tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33234514584906301992024-03-19T04:46:46.322-04:00That's What She Fedwe love food and we kind of like each otherChuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.comBlogger305125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-87911159332174452122013-08-12T21:33:00.000-04:002013-08-12T21:33:08.905-04:00Mediterranean Lamb Loin Chops with Quinoa Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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That's right, it's time for our favorite supper...Lamb Jam! This time we are featuring lamb loin chops, which come from the middle, lower section of the rear quarter. They are tender and require minimal cooking time.<br />
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We made quinoa salad for the side. I sometimes find quinoa to be bland, but the mix of ingredients in this recipe made it anything but. This was a perfect summer meal - healthy and fresh.<br />
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<i>Recipes from LeanOnLamb.com</i><br />
<br />
<b>Quinoa Salad</b><br />
<i>Makes 4 servings</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
1 1/4 cup water<br />
1 cup quinoa<br />
1 cup frozen peas<br />
1 1/4 cup feta, crumbled<br />
2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped<br />
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon pepper<br />
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<u>Directions</u><br />
Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for 2 minutes.<br />
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Combine water and quinoa in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 10 minutes.<br />
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Add frozen peas, and cook for another 10 minutes.<br />
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Remove from heat and let sit covered for approximately 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in feta, mint, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper. We recommend cooking this first, since it can be served warm, room temperature, or cold.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQT6XtJJYzuuBQDLhwUmsQWPVZNTGgRDW-BlhZQ4dmU6VcVtivZ-5AOw6Y3rX9OmAARaZZw8dh8AcpYGJjFqIEY2LNwoOMEKWs1mvSbLy53zDiA-_v_C015DZOPGfeT7oelm_Ksw8hgT7/s1600/IMG_1819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQT6XtJJYzuuBQDLhwUmsQWPVZNTGgRDW-BlhZQ4dmU6VcVtivZ-5AOw6Y3rX9OmAARaZZw8dh8AcpYGJjFqIEY2LNwoOMEKWs1mvSbLy53zDiA-_v_C015DZOPGfeT7oelm_Ksw8hgT7/s640/IMG_1819.JPG" width="640" /></a><b>Mediterranean Lamb Loin Chops</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon pepper<br />
1 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
8 lamb loin chops (trim the visible fat)<br />
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<u>Directions</u><br />
Trim the visible fat from the lamb loin chops.<br />
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Combine salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Pat lamb dry and rub with the spice mixture.<br />
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Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook until browned, approximately 6 minutes on each side (we cooked it to 145 for medium rare).<br />
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Serve with quinoa.<br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-85087563566874762272013-07-15T22:19:00.000-04:002013-07-15T22:19:08.354-04:00Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Smashed Chickpea Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our friend Carmela introduced us to <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/" target="_blank">smitten kitchen</a> a few years ago and it has since been a go-to blog for baking recipes. Not only do we like the fact that most of the recipes require ingredients that we normally already have in, but they are also quick to assemble.<br />
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The blog's cookbook is no exception. We've tried a few recipes now - all flavorful, easy enough to make on a weeknight and impressive enough to serve at a dinner party. It's just two months from the wedding, so we are trying to eat "healthy" (or at least our version of healthy) - turkey meatballs and a salad fit the bill.<br />
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<b>Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs</b><br />
<i>Adapted from the smitten kitchen cookbook</i><br />
1 lb ground turkey<br />
2/3 fresh breadcrumbs<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 egg<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander<br />
A little less than 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika<br />
1/4 teaspoon cayenne<br />
2 tablespoons sesame seeds<br />
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1. Mix all ingredients and shape into small meatballs.<br />
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Get out your cast iron pan (or any oven-safe pan) and heat on medium with a layer of olive oil.<br />
3. Cook meatballs in cast iron plan, flipping over after approximately 4-5 minutes, or until browned on each side. Drain excess oil and put the pan in the oven to cook meatballs through, until they register at 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 10 minutes).<br />
4. Serve with smashed chickpea salad.<br />
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<b>Smashed Chickpea Salad</b><br />
<i>Adapted from the smitten kitchen cookbook</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
2 cans of chickpeas, drained<br />
3/4 cups pitted and thinly sliced green olives (used the extras from our cheese platter - score!)<br />
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br />
Chopped fresh parsley<br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
Pinch of cayenne<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
Olive oil<br />
<br />
1. Mix all ingredients (except for the olive oil). Smash the chickpeas in the salad, but not to the point where it is smooth - it should be chunky.<br />
2. Drizzle with olive oil and mix.<br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-30084352318273808072013-05-29T21:59:00.002-04:002013-05-29T21:59:24.271-04:00Chicken Vindaloo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Vindaloo</td></tr>
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The weekend to kick-off summer proved to be rather rainy and cold (thanks New England) so when were preparing dinner on Friday, we were more in the mood for something heart warming. We decided on trying a new recipe, chicken vindaloo, and it was <i>perfect</i>. This recipe is definitely a keeper (I admit, I literally licked the plate) and since most of it can be prepared ahead of time, we will definitely bring it out for a dinner party some night.<br />
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If you enjoy Indian food, investing in these spices is worth it. Once you try this dish, you'll be making it a lot! For those of you who are local to Boston, we bought most of the spices (the ones in the bags) at <a href="http://polcariscoffee.com/" target="_blank">Polcari's Coffee</a> in the North End.<br />
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<b><u>Chicken Vindaloo</u></b><br />
<i>Recipe by Madhur Jaffrey (adapted)</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 teaspoons cumin seed<br />
3 chiles, dried<br />
1 teaspoon black peppercorns<br />
1 teaspoon cardamom pods<br />
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seed<br />
1 teaspoon whole fenugreek seed<br />
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
1 teaspoon light brown sugar<br />
Vegetable oil<br />
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped<br />
1 1/3 cups water<br />
2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed<br />
1 inch ginger, peeled and crushed<br />
1 head garlic, peeled and crushed<br />
1 tablespoon coriander seed, ground<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons tumeric, ground<br />
8 oz. tomato sauce<br />
3-4 potatoes, roughly chopped<br />
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<u>Directions</u><br />
<br />
Vindaloo Paste (you can make this ahead of time and freeze it):<br />
<br />
1. Grind cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds. Put the spice mixture in a bowl and mix in vinegar, salt, and sugar.<br />
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2. Cook onions in oil over medium heat in a large pan, until they are brown/crispy. Remove the onions and puree them in a food processor with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add this puree to the ground spice mixture.<br />
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The rest:<br />
<br />
1. Puree ginger and garlic in a food processor with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Set aside.<br />
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2. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Cook chicken cubes, until they are lightly brown on all slides. Remove from the pan and set aside.<br />
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3. Add the ginger-garlic paste to the same pan over medium heat. Stir for a few seconds and add the coriander and tumeric.<br />
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4. Add the chicken, potatoes, vindaloo paste, tomato sauce and approximately 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low, allowing the dish to simmer for an hour or until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3MwSocu9MeJHxCJfM4wKiKon0QLEpln-OIYFcmSGeIay0qr-HFzXRnzqO4cAhs_Aw0nglLjP0frk0gsGFxyBwZr3vilxcunTGpP59uyeSzAssKm670R9ri5Id7TzsHNFFRBVgopF8RKq/s1600/IMG_1490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3MwSocu9MeJHxCJfM4wKiKon0QLEpln-OIYFcmSGeIay0qr-HFzXRnzqO4cAhs_Aw0nglLjP0frk0gsGFxyBwZr3vilxcunTGpP59uyeSzAssKm670R9ri5Id7TzsHNFFRBVgopF8RKq/s640/IMG_1490.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-5508309522386727062013-04-07T20:17:00.000-04:002013-04-07T20:17:44.232-04:00Chicken Saltimbocca<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUgWtODT2QeHyY1Cc8iAQHl38fWH4ahHmKzD-c_zENC9m6y73_SA5NbhpIXQe98AMEDMkJ-fgkq4hphM4xk1IYdMeGRSE3EcN03Drz-fxh2pssHq7mgoKxW1JLoyFhybb79NlaeyRaFe3/s1600/IMG_0781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUgWtODT2QeHyY1Cc8iAQHl38fWH4ahHmKzD-c_zENC9m6y73_SA5NbhpIXQe98AMEDMkJ-fgkq4hphM4xk1IYdMeGRSE3EcN03Drz-fxh2pssHq7mgoKxW1JLoyFhybb79NlaeyRaFe3/s640/IMG_0781.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Saltimbocca</td></tr>
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We love the prosciutto from <a href="http://www.salumeriaitaliana.com/" target="_blank">Salumeria Italiana</a> in the North End and usually accompany it with cheese as an appetizer. We had some leftover and decided to try making the classic Italian dish, chicken saltimbocca. Although this dish is traditionally made with veal cutlets, we chose to use up the chicken that was already in the freezer. This meal was incredibly easy to make and came out great!<br />
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<b>Chicken Saltimbocca</b><br />
Serves 2<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b><br />
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4 chicken cutlets (or slice 2 chicken breasts in half and pound to flatten)<br />
8 slices of proscuitto<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
12 sage leaves<br />
Butter<br />
Olive oil<br />
Flour<br />
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<u><b>Directions</b></u><br />
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1. Season chicken cutlet with salt and pepper on both sides.<br />
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2. Lay 3-4 sage leaves on one side of the chicken cutlet. To secure the sage leaves, wrap the chicken cutlet with 2 slices of prosciutto.<br />
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3. Dredge the chicken cutlet package in flour and shake off the excess flour.<br />
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4. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from saute pan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoDdQoYZF-3CdlfXCsha_yI7PhJCgD4mXrX98kv8tTCol4giU0N3IxIM6o9-3IUNixXFAWsLC5WrwRu5ExH-ge6x1hPlS6TCdhApWlMnO80gThLJK_0A0jsTzW-HU-kHbhQcSxSuK4WE8/s1600/IMG_0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoDdQoYZF-3CdlfXCsha_yI7PhJCgD4mXrX98kv8tTCol4giU0N3IxIM6o9-3IUNixXFAWsLC5WrwRu5ExH-ge6x1hPlS6TCdhApWlMnO80gThLJK_0A0jsTzW-HU-kHbhQcSxSuK4WE8/s640/IMG_0777.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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5. Deglaze saute pan with 1/4 cup of white wine and scrape browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Whisk in one tablespoon of butter. This is going to be your sauce.<br />
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6. Add chicken back into the pan and saute for approximately two minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and serve with pasta. Drizzle sauce over chicken and pasta.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJPYdqJEV5T-hYLDu0nINRsyJJyvnoa2_KA6ZievkYA6hlqAwGI8UJEPNAnN8SDHxzX26fojZLmO3JAffJq-1qPloO7POh-vw26gc4ndYe2YPK-z7q5Qkma8Jx046j6Vx_jf4K0n_c52d/s1600/IMG_0782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJPYdqJEV5T-hYLDu0nINRsyJJyvnoa2_KA6ZievkYA6hlqAwGI8UJEPNAnN8SDHxzX26fojZLmO3JAffJq-1qPloO7POh-vw26gc4ndYe2YPK-z7q5Qkma8Jx046j6Vx_jf4K0n_c52d/s640/IMG_0782.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-34836775302267096662013-03-03T18:39:00.001-05:002013-03-04T19:43:58.561-05:00Mela {South End, Boston}<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61IKrtNg1Z-LSys3n912SCD04Mj_QcPAoNnzTdvWkxWdsjKb_pZvgrkyqy0Ohc5qrc5ViocVKTwSb6IVHFkcW7yeSRzBfAvu_rMAlzJYGWMNqqu4z0OHFw1tB3UXmDvD3IIgqz4nU8hnp/s1600/mela-boston-deals-4-620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61IKrtNg1Z-LSys3n912SCD04Mj_QcPAoNnzTdvWkxWdsjKb_pZvgrkyqy0Ohc5qrc5ViocVKTwSb6IVHFkcW7yeSRzBfAvu_rMAlzJYGWMNqqu4z0OHFw1tB3UXmDvD3IIgqz4nU8hnp/s640/mela-boston-deals-4-620.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: DestinationsPerfected.com</td></tr>
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As much as we love the old school vibe and Italian offerings of our North End neighborhood, Chuck and I are beginning to miss the variety and constantly changing restaurant scene we were had in our neighborhood in DC. Last night we had a hankering for Indian food and after about 10 minutes of research settled on <a href="http://www.oneworldcuisine.com/Restaurants/Mela/m_index.php" target="_blank">Mela</a> in the South End.<br />
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We haven't explored the South End and had the same thought upon arrival: this looks like Logan Circle. Plenty of new restaurants dotting wide streets, offering many different types of cuisine. Mela, part of One World Restaurants (including Kashmir and Diva), is located in the middle of the main drag and is rather small in size with with a hip vibe. There were quite a few groups waiting in the entryway (who seemed to have reservations) so we thought it might be awhile, but by some miracle we were seated immediately. First impressions, woohoo!<br />
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The menu is standard for an Indian restaurant. If you are on a date and in an eating mood, we recommend going with the non-vegetarian dinner for two. For $45 total (not per person), each guest is served a bowl of mulligatawny soup and meat samosas to start. We were allowed to pick two entrees and went for the traditional lamb vindaloo and butter chicken. Our entrees were served with basmati rice, naan, and an assortment of tandoori meats. Still hungry? We each got to pick a dessert. The food was excellent and for the price of the dinner for two, we couldn't have been happier with the meal.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/4/53032/restaurant/South-End/Mela-Boston"><img alt="Mela on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/53032/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-19325635160002487342013-01-22T20:58:00.000-05:002013-01-22T20:58:07.089-05:00DePasquale's Homemade Pasta Shoppe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTcxNX4etcLwdX3aHVRN9oGgo-WeyooMqnFuA19tC5-_27cWcECa3PfUwWx3-VdgM99CGKz4oUYGhQWA5h9Al-KB9fkkxSKXUwmJlVn1Pu3FSjzHsqDDUG-vHiforo67-n_c3oiXgCoWE/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTcxNX4etcLwdX3aHVRN9oGgo-WeyooMqnFuA19tC5-_27cWcECa3PfUwWx3-VdgM99CGKz4oUYGhQWA5h9Al-KB9fkkxSKXUwmJlVn1Pu3FSjzHsqDDUG-vHiforo67-n_c3oiXgCoWE/s400/IMG_0441.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panino</td></tr>
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We try to cook dinner as much as possible, but I have to say when you live in the North End, <i>it's tough. </i>Walk outside our apartment and there are Italian restaurants galore. One place we've come to visit on a weekly basis is <a href="http://www.homemade-pasta.com/content/about.html" target="_blank">DePasquale's</a>. This shop is known for it's homemade pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi. It also offers a variety of Italian specialty foods: cheese, meats, spreads, etc. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUsgCBWQAB7WFQ2HM10BeGakKH8Xvv7P4Ny__wwtXnmpi30v4n0h6iqzhYrJ_T77qoibHUQn92FLVs5clGtdKVor15F_suYMRFuh8wF0HQYC06pjpJ919iuRv9K0bMQHl79IcddXPogpz/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUsgCBWQAB7WFQ2HM10BeGakKH8Xvv7P4Ny__wwtXnmpi30v4n0h6iqzhYrJ_T77qoibHUQn92FLVs5clGtdKVor15F_suYMRFuh8wF0HQYC06pjpJ919iuRv9K0bMQHl79IcddXPogpz/s400/IMG_0443.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian</td></tr>
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However, we have come to love DePasquale's sandwich offerings. The French loaf is from Bricco Panetteria (also part of <a href="http://www.depasqualeventures.com/" target="_blank">DePasquale's Ventures</a>), which is probably the best bread around. Each slice of meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato is freshly cut for each sandwich. Our favorites are the Panino (fresh mozzarella, proscuitto, tomato, and basil) and the Italian (a selection of Italian meats, lettuce, tomato, pepperoncini, onion). We've come to realize one sandwich is enough for two people (assuming you have a side of chips), so for a little less than $8 you really can't beat this tasty deal.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-65575462411264529512013-01-21T20:14:00.000-05:002013-01-21T20:25:24.459-05:00Girls' Weekend in NYCI've made a couple of trips to NYC recently: one I still need to blog about, and the more recent that I'll discuss now. My good friend came all the way from down under to the States for the holidays, so the girls and I reunited in NYC, the most central place when you are scattered between DC, NYC, and Boston.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWHJ1OpeGC8ghCF3c7q9I7PX4Ffe6sgNrAyRzl6h6E-v2KwNxnVcrCL6FlWAGgLRT3pIlum97KNQGAmK6ATliQ5IkfVpo82gru-6RY9nwSAVfwrCRBC1n6fDBEB6khx2IRf6CFns4ZVbs/s1600/philip-marie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWHJ1OpeGC8ghCF3c7q9I7PX4Ffe6sgNrAyRzl6h6E-v2KwNxnVcrCL6FlWAGgLRT3pIlum97KNQGAmK6ATliQ5IkfVpo82gru-6RY9nwSAVfwrCRBC1n6fDBEB6khx2IRf6CFns4ZVbs/s400/philip-marie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo credit: Trip Advisor</i></td></tr>
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Upon arrival we headed to <a href="http://www.philipmarie.com/" target="_blank">Philip Marie</a>, a hopping brunch spot in the West Village. For $24.95 you can have bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary's with any entree on the menu. Most of our table ordered the favorite Marie wrap, filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, grilled ham, onions, mushrooms with cheddar and pepper jack cheese with skillet potatoes and tomato salsa. Some of us decided to pair up, so we could enjoy two different entrees; Katie and I split the wrap and the crab cakes benedict. I loved the wrap, but the DC in me couldn't help but overly enjoy the crab cakes. In most bottomless brunching situations, I consider the drinks to be on the weaker side. This is not the case for Philip Marie. We weren't crazy about the bloody Mary, but their mimosas were strong, and they refilled them quicker than our water glasses. Words of advice, be prepared to yell across the table - it's probably one of the loudest restaurants in which I've eaten. Also, the number of people you are with determines the time you have at your table - for eight ladies we had a three hour reservation.<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/37044/restaurant/West-Village/Philip-Marie-New-York"><img alt="Philip Marie on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/37044/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPmMqNJBbsZ_G_KFZuJbgLmj2afzPARRt3jSco4Zlw5GWNYqrDXV-tu9utTvhGACEDV-mwe7t6ZuAbKtfsQ3ZsRJ6z02xVwQscrBTYliK5GND-Sm0HBO8P8GrxYoSFiBZCsjuINX8fyev/s1600/Cuba+Restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPmMqNJBbsZ_G_KFZuJbgLmj2afzPARRt3jSco4Zlw5GWNYqrDXV-tu9utTvhGACEDV-mwe7t6ZuAbKtfsQ3ZsRJ6z02xVwQscrBTYliK5GND-Sm0HBO8P8GrxYoSFiBZCsjuINX8fyev/s400/Cuba+Restaurant.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo credit: Yelp</i></td></tr>
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For dinner, we made reservations at <a href="http://cubanyc.com/cuba/media/cubarestaurant.html" target="_blank">Cuba</a> in Greenwich Village. The restaurant has a very chill and intimate vibe - dimly lit, live music, and many groups of people who were clearly celebrating something. For us, it was three birthdays. We started with mojito pitcher and the ceviche mixto with shrimp, calamari, and scallops marinated in lime juice, red onions, avocado and cilantro; and yuca con mojo, potatoes with garlic mojo. Swayed by the recommendations of our passionate waiter, most of us went with the vaca frita: pan fried skirt steak with the same garlic mojo, parsley, and onions. He had warned us that dish calls for the meat to be cooked medium-well to well done, and as promised it suited for this dish. It was delicious and reminded me of my trip to Puerto Rico. Another popular entree at the table was the tilapia Santa Clara with Peruvian corn, artichokes, scallions and a brown butter almond sauce. I didn't get to try it, but everyone was very pleased with their meal. Both entrees were accompanied by rice and beans. I thought the menu was reasonably priced for a hopping NYC joint, with entrees ranging between $17-$24.
On your way out, don't forget to stop by the cigar roller - they are complimentary! Be nice and leave him a tip.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/25513/restaurant/Greenwich-Village/Cuba-New-York"><img alt="Cuba on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/25513/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-16374012352861409192013-01-17T12:58:00.001-05:002013-01-17T12:58:45.555-05:00New Year, New Place, New Posts, New CameraPosts have been few and far between during the last few months. It’s been a bit of a transition time at TWSF as we moved from DC to Reading Massachusetts for a couple of months then finally into Boston’s North End. Also, it’s hard to keep writing every week without getting paid or needing to pass a class. So, I have been told by the other blogger that my New Year’s resolution for 2013 is to get back into the blogging habit. So without further ado… <br />
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Reading MA is by no means a culinary hotbed, but there are some solid places to be found if you don’t want to make the trip into downtown Boston. In case you ever find yourself out in in the Boston suburbs on the northeast side of the intersection of interstates 95 and 93, here are some one sentence (I need to ease back into this) reviews of places we visited:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/colombospizza" target="_blank">Columbo's</a> has good pizza and calzones</li>
<li><a href="http://grumpysreading.com/" target="_blank">Grumpy Doyle's</a> has trivia on Tuesday and a decent beer selection. The 'Doyle’s Chicken Tenders' are a solid take on the chicken finger.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bangkok-spice-thai-restaurant-reading" target="_blank">Bangkok Spice</a> is a Thai place with really, really cheap bottles of wine and serviceable Thai food. <a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/03/thai-x-ing.html">Chef Taw</a> set our expectations for Thai food ridiculously high. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.venetianmoon.com/index.php" target="_blank">Venetian Moon</a> has a wide selection of good martinis served in an interesting older, cougar-ie ambiance. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.satoii.com/" target="_blank">Sato 2</a> is the place for sushi and a scorpion bowl for one (someone always has to drive home in the suburbs)</li>
<li>The Chinatown Cafe has amazingly cheap combo deals for a reason, pass</li>
<li>The McDonalds in Reading serves laxatives masquerading as value meals like every other McDonalds in the country</li>
<li>Market Basket (supermarket) sells really cheap live lobsters. Hint: take them uncooked, if you have Market Basket steam them free, you wind up having to pay a prepared food tax.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.jordans.com/About-Us/Store-Locations/Reading.aspx">Jordan's Furniture</a> has an IMAX, Fudruckers, Richardson's Ice Cream, and a Trapeze, within the confines of the furniture store</li>
<li>They call cheesesteaks steak and cheese in Boston. This is particularity irksome for a Philadelpha suburbanite. You wouldn’t place an order for a burger and cheese, would you? This is much worse than calling hoagies subs.</li>
</ul>
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Also we got a fancy new DSLR camera for Christmas, so the quality of our pictures should increase, here are some random food related pictures. We still have no idea to use the thing: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKIoXmesg2ej3axOJtUY4N7M1me2P03k-YZpUenuMPb1QmpAALkw54NbivP-bckTrUGZ-leVFwjrH36HbBrCBvMyXsP2i6m-JnRA97D5LUcPA5ZI_FvydWnNuoCp1LtEjCu4hg4FImatB/s1600/Prime+Rib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKIoXmesg2ej3axOJtUY4N7M1me2P03k-YZpUenuMPb1QmpAALkw54NbivP-bckTrUGZ-leVFwjrH36HbBrCBvMyXsP2i6m-JnRA97D5LUcPA5ZI_FvydWnNuoCp1LtEjCu4hg4FImatB/s400/Prime+Rib.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prime Rib - Christmas Eve (hope Dad washed his hands)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-lcdpPQaOZ9MLHYdOvbKF2M1Y0PJ0fIFFqKtau6tMLwqSMfOMnfLFrffryMAePBHLLiENxpwHe7zjYlPREQXzPPVtc3yI_7vGC_4SDqd6sgXot1A6EdxhRk7mimQ_y6hxywa0drbViX1/s1600/Potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-lcdpPQaOZ9MLHYdOvbKF2M1Y0PJ0fIFFqKtau6tMLwqSMfOMnfLFrffryMAePBHLLiENxpwHe7zjYlPREQXzPPVtc3yI_7vGC_4SDqd6sgXot1A6EdxhRk7mimQ_y6hxywa0drbViX1/s400/Potatoes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAFIXQFVgL1ADUp961aGhK1gBxMgA_-59Yp-x3RTtMVo7aE-Cs3kU-gRGIsLXV21goZrQ-0oQAzx3CW0H7wfz8cNaqjCYyATT7FM81u8gtKXGkMog_BFpSqW8vZz9BMwJV_rcROL6Fuwc/s1600/German+Chocolate+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAFIXQFVgL1ADUp961aGhK1gBxMgA_-59Yp-x3RTtMVo7aE-Cs3kU-gRGIsLXV21goZrQ-0oQAzx3CW0H7wfz8cNaqjCYyATT7FM81u8gtKXGkMog_BFpSqW8vZz9BMwJV_rcROL6Fuwc/s400/German+Chocolate+Cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Chocolate Cake</td></tr>
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<br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-60265301026632101802012-11-11T19:53:00.001-05:002012-11-12T11:04:54.055-05:00DC Ya Later...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlWNfmJpeaaNiYqDVEyW6XfKnSVmx8entK8ikngbKGLC0D_8DC2GdcZS_JvCqG2K_pElcA0Z-WM5RWa-YiWu7AgTJzcVmKdKcJit_7DMC0LVVsxUBwQcAiLVzBK1A2BSH1Ygmcxe5lqdO/s1600/Lincoln+Memorial.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlWNfmJpeaaNiYqDVEyW6XfKnSVmx8entK8ikngbKGLC0D_8DC2GdcZS_JvCqG2K_pElcA0Z-WM5RWa-YiWu7AgTJzcVmKdKcJit_7DMC0LVVsxUBwQcAiLVzBK1A2BSH1Ygmcxe5lqdO/s320/Lincoln+Memorial.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">After four wonderful years in the DMV (only lasted one term), we packed up our lives and moved north to Boston (more on that later). Now that we are somewhat settled in our new/old city and have time to blog again, we thought it would be appropriate to come up with a list of our favorite bars and restaurants in our Nation's capital. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">This list is comprised of places for celebrations, everyday restaurants, and our go-to bars. Although most are located in the District, we have a few that made it in from our days in Arlington, VA. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ7kmtGqV8pb3-FY_aHIwCuvDZfHNL2J1ZGMwo-k2_pZUFPuG6Pm9B3kq2_NS3WqPZg_dsdo_ybt_QVPWDg3_Ls8tH08YpBQyp64aZbgwZ1_7hpNXnnnjY7csg13UNipRbV3jhERlC2G8/s1600/Adams+Morgan+Sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ7kmtGqV8pb3-FY_aHIwCuvDZfHNL2J1ZGMwo-k2_pZUFPuG6Pm9B3kq2_NS3WqPZg_dsdo_ybt_QVPWDg3_Ls8tH08YpBQyp64aZbgwZ1_7hpNXnnnjY7csg13UNipRbV3jhERlC2G8/s400/Adams+Morgan+Sign.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Special Occasions:</span></b></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/03/central-michel-ricard.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Central</span></a></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/03/thats-what-she-fed-goes-to-minibar-part.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Minibar</span></a></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Komi</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/11/blue-duck-tavern.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Blue Duck Tavern</span></a></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/06/our-anniversary-spot-willow.html" target="_blank">Willow</a> (Arlington, VA)</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Columbia Room in Passenger Bar</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Palena</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Little Serow </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Great for groups:</span></b></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/03/thai-x-ing.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Thai X-ing</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/09/lauriol-plaza.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Lauriol Plaza</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Homemade pasta:</b> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Floriana</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Liberty Tavern (Arlington, VA) </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Tapas:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB">Jaleo </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB">Zaytinya </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Take-out and other quick meals:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Titanic </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2012/01/ravi-kabob.html" target="_blank">Ravi Kabob</a> (Arlington, VA)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Red Velvet Cupcakery</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Cowgirl Creamery </span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">Bahn mi at Eden Center</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">Rocklands BBQ</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Crabs from the wharf</span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">Pete's New Haven Style APizza (DC and Arlington, VA)</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span> <br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Brunch:</span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/01/restaurant-at-tabard-inn.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Tabard Inn</span></a></div>
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/08/locolat-another-reason-to-reminisce.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></a><br />
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/08/locolat-another-reason-to-reminisce.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Locolat</span></a></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Busboys and Poets</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Founding Farmers </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Other favs:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Birch and Barley </span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dupont Farmers Market</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Brasserie Beck</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rasika</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Happy Hour:</span></b></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/11/pearl-dive-oyster-palace-and-black-jack.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Pearl Dive Oyster Palace / Black Jack</span></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/07/eventide.html" target="_blank">Eventide</a> </span>
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<br /></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<b><span lang="EN-GB">Bars:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Churchkey</span></div>
<div class="BodySingle">
<span lang="EN-GB">Passenger </span></div>
<a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2011/11/pearl-dive-oyster-palace-and-black-jack.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">Black Jack</span></a><br />
PX<br />
Bar Pilar<br />
Black Squirrel<br />
Nellie's<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"> </span>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-21877131109916398722012-10-05T10:21:00.001-04:002012-10-05T10:21:17.307-04:00Apparently Reading MA is a free-range turkey farm….<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQFvO6ueuUYkat96IAR6imQGFyy4nTelh3fLvreowmxeFPjEdIuN8ryu_eb-E-6TjmYYTSxujl2tT5BCY28qJuNoVznVn3wk72Xj9B149dXFS54sIS8vVNT178h_N2zkjy4RXqYrzEO3G/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQFvO6ueuUYkat96IAR6imQGFyy4nTelh3fLvreowmxeFPjEdIuN8ryu_eb-E-6TjmYYTSxujl2tT5BCY28qJuNoVznVn3wk72Xj9B149dXFS54sIS8vVNT178h_N2zkjy4RXqYrzEO3G/s640/photo.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-37934837274697666292012-07-30T21:19:00.000-04:002012-07-30T21:25:20.976-04:00Eggplant Parmesan Stacks<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgYxeNM53ImSrsURH_VOEe7fFH-zQfaPxK99fRD2ZOIu6FpeTuX__nl5WQB4sYlbwot21cKkGzu4ys1vMJGsFP8scKc5TAzseQAgEl1jY_MCv04WYGLrxy3sNeidt9PzLbBInMBgHTv7y/s1600/Eggplant+Parm+Stacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgYxeNM53ImSrsURH_VOEe7fFH-zQfaPxK99fRD2ZOIu6FpeTuX__nl5WQB4sYlbwot21cKkGzu4ys1vMJGsFP8scKc5TAzseQAgEl1jY_MCv04WYGLrxy3sNeidt9PzLbBInMBgHTv7y/s320/Eggplant+Parm+Stacks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggplant Parm Stacks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We recent paid a visit to Chuck's parents home in Pennsylvania and stopped at their local farmers market. We found a beautiful eggplant (for $1 - can you believe it?) and brought it home for a hearty Italian supper. I know it's summer and we should have grilled it, but we hadn't cooked an Italian meal in awhile and figured the eggplant was big enough to do some serious damage. This is a really simple dish and is great for a dinner party.<br />
<br />
<b>Eggplant Parm Stacks </b><br />
<i>Serves 2-4</i><br />
<br />
1 large (or 2 small) eggplant (s)<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
2 cups bread crumbs<br />
2 cups flour, for dredging<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Oil (we used vegetable)<br />
4-5 cups marinara sauce (we used Chuck’s recipe)<br />
3 cups shredded mozzarella<br />
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan<br />
<br />
<u>Directions </u><br />
<br />
1. Slice eggplant into ¼” thick discs. Pour ½” oil in a large pan and heat over medium heat. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat sauce in a pan over low heat.<br />
<br />
2. Coat eggplant in the following order: flour (shake off the excess), dip in egg batter, cover with breadcrumbs.<br />
<br />
3. Fry eggplant for approximately 2 minutes on each side, or until light golden brown. Set each fried piece of eggplant aside on a tray covered with paper towels.<br />
*Note: The oil is ready if it quickly begins bubbling around the eggplant when it enters the oil.<br />
**If you are opposed to frying your eggplant, you can also bake it on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-8 minutes on each side, until golden brown.<br />
<br />
4. Pour a thin layer of sauce in a glass baking dish. Place the bottom layer of eggplant discs over the sauce, leaving space between each disc. Cover the bottom layer with another layer of sauce, and sprinkle with both the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat eggplant, sauce, and cheese until you have a single serving stack (3-4 layers of eggplant), making the cheese your top layer.<br />
<br />
5. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve each stack with a side of pasta and leftover sauce. Garnish with basil.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-77368271356507337532012-07-16T18:25:00.000-04:002012-07-16T20:52:43.105-04:00Indian Spice Lamb with Mango Salsa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFZ8Y8CINepH4jv4uO2QWqQOX2ZUKvQWKlppbWtNqymVsteOPQgIecfxO5yJ-rDXjdAdi9L-IV8Bd2CkZSbS821sL8ioMBl1kidFvc0M8f0IHoDzd7yF0PxBFy3fIx3sb3b6rQXkaoPUr/s1600/lamb+and+salsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFZ8Y8CINepH4jv4uO2QWqQOX2ZUKvQWKlppbWtNqymVsteOPQgIecfxO5yJ-rDXjdAdi9L-IV8Bd2CkZSbS821sL8ioMBl1kidFvc0M8f0IHoDzd7yF0PxBFy3fIx3sb3b6rQXkaoPUr/s400/lamb+and+salsa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Spice Lamb with Mango Salsa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yes folks, it's time for another Lamb Jam. We were challenged with developing our own recipe featuring lamb and other healthy ingredients. The catch: our recipe had to contain 10 ingredients or less (including lamb, but not including salt & pepper).<br />
<br />
With a bit of tweaking and taste testing, we came up with what we think is a winning recipe. Not only does it abide by the rules, but both the meat and salsa are incredibly flavorful. This dish would be perfect served with brown jasmine rice or whole grain naan.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Lamb with Mango Salsa </b><br />
Serves 8-12<br />
<br />
<i>Prep time: 25-30 minutes (excluding marinade time) </i><br />
<i>Cook time: 10-20 minutes (depending on how you like your lamb cooked) </i><br />
<i>Required cooking utensils: Sauté pan, Ziploc bag (to marinate the lamb), bowl for the salsa, chef’s knife, and spatula </i><br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients </u><br />
<i>Lamb </i><br />
36 oz leg of lamb<br />
8 large garlic cloves, minced<br />
4 teaspoons green chile pepper, diced (with seeds for extra heat)<br />
6 teaspoons ground coriander<br />
6 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
4 teaspoons ground ginger<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
<br />
<i>Mango Salsa </i><br />
4 mangoes, diced<br />
1 cup red onion, diced<br />
4 green chile pepper, diced (with seeds for extra heat)<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice from 2 limes<br />
<br />
<u>Directions </u><br />
1. Cut the leg of lamb into more manageable pieces (we suggest 8"length x 3"width x 1 1/2" height).<br />
<br />
2. Mix all garlic, chile pepper, coriander, cumin, ginger, salt, olive oil, and lamb. If possible, marinate in the fridge overnight. If you are short on time, 15 minutes of marinating time is sufficient.<br />
<br />
3. While the lamb is marinating, prepare your salsa. Mix mango, onion, chile pepper, salt, and lamb. Allow to marinate in the fridge or serve immediately.<br />
<br />
4. Heat skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil. For medium-rare (internal cooking temperature of approximately 135 degrees), cook lamb on the skillet for approximately 10 minutes, turning 5 minutes into cooking time. If you prefer your lamb medium or medium-well, increase the cooking time. Allow meat to rest for 8 minutes. Slice thinly and garnish with mango salsa.<br />
<br />
If you prefer, you can also grill the meat and slice it, or serve it as kebabs.<br />
<br />
Looking for a refreshing treat that only requires ONE more ingredient? Look no further than our mango popsicles (recipe below).<br />
<br />
<b>Mango Popsicles</b><br />
Makes 6 popsicles<br />
<br />
2 mangoes<br />
1 lime, juiced<br />
A little less than a 1/3 cup of sugar<br />
3/4 cups water<br />
<br />
1. Slice the skin off the mangos, remove the pit, and puree the flesh of the mangoes in a food processor.<br />
<br />
2. Dissolve sugar in water (this works best when the water is over low heat).<br />
<br />
3. Mix pureed mango, sugar water, and lime juice. Pour in a popsicle mold and store in a freezer overnight.<br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-78186387710222765322012-06-24T21:58:00.000-04:002012-07-30T21:23:41.404-04:00Peach Mojito<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
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During our trip to the farmers market this morning, it was clear that peach season has arrived! The weather is only getting hotter, so pick up some ripe peaches and enjoy a unique twist on a classic mojito cocktail.<br />
<br />
Peach Mojito
Recipe<br />
From our friend, Lauren<br />
<br />
2 cups coarsely chopped, peeled peaches (approximately 1 pound)<br />
1 teaspoon grated lime rind<br />
1 cups fresh lime juice (approximately 4 large limes)<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup packed mint leaves<br />
2 cups white rum<br />
4 cups club soda, chilled<br />
Crushed ice<br />
Mint sprigs (optional)<br />
<br />
Place the peaches in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Press the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard solids.
Combine the lime rind, lime juice, sugar and mint in a large pitcher; crush juice mixture with the back of a long spoon. Add the peach puree and rum, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in club soda and serve over
crushed ice. Garnish your cocktail with mint sprigs.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-59462896272417801352012-06-21T09:13:00.001-04:002012-06-21T10:00:15.735-04:00Do What's Right<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
As I’ve often complained before, summer is the worst time to be a Metro commuter in the DC area. June ushers in the arrival of DC’s soul crushing heat-humidity combo. It doesn't help that our forefathers decided to build the capital on a swamp, in an era with powdered wigs and no air-conditioning nonetheless. Naturally this humidity, in conjunction with the formalities of modern business attire, causes riders to sweat in new and unusual places (for men at least, I dream of wearing a skirt, tank top and sandals when its 90+ degrees out). Metro commuters quickly learn that their knuckles, earlobes and eyelids all have sweat glands.<br />
<br />
Along with the humidity summer ushers in another seasonal annoyance, the tourist. I realize that many of the people who visit our nation’s capital come from that real America that Republicans talk so much about, an America that doesn’t have big city conveniences like underground trains or moving staircases. Whenever I see someone wearing a fanny pack, sandals with socks, hunting camouflage or an animal print t-shirt on a rush hour train I just hope for their sake that they don’t stand on the left side of the escalator. Nothing draws the ire of daily commuters more quickly than some bumpkin standing on the walking side of the escalator. After all he is the only thing standing between us and an air conditioned office building.<br />
<br />
<br />
DC Metro is spending $3 billion to ‘upgrade’ the system and build the silver line. This is all well and good, but they are not addressing core issues with the Metro like <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/26/metro-derailed-by-culture-of-complacence-incompete/">institutional ineptitude and corruption</a> or more importantly the standing on the left problem. <br />
<br />
So while riding the tube in London I was surprised to see that the English have developed an elegant solution to this seemingly insurmountable escalator clogging problem: a sign. I was so bothered the fact that DC Metro didn’t have similar signs that I felt compelled to take the above picture (while politely standing to the right of course). Heaven forbid that DC Metro takes a couple thousand dollars from their ballooning $3 billion budget and upcoming fare hikes to address this real, fixable problem. It would hardly be any sweat off their brow.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-62426509009378187142012-06-12T16:35:00.000-04:002012-06-12T16:35:25.332-04:00Watching the sausage being made at HGTV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Anyone who has considered buying a home or searched for a rental has undoubtedly spent many a night watching the highly addictive House Hunters and House Hunters International. I know we here at That’s What She Fed have wasted many an hour watching strangers search for homes in places we will never visit. Despite constantly being outraged at the low cost of real-estate in fly-over states (we could live like kings in Missouri) we truly loved the show.<br />
<br />
So naturally we were super excited when our friend, who recently moved to a certain island continent, applied for and was accepted to be on an episode of House Hunters International after a coworker said it was a good way to get a free flight back to the states. We were even more excited after receiving an invite to attend the official going away party for the show at a local restaurant (alas we didn’t make it in front of the camera and the scene was eventually dropped from the episode). I was more than a little confused by the logistics of the invite, after all we had already attended our friend’s official going away party a few months earlier and she already comfortably living on the island nation… Were parts of House Hunter’s staged? What all could they be fabricating?<br />
<br />
Turns out a lot:<br />
<ul>
<li>You need to already have closed on a house before House Hunters will agree to have you on. </li>
<li>Our friend and her roommate were just renting and already living in the house they ‘selected’ </li>
<li>The back story of the Hunters was loosely based on fact and mostly fabricated </li>
<li>The Hunters were fed dialogue to create a storyline for their episode, Who will get the master suite?? Oh look at those cute boys!</li>
<li>They had to use a home-owning friend’s house for the ‘leaving home’ shoot because no DC landlord wanted to sign the production company’s legal waiver</li>
<li>The production company had to find two homes for our friend to ‘look at’ on the island nation</li>
<li>The production company filmed one scene in their ‘new home’ then removed all the furniture to film another</li>
<li>There is a reason those going away parties always seem awkward. 8 people that have never been on camera trying to act natural while attempting to follow a producer’s guidance is going to look a little forced.</li>
</ul>
There is more that can be listed, but basically the whole show is a scam. I know there are many tricks Hollywood uses to make their magic, after all it’s pretty naive to think a camera crew would make an second international trip for 45 seconds of the ‘2 months later’ footage. But I thought House Hunters was different than other reality shows. I thought they were special. Needless to say I haven't watched an ep since.<br />
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This brings into question all other reality programming that we like. Does the Hoarders production crew have a warehouse full of garbage that they pile into someone’s house before filming? Are the perps on Cops trained actors instead of drunk rednecks? Are all of the Real Housewives not lifelong best friends? Are the people on Antiques Roadshow given items at the door of the appraisal hall? Do the Kardashians not have talent? <b>DID SHE ALREADY SAY YES TO THAT DRESS?!?!?!</b><br />
<br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-51960519064488839582012-06-11T21:42:00.000-04:002012-06-11T21:42:43.105-04:00Cherry Crumb Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrZ4fat07K9D4bqGd6gHqkOiBz3RxakD_Jg9unLFG_BD9r2hp3OV48TF8Ou5XxjIznTCsRH_M1OvJIJAxc6jC6w-3uogcKcj1T8DFzdLUJ6m_dI76Uu67pEExKdHTIJOL5PBqD4KtdcWx/s1600/cherry1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrZ4fat07K9D4bqGd6gHqkOiBz3RxakD_Jg9unLFG_BD9r2hp3OV48TF8Ou5XxjIznTCsRH_M1OvJIJAxc6jC6w-3uogcKcj1T8DFzdLUJ6m_dI76Uu67pEExKdHTIJOL5PBqD4KtdcWx/s400/cherry1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll keep this short and sweet. We love a good crumb bar, and since cherries are in season we felt the need to come up with a cherry dessert. Using our <a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/08/good-visitors-bring-baked-goods.html#blueberry">favorite crumb bar recipe</a> and simple pantry items, we substituted the blueberries for approximately 4 cups of pitted and quartered cherries for decadent cherry crumb bars. We'll be eating them for breakfast and dessert all week!<br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-79658513918111552132012-06-10T22:03:00.001-04:002012-06-10T22:44:40.444-04:00BBQ Pizza Pan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOh6pxX2cn2o5NFy64egw28_VUVuJcofXxVOUZhYQJdCtY0wV7lvgNhm7BM78Cedq5058-AMhbVDetdjAJp75EbHFxTIBQkJMjGjNOqbHEBkU3M5y9K0E4oh4SQhL3y-f9CyQSmM4AXTI/s1600/grill+pan+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOh6pxX2cn2o5NFy64egw28_VUVuJcofXxVOUZhYQJdCtY0wV7lvgNhm7BM78Cedq5058-AMhbVDetdjAJp75EbHFxTIBQkJMjGjNOqbHEBkU3M5y9K0E4oh4SQhL3y-f9CyQSmM4AXTI/s400/grill+pan+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBQ Pizza Pan</td></tr>
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I recently hosted a Pampered Chef gathering with my girlfriends and decided to beef up our grilling gear in anticipation of simple summer night meals. You know we love a <a href="http://www.thatswhatshefed.com/2010/04/chicken-margherita-pizza.html">good pizza</a>, so my eyes were immediately drawn to <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=38329&catId=180&parentCatId=180&outletSubCat=">The Pampered Chef BBQ Pizza Pan</a>. I'm happy to say my instincts were correct - we've used the pan at least once each week since it was delivered.<br />
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The pan itself is very easy to use and clean (dishwasher safe!). Simple spray the pan with a non-stick spray, sprinkle lightly with cornmeal, and continue to put together your pizza laying the dough directly on the pan. Cook your pizza on the grill (keep the lid closed) for approximately 15 minutes on medium-high heat. What's the difference between the oven and the grill? The result: a crispy crust with beautiful grill marks. In one bite you'll forget your at home, instead of at your local pizzeria.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled Margherita Pizza</td></tr>
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At $24 this was a great purchase that we plan to every summer, all summer long. For all you with grill master Dads, just a reminder that Father's Day is next week!<br />
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-61394152393387088452012-05-10T22:15:00.000-04:002012-05-10T22:15:38.822-04:00Whole Roasted Artichoke<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf27oGYD6JvgWODeqjwo6DMxjkTHPXCFespUReCTqCpFadg7ZtbtKznF6o7U_mw5fXvJrGLU_BNoELQ3nzEuHz__zVwlbmkZTYEE2iSeqfEShQIX8wQXqKrQBouDLTeExroeNkg6oXrJk/s1600/whole+artichoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf27oGYD6JvgWODeqjwo6DMxjkTHPXCFespUReCTqCpFadg7ZtbtKznF6o7U_mw5fXvJrGLU_BNoELQ3nzEuHz__zVwlbmkZTYEE2iSeqfEShQIX8wQXqKrQBouDLTeExroeNkg6oXrJk/s400/whole+artichoke.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole Roasted Artichoke</td></tr>
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If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you’ve probably seen the gorgeous whole artichokes adorning the vegetable aisle. Simply prepared artichokes can make for an easy, intriguing, and healthy appetizer. You can grill, steam, and roast them until the leaves can be easily removed and dipped into your sauce of choice. We decided to try roasting the artichoke this time, and it yielded by far the best results.<br />
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Directions:<br />
<br />
1. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.<br />
2. Cut off the top quarter and stem of the artichoke.<br />
3. Remove skin from garlic cloves and stuff 3-4 of them within the artichoke leaves.<br />
4. With the stem-side down on your baking sheet, liberally drizzle each artichoke with olive oil, lemon, and a dash of salt.<br />
5. Wrap individual artichokes in tin foil and bake in the oven for approximately 1 ¼ hours, or until the leaves pull off easily and the artichoke meat is tender.<br />
6. Allow artichokes to cool, just enough to handle. Serve with an aioli or the leftover marinade. The garlic should have almost a buttery consistency at this point, and is fantastic when smeared over the artichoke meat.<br />
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We had to Google “how to eat a whole artichoke” the first time we made this dish. It’s not something everyone grew up learning how to do, so we’ve provided you a brief summary of the process.<br />
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As you pick each leaf from the artichoke, use your teeth to scrape the meat located at end of the leaf closest to the artichoke’s heart. Once you've removed all the leaves, you'll notice fuzzy stuff, also known as the "choke." Scrape out the fuzzy pieces, leaving the bottom, or heart, left for you to continue dipping in your sauce.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-43783468655572691422012-04-30T10:50:00.002-04:002012-04-30T10:50:42.987-04:00An American Chelsea Supporter in London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was only mildly disappointed in the lack of hooliganism at Stamford Bridge. Walking to Chelsea’s historic stadium on a uncharacteristically sunny February afternoon, I was expecting to see packs of drunken <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ_Lr5MlEbM%20">Chelsea Headhunters</a> prowling the streets in search of Bolton supporters to punch in the mouth. Much to my surprise (and thanks to stricter policies, policing and CCTV), the scene outside and inside the stadium was one of the most calm and polite amassing of humans I have ever been a part of. It was a very refreshing experience to not have to deal with throngs of drunken, potbellied Americans chugging lite beer from the tailgate of their pickups. I guess my expectations of hooligan violence were falsely fueled by exaggerated internet stories, urban legends, and Hollywood’s artistic license. I now know how Englishmen must feel when they come to America only to discover that every girl doesn’t look like Scarlett Johansson or Angelina Jolie.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Life, One Love, One Club</td></tr>
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At matchday, Feb 25 2012, Chelsea was barely hanging onto 4th place in the Premier League table (and the last coveted Champions League qualification) and Bolton was fighting to avoid relegation, so despite a substantial mismatch of talents, we were optimistic for a competitive afternoon. As an added wrinkle Chelsea’s Manager Andre Villas-Boas was on the hottest of hot seats and in desperate need of a victory (we would learn of his firing a week later while waiting at Charles de Gaulle).<br />
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The food options in the stadium weren’t much to blog about. For me, the limited in-stadium selection boiled down to two choices, a traditional English meat pie and a traditional flaccid grey American-style hotdog on a small soggy bun. I never, ever get hotdogs stateside, but I couldn’t resist this limp slice of Americana, plus I was starving. I wasn’t expecting much from the English in the way of food, and the cooks of Stamford Bridge didn't do much to help that stereotype. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank Lampard takes a corner</td></tr>
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During a tentative, scoreless first half and a highly entertaining second half which saw goals from David Luiz, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, I noticed a lot of differences between English football and American sporting events. Differences that I wish were found their way to stateside stadiums. In no particular order<br />
<ul>
<li>No national anthem</li>
<li>No stoppages for commercials, but that's just the nature of the beautiful game</li>
<li>No beer allowed beyond the concourses, an awesome idea that would prevent situations <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5098407">like this</a>, but Owners/Bud/Miller would never let it happen in the US</li>
<li>No salesmen walking around the stadium obstructing views while tossing bags of peanuts and hoisting towers of cotton candy</li>
<li>A refreshing absence of advertisements in the stadium, sure there were some ads but it was far from overbearing</li>
<li>No talking or music played over the loud speakers. The only noises heard during game play are the referee’s whistle, the announcement of goal scorers and chanting fans. There was no organist, no arena DJ playing tired rock anthems, not once were the fans pleaded to ‘make noise,’ no kiss cams or jumbotron games, there was no down time announcements and no midgame advertisements, just the sound of the game and its fans.</li>
<li>There was only two screens in the stadium, poorly placed not-so-jumbotrons that we couldn’t even see from our seats. So if you wanted to see the game you actually had to watch the pitch from your seat in real time. </li>
<li>People intently watched the game. No getting up during play, no looking down at phones, it seemed as if everyone was paying attention. Tickets are hard to get and from what I could tell are not squandered. </li>
<li>Chanting/Singing. TV really doesn’t do football chants and songs justice. The chants are unrelenting and unbroken throughout the entire game rising organically from the fan sections in the lower level. Every so often a chant will gain enough momentum to be sung in the entire lower level, and every so often the chant will spill from the lower level to the upper levels and the entire stadium will be in unison. </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW0jT5wsMhvL7l3PSx2-_JBqhFAudjyqLVejXHFYO8FErWGU8XSxPACmK4Np8qqW7bHuHtO1bPGGokwF-z08DhC9dFJ1WD6EGCTsDQ8VYGZZYlsyShBUx4aFfy7bSS62EUhUQ3Pv_5XgC/s1600/P2240037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW0jT5wsMhvL7l3PSx2-_JBqhFAudjyqLVejXHFYO8FErWGU8XSxPACmK4Np8qqW7bHuHtO1bPGGokwF-z08DhC9dFJ1WD6EGCTsDQ8VYGZZYlsyShBUx4aFfy7bSS62EUhUQ3Pv_5XgC/s320/P2240037.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing must be a problem at the Kona Kai</td></tr>
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From what I could tell people went to Stamford Bridge that afternoon to see their team play Bolton, that’s it. There were no attempts by club management to enhance the ‘stadium experience' to the levels American owners do, there were no theatrics and no pandering to casual or non-fans. There were just 22 guys on a field kicking around a ball and 40,000 fans cheering them on, and in the end that is what it all should be about. <br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-52986420713247302142012-04-26T11:11:00.000-04:002012-04-26T11:20:51.067-04:001 Penalty Shot = 65 Free Throws<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQ97fMQPVMVATDrjb_iOlTxyvG4D0gSb0t0EaK0Rv61KUmGEO7fMaIAySr0Hlu1mUkoIUWB_4YH81rA_JNOAUP-8djl5XOZYsAX9x9tG2ZnaSDSH9jLG6E1gskJiVITnucnnHA4llwPF_/s1600/messi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQ97fMQPVMVATDrjb_iOlTxyvG4D0gSb0t0EaK0Rv61KUmGEO7fMaIAySr0Hlu1mUkoIUWB_4YH81rA_JNOAUP-8djl5XOZYsAX9x9tG2ZnaSDSH9jLG6E1gskJiVITnucnnHA4llwPF_/s320/messi.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFP Photo</td></tr>
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As I watched Lionel Messi’s Champions League <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CWJ3L6tT4I">penalty attempt</a> careen off the Chelsea crossbar (and send Chelsea to the Final), I got to thinking about the significance of a referee issuing a penalty shot in a fútbol game as it seems to be the harshest handicap in all of professional sport. I needed a comparison to a familiar US penalty situation to give proper context to the enormous gift that is a free attempt from 12 yards. <br />
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Using 2011-12 English Premier League stats as of 4/25/2012……<br />
<ul>
<li>There have been 2.78 goals scored per game this season</li>
<li>EPLers are converting about 71% of their penalty attempts, so on average every penalty issued during a game is the equivalent of giving a team 0.71 points (1 point for a goal x 0.71 rate of success)</li>
<li>0.71 points is 25.5% of the expected 2.78 points scored per game</li>
<li>So on average, an awarded penalty is the equivalent of giving one team 25% of the expected total points scored for that game</li>
</ul>
Using the NBA as a comparison…..<br />
<ul>
<li>The NBA is averaging 193 points per game this season with a league average 75.3% free throw percentage</li>
<li>25.5% of 193 points is about 49 points</li>
<li>So, for an NBA ref to award a team 25.5% or 49 of the expected 192 points per game, taking into account the league average free throw percentage, they would have to give an NBAer <u><b>65 free throw attempts</b></u> (65 x .753= 49)</li>
</ul>
I know this comparison is a bit of a stretch based on the fact that NBA shooting fouls are much, much more common than Premier League penalties. However a far more fair comparison would be NBA technical and flagrant fouls. EPL penalties occur at a rate of .27 per game. Technical fouls occurred this season at a rate of .65 per game and flagrant fouls come in at .09 per game, so the comparison is in the same ballpark.<br />
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Can you imagine if NBA referee’s enacted the same harshness as their Premier League counterparts for technical and flagrant fouls. What if the Laker’s opponent was awarded 65 free throws for the next<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86pxEMPfKII"> Ron Artest elbow</a>?? 2 shots and the ball seems very lenient by comparison.<br />
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Lets go Blues!Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02580032413126093570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-35898630606140860222012-04-18T03:30:00.002-04:002012-04-18T10:56:40.380-04:00Little Serow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_VauVPqI7cYh7Cvc36d0EIt4bu0y8hdj6-40hxZeaqX_QRODtXuF9dYnnuVbWGW6FegYGEW7WbCK5pFdiWyQIqHDdnfsaSaEu_VTmopvhdBL-WkXBCpwEwtOVM5MMdDsZDbZ-ddynP02/s1600/little+serow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_VauVPqI7cYh7Cvc36d0EIt4bu0y8hdj6-40hxZeaqX_QRODtXuF9dYnnuVbWGW6FegYGEW7WbCK5pFdiWyQIqHDdnfsaSaEu_VTmopvhdBL-WkXBCpwEwtOVM5MMdDsZDbZ-ddynP02/s320/little+serow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Dakota Fine of <a href="http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/articles/first-look-little-serow-is-here.htm">brightestyoungthings.com</a> - check them out for more great pics!</td></tr>
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For birthday dinner #2, Chuck brought me to <a href="http://www.littleserow.com/">Little Serow</a>, the hottest new Thai joint in town. It is owned by <a href="http://komirestaurant.com/">Komi's</a> very own Chef Johnny Monis, and is located in the English basement of the same town house on 17th Street.<br />
<br />
I couldn't wait for this dinner, mainly because we had such a wonderful meal at Komi and really couldn't imagine anything but greatness from this chef. Similar to it's sister restaurant, Little Serow is dimly lit and has that "you-are-among-food-lovers" vibe. The waitstaff was incredibly friendly and knowledgable about the menu. They were more than happy to share it's Isaan-style family dishes and the history behind them. Groups are served approximately 7-9 courses (including a bite-sized dessert), and the <a href="http://www.littleserow.com/menu.html">menu</a> changes weekly. Little Serow also offers a great drink selection for decent prices.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing: you can't make reservations and the line starts forming about a 1/2 hour before the restaurant even opens. The restaurant is not large, so if you are not waiting in line from the get-go, chances are you won't make the first cut. Luckily, if you aren't able to score a table during the initial seating the hostess will call you when a table opens up. You may have to wait almost 2 hours for that call, but there are plenty of bars in the neighborhood for pre-dinner drinks.<br />
<br />
Dinner runs you $45 per person (plus drinks, if you so chose). Seemed like quite the deal after practically handing over my bank account for our last meal at Komi.<br />
<br />
If you are a Thai-food lover like us, this place can't be missed!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/1629925/restaurant/DC/Dupont-Circle/Little-Serow-Washington"><img alt="Little Serow on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1629925/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-87688286520559959242012-04-17T09:08:00.001-04:002012-04-17T09:08:25.347-04:00Go Shorty, it's ya birthday.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDJDj8_hjpSBtxUJXTtdFoGr4WHnORBydFaNx0kmb6AGHqeKnSsnWUhyphenhyphenGdrptKO_9Bd6PsC2DTlAz_Vo5A7K7DFq0zX9WekjXMwHAtCFNKhrdnhCbYH4vDaL8DlgHmPR-pGLs_2o6Y43/s1600/fish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDJDj8_hjpSBtxUJXTtdFoGr4WHnORBydFaNx0kmb6AGHqeKnSsnWUhyphenhyphenGdrptKO_9Bd6PsC2DTlAz_Vo5A7K7DFq0zX9WekjXMwHAtCFNKhrdnhCbYH4vDaL8DlgHmPR-pGLs_2o6Y43/s400/fish1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Red Snapper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I entered my upper 20’s recently and to deflect the thoughts
of getting a little older, my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fianc</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">é</i> (don’t mind me, I’m still getting used
to calling him that) spoiled me rotten with awesome meals. The first night we stayed in and enjoyed a
home cooked meal (we will discuss birthday dinner #2 in our next post). Chuck came up with a dinner that was incredibly tasty, and dare
I say, healthy? He prepared a whole roasted red snapper with rice and asparagus
sides. For dessert, he baked (from scratch - this is why I'm marrying him) a blueberry cobbler.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whole Fish With
Lime Salsa Verde<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Recipe from the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/dining/whole-fish-with-lime-salsa-verde-recipe.html?_r=1">NY Times</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Serves 4</i></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><u>Ingredients</u> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
2 bunches cilantro (chop 2/3 and leave the rest intact)<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 bunches scallions (thinly sliced, reserve the bottoms)<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 jalapeño peppers (one seeded and finely chopped, the other thinly sliced)<o:p></o:p></div>
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1/4 cup drained capers, chopped<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 garlic cloves, minced<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
3 limes<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Extra virgin olive oil<o:p></o:p></div>
Salt and pepper<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
1 large whole fish (or two small fish), approximately 3-4 pounds (we used red snapper)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<u>Directions</u> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEyhlZvZ27dBCSKRkauAJ3VRO493SpKFOEPZa_fjEiyL8DHlhtSeiZaz-lR5F8_TFCXzrNWKg_fgKYMEDFuYgYuL4y_pC5v-NRSBsYy7GuVq-1ATNAGcNVQ2TEXx2mltQWbDnXKmPuQ-z/s1600/salsa+verde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEyhlZvZ27dBCSKRkauAJ3VRO493SpKFOEPZa_fjEiyL8DHlhtSeiZaz-lR5F8_TFCXzrNWKg_fgKYMEDFuYgYuL4y_pC5v-NRSBsYy7GuVq-1ATNAGcNVQ2TEXx2mltQWbDnXKmPuQ-z/s400/salsa+verde.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salsa Verde</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the salsa:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Add chopped cilantro leaves, sliced scallions, chopped jalapeño, capers, garlic, the zest of 1
lime (and its juice), and a 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with black pepper, to taste.
Cover and let stand until ready to use.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmibjHmM_pkKjqvGp4Iq5LZAqKmjtFS53X6-KmzLYz8f9AXJjd1AMjlyeyCQhJqZZiwJh6TUleZCSiYF2UbcKk8aoHdZGd9t2C-beRTD_q2Nq0bxCveS3p6qZFxKw4tiM_zNs-8NAXnGCV/s1600/fish2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmibjHmM_pkKjqvGp4Iq5LZAqKmjtFS53X6-KmzLYz8f9AXJjd1AMjlyeyCQhJqZZiwJh6TUleZCSiYF2UbcKk8aoHdZGd9t2C-beRTD_q2Nq0bxCveS3p6qZFxKw4tiM_zNs-8NAXnGCV/s400/fish2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-roast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F and line your baking sheet with
foil. Pat each fish dry and drizzle with olive oil. Generously season the
outside and cavity of the fish with the salt and black pepper. Stuff the inside of the fish with slices from the remaining limes, slices of jalapeño, cilantro sprigs, and scallion bottoms. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of your fish) until the fish flakes when pressed gently with a fork. Serve fish with salsa verde on top or alongside.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDJDj8_hjpSBtxUJXTtdFoGr4WHnORBydFaNx0kmb6AGHqeKnSsnWUhyphenhyphenGdrptKO_9Bd6PsC2DTlAz_Vo5A7K7DFq0zX9WekjXMwHAtCFNKhrdnhCbYH4vDaL8DlgHmPR-pGLs_2o6Y43/s1600/fish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDJDj8_hjpSBtxUJXTtdFoGr4WHnORBydFaNx0kmb6AGHqeKnSsnWUhyphenhyphenGdrptKO_9Bd6PsC2DTlAz_Vo5A7K7DFq0zX9WekjXMwHAtCFNKhrdnhCbYH4vDaL8DlgHmPR-pGLs_2o6Y43/s400/fish1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-roast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b>Blueberry Cobbler</b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Recipe from <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/blueberry-cobbler-10000001817860/index.html">Real Simple</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i>Serves 4</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYtUsf8AponB9mj7Lna-sA_J3H2-B0qz7x3w2bUP1ZKmw8TGr339eCu2nsuTvKrn48q3n9NdQUNUVmW1KKnaaAygW5dZjo9HfjSvKAasqr6jHq3WdnOH0OWovFd4EUUjKVocWjcz4EwiD/s1600/cobbler1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYtUsf8AponB9mj7Lna-sA_J3H2-B0qz7x3w2bUP1ZKmw8TGr339eCu2nsuTvKrn48q3n9NdQUNUVmW1KKnaaAygW5dZjo9HfjSvKAasqr6jHq3WdnOH0OWovFd4EUUjKVocWjcz4EwiD/s400/cobbler1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberry Cobbler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<u>Ingredients</u></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
2 <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">pints
blueberries</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
2 teaspoons baking powder<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
1 teaspoon <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">grated lemon
zest</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into
pieces<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<u>Directions</u></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Heat oven to 375° F. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The filling:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Toss the blueberries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1
tablespoon flour. Pour mixture into your baking dish(es).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p>The dough: </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In another bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, lemon
zest, and the remaining flour and sugar. Blend the pieces of butter into the mixture with your hands, combining until you have a crumb-like consistency. Add heavy cream and mix until the dough forms.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p>Putting it together: </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Drop mounds of dough over the blueberry mixture (I would recommend at least one mound per person). Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, until the dough mounds are golden and the berries are bubbling (be careful!). For each person, spoon a large bowl of blueberries and top with dough. We also love this with vanilla ice cream.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
**Note: Depending on the season, feel free to substitute the blueberry with just about any other berry. This will be our go-to cobbler recipe for the year.</div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-4199588442246882412012-04-08T21:37:00.000-04:002012-04-08T21:37:21.765-04:00Lamb Jam #3: Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DI15Ej8cOehtF7rZurA7c-4An-xxcrNyt0aqcHF3O8iwBBQX9raM17t6t1B9Iw1oFpsl9_IpmJ32Fq6z7KEqNGhR6fyrMgggoMUAnEM5LlXJUhna_LqCDEIrT2h5k4Sk5aMEBmpBQv8b/s1600/lamb+jam+%233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DI15Ej8cOehtF7rZurA7c-4An-xxcrNyt0aqcHF3O8iwBBQX9raM17t6t1B9Iw1oFpsl9_IpmJ32Fq6z7KEqNGhR6fyrMgggoMUAnEM5LlXJUhna_LqCDEIrT2h5k4Sk5aMEBmpBQv8b/s400/lamb+jam+%233.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This post is WAY overdue (apologies). We hosted our 3rd Lamb Jam and served up hearty (but healthy!) braised lamb shanks with white beans and tomatoes. This recipe is full of great vegetables and of course, lean and tender lamb. It is really easy to make for a crowd because this is one of those one-pot-wonders. After your veggies are prepped, everything stays in one pot, keeping your counters clean and yourself free to entertain guests.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes</b><br />
<i>Serves 4</i><br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
2 celery ribs, sliced<br />
1 can diced tomatoes and juice<br />
1/4 cup dry red wine<br />
4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons herbs de provence<br />
4 lamb shanks<br />
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth<br />
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1/8 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 can white beans<br />
<br />
<u>Directions:</u><br />
<i>**Note: We've adjusted the directions for cooking in a large pot over the stove because we do not own a Dutch oven -- still came out great!</i><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
1. Heat olive oil in a large post over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown lamb shanks on each side in the pot. Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside.<br />
<br />
2. Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, herbs de Provence, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
3. Add the wine to the pot of vegetables and be sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.<br />
<br />
4. Add broth, beans and tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer.<br />
<br />
5. Add the lamb shanks back into the pot, making sure to nestle each shank among the vegetables.<br />
<br />
6. Cover the pot and cook for 1.5 - 2.5 hours, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.<br />
<br />
7. Spoon vegetable mixture into a bowl, and top with a lamb shank.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-68648140137276826222012-04-03T22:47:00.001-04:002012-04-08T21:39:29.623-04:00Zavino Pizzeria and Wine Bar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDZT_Zz62oOZ6L92JBul5M3TW15p8gPpDnYGi4RYJdiYXce38Z1fT0r6HsJR_VyJhqVYy5h0HALxpKRFoIspZNbFHfijsMUY2rhyw2GzBDJ5ej48v6hvJMRcJsH4jfDmwBXMh6wneE9Te/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDZT_Zz62oOZ6L92JBul5M3TW15p8gPpDnYGi4RYJdiYXce38Z1fT0r6HsJR_VyJhqVYy5h0HALxpKRFoIspZNbFHfijsMUY2rhyw2GzBDJ5ej48v6hvJMRcJsH4jfDmwBXMh6wneE9Te/s400/pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In other news, I’ll be frequenting the city of Philadelphia for the next few months. It's an amazing food city and I'll be sharing my experiences with you along the way.<br />
<br />
Let me begin with my dinner at <a href="http://zavino.com/">Zavino Pizzeria and Wine Bar</a>. My friend Alex and I went their to catch up over some pizza and wine. It’s a go-to spot for hers, and I was happy to be able to check out another place in the Center City area. I stuck with my wine (Hacienda Sonoma ’09 Cabernet Sauvignon in case you were wondering), but Alex ordered one of the more unique martinis I’ve come across. It wasn’t as much the drink as it was the garnish - olives stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in proscuitto. Decadent AND you can get your buzz on. It really brings new meaning to the term "liquid dinner."<br />
<br />
Zavino’s is known for it’s pizzas, so we ordered two. The Diavalo (Alex's favorite) had a kick with spicy sopressata, fior di latte, crushed tomato, chili flakes, oregano and Parmigiano Reggiano. It was a good contrast to the more mild Poplettini with ricotta-stuffed veal meatballs, fior di latte, crushed tomato, spinach, garlic, and shaved provolone. By now you may be wondering what fior di latte is; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozzarella">I did too</a>.<br />
<br />
The food was very good and decently priced (pizzas will run you around $15 a piece). There are a number of appetizers to chose from, including a fine list of cheeses and meats. We ended the meal with a slice of the chocolate mousse cake, garnished with strawberries.<br />
<br />
The place is teeny tiny and does not take reservations, so be prepared to wait. Luckily, Philadelphia has grasped the wonderful concept of taking your phone number and calling you when your table is ready, allowing guests to walk across the street and grab a drink without the limitations of a buzzer. Pretty awesome if you ask me (DC restauranteurs - please take note). <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/21/1508370/restaurant/Washington-Square-West/Zavino-Philadelphia"><img alt="Zavino on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1508370/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3323451458490630199.post-2059997426469885022012-04-02T06:55:00.000-04:002012-04-02T06:55:20.543-04:00Europe Part 3: In Love, in Paris.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2ENL5k_eRqtJq70CiJ-nqsdfuDS_-XPADtFafzVy8ydZEC-uCYa02Cnv13oE6-LXNbF8XzarqO3aybF1iHvLIGADuYSQ1eDCj0OoeqImBqC59EHxfkwYwlDqRPBv5YUCqx6nQkbvYoRG/s1600/P3020524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2ENL5k_eRqtJq70CiJ-nqsdfuDS_-XPADtFafzVy8ydZEC-uCYa02Cnv13oE6-LXNbF8XzarqO3aybF1iHvLIGADuYSQ1eDCj0OoeqImBqC59EHxfkwYwlDqRPBv5YUCqx6nQkbvYoRG/s400/P3020524.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
On day 7 of our journey, we said goodbye to Belgium and road on a mere 1.5 hour train ride through the countryside until we ended at Paris. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PNW_JApumFbT-QEozSX-kNRVEOJFtTpH_FRQp0mg219AaYCiHKuarQd1vFXS_VUA6H7mmtgAwqebINna_-sVt72JAsQ9Jt-ld_MMDQZUTcqNk3dv5LdPFy8R6y3-u-a-a3eZ6v51aK-y/s1600/P3010377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PNW_JApumFbT-QEozSX-kNRVEOJFtTpH_FRQp0mg219AaYCiHKuarQd1vFXS_VUA6H7mmtgAwqebINna_-sVt72JAsQ9Jt-ld_MMDQZUTcqNk3dv5LdPFy8R6y3-u-a-a3eZ6v51aK-y/s400/P3010377.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing antique window in our apartment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We decided to save ourselves a little money in the lodging department and <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/">rented an apartment</a> for our three night stay. Honestly, it was the best decision we made. The apartment was adorable and so….French. We were obsessed with the long antique windows (pictured above) that overlooked the busy streets of the Marais neighborhood and beautiful buildings that lined them. Once we were settled, Chuck and I quickly headed out the door to begin our much anticipated Parisian food tour.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbQPGvuO-eUFFy6VSsNfbbeDODgBgV5VTcs-S6BnjVPdu4EWubHedUDnhZW1O-qH7KBZFUgoGEZwejTbR5c9nO1ZLnwGJVRNMiWWQfoBlOYuHFJXmXeluNutTm_XKMiuweWOHEMWTh4AV/s1600/P2290352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbQPGvuO-eUFFy6VSsNfbbeDODgBgV5VTcs-S6BnjVPdu4EWubHedUDnhZW1O-qH7KBZFUgoGEZwejTbR5c9nO1ZLnwGJVRNMiWWQfoBlOYuHFJXmXeluNutTm_XKMiuweWOHEMWTh4AV/s400/P2290352.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzette Creperie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We were fortunate to get some excellent restaurant recommendations from Sandra for our neighborhood (which also appears to the be young and hip area of Paris). Chuck and I desperately wanted crepes, and walked over to <a href="http://www.suzettescreperie.com/our_story_postcards.html">Suzette's Creperie</a>. It is a small café, and since the weather was nice we decided to sit outside and people watch. We ordered a savory crepe filled with melted goat cheese and topped with some sort of pesto and tomato sauce, and complimented it with sweet chocolate and banana crepe, both outstanding (and HUGE!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKQ3LO6jUhjISmmEwaGSnOnsXS-x1_6aTDO5NiN4wtD6TZvriSLxrjqP6t7YpCCHlkPoQiY0zs4vKwBC-d9xEEjGg2cbDy9eTrYRDYU5P8tyNJ2JviqxWPRe2URVZA7_70QOVPwXfNWM6/s1600/P2290350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKQ3LO6jUhjISmmEwaGSnOnsXS-x1_6aTDO5NiN4wtD6TZvriSLxrjqP6t7YpCCHlkPoQiY0zs4vKwBC-d9xEEjGg2cbDy9eTrYRDYU5P8tyNJ2JviqxWPRe2URVZA7_70QOVPwXfNWM6/s400/P2290350.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crepe with goat cheese, tomato, and pesto</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAoscVcrLlIiRNr2y2O6f4W_jDBbJVog9kAOdiX5jnGJd2AYM4KzvRJz5Ay7a_8IiTCBrLGHCIypJpYM9ICOmUZBWqeoOFeFhPhSQO3bZgwaD3JG35TpXdgH2RwxXsRNyWcusFr4Cn_J-/s1600/P2290351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAoscVcrLlIiRNr2y2O6f4W_jDBbJVog9kAOdiX5jnGJd2AYM4KzvRJz5Ay7a_8IiTCBrLGHCIypJpYM9ICOmUZBWqeoOFeFhPhSQO3bZgwaD3JG35TpXdgH2RwxXsRNyWcusFr4Cn_J-/s400/P2290351.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crepe with chocolate and banana</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Later that night we arrived for dinner at <a href="http://www.lecoupechou.com/">Le Coupe Chou</a>, only to find that it is an incredibly popular restaurant and it is really best to have a reservation. The restaurant looked too good to miss, so we opted to come back for one of the last tables of the evening and hung out at a bar around the corner watching French college kids party the evening away. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoyR9OLuoVwpBGH-67NqWytOZFQPZ1plQBsTnZB1Wuikx0Y6zoQ5HTyOlmlxLlhzZEc76g9yizFR4xF2HiyFKOy-4lEaYBufdshaYN7GecuO581s5WuT0UzbjudlafyU-YXhqULf4f5Ea/s1600/P3010372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoyR9OLuoVwpBGH-67NqWytOZFQPZ1plQBsTnZB1Wuikx0Y6zoQ5HTyOlmlxLlhzZEc76g9yizFR4xF2HiyFKOy-4lEaYBufdshaYN7GecuO581s5WuT0UzbjudlafyU-YXhqULf4f5Ea/s400/P3010372.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Coupe Chou</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You probably wouldn’t dine here unless someone told you to , so here we are, telling you to go here! It was such a cool space - old, dark, cozy and charming - providing a very intimate setting for your dinner. The menu offers a variety of popular French dishes, and gives you the option of selecting a combination of appetizer, entrée, and or dessert at a fixed price. I ordered the appetizer/entrée combo (26.50€) and Chuck went with all three (32€), with the agreement that dessert would be shared, obviously. Our first courses were an exciting start to the meal; my campaing terinne with onion jam and blackcurrant was the best I’ve ever eaten and Chuck’s vegetable soup, well let’s just say I made him “share” and really could have gone for a whole bucket of it. Our entrees did not disappoint either. Chuck’s Boeuf bourguignon with lardons and baby onions was incredibly tender, and my Duck confit with Auvergne apple and mushrooms had perfectly seared skin lending to it’s impactful flavor. Last, but certainly not least, we were presented with a classic Crème brûlée. Chuck should consider himself lucky that I let him have a taste.<br />
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Needless to say, Day 1 in Paris was a major success.<br />
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We started our second day off right with breakfast from the Gwen Choc Boulangerie, just across the street from our apartment and within a block of the famous Hotel de Ville. Boulangeries are located throughout Paris and are the perfect place to grab a quick breakfast or lunch. Gwen Choc has a large display of pastries and sandwiches and we would typically order one of the eclairs and some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaron">macarons</a> (not to be confused with its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroon">American</a> counterpart). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CtLtyEmHTs7sy5ylSpNUwukE86KregdghzPHmK9pbxJ39TzdE9lTA8hdfGa8CRM86HRMJQjbHSrYGpjXl3-6_ToIyAfqVL1QeIi6m5T39GEO_7PYTwufGSZtsQpYWoP1thCcX_vg8rLO/s1600/P3010482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CtLtyEmHTs7sy5ylSpNUwukE86KregdghzPHmK9pbxJ39TzdE9lTA8hdfGa8CRM86HRMJQjbHSrYGpjXl3-6_ToIyAfqVL1QeIi6m5T39GEO_7PYTwufGSZtsQpYWoP1thCcX_vg8rLO/s400/P3010482.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gwen Choc Boulangerie</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRx9AXokBgYOHXoPSRghGEltPEhveMTCFR00G4y1SlK0HuLtcOJoJpiwXBuJjU2p0ypXbDEA0vHEW4W5sq3ZsNe4AX-azEKFXTbHcGTf-gBIHEQBmdvlpn-qB1GBLxmGwen9bq6Ly3SLJ/s1600/P3010378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRx9AXokBgYOHXoPSRghGEltPEhveMTCFR00G4y1SlK0HuLtcOJoJpiwXBuJjU2p0ypXbDEA0vHEW4W5sq3ZsNe4AX-azEKFXTbHcGTf-gBIHEQBmdvlpn-qB1GBLxmGwen9bq6Ly3SLJ/s400/P3010378.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macaron and eclair cafe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After a tour of Notre Dame, we were ready for lunch and headed back to our neighborhood to check out Les Philosophes. If you are in the mood to chill and people watch, this is the perfect place to do so. There is a good amount of seating both inside and outside the restaurant, with heaters setup in case of a chill. The menu is quite extensive with everything from a simple sandwich to steaks. I ordered the French onion soup (~8€) and a prosciutto and cheese baguette (~9€). Let’s just say we went back for lunch the next day and ordered the same thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps77VlvOWUcpcHWzQO40hdqlj_REeWLWlEPnQ8FT9ngpweN9wkU3zjXheG-9LWSnm4LN3y_Y9788rwfMyjqkS_oPnWWWIhHa3hJp2ghNjb6tDqJ5u6NurRphm7Ykj7ttkJoSLy0kd7Zs7/s1600/P3010455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps77VlvOWUcpcHWzQO40hdqlj_REeWLWlEPnQ8FT9ngpweN9wkU3zjXheG-9LWSnm4LN3y_Y9788rwfMyjqkS_oPnWWWIhHa3hJp2ghNjb6tDqJ5u6NurRphm7Ykj7ttkJoSLy0kd7Zs7/s400/P3010455.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Les Philosophes - the ultimate people watching area</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU_wAlaAoA574Tto1AhT8qkZf-RrABLe9-H1mpDgxtW9sKi_HiuT2rV2o7ZFTdwWjhtsg1Oz80n0br35i_kjUrvYrt1bgpPWY7c0JprIHVmo2mEmeD2RdZ9R9CTu4milMMOQuPa6mWxuS/s1600/P3010447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU_wAlaAoA574Tto1AhT8qkZf-RrABLe9-H1mpDgxtW9sKi_HiuT2rV2o7ZFTdwWjhtsg1Oz80n0br35i_kjUrvYrt1bgpPWY7c0JprIHVmo2mEmeD2RdZ9R9CTu4milMMOQuPa6mWxuS/s400/P3010447.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proscuitto and Cheese on a Baguette</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS1L3CuhaJWKk9V3H7Dh0F5EgwbvmBGukHLO0uA-0wP6K2so8kIl5YXE-uYsiV4rTeZ717IdxVpdrDzSIO2_3F_kwaXmZCMi4fmy1zfZh_qmK4OHbNydGjcszeLskkXbrs1JvUpuBYkYh/s1600/P3010449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS1L3CuhaJWKk9V3H7Dh0F5EgwbvmBGukHLO0uA-0wP6K2so8kIl5YXE-uYsiV4rTeZ717IdxVpdrDzSIO2_3F_kwaXmZCMi4fmy1zfZh_qmK4OHbNydGjcszeLskkXbrs1JvUpuBYkYh/s400/P3010449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Onion Soup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Later that evening we headed over to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356690">La Basilique due Sacr</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356690">é</a></span><a href="http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/us/index.html"> Coeur</a>, a large basilica atop a hill in the Montmarte neighborhood, which offered a wonderful view of Paris. We had a fun little dinner at Le Refuge des Fondus, located just around the corner from the Basilica. It is a small and crowded restaurant, requiring you to literally climb over people and sometimes tables to get to an open seat. Once you are seated, you will only be asked two questions:<br />
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1. Red or white? (wine)<br />
2. Meat or cheese? (fondue - we went with meat)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7M80GQGwiR0wF4KTbFRS8nl7x1ik37WEoaIOKwtc47FkaaoP4xX2XsjJcI-oJT0Vb56L3QpQfGhik_cR2qe4Dc8mccnTgu1z5U4EypihTQH_xuHx5HCgxfMXvLTZNeRor0Hq0QrHlVCc/s1600/P3020507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7M80GQGwiR0wF4KTbFRS8nl7x1ik37WEoaIOKwtc47FkaaoP4xX2XsjJcI-oJT0Vb56L3QpQfGhik_cR2qe4Dc8mccnTgu1z5U4EypihTQH_xuHx5HCgxfMXvLTZNeRor0Hq0QrHlVCc/s400/P3020507.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Refuge des Fondus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Wine is served in baby bottles, which was odd, but of course lent itself to the atmosphere. Our server quickly brought us an array of small appetizers and a pre-dinner cocktail. Not long after we were setup with pot of boiling broth, skewers, and a bowl of raw beef. The beef was actually really good. I would have loved to try the cheese, but it was clear that one fondue was enough for two. I wouldn't say this place is "classic French", but is certainly a fun meal, especially if you are already visiting the Montmarte neighborhood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LWn93syKUxGE_hHyz9U6EXVsrLj2-xqllPgLKOetYXepHPP0Ngbq3nf_bshfYCv34mFSX-j4VlHGOL2Iz_n-cmZZb8mXILa45MEJ93zFdnlLYm2Phy3sKsXW_rj3uUnbtremlSzJv4Iy/s1600/P3020506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LWn93syKUxGE_hHyz9U6EXVsrLj2-xqllPgLKOetYXepHPP0Ngbq3nf_bshfYCv34mFSX-j4VlHGOL2Iz_n-cmZZb8mXILa45MEJ93zFdnlLYm2Phy3sKsXW_rj3uUnbtremlSzJv4Iy/s400/P3020506.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside of Le Refuges des Fondus</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu8B1zVIFJxFxr5IwdPZbac_KzeUsafCmb93pxRvBOoX1tdDas7ogpGTfP6KASvW7vEDiTVEfYf2tzHIN4Ns_f3TjRnudslLuRvcvV0uarY5_z6WqICRPvxJbTZ_NhYDTEkLr82F5C890/s1600/P3020503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEu8B1zVIFJxFxr5IwdPZbac_KzeUsafCmb93pxRvBOoX1tdDas7ogpGTfP6KASvW7vEDiTVEfYf2tzHIN4Ns_f3TjRnudslLuRvcvV0uarY5_z6WqICRPvxJbTZ_NhYDTEkLr82F5C890/s400/P3020503.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red wine in a baby bottle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356700">Ladur</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356700">é</a></span><a href="http://www.laduree.fr/">e</a>, established in 1862, is a famous bakery along the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356704">Champs-</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356704">É</a></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356704">lys</a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266356704">é</a></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champs-%C3%89lys%C3%A9es">es</a>. Considering the variety, I'd say it best known for its French macarons. We had to take advantage of our opportunity and ordered a few desserts to save for later in addition to a box of macarons.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rdo9iwH-W__mR45U938XiU1Q_zyBZMxCXg0W2iX_2Fbs38XmNSV50XjSx00BuGMJdp3OUkcSXllkoop424bs_FcVMyoK7lMdEn3UUwKc8Z00d8pmowROcX4XI2BI5bJt238UaTr-dJ1-/s1600/P3020554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rdo9iwH-W__mR45U938XiU1Q_zyBZMxCXg0W2iX_2Fbs38XmNSV50XjSx00BuGMJdp3OUkcSXllkoop424bs_FcVMyoK7lMdEn3UUwKc8Z00d8pmowROcX4XI2BI5bJt238UaTr-dJ1-/s400/P3020554.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macarons</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDO2uuCXfPJBKyDTp4mum0NLgIk8nDbSofh_bNCEQPSTEOf3sjg4Dxv6lMNDPhyphenhyphenS_Kl3xTKlzOJKnRDx9GkZkWUGnQsyI7qqsqSLmVvuQkHfYGX_Rm7yYhcMR7fwIiDJZgEojTR9PkmW_/s1600/P3030572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDO2uuCXfPJBKyDTp4mum0NLgIk8nDbSofh_bNCEQPSTEOf3sjg4Dxv6lMNDPhyphenhyphenS_Kl3xTKlzOJKnRDx9GkZkWUGnQsyI7qqsqSLmVvuQkHfYGX_Rm7yYhcMR7fwIiDJZgEojTR9PkmW_/s400/P3030572.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Our last breakfast consisted of more baked goods from a boulangerie in the Marais neighborhood (sorry, we've forgotten the name, but you really can't go wrong at any of them). As I said above, boulangeries are the perfect place to grab a sweet (and inexpensive) meal on the go.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezLxwlGt7FuXTTUuc5tsO8sbEtUb19CO7hoSy7hIxVpUQOuhsBps96gOPXntSHvupYSyYsAN9pQQp2MCEUgXbS75l2qwcKhLGZmvwqNWuR0_R0UVhz7INpnL2KPNwHUWEEZ4IsVJVZCZj/s1600/P3030578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezLxwlGt7FuXTTUuc5tsO8sbEtUb19CO7hoSy7hIxVpUQOuhsBps96gOPXntSHvupYSyYsAN9pQQp2MCEUgXbS75l2qwcKhLGZmvwqNWuR0_R0UVhz7INpnL2KPNwHUWEEZ4IsVJVZCZj/s400/P3030578.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Another good way to save some money when you are looking for a light meal or snack, but want to keep it French, is to stop at a local cheese shop. We did this one afternoon and picked up a baguette, 1/4 of fancy French cheese, cured meat, and a bottle of wine for under 15€.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQ3jlqIuUA8r8ERVVNF0sWLumTOAqTh6aGvMfjFJfsKQDcUhSB6HMHFZrZ8HmBxRAYuZMZy48C1qrnZHvqPv8Pa3MNqIB-nJ7yi27WW3KRJNuwOAbWxa9iFwa7ag-QYi5tU4pd0dYBzqi/s1600/P3010456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQ3jlqIuUA8r8ERVVNF0sWLumTOAqTh6aGvMfjFJfsKQDcUhSB6HMHFZrZ8HmBxRAYuZMZy48C1qrnZHvqPv8Pa3MNqIB-nJ7yi27WW3KRJNuwOAbWxa9iFwa7ag-QYi5tU4pd0dYBzqi/s400/P3010456.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It was incredibly difficult to leave Europe, but alas, real life awaited us back in the States. Au revoir Paris (at least for now)!Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10212673128042519019noreply@blogger.com3