Lets all say Aloha! Have your own luau with hula stirts and flower leis while you gather the family around the supper table. Tonights “set it and forget it” dinner is inspired by the flavors of Hawaii and my favorite Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch. Mom and Dad can tuck away some hidden flavor of pineapple and teriyaki while this pork shoulder slow cooks all day and is fork tender and ready to shred just in time for a little family moment. After all, that’s what this is all about! Ohana.

I was probably too old to have the obsession with Lilo and Stitch that I did, but something about that movie connected with me right away. Lilo is quarky in all the right ways and the moment Stitch says he’s lost, I lost it. You can probably catch me quoting some of my favorite lines on any given day and often sneaking a watch when I know no one else will be home.

       Print This!    

A few years before the birth of this blog, I was struck with the knowledge that there was a lot of food out there I had never tasted. New flavors, textures and cuisines all together I had never even given notice to. The rest is history. Now, wrought with heavy debate, I can not choose my favorite type of food, my favorite meal, dessert or more. And every day I discover more.

Once you are open and willing to try new things there is so much more out there then you could have ever imagined. One of the moments that shocked my taste buds was my first bite into a falafel… It was everything my umami loving self wanted – and it was perfectly vegetarian. The closest moment I have ever had to being a vegetarian. It was the most delicious little bite I had ever experienced.
Falafel isn’t something I get to make to often in this mac and cheese white bread household, but when I can sneak in the flavors on something like chicken fingers – I jump all over the chance! I saw this, ripped it out of the magazine and made it. No eyebrows raised at the table, no questions asked… Secret mission falafel chicken won.

So get the kids involved in these exotic flavors by pairing these falafel-crusted chicken fingers with Disney’s Aladdin, and whether you have a prince, princess, or both, they will all enjoy! (seriously, the Genie still cracks me up)

       Print This!    

This whole week is about bringing the family around the dinner table with fast delicious meals packed with flavors kids will want to try. The hook? They are all paired up with a little of that Disney magic.

One of the biggest struggles for a lot of parents is getting kids to try new foods. Putting new ingredients on the table without an eye roll or verbal protest is something I see a lot of my friends struggling with. As I went through the recipes I wanted to make or post, I couldn’t help but pair a few here and there with some Disney classics and I couldn’t help but think it would be a cool way to get kids to try some ‘exotic’ new flavors. I have been thinking about this idea for a while. The idea of pairing classic Disney movies with foods just seemed exciting to me. Maybe I’m a total fool, but this big kid would be sold on all of the meals I have planned this week with a little inspiration from their movie pairing.

I hope this week is as fun for you, and gets some new quick dinner ideas in the rotation for you!

We kick off Disney Week on Pass the Sushi with some flavors from the East. Stir fries are my go to meal when I feel we need an extra boost of veggies packed with flavor. Oh, and I promised quick didn’t I? With a great pre-heated wok, and a bit of ‘plan ahead’ time of slicing and dicing, a great stir fry will come together in under 20 minutes.

Gather the family around the TV with big bowls of this stir fry served over rice for the heroic tale of the young girl Mulan.

       Print This!    

**The following text is not Kita from Pass the Sushi, but rather Chris and Sean the two guys in charge of this weekly cheese steak debate.**

Remember there are rules:

• When giving a choose at ordering we will stick with either “Wiz wit”or “American Wit” (no other condiments)
• We will only consume water during the eating process
• We must visit the head to head competing shops during the same visit.
• When at all possible we will eat at the original shop of a franchise restaurant
• NO TAKE OUT- we must eat at the shop
• We can not be drunk while participating in the challenge

Tony Luke’s 39 East Oregon Ave Philadelphia, PA 19148

Oh snap it’s back after a long hiatus to finish up round one with two awesome Philly cheese steak shops!!! The first stop of the day was Tony Luke’s. Now I’ve heard a lot about Tony Luke’s, from friends, Co-workers and Man vs. Food! A lot of people I know swear by the steaks that are pumped out of this shop on a daily basis, well we’re on our way to find out. The inside of the shop reminds me of a diner with a few tables scattered throughout. I place the order (Wiz Wit) and Sean picks out a table so we can set up shop. The steak took about 10 minutes to cook, made to order. I wanted to check out the cooking process but the cooks were elevated so I couldn’t get a look at what was going on in the kitchen. When we got our steaks I noticed right away that it was packed with meat, cheese and onions. Upon first bite everything seemed to blend perfectly, except the roll. They use a sour dough type of roll that threw the taste and enjoyment of the sandwich off just a little. The Cheese Wiz also lacked the bite or sharpness that I have grown to love from the wiz. The
meat however was extremely flavorful and the onions were cooked to perfection. It felt good getting back to the grind and into the shops. We’re heading to Jim’s Steaks next and then onto round two!!

Jim’s Steaks 431 North 62nd Street Philadelphia PA 19151 215-747-6617

We had just left Tony Luke’s and I was thinking “stay open minded, stay open minded”.  You see, I have eaten at Tony Luke’s a few times, and have always been impressed with their steaks.  I am not sure if it was the fact that I was starving to death when we arrived or if TL’s was having an extra great steak day, but man…..that was good and I wasn’t sure anything was going to be able to compete.  We set the GPS and headed over to Jim’s Steaks.

Most people think of South St. when you mention Jim’s Steaks, but that is not the original, and staying true to CSC (cheesesteak competition) rules, means heading to West Philly for an original Jim’s steak.  When we arrived, Chris and I looked at each other like, I hope the truck is here when we get back.  Chris had been to Jim’s on South St on two occasions (in one night), so to say he was a fan, would be an understatement.  I was glad that Chris had been there, because when I first walked in, I thought to myself….I wonder if South St has become the money maker for this establishment and the owners had forgotten about the West Philly locations so to speak.

We ordered our steaks, wiz wit, of course, and watched as the cook went to work.  I noticed immediately that the cook, placed our rolls in an oven….a toasted roll.  The large can of wiz was right next to the grill, and the onions were cooked separately.  Chris told me that the cook was preparing our steaks just as the cook did his on South St.  I thought this was pretty cool, consistency between the two locations is important, to me it says the owners take pride in their food preparation methods.  The cook finished our steak.  Chris and I sat down at the counter against the wall and dug in.

The first thing that hit me was the wiz….the taste was much stronger than the wiz we just had at Tony Luke’s.  The steak was good, medium chopped and the onions were noticeable, but not a strong part of the sandwich.   After each bite, I became more undecided about which shop would prevail in this round.  I was still undecided as we left.  Chris and I began to discuss the steaks in detail and it became clear to me that the sour dough roll of the Tony Luke’s killed it for both of us.  It just took something away from the sandwich.  Jim’s was a solid performer, definately a great steak.  I didn’t walk away blown away by one particular part of the steak, but all aspects were very good.  In this round this was just enough to take down TL’s and move to round two.

My favorite, Jim’s won this round! Check back next week as we really start to narrow things down.

As a food blogger, creating food and post to inspire our readers for special occasions is mandatory. Once again I sit down at my desk with an over-sized mug of tea in my hand wondering how on earth to deal with Mother’s Day. As some of you know, my mother passed away when I was younger and I didn’t really have a normal parent/child relationship with her. Last year, I talked about my mom and dazzled you with out Chocolate Jimmy Sandwiches telling you how awkward a post it was for me. In a year of posts and miles forward in the blog-o-sphere (or at least that’s what I tell myself), nothing has changed. I could take the time and anonymity of the internet to make up fluffy posts now with wonderful mother/daughter stories but it just isn’t the case.

I am lucky though, to have had several strong women shape my life and help influence me to become the woman I am today. One such woman had to deal with me in my teen years, and I can’t put into words how terrible that must have been. My father had been recently divorced, my mom was gone, and here we were living with someone new. I was a teen, annoyed, hurt and bothered. I pulled some ridiculous crap. But whether by choice or just because she was stuck with me, this one woman held on. There is more, lots more, but I am not about dragging you through that on the internet. I am happy she stuck around though, because it’s the closest role in my life that I will ever have to a real ‘mom’. Someone I call on a regular basis just to chat with, to whine to, or just to see what she is making for dinner. I like to think that’s what moms are good for.

She also really happens to like lemons. So without any more behind the scenes info, and before you leave running off to more fluffy posts, check out this cake.

       Print This!    

Sometimes I get the notion that I could be an adorable 50′s housewife. That fleeting thought last all of 30 seconds before I realize I could not possibly be one of those women that waited on my husband hand over foot while tending to matronly things all day every day. Oh heck no. But when I do get that notion, pictures of well tailored dresses, keds and block parties come to mind.

Oh, and these oh-so-cute-make-your-nosy-neighbor-envious-with-your-mad-hostess-skills-salads come to mind. And a few more dresses, but what can a girl do? Off to find pearl necklaces and all.

Who doesn’t love a little chicken salad? Stuffed into sweet little tomatoes and served over fresh greens. Talk about spring time perfection.

       Print This!    

Just in case a savory breakfast is not what you had in mind for Mother’s Day, I figured we should sneak this French toast post in as well. And two recipes from the same book in two days? You should all know what that means. A giveaway!

Remember when I said I was done with new cookbooks, well an unexpected delivery from the Easter Bunny had me skimming the pages of CakeLove in the Morning with family present to remark on how attractive a smile the author, Warren Brown had. I proceeded to give the book a deeper look through later in the week with raised eyebrows. I am guilty of being one of those people that loathes breakfast. I always hated the suggestion from friends to meet for brunch, and even now, after a long bike ride with starving tummies, the idea of breakfast just doesn’t excite me. Something about the sugar, the sweet, the amount of all of it. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a ‘small’ portion pancakes at a diner? However, age and a slowing metabolism have made me try to embrace the most important meal of the day and I have been working to increase the breakfast options in our house and at least drink a smoothie in the morning. When CakeLove in the Morning appeared at my door step with recipes ranging from sweet to savory for breakfast, it was a sign to step things up.

When I finally sat down to make some tastiness from the CakeLove book, I started on about how there was not a section devoted to French Toast… There were 8 pages for French toast in a breakfast cook book over 200 pages long. I had a ridiculously dramatic rehearsed rant about the lack of love for such a favorite breakfast meal. Then I realized, feeling rather like a tool, that those 8 pages were pretty awesome. One covered the basics – bread choice serving sizes and other little tips for French Toast perfection. Another page was devoted to a classic French toast recipe, all you really need, and then the next 6 were all about stuffing it with amazingness or even bringing out the big guns with some French Toast pound cake. Yes, you read that right. French. Toast. Pound. Cake. Why didn’t I think of that first?

Technical Level: Who can’t make pancakes? (I say that knowing someone in particular who may have asked for my help the last time he tried to make some… >.>) This book is all about the basics though. It’s simple and down home. Breakfast is meal for everyone and anyone and the recipes in CakeLove stay true to that.

Graphic Design: This book is bright and chipper – just what you are going to need if you plan on dragging yourself out of a warm cozy bed to slave over an oven, unless you really do have someone willing to bring you breakfast. The color choice was smart with a lot of warm oranges and pinks and yet is somehow doesn’t scream ‘fabulous’ so that anyone would feel comfortable flipping through.  In my new favorite thing for cookbooks, the recipes are spacious, being featured on one page with large colorful photographs to accommodate most.

Recipe Quality: Of the three recipes I have tested from this book, none have left me down. I did flip through one morning hoping for a quick waffle fix and noticed there were some egg whites being beaten to stiff peaks and folded into the batter which was more effort than I was willing to give at that point, but having done it before, I can see why it’s  a must for the recipes. I love the assortment of flavors, not just sweet pancakes and waffles. There are plenty of savory egg posts and even a bangers and mash type breakfast for those who are really into savory (like me).

Personality: CakeLove in the Morning is a good cookbook. The author’s personality is neither overwhelming or lost in the pages. The introductions to each post are short and sweet giving just a brief idea to the recipes inspiration before rolling right along. The poppy colors and layout seem to give more away to a sociable personality then the actual text. CakeLove makes me feel like brunch with a good company – the kind of people who accept your penguin speckled pajamas and bed tossed hair and don’t judge.

Why I’d Buy: The story and inspiration behind CakeLove in the morning is amazing. Who doesn’t dream of quitting their job to peruse their happiness? After reading the introduction to CakeLove, you will see that Warren did just that. Leaving a job as a lawyer (I’m pretty sure that requires some serious red tape) to bake cakes. There is more on the about page of his website about the actual series of events that motivated him to take the plunge into the cake making business.  This book should be on your shelf as a reminder of what really matters. If that’s not motivation enough, the kicking breakfast recipes I have tested from this book are pretty delicious.

       Print This!    

CakeLove became aviable for purchase May 1st, just in time for Mother’s Day, so as an added bonus, the wonderful people at Abrams books are giving away one copy to my readers.

To enter to win a copy of CakeLove in the Morning

Leave a comment here telling me your dream breakfast in bed.

Earn Extra Points by doing the following and leaving me a comment saying you have:

• Following Pass the Sushi on Facebook 
• Joining the Email Subscription
• Following Pass the Sushi on Twitter
• Tweeting about this giveaway including @passthesushi
• Subscribing to my RSS Feed
• Give this post a thumbs up with StumbleUpon!
• Google +ing this post
• Pinning this post
• Being a Mom who doesn’t want to make herself breakfast on Mother’s Day
• Following CakeLove on Facebook - leave a note saying Pass the Sushi sent you. It will be cute as they probably don’t know this is going on  

Entries accepted through May 13th at Midnight EST. Winner will be announced on 5/16/12.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and what a better way to celebrate than with breakfast in bed? I’m not even a mom and I would be down with someone bringing me a delicious and satisfying breakfast that I didn’t have to cook myself. Sadly, I did cook this fritatta myself… but I was also the only one in my house eating it, and let me just tell you, with all these flavors packed in, it was amazing.

Just in case you are considering not enjoying this in bed, this frittata would make an amazing brunch recipe for a large group. The 9×13 pan is enough to feed an army. If you only have three or four people around the breakfast table, I suggest halving this recipe and everyone will still be satisfied.

       Print This!    

Weekends are for this…

And because I’m awesome, some of this…

This weekend in particular should be filled with savory Mexican dishes

• Gringo Enchiladas
• Sangria Pops
• Steak Fajitas with Chimichurri and Drunken Peppers
• Chile Colorado
• Conchinita Pibil
• Mini Churros 
• Pork Tinga
• Refried Beans, Guacamole, Carnitas and more!

And of course, Free Comics!

Please click here to find out more about Free Comic Book Day events in your area. Comics are a great way to get kids to read and most stores try to make it a family friendly event. We go hog wild, so if you are in the area, or even if it’s a bit of a drive, I would love to see you at our Free Comic Book Day celebration. There will be pinatas! Darth Vader! And Spider-Man!

       Print This!