Some Weekend Events

What a gorgeous weekend for playing around outside!  Don't forget the Baltimore Farmer's Market (underneath the JFX) is opening on Sunday (at 7AM!).  I don't think I'll be able to make it this time around since I'll be singing in the morning.  Let me know if you go and what you get.  I'll be dreaming about the donuts...and the fresh produce of course :) 

Here are some other events to ponder:

Swing into Spring at Basignani Winery, May 1-2^nd, 12-5PM

Basignani Winery will be celebrating the release of their sweet wines: 2009 Riesling and 2009 Vidal. Their two semi-sweet wines: Marisa Dolce and Monkton Moon Delight.  For $8pp desserts, a glass and wine tasting will be included and you are encouraged to bring a picnic and relax with your favorite wine!  Vineyard hayrides will be available as well!

15722 Falls Road, Sparks MD

www.basignani.com

Chesapeake Oyster Festival at Woodberry Kitchen, May 2^nd, 3-5PM
 

Woodberry Kitchen is serving up Chesapeake Oysters in a variety of ways!  They are offering preparations of oysters such as fritters, grilled oysters, and soup. Other local spring treats will be available, as well as beer, local wine, cocktails and homemade lemonade!  There will also be live music – all outside on the patio!

2010 Clipper Park Road, Baltimore MD

www.woodberrykitchen.com  

410-464-8000

Friday Morning Haiku

Mornings are the worst :(

Mondays and Fridays, more so

Thank goodness for Bread!

Yup, it's official, I am still in love with my breadmaker.  It is not a two-week obsession (remember my Scotland obsession....yea...that's kinda gone). But this is a lasting love! 

This week was really hard to get up early in the morning, like I have been trying to, which is silly because now it is light when I wake up.  Hopefully soon I will have the motivation to run outside in the mornings, since I absolutely HATE running in the afternoon heat during the Summer.  Oh well, one thing at a time....let's first work on not getting to work late EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Yikes!

Image by Gabriel Currie

Alonso's, Roland Park

I love burgers.
I love them at home, I love them at restaurants, I love them at other people's houses, I love them so much. 
But of course, I've been trying to be better about where I purchase my meat - so when I found out Alonso's gets their meat from Roseda Beef and Gunpowder Bison Trading Company, I happily skipped into the restaurant to get my meat on.

But here is where I got confused, and where I will take a food detour for a second. 

Why are Alonso's and Loco Hombre two different restaurants, but basically one?  They have the same website, same owners, share the same kitchen AND bar....and yet they are technically two restaurants.  You can even order from one restaurant and eat it in the other.  I don't really know what that's all about...but it's confusing.  I think it could easily be one restaurant.  Alonso's is clearly the bar side of the restaurant, whereas Loco Hombre is the fancier sit down side.  This could be easily arranged, people - start cracking!

But anyway, Dan and I sat at the bar in Alonso's and I ordered a lovely Sangria ($6) (from Loco Hombre's menu) and some AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGG Corn and Crab Flautas ($10) (also from Loco Hombre's menu).  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try the flautas:

I love the crispy tortillas and the combination of crab and corn.  There really is something for everyone with this appetizer.  Also, the sangria was great too - lots of fruit and just enough sweetness.  Very refreshing.  Next time l want to order the Hibiscus Margarita ($9) - doesn't that sound fancy and fun!?!?!

I ordered the 8oz Bison Burger ($13) which came with cheddar cheese, grilled portabella mushrooms and a creamy horseradish sauce.  Personally, I thought the horseradish sauce added no extra flavor, so I would probably leave that off next time - but everything else was magnificent.  The bison meat was juicy and I love the flavor and texture of the accompanying cheese and mushrooms.  This was quite a meal!  The fries were also great, but I couldn't eat too many because I was so full from my burger! 

Oh, by the way, for $2 extra, you can order a 1lb burger (which apparently used to be their only size!!!!), or you could pay $2 extra to make any 8oz burger with Bison ($4 extra for the 1lb burgers).

Dan ordered the 8oz Smokehouse Burger ($13) which came with BBQ sauce, applewood bacon, pepperjack cheese and sauteed onions.  He also loved his burger and said he was especially happy that they didn't douse it with the BBQ sauce, like many places do. 

So, would I go here again?  Absolutely.  The burgers were awesome, and I love that I can switch out any burger with bison meat (though Roseda is great too, but I love the lower fat content of bison!)  The flautas also introduced me to the fact that I would love Loco Hombre's food too, so I wouldn't mind giving them a try either! They also have a ton of food and drink specials as well throughout the week.

What's going on at B&O?????????

 

EXTRA! EXTRA!
This just in: La Verde Seis ON THE LOOSE

Earlier today, six individuals dressed in black chef coats commandeered the rooftop of the old B&O Railroad headquarters in downtown Baltimore that now houses The Hotel Monaco and B&O American Brasserie. One of the suspects, whose alias is “Pappa Duck,” has been identified as Chef E. Michael Reidt, the dashing and charismatic executive chef of the restaurant.  He was armed with what appears to be tomato and strawberry plants, along with endless boxes of seeds, including beets, carrots, kale and brussels sprouts.  With him, five others were seen, all armed and dangerous, holding bags of potting soil hostage on the west side of the roof.

In a dizzying and daring chain of events, the Head of Engineering for the Hotel Monaco was bribed with flatbreads to give the rebels access to the rooftop space, which is secured by two levels of stairs and multiple fire doors.  The accomplice was also spotted providing a 25-foot garden hose to provide the last missing piece of the operation.

It appears as though they had pre-planned this coup, as there were large storage containers and terra cotta pots recently placed on the roof for storage. It is not yet known what additional demands the renegade and his team have made, but it is believed they will release fresh vegetables and herbs to the second floor kitchen.  They have also claimed responsibility of a bold and daring mushroom garden discovered in the basement of the building earlier this morning as well as a strange glow light that appears to be growing micro greens in the exhibition kitchen of the restaurant.

They have not yet released any statements as to why they have started this covert operation but it is believed to be in honor of Earth Day.  The identity of the other six suspects was just released by hotel security. In fact, the masked accessories are Reidt’s known accomplices in the kitchen, all wanted for similar heinous crimes involving gardening: Julia Ning, Matt Kane, Will Cox, Thorin Peugh and Angela Anderson.

The full details of the valiant take over are still coming in, but it looks like B&O American Brasserie may start forcing its customers to actually eat food grown only feet from their plates. God help us all!




Got this from B&O today.  super cute! :)
And what a GREAT GREAT idea.  Definitely makes me want to go there!

Friday Morning Haiku

Tea and Crumpets, Please

Today is St. George's Day!

England's Patron Saint!!!

So am I doing anything special to celebrate the home land?  No, unfortunately not :(

In fact I ordered coffee today instead of tea.

I have yogurt and a banana for breakfast instead of crumpets.

And I am probably making tofu and asparagus instead of a roast chicken with roasted potatoes, yorkshire pudding, carrots and a side of mint jelly!

So instead I'll have a cup of tea this evening in my finest china and sip it with my pinky in the air. 

Kashi's Mayan Harvest Bake

In slightly Earth Day-ish fashion, I ate a vegan frozen meal today for lunch (this wasn't really planned....I was just running incredibly late this morning):  Mayan Harvest Bake by Kashi (I only eat Kashi and Amy's frozen meals because I can understand their ingredient list).

This was probably the best frozen meal I've ever eaten.  It was flavorful, filling and unusual, what more can you ask for when something is only 340 calories and comes on a plastic tray!?

According to the website it has "Plantains with roasted sweet potato, black beans and kale. Spicy ancho sauce with pumpkin seed garnish served over Kashi seven whole grain polenta, plus amaranth."

The plantains were sweet, the roasted potatoes were soft, and I apparently love polenta!  The spicy ancho sauce worked well with the sweetness of the plantains, and don't worry, it's not too spicy.

Overall, I thought this was great and I will definitely get this again and again. 

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Happy Earth Day!

I wish I could tell you that I am cooking an all-organic, all-vegetarian meal for my friends while we sit and eat by soy candle light......but I can't.  In fact, I'm being slightly anti-Earth Day because we are going to Andy Nelson's to celebrate Dan's birthday (he LOOOOOOVES that restaurant) and eat a lot of meat.  Feed-lot meat probably.  Michael Pollan would not be happy with me.

In all seriousness though, after all that I am learning and reading about the meat industry, I sometimes wonder about becoming a vegetarian.  But then Dan talks about grilling and I snap out of my crazy dreams.  Who am I kidding?  I LOVE meat.  But perhaps I can be a little bit better about the meat that I choose, and perhaps I can eat less, especially since the meat industry is terrible for the environment.***  So I've been eating vegetarian lunches and even cooking more vegetarian dinners!  I consider it a success that Dan hasn't noticed.... yet :)

Is anyone doing anything today or this weekend to celebrate Earth Day?  Planning on attending any Earth Day activities? 



***In a 2006 report, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concluded that worldwide livestock farming generates 18% of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions — by comparison, all the world's cars, trains, planes and boats account for a combined 13% of greenhouse gas emissions. Read more


Image by Henry3717

B&O American Brasserie is Celebrating Earth Day - April 22nd

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 22 (aka EARTH DAY), Chef E. Michael Reidt and B&O American Brasserie will celebrate at the restaurant.

“On any given day, I estimate that nearly half of the food we work with and serve at B&O American Brasserie is organic. I fully support the farm-to-table movement and I think it’s an important part of Earth Day,” said Chef Reidt. “Our commitment to organic and local food isn’t all we do to support a sustainable world. As a Kimpton Restaurant, we take part in their EarthCare program by using non-intrusive, high quality, eco-friendly products, ingredients and services.”

B&O American Brasserie will hand out seed packets to dinner guests and will give a complimentary glass of champagne to dinner guests who wear sneakers and walk to the restaurant (of course, this is based on the customer's honesty!) Additionally, B&O American Brasserie will educate guests and Facebook followers on how they can “go green” by posting tips throughout the restaurant and on their Facebook page.  Guests at the restaurant will also get to play a role by submitting their green tip for a chance to win a gift certificate from the restaurant.

In its day-to-day operation, B& O American Brasserie recycles everything from glass to cardboard to aluminum cans and paper. All of B&O American Brasserie’s menus, kitchen towels, to-go napkins and flatware are made from recycled materials and B&O American Brasserie has an in-house filtration system and sells liters of the in-house filtered Natura® Water in order to eliminate selling bottled water. The restaurant also offers an assortment of organic beverages including organic coffee and wines, is an advocate for environmentally friendly seafood and participates in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, pledging to buy seafood only from sustainable sources.

B&O American Brasserie
2 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201
443-692-6172

Icedgems Baking Cupcake Van - Driving to Happy Tummies Everywhere!

UPDATE 8/2010: I've tried a TON of flavors now, and without a doubt they are all amazing.  That being said, my absolute favorite is the Red Velvet Cupcake.  The cream cheese icing is just incredible.  I would seriously be happy if this van only carried Red Velvet Cupcakes to my house everyday.

There is a new food van in town - AND IT CARRIES CUPCAKES.  Delicious.  Amazing.  Cupcakes.

Icedgems Baking literally opened their van doors YESTERDAY and I managed to get some treats thanks to my lovely husband :)

And OH MY was I a happy camper.  These cupcakes ARE SPECTACULAR

Food Vans are a genius idea.  I love them. They have that wonderful element of surprise: you have to run out and get that treat because who knows when you will have it next!  And you can guarantee that I will be running out (or making Dan run out) to get some of these cupcakes whenever they are close by :)

Icedgems Baking Van carries 6 of their 17 flavors each day - and these cupcakes are made fresh DAILY.  I am not usually an icing fan - I'm one of those people who scrape away most of the icing and then just eat the cake - but not with these.   There's just something so creamy, sweet and light about the icing, and it pairs deliciously with the moist cake!

(Lemon Tang aka Lemon Tangmazingness)

Cupcakes I tried (yes.  I tried portions of them ALL.  I had a large mug of milk next to me!!!):
Vanilla Vanilla: Vanilla cake topped with buttercream flavored with pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla.  A great base cake.  The buttercream icing really shines here.
Chocolate Chocolate: Chocolate cake enriched with red cocoa and topped with Callebaut chocolate buttercream.  LOVED this.  There is something so great about the chocolate buttercream, and I love how this isn't overly sweet even though it's double chocolate!
Chocolate Vanilla: Chocolate cake from above and vanilla icing from above above :)  How can you go wrong with two greats?
Lemon Tang (pictured): Vanilla cake topped by a lemon infused buttercream with lemon zest.  I loooooove citrusy desserts, so this was right up my alley and I just adored it.  The lemon is a perfect compliment with the creamy icing.
Rocky Road: Chocolate cake filled with chunks of pecan, callebaut chocolate and marshallows and topped with buttercream blended with marshamallows.  You will love this one.  Trust me.  The chunks of chocolate in the cake was such a great surprise and the marshmallowy buttercream icing was a treat.

Can't wait to try more!  In fact, today they will offer their Red Velvet cupcake, so Dan has already been instructed to pick one out for me :)

I also tried their Million Dollar Shortbread (or Millionaire Shortbread?) which is a thick layer of shortbread, with a layer of caramel and a layer of hardened chocolate.  This is just plain decadent.  It's rich, crumbly and out-of-this-world!  It reminded me of a fancier version of that Christmas treat people make with the saltines, sugar, butter and chocolate.  A much much fancier version :)  As of yesterday they weren't selling these, according to Dan, but I sincerely hope they do!!!!

Pricing:
$2.50 - single cupcake
$12.50 - boxed half dozen
$24 - boxed dozen
ALSO, with a minimum order of 2 dozen cupcakes, they offer free delivery to your door within 20 miles of Reisterstown, MD!!!!!  Imagine the convenience of this when hosting parties or for baby showers and bridal showers etc.!

Contact:
443-690-7056
icedgemsbaking@gmail.com
www.icedgemsbaking.com
Become a fan of them on Facebook, and learn where they will be each day

Where are they today?  You can find them at 375 Padonia Road (corner of Padonia and Deereco Road) in Timonium between 10AM-2PM.  Let me know what you think if you go!





Legal Disclaimer: While getting a second helping of cupcakes yesterday for me to try, Dan told the owner that I wrote this blog so she very graciously gave us 6 cupcakes at a discounted rate and threw in the shortbread for free!  

Dairy Queen's Blizzard - Buy One Get One Cheap

Sorry I am getting this information so late - but to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Dairy Queen is offering us a deal on their Blizzards - Buy one get one for 25 cents! (any size, any flavor)

There are no coupons - just head to your local Dairy Queen and grab a treat for you and a friend between now and the 25th!

I haven't had a Blizzard in YEARS, but I remember I used to love them with either Heath Bar Crunch or crushed up Oreos.  Oh the delicious memories.

Ginza Japanese Steakhouse, Cockeysville

I love Japanese Steakhouses - the kind where chefs come and cook your meal right in front of you, providing you with endless entertainment of flying shrimp, onion volcanoes and knife throwing.

My favorite place to go is Ginza Japanese Steakhouse.  This place is neatly tucked into a strip mall in Cockeysville and faces strong competition from the well known chain Sakura just a couple of miles down the road.  I would choose Ginza over Sakura any day.  It's a smaller restaurant, and perhaps a little more worn but it has much more charm.  The hosts and chefs are incredibly pleasant and always willing to accomodate. 

Recently, I organized a dinner for about 13 of us for a friend's birthday and they brought out complimentary spring rolls and two tempura ice cream plates to share.  You choose the meat you like and then the meal comes with a light broth, salad with a creamy sauce, a couple of shrimp, fried rice, vegetables, and an orange for dessert!  All this for around $24 is a great deal (i *think* that's how much it was......my bad!)

If you don't want anything from the grill, sushi and other entrees are also an option.  I've never ordered anything other than from the grill, because I LOVE their fried rice and crispy vegetables, and the meat is always cooked to perfection.  This place is great, and really fun for a group!

A Tale of Two Lattes

Iced Mocha Lattes that is.

I love trying seasonal drinks.  You probably have figured that out by now, what with my pumpkin spiced latte frenzy and my hot chocolate obsession. 

And now, warm weather means Iced drinks and Smoothies.  Well, I already make my own iced tea, and in fact I make a really good iced coffee too....but I still don't make my own iced lattes....so I have to make do with buying them.

Recently I tried one from Peace and a Cup of Joe and also from Starbuck's. 

They were SO different.

The Iced Mocha Latte ($3 and something...) from PaaCoJ was **SO GOOD**.  Yelling in the streets good.  The coffee was perfectly roasted and went so well with the wonderfully sweet, but not-too-sweet, chocolate.  I slurped it hurriedly and happily.

The Starbuck's variety?  I took one sip and I almost threw it in the trashcan it was so terrible.  First of all, they didn't stir it, so all the chocolate went to the bottom.  I don't like that.  But since I saw the chocolate layer, I mixed it up myself without too much anger.  Secondly, it was so GRAINY tasting.  There was too much chocolate and it was grainy and gross and I literally HATED IT.  But it was $4, so I decided I would just suck it up (literally) and finish it.  Which is absolutely stupid if you think about it because I already paid for it...so it's not like I was going to get my money back.  But whatever.  I walked back to my office, stuck it on my desk and slurped it occasionally.  Then.  All of a sudden.  It was good.  It took about 25/30 mins to get good, and then I had a revelation.  Perhaps Starbuck's made these drinks to taste good once melted?  PaaCoJ?  Who knows how they taste after 25/30 minutes because you would have finished the entire thing in 5.

Did they do that on purpose?  Who knows.  But this is a good information!  If it's 100+ degrees outside and you are worried about all your ice in your iced latte melting before you have time to walk back to the office.....Starbuck's would actually be a good idea. 

But still, since I don't know whether they did that on purpose....I'm going to be cautious with ordering another one.  Anyway, why would I?  I just found Eden itself in the form of an Iced Mocha Latte at Peace and a Cup of Joe's.

Friday Morning Haiku

I can’t wait for May

The farm stands will be open

Fresh fruit and Veggies!!!!!!!

Let's Talk About Lunch

(This is not my sandwich, but oh man doesn't it look delicious!?!?!?!?!)

This month, one of my favorite websites The Kitchn is focusing on lunch, which made me think about my own lunches, and how boring I am :)  Ever since I got my breadmaker, I've been eating bread consistently for about two months.

This is what I had today AND everyday this week so far:
A sandwich that consisted of two slices of my homemade whole wheat bread, Wegman's Roasted Tomato Hummus (sooooo gooood!), mixed sprouts, cucumber and tomato.  It was delicious!  I also had a side of cut up strawberries.  Oh I just loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove strawberries!  I didn't pack enough though, so now I am slightly angry at myself.  For a snack, I have two clementines waiting for me. 

I try to pack a lunch everyday, and occasionally I will allow myself a treat and buy lunch, but that is usually once every other week.  This saves me a TON of money, and plus it helps me stay a bit healthier.  As you know from my posts, when I eat out, I tend to eat way more than I should.....so I try to reign that in.  Also, if I do eat out, I never pick Friday's because I usually eat out for dinner, so I don't want to eat too much in one day. 

What did you have for lunch today?  Do you usually have the same thing everyday, like me?  Or are you smart and try to mix it up :)

This Weekend: Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, Timonium State Fairground

This weekend is the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. This year they have more than 275 Artists displaying their genius for all to see! The fair will feature all sorts of mediums including: functional and decorative pottery, sculpture, glass, furniture and home décor, leather, fiber, and textiles, fine art and photography.

Oh yes. And some food vendors like these:
Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm (http://www.berkshiresweetgold.com/)
Ron & Franks Gourmet Beverage Mixes (http://ronandfranks.com/)
Bittersweet Herb Farm (http://www.bittersweetherbfarm.com/)
Leonard Mountain Specialty Foods (http://leonardmountain.com/)
Meadowcroft Farms (http://www.meadowcroftfarm.com/)
Deedee Desserts (http://deedeedesserts.com/)
d’marie Gourmet Foods (http://www.dmarieinc.com/)
The Toffee House (http://www.thetoffeehouse.com/)
Terra Verde Farms (http://terraverdefarms.com/)
Rising Sun Farms (http://www.risingsunfarms.com/)
I went last year and I had a blast walking around and seeing all the talent! I ended up buying this gorgeous piece from this one seller (I wish I remembered his name :o( ) who created tiny little pottery vases and cups and then framed them. The pieces are AWESOME and I absolutely love mine.

Admission: $7 when purchased online (www.SugarloafCrafts.com), $8 for adults at the door, and free for children under 12. Admission is good for all three days, and free parking is available. Also, check out the coupons here: http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/festivals/timon/spring/coupon.html

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17 from 10AM-6PM
Sunday, April 18 from 10AM-5PM
Maryland State Fairgrounds,
2200 York Road, Timonium MD 21093
www.facebook.com/sugarloafcrafts

Michael Pollan at Goucher

I saw Michael Pollan speak last night at Goucher College and not only was he interesting, but surprisingly funny too!  He spoke a lot about being mindful of what you eat.  I like that idea a lot, and it is something I constantly strive to do - but just as he admits, good, healthy food can often be expensive.  This is something that just needs to change institutionally. 

I took a lot of notes during the lecture and left feeling like I wanted to immediately drive up to my local farm and buy a whole cow- but what I thought about the most was what he said about eating out.  He said that if he eats out, he will only eat fish or vegetarian dishes since he does not eat meat from feed lots.  He will eat meat if the restaurant specifically lists the (grass fed) farm they use. 

This is definitely something that has been popping up in the last couple of years with Woodberry Kitchen, The Dogwood, B-Bistro (any others that you know of?), and the popularity of bison from Gunpowder Bison.  As Michael Pollan said - we are casting a vote everytime we purchase something.  I would much rather my vote be cast on meat that has been raised close by.

Oh, one thing that really made my night?  He agreed that Chipotle is a great fast food business since it usually chooses local suppliers for their meats.  YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, just my two cents.  Anyone else see the lecture?  What did you think?

Ralphie's Pizza, Cockeysville

In Cockeysville, Ralphie's Pizza is best known for its late hours - on Friday and Saturday night they are open until 3:30AM!!!!  The menu features everything you would want after a late night at the bars - pizza, burgers, subs, fries, etc....you name it.  (Though, I have to say one late night my burger was NOT that good.......though it was pretty late so perhaps they should be forgiven.....but probably not).

That being said, it shouldn't be overlooked when ordering pizza at a normal hour.  The pizza here is good.  Greasy, cheesy, and a tad bit of spice in the sauce - this is the kind of pizza I want to eat when I feel like having a lazy evening at home or even when I'm watching the Superbowl.  

  

And, they have a ton of different specials:
On Sun, Mon and Tues (Pick Up Only):
12" Cheese for $4.99
16" Cheese for $5.99
18" Cheese for $6.99

Lunch Specials, 7 days a week, 11AM-3PM
Free 12oz soda with the purchase of any Sub
Two 18" slices and a 12 oz soda for $4.50

Just something to think about if you're in the area and hankering for a good old slice of cheese pizza.

Friday Evening Haiku

I can't believe I already forgot I wanted to start a Friday Morning Haiku tradition!

OK, Friday Evening Haiku it will have to be:

My Allergies Suck

Sometimes I Think I am Sick

But Then My Eyes Itch

California Tortilla, Inner Harbor

Yesterday I went to California Tortilla for a quick lunch and Iordered the Southwestern Chicken salad:  lettuce, grilled chicken, guacamole, tomatoes, Monterey jack cheese, corn, cilantro, tortilla strips and your choice of dressing - I chose the Honey Lime dressing.

Overall it was exactly what I wanted to eat for a lunch salad - the ingredients were fresh, there was plenty of chicken and the guacamole was tasty.  I liked the dressing too, which was a creamy style dressing and had a lot of flavor.  In fact, I followed the advice of Biggest Loser and dipped my fork into it first before eating, instead of dumping it all on the salad.

I'll definitely be back...it will be hard to order anything else since this was so satisfying!

A Taco Related Confession

(image by Zsuzsanna Kilian)

So I have another confession to make.  I made taco seasoning for the first time last night.

Yes, that means that I've only used the McCormick Taco Seasoning Packets for all my homemade Taco meals :( :( :(   I am ASHAMED.  I think this is worse than me just making Iced Tea for the first time....

Anyway, yesterday I was in the middle of preparing dinner when I realized I didn't have a taco seasoning packet!  So I got out my Joy of Cooking book and rifled through for something similar and followed some of their directions (they wanted me to add tomato sauce....which I did not want to do)...here is what I did:

Super Easy Taco Seasoning!!!!
(adapated from Joy of Cooking)

1lb of ground meat (I used turkey)
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander

yay so easy!  so delicious!  I will never buy those stupid packets again.  I am sooo embarrassed that it was this easy :)

Jay Caragay on the Front Page on CNN!

Wow! Good job, Jay! You made it to the front page of CNN with this article!

Jay Caragay just opened up Spro, a coffee shop in Hampden, and also has a location in the Towson library. I know him from good old Jay's Shaved Ice in Timonium which I used to LOOOOOVE in high school (until it sadly closed!)

I haven't been to Spro yet, but I'm sure this is going to help him gain a ton of publicity for his new place!

Spro Coffee Hampden
851 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-243-1262

Spro Coffee Towson
320 York Road
Towson, MD 21204
410-296-0023

Macaroni Grill, Timonium

Are you against eating out at Chain restaurants? I know a lot of people are. My only issue with them is that eating out can be expensive – and I honestly would rather pay for a meal at a place I’ve never been before and/or a local restaurant (especially in the suburbs where there aren’t many). However, Macaroni Grill has never been a chain that I’ve complained about because I have generally liked their food.

But then the astonishing happened – they went and changed their menu. I swear it’s smaller….and it’s just not as good. Remember the create-your-own pasta option? Don’t bother looking for pesto sauce – it’s gone. Don’t bother asking for olives either, because they don’t serve those. No olives…..seriously?

Macaroni Grill, what happened to you?

Dan ordered the Margherita Pizza ($7.99) and it was too soggy, mostly because it was just loaded with too many tomatoes.

I ordered their Beef Tenderloin Spiedini – skewered beef with fresh rosemary served with roasted vegetables ($13.99), which actually wasn’t too bad though I was still grumpy because my favorite entrée was also gone from the menu – the orzo salad with spinach. WHYYYYY!?!?!?!

Either way, I can’t imagine wanting to go back again – especially now that there are other Italian places around me that I enjoy so much, like Strapazza’s. Also – Basta Pasta has opened near me, so perhaps I should try that as well? Anyone gone there recently?

Catching Up!

Just a couple of tidbits of foodie info:

1. Fellow blogger and baker extraordinaire, Mary Lynn Allen, teaches various baking classes at Kaleidoscope in Roland Park Country School. On April 10th she's teaching a Cupcake Class from 1-4:30pm. Click on the Kaleidoscope link to register.

*****I've eaten one of Mary's cupcakes before and I'm not going to lie - I still think about how delicious it was, and it was months ago. She'd be great to learn from!

2. Milan will begin to offer brunch, starting April 4th from 11am-3pm. The menu isn't available yet, but will be uploaded to their website sometime next week.

3. The Fresh Market will be offering a free cooking demonstration for their Mango, Pork and Pineapple Tacos with Avocado Cream and a side of Red Quinoa and Poblano Salad

2510 Quarry Lake Drive, Owings Mills - April 17th, 3-6pm

2504 Solomons Island Road, Annapolis - April 24th, 3-6pm

Pollo Amigo, Towson

Thanks to the review from fellow food blogger and friend from World of Eats, I couldn't wait to try Pollo Amigo. And very similar to his review, I thought for $6.95, 1/4 of a chicken and two sides can't be beat, not to mention the chicken itself was flavorful and moist!

I warn you however, DON'T be like me and order the plantains AND fried yucca for your sides - you'll be yearning for something other than starch! I thought the yucca was absolutely excellent, so definitely stick with that and maybe opt for the salad as well.

I will absolutely come again and order this chicken! I'm going to take full advantage of the fact that I have a yummy Peruvian chicken place near me :)

Friday Morning Haiku

Spring is here to stay

Crocuses, I see you now!

Purple-y and sweet

New Header!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you see my new header???? My fabulous fellow blogger Minx from Baltimore designed it for me, without me even asking! I think it's super awesome!!!!!! I literally have ZERO photoshop skills, so I was just going to keep it as a Blogger template indefinitely :)

Just in case, here are all the blogs that she writes!!!! She's just all over the place, I love it!

Minxeats - Baltimore food blog!

Opalescent - fashion, beauty and fragrance blog

All Top Chef

Blogging Bravo

Minx Bead Jewelry

Her Etsy Store!

Thanks again :)