I pass this place pretty regularly, since it's on 86th Street right across from Half-Price Books. It's in a strip mall, and doesn't look particularly interesting, but any place that offers Cajun and Creole food is bound to catch my eye. So, I was on my way home tonight, feeling hungry but not like cooking, and decided to give them a try (#98). The interior was not very exciting - just a lot of small tables with plain wooden chairs. You order at the counter, and there was a huge chalkboard with all the daily selections. I told the server that this was my first time and asked what was good. He responded that everyone's tastes are different, which on one hand could be a little flip and not very helpful, but on the other is pretty true for that kind of food. I told him I tend to like etouffees, and he said the crawfish etoufee and the gumbo were his favorites. And that he's from Louisiana, for whatever that's worth. So I ordered a regular size of the crawfish ettouffee which came to a whopping $6. You can order two sizes of fountain drink (which are serve yourself, which always makes me wonder why anyone would order the large size???), but I just got water since I'm currently off pop.
The food is brought out to your table, and turned out to be a deep styrofoam plate full of rice covered over with the crawfish ettouffe and two large pieces of bread that had been topped with a spicy butter. The ettoufee was really very good. It was that great level of spicy that lets all the flavors come through without overwhelming them, but still leaves a nice heat in your mouth. It was flavorful and had a good amount of crawfish tail pieces which were cooked perfectly -- tender, not rubbery at all. The bread was good (although not quite as good as Yats!) and made a nice side. The server seemed to be the only employee there, but he did come out to check on everyone.
Overall, the concept did remind me of Yats, but on a slightly less quirky scale. They had some good blues music playing in the background, but overall the place was much quieter and less crazy than Yats, which actually made me feel much more comfortable being there by myself. The menu offered a nice selection, and you can get combo plates as well as carry-out, which are always nice options. It looked like you could also get larger sized plates (which you would have to be seriously starving to want!). Dessert options were key lime or peanut butter pie. Too bad I got so filled up on the ettoufee. I will very likely be going back here. The food was good, service was fast, and the price was right. And I love a good crawfish ettouffee!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Observations on a Mediocre Meal
Today I ate lunch sitting at my dining room table by myself for the first time since I moved into this house over a year and-a-half ago (#15). I had been watching a movie when I realized I was hungry, and I didn't really want to eat while I watched it because I really wanted to be focused on the movie. So, looking at the freshly cleaned off table, I decided this would be a good day to start a new task. I wasn't much in a mood to cook and had initially thought I would just have a sandwich and chips, but then thought it would probably be a better idea to have some sort of vegetable. So after a quick glance through the freezer (the only fresh veggie I have at the moment is a bag of spinach which is intended for a big salad), I opted for Green Giant Steamers Garden Vegetable Medley (i.e. snap peas, red pepper, and potatoes in an herb sauce). That with a few strips of pre-cooked seasoned chicken breast from Trader Joe's, three slices of havarti cheese (okay, four really, because I ate one while I was waiting for the veggies to cook... I was hungry!), and a glass of water. Yes, these are the kinds of noncohesive meals I put together on a regular basis. I actually set a place at the table and decided not to turn on any music or have the TV on in the living room for background noise. Boy was it quiet! The loudest sound was the kitchen clock ticking away, but I could also hear birds chirping faintly from outside. My first impression was that I will probably never buy this vegetable mix again. The peas were slightly overcooked, the potatoes seemed slightly undercooked, and the red pepper was just limp. The sauce was nice, though, and I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't so much that the vegetables were drowned in it. That's something that Green Giant tends to do well -- their sauces. The chicken was tasty as usual, although I hadn't warmed it up at all which was probably a mistake. The cheese was delicious, of course.
I found myself truly taking only one bite at a time, chewing it thoroughly, and not loading my fork until I had swallowed and was ready for another bite. I'm not a person who typically rushes through my meals, but today I felt particularly aware of my every movement. I noticed the room and realized all the things I need to do in there: rearrange the china cabinet, dust the chandelier, change the paint color, find another storage cabinet so I can unpack the rest of the dishes and not have bowls and candle holders sitting everywhere, etc. Partway through the meal I thought I wouldn't even finish all the food on my plate and that I would probably need to refill my water glass. It was interesting, though, that as I kept eating, I seemed to adjust those thoughts. The rate at which I was drinking slowed down so that by the end of the meal, I had exactly one swallow of water left. And I ended up cleaning my whole plate, although as I sat there for a moment after finishing, I realized that I did feel very full. The odd thing was that these things did not happen consciously at all even though I was very conscious of what I was doing on a bite-by-bite basis. I guess those are the kinds of things that become so ingrained over a lifetime, that you don't even notice them anymore.
I finished the vegetables first. And now I am going to reveal a secret that probably nobody knows. Whatever I like least on a plate, is almost always the thing that I will finish first. I have a feeling that Mashelda will likely be watching for this the next time we have a meal together! I do it so that food that I like least contaminates the rest of the meal as little as possible, which actually does make sense if you think about it. Of course, I suppose I could just not eat that food, but that's not always an option, or at least it isn't in my mind. I guess it could be argued both ways. But growing up, I was expected to eat everything (or at least most of everything) on my plate, so this was my way of getting past whatever thing my mom fixed that I didn't like. I think this backfired, though, because now my mother thinks there are lots of foods that I like but that I actually don't. I guess she took it as my eating it all up quickly because I liked it so much. Oops!
Anyway, this was a very interesting experiment, and I am curious to see what the rest of the week will be like. And who ever would have thought I would have so much to say about eating one meal? I can say that I think I will be doing more cooking and less fast food this week! It's hard to imagine being that aware of your every bite when you're eating something like McDonald's. I don't think I want to dwell that much on my double cheeseburger.
On a side note, last Friday (the 16th) was the first day in another pop-less month (#46). I had to finish up the last 12-pack of Pepsi (that I had gotten on a really good couponing deal) before I started this up again. I'm hoping it will be a little easier this time around, but we'll see...
I found myself truly taking only one bite at a time, chewing it thoroughly, and not loading my fork until I had swallowed and was ready for another bite. I'm not a person who typically rushes through my meals, but today I felt particularly aware of my every movement. I noticed the room and realized all the things I need to do in there: rearrange the china cabinet, dust the chandelier, change the paint color, find another storage cabinet so I can unpack the rest of the dishes and not have bowls and candle holders sitting everywhere, etc. Partway through the meal I thought I wouldn't even finish all the food on my plate and that I would probably need to refill my water glass. It was interesting, though, that as I kept eating, I seemed to adjust those thoughts. The rate at which I was drinking slowed down so that by the end of the meal, I had exactly one swallow of water left. And I ended up cleaning my whole plate, although as I sat there for a moment after finishing, I realized that I did feel very full. The odd thing was that these things did not happen consciously at all even though I was very conscious of what I was doing on a bite-by-bite basis. I guess those are the kinds of things that become so ingrained over a lifetime, that you don't even notice them anymore.
I finished the vegetables first. And now I am going to reveal a secret that probably nobody knows. Whatever I like least on a plate, is almost always the thing that I will finish first. I have a feeling that Mashelda will likely be watching for this the next time we have a meal together! I do it so that food that I like least contaminates the rest of the meal as little as possible, which actually does make sense if you think about it. Of course, I suppose I could just not eat that food, but that's not always an option, or at least it isn't in my mind. I guess it could be argued both ways. But growing up, I was expected to eat everything (or at least most of everything) on my plate, so this was my way of getting past whatever thing my mom fixed that I didn't like. I think this backfired, though, because now my mother thinks there are lots of foods that I like but that I actually don't. I guess she took it as my eating it all up quickly because I liked it so much. Oops!
Anyway, this was a very interesting experiment, and I am curious to see what the rest of the week will be like. And who ever would have thought I would have so much to say about eating one meal? I can say that I think I will be doing more cooking and less fast food this week! It's hard to imagine being that aware of your every bite when you're eating something like McDonald's. I don't think I want to dwell that much on my double cheeseburger.
On a side note, last Friday (the 16th) was the first day in another pop-less month (#46). I had to finish up the last 12-pack of Pepsi (that I had gotten on a really good couponing deal) before I started this up again. I'm hoping it will be a little easier this time around, but we'll see...
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Travel Plans
I am so excited! I haven't travelled as much as I would have liked over the last ten years or so for various reasons, and now I have not one but two big trips in the works for this year!! Yea!
First, my 40th birthday is this July which means I must do something fun and fabulous (#69). I have officially decided to rent a beach house in Oregon for about a week and invite some friends to join me for some serious R&R. When I thought about how I might really want to spend my birthday, the idea of no schedule, time spent with friends, good music, reading, good food, and generally just a period of time when the only priority was to do whatever sounded good at that moment sounded better than anything else I could come up with. As for a destination, that took a little more thought. I don't like hot weather. Or humidity. Which crosses a lot of places off the list when you need to travel in July and you're trying to stay in the continental U.S. But I do love water and watching waves in the ocean, and I have always wanted to live on a beach somewhere, so I started looking at beach houses that I could rent. The idea of a house appealed much more than staying in a motel, because I think it will ultimately feel more relaxing. We can all have our own spaces, so we won't feel on top of each other the whole time. And with the cooking that I've been doing, the idea of all of us in a kitchen fixing meals sounds like fun, too. So considering temperatures and cost, I landed on the Oregon coast. I am currently trying to decide between seven different houses, all of which are about two hours away from Portland. And another exciting aspect of this whole trip to Oregon...
I've never been to Oregon before, so chalk up one new state that I've never visited before (#52)! And shortly after that, I'll be adding yet another state to that list. My mother decided that she, her husband, and I also needed to take a big trip together this year since I turn 40, she turns 60, and he turns 65. So, after throwing around a lot of ideas, we are officially going to New Mexico in October for the Hot Air Balloon Festival and Albequerque and then to sight-see in Santa Fe. I have wanted to go to this balloon fest for years and years, so I am super-excited for that, and then I've always heard that Santa Fe is a neat city with lots of artsy areas. I started flipping through a travel book the other day and got way over-excited about all the things that are out there! I think we're probably going for a week, and I think it's going to be tough limiting ourselves and trying not to see everything all in one trip.
So, no new stamps in the passport this year, but maybe a few for my US Parks passport!
First, my 40th birthday is this July which means I must do something fun and fabulous (#69). I have officially decided to rent a beach house in Oregon for about a week and invite some friends to join me for some serious R&R. When I thought about how I might really want to spend my birthday, the idea of no schedule, time spent with friends, good music, reading, good food, and generally just a period of time when the only priority was to do whatever sounded good at that moment sounded better than anything else I could come up with. As for a destination, that took a little more thought. I don't like hot weather. Or humidity. Which crosses a lot of places off the list when you need to travel in July and you're trying to stay in the continental U.S. But I do love water and watching waves in the ocean, and I have always wanted to live on a beach somewhere, so I started looking at beach houses that I could rent. The idea of a house appealed much more than staying in a motel, because I think it will ultimately feel more relaxing. We can all have our own spaces, so we won't feel on top of each other the whole time. And with the cooking that I've been doing, the idea of all of us in a kitchen fixing meals sounds like fun, too. So considering temperatures and cost, I landed on the Oregon coast. I am currently trying to decide between seven different houses, all of which are about two hours away from Portland. And another exciting aspect of this whole trip to Oregon...
I've never been to Oregon before, so chalk up one new state that I've never visited before (#52)! And shortly after that, I'll be adding yet another state to that list. My mother decided that she, her husband, and I also needed to take a big trip together this year since I turn 40, she turns 60, and he turns 65. So, after throwing around a lot of ideas, we are officially going to New Mexico in October for the Hot Air Balloon Festival and Albequerque and then to sight-see in Santa Fe. I have wanted to go to this balloon fest for years and years, so I am super-excited for that, and then I've always heard that Santa Fe is a neat city with lots of artsy areas. I started flipping through a travel book the other day and got way over-excited about all the things that are out there! I think we're probably going for a week, and I think it's going to be tough limiting ourselves and trying not to see everything all in one trip.
So, no new stamps in the passport this year, but maybe a few for my US Parks passport!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Old, Older, Oldest
I have watched three movies from my designated list (#67) since the beginning of the year and while I can't say I was totally bowled over by any of them, I wasn't totally disappointed either. Which, when I think about it, is probably what I expected to feel about them when I chose all these movies. They are each classics in their own right and are often referenced in other books and movies.
First was Jaws (1975). This one held my attention more than the other two... it is definitely dramatic and an adventure. And I have to say that I feel no need to go swimming in the ocean anytime soon! I was really impressed by the special effects, especially given that it was made almost forty years ago. And it was fun to see so many actors when they were so young. hee-hee!
Next up was Rebel Without a Cause (1955). I almost want to see it again, because I have a feeling I would like it much better the second time around. It was very interesting to see James Dean in the role that became the prototype for all other subsequent bad boys. I remember watching Beverly Hills 90210 and hearing all the reviews say that Dylan was the new James Dean, and now I totally understand why... the hair, the sleepy eyes, the red jacket, the slacker attitude... all there. The movie was actually kind of deep. Especially when you remember the era in which it was filmed. It's one of those things that helps me realize that the younger generation and these "modern" times are probably only about 0.5% removed from the generations before us. Times are not so different as we would like to believe. Or things were not so innocent and simple as we would like to believe. Anyway, it was a good movie and I enjoyed it. And it was fun to give myself another visual of Natalie Wood besides West Side Story.
Most recently was It Happened One Night (1934) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. I think I remember hearing that this was the forbear for all modern movies, and it really was a cute romantic comedy. Change up the clothes and hairstyles, and we'd all be paying ten bucks to see it at the theatre some Saturday. And it's hard not to like Clark Gable's roguish charm. The gentleman/bad boy... my favorite kind!
So five down, five more to go. I think I made some pretty good choices here! Now I really need to get started on asking other people what their favorite movies are(#59). So... what is your favorite movie???
First was Jaws (1975). This one held my attention more than the other two... it is definitely dramatic and an adventure. And I have to say that I feel no need to go swimming in the ocean anytime soon! I was really impressed by the special effects, especially given that it was made almost forty years ago. And it was fun to see so many actors when they were so young. hee-hee!
Next up was Rebel Without a Cause (1955). I almost want to see it again, because I have a feeling I would like it much better the second time around. It was very interesting to see James Dean in the role that became the prototype for all other subsequent bad boys. I remember watching Beverly Hills 90210 and hearing all the reviews say that Dylan was the new James Dean, and now I totally understand why... the hair, the sleepy eyes, the red jacket, the slacker attitude... all there. The movie was actually kind of deep. Especially when you remember the era in which it was filmed. It's one of those things that helps me realize that the younger generation and these "modern" times are probably only about 0.5% removed from the generations before us. Times are not so different as we would like to believe. Or things were not so innocent and simple as we would like to believe. Anyway, it was a good movie and I enjoyed it. And it was fun to give myself another visual of Natalie Wood besides West Side Story.
Most recently was It Happened One Night (1934) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. I think I remember hearing that this was the forbear for all modern movies, and it really was a cute romantic comedy. Change up the clothes and hairstyles, and we'd all be paying ten bucks to see it at the theatre some Saturday. And it's hard not to like Clark Gable's roguish charm. The gentleman/bad boy... my favorite kind!
So five down, five more to go. I think I made some pretty good choices here! Now I really need to get started on asking other people what their favorite movies are(#59). So... what is your favorite movie???
Sunday, March 4, 2012
More Good Food
January really did turn out to be the month of many recipes. As evidenced by my budget. When I was working on setting up my 2012 budget, I realized that I had spent nearly two months' worth of money in one month because of all the cooking I was doing. Whoa!! So I'm going to have to scale back a bit for a while until things get back on track monetarily. But here are some of the results from the pre-money awareness phase...
This is the Crispy Squid from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express. I had actually bought all the ingredients a while back (the squid were frozen) and hadn't gotten up the nerve to actually try it. And I have to admit that if I didn't already know that I love fried calamari, I don't know if I would have tried it after seeing all those stringy tentacles and slimy bodies. Bleh. But it really was all very quick and easy. The tentacles were so funny, because thawed, they were thin and about 10-12 inches long. But as soon as they went into the oil, they drew up into the little blobs that I am used to seeing on a plate. This is definitely something I would do again for something different and fun.
The next night was Nigella's Steak with Lemon and Thyme, and let me just say that thyme is officially my new favorite herb! The steak was grilled on a stovetop grill pan, then marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest (got to use my new zester I got for Christmas!), worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. I don't like lemon, but you really couldn't taste it specifically. Overall, it was just super flavorful and fresh. I also steamed some broccoli rabe in the microwave and boiled these itty bitty potatoes (from Trader Joe's -- their term, although it was quite accurate!). The potatoes were so small that they cooked up very quickly, and I just tossed them with a little salt, pepper, butter, and some of the fresh thyme. Mouth-wateringly delicious. The broccoli rabe made a nice alternative to regular broccoli, since I tend to eat a lot of that. And the leftover steak made a truly scrumptious sandwich the next day!
Looking for another quick and easy dinner recipe (this was a week when I worked 'til 6), this is another Nigella Lawson recip from the Express cookbook. Yes, Nigella again. It really was easy... naan purchased from the store, jarred pasta sauce (Barilla's tomato basil sauce -- absolutely the best jarred sauce! ever!), jarred marinated mushrooms, chunks of fontina cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. It was good, but I will definitely tweak it some the next time. I don't love tomoato sauce, so I'll probably leave that off and just use a little olive oil and garlic, which is what I usually do when I make pizza. I think I've had fontina before, because it tasted very familiar. It was very tasty, and I'll be adding it into my regular rotation of cheeses that I like to keep on hand. There was something slightly off about the mushroom and thyme combination, so I might look for other options in the future. The naan was great, though, because they're much cheaper and a little smaller than the Boboli crusts that I've used in the past for quick pizzas. So this recipe was not a home-run, but can absolutely be adapted into something great.
So I went back and counted up all the new recipes I've tried since starting the project (#73), and I'm at fourteen so far. Essentially, I'm all caught up through February, so I can get back on track for one a month now. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to more good food!
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| fried calamari |
This is the Crispy Squid from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express. I had actually bought all the ingredients a while back (the squid were frozen) and hadn't gotten up the nerve to actually try it. And I have to admit that if I didn't already know that I love fried calamari, I don't know if I would have tried it after seeing all those stringy tentacles and slimy bodies. Bleh. But it really was all very quick and easy. The tentacles were so funny, because thawed, they were thin and about 10-12 inches long. But as soon as they went into the oil, they drew up into the little blobs that I am used to seeing on a plate. This is definitely something I would do again for something different and fun.
 |
| beef! |
The next night was Nigella's Steak with Lemon and Thyme, and let me just say that thyme is officially my new favorite herb! The steak was grilled on a stovetop grill pan, then marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest (got to use my new zester I got for Christmas!), worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. I don't like lemon, but you really couldn't taste it specifically. Overall, it was just super flavorful and fresh. I also steamed some broccoli rabe in the microwave and boiled these itty bitty potatoes (from Trader Joe's -- their term, although it was quite accurate!). The potatoes were so small that they cooked up very quickly, and I just tossed them with a little salt, pepper, butter, and some of the fresh thyme. Mouth-wateringly delicious. The broccoli rabe made a nice alternative to regular broccoli, since I tend to eat a lot of that. And the leftover steak made a truly scrumptious sandwich the next day!
 |
| naan pizza |
Looking for another quick and easy dinner recipe (this was a week when I worked 'til 6), this is another Nigella Lawson recip from the Express cookbook. Yes, Nigella again. It really was easy... naan purchased from the store, jarred pasta sauce (Barilla's tomato basil sauce -- absolutely the best jarred sauce! ever!), jarred marinated mushrooms, chunks of fontina cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. It was good, but I will definitely tweak it some the next time. I don't love tomoato sauce, so I'll probably leave that off and just use a little olive oil and garlic, which is what I usually do when I make pizza. I think I've had fontina before, because it tasted very familiar. It was very tasty, and I'll be adding it into my regular rotation of cheeses that I like to keep on hand. There was something slightly off about the mushroom and thyme combination, so I might look for other options in the future. The naan was great, though, because they're much cheaper and a little smaller than the Boboli crusts that I've used in the past for quick pizzas. So this recipe was not a home-run, but can absolutely be adapted into something great.
So I went back and counted up all the new recipes I've tried since starting the project (#73), and I'm at fourteen so far. Essentially, I'm all caught up through February, so I can get back on track for one a month now. It's been a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to more good food!
Photo Challenge
I'm caught up downloading photos to the photo blog (#37), and I've made a couple of observations. First, I missed one day in January and five days in February. It really did slip my mind, so I was actually surprised that I had as many photos as I did. I'll make up the missed days at the end of the year. Second, I take a lot of pictures of my cat and the sky! I guess this isn't too much of a surprise. Nahla is generally the center of my attention when I'm at home, and I've always paid attention to the sky (this is what happens when your father is a meteorologist!). But it does make me want to branch out some... try to push myself to go a little outside the box. Also, I want to work on the composition of my pictures. I am purposely not editing or cropping these photos. The only one I cropped was the one of the goose, because it really did make a big difference in how it looked...
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| before cropping |
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| after cropping |
Speaking of sky, though, I want to include several photos I took on a cloudy from the roof parking lot at Fresh Market. It had been a bad day, and the store was out of the chicken salad that I went there to buy, but when I came out, this is what I saw...
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Just beautiful. And it's extra amazing that the photos were actually able to capture the colors and cloud patterns. These make me smile!
At any rate, I am making a concerted effort to get back on track with my pictures. Maybe I need to make a sub-task of making it through a whole month with no photos of my cat. But she's so cute!
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