Chicken Quesadilla Dip

This past weekend was busy for me, Saturday was a blur between moving stuff at the sorority house and going to the Keith Urban concert, so by the time Sunday rolled around, I just didn't feel like doing much. I was able to drag myself out into the 115 degree weather to make a quick run to the grocery store, which allowed me to gather everything I needed to make this dip. I thought it would be the prefect snack to munch on while spending a lazy afternoon on the couch.

This was really quick to throw together, and can definitely be altered to whatever spiciness level you prefer based on how many jalapenos you use. The original name for the dip was Chicken Enchilada Dip, which I found to be a little funny because there is no enchilada sauce involved! After tasting it, I decided that it tasted like the yummy filling inside of a chicken quesadilla, so I decided to rename it. I made it as originally written, but I think for the future, I am going to make one change to give it more of a dip consistency....add more cream cheese! This is excellent with tortilla chips, but it would work just as well spread inside a tortilla for an easy quesadilla party!

Chicken Quesadilla Dip

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened (Original calls for 1 pkg., but I think 2 is better)

½ cup of mayonnaise (I used reduced fat))

4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chile peppers

2 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno peppers, finely diced (I just chopped up some rings from a jar)

4 green onions, chopped

1 tsp. of Tony Chachere's (Green Can): Cajun Seasoning

1 tsp. of Garlic Powder

1 (10 oz.) can white meat chicken breast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly combine all ingredients in an oven safe casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Black Bottom Banana Cheesecake Pie

The moment that I saw this recipe in the Simple & Delicious magazine, I knew I just had to try it. The perfect opportunity presented itself when I decided to have a few friends over, so I went out and bought the ingredients and began to put it together. But when I opened the bag that held the contents of the crust, I noticed an odd odor, I just figured it was from the bag, so I plugged along and finished putting it together. Well, when we tried it, it became apparent that there was something very wrong, the crust had gone bad! Who knew that graham cracker crumbs would could go bad and taste like dirt! I went back and looked at the box, and saw that the "Use By" date was October 2008!!! I immediately started to curse Fry's Grocery Store for not keeping better track of the expired products on their shelves!

After the first disastrous attempt, I still really wanted to make this again, and add my own little twist! Since Whitney, Billy and Laura were coming over to watch SYTYCD, I decided to give it a try once again....and the results.....amazing!! My freshman year of college I had my first taste of Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie, and ever since then I have been obsessed, so I decided that I needed to add a black bottom to this pie! The pie now encompasses my two of my favorites; cheesecake and black bottom banana cream pie.....what could be more divine?

This is very simple to put together and you don't even have to turn on the oven...perfect during these hot Arizona summers!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie
adapted from Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 2009

1 pkg. (11.1 oz) No-Bake Home-Style Cheesecake Mix
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 c. + 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. + 1 1/2 c. milk, divided
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant banana cream pudding mix
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1 c. whipped topping (Cool Whip)
Chocolate syrup, optional

In a large bowl, combine contents of the crust mix, sugar and 1/3 c. melted butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate; set aside. In a small microwaveable bowl, put 3 Tbsp. butter and the chocolate chips. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring between, until smooth. Spread evenly over the graham cracker crust. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup milk and contents of filling mix on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth, filling should be thick. Spoon evenly over the chocolate layer. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk remaining milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Arrange banana slices over the cheesecake filling. Spread with pudding, then whipped topping. Swirl chocolate syrup on top of whipped topping if desired. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Casey Moore's Oyster House

"I'm a Sun Devil, man!"

This is the best movie quote ever (from Jerry Maguire for those of you living on another planet), and I have always prided myself in being able to shout it out and mean it. But last weekend, I realized that I was a very bad Sun Devil. Why do I say this? Because during my years at ASU, I never once stepped inside of Casey Moore's Oyster House....which apparently, is just very un-Sun Devil of me! I had always heard about it, but I just never ended up there. I don't know if it is because it is off the well-treaded path that is Mill Avenue or because it was just easier to walk next door to The Vine, but somehow it never happened.

I had some friends helping me move some furniture at the sorority house last weekend, and as their reward and thank you, I was taking them to lunch. I asked them where they wanted to go, and when Casey Moore's was mentioned, and I said that I had never been, they all just looked at me in shock! I was even with two non-Sun Devils, and they had been there before, so it was decided that I must try it out!

Casey Moore's is most known for its large patio, perfect for day drinking; but it is July, and there was going to be no sitting outside in 110 degree heat for us, especially since we had just been doing manual labor. We went inside the building, which is a converted house; and legend has it that it is haunted! The inside had lots of old charm to it, and we were able to easily grab a table in an area just off of the bar.

Whitney and Billy told me that the last time they were there they had gotten the Fried Zucchini and it was amazing. I am a huge fan of zucchini, it is one of my favorite vegetables, and well, who doesn't like fried stuff? So we decided to start with an order of that. The plate came out piled high with golden rounds of zucchini and a side of ranch dressing for dipping. I took the first bite and instantly agreed, these were awesome zucchini! I loved the crunchy coating, that had just the right amount of seasoning; it was very light and crispy. The zucchini were not greasy at all, and paired with the cool ranch, they were a wonderful start to our meal.


Billy decided to get the Fish and Chips again after his last visit; he says that they are the best he has had in town. The plate arrived with three large pieces of fish (cod) that were cooked to a deep golden brown. The batter was nice and crunchy, while the fish was tender and flaky. He doused on the malt vinegar and chowed down! Paired with french fries and some coleslaw, he was once again very satisfied with his meal. They looked good to me too, and I decided that I would have to come back just to try them myself!

Whitney also chose to get what she had ordered the last time she was there (I guess it should be taken as a good sign when people reorder the same dish again and again), which was the Hippie Sandwich. The sandwich gave you your choice of turkey, ham or roast beef (she chose the roast beef) and was piled high on wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, sprouts, avocado and cheese. Whitney ordered hers minus the tomato and onion. Once again, she really liked her sandwich, and they were definitely not skimpy on the meat, the sandwich was huge! She was only able to end up eating half of it, but enjoyed every bite, along also with some of the fries that were on the side.

Jessica had a hard time deciding what to order, but ultimately, she ended up getting the Club Sandwich. This was not your usual triple decker sandwich, it was a blackened, grilled chicken breast topped with bacon, ham and melted cheese! There was also some lettuce, onion and tomato on the plate. Jessica had to cut the sandwich in half, but after her first bite, her eyes lit up and she declared, "Wow, this is good!" From where I was sitting it looked good, and it too was a big portion. The fries on the side were golden and crispy, rounding out the tasty meal.

Ryan was in the mood for a sandwich as well, and ordered the French Dip. The meat was thinly sliced and covered with melted provolone cheese, served on a soft sub roll. I was sitting across from him and began to think that maybe I had ordered wrong! On the side was a bowl of au jus for dipping and some french fries. The steak was tender, and when combined with the creamy cheese and salty au jus, it was the perfect combination. At the end of our meal, Ryan's plate was empty, so I am thinking he liked it!

I just didn't know what I wanted that day, but ultimately, I figured that it was a seafood place, so I should get some seafood. Even though it was 110 degrees outside, I really wanted to try the clam chowder because I am a clam chowder junkie! I almost always order it when it is on a restaurant menu, and that day was going to be no exception. The bowl came out piping hot with two little bags of oyster crackers on the side. I dumped the first bag in and took a bite, and mmm, it was a good chowder! The flavor of the clams really shined through, and there were lots of large pieces of clams as well. The soup was seasoned really well, and while it was creamy, it didn't feel too heavy. I was very glad that I braved the heat to try the chowder!

With my chowder I ordered a shrimp appetizer. I can't remember the name for the life of me, but there are two on the menu, one is the Scampi and the other is maybe called Cajun? I got the Cajun one, with the hopes that they would be similar to my favorite Nawlin's style BBQ shrimp. I took a bite and was not quite sure about what I thought. They weren't spicy like I had anticipated, and they didn't taste bad per se, they just weren't what I was expecting. I tried to eat a second shrimp, but I just didn't really like them, so I opted to just eat the garlic bread instead, which was very tasty. I think that these shrimp probably are okay, it is just when you have a flavor in your head and you get something else, sometimes your taste buds have a hard time adjusting!

We had a really nice meal at Casey Moore's, and the relaxed atmosphere made it for a neat place to hang out. I can definitely see myself returning once the weather gets cooler to hang out on their giant patio. In the meantime, at least I can now, once again, proudly proclaim:

"I'm a Sun Devil, man!"

Casey Moore's Oyster House

850 S. Ash Ave.

Tempe, AZ 85281

http://www.caseymoores.com/

Philly Cheesesteak Mac & Cheese

When I came across this recipe on Krista's Kitchen a few month's ago, I just knew that I had to try it for it was bringing together two things that I really enjoy. Within a short amount of time, I had procured all the necessary ingredients, but, for some reason I just didn't ever get around to making it. I knew that I needed to get to it soon, or risk losing the cheese to spoilage, so I invited Laura, Whitney & Billy over to have dinner and watch So You Think You Can Dance.

I knew that the recipe was originally adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe, so theoretically, it was supposed to take just 30 minutes. Well I have tried some of her recipes in the past, and had yet to be able to get done from start to finish in under 30 minutes, so I started an hour before it was time to eat. But to my surprise, this actually came together really quickly and I was done before my guests even arrived! The part that took the longest was just getting the water boil in order to cook the pasta!

This pasta was rich, but not too rich, and the flavor of Philly really shined through. I served it with some garlic toast and steamed green beans. I would make this again, especially since the leftovers are really delicious....cold!

Philly Cheesesteak Mac & Cheese

adapted from Krista's Kitchen

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound bow tie pasta
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 c. skim milk
3 c. Mozzarella & Provolone cheese, shredded
1/2 c. beef broth
1 pkg. Steak Umms slices, roughly chopped

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once the water boils, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pot it was cooked in. While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onions to the pan and top them with a lid or piece of aluminum foil for 2-3 minutes, just to get them cooking. Remove the lid or aluminum foil and continue cooking the onions until tender and lightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes.

While the onions are caramelizing, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium-size pot. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture slowly and bring up to a bubble to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve.

To the skillet with the onions, add the broth and the Steak Umms. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.Add the cheese sauce and the onion-beef mixture to the pot with the drained pasta and toss everything to combine. Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with additional cheese and parsley. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Avalon

My birthday is next week, but my parent's are going to be out of town, so we decided to go out and celebrate a little early. We made plans to go on a Thursday night, the only problem, as of Thursday morning I still hadn't decided where I wanted to go. While my favorite food is Mexican, I was having that for lunch, and while I have been known to eat Mexican food for more than one meal in the same day, I wanted to go somewhere a bit snazzier for dinner! After fumbling around online, I came across a review of Avalon and decided that it sounded like just what I was looking for!

As with many of the chic new restaurants around town, Avalon is located in Scottsdale, but the part of Scottsdale where it is is not what you would expect out of a new, trendy restaurant. Most of the hip new places tend to pop up in Old Town, Kierland or further North in DC Ranch, but Avalon is on McDowell Road, between Hayden and Miller. McDowell is littered with multiple fast food joints, hole-in-the wall Chinese restaurants and random dives, not an area you would think would offer any fine dining options; but then again, it does make Avalon stand out from the pack.

Upon entering Avalon, you are immediately transported into a sheik dining room, filled with cool blue colors with multiple different patterns and textures adorning the furniture and walls. It is obvious, that a lot of money was spent to transform this space into its current incarnation, and the ambiance is very serene. We all kept marveling at how beautiful the interior was. We were seated in an extra-large booth and began to look over the menu. Our waiter, Roman, appeared and took our beverage orders and answered our questions regarding the menu.

When the beverages were delivered, so was a basket of warm bread. There was a side of butter with the bread that looked like it had something mixed into it for flavoring. Laura decided to be our guinea pig, and happily reported that it was pieces of dried cranberries. The sweet, creamy butter was nicely accented by the tart cranberries making for a lovely way to whet our appetites.

Ultimately, we decided to get an appetizer to start with as well, and settled on the Crispy Calamari "Frittes." My whole family is big fans of calamari, and we tend to lean towards it on most menus to taste all of the different options out there. This particular version was served in long strips, rather than in the typical rings and legs form that we are accustomed to. The strips were served over a cantaloupe butter sauce and topped with Japanese Mizuna greens. This was probably the most unique version of calamari we had ever tried; at first, we weren't quite sure of the sauce with the calamari, but the more we tasted it, the more we liked it. The calamari was not greasy at all, and was very fresh tasting with the light cantaloupe sauce. It was an inspired twist on a classic.

Whenever we go out to dinner, one of the first things my dad usually asks is, "Who wants to share a salad?" It is funny, it is like he thinks he should eat a salad, but he doesn't really want to eat a whole one for risk ruining his dinner! I am not usually a volunteer to share, as salad is not very high on my list of things that I choose to eat, and this night was no exception. My sister was the volunteer, and they ordered the Caesar Salad. When the plate arrived, my sister's first reaction was that it didn't look like a typical Caesar, which it didn't. Instead of pre-shredded the lettuce, it was served with the hearts in their whole form and topped with a "chip" made of Parmesan cheese. My dad really liked the dressing on this salad, he said it had a good, strong anchovy flavor which was nicely accented by the sharp flavor of the cheese. After her initial reservations, my sister decided that flavors were excellent, which is all that matters in the end.

Laura wasn't feeling very well that day, and after eating some bread and salad, she really wasn't in the mood for much else, so she opted to just get a bowl of the French Onion Soup for her meal. When it came out, the customary layer of melted cheese was overlapping the sides of the bowl. She dipped her spoon in and went for the first bite, to which she made a strange face. She took a few more and then declared that there was something "off" with the soup, and wanted us to try it and give our opinions. Isn't it funny how when things don't taste good, people also want you to try it too!?!?! Both my mom and I obliged, and we too noticed an odd flavor. French Onion soup is pretty basic, and is a classic, but rather than being rich and salty, this version tasted sweet! We couldn't figure out what they would have done to it to make it sweet, but nonetheless, we chose not to finish it.

So I think I am weird. Why do I say that? Because when it comes to crab and lobster, I don't really like it in its pure form, steamed and dipped in butter. I am not sure why, because butter usually makes everything taste better, but I just find it to be too plain. I love both crab and lobster, but would rather have it in the form of a crab cake or mixed into something rather than just plain. But on this night, the item on the menu that stuck out to me was the Butter Poached Maine Lobster. It was served with ricotta gnocchi and a tomato confit in a saffron lobster demi sauce, so I figured I could take a bite of lobster with all the other stuff and then it wouldn't be so plain. The plate came out with two large portions of lobster atop the gnocchi and vegetables. It was just lovely, what was not so lovely, was that the tomato confit also included mushrooms and asparagus, two of my least favorite items. Since there was no mention of either of these in the description, I didn't think to ask, but decided to just buck up and eat it; and to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. I am not saying that I actually ate a piece of the mushroom or asparagus, but the flavors that they infused to the dish actually weren't bad. I took a bite of the lobster and it was tender and sweet, quite delicious, especially when combined with one of the ricotta gnocchi. I don't think I had ever had ricotta gnocchi before, just the potato kind, but I have a new love! It was much lighter than its potato relative and I loved every bite of it, it just melted in my mouth! In all honesty, I enjoyed the dish as a whole, but would have easily given up the lobster for more gnocchi!

My mom loves scallops, and even though the menu had duck (one of her all-time favorites), she decided to go with the Seared Maine Diver Scallops. The plate came out with three large scallops each placed atop a different accompaniment. There one was atop a marscapone creamed corn, another atop saffron couscous and the last was served with a white bean pancetta ragout. She took a bite a declared that they were cooked perfectly, each tasting a tad bit different depending on which side she tried them with. I have never really been into scallops, but wanted to give them a try, so I took a bite of the one with the corn, and oh my, I now like scallops! The sweet scallop and the creamy corn went really well together. Of all the different accompaniments, my mom's favorite was also the corn. She said if she were to return, she would just ask for all corn and skip the other two sides! There was also a sauce on the side, some sort of rich butter sauce, but the scallops and sides had so much flavor, it wasn't necessary.

My dad is a red meat kind of guy, and even though he makes the most amazing steaks at home, he is ultimately drawn to them in restaurants as well. He ordered the Aged Prime Rib-Eye Steak in a bordelaise sauce served with fingerling pancetta potato hash and cipollini onions. He likes his steaks medium rare, and it came out cooked perfectly. The rich bordalaise sauce accented the flavor of the meat well and he especially enjoyed the potatoes with the pancetta. The size of the steak was quite large, and even dad couldn't finish it, even though he really wanted too!

We were all quite full from our meals (well, maybe not Laura) but since we were celebrating my birthday, and I am not one to turn away a dessert, we had to try out some of the creations. While looking over the dessert menu we overhead the waiter tell the table behind us that the chef at Avalon, used to be the pastry chef at Olive & Ivy, a hip restaurant on the Scottsdale Waterfront. With this new found knowledge, we suddenly realized that if the chef was really a pastry chef by trade, and with the entrees being so delicious, the desserts should be out of this world! We decided to try two different items, mostly because I wanted something chocolate and Laura wanted to try the Strawberry Shortcake, and after her soup fiasco, we figured she was probably hungry.

I love a good strawberry shortcake as well, but the menu described this as being a "twist" on the original. Part of the twist is that it was served with a tangerine poundcake, rather than a typical shortcake. When it came out, it was this little tower, and not a strawberry to be seen, save for the strawberry shaped cookie on top, but upon the first bite we were all in love! The light flavor of the tangerine mixed really well with the strawberry filling, making this so light and refreshing; the prefect summer dessert, the flavor was so good that even my dad, the non dessert eater, snared a few bites.

In order to feed my chocolate addiction, we also ordered the Avalon Brownie Sundae, and let me just say, this was the best brownie sundae I have ever had! The rich chocolaty brownie had a fudge frosting smeared on one side of it and a scoop of strawberry gelato on the other side. Around the edges was a drizzle of caramel, and, drum roll please.....caramel corn! A bite consisting of rich brownie, cool ice cream and the sweet crunch of the caramel corn was heavenly, I just couldn't get enough! Even my mom and sister, both skeptical at first realized the greatness of this dish! It is amazing how three simple items, while delicious separately, are taken to a whole new level when combined!

I really enjoyed my experience at Avalon; the service, ambiance and food were all top notch. And while I probably won't frequent it, because it is a bit on the pricey side for just a random Thursday night dinner, it is definitely a cool place for a special occasion, even with its quirky location.

Avalon

7707 E. McDowell Rd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85257

http://www.avalon-restaurant.com/

Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Bars

My sorority alum group was having a bunco night last week, so I decided that I would make a dessert to share with everyone. I had come across this recipe a few weeks ago and thought that it sounded nice a refreshing for a hot summer night. The ladies at bunco night all really enjoyed it, and I got multiple requests for the recipe, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. Although, I do think that with a few minor adjustments, it could be greatly improved. First of all, maybe I didn't crush the pecans up enough, but I found them to be overpowering and it was the only thing that I could taste. If I were to make it again, I would probably omit the nuts and use only vanilla wafers. The other thing that I would change is that I would use banana pudding instead of vanilla pudding, these are supposed to be banana cream bars but they didn't have much of a banana flavor.

I would make these again with the changes because I like the concept and how easy they were to prepare. So if you are looking for a cool summer dessert, try a version of these!

P.S. These do not photograph well at all, it kinda just looks like a blob, so sorry!

Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Bars

adapted from My Sister's Cucina

1 1/2 c. crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 60 wafers)

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted

3 bananas, sliced

3 c. cold milk

2 pkgs. (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding & pie mix

2 1/2 c. whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix wafer crumbs, pecans and butter in 13X9-inch baking dish; press firmly onto bottom of dish. Bake 8 min. Cool 10 min.Top crust with banana slices. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Spoon 2 cups of the pudding over banana layer.Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped topping into remaining pudding; spoon over pie. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Refrigerate 3 hours. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

La Bocca Urban Pizzeria + Wine Bar

My good friend Kelly (aka Doughhead) has always been one of my biggest fans when it comes to my cooking. She is actually the one that inspired me to start this blog after having enjoyed reading her blog (Kelly and Jimmy), and I think she gets the award for my most loyal reader! Even though we don't get to hang out that often, we try to get together for dinner every couple of months, to catch up on each other's lives. Kelly just had a baby at the end of May, I was lucky enough to stop by and visit them shortly after his arrival, but my mom still hadn't gotten to meet Logan, so we decided we needed to go to lunch! Kelly and I go way back, you see, our parents met each other when they were both newlyweds living across the street from each other; many year's before either Kelly or I were even a thought in our parent's minds! It is always fun getting together with them, because it is like a second family. So with a plan in place; Kelly, her mom Sharon, baby Logan, my mom and I were going to have a mid-week lunch date! Since Kelly values my foodie opinion, I was nominated to pick a place to meet; I think she was also angling to get a mention on my blog!

With Kelly and Sharon living on the South side of town, and my mom and I living on the North side, I decided that Tempe would be a good middle point for everyone to meet. I also figured that since it was summertime, it wouldn't be all that crowded in Tempe compared to other times of the year. I remembered that a few of my friends had said good things about La Bocca and after checking the menu, it looked good to me, and I also thought that there was a lot of variety for non meat eating Kelly!

La Bocca is located in the Brickyard on Mill Ave., which is in the heart of Tempe right by the campus of ASU (GO DEVILS!). The space is sleek and modern, with lots of wood an rich colors on the walls. There is a large bar on one side of the room, and with the high ceilings, it has a nice open feel. The staff was very accommodating and brought out a high chair to put Logan's baby sat on so he wasn't forced to sit on the floor!

After looking over the menu, consisting of mostly bruschetta, salads, sandwiches and pizzas, we were ready to order. My mom and I decided to get a couple of things to share; I am always a fan of a lot of variety! We started out with the Caprese Salad. When they brought it out, they had graciously split it onto two plates. The presentation was lovely, with the tomatoes alternating with the fresh slices of mozzarella and basil. The salad was dressed with a balsamic drizzle. This was so delicious, one of the best caprese's I have ever eaten. I sometimes feel that balsamic can be too overpowering, but in this dish it was just right. My mom really liked this as well; and we both were intrigued by the use of both red and green tomatoes, a unique twist on a classic dish.

To go along with our caprese, we decided to get the Bruschetta Plank on the appetizer menu. When I say Bruschetta, the first thing that probably pops into your mind is chopped tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Well, La Bocca takes bruschetta to a different level. They have eight different toppings to choose from, and you get to choose four for each plank! Our choices were (from left to right in picture): 1) roasted garlic, goat cheese & balsamic arugula 2) queen creek olives & basil ricotta 3) prosciutto, fig & marscapone and 4) artichoke, spinach & roasted pepper. The presentation on the wood plank, was very unique, and each piece was cut in half for easy sharing. We both started to taste the different varieties and were immediately delighted with our choices. The saltiness of the olives with the creamy ricotta was divine; same with the prosciutto fig & marscapone, which had salty, creamy and sweet elements. The bitter arugula and balsamic was tempered by the tangy goat cheese, and the freshness of the artichokes and spinach contrasted well with the roasted peppers. My favorite of the bunch was the prosciutto, fig & marscapone, but mom's favorite was the olive & ricotta; this is a great dish to share, because it can be tailored to many different tastes!

Kelly was in the mood for pizza, and was very excited by all the different unique flavor combinations. She opted for the Truffled Mushroom pizza, which I think made my mom a bit jealous because since she had agreed to share with me, she instantly knew that there would be no mushrooms in her meal (I HATE mushrooms!). Kelly sensed my mom's mushroom struggle and told her that she would give her a piece to try; problem solved! The pizza had sauteed mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and goat cheese baked into the chewy crust. Then it was topped with baby spinach that had been dressed with some balsamic vinegar and a touch of white truffle oil. Kelly really liked this pizza, and when my mom got her piece, she too was a fan. They both liked the contrast of the hot pizza with the cool lettuce (which is a combo that I too dig with a BLT pizza). Let's just say, by the end of our meal, the pizza plate was empty!

Sharon ordered the Italian Chicken Salad Sandwich on toasted Foccacia bread. She also had her choice of side items, and opted for the garden salad. Our first impression of the sandwich was that it was huge!! The roll was a good size, but I think what made it look so big was how much chicken salad they had filled the bread with. Sharon enjoyed this sandwich, as it was a different twist on a chicken salad, there was no mayonnaise! The chicken was mixed with onions, peppers and seasoned with garlic, herbs and some olive oil. Sharon ended up taking half of it home, which I think most people would, so it would be a great sandwich for sharing!

Not only was the food delicious, but the company was wonderful. It is always fun to catch up with old friends that you don't get to see that often, and of course, Logan and his hair stole the show! If I was attending an event in the Tempe area and needed to grab a meal, I would definitely go to La Bocca again. I think it would be a great place to also meet up with friends for drinks and appetizers...and maybe some dessert too!

La Bocca Urban Pizzeria + Wine Bar
699 S. Mill Ave., #115
Tempe, AZ 85281
www.laboccapizzeria.com

The Lodge

My dad loves going out to lunch. My sister wanted to try out the massive burger creation that I told her I had read about that they served at The Lodge. Solution: call dad and invite him to lunch! Well, I couldn't miss out on trying a new restaurant, so I planned to go as well, and we didn't want mom to feel left out, so we asked her to join us too.

The Lodge is located in Old Town Scottsdale, and is modeled after, you guessed it, a ski lodge! It was quite ironic that we had planned on having lunch there, since the high was supposed to be 115 degrees that day! Maybe it was a subconscious attempt on our part to pretend that it wasn't as hot outside; and I will say, once we walked in through the doors, it did feel like we had left Phoenix for a mountain retreat! The inside decor was very much what you would expect from a ski lodge; lots of wood and leather, with cozy booths and chairs that had wheels! A few TVs were scattered here and there, but with the fireplace burning, it made for a very cozy atmosphere.

My friend Kirsch had been telling me that The Lodge has the best Fried Cheese Curds in town, and since she is from Wisconsin, she knows her cheese! On her recommendation, I thought that we needed to try them. My family was a bit skeptical because they had never had a cheese curd before, and didn't really know what they were. I didn't know really how to explain it (and didn't want to bother Kirsch for an explanation) so I just told them that it was cheese, and it was good. Cheese curds come in different flavors, just like cheese, these particular ones were white cheddar and were dipped in a smooth batter and fried, with a side of ranch dressing for dipping. I stabbed one with my fork and dipped it into the ranch, and yes, Kirsch was right, these were amazing! The fresh flavor of the cheddar, the crunchy coating and the cool ranch were the perfect combination. I watched as the rest of the family experienced their first cheese curd, and they too thought that these were tasty. These are not healthy in any way, shape or form; but every once in awhile can't hurt!


I was so excited about trying out the cheese curds that I had a hard time deciding what to order. The menu has quite a few sandwiches, burgers and salads to choose from, but ultimately, I ended up going with the Tuna Melt. I choose the sweet potato fries as my side dish, the other choices were regular fries, potato salad, pasta salad or a garden salad...once again, so many choices! The sandwich came out and looked good with the bread being all toasty, but after just one bite, I was confused. There was no melt business going on in this sandwich! The tuna was cold, the cheese was cold, the only element that was remotely warm was the toasted bread! After the cheese curds I wasn't all that hungry, so I didn't want to make a fuss and send it back, but I had a hard time with the fact that I was served a cold Tuna Melt! The flavor of the tuna was fine, although not as good as Subway's, but they should have called it a Tuna Sandwich on Toast, not a Tuna Melt! The sweet potato fries seemed to have some sort of coating on them, they were just okay, I have had much better versions. In the end, I ended up just eating the tuna out of the middle of the sandwich, it worked, but was a bit disappointing.

My mom is a health food nut, so none of us were surprised when she opted for the Veggie Burger with the garden salad. It seemed to be just your typical veggie burger, but I think the patties were made in house. She ate it and liked it, but said that her favorite one is still at Claim Jumpers. But it was nice that there did seem to be quite a few meatless options on the menu for non-meat eaters. The salad was your basic iceberg mix, nothing fancy, but the lettuce was fresh.

Not only does my dad like to go out to lunch, but he likes his beef (a trait that I take after most of the time)! So I wasn't surprised when he chose the Sliced Beef Sandwich. It was served on a soft roll with a side of au jus and shoestring fries. The beef was cooked perfectly, nice and tender and the au just had a good flavor. Dad thought that this was a really good sandwich, but wasn't as much of a fan of the fries, he prefers his fries to be a bit thicker, but to each his own!

So had read a few months ago about this burger that The Lodge just added to the menu, the Sasquatch, I had mentioned it in conversation to my sister and she immediately decided that she had to try it! Basically, it is your typical meat patty and toppings, but the outrageousness comes into play with the buns. Instead of your typical bun, a grilled cheese sandwich is used on the top and the bottom to hold the burger! Yes, that's right, it goes grilled cheese, burger, grilled cheese! In thinking about what to expect from this burger, it was hard to imagine a person being able to even take a bite of this behemoth. When it arrived at the table, with a large steak knife sticking up through the middle, it was big, but not quite as overwhelming as all of us had expected. I had imagined grilled cheese on Texas toast, but the bread was actually quite thin, making it manageable to eat. Laura cut in half and dove in; and she was immediately grinning from ear to ear. She declared this to be the best burger she had ever had! The meat was well seasoned, and cooked to her liking, but the double grilled cheese sandwiches just took it to a whole new level! She ended up giving Dad a quarter of the burger to eat, and I too got a bite, and we both agreed, that this was a delicious spin on an American classic.

I wouldreturn to The Lodge again, I think it would be a fun place to hang out in the evenings when there is a better crowd. Except for the Tuna Melt debacle, I thought that the food was actually very good for bar food. So if you are in the area, or if you have a Sasquatch sized appetite, check it out!

The Lodge
4422 N. 75th St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.scottsdalelodge.com

Black and White Bean Dip

I am sure by now you are all aware of my love of beans, and I think I have mentioned once or twice my affinity for dips and how I even consider dip to be a meal in itself on certain occasions; so when you put the two together.....heaven! I have tried many different versions of bean dips, and I have a few favorites, but I am always willing to try out a new one.

I was going over to a family friend's house on 4th of July for a BBQ and some pool time and was in charge of bringing over an appetizer. I had seen this on a blog a few month's ago, and had been wanting to give it a try, so this was the perfect opportunity! This was very different from most beans dips I have made in the past because the beans are kept whole, but it was a delicious change of pace. My friend Karen especially liked it, but in the future, I think I need to add a bit more heat! I am thinking of omitting the fresh tomato and substituting with a can of drained Rotel tomatoes.

Black and White Bean Dip

From The Sister's Cafe

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained
1 (10 oz.) can shoepeg corn, drained
1 (7 oz.) can Herdez salsa verde
2 c. shredded Colby Jack cheese (I used Mexican blend)
4-6 chopped Roma tomatoes (squeeze liquid out of tomatoes before chopping)
garlic salt to taste

Combine the beans and corn. Chop the tomatoes into chunks, squeezing out the liquid first. Mix in the tomatoes and remaining ingredients (save a little bit of cheese) to the bean and corn mixture. Spray a shallow baking dish (I used a glass 2 Qt. baking dish) with nonstick spray before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and pop into the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and it is all warm and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Toby Kieth's I Love This Bar & Grill

My best friend Karen wanted to go and check out the new Toby Kieth's I Love This Bar & Grill on the night before the 4th of July. After enjoying having the day off from work, shopping and going to the movies, I thought that it sounded like a good idea too. So I planned to meet Karen and her husband Kyle at the restaurant at 7:30 that night. My sister, Laura decided to come along too, so off we went to Mesa to check it out. Laura and I had actually been to one of his other locations in the Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas about two years ago, I didn't really remember much about it other than they served you your drinks in a mason jar, so I was looking forward to our adventure.

First of all, for those that aren't familiar with the shopping center, it is kind of difficult to find, and the signage isn't very good, but we eventually found it. My first thought when we were walking up to the restaurant was, "Where are all the people?" It is located right near a movie theatre with other restaurants, and it was a Friday night, so I thought that the area should have been busier. But we saw only about three or four people wandering around...maybe due to the holiday weekend? Upon entering the restaurant, we discovered where all the people were, they were at Toby Kieth's! We were told the wait would only be about 10 minutes, and I think it actually turned out to be less. The restaurant is huge, it has tons of tables and the biggest bar I have ever seen in my life situated right in the center of the restaurant. On one of the far sides is a stage, while the other side is comprised of just tables. We were lucky enough to score a booth (my first choice always) which turned out to be good, since it did give a bit of a sound barrier, because it was quite loud with the number of people and the music all mixed together.

As expected, the menu consisted of mostly down home country favorites, along with sandwiches and burgers. There were a few unusual items on the menu, and we just knew that we had to try a few of them out. After the waiter took our drink orders, he brought us out some warm cornbread with honey butter on the side to munch on while we decided on our meals. This was really good cornbread, set apart by the amazing honey butter! It had just the right amount of sweet and was room temperature so it spread easily (I just hate when they give you cold butter)! It was a good start to our meal.

We weren't quite sure if we really should get an appetizer, but once we say the Toby's Fried Macaroni and Cheese Balls on the menu, we just knew that we had to try them! None of us had ever had anything like this before, and as macaroni and cheese lovers, we figured we should give it a shot. Not knowing quite what to expect, we were intrigued by the three baseball sized balls that showed up at our table. We cut into one of the balls, and dipped it into the ranch dressing that was served on the side, and oh my, these were good!! For being fried and full of cheese, they were surprisingly not greasy at all. They just had a nice crisp coating to hold everything together, and the flavor of the cheese sauce was not overpowering at all. We all were very pleasantly surprised with our fondness for these, and were glad that we tried them out.

Since we were in a country themed restaurant, I thought that I would stick to the theme and order some good ole home cooking. Ever since I have eaten the chicken fried steak at Ranch House Grille, I have become addicted to it! At Ranch House Grille I order it for breakfast, so I thought I would change it up and order it for dinner on this night! It came with mashed potatoes and gravy, and then my choice of two additional sides. I questioned the waiter on this, thinking that the mashed potatoes counted for one of them, but nope, I got two more choices. Even though we had the macaroni and cheese balls, I still opted for yet more macaroni and cheese, and then of course, the baked beans! The plate looked promising when it was set in front of me, it was a ton of food! There were two portions of chicken fried steak covered in the creamy, white gravy. I took my first bite, and was immediately disappointed. The gravy had a nice flavor, but the steak was overcooked, making it tough. I also found the coating to be odd, it was not very flavorful at all, and didn't add anything to the overall dish. I guess I shouldn't have set my expectations so high, because Ranch House Grille's is just that good! The potatoes were your standard mashed potatoes, the macaroni and cheese seemed to be different than the one used in the balls. It had a spicy element to it, I liked it, but it sure wasn't what I was expecting. The beans were pretty good, not the best baked beans ever, but a decent attempt. After just a few bites of the steak, I decided that it was best to just save room for dessert!

My sister loves a good sandwich, in fact, if you ask her what her favorite food is, I am pretty sure the answer will be a "sandwich." She pretty much likes all different kinds of sandwiches and goes through different phases at different times. When she saw the Turkey Melt on the menu, she was instantly sold. It included some of her all-time favorite ingredients, all rolled into one sandwich; turkey, cheddar cheese, bacon and honey mustard, all melted on sourdough bread. She loves honey mustard, and is always drawn to any item where she can get her fix. She took a bite of the sandwich and thought that it was tasty, it included plenty of meat and cheese, but couldn't really taste the honey mustard. She was a bit disappointed in the lack of honey mustard since that was one of the main selling points for her; but ultimately she was hungry and decided to just eat it rather than ask the waiter to bring her some more. She liked the fries as well, but didn't think they were anything special, but did like the ranch dressing that came on the side. A good ranch dressing is sometimes hard to come by, and theirs did pass the test.

Kyle was in the mood for a burger, and Toby Kieth's had 10 different ones to choose from. He couldn't quite decide on which one he wanted to try, so he asked the waiter for his opinion, he told him to go with the 4 x 4 Big Bacon & Cheeseburger, so that is what he did. He asked for it to be cooked medium rare. Well, when it came out, it was served medium-well, it even had the little stick that said so sticking out of it! It wasn't our waiter who brought the food, but a food runner; which I do find to be annoying sometimes, especially when things aren't right. But, like Laura, Kyle opted to just eat it rather than send it back. Overall, he did like the flavor, I mean what is not to like about a burger that has 4 slices of bacon and 4 slices of cheddar cheese!

Karen had a really hard time deciding what to order, and asked to order last as a result of it. She finally settled on T.K's "Diablo" Chile Chicken Sandwich. It was a grilled chicken breast, with hatch green chiles, Swiss cheese and bacon on a kaiser roll. I don't think she read the description on the menu, because after her first bite she was like, "This is so spicy!" I said well you ordered a chicken chile sandwich, she kept insisting that the menu didn't say anything about chiles, to which we all disagreed with! She said she like all the flavors, but it was just a bit too hot for her. I guess sometimes when you are flustered when you order you don't always know what you are going to end up with! Good thing it came with a slice of pickle, not only does she love pickles, but it helped to cool down her burning mouth!

We were having a nice time hanging out, and then a band got up on the stage and started playing so we decided to hang around for a bit longer. I was glad, because then there was time to have dessert! The waiter told us that they had a special that night, Strawberry Shortcakes, sounded good to us, so we decided to try it as one of our desserts. When it came out, we were all a bit confused, it sure didn't look like any strawberry shortcake that we had ever had. When I think of shortcake, I either think of those little sponge shells you can buy in the produce section or homemade biscuit shortcakes. This was basically just a slice of cake, that had some strawberry and cream fillings. It was very boring, and we could tell that they didn't even make it fresh in house because it was still frozen in the middle! Two thumbs down on the shortcake!

Luckily, we had ordered a second dessert as well, Deep Fried Twinkies!!! Now, I really had to push the group to go with me on this one, they all declared that they didn't like Twinkies, and I must admit I am not really a fan myself, but most anything is good fried! Let me just say, these were delicious! The outside got crispy and crunchy, then came the creamy filling. They were served with a strawberry sauce and whipped cream on top. Once I convinced everyone to try it, they all decided that I had made a good choice!

So I don't think I would make a special effort to go back to Toby Kieth's for the food, but it is a fun atmosphere and would be good for a large group. I also think it would be a good place to go and just hang out and listen to the music. I do have to say, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't give me my drink in a mason jar, it seems that at this location they only serve the beer in mason jars....how rude!

Toby Kieth's I Love This Bar & Grill

1065 N. Dobson Rd.

Mesa, AZ 85201
www.tobykiethusa.com

Smothered Tacos

Okay, so this may not look too pretty on the plate, but it was oh so tasty! I found this on a blog (sorry to the original poster, I forgot to jot down your address) a couple of months ago, and while it has been really warm here, I just felt like making a casserole one night. Growing up, my mom very, very rarely made casseroles; I am not sure if it was because she refused to use the oven on a week night (due to peak electricity hours) or if it was because she just didn't like them. Even though I had a lack of casseroles during my early years, I somehow came to love all things casserole! I told my mom once that I should have been raised in the mid-west where casseroles are king, rather than the hot desert where we grill year round! So while those that live in colder climates relish the moment that they are able to fire up their grills and sit outside, I prefer to crank down my air conditioning and throw a casserole in the oven!

I made this recipe as written, but I think it could be easily adapted for vegetarians and non beef eaters alike, by either using more beans or substituting ground turkey. I really enjoyed this; even though it was 105 degrees outside, so I can only imagine how much more I will enjoy it when it drops below 70 degrees here (and yes, I know, I am in for quite a wait)!

P.S. The original poster called this Enchilada Casserole, but I felt that the name wasn't quite right, so I am re-naming it Smothered Tacos!

Smothered Tacos

1 lb. ground beef (or ground meat of your choice)

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 (14.5 oz.) can Refried Beans (I used Spicy Jalapeno!)

1 pkg. hard taco shells (I ended up only using 8 shells)

1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed tomato soup

1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (16 oz.) can red enchilada sauce

1 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet; drain fat. Add the taco seasoning and water as directed on taco packet; simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread refried beans evenly among the 8 taco shells, top with taco meat. Lay in a 9x13 pan.

Mix soups and enchilada sauces together, spread over the top of the taco shells. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly! Serve with sour cream if desired.

Ed Debevic's - Chicago

Ed Debevic's brings back many childhood memories for Laura and I. It was a staple here in Phoenix and we spent many birthday parties and fun filled nights at Ed Debevic's. The obnoxious waiters, the dance breaks, the goofy hats, the milkshakes and the burgers made for a fun night out; you could never be unhappy at Ed Debevic's. Sadly, our Ed Debevic's closed about 8 years ago....taking with it many good times and a piece of our childhood.

I had always thought that our Ed's was the only one out there, but when we arrived in Chicago, as I was skimming through our tour book, I was surprised to see a listing for Ed Debevics. Once Laura and I determined that this was indeed the same as our beloved childhood restaurant, we just knew that we had to go and check it out! We had gone for Laura's fancy birthday dinner the day before her birthday, so after our post Taste of Chicago naps, Laura was ready to recapture a piece of her youth.

Walking in to Ed Debevics made our childhood memories come back immediately. The interior was identical to our location; the diner counters, DJ booth, aqua blue booths and all the crazy signage....it was perfect! Our waiter came by and dropped off some hats for us to wear, and since we were in a festive mood, we just had to wear them!

Our waiter's name was Col. Mustard, which we found to be very funny, and he was quite the character! We decided to start out with some shakes. Laura went with the Oreo shake and I opted for the double chocolate one. They came out in old fashioned shake glasses and topped with whipped cream. They were so creamy and delicious, the perfect start to our meal. And in my opinion, any meal where you start with a milkshake, is a good meal indeed!

Laura couldn't quite decide what she wanted as her birthday meal, but ultimately ended up with the chicken finger basket. Laura loves a good chicken finger, and these were really good. The breading had a nicely seasoned flavor and the chicken was very moist. The basket was served with golden french fries too; they were cooked perfectly with just the right amount of crunch. She got both ranch and honey mustard for dipping sauces. Laura is a honey mustard connoisseur, and she declared this to be the best she had ever had!

I decided to go for the classic triple decker club sandwich, but upgraded my side to onion rings. This was a good version of a classic sandwich. What really set it apart, is that they use freshly carved turkey instead of turkey lunch meat. The basket was mounded with onion rings, and I have to say, these were some gooooood onion rings! I loved the batter type coating, and the onions were tender making them easy to bite through. I switched between dipping them in ketchup and ranch; and honestly, I could have just made a meal out of just the onion rings!

After we were done eating, Col. Mustard brought out the famous World's Smallest Sundae with a candle on top for Laura. And I do believe yes, that it is the World's Smallest Sundae, it looked like a shot glass, but we were fine with that since we had each already had an entire milkshake! The Col. even gave Laura a souvenir sundae glass to take home!

While Ed Debevic's is not the most gourmet place out there, it has some wonderful classics and the atmosphere adds to the overall experience. The only disappointing thing about the meal is there were no dance breaks for the waiters. I inquired with Col. Mustard why the waiters didn't get up and dance on the counter anymore, and he just kinda brushed it off. How rude! If you are in the Chicago area, go and check it out, it will make you feel like a kid again!

Ed Debevic's
640 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60620
www.eddebevics.com

Taste of Chicago

One of the things that Laura and I were both looking forward to on our trip to Chicago was attending the Annual Taste of Chicago Food Festival. I think this is one of the biggest such festivals in the country, it lasts for 10 days! We have a local culinary festival here, but it is only for a weekend, so we knew we would be in for a treat! We decided to go on the Monday of our visit with the hope that it wouldn't be as crowded as a weekend day; and I think we chose right! While there were a lot of people milling around and sampling the food, we didn't have to wait in any lines to get food....score!

It got quite warm the afternoon that we were there, and while we did try a lot of stuff, we probably could have done better. Its just that when it is so warm outside, the thought of eating a giant turkey leg or fried catfish is just not as appealing. So to any Chicago natives that are reading this, I want to apologize in advance if we didn't hit all the spots that we should have!

Vienna Beef Hot Dogs - Chicago-style Hot Dog

Chicago is known for many things, but the Chicago-style hot dog may be one of its most notable contributions to popular culture. Laura and I both love hot dogs; last May we tried the New York City cart version, so we had to try the Chicago-style dog to make things fair. A Chicago-style dog, is an all-beef Vienna hot dog in a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, green relish, two tomato wedges, a pickle spear, two sport peppers (for some heat) and sprinkled with celery salt. We made it our mission to make the hot dog stand our first stop at the Taste, and it was a tasty start to our day. The combination of toppings are what really make this dog, and the actual hot dog had a nice flavor. We both really liked the poppy seed bun, it reminded us of this hot dog place our mom used to take us when we were kids.

Harry Caray's Restaurant - Homemade Potato Chips & Fried Dough

For those of you not familiar with Chicago sports history, Harry Caray was the beloved announcer for the Chicago Cubs. He has a couple of different restaurants in town and friends of ours from Chicago said we had to try out some of the goodies that they had to offer. We first tried the Homemade Potato Chips, which was the largest mound of potato chips that we had ever seen! They were cutting the chips right there in the booth and then frying them, so the were extremely fresh. They were very good, seasoned with just a bit of salt. We both felt that the serving was way too big for just two people, so ended up throwing about half of them away, which was sad, but we had to save some room!

The other must try item that we were told to get was the Fried Dough. Basically, it was just a giant piece of dough deep-fried and then dusted with powdered sugar. I tried a bite of it and thought that it just tasted plain, that there was nothing special to it; but Laura really liked it and ended up eating the whole thing herself. Which probably explains why she took a 3 hour nap once we got back to the hotel!

Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt - Beingets

From some of my previous posts, you may know by now that we love beingets! So when we saw that one of the booths was serving them, we knew that we had to try their version. These were different than any other beinget that we had ever had, not in flavor, but in shape. We have only been exposed to beingets shaped like a ball, these were in a long, stick like shape. Nonetheless, they were delicious, some of the best I have had. I think the shape may be the main reason, since they were not as thick, they cooked more evenly and didn't have doughy centers like some versions. Laura loved these so much, she considered going back for more, but after the fried dough, she figured that she had had enough dough for the day.



Original Rainbow Cone - Rainbow Ice Cream

After eating all things heavy and fried, I was in need for something to help me beat the heat, so I decided to try out the Rainbow Ice Cream. When I read the description, it sounded very odd, but very good at the same time, so I decided to go for it and got the small taster cup. Basically, the Rainbow Ice Cream is a combination of chocolate, strawberry, palmer and pistachio ice creams with orange sherbet. I wasn't really sure what palmer was, but I knew that I liked the other flavors so it was worth a try. It was oddly tasty, and just what I needed to cool me down a bit.

Eli's Cheesecake - Chocolate Dipped Frozen Chocolate Chip Toffee Crunch Cheesecake

My family and friends know that I LOVE cheesecake, it is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and has been since I was a little kid. I just found out a few months ago that my birthday (July 30 - hint* hint*) is actually National Cheesecake Day...so I guess the stars were aligned on this one! Eli's is well known across the country for their cheesecake, and it calls Chicago home. My sister and I decided to get our own dipped cheesecakes, we figured it would be difficult to share something that came on a stick (but secretly I just didn't want to share!). This cheesecake was so rich and creamy, it was awesome! The chocolate on the outside was thick enough that it didn't fall off after taking a bite. We both really liked this, but then again, it would be quite difficult to find a cheesecake that I didn't like!

Kasia's Deli - Cheese Blintz with Raspberry Sauce

I was not sure if I had ever had a blintz before, but I knew what the concept was so I figured that this was the perfect opportunity to try one. The filling was very sweet and creamy, an the wrapper tasted like a crepe to me. I liked the blintz part, but I thought that the raspberry sauce was a bit too sweet.


Buona - Italian Beef Sandwich

Next to hot dogs, Chicago is probably most well known for Italian Beef sandwiches. I had never had a true Italian Beef sandwich before, but I like roast beef and all things beef so I figured I would like an Italian Beef. I thought the flavor of the beef was really good, and discovered that an Italian Beef is basically like a French Dip minus the cheese and the au jus. I liked the sandwich, but because I really like cheese, I think I prefer French Dips, but at least I can now say that I tried one!

Mazzone's Italian Ice - Blue Raspberry Italian Ice

Once we had finally had our share of the Taste and decided to leave, I had a few tickets left that I didn't want to go to waste, so as we were walking out, I decided to grab a taster of some Italian ice. This was very tasty and refreshing, and a nice way to end our afternoon. It turned my mouth blue, but it was worth it!

One last thing that we grabbed, but that I didn't get a picture of, was popcorn from Garrett Popcorn Shops. They have been popping corn since the 1950's and Chicagoans will line up all the way down the block in the dead of winter just to get some of their delicious popcorn. After getting a small sample at the Taste, I made sure that we stopped by the shop and got some to take home. Laura was not happy about dragging her suitcase around the streets of downtown Chicago for me to get my fix, but forgave me when I opened it up on the airplane to munch on while we watched the Sex and the City movie!

We had a great time at the Taste of Chicago, but after a full morning of sightseeing and then an afternoon of eating, we were ready to take a rest. But we were happy that we got to try so many different foods of Chicago without having to run all over town!