Land Run Review

Ok, so, my original plan for this post was to talk about some back-to-school food tips & tricks and some recipes, and I still plan on doing that, just not today.  The reason being is that I have no photos of the things I was going to talk about.  However, I have been wanting to introduce you all to a newly opened local restaurant that I tried recently, and am very excited about!  It's called, Land Run Grill & Wine Bar.

This American-style restaurant has a frontier theme, friendly staff, and the most amazing burgers I have ever had in my entire life!  Seriously, that's saying something.  My foodie buddy had mentioned it to me one day and we decided to go check it out.  When we walked in the front door we were greeted warmly and seated in a booth, as requested.  We were going to try the cozy outdoor patio, complete with running misters, but it was a bit toasty that day, so we opted for an inside experience for our first time there.  The ambiance was fun with cowboy decor and rustic light wood paneling and rope accents everywhere.

My lunch companion and I ordered a couple of beers to quench our thirst while we perused the menu. The beer selection was limited, but I realize this place is a "wine bar", it says so in the title, however, neither of us are fond of wine, so we went for the brews and they had something for both our tastes.   As foodies, we decided it was our duty to order an appetizer and dessert with our entrees to get a good scope of what this place had to offer across the board.  A personal preference for me to really assess a restaurant's quality of food and service is to go between lunch and dinner rushes.  I have found that the middle of the afternoon is when you really get to know the truth about an establishment, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Our beverages came out quickly and we asked several questions about the menu items.  

The waitress did not have a lot of knowledge, but she seemed to be very new to the staff.  The questions she couldn't answer, she was very good about finding someone who did know, and that gentleman came over and seemed genuinely happy to give us the information that we needed. 

After some deliberation, we decided to on the Spinach & Artichoke Dip for our starter.  It was served with fresh tortilla chips which were very good and well seasoned.  The dip itself didn't do anything to "wow" us per se, it was average, but we were satisfied with it overall.  

The menu is quite extensive, which I was a bit leery about, as most of the time, when a menu offers too big of a selection, the quality usually suffers.  But the many selections they offered were made by using some of the same ingredients in several different dishes, so it works.  For instance, they have slow-roasted pulled pork on hand for an entree, but then they offer some specialty burgers, baked potatoes, and appetizers that also include a pulled pork element.  There are vegetarian options (not just substitutions) throughout the menu, French bread pizzas, salads, steaks, hot wings (and other chicken items), fish, cold or grilled sandwiches, and a "Buckaroo" menu for the kids.  But I was in the mood for a burger that day, so I looked over that part of the menu the most.  Wow, what a page it was!  There were so many I wanted to try including the "T-Town" which was actually a sausage/hamburger mixture smothered with chili, three different kinds of cheeses, and onions.  The menu said it is served with a fork because "You'll need it!" 

My friend went with the "Riverside" which was a beef burger with whole grilled green chilies, pepper jack cheese, avocado, lettuce and tomato.  He got mac & cheese on the side topped with green chilies and bacon.  I opted for the "Eggsplosion" which was a beef burger with fried egg, bacon, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce, and American cheese.  I had them nix the mayo, tomato, and onion though because I'm picky like that.  I got a side of "Sidewinder Fries" and when we took our first bites, we looked at each other, eyes wide, and full of happy!

The toppings gave us a nice variety of flavors, but we both agreed that these burgers did not need any toppings at all!  They were bursting with flavor all their own, and were juicy and grilled to perfection. I almost wished that I had went with a classic "The Burger" but I can't say I was at all disappointed with the "Eggsplosion" in any way.  And my "Sidewinder Fries"?  OMG!  Crispy and seasoned awesomely on the outside, and perfectly fluffy and soft on the inside.  My counterpart's mac & cheese didn't last long at all.  The buns were nicely toasted and our sides were perfect compliments to our burger choices.  Land Run also offers, sweet potato fries, steamed veggies, fried okra, potato salad, pasta salad, cole slaw baked potatoes, black-eyed peas, chips, and pinto beans, so there's plenty to choose from.  

The dessert menu consists of only two items at this time, so we decided to try one of each.  I chose the "Cast Iron Skillet Cobbler" of which I could get apple or cherry (so I guess there are three desserts, technically).  I chose the apple topped with vanilla ice cream.  The cobbler had just come out of the oven and the ice cream was served on the side. To my delight, it started melting a bit when I heaped it on the hot cobbler - yum!

My friend got the "Aunt June's Root Beer Bread Pudding" and he loved it!  I had a bite of his dessert and I don't like bread pudding in general, it's a texture thing, but it was very tasty indeed.

Prices are on par with other restaurants of this caliber/style.  They also have daily specials to keep your eye on.  If any of you have been there to partake in their wine selection, please let us all know what you thought about their selection in the comments.  All-in-all a fantastic experience: a true Oklahoman atmosphere, happy and friendly staff, fresh hot food, and the most amazing burgers, even at 3 o'clock in the afternoon!  I am so thrilled to not only recommend this place, but to go back many times in the near future.  Maybe next time, I'll try my dining experience on the patio.

Land Run is located on the east side of Norman, OK at 1400 12th Ave. just south of Lindsey. Download their menu here. 

Happy National Burger Day!!!

Culinary Adventures On the Emerald Coast and My Quest For Chippermint Ice Cream

First off, I would like to wish you all a very happy summer!  June is my favorite month, mostly because it's my birthday month because it is the time of year where summer fun and relaxation really get into full swing.  Outdoor swimming, vacation plans, traveling, shorts, garden reaping, birthday presents, and of course cookouts.  Now I know with this kind of introduction you might think I'm going to talk about grilling, but I'm actually going to talk about restaurants in Florida.

I recently went on a family vacation to Ft. Walton and Destin, Florida - otherwise known as The Emerald Coast.

Now I don't know about you, but whenever I get to the ocean, I can't help but crave seafood.  Which is funny to me because I'm not a big seafood lover.  I like some fish pretty well, and I used to love clam strips in my youth, but I'm really picky about the texture of ocean creatures. 

 

For some reason, the very first seafood delight I decided to have for lunch on the beaches of Ft. Walton was calamari. I don't usually order calamari, however, I thought since I was on the ocean it sounded like a great idea.  I was wrong.

We walked down to The Boardwalk and stopped at a cool-looking rustic place called The Crab Trap. The calamari tasted not fresh but frozen and was underwhelmingly seasoned.  It was also overcooked so it had a very rubbery texture which definitely equals a big NO for me, so I passed it on down to my step-dad and brother-in-law to finish off.  However, my nieces did not eat all of their mozzarella cheese sticks and chicken tenders so I filled up on them, and they were oddly enough delicious!  I also ordered a pina colada expecting a tall curvy glass to hold its contents to make me feel like my vacation had really started.  Alas, I received a stubby plastic cup (pictured above) and the pina colada was about the quality that you can get out of a premixed jug.  All-in-all, the Crab Trap was not a good start to my vacation on a culinary level, however, the view from our outdoor upper deck patio was breathtaking. 

For dinner that night, we tried the seafood place right next door to The Crab Trap called Floyd's Shrimp House and OMG!  Yes!  This place knows how to do seafood!  It was so fantastic that I forgot to take pictures!  But please, head on over to their website and check out some of their photos. I got the fried fish basket which included lightly breaded very fresh catch-of-the-day fish bites with seasoned fries and corn on the cob.  I also started out with the blueberry vodka lemonade which was delivered to me in a very sexy souvenir glass, which I have since put homemade peach Bellini's in, so that was a bonus.  Some of the entrees to make it to our table included some beautiful grouper tacos, fresh giant oysters on the half shell, and gorgeous salads.  My mom has an allergy to fish (I know, that would pretty much suck having to eat at all the seafood restaurants a beach has to offer) however, I have something to say about her dish.  Most seafood joints have non-seafood options and generally, they taste like options - as if seafood is their forte so anything else they just don't put as much effort into, but not Floyd's.  My mom ordered their "Cajun Chicken Pasta"  which is blackened chicken breast in a spicy alfredo over fettuccini.  She let me taste hers and I was floored by the layers of flavors that it had.  I wound up having several more bites and she left very very happy with her experience.  They also offer all-you-can-eat shrimp for under $10 and the atmosphere, food quality, and exceptional service make this a must-stop if you ever find yourself on Okaloosa Island!

The next few days took us down to Destin, just up Miracle Strip Parkway to their Harbor Boardwalk. We found this little big gem - McGuire's Irish Pub.

Leave it to my clan to find an Irish pub on a beach.

Now, this isn't just one small building with a restaurant, it is practically an entire block that has several parts that interconnect inside, but also have individual outside access.  These parts include the main pub house, a gift shop, and even a pizza and pasta place next door called Vinnie McGuire's Pizza Pub.  We didn't get a chance to try Vinnie's, but not for lack of want, I only really had 3 days to try and cram in all the culinary goodies the Emerald Coast had to offer.  So, back to McGuire's... the first thing I fell in love with was the ambiance.  The lighting was dim and perfect for a classic pub-like feel and it's walls were lined with wood, stone, and dollar bills.  Yes, I said lined with dollars! There are over one million dollar bills hanging from the ceiling and lining the walls signed by the customers that have dined their over the years.  You can read how this tradition began on their menu found here.  You simply pull out a dollar, sign your John Hancock on it and the date of your patronage, then ask your server for a stapler and pick a spot.  Here is where we tacked our little bit of tradition:

Now, for the food.  I can honestly say that I have never tried a new pub without getting fish and chips.  That is how I generally size up a pub - by the quality of their fish & chips and ale combo. However I saw some items on their menu that I could not pass up.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely sampled the pub's home brewed Irish Red pint from their traditional oak and copper brewery, and enjoyed it, but I also tried a frosty mug of their homemade root beer as well - yum!  But as far as food goes, I started with their famous "Senate Bean Soup".  I have never in my life ordered bean soup off of any menu ever, but this one had a story - and I can never resist a dish with a story.

**Please forgive the quality of my photos of McGuire's, as I said, the lighting was magnificent for a true pub experience, however, not really camera friendly.**

Anyway, back to the story.  Legend has it that this is the exact same recipe of bean soup was served in the United States Senate back in the day for $.18 cents.  McGuire's has been selling this homemade soup for that same price since 1977, and that is how much I paid for it when I went.  However, if that is the only thing you are ordering from the menu, be aware that you will be charged $18.00 for a bowl.  It was so delicious, that I might have considered paying $18 per bowl for it, however, I was much happier paying the 18 cents.

As I mentioned, I couldn't help but forgo my traditional fish & chips when I saw the Irish Pie on the menu.  McGuire's "Irish Steak and Mushroom Pie" is made up of choice tenderloin beef tips with an array of wild mushrooms baked in a flavorful Irish Stout Demi-glaze topped with a homemade puff pastry crust with giant candied carrot slices on the side.  How could I NOT try this???

I wanted to try some of their amazing sounding desserts, but I was so full I could barely walk out of there, and I only got through half of my Irish Pie.  

Speaking of desserts, my sister and I have a tradition when we go to a beach, it's more like a mission where we find a local establishment that makes frozen daiquiris to go and then we do that, we get "adult slushies" to go.  When we went to Hilton Head, SC we had Frosty Frog and if you have been to H.H. and managed to miss this place, it is reason alone to make a trip back...I'm not even kidding.  Okay, so down in Florida on the Harbor Boardwalk we finally found a family-owned daiquiri bar with locations in New Orleans and Destin, Fl. called Jester Mardi Gras Daiquiris.  Their "adult slushy" menu is not near as extensive as Frosty Frog, but it definitely hit the spot!  They have one mix called "The Jester" which is touted as being the most alcoholic frozen daiquiri on Earth.  I had a sample and they weren't kidding!  It's a kiwi strawberry flavor base mixed with 151 dark rum and Everclear, if that gives you any idea about its potency.  I decided ultimately on the "Hurricane" which is cherry fruit punch and 151 dark rum and it was delicious, even at 9 bucks a pop!  And you can get it to go so you can walk around the boardwalk with a bit of extra happiness in your hand on your vacation.

Next up at Destin's Harbor Walk Village was The Fudgery.  When you walk in you are welcomed bombarded by several employees thrusting bite-sized spoonfuls of fudge samples at you.  And believe me, no matter how full you are you will be powerless to resist them.  They make the fudge right there on sight and you can watch and talk to the fudge makers as they work.  And it smells so good in there!  The one guy that was there making the fudge the few times we went had an excellent sense of humor and great showmanship.  You can even buy a warm slice directly off the marble slab.

Oh, there's one more tasty oddity I had the benefit of trying during the weekly Mardi Gras parade on the Harbor Walk my last night there.  It's a brew called "Not Your Father's Root Beer".

It's a 10 point beer bestowed upon us mortals by the Small Town Brewery company out of Chicago. It tastes just like a good old-fashioned root beer with a kick at the end.  It was smooth and sweet, but way too sweet for my taste, so I couldn't drink it all.  However, I'm glad that I got to try it and for anyone who does not want an "adult slushy" you can have your choice of an "adult root beer" instead.

Well, that about sums up my culinary adventures down in Florida's Emerald Coast.  I have one more awesome foodie thing happen to me on my flight back home though, but of course it requires a bit of a back story...

Once upon a time several decades ago when I was a child, my most favorite place in all the world was Baskin Robbins Ice Cream.  My grandparents used to take me there as a treat every weekend and even with all of their 31 flavors, there was only one that I would even consider - Chippermint.  For those who don't speak Baskin Robbin-ese, it's mint chocolate chip.  Sometime in my tweens our Baskin Robbins in Piqua, Ohio closed it's doors and more across the country sadly soon followed. There are still several left, but none that I have found to be easily gotten to for me.  So for years I have been searching for a store-bought mint chocolate chip ice cream manufacturer that could re-produce that perfect Chippermint flavor to no avail.  One time, on a road trip from Ohio to Oklahoma, I was very excited to see several billboards on the interstate for Baskin Robbins ice cream parlors.  We pulled off the highway every time I saw one and was disappointed each time, because when we would get to where the billboard said they were located, each one was shut down, permanently closed for business.  

On that trip we even took a detour down to Silver Dollar City in MO., and found a glorious, fully-functioning Baskin Robbins!  I was so excited!  I flung open the door, patiently waited in line and when I told the lady what I wanted, she made a sad-face and said, "I'm sorry, we're out of Chippermint."

What?  I just drove 900 miles for this!  How can you be out of Chippermint?  It's part of your original 31 flavors!!!!  I didn't say any of that out loud though, I just thanked her and sulked back out to the car.  That was like 8 years ago and I had since halted my quest for Chippermint ice cream, I just couldn't take that kind of disappointment again.

So, on my way back from Florida a couple of weeks ago, I had a layover at an airport I'd never been in - Love Field, TX.  I was wandering around looking for a place to get some lunch between flights, and suddenly, the heavens parted and light shown down upon my Holy Grail...

I stood there staring at it for several minutes, my mouth was surely agape.  But I had been fooled once or more and I knew I had to walk in to see before I got my hopes up.  There it was! Chippermint!!  My old friend, where oh where have you been all these years?  I basically threw my money at the girl behind the counter before she even got it dipped.  And then suddenly, there it was, in my hand in all it's unnaturally blue-green glory.  My quest fulfilled and my vacation complete.

Happy June, Everyone!!!!

May The Fourth Be With You

Well, today's the day.  No...THE Day.  Of course I'm talking about May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day!

Why is May the 4th called Star Wars Day?  Because it's punny.  Get it?  If you want to know more about this sacred pun day in Star Wars history, get it right from the source at StarWars.com.

For me, celebrating Star Wars Day is really a weekend-long extravaganza.  It consists primarily of wearing Star Wars shirts/accessories, watching all of the movies (in original order most of the time, but sometimes I change it up to chronological order), and of course, making Star Wars themed foods.

Even though most of the goodies I make for this celebration are finger foods, I'm still going to break them up into categories of Appetizers, Main Courses, and Desserts.

The Apps:

This first one is simple.  I call it - Sarlacc Dip.

Open up a container of your favorite hummus (here I used Cedar's brand Roasted Red Pepper).  Then stick some Hot Veggie Stix haphazardly around the edge of the dip, to represent the Sarlacc's many threatening tentacles and some tortilla bits inside to show what big teeth it has.  Done.  See, that was easy.

The next thing on the appetizer menu was originally called Yoda Bites, however, they didn't turn out to look anything like the Jedi Master, so I changed it to just Random Alien Bites.  Here's a pic after prep, before being baked, and the other one is after baked.  See what I mean?

These are buttery crescents wrapped around a delicious filling made from spinach, cream cheese, and some savory flavors.  You can also do a variation of non-spinach ones with different kinds of cheeses (including parmesan) and some garlic.  As you can tell, the ears just weren't long enough to warrant a title dedicated to Yoda, and honestly, they look kind of creepy, so Random Alien Bites it it!  Even though these may not be pretty, they are super tasty and gone before the middle of the first movie.  So, if you would like to give them a go, I recommend this recipe by Di Jinx for a quick and easy, yet delectable dish, found here.  Then shape them however you want or can.

Okay, on to the main courses...

The Main Attraction:

The theme of the main course items is all about Han Solo, but mostly, it's about his ship.  One of the most iconic ships in the Star Wars universe is the Millennium Falcon.  See here, I made some pizzas.

I used some packaged crust to make the dough.  Then I was going to use one of the awesome Star Wars sandwich cutters sold exclusively by Williams-Sonoma, many lightyears ago.  They are no longer carried by the company, however, you can still find some floating around the internet if you get the hankering to get your own.  However, I didn't feel like the personal pizzas would be quite big enough.  Luckily I had another option in my geek collection at my disposal.  Williams-Sonoma also (still) makes the Star Wars pancake molds that I decided to use for shaping my pizza dough and they worked very well.  

Just roll out the dough as thick or thin as you like, throw on your favorite pizza toppings, and bake according to package instructions - or until it looks done.  Ta-da, Millennium Falcon Personal Pizzas!

Next up, we've got our Mexican-style hot pocket, the Corellian Quesadilla.  What does this have to do with the Millennium Falcon?  Well, Han's famous ship was made by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, one of the 3 largest starship manufacturers in the galaxy.  But that's enough for the history lesson, let's see what kind of tasty treat this entity helped to inspire. 

I actually should call them Imperial Star Destroyer-dillas, because they look like those warships, but it just doesn't sound as catchy...or does it? Some of these pics are a bit dark, so here's a different shot - not near as fun though.

You can find the recipe for these on a previous blog post here.  Just scroll down the page until you get to the entry for Chicken Quesadillas and you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to make these babies, just minus the cool Star Wars name.

The Final Chapter:

For dessert, why not make some Thermal Detonators?  Now I made these for Star Wars Day before, but it was the Oreo truffle kind.  You can see that blog post here.  But here's a different kind of truffle you can do to mix it up.  It's a brownie-based center with salted caramel goodness drizzled on top and melted throughout. 

Salted Caramel

Oreo

Just get a box (or 2 bags) of brownie mix, whichever brand takes your fancy, and whip them up according to the instructions given.  Before putting them into the oven, unwrap about 16 caramels.  I used Milk Maid, but any kind will do.  Place caramels into batter in the pan evenly spaced and bake according to package instructions.  When they are about half way done, run a butter knife up and down the rows to marble the melty caramel throughout the batter.  When done, remove from oven and let cool completely or until you can handle them safely.  You can use an ice cream scoop for the next part or clean hands, or both.  Scoop out brownies and form into balls then place onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for about an hour.  In the meantime, melt about 2-1/2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave.  If the chocolate is really thick after melting, add a tiny bit of vegetable oil to thin it out.  DO NOT add milk or cream or you will have a big mess - trust me!  Ok, next, pull the brownie balls out of the fridge and dip them in the chocolate until covered and return to wax paper.  Heat up a couple of tbls. of caramel sauce, put it into a plastic baggy, snip the tip, and drizzle the caramel back and forth over the truffle balls.  Then set your course salt grinder to the biggest setting and grind it over the caramel-drizzled-chocolate-covered-brownies.  Refrigerate for another 30 minutes and viola!

So there you have it folks, another Star Wars themed entry in homage to May The Fourth.  Oh, that reminds me, I bought this game last year, because I like tabletop gaming, however, after reading through the instructions and watching the numerous YouTube video instructions provided by the company that made it, I'm still at a loss for how to play.  It just seems too confusing compared to other card games I've played.  So, if you have any tips, I'm all ears.

Happy Star Wars Day, Everyone!  And May The Fourth Be With You!

Where The Heck Have I Been? ~or~ Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Whew!  A lot has happened in the last couple of months.  The Ohio State Buckeyes earned yet another National Championship, I had to replace my home Wi-Fi router, and planted my garden on time this year so maybe something will actually grow.  

But first and foremost, I want to wish you all a very happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yes, I have been away for a while, but I hope you will forgive my absence as I have been a very busy girl as of late...more so than usual.  I've been thinking about re-vamping this site to encompass all of my creative endeavors, and that is still something that I am working on, but I can't wait anymore and I felt like I really needed to post here now instead of waiting until I finish mapping out my all-encompassing future blog.

What have I been doing?  Well, I have been teaching college first-year English composition this semester on top of doing my 40 hour per week IT job.  I've been slowly chipping away at some other writing projects in my "spare" time and still cranking out articles for Boyd Street Magazine.  Even though I've had my hands full, I am certainly NOT complaining.  I have learned so much in my adventures as of late.  For instance, I've learned that I love teaching, (especially on the college level) almost as much as I love writing.  I'd never thought about being a professor before or teaching anything for that matter, but after getting a taste of it, I can't imagine not doing it.

Don't worry, as busy as my life has been lately, I still find time to cook at least 3-4 times a week.  Not just because I have to eat, but because cooking is a creative outlet for me.  When I don't carve out some time to do that, I get a little grumpy...okay, a lot grumpy.  I've also baked and made sweets and completely stopped working out, so all is well.  I also discovered that apparently I have cookie cutters for every holiday.  So I made Valentine's gingerbread cookies and shamrock gingerbread cookies in the last couple of months.  Basically I just feel like I need to have a reason/excuse to make gingerbread cookies because I love them.

I've also been running a bed & breakfast for the last few weeks.  Okay, well not really an actual B&B, but I have been entertaining different friends from different states at different times who have "made reservations" to stay at my house.  This makes me very happy because I feel like people are comfortable in my home.  I've hosted many gatherings, cookouts, watch parties, game nights, etc. by invitation, but to have those I care about contact me and ask to stay over and have me cook for them makes me feel very warm and fuzzy inside.  A dream of mine is to be a full-time writer who owns a cozy bed & breakfast somewhere in New England where I live and write and cook and care for others who flow in and out of my home on their personal journeys.  Seriously, I wouldn't want for anything if that was the rest of my life.

This is not the epic post that I wanted to do after such a long hiatus, however, I did not want to wait any longer.  I have also decided that I can't stay away, so I will be posting my usual restaurant/product reviews and recipes, as well as current project updates, and some personal tidbits here while I'm deciding on the details about rebuilding this site.  Thank you so much for checking in regularly, and know that I will be posting regularly once again.

So, toast this day with your green beers and shamrock gingerbread cookies, because they are tradition...apparently and have yourself a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!

The Bucks vs. The Ducks In 2015 Championship, A.K.A. The "O" Bowl

Okay, first thing's first - HAPPY 2015, EVERYONE!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and that this will be your best year ever!  And now the second thing...

OMG, did you catch the Sugar Bowl tonight?  Wow!  Just, wow!  After an arduous back and forth of wondering who would win, The Ohio State Buckeyes (#4) took the playoff semifinals out from under the #1 ranked Alabama team...and with the Bucks' 3rd-string quarterback heading up the pack, at that!  Can you imagine having that kind of pressure?  Cardale held his own though, and led the Buckeyes to victory, 42-35.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire game, doing the usual fan stuff: making sure I was all geared up with as much Buckeye clothing as I could wear without walking around like Randy from A Christmas Story, making sure my dog was wearing her OSU collar, forgetting my hat, remembering my hat when we were losing, yelling at the TV, and alternating between salty and sweet snacks that I seriously didn't need, but couldn't avoid because I was so nervous! (and they were really really tasty)  

Most of the sports predictions were looking at The Tide to win it easily.  After losing our first and second-string quarterbacks to injuries, and Cardale Jones having only one starting appearance this season, (a game which he won, btw) I admit, I didn't go into watching this game with as much confidence as I usually do. But I'm a Buckeye fangirl through and through and I still had faith that they could totally win it.  I was definitely biting my nails though that first quarter...and the second...and frankly, the entire game!  OSU was seen by most of the sports world as the underdogs for this game, but I never listen to the statistics/numbers/odds, because Ohio State plays with heart, ambition, passion, and pride, and those aren't things that can be quantified.  

I am so thrilled that my Bucks came out on top! Whew, that was an intense game! I'm just now feeling like it's okay to breathe.  OSU fought hard and made some amazing plays, (Elliott was especially awesome!) and now they are going to the Championship game to play head-to-head with Oregon next week!  I am so proud and thankful to be even just a tiny part of the Buckeye fandom.

So don't miss the BIG GAME next Monday, January 12th when the Bucks meet the Ducks in a battle for the title to be the number one team of 2015!  

**Fun fact:  This championship game is being dubbed as "The 'O' Bowl" (Ohio vs. Oregon).

Happy Tailgating!  And Gooooooo BUCKS!!!

Quick Cookies During Crazy Holidays!

Tis the season for baking cookies!  Aaaannnd about a billion other things that you have to get done before the Big Day.  There's shopping, list making, decorating, and last minute hoopla, all on top of your regular daily hustle and bustle.  So who's got time for baking?  Don't worry, this blog post is going to be all about baking creative goodies in a way that you can be efficient, have fun, and have something in time to bring to the Holiday office party.

This is usually my time of all day/night crazy baking.  And even though I greatly enjoy my holiday baking extravaganza, I just didn't have the time and energy I usually do to do it this year.  But I wanted to bring something fresh and new to the office, and most importantly, I needed to take some time out of my busy schedule for something that makes me happy.  So how did I reconcile this conundrum?  I theorized about this for a week or so, and decided to create one simple base batter and make several different types of cookies from it.  I only made 4 types this time, but the combinations are vast for any number of cookie concoctions you want to toy with.

There are 3 types pictured here, but the cookie dough base is just a basic sugar cookie, which you can count as a type all on its own.  From left to right, we have Butter Brickle, Andes Mint, and Candy Cane cookies.  Here's what you'll need to make them:

I have always made my own sugar cookies from scratch, but like I said, sometimes you need a shortcut, and this time I took it.  Betty Crocker makes a pretty good simple sugar cookie bag mix, and it's really quick and easy, but of course any sugar cookie mix will do.  So for the base dough, follow the instructions on the back of the cookie mix.  I just used one bag of "snack size" mix for each cookie type I wanted to make.  The package says it makes 1 dozen cookies, but I got anywhere from 14-16 cookies out of each bag.  All of these cookies bake at 375, so go ahead and preheat the oven.

Butter Brickle Cookies:

Follow the bag instructions for making up the batter then add the following:

1/4 cup of Heath English Toffee Bits

1/4 cup of  Kraft Caramel Bits

Lightly grease the cookie sheet with cooking spray for these.  The package says "ungreased," but you will need it because the toffee and caramel bits will stick if you don't.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 13-14 minutes or until edges are golden.  Let the cookies stand for a couple of minutes then tranfer to a wire rack or large piece of wax paper to let them cool the rest of the way.  Although, you really should shove a couple in your mouth while they are still warm and gooey because, OMG!

I forgot to add these to the "what you'll need" picture

Andes Mint Cookies:

Follow the bag instructions for making up the batter.  Here are the extra ingredients you'll need:

1/4 cup of Andes Mint Baking Chips (melted)
Extra Andes chips for topping (UNmelted)

Microwave the chips in a cup in 20 second intervals, stirring between each one, until completely melted.  Pour onto dough and quickly knead it together with your hands.  The mint chocolate will want to set up pretty fast, so I found that using my hands was fast and efficient, plus left a marbled-like pattern in the dough, which was pretty cool!  Bake for about 10-11minutes, and when they are almost done, pull the tray out and scatter a few bits of Andes on top of each cookie.  Put them back in the oven for one more minute, then remove, let stand for a couple of minutes, and transfer to the rack or wax paper to cool.  

Ok, while those are cooking, let's move on to the last batch!

Candy Cane Cookies:

Follow the bag instructions for making up the batter.  Here are the extra ingredients you'll need:

1/4 cup of Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips 

2 candy canes for topping (crushed)

Add the peppermint chips to the batter and stir until everything is mixed evenly. Bake at 375 for about 10-11 minutes.  Pull the cookies out and top with crushed candy canes and bake for another minute.  Let stand for a couple of minutes and transfer to rack or wax paper to cool.

Whether you divvy them up in decorative bags or festive containers to give to others as gifts, be sure to enjoy a few yourself as a reward for all your hard work this Holiday Season.  Enjoy your cookie break with a cup of hot coffee, or better yet, a cup of warm cocoa.  Sit down, slow down, and enjoy yourself and reflect what the season brings/means to you.  

Gobble Gobble Gravy Day

It is that time again folks!  Time for Turkey Day - otherwise known as Thanksgiving!  Traditional Thanksgiving food is my absolute favorite holiday meal. There are a few must-haves for me, and then some extra traditions that I've grown very fond of.

First off, I know people who have ham or other meats (and some non-meat entrees) for their Thanksgiving meal, but this girl MUST have turkey.  If there's no turkey, to me, it just isn't Thanksgiving.  

Second, is the mashed potatoes and gravy.  Now here's where things get seriously diversified based on the region of America you are in.  Since I'm originally a yankee from Ohio, I was raised on "yellow gravy," which is nothing more than chicken or turkey broth, (and there better be a lot of it) that is brought to a boil.  While that's happening, you put a few fork-fulls of corn starch in a measuring cup then add evaporated milk to it, stirring until smooth.  When the broth is at a rolling boil, you pour in the corn starch mixture, continuously stirring the broth.  The corn starch makes the broth thicken, then you add some seasoned salt, seasoned pepper, and a couple of drops of yellow food coloring (at least that's what my grandma and mom do), and you got yourself some Thanksgiving gravy.

However, when I moved to Oklahoma, I got an entirely new experience with what is called giblet gravy.  I haven't made it yet, but it's a broth-based gravy as well, only it has poultry parts in it and pieces of diced hard-boiled egg.  Not to mention, this gravy is apparently used in reserve, meaning -- the Ohio gravy I was raised on is cooked in a very large pot, and is consumed in large quantities, so you can fill the potato well AND drown all the rest of your food with a couple of ladles of creamy yellow gravy.  In contrast, the customary giblet gravy portion seems more like a flavorful gravy suggestion.  I admit that the giblet gravy not only freaked me out when I first tried it, but I was also disappointed that I was not having my traditional slathered feast.  I realized that gravy was more important to my traditional Thanksgiving meal than I had thought.  That being said, over the years I have grown to appreciate and even enjoy southern giblet gravy.  Thanksgiving at my dad's though, is generally gravy deficient. We've developed a tradition where instead of gravy, we have chicken and noodles as our mashed potato topper!  I know, it might sound weird, but we love it.

If there's any turkey left (don't worry, you can always make more yellow gravy), there's all kinds of stuff you can do with the leftovers - but that's another post.

Now, here's where most people would say the stuffing was an imperative part of the Thanksgiving feast.  Up until last year, I would not have been one of those people.  Believe it or not, I spent my life passing the stuffing on to the next person at the table.  Why?  Well, as a kid I hated onions, so I was not about to go anywhere near stuffing.  Then over the years I eventually came to love onions, but I still have a texture issue with their crunch, not that that has anything to do with stuffing, I'm just carrying on.  So I spent the next few years thinking about trying tiny bites here and there, and then a couple of times I actually did, but the couple of ones I tried were either too soggy, or too salty.  Then a miracle happened last year at Christmas dinner (which happened to be the same meal as Thanksgiving - I know lucky me, right?) and I tried some stuffing that I hadn't had before.  OMG!  It was soooo good!  I finally understood what everyone's deal with stuffing was!  And then, I heated up the leftovers, which were a little dry, but that's ok, because I found a good use for the giblet gravy ;)

Ok, then next is green beans, whole cranberry sauce, dinner rolls with lots of butter, and candied yams - none of which I will put above the other, because this whole meal goes together so perfectly! It is the sum of its parts.

My mom always makes her AMAZING pecan pie, and pumpkin pies as well.  If you love fall as much as I do, I'm sure you and your family have been eating pumpkin everything since like September.  When it stopped being a bazillion degrees outside and I could use my oven in good conscience again, the first thing I baked were a couple of pumpkin pies.  Even though I am all about the traditional Thanksgiving goodies, I have also just about reached my pumpkin pie quota by the end of November.  But I still like that pumpkin-ness for the feast, so I figured out something a little different.  I'm just going to leave this here for you.  I hope you enjoy!

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese – softened

1 cup pumpkin (about half a can)

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon (plus some for dusting)

1 graham cracker crust pie shell

Whipped cream for topping (recipe found here)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, stir the softened cream cheese until it is smooth (no lumps).  Add in the pumpkin and vanilla and stir until it is smooth and creamy.  Blend in the brown sugar and spices.  Transfer mixture into the graham cracker pie shell and smooth off the top.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer for about 2-3 hours or when pie is nearly frozen.  Pull it out, decorate with dollops of whipped cream and dust with cinnamon.  Slice and serve immediately.