Monday, October 11, 2010
Of course I did my research months before traveling to New York and had a small list of places I wanted to eat, but I also like to try out spots based on where my friends eat. If they like it, then I’m up for trying it. Lucky for me my friend Carol has a wide variety of foods she likes to taste and it’s because of her I’ve branched out and tried new flavors. Now that Carol’s been a New Yorker for quite some time, she’s pretty good at recommending spots she knows has good food.
One of the first places she took me was the Saigon Grill, located at 620 Amsterdam Avenue. It’s Vietnamese food, but their menu seems to have other influences as well. For our appetizer, we ordered the steamed dumplings. The dumplings were very tender and I loved the dipping sauce. I’m not sure what the sauce was, but I could have turned up the cup and drank it!
For my entree I ordered the Curry Ga. Anything with curry floats my boat these days, so that was an easy choice. Sauteed slices of chicken with eggplant, onion, string beans, and bell peppers with a curry and coconut milk sauce. Yes! It was delicious. I started to take home leftovers, but it was so good that I couldn’t quit eating it!
One restaurant that Carol talked about from day one was Pio Pio, located at 702 Amsterdam Avenue. I was a little hesitant because I’d never had Peruvian food, but she’s never let me down with restaurant choices so we went for it. So glad I did! This place was so fantastic, we ate there twice during my visit. If I’m on vacation, I’m not one to eat at the same spot, so you know it had to be good for me to go again.
On the first visit I ordered two appetizers as my meal. The Empanadas de Pollo pictured above are Peruvian style patties stuffed with chicken pio and served with salsa criolla. They were what I expected in an empanada, but packed so much flavor. I really enjoyed the salsa criolla. It was tangy with a hint of sweet. Sinful with the empanadas.
My second appetizer was the Causa de Cangrejo. It’s a cold mashed yellow potato cake filled with avocado and jumbo lump crabmeat. It looked so pretty on the plate and was equally tasty. The cold mashed potatoes may throw you off but this dish was quite tasty. I’m not sure what the two sauces were on the plate, but I swirled each bite into it and liked it. I’m also not sure what the black wrapping was around the potatoes. It had an odd textures so I removed it and didn’t taste it. I’m not too adventurous!
Another dish I have to mention was something Carol ordered on our first visit. The Camarones Cuzco has shrimp sauteed in garlic, shallots, cilantro, white wine, and Aji Amarillo sauce. It’s served over yellow rice and topped with salsa criolla. We both fell in love with this dish! I so regretted not ordering it myself, but did on the second visit. I was so excited about eating it that I forgot to snap a picture and dove right in! The sauce was light but had almost a buttery flavor to it. It went so well with shrimp. My visit to Pio Pio has made me obsessed with Peruvian food. If anyone knows of a restaurant near Nashville that serves it, please let me know!
Another dinner stop for us was the Gallo Nero Wine Bar & Grill, located at 402 West 44th Street. We were on our way to see Rock of Ages (it was awesome!) and stopped in the cutest restaurant. The entire wall facing the street was open and it was such a gorgeous night. It’s very quaint on the inside. Very rustic and had a nice touch of candles lit all around it. We both couldn’t resist ordering the Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Truffle Olive Oil. I’m a sucker for a good risotto and this one didn’t disappoint. It was deliciously creamy as a risotto should be and I loved the combination of mushrooms and truffle olive oil. The perfect kick off to our Broadway show evening!
Now you can’t come to New York and not have an H&H Bagel. They are the cream of the crop! There’s a deli right across the street from Carol’s apartment that serves them and they are out of this world good. I take my everything bagel toasted and schmeared with cream cheese. It’s the best breakfast with a cup of coffee. I mean just look at it. All that cream cheese and toasted goodness. There’s just something about those H&H bagels that makes them taste so much better than any other.
I’m missing New York already!
Part 1, Flavors of NYC Food Tour
Part 2, Throwdown
Part 4, Fun Foods
Part 5, Just Desserts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Let me introduce you to the cake that ends all cakes. And guess what? There’s not a trace of chocolate in it. Say what?! I know it sounds crazy, but this Praline Pumpkin Cake has managed to make it’s way into the top of my list of best desserts. It caught my eye when I was flipping through my food magazine, but I had no idea what was in store. I love this time of year and any excuse to have a pumpkin dessert, so it was an easy choice. But holy moly, this one should be on your top dessert list too!
So, how’s it taste?
I’m not sure where to begin. There is so much flavor going on in this cake. I knew it was going to be fantastic while I was mixing it together because the smell was so intoxicating. Not to mention how it smelled baking in the oven. The cake is your basic yellow cake mixed with pumpkin and spices. Then top that with a pecan praline crust. I’m talking buttery, creamy delicious praline with pecans. As if that wasn’t sinful enough, the whole cake is iced with cream cheese frosting mixed with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Oh and while you’re at it, top it with more pecans and drizzle that with caramel! Oh. My. Word. This cake will seriously make you never crave chocolate again. With the holidays coming up, I highly suggest this cake makes your menu for an unforgettable dessert. Your friends and family will start calling you cake master. I promise.
Praline Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup (from 15-oz can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or make your own - see below)
1 container (1 lb) cream cheese frosting
caramel topping, if desired
additional coarsely chopped pecans, if desired
Pumpkin Pie Spice (makes 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 2 (9- or 8-inch) round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.
3. Bake 43 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting. To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I’m sure many of you have seen Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network by now. If not, it’s a great show where Chef Bobby Flay challenges others who are on top of their game in different areas of cooking. Sometimes he wins, and sometimes he doesn’t. For my visit to New York, I made sure to check out some of the places that had been featured on Throwdown. I knew the food was going to be excellent because out of the three spots I picked, Bobby didn’t win a single one of them!
The first place I picked was A Salt and Battery, located at 112 Greenwich Avenue in the heart of Greenwich Village. It’s a tiny shop with about eight bar seats, but lucky for us it wasn’t too crowded that day. I ordered the small Haddock fish and chips and it was a nice-sized serving. The fish was fried perfectly with a crunch to the outside and tender fish on the inside. Their homemade tartar sauce was delicious. Not too much of a mayonnaise taste and very fresh. I sprinkled my fish and chips with malt vinegar and it was so good!
I’d like to tell you it was their reputation for fish and chips that lured me in, but it was the DEEP FRIED Mars Bar that did it. Being from the South, you’d think this wasn’t my first taste of a fried candy bar, but it was! I’ve been dying to try one. I think this Mars Bar was the UK version as it didn’t have any almonds in it like the ones you could find here in the States. I loved it! It took an ordinary candy bar over the top. A crispy outside and melted, gooey candy bar on the inside. It wasn’t so melted that it was runny, it was just perfect. It was hard to finish it after the basket of fish and chips, but I managed to somehow. I wouldn’t recommend eating one every night, but it sure was tasty!
My next stop was the Levain Bakery, located at 167 W. 74th Street. The bakery front is super tiny, but I lucked out on my visit and had no waiting. They offer several baked goods, but are known for their cookies…huge cookies. They come in four flavors: chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip.
I chose the Chocolate Chip Walnut (the Throwdown winner) and the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip. Wowza! These cookes are unbelievable! Surprisingly crispy on the outside, yet still moist and chewy on the inside. I thought for sure they were going to be too doughy on the inside, but they were just heaven. The absolute best cookies I’ve ever had. I can’t even choose between the two which I liked best. I paid the Levain Bakery a second visit to bring a box home for my friends to enjoy. Boy I wish they had a branch in Nashville!
My last stop for Throwdown food was the Wafels and Dinges Truck. On the day I tracked them down, they were in Brooklyn, so you better believe I dragged my friend all the way to Brooklyn for waffles. Was the trip worth it? Absolutely!
I went all out and had the BBQ Pulled Pork Wafel. I figured if chicken and waffles works, so could a bbq pork waffle. It was amazing. The crispy waffle with a hint of sweet complimented the sweet of the bbq pork. It also comes with a serving of creamy, cool coleslaw on the top and what they call a “coolickle.” The coolickle is a pickle that’s red and tasted like a cherry pickle to me. Sounds odd, but I loved every bit of it. Everything went so well together. It’s well worth tracking this truck down. Visit their website to see where they are each week.
It wasn’t hard to taste why these spots won their Throwdowns!
Part 1, Flavors of NYC Food Tour
Part 3, What the Locals Eat
Part 4, Fun Foods
Part 5, Just Desserts
Saturday, October 2, 2010
I love this time of year. Cooler weather, windows open all day, and fall cooking is the only kind of food I want. Last weekend I sat in my living room, surrounded myself with all my fall weather cookbooks and made a list of the yummy, comforting meals I wanted to tackle. Forgetting that all of the meals I picked out were slow cooker recipes, I started making my grocery list. Luckily I realized that shopping for a slow cooker meal at 4 p.m. was not going to put dinner on the table in time. I grabbed another cookbook, flipped through the pages and stopped when I found this Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew. So quick and easy to put together and filled with fall flavors I’d never tried. I was up for it!
So, how’s it taste?
It knocked my socks off! I was nervous that it wouldn’t turn out decent because of all the sweet flavors in the dish, but wow! It’s got honey, dates, and sweet potatoes in syrup. I thought for sure it would be overboard in the sugary department. Absolutely not! It’s balanced by the onion, vegetable broth, and that beautiful turmeric. I don’t think I’ve ever had turmeric before. It’s very earthy and brings a nice color to the dish. Watch out though, it stained my fingers yellow! You can serve this stew over rice or couscous, but I highly recommend the couscous. Rice is just too boring. I chose a flavored couscous, the Toasted Pine Nut from Near East. It went so well with the sweet and earthy stew. Such a great combination with the savory couscous. I topped it off with a dollop of Greek yogurt and chopped pistachios to add some creaminess and crunch. I looked forward to these leftovers and never got sick of eating it. This will be a staple meal in my house from now on.
Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1-15oz. can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
1-15oz. can cut sweet potatoes in syrup, drained
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dates
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. chopped shelled pistachios, if desired
Greek yogurt, if desired
*serve over couscous or rice, if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion. Cook 3-5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
2. Add all remaining ingredients except pistachios; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle each serving with pistachios and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Serve over couscous or rice.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
About a month ago, I spent 10 glorious days in The Big Apple. Two of my roommates from college live there and how do you pass up the opportunity to basically be a New Yorker without the ginormous hotel bill? You don’t. It’s not too often this southern girl gets to see two of my dearest friends, so it was a no-brainer when I planned this trip. And boy did I plan it…foodie style! I ate and ate and ate and came back with five extra pounds to show for it. Thank goodness for Central Park or that number would have been much higher!
This is the first post in a series of five (I wasn’t kidding about the eating!) where I’ll take you on my adventures from one of the best places in the world to eat. I took a Flavors of New York Food Tour from City Food Tours. It was the second day I was in town and I swear I brought the heat with me. It was scorching that day and I remember sweating, a lot. Thankfully it was all in the name of food and I’d do again in a heartbeat!
Let’s get down to business and find out “So, how’s it taste?”
First stop was Gem Spa at 131 2nd Avenue. From the outside it didn’t really look like the sort of place that should be on a food tour. But they boast it’s the home of New York’s best egg cream. I can’t really say yay or nay to that, as this was my first taste of an egg cream, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it…make that loved it!
There’s no egg or cream involved in this drink, which I was happy about. The name “egg cream” made this stop on the tour one I thought I wouldn’t enjoy. It’s milk, chocolate syrup (authentic egg creams are made with U-bet’s), and seltzer. That’s it. It tastes like a thinner, bubblier version of chocolate milk with a nice layer of froth on top. Read the theories on how it got the egg cream name on Wikipedia.
Second stop was the East Village Meat Market at 139 2nd Avenue.
This Ukrainian and Polish market is owned by Julian Baczynsky and we sampled salami on bread with homemade mustard. A simple snack, but wow. The salami had so much flavor, add in the mustard and you get a spicy little kick. Doesn’t come close to those pre-packaged meats I’ve been buying.
Across the street, we stopped into Veselka at 144 2nd Avenue. A cute, little Ukrainian soul food restaurant that’s open 24 hours. Brunch is supposed to be one of the best in this part of town. On our visit, we sampled the borscht and pierogies.
I’m not a fan of beets, so naturally I’ve steered clear of borscht. I didn’t turn up my nose though, and dove right in. It was hard to resist that beautiful red color. I didn’t hate the soup, but I didn’t like it much either. I could still taste the beets of course, and to me they taste like dirt. I slurped down a few spoonfuls and then called it a day so I could make room for the pierogi.
I love pierogies. Handmade, Ukrainian-style dumplings stuffed with potato and smothered in sauteed onions and sour cream. Yes, please! They also offer applesauce as a condiment. I could have eaten an entire platter of these.
Next on the stop was the obligatory New York pizza slice. I’m sure you can argue on the best pizza in this town, but it’s all the same to me. It’s hot, it’s cheesy, and it’s thin-crust, crunchy good. I’m not going to debate, I’m just going to eat.
This slice of yumminess came from Pomodoro Pizzaria at 51 Spring Street. Tasted like the good stuff to me! I’m envious of New Yorkers that get to walk anywhere and grab pizza by the slice. Nothing like that in walking distance of my house.
This next place got me super excited. The sun was blaring down all afternoon and I’d just eaten hot pizza, hot pierogies, and soup. I was so ready for momofuku milk bar and some soft serve. What’s cool about this place is that the menu changes daily and you can find some strange creations on the board. Notice the creamed corn and bbq soft serve? Um, I skipped those.
We had the cereal milk™ soft serve and the compost cookie®. Yep, you’re seeing my little symbols correctly. You won’t find these flavors anywhere else. Which is a bummer until momofuku decides to head down south. I loved the cereal milk! It tasted exactly like your milk tastes after you finish a bowl of sugary cereal. Sounds gross to some, and my fellow tourists didn’t care for it, but it reminded me of being a kid and I devoured every bite. I also sampled the purple drink soft serve and it tasted just like the purple drinks that came in those little plastic barrels. I don’t know how they do it! Ah, a little bit of nostalgia.
I also really liked the compost cookie. Again my fellow tourists didn’t care for it, but score for me because I got the rest of the cookie! It lives up to its name with chocolate chips, pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, and butterscotch. I couldn’t really taste the coffee or the potato chips, but you could see the coffee specks and feel the crunch from the chips. It reminds me of those monster cookies or kitchen sink cookies.
By this point I was getting pretty stuffed, even with all the small bites were were having. But I continued on for food’s sake! In Vanessa’s Dumplings at 118 Eldridge Street, we sampled the chive and pork dumplings and the sesame pancake. Again, I liked both, and this place was cheap! I’d eat here all the time if I lived near it.
The fried dumpling was crispy and cooked perfectly. The pork had a nice flavor and just a hint of chive. This was also my first introduction to Sriracha. Hot, but addicting! I put it on my dumpling and my bites of pancake.
The pancake looks like a bagel with no hole and is a bit dense, but surprisingly light. Bits of chives were scattered throughout the pancake and the sesame on top added some nuttiness. I really liked sopping up the Sriracha with it. A nice little snack.
We found our way to another New York staple…the hot dog. Again, you can argue all day on the best in town, but it’s just a hot dog to me. We tasted hot dogs with red onion relish at Papaya Dog on 239 1st Avenue.
The relish was really good. Kind of a sweet relish with a bite of vinegar. The dog was just so-so. I don’t like the casing to have a crunch to it and this one did. I also tasted the papaya drink. It was thick and frothy and very sweet. Not something I’d order again, but it wasn’t terrible. I found it interesting why so many hot dog spots are tied into “papaya.” Apparently the first business started out as a tropical drink shop and the customers requested hot dogs be added to the menu. It became a big hit so all hot dog shops started using the word papaya.
If you can believe it, there’s still one more stop to go. I was happy (even in the heat!) that the tour was a walking tour after all this food. You definitely get a lunch out of it after nibbling on all these bites here and there. Last on the tour was a sweet stop called Dessert Club, ChikaLicious at 204 East 10th Street.
Seated in the tiny boutique, we split two cupcakes. The red velvet is on the left and the lemon on the right. Neither of them blew me away. The cream cheese frosting on the red velvet had too much of an odd twang to it. I took one bite and refused the leftovers. The lemon had a nice refreshing flavor and was the better of the two. I still didn’t love it. But I am from Nashville, home of The Cupcake Collection, the standard by which I judge every cupcake!
I had an awesome time on this tour and would recommend it to tourists and locals. I ate a lot of things I’ve never eaten before and just fell in love with the city all over again. It’s a foodie’s paradise! Oh, and here’s a tip if you want to take the tour. Find City Food Tours on Facebook or Twitter and get all those eats, and walking, and just plain fun at a discount!
Part 2, Throwdown
Part 3, What the Locals Eat
Part 4, Fun Foods
Part 5, Just Desserts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Fall weather is finally upon us here in Nashville, but I’ve got to sneak in one last taste of warmer weather fare. This is my mom’s egg salad and it’s fantastic. This is pretty much the only egg salad I’ve ever known, and the others just don’t compare. One bite of this and you’ll never want another kind again.
So, how’s it taste?
It’s the best egg salad you’ll ever eat. Seriously. Two special ingredients really take this ordinary salad to the next level: cream cheese and dill. You might be tempted to skip the dill, thinking that it will make your dish taste like a pickle, but resist! It adds a great herb finish where most egg salads leave something to be desired. The cream cheese does exactly what you’d expect, adding richness and a decadent creamy texture. The chopped egg whites provide a nice contrast. I can’t express in words how good this stuff is! Quite a step up from boiled eggs mixed with just mayo and mustard. It can be served on toast or crackers, or sometimes I like to make a big sandwich of it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Mom's Egg Salad
Ingredients:
6 eggs, hard-boiled
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. dill, dried
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water to an inch above eggs. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 14 minutes. Pour hot water out and immediately chill eggs.
2. Remove yolks from eggs and add to bowl, set aside. Chop egg whites, set aside.
3. Using a fork, break up yolks. Add all ingredients except for the chopped egg whites.
4. Fold in chopped egg whites. Chill.
5. Serve on toast or crackers.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Yep, it’s another one of my healthy food finds. I’ve been making this version of Chilaquiles for a few years now. It’s one of my go-to dishes when I need a lower-calorie option and want to have enough leftovers for work. You’d have a hard time guessing this version is better for you with two kinds of cheeses! The leftovers are just as good as when it’s fresh out of the oven.
So, how’s it taste?
I still surprise myself every time I take that first bite. The ingredients are so simple, but it’s a ton of flavor bursting in your mouth. The beauty of this dish is that you can use any lean ground meat. I’ve made this with beef, turkey, and pork. All three worked great. The best part for me is getting a dollop of the cream cheese in my bite. Smooth and silky, it goes really well with the meat and tortillas. Lots of textures going on with all the layers. This dish is easy to prepare and the leftovers freeze very well.
Chilaquiles
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. lean ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, chicken)
salt
pepper
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans tomatoes with green chiles, drain juice from one can
8 to 10 corn tortillas
8 oz. cream cheese block, cut into cubes (regular or low-fat)
2 cups shredded Cheddar (regular or low-fat)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Directions:
1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp. of the oil. Add the ground meat. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off the liquid and transfer the meat to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp. of oil to the pan and turn heat to medium. Add the onion, cook stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and stir together 30 seconds or until fragrant. Return the meat to the pan and stir with the onion and spices until well coated. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and line with half of the tortillas. Tear tortillas to fit dish. Top with half the meat sauce. Add half the cream cheese over the sauce, then sprinkle with half the Cheddar and half the green onions. Repeat the layers.
4. Bake 30 minutes, until bubbling.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
What is it about queso, beans and rice, a little guacamole, and chunks of savory chicken deep fried in a tortilla that makes me swoon? I have such a soft spot for Mexican food, good Mexican food. At El Sombrero, located at 6017 Nolensville Pike, they have the sort of meal that makes a girl want to eat there every single day.
So, how’s it taste?
I used to have a regular order of chicken tacos at any Mexican restaurant I visit, but after biting into the crunchy, cheesy goodness of a chimichanga, that has now become my staple (although my waistline may suffer a bit!). On this visit to El Sombrero for a friend’s birthday, I didn’t hesitate to order it and I’m pretty sure I had the best dish on the table. The chimichanga was beautifully fried leaving it crispy, but not overcooked. The chicken on the inside was so tender and cooked to flavor perfection with onions, peppers, and tomatoes. I like to add dollops of sour cream, pico, and guacamole to each bite. Nothing beats the combination of crunchy with smooth and creamy. I really liked their beans and rice as well. I’ve become quite picky with both of these sides as too many restaurants really cook them poorly. This meal was so big I had the leftovers for lunch the next day…with zero complaints.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Pastitsio is a Greek dish with pasta, meat sauce, and a custard sauce. And don’t forget all that cheese! It’s a bit on the time consuming side to prepare, but so worth it. It’s surprising to find ground cinnamon as an ingredient in the meat sauce, but don’t skip it. It’s a key ingredient you don’t want to miss out on.
So, how’s it taste?
Who wouldn’t love pasta, meat, and cheese? I really enjoyed it. The cinnamon, although unusual, blended very well with the tomato and beef. It seems like a lot is going in and you can really smell it while you’re cooking the meat sauce, but the flavor is not so strong in the final dish. Ooey, gooey cheese in every bite and oh that custard sauce! I think the dish gets better the next day, so get excited about the leftovers!
Pastitsio
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine, beef broth, or water
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
8 oz. dried penne
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup shredded Kefalotiri, kasseri, or Romano cheese
Directions:
1. For meat sauce, cook ground beef and onion in large skillet until meat is cooked through. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, wine, and cinnamon. Bring to boiling and then reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. In a large bowl toss cooked pasta with 3/4 cup milk, 2 eggs, and half of the butter. Set mixture aside.
3. For cream sauce, in a small saucepan melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add the 1 1/2 cups milk. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Gradually stir hot mixture into 2 eggs. set aside.
4. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 350. Spread half the pasta mixture into dish. Top with the meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Top with the remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle with another 1/3 of cheese. Pour cream sauce evenly over all. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Friday, September 10, 2010
I finally made my way to the Gerst Haus, located at 301 Woodland Street, just outside LP Field. This one has been on my list for quite some time. One look at the menu and I knew I was going to have a tough time deciding what to eat. First up were the Gerst Ham Rolls followed by a classic Reuben with a side of German Potato Salad.
So, how’s it taste?
The Gerst Ham Rolls were chopped ham, cheddar cheese, and seasonings rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried. I didn’t read the description closely and was fully expecting mini rolls with ham slices, so I was shocked when a basket of these fried goodies came out. They are served with a side of homemade spicy mustard. I thought they were pretty good, but a bit on the salty side and I couldn’t really taste the cheddar. The ham had a nice flavor and the balls were best dipped in the mustard.
My Reuben came out on a huge platter with a big side of German potato salad. Corned beef, swiss, sauerkraut, and special sauce all grilled on rye bread. My rye was a bit toastier than I would have liked, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the sandwich. I love Reubens and order them a lot. I thought this one was delicious. Their sauce tasted similar to the usual 1000 Island you find, but wasn’t as thick. The sandwich was such a generous helping that I enjoyed it for lunch the next day! My only disappointment was the German potato salad. I didn’t like it. Some of the potatoes were still a bit raw and it was missing a lot of flavor. I felt like I was eating oily, raw potatoes. I’ll skip the salad on my next visit.
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