Top 'o the Morning Dublin!

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I am still here - I've just been completely SWAMPED with school, recruiting, and projects.

One of those (though I'm not saying which one) took me to Ireland this spring. It was my first visit, and I had an absolute blast. Of course, one of the best parts of the whole thing was the food.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I promise you will have a full-fledged food tour of Dublin, Limerick, and London by the time I'm done.

We arrived in Dublin jet-lagged and fairly exhausted, but definitely hungry. And we were fortunate enough to have our hotel situated across the street from this beauty.

Neha and I quickly snapped a picture, which began the week-long photo album that I dubbed "Neha's Face with European Backgrounds."

Famished, the group searched for food through the rainy streets of Dublin. After passing through several pubs, I set my sights on the Holy Grail.

Gourmet Irish burgers? 

Enough said.

We were quickly seated and placed our orders for possibly the most gargantuan and delicious-looking burgers we'll ever have in our lives.

I'm pretty sure Neha's face says it all.

Pails of chips were also an absolute necessity after such a long journey.

While many opted for the traditional burger, Sylvia and I went rogue. She, being vegetarian, opted for a bean burger, while I splurged on the fish and chips combo burger.

Two pieces of cod, grilled onions, tartar sauce, mushy peas, and lettuce with a side of crispy salty chips. This dish exemplifies the warm welcome of Ireland.

After having our fill, we went on to explore the town a bit more and develop our own mental maps. After a few hours, we needed an obligatory caffeine break to keep us going (and some wi-fi to assist in our evening planning).

The latte art bear was a nice touch, which Sylvia promptly archived.

The rest of the evening was more exploring, and galavanting, but before I end this post of Dublin Day One, I must implore you to recognize a hidden gem in downtown Dublin.

Around 10 pm, Neha and I started to feel a little peckish, but were worried about trying to locate a bar that served food that late. It seemed that after 9 pm, alcohol is the only thing on the menu in Dublin. Fortunately, a very kind waitress pointed us across the street to this joint:

I know what you're thinking: shawarma in Dublin? Not a good idea. But it was our only option. 

I ended up being not only pleasantly surprised, but enamored by the deliciousness that I was served for a mere €7. 

Chips topped with Shawarma topped with garlic sauce and red spicy sauce. Couldn't finish the whole thing if my life depended on it, but truly one of the greatest surprises I had while in Dublin.

And so ended day one of our journey. Don't worry, there's much more food where this came from!

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Nutella Banana French Toast

In the midst of finals season and crazy holiday shopping, there are two things that undeniably offer salvation.

Nutella.

And Bananas.

During an especially stressful weekend, I decided to mix the two together. I've done this before (example: Nutella Banana crepes, Nutella Banana muffins), but this recipe was a play off of a Jamie Oliver original. In his cookbook Jamie's Dinners, which I highly recommend, by the way, he offers up a suggestion for an easy morning meal - turning basic French toast into a sandwich.

I took his suggestion and jumped it up another level.

This sandwich is delicious, comforting, and phenomenally easy. And it starts with these few ingredients:

2 slices good bread

1/2 banana

1 large egg

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

pad of butter

as much Nutella as your heart desires

Start by making your egg wash. Blend the egg, sugar, and water together in a shallow bowl (make sure it's big enough to fit your whole sandwich in). Set aside.

Then, place a pad of butter into a pan and heat to medium.

Next, mash up the 1/2 banana and spread it onto one piece of bread. Cover with the other slice and press down to form a solid sandwich.

This part is tricky - pick up your whole sandwich and dunk it into the egg wash, covering it from all sides. Then place your sandwich onto the sizzling skillet and cook until golden brown. Flip the sandwich once, and cook it on the other side until golden brown.

Finally, take whatever sized spoonful of Nutella you deem necessary to get you through the day, and scoop it into a bowl. Heat the Nutella in the microwave for 30-40 seconds, until softened. Drizzle your Nutella over your sandwich until it's covered with the perfect amount of chocolatey goodness.

Admire your creation momentarily before digging in.

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Vinology

A few weeks ago, I went out with my family to celebrate my birthday at a restaurant downtown called Vinology.

I'd heard about this place for years from various friends who all said it was amazing, but I'd never really worked up the strength to pull myself over to Main Street and try it.

When my birthday rolled around, I decided it was finally time to see what it's all about.

I need a fellow food adventurer with me, so I brought Matt along.

The restaurant was surprisingly a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Only twenty or so tables inside, with an enormous bar and some quaint decorations. It was clear from the beginning that this place is focused on creating a small and intimate dining experience.

Of course, a round of appetizers was necessary to start. We went with a white cheddar cheese plate with crackers and an arugula and strawberry salad.

Perfectly smooth cheese, crispy crackers, and a touch of sweetness from the berries. I tried my best to pile everything together, as you can see, to appreciate the blend of flavors.

When it came time to order entrees, I went with something new and adventurous. The bison steak.

Several slices of rare bison steak on a bed of spicy greens with a side of sweet barbecue sauce. Complimented by a few sticks of fried okra and a blackberry blue cheese tart. 

The flavor mix was phenomenal. The bison tasted fairly similar to steak, and the heat from the sauce underneath the meat was instantly complimented by the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. Never having tried okra before, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the taste. And I don't even like blue cheese, but the tart was creamy, tangy, and delicious.

My dad and Matt got the same dish - salmon on a bed of veggies with fried goat cheese balls.

To be honest, the goat cheese alone would have been enough to draw me into this dish.

My mother went for a classic dish revamped - seared ahi tuna with a bed of stewed cherry tomatoes and veggies.

I may be a bit biased, but I think my choice was definitely the best.

Despite going through that huge plate of food, trying dessert was an absolute necessity (particularly considering the occasion). I glanced at the dessert menu, but my mind was made up as soon as I saw the Nutella bread pudding.

Easily one of the best desserts I've ever tasted. Fluffy, yet creamy, chocolatey yet not too rich, swimming in a pool of caramel sauce and sprinkled with peanuts. If dinner at Vinology seems a bit too adventurous for you, I'd recommend coming in for coffee and a slice of this bad boy.

All-in-all, a great dinner and a great birthday. And the next day I made sure to wear my favorite present....

A new pair of Hunter boots to tackle the rain and snow!
Nevermind that it wasn't raining the day that I wore these....

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Pumpkin Butterscotch Scones

Since the leaves are starting to turn and the wind is getting chillier, it's time to unveil the perfect fall recipe.

These delightful beauties are from a joyofbaking.com recipe that I altered to fit the ingredients I had in my kitchen. Needless to say, waking up on a Sunday morning and whipping up a batch of these will sooth your soul with cinnamon and pumpkin (and make your house/apartment smell phenomenal).

To make a batch of 8, you will need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light or dark brownsugar

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup butterscotch baking chips

1/3 - 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (no spices added)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 largeegg

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Start by combining all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl and mixing them together. Add your butter pieces.

Next, work the butter into the dry ingredients by mashing the two together with a fork. The effect will look something like this:

Continue doing this until all of your butter has been mixed in and the powdered mixture looks like crumbled pie crust.

Next, stir in your chips.

In a separate bowl, combine your pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla. 

When it turns into a smooth orange puree, you're ready to add it to your main bowl.

Stir the pumpkin mixture into your other ingredients until the dough just comes together. Transfer to a floured surface and knead it 4-5 times. Carefully pat your dough down into a circle. Next, turn your hand into a sword and slice your dough circle in half. Then, slice each of the halves in half. Finally, slice each of the quarters in half. This should give you 8 relatively uniform triangles.

Lay these out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. In a separate bowl, mix your egg and milk together. Using a pastry brush (or your fingers), cover the tops of your scones with the egg wash.

Heat for 20 minutes and make yourself a nice big mug of coffee. When your timer dings, take these beautiful golden treats out of the oven.

The proper thing to do would be to let them cool for 10-15 minutes before digging in. But let's be real - they look WAY too good to wait.

Pair with your hot mug of coffee, a thick sweater, and falling leaves.

Happy autumn!

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Spicy Southwest Quinoa Salad

If you're one of those people who eats a salad for lunch and gets hungry 3 hours later (or 2 hours later if you have my appetite), this recipe is for you.

Not only is it extremely delicious and quick to put together, it's packed with protein from the chicken and quinoa, making this salad a meal that will truly last you through the day.

I was inspired to make this salad after my summer in Chicago. I regularly visited a restaurant called The Protein Bar, which was famous for stocking its entire menu with protein-heavy and quinoa-filled burritos, bowls, and salads. After having their burrito (or Bar-Rito as they call it) several times, I opted for a southwest salad one day, but requested to have buffalo dressing instead of the much spicier Cholula hot sauce doused on top. What emerged was a delicious combination of flavors that come together quickly to make an easy and filling meal. 

After re-creating it myself several times, I feel it's finally ready to be shared with the public.

To make this salad, you will need:

1 chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 container Trader Joe's Super 8 Veggie Mix (or bagged salad)
Sprouts
1/2 avocado, cut into chunks
Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce 

Start by making your quinoa. Follow the directions according to the package (I generally boil 1/2 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water until the kernels crack)

Next, heat a glug of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add your chicken and toss on some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is browned.

Next comes the layering. You'll start with your veggie mix as the base. I went with Trader Joe's version because it gives you a nice variety of pre-chopped nutritious veggies for only $2.99. (Side note: I've found this veggie mix to be extremely versatile in other dishes as well - I'll add a cup or two into salads, a stir-fry, a noodle dish, etc. I highly recommend it for new veggie recipe experiments.)

Then add on your sprouts - I went with organic pea shoots for this part, but you can choose whatever is most convenient for you.

Next, add your quinoa.

Then your chicken.

Then your avocado.

Now here comes the fun part. Grab your bottle of buffalo sauce and toss on as much or as little as you'd like, depending on your spice preferences. Give the bowl a stir, sample your creation, and add more if you need to. Enjoy your hearty salad with a glass of cold water.

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