The capital of North Carolina is…?

Raleigh! And this is the city we visited today. We had a day to drive from Roanoke Rapids, NC to Charlotte, NC (4.5 hour drive) so we decided to make a pit stop along the way and check out the capital. They say that Raleigh is called the “Smithsonian of the South” and that is because of all the free attractions. Whether it’s the museum of art, history, sports, natural sciences, or African American history, or gardens, the capital, or parks,

Raleigh has a lot of free things to do. In our time in the city, we had a few hours so we chose to go the The Museum of Natural Sciences. It was a neat museum with lots of nature exhibits like dinosaurs, mountains, coastal NC, and the forest. They also have a new wing called the Nature Research Center where kids could work in the labs and visitors could look at a variety of other exhibits.

After the museum, we drove around the city saw a couple other places, including the capital (or so we think), and found a place to eat. We decided upon a Lebanese restaurant called Sitti, a place that gives Aladdins competition (for those of you who don’t know it is our Greek/Lebanese restaurant in Akron).

We ordered two appetizers for our meal at Sitti:

Laban bi Khiar (a yogurt with cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, and mint)- so good, need to recreate!

Sitti Tasting- Hummus, Baba Ghanouj (eggplant hummus-like), Fattoush (Salad), Chicken Shawarma (Chicken with garlic whip), Kibbee Mikli (Sauteed beef, lamb, onion, pine nuts, and spices in a dumpling), and Cheese Rolls (Gruyere and feta)

Lebanese Sweet Tea (Southern- style sweet tea with ginger and passion fruit)

Another wonderful lunch and then the drive back to Charlotte. Patrick has a week of work in the office and I am spending the week at home with my family. He will join on the weekend before we make our way up to Rochester, NY.

Around the World Series: Austria

The European Country this week was chosen by Ms. Emily Kreuz! Austria was the choice. After researching, I found the country’s cuisine was was mostly a blend from other countries. Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland are among some of the dozen countries that influenced Austria’s kitchens. There are a few classic local dishes but the ones I chose were from another country.

Goulash was the main dish I decided  to prepare. It could be made as a soup with crusty bread on the side or over rice. I chose to do rice which would be more filling. This was originally from Germany. Below is the recipe. For dessert, I made Altwiener Apfelstrudel (Traditional Viennese Apple Strudel) for dessert which was first a Turkish delight.
Austrian Goulash

1 pound stewing beef
1 pound potatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper
2 large onions
1 small can tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)
1/2 to 1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp oregano (or marjoram)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp sweet paprika powder
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tsp white vinegar
6 cups of water
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper

(I didn’t have the vinegar, beef bouillon, oregano, caraway, thyme, bay leaves, or even the sweet paprika but it tasted good with the chic bouillon and regular paprika)

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours. Adapted from:d This Goulash Soup recipe.

Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)

The Strudel is a pastry with a sweet or savory filling rolled up in a very thinly stretched dough. The name “Strudel” means Whirlpool since the dough is rolled and the center of the pastry resembles a whirlpool.

Traditionally, Strudel dough is made from scratch out of high-gluten flour, water, and oil. Preparing the dough is manually intensive. It requires an intense kneading period to develop the gluten strands, followed by a resting period for the dough (and the baker!). This gives the dough the elasticity it needs to be stretched into a very thin sheet – so thin that it is almost transparent. Easier recipes replace this process by substituting the traditional dough with a ready-made phylo-dough or puff-pastry dough.

Ingredients:

Dough 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 pinch salt 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon canola oil 13 tablespoons lukewarm water

Filling 1 7 tablespoons butter 1 cup plain breadcrumbs

Filling 2 1/2 cup raisins 6 tablespoons rum (or more, if needed) or 6 tablespoons orange juice (or more, if needed) 6 -8 cups chopped baking apples (5-6 Gala or Granny Smith) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 -2 teaspoon lemon zest 4 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup butter, melted powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Work the pastry ingredients on a board into a smooth, easy dough, cover and allow to stand in a warm place for ½ hour. Spread a large soft cloth on the kitchen table, dust with flour and on it pull out the dough. With the floured back of your hand pull the dough, working from the middle outwards until it is paper thin. Cut away any thick edges. Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with fired breadcrumbs. On the breadcrumbs place layer of apple, sprinkle with raisins, cinnamon and sugar. Raise the cloth and roll the pastry up firmly in such a way that the join is underneath. Roll it off the cloth on to a well buttered baking tin. Brush the strudel with melted butter and bake in a medium oven for about thirty minutes until golden brown. Dust with sugar and serve either hot or cold.

Indian Remake

Today I made an Indian dinner. I like spicy food :-) I like spices. I try to not use too much salt. I only have a select amount of spices that I carry around and occasionally I buy fresh. This meal was created because 1. I purchased a tandoori spice mix and 2. I had leftover rice that was left sit in extra water creating a “sticky” rice. Therefore i made Tandoori chicken, Chickpeas/Hummus, Peppers and Onions, and Mango Sticky rice for dessert.,

I coated the chicken in the spices mixed with yogurt and a little olive oil. For a side dish, I didn’t want to make rice since we were having that for dessert an since we were eating leftovers with rice. So what I ended up finding was a chickpea side dish recipe. It was satisfying meal!

Chickpea and Pepper and Onion Salad

• 2 cans chick peas, drained
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup tahini paste
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced or 1/2-inch dice
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced or 1/2-inch dice
• Hot banana pepper rings, drained and chopped plus 2 tablespoons juice
• Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced, plus 1 lime, for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove grated garlic. Pulse chop the chick peas in food processor then add to garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Mash with chicken stock and tahini and reduce heat to low.

Combine red onion, bell peppers, chopped hot peppers, to taste, 2 tablespoons hot pepper pickle juice, cilantro leaves, lime juice. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wedge the remaining lime, reserve.

Mango stiky Rice!

Beet and Bean Burgers

By now, you may have noticed that I live veggie burgers. This time I made burgers using red beets and they were so good! This is something that I’m sure not many are brave enough to try but I made it and it was great! I would make it again. I would even make it for friends and family that I thought were daring enough to try it.

Best-Ever Beet and Bean Burgers
Inspired by the veggie burgers at Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio
makes about 6 burgers

1/2 cup brown rice (doubled if you want more rice)
1 onion, diced small
3 large red beets (about 1 pound), diced small*
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
thin slices of provolone or monterey jack cheese (optional)

* The key is to dice the beets very small and then cook all the ingredients until they’re very tender and soft. Don’t be tempted to use a food processor – that would give you the mushy texture we’re trying to avoid.

(I didn’t have vinegar, or parsley, coriander, thyme, and used an Italian spice mix instead and mozz string cheese.)

Bring a large amount of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the rice, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the rice until it’s a little beyond al dente. You want it a little over-cooked, but still firm. This should take about 35-40 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the onions are translucent and softened. Stir in the beets. Cover the pot and cook until the beets are completely tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan using the cider vinegar.

Empty the black beans into a large bowl and use a fork to mash them up a bit. Add the cooked rice, the beet and onion mixture, the lemon juice, the olive oil, and all the spices. Stir to combine and then taste for seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once it tastes the way you like it, add the flour and stir until you see no more dry flour.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over the highest heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil – the oil should completely coat the bottom of the pan. When you see the oil shimmer and it flows easily, the pan is ready.

Using your hands, scoop up about a cup of the burger mixture and shape it into a patty between your palms. Set it in the pan, where it should begin to sizzle immediately. (If it doesn’t sizzle, wait a minute or two before cooking the rest of the burgers.) Shape and add as many more patties as will fit in your pan. Once all the patties are in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high.

Cook the patties for 2 minutes, then flip them to the other side. You should see a nice crust on the cooked side. If they break apart a little when you flipped them, just reshape them with the spatula – they’ll hold together once the second side is cooked. If you’re adding cheese, lay a slice over the burgers now. Cook the second side for another 2 minutes.

Serve the veggie burgers on soft burger buns or lightly toasted sandwich bread along with some fresh greens.

Cooked burgers should be eaten that same day. You can also save leftover mix in the fridge for up to a week and cook just one or two burgers as you want them.

Patrick’s Regimen

Today, Patrick worked on a boiler in South Carolina. He had to wake up early every day not just to do the normal (get dressed, eat breakfast with his wife, grab his lunch packed by her, and drive to work) but he needed to plan more time for once he was at the job site.

In a text he sent me, he summed it up: Drive 15 mins, get ready 10 mins, walk to plant 5 mins, walk to boiler 10 mins, get ready 5 mins = 45 mins.  Wow! Getting ready involves adding all the things he needs to his belt like phone, knife, gloves, etc, putting on hard hat with earplugs attached, grabbing notebook, water bottle, and putting on his boots, maybe coveralls if needed. And the walking means first walking through a huge parking lot to the power plant, checking in with the security guard, then walking through the plant to the boiler.

The joke is that their tired before they even start working, haha, but probably kinda true. However, they still have a day of crawling through small holes in 120 degree boilers.

4.5 hours to Roanoke Rapids again and The Blue Taj

We drove back to Roanoke Rapids again.

But after leaving South Carolina, we stopped for lunch in one of Charlotte’s neighborhoods and the restaurant was The Blue Taj. It was a delicious Indian restaurant!

We chose to start with a

• Vegetarian Taste Platter. This included: Paneer Pakora (paneer stuffed with stuffed with ajwain-mint paste and coated with a house special chickpea batter served Aachari Mango Chutney); Vegetable Samosa (Potato and vegetable turnovers with toasted spices and coriander); Chatpate Tikki Chole (Spiced potato patties) ; and Mango Chickpea Chaat (Potatoes, mangoes and chickpeas tossed with onions and cilantro in a tangy tamarind-yogurt dressing). Then we moved to
• A house salad and their soup- Tomato-Coconut Bisque (A southern Indian spice mix flavored tomato bisque with touch of coconut and tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves)
• Potato and Leek Dish with Rice
• Coconut Curry with Rice
• Naan
• Mango Lassie (delicious mango drink)

It was a great Indian meal and we had leftovers for two more meals! Mmmm!

And I just need to point out that the drive from Charlotte to Roanoke Rapids is long! The worst part about it is the last hour of the drive. There were 17 speed limit changes(25 mph to 35 to 55, etc) in 25 miles, probably averaging 45 mph. This was my third time to Roanoke Rapids and Patrick’s fourth. Lots of driving!

 

 

Habitat for Humanity Charlotte

If you don’t know about Habitat for Humanity, this is a summary from Habitat Charlotte’s website:

Habitat Charlotte builds affordable homes for low-income families who currently live in inadequate housing and who want to own their own home.

Habitat Charlotte builds houses along with families who demonstrate a need for housing, the ability to pay a no-interest monthly mortgage, and also a willingness to partner with Habitat Charlotte. All applicants are required to provide employer references and allow rental verification and background checks to be processed. Once their application is approved, a family must work 250 hours of “sweat equity” and also attend classes designed to prepare them for homeownership.

Once sweaty equity hours and the house is complete, applicants are considered official Habitat homeowners and they begin making full and timely payments on their interest-free mortgage.

Today I went back to the worksite. Not one in Akron, OH or Mobile, AL or Biloxi, MS or Pensacola, FL. This time Charlotte, NC! Oh wait, that was a lie. I didn’t go to the worksite today, I went to the warehouse. Along with about 10 other volunteers, we made parts for future new Habitat homes. The majority of the work was on window and door frames. This meant that the wood needed to be cut the correct size and each of the different little pieces were made before putting it into the bigger frame. This, along with the inventions of a wood apprentice made productivity double! I took a couple pictures, but they’re a little fuzzy:

This jig (or at least that’s what I think its called) allowed me to stand three boards vertically (they’re in the picture) and then lay a board on top. Then I used a nail gun (or more correctly called air gun) to quickly nail it together. The next step was to flip it over and nail a board on top (to make a rectangle with support in the middle) but first, I had to fold down the bottom board on the jig that cleverly had hinges and then it was nice and even again when I nailed a board on top.

Here you can see the lighter colored boards are the ones I’m using to make a frame and the pieces around it are supporting my structure./the jig. The best thing about this guy’s structures (he was actually an apprentice from Germany, was trained as a wood craftsman and worked with wood all his life) is the fact that a worker didn’t have to crawl on their hands and knees to hammer and make sure everything’s square and flush. It was impressive.

I did this project in the morning and after our lunch break, I worked on another component of the door frame. It felt good to be working again!

Oh and funny addition to the story: I didn’t have any work pants (only two pairs of nice jeans) so I wore my husbands pants. Guys pants fit a little differently then girls. But as Patrick added, “at least you won’t have a problem of guys hitting on you” haha.

Another Night

On our drive to Rock Hill, SC, Patrick received a call telling us that we would not be staying for a week or two, but really only two nights (Sunday and Monday). Then we were told we were heading back to Roanoke Rapids, NC after Patrick’s workday on Tuesday. So we said ok and cancelled our week’s reservation for only two nights. Well, on Monday Patrick was told that it would make more sense to stay Tuesday night and drive up Wednesday, adding another night to our stay. No big deal, right? We extend our stay all the time. Well, easier said then done when there is a huge soccer tournament this week and the entire hotel is booked, as well as many area hotels.

Monday night, we asked Hilton Garden for another night; they said they were all booked. But they said we would be first on the cancellation list and there was a good chance we’d get a room in the morning. Tuesday morning, we woke up with the 5:30am alarm and Patrick went down to the front desk to ask to extend our stay. They said they were all booked. So, Patrick came back ate breakfast and we packed up everything before he went off to work.  He told me to call our Charlotte Hotel and ask for a room. So I did.

I called the Charlotte Hampton and said I would like to book a room  for that night. They asked if I could call back because they were in the middle of changing shifts. I said sure and was slightly annoyed by their customer service. So I called back 5min later (I wanted to make these reservations before I left. The same lady answered, I asked the same question, her response was the same. Annoying. She didn’t tell me how long I should wait to call back so I asked and she said it usually takes 20min from the time they start which was when I first called. So when should I call back? She said I called about 5min ago so in about 15min. (I found this to be handled unprofessionally but I did what I was told, waited, and called back later.) When I called back a third time and asked for a room for that night a third time, they said they were all booked.

Frustrated, and with my belongings all packed, I had no computer to look up other hotels and I was now almost late for my adventure of the day. So I went to check out. While I was down there, I asked the front desk person if he could help me because we needed to stay another night and we had no where to stay. After clicking and typing he handed me new key cards and said that we could stay in our room another night! (There was one room out for maintenance that had just been fixed.) Woohoo! Time to bring in my refrigerator things and a few others inside and then to head out for the day.

Hilton Garden Inn vs Hampton Inn

Yesterday, we arrived in Rock Hill, SC which is about 15min from Charlotte. Rock Hill is super booked this week and the reason is because of an evidently huge soccer tournament. The local Hampton was booked but we were able to get reservations at the Hilton Garden Inn. Now, Hilton Garden is a step up from Hampton but part of the same chain. Above I have a pic of what we brought in to stay two nights. One cart’s mine, can you guess which one? Haha, yest the one with all the colorful bags.

Hilton Garden Inn, Rock Hill (compared to Hampton Inn, Roanoke Rapids)

Pros: Breakfast (Patrick loves this breakfast bar. Good restaurant quality like Eggs, Sausage & Gravy, Grits, Potato Cubes,Oatmeal and my favorite all the Fresh Fruit! Hampton has a lot of the same foods, but at a smaller, more low-key scale), Free laundry (but only one washer & dryer- Hampton has two of each but it’s a dollar per load), This one’s air quality is better, Better furniture (our mattress has duel sided firmness control), More tv channels, Name brand soap/shampoo- like Neutrogena and Bath & Body Works, More professional people

Cons: Breakfast is $10 a person (now since we made it to Gold* status it is free so this is no longer a con for us), Hampton gives free toiletries if needed like shaving cream, etc (we haven’t needed any yet though) and this is a purchased service at Hilton, Smaller refrigerator, More expensive

* HHonors is Hampton/Hilton Rewards Program. Points are earned based on nights stayed. Since we live in hotels, it’s pretty awesome! The levels are Blue, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Each level earns points faster and may have additional benefits- like gold level or higher earns free breakfast.

Salisbury and Bangkok

Happy sweet 16 to my sister Laura and happy Sacred Heart Festival Day!

We drove from Roanoke Rapids, NC to SC.  On our way, Patrick took a detour after seeing a “Historic city” sign, leading us to Salisbury, NC. It was a good decision; what a beautiful city! The downtown had all brick buildings, with a variety of colors of bricks. There were brick sidewalks and colorful signs and street windows. There was a good amount of beautiful old churches and lots of green space. The trees and shrubs were eye pleasing and there was a massive tree that was probably built before the church was built like 200 years ago.

Before our walking adventure, we ate at a delicious restaurant- Bangkok Downtown. It was, as you can probably guess, a Thai and Sushi restaurant kinda like Cilantro (for all those who know the Akron eatery). So good! I ordered the California roll (Patrick’s not into raw sea creature sushi) and then we had the green curry and pad thai both with lots of veggies! And we had leftovers for two more meals! Mmm! After our walk, we drove another hour to our Hilton Garden Inn at Rock Hill, SC (about 30min drive further down 77 past Charlotte).

Lunches

Mmmm. Today is the second day in a row I made this for my lunch- Grilled Cucumber and Cheese Sandwiches! Here’s the recipe that I got the idea from: Havarti Dill and Cucumber on Rye Recipe

All I did to make mine was to cut a slice of bread in half. Place “strings” of mozzarella string cheese on each side- or whatever kind of cheese you’d like. Sprinkle dill and top with cucumber slices (I also used hot pepper flakes). Fold both sides together and toast or grill until cheese is melted.

And another lunch I made last week involved chickpeas (I love chickpeas)! It’s pretty simple and they suggested to serve on crusty rolls or pita bread with lettuce and tomato…that would have made it taste really good!

Vegetarian Chickpea Sandwich Filling

My Oh My, Peach Pie, I mean Galette

Dinner this evening; I thought we were having company so I made an eye pleasing and tasty dinner. It ended up that they had to work late (this is a busy week), but Patrick and I enjoyed it together. :-) We had: Spinach and three-bean enchiladas, Roasted red bell pepper hummus in cucumber cups, and Peach galette. Patrick loved it all! He even said that this was the best dessert he’s ever had (and he doesn’t like dessert)!

Spinach and Three Bean Enchiladas (found in FamilyCircle magazine)

 

 Ingredients:

½ large onion chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

2 tomatoes, blended

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 bag baby spinach

½ cup chopped cilantro

6 whole wheat tortillas

1 ½ cups shredded cheese.

Heat oven to 350 degrees, coat a cake pan with cooking spray.

Saute onion and garlic, stir in beans tomatoe and spices.  Simmer 3 minutes

Gradually stir in spinach until wilted, stir in cilantro and lightly mash bean mixture with a potatoe masher.  Spoon into tortilla, wrap place in pan. Sprinkle cheese over top bake for 30 minutes.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus

I added sesame seeds, it made them look like sushi! To make the cucumber cups, scoop out most of the center of the cucumber slice.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (each 15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 tsp. smoked sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. toasted ground cumin seed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Pita bread or pita chips and crudités for serving

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, bell pepper, lemon juice, tahini, paprika and cumin and pulse until the mixture just comes together. With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt. Serve with pita bread or pita chips and crudités for dipping. Makes about 3 cups.

Peach Galette

I ended up adding blueberries and toasted almonds.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz (1/2 cup, 1 stick, 8 Tbsp) butter, cut into small (1/2-inch) cubes, chilled in freezer at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour
• 4 to 6 Tbsp ice water

Filling:

• 2 large, not-overly-ripe yellow peaches (about 3/4 pound total), pitted, sliced into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp almond paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon butter

• 1 egg
• A sprinkling of coarse sugar (optional)

METHOD

1 Make the crust dough. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt, until well mixed. Add the cubed butter, and pulse 8 times. The butter should still be the size of peas in the mixture. Slowly add the ice water, a tablespoon or two at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just begins to clump. Turn out onto a clean surface. Use your clean hands to form into a disc. Do not over-knead. Work the dough only enough to bring it barely together into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour on all sides, wrap with plastic, and place into the refrigerator to chill for an hour. (See our pate brisee recipe for more detailed instruction if you are new to making crusts.)

2 Preheat the oven with the rack in the middle position to 425°F (220°C). Place the peach slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the flour and sugar. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle vanilla extract over the peaches.

3 In a small bowl, whisk the egg until smooth and set aside.

4 On a lightly floured, clean, smooth surface, roll out the dough to about a 12-inch diameter. Gently lift up the rolled out dough and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

5 If you are using almond paste (not necessary, but a nice addition if you have it), dot the middle 6-inch circle of the dough with the almond paste. (If you can spread it, great. Otherwise, just dot with little bits.) Arrange the peach slices in an overlapping pattern in a single layer in the center of the dough, forming about a 7 or 8-inch circle. Dot with a little butter.

6 Fold the outer edges of the dough round over the filling, by about 2-inches all the way around, in an accordion fashion. Use a pastry brush to coat the exposed dough with an egg wash (you can cook up the leftover egg as a little scrambled egg, by the way), and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.

7 Place in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet, over a rack, about 15 minutes.

Great served with a little vanilla ice cream.

MMmmmmmm!

Long days

Yesterday, Patrick worked a 14 hour day. It was also conveniently leftover night (because I didn’t know when he would be home). Today was another long day, but not that long. our dinner is mentioned below. Note, I made Beet Hummus, and I wouldn’t try that again. The combination of the sweet/savory beets, lemon juice, and tahini was a little much for my tastes!

Corn and Roasted Tomato Grilled Flatbread Recipe

2 flatbreads

1 small package smoked mozzarella

Store bought pesto

Store bought roasted tomatoes (I found these at Trader Joe’s near the pesto)

Handful of arugula

1 ear of corn cooked, kernels removed

Parmesan cheese

Preheat your grill to medium low. Place the flatbread on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes (more or less depending on thickness of the bread). Flip and grill for another 3 minutes or until both sides are crisp. Remove from the grill and add the mozzarella, pesto, roasted tomatoes, arugula, corn, and parmesan in that order. Place the flatbreads back on the grill for 5 minutes. Remove from grill, slice and serve!

(I used whole wheat sandwich rounds, homemade pesto (thanks Patrick’s parents!), corn, farmers market cherry tomatoes, and string cheese)

Spicy Rainbow Rice and Beans

• 1 cup uncooked brown or basmati rice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1.5 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups fresh cooked corn (or frozen)
• salt to taste

1. Cook the rice in a medium pot according to package directions.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add sweet onions, garlic, and spices. Sauté 4-5 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Add the black beans, soy sauce, peas, and corn to the skillet. Heat on medium-low for 6-7 minutes, until hot, stirring often.

3. Stir in the cooked rice. Add an additional splash of soy sauce if necessary.

(This wasn’t a really exciting dish., but it is a good filler dinner for Patrick. Like usual, I didn’t have all the ingredients… like coriander or soy sauce.)

Quinoa Feta Burgers

Dinner! with sweet potato fries

Mmmm, these ones are really good!

Quinoa Feta Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 shallot, minced (I didn’t use)
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I didn’t use)
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 egg whites, lightly whisked
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 whole-wheat buns, grilled
• Whole-grain mustard, for serving (I didn’t use)
• Grilled onions, for serving (see tip below)
• Radicchio, for serving (I didn’t use)

Directions

1. In a bowl, mash beans into a thick paste and mix in shallot, carrot, quinoa, parsley, feta, salt, and egg whites.
2. Form mixture into six patties and chill 30 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, directly on grill grates or on stove top, and cook patties until golden (add remaining tablespoon oil if cooking in batches), 4 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Serve on buns with mustard, grilled onions, and radicchio.

Cook’s Tip
For grilled onions, drizzle slices with oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill over medium-high heat, turning, until tender and charred, 6 to 8 minutes.

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup

After laying out in the sun and relaxing by the pool on this wonderful Sunday, I came in to make wonderful dinner. Mmmm, I knew Patrick would like it!

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1 large onion, medium diced
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach
• Rice (well I added the rice and only one can of chickpeas)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.

Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.

Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Oh, and I made Roasted Garlic and White Bean Hummus (It was really good)!

Ingredients

• garlic
• 1 can Great Northern beans
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil (plus extra to drizzle on top)
• 1/4 cup tahini
• Salt & pepper
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the white beans, cooking liquid or water, olive oil, tahini, salt and pepper, garlic, rosemary, and lemon juice. Blend well. Serve with roasted or raw vegetables, pita chips or pita bread, or a loaf of crusty whole wheat bread.

Around the World Series: France

Patrick had the idea of trying another country’s cuisine once a week*. Since I like to cook and I like to learn about other countries, I thought that sounded like a good idea! This week I chose France because since I took French for four years in high school, it is a good place to start.

*Once a week will be my goal, however things come up… like traveling to another city, or wanting to wait to go to a farmer’s market, or Patrick knowing he will be home late from a job. Some of these reasons have already happened.

Menu:

Tarte a l’Oignon, Ratatouille, and Gateau de chocolat (I almost went with a chocolate mousse but will save that for another time when I have the ingredients. I decided not to make coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, quiche lorraine, a bisque or bouillebaisse, pain au chocolat, creme brulee, and tarte aux pommes, among many others. )

Tarte a l’Oignon (Onion Tart) Recipe

SERVES 6

For the Filling:

• pie crust
• 1 Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt & pepper, to taste
• nutmeg, a pinch

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and cook about 30 minutes until they are very soft and caramelized. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare the custard. Combine the egg with the egg yolk in a small bowl with a whisk.
3. Add the milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg, whisking gently until combined. Do not over whisk and create bubbles or froth/foam.
4. Spread the onions on the bottom of the prepared tart shell and pour the custard over the onions filling the shell completely.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until the custard is just set. Do not let the custard rise, as this is a sign of overbaking. Serve warm or at room temperature.

(Note, I added a pinch of pumpkin spice- which I wasn’t too sure how it would taste- and it was wonderful! I also added more eggs, well egg whites, and did not add the heavy cream).

Ratatouille

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggplants
• Kosher salt
• 2 red peppers
• 2 yellow peppers
• About 1/2 cup olive oil, for cooking
• 4 small zucchini, cut into thick rounds
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 pepperoncini, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 8 medium tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Handful or 2 chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to broil.Thickly slice the eggplant, and lay the rounds on cake racks which you’ve placed in the sink. Salt, very generously, and leave 30 minutes for the excess water to drain off. When they are ready, rinse them well under the tap and pat them dry with a towel.While the eggplant drains, put the red and yellow peppers in the oven and broil to blacken the skin on all sides, 20 minutes total. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit 5 minutes. The skin will now peel off easily. Peel and seed, then slice the flesh to julienne and put it in a large bowl.Turn the oven down to 450 degrees F.Put some oil on a baking sheet and toss the zucchini slices in it. “Grill” in the oven, turning once, about 10 minutes. Remove, and add to the peppers. Finally, cut the rinsed and dried eggplant into large chunks, toss in oil, and spread on the baking sheet, and “grill” also, about 15 minutes. As things are done, add them to the bowl.While the vegetables are in the oven, heat a spoonful of olive oil in a saute pan, and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic,pepperoncini, bay leaf, and rosemary, and saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until they are very soft and the whole mixture thickly soupy, about 15 minutes.Pour the tomato over the vegetables, and toss everything. Check the seasonings. Serve at room temperature with the basil scattered over.

(Note: this is called “Lazy” Ratatouille, but there is nothing lazy about it!)

The secret of a good ratatouille is to cook the vegetables separately so each will taste truly of itself.

—Joël Robuchon, The Complete Robuchon

And it was good.

Ghirardeli Individual Chocolate Lava Cakes

Ingredients

• Centers:
• 2 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Cakes:

• 4 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 large whole eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cake flour
• Raspberries for garnish
• Whipped cream for garnish

Directions

1. To make the centers, in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the 2 ounces of chocolate with the cream. Whisk gently to blend.
2. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until firm. With your hands, form into six balls; refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray.
4. To make the cakes, in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the 4 ounces of chocolate and the butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.
5. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick and light. Fold the melted chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture just until combined. Spoon the cake batter into the ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around the inside of each ramekin, place an upside-down plate on top, invert, and remove the ramekin. Garnish with raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

(I really only used this recipe as an outline and substituted for about half the ingredients. It was still really good!)

Happy Cow Appreciation Day!

Today is Cow Appreciation Day, celebrated by Chick-fil-a and us!! Patrick and I dressed up I like a cow, one cow that is, not cows plural. It was pretty good, I’m not going to lie. First remember that we are living in hotels and bring our life with us in our cars. Now, our costume included: a bell that I made out of cardboard (from a cracker box) and keys, a cowtail- made from Cowtails (candy- the only dollar that went into this costume), print off spots and nose, eyes using a sleeping mask, my hair as ears, a sunflower for my hair (I happened to have this accessory), a snuggie/blanket that connected the cow’s body, Patrick’s two pairs of boots for hooves, and signs. The 5 signs read:1. Eat mor chikin 2. We I herd it was cow appreciation day 3. I would like two chicken sandwichez mealz with a milk and a chocolate milk. 4. (I’m a hungry cow.) 5. Thank yoooooo!

The best part about it was the reaction of the workers busting up laughing when we entered and the manager telling us it was the best one of the day!

Tijuana Torta and Moroccan Israeli Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Here are my dinner dishes from Wednesday and Thursday:

Tijuana Torta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, or pinto beans, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons prepared salsa
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 16- to 20-inch-long baguette, preferably whole-grain
• 1 1/3 cups shredded green cabbage

PREPARATION

1. Mash beans, salsa, jalapeño and cumin in a small bowl. Mash avocado, onion and lime juice in another small bowl.
2. Cut baguette into 4 equal lengths. Split each piece in half horizontally. Pull out most of the soft bread from the center so you’re left with mostly crust. Divide the bean paste, avocado mixture and cabbage evenly among the sandwiches. Cut each in half and serve.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the bean mixture (Step 1) for up to 3 days.

• Note: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (This recipe is analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

(I USED SPINACH INSTEAD OF CABBAGE AND A ROLL INSTEAD OF A BAGUETTE, AND I DID NOT HAVE JALEPENOS.)

Moroccan Israeli Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 2 cups uncooked israeli (pearl) couscous
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 400º

1. Pour chopped peppers and tomatoes on a foil-lined cookie sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place sheet in the oven for 25 minutes.

2. Add 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5-7 minutes or until couscous is soft. Fluff with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, heat the 2 Tbs olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until golden. Add the spices and lime juice and sauté 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked couscous to the pot and add another 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Simmer until the sauce thickens while making sure the couscous does not get overly dried out (add an extra 1/4 cup broth if necessary).

3. After the 25 minute roasting time is up, remove the roasted tomatoes and pepper from the oven. Carefully spoon from the tray to the couscous pot and mix. Serve piping hot!

(I HAD A FLAVORED COUSCOUS MIX AND SO CHANGED THE SPICES.)

Back to the Rapids and Chickpea, Potato, and Spinach Jalfrezi

For our first dinner back in Roanoke Rapids, I made this Jalfrezi dish. Well, like most of my dinners, I only used the recipe as a guideline. My version did not have the cuntney, nor the ginger, chilies, red pepper, cilantro, turmeric, and coriander. It was delicious! (Another note, when creating my meals in Roanoke, I have limited resources so when it says to use a stove, I do not have one to use. I make due.)

Chickpea, Potato, and Spinach Jalfrezi with Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into rough 1 1/2-inch chunks
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
•  1 medium onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane grater
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated on a microplane grater
• 4 to 5 small green Thai bird chiles (or other green chiles, if you prefer)
• 1 small red pepper, finely diced
• 8 stems cilantro, leaves roughly chopped, tender stems finely minced and reserved separately
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 2 small plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (canned tomato is fine)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, with their liquid
• 8 ounces curly spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoon juice from 2 limes
• For the Cilantro Chutney
• 2 cups picked fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small green Thai bird chile

Procedures

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1-inch. Season to taste with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add grated onion, garlic, ginger, chiles, cilantro stems, and red pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture has evarporated and mixture is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, spinach, 1/2 cup of water, and cooked potatoes. Stir until spinach wilts. Add half of lime juice and season to taste with salt. reduce heat to lowest setting, cover, and keep warm while making chutney.
4. For the Chutney: Combine cilantro, garlic, chile, and remaining lime juice in a blender or in the cup of a hand blender and add 1/3 cup water. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides and adding water as necessary. Season to taste with salt.
5. Add more liquid to jalfrezi if necessary and serve with chutney and steamed basmati rice or naan

Strolling around Charlotte

Monday Patrick went to the office to work. I went with him. Yes, I spent the day in Charlotte with Patrick, but unlike my husband, I did not sit at an office to work. In fact, I didn’t do much sitting all day. We packed up our belongings and left the hotel that morning. Since we had taken one vehicle, Patrick’s car, and since it was a stick shift, I had no vehicle to use. Not that I wanted one. I spent the day walking the city, going to the Visitors Center, getting maps, and more walking around the city. In conclusion, I find it a lot like Akron- small enough to understand the layout, one that has old areas and new/updated areas, and there are a lot of office commuter/not many living areas in the city. It was a fun day; my feet were sore at the end. Patrick and I also ate at a little restaurant called The Boardroom and Dinner at a place called King’s Kitchen. For dinner we wanted to get some local fast food but after we stepped in the restaurant, we realized we were at a sit down meal before our 4.5 hour drive back to Roanoke Rapids, NC. It was still good and the restaurant has a good mission: “The King’s Kitchen” is a ministry operating as a not for profit restaurant to raise funds to feed the poor and to train and equip those previously unemployable in the restaurant trade.” Now back to Roanoke Rapids.

Freezing IZZE

Have you ever tasted an Izze. You know, the sparkling fruit juice drink made with all natural ingredients, no refined sugars, preservatives, or artificial flavors that founded and sponsors Global Education Fund (well one of the founders also founded  GEF). Yeah, that one. I had never heard of it until Kristen introduced it to me. Sooo good. So my next question is, have you ever had one frozen? Now, when I say frozen, I don’t mean open the glass bottle, pour some in a cup and freeze it. What happened this evening was this: I stuck the glass bottled sparkling beverage in the freezer to drink with our meal…… and forgot about it. SO when we took it from the freezer, (it might have been in there for a couple hours) it felt cold. Well, when he opened it twist off tab, Patrick called me over to watch as the chain reaction was occurring. Once exposed to the air, the drink began to freeze from the top down. It was so awesome to watch! And that’s the story.

The IZZE was accompanied with a Quiche that included green peppers tomatoes quinoa & feta and homemade hummus. This was a satisfying night.

Zebra

We made it back to Charlotte, famished. We had some quick Boca burgers for lunch and relaxed in our home sweet home (the Hampton in Charlotte is kinda like our home, the place we always come back to). After relaxing, Patrick made dinner reservations to a lovely restaurant. This restaurant gave me many things: 1. a wonderfully content and happy stomach 2. a new meaning to parsnips (other than a vegetable that I have never tried and didn’t really want to try) 3. the ambition to one day make a souffle and 4. the goal of creating a spaghetti basket. And the restaurant’s name was Zebra.

Chefs Special. Patrick’s definition based on his experience as an employee at a nice restaurant: a dish that the chef enjoys preparing. We ordered all of the chef’s specials that night. haha. There were two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert special and we split them all! Our dinner began with some sparkling wine that the manager brought to our table as a gift. Then we had our appetizers delivered- wild mushrooms with creamy risotto and scallops with cheesy grits. So good! After that, they delivered a complimentary taste of parsnip soup, served chilled and sipped from a small demitasse cup. It was delicious! I will now have to try to make a parsnip dish on my own some day. Next, our meal arrived. We ordered Swordfish with cherry tomatoes and greens. It was the first time both of us have ever eaten swordfish and it was a beautiful first try! It was so tender that it melted in our mouths! After all that food sunk in (we split the main dish so that saved us some room), our dessert arrived. This dessert was one that needed to be ordered before dinner because it takes about a half an hour to bake. We had the most delicious, melt in your mouth vanilla and grand marnier (an orange liqueur) souffle! It was so good, I now have to attempt the dish infamous for dramatically collapsing as soon as brought out of the oven. Finally when our bill was brought out, we were given a last treat- a bar cookie like with butterscotch and wonderful sweetness.  That was soooome meal!

Roanoke Rapids. Then with one word, gone for a weekend in Charlotte.

Patrick was off to the plant on Thursday. I went to the hotel’s gym and then I started planning the meals. Throughout my life, I have collected recipes- mostly magazine articles and family recipes are the paper recipes and online I have my pinterest collection. I hope that in my life of a traveler, I will have found some recipes that can be staples for our life, a nice collection to fall back on and to use in the future. (Side note, did you know there are 5 oceans? Patrick and I must be living in the dark, but we thought there were only 4… After researching we found the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and as of  2000, they classified a new ocean, Southern.) So Wednesday, I went through and sorted my paper collections. When Patrick came home that night earlier then expected, we just had veggie burgers for dinner, mmm! On Friday, Patrick had a half day. Some things need to get done at the power plant which is why he will need to work in Charlotte on Monday- Tuesday they will resume work at the plant. For lunch on Friday, I made Black Bean and Corn Pizza. And for dinner, Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches.Or at least I these were the baseline recipes I used.

Here are the original recipes:

Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (about 2 ears)
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, preferably smoked mozzarella

(My simple version/twist included canned corn, black beans, turkey, and bbq warmed on a toasted baguette.)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Combine tomato, beans and corn in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a large baking sheet. Stretch the dough into about a 12-inch circle and lay it on top of the cornmeal, coating the entire underside of the dough.
3. Transfer the crust from the baking sheet to the grill. Close the lid and cook until the crust is puffed and lightly browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread barbecue sauce on it and quickly sprinkle with the tomato mixture and cheese. Close the lid; grill until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crust is browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Tuna Nicoise Sandwich

INGREDIENTS: 1 Arnold® Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins® roll 4 oz. canned tuna 1 tbsp. light Dijon Vinaigrette 1 tbsp. black olives, sliced 1/2 c. arugula, loosely packed 1/2 tomato, sliced 1 tbsp. hummus

DIRECTIONS: Remove tuna from can and drain liquid completely. Mix the Dijon Vinaigrette with tuna thoroughly. Place the tuna on the bottom half of Sandwich Thins® roll. Add the sliced black olives, arugula, sliced tomatoes and hummus. Based on personal preference, add the sliced egg. Add salt and pepper for taste. Finally, place the top half of the Sandwich Thins® roll.

(Our sandwich involved thins, tuna, hummus, tomato and avocado.)

July Fourth- The Move

Happy Independence Day! To celebrate, one of Patrick’s co-workers invited us to a family party. We hung out with him and his family for a while, enjoyed some bbq pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. After enjoying some r&r at the party, we left with both of our cars packed  to the destination of Roanoke Rapids, NC. This four and a half hour drive has a super slow last hour of the drive, not just because it was in the dark, but because the speed limit ranged from 55 to 20 (not sure why some small cities have to have a 20 mph limit, understand it with school zones during hours, not with cities). When we reached our hotel room, we were beat. It was after ten so we unloaded what we needed for the night and what couldn’t stay in the hot cars and ate some leftovers, including the quiche, and hit the sack soon after. Luckily Patrick could sleep in some the next morning for he didn’t have to meet until a little later then the typical early rise. A typical day in the life of a traveler a couple travelers.

First Meal In

Last night, Patrick took me to the city…and chose the restaurant Blue. It was a classy Mediterranean restaurant. We had a good time. For an appetizer, we had a platter similar to one at Aladdins. The spices were different and we agreed that it was good, but we preferred Aladdins. They brought out cheese bread with an olive butter spread- very rich, but very delicious. Our main course was a red snapper with artichokes, shrimp, olives, and gnocchi, mmmm! After that, we walked around the city. It was so nice because there were trees everywhere, which is nice for the daytime in a hot city. Patrick was planning on taking me to a French bakery, but it was closed and we were full anyways.

So the first food I made on the road was HUMMUS! Mmmm, a classic! I went with Emily’s original recipe:

3//4tsp garlic, 1tsp salt, 1/2cup lemon juice (I use less), 3/4cup hot water, 1/2cup tahini (I use less),  2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Blend together and enjoy!!

Along with the hummus, we had carrots, quinoa, and … a quiche! I made a delicious ham and broccoli quiche! Well I must admit, I previously made and froze the quiche minus the cheese and eggs that I added  today. And I cooked it in our new countertop oven! It worked out very well. :-)