Sunday, March 8, 2009

Martha's Paul Bunyan Cookie


I don't bake, well not until a few hours ago. I was watching a Martha Stewart podcast and she made Paul Bunyan Cookies (click the link for the recipe). These cookies stuck in my mind and I decided I would make them this weekend. I was a little intimidated because I don't have a Robin's Egg Blue mixer and the only thing I have ever really baked was chicken.
I followed the recipe exactly, except instead of vegetable shortening I used butter. I read a comment on Martha's website where someone suggested this and I usually don't have any use for shortening; it just sits in my cabinet. I had never used molasses before but I remember hearing many times to spray your measuring cup with Pam so that the molasses pours smoothly and it did.



I have to admit I am happy with the outcome. I didn't burn them and they are edible. To quote my Buster "It is a nice balance of chewing and crispy." The oats, chocolate, raisins, and walnuts create a nice texture. I chopped the walnuts a little too fine so they are sublet. I think next time I am going to chop the walnuts coarsely.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes!

My new favorite breakfast. I got the recipe off of Slash Food. I have made these almost every weekend for the past month. I am trying to perfect the recipe and make it my own. I add some fresh grated nutmeg and cinnamon to the dry mix. I also use soy milk instead of regular milk and I mush up a couple of old bananas add mix them up with the batter. All of these little additions work. The nutmeg and cinnamon makes the flavor a little more complex and interesting. The soy milk is because that is all we use and I never have regular milk. I got tired of running to the store. The old bananas give the pancakes an extra banana sweetness. When the pancakes are ready top with some peanut butter, syrup and ENJOY!

If you make these and make them your own please let me know. I would like to hear your ideas.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

One's A Meal is the meal!

This is probably the least talked about best Greek restaurant in Houston. Sure everyone recommends Niko Niko's, which is good, but just down the street and around the corner is my new favorite Greek restaurant, One's A Meal.

Buster and I had been apartment hunting and we were starving. As Buster and I walked in, we were greeted by two very friendly men. One who seated us and the other who took our order. We sat in silence as we glanced through the menu, everything sounded so good. We decided on the following:
Well before I give you the order, the meal started with a basket of baked pita bread and a dip of tomato sauce. The bread was crispy and sprinkled with sesame seeds, which was a perfect compliment for the fresh tomato sauce, nicely seasoned. I would go back for that sauce alone.

Spanakopita (spinach and feta in philo pockets)


It is hard to go wrong with these little hot pockets of warm spinach and feta. The philo was crispy and flaky and the filling was a nice balance of spinach and feta.


Souzoukakia (meatballs with tomato sauce over rice)


I had never had this dish before but I have now found a new favorite. The meatballs were a little over cooked but they were packed with flavor. The tomato sauce was the same tomato sauce for the pita bread. The dish was served with an extremely healthy serving for mixed herb vegetables (yellow squash, broccoli, celery...), green beans in the same tomato sauce, and two lemon herb potatoes.

Pastichio (tube pasta and beef topped with bechamel sauce)

This was Buster's pick and one of his favorite Greek dishes. Usually the pasta is a little dry, but at One's A Meal it was moist. It also had a nice herb flavor and topped off with the delicious tomato sauce. His meal also had the same vegetables as the Souzoukakia (he wasn't as excited about the squash and green beans as I was).


To sum it up, One's A Meal is the place I recommend for Greek food in Houston.