Baby Steps…Mini Food Truck Rally

After seeing signs on “The BBD” (As the Bruce B. Downs BLVD is called down here), for a food truck rally we decided that we would attend. papa Smurf has worked quite a few events with American Wiener and he talks about the rush, variety and comradery amongst other truckers. I hadn’t been to an event yet before this one but was eager to attend one. As far as attending more food truck events goes, I want to see “What life like for them. Go where they go” (*inside joke) No but seriously, what better way to understand your client base (a growing portion of it). And I just so happen to be a foodie and food blogger too so it doesn't really feel like homework. It's also a good way to get our feet wet at a smaller event closer in to our community.

Here was the lineup:

The Roaming Gourmand

Lizzie Cakes

Kind Grinds

 
While we were in line at The Roaming Gourmand, we ended up right in front of the event planner who worked for the Meadow Pointe CDD. Funny how things work out huh? He was thrilled to have reached people who weren’t living in the community.We talked about his landscaping business, how he set up the event, and other events that the community has from time to time. It was really great to gain insight on a number of things/ options we are weighing in heavily on and considering. I gave a plug for GTBFA, if he needs to book more trucks in the future. He was very friendly and sociable. We later ended up at a table with him, his wife and mother in law (at least that’s how the dynamic appeared). They saw me with my Nikon snapping away and asked “Are you a food blogger?” Why yes ;-) They also asked if they could take pictures of my food for their newspaper, sure…why not?

At The Roaming Gourmand I first ordered…Cho Po (Chorizo with potatoes).

I felt like that poor old Lady in that old Wendy’s commercial “Where’s the beef!?” Ok, I know chorizo is not beef but you get the idea as I am referring to the meat portion of the dish. The chorizo was almost non existent. Chorizo is hard to find in the grocery store (I really like the Botto brand which I have been unable to find here). I have been craving chorizo since we left MD, wanting to grill it, and so was very disappointed. The potatoes are perfect, perfectly cooked no complaints there. They would make for some excellent home fries if they ever have a breakfast menu one day. I also loved the crispy onion straws, as this is something that I like to have when I order barbecue burgers. When I think of Chipotle sauce, I think of a robust and spicy sauce and the sweetness of the sauce used here took me by surprise. I don’t usually gravitate to sweet barbecue sauces so could do without the sweetness that I found in this one. But that is just a matter of preference as the sauce is a good one. My advice, drizzle with a Chipotle queso instead of the BBQ sauce and please more chorizo with some chunkiness! Those potatoes need some more sizeable and robust mates on board to compliment them.

Love that wrap!

I decided to give them a second chance and ordered their wrap. They gave Papa Smurf a discount. The sausage was pretty good, but I could have done without the cheddar in the sausage. However, it adds another dimension so I get it. I would’ve loved and my palette was missing provolone. It’s like a pre-cursor ---> onions, peppers, provolone (or some mozzarella). Yes, I’m a "snow bird" (as they call us Northerners down here) and I am sure it is showing through that preference leaning more towards the Italian side. Anyways, the onions were great but the green peppers were over cooked and mushy. My advice, buy your onions and peppers pre-cut if you want to save time, but cooking them too far in advance and reheating is usually the culprit here. Of course you want your onions to caramelize but as far as reheating goes you run the risk of veggies turning to mush. I wondered if the green peppers were canned. I liked the vibrant orange flatbread wrap that was used. Very attractive for plating.

On Lizzie Cakes…Love that White Chocolate Key Lime pie!

So good! Fresh grates of lime gave the fresh and perfect balance of tangy vs sweet. It was a very sweet but the lime tones it down some. It was a very generous slice, so portion is good. The homemade graham / cookie crust with butter was tasty and good compliment to this custard style pie. I only wished it were ice cold but we were combating FL heat so just to have it cold was good considering. They nailed it with this one!

As for Kind Grinds we only tried a watermelon kiwi beverage that they had. Pretty cool see through can. A light and airy beverage. Low in sugar and carbonate. Perfect for the FL heat that day.

I wasn't much in the mood for rice that day and they were mostly serving rice bowls at the time. I'm hoping to see and try something from their truck another time. With that said, I hope to attend more food events in the future. We’re growing here, finding our respective niches and better fits. It takes time but comes with the territory of building a life in a new place and making it home. So far so good.

Things Are Changing…Steak Roll Ups and Blue Cheese Please

It’s decision time. With that said we had to submit notice yesterday and will be staying where we currently live in FL. Papa Smurf switched over his Driver's License to FL a week or so ago and is now an official resident. We also found a really good tailor shop for him in Citrus Park...oh and a stellar brick oven pizza place in Citrus Park too (Grimaldi's). I give it 5* some of the best pizza I've had since we've been here. You can even watch the cook make your pie. Julie and Jerry got a kick out of watching the cook toss the dough.

Things are changing and looking good for this year. But it will be a process as we build and set down roots here.The food truck contract is turning out to be a real bear! Restaurant accounting is a trip with its own caveats, idiosyncrasies, and dramas to hash out. It’s different from other businesses and has other financial matters that have to be recorded and tended to that are non-existent in other industries. Add that these establishments are mobile and it gets that much swirlier. It hasn’t come without some learning curve issues, frustrations, and screaming some very colorful language within the confinement of my little 3 walled office space with a window. You never really know how involved things are until you get in the trenches, start the work, and are already in the thick of it all. But I have always wanted to land a set of restaurant books ever since I started out independently. Once upon a time when I felt getting my CPA license was still well within reach/ grasp I actually wanted a restaurant practice. The last update I received we’re at about 7 trucks on the roster, 2 newbies. I have 2 in process and those 2 are from a total of 4 that are ready for process/ maintenance. My mind has not really caught up with all of this in a sense of being able to muster up any over excitement just yet. 

Some of you may have noticed that my Instagram has slowed down significantly with food posts/pictures shared. I need a new cell as mine is dying a slow death following a drop. It has a mind of its own now, sometimes closing and clicking apps almost incessantly. Once it’s replaced the pictures will resume. 

In the midst of all the “swirly-ness”, having to skim things off and focus what’s already on our plate in front of us. A lot of meat and potatoes! Speaking of which, here is a little something I whipped up this past week!

I made steak roll ups. I like blue cheese but despise the pre-made salad dressing blue cheese. Call me a “food snob” *shrugs. I highly prefer the fresh blue cheese crumbles and to make my own dressing or dipping sauce for wings with the crumbles, sour cream or Greek Yogurt and mayo. I was having a serious craving for blue cheese (no clue why), the night before I made this dish we made burgers. I wanted a bacon and blue burger but “no haps on that”. So the craving was not satisfied. Papa Smurf and I were in a serious chicken coma, I mean chickened out, so no wings…out of the question.  I decided to make Steak and Asparagus Roll Ups with Blue Cheese (Crumbles) after seeing chicken wrapped with cheddar and asparagus by Archer Farms in the grocery. 

Recipe: 

8 Small Round Chuck Steaks (Any small and thin round will do)

1 Stick of Butter (Healthy Op EVOO

1-2 Tspns of Red Cooking Wine (or Red Wine Vinegar)

Small Container Blue Cheese Crumbles

Asparagus (Woody portion trimmed off) 2-3 per roll/ steak

Steak Seasoning (Salt and Pepper Based) ---I like to use McCormick’s Montreal Steak

You can use a combination of Kosher Salt, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, ad EVOO

***Easy on the salt as Blue Cheese has a saltiness itself.

Ziplock Bag / Meat Tenderizer Mallet (I improvised with my wooden rolling pin).

Method:

This one is pretty straight forward. You want to put your steaks in a Ziplock and pound them thinner so that they are easier to roll. Be careful not to get holes in the meat or split the steaks. Next season with Salt and Pepper or Steak Seasoning on both sides. Allow steaks to get to room temperature and so that the seasoning can set in. After, place a tablespoon of blue cheese in the middle of the steak and top with a small square sliver of butter, arrange trimmed asparagus lengthwise. Then roll your steaks. If the steaks are a good amount of thinness they should hold in place without a toothpick. Place under a broiler at 500 degrees until the steak reaches your desired temperature. I like mine medium rare to medium well 155 - 165 degrees internal temp.

Voila!

The 'Day Job' And Food Collide...!

We have alot going on! Often times when a person states that they "have alot going on" people assume one of two things either you're doing it big or it's not good. We're good and it's good stuff.

For those who follow me on Facebook (personal side) know that I recently landed a multi-client subcontract. No sooner than I wanted to share my ideas about the whole turning this blog into a springboard, this project comes along and the crazy thing is how it ties into the larger scope of things. It's turning out to be a little more involved than I initially thought. I haven't really had time to blog or make anything post worthy until earlier this week. So that post is coming but I have held it off while I get my bearings especially in lieu of this new project.

So what are we doing? What's the scoop behind the operation? The head behind Foodie Finances is also the Treasurer of Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association. She's also co-owner with her husband for American Wiener. Foodie Finances helps food trucks get their permits, licenses, sales tax and use set up, also aids with getting up to health code, and mentors rookie food truckers for best practices in daily operations management. Though we share the same degree (BS in Accounting), Bookkeeping is not her stronger suit but rather the food truck set up consulting, daily operations and financial management. So, that's where I came in as a Bookkeeping and Accounting consultant when she decided to sub out; I also provide consultations to her on best practices in the field, the best tools and software to use, industry standards, trends and news.

I have been contracting myself out independently the last 3 years as a Bookkeeping Consultant under my own business Taylor Tax and Bookkeeping.When it comes to bookkeeping contracts I don't discriminate against industries because I don't want to limit myself. I'm willing to work with anyone and learn their processes. Then, over time improve their systems based on fine tuning their needs. Accounting is a fundamental language for business, built on principles and rules for the tracking and analysis of financial records. So, once you have it down, you can adjust to whatever industry you end up in. I have served quite a variety of industries already in just a few years CPA firm, hair salon, graphic designers, publishing companies, government contractors, information systems and technology, home improvement contractors and now food trucks. I like it, I get to use my educational background, no sales, no cold calling, no door to door, no commission, no ladder or pyramid, and get to set my own hours.

This latest project came along at a time where I was considering throwing in the towel; and possibly moving on. I even admitted that at our last meeting. The 'day job' as I have dubbed it, is tedious, and can be very time consuming if you don't know what you're doing. It's really like sitting down and working a jigsaw puzzle. I was getting frustrated. Of course, I enjoy the work, I've always loved puzzles since childhood. I'm very good at what I do. Finding work is relatively easy. However, finding people who won't take advantage of you, who won't treat your skills and talent like an "All You Can Eat Buffet", and who understand they don't come cheap or wholesale is a whole other story! And that last bit was the thorn and source of frustration (at times).

Anyways, moving forward, I was beyond excited because I am a serious foodie of course. There was also the plus that I would not have to be glued to an office, but serve the clients remotely. Thank God for technology and resources like Right Networks. The food truck industry is gaining momentum in popularity, creativity, and culinary prowess. The industry is changing, the bar has been raised as chefs are trading jobs in brick and mortars for mobile kitchens.

Okay so this is a food blog right!? Here's what I made this past week...


I think I perfected barbecue ribs around or at least close to the same year that I perfected my "Man Trap". I remember after making them for the 1st time without a #Fail my mother asked me "Do you think you would be able to do it again?" and from there I knew I had a #Winner. Just a couple of years back an old close friend asked for the rib recipe after having them at my daughter's birthday BBQ. And when I listed my "Master Blend" she was taken aback "Oh gosh! I didn't know it was that involved!". So today, I have slimmed it down and present to you "The Basic Rib Rub"

The Basic Rib Rub 

2 1/2 Tblspns Onion Powder
2 1/2 Tblspns Garlic Powder
1 1/2 - 2 Tspns of Cumin
2 Tspns of Kosher Salt
1 Tblspn of Smoked Paprika
1 Tblspn of Chili Powder
2 Tspns of Black Pepper (If you have a a pepper grinder fresh cracked black works best!)
1/2 Tblspn of Cinnamon

The Wet Finish (No Gutter Brains Please)

2 Tblspns of Soy sauce (one on each side)
1/4 Cup of Oil (Vegetable or Canola will do)
1/4 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

You want to mix all of the ingredients to the rib rub together first (in a bowl or ziplock). Next, make sure to work the rub in really good (use gloves), make sure there aren't any clumps. Treat it like lotion! And be sure to get both sides. You will probably have some leftover that you can keep in a cool dry place. Before baking or marinating overnight, add 1 tablespoon of Soy Sauce to each side. Followed by a 1/4 cup of oil (spread evenly over both sides) and the same with the cider vinegar.

If you are baking like I had chosen to do so this time, let your ribs get a good sear for 15-20 mins at 450 degrees. Then bake at 350-375 degrees for the remaining cook time. I usually bake ribs in the oven for at least 50 minutes. The foiling method works great to keep your ribs from drying out after they get a good sear (covering with foil). However, when baking I will usually just pour 1 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the baking tray to keep my ribs moist (without foil).

The finished product...

Nice tender, juicy and flavorful ribs!

Enjoy!

Nokomis Beach: A Beautiful…Simple…Almost Unspoiled Hidden Gem!

I saw a Facebook status in my newsfeed with an image of Beyonce that read “It’s easy to go broke trying to look rich. Remember to always act your wage!”.  Well let me just set the record straight (esp for those back home), the beach is “F-R-E-E!” when you’re not staying and just going for a day trip. Then can head back home. Though as we get more settled here, I hope to spend a few weekend stays here and there. Fortunately, living in “Suburbia” aka “The Outskirts” of New Tampa puts us within an hour’s reach of a variety of beaches. Some of the best that the Gulf side of Florida has to offer. And each has it’s own personality, flair, culture and lifestyle to it.

Nokomis goes on my list of “Beach Towns That Time Forgot” / “Classic Beach Vacation Spots”. Also on that list goes Anna Maria Island (a beach we visited before I started the blog). These beaches aren’t overrun with vendors or massively commercialized. It’s like one of those towns you see in Hallmark Channel movies. And we LOVE Hallmark Channel movies in all of their wholesome cheesy goodness and quaint small town settings as we binge watch together during holidays. So, if you’re looking for a busy strip and party town you won’t find it at Nokomis. Which was great because it’s Spring Break season here and there are just some things I am not ready for my 3 and 5 year old to see let alone do I care to be placed in the awkward position to explain. (Case in point this FOOLERY). Nokomis Beach is surrounded by residential property and private owned rentals. It is located about 25 minutes away from Travel Channel renowned and one of the U.S.’s Top Beaches…Siesta Key!

We were visiting Mr. D last weekend and he now lives a stone’s throw away from Nokomis Beach. There are only a few shops on the street leading to the bridge that goes in to the beach. One of the shops includes an ice cream parlor, Bentley’s. We stopped in to visit Mr. D’s granddaughter Lexi and get some homemade ice cream.

It was like a parlor that time forgot, there was a classic soft serve ice cream machine on site. The parlor is also family owned. It’s simple inside, several pictures of people having a good time at the parlor enjoying ice cream, a couple of patio furniture tables and chairs. There was ice cream, sorbet, and gelato all available in a nice variety of flavors to choose from. Julie had strawberry and Jerry had his favorite “banilla”. Papa Smurf had Reese’s peanut butter and I had cappuccino crunch both in waffle cones. Both were really good, and the cappuccino crunch tasted just like a creamy frozen cappuccino, and the crunch crumbles tasted more like chocolates rather than strong flavored mocha bits. The Reese peanut butter was good but a little too sweet for me. When I was a kid though, you couldn’t keep me away from Reese Cups. They were my favorite chocolates and still are. We really liked the ice cream its very creamy and tastes of real flavor. From the taste it appears the real deal, no artificial fillers here. The cone protectors that they give you are GENIUS! They catch all drips and keep the cone in tact so everybody stays happy :-)

I stopped in next door to a sunglass and beachwear shop to get some sunglasses. The shop owner was nice and very polite. We talked for a bit as she cleaned the lenses of my new sunglasses with a microfiber cloth. I told her about my cousin who landed a deal with Nordstrom Rack selling his line of sunglasses. And to that she said “…Now see that’s great when people can just cash in on their creativity! I need an idea like that but I’m not as creative.” Oh to cash in on creativity :-D  Anyways, staying on topic, there was a bait shop and a convenience store located in the same spot as the ice cream parlor though I did not seem much else. Although, TripAdvisor lists some restaurants that appear small, quaint, privately owned, and seamlessly tucked away.

After ice cream we headed down the street to the two lane draw bridge that leads to the “jetty” and the main beach. Don’t even ask me where my Nikon was to take a picture of the canal. Maybe we went over to fast, but it was probably because the water looked just like The Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz and my eyes were locked in a gaze that left me motionless. Mr. D told us that the water changes colors in the canal naturally. However, here is an old picture from our very first visit several months ago, sorry no Emerald City colored water in this one and it was a little overcast that day (the beach was also closed that day).


At the end of the draw bridge we were able to see a large boathouse where you could rent boats and jet skis. Once we were at the beach, the view and the water are beautiful but it was too cool for swimming (at least for us). Though, it was still quite a warm day. The sand is great for shelling. There are tons of shells to be found here. Julie was so excited because she loves to pick things. She gathered quite a few and said “These are for (Ms.) ‘Kaffy” as she gave them all to Mr. D.---for his wife.  We forgot the beach toys in our car which we left parked back at Mr. D’s but the kids didn’t care. They were just fine picking shells, playing with a cup and a plastic bottle from our packed lunch and snacks. I am really grateful for their appreciation of the simple things. Even if it may only last for this innocent portion of their lives that alot of older parents stop us  and say “aww the ‘fun age’ enjoy it, it goes fast!”


We were surprised to encounter a drum circle while there. There were lots of belly dancers and hula hoopers. And there were some mean drummers out there. Here is a clip!

We stayed until sunset, when the shore line fills up with onlookers and photographers.

The Florida Strawberry Festival

So we decided we may check out The Strawberry Festival the weekend of its last run (March 7-8). Saturday was a bit too cool so we passed and just ended up going to the grocery shopping for dinner. Sunday, we forgot to "spring forward" and showed up for church embarrassingly late. The computers were down/off at the kids' check-in area signaling that something was off. Next thing you know one of the young ladies said "You forgot to 'spring forward' sorry guys see you next week" of course after explaining to a totally aloof couple that we were consequently an hour late. Anyways, it was turning into a lazy Sunday soon thereafter, but the sun was beaming. It was quite warmer than Saturday as we walked around the neighborhood trail and pond to the playground. The pond was swarming with fish surfacing. Large ones too. Papa Smurf never realized just how well stocked the pond is (although we do see people come through to fish frequently we never see what they catch). So, he was excited and wanted to fish. But en route for supplies, the kids were very vocal about wanting to go to The Strawberry Festival. We made a detour to the Publix to get tickets, which were $8 for adults and $4 for kids. Twenty-four dollars total for a family of four not too bad.

We're about 45 minutes out from Plant City, where the fair is held, coming from deep in the burbs of the greater New Tampa area. The I-75 to I-4 both had wall to wall traffic heading into town. There highway advisory boards flashing instructions for where to go and park "Festival Parking Exit....". Once we took exit 19 there were cars lined all down the road. And that's where you see flaggers and makeshift parking lots (sadly some people had their front yards turned to parking lots, others threatened you like they would go Jazmine Sullivan style if you dare park in their yards! Or at least have you towed). Most lots averaged about $10-15 a park; I only saw 1-2 for $5 but they were closer to the highway and one looked kind of dodgy. We parked closer in on a middle school parking lot for $10. So now we're up to $34, $35 counting a $1 basket of strawberries we bought. As you get closer in, it's almost like Bangkok. There are alot bicycle taxis and golf cart taxis taking people to and from for a price of course. People were hustling hard and you definitely couldn't knock them for it.

Once we entered, it was extremely crowded and not what we expected, even on the last day after 3:30 pm. The biggest surprise was that as soon as we were inside the strawberries disappeared completely. Not even a jar of preserves, no uniquely prepared strawberry treats, no plush strawberry characters or mascots walking around, no strawberry trinkets or souvenirs. There was plenty of fair foods, but every food cart and grill had the same exact things, deep fried Oreos candy bars and sweets, corn dogs, chicken on a stick, pizza, steak and cheese, and there were too many smoked turkey leg spots to count. Eat at your own risk! Some adhere to food safety while others could care less. There was one guy for instance he was stabbing his turkey legs with a thermometer to check for the right temperature and there was another who had raw shaved beef for steak and cheese sharing the same griddle with turkey legs, raw meat touching the turkey meat and juices running all over…Gross!

Walk paths and lines were more like huddles of confused people, where one would ask at each line "Is this the line?" as passerby's just broke through in droves like cattle. Yes, you couldn't even move your elbows or see the ground and you could just throw the whole idea of "personal space" out of the equation. But this much I can say, the crowd was very polite and considerate despite the fact that it was such a very uncomfortable situation.

Being from the DMV, I can remember at least 2-3 times in my lifetime that Six Flags America had advisory signs outside of their park that read "Park Closed--At Capacity" "No Entry--At Capacity". Therefore, I really did not understand for the life of me why they continued to allow people to enter the festival; especially when those who were already within the gates could barely walk through the paths. The crowds at the festival were definitely a stampede hazard. Maybe we're getting old but even Papa Smurf said the same "...maybe I'm getting old but crowds just aren't my scene anymore...".

Somehow we inched through, stuck together without getting separated and were able to make it to a ticket booth. Yes, the rides cost separate of course. The cost was $25 "All You Can Ride" and $20 for a sheet of 20. We settled on 10 tickets, call us cheap but we figured Julie could enjoy 3 rides at least and then we would leave to be fair. We wanted to be good sports though we would rather leave. So, we just grinned and beared it and luckily enough after 1-2 rides the crowds significantly thinned out.

The aftermath, we thought it was just us but by the next morning we found out our neighbors had the same thoughts about the event. One left early and only allowed his girls to do one activity. Our neighbor who Papa Smurf has dubbed “The Buckeye” stated "It just was not at all what we expected. Where were the strawberries?! It was so crowded! And it was just not what we expected at all."

The final verdict, we won't be back. It was more like a large parking lot carnival and definitely not a festival. Maybe because I come from the DMV area and the D.C. area is known for its festivals and cultural events too. All in all I give it the rating of "Tourist Trap" and Papa Smurf has dubbed it "A Money Pit". Most of the 1-3* ratings on Yelp are the more honest and fair, 3 giving the event a stamp of the good old "benefit of the doubt". I leave you with a rhetorical question..."How do you know you have
entered a 'Tourist Trap'?" When you enter a themed event and the theme of the event itself is no longer present! And on top of that everything almost including the air you are breathing will cost you. You have trouble setting the said trap apart from anything else you have ever experienced. 

Culinary Adventures With Cookbooks: The Chew: What’s For Dinner…

In attempt to keep my content fresh and varied in between lulls with my own recipes, interpretations, dining out, outings, and travels I’m on a cookbook binge of sorts; having fun with recipes and giving my reviews.

I first discovered The Chew while we were still living in Columbia. I think it was an episode that the Neely’s were making a guest appearance. I was always curious as to what they were up to since they virtually disappeared from The Food Network channel. After one episode of The Chew, I was hooked. I was very intrigued by Carla Hall. She calls the DMV home, graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, left the corporate world to model, fell in love with French cuisine. Then, she pursued a degree in the culinary arts and somewhere in the mix she developed a business/office lunch catering service. She went on Top chef to compete and is now on The Chew. Who says you can’t reinvent yourself?! We have alot in common, I also graduated college with a Bachelor's in Accounting, I'm originally from the DMV and we both love food!

One of the things that makes this book unique is that there are different voices, collaborators, and cultures involved with the commentary, food experiences and recipes shared. Each has something great to bring to the table. There is also an immense amount of encouragement as well as ease (short cuts, tips and tricks) for those who believe they can’t cook, or simply just do not have the time.

Over the weekend (on Saturday night), we used this book (“The Chew: What’s for Dinner? 100 Recipes For Every Night of the Week) to make Chef. Michael Symon’s “Cheesy Bacon, Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese Casserole”. I was watching “Julie and Julia” again for the umpteenth time. I decided to Google the blog and its author. In the process, I encountered some negative commentary and there was one comment that really bumped out at me; stating that today’s food bloggers hailing themselves as “our” experts can only follow recipes. Wow. I thought that was too large of a stereotype and an over generalization. We widely and vary by our experiences, repertoire, subject matters, styles, and genres. Besides, we all have to start from somewhere. I’ve been cooking for over 20 years (okay, showing my age now lol). I say embrace recipes! I didn’t really take off with cooking until years 7-8 as far as experimenting and making recipes my own; which by age 21 included what every woman should have in her cooking repertoire by their twenties a "Man Trap” lol jks, it doesn’t matter if it’s all you got or just a  dessert, as long as you have it ;-) With all of that said, as you become more seasoned as a cook you will be able to manipulate flavors and tastes to your heart and palate’s desire, yet still make something very delicious though different from the original source of inspiration!

What am I really saying in sharing that, well that we tweaked this recipe! (Lol) We didn’t have conchigliliette or penne so we used elbows. Although, if I were to make this again, I would use capitavi for sure, because of the grooves the cheese sauce adheres to the pasta better. It was my first time using gruyere cheese (once again another cheese that you will have to search for in the deli section of your grocery store). It’s pale, a white cheese, appeared to be of the aged variety. It has little moisture and a pungent odor. However, once cooked into cheese sauce it can be equally creamy and the odor wanes; the taste also construes the same. It was also my first time trying/ using mascarpone. It’s very creamy and rich, though almost flavorless. It’s like a combo of ricotta and cream cheese, though it doesn’t have the grittiness of ricotta. It is very creamy, fluffy, and makes a great cheese sauce. Mascarpone is a #HealthyOption that can be used in place of butter on toast and cream cheese on bagels. Cooking tip: If it is your first time working with an ingredient taste it first! The key to successfully tweaking a recipe is tasting your ingredients. Sure, it sounds good together but does it taste good together? Now there is the spice rub!

The cheese sauce that M. Symon makes for this recipe was not as thick as the one I make for my mac n’ cheese. It was slightly thinner and less fluffy once set. It was more like the title suggests, a casserole sauce. Likewise, I added Digiorno’s 3 Cheese blend with shredded asiago, parmesan, and Romano cheeses) to help thicken the sauce to my liking. We used smoked paprika instead of chipotle pepper, although I did use a very scant dusting of cayenne pepper. I was out of chipotle pepper and figured that together with the smoked paprika it would mimic the flavor somewhat. The smoked paprika along with the bacon gave the smokiness that the recipe called for without the high heat. We don’t use or consume butternut squash much, we’re more of an acorn squash, yellow squash, and zucchini family. But I have to say the butternut squash took the heartiness of the casserole to a whole new level. I was a little confused by puree vs chopping the butternut squash. The methodology mentions it vaguely but on the ingredient list size it was only listed as chopped and no measurement for pureed squash listed. So we left it chopped.

Overall, this recipe is 5* and as M. Symon says, a good way to sneak veggies to your kids. This recipe also includes the growing increasingly popular these days…green machine superstar…kale! Papa Smurf said “It’s so filling, it’s like a meal in and of itself. It’s so filling!” Although we served it as a side with our BBQ ribs. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser especially for macaroni and cheese lovers. We plan on using this recipe for Thanksgiving and think it would be a perfect fit for the occasion.

(Recipe and info from The Chew: What’s for Dinner? 100 Recipes for Every Day of the Week)

Culinary Adventures With Cookbooks: “Grill It”

A couple of weeks ago I checked out a couple of cookbooks, Bobby Flay’s “Grill It” and Mario Batali’s “Italian Grill”. We still haven’t set up WiFi at our place yet so I don’t get as much use out of my Kindle Fire HDX as I would like. Though it gets used plenty enough. However, as much as I love my Kindle I still love actual books too. Julie is reading now, above grade level and with her current pace she becomes more fluid by the day. She reads daily (thanks to the daily “Books in a Bag” program her Kindergarten has) and likes to pick up books that aren’t “easy peasy” as she refers to them; so she’s looking for a challenge. Jerry dabbles a little with sight reading now. They love the children’s room with all of the toys, playing with other children, reading books, and picking out a few to take home. While they are occupied it gives me time to browse more freely.

Anyways, it’s coming up on the middle end of winter but you can pretty much grill year round in Florida. We had a cold spell but our temperatures have been on a major upswing lately with plenty of sunshine. It has been perfect grilling weather but the daylight got ahead of us, after a second trip to the grocery for seasonings and condiments. We had already purchased all of our produce the week before from Shannon’s. We’re now regulars at her market and she knows us now lol because during the last trip she asked Papa Smurf “Where’s the wife?” while I waited with Jerry in the car (so that he could check out since Jerry was having a meltdown).

We tried 3 recipes from the book, including Chipotle Honey Glazed Wings with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Green Onion” (“Grill It” B. Flay pg. 79). I opted out of using the ancho chili powder. Okay, I just flat out forgot to write it down on my loose leaf list, add in the kids in rare form and receiving phone call as we went aisle to aisle…I was totally distracted and walked right past it. However, I am glad I left it out. I should have known with Chef Bobby Flay though, that the recipe would be spicy he is known for his heavy spice. With the small canned chipotle chilies in adobo alone there was more than enough spice/ heat! The glaze was very thick and not much of a glaze, even with the honey. However, I think it may have been a technical error on my part. I felt like it needed some citrus like maybe a bit of lemon or lime juice to loosen the paste up more and balance the heat. Overall, the wings were very good and had great flavor. The spice rub was perfect! Once combined you can smell the flavors coming together nicely before they even hit the oven or grill! Another word of caution, the wings are very spicy! I can’t even imagine with the ancho chili powder. But we love spice.
Now on to the “Grilled Eggplant with Manchego Cheese Salad With Balsamic Black pepper Glaze”. We opted out of the glaze. The eggplant and cheese seemed as though it would be great as a standalone. For the manchego cheese, you will have to look in the deli section of your grocery store as opposed to the refrigerated dairy section. I had never heard of manchego cheese before and looked it up prior to heading out to the grocery. It’s an imported, dry aged Spanish cheese. In appearance, it’s packaged as a thick sliced wedge and reminded me of a hybrid of parmesan an muenster cheese. It won’t knock you over but it does have a bit of an odor. I noticed that the cheese is prone to crumbling when its cold so I set it out at room temperature before having papa Smurf slice it. It was a very unique combination of flavors. I would’ve liked a lighter wet cheese like mozzarella or ricotta with the eggplant. I made another culinary discovery while making this dish. I used extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper to bake and broil the eggplant. A few of the more thinly sliced discs of eggplant had gotten quite crispy and were quite tasty without the cheese! Once melted, the manchego cheese reminded me of fontina cheese (a cheese we were first introduced to back when Papa Smurf was working for Panera back home in Maryland).

For anyone looking to stay on track with their NYE diet and healthier eating Flay cites that the Honey Chipotle Wings” are a healthier alternative to traditional deep fried buffalo wings. To my knowledge grilling is a healthier option since it burns off the fat. The grilled eggplant is also a healthy option which could definitely stand alone as an entree as opposed to a side it was quite filling.

The last recipe/ dish pictured was the “Green Onion Slaw” which was also a winner! My first tweak to this was to add a little sugar. I like my slaw a little sweet. I would only use half of the red onion. The whole onion was a bit much and gave the salad too much bite. Be sure to chop the onions finely to cut down the pungent/strong taste as with the scallions already present the onions can really overpower the slaw. I guess it is a matter of preference, taste, and what the chef was trying to create as far as bite, sweetness or without sweetness.

We looked forward to trying many more recipes from both Flay’s and Batali’s books before returning them to the library. However, we only managed to squeeze in grilled porterhouse steaks and grilled corn as Italians would eat it. I will say a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper makes a steak very good! I wish I had taken pictures! I plan on possibly purchasing both books in the near future. I am looking to build my cookbook library.