All she wants is a little respect...

That's right!  Respect the Waffle of Insane Greatness...

Or the massive pile of cheesy eggs and Applewood bacon...

The potatoes are tossed with jalapenos that give them just enough heat to be exciting, but not so much you can't taste the rest of the meal.  The biscuits are also gargantuan.  Real cheddar cheese on the eggs is a plus.  Nothin' against American cheese, but sometimes you want the real thing.  And the bacon, oh my, the bacon.  Crunchy in consistency and rich in color, with a hint of happiness and love... Jim Gaffigan would be proud.

Aretha's has a cozy, friendly feel.  Make sure you have time to relax and enjoy a coffee or beer or a mixture of both, because the wait is long... but worth it!  - my mug shot courtesy of a good friend

Next time I fully intend to beat this guy's record (7 monster pancakes in 20 minutes), because these pancakes would totally be worth the pain...

One more thing! At the risk of sounding like a complete freak, I must say, bathrooms are very important to me... temperature, color, accents and hooks!  Golly, hooks are cheap and so many restrooms are sorely lacking a proper place to hang my purse.  Aretha's passed this test with flying colors!

Well, folks, as always, our annual Tennessee trip was embellished by delicious food with delightful friends. Can't wait to go back and eat pancakes until I can no longer move!

Happy Eating!

Tasty indeed...

Could this place possibly have picked a more appropriate name?  I submit that they could not.  Tasty's is the place to go in Fernandina for fresh, messy, sloppy, sauce-running-down-your-wrists burger!  And the fries...  I need a moment... 

ok, I'm back from my fry-dream.  As I was saying, the fries are delectable, delicious and demanding of a lot of napkins.  The place has a great diner feel to it and I love chilling at a picnic table outside.  We watched a storm roll in while feasting like burger kings and queens.  No, not the greasy fast food kind of "burger royalty". The "Fit for Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee" kind of meal.  

Here's where you go to order...

That's where we sat...

And here is what I gorged myself on...

Would you like a closeup?

These fries were incredible... I mean, LOOK at them! They should be outlawed.  I'm not kidding.  Well, maybe I'm kidding, because I would hate to have a criminal record because of french fries.  ANYWAY, what I particularly liked about these babies were the fact that they were Chili Cheese Fries without the chili.  Dusted in chili powder, they give the impression of chili without the soggy, greasy sauce.  The cheese is creamy and melty, but still allows the fries to maintain the perfect consistency... that fantastical realm between soft and crunchy.  Oh yeah, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. 

I'm not ashamed, well, maybe a little ashamed, to say that I very literally had to cover them with a napkin to keep from hurting myself.  I really wanted to eat every last one and then bang on the door until they served me more.  

Which leads me to one more 'kudos' for Tasty's:  if the customers are coming, they keep cooking.  We arrived at 2:30 not knowing they closed at 2.  However, the very cheerful lady at the counter said that as long as the grill is hot, they keep 'em coming.  How cool is that?!  

My only complaint is that they are in Fernandina... and I'm not. 

Happy Eating!

Happiness is a warm cast iron skillet

So a couple of friends have been going on about how wonderful the Fried Chicken and Waffles are at Metro Diner here in Jacksonville.  And doggone it!  Now I have a hankerin’!  (With talk like that, you’d think I was from the South... oh wait! I am!)

Anyway, I found a simple recipe for Panko Fried Chicken from Eat, Drink, Man.  Pretty straight forward.  But since my waffle maker is still being held hostage (long story), my hubby whipped up a batch of his magically delicious pancakes.

Behold the transformation from naked tenderloins to golden-fried goodness, from blobs of lumpy batter to sun-shaped cakes of happiness. 



And thus was laid before us a feast of such glorious proportions, that we almost felt the need to pray 
twice. 

While it may appear that I had only three pancakes on my plate, I am ashamed, positively mortified, to tell you how many I ate.  And so I will not!   

Tchau!  Happy Eating!

Pork and pickles

http://instagr.am/p/JngrPiDjK3/

Trying to eat out less, so I whipped up this baby. Some pulled pork from the Publix deli, Wickles sweet & spicy pickles, bbq sauce and cheddar cheese. Nom nom pizzafest! Can I get a yum yum?

While I would prefer homemade dough, when you're pressed for time Publix's bakery pizza dough is an acceptable substitute. It rises beautifully. For the best results, toss the dough, brush it with olive oil and pop it in the oven for a few minutes.

Deeeeelicious!

Now that is one BOLD Bean!

My hubby and I just moved into the Riverside area again, after having been away for 4 years. While "away" was really only a couple of miles, it may as well been a hundred for what it felt.

An exciting new addition came to the neighborhood while we were away... Bold Bean Coffee Roasters! This place is coffee nirvana. The old brick building creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a brew...coffee or otherwise. They not only serve cups of joe, but have a selection on tap to appease any beer snob.  



The icing on the ambience cake is the music selection. From The Black Keys to Explosions in the Sky to Skynyrd (we had a good laugh when they skipped "Simple Man", but a few bars were played nonetheless), the tunes are diverse but appropriate for a drink with friends or cramming for a test. 



Oh! and one more thing before I move on to the drinks... the prices are GREAT! Gone are the days of the 4 dollar Starbuck latte.  Feast your eyes and eventually your tastebuds on these babies...

Spicy Chocolate Latte & Honey Latte

The Spicy Chocolate feels is sneaky.  The taste of cocoa lulls your tastebuds into a sense of warmth and safety and then WHAM! tiny spicy ninjas kick you in the throat.  It’s an intense and yes, BOLD experience.

The Honey Latte is wholly warm and cozy.  There are no spicy surprises, just a soft blanket of foamy happiness.

Let’s play I Spy... find the origami swan!!

Tchau!  Happy Eating!

A pancake to inspire

Breakfast is the most wonderfully magical meal.  The natural combination of sweet and savory is the perfect way to start any day.  I was recently inspired by my friend Meg to try a new (and incredibly easy) pancake: The Dutch Baby or German Pancake.  It’s quite simple to whip up and is perfect for 2.  Just follow the recipe and voila!  You have a beautiful conduit for all manner of toppings. 








I like the edges to be a little golden brown.



Topped with peaches soaked in hot maple syrup.  Sweet!

On my next adventure I intend to stuff this Baby with a tasty mixture of ricotta and cream cheese.  I can’t wait!

Cheers! Happy Eating!

A little monday boost

Breakfast of champions... greek yogurt, vanilla almond granola, honey and fresh strawberries.  Oh! And not to be forgotten... sunshine! (Inside is ok, because I'm not squinting)

Happy eating!

The Village Bread Cafe

I should start by saying that I love when a restaurant serves breakfast all day.  It just makes sense.  Why stop serving breakfast foods?   Who determined that eggs, pancakes, grits, hashbrowns, etc, etc, had to be eaten only before 11am.  Or even worse... 10:30am!? I say we stick it to the man and declare that all restaurants serving breakfast should serve it all day long!  Heck!  Why not serve foods like pizza and cold chicken with it?  Those are great foods to munch in the morning.  

Anyway, let’s get my train of thought back on track.  Especially considering the fact that Village Bread Cafe serves breakfast... wait for it... ALL DAY!!  

Now, what makes the above rant even funnier is that I’ve never actually ordered their breakfast.  My hubby feasted upon gigantic, puffy pancakes that were about to float off his plate.  And my Dad has enjoyed their eggs & grits with toast (baked in house), but I’ve never actually partaken of the breakfast goods.

To be completely honest, I’m a one trick pony with their food.  I always, always get the Village Veggie  Pizza with a side of Slaw (and occasionally a salad, as seen below).   Believe me, there is a reason for that.  It is absolutely, without a doubt, as sure as the day is long, the best personal size pizza in Jacksonville.  It’s not traditional pizza crust. Rather it’s baked on ciabatta (also made in house), but my oh my it is amazing.  The goat cheese and mozzarella, piled high with fresh tomatoes, red onions and olives.  I’m salivating just thinking about it.  We intend to go there for dinner next week. Maybe I’ll try something new.  Like breakfast.

Check these out and do some salivating of your own...

(look at that fluff!)

Happy Eating!

Get your delicious on...

At Soup’s On!  


In Florida, we really only have two seasons: summer and pseudo-winter.  During the summer time, I often lay around my house with the AC cranking and the fans at full speed praying for clouds to offer some respite from the blazing sun.  I feel like a Morlock in those months, squinting and cringing in the harsh light.  


But pseudo-winter... now there’s a different story!  Scarves, sweaters, coats, boots, hats!  I love it all.  But most of all, I love the food.  Hot soup and sandwiches, chili, stew.  So to my utmost joy and exultation, I have discovered Soup’s On.  Granted it’s not cold outside just yet, but I’m counting down the days.  And while I’m at it, I’m enjoying some “made-fresh with local ingredients” soup from Soup’s On.


So far I’ve had the Carrot & Apple soup (I enjoyed it hot, but it can also be served cold); Wild Mushroom & Barley Soup with an open-faced Roasted Eggplant sandwich with goat cheese; and Apricot & Red Lentil Soup with a Portobello Mushroom sandwich. My hubby has twice supped happily on French Onion soup (he ate a whole pint the first time).

(Sorry some of the pictures are blurry and the food half-eaten... usually I’m too excited about the food to remember to take a picture until it’s too late)

Wild Mushroom & Barley with Roasted Eggplant

French Onion Soup with Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Sandwich

Apricot & Red Lentil Soup and Portobello, Arugula & Pepper Jack Sandwich

Can’t forget the tea!  This was delightfully refreshing: Citronella Tea

No, not the stuff you put in candles to keep the bugs away.  But it is just delicious enough to chase the summer blues away. =)

Yum! Yum!  Happy Eating!  Tchau! Tchau!

Oh the places you'll go...

and the showers you'll throw!

For me baby & wedding showers are usually tossed into the same category as Mary Kay & Pampered Chef parties; that category being “Things I Avoid If At All Possible”. I would much rather hang out and watch a game with my hubby then ooh and aah over shiny things and baby blankets. But anyone who came to my sisters recent Baby Shower never would have believed that for a second.

Not including weeks of idea swapping, tossing, renewing, crumpling, uncrumpling and finally, deciding, my Mom, Little Sister and I spent about 15 hours (9 in a row... from 6pm to 3am) rearranging furniture and decorating for this Baby Extravaganza. It’s wasn’t a shower... it was a Deluge! And it was worth every minute.

We enlisted the help of old faithful - The World Wide Web - in our quest to find the perfect decorations for a Dr. Seuss themed shower. We made out like bandits! In our preparation for the big day, we shopped at Michaels , Joann’s and The Dollar Tree. It was exhausting and a bit of strain on the brain. I think I cracked a little at Dollar Tree...

In the end, we came home with bags and bags of all manner of bright and Suessy things.

The following Friday, the real fun began...

.

To make our “One of Three Cheese Trees”, I cut a tree shape from poster board and my lil’ sister painted it green. Then we trimmed the edges with bright green pipe cleaners... careful! Hot glue is hot!

The diaper cake was a blast to make! Whoa! That was Suessy! Anyway, LeiLani (or Mom... it was late and I can’t remember) had the nifty idea to wrap the pipe cleaners around a pencil to make them twisty. Then we proceeded to shove all manner of baby items around the cake.

To spice up the table clothes we found shiny tissue paper and used generous amounts double-sided tape to make sure the window unit didn’t blow anything away.

Just some final touches to the cheese tree... we hot glued puffy blue balls to the tips to make it look a little more festive; and to protect our fingers from the metal pip cleaner tips. We hung Chinese lanterns, balloons, and little paper Hats from the ceiling. We stuck Dr. Seuss characters all over the house, made Truffula trees and even had Thing 1 and Thing 2 running through the front yard ( I failed, much to my dismay, to take a picture of that** ). From the driveway to the bathroom, we went Suessical! And most importantly, it was a hit with our Mommy-to-Be!

Thing 2 & Thing 3 (Technically I'm Thing 1 because I'm the eldest)

**A word of advice: If you're planning something like this and want to document it, DO NOT rely on yourself to take all the pictures. I was too caught up in the hosting and forgot to take half the pictures I wanted.

***I forgot to mention (thank you, Bethany for reminding me) to really get people oohing and aahing, we hung pictures of Courtney when she was a baby. The guests just loved it! We joked about what the Lil' Momma would say when she saw them and I think it was my Mom that guessed it right: "I was such a cute baby!"

Happy Eating and Showering! =P