, including a Berries n' Kreme filled doughnut, will appear on menus.

Dunkin' Donuts, a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands Inc., operates shops in 34 states and 30 countries outside the U.S.

Doughnut sales account for about 12 percent of Dunkin' Donuts revenue. Allen hopes the new push will boost that number, helped in part by the recession. The chain's fluffy treats cost about 89 cents - a few cents more in certain markets - and the company figures any price less than $1 will appeal to thrifty consumers.

"Faced with daily disappointments and struggles, the doughnut is one of those affordable treats that can make someone's day," Allen said.

To give consumers an extra incentive to stop by, the chain is also offering doughnuts for 49 cents with the purchase of a medium or larger hot coffee starting Wednesday, March 25th.

I most likely will not be swayed by the price slashing of the donuts. Don't get me wrong, I love food..but I's rather spend my calories in other departments. I still dig their coffee though.

Spring has Sprung!

2009-03-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

The mercury may only be in the low 50's today, but we won't care. We will be zipping the jackets and heading out to our nearest Rita's for our annual free water ice.

For the past 16 years, Rita's has been giving away a free, regular size Italian Ice to each and every guest to mark the first day of spring! This is a sweet date for Italian Ice lovers, as each year, hundreds of thousands of our guests visit Rita's in search of the first taste of spring.
A Philadelphia-born springtime tradition, the 17th annual Rita's giveaway will be held on Friday, March 20, 2009 from noon to 10 p.m. at participating Rita's locations.

Rits's has added a few things to their menu this year, including a "slenderita" which is a non fat custard in addition to their already established sugar free water ice. The flavors of the sugar free are:
Cherry, Chocolate, Mango, Peach, Pineapple, Pink Lemonade, Root Beer, Tangerine. The pineapple is new this year, so I'm excited to try that one.

In addition, Rits's launches new flavors every year and this year the flavors are: a mystery flavor (March 20th), strawberry margaRITA (May 1), Blue Raspberry (June 5), Pineapple (July 3), Swedish Fish (July 31), Caramel Apple (September 4).

Yum!

Back on Track

2009-03-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

It seems I have dropped the ball a bit. I have not posted here for over a week and apologies are in order. I haven't even been more busy than normal..but enough of my excuses.

We haven't been anywhere really new and exciting in the past week or so. Last week I was able to have a girls day lunch out with my friend at one of my favorite lunch spots, Miss Shirley's. This is one of my favorite places for breakfast as I have previously posted, but there also great lunch to be had here. I had their signature sandwich, The Alonso. It is smoked turkey, granny smith apples, brie cheese and mustard on ciabatta. Yum. My friend had a Po Boy..deep fired oysters and remoulade on a roll. Nothing wrong with that either. We started our lunch with some southern favorites, sweet potato fries and fried green tomatoes.

Then, this weekend with the sun shining and the mercury hitting around 70, I had some spring/summer fever going. I scratched the socks for the day, opened the windows and decided on steamed crabs for dinner. The Seafood Stop in Fallston has some of the best crabs in the local area. It's right around the corner from my house that makes it even better. My parents came down for the day and we made a fine mess with some old bay spiced steamed crabs. They were small, but heavy. We paid $65 for 3 dozen..and it was enough for the four of us.

Other than that, just some casual pick up food. We have been hitting Subway pretty hard lately..as they have their $5 footlong special and it is quick and healthy for those crazy nights.

Short Cuts are Sometimes Best

2009-03-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

For this past Valentine’s Day, Brian and I decided to give each other handmade gifts from Etsy. Etsy is an amazing website that has handmade items..anything you can imagine. We decided on a $50 limit and got to work. For Brian, I selected a necktie and a toffee/caramel dipped apple. For me, Brian selected a piece of pottery and gourmet caramel popcorn.

More about the popcorn. The popcorn was cinnamon roll popcorn. It was insanely good. So good that I had to hide it so no one else in the house could have some. Brian tasted it as well and also admitted it was one of the best confections he ever had. As good as it was, it was a little expensive. A one pound bag cost $20 which included the shipping. As I ate it over the next 2 weeks, I was trying to identify the ingredients. Popcorn. Well that’s a no brainer. There was white chocolate and there was cinnamon. Looking more carefully, it looked liked caramel corn as well. I went back to Etsy and read the description of the product. Popcorn, white chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter. I came up with a plan. I would make caramel popcorn and mix it with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Since it was a snow day today, I had the whole afternoon in front of me. Well, and 2 kids..but they occupied themselves. I popped the corn in my hot air popper. Once I measured out 10 cups I started on the caramel. Butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla. This was a messy job. The caramel turned out ok, but sort of had a burnt quality to it. Maybe I let it cook a bit too long. Once I had that poured over the popcorn, I had to let it cool down before I could start the chocolate component. I searched the internet for chocolate covered popcorn and the 3 top ones I found had the chocolate, butter and marshmallows. I made the chocolate, tossed it all together and came up with my version.

I tasted. Brian tasted. It was good. He thought it was a little sweeter than the version he bought me and not as crispy. The whole process took about 3 hours with the prep and waiting for the layers to cool. Maybe 3 hours of my time is worth $20 after all. Next time I’ll take the shortcut and head over to Etsy.

Here is my recipe if you are interested:

First the Caramel Corn:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 cups popped popcorn

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.
Combine the following ingredients:
1 cup white chocolate pieces
18 large marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons water

Microwave the ingredients on HIGH in minute intervals, stirring several times, until chocolate and marshmallows are melted, and mixture is smooth. Place the caramel corn in a bowl; add the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly until well coated. Spread out in a shallow pan to cool.

Slow Cooking

2009-02-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Sadly we have not been out to dinner this past week too much. A couple nights of take out of Subway, a quick bite at TGI Fridays, but other than that, we have been home bound. Tonight, I was was surveying the fridge and pantry for tonight's inspiration. I found some crab cakes I had frozen last month. I also had a big package of campari tomatoes sitting on my counter screaming to be used.

Funny thing is, I really don't like tomatoes all that much. Straight up tomatoes that is. In a salad, I generally asked to have them removed. However, I love tomatoes flavoring things..such as ketchup, spaghetti sauce, salsa, etc. I also love sun dried tomatoes.

I came across this recipe from Nigella Lawson for Moon Blush Tomatoes. She takes cherry tomatoes, halves them and adds a few simple ingredients and puts them in a hot oven and instantly turns the oven off. The tomatoes sit in the hot oven all day and intensify in flavor. They can be eaten alone or used in recipes. I decided on using them with goat cheese on a mixed green salad tonight. Along with the crab cakes.

Moon Blush Tomatoes (Recipe by Nigella Lawson, Nigella Express)

about 24 on-the-vine cherry or other baby tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the tomatoes in half and sit them cut side up in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar, thyme and olive oil.
Put them in the oven, and immediately turn it off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight or for a day without opening the door.

Klein's Markets Beginning their Transformation

2009-02-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

Driving my daughter to dance tonight, I noticed that Klein's Supermarket in Forest Hill is now officially a Shoprite. The signs are down and the new Shoprite logo is now on the front of the building. I learned late last year that Klein's was bought out by ShopRite. Being from Philadelphia, I know Shoprite. There is some comfort level there. When I moved here from Pennsylvania, Acme was the only market familiar to me. The Acme is Fallston is nothing to brag about, but that's another issue. Shoprites have been taking over other stores in the Philadelphia area as well. So, while I am excited for the comforts of "home", it is a little sad that a family business that has been in Harford County for a long, long time is no more. I'm going to miss the Jewish Apple Cake and their rotisserie chickens. They were the best.

For the full story, click here.

Dreams Can Come True!

2009-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

So, we were out for dinner last night at Harford Mall..a quick bite at Five Guys and as we were walking to the restaurant I noticed a sign on the vacant store next to Zacks Hot Dogs (does anyone eat here? Its always empty when I walk by). Coming this Spring...drum roll please...

Vaccaro's!

Oh yes! I'm a major sweet tooth girl and Vaccaro's rocks my world. We go every time we are in Little Italy. Everything they have is great, particularly the canolli and pignoli cookies.

I recall that Maggie Moos was supposed to go into Harford Mall. I'm assuming that is not happening now. That's OK by me, because if Vacacaro's plans to have the same menu items as their Little Italy location then they will have gelato as well.

I can't wait..but on the other hand, I'm going to have to compensate for them coming with extra visits to the gym!

I love you. I hate you.

2009-02-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

Let's just say that it is a really good thing that my local Wegmans is 25 minutes away. It's close enough that I can get there easily if I want, but far enough away that I can't run there for my everyday food pick-ups.

If you haven't been to a Wegmans you are really missing out. Wegmans is a foodie's version of paradise. You can find anything and everthing there. Based out of upstate New York, this supermarket has had the distinction of being in Fortune Magazine year after year as being one of the best companies to work for. Customer service is supreme. When Wegmans came to Hunt Valley, MD in 2005 I was truly excited. I have heard about this store from some friends in New York singing its praises They have been slowly expanding on the east coast.

The store in Hunt Valley is their biggest to date. It has a huge section for prepared foods, a huge bakery, a meat and fish section that would have your eyes rolling and a cheese section that rivals many cheese shops. On the upper level is seating where you can eat lunch/dinner.

Today I set out to get my ingredients for my Valentine's Dinner. I'm preparing a kitchen clambake, so I needed lobster, clams and shrimp..along with some other goodies. I picked up a tiny carrot cake for dessert to round off the meal. For the kids, I bought ingredients for the kids to make their own pizza and chocolate fondue for dessert. I am also having company the next day..Brian's dad and his wife. She keeps kosher so I had to pick up kosher meat to prepare dinner for the next night. Add a few moe things in the aisles I could not resist, some take home sushi for lunch and my bill was $130. Ugh. I hate you, Wegmans.

NEWSFLASH!!! I just read on a local blog that Wegmans is coming to Bel Air! Woo Hoo! Its proposed to go in on Emmorton Rd..so now it will be 15 minutes away..oh this is going to be dangerous!

Some Valentine Value in Harford County

2009-02-11T00:10:00.000-08:00

As I am writing this post I notice I am talking about Outback Steakhouse. Again. Hmm..Im looking back through my posts and I seem to have several posts regarding Outback Steakhouse or some of their other restaurants in their corporation. Bonefish Grill, Carrabas, Roy's, Flemings. I'm thinking Harford County needs to step it up and and get some more variety..but for now here we go.

This Saturday is Valentines Day and for those of you who like to go out for dinner (more power to you) I saw these deals online in the past few days. Outback Steakhouse is offering a dinner for 2 for $49.99. This includes a Blooming Onion to share, 2 7 oz. fillets, 2 sides, 2 salads and 2 slices of cheesecake. Hmmm..after that much food you can go home and be sick. Very romantic. Bonefish Grill is also serving up a special as well. For $22.50 you get surf and turf"..a sirloin and lobster tail, along with a salad and a side. They have also partnered with Lindt chocolate and diners will get a 1.2 ounce dark chocolate bar at the end of their meal.

We will not be patronizing any restaurant this Valentine's Day. We are not believers in dining out on Valentines Day. Places are always packed and restautants usually limit their menus and jack up the prices. I like to make dinner that night. It's my time to go all out with decadent ingredients and cook up a storm. This year, I'm thinking of doing a "Kitchen Clambake" which I have made in the past. It's one pot, but very indulgent with good seafood. The recipe comes from Ina Garten and could not be easier. You start by sauteing some onions and leeks in a big pot..layering potatoes, sausage, corn, shrimp, clams, mussels and lobster. You pour a half of bottle of white wine on it and let it simmer until everything is cooked perfectly.

Kitchen Clambake (recipe courtesy of Ina Garten)
(Serves 6-8 people)

1 1/2 pounds kielbasa
3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 cups chopped leeks, well cleaned (2 leeks, white parts only)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 pounds small potatoes (red or white)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
2 dozen steamer clams, scrubbed
2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, in the shell
3 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters
2 cups good dry white wine

Slice the kielbasa diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside. Saute the onions and leeks in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 16 to 20 quart stockpot over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.

Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in this order: first the potatoes, salt, and pepper; then the kielbasa, little neck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters. Pour in the white wine. Cover the pot tightly and cook over medium-high heat until steam just begins to escape from the lid, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes. The clambake should be done. Test to be sure the potatoes are tender, the lobsters are cooked, and the clams and mussels are open. Remove the lobsters to a wooden board, cut them up, and crack the claws. With large slotted spoons, remove the seafood, potatoes, and sausages to a large bowl and top with the lobsters. Season the broth in the pot to taste, and ladle over the seafood, being very careful to avoid any sand in the bottom.

Serve with lots of crusty bread to sop up all that sauce. Delicious!

Fighting Back

2009-02-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like consumers are going to be the winners in the coffee wars. I read yesterday that Starbucks is going to aggressively go after McDonalds for their breakfast crowd. McDonalds has recently exploded as the place to go for breakfast with the addition of the McCafe. The coffee is pretty good, I have to say. Realistically, Starbucks cannot complete with the dollar value menu at McDonalds. The one thing Starbucks had going for them were the lattes and cappuccinos. Now McDonalds has that.
Starting in March, Starbucks is going to offer a “Value Combos”. For $3.95 you will be able to get a tall latte and either a slice of their coffee cake or their oatmeal. Or you can get a tall coffee and a breakfast sandwich. This is a pretty good deal, as the savings are over a dollar on each.
On a side note, the Oatmeal at Starbucks is priced at $2.45 (in Maryland anyway). It’s pretty good and comes with an assortment of toppings you can choose from. However, that being said, I’ve seen them make the oatmeal, and it is instant oatmeal. You know the kind that comes 10 packets to the box for about $3.99. You do the math. It’s kind of a rip-off. Like I said, I have had the oatmeal because it is really a healthy choice among the pastries in the case, and I’m usually patronizing my local Starbucks after going to the gym.

It Makes Perfect Sense to Bake when the Mercury Hits 60

2009-02-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

My love of cooking starts with baking. I have been baking ever since I have been on my own. My most coveted gift from my wedding was my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I know most girls register for the mixer and it becomes a lovely fixture on their counter. I have given mine good use and consider it a vital part of my cooking tools. I did not cook or bake much as a kid. My mom also was a good cook and loved to be in the kitchen. As much as we were invited in the kitchen to watch her create, my sister and I were not active participants. My mom had her ways. She liked to do things her way and often our help was a hindrance to her.

What can I say. I love chocolate chip cookies. I’m pretty particular about them however. I won’t waste my time on store bought ones. They have to be homemade. Yesterday I had a craving for some. Oddly enough it was the warmest it has been in a while, so you would think I would not want to put my oven on, but I did and I enlisted my five-year old to be my assistant. I have experimented with several different recipes and sizes. The first one I went to was the old standby on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag. An excellent cookie and one I remember fondly from my youth. This is the one my mom made. She would make them smaller than the package recommended. There would be over 100 cookies in the batch. It took a while to bake all those cookies.

Over the holidays, I baked those that were reminiscent of my childhood. Even though I have a double oven, it was still an all day project..but I got a lot of cookies out of it. Some were gifts, and some went directly down the hatch. That’s the problem with little cookies. One or two is not the problem..it’s when you eat a dozen.

I recently saw an episode of Good Eats on Food Network. Alton Brown discussed how changing a few ingredients completely change the texture of the cookie. He did three variations of the classic chocolate chip cookie..a chewy cookie, a puffy cookie and a thin crisp one. Today I decided to go with the crisp one. Instead of tiny, little cookies I made huge bakery style ones..using an ice cream scooper to measure the dough. I was only able to fit 5 cookies to a tray and they took 15 minutes to cook each tray. I only got 18 cookies out of the batch, but oh perfection. They turned out bakery quality and you could taste the butter in each bite. So, I present you with the recipe for the thin…go make some cookies! As you can see, my youngest food critics approved.

The Thin Chocolate Chip Cookie (recipe courtesy of Alton Brown)

You will need:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
2 ounces of milk
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Combine the egg, milk and vanilla and bring to room temperature.
Cream the butter and add the sugars, increasing the speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed and add in the egg mixture slowly. Increase the speed of the mixer until it is well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop with an ice cream scooper onto parchment or silpat lined sheet pans, 5 cookies to the sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the pans for even browning.
Remove the cookies from the pan immediately and put on a cooling rack. When cool, store in an airtight container. If they last for storing.

Use it or Lose it.

2009-02-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

Last night, when deciding where to go for dinner, I remembered that I had a gift card to Bonefish that I got during the holidays when I bought gift cards. The card was only valid until February 10th, so we figured we might as well use it. We decided to go to Outback, as we had not been there for a while. So, as I always do, I used call ahead sitting. If you have never done this at Outback, here is a tip from me to you. Always call ahead. We called at around 5:00 pm, wanting to get seated around 6. We were told we could have a 6:15 time, but we would have to wait about 15-20 beyond that. When we checked in we were given our beeper and assured another 20 minute wait. As we were waiting we were hearing the wait of people walking in. Over a 2 hour wait. Seriously. People waited. I could not believe it. First of all, there is no chain restaurant I would ever wait 2 hours for. That is just ridiculous. However, as long as I can remember going to Outback this wait is not uncommon. Secondly, isn’t there supposed to be a recession going on? I guess Harford County is not part of that, because the restaurants are jammed.
I had had steak the night before, so I decided to try a burger. I’ve never had a burger from Outback. Because, if you go to Outback you go for steak, not a burger. There are plenty of other places for that. My mom had told me that she has been getting burgers recently at Outback as swears that they are the best burger she has ever had. So, listening to mom, I went ahead and ordered one. I subbed out a baked potato for the fries and awaited my meal. I have to say it was a really good burger. The meat tasted like their steak, only ground up. I felt the bun was a little big for the burger and ended up leaving most of it. For $8.95, a really good deal.
Brian stayed with tradition and ordered the Outback Special, which is a sirloin cut, with a baked potato and a salad. His standard.
For dessert, we had a new item on their menu..peanut butter pie. I was a little sceptical with the whole peanut butter/salmonella scare thing going round, but our waiter assured us that it was ok. It was more than ok..it was really good!

The Sweetest Thing

2009-02-04T17:58:00.000-08:00

Wednesday is usually our "pinch hit dinner" night. My daughter takes dance after school and my husband usually picks up my son from daycare. By the time everyone gets home its after 6 and we are usually eating leftovers, pizza or picking up a quick bite somewhere. Tonight, my husband was in DC for work so he was unable to pick up our son, so I had to take him with me to dance class.

After dance, I knew I did not have the time to get home and get a meal on the table for the 3 of us, so I took the kids to McDonalds. We went to the Forest Hill location, since it was on the way home from dance. Very busy there tonight. The reason being their was a celebration going on. A large group (at least 25 people) of senior citizens were there celebrating a birthday of one of their friends. There is a nursing home/assisted living place right next door, so I am sure they are all residents there. They had a huge cake, a woman humming tunes on a kazoo, and one of the McDonald's staff members pouring the coffee. My kids got tons of smiles from this group, and my kids were thoroughly entertained by the group. No one offered my kids any cake, which was fine, as my son ended up throwing up in the McDonalds. Nice.

It got me thinking about being little and my own memories of McDonald birthday parties. Remember them? The happy meal, and the Ronald McDonald cake? Surprisingly, my kids have never attended a McDonald's birthday party. Until tonight.

Better Late than Never

2009-02-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

I'm finally sitting down with a half hour to spare and catching my breath. We had an extremely busy weekend that started out with Restaurant Week. We had our sitter on Friday night and we headed down to Louisana (1708 Aliciana Street, 410-327-2610) in Fells Point. We had been there once before for my birthday and we were excited to go back (and pay a little less!) Louisiana features french/creole cuisine. The restaurant is really beautiful and when we were seated they took us back to a huge room I did not even know they had. We were able to get a 3 course prix fix dinner for $30.09. I'm assuming the 9 cents is for 2009. Brian got fried oysters, a New York Strip steak and an apple beinet for dessert. I had crab bisque (which they are known for), sea bass and chocolate mousse for dessert. C'est Manifique! Brian thought my meal was a little better than his. He thought the oysters were a little heavy and the steak was good, just not his favorite cut. We did not have any other dining out adventures this past weekend. We were busy with family and the SuperBowl..which is always good eating!

Get your Java on!

2009-02-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

McDonald's is offering a great deal for the early risers this Month. Apparently you can get a free medium sized McCafe drink between the hours of 5-8 am every day in February (the shortest month of the year, but hey, who cares). I heard the commercial twice now. Both times, I was still in bed, just waking up so I wanted to make sure I heard it twice before posting. I personally will not be able to take advantage of this deal since I don't leave the house before 8:30 am, but Brian is super excited as he leaves for work at 6:30 in the morning and passes McDonalds every morning on his commute.

It appears that McDonalds is aggressively trying to compete with Starbucks with their coffee drinks. I had heard that they put in a "coffee bar" in the Bel Air location (Route 1/route 24). They actually closed the restaurant for a few days while this renovation was being made. I have had the cafe mocha and it is really good. I was in nutritional sticker shock when I got home and checked the stats..but it was good none the less and hit the spot on one of those cold, running around like a lunatic, holiday shopping days.

Just check with your local McDonalds to make sure they are participating! Drink up!

Everyone Loves a Freebie!

2009-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Head to Panera Bread tomorrow (1/28/09) for free coffee and samplings of their breakfast sandwiches and yogurt parfaits. It's all in efforts to get people excited for their new roast in coffee and their breakfast sandwich that has been around for a little while. Of all the quick breakfast stops, Panera does top the list in my eyes for breakfast sandwiches. They use a real egg and its not cooked in the microwave like other places (I'm looking at you WaWa and Einstein). They use a really sharp cheddar cheese and offer it with plain egg, bacon or sausage. They put all that yummy protein on a warm ciabatta bread. Yum. The only complaint is that you can't get the sandwich with turkey sausage. I don't get it because they offer turkey sausage in their egg souffles. Oh well.

We traveled this far for this?

2009-01-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday season, Outback, Carrabas and Bonefish offered promotions of buying 100 dollars of gift certificates and getting $20 dollars in free gift cards. We bought a slew of gift cards for people so we ended up with a nice amount for ourselves to use. We decided to use some of the money from the cards for dinner last night.

We had to run some errands last night, including Costco which is down in Whitemarsh. So, we decided to travel an extra 15-20 minutes to go to Cheeseburger in Paradise in Glen Burnie which is a restaurant owned by the Outback Corporation. There is no CIP in the Bel Air area and its a great hamburger place. It is modeled after the well known Jimmy Buffet song and has an island feel with great libations. We got down there, and the place was dead. Very surprisingly dead. There were no football games to be watched so we expected a bit of a wait at 6:00 pm, but there was none. While we were surprised we were not too unhappy about it as we had the kids and we had a 40 minute ride home so a quick dinner was in order.

When we went to pay with our Outback gift card they would not accept it, as we found out, Outback is selling off the Cheeseburger in Paradise chain to another owner. Since Outback is not a publicly traded company we don;t have the information as to who is acquiring them..if anyone.

I hope this place does not go under. It is really good even if there is not one near us. It's the first place I've ever had fried pickles. A weird concept in an appetizer, but really yummy.

If I can only remember eating it...

2009-01-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last night was a kid free night at our favorite restaurant, Roy's. Roy's cuisine is Hawaiian Fusion. We have had the reservation for about a month and I am realizing now how timely it is we went this week with Obama's inauguration (since Hawaii is his home state). We were able to go out with free babysitting under our belt, as my parents came down to watch the kids and take them out for a more "kid friendly dinner". We also had a few gift cards, so it really was an economical evening.

We did not realize that Baltimore Restaurant Week started on Friday, so Roy's had a special 3 course dinner for 30.09. Nothing on that menu appealed to me, so I ordered my standard, Island Ahi. I could probably eat this meal 3-4 times a week for the rest of my life and never tire of it. It's a sashimi grade tuna fillet seared, served rare with a soy, mustard wasabi butter sauce which they serve with jasmine rice and baby bok choy. Total heaven. I started my dinner with lobster potstickers which were also excellent.
lobster potstickers
ahi tuna

Brian opted for the special menu and his dinner included a spinach salad, braised short ribs and a white chocolate/raspberry mousse concoction.

Prior to dinner I ordered a cocktail which is rare for me. I'm not much of a drinker and since I'm always watching my calories (sometimes watching them go up and up..) I will always choose food over beverage. I ordered their Island Mai Tai which was ridiculously strong. The first few sips were "whoa"..and then it became much smoother and went down much easier. I found myself quite inebriated as I was eating my appetizer and was down right drunk during my entree. I sadly cannot report on my entree because I barely remember eating it. For dessert, Brian and I shared the famous Melting hot molten chocolate cake, which they serve with ice cream and raspberry sauce. Tip if you go..order this dessert when your dinner is served as it takes 25 minutes to prepare.

My alcohol induced condition did not last too long with the two cups of coffee with dessert and the few minutes of waiting in the 20 degree temps waiting for the valet to bring the car around. I sobered up quickly!

Since it's been a few days..

2009-01-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I haven't blogged in a few days. I guess that means I have not been out to eat this week. As luck would have it, I did not feel like cooking tonight so we rounded up the kids and headed into Bel Air for a quick bite. I was hankering for Mexican so we ended up at Qdoba. I had only eaten there once before (at a different location) and the menu did not feel to be the same as I remembered. It now reminds me of Chipolte (which I ate at once and did not care for). Is there anyone who can confirm if they have changed their menu significantly? I guess I am still partial to Baja Fresh for my choice of casual Mexican dining.

The kids had quesadillas and Brian and I had burritos. I'm tyring to figure out where $24 was spent. Two kids meals, 2 burritos, a side of chips and no drinks. The burrito was pretty huge though and I could not finish it so it was a decent value. Looking forward to tomorrow's dinner. It's a date night which means, no kids meals, no macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets or hot dogs. Stay tuned for the re-cap!

How did I miss this one?

2009-01-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

I had some friends over for the Eagles/Cardinals game today. Let's not discuss the outcome. I'm disgusted. Anyway, during the game my friends were telling me about a great website restaurant.com. You put your location in the search box and it shoots you back restaurants that participate in discounted gift certificates. So, in other words you can buy a $25 gift certificate for $10, or a $50 certificate for $25 or so on. There are a few stipulations such as you have a spend a certain amount to use the certificate and an 18% gratuity is added to certificate. I checked the list on the restaurants within 15 miles of my zip code and their are definately a few I can take advantage of!

I can't believe I did not know about this!

Free Ice Cream!

2009-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Baskin-Robbins tomorrow (January 15) to claim a free scoop of ice cream. However, in order to get your freebie you have to show your gym membership card. It's all in their efforts to promote their Bright Choices Line. All the flavors have between 80-140 calories per serving and 0-7 grams of fat. The nutritional stats are for a 2.5 ounce scoop. Not a huge serving, but a healthy amount, and that's what it's all about, right? The new flavors include: Raspberry Chip, Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Butter Almond Crunch, Pineapple Coconut, Fat free Vanilla and Strawberry Sorbet.

The only Baskin-Robbins in Harford County is in Bel Air at 18A Bel Air South Parkway, behind Bob Evans. If you are in the Whitemarsh area there is a stop on Honeygo Boulevard as well.

Yay for free things!

Mmmm...Burgers

2009-01-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

As a kid, growing up, when presented with the choice at summer parties "hamburger or hot dog?". I always went for the hot dog. Must be a maturity thing, as my kids pick the hot dog as well, as their 1st choice. Now a'days I can't pass on a really good hamburger. I know it is not the most nutritionally sound thing to eat, bur when a craving hits, who am I not to satisfy it? Fortunately I have a great hamburger well within 5 miles of my house. Lucky me..so here is my round up of my favorite burgers in the Bel Air area:

1. Chili's (Baltimore Pike, Bel Air)
Haven't been there in a while, but a really good burger. I always go with the "big mouth" original burger with lettuce, onion, ketchup and mustard. I pass on the mayo and tomato.

2. Bill Batemans (Baltimore Pike, Bel Air)
Great Bar food and great burgers. Go on Wednesday nights and all the burgers on their menu (with the exception of a few) are half price. A serious good deal. I always get the Fallston Burger which has cheddar cheese, sauteed onions and thousand island dressing. I skip the thousand island dressing and go with ketchup and mustard instead.

3. Cheeburger Cheeburger (Festival Shopping center, Bel Air)
I was so excited when this opened up in Bel Air. It has a 50's style atmosphere with great hamburger and tons of toppings to choose from. The burgers come in several sizes from a modest 4 ounce to a 1 lb. burger. If you can polish of a 1 pounder they take your picture and put it on their wall of shame..I mean fame. They also have awesome fries and onion rings and if you can't decide between what deep fried side you want you can get "frings" (a little bit of both). They also have shakes in as many flavors as they have toppings for burgers. Kids meals are so cute too..they come in a little cardboard car.

4. Five Guys (Harford Mall, Bel Air)
I saved the best for last. Oh, I am so happy these guys made it to Bel Air! They are expanding up and down the east coast and it is no wonder why. This is the best hamburger. If you are looking for a menu full of variety you won't find it at Five Guys. These guys take what they do best and give it their all. You have a choice of hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They also have hot and grilled cheese, but that's it. Killer french fires as well..fried in vats of peanut oil. So, if you have a nut allergy stay clear of this place..but you are seriously missing out. I used to get the regular hamburger which is basically 2 patties pressed together on a bun. I felt totally sick after finishing it. I now order smarter and get the little hamburger which is a single. Much better.

So, there is my list. Luckily, my gym is also less then 5 miles from the house as well!

Keeping the wallet and the kids happy

2009-01-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

In today's economy everyone is looking for a bargain. Even with a strong economy every parent likes a bargain. With two little kids, going out for dinner seems to cost us at least $40, no matter how we order. Our kids have decent appetites now so they need their own meal and don't like to share. We don't eat out very much during the week, but sometimes the days just get too busy to get a meal on the table. We are always on the lookout for restaurants that offer "kids eat free" nights. So far I only know of 3 in the Bel Air area.

Mountain Branch (Mountain Road, Fallston)
Stop by Mountain Branch on a Monday night and you can enjoy pasta night and your kids can eat free. The pasta night is salad, bread a "create your own" pasta dish and dessert. The kids can have anything off the kids menu or a kids pasta. In addition they also have "extreme entertainment" where an entertainer walks around and makes balloon creations for the kids. He is really good. While I'm a big fan of Mountain Branch's Sunday Brunch, I'm not such a big fan of the pasta night. It's just not that good. However, if you can put aside that the food is about as good as you can get at home, it is a good deal and fun for the kids.

Lone Star Steakhouse (Festival Shopping Center, Bel Air)
On Tuesdays, 2 kids can eat for free with the purchase of one adult entree at Lone Star Steakhouse. Lone Star is a family friendly steakhouse (I'd put it a notch under Outback), but definitely a great deal for the family.

Bill Batemans (Bel Air Road, Bel Air)
On Tuesdays Bill Batemans has a great deal. Kids eat for free and they have a great rib special for the grownups. For $11.99 you can get a full rack of ribs, fries, cole slaw and garlic bread. We have been there and my husband and I have split this deal (neither of us can eat the whole thing) and maybe get a salad to split and the kids eat for free. They always have crayons and fun sheets and the staff is really attentive to the kids with the exception of the service sometimes being a little slow. Batemans also has great other specials during the week.

If anyone knows of any other "kids eat free" places I'd love to hear about it. Variety is the spice of life!

You Would Think the Restaurants would be Dead

2009-01-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

Today we had to make a trek out to IKEA in Whitemarsh. My cookbook collection is growing out of its space and I needed a new bookshelf. The plan was to go to IKEA, drop of the kids in funland and have an hour to shop, kid free.

Mission accomplished.

When we got everything in the car we looked at the clock and saw it was 6:15. I wanted to go to PF Changs but it was packed, we headed over to the Avenue to settle for Fridays (I haven't been to crazy about my past meals there) but we were able to see that there were a ton of people waiting in the lobby. I was perplexed. The Ravens were playing a 4:00 game and I assumed that everyone and their mother would be glued to a tv set somewhere. Apparently not.

So, we needed a place to eat where we would not have to wait and that the kids would eat. We drove down to Campbell Blvd and ended up at Noodles and Company. If you haven't been to Noodles it is casual dining that is in the same level as Panera, Pei Wei, Baja Fresh..etc. The restaurant focuses on noodle dishes created all different ways: American, Asian, Mediterranean and Italian. Brian and I got Asian noodle dishes (Japanese Udon Noddles and Indonesian Peanut Saute(very spicy!) and the kids got macaroni and cheese. The mac and cheese is about the best I've ever had..and Ive had my share of macaroni and cheese. They also serve up salads and soups to round out your meal.

I can totally picture this chain in the Bel Air area. It would clean up. I really should look into franchise information. I keep checking their future locations and Bel Air is not on the list. I guess for now I have to drive 15-20 minutes to satisfy my noodle craving.

Oh, and congratulations Ravens! I'm an Eagles fan first and foremost, but I do root for the Ravens. The only exception would be if the Ravens faced the Eagles in a Superbowl. I'm not that worried about that happening.

Work While you Eat.

2009-01-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

So, I get an email from someone who is following my blog..who is not one of my friends or family members who I begged to read. Yipee! She asked me if I knew of any places in Harford County that is a good place to eat and write at the same time. Finding free wi-fi is tough now. Even McDonalds pulled their free wi-fi. Now you have to have their dumb Arch card or something like that. So, here are the places I know of that I have had a bite to eat (or a coffee to sip) while I worked, checked my email or updated my Facebook status.

Panera
Panera offers free wi-fi in a really comfortable environment with great food. (I'm a pushover for bread). I've often opt for Panera when I'm on the road for lunch to pick two" and write a few emails.

McShane's
McShane's is located on Rt. 22, west of Harford Community College. McShane's is a coffee house with nice breakfast items and good salads and sandwiches. They also offer free wi-fi and I actually prefer this place the best when I have some time between appointments.

Coffee Coffee
Coffee Coffee is located in the Festival Shopping Center and also boasts free Wi-Fi. Its a small place with a great selection of coffee drinks, pastries and chocolates! There is not too much room here to make your self comfortable for a while..only a few tables.

Starbucks
Here's a tip. Technically, the wi-fi is not free at Starbucks. However, if you have a Starbucks card you can get some free internet time. Register your card at www.starbucks.com and you can link to ATT (their internet provider). Having a registered Starbucks card entitles you to 2 free hours of internet time per day, as long as your card has been used in the last 30 days. Not a bad deal. Also, if you register your Starbucks card you also get syrup additions for free and free refills of regular coffee during the day.

So, there yo go. That's all I know about..if anyone knows of any other places drop me a line..and to Patricia...thanks for the idea for this post!

Something to Look Forward To

2009-01-05T13:14:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite weeks is coming to brighten winter up. Restaurant Week is coming to Baltimore at the end of January. It runs for a week (January 23-February 1). This is an awesome deal. You pick a participating restaurant and you can choose a 3 course lunch for $20.09 or a 3 course dinner for $30.09. Over 90 restaurants participate in it. There are parking deals as well. Last year we went to Timothy Deans in Fells Point. It was really good, but I should have eaten dinner before hand. The portions were teeny tiny. This is usually not the case during Restaurant Week, so we were a little bummed. This year we booked our reservations at Louisiana in Fells Point. Louisiana is Cajun-French. We have been there a few years ago and it was really good.

Heed my warning..if you are interested in going make your reservations soon. Particularly if you want to go on a weekend. This event fills up fast! This deal is so good I may have to find a day in the week to go an additional time!

Football Sunday is a Pizza Kind of Day

2009-01-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

I'm still sick. Ugh. I have not been sick for a long time (since April) and Friday threw me a curve ball with a wicked sore throat. So, this weekend has been a washout.

Today we are sitting around watching football. My two teams are playing. The Ravens(they won!)and the Eagles (at this post time they are winning). So it's a lazy day..going to order pizza from Italian Sensations in Fallston (2316 Belair Road). They have been around for as long as I've been down in Maryland in Bel Air (225 Brierhill Dr). They recently opened a second location in Fallston and have been doing really well. Fallston does not have many restaurants so if you have a good product you can do really well. The Scotto Family are the owners and are straight from Italy. They have a little girl that goes to daycare with my son. They also run the more upscale Italian restaurant Scotto's in the Festival Shopping Center.

Italian Sensations is a pizza place that also sells other Italian goods such as sandwiches, pasta dishes, calazones, stromboli. They do a great take-out business and they have tables that you can eat there as well. Tonight Brian and I are opting for a white pizza, a switch on our usual. I'm sure the kids won't eat that (because of the green stuff) so I think I have some leftover pizza in the freezer.

This pizza is insanely good. It is a white pizza (no tomato sauce) with garlic, plum tomatoes, spinach and ricotta. We ended up with 3 pieces left..looks like I got some lunch for myself this week.

Girls Day Out

2009-01-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Today was a day out with my 5 year old and myself. She heads back to school on Monday and she and her 3 year old brother have been home since Christmas Eve day. My little one's day care was open today so I decided to let him go there so that my daughter and I can go to the movies and out to lunch. My little guy still takes a nap and I knew he would not have the attention for a movie as well.

We ate a quick lunch at the Double-T Diner in Bel Air (543 Marketplace Drive). It was Sophie's choice as she wanted breakfast for lunch. I had not been there for a while and every time I go I wonder why I don;t go more often. The food is decent and the service is reliable. I had a turkey burger and my daughter had eggs. There are 6 other locations in the Baltimore area.

After lunch we headed to the movies. We ended up seeing Marley and Me. What a tearjerker. I don't think my 5 year old got the full extent of the emotional heartstrings that were pulled, and that's OK with me. I bawled my eyes out. I actually lost a contact lens. I won't give away the full plot, but if you have seen it, you are hugging your canine a little closer tonight.

No dinner for me tonight..I'm coming down with something and my throat is sore. Wish I had some chicken soup.

Crossing State Lines

2009-01-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

I know that the purpose of this blog is to report on places I eat in the Baltimore area(specifically where I live, in Harford Country), but sometimes you just have to go out of state, ya know?

We spent our New Years with our friends in Cherry Hill, NJ (a suburb of Philly). On the way home we were discussing what we were going to have for dinner as we were really tired and I knew I did not feel like starting to cook a balanced dinner tonight. We decided to stop at Bobby Chez's for crab cakes. Before you start sending me hateful comments on how I can go outside of Maryland for crab cakes, let me explain.

Bobby Chez's has been around for about 10 years or so and started off in the neighborhood of our friends. They have several locations in South Jersey area and recently opened a few locations in Philly. I have heard from others what an amazing crab cake they had. Now that I am a Maryland resident, I also had reservations. How can a place outside of Maryland even know what to do with a crab cake? Bobby's crab cakes are big. Softball size and breaded and deep fried. Again, not the Maryland standard. I too thought I preferred a simple sauteed crab cake with minimal filler. These crab cakes are too die for. There is barely any filler, and the lumps of crab are as big as my thumb (I have some pretty big hands). While, deep frying isn't my first choice in the ultimate crab cake it compliments it perfectly. They also sell ones that you can throw under the broiler, but they are not as good in my opinion.

You can eat at Bobby's, but it is mostly a take out place. They do have tables to sit and eat in. We have always taken our crab cakes to go and they give simple directions for reheating at home. They also sell killer sides, including macaroni and cheese, fried clams, fried shrimp and killer lobster mashed potatoes (which will be accompaning my crab cakes tonight).

So, not the most healthful meal tonight. But do you really want to read a blog about me eating a plate of steamed vegtables?

New Year's Fiesta

2008-12-30T20:27:00.000-08:00

So, when it is New Year's Eve and you have small children your options are pretty limited. Unless you can score a babysitter, you are pretty much limited to a few things. This year we decided to trek to New Jersey to have a "sleepover" at our dear friends house. They have kids roughly the same age as ours and we vacationed with them to Vermont this past summer. We decided to cook an extravaganza and spend the night playing trivia and pop culture games, all while the little ones sleep. Bliss!

My friend's decided since we can't eat out, we would bring "out" "in". We are going with a Bobby Flay, southwestern theme. They are doing the main course and some sides, and I am responsible for a side or salad and dessert. I prepped my dessert tonight and I have to say I did an amazing job with it. I made profiteroles that I am going to serve with vanilla ice cream and warm Mexican chocolate sauce. I made pate a choux for the first time tonight and it was surprisingly easy but impressive. Brian was my helper in the kitchen as I balanced cinnamon and cayenne pepper to achieve the perfect combination. I have to say I nailed it. You get the taste of the cinnamon, then the chocolate and then a slight burn from the cayenne.

I still have to think about my salad. This is going to be more of a challenge for me, since I am not into beans, olives and the usual suspects that accompany southwestern salads..but I'm sure I'll come up with something!

Happy Healthy New Year to all!

Ok..Now I'm stuffed!

2008-12-29T20:49:00.000-08:00

Today Brian took the day off so we decided to take a ride down to the harbor to the Baltimore Aquarium. We have not been there in ages and we figured the kids were at a good age to enjoy it. After 3 hours in the dark, serene fish tank we were all hungry for dinner..so we headed to our favorite Italian haunt, Amicci's (231 S. High Street, Baltimore 410-528-1096). Brian and I discovered this place about 2 years ago when looking for a place in Little Italy to eat. The food is outstanding, reasonably priced and they give gigantic portions. The first few times we went we way over-ordered and either went home with tons of leftovers or with indigestion. The problem is that they have so many good starters, by the time you get to your entree you are ready to be sick. The have a great house salad (4.50)that they dress with that dressing that all the restaurants seem to use in Little Italy. We usually get the calamari (9.00) that is really good as well. They have this one signature appetizer called a panne rotundo (14.99). Basically, they hollow out a round loaf of bread, cover it in butter and toast it, pour a garlic scampi sauce in it and float jumbo shrimp in it. It is totally a heart attack waiting to happen, but it is so good. We got it a few times, but I just can't do it anymore. I pay for it later. The entrees are really good as well. They don't have alot of chicken dishes and they have no veal dishes, but they have a nice assortment of pastas and seafood entrees. Tonight Brian and I shared the lasagna and the kids shared spaghetti and meatballs. We finally get our ordering right by ordering a few starters and just sharing an entree.

After dinner (since we didn't eat enough)we headed over to Vaccaro's (222 Albemarle Street 410-685-4905) for dessert. We always stop their on our way home form dinner for our mandatory Italian cookie (the pignoli are the best). We discovered that they do an all-you-can eat/drink dessert and coffee special on Monday nights for $15. We did it once and basically starved all day to train for it. They have a rule that you have to eat half of what they give you before they will bring you something else. When Brian and I did it in the past our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs. We only ate half of our first order and could barely get through the second order. Tonight we got a huge waffle and ice cream concoction for the four of us to share. If we ate a third of it we were lucky.

Now I am sick. Count down to eating healthier...4 more days!

Yuck

2008-12-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

We were inside all day yesterday, organizing and playing with gifts. We decided to take a ride out to Hunt Valley and do a little Wegmans shopping. Oh how I love Wegmans! That is a post or 2 in itself. We are heading up to our friends for New Years Eve and I have 2 dishes to make that need to be Southwest inspired. I got dessert covered, but the side dish is stumping me. I thought Wegmans would give me some inspiration. I'm no closer to a side dish, but I did buy a bag of plantain chips.

After Wegmans we were were debating where to eat dinner. We ended up at the Silver Spring Mining Company. There are 3 locations that I know of in the Baltimore area. Bel Air, Perry Hall and Hunt Valley. I have only eaten there once since living in Baltimore. I remember it pretty well. I was about 8 months pregnant with Sophie and was craving hamburgers in the later months of my pregnancy. I remember my meal being pretty good...how can a hamburger be so bad when you are pregnant?

So last night the kids got their standard (mac and cheese and chicken tenders). Pretty pricey for kids meals and drinks not included. The chicken tenders were so heavily battered and tasteless (yuck). Brian and I shared fajitas and were pretty disappointed with our meal. We were served a platter of tasteless chicken, steak and onions. Apparently everything that usually comes with fajitas were extra. It was really bad.

So, after paying $60 for a bad meal, lesson learned..I haven't been missing much not going to Silver Spring in the last 6 years.

On a Mission

2008-12-26T19:06:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things to do is to shop after a big holiday. I love to get the clearance on Valentines Day..hey, hearts are good any time of the year. I love candy. I know I love it more than I should but I enjoy scoring cheap holiday candy after the holidays. Who cares what color the wrapper is? It is the inside that counts. However, during the Christmas season Hershey puts out Candy Cane kisses. I can't describe the taste exactly, but it is like peppermint bark, without the dark chocolate. I was all set to stock up on them today and went to my local Target in Bel Air. All I can find was 2 measly bags. I was so bummed. They had tons of the cherry cordial and Mint Truffle, but none of my beloved candy cane. Apparently everyone else likes them too. I was really hoping to get a load of them and cruise through the summer. If anyone is knows where to find them, let me know!

Roll With It..

2008-12-24T07:07:00.000-08:00

Well, today is Christmas Eve day. Kind of a slow day for us here. Since we are Jewish we don't have too much to do today and tomorrow. The kids friends will be knee deep in wrapping paper and visiting with friends and family. We are actually headed up to Philadelphia to visit family of our own. We have always had our tradition (with pretty much every other Jewish family) of going to the movies and having Chinese or Asian food on these days. They are pretty much the only business's open on Christmas Day.

When we first moved to Harford County I was disheartened by the lack of Japanese restaurants in the area. I basically had Sakura Japanese Steakhouse as my option for sushi. It was good, but kind of commercial sushi in my opinion. Nothing too special about it. The hibachi grill was fun though. We discovered Edo Sushi in Timonium for our sushi fix. This place makes some serious sushi. We found ourselves taking the 20 minute ride at least once a month for the best spicy tuna we have found. In the last couple years we have had a bit of jump start with ethnic cuisine in Harford County. Three sushi restaurants opened up in the Bel Air area within a year of each other. The first to come was Fuji Sushi in the Festival Shopping Center in Bel Air. I was excited and it was good. Not as good as Edo, but certainly adequate. The next came Toki Sushi in Forest Hill. I preferred this place to Fuji and we started frequenting there. We found the restaurant to always be empty, but we did carryout anyway. The last to arrive was Zen 16. Ding, ding, ding..we hit the jackpot. This place is so good and seriously gives Edo Sushi a run for the money. The staff in Zen are so super nice and the food is always top notch. The spicy tuna is as good at Edo. My one friend goes and the sushi chef actually makes her platters based on what she likes.

I know the economy is shaky right now and I really hope these places can stick it out. Small independent restaurants are usually the first on the chopping block so if you are from Harford County go get some sushi!

So, there you go. we will be getting our takeout from Zen 16 tomorrow night. Since we have little ones, we will be renting the flick, and not going to the movies. Times have changed a little!

Merry Christmas to all!

Breakfast. The Most Important Meal of the Day

2008-12-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

One of the things I look forward to is my husband taking a vacation day and going out for breakfast and shopping or the movies while the kids are in school. We had the opportunity to do it twice this month, as he had a few days stored up before the end of the year.

Our first stop was Blue Moon Cafe (1621 Aliceanna St. (410) 522-3940). We first discovered this little non-descrip place more than 5 years ago when we moved to the Baltimore area. The first few times we went we went on the weekends which was frustrating as this place is very popular and very small. The kitchen is literally a cook with a hot plate. Let me tell you, there is some serious magic happening back there. My husband would always get the D'Mitris Burritos, or eggs and chorizo and I opt for the "Full Moon" which comes with eggs, pancakes and the best hash browns you will ever eat. It's super cheap, huge portions and seriously some of the best breakfast you will ever eat. Totally worth the wait. It has gained even more popularity as it has been visited by the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. They featured Captain Crunch encrusted french toast and now its one of the most popular dishes on the menu. Don't miss the homemade cinnamon rolls either.

The other restaurant we love to go is Miss Shirley's (513 West Cold Spring Lane,
(410) 889-5272.) It is down by Loyola College. We did some research with our Zagat guide one day and happened along this awesome place in November, 2007. We have been back several times and it never disappoints. It's only open for breakfast and lunch and from what I hear is very crowded on the weekends. We have only been there during the week and it has never been a problem. I have also heard they opened a second location in the Inner Harbor (750 E. Pratt St.) The only problem I have with this place is deciding between breakfast and lunch. The few times I have been there I have had a seafood Cesar salad, the Alonsoville (sandwich with turkey, brie and granny smith apples) and omelettes. They also sport amazing sweet potato fries.

We love breakfast!

The Start of Something New

2008-12-23T09:15:00.001-08:00

Usually people wait until the new year to start something new. Losing weight, working out, a new project, etc. So, why am I sitting at my computer an hour before my daughter is to get off the school bus from an early dismissal to start a holiday vacation? I don't know. I do know when I get an idea in my head, I run with it.

I love food. I love to cook it, I love to eat it, and I love to talk about it. I am addicted to Food Network, I watch cooking reality shows like Top Chef and I have a cookbook collection that is starting to take over my house. Before I was married I would frequent all the top, trendy restaurants in the Philadelphia area. When I got married (pre-kids) my husband and I would spend weekends discovering new restaurants, farmers markets, etc. Then the kids came. So, while we could not hire babysitters non stop to support our eating out habit, we got creative. Going out when we can and taking the kids with us to explore new places.

My friends challenged me to write about my experiences. So, here we are. December 23rd, about to embark on a new project. My aim is to share with you places we have been, places we would like to go and places we should have skipped. Feel free to chime in with your favorites!