This afternoon we all decided to head downtown to St. George Street to grab some lunch at Pizzalley’s. Naturally, I got a slice of the Meat Lovers which had Canadian bacon, sausage, and pepperoni! Outside of Pizzalley’s they hand out samples which definitely draws in the crowds… it’s delicious and the crust is to die for. No wonder it was voted #1 pizza in St. Augustine!

After lunch we headed into Hot Stuff Mon to find some more Tobago Keys Peruvian Gold Grilling Sauce. Melis’ brother, Mark, had the genius idea of using the sauce on sandwiches for lunch the past few days and we ran out so we went to restock. This sauce is SO good. There’s a definite bite to it and also has a nice touch of sweet. Yum, yum, YUM.

Hot Stuff Mon is a family owned retail shop stalked full with spicy sauces, salsas, pickles, marinades, and anything heat related etc. It’s a decent sized space and every corner, wall, nook and cranny has something delicious sounding and HOT. Growing up I was never really into spicy things but it’s definitely grown on me. You just have to turn down wayyyyy too much good food if you can’t handle the heat… which is 100% lame to do.

We met the owner, Chanel, like the perfume , who greeted us with a smile. She chatted with us all about the Datil pepper, which is an extremely hot pepper that is a little sweeter and fruiter than habaneros, but is mostly cultivated in St. Augustine. For anyone visiting this part of Florida, it’s a great gift to bring back!

Some scenes from the shop:

While we were talking to Chanel I made sure to ask if customers were able to purchase goods from their website since I won’t be able to just swing by to refill whenever I want. They’re in the process of adding all of the products sold in store to their site (such as the Tobago Keys sauces), but there is still a very nice selection and also a great selection of the Datil pepper sauces. When I think of good gift baskets (which I think about more often than the average person, I think), I picture them overflowing with goodies from a store like this!

Hot Stuff Mon (along with Pizzalley’s!) are a must if you visit St. Augustine.

Hot Stuff Mon
34 1/2 Treasury Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
904.824.4944

More to come from the Sunshine State soon!

[Chels]

The other day, I decided to make chipotle cheddar biscuits because they sounded grand and I spotted them on Serious Eats, which is one of my all-time favorite food websites (Go check it out, but don’t get so sucked in your stop reading this!). I couldn’t get any chipotle powder, so I bought some chipotles in adobo and used those instead. Excellent substitution if I do say so myself.

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits (makes 15-20):

• 2 1/3 C all-purpose flour
• 1 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T chipotle powder (or 3 chipotle peppers like I used)
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 t cream of tartar
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 C grated and tightly packed sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 C buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• Kosher salt for topping

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pepper, chipotle powder (or chipotle peppers), sugar, making powder, cream of tartar, and salt.

Whisk until it’s all nice and blended.

Add the butter and work it into the dough using your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Or your new pastry bender like I did! I love this thing. Though I’m totally not opposed to using my hands.

The mixture should look like coarse sand.

Add the cheese and stir it to incorporate into the dough.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Then add it to the flour mixture and stir it until just incorporated. It’s important not to overmix.

Now, scoop about 1/4 C of the dough with a measuring cup or a small ice cream scoop. I used one of my biscuit cutters, but it definitely wasn’t necessary. In fact, the dough was so wet and gooey, it would have been easier just to scoop it. Buuut I’m pretty obsessed with my biscuit cutters and live for opportunities to use them!

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, about 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle the biscuits with kosher salt. And bake them at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, making sure to rotate the pan about halfway through.

They should be a beautiful golden brown.

Oops, mine were a little too close together. But no matter; they split apart quite nicely.

The biscuits were a bit flat, but that’s just the way I like them.

And then I realized that I was so into my biscuit making, I neglected to think about the rest of dinner. Uhhh biscuits alone can’t be dinner (Well, technically THEY CAN BE. And have been before. Shhh. But I figured some protein might be good too).

So I just cooked up some eggs and bacon to have breakfast for dinner!

Really you should serve this with some veggies too (carrots and celery here) or a side salad. Or even some fruit. You know, for the vitamins and all that.

This biscuits were nearly perfect. Not overly spicy but with a little kick and whole lot of flavor. I love that toasted cheese that got a bit browned. Best ever. They were also amazing next day warmed up a bit with a nice pat of butter.

Halfway through my meal, I realized I should have made a biscuit/egg sandwich out of this.

I also realized it would have been even more awesome if I had put bacon in the biscuits. Yes? But I’m sure I’ll have plenty more time for making biscuits of all kinds. And that makes me really, incredibly happy.

Sometimes it’s the small things in life.

But if you’re one of those few who’s thinking, “this is not a proper dinner!” tomorrow is Saturday. Make someone happy with breakfast in bed

[Sues]

These are some of my favorite solutions for easy and comfortable traveling.

Nalgene Leakproof Bottles ($.79-$3.99) and Jars ($1.49-$1.99)

These bottles and jars can be found at The Container Store, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are absolutely leak proof. Before I found these precious BPA free containers, I used to hate, hate, hate when I’d get arrive at my final destination only to find a liquid had exploded in my cosmetic bag or luggage. Not only was it a waste of product but it made an absolute mess.

When it comes to these Nalgene bottles and jars, I made sure to buy them in sizes under 3 ounces which takes away some of the hassle when flying. I just squeeze my hair products, lotions, face creams, and other liquid beauty products into the containers, put them in a ziplock bag, and I’m good to go through security. And for the price, you can’t help but stock up on them!

Baggallini Curling Iron and Flat Iron Cover $14.99 at the Container Store

One of my other favorite travel necessities is my flat iron bag. Ladies (or gentlemen who like their hair to be fancy, too?), how many times have you forgotten to pack your flat iron or curling iron because you were waiting for it to cool down before you put it in your luggage? Never? Oh, well it used to happen to me quite a bit until I bought this bag which allows you to pack your styling tools while they’re still hot. No more waiting and forgetting… or in my case, forgetting and “having” to buy a new one on vacation. The things we do to look lovely, huh? :/

Sample sized perfume

While the 3 ounce rules at the airport are in place to keep us all safe, they have been known to cause quite a headache when you realize you just can’t bring certain things with you on vacation. I’ve found, instead of huffing and complaining, just try to find alternative solutions to make your vacation run as smooth as possible with the same “comforts” from your everyday life. I love the perfume that I wear at home but it’s way over 3 ounces and it’s in a glass bottle, so I really wouldn’t want to risk it breaking in transit. It smells delightful but I wouldn’t want to soil my vacay clothes with it

My solution? Sample sized perfume. My current sample is Lola by Marc Jacobs. These are great because not only can you test drive a new scent that you’ve been curious about, but they pass the 3 ounce rule at the airport, they’re easy to toss in your purse or luggage, and you can still smell sweet and lovely on vacation. And if you use it sparingly it lasts quite some time!

So the next time you’re browsing around a department store and get handed a perfume sample, instead of being all “Ugggggh, this beauty saleslady is sooo annoying for giving me FREE perfume, what could possibly be wrong with her“… put a smile on your face, say “thank you”, and take it

Fresh Wave, All Natural Neutralizing Spray 2.oz, $2.99 at the Container Store

I’m going to sound like a crazy. And it won’t be the first (or last) time. The stale air in some hotels kind of makes me feel gross. I live for fresh air and the smell of spaces that feel like the windows have been opened for hours and the light breeze has trickled in. And let’s be honest, some hotels can smell like the windows have been closed since 1927… zero ventilati[Con. So I purchased this spray a while ago at The Container Store (of course) and it really does neutralize the air and just give it a cleaner smell. Best part, it's all natural, non toxic, biodegradable, and the smaller size is under 3 ounces which means the lovely people of TSA can't take it from you

(image: www.containerstore.com)

Question for you: What are some of your favorite tips and solutions for hassle free travel? Any products you just can't live without when hitting the road?

[Chels]

Gorgonzola Filled Meatballs with Creamy Tomato Gravy (Serves 4)

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 handfuls parmesan, grated
• 2 handfuls plain bread crumbs
• 3 T sage leaves, finally chopped
• 4 oz. gorgonzola
• 1 T butter
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 C chicken stock
• 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 C cream

I chopped all my veggies to start. I find if you do all this tedious work in the beginning, cooking is SO much easier. Then you just have to throw everything together without stopping for more chopping. Of course, I used my Chef’n VeggieChop for the onions and my GarlicZoom for the garlic, which also made things easier. I’m totally shamless about plugging them, I know. But I’m sort of hoping they offer me a job and/or offer to stock my whole kitchen full of Chef’n.

The original recipe called for beef and veal, but I chose to use all ground beef, though I’m sure the addition of veal would have been fabulous.

Place the meat in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper and add in garlic, eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs, and sage.

Mix it all together.

Roll into large balls- I got 9. But obviously if you make them smaller you’ll get more; bigger you’ll get fewer.

Coat the meatballs with extra-virgin olive oil.

Use a wooden spoon to make an indentation halfway into the meatball and fill the cavity with gorgonzola cheese. The original recipe called for an insane amount of cheese to be added (8 ounces!), but I thought 4 was more than enough. Fill them with as much cheese as you want though, but remember gorgonzola can be a bit strong and you don’t want to completely overpower the meatball.

Pop these in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until they’re golden brown and cooked through.

In the meantime, you can get started on the creamy tomato gravy/sauce. Heat 1 T extra virgin olive oil and butter in medium saucepan over medium heat and add bay leave and onion. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and heat through. Then stir in the cream, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken slightly. In my attempts to be healthier, I used light cream (what? I wasn’t feeling guilty about using 2 lbs. of ground beef and gorgonzola cheese or anything. And light cream made everything better, right?). So, my sauce probably didn’t thicken as much as it should have, but I still liked it.

Take your meatballs out of the oven and marvel over how delicious they look!

All thoughts of unhealthiness left my head when I saw/smelled these. SO worth it.

Ladle some sauce into a bowl and top with a meatball. I sprinkled a little more parmesan cheese on top BECAUSE IT NEEDED MORE CHEESE! No?

I briefly considered serving with pasta. But then settled on spinach instead. Go me!

These were simply amazing. I could have eaten all 9 at once, but instead they made for some really fabulous leftovers. Lunch, dinner, if my dad was here he would have eaten them for breakfast (he eats EVERYTHING for breakfast!).

I will definitely be making these again and also feel like they’d be an awesome party food. I’d probably make them a little smaller for a party, but for personal consumption (?!) they were the perfect size.

Come to think of it, you can really fill meatballs with absolutely anything. But gorgonzola cheese is probably your best bet. Trust me on this one.

[Sues]

Quinoa, Lentil, and Feta Salad (serves 4):

• 1 C quinoa
• 1 t olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 T tarragon
• 2 C lentils
• 1/2 cucumber, lightly peeled and diced
• 1 C feta cheese, crumbled
• 6 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 T red wine vinegar

Cook the quinoa as directed and then set it aside to cool.

Cook your lentils as directed as well, and let those cool.

Heat olive oil in a small pan and cook the shallot for a few minutes until it’s softened. Then add the tarragon to the pan, stir it well, and remove from heat.

Chop up your scallions and cucumber.

Now, just mix everything together! Also, mix in feta, orange zest and juice and vinegar. Stir well and keep chilled.

The salad was super refreshing and actually a little bit spring-like. But since the temperature in Boston is getting up to the 60s today (omg 60s!!!), it’s quite appropriate. I absolutely love this time of year. It’s still March, but you never really know what the weather will be from day to day. It COULD snow, but it also could be beautiful and sunny and in the 60s!

Too bad I’m stuck inside working all day. But at least this salad is chilling in the fridge.

If you’re looking for a healthy and satisfying lunch, I’m pretty sure this is it. Between the quinoa, lentils, and vegetables, it’s a nutritional powerhouse. And remember, you can alter it any way you want. Don’t like cucumbers? Maybe try a green or red pepper. The options really are endless.

Which means I’ll probably have another quinoa salad or dish for you soon. I can’t get enough of it and I love that I don’t even have to feel guilty about that. Plus, I might need to make up for how much of my sister’s peanut butter chocolate cheesecake I ate last night. It was so worth it though!

[Sues]

I got this feeling in Vancouver and also in Seattle. It happened in Seattle the day I was wandering around for about 5 hours one afternoon by myself. I took a cab from my hotel, which was near the Space Needle, down to Pioneer Square.

When I got out of the cab, I walked a few feet and looked down the street, then up the street, to see endless tiny shops and bookstores, boutiques, and restaurants. All with personality and quaintness and none that I’d ever heard of before. As much as a love a big-name store (ahem, Target, Crate and Barrel, and Anthropologie 4eva!) there is nothing in the world like a local or family run shop. I think it’s partly knowing that no one else will have what you have, it’s a sense of individuality and relief you don’t get at a huge store. I stood there for a minute trying to figure out how I was going to tackle both sides of the street and if my stomach were larger, how I’d eat something at every restaurant I passed.

One of my favorite shops I stumbled upon was Watson Kennedy. Think a cross between Anthropologie, but without the clothing and only two locations in Washington state, and Etsy. When I passed the window filled with vintage luggage and signs dripping with good typography, I knew I had to go in.

Another one of my favorite shops was the Endless Knot boutique in Belltown. Lots of unique one of a kind pieces of clothing and accessories for women at affordable prices. Plus, a very helpful and engaging store manager didn’t hurt either!

Some of my other favorites from Seattle:

First Starbucks

Starbucks are literally on every corner these days, but it was so neat to see their very FIRST location! Check out the sign and old logo!

The Public Market:

As often as you see major tourist attractions on TV and in movies, nothing beats seeing the real thing in person and being able to experience it firsthand.

The Fremont Troll:

Uhhhhh. Where ever shall I begin? I’d heard about the Fremont Troll recently but never quite imagined what it would look like in person. It’s a piece of public art made of stone in the form of a troll basically. Quite interesting and if you’re in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle I highly recommend you stop by… it makes for some fun pictures! The homeless often are found sleeping under the bridge as well… so be polite

Bizarro Italian Cafe

My friend Corey had seen an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network where Bizaro Cafe was featured, so naturally we felt it was appropriate to check it out. The food and staff were both delightful and besides the quirky decor, nothing else was really that bizarre.

The bread and dipping oil were insane, in the best possible way. I fill up pretty fast so I usually try to skip bread for the most part, but after a piece of this I kept going back for more. We may or may not have devoured the entire loaf.

I got the starter salad which was simple and tasty. It was a mix of seasonal greens, organic carrots, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. Cranberries in salads are a win/win!

… and when I finished the salad Corey noticed my plate looked like a face. So naturally, we photograph it… like 10 year olds.

The potato, leek, and chive oil soup was out of this world. I’ve now been inspired to try to recreate it….stay tuned. It was so smooth, light, and comforting.

For my meal I got the house-made gnocchi with pancetta in a parmesan cream sauce. For a cream sauce, it was pleasantly light.

Needless to say, I’m quite glad that my roommate is from Seattle. The next time she heads home, I just might hop in her suitcase with her so I can visit again

[Chels]

Because I’m not a big white rice person, I wanted to try a recipe with brown rice. Yes, it’s healthier, but I just think brown rice tastes SO much better than white rice… I’m that way with bread too. Why would you want to eat white bread when you could have delicious grains and so much more “body” to your bread? But maybe that’s just me.

Cinnamon Raisin Brown Rice Pudding (4-5 servings… 2.5 if you’re me):

• 1 Qt. milk
• 1/2 C uncooked brown rice
• 1/4 C honey, maple syrup, agave nectar (I used 1/8 C honey and 1/8 C maple syrup)
• 1/4 T sea salt
• 1/2 C raisins
• 1/4 T cinnamon

In my infinite quest to pretend I’m a lot healthier than I am, I used 2% milk instead of whole. About 1/2 way through the process, I started to think I majorly screwed up by pretending to be healthy. But I kept with it and in the end, I was soo happy I used the 2%. And I probably consumed double the amount because I figured it was a tad bit healthier. Oops.

Combine milk, rice, sweetener, and sea salt in a large saucepan. Like I said, I used half honey and half maple syrup, which I thought was delicious, but do whatever you choose.

Now, the recipe told me to bring this to a simmer and cook, partially covered on a low flame, for about an hour. I did this and my rice totally was not thickening. So I freaked out, panicked, cried a little. And then gave it another 30 minutes. So, I’d say just keep your eye on it, stir it every now and then and it’s ready when it starts to thicken. And don’t freak out if you see all that skin on top of your milk; just stir it and ignore (or scoop it out if you can’t handle it).

The recipe also told me to add more milk if it got too thick, but I didn’t even come close to having that problem (but you may, so there you go).

Now, stir in the raisins and cinnamon. And continue to cook for another 20 minutes until it’s thick and the rice is soft.

And that is all you have to do!!! Seriously, easiest recipe in the world.

I totally had a huge bowl of it because the more rice pudding I eat, the more comfortable I am, yes?

This. was. awesome. If it didn’t have a quart of fattening milk in it and a ton of carbs, I would probably eat a giant bowl of this every night. is there a rice pudding diet out there?

Don’t like raisins? Hate cinnamon? You can pretty much do whatever you want with rice pudding. Or leave it totally plain jane if you want. I would personally like to try a peanut butter rice pudding. Or perhaps one of the s’mores variety?

Now that I have this amazing rice pudding recipe in my hands and I know the power of it, I feel like I can conquer the world. Feeling down? I’ll make you rice pudding! Need some comfort? Rice pudding! Don’t live close enough to Rice to Riches? I’ll make you rice pudding!

What kind of rice pudding are your dreams made of?

[Sues]

Last Thursday I flew out to Seattle-more on this later!-then headed up to Vancouver Friday afternoon to soak in all of the Olympic glory for the weekend. I went with my friends Corey and Chuck and it’s safe to say I will be back…the city is phenomenal. And I absolutely looooove the Olympics so it was wonderful to actually be a part of all of the crowds and hype. And since they were being held in our neighboring country, I figured it was an opportunity that I shouldn’t pass up!

Check out this photo I snapped on my flight from LA to Seattle… Go USA!

Before I get into talking about the weekend in depth, I want to say the biggest most gigantic thank you to Maurice from Vancouver is Awesome. We follow each other on Twitter and I had been tweeting about my upcoming trip to Vancouver, which is where he lives. He ended up sending me the most well thought-out list of shops, restaurants (all price ranges, different parts of the city, different cuisines), and scenic areas around Vancouver for great photo opportunities. I’m not kidding when I say he knows everything. The list not only included the names of places but he listed websites, phone numbers, and addresses. Dream come true. He even answered my questions about Lululemon! Man’s a genius and I highly recommend finding yourself “a Maurice” for any vacation you plan. So helpful to know where the locals hang!

First up, Friday night! We got to the city and were starving so we scoured the list and decided to head to Guu, which Maurice described as Japanese Izakaya food, very casual, usually jammed with exchange students and foodies alike. Sounds kinda perfect to me. And it was. There was a little bit of a wait, but once over, we were seated at a large table with a young couple from Canada. They were finishing up their meal and gave us some suggestions on what to order (octopus balls, anyone?!). The couple actually ended up staying for about an hour after they finished eating just to chat with us! Nice people make the world go round, yes?

We ordered a slew of goodies to share. Our favorite was the Maguro Steak (Ahi tuna-yellow fin- sashimi steak marinated in garlic, soy sauce and sake). You know when you go out to eat with friends and when everyone takes the first bite you kinda look at each other to see everyone’s reactions while slowly chewing because it’s thaaaaat good. Yeah… that was the Maguro Steak.

We also ordered the “Korokke” Mushed potato, onion, ground pork croquette with tonkatsu sauce.

The octopus balls are below, closest to the front of the photo… they were unusually delicious!

At the end of the meal a bowl of frozen grapes arrived at our table. YUM.

Not only was the food here divine (and very reasonably priced!) but the people who worked here were engaging and very helpful, especially considering the chaos brought upon by the Games. Guu is not just “guuu’d” it’s guuuuuuuuuuuuuuu’d!

Guu: 838 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 1W2 TEL: 604-685-8817 – Downtown

After dinner at Guu, we headed to the streets. They were flooded and I mean that in the most literal way possible. Jam packed with people out celebrating and dancing. News anchors, camera crews, flashes, horns blowing. I was even on a Canadian news station for a hot second. No big deal… want my autograph Oh, and it was raining… and not a single soul cared.

Still not sure how we made it down the entire street with crowds like this!

We even made some friends along the way and ended up hanging out with them the whole night! Vancouver teachers, Andrea and Jess, showed us the ropes

Once Saturday rolled around we were all up and ready to go bright and early. We didn’t want to miss a beat. Our first stop of the day was to Stanley Park. To me, the key to a successful city is some decent green space… and man oh man, does Vancouver have that in Stanley Park! We ended up walking almost all of it, which was great exercise. Jumping pictures are also a great form of exercise. And as long as Corey is present, he’ll make you do a jumping picture with him… HA!

Vancouver skyline…

Team Russia! By the way, I saw this Russia jacket in one of the department stores in Vancouver and it costs nearly $500. eeeek!

After walking, jumping, and sightseeing, we set our eyes on “THE LIST” and decided to head to Congee Noodle House, which Maurice described as “The best congee and standard Chinese (Cantonese) food restaurant within close proximity to downtown- comfort food, very casual setting”. We decided to split a bunch of the dishes since, typically, that seems works out best and gives everyone an opportunity to try more off the menu.

The menu was filled with well over a hundred options to chose from. My favorite was the beef with bok choy and rice. Dripping with goodness and such a clean flavor. If we hadn’t had such a great dinner planned I probably would have eaten the entire bowl of this by myself

Ginger and green onion dumplings…

Congee Noodle House, 141 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC Tel: 604-879-8221

We did some serious wandering around the city after lunch. Since Lululemon is based out of Vancouver I decided it was necessary to pay a visit to their Robson Street location. Yeah… that was a lose/lose. When we got there, the store was packed and as we were leaving there was a line to get in! Apparently the world doesn’t play around when it comes to good workout gear!

For dinner that night we went to Vij’s, a magnificent Indian fusion restaurant. It was on “THE LIST” and almost every person from Vancouver who we ran into told us we had to try it. Apparently it’s known as one of the best restaurants in the city. I now know why. Outstanding and extremely attentive service with spectacularly flavorful dishes… spicy and divine! The wait was almost 2 hours, if not a little longer, and they don’t take reservations, but we were prepared for this and heard it was worth the wait. As we hung out for a table, servers walked around offering passed appetizers so that definitely held us over nicely.

We ordered the Mutton Kebobs with Bengali style curry, Garam masala sauteed portobello mushrooms in porcini cream curry, Wine Marinated Lamb Popsicles in fenugreek cream curry on turmeric spinach potatoes, and Beef short-ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry with warm greens. The portions were perfect, we even had a little leftover.

After dinner we strolled around downtown some more and checked out the flaaaaame. Let me tell you a little something… It was unreal to see this in person.

Finally, there was Sunday afternoon. You know, that little USA/Canada hockey game. The game that ESPN viewers ruled more exciting than this years Saints/Colts Super Bowl.. which is saying a lot! Now, I’m a big sports fan, but I’m a football/basketball kinda girl and hockey ranks lowest on my list. Watching this game… in Canada… during the Olympics… kinda made me dig the sport a lil’! The Canadian hockey fans are INTENSE (think Red Sox fans but on the strongest possible dosage of an already really strong prescription drug). As we sported our USA t-shirts, they had a good time with us, all in good fun, of course. Then, when the US tied the game with, what, 30 seconds left… we had a good time with them For some reason, I really thought it was going to be a hostile environment but everyone was just having a great time and enjoying one another!

After the game was over we hit up a souvenir shop and some Starbucks to go and we were back on the road to Seattle…

Thanks again to Maurice for helping us navigate and to all of the residents of Vancouver for sharing your beautiful city! Congrats to Canada on the hockey win and all of your fancy medals, because you were such greats hosts, you deserve it

…GO WORLD!

[Chels]

I love this Martha Stewart recipe for Spaghetti With Pancetta, Green Beans, and Basil because it’s SO easy, but also quite delicious and better than just throwing a sandwich together. Plus, the green beans give you a bit of nutrition… And you can always throw in some more vegetables too. I adapted it a bit, but followed it for the most part. I’m a big proponent of the idea that you don’t have to spend a ton of time on dinner to make a great meal. Of course, sometimes it’s fun to put a bit more time in effort in it, but some nights you want something quick, easy, and yummy.

Spaghetti with Pancetta, Green Beans, and Basil

• 8 oz. of spaghetti (I used whole wheat)
• 4 ounces pancetta, diced, or 4 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 lb. green beans
• 1 C parmesan
• 1 C fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

I love a recipe with only 5 ingredients! And mostly fresh, delicious ingredients too. First boil your water and cook your pasta. I LOVE pasta and am not ashamed to admit it. But I do generally try to eat whole wheat when I eat it. I actually think it tastes better and it gives me a tad bit less guilt if I want to stuff my face with it. Which I often do. When your pasta is done, make sure you save a cup of reserve past water as you’re draining it.

While your pasta is boiling, cook your pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, until browned and crisp.

Oh God, pancetta is amazing. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and make sure you save about 1 T of the oil in the pan. And try NOT to eat the pancetta as you finish whipping up this meal.

Put the green beans in the skillet. The original recipe called for the green beans to be halved crosswise, but I just threw them in whole. Season them with salt and pepper and cook, covered, until their crisp tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer to the pot with the pasta and add pancetta and 1/2 C parmesan. Then add enough of the reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats the pasta.

Top with basil and remaining cup parmesan and serve!

I’m a big fan of adding basil to… everything! I know it’s still the dead of winter, but basil makes me feel so summery and happy. Come to think of it, this whole meal was kind of summery, but I was A-OK with that.

I truly believe this dish combines some of the very best things. And it made plenty, so leftovers were in order for the next night. When I was feeling even lazier (see how this works?).

So, the next time The Bachelor or American Idol are on and you can’t be bothered to spend hours in the kitchen, try this recipe! OK, your taste in television is probably a lot better than mine, so fill in the blank with your favorite television show. But if you do happen to be a fan of The Bachelor, who are you rooting for to win tonight??

[Sues]

First of all, I’m not sure who on Earth would complain because their neighborhood smells like BBQ. When I think of all the things city neighborhoods can smell like, BBQ sounds like a much welcome departure. But that’s neither here not there. The fact is, the Roadhouse was just blah for a while. Which was a shame because it’s a pretty big restaurant with an absolutely amazing beer menu. So, I just want to say I’m incredibly excited American Craft is now in the neighborhood.

Chris and I trekked out in the rain last night to try American Craft on its opening night and overall we were pretty happy. Definitely a couple of steps up from the Roadhouse, plus most of the beer is still there.

I had the Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale and it was perfectly hoppy and delicious.

You may think it’s a bit strange I opted for the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. But first of all, it was no ordinary grilled cheese. It was grilled cheese with gruyere cheese, black forest ham, and basil. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever eat a grilled cheese without basil in it ever again. Genius idea! I loved the Hi-Rise bakery bread too and it was perfectly crispy. Second of all, it was pouring rain and cold, and this was the ideal meal choice.

The tomato soup I was torn on. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted wonderful. But the consistency? Was like marinara sauce. It just wasn’t soup! Not that I’m complaining it wasn’t a watered-down mess, but I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head that I was downing a jar of marinara sauce. However, it did make for excellent dipping and I used it more as a kind of ketchup.

I am super picky when it comes to french fries, but these hand-cut fries were almost perfect. Some were crispy, none soggy and they had lots of sea salt sprinkled on top. I’m a fan.

Chris got the rueben and it was absolutely packed full. That thing is huge! He enjoyed it and ate almost the whole thing, but I think he was feeling a little bit of jealousy toward me and my grilled cheese. Can’t blame him.

American Craft is a lot prettier than the Roadhouse was. I love love love the wallpaper and decor and the exposed brick is just perfect. They definitely classed the place up a few notches, which I both love and hate at the same time. On the one hand, yay for having a clean bar with a pretty environment and lots of beer. On the other, some might see it as being a bit too stuffy for a casual night and the food menu may be seen as a bit too pricey. Even most of the sandwiches are $11. But I’m arguing on the side of, welcome to the neighborhood, I’m glad to see you here!

There’s still two bars just like at the Roadhouse, which I think will make it a nice place for just hanging out. It was surprisingly pretty empty for opening night, but it was also rainy and gross out and unless you’re on Twitter non-stop (like me), you may not have even realized the Roadhouse disappeared and American Craft opened. But I think the bar areas will get quite crowded and I love how roomy they are.

I might get in trouble for saying this, but American Craft seems like it wants to be a much larger version of Washington Square Tavern with more beer. And I’m not complaining at all because I love the Tavern and I wish it was bigger (I never quite feel comfortable eating there). I really think American Craft is needed in Washington Square. Go to Publick House for a more casual environment or American Craft for a bit of a nicer night out. Oh, but I totally think they need to change the music. I enjoyed the jazzy music while I was dining, but think most bar patrons will want a different sound- maybe something indie? Still unobtrusive and low-key, but a bit more fun. It made me feel like they were trying too hard.

I’ll definitely be back to American Craft, probably quite often for beer. And also to try some of the other items on the menu- like the stout braise short ribs and fried cornmeal oysters. Oh, and probably the fried buffalo mozzarella too. And you know I’ll be back to try Thursday night’s Blue Plate special of chicken pot pie (still on the search to find the best in the city)!

They also have a pretty extensive wine and spirits menu, so even if you’re not a beer fan, you’ll find something (or probably lots of somethings) to enjoy.

I love that Brookline is becoming such a craft beer hot spot and am so glad the Publick House owners held on to this venue; I really hope it sticks around!

American Craft
1700 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA
617.487.4289  
Twitter- @AmCraftBar

[Sues]