Eat, Drink, and Be Married (and the Honeymoon too)

Breakfast and Lunch Juice Fast - Yay or Nay?

2013-11-10T18:34:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking about doing a juice fast for awhile, but wasn't sure how I would handle it, I love food and I feel like I'm always hungry, so I decided I wanted to try one that was only two meals on a weekend and see how my body reacted, i.e headaches and or stomach issues.

I researched for awhile to find the place to get the juices and decided on Heartbeet Juicery. I walked right past the place, and when I turned around and walked back I realized it was a tiny stand between two stores.

I said hi to the girl and she gave me my juice, I asked her what I should eat when I was done and she just suggested Quinoa so I assumed there was some sort of sheet about what to do the night before and what order to have the juices in, but there was neither in the box.

I was kind of disappointed because I have never done this before and then spent awhile searching online to see if I should have the green juices first or the fruit. Also how long in between am I supposed to drink them? I say again, haven't done this before so I'm unclear of how it works. So I tried to work out my own schedule.

Day of the Fast

9:30am
I read online you are supposed to drink a cup of hot water with lemon to "prepare your digestive system" I'm having it now. This is disgusting and has no taste, I'm hoping that the juices taste better. I also think I burned my tongue so that's not a good sign for the rest of the day. I wonder if I can drink half- go right to the juice and be done with it?

9:45am
Juice 1 - Super Greens

This one after two sips tastes better then I was anticipating, I am having them in an order that seems yucky to delicious so I can look forward to the ones at the end. I taste a lot of lemon and ginger and it leaves a bit of an aftertaste, I guess I will have to follow it with some more water? 10:10am - I'm doing things on the computer and still drinking I have abut a quarter left to drink- who knew it was so hard to drink on a schedule? I put the bottle in front of my cats face and she was NOT impressed.

10:16am
Hooray Green Juice 1 is complete!

10:51am
I'm not hungry for another juice but I think I have to have another one?

11:00am
Juice 2 - Soothing Greens

Ok I'm disappointed, I thought the super greens was going to be the hard one, this one tastes like hand lotion (if you drank hand lotion) it doesn't have any flavors to mask the nasty veggie taste. It has aloe, cucumber, celery, and spinach. I may have to tap into my inner college student and chug it down way faster then the last one. I'm not hungry or thirsty so this is going to be harder then I anticipated. Hopefully I can dull the pain with my first episode of Call the Midwife on Netflix.

11:26am
I've barely gotten through half of this, the aftertaste is so nasty.

11:28am
If I do this again with the same company, I am really hoping there is another option to sub out this juice.

11:33am
One quarter left. This is torture.

11:36am
Victory over disgusting juice, had to chase every sip with water and I still can't get the nasty taste out of my mouth.

12:30pm
Mango Cardamom

Ok I already have high hopes for this one because I love mango. At first taste, it's pretty delicious, I was just thinking that if you mixed this with some rum or vodka it would be a great cocktail at an exotic location. There are some chunks in here which I'm liking it makes me feel like I'm sort of eating.

I am getting bored just watching TV and feel like I should go out and do something but I literally am peeing every 15-30 minutes and I don't feel like the hassle. I guess I'll just do laundry.

12:42pm
Halfway there, hoping this isn't the best one of the bunch, I still have three more after this.

12:53pm
Done!

1:42pm
I think I'm due for another one soon, but I'm not hungry or thirsty.

2:11pm
Almond Masala

This one is like a milkshake, I'm very happy with the fourth choice.

2:23pm
I'm actually sad that I only have a quarter left to drink.
The smell of my husband's grilled cheese with truffle oil (our weekend staple) is making me cranky.

4:41pm
Citrus Spirulina

I'm about 2 hours since the last juice, starting to feel very hungry, but I also haven't had any water. This one is very citrusy-I'm not a huge fan of orange or grapefruit but it's still better than #2.

6:13pm
Not thirsty or hungry again, thinking I will have the last one in about a half hour. I'm really excited about the salad I have for dinner.

6:25pm
Spicy Lemonade

I'm hoping I saved the best one for last. I haven't opened it yet, but all the ingredients in here sound so good! Holy mofo-ing pepper- this reminds me of a margarita I had on Tuesday. I'm excited to finish this one and then move onto solid foods.

Will I try this again? Yes, I think I can try one for three days, I may want to kill myself by day three but this wasn't as bad as I was anticipating it to be. Also I want to be able to suggest the juices I want. I would get everything I had today with the exception of the juice with Aloe. I also want to request that Heartbeet gives some sort of instructions, hopefully they do that with the three day cleanse.

Brooklyn Neighborhood Days - Red Hook

2013-04-09T22:27:00.002-04:00

I'm always complaining that we don't appreciate where we live enough and made a promise once it started to get warm we would explore neighborhoods surrounding where we live and the surrounding boroughs, so we started with a great neighborhood a few miles away: Red Hook.

I've only been to Red Hook twice, right after Hurricane Sandy, I was volunteering with the Red Hook Initiative, many of the residents in the housing projects did not have heat or power for days and we were giving them food and necessities as well as driving them out to the Rockaways and Staten Island.

We hit a few places that were hit hard by the storm, all which have rebuilt and are great spots to visit in Brooklyn.

We started with a quick brunch at The Good Fork, they are known for their dumplings and Asian comfort food. We split the dumplings and the chicken and waffles. I was stuffed! Then we took the quick three block walk to the Red Hook Winery.

Delicious Brunch - Chicken & Waffles at THE GOOD FORK

Kitty hanging out at the Flickinger Glassworks

Waterfront by Pier 41

We decided to do a sampling of 6 tastings, our host was very informative and told us about all the different varietals we had. Their wine is from the North Fork and Seneca Lakes. We tasted some delicious blends and decided to buy the 2009 Petit Verdot. It was excellent.

Adorable book at the Red Hook Winery


Panorama from the Pier

On our walk back to the car, we popped into Steve's Key Lime Pies, my Dad got a Lime Pop, and we continued on our walk.

Our last stop was at Baked, they could be the most delicious bakery in Brooklyn. The amount of cakes, cookies and brownies was unbelievable. We finally decided on Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread, Two Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Grasshopper Brownie. I only took a shot of the brownie, but the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread was the best I've ever had!

Grasshopper Brownie

There are also some great spots in the area, that we were to full to try on this outing:

March 2012

2013-03-05T21:42:00.002-05:00

Wow so it's March, I started off being good about all my posts but mid-February started a bit of a "diet" so I haven't really been making the most delicious looking foods the past few weeks. Hence my lack of posts. Protein shakes and chicken salad are not the most beautiful items to take photos of. Hopefully I'll start getting a little more creative soon and will have something interesting to write about.

On a positive note, we've planned a spring trip back to Italy for my 30th Birthday/anniversary that I'm counting down the days for... Only 79 days until we take off!

Sausages with Grapes - modified

2013-02-18T20:40:00.002-05:00

I read about this recipe in A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi. I became interested in Marlena's books about 8 years ago when I read A Thousand Days in Venice, her story is so unique and I was thrilled to see there were several more memoirs. Marlena if you're out there, my husband and I really want to go on one of your "secret" tours of Tuscany. I heard they were via word of mouth and have been trying to find out more information and I'm coming up empty....

Anyway, I tried this recipe a few weeks ago when I had a lot of extra grapes laying around, this recipe is directly from her book, A Thousand Days in Tuscany. The only thing that's modified is that I added the directions as steps.

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh Italian sausage
4 cups seedless grapes
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, or to taste

Directions

1. Place sausages in a 10- or 12-inch skillet, and turn heat to medium.

2. Cook sausages, turning from time to time, about 15 minutes.

3. When they are brown all over, prick each sausage in a few places with a thin-bladed knife and cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Remove sausages to a warm platter.

5. If more than a tablespoon or two of fat remains in the pan, remove excess.

6. Add grapes, and turn heat to medium-high.

7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the grapes collapse.

8. Add vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and turn off the heat.

9. Serve sausages nestled in grapes.

Sponsoring an Olive Tree

2013-02-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

After visiting the wonderful Il Palazzone vineyard last year in Montalcino we were yearning for more "Tuscan-ness" in our lives. How can you not? Look at these photos from their property.

I started to follow the winery on Facebook and saw this wonderful opportunity they have to sponsor an olive tree.

All of Il Palazzone's olives are harvested by hand and there are a very limited amount of bottles, in 2009 they only had a little over 700 bottles. We thought this would be a great way to extend our experience at home so we joined Club 100 to sponsor a tree. A few weeks later, Laura sent us three amazing bottles of olive oil, and a certificate.

Now we have a plaque in front of our tree that we plan to go visit sometime this spring. Here is a photo of all the plaques from Club 100. I'm excited to see a photo of our tree soon!

Beef Bourguignon from Haven's Kitchen (modified)

2013-02-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

I would have NEVER tried this dish without having someone show me how to do it. So low and behold a class at Haven's Kitchen: Boeuf Bourguignon and Wines of Burgundy. That was my third class at this excellent establishment and I'm looking forward to more in the future. This is a great dish especially when it's cold. It just takes a very long time to prepare.

Boeuf Bourguignon Modified

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 ½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes (season with salt and pepper)
1 pound muticolored carrots, cut crosswise
1 yellow onions (modified)
3 garlic cloves, sliced (modified)
½ cup Cognac or brandy
1 bottle of dry red wine (Pinot Noir works well)
2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 pound cippolini onions
3 tbsp all-purpose flour

I left out the mushrooms, butter, and potatoes because I served it over egg noodles.

Directions:

1. Heat a Dutch oven or 8-quart stock-pot over medium high heat.

2. Add olive oil and bacon and sweat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is golden brown and starts to crisp up a bit.

3. Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve.

Leave the bacon fat in the pan.

4. Dry beef and season liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Add the meat to the pan in one even layer – cook in small batches, allowing plenty of room for the meat to cook and brown evenly – and cook until golden brown.
6. Turn and brown on each side

7. Remove from the pan and reserve with the bacon.
8. Add the carrots and onions and sweat until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent.
9. Add garlic and sweat until fragrant.
10. Add cognac and stir to deglaze the pot.
11. Let cook until the smell of raw alcohol has cooked off.
12. Add bacon and beef back to the pot. Add stock and wine. Meat should be about 2/3 covered.
13. Stir in tomato paste
14. Add thyme leaves.
15. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover with pot lid.

16. Simmer stew on the stove-top for 1 ½ to two hours, until the beef is tender.
17. While the stew continues to cook, clean cippolini onions.
18. Add the onions about an hour into cooking
19. When beef is tender, check the seasoning
20. Cook noodles according to package

21. Remove thyme stems and serve over noodles

Happy Feb!

2013-02-01T21:20:00.003-05:00

Wow, where did January go? The months are just flying by with our cold weather in NYC. I haven't been cooking too much the past week so I don't have much to share. But, I do have an adorable photo of my children snuggling up on us because of the cold.

Italy - Rome 2012

2013-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Our last stop on the trip was Rome, the drive down was pretty insane, drivers going about 100 MPH and driving so close to you, I was clenching my teeth the entire time. Then Hertz gave us the wrong address to drop the car off, so needless to say it wasn't a smooth arrival.

We then got ripped off for a cab from the train station (where we dropped the car off) to the apartment we were staying at. The apartment was also very nice, super Roman with pull down shutters and a giant door that was probably 200 years old.

The first place we visited was Torre Argentina, an ancient cat sanctuary that serves as a cat shelter. The cats live within the ruins and there is also a shelter on-site. They spay, neuter and help the sick cats. After seeing the mess that the Greeks have with their animals, it was nice to see these volunteers who want to stop the overpopulation and help these creatures. We wound up having a celebrity siting there also, Kristen Bauer Van Straten (Pam from True Blood) was there taking photos and visiting the kitties, she took a few pics with fans but we didn't want to bother her. It was nice to see her taking an interest.

Kitty relaxing

Kitty up high

The view of the Ruins

Arch of Constantine

We also went to see the Colosseum at Night which was fantastic, it wasn't crowded and we were able to see this ancient place the way most people don't.

Colosseum at night

Inside Colosseum at night

We went to see the Vatican which held crazy crowds, we also had to wait about an hour to take the stairs to go up to the top, the views were worth it though as you can see below.

Views from the Vatican

The Trevi Fountain was also beautiful, as it always is, then that night we did the Vatican Museum tour at night, I only wish we did four tours of the museum because there was so much to see.

Trevi Fountain

St. Peter's Dome at night

We had a wonderful trip overall, and the view of the Dome that last night was glorious.

Italy - Chianti 2012

2013-01-28T06:30:00.000-05:00

After a long wait at the Hertz Florence (will never use them again) Dave took us on our way for a day-trip to Radda in Chianti to the Agricola Monterinaldi. A family owned winery where you can blend your own wine and get it sent back home after it ages for a month. The new program is called Winemaker for a Day.

We met Fabrizio our guide and translator and he took us on a wonderful tour of the property. Then we went into the basement to meet Muro the Winemaker. Muro didn't speak English so Fabrizio would translate everything he said to us and vice versa. It was fantastic, the most authentic experience we had so far.

Their seal

Aging Barrels

The tasting

We tasted each grape, then one by one they mixed different percents together until we found our "compromise" wine. A little more then a month later - it took longer because of Hurricane Sandy 12 bottles of liquid pleasure arrived. We are down to ten bottles now but we can reorder when we need more.

Putting on the wax seal

Our first bottle

Italy - Florence 2012

2013-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

After Milan we headed to Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We stayed in an apartment in the center of everything. I felt like since I visited before we didn't need to spare the extra expense on a hotel. The landlady was very sweet, everything was clean and the bathroom was a good size. The bed was lofted with these metal stairs which after a few glasses of wine were scary to go up and down.

We did all the main sites on and off the beaten path, the highlight for me (as usual) was the food, long leisurely lunches and dinner long into the night. Celebrating being together over wine, bread and a lot of pasta. This was the first of a week-long eating spree that probably sprouted these extra 15 pounds I've been carrying around (but it was worth it).

Fake David

Duomo

Ponte Vecchio

Views of the Duomo

Florence

Italy - Milan 2012

2013-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Since I went to Italy in 2005, I had always wanted to go to Milan to see the last supper and The Duomo. Dave and I arrived there after a seven hour train ride from Munich. Our hotel, the Hotel Nasco was great, new and spotless- just off the beaten path. The tram line runs right in front of the hotel but it was about 20 minutes from all the sites.

The Duomo

Main Square at night

Duomo at night

The highlights of our trip were the Duomo and a soccer game at the Famous San Siro, I did enjoy the last supper but we almost didn't see it. The day we arrived I got a notice that the tickets we bought for 1:45 would be honored after a special Italian assembly that they planned in there that day. They let us in around 3pm and it was a big mess. A cattle call, you got to see the wall for 15 minutes then were escorted out. They wouldn't let anyone take any photos because they wanted you to buy things in the gift shop. It was impressive, but not what I was hoping.

Views from Top of the Duomo

Letter on the door of the Last Supper

The other highlight was a restaurant we went to on the first night - Nero Dieci, modern Milanese food. Everything was fabulous.

Would we go back to Milan again? Probably not, mostly because I feel like we already live in a large city so going to other huge cities isn't something I love to do on a vacation. It was busy, crowded and felt very similar to being at home except most people don't speak English.

Spinach Gunge - Modified

2013-01-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

This dish was super easy to make and delicious, not the most healthy option but every once in awhile it's fine to indulge. The original recipe was on Epicurious, the only thing I changed was putting in less cheese.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed
3/4 cup (lightly packed) grated Pecorino & Parmesan
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Working in 4 batches, add spinach to pot, tossing to wilt between batches.
Stir in cheese, crème fraîche, and mustard.
Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, purée spinach mixture until very smooth.
Season to taste.

Spinach & Butter

Mid-Sauté

Adding crème fraîche

Finished Product

Shepard's Pie - Modified

2013-01-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

I always order Shepard's Pie from Pubs but I've never made it at home, I found this recipe on Epicurious and only modified it by removing the peas (Dave hates peas). It was very simple and the final product was very tasty.

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds)
2 pounds (85% lean) ground sirloin
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions (1 pound total), chopped
1 large garlic clove, smashed, peeled and finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (packed) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

Beef browning

Peel the potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then thinly slice; place in a large saucepan with cold water to cover by 1 inch.
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Right after you put the potatoes on to cook, begin the filling: Cook the ground beef in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and turning frequently until the meat is nicely browned, about 7 minutes.
Transfer the beef to a plate. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet.
Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and tender, about 6 minutes.
Return the browned meat to the pan and stir in the tomato puree and cayenne.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes.
Drain the cooked potatoes well and return them to the pot.
Mash well with a potato masher, and then stir in the half-and-half, salt, and pepper to taste.
Spoon the warm meat mixture into a 2 1/2-to 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle the Cheddar on top.
Spoon the potatoes on top of the cheese, spreading them over the meat, leaving a scant inch border around the edge.
Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top and then bake until the potatoes are golden, about 10 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Potato boiling

Mashed Potato

Beef after onions, garlic and tomato puree was stirred in

Complete!

My favorite weekend lunch

2013-01-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

On random weekends when we don't have much to do, one of my favorite activities is to create a fabulous lunch with minimal ingredients. I head over to one of the specialty stores in our area and peruse the cheese and meat and go from there.

This plate is filled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a bagette, proscuitto di parma, speck, a cacio di roma, two pecorinos, and a mild cheddar. We usually will top it off with a bottle of Chianti.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am not ashamed to say, I love a good steak once in awhile. When we were in Florence and then traveling around Tuscany we had THE BEST steaks. The steaks there come from the Chianina breed of cattle (which I couldn't get here) so I settled on one large Porterhouse from Fleisher's it was pretty pricey but worth it.

The Tuscan prep is fairly simple, the less ingredients the better.

Ingredients:

Salt & Pepper to season the steaks
Rosemary to season the steaks
A few teaspoons of olive oil

Steps:

Rub on salt and pepper each side of the steak
Put the olive oil and rosemary in a dish and coat the steak evenly on each side
Let steak rest for an hour before cooking and to marinate
Heat George Forman (or other grill) to 425
Cook steak from 5 minutes and check, cook more depending on thickness and how you like your meat done

I served this with spinach on the side, it also goes well with Italian bread and olive oil. We had it with a Montecucco from Ciacci Piccolomini winery we bought when we were on vacation. Delicious!

Clotted Cream Recipe

2013-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

After a long search on the internet I found a blog post on Joe Pastry about making clotted cream at home, then I realized the cream I bought was ultra pasteurized. This is a big no-no for making the clotted cream. So I had it in the oven for 2 hours then kept reading comments about how ultra pasteurized won't work so I added cream cheese to it.

I don't think this is going to work out as I planned. It's now 1pm and it has to sit in there for 10-12 hours. The oven will probably shut off before that happens. It's also impairing me from using the oven for any other activity today.

Unfortunately this did not come out as I had hoped, I think because it cooked for 2 hours then I took it out and mixed in the cream cheese. The texture came out very funny.

Ingredients

2 Pints of Heavy Cream - non-pasteurized
If you can't get that then get full fat cream cheese 1/2 cup

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 180-195 F
Pour heavy cream into a glass dish (if you need to mix in cream cheese do it now)
Cover
Set in oven for 10-12 hours
Skim cream from top of batch for clotted cream
Use rest for creamer or throw out

It looked ok when I took it out of the oven

Strange texture

Clotted Cream in the jar

Ode to Downton Abby - Menu

2013-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

I've always loved all things British - starting with Prince William when I was 8 years old then moving onto Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and of course now my current husband. Last year after all the fuss about Downton Abbey I decided to watch it, and fell in love.

I've been waiting half a year and the new season finally starts tonight, and we're having my parents over to watch and I'm making a fabulous dinner thanks to Epicurious. I'll also be making the scones we made last year- you can find the recipe for them here.


Photo courtesy of PBS.org

Sunday's Downton Abbey Premiere Menu

Starter: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Rosemary
Entree: Shepard's Pie
Side: Spinach Gunge
Dessert: Scones & Clotted Cream

I'll post the recipes when I'm done making everything later in the week, if only I could dress up in a costume...

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake - Modified

2013-01-04T12:38:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on Taste of Home it was one of those days that I got most of the ingredients, then realized I was missing stuff after I already started so I had to make due with what I had in the apartment.

First the store I was in ran out of chocolate chips so I got baking bars instead, then I don't have the bunt pan it's calling for so I used a square one, then I ran out of flour so I decided to cut the recipe in half. Lastly I thought I had real sugar, but it turns out on the top shelf I had two boxes of Confectioners Sugar, so thankfully I had Sugar in the Raw and used it as a sub in.

The calories were pretty ridiculous so I cut the glaze out, here is what I did -

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1 cups (12 ounces) chocolate baking bar

Pre-heat oven to 350
First you melt the butter and combine with the sugar until it's fluffy.
Add in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda
Add in the sour cream
Add in the chocolate

6. Add to a greased pan and bake about 40 mins (the original recipe called for 60 but since I cut it down I cut the time down too).

I don't have a photo of the finished product because it got eaten before I could take one, it tasted good, even though the top was a little hard, the inside was soft.

Munich & Oktoberfest

2013-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

At the end of September 2012, Dave and I took a fabulous trip to Germany and Italy. He had always wanted to go to Oktoberfest, so we figured that would be the beginning of our trip then we'd take the train down to Italy for the rest of the time.

We stayed in Munich for our stay in Germany, the city was clean and very safe. The people were very nice and helpful but it was the busiest time of the year, over 6 million people every year visit munich for the festival of beer. It is 16 days from late September to the first weekend of October. The festival is most well known for beer but it also celebrates Bavarian culture. All the men wear lederhosen and the women wear traditional dirndls. There are parades and singing and it's all pretty fantastic.

We stayed close to the fest so we could walk back and forth, I will not write about our hotel because it was rather horrible and the best thing it had going for it was the location and that it was in the vicinity of a 24 hour McDonalds when everything was closed.

We went on a Bavarian Tour the day after we arrived, if anyone goes to Munich it's a great day trip to see the countryside and castles. Our tour guide Mario was from the area and knew everything there was to know about Bavaria. The only downside was it was freezing cold and raining and we didn't bring appropriate jackets but the scenery was amazing.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Bavarian Countryside - at a cheese farm

We really like beer, so drinking the fresh brews with no preservatives was so refreshing. You could drink a whole liter and not feel bloated and full like when you have American beer. So needless to say the 4 days we were there we drank quite a few liters.

Oktoberfest is made up of big beer tents, you have to be sitting down to get a beer, but at certain times tables are reserved so you have to sit down order then stand back up again, luckily we didn't have any issues getting beer or food when we were there. At home I imagined these small tents but when we arrived the "tents" are giant structures that can hold from 500-5000 people depending on what the brewery was. It was insane.

Taking the advice of a friend we dressed in traditional gear bought at home on eBay. I was glad we did because we fit in much more then others did. Even though we didn't speak German, I think we got better service then those who were just in jeans and a tee-shirt.

I'm in front of the cupcake palace!

After I got my beautiful pink hat, drinking my liter

Inside of the tent

Dave and I with our new British friend


In our traditional gear, he took his suspenders down (lame)

We had a wonderful time and would love to go back, we probably won't get there in 2013, but maybe 2014. If you like beer and are interested in visiting Munich I would highly recommend, it was so much fun!

New Year's Resolution

2012-12-31T16:11:00.005-05:00

My resolution this year is to really be better about writing posts on this blog. My writing this year has been very limited and I am striving to do better next year. So grateful for a great 2012 and looking forward to an even better 2012!

Hurricane Sandy Aftermath

2012-11-07T23:16:00.002-05:00

As everyone knows, a terrible disaster hit the tri-state area last week, along with the rest of the Northeast. Unfortunately, my hometown Staten Island was one of the hardest places hit. Houses flooded, some floated away, cars were totaled, people died. Families lost their whole lives in one day.

I haven't been able to go back and help out in Staten Island because there was no transportation from Brooklyn for days, but I've been donating money and supplies wherever I could. Thankfully this weekend I'll get to give them some time.

Anyway, I came across a bunch of charities that are in desperate need, many of them are local animal shelters who are taking in pets from families who were displaced in the storm.

To keep up to date on all efforts, the best sites I've found are:

There are hundreds of other people in Brooklyn and Queens who need your help too, the Mayor's Fund and the Red Cross are the best places to start if you want to help.

Fresh Pasta (at home)

2012-07-24T21:25:00.000-04:00

I went to a great cooking class at Haven's Kitchen with Chef Julia, it was "Northern Italian Wines," the class was very informative and making fresh pasta wasn't as hard as I thought. So I bought a pasta rolling machine, a dough cutter, a lot of eggs and started on my journey at home.

Tools needed:

Pasta Rolling Machine
Dough Cutter
Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cup
Saran Wrap

Ingredients needed:

7 egg yolks
1 egg
7 1/2 ounces of 00 Flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon of milk (I used lowfat)

I made this with fresh kielbasa from Blue Hill, added a few tablespoons of olive oil, 3 shakes of red pepper, garlic powder, 1 shake of onion, and salt & pepper to taste.

Directions to make pasta:
1. Mound your flour on the board and create a well in the center, push the flour to all sides in a circular motion to create a wall that is 1-inch high. Your well should be wide enough to hold all of the wet ingredients without spilling.

2. Whisk together wet ingredients and add to the center of the well.
3. Begin incorporating some of the flour into the eggs by moving your fork in a circular motion. This will slowly pull flour into your wet mixture. Use your pasty scraper to occasionally push flour into the eggs.
4. Eventually the mixture will become too thick to turn with your fork. At this point begin incorporating the remaining flour with your pastry scraper. Lift the flour up over the dough and cut it
into the dough using the pastry scraper.
5. At this point the dough will appear rough. Begin to knead the dough by pressing it in a forward motion using the heels of your hands. As you do this occasionally reform the dough into a ball
and begin again.
6. Continue kneading until the dough develops elasticity – about 5 minutes.
7. Double wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30- 60 minutes (I did it for about 50)

8. Using the pasta machine, begin to sheet your dough in small portions on the widest possible setting. Always keep your unused pasta wrapped tightly.

9. Fold the pasta in half, turn it a quarter turn and run it through the machine a second time, repeat two more times.
10. Continue this process until you have achieved your desired thickness.
11. I created farfalle by cutting the strips into squares, then cutting again into smaller squares then squeezing the middle. Note, put on a tray flat- all of ours stuck together in this plate

12. Cook sausage on the grill about 15 minutes

13. Cut up sausage

14. Cook pasta for 2 -4 minutes and drain

15. Mix pasta, sausage & rest of ingredients

16. EAT!

Chocolate Lava Cakes

2012-06-26T21:34:00.000-04:00

For Dave's birthday I wanted to make something special - so I tried something we like to get at restaurants, thinking it would be very difficult. I was pleasantly surprised that it was very easy (and delicious)!

I found the recipe on All Recipes please see below:

Ingredients:

Centers:

2 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream

Cakes:

4 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup cake flour

Directions:

To make the centers, in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the 2 ounces of chocolate with the cream. Whisk gently to blend.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until firm (I did it for about an hour - do it longer)
With your hands, form into six balls; refrigerate until needed.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray.
To make the cakes, in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the 4 ounces of chocolate and the butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick and light. Fold the melted chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture just until combined. Spoon the cake batter into the ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around the inside of each ramekin, place an upside-down plate on top, invert, and remove the ramekin.

8. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

True Blood Themed Dinner

2012-06-16T21:56:00.002-04:00

In celebration of one of my favorite shows I decided to try a very southern meal, and who better to look for advice from then Southern Living! Since I don't have a fryer, I found another recipe for the chicken that you could bake in the oven

The menu was pretty simple: Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese and some salad. As usual, I altered the recipes a bit.

Classic Mac & Cheese from Southern Living

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons un-salted butter (Modified)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour $
1/8 teaspoon salt $ (Modified)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $ (Modified)
1 (8-oz.) block extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (Modified)
1/2 handful of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (Modified & Optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1/2 (16-oz.) package elbow macaroni, cooked
1 handful of breadcrumbs (Modified & Optional)

Preparation

Whisk flour into butter
Preheat oven to 400°. Microwave milk at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes. Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.
WHISK IN WARM MILK
Gradually whisk in warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened.
WHISK IN CHEESE
Whisk in salt, black pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and, if desired, red pepper until smooth; stir in pasta. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Fried Chicken w/o a Deep Fryer

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs (Modified)
5 tablespoons melted butter
3 of honey mustard dressing (Modified)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 cups Italian bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tsp olive oil

Preparation:

Heat oven to 400°. Line a large baking pan with foil and lightly grease with olive oil.
Wash chicken thighs and trim excess fat and skin. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Combine the melted butter with honey mustard, syrup, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs with paprika, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley.
Brush or rub the chicken thighs with the butter and mustard mixture then press all sides in the bread crumb mixture to coat thoroughly.
Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

Basic Salad

Mixed Greens
Tomato
Cucumber

And then we enjoyed our delicious Southern dinner! Accompanied by some Abita Purple Haze (only the best beer in LA)!

1 YEAR LATER

2012-05-27T23:30:00.000-04:00

We made it, through the year, new apartment, new jobs and lots of stuff in between. Yesterday we had a great day- brunch in our neighborhood then a fab dinner at Perry Street.

I had defrosted our cake top and some goodies from the wedding, opened some champagne and we watched our wedding video. If you want to see the clip again it can be found here (the password is: LaurenDave99).

I think this will become a yearly tradition.

The cake tasted pretty good, I was shocked. After we had our slices I put the topper back in the freezer- I guess I should have made individual slices and packed them away... I was thinking I'll keep defrosting each year until the cake tastes bad?