Lunchbox by Bryan Voltaggio

I typically don't do write ups on products/restaurants I have never tried but this one sounds just to “me” not to write about.
A. It was opened by at Top Chef Alumn
B. I love a good sandwich, especially if its under $5!
C. They are rumored to have a fully stocked changing station in the ladies room

Yes, I did say a fully stocked changing room. If this restaurant was in my hood I would be singing its praises on a daily basis. This idea totally takes family friendly dining to a new level. It screams, we don’t just put up with your tiny tot, we welcome you.

The more I read about Lunchbox by Bryan Voltaggio the more I want to take a trip up to Fredrick to give it a try. Its obviously a long trek but the historic area offers lots of fun family friendly activities (and shopping) so it is now on my must do list for the spring/summer. Who wants to join?
http://www.grubgrade.com/2011/12/03/bryan-voltaggios-lunchbox-in-frederick-maryland/

Lunchbox
50 Carroll Creek Way
Fredrick, MD
301-360-0580
Open daily 11:30-6:30

Bubble Pizza

Bubble Pizza- this picture does not do it justice

This recipe comes from my friend Carrie who has shared many delicious treats with me over the years. when she first told me about it I was dairy free and drooling over the pizza. Since then, I have made several versions of this and it always turns out just as yummy. Tonight I made ours with tons of veggies and just a little pepperoni that was cut into chunks for some meaty flavor. This is a super easy meal that is ready in less than an hour.

2 C pizza cheese
½ C parmesan cheese
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 tubs of buttermilk biscuits
“toppings” of choice. I used zucchini, onions, olives, peppers and pepperoni for us tonight.
Italian seasoning
EVOO

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut veggies and saute with ECOO and 1 tbs of italian seasoning until they begin to cook. Remove from heat. Cut biscuits into fourths and mix with pizza sauce, add all toppings. Place the mixture into a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Pull from the oven and cover with the cheese mixture. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and brown on the top.

Serve immediately!

Kate's Herb Roasted Chicken

I like to maximize the most out of my meals. Roasting a chicken is the type of meal that keeps on giving. The first night we enjoy the tasty meal and the next day I either plop the leftovers on a salad, chop it up for a sandwich or make chicken salad. The same night of roasting the chicken I use the carcass in the delicious 703 Mommy and Me crockpot chicken stock recipe. So easy. Follow our delicious stock recipe, turn on the crock pot prior to going to bed and in the morning my stash of stock is ready.

Whole roasting chicken

olive oil

salt and pepper

Package of rosemary and thyme

1 lemon - half quartered and half sliced

1 onion - quartered

Preheat oven to 375. Remove inners from chicken. Place chicken in roasting pan. Coat with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. On top of chicken, gently pry skin from breast. Stuff slices of lemon and half of rosemary and thyme under the skin, evenly distributed on both sides. Stuff in the cavity the lemon quarters, remaining herbs and onion. Cook until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees in the thigh. Chicken ranging from 4-6 lbs can take any where from 2-3.5 hours to cook.

Spicy Apricot Chicken Thighs

Spicy Apricot Chicken with Orzo Salad

I have two missions on my mind right now.
1. Kitchen Clean Out
2. Grilling

The first mission is one of necessity, I do not want to have to pack any extra boxes so I am defrosting, opening cans and popping bottles left and right. While I LOVE using fresh items in my cooking I have found that it is just as important to have a well stocked pantry so this might just take me some time. The second is out of desire... I just can't wait for summer!

Today I tried a dish that rid me of the last of my capers as well as some apricot jam, honey and tons of spices. Not to mention the plethora of lemons I am still trying to work through.

⅓ C lemon juice
⅓ C apricot jam
1 tbs honey
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbs capers
⅓ c cilantro
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

In a large gallon bag mix lemon juice, honey, apricot preserves and spices together. Stir in capers and cilantro. Trim extra fat from the thighs and place them in the bag. Make sure chicken is fully coated with marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours turning occasionally. I actually froze my thighs after refrigerating for 24 hours (due to last min dinner plans) and when I defrosted them for tonight they were delicious. BONUS!

Preheat grill and cook for 4 min on each side or until chicken registers 165 on an thermometer.

The chicken was super tasty. I think I might reserve some of the marinade next time to baste or poor over the chicken but make no mistake, I am definitely making this one again.

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

I found a recipe for poppy seed chicken salad on the food network website and totally couldn’t get it out of my mind. After a week of mulling it over in my head I finally decided to give it a try. The result was a perfect spring salad that boasting sweet but tangy flavors and protein packed meal into one. I switched out the dried fruit for fresh just because I like to use fresh whenever possible. I do however LOVE apricot chicken salad so I am sure it would be delicious the other way too. 

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

1 to 1 ½ lbs cooked chicken (I used the leftovers from a whole bird I roasted off earlier in the week)
1 clementine, tangerine or other small citrus
¼ C mayo
¼ C greek yogurt
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 stalk celery, chopped
¼ C chopped pecans or almonds
Chopped chives, small handfull
1 tbs poppy seeds
fresh ground pepper
½ C chopped strawberries

Mix mayo, yogurt, mustard and zest and juice from the citrus together in a small bowl. Add other ingredients and toss until completely covered. Serve or refrigerate immediately.

Diary Free Oatmeal Pancakes

I love Pancakes and since I have a diary allergy it kills me that I can't eat them out. So I've created this recipe to fill my cravings. You can take out the fruit and the pancakes will still be delicious. My Son devours them and with the fruit you don't even need syrup. I usually freeze the leftovers and feed my Son the rest of the pancakes through out the week. Just heat up the pancakes in a toaster.

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup soy yogurt (if you don't have soy yogurt you can substitute this for almond milk or soy milk)

3/4 cup soy milk or almond milk

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ripe banana

1 cup frozen blueberries

Earth Balance or Vegan Smart Balance spread (Note: Not all Smart Balance spreads are diary free. Be sure to use the vegan spread)

Combine the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the yogurt, milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Combine the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients. Mash the banana with a fork in a small bowl. Combine into mix until banana is evenly distributed. Fold in the frozen blueberries (making sure not to break up. Will prevent blue pancakes). Dab a tsp of the butter substitute on a griddle warmed to medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup amounts on griddle. Flip when bubbles are through out the mix. Cook until center is solid.

Goat Cheese and Chive Egg Salad

Spring has sprung here in DC so I am ready to bust out some of my most favorite spring recipes. Fresh herbs, peas, lettuces, everything that is green and delicate is a must. Since we are getting ready for the big move, I am not planting an early garden this year which leaves me with only a variety of fresh herbs to play with. Chives are a great way to brighten up a meal but I will warn you they spread quickly so if you are planting them in a garden be sure to POT them first and then plant the pot so that they do not over run you. Back to the food...

Goat Cheese and Chive Egg Salad

Egg salad is one of those lunchtime treats that I just adore. It reminds me of Easter and spring and everything else that is of the season. This particular egg salad has an extra touch of spring with our two other main ingredients. 1. Fresh Chives- they are abundant in the garden already 2. Goat Cheese- when we were kids we use to visit our friends who owned a dairy goat farm every spring to feed the baby goats. Now I always associate the creamy milk and cheese with this time of year. This is a super simple way to jazz up your traditional egg salad to make it just a little more fun. 6 hard boiled eggs 4 oz creamy goat cheese 3-4 tbs mayo 2 tsp chopped fresh chives Salt and Pepper to taste If I am making a sandwich I tend to make my egg salad chunkier than if I am making something like tea sandwiches. If you want a chunky salad simply chop the whole eggs and place in a bowl. If you are looking for a finer consistency it works better to remove the egg whites and dice them without the yoke. Mix the yoke, goat cheese and mayo together in a bowl and incorporate the egg whites. Stir in all remaining ingredients and serve!

Noodles and Company Giveaway

Noodles and Co. Exec. Chef 

I love the idea of taking the family out to a fast, healthy dinner while not breaking the bank which is exactly what fast-casual restaurants like Noodles and Co. offer their clientele. So I was super excited when I got the opportunity to meet with representatives (including the Executive Chef) from this awesome chain today. Tessa and Mandy were tons of fun to chat with, and gave me all sorts of helpful hints on how to really get to know my Noodles.

Just a few fantastic facts I learned today
1. Customization- Did you know you can customize any item to order? Want to add a veggie to your kids Macaroni and Cheese? Just order a side and have them mix it right in. Don’t care for carrots in your Japanese Pan Noodles, just ask for extra broccoli. With such a diverse menu to start with this place really is a picky eaters (or parent of said picky eater) dream.
2. Healthy Choices- The menu does range from the delicious, comforting, and calorie ridden Truffle Macaroni and Cheese boasting an impressive 1130 calories for a full size portion all the way down to their 500 calories or less items, including the trim and tasty Med Wrap with only 330.
3. The and CO. - I always thought Noodles was just that, a place to get any number of noodle dishes. I was super excited to see the variety of fresh soups, salads and sandwiches that are also on the menu and I can’t wait to get back there to give a few more a try.
4. No Kids Menu? That is a bold choice but I really enjoyed the philosophy behind it. Embrace the family style eating the same way you would at home. Small portions of the same plates mommy and daddy try are available for a lower cost.
5. Fresh, Seasonal and Local- I was totally impressed with their desire to use the best products available including seasonal and local produce when available. One of my favorite items was the new Fresh Fruit Salad which is a variation of the Very Berry Spinach Salad in an effort to provide a more seasonally driven product. The fuji apples which replace the summer strawberries really worked for me so I will have to see if I like the original version as well.


GIVEAWAY!!!
I had such a great experience today that I am excited to offer one lucky reader two coupons for a free menu item of choice at the chain. To enter you must
1. Like 703 Mommy and Me on Facebook
2. Leave a comment on this post

Contest ends at 8:00 pm Friday, March 23rd. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 24 hours to respond. Prize will be sent by mail.

Lemon Loaf Cake

Lemon Loaf with Blueberries

I seem to have been doing a lot of lemon baking lately. That is probably because I love citrus flavored desserts and partly because both the hubs and I purchased a bag of lemons and I hate letting things go to waste. Since I still have a pint of blueberries frozen in the fridge (from little B’s infamous blueberry strike) I figured I would give a lemon blueberry cake a shot.

I love Barefoot Contessa and this delicious recipe is a slight adaptation of her original which is spectacular as well just a bit too sweet for me. The thing I like about this cake is that it uses yogurt which I always have on hand. It does call for plain but I have found that a flavored one of choice works well too.

1 ½ C All purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 C whole milk yogurt (I used maple flavored yogurt)
1/1/3 C sugar, divided
3 extra large eggs
2 tsp lemon zest (zest of two lemons)
½ tsp Vanilla
½ C vegetable oil
⅓ C plus 1 tbs FRESH lemon juice (it really does make a difference)
2 C frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 C of sugar, eggs, lemon zest, 1 tbs lemon juice and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet and then use a spatula to fold oil into the batter to make sure it is incorporated. Layer the bottom of the pan with the frozen blueberries and pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking cook the remaining lemon juice and sugar in a small sauce pan until all the sugar is dissolved. Set the mixture aside and wait for the cake to finish baking. Pull the cake out of the oven and immediately poke holes all around the cake and pour the lemon syrup mixture over allowing it to seep into the cake. Allow the cake to cool and serve.

Adobo Crusted Pork Chops

We are officially perfect grilling weather. This actually works well for me because we have a decent amount of meat in our freezer that needs to be used up before the big move! That's right, we sold our place and are now looking for some new digs. 

Adobo Cruste Pork Chops

To get back to the food, Friday night we grilled up some delicious free range pork chops that we picked up at the Court House Farmers Market. Along side of the chops I served grilled veggie kabobs and a bag of Trader Joe's brown minute rice with almond slices mixed in. Besides the defrosting process the entire dinner took about 30 minutes to make which enabled little B and I to take the jogging stroller out for the first time in many weeks and still have dinner on the table by 6:30!

2 bone in thick cut pork chops
Adobo Seasoning (I use Frontier Organics version found at WF)
Lime juice
Quick fruit topping
Grapes
Strawberries
½ small shallot
1 tbs EVOO
1 tsp agave
Salt and Pepper

Mixed veggies of choice cut into small pieces (I did peppers, zucchini, onion and tomatoes)
EVOO
1 Lemon, juiced
S&P

Bag of TJs Brown minute rice (ready in 60 seconds!)
¼ c sliced almonds

Cut veggies and toss in EVOO, lemon juice and S&P. Skewer and set aside. Cut up fruit into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Dice shallot and add to the bowl. Mix in EVOO, agave and seasoning. Set aside. (I usually add cilantro but I didnt have any.) Pat the pork chops dry, squeeze lime juice over them and shake enough Adobo seasoning to make a thick crust on the chop, flip and repeat the process. Turn grill on and place skewered veggies on one side and the chops on the other side. Grill on direct HIGH heat for 2 minutes on each side to create a good grill mark. Turn the heat to LOW and cook for 10 more minutes, flipping once.
While you are waiting for the chops to cook throw the rice in the microwave and then mix in some sliced almonds when it is ready.

Graffiato by Mike Isabella: Restaurant Review

Crispy brussel sprouts

I am a total Top Chef junkie. In fact, every season I think I want to put together a top chef bracket and yet I never do. Since we are in the middle of the biggest purchase of our lives (single family home here we come) I didn’t feel like going all out for my birthday this year. Instead we hit up Graffiato for a lovely meal and then took a walk around Chinatown. We considered sticking it out to see the pachyderm parade but since I am old now I decided my bed was much more appealing.

I am really glad we got a chance to check this place out. The food was delicious and just the right amount of quirky for my taste. We had several small plates and the Jersey Shore Pizza (a pizza with fried calamari on top) and I topped my meal off with a draft pour of Prosecco. I then decided that I need to have a Prosecco tap in my next house. My favorite dish by far were the maple brussel sprouts with coriander yogurt and hard boiled egg. I think I could have eaten them for the rest of my life. Along with that we had the flat bread with pepperoni sauce (I had to try the sauce), the hanger steak with crispy polenta and the crispy potato gnocchi. I had never had crispy gnocchi before and I definitely cant wait to try to make it at home.

I left feeling fat, happy and a little bit tipsy so Id say it was a successful dinner. If my lack of pictures says anything its that I enjoyed the food just a little too much. Please enjoy the photo courtesy of The Bethesda Foodie. If you are in the Chinatown area and looking for a fun date night or ladies night out establishment I would definitely recommend giving this place a try. While there were a decent number of children there I am not sure I would really call it “family friendly” so I might say leave the kids at home for this one.

Crockpot Chicken Thighs and Red Sauce

I really like one stop cooking when it comes to the crockpot. And until I get that fancy crockpot where you can brown using the insert, my quest for throw it in the pot and forget it crockpot recipes continues. This recipe was so EASY! And tasty too. This recipe was taken from the Cooking Light Slower Cooker recipe book. All you have to do is boil some noodles 15 minutes before serving and you're done. I've also started buying prepackaged frozen organic chicken thighs from Costco. I put the chicken in the fridge 24 hours before cooking to defrost. The ingredients in this recipe could be items you easily already have in your kitchen cabinet. Next time I prepare this I'm planning on adding some canned mushrooms as well.

12 chicken thighs (approx 3lbs) skinned
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbs minced garlic (recipe calls for bottled, I used raw)
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place chicken into crockpot. Put in remaining ingredients in bowl and stir well. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook at HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook for 4-5 hours.

Grilled Greek Salmon

Broiled Greek Spice Salmon

A couple of months ago I picked up this Greek Seasoning by The Spice Hunter and boy does it rock! I think this might just be my new favorite way to make salmon. So far I have grilled and broiled it and both times it was absolutely delicious and super quick. Cooking time for either method is about 10 minutes which makes this a perfect week night meal.

1 lb salmon (I prefer the wild caught)
Spice Hunter Greek Seasoning
EVOO
Agave
S&P

Pat the piece of salmon dry. Season with Salt and pepper and then shake the Greek Seasoning out to create an herb crust on the top of the fish. Drizzle EVOO and Agave over the herbs to help them crisp up and either broil or grill for 10 min skin side down. Pictured, is the broiled version, accompanied by some broiled asparagus and a quick potato salad with caramelized onions and fresh herbs.

Cupcake Wars: Baked and Wired wins it every time

I know there is a lot of talk about the cupcake wars here in DC. Everyone has their favorites with Georgetown Cupcake always seeming to come up on the top but in my opinion Baked and Wired totally takes the cake! I use to work right down the street from this wonderfully delicious baked good haven... its no wonder that I packed on a couple of extra lbs during my pregnancy... at least the trek was up hill. 

Baked and Wired Strawberry Cupcake

If you love cupcakes and have never checked Baked and Wired out, you should. Not only are their cupcakes super moist and delicious they are also covered from edge to edge with a super sweet butter cream frosting that completely makes the cake. The secret here is their unique cupcake wrapping. The use of parchment paper cup instead of a traditional cupcake holder allows the frosting to thickly arch from edge to edge in a perfect fashion. This is now how I think all cupcakes should come. I love these things so much its just wrong. 
Baked and Wired also serve many other delicious lunch items and baked goods and run a full service coffee bar. It is a quirky shop on Thomas Jefferson St in Georgetown, right next to the canal. So with the week we are having I encourage you to take a trip down to the waterfront and set yourself up with a cupcake picnic and enjoy the weather! 

Lucky for me, two of my besties (you know, the kind of friends who just know you too well) gave this mama a super sweet birthday surprise. I must say I HATE surprises, its that type A, must be in control, planner part of me that just makes me anxious but I absolutely melted over this one. My perfect Sunday afternoon was brought to a close when they showed up with a hand delivered half dozen assorted cupcakes complete with party hats, horns and balloons. Even more exciting was the news that our other dear friend (who called in) is expecting! The whole thing totally made my day and I was shocked that the hubs was able to keep it a complete secret! Thank you ladies for making me feel so special. It was just the pick me up I needed after a long weekend of house hunting.

Braised Rosemary Chicken with Lemons, Raisins and Olives

Braised Chicken and Roasted Squash

Braised Rosemary Chicken with Lemons, Raisins and Olives

Chicken marbela is one of those classic 90s dishes that was made famous by the Silver Palate cookbook. That cookbook was one of the staples in my moms kitchen and therefore I had to give this briny dish a try in my own kitchen. Never being able to leave things alone I decided to do a brick chicken version of this dish substituting a couple of the ingredients for ones I had on hand. In the end i really wish I had not subbed the traditional prunes for the golden raisins, while they were still delicious I think the plumper prunes give the dish a sweeter more rounded out taste. It definitely worked in a pinch but I would totally suggest getting prunes if you are going to try the dish for yourself.

The great thing about this dish is that you can easily double or triple it for large gathering events with little extra effort on your part. Its beautiful and is definitely a crowd pleaser.

⅓ C olives (preferably good green olives)
3-4 lbs of bone in chicken (I used a whole bird which I butterflied)
½ C flour for dredging
2 tbs EVOO
1 C dry white wine
¼ C white vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ C lemon chopped
2 whole cloves
¾ c prunes (I substituted for golden raisins because I was out of prunes)
1 lemon thinly sliced
Fresh rosemary and thyme
S&P

If you are using a whole bird,cut along the top of the breast to butterfly it as demonstrated here. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat EVOO in a large skillet until it shimmers. Brown as many pieces, skin side down, as can fit in the pan without over crowding them. I actually did this step with the entire chicken. Flip the pieces and brown the other side. Repeat with the remaining pieces if they all did not fit in the pan. Set chicken pieces aside and add wine, vinegar, garlic, lemon, red pepper and cloves to the pan stirring to pull up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pan and pour any juices that accumulated on the plate over the chicken. Scatter over the fruit and olives, lemon slices and fresh herbs over the chicken. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Braise at a gentle simmer, basting occasionally and turning the pieces with tongs half way through. Cooking time should be 30-40 min. When you baste chicken make sure the liquid is just simmering and not boiling. If it is boiling, reduce heat. Place chicken on serving plate and cover with foil. Return the sauce to high heat and reduce for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour over chicken before serving.

Wilson Tavern

Mason Jar Bloody- its the good life

Choo Choos also help

Back in the day when this space was Kitty O’Sheas the hubs and I use to go have brunch there and watch English Premier League Soccer. We were bummed when Kitty’s closed down so of course we had to give the new Wilson Tavern a try. The restaurant offers an upscale gastropub style with a decent selection of lunch and brunch menu.

We ordered a mix of both lunch and breakfast items including eggs Benedict, stuffed mac and cheese and burgers. Oh, they also had a quite good Bloody Mary which made my morning.
While the food was tasty, service was a bit on the slow side. The highlight really was how incredibly kid friendly the establishment was. They had a large number of high chairs, all in working order and the servers brought over trains, coloring books and crayons for little B to play with while we waited. It really is the small things that make me happy. Now if we could just get them to bring back the soccer games we would really be in business!

If you are looking for a place for a family friendly brunch, definitely give Wilson Tavern a try.

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

This dish originally started as a pizza that was to die for (thank you again Pupatella) then I saw a recipe with a similar flavor profile in Cooks Illustrated and just knew I had to give it a try. I am so glad I did. The dish was super easy, flavorful and delicious. I love the balance of the bitter veggies against the heat of the pepper. The sausage provides just enough fat to keep the dish satisfying. If you are looking for a lower calorie version try it with turkey sausage. 

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I made this dish a couple of weeks ago and had not gotten around to posting about it. Then just this week I read a healthy eating, healthy kids article by Emeril and found an almost identical recipe using broccoli instead of the rabe which has a lot more of a bite to it. If you have a pickier eater in your house try steaming some extra broccoli on the side and tossing some of the pasta with that instead. All in all I think this dish is awesome and I can't wait to make it again.

1 lb pasta, usually orecchiette is used but I had shells on hand
4 tbs EVOO
1 tbs lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1.5 C chicken stock
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
4 tbs butter, cut into pieces
1 c Parmesan
salt and pepper

The original recipe also calls for anchovy fillets which would bring great flavor to the dish but I just cant stand looking at those little buggers so I always omit them.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tbs EVOO, lemon and 1 tsp garlic and set aside. Boil pasta until al dente, reserve one cup of the cooking water, drain pasta and return to the pot. While pasta is cooking, heat EVOO in a skillet and add sausage and stir until browned and cooked through (2-4) min. Transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to another plate and leave rendered fat in the pan. Add remaining oil, remaining garlic and pepper flakes to the pan stirring often until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Increase the heat to high and add half the broccoli rabe; cook, stirring often for about a minute. Add remaining broccoli rabe and ½ tsp of salt; cook, stiring often, until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes

Lamb and Orange Tagine

Lamb and Orange Tagine

I got a tagine for Christmas... it is months later and I am finally getting to posting about my first trial run but I promise that the post is worth the wait. For those of you who don’t know what a tagine is, its the Moroccan version of a dutch oven or slow cooker. The “hood” or top of the pan is a cone shape and holds moisture in ensuring a super moist and tender bite. I had seen people cook with them before but had never tried it myself so I got really into the research before I gave it a try. I bookmarked several recipes, read up on my Moroccan spices and learned everything I could about how to use this new contraption. The result was awesome, the good thing about this dish is that you can achieve almost the same result in a dutch oven or any other oven safe saute pan with a lid so anyone can give it a try.

2 lbs of boneless lamb
2 tbs EVOO
2 c sliced onion
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp coriander
1 tsp crushed red pepper
¼ tsp ground cardamom
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cinnamon stick
2 c chicken broth
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ c orange segments
½ c golden raisins
3 c whole wheat couscous
¼ c chopped cilantro
2 tbs slivered almonds

Rub a seasoned tagine (or dutch oven) with EVOO and heat. Add lamb and cook for 5 min until browned. Set lamb aside. Heat EVOO and onion over medium-high heat and saute until cooked through. Add ginger through cinnamon stick stirring to combine. Return lamb to pan, stir in broth and salt. Bring to a boil and cover and let it simmer for 1.5 hours stirring occasionally. Uncover and stir frequently for 30 min . Add oranges and raisins genitally stirring to combine, cook for an additional 5 min. Place ½ cup of couscous in each bowl and top with lamb stew. Sprinkle with cilantro and almonds.

Meyer Lemon and Berry Bread Pudding

Meyer Lemon and Blueberry Bread Pudding

Over the weekend we checked out Old Town Ellicot City, MD with friends to celebrate our dear friend Joe’s birthday. I had only been there a couple of times before, and I always forget just how charming it is. The narrow streets are lined with cute boutique type store fronts, antique shops and restaurants to boot. I really do need to get up there sometime when its warm so I can properly explore, but I digress. The best part of the evening, besides the conversation, was my delicious dessert. A blackberry and lemon bread pudding served warm with a scoop of vanilla icecream just hit the spot. Since I couldnt stop thinking about it, I decided to give it a try myself. While the version I ended up was not quite as dense as the original (probably due to my brioche bread choice) it was just as delicious. I had never made bread pudding before but it was so easy that I now feel like I will have to mix this one into my bag of tricks for the next time I have a crusty loaf of day old bread around. After all, I'm all about reduce, reuse, recycle... even when it comes to my food.

This recipe is based loosely on both the dish I had the other evening and an Emeril bread pudding recipe from Food and Wine Magazine.


1 loaf of good bakery bread (I used brioche and would probably use something with more substance next time)
4 eggs
1 C sugar
1 C sour cream (I had it in the house and had no heavy cream. I gave it a try)
Zest of 1 lemon (I used a meyer lemon)
Juice of ½ lemon (I used a meyer lemon)
2 ½ C whole milk
2 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cinnamon
3 tbs butter, melted
1 pint blueberries
1 C frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. In a large bowl beat eggs. Mix sugar and sour cream. Add lemon zest, juice, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Beat until evenly combined. Stir in melted butter.

Cut bread into ½ inch pieces. Add bread to the egg mixture, mix until all the pieces are covered and let it stand for 20 minutes. Stir in berries and pour into the pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 min, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala with Garlic Spinach

I still have yet to find a really wonderful Indian recipe that I am capable of making on a regular basis but this tikka masala has been in the mix for quite some time and I always come back for more. While it is delish, it is missing the depth of the dish that you get from a real restaurant. It really is an Americanized version considering it doesn’t require any real Indian spices, which is great because I hate having to buy specific spices to try out one dish. The dish is made in two parts and I usually do the marinade the night before to make the process quicker when its dinner time.

Marinade
1 C Yogurt
1 half lemon, juiced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut up into bite sized pieces.

Sauce
1 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup coconut milk (you can sub regular whole milk or cream if you prefer)

Step 1: In a large bowl mix ingredients for marinade and stir chicken in making sure that each piece is covered. Refrigerate for a minimum of an hour and up to 24 hours. 

Skewered grilled Chicken

Step 2: Either skewer the chicken pieces and grill or place on a broiler pan and broil for 5-8 min turning once so that the pieces are charred on the outside. In a large sauce pan, saute garlic and jalapeno in the butter for 2 minutes. Add spices, tomato sauce and milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a slow bubble. Allow the sauce to reduce for 10 minutes, (this can be done while you are cooking the chicken) add chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of brown rice and top with a sauteed garlic spinach.

District Taco Restaurant Review

Friday Finds!!

This is one of our all time favorite Arlington cheap eats. My husband looked forward to its opening for weeks. Yes, we were there opening day. Since then, we have patronized this establishment on at least a monthly basis. For those of you who live in Arlington and have not visited District Taco, you are seriously depriving yourself. This food truck turned restaurant has turned a once quiet strip mall on Lee Highway into a true Arlington hot spot for fast, family friendly dining. District Taco offers high quality Mexican that is fast, cheap and family friendly so its no wonder that we are regulars. Serving food made to order with meats cooked slowly to perfection including chicken, two types of pork and two types of beef. Breakfast tacos are also available all day as are an assortment of beers and cane sugar sodas. They offer free Internet, have a host of high chairs and crayons for the kiddies and even offer some kick butt catering.


For Location and Hours Click HERE

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Sorry for the WORST picture ever.

This family classic is totally one of those meals that makes me melt. This crock pot version is simple and packed with veggies for extra flavor and taste. Its the perfect meal for week nights because you can actually chop/prep the food the night before (or over the weekend and freeze) and then just pop it into the pot before you leave the house in the morning. When you are ready for dinner you only have 20 more minutes worth of work for a super hearty and delicious dinner... how much better than that does it get??


1potato chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 C sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 red pepper chopped
3 cups chicken stock
½ C milk
2 tbs butter
¼ C flour
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
1 tsp herbs de provence
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts or thighs cut into chunks
1 package of frozen peas
1 package of prepared biscuits
1 tbs fresh chives


In your crock pot mix potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and mushrooms. In a separate bowl, mix stock, milk, butter, flour and seasonings until they are smooth. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and add chicken on top.
Cover crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours checking to make sure the chicken pieces are cooked through. Add peas and red pepper, cut biscuits into 4ths and drop into the crock pot. Cook on high for 20 min. Spoon into bowls, sprinkle chives and serve.