On the Road: Top Eats in Madison, WI

On my most recent trip back to the great city of Madison WI, home of my alma mater, University of Wisconsin, my beloved Badgers, great bars and parties, and lots of delicious food, I of course had to visit some of my favorite places for the foods that helped me pack on the freshman 30, er, 15.  They were even better than I remembered!

Essa Bagel: Midtown

My last big weeknight out sent me straight to Essa Bagel for my favorite post-party cure-all, bagels!  While H&H and Tal Bagels are also dear to my heart, I prefer the chewy exterior and soft interior of the Essa Bagel to the sweet/soft H&H style.  It also doesn't hurt that the Essa Bagel is a behemoth in comparison, and they will toast it, butter and cream cheese it (in this case, I went with scallion cream cheese and a side of butter -yes, both - on an everything bagel).  Essa Bagel in midtown will also give you bacon on your egg and cheese sandwich, unlike the Kosher downtown location.  Get there in the morning and your bagel will be hot, too!  The perfect way to cure what ails you.

Homemade turkey breast meatballs

One of my favorite websites for recipes is Smitten Kitchen. Deb lives in New York and her recipes never cease to amaze me. From her chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting (the cake Cannelle made for my birthday in October) to her warm butternut squash and chickpea salad (a staple in my winter recipes), the dishes are always amazing. Her photos make my mouth water, and I knew when I saw these meatballs I needed to make them. They, too, have become a staple in my recipe box. I've made a few changes to suit my tastes, but trust me, they are delicious!

Recipe after the jump!

Caracas & then some

Happy Wednesday!  Time for a little update on recent culinary adventures.  Sunday brought Cherry Cupcake and I to Caracas Arepa Bar, a favorite in the EV that popped up on my radar again recently because of their gluten-free options, thanks to one of my favorite blogs!

Motorino

Last night, Miel and I decided to add some cheer to the gloomy day in NYC by making our long-anticipated trip to Motorino in the East Village for some pizza and wine.  Motorino has gotten rave reviews since it opened in the space that used to belong to Una Pizza Napoletana, but would it, could it, live up to all the hype?

Dinner, Jersey Shore Style.

Now, it's no secret that MTV's "The Jersey Shore" was very successful, particularly because of viewers like my roommates and I.  It may not be common knowledge that the show also reminded some of us of the foods we love...and inspired us to mix up the weekly cooking routine at home!

New York (Food) Institutions

When you think "New York City" and "food", a few main things come to mind - bagels, pizza, hot dogs, cupcakes, and, of course, delis.  The two most well-known, Katz's in the East Village/LES, and Carnegie Deli in Midtown, are famous for their hot pastrami on rye.  Miel and I made our way down to Katz's on a rainy Saturday to see if this sammy lived up to the hype....

Part Deux

A bit later than I promised, here is the recipe for the zucchini "pasta" I love to make as a gluten-free, low-glycemic alternative to the real thing (which, trust me, once you have this, you won't miss.)  While the zucchini is cooking in the oil, I also like to toss in garlic or garlic powder, and some Italian spices, especially basil, for added oomph.  This is great with tomato sauce, pesto sauce, or,  if you are on orders to keep it simple like I am, with some butter and parmesan.  Again, the photo doesn't do it justice...but it's the taste that matters!

Basic, But NOT Boring!

Doctor's orders have had me on a "bland" diet as of late, which, everyone knows, tastes about as fun as it sounds.  Luckily, with some poking around the internet, I found some not-so-bland (delicious, in fact!), easy-to-digest options and have been able to cook myself some pretty tasty dishes.  Here is one such recipe, found on one of my new favorite blogs, Delectably Free.  I modify the recipe by using an egg.  I also went a bit crazy with the onion on this one (and was too lazy to chop it small), as you can see...in the end, though, it tasted fabulous.  And though this may not look pretty, as everyone also knows, taste is what matters!

Nightlife Highlights

I haven't forgotten about our promise to post nightlife spots as well as great places to eat...so first on the list is my recent favorite, Bowery Electric!  They play great music, generally attract a fun, young, normal crowd (though it can be a bit on the preppy side at times)...and there's very rarely a line.  The main area is long and narrow, so it's not great for huge groups, but there's more room in the back and downstairs.  If you're in a smaller group and planning on going out in the East Village, this is one of our top picks!

Throwdown: Sticky Buns

After a recent trip to Boston, Miel was kind enough to bring home one of the treats she found along her way at Flour Bakery & Cafe, an adorable bakery featured on one of our favorite shows, Throwdown with Bobby Flay. (Spoiler Alert....

Westville Brunch

Springtime is brunchtime!  Well, it is always brunchtime for us, but, it's lovely when NYC restaurants set up their outdoor seating/throw open their windows and doors and make some extra room for hungry New Yorkers looking to catch up with friends and family and make the most of the weekend.

Get thee to a Scoop Shop

It's free cone day at Ben & Jerry's today!

Find out where your closest participating Scoop Shop is by clicking here, then entering your city, state and zip code. Be sure to tick off the "Participates in Free Cone Day" option!

Cannelle and I will be stopping by later...see you there!

Update:
Miel and I were true to our word and, once home from work, ran to our neighborhood Ben and Jerry's to find...a line winding around the block.  Not to worry!  We were rewarded for our patience (and the wait was 20 minutes, tops.  A small price to pay for free ice cream).

Tu-lu's Gluten Free Gloriousness

As I've recently made changes to my diet for health reasons, I have of course been craving all of the things I am no longer able to enjoy.  Enter Tu-lu's bakery, an adorable new East Village spot featuring gluten-free, vegan, and even agave-sweetened (for those who must avoid beloved sugar, as well) desserts that, in this glutton's mind, taste just as amazing as the real thing!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Frozen Custard!

As warm-weather season approaches and the lines at ice cream shops around the city grow longer, I can't help but sing the praises of ice cream's lesser-known and (in my opinion) more delicious cousin, Frozen Custard!!  And where better to indulge in this rich treat than Shake Shack!?  Nowhere I say.  Shake shack frozen custard is where it's at. 

Recipes for Health: Risotto with Broccoli

Can you think of a more comforting winter food than risotto? I couldn't, and I was so taken by Martha Rose Shulman's (of the New York Times' Recipes for Health section) recipes that I had to try one. I had purchased some chicken broth a couple of weeks earlier, I'd had a bottle of white wine chilling in the fridge for well over a month that was begging to be used, and I have this one Recipe for Health per week challenge over on my other blog, Have A Good Run...so when I was cold last weekend I decided it was time to try Martha's risotto with broccoli.

Adventures in Restaurant Week: Centro Vinoteca

Miel, Cherry Cupcake and I, along with their friend C who is visiting from L.A. (she chose a perfect snowy weekend to come see NYC!), decided to celebrate the extension of restaurant week by making reservations at David Burke Townhouse.   To our dismay, we found that after we'd make our reservation, the restaurant week menu had been pulled, and the restaurant was no longer participating in restaurant week (it seems many other frugal foodies encountered this problem as well, based on my research on Yelp*).  So, we went out on a limb and made reservations at Centro Vinoteca, though we hadn't heard much about it, and boy were we glad we did!

Restaurant Week: Crema Restaurante

I had the opportunity to visit Crema during the extended Restaurant Week for my high school friend's 25th birthday. In general, I'm a lover of all things Mexican so I figured I'd enjoy a higher-end Mexican restaurant even more. Crema did not disappoint (me, at least).

Pictures and more after the jump!

Restaurant Week Date: 10 Downing

Friday night took me to 10 Downing for a second date and restaurant week meal...and while I did not bust out the camera (the second date is a bit early to reveal my over-the-top love of food, right?), i just hadddd to blog about this dinner. There were a few misses...but when they were on, they were on.

labor of love

Ohhh how I love Valentine's Day! Always have, always will...as a little kid I loved the chocolate-filled hearts and arts and crafts projects that came with making your own Valentines, and as a single twentysomething I love having an excuse to eat sweets, drink wine, and cook our annual Valentine's Day Dinner with Miel and Cherry Cupcake.

Recipes and more after the jump!