JenOni

#foodie

Foodie Friday South Jazz Kitchen

This week’s Foodie Friday profile is on another favorite area restaurant for outstanding soul food. My first time at South was last June. It was a great summer evening, valet parking is available down the street. When you first enter the restaurant there is a bar to the right and then the main dining area that also has counter seating as well. Upon entering the restaurant I noticed some diners were eating al fresco. The jazz lounge is adjacent to the main dining room. As I looked over the menu and wanted to try multiple dishes, I decided on the fried green tomatoes appetizer. It was beyond delicious and I missed that the tomatoes were served with shrimp remoulade. I devoured every bite on my plate. For my entree, I picked the Carolina shrimp & grits. Grits are one of my favorite breakfast foods. I can eat grits with bacon, sausage, shrimp, salmon croquettes, or fish. The best grits are made to perfection when they are creamy. The entree was superb. Lobster grits, with a Nola sauce and asparagus garnished with shrimp. The grits were creamy and cooked perfectly. I am anxious to go back again.

Fried Green Tomatoes & Shrimp Remoulad with pickled red cabbage
Caronlina Shrimp & Grits

Mexican Food and Dining Out at Xolo Tacos with Kids

Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines. Dining out at XoloTacos was a great night. This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. The food was outstanding with every bite. We capped off dinner with dessert which was worth every calorie.

Every dish had fresh ingredients and the crispy empanadas were outstanding. I cannot wait to visit again and try the Mahi Mahi tacos, soup, a margarita, and dessert.

Mexican Food
Mexican Food
Mexican Food
Mexican Food
Chips and Guacomole
Mexican Food
Empanadas – cheese and picadillo
Mexican Food
Nachos Libres
Mexican Food
Seared Spicy Rock Shrimp Tacos
Mexican Food
Churros and Mexican Hot Chocolate
Mexican Food
Chocolate Ice Cream

Appetizer My DIY Loaded Tortilla Chips, Superbowl Foodie Idea

 Appetizer LoadedTortillaChip

Appetizer Loaded Tortilla Chips

This is a simple DIY appetizer recipe with my favorite ingredients:

  1. Chipotle Mexican Grill tortilla chips.  These are my favorite chips because they are made fresh, perfectly salted with a hint of lime.
  2. Seasoned Grilled Chicken (or meat of your choice)
  3. Taco Shredded Cheese
  4. Pico de Gallo
  5. Guacamole
  6. Black Beans
  7. Jalapenos/Chipolte Peppers
  8. Sour Cream

 

Use a microwaveable plate, add chips,  Grilled Chicken, Taco Shredded Cheese, Taco Shredded Cheese

Microwave for 45 secs to 1 minute until cheese starts to melt.  Top with salsa, and/or guacamole, peppers and a dollop of sour cream.

 

 

 

Foodie: Favorite Local Breakfast Cafe

In September, my daughter and I were searching a local place to have breakfast.   I remembered hearing about Nudy’s when I lived in Chester county.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day especially on the weekend.  It’s even better when someone else is making the meal.   My daughter is a huge fan of pancakes.     I ordered an egg white omelet loaded with veggies and an order of home fries(really hash browns) with a cup of java.

BreakfastEggWhiteOmelet

My daughter ordered a short stack of blueberry pancakes.   Just so you know the short stack is an order of 2 pancakes vs. 3 pancakes in a regular order.

BreakfastBlueberryPancakes

 

During our spring break staycation, all three of us went for BREAKFAST.   It was a true pancake feast because we all ordered pancakes.

Blueberry

BreakfastBlueberryPancakesMarch

Chocolate Chip Short Stack

BreakfastChocolateChip

Plain Stack

BreakfastPlainStack

I forgot to mention the sides, my son ordered a side of bacon and scrambled eggs

BreakfastSides

On our next visit I’m going to try either the cake french toast or regular french toast.

Review: The Local Eateries I Love;Foodie Moment

If you have perused my blog you will see how much I cook and bake, however, the best meals are those prepared by others.   I have two of my favorite eateries featured whose food I absolutely love.  There is nothing like eating yummy food with the freshest ingredients.

MOD PIZZA

A pizza place that has a wonderful variety of pizzas and you can design your own.    The foodie in me is so far removed from choosing something on the menu.   I prefer to design my own pizza which means I get to select every topping.   My fave is going with the red sauce, mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, red onions, roasted red peppers, and spinach.    Once I’m finished adding toppings it goes into the oven, oh my can you taste the goodness from my pictures.  This is hands down my favorite place for

ModPizza

El Tio Mexican Restaurant

Can I tell you I can absolutely eat Mexican food every night of the week?   This is what happens when you scan your local coupons for eateries in your backyard.  How did I miss this place after almost two years in the area?  I am hooked is really an understatement.   My favorite is their shrimp tacos.   The shrimp are grilled to perfection, and then the cabbage, pico de gallo, a spicy dressing with a garnish of cilantro.    I have gone multiple times and each time it’s the same delicious and fresh ingredients.   Oh, did I mention the churros!!!!!

ElTio

 

 

Single Mom Chronicles: DIY Indoor BBQ-July 4th Family Dinner

July4thMealJuly2015

One thing I miss from having my home is my WEBER grill.   Unfortunately there is no outside space for grilling on our apartment building property.    My solution : Bring the BBQ indoors!   My brother suggested buying the George Forman indoor/outdoor grill but I was against spending an extra money beyond the food.

Since I have discovered a love for cumin after trying a recipe for Spicy Chicken Thighs I decided this recipe was perfect for chicken with a grilled taste.

I am always in search of new and delicious recipes which has made MyRecipes.com my all time favorite site for recipes.

My patience will not allow for preparing any meal the day of so I am all about prepping food the day and night before.    It saves time,  allows all the flavors to infuse in each dish and keeps me sane to entertain.

Menu: BBQ chicken thighs and legs, BBQ baby back ribs, Spinach salad with tomatoes, cucumber, strawberries and shredded cheese, homemade potato salad, corn on the cob, baked beans (I use Bush’s vegetarian beans), Wegmans creamy cole slaw.

For BBQ chicken:

I used the first 6 ingredients of the recipe to season chicken overnight!!! Instead of thighs  I used thighs and legs for our bbq.    Also baked the chicken for an 1 1/2- 2 hours on 350F vs. broiling only.

Spicy Chicken Thighs

Once the chicken was done I drained the fat and poured(I need a brush!) on the honey and vinegar to create a glaze.  Next I turned on the broiler and put the chicken in  for 1 minute on each side.  Just make sure you time the food once it is in broiler setting.   I love lots and lots of bbq sauce so I slathered the chicken with Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce.  My days of making homemade bbq sauce are over!!!!

For oven BBQ baby back ribs,  I found a delicious recipe online with amazing pictures.  This recipe was my inspiration for the oven BBQ baby back ribs,   ForTheLoveofCooking.  I purchased one rack of baby back ribs from Wegmans. 

When I grilled ribs I would start in the oven and finish on the grill for that smoky flavor.   I did tweak the recipe slightly by using what was on my shelf for the rub.  I  created my  rub with Lawry’s seasoning salt, McCormick garlic powder, salt, McCormick black pepper and a dash of chili powder.  Next time I want to experiment with a little brown sugar.  Also I always buy the jarred minced garlic to make prep time a little faster and easier.   After putting garlic on each side of the rack of ribs, I pressed the rub in on both sides.

I tightly sealed the ribs in aluminum foil and baked for 1 1/2 -2 hours.   Another tweak on the recipe is that I used the honey and vinegar glaze from the chicken recipe.  Since the broiler was already on for the chicken I put the ribs in for 5 minutes.   Reminder: Watch the ribs once on the broiler setting.   After I let the ribs rest I cut them and slathered with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce.

I grew up learning to cook without recipes.  My mother and grandmother called it cooking by rote.  For staple side dishes like baked macaroni and cheese, potato salad(I do use red potatoes, Hellmann’s mayo is a must according to my mother) and baked beans.   I learned to make the recipe my own by adding a little of this and a little of that!!!!!   A true confession on the baked beans.  I always use Bush’s vegetarian baked beans and I doctor up with brown sugar, regular sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and this time.  For Saturday’s dinner I added diced celery and onion.   Typically I add whatever produce I have at the time like diced red onions and green bell pepper.

Baking is another one of my fortes however I had my eyes on the double crust apple pie at Wegmans for weeks.   What is July 4th without apple pie even if it’s not from your oven!!!!   A la mode is even yummier!!!  Everyone was stuffed after dinner so the pie went home in doggie bag!!!! Wegmans never fails!!!!! The pie got rave reviews!!!!! even my kids ate it and they are picky eaters.

This was truly an impromptu dinner that I pulled together in 24hours.   I am determined to never waste food so everyone took home a doggie bag even the guests who were absent!!!

What is July 4th without fireworks?  Our after dinner activity…….

 

 

 

 

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique

Brown Betty is located in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia and another location downtown at Liberty Place. This was my first visit to try the sweet potato cupcake with spiced vanilla buttercream and an extra one to share with my mom. My ladybug selected the red velvet cupcakes with the cream cheese buttercream. I also purchased a vanilla pound cake with chocolate buttercream for my #sweettooth accomplice.

The bakery is named after Elizabeth Ruth Hinton who is called Betty by friends and family.   Her love of baking inspired her daughter, Linda to continue sharing the baking tradition with friends and family.   In 2004, Linda decided to share their baked goods which is how the idea was born.   Linda with a team of bakers and decorators is now able to provide amazing desserts.   The other member of this baking tradition is Norrinda, granddaughter.   She is instrumental with encouraging her mother, Linda to bring their brand to the Philadelphia market.

On the day of my visit, there were cupcakes as well as an assortment of cookies available for purchase.   If you are in the looking for a one of a kind wedding cake or fancy desserts this is the place for you.   You can visit the website for some visual inspiration on why you should try this dessert boutique at  Brown Betty Dessert Boutique.   I also learned all of the cupcakes are based on poundcake recipes.

brown betty (1)

 

I really enjoyed the sweet potato cupcake with the spiced vanilla buttercream. I assume everyone has their own way of eating a cupcake, some peel the wrapper off first, others dive right into the icing and then into the cake, some cut the cupcake in half and eat each piece.   Well I think this is the perfect way to eat a cupcake. I have provided my before and after pictures, tell me your thoughts!   How do you eat your cupcake?

Brown

My ladybug and her red velvet cupcake with cream cheese buttercream.

photo (20)

Modernist Cuisine at Home – ebook on Inkling

 

pdp-cover

 

photo credit: www.Inkling.com

If you have followed my blog or popped in for a visit you know that I am an undercover foodie and recipe hound.    I love to try new recipes or to capture photos of my holiday meals and recipes.     Inkling , an ebook publisher asked me to share a new ebook “Modernist Cuisine at Home” by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet.   The book is filled with captivating pictures for each recipe and a step by step guide to completing each recipe.  The ebook is compatiable with your browser, Ipad and IPhone.

You can peruse the Inkling food and drink library here : Food and Drink page

The following are great samples of featured recipes in the “Modernist Cuisine” with step by step instructions.   Enjoy and consider ordering this great ebook to assist with your meal preparation.

Now this is by far a family favorite for dinnertime for adults as well as kids.   I have included a sample of the step by step guide to making mac and cheese

One of my comfort foods  all year round is a grilled cheese.   During the winter months, I like to add a bowl of hot and steamy tomato soup.  This is great step by step to making a grilled cheese as featured in “Modernist Cuisine”.

When I think of meatloaf or steak, mashed potatoes are on my menu.   Modernist Cuisine gives their variation on this recipe  and it is called Potato Puree.  Here’s the step by step guide to the Potato Puree recipe.

For all my foodies and lovers of great food, you know have a new source for great entertaining and meal planning.