Don't be a chicken! Try Pluckers!

Eat at Pluckers!

Chicken wings have taken the nation by storm: these dippable, saucy, deep fried treats elevate bland foul to tasty bar fare. When a phenomenon such as this gains popularity, multiple chains pop up to grab some dough before the fad disappears. The debate rages on as to whose wings are the best, as for me, my mind is made up. Of those places I frequent, Pluckers is by far my favorite wing joint, hands down. Not only are their wings absolutely incredible, the fried cheese is enormous and always hot and stringy.

In Texas, you can always categorize the quality of the restaurant by the iced tea, let me just say Pluckers’ tea will knock your socks off. Plus, when you ask for a To Go glass, they don’t give you a child’s sippy cup size, oh no, they fill a 32 ounce glass up to the brim. Little elements to this joint are what really make it worth your while, they let you try the wing sauces before you place your order so you can catch a preview before your food arrives. The bleu cheese and ranch dipping sauces are the perfect condiment for your wings, it’s just as important to have an excellent sauce to dip your wings in as it is to have a solid wing sauce foundation. Another fun thing about Pluckers versus places like say, Wing Stop, is the reward card program; each month they feature a different appetizer or dessert which comes complimentary (with the purchase of two entrees). Thanks to this program I have tasted fried macaroni and cheese, fried oreos, and loaded potato chips. While I would not recommend any of these specific dishes, I am glad that I tried them, and especially happy that they were free. Everything tastes better when it’s free! (Except for the fried oreos, nothing could make those taste better)

The waffle fries are crunchy and salty, an excellent side dish for the wings; you can also request the fries tossed in your favorite sauce if you like. I am never disappointed when I sit down at Pluckers for a fun, filling and fattening meal, (we can’t pretend they aren’t deep fried and covered in sauce). And for you vegetarians, Pluckers serves animals who once at vegetables!

Cranberry-Jalapeño Granita

Courtesy of Cooking Light

During these hot summer months, keeping cool is everyone’s number one priority. Particularly in Texas, we are in constant need of chilling refreshment to keep us from remembering the searing heat that surely awaits us outside. The fastest way to cool yourself down (besides sticking your head in the fridge) is to consume something icy. Nothing beats the heat quite the same as chowing down a delicious, crisp snow cone. But before you pump your blood full of high fructose corn syrup, consider an alternative, sophisticated enough to squelch the heat and dazzle your taste buds. As a new dessert, I decided to try a Cranberry-Jalapeño granita, which is basically a grown up snow cone. But the great thing about this recipe is that you can make it with any juice and add-ins that you choose, the combination possibilities are endless! I went with the Cooking Light magazine recipe and was overwhelmed by the unique combination of mint and jalepeno. Normally I am not the biggest fan of jalapeño, but in this dish it brings out the most powerful flavors in the mint and the cranberry juice, without the bitter kick. This frozen concoction takes you by surprise, but the ending is delightful! It is icy and refreshing without being syrupy and unhealthy; I will most assuredly be using different juices and herbs to see what I can create from this basic and simple recipe.

Ingredients
· 2 cups cranberry juice
· 1/3 cup sugar
· 4 (5-inch) mint sprigs (about 1/2 ounce)
· 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
· 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Strain cranberry mixture through a collander into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish; discard solids. Cool to room temperature; stir in lime juice. Cover and freeze for about 45 minutes. Stir cranberry mixture every 45 minutes until completely frozen (about 3 hours). Remove mixture from freezer; scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy. Enjoy!

Head Over Heels for Love Dip

One of the best parts of a cocktail party, aside from the cocktails of course, are the delicious appetizers. Snacks, dips, and the occasional cheese board bring people together, create conversation starters and of course show off your skills as a host or hostess. For anyone who is a fan of Central Market’s Love Dip, you may think the recipe lies deep in a dark vault along alongside the formula for Coke and the Ark of the Covenant, but the truth is closer than you think. Instead of paying $5.99 a pound for this dip, make it yourself for much cheaper and everyone will be begging for the recipe! Most of the ingredients (if not all) are already in your kitchen; you may add or improvise if you favor certain flavors over the ones in the recipe. Salsa, Neufchâtel cheese, (it’s like the lower fat version of cream cheese), lemon juice, minced garlic, cayenne pepper and hot sauce are the base ingredients; obviously you do not have to add the spicy ingredients if you are wanting a milder dip. You could even blend the ingredients and then only put the spicy ingredients in half of it so that guests would be able to choose the dip more to their liking. As dipping sticks I recommend Stacey’s Pita Chips, if you prefer salty snacks, tortillas chips work well; for the healthier eaters I would say carrots, celery and cucumbers make ideal vessels for this dip. Once you dip in, you will fall head over heels for this tasty treat!
Recipe:

½ cup chunky salsa

1 block Neufchâtel (or cream cheese)

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. finely minced garlic

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. hot sauce (Valentina or Tabasco)
Allow cheese to set out for 30 minutes before so it will be easier to mix. Combine all ingredients except block of cheese together. Gently fold combined ingredients into the softened cheese until dip becomes a creamy pink consistency. Enjoy!

Home, home on the range...

I had to go 560 feet in the air to learn that sometimes, the best food is right in your own backyard. The Ranch at Las Colinas was our second Restaurant Week menu selection; and with it’s western atmosphere and Texas hospitality, it blew Five Sixty out of the water. The Ranch is known for its unbelievably fresh food and inventive interpretation of classic southern fare. I began my meal with a “Texas Tea”, which was similar to a long island iced tea.... but with a significantly larger amount of tequilla. Despite the ambiance, the wine list offered a large selection from all over the world, with bottles costing up to $500.

The first course offered a choice of either fried oysters, chicken and waffles accompanied by whipped sweet potatoes or Gulf shrimp with “jacked” grits. I selected the fried oysters because I rarely have the opportunity to eat them and I dislike waffles. Justin opted for the shrimp and grits, (there is nothing he loves more than cheesy grits), to give me a bite of the grits he had to break the long string of cheese that just kept stretching! I don’t think I have seen that much cheese in grits before, it was so full of flavor and creamy, I almost wish I had ordered the same. The fried oysters were crispy and flavorful,with breading that held together in thick dipping sauce. For the main course we both ordered the garlic stuffed beef filet with creamed corn on the side. After the horrific ordeal the night before, I felt anxious about ordering steak so I made sure to specify “medium”. When the juicy steak arrived, it looked so appealing and not rare, I was excited to dive right in! The chef prepared the filet perfectly; inside, roasted garlic heightened the dish to a new level. In a cast iron dish came the creamy, creamy creamed corn that I could not get enough of; I would not let the waiter take my plate away until I scraped it clean. (It was almost embarrassing)
 
For the final course we had the choice of toffee cake or pecan pie with homemade ice cream. Justin chose the cake, which was fine, I am not a huge toffee fan so the pie rounded out my meal splendidly; the homemade vanilla bean ice cream topped off the pie perfectly. Needless to say, this was by far the best meal of Restaurant Week! I will be enthusiastically returning to The Ranch, and because of the overall experience during Restaurant Week, I plan on trying a variety of dishes.

Five Sixty Falls Short of Expectations

Note: Image a representation of food,
Courtesy of Google

As Restaurant Week marches along, we patrons have the opportunity to see which dishes fall short of victory, and which ones demolish the competition. This year Justin and I decided to go to Wolfgang Puck’s Five Sixty for dinner and drinks. The menu looked phenomenal, the buzz about the rotating room was overwhelming and Wolfgang Puck is supposed to be a culinary master, so naturally we chose his restaurant as one of our Restaurant Week choices. Well, let me just say, I am glad we picked two to dine at this week.

The first course offered choices of Chinese style ribs, Korean style ribs, crispy lobster and shrimp rolls or something called black bean clams. The waiter suggested the sweet Chinese ribs but I went with the crispy lobster and shrimp rolls (I never turn down lobster). When I ordered the rolls I fully expected mainly filler like cabbage or glass noodles with one lone shrimp thrown into the mix for name’s sake. But to my pleasant surprise, the rolls placed in front of me were stuffed to the brim with lobster and shrimp, there were no fillers at all! The combination of savory shellfish with the honey glaze dipping sauce started the meal off on the right foot. (I also got taste the Chinese ribs because Justin took the watier’s advice.) The Chinese ribs were ordinary, I would not order or recommend them to anyone.

The next course was optional, for $6 extra we could have the Chef’s Daily Maki Roll, we decided to do it because it sounded appealing and why not, right? The roll consisted of tempura fried shrimp, avocado and crab wrapped in a blanket of sticky rice. I very much enjoyed the roll, again, nothing unbelievable, but for it being a sushi roll, I felt it was an appropriate addition to the meal. Then, just as our appetites were ready to be satisfied, our entrees arrived...Going against the recommendation to order the spicy noodles with chicken, both Justin and I ordered the “Corriander crusted prime flat iron steak”... needless to say, we should have ordered the chicken.. Maybe my inexperience with ordering this type of steak is to blame for my expectations but our meat arrived completely rare. Now, I love a good medium piece of meat, but this was unbelievably raw, I think it might have been moving. Not to mention the long, impossibly hard to cut through fibers running throughout the pieces of meat. That being said, I should have known that flank steak was not the most high quality cut of meat, and would probably be served underdone so as not to make the meat more tough. For the future, I will know this information, remember it for future meals and plan accordingly so that I don’t end up with e coli poisoning.

 On another note, the bloody peppered chunk of meat came with an onion ring on top, and that was hands down the best onion ring of my entire life. I am not even exaggerating, I have never been able to cut an onion ring without the breading falling off or the onion collapsing under the weight of greasy sogginess. But this onion ring was something special! I would go back just for the onion rings, the most perfect combination of crunchy coating and thick onion creating absolute fried bliss that left me wanting more. Literally! I would have traded my entree and dessert for a bowl of those onion rings.

And that brings me to (usually) my favorite, and most depressing course, of the entire evening ---dessert. The options for the final course were between cheesecake, pineapple rugalach and a chocolate salted caramel tart. Obviously, I chose the tart, like lobster, I never turn down chocolate, unless the alternative is something with bleu cheese. Sadly, only the top of the tart was chocolate, the bottom was some sort of bitter fluffed cream-like substance. I kept eating it, hoping with all my might that the flavors would suddenly come together to create a magical explosion of happiness. But sadly, they never did... the chocolate remained bitter, not bittersweet, and the caramel tasted like the chef had forgotten this was a DESSERT course and used salt instead of sugar. Leaving the beautiful restaurant all I could think of was the lone onion ring and how I wanted more. As for the rotating room, it is very unique to experience sipping a cocktail and watching the city go by. My recommendation? Get dressed up, go to Five Sixty, have a drink, order onion rings as your appetizer, then pick up Chinese from a hole in the wall joint on your way home.

For the love of Bleu!

What’s blue, salty, crumbly and a bit stinky? Why bleu cheese of course! Now, for those of you afraid of eating something that looks like it has already gone bad before you even take it out of the package, all I have to say is don’t knock it ‘til you try it... That being said, it isn’t for everyone, the pungent aroma and startling taste makes it something that not everyone falls in love with instantly. But like many acquired tastes, with the right beverage pairing and mood, you too could begin to develop feelings for this moldy lump of decadence.

A block of Maytag bleu cheese,
Courtesy of google

My boyfriend, Justin, is a fantastic sport when it comes to tasting bleu cheese, he tries it every time I order it anywhere and he is just not a fan; my goal is to find one he will actually enjoy eating. But to his credit, he tries it over and over again, knowing that he will probably have to physically resist the urge to spit it out. He does it because he loves me, and that means more to me than I can say.. Sometimes you have to try things more than once or twice to really understand the complexity of the flavor. Take scotch for example, the first time you taste it, your reaction is probably to gag or ask for a packet of Splenda; you might wonder why anyone would choose to drink it, but over time you begin to appreciate the oakey aftertaste that lingers on your palette. Like so many foods, bleu cheese is simply misunderstood. All cheese is mold, bleu just dares to wear it proudly; this might be offputting to some, but the colors alone will make your cheese plate stand out from the crowd. So, go fearlessly forward, don’t let the odd scent or visible moldy appearance scare you away, under that textured outer shell lies a smooth creamy delight that you never knew existed!

Restaurant Week 2011

Restaurant Week is my favorite week of the year! (Excluding holidays and my birthday week of course) During this week, the creme de la creme of the restaurant world unite for a good cause by creating delicious dining opportunities. For $35 you are served 3 courses, with a fourth course if you have a central market coupon. Most of these restaurants are the most expensive in the city and you would not be able to walk out only spending $35, without this offer. Mansion on Turtle Creek, 560 by Wolfgang Puck and Fearings are among the places participating in this charity event; allowing you to tickle your gourmet taste buds and give to an important organization. Seven dollars of the thirty-five go directly to the North Texas Food Bank which helps feed North Texans who are going hungry right in our own backyard.


Last year, Justin and I participated and choose III Forks, which was scrumptious! The staff was so courteous and the food radiated elegance; typically restaurants that are more expensive are less receptive to younger patrons because they believe the tip will be smaller. Younger patrons (like myself) are put off by the briskness of the waitstaff and tip accordingly, thus the cycle continues. At III Forks however, everyone took care to attend to us and seemed genuinely interested in our enjoyment of the meal. This year we have decided upon 560, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, the Asian inspired cuisine and buzz about the fantastic view sealed our fate!
It is not too late to make reservations for restaurant week! The link below will take you to opentable.com and the list of restaurants, if you go to each restaurant’s website you can see their regular menu and in some cases see the Restaurant Week menu as well. (We always choose places that we could not afford to eat at otherwise. Make sure you are getting a good deal by looking at the dinner menu to see how much the items are priced regularly) Happy dining! I’ll be giving a full review next week after we have dined at 560, I am hoping it exceeds my expectations!
 
http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=20&ref=2513&pid=121&cmpid=em_08-2011_rw&spMailingID=3590343&spUserID=MjI0NDIyNjY3NTAS1&spJobID=113274765&spReportId=MTEzMjc0NzY1S0

McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal

Courtesy of blogspot.com
(But mine did look exactly like this)

Branching out from my typical breakfast choice (egg mcmuffin without the egg and butter), I decided to try McDonald’s new Fruit & Maple oatmeal. I love oatmeal and fruit so I thought I would give it shot. The container said “scrumptous”... I wouldn’t go that far. Nothing from McDonald’s can be described as “scrumptous,” maybe satisfying for the cost, but any adjective besides “good” should not be associated with a fast food conglomerate. But I digress... I am a huge fan of oatmeal and for a fast food breakfast meal, I found it surprisingly appetizing.
There were fresh cut chunks of granny smith apple, two types of plump raisins, dried cranberries and a brown sugar topping to give it a maple flavor without crossing over into a sugary, might-as-well-be-dessert, breakfast item. The apples were crisp, giving the creamy oatmeal a creative texture and the raisins and cranberries seemed to blossom in the warm oatmeal bath. The low cost ($2.15 with tax) also made it an excellent deal considering the nutritional value and cost of more fatty options. Weighing in at only 290 calories, with no saturated or trans fat, I dare say it is the best breakfast option at McDonald’s or any other fast food place. I will be ordering this again; not every day, but if left with the option of trans fat laden sausage lurking under the unbelievably salty biscuit, I would select the oatmeal any day. Plus, it keeps me feeling fuller longer because of the oats, and that in itself makes the workday seem shorter. So go ahead, impulsively order a healthy option instead of your usual... see what happens!

5 Things to know when making (attempting) pizza at home

1. Less is more. Period. No matter how stealthily you think you are at the art of pizza crafting, less is always better. So often people think, since I’m making this at home, I can put as many ingredients as I want on it! No, fight that impulse, if you don’t you will end up with a gloopy, soggy mess of dough.

2. The hotter the oven, the crispier the crust. The reason pizza places can pack on so many toppings while still keeping the crust crisp and manageable is the center-of-the-sun-hot oven. Traditionally, pizzas are baked at 500 degrees for 5-7 minutes, at home we follow the crust instructions and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Because of the slow time and lower temperature, you will inevitably end up with warm, soggy pizza.

3. Sauciness equals sogginess. Need I say more?

4. All cheese contains water. Fresh mozzarella in particular, contains a great deal of water; so if you are wanting to create a pizza from scratch, it is important to factor in this to avoid the almost inevitable sogginess.

5. Invest in a pizza stone. Using a cookie tray or pan makes the dough, well, doughy for lack of a better word. While putting the pie directly onto the rack might work, you will have to worry about unevenness, pizza stuck to the rack and the difficulty of getting the stuck pizza out of the oven without burning it, you or setting your oven mitts on fire (yes, this has happened to me, no I don’t want to talk about it).
Without proper utensils, a very hot oven, a will of iron, and the patience of a saint, you will struggle to achieve the perfect pizza pie. It can be done, but trial and error is really the only effective way of solving your perfect pizza equation. I wish you the best of luck!

Caffeine Fanatics Rejoice!

Have you ever wished your delightful morning brew brought you as much energy as a cup of joe? Are you in dire need of a pick-me-up to get your day going? Are you considering crossing over to the dark side of coffee to find that energy boost you are looking for? (No this isn’t the beginning of an informercial, advertising a product you didn’t know existed before, but have now realized you need)... This is the tea you have been awaiting! Meet Fast Lane by Celestial Seasonings, a tea revolutionizing your morning beverage choice. With more caffeine than a cup of coffee, this is the only tea that will make you as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as a cup of joe.

Only this morning I was sitting at my desk, yawning and complaining to everyone who would listen about how tired I felt. Then, it occurred to me that in my desk lied the key to an energy boost I desperately needed; half a cup of this tea later, I was perky, smiling and ready to take on the world!

Yes, you heard me right, this tea could change the world.. well maybe I might be exaggerating a little, but it’s only because of my newfound energy encouraging me to type this post! (Please note: the excessive use of punctuation marks is most likely due to the amount of caffeine flowing through my veins) But if you want to try this amazing herbal tea, you have to hurry because supplies are limited! No, they really are... this type of tea has a limited release at Celestial Seasonings, so the only way to get it is to travel to the factory in Boulder, or to follow the link below to buy it in a case of six, which is what I am about to do right now!

I actually found this tea when visiting my best friend in Boulder over the summer, we went to the tea factory because we both love tea, and it was something free to do. In the tasting area, we sampled unlimited teas, and there is nothing I love more than free samples. Free things just taste better. Regardless, the tour provided me with information, filled me to the brim with free tea and convinced me to buy this amazing Fast Lane tea, with which I am now in love. I hope this testimonial and infomercial print ad have convinced you too to try this mildly bitter, energizing tea. Spice up your morning with something new!


http://www.fastlanetea.com/

Guaranteed satisfaction or your money back! Supplies are limited, see store for details, not all offers may be available in all areas. Terms and conditions apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. Lots of legal jar-gin goes here.... The views expressed in this post are solely of the person speaking and do not reflect the views of blogger.com, its affiliates or host site. If you do not understand this, you have probably never seen an informercial, how sad for you.

Guacamole Fiesta

It’s easy being green...when you have guacamole with your meal! Nothing adds as much flavor to a dish as “the green stuff”, as my cousin Tyler calls it.  For some people, lemon is something to be used lightly, but not me, there can never be enough in guacamole! 
We had beef fajitas for lunch today with guacamole and my uncle Andres’ pico de gallo. Andres is from Mexico so he knows how to make authentic (SPICY) Mexican cuisine, he is a stickler when it comes to pronunciation as well. (Just so you know it’s pronounced gucamol-EH NOT guacamol-EE as I made the mistake of doing.) Below is my recipe for delicious guacamole; with or without chips, you can’t go wrong with this amazing green concoction. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 large avocados
1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)
1 very small roma tomato (or ½ cup of salsa)
2 cloves garlic (sliced thinly or diced)
1 tbs. cilantro
1 tbs. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Directions:
Juice lemons, discard seeds. Dice tomato, slice or dice garlic cloves. Mash 2 avocados to smooth consistency. Combine all ingredients, except 1 avocado.
Chop avocado, gently fold chopped avocado into guacamole. (This helps create more texture) Enjoy with chips, on tacos, burritos or alone with a spoon!

Gin Fizzy!

With the blistering heat, everyone (at least in Texas) is searching for the easiest way to keep cool this summer. The days of running through the sprinklers have long since past and the cool oasis of the swimming pool has become a hot tub. The only sure fire way to keep from burning up is to find the perfect refreshing beverage.. thus comes the “Blackberry gin fizzy”! 

Bursting with the flavors of summer, yet not too sweet or overpowering, with just the right amount of gin. I found the inspiration for this cocktail from Martha Stewart’s wedding website. --No, before you even think that, I am not getting married; just looking up ideas for weddings I am maid of honor for in the coming months.-- She suggested adding sugar, but using a simple syrup instead avoids the inevitable sugar buildup in the bottom of the glass. Making a simple syrup is unbelievably, well, simple. All you do is heat equal parts sugar and water on the stove and stir until combined, but don’t heat it too long or it will become crystallized. After the simple syrup is made, it keeps for a long time. You can add it to teas, desserts, cocktails and never again will you get a burst of sugary goo in your straw from the bottom of your highball glass.  Below is my version of Martha’s wedding cocktail, mine has a little more gin and a little less soda water. It is a cocktail after all! Besides, there is nothing else to do in this horrendous heat, might as well make your beverage a strong one!

Ingredients

Makes 6

• 12 ounces blackberries, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 12 ounces gin
• 15 mint leaves, torn, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups sparkling water or club soda

Directions

1. Puree berries in a blender. Strain, and discard seeds.
2. Put 1/3 cup puree, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 4 ounces gin, and 1/3 of the torn mint leaves into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake until cold. Pour into two 8-ounce glasses, and add 1/4 cup sparkling water to each. Repeat. Enjoy!

Pouncing onto fall fashion trends...

It appears that not only are bows in this year, furry jungle creatures have also found their way to the runway.. Leopard, or is it cheetah, seems to be the thing to wear; from Steve Madden to Dolce & Gabanna, fashionistas from every price range can satisfy their furry fetish.

For me, I found a pair that wouldn’t crunch my budget, only my toes. (Pictured, Enzo Angolini, size 6) From the cute peep toe to the ever so dramatic black bow, I couldn’t be more proud to strut my new kicks in office... and at happy hour. I am a huge fan of anything animal print, from zebra stripes to cheetah spots, I will use any excuse to cover my own skin with a new coat..

It seems bows make an appearance every few years in designer collections, and they constantly have a steady following with little girls and mothers alike. Bows are to girls 10 and under, as sequins are to drag queens: there is no such thing as “too many”. In the most subtle ways, a bow can spice up even the dullest of office wear giving your cubicle neighbors something to envy (and you something to wear proudly).

The great thing about trends like the bow are that you don’t have to spend lots of money to look fashionable and fun. The bow won’t make you look fat or accentuate a flaw, it is just an accessory that fits in at any occasion, giving you a little flair without going over the top. Sometimes, all you need are a few inexpensive accents to make an old favorite outfit seem new!