Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Hella Spicy Jambalaya!

Lars was really into the idea of an Oscar's themed dinner last Sunday, and after perusing the lineup and deciding that just drinking hooch sounded kinda sh*tty, we settled on a creole favorite: Jambalaya. This was of course in honor of best picture nominee Beasts of the Southern Wild (which I still haven't seen because I suck at life). It's also been cold as eff, so the warm comfort of jambalaya sounded nice. This stuff was sooo slammin', and lucky for you I'm offering up the recipe right now. Lars is none too pleased about that. This goes awesome with a stout beer!


INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Chicken Thighs (boned and skinned)
1 lb Hot Link Sausages
1 28 oz can of Diced Tomatoes with Juice
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
3 Cups of Water 1 Large Yellow Onion
1 Large Green Bell Pepper
3 Stalks of Celery
4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic
1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning Mix (Thyme, Oregano, Basil)
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
1 Tablespoon Red Chili Flakes
1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 Cup Parboiled White/Brown Rice
2 Cups of Water
Freshly Chopped Parsley (for finishing garnish)



INSTRUCTIONS:

Bone, skin and cut the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces. Add to hot skillet with butter or olive oil. Brown the meat 5 minutes or so - it doesn't not need to be cooked all the way through because it will finish in the slow cooker. Chop the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Add to slow cooker pot (removed from heat). Chop sausages into bite sized pieces and add to pot as well. Empty the chicken thighs and juices into slow cooker pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and give it a good stir with your favorite (or only) wooden spoon. Simmer in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours. Veggies should still have a little bite to them and chicken/sausage should be cooked all the way through after this amount of time. When there is about a half hour left to cook, add rice and water to separate saucepan and cook according to package instructions. White rice will take around 25 minutes, while brown rice will be closer to 50 minutes. When you're ready to eat, spoon Jambalaya over rice and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. You may choose to add extra hot sauce or cayenne depending on your heat preference. Now who's the man? I'M THE MAN.


Monday, February 25, 2013

Chic Eats - Roberta's

My shoot wrapped early last Saturday, which meant I was stranded in Brooklyn. What better plans could be laid on this rainy day than to mosey over to Bushwick for an afternoon of artisanal brick oven pizza, local brews and hipster snark? Lars and Emily were shooting a different project in the area, and finished up around the same time, so they agreed to meet me at Roberta's around 2:30 PM. Surprise, surprise: we were actually able to obtain a table for three without a wait. This is extremely rare because this place is hella hoppin' at most hours. For realz, hipsters and boring folk (hipster perception of normal people) alike bombard this rustic pizza tavern as though they are serving gold flakes in their chili oil. Not the case, but baller pizza none the less.


I do love Roberta's, and believe me, this doesn't make me special. The first time I went, I waited three hours for a table. It was my mistake for coming on a Friday night without a reservation. The good news is, during the summer they have a great outdoor bar area with a decent local beer selection where you can hang out while waiting to nosh on slightly overpriced pie. The bad news is, if it's winter you're effed and huddled up in the front of the restaurant or in the bar area taking up space and/or pissing folks off.

This place can seem pricey, but there are a few important things to remember. They are a sustainable restaurant in that they use local ingredients and grow most of their herbs and veggies on the roof. They have a reputation for providing a killer atmosphere and tasty, unique grub. And I've always experienced above satisfactory service. The folks here are nice (even if they dress like muppets) and the pizza comes out hella fast. I assume this is to make up for the fact that you probably waited 9 million hours to get a table.

I was hungry, because that's what shooting music videos for mediocre pop stars does to me. We decided on the Romaine ($11) to start. This was a perfectly dressed salad with the right amount of freshly shaved Pecorino cheese, candied walnuts and Caesar dressing atop crisp baby romaine leaves. We were off to a nice, crunchy start. Emily exclaimed, "I could SWIM IN THIS DRESSING!" (Note: Swimming in Caesar dressing is not recommended by Roberta's or any Roberta's affiliates and is the sole opinion of one Emily Althaus.)


For pizza, we went with a classic Margherita ($12) and The Good Girl ($16) (just so you know, I'm talking about the pizza not the movie starring Jennifer Aniston opposite Jake Gyllenhall. That was actually a pretty good movie. Did anyone else see it? Definitely her finest acting. John C. Reilly was great in that too! But, I digress). The Margherita wasn't crazy or unique, but it was a very well done pie with a nice smattering of bright San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. This one did it for Lars. He can sometimes be a purist with his pizza. I enjoyed it, but at a place like Roberta's I'm usually eager to try something funky.


And that's where "The Good Girl" comes in FTW. A sauce-less pie topped with house made sausage, charred kale and sprinkles of taleggio cheese. I loved the flavor and texture of this pie. The kale has baked to a lovely crispy consistency and goes so well with the sharp bite of the cheese and the savory sausage. So yummy, so fun and Emily took this opportunity to try her hand (pun intended) at hand modeling. You'll be able to say you knew her back when!


After a couple of pitchers of Bronx Brewery Pale Ale ($16), it was time to hit the road. I have to say had the pitchers of beer not been in play, this one would have qualified as a cheap eat. A little goes a long way here, oh and they take CC now, so have no fear if you're amidst a cashless crew! Overall, Roberta's offered a lovely pitstop on a busy Saturday. Next, Lars and myself were off to the Frigid Festival to support our buds Karim and Carrie in their super fun circus show The Vindlevoss Family Circus Spectacular! (WHICH YOU SHOULD GO SEE!).

THE DAMAGE:  around $30 per person with tax and tip! Not bad.


Also these happened:


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Cheap Eats - Prosperity Dumpling

FIVE DUMPLINS' FOR A MAH-FAH DOLLAR?! Oh, Prosperity Dumpling. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This place is simplicity at its finest. Prosperity Dumpling is one of those places of legend that you hear about from your friend's friend, from a haggard old soothsayer outside of a punk club on Rivington or from some guy who comes in from Philly specifically to load up on bags of these tasty little dumplings. So cheap - seriously 5 big, crispy Pork and Chive Fried Dumplings for $1! Quarts of Soup for $2.50! Scallion Pancakes for $1-$2 depending on whether you want to add roasted veggies, chicken, pork, or duck. This place brings ballin' on a budget to a new level. (You can check out some of the silly cheap prices by clicking on the menu board below.)


Let's be real, the place itself isn't much to look at. This dumpling shack at 46 Eldridge on the LES is a hole in the wall (I can't believe they have some semblance of a website). Once you open the door and enter the all of 3 cubic feet of tile floor that the restaurant offers, you will bump into people. People will splash their wonton soup on you. Your presence will offend an old Chinese lady. You may feel a bit uncomfortable, until you see the magic hands of the disgruntled workers behind the counter. What a glorious site to behold! Hundreds of dumplings being carefully hand crafted and added to the flat pan with boiling oil and water. The sizzle is like music to mine ears.


And then you hand them the last $2.25 (cash only) in your wallet and you end up with a man's feast. Today I went for the classic pork and chive fried dumplings (because you pretty much have to) and a pint of the hot and sour soup. The dumplings are perfection, and they come in a variety of meat, seafood and veggie flavors.The dough isn't too thick, the outside is crispy in all of the right places and the pork and chive filling is flavorful, juicy and OMG, so effin' good. My method is to douse these little babies in siriacha, black vinegar and soy sauce. MSG EXPLOSION, Y'ALL! Only your heart will regret your choices. Your soul will be more than satisfied.


The hot and sour soup here is pretty slammin' too. They use a variety of mushrooms instead of sticking with just the regular button 'shrooms that I see utilized at so many other Chinese joints in town. Holy shitake, y'all! They also use wax beans to amp up the flavor. These add a great texture to the rest of the soup. They don't skimp on the tofu, so if you're a lover, be ready to nom nom. For $1.25, this is one of your best best hot and sour soup tickets in town. Hearty, thick and super yummy. And again, after finishing, the salt monster will come to take your first born.


One day I will "splurge" and buy a bag of their frozen dumplings. I believe you can snag 50 of these bad boys for $10.00 or less. WHAT A DEAL, YO! It's so cheap here, you'll have plenty of money left to make bad decisions in the East Village. Remember to remind yourself not to step into Mars Bar, or you might die.

THE DAMAGE: $2.25! WHOOOAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Chic Eats - MexiBBQ

There's a Tex-Mex place on our corner called MexiBBQ that Lars adores. Personally, I have never been wowed by the place, but considering I find myself there more often than not, I should probably write up a little review. Originally, Lars and I avoided this place because we thought it looked douchey (there's a waterfall in the back). The ambiance is actually pretty fun and lively though, and the servers are nice. Also, you can buy growlers to take home their special brews. This is a cool thing in a neighborhood that can sometimes lack decent draft selections.

I'm going to make this one snappy, because I don't think it's a place that particularly warrants a long drawn out review. Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons, but I wouldn't claim this is a place you need to make a visit for. That said, if you're looking for a palatable bite in Astoria with a decent atmosphere, MexiBBQ is a valid choice.

PROS:

1.) Great beer list (any draft you can imagine, with a late night happy hour to boot!)
2.) Burger and Beer Monday - $10 for a damn decent burger and a draft beer.
3.) Fun for brunch - $11 to add unlimited mimosas, bloody mary's or Mexican draft beers to your brunch entree. Do it. The waiters here will make it worth your while. The brunch options are pretty tasty too.
4.) It's seriously a 90 second walk to my apartment. (Don't take that as an invitation to stalk me.)
5.) Nice presentation on dishes. They use micro greens on nearly everything, people. MICRO GREENS!
6.) Fun, lively atmosphere with a good music playlist and big booths for groups.

CONS:

1.) The food has never come out at the right temperature. My hot food always comes out kind of cold, and the time I ordered a salad, it arrived in a room temperature bowl.
2.) It's pricey for the portions that you get.
3.) The service has been inconsistent. Sometimes very slow.
4.) They recently changed the tortillas on the tacos from corn to flour? Now the tacos come out more like a toasted chimichanga, than a taco.
5.) They use micro greens on nearly everything, people. MICRO GREENS! (some people might consider that a con.)

We started with the guacamole with crispy pork cracklings and house made chips ($7). This appetizer always wins. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture, but I can vouch that the guac is a great acid level and consistency, and the pork is a fun touch. If you're not a pork person they have plenty of other creative guacamoles featuring shrimp, chicken and more. Start with one of these.

On our last visit I ordered the Devil Corn Quesadilla. This was a flour tortilla with huitlacoche cheese, mushrooms, corn and black beans. I liked the spiciness of the sauce on top and the crema that they use to balance it out, however for $12, the portion was measly, and the quesadilla came out soggy. It was almost as though the food had sat out on the counter for a while collecting moisture before coming out to me. Not the most appetizer meal I've had there. But hey, they put micro greens on top, so yeah, that part was cool.


Lars ordered the Baja Fish Tacos ($9), which he had enjoyed at MexiBBQ before.  However, we were surprised when they came out in flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. It really took all of the traditional flair out of the dish. Though he said it made it easier to apply the mango salsa (the other version had been a bit messy), he said the flour tortillas made the dish bland and unbalanced. It's too bad. Those used to be pretty good tacos. But hey, they put micro greens on top, so yeah, that's cool.


Finally our buddy Nathan settled on some layered nachos ($9) with chicken (+$3), because he's on a diet. Let me rephrase that: he's on a "program" where he can't eat wheat. Corn chips to the rescue! This dish had refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, black olives, tomatoes, salsa, jalapenos and chicken. NO MICRO GREENS. So yeah, totally works for a diet, I mean "program", right? He enjoyed the nachos but again, they weren't anything too special.


Overall, a fun place, but nothing to go loco about.

THE DAMAGE:






Sunday, February 17, 2013

NCCAF and Too Much BBQ (Ouch)

This weekend The Mannequin Room traveled to Chapel Hill, NC to perform in the North Carolina Comedy and Arts Festival (NCCAF).  The end verdict - hella fun show and way too much BBQ (blasphemy, right? No. My butt is still paying for my actions.)

I'll go ahead and preface this blog by saying I didn't take nearly enough photos, and for the most part I forgot to eat, so this is going to be more of a festival recap than a food blog. You can skidaddle if you were hoping for pulled pork food porn. I'll go ahead and say with the exception of the BBQ the food wasn't especially unique. Captain, the transformation is complete. New York has officially turned me into a food snob. Maybe next year I'll try a little harder to find some neighborhood gems, because they certainly exist. This is a college town after all.

We flew in on Thursday afternoon, and the team immediately gave me sh*t for hitting the gym within 10 minutes of checking into our hotel room. Hey, a girl's got priorities, right? Afterward, we went to a pizza place called Piola that was near our hotel so I could undo all that hard work. The thin crust pies were only $5.67 each because they run a deal Monday - Thursday from 3-4 PM. I ordered the 12 inch Firenze pizza (house made sausage and porcini mushrooms with mozzarella) on whole wheat thin crust (bonus points!). The crust was nice and crispy, but unfortunately the cheese and toppings were too sparse, and the sauce lacked flavor. It was fine for the price, but definitely nothing special. This was only illuminated by the fact that our server kept telling us that he was from Chicago and that this pizza measured up with the best of the best. Can't say I agree, but he was cool, so he receives the good effort award. We also ordered a couple of mixed green salads and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. At $19 per person with tax and tip, this qualifies as a fine Chapel Hill "cheap eat".


On Friday it was 60 degrees outside, so a fellow improvisor invited us to his brother's house for a catered BBQ and some live Bluegrass music, compliments of Chapel Hill's own Mipso Trio (keep an eye out for these guys. THEY ARE FANTASTIC!) It was a perfect day to spend time outside and stuff face. We had all the fixins - pulled pork, mac and cheese, collared greens, baked beans, Texas toast, slaw, hush puppies and the BBQ slatherings. The important thing to remember that in North Carolina people are very serious about their BBQ sauce, and their style is vinegar based. Personally, I prefer the vinegar sauce to the more popular tomato based sauces you see in other parts of the country. I also love that NC BBQ doesn't eff around when it comes to smoke and heat. Those beans were hella spicy. I ate three plates, and my butthole is still paying for it. GO BIG OR GO HOME!



That night, The Mannequin Room took the stage at DSI Theatre. We had a great turnout, and all of ourNew York colleagues came out to support. You can't ask for anything better than that. I got to play an old man named Jasper who harasses movie goers, as well as a woman who uses her family's body parts as key ingredients in her famous recipes (Auntie's Lee Press On Nails can really compliment spaghetti, apparently). It felt awesome to blow off some steam on stage with some of my best friends. GREAT JOB!


Saturday, we took a lunch trip with our friends, the Day Camp Kids. We visited a famous BBQ house called Allen & Son's BBQ. This place was so whack. Our waiter's name was Kord (yes, Kord), and I think his brain was full of molasses, or maybe bees. I almost died when they brought out the "BBQ Tray" that my friend Nicole ordered. She had used the words, "I'm gonna go ALL OUT!" and I watched her deflate when they said, "No ribs today, Maam". She settled on what she thought would be a heaping helping of Carolina BBQ. What came instead was a Lindsay Lohan sized portion. How was the word "tray" attached to this meal?  (As a reference point, those hush puppies are about the size of a gumball, and the silver platter is what you would get your rice in at an Indian restaurant. I love that they then preceded to then put a cardboard plate INSIDE of the platter. "No ribs. No Klondike pie. No Hope." - Keaton)


Other folks seemed to dig on their pulled pork and this place is apparently an NC mainstay. I had some kind of pork stew with corn and beans, and it was a bit sweet for my liking. On a positive note, this place had badass hush puppies! These far exceeded the ones we had tasted the day before. The pork I tried was smoky, and the vinegar sauce here was tasty with a nice level of red peppers. I probably would have been more into the food, had I not been paying the price for my gluttonous display on Friday afternoon.

When I went to the bathroom I noticed that there were very detailed instructions on how employees should wash their hands, like down to the steps on how to create a warm soapy mixture by which to aid in sanitation. Later when Kord messed up our friends cobbler order and said "OH I'm sorry. Sometimes I get the peaches and the apples mixed up." Whhhaaaaaa??? There were redeeming factors, but the humor of this meal alone made the entire experience PRICELESS. Also we asked Kord to take a picture of our whole group, but where the hell is Chrissie? FAIL. I only spent $10 though, so I can't complain too much.


For my last night in NC, we hit up some shows, including Casual Sex Offenders show at DSI Theatre. I loved this one, though I think the woman next to me was not a fan of my cackling. OH WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET, THIS IS COMEDY! We went to BowBarr afterward, where I learned an interesting fact about the town. In Chapel Hill, if you are a bar that serves liquor only, your patrons must become "members" of your "club". For $5, I now have a lifetime membership to BowBarr and a card to prove it. I'm so cool. Now I feel like I have to go back just to get my $5's worth. Later, I hit up the DSI after party and danced like a maniac. A live DJ who's not afraid to touch Duck Sauce remixes. Mega win! Also, I was formally introduced to the Harlem Shake this weekend. WTF. Love it.


Overall, it was a fantastic weekend. NCCAF is always so well organized, and it was a delightfully refreshing trip. It's important to get out of New York every once in while to remind ourselves why we love to improvise. Meeting people from other cities is uplifting, and seeing others perform is always enlightening. I applaud Zach Ward and the whole DSI Comedy team for making the 2013 NCCAF Festival a huge success. Until next year, folks!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Cheap Eats - Queens Comfort

Deep fried mac and cheese "Atomic Fire Balls"? Captain Crunch chicken tenders? BYOB!? Holy sh*t. Queens Comfort has it all, y'all! At about 4 PM yesterday afternoon the Mardis Gras party bug started biting my ass. I couldn't just go to yoga and call it a night, NO! I had to get cray, for solidarity's sake, of course.

Queens Comfort seemed like a great option to get this night started. I had been a couple of times before, but only for brunch. The first time I went: meh. They must have been having an off day. The second time I went: passionate love affair with bechamel and eggs. And this Fat Tuesday dinner visit was the icing on the deep fried, salt laden cake.

After a wonderfully productive flow class with Esther at Anthea Yoga, I trekked over to 41st St and 30th Ave to undo all of my hard work. My two accomplices last night were Lou and Lars. Equipped with red wine, PBR and Hennessy (we left Lou to his own devices) we were ready to light the night on fire, and chow on some hella good grub in the mean time! BYOB! YOLO! 4EVR!

The thing to recognize about the dinner menu at Queens Comfort is that this is southern comfort food wearing skinny jeans and flannel. The details are in the carefully thought out chutneys, aiolis and decadent house made condiments. Short ribs are added to favorites like mac n' cheese. They have plenty of funky vegetarian/vegan options. The waiters listen to better music than you. It's playful, it's cheap, and it's tasty. And did I mention that it's BYOB?! It's a Hipster Heaven in there. We were entertained with vintage Chuck Norris movies that were projected on the white wall in the back. Like seriously, Dashboard Confessional could have started their band because of this place. Is that even a valid reference anymore? Eh, whatever.

I settled on the Meatloaf Sandwich with white cheddar, smokey ketchup and batter fried onion rings with a side salad ($12). At first, I thought it looked a little smallish, but in the end, it was the perfect size. The meatloaf was juicy and salty. The ketchup was delicious, and not at all overpowering. I do wish the onion rings had been a little crispier, but if that's my only complaint, this sandwich wins. The salad was well dressed too and I didn't even miss the tots (okay, maybe I missed the tots a little bit).

NOTE: Check out the sh*tty quality on this first pic. Thanks for nothing iPhone 4S. Lou helped me out by taking the rest of the photos with his fancy new iPhone 5. Might be time for an upgrade folks.


Lars ordered the Pig Mac ($12), a fried pork tenderloin sandwich, which was a delight to try. First of all, check out the size of this thing! If this thing went out in public wearing that bun, it would get cited for indecent exposure. The bread and butter pickles on this thing were insane - awesome crunch factor. The chipotle mayo was a great spicy touch too. Lars got fries, because he is not a girl. He said the pork was a little bland but he loved the pickles and sauce. I tried the sandwich and thought the flavor was great. The pork could have been a bit more moist, but I thought it was baller all the same.


Then there was Lou. You can always count on Lou to not F@!& around when it comes to ordering a meal. Lou decided on the Capn' Crunch Chicken Fingers ($9) and the Fried Green Tomatoes with the Lemon Pepper Ranch Dipping Sauce ($7). Holy hell those Capn' Crunch fingers were salty, sweet and totally CRAY. It came with a maple pepper dipping sauce that was super complex considering it was accompanying what looked like a child's snack. The whole plate was littered in a dusting of Capn' Crunch as though the iconic cereal mascot had shook his sugary dandruff across the dish. These were so moist, and just boombastic. The fried green tomatoes are always bomb here, though I think the dipping sauce could benefit from a thicker consistency.



At the end of the meal we had all benefited* greatly (*not an accurate statement)  from the BYOB offerings and made grand plans to go back to our apartment and watch the Westminster Dog Show. Alright, so maybe I cried a little when the Springer Spaniel didn't win the Sporting Group. Doesn't matter, that's besides the point. We know that OUR Sporting Group* (*beer sports) won the night overall! Best in shooowwwww, y'all!



THE DAMAGE: $43.60 for all three of us! That's less than $20 per person with tip. Woohhoo! (and also BYOB!!????!!!!)





Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Winter Lentil Soup Recipe!

If you were anywhere in the Northeast region last week, you probably received that scary "EMERGENCY ALERT!" message on your iPhone. At this moment the true Kentucky girl came out in me, and I fled to the grocery store to ransack the shelves of milk, eggs, dried beans/lentils, canned goods, fresh fruit/veggies, bread, ice cream, chocolate, dunakaroos (no I didn't really find dunkaroos, BUT WHAT IF I HAD?!), you know, the necessities.

Despite the fact that NYC found Nemo (the winter storm, not the adorable Disney clown fish) on Friday night, nothing could have stopped me from attending the Passion Pit concert at MSG (aka Hell) that night. Whooeee. That one was a doozy. I lost so many things that evening - gloves, hat, my friends in the crowd, and my mind, if we want to be honest. But as usual, those electronic psychopaths put on a hella good show, and I think that we can all be happy that frontman Michael Angelakos decided to put his bi-polarness aside for one night to rock the sh*t out of that legendary stadium. And to the usher who reprimanded me for dancing in the aisle to Little Secrets: BITE ME.

I woke up the next morning in a red wine induced haze and thought, I've gotta do something productive on this snowy day with all of those previsions that I stocked up on. So I went to work on a hearty lentil soup with sweet potatoes that's perfect for "post-concert conditions" and cold, dreary weather. The best part - you can throw let your crock pot do the hard part while you get in your daily dose of yoga, and watch a great BBC documentary on the science of weight loss/gain. Check out: Why Are Thin People Not Fat. Yep, that's what I did on Saturday.


INGREDIENTS:

8 Cups of water
1 1b. bag of dry lentils (rinsed and sorted)
1 large yellow onion
1 large sweet potato (peeled)
2 fresh carrots
2 stalks of celery
4 cloves fresh garlic
2 cups chopped dandelion greens/spinach/chard or other fresh green of choice
1/4 cup olive oil
14 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 Bay leaves
1/2 Tsp of Oregano or Italian Seasoning Mix
1 Tsp of Cayenne (optional)
2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Start by chopping onion, carrots, garlic and celery. Add these ingredients to saute pan with olive oil and oregano/Italian seasoning and cook until onions start to become tender, about 4 minutes. Chop the sweet potato and greens and place to the side. Empty contents of saute pan into crock pot or large soup pot. Next add the dry lentils, 8 cups of water, crushed tomatoes, chopped sweet potato, chicken bouillon cube, black pepper and bay leaves to crock pot/soup pot and stir. Put your crock pot on high heat and simmer for about three-four hours or until lentils reach desired tenderness. NOTE: Salt and Acidic ingredients can cause the lentils to harden which means more cook time. I wait to add the additional salt and vinegar until the lentils are already soft. If you're cooking on the stove top, bring the contents to a boil in the soup pot, and then simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until lentils have reached desired tenderness before adding additional salt/vinegar.

Toward the end of the cooking process add salt to taste, cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar and your greens. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, until greens are soft and wilted. You may want to add more vinegar or cayenne depending on your heat/acid level preference. Lemon juice can also be used in lieu of vinegar.

Makes 6-8 servings. You can serve over brown rice, quinoa or cous cous, or just eat it on it's own BECAUSE IT'S BALLIN! The sweet potatoes take on a great salty sweet taste and give the soup a nice variance of texture. This soup is so hearty and delicious, and it definitely cleared up my post Passion Pit blues. Other movies I watched that day included Searching for Sugar Man, A FANTASTIC documentary about a very talented singer/songwriter named Rodriguez who hit it big in South Africa without even knowing, and The Green Mile (HOW HAD I NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE?! I LOVE YOU MR. JINGLES!) So, yeah, I think it's safe to say I was pretty productive.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Chic Eats - Coffee Shop

I've passed the neon pink lights at the corner of Union Square many times while thinking, "Man, I think I need to try that place." When I told my friend Rachel that I'd never been to Coffee Shop she responded, "What the F@&$? But, you're a NEW YORKER!" I realized it was time to change that. Lucky for me, Rachel and her friend Leah were hungry at the time, so we decided to pop over for dinner.

I had been on set all day for a low-budget film which basically meant I was grazing on non-union hummus. In other words, I was real hungry. I needed some legit grub to satiate my tumbo (that's my new thing, I call the stomach a tumbo, because that's a funny ass word). When we walked into the restaurant I was immediately into the vibe. First of all, they had an awesome soundtrack, I think I heard some Passion Pit and Fleet Foxes playing during our meal, so they get points for that. It's got this great upscale diner aesthetic - booth sitting, but low lighting, candles, super model waitresses and big mirrors behind the bar. And OMG the menu says that they are open 23 hours! How have I not stumbled into this place after a night on the LES?

I was craving the veggies, so I settled on a Greek Salad with Falafel ($13.95) and it had been a long day, so I got a Caipiroska (a Brazilian specialty with crushed limes, vodka and sugar) to go along with it ($12). I'll say right off that this place is pricey for the portions that they dole out. I understand that you are paying for the place (Rachel and Leah explained that this is a hot spot that you see in a lot of movies and TV), but still this salad was pretty average sized. However, what it lacked in size, it made up for in flavor. This thing was mega yum. It was perfectly dressed with just the right amount of Feta and Kalamata olives. Pepperoncinis sat on top - they know the way to my heart. The Falafel was soft and warm, and the yogurt sauce that dripped across the top of my little fried chick pea mounds (sounds dirty) was bomb as hell. I would definitely order this again. Rachel was also a fan and said she was so pleased by my salad that she made a huge one for Super Bowl Sunday. A dinner that is both satisfying and inspiring is hard to find.



Rachel settled on the Salmon Entree with Butternut Squash puree and Brussels Sprouts ($18.95). She got a little assy when the Brussels Sprouts came out as a shredded garnish instead of in their natural state, but she said the fish was fine. She kept saying, "I wish I had ordered that salad" which was awesome because I KNEW I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND WAS THE WINNER OF THE NIGHT. I tried the salmon and while it was well-cooked, it lacked seasoning. I didn't try it with the butternut squash though, which could have taken it to the next level. I'm not sure that I would have wanted to pay the nearly $20 for it.


Leah ordered the Coconut Crusted Shrimp ($10.95) which is her Coffee Shop go to, and a side of the Kale ($5). These were the dishes that I didn't try. The shrimp came with a nice looking oil based dipping sauce, and the Kale was sauteed in oil and garlic. Leah said both were great. You can see her Moscow Mule hanging out in the back too.


We had a good time here, but I can't say the whole experience blew my mind either. My salad was definitely tasty, but for the price, I feel like I could find something comparable somewhere else. I'm glad that I finally tried Coffee Shop though, after three years of passing it with curiosity, and for a night I could feel like an NYU student who just received their residual check and wanted to be fancy. I'd pop back in for a bite, but it would probably have to be 2 AM, and I'd probably need to be smashed ( . . . I'm just being honest.)

THE DAMAGE: Between $37 - $48 each (including tax and tip.)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

A Nom Nom Recipe for Sweet Potato Hash

In case you haven't noticed, it's cold as balls outside. And there's no better way to give old man winter the finger than by staying inside and cooking for yourself. Right? Right.

This past Sunday, I had a serious mid-Vinyasa craving for some sweet potatoes. I know I was supposed to be focusing on my intentions for that yoga class, but once the urge hit, all I could think about was the warm, starchy nom noms that I would prepare upon returning home. Also it was snowy outside, and sweet potatoes just sounded way more comforting than any old shavasana.


And this is the magic that I created! A sweet potato hash that is the perfect brunch base for your ooey gooey poached eggs. Recipe below:

Ingredients:
1 Large Southern Yam or Sweet Potato (about 1 lb)
1 Small Red Onion
3 Large Button Mushrooms
3 Cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tbsp of Butter or Margarine (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Bring a small pot of water to a boil with a little salt. Chop Yam/Sweet Potato into even, bite sized pieces and add to boiling water and cook until desired tenderness (you'll want to leave a little bite on these because they go back in the pan with other ingredients). Drain the sweet potatoes and set aside. Meanwhile, dice the red onion and mushrooms, mince the garlic and add to a saute pan with 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil. Saute until onions are soft and translucent. Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the saute pan and fry together until potatoes start to mix in with the other ingredients. Add the butter and continue to saute until melted (optional - you can just skip this step and continue to saute in the olive oil, but it adds a hella good flavor!) and potatoes are a little crispy on the edges. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can top this hash with poached eggs and salsa, sprinkle with green onions, or use as a side to a nice country chicken dish! Last night I filled a whole wheat pita with fried eggs, cheddar and the leftover hash and it was delicious. Eat up folks. It's fairly healthy and super filling. Winter vegetables FTW!


Friday, February 1, 2013

Cheap Eats - Bill's Bar & Burger, Rockefeller Center (AND KEANE!)

I know what you're thinking. "GIRL, WHAT THE EFF YOU DOIN' AT A PLACE LIKE THAT!?" I'm going to go ahead and say right off, that I didn't hate Bill's Bar and Burger, and daresay I even *gasp* enjoyed it? Crazy, I know, right?

Lars and I were headed to see Keane at Radio City Music Hall (the last night of their tour, in fact!) and wanted to find a place to nom nom and guzzle brewskis beforehand, because that is what a British pop shows call for. Most New Yorkers will tell you that the area near Rockefeller center is a nightmare, tourist hellhole, devoid of anything unique or affordable in the food department. Knowing this, I figured I'd have to do some serious sleuthing to find a place that didn't make me want to kill seven bubbly, German tweens.

I had been to the Bill's Bar and Burger in the meatpacking district during my vegetarian years (aka "The Dark Ages"), and did not realize that they had opened another location basically next door to Radio City. This location scores major points for convenience. Upon entering the establishment, wait, whoa, this place is effin' massive. That can be a bit of a turnoff, but I understand that they have to accommodate a lot of business and tourist folks in that area. We made a reservation, so we had no trouble getting a table for two. We quickly ordered a pitcher of "Bill's Brew" (made by Six Point Brewery), which was really only the pricey part of our meal at $26. Lars called it, "an extremely drinkable beer", whatever the hell that means.


Our server was nice, attentive, and he made some good recommendations. He told us to stick with the burgers, which is kind of like duh, but then again I'm the idiot that was considering getting a buffalo chicken wrap, so his advice was heeded. I ordered the Mushroom and Swiss burger ($8.95) and Lars got the Spicy Jalapeno burger ($8.50). The food came out quickly, which actually kind of surprised me considering how packed this place was at 7 PM on a Thursday. I was quite pleased with the size and flavor of the burger. Other reviews had bitched about the 6 oz. size, but for real Roseanne, calm down. A 6 oz burger is plenty good, and when it's packed with flavor like this one was, you are not allowed to complain. You're just not.

My burger had lots of ooey, goeey Swiss cheese and chopped cremini mushrooms with lettuce, tomato and pickles. Lar's burger had pepper jack cheese, fresh jalapenos, pico de gallo and chipotle aioli. Yum. The meat was super well seasoned and game out on a sesame seed bun (+1!). My one complaint, the bottom of my bun came out soggy because of the burger's juiciness. But then again, I guess that's also a plus in its own right, because a juicy burger is often a dope one.



We decided to get a side of Disco Fries ($5.95) to accompany our sloppy burgers, because after three beers each, we've decided to give up on any semblance of health on this night. Disco Fries are like Poutine's slutty cousin. Covered in cheese sauce and gravy these things were THE BOMB. Like passionate love affair material. I probably could have eaten another whole plate, so I'm glad we weren't overly ambitious, besides we had like 12 more beers to drink (again, British pop calls for this sort of thing).


Overall, our trip to Bill's Bar and Burger provided a stress free, tasty meal that was easy (enough) on the wallet. I appreciated that they could have jacked up the prices on account of location, but didn't. It's so close to Radio City that it makes it a fine choice if you're looking for a quick bite and an impressive beer list before a concert. I wouldn't go out of my way, but I'd certainly go back before a future show.

(SIDENOTE: You will pay $8.75 for a Bud Light at Radio City, so do your best to get your drink on at Bill's first, or if you like stupid people, you can go to Johnny Utah's down the street for $3 PBRs until 9 PM. They have a mechanical bull there, and you will get to see drunk Long Island girls and corporate douches fall on their faces. Worth it.)

THE DAMAGE: $31.51 per person (including tax and tip)


OTHER DAMAGE:

- $150 for two Keane tickets.
- $30 for three drinks at Radio City. DAYUM.
- Hurt feelings after the older gentleman nearby refused to dance with me.
- Disturbing every friend in Astoria by calling them at 11 PM on a work night to see if they will come drink with me in a bar. No one appeased this need.
- Falling asleep halfway through Sleepwalk with Me later at home, despite the fact that it was a great movie.
- My horrid witch voice accompaniment (which can be heard below) to Keane's "Spiraling".


And as for Keane, THEY WERE AWESOME! Tom Chaplin (vocals) has the voice of a heavenly angel. If you're up for a night of soaring tenor refrains and well dressed Brits, man these guys can certainly BRING IT! They played several songs from their new album Strangeland. I'm not super familiar with this album yet, but I'm excited to listen to more after having seen this show. In addition, the covered all the hits - Is It Any Wonder?, Bad Dream, and Nothing in My Way from Under the Iron Sea as well as Everything's Changing and Somewhere Only We Know from Hopes and Fears. They killed it, and Chaplin was great at interacting with the audience. I wish the audience would have been a little more enthusiastic, but that had nothing to do with the performance. Also the older man in his 60s in front of me was clapping and getting down. I loved that!