Foodie Journal, page 2

Yes, I am one of those people.  I take pictures of my food. This is page 2 of my Foodie Journal. 

Piranha's Killer Sushi

Several Locations in Texas

I really like this restaurant. I have not encountered a bad meal yet. When Piranha's opened a few years back there they had a chef that was also an artist. If our cell phones had cameras back then I would have taken multiple pics of the beautiful works of art we were served. I am talking about arranging the food to look like sculptures. These pics are from the location in South Arlington which recently went through some renovations. The food no longer looks like artwork but it is still delicious. I wish I could cook Asian food like this.

I believe this is Korean Beef Tenderloin. 

Blue Crab Fried Rice (already ate half before I remembered to take pic)

Chocolate Angel Tea Room

2 Locations:  Richardson and Plano, Tx.

This is definitely a girlie girl's tea room. There were several ladies wearing big hats and dressed up. The decor is shabby chic and it really is quite lovely inside. Although the day we took this pic it was over 100 degrees outside I felt so light and cool when I walked in because the colors are muted and airy. The menu consists of salad, soup, sandwiches and of course, tea. The food is affordable and tasty. Bonus: there are a few other fantastic boutiques in the same shopping strip at the Richardson location.

Half chicken salad sandwich, tomato soup and salad. 

 SmashBurger 
National Chain

To be honest I have not yet had a regular beef patty burger. I always get chicken burger which can be fried or grilled. My boys tell me the beef burgers are the bomb.  I especially love the veggie frites and the smash fries with rosemary seasoning.

 For those who want less calories try the grilled chicken burger.

 Fireside Pies
Dallas, Plano and Grapevine locations

I adore the name of this restaurant. It just gives me warm fuzzies inside. We ate outside on the patio on a chilly winter night because there was a fireplace to keep us warm. It was bit dark though, not enough lighting making the ambience really great for lovers but for a family it was hard to see each other. A bit of an eye strain. The prices are a bit high for the amount of food you get.  The pizzas are not very big and cost $13-14. I would guess that they are about 10" pizzas. This is from the Grapevine location.

Come on!  That's all the salad you're going to give me for $13?!

Pei Wei

National Chain

When Pei Wei had asian cooks the food was excellent. In the past few years it has really gone downhill and it's just become a Panda Express. This day there must have been an experienced cook because the food was pretty good and not bland.

Krispy Kreme

National Chain

If doughnuts were good for my health and shrunk my waistline I'd be here every weekend. I especially adore that they glaze their chocolate covered doughnuts. Glaze and chocolate. Mmmmm....free goo. It's just genius. Some people say they don't like KK because they glaze the chocolate doughnuts. Why do I associate with these people? When I get a chocolate donut from other places and the bottom half is just fried dough with no sweetness I realize it was the wrong choice. Plain fried dough. Does that sound good? No, no it does not.

Fall flavored donuts: cotton candy and apple caramel.

 (I can spell donuts like this since they spell crispy with a K).

Olive Garden
National Chain

I find Olive Garden to be a hit or miss. Their salad is usually a hit, but sometimes their entrées can be a miss. When my homemade Italian food tastes better than the restaurant it is a definite miss. This Seafood Brodetto is a hit espcially on a cold winter's evening. 

Seafood Brodetto: scallops, shrim and delicate tilapia with spinach and mushrooms simmered in a light white wine and marinar-saffron broth. Served with toasted ciabatta bread.

I Might As Well Be Eating Chips

It was Friday night and I was looking for something to nosh on.  A high caloric snack was off limits because I had a root beer float from Sonic that day. Honestly, I tried to be a good girl and ordered a mini-cup float.  The car hop brought me the regular size.
I asked the lady, "That's a mini?"
She said, "Oh, it's a regular. Did you want the mini?" and started walking away.
So I told her never mind I'll take it. Who am I to waste food with all the starving people in the world?
I'm no nutritionist but I'm sure that root beer float has a gazillion calories, hence the search for low-calorie foods. I found some celery and cherry tomatoes to munch on.  I know that salad dressing has a lot of calories so I choose hummus to accompany the celery. That should be harmless. So I'm leaning over the counter and my dog is smiling at me so I throw her some tomatoes.  I'm thinking to myself we are eating like good vegetarians and made a good choice instead of eating Doritos.  I'm bored just leaning over the counter and I turn the hummus container around to read the label.  To my surprise I see that 2 tbsp of hummus is 70 freakin' calories!  Well, gosh darn it, I might as well be eating chips.  I think I've already had about 6 tablespoons of hummus. Let's calculate  6 x 70 = 420 calories.  Doritos serving size is 11 chips and 150 calories.  It's a win for junk food.


On a sidenote:
I'm an idiot for cute stuff.  Look at these cherry tomatoes from Whole Foods that look like mini gourds. Aren't they just so cute? And who knew they still made these green baskets?  I'm going to save them for Easter crafts.

Foodie Journal, page 1

I am a Foodie. Love, love, love food!!  My love affair with food began about the age of 18.  I remember the day I fell in love with food, I was sitting across from my boyfriend (who is my husband now) at a restaurant.  He was eating something with grilled onions and I was eating the house salad which is basically just lettuce. I thought I didn't like onions because I had been fed raw onions for most of my life. Out of curiosity I tried some of his grilled onions and I was amazed at the flavor of grilled onions - right then and there the world of food opened up right before me. I was thinking "Why haven't I ever had grilled onions before?  What else have I missed!?"  I can't imagine what my reaction would have been if I had tried Scottish Salmon from Craft in that moment instead of the grilled onions - I might have reenacted the famous diner scene from "When Harry Met Sally".  Because let me tell you the Scottish Salmon is mind-blowingly good. Prior to that eventful day I didn't enjoy eating because I thought food was boring. At the time I didn't like Filipino food except for pancit and rice and being Filipino that's what my mom mostly cooked. In addition, my family didn't go out to eat very often and we had the same dishes throughout the years. My mom worked in the evenings so my eldest sister cooked what my mom told her to cook.  It was same ole, same ole - easy dishes a teenager could  make. We had a few new dishes between long stretches such as eggs benedict my mom made for us one time. So when I got out on my own I discovered dishes I never knew existed and realized food is really yummy and exciting.  I feel like I've been making up for missing good food for the first 18 years of my life and it shows when you look at my booty and waistline.

To me food is undeniably art. Food can bring about a range of emotions such as happiness, excitement, passion and even tears.  Certain dishes can bring on memories of loved ones or special moments. I've seen some desserts so architecturally beautiful that it was almost a shame to eat them.  Food is even better when it tastes like a symphony of music in your mouth with notes that make you close your eyes to appreciate its goodness.

I've decided to create for myself a Food Journal where I can look back on some dishes and moments. I wish I took pictures more often when I went out to eat.  I was often embarrassed to take pictures of food in restaurants with a camera.  Now that we have cameras in our cell phones it is much easier and more discreet. Some of the pics are not great because they were taken with an old BlackBerry (no flash). But the pics get better as you scroll down because I finally upgraded my phone.

Shredded Beef Nachos @ Yucatan Taco Stand in Southlake.

 

 Grilled Latin Sandwich @Yucatan Taco Stand in Southlake, TX. 

Yucatan Taco Stand

Dessert at Craft Dallas (unfortunately closed in July 2012).  I wish I took pictures of the food we were served because it was truly awesome.  But this was a fancy restaurant and I felt too embarrassed to take pictures.  I took this pic because I was drunk and didn't care anymore.

Main Street Bread Baking Company in Grapevine.  The restaurant made Zagats sometime between 2007-2009 which is why I chose to eat lunch here.  Both the food and service is sub par (I came back 2 more times the following year and that statement is confirmed).  It must have been a good day when the people from Zagats ate there.  However, the desserts and croissants are beautifully made and quite delectable.

 
Girls lunch @ Main Street Bread Baking Company.  

Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar in Southlake.

 

Vanilla Birthday Cake @Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar.

 

My favorite hamburger is the Farmhouse Burger @ Cheescake Factory. Who can resist a fried egg and pork belly on a juicy burger?  I am VERY DISAPPOINTED they took it off the menu.

 

forgot name of dish @ Cheesecake Factory

Fried Mac-n-Cheese Bites with Truffle Dip @ Macaroni Grill.  This is super yummy.

Zucchini Fritti @ Macaroni Grill.  Two thumbs up!

Comida Deluxe @ Chuy's in Arlington

I especially like this at Chuy's - sanitized and protected silverware.

 

Chicken Friand and Tomato Basil Soup @ la Madeleine.

 Sake Bomb @ Ginger in Southlake.

The sake bomb is a beer cocktail made by pouring sake into a shot glass and dropping it into a glass of beer.  Sometimes 2 chopsticks are placed parallel on top of the glass of beer, and the shot glass is carefully balanced between them.  The drinker then chants "sake...sake...sake...SAKE!" and slams the table with his fists causing the sake to fall into the beer.  (definition courtesy of wikipedia)

Black Bean Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream @ Ginger.

Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream @Ginger.

Figs at Central Market.

 

 

 

Here's our street sign - Foodie Crossing.  

Toy cupcakes that really smell like chocolate. I almost bit into one it smelled so good.

Candle cupcakes that smell divine

Have you ever noticed that Barnes & Noble price for coffee is slightly cheaper than Starbucks?  

If you thought you were getting a better deal I'm sorry to say you are not.  

Pictured above are venti-sized caramel machiattos. 

The bigger cup is from Starbucks and the smaller is from Barnes & Noble. 

At least they are honest enough to charge less.

Red Velvet Patriotic Pancakes

I absolutely love red velvet anything!  So when I happened to find Red Velvet Pancake and Waffle mix at World Market for only $3.99 I knew I had found a good thing.  The pancakes are delicious and easy to make.

The mix is beige with no hint of red coloring.

Magically turns red when you add liquids.

  

    

Our patriotic breakfast for Independence Day:  red velvet pancakes and blueberry ice milk.

The drink is Mario Batali's recipe from "The Chew" which is made from only 2 ingredients.

To be honest I did not follow Mario's directions.  I dumped 2 cups of blueberries in the blender and added milk, a touch of agave syrup and flax seed oil.  It comes out much thicker like a smoothie you have to eat with a spoon but it is very healthy and delicious.  Since cow's milk gets such a bad rap next time I will try using coconut milk to be extra healthy.

I used aerosol whip cream for the stripes.  

   

Added a touch of blueberries to make it more festive.

   

My family does not like cream cheese so instead of using a cream cheese glaze they used Log Cabin syrup which does not contain high fructose syrup.  

Cream Cheese Glaze

4 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter (half a stick)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Drops of milk 

Combine all ingredients except milk in a bowl.  Using electric mixer beat until smooth.  Add milk until you get desired consistency.

Blueberry Ice Milk
1 cup frozen blueberries
4 cups cold milk
Thaw blueberries and puree in food processor. 
Strain out liquid from blueberry puree.
Divide the strained liquid among 4 glasses.  Top each glass with 1 cup of milk and stir. 

Recipe video link Blueberry Milk

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