Showing posts with label Blog Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Business. Show all posts

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Returning in 2012?


Having been on sabbatical for the past several months...nearly a year...I've waffled back and forth about the future of Eat With Me. I love this blog. I've put a lot of work into it and use it as a resource on a regular basis. I didn't want to shut it down, but I just wasn't inspired to do postings anymore.

With the new year, I was thinking about resolutions. What would I want to change for 2012? What goals would I have for the new year? I'm not fond of resolutions that have measurable goals, because we either set them too high and fail, or set them too low and "achieve" the results in short period (not that that is a bad thing if its legitimate.) So my goals for the new year were more fluid. #1, spend more time with the people I love and care about. #2, enjoy life more, worry less.

OK, those are great. Important! But what will I do that achieve them?

I've decided to alter them slightly and make a new resolution. #1.5, Dinner parties! At least once a month, I will have my favorite people over for dinner and fine conversation. Woo hoo! A side resolution...I will blog about the dinner parties; some photos, recipes, menu, planning, etc.

So, dear readers, in 2012, you will see the return of Eat With Me. (cue thunderous applause and cheering, camera zooms in on random person wiping a tear from their eye)

First dinner party...1/14/12. Stay tuned.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Do You Have Some Feedback?


Dearest readers! It has been 105 days since I formally started the Eat With Me sabbatical and it's been great. To not have to worry about blogging and taking pictures and trying to be creative. Thank you for allowing me the time.

That being said, I'm starting to get itchy. Ideas are starting to ruminate and simmer. But before I return fully, I want to explore the option of re-imagining Eat With Me. If you can take a few minutes and provide some feedback, that will help me decide the direction to move in.

In particular, I'm interested in your thoughts on:

Layout & design of the site
Content-more or less of something specific
Other feedback-open ended, is there something you would love to see?

I'll continue mapping things in my head, to try to identify what I want to do. I look forward to your feedback in assisting with the direction I take Eat With Me. Thanks!

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

MISSING!



MISSING!
Vesta, aka Hestia
Goddess of Hearth, Home & Cooking

Last seen skipping town with nine muses. If found or seen in public, please alert the authorities! Hestia is not considered dangerous, but her long absence is having a negative impact on my culinary verve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After much hemming and hawing on my part, I’ve come to the conclusion that EAT WITH ME will go on pre-meditated sabbatical, hiatus, vacation, etc. I keep fooling myself that I’ll get to that next blog post “tomorrow.” Folks, it just isn’t happening. In reality, over the past year and a half-give or take-blogging just hasn’t been a priority. My creativity and inspiration seem to have vanished. Perhaps they are off partying with Dionysus. Or maybe Demeter has developed a gluten allergy and has given up wheat. Who knows!

I’m not committing bloggercide! There is too much time, energy and love poured into EAT WITH ME to just let it go. I need some guilt-free time away to reinvest myself, reimagine the blog and light a spark.

Over the next few months I will…
  • Look into some creativity based classes. Painting or ceramics. Maybe food classes. Something that will get the synapses firing across hemispheres again.
  • I will continue to reduce the amount of television consumed in my life. This has been happening over the past few months anyway. I’ll keep a few favorites! Programs really are all about shouting and screaming lately and I can’t deal with it anymore. I’ll use this new found time for more reading and learning.
  • Try to get out of town a bit more. I need to spend some extended time outside of the gravitational pull of the Capital Beltway. I’m starting this one in just 12 days with a solo trip to New York City. Perhaps a few more day trips or extended weekends here and there. I’ll also be planning a major international trip for the end of the year!!!
  • Continue cooking! I gotta eat. I still like cooking; I’m just bored with it. There are 100’s of recipes on EAT WITH ME, but with few exceptions, they are boring me.
Keep EAT WITH ME in your blog readers, RSS feeds and whatnots. I promise to return. I can’t tell you if it will be two months or six months, I don’t know. I’ll know when I know.

Take Care!

Oh! If you feel like you’ll miss me, you can still follow me on Twitter at @eatwithme75. And perhaps I’ll post an update on my sabbatical adventures and my persistent search Hestia.

“Find something you're passionate about
& keep tremendously interested in it.”
Julia Child

Friday, October 22, 2010

Whole Lotta Fun Going On!


Don't forget that you can follow me on Twitter!

Hey you. Yeah, you. Nice Tweets!

When things slow down here,
they are usually moving along on Twitter.
Follow me.
Tweet Me!


@EatWithMe75

Monday, September 20, 2010

20 day break? Sorry!

There comes a point in your blogging career when blogging becomes work. Not work as in this is is so painful and I don't want to do it. But work as in I'm exhausted from a long day and all I want to do is take a nap. I've been pooped out! My only really hobby right now is going home and vegging. So I have been. I'll continue to blog when I can and hopefully the time will come when I'm not so tired and get back into blogging on a regular basis.

In the meantime, I have a few things to share...

Channa Masala! This is an incredible budget meal. Chickpeas simmered in a spicy (you decide how spicy), curry sauce and then served over rice. Very tasty. I made a big batch so we'd have some food for lunches.

Penne with tomato vodka cream sauce. How do I love you, let me count the ways: 1) Penne. 2) Vodka!! 3) Cream! 4)Tomato. And 5) Sauce! Love. Simple, rich. Super rich. Very tasty!

Chicken quesadilla with corn, shallots, jalapeno and lime. Season a chicken breast with salt & pepper. Saute until cooked through. Dice. Saute some shallots and jalapeno in the same pan. Add the corn and diced chicken. Squeeze some lime. Stir. Good. Good as is. Better when smushed with cheese between a large tortilla!

Pides! A Turkish style pizza with chicken, cheese, tomatoes in a delicious crust. Filling! At the Mediterranean restaurant, Cafe 8 on 8th Street SE, Washington, DC. It's the only thing I've had there, in the 4-5 times I've been. Check them out.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Random

Cleaning out some of my digital photo albums and found some things I'm not sure I've shared...



My favorite snack! Toasted English Muffin with extra crunch peanut butter, sliced banana and a drizzle of Tupelo honey. Bliss. Let it warm up for a minute so the honey and peanut butter get all sorts of gooey.


A week or two ago my book club met to discuss To Kill A Mockingbird. We went to a newer restaurant in DC's Eastern Market neighborhood, that totally jived with the time period of the book! The food was good, the atmosphere great and the discussion enlightening. While I was deciding what to order, someone in the restaurant ordered something with bacon. That was it. I had to have bacon. My order was a tasty sloppy joe and I asked them to top it with bacon. And they did! Naughty. Good!

Ted's Bulletin
505 8th Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.544.8337


This was an almost tasty meal. Chicken braised in white wine. The braising liquid was cooked down into a nice sauce. I served the chicken with regular old frozen corn (hadn't been to the market that week!) And Tater Tot Hashbrowns. I cooked frozen tater tots in the skillet, with onions, until they fell apart and browned nicely. I always forget how much oil those frozen nuggets have in them---without the extra added when I was cooking them. They were greasy and gave me a belly ache. But I liked the idea of using them as a quick substitute for a potato, of which I had none.



Mmmm, breakfast! I can't remember the name of this place, but it's next to the Uptown movie theatre in DC. Breakfast cereals! This mix was Cheerios (regular and honey nut), Grape Nuts, sliced almonds and pecans, plus a dash of cinnamon. I love cereal, but I don't eat it very often. This was very satisfying and filling!

Monday, August 09, 2010

Tweet!


Don't forget that you can follow me on Twitter!

@EatWithMe75

Dietary Recommendations

As I continue to not cook, I thought I would share this fun chart I found online. See!!!! I've always said that potatoes are a vegetable!!!! And butter, fat, sugar, "sirups" and preserves are a part of a good diet!



We've come a long way.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Meme

I will continue to admit to being a bad blogger. I'm just not cooking a ton of things lately. Taking a class that meets twice a week, in the evenings. It leaves me exhausted. So I'm not cooking as much. Or cooking very quick things. The last has one more week. Then my regular schedule "should" resume. We'll see.

A killer burger from Dogfish Head Brewery in Rehoboth Delaware. Big fat juicy burger topped with a jumbo onion ring, then cheddar cheese, then crumbled bacon...g'ahhhhhhhhhh!

In the meantime...

Via the Brace Astronaut:

From Shine on Yahoo:

"When it came time to compile our culinary bucket list, anything was game, from street meat on the corner to the finest offerings at a four-star restaurant. Our list includes the usual suspects - caviar, decadent desserts, in-season produce at the peak of freshness - and some surprises, too.

If today were your last on this earth, would your tummy be satisfied? Or do you have some eating to do? Without further ado, our list of 50 Things to Eat Before You Die . . ."

">1. Chicago-style deep dish stuffed pizza with every topping imaginable – love deep dish, but my preference would be for a deep dish stuffed with cheese and sausage. My favorite!

2. Caviar (local and sustainable, of course!) – Could care less

3. Fried chicken and waffles – Nice, but not great

4. Just-picked, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes with fresh basil and mozzarella di bufala on crusty bread – Certainly. But to me, it's all in the bread!

5. Perfect scrambled eggs with crème fraiche and chives – Very nice

6. French press coffee with real cream – Yum, but the coffee would make my belly sad. I miss guzzling coffee

7. Champagne and strawberries – As a snack, sure.

8. Steak tartare and fresh arugula with a drizzle of oil – No thanks.

9. Hot dog from a street cart with all the fixings – I’m weird, I barely like catsup on my hotdog. Maybe a chili-cheese dog, but no pickles, no relish, generally no mustard. Actually I’d prefer a good old fashioned brat with sauerkraut!

10. Authentic Vietnamese pho soup with beef, rice noodles, sprouts, fresh herbs, and sriracha (perfect for when you're feeling under the weather!) – Good pho is transcendent. And it will clear out your sinuses like no other!

11. Spicy tuna sushi roll topped with avocado – I’ll pass.

12. Fried soft shell crab – I prefer crab in “cake” form. Thanks.

13. Mayo-rich lobster roll – Don’t like mayo. Prefer my lobster coming out of shell and diving in a bowl of melted butter.

14. Baklava (Middle Eastern filo pastry filled with walnuts and honey) – I make the best Baklava, and I use pistachios instead of walnuts. Adding a little orange essence to the honey.

15. S'mores by the campfire – I enjoy them, but never fully appreciated the appeal.

16. Churros dipped in melted chocolate – I’ll enjoy them.

17. Bagel with cream cheese and lox – Salt bagel, toasted with cream cheese and no lox.

18. Ice-cold sake – The nearest thing I’ve had is a sake-mosa. Danger!

19. Sweet potato fries fried in truffle oil – There is a place near work where I can get sweet potato fries, dusted with cinnamon and a side of warm marshmallow fluff for dipping. Much better.

20. Anything with truffle salt – Sure, if someone wants to buy it for me.

21. Escargot drenched in garlic butter – Not a fan.

22. Beignets right out of the fryer, dusted with powdered sugar – As dessert for the last meal. I’ve had them before, not from NOLA, where you get three bowls of dipping sauce…that was a treat. And light on the powdered sugar please.

23. Real strawberry ice cream – Depends on how its made. I don’t like the real strawberries in the real strawberry ice cream to be frozen. Textural thing. Sorry.

24. Fresh-caught, head-on prawns over homemade pasta (preferably eaten in Italy) – Eh.

25. Chocolate-filled croissants with cappuccino on a Sunday morning – OK. Now, let’s make it a chocolate-almond croissant and were talking.

26. Pork belly – Yes please.

27. Tandoori lobster with garlic-butter naan – Maybe. See #13.

28. Tiramisu – Only homemade, not from a restaurant.

29. Honeycomb – Honey yes, honeycomb, no thanks. One of my all time favorite snacks…toasted English muffin, chunky peanut butter, sliced banana and drizzled in Tupelo honey.

30. Kansas City-style BBQ ribs dripping with sauce – Yes please.

31. Salted caramels – Had a salted caramel cupcake just last night. Heavenly. Salted caramels are very nice.

32. Fried Twinkie – No thanks. Didn’t like it when I tried it.

33. Homemade cannoli filled with ricotta – If you get in the way, I might punch you in the throat. Mine.

34. Nutella-filled crepe with fresh strawberries – I’ve never had a delicious crepe. I know they are out there, but the places I’ve had them, they were craptastic.

35. Full-fat eggnog dusted with freshly ground nutmeg – Yum, but…this is the worst thing for me to have…considering the lactose intolerance. No really…when ranking all dairy…this is the absolute worst thing for me. Yet I do it. Once glass a year. Only when I’m at home. Only on the weekend.

36. Greek yogurt with honey and fresh raspberries – I like Greek yogurt, but I usually have to had some things to it to make it to my liking. Vanilla seed. Honey is ok, but usually it’s a spoonful of sugar…and strawberries are preferred.

37. Southern-style shrimp and creamy grits – I just don’t get grits.

38. Mexican grilled corn with lime, crema, and chili powder – I’ve done it, but not with crema…butter, lime and cayenne pepper. Heavenly. Oh and make sure to have some fluer de sel.

39. Fresh-made guacamole with blue corn tortilla chips – Only homemade please.

40. Grilled summer peaches with brown sugar – Fine.

41. Fried green tomatoes – Not for me.

42. Big Mac – Not my favorite McD’s menu item.

43. Baked Camembert – Baked Brie maybe.

44. Homemade gnocchi in tomato cream sauce – Don’t twist my arm!

45. Butter lettuce from the farmers' market drizzled with balsamic vinegar and a few drops of really good olive oil – To simple for me. Lets dress it up with some toasted almonds, strawberries and a nice tangy vinaigrette.

46. Just-made glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut – I’ll eat a box in one sitting.

47. Mussels steamed in ale – No thank you.

48. 8-hour (or longer!) braised osso bucco – Actually have never had it.

49. Duck fat French fries – Have had it, loved the first two bites, then didn’t. So I’ll pass.

50. Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Gorgonzola – OK, I hate bleu cheese. BUT…BUT…I recently was given exactly this as an amuse buche at a fairly nice restaurant. I didn’t want it, but I did it. One bite. The flavors actually worked really well together. Sweet & jammy dates. Salty, crispy bacon. Tangy, creamy cheese. Together it works.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

quick note

Back from vacation. Will have a post or two up in the next day or so. A great restaurant in NY and NJ. Mmmm! Can't wait to share.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Woo Hoo Good Free Stuff

It's not often that Eat With Me Headquarters is the recipient of free goodies. It's been years since the last batch of stuff arrived. Mmm, Nutella!

But recently I was offered some free samples via the mail for a new Gatorade product. Sure, why not. I'll give it a shot, I like Gatorade products.



A few days later a package arrived at our door with two bottles of Gatorade's new product, some information and some coupons!

I've been drinking the traditional Gatorade products for years--not having a history with excercise, I usually turned to it when I'm sick or just feeling tired. After 5 years of inviting you all to "Eat With Me," I've found a need to return to the gym and now find myself looking for a little extra boost these types of drinks can offer.

This new brand from Gatorade is made with natural flavors, colors and ingredients. Sounds good to me. But how do they taste?

The G Natural (Orange Citrus flavor) reminded me of straight up Gatorade. I couldn't notice a difference. Good orangey flavor. The G2 Natural (Berry, low-calorie) reminded me a lot of the Vitamin Waters on the market. Both were sweet, with the G2 being of a lighter sweet flavor. The berry flavor was also a touch 'lighter.' I preferred the G2 Natural over the G Natural.

The G2 has 40 calories per bottle (20 per serving) and 5 grams of carbohydrates. The G has 100 calories (50 per serving) and 14 grams of carbs. Considering the obscene amounts of sugar and additives so called "energy drinks" have, this is pretty good.

These beverages were designed as part of Gatorade's G Series line of products for athletes. There is Gatorade Prime 01 designed as a pre-fuel refreshment to consume BEFORE exercise (it looks like a gel). The G Natural and G2 Natural are part of the Gatorade Perform 02 series for consumption DURING physical activity to replace fluids and replenish electrolytes. Gatorade Recover 03 is a post-activity protein & carb beverage to rehydrate and help muscles recovery. Great idea for those seriously into their workouts.

This new beverage is available in five markets, exclusively at Whole Foods stores. The Mid-Atlantic region (KY, MD, NJ, OH, PA, VA, DC), South (AL, GA, NC, SC, TN), Southwest (AK, LA, TX), Florida (It's own region) and Rocky Mountains, starting this month (CO, KS, MS, NM, UT).

At the end of the day, it tastes good. And if it were on the shelf next to a traditional bottle of Gatorade, being a natural product, I would probably reach for it first. Especially the G2 Natural--I like the lighter taste.


Friday, June 04, 2010

Don't Forget

You can ask me questions via Formspring. There is a box on the sidebar where you can enter your questions or you can go directly to my profile page and ask there. Let's hear it!

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Got a questions? Ask!


Do you have a cooking question?

A question about life?

Do you seek general advice?


Let me know and I'll do my best to help you out!

http://www.formspring.me/EatWithMe75

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Market Bliss

I have never been to Wegman's, but I understand it is foodie Nirvana! I'm very excited. Since we moved Eat With Me headquarters in February 2008 we have been hearing of the arrival of a nearby Wegman's. Two year's later we have a clearer idea of when that will be.

October 2010 in Landover/Largo, Maryland.

I'm very excited. I'm guessing I'll need a new job to afford my new grocery bills!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Weekend Catch Up


Bummer. Can't seem to find my camera. I think it's in a location in which I am not. Go figure.

We had a great weekend. Saturday I cooked and prepped all morning for a meet & greet for the local LGBT community at our house. It was a lot of fun, with lots of yummy treats. I'll get the photos up soon.

I made:

Cheddar Rosemary Crackers

Pigs-in-a-Blanket

Cheesy Sausage Balls

Hummus

Turtle Cheesecake Dip

Pumpkin Pudding


We were also treated to some warm spinach artichoke dip and warm taco dip.

Sunday was for the most part, a day of rest, with the main adventure being the shopping for groceries for Thanksgiving Dinner.

I spent some time going over all the recipes and figuring out what we needed versus what we had in the pantry. Thank god I keep a stocked pantry, or I would have been out a few hundred extra! That being said, I managed to keep the bill below $200 for a five-course French dinner. Two ingredients along were over $50. Damn French with their highfalutin tastes! But I'm so frakkin' excited!!!!

Tonight I start the cooking and prep work. Stay tuned for more adventures.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Tweet Tweet

I am planning to Twitter my way through Thanksgiving. Feel free to follow me. I have opened my profile up to the public and am now getting the hang of this Twiting business.

EatWithMe75

Fair warning...you might get an earful about a lot of random stuff not related to this blog or food in general.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Catch Up

I know I know I know...sorry. Geesh. I'm alive! I'm cooking. I'm just not blogging! I'm not giving it up...just siphoning my creative energy into a new side project...and it's wiping me out. I can't believe how many people have contacted me in the past week or so to make sure I'm alright. Love you all very much!!! Thanks for thinking of me!

So, to quickly catch up...it's been a few weeks since I've posted anything. We've had a few good things happen in the kitchen at Parkway Manor, and a few not great things.


This was ok. It's supposed to be a Bavarian Creme Cupcake...the custard set up almost to a tofu texture, it was nasty...tasted good, but nasty texture. The cake was good. The chocolate ganache didn't really work. I ended up sticking it in the fridge overnight and whipping it with the mixer the next day...it was tasty! Almost a rich chocolate mousse, with small chunks of chocolate in it. I was hoping these would have been fun for halloween. I tried to make the custard orange, and use a darker chocolate for the ganache. I had no red food coloring, only yellow. And the chocolate...once it was whipped, it was such a pale brown, there was no hope...

Here is a base for Roasted Red Pepper Soup. It's divine. Really tasty. Garlic, shallots, lots of red peppers, tomato and broth. Finish with a little cream.

The start of a salad. I was hoping for some Napa Cabbage, but Giant is ghetto sometimes and you can't get all the good stuff you need. So, it's green leaf, shredded carrots (w/ a peeler, instead of a grater) and cilantro.

The salad with finished with some toasted almonds, chunks of chicken and a soy-ginger dressing. Mmmm!

This was redonk! Super good. 2005 was a great year in Napa for cabs and this bottle, one of the most expensive bottles of wine I've bought ($25!!!), was so worth it. Please note, I rarely, rarely spend more than $10-$15 on a bottle of wine. This was a HUGE splurge, but divine!

Oh the carnage! The awesome Cab was served with Filet Mignon with a red wine/shallot pan sauce and white cheddar mashed potatoes. There was a salad on the side with pears, cashews, dried cherries on romaine with a balsamic basil dressing. Stupid Good!

Another soup base. This is the starter components for an amazing Tortilla Soup. The base is what takes the time...and that's only because it goes whiz whiz in the processor. Next time I make it, I'm making a double batch of starter, so the second pot can be just minutes away.

The final soup. The broth is phenom! But what makes it are the accoutrements! Chicken, Avocado, Cheese, Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream (if you have it, we didn't), Cilantro, Fresh Lime Juice. It's spicy, it's smokey, it'll make your sinuses sing with joy as they clear up. I really want to make this again...soon!

So there you have a it. A snap shot of the past few weeks. Part of the delays have to do with multiple nights away from home for work or when we go out for one reason or another. The other day, I've mentioned before, I'm trying my hand at writing fiction and my goal is finish 50,000 words or more by December 31, 2009...I have a ways to go, but I'm struggling through, as much on a daily basis as possible.

The holidays are here. They aren't even around the corner. If you are participating in a Thanksgiving Dinner, whether you are hosting or you going to a potluck, you should be making your plans now. Do you shopping as soon as you can, at least for the pantry staples and then just get the fresh produce and meats next week. The stores are madhouses and I like to do what I can to avoid them!!! I am really excited about Thanksgiving, even though I still don't have my menu fully worked out. I'm by-passing the traditional feast and going in a different direction all together! Stay tuned.

I have a full menu this week; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. I'm out for work on Monday and Friday. So postings will hopefully pick-up, but they might still be slow.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Getting the most from the goods...



If you read something on the interwebz, it must be true right? Sure!

Here's an interesting, short article I saw online about bioavailability...getting the most nutrients out of your food. Your body only absorbs so much of the good stuff on its own. Sometimes with a little extra something something, you get more bang for your buck!!! For example, if you cook your tomatoes, the cooking process makes more lycopene available to your body, you do lose some vitamin C though. If you add black pepper, the chemicals there help more stuff make it into your system.

Some good tips. If nothing else, it's interesting...
Bioavailability: How to Get More Nutrients from Your Food

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Gourmet

Plenty has been said about yesterday's announcement that Gourmet is shutting down after 60+ years. I'm not going to add to the dialogue, just share a well written post & opinion (which I share) by Barbara at Tigers & Strawberries.

Gourmet Magazine: Going, Going Gone?


Friday, August 28, 2009

Icy Conditions

We are still waiting for a fridge. Last week one was ordered. Supposed to be delivered yesterday, Thursday. We got a call. It's damaged, someone will call you later. Manager called later: it's cosmetic, on the back of the fridge. We'll take it. Delivery rescheduled for today. Call received again this morning. Nope, it's not cosmetic, the engine is damaged. Two weeks after the fridge died...we're back to square one with no fridge! More shopping tonight...crap.