• About
  • Brush with Fame
  • Cooking Classes
  • Publishing
  • Testimonials
  • Videos
  • Personal Chef Services

Snacking in the Kitchen

~ Culinary Adventures In & Out of the Kitchen. Recipes, Reviews, Culinary Musings.

Monthly Archives: March 2009

Craving Satisfied – Cereal!

18 Wednesday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cereal, Cravings

≈ 4 Comments

A few nights ago, I was sitting on my couch, watching tv, trying very hard to figure out what it is that I was craving (talking strictly about food). Nothing I had in my pantry or refrigerator seemed to do a trick. I was left unsatisfied.

The following day, as I was on yet another grocery run for work, I saw a few things – beautiful, plump strawberries (on sale – bonus points!) and neatly lined boxes of cereal. That’s when it hit me – of all the things I’ve eaten over the last weeks, cereal was not one of them. And as strange as it might be, cereal is exactly what I was craving.

So that night for dinner I had a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with fresh chopped strawberries, toasted walnuts, and fat-free milk. Happiness in a bowl 🙂

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spring Dinner Saute

18 Wednesday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cooking, Corn, Green Beans, Recipe, Stir Fry, Tomatoes

≈ 1 Comment

The spring is here. The flowers are beginning to bloom, the trees are blossoming, and Birmingham is slowly turning green. And as the temperature outside begins to rise, the temperature in my kitchen starts to cool off. Afterall, who wants to have the oven on 350F or simmering a pot on the stove for hours when it’s warm out? So for dinner tonight, I made a very quick saute – succotash style.

In a saute pan, heat up olive oil, add a cut-up Spicy Italian chicken sausage, kernels of one fresh corn, sliced scallion, and a handful of sliced green beans. Saute for 10 minutes, enough for the corn and the sausage to caramelize – the green beans will still be nice and crunchy. Season with ground red pepper, S&P and gently stir in a chopped roma tomato – the heat of the saute will slightly warm up the tomato. Twist of lime juice and you are ready to eat!

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Everything Baked Potato Salad

16 Monday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cooking, Potatoes, Recipe, Salad

≈ 2 Comments

I am not a fan of limiting myself. When it comes to cooking and eating, sometimes the more the better. For example, I would never order just a cheese pizza, or have a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The point is, I like toppings, and mix-ins.

And that’s how I got to making this Everything Baked Potato Salad. I had a few baked potatoes on hand, and the rest just came from what I had in the refrigerator.

To make this, you will want to dice and chop the following:
Baked Potato
Cooked Chicken
Tomato
Celery
Green Onion
Pickle
Parsley

Add:
green peas

Dress with:
Yellow mustard
Sour Cream
Lemon Zest & Juice
Salt & Pepper


I know there are many versions of potato salad – what’s your favorite?

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Vietnamese in Birmingham Or….

14 Saturday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Alabama, Birmingham, Coffee, Pho, Restaurant Review, Vietnamese

≈ 3 Comments

…how a Jewish Food Fair turns into a casual lunch at Pho Que Huong.

Last Sunday, I had every intention to enjoy knishes and matzo ball soup at a Jewish Food Fair held at a local Temple Emanu-El. But something happened as I entered into a crowded hall, lined with tables that held egg-brushed challah bread, sliced brisket, pastrami sandwiches and freshly baked sweets. I walked around, through the crowd of hungry individuals, and decided that I was craving something else – plus there wasn’t a knish to be seen. And so, I turned and left the synagogue.

Where to for lunch? It was a beautiful sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, and I thought it’d be a perfect chance to go for a drive to a restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a few weeks. Why Pho Que Huong? Simple – after two months in Birmingham, I was craving something other than grits, bbq, and biscuits. And a light, flavorful, and inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine would do a trick, or so I hoped.

The menu was pretty standard – a wide selection of pho, noodle soups, noodle bowls, and traditional Vietnamese sandwiches made with french baguettes and sliced pork. Since this was my first time at the restaurant, I decided to go the traditional route – spring rolls, pho, and a Vietnamese iced coffee.


The spring roll – an upsetting disappointment – it had me seriously worried that the rest of the meal would only get worse. The rice paper was thick and chewy, not transparent and light like it needs to be. And the filling wasn’t much better. It seemed that instead of flavorful pork or shrimp and crisp vegetables, this spring roll was filled with noodles and lettuce. The dipping sauce helped slightly, but not enough to save this roll. Word of advice – skip the spring roll on your visit!

And then the pho arrived. Accessorized with fresh basil, lime wedges, and sprouts, the bowl of pho was sweetly perfumed. The key to good pho, in my opinion, is a clear, flavorful broth that is perfectly balanced with the addition of freshly squeezed lime, torn basil leaves and a touch of hot chili sauce. The slices of flank steak and rice noodles are a nice addition – the steak in my bowl was perfectly tender and lean, the noodles twirled just right around the chopsticks. The verdict – one good bowl of pho!

The ending to the meal? A healthy doze of caffeine – a traditional iced Vietnamese Coffee. The set up – a glass of ice, a shorter glass with condensed sweet milk on the bottom and a dripping coffee on top. You have to patiently wait until the coffee has finished dripping, then stir the coffee with the condensed milk and pour over a glass of ice. The end result? Perfection.

I will happily return to Pho Que Huong and hope you will too.

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Small Victories

13 Friday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Alabama, Birmingham, GPS, Gym

≈ 1 Comment

For the last few months, I have tried to go to the JCC gym trying to take advantage of my two-month free membership. Sadly, my less-than-present love for the traditional work outs has kept me far away from the elliptical and arc trainers at the gym. On the days that I did make it over there, I was literally holding the wheel of my car for dear life as I took one turn after another, following one curvy road before taking yet another one. The drive home would be even worse, since apparently street lights have not been invented in Birmingham as of yet.

Luckily, my GPS has been a pretty good guide. And for the most part, I have managed to veer to the right, instead of the left, and correctly counted three turns as a British voice of my GPS clearly instructed “take a left, then keep left, then take the third right.” I believe I have named my British GPS co-pilot Ben – very British.

Back to the point. The last time I was driving to the gym, I decided to silent Ben and check to see if I could get to my destination on my own. And I did! I took all the right (and left) turns and when I arrived at the gym, I shared my success with the desk attendant. She smiled and simply said “small victories.” That got me thinking…sometimes, celebrating the smallest of victories can bring a satisfaction, even if short lived. And why not? Each small victory is just a step toward a big victory.

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

One Item, Multi Uses

12 Thursday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Decorating, Ideas

≈ 2 Comments


The Southern Living @ Home department was having a sale today of their old merchandise inventory. Never one to pass a good bargain, I stood in line of exciting and anxious employees, armed with my checkbook, “patiently” waiting for 11:30am.

Once the clock turned to 11:30am, the mystery merchandise, boxed up, and marked with $1/$2/$3 and up was up for grabs. Easier said than done. At the end, I purchased a pitcher, a set of glasses, a creamer & sugar bowl set, a few candles, and a candelabra. But rather than using the purchased items for their obvious purpose, I tried something different.

And so, the beautiful pitcher became a container to hold my kitchen tools. Since the pitcher was too tall, I stuffed it with a few plastic bags to “raise its bottom” – and now the tools fit perfectly.

Having enough drinking glasses, I decided to turn the 4-glass set into a perfect bathroom container set. Bonus points – the green of the glass matches my shower curtain (more on that later). Notice that the glass I’m using to hold make-up brushes has dried lentils as a base.

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

March 1st – Happy Snow Day, Birmingham!

01 Sunday Mar 2009

Posted by snackingkitchen in Alabama, Birmingham, Snow

≈ Leave a comment

Well, for once the weather forecasters were correct. Following a few days of 60-degree weather, it is in fact snowing in Birmingham, Alabama.

On March 1st, of all the days, the trees are covered in snow, the impatient buds that looked so full and ready to burst just a few days ago, are probably freezing, covered by the new blanket of white powder.

The snow is quietly, gracefully falling down, finding its resting place on the ground, and sticking to it!

Perhaps, Monday will be a day off work.

Want to share?

  • Tweet
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • August 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • June 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007

Categories

  • Alabama
  • Allrecipes.com
  • Appetizer
  • Arugula
  • Asparagus
  • Avocado
  • Bacon
  • Baking
  • Baklava
  • Balsamic
  • Bananas
  • BBQ
  • Beans
  • bed and breakfast
  • Beef
  • Beets
  • Birmingham
  • Book Club
  • Bread
  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Burger
  • Cake
  • Cauliflower
  • Caviar
  • Cereal
  • Challah
  • Cheese
  • cherries
  • Chicken
  • Chili
  • Chinese
  • Chips
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Cookbook
  • Cookies
  • Cooking
  • Cooking Classes
  • Corn
  • Crafts
  • Cravings
  • Culinary Instruction
  • Cupcakes
  • Curry
  • Dairy
  • Dairy Free
  • Decorating
  • Dessert
  • Dinner
  • Dolmas
  • Drink
  • Eggs
  • Events
  • Falafel
  • Fall
  • Farmers Market
  • Festival
  • Fish
  • Fitness
  • Five Ingredient Dish
  • Food Competition
  • Food Revolution
  • Food Styling
  • FoodBuzz
  • Freezing
  • French
  • Fruit
  • Furniture
  • Gifts
  • Giveaway
  • Gluten Free
  • GlutenFree
  • GPS
  • Grains
  • Greek
  • Green Beans
  • Grilling
  • Grits
  • Guacamole
  • guest blogger
  • Gym
  • Happy Hour
  • Healthy
  • Hillel
  • Holidays
  • House Decor
  • Ice Cream
  • Ideas
  • Indian
  • Iowa – Cuisine at home
  • juice
  • Kale
  • Kids
  • Kitchen
  • Kosher Food
  • Lamb
  • Lunch
  • Mango
  • Meat
  • Meatless Monday
  • Mediterranean
  • Mexican
  • Mint
  • Mother's Day
  • Mushrooms
  • Mussels
  • Mystery Ingredient
  • New York
  • Nuts
  • Outside the Kitchen
  • Paleo
  • Passover
  • Pasta
  • Peppers
  • Pho
  • Photography
  • Pizza
  • Plantains
  • Pork
  • Portland
  • Portugal
  • Potatoes
  • Product Review
  • Purim
  • quick and easy
  • Quinoa
  • Recipe
  • recipe development
  • Recipe Testing
  • Restaurant Review
  • Rice
  • Risotto
  • Russian
  • Salad
  • San Francisco
  • Sandwich
  • Seafood
  • Seattle
  • Shrimp
  • Sides
  • Snacks
  • Snow
  • Soup
  • Southern Living
  • Spain
  • Spanish
  • Stir Fry
  • Sushi
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • tacos
  • Teaching
  • Thanksgiving
  • The Culinary Institute of America – Updates
  • Tomatoes
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • vacation
  • Vegan
  • Vegetables
  • Vegetarian
  • Video
  • Vietnamese
  • Volunteering
  • washington
  • Washington DC
  • Watermelon
  • whole30
  • Wine
  • Writing/Publishing
  • Year in Review
  • You Buy I Cook
  • Zucchini

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: