Sunday, October 25, 2015

Food.

It's Monday, have a cookie.
oatmeal cookies
It's Monday......and it's the worst, right? 
So let's all talk about something fun.
Let's talk about food.
I get through my week surviving on many-a-granola-bar. They are quick, easy, and the right bar (like THIS one) can calm my grumbly stomach before I head into a test. But all week long I dream about all the real foods I'll eat on the weekends. I'll cook! I'll bake! I'll grill! Maybe we'll go out! mmmmm.

I used to be really up on my Where-To-Eat Game. ( I even had a page for it! It's so outdated now....) I knew all the popular places, and exactly what to order. We don't get out much these days, so I feel a little behind in the times.
For example, I just had my first Pho over the weekend and WHAAAATTTT??? (try it at Oh Mai! in SLC) How have I been missing out on this my whole life? Why didn't you tell me? Also, since I can't get down to the city every night to satisfy my cravings, give me a recipe so I can make my own! 
Do you make Pho? Teach me. 
Please, teach me.

As long as we are talking about restaurants, I'll tell you about my current favorite place to eat. The only problem is....it's about 4 hours away from my house. The Burr Trail Grill in Boulder, UT is THE best burger I've ever had.....and that's saying a lot, if you knew how many burgers, from how many places I've consumed these last few years. But it's not just the burgers, it's the appetizers, and the PIE, and the everything else. Robby and I hit it over the summer and then we were down that way last weekend, and it is truly the best party my mouth has ever had. Try it...if you're ever in the middle-of-nowhere, Utah. (They close in October for the season and re-open in the spring).

Last year the famous Whitney Ingram told me to check out Aubergine in Orem. Locals, have you tried this place? THE best place to get your veggie fix. Their Mediterranean salads are my favorite.

And one last place to eat. Fridays we like to climb and then head over to Whole Foods for pizza. You can pick any topping and any combo you want, and we love it (and $5 off on Fridays!)

With the temps cooling, I'm using my oven more, and brought back THIS favorite chicken bake last week. My kids down it, and it makes great leftovers too. I added some kale and pine nuts to the mix this time.

And before we end, let's not forget dessert. Cookies. I have been tweaking this recipe for the last few months and finally got it just they way I want it--not too crispy, not too cakey, just right.
oatmeal cookies
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup Turbinado Sugar (this gives the cookies a perfect crunch)
  • 1/8 cup molasses
  • 2 tsp Mexican Vanilla
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
Combine sugars, molasses, and butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Starting with the mixer on low speed and increasing until it is on medium, beat until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a few minutes each. Add the vanilla extract, then scrape the sides of the bowl, and mix to combine.
Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, then mix on low speed just to combine, adding the chocolate and pecans as it mixes. Stop mixing as soon as you stop seeing the dry mixture, the less mixing the better!
 Line the baking pans with parchment paper.  Place balls of dough about 3 inches apart on baking pans. Bake until golden and just set, 11-13 minutes.  Remove from oven; let cool on pan 4 to 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
oatmeal cookies

Your turn--tell me about your favorite food right now! Where are you eating? Share your favorite recipes! 
And PLEASE, teach me how to make Pho!

Happy Monday!

9 comments:

catherine said...

I haven't had pho yet either!! Here's our current favorite snack; we're kind of living off them right now. I think I've made 5 batches this fall. https://makemyselfathome.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/maple-oat-pumpkin-muffins/

Carrie said...

This is my (and my family's) absolute FAVORITE thing to make when it's freezing and snowy outside:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/hearty-beef-stew-cf.html

I make creamy mashed potatoes laced with brown butter, and serve the stew over it, with it's mouthwatering gravy, and top it with chopped parsley and crumbled bacon. Seriously, death-row-last-meal good! I usually adapt it for the Crock-Pot, unless I am home all day and don't mind it simmering away in the oven.

I'm excited to make those cookies... I love that you added turbinado sugar for crunch!

Lori said...

Pho is my favorite! There is nothing more comforting than a big bowl of noodles and spicy broth. I have made this recipe, and it's amazing. Although we cooked our beef before putting in on the noodles. :)

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/pho-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup/

I was just looking for a crispy/chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe, so I'm off to try these. :)

SKCranePhotography said...

Pho is UHmazing. When I was living in Seattle I lived off the stuff. I'm still trying to find a great place here in Utah. Locally where I am, Noodle King, in Provo is pretty great. Its all about the broth. The better the broth, the better the pho. I kind of feel like its a cure all when your sick...and hungover haha.

The Burr Trail Grill is so amazing. My dude and I always go there when in the area and make sure we earn it! After a backpacking trip this is such a great treat, great burgers and a cold beer!

Emily said...

The directions refer to baking powder and baking soda, but the ingredient list doesn't call for powder. We're just mixing these up. I guess we'll leave out baking powder?

Fungus No More said...

Thanks! Every weekend, I always make cookies and drink my juicing habit. I do love eating cookies coz I love eating sweeten snacks. By making sure my juicer is always in plain sight, I will be more likely to remember to use it every day.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the post. People who are really concerned about their health may take help from the noni fruit juice to make yourself healthy. Women may take the women's choice noni juice so as to make yourself healthy and fit.

Theresa said...

I made pho once and I just think it's hardly worth the effort. I went to the asian supermarket and got a boat load of ingredients: lemongrass, ginger, star anise, cloves, beef bones with joints, ox tail, like basically everything in the store. You put all the spices in a bag and let it slow cook for like 10 hours with the bones and then you walk in your house and it smells like Pho, and you're like Whoa!! I did it! I succeeded! And then you put all your thai basil and bean sprouts and jalepenos and limes on top and you think it's golden, but you taste it, and something is missing, and you cannot figure out what it is because you already put an entire asian supermarket in your crock pot. And the point of the story is that when you live in Seattle, like somebody else mentioned, you just live on Pho. But not any pho. Because you figure out the one in the University district is ok, but the one on Aurora is not that good, but this one in the International District is like heaven on earth. And then you get some in Boise, Idaho and you're like, how can this even pass for pho? (true story) So the point is that there are a lot of house recipes for pho, and if you found a place with a good one, do not ever let it go.

But we just made pad thai tonight and it was awesome. Especially because we had some leftover coconut milk in the refrigerator that we just drizzled on top and it was the best idea ever.

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