I came across these Reese’s Snack Cakes. I’m a fan of Reese’s peanut butter cups so I thought I’d give them a try. I open up the package.
It doesn’t have as much peanut butter as it looks like on the package.
I take a bite. It doesn’t really taste good. The chocolate cake taste very artificial and you don’t really get that Reese’s Peanut butter taste. GOSH how disappointing……….Even the chocolate coating doesn’t taste good and feels waxy gross in the mouth. This makes me feel sick.
It’s a throw away.
For me this is NOT Worth a FORK!
Not Worth a Fork
Why did they make them?
Those were my FORKING thoughts on Reese’s Snack Cakes. Your FORKING thoughts may indeed differ.
All I had to cook with was carrots and I happened to come across Mark Huxsoll’s recipe modestly called Butter Roasted Carrots from Cook’s Country Magazine. It’s very similar to a lot of other recipes I did with carrots so I thought it would be good. due to what I have around the house I did change a few things. For the recipe I didn’t have goat cheese or parsley so I used a good quality feta cheese and cilantro instead. I also didn’t have fresh thyme so I used dried. I do think that it makes more crunch topping than is needed so add it to your liking. You can always use the extra in a salad or on chicken. I also didn’t think that this needed added oil with all the butter that was used so I left that out. Feel free to dress with olive if you care to. They say that this recipe makes 6-8 servings. I’m not sure that you will get that many servings. My carrots shrunk a lot when they caramelized. To me it’s looking like 4 servings…We’ll see and maybe I’ll update.
3 lbs carrots – peeled – cut in half long ways and cut in half short ways
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
4 oz Good Quality Feta Cheese – crumbled
3 Tablespoons pepperoncini – stemmed and sliced into thin rings
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, parsley, or scallions or a combination of all
Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
Get a sheet pan with a rim and spread out the hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds in an even layer. This goes on lowest rack in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until hazelnuts have browned some and everything is fragrant. This needs to cool off before you can process it. Set it to the side.
Turn up the oven to 450 degrees F.
4 Tablespoons of melted butter go on a rimmed baking sheet. The carrots go in a big bowl and get tossed with the one remaining melted tablespoon of butter, salt, peppers, Roast this on the lowest rack until the carrots are fork tender and nicely caramelized (40-50 minutes).
Transfer carrots to a serving dish. Sprinkle with crumble (to your liking), cheese, pepperonchini, thyme, lemon zest, and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Butter Roasted Carrots
A Special THANKS!!!! To Mark Huxsoll and Cook’s Country Magazine so I could come up with what I got here.
Anaya’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant (according to www.AnayasRestaurant.online) has three locations in Arizona. One in Casa Grande, one in Tempe, and the one I went to in Glendale. This is a NEIGHBORHOOD type restaurant. You stop in if you happen to be in the neighborhood. This restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, bar dinks and most of your Mexican Favorites. They offer appetizers like ceviche, quesadillas, and queso dip. They also offer burritos, soups, fajitas, chimichangas, enchiladas, combo plates, a variety of beef, chicken, and shrimp plates, and MORE!
It’s one of the most festive looking restaurants to walk into. (on the other side is a bar not photoed)
Bright colors everywhere. Lots of hand painting all over and all over the tables and chairs.
We start off with margaritas. They come in small and grande size. You probably want a grande if you order a drink. I saw the small and it is only one sip. (people in photo ordered the grande)
No matter what you order they bring you chips and salsa.
Tonight the salsa ran so hot I couldn’t eat it (and I like hot but this was TOO hot).
I tried the chicken mole platter.
This is an extra large platter. For some people this could be two meals. This is a peanut-chocolate mole with expertly tender chicken breast, a little bit of vegetable garnish, Mexican style rice, refried beans and choice of tortilla. It’s not bad but not the most complex mole. But the chicken is really expertly tender. The rest gets an a-ok.
The chili Colorado (beef cubes in slightly spicy red sauce) is also made with expertly tender beef.
It’s also a very large platter. It has more of a chili taste that you enjoy when you go to Mexican Restaurants.
This is a collection of the FORKING BEST BURGERS that I’ve tasted in Metro Phoenix Arizona. I do note that I haven’t been to every restaurant in Metro Phoenix but I have been to many restaurants so chances are that a few other great ones are out there…..The best burger meat is always fresh ground in house. So the one thing that all the burgers have in common is that they all are ground in house. The one below is ground in house at a sister-restaurant across the street so that still counts.
Ingo’s Tasty Food – (I go to the original Phoenix location) Grinds grass fed beef. They also bake their own just right rolls. My first beef burger here was a basic burger with lettuce, tomato, Russian dressing. They do offer a a few varieties of burgers. The menu also does change slightly at times.
Ingo’s Tasty Food – 4502 N 40TH St PHX AZ 602-795-2884
www.IngosTastyFood.com
Zinburger – Bruce Lee Burger
Zinburger fresh grinds TWICE a day certified Angus beef and serves them as six and a half ounce patties. The Bruce Lee Burger (Asian slaw, sriracha mayo, jalapeños, avocado and more) was a past winner of a burger battle held in Phoenix.
The ground in house Prime Beef burger from The Bourbon Cellar in Scottsdale
The Bourbon Cellar Sports Bar and Grill offers a variety of gourmet ground in house burgers. I can’t get past the ground in house PRIME Filet burger that is served on an eggy apple cider bun. It is usually topped with a wasabi deviled egg. (I think they forgot on my last visit?) But it really is an amazing burger.
The Bourbon Cellar – 23623 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale AZ 480-595-5868
www.TheBourbonCellar.com
A.G. Burger from Arrowhead Grill
The A.G. Burger from the Arrowhead Grill is an 8oz U.S.D.A. PRIME tenderloin tips ground in house patty topped with a slice of prime rib, crispy onions, creamy horseradish sauce and cheese. It’s the largest of all the burgers. It’s also FORKING AMAZING. I’m NOT a small eater but for me this was MORE than two meals.
The Kenji burger from Then Burger
The burgers from Then Burger are ground in house elevated style burgers. The beef burger patties are a blend of short rib, SIRLOIN, and chuck. This Kenji Burger was OFF THE CHARTS FORKING AMAZING. It was enhanced with teriyaki, OH SO Flavorful caramelized onions, arugula, yuzu aioli and red leicester cheese (on side to my request) It REALLY was so FORKING FANTABULOUS that I don’t know if I can ever go on to try their other burgers.*********UPDATE Then burgers are no longer a blend of short rib, sirloin, and chuck. They are all chuck and do cook up different and taste different. They also discontinued the Kenji Burger. I tried a marrow and mushroom burger.
The burger patty came out dry like a hockey puck. I had to send it back because it a $36. burger. Unfortunately the 2nd one also came out very dry and over cooked.
Then Burger – 9220 W Glendale Ave Glendale AZ – 623-328-9388
www.ThenBurger.com
This was a collection of the FORKING BEST Burgers that I’ve tried in Metro Phoenix Arizona.
My local supermarket had Bussels Sprouts on sale so I wanted to make Brussels Sprouts. I did a search on the computer for best Brussels Sprouts Recipe. One that was on the top of someone’s list was Momofuku Brussels Sprouts. I looked it up and found three slightly different versions…..So I’m not entirely sure what is closest to the original recipe but I can say for sure that it is Brussels Sprouts maybe pan fried and finished in the oven with a “to Taste” fish sauce vinaigrette. I think? The original recipe might be topped with seasoned Rice Krispies. I did mine to taste with ingredients that I had around the house. I also don’t buy boxed cereal so I thought up seasoned pop corn would be closest to cereal of what I had around the house. I think one crucial part of the recipe that differs the most is the amount of fish sauce to use. I imagine that every brand has a different amount of salt in it. If I used as much as one of the recipes I read I wouldn’t be able to eat these Brussels Sprouts because they would have turned out too salty.I used Red Boat Fish Sauce….It’s suppose to be the best one and it’s only made from anchovies and sea salt. The other crucial part of the recipe also is the size of brussels sprouts that you are using because small ones require a different amount of cooking than large ones………..This recipe makes around 8 side servings. Anyway this is a very easy and fairly quick recipe to prepare. Oh and I forgot to mention that this really came out FORKING Great!
Ingredients for around 8 side servings
3 lbs brussels sprouts – cleaned, trimmed, cut in half
3 Tablespoons canola oil
4 Tablespoons fish sauce (or to taste – I used Red Boat Brand Fish Sauce)
4 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice
4 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 red chili (or to taste…you might want more or less) – minced
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
a couple squirts canola oil
2 pinches shichimi togarashi
1/4 cup cilantro – chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh mint or substitute two pinches of dried mint
Directions
Set oven to 400 degrees F and have a rack in the top third position.
Mix together the vinaigrette. In a small bowl add the fish sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice garlic, sugar, and red chile. Set to the side.
The Brussels Sprout need to be fried. You can do this in batches with a fry pan or with a fat side of a grill tray (this works much easier and faster than a fry pan). Squid the oil on your flat side of your grill tray on medium high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts cut side down. In a few minutes they will brown and turn them over. Remove Brussel sprouts when done on both sides. If you have bigger Brussels Sprouts they might still be slightly uncooked in the center. They go on a baking sheet. If you have small ones they might be done…..
Spoon a teaspoon of vinaigrette over each Brussels Sprout. This goes in the oven for no more than 15 minutes. (If your sprouts are small and done then you might want to cook the vinaigrette minus the lime juice and add latter and then apply the vinaigrette and possibly skip the oven time…..)
While the Brussel Sprouts are roasting in the oven put a quarter cup of popcorn kernels in a lunch bag and roll the top down a little. This gets microwaved for about one minute and fifty seconds. When this is done spray a couple squirts of oil on the popcorn a two small pinches of shichimi togarashi….(be careful this is strong). Shake bag.
Serve up your Brussels Sprouts. Top with seasoned popcorn and herbs.
Momofuku STYLE Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette and Shivhimi Togatashi Pop Corn
ENJOY!!! A Special Thanks!! To Momofuko so I could come up with what I got here.
Block 9 Thai Street Eats is a Thai Restaurant located in South Summerlin Nevada a short ride away from the Las Vegas Strip. This is a very casual Thai Restaurant.
You order and pay at the counter.
Then they give you a number to place on your table and they run beverages and food to you. They offer mostly soft beverages but canned adult cider is offered and maybe two canned beers.
My husband tried the side order of E-Saan sausages. The food is served on to go cardboard dishes.
They come garnished with lettuce wraps some peanuts, cilantro, and onions. These might be good but maybe are for an inquired taste………….
I ordered the basil eggplant “Hot” with chicken.
This is the first basil eggplant dish that I have tried that has zero heat. It also is very fish sauce forward….It taste like mostly fish sauce. It does have basil in it but for some reason the basil is tasteless and the basil flavor hasn’t been infused into the dish. The chicken is very tender but just taste mostly like fish sauce.
My husband tried the drunken noodles with chicken “Hot.”
Also zero heat and I tasted one bite. It tasted bitter to me me and also too heavy with fish sauce for my taste. My husband thought that the bitter taste was from the Chinese Broccoli in the dish because he said that the vegetable was very bitter.
That was a little taste of Block 9 Thai Street Eats. I do note that I have only been here once and I don’t know if my visit was typical or not. From what we tried the food runs as mild as mild gets.
Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant is located in the Downtown Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. They also have a California location. They offer most of your usual Mexican Favorites like quesadillas, tacos, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, combo plates, beef and chicken entrees, margaritas, desserts and more.
Inside is very rich with decorations and live plants.
This is also a very large two story restaurant with several dining rooms.
Whatever you order they start you out with a big basket of hot corn chips and a spicy herbed salsa.
The entrees come with your choice of a salad……
Or soup of the day (this evening it was albondigas soup ((Mexican Meatball soup)))
I thought the mole en pipian sounded like an interesting dish that I don’t see very often on menus.
It’s an enormous serving of tender white meat chicken chunks in a pumpkin seed, peanut spiced sauce. It’s served with cilantro rice and vegetarian black beans topped with cotija cheese. Oh and your choice of tortillas too! It’s tasty and not too spicy but is also very flavorful. Taste like maybe guadijillo chilies in it?
My husband tried the steak picado.
It’s tender flat iron steak with grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes and melted cheese with Mexican style rice and vegetarian re-fried beans. (They don’t cook with lard and use healthier soybean oil instead) It’s a BIG tasty plate.
The desserts offered did sound delicious but I find that I am never able to fit in dessert at Mexican restaurants.
I doubt anyone ever leaves hungry from Pancho’s in DT Summerlin Las Vegas.
Osteria Fiorella is an Italian Restaurant by James Beard Award Winning chef Marc Vetri. This restaurant is located in the Red Rock Casino and Resort that is in the Summerlin area in Las Vegas Nevada.
It’s artsy and modern inside. There are several small bars and wine bars inside.
They also have an exhibition kitchen in the middle of the restaurant.
They start you off with a bread basket of freshly made sourdough bread and focaccia with Californian olive oil enhanced with balsamic vinegar.
The breads are very good and are unlike any focaccia or sour dough bread that I ever had before. The focaccia is very light and moist in texture with delicious flakes of salt on the crust. The sour dough bread is like what white bread would taste like if white bread was really good.
We started with the seasonal crudo. It was hamachi with citrus.
It was very good. The fish seemed very fresh and came with citrus that taste better than what us mere mortals can buy from our local supermarkets.
We also shared a pasta dish because you really are suppose to try pasta here.
We shared the ricotta tortellini with preserved tomatoes and Calabrian chili.
These were different too…..The pasta was extra thin and very light. The cheese inside sure doesn’t taste like it was from a tub….It taste milky and fresh made to me.
For my main I tried the branzino.
It’s different…….The fish has a different kind of fired taste. I forgot what kind of oven they used for this fish but it is different. The fish came adorned with baby greens, peperonata, oil, lemon and sweet peppers, It’s a good size portion and is almost big enough to share.
My husband tried the bone-in veal.
It’s also a little different. It’s a pounded breaded veal covered in San Marzano Tomato sauce that is topped with fresh basil and melting high quality bufala cheese.
I managed to save room for dessert and tried what my waiter said was the popular favorite dessert here.
This is called the Orange Bonet.
It’s cream custard topped with poached pear with house made vanilla gelato on the side enhanced with orange sauce, citrus zest, and crushed pistachios.
That was a little taste Osteria Fiorella.
11011 W Charleston Blvd Las Vegas (Red Rock Casino and Resort)
The Federal American Grill is a Texas Based small group of American Restaurants that recently opened in Phoenix Arizona (across the street from Whole Foods on Mayo Blvd). They offer a great big all day menu of all kinds of things.For people that love whiskey they offer 500 labels. They offer a variety of appetizers (all day) like fried oysters, kung pao calamari, crab cakes, and BBQ bone marrow. They offer American entrees like braised short ribs, catch of the day, chicken fried steak, WAGYU meatloaf and pork chops (all day). They also offer small salads, entree salads, burgers, sandwiches, protein bowls, soup, seafood, steaks, entrees and more – ALL DAY! I was told that brunch will soon be added in addition to the all day menu.
The kitchen is visible from the dining room.
They offer a variety of seating.
They have booths, traditional tables, high top tables, bar seating, and a private room.
Whatever you order they start you off with complimentary biscuits with butter and sweet and spicy Fresno pepper jam.
We tried the truffle macaroni and cheese. (menu reads- Resistance is futile.)
It very cheesy. It taste like it was made with lots of real cheese and is laced with truffle essence. A sprinkling of crunchy crumbs were added. The pasta was also prepared perfect and isn’t mushy.
Janice’s Meatloaf is made with RC Ranch Craft WAGYU beef. It comes with mashed potatoes and bordelaise sauce.
Our server recommended the lemon basil salmon protein bowl.
The salmon was grill to request (medium) and was surrounded by deluxe seasonal vegetables (today is was brussels sprouts, multi color cauliflower heirloom tomatoes, zucchini and more) with rice and was laced lightly with lemon basil dressing.
Federal American Grill recently opened in Phoenix AZ and offers a great BIG all day menu.
I made an EZ Roast chicken that was delicious but the skin didn’t crisp up like I thought it would so I remedied. I pulled the skin off didn’t add a thing and in around 30 minutes shattering crisp skin. By The Way…The stuffing was EXTRA EASY and also came out extra delicious. I just used 1 cup of leftover take out rice that I saved, added some store bought kimchi and a few minor things, stuffed it into the bird and it came out FORKING Delicious too. Serving size is always difficult to judge. Chickens run different in size and people run different with their portion sizes. I got 6 – 4oz dinner portions and two – 3 oz lunch portions of chicken. I only got 4 small servings of the delicious stuffing……….You can double the stuffing recipe but you won’t be able to fit the stuffing all inside the bird so it won’t taste as amazing…..Do what you need to do.
Ingredients for at least 4 portions
1 whole chicken (remove packet of insides….I cooked some of it and sprinkled with olive oil on tray for around 25 minutes 350F and gave as treats to my dogs….gizzards you have to slice)
2 oz gochujang -(or to taste…they all are different. I recommend to buy one from an Asian Market because it will taste better. I used one small tube that I buy from Asiana Market. ( like buying the tubes because when I used to use the tubs they’d dry out before I could finish them.
6 cloves garlic – ground to paste
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup cooked rice – stuffing
1 cup kimchi (you might need to lightly chop) – stuffing
1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin – stuffing
2 teaspoons ginger – grated – stuffing
1 teaspoon soy sauce – stuffing
1 teaspoon rice vinegar – stuffing
2 tablespoons cilantro – chopped – stuffing
Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl mix together the gochujang, garlic and canola oil. This gets rubbed all over the chicken, under the skin, and into the cavity.
Then you mix up the stuffing mixture. In a medium bowl mix together the rice, kimchi, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, cilantro.
Stuff the rice into the cavity.
Roast for 30 minutes uncovered. Then cover with foil and cook another hour. You can shut the oven off for an hour or so and then heat the oven up again to 350 F to crisp the skin.
This needs to rest and cool down for an hour or more. When cool enough to handle just pull off the skin and place in a single layer on a sheet tray. The chicken skin goes on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. After 12- minutes turn the skin over and cook another 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
The whole house smells really great. If you have dogs they will stay in the kitchen for food.
To serve – pull the chicken, remove stuffing, serve gochujang chicken stock on side, and crispy skin on side.
Gochujang Roast Chicken with Kimchi Rice Stuffing and Crispy Skin
