Big, Bad and Cheesy

Note to My Readers:  This is my last post until the 31st of August.  I will be away as we're hitting the road on our way to our new house at Fort Benning, Georgia from New York.  Wish us well!  And talk to you ya'll soon!  Much love! - Jill

I am thoroughly convinced everyone on the planet has a version of these cheesy hashbrown potatoes.  They have popped up at every family gathering, bridal shower, back yard BBQ or holiday event I've ever been to.  For years I was convinced my Aunt Lori's was the only version on Earth that was worth eating.  Hers was a true work out though and required you to dice pounds of potatoes and hand shred mounds of cheddar.  It also used Cream of Mushroom soup, of which, I think is pure evil with its bits of rubbery mushrooms hidden in a slimey mush pile of gelified ingredients.  (such an image, I know)  Every serving I would pick those icky bits out and it took forever.  With Labor Day creeping around the corner, I thought I'd share my favorite potluck dish with ya'll. 

Over the years I have morphed her recipe multiple times into something more time manageable and from what everyone tells me, more delicious than any other potato casserole they've ever had.  Our one friend couldn't even describe them...he just stood there and made sounds while waving his hands.  LOL  They really are crazy delicious and super creamy.  I love you can make them ahead of time and free yourself to make/do other things.  I love these with ham strirred in for a quick bunch and served with a salad.  I love them as a side dish at big holiday dinners.  I love the leftovers with scrambled eggs for breakfast.  They are just *perfect* at every meal.  And they reheat so well - I actually think they improve overnight!  They really are big, bad and cheesy!  Hope you try them yourself!

You really can use your favorite cut of potoatoes - the diced or the shredded.  I've done them both.  I've even had the sliced version and it was like au gratins.  Its really all about your preference.  I got super lucky here on base and our commisary had these frozen bags of super small shreds and they're my favorite b/c the potatoes kinda break down and just adds to the creamy texture.  You could most certainly go the route of my aunt Lori and shred fresh yourself if you have time but I like frozen.  And for a nice change up, since there is cheddar cheese soup in the recipe, I like using a cheese blend.  Cheddar and Monterey Jack is my current favorite.  Just gives it a different background flavor.  Like I said, its really adapatable to your preferences.

Big Bad & Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole


1 bag of frozen hashbrown (i love smallest diced ones I can find)
1 can of cheddar cheese soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cup of cheddar cheese (or blend, your choice), divided
salt/pepper to taste
6 pats of butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the soups, the sour cream, onion, 1 cup of the cheese and salt/pepper to taste.  Add the frozen potatoes and mix thoroughly to coat all.  It will be very thick.  Plop into your prepared pan and smooth, pressing down evenly.  Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes till bubbly. 

Remove foil and top with remaining cheese and place 6 pats of butter spaced out across the top.  Bake another 20 minutes or so until top is bubbly and brown and cheese is completely melted.  Allow to cool several minutes before serving.

Fruit Juice Juleps - kid friendly!

It is *so* hot and sticky across the US.  Everyone I've talked to in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, even up into Canada has talked about how truly sticky and yucky this summer has been.  No joke.  I have my air conditioners running overtime!  I'll be so thankful when we move next week and I get lovely central air back!  I won't know what to do with myself!  Now if the house only had a pool....dream on, Jill.  Dream on.

Anyways, since its so agonizingly putrid outside, I've been drinking sweet tea like its going out of style.  Jon has been downing V8 juices like he's a camel trying to fill up his hump.  I am trying to stay away from sodas and break my caffeine habit but that's a whole other post!

I wanted to share this Fruit Juice Julep recipe with ya'll since it's the perfect way to start your day or cool off with something refreshing.  Its a really simple, kid friendly recipe but can be easily adapted for more "adult" tastes by adding a swig of Southern bourbon.  (This is where SiggySpice will say that I'm becoming southern already! haha)  This juice is also very good with a slash of lemon-lime soda at serving to give it some bubble and fizz.  It is also great poured into popcicle molds and frozen!  The light zing from mint sprigs give it a great subtle flavor that will make people go "What is that?!"  Don't tell them your secret...leave them guessing! 

I usually only pull this recipe out at holiday brunches, poured into fancy goblets and mix it with Prosecco for a spin on mimosas and use blood orange juice if I can find it but its so hot, this has been a nice chilly treat.  Its just a great way to amp up your boring old juices.  Give it a whirl!

I just wanna dive in....

Fruit Juice Juleps

1 quart unsweetened apple juice
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
¼ c lemon juice
Fresh mint sprigs

Combine all juices in a large pitcher, mixing well. Float some mint sprigs on top and chill for several hours. Remove mint sprigs before serving.

Homemade Doughnuts O' Plenty

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I want to introduce you to Pioneer Woman's homemade doughnuts.  Oh, you've not met?  Shame.  Let me tell you a bit about these doughnuts.  These doughnuts aren't donuts.  These are refined doughnuts and demand respect.  They're not made from a petty can or a chilled tube.  No, these are made from a real dough that works it magic overnight and awaits your tastebuds in the morning.  They are, without a doubt, the best doughnuts I have EVER eaten.  And they are relatively easy to do if you're comfortable with yeast doughs.  Some people love yeast, some people hate it.  Once you've mastered "the soak", yeast is fairly simple.  And it really does make this doughnut.  The fragrance of the freshly mixed dough was enough to make you want to eat it raw and forget about the overnight wait time.  Seriously good eats, people.

I have to say too, I've not had much luck with many of Pioneer Woman's recipes but I somehow managed to pull this one off!  I have her cookbook and I love the way everything looks but I somehow lack her touch of cooking grace or something b/c nothing ever turns out for me.  Except her Passover Brisket.  (oh, forgive me - I'm drooling)  So I was skeptical I could manage these doughnuts but they looked so dang good!  I just had to try.  You can see her step by step by clicking here if you'd like.  I know it looks like a daunting, long and hard recipe but it's not.  It's just really in depth so you don't mess up anything.  Don't be shy.  You know you wanna try these!  :)

Yes, mine are square.  Your eyes aren't deceiving you.  I couldn't find my round cutters and you want to work quick to keep the dough from drying out so I grabbed my squares.  It all frys the same!  If you do make these, a note for you.  The wet towel over top while rising IS desperately needed.  And the warm rising environment too.  I had a few that could have puffed a bit more and benefited from a few more minutes rising but the prancing pony Jon was having no more waiting.  We were frying those the moment the timer went off.  LOL

They really ARE delicious.  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the outside and so worth the effort of rolling them out and all.  We did an assembly line...I fried, he dunked in glaze and it worked well.  You really have to watch your oil though.  More than 3 frying at a time and my oil dropped too low...less than 2 and it went too high.  It is a balancing game of keeping it around 375 degrees.  And drain them puppies good!  My oil was just right enough that they fried quickly and didn't absorb much at all.  And they made a TON!  Her serving size said 18.   But we ended up with about 23 doughnuts and 22 holes (I dropped one in the sink!).  It made ALOT.  I can see where this would be great for kids dunking them in icing or adding sprinkles after they've cooled.  What a great Sunday morning activity!  I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.  Hats off to Ree...she nailed this one!

See that chewy middle?!  Mmm!

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts by Pioneer Woman

DOUGH
1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm
¼ cups Sugar
2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups All-purpose Flour
¼ teaspoons Salt
Canola Oil

GLAZE
3 cups Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Vanilla
½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

To Make the Dough:
1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.
2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add yeast into a small bowl.
4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.
6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.
7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.  Add salt.
9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.
10. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.
12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.
14. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.
16. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts:
1. Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.
4. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
5. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
6. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.
7. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Dougnuts
1. Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.
2. One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
3. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.
4. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
5. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.
6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To Glaze
1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.
2. One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)
4. Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)
5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

Time's A Tickin' in My Kitchen!

Ok, so that title was a horrible attempt at a rhyme.  It's 4 am...gimme a break!  I'm having some horrible anxiety about this upcoming move.  I've been trying to use up all my frozen items and fridge goodies since its just impossible to take them along on the journey.  Its making for some creative meal planning, let me tell ya.  Tonight we did shredded steak quesadillas with bacon, sauteed onions, bbq sauce and cheddar.  *SO* good for something I've never made before.  lol

We cleaned out the fridge two days ago and I kid you not, tossed away TWO garbage bags full of stuff out.  Its so depressing realizing how much money that is.  This will be my second move in 9 months time, I've learned a few things.  Mainly that I will never again buy bottled salad dressing.  I cannot believe how many half empty bottles I pitched out.  Same with glazes, sauces and marinades.  They've sat there for months doing nothing.  I know they are ridiculously simple to make too.  I never really calculated how much we pay for convenience sake.  Yes, it is faster to grab a bottle from the fridge door but if you don't use it all, its a waste. 

My husband is a HUGE Asian food fanatic and he loves trying all these glazes, marinades and dip sauces from the store.  His eyes take on this weird gleam when he walks down the import aisle and sees all these yakitori sauces, nori and glass noodles.  I should leave him in the car.  You know that saying about how if you take your kids to the grocery store with you, you spend at least $15 more than what you had intended?  Yeah.  With Jon, I can easily double that.  While I balk at prices on things and will pass them up for a sale or when I have a coupon, this yahoo just chucks stuff in the cart blindly.  And forget about sending him to grab something you forgot b/c instead of coming back with your item, he comes back with an armful and giggles as he dumps it in the cart.  LOL  My point is over this 9 month period, he's accumulated alot of jars and bottles of stuff we pitched out.  I think I saw him shed a tear. 

So from this point on, I'm making it my mission to find recipes to make my own sauces and dressings.  I'll buy some more Mason jars and squeeze bottles if it means savings in the end.  And....knowing I'm not using preservatives makes me happy.  Makes me more motivated to make more salads that week to use up the dressings if I know it has a short shelf life as opposed to the store bought variety.  Hmm - healthier, money savings and satisfaction.  Yeah, that's a bargain I can live with.  I hate moving...did I mention that?

Sweet Tea!

Seeing's how the clock is ticking on my move to Georgia, I figured I best learn how to make a mean pitcher of sweet tea as is southern tradition down there.  I know you're prolly rolling your eyes going "I know how to make iced tea Jill"...but do you?  Because for the life of me, I couldn't make my sweet tea taste like the McDonald's version of which I am a bonafide addict.  I can't drive by a McD's without going "mmmm tea".  I crave it...all the time.  Now I can make gallons of it at home without driving Jon bonkers asking him to go through the drive thru.  Its really simple to do.

If you've read the news too, there is a lovely report about sun tea.  Remember your mom making that back in the day?  Well did you know you can get all kinds of icky stuff growing in your tea that way?  I never knew that!  I don't want my family swallowing mold and particles of ickiness!  Gross!  What were our mom's thinking?  lol  First no seat belts, letting us drink from the hose outside and now potentially poisoning us with sun tea.  If we all get cancer, we'll blame moms and the sun tea.  :P

So I did alot of research and gallons of taste testing...and here is what I've come up with.  Its not so much about the name brand, as much as the process.  I have used everything from Prince of Wales tea to Irish Breakfast to just plain old Black Pearl black tea.  Use mint tea if you want...same process. Whatever you like, use it. 

And yes, this does say baking soda.  Why?  Couple reasons.  One, we're going for a concentrated brew.  4 bags of tea to 4 cups of boiling water makes for a stiff brew, right?  Well, it can get a wee "bitter".  And the magic that happens with the baking soda is that it removes that bitter aftertaste.  It also gives you that super clear tea.  Sometimes you make tea and its cloudy?  Not anymore.  And its tasteless.  Just try it.  You don't like it or agree - then don't use it.  Simple!  :P

Ooh and btw..I'm using a 2 gallon pitcher right about (I think) so measure accordingly.


Sweet Tea

4 cups of water
4 tea bags  (regular size, not family, not jumbo)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp of baking soda

Get your water to a rolling boil in a saucepan.  Drop in tea bags, remove from heat and steep for 20-30 minutes.  (leave in your saucepan)  In the meantime, add your sugar and the baking soda to your pitcher.  Remove your tea bags from the water but do not squeeze them out or wring them.  Just pitch them.  Pour the tea concentrate into your pitcher and stir very well to dissolve all the sugar.  (very important to avoid sugary grit)  Fill your pitcher up with cold water, stir again and place in fridge to chill.

Side note:  floating a sprig or two of fresh mint in there while chilling gives it a nice light taste but not too overpowering.  Just remove before serving.

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cake ala Siggy Spice

Its 900 degrees outside but when you want chocolate cake, you want chocolate cake!  I had asked Siggy Spice awhile ago if she could give me a recipe for the most ooeiest, gooiest, chocolatey cake she had.  Mine was not sufficing and I wanted something new.  So Sig sent me this recipe and its been waiting in my in-box forever since its been so dang hot.  Today I came across it and my belly went "ME WANT THAT!"  So it drug me down to the kitchen and forced me to make a homemade chocolate cake complete with homemade icing in 900 degrees of hellish heat and humidity.  Thankfully, this cake is a *snap* to throw together and it wasn't long before I was lounging back in my air conditioned bedroom (aka the isolation chamber) just waiting for the timer to go off.  I have to say, having made this and tasted it - even if it took 2 hours to make this cake vs. a box mix, I would make this cake.  Its just that dang good.

Oh, and if you've never seen a grown man prance around the kitchen begging to lick a spoon, try making this cake.  My husband came in when I was making the icing and begged for the spoon.  So I handed it to him and he promptly stuck it in his mouth and went "Dang that's hot!"  Um, yah!  It was in near boiling chocolate if you hadn't noticed.  And he hadn't b/c he was too busy like I said prancing around the kitchen chanting "cake, cake, cake".  Seriously.  Prancing.

This cake is sooo moist and soft and just mmm mmm good I can't even describe it.  It made me nervous seeing this super thin hot chocolate consistency batter go into the oven but within 10 minutes, it was already baking up and solidifying like a normal cake would.  When it came out, think "chocolate sponge cake" b/c that's how springy and moist this was.  And then there is the icing.  The glorious fudgey pour over top because it's just that easy frosting.  YUM!  Better than box.  Better than bakery from the store.  Just make the cake!  :)

click to enlarge

Siggy Spice's Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin and look like hot chocolate - don't be scared). Pour batter into prepared 9"x13" pan.

Bake 33-38 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Gooey, Sticky, Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
6 TBSP powdered cocoa
2 TBSP oil (canola or vegetable) or shortening
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Over medium heat, combine all ingredients EXCEPT vanilla, constantly stirring for about 7 minutes. Don't let the bottom scorch. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let sit for about 5 minutes before pouring over cake.  Allow to cool completely before serving.

Majestic Chicken Velvet Soup!

When I'm blue and moody, I really want something to comfort me from the inside out.  Hello Freud, analyze that one buddy!  (not too hard to figure that one out.)  As we are getting ready to move to Georgia, everything seems to be going wrong that could be going wrong.  Its just like the cosmos is recognizing my raving, un-desire to move far from my beloved New York and causing issues to prevent us going in a timely manner.  Or it could be the fairies since I didn't leave a cupcake out by the bush for them or something.  LOL  Like today, we went to get the hitch put on our car to tow a small trailer with us of all the things we'll need right off.  (the movers can come up to two months later, as in the case of my neighbors)  I can't be without my crock pot that long!  So, we went to place and the guy tells us that the dude we talked to didn't order the part in, they didn't have any in stock and they had no mechanic on duty anyways today.  We stood there not knowing what to say as the manager ordered our part and said they "might" get it done in time for us to leave.  Might?!  We have no option here.  Might does not suffice.  My blood pressure was soaring and all I could think about was the amount of stress this is putting on us both.  Ugh...so when I'm in one of "those" moods, I want something to make me feel better...and this soup always does the trick.  I know its hot out and its not technically "soup" weather but this is so good, you won't care.  You just feel loved.  You taste love...like your grandma is in the kitchen whipping you up something good kinda love.  Mmmm, yeah.

I wish I could claim fame to creating Chicken Velvet soup but sadly, I've been making it so long, I couldn't even possibly tell you where I got the original recipe from.  Even then, I've deviated so far from the original recipe, its kinda not theirs anymore really.  Theirs had no meat in it.  I've added bacon on top and cheese.  I've even stirred in sour cream for extra creaminess.  And at one point I even added homemade noodles to it for a creamy chicken noodle thing.  I even added gnocchi once and herbed rotisserie chicken from the deli.  Its really just that flexible.  Below is the basic way I make it...and I do add probably a good 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon granules/crystals because I like it super chickeny flavored.  But I promise you, you will never have a more delicious, smooth, filling and tastier soup than this.  Even my picky 14 year old son loves this soup and usually, if its not topped with pizza sauce, he ain't eating it.  LOL  This really is a majestic recipe.  Here's hoping it'll make your day better too!

CHICKEN VELVET SOUP

⅓ c. unsalted butter
¾ c. flour
6 c. chicken stock
1 c. milk, warmed
1 c. heavy cream, warmed
1 c. shredded, cooked chicken
Salt/pepper, to taste
Chicken flavor granules, optional

Melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour, cooking till bubbly and thick.  Warm (either in the microwave or in a small saucepan) the milk and cream together but do not scald or boil.  Add the warmed milk and cream with 2 cups of chicken broth to the flour mixture. Whisk till blended and thickened. Do not boil!  Add the remaining 4 c. of stock, whisking till smooth and incorporated.  Continue cooking till heated thoroughly.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and chicken granules for a stronger chicken flavor if desired.  (and I highly recommend!)

Add the shredded chicken and allow to heat through before serving.  

Missing A Recipe...

Yes, it seems I am missing a recipe for cat stew.  I swore I had one somewhere but I seem to have misplaced it.  Are these babies not just adorable?!  You COULD just eat them right up with a spoon!  Just the sweetest wee faces. 

But it does lead me to the question, are you missing any recipes.  I was thinking about this soup I used to make when I worked at The Mad Hatter Tea Room.  Carrot soup, to be exact and it was just the most fabulous thing I'd ever had as far as soups go.  The cook, a friend of my mom's, wrote it down for me and over the years I have lost it sadly.  My beloved soup is lost to oblivion.  I like to think that maybe someone found it in one of my old apartments or houses and now has a treasured recipe they make all the time.  LOL  I've also lost my recipe for buttermilk pie.  Come to think of it, I've lost ALOT of recipes over the years.  I should make a list someday of all those things and go looking for them online.

This also brings me to my second pondering - I am a bonafide addict to Chef Boyardee pizza sauce.  Does anyone have a good homemade version close to that?  Nothing has come close yet.  HALP!

Oooh a lament on leaving NY...

Today it really hit me that we are less than 3 week away from leaving New York.  We went to our usual weekend diner and it hit me that this was prolly the last time I would be dining at The Gateway.  Not that its anything particularly special...its good food, mind you but its not like some big time restaurant in NYC or some place bearing a big celebrity name.  I will miss all the small places like -

• Yobo - where Jon fell in love with the sushi and they served a side of fried rice big enough to feed 4 people.  The amazing interior design is beautiful and mesmerizing.  Waterfalls and all... dreamy.
• Leo's - where from the moment you stepped inside you expected to find a mafia poker game going on in the back room.  The pizza boys name is Guido even.  It doesn't get more authentic than this place.
• The Gateway Diner - it touts itself as being your every day friendly Greek restaurant but they literally have a bit of everything on their HUGE 10 page menu.  Italian, Irish, Greek, French...you name it - its here and comes in epic sizes for a small penny.  
• Steak & Stein - I have never had a steak more delicious than this place.  When you walk in, you feel like you stepped into colonial times by the decor and the huge stone fireplace.  Very cozy and romantic. 
• Cosimo's - mama mia!!  I only wish I could make meatballs like the Nonna meatballs here.  And the white pizza with gorgonzola.  Get outta here!  I never knew I even LIKED gorgonzola before this place.  I could seriously eat here every day.
•  The Thayer Hotel restaurant - ugh I want to cry thinking about The Thayer.  Spent my anniversary there eating a wonderful meal on the balcony overlooking the river while a couple got married below us in the garden.  Listened to their vows and the music...it was *perfect*.  It was fine dining at its best truly.  The president stays here when he's at West Point.  If he likes it, so will you!  :)
• Prima's Pizza - I will never in a million years forget Prima's.  Walking inside was like trashy yard sale meets Mario Batalli's level of cooking.  The pizza was the size of the table (I kid you NOT for a large) and their ravoli was sinfully good.  The inside is so fascinating..everywhere you look was some form of knick knack or antique and pictures. EVERYWHERE.  You just couldn't take it all in.  I'm so thrilled they ship nationwide.  I might not get so homesick afterall!  :P

I'm sure I've missed some of my favorite eats but these stand out the most.  I will truly miss Adam's Fair Arcres Farmer's Market.  I love the smell of this place.  It smells 'green' and reminds me of the farm.  Everything is fresh and they have organic veggies/fruit and locally raised meats.  Every Saturday we'd go there after eating lunch at either Denny's or The Gateway.  And every time we'd do laundry, we'd eat next door at Leo's or this wee small Chinese place.  There is just so much I didn't get to do in my 8 months here in New York and hella more I will miss so much.  I can only wait for the day when I move back here - because I *will* be back here some day. 

So if you get the chance, stop by the places I mentioned.  They are fabulous and unforgettable and you won't regret it.  Oh Hudson Valley - whatever will I do without you?!