tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33236563822131622102026-10-15T02:01:42.153-07:00A blog about food -- cooking, eating out, recipes, cookbooks. Also includes restaurant reviews and sightseeing tips for travel and outdoor adventures.Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-81183523521452447722026-09-08T17:44:59.025-07:002026-09-09T04:15:21.948-07:00

Our first scratch-made pizza dough recipe came with a 14-inch round deep dish pan. Over the years, we found that, among our 3 favorites, this dough has the absolute best texture for calzones. These hand-held pizza pockets are delicious either hot or at room temperature. Combined with a Mediterranean chickpea salad, we served them to a large group on our annual kayak camping trip. And they freeze

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-53704147505572612002026-04-16T12:41:00.000-07:002026-04-29T06:28:52.088-07:00

There is no better time than the spring for a Pittsburgh City Steps Hike to see several beautiful tile mosaics in Spring Hill. These include a free-standing mosaic wall, mosaic row houses, and whimsical pigeons arrayed along a cliff bottom. And it's thanks to Linda Wallen, a local artist committed to beautifying our communities. Penn Brewery is on the way back down to River Ave, making for a

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-5809421563648645022026-01-25T13:48:00.000-08:002026-01-31T09:53:38.617-08:00

Lentils are quick cooking, healthy and delicious. And what better way to enjoy them in the fall and winter than stewed with apples and a tasty smoked meat. Loosely based on Sara DiGregorio's NYT cooking app recipe, we have made several variants of this easily riffable concept. And each time it is unbelievably delicious, with soft buttery stewed apples, crisp tangy fresh apples, and a subtle cider

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-23425853370540382512025-11-29T17:17:00.000-08:002026-08-25T16:52:10.947-07:00

Drunken noodles (pad kee mao ผัดขี้เมา) is one of our favorite Thai restaurant dishes. While you can enjoy it with beef, chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu, it is the slightly charred, perfectly textured salty-spicy-sweet rice noodles that make the dish. After trying to recreate this dish at home over the past 7 to 8 years, I recently discovered the absolute best brand of dried rice noodles for

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-41686244228538008792025-10-05T11:03:00.000-07:002026-06-27T18:13:33.599-07:00

In April 2005, we braved a doorway hung with red beads in a rundown building to enjoy the most delicious lunch. Located in the Jewish neighborhood in Rome, Sora Margherita is known for its fried artichokes Carciofo alla Giudia, and every dish was absolutely delicious. For the last 20 years, we have often thought about this tiny restaurant, but did not have a chance to get back until last month.

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-3881962189716887022025-08-08T07:27:00.000-07:002025-09-12T23:03:54.988-07:00

Spork on Penn Ave has added a truly stunning option to their elegant and immersive 'One' dinner experience. On Mondays, the entire meal focuses on an amazing array of fresh and fermented vegetables stemming from their kitchen garden, and offered at a lower price point. As with the traditional One by Spork dinner, the vegetarian experience comes with a complement of many unique and highly

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-3184197971949752702025-06-15T18:19:00.000-07:002026-04-16T12:45:31.416-07:00

Take a fun city steps hike in the West End - Elliott area, stopping at the West End Overlook for amazing views of downtown Pittsburgh's rivers and bridges. I designed this route as a Father's Day gift for my husband, who enjoys climbing city steps with our dog. Walk up high along scenic Harker St. and Marlow St., discovering new views at the end of concrete or wooden steps. At the end of the hike

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-47111925769025182142025-04-10T20:01:00.000-07:002025-04-11T20:29:48.109-07:00

Sunny breezy Aruba is truly a delight to visit! We drove the main Arikok National Park road for expansive views of cactus-laden hills rolling to white sand dunes with the blue ocean beyond. While visiting Boca Prins, Fontein Cave and Quadirikiri Cave, we spotted colorful whiptail lizards in the sun, under bushes and in the caves along with a few bats. After exiting the park past the windmills, we

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-22717733965298741852025-04-02T17:46:00.000-07:002025-04-10T20:03:03.387-07:00

Sunny, breezy Aruba is truly a delight to visit! On our first full day, we snorkeled a mangrove-lined beach, took the mosaic Stairs into the Sea, relaxed at Baby Beach, explored the art and dining scene in San Nicolas, and drove on a quest to see the other side of the Seroe Colorado natural bridge, only to find wild, windy wave-polished ledges that felt like the edge of the world!Rodger's Beach

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-52424231623629988032025-03-24T16:21:00.000-07:002025-04-10T20:03:27.644-07:00

Sunny, breezy Aruba is truly a delight to visit! And the small boutique hotel Serene by the Sea was the perfect idyllic refuge on the southern part of the island with easy access to the best snorkeling, food, and coastline, both tranquil and wild. It was an excellent base for our self-guided explorations of the scenery, flora and fauna, murals, beaches and culinary delights offered by this

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Aruba12.52111 -69.968338-15.789123836178845 -105.124588 40.831343836178846 -34.812088tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-2050935438710480492025-02-17T17:28:00.000-08:002025-02-17T18:42:28.874-08:00

One of our classic meals for a weekend in the mountains is simple and satisfying. Who can resist dunking a perfectly grilled buttery sandwich filled with stretchy Annato-stained cheese into a smooth, rich bowl of tomato soup? The key  for maximum enjoyment lies in the canned tomatoes and the bread used. Read on to learn which brands yield the very best versions of grilled cheese in tomato

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-35269754000960596052025-02-15T13:30:00.000-08:002025-02-18T18:43:37.737-08:00

Crisp, fresh green beans play well with salty, tangy pickled Chinese long beans. Add a spicy punch from dried red er jing tiao peppers and crispy, smoky mushroom bits for a colorful dish that pleases the eye and palate. This beautiful dish paired just as well with a Chinese dinner of mapo tofu and General Tso’s cauliflower/tofu as it did with an creamy, rich pan of Mac and cheese made with extra

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-8494977860327657342025-01-28T19:05:00.000-08:002025-03-04T18:53:07.546-08:00

Spork on Penn Ave has been a favorite for many years, the kind of place where we celebrated anniversaries and proudly brought out-of-town guests. We were truly stunned by the quality of their new dinner concept, launched less than a month ago. Through a series of carefully orchestrated appetizer bites, multiple small entrées, and desserts, each paired with your choice of alcoholic or

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-36461255670481930652024-09-16T18:10:00.000-07:002024-09-17T19:23:59.316-07:00

The first time I tasted this homemade flan, with its luscious, creamy custard and rich, amber caramel, I was blown away. Curiously, as I eagerly began ordering flan, I ended up disappointed by the more jello-like consistency of restaurant flan desserts. Fortunately, the recipe given to my husband by a friend from Puerto Rico is pretty simple, with only five ingredients.Flan with fresh

Love2Chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243994753102445895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-15263022869940522822024-07-04T04:36:00.000-07:002025-01-28T19:32:33.541-08:00

One of the most popular Chinese-American dishes, General Tso's chicken with its spicy, sweet-tart umami-laden bites is in many ways emblematic of the American experience. Five years ago I started an empty-nester blog, so my adult kids could easily find beloved recipes when inspired into the future, working in chow-friendly hikes and travel tips along the way. After I had crossed the globe

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-6506281021346492052024-03-31T15:58:00.000-07:002026-04-16T12:48:05.798-07:00

Get your Pittsburgh city steps workout on this 2.8 mile urban hike up and down Troy Hill! You'll hit four of the ~800 public steps in the region, and walk past four delicious opportunities for food and beverage refreshment. Scratch & Co with its seasonal take on comfort foods appears early in the hike. You will arrive at Threadbare Cider House near the half-way point, and then

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com01291 Spring Garden Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA40.4602314 -79.988955912.149997563821152 -115.1452059 68.770465236178836 -44.832705899999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-854245620794197692024-02-28T14:11:00.000-08:002026-04-16T12:49:31.790-07:00

Pittsburgh is known as the City of Bridges, but it also qualifies as the Steps Capital of North America with more than 800 public staircases. Over the past decade, Pittsburgh has become a foodie destination, with its many restaurants and pop-ups. My husband and dog (T&M) have been exploring and mapping out loop hikes of all different lengths and elevations, often walking past fantastic

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com02638 Josephine St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203, USA40.4236414 -79.968708440.423615876429679 -79.968741927612683 40.423666923570323 -79.968674872387311tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-72919080414001961892024-01-26T14:47:00.000-08:002025-07-06T10:37:13.993-07:00

It is truly a pleasure to come home from work to find freshly baked cookies. I still remember the day my daughter offered me these unassuming, tan cookies with small cracks across the top. My first bite revealed a luscious, moist interior with layered flavors harmonizing in my mouth like a warm embrace. Nutty brown butter, brown sugar molasses, warm cinnamon-nutmeg and spicy, smooth caramel

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-26572316113654552023-12-16T15:49:00.000-08:002024-03-24T07:43:50.578-07:00

Just off the coast of southern California lies a series of 8 small islands, five of which form the Channel Islands National Park. Santa Catalina Island is that often misty, but always present land mass framed so beautifully by the arching pines of Rancho Palos Verdes. On the 4th day of our Lindblad/NatGeo Channel Island cruise, we hiked past a bison and kayaked in a crystal clear cove

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Santa Catalina Island, California 90704, USA33.3878856 -118.41631035.0776517638211516 -153.57256030000002 61.698119436178843 -83.2600603tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-91441774100978383602023-12-11T20:05:00.000-08:002024-03-24T07:44:13.832-07:00

Just off the coast of southern California lies a series of 8 small islands, five of which form the Channel Islands National Park. On the third day of our Lindblad Nat Geo Venture cruise, we spent the entire day exploring the highlands, beaches, canyons and Torrey pine groves of Santa Rosa Island. An unexpected wealth of small wildflowers, glimpses of the elusive Santa Rosa Island fox

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Santa Rosa Island, California, USA33.9773487 -120.08963135.6671148638211548 -155.2458813 62.287582536178846 -84.9333813tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-69454300074420904882023-11-29T18:44:00.000-08:002024-03-24T07:44:30.700-07:00

Just off the coast of southern California lies a series of 8 small islands, five of which form the Channel Islands National Park. Santa Cruz Island is the largest of the northern volcanic chain, a partially submerged tail-like extension of the Santa Monica Mountains. For our afternoon excursion, we selected the long hike up to a scenic viewpoint near Prisoners Harbor. Although the giant coreopsis

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Santa Cruz Island, California 93001, USA34.0232056 -119.76576635.7129717638211517 -154.9220163 62.333439436178843 -84.6095163tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-39850705338804266322023-11-23T11:38:00.000-08:002024-03-24T07:44:44.930-07:00

Just off the coast of southern California lies a series of 8 small islands, five of which form the Channel Islands National Park. Anacapa Island is closest to Ventura, CA, about 12 miles off the coast. And the multiple flights of California brown pelicans coming out to sea at dawn are a dramatic testament to the success of Pittsburgher Rachel Carson's impact in rescuing wild birds. We enjoyed a

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Anacapa Island, California 93001, USA34.0044486 -119.39956035.694214763821158 -154.55581030000002 62.314682436178849 -84.2433103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-22311877231803308102023-11-19T16:25:00.000-08:002023-12-18T05:19:48.695-08:00

Just off the coast of southern California lies a series of 8 small islands, five of which form the Channel Islands National Park. These isolated bits of land host such a variety of unique plants and animals that they have been nicknamed The Galapagos of North America. Access to the parks is not straightforward, so we jumped at the chance to visit four of the six Channel Islands that are open

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-44123828166591512602023-11-14T16:19:00.000-08:002024-03-24T07:45:32.409-07:00

For over a decade, we have aspired to visit the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California. The largest of these, Santa Catalina, has the most glamorous past, but each of the islands host unique wildlife and a beautiful sense of timeless serenity. Before embarking on a Lindblad cruise to the Channel Islands, we arrived early to the Port of Los Angeles area where I grew up. We enjoyed

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA33.7444613 -118.38701735.4342274638211521 -153.5432673 62.054695136178843 -83.2307673tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323656382213162210.post-82973800747272498832023-08-05T12:02:00.025-07:002024-03-22T18:34:53.230-07:00

There are some comfort foods that are so easy and adaptable that you find yourself making them over and over again, each time a little differently. Korean Japchae, with its chewy-slippery, bronzed sweet potato noodles has become one of my favorite, quick dinners. It joins the ranks of a handful of adaptable recipes that allow me to reinvigorate leftover odds and ends into satisfying, highly

Charleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05316895833629997364noreply@blogger.com0