Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you ever just wanted a quick snack, maybe like a peanut butter cookie, but didn't feel like getting into any really big baking project? That is what happened to me. It was July, it was hot and muggy and I wanted a fresh peanut butter cookie. Lucky for me, I had seen a recipe on Facebook that I thought was impossible. A three ingredient cookie. Really? 

I had the three ingredients:

2 cups of peanut butter 

1 cup of Sugar

2 eggs

I set the oven at  350 degrees, grabbed out a bowl and mixed the three ingredients together. The beauty of this recipe, of course, is that they are gluten-free!! I used a metal ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough. I didn't really form them into formal balls, but you can if that is what you prefer. In order to make them an official peanut butter cookie, you need to use a fork and place the marks on top. If you want to keep them gluten free use corn starch on the fork tines. 

I placed a parchment on my cookie sheet to avoid sticking. I also placed a half pecan on half of the cookies. Bake 10-12 minutes.

#peanutbuttercookies

I was amazed at how well they came out, they are delicious. You will notice mine have a rather rustic shape if you make them into balls before baking they will be more regular in shape. 

Rabia's Seafood/Oysters and Italian Restaurant Boston, Mass.

What a lucky find this was. We planned to have dinner at Goody Glover’s Irish Pub (which has since closed)  but after sitting there for 10 minutes and being ignored we decided that the North End has way too many delicious restaurants for us to waste our time here. I had seen a sandwich board outside Rabia's on Salem Street offering the stuffed fig appetizer when we walked by so it seemed like something we might want to try.

We walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. We declined the table for two in the window preferring to leave the limelight to someone else. We were seated at a banquette along the wall that had about 5 tables for two at it. We had a basket of bread and dipping oil in front of us while we decided what we wanted to eat. Irene ordered a house wine and I had a Pellegrino to drink.

The menu is eclectic running the gamut from the expected pasta dishes to the unexpected a raw bar and sushi. It was a hard decision there were so many delicious sounding dishes. 

After some discussion between Irene and I agreed to split a Caprese salad and the dish that had drawn us in,  the stuffed figs.

They arrived together and the figs were actually beautiful with the wonderful gorgonzola sauce covering them and a sprinkling of pine nuts. That gorgonzola sauce was so good that we used the bread we had left to wipe up the sauce. The Caprese was as expected with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella with the addition of slices prosciutto. It was not large but was well presented and tasty.

For our main courses, we went our separate ways. Irene ordered the pumpkin and butternut squash ravioli with the same amazing gorgonzola sauce and I chose the penne with broccoli and artichoke with a lemon, garlic, and olive oil dressing. Irene’s portion was small but she was not complaining, actually, she wasn’t speaking at all she was too busy enjoying her food.

My portion was more than I could eat but it was very good and the sauce was very light and lemony. There was a nice ratio of vegetables to pasta.

Service was excellent. We were taken very good care of. The timing of everything was perfect. We finished up with a decaf cappuccino being too full for dessert. Our neighbors who were two college girls in town for a comedy show shared a tiramisu and they let me photograph it. It looked beautiful and they assured me that it tasted even better.

Our meal for two with appetizers, a glass of wine and cappuccino was $78. We thought that this was a very good price for the quality of the meal. We reluctantly walked back out into the cold dark rainy fall night and vowed to return to this little gem. I have returned to Rabia's several times and everything is always wonderful. 

I Bambini Mooresville, NC

In January 2018  an ice storm hit the eastern part of the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. We were on our way to Florida and stopped for the night in Mooresville, NC which is a usual stop for us. We ate dinner the first night at a restaurant we have tried before and like very much. We didn't expect to need to eat anywhere else. We were wrong. I Bambini as it turns out, was right down the street from our hotel, The Candlewood Suites.

I checked Google looking for a place for lunch and Italian seemed like a good choice. I Bambini is located in a strip mall and the exterior will not blow you away, it is rather nondescript. Inside is cozy and we were given a friendly welcome. They have a very well-priced lunchtime buffet, Al decided he wanted veal parm and I chose the lunch buffet.


#IBambiniMooresville

The lunch buffet lasagna was very good as was the spaghetti a la vodka. Lots of other choices were offered and I sampled a little taste of many different things. All were good, not exciting but good. Salads and soups were offered as well as desserts. For $7 how could you possibly go wrong?

We had good service and liked to food enough to order two meals to go for dinner. I certainly would not hesitate to eat here again when we stay in the area.

Other restaurants we enjoy in the area:

Jeffrey's 

Duckworths Grill

Eating cheaply in England

When you are visiting England, there are a lot of expenses, just as there would be on a vacation in any country. You need to pay for your accommodations, your transportation and of course you need to eat. Eating can be expensive, but there are always ways to stick to your budget and still manage to eat well.  It is not all that hard to eat cheaply in England if you are creative.

Picnic

One way to dine on a budget is to pick up the makings of a picnic. It is always less expensive to make your own meal than to buy a meal already made in a restaurant. Depending on the time of year, this may be a picnic in your hotel room or one that you enjoy in the great outdoors. The makings for your picnic can be purchased at a farmer’s market or at the local Tesco or Sainsbury. They have prepared foods such as roasted chicken or chicken curry. You can get fresh salads, fruits, sandwiches and a whole lot more. If you want to make a traditional picnic a loaf of French bread, some cheese such as Brie or cheddar, apples or pears and a bottle of wine or sparkling water will be inexpensive and delicious.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches were invented by the Earl of Sandwich so it is not surprising that you can get a good sandwich almost anywhere in England. You can, of course, go to a local tea room or restaurant for your sandwich but you can also go to most grocery stores and even to gas stations that have a store. Even though you are thinking, sandwiches at a gas station can’t be any good, I must tell you that you are wrong. You will find an excellent selection on a wide variety of bread and rolls with very delicious fillings. Add a bag of Walker crisps and a drink and you have a very inexpensive lunch or dinner. If you want to try something you won’t find at home, try the coronation chicken.

Pasty

Pasties are available at pasty shops, bakeries, grocery stores and well just about everywhere. They are a turnover filled with a variety of delicious meats and vegetables and even fruit. Traditionally it is beef, potatoes and a root vegetable with gravy. It can also be lamb or chicken and may or may not have curry as a flavor. Newer versions may also include cheese.  My favorite is lamb and apricot.

Pubs

With the advent of the gastro-pub, dining has been taken to a whole new level at many pubs. The downside is that prices have also risen. One of the best deals in town, however, is the Sunday carvery at many pubs. This can be a buffet or it can be a sit-down meal but it will include among other things roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and all the fixings at very reasonable prices. Keep in mind that having a brew in a pub is often much more economical than a soft drink and also larger. 

Museums

Many museums have a cafe where they serve anything from just snacks to full meals. Most of them are extremely reasonable. Check the prices before you order however since not all museum cafes are created equal.

Bed and breakfast

One way to guarantee that you will have a full stomach as you begin your day is to choose to stay at a bed and breakfast. You will begin your day with the traditional English breakfast in many cases and the fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms, fried bread and tomatoes served with toast will hold you in many cases until dinner. Some hotels also include breakfast in the rate which is very budget friendly.

When you are looking for a reasonably priced meal, don’t be afraid to ask the locals where the inexpensive restaurants are located. Often they are not where tourists usually go and you might not find them on your own. To eat cheaply in England and stick to a budget may take a little work but it will be a tasty job.

My Take on Hamburger Steak

Yesterday, I thawed out two hamburger patties. I don't have any burger rolls so I decided to try to come up with another option. I always have Simply Mashed Potatoes in the fridge so I decided to make something with a beefy type gravy. 

I started by slicing up a large Vidalia onion and sauteing it in olive oil. I sprinkled on a little steak seasoning while it was softening up. Now, how to create the gravy? I added one Knorr beef stock pod and about 1/4 cup of water. I added a tablespoon of gravy master and half a bag of dry onion soup mix. I added an additional half cup of water at this point. I let this simmer on low while I warmed up the mashed potatoes and cooked the hamburgers. 

I would have preferred to have beefy onion soup mix but unfortunately, I did not have any. I was quite pleased with the way this came out. The gravy was a little salty so I will need to work on that but otherwise, it was quite good. Here is another way to use thawed hamburger. 

Dining at the Red Lion in Stockbridge, Mass.

Staying at the Red Lion is wonderful, but you don't have to stay there to enjoy dining there. While we were eating our anniversary dinner, we saw many people enter through the front door and either come to the dining room or head to the pub and outdoor dining. 

I was afraid when I booked at the Red Lion that the dining room would be formal, I need not have worried, While there are white tablecloths and candles, the dress code is casual, perhaps a little more business casual but you certainly can be dressed with your regular clothes.  

We had two meals at the Red Lion, dinner and breakfast. I had checked the menu ahead of time and knew that I wanted to eat in the dining room to take advantage of the roasts. They offer prime rib and turkey. The perfect combination for Al and me. We had reservations for 6 p.m. and arrived at the correct time. We were given a table along the wall and had our water and bread quickly. We ordered the meals and within 15 minutes our full plates were in front of us. I have never seen an entree served that quickly. It might be that we didn't order appetizers that resulted in the quick service but it was still impressive. 

Al's prime rib was cooked perfectly and served with mashed potatoes, a pop over the size of his head and green beans. My turkey was Thanksgiving on a plate. The food was excellent, well prepared and delicious. Honestly, we were almost too full for dessert but it was our 50th-anniversary rehearsal dinner so we decided to be brave and go for dessert. 

I ordered a coconut pannacotta and a cappuccino and Al got the apple pie. I can say with confidence that neither of us was disappointed. 

We came down to breakfast after 9 a.m and were given a table by the window. It was actually very nice to be able to enjoy the outdoor view. 

 We started with coffee and it was delicious, so smooth. It is roasted in Great Barrington so a local brand. 

I had two fried eggs over medium, this was the only disappointment I had with the dining experience here. As you can see in the picture, one of my eggs had a hard yoke. I always find it disappointing when a chef sends this out to a customer, did they expect I wouldn't notice? Well,  I did notice!! The homefries are unique and quite delicious and I loved my toast. 

Al's omelet was quite perfect. 

Our waitress was new, you could tell but she was very friendly and gave us good service. 

Spanish stuffed peppers

Stop and Shop had peppers on sale for $1 each, all the colors. I decided to buy two yellow ones with the correct shape to make stuffed peppers. I like to make stuffed peppers cutting the peppers from top to bottom so they lay flat not standing up. This was the first time I tried Spanish stuffed peppers.

I bought some quick-cooking rice but on the night I decided to make the stuffed peppers I remembered that I had a package of Spanish rice that was at its expiration date. I decided to mix the package into my pound of hamburger. Thus Spanish stuffed peppers.


What you need:


Peppers

1/4 pound of ground meat per half pepper (you can use the meat of your choice)

1 large can tomato puree

Garlic Garni spice (from Gilroy Garlic Festival)

13 by 9 pan

Turn the oven on to 375 degrees




Cut the peppers and clean. Put the ground meat into a bowl and pour the entire package into the bowl with the meal. I used Knorr. I like to use my hands for this part, I knead it with my hands until it is all incorporated. Scoop up a handful and place it in the pepper. Continue until the meat mixture has all been used.

Open the can of puree and pour it over the peppers. Sprinkle with the spice. Spoon more sauce over the peppers. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for one hour.

I was surprised at how easy and delicious Spanish stiffed peppers were. It was also a very good bargain. You can certainly feed a family quite inexpensively with this recipe.