How do you like your coffee?

I'm of the ones that love a good cup of coffee in the morning.  Lately, however, I had started to tire of my regular hazelnut decaf.  

Besides her roommate who loves everything from oatmeal to ice cream and everything in between pumpkin, I don't know of anyone else who loves it more than Emily.  So the other day when I came across this pumpkin spice coffee syrup at Target, I decided to get it and surprise our girl with a nice pumpkin spice latte when she comes over on Thanksgiving Day.

However, all week the pumpkin spice syrup has been sitting on my kitchen counter teasing and taunting me to give it a shot.  By no means am I a barista, I finally succumbed to the temptation.  I'm still trying to figure out the difference between a frappucino and a cappuccino.  Phew!  Was it good!  What a pleasant surprise.  Except for hazelnut, I must admit I've never been a huge fan of flavored coffee, yet I loved this pumpkin spice.  I think I'm hooked. 

My "decappuccino" was a concoction of decaf, oodles of fresh organic whipped cream, a teaspoon of sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and a teaspoon of the pumpkin-spice syrup.  One word: cappulicious!  Try making your own.  You may never go back to Starbucks. 

I will definitely go back to get more before they run out of this limited edition. Hopefully, they won't have run out of it.

How to sleep a couple extra hours on Thanksgiving morning

If you, like me, want to sleep a while longer on turkey day without fear of serving the perfect bird, fear not. I am here to tell you you can. I am the queen of short cuts.  I love to lounge in bed a little while longer in anticipation of the festivities and preparations of this most favored holiday.  I also am a lover of great-tasting cuisine. 

With that said, we must broil that bird face down and flat.

Laying the bird flat gives it a larger, more uniform surface area, allowing for more even cooking. It also exposes all of the skin to the heat (hence, more browning), so you'll get the super crisp skin you're looking for. This method cuts the turkey's roasting time almost in half. 

I discovered spatchcocking (the process of splitting a whole bird in half, removing its backbone and roasting it flat, skin-side up) about five years ago.  Friends thought I was crazy to roast the prized bird that way, yet the more I thought about it the more convinced I was that this was the fool-proof way for the amateur cook (so as not to say, laid-back) to broil the bird.  It was the way to get juicy flavorful meat and that prized, magazine-worthy golden skin.

Once the bird is fully cooked in about 3-4 hours, when serving it, you can either prop it up again to look like a regular whole roasted turkey, or just serve it flat. Either way, you can dress it up with an assortment of roasted herbs and veggies. I have also served it stuffed, after broiling it flat. If you are creative enough and passionate enough, it can be done.  If the tasty bird doesn't stay propped up, which it will normally do, you can hold it together in various ways with either twine or skewers, or whatever else you can think of.  As long as you're creative in how you serve it, no one will care.  And if anyone does care, the minute they have a bite of your succulent bird, they will be praising your ingenious spirit. 

So go ahead and oversleep on Thanksgiving Day without the worry of dinner not being served on time. Just don't forget to wet or dry brine the bird the day before.

Happy Thanksgiving. Everyone!

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Where can you find the best fish tacos in Manhatta...

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Where can you find the best fish tacos in Manhatta...: Aside from pizza, tacos are probably the most popular go-to food for most of us.  In our case, fish tacos!  I can't stress enough how mu...

Where can you find the best fish tacos in Manhattan?

Aside from pizza, tacos are probably the most popular go-to food for most of us.  In our case, fish tacos!  I can't stress enough how much we love tacos, either homemade or at a restaurant.  And while these tacos from The Grey Dog in Lower Manhattan may look like your regular run-of-the-mill tacos, they were without a doubt, out-of-this-world delicious!  I think the trick is that they are well-seasoned in savory spices and then battered-fried in a light oil, thus creating a highly gustatory, yet healthy dish.  The addition of roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic, along with other spices, brings these fish tacos to a couple of notches above the rest.  It's safe to say that they were the best fish tacos I've had anywhere.

Emily ordered two dishes for us to share.  The rice and black beans was another delightful surprise.  They serve it in a medium-size square deep dish, and trust me they are not stingy with it.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that topping the rice and beans is a generous amount of avocado, in addition to some type of green salsa, white shredded cheese (maybe manchego), and oddly but pleasantly enough, another salad of fresh corn and diced tomatoes—all highly delectable to the palate.  Here again, Emily and I were both impressed with the array of fresh ingredients and the infusion of flavors—truly an epicurean's delight.

If you happen to be in Chelsea, check them out.  Oh, and the prices are reasonable—$14.00 for three generous tacos, green salad, and a sauce; and $11.00 for the rice and beans dish—a steal in this day and age.

The Grey Dog

4.3

(143)

 · $ · 13.2 mi

American · W 16th St

Zagat - Best Cheap Eats in Chelsea

Long Island's History - A Treasure Trove

So, as  wannabe writer, I would like to call myself a voracious reader.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  However, one thing is for certain, when a certain book grabs my interest, I will devour it. I will immerse myself in it completely for days on end, until I finish the book. 

 

Two month's ago I took a trip to the local dumpster by us out on Long Island.  A box of old books by the dumpster caught my eye. At the top of the pile was an old dilapidated book titled Long Island's History. It so grabbed by attention that I immediately picked it up and asked the fellow who was standing by, "Are you throwing this book out?"  To which he replied, "Yes.  You can take all of them?"  

I was so excited with my newfound treasure that I passed on the other books. "Thanks," I answered.  "I'm really just interested in this one," I added, referring to the book I was holding. 

I drove off feeling as if I had found Cofresi's treasure.  What a find!

The book by Jacqueline Overton, was published in 1929 by Doubleday Doran & Company and contains a wealth of information on the history of the Island, as well as on Brooklyn and Queens, which were then considered part of the Island.  

Ms. Overton was a librarian, who writes in a no-nonsense concise, clear style, sparing us all the fancy words, but at the same time giving us a highly and thoroughly informative narrative that goes all the way back to the time of the Indians and the first English settlers.  The book is riddled with day-to-day life accounts from journals and diaries of some of the brave people that sacrificed and ventured out to the new land across the ocean, most of whom succumbed to the harsh and crude winters, and the conditions of unexplored territory.  Ms. Overton ingeniously covers the very important role the Island played in the history of the State of New York, the Revolutionary War, and all subsequent events leading up to the year 1929.  

I cannot say enough good things about 

this book and how much I've learned from it. The fact that Brooklyn was part of the Island then and played a very important role in the progress of all of New York and the country as a whole, cannot be stressed enough. This made it all the more interesting and valuable to me, as our own Emily has been living in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn for over five years now.  

I found myself fact-checking practically everything Ms. Overton states; pinpointing the various towns on today's maps; and comparing important buildings, localities, and such. I also found the story of the Long Island Railroad quite interesting.

For those interested in further reading, I did additional research and found various other available sources on Google, as well as copies of the book on Amazon, and other similar venues.

On a lighter note, while you're enjoying the book, consider having a Long Island Tea.  I've attached a vintage photo of the recipe for your enjoyment.  I don't guarantee some of you will be able to concentrate on the book after just one of these "teas", but at least you'll get a nice buzz!

•  Your comments are always much appreciated and welcomed.

Life in my kitchen...

Rice and sardines with avocado 

Life is hectic in my kitchen but I wouldn't have it any other way. There's always something being whipped up in there.  Now more so, that I may be gluten-intolerant. I may have to resort to magic or some otherwise wild tricks to continue creating delicious but healthy dishes. 

While my kitchen focuses on healthy eating (boricua cuisine is, for the most part, one of the healthiest around) I still love to indulge in decadent desserts. That's where the resourcefulness has to come in. It's only two weeks since I ventured into new territory of gluten-free anything.  It's going to be a roller coaster of a ride, so brace yourselves! 

Bacalaitos with avocado!

 

One of my favorite all-time desserts is pecan cream wreath.  Here again is the challenge to make this winner dessert gluten-free.  But check in below for the oatmeal version recipe. 

Pecan Cream Wreath

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 40 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

MAKES:10-12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ground oatmeal 
• 4 eggs
• FILLING:
• 1-1/4 cups cold milk
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• GLAZE:
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons milk
• 
  

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Directions

1. Cover a baking sheet with foil; grease the foil. Trace a 12-in. circle onto foil; set aside. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add oatmeal flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add egg, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.
2. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls along the inside of the circle (mounds should be slightly touching). Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Lift foil and transfer to a wire rack. Immediately cut a slit in the side of each puff to allow steam to escape; cool. Carefully cut ring in half horizontally and set top aside; remove soft dough from inside with a fork. Transfer to a serving plate.
3. In a bowl, whisk the milk, pudding mix and extract for 2 minutes. Chill for 5 minutes or until thickened. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over bottom of ring; replace top. In a microwave, melt butter; stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup and milk and pecans. Drizzle over ring. Refrigerate until serving.
4. Yield: 10-12 servings.
5. Tip: to cut preparation time in half use Pilsbury flaky rolls as you would make a wreath. Follow directions on the package and bake as instructed. Let cool and cut in half then fill with the cream and top with the pecan topping.