Monday, September 16, 2013

Food Bank's Culinary Classic - 1 Week to go!




The 22nd Annual Culinary Classic- September 23, 2013


            Okay, it is the final count down UNTIL THE BIG NIGHT!!! I really hope I have already convinced you to buy a ticket, hopefully a few actually, and you are all set and ready for next MONDAY!

            However, if you still need a bit of persuasion…..

            With 7 days remaining, here are 7 reasons (in no particular order) why you should go ahead and purchase tickets for this noteworthy and delicious event:


7. It is for charity and to help END hunger, no one deserves to be hungry! Don’t you agree?

6. The Monmouth and Ocean County Food Bank does truly amazing work, as highlighted on their site and my recent post….so why not support them?!?

5. The restaurants on hand next week are enough to make me drool. I listed  and linked them a few weeks back and am still salivating! That many restaurants in 1 night, I need not ask your approval J

4. Celebrity Guest Chef David Burke will be in attendance. After researching and posting about him 2 weeks ago, I can’t wait to mingle with that Dude. I can’t imagine you’d turn down a chance to meet him…

3. September is National Hunger Action Month….now, more than ever, we should all be doing something to help fight hunger.

2. Going out on a Monday night extends your weekend, which makes me smile and fights those Monday-blues!

1. When I rehash and post about the event, you will be sorry you didn’t attend and having regret is just a yucky feeling!

 
So now you are convinced….I am telling, not asking…..haha, okay I am still asking…..if you are going to buy, click here my friends. I can’t wait to see you!


           

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Itsy Bitsy Break


Itsy Bitsy Break…

 

            Just an FYI to my fellow followers…….I’ll be back in a few weeks….Life is somewhat hectic right now and when the going gets tough and busy, I tend to need a breather! I’m not Superwoman after all…..

            In the meantime, please keep up with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I don’t have Instagram because frankly I can’t handle another social media platform! I already can’t seem to check/update/peruse the 3 I listed without getting a headache. See….I do need a break, right?

            I’m also at Jersey Bites, dishing out some great stuff. My latest article is up- Red Knot at Galloping Hill. Besides reading my posts, go ahead and check out the site, it is filled with Foodie wonderfulness!

            And last but certainly not least, I’ll still post this upcoming Monday as it will be 1 week until the Food Bank's Culinary Classic. You know, the event you already bought tickets to! (wink wink)

            So with that, I’m sad to say goodbye for some time but I know I’ll be back before I know it. I already have some dynamite recipes in the hopper and I hope to have some new reviews to detail about too! (aka….Hubby, you are working on our next reservation, yes?)

            Peace out my friends, I’ll see you soon. J xo
 
 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Food Bank's Culinary Classic- 2 weeks to go!





The 22nd Annual Culinary Classic- September 23, 2013


            Did you know that September is National Hunger Action Month???  “What’s that?” I am sure you are sorta wondering, right?  According to their site feedingamerica.org, it is described: September is Hunger Action Month, when the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks unites to urge individuals to take action in their communities. It is our opportunity to create a movement that has a real and lasting impact on our mission to help end hunger in America.

            Well, if you are like me and sadly didn’t realize that September means more than back-to-school and fading tan lines, no sweat…I have just the ticket for you to get involved!  A ticket, of course, to the Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties Culinary Classic! This week marks 2 weeks until the big day and with this month representing Hunger Action month, I really see no reason why we can’t all join together to support a great cause.

            So with that being said, I hope to see you there on the 23rd so that we can all do something on our part to end hunger in our community.

            To purchase tickets: click here
 
 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Peanut Butter Banana Pie


             Ta-da, the last post in Hubby’s 3-Part Birthday Series….his birthday cake! Better yet, his birthday pie….

            As you well know, the guy doesn’t like birthdays. Well, that is just too darn bad, because I adore them and simply love any excuse to celebrate and eat dessert!

            This pie is one of his favorites and has been enjoyed by the family for quite some time. Long enough that I actually couldn’t find the recipe online that I used to make it from. I know it was from Cooking Light but when I went to search it, there was nothing there that resembled what I was looking for. The original recipe used crushed vanilla wafers as a crust and light cream cheese and reduced fat peanut butter, if I remember correctly. So I did what I thought best resembled it while also forgoing any of the “light” and “reduced fat” suggestions…..because in my book, birthday cakes/pies/sundaes are all calorie-free…..the minute someone sings the birthday song, the calories simply float away. You all know this, yes?

            So anyway, being pressed for time and getting a gazillion other things ready for the birthday BBQ, I opted to go with a prepared crust. I chose chocolate because besides jelly, it is peanut butter’s best friend. The outcome was delicious and enjoyed by all. We sang, snapped some photos, watched Hubby blow out his candles, and of course, envisioned those calories drifting away! Enjoy…
 



Peanut Butter Banana Pie
Serves: 6-8
Adapted from: Cooking Light (by memory)


OBJ: TCW be able to make her Husband a delicious and crowd-pleasing summer dessert to celebrate his birthday
Ingredients:
1 chocolate pie crust
1  8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1 C creamy peanut butter
1 tub whipped topping (Cool Whip®), thawed
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
Chocolate syrup and chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)
Procedures:
1. Place the bananas on the bottom of pie crust, spreading them out evenly
2. Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese and peanut butter well
3. Gently fold in the whipped topping, keep folding until it is all combined
4. Place mixture over bananas and spread, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours
5. Remove from freezer, drizzle with chocolate syrup and add chocolate shavings
6. Slice and serve
 
 


 
 

Monday, September 2, 2013

Food Bank's Culinary Classic - 3 Weeks to go!


The 22nd Annual Culinary Classic- September 23, 2013


            3 weeks people, that is just 21 more days until the doors swing open at The Mill in Spring Lake for the Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties 22nd Annual Culinary Classic. You must be pretty psyched, maybe even as much as I am. And for good reason, as posted here before….By attending you will be 1- supporting a great organization and 2- eating from some unbelievably delicious restaurants and now reason 3 – Celebrity Chef David Burke’s attendance at this event!

            What a guest to have in the house! Not only will you be enjoying a night out with him but you also will be able to grab a treat from his signature David Burke Cheesecake Lollipop Tree. Never heard of David Burke or a Lollipop Tree?? No worries, let me just give you a snapshot of who this Chef is, what he has  accomplished and why I am so excited to have him our company:


David Burke: Celebrity Chef, Entrepreneur, Inventor, and Author. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America and also completed other instruction in France. Worked under notable chefs including Charlie Palmer at The River Café and eventually become executive chef there and earned 3 Stars from the NY Times. Burke has established numerous restaurants and has won an immense amount of awards. Beyond that, he has been a contestant on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef Masters” and has held a guest spot on “Every Day with Rachael Ray” Show. **


**Restaurants:
·         David Burke Townhouse  – NYC website
·         David Burke Fishtail  – NYC  website
·        David Burke Fromagerie – NJ website
·        David Burke Prime – Foxwoods Resort Casino, CT website
·        David Burke Primehouse – Chicago, Il website
·        Burke’s Bacon Bar – Chicago, Il website
·        David Burke Kitchen – NYC website
·        David Burke Cafe @ Bloomingdales- “Burke in the Box” – NYC website

**Books:
·        Cooking with David Burke buy on Amazon
·        David Burke’s New American Classics buy on Amazon

**Awards

·        Way to many list….If you would like to read about them, visit his website. The list is quite impressive!


            And so I can continue to go on and on about the Special Guest, David Burke, but I’ll spare you my ramblings. The important thing to know right now is that this guy is truly amazing and it will definitely be a delight for all of us to be spending the night with him.

            So c’mon, now you really have to buy tickets, this event is shaping up to be remarkable!
    
** All information regarding David Burke was found at www.davidburke.com ***