Memorial Day Weekend!

So as we all know Memorial Day weekend has started and you know what that means right... time for family, friends, veterans, war heroes, and FOOD! am i right, or am i right? What better weekend to have a barbeque then this one? I was browsing the food network channel and stumbled upon a couple of items for this weekend! my favorite so far is the Pulled-Pork Sandwiches; spicy brown mustard, honey, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, cloves garlic, pork, rusty rolls, and coleslaw. Now for the barbeque, you could simply just buy some at the store, orrrr you can make your own homemade barbeque sauce(they give you the ingredients for it). If that Pulled-Pork Sandwich just ain't doing it for you, there are plenty more recipes to choose from! They give you a list of bomb Memorial Day weekend meals, drinks, and desserts. If you go to this page and scroll down to where it says Featured In This Gallery, it will show you all the goodies! It has things like Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans, Vegetable Chips with Blue-Cheese Dip, Pasta Caprese, Grilled Pizzas, Sweet Minted Tea, and Patriotic Berry Trifle! I dont know about you, but that Sweet Mint Tea sounds real good right about now. And of course, the mouth watering trifle! Soooo, you have to check this out! Surprise your mamma and papa, and bring home some goodies! Or as a good family bonding, ya'll can all make it together! Set up a bond fire, make some food, play some games, and spend some quality time together! What is there to loose? Nothing... But what is there to gain? Well, besides a couple of bounds, a good ol time and some delish food!

Napa Eats

I'm planning a vacation to Napa this summer and looking for some great restaurants to try out. On Alicia Silverstones blog, The Kind Life, she shares about Ubuntu and I can't wait to try it! She says "Ubuntu is a vegetarian restaurant that I went to a little over a year ago, during the summer. I can't believe I haven't written about it yet - if you are anywhere near this place, you must go!" They even have a yoga studio above the restaurant- sounds good to me!

Saturn

The next time you're in Santa Cruz, stop by Saturns cafe for a burger or milkshake! Usually, I'm no proponent of burgers, but Saturn cafe is vegetarian and even offers vegan milkshakes! I got a burger, fries and a berry vanilla milkshake! 'Twas delicious. I was really excited and I can't wait to go back.

Oh, McDonalds...

I for one have been recently enjoying the big McDonalds scandal about people trying to petition McDonalds to stop advertising with Ronald McDonald. It's pretty hilarious. Of course, McDonalds wouldn't stop using their trademark character. But what I think is funny is that McDonalds markets to elementary school kids mostly. Elementary school kids can't go to McDonalds with out the assistance of their parents. So really, the parents that are complaining about the advertising to their children are the ones that have to give in and say, "Ok. lets go get McDonalds!" Not that smart. I, for one, stopped eating McDOnalds when my parents stopped taking me there. I haven't been back since. I don't know any college students who frequent McDonalds. So maybe McDonalds should start advertising more to the real suckers: the parents!

http://blog.bioethics.net/ronald_mcdonald_jumping1.jpg

Extra Benson Points?

As the school year comes to an end, many of us have Benson points that will be going to waste. A great way to spend these extra points is by buying from the bulk sale or donating food to the poor. The bulk sale is going on in Benson and will continue through next week. If you don't want to do that, you could also buy dry and canned foods from the cellar to donate to the poor. If you have any library fines, you could also donate cans of food instead of paying cash. This food will also be donated to the poor.

A Quick Breakfast Fix

Recently, my favorite on-the-go breakfast meal is two pieces of sourdough toast with one fried egg. It's simple, yet always satisfying!

Tuesday Nights at Stuft!

Tuesday nights at Stuft Pizza is a weekly tradition that my friends and I always look forward to. Stuft pizza offers all-you-can-eat pizza and salad on Tuesday nights for about nine dollars. During fall quarter of this year, my friends, Riley, Ali, and I would go every Tuesday. Unfortunately our tradition came to an end during winter quarter due to scheduling conflicts, but recently we have started going again.
Stuft has a great atmosphere and they are always playing the big game. You are destined to run into someone you know on Tuesdays at Stuft because it is a great deal and a lot of fun. The owner is a great guy and makes sure you feel at home while there.

Wrap-This Santa Clara!

At home, one of my favorite restaurants is a Mediterranean restaurant called Athenian Room, known for it's gyros, Greek salad, and Greek fries. I've missed it greatly since coming out to Santa Clara, but I have found a temporary replacement. Wrap-This is located on the Alameda, about three blocks from school. It's inexpensive and has delicious Greek food. Their gyros are to die for and they have great hummus. I usually order their gyro plate which comes with a gyro, either lamb or chicken, and a choice of Greek salad or fries. Sadly, they do not offer Greek fries, which are normal french fries with oil, vinegar, and spices. They also offer some American classics like burgers and chicken sandwiches for those who do not appreciate Greek cuisine. Wrap-This has other Greek lunch and dinner options, like lamb, chicken, or vegetarian kabobs that come with rice, vegetables, and hummus. Plus, they have GREAT falafel! For dessert, try baklava or butter cookies. Wrap-This is a fun place to go with friends or on a date because it is close to school and accepts flex.

Food Fun Facts

A typical American eats 28 pigs in his/her lifetime.
Americans spend approximately $25 billion each year on beer.
Aunt Jemima pancake flour, invented in 1889, was the first ready-mix food to be sold commercially.
Each American eats an average of 51 pounds of chocolate per year.

Running late?

we all have those mornings where our alarms do not go off, or we sleep through it and are running late. a quick breakfast meal to go is a bagel with peanut butter and bananas! just chop up the banana into slices and place them on top of your warm, toasted bagel with the melted on peanut butter! TRYYY IT... i dare you

Yard House

Yard House is hands down my favorite high-end chain restaurant. There are many different locations in California, Arizona, and across the west coast and midwest. The trendy atmosphere brings in people of all ages, and depending on where the Yard House is located, it is often frequented by many young college graduates. The Yard House closest to Santa Clara is the one in Santana Row located right across the entrance from Crate & Barrel.

Yard House's diverse menu has so many different options, I often find that I can't even move past the appetizer page because I want to order so many of them. Some of their appetizers include lobster, crab & artichoke dip, grilled korean bbq beef, which comes with one of the best bbq glazes I've ever had, fried calamari, sliders with the option of choosing pastrami, turkey, ahi or veggie, california rolls, and lettuce wraps. My favorite of those listed above are the korean bbq and the lettuce wraps.

Their menu also contains a list of smaller appetizer salads, followed by an entere salad section and a vegetarian section, essentially catering to every customers needs and preferences. I'd also strongly recommend their burgers. Their burgers are half pound of natural angus beef served on a hearty wheat or potato bun. Additionally, they also have a wide variety of creative sandwiches, pizzas, seafood, and a more at home like section with hearty enteres like turkey pot pie, pastas, mac n' cheese, and country fried chicken breasts.

Kara's Cupcakes

Kara's Cupcakes is in Santana Row close to Pluto's and the Counter. Kara's is known for using high quality and locally produced ingredients. Kara's rotates their different types of cupcakes, so each day there is a new variety of baked goods, including a couple gluten-free options. What I like the most about Kara's is that their cupcakes are the perfect size for a dessert to top off a meal at Santana Row. I would highly recommend their peanut butter milk chocolate cupcake, and their sweet s'mores, and carrot cupcakes.

Cooking Marathon: Part 3

My little brother is one of the most important people to me, so when ever I think of home, I think of cooking him his favorite food. My brother's favorite food is Curry Rice. Curry is a pan-Asian food phenomenon. Each country has its own spin on how it is prepared. Usually, curries have a dairy element like yogurt in India, or Coconut milk in Thailand, but Curry Rice from Japan is a roux based dish. Do not be turned off by curry, its a super easy way to add variety to a college diet.

The ingredients needed are simple.

1 pound of chicken breast
2 medium onions
1 large fuji apple
2 snack packs of baby carrots
7 white potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 box of chicken stock
1 cup of red wine
1 package of GOLDEN CURRY roux
Salt
Pepper
oil

First the Chicken*be careful when dealing with raw chicken, you wouldn't want to cross contaminate anything right?*

Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Put cut up chicken into a bowl and toss with oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat pot to medium and brown the chicken. The goal is to create caramelization on the surface of the chicken, you do not have to cook the chicken all the way through. Be care full not to crowd the pan. Brown in batches, not all at once.

While the Chicken is browning, prepare the vegetables.

Slice the onions thinly and cube the apple. Once the chicken is done browning, put the apple and onions in the pan on medium and sweat them. To sweat vegetables means to draw out the moisture slowly. Add salt and pepper, stirring the vegetables occasionally. Cut the potatoes into four pieces each and mince the garlic. Once the onions have caramelized, add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the carrots, potatoes and chicken to the pan and cover with the chicken broth and wine. Stir the contents up and bring the liquid to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, add the GOLDEN CURRY roux and simmer the stew for 20-30 minutes. Stir the por every once in a while, remembering to get the stuf on the bottom of the pot. When the soup is done simmering, the potatoes and carrots will be tender and the chicken will be cooked all the way through. The liquid will have thickened and reduced to a delicious sauce. Serve with cooked white rice and you're set.

Once you taste this, It will become one of your favorite dishes. My brother will be glad that his favorite food will be yours too.

Yumm, Enchiladas.

Enchiladas are definitely up there on my list of favorite foods ever. They're kind of a big mess and a whole to-do when waking them, which is why my mom doesn't make them that often, but when she does it's a real treat.

If you're doing all the store bought stuff it's relatively easier so here's the basic steps:

Market run:

Cans of the enchilada sauce - there's different levels of spiciness so pick whatever you like best. The red sauces go well with beef and cheese enchiladas, green goes well with chicken.

Tortillas - these are really important, so whatever you do, don't forget these.

Meat - Chicken, beef, or both! Ground beef is fine, and if you buy a rotisserie chicken you can save some cooking time by just shredding that in stead of cooking THEN shredding.

CHEESE - This is important, people. Cheese works as a topping AND a filler for the enchiladas. You can never have too much cheese (unless you're lactose-intolerant, which would suck) so load up on this.

Sour cream and other toppings - Sour cream is really the best to have with enchiladas, ergo you should throw this in the basket. Guacamole is good too, though I suggest making it yourself since store bought just never tastes quite right. Onions, olives, some cilantro, basically anything you would put on other types of Mexican food works here too.

Chile - Adding more spice is never a bad thing. Definitely grab some chile/salsa to pair with the enchiladas.

Back at home:

Meat - Prepare your meat however you'd like so that it's ready to stuff the tortillas once they and the sauce are warmed.

Sauce - Warm up the sauce. NOT to a boil, just to a simmer if even that. You just need it to be a little less thick and heating it up fixes that right up.

Tortillas - Warm the tortillas. You can either do this on the stove over the flame (takes the longest) or warm them up in the microwave -- just stick them in with the plastic bag for a few seconds. What my mom usually does is put some oil in a small pan, heat that, then stick the tortilla in the oil for a bit on each side. Either way, just make sure the tortillas are warmed up!

Time to get messy - Have a large plate/low and wide bowl/something to this effect and place some of the warmed sauce in here. Once you have the tortillas warmed place it in here and coat it with the sauce. Move it to a second plate to stuff it with either beef, chicken, or cheese, then place it on a cookie sheet. Repeat the process until you've used all your meat or tortillas. After that, put some more sauce on top of the enchiladas (not too much!) and then apply cheese. LOTS AND LOTS OF CHEESE to the top. Then stick them in the oven for the cheese to melt and so everything gets nice and warm.

Serve them with whatever toppings, beans and rice and, let me tell you, this will be one delicious dinner. Even though it's a whole lot of work, it's definitely worth it in the end. You can also get friends to help so you can have an assembly line type thing going to make the process faster and more enjoyable. Enjoy!

Chicken & Beef Skewers.

With summer just a few weeks away the idea of BBQs is extremely exciting. Last night my parents made grilled chicken and steak skewers, rice and grilled vegetables (which I didn't get a picture of). Easy dinners like this dominate in my house during the summer when it get too hot to cook inside.

Can't wait to be home in two and a half weeks!

Cooking Marathon: Part 2

Spring time is here ,and summer is coming around the corner; Grilled Steaks are what's on my mind. Grilling is America's favorite way to cook, but the problem with that is we fall victim to bad weather occasionally. Yes, we are not able to grill outside at times in sunny California. The great thing about steaks though, is that they're good as long as you keep it simple. Simple doesn't mean boring, however. The great thing about cooking inside is cooking with a pan, heres how you take advantage of cooking with a pan.

Making a pan sauce sounds really hard, but its actually pretty simple. Learning to make a pan sauce is an easy pay to step up your cooking game, without having to go to far from what's comfortable.

The ingredients needed are

4 Steaks
1 cup of pepper
Salt
Beef broth
Milk
Cooking Oil

First, the Steak.

Make sure that the steak is at room temperature before you cook your steaks. Cold steaks will throw off the cooking time. Also, dry your steaks with paper towels before you season them, you will taste the difference. Season each side of the dried steaks with salt. Then, pour the pepper onto a plate. Put the steaks onto the pepper. The goal here is to create a crust of pepper on each side of the steak. Let the steak sit while you heat the pan up to medium-high. When the pan is ready, add about a tablespoon and a half of cooking oil and spread around the pan. Add steaks and shake the pan for 20 seconds. This will make sure the steaks will not stick to the pan. Depending on the cut, cooking times will vary, but a good place to start is 5-7 a side. For medium-rare, I usually go six minutes a side. Do not do anything to the meat like press it or move it around, just let it be, it'll be okay. Flip the meat and repeat the process.

After the meat is done, cover it loosely with foil and let the meat rest.

Now for the pan sauce.

Now that the steak is done, the pan has nothing left in it right? Wrong, flavor has only just begun. Empty the remaining grease out of the pan and put the pan on medium. Take about a cup of beef broth and pour into the pan, the goal is to de-glaze the pan. You want to dissolve the little brown bits your steak left on the bottom of the pan; use a wooden spoon for this. Bring sauce to a boil and then let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. The broth will reduce to a more flavorful liquid. Finally, add a 1/4 cup of milk and reduce the sauce some more. The sauce will be done when it can coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste

See? That wasn't too bad was it. Promise me you'll try it, it makes you a better cook, and its super easy!

MAH BAD! We ate it before I could get a picture haha

The Cooking Marathon: Recipes from Home

Seeing how its already been almost 3 quarters since I left home, I was surprised how hard homesickness hit me. My family is a American family with Filipino heritage, that means that family means food. Think about coming home from college, brings memories of the best home-cooked food. But why wait till you go home? Cooking is a cheap way save some meal points, especially now that its the end of the quarter. Let's start with Breakfast: Garlic-Fried Breakfast Rice.

The ingredients needed are pretty simple, but also depends on what you like in your rice. I chose Bacon and Eggs.

3 cups Rice
8 slices of Bacon
2 Eggs
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of cooked peas

First prepare the rice.

To prepare rice, you must first wash it. Simply pour water over the rice, swish it around, and pour the water out. Do this 3-4 times, until the water is clearer. Put the washed rice into a pot and cover with water. You can figure how much water you need by putting your finger to the top of the rice and top filling when the water reaches your first digit. Bring rice to a boil and keep it there for 5 minutes. Then let the rice simmer on low for another 10-15 minutes. Finally, take the pot off the heat and let the rice steam with the lid on for 3-5 minutes.

Use the time your rice takes to cook to prepare the fillings later

First take your breakfast protein and put it in the pan on medium-low. This allows you to render the fat from your protein. After about 3-4 minutes, you can turn up the heat, and take the meat out when its finished. Chop the garlic up, or mince it if you can.

Once the rice and meat are done, get ready, because the next steps will come really quickly. Turn the heat to medium and the chopped garlic. Only saute for 30 seconds, then add all of the rice to the pan. Quickly mix the rice and garlic to avoid burning the garlic. Turn up the heat stir the rice around. After mixing the rice, press it down into the pan. The goal is to make the rice a little crispy, but not burn it. Once that is accomplished, turn the heat back to medium and clear an area in the pan. Add the eggs to the clearing and scramble them. After that, add the soy sauce, peas, and protein to the rice and eggs, combining everything in the pan.

The result is a fusion of Chinese, Filipino, and American flavors that results in one of the greatest ways to start the day. When cooking this recipe make a lot, because people can smell it a mile away.

Friendly Inspiration: Bacon Cookies

I guess it's not really a surprise that I have friends who are just as ambitious is the kitchen as I am. This particular friend has her own blog, and posted about some very special cookies she made recently: bacon chocolate chip. Drooling yet? Now you will:

Must. Make.

The best cake I've ever seen:

You can get all fancy with ganache and frosting flowers and serifed lettering and triple-layers and pricey sprinkles and all hat jazz....but you'll never be able to top this cake:

Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

Yeah, that's right, I said it. Okay, so my friend usually likes to bake, and I've been looking for recipes so that she could help me out. Now the great thing about cinnamon rolls is the smell. It is the inviting aroma that make cinnamon rolls extra special. The only thing that would make this desert better is chocolate. Luckily this recipe helps combine a childhood favorite with a European twist. Try it out, Its worth it, I promise.

Currently has me drooling.....

Perfect Sunday-night study treat? Quite possibly.....
Coconut Cream Popsicles !

Benson Tips- Do it Yourself Paninis

Man, people are creative. This next Benson Tip comes from a person I met at the salad bar at Benson. So there I was, getting salad and I noticed that someone was standing at the waffle iron. I thought it was too late for waffles, so I went to go see what he was doing. When he opened the iron, there was a flattened toasted sandwich. I could only gawk in amazement when he said, "Its a panini, dude."
Now that your reconsidering everything you know about Benson sandwiches, let me give you some tips to make sure your sandwich doesn't toast wrong. Less is more. IF you have a lot of fillings in the sandwich, the bread will get soggy. Avoid multiple vegetables, a lot of moisture can ruin a panini. Avoid mayo, hot mayo is gross. SO have fun making paninis everyday of the week. I promise you its a great way to mix up Benson.

Icecream...EASY?!

Whoa whoa whoa. Pardon me, but my mind's just been blown.
Growing up, it wasn't uncommon for my family to make kick-the-can icecream. You know, the one with a a little coffee can inside of a big coffee can, a bunch of ice and rock salt--basically a big, loud, painful mess once you've kicked it around for the 45 or so necessary minutes. It was a hassle, but it taught us to appreciate the work that went into the delicious treat we tend to take for granted (but for the record, I've never taken icecream for granted...I straight up respect that stuff).

But I just came across this recipe for Easy Homemade Icecream and had my entire vision of homemade icecream shattered. I mean, can it get any easier than whipping heavy cream, adding mix-ins, folding in sweetened condensed milk, and freezing? I honestly don't know if I'll ever feel compelled to buy pre-made icecream ever again...especially when the flavor options are completely endless! And now I can fulfill my lifelong dream of creating my own flavor combo.

In short: dream come true. See you on the other side of icecream heaven....

G-G-G-Garlic Fries

French Fries are so common in the American College Kid diet that most students forget the potential fries have to be completely delicious. The standard French fry one receives today is limp, too salty, and generally un-satisfying. A perfect fry should be crunchy and crisp on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside. The desired effect is hard to come-by these days because Americans are afraid to fry food at home, but have no fear! This recipe will definitely satisfy a fry craving, without having to bust out the deep fryer!

Makeshift Cinnamon Rolls!

Is there anybody out there who doesn't love a nice, hot, fresh cinnamon roll? Anybody..? Didn't think so. That being said, the actual task of making them can be annoyingly arduous--which is why the vast majority of people don't even bother making them from scratch. Let alone college kids. I mean, you have to activate the yeast, let them rise, knead them, roll the dough out and then back up again, slice it...it's a process, man. That is unless you find a recipe that takes that whole yeast business out of the equation--which is exactly what I did!
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE DOUGH
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE ICING
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
For the dough: Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the buttermilk and melted butter; mix together well (it's gonna be sticky, kids). Now comes the fun part! Liberally dust some counter space (I worked with an area of 1 ft x 1 1/2 ft....top that.) with flour. Roll the dough out into a basic rectangular shape until it's around 8 by 12 inches and about 1/2 inch thick. If you don't have a rolling pin, you can get creative like me....Now for the filling! Brush (or just spread around with a spoon) the melted butter onto the dough-tangle, leaving an un-buttered border of an inch along the edges. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon all over the buttered dough. Now slowly and carefully start to roll the dough, starting from the longer side of the rectangle. Make sure you roll it fairly tight, otherwise it's going to be a bleep to handle from here on out. Once it's all rolled up, pinch the seam a little so they don't become cinnamon unrolls. Using a sharp knife (serrated is best), cut your "log" into 8 equal slices. Place them in a lightly greased cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Now all you have to do is stir the powdered sugar and milk and pour that ish alllll over them rolls. I dare anyone to say no to one of those.

(I had to snap this picture pretty damn quickly before the last two were snatched up.)

Sweet Tomatoes!

Sweet Tomatoes is located in the Coleman shopping center. When you walk in, there is an array of pre-made salads, however, I would recommend passing up the easier options and heading straight towards the endless salad bar. The salad bar contains every salad addition imageable which allows for more creativity than usual. There is also a section with a variety of side dishes like rolls and corn bread. Sweet Tomatoes additionally boasts of a dessert section to top off your meal. While the amount of different options is overwhelming, it's worth the trip for the variety of healthy food options!

snack time!

you can never go wrong with apples and peanut butter! PS: you can get this in benson at the sandwhich bar:)

The Freezer

When college students first get out of the house, they begin to realize all the little things that their parents did for them. One of them is managing food in the refrigerator and freezer. So far, since coming to college, I have lost about 3 cartons of milk and a few loaves of bread. As a college kid, sometimes you just do not pay attention to what you put into your coolbox. Don't worry, luckily, this article will help you guys sort out what can last a while in your freezer/fridge.

Is It Safe?

So this past weekend, I came down with a terrible case of food poisoning. I wasn't sure what it could have been from, but I think I have finally figured it out. On Thursday night, I ordered carne asada street tacos from Benson. Usually, these tacos are one of my favorite meals to order at Benson, but I do not think I will be ordering them again anytime soon. I'm assuming I ate some bad meat because I ordered the tacos without any onions, meaning they only came with corn tortillas. A few of my friends also complained about feeling sick after eating the Mexican food at school, while others complained about feeling sick after eating Mexican food from Chipotle. I'm not quite sure if they are all related, but the situation does not sound good. I don't think that Santa Clara and Chipotle use the same food distributer, but I am not sure because both places use food from the surrounding area to ensure freshness. Regardless of whether or not the cases are related, I think it would be smart to stay away from the Mexican food in the area for a while because something is going on and it isn't good. I hope no one else gets sick!

Farmers Market Time!

Every weekend, Santa Clara has a small farmers market on Benton. Surpisingly, they have amazing fresh produce. Last weekend, I got the most amazing cara cara oranges that looked like blood oranges and tasted really sweet and delicious. Last year, my favorite farmers market find was turbinado onions, this really light, sweet onions that are great in homemade pasta sauce! Keep an eye open for them next time you're at the farmers market!

Oookie!

So this weekend was a girl on my teams birthday and we went to pf changs. (i hate that place so much! i dont know why, but the way they cook their food it seems so over seasoned or something. if we go out to dinner and someone says sarah where you wanna eat? i say anywhere but pf changs, no joke.) ANYWAYS, after we got done eating someone was like lets go to bj's for dessert! everyone was estatic because i guess they have amazing desserts? uh, so my suprise, i fell in love! we had this dessert called a Pizookie . they have different flavors like cookies and cream, triple chocolate, red velvet, chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia nut, and peanut butter. i tried the cookies and cream one and OMG, it was BOMB! a pizookie is like a cookie pie with ice cream on top. the cookies and cream one that is a rich chocolate cookie with the taste of oreo topped with vanilla ice cream and a creamy mousse! i had a whole one, and a half of another! i cannot explain how good this dessert is. bj's is a restaurant and brewhouse, and this is where you can locate the amazing pizookie! some other dessert choices at bj's restaurant and brewhouse are listed on their website , so you should go check it out! PS: bj's does not only have great tasting desserts, but amazing dinners. my favorite is either their pizza or their macaroni and cheese! im a plane jayne and like simple foods, but there are plenty of fun foods you can try out!

Garlic Fries

Recipe for garlic fries:
Oil for frying (peanut or canola)
4 Russet potatoes or 12 oz bag of frozen pre cut fries
1/2 cup fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Cut the washed potatoes into 1/2 inch to 3/8 inch thick strips (if using a French mandolin set it to its thickest setting). Heat the oil in a cast iron pot or any heavy duty pot to 360 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan then add the minced garlic for 30 seconds. Remove from pan and add to a mixing bowl with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix well.
The potatoes must be fried three times for best results. In batches, if necessary, place the raw fries into the oil for 90 seconds. Remove and let drain. Drop fries again for another 90 seconds. Remove and let drain. Drop fries in again this time for 60 seconds or until crisp and golden brown.
While the fries are still warm toss them with the garlic seasoning.

Groupon

Being in college, we don't always have extra money to spend going to restaurants on a regular basis. A good way to get a great meal and a great deal is to sign up for Groupon. Groupon essentially sells daily deals in different cities all across the United States. To get on their email distribution list, you simply go to Groupon's website (www.Groupon.com) and create an account, which only takes a couple minutes. Then you select the cities (as many as you would like) that you would like to be notified of deals in. Then everyday there is a discounted option to purchase. For example, a couple weeks ago, there was a Groupon for The Counter. The offer was that you could spend twenty dollars to get a forty dollar voucher to The Counter.

What makes Groupon so amazing, is how efficient of a system they have created. When you buy the voucher or giftcard, you don't have to pay any shipping and handling because you simply recieve an email containing the giftcard and you only have to print it out or pull it up on your phone when the time comes to present it to the vender or restaurant.

Regardless of how often you dine out, I would recommend signing up for Groupon so that you can keep an eye out for the perfect deal to come along!

Another meat lovers recipeee

CHEDDAR BLT BURGER ... My mouth is watering

Whole Foods

Do you ever have one of those days where you want a meal that is the quality of one you would get dining out at a restaurant but be able to eat it at your convenience, in front of your television while wearing your pajamas? While it can be fun on a friday night to get a group of people together, dress up a little and enjoy not only good company and conversation, but an epic meal to boot. That isn't always appealing though, after a day of non-stop homework, studying, and job hunting. For days like this, I turn to Whole Food's Prepared Food section.

The Prepared Food section boasts of many different prepared salads, sandwiches, sushi, pasta dishes, meats, kabobs, chicken tenders, and so much more. The huge selection insures that you will find a dish to fulfill any craving, and I often find myself getting a couple different little containers of foods of different ethnicity and tastes, that do not compliment each other in any way, but were all appealing as I window shopped the different options.

House of Soul Food

House of Soul Food is one of the most unique dining experiences I have ever encountered. They serve some of the most authentic, traditional Southern comfort food I've ever eaten, including dining in the actual South. The ambiance that characterizes House of Soul Food is so warm, welcoming and friendly, you actually feel as if you're dining at your own kitchen table. There are literally seats and sofas set in front of a large television by a fire place in the main room of the restaurant and the rest of the tables are wooden, creating a really homey feel.

Their entrees revolve around barbecue and meat, in its various different forms. They have BBQ chicken, fried chicken, brisket plates, burgers, fried catfish and more. Their portions of meat are so large that they can easily be two meals for even the hungriest of college students. But to top off the main event are a bunch of delicious sides! Cornbread comes with almost every dish you can order for lunch and dinner, and is to die for. It's served warm with honey butter and literally melts in your mouth. Entrees also come with another two sides like fried sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, hush puppies, collard greens, friend okra, potato salad, baked beans and baked mac n cheese. Choosing amongst those many options, is IMPOSSIBLE.

This is the perfect destination for those mood to be fuller than it is comfortable to be, and still have leftovers. Since House of Soul Food is not only an eatery, but a dining experience, I would recommend coming with a big group of people so that you can try as many side dishes as humanly possible and planning on staying a while to enjoy the homey atmosphere.

Subway

It's been a crazy week seven! With little time and my usual appetite, I found myself at Subway a couple times this past week. There are a couple different Subway's near campus, the closest two being the one right down the Alameda and the other just off the corner of Franklin's Square.

There are an endless amount of creations that you can build using their buffet style - choose your own bread, then meat, and then cheese set up. After going a couple times, I found that I was starting to venture further and further away from the usual turkey sandwich.

With their endless variety of options, subway is the perfect place to grab a really quick, guilt-free bite to eat!

Tiger's Milk vs. Lara Bar

Everyone should learn to read the ingredients before buying, especially with "diet" or "nutrition" items, like energy bars. You'd be surprised at what's hidden in your favorite "diet" food. Tiger’s Milk bars, which claim to be the first “nutrition” bar, have high fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient. Instead try Lara Bars, healthy, delicious and packed with natural vegan protein: nuts!

Differences between Peanut Butters

I'm constantly surprised by what people do and do not know about food. This week a friend of mine was eating Skippy peanut butter by the spoonful when she checked the ingredients and was shocked to see that they add sugar and oil. Then she said, "Next time I'll by Jif." Little did she know, Jif peanut butter, along with every other no-stir cheapo peanut butter, has the same list of ingredients. When I explained this to her, she said in all seriousness, "But choosy mom's choose Jif!" Advertising campaigns does not equal health. (McDonalds advertises their salads as healthy, when in truth most of them have more fat their one of their breaded chicken sandwiches!) It's important to read ingredients before we eat so that we know what we're putting in our bodies. For peanut butter, try an all natural healthy brand such as Adam's Natural Peanut Butter. She was also surprised when I told her you could buy all natural peanut butter at Safeway. A pretty good rule of thumb is if you can see the peanut butter separated from the oil in the jar, the kind you have to stir, that one has no added ingredients. Just remember to read the ingredients!

Meat lover?!

Pork, corn and red capsicum kebabs... YUM!

Benson Tips-Sampling

Occasionally, Benson cranks something that looks close to palatable. Awesome, I know what I'm getting. However, as good as a dish looks, Benson is Benson, and your taste buds must have high standards. If you're wary of a certain special dish, simply ask to try it! The people at Benson don't bite, I promise. As long as you ask politely, the chefs behind the counter will gladly get you one bite of what you're considering getting yourself into. The best part about sampling is that your can make a fully informed decision about the food you eat instead of hoping the meal you spent valuable meal points on is tasty.

Giant Falafel

In preparation for my friend taking me to Falafel Drive-in, a time for comparison is at hand. I, like many of you are interested in what goes into my food. Before I go to the Drive-in, I wanted to find out what makes Falafel taste so good. While stumbling I luckily ran into this recipe. If your curious check this out!

Burgers

http://www.burgersantacruz.com/
This place was amazing. They had so many different types of burgers to choose from as well as different kinds of hot dogs. They served a variety of fries, soups, and drinks as well! So much good stuff!

Baby Back Ribs

So tonight for dinner, my friend and I decided to order take out from Chili's. We got ribs, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, and a salad.I It was amazing. Chili's accepts flex, so everyone should splurge on some delicious ribs.

Shortcake :)

So today i was at the farmers market and i was walking through and found this stand with a different bunch of cakes, and pies! i saw the shortcake and fell in love. when i was younger my dad would always make strawberry shortcake for us. he would have shortcake, milk, and strawberries! yummmmy... my dads way of strawberry shortcake is a little different then other ways of making it, from what i have heard and seen. it is a little homemade, southern dish. the other ways you can make strawberry shortcake is with angel food cake and custard. Paula Deen makes a delicious dish of Strawberry Shortcake that you should try that only takes about twenty minutes! it contains milk, custard, angel food cake, and strawberries. even though i am bias towards my dads way of making the strawberry shortcake, Paula Deen's is BOMB-DIGGITY! Soooo, try it ! also, if my dads or Paula Deen's version of strawberry shortcake does not sound appealing to you, you can find many other ways to make it! i like to just google the name and a bunch of different recipes show up! woohoooo:)

Peet's Coffee

Vegans and non-vegans alike should flock to Peets Coffee. Started in Berkeley in the 60s (I am biased...), Peets is said to be the inspiration for Starbucks. Yet unlike Starbucks, Peets uses quality ingredients and stocks a variety of healthy pastries and drinks, both vegan and non-vegan. My favorite treats are as follows: Jasmine lime iced tea, lemon-rose tea, low-fat cherry chocolate banana bread, vegan apricot scone, and the vegan ginger cookie. They also have high quality coffee and considerably better service than Starbucks. Check them out sometime!

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Despite the Corn Growers of America Ads, high fructose corn syrup is worse for you than sugar. Most people don't know why, so they simply believe what information is told to them. While sugar and high fructose corn syrup has the same calories, the high fructose corn syrup is a manmade product that is so processed our body cannot burn it off quickly like it can with regular sugar. It turns into fat automatically because our bodies don’t know what to do with it. Calories does not equal bad-for-you or fat. Calories are simply units of energy. We need calories to survive. Bad-for-you foods are processed and made in a factory rather than a kitchen or field. While there is a considerable amount of research showing the problems of high fructose corn syrup, check out the recent Princeton research.

Chocolate Strawberry Pie

This is my own recipe for chocolate strawberry pie. I feed it to non-vegans all the time who rave about it. My grandma, who is a very traditional Paula Deen style chef (butter, butter, butter) absolutely loved it... until she saw the ingredients. But don't let that stop you! It's very creamy, rich and decadent, while being so much healthier than the chocolate cream pies made with butter, fat, and cream cheese. It also only take about 10-15 minutes to prepare if you buy a pre-made crust (about 30 min if you make your own!)

Cam’s Chocolate Strawberry Pie

Chocolate Cookie Pie Crust

Buy premade Oreo crust or:

1 box of Oreo Cookies (which yes, are vegan)

1/3 cup earth balance soy garden

     Crush cookies with mallet or by hand until fine crumbs. Mix small handfuls of the 

crumbs with with a teaspoon of Earth Balance at a time. Mix well and press into pie 

tin. Repeat until pie tin is covered with crust.

PIE FILLING

1 lb silken tofu

12 ounces dark chocolate (1 1/2 to 2 cups chocolate chips)

1 -3 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

blend tofu until smooth, melt dark chocolate in double boiler, then add to rest of ingredients to blender. Chill for 2 hours.

Strawberry Topping

1 Carton strawberies

Slice strawberries in half, remove stems, and decorate top of chilled pie.

Taco Men/Ladies are the BOMB.

This past weekend I celebrated a First Communion and a Baptism with my family. For food they hired a taco lady, and it was DELICIOUS. If you've ever gotten Street Tacos in Benson, it's the same thing only a million times better since it's, ya know, REAL. The rice and beans were actually made by my grandma who came to visit from LA, so those were probably my favorite part of the meal. Oh, and the guacamole was some of the best I've ever had!

Red Wine Chicken

If you're ever in Downey, which is in SoCal, and are in the mood for Thai food head to South Pacific. While it won't be the best Thai food you've ever had the Red Wine Chicken more than makes up for it!

(Had to break from the homemade stuff to share this insight with you guys! My parents sent me this picture the other day and my mouth literally watered.)

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Spaghetti and meat sauce is one of the easiest and best ways to prepare pasta - and it's super cheap too! Here's the way I prepare my sauce at home:

Chop up some onion and garlic, using as much or as little as you'd like. I'm a huge garlic fan, so I suggest using more of that! After taking care of that, throw some oil onto the saute pan and let it heat up a bit. Throw in the garlic and onions, making sure to keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn't burn! After the onions are soft it's time to add the ground beef into the mix. To make things a little easier you can break up the meat in your hands as your taking it from the package to the pan so it's not one huge chunk to break up later. As the meat is browning break it down further into smaller pieces - think of any meat sauce you've ever had and you'll get the idea of the size you're looking for. To season the meat I use garlic salt, which I throw on just after adding it to the pan. BE CAREFUL with the garlic salt - salty meat is the easiest way to ruin a delicious dinner!

Before you start chopping up the onions and garlic it would be a good idea to get your water boiling for the pasta you're using. Don't forget to throw a little Kosher salt and olive oil into the water!

Back to the sauce: once the meat is done cooking, drain the fat that's left. Now add in your sauce, keep the burner on low so the sauce can simmer without overcooking your meat. Here I usually add in basil and oregano to add even more flavor to the sauce. Like the garlic and onions, add these two to your own liking.

By the time the sauce has simmered the pasta should be done boiling and strained. You can either add the pasta straight into the sauce pan and mix them together or pour some sauce over the noodles. Either way you're bound to enjoy the meal!

P.S. I suggest you pair the pasta with some garlic bread. Yum.

Wrap This!

Wrap This is a just a short walk from campus down the Alameda. They serve traditional Mediterranean Cuisine and are the perfect destination for students who are sick of mundane Benson dishes.

Wrap This is known for its variety of gyros, falafels, wraps, cheesesteaks, and combo plates. Their gyros come with lamb, chicken or veggies, but having tried them all I would strongly recommend the lamb because it meshes with the other ingredients the best, as it is what comprises an original gyro. Their combo plates feature meat kabobs that are served with a salad, rice, hummus, tzatziti sauce, and pita bread. This combinations variety is the perfect authentic Mediterranean meal.

O-LALA!

tryyyy this! i was looking around for something somewhat healthy and fun to make tonight and i stumbled upon this... do not laugh at the website, but how good does Honey-Lime Fruit Salad?!

Easy, breezy, lemon-squeezy!

Hot summer days are'a comin! Cool off with a refreshing and yummy glass of Strawberry Lemonade!

Tony & Alba's Pizza & Pasta

There are three Tony & Alba's located in the Santa Clara area. The closest one located is on Stevens Creek Blvd, near Santana Row. They are family owned and operated and have been since they opened their restaurant in 1982. They serve pizza, pasta, hearty sandwiches, salad, and traditional Italian appetizers. Recently, Tony & Albas won the National Independent Pizza Maker of the Year Award (yes, this actually exists, I was surprised as well).

This is the perfect destination for those seeking a friendly environment where you can sit down and enjoy a homemade, authentic Italian meal. And just like the restaurants in Italy, here the owner will walk around checking to make sure every table has all that they need and are enjoying their meal. This traditional Italian hospitality being found in California is a rarity and being paired with such heavenly meals makes Tony & Alba's a destination for many. All should stop by for a taste of their award winning pizza!

Homemade Nutella? Yes please!

As soon as I came across this recipe for Homemade Nutella, I started drooling. If you know me, you know I'm a huge endorser of 1) all things made from scratch and 2) Nutella, always. So obviously this will be the first thing I try when I get my nice big kitchen at home all to myself this summer.

Until then, I'll have to settle for the actual stuff (which really isn't anything to complain about).

Happy Mother's Day!

As virtually everyone knows, Moms are a wealth of knowledge. Something mine taught me today: how to microwave bacon.

I think it was just to make me cooking her breakfast a little easier to clean up, but it actually wasn't half bad. And lord knows what a bacon fiend I am.

Remembering this for future hungover mornings in our apartment next year when I want, nay, need bacon but just can't find the energy to lift a skillet.

Get in, and get out!

Everyone loves themselves a good american burger, so why not get that burger at In N Out! If your in a hurry why not, it is delicious and less fatning then somewhere like Mcdonalds or Wendy's. Even if you are not in a hurry it is still a fun place to go and hangout. Grab a couple of friends, chocolate shake, burger, and fries and its a good time! PS: if you are wanting something less fatning, try protein style burger! Instead of having buns around th burger, it is lettuce. It doesnt sound that great, but trust me, it is bomb! after the first time i tried it, i neverrrrr went back to the regular style burger! Soooo, go for it! there is an In N Out burger that is only about 5 minutes away from campus! wohooooo

If you wanna read more about In N Out Burgers, visit their website. It talks about how they use fresh 100% pure beef, and fresh cheese, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce!

Plus it is said that In N Out burger does not even own a heat lamp, freezer or microwave! for fast food, that is pretty awesome! If you do not want to take my word for it, go try it yourself! And, if you have had it, try something new and go for the Protien Style! You will not regret it!

Trader Joe's

If you're looking for a take-out food option that is quick and affordable, Trader Joe's is the perfect place to go. They have a variety of different pre-made sandwiches, salads, sushi, spring rolls, and noodle dishes. All of which are healthy, delicious, and ready to eat!

If you have more time on your hands but still aren't in the mood to actually cook, they have aisles full of frozen food dinner options, many of which only require you putting the dish in the microwave or oven for varying lengths of time. Some of my favorite frozen food dishes they have are their orange chicken, shrimp gyoza, and chicken screwers.

For restaurant quality food, but prices that are college student friendly stop by the Trader Joe's located in the Coleman shopping center!

In-N-Out

Being from Chicago, In-n-Out burger is a delicious treat that I brag to my friends and family about all the time. Since its opening in 1948, In-n-Out Burger has been a west coast tradition that people from all over the nation have desired to be apart of since the beginning. The simple, but delicious menu gives the customer a choice of the classic hamburger or cheeseburger, with the option of making it a double-double, a triple-triple, etc. Each burger is made fresh, with tomatoes, onions (grilled or regular), ketchup, mustard, pickles, lettuce, and spread. Though the company will not say what the spread is made of, it is definitely a form of thousand island dressing. To go along with the burger, the customer can get an order of fries, but if one is knowledgeable in the secret menu, they can order the fries animal style. A refreshing drink is always nice to go with your burger and fries, but a milkshake is definitely the way to go. You can order either chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or a blend of any of the three options.
In-n-Out's prices are not overly expensive, either. For about $5, you can get a burger, fries, and a milkshake. This is a great deal, especially because everything is made to order. Next time you are trying to get a quick bite to eat on a budget, In-n-Out should definitely be the place to go.

Dining out quotes!

"Get to know the chef and you will start to enjoy dining out even more."
-John Walters

"Too many people eat just to consumer calories. Try dining for a change."
-John Walters

All four elements were happening in equal measure - the cuisine, the wine, the service, and the overall ambience. It taught me that dining could happen at a spiritual level."
-Charlie Trotter

Panera

While not in walking distance, Panera is still a prime destination for many Santa Clara students. They serve sandwiches, grilled paninis, salads, soup and are famous for their bread and baked goods! Their many different house made breads put their sandwiches a cut above the competition.

Panera is a great place to go on a busy day to pick up a pastry and coffee for breakfast and/or grab a gourmet lunch to go!

Juice!

I really want a juicer so that I can make delicious fresh squeezed juice whenever I want. The debate is that citrus juicers are really cheap, but only squeeze citrus while regular juicers are very expensive and can juice whatever you want. If you want to get your greens in a healthy way without having to taste them, try adding strong flavors like berries or bananas. If you want to bring out subtle flavors, use lighter flavored fruits like citruses.  Here are some awesome juice blend ideas for people with juicers

-carrot-orange-pineapple
-banana-orange-spirulina (get those greens in there when you have strong fruit to over power the flavor. Spinach is also a good idea.)
-Guava-cucumber-celery sounds like a nice light refreshing juice blend.

Sur La Table has some good juicers as do stores like Target. (They run about the same price at both.)
Check them out to get your daily fruits and vegetables in a new way!

Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Hope you all get a chance to celebrate with margaritas, Mexican food, and sombreros!

Snap, Crackle, YUM.

Mmmm, what could be better than peanut butter, marshmallows, chocolate, and Rice Krispies? All four in one bar, perhaps? Yep, Snap, Crackle & Pop have gotten a maaaajor upgrade. While everybody who's anybody knows the traditional Rice Krispies are scrumptious on their own, the kind I made last night were quite possibly even more to-die-for (and more than a little addictive, might I add). And it get's better: even if the process is a little messy, they're easy as heck.

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) bag of marshmallows, any size

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup of peanut bubber

5 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

1 bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Melt the butter in a a saucepan, then add the bag of marshmallows and stir continuously over medium heat until they are all melted into smooth marshmallow goodness (be sure to use a rubber spatula, since that'll be the easiest to clean later). Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until it is all incorporated. Have the Rice Krispies measured out into a separate (large) bowl. Now here comes the sticky part: pour about half of the peanut butter-marshmallow goo over the cereal, and mix GENTLY together with the spatula, trying not to crush too much of the cereal. Once you've mixed it together a good amount, add the rest of the goo, scraping the sides to get as much as you can--you don't want to wait too long before adding the second half, because it'll start to cool and get tough to get out and stuff!

Once all the cereal's evenly coated in marshmallow, press that mess into a 9x13 pan that's been greased with a little butter. Flatten it gently with the palm of your hand, making sure all the nooks and crannies of the pan are filled. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30-45 seconds. Spread it all over the top of the Rice Krispies treats, and put in the fridge to let set for at least half an hour. It's gonna be a pain in the ass to cut into squares....but believe you me, it's so worth it.

.....Okay now I'm gonna go make some more.

Shrimpy Shrimp.

Grilled shrimp skewers, white rice, and grilled zucchini. Delicious!

Pot Pie, anyone?

It's turkey instead of your typical chicken, but doesn't that look yummy?!
Wish I had been home for that.

Wanna know why pork chops are the greatest?

It's because you can prepare them like a MILLION different ways. Fried, as seen in the completely unhealthy dinner above, is one of my personal favorites.

The prep work is really easy for these: in one bowl whisk together an egg or two and some milk with salt and pepper, and in another bowl have your bread crumbs. Dunk in the egg mixture, then to the dry mix, then into the frying pan with HOT oil. If you get the thin chops they should cook fairly quickly, but be careful about UNDERcooking. That's never a good thing.

Add some homemade mashed potatoes and some sort of vegetable (clearly that's corn) into the mix and you've got a delicious dinner.

Watch for splattering oil! Enjoy!

Crab Cakes

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Most people are already very aware of the chain Chipotle and familiar with its products, however, until I had a car at Santa Clara, I didn't know that there are so many close by! There are five within five miles of campus. The closest ones are down the Alameda and down the El Camino.

Chipotle is a great place to go to grab a quick personalized mexican meal. Being able to add things onto your dish as the plate slides down the buffet in front of you allows you to customize your burrito, tacos or salads!

Bill's Cafe

Bill’s Café is by far the best breakfast place in Santa Clara. There are three different locations in the greater San Jose area, but the closest one to SCU is the one down the Alameda. It’s a ten to fifteen minute walk from campus, but on a nice day, the walk can be nice.

Bill’s serves waffles, pancakes, omelets, wraps, breakfast burritos and sandwiches and many different side dishes for breakfast. Their portions are large and the creativity of their dishes reflects the effects of specializing in only serving breakfast and lunch.

For lunch they serve hearty sandwiches, burgers and salads. Driving by Bill’s during any hour they operate you will notice that their parking lot is packed and on the weekends you even see people waiting outside to be seated. This advertising speaks for itself and the quality of food Bill’s serves!

Cafe Gratitude

Cafe Gratitude is a great vegan restaurant in Berkeley. The original Cafe Gratitude is located on Shattuck in Berkeley, but there are now locations all over the bay. They have the most delicious bruschetta and vegan milkshakes! They only cook with seasonal ingredients. Get a list of locations on their website and check them out!

Can You Say...

Chocolate Covered Strawberrys!

Lunch Time

My favorite salad to make at Benson consists of romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, carrots, olives, lentils, and blue cheese. For the dressing, I either use oil and balsamic vinaigrette or sesame seed dressing. Then, I add some croutons and have the Benson employes toss it with grilled chicken. This salad is great for spring and is a delicious treat for lunch, dinner, or just a snack.

Kobe Japanese Sushi Restaurant

Kobe Japanese is located a mile or two down the El Camino. It unfortunately isn't within walking distance, but it's definitely worth the trek. Kobe offers affordable, fresh sushi and also has a huge selection of teriyaki and other Japanese dishes.

My favorite thing about Kobe is that you can go there without other sushi lovers. My problem with other sushi restaurants are that if you are the only person in your party dining on sushi, you have to commit to a roll or two so you end up with twelve pieces of the same thing, which lacks variety. At Kobe, sushi boats travel around the central table in the restaurants featuring different rolls of only a couple pieces. Not only is it helpful to physically see what the roll looks like in front of you, this also allows you to order a variety of different rolls and pieces of sushi without spending a ridiculous amount of money and ending up with more food than you could possibly eat.

Finally, breakfast time!

Eggs and bacon are good, so is toast with jelly... but now it is time to have something different! Try one of my all time favs: Biscuits and gravy!

GRILLED CHEESE!

Who doesn't like grilled cheese? It's basically one of the best things ever invented, and it's SO easy to make! You can use all different kind of cheese and throw in stuff like bacon to make it even more tasty. I was on StumbleUpon a while back and came across The Grilled Cheese Academy that had lots of interesting ideas. I posted the link to my brother's Facebook wall informing him that when I come home again he will most definitely be making at least two of these for us to enjoy.

Lauren and I have already decided that once she returns from Amsterdam we will be having weekly grilled cheese night and making something new every time. Jealous? You should be.

Tostadas!

One thing that I can remember eating since I was a little kid is tostadas. Well, it's not so much that I remember as much as there are pictures of me with sour cream all over my face while enjoying the simple deliciousness.

The first thing to do is cook up the ground beef. Throw some onions and garlic down first, then add the meat. To add more flavor throw in some garlic salt - or regular kosher salt - with some pepper as well. Break the meat up as you're cooking it so that it's in small chunks that will be easy to spoon onto the tostada later.

While the meat is browning you can prep some of the other things that you want to put on the tostada. At home it's always the same: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, refried beans, sour cream, and olives. The beans are the only ones that need stove time from this list, clearly. Usually we just buy a can of Rosarita's, but occasionally we'll have the homemade stuff. For the beans just throw a little oil down before the beans and heat them up. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't bubble too much because then you'll have way more clean up to do.

Once everything is ready we put it all into bowls and place them on the table where everyone will make their own however they want. My tostada is usually made in this order: beans on bottom, sour cream, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. YUM. To top it off I'll put some chile and, if we have it, avocado.

This is something that would be extremely easy to make in the dorms, and it would be relatively cheap to make. It's super yummy and tastes just as good if you heat up the leftover meat and beans the next day for lunch. Also, we've done this with chicken before so if beef isn't your thing try out some shredded chicken or ground turkey. Both would be just as delicious!