Jalapeno Tomato Soup

I decided not to buy groceries this weekend and to make due with what I have until I head home for the holidays. I don't know about you, but I always have a can or box of tomato soup in my cupboard. I also had a can of sliced Jalapeno's and some stale tortilla chips. I heated the creamy tomato soup and while it was warming added about a teaspoon and a half of jalapenos. In the bowl I was serving it-I crumbled up some stale tortilla chips. Pour the soup in and devour. This was delicious and a simple way to spice up something plain!

Disappointing-Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps

I recently had Riceworks' Sweet Chili gourmet brown rice crisps and loved them. They had my favorite combination of sweet and salty. Also, I felt like I was eating something healthy since there are all these labels on it saying "gluten free", "whole grain brown rice", and "1/3 less fat tha most salty snacks." So, you can understand why I was excited to try the Salsa Fresco version of these crisps. They did absolutely nothing for me. I did not taste the salsa fresco; infact, mine were somewhat bland. Then I turned the bag around to look at the nutrition facts and was astonished to find that there was still saturated fat, lots of calories, and regular fat. Oh well, there is always tomorrow to have something new and delicious.

ps I tried to load a picture forever...but my internet is not working very well.

Gourmet Ramen

Everyone has ramen noodles as a staple in their college diet (except for me). To be honest, I could never stand to take more than a couple bites. I don't know if it was the level of saltiness or the msg packets that completely turned me off. Now that I am a year and a half out of college ramen has now become a staple in my diet. For this recipe you can use any type of ramen-because you will not be using the little mystery packets-but just the noodles. I have personally grown to love the KOYO brand since they use organic noodles. So-first you will boil water and cook the noodles (again-DO NOT ADD THE FLAVOR POUCH). I happen to always have a lot of condiments in my refrigerator, especially Asian ones. I just took a couple of my favorites and added them to the cooked noodles. First I added half a teaspoon of wasabi mayo. Stir it into the noodles until it is completely mixed in. Then I added a little pepper jelly for some spice and sweetness (again stir until mixed adequately). Then I tossed in soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, siracha and pepper (did not measure). I was craving protein, so I cooked a tofurky sausage and added that; but, for you meat eaters chicken, shrimp, beef would work as well! Also, if the idea of wasabi mayo does not sit well with you-try it with half a teaspoon of peanut butter instead (just as delicious). It took all of ten minutes to make. Additional items you could add would be peppers, onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, baby corn, snap peas, broccoli, etc. Enjoy!

Once a Day

Once a Day Gourmet came to a sudden halt when I started a new job, became exhausted, and was barely eating one meal a day. I am going to try and post something-even if it is just a quick sentence or a picture from now on once a day.

These last couple months my refrigerator has either been completely empty or completely full (still haven't mastered that moderation technique). Since Thanksgiving, my refrigerator has been jammed packed (in fact some food even went moldy-which I always feel so horrible about). Despite my refrigerator still being full with Thanksgiving goodies (butternut squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, etc.) I was in the mood for an avocado and cheese sandwich. However, I still wanted to use up some of my leftover Thanksgiving ingredients. I will call this sandwich creation "Week after Turkey Day"-it consists of two slices of whole wheat bread, jalapeno hummus spread on both sides, a slice of cheddar jalapeno cheese, a slice of brie, half of an avocado sliced, and cranberry sauce. Yes, I said CRANBERRY SAUCE (the jellied kind). For those of you who haven't read any other posts-you should know that I love a sweet, salty, and spicy combination. This sandwich is masters that combination. The avocado brings a nice texture and body to the sandwich, the cheese tastes amazing and glues the sandwich together, the jalapeno hummus brings the heat, and the cranberry sauce sweetens the whole experience. If you still have cranberry sauce in your refrigerator-try out this sandwich!



I know this sandwich does not look that great in this picture (I overstuffed it and the lighting is poor), but I am telling you it was one of the most delicious sandwiches I have had in a long time.

Oreo Cakesters-(I Know This Isn't Gourmet)

I have been horrible. Not just in terms of my lack of posting, but in the junk food I have been eating.

There are unlimited snacks at my new job. If I wanted, I could just snack and snack all day on all sorts of things. They have cookies, chips, crackers, and pretty much any snack food you could think of. There has been one snack that I have been dying to try and finally did this evening (I took it home with me). Oreo Cakesters. Yes you read right, Oreo Cakesters. I love oreos, they are a childhood favorite. My mom would hardly ever buy them because they were considered junk food, but my grandma got them for me every time I visited. There is nothing like a couple of oreos and a class of milk. So, I have been very intrigued by these cakesters. Can they possibly live up to an oreo's reputation? Well let me tell you, they are delicious. It is the best of two worlds, cake and cookie. Don't get me wrong, it is very synthetic tasting, but it still brings that wonderful oreo taste to a new level.

ps-pictures to come soon!

Show Stealer: Lindeman's bin99 Pinot Noir 2007

Go out and buy this wine! Don't keep reading, go out and buy this wine and then return to read the remainder of this post.

I have been looking forward to the free Vampire Weekend concert in Central Park for about a month now. I decided it would be nice to pack a picnic, eat and drink while waiting to get in, and then see an amazing show. Well, I ate and drank; but, I didn't get to see the show. I always forget that I DON'T like free events. There are always mobs and mobs of people and a very very long wait. I decided that leaving two hours early for the show would be plenty of time...WRONG! There was a huge line when I arrived, and by huge, I mean I would be standing there for two hours before even getting into the venue. This what not a line that was moving; in fact, it was not a line. It was a mass of people that seemed very chaotic. After about 20 minutes of standing in line Zach and I realized that we weren't going to get to picnic or drink our wine if we stood in this line. There was no space to really eat/drink, at least not in a civilized manner. So, we made the decision to get out of line and setup our towel as close to the stage as possible. As soon as we cracked Lindeman's bin99 Pinot Noir 2007 open, we knew we had made the right decision. I had never had a pinot noir, not even after watching Sideways, and I am now a big fan. It is a red wine with great depth and flavor. The wine had lots of fruit flavors, that lasted throughout. I then pulled out the cous cous I had made earlier (a new one!). It had beets, corn, goat cheese, diced mixed greens, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. As we settled into the picnic, it started to rain. Right as the concert began, there was a crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. We decided to pack up, skip the concert, and got drenched in the process of walking back.



We continued to drink the wine after drying off. We drank the remainder of the bottle with a sweet potato bisque and a brie and havarti grilled cheese. The wine certainly stole the show. I think it would go well with anything. To me, the pinot noir was a perfectly balanced wine. I am no wine expert and certainly haven't had many bottles over 15 dollars, but this was certainly one of my favorite reds and it was only 7.99!

I'm Still Alive

I have not died, fled the country, or lost my laptop. I have had gourmet at least once a day, despite my 11-12 hour work days. But, I had no time to post this week after starting a new job. I promise next week will be different! I will give a quick recap of my gourmet experiences this week before highlighting one particular meal. Monday, I had a delicious portabello gardenburger. Tuesday, I will talk about later. Wednesday, I had a grilled cheese (with brie and havarti) and tomato soup. This was delicious, quick, and easy. Thursday, I had an asian stir fry with a spicy peanut sauce over red rice. Pretty much every night for dessert I had a lime popsicle...yum!

Last night I went to Poke, my boyfriend treated me for a nice sushi meal after my first week at Bloomberg. I recommend this place, but I don't know how soon we will be going back. It was packed and the atmosphere was not as bad as we had expected, after reading lots of negative atmosphere reviews. The sushi was delicious! It was extremely fresh and very flavorful. We got the spicy scallop roll (my favorite), the truffle roll (Zach's favorite), the ninja roll, and a tuna and avocado roll. The truffle roll was a delicious salmon roll with tempura flakes on the outside and spicy salmon truffle sauce and salmon on the inside. The ninja roll was spicy tuna on the outside and eel and avocado on the inside. As I said all were delicious and I highly recommend trying them! However, I felt that it was a little pricey and I thought the rolls were small and not all that well made. It was about $55 (with tip) for all of those rolls, and like I said they were small (usually six pieces). But, every bite was a joyful explosion in my mouth. The other upside to poke is that you can leave your name and walk around, they call you on your cell phone when your table is ready. Oh and it is BYOB. So, we drank a bottle of King Shag along with our sushi.



I want to mention my favorite meal during the week (Tuesday) because it is so simple and delicious. I can't take credit for this creation, it was Zachary's idea. We got a bag of mixed greens and added some cherry tomatoes, avocado, olives, brie cheese, and baby shrimp. The shrimp were cooked in a little olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Mix it all together and add a dressing of your choice (we had goddess)! It was one of the best salads I have had in a long time. I would make it again in a heart beat. Also, we used frozen pre-cooked shrimp. I recommend trying to keep a bag of those in your freezer. It just adds a quick protein to a meal.

The Nutter Butter of My Dreams

If you offered my a peanut butter cookie from Bouchon Bakery I would be thrilled. If you offered two of them to me I would be ecstatic. But, give me two of them with a peanut butter cream filling in between and I am in heaven. Yes, at Bouchon Bakery they have a treat called a Nutter Butter, which puts the packaged nutter butter cookies I used to have as a kid to shame. The peanut butter cookies would be delicious on their own. They have little chunks of peanuts and are not too soft and not too hard (aka just right). I do have to admit that they are a little oily, so get a napkin! But, the best part is the filler. It is light and rich. It taste like a combination of frosting and creamy peanut butter. I have decided that every time I go to Bouchon Bakery I will get a macaron, as well as, a nutter butter!

Simple Salad

I often find it hard to adjust to my own cooking, after having many meals at home. This certainly isn't helped when you come home to an empty refrigerator. After learning this the hard way, I now try to keep a few things on hand at all times. Always have a couple of different cheeses in you refrigerator. Cheese will often last for a long time, but check for mold. I usually keep swiss, goat, and feta cheese in mine. I also have learned to keep some canned goods on hand. I know that canned goods are usually no substitution for fresh vegetables; but, when you are exhausted from traveling all day, you are not going to feel like washing and cutting a bunch of veggies! I usually keep pre-sliced beets, corn, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts on hand. You can easily make a hearty vegetable and cheese salad. I happened to have some romaine lettuce on hand, so I used that, a can of beets, goat cheese, tomatoes, and sprinkled a little goddess dressing on top. You could substitute your favorite dressing. If you want more protein, keep chickpeas, canned tuna, canned salmon, sardines, or some sort of beans on hand.

There is No Place Like Home-Part II

I have had so much to eat, I don't know where to begin! I guess I will begin with non-food experiences.

I got sunburned, really really sunburned. I advise anyone just sitting outside on a bench, table, beach, etc. to wear sunblock! I caught up with an old friend, which was what led to my sunburn. I went shopping with my mom for new work clothes, have I ever mentioned that I hate hate hate clothes shopping. It makes me want to take a nap, a long coma type nap. But, I was rewarded afterword with seeing the Sex and the City movie!

I have been eating cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast, which isn't gourmet; but, a childhood favorite. I also tried Starbuck's double shot on ice, it gave me a necessary boost. My mom ordered one of my favorites for dinner on Friday night, Martin's Crab cakes. They are fresh, with a bread crumb covering. We bake them, but I am sure you could fry them. On the inside are pieces of crab, in fact its pretty much all Crab, with some green onion thrown in. But, the best part in the homemade chipotle sauce (a mayo type sauce) that Martin provides with the crab cakes. We had them with a salad and homemade french fries. Tonight we are having them again but in sandwich form. My mom usually uses a Portuguese muffin instead of a bun, it adds a little sweetness to the salty and spicy crab cakes. Last night we took in food from one of my all-time favorite Thai restaurants, Siam Square. Everything I have had from this place is delicious. But, my favorite is paradise shrimp. It is a sweet yellow curry with shrimp, onions, and pineapple.



We have also been having nice cocktails before dinner. After seeing Sex and the City, my mom and I couldn't wait to get home and make ourselves a nice fancy drink. We didn't have the ingredients for cosmos, so we made a pomegranate martini instead.



This afternoon I spent sometime with my brother and got Awful Awful's. If you are not from Rhode Island, you won't know what an Awful Awful is. Awful Awfuls remind me of my childhood. An Awful Awful is a delicious milkshake that you can get at The Newport Creamery. It stands for Awful big Awful good. Its a huge milkshake that is easy to consume when you are sitting with good company (although my brother and I were not able to finish ours). My favorite flavors are strawberry and coffee, my brother opts for oreo. The Newport Creamery is kind of like an upscale diner, and the place where in middle school and high school we would always meet to grab a meal or ice cream. It hasn't changed much since I've left the town, which is comforting. Even the prices are ridiculously low, I had breakfast with my brother and dad there the other morning and I got: two eggs, toast, home fries, and coffee for $3 and change! In NYC that would easily be $7-8.

I may have gained five pounds on this visit home!

There is No Place Like Home

Very few things motivate me to leave the city. When I do, I expect it to be worth my energy expenditure. Let me tell you, going home will always be worth it. I hadn't seen my bro, mom, and dad since January. Despite the delicious meals I have been having in NYC, there is nothing like a home cooked meal.

I learned tonight that the longer I stay away, the better the meal will be upon my return (just kidding mom). However, my mom did prepare a feast. It started out with a pomegranate cocktail, which was not overly sweet and didn't taste alcoholic.

This is the only picture I took, I am just not a fan of taking pictures with my phone; but, I guess I need to get over that this weekend. We sat and chatted over this drink. Then came the meal. We had Lobster! fresh Asparagus! and a Baked Potato! Everything was so fresh and made with love. I still don't know how my mom makes those asparagus taste so great, I can't make them like she does. Even my little brother devours them. I managed to cut myself on the lobster, it is somewhat a tradition for me. Also, with lobster in my stomach it officially feels like summer. I just need put my feet in the ocean and then it will really feel like summer! Lastly, my mom made cookiewiches. There is nothing like eating two chocolate chip cookies with ice cream in the middle. I can't wait for the other meals!

Petrossian Brunch

On Sunday, I had brunch at Petrossian. I have walked past this restaurant countless times on my way to central park; in fact, I have even purchased baked goods from their bakery next door. I never thought I would eat a "real" meal at Petrossian. It is fancy and pricey, so as you can imagine this wasn't just any old brunch. My aunt and uncle were in town, so my grandmother made a reservation for all of us to have brunch. With the busy schedules of Memorial Day weekend, this was the perfect way to catch up, and eat some great food.

Before discussing the food, I want to mention what we witnessed while waiting for our table. We got to the restaurant before it was open (who doesn't open before 11:30am for brunch?), so we had to wait outside for a bit. This normally wouldn't have been a big deal, but of course right on the corner of the block where the restaurant was, a man was getting arrested. I am not sure what he did, but he was not going down easy. A crowd started to develop to watch this guy get thrown to the curb, as he screamed profanities that I will not repeat here. At this point, I really wanted the restaurant to open. Some more cops came and we saw after we were seated from our table, that he was taken away in an ambulance. This is not my preferred way to start a nice meal. As we sat and looked at the menus and ate food, the memories of this ordeal faded.

The restaurant was decorated elegantly and the food was presented beautifully. But, I would have to say that if they spent as much time on presentation as flavor it would have been a home run. I am not saying that the food was not good, it was; but, it was missing a certain "umph." We all ordered the brunch prefix meals at $31 each. I started with the cassis poached pear & la peral cheese salad with a toasted walnut vinaigrette. I was not sure what la peral cheese was, but now I know it is a mild blue cheese. The presentation was beautiful, although at first I thought the pear was beets because of the color. I am normally not a fan of blue cheese; however, this went perfectly with the sweetness of the pear and the nuttiness of the walnuts. My aunt got the field green salad with perigord truffle vinaigrette and my grandmother and uncle got the smoked fish & bagel platter, which had smoked salmon and smoked sable. Those first courses looked good as well.



I am a big fan of eggs benedict with salmon or spinach, so choosing my entree was simple. I ordered the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and sauteed baby spinach. Again, the presentation was beautiful and the food tasted good. But, it was not great. I have had better eggs benedict and I could barely cut through the english muffin. However, the eggs were perfectly cooked, the smoked salmon was delicious, and so were the fingerling potatoes it came with. My grandmother got the petrossian signature cobb salad that was very colorful and almost looked like a flag in presentation. Everyone else at the table got the seared wild salmon with roasted butternut and smoked sturgeon hash. I split my dish with zachary, so he gave me some of the salmon. The salmon was cooked to perfection, but just wasn't something that I would crave or rush back to eat.



My favorite course was dessert. Unfortunately, I do not remember the exact names of the desserts. I got the berry souffle with toasted almonds. This was a winner, in my opinion. It was beautiful to look at, had a delicious berry reduction, and was so light and flavorful. My uncle and zachary got a strawberry rhubarb tart, which looked amazing and tasted good. My grandmother got some sort of chocolate cake and my aunt got chocolate ice cream.



Overall, it was a great meal. I do not think I will be going back on my own, but I wouldn't hesitate to go back with family. I believe that half of what makes a great meal is the company you share it with. So, despite the lack of "umph" in the food, our conversations made up for it. Also, all the pictures in the post were taken by my uncle!

Greek Rice

I have a rice maker and often there is lots of left over rice. I never really know what to do with it, especially since I don't have a microwave. I decided I was going to try and make a cold rice salad. I happened to have a lot of "Greek" ingredients in my refrigerator such as, feta, kalamata olives, etc. Also, we had just had a delicious Greek meal from Kefi that was still on my mind. I highly recommend going to Kefi. I have never had a main dish, but the appetizers are delicious. If you go, absolutely get the spreads! Kefi has a great atmosphere and it is not overpriced for the quality they serve. The downside is that you should try and go on the early side because it gets really crowded and they are cash only. But, both of those problems will be solved soon. They are moving to a bigger location where they will be accepting cards!



With Greek food on the mind, I added some olive oil to the day old rice to moisten it a little and give it flavor. I then chopped some tomatoes and kalamata olives. After adding those ingredients to the rice I crumbled some feta on top. Also, I added salt and pepper to taste. Overall, I thought it was okay. I guess I am not a fan of cold rice. My boyfriend on the other hand loved it. He ate it two different ways, which may have added to it. First he added it to a wrap, with some tofurky and lettuce. Then he just simply made a wrap with the lettuce itself. I would certainly make it again, but add to it or stuff the rice in a tomato or pepper.

Manchego and Malbec

Memorial weekend was filled with lots of gourmet. Not just once a day. However, I am going to focus on just one particular gourmet experience for this post. I have decided to try a new wine and cheese pairing every week and this one blew last weeks out of the water. I had purchased a bottle of Black Mountain-Malbec 2005 from Trader Joes. I have had several malbec's before and I know that they go well with spicy food. I have had Black Mountain's Cabernet and really enjoyed it. Malbec is generally grown in Argentina and Chile. It is a mid-bodied red wine. I decided to pair it with manchego cheese after doing some research. I had never tried manchego cheese, but I knew of its sharp saltiness. Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese that is imported from Spain.



These two, manchego and malbec, go together like two peas in a pod. It might have something to do with the fact that they both start with "M"; but, a more likely reason is because the saltiness of the cheese balances with the medium floral/fruity flavors of the wine. The Black Mountain malbec was a dark red color. It was surprisingly smooth, earthy, and lots of blackberry. The Manchego cheese was firm and had a distinct salty taste. Buy both and try. Tell me what you thought or suggest another pairing you have tried.



p.s. there will be more highlights from this weekend posted soon!

A Perfect Cous Cous

I have written about one of my cous cous recipes, now it is time for a variation. Like I said before, cous cous is so simple to make. It is great to have on hand. I believe it gets better with time. I prefer to make my cous cous the night before or the morning before the night I am serving it. I just feel like the flavors are more absorbed. This cous cous recipe, that I just created, might be one of my new favorites!



Start with some whole wheat cous cous, bring the water to a boil and dump it in. Let it sit. While it is sitting chop up some beets and crumble some feta. After the cous cous has been sitting for about five minutes, fluff it a little. Then add a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, the beets, the feta, some hummus of your choice, a little of sabra's eggplant, and a splash of tahini. I had never tried this combo of flavors; but, it is a winner. There is a slight nutty taste and the beets add a little sweetness. I recommend trying this recipe immediately. I didn't put specific amounts of ingredients for you to use because I eyeballed it and kept tasting it, until it was to my liking. But, don't put too much tahini. I think I put about a little less than half of a tbs.

I Love To Treat Myself Sweetly

I decided it was time to go back to Bouchon Bakery. Seriously, if I had a really high paying job and a personal trainer, I would treat myself everyday. There are always so many treat options! I just want a little taste, actually a big taste, of everything! I headed over to Bouchon with various options of what to get streaming through my mind. However, when I got to the counter it was clear that there was only one option today and that is another macaron. I still haven't forgotten my last one, a seasonal special of peaches and cream. Eyeing the case of them, I just could not resist. I decided to get a more traditional one this time, caramel. I quickly paid and carefully traveled home with my tiny treat, protecting it as if it was pure gold. I took a couple pictures of it. These macarons are really beautiful in my opinion. They come in all different colors and they are adorably small, with lots of depth.



I have to say the caramel one was just as amazing! There was the same slightly chewy and light texture. The flavor of caramel was certainly present, but not overwhelming, allowing every flavor and texture to shine. The center cream, was light light light and tasty. It is official I am addicted to these wonderful treats. I guess I will have to bring someone with me from now on to force me to try other wonders of Bouchon Bakery.

Belgian Waffles

Waffles are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. I had them for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. There is nothing like waking up early, batter already made, and having a nice waffle to start your day. These weren't the prettiest waffles I made, nor the tastiest; but, they still were one of the highlights of my day!



No, they were not made from scratch. I bought some buttermilk pancake mix and used the waffle recipe. It consisted of the mix, water, oil, eggs, and a dash of honey. I have a waffle maker, so it is quite easy. The batter quickly turned into fluffy waffles. The taste and texture was right on the money. For breakfast this morning I poured a little bit of hot sauce and lots of maple syrup on to my waffle. Hot sauce and maple syrup is probably one of my favorite combinations of flavor. If you are having waffles for dinner I suggest adding some more protein or making them savory. For example, and I wish I had a picture, my boyfriend grilled a veggie burger and fried an egg with cheese and put that on top of his waffle. He then proceeded to cover it with ketchup, hot sauce, and maple syrup. I cringed at the sight of this, but he convinced me, it didn't take much, to try a bite. Let me tell you it was really really delicious. It tasted like a full brunch in one bit. The garden burger served as what would have been a sausage patty. I highly recommend making waffles for any meal!

Gourmet Sunday

So, I am sorry I haven't posted in two days! I got swept away by life this weekend and decided to post later. I had lots of amazing food, that for the most part I don't have pictures of because I did not bring my camera. My grandmother moved back to NYC this weekend and my boyfriend moved in! On Saturday to celebrate we had wine and cheese. I skimmed over a book that my mom got me for Christmas before making any decisions! The book is titled "Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing, and Enjoying" by Janet Fletcher. This book is terrific, especially if you want to learn more about cheese! I love cheese and I love wine; but, I don't often worry about how they go together. I had bought a bottle of Fetzer 2005 Sauvignon Blanc at my last visit to Trader Joes Wine Shop. In the cheese and wine book, I looked up varying cheeses that might go well with a Sauvignon Blanc. There were lots of choices, so I wrote down a couple and headed to Whole Foods. I never spent anytime in the cheese section, mainly because I know where to find my favorites; but, it was time to try something new. I picked out a wedge of Mahon, imported from Spain. Well, let me tell you, the wine and cheese were delicious. The wine buy itself was not a knock out, but it was a great bottle for the value. I would certainly go back for another bottle. I believe it was 6.99 or 7.99 at Trader Joes. It was light, not overly dry, and somewhat sweet. The cheese was firm and salty, which balanced out the sweetness of the wine. I decided that the cheese tasted like the love child of muenster and cheddar cheese. I recommend picking up both of these for a special occasion!



On Sunday, I had a lot of gourmet! But, I have decided to focus on one meal. It was time, I bought a mini-chop, and we made hummus and falafel. It wasn't outstanding, but it was great. Both the hummus and falafel completely surpassed my expectations. I can't imagine what the hummus will taste like at the end of the summer when I have been allowed ample practice sessions! For the hummus we started with a Barefoot Contessa recipe for the foundation and then kept adding stuff to our taste.



The original recipe we used called for 4 garlic cloves (we would use less next time, so maybe 3), 2 cups of chickpeas drained, 1/3 cup of tahini (maybe use a little less of this next time as well), 6tbs of lemon, 2tbs of water, and a couple dashes of hot sauce (we used a lot more than a couple dashes!), and salt and pepper to taste.



We also added some olive oil to ours and chili powder. It was really easy and fun to use my new mini-chop! Start by chopping the garlic in the mini-chop and then add all the rest of the ingredients and let the machine do all the work. We tasted throughout, which I recommend doing.



The falafel we didn't make from scratch, but we plan on doing so soon! We took a mix, added water, let it sit for 15 minutes, made mini patties, drizzled olive oil on both sides, and broiled in the oven for 8 minutes (must flip halfway through).



We decided to make falafel sandwiches. We had forgotten to buy pitas at the store so we used tortillas. In the sandwich we added a couple falafel, hummus, hot sauce of our choice, lettuce, tomatoes, and a drizzle of goddess dressing. The falafel was a little dry, but the sandwich was amazing. If you have any tips for making hummus leave a comment.

My Favorite Store Bought Hummus

As I am sure you have figured out by now, I love love love spicy food. I also love love love hummus. It is great to have hummus on hand. It is filled with protein and is great in a multitude of dishes. Hummus is also delicious with raw vegetables. I will be attempting to create my own hummus this summer, I will certainly share stories and recipes when the time comes. In addition, I hope to visit some of my favorite hummus places soon, and blog about my dinning experiences. But, today I am going to highlight my all-time favorite store bought hummus.



I have been eating hummus for as long as I can remember. However, it was not until high school and college that I became utterly obsessed. I have tried all sorts of brands, along with friends recipes. By far, without question, one of my favorites is Sabra's Supremely Spicy Hummus. I love the creamy taste and texture. The hummus is filled with flavor, but not overwhelming. The most unique part of this hummus is the center. In the supremely spicy hummus there is a red pepper spice concoction. What I like about that is you can create your own level of spice. So, if your friends do not really like too much spice you can simply give them the hummus. If you have someone who likes it hot, you can let them add as much heat as they want! Sometimes I save the center spices for my cous cous or stir-fry vegetables.

Cranberry Blood Orange Tea and Free Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee

After band practice last night I wasn't hungry. I was craving something after such a long day, but I couldn't quite pinpoint my desire. I picked up one of the two books I have been reading, "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hahn and realized all I wanted was a warm cup of tea. I love tea, but for some reason I haven't had a cup in a really long time. Maybe, it is because I have been in a coffee crazed mood. I decided I would practice my "mindfulness" with this cup of tea. My understanding of "mindfulness" is being in the present moment, enjoying what is happening in that very second, instead of what is going to happen in the future. Nhat Hahn states that if you are not "mindful" while drinking tea, "...we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future-and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life." I have to admit, as much as I like reading his work, I am not very good at being "mindful." My brain is constantly going backwards and forwards in time and very rarely in the present moment.

However, I was "mindful" while I made and drank this tea, or at least to the best of my ability. When I went to boil the water I concentrated on the boiling water and my breathing. When I poured the tea and sat down to drink it, I didn't pick up a magazine, go online, or put on some music; instead, I sat and tried to live the moment of drinking a cup of tea. My thoughts did wander from time to time, but I acknowledged that they did and returned to my tea. This was by far one of the most relaxing cups of tea I have ever had to drink.



The tea I chose was The Republic of Tea's limited addition Cranberry Blood Orange. When I sat down with the cup of tea the first thing that hit me was the aroma. It smelled like a fruity/floral bouquet. An orange and black tea smell wafted into my nostrils and began to soothe me before my first sip. It was hard for me to distinguish the cranberry smell, but I think that is because I do not know what cranberries smell like. The first sip was scalding and I couldn't really taste much, I need to learn to be more patient. But, the second sip was almost perfection. I could clearly taste the black tea, along with hints of orange and cranberry that were not too fruity and overwhelming; but, I believe it was more the warm soothing feeling sliding down my throat that was the most enjoyable part. Usually, I prefer my tea cold and brewed for a long time. It felt good to have those five minutes drinking the tea in a "mindful" fashion. But, as soon as I put the mug in the sink, I quickly reverted to my old self. I checked my email and started worrying about the future. I guess I just need more practice. Also, today my gourmet of the day is not gourmet at all. Normally I do not buy coffee at Dunkin Donuts; however, today is FREE iced coffee day: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/ Free is clearly not gourmet. But, free is a treat, especially in this expensive city. I grabbed my free iced coffee, which was too sweet, and guzzled it down while walking to my eye exam. To be honest, I do not even remember drinking the coffee because I was so consumed by other thoughts. Clearly, I was not being "mindful."

I would suggest going to get your FREE iced coffee today and being "mindful" while drinking it, but I am not sure if I would have enjoyed it even if I was being "mindful." Rather, I challenge you to make yourself a nice cup of tea and try living in the moment while drinking it. Let me know how it goes. Also, if you are interested in learning about "mindfulness" check out the book I mentioned above or "Peace is Every Step" by Thich Naht Hanh.

Feta and Tomato Salad

It is starting to feel like summer! The sun is out and the temperature is getting into the high 60's-70's (which is as hot I as I like it to get in the city). When reminiscing about summer, food is in every memory. Most of my memories of summer involve Cape Cod. I went there for several weeks every summer, since I was born. This was the time of year when my parents suspended their diets and us children got to have more treats than usual. We would get candy buckets, sugar cereal, and virgin daiquiris and margaritas! On Cape Cod we also had lobster, quahogs, little necks, fresh corn on the cob, blueberry pancakes, cucumbers and salsa, and of course lots and lots of tomatoes. I hated tomatoes for the first 15 years of my life, I know I was stupid. The first time that I enjoyed a tomato, and later became addicted, was when I was at my friends house. They grew cherry tomatoes, and we would just pick them off and eat them. Now at the age of 23, I try to eat tomatoes as often as possible. I love them in every which way! They rival eggplant.



In honor of this summer feeling, I have I decided to make a summery salad. It is beyond simple and doesn't involve any cooking. It is one of the most delicious ways to eat tomatoes, in my humble opinion. I made a Feta and Tomato Salad. I picked up some light Feta, cut a slice and chopped it up. I just bought some mini pearl grape tomatoes, which are even smaller than cherry tomatoes. They are sweet and have a little crunch. I threw a handful of those into the Feta. I really have to hide these tomatoes when I buy them because I can easily eat a pint in one sitting. Then I sprinkled the two with some salt and pepper. Lastly, I drizzled on a little olive oil. I have to admit I consumed this in a matter of minutes. In fact, I forgot to take the picture until I was halfway done. It is sooooo good!

Untraditional Quesadilla

I warned you! I love Sabra and eggplant! My gourmet for the day centers around a little container of joy, sauteed eggplant in a tangy tomato sauce. There are chunks of eggplant with the skin attached in a sweet, salty, and garlic tomato sauce. I should warn you, it is a little oily and mushy; but, delicious nonetheless. I've been hooked since my first bite. It goes with everything, well I haven't tried ice cream yet, but I can see it working. The sauteed eggplant is perfect just to eat right from the container as a snack or a side for a meal. It is also great on top of a salad, in an omelet, in cous cous, on pizza, in sandwiches, on top of a gardenburger, etc. Depending on where you shop, it costs about $2.99. Today, I decided to put it in a quesadilla.



Again, I make almost everything with my George Forman Grill. Usually, I stuff my quesadillas with lots of ingredients. However, I wanted the eggplant to be the star, so I kept it very very simple. All you need is two small tortillas, hot sauce of your choice if you want a little spice action, some of Sabra's Sauteed Eggplant, and a cheese of your choice. I used Fontina because it is what I have in my refrigerator currently, and it is a creamy cheese that I know will go perfectly with the eggplant. I almost made a second one, but decided I had consumed enough for the afternoon. Every bite was amazing. The sweetness of the eggplant, the texture of the eggplant, paired with melted creamy cheese and hot sauce is unbeatable in my book. Give it a try!

Spicy Mother's Day Eggs

My mom is the best cook I know. I never really appreciated my mom's cooking until I went away to college. It was a rude awakening freshmen year. I would walk into the dinning hall and often walk out after not eating one thing. Besides the fact that my mom is an amazing cook, she also spoiled me. There were many nights where not only did she make one delicious meal, but separate meals for her picky children. My mom always served a balanced meal. With lots of veggies, starch, and protein. Some of my favorite dishes are her pantry pasta salad, seafood quiche, cous cous, and seafood stew. When it came to food, my mom was adventurous. She often tried new recipes and greatly succeeded, usually adding her own little twist to them. She also makes delicious desserts.

Growing up my siblings and myself always had theme birthday parties and my mom always made the most amazing and elaborate cakes. They looked better and tasted better than any professional cake I have ever experienced. The picture above of sponge bob square pants, is a cake my mom made for my brother's birthday. I hope that my mom continues this tradition for her grandchildren. My mom always asked me to cook with her so that I could learn certain skills, but also so that she could show me some of her own recipes. I wish I hadn't been so lazy back in the day, I could have learned a lot.

This morning I made myself eggs, that I think encompass a lot of what my mom has taught me about cooking. First, is to be creative, there is not one way to do things. Secondly, cooking that tastes great can be simple. It is really the ingredients and tools you use that bring a dish to a certain level. Lastly, that it is possible to make a great meal from whatever ingredients you already have in your refrigerator or pantry. I like fried eggs with the yolk runny. I also like spicy food and mexican food. I fried two eggs to my liking, with a little bit of fontina cheese on top. I toasted a piece of bread, spread some hummus and spicy chipotle black bean dip on it. Placed the eggs on top of the toast and then added some salt and two different hot sauces. It was delicious and took about five minutes to make. When you bite into this open faced egg sandwich there are layers which give it a unique texture and depth.


Mom, thank you for always cooking amazing meals and sharing your passion of food. I hope you have a great day and that you enjoy some delicious food! Happy Mother's Day!

Cous Cous Creation

Cous cous was one of the first dishes I learned how to cook on my own. My mom gave me her recipe, that I will not reveal on my blog, and I have come up with my own variations. The great thing about cous cous is that it is so easy to make, it only takes about five minutes, and is versatile. If I am not making a hummus sandwich for my friends, they request my cous cous. The version I made today was my beet and red onion cous cous. I am willing to share this recipe, but you must make it and leave a comment!

First, boil the water for the cous cous. While the water is starting to boil slice the beets (I used canned) and slice the red onion. Eyeball the amounts when you stir them in. When the water is boiling pour in the cous cous, take it off the heat, and cover it for five minutes. After five minutes, the fun begins. First, add about 1/4-1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Then start adding ingredients. I put the beets in, they turn the cous cous a lovely pink color and give it a little sweet flavor. Then add the red onions. Stir it a lot. Then add the secret ingredient. My secret ingredient is...HUMMUS. It gives the cous cous a different texture and flavor. Most of the time I use spicy hummus, but today I used garlic hummus. Then add more salt and pepper and hot sauce (if you like it spicy). I always try to have a box or two of cous cous in the cupboard. Its great to make when you find out last minute that a friend is coming over for a drink, or even for a party. This beet cous cous I created for valentines day; but, clearly it is great year round! I am sure I will blog about other cous cous creations, but just to give you a little preview other ingredients I put in different variations of my cous cous are: lemon, shrimp, eggplant, peppers, olives, and more.

Sucker for Starbucks

Coffee has been a part of my life since the age of five. No, I was not drinking espresso at the age of ten. I am from Rhode Island, home of coffee milk. When other children my age were ordering chocolate milk with their grilled cheese sandwiches, I was ordering coffee milk. It was not until college that I really became interested in coffee for both its flavor and caffeine. Both my parents were religious Dunkin Donuts coffee drinkers, until they hit their midlife crises and drastically switched to Starbucks, never turning back.

I am going to admit something here, that I would never admit to my peers, I am a sucker for Starbucks. No, it is not my first choice in terms of taste and atmosphere. I am a fan of Think in the village. However, there are a combination of factors that draw me to Starbucks. First of all, where I live there are three of them within two blocks, so there is the convenience factor. Also, there are no other coffee shops, besides chains, that I know of around where I live. The second reason, is that I enjoy the music they play, I am a big jazz fan, and really don't mind the atmosphere. It gives me a place to read, write, think, sit, talk, and drink some coffee. I don't enjoy the atmosphere quite as much in the winter. I often find that there are more homeless people hanging out than actual customers. The third reason is that I like the coffee. I usually get the espresso or a hot/iced coffee. Its not mind blowing, but it certainly is a decent cup. Lastly, I often get gift certificates from family to Starbucks. I know that the coffee is overpriced, but so are most things these days. I know it is not unique considering there are three of them in a distance of two blocks from me. The coffee can sometimes be burnt tasting or a little more acidic than I would normally like. It can be inconsistent from place to place. But, overall I think Starbucks is not so bad; in fact, it can be enjoyable.

I diverged from my usual doppio espresso today and got the new Pike Place Blend. I really liked this blend. I found it smoother, less acidic, and not burnt; however, I realize I could have just gotten a really good cup. I will have to order it a few more times to form my complete opinion. I will update this post if my findings change. However, I am disappointed with the new cups. The quotes are gone!! Even though most of the time I thought they were stupid, they made me laugh.

First and Last Tavern-Mediocre Pizza

I got into New Haven too early yesterday to grab a slice of pizza. Instead, I went straight to Middletown, CT where I would be spending the day and evening attending Wesleyan University's Spring Fling. By the time I got to Middletown I was starving and it was now late enough to have lunch. We, my boyfriend and myself, decided to try the pizza at First and Last Tavern. We were still a little early and had to wait outside for about ten minutes. I was not sure about this place. It looked fancy. It has been my experience that the best pizza comes from dives or holes in the wall. But, I was too hungry to go anywhere else. We were seated and immediately brought bread. This bread was delicious- it tasted of salt, garlic, oil, herbs, and onions. Both of us like spice, so we decided to get half the pizza with just cheese and the other half with hot peppers. Whenever I try pizza from a new place, I make sure that I have at least one slice of just cheese. When the pizza arrived it looked good (sorry i don't have any pictures). But, there was nothing that excited me about the flavors or ingredients of this pizza. The cheese side was bland bland bland. There was plenty of cheese and sauce, but there was no flavor. Also, the dough and crust was nothing special. My boyfriend and myself were dumping parmesan cheese, hot pepper-flakes, pepper, salt, and even some olive oil to make the pizza taste better. The slices with the hot peppers, were pretty much the same. It was a green hot pepper, not the ones from the jar, and they weren't spicy. We even left a slice over, not even bothering to take it home, which speaks a lot for itself. Plus, it was expensive about 17 dollars with tax and tip!

Despite the failure of this pizza adventure, I still had an amazing time. It was a beautiful day! I love getting out of city once in awhile, despite the consequences of my allergies kicking in. There was a great energy on "the hill" at the Wesleyan campus. The students were celebrating the end of classes with some drinking, live music, bbq, and socializing. I got to reminisce my college years, while seeing someone vomit in a crowd of people watching The Hold Steady. I do not miss it that much, but I do miss constantly being surrounded by my peers.

So, the pizza wasn't good; but, we decided to try and compensate by making a delicious dinner. Actually, I didn't cook it. My only contribution was cutting a pepper and boiling the noodles. My boyfriend did all of the cooking. He made an easy, tasty, and spicy noodle stir fry. It had soba noodles, which are thick and doughy. For vegetables we added a red pepper, water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, peas, corn, and carrots. I don't know exactly what the sauce was made of, it seemed like six or seven different hot sauces and soy sauce.

What I'm Known For From Coast To Coast

I thought about delaying this post, but it was my gourmet for the day. I love sandwiches of all sorts, but there is one in particular that I hold dear to my heart and have spent years mastering. It is a sandwich that I have made and served countless times. When old friends write to me one of the first things they say is "i miss your hummus sandwich" (and cous cous). For dinner I made my Original Hummus Sandwich. I am going to share the recipe (well, kind of, minus the two secret ingredients I use). I perfected the Original Hummus Sandwich my senior year of college and this year I have been working on many variations. I have only let a few people watch me make it.



Start with a bread of your choice, I use whole wheat. Put a thin layer of hummus on each side. Any kind of hummus will work, of course there are certain brands I prefer. Then place a slice of cheese, the Original is made with Swiss; but, tonight I used a Swedish Fontina. Then I add two secret ingredients (so if there is a certain flavor that you might think goes with hummus and cheese particularly well add it). I then add some hot sauce, preferably Sriracha. Lastly, I grill it. You can grill it in a pan, or if you have a George Forman Grill use that! Other ingredients I often add to the Original if I have them laying around is a little lettuce and tomato, maybe even some pesto. Basically, this sandwich is a gourmet version of a grilled cheese. The hummus gives it a creamy texture and provides protein, the hot sauce a little kick, and cheese brings everything together when its melted. I have converted many friends to this sandwich. It is simply making your own "wichcraft." If you try this, let me know what you think!



I am heading to New Haven tomorrow, hoping to get a slice of pizza that I will be able to post about the following day. Maybe Sally's or Pepe's? I still haven't found a terrific slice of pizza in NYC, which has been really frustrating. Grimaldi's comes pretty close, except I don't like it when it gets cold and it gets cold fast. I have tried most of the well-known places such as John's and DiFara's. Write me a comment if you have had a terrific slice of pizza in NYC.