Sunday Lupper Adventures - Take 2

Ok, I have power now, so Sunday Lupper Adventures continued...

So, the Sunday after Salmon en Croute, I tried another fish recipe.  I just made it up based on what I had on hand.  I call it, um...how about White Fish Dish?  No, no that's terrible, I'm not calling it that.  Ok, I got it - Panko Herb Crusted Flounder.  Yeah, we'll call it that, because that's what it was.  For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you already got a glimpse of the "recipe", but for those who didn't, here's what I did:

Panko Herb Crusted Flounder
Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of flounder (thawed, if frozen)
• 1.5 TBLS. of butter
• About 1 TBLS. of fresh basil (chopped)
• About 1 TBSL. of fresh dill (chopped)
• 1 tsp. of fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup of Panko crumbs
• 1 TBLS of shredded Parmesan cheese 
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Lemon for garnish

In a small bowl, melt the butter and then add in the basil, dill, and thyme.  Then add the Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese and stir until thoroughly blended.  Spray a baking dish generously with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil Pam) and add the fish fillets to the dish.  Spread the Panko mixture on top of the fish, then add salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.

Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Cut up a lemon for garnish, or to squeeze on the fish after it is cooked.

Remember the herb new potatoes and sauteed garlic broccoli that I made to go with the Salmon en Croute?  Well, turns out, it's good with this as well.  So if you need some quick and healthy sides, these will do the trick.  Or you can steam some broccoli florets and season with sea salt and a little cheese, which is also tasty.

***Even with the sides, this meal only takes about 20-25 minutes from start to finish.  AND it is totally good for you too!  You can't beat that.***

And of course, I have completely forgotten to take a picture of any of these dishes, so I will have to do that next time I cook them and upload them onto here in place of this awesome string of words!  YAY!  (I will most likely forget to do this, so don't be shocked)

Alright, by the time the next Sunday had rolled around, I was tired of making fish and decided I needed to make my own quesadillas. Love them in Mexican restaurants, but I never tried making them at home, so this was my chance!

I'm sure I could perfect measurements and all that jazz, but honestly, some things are just better when you throw them in together and use measurement descriptions like "pinch of," and "fist full," and "tittle," (which is a word I always just thought my mom made up, but it turns out that it is actually in the dictionary, so...I know, who knew?).  Also, there is my personal favorite cooking phrase that my grandma uses, "until it looks right."  Ok, so here's what I did:


Quesadillas
Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts (cut into chunks)
• Olive oil
• 1 sm can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 each of Green and Red bell peppers (seeded and chopped)
• Colby-Jack and/or Cheddar-Jack cheese
• Pepper-Jack cheese
• Fresh cilantro (finely chopped - or as small as you want to do)
• 1 sm lime - for juice
• Taco seasoning
• Paprika
• Black pepper to taste
• 4 flour tortillas (or more if smaller than 8")
• Cooking spray

Heat about a TBSL of olive oil in a medium skillet, on medium heat.  Add the chicken, a bit of lime juice, cilantro some black pepper, paprika, and a light sprinkle of taco seasoning.  Turn as needed, and add more olive oil if needed.  Cook until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center (or you know, 'til it looks right).  Remove the chicken and set to the side.  In the same skillet add a bit more olive oil and saute the green and red peppers until tender. Add in the can of Rotel (do NOT drain), a bit more cilantro and about a cupped palm-full of taco seasoning.  Add the Stir until all ingredients are well blended and add the chicken back into the pan.  Remove pan from burner and set aside.

Using the same (already hot) burner, get a large skillet and let it warm up a bit.  Get out 2 tortillas and spray one side of each with the cooking spray, and go ahead and spray just a bit in the skillet, but don't overdo it.  Ok, once the skillet is hot lay one of the tortillas spray side down.  Quickly layer on the pepper-jack, then a little Colby/cheddar-jack, then half of the chicken mixture, then more Colby/cheddar-jack. Place the other prepared tortilla on top, spray side up.  When the cheeses on the bottom get melting pretty good, use a wide spatula and slip it under the bottom of the quesadilla.  

Now here's the tricky part - you can use your free hand and place it on top to help with the flip, but be careful not to burn yourself...as I have never done many times.  I however, find it a little easier to flip the quesadilla by lifting it with the spatula, then tipping the skillet sideways, then in one swift ninja-like motion I flip the quesadilla while bringing the pan down level.  Either way, if you have my luck, you will lose some of the filling (just shove it back in there), the tortillas will be cockeyed (adjust it quickly after the flip the best you can), and you are about to set off the smoke alarm because you lost some cheese-covered pepper to the burner, (it's ok, just wave a dish towel around under the smoke detector and it will shut off).  Ta-da!

When that side is done, remove the quesadilla from the pan and cut into four's with a pizza cutter.  Then make the second one the same way.  Only, maybe a little better now since you've had practice with the flip?

***Leave out the chicken to make fantastic veggie quesadillas!***

Serve these with some refried beans and tortilla chips on the side and with salsa for dipping.  If you want to make a quick and easy fresh salsa from scratch, see page 44 for the recipe to Sooner Nation Salsa in the University of Oklahoma Cookbook!

More to come about what I attempted to do did for St. Patrick's Day Sunday Lupper!

As always, thanks for reading!

An Egg On A Burger and Other Tales of FUN!

Wow!  Well, after 1-and-a-half bouts of the plague, and gearing up for NaNoWriMo, October got away from me :/  So, without further delay, I bring you...the new blog post - ta da!

As promised, I will be sharing my thoughts about a local burger & beer joint - The Garage.

Located in Historic Downtown Norman, Oklahoma, The Garage offers customers the unique option of choosing which protein goes into the creation of your burger.  Your choices are fresh Angus beef, garden, turkey, and yes, even bison!  Hooray for choices!  The menu is "garage-themed" with Appetizers being dubbed "First Gear," burgers, "Second Gear," and so on.  

(You probably can't read this, so click on the link above to get a better view)

Even the staff looks the part when they wear their mechanic-style shirts.  And I'm telling you right now, I am a theme freak!  I LOVE anything themed, so that's another reason I love coming here. The burger list has many pre-thought-out burger styles, or you can choose to sort of build your own.  Add jalapenos, or even another patty if you want to.

My very fav thing on the menu is the Egg-O-Nater!  It comes with mayo, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and yes, a fried egg, all snuggled in between a couple of warm buns (I get it without mayo or tomato, cuz I'm picky like that).  At first I was all, "What?  Are you serious?  Who eats an egg on top of a burger?"  Then I tried it and you know what?  I am the "who" that eats egg on top of a burger.  You know why?  Because it is the most awesome thing I've ever had on a burger!  The bacon & egg combo compliment the burger.  Now, I've only had this with the Angus beef, so I'm not sure how well it all goes together with other proteins, but if you are feeling bold,  GIVE IT A GO!  I didn't get a picture of it, but here is one from Hal Smith.

The Egg-O-Nater - Photo by Hal Smith

I have to admit, sometimes, I'm just not in the mood for a burger.  There's no need to fear!  (No, I haven't seen Underdog for a while, but here, try something else)  The Garage offers more than just burgers, there's a little bit for everyone here.  They have tacos (where you can also choose your protein), fish, salads, nachos, grilled cheese, and even a kids menu.  

The Garage also has an amazing assortment of fresh-cut fries!  Regular fries, sweet potato fries, Tijuana fries (fries with grilled jalapenos and onions on top - served w/salsa), garlic/parm fries, and if you want something a little thinner, they also offer house potato chips.  

Okay, so here's how it works:

1) Pick an entrance, there's parking on the street in the front, or a small lot in the back. The front takes you through the bar, the back has you walking through the video games

Front = Bar

Back = Video Games

2) Walk to the center of the restaurant and place your order.  There is a huge chalk board behind the counter that is easy to read, or menus on the counter and at the little waiting sign in line.

3) Take the metal numbered stop sign with you and choose a booth or table (they have regular as well as high-seated tables).  When you get there, you will find a glass Coke bottle.  Put your metal numbered stop sign into the bottle (don't worry, it will actually stand up...I know, physics is crazy stuff!)

4) Relax, take some time to look around at all the hard work they put into the decor, but you won't have to wait long, because the kitchen is pretty fast!  You can also choose to spend your waiting time poppin' quarters into some machines.  The back of the restaurant houses a couple of old-school arcade games (and newer video games as well), pinball machines, and even two skeeball lanes!  I know!  Super fun, right?  

Need to make a call?  No problem!  The Garage has taken a regular old phone booth and "converted" it into a Cellphone Booth so that you can carry on a conversation with some privacy.

You can watch several different sports games as well as older movies all at the same time via the 15+ televisions propped up around the restaurant (minus the cacophony of the sound volume - thank goodness!) The atmosphere is made up of a hodgepodge of collections, such as vintage photos, signage, and even license plates from all over...

This place fulfills all 3 of my requirements for a fantastic dining experience -what I will now refer to as the "BIG 3":  1) great food quality, 2) awesome atmosphere, and most importantly - 3) amazing customer service!  The staff are always helpful and friendly, and they even make sure to triple check your order before it ever gets to your table, to make sure it's done right.  (Yay for a restaurant that implements quality control!)  Love, love, love!!

So, if you haven't been to The Garage in Norman, and you live around here (or are just visiting) you really need to check it out!  It's one of the very very few restaurants I eat at on a weekly basis, because it is consistent in my BIG 3, delicious, and FUN!  So come on in and give it a go!

Catastrophe & Cupcakes

Okay, I have to admit, I am not a big cake fan.  I never really cared for birthday cakes (although the decorating magicians always seemed to amaze me!), but for some unknown reason, I LOVE cupcakes!  Cookies are always better (for me), but I really love cupcakes.  And then, I discovered the sublime world of gourmet cupcakes. "WHAT?" you ask?  Yes, you read it right, gourmet cupcakes.  Now, I realize that this is probably more of a common phrase these days, with the spread of franchised gourmet cupcake businesses all around the USA, but this has been quite a recent revelation to me, so I'm very excited!  Lucky for me, (or if I were on a diet, it may be very unlucky) there is an enchanting shop here in Norman that specializes in gourmet cupcakes - Gigi's Cupcakes.

I do not currently have a picture of the outside of the building because once I pull up to it and smell the freshly baked cupcakes, I can't really think about anything else.  If you have been there, you know.  Now, I can't compare this gourmet cupcake shop to any others because I haven't had the good fortune to try any others, but at this point, I really don't feel the need to in order to be excited about this place!  Check out their summer menu and you can see what I mean:

If you can't see all the deliciously descriptive words, you can go here to see the menu in better detail.  Do you see all of that delectable goodness??  And this is just the Spring/Summer menu.  There is also an upcoming Fall/Winter menu that I cannot wait to sample! Keep up to date with their Facebook page and/or website.

Now here's a funny story: Once upon a time I thought it would be just dandy to get a few cupcakes and bring them to work...on my motorcycle. Well, I have saddle bags, its not like I was just gonna put them on my lap or something, geesh!  I was so very careful.  Making sure the little individual boxes were packed snugly inside the saddlebag as not to move, taking turns with careful finesse, and no sudden breaking.  I did it all, and here were the results once I got them to their destination...

...awww, so pretty. Let's open them!

Oops...Uh, lets try another one...

Oh no...two more to go...

Oh, hey this one is almost perfect!  Let's just use a fork to scoop the toppings on a little better...

Ah ha!  There was one out of four that actually made it intact!  I consider this a win.  Even though the motorcycle trip left these little beauties a bit disheveled, they were delicious nonetheless!  However, this is what the Chocolate Salted Caramel actually looks like when you DON'T take it for a motorcycle ride:

Isn't that pretty?  Hmmm, too bad I didn't pick one up on the way to work this morning, my mouth is watering looking at these pictures.  

Okay, what did we learn today?  

1. That gourmet cupcakes are the best invention ever!
2. That even though these cupcakes are decorated beautifully, they don't have to be in order to taste good.
3. Cupcakes prefer to ride home with you in the car, not on the motorcycle.

Don't forget to check out the "EVENTS" tab at the top to see where my next signing will be!

~Thanks for stopping by!~

Dining Adventures In Kansas City, MO

Ok, so I've had this blog for a few weeks now, but I've been waiting to compose a post.  Why?  Well, I was trying to think of a clever first entry.  A way to start it off with an informative bang!  But I have just had the most amazing week sampling the food in Kansas City, MO, and I realized that I just HAVE to tell you about it!  So, forget the formal or clever introductions (you can check out my bio for that), I'm just gonna get right to it!

So we went up to KCMO this week for an art conference, and our friend who lives up there took us to an amazing place called BRGR Kitchen +Bar.  Okay, this place is technically in Kansas, not Missouri, but it's just across the state line.  Even though it is indeed a self-proclaimed "modern burger joint," BRGR are also the owners initials.  No, really.  The food here was AMAZING!

Once I took a look at the menu, I knew I had to start off with one of their "adult shakes."  I couldn't pass up a chance at the Caramel Kahlua, made with milk, Godiva liqueur, Kahlua, chocolate sauce, caramel, coffee ice cream, and whipped cream.  It was totally worth the $6.50. 

For my entree, I went with the Tex-Az, because a burger that's topped with queso sauce, jalapenos, and whole blue corn chips, on a corn bun cannot really go untasted by this mouth. 

I got this pic off BRGR's site, but this was the burger I ordered

It didn't come with fries or sides, but it was so good, that I didn't even care (which is rare, because I love sides).  However, I did add an order of the BRGR Fries which were shoestring-cut potatoes.  They were good.  Nothing special, but they were hot, fresh, and tasty.  My friend ordered the Truffle Fries, because she said they were "to die for" and she was right.  Fresh cut potatoes, much like the regular BRGR Fries, only they are fried in truffle oil and sprinkled with parsley. OMG!  I had never had truffle fries and these were indeed a delightful treat for my mouth!

All-in-all, if you get anywhere near 4038 W 83rd St. in Prairie Village, Kansas, I suggest you give it a go.  And if you’ve been there before and want to give them a shout out, you can follow their Facebook account here.

The next place we ventured this weekend was in the Westport District at Beer Kitchen.  It is an American Gastropub.  They had a wide selection of brews with very helpful flavor tags, so that I could see the combinations of flavors and proofs of each one.  

Every time I visit any kind of pub, or when I am on vacation, I have a powerful need to order fish & chips.  This was the first time that I’d been to a pub that used cape capensis fish over cod, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.  The fish was impressively light, moist and flakey, fried in a gentle coating of batter made from McCoy’s Landing Light lager. 

I forgot to take a picture myself, but this is it.  This picture was taken by Angela C. Bond.

It came with a small side of fresh slaw and a malt-vinegar aioli, of which I ate neither.  Now my friends LOVED the coleslaw and I’m sure that the aioli would have been an excellent addition to the fish’s flavor, however, I must confess that I am a picky eater and I just don’t like the flavor of anything with mayonnaise, ranch, or mustard base.  Let me make that clear up front.  But even without the veggie and saucy sides, I highly recommend this fish dish!  It also came with a pale of hand-cut and brined fries, which I really enjoyed as well.  If you (for some odd reason) don’t want a brew with your fish & chips, they also offer Boylan’s sugar cane sodas and China Mist teas.  Beer Kitchen is a definite stop, if you are in the Westport district, especially for lunch.

Kansas City Union Station - Photo by Jen Tucker

On Monday, we decided to spend the afternoon at Union Station, which was AMAZING!!  I could go on and on about how much I love the turn-of-the-century era décor, bullet holes in the wall from a Baby Face Nelson shoot-out, and the antiquated ambience with up-to-date amenities, but this is a food blog, so I’ll just talk about the restaurant we went to for lunch. 

We decided to go to the HARVEY'S restaurant that was set inside, and on top of, what used to be the semi-circular ticket booth of Union Station.  Now, if you don’t know anything about the Fred Harvey House chain of restaurants, or the Harvey Girls, you should really go check out the links above…or get a crash course by watching the 1946 Judy Garland movie “The Harvey Girls.”  I did watch the movie a few years ago, and knowing the history of the Fred Harvey Company, only enriched my experience for eating at the restaurant.

Photo by Jen Tucker

Some the menu items were from the original menu and the atmosphere was modern, with old-fashioned period flare and hospitality.  Our waitress was so fun and relaxed, but extremely professional.  She only enhanced the experience.  After looking over the menu, I decided to get the Crispy Pork Tenderloin sandwich, that came with a Boulevard Pale Ale mustard and chipolte horseradish mayonnaise, again, neither condiment went on my sandwich, as requested, (remember, I don’t like mayo or mustard).  When I ordered the sandwich without the sauces the waitress playfully told me that without something to spread on it I was going to choke from the dryness.  I laughed and said I’d probably just use ketchup to dip it in, and she said she was just looking out for me.  I then decided that I could not pass up the oddity of having popcorn-topped soup, so I ordered a cup of the Boulevard Pale Ale & Cheese with popcorn garnish, only available on Monday-Wednesday.  

This photo was borrowed from here, explanation of why below

My food came and it was beautiful!  However, there was no highly-anticipated popcorn garnish on my soup.  The waitress went to the kitchen to find out why I had been robbed of this experience and it turns out, the kitchen was out of popcorn.  Apparently the chef was reprimanded as to why she did not inform the waitress, so that I could be told, but then so was the expediter, for not catching the mistake before it went out.  Even though I was looking forward to having popcorn on my soup, I was excited to try it without.  I expected the cheese soup to have a cheddar flavor, like all the cheese soups I’d had before, but this one had more of a homemade nacho kick to it that was surprising.  It had quite a bite, and I can see why the popcorn garnish was chosen, because it would have been an outstanding combination.  However, alone, the soup was a bit too powerful for my taste, but was still made with very good quality.

The tenderloin was pounded out to a perfect thinness and was very tasty!  My local friend ordered the Cajon Shrimp Po Boy with sweet potato fries.  She said it was fantastic!  The fries came with a dipping sauce of cinnamon-infused marshmellow fluff, of which I sampled and fell in love with!  It was a very good addition to the sweet potato fries and I am going to try and make it someday to dip various other food stuffs in.  My other companion had the Citrus & Chili Rubbed Shrimp Tacos, which came with Southwest cilantro slaw, pico, queso fresco, fresh avocado, roasted corn & black bean Mexican rice, refried beans, and a lime wedge.  She couldn’t stop talking about how perfect the shrimp was cooked and how good all of the flavors were together.  Here is a picture of her plate.

We had all planned on splitting a dessert, but that just wasn’t going to happen after we realized that we couldn’t possibly stretch our stomachs out any more.  There are so many other things I would like to try off of this menu, and I will definitely be doing that the next time I visit Union Station.  There are three key things that make a perfect dining experience for me:  food quality, atmosphere, and most importantly, good service, and Harvey’s at Union Station lived up to my highest standards of all three...even without the popcorn garnish.

Photo borrowed from here, because again, I forgot my camera :/

Lastly, we had dinner at a little Italian eatery called BELLA NAPOLI.  It serves authentic Italian cuisine, at very reasonable prices and has full outdoor table service.  I did not get a chance to sample the pasta or other enticing menu items, but the pizza was very good.  There were so many tantalizing pizza options, but I ultimately went with the Funghi, which was simply just tomato, mushrooms, and mozzarella.  My companion ordered the Alessando pizza, which was topped with tomato, mozzarella, pancetta, and artichokes.  The Bella Napoli pizzas are enough for about 1 to 1.5 servings on a very tasty hand-tossed crust with fresh toppings.  They usually go for $8.99-$10.99, but apparently we went on $5 pizza Monday, YAY!  Bonus! 

I started off with a peach Bellini, because my mom insists that you can’t go to an authentic Italian restaurant without ordering one.  The ones I have had in the past are usually sort of a slushy texture with noticeable peach flavor, but the one I got at Bella Napoli’s was not slushy.  It was poured over ice, and the peach flavor was not really prevalent.  I’m not sure what was all in it, but it tasted more like straight champagne than anything else.  Not the best Bellini I’ve ever had, but the pizza and service were very good.  I am looking forward to sampling the pastas and grilled eggplant appetizer the next time I go, minus the Bellini. 

They also offer a fantastic deli selection of authentic meats and cheeses as well as a full coffee bar, that I would definitely take advantage of, if I lived in Kansas City.  Before we left this time, we finally got the dessert we’d been craving - cannoli!  These cannolis were fantastic and fresh, which is important in any dessert that’s worthwhile.  The shell was crisp and the ricotta filling was laden with chocolate chunks.  It was dusted in powdered sugar, and as a whole, the dessert was not too sweet, but just sweet enough.  The waitress let us know that they were out of the pistachios that were supposed to don the ends of the cannoli, but it was a delicious ending to our meal, nonetheless.  (Running out of toppings seemed to be a theme that day).

Soon I would like to implement some sort of rating system on this blog, but for now, just know that I recommend each of the 4 fantastic restaurants above, if you live around or visit the Kansas City, MO area.  I think it's important to note, that all of these restaurants also had very good vegetarian entrees, so that when you or your vegetarian friends go, no one has to just order off the sides menus to get a full belly.

So there you go, my first (and very lengthy) blog post to OMG, Have You Tasted This?  I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it.