The day before Thanksgiving I was sitting at my Gram’s kitchen table and she was preparing the deviled eggs that she makes for holiday occasions. I have been eating her deviled eggs for as long as I can remember, but I never learned how to make them myself. So finally, after all these years I paid close attention to what she was doing and asked her how she made her deviled eggs. And this is what she told me.
Ingredients:
A dozen eggs
Dried Mustard
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Mayonnaise
Paprika
First hard boil a dozen eggs in a large pot. Wait for the eggs to cool and then take the shells off the eggs without actually breaking the eggs. Next cut each egg in half length wise. Place the egg yolks into a separate bowl and put the white egg halves on an egg plate. Then chop the egg yolks into a fine powdery substance. Add a teaspoon and a half of dried mustard, ½ to ¾ of a cup of mayonnaise, 5 drops of Worcestershire Sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper to the cooked egg yolks. Mix the ingredients together well until they become a pasty consistency. Once the filling is ready, take a spoon and fill each of the white egg halves with the newly mixed yokes. Mound the filling in the egg whites. After all the egg halves are filled, sprinkle a little bit of Paprika over the egg yolks. And you’re done!!! This is a delicious recipe that is great to bring to parties or holiday gatherings.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Punjab Palace
I was trying to remember the name of a fantastic Indian restaurant that my friend and I used to go to and sure enough after a couple of minutes of searching and reading reviews online I was able to find it.
Punjab Palace
is an elegant but reasonably priced Indian restaurant located at 109 Brighton Avenue in Allston, Massachusetts. The food is wonderful, the service is friendly, and I especially love the Indian music videos that they play on a wide flat screen television on the wall inside of the restaurant. For first-timers at Punjab Palace I recommend trying their nan, vegetable samosa, and Chicken Tikka Masala or Chicken Madras. According to the descriptions on their website, nan is an "unleavened white flour bread freshly baked in a clay oven," vegetable samosa is "a pastry filled with potatoes and peas," Chicken Tikka Masala is an, "all white tandoori boneless chicken cooked in tomatoes and creamy sauce," and finally Chicken Madras is, "boneless chunks of chicken breast cooked in special tamarind sauce with a touch of ginger, cashews and garlic." All their meals are delicious so whether or not you choose to follow my recommendations I'm sure you will be pleased with your choice!
Punjab Palace
is an elegant but reasonably priced Indian restaurant located at 109 Brighton Avenue in Allston, Massachusetts. The food is wonderful, the service is friendly, and I especially love the Indian music videos that they play on a wide flat screen television on the wall inside of the restaurant. For first-timers at Punjab Palace I recommend trying their nan, vegetable samosa, and Chicken Tikka Masala or Chicken Madras. According to the descriptions on their website, nan is an "unleavened white flour bread freshly baked in a clay oven," vegetable samosa is "a pastry filled with potatoes and peas," Chicken Tikka Masala is an, "all white tandoori boneless chicken cooked in tomatoes and creamy sauce," and finally Chicken Madras is, "boneless chunks of chicken breast cooked in special tamarind sauce with a touch of ginger, cashews and garlic." All their meals are delicious so whether or not you choose to follow my recommendations I'm sure you will be pleased with your choice!
Shabu-Zen
A week or two ago I was lucky enough to have the experience to try Asian hot-pot for the very first time. My friend is from Japan and she told me about a restaurant in Chinatown called, Shabu-Zen, that serves Asian hot-pot. Up until that point in my life I had never heard of hot-pot, so I thought it would be adventurous to expand my knowledge of Asian foods and try it out.
When we arrived at the restaurant it was packed with people. Shabu-Zen consisted of one large room with separate tables for groups to eat at as well as a long table that wrapped around the center of the room where people were squished in together much like the setup at a bar.
We waited only a few minutes and were seated at one of the private tables toward the back of the room. Our waitress brought us our menus and one of my friends and I decided to order the chicken meal, while my other friend opted for a vegetarian dish. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera with me that night so I could display pictures of the unique style of eating associated with Asian hot-pot, but I will simply have to do my best with a written description.
Asian hot-pot works something like this. Built into the center of the table there is a heater that the waitress places a bowl of flavored water on top of so the water will heat up and boil. There are many flavors to choose from to add to the water, but my friends and I eventually decided to have a beef flavoring on one side of the pot and an Asian spice with Chile peppers on the other side of the pot (the pot is split into two sections.)
Then the waitress brings out your individualized meal. The chicken dish came with a plate of thinly sliced raw chicken and a plate of raw vegetables, while my friend's vegetarian dish came with a larger plate of vegetables. The vegetables consisted of slices of raw tomatoes, corn, carrots, Asian cabbage, lettuce, and mushrooms as well as other vegetables that I did not even recognize. Each person also has the choice to pick either noodles or rice to come with their meal. And finally, the table also came complete with several toppings for general use such as soy sauce, garlic bits, sliced up Chile pepper, and dry beef flavoring. You then use chopsticks to place the raw ingredients into the boiling water to cook and absorb the water's flavor.
Asian hot-pot requires a little bit of creativity on the part of the individual because you have to determine for yourself which ingredients taste the best together. I tried to make lots of soups by scooping up the water from the pot and placing it in my bowl. I then cooked the noodles, vegetables, and chicken in the pot and added them to my bowl. I used the garlic and soy sauce for extra flavoring. However, the simplicity or complexity of the meal is really up to the person. For example, sometimes I just cooked the vegetables in the Chile flavored water and then ate the vegetables plain and other times I tried to invent a new soup. By the end of the night we were all stuffed and content with our meals.
In the end, the thing that stood out to me most about my first Asian hot-pot experience was its communal nature. Everyone at the same table shares the same pot so you work together to try to remember whose food is whose. The unique style of eating also brought up some interesting cross-cultural conversations between me and my friends. One of my friends is from Japan and has also lived in many other parts of the world, the other is originally from Argentina, and I am from the United States, so we were really able to bond over our eating experience.
If anyone wants to break the ice with some new friends or just enjoy a night out with some old pals, I strongly urge him or her to give Asian hot-pot at Shabu-Zen in Chinatown a try.
Shabu-Zen
When we arrived at the restaurant it was packed with people. Shabu-Zen consisted of one large room with separate tables for groups to eat at as well as a long table that wrapped around the center of the room where people were squished in together much like the setup at a bar.
We waited only a few minutes and were seated at one of the private tables toward the back of the room. Our waitress brought us our menus and one of my friends and I decided to order the chicken meal, while my other friend opted for a vegetarian dish. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera with me that night so I could display pictures of the unique style of eating associated with Asian hot-pot, but I will simply have to do my best with a written description.
Asian hot-pot works something like this. Built into the center of the table there is a heater that the waitress places a bowl of flavored water on top of so the water will heat up and boil. There are many flavors to choose from to add to the water, but my friends and I eventually decided to have a beef flavoring on one side of the pot and an Asian spice with Chile peppers on the other side of the pot (the pot is split into two sections.)
Then the waitress brings out your individualized meal. The chicken dish came with a plate of thinly sliced raw chicken and a plate of raw vegetables, while my friend's vegetarian dish came with a larger plate of vegetables. The vegetables consisted of slices of raw tomatoes, corn, carrots, Asian cabbage, lettuce, and mushrooms as well as other vegetables that I did not even recognize. Each person also has the choice to pick either noodles or rice to come with their meal. And finally, the table also came complete with several toppings for general use such as soy sauce, garlic bits, sliced up Chile pepper, and dry beef flavoring. You then use chopsticks to place the raw ingredients into the boiling water to cook and absorb the water's flavor.
Asian hot-pot requires a little bit of creativity on the part of the individual because you have to determine for yourself which ingredients taste the best together. I tried to make lots of soups by scooping up the water from the pot and placing it in my bowl. I then cooked the noodles, vegetables, and chicken in the pot and added them to my bowl. I used the garlic and soy sauce for extra flavoring. However, the simplicity or complexity of the meal is really up to the person. For example, sometimes I just cooked the vegetables in the Chile flavored water and then ate the vegetables plain and other times I tried to invent a new soup. By the end of the night we were all stuffed and content with our meals.
In the end, the thing that stood out to me most about my first Asian hot-pot experience was its communal nature. Everyone at the same table shares the same pot so you work together to try to remember whose food is whose. The unique style of eating also brought up some interesting cross-cultural conversations between me and my friends. One of my friends is from Japan and has also lived in many other parts of the world, the other is originally from Argentina, and I am from the United States, so we were really able to bond over our eating experience.
If anyone wants to break the ice with some new friends or just enjoy a night out with some old pals, I strongly urge him or her to give Asian hot-pot at Shabu-Zen in Chinatown a try.
Shabu-Zen
Friday, November 16, 2007
Making Blueberry Pie
This video on making blueberry pie is from the Boston Globe's food section on Wednesday November 14, 2007. I know blueberries are out of season but you can still buy them in your local grocery store to make this pie. I suggest going to Whole Foods which has a very good produce section. Having a blueberry pie for your Thanksgiving dessert is an excellent edition to the feast that everyone will enjoy!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Pasta with Meat Sauce
I decided I wanted to make a pasta dish so I looked around my refrigerator to see what I had and this is the meal that I came up with. It was actually really good! Here are the directions for the recipe.
Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
One Box of Barilla Whole Grain Penne Pasta
One Jar of Classico Spicy Tomato& Pesto Sauce
One Onion
Cracked Green Olives
Salt
Pepper
First cut the excess fat off the chicken breasts and then lightly coat them with salt and pepper to add flavor. Next cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces.
Place a tiny amount of olive oil into a frying pan. Add just enough so the chicken will not stick to the pan. Place the chicken pieces into the frying pan and cook until they are tender.
Follow the directions on the back of the Barilla package to cook the pasta. Boil water in a pot and then add the contents of the package to the boiling water and cook uncovered for approximately ten minutes. When done drain the water from the pot.
Next chop up a large slice of onion (about a quarter of the onion)into tiny pieces. Put the pasta sauce in a frying pan to heat and add in the sliced onions and stir slowly until the pasta sauce begins to boil. Remove from the heat.
Finally, place the penne pasta on a plate. Add the sauce and chicken over top and put two or three green olives on top for extra taste. Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
One Box of Barilla Whole Grain Penne Pasta
One Jar of Classico Spicy Tomato& Pesto Sauce
One Onion
Cracked Green Olives
Salt
Pepper
First cut the excess fat off the chicken breasts and then lightly coat them with salt and pepper to add flavor. Next cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces.
Place a tiny amount of olive oil into a frying pan. Add just enough so the chicken will not stick to the pan. Place the chicken pieces into the frying pan and cook until they are tender.
Follow the directions on the back of the Barilla package to cook the pasta. Boil water in a pot and then add the contents of the package to the boiling water and cook uncovered for approximately ten minutes. When done drain the water from the pot.
Next chop up a large slice of onion (about a quarter of the onion)into tiny pieces. Put the pasta sauce in a frying pan to heat and add in the sliced onions and stir slowly until the pasta sauce begins to boil. Remove from the heat.
Finally, place the penne pasta on a plate. Add the sauce and chicken over top and put two or three green olives on top for extra taste. Bon appetit!
Phantom Gourmet- Great 8- Boston Restaurant Legends
Here is a YouTube video clip about Boston's eight greatest restaurants according to the television show Phantom. Learn about Galleria Umberto, Locke-Ober, Kelly's Roast Beef, Union Oyster House, Modern Pastry, Christo's, Durgin-Park, and Legal Sea Foods.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory is a chain restaurant and has locations all over the country, but that does not diminish the quality of their food. The amazing thing about this restaurant is that the main meals are as good as their desserts. The first time I went to one of their restaurants I was in Washington, D.C. and I fell in love with the food immediately, so when I arrived in Boston for college I was pleased to find out they had a location in the Prudential Center as well. Here are some dishes that I have tried and I think everyone will like: Pasta Da Vinci-"Sauteed Chicken, Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic in a Delicious Madeira Wine Sauce Tossed with Penne Pasta and Parmesan," Cajun Jambalaya Pasta-"Shrimp and Chicken Sauteed with Onions, Tomato and Peppers in a Very Spicy Cajun Sauce. All on top of Fresh Linguini," and finally Shepard'S Pie- "Ground Beef, Mushrooms, Carrots, Peas, Zucchini and Onions in a Delicious Sauce Covered with Mashed Potatoes and Parmesan Cheese."
However, the Cheesecake Factory, as the name implies, is the most famous for their desserts and of course their cheesecake. When I was a little girl I once had a piece of cheesecake, and it must have been pretty horrible because I decided from that moment on that I hated all cheesecake and refused to touch the stuff for years. I credit this restaurant for helping me to overcome this experience and revealing my new love for this dessert. They have some of the best cheesecake around. Here are some examples of a few flavors I have tried: White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle- "Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with White Chocolate and Raspberry," Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake- "Layers of Flourless Godiva Chocolate Cake, Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse," Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple- "Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with Caramel, Peanut Butter, Butterfingers and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups," Chocolate Oreo Mudslide Cheesecake- "Chocolate Oreos Baked in our Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate-Almond Brownie Crust," Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie-Dough- "Chocolate Cheesecake Loaded with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Topped with Chocolate." Okay, so that is a little more than a few flavors, that is about half the menu. Clearly, I love their cheesecake and you will too! Here is their website to check if they have a location near you (the descriptions above were taken from the restaurant's menu). The Cheesecake Factory
However, the Cheesecake Factory, as the name implies, is the most famous for their desserts and of course their cheesecake. When I was a little girl I once had a piece of cheesecake, and it must have been pretty horrible because I decided from that moment on that I hated all cheesecake and refused to touch the stuff for years. I credit this restaurant for helping me to overcome this experience and revealing my new love for this dessert. They have some of the best cheesecake around. Here are some examples of a few flavors I have tried: White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle- "Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with White Chocolate and Raspberry," Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake- "Layers of Flourless Godiva Chocolate Cake, Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse," Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple- "Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with Caramel, Peanut Butter, Butterfingers and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups," Chocolate Oreo Mudslide Cheesecake- "Chocolate Oreos Baked in our Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate-Almond Brownie Crust," Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie-Dough- "Chocolate Cheesecake Loaded with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Topped with Chocolate." Okay, so that is a little more than a few flavors, that is about half the menu. Clearly, I love their cheesecake and you will too! Here is their website to check if they have a location near you (the descriptions above were taken from the restaurant's menu). The Cheesecake Factory
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