14 Jan 2011

Taste of Wilmington: K38

by | posted in: food, restaurants, vegetarian | 1

This place came highly recommended and it is out of the downtown area, so parking is not a problem. 

1.  Great decor.

2.  Low-key (yes, I know it was the off season)

3.  Had a great waitress who allowed us to stay there pretty much as long as we wanted (a little over 2 hours)

4.  Bottomless free chips and salsa (a must for any good Mexican restaurant)

5.  The best restaurant salsa I’ve ever had.  And I’ve had a lot.

6.  First time with Mexican sushi (ok, not really, but look at the picture, doesn’t it look like sushi).  I had the Cabo: blackened shrimp and avocado.  Nuf said! 

7.  Homemade, fresh, daily, corn tortillas.

8.  And many vegetarian options, which I definitely liked.

In my opinion, a little overpriced for mexican, but not outrageous.  And definitely well worth it. 

11 Jan 2011

Favorites of RDU

by | posted in: chocolate, food, photo shoot | 2

Ice.  That is what today is about.  There is ice, not snow, in RDU.  This has been one of the coldest winters I’ve experienced in RDU since moving here in 2000.  Note: we haven’t had 24 inches of snow (like in January 2000) or TONS of ice like we had in 2005 (or was it 2004)?  But, with temperatures not even reaching 50, really, not even 40, for most of the days for the past 6 weeks, its cold.

So, I thought I would talk about something happy and fun: favorite places in the Triangle.  There is a reason I love this place and am glad to call it home!

These are in no particular order:

Fosters Durham/Chapel Hill: I love her home-cooked food but upscale.  It is a place to sit all day with a book or a laptop and enjoy a scone with some snickerdoodle coffee or a glass of wine.  Her omelettes are fantastic and any of her baked goods are usually just what the doctor ordered.  I haven’t figured out which location I like better.

Best Dessert I’ve tried so far in RDU: Butterscotch Blondie at Bogart’s.  I had to share, it was my birthday, but I could have eaten the whole thing – with the ice cream.  So good.  Oh, and the inside out pb cup from Cafe Carolina .  So good.  Wish I could make.

Best Wine Experience: Sip in Cary.  Such a quaint, decorative place that you want to stay and get to know the owners and everyone who stops in.  They know their stuff: and everything is eco-friendly!

Best Thai Food: Chai’s in Durham on Erwin Road.  I haven’t been back since I returned to the state, because I’ve been trying out new places.  But, hands down, this is the best place by far if I want some delicious salty steamed edemame or a huge bowl of spicy chicken pad thai.

Go sit all day: Panera Crabtree.  The reasons are this: refillable unsweet tea, wifi free usage, overhear engaging conversations, 5 minutes door to door, and cheap, somewhat healthy food.

Outdoor Activities: Volleyball courts at Pullen Park, Shelley Lake for walking, Umstead park, summer movies at the museum of art, July 4 at Cary Amphitheatre, photo shoots at NCSU Arboretum or Duke Gardens, or anywhere on the campus of SEBTS or UNC. 

Best Cheap Mexican: Salsa Fresh is at least every 2 weeks – I’m going there tomorrow.

Best Jewelry: Moon & Lola

Best Pizza: Anna’s Pizzeria in Apex or Lilly’s at Five Points

Best Sushi: Champas at Briar Creek

What other places do I need to try?  I can branch out to anywhere in the Triangle.  I love new things.  What are some of your favorite things about living in the Triangle?

10 Jan 2011

Rice Krispy Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

by | posted in: chocolate, food | 2

 

I got to bring something to a birthday party this past weekend and had most of the ingredients for these, so I went with a new recipe.  I liked the crisp in them and of course the addition of a little hershey’s chocolate on top.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup rice krispies

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

mini hershey bars

Tools: mini muffin pan, small cookie scoop, stand mixer, measuring spoons and cups, spatula

Cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Mix dry together and add to wet.  Fold in cereal and chocolate chips. 

Spray muffin pans and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.  Makes approximately 30.  Remove from oven when done.  Immediately put 1/2 of a miniature hershey bar in the top.  Let cool completely.

10 Jan 2011

Meatless 365

by | posted in: food, Vegetables, vegetarian | 10

Today is day one, right.  Day one of anything.  Today is the first day of the rest of your life?!

Well, there are some things that I just need to put my mind to do, and I can do it.  This is one of those things.

Hardest part of going meatless for 365 days:

1.  When I go to the Angus Barn (they have something meatless, right).

2.  My brother’s steaks (so stinking quality)

3.  Sausage.  Its so good.

If there are only three deterrants for me trying this, than what is there to stop me?

Why I will try it for a year:

1.  Protein is good and can be found in other foods

2.  Panera does sell meatless eats (because you know, Panera gets my money most weeks).

3.  Dairy and fish are not included in this. 

4.  I want to expand my cooking knowledge and food savvy.  I have to branch out.

5.  And, I don’t like meat substitutes (so not tofu, or whathave you).

Do you have any thoughts?  Do you have any good websites I’ve not looked at.

Day 1: good.  Cinnamon raisin toast with pb for breakfast, veggie sub for lunch (and chips, fruit, piece of cake at a party).  Dinner: pumpkin soup and cornbread.

10 Jan 2011

Much & Link Love: January 10 edition

by | posted in: food, vegetarian, weather, winter | 0

1.  I hit something this morning, and it wasn’t my snooze alarm.

2.  I get to go to Wilmington mid-week for a 30 hour retreat from: books and computer.

3.  I had a tough week last week: but some people made it survivable!

4.  We are supposed to get snow again today. 

5.  Mocha buttercream is a fabulous way to start off a Monday morning. 

6.  I love meeting new friends.

7.  I’m already stinking at some of my January goals, but press on, right.  Never give up.

8.  I got Panera gift cards for my birthday: best gift!

9.  Bogarts butterscotch blondie: one of the best desserts in RDU!

10.  Love the prayers that God is answering.  Still praying for others.

11.  Sad.  College football ends tonight.  Will have to now wait until August for some more.  One of the saddest days of the year.

1.  How do you use your femininity?  For God’s glory or for your gain.  Convicting as always.  Truth is.

2.  Love this guy’s recipes.  I think I will stop by the store on my way home (from an early closing) to make this tonight to go with some pumpkin lentil soup from Happy Herbivore.  Perfect for a football game, writing, yoga, and warmth!

3.  Love her soothing photography and encouraging words.

4.  I already need this Girltalk post for the new year!

5.  Dr. Mohler definitely wouldn’t like this post by Abraham Piper.

3 Jan 2011

New Year’s Much & Link Love (January 3)

by | posted in: Bible, Books, food, Uncategorized, Vegetables, vegetarian | 0

Happy New Year!  When do you get tired of hearing that?  I usually have to wait until after my birthday, which is tomorrow.  New Years and birthdays, both great.  I used to dislike having a birthday so close to Christmas (school was out so I never got to celebrate it in school), but now I love it, because not only am I starting a new calendar year, but also a new birth year. 

1.  I had one of the best new years ever!  A friend from seminary came over to Raleigh: we cooked dinner, hung out a cool place in Cary, went to the NCMA, and watched movies.  It was low-key and wonderful.

2.  I already went away from on of my 2011 goals.  I ran in a 5k on Saturday and unfortunately left my cell phone at home so I had no interval timer.  I finished this multi-terrain, ice/mud, hills, loops race about the same time I finished my first one.  So, I wasn’t happy.  But, I did it.  And I had friends cheering me on and running with me!

3.  This is going to be a tough week and a good week.  Tough week with many things going on a work and writing kicked into high gear.  Good week because I get to have dinner on Thursday night with some of the most amazing RDU friends a girl can have, both new and old, and I’ll be missing some too because of vacations and babies.  God is good, isn’t He!

4.  Day one of clean eating went very well yesterday!  I am thankful for oranges and sweet potatoes that I don’t have to buy because of family!  Everytime I have craved nut butter or even milk or egg whites today I thought that God is sufficient for my every need and He is gracious too.  I have included seeds in this clean eating: fruits and veggies only while at home.  Seeds because I eat hummus and tahini is in it – ground sesame seeds.  I’m already thinking post-40 days to see how my diet will be altered, and see how my food-relationships/sin issues have been changed.  Thank you God for the cross!

5.  Bring on the playoffs!  Excited.  We’ll see how long my teams last.

6.  January… here we go: I’m doing the list here rather a whole new post. 

6.1: Birthday celebrating

6.2: Working out and logging milesd

6.3: Stemmerman Inn for my birthday!  Thank you Mom!

6.4: Charlotte to prepare for an upcoming women’s conference I am speaking at in March. 

6.5: Photog!

6.6: Writing and reading.  Sound familiar?

Link Love

1.  One of the coolest things I’ve heard from country music in a while – great on the gender issue too.  Go Zac Brown!

2.  With clean eating for 40 days, I’m making this soup.

3.  For those of you memorizing Philippians, John Piper reciting it may spur you on!

4.  Do you already need help keeping those resolutions?  These apply to any you have made.

5.  One of the smartest guys I know, and do ministry with, gives his list of best reads of 2010.  And he read a lot more than this. 

6.  Some great sermons and talks about keeping resolutions

7.  After taking off most of 2010, John Piper returns and tells all what God taught him and Noel from their leave of absence.  Good stuff.

8.  Also, if you have never memorized long passages of Scripture, here are some quality sermons from Andy Davis and John Piper to help you out and to see the benefit of it. 

9.  If you still need help picking which Bible reading plan to do for 2011, go here.  Justin lays a lot of them out for you.  I am doing Elevate’s B90X from last year, just multiplying it times 3 with some breather days in there. 

10.  Her photos are inspiring.

11. 

Recipe coming soon!

19 Dec 2010

New Must-See places in NC

by | posted in: Events, food | 2

The next 6 weeks are going to hold many adventurous and fun things to do for me in NC (after a quick trip home to FL for Christmas). But, with the birthday coming up, a little middle of the week trip to the coast, some time in Charlotte and every place in between…here are some fun places I get to go to in the Tarheel State. What places would go you go to? What places do I need to hit up or try out? What do I need to eat?

A roomie-birthday trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art which is just down the street for the Trotman exhibit.

I just saw this in a NC magazine and need to go here in January… Sip…a new wine house in Cary. Tastings, cheese, affordable wines…should be a pretty tasty place.

The Stemmerman Inn – yes, I went here already, but this time I get to stay. My Mother’s Birthday present to me. I can’t wait. This is such a pretty and old inn on the river! And Wilmington won’t be so packed since it is winter. Looking forward to 24 hours away.

I get to go back to the String Bean in Belmont, NC (by Charlotte). Looking forward to tasting some more of their yummy food. Such a fabulous little place.

Another fabulous French place in Charlotte that I get to go and prepare for a women’s conference I’m doing is called Amelie’s Bakery. I’ve heard their croissants are out of this world! I’ll let you know when I go!

And to go with all this eating, I get to run a 5k on New Year’s Day in Cary. Great way to start a new year, hoping for a PR. Gotta have one!

15 Dec 2010

Taste of Apex: Anna's Pizzeria

by | posted in: food, Uncategorized | 0
What wonderful delicious-tasting, fresh-made Italian food in downtown Apex. I was there taking some photos of my friends at Moon & Lola and we went to Anna’s (downstairs from their jewelry studio) for lunch. And what a warming lunch it was. I found out today that they make their own mozzarella. Now that’s what makes a good pizza – even better…
Oh, if you are in NYC – there are three locations in the big City. Big City pizza in little city Apex…

The salad at Anna’s was non-descript (lettuce, tomatoes, olives) but the balsamic vinaigrette was pretty good, little thicker than most balsamic dressings.

I ordered the lunch special for around 6$ and got salad and a slice of pizza. Ok, this wasn’t just any slice of pizza. This was an inch thick (thin crust, all toppings mind you) and massive slice of stringy cheese, moist chicken goodness. I decided on the Chicken Marsala pizza and it was perfect: sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, chicken, Marsala wine, and that wonderful fresh homemade mozz cheese!

Thanks downtown Apex!

28 Nov 2010

Taste of Raleigh: Bogart's American Grill

by | posted in: food, Uncategorized | 0
This will be one of my fave restaurants in Raleigh, with good food and better music, ambience, and a wonderful martini that Mom and I shared…it was a good foodie night.
What we had the day after Thanksgiving:
Roasted pear salad with pomegranite dressing
Beef Tips risotto
14 oz ribeye
collards
sweet potato chips
Strawberry martini and margaritas

The strawberry martini and sweet potato fries were my fave. I finished up the collards yesterday. The decor was set in Humphrey Bogart style which was my favorite part. Will be spending one dinner of my bday week here with some girl friends. It will be a fun night!