this blog could be your menu

Weekend Plans

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:42:00 +0000

Exciting food happenings for this weekend:

Friday night date at Lee's Bakery
Saturday night birthday celebration at the Woodfire Grill

Hopefully a little brunch mixed in with some homemade treats...

Labor Day Lessons

noreply@blogger.com (corey) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Good Idea: Ordering a PB&J goes to France from Java Jive

Bad Idea: Frozen Pizza @ 2 AM

Birthday Food Log 9/4/2009

noreply@blogger.com (corey) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:25:00 +0000

At least 12 Donut Holes (Dunkin' Donuts)

1 slice of carrot cake (Alon's)

1 slice of Chocolate Mousse Pie (Alon's)

1 "Crazy Dave" Sandwich (Dave's Cosmic Subs)

Chips y Salsa (Mi Barrio)

Taco Combo (Mi Barrio) This consisted of 1 Carne Asada Taco 1 Adobada Taco (Spicy Stewed Pork) along with beans and rice

1 Oreo Arctic Freeze (Zesto)

Inspired Idea

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:18:00 +0000

Just a link today but something to ponder.

Floataway Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Friday night we got all dolled up and went out for a much-deserved fancy dinner at Floataway Cafe. Upon arrival, we were seated promptly in our own booth, side by side and eager to eat some truly delicious cuisine.

Drinks were ordered: Corey had a Limoncello Lemonade that tricked both of us into thinking we were drinking a non-alcoholic, tall glass of freshly-squeezed lemonade (this is dangerous) and I had a Merchant's Wife which is comprised of freshly-squeezed watermelon juice, Hendrick's gin and Pernod. The licorice flavor was subtly layered underneath the bright watermelon juice and added a nice amount of depth to the cocktail. Corey's deceptive lemonade was garnished with fresh thyme - an unexpected and delicious combination.

Appetizer arrived: Wood-fired blue crab in a buttery, lemony, light basil sauce. Oh lord, this was good. The smoke of the wood-fire and the bright citrus with the delicate crab was so well-done. Divine.

Main courses: Corey had ricotta and lemon mezzaluna (aka ravioli) tossed in a very simple sauce of herbs and olive oil. I had homemade tagliatelle with a spicy tomato sauce and three pillowy veal and ricotta meatballs. Ordering pasta at a restaurant this good is a gamble because you can pay a lot for a meal that you could probably have made at home or, on nights such as this, be BLOWN away by how wonderful a simple dish can be. You can be overwhelmed by just how delicious homemade pasta is, how the tomato sauce creates the right amount of flavor to compliment the meatball, and how the ingredients really speak for themselves.

Dessert: Gorgeous profiteroles with homemade vanilla ice cream stuffed inside, smothered in a decadent dark chocolate sauce and topped with roasted peanuts. Everything I love on a plate. Such a simple, almost child-like dessert that I could have eaten for years. We also had coffee that came to us in a french-press for the table. I don't know what we were thinking by ordering regular coffee at 10pm at night but we got a lot of TV on DVD in before we finally fell asleep.

It was an amazing meal from start to finish. I would go again in a heartbeat and Corey and I have determined that more nights out are in the cards for us. It makes the week so much more delightful when you have something utterly delicious to look forward to.

Grit Expectations Travelogue Vol. 1: Athens, GA

noreply@blogger.com (corey) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:58:00 +0000

The weekend of July 24th began with a trip to Athens to see Austin, TX grindcore rippers Hatred Surge and to consume some delicious food. Before the show, my traveling companion Ruby and I hit up Clocked. We were ravenous, as our metabolisms had been boosted to freakish levels from the Endorush we consumed befored driving. We ordered sandwiches and tore into them with a vengeance. I ordered Katy's Vegetarian, which is a boca burger patty smothered in grilled onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, honey mustard and basil-jalapeno dressing on grilled rye. I'm not really a fan of boca burgers, so I was hoping the ridiculous amount of toppings would nullify the blandness of the fake burger. Unfortunately this hot sandwich left me cold. The various dressings left my tastebuds confused, and honestly with the peppers/onions mix this just ended up tasting like like a cheesesteak with fake meat. Not bad, but I was hoping for more. Ruby seemed to enjoy his Bacon Cheeseburger, so I suggest that route for any potential Clocked patrons. We also enjoyed the spicy and plentiful cajun Tater Tots. After we finished we headed to the Go Bar to see the show. This isn't a music blog, so I'll be brief: Hatred Surge were easily in the top five bands I've seen this year. I left the show feeling good, but the brutal, primal energy of Hatred Surge must have affected my body. I needed to eat. I needed tacos. It was two in the morning and thought I remembered that Taco Veloz was open late on weekends. We hit up the Norcross and Doraville locations but both were closed, so we headed down Buford Highway to find an all night Taqueria...and we were successful. El Rey de Taco (open until 6am on weekends) provided us delicious tacos to satisfy our hunger. The highlight was definitely my Al Pastor taco. A spicy mix of beef and pork really completed my night. El Rey de Taco is located at 5288 Buford Hwy NE and I urge you to go there ASAP.

July Food Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (corey) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:09:00 +0000

A brief run-down of my food highlights for this past month. I promise more content is coming soon.

Carne de soafrito Taco/Chips y salsa from Holy Taco
Smoky Black Beans and Chipotle aioli from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone"
Panang Curry from Little Bangkok
Gnocchi from La Grotta's Stimulus Menu
Seitan Taco from Endless Summer
and of course...HOAGIEFEST

Live To Eat...Eat To Live

busy. so busy.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Hello. I am very busy at work. And as a result, nothing exciting is coming out of my kitchen. In a week, I will be back, making things from scratch and taking my time to enjoy food again. Until then, Trader Joe's is my best friend!

Scrambled Dog.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:48:00 +0000

Scrambled Dog, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

My parents had us over for Superbowl Sunday. My dad called and told me he had it all under control and I didn't need to bring a thing. What a wonderful father! I should note that my dad takes over the culinary duties on a day-to-day basis in their household. My mom pulls out her chef skills around the holidays but generally, the cooking is all my father's artistry. And let me just say that this scrambled dog would have done his mother, my grandmother, very proud.

What is a scrambled dog, you ask? Well, to the uninformed eye, it might look like a chili dog but it is far more than that. To call a scrambled dog a chili dog would be like calling grits cream of wheat. The two are deceptively similar in appearance but a world of difference lurks beneath the surface. For a little help in explaining the origins of the scrambled dog, I consulted Wikipedia. Here is what they had to say:

"Originating in Columbus, Georgia, it is a cheap, usually red-skinned hot dog, served on a toasted white bun and topped with mustard and spicy chili. This particular chili contains beans and has large chunks of diced raw onion mixed directly into the prepared sauce before being spooned onto the dog. The Scrambled dog in its traditional configuration was invented at now-defunct cigar store and newspaper stand run by Firm Roberts on Columbus' Broadway beginning in 1908. The most famous purveyor of the dog today is the city's Dinglewood Pharmacy, there it is topped with ketchup, mustard, chili with beans, onions, sliced dill pickles, and oyster crackers. Scrambled Dog purists do not put cheese in any form on the dog. While the recipe is relatively consistent on a city-by-city basis, each town has a unique opinion on the propriety of the presence or absence of American cheese on the hot dog. Typically a scrambled dog meal is regarded as incomplete unless accompanied by a Coca-Cola (which originated in Georgia)."

Yep, the Dinglewood. I have been there with my sister and Grandmother. And my grandmother had special scrambled dog bowls which were similar to banana split dishes but were a little larger in size. My grandmother used to famously serve her scrambled dogs on Christmas Eve and this year, my aunt followed suit.

To be honest, I have yet to make my own scrambled dog. I think it's time, don't you? I'll even remember the oyster crackers.

Quesadillas

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Quesadillas, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Yum. My mouth waters a little just thinking about these. Monday seems to be my night to cook, and cook well. Maybe it's all of the energy I have stored up over the weekend, maybe it's because my kitchen is clean, maybe it's because I feel the need to fill Corey's stomach with something decadent before he heads off to band practice (yeah, you heard me, BAND practice...he's cool like that). Last Monday, I made these. They were stupidly simple:

1 can of drained black beans
2 red onions
2 cloves of garlic
cumin
chili powder
red pepper flakes
* all spices to taste
12 inch tortillas
cheese
butter

I chose some non-descript white, Mexican (it said Mexican on the wrapper) cheese with jalapeno peppers dotting it's angelic color. I shredded the cheese then started to work on the beans.

I chopped two red onions and sauteeed them for about five minutes in olive oil. I added the beans and spiced with cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes.

I folded each tortilla in half, loaded them up with cheese and black beans and fried them in butter until brown on both sides. They then sat in the oven until all of the quesadillas were done so the cheese got super melted and the tortillas wonderfully crispy.

These slices of heaven were topped with guacamole, sort of. The avocados weren't quite ripe but I was vigilant about having some kind of topping, so I used them anyway. I like onion, lime, cilantro, tomatoes, and a little cumin in my guacamole.

Corey and I enjoyed our dinner with cold beers and didn't really speak a word to one another while eating. I generally take this as a sign that I am doing something right in our relationship.

See, I cook.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:09:00 +0000

Frying them up!, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

I keep a blog about cooking and I really haven't contributed to it much myself. I will be addressing my recipe to these delicious quesadillas very soon. In the meantime, just imagine the sizzle of butter meeting the delicious flour tortilla.

BBQ Tofu Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:11:00 +0000

BBQ Tofu II, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Corey is an experimental chef. He is fast and furious with a creative approach. You will say to him, "What if we make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner?" His response will be, "Sure, that sounds good." About five minutes later you'll hear, "What if I take the meatballs, but them on a sub, smother them with your tomato sauce, cover it with mozzarella cheese and broil it in the oven?" He likes to take things "to the next level." This is something that makes planning a meal difficult, as you'll never how he'll re-create your dish but it makes a random Sunday afternoon when you think you have nothing to eat a true pleasure.

This was one of those Sundays. Corey escaped to the kitchen and came back twenty minutes later with these BBQ tofu sandwiches that blew my socks off. I wish I could tell you how he does it and I swear I will get him to tell me but the tofu was perfectly fried (and then baked for a little while). We dressed the sandwiches in a little mayo, extra BBQ sauce and red onion. The tofu tasted meaty and had a wonderful initial crunch with a soft center. They were heaven and one day I promise to share Corey's tofu frying tricks.

weekend.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Friday night:

1 order of fried calamari
1 mixed green salad
1 pizza margherita
1 pizza with pancetta and caramalized onions

1 Bass Ale
1 glass of house pinot noir

*Date night at Fritti, Inman Park

Saturday:

2 cups of rocket fuel aka coffee
Many slices of leftover pizza for lunch

1 latte at Park Grounds with Mary Stuart

1 cheeseburger and french fries
2 orders of ale-battered chicken fingers and fries

3 delicious Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier aka Hefeweizen beers with lemon

*Dinner with Mary Stuart and Corey at the Brick Store Pub, Decatur

Sunday:

2 cups of rocket fuel aka coffee
A breakfast of the New York Times

2 bar-b-que tofu sandwiches a la Corey for lunch

3 bowls of chicken tortilla soup a la Mary Stuart for dinner
Dessert of Masterpiece Theater

*I really do cook, I swear!

Grits Casserole, the real OG

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:25:00 +0000

Grits Casserole, originally uploaded by sophialandrum.

This is my Grandmama's recipe, in her very own handwriting. As you can see, I have adapted it a bit as the times they are a changin.' But you can clearly see where my love of cheese and butter comes from. I wish you could have met this woman, she was a tour de force.

Snow day waffles

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:18:00 +0000

Snow day waffles, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

I bought this waffle iron last week and I can safely say we are still becoming friends. I was enchanted by the shape of the waffles and can see an edible Valentine headed Corey's way.

But, I am having a hard time getting the proper color and crispness (crispiness?) on my waffles. I am also experimenting with many different recipes to see which one I like best. If you have any suggestions on how to make a crispy waffle, please sound off. I can tell you that I love a waffle chock full of vanilla and cinnamon, lightly coated in butter and smothered in maple syrup. Too bad all I have to eat this morning is a measly piece of wheat toast...

Up-coming projects

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:07:00 +0000

I'm spending Sunday morning browsing through cookbooks and making a list for myself and you of things I am going to try my hand at, either for the first time or for the first time in a long while. This is what we all have to look forward to:

Homemade pizza, including the dough
Shrimp n' grits
Homemade pasta (equipment needed)
Coq Au Vin

I think this list will keep me busy for a while.

Enchiladas a la Corey

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:55:00 +0000

Enchiladas a la Corey, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Monday was a rough day at work - long, tedious and full of unexpected set-backs. So you can imagine my intense glee when I walked into my kitchen and Corey was standing in front of a myriad of pots and pans. He was busy preparing a batch of enchiladas. He and I went through a phase last spring where we made enchiladas almost weekly with different fillings each time. We tried sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans, chicken and many combinations of the above. I was excited to see what Corey would be doing with this hearty dish this time around. He settled on Spanish rice and black beans cooked with jalapeno peppers as a filling. The rice was cooked with onions, garlic and a whole lot of spices including such winners as cumin and red chili powder. Then, he topped them with Trader Jose's enchilada sauce, covered the dish with sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese, baked them at 350 for 30 minutes and we dined like royalty.

Table for two.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Table for two, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

This is where we eat. That's all, really.

Sunday supper

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:40:00 +0000

Sunday supper, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Rules for a Sunday supper: simple, satisfying and tasty. Must pair well with TV on DVD or Masterpiece Theater (if you're getting a late start).

This week: salmon with pesto, whole wheat pasta and peas. It fit the bill perfectly.

Saigon Cafe, North Decatur Rd

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:17:00 +0000

Saigon Cafe, North Decatur Rd, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Another thing I really miss about Seattle is Vietnamese food. It seems that there just isn't as much to go around in Atlanta. That's why I got really excited when Corey and I decided to try out Saigon Cafe on North Decatur Rd and Clairmont. The place was busy on a Wednesday night which we both took as a very good sign. I saw some of my favorites on the menu and promptly ordered salad rolls for the table. They were a disappointment. All I could taste was bean sprouts and the rolls were not served with peanut sauce as I prefer but with plum sauce straight out of a bottle. On to the the main course. I was ready to really enjoy something delicious after two days of saltines and ginger ale. Corey and I both ordered bun - a big bowl full of vermicelli noodles, grilled meat (usually pork), salad fixings and if you're lucky, an egg roll. Saigon Cafe's bun came with all of the trimmings and looked awesome (as you can see) but lacked flavor once again. The meat was also quite fatty and made my stomach ache a little. Corey and I left feeling defeated, with our sights set on Buford Highway, Atlanta's Asian cuisine mecca. We won't take the easy way out; we learned our lesson.

Apple Fritter for the woman...

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Healthy Breakfast c/o Top Pot, originally uploaded by JE Birch.

First, let me begin by saying that I have not cooked at all this week due to a rocky start. I made a very healthy dinner on Sunday night (cue queasy stomach) of twice-baked sweet potatoes and sauteed greens. I even recorded it for posterity with a picture. But something went terribly wrong and that night, an ugly stomach virus hit. I won't disgust you with the gruesome details, but I made Corey delete the pictures from the camera and throw out the evil leftovers and here we are - no posts about food made in my kitchen.

But I still want to share with you something that I really, really miss about Seattle. We lived a block away from Top Pot Doughnuts & Coffee and just to really sweeten an already good deal, our beloved roommate Sonya worked there (and still does). This made for a lot of doughnuts in our life. A lot of deep fried, glazed, powdered or iced dough...and my life (and waistline) has never been the same. Don't get me wrong, one can find a good doughnut in Atlanta. But nothing will ever be the same again. I can look near and far but I will never find a raspberry iced chocolate cake doughnut, an apple fritter the size of my head, seasonally prepared pumpkin cake doughnuts, cinnamon sugar rings that are as fluffy as a feather pillow...Believe me, one of the first stops we're making in Seattle is Top Pot. And I will eat all...of...the...doughnuts...even if I have to pry the last chocolate-sprinkled-cake from a poor child's hand.

La Fonda Latina

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:46:00 +0000

La Fonda Latina, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

This meal is another backbone to my gastronomic existence. Every week, Corey and I drive over to my parents house for a night of take-out from our tried and true favorite, La Fonda Latina. La Fonda is a Cuban Atlanta chain that serves some of the most reliably delicious food I can think of. Their meat and fish is perpetually grilled to a perfect crisp, their guacamole always has a hint of lime and a healthy dose of cilantro and their black beans are consistently slow-cooked and well-spiced. It is a pleasure to eat such satisfying food with some of my favorite people.

Tomorrow, we'll gather around my parents table with La Fonda on our plates to wish my cousin Isabel a happy journey. She's headed to Paris for a semester abroad. I am so excited for her! I know she will have a wonderful time and we will all be happy to see her again this May.

Sally's Table.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:36:00 +0000

sallydinner2, originally uploaded by landrumfam.

This is my aunt Sally. She is also known by many as Sarah and to few as Sadie. Sally is a culinary inspiration. She puts so much of her love, beauty and creativity into her food. Sally has the knack that her mother did of being able to go into a kitchen and throw something together in a snap but she also has an adventurous spirit that makes every dish truly unique. I love the way she cooks because it makes me think of her: vibrant, always fun and never dull.

We're Back!

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Hello Beautiful, originally uploaded by susanandcorey.

Yep, new camera=new posts. I figured the best way to begin (again) is to show you the backbone of this whole operation, the essence of my cuisine, the recipe that won Corey's heart, the most comforting of comfort food, the most perfect dish you or I will ever eat.

Baked Cheese Grits.

Now, this is one of those recipes that I know without any consultation to a recipe or cookbook. And I think the one piece of advice I can give you is this: this dish is better the second time around. If you can stand it - make them the night before, par-bake them for about 20 minutes and then stick them in your fridge. The next morning, finish baking and voila - you will have a perfectly fluffy, cheesy, garlicky dish that can stand all by itself for breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, these are also a wonderful side dish to anything from scrambled eggs to steak. Without further ado, here is my interpretation of baked cheese grits:

- Make grits according to package (I always make enough for 6 people - it fills a casserole dish)
*tips to making good grits - salt the water, just like you would for pasta, when you add the grits to the boiling water, stir constantly for the first two minutes so there aren't any lumps, then stir once every couple of minutes
- Grate about 2 cups of really good, sharp cheddar or use one whole bag of the pre-shredded kind (i like a lot of cheese)
- Use half a stick of butter or as much as you think you can handle
chop up two to three cloves of garlic
- Add all of these ingredients while the grits are steaming hot and stir
*let them sit for a few minutes and then add two eggs (you don't want the eggs to cook)
- Stir in the eggs
- Put into a casserole dish and top with bread crumbs
- Bake at 375 for about 30-45 minutes until bubbly

That's it! Simple, right? Try it this weekend and let me know how it turns out.

RETIRED.

noreply@blogger.com (susan) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:30:00 +0000

This blog is hereby retired until I have a personal technology up-grade. I do not believe I should be writing about food without showing it to you. Once this problem is resolved, I will be on this page like white on rice.

See you then!