Pepper and veggie bagels

This is a new twist on the typical bagel sandwich.I found that the pepper in the cheese and the bagel mixed with the coolness of the cream cheese and veggies made an excellent balanced sandwich. As usual, feel free to experiment with the ingredients, this is just one way to make it. Be creative and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 jalapeno and cheddar bagel (I like Panera brand's)
Veggie cream cheese (Again, Panera makes a yummy variety)
Pepper jack cheese slices
1/2 a bell pepper (I would recommend using any color but green for the coolness and mildness)
Lettuce - about a handful. (I like a mixed field greens variety)

 I started by toasting the bagel and spreading it with the cream cheese and putting the sliced cheese on top quickly so it melts a bit. Next I added the peppers (using a thick slice to "plug" the hole in the middle of the bagel) and lettuce. Finally I closed the bagel using a knife to hold the goodies on while flipping the top half. Use extra peppers and lettuce to make a mini side salad.

Update: I tried this today with tomatoes instead of peppers and with white cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack, it was amazing!

Just an update...

Just letting you know... if anyone actually reads this. I haven't forgotten about my food blog. I simply haven't eaten anything worth writing about in months. Our dish washer and oven are both broken, I have been having some health problems that have me in bed a lot, and no one wants to hear a review of ensure or saltines. I promise I will start writing again when I can! <3

Pizza By Elizabeths

Today at my sister's birthday dinner, we had an unexpected surprise. She picked Pizza By Elizabeths as the restaurant for the celebration, no surprise since it has been a favorite in our family for almost a decade. The food is outstanding, the atmosphere is relaxed and classy, and the service is noteworthy. You are treated by the staff as if your only job is to relax and enjoy yourself, they are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. 



If you've never been there, you have to go! It is a gourmet pizza restaurant that has a wide selection of toppings and sauces to choose from. Things that aren't typically on a pizza menu make this place have a special feel to it.  With sauces like mushroom duxelles sauce, honey Dijon sauce, green olive pesto, and roasted garlic you can create an interesting flavor for your pizza. Toppings like lump crab meat, shrimp, Brie, Locatelli romano, Smoked Gouda, vegan cheeses, Artichoke hearts, capers, Rosemary onion sauté, allow you to make the pizza of your choice with high quality ingredients. In addition to the pizzas, they have a selection of foods on their menu that are equally yummy. 


Their salad selection is outstanding! They have a very good greek salad, their dressing for the field greens salad is to die for, as is the dressing for the spinach salad. If you aren't in the mood for salad, they have a small selection of soups available as as well. The small cup is very small, it is best if you are getting it in addition to a pizza. The large bowl is about the normal size for a soup in a restaurant. I would highly recommend the Cream of Tomato soup. It is a creamy bisque with a fabulous tang to it. Dipping it with the served breadsticks makes it even better! After the meal they give you a sample of their homemade toffee. It is to die for! With a crispy bit into it you reach the chopped nuts, and the chocolate on the top melts in your mouth to make this wonderful, creamy flavorful bite. It is hard to go home without buying a box of that toffee... Just giving you fair warning if you ever decide to go there. All of this is the food I have been enjoying at the restaurant for years. They even have some to take out! 

Then we got to dessert, which we had never had there. We each ordered a cake slice. I ordered the chocolate cake and decided to add ice cream since I enjoy the combination of the cream and cake. When my cake got there it looked like you would expect, chocolate cake with a nice frosting and a pile of freshly made whipped cream. The cake was good, but once I took a spoon of my ice cream, the cake was nothing in comparison. This was the best ice cream I have ever had (and I've had a LOT of ice cream over the years.) It was creamy, but not heavy. The flavor of the cream was the main flavor, but you could also taste the fresh vanilla bean that had been mixed in. I liked it so much I had my sister and mom taste it as well, they loved it so much, they both ordered more for themselves. It was a serious hit! I would highly recommend that you go to Elizabeths, get some yummy pizza and finish it off with the ice cream. 

Visit their website for the full menu and directions...

http://www.pizzabyelizabeths.com/

Quick tortilla rolls

I like this as a quick meal. Its nothing fancy, but if you're like me and don't know how to cook well, its an easy thing to throw together. As an added bonus, it is very versatile, try experimenting with different fillers.

Basic ingredients:
Tortilla rolls (I like Mission brand since they don't break as easily)
Some kind of spread (salad dressing, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, pesto, red gravy, etc.)
Veggies (lettuce, tomatoes, squash (cooked), spinach, shredded carrots, etc.)
Protein (cheese, ground beef, cooked chicken, meatballs, boca crumbles, etc.)

Basically, you first spread the sauce on the tortilla. Then fill it. Flip one side of the tortilla up and roll the tortilla up.

Favorite mixes of ingredients...
Mexican: sour cream and guac, lettuce (lots), tomatoes, salsa, cheddar cheese, and pick a meat.
Pesto: pesto, spinach, tomato, shredded mozzarella, chicken, fresh basil
Veggie: ranch, lettuce, tomatoes, squash, shredded carrots, spinach, corn
Italian: Red gravy (not too much or it gets soggy), pick a meat, mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil

ps. Sorry there is no picture... I ate it before I took the pic!

Brio's Summer Bruschetta

Brio is a chain restaurant that has recently opened in our local mall. My family really likes their Italian food there, so we frequent the restaurant enough to know most of the waiters and have them know our regular orders. The head chef has specialties based on the season and fresh ingredients on hand, and this summer they had the Summer Bruschetta. I tried it because it is vegetarian, looked good on someone else's plate, and was not the typical $18 meal that the restaurant has. The plate comes with 6 crusty pieces of bread overflowing with toppings. There is pesto on the bread, followed by mozzarella cheese, a slice of tomato, then a mixture of (very mild) cilantro pesto and chopped yellow tomatoes is put on top. An amazing balsamic reduction is drizzled on top and then it is all sprinkled with fresh grated parmesan cheese to add the perfect kick to the dish. It is amazing! 

Sushi lovers unite!

To those of you who love sushi, I have recently discovered that there is an all you can eat sushi place by me! If you live in the DE/PA border area, Hibachi Restaurants have all you can eat sushi! I got the flying fish roe, which sounds horrible, but its actually very sweet with a nice crunch (yes the crunch is the eggs and it sounds barbaric, I know). I also got a rainbow roll, with a variety of fish on top, a salmon and avocado roll, and some kind of spicy roll that was way too hot to eat. If you are new to sushi, or are not comfortable with eating raw fish, I recommend sticking to the veggie or tempura (cooked) rolls. They are easier to newbies. I always get edamame to start the meal. If you have never tried it, it is steamed soybeans with sea salt on top. You pop the soybeans out of the shell with your teeth, do not eat the shell! Sushi also comes with a little tray/bowl for your soy sauce, I like to mix some wasabi into the soy sauce and to dip the roll into it for an added kick, but that isn't for everyone. If the spice upsets your stomach, try to eat some of the pickled ginger that comes with the meal (the pink shaved stuff on the side of your plate). It looks and tastes not great, but settles the stomach very well. I take an extra sushi menu and keep track of what I have ordered, what I like, and why. That way, as I order, I remind myself of favorites and have a record for the next time I visit a sushi place. I challenge you to try some sushi out sometime. It may not be your thing, but it can be a fun culinary adventure. 

Been a while since I cooked...

To be honest, I haven't been feeling up to cooking lately, but is something I ate and would like to share!













To those of you who don't live in the NC area, you may have never heard of Cookout. It is a fast food drive through chain, that has the typical burgers and fries, but locally is better known for its milkshakes. The shakes are so thick that they sometimes hand them to you upside down! Its almost always impossible to drink it with a straw, so they give you a spoon too. They have so many flavors and mixins, its sometimes very hard to decide what to get. The ingredients are high quality, the sanitation score is always higher than my school's cafes were, and they deserve the word of mouth popularity they have earned. If you happen to be passing through NC, make an effort to find one and try a shake. This day I tried a new combo of double chocolate and banana, very good choice. I also am a fan of chocolate with cherries and chocolate chips. Mmmm! Making my mouth water!

Sweet Stuffed Crescent Rolls

First, I'd like to give credit to my friend Camo for introducing me to this yummy treat. It only takes a few minutes to make and you can completely change it with different fillings. So far I have tried it with three different types of fillings (chocolate chips, raspberries, blueberries) and have loved all of them. A side note, unless you use a non-vegan filling, this is a vegan snack (just check the package of the pastry to make sure you get a vegan flavor).

Ingredients:
1 package of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 cup of chosen filling (chocolate chips, berries, cinnamon and sugar, flavored butter, etc.)

Preheat oven according to package instructions. Open the package and separate the triangles. Place triangles on an ungreased baking pan. Put about a tablespoon of the filling in the shortest side of the triangle (see image). Carefully roll the crescent up as on the directions and gently pinch the edges to make sure nothing leaks out. Spread the rolls out on the baking sheet evenly and cook according to the instructions on the package. Remove from oven promptly when the rolls turn slightly brown (about 10 minutes). Serve warm.

Mac'n Cheese with Tuna and Peas (and Poor Man's Tuna Casserole)

This is a recipe that my Mom used when we were growing up that snuck some healthy food into our junk food nights. In college I would make this dish both as a comfort food and a huge power booster for my mascoting season. Its quick, easy, and yummy! Even the Phoenix likes it!

Mac'n Cheese with Tuna and Peas:
1 Family size box Kraft Mac and Cheese
Stick Margarine
Skim milk
1 can of peas, drained
1 can tuna in water, drained

Make the Mac and Cheese according to the directions on the box. Make sure the cheese power is completely dissolved or else the whole dish gets a weird texture. Once the mac is done, mix in the drained tuna and stir in well. Mix in the peas, stirring gently so not to break them into a yucky mush. Serve hot in a bowl.

To make the Mac'n Cheese with Tuna and Peas into a Poor Man's Tuna Casserole:

In addition to the ingredients above, also have:
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Pam spray
1 small bag plain potato chips (optional but yummy)

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a baking pan with Pam. Take the finished Mac'n Cheese with Tuna and Peas and put it into baking pan. Take the potato chips (if you choose to use them) and crunch them up thoroughly in the bag. Sprinkle the chip crumbs on top. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Put in oven and watch closely through the window until the cheese is bubbling and slightly brown. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Mediterranean Panini

This afternoon I was feeling a surge of culinary creativity. While I'm still starting with cooking, I decided to try making up a recipe for a simple panini with the ingredients I had in the house. I served it with the leftover carrot chips from my stir fry, which added a nice cold crisp to the plate. The results were outstanding! Even my anti-vegetarian minded sister loved this lunch!



Paninis:
3 ciabatta breads
1 jar pesto (I used Classico brand)
3 small tomatoes
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Kraft that had cream cheese in it for added creamy texture)

Preheat broiler on high. Cut bread in half and place on pan with the inside facing up. Spread pesto on both sides of the bread. Sprinkle on most of the cheese leaving a small amount. Slice tomatoes and place the slices on one side of the bread. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the tomatoes. Put the pan in the oven. Leave in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble and brown slightly (should just be a few minutes so watch carefully through the window). Remove, flip bread to make sandwiches and serve warm. Makes 3 sandwiches.




If you have leftover pesto, you can throw it into some penne pasta and have that as a side dish or for dinner! Add some pine nuts and fresh diced tomato for an added yum factor!

Refreshing Minty Lemonade

Lemonade for those hot days when life gives you lemons. This is a basic lemonade with a twist. Adding mint to the lemonade makes it have a refreshing effect on this classic drink.

Start with a pitcher filled with ice. Fill the pitcher with water until you have about 4 inches on the top left. Add about a cup of sugar and half a cup of lemon juice (fresh is best). Play around with the amounts to suit your individual tastes. Once you get the lemonade the way you want it, add some fresh mint leaves. I find it best if you break them apart in your hands before adding them. It is great right away but the mint flavor gets stronger if you let it sit for a bit in the fridge. A variation for those of you with herb gardens is to use some thyme leaves or lemon balm leaves.

Caitlin's Colorful Stir fry Veggies

Today's experiment in cooking was stir fry veggies. I used the veggies in the ingredient list below, but you could probably use any veggies you want, as long as you start the harder and thicker veggies first, and the softer and thinner ones next. I plan on trying it out with new veggies and a variety of nuts and sauces as well. Its a simple recipe that allows you to use whatever you have on hand. This serves 8, so cut the recipe as needed or have leftovers. To add even more variety, put the veggies on rice, noodles, or with tofu. I made it with tofu and included the recipe for the tofu below. These tofu bites are very salty and add a nice soy flavor if you don't add a sauce to the veggies.

Ingredients:
Stir fry veggies:
3 bell peppers (I like red, orange, yellow to add color)
2 cups carrots (buy pre-shredded or chipped to save time)
1 small head of broccoli
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 small tomato
1 cup sugar peas
1 cup snap peas
2 tbs sesame seeds
1 cup cashews (feel free to try other nuts, but cashews work great!)
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 can sliced bamboo, drained
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 can baby corn, drained
Olive oil
Sesame oil
Optional:
Soy sauce
Any asian stir fry sauces you like
Rice, pasta, noodles, etc.

Wash and clean all fresh veggies (leave the canned veggies alone for now). Cut them into bite size pieces and put them in a large bowl. Take a large stir fry pan and pour in even parts of the olive and sesame oil to just barely cover the bottom of the pan. Heat oil up til it sizzles when you put in a cashew. Once the oil is hot enough put the nuts in and keep stirring them until they are golden brown. Pour the fresh veggies from the bowl into the pan. Cook the veggie mix stirring frequently, until they're almost done. Add the canned veggies and cook until all veggies are tender but not mushy. Sprinkle sesame seeds in. Serve hot, alone or with rice or noodles. If you are having tofu, sprinkle the tofu on top before serving. If desired, add soy sauce or a stir fry sauce before serving.

Tofu:
1 pack extra firm tofu (save time by buying cubed or cube it yourself)
Soy sauce
Sesame seeds
Sesame oil

Drain the tofu and squeeze out the extra water in a few paper towels. Marinate in soy sauce for a 5 minutes (more for a bolder flavor, less for a more mild flavor). In a small saucepan, pour in just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Warm the oil slightly over medium heat and add the tofu. Add sesame seeds.

Easy banana fudge snacks

So on a recent trip to the beach, I discovered frozen bananas on a stick. They are basically just that, frozen bananas on a stick covered with chocolate. From what I've read, you stick the popsicle stick in the peeled banana, freeze it, then dip it in melted chocolate and refreeze it. Well that makes a wonderful snack, but for those of us without the patience for that, I came up with a variation. While I'm still working on ways to cut the banana, I encourage experimentation with that. Also, the chocolate could be left off, but who wants to leave chocolate out of anything? Not me! I also plan on experimenting with adding peanuts, coconut, mini M&Ms, etc.

Banana fudge snacks:
Wax paper
Foil
1 banana
Hershey's chocolate syrup
Any sundae toppings desired (coconut flakes, peanuts, candies, etc.)

Take one banana and peel it. Discard or compost the peel. Cut up as desired and place on wax paper. I've found cutting the bananas into bite size circles and laying them flat first, then pouring syrup on top works best. If desired, sprinkle on topping on top. Then wrap the wax paper around the banana, wrap the foil around the banana, and place in freezer. Leave in the freezer until it is frozen (a few hours). When frozen, unwrap and enjoy!

First attempt at frittata.

So last night I got a huge surge of energy. Seeing as this is a rare occasion these days, I decided to take advantage of it and cook. I had been eyeing a frittata recipe in a vegetarian cookbook. The cooking of it was surprisingly easy and would have been super fast if I had more experience with basic cooking (cracking eggs, beating them, measuring). The frittatas were made in a muffin pan, which made them a nice size. Overall, the cooking was perfect but I didn't like flavor. Cumin is a spice I wasn't familiar with, but I was willing to try it in the name of experimentation. Turns out, cumin isn't my thing. Next time I make the frittatas, I'm going to experiment with the veggies, maybe adding bell peppers or tomato. I'd try out some other spices, add more cheese, and leave the cumin out.

Miniature Mexican Frittatas
1 10-ounce package thawed chopped spinach, drained
1 cup cottage cheese, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Optional: sour cream, salsa

In a medium bowl combine the spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, cumin, and pepper. Combine the two mixtures and stir together. Add the parsley.

Spoon mixture into 12 lightly greased 2 1/2 inch muffin cups. Bake, uncovered, in a 375* oven for 20-25 minutes or til the eggs set. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove from cups (I found using a fork gently worked for this). Serve with salsa and sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

I love food.

I was recently shopping with my Mom in a cute little cooking store. Imagine the stereotypical Italian grandmother's kitchen on steroids and then make everything for sale. With my mouth watering over the smells and samples, a woman came over me and asked if I needed help. I responded that I was just looking, but that didn't get the point across. Overly eager to sell some handmade pasta, she asked "do you cook?" "No" I responded, "but I eat."

I have always loved food. While there are some foods I prefer not to eat, food has always been a big part of my life. From catching fish and crabs for the crab boil with my Grampa to making pizza sauce from scratch with my Nono, I have wonderful memories involving food. After traveling on Semester at Sea around the world, my safe food choices have been tested. I can now say that I've eaten from street venders in India, ate bugs in Vietnam, and cooked soup with a tribe in Vietnamese mountains. Upon returning to the US, the foods I had always eaten seemed less appealing. I crave new flavors, new experiences. I started a few months ago taking pictures of sushi I ate with my friend Heidi. Each roll was like conquering a new challenge and I wanted to document it. Then this past week I have started to cook. Nothing special, just grilling veggies and sauteing squash, but I took pictures of that as well. Then the though occurred to me, why not make a blog to document my food endeavors? And that's how I got here. Nothing special, just a girl who likes food.