Kitchen Tested

On a recent grocery shopping trip, I spotted a new product and knew I had to put it to use in my kitchen.  I love to find any excuse to put Philadelphia cream cheese in my recipes, but the new Philadelphia Cooking Crème makes cooking with cream cheese even easier.  Philadelphia Cooking Crème comes in a variety of flavors Original, Italian Herb, Santa Fe and Savory Garlic. 

I grabbed the Savory Garlic flavor, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to try it with, but I assumed that garlic would be the most versatile flavor.  Tonight I decided to replace ricotta cheese mixture in the traditional lasagna recipe with the Cooking Crème…and wow, I was not disappointed.

I layered Bolognese sauce to start, then lasagna noodles and then spread the Cooking Crème over the noodles.  I continued this layering process and then topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. I had pre-cooked the noodles, so I only had to bake the dish at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. 

This may go against traditional Italian recipes, but I loved the creamy texture that the Cooking Crème added to the dish.  Sometimes ricotta can leave a dry texture to lasagna and the Cooking Crème created a smooth and rich flavor that I had been missing.  I think I have found my perfect lasagna recipe and I don’t think I will go back to ricotta in this dish ever again. 

After doing some research, I discovered that Philadelphia and Kraft foods are planning a large scale marketing campaign around Cooking Crème.  I am curious to see how they will promote the product and to experiment with the variety of flavors in other dishes.  I think this might become a staple in my fridge, just like Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  Keep an eye out in your local grocery store for this product, I found it with the refrigerated pasta section. 

Restaurant Review: Midnight Diner

 

One day it was an empty lot and the next day Midnight Diner had set up shop on the corner of Tryon and Carson Street.  Charlotte’s restaurant community was lacking a 24 hour diner and I couldn’t have been more excited when I saw Midnight Diner pop up and fill that void.  It is close to Uptown, so a quick cab right after a night out is not out of the question when you have a craving for some greasy food or a morning after re-cap session over brunch the next day. 

The experience starts in the parking lot, as the aroma of delicious food on the grill catches your taste buds and your mouth starts to water. Once you step inside your senses hit overload as the sights and sounds inform you of the culinary experience you are about to enjoy.  

The menu is a roadmap to taste bud heaven, I think it would be impossible to pick a bad item on this list.  From a breakfast sandwich on a fresh buttermilk biscuit to chicken and waffles with a side of livermush, I guarantee you will find something for everyone on this menu.

Breakfast of Champions

I have a hard enough time deciding what to eat on a menu with 15-20 options, so when I started to flip through the selection at my fingertips it required some extra decision making time.  I finally decided on the “Thumbs Up” Coconut Crunch French Toast and trust me, I was not disappointed.  These dish arrived with 4 thick slices of challah bread that had been coated in traditional French toast egg mixture, but then topped off with a coconut and sugar mixture that was out of this world.  Once fried, this mixture created a crisp outer coating of the challah bread, while the inside remained soft and fluffy. I was proud of myself for finishing off two slices of the toast and a side of hash browns, smothered of course. 

Round Two

After my first experience, I can guarantee I will be coming back for more and I already have my next order prepared. 

- Bleu Wedge Salad (the picture on the menu is just too enticing)

- Chicken and Dumplins Dinner Plate

- A side of 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

- A Blue Bell Milkshakes

If you are not convinced yet…

If you are not convinced by the stellar menu selections, check out the prices on the menu, you can’t beat those deals and daily specials make it even more affordable.  Finally, I have two words that will seal the deal: full bar. Midnight Diner offers both liquor and beer selections, what else can you ask for?

The Verdict

5 out of 5 wheels of Brie

There is nothing that beats comfort food and that is exactly what Midnight Diner provides, food that is comforting and you know you can go back to and count on a good meal.  You can count on me being a regular at this spot.

 

Midnight Diner

115 East Carson Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

980.207.3641

http://www.facebook.com/MidnightDiner

http://twitter.com/CLTdiner247

The Best Thing I Ate…

Last weekend, I went to visit my best friend Mandi, who recently moved to New York City.  I was so excited to explore the city with her and taste the best pizza and bagels that I could find.  We spent a day full of sightseeing and then a few hours of getting to know the local Australian pub that Mandi likes to frequent, so we were ready for something quick and easy to eat while we got ready for our night out. 

Mandi recommended Artichoke and Basille’s Pizza & Brewery because it always had a line out the door, which we both assumed had to be a good sign.  Once we stepped inside, it didn’t take long to make a decision on what slice to pick, a pie of spinach and artichoke pizza was just pulled out of the oven and the smell was intoxicating. 

It was hard to keep myself from eating it as we walked home, as each slice had chunks of artichoke peeking out from underneath a layer of bubbly cheese.  Once I took a bite, it wasn’t long until I had finished the entire slice.  I had to stop myself from eating to snap a picture.  The crust was crispy on the bottom and then soft in the middle, I actually started to believe the rumors about the water making it taste better.  The toppings combined roasted garlic, white sauce, strings of spinach, chunks of artichoke and then covered in heavenly mozzarella cheese.   This pizza lived up to every expectation I had and the only disappointment was when there was nothing left.

If you are in New York, you can find Artichoke’s in the East Village at 328 E 14th Street between 1st and 2nd, in Chelsea at 114 10th Ave and in Greenwich Village at 111 Macdougal Street, between W 3rd and Bleeker. 

Trust me on this one…

If you love a tuna melt, you will love my Mom’s tuna melt pizza.  This recipe snuck into our family dinner rotation and at first, I was hesitant, but after one taste, I was hooked.  Tuna melt pizza is the perfect dish when your bank account is low or when you want a quick and easy meal after a long day.

The Shopping List

Can of tuna, drained
Ranch Dressing
Pizza Crust – I use Boboli Thin Crust
Mozzarella Cheese

The To Do List
1. Pre-heat the oven according to the pizza crust instructions.

2. Spread ranch dressing on the pizza crust.

3. Spread the drained tuna on top of the ranch dressing.

4. Top with mozzarella cheese or any cheese of your choice.  Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Swiss would taste great as well. 



5. Bake until cheese is golden brown.

You can also top your pizza with anything that you would throw in your traditional tuna salad: celery, onions and pickles. 

Give it a chance and let me know what you think!

Charlotte Eats–Blu Basil

The city of Charlotte provides a variety of unique restaurants, but I often find myself returning to the same spot or when I really want to feel disappointed in myself, a chain restaurant.  It just seems like such a shame not to explore the community of food around me and support local, independent restaurants. Luckily, I have someone in my life who is just as curious to try new places and we have made it our goal to try as many new places as possible. 

This week, we decided to try Blu Basil, which is an Italian café located in the Costwold neighborhood.  I was not familiar with Blu Basil, but once I heard that they served gelato, I was sold!

The Starters

I am a sucker for appetizers, so it is always a tough decision.  I couldn’t decide between The Sampler and the Feta Dip…so we ordered both!

The Sampler featured bruschetta, calamari and toasted ravioli with marinara sauce. 

The toasted ravioli was by far the best part of this dish, the cheese inside was smooth and creamy mozzarella, like no other ravioli that I have had before.  The bruschetta was flavorful, but the texture was off, the crostini was soft and soggy, which distracted from the flavor.  The calamari was the most disappointing, my dinner partner was quick to point out that it was frozen and not hand breaded, which made them rubbery.  Next time, I would make a full meal out of the ravioli, it was the perfect balance of creamy cheese and crispy breading.  

The Feta Dip was made with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and warm feta cheese.  It was served with flatbread and homemade crostinis. 

I was surprised that the spinach was diced finely into the dip, I would have preferred more obvious pieces of spinach to allow for more robust flavor. The feta and spinach was blended with the sun-dried tomatoes, which seemed to overpower the taste of the feta.  The dish’s name should emphasize the main flavor of the dish and I was disappointed the feta played second string to sun-dried tomatoes in this case.

The Headliner

Gorgonzola Steak - juicy, thinly hand sliced NY strip steak, grilled to perfection and gently placed atop a bed of penne noodles tossed with our gorgonzola cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach

My dinner mate ordered the Gorgonzola Steak.  He raved “You could tell the steak was seared well, the outside of the steak browned perfectly and had a salty crust. The gorgonzola cream sauce was mild and not overpowering, so you could taste all the sundried tomatoes and spinach.The only thing lacking from the dish was the amount on steak, especially for $15.99".”

Stuffed Chicken - two pan seared chicken breasts stuffed with creamy goat cheese, garlic, baby spinach and Italian prosciutto, topped with our thyme-cream sauce and gently layered atop a bed of creamy mushroom risotto and steamed broccoli

 

Two things attracted me to this dish: goat cheese and risotto.  I pushed the chicken aside and went straight for the risotto when it arrived, because I know how important it is to serve risotto piping hot .  I was disappointed that the risotto was undercooked, but the flavor was strong enough to distract me and make this part of the dish a winner.  Slices of sautéed mushrooms throughout the risotto also balanced the creamy texture.

I thought the broccoli, while cooked well, was unnecessary.  The dish was satisfying enough without the broccoli and it seemed a bit out of place.  I felt more like my Mother was making sure I had enough servings of vegetables for the day.

The chicken had a salty, crisp skin and was overstuffed with goat cheese, which I did not mind, one bit! It was salty, juicy and creamy, exactly everything you want stuffed chicken to be. 

The Sweet Ending

Three Layered Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato - decadent and rich, this cake is chocolate after chocolate after chocolate. And after you think it's done, more chocolate hits your taste buds

 

 

 

 

In this case, the cake really was an excuse to eat gelato.  The Café makes their homemade gelato daily and like to experiment with unique flavors, on this day their flavors ranged from blueberry muffin to lemon pound cake.  I prefer more traditional flavors, so I choose the chocolate hazelnut.  The texture was perfectly smooth and creamy, just like the gelato I ate in Italy this summer.

The cake held its own against the gelato with a buttercream icing and chocolate mousse filling, it was rich and decadent.  After such a large meal, we had a hard time making a dent into the cake, but the small bites we did take were a perfect ending to a delicious meal. 

The Verdict                 

3 out of 5 wheels of Brie

I would recommend Blu Basil to someone looking for a new Italian spot in Charlotte.  The menu had a wide variety of choices, guaranteeing anyone who you take there will find something they like.  The gelato was the highlight of the meal, but you have to take a risk on the flavor selection that day. 

The Details

Starters range from $4.99-$9.99

Main Courses range from $8.99 to $19.99

Thursday nights are half price wine, either glass or bottle. 

Blu Basil

306 S Sharon Amity Rd

Charlotte, NC 28211

http://blubasil.com/

Cheddar Cheese Soup w/ Bacon

 

There are very simple things that make me happy: cheese, bacon and soup.  The first recipe that I wanted to make in my new Le Crueset had to include all these ingredients, so cheddar cheese soup naturally came to mind.  Most of my soup recipes include an extra helping of cheese, but surprisingly this was my first attempt at cheese soup.

Shopping List

5 Strips of bacon

3 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken stock

2-3 Cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

To- Do List

1. Dice bacon and then brown in the pan over medium heat.

2. Remove bacon and place on paper towel to blot grease.

3. Add diced onion to bacon fat and brown. 

4. Add butter and garlic. I prefer to grate the garlic with a micro plane directly into the pot. 

5. Once the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Whisk in the chicken stock, one cup at a time. 

7. Add in cheese a handful at a time, whisking and letting each handful melt before adding more. 

Note: I used some of the left over cheese from my grilled cheese party, including Monterey jack, Swiss and brie. 

8. Stir in bacon and then season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. 

9. Serve with crusty sourdough bread, top with green onions and bacon.

Soups on!

Christmas Goodies

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, I certainly enjoyed all the family time and food.  My great friend and fellow food obsessed blogger, Kerry, posted her favorite foodie gifts from Christmas (check it out here at www.snarkandpepper.com).  I thought it was a great idea, so I thought I would share my foodie gifts that I was blessed to receive from my family.

Tuscan Parmesan Flatbread Mix

I love the high end, mixes from specialty kitchen stores, but can’t bring myself to spend the money on them.  My Mom is so kind to splurge and gift me something I would never get for myself!  She found this one at Crate and Barrel, it looks delicious!

Mushroom Risotto Mix

I have a new found obsession with risotto, so this mix was an obvious gift for my Mom to get me.  I can’t wait to whip up this up and let her know how it is!

Gator Grilling Brand Irons

When I posted about these, I didn’t think I would receive them as a gift, but my Sister made my Christmas morning when I opened the hamburger and hot dog branding irons! I can’t wait to show these off at BBQs and tailgates!

Cusinart 7 Cup Food Processor

I have been using a small 2 cup food processor to make hummus, pesto and salsa, but I was getting tired of making multiple batches and not having the power I would like.  I asked for a reasonably size food processor for Christmas that would be easy to store in my kitchen and I was pleased to find a picture of the Cusinart 7 cup Food Processor (actual product delivered to my house) wrapped on Christmas morning.  I can’t wait to make my favorite buffalo hummus and creamy pesto!

The Mac Daddy

Never did I imagine that my blog of gift ideas would become reality for me, but my wonderful family surprised me with the ultimate foodie gift, a 6 quart oval, Le Creuset! I can not describe my excitement for the years of fantastic meals that I will create in this dish. 

Next Blog Post: My first experience cooking with Le Creuset – Sharp Cheddar Soup with Bacon