jewel4352's Profile
need to find nips
Anyone know who sells those small bottles of liquor, aka nips?
I live in the Andersonville area.
Thanks in advance.
Tastespotting... oh noes!
Hey, I just tried your suggestion, but it keeps taking me back to the "hand-written note". :(
I was hoping for a work-around, too.
Sex In The City Cupcakes
Hi -
I made pink cupcakes for my nieces birthday a couple of years ago. I used Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipe for Strawberry Buttercream, found in The Cake Bible. Basically it is a buttercream recipe (can't remember which specific type) and Strawberry puree. The flavor was fantastic and it was a very pretty shade of pink. I don't know how intensly pink you want it, but this was a softer pink...not hot pink. But it a more natural way of getting it pink. Raspberry puree could be used as well and I bet you'd get a darker pink.
ISO: Peanut butter cup cookie recipe
Yes, that is what it seemed. The peanut butter cup was inside the cookie and the melted chocolate was on top the cookie...probably "frosted" after baking.
Thank you!
la piccola cucina - central phx
FWIW, azcentral.com just reviewed the place and gave is 5 stars.
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dining/articles/2008/05/19/20080519lapiccola.html
Sounds like an interesting place to check out...but I'm not so sure about the pre-packaged foods that are mentioned in the azcentral review.
ISO: Peanut butter cup cookie recipe
Hello -
I had this amazing cookie at a bake sale a few months ago and I haven't been able to locate the recipe. Of course, I would ask the baker for the recipe, but since it was a bake sale, couldn't find the baker.
Anyway, the cookie was a soft peanut butter cookie with a peanut butter cup INSIDE and topped with some melted chocolate. It was delicious.
All the recipes I've found so far are basically peanut butter cookie with a peanut butter cup smashed on top after the cookie bakes. This was definitely not the same.
Anyone familiar?
Many thanks in advance!
ISO Cinnamon Buns
My favorite recipe is Alton Brown's overnight cinnamon rolls.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33873,00.html
I have made these several times and they are always a hit. My uncle said these were the best he has ever tasted.
AZCentral.com - best of?
I think it is typical, not just Phoenix-area, but any metropolitan area for a chain restaurant to win. Chain restaurants (local or national) cater to the least common denominator and will win over the masses.
Ballot stuffing on the other hand is another story. But,
I'm from Minneapolis originally. I distinctly remember a local magazine running a similar poll annually. I laughed and laughed for days when the "Best Neighborhood Restaurant" was won by Applebee's. Can't knock 'em for a genius marketing campaign, but I was so incredibly disappointed with the voters for voting that one in. In this same magazine past winners also included Olive Garden and TGI Friday's for other miscellaneous categories.
any good restaurants around the new Cardinals stadium?
I definitely need to check this place out! It sounds great!
any good restaurants around the new Cardinals stadium?
I know you asked for non-chain restaurants, but I have to report on our experiences thus far.
We have tried Garduno's. Didn't realize it was a chain until we got there. Terrible service and even worse food. Ever have to put SALT on Mexican food before? Not me, that was a first! I tell everyone I know to stay away from that place. Completely flavorless food. So weird for Mexican food, you know?
I have also tried Shane's BBQ. This is a more casual-type place. We ordered take-out. Probably the worst BBQ I've ever had. Pulled pork was tough and chewy. I'm used to soft, shredded meat. The BBQ sauce was missing something that I can't put my finger on. Coleslaw was tasteless and seemed like it had been sitting too long. The cabbage was no longer crispy or crunchy, but limp. My husband ordered chicken strip basket and one of his chicken pieces were undercooked and raw in the middle. The fries were below average. Oh, and when I asked the cashier what type of regional BBQ it was, she had no clue!
I have also tried Kabuki. Friend of mine wanted to try it. The lobster dynamite appetizer is wonderful! We both wanted more and drizzled the sauce over rice. Delicious. However, that was about all the positive notes I have about this place. Service was terrible. Waiter forgot about our table several times. We had to ask for drink refills, our check, where my entree was (after my friend was served hers, I waited about 5 minutes for mine). My pork tonkatsu was overcooked, dry, dry, dry. She ordered a seafood pasta dish. She said only the calmari in the dish was cooked properly, all other seafood was over cooked and the noodles were almost mushy. We even approached the manager on duty after this experience and he didn't seem to care.
This night we also tried Sweet O Chocolate and Wine. This is not a chain restaurant. I had heard great things about this place, so I was excited to try a dessert. We ordered Profiteroles. I was disappointed. I realize this is something that is commonly made in advance. However, when I have had it before, the pate a choux part is baked in advance and the ice cream is scooped into the little cream puffs just before serving. These had the ice cream scooped into them well in advance and were frozen solid. We both tried to get a bite into our mouths and ended up shooting the profiteroles around the table with our spoons. We just ended up picking them up with our fingers. Also, the service here was less than desirable. She seemed to be bothered that she was sat another table.
I also visited Bar Louie with a few friends to watch Suns Basketball. Tuesdays they have $2 burgers starting at 7pm. (Can't recall what time that ends...maybe 10pm) The burgers and fries we ordered were good. For the $2 we paid, it was actually a steal. The burger with bun and lettuce cost $2. Toppings are $.50 each. I ordered mine with bleu cheese, bacon, grilled onions and mayo. So for $4, I got a decent burger. It was juicy and I enjoyed the pick-your-own toppings . The basket of fries costs $1.99. We shared 2 baskets between the 3 of us and it was plenty for us. The fries seem to be seasoned with vinegar, salt and pepper. They were crispy and pretty good. Unfortunately, our server kept disappearing on us and when we needed her, she was no where to be found. We had to ask the wait assistant for help or grab another server to try to track her down. That was annoying.
So for the most part we steer clear of this area...I would like to go back to Sweet O for dinner some night soon. And if I have a free Tuesday, I would go to Bar Louie for the $2 burgers...hopefully with a different server.
What's your favorite vegetarian sandwich?
That sounds close to my favorite vegetarian sandwich from D'Amico & Sons. It is so yummy! Everytime I go back to Minneapolis/St. Paul, I HAVE to have one...and I'm not vegetarian!
Giada--the new "semi-homemade?"
Yes, she is a new mother. But, the new shows on air now were filmed a year or more ago.
It's interesting how people say the don't have time to make a homemade marinara sauce, fresh pasta or pizza dough. Italians have been doing this for centuries before the conveniences of electricity, pasta machines or Kitchenaids. They were doing it by hand. Also washing clothes without the benefits of a machine. Yet, in our society we now say we don't have time to make these things from scratch, when we have all the conveniences to do so in minutes.
I'm not saying it's right or wrong. It's just interesting thought.
There are less and less quality cooking programs on FN because they are catering to "fast + easy", and the executives of the network do not deny this. It's just a shame that they can't balance "fast + easy" with programming that is less about being "fast + easy".
Best Food Blogs?
I really enjoy frenchlaundryathome. But my favorite is http://smittenkitchen.com.
Giada--the new "semi-homemade?"
Using jarred marinara sauce bugs me, too. I also get really irked when she is scooping flour, sugar and other dry goods for baking. (As mentioned above...not that she does this much any more.) Anyway, she supposedly went to culinary school to train as a pastry chef, but she doesn't measure her dry goods properly at all. For someone who claims to have gone to France, no less, for culinary school, it seems like blasphemy!
I've also seen her use prepared pesto. I know that pesto is labor intensive, but just doesn't seem very authentic.
I don't recall ever see her made fresh pasta or pizza dough either.
Giada--the new "semi-homemade?"
ha, ha, ha! What part of that recipe is Italian? The flour tortillas? I did not know this recipe existed...but I guess that would be her take on an Italian twist. (isn't that her catch phrase?)
Giada--the new "semi-homemade?"
I have noticed this with her for a long time. She is always looking for short cuts and has made a trend of assembling things. I'll be honest, I watch her because I enjoy making fun of her; I don't like her. She says the same things over and over again, "just like that", "it's it pretty", "pop it in the oven". In fact, those quotes are even similar to what Sandra Lee says too!
Anyway, I have noticed she is moving away from Italian more and more as well. Like another poster sort of pointed out, is it really Italian if only one ingredient is vaguely Italian?
whatever, I guess. I don't really watch FN anymore, unless it's Good Eats, Healthy Appetite or Barefoot Contessa, sometimes. My Saturday addiction used to be all the shows on Saturday morning (kinda replaced Sat. morning cartoons). But now, I can't stand the hosts and find something else to watch instead.
Boo, Food Network!
Gardunos - Rio Rancho, NM
Ha! I live in Phoenix, so my husband and I visited the Gardunos near the football stadium in Westgate. The food was awful. I have never, ever experienced bland Mexican food in my life. Ever. Even from other chain restaurants, but this place was just terrible. Completely under-seasoned. Most chain restaurants over salt their food, so this was a really strange experience for me. I added salt to my plate of food, hoping it would help, but it did not. The salsa was OK, so I dumped what was left from the salsa and chips on my plate, but that didn't help either.
As a matter of fact, the sopapillas they serve at the end of the meal were saltier than the food I ordered for dinner. But the sopapillas were tough and chewy, not pillow-y and soft.
Anyway, our service was horrific as well. The server barely acknowledged us. She was not attentive. We had to ask several times for drink refills. And after she told us the sopapillas are "complementary", we had to remind her to bring us a basket when our meal was finished. Needless to say, we are NEVER going back.
I have since found out from a friend who used to live in New Mexico that several of their locations have shut down or gone out of business.
Ladies' Weekend in Scottsdale and Sedona
Actually, I was going to recommend Arcadia Farms as well. In fact, I was just there over the weekend. It's a great "ladies who lunch" type place and the food is pretty good. Lots of salads, sandwiches, etc. to choose from. I had the "special of the day" salad. It was field greens, poached pear, candied pecans, blue cheese, and a raspberry vinagrette dressing. Pretty yummy. Also had dessert. We shared the Chocolate Pecan Tart, Raspberry Chocolate Cake and the Coconut Cake. I thought the Coconut cake was the best. The chocolate pecan thing was really good too. But I'm not a huge fan of raspberry/choc combo...so take my opinion with a grain of salt, please.
Pearl’s Place, Prescott and Mile High Grill, Jerome (Arizona)
Couple of friends and I went up to Prescott and Jerome over the weekend. We had lunch at Pearl’s Place, which is located on Whiskey Row in Prescott. I had a pulled pork sandwich. The pork was tender and juicy. The barbeque sauce was served on the side. I poured most of it onto my sandwich, as the pork was a bit bland on its own. The BBQ sauce had a nice kick to it and it wasn’t too sweet. The sandwich was served with potato chips, although the other side options were potato salad, coleslaw or fruit. My dining companions had the Ruben and the other had a burger. The burger was pretty middle of the road. However, my friend said the Ruben was outstanding. The corned beef appeared to actually be made on site, rather than deli sliced. She ordered the potato salad as her side and said it was excellent…garlic-y even. She was quite happy with her selection.
The service at Pearl’s was a bit lacking. The staff seemed to be having a meeting…or they were just involved in a lengthy conversation. It was clear that they were complaining about something. The service wasn’t terrible, just not good.
We ate at Mile High Grill in Jerome the next day. We all ordered burgers after seeing other patrons devouring theirs. I had the Blue Cheese Burger. It features crumbled bacon, blue cheese, grilled onions, and sautéed mushrooms. Lettuce, tomato and onion are on the plate to be added at the diner’s will. And it all is served with a pickle spear and fries. The burgers are cooked to order…believe it or not! My burger was juicy and flavorful…not at all a bland burger. The toppings were really great. The pickle had a distinct juniper berry flavor to it. The fries were the thinner cut size and were just fantastic. We all thoroughly enjoyed our burgers!
We have been to the Haunted Hamburger before. While I thought it was good, I would say that Mile High exceeded our expectations and really delivered a better tasting burger. The service at Mile High was good…really no complaints in that area.
Sorry...no photos to provide.
What's your favorite Key Lime Pie recipe?
This is the recipe my aunt uses, too. She lives in Florida and swears by the recipe. Yes, it calls for 8 oz. cream cheese, softened.
I think it is good, too. I prefer to use a homemade crust that has been baked until golden brown and delicious...it punches up the flavor. But I also like the egg yolk version.
Saveur Mag's Bolognese Article
I have used the CI recipe for Bolognese from the Italian Classics cookbook often. I'm not sure it claims to be authentic, but it tastes good to me. Don't have the recipe in front of me, but I believe it calls for ground beef, pork, white wine, carrots, celery, onion, milk and some canned tomatoes. It clooks low and slow for over 4 hours. I guess, it would more tomato-y than posters are looking for. But it is recipe that definitely relies on the meatiness over tomato flavor.
I have leftover bolognese to make lasagne with great results. Fresh pasta sheets layered with bolognese and a bechamel sauce and cheese. YUM!
What's your best carbonara recipe?
I like to use the recipe from Cooks Illustrated. It calls for bacon, eggs, white wine, parsley, pecorino, salt & pepepr, and spaghetti. It may also call for cream. (haven't made it in a while...for whatever reason.)
I will substitue parm for the pecorino if I have it on hand.
So, perhaps it's no longer Carbonara. I still think it's a great recipe, the acidity of the wine is great with the creamy-ness of the eggs. Such an extravagent dish, not expensive as far as the wallet is concerned...just expensive to my waist-line.
anywhere good in NW Valley Phoenix
If you like Thai, try Line Thai. Reviewed in this thread:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/401577
Can't think of much else in Surprise/Sun City that isn't a chain restaurant. But I don't live in the area, others may have more recommendations.
Sliced Potato Encrusted Fish
I watched Giada's show and she didn't do anything to make the potatoes stick. It was pretty obvious (to me) that the fish and potatoes didn't stick together and her food stylist probably had to do some fudging before the final dish was shown.
I thought the technique used in Top Chef would be much more successful.
A vote for America's Test Kitchen
Those ribs are a go-to recipe for me. Always successful.
Fish cakes with canned fish ?
I'm not sure what brand is available to you, but I often make Salmon Croquettes using canned salmon and the recipe on the can as a guide. I think the brand is Demmings.
It is labeled as a "Light" recipe, calling for "lite mayo", green onions, bread crumbs, seasoned salt, parsley, and an egg white. I usually vary this. I like using Panko bread crumbs, add garlic, use Old Bay instead of Lawry's, add Tabasco or cayenne pepper, etc. I really like them. I use a disher (or ice cream scoop) to portion them out and flatten with the back of a spatula. Saute in butter or olive oil. I make a lemon butter with parsley to drizzle over the cakes.
When I made them for my husband the first time, I didn't think he would enjoy them, but he thought they were pretty good. It's in regular rotation at our house...quick and satisfying with Brown Rice and a veg or salad.
Also, other than tuna, this was my first experience with canned fish. So, I spend a few minutes cleaning the salmon, removing the skin and some of the bone. Do others do this, or just mix it all together? The skin is kind of slimy and I'm not interested in eating too many of the bones. Just wondering what others do.
Red Velvet Cake and question about Sprinkles cupcake mix
Thanks for posting the info, LMF.
I figured that had to be food coloring, but I wasn't certain.
For me, RVC/Cupcakes will be a special treat...but I don't like consuming that much food coloring, no matter how delicious it might be. :)
Review: My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, Scottsdale AZ
Thanks for the review, JK. They opened up a location in the West Valley (where a Paul Lee's Kitchen used to be). I have been meaning to try it, but after your review, I think I will stay away. I prefer flavorful food!
Review: The Asylum - Jerome, AZ (w/ photos!)
I ate there with my husband about a year ago. I felt that the service was spotty and the food was not memorable. Not really worth it for the price.
Also, when we arrived, we did not have reservations and the host/hostess claimed the dining room was booked for dinner service that night, so we were seated on the patio in a swarm of flies. Certainly there had to have been cancelations because when we left and peaked at the dining room, it was empty.
It's too bad, because Jerome is a lovely town, but they do need better offerings for food.
I have been to the Haunted Hamburger. Even though I felt it somewhat overpriced, I enjoyed my burger and fries.
