My husband and I lived on the lower east side for years in the 90's and one of our favorite spots was DeRoberti's for chocolate-dipped cannolis, napoleons, and banana cream pie - all of which were near-religious experiences for us. We'd show up there whenever we were craving sugary items which was almost on a daily basis. Of course, we had to get our wedding cake from this place - getting it from anywhere else would have been like committing adultery. We moved to the suburbs and visited a lot less frequently but when we passed by recently we were happy to see that the place hasn't changed and neither has the quality of the inventory. They didn't have a banana cream pie for us (you have to order it ahead of time) so we had to settle for a supply of cannolis and cookies. Oh, by the way, you know that thing I posted earlier about trying to reduce my general sugar intake overall? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Holy Cannoli
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Veggie-Palooza
When I started my part-time vegetarian gig I discovered how easy it was to prep a supply of roasted veggies that I could dip into over the course of a few days. I spent some time this weekend pumping out the stuff you see pictured here. It's a beautiful thing because it gives me no-brainer options for lunch, a snack, or main course. And since it can be served cold or at room temp it ups the convenience factor significantly - on a scale of 1-10, "it goes to 11" (for you Spinal Tap fans).
Here was my shopping list:*
3 medium-sized zucchini
6 small yellow squash (or 3-4 larger ones)
3 medium-sized eggplant
2 sweet red peppers
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
*Note: The volume of veggies you want to roast is completely up to you and should depend how much you think you can consume before it starts looking like a science experiment.
Turn the oven to broil and position the rack in the middle. Slice up the zukes and squash length-wise into flat pieces about 4-5 inches long and a 1/4 inch thick. Slice the eggplant into rounds, about a 1/2 inch thick, and the peppers into strips. If your oven is big enough to accommodate two broiler pans side by side, go for it. Otherwise one at a time works just fine, too. Using a brush, coat the bottom of each pan with a thin coat of olive oil. Lay the veggie slices in one layer in each pan and broil for approximately 5-7 minutes. Pull the pans out, turn the veggies over and broil for another 5-7 minutes depending on how charred you like them.
Stack some of these on a plate with fresh mozzarella cheese then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar for some carb-free goodness. Try adding slices of tomato or swapping out the mozzarella for slices of provolone and stuffing the whole thing into a sandwich configuration with a toasted ciabatta roll, a pita, or a wrap with some lettuce.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Cutie Pies
Mini-blueberry and apple pies, New York Cheesecake, Mississippi Mud Pie... just a few family favorites. You might think that the name alone encourages you to opt for smaller versions of their baked goods. That way you don't HAVE to stuff a 10" pie into your purse and polish it off during your commute home before anyone in your family can demand a piece of the action. Yeah, well, not so much. Even if you go for the minis, you end up shelling out a few more bucks for your very own six pack of pie. For me packaging counts for a lot. There are plenty of spots that serve up treats that are just as tasty (or even better) but the idea of a "just a little something" makes it that much more fun.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Iron-y
- Liver (no shot)
- Lean Red Meat (rarely on my menu these days)
- Poultry, Eggs (no prob)
- Dark Red Meat (see Lean Red Meat)
- Tuna, Salmon (doable)
- Fortified Cereal, Wheat, Oats, Brown Rice, Whole Grains (done and done)
- Millet (haven't tried yet)
- Lima Beans (never gonna happen)
- Soy Beans (believe it or not we like the frozen edamame from Shoprite - who knew?)
- Kidney Beans (check!)
- Dried Beans/Peas (doable)
- Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Seeds (not a fan)
- Raisins, Apricots, Prunes (occasional user)
- Dark Leafy Greens, i.e. Spinach (check!), Kale & Collards (currently in search of recipes)
- Broccoli (a family regular)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Jones-in'!
My daughter and I recently became big fans of Jones Zero Calorie Zilch, Pomegranate Soda. It's "sugared" with Splenda - hence the Zero Calorie. I'm trying to stay away from the artificial sweeteners overall but guiltily down an occasional bottle just the same. I'm also trying to reduce my general sugar intake overall and for those moments when I do feed the craving I opt for stuff made with sweeteners au natural. Jones offers up sodas made with cane sugar so they're next on my list of, "Things to Try." Go to the website and check out their other products - very cool. You can even put your own photo on the label. Of course, the minute I found that out I started tearing through iPhoto trying to find the adorable pics of my kids that would be PERFECT for a bottle of soda.
Of All The Gin Joints In All The World...
Quinoa Rider
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I'll Have What He's Having
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Like Bacon for Wine
"Not to treasure a wine like teroldego is like asking why anyone cares about culatello or guanciale when we already have boiled ham and bacon."
It made me laugh because it sounded like something Frasier Crane would say and I had no bloody idea what culatello or guanciale were. I have since learned but I can't help but wonder if a Teroldego wine would go well with a ham sandwich and a side of bacon.
And that's all I got to say about that.