Found on this blog
What’s your #1 comfort food?
My Mom's chili. It's delicious and I can never get enough of it.
If you were on a deserted island, what one food would you want to have with you?
Cheesecake Factory's Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake. It combines two loves; red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting.
What is/are your signature dishes? (What dishes are you ‘known’ for?)
Kidney beans and rice with shredded taco cheese sprinkled on top until it becomes a gooey mess.
It’s Friday night, you don’t know what to cook. You opt for…
Getting food at Panera or Quizno's. Anything fast that I don't have to bother with.
What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to food?
I have a lot of weaknesses when it comes to food. I absolutely love pies and ice cream and cakes. Anything and everything with chocolate. Sushi is a big weakness, but something I haven't indulged in in quite awhile. Sandwiches...I LOVE sandwiches.
What food can you absolutely not eat?
Brussels sprouts, but that's more a personal dislike. I literally can't drink soy milk or I get physically sick.
What’s the most decadent dish you’ve had?
I don't really go for "decadent" food, but probably the quail I had at a Vietnamese restaurant last year, along with the pork pot. My word was it good.
What’s your favorite type of food?
Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, American. In that order.
Favorite dish?
Depends on where I am and who's making it.
Favorite place is Mandarin House. And my favorite dishes include; General Tso's Chicken, Honey Sesame Beef, Chef's Spicy Crispy Shrimp or Beef, Pork Lo Mein or Fried Rice
If your partner could take you to any restaurant you wanted, which one would it be?
There's too many options, but right now, I'd really like to go back to Victoria Gastro Pub. I haven't been there in a long time, and want to get a shepherd's pie and a trifle.
Are you a soup or salad person?
It really depends on my mood and what is being offered. Caesar salad? I could eat them until I burst. Clam chowder, chicken noodle soup or chili? Holy God I wouldn't know where to start. Unless it's my Mom's chili. Then I will have that.
Buffet, take-out or sit-down restaurant?
Again, depends on my mood and where I'm at. Never eat at a sushi buffet, but I really love Pizza Hut's buffet area and anything from Old Country Buffet. Mama Mia's in my hometown has excellent take-out subs. If we're talking about Mandarin House, it doesn't matter because it's excellent anyway. Narita Sushi, I always sit down in, to get the full benefit of sushi. It's about the ambiance as much as the quality of the food.
What’s the most impressive dinner you’ve ever made?
I made steak and veggies by myself, and the steak was mind-blowingly delicious.
Do you consider yourself a good cook?
I do. I won't be cooking any elaborate courses or be nabbing a Michelin star anytime soon, but I've never heard any complaints about my food.
Do you know what vichyssoise is?
Some weird green French soup? I think I had some in New York and it was not pleasant.
Who’s your favorite TV cook?
Anthony Bourdain {does he count? We'll just say he does}
Can you name at least three TV cooking personalities?
Anthony Bourdain, Emeril and Rachel Ray {¬_¬}
Homemade or homemade from a box?
Homemade every time.
Name 3 or more other foodies you are going to tag
Anyone who stumbles upon this can do it.
Food Quote: We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. —-Adelle Davis
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
New Appreciation
As I get older, and subsequently more poor, I have found a new appreciation for generic brand and Dollar Tree/Family Dollar/whatever you call it: dollar store foods. This might seem obvious to some people that you have to buy non-name brand food and other items if you want to save money, but for whatever reason {snobbishness, pride, I'm unsure}, this is news to me.
My Mom and I, thanks to lack of funds, have started patronizing the Dollar Tree every time we go grocery shopping. Now, you can't get everything there, and some places don't have freezers, but the amount you can get is actually surprising. We have bought the following from the Dollar Tree:
-Shampoo and conditioner
-Bread
-Paper towels
-Ramen
-Italian ices
-Michelina's frozen dinners {smaller portion sizes and less sodium for yummy food}
-Soap
-Razors
-Granola bars...damn good ones, too
-Pudding
-Banquet Pot Pies {filling and still with less sodium than the frozen dinners}
-Sandals {these I got for the pool and they've held up extremely well}
-Ibuprofen/Advil
Once we got a lot of these things at once, and the total was still under $40. Compared to about $45 or more the same amount at a grocery store.
Admittedly, with some generic brands, the food isn't always the best. The cereals at the Dollar Tree are....eh. I prefer the generic brands at Giant {still a lot cheaper than Frosted Flakes or Cheerios would be}.
The next time you're in a money crisis, think twice before you don't go into the dollar store down the street/close by. You won't be sorry.
Food Quote: "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first."—– Ernestine Ulmer
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Food Meme
Stolen from here: Six Until Me
1. Can you cook? If yes, do you like to cook?
I can cook, yes. I like cooking hamburgers/cheeseburgers, pastas, rice, vegetables, steaks. I also like making cookies and cakes, but I tend to make those out of the box, so I'm not sure if that counts as cooking or not.
2. When do you eat with your whole family?
Usually on holidays or other special occasions. My Dad living in New Hampshire ensures we don't eat together much.
3. What do you eat for breakfast?
Weekdays; bagels with butter or peanut butter on top, with some fruit or a Fiber One bar added to it, with some type of juice to go with it.
4. When, where and how do you eat on weekdays?
Weekdays I mostly eat food from home. Breakfast is anything I can scrape together at home as I'm rushing out the door. I used to eat at Starbucks as well every morning but monetary and weight concerns have largely made me stop doing that. Lunch is usually a sandwich, frozen food or leftovers from the night previous with either a Fiber One bar, a piece of fruit or some pudding and water to go with it.
Dinner...I used to eat out a lot more than I have been recently, again, thanks to monetary concerns, but if I don't feel like making anything at home, I'll grab something on the way home.
5. How often do you eat out (in a restaurant)?
I haven't eaten out in a restaurant in awhile, save for this past Thursday. It used to be at least three times a week, but it's gone down quite a bit.
6. How often do you order delivery/take-out?
Depends on how much money I have at the time.
7. Regarding no. 5 and 6: Say there weren’t financial reasons would you do this more often?
Definitely. I love take out/restaurant food.
8. Are there any “standard dishes” you serve regularly?
Nope.
9. Have you ever cooked for more than 6 persons?
Never.
10. Do you cook every day?
Nope. Most of the time, I am too lazy/tired to bother, so I subsist on frozen foods, pastas and sandwiches. Mostly things I can make in the microwave or in under 20 minutes.
11. Have you ever tried recipes from blogs?
No, but I think I will, once I get more cookware.
12. Who cooks more frequently at your home?
I'm really the only one who cooks at my house, except on weekends when my Mom will make omelettes and chili.
13. And who cooks better?
We're kind of tied. I make amazing steaks and burgers and she makes out of this world chili.
14. Do you cook totally different compared to your mother/parents?
Not really.
15. If yes, do you nevertheless eat at your parents?
I guess this is N/A, now.
16. Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine being one?
I'm not and I don't think I could imagine being one, since I love meat way too much. Pork fried rice is one of my favorite foods, and fried chicken...and steak...now I'm just making myself hungry.
17. What would you like to cook which you haven’t dared to make yet?
I would love to try baking bread or making sushi. I think of the two, I would mess up the sushi first.
18. Do you prefer cooking or baking?
I usually do more cooking than anything else, but if I had more time/wasn't so lazy, I think I would be baking more.
19. What is your greatest misery in the kitchen?
I was going to say 'The clean up', but I actually don't mind cleaning, so I guess it would be when the food doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to.
20. What do you dislike?
Brussels sprouts, Lima beans, spicy tuna rolls.
Food Quote: "You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients." —-Julia Child
1. Can you cook? If yes, do you like to cook?
I can cook, yes. I like cooking hamburgers/cheeseburgers, pastas, rice, vegetables, steaks. I also like making cookies and cakes, but I tend to make those out of the box, so I'm not sure if that counts as cooking or not.
2. When do you eat with your whole family?
Usually on holidays or other special occasions. My Dad living in New Hampshire ensures we don't eat together much.
3. What do you eat for breakfast?
Weekdays; bagels with butter or peanut butter on top, with some fruit or a Fiber One bar added to it, with some type of juice to go with it.
4. When, where and how do you eat on weekdays?
Weekdays I mostly eat food from home. Breakfast is anything I can scrape together at home as I'm rushing out the door. I used to eat at Starbucks as well every morning but monetary and weight concerns have largely made me stop doing that. Lunch is usually a sandwich, frozen food or leftovers from the night previous with either a Fiber One bar, a piece of fruit or some pudding and water to go with it.
Dinner...I used to eat out a lot more than I have been recently, again, thanks to monetary concerns, but if I don't feel like making anything at home, I'll grab something on the way home.
5. How often do you eat out (in a restaurant)?
I haven't eaten out in a restaurant in awhile, save for this past Thursday. It used to be at least three times a week, but it's gone down quite a bit.
6. How often do you order delivery/take-out?
Depends on how much money I have at the time.
7. Regarding no. 5 and 6: Say there weren’t financial reasons would you do this more often?
Definitely. I love take out/restaurant food.
8. Are there any “standard dishes” you serve regularly?
Nope.
9. Have you ever cooked for more than 6 persons?
Never.
10. Do you cook every day?
Nope. Most of the time, I am too lazy/tired to bother, so I subsist on frozen foods, pastas and sandwiches. Mostly things I can make in the microwave or in under 20 minutes.
11. Have you ever tried recipes from blogs?
No, but I think I will, once I get more cookware.
12. Who cooks more frequently at your home?
I'm really the only one who cooks at my house, except on weekends when my Mom will make omelettes and chili.
13. And who cooks better?
We're kind of tied. I make amazing steaks and burgers and she makes out of this world chili.
14. Do you cook totally different compared to your mother/parents?
Not really.
15. If yes, do you nevertheless eat at your parents?
I guess this is N/A, now.
16. Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine being one?
I'm not and I don't think I could imagine being one, since I love meat way too much. Pork fried rice is one of my favorite foods, and fried chicken...and steak...now I'm just making myself hungry.
17. What would you like to cook which you haven’t dared to make yet?
I would love to try baking bread or making sushi. I think of the two, I would mess up the sushi first.
18. Do you prefer cooking or baking?
I usually do more cooking than anything else, but if I had more time/wasn't so lazy, I think I would be baking more.
19. What is your greatest misery in the kitchen?
I was going to say 'The clean up', but I actually don't mind cleaning, so I guess it would be when the food doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to.
20. What do you dislike?
Brussels sprouts, Lima beans, spicy tuna rolls.
Food Quote: "You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients." —-Julia Child
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Teas and Apologies
Wow, since I've neglected this thing majorly, I'm going to try a new approach, starting now.
I found this article on Yahoo called 6 Different Types of Tea for 6 Different Moods, which I thought was pretty interesting.
"A cup of tea heals emotional wounds, alleviates sickness and makes cold weather more bearable, even enjoyable.
I found this article on Yahoo called 6 Different Types of Tea for 6 Different Moods, which I thought was pretty interesting.
"A cup of tea heals emotional wounds, alleviates sickness and makes cold weather more bearable, even enjoyable.
Tea humanizes complete strangers and dissolves cultural barriers. If I know that your kitchen cupboards are stuffed with different types of tea bags and tea leaves, I will probably like you.
And let’s remind ourselves of all those health benefits of tea that people keep raving about, for good reason. Tea contains beneficial antioxidants that help fight cancer. Tea also boosts the immune system, increases mental alertness, lowers stress hormone levels and can help you sleep.
Which tea best suits your emotional and physical needs right now? Here is a handy guide.
Need a Quick Pick-Me-Up? Drink Black Tea. Black tea is Coffee Lite for those of you wanting to cut back on your coffee but still needing that perky caffeine fix. The strong flavor will reinvigorate your senses and get your mental gears running for the rest of the day.
Want to Feel Healthy and Refreshed? Try White Tea. White tea has the least amount of caffeine and contains the most antioxidants. As it is the least processed tea compared to other tea types, it has a light flavor that will go down smoothly.
Need Some Stress-Relief? Try Green Tea. Green tea has a natural, grassy, neutral flavor that is perfect for stress relief. Plus, it is not loaded with as much caffeine as black tea.
Need Some Creative Inspiration? Try Indian Chai Tea. Indian chai tea is a multifaceted taste palette loaded with different spices and nuances. Whether you drink it straight or with some cream and honey, consider having this drink within arm’s reach for your creative brainstorming sessions.
Feeling Physically Under the Weather? Try Fruit-Flavored Tea. Orange tea, lemon tea, raspberry tea: the options are endless. Drink up for sore throats, body aches and general under-the-weather-ness. Too bad cough medicine doesn’t taste more like this.
Need to Quench Your Thirst? Try Cold Oolong or Barley Tea. Found in most Asian supermarkets, getting a cold bottle of these teas is the perfect way to satisfy your thirst on a hot day. With ice, please."
I solemnly swear to try and update this thing at least once a week with something interesting, since I seem to have fallen from my original goal of keeping a food diary. And who wants to look at a month's worth of what I've eaten now? Certainly not me.
Food Quote: "Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." —–Author Unknown
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Full Day's Food for May 11, 2010
Meal: Thomas' Multi-grain bagel with butter in the car, and then a plain bagel with cream cheese with a Tall hot chocolate at Starbucks for breakfast.
Rating:
Taste: multi-grain bagel- 9, plain bagel- 10, hot chocolate- 10
I picked up the multi-grain bagels for lack of a better choice on snowy night in February while at Weis, one of the other supermarkets around here. I was surprised to find, once I did finally eat it, that it tasted good, and that it was high in fiber, which I could always use more of in my diet.
I knew, though, that this one little bagel wouldn't be enough to sustain me until lunch {one of the reasons I go to Starbucks in the first place in the morning...aside from using it as a place to hang out before I have to go to work}, so I opted for a bigger bagel, this time with cream cheese to go with my tall hot chocolate.
The bagel complimented the cocoa perfectly, and had a small hint of sweetness I didn't expect. And the cocoa...try it if you haven't, because Starbucks has the best cocoa I've ever had.
Meal: last of the leftover Pizza Hut, an oats and chocolate Fiber One bar and a can of Coke for lunch.
Rating:
Taste: pizza- 8, Fiber one bar- 8, Coke- 10
I was surprised I wasn't sick of the pizza by now, as a lot of people would be having the same food three days in a row, but I guess that's a testament to Pizza Hut and the food they make. Also, I was afraid that not refrigerating it right away would negatively effect the taste, but it didn't, so that was good.
The bar was scrumptious as always. I used to eat about two of these every time I went to my friend Rebekah's house back two summers ago. I've started trying to eat at least four a week, which also helps with my fiber intake, something everyone should take into consideration when they pick food to eat.
The Coke was cold and crisp and not my original choice to have for lunch, since I left my water in the car when I was dropped off in the morning. Canned soda is my second favorite way to have soda, second only to soda from a fountain. Yuuum.
By the way, even though I had two bagels for breakfast in the morning, I was so hungry by the time 12:30 rolled around that I started to feel sick. It looks like I'll have to have something a little richer or more filled with protein to supplement it in the mornings or else this will become a problem.
Meal: Regular sized Chicken Carbonara sub from Quizno's and a large Coke from Jerry's for dinner.
Rating:
Taste: Chicken Carbonara- 7, Coke- 9
The Chicken Carbonara sub is the only one I ever get when I go to Quizno's. With ingredients like bacon, mushrooms, chicken, mozzarella cheese and "Creamy Bacon Alfredo Sauce", why would I ever want anything else? One time I deviated, not by choice, and got cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. The sandwich was still tasty as ever, but I don't think I would ever deviate again. I normally would give this sandwich a 10, but because I left it in the microwave for about two hours to keep it warm, all of the heat turned into moisture which soaked part of the paper it was wrapped in. The sandwich was still good, but not as good as it usually is when it's fresh out of the oven.
The Coke was refreshing as usual. Fountain soda is the only proper way to drink soda, in my opinion. Followed by can soda {I can't describe why, but try it, and you'll see what I mean}, and then bottled soda, which makes the soda lose something.
It's definitely time for a gym visit tomorrow, I think.
Food Quote: "In terms of fast food and deep understanding of the culture of fast food, I’m your man." —–Bill Gates
Rating:Taste: multi-grain bagel- 9, plain bagel- 10, hot chocolate- 10
I picked up the multi-grain bagels for lack of a better choice on snowy night in February while at Weis, one of the other supermarkets around here. I was surprised to find, once I did finally eat it, that it tasted good, and that it was high in fiber, which I could always use more of in my diet.
I knew, though, that this one little bagel wouldn't be enough to sustain me until lunch {one of the reasons I go to Starbucks in the first place in the morning...aside from using it as a place to hang out before I have to go to work}, so I opted for a bigger bagel, this time with cream cheese to go with my tall hot chocolate.
The bagel complimented the cocoa perfectly, and had a small hint of sweetness I didn't expect. And the cocoa...try it if you haven't, because Starbucks has the best cocoa I've ever had.
Meal: last of the leftover Pizza Hut, an oats and chocolate Fiber One bar and a can of Coke for lunch.
Rating:Taste: pizza- 8, Fiber one bar- 8, Coke- 10
I was surprised I wasn't sick of the pizza by now, as a lot of people would be having the same food three days in a row, but I guess that's a testament to Pizza Hut and the food they make. Also, I was afraid that not refrigerating it right away would negatively effect the taste, but it didn't, so that was good.
The bar was scrumptious as always. I used to eat about two of these every time I went to my friend Rebekah's house back two summers ago. I've started trying to eat at least four a week, which also helps with my fiber intake, something everyone should take into consideration when they pick food to eat.
The Coke was cold and crisp and not my original choice to have for lunch, since I left my water in the car when I was dropped off in the morning. Canned soda is my second favorite way to have soda, second only to soda from a fountain. Yuuum.
By the way, even though I had two bagels for breakfast in the morning, I was so hungry by the time 12:30 rolled around that I started to feel sick. It looks like I'll have to have something a little richer or more filled with protein to supplement it in the mornings or else this will become a problem.
Meal: Regular sized Chicken Carbonara sub from Quizno's and a large Coke from Jerry's for dinner.
Rating:Taste: Chicken Carbonara- 7, Coke- 9
The Chicken Carbonara sub is the only one I ever get when I go to Quizno's. With ingredients like bacon, mushrooms, chicken, mozzarella cheese and "Creamy Bacon Alfredo Sauce", why would I ever want anything else? One time I deviated, not by choice, and got cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. The sandwich was still tasty as ever, but I don't think I would ever deviate again. I normally would give this sandwich a 10, but because I left it in the microwave for about two hours to keep it warm, all of the heat turned into moisture which soaked part of the paper it was wrapped in. The sandwich was still good, but not as good as it usually is when it's fresh out of the oven.
The Coke was refreshing as usual. Fountain soda is the only proper way to drink soda, in my opinion. Followed by can soda {I can't describe why, but try it, and you'll see what I mean}, and then bottled soda, which makes the soda lose something.
It's definitely time for a gym visit tomorrow, I think.
Food Quote: "In terms of fast food and deep understanding of the culture of fast food, I’m your man." —–Bill Gates
Monday, May 10, 2010
Full Day's Food for May 10, 2010
Meal: Red Delicious apple in the car followed by Sweet Mallorca Bread and a Grande Earl Grey tea at Starbucks for breakfast.
Rating:
Taste: Apple- 10, Sweet Mallorca Bread- 9, Earl Grey tea- 10
For me, apples either rate a 10 or a 1 on the taste scale. 10 being crunchy, delicious and sweet {depending on the type}. 1 being mushy and disgusting, no matter what type. We bought these apples a few weeks ago, and I tend to grab one on the way to work to tide me over until I get breakfast at Starbucks, something I've started to add to my morning routine over the last month and a half.
During that time I've usually stuck with my usual of a Tall Hot Chocolate and a blueberry scone, but this morning, I thought I would try something else, in the form of the tea and the sweet bread. Now, I am a big tea person, and their tea is Tazo, one of my favorite brands aside from Twinnings. As far as taste and quality of tea goes, you can't beat either one of these. The sweet bread was a new venture, and I'm glad I made the decision to get it this morning. The bread was sweet, but not overpowering, which I liked. The powdered sugar sprinkled on top kicked the sweetness up a small notch, but again, it wasn't overpowering. At 420 calories, according to starbucks.com, 220 of which are from fat, it's not something I'd want everyday, but it will be nice to treat myself to once in awhile.
Meal: Leftover slice of sausage pizza, Fat Free chocolate pudding and water.
Rating:
Taste: leftover pizza- 8, pudding- 8, water- 10
Most of my lunches consist of things like this now. Sometimes I have enough time in the morning to make a sandwich, grab a piece of fruit and then a bottle of water before I run out the door. Most of the time, though, it's something hastily put together from either leftovers; homemade or take out, or just random things I happen to grab. I try to always incorporate water, which has only not been drunk twice, since there's a handy soda/snack machine in the backroom of work.
After I reheated the pizza in the microwave, the crust became very soft, the grease so prevalent in the pan crust pizzas at Pizza Hut cooked out. Probably for the best. Despite this and the softness of the crust, the pizza was still delicious; the sausage yummy, and the cheese perfectly melty.
Are you getting hungry? I certainly am.
The pudding, for being fat free, was surprisingly good. Definitely not the best chocolate pudding I've ever had, but when it's fat free, you take what you can get.
Water...it's water. Unless it's been sitting in the car getting hot or out in the open getting stale, there's not much that can be done to make it nasty.
Meal: Slow cooked steak, frozen mixed vegetables and Light cran-raspberry juice.
Rating:
Taste: steak- 10, vegetables- 10, juice- 10
My Mom and I aren't the biggest "cook all their meals at home" people. We used to be, but since moving in 2003, after almost renovating a house, and you know, getting older, my Mom's stamina for cooking for us has dwindled. My own excuse is a mixture of laziness {largely} and the fact that I'm working two jobs now. It's not that I don't like to cook or that I don't want to, it's just that when there's something to microwave that will be available to me within a 1:50, or a place I can hit on the way home and have delicious artery-clogging food given to me right away, it's easy to lapse into laziness.
My Mom put on the steak she had defrosted the night before, asking me to watch it and turn it over every so often, putting it on a heat setting of '2' out of '9'/'High'. It's important not to cook steak too fast or else it will not taste as good as it does from soaking in its own juices for 20 minutes. I flipped the steak a few times, and seasoned both sides of it with salt and pepper, pushing it around in the juices that had drained from it while it was slow cooking. At the same time, I opened a bag of frozen vegetables, put half in a bowl, filled half of that with water, and then put it in the microwave for 10 minutes. The vegetables were done before the steak was, but keeping them in the microwave made sure they stayed fresh and hot.
Once the steak was cooked to my satisfaction, probably about medium, I cut it in half and divided it up on two plates for myself and my Mom. I drained the vegetables, divided them up, and then rinsed off the cookware. I got myself a glass of Light Cran-Raspberry juice, which I didn't discover until late 2007, and paired that with my dinner.
The end result:
A fairly healthy dinner, for once.
The steak needed no sauces or added seasoning because of how we cooked it. Remember this the next time you reach for the BBQ or A1 steak sauce. All I seasoned it with was salt and pepper. If you only need something minimal like that, or even not that, you are cooking your steak in the best way possible.
Meal: German chocolate cake and skim milk
Rating:
Taste: cake- 10, milk- 9
Well, after an exceptionally healthy dinner, I decide to blow it, and give into my craving for cake by running to Giant Food, one of the many supermarkets in Maryland {for those not in the region}, and grab a 1/2 whole cake they had in the bakery. Thankfully, I wasn't going to get the whole thing since Mom had half of the half with me.
I haven't had German chocolate cake in a long time, and oh my was it worth the wait. Giant always makes delicious cakes {I use 'delicious' a lot, don't I?}, and this was no exception. If they had had one of their cream cheese cakes, it would've been all over.
The milk I had shouldn't need to be explained since....how can you have cake and not have milk with it? They pair so well, like peanut butter and jelly.
Until next time, Bon Appetit!
Food Quote: "We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are." —-Adelle Davis
Rating:
Taste: Apple- 10, Sweet Mallorca Bread- 9, Earl Grey tea- 10
For me, apples either rate a 10 or a 1 on the taste scale. 10 being crunchy, delicious and sweet {depending on the type}. 1 being mushy and disgusting, no matter what type. We bought these apples a few weeks ago, and I tend to grab one on the way to work to tide me over until I get breakfast at Starbucks, something I've started to add to my morning routine over the last month and a half.
During that time I've usually stuck with my usual of a Tall Hot Chocolate and a blueberry scone, but this morning, I thought I would try something else, in the form of the tea and the sweet bread. Now, I am a big tea person, and their tea is Tazo, one of my favorite brands aside from Twinnings. As far as taste and quality of tea goes, you can't beat either one of these. The sweet bread was a new venture, and I'm glad I made the decision to get it this morning. The bread was sweet, but not overpowering, which I liked. The powdered sugar sprinkled on top kicked the sweetness up a small notch, but again, it wasn't overpowering. At 420 calories, according to starbucks.com, 220 of which are from fat, it's not something I'd want everyday, but it will be nice to treat myself to once in awhile.
Meal: Leftover slice of sausage pizza, Fat Free chocolate pudding and water.
Rating:
Taste: leftover pizza- 8, pudding- 8, water- 10
Most of my lunches consist of things like this now. Sometimes I have enough time in the morning to make a sandwich, grab a piece of fruit and then a bottle of water before I run out the door. Most of the time, though, it's something hastily put together from either leftovers; homemade or take out, or just random things I happen to grab. I try to always incorporate water, which has only not been drunk twice, since there's a handy soda/snack machine in the backroom of work.
After I reheated the pizza in the microwave, the crust became very soft, the grease so prevalent in the pan crust pizzas at Pizza Hut cooked out. Probably for the best. Despite this and the softness of the crust, the pizza was still delicious; the sausage yummy, and the cheese perfectly melty.
Are you getting hungry? I certainly am.
The pudding, for being fat free, was surprisingly good. Definitely not the best chocolate pudding I've ever had, but when it's fat free, you take what you can get.
Water...it's water. Unless it's been sitting in the car getting hot or out in the open getting stale, there's not much that can be done to make it nasty.
Meal: Slow cooked steak, frozen mixed vegetables and Light cran-raspberry juice.
Rating:
Taste: steak- 10, vegetables- 10, juice- 10
My Mom and I aren't the biggest "cook all their meals at home" people. We used to be, but since moving in 2003, after almost renovating a house, and you know, getting older, my Mom's stamina for cooking for us has dwindled. My own excuse is a mixture of laziness {largely} and the fact that I'm working two jobs now. It's not that I don't like to cook or that I don't want to, it's just that when there's something to microwave that will be available to me within a 1:50, or a place I can hit on the way home and have delicious artery-clogging food given to me right away, it's easy to lapse into laziness.
My Mom put on the steak she had defrosted the night before, asking me to watch it and turn it over every so often, putting it on a heat setting of '2' out of '9'/'High'. It's important not to cook steak too fast or else it will not taste as good as it does from soaking in its own juices for 20 minutes. I flipped the steak a few times, and seasoned both sides of it with salt and pepper, pushing it around in the juices that had drained from it while it was slow cooking. At the same time, I opened a bag of frozen vegetables, put half in a bowl, filled half of that with water, and then put it in the microwave for 10 minutes. The vegetables were done before the steak was, but keeping them in the microwave made sure they stayed fresh and hot.
Once the steak was cooked to my satisfaction, probably about medium, I cut it in half and divided it up on two plates for myself and my Mom. I drained the vegetables, divided them up, and then rinsed off the cookware. I got myself a glass of Light Cran-Raspberry juice, which I didn't discover until late 2007, and paired that with my dinner.
The end result:
A fairly healthy dinner, for once.The steak needed no sauces or added seasoning because of how we cooked it. Remember this the next time you reach for the BBQ or A1 steak sauce. All I seasoned it with was salt and pepper. If you only need something minimal like that, or even not that, you are cooking your steak in the best way possible.
Meal: German chocolate cake and skim milk
Rating:
Taste: cake- 10, milk- 9
Well, after an exceptionally healthy dinner, I decide to blow it, and give into my craving for cake by running to Giant Food, one of the many supermarkets in Maryland {for those not in the region}, and grab a 1/2 whole cake they had in the bakery. Thankfully, I wasn't going to get the whole thing since Mom had half of the half with me.
I haven't had German chocolate cake in a long time, and oh my was it worth the wait. Giant always makes delicious cakes {I use 'delicious' a lot, don't I?}, and this was no exception. If they had had one of their cream cheese cakes, it would've been all over.
The milk I had shouldn't need to be explained since....how can you have cake and not have milk with it? They pair so well, like peanut butter and jelly.
Until next time, Bon Appetit!
Food Quote: "We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are." —-Adelle Davis
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Dinner for May 9, 2010
Meal: Large sausage pizza with lasagna from Pizza Hut and Swiss Miss hot chocolate.
Rating:
Taste: Pizza- 9, Lasagna- 10, Hot chocolate- 7
As always, Pizza Hut makes a superbly delicious sausage pan crust pizza. The sausage was hot, the cheese was melty and delicious, and the crust was a thing off beauty. The lasagna, what little I had of it, since it was my Mom's dish, was the highlight of the meal. The cheeses; ricotta, Parmesan and Romano blended perfectly with the meat sauce and the lasagna noodles.
The hot chocolate I combined it with could've been better. I've been having a lot of it in the last few months. Normally I put 3 scoops of the instant cocoa in the cup, but this time I put in 2, like the container said to. It wasn't terrible, but it was a bit more watery than I would've liked.
Presentation:
Food Quote: "Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." —Mark Twain
Rating:
Taste: Pizza- 9, Lasagna- 10, Hot chocolate- 7
As always, Pizza Hut makes a superbly delicious sausage pan crust pizza. The sausage was hot, the cheese was melty and delicious, and the crust was a thing off beauty. The lasagna, what little I had of it, since it was my Mom's dish, was the highlight of the meal. The cheeses; ricotta, Parmesan and Romano blended perfectly with the meat sauce and the lasagna noodles.
The hot chocolate I combined it with could've been better. I've been having a lot of it in the last few months. Normally I put 3 scoops of the instant cocoa in the cup, but this time I put in 2, like the container said to. It wasn't terrible, but it was a bit more watery than I would've liked.
Presentation:
Food Quote: "Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." —Mark Twain
Introduction
It's no secret that I like food. I've had a love affair with it since I was a kid. And, judging from the size of me, it's obvious that that is still ongoing. I love it all; pastries, cakes, ethnic food, hamburgers, pasta, breads, fruit, vegetables {certain ones at least}, pizza, etc. I could go on, but then I'd be here all day listing the foods I like.
What I aim to do is to keep this is a sort of food diary/showcase of the things I eat on a daily basis. This way, I can keep track of my eating habits, share recipes, show off my cooking prowess, and showcase awesome local food places in my area.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy bringing it to you.
Bon Appetit!
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