"Chocolate Covered Strawberry" Cookies

Chocolate covered strawberries are my favorite. I love them. I make them all the time in the summer when strawberries are in season. It's really fun to play around with dark and white chocolate and make different designs, too. I made a huge platter of them for a graduation party last summer.

Anyway, right now we are nearing the end of the semester! I am on a mission to use up every ingredient in my pantry and as a result I have been baking lots of cookies. I made these delicious cookies last weekend for the Boston Marathon. They are chocolate drop cookies with white chocolate chips and dried strawberries. The result is the cookie version of a chocolate covered strawberry!

These are super easy to make. I made sure to get a lot of different sized bits of strawberries in the dough, including what was basically strawberry powder. This made sure the strawberry flavor was throughout the entire cookie.

Have fun with these cookies! I think they'd be fun with some semisweet chocolate chips mixed in as well :).

"Chocolate Covered Strawberry" Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup AP flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

3/4 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup freeze dried strawberries (broken into chocolate chip-sized pieces)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in white chocolate chips and strawberries
4. Form 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough, making sure they are at least 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or until puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and then remove to wire racks.
6. Eat.

Restaurant Review: Union Oyster House in Boston, MA

Boston University's School of Hospitality (SHA) has a Diner's Club, which meets a few times a semester to try restaurants and learn more about the food and beverage industry. Today we had the pleasure of dining at the Union Oyster House in Boston, which is the oldest restaurant in America (est. 1826)! Fun fact: it is the only restaurant in the country to have status as a National Historic Landmark! The restaurant has tons of history associated with it: JFK had his own booth when he was a senator, a king of France lived on the second floor while in exile, and it was once a pay station for troops during the revolutionary war. The walls of the restaurant are covered in historical plaques, paintings, and dioramas.

The "Freedom Trail" Room, which has a 3D model of each site on Boston's Freedom Trail

One of the SHA professors, Chef DiFronzo, is also the executive chef at Union Oyster House. He gave us a wonderful tour of the building. There are multiple dining rooms on multiple levels, as well as a cocktail bar and the oyster bar, which has been there since the restaurant was opened.

The Original Oyster Bar

The Diner's Club was seated in a private dining room on the second floor. While we waited for everyone to arrive, we snacked on cornbread and butter. Our three-course meal began with the restaurant's famous clam chowder. I can honestly say that it was the best clam chowder I've ever had: it was thick and rich and so delicious!

Our entree was grilled salmon, served with steamed veggies. The salmon was a perfect medium rare and was incredibly moist. Chef DiFronzo later told us that he didn't put a sauce on the salmon because he wanted us to taste the fish itself. He explained that the restaurant uses farmed Canadian salmon because it is cheaper than wild salmon and much easier to get fresh. Wild salmon usually comes from the Pacific, whereas the farmed salmon comes from only a few hours away. The salmon is the only seafood that the Union Oyster House gets from outside of New England.

For dessert, we had Boston Cream Pie! Although I had never had Boston Cream Pie before, I think that it was excellent.

Not only does Union Oyster House have excellent food, but it provides such a fun experience. Wandering through all of the rooms is like walking through a museum. Next time I will be trying their renowned oysters!

Union Oyster House
http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/
(617) 227-2750
41 Union St.
Boston, MA 02108

Restaurant Review: Regina Pizzeria in Boston, MA

Tonight we took Elise out to Regina Pizzeria for her birthday! Elise, a Massachusetts native, had recommended it to us and we decided to give it a try. Regina Pizzeria is also on the Boston Eater 38 and Food & Wine Magazine lists it as one of Boston's best value restaurants.

Regina's normally has a line out the door, but since it was Tuesday night, we were lucky enough to be seated immediately. The atmosphere is very family-friendly and casual. One of the walls displays a fun collection of police patches from all over the country.

Our waitress brought us paper plates and menus listing dozens of different pizzas, including a make-your-own option. All of the pizzas can be ordered as either 10" or 16". We ordered a 10" classic margherita and a 10" sausage cacciatore to share.

Our pizzas arrived quickly and we immediately dug in. The crust was incredible: it was crisp and light but still sturdy enough to hold the toppings without bending (although after a few minutes the sausage pizza crust started to soften). The margherita came with chopped fresh basil and was absolutely delicious.

The sausage cacciatore, topped with onions, mushrooms, and green bell peppers, was fantastic as well. All of the ingredients were of good quality and freshness.

Regina's original North End location has been in business for almost 90 years, and it's easy to see why it's so popular. If you want great pizza for a great price, this is the place to go.

Regina Pizzeria
http://www.reginapizzeria.com/
11 1/2 Thacher St
Boston, MA 02113

Regina's also has locations in Allston, Faneuil Hall, Fenway, the Prudential Center, and South Station.

Avocado Pasta

So in an attempt to have a healthier diet, I have decided to start eating vegan about 80% of the time. I'm sure you all remember that I was a vegetarian (sometimes pescitarian) for over eight years, so cutting out meat is easy. Cutting out dairy and eggs is a little harder, but I don't eat much of those anyway! The remaining 20% of my diet will remain normal and will be saved for restaurant reviews and baking. I know that vegan baking is possible and is quite popular, and I might try my hand at it a few times, but for the time being I will leave my baking alone. After all, butter is pretty great :).
Right now, I am trying to use up all of the ingredients in my pantry before I move home for the summer (in one month exactly!). I stocked up my pantry very well at the beginning of the semester and am now finding myself with various odds and ends: half a box of spaghetti, a ton of white rice, some soba noodles, and lots of oils and vinegars. I also have about half a dozen frozen avocados in my freezer because my wonderful Grandparents sent me a whole box from California! You can see where this is going.
I found this amazing avocado pasta recipe from Damn Delicious. I was skeptical to try it at first but once I did, I was hooked. It's so easy! All you do is cook the pasta, blend the avocado with some lemon juice, olive oil, basil, and garlic, and then toss it all together with some vegetables. How simple is that?

I didn't even thaw the avocado halves all the way, although my blender was not happy about that. I had to add some warm water to loosen it up a little bit but the end result was still amazing.
You can change up the vegetables if you want, but I followed the original recipe and added cherry tomatoes and frozen yellow corn.

Avocado Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients:

6 oz. Thin Spaghetti

1 ripe avocado (halved, peeled, and seeded)

1 T lemon juice

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

2T + 2t olive oil

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (quartered)

1/4 cup frozen yellow corn

Instructions:

1. Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to the package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
2. Combine the avocado, lemon juice, garlic, basil, and salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and pulse until more or less pureed. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and process until smooth. If needed, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
3. Toss the pasta, avocado puree, tomatoes, and corn together in a large bowl.
4. Eat.

Source: Damn Delicious

Restaurant Review: Tatte Bakery and Cafe in Brookline, MA

I finally got over to Tatte Bakery and Cafe, something I’ve been meaning to do for ages.

At 1:30 on a Sunday, the cafe was out of many menu items, not surprising with the line to the door. Tatte's popularity is well deserved. It’s like stepping into a little piece of Europe with its rustic furniture and decor. Old-fashioned baskets hold packages of fabulous-looking baked goods. The menu offers several breakfast/brunch dishes as well as a variety of lunch sandwiches.
My friend and I managed to find a seat at a counter after ordering. Our deliciously creamy and comforting lattes, made with Stumptown coffee, arrived almost immediately, followed quickly by our breakfast sandwiches.

My avocado sandwich came with tomato, feta, and eggs done perfectly over-easy on toasted brioche. The soft, tasty brioche was the best part.

Sophie’s Croque Monsieur was on brioche instead of the usual croissant, as they had run out. She described it as "biting into a cloud," so no great loss.

I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu and to indulge in some of those baked goods! Tatte also has locations in Cambridge and on Beacon Hill.

Tatte Bakery and Cafe
http://tattebakery.com/
(617) 232-2200
1003 Beacon St
Brookline, MA 02446

Overnight Oats

Being a college student can be very hectic, especially where meal planning is involved. Breakfast is often sacrificed for fifteen minutes more sleep (although those fifteen minutes never seem to improve my mood or energy level). And that's a big problem, because breakfast is REALLY important. I don't have to tell you all the benefits of eating breakfast. When I do manage to get up in time to make/eat breakfast, it's one of my favorite parts of the day, because I get a few minutes of quiet time alone with my coffee and my food. It's quite peaceful.

Thanks to Pinterest, one of my favorite breakfasts is overnight oatmeal. It couldn't be easier. You put all the ingredients into a tupperware or a jar, put the lid on, shake it up, and store it overnight in the fridge.

In the morning, you have a delicious breakfast that can be served hot or cold and can be eaten on the go. It's also endlessly customizable: some of my favorite toppings include freeze dried strawberries, fresh blackberries, craisins, and sliced almonds. You also get to choose what kind of milk you use. I like using almond milk.

Topped with 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries and a tablespoon sliced almonds

The oatmeal is pretty loose and liquid when you first take it out of the fridge, which some people like (the oats are soft enough that you can eat it like that), but I usually heat it up for a few minutes in the microwave so that a) it's warm and b) the oats absorb a bit more of the liquid.

Before microwaving

After microwaving for two minutes and adding toppings

This recipe has taken a lot of the hassle out of my mornings. I hope it does the same for you!

Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats (any kind)

3/4 cup your choice of milk

1/2 T honey or maple syrup

1/2 T vanilla extract

Your choice of toppings

Instructions:

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a tupperware or a jar. Put the lid on, and shake until combined.
2. Put the container in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
3. Either eat the oats as they are, or heat up for a few minutes in the microwave. Add desired topppings.
4. Eat!

Restaurant Review: LoConte's in Boston, MA

Today I had the pleasure of visiting LoConte's Italian Restaurant in Boston's North End!

For a Saturday afternoon, LoConte's was surprisingly empty, likely due to the snow (darn you Boston!) My friend and I were seated at a four-top table in a windowed nook. Bread arrived at our table quickly, with olive oil, butter, and parmesan/herb combo. Delicious! Our garlic bread appetizer was reminiscent of the one I make at home, with olive oil, parsley, and parmesan.

My generous Chicken Cacciatore entrée was accompanied by a choice of pasta, which, while good, paled in comparison to the main dish.

The Cacciatore was hearty, with a zesty, chunky sauce of fresh veggies.

Elise ordered the Chicken Marsala, which was smothered with mushrooms and a sweet Marsala wine sauce.

The service at LoConte's was warm and attentive. The pricing was also reasonable: my entree was $21 and could have fed three people! If you’re looking for a new place to try in the North End, check out LoConte's.

LoConte's
http://locontes.com/
(617) 720-3550
114-116 Salem St.
Boston, MA 02213