Santa gave me a new camera for Christmas (thank you Santa!), so I’m really just wanting to take lots and lots of new photos. I’ve decided to just post all of my old blog posts and start fresh in 2011 with new (hopefully better) photos.
So here goes nothin’…goodbye 2010….
Roasted Beets and Sweet Potatoes
Pasta with Turkey, Veggies and Spicy Pesto
And last, but certainly not least, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ahhh…that felt good. Ok, 2011, let’s do this.
Or as my husband would call it, stew.
Call it what you want, I don’t care, I call it delicious.
It hasn’t been very cold here in Southern California, and for most, that’s ok. For me, it’s the worst thing ever. It’s December, it should be cold. Icy even.
Christmas is a handful of days away, I want to be baking cookies, making soups and casseroles and snuggling up with a blanket and my husband. Instead, I’m wearing tank tops and making hot dogs so I don’t have to turn on the oven and make the house hot.
I decided I needed to put an end to this madness! I made soup. Or stew, or whatever. Something wintery. I need to get into the holiday spirit, and the weather isn’t helping me get there.
It’s slow cooking, stick-to-your-ribs, warm and cozy all over soup. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Makes enough for about 8 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 lb. hot turkey sausage, bulk
1 medium yellow onion, diced
10 – 12 kale leaves, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon yellow curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation Instructions
If you have a Dutch Oven, this is the perfect time to use it. If not, use a large pot.
Get your Dutch oven (or pot) over medium/high heat. Lightly coat the bottom with olive oil.
Chop the onion and throw that into the pot. Cook until it’s translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add your minced garlic and cook for only about a minute.
If you bought bulk sausage, drop that in, if you couldn’t get bulk, remove the casing and crumble it in.
I found that using a potato masher speeds the process of breaking up the sausage really well.
Cook the sausage until no longer pink.
Add your curry powder, thyme (you can throw the whole stem in and fish it out later, the leaves will fall off), bay leaf and salt and pepper. Give it a mix, coating the meat and onion mixture well.
Add the veggies, lentils and split peas. Give everything a good mix and let that hang out for a few minutes.
Add the liquid. If you don’t have stock, use broth, if you don’t have chicken, use beef or veggie.
Add the kale. Chop off the the tough stems, then chop the leaves into ribbons.
Kick the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it boils, bring it to low and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. The split peas will mush and help thicken the soup, the lentils will hold up better.
After your house smells so good you can’t stand it anymore, ladle some soup into the bowl, add some fresh parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
If you have some crusty bread, this is the time to use it. It’s great for soaking up all that goodness.
Enjoy :)!
What we have here was an experiment. Well, half of it is at least. I’ve never really had an opportunity to appreciate the beet. You’ll sometimes find it pickled and sliced into salads. When that happens, I’ll pick around them. I heard it was good as well as good for you so I thought I’d give it a shot. We saw a bundle while cruising the Farmer’s Market and I felt like this was as good a time as any to give ‘em a shot.
I had to do some reading online about roasting and peeling. When all was said and done, I peeled it like I would a potato and roasted it the same. I had some sweet potatoes that looked like they were ready to join the dark side, so I cut them all up together and went roasting crazy!
As I said, I peeled them like a potato and cut them into about 1 inch cubes. I did the same for the sweet potatoes. I gave them a toss in some olive oil, kosher salt, cracked black pepper and some crushed red pepper flakes for heat. My husband jokes that my “signature ingredient” is red pepper, he’s probably right.
I put them in a glass dish for 20 minutes on 425F at which point I give them a little shake and flip, then another 20 minutes and their done. This is the method I used for my roasted baby gold potatoes as well. Put them in, let them do their thing, then at 20 minutes shake them up a bit, then another 20 and their done. The key is leaving them be. Let them crisp and get that nice brown layer. Forty minutes works every time.
Well, as it turns out, beets kind of taste like dirt. Not my favorite. Not bad, just not, “Mmm, seconds please!” I’m glad I made them. It was an experience. I can appreciate them. I love the color and how they look against the sweet potatoes. Oh yeah, the sweet potatoes, the bomb. Delicious, every time. The peeling process was no biggy, the bleeding color wasn’t an issue (as I had read it could be) and the flavor, although not my favorite, not bad.
I’m just going to say it, I love sloppy joes. I always have. I came across this recipe and my mouth started to water so I knew it had to be made.
Makes 6 sandwiches
Adapted from FoodNetwork Magazine
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 serrano chile pepper, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
For the Sloppy Joes:
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large white onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 serrano pepper, with ribs and seeds, chopped
Kosher salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup heavy cream
Small handful fresh cilantro
6 hamburger buns
Preparation Instructions
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the ginger, garlic and chile pepper and cook until the garlic browns a little.
Add the garam masala and paprika and cook 30 seconds.
Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 – 20 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the raisins and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raisins swell up. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the cumin, the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the chile pepper and cook 2 more minutes, seasoning with salt.
Add the turkey, breaking up the big lumps, and cook until opaque, about 5 – 8 minutes.
Add the prepared sauce to the turkey-and-onion mixture in the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 25 minutes.
Stir in the honey, heavy cream and raisins. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the cilantro right before serving.
Enjoy!
This was really spicy. Good spicy, but really spicy. If you’re on the fence about spice, hold back a little. If you’re not afraid of it, go crazy, like I did.
Cut up your peppers and garlic.
Brown your turkey, pepper mixture, seasoning and onion.
Add some chicken stock and let all of those flavors get to know each other.
Add a can of beans and a bay leaf.
Cover with enough stock to cover and let it simmer.
When it’s reduced a bit and everyone knows each other, drop in some cream to add some velvety richness.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground turkey
4 Serrano peppers, diced (keep the ribs and seeds for more heat)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can, 15 oz., cannellini beans
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin
Chicken stock, enough to cover
1/4 – 1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Sour cream (optional)
Cheddar cheese (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat a large pot over medium/high heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. I use my Dutch Oven, just because I love it.
Dice your onion, red pepper, onion, garlic and Serrano peppers. Add to the pot, along with the turkey and your seasonings. Cook until the turkey is browned and the onions are translucent.
Add about 2 ladlefuls of stock to the mixture. Let that absorb, about 10 minutes.
Add the can of beans (with or without the liquid, your preference. I dumped it all in) and your bay leaf.
Put enough stock to cover the mixture. Turn the heat down a bit and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve it, turn the heat way down add your cream. Give it a nice stir and let it work its magic.
When you’re ready, top with your favorite chili toppings. I love cilantro and sour cream. I also love cheese, frito chips, even fresh parsley.
Enjoy!
The pictures are awful, I know. It was dark, I was lazy, it’s much better than it looks, I promise!
A friend of mine asked me to make some cupcakes for one of her students. She said “Anything but chocolate.” I was slightly hesitant to make something too funky for a bunch of 7th graders, so red velvet felt like a good choice. They devoured them!
Makes 24 cupcakes
Adapted from Bakerella
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oz. red food coloring
For the Icing:
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake pans with liners.
Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.
Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together with another wire whisk.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
Pour into pans and then knock the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
For the Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the butter and continue to beat for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Slowly add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until smooth and no lumps of sugar are visible.
Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until combined.
Yum. Just reading that title makes me happy. Happy and hungry.
I love pesto. I love basil based pesto. I love arugula based pesto. I love spinach based pesto. I just love pesto. Garlic, olive oil, cheese, nuts and something green. How could you not love that?
I came across a recipe for spicy pesto and thought it sounded interesting. As I started making it, however, I discovered it wasn’t very spicy at all, so I improvised.
The recipe had called for one jalapeño. For me, jalapeño peppers are not very spicy at all. I bought three, thinking if I didn’t use them in the pesto, they could easily go into a salsa for Taco Tuesday. When all is said and done I used all three, ribs and seeds included.
My husband is not a fan of veggies, so I knew this meal would be a hit or miss with him.
It was a hit! Yay for me :)!
Also, if turkey meat isn’t your thing you could use chicken, ground beef, or omit it and go completely vegetarian!
I basically sautéed a yellow pepper, an orange pepper (I find the orange and yellows to be sweeter than the red and green peppers), after they softened up a bit, I threw in some mushrooms, them some turkey meat I browned with some garlic, s&p, and red pepper flakes in a separate pan. Let those flavors have a party and got my pasta going. Next time I’ll add some onion to the dish. Kind of forgot about onions.
While the pasta was cooking I got out my handy dandy food processor and whipped up some pesto. Garlic, olive oil, Asiago cheese, s&p, red pepper flakes, baby spinach, jalapeños, and some diced chilis from a can. Easy stuff here people.
Gave it a taste, re-seasoned a bit, drained the pasta, dumped it back into the pot, added the meat and veggie mixture, topped with the pesto and voila! dinner is served!
You’ve got it all on a plate. Salad, veggie, meat and pasta! And it’s super tasty!!!
Makes 6 – 8 servings
Ingredients
1 pound short cut pasta, I used penne ‘cause it’s what I had
1 pound ground turkey meat, I used extra lean which means I could use more cheese in the pesto, cancelling each other out ;)
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 – 1 1/2 cup white mushrooms, cut in half or quartered
1/4 – 1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 – 3 cloves of garlic
3 jalapeños, ribs and seeds included
2 cups Asiago cheese, shredded
6 oz. baby spinach
Preparation Instructions
Get a big pot of water boiling. Don’t salt it until you drop your pasta.
Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add about 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil along with your sliced peppers. Add some salt and pepper and cover so they steam.
Add about 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil to another pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add your turkey meat, salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and cook until brown. This should only take about 6 – 8 minutes tops.
At this point, the veggies should be pretty soft, add your mushrooms and give a stir. Let those cook for a few minutes.
After about 3 – 5 minutes, add the browned turkey to the veggie mix. Give it a stir, taste for seasoning, turn it down to low and cover. Let those flavors have some time to get cozy.
Salt your water and drop your pasta. Should take about 9 minutes if you’re using short cut pasta, less if you’re using long spaghetti.
Time for the pesto. Add your garlic, jalapeños, s&p, spinach, red pepper, cheese and walnuts. Give it a whirl in the food processor. Slowly add your remaining olive oil. It’ll be pretty thick, until it’s not, and that’ll happen quickly. You’ll see. That’s when you know you’ve added enough olive oil.
Taste it. Re-season if necessary. It should be pretty spicy. If not, you could add some diced chilis. I had a little 5 oz can. I used maybe 1/2. I don’t know how much of a difference it made. I think I’d go for more red pepper next time (assuming it wasn’t spicy enough). Be creative. If you have a hotter pepper, use that, if you want more garlic, add more. If you have arugula (which has a spicy flavor), use that. My husband says my “signature ingredient” is red pepper flakes, he’s right, I use it often. That’s my go-to spice.
Set the pesto aside.
Once the pasta is al dente, reserve about a cup of pasta cooking water, drain and return to the large pot. Add your turkey and veggie mixture and spoon in some pesto. Give it a gentle stir. Add more pesto slowly. If you want to thin it out a little, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water. I used most of the pesto and none of the water, but you never know.
Plate it and you’re done. Enjoy!
This, to me, sounds like a “fancy burger.” I like when the burger itself has fun ingredients built into it, rather than all toppings. That, for me, constitutes a “fancy burger.”
I saw this recipe in the Rachel Ray Magazine and it sounded so yummy. I had most of the ingredients at home, so I improvised a bit, and came up with a really juicy and tasty turkey burger!
I cooked the corn, onion, chilis, red pepper and salt and pepper in a pan until the corn was golden brown and the onion was translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
Once that was done, I let it cool before adding it to the ground meat.
In a large bowl I mixed the turkey, chopped chipotle peppers and cilantro and cooled corn mixture together.
I scored the meat with the side of my palm creating four equal parts, roughly.
I formed them into 4 patties and put them in the fridge for about 20 – 30 minutes, so they could set up a bit.
I heated my Le Creuset grill/griddle to medium/high and brushed it lightly with the oil.
I let the patties cook for about 5 minutes per side, for the last 2 minutes or so, I put the cheese on top, tented the grill with a piece of tin foil and let it melt.
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn
3 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chipped cilantro, plus whole leaves for topping
2 Tablespoons canned green chile
1/4 yellow onion, sliced or chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns, split
4 Tablespoons mayonnaise
4 leaves romaine lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
4 slices of any melting cheese you like, I used Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar, 2 slices on each
Preparation Instructions
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the corn, chiles, onion, s&p and red pepper flakes. Let that cook for approximately 7 minutes, until the corn is golden brown and the onions are translucent.
Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, corn mixture, chipotle chile, chopped cilantro, about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium. Brush with vegetable oil. Grill patties until deep golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Flip, and cook the other side for another 5 minutes.
During the last few minutes of grilling, top with cheese. If you’re grilling your hamburger buns, place them on the grill now until toasted.
Spread the mayonnaise on the toasted bun bottoms and top with lettuce, patties, tomato and whole cilantro leaves.
Christmas is my most favorite time of year.
I’m like a little kid, I do a mental countdown starting in about August. It just makes me happy.
I love Christmas shopping, I don’t mind the crowds, the long lines or wrapping presents. I get caught up in the season and it makes it all okay in my mind.
I love the music, the movies and the food. I love to crank up Brenda Lee or The Drifters and get baking. It truly makes me happy.
I love watching Christmas movies. The same ones over and over again every year. I will never get tired of them; White Christmas, A Christmas Story and Home Alone are at the top of my list. I know I’m a dork for listing Home Alone, but I love it. They all embody Christmas in a different way for me. Each a different story, each just as good as the next.
I love getting my Christmas cards ready. I love buying stamps with a holiday theme. I love running to the the mailbox to open Christmas cards from friends and family.
I love picking out wrapping paper. I love giving my husband one to choose and seeing boxes appear under the tree wrapped with it.
I love the cold. I love seeing a cloudy sky and convincing myself it’ll definitely snow. I love seeing those first few flakes fall.
I love convincing myself it’s cold enough outside and it’ll stick. I love checking the window to see if it’s accumulating, then deciding it’s time to go sledding.
I love bundling up in old sweatpants, gloves, hats, and super thick wool socks and finding the perfect hill to go sledding on.
I love getting out the new sled purchased on clearance after Christmas the previous year and FINALLY being ready to use it.
I love coming inside after sledding all day wet with frozen toes, runny noses, and getting a mug of hot cocoa to warm your insides.
I love winter, I love snow, I love Christmas. It really is, the most wonderful time of the year.
Take a moment in all of the chaos and enjoy. It’ll be over before we know it.
See you all in 2011. Oh, and don’t drink and drive…that’d be a dumb way to start the new year.
I’ve never made a pot roast before. I like to try classic meals and see how they come out. I’m not usually a huge fan of pot roast, but it seemed so easy I had to give it a shot.
I saw the recipe in the Pioneer Woman’s cookbook and realized I had all of the ingredients, minus the roast.
This was extremely easy, and super yummy.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
3 pound chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 yellow onions
4 carrots
Salt and pepper to taste
2 – 3 cups beef stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Preparation Instructions
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. Generously salt and pepper your roast.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Cut two onions in half and cut carrots into 2-inch slices.
When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.
Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.
If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.
With the burner still on high, use about 1 cup beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of the bits up.
When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups).
Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as the garlic, fresh rosemary and fresh thyme.
Put the lid on, then roast in a 275 degrees F oven for 3 hours. At the end of the cooking time, it should be fork tender.
I think next time I’ll skim the fat then reduce and thicken the juices and use as a gravy.
Serve with a side of roasted potatoes!
I cheated a little. I used store bought pizza dough. It was easy and tasty, don’t hate me. If you want to make your own, go for it!
This was another one of those, “This goat cheese isn’t going to last much longer, how can I use it?” situations. I knew I had the Trader Joes Pizza Dough in the fridge so I thought I would whip together a quick pizza.
This is my new favorite homemade pizza. It was so good. I had leftovers for lunch the next day, delicious.
Get some pears and slice them thinly.
Get a small red onion and make half moons.
Get about about 3 - 4 sprigs of thyme. Use fresh thyme, it’ll make the difference.
Put the onions in a pan over medium/low heat with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter and some salt and pepper. Cover and let it wilt down.
Once it’s nice and soft and browned (about 15 minutes), remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Get your dough on a lightly “floured” pizza stone or baking pan. By floured, I mean use corn meal.
Top away! I used about 3 oz of crumbled goat cheese, 1 garlic clove, 1 pear, 1/2 caramelized red onion, some thyme, a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, some freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil over the top. That’s it.
So so good. I want to make it every night.
Makes 1, 12” pizza
Ingredients
1 12” store-bought pizza dough
1 large pear, thinly sliced
3 - 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 red onion, cut into half moons
2 – 3 oz. goat cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Corn meal
Preparation Instructions
Let your pizza dough hang out on the counter while you get your other ingredients going.
Preheat the oven according to packaging or if you’re using homemade dough, 450 degrees F.
Heat a medium sized pan over medium/low heat. Add olive oil and butter.
Once the butter has melted, not burned, add your onions, salt and pepper and cover.
Let the onions wilt down and brown up. This will take about 15 minutes or so. Give them a stir once in a while. For the last 5 minutes, remove the lid and let some of the liquids evaporate.
Once the onions are done, remove from heat and let them cool.
Get your pizza stone or baking sheet ready. Sprinkle a nice coat of corn meal on the stone or baking sheet. Get your pizza dough on the stone and pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes. This will give it a little crunch and the middle pieces won’t be soggy.
Now top the pizza. Lay the pear slices out in whatever formation you see fit. Add your cracked black pepper, minced garlic, thyme, goat cheese crumbles, cooled caramelized onions, and a hearty handful of parmesan cheese. I don’t add additional salt since the parm is pretty salty.
Pop that sucker in the oven and wait until it browns on the top and starts to bubble.
Slice and enjoy :)!
Word on the street is (and has apparently been for some time) that if you want a good burger, go to TK Burgers. The hubs and I decided since we are now on “The Quest to Find the Planet’s Best Burger,” we’d give it a shot. Our neighbor had been mentioning this place forever, but we figured, “He’s a vegetarian now, what does he remember about beef?”
Let me set up the scene for you. We’re talking about Friday night around 7:30. We get to the restaurant and notice the parking lot is kind of empty. Already I’m in a good mood. Then I have that thought, “It’s Friday night, how come the place is empty?” We walk in and immediately get that burst of delicious smelling grill going. The place has a very red glow to it, which at first is a little weird, but you get used to it. The decor is very surfer boy meets Wahoo’s. I can dig it. Stickers from every band, local clothing design company and Jo Schmo are stuck on any and all flat surfaces. It’s fun and it makes you feel relaxed.
We get to the counter and wait. And wait. Then wait some more. There’s a guy flipping burgers, and another walking around aimlessly. Not sure what’s going on here. He keeps telling us, “She’ll be right with you.” Can he really not figure out how to take our order? Chances are, we’ll probably order a burger, seeing how it’s a burger joint and all. In any case, she shows up and we give her our order.
For him the cheeseburger with ketchup only (duh), for me, I’ll take it all. If you get it with everything you’ll end up with a patty, cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and thousand island spread. We get the “Big Bargain Combo” which comes with fries. We get a small drink and find a seat.
We find a booth and start reading the walls.
We hear our number called and my wonderful husband goes to retrieve the goods. As I see him turn the corner he’s got that face on. The face of, “Here’s a CON for your blog!” He’s trying very hard to manage the burgers and fries on two of the world’s flimsiest paper plates. The kind you’d find at a family BBQ that ends with you covered in ketchup and baked beans. I knew this was going on the CON side of the list. It was kind of a dumb design though. I mean, come on, get some trays! In any case, I had noticed something called “Fry Salt” at the counter when we ordered. I love seasoned fries but knew I should try them straight up first. The fries, in all honesty, were really tasty on their own, but I couldn’t live with myself not knowing what this mysterious fry salt might taste like.
I did a little shimmy shake and I kind of think it was garlic powder and salt. I’m still not 100% on that though. It was good and I was glad I tried it. My only issue with the fries were that they were a little on the greasy side, other than that, tasty and some nice crunch. I was pleased.
Ok, onto the burgers. First we will take a peek at his:
Lookin’ good. Cheese is nice and melty looking! And now mine:
Yum! We felt the buns (that sounds dirty) and agreed they were toasted (or grilled), but it didn’t come through when you bit into it. While I was having a love affair with my burger he mentioned how it was, “Nice that it wasn’t overcooked.” I agree. It was cooked perfectly.
I thought the ratio of toppings to burger patty were right on target. I hate a round meatball like burger with half of a tomato and a quarter of a head of lettuce. There’s no way you can eat something like that all in one bite. They sliced the red onion nice and thin, same for the tomato and lettuce.
I was pleasantly surprised with the whole experience. This was a burger that when I finished, I thought, “When is an appropriate amount of time to wait until we can come back?” That didn’t happen with Five Guys, and I rarely feel that way about In-N-Out, so we’re making some headway!
Until our next burger adventure…remember, “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.”
