Maple Tree Inn

Good afternoon, readers! I apologize for the lack of posts but you know how the holidays can be - tons of eating food other people made. Per tradition, Nate and I went to Chicago to visit his family for Christmas. We unfortunately weren't able to go to some of our old haunts like Aurelio's Pizzeria, Dimitri's Best Food, Chinatown or the Flossmor Train Station, but we were very lucky that the Maple Tree Inn located at 13301 S. Old Western Avenue, Blue Island, Illinois was hosting a Christmas dinner service with a live jazz band! And even luckier for us, we were able to go!


The Hart Family had visited Maple Tree Inn a few years ago and found their Cajun and Creole cooking to be fun and most importantly, delicious.


Décor: The restaurant itself is very narrow. The bar and a few tables create a small walkway into a slightly more spacious dining room, on the evening of December 23, the end of this dining room served as the stage for the band. The ceiling is covered in carved wood tiles and everything is dark wood and industrial lighting. The best word to describe it is "cozy".


Food appearance: Food is served with much attention to detail. Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins are served in linen-lined baskets, plates are garnished just-so and even your plates and silverware are refreshed between courses! All the food looked utterly divine and I wished I had packed a spare stomach in my purse!


Food taste:


THE APPS





We began our meal with a complimentary basket of Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins served with onion-chive spread and butter. The fresh jalapenos added a surprising zing to the muffins and the onion-chive spread was perfect for cooling down the heat.


We ordered Crab Mornay, Mr. Charlie's Oysters, Oysters 2 x 2 x 2 and Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp with Sweet Potato Fries.


The Crab Mornay was a little lackluster I must admit. The description promises "delicate lump crab meat" and didn't really deliver on their promise. Had I not known there was supposed to be crab in the creamy sauce coating my crusty garlic bread, I would have absolutely no idea there was even crab in it. It was disappointing.


Mr. Charlie's Oysters are dipped in bread crumbs, flash fried and broiled with garlic butter and Asiago cheese. They may have been my favorite appetizer we had! The oysters were delicately fried, the cheese and butter were the perfect additions. I would've been absolutely thrilled to have had these oysters as my meal!


Oysters 2 x 2 x 2 are a variety of roasted oysters. We were given 2 Rockefeller, 2 Bienville (cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, shrimp and provolone cheese) and 2 Deviled (spicy topping with sweet butter, roasted bell peppers, capers, and seasoned breadcrumbs). I sampled each of the varieties and I wouldn't say I was crazy about any of them necessarily. The Rockefeller were standard, I honestly had no idea there were mushrooms or shrimp in the Bienville as the provolone cheese all but swallowed the oyster, and then there's the Deviled. I'd like to consider myself no stranger when it comes to all things spicy but these had me sweating. The spicy filling was so hot I felt like I was gulping down water by the bucketful. It was a little too much.


The Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp we ordered was actually the dinner portion, hence the addition of sweet potato fries, but the flavors were spot on! The shrimp were succulent and plump and the BBQ sauce coating them had the perfect smoky-sweet flavor.

THE ENTREES


The restaurant had 2 dinner specials for the Christmas event - Cajun Prime Rib and Smoke Roasted Leg of Lamb. Nate and his brother, Sam went for the prime rib. For obvious reasons, I didn't try it. Maybe Nate can offer a play-by-play in the comments?


I went for the Dis and Dat Platter, which they were happy to customize to make pescatarian! The normal platter is filled with Hickory Buttered Shrimp, Crayfish Etouffee, Ribs and Red Beans and Rice. Obviously the Ribs and Red Beans and Rice aren't exactly friendly to my tastes so I asked if there was any possibility of me swapping them for something out and they were more than happy to oblige! I swapped the beans and rice for the Vegan Ratatouille and the ribs for some extra shrimp. What the menu fails to mention is that every item is accompanied by a side dish. My Hickory Buttered BBQ Shrimp were served on top of a bed of jalapeno-cheese grits with extra BBQ sauce on the side (hot and mild), the Etouffee was served atop steamed white rice, and I was given a giant pile of thin-cut crisp fries and my ratatouille! How can they possibly expect one person to eat so much food?!

Mama Hart opted for the N'awlins Bouillabasse, which I had definitely been eying on the menu. I didn't try it but based on the small amount left in her bowl at the end of the meal, I can safely assume it was good.


Papa Hart ordered the Duck and Andouille Cassoulet, again, I didn't try it for obvious reasons but it certainly looked tasty from a culinary perspective.


Sam's girlfriend ordered the Jumbo Blackened Scallops which were exactly that - JUMBO. They were the size of hockey pucks! They looked absolutely fantastic, and once again, I had definitely been drawn to it on the menu before I settled on my platter.


THE DESSERT


I know what you're thinking, you just read about enough food to feed a small country, how can these people possibly have had room to fit another meal in the same week LET ALONE the same evening? Yeah, I'm with you, which is why I didn't partake in the sweets. There was absolutely no way I was going to be able to put anything else in my gullet.


However, Nate, Sam and Brittany didn't seem to have the problem.


Nate and Sam each ordered their own set of Beignets and Brittany ordered the Peach Cobbler, which had I brought my second stomach along for the journey, I would've also eaten.


The Beignets were soft and pillowy, actually they reminded me a lot of the sopapillas from New Mexico but instead of being filled with honey, blanketed in powdered sugar.


Mama and Papa Hart polished off their meals with some libations and I sipped water and enjoyed the lively jazz wafting through the dining room (and occasionally paraded through).


Service: Our server was attentive and made sure our meal was everything we needed it to be. He checked on us frequently, double checked with the kitchen to ensure everything I ate was all pescatarian-friendly, and was willing to answer any questions.


Cleanliness: Everything was cleaned quickly and even the restrooms were spotless!


I eagerly await the next visit to Maple Tree Inn for more jazz and Cajun cooking! Give it a try if you're ever in the area!


I hope you had an excellent Festivus, Christmas, Kwanzaa and a happy New Year! Stay tuned for some more great recipes and stay safe out there, readers!

Roasted Potatoes and Onions and the Incredible 5-Minute Egg

I completely adore The Food Network. I always have. It's just entertaining television. Lately I've been on a Guy's Grocery Games kick, now if you've never seen this show I'll give you a little run-down and try not to judge you too harshly. The show takes place in a grocery store (or on a very convincing set of a grocery store) and contestants compete against each other in challenges that utilize particular aisles, coupons and the ultimate winner has 2 minutes to grab certain items and win cash! Now if you don't find that entertaining and exciting I don't know what's wrong with you.


Anyway, last week I was watching this show and a chef made eggs benedict. Eggs Benedict is probably my favorite brunch dish. It's buttery, it's decadent, it's luscious and goes particularly well with a mimosa. However, there is one main thing stopping me from reaching brunch mecca - poaching an egg. 1) I don't have that kind of patience and 2) I don't want to deal with my eggs not coming together correctly and I've wasted food. Both no-no's in my book. But this chef did something different, he seemed to share my discomfort with attempting this particular cooking technique and instead made a 5-minute egg.


Last night I attempted it myself.


Roasted Potatoes and Onions and the Incredible 5-Minute Egg

6 small golden potatoes, washed and cubed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/4 C McCormick Bac'n Pieces (THEY'RE VEGETARIAN!)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 large eggs
1/4 C hot salsa, for serving


Preheat oven to 350.


Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spritz with cooking spray to ensure non-sticking.


Toss potatoes, onions and Bac'n Pieces in oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.


Now onto the egg.


Fill a 4Q saucepot with water and bring to a boil. DO NOT PUT THE EGG IN UNTIL THE WATER IS A STEADY BOIL! Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water using a slotted spoon - I confess I did not follow this step and instead clunked my eggs in, which resulted in one of them cracking. Don't be like me. Boil the eggs for exactly 5 minutes.


While your egg is boiling, fill a large bowl with water and stick in the fridge to cool.


After the 5 minutes are up, carefully remove your eggs using the slotted spoon and place them in the cool water for 2 minutes. This halts cooking and makes them easier to peel.


Serve up your potatoes and onions, spoon on some hot salsa and top with your peeled 5-minute egg.


I was skeptical. The chef on GGG said this egg will have the same runny goodness as a poached egg without the hassle. How can this possibly be? Well, I will say I cut into my eggs atop my potatoes and saw the velvety yolk drizzle out and was elated! It really was just like a poached egg! I would maybe even do a 4-minute egg next time for a little runnier yolk.


The potato recipe yielded about 4 cups' worth (most of which are in the freezer to be used at a later date) and I ate two of the magnificent eggs.

Steamed Salmon

Good morning, readers! I apologize for the hiatus - I've been cooking just nothing that was either blog-worthy or that I haven't made before. There have been numerous quesadillas, a set of delicious black bean burgers that I will post about at an unspecified time (frankly shocked I haven't posted about them previously) and lots and lots of pizza.


Sunday night I was bit by the cooking bug and made Steamed Salmon with a chopped salad kit and minute rice. Have you ever used quick rice before? It's a revelation! I love the flavor of freshly made rice but it's so time consuming. Almost 30 minutes are devoted to just simmering. Who has time for all that? No, quick rice is definitely going to be a staple in my pantry from now on. I'm also a big advocate of salad kits - they're quick, easy and of late come in more exciting varieties than just plain ol' Caesar.


Steamed Salmon

2 3-oz salmon fillets
1 lemon, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
Roasted red pepper seasoning, to taste (like this Red Bell Pepper & Garlic Blend from Wildtree)
Wax paper
Aluminum foil


Preheat oven to 350.


Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt, pepper and seasoning blend and set aside.


Cut 1/2 the lemon into thin rounds and the remaining half into wedges. Set aside.


Cut enough wax paper and aluminum foil to wrap each piece of fish into a little packet (1 piece of wax paper/foil per piece of fish).


Portion 1/2 the lemon rounds in the center of each piece of wax paper and carefully layer salmon fillet. Wrap up the wax paper and foil until you have 2 identical hobo-packets of fish (doesn't that sound appetizing?)


Bake the fillets for 25 minutes.


Carefully unwrap your seafood treasures, squeeze some of your reserved lemon wedges on top and serve with rice and salad!


This meal is perfect if your salmon fillets aren't totally thawed from the freezer (which mine were not).


Enjoy with a glass of Shiraz!

Chicken-Less Quesadillas

Good morning, readers and happy Monday! Here we are at the beginning of what (I sincerely hope) will be a quick and painless week. My weekend was a whirlwind of activity - I ran an Ugly Sweater 5K in horrible weather conditions (it was sleeting and 33 degrees) yet somehow managed to get 3rd in my age group and 39th overall, Nate and I saw a magnificent performance of The Nutcracker ballet, and I spent a lot of quality time with my couch.


But allow me to take you back to Thursday night. Nate and I are fans of The Room. This wonderfully God-awful film has recently had a resurgence in the limelight thanks to James Franco & Co and their passion project The Disaster Artist. I was very curious whenever I first heard this film was being made (it's based on a book, which I have read) and wanted to know in which direction the film would be taken. Would they ridicule the one-man show also known as Tommy Wiseu? Would they just make a remake of the original film? Or would they treat this project with the respect and care it deserved?


There was exactly 1 theater within a 5 mile radius of our apartment playing this film and it was a one-night-only affair so on Thursday night Nate and I had tickets at 7 and needed a quick and easy dinner to tide us over during the movie (of course we also got popcorn). As I was still cooking with only ingredients I could scavenge around the apartment, Nate made us a batch of surprisingly delicious Chicken-Less Quesadillas.


Chicken-Less Quesadillas


4 10 inch flour tortillas
2 Quorn Chick'n Patties (or equivalent meat-less product), cut into bite-size pieces
1 C shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 C pickled jalapeno rings
2 Tbsp melted butter, divided
1/2 C salsa, for serving


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Evenly sprinkle cheese, 1 patty's worth of chick'n on top of a flour tortilla and jalapeno rings and top with another flour tortilla. Using a basting brush, brush the top tortilla with some melted butter. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and ingredients.


Bake the quesadillas for 10 minutes and flip. Baste the top tortilla with melted butter and bake for another 10 minutes or until the tortillas are golden brown and crisp.


These quesadillas were incredible! They were crispy, crunchy, cheesy, spicy and most definitely filling! They were made even more excellent when dipped in some Sadie's Salsa.


Also for those of you wondering, The Disaster Artist was a brilliant product and truly respected the enigma that is
The Room.


I apologize for the lack of picture, I came home from the gym and was so hungry I could've eaten the wreath hanging on our front door.

Shrimp Pesto Linguine

As promised, the following is the recipe for Shrimp Pesto Linguine! The ingredients are all in the title (well, minus a few) but this recipe rid me of shrimp in my freezer, an open jar of red pepper pesto in my fridge, and an opened box of linguine pasta in my pantry!


Shrimp Pesto Linguine

1/3 lb linguine pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, diced
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 jar red pepper pesto (roughly 3 oz)
*2 eggplant meatballs (completely optional)


Cook linguine according to package instruction.


In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté shallot until translucent. Add in the shrimp and cook until pink. This is a fast process so I recommend not starting the shrimp until your pasta is nearly done (2-3 minutes remaining).


If you're fortunate enough to have 2 eggplant meatballs (removed from their marinara sauce home) from B.Good that a very generous Associate at your law firm who gifted you these delicious  morsels, throw them in the pan with the shrimp to heat up. If you are not in this category, don't worry about them and morn what you never had.


Toss the pesto in with the shrimp and eggplant meatballs and allow to heat up.


Drain your pasta and throw in with the shrimp mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy!


The flavors in this dish were spot on, shrimp were perfectly plump and the pesto was oh-so-delicious. What is it about red pepper pesto that's so amazing? This recipe yielded about 5 or 6-2 C bowl portions (or 1 Lindsey portion and 2 Nate portions).


I enjoyed my dinner with an adult beverage and watching of awful Network television until Nate came home and we watched A Christmas Horror Story on our favorite streaming service.


Tonight's dinner is Chicken-Less Quesadillas so stay tuned! Happy eating!

Tortilla Chip Crusted Tilapia with Sweet Potato Fries

Happy Thursday, readers! Only 2 more days of work stand between us and the weekend! I believe in us! WE CAN DO THIS! I've been sticking to my goal of using up all the food in my refrigerator and freezer and I have to say, I'm doing a pretty good job at coming up with meals so stay put and read on for TWO blog posts about my thrown-together meals!


Tortilla Chip Crusted Tilapia


2 3-oz tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise (yeah, you read that right)
2 C crushed tortilla chips (plus more if necessary)
1/2 lemon, for serving


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.


Season both sides of the tilapia with salt and pepper and slater one side with 1/2-1 Tbsp mayonnaise. I know this sounds weird and frankly sort of gross but trust me - it works as a binder. I had already used all my eggs and refuse to go to the grocery store until Saturday or Sunday at the earliest so I went with what I thought would work out. I'm not a betting gal, but this was a risk that definitely paid off!


Now sprinkle, press and coat your mayo'd tilapia fillet with crushed tortilla chips and repeat on the other side with the remaining fillets. *Pro-tip: buy an extra large bag of tortilla chips and eat the remainder of the bag after your crushing portion.


Bake your tilapia for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want your fish to be flaky and cooked through.


Serve each fillet with a lemon wedge.


Sweet Potato Fries


2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 Tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tsp crushed red pepper flake


Sweet potatoes are notoriously dense and difficult to cut, at least any one I've ever come across. I've found the easiest way to prepare fries is to marinate them over night to break down some of the starch.


In a bowl, combine peeled and wedged sweet potatoes, oil and spices and allow to sit overnight (longer is better).


Preheat oven to 450.


Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack (Nate had this brilliant idea! The fries were perfectly crisp!). Arrange the wedges on the rack so they are not touching.


Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.


These fries were most definitely the best I've ever made. Lifting the fries off the rack really made a difference in texture! Every other batch of sweet potato fries I've ever made were soggy and sad - NOT THESE!


These recipes resulted in 2 perfectly portioned plates for Nate and myself.

Read on for Shrimp Pesto Linguine.

Broccoli Cheddar Chowder

Happy Tuesday, readers! We're only 20 days from my favorite holiday - CHRISTMAS! Our tree is up and decorated, stockings are hung and our cozy little apartment has the perfect ambient glow of twinkle lights!

As a personal goal, I am trying to use up all the food in my fridge and freezer before I go grocery shopping again. As such, my meals are getting quite creative. Sunday I looked in my ice box and found - frozen broccoli and milk, my pantry revealed 2 cans of condensed cheddar soup, 2 small onions, 3 potatoes and 2 turnips. What on earth can I create with this hodge-podge of ingredients? BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHOWDER!


Broccoli Cheddar Chowder

12 oz frozen broccoli florets
2 small onions, diced
3 C skim milk
2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
3 golden potatoes, peeled and diced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper, to taste


Boil potatoes and turnips in boiling water until fork tender. Drain and set aside.


In a Crock Pot, did I mention this chowder was prepared in a trusty Crock Pot? In a 5- quart Crock Pot, combine frozen broccoli, diced onions, milk, condensed soup, fork-tender potatoes and turnips and salt and pepper. Heat on low heat for 7 hours.


I prepared my chowder on Sunday night and turned the CP on before I left the house for work yesterday morning. The most excellent part of this meal was after a hard Cycle & Core sesh at the gym, I walked into a house that smelled divine and dinner that was already done. It was fantastic!


We ate our hearty chowder with some fried broad beans we picked up at the Asian market (they're delicious and delightfully crunchy - go pick some up immediately) and watched our favorite nightly television program Jeopardy!


We were able to get about 5 bowls of chowder out of this recipe and I am thrilled to have brought some for lunch (despite the fact it's going to be 70 degrees in Raleigh today).


Enjoy your Tuesday, readers and stay tuned for Tortilla-Chip Crusted Tilapia with Sweet Potato Fries.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Good afternoon, readers! I don't know about you, but I am sick of Thanksgiving leftovers. The Tofurky, the stuffing, and even the beloved potato. I can't stand the sight of them any longer! So Tuesday night I made Creamy Pesto Pasta and it was everything I ever wanted and more in a non-Thanksgiving leftover meal. I even ate seconds, which is a huge deal for me.


Work Monday was a chore. Why is going back to work after a holiday so darn difficult? It's like you forget how to function as an adult and resort back to being a preschooler who needs a nap. At least that's me. I felt grouchy, lethargic and generally upset all day. But after a particularly difficult workout at the gym I was re-energized and rearing for some Creamy Pesto!


Creamy Pesto Pasta

2 C fresh flat leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 Tbsp basil paste (or 3/4 C fresh basil)
3 Tbsp chopped walnuts
3/4 C shredded parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 C olive oil (plus more if necessary)
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp butter
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 lb corkscrew or rotini pasta


This pesto was the first green thing I'd eaten since Wednesday evening. That's awful and I'm sure my body hated me for only feeding it carbs, starch and fat. Sorry body...


Begin by blitzing up the pesto in a food processor. Add parsley, garlic, basil paste or fresh basil, walnuts, parmesan cheese and seasonings to a food processor. Pulse your processor on the "low" setting while drizzling in the oil. Blitz and drizzle until the mixture looks like pesto.


Quick note: have you ever seen basil paste? It's honestly changed my life! How many times has this happened to you: you buy the little plastic package of fresh sad-looking basil from the grocery store only to have it rot in it's plastic coffin a day later? Far too many times for me to count. Basil paste is vibrantly green in it's packaging, tastes just the same as the fresh stuff and won't go bad in your fridge.


Cook your pasta according to package instruction.


While your pasta is boiling away and reaching al dente perfection, slowly melt the cream in the butter over medium-low heat. Then mix your freshly prepared pesto into your sinful cream sauce. Add in the rest of the cheese and let sit over low heat until your pasta is ready.


Drain your pasta and pour the phenomenal creamy sauce. Toss in your freshly chopped tomatoes and viola! A decadent and delicious meal that'll leave you hungry for more.


Nate and I ate the entire recipe's worth. It was that good! If I had to guess, this yielded roughly 8-9 cup-size servings (or 2 Lindsey and Nate sized servings). No shame. No regrets.


Enjoy your Wednesday and slow march toward the weekend, readers!

Thanksgiving Dinner at Casa de Hart

Happy Sunday, readers! I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with fantastic food, great family and friends and great sales (if you're a Black Friday shopper)! It was absolutely wonderful to get to see Mama and Papa Hart again! I hate that I only really get to see them twice a year at most, darn being a functioning adult! As promised, the following are the recipes for my favorite Thanksgiving dishes!



Thanksgiving Dinner Favorites







Let's get real here for a second, the holidays are stressful and I'm always on board for alleviating stress and making things easier for myself - I have two life mottos: "work smarter, not harder" and "it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission". Since I'm all about making things easier for myself, I prepared what I could early and left the rest for Turkey (read Tofurky) Day.



Red Chile Sauce



2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 C red chile powder
1 - 1 1/2 C water



In a sauce pan, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant. Stir in flour and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add red chile powder using a wooden spoon and allow to toast for 1 minute. Be careful here, the red chile powder is very easily burned. Slowly add in the water and stir to desired consistency. I prefer my chile sauce to be a little thicker so I add closer to 1 cup of water but it's totally personal preference.

Pour chile into a glass jar and save in the fridge until use. I made my chile sauce 5 days prior to Thanksgiving.

Now, you non-New Mexicans are probably wondering why would I use anything other than gravy? Chile runs through every New Mexican's veins and Thanksgiving and Christmas day are no exceptions. Plus I've never liked gravy. To me it just tastes like grease, why would I want to eat grease? That's disgusting. I used my chile on my mashed potatoes, stuffing and Tofurky.


Pumpkin Cheesecake


3 8 oz packages of softened cream cheese
15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1/8 Tsp cloves
1/8 Tsp nutmeg
1/8 Tsp allspice
1/8 Tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 9-inch graham cracker crusts (recipe to follow)


Preheat oven to 350.


In your handy stand mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in pumpkin puree, eggs and egg yolk and spices until fully incorporated.


Mix in flour and vanilla.


Pour the mixture into a prepared graham cracker crust (this mixture is enough for two 9 inch pie crusts). Bake your cheesecakes in the oven for 1 hour. After an hour, turn off the oven but allow the cheesecakes to come to room temperature in the oven.


Chill the cakes in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight.


My cheesecakes this year unfortunately spent a little extra time "coming to room temperature" because I didn't stick them in the oven until about 11:00 PM on Wednesday evening. The cakes were a little denser than I would've hoped for but they were still heavenly and delicious when served with a dollop of whipped cream.


Graham Cracker Pie Crust


8 graham crackers
4 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar


Preheat oven to 350.


Using a food processor, break up graham crackers until they resemble a pie crust. Add in sugar and melted butter to make the mixture slightly "damp" looking.


Press the crumbly mixture into a 9 inch pie pan or a 9 inch spring-form pan.



Mashed Potatoes

5 golden potatoes, washed and diced
1/3 C heavy cream, divided
4 Tbsp onion and chive cream cheese
4 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste



Boil potatoes until a stockpot full of water until fork tender, drain and replace in stockpot. Pour in 1/4 C of heavy cream and begin mashing using a potato masher until the mixture is your desired consistency. I prefer my mashed potatoes to still have some chunks in them, but that's just me. Add in your cream cheese, butter and seasonings and stir to combine.


Now Thanksgiving is all about meticulous planning and scheduling, so to maximize stove-space, I poured my taters into a non-stick sprayed Crock Pot and kept them on the "keep warm" setting until serving. The potatoes were moist and warm by the time we sat down to dinner. I stirred them periodically and added in a little extra cream cheese and seasonings throughout the day.


Cheddar-Garlic Zucchini Muffins

3 C flour
4 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp garlic powder
3 medium zucchini, grated
3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C finely chopped green onion
2 Tbsp dried dill
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk (or 1 C 2% or skim milk mixed with 3 Tsp apple cider vinegar)
4 Tbsp melted butter


Preheat oven to 350.


Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and garlic powder. Stir in zucchini, cheddar, green onion and dill using a wooden spoon.


In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and butter.


Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the dough into a greased muffin tin or into a 9X5 loaf pan. If making muffins, bake these little beauties for 30 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly. If making a loaf, bake for 50 minutes.


For me, rolls and bread are an integral part of Thanksgiving dinner. What else would you use to sop up all that delicious red chile sauce if not bread or a tortilla? However, I didn't realize I didn't have any rolls/bread/tortillas planned until 10:00 AM on Thanksgiving day and Nate wanted to throw the turkey in at 11:30 AM - if you actually had time (unlike me) allow the muffins or loaf to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. If you're a horrible planner, rapidly remove muffins from pan to wire rack and suffer burns on your fingertips.


These muffins are flavorful and hearty - perfect for sopping-purposes or just enjoying heated up with some butter.


Tofurky with Caramelized Onions and Cherries

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 Tsp salt
3/4 C dried tart cherries (I bet dried cranberries would taste excellent, too)
1 Tbsp finely chopped sage or rosemary (used rosemary because fresh sage was scarce to be found)
1/4 C balsamic vinegar (I used an 18-year aged vinegar from Blue Ridge Vinegars in Murphy, North Carolina)
1 Tbsp Dijon or stone-ground mustard (or 1/2 Tbsp of each because you can't possibly decide which one you prefer)
1 C vegetable broth
1 Tofurky Roast


Preheat oven to 350.


In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Cook onions and salt for about 25 minutes or until onions are golden and soft, stir every 5 minutes.


Add in the sage or rosemary and cook an additional 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cherries and mustard(s) and cook for 3 minutes being sure to scrape any of the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan.


Pour vegetable broth in a Dutch oven or casserole dish, and place the Roast in the pan with any vegetables you may want to cook with it (I added some onion quarters, sweet potatoes and turnips) and top with the delicious caramelized onions and cherries. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.


The sauce really made this dish! I've had Tofurky roasts in the past and this one was by far the most flavorful and succulent (is it weird to say that about a wheat and tofu product?) Also the side-veggies were perfectly tender and infused with flavor.


Nate's contributions to Thanksgiving were his family recipe cranberry sauce, turnip greens (which he made vegetarian but I didn't eat), roasted vegetables and, of course, the piece de resistance: the bird.

We spent the day lounging around the apartment, drinking wine and watching television together. Dinner was ready by 5:00 PM and then we feasted! All the food and wine was magnificent and left us all feeling like one of the Macy's parade balloons. So there you have it, my Thanksgiving staples.


Happy Thanksgiving and merry almost-December to you and yours!

Veggie Fried Rice

Happy day-before-Thanksgiving, readers! Here we are, the day before the feast! I have a lot to do today to prepare my meal (and my waistline) for the ceremonial engorging. As promised, I will give you the deets about what a displaced Burquena must have on her Thanksgiving table as well as some staples! But first! Nate and I decided to eat lighter meals on the days leading up to Turkey (and Tofurky) Day.


Last night I made a quick and easy Veggie Fried Rice that will have the carnivores in your house asking "this is vegan?"

Veggie Fried Rice

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (or canola oil)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 C frozen green peas

3 C frozen mixed vegetables (I used a mixture of Aldi-brand "Asian Medley" and "California Medley")

2 meatless chick'n patties, cooked through (I used Quorn)

1 C cooked white rice (best to use day-old rice)

1 egg, beaten

4 Tbsp lite soy sauce

4 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
Freshly cracked black pepper

1 Tsp red pepper flakes

In a wok (or very deep skillet/pot), heat oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add in the frozen veggies and allow to heat through. I used this time to microwave my chick'n patties and then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Next add in the egg and stir around the mixture (it's going to look weird and slightly unappetizing, but trust me, it's delicious). Finally add in the cooked rice and cooked chick'n patty. Stir the mixture to combine.

Season the whole mixture with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, pepper and red pepper flake. Check for seasoning and cover to steam for 5 minutes to ensure the frozen veggies don't have any cold spots (this is vital! Who wants to bite into a partially frozen broccoli floret? Not I.)

We got 3 heaping bowls out of this delicious mixture that took under 20 minutes to make! That's less time than it takes to order a pizza (not to mention healthier than a pizza).

Happy pre-Turkey Day, readers and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! May your bird be juicy, your mashed potatoes perfect and your home, hearts and tummies

 full!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

I love fall vegetables, don't you? Their colors are just so beautiful and their flavors are outstanding. On Saturday evening, after a long day of Raleigh Christmas Parade watching, Hunger Games binging and napping, I wanted to eat something light and refreshing (if for no other reason than my severe lack of physical activity). I scoured my kitchen and came up with this recipe that I must say, I was a very big fan of (Nate not so much).


Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Herbs de Provance
1 bag spinach leaves
1/4 C shopped almonds, for serving
3-4 pieces of naan, for serving
Salad dressing of choice (I highly recommend a cranberry vinaigrette to keep in the "fall" theme)




Preheat oven to 450.


Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.


Toss butternut squash and chickpeas in oil and spices and spread onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until soft and sizzling.


Heat naan or other bread of choice for a few minutes.


Toss together spinach and almonds and top your naan, top spinach with your roasted squash and chickpeas and drizzle over your dressing of choice. Like I said, I adored the tangy cranberry vinaigrette for this salad. The slight sweetness of the squash paired very nicely with the tangy cranberries and the naan was the perfect vessel to soak up any lingering vinaigrette! Plus, the colors of the salad were beautiful.


I was able to get 3 servings out of this spectacular salad. Enjoy your Monday!

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes with Tater Puffs

Good morning, dear faithful readers! I hope that like I, you too, have a short work week to look forward to! This weekend was a whirlwind of activities and time spent with my darling husband.


I am currently in training for a 5K run and after work on Friday night I decided the best way to train for a 5K was to just run one. After months of only running 2 or 2 and-a-half milers, I was thrilled that my 5K time was still under 30 minutes (go me!) I am, however looking to get it down even further...maybe to 25.


Anyway, after this exercise excursion, I decided Nate and I needed to eat so I went home and made Zucchini "Crab" Cakes out of my Fix-It-And-Forget-It Vegetarian cookbook. This recipe was strikingly similar to the Zombie Zucchini Meatball Sliders I made back in October but with a few changes.


Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

3 medium zucchinis, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
4 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 C seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
2 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tsp seafood seasonings
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2-3 dashes hot sauce


This recipe really couldn't be simpler: Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Once combined, form into 1/2 C sized patties. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cook patties for 3-5 minutes per side or until golden and crisp.


These patties are going to be soft due to the high moisture content in zucchini, to help crisp them up, I baked them in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes while I was baking the generically named "tater puffs".


I was able to get 12 patties out of this recipe.


Nate made a delicious stone-ground mustard remoulade  to top the cakes and puffs. I wish I knew what he put in it...Nate, mind sharing your recipe in the comments?


Stay tuned for a delicious fall-inspired salad, a lazy pre-Turkey Day meal and the dramatic reveal of what a displaced vegetarian Burquena eat at Thanksgiving dinner. I can guarantee it'll be all good, huh?

Everyday Bouillabaisse

A blog up the morning after I cooked a meal?! What?! I must be in bizarro-world since this seems like such a rarity as of late but nope, this is actually happening! After a quick 2 and a half mile run at the gym and an adventurous shopping trip at Kroger (hello Tofurky roast!), I was hungry and wanted something warm and filling.


Thankfully for me, I had already planned to make Everyday Bouillabaisse from my 32 Soups and Stews cookbook by Jan Aaron. This recipe was exceedingly easy and best of all, came together in about 30 minutes! That detail was vital considering it was 7:30 by the time I got home toting my armfuls of grocery bags, gym bag, garment bag full of newly altered clothing and 2 cases of sparkling water.


Everyday Bouillabaisse

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 Tsp dried thyme
1/2 Tsp ground fennel
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp tomato paste
2 C vegetable stock (or fish stock or water)
1/2 C dry white wine
*1 lb cooked shrimp
*1 tilapia fillet, cooked and chunked
1 3-oz can chunk tuna, well drained
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tsp Tabasco sauce
1 loaf 4-day old Italian bread, sliced


In a stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add in seasonings, tomato paste, stock and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil.


Add in your shrimp, tilapia and tuna and drop the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.


Do a seasonings check, toss in your fresh parsley and Tabasco sauce. Place a slice of crusty bread in the bottom of each bowl and pour the stew over.


*I had not had the foresight to make my seafood ahead of time so before I began sautéing my onion and garlic, I quickly cooked my tilapia and shrimp. Season tilapia and shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides. In a skillet over medium heat and sprayed with non-stick spray, cook tilapia for 3 minutes per side and remove to a plate. Cook shrimp until plump and pink.


This recipe yielded about 4 bowls' worth of stew and every bite was fantastic! The great seafood flavor permeated the broth and the different varieties of fish used added a great mix of textures to the stew. Plus who doesn't love an excuse to buy a loaf of bread? The fresh parsley was just the ticket to add a natural flavor to the hearty stew. I would gladly make this tasty stew again (and again, and again).


Stay tuned for some exciting recipes coming your way plus a look at what's on my Thanksgiving table! Happy eating!

Samosa Pot Pie

As previously indicated, with this post I'm totally caught up on posts! As I'm sure you are too, I'm trying to cook my way through my fridge and freezer to prepare to stuff them with Thanksgiving leftovers and boy is it exhausting. One recipe I had come across some time ago was Samosa Pot Pie. I love samosas and if you think about it, samosa filling is pretty similar to pot pie filling anyway so putting the two together doesn't seem that far fetched.


Anyway, let's get to the recipe!


Samosa Pot Pie


3 golden potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 C frozen peas
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, mined
4 C vegetarian crumbles (or 1 lb ground beef/turkey if you're into that)
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp dried coriander (I don't have ground coriander so I broke out my mortar and pestle and did it myself)
1 Tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pack defrosted filo dough
2 Tbsp melted butter


Preheat oven to 350.


Boil potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender. Toss in your peas and boil for 1 minute. Drain and mash the peas and potatoes together for 1 minute.


In a skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until tender and fragrant. Add in the crumbles and cook through. Season with curry powder, coriander, chili powder, salt and pepper and mix into the potato-pea mixture.


Carefully unfold your filo dough and line the bottom of a greased 9X9 casserole dish with 5 sheets. Top with all the filling and smooth out. Top with another 5 sheets of filo dough, brushing melted butter between each layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top layer is golden brown.


I must admit, I did not follow my own recipe and instead of carefully layering my sheets and brushing them, I put all the remaining filo dough on top, did a quick brush of olive oil and called it a day. Had I followed my own advice, my filo would've been crisp, flaky and flavorful. Unfortunately it was actually just dry and sad. This is also why there are no pictures, I didn't want you to see my failure.


This recipe gave us about 4 2-cup sized servings. Stay tuned for some more delicious recipes and happy eating!

NC Fine Wine Society Dinner

Good morning readers and happy Thursday! I am thrilled to report that I am only 2, yes you read that correctly - 2 posts behind this week! I feel like I'm really on top of the world! So let's hop to it, shall we?


Last Thursday night I was fortunate enough to go to the exclusive North Carolina Fine Wine Society Dinner at the Umstead Hotel and Spa. A partner at my law firm offered me her two tickets and I would've been an idiot to pass up the chance. This dinner was a 4-course dinner with 2-3 wine pairings per course and the coolest part about it was all the wines were made in North Carolina! Now, you may have limited North Carolina wine knowledge (as do I, frankly) and the most common wine associated with my adopted state is muscadine - an overly sweet and syrupy wine. I hate sweet wines. To me, they're like the gateway wine you drink when you're freshly 21 and think Barefoot Moscato is a "fine wine". I was pleasantly surprised to find that North Carolina produces some truly excellent vintages.


Walking into the luxurious Umstead Hotel located at 100 Woodland Pond Dr, Cary, NC 27513, I had no idea what to expect from this dinner and the anxieties started to flood in "am I overdressed?" "Am I underdressed?" "What if we walk in late and everyone's already started?" "What if there is a staircase and I trip down every single step?!" Yeah to say I was nervous is an extreme understatement. My anxieties were relieved, somewhat. I was lucky enough to meet the organizers of the dinner, Cathy and Dan and they were wonderfully friendly and welcoming. However I quickly realized this dinner was not full of wine novices such as myself and Nate but of vintners, restaurant industry owners and 3rd generation winery owners. I felt sort of like I walked into the wrong college class. However, the winery owners and restaurant big wigs at our table were friendly and didn't make me feel too far out of place.


The food! Oh my goodness! Allow me to jump into the fantastic 4-course meal that I was fortunate enough to eat every single bite of without guilt.


The first course was a crab cake topped with mache lettuce, apple slaw and served alongside a stone ground mustard remoulade and the wine pairings were a fruity and crisp sparkling wine and a rather muted dry Riesling. The crab cake itself was large chunks of well-seasoned crab meat and the slaw and lettuce were the perfect crisp textures to compliment the soft cake. My only complaint about this course would be the remoulade...WHY DIDN'T THEY GIVE US MORE!? The tanginess of the mustard was heaven! I would've gladly slurped it like a soup it was that damn good.


The second course was a lobster bisque but this was unlike any lobster bisque I have ever had in my entire life. A smartly-dressed server placed a large bowl in front of me and at the bottom of the bowl were: 3 large chunks of cooked lobster, a tablespoon of cubed pickled pears and a dry mixture of finely diced pumpkin seeds and spices. My first thought was "is this the avant garde way to serve bisque? Dry?" Thankfully, another server quickly topped my experimental soup with a warmed parsnip puree. I kind of felt like I needed an instruction manual to eat this soup. I tossed the ingredients in the puree and took a bite. The flavors did work remarkably well together. The soup was light and rich however because the lobster and other accoutrements were served before the puree was added, my soup was lukewarm, at best. The wine pairings for this course were a steeled chardonnay made by none other than the delightful woman I was seated next to. I felt a tad pressured to like the wine but I honestly did enjoy it a lot! I've never had an unoaked chardonnay before and will admit, this wine from Cellar 4201 may have turned me. The flavors were rich and crisp but not overly buttery like a traditional chardonnay. The second wine was a petit manseng. I've never had this wine before, hell, I've never even heard of this wine before so I don't want to rag on it too much but I will say I did not care for Jones von Drehle's version, and unfortunately for them, it seemed like not many of the other diners did either based on the high volume of full glasses being returned to servers. On the nose, the wine had the aroma of a skunky beer. The flavor was over-poweringly...bad. Like I said, I don't know how this particular variety of wine is supposed to taste but I know I didn't like it.


The main course was the option of Beef Short Rib or Black Grouper. Naturally, Nate got the beef short rib while I got the gouper. My grouper was buttery soft, topped with a crunchy fennel and kalamata olive salad and served over grits so smooth you could drink them through a straw. The briny crunch of the salad was the perfect texture to offset the buttery-creaminess of the rest of the dish good God it was fantastic and I may want to take the dish to Vegas and marry it. Nate said his short ribs were phenomenal but the real star was the bacon braised Brussels sprouts and parsnip risotto. I think he feels the same way about Vegas. There were 3 wines accompanying this course and they were all so fantastic it was difficult for me to pick a favorite. These wines were not your run of the mill cabernet or pinot noir, ladies and gents, no these were wines I've never even heard of before. Nebbiolo, Montepulciano Riserva and Tannat. As I said, they were all utterly luscious and I would be more than happy to drink glasses of each but I think the Montepulciano Riserva may have beat out the other two just a teeny bit. The wine was dry and dark.


The final decadent course was a Black Forest Cake, but similarly to the bisque, was not what you typically think of. First noticeable difference: it wasn't a cake at all! This dessert was more like a trifle or a parfait with layers of richness. The bottom of the martini-style glass was a dollop of tart cherry jelly and then piped ever-so-carefully on top was a cherry mousse, a chocolate Chantilly cream, fresh whipped cream and a handful of crunchy devil's food croutons. It was heaven! I am unashamed to admit I ate my whole glass in under 3 minutes and was eagerly eyeing the untouched "cakes" around the table. The wine paired with this were a dry Babera and a surprise bourbon-barrel aged port. The Babera was an excellent pair for the ultra-sweet dessert. The port however was not too great in my opinion. The only note I could really say I detected in the wine was the bite from the bourbon. There was none of the sweetness or smokiness that I adore about bourbon...just the bite. Nate drank 3 glasses.


I will forever be thankful for the opportunity to have attended this spectacular dinner! And for those of you counting, yes, we did get a whopping 9 2-ounce pours of wine over the course of the dinner but don't worry, we were very safe and drove carefully to and from the event. Shout out to Theresa for being so generous to have allowed us to enjoy this event! Enjoy this picture of us post 9 glasses of wine.

Mushroom and Garlic Souffles

And with this post I am caught up! Isn't this magnificent? I feel like my life is really together today and I'm all about it! Last night I wanted to make something easy and that would hopefully have no leftovers. After consulting my various cookbooks and recipes, I settled on Mushroom and Garlic Soufflés from my What's Cooking Vegetarian Cookbook by Jenny Stacey.


Mushroom and Garlic Soufflés

4 Tbsp butter, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 oz baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp dried marjoram
3 Tbsp flour
1 C 2% milk
2 eggs, separated


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray individual ramekins or (if you're like me and ain't nobody got time for that) a 1.5 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.


In a skillet over medium heat, sauté mushrooms and garlic in 2 Tbsp butter for 5 minutes and season with salt pepper, marjoram and lemon juice. Remove to a mixing bowl.


Melt remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in the skillet over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in the milk and return to the heat. Allow the mixture to thicken for 3 minutes over medium heat.


After your sauce is thickened, add to the mixing bowl with the mushrooms and combine. Stir in egg yolks.


In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. If you're one of the lucky few who has a hand mixer, this job should be easy peasy! If you are like me and your hand mixer is literally a whisk in your hand, I have some tips for you:


1) putting the mixing bowl in the freezer at the beginning of your cooking process will help the whisking process immensely!
2) Prepare for your forearm and bicep area to burn after about 45 seconds of continuous whisking;
3) This is going to take you no less than 5 minutes.


After you have your stiff peaks, gently fold the egg whites into the mushroom mixture and pour into the prepared cooking vessel.


If you're using individual ramekins, bake for 5-8 minutes. If you're using a casserole, this is going to take closer to 20 but begin with 8 minutes and check your soufflé often! Use a toothpick or a skewer to check done-ness.


I served my fluffy and delicious soufflé alongside a mixed greens salad and a glass of good ole' Shiraz. The flavors of the soufflé were excellent! Garlic-y, slightly acidic and the mushrooms were oh-so-meaty and succulent. All around a solid meal! I ate 1/4 of my casserole and Nate ate the remaining 3/4 so I definitely achieved my goal of zero leftovers!

Vegetarian Green Chile Stew

Good morning and happy Thursday! We're cruising along to the weekend! I have no idea what the weather where you're reading this from is, but Raleigh is cold and rainy. Lovely, isn't it? Tuesday night I was especially missing home and wanted to make something comforting and warm - Green Chile Stew was the obvious choice.


I've been making this stew since I was about 12 or so and is my favorite fall soup to make because it's so darn easy! The following is the vegetarian recipe but can be easily changed to accommodate carnivores.




Vegetarian Green Chile Stew


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced


1 lb vegan crumbles (or ground beef/turkey)
3 golden potatoes, cleaned and diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp Mexican oregano
2 jars Green Chile Sauce (I used La Salita this time but I'm also a fan of Cervantes or Sadie's)
2 Tbsp chopped green chile (optional)
4 C water
Flour tortillas, for serving


In a large stock pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add in the crumbles or other ground meat and cook through. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.


Add in the diced potatoes, green chile sauce, chopped chiles (if using) and water. Bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are softened.


This stew is comforting, warm, and utterly delicious. It's even better the next day but be warned, it is spicy.

St. Roch and Watts & Ward

As promised, A RESTAURANT REVIEW!


Last Friday night Nate and I decided to treat ourselves to a nice date night. It has been months since we've gone to a nice dinner just the two of us and didn't care about how much money we spent and since October had me working massive overtime, I had money to burn.


I had been interested in eating at St. Roch (223 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601) ever since I had heard it was opening! The area surrounding my office in Downtown Raleigh has been popping up with great new restaurants lately with what I'll call the "millennial vibe"; meaning they're a nod to the past with modern elements such as an original crown molded ceiling with industrial light fixtures and exposed piping or concrete floors. The drinks are always hip and festive and the food is always good. St. Roch is no exception.


I was slightly surprised to see how few patrons were in the restaurant at 7:00 on a Friday night but we were given a good table with a perfect view of the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and the bar.

Décor: as previously noted, this restaurant was fantastically bougie (a millennial term) referring to "anything that is perceived as 'upscale' from a blue-collar point of view" (thank you Urban Dictionary). It made the idea of being at an oyster bar approachable. It wasn't quite as fancy as a steakhouse of old but it wasn't like eating at a certain fast-food seafood chain either. The space itself is small with probably only about 50 seats total including the bar but it has a cool façade with about 6 seats on either side you can sit in. It's a little weird because you're literally staring at the person in front of you between 2 pieces of glass but would be cool for a solo night out.

Food appearance: everything looked like a work of art! The drinks to the food were all phenomenally plated and presented and were as good to look at as they were to eat. I wish we had gotten snap shots of the oysters but they were gobbled up before I even thought to do it!

Food taste: I have never eaten a raw oyster before Friday night. I had seen them as slimy, mucous-y and just nasty messes. I was pleasantly shocked that these oysters had me hungry for more! We began our meal with a half-dozen raw oysters in varying salt and brine. I preferred to top mine with the house-made pickled banana peppers and cocktail sauce to the mignonette sauce. They were also served with fried saltine crackers to counter-balance the lack of texture in the oysters.


We moved on to the roasted oysters. The best part about the roasted oysters is you were able to mix and match varieties! We ordered two of the BBQ'd (a mixture of lemon, rosemary, cayenne and parmesan), two of the Nori'd (mio, lime, chili and panko) and two of the special Shroom'd (heaven? Wizardry?) oysters. The BBQ'd and the Shroom'd were definitely the most flavorful varieties, the Nori'd left much to be desired as the only thing both Nate and I could taste was miso.


We decided to split two "small" plates next and these dishes were anything but small. They would've easily filled both of us up even without the double helping of oysters! We began with the Crab St. Roch. A succulent seafood salad made of chunks of lump crab and giant pieces of poached shrimp tossed in a decadent and creamy sauce and served over lettuce with crunchy ciabatta bread and topped with fresh radish slices.





We then moved onto the Beets Salad. A wonderful mix of raw, roasted and pickled beets served over house-made ricotta cheese and tossed with red onion in a sherry-horseradish vinaigrette dressing. I don't even like beets and I'm drooling over how magnificent this salad was!


Just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite: Nate ordered dessert. He was talked into the Chocolate Mousse which was served in a giant coffee mug and topped with whipped cream. It was filled with chocolate chunks and rich as the day is long. I couldn't imagine eating this luxurious dessert by myself. I would've had a chocolate coma.





After dinner Nate and I wandered over to Watts and Ward located at 200 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601 for a night cap. The bar has a great speakeasy vibe with bartenders and bouncers dressed in suspenders and nice clothing and jazz playing over the loudspeakers. The bar consists of multiple rooms and a giant lit patio so there's no trouble in finding an intimate spot to talk or just enjoy each others' company. The drink list is expansive with prices ranging from $6-$200 and containing everything from beers and bourbons to wine and tequilas. Nate and I decided to go the bourbon route.


I would highly recommend a trip to both places for a great date night, a ladies' night or just if you have money burning a hole in your pocket!

Shrimp Scampi, Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman

Another week of cooking without time to blog. I'm sorry for being so busy! The month of October just flew by and it looks like November is heading in the same direction - for me at least. Pretty soon it'll be Thanksgiving and then 2018 before we know it! Anyone else feeling insecure about Christmas shopping?


Anyway, anxiety aside, let's get to the blog! Truthfully, it has been a week since I've cooked this meal and don't remember much about the difficulty, time spent or anything other than the wonderful flavors so please bear with me as we struggle though this together!


Shrimp Scampi, courtesy of the Pioneer Woman

2 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 C white wine
1 lemons, juiced
4 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco is key)
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz linguine pasta
Chopped basil, to taste
Chopped parsley, to taste
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package instruction.


In a large and preferably deep skillet over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp butter and the olive oil until onions are translucent. Add in the shrimp and cook until pink and plump. Add in the wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low.


Toss in the pasta, herbs and parmesan cheese.


This dish is always a winner! Shrimp scampi just feels decadent and delicious, plus it's so fast to make! If you Google "Pioneer Woman Shrimp Scampi" it brings you to her blog and it's titled "16-Minute Meals: Shrimp Scampi" who wouldn't love that?! It's a great meal, especially when served with crusty garlic bread!


Sorry for the skimpy post, but read on for a restaurant review and a vegetarian take on a New Mexican classic!

Mummies

So this isn't necessarily a recipe but more of an inspiration for a meal Nate and I make annually for Halloween - Mummies. If you have any form of social media or own a television I'm sure you've seen these advertised this time of year but I highly recommend making these for a fun theme meal whether you have kids or not!

Mummies

1 can Crescent dough
4 all-beef hot dogs
*4 Lightlife meatless dogs (obviously these are not required if you're not of the veggie persuasion)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut each Crescent triangle into strips and wrap around hot dogs until they are covered in a criss-crossing pattern. Repeat until all hot dogs and dough are used. Space evenly on the foil-lined sheet.

Bake the mummies for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. I would also recommend rotating the sheet halfway through the cooking time.

Top the mummies with your favorite hot dog accoutrements (yellow mustard for the win) and enjoy with the ever sophisticated frozen crinkle cut french fry.

Stay tuned for Scary Shrimp Scampi!

Cadaver Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

Happy Sunday, readers! I feel like I need to stop apologizing for the lack of posting regularity - it's probably not going to get better. We are almost at one of my favorite days of the year! So we are almost at the end of my creepy-named meals but I definitely still have some up my sleeves so prepare yourselves!

I've been trying to challenge myself to make recipes I've never made using the myriad of cookbooks in my cabinet, so Wednesday night I decided to challenge myself to make crab cakes from my Daphne Oz The Happy Cook cookbook.

Cadaver Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

 The Remoulade:
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, grated (or pressed if you're lazy like me)
1 1/2 Tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp finely chopped chives (I omitted these)
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 Tsp hot sauce (I definitely added more than that)
1 1/2 Tsp lime juice
1/2 Tsp salt
Freshly cracked pepper

The Crab Cakes:
1/4 C mayonnaise
1 egg
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tsp seafood seasoning
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 C breadcrumbs
8 oz jumbo lump crabmeat (I used plain, old canned crab, drained)
1 Tbsp olive oil

To make the remoulade, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until use.

For the crab cakes - whisk together mayo, egg, lime juice, seafood seasoning and salt. Add the breadcrumbs and crab meat and combine. I ended up having to add a little more breadcrumbs because my mixture was a little too wet to stick together properly. Form the mixture into 4 equal-sized flat patties.

In a skillet over medium heat, brown the patties in olive oil for 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and crisp.

Top each cake with a healthy portion of the remoulade and enjoy! As you can see, I served these cakes with the classiest of side dishes - frozen crinkle cut fries.

I was able to get exactly 4 cakes and they were delicious! The flavors were spot on, the remoulade was creamy, cool and flavorful! I think these crab cakes would be even more excellent if I were able to find jumbo lump crab for a reasonable price.

Stay tuned for more recipes!

Zombie Zucchini Meatball Sliders

So I really tried to get all these blogs out last night but I had been typing so long my fingers and wrists started getting sore and my eye lids began to droop so I gave up and went to sleep. So I'm finishing off the blog-marathon today!


My final recipe I needed to catch up on was something that frankly I was skeptical about but I'm happy to report it worked out well! A few weeks ago for a catered lunch at work, I had ordered BBQ for the office. I was the unofficial office hero. I ordered Carolina pulled pork, BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, coleslaw and banana pudding. In addition to all this food, the caterers also gave us 36 potato rolls. After the lunch was over and all the little scavenger people who weren't in the meeting filled up their plates and to-go containers I was left with an unopened bag of potato rolls. While I could've used these rolls to make some duck friends outside, I decided to instead be selfish and use them for my own enjoyment in the form of slider rolls!


I have always loved sliders, they are perfect for tricking your body into thinking you're eating more than you actually are. You wouldn't eat 3 whole burgers (well, maybe you would but I wouldn't) but 3 sliders I don't give a second thought to! Plus who doesn't think little food is just adorable?


Since beginning my pescatarian lifestyle, I have scoured Pinterest for recreations of my favorite non-vegetarian recipes. I happened to come upon a recipe for zucchini meatballs and immediately wondered how these two things could possibly be similar at all but I'm happy to report that zucchini are an excellent meatball-maker.


Zombie Zucchini Meatball Sliders

3 medium zucchinis, grated and dried
Salt, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C fresh basil, sliced into thin ribbons
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 C seasoned breadcrumbs
3/4 C shredded parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 potato rolls, cut in half
1 C marinara sauce
Giardinera, for serving


Using a medium grater, grate zucchini into a kitchen towel-lined bowl. Season zucchini with salt and toss with your hands. Pull the sides of the towel over the zucchini and squeeze out any excess moisture, this will help the balls stick together.


Transfer the dried zucchini into a clean bowl and add in garlic, basil, egg, breadcrumbs and 1/4 C of the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1/4 C patties and set aside. I ended up with exactly 12 patties.


Spray a skillet over medium-high heat with cooking spray and cook patties until they are golden brown on both sides. I let mine go roughly 5 minutes per side.


While your patties are cooking, line a 9X13 casserole dish with the bottom halves of your potato rolls. Put about 1 Tbsp of marinara sauce on the bottom of each roll. Place cooked patties on top of the marinara and top with another 1 Tbsp of marinara and a sprinkling of cheese (I had some pepper jack in the fridge that was on the verge of turning so I cut it into quarters and used it on some of the sliders as well). Repeat with remaining patties.


Broil your assembled sliders on high for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and top with the top half of the roll and broil for another 2 minutes (as you can see from my picture, I let mine go a little too long).

If you're like me and can't imagine eating food without some sort of pepper on it, before devouring your little sandwiches, remove the top bun and put on some giardinera or pickled jalapeno for a spicy and briny bite.


I was feeling lazy so we ate these sandwiches with some salt and vinegar potato chips. They did however go exceptionally well with the homemade hopped hard cider Nate made and we broke into!


Enjoy your Tuesday, readers! Stay tuned for more great recipes to come!