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review – burger company (american)

By on March 1, 2012 in american, beef, candid reviews, chicken, ingredients, wesley heights

i’ve already done a few reviews of burger joints in charlotte, and i still stand firm in my assertion that the liberty has the best burger in town; however, this sentiment has never stopped me from trying out another contender. i mean, let’s be honest, burgers are a ubiquitous staple of the american diet, regardless of dietary restrictions. i’ve tried so many different kinds of burgers: tofu burger, turkey burger, thai peanut and sriracha burger; mushroom burger, kobe beef burger, buffalo chicken burger, etc. some are excellent, others not so much . . . but i always have a good time eating them!

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curried cauliflower soup (indian/american)

By on February 16, 2012 in american, indian, ingredients, recipes, veg/vegan

yesterday was the blessed/cursed day known as valentine’s day (depending on your perspective). my husband and i fixed dinner together, and we had a great time coming up with a menu and tweaking it to our specific tastes. of course, no husband and wife can put together something so intricate without a few, ahem, “disputes”, but they were all in good fun, and the memories made from last night are the real reasons why anyone goes through the trouble of buying into a holiday sponsored by hersheys. ;-)

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QUICKMEAL! bagels with lox (jewish)

By on February 7, 2012 in fish, ingredients, jewish, QUICKMEAL!, recipes

i had a moment when i first began putting this post together. after spending some time googling info on jewish cuisine, i now feel pretty solid in categorizing it as a traditional ashkenazic jewish dish. true, the term “lox” is more scandinavian in origin, but bagels with lox and schmear were really popularized in america by those of jewish origin. sorry to go nerd on you, but i needed to be sure. :-P

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QUICKMEAL! the best deviled eggs EVER (american) *guest blogger

By on January 30, 2012 in american, ingredients, QUICKMEAL!, recipes

are you in the mood for quick comfort food? palate, prepare yourself. these deviled eggs are unstoppable. for many of us, deviled eggs exist in a forgotten corner of our minds, but i challenge you to bring back a taste of the traditional with this fast, easy recipe. it doesn’t have to take all afternoon to make delicious deviled eggs anymore.

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QUICKMEAL! salad olivieh (persian chicken salad)

By on July 22, 2011 in chicken, ingredients, persian, QUICKMEAL!, recipes

i love it when i’m gifted the same recipe in multiple ways . . . it means i can combine everything i liked about each into one recipe to rule them all (pardon my nerdiness—i’ve recently reinvigorated my love for tolkien).

let me begin by saying that i’m not actually a fan of mayonnaise; in fact, until tabi (one of my besties) began forcing me to eat it on many atypical things (like pizza), i avoided it much like a trip to the dentist. i don’t know what it is about mayo that forever singed my memory, but it’s been a task to bring myself to reintroduce it into my cooking, and recipes like this one really make me grateful for tabi and her love of mayonnaise.

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gumbo (american/creole stew)

By on June 8, 2011 in american, chicken, fish, ingredients, pork, recipes

traditionally, a gumbo includes some form of seafood and a large dose of spice. i love adding shrimp to this version, and turning up the heat would also be more than welcome, but some of my closest friends/family are averse to both heat and ocean dwellers, so this recipe has been tailored to suit loved ones. ah, is there a better reason? :-P

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QUICKMEAL! tomato bruschetta (italian)

By on May 9, 2011 in ingredients, italian, QUICKMEAL!, recipes, veg/vegan

i recently had a good friend and blog fan mention that she loves reading the candid cook for the pictures of food and the nerdy brand of humor. when i asked her if she had tried any of the recipes, she quickly exclaimed, “oh no! they’re way too complicated, and they look like they take forever! i just like to look at your pictures and make a mental list of what you should cook for us next time!”

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review – lang van, plaza midwood (vietnamese)

By on April 25, 2011 in beef, candid reviews, chicken, fish, plaza midwood, pork, tofu, veg/vegan, vietnamese

chalk it up to being demi-asian. i adore food from this part of the world. japanese, chinese, thai, vietnamese, korean, malaysian, manchurian, etc. there are marked, yet subtle, differences in each country’s cuisine, and i’ve had a helluva time exploring each and every one of them.

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ghormeh sabzi (persian fried vegetable stew)

By on April 20, 2011 in beef, chicken, ingredients, lamb, persian, recipes, tofu, veg/vegan

whenever i visit texas with my good friend tabbi, we always eat at kasra persian grill so that i can have one of my favorite meals ever: a big plate of tahdeeg (the crispy rice and/or potato layer on the bottom of the rice pot) piled high with ghemeh and ghormeh sabzi. ghemeh’s lentil-laced tomato goodness and the tang of the greens in ghormeh sabzi are complimented by the buttery basmati, which is fried to crispy perfection.

needless to say, the flavor combination is insanely good. since i’ve already touched on ghemeh in a prior post, it’s only fair that i now share the recipe for ghormeh sabzi.

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tagine (moroccan stew with couscous)

By on April 13, 2011 in beef, chicken, ingredients, lamb, moroccan, recipes, veg/vegan

urban dictionary defines “comfort food” as “food that gives emotional comfort to the one eating it; tends to be favorite foods of childhood, or linked to a person, place or time with which the food has a positive association.”

for me, tagine provides its own positive association. the first time i ever tasted its savory goodness atop a pile of steaming cous cous and buttery pine nuts, i was in love. whether it be a chilly winter night or a balmy summer afternoon, the scent of the simmering spices stirs my soul and tantalizes my taste buds. give yourself some time to let it stew on the stove or cook in its traditional vessel, also known as a “tagine”, and let the aroma do its magic.

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