Picnic in the Park

Tags

bbq, pasta salad, picnic, quiche, recipe, summer

On one of the first nice days of this season, hubby’s friends invited us to picnic. I have been dying for a picnic to use one of our bridal shower gifts from my friend Jen:

With its lovely insulated pockets we set out for a blanket feast. We were setting out to meet at noon on a Sunday so i figured some quiche and Mediterranean pasta salad was in order. Two things that could be served at room temperature without spoiling.

The quiche I prepared using a quick crust and lots of random fridge findings; bacon, mushrooms, onions, cheddar cheese, and eggs. One of my favorite things about quiche is how versatile it is. You need eggs, a little milk, some cheese and any meat or veggies you like. A bake in the oven and you have a delicious brunch/lunch/dinner dish that always wins!

This pasta dish was inspired by a catered event at the office. This pasta salad is mayo free and filled with everything good. This recipe will be a great addition to your summer picnic or bbq.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1lb box of fusili or bowtie pasta

1/2 cup pitted black olives

1 cup diced cucumbers

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1 medium bell pepper, julienne

1 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup extra virgin

drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional)

salt and pepper to taste.

**Boil pasta until cooked al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain excess water, place in a cool container or bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Allow pasta to cool before combining with all the ingredients. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. **

We had such a great picnic with tons of eats. it was perfect.

Anxiously craving my next picnic!

Blue Smoke

Tags

bbq, Blue Smoke, dessert, dinner, mac and cheese, Restaurant Review, ribs

Restaurant Week is amazing. I have been a long time fan of Restaurant Week and can even remember the first meal I sat down to at the formerly known Planet Thailand in Williamsburg 10 years ago- grilled swordfish. If your local neighborhood hosts a restaurant week, I highly recommend it. Its a great way to check out whats around- while it may not give you the entire experience the restaurant would normally provide, its still a nice sneak peak. And for me, it gives me an opportunity to dine somewhere I might not normally dine at for a fraction of the cost.

For the final stretch of the most recent Restaurant Week, I rounded up some coworkers and friends for a 3 course dinner at Blue Smoke in the Tribeca area. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much- its BBQ style cuisine. But months have passed since my last time at Blue Smoke and I still think about how much I enjoyed dinner there.  

We made reservations at Blue Smoke after work on a Friday. It was pretty busy- a true testament to how good the food is. It smelled strongly of smoked meats- so if thats not your thing, you have been warned.

I was armed with a group of eaters so we all agreed to get different things and share them all. Except for BR. He went off the RW menu and ordered a rack of ribs. That was what he wanted and that was what he got. 

For appetizers we all got chicken wings and fried ravioli. There was a salad option but who has time for salad?? i kid.

The wings were pretty standard. A sticky and  spicy bbq sauce. We all enjoyed them but we really loved the fried ravioli. 

For our entrees we ordered the ribs and the smoked chicken. The smoked chicken was just okay. Definitely cant compete with a half rack of ribs. 

The ribs were amazing. Great smoky flavor and incredibly tender meat. 

We decided to order a few side dishes just in case the ribs werent enough. Just an FYI, the ribs ARE enough!

The mac and cheese was creamy and reminded me of a super cheesy velveeta. I am more partial to the baked mac and cheese that is more cheesy, then saucy. But that doesnt mean we didnt dip the smoked chicken into the mac and cheese sauce… 

we also ordered fries. They were crisp on the outside with a mushy center- my favorite! 

For dessert, we all decided to order one of each. The chocolate cake, the banana cream pie and the blueberry crumble.

First of all, this chocolate was EVERYTHING. We all sat there with 3 desserts between us and spoons flying everywhere. Each bite better than the last. 

The banana cream pie was smooth and creamy- very tasty but in the line up of desserts, it fell in last place. But thats just how good the others were. And while I can go for a slab of that chocolate cake pictured above, the blueberry crumble was my absolute favorite of the evening. It came warm with a crisp topping and a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.

This was one Helluva meal! One that was not only affordable but one that we all enjoyed tremendously! Looking forward to the next restaurant week- or just a random Friday night when we need some good hearty ribs!

 

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

Tags

bbq, chicken, sandwich, slow cooker

 

Slow cooker to the rescue!

After checking the freezer to see I had No Room for anything new, I decided to go on a grocery shopping detox. There were so many things waiting in the freezer for emergency dinner fixes. I figured that clearing the contents of the freezer and fridge would be a great way to challenge myself to use what i had on hand.

A bag of chicken breasts, a bottle of BBQ sauce, and a few frozen heroes and we had dinner!

Ingredients:

1 lb of boneless chicken breasts

1 16 oz bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

4 multigrain hero rolls

Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cover with bbq sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 hrs.

Carefully remove the chicken from the vessel and shred with a fork. If you like, you can add a little of the sauce to make it super saucy. I dumped quite a bit of sauce onto the chicken…i have zero regrets. 

I placed a good amount of chicken into the heroes and served them alongside some crisp coleslaw.We are suckers for BBQ. Would def use pork next time for some awesome pulled pork sliders but this was fantastic because we had everything on hand to make a brilliant and EASY dinner!

 

BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Tags

bbq, cauliflower, dinner, healthy, meatball, recipes, spinach

I wanted to change things up a bit. When I saw this recipe in Cooking Light magazine back in April, I thought this was a definite win. The last meatball recipe I tried in a cooking light magazine was the chicken yakitori meatball and they were fantastic. So, I thought meatballs and bbq sauce couldn’t steer me wrong.

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles (such as Del Monte)
• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons Italian-seasoned dried breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Cooking spray

1. Place first 6 5 ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.
2. Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, and chili powder in a large bowl; using wet hands, shape into 12 meatballs.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add meatballs; cook 2 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add tomato mixture to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes or until the meatballs are done.

The meatballs couldn’t be eaten alone… or could they?

I decided to saute some spinach in garlic and olive oil.

And to make it look just like the photo, I whipped up some smashed cauliflower.

This was a really balanced dinner but if I’m being honest, I really didn’t like the sauce on the meatballs. It was too acidic and sweet for my liking. I prefer bbq sauces to be smoky. It wasn’t a total failure but I’ve had better.

Honey BBQ Ribs

Tags

bbq, recipes, ribs

Such confusing weather here in NY. Every day I wake up unsure of how to dress. Warm one day, cold the next. Im not complaining, but I would really really like a little consistency! If its gonna be cold, then let it just be cold already!

On one of those warmer days, Me, Mickey and BR went for a walk in the North Side of Williamsburg. It was a perfect day for walking. As time flew by our appetites grew. And BR suggested dinner. Forgetting we had Mickey with us (because shes such a good girl lol) we started to make the trip back home so we could make dinner plans. BR wanted to go to Mable’s Smokehouse for ribs but to go all the way home and come back felt like a major pain in the ass.

What was on the way home was a grocery store. I suggested we pick up a few things and make our own ribs. After little coaxing, we made our way to the grocery store and wouldn’t you know it- the ribs were on sale!

Kismet.

The rack of ribs came in a giant slab and required a bit of slicing. After they were sliced, I cleaned them with sea salt, warm water and lemon. Rinsed and then began cooking.

Ingredients:

1 rack of ribs, sliced

salt

pepper

onion powder

garlic powder

1 bottle (16 oz) honey bbq sauce

Method:

Preheat oven to 450*.

Season ribs with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder liberally on both sides. Place them in a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Roast for 30 minutes on each side. After an hr in the oven, glaze ribs with bbq sauce and roast for 15 minutes. Turn them over, add more bbq sauce, and roast for 15 more minute.

The end result is a juicy rib with a thick and sticky bbq sauce. It was the first time I had ever made ribs and I think it was a success.

I served this with a baked sweet potato with butter and cinnamon.

I shared these ribs with my mother who is a huge fan of ribs.

BR ate the leftovers for breakfast.

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sammies with Cole Slaw

Tags

bbq, chicken, coleslaw

I have a slight addiction to rotisserie chicken. I don’t think I make any secrets of it. But if I am even slightly hungry, and I am in a grocery store, all it takes is one whiff of it and its in my cart.

I love taking the chicken home, carving it and making a gravy out of the drippings for Mickey’s kibble and just going in. Who even needs a side?!?! It’s the perfect meal. A leg. some crispy skin. A slice of the breast. Im a happy girl.

I had plans for the chicken in a delicious salad. But when the light bulb blew in my fridge (:: Shakes Fist::), I couldn’t see the lettuce and it went bad. Don’t you hate when that happens??

The idea hit when BR was over for dinner and I had yet to go grocery shopping. I looked in the fridge at the half chicken sitting patiently in the tupperware, then at a half empty bottle of honey bbq sauce.

I chopped up the chicken and placed it in a small frying pan. I used white and dark meat.

I added the half bottle of the bbq sauce and a little bit of water plus a tablespoon of honey. It was simple to assemble. I kept it on medium heat for 10 minutes or so to heat through and allow the sauce to thicken.

I placed the BBQ chicken on some kaiser buns and served alongside a homemade coleslaw.

It was a nice dinner pulled together with stuff already in the fridge… especially the coleslaw!

I think next time, I will have to make pulled pork!

Mable’s Smoke House

Tags

bbq

After a tumultuous move, I sat in my apartment surrounded by boxes that I had painstakingly packed. The process of moving is so annoying. You put everything you own into a box, transport it, take it out of the box and figure out where it all goes.

I moved from a 2 bedroom to a studio. Naturally, a lot of stuff had to be trashed. And with the stuff I didn’t trash, I had to find places to put it all! Just when I was at my wits end, I got a phone call from my friend Phil.

“Get dressed. Me and Stacey are in Brooklyn.”

I needed a break from all the boxes, I really did. I made a huge dent in the first 48 hours but if I had to look at another mother-loving box, I was going to lose my mind.

So, I met up with Phil and Stacey in the North Side of Williamsburg where we walked around and talked. They chose Mable’s SmokeHouse for dinner.

Mable’s is a stand out in among the dive bars and trendy chic restaurants. Its rustic and country interior transport  you to the country side. Like restaurants of its kind, you walk into Mable’s, spot your table and go to the counter to order. You then receive a table number and your food is brought to you.

Since Phil and Stacey were regulars there, they recommended the cherry limeade..with a kick. Not being a fan of super sweet drinks, this was awesome!

Between the three of us, we had two deluxe samplers. For $27  we got an order of smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, cole slaw, bbq sauce, sliced bread and a choice of 3 sides. For the first order, we chose mac and cheese, bbq baked beans, and potato salad.

The mac and cheese wasn’t my favorite. The baked beans and cole slaw were freaking wonderful.

For the 2nd order, our sides were pickled beets, collard greens and more potato salad.

The potato salad is the bees knees.

But my absolute favorite was the brisket. It was so tender! and yet so lean! They also managed to create “fall off the bone” tender ribs that were lean.

The owners of this joint are a sweet married couple born and raised in the south. They have lived in Williamsburg for the last 12 years with dreams of opening this amazing place. It is destined for greatness. With their mentions in all of the best food magazines and newspapers, Mable’s is not a place to pass up!

Dinosaur BBQ

Tags

bbq, dinner, Restaurant Review

I think its common knowledge that I met my boyfriend through a mutual friend… and if it wasn’t, it is now. BF’s coworker, “A”, who one of his closest friends, lives in my neighborhood and SHE is friends with Patty, who is one of MY closest friends. We met on the night “A” was celebrating a promotion. Sparks didn’t fly that night but as I stand to call him my boyfriend today, obviously they did at some point.

Since we became official, BF hadn’t seen “A” and they decided a double date was in order. This being my first double date with his friends, I went along and let them nail down the specifics.

They chose Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.

I was excited. I’ve never been and even though it was my first time hanging with the bf and his friends, I saw no other time like the present to whip  out the camera and document the dinner.

It didn’t take long for them to get used to the FLASH.

We got there on a Sunday at 5pm. It was a ZOO. The wait for 4 was about an hr and a half. We took to stalking tables in the bar to nab a table quickly since we were so hungry. No sooner that we scored a table at the bar our name was called.

We sat down to a large punch with a lot of booze in it. I believe it was called a donkey punch. MMM. Tasty.

“A” is a steak girl and ordered the skirt steak with mac and cheese and salt potatoes. The steak is HUGE and well seasoned and comes with the choice of two sides. As a group, most of us ordered the same sides.

Me and “A”’s boyfriend ordered the same dish. The “Tres Ninos”. 1/4 rack of ribs, pulled pork and some brisket with two sides. I chose the mac and cheese and salt potatoes. The salt potatoes were AMAZING as were the ribs and pulled pork. The brisket was a little dry and the mac and cheese was the biggest let down as it was salty! the topping was like a salt lick. But to each, his own. Others seem to enjoy it.

My BF got the mother of all platters when he ordered the extreme sampler. 1/2 a rack of ribs, 1/2 a chicken, brisket with fries and mac and cheese. He nearly ate it all too… but fell short when it was time to finish the brisket. It was impressive.

I definitely enjoyed Dinosaur BBQ and would return….but would have to skip a few meals ahead of time to fully enjoy the epic portions here!

Fred Flinstone would approve.

Hill Country BBQ

Tags

bbq, hill country bbq, mac and cheese, restaurant reviews

My mom treated me to a very early birthday present that was much needed: a massage. It has been 4 years since my last massage. Looking back, before i lived on my own, my rent money went to the spa. I had a massage every other month. A facial just as often. I was one relaxed chica. But with living on a budget, it amazes me how i cringe at a $100 price tag now vs 4 years ago when i lived with my parents. Oh, life.

My massage was lovely. I left feeling totally refreshed. My mom suggested we grab a nosh and since we were in the Chelsea area and i knew of my mothers fondness for bbq, we headed to Hill Country BBQ.

If you have never been to Hill Country before, when you walk in depending on how busy it is, they give you some sort of tab sheet. It contains all the items up for grabs. You find a seat and then you get on line.

There are meal packages or options by the pound. It was around lunch time, so thankfully, there were lunch specials. Normally, i dont think i would dine here… its a little pricey IMHO.

I ordered a 1/4 chicken and rib lunch special that came with a side dish and 4 slices of bread. I ordered the mac and cheese; which was really Penne and cheese… but it was very good. The cornbread with honey butter was pretty tasty too!

My mother ordered 1/2 lb of ribs that she was going to bring home to my father. She also bought a side of collard greens.

The ribs were very meaty and juicy but were so smoky and peppery; we really wished for more BBQ sauce. The sauce they had at the tables was just more smoke. I really wanted something slightly sweet to place on the ribs. The real winner for me was the rotisserie chicken. It was moist and juicy. Packed with flavor too. We considered getting an entire chicken to take home… but at nearly $30 for a roasted chicken, we opted out. We did go back for more penne and cheese and after we ordered a medium nearly fainted at the $15 price tag.

gadzukes!

Pretty good food here… would go back if a handsome guy offered to pay. Any takers?