Midnight Mastication

Farmer’s Market Roasted Vegetable Quiche A quarter of a medium...

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:33:00 -0800

Farmer’s Market Roasted Vegetable Quiche

A quarter of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
Half of a green zucchini, thinly sliced
Half of a yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning

3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 to 8 oz. cheese (here, I used a chunk of Monterey Jersey Jack, cubed and melted in the microwave)
1 frozen uncooked pie shell (deep dish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the pie shell out of the freezer so it has some time to soften up.
Chop, slice, dice all of the vegetables (including the garlic) and toss them together in a medium-sized bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper. (Don’t worry about being too exact on the measurements, just use your cooking instincts!)
Lay out a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and arrange the vegetables, taking care to spread everything out evenly.
Once the oven is ready, pop the veggies in for approximately 30 minutes. They should be well-roasted when they appear cooked, but not too wilted or dry.
While the veggies roast, start by popping the cubed cheese in the microwave on the defrost setting (to prevent burning) for 2-3 minutes to melt.
Then, using the same medium-sized bowl (less dishes to wash!), whip together the melted cheese, eggs, cream, milk and mayonnaise.
Once the vegetables having finished roasting, transfer them to the pie shell. You can do a bit of arranging if you’d like, but all you really need to do is line the shell evenly.
At this time, you should turn down the oven to 350 degrees. Also, remove the foil from the baking sheet and place the pie shell (with veggies inside!) onto the baking sheet. Be careful, it’s probably still hot!
Next, re-whip the liquid mix to ensure maximum fluffiness in your quiche. Then, pour gently into the pie crust, using care not to overflow.
Finally, pop the entire quiche into the oven and set a timer for 35 minutes.
While you’re waiting, you can clean up the prep area and wash all of your dishes. By the time your quiche is finished, you won’t have to stress about cleaning up after you eat.
After 35 minutes, you should check in on your quiche. Do a visual inspection…if the top is beginning to look a nice light golden brown, then it is time to turn the temperature down to 300 degrees. If not, wait another 10 minutes to do so.
Set the timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the oven off, but leave your quiche inside for another 10-15 minutes. Keep checking on it visually. If the top is golden brown, it is ready, or almost ready.
Finally, your quiche is ready! Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Basil makes everything better (by vchen24)

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:26:35 -0700

Basil makes everything better (by vchen24)

Fratelli Cafe

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:47:00 -0700

website | yelp

m.m. ratings

cost: $$
taste: 4.5/5
health: 5/5
ambiance: 4.5/5
perks: great coffee, vegan menu options, wifi, outdoor seating
drawbacks: street parking only, limited seating

coffee

fratelli panini | mozzarella cheese, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, sprouts and olive oil

bbq ranch wrap | chicken, tomatoes, red onions, shredded mozzarella, mushrooms, bbq sauce and ranch dressing

{Froyo} Orange Cup, San Antonio, TX

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:27:28 -0800

{Froyo} Orange Cup, San Antonio, TX

{Homecooked} My momma’s hot pot style soup!

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:25:01 -0800

{Homecooked} My momma’s hot pot style soup!

{Girls Night In} Sparkling Grape Cider

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:20:22 -0800

{Girls Night In} Sparkling Grape Cider

{Obsessed} La Fogata No time to write a full review because of...

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:18:47 -0800

{Obsessed} La Fogata

No time to write a full review because of the holidays, but here are some photos of delicious food from La Fogata, a very popular Mexican restaurant in San Antonio, Texas!

Pictured above are the Chicken Fajitas, Chicken Mole and a delicious cream cheese and fruit empanada with vanilla ice cream! :)

Photo

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:24:44 -0800

{Home is Where the Heart of Romaine Is} Souper Salad Last time,...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:38:40 -0800

{Home is Where the Heart of Romaine Is} Souper Salad

Last time, I blogged about how my mom and I always go out to eat at Thai Cafe when I’m in town. In contrast, it’s me and my dad’s thing to go to Souper Salad together, since my mom doesn’t really like to eat there. It’s nothing spectacular, but for $5 (with a coupon), this place really delivers! They have salad and soup, obviously, but they also have baked potatoes, the best corn bread, thin crust pizza, fruit and soft serve. The best part is that you can eat three plates and still feel super healthy because everything is very light and trans fat-free.

Maybe it’s more sentimental because I get to spend time with my dad, but Souper Salad is a great place for a lovely midday meal. :)

{Sweets for the Sweet} A cup of cake! (A mini mint chocolate...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:28:47 -0800

{Sweets for the Sweet} A cup of cake!

(A mini mint chocolate cupcake from dots cupcakes in Pasadena, California)

{Sweet Treats} Dots Cupcakes, Old Town Pasadena, CA Dots...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:11:55 -0800

{Sweet Treats} Dots Cupcakes, Old Town Pasadena, CA

Dots Cupcakes is hands-down my favorite cupcake shop this side of the prime meridian. If you’re ever in Pasadena, do yourself a merry little favor and pick up a box of their perfectly proportioned cupcakes. They come in regular or mini, so you can go all-out or opt for a guilt-free mini to satisfy your sweet tooth. In addition to their regular flavors (favorite: Red Velvet), they have the tastiest seasonal flavors too, like the Snowflake (pictured above), which is a vanilla cupcake topped with toasted coconut and filled with condensed milk.

All I want for Christmas is more Dots cupcakes!

{Man’s Best Friend} Three Dog Bakery, Old Town Pasadena,...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:04:00 -0800

{Man’s Best Friend} Three Dog Bakery, Old Town Pasadena, CA

This past week, I picked up some treats for my little pup at Three Dog Bakery. Pictured above are the Pupcakes and Ruffles, which in addition to having the punniest names, also feature all-natural, good-for-your-pooch ingredients. Unfortunately, my dog is a super picky eater and didn’t really like them…but I can’t really say for myself if the treats are good or not. Maybe I should be daring and try one? Talk about a real foodie adventure.

{Restaurant Review} Father Nature’s Lavash Wraps, Old Town...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:52:00 -0800

{Restaurant Review} Father Nature’s Lavash Wraps, Old Town Pasadena, CA

Father Nature’s Lavash Wraps is a little hole-in-the wall cafe in Old Town Pasadena serving an impressive array of Greek/Mediterranean wraps made with lavash, a type of thin flatbread. They serve various types of veggie wraps, falafel wraps, chicken wraps, sandwiches and salads, featuring all sorts of unique flavors. I had ”The French Connection” wrap, which included grilled zucchini, grilled onion, red and green bell pepper, eggplant, feta cheese, pepper and garlic sauce spread. It tasted very healthy and flavorful and was definitely a welcome break from the ordinary wrap scene. For a reasonable price compared to some of the nicer sit-down places in Old Town, I’d definitely recommend Father Nature if you’re in the area and looking for a bite to eat.

{Restaurant Review} Milk, Los Angeles, CA Milk - part ice cream...

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:23:00 -0800

Nutella ice cream

Ham and Cheese

Herb Roasted Chicken

Nutella ice cream

{Restaurant Review} Milk, Los Angeles, CA

Milk - part ice cream parlor, part bakery and part cafe - was the perfect place for a late lunch this Sunday. My friends and I had been longing to eat there after seeing the girls of The Hills visit the restaurant in one of the episodes. The tiny restaurant with ample outdoor seating sported cute decor, a very friendly staff, and remarkably delicious food. I sipped on an Arnold Palmer and enjoyed a perfectly toasted Ham and Cheese sandwich. The sandwich was very flavorful and satisfying. The tomatoes were particularly fresh and tasty. My friends both had the Herb Roasted Chicken Sandwich, which they also found to be very good. The main dishes came with a side salad (fairly average in flavor, but fresh, nonetheless) and an interesting little serving of something called freekeh, which was a mixture of a grain with wild mushrooms, bell peppers and herbs. (You can see it in the little plastic container sitting on our plates.) Here’s the description they had written on a chalkboard of what it is:

Freekeh - ancient grain made of young green durum wheat that’s harvested when the seeds are green, yet still soft and moist. They are sundried and roasted. It contains high protein, high fiber, four times the fiber of brown rice and has almost no gluten.

After the meal, we faced the very difficult decision of choosing which desserts we wanted! Milk’s sweets are baked on site and feature delicious things like Blue Velvet cake, coconut macaroons, cupcakes, many varieties of cookies and more. They also have ice cream sandwiches and bars. I allllmost opted for the Blue Velvet cake, but decided to indulge instead in scoop of Nutella ice cream. Self-explanatory deliciousness ensued.

Although the place is a bit pricey, I’d give Milk five stars for amazing service, delicious and fresh food and an unbeatable dessert selection.

{Restaurant Review} 2-9 Cafe, North University Park, USC, Los...

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:59:45 -0800

Lamb Gyro Wrap

Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich

Barbeque Chicken Sandwich

{Restaurant Review} 2-9 Cafe, North University Park, USC, Los Angeles

My friends Kevin, Adriana and I headed over the the 2-9 Cafe yesterday for a light lunch in the lovely sunny weather. Located just a couple blocks from USC, this place has a really cozy cafe ambiance and lovely patio area. Unfortunately, the service was pretty bad. :/

Fortunately, the food was pretty good, although a bit on the expensive side despite its proximity to a college campus. I had the Lamb Gyro wrap, which was decent, but nowhere near as good as the gyro pita sandwiches that Daphne’s Greek Cafe serves up on campus in the Cafe 84 dining center. The side caesar salad was really fresh and delicious. Adriana had the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich, which she said was really delicious…although, you can put guacamole on anything and Adriana will say it’s good.. :)

Kevin ordered the Barbeque Chicken Sandwich, which he also said was pretty delicious. He does warn future diners to watch out for the toothpick that holds the sandwich together though. It’s sneaky and he got poked while taking a big bite.

With Kevin’s sandwich came the star of the meal… sweet potato fries. They were perfection!! Adriana and I were constantly stealing them and dipping them in the ranch sauce. So good. Definitely thinking about getting some to snack on while I study tomorrow…

{Sweets for the Sweet} Sprinkles Cupcakes My cousin Windsen and...

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:47:34 -0800

{Sweets for the Sweet} Sprinkles Cupcakes

My cousin Windsen and his lovely girlfriend Ashley were in town this week and brought me a red velvet cupcake from their visit to Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills. Although I am a die-hard Dots Cupcakes fan, I have to commend Sprinkles on their cream cheese frosting…so rich…so yummy…

{Post-Thanksgiving Treats} Leftover turkey Mixed greens Shredded...

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:43:38 -0800

{Post-Thanksgiving Treats}

Leftover turkey
Mixed greens
Shredded carrots
Goat cheese
Raspberry Vinaigrette

{Things I love about Texas} Rudy’s Barbeque, Leon Springs,...

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:40:00 -0800

{Things I love about Texas} Rudy’s Barbeque, Leon Springs, TX

Self-explanatory goodness.
If you haven’t been there, do your taste buds a favor and giddy on up!

{Neighborhood Treasure} Sol Y Luna Baking Co. Sol Y Luna Baking...

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:39:39 -0800

{Neighborhood Treasure} Sol Y Luna Baking Co.

Sol Y Luna Baking Co. is a wonderful little bakery located just a few minutes from my house in San Antonio. They’ve been around for a couple years now and they have consistently created the most wonderfully tasty baked goods, including my favorite red velvet cupcakes, oatmeal raisin cookies, and ham and cheese croissants. They also have really good artichoke and feta focaccia bread and spicy jalapeno, cheese and sausage kolaches. Really, all of their treats are so yummy!

Today, my mom and I stopped by for a visit and I tried a new-to-me sandwich, featuring mozzarella cheese, tomato and cucumber, with a really flavorful garlic spread and balsamic vinegar, sandwiched between two slices of what I want to say is sourdough bread. Truly the perfect, light midday meal from one of my favorite local bakeries.

Tastes Like Texas, Feels Like Home :) I love Luby’s. This place...

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:29:00 -0800

Tastes Like Texas, Feels Like Home :)

I love Luby’s. This place serves up quintessential comfort food that leaves you feeling so happy and satisfied. With locations only mainly in Texas (with a few in Oklahoma and Arkansas), I really look forward to eating at Luby’s when I come home during vacations. Most importantly, Luby’s macaroni and cheese is what defines childhood in Texas. It’s pretty much what makes the world go ‘round. :)