Easy Alfredo

It doesn't get much easier than this--creamy, delicious Fettucine Alfredo in 8 minutes! This was the sample du jour a few weekends ago at the Oceanside Trader Joe's. ABF and I each picked up a bag. One bag has 2 servings, and it sold for 4.99, which is a bargain.

I was surprised to see the cooking time is exactly the same for stovetop and microwave. I wanted to do some light cleaning while it cooked, so I opted for microwave. Bring out the lovely IKEA serving platter (dishwasher/oven/microwave safe)--one of my best buys yet!

The pasta comes out in little "nests," and the chicken and sauce are frozen into separate bits. I was skeptical that it would come out well in the time alloted, but I worried for nothing. I stirred halfway through, but otherwise this dish was on auto-pilot.

I dished out half for dinner that night (along with leftover veggies and mixed greens) and put the other half in Tupperware for lunch the next day. Delicious both times! Of course, another round or two of fresh-cracked pepper didn't hurt, either.

This was delicious, simple, no-muss, no-fuss, and I will definitely pick up some more on my next time. Granted, it's not for every night, but when you want something that's very satisfying in a moderate portion, this is one to get.

What are some of your favorite Trader Joe's items?

Love Lane Kitchen

Love Lane posted a link to this review on their FB page, and I have a whole slew of new vistors--welcome! Leave a comment, suggestion for a new place to try, or a link to your blog! Feel free to add me to your Google Reader to follow the new posts, or peruse my list of tags (lower right corner of this page) to see what happened before you got here! Hope you'll stick around and become a regular!--LKP

Love Lane has been on my 'list' for years, and I mean years. Even before I met ABF (who lives in Long Island and is always happy to show me around there), I wanted to try Love Lane. They have made a (delicious) name for themselves by featuring fresh, clean flavors and local ingredients. Summer is its crazy season, but as the weather was decidely fall by now, we decided to chance it. At 9pm on a Saturday, after our visit to the awesome Roanoke Vineyards, it was still pretty busy, but we got seats even without reservations. I wouldn't chance a walk-in next time. There was outdoor seating, but it was a bit cold, and a large party next to us was smoking about 10 feet away and upwind of us, so we moved into a smaller area inside. We were just happy to have gotten a table!



We were pretty hungry (seriously, I need to start packing cheese sticks and crackers on me at all times) so we tore into the rolls and butter that came out first. I like that the portions were small so we didn't fill up on bread, we just got our stomachs to quiet down for a bit.

ABF ordered the special (I noticed it was $24 on the menu, but rang up as $25 on the bill--odd), which was supposed to be striped bass but, now that they'd run out of it, was cod. This was exquisitely, perfectly cooked, nestled on a bed of local spinach and polenta. The fish was still moist and tender, and the olives and seasonings were a perfect match. I'm not a polenta fan, but I still thought it was well seasoned and better than most polenta I've tried.

I ordered the garlic and vinegar chicken (also, $21 on the menu, but rang up as $22 on our bill). The first whiff was so unexpectedly strong that for a hot second I thought Oh, dear, I have made a terrible mistake. One bite and all fears vanished into a delicious vapor of tastiness.--even more than the garlic, I tasted the salt and vinegar, and that made my tongue very, very happy. One of my favorite flavors from growing up in New England is the salt and vinegar combo. I cannot be alone with a bag of those chips. The tangy-salty-sacricliious flavor combo is my Kryptonite. THAT is exactly what this chicken reminded me of with every delicious bite.

I also ordered a glass of Paumonok chardonnay with my meal (a reasonable $7), and it was good, but I think I'm just really, really not a chardonnay person. I'll drink them, and they're fine, but I don't especially enjoy them. It's just me, and I don't mean this as a reflection on Paumonok at all.

Jenezuela got the burger with blue cheese ($12). I love burgers, and oh my do I love blue cheese, but for some reason I always balk at ordering them together. Jen gave me a sample and I have to say this was awesome. It wasn't overpowering--it was just enough cheese on top to melt and make it salty and tangy.

Jen's husband, Alex, ordered the chicken soup and the cheeseburger. I hope the soup filled him up, because he didn't eat most of his burger!

I don't remember the prices for desserts--our server recited the dessert menu for us--but I do know they were reasonably priced. True, I could easily have stopped with dinner, but Jen and I had seen the pumpkin cheesecake earlier (huuuuuuge slices of cheesecake), and we split that. The slice we got didn't seem as gargantuan as the ones we'd seen earlier....or my hunger was influencing my vision then, but it was still plenty for us. It tasted like a very light pumpkin pie.

ABF ordered the rice pudding, which came in a very generous serving. This was perfect. Not mushy, still had some bite to it, creamy and vanilla-y and yum. If I had to choose between the cheesecake and the rice pudding, I'd pick the pudding. I can't believe I just typed that...but it's true.

We all got cappuccinos (decaf for Jen & me, leaded for the men, all around $4). These rich, robust coffees were painstakingly prepared and powerfully strong...even the decaf! And the lovely foam was decadent all on its own...the designs were a great touch, too. Everything here is made with thought, care, and mouth-watering ingredients... I can't wait to come back here again!

Love Lane Kitchen
240 Love Lane
Mattituck, NY 11952
631-298-8989

Martha Clara Vineyards

Not far from Briermere Farms is the Martha Clara Vineyard. ABF has been there before, and brought home a few of their wines, but he hadn't been there with me yet. We hit that spot, along with several others, on a jam-packed Saturday with Jen and her husband Alex.

It was around 5 in the afternoon, and the spot was jumping. I was surprised to see how vast the seating areas were: they had indoor, covered seating wtih benches, where you could enjoy a recently-purchased bottle, bring a lunch, etc, and an enormous outdoor area with more picnic tables, chairs, and green, green grass. I'm sure it's especially stunning in the summer. Even in the October chill, there was a big crowd, with live music going on, an outdoor drink stand, and plenty of people having a great time.

At 9 dollars for a tasting, Martha Clara is definitely pricier than most spots we've visited, and their wines are more expensive as well. Were they worth it? Let's find out...

The tasting area was buzzing with activity, but a spot on the far corner opened up just in time for us. I didn't realize the counter was pretty messy, and put my favorite silk wrap sweater right in a small puddle of red wine. Ugh. It took a few minutes, but I finally got someone's attention and got a wet paper towel. Yet even when I explained what happened, they didn't offer to wipe up the bar. I don't normally write gripy, cranky reviews (we won't speak of Boqueria), but this was something they could definitely have handled better. I would say they need to keep that area much cleaner--just a quick swipe with a cloth after each group leaves. Granted, the girls helping us were very young, but come on--would you want to keep putting your wrist in a sticky spot? Rant over. :)

I ch
ose the Reserve tasting, which featured one white and 2 reds. ABF & I had one of the Chardonnays a year or so ago and I really liked it.

The reserve Merlot was a bit too smoky for me. I only like so much smoke in my Merlot. ABF took a sniff and I think he would really like this one.

The final one was the Syrah, which was quite nice, but still not my favorite. If I had to pick one of the three, I would choose the Chardonnay (and I'm a red wine gal), but I didn't love any of these enough to bring one home.

Overall, I was not immediately bowled over by this spot-but I might come back and give them another try once the weather gets nicer. Our next stop,however, was well worth the trip.

Martha Clara Vineyards
6025 Sound Avenue
Riverhead, NY, 11901

Briermere Farms

We finally made it back to Briemere Farms! Okay, I made it 'back,' and I took some friends with me.

Years and years ago, my dear friend Eleanor invited my mother and me out to a share house on Shelter Island. On the way, we stopped at Briemere Farms, where we picked up some sunflowers, fresh-made bread, and warm out of the oven pies. I still remember that place, and I've long wanted to return, but it's a good haul out there.

God bless ABF. He played host again and drove his new Prius to escort Jenezuela, her husband, and me out to the North Fork of Long Island. Briermere was our first stop, and even though it was almost closing time, there was still a long, long line out the door, as people queued up for fresh pies and jams, jellies, and breads.

The sign is there to warn you: some varieties sell out fast and furiously. I knew exactly what I was getting: raspberry cream pie! That's what we had years ago, and I remembered a thick, ruby-red, sweet-tart layer of fresh raspberries. ABF ordered peach, another excellent choice!

While we waited for the pies, ABF spotted some caramel apples on the shelf. They're 2.50 each, so he got one and, like the mensch he is, shared it with me. BEST. CARAMEL APPLE. EVERRRRRRRRR. I didn't even think I'd LIKE it. I've had too many caramel apples where the candy layer almost takes out a tooth. This concoction was perfection: soft, buttery caramel with a crunchy layer of nuts, and a crispy, tart Granny Smith apple inside. Outstanding. We are SO getting more of these!

It took me a few days to open up the pie, but when I did, it still looked gorgeous. Check out the sunshine beaming off it! I cut it open and thought it looked like a LOT more cream than I remember--did they add more? I could swear they added more. My first bites weren't quite as I remembered, but it was still soft. I definitely think ABF would not like this one--he's not a big raspberry fan.

The nice thing? This pie gets better every single day. If you're picking one up, give it a day or two before you serve it. Now the flavors have come together nicely--this pie has sweet but not too sweet cream, and the tart bright berries on a super-fresh crust. Win.

The following weekend I tried a tiny piece (tiny! tiny! TINY!) of ABF's peach pie. This was pretty tasty. The fruit was super soft and the crust was perfect. It was also quite pretty. I would have liked maybe some almond extract in it, but that's just my almond addiction doing the talking there. This was a delicious dessert, and I'm sure adding a scoop of Haagen-Dazs vanilla would only make it better.

Go visit!:
Briermere Farms
4414 Sound Ave., Riverhead, NY 11901

Bay Ridge Tapas

My friend and neighbor Kelli (it's her birthday today--Happy Birthday, Kel!) introduced me to this narrow little spot in our area. Vela tapas is on 3rd avenue near 83rd street, a very quick walk for us.

The signature drink, the rainbow mojito, is a delicious start. 7 kinds of fruit mashed together in a light and sweet, slightly bubbly. Yum. At 8 dollars, it's alwso much cheaper than most mojitos around town!

They have a lovely outdoor seating area, and they actually went out of their way to bring an extra two-top outside so we could sit there.

We started with something we really liked last time--the fried goat cheese with caramelized onions. This was good, but not as hot and melty as I was hoping. Maybe we were too busy talking and let it cool off too soon.

A must-have in any tapas joint: patatas bravas--these are usually pan fried potatoes with a spicy kick. Some places douse them in tabasco, which I heart. This place has a spicy paprika aioli for dunking. So. Good.

We also ordered the cheese plate, which was fine. Not amazing, but fine. The Valdeon, a blue cheese, is one of my favorites. I couldn't get enough of this. They also had Manchego, which is also a staple, "Drunken Goat," which is goat cheese with a red wine-soaked rind, and a last cheese I can't remember! They took away the menu before I had a chance to jot it down in my notes. This is one of my complaints when it comes to cheese plates--just remind people what the cheeses are. Unless I work for Murray's, chances are I don't know which is which of the three yellow ones!

We ordered the meatballs, too, which were DEE.LISH.US. I have to say the seasonings tasted more like Italian than Spanish to me, but that is not a problem. The sauce was super yummy, too. One plate was more than enough for two people.

We had really good service, with our waiter checking in on us frequently, but we never felt rushed. This was my second visit to Vela and Kelli's third or fourth--and you can bet we'll be back for more. If you're in the area and looking for delicious and affordable food coupled with great service, stop by Vela!

Vela Tapas
8305 3rd Ave
(between 83rd St & 84th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11209

Cookshop

As fun as the Scotch tasting was, we all left feeling pretty hungry--one dumpling, 2 caprese toothpick apps and a samosa do not a dinner make! We wandered along 10th avenue for a bit before settling on Cookshop, which, while bustling, had an opening right away for our party of 4. We were tickled to see their Scotch list broken down by region, which is exactly what we'd just been learning about 30 minutes earlier at our Dewar's tasting!

I'm not sure why so many restaurants feel they need to make places so damn dark, but it was pretty hard to see here. The tiny little tealight candles didn't help much, either. I apologize for the flash photos..ugh! I'm not even showing you the drinks because they came out so dark, but they weren't that noteworthy to me, so you're not missing much!

We ordered the appetizer du jour, veal meatballs with homemade gnocchi. This was deeelicious. The meatballs were just okay to me, but the pillowy soft gnocchi and the finger-licking-good sauce were out of this world, and even made the baby brussels sprouts (which I normally abhor) so good that I kept going back for more. I have GOT to make my own veal stock. This dish sealed the deal for me.

We also shared a pizza (did I mention we were all pretty ravenous?) but I thought this was just okay. It needed some salt and a little more..oomph.

ABF got the lamb 3 ways, which sounded amazing, but was just...okay. The best part was the tenderloin. I think the rest fell a bit short of expectation. He was very sweet to share with all of us.

Sara's BF Mike ordered the porchetta (aka pork awesomeness) that came with cracklins. He even shared some of the cracklings with us--crispy, crunchetty yum.

Sara ordered the duck breast on a bed of lentils, with an awesome, autumny dollop of a butternut squash melange on top. She shared a bit of this succulent, delicious dish, too.

I don't normally veer toward eggplant, but the description of the Eggplant Parmesan dish kept calling to me. I ordered this and couldn't BELIEVE how big the serving was. I had MORE than enough to share with everyone, and I still couldn't finish it on my own. This was outstanding.

For some reason, we ordered dessert, too. I heard the sundae was raspberry and chocolate and immediately went for that. It was pretty, but it wasn't amazing. It was okay. The berries were tart and fresh and pretty awesome, but there was something flat about it. I wouldn't get this again.

ABF & Sara both ordered the pistachio-cinnamon pudding. I don't think they were that crazy about it, but I LOVED it! It was salty, slightly sweet, and yum. It came in oversized (but not too big) ramekins.

Overall, this was a delicious meal (just skip the pizza). Entrees ranged from my $16-27, and desserts were reasonable. If I'm in the area, I'd probably stop in again, but I probably wouldn't make a special trip for it just yet. My best advice: If they offer you homemade gnocchi--GET IT!

Cookshop
156 10th Ave (between 19th and 20th streets)
NY NY 10011
(212) 924-4440

Bill's Bar & Burger

It's rare that I hit a new place shortly after it opens. I like to let the buzz die down, crowds thin out, and kinks get worked out ahead of time. But when ABF was in my building for a work meeting, we took a chance and a short walk over to Bill's Bar & Burger. This place is HUGE! Two floors, expansive seating. As expected, it was packed. The wait for a table was 25-30 minutes, but we were happy to see we could get an immediate seat at the bar.

We sat right at the tap--this will come up later, and not in a good way. You can see ABF's and my reflection in this shot--he was looking super sharp in his suit and tie! Our server was friendly, but a little too so for my taste. He was very buddy-buddy, and I get that you work for tips and all, but to me it's a little off-putting to have someone trying so hard to act like my new best friend.

I noticed that he was thoughtful (?) enough to put my Blackberry in a glass so it wouldn't get dirty on the bar, so his reaction to what happened at the end of our visit was especially confusing. But back to the food....

I had read reviews of Bob's already, and I knew exactly what I was getting: the bobcat. Monterey Jack cheese and freshly-sliced jalapenos? Yes, please! This was just the right amount of heat--okay, maybe I would have liked one or two more jalapenos, but I'd rather go that way than have it so searingly hot you taste nothing!

ABF ordered the mushroom & swiss with red onions.

Both our burgers came out in less than 10 minutes. They smelled wonderful, and came with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.

We ordered fries, but our server didn't hear us the first time, so we asked again when our burgers arrived. They also came out quickly and were piping hot. Bill's makes their own ketchup, and it is awesome. I hate how sugary ketchup usually is--this is more tangy and vinegary, and I just loved it. I loved it so much I completely forgot about putting malt vinegar on my fries.

We also each had a beer--I was going to get a wine, but the server poured me a taste of Sam Adams' Oktoberfest. Much to my surprise, I loved this (and I'm not a big beer person). A pint is too much for me, but the server helpfully suggested I get a small glass (maybe half a pint?) This was the perfect size for me.

ABF got Blue Point Ale, which he's always talking about trying but hadn't yet (it's bottled nearby in Long Island).This was good, but the aftertaste was a bit malty for me.

Our meal was good and we were just taking a moment before leaving when 'the incident' happened. Our server was filling a pitcher with beer (Pitcher O' Doom pictured to the left) when apparently he tapped out the keg and beer went EVERYWHERE, including all over my face, hair and shirt. It was just a spray, not a wave, but it was a lot. I sat there in shock for a second or two, and then my server said "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry." And that's it. Didn't offer me a napkin, didn't bring me a glass of water to dab my shirt. Another server (female) brought us white napkins and some seltzer, and warned us NOT to use the standard black napkins because they would bleed onto my shirt. Our server said again "You have NO idea how awful I feel." I was thinking You're right-- a little help here? I mean, really? You douse a customer in beer and the most you do is cringe and then keep pouring? Fortunately I had a sweater, so after ABF helped me clean myself up (hair, face, shirt, back of my seat), I put that on and we left.

Despite my beer bath, these burgers were delicious, served quickly, and reasonably priced. I would absolutely go back here--I just wouldn't sit anywhere near the tap.

The best part of the adventure? Getting to spend some extra quality time with my Awesome Boyfriend--I'm so glad his meeting brought him to midtown!