Beyond Meat: I Can't Believe It's Not Sau-seeg

We were cruising around Whole Foods on a grocery run when we happened upon a display for Beyond Meat.  The sausage grabbed our attention immediately because we recently decided to stop eating regular sausage (so many health warnings!) but really miss the flavor.  We figured it didn't hurt to give this plant-based version a try.

 We cut them up and roasted with a mix of tomatoes, delicata squash, and honeynut squash.

We were ready for it to be a complete disappointment and braced ourselves for the first bite.  But boy, were we surprised: this fake sau-seeg is DELICIOUS!!! 

They really hit the nail on the head with their flavors.  A perfect substitute for the real thing.  We'll keep a couple of packs of these in the freezer at all times!

 

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Addendum: January 2021

 

Another Beyond Meat product we now have in our freezer at all times is the Beyond Burger.  They're perfect for nights we want a break from meat.  The few times we tried to prepare them in a skillet, they burned easily and created a very smoky situation in the kitchen.  So we did a bit of Googling about how to bake them instead, and now have the perfect way to prepare them:

• do NOT thaw them
• Preheat oven to 400F
• Put frozen burgers on lightly greased foil-lined sheet (easy clean up afterward!)
  
• Coat each burger with olive oil and seasoning (we use our Jake's Grillin' Rub)
• Bake for 20 minutes (flipping once at 10 minutes) or until internal temperature of 165F

 

We often put a slice of cheese on each burger at the end and quickly melt it before turning the oven off.  Delightful! 

Jersey Exploration: Akai Lounge

For a while, we couldn't find a Japanese restaurant around here that we really liked and trusted.  But we've tried out Akai Lounge a few times now, and we've been pleased so far!  We don't actually eat sushi or Japanese takeout in general that much anymore, but when we do we're glad that Akai is close enough to pick up in person or get delivered via Door Dash.

Lobster Pizza

(crispy rice topped with lobster salad and served with our sweet & spicy sauce )

Scallop Special

(baked scallops, Alaskan king crab, shrimp, tobiko, mushrooms and peppers served in a creamy spicy sauce)

Soft Shell Crab

(batter-fried soft-shell crab with side of tempura sauce)

Wasabi Pork Shumai

(steamed spicy pork dumplings)

Latin Roll 

(skirt steak and tempura plantain topped with avocado)

and 

New York Roll

(chopped Alaskan king crab, shrimp and spicy sauce, toasted, then rolled with avocado and crunch, topped with green tobiko and sweet sauce)

PORK BUTT: Another Rotisserie Experiment Extraordinaire

Here's one more throwback post that couldn't be left unshared: our epic pork butt rotisserie roast when the summer sun was blazing!

DJ's dream has always been to dig a hole in a yard and bury a whole pig for roasting like they do in Hawaii.  We have yet to work out those logistics... so in the meantime he settled for trying the butt cut of a porker on our favorite rotisserie.  

 Tied up tight and ready to go!

 

 Perfect size for rotating:

Nothing beats the aroma of the smoker.

Made things festive with some leis and fun new drinkware!

 

 

Grillmaster was pleased with the final results.

Broke out the bear claws to shred it up Wolverine-style:

Perfection!

Westville: Delightful Outdoor Dining in DUMBO

As is evident by the outfits in these pictures, this post is a bit belated.  But we didn't want to neglect sharing about a wonderful brunch at  Westville - DUMBO.  Back in the summer, we visited Brooklyn and enjoyed a leisurely morning of playground time and strolling around DUMBO with Hana and Josh.    (Mel is on a mission to make sure our little guy visits the city enough that he doesn't become a total Jersey dude like The Situation.)

After we wandered for a bit, Hana suggested Westville for an easy, low-key brunch.  Perfect call!  The DUMBO location of this chain has ample outdoor seating and is very family-friendly.  We were able to soak in a bit of sun on the patio while noshing on some yummy brunch fare. 

 

Westville Cobb
(grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, blue cheese over romaine & mixed greens with balsamic lemon dill vinaigrette)

Southwestern Brunch Bowl

(two poached eggs, avocado, bacon, black beans, roasted corn, salsa verde and pico de gallo over cilantro lime rice)

Avocado Toast
(topped with sunny-side up eggs & sriracha drizzle, with arugula & cherry tomato salad)

Rhubarb Pie

The service - extremely fast.  

The food - super fresh.  

The location - totally convenient.  

Triple win for a summer Sunday.

Great company in the greatest borough on a beautiful day - doesn't get better than that!

Mozie-Mazing Cookies from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood has inspired a lot of baking in our home, and our favorite show has struck again with another awesome family-friendly recipe: Mozie-Mazing Cookies!

So easy, so fast, and so delicious!  We will be making these all the time!

Jersey Exploration: The Summit House

Date Day!  We watched Summit House being built near some of our other favorite restaurants, so we were super pumped to finally try it out now that its doors are open.

We really loved the vibe right from the start.  The space is very open and airy with gorgeous natural light streaming from the windows.  The tables and banquettes create a coziness that is so welcoming, and the napkins and waitstaff aprons are a chic shade of classic denim helping the whole place feel special yet casual at the same time.

After perusing the cocktail menu, we couldn't resist the Up in Smoke: mezcal kicked up a notch with yumminess like pineapple, lime, cream of coconut and mole bitters.  It arrived to the table with a burning cinnamon stick wafting the loveliest smoky aroma everywhere.  What a fun treat!

Then we jumped right in for some delicious meals.

Duck Rilette & Tetilla Cheese

We had never tried duck rilette before, so this was an impulse order just out of curiosity.  A tasty way to start the meal, though Mel still prefers saltier meats for charcuterie courses.

Far Hills Burger

DJ was very pleased the burger meat was actually seasoned properly, unlike a lot of places that assume the grill will handle all the flavor.

Lobster Club

Mel is a sucker for a good lobster roll, but this lobster sandwich may convert her.  Rather than being drowned in mayo, the meat (which they didn't skimp on!) was simply rolled in butter so you could really enjoy the taste of the lobster.  And the fact that there was also bacon and avocado?!?!  This may be a sandwich that gets craved regularly.

Rather than getting dessert, DJ was intrigued by their Cocktail of the Month: Christmas in July (Cruzan light & dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, orange, and nutmeg). Not only was the presentation hilariously awesome, but the taste was light and refreshing.  A perfect summer drink we'd definitely order again!

 

Summit House, without question, you will be one of our new go-to spots for special dates.  Can't wait to return!

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Welp, it didn't take us long to go back to Summit House for another date!  This time, we decided to go in the evening to try out the dinner menu.  In a word:  AMAZING!  Each dish was absolute perfection.  We enjoyed our meal so much, we're already talking about when to go again to try other dishes and cocktails.  

Octopus

(stuffed piquillo, pepperoni, yukon gold potato, pressured lemon, avocado mousse)

Barnegat Light Scallop

(chicken chicharron, fava, cauliflower, vadouvan popcorn puree)

Rohan Duck

(compressed tomatillos, masa fritters, mole cilantro)



Guanaco Chocolate 3-ways 
(ancho guanaco cake, guanaja cake, guanaco sesame mousse, guanaco bark, tart cherry, almond butter, chantilly)

Overnight Oats: Changing Our Breakfast Game

Overnight oats have been all the rage for a while, but we were slow to get on board because Mel usually doesn't love hot oatmeal after a few bites.  But during a quest for healthier, heartier breakfast options, we decided to give them a whirl and fell in love!  

There are a bazillion recipe ideas for overnight oats if you use "The Google."  

Over time, this has become the combination we make most regularly:

• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 fresh mini banana, sliced
• 1 spoonful of Trader Joe's Mixed Nut Butter
• 1 spoonful of honey

Then:

1. Put all the ingredients into mason jar.
2. Pour milk of your choice until everything is submerged.  
3. Cover jar tightly and shake vigorously to mix all the ingredients.  
4. Place in fridge overnight.

In the morning, you will find a jar full of deliciousness!  If the oats are still a little dry, you can always add more milk.  Some people heat the oats up a bit, but we actually enjoy them cold.  One jar usually yields about two servings (unless you're super hungry).

With a topping of fresh fruit - our usual being blueberries - this is a delightful breakfast that leaves us feeling healthy and energized at the start of the day.

Mad Mex Madness for Father's Day

Every time we get Mexican food in the NY/NJ area, DJ laments: "It's not like Mad Mex."  Mad Mex was his fav spot to grab food during his time in Pittsburgh - particularly because of their awesome happy hour deals and huge margaritas.  We actually visited Mad Mex when we took a trip back to Pitt years ago, and Mel had to agree it was pretty tasty and the drinks pack a punch!  So recently, when DJ started bragging that no one could ever surprise him, Mel decided to do something a bit "mad" for Father's Day - a turnaround trip to the Mad Mex location in Philly to get all DJ's favorite dishes for a special lunch.

With a thermal bag and the best little preschooler co-pilot ever (thank God he loves long car rides and naming every vehicle on the road), Mel snuck down to Philly one weekday afternoon and stocked up on goodies to keep in the freezer until Father's Day.

And on Father's Day morning, DJ woke to find his gifts...

all loaded inside the Mad Mex takeout bag!  It took him a minute to register that he was actually seeing the Mad Mex logo.  And then he just stared in shock saying, 

"You couldn't have gone all the way there?!?!?!"

A testament to the food: all the dishes defrosted beautifully on a low heat in the oven and still tasted delicious even a few days later.  We had a lovely time sampling the Spicy Mad Mex Burrito, Mad Mex Enchilada, and Carnitas Enchilada.  Cheers to happy tastebud memories and successful surprises.  Next time, maybe we'll bring a cooler to cart home some margaritas!  ;)

Jersey Exploration: American Heroes Smokehouse

We drive past American Heroes Smokehouse pretty often and finally had a chance to try it one lazy weekend.  We decided to get an order of ribs, wings, vinegar slaw, and baked beans to sample a variety of their offerings.

The dry rub on the meats was so good we didn't even need or want the dipping sauces, and the ribs were super tender.  The sides were okay, but a bit on the sweet side for our taste.  We agreed we'd definitely order meats again from here next time we're craving that slow-smoked flavor, and we'll just make our own sides.  Grateful this place is an option on Door Dash!

Banana Bread, a.k.a. "Love Bread"

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is trending in our house this year.  A day is not complete without watching it and reading storybooks featuring the characters.  Several episodes/stories featuring friendly Baker Aker making awesome treats inspired our little guy to want to bake.  In one particular story, Daniel and his dad make banana bread in the shape of a heart for Mom Tiger because it's her favorite treat.  So we got ourselves a heart-shaped pan and decided to give it a whirl!

This Betty Crocker Banana Bread recipe is so simple it's crazy!  

 

The best part about the process is that it's very kid-friendly - lots of tasks they can help with like mashing bananas, pouring wet and dry ingredients, and mixing.  A super fun activity for a day inside!  And the final result is delicious. 

  We enjoyed making this banana bread so much, we actually made it again just one week later.  Looks like we'll be keeping this recipe in the repertoire for a while.  

Thanks for the inspiration, Baker Aker and Daniel!

Jersey Exploration: Alstede Farms for Fruit Picking

Our little guy has become quite the gardener thanks to working in our yard every day with his grandpa.  He loves carefully watering all the flowers and checking our strawberry plant, blueberry bush, and cherry tree each morning for ripe fruit.  So when we heard strawberry season had started at Alstede Farms, we knew he'd get a kick out of being surrounded by rows of berries prime for the picking.

It was actually a lot of fun for all of us!

And as we planned the trip to the farm, Mel realized that she had never actually had strawberry pie.  At first, this seemed inconceivable... but she really couldn't recall ever tasting it!  So of course, we had to pick one up from the farm's market. 

As our favorite fuzzy pal Daniel Tiger (who also enjoys strawberry picking) would say: it was deeeee-licious and yum-yum-yummy in our tum-tum-tummies!