Daily Planet Dining

Wednesday October 9, 2013 I along with my boyfriend of three years went to the DailyPlanet in downtown Burlington, Vermont.

 When I first heard about the Daily Planet I was a freshman in college and very interested as to what kind of food they served.  Coming from a large Greek family I am in love with food, so when I pick a restaurant to go to I want to know that it is going to be satisfying.  With this time going to the Daily Planet as being an occasion, I wanted to make sure that they would make the experience memorable.  When first walking into the Daily Planet you are greeted by a lovely hostess and a warm welcome.  As you are talking all you can smell is all the delicious food that is being cooked and that is something about this restaurant that I hope never changes.  Once you walk in you are seated in one of the many multi-decorative rooms.  We were seated a room that I have sat in before the renovations were made.  The room was filled with different plants and flowers making the overall experience feel very organic and comforting.  We got to sit in the corner which made for the meal to be romantic to say the least. 

photo taken from Google

            When going out for an occasion, drinks are always a must!  I ordered a regular mojito.  My mojito was sweet and had just the right amount of lime.  My boyfriend ordered a beer, the Sixpoint: Sweet Action to start with.  “The beer complimented the appetizers” my boyfriend stated.  With that being said and with it being his birthday I wanted him to get all that he wanted.  So along with getting complementary pieces of their fluffy rosemary bread, we ordered two appetizers.  The maura’s salad along with the corn crusted calamari.  The execution of both the dishes was to perfection.  The maura’s salad was a combination of baby greens mixed with roasted garlic, bleu cheese crumbs, sliced red grapes, toasted pecans, and dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.  At first, we weren’t sure about how the red grapes would marinate with the other ingredients, especially the dressing, but to our surprise they added some lightness and sweetness to the dish I didn’t expect.  The toasted pecans mixed with the crumbs of blue cheese created a sensational flavor in my mouth.  “When you got all of the ingredients in one bite it made all of the different flavors pop” my boyfriend commented.  There was a perfect amount of vinaigrette which made the baby greens stay fresh and not become wilted or soggy.  The salad made for a perfect compliment for the corn crusted calamari. 


 With the breading being corn crusted which means that the calamari is made with cornmeal and flour, and it being fried in canola oil rather than lard, it made for each piece to be fluffy and crunchy in every bite.  Many places tend to over batter anything they fry, but in the Daily Planet’s case that does not happen.  The ratio of batter to calamari was perfectly distributed and disabled the pieces from being greasy or dense.  The sauce that was given with the calamari was a tangy, yet sweet dipping sauce.  It sort of reminded me of a tarter sauce, but that much sweeter.  They also gave you a slice of lemon to sprinkle over the calamari pieces which certainly added an extra layer of flavor.  As we finished our appetizers in record time, our waitress brought out our main dishes of the evening.  In some senses I was stuffed, but watching her bring our enormous plates over to us brought happiness to my mind and stomach.

I got the pasta rigatoni which was pasta with a basil puree, heirloom tomatoes, arugula, parmesan & manchego, and pieces of grilled chicken.  I was expecting the basil puree to be much thicker and more like a pesto sauce, but it was more of a broth if you will.  However, the chicken was grilled perfectly and the mixture of tomatoes and arugula added some freshness to the dish.  The two different types of cheeses was a big hit in my book considering I am a sucker for any kind of cheese and mixing cheese with any kind of pasta is a win in my book.  The pasta was perfectly tender and the way the chicken marinated in with the noodles and other ingredients could be considered extraordinary.  I saved some of the rosemary bread to dip into my basil puree and I was surprised as to how the basil and rosemary created another wonderful and fulfilling flavor in my mouth.  My boyfriend ordered grilled bistro steak which came with a port wine demi sauce, fig butter, and butter milk mashed potatoes.  Thin, crispy strips of sweet potatoes topped the well-cooked steak along with a bed of sautéed carrots.  After taking a bite of the steak mixed with the mashed potatoes I was in awe.  The butter milk mashed potatoes were fluffy and when mixed in with the port wine demi it created a sweet, yet savory flavor in my mouth.  “The steak was marinated and cooked to perfection.  The mashed potatoes and sautéed provided great accents to this overall delectable entrée” my boyfriend stated.      

  

First Time Diner

While visiting Stratton, Vermont and my friend’s barn I was able to test taste some of the food that will be featured at the Fire Tower Restaurant& Tavern in the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort Village.  Her father is the owner of the restaurant so she was able to have some of the food sent over to the barn for us to try.  This wonderful buffet of food included stuffed pork & cabbage wontons, jerk seasoned chicken wings, garlic bread topped with goat cheese, and a pasta and beef dish tossed in a blue cheese sauce.  It was all so delicious that I can’t wait to try the other items that will be seen on the menu once they open which will be around Thanksgiving.

         Photo taken from Google

Now onto the pork & cabbage stuffed wontons.  I have never been a wonton lover, but this certainly changed my mind.  The way they were cooked was to perfection.  Rather them being fried they were lightly seared in a way that made the shell stay together, but also stay fluffy and not too hard.  The filling of pork and cabbage certainly complimented each other.  The spicy bits of pork mixed in with the highly flavored cabbage made for the dish to be refreshing and pallet cleansing.  With the flavors being not too over powering and the wontons themselves being almost bite size allowed them to be seen as a playful appetizer as well as a great initiation into the other dishes.

            The jerk seasoned chicken wings certainly packed a punch.  After eating different styles of jerk chicken before, I was surprised as to the amount of flavor that was given when I bit into these chicken wings.  In every bite there was a spicy, yet tangy note and it made my taste buds go wild.  “After eating the wings the seasoning lingers on your tongue and carries over onto the other dishes,” one of my friends commented.  Mixing the chicken wings with the blue cheese sauce from the pasta dish brought the intensity down a bit and that worked well for me, while my fellow diners loved the hotness that they were receiving from the dish.

            With that being said, the pasta and beef dish mixed in a blue cheese sauce, which is going to be called the “beef and blue” on the restaurant menu was at the top of my list out of all the food that we tasted and many agreed.  “The steak was tender and the blue cheese sauce held the dish together well” a fellow diner commented.  For those who are huge blue cheese fans they would love this dish especially with the mixing of the pasta and the little pieces of tender beef!  The ratio of sauce to pasta and beef was perfect and it made for a great dipping sauce for not only the wings as mentioned above, but also for the garlic bread.  The way the goat cheese almost sunk into the blue cheese was a shock to me and the others.  The pasta that was used in this dish was spiral pasta and that made the dish whimsical and fun for everyone.  By having the pasta and pieces of beef be almost the same size allowed for them to harmonize well with each other and the sauce.      

            When eating pasta bread is always necessary so the garlic bread topped with little crumbles of goat cheese was icing on the cake.  The bread was lightly toasted giving the top and outside exterior a golden brown coloring.  With the bread being slightly toasted it allowed for each piece to have a nice crunch, but the actual fluffiness when you bit into the bread was not compromised.  The garlic spread that was placed on the top acted as a seasoning making for each bite to be packed with garlicky goodness.  The semi-melted goat cheese crumbles added a sweet taste to the dish. 

            When first walking into my friend’s barn I was certainly not expecting this gourmet meal, but too my surprise there it was!  Four tin pans holding four great dishes.  So great that I would drive to Stratton, Vermont just to see and more importantly try all of the other food items on their menu.  

Favorite Party Dishes

When going to a party you always want to bring some dish to the table, whether it is shrimp cocktail, nachos or simply cheese and crackers.  I always go overboard with party dishes, so here are some of my favorite party favors!

• cheese & crackers- it can be hard cheese or the kind of cheese that you spread, either way it makes for a great party appetizer

• vegetables & dip- this is not only a healthy and refreshing party dish, but it also pairs well with other meals that other people are bringing

• buffalo chicken dip- this is a rather spicy dish, but is makes for a great dip for tortilla chips

• chicken wings- since you can hold them in one hand this makes them easy to eat and fun as well

• shrimp cocktail- this is a light and refreshing dish that can be paired with many other foods

• stuffed mushrooms- these are light and easy to eat, they also are small which allows you to be able to eat more of them

• nachos- these are always a party favorite, just make sure you include all of the toppings

• jalapeno poppers- for those who love that spice, you will love these

• salad- this is always something that people love, it is healthy and it also can be a great side dish to all of the other foods 

• finger sandwiches- these are easy to eat and they can be assorted with many different meats, condiments, and toppings

My Favorite 5 Leftover dishes

Being in college leftovers are a huge part of our eating habits!  We take leftovers from restaurants, our houses when we go one break, and our own cooking.  I am here to tell you what my favorite leftovers are

1. Pizza- whether you eat it cold or re-heated pizza is great anytime

2. Chinese Food- you can eat this cold or re-heated as well, but no matter which way you have it, it still tastes good

3. Salad- salad is one of those meals that will stay fresh and will be a great kick-starter to a meal

4. Pasta- re-heat your pasta and add some extra ingredients to it, whether it is sauce, cheese or something else, pasta is always a comforting meal.

5. Chicken and/or steak kabobs- these leftovers are always great!  But make sure you don't over-heat the meat because it will end up being very dry!

Leftovers are certainly a personal preference, but if you make the dish right the first time there is no way it can taste bad the second time!

After Workout Foods

Working out and staying healthy and fit is essential, especially when you are getting older.  I personally love working out and always have, but the one thing I can't crave is my need for food.  I have always wondered what the best foods are to eat after a hard workout.  Thanks to an article that was featured on BuzzFeed Food I learned what the 14 best after workout foods are.

1. Eggs
2. Quinoa
3. Orange Juice
4. Kefir
5. Bananas
6. Salmon
7. Blueberries
8. Whole-Grain Pita & Humus
9. Dried Fruit & Nuts
10. Pineapple
11. Sweet Potatoes
12. Kiwi
13. Water
14. EAT SOMETHING

Each one of these foods has a great amount of nutrients, making your body feel better both inside and out!

Top 5 Vegetables to Eat

Vegetables are an essential part to everyone's daily diet.  They provide a great source of nutrients to your body and they also can protect your body from different types of cancers as well as reduce the risk of heart disease.  With that being said I try to take in at least 2 servings of vegetables a day.  However vegetables are prepared they are always fresh and healthy!

My top 5 Favorite Veggies are:

5.Mushrooms

4. Tomatoes

3. Cucumber

2. Broccoli

1. Spinach

You can do so much with vegetables such as saute them, fry them, steam or boil them.  Whatever you do with your veggies they will be good no matter what.  My two favorite veggie dishes are my chicken and vegetables stir-fry and omelets.  I load so many veggies into both dishes that soon after my body feels great inside and out.

You can add vegetables to almost any dish making each meal taste light and fresh!

My top 5 Favorite meals that are based around veggies are:

5. Stir-Fry

4. Vegan Chili

3. Vegetable Soup/Stew

2. Vegetable Omelet

1.  Greek Salad

Vegetables along the side of fruit are that one food group that can be eaten almost anytime of the day and you don't have to feel bad about eating them!  It's a win win!  So go get off your couch and go to a local farmers market, grab yourself some fresh vegetables and make any of the meals that I have suggested or create your own vegetable oriented dishes!

Cereals Declining?

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

After reading an article from the Huffington Post that talked about the eating of cereal declining I began to think about how much I like cereal and how much I do eat cereal.  When I was in high school I rarely ate breakfast, but now being in college I find myself eating cereal more and more.

The cereals that I always find myself going back to are Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, and Raisin Brain.  The reason why I love these cereals so much is because they taste good (of course) and because I have been eating them since I was a kid, so it is a comfort factor.

Now days kids aren't eating cereal for breakfast, but are more focused on eating things such as Nature Valley Bars, Yogurt, and protein shakes & bars.  Why are cereals declining you might ask... well according to the article featured in the Huffington post it is because "people are just bored with it and also because let's be honest, there are far more intersecting things to eat for breakfast now" (Cereal's Future Is In Jeopardy.)  

I found this article to be very alarming because many good things can come from eating the right kinds of cereals.  For example Honey Nut Cheerios are can help lower your cholesterol and Raisin Brain is rich in fiber.  I think that the real problem regarding cereals is that kids and parents these days don't want the good kind of cereals, but would rather the ones that just simply taste good such as Lucky Charms, Coco Puffs, Trix, etc.  Also, people these days just don't have the time for breakfast in general.  This idea was also brought up in the article and it made me think about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  We all should be eating something for breakfast whether it is cereal, yogurt, or a piece of fruit.  

I'm not sure if  the people who produce the cereal are at fault for this decline or if it is just simply because people these days have changed their ways of viewing breakfast as a whole.  I personally will never stop eating Cheerios or breakfast just because it is a necessity to the day.

 

Craving Mexican?

If you are one of those people who crave Mexican food, you have to try El Gato Cantina on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont.  Their food is good and the atmosphere is fun and lively! The first time I went to El Gato was just a few weeks ago, and although I am not a huge fan of Mexican food this place was certainly good.  I went with a friend and ordered appetizers and drinks.  

Right when you are seated the waitress brings over a large basket of very crispy tortilla chips with a side of spicy salsa.  I'm not a huge fan of spice, but the kick that I got in each bite of the salsa was great.  El Gato specializes in drinks that are filled with Tequila.  I personally am not a Tequila fan, but that didn't stop me from trying my friends strawberry Margarita.  The flavors were good and I liked how you couldn't really taste the Tequila.  For my drink I ordered a rum and coke and that went very well with the chips.  

Now onto the apps..... Although we already got our chip fix we ended up ordering El Gato's Nachos Grande.  This dish consisted of tortilla chips (of course) topped with cheese, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.  You could also get shredded chicken or beef, so we got the chicken.  After eating the whole basket of tortilla chips we were hoping that the nachos wouldn't be too big, but they were!

The dish was about 5 inches high, but it all looked so good!  The chips were totally bombarded with tons of each ingredient making each bite taste like heaven.  I ordered some guacamole on the side which added some light and freshness to the dish.  To my surprise they ended up charging us $4 for the added on guacamole which I was not too pleased with, but on the other hand the meal was great.  A few drinks later and as our belly's grew intensely full we decided it was time to leave.

El Gato is a great place to go if you want just a few apps and drinks.  Most of their prices are reasonable and the energetic personalities of the hostess and waitress made for a great night.

Simply Beef Stew

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

  

One of my favorite meals of all time is my mom's beef stew.  Everything about this dish tastes good.  She puts so much love into the stew that I can never get enough!

The ingredients are as follows:

-medium size pieces of beef
-celery
-potatoes
-carrots
-spices/herbs
-onions
-broth




 When cutting the vegetables my mom always makes sure that they are all cut the
same size.  This allows each ingredient to cook at the same rate and time as all of the other ingredients.  She even cuts the beef the same size as the veggies and it certainly makes a difference.  When cooking the beef stew my mom always tries to cook the beef until it is tender; tender enough that you don't need to even use a knife when you are cutting it.  She puts all of these ingredients into a crock pot for a few hours until all of the flavors marinate in with each other.

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

My mom usually makes her beef stew in the winter, so when my dad comes in from working outside all day he is cold and hungry.  To counter-effect his hunger my mom will serve the stew with a side dish, which is dinner rolls.  This meal doesn't need to be paired with anything, but bread always makes a meal better; especially dinner rolls!  They make for a great dipping item and they also add some texture to the dish as a whole.  Lather your roll with butter, dip it into the tasty beef broth, and there you have it!  A warm meal with a side of crunch.  You can't get much better than my mom's beef stew 

My Family Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of all time!  Something about the fall smell in the air mixed with the smell of turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, etc. gets me so excited and in the family spirit.  I usually have Thanksgiving with my mom, dad, and sister and that is how I like it.  We make a whole smorgasbord of food and then relax with our desserts and drinks.

This year our Thanksgiving menu consisted of shrimp cocktail and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers and then our meal of Turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, rolls, broccoli puff, feta cheese, olives, cranberry mold, stuffed celery, and gravy.  I know it sounds crazy that we didn't have stuffing, but with all of the other wonderful food stuffing is not at the top of our list anymore. 

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

When having a Thanksgiving meal you must all of the dishes being offered present on your plate, and that's exactly what I did.  I usually don't like my food touching each other, but in this case having all of the different foods come together is a must.  Now let's talk about the food!

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

The Turkey, which is the most important part of a Thanksgiving feast, was one of the best that we have ever had!  It was so moist and the seasoning of spices and herbs that my mom puts onto the skin of the bird were unbelievable.  The way my dad carves the Turkey is perfect, making it possible for all of us to get tons of skin.  I personally only like the white meat of the Turkey, but sometimes I will dig into a leg or wing. 

The mashed potatoes that my mom makes are garlic mashed potatoes and they certainly compliment all of the other dishes present in this outrageous meal.  When waiting for the mashed potatoes to be mashed my mom beings to start cooking down the squash.  She does this by cutting up the squash into cubes and places them in a huge pan to boil and cook.  When they are softened she then mashes the squash and then goes into the pot with the potatoes and beings to smash those as well.  In any meal you are making timing is essential, but for Thanksgiving time is everything!  

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

Now onto the broccoli puff.  This is a dish that I have mentioned before, and it consists of broccoli, cheese, and mushrooms all put into a casserole style.  When baking this dish make sure that before you take it out there is a golden brown layer right on the top of all of the ingredients.  If there is the dish is done, if not keep in the oven until there is. 

The dinner rolls that my mom uses are simply regular dinner rolls.  We usually get pumpernickel rolls, but this year we got white.  Make sure to put the rolls into the toaster or oven before you eat them.  Having that extra crisp on them makes a world difference.  The cranberry mold that my mom makes is comparable to a gelatin, but much better.  She puts apples into the mold and it adds a whole other level of texture.  The cranberry mold is a great dish to have at the end, for it cleanses your pallet and leaves you with a refreshing taste in your mouth. 
The celery pieces are stuffed with chive cream cheese.  This is a dish that we have been doing since I was a kid.  These along with the mold are a great end of the meal munchies. 

Feta and olives are a huge part of my life, being Greek and all, and they are always present at the dinner table.  This year instead of having the feta and olives as an appetizer we had them with our meal.  The feta is a great dinner roll stuffer and the olive is just a great side compliment.  As I mentioned above we do have gravy, but I do not eat the gravy.  I like my Turkey plain so that I can mix it with all of the other foods. 

Thanksgiving is one of the times out of the year where you can eat as much as you want and not feel bad about it.  It is also one of the times out of the year where your leftovers do not go to waste and you are sometimes more excited for that leftover open face sandwich you know you are going to get, rather than Thanksgiving day itself!
  

top ten breakfast places

As breakfast becomes one of my favorite meals of the day I have found many amazing breakfast places as well as many not so amazing places.  Below are my top 10 places to eat breakfast.  If you are in the area, try these places out and I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

10. The Village Pancake House - this restaurant is located in Rowley, MA and is a great place to go with a large group of people.  Their pancakes are the best!

 9. The Agawam Diner - this diner is located in Rowley, MA and is a great place to go if you enjoy quick and cheap breakfast dishes.  You will feel as if you are part of the Agawam family.

8. Sam's Diner - this diner is located in San Francisco, CA.  Their omelets are always stuffed with great ingredients and their waiters are very nice

7. Wenham Tea House - this cute, little restaurant is located in Wenham, MA.  It is known for its' tea and bite size sandwiches. 

6. The Red Skiff - this great breakfast place is located in Rock port, MA.  Their omelets are great as well as their home fries.

5. The Margate - this hotel is located on Lake Winnipesaukee.  Their buffet is great and they alwyas have so much to offer.

4. Henry's Diner - this diner is located in Burlington, VT and is cute and has some great food.  There is always a wait, but it is worth it!

3. Norma's - this breakfast spot is located in New York, New York.  There food is great as well as their service and drinks!

2. Sugar Magnolias - this small, yet very tastey breakfast haven is located in Glouceste, MA.  Their food was wonderful and their pancake are gigantic!

1. Penny Cluse Cafe- this wonderful breakfast experience is located in Burlington, VT.  Their menu features all fresh ingredients and teh atmopshere is great!

Eggs Galore

Over thanksgiving break I went to Sugar Magnolias in Gloucester, MA.  When I stay in Annisquam, my boyfriend and I usually go to the Red Skiff in Rock port, but we decided to go somewhere different.  To my surprise Sugar Mags was much better than the Red Skiff.  They have a great menu and their food is so tastey! 

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

I ordered the Veggie omelet which came with broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese.  I also got marble rye toast on the side as well as home fries.  I split the veggie omelet and one of the specials of the day with my boyfriend's mother.  The special included a fried egg on a piece of wheat toast with tomatoes, spinach, avocado, cheese, bacon, and pesto.  The combination of the omelet with the open face sandwich was delicious!  The omelet was stuffed with the cheese oozing out of it.  The vegetables inside of the omelet were so fresh and really elevated the dish.  I like to make a sandwich out of the bread and omelet, so that's exactly what I did.   The one default of the dish was that the bread had too much butter on it, making each piece soggy and crispy, which is what I look forward to when I am eating toast.  The open face sandwich was amazing as well.  The pesto that was spread all over the crispy piece of whole wheat bread added some great flavor to the overall dish.  The bacon added some needed texture to the meal making there be different levels to the dish.  I have never experienced avocado and egg together before, but I will certainly have this combination again.  

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

  



















The home fries were not your average home fries, but more of a potato that you would serve at dinner.  They reminded me of the oven roasted potatoes that my mom makes during holidays.  Along with these two huge meals, I also had the privilege of trying some of my boyfriend's meal.  He ordered a bacon, pepper, and cheese omelet as well as a apple and caramel pancake, which was one of the specials of the day.  I tend to only eat chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes, but after seeing all of the caramel butter and maple syrup being poured over this gigantic pancake, I had to try a bite.  The pancake was so moist and there was actually little bits of apple in the pancake.  The caramel butter added some extra sweetness to the dish making me need a large glass of water after.  The pancake mixed with my omelet and open face sandwich was a great start to the day!  

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

Doughnuts or Munchkins?

As I sit down with my chocolate glazed doughnut and my hot chocolate with extra whipped cream I begin to think about what is the better breakfast snack..... doughnuts or munchkins.

Doughnuts are bigger, but you can eat more munchkins at a time, so who is to decide which one is better?  I certainly can't, so I am here to tell you that you can't go wrong with either a doughnut or a munchkin.  They are both great to dip into your coffee or hot chocolate and they both have great flavor.  Sometimes when I'm eating a doughnut it tastes like a munchkin and that may be because munchkins are just a smaller form of a doughnut.  They are cooked with the same ingredients, but just in a different shape.

My top favorite munchkins are chocolate glazed (of course), powdered, and jelly.  I love it when the jelly oozes out of the center. 

My top favorite doughnut is simply chocolate glazed. 

I find it interesting that although they are made with the same ingredients, I do not like jelly doughnuts or powered.  I believe that the ratio of jelly to doughnut is not evenly distributed, but the jelly given in the munchkin is the perfect amount.  This can also be referred back to the powered doughnut and its' ratio of powder to doughnut and then powder to munchkin.

This may be a silly idea, but many people prefer doughnuts over munchkins and vise versa, which leads be back to the original question; who is to decide which one is better?  

Tacos

Everyone loves tacos, whether they are soft-shell tacos or hard-shell tacos.  Everyone loves the juicy, highly seasoned beef that fills up the shell that is accompanied by sour cream, salsa, cheese, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, and then some!  But what are good side dishes that go well with tacos?  Do tacos even need a side dish, or are they simply good enough on their own?

I am here to tell you what my favorite taco side dishes are!

- Rice (pilaf, white or Mexican)

-Beans (black or kidney)

-Salad (Greek, house or Mediterranean)

-Veggie Platter

-Nachos (guacamole, salsa, sour cream, olives, lettuce, tomatoes)

Why are  side dishes important you ask?

They make the dish complete.  When eating tacos they are usually small, so by having a side dish to munch on you aren't going to leave hungry.  Something like a side dish can be easily misconstrued, but when eating you can never have enough on the table!   

Top 5 Chicken Dishes

Chicken is a part of many meals and it is also one of the easiest pieces of poultry to cook just because you know it's cooked when the inside is not pink.  Since moving into my own apartment, two years ago I have found myself cooking with Chicken a lot more. 

Here my top 5 dishes that include chicken.

1. Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry (Boneless Chicken, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, rice)

2. Chicken Pesto Panini's ( Boneless Chicken, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, pesto, focaccia)

3. Chicken Fajitas (Boneless Chicken, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, wheat wrap)

4. BBQ Chicken Wings (Chicken on the bone, BBQ sauce)

5. Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo (Boneless Chicken, broccoli, pasta, pesto)

All of these meals are easy to cook as well as easy to pair with another side dish.  Whether you pair these meals with a starch or some form of veggie you are going to have great meal because Chicken is the primary ingredient.  Whether you cook with Chicken that is already seasoned or you do the seasoning yourself, you are going to have flavorful Chicken and a flavorful meal.  The best part of Chicken is that you can through it in almost any dish and it will add texture, flavor, and a great source of protein to the meal as a whole!

10 Best Ingredients to cook with

When cooking you find yourself cooking with the same ingredients over and over again.  This may be, because those ingredients are the best to cook with.  Here are my 10 best ingredients to cook with!

1. Spinach
2. Pepper (spice)
3. Salt
4. Broccoli
5. Mushrooms
6. Oregano
7. Garlic
8. Chicken
9. Fish
10. Steak

These ingredients may not all be used in the same dish (obviously) but they are the ones that I find myself using time and time again.  When creating a meal I stick to what I know as well as what flavors I like the most.  When working with meat I always need a starch and although a starch is not present in my list, it is an ingredient that I always like to have present in my cooking.  Your 10 best ingredients are probably different from mine, but coming from a large Greek family these are the ingredients that are most prevalent in the meals that my family members cook.

Feel free to comment on what your 10 best ingredients to cook with are!  Bouncing ideas off one another is always needed in order to grow as a person.     

Homemade Meatballs & Prepackaged Raviloi's...... can they be friends?

One of my favorite foods that my mother makes are her homemade meatballs.  She puts cheese in the center of the meatballs making for every bite to be cheese and packed with a punch!

When having meatballs, everyone always has spaghetti and meatballs, but I rarely do that.  I always try to spice things up, so lately I have been pairing my wonderful homemade meatballs with ravioli's that I have bought from the grocery store.  Why? one might ask, but once you try it, don't knock it. 

The ravioli's that I paired my meatballs with recently was a ravioli stuffed with a blend of different cheese as well as spinach.  I am a huge spinach and cheese fan, so putting them together is a win win for me.

Now let's get to cooking.  Place your meatballs and sauce into a pan together so the spices from the meatballs rub off into the sauce and vice versa.  As you are cooking your meatballs and sauce place your ravioli's  into a pan of boiling hot water.  They will begin to float and once they come onto the surface they are ready.

Place your 4 or 5 ravioli's onto a plate, and lather them with the meatballs and sauce on top.  The combination is playful, yet simplistic.  When serving this meal you can eat it alone or you can add some bread and salad on the side and there you have a great and delicious meal.

Meatballs can be great on their own, especially my mother's, but putting them together with another fun and whimsical food is something anyone can do!  

homemade egg burritos

When dinner time rolls around people, especially college students, wonder what they are going to make after a long day of work.  I always like to make a meal that is rather large so that I can have left overs for lunch, but in some cases that doesn't always happen.  A meal that you can always rely on for good taste and to be filling is an egg burrito, or at least the way I make my egg burritos are certainly tasty and fulfilling for me!  

What I use to make my egg burrito is eggs (obviously), some seasoning, some shredded cheese, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, and a large white or wheat wrap.   A large wrap is necessary because as you fill your wrap with your eggs and veggies you don't want the wrap to break and you want to put as much into as possible.  This is do-able with a large wrap.

When making an egg burrito I tend to scrambled my eggs so that all of the ingredients marinate together when cooking and in the wrap.  I started off scrambling the eggs and adding some pepper and a touch of salt to them.  As the eggs are cooking I saute my veggies so that they are warm and so they break down a bit.  As the eggs gain a nice golden color to them I add in a layer of cheese, then a layer of veggies, and then another layer of cheese to top it all off.  You want to make sure that the veggies are spread out among all the eggs so each bite you get every ingredient. 

As you watch the eggs and veggies marry in the pan, you want to put tour wrap into the microwave, just to soften it up a bit.  There is nothing worse than having a hard wrap and having it crack or break right when you bite into it!  

Once your eggs and veggies are all cooked and your wrap is heated up you then pile the eggs and veggies into the middle of the wrap.  You then begin to fold in the end flaps of the wrap and roll the wrap into itself with the eggs and veggies in the middle.  Once that is done you have yourself a warm, tasty, and filling meal.  You can serve the egg burrito with some bacon or hash browns or simply just eat it by itself, it is that good! 

One would be surprised as to how satisfying an egg burrito really is! 

Turkey Sandwiches

One of my favorite meals is certainly lunch.  Whether I am out to lunch with friends or family or making my own I just love sandwiches, and Turkey sandwiches at that.  I love the idea of Turkey mixed with cheese, a whole bunch of vegetables, some kind of condiment all served on a delicious piece of bread. 

I find myself quite often getting Turkey sandwiches that consist of Turkey (obviously), pesto, cheddar cheese, spinach or lettuce, tomatoes, and sprouts on a wheat wrap.  I know this sounds not as great as I think it does, but if you go to City Market and order this then you will know what I am talking about.

The Turkey is fresh and reminds me of the pieces of Turkey that are left after Thanksgiving.  They pile three thick pieces of Turkey onto the large wheat wrap, but not before they lather the wrap in their homemade pesto.  It is some of the best pesto that I have had so far in my life.  So onto the Turkey.  They pile three thick pieces of Turkey onto the wrap like I said before and then hour pieces of cheddar cheese.  (My favorite part)  They then put on the spinach tomatoes and sprouts then role that all up and boy do they role it up.  The wrap is so tight that it squeezes all of the ingredients together making for each bite to be packed with fresh flavor.

When eating this wrap a bag of chips are always welcome along with a beverage of some sort.  I usually get a Diet Coke with my wrap along with a bag of cracked pepper and sea salt Cape Cod chips.   

If you are ever craving something to eat think of lunch, then think of a Turkey sandwich, and then think of all of City Market!  You won't be disappointed.

Mom's Broccoli Puff

During holidays my mom makes this wonderful rendition of a broccoli casserole, but in our house it is called "Broccoli Puff."  This broccoli used to be made my one of my many aunts, but as time went on my mom started making the dish herself and boy I didn't think it could get any better than my aunts.....BOY, was I wrong! 

When making broccoli puff all you need is broccoli, mushrooms, cheese,  bisquick, and milk.

When creating this dish you want to make sure that the broccoli and mushrooms are cut up at fine as possible, so each bite you get is a combination of broccoli, mushrooms, and cheese.  You can layer the pan with these ingredients or make a huge mix type of thing and then just pour it into the pan.

Once it is all cooked all of the ingredients really come together and it is delicious.  The cheese is all gooey and just melts in your mouth.  The broccoli and mushrooms are cooked just right and this dish along with the roast beef and squash etc. during Christmas dinner is unbelievable.  If I could have broccoli puff everyday I would!

Nika

This weekend I went to Nika, in Burlington, Vermont with my mom, dad, sister, and boyfriend to celebrate my birthday and it was certainly a meal not to forget.

Having it be lunch time they were not serving any appetizers other than soup and salad, so instead of getting their wonderful Sicilian style Calamari, we got two salads.  We got two of the arugula & long wind farm tomatoes salads.  The dish was a combination of of baby greens, shallots, Parmesan and espelette pepper tossed in a mixture of extra virgin olive oil & spices for the dressing.  The salad was refreshing and well dressed.  The baby greens had the right amount of dressing on them making them crunchy at the ends and certainly not wilted.  The tomatoes were scattered in the salad and added a different texture to the overall meal.  Very thin pieces of Parmesan  with a few sprinkles of pepper added to them topped the meal.  The only complaint about the dish was that it was a little bit salty in the sense that too much salt was added to the dressing.  After eating the great salad my meal came out and I couldn't have been more exctied!

For an entree I ordered the Wild Mushroom Risotto.  It was delicious.  The Risotto was rich and had great flavor to it.  The Wild Mushrooms were a huge part of the dish, as each bite that I got I had a huge mushroom in my mouth.  The mushrooms were cooked perfectly and it made a great contribution to the dish.  My sister and I split our entrees, so along with having the Wild Mushroom Risotto, I also had some of the Seafood Risotto.  At first, I didn't want to get two Risottos, but they both sounded so good and since I don't eat a lot of fish here in Vermont and I love fish I couldn't resist.  The Seafood Risotto was a dish filled with tons of mussels, shrimps, clams, wood fired tomatoes, some charred green onion, and chourico which is a form of sausage.  This was a great meal.  The sauce that the Risotto and pieces of seafood were mixed in was seasoned so well it was a highlight.  Although some of the pieces of fish had that "fishy" taste to them, the clams & mussels were great.  When getting a mixture of the Risotto and a clam or mussel together my taste buds were going wild.  As I ate more and more of both the Risottos,  I as realizing how well the Mushroom Risotto went with the Seafood Risotto.  The Mushrooms complicated all of the fish.  These were two great dishes. 

Although both the Risotto's were filling I managed to make my way to tasting my boyfriend's and parent's meals as well!  My mom got a special which was a Pulled Chicken and pasta dish, which had a great tomato flavor to it.  The sauce to Chicken and pasta ratio was great and the pulled Chicken was cook and seasoned well.  The pasta that was featured in the dish was a spiral type pasta which went well with the pulled pieces of Chicken and had symmetry to the meal.   My dad got a special as well.  He ordered the pulled pork sandwich which came with a wonderful mustard spread and shallots on a toasted Portuguese roll.  The mustard had a unique taste to it making for the combination of pork and mustard to be dynamite.  He also got a salad with his meal, but already having my own salad I passed on his.  My boyfriend ordered the orechiette and house made fennel sausage.  He has ordered that before and I tried it then and it was just as good as it was before.  Although his portion seemed a bit smaller this time he got it the flavors were still right one.  The cut up pieces of sausage mixed in the with garlic, broccoli rabe, and other spices and herbs certainly made for a great marinade for the sauce.  The pasta was fun and playful just as I thought the last time when I ate this dish.

Nika used to be Three Tomatoes.  As the atmosphere changed I was expecting the food too as well, but I can say that the food is just as good quality as the food served as Three Tomatoes.  The food is great and so aren't the prices other than the 3 dollars you have to pay when you order olive oil to dip the bread they gave us in.  If you are looking for some good Mediterranean cooking definitely go check out Nika!     

Childhood Memories

Over the Halloween weekend I went to Atlantic City and while I was there one of my meals consisted of a wonderful juicy burger from Johnny Rockets.  I hadn't been to Johnny Rockets since I was a little girl and went with my sister and my Nouna (in Greek means Godmother.)

Johnny Rockets is one of those places that people will always take their kids to because their food is fun and so isn't the atmosphere.  Right when you walk in there is music playing and friendly people waiting for you at the counter.

Now onto the food!  I ordered an original Johnny Rockets cheese burger, french fries, and a vanilla & chocolate shake that came with whipped cream.  The burger came with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, and of course a mound french fries on the side.  The french fries were perfectly crisp and had a golden brown coloring to them.  Fries don't always make a meal, but in Johnny Rocket's case the fries are icing on top of the cake for me.  When it comes to the burger itself, it is good quality considering Johnny Rockets being a chain.  The meat is nice and tender and the cheese cascades over the piece of beef drowning it in cheesy goodness.  Who can turn that down?  The pickles and other toppings add some depth and flavor to the overall patty making a lot bunch of taste buds able to be hit.  I love having pickles on my burger, but when I make burgers myself I never use pickles.  This may be, because the pickles that Johnny Rockets use have a sweet flavor to them and the way they are cut which is thin and round make for a perfect burger topper. 

 The bun is toasted, slightly, making for a little crunch to be added to the meal.  After taking a few bites of your delicious burger and crispy fries, you need to wash it all down with a huge gulp of massive shake that has about 2 inches of whipped cream on top.  I always order a vanilla and chocolate mixed shake wherever I go and this time was no exception.  When the waitress brought over the creamy shake my mouth watered.  The first sip is always the best because you get the thick layer of whip cream mixed with the perfect vanilla to chocolate ratio all in one bite.  The shake acted as a dessert which in this case certainly craved my sweet side.     

photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

       Having this shake with my burger and fries is certainly a meal that could hold me over until the next day.  After looking back at this meal I thought to myself, why don't I go here more often and then it came to me, 1. There isn't a Johnny Rockets here in Vermont, 2. It is a chain, and 3.  Since it is a chain this kind of meal should be have on occasion because yes it is bad for you, but furthermore it is a kind of meal that you want to remember and look forward and if you eat it all the time, you won't get that same feeling you do get when you have it once every few months.

Can Never get Enough of that Homestyle Cooking

Photo taken by Ariele Pappalimberis

This past weekend I want to my home town, Ipswich, MA.  I love going home for the simply reason that my mom is an outstanding cook!  She cooks everything you could even imagine, but ten times better.  The night before I came back to school my mom made me own of my favorite dishes which is Greek style chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, squash, celery stuffed with cream cheese, and cranberry sauce.  Can you say delicious?  Not to mention, while she was cooking dinner she was also preparing meatballs and cupcakes so I could take those both back to school with me!  My mom really is a wonderful mom and woman!
 


Now back to this insane dinner.  The Green style chicken is exactly what it sounds like.  A chicken breast covered with a seasoning of Greek and Mediterranean spices and herbs.  Some ingredients that are present in this rub are oregano, pepper, lemon, and a few other secret spices.  The chicken was so moist that when I cut into it all the juices spread out onto my plate and it was a glorious picture.  She always cooks them in the oven, but some how gets this beautiful lighten-brown crisp on the skin.  I don't know how she does it!

The next part of the dish are her wonderful garlic mashed potatoes.  When I first had these say about a thousand years ago I wasn't a huge fan because the garlic was very prevalent, but as my taste buds have progressed the garlic is a picture addition to the dish.  She sometimes uses red bliss potatoes, but this time she used the kind of potatoes that you would use for baked potatoes.  Either potato in my mind works for this meal.  She then lightly seasons the potatoes with spices and herbs and of course adds milk and butter when mashing.  She always gets them to be so light and fluffy once she mashes them and I honestly could just eat those mashed potatoes for days on end.

The squash is a part of the dish can be substituted for other vegetables such as carrots, celery or a whole bunch of mixed vegetables which is what my mom usually does, but this weekend she made squash and it was a good choice.  She lightly season it and mashed it up and there is nothing better then getting one whole bite of the chicken, mashed potatoes, and squash today.  It's like a food party in my mouth!

I know that celery stuffed with cream cheese sounds weird and gross, but it is the complete opposite.  It is actually a great way to add some lightness to the dish.  The cold pieces of celery mixed with the cold cream cheese makes for this to be a refreshing pallet cleanser.  You can use any kind of cream cheese, whether it is regular or chive.  Although this time my mother used regular cream cheese, she tends to switch back and forth from filling the sticks of celery with chive cream cheese and regular cream cheese.  The chive always adds another layer of flavor to the celery and the meal itself.

Now onto the last part of the meal.....  

The last part of this 5 course meal is the cranberry sauce.  Although cranberry sauce isn't anything special it adds some tart and sweetness to the overall meal.  Cranberry sauce can sometimes act as a divider between all the other portions in the sense sometimes the mashed potatoes and chicken itself can be a little filling, and the cranberry sauce helps digest it all.  I also sometimes consider the cranberry sauce to be an early dessert.  The texture of the cranberry sauce is like a dessert and it's whimsical feeling it adds some fun to the overall meal.

You can never get tired of home cooking.  It is actually one of the things that I look forward to when going home, especially if it is around a holiday.  Tune in for other homemade meals, pictures, and even recipes so you can bring home style cooking to your house as well.  Anyone can do it!

A Weekend @ Stratton

This Columbus Day weekend I had the privilege to spend it at my friends log barn in Stratton, Vermont.  I have never been to Stratton before so I was excited to see a new part of Vermont.  Her barn was ten minutes away from the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort.  Those who attended the wonderful weekend included my boyfriend along with the hostess's boyfriend, another couple, a few other people and a dog.  The barn consisted of a bunch of log beams that made the foundation and structure of the barn along with so many cute little inside furnishing.  One of my favorite parts about the barn were the fans because each fan had many layers and levels of animal parts such as antlers as well as different pieces of nature.  When I first walked in the feeling that came over my entire body was warm and organic.

 

 Photo taken by the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort

When I first walked in I was greeted by a few of the people who got their before me.  Along with warm welcomes was a buffet of great food from my friends new restaurant in the Stratton Mountain Village and who was also the hostess of this fabulous weekend.  The restaurant is called the Fire Tower Restaurant & Tavern and will be opening the week of Thanksgiving.  It was great being able to taste a variety of the foods that will be featured on the menu before anyone else.  The food consisted of pork wontons, jerk chicken wings, garlic bread topped with goat cheese, and pasta and beef that was tossed in a blue cheese sauce.  Being a food person, this was something that was certainly needed after driving for a few hours. 

While we were in Stratton were able to go to the village for the Brew Fest and Chili cook off.  For $10 you could purchase a bracelet that allowed you to eat all the chili you want as well as vote for the best chili.  There were 8 different kinds of chili; my favorite being number 1 which was a BBQ Biscuit Chili.  You could also spend $15 or $25 where they gave you a pint glass and a drinking bracelet which allowed you to try about 40 different types of beer.  I'd have to say that I loved drinking the Shipyard Pumpkin Head.  There were also a different kinds of cider that you could taste.  After filling up on tons of chili and beer we went back to our friends restaurant that I mentioned above to see what it will look like once it is completely furnished and finished.

Photo taken by Ariele Papplimberis 

Both nights that we spent there were filled with lots of fun as well as a well lit fire outside in my friends backyard.  Fire is always something that is needed when you are vacationing out in the wilderness.  With all of us being 21 and over we certainly had our fair share of drinking this weekend and it was certainly necessary after a long week and lots of work.  I can only wish that I will go back up to Stratton soon to have a great time like I did this weekend. 

 

Game Makers & Game Changers

After reading chapter 2 in our book the idea of "creating your own game" as been on my mind at all.  This one phrase can be misconstrued and allow for people to act in ways that shouldn't be aloud in some cases.  The chapter mentions the concept of thinking with your left side of the brain and comparing that to thinking with the right side of the brain.  Which side is better? How can we support that?
 
Everyday I see people creating new businesses and while some strive other do not.  This brings up the other controversial phrase, "Don't hate the player, hate the game" and vice versa.  One could be playing the game real well, but screwing over someone else.  How is this truly helping anyone?

This idea of game makers and game changers will always be a part of our lives especially as more and more technological enchantments come into play.  Making your won game allows for you personally to thrive, but for others is could be a way to paralyze someone.  Paralyzing them of their own thoughts, own beliefs, own way of crating their game and more importantly own way of playing the game.  Selfishness can shine through in this chapter and thus it is one of the more controversial ones so far.   

Have we found ourselves in a world where people walk on others to get to the top, but in reality there is never a top that can be ultimately grabbed and stuck unto?

Physical Book vs. e-book

In this day and age certain resources that we used to use are now being replaced by other resources.  In this case I am talking about books.  When I was a kid I used to love reading books with my mom.  I loved being able to flip the pages and put things out.  Are e-books a good replacement for the physical book, espceially when it comes to children?

I see so many little kids playing on their parents i-Pads and it makes me wonder, how are kids developing certain skills if they are always glued to a screen?  This has also raised the question, will the actually physical copies of books be diminished when I have kids in 5 years or so?

As technology becomes more and more part of our everyday lives, have we forgotten that there are actual physical copies of things?  I personally don't use e-books and I feel as if little kids shouldn't either.  They need that hands on activity with interacting with a book.  They want that hand on interaction.  When teaching at a preschool I found that many kids love the ideas of being able to hold a book.  That is very different than holding an electronic device.  Parents thees days just think, "Hey I'll throw them in front of a screen so I can get my work done."  Why not just put your kid in front of a book and see what happens?

We need to not forget that the physical copies of books can create interaction for young kids as well as interaction between a parent and their child. 

The Shelburne Inn

Photo taken by Shelburne Farms

This past weekend my boyfriend, his family, and I went to the Inn at Shelburne Farms for a lovely dinner to say the least.  Considering all of the food they serve is straight from the farm we all knew going into indulge in many of their dishes.  Their menu ranged from scallops to roast beef.  When walking into the Inn I truly wanted fish, but after seeing the other dishes I knew that fish was not on the top of my list anymore.  It only made sense to order some type of meat considering they are on a farm and all their meat is fresh.

Our experience began with having drinks and some wonderful Cheddar cheese right when we walked in.  The cheese was delicious and the atmosphere was great.  We made our way down into the game room where there was a pool table, a few board games, and a ton of amazing wooden sculptures.  The game room was also filled with all  different kinds of animal heads.  I found that to be quite interesting and somewhat appropriate.  It gave the overall feeling of being in a wilderness type of establishment.

Once we were seated I knew that this was going to be one long evening just because there was so much different food on the menu and we wanted to try basically everything!  We began with bread and butter of course and made our way onto ordering a smorgasbord of different appetizers.  We got an order of lamb wontons, pulled pork with pieces of crostini, a beet salad, and a platter of mixed vegetables, better known as the "Feast of the Fields."  We also got a bottle of wine that was a great match for our appetizers.  

The lamb wonton was a special that they had and we were excited to try it.  The wonton itself was fried to perfection and the lamb that was stuffed inside was moist and had amazing flavor.  The texture of the crispy wonton mixed with the tender pieces of lamb made for a each bite to be satisfying.  The fact that the wonton was bite size made for it to be a great introduction into the other appetizers that we had coming our way.  The pulled pork with the pieces of crostini on the side was not what I was expecting.  It was a bit salty as my fellow diners also pointed out and the crostini were almost too toasted for my taste, but the seasoning of the pulled pork complimented the light seasoning on the crostini.  When putting a little but of the pulled pork onto the crostini made a different layer of flavor come out for both the pork and the crostini.

After taking in some rather heavy dishes, the beet salad came out and that was a great pallet cleanser.  The vinaigrette that the greens were dressed in was sweet and certainly complimented the blue cheese crumbs that were featured in the dish.  The beets along with the greens were visually appealing and that is something that is huge in the food world.  Visual appearance is right up there with taste, especially in my mind.  When the "Feast of the Fields" came out to our table I was surprised to see how beautiful it was.  I was expecting a huge plate of vegetables piled on top of each other, but that certainly wasn't the case.  The mixture of veggies came out on a wooden spatula.  The kind of spatula that you would put a pizza in a brick oven with.  This made the dish look a lot more rustic and it also made the dish fun and playful all at the same time.  After eating all four of the appetizers an actual entree was something that I wasn't craving, but as I saw my plate of roast beef coming out I was excited to see how they could make this ordinary dish special.    

For my entree I ordered the roast beef with potatoes and braised greens.  Everything about the dish was wonderful.  The roast beef had an amazing texture and it was cooked to perfection.  It was pink in the center, and certainly had no fat on any of my pieces of beef.  The roasted tomato sauce covering the meat, green, and potatoes was a great addition.  The braised greens mixed in one bite with the potatoes and beef made for a great savory flavor in my mouth.  I also tried the dishes of my boyfriend and his parents and their meals were amazing as well.  The way the cook was able to pack so much flavor into each dish was highly notable and it certainly made me want to go back.

A dinner isn't complete without a dessert, so we ordered the mixed berry tart along with the chocolate cake with a raspberry and plum drizzle.  Both were absolutely delicious.  The cake with the plum sauce and ice cream filling was rich, but balanced.  The cake was moist and each bite that I took I made sure I got the cake and ice cream together so I could get those numerous layers of flavor.  The combination of the different berries that were given in the tart made the overall dish filled with great a dimension of flavors.  I was pleased, not too mention that wine goes well with any dessert. 

The Inn at Shelburne Farms was a great experience and I would certainly recommend it for those who love ingredients being taken straight from the farm!  Each bite that I put into my mouth was soul soothing and made me smile.   

Farms and Fresh Air

This past weekend I attended the Harvest Festival at Shelburne Farms and I also went apple picking at Shelburne Orchards.  This was the first weekend of my senior year where I was able to spend some great time at the farm as well as pick some of my very own apples.

Every since I was a little girl I always loved going apple picking.  It was something that my parents did with my sister and I every year and I just loved it!  I went apple picking with my boyfriend and this is certainly not the first time that we have gone together.  I was able to pick tons of great apples and I also was able to get some cider donuts and apple cider.  I love going apple picking because I love making apple crisp after I go.  My mom always makes apple crisp for me when I'm home and now I am going to make it for myself!

The Harvest Festival was another great part of my weekend.  It was great to see some wildlife and it was a great way to see the farm as a whole.  Also, there was some awesome food there.  There was grilled corn, mac and cheese, brick oven pizza, soup, ice cream, and crapes.  I also had the best time trying to make my very own head piece that was made out of old stickers, flowers, and brush that you would find in a field.  Before going to the festival I stopped at the Shelburne Farms store and got my fix with all of their wonderful cheeses.  I am a cheese lover and I can't ever get enough cheese!  My favorite is their 6 month aged Cheddar and their sun dried tomato cheese spread.  Everything about Shelburne Farms is great!  

For those who were not able to make it to the Harvest Festival or apple picking find some time to go to both!    

Computer, cell phone or i-Pad?

With so many kids these days having smart phones and i-Pads, is there going to be a time when the computer is not needed?  Do we find ourselves in the mist of a technological revolution or are we just drawn to the newest items?

These are questions that we need to think about especially as new forms of technology come to us.  We need to not forget how we once found information and that was by going to the library and reading books.  As time moved on the computer and the Internet became the source for contracting information.  Today, we still are using the Internet, but now it is just on a cell phone or i-Pad. 

Even young children are using their parents i-Pad's and I find this to be repulsive.  Although it is good for children to interact with some forms of technology, what is wrong with kids coloring or reading a book whether they are waiting in a doctor's office or out to dinner with their family.  Should we expose our young children to these forever changing technological forms or should we revert back to our old ways?

Will the cell phone or i-Pad out weigh the computer in 5 years from now?

Technology: a useful tool or just another way to check up on the world?

After reading the first chapter of Chris Brogan's & Julien Smith's book, Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust I realized that many of us find the internet and technology abrasive and at points almost scary.  Smith and Brogan mention that people who worked undercover in the olden days might have been at risk if they had to deal with the technology advancements of our time today.  I find that today people sometimes only make a Facebook page or a LinkedIn to check up on others and in my mind that is not right.  Why should a future employer need to look at a person's Facebook to see what they are like?  How is this right?

The idea of people taking the time to use these social media outlets to check up on people  just goes to show that privacy is not there and people must be aware of what they put up on their page's at all times.  Why even have a Facebook if you can't put up things that you truly want up there?  What's the point?

Although we need to do background checks, is going to people's Facebook pages really the place to be doing it?

Breakfast made with Love

The the other morning my boyfriend made me one of the most delicious breakfast's I have EVER had!  This wonderful breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese all mixed in together.  On the side I had a wheat English Muffin and cranberry juice.  Boy, that was a great start to the day!

What made the breakfast so great was that the eggs were so fluffy and the cheese mixed with the vegetables melted in my mouth.  The eggs reminded me of the eggs that my dad makes for me every Christmas morning; fluffy, cheesy, and absolutely scrumptious.  Even the English Muffin was so yummy!  It was toasted perfectly and it had just the right amount of butter on it.  The thing I love about scrambled eggs is that I can put them on top of my English Muffin and make my very own egg sandwich.  This is something that I have done with my eggs since I was a little girl.  I even do it with omelets!

I love when my boyfriend cooks for me because whenever he does I can tell that he does it with love!  He makes sure that all the ingredients I want is in my breakfast and he always overloads them which is a huge thing with me!  The more vegetables in my eggs the better!  If only everyday could start with a magnificent breakfast like this one!          

Pork Tornado & Meter Men

Friday night I attended a Meter Men show with Pork Tornado opening for them at Higher Ground.  I have seen Pork Tornado before, but I have never seen the Meter Men before.  My favorite thing about Pork Tornado is that their drummer is Jon Fishman from the band, Phish.  He has great charisma and really gets the audience going at any show he is a part of.  The Meter Men was also very exciting because Page McConnell also from the band, Phish played the piano/keyboard and I just love hearing him play.  It was great seeing two bands that I don't regularly see play, especially together.

Higher ground is definitely NOT one of my favorite venues, especially in Vermont.  I find the people who work there to be rude and very hostile a lot of the time.  I understand that they need to do their job which is keep people safe, but sometimes they are a little bit over kill and a lot of the staff seem as if they are always on some kind of "power trip."  The best part about Higher Ground is being able to see friends that you don't always get to see whether it's because they go to another school in the area or just because I and/or them are busy.  Venues in general are a great place to see friendly and familiar faces.  There's nothing better than going to a show and having your group of friends that you know will most likely be there.

Shows in my mind are a special way of interacting.  Those who are one stage are communicating with the audience on different levels.  This form of interaction can definitely be considered face to face (F-2-F) as well as human to human (H-2-H) communication.  You can't even compare seeing a band play live and watching a video of them play.  The feeling that you get when you are in the crowd is exhilarating.  I'm sure everyone has felt this feeling at least one time in their life or another.