Versatile Blog Award

I've been nominated for the versatile Blog award by some lovely Blogs. Cook!Bake! Share! , Oishii Treats ,  The German Foodie , and Food Lovers Club. The versatile blog award is: ”It is a great way to introduce different bloggers to each other and to promote quality blogs that awardees and their readers may not have discovered otherwise.” I have been food blogging for only 5 months and just love the community. There are all these great ways to share and recognize all the hard work they do. Thanks guys for picking me I so appreciate it.

Ok so the rules are: 
1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. Include the link to their blog
3. Select 15 blogs you recently discovered and follow regularly
4. List 7 random things about yourself.
5. In this post include the set of rules
6. Inform each blog you nominated by leaving them a comment on their blog.

15 Blogs that I think are just great and I just have to keep going back to check out:

Around the Table:Loving Food in RI & Beyond

The Curious Pug

The Hungry Housewife

Taste and Tell

Eat drink Luv

Hungry Harps

Twin Tough

Sweet Eat

Morning Moms

Movita Beaucoup

Vittles and Bits

Home Skillet

The Three little Piglets

Eating Well in the Northwest

Kitchen Gypsies


7 Random things about me...I always get nervous about this because I feel everyone will feel they are so boring. Here we go...

1. I moved to NYC from Seattle to be a nanny for 1 to 2 years tops and never moved back. I have now lived here over 15 years.

2. While in College I traveled through Peru for a month. Definitely one of the best experiences of my life.

3. My guilty pleasure is watching Real housewives of NYC and O.C and Atlanta and Beverly hills and D.C and Miami.

4. I once unknowing carried a mouse home in my bag and after reaching into my bag it crawled up my arm and jumped on the floor. I will never be the same again.

5. I started drinking coffee when I was 12 and have had a cup of coffee every day since.

6. My grandmother taught me to knit as a child but I found a love for it after my first son was born.

7. I got married in Vegas at the Flamingo Hilton.

Turkey and Swiss on a Croissant

Turkey and Swiss on a Croissant is simple and one of the best sandwiches in the world. If you live or work near a cafe or bakery that sells fresh croissants buy one and make this sandwich. I promise you will be the happiest person at lunch time. 

Ingredients

Fresh croissant
3-4 slices of honey turkey
2 slices of Swiss cheese
1 tbs mayo (not miracle whip)

Directions

Slice croissant in half and coat with a very light spread of mayo. Croissant are full of butter so they really don't need much mayo. Add turkey and then cheese. Nothing more nothing less. Best sandwich hands down. Try it for lunch or dinner today and let me know what you think. 

Roast Beef Sandwich

I love a roast beef sandwich and one of my fondest memories as a child was going to the Long Acres and ordering their roast beef and eating while watching the horse race. I have tried to recreate that sandwich over and over but never got it just right, close but not perfect. However this sandwich is not the one at long acres it is to me the classic roast beef and cheddar that I like to have once in awhile. To me the beef must be sliced fresh and used that day so, I only buy enough beef for just one or two sandwiches. After a day or two the meat drys out and becomes undesirable. Living in NYC for 15 years I have become a deli meat connoisseur and quite a snob about it. I've also become the sandwich queen in my family so give this one a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients
1 french baguette
1/4 lb Roast beef sliced thin
2 tbs butter
5 thin slices of red onion
4 slices of cheddar cheese
4 thin slices of tomato
handful of mix lettuce
2 tbs mayo
1 tbs yellow mustard
salt and pepper

Directions

Slice half baguette in half. I like to butter each side lightly and toast under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes. You don't have to do it but I find baguette to be tough and very chewy. If you toast it you make it much more tender and easier to bite through. Add mayo on each side and mustard on the top. On the bottom add roast beef and salt and pepper. Dont' be shy with it because beef can be very bland. Add tomato, cheese, lettuce and onion. I like to slice mine in half and then in half again. Smaller makes it easier to handle. I don't like when you take a bit and all the insides get pushed to the end and sometimes out of the bread.

Let me know how you like to eat yours. I am always looking for new ideas.

Home fries

Where I grew up every diner had hash browns. I LOVE hash browns but here in NYC they serve with their egg breakfast home fries. However most dinners over cook the potatoes because they cook them early in the morning and they sit on the grill and get a bit soggy. I learned how to make them just right for my husband because he is a home fries guy. My way of doing it may be a little more tedious but it guarantees them to be just perfect. We like them to be crispy on the outside and like a mashed potato in the inside. Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

Ingredients

2 - 3 Russet potatoes

2 -3 tbs of Canola or Vegetable Oil

2 tsp of Lawry's seasoning salt

Directions

Peel 2 - 3 russet potatoes. Cut them into bite size pieces and into a medium pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. stick a knife through the middle of one of your bigger pieces. If it goes through easy your potatoes are done. Strain and let sit and dry. Put 2 - 3 tbs of Canola oil in a large skillet on high heat. The trick to the crispy crust is to not add the potatoes until the pan and oil are piping hot. Add the potatoes and let sit for about 5 minutes or until you see the crust forming on the bottom. Don't touch the potatoes until that happens or you end up steaming the potatoes and crust will not take place. Add about 2 tsp of Lawry's seasoning salt or whatever seasoning you like. Toss and let the other side crust up and continue until most of the sides are golden brown. 

Blueberry Muffins

I usually would never make blueberry muffins right now because I have never made any pastry with frozen berries. I always wait until they are in season and oh boy is it a long wait. However, I have been following a great blog called The Hungry Housewife and she introduced me to the yummy frozen wild Maine blueberries. So I bought a huge bag at Costco and decided to give them a try. Well she was absolutely right they taste just as good as the fresh ones. Next I will have to try them in pancakes. 

I chose these because I love how they are mini and to me have the best flavor

As you know from previous post, I am in love with Williams Sonoma's muffin cook book. This is where I got the recipe and I have yet to make one I don't like. Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

For the topping

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbs each granulated sugar and light brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbs cold unsalted butter Cut into small pieces

For Muffins

7 Tbs unsalted room temperature butter

3/4 granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups blueberries frozen

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or butter flavored nonstick cooking spray

To make the topping, stir together the flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients just until coarse crumbs form. Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients and the butter in a food processor and pulse just until coarse crumbs form. (I did it all with pastry cutter)

To make the muffins, in a bowl using and electric mixer or medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until blended into the butter mixture. 

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in a 2 increments, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. the batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries just until evenly distributed, no more then a few strokes. Take care not to break up the fruit. Do not over mix. 

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup. Sprinkle each muffin with some topping. 

Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

I'm going to make them mini size for Brody's class next week. I will let you know how they turn out.