Triple Chocolaty Goodness!!

First, let me just say, anything with ‘Triple Chocolate’ has got to be good!! This cookie will melt in your mouth and have you begging for more. The cookie I’m referring to is Ellie Krieger’s ‘Triple Chocolate Cookie’. She has a show on the Food Network called ‘Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger’. She’s a registered dietitian and her show focuses on making healthy meals. All of her recipes include nutritional information too, just in case you’re watching those calories. I’ve tried a few of her other recipes and they’re pretty tasty too. Her ‘Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes’ are scrumptious. Be sure to check her out on the Food Network.

Now back to the cookie. I was overwhelmed with the incredible taste of this simple dessert. I can’t believe something this sweet and chocolaty is actually good for you, in moderation of course. I’m sure if I ate an entire plateful I wouldn’t be feeling too great. The amount of chocolate that’s in your mouth with every bite is amazing. There’s cocoa powder in the dough and a mixture of dark and milk chocolate pieces in the cookie. I used Dove dark miniatures and semi-sweet morsels because that’s what I had on hand. I also omitted the pecans the recipe called for.




It’s healthy for you too, as it’s made with canola oil, which is low in saturated fat and a combination of whole-wheat flour and white flour. Whole-wheat flour has fewer calories and carbohydrates than white flour, and it contains five times the fiber, twice the calcium, and 25 percent more protein than white flour. (Source: howstuffworks)

I have to say, the best part of eating any chocolate chip cookie is having one right out of the oven when they’re hot and gooey and the chocolate melts all over the place. I’ll even throw them in the microwave throughout the week to get that fresh out of the oven experience.

This cookie is definitely a winner and I would recommend it for any occasion and any age group. My 16-year-old son loves them as much as I do.

It's Aladdin…Without the Genie!

Aladdin’s Eatery
Cleveland, OH
www.aladdinseatery.com

If you’re from Ohio, you may very well have heard of Aladdin’s Eatery and may have even eaten there. With 15 locations scattered throughout the state from Cleveland down to Cincinnati, you can enjoy their wonderful Middle Eastern cuisine in most of the major cities. But Aladdin’s isn’t just in Ohio. There are also locations in Chicago, Charlotte, San Antonio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

They focus on fresh, healthy and affordable meals in a comfortable atmosphere. Catering to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, they’re sure to offer something everyone will like. You can eat in their relaxing dining room or carry-out if you’re in a hurry. They even offer party trays for any occasion.

The menu here is so extravagant, that unless you have a favorite dish in mind, you will need time to decide which one to try. You will be tempted by homemade Fruit & Vegetable Smoothies, Hummos, Falaffel, Tabouli, Sfiha, Fatayer, Rolled Pitas, Salads, Pitzas and much, much more of their Middle Eastern fare. That’s not all…be sure to leave room for dessert! You will be equally tempted by their dessert case that draws you in from the moment you walk in the door. You would expect maybe Baklava at a Lebanese restaurant, but you may not be prepared to choose from a wide selection of cakes and cheesecakes. And these aren’t your traditional size cakes and cheesecakes; they are the biggest cakes and cheesecakes you have ever seen!! They offer at any given time a variety of flavors out of 26 different cakes and 28 cheesecakes, but usually don’t have them all available at the same time. All I can say is be ready to eat!! It’s at least a 3-course meal kind of place with appetizer, meal and dessert. You want to try as much as possible.

I would say that I frequent Aladdin’s maybe two or three times a year. The food is so good and so reasonably priced; it’s a great place to dine at for lunch or dinner. And there’s usually one close no matter which side of town I’m on in Cleveland. We always have to get Falaffel in some form, whether it’s in an appetizer, a rolled pita or pita pocket. These delectable, mildly spicy patties of chick peas, fava beans, parsley and scallions are deep fried in peanut oil until they are at the perfect level of crispness. Served with a Tahini Yogurt sauce and various vegetables depending on which dish you get, they are absolutely wonderful. I personally love to eat them with a piece of tomato and some Tahini. That is the perfect bite of Falaffel in my mind!! The spiciness of the falaffel, the coolness of the tomato and the tanginess of the Tahini makes my taste buds very happy!!

We also enjoy the Hummos, which is a puree of chickpeas, tahini and lemon with the addition of some spices and a drizzle of olive oil. This is served with warm pita bread for dipping. It is a great beginning to any dinner here.

Finally, I have to tell you about their desserts. This time we tried a checkerboard cake of white and chocolate cake with peanut butter mousse and chocolate mousse layered in between. They also garnished it with crushed peanuts on the outside. This was very good, but I think my favorite of the ones I’ve tried is the Chocolate Bomb cake. This is a chocolate lovers dream cake, from the inside out. You have to try it. They also have these little individual truffle cakes about the size of a baseball that appear to be very tasty. I’ll have to try one of those another time!!

So next time you’re sitting around waiting for a Genie to appear to grant you a wish, think about going to Aladdin’s for a wonderful meal of authentic Middle Eastern food and it will make you happy…even if you’re wish doesn’t come true!!

Emmmm-panada!!

I have never made empanadas before, but I will definitely make them again. These crescent-shaped delectable pillows of dough can be filled with a variety of ingredients like chicken, turkey or pork added with beans, cheese, vegetables or whatever you like, there’s sure to be at least one that appeals to your taste. There are even dessert empanadas like Tyler Florence’s Chocolate-Banana creation. This one’s going on my list of ‘Recipes I Need to Try’! Warm chocolate and bananas encased in a pastry shell?! Just think about digging into that and how wonderful it would taste?! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!!

Anyway…I digress!!

The recipe I chose (this time) is courtesy of Paula Deen which can be found on the Food Network website. (BTW…I am a Food Network junkie, so many of the recipes I write about will be from one of its shows. However, I promise to make a point of expanding my horizons and trying recipes outside of the Food Network collection too.) These Cheesiest Fried Chicken Empanadas are extremely easy to make and delightfully tasty. I chose this one especially for my 16-year-old son, because he loves cheese and it is just oozing with the stuff. Imagine a mixture of chicken, Colby & Monterey Jack cheeses, jalapeno, salt, pepper and cumin all held together by a little bit of cream cheese, then deep fried inside a pastry crust. Wow!! I think my new favorite seasoning is cumin. I’ve used it before in a vegetarian chili mixed with other spices, but having it as the sole spice in this dish was fantastic. It has such a distinct taste. My son couldn’t stop raving about the flavor.
Now it’s not the healthiest feast in the world, as it is deep fried in oil and the recipe calls for a Chili Con Queso Dip. But you can certainly bake them instead and omit the dip, as I did. You will seriously be happy with this recipe with or without the dip.

I invite you to share your favorite empanada recipe in the comments section of this post. (….and it doesn’t have to be off the Food Network website either!!)

Adios!!

It's BBQ Time!

Welcome to my first ‘Morselicious’ Recipe Challenge!

Challengers:

Michael Chiarello’s Babyback Ribs with Espresso Barbecue Sauce

Vs.

Paula Deen’s Baby Back Racks with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

The purpose of my ‘Recipe Challenges’ will be to pit two or three recipes against each other that are similar dishes with varying ingredients. I will only choose recipes that have received rave reviews or that I deem worthy so that I am providing you with the best of the best.

Warning: this blog post may cause severe mouth watering and have you sitting in a pool of your own drool by the time you’re done reading it! So grab your buckets and towels and let’s go!

The two recipes I have chosen for this challenge are from two famous Food TV Network Chefs and both of these recipes received 5 stars from viewers who have tried them and posted their remarks on http://www.foodnetwork.com/. You can click on each recipe title above to link to the recipes and reviews.

First let me say that both sauces were AMAZING, but for very different reasons. Michael Chiarello’s ribs really packed a punch of flavor! From the liberal seasonings of salt and pepper right before you bake them to the drenching of the Espresso Barbecue Sauce as you’re grilling them. This sauce is insane! The ingredients include mashed & minced garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, honey and espresso. As you can tell, this guy’s not playing around. If you like a tangy, robust, rugged flavor on your ribs, this is an in your face taste that just doesn’t quit! Check out Michael Chiarello on the Food Network website and see what other recipes he takes to the next level.

Next in the ring, we have the sweet and sassy Paula Deen with her Baby Back Racks smothered in Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. You can also use dark beer instead of Bourbon, which is what I opted for. These ribs were so tender and juicy, they almost melt in your mouth like ‘Butter’! Right Paula?! Unlike Michael’s, you baste these ribs with a coating of sauce before baking them in the oven and you also cover the baking dish in foil to keep the ribs moist while they’re cooking. Once they’re ready for the grill, it’s time to get out of control with the sauce and show those ribs whose boss!! This sauce has so many great flavors in it with steak sauce, bourbon or good dark beer, Worcestershire sauce, dark brown sugar, regular or grainy Dijon mustard and red pepper flakes. This sauce had just the right amount of sweetness with the other bold and spicy flavors balancing it out. It was almost like you could taste each individual ingredient at the same time. Can you imagine the party going on in your mouth?! It was a bit milder than Michael’s, but just as good. After all, what do you expect from a sweet, southern bell but a sweet, flavorful sauce. You’re going to love checking out more of Paula Deen's recipes.

So who's the winner?! I think it's all a matter of preference. I would make either one again. Why don't you give them a try and decide which one you like best!!

Jicama - That’s ‘Hee – cama’!!

Many of you are probably uttering, “what the heck is ‘Jicama’?” That’s exactly what I heard at our office Cinco de Mayo party last month when I presented a salad with this unfamiliar ingredient in it. To everyone’s surprise, they seemed to like it. The texture and crunch was compared to that of an apple, or pear or water chestnut. The taste is light and has a subtle sweetness to it.

The Jicama is a vegetable grown in Latin America or Mexico. It is the color of a potato and has the shape of a turnip. In fact, it’s often referred to as a ‘Mexican Potato’, a ‘Mexican Turnip’ or ‘Mexican Yam Bean’. You have to cut the skin off to eat it, which is sort of a pain. However, once you reveal the edible white vegetable inside, it’s very easy to chop up any way you like.

In addition to this vegetable being a delightful snack to munch on or add to some of your favorite recipes, it’s very healthy for you (as most vegetables are)! It has a ton of Vitamin C, low sodium and absolutely no fat. A one cup serving is only 45 calories. That’s an entire cup!! Yea!!

The recipe I used Jicama in was one I found on www.foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Ingrid Hoffman who hosts a show on the Food Network called Simply Delicioso. And boy was this salad ‘Delicioso’!! It’s a ‘Mango, Jicama and Radish Salad with Peanut Dressing’ and there wasn’t much more than that. The sweetness of the mango, the crunchy consistency of the Jicama and Radish along with their own flavors atop a bed of mixed greens and cilantro smothered in a sweet, peanuty-citrus Peanut Butter & Lime dressing was absolutely wonderful. Yes, I did say Peanut Butter. It was so good, you won’t want to stop eating it!!

You can find plenty of other recipes with this delightful ingredient in them on the Internet too. Try it! You just might like it!!

Here are a few sites I found that give great explanations about Jicama:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-jicama.htm
www.foodreference.com/html/art-jicama-history-facts.html

Let the Crave Begin!

Crave
57 East Market Street
Akron, OH
http://www.eatdrinkcrave.com/

Where to start about this restaurant!! Think of Alice in Wonderland meets the Iron Chef. From the psychedelic hanging lights to the lopsided glasses and soup bowls, to the unique ingredients, this place captures your attention at every turn. I indulged in the Warm Spicy Thai Curried Lobster salad with Enoki Mushrooms, Coconut Peanuts and Mizuna Greens tossed in a Thai Basil Lemongrass Vinaigrette. This salad tantalized my taste buds with every bite. The lobster was warm and delightfully tender. It was my first experience with Enoki Mushrooms which were mild and woodsy tasting and I loved the texture. They are thin white stalks with a small button top and are slightly crunchy to the bite. The Coconut Peanuts were also a first for me. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a ‘Coconut Peanut’. I thought it would be coconut flavored, but it’s actually a peanut enveloped in a shell resembling a coconut. It’s a very thin shell with a great crunch. The mizuna greens were very fresh and crispy. The dressing was pleasantly sweet and spicy at the same time and left a wonderful taste in my mouth when I finished the salad. (And I did finish every bite of that salad.) I probably would have licked the remaining dressing left on the bowl if I wasn’t out in public!!

Since I was at a business lunch, I didn’t indulge in the appetizers, desserts or drinks, but check out the rest of their menu at http://www.eatdrinkcrave.com/. The Grilled Cheese Tomato soup sounds scrumptious. You’ve eaten Grilled Cheese with your Tomato soup, but have you ever tried it in your Tomato soup?! Yum!! The rest of the menu really shows how creative this restaurant is in using unique ingredients to spice up everyday foods.

In the mood for a drink? Check out their original martini list. I know a lot of the ladies out there would be very curious to try a ‘Desperate House Wife’ martini!! They also have a wide variety of beers and a few spiked coffee drinks to choose from.

I will definitely visit this restaurant again for a personal meal where I can try many more items on the menu and basically stuff myself with delicious ingredients.

If you’ve visited this restaurant as well, I invite you to share your own positive experience on my blog!