Three Beans Coffee

On the weekend prior to Valentine's Day, you're probably wondering why I'm talking about coffee, long story short, I purchased it for cheap, cheap, cheap and now I want to talk about it's worth. If you're an avid coffee drinker and you realize that the pricing is continually going up and your looking for some good coffee at a reasonable price, you may be interested.

I was in the coffee aisle of a local grocer when I looked up and saw (what was news to me) Three Beans Coffee that touted 100% Arabica Beans, rich, bold and dark roast; but most importantly, it cost $4.99.
Decision made, I decided to take it home for that cost and try it out, besides, how bad could it be.

Shortly after dinner, I decided to make me a cup of this new Three Beans Coffee to drink with one of the chocolate brownies I prepared yesterday. Admittedly, I did not follow the directions because I make coffee everyday and I fell like I know how to make a cup of coffee. By the way, I love, love, love the smell of coffee and Three Beans Coffee smells rich and vibrant. After placing a new filter in the coffee-maker, I put in 2 Tbs. of coffee to about 10 oz. of water and waited for it to brew.

Brewing complete, I put in a little creamer and some Splenda, stirred, smelled the richness and sipped. Wow, that taste like water, I thought. Then I said to myself, "take another sip just to see if its me", no, that's kinda watery tasting. Then I thought, I'll ask my flip-side what he thinks, he's a coffee drinker and it could be the brownie I'm having with it that may be interfering with the taste. My flip-side tasted it and said, "that's weak." so I poured out the rest and decided to give it another try in the morning.

When I woke up this morning and went downstairs to make coffee, I decided to read the directions before trying again. The directions say to start with fresh filtered water, O.K., use 2 TBS ground coffee to 6 oz. water, O.K., I can do that, I thought. So, I prepared the coffee just as suggested on the packaging, put in my creamer and Splenda, stirred, smelled and sipped. No, still not the taste I'm looking for, there's not a match between the smell and the taste of the coffee. The smell is robust, rich and bold and the taste is meek, weak and watery. The question is can I drink it, I can but I won't. Well, lesson learned, you get what you pay for!

TasteIndy,Tasty Food

TasteIndy is just what I did on a recent visit to Indianapolis, Indiana. Taste Indy Food Tours-Massachusetts Avenue Food Tour hosted the guide historical 3 1/2 hour walking tour that allowed me to work up an appetite while learning about Indianapolis' historical landscape and food scene.The food tour included a variety of menu items, held at four critically acclaimed local Indy restaurants where the ingredients were locally sourced and the cooking techniques and styles were as varied as the menus.

The first restaurant I went to was the city's oldest, established in 1894 and still in operation today, The Rathskeller featured German cuisine. Being part German on my father's side of the family and having lived in Germany, I was excited to be there and was more than ready for the first sampling of the day. The chef prepared traditional German fare like homemade sauerkraut, red cabbage, German noodles, Bratwurst, Bockwurst, Kielbasse, German Wieners, Bavarian style pretzels and a few German mustard's for dipping purposes. The food was absolutely delicious!

Next, I headed to Earth House Collectives/Earth House Cafe which is Indiana's only 100-percent organic and fair trade coffee shop focusing on community issues. I enjoyed the Vegan Sanoma Sandwich which featured a pressed and braised organic tofu with organic celery & red grapes and toasted organic pecans in a vegan creamy poppy seed dressing. The Vegan Sanoma Sandwich was very good, not to mention the selection of coffees' and teas'.

You should know that it was at this point that I begin to wonder if I could eat anything else...fortunately it was quite a walk to the next stop, Lockerbie Pub. The Lockerbie is a family run joint know for taking care of the customers and that they did. The Breaded Pork Tenderloin was tasty and memorable, I can taste it now! The Tenderloin was paired with pickles and a trio of beers (I don't drink beer, never acquired a taste).

Lockerbie's Breaded Pork Tenderloin stayed on my mind until I arrived at Mesh, an upscale, classy restaurant located in a hip and growing neighborhood not far from Massachusetts Ave. Now Mesh was talking my language with a Wild Mushroom Strudel prepared with a tomato buerre blanc sauce and seasonal mixed greens. The Wild Mushroom Strudel was prepared perfectly, but the Cherry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding sent me over the top! Wow, what a day, thank you TasteIndy!

Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms

Mushrooms are all the rave, they boost your immune system, have B Vitamins and are packed with antioxidants, according to WholeLiving Magazine. According to me, they just taste great, but not the button ones, go for the Shiitakes or Oysters. There are so many varieties of mushrooms that you can just experiment until you find your favorite flavorful one.

Mushroom Butter is just one way to use mushrooms and a first for me when I had dinner out the other evening. Now, I have to make some ahead and freeze it so it will be ready for Omlets, Steaks, anything! Its so simple to have mushrooms on hand for Butter, Eggs, Burgers and Soups. The next time your stirring up some cornbread, mix in some mushrooms!

My latest and tasty recipe is Mushroom Spaghetti, its great and quick for dinner. I prepared this dish but along side it, I prepared seared scallops in a mushroom butter, it was excellent! Here's the recipe.

Ingredients: Mushrooms (fresh) (1-2 Cups), 1 Can Tomatoes (15oz), 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, 3 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)

Pasta ( 1 lb. any type you like)

Place pan of water (6 cups) on the stove to boil for pasta (use whatever you have).  When water comes to a boil, add a little salt and pour in pasta to cook while you prepare mushroom base.

In a non-stick skillet, pour  2 Tbsp. Olive Oil in skillet and heat slightly, crush the garlic and place in pan, add mushrooms to pan and continue to stir for 1-3 minutes ( this is also a good time to add some flavor, salt and pepper). Next add tomatoes and break up in skillet, allow ingredients to simmer while you check to see if the pasta is ready. Once the pasta is ready, drain, but leave a bit of water (1/2c) and add pasta and water to skillet. Mix all together and add more salt and pepper if necessary, then top with a nice grated cheese. Dinner is done!

2011 Food Thoughts

As 2011 comes to a close, I have to reflect on this thing I spend so much time on, called food. When I wake up in the morning I have thoughts about what I will eat for breakfast; a shake, egg whites, oatmeal, Raisin Bran or a Sweet Dutch Baby. Only hours go by and then its lunchtime; will make something, go out and get something or just have a snack.
In recent news from Dr. Oz, he suggests eating in reverse,or having those heavy meals or pasta dishes by midday. You will have more time to work off the calories and full feeling. This bit of news made me think about a woman name Kay I used to work with who always brought her left-overs to work the next day and had them for breakfast (eating in reverse). I always wondered if they were left over from dinner or if she just cooked them at the dinner hour for breakfast the next morning. I'll never know, she lives in Florida now.
I not sure if I get much past the lunch hour before I begin to think about what will be on the menu for dinner. I begin to think about what's in the frig or freezer that I can prepare, the prep work involved in getting it prepped in a timely manner and what I have in the pantry or frig to go with it for a complete meal. I am pretty sure I might skip dinner if it were not for my husband. He tends to go to work without breakfast and he may or may not have lunch, then he comes home starving. Drives me nuts!
During the course of my day, I look at food magazines that I receive in the mail, watch food shows on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel,and I go to the grocery to replenish food items. Many of the e-mails I receive are from food websites about food and recipes that I often want to make. Have I gotten to dinner yet?
If we decide to go out to dinner, then its a discussion about where to go, if that's what we really want (both of us), if the service is up to par and how I feel when I'm there. We actually have been to restaurants where the staff appear unhappy to be there; if they don't want to be there why would I want to be there? I'm at a point in my life where I want to feel good when I'm in a place eating or otherwise, i.e., I don't want to feel any stress (trying to take care of the vessel)and going out to eat is about more than eating out.
I have to wonder if I'm doing myself a disservice by thinking about food so much and am I the only one doing this? It consumes so much of my time, my husband always says, "we all have the same 24 hours." Food must be the way I wish to spend my time.
Some of the biggest foods trend in 2011, was grilling veggies , incorporating different ethnic foods into American cuisine and vise versa and just keeping dishes simple and easy. I loved the 2011 food trends and I think I'll keep them going into 2012 or until something better comes along. Happy New Year!

Mealfare: Dutch Baby, Baby Dutch

Mealfare: Dutch Baby, Baby Dutch: First, I should explain that the proper name is Dutch Baby, but my mind wants to keep saying Baby Dutch. Anyway, the Dutch Baby is one big ...

Dutch Baby, Baby Dutch

First, I should explain that the proper name is Dutch Baby, but my mind wants to keep saying Baby Dutch. Anyway, the Dutch Baby is one big puffy pancake prepared in an iron skillet. If you don't want to stand at the stove and make cute little round pancakes, the Dutch Baby goes into a 10 inch iron skillet all at once to yield a big pancake.

I been wanting to make one, but never took the time and after looking at the Sunday magazine on Dec. 25 and noticing that there was a recipe in the CookSmart /USA Weekend section, I decided to give it a try. The recipe is compliments of Pam Anderson who notes that a Dutch Baby can be savory or sweet. I prepared the Sweet Dutch Baby.

Heat oven to 425 degrees after adjusting rack to a middle position in oven.
Recipe for Sweet Dutch Baby: 1 c whole milk, 4 large eggs, 2 tsps. vanilla extract, 1/4/tsp. salt (whisk all together in a medium bowl). Vigorously whisk in 1 c all-purpose flour (can let sit a few minutes and whisk again). Melt 2 Tbs. butter to the point of turning brown in an iron skillet and pour in the mixture when butter is brown. Bake in oven for 15 to 17 minutes and don't be alarmed if you see the pancake all puffy, that's normal.

Sprinkle 1Tb. sugar on top and turn on the Broiler for just a few seconds until golden.

While the pancake bakes, take out your favorite jam and measure out 1/4 c with 3 Tbs. water and warm in the microwave. Mix well and pour over pancake immediately; you can also top with dried or fresh fruit, powdered sugar and whip cream (like I did).

To me the Dutch Baby is more of a crepe and less of a pancake and a bit on the eggy side. You have to eat it immediately because it becomes less appealing as it cools off. I believe that the savory one would be good at any time of the day or night; its the same recipe except you add onions, ham and cheese and then bake. If you are watching the calories like I am, skip the ham and one half the cheese and add veggies for a new Savory Dutch Baby. Enjoy!

Cafe Lou Lou for Lunch

Cafe Lou Lou's in St. Mathews was a delicious treat when I ventured out for some lunch. Do you ever feel as though you are tired of everything (food-wise) and you don't know what you want, but you want something delicious? That's the way I was feeling when I thought about Cafe Lou Lou's. I had never been there, but heard wonderful things about the food. Well, the good I heard was on point!

The Spicy Red Lentil Soup hit the spot since it was prepared properly with just the right amount of heat and diced tomatoes. I really wasn't that hungry, but I ask our server, Dane to leave the menu, since I wanted to taste at least one other item. I decided to order the Angel Hair Pasta with Veggies, which I could not stop eating. The ratio of vegetables to pasta was perfect, the vegetables (asparagus, spinach, tomatoes and onions with a white wine garlic sauce) were

                                                       perfectly cooked and the dish was topped off with cheese.

Yes, our server offer dessert and I said, "what do you have?"  He said they had a Flourless Chocolate Cake, Creme Brulee and Bread Pudding. The dessert choices were eliminated based upon a number of issues...the Chocolate Cake was out because I used to bake a Flourless Chocolate Cake in my Bakery and well, no one could ever measure up. Now, I love Bread Pudding, but it was out, just because it's a dime a dozen and nearly every restaurant has it on the menu at this time of the year (who's brave enough not to have Bread Pudding on the menu next Fall/Winter???).

So, I ordered the Creme Brulee! It looked beautiful, with the sugar caramelized to perfection and dusted lightly with powdered sugar. I picked up my spoon and angled it just so to gather just about a teaspoonful of Creme Brulee, I looked at it (as I do everything), noticed the black speckles of a vanilla bean, thought it will taste like vanilla (which I love, used to put it in my milk with lots of sugar and stir it up as my mother was yelling that we didn't have a dam (I know, (n)) cow out back), slowly placed the spoon in my mouth for that vanilla taste and nothing! No vanilla taste at all. Sure, I ate it, it was smooth and I liked the taste of the sugar on top, it cost $6.50, but I need to taste something like, some vanilla Lou Lou! Love you, Lou Lou and I will be back because I love to eat and tell.

Thanksgiving On the Table, At the Table

Happy Thanksgiving Day! Today is a day of thanks, thanks for the things we have been blessed with, the people in our lives and all of the delicious eats at the table. As your eyes feast over what's on the table, take a few moments and look around at who is at the table. Are you celebrating Thanksgiving alone, because your never alone, just look up and then look around. Think about all that has impacted your life and made you who you are, I will bet they are in your heart and on your mind. You never walk alone, Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Brining the Turkey

Lots of people are brining turkey's this year. What does brining do, you say? Brining adds moisture and flavor to the bird. How do you cook the bird after brining it? You can cook your turkey any way you wish, you can fry it, roast it, smoke it and the turkey will still be moist and flavorful. How long does the brining process take? You can brine the turkey from 8-12 hours and what's important to remember is that the turkey should be flipped at the half way point; so if you plan to brine for 8 hours; your turkey should be flipped at the 4 hour mark. Where can you get a brining recipe? There are tons of brining recipes online. Pick a recipe that reflects how you want your bird to taste.

I enjoy a traditional tasting bird, so here is the brine I will make for my bird. By the way, I am working on the brine this evening so my turkey will brine overnight and be ready for roasting when I am ready to roast it.

Brine:
4 qts. of chicken stock
1 cup of salt
2 bay leafs
1 tsp. pepper corns
4 smashed garlic cloves
4-6 twigs of thyme
8-10 twigs of fresh parsley
1 cup of honey

Place all of these items together in a very large stock pot and heat until all has dissolved, once dissolved let the brine cool before placing the turkey in it. You may need to add so water so that the turkey is at least half way covered. Make sure your turkey will comfortably fit and if it doesn't find a bucket that may meet your needs.

Mealfare: Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping

Mealfare: Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping: Today is what I call, D Day! It is the absolute last day to go shopping for the items you need for Thanksgiving dinner. After today, you beg...

Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping

Today is what I call, D Day! It is the absolute last day to go shopping for the items you need for Thanksgiving dinner. After today, you begin to run into issues like stores running out of turkeys, all the smoked meat is sold out that you need for your greens and green beans, you have trouble finding spices and speciality items you need to prepare your desserts and side items. The green Jello you need for the Waldorf Salad is now where to be found! I better get some!

If you have already done your shopping your in great shape, but I encourage you to make a list of what your are preparing and visualize your dinner on the table to make sure you have everything you need. So if I may, I want to visualize everything I am responsible for at my house. I have three daughters, two step-sons, ten grand-children, my mom (my mother-in-law lives out of town), some cousins and some friends that wanted to know if I'm hosting dinner and all I said was that I was cooking and feel free to come by; while my husband said, "no, we are not hosting dinner, that's what he said to the children/adults."

Whole Turkey and Turkey Breast (keeping in mind that I'm brining the whole turkey and preparing the breast in a more traditional manor), "check", sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pies and sweet potato dinner rolls, "check", mustard and turnip greens, "check", fresh green beans, "check", broccoli, "check", cauliflower,"check", good white potato for mashed potatoes, "check", homemade corn bread for cornbread stuffing (don't for get lots of celery, onion, poultry seasoning, sage, parsley,salt and pepper, chicken stock and some oil), "check", pecans for pecan pie, "check", butter and buttermilk for Buttermilk Pie and Jam Cake (black walnuts, apples, blackberry jam, check spices), "check", Grits for Spoon Bread, "check", mac and cheese for the mac and cheese, "check". I almost forgot, the Pumpkin Spice Cake with an Orange Glaze and Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies for the kids and Xavier, my five-year-old grand-son ask for Pumpkin Pie, I may make one since I am preparing some for some of my clients.

Don't forget the drinks for the kids and lots of ice and ice tea and I always prepare a holiday spice punch and coffee to go with desserts. I do allow some help with dinner but not much, my mom makes the best Southern Pound Cake so she will bring that and her famous corn pudding that everyone looks forward to, everything else is mine since I am so opinionated, that's what I get. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cooking Without A Kitchen

You can definitely cook a delicious meal without cooking it in the kitchen. Weather permitting, a grill comes in handy and you can cook wonderfully on a gas grill; the charcoal grill is challenging in certain weather conditions. Of course there is always the microwave oven and I understand that some of them really do a good job of cooking some foods. I'm not much on microwave cooking, I use the microwave for popping popcorn, rewarming food items and fixing myself a quick cup of tea.

Cooking on the gas grill is so easy. Treat the gas grill just like a gas stove top (depending upon size) and boil water for pasta dishes, cook potatoes and vegetables. These foods are easily cooked just like your protein items. I use my grill pan on the grill to secure my food items and still get those grill marks. So far this week, I have not cooked anything and tonight looks like as good a night as any. I have been purchasing prepared food (during the kitchen reno) which is already getting old. Tonight's menu: shrimp and scallops that have been marinaded in a homemade pesto sauce, crusted bread with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and a salad. Staggering the shrimp and scallops on skewers and then placing them onto the grill to cook will insure that you can enjoy them both come dinnertime. Be sure to oil, salt, and pepper the bread on both sides before placing on the grill. Dinner will be simple, quick and delicious!

I have to thank Jamie of Jamie At Home on the Cooking Channel (913 on Insight). He continues to inspire me in and out of the kitchen and I love how he simplifies the processes!

Claudia Sanders Dinner House

Claudia Sanders Dinner House is located at 3202 Shelbyville Road, Shelbyville, KY and is open Tues.-Sun., for lunch and dinner (11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.).

Never let anyone tell you that it does not matter when you go to eat at a restaurant and I mean the time that you go. I am sure that the time of day is a factor in my experience at Claudia Sanders. You should know that when I stopped to have lunch/dinner, it was 3:00 p.m., but I was hungry and didn't want to wait until 5 or 6:00 p.m. to eat.

It was pretty empty when I went in, only about three or four tables were full, but I was excited because of my memories of being there several years ago ( before the fire and before when they had to shut down because some people had gotten sick after eating there) and remembering how delicious everything was. In any case, it had been some time ago that I was there.

I didn't know what to get, because I wanted everything on the menu. I finally decided on the Claudia's Kentucky Hot Brown for $9.50. The menu said it was layers of Baked Kentucky Country Ham and sliced Roasted Turkey Breast on toast points, smothered with their special cheese sauce broiled golden brown and topped with tomatoes, choice of soup or salad. I had the White Bean Soup. My husband quickly decided to have the fried chicken; he claims that I don't fry anything, anymore, so have at it. The mashed potatoes and creamed spinach were his side items. Let me just say that if you know me, then you know that I am a wordsmith of sorts and I hold dearly and literally words and statements directed at and towards me. I'm laughing right now because someone needs to re-write the description of these food items.

The Baked Kentucky Country Ham and sliced Roasted Turkey Breast was smothered in a special cheese sauce that I would define as cheese whizzzz and I am pretty sure that Roasted Turkey Breast was lunch meat out of the pack and I needed a knife to cut through the tomato ends placed on top of the Hot Mess that was broiled to a golden brown. By the way, I never have the kitchen remake an order or order something else if I can help it.

My husband gave me a piece of his fried chicken, not good. The fried chicken was rubbery and chewy and I was so disappointed. What has happened Claudia Sanders? I will say that the biscuits and corn muffins that you use to put on the table, that you are now doling out one-by-one, were pretty good. It is possible that I intruded on the staff's break time right before dinner service and it just was not a good time to go in and eat. 

If you go...

Don't go between 2:00-4:00 P.M. although the hours are from 11:00 A.M.-9:00 P.M.

Turbot Fillets Pan-Seared

On a recent trip to Whole Foods, I purchased two of the Turbot fillets which cost me about $19.00 for the pound. The Turbot is a nice white fish that is pretty meaty; I would compare it to Sea Bass or a nice Cod. One fillet is plenty for two or three people depending upon how you plan to serve it (fish tacos or fish sandwiches). The two fillets will serve dinner on two occassions for an average cost of about $9.50 per dinner or $3.16 per person.

When I don't have time for seeking inspiration about dishes, I usually pan-sear or pan-sear and go to the oven depending upon what I am preparing, in this case I pan-seared the Turbot fillets. Simply, salt and pepper your fillets while you heat up a non-stick skillet and a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Don't forget to make sure you hear that sizzle when the fillet is going down to meet the skillet. Sear the fillets on each side for 3-5 minutes depending upon the thickness. The fish will be seasoned, flakey and delicious and remember if food doesn't have any flavor, what's the point.

J Harrods for Dinner?

Absolutely! J Harrods ( located at 7507 River Road, Prospect, KY, 502-2284555) may not be in the neighborhood, but its worth the trip for dinner. The chicken livers on the menu just thrilled me because they were prepared perfectly; lightly fried with a gravy made from the skillet drippings and fried onions.

O my goodness, the chicken livers were so good. For dinner, I decided to go with a lighter selection, you know with the chicken livers and gravy and all; I had the grilled salmon on top of a bed of fresh greens which was very good. The salmon wasn't overly seasoned but had a nice clean grilled taste to it, yet it was moist and perfectly cooked.

The greens were fresh with just the right amount of bounce-back to them. I can tell you that I am a bit nuts when it comes to my greens; I want them washed, spun dry and I prefer that they not be cold because you just took them from a frig that they had been in for several hours and then turned slightly brown. This was not the case at J. Harrods.

The group I had dinner with enjoyed their meals too; they had the shrimp pasta, lamp and the chicken salad. For dessert, peach pie was on the menu, but we all passed; maybe you can go and have it and let me know how it is.

In addition to the very good food, the atmosphere was very nice and the staff was very friendly.

A P Crafters Kitchen & Bar

A P Crafters Kitchen & Bar is the new restaurant spot in Westport Village just off Herr Lane. Me and my hubby was there for dinner last week...I know, it was not a great time to go. They were just recognized in The Courier-Journal and the place was very busy and very noisy, especially when you have been seated in the bar area where you don't want to be. But not only were we seated in the bar area, we were seated in an area that was on the way to the kitchen for every single server and other staff members. For about two hours, we got to see them racing back and forth around the restaurant, it was not a relaxing atmosphere.

The food was pretty good. I had the pastrami on sour dough with fresh fruit. I really liked the pastrami because it was flavorful and sliced very thinly and while I am not a sour dough bread fan, the bread was thinly sliced and good. For a side item, you had a choice of fries (sweet potato fries was $1.50 extra), slaw or fresh fruit and I hesitated, but I chose the fruit. I was trying to do the  healthy thing, but when I cannot eat the fruit at all, because its too hard, I'm just not happy. I think you already know that the fresh fruit is not fresh and comes out of a bag and a lot of times is cut when not ripe and placed in the bag just before they freeze it.  The melons (Cantaloupe and Honey Dew) were as hard as a brick and just not edible. The hazards of knowledge!

My hubby made a better choice by going with the slaw for his side, it was good. He ordered the hamburger with bacon and a fried egg on top. He said it was very good. I usually taste whatever he is having for dinner but I didn't on this occasion, probably because the egg made it a little messy. We definitely skipped dessert because I just wanted to get out of the noisy environment.

Many of the menu items were very reasonable with most items being under $10.00. AP Crafters Kitchen and Bar will see me again when I can sit in the dining room away from the bar noise and all the traffic headed to the kitchen. I am sure I'll enjoy the food even more.

Tips if you go:
When checking in ask to be seated outdoors or in the dining room, which ever you prefer.
Arrive 30-45 minutes earlier than you want to eat, you will probably have a wait depending on when you go.
For two people dining in, be prepared to spend up to $50.00, depending on your beverage choices.
Enjoy, the food is good!

Teaology

My cup runneth over with tea or at least my pantry does. The various tea types range from Blueberry, to Green,  Peppermint, Echinacea Elder, to Blackcurrant Black Tea.  Lita, my sister, has even graced my pantry with a tea called Blue Eyes Fruit Tea from the Coffee Roasters of New Orleans. I'm happy to say that I even have regular Lipton tea in the house.

Different teas provide a variety of benefits, some even medicinal. Green tea is said to contain antioxidants and Vitamin C, while most black teas are recognized for lowering blood sugar levels. I've even heard that individuals should drink at least two cups of tea per day and add a little fresh ginger. It aids with digestion.

Tea makes a great summertime beverage and since its Summer and there is an abundance of fresh fruit at our disposal; lets kick up our teaology a knotch. I am suggesting that you add fresh fruit to your tea drink (cold).  I recently enjoyed a tea beverage with very small watermelon cubes floating on top, it was amazing! If your having a get-together or you just want to treat yourself, serve ice tea with peaches, blueberries or a variety of fresh berries on top. Your guests will love it.

Breakfast for Dinner?

Breakfast is the all-time favorite meal of the day, especially omelets. Eggs are so versatile and light that you can add anything to them and have a spectacular meal. Most anyone can make a omelet. All you need is a skillet, some eggs (depends on how many your feeding), canola oil, and whatever you want to add.
Today, I prepared an omelet for lunch and I used spinach and cherry tomatoes. The omelet was topped with a little parrano cheese and garnished with tomato and Italian parsley. Its easy, quick and delicious.

Lotsa Pasta Panini Continued

That's right, I was talking about proper sandwich assembly. Today, when I went to Lotsa Pasta, I ask the clerk if she would please evenly distribute the sandwich items on the bread, just explaining that I didn't want any bread on bread contact. She looked at me as if I were crazy and said that the sandwiches were now being pre-prepared ( I think that's correct) and she would see what she could do.

Seeing what she could do basicly meant that everything has been measured out and the sandwich was already made and I can't do anything about what you want lady. I'm thinking that for $6.50 plus tax, I don't want a mouth full of bread with nothing else, at any one time on my palate and of course that's just what I got. Not to mention that I could tell that my sandwich was twice grilled or had been grilled and then warmed in an oven, there was definitely an extra layer of crunch.

On a more pleasant note, I did meet a really nice lady in the store who just came back from Italy and ask if the orzo pasta salad I was purchasing, was good. I replied that it was my first time tasting it and she could read about how I liked it on my blog...so here goes.

It was a bit lifeless to me; which simply means that it was heavy for this time of year and not very tasty. I love flavor and I love orzo pasta but I didn't care for the very large mushrooms in Lotsa Pasta's and there was an herb that I thought was basil, it looked like basil, but it had zero flavor. I'm not sure what the herb was and I know my herbs because I grow some of them.

Lotsa Pasta's orzo pasta salad had red onion, goat cheese, mushrooms, cherry tomato and basil (?) Sounds like a great combination but it didn't work for me. The nice lady did ask what type of dressing I use on my orzo pasta salad and I replied that I love to hit the pasta with white truffle oil just after its drained and rinsed. I realize that truffle oil is not inexpensive but its so delicious! From that point on, I add fresh vegetables to  mine. With all of the farmer's markets operating, there is an aray of veggies to choose from and I believe that when it comes to cooking, we should always use whats in season. If food doesn't have flavor, what's the point.

Losta Pasta Panini

Today, I felt like one of my favorite sandwiches and a little pasta so I headed up to Lotsa Pasta on Lexington Road. I love, love, love the black bean panini and I feel as though I'm eating somewhat healthy. That slice of cheddar cheese haunts me, not to mention the bread, but its so good and today I will split it with my daughter.

In any case, the sandwich is prepared with black beans (smoothed with a blender or food processor), a slice of cheddar cheese and cream cheese and scallions (not sure about the cream cheese and scallions) on Italian bread and grilled.

The last time I was in the store(2 weeks ago), I was a little unhappy with my sandwich; before you say anything, let me explain, I am a food snob! I've been practicing. Let me explain, I have issues with sandwiches that are not properly prepared and I definitely do not like bread on bread contact. If you make me a sandwich, I simply would like some even distribution of the sandwich items with some level of neatness. Is that too much to ask? *To be continued.