Strawberry Almond Muffins

These days, like so many other people I know, I've been trying to cut back on the extras in order to keep more of my money where it belongs -- in my pocket. For me, extras included enjoying an occasional morning muffin from the deli and buying my lunch rather than bringing in something from home. Last weekend, I decided to put an end to the purchased morning muffin. Instead, I would bake up a batch of muffins at home, freeze them, and pull them out whenever I wanted one.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

I admit it. I wasn't born a lover of Brussels sprouts. In fact, my family very rarely had them in the kitchen. My brother would toss some frozen sprouts in to cook with his Maruchan Ramen for a quick meal, but that particular combination never really appealed to anyone else.

It wasn't until last year that I really began to love that little vegetable, when I had the chance to try them on two occasions - at the Thanksgiving food and wine tasting at Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit and then while having dinner with friends after Christmas at Osteria in Philadelphia. Both times, the Brussels sprouts were roasted, and it seems that roasting is the key to making them so delicious.

Dim Sum and Ice Cream in Chinatown

Jing Fong Restaurant
20 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY
(212) 294-5256 | Map

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
65 Bayard Street
New York, NY
(212) 608-4170 | Map



Last Sunday, I met up with some friends (Linda and Matt) at Jing Fong Restaurant in New York's Chinatown for dim sum after months of failed attempts at making it happen. I scarcely had time to take off my coat and set my purse on the floor when Matt asked, "Do you like chicken feet?" It was a question I wasn't anticipating. Before I could answer, Linda said, "I won't eat them." After pausing to ponder the question, I finally answered, "I don't think chicken feet should be the first thing I eat on a Sunday morning."

Marx Foods Truffle Contest

The folks at Marx Foods are sponsoring another amazing giveaway. The prize this time? A 1/4 pound of Black Italian Winter Truffles!!

Read the giveaway rules here, then click on the button below to enter. All you have to do is comment on the Marx Foods blog by 12PM PST on Monday, January 26th. So, what are you waiting for?? Click and enter!

Good luck!

Reading Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma

(Image courtesy of Michael Pollan)

What should we have for dinner?

Michael Pollan opens The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006) with this question, a question we've all asked ourselves more times than we can probably count. While the question has remained the same over the centuries, the answers we provide have changed dramatically and may ultimately affect our survival as a species. In choosing what to eat for dinner, we may opt to stop by one of the many fast food restaurants out there to pick up a quick meal. Or we may reach for any number of prepared foods available to us in the frozen food department of our grocery store. We may choose meat that is "grass-fed" or chickens that were raised in "cage-free" environments or produce that's "organic." We may even attempt to hunt and grow our own food, freeing ourselves from a dependency on the industrial food system. Pollan illustrates that answering the question "What should we have for dinner?" should involve more. Stopping to consider exactly how a particular food wound up on our dinner tables will help us all make better informed decisions and will help us understand how what we eat affects our bodies.

Free MetroCards Courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts

(Logo courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts)

Word from Serious Eats: New York says that Dunkin' Donuts will be giving just a little bit back to the people of New York. In order to promote their "You 'Kin Do It" campaign, Dunkin' Donuts representatives will be handing out FREE $2 MetroCards (a $2 card will buy you one free ride) at various subway stations throughout the city:

* Tuesday, January 20 at 14th Street Union Square Station
* Monday, January 26 at Grand Central Station
* Monday, February 2 at Times Square/42nd Street

Just keep in mind that the MetroCards will only be handed out between the hours of 6:30am and 9:30am!

Who says you can't get anything for free in New York?

Orange Sage Risotto

(Photo courtesy of CNN)

Risotto is one of those dishes that encourages imagination and creativity. Now, most of the risotto dishes I've eaten, either in a restaurant or after cooking in my own kitchen, have been of the savory persuasion. Given this, I've always wanted to see whether I could incorporate fruit into risotto, to lighten it up a bit. Not necessarily a dessert (a dessert risotto experiment is most definitely in my future), but a risotto that could serve as a sweet or tangy side dish.

Bittman Tells Us What's "Out" and "In" for 2009

(Photo courtesy of Omnivoracious' Amazon Blog)

On January 6, Mark Bittman offered readers of the Dining & Wine section of the New York Times his opinion regarding the "Out" and "In" pantry staples of 2009. My contributions to the world of writing about food are mere blips on the radar in comparison to Bittman's, so I was highly interested to see what he had to say. As with anything else, I'm never going to learn anything unless I begin to question what's already out there and to form some opinions of me own. I've documented my reactions to Bittman's list here.

Mocha Peanut Butter Brownies

Back in November, I wrote a post about some innovative measuring cups that utilized measuring spoons as their handles, calling them Double-Duty Measuring Cups. I also mentioned that I would love to get a set of those measuring cups for Christmas. Well, Santa wasn't just checking his list twice, he was reading my blog twice. Guess who received the Hemisphere Measuring Cups by Tovolo for Christmas??

(In this case, Santa was my brother, who admitted to me after I had opened the present containing the measuring cups, that he reads my blog every day. Do I have an awesome brother, or what?)

NYC Winter 2009 Restaurant Week

(Banner courtesy of NYCgo.com)

That's right! It's Restaurant Week time again in New York! Between January 18-23 and January 25-30, you can enjoy a $24.07 lunch or a $35 dinner at more than 250 of the city's best restaurants!

So, what are you waiting for? Check out the list of participating restaurants and go make your reservations!

Honey Soy Flank Steak à la Jaden

(Photo courtesy of White Foot Farm)

Back when I started Taste As You Go, one of the first people to offer me blogging advice was Jaden of Steamy Kitchen. I've been a fan of Jaden's blog, her recipes, and her photographs for months, and it meant so much that she was willing to talk to a newbie like me. When I saw Jaden's latest post, Honey Soy Skirt Steak with Shitake Mushroom Recipe, I bookmarked it immediately with the intention of making it for dinner one night. I had no idea that "one night" would wind up being tonight.

Pass the Plate and Support Cook for the Cure®

(Photo courtesy of shopKitchenAid)

I spent a good portion of my recent glorious two-week vacation from work making my way through an impressive collection of back issues of several magazines that had been stacking up over the past couple of months. Included in that stack were three issues of Martha Stewart Living. (Sorry, Martha...)

Normally, I don't really pay attention to the magazine ads that closely. But one ad in particular caught my eye and inspired me so much that I knew I wanted to blog about it. If you purchase one of the above-pictured Cook for the Cure® plates by KitchenAid and Villeroy & Boch, KitchenAid will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® every time you pass the plate to a friend or family member and register the "pass" online. What a really great way to encourage people to share their culinary creations while donating to a worthy cause!

Dining with New Friends at Osteria

Osteria
640 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 763-0920 | Map

I think it's fitting that my first restaurant review of 2009 focuses on a restaurant that's not located in one of the five boroughs of New York. What seemed like a daunting task (making dinner reservations for six people around Christmas time) turned out to be, surprisingly, no big deal. All of the details just magically fell into place, and, before we knew it, Stephen and I were set to have dinner at Osteria in Philadelphia with two of his friends, Rob and Terry, and their respective wives, Pere and Janice.

Creamy Crab Meat Salad in Belgian Endive Cups

(Photo courtesy of Chow)

It's January 2nd. A new year has officially begun and I can now say that I've officially survived the holidays. Stressing about finding the perfect gifts for the people I love, juggling time between family and friends, and attending holiday parties -- that's all behind me and I'm ready to jump into 2009. I hope all of you enjoyed the time you spent with your loved ones and are as eager about the new year as I am.