Butterscotch update

I think I now know why my grandmother never told us her recipe -- the weather will either make or break any butterscotch from setting. The texture also varies. Fortunately, I have a few days off for Easter, so I will work with my mom to finally crack the code. Cross your fingers and wish us luck!

lovely curry

Don't have $15 to spend at your local Indian restaurant? Don't have the willpower to stop yourself from purchasing a heap of naan and rice pudding? Research and commit to creating a (cheaper and healthier) version at home!


Sweet potato and chick pea curry

- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped (partially cooked - microwave works well)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 can of chick peas, drained
- green chilies (to taste)
- ginger paste
- handful of frozen spinach (or peas)
- garam masala (or a sweet, spicy spice blend)
- thai, chicken stock or water
- 1/8 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- s&p to taste
- vegetable oil (canola)

Heat about a tablespoon of canola oil in pan. Add onion and cook until slightly caramelized. Add garam masala or spice mix and s&p. Add sweet potatoes and chick peas. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add green chilies, if you wish. Add a nice dollop, less than a tablespoon, of ginger paste. Add stock or water - enough to create a slight steam, then add spinach and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add coconut milk and greek yogurt. Stir and let simmer on low for about 15-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.

cupcake craze

Interesting article about the cupcake craze.

Click here.

"Lasses, Butter, 'n' It Mashed Up"

Translation: Mix an equal mixture of molasses and butter.

My Southern may be slightly off, but you get the idea.

Here it is...
A family recipe book that was *cough* published back in '93. We've got some winners in here, folks.

- *Hilda's Big Buns - the name has been changed to protect the innocent.
- Impossible Pie (no crust) - Abra cadabra!
- Another Chocolate Pie- "Aww man! Not another one!"
- *Friendship cake - note: this cake takes 3 months...as in MONTHS to prepare. I may feel like adding the details someday, but this is not one of those days.
- The Magic Pickle
- Watermelon Pickles
- Goop
- 1-2-3-4 Cake

And here are some suggestions from the back of the book.

- "Pour Dr. Pepper in a cup; drop in a slice or wedge of lemon. Microwave till hot. Tastes great!"
- "Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around a watermelon pickle. Bake or broil till done."


Sounds tempting, but I decided on another favorite - butterscotch pie. This pie, this magnificent creation was surely created by the gods for our enjoyment. I'm trying to recreate my grandmother's recipe, which unfortunately, was never written down.

It looks, smells and tastes just like her pie filling. I think I did it. I'll just need to wait and see how it sets in the fridge and adjust the recipe as needed.

Full report tomorrow.

Sláinte

I hope everyone enjoyed their St. Patty's Day. It was a quiet day this year, so I decided to celebrate with family and enjoy some delicious beer bread.

A grand total of 45 minutes from start to finish. And you can really, REALLY taste the beer after it bakes, so make sure you add a quality lager. No Budweiser here, folks.


Shock and dismay! Why did I not use Guinness, Harp or another fine Irish beverage in the making of this bread?

Because the cook always deserves a pint while baking, especially of the black stuff.

Pazo cupcakes

Last week, we decided to try the cupcake and cocktail pairings at Pazo. We were lucky enough to sit at the bar, right before the lounge started filling up with the happy hour crowd. I only wish that I would have known about the $5 drink and tapas special instead of deciding to stuff ourselves with chick-fil-a sandwiches to not feel so guilty about eating dessert for dinner. The bartender was great and recommended drinks that fit our liking - not necessarily what paired well with the cupcakes. For the bf, a wonderful white Belgian-style Ale brewed in...Japan.


We were so excited about this beer that we even decided to go on a search for the brew after leaving the restaurant. We didn't find it that evening, but Well's Liquors on York Road not only had the white ale, but a red rice and ginger version. The ginger is a little heavier and the store is *fingers crossed* ordering more versions of these ales.


The cupcakes? Sigh. I was really hoping for something a little more complex. We ordered the sweet corn cupcake, bacon and Pazo (chocolate & salted caramel) cupcake. The sweet corn cupcake tasted suspiciously like Trader Joe's cornbread mix. Still, I enjoyed the caramel corn and butter pecan ice cream on top. I was a little disappointed in the bacon cupcake. It was savory, which was delicious, but I was hoping for a sweet-salty experience. Remember the peanut butter pie with candied bacon a few posts back? Not that exactly, but the tastes were straight-forward and not surprising. In fact, it tasted like a chive muffin with sour cream and bacon on top.

The cocktails they pair with the cupcakes are a little rich, according to the bartender, so I had a green tea martini. Good thing he mentioned the ridiculous amount of calories in one of their Godiva drink pairings. I completely agree with him - why waste precious calories on liquid when there are cupcakes to devour?

Check out B More Sweet's Pazo cupcake experience as well. (Link for the blog on the right)

Some lovely recipes.

Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala. One of my favorite combinations. Take the time to make fresh naan - it is completely worth the effort. Go ahead and try a piece or two while waiting for the others to grill. I'm just sayin'. Reward yourself for the effort.


I had a few substitutions from the Pioneer Woman's recipe. I subsituted:

- boneless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts
- san marzano tomatoes for the sauce
- fat free half and half for the heavy whipping cream
- a little bit of butter to taste
- NO CILANTRO (yuck, just yuck)


Also, some bolognese. Start with the usual marinara sauce starter of onions, garlic and carrots sweating with olive oil. Remove from pan; set aside. Add beef, pork and veal (about 1 pound total) to pan until cooked through. Add the onions, garlic and carrots back to the pan. Add a can of san marzano tomatoes, spice to your liking and add the secret ingredient - 1 inch parmesan rind. Boil for 45 minutes and add a cinnamon stick. Lower the temp and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the rind and cinnamon stick. Add a touch of heavy cream and serve!

James Joyce

After the first visit of snow-zilla last month, we could hardly wait to get out and check the condition of the roads and sidewalks. Both were horrible, but the lovely folks at Harbor East managed to clear the walkways enough for the Sunday brunch crowd.

Here was our first sight walking out of the Legg Mason garage...

We went to one of our favorite bars, James Joyce Irish Pub, for some grub. Problem is, we rarely went there for anything but a libation and small munchies.

The black and tan was awesome, as usual.

And so was the Irish coffee!
But the traditional Irish breakfast? Hmm...lacking.


Eggs? Check. Beans? Check. Roasted tomato? Check. Black and white pudding? Check.

But look at the bottom of the plate. Do you see it? A McDonald's looking hash brown. What?!?! An Irish pub serving an over-fried, tasteless hash brown patty? For shame.

Good thing you keep me coming back with your pints, Mr. Joyce. Good thing.