Kalamazoo Foodies

"Souper" Bowl Food Stuff

2012-02-05T10:01:00.002-05:00

Paul and I are going to a "Souper" Bowl Party today. Yes, that's right... everyone is bringing soup. Except us. You can't have just soup, right? So, here is what we are contributing to the menu...

Kitchen Aid Sixty-Minute Dinner Rolls

Deep Dish Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

We will be sure to report out on the football/food extravaganza.

What are you making for this Super Bowl Sunday?

Foodies at Home: Anne Burrell's Turkey Burgers

2012-01-29T19:45:00.002-05:00

Ok... I am seriously not joking. These were literally the best turkey burgers both Paul and I had ever had. We sat and watched Anne Burrell make them on "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" on MUTE, and still thought, 'um, those look amazing. We have ground turkey, right?' And, we did. So, after a very quick trip to the grocery store, Paul started creating these masterpieces.

The flavors layer well, and are so complex but so comforting at the same time. I don't often find myself at a loss for words on describing food, but I honestly don't know what else I can say.

We served them on slimwich buns (I would recommend something heartier) with a little bit of Boston lettuce and some tomato slices. So simple. And, so amazing.

Click here to get the recipe for yourself... you won't regret it!

Foodies at Home: BAT Sandwich

2012-01-16T09:38:00.005-05:00

Holy one month, Batman! Where did the time go? I apologize, Foodie fans, for being so absent from the blog scene for a whole month! In addition to the holidays, and the start of a new quarter at school, there have been some other things keeping me from my usual Foodie self that I will talk about at a later date.

Anyway, in the sake of getting SOMETHING out there, I decided that I would blog about my new favorite, at-home sandwich. It is so simple, but so amazing. If you haven't tried this yet, you really need to.

So, without further ado.... The BAT (Bacon, Arugula, Tomato) Sandwich.

Yes, that's right, bacon, ARUGULA, and tomato. It's a lot like your standard BLT but SO MUCH BETTER. So, I thought I would share some tips to make an epically amazing BAT sandwich.

The bread

This is no place to skimp on bread. As with most things, the quality of the ingredients will effect the quality of the whole dish. I recommend you head to the bakery section of your grocery store, or, heck, head to your local bakery for some fresh bread. My favorites so far are sourdough and multigrain varieties. And, you want to go thick with the break. It is a bit of a hearty sandwich. You need to hold it together. I highly recommend toasting it, just lightly, as well.

The bacon

This is also not a place to skimp. I am not saying you need to buy top notch bacon, I mean, come on, its bacon, BUT, you do want something with a thicker cut. We like making ours with peppered bacon. It adds a layer of complexity to the sandwich that takes it over the top.

The arugula

Really, there is not much you could do to go off course here. Arugula is available in both the organic section and the pre-packaged lettuce/salad section of my grocery store. I prefer the organic stuff, of course, but haven't noticed a big difference in flavor.

The tomato

Though we are typically roma/plum tomato buyers, I prefer something a little bigger and meatier for our BATs. Something that you can get a good sized slice out of. But, that's just me.

The extras

Because the ingredients of this sandwich work together so well, there is very little extra that needs to be added. BUT, we add some herbed mayo that Paul mixes up. He takes light mayonnaise and mixes in considerable amounts of fresh ground black pepper, oregano, basil, and dill. We have found that we much prefer it to have herbed mayo on both sides of the sandwich. It adds a little creaminess and just a touch more flavor that compliments the other stuff.

You have probably already tried this. And, hopefully, agree with me on its amazingness. If you haven't, I highly recommend it. It makes for a really easy and tasty dinner on a night when you need to throw something together quickly. And, you might have a bunch of these ingredients already in your fridge.

ENJOY!

Fat Girl in a Skinny Girl's Body

2011-12-16T16:22:00.003-05:00

This seems totally blog appropriate, since it is food related. Right? Or is this a total stretch?

Anyway, there was a part of my life when I was overweight. How that part of my life managed to be while I was attending college as a dance major, I am not sure, but that is how it was. Fast forward to grad school, not in a dance program, where I wasn't dancing 40 hours a week, and more weight started to pile on. At some point, I realized I was unhappy with how I looked and felt and needed to do something about it. So, I did.

I started running, which was SO hard to get into. I ran a 5K, then a 10K, then a half marathon. I also started paying attention to what I ate, and not just watching it go to my mouth. I became aware of calories and balance, and all that jazz. And, what do you know, the weight started coming off. And, the best part, it got easier to keep it off.

So, here I am four years after that journey began. 30 pounds lighter and in the best shape of my life. And, I don't have to pay as close attention to what I eat now, because I have built better habits. And, Denise Austin and I have a date almost every morning, in my living room, and we work out together. And, I feel great.

BUT, despite all that, I still feel like a fat girl. I still look in the mirror and see my round belly, and my large hips, and the extra stuff here and there. I know I could, safely and healthily lose more, but I don't think that is the issue. Because, there are parts of my body that I look at and love. My calves are slim and trim and toned. I love the definition on my arms. And, I think I am OK with not having washboard abs. But, some days, it is the same fat girl starring back at me.

Sometimes people will call me skinny. Or say something about how thin I am. And, it throws me for a loop. They can't possibly be talking about me. I am a fat girl.

I have fought the fat and won. Now I need to fight my mind and win. And, say, "YES! I am the trim, fit girl that others see!" And, just smile when someone uses a word like "skinny" to describe me. Right? That's what needs to happen now.

Has anyone else faced this or something like it? What did you do to combat it?

Salt of the Earth (Fennville, MI)

2011-12-10T19:00:00.004-05:00

Kate: Wood Oven Triple Cream Cheddar, Aged Cheddar Pierogies, Chicken Bolognese with Fried Brussels, and Wood Fired Toasted S'more

Paul and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Hard to believe it has been a year already. And, we decided we needed to treat ourselves to a special night out. So, we fretted for a few days on where we would go for this special night. And, at the last minute, we landed on Salt of the Earth in Fennville, MI. We have been wanting to try this place for months. We had heard from some friends that it was incredible, AND, it was featured on the Food Network (I can't recall which show) which intrigued us even more.

So, we got dressed up (and were kind of overdressed, we realized) and hit the road for the 50ish minute drive to Fennville.

QUICK NOTE: I do not have any photos from this meal. I am very sorry. Since it was a special night for us, I did not want to interrupt it with photo taking. Plus, I think it drives Paul crazy when I take photos of food in the restaurants. So, you will have to use your imagination. Sorry!

Fennville is a small Michigan town. And, Paul and I were both surprised to learn that this eatery had opened there. In all fairness, we don't know a whole lot about Fennville, other than what we have learned driving through on our way to Saugatuck. The downtown area is charming. It was all decorated for the holidays when we were there this weekend. And, Salt of the Earth is nestled in the heart of downtown.

We entered the waiting and counter area (it is a bakery as well, and they sell bread from the front of the restaurant) and were seated right away. We arrived around 7 pm on a Saturday. And, it was just in time.

The decor is rustic. Beautiful exposed brick walls. Simple, Americana type artwork sparingly spaced throughout the space. And, a warm cozy feeling inside. The playlist has a rotation of mostly Michigan musicians with great sounds, including one of our favorites, The Ragbirds! The serving staff dresses casually in jeans and flannel shirts. Which actually mirrors what a lot of the diners were wearing. Again, we were a bit overdressed in this scenario.

As you can see by our menu above. We went all out. Two appetizers. Entrees. And, dessert. And, honestly, I was full, comfortably full, not food baby full. The portions are generous but not huge, other than the dessert, which was gigantic and took us TWO sittings to eat.

So, the meal...

The appetizers arrived at our table, and my first bite of triple cream cheddar was like a dream. The cheddar is melted over a piece of housemade sourdough bread and served with apple pieces and caramelized onions. The cheddar was probably the best I have ever had. It was perfectly complex and still creamy and light. This was a perfect starter.

We also had the pierogies. Which were also amazing. I preferred the other starter over this one a bit, while Paul was smitten with the pierogies. They were filled with potato and aged cheddar (but not an overwhelming amount to make it seem like we were about to cheddar ourselves out!). Served with sour cream, scallions, and buttered cabbage. Actually, I thought there was a bit too much sour cream. It really overwhelmed my first bite of this dish. The cabbage was wonderful. And, once I was able to spread out the sour cream, I was really pleased with this dish.

And, then came our entrees. Paul ordered the Grilled Hanger Steak, so sadly, I didn't get to sample his dish. But, that was alright, because my dish was really pretty incredible. My dish had homemade pappardelle pasta with free-range chicken, house bacon, local pork shoulder, fresh tomato, basil, and romano cheese. The smokey flavor made this dish a bit richer than I was expecting, but not in a bad way at all. The noodles were cooked to the perfect texture. And, the basil was hidden throughout and provided a nice surprise when found in a bite. Again, the meat was rich and smokey and made this a delectable treat. Though I would like to try something else on their menu on the next visit, I would absolutely order this again!

But, the star of the entree was the side. The fried brussels. Um. Oh my gosh! This was, I think, one of the best things I have ever eaten. Fried brussels sprouts with house bacon and balsamic. This dish was perfection. Every bite was incredible. Even those that don't like brussels sprouts (our server included) will fall for this dish. It is their house specialty, and you can easily see why. The sweet sharpness of the balsamic pairs with the bitterness of the sprouts, and the bacon is just hidden in, hardly detected. But, you know it is important in this dish. I really could have ordered three dishes of these, and just eaten those for dinner. They were absolutely incredible. The fried brussels were the star of this meal! No doubt!

And them came dessert. Holy cow! What a dessert. Also their specialty, the Wood Fired Toasted S'mores are a masterpiece. The base of the dessert is a graham cracker crumb cake that, on its own, would be incredible. Serve that with milk chocolate pudding, salted caramel sauce, and a giant housemade marshmallow, and you have perfection. Every bite was a little different as you found different layers of the dessert, and every bite made you want to go back for more. We really had to force ourselves to stop, because we didn't want to be uncomfortable on our drive home. So, we have our server pack it up to go. And, actually, thought it was even better the next day, re-heated in the microwave. Really!

Our server, Janet, was super friendly. Super helpful. And, really made this experience incredibly memorable. She made fantastic recommendations, and even put a candle in our dessert and wished us a 'happy anniversary' when she brought it to our table!

I don't think either of us are kidding when we say this might be the single best restaurant meal and experience we've ever had. And, honestly, for the price tag (which wasn't that bad, especially for a special occasion) it could not have been more worth it.

Stop what you are doing now, and go to Salt of the Earth. You will thank me!

http://saltoftheearthfennville.com/

This one is OFF the FORKS CHARTS!

Foodies on Vacay: Espana (Fernandina Beach, FL)

2011-12-06T18:00:00.014-05:00

Welcome to our very first Guest Blogger, Miss Niki V.! Niki and I met at a conference held in Amelia Island, Florida. After we quickly established our mutual love of food... we decided to grab a meal together. And, here are both of our takes on that experience!

Kate and Niki's menu for the evening: Goat Cheese Salad-that evening's special (with goat cheese medallions, beet chips and caramelized onions and curried mustard vinaigrette), Gambas Costa Brava (Shrimp sauteed with spicy homemade piri piri and brown sauce), and Tortilla Espanola (layers of thin sliced potatoes, roasted vegetables, and cheese stacked and bonded with a seasoned egg mixture).

Niki's Take

It was great to dine with my new friend Kate downtown. We worked with our great concierge, Gary on choosing a great spot, but nothing too filling because we had an epic lunch. After walking around in some kitschy shops, we found ourselves in quaint, festive Espana.

They had us at goat cheese! We both had to give the goat cheese, beet chips, caramelized onion and romaine salad a try. I chose mine with balsamic vinaigrette and it was just delicious. The cheese had a nice effect on the rest of the salad and two round patties were just enough to have a little flavor in every bite. The beets were a little chewy but gave a nice saltiness to the overall dish. Our bowls were empty not before long.

For our next course, we chose to split (2) tapas plates – (1) potato tortilla and (1) spicy shrimp. I liked the tortilla, but found it to be a little bland. Being layered potatoes and a little egg, there wasn’t much flavor but the shrimp more than made up for that. It was sautéed in this delicious butter, olive oil, pepper and onion broth that was perfect to spoon and eat on its own. We each had (4) shrimp, which I thought was a nice, generous serving. We dipped some bread into the sauce and that was just perfect and the bread was fresh too!

We skipped dessert knowing that we had infamous “Ritz Carlton s’mores” coming our way and soon left to get to our bonfire. It was a great meal with a new wonderful friend. I’m really glad that we got to share good food and stories.

Kate's Take

Niki has summed up our experience so well, there is little to add. But, you know me, I will try!

I opted for curried honey mustard vinaigrette that came with the salad. And, boy, am I glad I did. I think Niki missed out (sorry, Niki!). It really brought the salad together so nicely. The creaminess of the goat cheese, with the crispiness of the beets, and the crunch of the romaine made this a textural masterpiece. Flavor wise, you had the softness of the cheese, the bite of the onions, and then the dressing which stole the show. I could have eaten three of these salads. Honestly. It was complex in all the right ways, and very satisfying. Thank goodness for amazing salads!

I have to agree with Niki on her take of the Tortilla Espanola. I was a bit disappointed. There really wasn't much flavor to this dish. And, texturally, it was pretty bland. So, that was a bit of a miss. BUT, the shrimp more than made up for it. The perfect blend of heat and flavor. And the shrimp were fresh caught that morning. Wow! They were yummy. The fresh bread was the perfect medium to sop up the extra sauce (which we both agreed would have been delicious on pasta!).

The staff at Espana were very helpful (making recommendations and sharing some information about the restaurant) and the ambiance was perfect for a beach town spot. I would love to go back to this spot when I have a bit more of an appetite and dive into some of the amazing looking entrees that are on this menu. We were told that you can get fresher seafood that you can here!

And, I am so thankful to have been able to share this meal with a new friend who also has an appreciation of good food. It truly was a lovely evening!

http://espanadowntown.com/

four golden forks out of five.

A Thanksgiving Photo Essay

2011-11-24T15:00:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving was upon us, and Paul and I were on our own this year, so we decided to make some of favorites, stay in our pajamas all day, watch football, and be thankful for each other. So, I made many pies, far more than the two of us could eat (but, it's alright, I took them to my co-workers. They were meant for sharing!), we cleared off the dining room table (finally!), had the Mumford and Sons station on LastFM playing, and had ourselves a lovely meal!

Here is what we ate:

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Lasagna (See also Epic Feast Weekend)
Roasted Chicken (taken from the Roasted Chicken and Herbed Waffle Recipe with some tweaks)
Apple Pie (from my old cookbook with a combination of Granny Smith and Macintosh Apples!)
Pecan Pie (I oven roasted the pecans before I put them in! YUM!)
Pumpkin Pie (recipe off the back of the can. NOT A GOOD ONE. Need a new pumpkin pie recipe!)
And delicious white wine

Side note: Paul got me a new camera for my Chrisaversary (our anniversary is December 11th so we are combining gifts) present. So, stay tuned for some better, not blurry, photos! YAY!

Foodies at Home: Holiday Cookie Extravaganza #1

2011-11-12T12:02:00.004-05:00

As you may have picked up on... I work at a College. And, have many students that I work closely with. I wanted to do something nice for them for the holidays, but on a limited budget, that can be a challenge. So, I decided to bake some of my favorite holiday treats, and give them each a little treat box.

I can't believe, well, really I can, how well these went over. The fact that I spent time to make each little item showed them how much I care about them. Because, I really do. So, here are the cookies that I made, and recipes for almost all of them!

The Cookies I made (from the top of the plate clockwise):
Sugar Cookies with Icing
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Candy Cane Cookies
Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

And, here are the recipes/a few notes:

Sugar Cookies with Icing

Sorry Foodie Fans... I can't share this one. This is a family recipe that my aunt passed down to me for my birthday this year. I have to protect it. I really am sorry. But, trust me, this cookies are amazing, and a huge hit wherever they go!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These treats were pretty darn easy to make and were SO good. The only issue with them is that they need to be refrigerated (because of the cream cheese frosting) which is a challenge when trying to give them out. But, they are so very good. You really want to make them, I promise. Even my non-pumpkin liking husband liked them!

Candy Cane Cookies

But, these don't look like candy canes, you may be thinking. Well, that's because I change this recipe a bit, and don't want to deceive. The original recipe calls for peppermint extract. I, as a HUGE almond fan, sub that out for almond extract. Trust me. These are tasty. BUT, I don't like to make them look like candy canes, and have people expecting them to taste like mint. I do often make two batches, one regular, and one almond. This time, I just made the almond ones. Try them. You will not be able to stop!

Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

I discovered this recipe several months ago on one of the blogs I follow, How Sweet It Is. I thought, 'I'll give these a try' one weekend when I was home and wanting to bake, and Paul and I were blown away. These are AWESOME. They are just peanut buttery enough. And, the puffy centers are amazing! Plus, they are pretty darn easy too!

Happy holiday baking, Foodie Friends! And, stay tuned for another Cookie/Treat post with some of my other favorites!

Foodies at Home: Epic Feast Weekend!

2011-11-06T19:42:00.007-05:00

That's right... Epic Feast (yes, that is absolutely an Office reference) weekend! For some reason, I got the cooking bug, and wanted to have some fun in the kitchen. I have been working a lot lately, and Paul has been the primary dinner preparer... so I decided it was my turn, and that is was going to be unforgettable. And, that it was. I scoured my Google Reader starred items for recipes I have tagged over the past few months and chose a few that I thought would be a little bit challenging and would blow us both out of the water. And, I think I won!

ROUND 1: Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Lasagna

This one grabbed my attention immediately. But, took a little convincing on Paul's end, since those are not his favorite ingredients. (And, note... I used regular lasagna noodles, not whole wheat. That was our compromise). But, boy are we BOTH glad we gave this one a try. It is rich, sinful almost, creamy, savory, there is a touch of sweetness. It is so complex, yet so comforting.

I am pretty well aware of the fact, that this is likely in no way, shape or form good for you. But, the nutrients from the squash and sweet potatoes have to be worth something. There is a lot of cheese. But, man, for a special occasion or dinner party, this dish is worth the time (which wasn't too much) and will certainly impress. I stuck to the recipe pretty closely (except for the noodles) and didn't so much measure the salt, pepper, and nutmeg, but this was perfection. The one hiccup... I didn't buy the specifically "no boil" noodles, and some of the noodles were a bit tough, but it was totally a forgivable issue.

ROUND 2: Roast Chicken and Herb Waffles

How could you go wrong with this combination? Chicken, great. Waffles, awesome. Herbs, fantastic. Put them all together, and... PERFECTION. Again, I only went slightly off recipe (I stuffed the chicken with sliced lemon and garlic cloves and put the lemon juice and spices under the skin as well as on it), but mostly, I stayed the course. Oh, and the chicken needed to roast for WAY longer (at least 30 minutes) than the recipe said. So, be prepared for that. In other words... don't start this when you are starving. It will take a while.

But, I have to say, this meal was utter success. The chicken was tender, juicy, full of flavor (the skin was a bit (OK, REALLY) salty, but we shouldn't eat that anyway, right? You could absolutely tell that the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken infused it with flavor. The waffles were the right blend of sweet (like a waffle should be) but savory as well from the herbs. I used parsley, chives, Greek oregano and some rosemary for ours. All fresh. I could probably have let them cook a little longer, but I was ready to eat by that point. We ate this with Dijon mustard. Grab a little chicken with the fork, then a piece of waffle, then dip it in the mustard... SO GOOD. And, it really wasn't that difficult to make.

And, I am not kidding, but Paul said this while we were eating it... "This is possibly one of the best meals I have ever had!" (And he is probably really excited that I actually posted this picture!)

ROUND 3: Herb Waffles with Marscapone Bacon Glaze/Spread

OK, that's right... there were waffles left. So we decided to eat them for brunch on Sunday. But, what could we do to make them more brunch-y? How about add the frosting from the Bacony Breakfast Cupcakes we love so much? It's marscapone, maple syrup, and bacon. How could those things NOT work with these herb waffles.

And, it sure did! Holy cow! Perhaps one of my favorite brunches I have ever had! We served it with sliced strawberries (so there was some redeeming quality to the meal) and chowed down. I maybe over did it a little (this girl CAN NOT put away three waffles... just so you know) but every bite was heavenly. And, we didn't have to re-make waffles. We just froze them overnight then Paul toasted them in the toaster. YAY!

Round 4: Roast Chicken WITH Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Lasagna

I know, I know. We are taking this a bit far. But, it was Epic Feast Weekend! For dinner on Sunday... the leftover chicken with the leftover lasagna. And, they worked. Well together! So, I totally recommend making all of these things in one weekend! And, I think I only gained a pound or two! :)

Erbelli's Gourmet Pizzeria, Italian Bistro, and Pub

2011-10-29T15:00:00.007-04:00

Kate: Side salad with Greek Dressing, Classic Margarita Pizza, and Be Careful Not to Choke Pepperoni Shocker

OK. I know, I know. People have been telling us to go to Erbelli's for years, literally, years. And, we have wanted to check it out. It's just that it seemed like it was kind of out of the way. Well, now that we have been there, I can promise you, that is ABSOLUTELY no excuse. This place is a very worthy of the 6 awards they just won in the Kalamazoo Gazette's "Reader's Choice" awards. Seriously. (Check the article out here).

Any way, my folks were coming into town for the weekend, and we had an afternoon to kill, so we decided to head over to Erbelli's and check it out with them. So, off we went for a late lunch, with a coupon from our Super Book in hand! And, we were ready to attack this food. Oh, and I should give a shout out to Mr. Brian Dietz (my boss) who has been telling Paul and I to check out Erbelli's for quite some time. He was very glad to hear we finally made it over there. So, thank you, Mr. Dietz, for the recommendation.

We walked in and were met by the friendly hostess. (Note: one of the Reader's Choice awards they won was Friendliest Staff... well deserved). She took us back through the charming dining room, not at all what I was expecting, and sat us in a booth. Though, I had looked over the menu online before, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed as I had it in my hands... There are a lot of options. Sandwiches, salads, gourmet pizzas, a whole vegetarian pizza section, and more and more. Our coupon was for two pizzas, so we decided to share. Mom and I ordered the Margarita and Paul and dad went for the Pepperoni Shocker, which was no shocker at all. We also ordered side salads, because, well, we were pretty hungry at that point, and this was late lunch/early dinner, so that seemed ok.

Upon our server's suggestion, we went with the Greek dressing for the side salad. The perfect choice. Most of their dressings are house made, expect for their house (Ranch!?!) which is odd. The salad was nothing special. Mostly iceberg lettuce with mozzarella cheese, tomato, and croutons, but the dressing made this something I will likely crave. The perfect blend of herbs. Not too oily or greasy. Light. Yum! Man, my mouth is starting to water now that I think about it.

And, then, it was pizza time. Mom and I started working on the Margarita, while Paul and dad attacked the Pepperoni Shocker, appropriately I do believe. Sadly (and epic fail on my part) my the batteries in my camera died before I could get a picture of the Margarita. And, I was pretty hungry, so I just dove it. But, as Margarita's go, it was pretty standard. A little wet, perhaps (thanks to the tomatoes) but the flavor was great. The right blend of garlic and olive oil and basil. The crust was the right balance of crispy and chewy (not too much, but some of both), and, in all honesty, it was gone pretty fast. I am pretty sure, in fact, I am positive, that I ate more than my half. Now, I think the Park Street Pizza (check out that blog post here) is still my favorite Margherita) but this was darn good. And available here where I live.

BUT, Paul and dad's pizza, was, well, pretty incredible. Now, I am not a pepperoni eater. It's almost more on principle than anything at this point. I had an evolution of carnivorism. I started as a full meat eater, then went to a full vegetarian. Over the years, I have added chicken, turkey, seafood, and some pork back into my diet. But, I am still weird with the pork products (I just recently started eating bacon) and I have maintained my no beef status since about 1995. But, the looks on Paul's and dad's faces as they ate this pizza pie, made me want to at least take a bite. And, I did. And, it was epic, amazing, awesome and any other cliched word you can think of. Pan crust, again the perfect combination of chewy and crispy, with the crispiest of crispy pepperonis. I didn't even pay attention to the cheese (sorry!) because the rest of the pizza was so good.

I don't know that I will have this particular pizza again ( I still don't feel good about the pepperoni eating), but I WILL go back to Erbelli's and will try many of the other pizzas. It is absolutely clear why Erbelli's was awarded so many Reader's Choice awards. This place is family friendly, delicious, and worth the drive, wherever you are coming from!

http://www.erbellis.com/

Thanks for visiting, mom and dad! Love you lots! XOXO!

five golden forks out of five

Foodies at Home: Bacony Breakfast Cupcakes

2011-10-15T10:03:00.002-04:00

That's right. I said "bacon". And, I said "cupcakes".

And, I am pretty sure you want to try these. They aren't super hard to make. And, they are WAY better with real bacon (as opposed to the turkey bacon I used the first time I made them).

You can find the recipe here on the Food Network's website. I think you want to make them. Wait, no! I know you want to!

Here is another photo to taunt you!

Happy eating! :)

Foodies at Home: Challah!

2011-10-08T21:00:00.002-04:00

That's right... I made challah! Now, keep in mind, this was my first attempt, but, it sure tasted like challah, even if it looked a little crazy!

It was actually easier than I thought it would be, though the braiding process was frustrating. Thankfully, the recipe I was using was loaded with photos to walk you through.

I also maybe got a little ahead of myself and decided that my first batch of challah was going to be a fruit challah. Which, I am SURE made this process way more difficult.

That said, it was delicious. And, I can promise, there will be more challah!

You CAN do this yourself. Here is the recipe I followed... try it! Let me know how it turns out!

Apple and Honey Challah

A Trip to Art Prize (and the great food we found!)

2011-10-03T10:04:00.015-04:00

We are very fortunate to have a cool city like Grand Rapids so close by, especially because things like Art Prize take place in the city. Art Prize is an open art contest, the largest publicly juried art contest in the world. There are thousands of works of art all over Grand Rapids. So, Paul and I headed to the city for a little getaway to check out not only the competition and art, but, OF COURSE, the food.

More on the food in a moment, but here are a few photos from our trip!

Paul and I on the "blue bridge" enjoying the gorgeous day!

Paul pays homage to one of Grand Rapids favorite sons... Jay Van Andel.

One of the pieces... a tribute to Barrel of Monkeys. A favorite for many of the little ones' who came to Art Prize.

Want to know more about Art Prize? I know you do... check it out here:

http://www.artprize.org

Now... on to the FOOD!

Kate: Dip Trio (shared) and the Hippie Wrap with beerbar cheese and crack fries

Holy HopCat, Batman! Yes, I said it. This place just became one of my favorites! Named the #3 bar in the country by Beer Advocate, you would expect good beer and a cool atmosphere. The bar staff is super cool. The beer selection is wide. There is great music playing (Arcade Fire and Pink Floyd that I can recall) and great art and stuff on the walls. But, what I was really blown away by was the food!

There are 150 beers available. Yes, 150. That's a lot. Good beer, too. Though, we learned about the "Lawnmower" category on the beer list (which was Rolling Rock while we were there). Beer that you would drink while mowing the lawn. Yeah, not a compliment, really, but good to know that option exists if that is what you are looking for.

OK, OK, the food. I know. So, we were hungry. And, they were SLAMMED, so we quickly ordered our first round of beer (I had Left Hand Brewing Company's Milk Stout) and a starter. And here is where I confess that we actually had been to HopCat before, and had ordered this starter. But, that's it. That's all we ordered that time. I promise! So, the Dip Trio it was. This yummy appetizer includes three dips (really!) including Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Spicy Black Bean Dip, and HopCat's own (and amazing) Beerbar Cheese. It is served with crispy pita chips and veggies including carrots, celery, cucumbers, and red bell pepper. Ok, so the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is very good. The Spicy Black Bean dip is outstanding. And, the Beerbar Cheese is OUT OF THIS WORLD! It's bite-y, thanks to the horseradish, creamy, thanks to the cheese, and, gosh, I just don't even know what to say except that it is ADDICTIVE! We even got a little crazy and mixed them together a bit. The hummus with the black bean dip, a winning combo. Only problem with this dish... there isn't enough of it!

So, as I am enjoying this amazing dip trio, it is time to make a decision on what I am going to order. And, boy, was I struggling. So many things on this menu sounded good. So, after much debate, I decided I was going to go with a healthier option, but splurge on the side dish. So, I landed on the Hippie Wrap and the Crack Fries. And, this is now the dish that I will crave. All the time. It was phenomenal. Let's get the Crack Fries talk out of the way first... they are VERY appropriately named. They are french fries. That's all they are. But, they are so crispy on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside, and so well seasoned (pepper, salt, lemon pepper, and some secret ingredients that I think I am glad I don't know) that you want the serving to be endless. Oh my gosh. I think I can say that these were the best fries I have ever had. Ok, that might be going a bit far, but they are definitely in contention for that spot.

Now that that is out of the way, let's talk about the Hippie Wrap... OK, I am going to tell you that ingredients, and you are going to think, 'Really, that good?' and I am going to say, 'YES! That good!'. Spinach tortilla with cucumber, tomato, red onion, basil, roasted red peppers, spinach, romaine, sunflower seeds, and you can choose either Roasted Red Pepper Hummus OR Beerbar Cheese. And, that is what puts it over the top. Yeah, yeah, veggies in a wrap. Seen it. Been there. Done that. But, this Beerbar Cheese is what makes this something to write home (or a blog) about. The ingredients are all so fresh. And, the Beerbar Cheese adds the extra bite. Plus there are little surprises like the sunflower seeds which add some crunch. Wow! This is so good.

So, there continued to be good beer. In fact, we left, went to dessert somewhere else, then came back for another drink because it is such a cool place. Even Beer Advocate says so!

Check it out!

http://hopcatgr.com/

five golden forks out of five

Kate: Pearl Barley Veggie Burger with Sweet Potato Chips

Day Two meant another meal. And, as tempted as I was to go back to HopCat and order the exact same thing, the foodie in me knew that wasn't the right thing to do. Plus, we were meeting up with our friends Hillary and Jeff and their adorable little guy, Graham, so it wasn't just up to us. Now, Founders was a tempting choice. Hillary and Jeff are diehards/regulars there. But, we all agreed to go another route.

Now, I was the only one who had never been to the B.O.B. (which I recently learned means Big Old Building). So, we went to the B.O.B. Inside the B.O.B. are several dining options, and nightclubs, etc. But, it was lunch time and we were just looking for a good meal. So, upon Hillary and Jeff's suggestion, we went to Bobarinos. (I know, it's funny!).

The menu is eclectic. Pizza, some Mexican dishes (like the burrito that Paul ordered), sandwiches and burgers, etc. There was also a section of the menu called "Super Foods". I was intrigued. So, I read on. And, it said that this section included foods that were identified as super foods. After a little extra indulgence the day before, I felt like this might be the section of the menu for me.

So, I ordered the Pearl Barley Veggie Burger with Sweet Potato Chips. The sandwich, in addition to the burger, had tomato, arugula, Roasted Red Pepper Aioli, and onion on a Pretzel Bun. I am trying not to sound underwhelmed... because this was a really good meal. But, the Hippie Wrap from the night before was so in my head, that it is hard to get past that.

I'm serious, this was a good combination for a sandwich. It was very satisfying. The ingredients were fresh and played together well on the bun. The creaminess of the aioli brought it all together, while the onion and arugula provided some sharpness. The burger itself was great. I wish they sold those in the store. I think I would eat them more often. Plus, the sweet potato chips were great. Thinly sliced, just lightly seasoned, crispy, very good.

So, maybe the experience the night before with the food mixed with the kind of unappealing atmosphere of the place (it seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis with the decor. Seating was tight. There just wasn't anything very special about it) made it harder to be blown away.

Moral of the story... Bobarinos wasn't bad. But, if you are in Grand Rapids and have to make a choice, HopCat should always win!

http://www.thebob.com/

three golden forks out of five.

So, that is our Art Prize story. We had a great time. And, my mouth if watering thinking about the Hippie Wrap, the Beerbar Cheese, and the Crack Fries!

How THIS foodie got her start: A Tribute to Brandlyn

2011-09-18T10:45:00.004-04:00

My dear friend, Brandlyn's birthday was yesterday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) and in honor of her, I thought I would post the brief origins of this foodie, since she played a very important role.

I moved to Columbus, Ohio during the summer of 2006 to begin graduate school. I was living with my best friend, Abby, and had a few other friends in the area, but knew that working full-time and attending graduate school was going to be an overwhelming task.

Brandlyn and I have been friends since high school. She is one of those people that you might not see for years, but as soon as you are together again, it is like no time has passed. We have a lot in common, and have both busted our butts to get to where we are today. So, I knew that while I was living in the same city as her, for whatever length of time it would be, it was going to be important to spend some time together.

So, shortly after my move to the city, we starting having dinner together fairly regularly. THEN, we decided it was going to be regularly. We had weekly Wednesday dinner dates. Brandlyn had lived in Columbus for over 10 years, so she knew all the great places to eat. So, each week, we went to a new place and enjoyed dinner together.

Brandlyn and I in the photo booth at her wedding reception. NOTE: I am about 25 pounds lighter now... CRAZY!

But, yeah, each week, Wednesday night, no matter how busy we were, we met somewhere in town, and shared a meal. And, I can't tell you how much that helped me stay sane through the craziness that was graduate school. It was something to look forward to. And, I loved it!

When I moved to Kalamazoo, and met Kristin, I told her about Brandlyn's and my weekly dinner dates, and that, my friends, was one of the inspirations for the Kalamazoo Foodies.

Brandlyn helped me develop my palate. And, helped me develop my appreciation of great food, great wine, great beer, and the importance of sharing meals with those you love.

I am sad that Brandlyn and I do not get to share more meals together now that we live 300 miles apart. But, let me tell you, when we do get together, it is EPIC!

Me and my bridesmaids. From the left: Kristin, Me, Abby, and Brandlyn.
Unfortunately, Brandlyn and I did not make it into the photo booth at my wedding together. But, we SO had one!

Foodies at Home: Twice Baked Goat Cheese Souffles

2011-09-07T18:30:00.007-04:00

OK. First of all. My apologies for the long absence. I know the start of the school year is crazy for a lot of people. For me, it means 60+ hour weeks, a few of them. So, while I had the best intentions of blogging, it just didn't happen. So, again, I apologize. I should be back in the saddle now.

Secondly... WE GOT RAMEKINS!!!! Now, I know what you are thinking, 'They just got ramekins? Really? And, they call themselves foodies!?!' but, its true. We just got ramekins for $7.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond a few weeks ago. I have used them a few times now (I will post on the Apple Pie Breakfast cakes I made! YUM!) but, since I have been so anxious to make souffle for so long, it only seems appropriate that I post on these first.

Here is the recipe: Twice Baked Goat Cheese Souffles.
I didn't change it at all. Since it was a souffle, I felt I needed to follow the recipe to a tee. (Wait, which "tee" do you follow???). But, before I talk about it more, let me show you how they looked....

I have to say... I was REALLY pleased with how they turned out. The process was a bit arduous. I made them one evening after work, and it was one of those nights that we didn't eat until almost 8 pm. But, that's OK. Delicious meals take time.

Anyway, the flavor of these souffles is incredible. You have the tang of the goat cheese (which also adds some great creaminess). The mustard is a perfect compliment. And the fresh thyme, brings it all together.

The cream sauce in the recipe is, I think, necessary. It adds an extra dimension to the dish and softens the texture to perfection.

Plus, I served them with dressed arugula (dressed with a dijon vinaigrette of course) so it tied into the souffle and was a harmonious meal.

So, long and the short of it is, this dish takes time and attention. But, is so worth it at the end.

And, I MADE SOUFFLE! And, it turned out how it was supposed to! :D

OK, one more photo. I am such a proud mama on these...

Founder's Brewery

2011-09-05T15:30:00.006-04:00

Kate: Curmudgeon Sandwich with Oatmeal Stout

This was not our first visit to Founder's Brewery in Grand Rapids. In fact, it is pretty much our rule that if we go to GR (as we call it here in West Michigan), we need to stop at Founder's. The beer is great and the sandwiches are incredible. Always fresh ingredients, good bread, and wonderful flavor combinations.

So, on Labor Day, we headed to GR for a West Michigan Whitecaps game with our friends, Kristi and Steve, and had plans to meet up with Hillary, Jeff, and Graham for a bite and a beer at Founder's. I was thinking about it the whole time we were at the game. Now, the food at the quality of the concessions at the Whitecaps games are pretty good. Apparently, the burgers are great (not that I would know), and Adam Richman was there with Man vs. Food to try the ginormous 5/3 burger. But, I did my best to not fill up there. Only a small snack to tide me over so I was ready for Founder's when the time came.

So when we arrived at Founder's, I immediately started scanning the menu for the sandwich that would fill my belly. I have had a few other their other sandwiches before, and they have all been great, but I wanted to go for something new. NOTE: A lot of their sandwiches have meat on them, and not just turkey... so, the choices are a bit limited, BUT, there are still several options.

I elected to go for the Curmudgeon today. Smoked turkey on rye with colby jack, red onion, baby spinach, sauerkraut, and horseradish sauce. Sounds good, right? Well, it is! There is a nice sharpness to this sandwich from the horseradish and the onion. The sauerkraut adds an extra bite, and the spinach and colby jack balance it out. Not to mention the delicious smoked turkey. It is really juicy, thick, and seasoned perfectly, with the smokiness as an extra bonus. Plus, the fresh rye bread! This sandwich is heaven.

Paired with the Oatmeal Stout which is as rich and creamy as a beer can be, this was a very satisfying and craveable meal!

Heading to GR? Check out Founder's. If you are a Bell's fan... you will be blown away! Yep, I said it. ;)

http://www.foundersbrewing.com/

five golden forks out of five

Foodies on Vacay: An "UP North" Michigan Adventure

2011-08-22T12:16:00.007-04:00

It was time for our annual trip "Up North" to visit our friends, the Ouwingas, in Cadillac, MI. IN addition to celebrating their daughter, Tessa's 2nd birthday (with a funny looking but delicious cake I made) we were able to take a grown-ups only trip to Traverse City and the surrounding areas for some fun.

But, before we embarked on our trip, we enjoyed some DELICIOUS french toast made with whole wheat cinnamon-walnut swirl bread I made. I am not sure why I hadn't thought of this before, but it was a winning dish. With fresh homemade syrup and some bacon, we had quite a decadent breakfast. It was a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. That sure didn't stop us from indulging more throughout the day, but I just couldn't help but share the wonder that was this delightful meal.

As you may or may not know, Sleeping Bear Dunes was just voted the most beautiful place in America by Good Morning America. It really is quite a treasure. We visited the dunes last summer, and hope to go back soon. But, in the reporting of Sleeping Bear Dunes as the most beautiful place, Good Morning America interviewed Mario Batali, who summers in Traverse City every year (how cool is that?) and through that interview, we found Black Star Farms and the Hearth and Vine Cafe.

Black Star Farms

We greatly respect Mario Batali, and because of that would probably eat chicken beaks if he said it was the best. Fortunately, it wasn't chicken beaks that he was talking about, but instead was the Hearth And Vine Wine Bar and Cafe at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay, MI. I am SO glad Paul caught this interview, because we certainly discovered a gem!

As you pull onto the property, you are struck by the beauty of the place. The hill is lined with grape vines. There is a charming Inn with 9 guest rooms you can stay in. There is a farm. The tasting room and creamery, and gorgeous Michigan nature all around.

For some reason, we skipped the tasting room and went straight for dinner. I am not sure why. Silliness I guess. We certainly weren't famished, especially after that breakfast! But, we wanted to grab a seat, and I know I was anxious to check this place out. We were able to choose a table outside and began to explore the menu.

It is not a large menu. And, I get the sense that it changes frequently. Using breads, greens, and other seasonal produce from local farms as well as cheese from the creamery and fresh herbs that they grow on site, the menu has to shift depending on what is available. But, even with the short lists of salads, white pizzas, red pizzas, and sandwiches, we still struggled to choose the evenings menu as everything sounded amazing.

We ordered the Raclette appetizer, as that is one of the award winning cheeses made by the creamery. Served melted over seasonal vegetables (we had potatoes and zucchini) and artisan bread, this was an outstanding way to start the meal. The pairing of the cheese with the bread was incredible. A sharper cheese (that is just a bit "stinky") that finds a delightful creaminess when melted, it was easy to see why this cheese had won some awards. It is clearly a cheese that was cared for as it aged.

We also ordered a bottle of the Red House Red to enjoy with our meal. A nice, light red, the fruity notes are strong. This is a table wine that I wouldn't mind having around. And, finally, it was time to eat, eat. Not appetizer eat, but chow down. And our two pizzas arrived. We landed on the Four Cheese pizza and the Goat Cheese pizza.

For our red pizza we chose the Goat Cheese pizza. Featuring goat cheese (duh), house blend cheese, tomato puree, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spinach, and sweet roasted garlic, this pizza had a lot going on. Recommended by our server (who is also the chef's wife) because it had a lot of toppings, you might think that it was a bit too much. But, you would be mistaken. No one ingredient takes over this pizza. Each is represented in the exact right amount, and they all compliment each other perfectly. The thin crust holds up to the ingredients too, so it is not a challenge to eat. You know me and goat cheese, if it is listed as an ingredient, I am very likely to order that item. And, this time, I am sure glad I did.

And, if that doesn't sound like spectacular pizza, let me take a minute to talk about our white pizza, the Four Cheese pizza. With parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, and provolone, as well as garlic oil and fresh basil, this pie was pizza heaven. Again, the thin (wood fired. Did I say that already? That is important here) crust does not overwhelm the cheese and allows it to shine. The cheeses blend together so perfectly, there is creaminess, saltiness, a bit of tang, a perfect cheese marriage. I know I went on and on about Park Street Pizza last week, and I still think that it is some of the best I have had, but so is this.

Eating pizza like this makes me think a few things...
a) Why do we ever order pizza from the large chains? These places are hitting the nail on the head, and those places just don't even come close. Convenience, I guess. That is important.
b) Sadness, because I know the pizza I make at home will never come close to the wonder that is this pizza. Though, we had a delicious parmesan, heirloom tomato, and dressed arugula number last night for dinner. And, it was delicious. But, the crust is something that I just can't do!

OK, OK, enough about pizza. But, seriously, Black Star Farms is an experience. One that you should have for yourself.

Moomer's Ice Cream

So, it was time to leave Black Star Farms, sadly, and we headed to downtown Traverse for a beer. (Right Brain Brewing Co. btw, a pretty cool place with decent beer!). As we enjoyed our pints, we were trying to figure out what our next step was. We didn't want to go home, but we didn't want to drink more either. So, I suggested finding some ice cream or dessert. We asked one of the servers where we should go and she responded, "Without a doubt, Moomers!". I am not one to take a local's glowing recommendation lightly, so we continued our quest.

Another "best of"according to Good Morning America (Best Scoops in 2008), this place is a bit off the beaten path. In fact, we drove right past it and had to turn around. But, we got there. And, quickly got in the really long line. Apparently, that is par for the course here. With over 100 flavors (only 20 to choose from each day) there was a little something for everyone. I went with Chocolate Turtle and Cherries Moobilee (you have to get cherry things when up that way).

The ice cream was good. Very creamy. Pretty strong on flavor. I was pleased with my selections and good with the calories I was getting some this treat. The stand out, however, was the waffle cone. Made on site, you can smell them when you walk in. It was the perfect sweetness. Sturdy enough to last through the ice cream eating time. SO good. I think I can say, without question, that it was the best waffle cone I had ever had.

We got there kind of late, which diminished the experience we were able to have. Located right next to the dairy, you can watch the cows from whom the ice cream comes from. Though we couldn't enjoy this part of the property, I am certain this is a place that kids would love.

My ice cream loyalties may still lie in other places, but man, that cone was good and it is a cool place to visit.

So, yes, it was another great weekend of eating delicious food with good friends. I sure can't complain. But, I will say, I am sad to see this summer coming to an end. It is almost done. And, I have enjoyed it ever so much!

Dreaming of Alton Brown

2011-08-15T12:18:00.002-04:00

For real! I dreamt about Alton Brown last night. I was hanging out somewhere and he was there. We struck up a conversation, and he offered to take me to the Food Network Studios to try a dish he has just made for a show. They he showed me all kinds of cool techniques and new dishes. The dream turned really weird from there, and I will spare you the details, but Alton and I became quite good buddies last night. Very wishful thinking, I know.

I believe this dream was partially inspired by the Next Food Network Star season finale that aired last night. Since we got to see the behind-the-scenes of their studios. Did you watch it, btw? I was pleased with the result. I really would have been happy with any of those finalist, but I think that was a good choice. I don't want to give it away if you didn't see it...

Anyway, I thought I would share this with you. Since I believe that dreaming of person with a food show is the ultimate foodie thing to do.

Foodies on Vacay: Park Street Pizza, Sugarcreek, Ohio.

2011-08-13T21:30:00.005-04:00

Kate: Veggie Patch and Margherita Pizza
If you take a look at the photos below, it will give you some sense of where this blog is going. But, until you taste this pizza, you really can't know the amazingness that is Park Street Pizza in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

Sugarcreek is a small town. A few miles from where I grew up in Dover. Nestled in the heart of Ohio's Amish community, there is a plethora of great ingredients available from the local farms. But, to my knowledge, no one has captured that quite like Park Street Pizza. Though the growing season isn't as long there as it woudl be in more temperate climates, the seasonal menus focusing on the freshest, local ingredients are one of the things that elevate this place above your average pizza joint.

Take this Veggie Patch Pizza for instance. Featuring mushrooms, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, red onions , and, mozzarella, parmesan, AND feta cheeses. This is a veggie pizza eater's dream. The freshness of the ingredients make this a stand out. And, the crust is the perfect combination of thin, but a bit dough, and is well seasoned with garlic. Wow! I just couldn't stop. In fact, I am certain I ate WAY more than I should have, but it was fresh, and hot, and so good.

But, to top that off, I saw that one of their seasonal pies was Margherita and they were selling it by the slice. So, I loosed my belt a bit, and ordered a slice to share with my sister, Mallory. With local heirloom tomatoes, fresh, garlic, basil and mozzarella cheese how could you go wrong? Right, we know I love this combo. BUT, to top it all off, they also swirl a house-made pesto into the pizza dough before stretching it out. Now, I woudl have NEVER thought of that on my own, but man, does that make this pizza irresistible. I cherished every bite. That sounds kind of strange, but it was perfection.

Park Street also has an environmental focus, which is always a bonus with me. Using all compostable materials to serve, that just gets them a few extra points!

Sugarcreek, Ohio is likely quite a drive for most of you. But, I promise, this pizza is worth it. You think they would deliver to us here in Kalamazoo? Probably not, but a girl can dream, right?

Check them out here: http://parkstreetpizza.com/

five golden forks out of five.+++
(+++ added because it was SO GOOD!!!)

What's growing on my balcony now?

2011-08-12T12:03:00.006-04:00

These guys are! I have to say, we purchased a a tomato plant toward the end of spring, and it already had a few green guys on it. We cared for that plant. We loved it so much. The tomatoes turned red, more of them showed up. We excitedly picked them and sliced into the first one, and WHAT THE HECK!?! They were horrible. Super pithy. Hardly any flavor. What a disappointment.

This plant, however, we started from a seed. It is already two times the size of the one we purchased. And, seems to be pretty vibrant. I can't wait until these little guys are ready to be eaten!

And, there are these guys. Also started from seeds... we've got a delicious salsa in the works! :)

And our basil is still going super strong! I love the way it looks. I love the way it smells. And, I especially love the way it tastes. There is nothing quite like Paul's homemade pesto on homemade pasta! YUM!!!! We have delicious caprese salads, and other fun treats, but if you've got a great recipe that includes fresh basil, I would LOVE to give it a try!

Gorilla Gourmet

2011-08-09T11:43:00.003-04:00

Kate: BLT

YAY! I FINALLY made it down to Gorilla Gourmet, one of Kalamazoo's up and coming food trucks. First, let me say, this was one of my first food truck visits, and I was psyched! I mean, I have gotten pretzels from street vendors before, but I think this might have been my first legit food truck experience! Woot!

I wandered down for lunch, since the current location is so super close to campus. It was a beautiful, slightly windy day, and I was ready for a tasty sandwich. I have been following Gorilla Gourmet on Facebook for awhile, and am always drooling over the photos they post, so when I arrived, I was good and hungry and ready to attack my lunch.

The menu is not large, but you can tell it is very thoughtfully planned. Three sandwich options, a soup, and a burrito. Those were the choices. But, you know that so much care goes into each one of those. So, I selected the BLT, since I have recently become a bacon eater again. But also because it sounded delicious. Heirloom tomatoes, organic mixed greens, a basil-lime vinaigrette, and the bacon of course. How could you go wrong with this combination? So, we placed our order, took a seat at the table under the tent, and patiently waited for our lunch.

Gorilla Gourmet gets food. Big time. And, more importantly, gets the importance of local food. The ingredients were the freshest of fresh. There was no greasiness, no "I hate myself" for eating this delightful sandwich. It not only tasted good, but it made me feel good to be supporting my community by eating it. Ok, off my soapbox, but seriously, there is nothing like a meal made with ingredients that come from where you live. Nothing frozen. No long drives to get to you. It is from here. And, that makes a difference.

This sandwich was excellent. The ingredients mixed and mingled in such a perfect way. It wasn't overwhelmingly huge, but very satisfying. And, I am certain that anything on this menu will blow you away. Please support this great new addition to our community!

Check them out on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gorilla-Gourmet/143321982353310

And, this foodie says...

five golden forks out of five.

(and I can't wait to try more!)

A Gastronomic Excursion... Columbus, Ohio

2011-08-01T11:29:00.008-04:00

I can't think of a better way to celebrate a birthday than to go to Columbus, Ohio and eat my way through the city. So, that is basically what we did. I mean, we spent time with our friends as well, but really, we ate, and ate, and ate. Here's a snapshot of where we ate, what I had, and why you should go there and check it out!

The Eateries

Dirty Franks

That's right! Dirty Frank's hot dogs. I have blogged on this establishment before with mixed reviews, but Paul was pumped to go back, and who am I to keep anyone from a craving?

I did order the Chicago Dog this time, as I noted I would in my previous post, and was happy that I did. It was good, I'm not gonna lie. My other dog was alright, but I should have heeded my previous advice. I really don't like their vegetarian coney sauce. It just doesn't taste that good to me. So, NEXT time, I will make sure to order only non-coney sauce dogs. Noted.

But, this place continues to be a cool spot. It is definitely a dive. Its tiny. You are going to have to wait. But, I think it is for sure worth it in the end. And, why would I keep a place that my husband loves from him? I wouldn't.

Northstar Cafe

We had a breakfast meeting at Northstar Cafe. There are several locations in the city and we were visiting the Clintonville one. This was my recommendation because I knew Paul would like the food here. I kept describing it as food like Food Dance but cheaper. Plus, any chance to have their fresh squeezed orange juice, which I am fairly certain is the best you can get, I will take.

Paul ordered the turkey and sweet potato hash and I had the breakfast burrito. We were both very pleased with our choices. The burrito was stuffed with roasted vegetables and eggs. Plus, their house-made salsa is incredible.

Definitely a spot to check out for breakfast or lunch while in Columbus!

Smokey's BBQ

So, the eating continued and we met our friend, Dan, for lunch at Smokey's. I will be honest, I wasn't really that hungry, having stuffed myself with the Northstar burrito, but, I was a trooper and managed to eat something.

Smokey's is also a micro-brewery. And, I was excited to see a DELICIOUS sounding beer on the menu. In fact, it was called Katie's Summer Wheat (though I did not spell my name that way when I was Katy, but that's not the point). Get this, it was a summer wheat WITH Michigan cherries. I love fruit beer. So, total score! But, they were out (WHAT!?!), so I had another of their brews instead, which wasn't bad.

I ordered their smoked wings and only ate 5 of them (see I was good). The smoked wings were EXCELLENT! They smoke a lot of things there, which is probably good since they are called Smokey's, but these were fantastic. The sauces were a nice compliment. But, the wings had such great flavor, they really didn't need any sauce.

Vino Vino

Another spot that has been blogged on before and continues to be my favorite spot in Columbus. I was concerned that the food would let me down since I have it so built up in my head. BUT, it sure did not. And, Paul now knows why I talk about this place all the time and compare any other baked goat cheese dish to theirs.

I will admit, I did not venture to get news things. I stuck to the ones I love. The chopped romaine salad and the baked goat cheese (of which I ordered a whole order for myself while the table shared another one). We also had the brie bruschetta for the table. And, everything was OUTSTANDING. Just like I remembered it. I was in heaven.

THEN, as if that wasn't enough. The chocolate flight (a standard on their dessert menu that changes every few months) was all about creme brulee! There was a white chocolate, a dark chocolate with cherries, and (my favorite) a milk chocolate with espresso. Holy cow! I would go out on a limb and say that this was the best dessert I have ever had. It was perfection from the first bite. I have never had a bad chocolate flight there, but this was their crowning glory!

Piada

Described by Brandlyn as "the Italian Chipotle", I had heard about, read about, and was excited about Piada. So, we had to grab lunch there. We couldn't miss it on this trip. And, I am kicking myself for not trying it on a previous trip.

You can choose a salad, pasta bowl, or a piada, which is like a super thing pizza crust used as a wrap. Then, just like Chipotle (or Qdoba for those with that loyalty) you choose your protein, sauce, veggies, cheese, etc. They have arugula, eggplant, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, and many more options. There are cold sauces (basil pesto) and hot sauces (pomodoro), so many choices. And, I am not sure you could make a bad choice here.

The quality of the ingredients was outstanding. OH, and I forget, just like at Chipotle, you can add a bit of starch to your wrap... but instead of rice in a burrito, you add a touch of spaghetti to your piada. GENIUS! This was, by far, the best fast food concept I have encountered, and Paul and I would seriously think about franchising in Kalamazoo if we could. They are only in Columbus so far. But, I believe there are 4 or 5 locations already, and a few more opening soon.

They also serve beer, wine, and peach bellinis. AND, dessert (which we did not try, but will on our next trip) is cannoli chips, which I understand is cannoli shell broken into chips served with the cream to dip it in. Again, genius.

So, long story short, drive to Columbus RIGHT NOW (if you aren't already there) and try Piada.

Cap City Diner

Cap City was one of my stand-bys when I lived in Columbus. Paul had not been able to check it out yet, and we needed a place for brunch. I sold everyone on brunch there when I said that instead of serving hot rolls, they serve hot SWEET rolls for brunch. So, reservations were made (which we didn't really need) and we were there.

I had yet another breakfast burrito. And, I can't compare it to the Northstar one, they are just too different. This one was great. Less stuffed with roasted vegetables and more about the delicious sauce it was drenched in. I had a clean plate by the end of that meal. And, I didn't even have the chorizo in mine.

Cap City is a fun spot. Styled like a classic diner but way updated. I have never had a bad meal there. They are great for dinner and for brunch. (Though their fresh squeezed orange juice paled in comparison to Northstar's. Just sayin').

Other culinary fun

Jeni's Ice Cream

You can't go to Columbus without having some Jeni's. And, Jeni's is now EVERYWHERE! It's exploded. And, good for them. So, we made our usual stop, but I tried a new flavor... Brown Butter Almond Brittle. WOAH! So good. Paired with the Salty Caramel (my server's recommendation), a winning combination. You just can't describe how good Jeni's is to someone who has never had it. The flavors are unique and well balanced. It is creamy. It is really some of the best ice cream in the world.

And, for all you Kalamazoo Foodies (other than Kristin and I), YOU CAN BUY JENI'S ICE CREAM BY THE PINT AT FOOD DANCE. Should I repeat that? I can. Seriously. They discovered it and have brought it here to share with you! Its a little pricey ($10 a pint) but an occasional splurge on something so outstanding is worth it.

Graeter's Ice Cream

And, yes, we got Graeter's too! We kind of had an excuse because I had a coupon for a free sundae for my birthday. And, really, it is hard to visit Columbus without visiting Graeter's too. I had Graeter's before I had Jeni's. So, while I, clearly, absolutely love Jeni's. Graeter's holds a special place in my heart. And, the chocolate chips are the best chocolate that I have tasted.

And, more good news for Kalamazoo Foodies... YOU CAN BUY GRAETER'S AT SOME AREA MEIJER STORES! So far, I have for sure seen it in the one on Gull Road. You have to get a kind with chips in it if you are a chocolate person. The chocolate is so rich and creamy. It melts when it hits your tongue. The flavors are a little more traditional, but here's something to know... Jeni (of Jeni's) got her ice cream start with Graeter's. That is where she learned her trade. So, they are intimately linked, but are two separate things that both deserve a spot in the foodie hall of fame!

P.S. Graeter's from Meijer is a little more affordable than Jeni's from Food Dance. But, you really should try both!

Trader Joe's

We love Trader Joe's. We love everything about it. And, we are sad that there isn't one closer to us. So, we made our usual pilgrimage to the Easton Trader Joes and loaded up on some essentials. We bought wine (of course). We bought some cheese. And, we bought some recommended items including Tofu Turkey Sausage and Soy Chorizo. Having tried both of them now... the chorizo is fantastic. Paul made an omelet with it the other day and it was great. The turkey sausage was pretty good, but the chorizo blew it out of the water.

But, I am sure most of you know the wonder that is Trader Joe's. Kalamazoo folks... you should help us get one here. You can join a Facebook group AND, you can submit a form on their website (find it here: http://www.traderjoes.com/about/location-requests-form.asp) requesting a store in your area. Maybe if we get more people to do that, we will finally get one. It would do SO WELL here in Kalamazoo. Join the fight!

Bert's Bakery Birthday Cak e

My sweet husband ordered a birthday cake from Bert's Bakery (Almond Poppyseed, of course!). It traveled to Columbus with us, and we thoroughly enjoyed it there. Just thought I would share it and remind you of how great Bert's Bakery is. And, its right here!!!

Favorite Recipes

And, I made the Avocado and Feta salsa as well as a new favorite, Giada's Edamame and Cannelini bean salad for my friends. Both were big hits. And, both could not be easier. Try them both. You will not regret it!

So, that pretty much wraps up our total eat fest. Now, to find a few new places here in Kalamazoo! Keep suggestions coming. And, HAPPY EATING!

Nina's Taqueria (Augusta)

2011-07-25T18:00:00.002-04:00

Kate: #25- Combination plate with Chicken Tamale, Cheese Enchilada, and Chicken Soft Corn Taco
Ok, ok. So, I know that Paul and I JUST ate at Mi Pueblo last week. And, honestly, we already had this outing with our friends, Kristi and Steve, planned, but, we did it anyway. So, let's just move past that and get to the important thing here, the food!

Kristi loved Nina's in Augusta. And, they had closed down for quite some time. Recently, she saw that they had re-opened, and she wanted to scope it out to see if it was the same delicious food (food which she said was the best Mexican food you can get around here). So, we went. And, the realtor's sign saying "reduced" right in front made us a little nervous to enter. But the "open" signs were light, and we entered, cautiously.

Immediately, when you walk in, you can smell all the delicious flavors of the kitchen. There weren't many people in the dining room at that time, but I get the sense that they do a lot of carryout business. So, we grabbed a table, and started examining the menu. And, again like our Mi Pueblo experience, this menu was different. You could tell it wasn't some template some pulled out. Heart and soul went into this menu. And, they have a lot of authentic dishes including the option to get CACTUS (which Paul did, and LOVED) with your meal.

Oh, wait, need to talk about the chips and salsa, because you can't talk about a Mexican restaurant without talking about chips and salsa. These chips and salsa were, in a word, AMAZING! The salsa was fantastic. Not runny/watery, had chunks of real vegetables in it. And, there was a great citrus twist to it that made it hard to stop eating. The chips were hearty. Well seasoned, not too salty. Very crispy. Really a GREAT start to the meal.

Then, came our food, rather quickly I will add. As listed above, I had #25 the combination plate with a chicken tamale, a cheese enchilada, and a chicken taco with a soft corn shell. I attacked the taco first, and it was outstanding. The chicken was juicy, had great flavor, and, well, yum. I wished that there were more tacos on my plate at that moment. The tamale was good. Very tender. A little low on the flavor side, but the collection of sauces that were available jazzed it up a bit. And, the enchilada, which I ordered with red sauce, was great. I like that they use a combination of white Mexican cheese and what they call "yellow cheese", which looked like cheddar. There is something about those two cheeses coming together that is fantastic. Now, I was hungry when we got there, but I tell you what, that food was incredible, and gone in a hurry.

This place is kind of "hole in the wall" but, so often, that is the mark of true food genius. We will be going back to Nina's Taqueria, even though it is a bit of a drive, and have some more delicious, authentic, Mexican food. Mi Pueblo is close, and good, but Nina's blows Mi Pueblo out of the water.

https://iloveninas.com/Home_Page.html

five golden forks out of five.

Foodie Movie Review-y: Julie & Julia

2011-07-24T17:20:00.000-04:00

Paul and I had seen this film in the theaters. A sneak peek/preview type thing actually. Picked up tickets somewhere in town and went to see it before it was officially released. And, I remember leaving the theater thinking, 'Man, that movie was great. And, I'M HUNGRY!'.

Since I recently finished reading My Life in France and am totally crushing on Julia Child, I thought it was time to watch this movie again. Sadly, it wasn't available instantly on Netflix, so I had to put it in my queue and patiently wait for its arrival. It arrived on Saturday and I convinced Paul to watch it on Sunday evening, accompanied by a dinner of our homemade and hearty risotto and a glass of red wine. Perfect.

I have to admit, my expectations were a little higher this time. I remembered falling in love with this film. And, having just read about Julia's life, I was excited to see how much more would make sense, since I knew her stories. And, I'll be honest, I was a little disappointed. There seemed to be some inaccuracies. I mean, maybe I remembered some of the details from the book incorrectly, but there were so major points, that took some liberties with. Paul keep saying "Its BASED on her life." And, he was right. When we watched the 'making of' documentary special feature, one of the producers said that the character of Julia Child in the film was almost the idealized version of her that Julie Powell has created. That made a little more sense, but still, come on, there were a few things that could have EASILY been accurately depicted. For example, Chef Bugnard's role in getting Julia in to take her exam at Le Cordon Blue was completely passed over. Oh well. I will let it go.

This movie, though, is delightful. Meryl Streep as Julia Child is brilliant. She doesn't impersonate, she embodies Julia! Amy Adams always lights up the screen. Though I find the character of Julie Powell to be kind of whiny, Amy Adams does a wonderful job. And, Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina as Paul Child and Eric Powell are fantastic. I know Paul Child was an amazing and fascinating man. I don't know about Eric Powell, but these actors really brought balance to the strong performances of Streep and Adams.

And, the food. If you don't think the food is the star of this film, then I am not sure we watched the same movie! Every dish looks spectacular. You really can't help but crave something decadent while watching the food in this film. I know they very thoughtfully prepared all the food for the film, and it shows.

So, Julie and Julia... check it out if you haven't already. Its a darling movie with food as the star.

Mi Pueblo

2011-07-22T18:15:00.002-04:00

Kate: Enchiladas Poblanas
We were hungry. Had little to eat in the house, and didn't really have the energy to prepare dinner, so we decided to venture out for a cheap dinner. I consulted our Super Book and found a coupon for Mi Pueblo which is right down the street from where we live. We'd been before, and liked what we had, so we thought, 'what the heck' and headed out.

As far as Mexican cuisine goes, Mi Pueblo strikes me as pretty authentic. They don't have the standard menu that almost all Mexican restaurants do, which was the first indicator that they might do things a little differently. The complimentary chips and salsa are good. The chips are a little thicker, heartier, than you typically see in the basket, and they are well seasoned. Not over-salty which I think happens often at these places.

The menu is not huge. There are plenty of options, but it is not overwhelming like they can be at Mexican places. And, they offer a lot more choices for what the filling/topping is in their dishes. It is not restricted to beef or steak, almost every dish says "your choice..." which I like. So, I ordered the Enchiladas Poblanas (red sauce) with two chicken and two cheese. Paul enjoys the Enchiladas Suizas (green sauce) so I thought I would change it up a bit.

The portions are moderate, which I appreciate. My plate included my four small enchiladas (in corn tortillas) some lettuce with tomatoes on top (which didn't look incredibly appetizing, I'll be honest) and Mexican rice and beans with a sprinkling of cheese. I started with the chicken enchiladas. Pretty good. I liked the red sauce. It wasn't overly hot, but had good flavor and when you combine it with the cheese on top, yum! Now, I moved on to a cheese enchilada next, and man was that good!

I love Mexican cheese. I think it melts perfectly every time. It is creamy. It has great flavor. It is delicious. And, I was now regretting not getting four cheese enchiladas. The chicken ones weren't bad, but the cheese ones were great. The bottom was even a little burned, making the cheese crispy, which is something I love. The beans and rice were good too. Again, nothing spectacular, but good. But, those cheese enchiladas were something else.

I like supporting this place. It seems to be family owned. Every time we have been in, the same server has been working the whole place on her own. She is very friendly, and makes great recommendations. And, everything seems fresh here. It never feels greasy. We will go back to Mi Pueblo. And, if you are looking for good, authentic Mexican food, you should too!

four golden forks out of five.