I made a pie.

I did.
Me.
I still can’t believe it.

It was for an office potluck and surprisingly, it turned out really pretty. My coworkers accused me of buying it and pretending to make it.

Lame, right?

I was so impressed with myself that I took a bazillion pictures to show off my domestic-ness. Unfortunately, I uploaded them incorrectly and only 1 showed up in my Picassa web album. Darn it! For now, here is a picture of the final result. I will share more soon!

 Ingredients

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie – I used a premade one by Pillsbury

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

   2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

   3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/apple-pie-by-grandma-ople/detail.aspx

If you’re new to pies, like I am, I highly recommend Pillsbury’s pie crusts. Very easy to use & yummy. I learned how to do the lattice crust from watching this Youtube video.

 

 I certainly didn’t use a ruler & struggled to do this on my tiny excuse for a countertop. Here is the video I used to teach myself. Skip to 1:48.

Tomorrow, pie attempt part #2 for our Canadians in New York Thanksgiving celebration. This time blueberry. Wish me luck!!

I would like to wish each and every reader a very happy Thanksgiving.  I promise to post my pie pics soon.

My idea of fast food

Vanessa’s Dumplings is one of my favorite places to go in New York.

I insist that I get to go once every 2 weeks – otherwise, I go through dumpling withdrawal.

Why should you go here?

Crazy cheap.
Tasty.
Filling.

It is always mad busy = great sign. It is extremely affordable. For 2 people, you can get a ton of food for under $10. They make the dumplings, soups, buns and pancake sandwiches right in front of you in a open kitchen (very exciting / fun / entertaining).

If you’re in the city, here are some tips on how to survive this crazy-loud yet lovable spot:

1) Look at the menu outside & decide what you want before going in. Get to the counter & order quickly. You may need to shout.
2) Have money ready, pay and hang on to your receipt.
3) Shuffle down to the counter and watch in awe as the dumpling ladies move methodically while cooking.

4) Listen carefully for your receipt number & hand your receipt to a dumpling lady when you hear it.
5) Get it to go. Ask for extra hot sauce.

6) Go home & enjoy over a movie.

My favorite thing on the menu – boiled veggie dumplings. (Extra hot sauce please). These are filled with mushroom, little pieces of tofu, hoisin sauce, carrot, onions and scallions. You can get these guys in soup  or on a plate.

hot & sour soup w/ veggie dumplings - under $5. unbelievable enjoyment - priceless

in soup

Veggie bun!!! (photo from flickr)

BF's pork buns (teehee)

 I almost always have to get a veggie bun while I’m there. These things are only a $1.50.

If you go, you should probably get one too…. And a hot & sour soup!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/vanessas-dumpling-house-new-york

I hope you’re having a good week. This is a short work week for me – unfortunately it is going sloooooooowly. I just want it to be EOD Wednesday!

Have you had dumplings before? What did you think?

Brunch at Yuca Bar

There are very few things this New Yorker loves as much as Sunday brunch. - Carrie Bradshaw



Table for 2 please



Crab cake eggs benny with lots of cado



mmmmm



BF's steak & eggs

sangria please

http://www.yucabarnyc.com/

I hope you had a nice weekend!

Carnival Squash!

Have you ever heard of a carnival squash? I hadn't.

 When I saw it at Whole Foods, I thought, “OOH! How pretty. Gotta buy this!” BF was excited to try something new too! 

We took that festive little guy home, removed the seeds and got to work.

 Strained, mixed the seeds with some oil & spices. Tossed them on a cookie sheet & baked for about 20 minutes / until crispy.

mmmm crunchy

 For the squash, I set the oven @ 400 or so. On one half we spread some of BF’s mom’s lovely homemade pesto (fresh basil, olive oil, garlic & pine nuts). On the other half, just some plain old butter.

 Mmmmm pesto-tastic!

homemade pesto = amazing!

We baked them for about 40 minutes or until they're soft / mash-able.

 

We sliced these up into wedges and ate them with our hands. So yummy. I loved the salty, garlicky pesto mixed with the sweet squash. It tasted similar to the acorn variety, but it has a much nicer outfit.  

I hope you’re having a nice week. Tomorrow is Friday. Woohoo!

Morning, sunshine.

This morning I did something I hadn’t done in a while: woke up early & went to the gym before work. I did a cardio boxing class at my local UES New York Sport Club and man oh man did it kick my butt.

I am not a morning person.

If people were meant to pop out of bed, then we would all sleep in toasters (i don't know where this is from but i like it) My body was so confused and angry while I was doing suicide sprints at 6:30am. My thighs didn’t understand why they were being forced to do jump squats instead staying cozy in bed, my arms didn’t remember how to do a push up... BUT After class was over, I felt energized and excited to start my day and starting thinking, hmmm maybe working out in the morning isn’t quite so bad?!

 I need to make a change in my schedule because I often end up staying late at work and don’t get to the gym as regularly as I need to. I’m feeling tired, I miss my usual cheery self and overall I feel zoned out. Think space cadet. I need to work out to get back to normal (normal for me). A big benefit of getting workouts out of the way in the morning that the best parties are never at breakfast time. Committing to this will give me the freedom of being social after work or making dinner with BF without feeling disappointed with my laziness. Do you work out in the morning?

 

For lunch today I tried something new – something really, really great. It’s a restaurant in Soho called Souen.

Description from nnymag.com - Japanese-based macrobiotic theory believes healthy, wholesome eating is therapeutic. Meat, dairy, and eggs, and even certain vegetables, are prohibited. It's not a versatile cuisine, but all those dark green vegetables, soy, beans, grains, and fish on the menu should leave you feeling fantastic.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/souen02/

Here is what I had. All of this cost about $15 dollars :

Seaweed Salad - hijiki, wakame, red and green seaweed. With Sesame Vinaigrette.  – I added avocado for an extra $3.50. When I opened this from my takeout bag, I thought “wow, I didn’t know that there were so many types of pretty colored seaweed. Seaweed I can eat!”

Today’s Pureed Vegetable (GF) cold or hot – This was pureed broccoli. Really flavorful yet, pure tasting. Miso based.

I chose this place because I wanted to stick to my new Tuesday health kick where I apparently work out in the morning and eat healthy things like seaweed.

If you’re in New York go, just go. Your body will thank you.

That’s it for now. 

Tomorrow my team at work is having a Thanksgiving turkey & I’m in charge of apple pie. This means I will be attempting to bake my first pie ever – scary! I’m envisioning it exploding all over my tiny gas oven. Any tips for my pie baking success?

Recipe: Fall-tastic Apple Crisp

I always thought that the summer was my favorite season, but living in New York has helped me to find a new appreciation for the fall. The summertime is so humid and disgusting here, that waiting on the subway platform literally feels like you’ve fallen into the depths of hell and the only salvation is hiding in the shade in Central Park and chugging Starbucks iced unsweetened coffee.

Maybe I’m being dramatic, I mean, I do love the summer. I love the beach and the sunshine (and having a tan!).

But the fall, oh the fall. You get to wear cozy sweaters with stylish boots. Your apartment is no longer a sauna, it is actually a comfortable & cool temperature. (As a result the ConEdison bill drops dramatically) You switch from an iced coffee to a delish seasonal latte. And most importantly, fall bring lovely things...

Like people selling cute little pumpkins in the East Village

That first apple cider of the season. So good.

Crisp New York apples.

AND, when life hands you apples, you made apple crisp

What you need to do:

Preheat your oven to 350. Enough apples to fill whatever baking dish you’re using.

 Peel and chop em.

Mix in with the apples:

Lots of Cinnamon

A sprinkle of Quick oats

 1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Once you've done this, place your chopped, seasoned apples in your baking dish.

Topping:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar (optional, leave it out if you like it oaty-er)

1/2 cup butter, melted

Mix until its crumbly. Put this on top of the apples, spread evenly.

I use a LOT of cinnamon.

 

Top with MORE cinnamon

Bake for about 45 minutes

This makes a great weekend breakfast treat or a dessert. Enjoy with someone you care about :) I hope you all had a great weekend! Later!