#187 - Banana Island, Oklahoma City OK

Over the past 3 years I've racked up restaurant.com certificates. My mom found great deals on Groupon that gave us $400 worth of certificates for $40, and then $200 for $20. And even when you purchase them directly through restaurant.com, you can get a $10 certificate for $4. It's really a pretty great program. You basically get 50% off your meal when you spend a certain amount of money, and some deals require you to spend as little as $10. 

A couple weeks ago my mom and 2 of her sisters were visiting. We were in OKC running errands, so when it was time to eat I went on the hunt. I had seen a restaurant.com certificate for Banana Island, but the smallest amount they offer is $25 off of a $50 bill. Since I'm never going to eat that much by myself I've always had to pass. But with 4 of us, I knew we could do it.

I always immediately ask the staff if they will accept the coupon. As long as they are part of the program they're supposed to, but I've heard of some restaurants refusing. That's horrible. Nobody's forcing you to be in the program, so if you want out, then get out. Don't stay in and then refuse to accept the coupon. Thankfully I've never had that happen. A couple months ago I ran into a situation at a small, family owned restaurant that would only take a paper printout of the certificate, not the one on my phone. But that's the only negative experience I've had.

I sort of recognized the address, and as we pulled up I realized why. It's right next door to my favorite Asian grocery store in the Asian district in OKC. There's actually several small shops and restaurants next door, and I had never even noticed them. 

You know how they always talk about curb appeal? Well, there's really none with Banana Island. We entered via the walkway attached to the store. It's pretty dark, and not very welcoming at all. My mom's first comment was "I hope the food is better than the entrance". We later realized that there's another entrance from the street. 

We started with the fresh veggie rolls



These were huge rolls, absolutely stuffed with raw carrots, cabbage and lettuce. I've never seen anything like it. They pretty much fell apart with every bite. But they were extremely light and very refreshing. Both of the sauces were delicious, I just wish they gave you more. The peanut sauce was rich, but not too heavy. My mom thought it wasn't really peanuty, but I really liked it. I'm pretty sure the sweet chili sauce is the stuff you can buy next door at the grocery store. But I love sweet chili sauce, so no complaints here. My aunt June can't eat a lot of raw veggies so I ate most of hers as well.

My mom got the tom yum fried rice with shrimp

Fried Rice, Thai spices, lemon grass, onion, red & green bell peppers, mushroom, lime juice & chili paste
I tried a bite and it was excellent. We were really impressed with the size and number of shrimp. Normally in a dish you get a few little ones, but these were huge. 

Terry got the mango stir fry with beef

Sliced mango, green & red peppers in house sweet & sour sauce
This dish was really good. I've never thought of adding mango to stir fry, but it adds a wonderful sweetness. 

June got the Malaysian ribs


I was impressed with both the quantity and the meatiness of the ribs. They had a dry rub that was very good, and they were cooked perfectly. We were a little surprised that these didn't come with any side, since it's an entree, not an appetizer. We had a language barrier issue getting to the bottom of it, but June ended up getting a side of white rice to go with it.

I went with the spicy basil noodles with flat noodles & beef. The server said it wouldn't be too spicy, so I went with medium

Flat or thin rice noodles stir-fried with vegetable, egg, basil, chili, soy sauce, and spices
Their idea of medium and my idea of medium are clearly way different, as my mouth was on fire after one bite. But the dish itself was awesome. The beef was tender and very flavorful. The green beans were cooked tender crisp, just the way I like them. I love flat noodles. I've never cooked with them, but I need to change that.

Speaking of green beans, my mom ordered a dish of them as well


These were good, but a little too salty. I really didn't eat much of them because I had beans in my dish.

When my mom started eating I asked how the food was, and she said it was very good. See, that's why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

The only negative is that the food doesn't all come at once. I'm guessing they only have 1 or 2 cooks back there, so they can only cook so much at a time. I got my dish first, and was worried it would be a long wait for the rest. But we all had our dishes within just a couple minutes of each other. We did run into a language barrier with our server. He speaks very little English, and it was severely broken. So we had to do a lot of pointing. But it all worked out and we got exactly what we ordered. I read a few reviews that said people waited for over an hour for their food. That's crazy to me, and that most definitely deserves a vocal complaint. Our dishes came just minutes after we finished the appetizer, so we didn't have any issues like that.

Two women came in and sat down while we were there. I can't remember what the first woman ordered, but as soon as the server delivered the plate she started complaining. It didn't have enough color. It didn't have enough flavor. They usually add more seasoning. There must be a different cook. And on, and on, and on. And then she didn't believe the server when she said they didn't have miso soup. She spelled miso, like that was going to change things. And even when the server brought out the menu to show her that they didn't have miso soup, she still didn't believe her. Not only was she really loud, she was taking the server away from the other customers. I did finally hear her say that the dish itself was really good, but immediately followed it with "but" and a slew of complaints. She must live a seriously miserable existence. The woman with her never really said anything, so she was either mortified, or knows that's how she normally is. I wanted to go and punch the woman in the head. 

Will I go back? Yes I will, because the food was delicious and we had a good overall experience. And hopefully that woman will be nowhere in sight.

Repeats with a Twist - Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, Oklahoma City OK

A few weeks ago my dad was in town. He and my mom usually come together, but my mom was driving out with 3 of her sisters.  My dad isn't big on driving for that length of time. And besides...5 adults in a car for 19 hours each way would be miserable. So instead he flew back from Maryland with me.  Sunday we were in Oklahoma City running errands, and after a few hours we were hungry. After some back and forth, I decided to go back to Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar

I went to Whiskey Cake a couple months ago. It's a farm-to-table restaurant, that locally sources almost all of their food. They also have a garden outside, and inside are herbs that are grown by members of the staff. They also sell spreads, candles and oils. I originally thought this was the only location, but they also have a couple in Dallas and San Antonio. I will say, it's hard to figure all that out because each restaurant has its own website. The OKC location is right outside Penn Square Mall.

On both visits it's been very busy, but I haven't had to wait to be seated. There are several different seating areas, including a large bar seating area, main dining room, and then an outdoor patio. They also have a large open kitchen, and I learned from our server that they don't have any freezers so you know everything has to be super fresh. Since it was Sunday, they had a bloody Mary bar



I don't like tomato juice so I don't do bloodies. But a lot of of people do. This was a pretty big one.

The servers push their fresh juices hard. But for me, there's way too much stuff going on in them. On my last trip, the guy at the table next to me tried one, and immediately sent it back. His wife did like hers, though. I still don't want to chance it.

We started with fried green tomatoes



These were really good.  The batter was excellent, like the batter they do on onion rings. The sauce had a little kick, but not too overpowering. The flavor combination of the dip with the tomatoes was delicious.

My dad has been a vegetarian since '93, and my mom became one when I moved out in '94. For a long time restaurants were not vegetarian friendly, offering maybe 1 or 2 dishes without meat. Restaurants have come a long way since then, with many featuring vegetarian menus, and all have more options. The only fish my dad eats is salmon, and we had eaten salmon two nights before, so he went with the chickpea & edamame Royale



Roasted poblano tzatziki, grain mustard, arugula, peppadew peppers, tomato, wheat bun
My dad doesn't do spicy. His forehead will literally start to sweat a couple bites in. So he did the mustard on the side. He then ate a couple bites of the mustard by itself...and proclaimed that it wasn't good. I had to explain, you don't just eat mustard straight. It goes on the sandwich. But by then it was too late, so he just left it off. I tasted the sandwich, and it had a very interesting texture, but it was tasty. Mustard drama aside, he liked the sandwich. He bit right into the tomato pepper on top, which I thought was super adventurous considering his dislike of spice. But he said it wasn't hot at all, just had a good flavor.

I went with the BBQ Banh Mi




Slow roasted pulled pork, pickled carrots & daikon radish, jalapeno, cilantro,
Korean BBQ sauce, hoagie bun
Wow, there's a lot of flavors and textures going on in this sandwich. The pork was excellent, very tender and juicy. They're not shy with the jalapenos, and the heat was no joke. I think it would be better if maybe they sauteed them to take away a little bite. Or maybe even pickle them. Every time I eat pickled vegetables, they continue to grow on me, and these were no exception. The hoagie was huge and way too much bread. I only ate half with the bread. The other half I just ate the insides. I read another review that said the sandwich didn't live up to the same sandwich at Vietnamese restaurants. Not a knock on Whiskey Cake, but the chance of this living up to what you find at an authentic Vietnamese place is small. This is their version of it, and it says so right there on the menu.

Their sandwiches come with chips on the side. I really like the chips, but still think they should be served warm. That would put them over the top.

On my last trip, I wanted to add fries, and the server told me it was a large portion and it would be way too much food for just me. So I went with his recommendation. This time, since my dad was with me, I got an order of the handcut Parmesan fries




I'm a huge french fry snob, and these were really disappointing. They were scorching hot, but kind of mushy. I'm wondering if they were undercooked.  I was expecting freshly grated Parmesan, but this looked like the stuff in the green bottle you get at the grocery store. And once you get past the top layer of fries, there is no more parm so it's just regular fries. The flavor of the fries themselves was just okay. I wouldn't get them again. 

Another reviewer said their server asked what they wanted as sides, so they ordered several, not realizing it was an extra charge. I agree with the reviewer that this was kind of sneaky, since the dishes do come with chips already. And the side prices aren't listed on the menu.  Which is weird, because they list prices on everything else. My server did tell me that the sides were an additional price, so maybe it was just that one person.

I like how they present the bill, on this cutting board rather than the boring billfold



I will definitely continue to eat here. Overall the food is very good, I like the atmosphere, and I love that their product is locally sourced. And besides, I still have yet to try their namesake dessert.



My Chef's Hat - Orecchiette with Wilted Spinach, Kale & Toasted Pine Nuts

I hate needles. Always have, probably always will. My mom said when I was a kid and would go to the doctor, I would be chatting away with him non-stop...until he went to "the drawer". I knew exactly what was in that drawer, and the tears would start. Dr. Sinkford was a wonderful, gentle man and would never hurt a fly. But I didn't care. When I was 16 I had to get 24 stitches in my leg (long story), and I almost killed my dad when he started describing the length and size of the needle they used to numb my leg. He had nail marks in his arm for days where I dug into him as they stuck me.

No surprise, I never gave blood unless it was necessary. And then about 18 months ago, Russ convinced me to go do it. So I did, and found out I have the sickle cell trait (another long story). When you give regular blood, the needle is in your arm for about 10 minutes. But I can only do platelets, which is about 90 minutes. And I still refuse to look when they stick me. But honestly, it's not bad once the needle is in. And as long as the piece of gauze covers the point, I'm okay. So I go about every 2 months. And besides, giving blood is good for your body, and it's the right thing to do to help those who need it. Platelets only last 5 days, and they are really necessary for a lot of people, so at first the blood place was calling me every 2 weeks. I don't think so. 

Because of the sickle cell, I have very low iron. So for the 2 weeks leading up to my donation, I take iron pills and load up on iron-rich foods daily. Another reason I won't donate every 2 weeks. I've got an appointment for next Saturday, but with my insane work schedule I haven't been iron-loading as much as I should. So for tonight's dinner I wanted to find something that would pack a punch.

I've got a bunch of recipes filed under "made it, loved it" on Pinterest, and recently realized that I haven't posted about many of them. So I'm on a mission to fix that, with one recipe a week from that board. I was originally thinking of doing sweet potatoes tonight because I have a couple here that I need to use. But then I came across Orecchiette with Wilted Spinach, Kale & Toasted Pine Nuts. I have baby spinach that's about to be past its life span, so that won out.

Here is the recipe photo



And here is my version



I really like this dish. It's a great contrast of textures, and has very good flavor. I've never been able to achieve the golden color on the pasta that Laura gets in her photo. I went overboard with the kale, mainly because when I opened the bag of spinach there was even less usable than I originally thought. I didn't have enough orecchiette, so I supplemented with baby shells. Toasted pine nuts add so much flavor, as well as a great soft crunch, to any dish. The recipe calls for both butter and oil melted at the start. I've never done the butter before, but added it this time. Well, I use Smart Balance to keep it lighter. The butter certainly adds to the flavor of the dish.

This is a recipe I made regularly when I first found it, but I haven't made in months. I need to get it back into at least a periodic rotation. I normally make it as a side dish with fish, but I think adding in grilled chicken would make it a good one-pot lunch.

Recipe courtesy of Fork Knife Swoon 


Shared On 

#186 - Pie 5 Pizza Co., Stillwater OK

One of the first things I learned when I moved to Oklahoma was that everyone is like family. Even when you're an outsider, they quickly welcome you into the fold. So even though I'm living 1900 miles from my "true" home, I have also made a home here.

About 2 months ago Pitt, our football video coordinator was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Pitt has worked at OSU for over 30 years, so he knows everybody and everything. He can be one of the surliest guys you'll ever meet, and if you don't know him it can be off-putting. But that's his personality, and that's why we all love him.

Pancreatic is one of the worst types of cancer. It's rarely caught early, and once it reaches stage 4 there's not a whole lot you can do. Pitt isn't going down without a fight though. He's going through chemo, and we're all praying for a miracle. I can't even begin to imagine what he, his wife Bonnie, and their families are going through. What keeps my hopes high is that my friend Michele's mom was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2001, and was given 3 months to live; she survived until January 2007. I know everyone and every cancer is different, but still.

Pie 5 Pizza Co. and Firehouse Subs are local restaurants in Stillwater. There's actually a lot of Pie 5 locations around the country, but I had never heard of them until this one opened within the last year. Both restaurants are owned by former OSU football players; Billy Bajema owns Pie 5, and Josh Fields owns Firehouse Subs and is part owner of Pie 5. It's so awesome that they have opened these restaurants in Stillwater. To help raise money for Pitt's treatment, they both did fundraisers, and all the proceeds for that Saturday went directly to Pitt and his family.


My dad was in town, and my original plan had been to run errands in OKC that Saturday. But once I heard about the fundraisers, I knew we had to stay in town and support the cause. We went to the office that morning and I put him to work. About 1:30 we were both starving. I had already been to Firehouse Subs, so the food blog won out and we went to Pie 5.

I figured since we arrived so late it wouldn't be that crowded. Boy, was I wrong. There was a line all the way to the front door, everyone OSU staff and/or friends, everyone there supporting Pitt. Goes back to that whole family thing.

Pie 5. is kind of a combination of the Chipotle and Quizno's concepts. You walk through a production line and build your pizza.


They offer 10 pre-set pizzas, but you can also build your own from the crust up. The crusts are artisan thin, whole grain thin, or classic pan. I like that for the pre-set pizzas they include a crust recommendation on the menu. Once they build the pizza, they run it through a conveyer belt oven to cook it. I wondered how they made it so fast. I got the thin so I'm not sure if the classic pan pizza takes a little longer to make. I would think so, since it's a thicker dough.

My dad got the Farmer's Market pizza

Tuscan marinara, onions, spinach, red & green peppers, red onions, roasted tomatoes
I got the Tuscan Chicken,and added caramelized onions
Olive oil, sundried tomatoes, minced garlic, spinach, grilled chicken
I didn't try any of my dad's pizza, but he said it was good.  Mine was delicious. All the ingredients worked really well together, and was bursting with flavor. The crust was a little thin for my taste, but it was good. When I first saw the size of the pizza I thought it looked kind of small, but it was just enough as a personal pizza. Anything bigger would have been too much.

Back to the whole family thing...our assistant equipment manager, as well as the video and equipment students, were all there as busboys. Billy was there, back behind the counter, helping the staff. And Pitt and Bonnie made an appearance. I was thankful I got to see him, even though it was just for a few minutes. 

I'll definitely be going back. There are other pizzas I want to try, and I passed when my friend Wade, who is the GM, tried to convince me to get the dessert. So of course I have to go back and get one.


Liebster Award

I’m so excited to share I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award by a fellow blogger:

Sara from Shabby Grace Blog

Wow, thanks so much Sara! I'm truly honored to be recognized. “Liebster” means “dearest” or “favorite” in German. It’s also known as the “Love Blog Award.”

The award is to show newer bloggers that they’re appreciated and to help spread the word about new blogs.





Here are the rules for the Liebster Award:
1. Acknowledge the blogger(s) who nominated you.
2. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the blogger who nominated you provided.
4. Choose 11 blogs you love and nominate them.
5. Create a list of 11 questions for your nominees.
6. Let your nominated bloggers know!


11 Random Facts About Me
1. My parents are from Trinidad. It's a small country in the Caribbean Sea, very close to the tip of Venezuela. We went annually until I was about 18, and I haven't been back since I was 25. I was born in the US, and my mom loves to call me a Yankee.

2. If I had been born a boy, I would have been named Marvin. Let's all take a minute to thank nature that I was born a girl!

3. I've never broken any bones in my body. I had a stress fracture in my leg 9 years ago, but that doesn't count as a break. It still hurt like hell, and I was in a boot for 6 weeks.

4. I was a good swimmer when I was a kid, and butterfly was my best stroke. Some of my Trinidad relatives were waiting on me to get to the Olympics. We had to tell them that was never happening. I was good for summer league swim team, and that's about it. And once it became not fun anymore, I stopped.

5. As a kid, I was REALLY picky about what I ate. Nothing could touch each other, and if I didn't like it, I refused to eat it. That lasted until I was about 15. I also had a meltdown as a little kid once in Wendy's because of the square burger. I very loudly (and repeatedly) told my parents "that's not a burger". The manager took it in the back and cut off the corners, but it was too late. I'm pretty sure it was a long time before we ever set foot in Wendy's again.

6. I am a voracious reader, and always have been. As a kid my nose was constantly in a book. My would drop me off at the bookstore, go run errands, and come back and get me when she was done. I would sit in the kid's section all by myself and read. But then one day someone robbed the bookstore while I was in there--he was really quiet, and nobody else knew until the cops showed up. First of all, who the heck robs a bookstore? How much money did he really think he was going to get?! As you can imagine, I was never left in the store again.

7. I have the sickle cell trait. Thankfully I'll never get the disease or any of the symptoms/problems, but I do suffer from very low iron.

8. I HATE NEEDLES. Always have. My mom said when I was 5 and needed blood work done, it took 4 nurses to hold me down. Even so, I give blood every couple months, because it's the right thing to do. And because I have sickle cell, I can only do platelets which means the needle is in my arm for about 90 minutes.

9. I never got any of the childhood diseases (measles, chicken pox, etc). I was around friends who came down with it the next day, but I got nothing. Let's all hope I don't get it as an adult, because I hear it's brutal and potentially life-threatening when that happens

10. Both my parents come from big families. My dad is one of 12, and my mom is one of 6. I have a half-sister, but she's never lived with us so basically I'm an only child.

11. When I go to the mall, I have to go down one side and back up the other. I can't cross the walkway to a store on the other side


My 11 questions:
1. How would you describe your home decor style?

It's kind of pathetic, but I really don't have a specific style. When I find something I like that goes with the color scheme of the room, I'll get it. That probably explains why 8 years later, most of my wall space is blank. I get bursts of energy and motivation and take all the floor/wall samples with me to the store, and then get frustrated when I can't find what I want. Or I'm not sure if I really like it enough to buy it.

2. What’s one thing you wish you knew about blogging before you started?

How time consuming it is! I started the blog as a personal journey 3 years ago, and during my crazy work times I'd go a couple months without a post. And it didn't phase me too much. But when I started to really focus on growing the blog (joining social media sites, being active in blogger groups, and being active on link parties) I realized that I truly needed to do something every single day. Or at least every other day. I've really struggled with that the past couple weeks, because this time of year my world is focused on getting ready for the first home game. So by the time I get home the last thing I want to do is work on the blog. But I know I need to, so I'm on a mission to devote an hour a night to doing just that. One thing that has helped is that I didn't jump on the social media train until this spring. So I'm able to republish old posts regularly, and that has really increased my readership and followers.

3. What’s one tip you would give to a new blogger?
You have to be your own activist for readership and followers. It's easy to get discouraged when nobody is reading your stuff. It takes time, and you have to actively promote your work. And do it regularly.

4. What’s your favorite social media when promoting your blog?
Well I have two, for different reasons:
My Facebook page, because I can easily track followers and who's reading my posts. I can republish old posts that otherwise probably won't get read. I share posts of my fellow bloggers, and hopefully they do the same of mine.

Twitter, because when I do restaurant reviews I always tweet the restaurant. When I first started doing that it didn't have much traction, but now most of them will favorite and/or retweet. And some will even comment and promote my review. I haven't gotten a free meal out of it yet, but hopefully that's next :)

5. The best piece of life advice you’ve been given?
Be willing to move wherever the job takes you. From the time I was a kid, I wanted to work in sports...specifically for a college football team. I honestly don't even know where that came from. I was lucky enough to work for Maryland Football for 13 years, and I learned early on that you have to work hard (even harder as a female), be willing to put in long hours, and if the job moves you all over the place, you run with it. 20 years ago I had no idea where Stillwater Oklahoma was, when I came out to visit in 2000 I told Coach Gundy I would never live here; and now I've been here for 8 years.

6. Your favorite book?
I don't have a favorite book, but my favorite genre is mysteries/suspense. They are so hard to put down because I want to know what happens! I was devastated one day when I finished the second book in a series, only to find out that the third wasn't coming out for another year. That's not even fair.

7. If you had to pick ONE store to shop at for a year, what would it be?
Wow. That's a hard one. Probably Super Target, because then I could buy clothes, groceries, and toiletries all in one.

8. What’s your favorite Holiday?
Christmas. I love the smell of the live Christmas tree, and transforming the house with decorations. We've always had a live tree. One year when I was 3 or 4 we were going to Trinidad on Christmas Day, so my parents planned to not get a tree here. Not what a toddler wants to hear, and kids don't understand that concept anyway. Apparently I cried and screamed so much they went out on Christmas Eve and bought one.

9. Do you have any children or pets?
None of either. I love kids and always said I would have a couple. But it never came to be. Besides, I'm much better as Aunt Karyl because I can give them back!

As a kid I was absolutely terrified of dogs, but I still wanted one. My parents said no way, but of course I kept begging. So they got me a goldfish and told me if I could take care of that, they would get me a dog. Goldfish don't tell you when they're hungry...so several goldfish later their evil plan worked. Now that I can get a dog myself, I never have because I'm just not home enough.

10. What’s your favorite restaurant and/or type of food?
Once again, I don't have just one. I love all kinds of food, but my top 4 are Thai, Italian, Mexican, and Chinese. My favorite foods are steak, pasta, pizza, burgers, and seafood.

11. If you hit the lotto, what’s the first thing you’d buy or do?

I would set up trusts for the kids of my very close friends and my cousins with kids to cover their education expenses until they turn 21.


Bloggers I Nominate


My 11 Questions for You:
1. If you had a super power, what would it be?
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
3. You have an entire day completely to yourself. No spouse/kids/work. How do you spend it?
4. What have you found to be the most frustrating part about blogging?
5. What is the best advice you have for new bloggers?
6. If you could have dinner with any 3 people, living or dead, who would they be?
7. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
8. If you were trapped on a deserted island what are your top 3 things you would want to have with you?
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Your favorite team (college or pro)?
10. What do you do at the end of a long day to relax and unwind?
11. What inspired you to begin blogging?


Can’t wait to read your blog posts!

My Chef's Hat - Potato Hash with Bell Peppers & Onions

When I was a kid, my parents did all the cooking. I can't remember when I started, but I was probably in middle school. And even then it basically consisted of eggs, chocolate chip cookies, and the occasional spaghetti. So needless to say I didn't help out in the kitchen too often. When I moved into an apartment with Kara right after college, I knew it was time to learn to cook, or weigh 500lbs from eating out all the time. So I watched my mom and helped her a few times to get the hang of things.  I had a few go-to recipes, but that was about it. When I moved out on my own I found a few more, but I was still rotating the same recipes over and over again.

A couple years ago I discovered Pinterest.  I hesitated at first, because I had heard it was addicting.  And then I gave in and joined. For the first week I spent HOURS on there. Every time you log back in, there's hundreds of new items to search through. It's insane, kind of like a cult. Sometimes you want out, and then it sucks you right back in. And even when I go in to find a recipe to make, I'll end up pinning another 25 new ones.

I've currently got over 1,200 recipes that I've pinned and want to make. And another 130+ that I've found and made. About 2 years ago I started a goal of making one brand new recipe every week. Some weeks I'm really good, other weeks I'm okay. And then there's times I go a month at a time without a new recipe. There's really no excuse for that. The other day I began a new mission of one brand new recipe per week; and then one that I've made but haven't posted on the blog.

That's where the recipe for Potato Hash with Bell Peppers & Onions came in. I first came across this recipe on The Pioneer Woman, and have made it a bunch of times. I made it for my dad while he was here a couple weeks ago, and he really enjoyed it. Then the other day I found a slightly different version The Comfort of Cooking. So, in the spirit of the food blog, I made that one.

Here is the official recipe photo



And here is my version



I love this dish. It's so flavorful and filling, and a perfect one-pot side. This recipe calls for fresh minced garlic to be added in for the last couple minutes of cooking. I had never done that before, and I was worried that it might be too strong. It does add a slight bite, but mainly it just adds really good flavor. The parmesan is good, but I think it would be okay without it. The recipe only calls for red pepper, but I added red, orange, yellow and green because I had them all. And I love how they add such a great pop of color. The recipe also calls for butter to be added in with the oil at the beginning when you cook the potatoes. I started with just Pam, and when I remembered the butter I added just a little Smart Balance about 5 minutes before the garlic. It still did the trick. I also eventually added just a very small amount of oil to prevent the potatoes from sticking. I've made the mistake in the past of not giving myself enough time to cook the potatoes, and then I end up burning them. But this time I cooked them perfectly.  A few pieces look a little burnt in the picture, but I kept the skin on so that's just how dark it got.

I'm definitely keeping this version in my "must make" folder, and will be making it more often.


Recipe found on The Comfort of Cooking 


Shared on

#185 - Boba Fusion Cafe, Stillwater OK

Normally when I go back to Maryland to visit my family, I fly back to Oklahoma alone and then my parents fly out a couple of weeks later.  This year, my dad flew back with me, and my mom was driving out with 2 of her sisters a couple weeks later. I take vacation as close to football season as possible...kind of like a last relaxing hurrah before the chaos begins. So when I get back, I hit the ground running.  It's normal for me to get to work before dawn and stay until dark, and also work all weekend. Since my dad was here by himself, I tried to get back home a little earlier. It worked a few times.  Most of the nights I cooked dinner, but one night I wasn't in the mood, so we headed out for Asian food.

My original plan was Thai Cafe, one of my favorite restaurants in town. My dad had eaten there before and liked it too. We walked in, and it was like an ice box. I really didn't want to spend the whole meal trying to stay warm, so I decided we would eat someplace else. I started looking around, and then remembered about Boba Fusion Cafe. When I first saw it a few years ago, I had no desire to go there, because it looks super shady from the outside. And I didn't know anyone who had ever eaten there. Then I learned my friend Ming was a huge fan. He's Malaysian, so I figure if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.

The restaurant is in a strip mall on the East side of town. The strip mall is perpendicular to the main road and the restaurant is at the back. So unless you know it's there, or unless you happen to see it going to another store or the Wal Mart next door, you'll completely miss it.

They always say don't judge a book by its cover. So that's what I told my dad as we walked in. The inside isn't fancy by any stretch either, but it's a local place in a college town. It doesn't need to be fancy. The food is what matters.

As you walk in, there's a dessert counter and ordering counter on the left. The kitchen is behind the counter, and then at the back wall is a beverage station where you can get specialty juices and drinks.  You order your food at the counter and they bring the food to you. 

Our cashier was really helpful, making recommendations of their most popular and her favorite dishes. I tried to start with the dumplings (made from scratch daily), but they were already out. And since the restaurant was closing in about 45 minutes they weren't making any more.  Bummer. She said the second most popular appetizer was basil fried veggies. 


I'm not sure what I was expecting it to look like, but it definitely wasn't this. However, it only took one bite and I was completely sold. Mushrooms, pumpkin and broccoli, fried perfectly and served scorching hot from the fryer. I don't even eat pumpkin, but I could have devoured all of it. I scalded my mouth on the mushroom because it's whole and exploded in my mouth. I'm not sure exactly what they coated the veggies in, but it was awesome. The basil added so much flavor.

My dad got the Teppanyaki tofu


I love the presentation on the hot plate. The tofu and chunks of veggies were huge, and it came sizzling to the table. I tried a bite of the tofu, and it was really good. I would say that it was a little greasy though. When he took the leftovers there was quite a bit left. But then again, grease is flavor right?

I went with the 3 cup chicken, one of the most popular dishes on the menu.


Wow, this chicken was amazing. Screaming hot, tons of flavor, quite spicy. The sauce was really delicious. Most restaurants you get so much food you could easily take home half. This was a much more realistic portion. Without the appetizer I could have eaten the whole thing, but I ended up taking a little bit home. 

With every entree you get 2 sides of the day. And it's whatever sides they make. This day it was pickled cauliflower and potato salad. I have to say potato salad is a very unique and interesting side for an Asian restaurant. But the potatoes provided a nice cooling contrast to the spicy chicken. The cauliflower was delicious. I'm really becoming a big fan of pickled veggies.

Will I go back? No question. The food was excellent, and I definitely have to try the homemade dumplings. This place has jumped up into one of my top 5 restaurants in town.

My Chef's Hat - Runzas

I'm on this mission to regularly make more new recipes. I've got over 1,200 new recipes pinned on Pinterest, and I just keep adding. I also realized that I haven't done posts about a lot of those that are under "Made it Loved it".  Starting today, my goal is one brand new and one I've already made recipe per week. This recipe is one that I've made a bunch of times but never posted.

Iv'e been friends with Jack & Betty it seems like ever since I moved to Stillwater. They're both OSU grads and huge fans. Two years ago I went on an amazing trip to Playa del Carmen with Jack, Betty and our friend Barbara. Unfortunately my schedule hasn't worked out to allow me to go with them since then, but I'm determined to make it work next spring. Playa is so  much fun, especially with that group. Jack & Betty have said that they're going to retire to Playa. That wouldn't surprise me one bit, considering they go twice a year! 

One day I was at their house, and Jack had made runzas. Well, he called them bierocks. The name is interchangeable. What mattered is that they smelled amazing. So of course I had to try them. One bite, and I was sold.  I even got a doggie bag with a few runzas to take home with me. 

As soon as I got home, I went online to find the recipe so I could make them myself. That's when I realized I had tried them at the Nebraska football game. The one at the game was about 3x the size of the ones Jack made, and probably had at least twice as many calories. Jack and Betty are very health conscious, so Jack had found a great way to significantly reduce the calories and fat.

I found numerous recipes on Pinterest that call for you to make your own dough. That's great in theory, but not quick or convenient when you're making a quick lunch or snack. Jack uses Rhodes' Rolls that you find in the freezer section of the grocery store. I figure if those are good enough for him, they're good enough for me! 

Here is the recipe photo. Since I used the Rhodes' Rolls, I went with their recipe and photo



And here is my version



I really, really like these. You would think with so few added seasonings that it would be bland. But it's not at all. There's actually a lot of flavor in them. They're a little time consuming, but overall extremely easy to make. I've made my fair share of errors while making these: spread the rolls too thin so they exploded; overcooked them; forgotten to add butter to get the golden color; undercooked the cabbage. I've also put too much vinegar, and that is NOT a good thing. But thankfully the sugar balances it out. Today I'm very impressed with myself, because I did pretty much everything right! I always make too much filling. That's because I estimate the cabbage, and it's always too much. So I end up having a couple of spoonfuls of filling while I wait for the rolls to bake. I don't really count that one as an error. 

To lighten it up, I only use cooking spray to saute the cabbage and onions...and I add garlic. I use very lean beef, and use Smart Balance spread instead of butter on top. I also use Splenda instead of sugar. I've made it both with and without cheese.  I did no cheese the first time, since that's what Jack did. But I love cheese, so I use it. I've alternated between mozzarella and parmesan, and they are both delicious. 

Of course I will continue to make these. I have to admit I don't do it very often, because I usually forget to take the rolls out to thaw. I have to have this recipe on my mind and on my list to do it. But it's well worth the wait for such a scrumptious dish.

Recipe found on Rhodes Bread


Shared on

#184 - AG Kitchen, Silver Spring MD

A few weeks ago I was back home in Maryland, and my friend Kara had come to visit for a couple of days from North Carolina.  The first day, we hit Annapolis; the second day we hit Washington DC. And when I say hit DC, we dominated. According to the pedometer on my phone, we walked over 13 miles. Our legs felt every one of them. When we got back to my parents' house my mom asked if we wanted to go out for dinner. I'm never going to say no to a meal, so of course we were in.  So we took a nap to refresh, and then went to Downtown Silver Spring.

Downtown Silver Spring has seen a major rebirth over the past 20 years.  When I was a kid, that was pretty run down. Never horrible, and never unsafe, but there just wasn't that much there to bring the crowds.  It was a place to pass through from one part of town to another more than anything else.  There was a historic movie theatre and a few restaurants, but that's about it.  When Metro built a station there that helped, but only to a small extent.  They've done a much more major revitalization over the years, to bring more people there to eat, shop and be entertained. First it was a Whole Food and some more restaurants. And now it has absolutely exploded, with lots of shops and restaurants, a huge AMC theatre and a park.  At night they close down the main road to traffic through the official downtown area, to make it a walking friendly area. They built an open air theatre across the street, and there's often bands playing.  

We didn't really have a plan of where to eat. My parents and I love Thai at Silver Spring, but I wanted something different for the food blog. We saw AG Kitchen in the spot where Macaroni Grill had been, so we decided to go look at the menu. As we perused, one of the hostesses came out and gave us a sample of their chips & guac. The guac was fantastic. Sold.

None of us had heard of AG Kitchen, and learned that it started in NYC, and the Silver Spring location is the second one. I'd be really interested to know how they picked this as their other location. It seems kind of random. But I'm sure there's a method to their madness.

The restaurant is large and bright and open. They use lots of really bright colors: lime green, orange, pink, and yellow. Very tropical. They've also got a large open kitchen so you can watch them work. 

One of the first things I noticed at the table was the viewfinder


I literally don't think I've seen one of those since I was a kid. That's probably not the real name for it, but you know what I mean. I had one when I was little, and loved it. On these viewfinders they showcase their desserts.  Cool presentation, and definitely a conversation starter. 

The menu is Cubin and Latin inspired. It includes tacos, burgers, main dishes, and a substantial selection of appetizers. One thing I noticed is that most of the menu items are a la carte, so you have to order starch or veggies separately. And they are kind of expensive. I'm not a big fan of that. 

Since the guacamole was what sold us on eating there, of course we had to start with it. You can can mild, medium or spicy. You can also choose from one of 4 types. We stuck with classic, and went mild since my dad eats guac and doesn't do spicy.


On the menu it says "tableside", but it was delivered to the table complete.  I must say I was disappointed in the serving size. For the price, and for how many chips they give you, I expected more. On the plus side,the guac was fantastic. Very fresh, and you can tell they use fresh lime juice. 

I wasn't planning on getting a drink, but since Kara wanted one I agreed to have one as well. After some back and forth, and help from the server, we went with Her Name is Lola


It was very strong and fruity. But it was too thick. I think they put so much fruit in there that it's almost not even a cocktail anymore.  It was okay, but I wouldn't get it again.

Kara got the baja fish tacos. And because the tacos don't come with anything, she added a side salad
Crispy snapper, citrus slaw, chipotle cream

The tacos were small so I didn't try any, but she said they were really delicious. And the side salad was your basic salad.

My mom got the mahi mahi

Jumbo crab, mango, pineapple and papaya salsa, pickled red onions

It came to the table screaming hot. I tried a bite and it was delicious. The broth and the fish had really good flavor.

My dad ordered the salmon. That's when we found out that it's part of the surf & turf option. Since my dad is vegetarian, that wasn't going to work. But the server showed us that we could do a double-serving of the salmon. So he did that, with mango salsa for the sauce and asparagus for the side.


I really liked the presentation in the cast iron pots. It was a large serving of asparagus, and they were cooked to a tender-crisp, which is exactly the way I like them. I tried a bite of the salmon and it was perfectly cooked. When we first ordered it, we were worried that it would be way too much salmon, but each portion is well-sized to be just one part of a serving of food.

As usual, I had trouble deciding what to get. After a lot of back and forth, I went with the Samba chicken. I had hesitated because it's a half chicken, but the server said it was really delicious so I decided to trust her. I asked her to put the sauces on the side. And for my side dish, I did sweet plantains


These were awesome. Thick chunks, perfectly cooked, and screaming hot. I hadn't had plantains in ages. I used to make fried plantains periodically, but I never find good ones here in Oklahoma.

Brazilian style, marinated 24 hours, dry charcoal rub;
Honey glaze & AG spicy mojo

I am so glad I listened and got the chicken. It was super moist & juicy, and extremely flavorful. I'm not sure what the marinade is, but it was wonderful. Both of the sauces were delicious. I tasted both by themselves before dipping the chicken in them. The mojo is very spicy, and I think it would be too much if it was cooked with the chicken. But having it as a dipping sauce was perfect. The honey glaze was sweet, but not overpowering at all. The roll was okay, but honestly not really needed.  I'm wondering if they add it simply because there's a space on the plate. It was way too much food, so I took the rest home and ate it the next day. I'm not a fan of leftovers, but I'll make an exception for this chicken. It was just as good the second time around. 

I read through reviews as I was preparing to write this post, and they are very mixed. Some people had horrible experiences with service and/or food. I'm guessing it's partially because the restaurant is pretty new, and still getting its footing. Our service wasn't perfect, but she was very nice and helpful, and not overbearing. The manager did also come over to our table to ask how everything was. Other than the guac not being tableside and being a small portion, our food was really good. 

As we were walking out, we noticed this table in the little foyer


Kind of a unique thing, showcasing some of the items they use in their kitchen. I've never seen anything like it before.

Will I go back?  Yes, I will, because we had an overall good experience. And by the time I'm back in Maryland they would have had more time to get better. I would really like to check out the NYC location to see the difference.


#183 - Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington DC

A few weeks ago I was back home in Maryland visiting family and friends. My friend Kara lives in North Carolina, but occasionally comes to town when she knows I'm going to be there. This was one of those times, and we had a 2-day funtivities excursion.  Our funtivities are a lot more tame now than they were in college...probably a good thing. The first day we did Annapolis, visited Heather in College Park, and went to the Washington Nationals game.  The second day we toured DC, hitting a lot of spots neither of us had been to in a really long time. We went to the Jefferson Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Capital, and the Supreme Court. We got to the Capital too late to do a tour, but they were in session and we saw about 40 black Suburbans with tinted windows, waiting on the senators. I stopped to talk to the cops and they asked if we wanted to go in and watch whatever they were voting on.  I would rather watch paint dry, and they found that really funny. I was serious. I'm not sure if you can ever go into the Supreme Court building, but it was pretty cool. 

We walked EVERYWHERE. Well, we took the metro to Arlington because it's way too far to walk. But other than that, we walked. And it was blazingly hot. Thank goodness we were both smart enough to wear running gear. According to the pedometer on my phone we covered 13 miles. That's an entire half marathon. 

If you've never seen the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery, you need to go. It's one of the most moving things I've ever seen. It's a very elaborate, exacting ceremony that takes less than 5 minutes, and all the spectators remain standing and completely silent. I was melting during the ceremony, so I can't even imagine how hot they get in full dress.




By the time we toured the cemetary and took the metro back to DC we were starving. I looked on restaurant.com to see if I could find someplace for us to go, but nothing caught our eye. Instead we decided to go to Old Ebbitt Grill.

Old Ebbitt Grill opened in 1856, and is the oldest bar in Washington DC. It's moved locations around DC several times over the years, and is now just a couple blocks from the White House. So it's no surprise to see politicians eating there. The walls are dark paneling, it's white tablecloths at lunch and dinner, and the servers all wear white shirts with suspenders, bow ties, and long white aprons. The decorations are ornate, with large paintings on the walls


Photo courtesy of about.com
We were 100% underdressed for eating here. But, it was a late lunch, and it's the height of tourist season in DC. So we decided not to care. 

First up, lots of water. Then, it was time for a beverage.  To beat the heat, we went light and crisp with prosecco


I'm a big fan of prosecco.  It's not as sweet as champagne, but it has all the bubbles. And it's very refreshing. 

We decided to start with oysters. They change up the oysters daily, and since we were on the East coast we went with the ones from New England and Maine



Ice cold, fresh, and delicious. The vinegar sauce was really good as well.  I've had some that is really overpowering with the vinegar, but this one had a really nice balance.  It was interesting that they put the horseradish directly into the cocktail sauce.  I've never seen that before.  The down side to that is you can easily get way too big a chunk of horseradish.

Kara raved about the burgers, and they use locally raised beef. Who can pass up on that?! We both went with the regular burgers. Kara added American cheese and sauteed mushrooms



I added bleu cheese and sauteed onions, and added sriracha mayo mayo on the side




The burger was awesome.  It was cooked to a perfect medium, and was very tender and juicy. I've never seen sauteed onions on the side before...usually they just put them on the burger. But they give you a whole lot of onions. So maybe that's a good thing. 

I'm a huge french fry snob. I have no qualms asking restaurants (both sit down and fast food) to bring fresh fries when the ones I get aren't up to my standards. I have to say I was quite disappointed with these fries.  They had good flavor, and were the thickness that I like, but they were just lukearm. I'm pretty sure we got at or near the bottom of the batch. I'm not sure why I didn't send them back. Probably because I was starving, and we still had a lot to do in our day. 

Will I go back? Definitely. I love the atmosphere, and the food was really good. Besides, I need to give the french fries another chance.