My Own Herb Garden

I use fresh herbs in almost every meal I prepare (mostly parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano and sage). Why not save a little cash and grow my own? So, I finally decided to make use of the Chia Herb Garden I received as a joke gift at my office Christmas party.

Last weekend, I “planted” my herbs and set them on my windowsill, patiently awaiting them to grow. I’m known for killing off most any plant I own, so nurturing these little guys is a bit of a challenge for me.

I chose three herbs from the six packets that came in the box: sweet basil, cilantro and curled parsley. Well… 2 out of 3 seem to be flourishing in their little environment. The sweet basil and cilantro are both doing great! Both still have a couple weeks to go before I’ll start using them, but I’m looking forward to it! To be honest, just seeing two of them sprout to life is enough of a win for me. One day, when I have a backyard, I’ll start a real garden… which hopefully I can keep alive, too!

Lemon Almond Cupcakes

Ahhh…. cupcakes. Absolute heaven. And in celebration of my big brother’s birthday today, I thought I’d share a bite with you…

Earlier this year, I decided to bake some treats for my new co-workers. I wanted to make a light tasting cupcake, preferably with an almond frosting (which I’d never made before).

So I scoured the Internet for a recipe and came across Easy Lemon Cupcakes with Almond Frosting on a wonderful little blog called Sweet and Savory Tooth. Perfect!

The recipe was super fast & easy and everyone in the office seemed to love them. I’ll admit I even kept a couple for myself. ;)

I figured I’d share the recipe to you as well. I’m sure there’s plenty of variations that could be done with the addition of the pudding mix. If you have any ideas, let me know!

Shopping List

1 box (18.25 oz.) french vanilla or yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 box (3.9 oz.) lemon instant pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla

Lemon Cupcakes

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners in 2 standard size cupcake pans.

Place the cake mix, eggs, water, milk, oil, pudding and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more. Spoon batter into each cupcake liner, filling it 3/4 of the way full.

Bake the cupcakes 20 minutes, until the spring back when lightly pressed. Remove pans from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Lift the cupcakes out of the pans using the end of a knife, and pick them up with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool at least 15 minutes before frosting.

Almond Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons almond extract

Place the butter in a large bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and almond extract. Blend with mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute more. If frosting seems too thick, add one more tablespoon of milk and blend until smooth.

Frost cupcakes with a smooth knife and decorate with your choice of toppings!

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Thumbnail photo by sea turtle (Flickr) and cupcake photo by Sweet and Savory Tooth.

New Pizza Joint

A couple weeks ago, two co-workers and I decided to try a relatively new pizza place not far from our office. Brick & Fire Pizza and Pasta Parlor opened last year (I think!), in the building most recently occupied by Moe’s near ORMC and Arnold Palmer Hospital.

The atmosphere was very relaxed. Lots of booths, which are my favorite. Only odd part is that while it is a seated meal, the drinks are self-serve. But really, it was not a big deal at all. It was kind of nice not having to wait for a refill.

The three of us each ordered a side salad and then split a margherita pizza. I ordered the baby arugula salad. I’m a sucker for salads with gorgonzola, fruit, and candied walnuts or pecans.

My only complaint was that it had entirely too much arugula (compared to everything else). Since its a side salad, I think they could cut that portion in half. But other than that (a minor issue), it was tasty.

The margherita pizza was great, too. The crust was my absolute favorite part. Reminded me a little of California Pizza Kitchen’s.

So, if you’re looking for a quick & casual meal (or a new place for pizza), definitely give Brick & Fire a try!

Brick & Fire Pizza and Pasta Parlor has three locations in the Orlando area. In addition to the South Orange Avenue location near ORMC and Arnold Palmer Hospital, there are also restaurants near the Howell Branch & 436 intersection in Casselberry, and Lee Vista & Semoran intersection near the Orlando airport. Check out their website for more info. All photos shown are by Brick & Fire.

Order Fish at a Restaurant

This adventure may sound like an odd one. But when you’re not a fan of eating fish – in any capacity – the thought of ordering it at a restaurant is completely unappealing.

I’ve never enjoyed fish, even though I’ve tried it numerous times, in all sorts of capacities. I had friends and boyfriends that would make me taste what they had ordered. Or, I would be at a work-related event and I would eat it so as not to appear rude.

For example, during my travels to Honduras for my job, I frequently visited a remote island fishing village of Garifuna people, which included lunch. There was no option in what you’d be served, but it was obvious what we’d eat considering we were at a fishing village. Served to me was a plate of coconut rice & beans, fried plantains and…whole fish. I mean, with the eye staring up at me and everything. I bit my tongue from speaking any objection. After all, the woman serving me and her family had just spent an awful lot of time preparing this meal. Despite the fact that we were served a mild fish, this particular taste test still did not make me want to order fish on my own accord.

An example of my lunch at a Garifuna fishing village in Honduras… when I didn't choose to eat fish.

Flash forward to 2011. On my recent visit to Barbados, we ate dinner at a beachfront restaurant. The menu selections were somewhat limited. No chicken, but there was pork. Also on the menu was grilled snapper. I could have taken the easy route and ordered the pork. That would have been exactly the sort of thing I would typically do. But instead, I decided to order the snapper.

Was it awful? No. In fact, the sauce on it was pretty good and really helped me forget about the fish aspect of the entrée. It wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, but it was by no means the worst. Going with a mild fish like snapper is definitely the route I should take.

Will I continue ordering fish in the future? Maybe every once in awhile. Especially when the chef’s recipe looks particularly appealing.

What’s your favorite fish entrée when dining out?

Constructing the Perfect Burger

A couple months ago, a new burger joint opened in downtown Orlando called Pine 22 (named after its location at 22 E. Pine Street). But this isn’t your bare bones fast food chain like my beloved Five Guys. When you walk through the door here, you’re handed a clipboard and checklist, featuring a full page of components to build your ultimate burger. Get this…there are more than 322,000 possible combinations! Are you ready for this? Take a peek at the options…

1. Bun (5 options, including an English muffin)…or bun-less?
2. One of 10 cheeses, including Gruyere and soft-ripened brie (Seriously? Its like they knew the way straight to my heart.)
3. One of 22 sauces, like basil pesto, mango chutney, ginger soy glaze or spicy sour cream.
4. Up to 4 toppings from a massive list of 19, with items ranging from dried cranberries to coleslaw to scallions.
5. Still looking for a little more? Add on one of 9 premium items, like housemade guacamole or white chili.

My perfect burger? 5 oz. Angus beef, herb foccacia bun, herb goat cheese spread, Dijon balsamic dressing, roasted red peppers, charred onions and organic mixed greens. Plus a side of shoestring Pine fries.

The verdict? Absolutely delicious! Seriously, this was one phenomenal burger.

Next time I visit, I just need to be sure to try a new combo….and the sweet potato fries, which I hear I missed out on.