favorite fries?

+1 on Nathan's.

valerie in General Chowhounding Topics

Need help with new Zojirushi cooker

Same here. The only time we had problems was when I left the rice making to my husband and told him to add 3 cups of rice. He added 3 "real" cups of rice, not using the cup that comes with the cooker.

We generally make brown basmati rice or short grain sushi rice and it all comes out great.

Maybe try a different rice?

valerie in Home Cooking

East Coast Canadians Visiting NYC May 26 - 30 NEED HELP!

My husband has been wanting chicken and waffles forever so we are thinking of going to Amy Ruth's for dinner tonight. I have no idea what to expect in terms of crowds or wait times. Any idea what it might be like if we get there by 5:30? I just want to manage our expectations.

valerie in Manhattan

Need a Recipe for a Coffee Cake to Travel

No, smaller. I usually use a 9" round but you could use and 8x8 square.

valerie in Home Cooking

Need a Recipe for a Coffee Cake to Travel

This coffee cake is pretty sturdy and very good.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Batter
¼ Cup Butter (unsalted)
1 Cup Sugar
½ pint Sour Cream (1 cup) – you can use low-fat if desired
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla
¼ Tsp. Salt
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda

Filling
¾ Cup Chopped Walnuts
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
¼ Cup Sugar
¾ Cup Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet)

Preheat over to 350.

Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add alternately with the sour cream blending well.

Pour half the batter into a well-greased baking pan.

Combine filling ingredients. Sprinkle half of mixture over batter in pan. Top with remaining batter and then sprinkle with remaining filling mixture. Slightly press chocolate chips and nuts down so that they stay on the cake when it is baked.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick – it might need a little more time in the oven (like 10 or 15 minutes).

valerie in Home Cooking

Craft or Ciano --- Balthazar or DBGB

+1 on the short ribs at Craft.

valerie in Manhattan

red sauce Italian near the Theater District- Trattoria Trecolori, Puttanesca or somewhere else?

Not sure where you are going to the theater but if you were willing to go to Bricco on 56th Street, I would suggest Basso56. I have gone there for several business lunches and the food is always pretty good.

http://www.basso56.com/home.html

valerie in Manhattan

Father's Day Brunch Ideas

On Mother's Day, we had brunch at Landmarc in the Time Warner center. We were a group of 10, had a round table and it was very pleasant.

valerie in Manhattan

your favorite food movie..

We also liked Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

And one of my favorite movie scene(s) was in "Defending Your Life" with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep.

valerie in Not About Food

Best Recipes you have ever found on Chowhound Home Cooking board

I started making this a few years ago and it has become a staple...MMRuth's yogurt marinated chicken. Maybe not her original recipe, but I associate it with her.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/423753#2774168

Also, this Artichoke and Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade posted by Val. Yes, once again, I know it's not a true tapenade, but it is great.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/516818#3667665

valerie in Home Cooking

sides with shish kebob

I like these 2 orzo salads and you can easily do them with couscous as well.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/orzo-with-roasted-vegetables-recipe/index.html

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-with-Tomatoes-Feta-and-Green-Onions-234414

valerie in Home Cooking

Can this recipe be made on the stove instead of in the oven?

I completely agree on this.

valerie in Home Cooking

Looking for caponata recipe

I have not made Mario Batali's version but I always thought it sounded good.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/eggplant-caponata-recipe/index.html

valerie in Home Cooking

memorial day BBQ ideas

Here are some threads to get you started.

http://www.chow.com/search?query=memorial+day&type=Topic&board_name=Home+Cooking&search_board_id=31&from_date=1+year+ago#!query=memorial+day&board_name=Home+Cooking&search_board_id=31&type=Topic&from_date=5+years+ago&board_parent=&search_board_id_btn=31&from_date_select=5+years+ago&user_name=&post_title=&search_board_id_btn_pop=31&sort_mode=best_match&recipe_source=

valerie in Home Cooking

Market Basket's Skirt Steak

I don't know what theirs tastes like but I use this marinade for flank steak and it comes out perfect and tasty every time.

Marinade Ingredients for about 2 lbs. of flank steak

1/3 cup olive oil (you could cut back on the oil a little if you wanted)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

valerie in Home Cooking

Things you want to bake

I have Buckeyes on my list and I have always wanted to make them.

I guess the biggest problem for me is that we have very good friends in our circle that have 2 kids with with severe nut allergies, so it often rules out any peanut butter desserts. Yes, the kids could stay away, but somehow it always feels wrong for me to bring something with peanut butter.

valerie in Home Cooking

Things you want to bake

Here is another Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart. I have never really compared the 2 recipes, but have them both on my list.

http://www.culinaryadventuresinthekitchen.com/2012/05/08/salted-chocolate-caramel-tart/

valerie in Home Cooking

Things you want to bake

"any kind of chocolate dessert (bonus points if it has peanut butter in it)"

Totally agree on this. I am not a real baker, though, I much more enjoy cooking savory foods. But I still keep a list of things that I want to make. To name a few...

Chocolate chip pecan bread pudding

http://www.shesimmers.com/2010/11/coconut-chocolate-chip-bread-pudding.html

Chocolate peanut butter pretzel balls

http://make-happy.blogspot.com/2009/10/weekend-treat-chocolate-peanut-butter.html

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/04/marlow-and-sons-salted-chocolate-caramel-tart-recipe.html

Chocolate peanut butter brownies

http://makinglifedelicious.com/2011/01/12/amazing-chocolate-peanut-butter-brownies/

Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce

http://www.foodgal.com/2010/12/a-comforting-cake-laden-with-the-bounty-of-the-philo-apple-farm/

valerie in Home Cooking

Manhatten with Food Allergies!

Not sure how nice of a place you are looking for but not too long ago we had lunch at Vynl on 51st & 9th with our friends who have 2 kids with severe allergies...peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, wheat, eggs. I would think you could find something on the menu there.

http://www.vynl-nyc.com/welcome.html

valerie in Manhattan

Cinco de mayo --- WHERE???

Thanks. I ended up finding it in Shop Rite in Scarsdale but it was more like a finely grated cheese rather than a block. My husband loved the corn and he is on my case to make it for our July party. Maybe next time I will try the cheese from Fairway just to compare.

valerie in New York State (exc. New York City)

WEIGHT WATCHER FOODIES - WHAT ARE YOU COOKING? PART 6

I just saw your post...glad you liked it. I made them again tonight and used an egg white. It held together a little better but is still tasty even if a little crumbly. I skipped the bun this time too, and did use a pinch of cayenne for a little kick. And I had roasted vegetables on the side again, didn't even need the baked potato.

valerie in Home Cooking

Pre Theater (Westside Theater) Recommendation?

We like Pio Pio on 10th & 43rd.

http://www.piopio.com/#/pio-pio-hell-s-kitchen

valerie in Manhattan

Cinco de mayo --- WHERE???

jwg, where did you get the Cotija cheese? My husband has requested that I make this corn this weekend, but not sure where to buy the cheese. So before I start running around tomorrow, I thought I'd ask.

Thanks.

valerie in New York State (exc. New York City)

First Impressions of Growlers Bistro in Tuckahoe

There is a Groupon for Growlers today...

http://www.groupon.com/deals/growlers-beer-bistro-1?c=button&sid=11171016&utm_source=newsletter&s=body&division=westchester-county&utm_medium=email&utm_content=all-deals_westchester-county&utm_campaign=growlers-beer-bistro-1&date=20120510&p=1&addxe=dmFsZXJpZUBnbGlja2VyLmNvbQ==&user=5f762ad5fc98a35fad0f8a1332c2e81c2736d5f9c534fb0e245c62e2f1c2f218

valerie in New York State (exc. New York City)

Great new things at North!! [Armonk]

I have not been to North, but I just looked at the website. While I certainly don't think it is the best design, I had no trouble with it loading and I found the menu (with prices, though I don't know if it is current?) and phone number and address pretty easily.

All the information is on the bottom left side. Again, not a great design, but really not that difficult to find the information.

valerie in New York State (exc. New York City)

Mother's Day apps ideas

Caprese on a stick. I like it with a piece of sun-dried tomato.

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/09/caprese-on-stick.html

Or I think for my July 4th party I am going to make some variation of these Antipasto Skewers.

http://www.livelovepasta.com/2012/01/antipasto-skewers/

valerie in Home Cooking

First-trimester hounding

It really goes to show you how everyone is different. I am surprised that so many people were eating chicken at the beginning. I couldn't even go near it...eating it or cooking it. Beef was fine and I even craved it, but chicken, forget about it. It even took me a while after my daughter was born to go back to eating it.

valerie in General Chowhounding Topics

How far are you willing to drive for a good restaurant?

For us it would be about an hour. We live in the suburbs north of NYC and it could take us 30 minutes to midtown or 60 minutes, depending on traffic. But we also venture to NJ, Brooklyn, CT, etc. for good food.

We average about 4 hours out when we have a babysitter on weekends, so if you figure an hour drive, 2 hours in a restaurant, and an hour drive home, that's our night. If we go to a movie, we will stay local for dinner.

valerie in Not About Food

Grace's Table--White Plains

I'm sure plenty of things annoy servers too. Kind of like in my field when people ask me for a cost of a project and they say "oh just give me a ballpark cost". Drives me insane.

I don't know if my friend's exact question was "what's the best dish?" or "what do you recommend?" but either way, the answer was "everything". In fact, I think the question was more along the lines of "what's your signature dish?". Maybe annoying to servers, but still...everything?

Again, I would like to see the place succeed so hopefully they will figure out how to get more people in there. Yes, it really is about the food, but for us, the atmosphere/vibe definitely plays a role, albeit a small one, at a place like this.

valerie in New York State (exc. New York City)