Category Archives: Food

Food

Eating in Charlotte

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This past weekend I went to the Type A Parent Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The conference was phenomenal but as a side note so was all the food I had at the local restaurants! I had no idea the food would be so good!

The first night I went to King’s Kitchen on Trade. It was good but not phenomenal like a couple of other places I went. I had to get the sweet tea, of course, for first night in town;). I also got the steak with green beans, potato salad with dill and the cheese grits with bacon. I also had some cinnamon ice cream that was really good.

The next night we went to Aria on Tryon. I got the most heavenly prok chop on a bed of truffle polenta with fava beans, peas, brussel sprout leaves and pork belly in the most yummy pan sauce. I didn’t lick the plate but I thought about it;).

 

 

The third night I went to Harvest Moon Grille. I had seen this on a tv show before so I was stoked to try it! It is a farm to table restaurant with a heavy emphasis on pork!!! And we all know how much I love pork;). So I got their local peach salad, pork chop and crustless bacon cheese cake. It was all really yummy!!!

I also admit that all the food may taste just a little yummier because I was eating it with some really great people who were a ton of fun! But on the whole Charlotte rocked the food scene!

Now I gotta get off the computer because I am hungry!

Food

You Pick Farms

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We all know that Fresno is the home to great produce but it has always seemed like all that produce is on a truck to a grocery store. I am sick of hearing from friends around the state and the nation how much fun they have had at the You-pick farms in their area while it seemed to not be an option for me!!! So I did a little research and found out that we have a few great You-Pick opportunities in the Fresno area! Not all of them are in Fresno proper but that shouldn’t be all that surprising;).

Rancho Notso Grande: They are open Tue-Sat 7am-7pm Right now they have blueberries & blackberries available. They charge $6.50/pound for what ever you get out the gate. There is no charge for anything you devour while you are picking. That is my kind of picking;). My great grandmother used to say the only picking that counts is what made it to the kitchen, all the rest is the fun. They grow 13 different type of berries. Nectarines will be ready in a couple of weeks and more fruits after that! Check their facebook page for updates and what is ripe!

J&K Farley Farms They charge 65 cents a pound!They open when fruit is ripe close when they are out of it! They expect to open back up in a couple of weeks for Peaches and mid-July a lot of fruit come in. Once mid-July hits they are open pretty much the rest of the season. They also have animals to pet, a picnic area to eat in and if you call ahead, a free tour. Their website doesn’t tell you when they open up you need to check their facebook page or get on their email list.

Dinuba blueberry Farm (Cross Streets Mt. View/rd 68, Dinuba , CA 93618. Phone:559-743-5943) Call for an appointment but most weekends they will be having a you pick day! They don’t have a website or a facebook page.

Genesis Organic Farms open in July for you pick pluots ($1/pound) and heirloom tomatoes($2/pound). They will post hours as we get closer.

Fresno State Organic Farm Market does a you pick program also. There wasn’t a lot of firm information other than it is usually about every other weekend (the 23rd being a pick weekend) and I was told that prices were “pretty cheap”. You need to call them for details.

Food

Brave Family Recipes

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I am stoked about Brave coming out on June 22nd!!! But more importantly my kids are stoked to so BRAVE Recipes are a fun family activity. My kids love getting into the kitchen with me and these recipes seem very doable. Forming the Scottish Eggs can be messy but fun with the sausage, I recommend possibly getting some disposable gloves;). And the Skink is a great way to introduce your kids to haddock!

Food

Adorable and Yummy

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Ok, I love potatoes and appetizers so when I saw this little bite at the Verizon event I was at last week I almost sqee’ed. I struggle finding the carb based appetizers now that I am gluten free and had to take a picture for analysis;).

It looks like it is a slice of fingerling potatoes topped with a mixture that might be in a twice baked potato. Then it was baked and topped with a touch of sour cream and chives.

I am going to have to try this but I might not make it quite so small. It is so cute!

Food

The Top Kitchen Apps for 2012

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The right mobile app can help even the most clueless amateur create something delicious in the kitchen, and even skilled chefs can benefit from a little help now and then. Here are a few of the best cooking apps on the market, for iPhone and Android.

1. How to Cook Everything (iPhone)

This app is great for experienced cooks, but it’s an absolute necessity for amateurs. How to Cook Everything features thousands of recipes with step-by-step instructions, as well as multiple built-in kitchen timers to help you keep track of everything that is boiling, baking, or simmering in your kitchen. One of the standout portions of this app is the scheduling and shopping list feature, which helps you plan trips to the grocery store so you always have what you need, and you’re always cycling through your freshest ingredients. (Cost: $4.99)

2. Kitchen Calculator (iPhone, Android)

This app is a great tool to convert measurements, and also helps you scale recipes up or down. It works for any measurements of volume, weight, temperature, or distance, in either standard or metric units. It even includes weird increments like a “dash”, a “pinch”, or a “jigger”. You tell the app how big a serving is and how many servings you want to make, and it will stretch or shrink your recipe to match. If you’ve ever sat and tried counting on your fingers to figure out how many teaspoons are in five cups, this app will save you a lot of time. (Cost: free for Android, $3.99 for iPhone)

3. Epicurious (Android, iPhone)

This is the app for experienced, talented chefs who want to expand and refine their craft. It doesn’t hold your hand through the basics like How to Cook Everything does, but the quality of the content is unmatched, with over 30,000 recipes from renowned chefs and cookbooks. The Epicurious recipe library is professionally curated, unlike some other apps, so you won’t find any garbage here. You can add your own recipes, and collect meals that worked particularly well in a Recipe Box that you can sync between your devices so you can swap recipes, or have your favorites on hand while cooking over with a friend. There are hundreds of cooking and recipe apps, but Epicurious is the clear winner in terms of content. Like How to Cook Everything, the app also comes with a shopping applet, so you always have the right stuff on hand for an adventurous new meal. (Cost: free)

4. Healthy Recipes (Android, iPhone)

Healthy Recipes trades in the sumptuous visuals of the above kitchen apps for stark numbers—but it’s a reliable source for good, wholesome food. With five different filters, you can find a meal that has exactly what you need—for instance, a Mexican dessert for a birthday, under 100 calories per serving? If such a thing exists, you will find it on this app. It’s a fantastic way to help you stick to a diet, because you’ll never have a hard time finding something yummy to eat that exactly fits your dietary needs. (Cost: free)

5. 20 Minute Meals with Jamie Oliver (Android, iPhone)

This app fills a niche untouched by all the previous apps—the rush job. If you need to prepare something impressive for unexpected guests, or just don’t know if you have the willpower to wait 45 minutes for something healthy to eat, this app may save your butt (so to speak). With 60 recipes, all written by professional chef Jamie Oliver, you’ll never get bored of the same old thing. The app also features over 75 minutes of instructional video, so you can learn how to properly brown a steak, dice vegetables, etc. (Cost: $6.99)

Bio: Jane Johnson is a writer for GoingCellular, a popular site that provides cell phone related news, and commentary as well as reviews on popular providers and their handsets including the growing number of T-Mobile used cell phones available.