Peppermint Bark

So I want to first start out by apologizing for my extended absence. Life got busy and I have had a really hard time finding new recipes to try. That hasn't changed, but this is one of my favorite recipes and I make it a lot during the holidays, so I decided to post it. This one is so incredibly easy too, and truly only takes about 10 minutes to make, and then it just has to sit for an hour. At first glance it will look like a lot, but that's just because I tend to be a little wordy.

The ingredients are very simple:
1 bag white chocolate morsels
A little olive oil
24 peppermints
Wax paper

I put the peppermints in a small Ziploc baggy. I try and do both green and red peppermints because I personally think it looks prettier, but you can use all of whatever color you want. Then the fun part. I grab a hammer, go out to my back porch, lay down the bag and break up the peppermints. You want to have a little bit of powder, and then a lot of pieces about 1/4 the original candy.

Now put the wax paper over a small cookie sheet. Put the morsels in a microwaveable bowl, and pour the olive oil on top. I've never measured this part, but its probably about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, mix, and microwave another 30 seconds. Keep doing this in 30 second intervals until it is all melted.

This part is optional. I do this because it makes the bark more minty throughout. Grab a sifter, and use it to sprinkle the powdery part of the peppermints into the melted morsels. Stir this well to get the minty flavor throughout.

Now you pour the melted morsels onto the wax paper on the cookie sheet. Spread for desired thickness. Sprinkle the peppermints on top, pushing the larger pieces down a little so they stay in place.

Refrigerate for 1 hour, then just break into pieces and put in your favorite holiday tin.

I love having these with coffee; either melting it in the cup, or just eating as I drink.

I hope this is easy enough and that people try it. This is the first recipe I suggest when someone wants something easy to make for the holidays.

New Recipe: French Toast

I know it seems silly to post a French Toast recipe, but I had never made it before, and it was really good.

Ingredients:
King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Butter or oil for frying
Maple syrup

1. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
2. Dip bread through this mixture (do not soak).
3. Melt butter in frying pan or skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
4. Serve with maple syrup.

Again, it was so simple, but it was really good! Danny had been craving French Toast for a while, but we've been too busy the last couple weeks for me to make it. I think he was very happy. I even made cute little shapes with my cookie cutters. It's a football helmet and a fish since he loves football and going fishing :-)

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Pictures from Bataar Mongolian Grill

I had posted a restaurant review back in May for Bataar Mongolian Grill. The place was really good, but that first time our food was WAY too spicey! Well, we went there again last weekend and were both much more conservative as far as the spices we chose. I have to say, I still have to tweak mine a little, as this last time it wasn't spicey enough, but Danny said he got his just right.

I remembered to take pictures of the food this time, so I'm writing this blog simply to show you how much food you get! This is my meal, soup, and some things off the salad bar. I didn't even bother going to the dessert bar, because I didn't even begin to make a dent in all of this food, so there was no point. And I think for the 2 of us it was only like $20! There is so much food that I had leftovers to take for lunch at work the next day :-)

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Restaurant Review: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

So we decided to try this burger place for lunch today. We had seen it around a few times and kept meaning to try it, but hadn't gotten around to it, until today. We went to the one in Southlake because that's where we were, but we had first spotted the one in Hurst.

To start off, we went around 2pm, and it was PACKED! I think there had just been a rush when we happened to go because it did calm down a few minutes later. The place is very LOUD. And the way the tables were set up...I didn't like it. I've never been to New York, but it was set up the way I've heard New York is and would imagine it to be. A lot crammed into a small space, and tables just on top of each other and you are having to share with strangers. I didn't like sharing my table...I prefer for it to be just me and Danny, not other people sitting that close to me. The price was decent, $15 for 2 burgers, a GIANT side of fries which is a 'Regular', and 1 drink that we shared.

The burger was okay. Not great, but not terrible either. I definitely prefer Red Robin's burgers to this place, but I definitely prefer this place to McDonald's, Sonic, OC Burger...and any other fast food place where I've tried their burgers.

I would eat there again, under the right circumstances. I would not eat here if I were near the Hurst location, because Red Robin is in the same shopping center and is a much better burger.

I can't post the address because the website store locator apparently sucks and it won't load or do anything. The rest of the website seems to be working, just not the locator. It's www.fiveguys.com if anyone is interested in checking them out.

No pictures because it was just a burger wrapped in foil, nothing special about it.

Restaurant Review: Funky Baja's Cantina

Let me start by saying that no, this is not the same Baja that I keep saying I need to review that has the amazing margaritas, though they are related. This place is the more affordable version of the original Baja. The food is cheaper, and they have good drink specials. We went last night when the special was $3 crown and downs. I got a crown and coke and for $3, it was pretty strong, which of course made me happy.

We didn't try their margaritas, and I didn't see anyone else in the place drinking them, so not sure about them. My friend that we went with said she has tried them before and they are okay, but not as good as the original Baja.

As far as food, I ordered chicken quesadillas and they were okay. Definitely not the best I've ever had, but I was hungry and they filled me up and I had plenty of leftovers for lunch today. I was more impressed with the guacamole and Pico on the side. They were very tastey and really helped spice up the quesadillas.

Danny ordered the spicy sliders and said he wouldn't get them again. They came with some random fried onion chip things...I think he tried one of those and left the rest alone. They didn't look good to me at all, and there was no way I was about to try them if he didn't like them.

I do have to say I was annoyed by the chips and salsa. More that we had to ask for it and pay for them. I'm sorry but with the name "Baja Cantina," I shouldn't be having to pay for chips and salsa. You should get it for free at a Mexican restaurant. The salsa was very different from the original Baja. It was good in a different way, but I prefer the original.

The price was good though. We got 2 drinks each and both ordered a meal, and the chips and salsa and it was only $29, whereas at the original we always share 1 appetizer, and chips and salsa are free, we usually pay around $35-40.

So all in all, a decent place. Drink specials were good and food was okay, depending on what you get. We will go back I think.

Sorry for no pictures, it was really hot in there and I was not thinking about my phone.

Which reminds me, they need to crank the a/c because we were dying.

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Recipe: Stromboli

I will start by saying that I am going to post the original recipe I found, and then I will say all the changes I made. It's a great recipe for a base, but it's awesome because it is so easy to customize it to your personal preferences.

Ingredients:
1 (10 ounce) package pizza crust dough (you will need one for every Stromboli you are making)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup cooked Ham, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 (14 ounce) jar pizza sauce
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package sliced pepperoni sausage
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no pink shows; drain. Mix in the Ham, bell pepper, onions, pizza sauce and mushrooms.
3. Lay the pizza dough flat on cookie sheet. Put a layer of cheese on one side of dough. Distribute pepperoni slices over cheese. Place a heaping pile of the sauce mixture on top of pepperoni. Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese. Fold dough over and pinch ends and sides together. Poke holes in the top and brush melted butter on it.
4. Cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Slice in half to serve.

Now, anyone who knows me and has been keeping up with this blog knows I don't ear pork of any kind, so for me that rules out the Ham, and pepperoni. So since I don't want those, I don't bother with the ground beef either. Instead, I make myself a vegetarian Stromboli. I cut up several different kinds of bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms for myself. For Danny, I put pepperoni and mushroom and extra cheese.

This makes a huge Stromboli, and we always have leftovers for lunch the next day. This is one of Danny's all time favorite meals. I was actually supposed to make it 2 weeks ago, but other things came up and it just didn't happen. He's been asking about it ever since, wondering when I was going to make it. I think he would say it was definitely worth the wait.

The picture is only half of the Stromboli.

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New Recipe: Banana Pudding

So I decided to make banana pudding very last minute on Friday because I had a little nervous breakdown last week and Danny was such a trooper and was so patient and understanding and sweet to me, that I felt he deserved a treat. He loves pudding and bananas, and its very rare that we have dessert in the house, so I felt it was appropriate.

Ingredients:
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water

1 (4 serving size) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
36 vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in
Lemon juice

1. In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat until well blended. Chill 5 minutes.
2. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 2 cup pudding mixture into 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl
3. Top with 1/2 each of the vanilla wafers, bananas and remaining pudding. Repeat layering twice, ending with pudding mixture. Chill thoroughly. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Now, I have to say the only reason I don't have a picture this time is because, believe it or not, I don't have a pretty glass serving bowl. I really should get one...but anyway, I put it in a random bowl I had which is not very pretty, and I wasn't about to post that. Maybe I will get a nice bowl sometime soon and make it again and get a good picture.

Anyway, this turned out to be really good! It sure does make a lot though! Good for a party, but too much for just 2 people. I used cool whip instead of whipping cream (less work for me) and it still tasted amazing. I used the light cool whip, fat free pudding, and reduced or low fat wafers. Not to say this dessert is good for you, but I made it not as bad for you by doing this, and again, it was great.

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