Courtesy of Greg

I have been trying to think of a way to close this inaugural week's blog entries. I've been sifting through some of my favorite recipes and trying to think of must do activities, but what I stumbled upon in my Gmail Inbox was a recipe of my Dad's that he sent me last year. Now that I live up here in Oregon, the cold and rainy capital of the world...I seem to gravitate towards a lot of "comfort food" type recipes. This is a perfect recipe for one of those cold, gray days. I'm giving you this recipe word-for-word the way my Dad sent it to me.

Greg's Famous Pot Roast and Noodles:

Shopping List:
Beef...usually a cheap London broil, but most cuts are okay since it goes in the pressure cooker...since it's the 2 of you and you have the smaller pressure cooker I'd say about 3 lbs
1 Box (2 envelopes) Beefy Onion soup and dip mix
1 cup or so of flour
1 stick butter
2 cans beef broth or get a jar of "better than beef" (kind of like a bouillon in paste form) and use water to make broth then you can make as needed
1 or 2 bags of noodles (biggest egg type noodles you can find)
1-2 tablespoons of oil to brown the beef (veg oil or olive or in a pinch butter)

Instructions:

1. Trim and brown the beef on all sides in the pressure cooker w/o lid (in the oil mentioned in your shopping list)
2. When browned, add 1 or 2 envelopes of soup mix and water as per soup instructors (about 1 cup per envelope)
3. Add water and better than beef or broth til meat is covered or a bit more (total liquid should be about 4-6 cups depending on how much meat and room in pot). Pot should not be more than 2/3 full.
4. Put lid on and heat up to pressure...once it starts hissing, NOTE THE TIME and begin to gradually lower heat til it's gently hissing.
5. Let cook for about 50-60 min.
6. During the last 10 minutes of the cooking, melt the butter in a sauce pan and add about 1 cup of flour. Using a fork, mix and de-lump it (technical term).
7. Remove pressure cooker from heat and bleed off the pressure til you can open the lid (if there is any doubt how to do this call me!)
8. Open and remove meat and set aside. Put flour/butter mix in the broth and heat while stirring til it thickens.
9. Cut or shred meat and add to 'gravy'.
10. Make noodles and cover with meat/gravy.
11. Eat...

Note: You can start noodles while you're making gravy.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! Can you tell it was written by a man? I especially love the orders to call him if I have trouble opening the lid of the pressure cooker! Dads always look out for their little girls :)

I think you could probably do this same recipe in a slow cooker if you don't happen to have a pressure cooker. Just put all the ingredients in the crock-pot and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8-10. Then make the gravy and noodles! I haven't tried this idea out, but I'm sure it would still taste delicious.

Our Sunday Morning Ritual

Since it's Friday and in honor of the weekend, this entry is dedicated to the good old-fashioned All-American diner. Jeremy and I love diners, especially on Sunday mornings. So our quest to find the perfect spot in Portland started months ago. But as wonderful as Portland can be...its culinary scene tends to be a bit too gourmet for the type of diner we were looking for. That is, until we discovered Fuller's Coffee Shop.


Spotlight on Fuller's Coffee Shop:

As Jeremy said on Sunday morning after about 6 cups of coffee...we need to come here every Sunday. I agree! This is it. That diner that serves the perfect plate of eggs and bacon, omelettes stuffed full of deliciousness, and that fabulous coffee you can really only find in a diner.

Fuller's has been around a long time, you can tell by the pictures of the same spot decades ago. It has that charm of a true American diner. Everyone sits at the counter and the coffee flows non-stop. I don't think there's much more you need to know, but if you need a little more convincing...their bread is homemade. The wheat and white toast is absolute perfection.

If you're ever looking for Jeremy and me, chances are you can find us at Fuller's Sunday morning around 11.

Fuller's - 136 NW 9th Street, Portland

Since I know not all of you live in the Portland area, I figured I'd also give you a couple recommendations that might be closer to where you live. (I've sought out good diners all over the country!)

Diner Spotlight - Huntington Beach, CA: Steve's

Owned by a very sweet Greek family, this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No frills, just good food and very sweet servers. I went here for breakfast with my family and friends my entire 20 years in Huntington Beach. Highly recommend the Breakfast Special: 2 eggs, bacon, toast, and hashbrowns for about $4.

Steve's Charburger - 6033 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach

Diner Spotlight - Los Angeles, CA: S & W Country Diner

This adorable spot has the atmosphere of a classic diner and the food to back it up. Expect a long wait if you don't get here early, but located in Downtown Culver City, there is plenty to keep you busy as you wait. Highly recommend the Breakfast Burrito.

S & W Country Diner - 9748 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA

Diner Spotlight - New York, NY: Bruce's Restaurant and Bakery

Bruce's is not a typical diner, it's actually more of a Jewish deli...but if you ever happen to make your way out to Long Island Bruce's is a must. The owner Bruce has pictures lining the walls of all the celebrities he has baked for and dozens of others who have stopped in to visit his restaurant. Every meal comes with a delicious assortment of his pasteries, and you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My recommendation would be to stick with what it's famous for...corn beef sandwiches, matzoh ball soup, and rye bread. Trust me, you won't be sorry you made the trip out to Long Island.

Bruce's Restaurant and Bakery - 34 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY

Recipe of the Day

Today was one of those lucky days when I had a meeting downtown at the Dept. of Environmental Quality and did not have to drive to Wilsonville. It was especially nice considering the accident on I-5 they were reporting this morning. The icing on top of the cake was the fact that Jeremy was able to meet me for lunch! After debating whether or not we should try somewhere new, we ended up at our favorite spot...Deschutes. Jeremy had a weird craving for a lamb burger (seriously!) and I l love their pretzels :) Anyways...he asked me what I planned to write about today and we decided to share with you two great entries.

The first thing I'll share with you is the recipe I used last night for dinner. Back before Jeremy left for Alabama, I was in the habit of making us dinner each night. One night I knew we were running low on groceries, but decided to try to make the most of what we had left. I found this great recipe on the Food Network's site for Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes. Random I know, but we had artichoke in the fridge and shrimp in the freezer, so it was perfect! Since that night, Jeremy's asked me to make this four or five times. It's delicious, only takes about 30 minutes (start to finish), and is pretty healthy! I highly recommend this recipe and it can be served on top of pasta if you need your daily carb fix.

Jeremy's Favorite Dinner: Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes

Ingredients (serves 4 --or 2 if Jeremy's eating over!):

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (if you don't have shallots, 1/2 of one large yellow onion works)
1.25 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined*
1 (11 0z.) package frozen artichoke hearts, or 1 (14 oz.) can, drained
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

*I have used raw shrimp, but when I'm lazy I just buy the already cooked kind. If you opt for this, just put the shrimp in about 5 minutes before you're done cooking everything else. All you need to do is make sure all the ingredients are hot before serving.

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots. Cook until softened (2-3 minutes).

2. Add shrimp, artichoke, wine, and lemon juice and cook until shrimp are cooked throughout, 3-4 minutes. If you are using pre-cooked shrimp, just place over the heat until everything is hot enough to serve.

3. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.

4. Enjoy!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Jeremy and I both do. I've even made it when Jeremy's been gone. You can cut everything in half and it's the perfect size meal for one!

Reason #12903481 I Love Fall

I have to share this recipe with all of you. I found this last year in Martha Stewart Living, but have altered it a bit since then. Below you will find the original, which is delicious but requires a lot of special ingredients. Following the recipe you'll see my modifications, which still create a perfect cup of hot apple cider!

Delicious Fall Recipe: Warm Vanilla Cider

Ingredients for 6 servings:

6 cups fresh apple cider
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (packed)
2 whole nutmeg seeds
1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)
3/4 cup bourbon (if desired)
whipped cream and caramelized walnuts (for on top, if desired)

Directions:

Combine apple cider, sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla in a saucepan. Gently simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add bourbon if desired. Remove and discard the solids. Divide into mugs and add the toppers!


Allison's Version of Martha's Hot Apple Cider:

Ingredients for 2 servings:

3 cups Trader Joe's Spiced Apple Cider
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
cinnamon to taste
Jim Beam Bourbon (if desired)

Directions:

Combine the cider, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan and heat (medium temp.) until you reach your desired temperature (about 5 minutes). If you would like to add the bourbon, put 1 shot in each mug and then add the cider. Stir and add whipped cream if desired!

Both versions are delicious. I've found the Martha version to be a little too expensive and hard to make when you have the impulse, because honestly...who has vanilla beans in their cupboard?? The TJ's spiced cider adds enough flavor that you can get by without adding too many ingredients and is just as yummy :)

If You Ever Find Yourself in Alabama

A few weeks back I took a trip down South to visit Jeremy. I flew into Gulfport, Mississippi (never thought I'd see the day)...and then we briefly visited New Orleans before heading back to Alabama. I just wanted to make a quick post about this incredible BBQ joint we discovered in Mobile.

Gem of the Month: The Brick Pit BBQ

As many of you know I'm a Yelp fanatic. I am also a true believer in putting in the effort to find local favorites when I visit any new place. Mobile, Alabama was no exception. I used my Yelping skills to find the best barbecue spot in Alabama...possibly in the South (although this will take much more research to confirm!).

Brick Pit is a little hole in the wall place with a meat smoker out front. When you walk inside the first thing you will most likely notice is the sharpie graffiti all over the walls. Don't let this deter you! Jeremy, our friend Ray, and I had the best barbecue pork EVER. As one yelper deemed it, Brick Pit is the "holy grail of barbecue". Both the ribs and the pulled pork are must tries. And of course...like any good southern bbq spot...you can't forget the coleslaw, beans, and sweet tea to tie it all together.

The Brick Pit BBQ - 5456 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, AL

Bone Marrow and Barrels of Wine

Last week Jeremy came home from a very long trip to the Gulf Coast. He was given orders to report to Mobile, Alabama for two months to help inspect the ships coming back into the port from out in the oily waters. Although the two months felt pretty endless at times, I am happy to report he is home now...happy and healthy :) Of course, one of the very first things we did to celebrate was go out to dinner with our friends! We decided to try out this restaurant in the Pearl called Irving Street Kitchen.

Restaurant Spotlight: Irving Street Kitchen

Located on NW 13th Street, this restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside. It has a great vibe to it, lots of wood and a pretty fireplace. Our group of 6 didn't have a reservation, but showed up at 7 and didn't have any trouble getting a table. Our waitress was wonderful, she was able to explain in great detail every wine and entree on the menu in great detail (which is helpful because there are some pretty "out there" options!). I had heard prior to trying out ISK that it was known for serving gourmet southern comfort food, but I would definitely argue it has more of a French influenced menu.

One of the major "pros" about this restaurant is the wine. They had a great selection and all of the wine comes directly from barrels. Meaning instead of ordering by the bottle, you are served the wine in carafes. Our group shared a delicious Riesling from Kings Ridge, in the Willamette Valley, and a Pinot Nior from the Stoller Vineyards in Dundee Hills. We also shared a number of appetizers (Warning: They were not for the faint of heart). The boys in our group were gung-ho about trying the Herb Roasted Bone Marrow. Served with toasted bread, the marrow is spreadable. The boys and Lauren loved it (she was very brave!). I did taste it, but couldn't get past the idea of eating bone marrow. So I stuck with Dani and tried the Meatballs and Marinated Olives.

When it came time to order half our group had the "Cacciucco" Seafood Stew...absolutely delicious. Dani sampled the Draper Valley Fried Chicken (probably the only safe thing on the menu for picky eaters), which was also phenomenal. I don't remember exactly what Jared and Tyler had, but I think Jared tried some sort of Hare and Tyler had the Fillet. I know they both enjoyed their meal. Last but not least, dessert. We tried three different desserts and by far the best was the Lemon Tart. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but the flavor was incredible. Definitely worth saving room for dessert.

All in all, this restaurant was a fun experience, but overall probably not worth the cost. I would go back, but only for drinks or happy hour. It was a great night with friends, but we could of had three dinners at Bridgeport for the cost of this one meal.

Irving Street Kitchen - 701 NW 13th St. Portland

The Little Gentile Who Could

As many of you know, Jeremy is Jewish. As you probably also know, Jeremy loves good food. What this means for me? Perfecting staple Jewish dishes is a must. Topping the list of dishes I need to learn, perfect, and customize is matzoh ball soup. Jeremy has been eating matzoh ball soup with his family every Friday night at Shabbat dinner for the past 24 years, but (I'm just going to say it) they use boxed matzoh balls. Nothing against boxed matzoh balls, but I am determined to do better. So last Friday night I pulled out the matzoh ball recipe I have been testing the past few weeks and got to work. Now, what you probably don't know about matzoh balls--I just found this out too--is that there are serious food wars between those who prefer fluffy and those who prefer doughy matzoh balls. (And yes...I know how bad a conversation about fluffy and doughy balls sounds.) Nevertheless, the recipe I've found and that both Jeremy and I love lands among the doughy ball fan camp.

This recipe is easy to make and I have a feeling will be a staple on our Friday night menu. I add celery and bowtie pasta to make this soup a little more filling.

Recipe: Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls

Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 - 9 cups chicken stock (I actually use about 96 oz./12 cups)
1/4 cup minced or grated onion
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup matzoh meal (more if your dough is too wet)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation:
1. Beat together the eggs and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock.
2. Stir in the onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the matzoh meal (the dough will be moist).
3. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour. When you're ready fill a large pot with the remaining chicken stock and place on the stove to boil. Using wet hands shape the dough into small balls (about an inch in diameter). While working on this, place the carrots into the boiling broth.
4. As you form each ball drop them into the boiling stock. Once all of the matzoh balls are placed in the pot, turn down the heat to medium/low, and add the pasta and celery (if desired). Let cook about 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

*Original recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Apparently I make good bait...

One of the things I always loved about going to college in the Hudson Valley was autumn. The colors of the trees all over campus and along the Hudson River were breathtaking, and I've dearly missed Vassar this time of year ever since. Southern California has her fair share of positive attributes, but fall in Los Angeles just can't compete with the rest of the country. Which brings me to Portland! Who knew this city has such a beautiful autumn?! The trees outside my office building are as vibrant as the ones outside Rockefeller Hall! So in celebration of my favorite season I've been on a hunt to discover the best of Portland's autumnal offerings. I'll share with you what I've found so far:

Fall Must-Do #1: The Haunted Corn Maize on Sauvie Island

Friday night Jeremy and I went with our friends Dani and Jared out to Sauvie Island for a little Halloween fun. Every year they put on a Haunted Corn Maze throughout the month of October. Tickets to enter cost $10/person and plan to wait in quite a long line to buy your ticket and then enter into the maze. BUT it is totally worth the wait. The maze takes about 20 minutes to walk through and it lives up to the hype. There are dozens of haunts waiting from behind the wall of corn and the maze is elaborately decked out to be incredibly spooky and thoroughly terrifying. Jeremy may try to tell you he wasn't scared, but the truth is...after about the third zombie jumped out from the corn...he was yelling, "Take her, take her!" Yup...my boyfriend used me as bait. Perfect.

This is a great activity to do near Portland in the fall. To get directions or find out more information just click here.

And here we are at the Maize:

Fall Must-Do #2: The Hood River Fruit Loop

A co-worker of mine came into work last week and told me all about the great time she had apple picking out in Hood River the weekend before. Being a total sucker for this type of thing, I thought it would be the perfect outing for me to do with my parents the following weekend! So that's what we did. A couple weekends back my parents and I spent a beautiful day driving out to Hood River and exploring the "Fruit Loop". The Fruit Loop is a 35-mile drive through the valley near Mt. Hood. Full of orchards, fruit stands, lavender fields, and wineries...it doesn't get much better than this. The best part about this outing is it's versatility. If you have kids there are adorable farms with pumpkin patches, but if it's just you and your friends or a date there are great barbecue joints, country stores, and roadside stands selling the best produce the valley has to offer. My personal favorite was a stop along the loop called Cody's. They had the most delicious apple cider and a wide selection of produce.

I highly recommend this drive, the views of Mt. Hood all along the way are spectacular. Although keep in mind, most of the farms start to close up shop around the end of October. The next time I head out there will hopefully be for a train ride on the Mt. Hood Railroad. They have a Christmas Tree Train!

For a map of the Fruit Loop and additional information click here.

A Taste of Morocco

Restaurant Find: Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant

Saturday night Jeremy and I went to dinner with a group of our friends to celebrate our friend Jared. He's a Canadian (crazy, I know) who's being shipped back to the motherland this week. We're all going to miss him like crazy, so to say goodbye we went out to Marrakesh. It's a fun little Moroccan restaurant on NW 21st that spares no details as they attempt to recreate a true Moroccan dining experience. Think less Casablanca, more pillows on the floor and belly dancers! We decided to go for the Royale Feast Dinner, perfect for a larger group. All five courses are shared family style and there is PLENTY of food. My favorite was the Chicken with Honey & Prunes, but others in our group swore by the lamb dishes. Everything was delicious, the entertainment was excellent, just be ready for your butt to be numb by the end.

Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant - 1201 NW 21st St., Portland

Prohibition Era Portland

A Bar Must: The Secret Society Lounge

Anyone who knows me would understand why I have fallen in love with this little gem in the Northeast. This bar is located right next door to Toro Bravo on NE Russell Street. It was created to feel like an old speakeasy...very reminiscent of my favorite downtown Los Angeles bar, Varnish. All dark wood and candlelight, this bar is the perfect place for a date or a late night happy hour (every night 10 pm - close). The lounge is small, but we showed up with a group of 4 at 10:00 pm and found seats at the bar. The bartender was a true mixologist, and I highly recommend the Bee's Knees, a delicious lemony cocktail perfect for sipping in a venue like this one!

Secret Society Lounge - 116 NE Russell St. Portland

Welcome!

Well, they say the third time's the charm. I sure hope that's true, because this is officially the third blog I've started...and if all goes according to plan (fingers crossed) this will be the first I actually keep up with. The idea of starting a blog has been nagging me for weeks. At first I was held up by that pesky voice in my head that said it wasn't worth my time, but at the very sweet encouragement of my boyfriend Jeremy, I decided to go for it! Unlike in the past, when I've had a very specific idea for what I wanted to write about, this blog will be like my life at the moment...chaotic, all over the place, and exciting!

Over the past three months my life has taken innumerable twists, curves, and bends in the road...some have been easier than others, but each and every one was part of a bigger plan. This blog will be about those adventures. I want this to be a place where I can sit down and share with you all of the little sources of inspiration, excitement, adventure, and love! I have a funny feeling my life is far from settling down. As the girlfriend of a U.S. Coastie there will be a fair share of unexpected life changes, as I have already found. That's how I ended up here, in Portland, Oregon! One of the most beautiful and inspiring cities I've ever been to. As Jeremy and I travel the country and get to know our new hometown of Portland even better...I will share with you the hidden gems, funny stories, and must-do's we find along the way. I also plan on using this blog as a place to share the adventures of "moving in together"! The ups and downs and all of the day-to-day steps and missteps as we start our life together. Hopefully this blog can become a collection of stories, lessons, and useful advice for anyone who needs a good book, a good recipe, or a good restaurant here in Portland or beyond!

Love, A