Friday, June 3, 2011

Easy-peasy Japanesey Summer Sushi!

At first, sushi looks overwhelming to make but with this easy-peasy recipe (great for beginners) you'll be rollin' 'em out in no time!
With the rice on the inside this recipe is easy and clean, making it perfect for a summer picnic!
What You'll Need:
-Seaweed Nori Rolling Paper (I cut mine in half hot dog length)
-Imitation crab or real crab if you want to get fancy
*make sure if you decide to use raw fish that you get the "Sushi Grade" fish. If you are unsure, ask the person at the deli counter!
-Assorted vegetables cut into thin strips- I used peppers, avocado, and green onions, but cucumbers, carrots and even fruit goes well!
-Cream Cheese
-Cooked Sushi Rice
-Small bowl of water to dip Your hands each time you apply rice
-A very sharp knife
-Sriracha
-Wasabi Paste & Soy Sauce for dipping
~
What You'll Do:
-Wet hands in bowl and scoop a handful of sushi rice, pat the rice onto the seaweed, covering almost the entire sheet in a thin, even blanket- make sure to leave about half an inch at the top of the seaweed uncovered
-Add crab & vegetables in a horizontal line on the end that has all the rice
*If using cream cheese, cut a piece and pinch it, stretching it out along the bottom of the roll
-Add a line of Sriracha
-Wet the top of the uncovered roll with water
-Gripping firmly, gently roll from top to bottom- the wetted top of the roll should stick to the rice below it
-Using a very sharp knife, see-saw back and forth, gently cutting the roll so not to tear the seaweed
-In two small serving dishes, place wasabi and soy sauce, grab your chop sticks and dig in!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Things to Do: Burning River Fest!

Many Clevelanders from past to present can recall the insustainably disgusting event when the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969. Since 2001, The Burning River Foundation has put on Burning River Fest- an event where people from Northeast Ohio/Great Lakes Regions can come together to learn about and celebrate a "renewed sense of eco-consciousness". Live music acts from local talents, locally sustainable farms and food vendors from around the area make this event a must go! It's also Christmas in July, so you know what that means- the return of CHRISTMAS ALE! Check out the flyer below and their website for more details!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Weekly Want: Big Girls Small Kitchen Cookbook!


It's finally here:

Ever since I stumbled upon Big Girls Small Kitchen about a year ago, I've been waiting for the release of their book, In the Small Kitchen: 100 Recipes from Our Year of Cooking in the Real World. Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapine (the Big Girls) make college/apartment cooking look effortlessly chic, sophisticated and well put together (not to mention yummy!). As a college student getting ready to graduate and move out of my tiny apartment and into a slightly bigger big girl apartment, I love reading their blog to get ideas of how to prepare meals for my boyfriend and I, small dinner/cocktail parties or any other kind of themed occasions that I don't need a huge elaborate kitchen to cook in. Their recipes have helped me create the perfect Super Bowl Party appetizers (the guest thought it was a real touchdown!) and I've printed off my own collection of their recipes which are posted all over my fridge. But now in an easy-big-girl-small-kitchen-fashion their simple,delicious recipes are compiled into one amazing cookbook! Available on Amazon for about $15 these girls will have you eager to cook in your small kitchen and impress you and your guests with their delectable delights!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

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Happy Hour: Luxe

So, I've been thinking that most of the restaurant reviews (and yes I know that I have not done one in quite a while) are mostly for dinner, but what every good Clevelander really wants to know is where's the booze! I must admit that the number one way I go about choosing a new restaurant is to pick one with a good happy hour- and we're not just talking drinks here. Happy Hour is an inexpensive way to take in the atmosphere, the clientele, the prices, the cuisine and last, but certainly not least- whether this is place to stop back again because they serve one hell of a dirty martini or have great draft prices! There are many places that I want to revisit as ode to this blog and share with you their amazing HH, but I figured in light of finally getting around to trying this place, I would start with Luxe. Luxe, located in one of my *fav* neigbs- Gordon Square Art District/ Battery Park area, is hott. And when I say hott, I mean, sexy. Sexy lighting, decor, waiters, the works! And the foods not too bad either... actually that's an understatement because the food is amazing! I had walked by Luxe many times, but was always turned off by it because it just didn't seem like my kind of place. I thought that it was too expensive for my cent-savvy foodie tastes and due to the finely dressed business persons always gazing out the window, martini in hand, I figured I would just be better heading to Happy Dog for a cheap dog and beer. Letting my ridiculous judgements hold me back no longer, I met a friend there for happy hour after work about a week or so ago and beat myself up for a second after looking at the HH menu and realizing I had been missing out on one of the best Cleveland HH of my life!
Both Photos via luxecleveland.com

Now I know you're all wondering what exactly it is that I'm talking about, so let me just lay it out for you:

HH Hours: 5-7pm
For $6 you get 2 for 1 draft beers- anything from Arrogant Bastard IPA to Pabst Blue Ribbon
For $11 you get 2 for 1 martinis of your choice
For $6 you can eat 3 lamb meat loaf sliders or pulled pork sliders, a devilishly good Guinness burger with chocolate BBQ and caramelized onion, a large bucket of fried eggplants and hand-cut sweet and gold potato fries, and a few other selections I know I'm failing to remember
For $7-9 you can get a 12" or 14" pizza a good selection to choose from including Grilled Mediterranean Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan
* Just keep in mind that HH applies only to the lounge/bar area, which is pretty big, so no worries about missing out!

Luxe also offers lots of events with a specially prepared menu, as they had for Mother's Day. They also have a Happy Hour Brunch (Sundays 10am-3pm) and if you're just stopping in for a romantic dinner, the regular prices aren't too shabby (expect to double the price of the HH menu). HH at Luxe really is the way to go... in fact all this talk of it has me anticipating my next trip there... perhaps after work today ;)

6605 Detroit Avenue Cleveland, OH
216-920-0600
Hours: M- W 5pm-10pm; Th 5pm-11pm; F-Sat 5pm-12am; S 10am-10pm

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Weekly Want: Yellow Submarine Tea Infuser

Somewhere, in an octopus's garden in the shade, John Lennon is sipping tea, wishing he had this adorable tea infuser! This Yellow Submarine tea infuser from FredFlare is probably one of the cutest things since the Beatles had their mop-top haircuts in the '60's! You don't have to live in one to enjoy the iconic adorableness of this yellow submarine! Super affordable and definitely a must have for every Beatles fan/ tea enthusiast!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Getting into the Spirit: Derby Time!

Grab your most extravagant hat and get your drink on with the official Kentucky Derby drink, Mint Juleps!
-4 cups Kentucky bourbon
-1 cup water
-1 cup sugar
-4 sprigs of fresh spearmint (2 for garnish, 2 finely chopped & mixed inside cocktail)
photo via Joe O'Brien for American Tailgaters Association

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Getting Into the Spirit: Cinco de Mayo y Salsa Súper Fácil!

What You'll Need:
-1 can whole kernel corn drained
-1 can black beans drained
-1 small can jalapeño slices
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1 small onion diced
-fresh cilantro
-2 freshly squeezed limes (juice)
-sea salt & pepper to taste!
What You'll D0:
-throw all ingredients in a bowl, mix and serve!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Cinnamon Sugar & Rosemary Polenta Cakes

What You'll Need:
-Organic Polenta, cut into 1/2 inch patties
-1 tsp. of cinnamon
-1 tsp. of salt
-1 tsp of sugar
-1 sprig of fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
-2 tbsp. of olive oil
-1/2 can of pickled beets for topping

What You'll Do:
-Combine cinnamon, salt and sugar in a small bowl
- Heat up oil in pan
- Place Polenta in pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon, salt and sugar mixture, turn to other side and do the same
-Cook until browned on either side
-Serve with Beets ontop!