Just to be upfront, there is no cake or ice cream involved in this birthday celebration. I found me a new beer to obsess over:) I need a beer guy... I already have a wine guy. I need a beer guy. I'm only going to talk about myself in this one instance--guys, tell me I'm wrong, but isn't it refreshing sometimes when a girl admits that all she wants is a hunk of meat to eat?! haha. Let's just say that, it just so happens that when asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, I decided we stay in and grill up a couple of Ribeye steaks, potatoes, roasted garlic and stirfry vegetables (hope you're proud of me, sis). Check it out! Luckily for you, this post is allllll about the pictures.
Oh! I forgot to mention the most important part of this meal... the beer. I had my first Boddington's. It was lovely!!! So smooth and creamy--just like the can says! I'm sold! My Guinness, lookout! You have some competition!!!
Greetings from Seattle, WA! I had been in Seattle for like 6 days until I finally got some good food. Here goes...There's always Lowell's Restaurant in Pike's Place Market--my family's favorite. Where else will you get fresh crab anyway you like it?! in a salad, in a cake in a sandwich, fried, filet and even in a taco form. I loved how T and I ordered the same thing except prepared in a different way. I ordered the Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Melt, which is pretty much an open-faced sandwich consisting of rustic bread stacked with fresh crab and shimp covered with melted cheese, served with a side Caesar salad. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Besides the fact that it reminded me of Sundance Cafe (Sacramento, CA), my local coffeehouse whom I love (separate posting about my love, Sundance). Sundance makes an Open-faced shrimp melt--forever on the menu and always a treat when devoured for lunch.
T ordered the Crab and Shrimp Louie salad with a cup of Clam Chowder. Upon closer examination, we found out that the combo of dungeness crab and Oregon Bay Shrimp was apparently irresistible that day and so we had to have it. Honestly, thank god it wasn't that puny bay shrimp that (maybe) you're getting in California. This is Washington... and apparently, they can tap in to that Oregon Bay shrimp. And the clam chowder was delicious! They don't call it award-winning for nothing! (Thanks for sharing, Tiffy!)
References: (right to the good stuff, menu links)
Lowell's Restaurant (Seattle, WA)
http://www.eatatlowells.com/?page_id=162
Sundance Cafe (Sacramento, CA)
http://www.sundancecafe455.com/home/page_id=20796
I don't know about you but every now and then, I get a good email forward at work. My favorite are the kind that have to do with food or recipes to try.
I was digging through my email inbox and came across an old recipe for a microwave chocolate cake... who needs that expensive Betty Crocker microwave bowl of cake?!
Here's a recipe for making your very own:
5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to the mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate if necessary.
It only takes FIVE minutes! That's unbelievable! Honestly, I have yet to try it myself, but it's not fair of me to keep his nice little secret all to myself.
I've got another lil' chocolate treat to share. It's perfect for parties and get-togethers, and WAY easy to make. And I can't tell you how many times I was bugging MYSELF to bake these cupcakes. I could not do it without finding specifically a bag of Hershey's Hugs (not Kisses) to use.
I'm not even gonna claim this brilliant idea for myself. It's so easy because you're using brownie mix too!
http://www.momsmenu.com/holiday/valentine/brownie_kisses.shtml
