elayne5's Profile
Asparagus Ideas?
The garden is exploding with asparagus! Looking for new ideas to use it all!
Titus Inn in Spring City?
Thanks! I think this time we'll do Simon Pearce in West Chester but I do want to get to the Titus. It looks nice from the outside and god knows we could use a decent place out here in the sticks.
Looking for an excellent diner, drive-in or dive
Phoenix Diner in Phoenixville is pretty good. It's off of 23 in the shopping center with the new Acme.
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Phoenix Diner
200 W Absecon Blvd, Absecon, NJ 08201
Titus Inn in Spring City?
Any one ever eat at the Titus Inn? I drive past it all the time and wonder how it is. Looking for a place for my husband to take me for my birthday this Saturday. We live in Spring City, so was looking for someplace relatively close.
Help, Roast duck ?
I made this at the holidays and thought 5 hours was probably one hour too long. Mine was fabulous but a little dry.
Vickers Tavern in Exton
We went in January and were pretty disapointed. It used to be one of my favorites (years ago) but I agree that the menu had "old standards" and really wasn't up to say, Dilworthtown. I had steak diane cooked table side. It was so salty I spent 3 days drinking water so I could get my wedding ring back on. I think it will be a long time before I return as well.
Skippack restaurants
Haven't been in a couple of months but the Brasserie is still one of my favorites. Warm and cozy in the winter, wonderful outside in the summer.
Downers Grove area GC
Hey all,
This Philly girl needs some help with Xmas gifts for Chicago relatives. Any good restaurants in the Downers Grove or Woodridge vicinty? I'd like to send some gift certificates for dinner at a nice, not tremendously expensive, restaurants that they might not have tried.
Thanks!
Tex's BBQ Truck
Agree totally. Ribs and brisket are fabulous. Here's the website: http://www.texsbbqpa.com/
Super nice people, you can call the phone # on the site and pre-order (they sell out) and they'll save some for you.
Looks like they're in my neighborhood next weekend!
Help, two large zucchini's. Recipe ideas?
I do the same but with hot italian sausage, onions, peppers and a little parm cheese. Fill the squash, top with a little breadcrumbs and bake. I pre-bake a large zuch cut side down first though for about 20 minutes so it gets soft.
Which fresh herbs do you freeze successfully?
The only thing I successfully freeze is basil in a pesto sauce. I make the pesto and then freeze in ice cube trays (moved into freezer bags once frozen) so I can pull out a little at a time, melt and then add a little more oil to bring it back to the right consistency. I find this holds up beautifully over the winter. You can also make pesto with mint as well and do the same thing-great on lamb, pasta with chicken, etc.
Homemade Pasta - Help por favore!
I know you say you don't want a new pasta maker, but look into the roller attachements for the KitchenAid. They are a joy to use.
FYI-I freeze mine. I find dried and stored in the cupboard gets crushed too easily at my house.
Philadelphia Dinner for 25/Walk to Ritz Carlton
You might try Estia, lovely greek restaurant. I know they have private rooms downstairs and I believe there is an elevator down, although they could no doubt set you up 25 at one of the long tables in the main room.
I find Bliss to be very cramped, although I've only eaten downstairs near the very loud bar.
Michael's Deli King of Prussia
Wow. I pick up sandwiches and cheesesteaks here all the time and have never had a bad experience. Have never eaten in the restaurant, maybe that makes the difference?
Does cooking calm down hot peppers?
My theory- because capsaicin isn't water soluble but is fat soluble, it is possible that the fat content of whatever you are cooking may in fact have more to do with the "neutralization" of the heat. Might explain why a food like chili which typically has a higher fat content might cool down over time as more of the capsaicin is absorbed by the fat.
Makes you wonder as well if you better have whole milk not skim on hand!
Ribs in the Philly suburbs
I second this!! Out of this world ribs and really unique sauce.
What's on your cookbook wishlist?
Have you ever read MIchael Ruhlman's "The Making of a Chef" and the follow-up "Soul of a Chef"? I never though making stock could be so exciting.
Looking for a Szechuan restaurant that used to be in KOP area
Do you remember where in KofP it used to be?
Riverstone?
I would doubt they share a kitchen. Been to both many times and was shocked myself to learn that they were related. I've mostly been to Riverstone for lunch-it's one of the better business lunch spots to take clients. Have had dinner a few times and it's good. Not a knock your socks off good but I was happy with it. It far surpasses the many chains out in the Exton area.
Your best recipes using scotch, whiskey, or bourbon
Another one from Cooking Light-11 years later I still make it. I've done them on the grill this was as well.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons minced green onions
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
24 large sea scallops (1 1/2 pounds)
6 low-sodium bacon slices (4 ounces)
Cooking spray
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Add scallops, stirring gently to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove scallops from bowl, reserving marinade. Cut each slice of bacon into 4 pieces.Wrap 1 bacon piece around each scallop (bacon might only wrap halfway around scallops if they are very large). Thread scallops onto 4 (12-inch) skewers, leaving some space between scallops so bacon will cook.
Place skewers on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 8 minutes or until bacon is crisp and scallops are done, basting occasionally with reserved marinade (cooking time will vary greatly with size of scallops).
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 6 scallops)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 245(26% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 2g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.1g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 68mg; CALCIUM 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.3g; SODIUM 642mg; PROTEIN 32.4g; FIBER 0.1g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 1997
What is your deal breaker?
Totally agree on the deep frying. Just can't go there at home. I sometimes look at the deep frying appliances (are they still called Fry Baby's?) for sale and think, "well, that's just not a good idea for me to have in the house".
Dining in Lancaster
I can totally second Josephines. Anytime we have an excuse to stay in Lancaster we take it just to go to Josephines. Doneckers is good but Josephines is a favorite.
DC hound needs Norristown advice
You can also take the train to Phila from Norristown.
Creamed chipped beef,
I understand Michaels Deli in the Valley Forge shopping center has good chipped beef and breakfast is served all day.
Friday Night Pre-Theater
Valanni was quite good last weekend.
I also like Sotto Varalli across from the Academy.
LUNCH IN SKIPPACK
My favorite lunch place in Skippack is Brasserie 73-has a nice outdoor covered patio in front and good food IMO. Trying to remember if there are any steps from the parking lot, and there might be a few but I think you can pull up and let them out in the front and then not have to deal with steps. You can call them and check (610-584-7880).
Can Lobster Meat
Sure! It's based upon an Emeril recipe:
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
6 tablespoons flour
3 chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 cups diced potatoes, blanched
1 cup diced carrots, blanched
1 cup sweet peas
1 pound lobster meat, cooked and diced
1/2 cup to 1 cup water
1 sheet puff pastry, rolled out to ~16x14"
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a rectangular glass baking dish. In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes for a blond roux. Stir in the stock and bring the liquid up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the milk and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, peas, and lobster. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the filling thoroughly. If the filling is too thick, add a little water to thin out the filling. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Place the crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges of the pan and place on a baking sheet. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
If I can figure out how to do it, I'll insert the picture I took of it :)
