Wally’s American Grill @ Killington, VT

After a tiring day at the ski slopes, we went back to the hotel to chill, wash up and then get some dinner! We thought by going later in the evening, we would have avoided the mad rush of hungry skiers/snowboarders after a long day. We were wrong! SO WRONG!

We wanted to check out a local restaurant which had quite amazing reviews and did not think of making reservations. Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were told the wait was an hour. Since all 8 of us were a little hungry, we decided to walk across the street and check out the restaurants there. That too, had an hour’s wait and the interior was so funky and weird we decided to check out the restaurant next door to it; Wally’s.

Wally’s American Grill was quite empty. And that might not be a good sign. We decided to try it anyway coz we were confident that most places in town will be crowded. Besides, how can you go wrong with American food.

Upon seated, we browsed thru the menu (breakfast menu not available, sadly) and ordered whatever we fancy and beer. The few of us who ordered Blue Moons were fairly disappointed with the quality of the “on tap” beer. It was kinda flat, and tasted weird. But we let it slide and did not complain to the waitress.

The portion of the food were overall big. And they tasted pretty good. =) Here’s what hubby and I ordered.

1) Grilled Garden Burger – Chef’s homemade burger pressed between toasted rye bread, Swiss Cheese, Swiss Cheese, Spinach and Cilantro Mayo Spread @ ~$8.50 (Bottom Left). The burger came with a side of delicious french fries and pickle. The burger was pretty good. Light and a good change from the meat versions. There were surely plenty of water chestnut pieces in the burger, plus perhaps some mushrooms, carrots plus some other unidentified vegetables. Fresh spinach leaves were sandwiched in the middle. The one thing missing was the so called cilantro mayo. I can’t taste any. Cilantro has a strong pungent taste that I really like and I don’t think I tasted any on my burger. That was one of the reason I ordered the Garden Burger; the Cilantro Mayo!

2) Roast Beef – Roast Beef slices with green beans and mashed potatoes @ ~$12.99 (Bottom RIght). Hubby ordered this. This may actually cost more than $12.99, I forgot the actual price. A huge plate with 3 quite large pieces of roast beef, still pink in the inside. It came with good mount of mashed potatoes and gravy as well as some slightly over sautéed green beans. Hubby commented that it was good, although he had some trouble finishing his dinner plate!

Service was overall ok. Nothing too spectacular, and yet not too shabby! The placed filled up a bit after that probably catching the overflows from other restaurants nearby. I do love the interior of the place which has the look of a typical diner flare.

Next time you’re in Killington, check out Wally’s American Grill! They are on the same road that leads to the Killington Ski resort.

2841 Killington Rd
Killington, VT 05751
(802) 422-3177

Creamy Tuna & Tomato Pasta

I believe my aunt taught my mom this recipe and my mom passed it down to me when I saw her make this unbelievable quick and delicious pasta. A French lady or someone who’s lived in France taught my aunt this amazing creamy tuna and tomato pasta which is now one of my favorite comfort food.

Making and eating this pasta reminds me of home somehow. I’m truly lucky that my mom enjoys cooking and trying out various recipes from different parts of the world. I’m proud to say my passion for cooking and baking has its roots; my mom.

In this recipe, use SOLID canned tuna either packed in oil or water. I personally prefer the ones packed in oil as I think they are a little more flavorful. Solid Tuna as shown in picture above (left) will definitely give you chunkier, meaty tuna pieces. Yes, it does cost more, maybe double the price of the Chunk Tuna as shown in picture above (right) but the investment is worth it. Chunk Tuna pieces will disintegrate into unappetizing mushy little pieces. It taste better to able to bite into large chunks of tuna. Leave that mushy mess for your tuna salad sandwich! =P

CREAMY TUNA & TOMATO PASTA RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans Solid Tuna in Oil (or Water)
• 1-2 Plump Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 Clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 Lb Spaghetti or Linguine

Method:

Boil pasta in seasoned water (oil + salt) until al dente. Drain and set aside. Heat oil over medium heat and stir fry garlic until fragrant, not burnt. Then add cream, tuna and let mixture come to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add cooked pasta and seasoned with salt and pepper. Toss in tomatoes and half of chopped parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately. This should serve 2-3 people.

Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken is quite easy to cook and you don’t even need those store bought sauce/paste. You do need freshly cracked black pepper though (Hint: Use your pepper mill!) to get the delicious peppery taste. I feel that pre-ground black pepper does not give out as good of a flavor as the ones you cracked/ground just prior to using!

I made some the other day, and decided to sort of combine blanched baby Bok Choy and arranged them around the Black Pepper Chicken. This saves me from washing an extra plate! =)

Here’s my recipe for a easy Black Pepper Chicken! Remember to use black peppercorns and personally crack/ground them before cooking!! It does make a difference!

BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Legs, Cut into 7-8 Pieces
• 6 Oz Button Mushrooms, Halved
• 1 Rib Celery, Thinly Sliced on a Bias
• 4 Clove Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper, Divided
• 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce, Divided
• 1/2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Cup Water
• 3 Tsp Corn Flour + 4 Tsp Water, Mixed

Method:

Place 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce and chicken in a medium bowl. Mix chicken and let it marinate for about 15-20 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Once oil is hot, add in chicken and stir fry chicken for about 5-7 minutes. Then add mushroom and garlic and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Then add water, black pepper, light soy sauce, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium high and let chicken simmer for about 10-15 minutes (until chicken is thoroughly cooked). Add in celery and let it cook for about 1 minute. Stir in corn flour mixture and let sauce thicken. Transfer to serving dish and serve over white rice. This should serve 3-4 people.

Happy Birthday, Mom-In-Law!

Hope you have a wonderful celebration today! We miss you!

Happy Birthday, Mom! XOXO

Sightseeing Rome – Oct 10, 2010

Another old post from my trip to Europe back in good ol’ October 2009. Can’t believe it’s been more than 4 months since we took that wonderful trip to Spain and Italy!

On the second last day of our trip, armed with a map and compass, we started the day with determination to hit as many places of interest as possible maximizing the last 24 hours of our trip before we leave Europe the next day. Here’s what we did!

1) A Visit to Castel St. Angelo. This building was built as a Mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family and was later used as a fortress and a castle. Now it’s a museum and cost you Euro 10. We did not think it was that worth it for the money we paid to see this old fortress. The Euro 12 we paid for the Colosseum (plus Palatine Hill and Roman Forum) is so much more bang for the buck! Verschaffelt's replacement of Montelupo's Statue (Bottom Left) located at the terrace of the castle.

2) Statue of St. Michael (1536) (Bottom Right) by Raffaello da Montelupo. He was Michelangelo's apprentice. This was located at one of the court yard inside Castel St. Angelo.

   

3) Part of Castel St. Angelo from the terrace area (Bottom Left).

4) View of Rome and Vatican city from the terrace of the castle (Bottom Right). View of St. Peter’s Basilica is just breath taking.

 

5) Santa Maria di Montesanto (1675) (Bottom Left). This is church has a "twin" on the right which is not in the picture. The church is located @ Piazza del Popolo.

6) Piazza del Popolo (Bottom Right) which translates into ‘People’s Suqare” is the largest square in Rome. An Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza.

 

7) Via del Corso, the main street running through the historical centre of Rome (Bottom Left). This is where we got the yummiest pizza ever!!!

8) Fontana del Tritone (Bottom Right) @ Piazza Barberini. Since we had all day, we decided to hunt down as many fountains as we can that day! This was one of the many fountains we saw.This is a 17th century fountain by Bernini.

 

9) Trinità dei Monti (church) (Bottom Left) built by the French in the 16th century, over looks the Spanish Steps & Piazza di Spagna. This church apparently belongs to the French.?

10) Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti or better known as Spanish Steps (Bottom Right). The Spanish Steps is the longest and widest in Europe.

  

11) Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) completed in 1762 and is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome (Bottom). This place was packed with people wanting to get a shot of this world famous fountain. It is said that if you throw a coin into the fountain, you’ll return to Rome. I wished I knew about it earlier!

 

12) Quattro Fontane (Four Fountains) is a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and put into place between 1588 and 1593. Pictures below are only 2 of the four fountains; The Goddess Juno (Bottom Left) and The River Tiber (Bottom Right).

  

13) Chiesa di Santa Susanna alle Terme di Diocleziano (Church of Saint Susanna at the baths of Diocletian) rebuilt in 1585-1603 (Bottom Left).

14) Santa Maria degli Angeli (Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs )was the official state church during the Kingdom of Italy (1870-1946). Although this church looks like it’s in the ruins (or built to look like one), its interior was just spectacular. Like any other churches in Italy!

 

15) The fountain with the four bronze statues of the Najadi by Mario Rutelli @ Piazza della Repubblica (Bottom Left).

16) Vending machines in Rome caught attention! Soda, beer, sandwiches, snacks, candies….just my kind of vending machine! =)

 

17)  Pantheon at night was a spectacular sight (Bottom Left). This was built as a Temple of the Gods of Ancient Rome. The Pantheon’s dome is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. The best thing is, it’s FREE for all to visit! =)

18) St. Peter’s Basilica at night was another amazing sight (Bottom Right)!

  

Mocha Meringue Kisses

As much as I tried to use recipes which uses the whole egg so that I do not waste anything, most of the cookies I made for CNY call for egg yolks only. Little that I know that by the time I’m done baking a few batches of cookies, I’ll be left with quite a bit of egg whites. Hating to just wash it down the drain or cook it for breakfast, I decided to make meringues! That means another addition to my CNY cookie collection! it was truly a spontaneous thought!

Here’s the recipe….perfect in situations like mine! Or whenever u have a craving for some meringues!

MOCHA MERINGUE KISSES RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 5 Extra Large Egg Whites
• 1/4 Tsp Cream of Tartar
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 5 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tsp Granulated/Instant Coffee Powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla. Beat until the whites form soft peaks. Slowly pour in sugar a quarter at a time and beat until mixture becomes glossy and stiff peak forms. Fold in cocoa powder and coffee powder lightly incorporating them into the mixture.

Fill a pastry bag (attached with a large star piping tip) with meringue and piped baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space them about about 1-1/2” apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes until outside is firm. Transfer to wire rack. Cookie will continue to harden as it cools. Store in air tight containers when meringues are cool.

Dinner for 2 for <$25

………And that includes a bottle of yummy Pinot Grigio! Eating at home is always a great way to save money. Plus you know what you put into your food, you know that it’s going to be fresh (and clean) and yes PRETTY DARN GOOD!

Last weekend, I decided to make hubby and I a simple yet satisfying seafood dinner…all under $25.  Heck it might be under $20 coz I forgot how much we paid for the bottle of wine. Definitely no more than $10. Basically, I worked with whatever I had in my pantry and freezer.

The menu was Doenjang (Korean Bean Paste) Glazed Chilean Sea Bass & Tiger Prawns over Wilted Spinach! Everything was YUM-O! Fish and prawns which was a little on the sweet side paired so well with the tangy wilted salad!  Perhaps I could do a little better with the food presentation. The best satisfaction was eating my favorite fish; Chilean Sea Bass which usually cost $20 and up per entree.

Here’s the rough breakdown and my best guestimate!

• 2 Chilean Sea Bass Fillet @ $5.00
• 4 Jumbo Tiger Prawns @ $3.00
• 1 Bunch Watercress @ $1.50
• 4 Strips Bacon @$0.50
• 1 Onion @ $0.20
• Miscellaneous paste, sauce, spices @ $2.50
• 1 Bottle of Pinot Grigio @ $10.00

TOTAL = $22.70

I even brought out some accessories to enhance the place setting! Chargers, napkins and even napkin holders!

What are you waiting for? Go get some groceries and start cooking a luxurious or simple meal for you and your loved one! This is luxury on a budget! =)

FREE Pancakes For A Cause!

IHOP is giving away FREE short stack (three) of buttermilk pancakes on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 7am – 10pm. All they ask for in return is for customers to make a donation to support local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network or other local charities!

HURRY! Head over to IHOP to get your short stack of pancakes and do your bid to charity!! Click HERE for more information! There’s a limit of one short stack of pancakes per customer though. =)

Mogul's Sports Pub @ Killington, VT

Since our friends will not arrive in time for dinner, hubby and I decided to get out of the hotel room and look for a nearby place to dine. We decided to pick Mogul’s Sports Pub because of the reasonably cheap prices and we wanted somewhere casual. Mogul’s Sports Pub is located within 5 mintues drive up the road from our hotel. The restaurant/pub looked like someone’s house is situated on top of a hill, a little further away from the road but you wouldn’t miss the bright yellow sign just by the road.

We were greeted by the host/wait staff and were ushered to the dining area which looked a little boring/run down? The sports pub area looked a little fun with the tvs, game tables and bar settings. Here’s what we ordered:

1) Chili Con Carne @ $5.95 (or was it $6.95) (Bottom Left) – This is a huge bowl of meaty goodness. It came with some bread slices and the chili was topped with cheese. When hubby dug thru the cheese and into the chili, it was all thick ground beef! We’ve never seen a Chili so thick before. I am not a big fan of Chili, that’s why I didn’t bother to try any. The husband commented that it was pretty good! It was definitely very filling too…Just imagine, all those beefy goodness!

2) 1 Lb Ribs @ $11.99 (or was it $9.99) (Bottom Right) – By the time hubby’s entree came, he was already feeling woozy from eating a whole bowl of Chili. Hubby was struggling to finish all the ribs! 3-4 gigantic ribs came with a side of french fries and coleslaw. The smokey ribs were lightly slathered in BBQ sauce and was cooked perfectly, almost falling of the bone.

3) Chicken Pot Pie @ $9.99 (Bottom Left) – I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie. I have a weakness for it and will often order it if I see it on the menu! The chicken pot pie came with a side of house salad. Nothing too special about the salad and sadly nothing to shout about for the Chicken Pot Pie. The only yummy thing about the chicken pot pie was the crust. Everything went down hill after I dug into it the buttery flaky crust. The filling wasn’t as creamy as I liked it and was definitely bland. There were only 3 pieces of chicken meat, the biggest chicken chunk being slightly over 1” cube. Plenty of carrots, if you’re bugs bunny. Some chunks of potato. Just pathetic. Overall, the chicken pot pie was probably the worst I’ve had. It was so bad, I ate all the crust and left most of the filling untouched. KFC’s and Boston Market’s Pot Pies will win hands down, anytime! Heck, I can even make better chicken pot pie filling!!

Service overall was decent but you’ll surely be able to find parking there!

If you’re looking for a place to hang out with friends after a long day at the slopes, this might be a good location for some beer, ribs (stay away from the pot pie), games and fun. Remember to look out for a big yellow sign to turn into their premises.

2630 Killington Rd
Killington, VT 05751
(802) 422-477

Happy Birthday, Mom! XOXO

Here’s wishing my dearest mommy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!We miss you lots!!

I OWE IT ALL TO MOTHER!

It’s your birthday, Mom.
So I will raise a cheer.
Without you, my special, loving mom,
I would not be here.

Yes, I owe it all to you, Mom.
From the time that I was small,
You encouraged me in everything,
And tried not to let me fall.

Throughout my life your caring,
Brightened each and every minute.
You loved me and enriched my life,
And I’m so glad to have you in it!

By Karl Fuchs

Spot Me on TasteSpotting!

I want and need to improve my food photography skills (and of course of other subjects) and have recently signed up for Tastespotting.com where bloggers can share pictures of delicious yummy stuff which can be linked to more information or recipes once you click on the pictures! =)

This is great if you want to increase your blog traffic I guess. For me, I take it as a challenge and opportunity for me to take better pictures and to get it featured on the Taste Spotting website. Browsing through pictures does make me hungry! So, don’t go browsing on Taste Spotting on an empty tummy! Don’t say I did not warn you!!

Cheese Swirl Brownie

I decided to make some brownies as Valentine gifts for my friends who went to skiing with us @ Killington, VT. I thought it would be a nice treat for all to enjoy on Valentine’s Day. Plus, this is another reason for me to get creative!

Since I have a block of cream cheese, I wanted to incorporate that into the brownie. I googled for a recipe and found a recipe on MarthaStewart.com and decided to give it a try! The result was a very chocolaty and moist brownie with a consistency between cake and fudge! My friends commented that they were very good and definitely very chocolaty.

I sprinkled some extra chocolate chips on the top and baked the brownie in a 9 inch square pan. I cut them into 16 squares and packed them up in Chinese Take Out Boxes, adorned with craft paper, ribbon and a little tag. Don’t they look cute??

Here’s the recipe. Remember to use good quality chocolate!! I use Ghirardelli chocolate (the only brand I use!) in this recipe.

CHEESE SWIRL BROWNIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
• 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 8 Oz Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Morsels/Chips
• 4 Oz Cream Cheese, Softened @ Room Temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 4 Large Eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Place 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar; mix to combine. Add 3 eggs, and mix to combine. Add flour and cocoa mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix).

Prepare cream-cheese mixture: Whisk bar cream cheese with 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter. Whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Alternately spoon chocolate batter and cream-cheese mixture into pan; with the tip of a paring knife, swirl to marble.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper). On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

June’s Comments: I lined my baking pan with aluminum foil. It worked like a charm too! I used a mixture of Ghirardelli bittersweet and semi sweet chocolate chips in the brownie. I also sprinkled the extra chocolate chip on top of the brownie prior to baking!