California Que . Located at the entrance of Alila Ventana, Big Sur Smokehouse is a convenient and resort guest and public accessible stop in beautiful Big Sur . Serving an array of classic barbecue choices like smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken and more . The smoke from the smoker can be seen along Highway 1 and the aroma of BBQ greets you once you enter . We sampled an assortment of smoked meats and sides and while it ain’t Texas ‘Q (is anything in Cali?), the modest portions hit the spot, especially the ribs . 📷 Meat Plate $30 ~ St. Louis Ribs, Five Cheese Mac N’ Cheese, Cider Coleslaw / Smoked Brisket, Five Cheese Mac N’ Cheese, Collard Greens with Hamhock / Tri Tip $22 / Seasonal Cobbler $8 / Bread Pudding $8 . 📍Big Sur Smokehouse (Big Sur, CA) . #eatersf #bigsur #california #meat #barbeque #bbq #smokedmeats #topcitybites #sffoodie #foodie #nomnom #feed feed #eeeeeats #foodpics #foodgasm #dailyfoodfeed #foodphotography #eatnorthamerica #foodsharinggroup (at Big Sur Smokehouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj4BCOAv9nv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

best squishmallows Fundamentals Explained

Fifi’s Story: Fifi has presently been all over the place from your mountains to your Arctic and she wishes you to come back together, far too! This lively red fox is known as a little firecracker and it is presently engaged on getting her yoga certification. Winston’s Story: Being an aspiring chef, Winston is usually delighting his pals along with his most recent culinary delights. He’s Specially noted for his famed mac and cheese. Mickey + Santa = quick earn. The Disney most loved within an 8-inch measurement might be so adorable using a bow tied all around him beneath the Xmas tree. MadeForMums reviews are independent and depending on abilities and testing. When you buy via back links on our site, we may well make an affiliate Fee, but this in no way influences our merchandise alternatives. In contrast, if you click on a Microsoft-delivered advertisement that appears on DuckDuckGo, Microsoft Advertising doesn't affiliate your advert-click on habits that has a consumer profile. In https://toolbarqueries.google.ge/url?q=https://squishmallowsmart.com , it does not keep or share that data aside from for accounting applications. This cutie is a vintage along with a must have for any Squishmallow collector. Aqua The Sloth is 12 inches of good cuddling. And don’t get us started on These eyes! Developed by using a flat major and bottom, the shape of Squishmallows Stackables help it become easier to pile them in addition to one another if you've a complete assortment. He’s a soccer-loving ‘Mallow, and he also started a club for 'Mallows to Engage in and discover how to "Squishmallow indicator". Keep watch over Archie for the reason that he is rumored to Engage in within the Squishmallow Cup shortly. Minnie Mouse has gotten the Squishmallow treatment which is sporting an adorable pink polka dot bow and skirt. Whether you pair her with Mickey or not, Minnie is often an excellent Mate to acquire around. Its pink color as well as tie-dye style for the decrease portion create a vibrant look that'll undoubtedly place a smile on any Kid's face. When and In case the mood hits you to put out Christmas decorations, think of this little-sized Squishmallow named Dawn who's carrying her earmuffs and sporting a wreath which has a bow. Handful of factors are as special as eating with loved ones, in the deep conversations and shared foodstuff towards the cocktail glasses that hardly ever go vacant. By just investigating the name, you’d most likely guess these are definitely squishy marshmallows, and you wouldn’t be that much off (besides they’re not edible). Squishmallows have existed due to the fact 2017 and so are adorable plush toys that can double being a pillow since they’re Tremendous huggable and cuddly. In reality, almost every evaluation will show you just how unbelievably gentle and squishy (marshmallow-like! In this pack of 5 minis, you will get an assortment of four-inch versions of a number of the even bigger dolls.

Incredible mac n cheese

This recipe is not the cheapest, requires a lot of dish washing and time, but is delicious and very worthwhile if it can be managed.

Made about 5 generous entree servings for me, your mileage may vary. Could be a side dish and it would make more servings, but why on earth would you do that? Made to direction, this dish is a star.

Freezes and microwaves well.

I've tried to make the recipe as clear as possible and walk through every step of the process, so that anyone regardless of cooking experience can succeed.

Ingredience:

8 oz dry pasta of choice [recommended: rotini, fusilli, or similar. egg noodles acceptable but don't hold the sauce well itself but not an issue if meat present. not recommended: ziti, fetuccini, farfalle. any kind of relatively flat pasta will not hold sauce]

8 oz shredded mild easy melting cheese [borden easy melt shreds, pizza blend, quesadilla blend, american all good choices]

8 oz strong aged cheese [can be shredded or chopped into small pieces, can use multiple for enhanced flavor. smoked cheese is ideal. prefer cheddar but gouda or other strong cheeses would work for a different taste]

1 lb ground meat or meatless crumbles of choice [LOW FAT CONTENT. recommend at Least 80/20 beef, prefer 90/10 or less] Optional, but highly recommended

1 cup milk

1/2 medium yellow onion, white for stronger flavor

several cloves of garlic [recommend more than 1/2 bulb up to one whole bulb, per taste]

1/2 large hothouse tomato or equivalent

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

turmeric

optional: single drop of yellow mustard [i do not like mustard normally but it does enhance the flavor]

optional: soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, liquid smoke

Materials needed:

skillet, cast iron works excellent if available [to cook meat]

small stock pot [to cook pasta]

saucepan or stock pot [to cook sauce] It needs to be big enough to hold all of the sauce, pasta, and meat.

strainer [to drain pasta]

tool to stir meat [appropriate for your skillet. do not use metal utensil on cast iron or nonstick]

large spoon [to stir sauce]

Cutting board

flat edged knife

How to make it:

Slice up your ingredients in this order: tomato, garlic, onion, cheese. Set aside a small portion of the onion and garlic. Keep tomato and cheese in their own places. Onion and garlic may be combined

LOW AND SLOW

Begin heating skillet. [on a numbered stove, set between 3 and 4] Melt a small amount of butter [less than 1/2 tbsp] to grease the pan. If using cast iron, butter optional. If butter is limited but not using cast iron, it can be substituted for a small drizzle of oil. I prefer to use sunflower or canola.

When the butter/oil is crackling, or a drop of water in the skillet sizzles when dropped in, add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until all pieces are translucent.

Add in the pound of meat and break up. I like to slice perpendicular to the strands of meat [this can be done in the tray the meat comes in if you buy it in a tray] before dropping the meat in. Stir often, making sure ALL meat is browning well. When about half has browned, you can add a small drizzle of worchestershire, soy sauce, liquid smoke [any or all, I prefer all. for smoke, hickory or mesquite are best, pecan or applewood will be too sweet]. Salt and pepper to taste.

When almost all meat has browned, add in the chopped tomato. Continue cooking until ALL meat is thoroughly browned. [E-coli is no joke.]

Turn off heat, and let cool for a few minutes. Meat should then be drained, NOT into the sink, that's bad for the plumbing. I place a paper towel in the trashcan and drain onto it. Set aside meat mix.

In the stock pot, boil enough water to amply cover pasta, dash of salt may be added to the water if desired. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook to al dente instructions.

Strain pasta, rinse with cold water [halts the cooking process so noodles don't become overdone], strain again, and set aside.

In the saucepan, heat one cup milk. On a numbered stove, can set up to 4 to start.

Once milk has gotten very warm [you can hold your hand over it in the pot to check], add in 1 tbsp butter and allow to melt. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Add to the milk 1/4 tsp turmeric, drop of mustard, and salt and pepper as desired. Stir thoroughly.

Once milk is very hot, turn down heat, on a numbered stove turn to 3. Add the remaining garlic and onion, and let them simmer for a minute or two.

Begin adding strong cheese pieces. Do not put all in one pile, spread around the pan and allow some to melt before adding more. This process is slow and annoying. It's worth it. Stir often to ensure distribution of heat and check meltiness.

When all of the strong cheese has been added and melted, add the shredded mild cheese. Be sure to spread around the pan. Stir continually until all melted.

Once all cheese has melted, the sauce is ready. Turn to 'warm' or 'low' while combining. You will add the pasta and meat to the sauce, don't try to add the sauce to the pasta. Add your cooked pasta first, a little bit at a time and stir to coat. Once all pasta has been added, add in the meat mixture and mix it in. Turn off heat.

Serve and enjoy. Servings go farther than you might think, it's VERY heavy and hearty. If not putting in a serving dish or storing immediately, turn off heat, but turn on to warm periodically and stir to keep it from clumping up nasty and making cleanup harder.

Store leftovers, and wash sauce pan IMMEDIATELY. If you don't you Will regret it. It will be so much harder to clean once sauce remnants have solidified. Powerwash with very hot water as much as you can out of it with a sprayer, and soak in extremely soapy hot as possible water for 10-30 minutes if it doesn't all wash out. Good luck, it usually requires some scrubbing even after a soak.

Chef's notes:

Not sure this could really be translated into a fully vegan recipe. I also suspect from my experience with gluten free pasta, it would not work well as the noodles tend to be fragile.

Whole milk is my preference in this recipe, but as long as it has some fat content it should work well. If subbing the milk for a plant milk, use a thicker variety with higher fat content, like soy or oat. Almond milk would perform terribly due to its low fat content and usual runniness.

The absolute best version of this i have made I used: pizza blend shreds, 5 slices of Kroger Private Selection brand hickory smoked cheddar slices, and about 4.5 oz of Belton farm brand Smoked Red Fox red leicester cheese. Red leicester is a fantastic candidate in general due to its crumbliness and intense flavor.

This recipe could be made with 16 oz of velveeta and 2/3-3/4 cup milk, but it absolutely will not have the exceptional punch of using quality strong flavored cheese.

Okay, you want some actual good tips for eating better and as a result feeling better? I have five rough steps in the order I took them, as well as some advice for everything underneath.

1. Know your body and accept its not like everyone else's. Lables are put there for what the average healthy person should be, and not every calorie goal is going to suit you. I'm a very big person with a very low metabolism for example, I started to eat two smaller meals a day and I lost a good amount of weight and felt amazing. Quite simply, nobody is going to be the average person.

2. Invest in yourself, even if not with money. Spend time looking at nutrition lables, they're so important and there for a reason even if they don't cater to you. Knowing how much salt, sugar, protein, and fiber go into your body each day are especially important. Take your time to read the lables.

3. Use tools. A cheap electric scale that can help you get a correct portion size? Great! Using a measuring cup to get just the right amount of some cheap mac n cheese? Excellent. Online nutrition calculators that can help you figure out some specifics for you? Amazing. Figure out where you stand and where you want to be, but please never ever hate yourself.

4. Meal prepping. You've heard it a million times, and you may not have the time or energy for it, that's okay, but I didn't think I could either. Once I started eating better, I had more energy to spend on things like this, and tip, you can just make a giant pot of mac n cheese and stick a label in it. Meal prepping doesn't need to fancy containers of three or four tiny dishes in rectangle containers, it just needs to be able to help with not overeating.

5. Investing more than just time. Eventually, you may decide to want to get tools to help you make tastier food, or at least better quality. I recommend a blender to help you smooth vegetables into sauces and an air fried to make healthier versions of the foods you love without the grease or excessive salt.

Things to keep in mind:

1. Not all food is inherently bad. Some definitely have more than what you should in food, but goshdarnit if you want to treat yourself to a little fast food once a week, do it!

2. If multivitamins help you get your nutrients, get the goshdarn multivitamins. You don't need anything fancy, I have a 8-10 dollar bottle of 100 that will last me a few months. (NO IRON SUPPLEMENTS, GET VITAMIN ENRICHED CEREAL TRUST ME)

3. Exercise is something that is necessary. Is it much better for the process if you do exercise? Yes, definitely. Can some people not physically do it? Yeah. You don't have to if you can't for any reason.

4. Don't cut out something completely, like sugar or salt. Ya need that shit.

5. Don't ever ever ever hate yourself for your own health, weight, appearance, or anything like that. Mental health is so important goshdarn, and someone loves you so much I swear it. Don't take yourself for granted, people love you and want you to be happy.

6. Starving yourself won't make you happy. Ever.

Side Dishes to Serve with Steak

Top Restaurant Prices - Website with The Latest Restaurant Prices. Side Dishes to Serve with Steak Need some inspiration on what side dishes to pair with your steak? There are a lot to choose from, actually. The key is to make sure the side dish compliments your steak instead of overpowering it. Here are our top recommendations:

1. Spicy slaw

Add some freshness to your meal by preparing a simple smoky slaw with a mix of Cajun potatoes and a dressing made of mayo, chili paste and mayo.

2. Macaroni & cheese

You can serve your steak with a small portion of good old mac n’ cheese for a savory pasta dish. Go for a rich creamy sauce topped with nuts to add some crunch.

3. Grilled tomatoes

This one is a steakhouse classic. In fact, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse serves this as a side dish. You can add a hint of vinegar to bring out the sweet flavor to the tomatoes, as well as a dash of garlic and thyme.

4. Corn on the cob

Sweet corn that’s char-grilled to perfection and then rubbed with herby butter is a wonderful pair to steak.

5. Refried beans

Give your steak a taste of comfort with homemade refried beans served with sour cream, avocado and a pinch of paprika.

6. Spiralized veg

You can spiralize your favorite vegetable and then roast it to give it a shoestring fry appearance.

7. Mushrooms

Consider pairing your steak with roasted herby mushrooms mixed with parsley and garlic.

8. Mashed potato and gravy

This one is a classic and I would personally just go with this one when I’m looking for something familiar and comforting to go with my steak.

Steak Sauces

A quality steak and a simple side dish should be more than enough to make for a delicious meal. However, some people can’t seem to eat their steak without sauce. If you’re one of them, then this section of this article is for you. Here’s a list of our favorite steak sauces for you to try:

1. Peppercorn sauce

This is the classic steak sauce. Make your own peppercorn sauce in under 15 minutes with this recipe.

2. Bearnaise sauce

If you (or your guests) are steak purists then this French sauce would be perfect. The sauce has a mild vinegar tang and a hint of fresh tarragon.

3. Pesto sauce

This is not the same pesto you’d use in pasta but instead it’s a different version that works with steaks. It’s a mix of chili, watercress and hazelnuts.

4. Mushroom sauce

Prepare your own mushroom sauce using wild mushrooms, parmesan, soft herbs and white/red wine.

5. Flavored butter

Go for garlic, parsley and butter mix with a hint of chili and lime.

6. Chimichurri

This is a South American steak sauce made of garlic, shallots, chili and chopped parsley.

All Things Potato

Earlier in this post, I’ve included mashed potato in our list of side dishes. But apparently, potato deserves an entire section. If you want the classic steak and chips combo, here’s our list of options:

1. Traditional chips

Deep-fry your chips. Throw in some onion rings too!

2. Fries

Deep fried fries are always great for dipping.

3. Potatoes dauphinoise

If you want your side dish to be just as special as your steak, you can try this layered potato bake dish using veggies like celeriac, fennel and butternut squash.

4. Potato salad

Dress your potatoes with olive oil and vinegar for a lighter dish.

5. Mashed potatoes

You can add some mustard, garlic or horseradish to the classic creamy mashed potatoes. Want to learn how to make the best mashed potato? Watch this: Side Dishes to Serve with Steak Restaurant Staff Read the full article

riot fest happened happened a month ago at this point, and i wrote a majority of this the weekend of but kept putting off posting it. but i still wana rant about what a mess it was especially as it pertained to mcr! heres my list of grievances. all of these are problems that were caused by riot fest, not mcr EXCEPT for one thing which ill start with:

1.riot fest should not have been mcrs one and only chicago date in my opinion. there was way too much anticipation bc theyve havent played in chicago for what, a decade (correct me if im wrong)? people also bought these tickets 2-3 years ago so there was even more anticipation because of that.

the rest of my issues have to do with riot fest and their poor planning. while this was my first 3 day music festival, it is not anywhere near my first concert/fest in general.

2. friday was packed compared to the other 2 days and MANY people were coming just to see mcr, they really shouldve limited friday tickets selling more than they did bc there were just too many people to even try to control. even when i was waiting to enter at the beginning of the day, pretty much 50% of people were wearing mcr shirts, which just goes to show how many people were coming in anticipation of mcr

3. security was off and on. on friday they just waved us through metal detectors, which did not go off even though we had things like metal locks in our bags. saturday they took a peek inside our bags, and sunday they actually went through our bags fully.

4. there was one water station and it was at one side of the park where 1 stage was, quite a walk away from the other 3-4 stages, and it was genuinely easier to just buy alcohol. the food prices and amounts were... a little ridiculous and the lines were awful on friday. ive been to fests before but this was just Something. my brother got 2 small tacos for $10. i got some mac and cheese that was like 5 bites for $7 and a brownie for $5 (which ended up saving me bc it was calorie dense and i could carry it around taking nibbles thru the rest the day). we got those at really good timing really early in the day but later the lines for food were awful so we couldnt get anymore food. i get that festival food is always overpriced, but the portions were just so small to be able to sustain yourself for the fest. i also feel like there just werent enough food vendors for a fest where it says you cant bring any outside food in, altho its possible i couldve felt that just bc there was only 2-3 vendors that i could eat food at bc vegan. add the alcohol to a lot of peoples empty stomachs and it just didnt go well

5. people were packed in the riot crowd section before alkaline trio even started playing on the roots stage right next to it. and i mean PACKED. cant move, cant make space

6. speaking of before mcrs stage even started, riot fest should have known that the crowd needed mitigating when taking back sunday was on the riot stage a couple hours earlier. when the lead singer mentioned mcr, the crowd screamed and he got an alert that the scream got to 106 decimals (from what i heard)? again, a lot of anticipation

7. there was no competing band playing at the same time as mcr (except a 30 min overlap with marky ramone on a veryyy side stage) which made a bad situation even worse. people who felt neutral about seeing mcr had no other band to see instead, so it just made a bigger, more packed crowd. they shouldve had another medium/big name act playing at the same time to at least try and separate the crowds

8. the stage space was way too small for this amount of anticipation, and there were not enough sections dividing people. the riot stage was basically walled in from what i saw, with a barricade front, left, and right, and another barricade halfway jutting out in the back. i dont think people realized how the barricades were set up, so more and more people kept trying to squish in which just packed and trapped the people who were already there

9. the crowd itself was also full of jackasses. i dont know /when/ exactly the shift in vibe took place, but when we saw the descendants just ~3 hours earlier than that one the roots stage, the crowd was completely fine, regular fun punk crowd antics. plenty of space for everyone closer to the stage from what i experienced at that point BUT

10. by the time alkaline trio was playing (band before mcrs set at the roots stage), people in the crowd around me were yelling for them to stop playing so mcr could play, even tho it was alkaline trios designated set time. people really came to a FESTIVAL and treated it like it was just an mcr show, which again, caused way more issues. honestly it felt like a lot of ppl both felt entitled to see mcr and pissed at the same time bc they werent at all close to the stage. just bad vibes

11. getting out after mcr was a nightmare, there was like one exit (i dont know if they even had a different exit open) and everyone was shuffling along to get out of there, it took us maybe 30-45 mins to even get out of the festival gates? i dont even know what would have happened if there was a bigger emergency at that point bc of how big and packed the crowd was, all going the same direction to try and leave

Pioneer woman mac and cheese balls

#Pioneer woman mac and cheese balls free

Put each portion in a freezer bag, but leave about 1/2 inch of room for expansion. You should freeze it in portions rather than by the whole batch. In The Freezer: Cheeseburger casserole can also be frozen and will last three months.Cheeseburger casserole can also be divided into portions and stored in well-closed glass containers for easy reheating. Cool the casserole until it reaches room temperature, then wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. In The Fridge: Cheeseburger casserole can be stored in the fridge for three to four days if it is properly stored.You can also use brown rice or Cauliflower Rice. Cheeseburger Casserole With Rice: To Make Cheeseburger Casserole With Rice, you simply replace boiled macaroni with cooked white rice.You cannot use macaroni in this recipe, because you have already replaced it with tater tots. Combine the ground beef mixture with frozen Tater Tots and bake until heated through and reaching 165☏ and the cheese is melted. Cheeseburger Casserole With Tater Tots: You can use ready-made frozen Tater Tots in this recipe because it will be easy and very fast to make.Bake until the cheese melts and the biscuits are brown and crispy. As soon as you have the biscuits, Place the ground beef mixture in a baking dish and top with cheese, followed by the biscuits. Cheeseburger Casserole With Biscuits: The first step in making Cheeseburger Casserole With Biscuits is to choose whether to make the biscuit at home or buy it ready-made.The potatoes must be boiled then mashed using a fork or any mashing tools. Cheeseburger Casserole With Potatoes: To make Cheeseburger Casserole With Potatoes, follow the same recipe instruction for our today’s recipe but before baking, you need to to the beef mixture with mashed potatoes then cheese and bake.Bake 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted.Ĭheeseburger Casserole Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe Variation:.Top with shredded mozzarella and cheddar.Add the cheeseburger mixture to the baking dish.Combine cooked ground beef, onions, boiled macaroni, cheese, and Italian seasoning.Grease the baking dish with some vegetable oil.Cook the ground beef for 8 to 10 minutes or until no pink.In a large skillet, add ground beef and onion, season with salt and black pepper.Prepare macaroni and cheese as indicated on the package.How To Make Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Casserole Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Casserole Ingredients You may use any seasonings you like or any cheese you wish to make your version of a cheeseburger casserole. Pioneer woman’s cheeseburger casserole recipe uses ground beef, onions, boiled macaroni, Italian dry herbs, salt, and black pepper along with a variety of cheeses such as mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan. The pan then needs to be deglazed with a braising liquid-I use either beef broth and a dry red wine.Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Casserole Pioneer Woman Cheeseburger Casserole BEST ROASTS FOR MAKING POT ROAST Chuck Roast – tender, falls apart when finished and easily shredded Round Roast (bottom round, top round) – lean and easy to slice Beef Brisket – fattier option that gets super tender, but can still be sliced for serving The beef is seasoned and seared.

#Pioneer woman mac and cheese balls free

They deliver 100% grass-fed beef, free range organic chicken and heritage breed pork directly to your door. I purchase all of my meats & seafood from Butcher Box. My favorites are chuck roast, round roast, and briskets. A good pot roast can be made with any cut of beef roast. This recipe is super easy to put together, and can even be made up ahead of time. When it comes to Sunday dinner, there’s nothing quite as good as Pioneer Woman’s Pot Roast.

TUNA BROCCOLI RANCH CASSEROLE Low Carb

This is a simple 6-ingredient recipe for a low carb tuna casserole with broccoli, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing. It has a creamy and cheesy texture, with a distinct but not overpowering tuna taste.

5-ounce can solid albacore tuna (Note 1) 6 cups small broccoli florets (Note 2) 1.75 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Note 3) 1 cup frozen green peas 1 cup ranch dressing (store-bought or homemade dressing) 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 4)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut any broccoli florets larger than 2 inches into smaller pieces, and add all broccoli to large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until tender, about 5 minutes, then drain and steam out on paper towels. Drain can of tuna, then pat surface dry with paper towels. Flake tuna with fork until there are no large chunks. Assemble Casserole: Directly in 8×8 inch baking dish (Note 5), add broccoli, tuna, peas, ranch dressing, and half of cheddar cheese, carefully stirring together until well-mixed. Evenly top with remaining cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake & Cool: Bake at 375 F until heated through and starting to brown on top, about 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes until bubbling subsides before cutting. Serve (Note 6).

NOTES & TIPS (1) Tuna. I use water-packed solid albacore tuna, typically packaged in a standard 5-ounce can. Don’t like tuna? You can use other canned meat like salmon. Remove any bones, and follow the recipe instructions by draining and flaking the meat before adding it to the casserole. (2) Broccoli Florets. About 12 ounces raw weight. You can cut florets from a head of broccoli, or you can buy a bag of pre-cut florets located in the refrigerated produce section of many U.S. grocery stores. I recommend cutting the florets into smaller pieces (no larger than 2 inches) so that they cook quickly and are more likely to be evenly distributed in the casserole. I use fresh florets, but frozen should be fine — you may need to cook them longer in the microwave and thoroughly drain to remove moisture. (3) Cheddar Cheese. About 6 ounces weight. I like the bright yellow color that cheddar brings to this casserole, but you can substitute with any kind of shredded soft cheese that melts easily, like shredded mozzarella, pepper jack, or provolone. (4) Parmesan Cheese. This is finely grated parmesan that has a sandy or almost powdery texture (not shredded), available in pre-grated bags in the refrigerated section of U.S. grocery stores. This can be substituted with similar cheeses like pecorino Romano or asiago. (5) Baking Dish. I use a glass 8×8-inch baking dish and do not grease or line. If you use a metal pan, your baking time may be different from mine since glass transfers heat differently than metal. (6) Serving / Leftovers. This recipe yields one 8×8 inch casserole, which is divided into four servings. Each serving is a dinner-sized portion, and can be topped with sour cream or avocado. Enjoy it alongside other low carb dishes like cauliflower mac-and-cheese, roasted vegetables, or mashed turnips. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They reheat well in the microwave and in the oven.

making my own lower cal mac n cheese bc it’s my fav food and i’d rather have lower cal stuff when i binge

(makes 1 big portion, or 2 small ones)

- veggie stock, (6cal) 100ml (i recommend only using half the actual stock with 100ml of water bc it’s quite strong.)

- butter substitute, (28cal) 10g

- penne pasta (159cals), 100g

-white onion (6cals) , 15g

-mustard (~6 cals), quarter of a teaspoon

-semi skimmed milk (~10 cals), 1 tbsp

-plain flour (10cals), 1 tsp

-cheddar cheese(200 cals, but i’m trying to find a lower cal substitute) 50g

cals for the entire thing- 425

for one small portion- 213

1. boil water in a pot, when boiling add salt and then pasta and cook until done.

2.melt butter in pan and add onion, cook until soft, add mustard in the pan too

3. add stock to pan and milk.

4. add flour and whisk/stir until fully incorporated

5. let sauce thicken up, but if it gets too thick, just add some pasta water

6. add cheese and stir

7. add any seasonings (i didn’t rly bc there was so much flavour in the stock)

8. add pasta to sauce, stir and serve!

adding cheese or breadcrumbs on top would be a nice touch, but def adds a lot of cals.

review

-tastes rly good, but a bit too much stock in mine.

-would love some veg in there or just something on the side

- could’ve added some more milk instead of stock to make it taste more like normal mac n cheese

Lobster Bisque Dish for TS2

Served for dinner. Preparation: Chopping board or mixer, 8 portions. Requires 5 skill pts.

✦ Download (SFS)

*03.III.2022: Updated. Fixed missing 'burned in the pot' texture

*27.05.2022: Price updated for OFB. Now the dish should cost as much as Lobster, not cheap Mac & cheese.

*Chopping board pulls wood texture from Club Counter. Original texture looks a bit different, as I use darker texture default.

Included translations: GER, PL, RUS, SWE, NL, DEN, HUN, ITA, ESP, JPN

If your language is not mentioned above, you’ll get english Pie menu.

The first pic above features my default for the bowl and serving bowl (with metal ladle). If you'd like to try it out, it's here:

Smoother dining bowls - mesh default

✦ Download (SFS)

Bowl is 694 poly, serving bowl is 1100 poly

It's compatible with plate/bowl texture defaults. As long as texture default file doesn't contain bowl meshes - if that's the case, it might not work.

Preview of empty bowls, and some technical notes on making custom soups below the cut:

Please note I had Reshade effects on when I took these pics below. My bisque is not that saturated ;)

This dish started out as an edit of TNW's Lobster Bisque, but then I realised their version was cloned from Chili con carne and inherited its botched half-eaten state (it shows up right before sim finishes eating the dish). I asked somebody who has a lot of experience in editing BHAV if it could be tweaked. They told me that half-state BHAV for Chili con Carne (and its clones) is actually broken, so fixing it would require more than just changing a few values. So I ended up cloning a new dish from Mac & Cheese.

If you'd like to make a custom dinner soup that requires chopping or mixing with food processor, and is cooked on the stove, clone Mac & Cheese, then change preparation type - it's easy! Go to BHAV, Function - Init - Food, the line 0x02. If the dish was cloned from Mac & Cheese, there's a caption "Mix" (in a bowl). Change the value "04" (top row, third bracket from the left) to 0A. Then it should display "Chop/mix".

Other things, like the difficulty level or the time it takes a Sim to make / eat the dish, can be easily changed in BCON (Tuning). If you'd like to know more, read this thread on MTS. And here's a basic tutorial by AriesFlare@MTS on making custom foods, step by step. One thing about BCON Tuning, the line 0x3 (Hunger Pts/Loop) tells the game how many hunger points sim gets with each bite. So if you'd like sims to eat the dish much faster, you increase the value.

Lobster bisque GUIDs used: 0xD9FD5C01 , 0xD4BE7AD8

The 36 Most Clever Cooking Tips // Buzzfeed Article

1. Use Jell-O vanilla pudding mix in place of half of the sugar when baking cookies. It keeps them super soft for days and gives them a cake-like interior.

2. Put some mustard in mac 'n' cheese (even the boxed stuff). The flavor isn't noticeable, but it adds delicious depth of flavor. You can use Dijon, whole grain mustard, or even mustard powder. It all results in delicious mac 'n' cheese.

3. Cook just about any frozen food in the air fryer to crispy, take-out quality perfection. (I'm looking at you: Trader Joe's mandarin orange chicken). Oh, and it's great for crisping up any leftovers, too.    

4. Microwave lemons to get more juice out of them. After a quick 20 seconds, they're so much easier to squeeze and yield so much more juice.     

5. Instead of sautéing mushrooms in olive oil or butter, start cooking them in a dry pan for a few minutes. This gets much of the moisture out so they brown better. 

6. Give a stale loaf of bread a new life by running it under water, then baking it in a warm, 300°F oven for about 10 minutes. The oven steams the stale, soggy bread and makes it as good as new.      

7.  When it comes to baking anything with a flaky dough (biscuits, cookies, pie dough, etc...) freeze and grate the butter, freeze the flour, and even freeze the mixing bowl for the best results. All of these steps keep the dough colder and makes for better baking results.      

8. Pre-make roux in big batches, then freeze it in silicon ice molds. Use the individual portions of roux whenever you're making something like gravy, mac 'n' cheese, or béchamel sauce. It's a total time saver.      

9. Bake with browned butter instead of regular butter. Brown butter has a richer and nuttier flavor that will enhance whatever you're baking (cue: the world's best chocolate chip cookies).     

10. Add a little bit of mayonnaise to beaten eggs before scrambling them or making an omelette, quiche, or frittata. It makes them super light and fluffy.      

11. Use the spice packet that comes with instant ramen as a popcorn seasoning. Mix the powder with some melted butter or margarine and then toss with the popcorn. It's even better than the movie theater stuff.      

12. Make a life-changing topping for vegetables by browning butter in a skillet, then adding breadcrumbs and nutmeg. Then add it on top of anything like roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or Brussels sprouts.     

13. Put a bit of mayonnaise in your cake batter. Once you realize that mayo is mostly eggs and oil, it's not so hard to understand why it tastes so good.      

14. When making grilled cheese, schmear a little bit of salad dressing on the outside of the bread. Most people do this with mayonnaise, but salad dressing (like store bought Italian dressing) is even better. Just a light spread is all you need.      

15. Line the lid of your slow cooker with paper towel to soak up extra condensation and prevent your food from getting watery. This is especially useful if you're making dishes with a crispy top like lasagna or mac 'n' cheese with a bread crumb topping.      

16.  If you're making soup, stew, or even a sauce that looks too thin, add a bit of instant mashed potatoes as a thickener.  It's an easy fix when you realize too late that you've added too much liquid.     

17. When breading something like a chicken cutlet, forget about the egg and coat it in mayonnaise before the breadcrumbs.      

18. You can boil eggs in the air fryer with no water necessary. Set your handy appliance to 270°F and place the eggs inside the basket. Cook 10 minutes for soft boiled or 15 minutes for hard boiled.      

19. Starchy foods like rice, pasta, potatoes, and quinoa taste better when cooked in stock, rather than plain water.

20. Make an amazing pie crust using Girl Scout cookies like Trefoils or even Thin Mints. Just crush up the cookies and add melted butter to hold it all together.     

21. For the creamiest mashed potatoes, forget about cream and butter and just crack an egg into them when they're just about ready. The heat of the mashed potatoes will cook it and make it safe to eat.

22. Instead of salting your pasta water, add a chicken stock cube. It doubles the flavor of the pasta and the sauce. It's the easiest way to upgrade pasta night with a single ingredient.      

23. Add fish sauce to Caesar dressing. The flavor is a bit more muted than that of anchovies, but it still gives the dressing that much-needed salty punch. It makes for the best Caesar salad ever.      

24. Adding an extra egg yolk to any cookie recipe will result in softer, fluffier cookies that taste freshly baked even after a few days in the fridge.     

25. Make homemade whipped cream with just heavy whipping cream and a mason jar. Pour in the cream, fasten the lid, and shake, shake, shake for about 20 seconds. You'll have delicious, fluffy whipped cream in no time.      

26. When in doubt (or when your spices are looking scarce) rub any meat in Sazón or taco seasoning. The mixture of spices is amazing and it makes anything from chicken or flank steak to pork so flavorful.      

27. Add a dash of vanilla extract and cinnamon to pancake or waffle batter. It gives the final product a touch of sweetness and richer flavor.      

28. When baking something like carrot cake or zucchini bread, swap out half the oil with unsweetened apple sauce. It keeps the bread super moist and doesn't change the flavor.     

29. Mix soy sauce and butter to instantly boost the flavor of just about any savory dish like fried rice, mushrooms, or salmon.      

30. Put a splash of orange juice in the batter for baked goods like pumpkin bread, banana bread, or cranberry muffins. Even store-bought juice is perfect. The acidity adds brightness to complement the spices.      

31. For the crispiest fried or roasted potatoes, dip them in ice water first. When you're cutting potatoes, toss them into a bowl of ice water. Give them a swirl to wash off excess starch, then drain and pat them dry. Even soaking them for a few minutes is enough to get them really crispy.  

32. Add a few drops of lemon or lime juice to a cutting board before you dice onions. It doesn't impact the flavor whatsoever, but the acid from the lemon neutralizes the fumes from the onion so you won't cry.

33. Stir some cream cheese into your mac 'n' cheese to keep it creamy even after you've refrigerated the leftovers. It prevents the pasta from absorbing all the liquid so the cheese sauce stays creamy and thick for days. Oh, and for an additional flavor boost, try scallion cream cheese.      

34. Turn frozen bananas into one-ingredient ice cream without any fancy equipment. Freeze bananas until they're solid then pop them into the blender until smooth and custardy. You can add in extra ingredients like cinnamon, chocolate chips, or peanut butter, then immediately freeze it for later.      

35. Add a small amount of water to the pan when frying bacon. The water significantly reduces the amount of fat splattering, and it actually results in really crispy bacon.

36. And finally, if you’re making a dish that relies heavily on spices for seasoning, toast the spices before adding them to your recipe. You only need to cook them on a pan for about 30 seconds until they are fragrant, but it vastly improves their taste and amplifies the flavor.     

♥ Follow For Recipes, DIYs, Ect. ♥

my melody diet - day two

credits to @/zoediets on twitter for the diet!

alright y'all today was kind of awful. i haven't totaled my calories yet and i'm so fucking scared. i also purged so idk exactly how to count those calories.

breakfast;

1 cup of kraft mac n cheese - 350 cal

there was psat testing at school today, so i didn't have to be there until like 12:40, so i held off eating for as long as possible but as you will see that was an awful idea. i really wanted to get a second cup of mac and cheese but i held strong 😩

lunch;

10 piece mcnugget - 475 cal

medium fry - 320 cal

mcchicken - 400 cal

i chewed and spat the mcchicken, so i'm almost certain i retained basically none of those calories, and i purged all of it within 15 minutes of eating it so,,, idk how many of the total calories i actually retained. i'm counting it as having eaten most of the nuggets just incase i retained those calories

updated lunch;

8 mcnuggets - 380 cal

dinner;

curried salmon and kale salad with carrot-ginger vinaigrette - 428 cal (570 cal for a full portion)

i made dinner for my dad and i again, so i just gave him the larger piece of salmon and more of the salad 😖 most of the dinners from sunbasket (like hellofresh) are low cal, so i ate this one assuming it was but turns out i got fucking baited. i'll be checking the label before i eat those from now on.

exercise;

i'm performing asap by stayc (lipsyncing) for my acting class on friday, so i practiced the dance at school and at home today (50 mins) - 297 cal

total calories in: 1,158 🤮

net calories: 861

i tried so hard to not get mcdonalds, but i've been binging on it almost every day for several months now and i'm a weak bitch so i caved. at least this time i was responsible enough to spit it back out after. i will do better tomorrow

Febuwhump day 25 / alt. 8 - allergies

Once again, I tried to write a story today, and because I’m sick with Covid, didn’t have the energy to finish the whole thing.  I do plan on finishing this up and posting the full thing once I’m recovered enough to do so.  Until then, I want to post what I have so that I can still claim victory for Febuwhump! :)  Please be aware that I wrote this while having a low-grade fever and that it’s not been edited, so if it is clunky or has issues, that’s why.  I’ll fine-tune everything when I finish writing it.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the rough product I have for you so far!  TW: PTSD

Mac + Allergies + The Goodest Boy

Angus MacGyver hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in over four weeks.  He’d tell you otherwise if you asked, of course, but the evidence was overwhelming.  Every day, Mac's face grew paler, the darkness under his eyes deepened, and the look in his eyes became more distant.  Jack had seen this happen to many soldiers – hell, it had happened to him.  This tour hadn’t been as bad as some of the previous ones Jack had experienced, but in the past … 

Well, suffice it to say that Jack Dalton knew a thing or two about PTSD.

And as ugly of a look as it had been on him, as it was on anyone else, nothing had prepared him for how much it would hurt to see it on his little burger buddy.  Shoot, when Jack had signed up for another tour to keep an eye on the kid, it was to keep him safe in the Sandbox, but now that he was home, Jack felt like Mac was in just as much danger of losing himself here as he had been losing his life in Afghanistan.  That was part of the reason Jack had found a place in L.A. instead of going straight back home to Texas.  That, and a potential job for the two of them he was investigating at the DXS, but ultimately, it wouldn’t have mattered where the jobs were.  Jack had already decided to locate himself wherever Mac was.

Jack had tried to help the best that he could.  He’d been on call all hours of the night, had had Mac over at his place when the nightmares got too bad, had crashed at Mac’s place whenever his roommate was out of town and Mac couldn’t be alone.  He’d tried to get Mac to talk many times, but one thing he’d learned about the kid was that although he could go on and on for hours about geek squad science stuff, he was a master at talking a lot without actually saying anything important.  And he didn’t talk about himself at all.

Jack knew there was a lot to unpack.  Hell, Mac’s C.O. had been killed in front of him.  The kid had screamed awake from many a nightmare about that one.  He’d nearly been killed multiple times, been under fire, disarmed over a hundred IEDs in a single day, had been through hell right alongside Jack in the Sandbox, and Jack sometimes had to remind himself that the kid was still, well, a kid.  Fresh out of school, hadn’t even finished college before joining the army.  He’d seen more violence and bloodshed than most people twice his age.  His skill set put him right there in the middle of the death and danger, a twenty-year-old bomb nerd with a glowing neon target on his back.  

And now he was back home, and everything was different.  Jack knew this because he had been here too, once, not because Mac talked about it.  He understood exactly what his friend was going through – he was home, but home wasn’t the same.  He smiled when he spoke to his friends, his roommate, even Jack, sometimes, but the smile was hollow and so were his eyes.  The nightmares followed him wherever he went and he couldn’t adjust, and he kept all the turmoil to himself, not wanting to be a bother, not thinking he deserved sympathy or whatever help his friends wanted to give him.

Finally, Jack reached the point where he had no idea what to do.  What had ultimately pulled him out of his own personal hell after the worst tour of his career had been a very good friend, but no one, not Jack, not Bozer, not Mac’s childhood friend Penny, seemed able to penetrate the layers of protection that Mac had built up around himself.

Maybe, he thought, as he stared pensively at the computer screen, Mac needed a friend who didn’t try to get him to talk at all, one who would just be there for him and listen and drool all over his hand and tak dumps in his backyard.  Maybe, Jack ventured, the light bulb going off in his brain at the ad for the Battle Buddy Foundation and their service dogs for vets, Mac needed a dog.

.

Bozer was out of town at some movie convention the next weekend, so Jack put his plan into motion.  He hadn’t had a chance to run it by Mac’s oldest friend yet, but he knew that if a dog would help Mac, then Bozer wouldn’t mind a new addition to the household.  Bozer would just be in for a surprise when he got home.

It had taken a lot of trips to animal shelters to find just the right fit for his partner, but Jack had been determined.  He’d tried the Battle Buddy Foundation, but since he wasn’t looking for a service dog for himself, that had been a no-go.  Plus, there were just so many hoops to jump through and qualifications to meet and interviews to be had, and Mac needed help now.  So he had scoured shelters and rescues, looking for a dog of just the right size and temperament for his buddy.  The next two weeks were going to be a trial basis, and if Mac and the pup clicked, Jack would seal the deal.  If not, then there was already another interested party lined up for the adoption.

The dog’s name was Cheese, and he was a four-year-old golden retriever mix who loved cuddles, thrived on attention and exercise, and even looked a little like Mac with his long, flowing blonde locks.  Also, Jack couldn’t get past how perfectly the names synced up – how could he pass up the possibility of Mac and Cheese?

.

As Jack had predicted, Mac fell in love with Cheese the moment he laid eyes on him.

“Jack!” Mac grinned, falling to one knee right in the middle of the sidewalk.  “Who’s this?”  Jack let Cheese wag his little tail happily over to Mac and watched with rising excitement as the pooch immediately began nuzzling and licking a laughing Mac all over.  He watched as Mac scratched Cheese’s furry head, found the sweet spot behind the ears, and buried his hands in the fur around the dog’s neck.  

“This,” Jack said, “is your new best friend.”

Mac looked up from having his face licked off and narrowed his eyes.  “What did you do to Bozer?”

Jack tried to act like he wasn’t offended that Bozer had been Mac’s go-to on the “best friend” front.  “Nothing.”

“Then are you leaving me?”  Despite the joke, a bit of uncertainty had wormed its way into Mac’s voice, and Jack could have kicked himself.

“No, man, I don’t mean it like that!  Cheese ain’t replacing anybody, he’s just the newest member of the family!”

A hesitant half-smile pulled at Mac’s lips.  “You got me a dog?”  He cocked his head.  Cheese mimicked him, ears flopping as his head tilted adorably to one side.  “I’m sorry – did you say his name is Cheese?”

Jack nodded proudly.  

Mac kept scratching Cheese behind the ears, but he stared at Jack suspiciously.  “Did you name him that?”

Jack’s nod turned into a vigorous shake.  “No, that’s what he was called at the shelter, man.  It helped me pick him out for ya.  It was like fate.”

“Fate?”  Mac looked like he really didn’t want to know.

“Mac and Cheese, hoss.”

“No,” Mac said shortly.  “Just… no.”

.

Mac ended up keeping the name.

It wasn’t that he liked the lame pun or anything, but Cheese had apparently been called Cheese for a long time and refused to respond to anything else.  Mac wanted to call him Fibonacci, but one look into those big brown eyes that lit up when Mac said Cheese, and one glimpse of the way his tail flopped around excitedly at the sound of his name, made Mac change his mind.  Cheese obviously liked being Cheese, and who was Mac to try to change him?  

“Besides,” Jack pointed out no less than five times on the day he introduced them, “Mac and Cheese belong together, man.  Cheese without Mac is pretty good, I’ll admit, but Mac without Cheese is just a noodle.”  He shook his head sadly, and Mac couldn’t help but grin.  “Just a limp noodle.”

.

Cheese slept in the bed with Mac that night, curled up close beside him, warm and big and furry.  Mac didn’t have nightmares, mostly because he didn’t sleep.  He couldn’t sleep.  He could feel a cold coming on, and the persistent scratch in his throat kept him firmly tethered in that awful middle ground between waking and sleeping, where sleep is the most appealing thing you can imagine, but it is also the most unattainable.  It would have been a thoroughly miserable night, except Cheese was wonderful company, and his soft snores, twitchy feet, and dog dreams were a balm to Mac’s sleepless jitters.

Despite how much Mac loved Cheese already, he spent a large portion of the night thinking of reasons why it wasn’t practical for him to have a dog.  Bozer didn’t know about Cheese, for one.  Jack claimed that everything was fine, that Boze would be completely on board once he got home.  But Mac didn’t just want to spring a pet on his roommate.  Having a dog was a huge responsibility, one that wouldn’t affect just Mac, but anyone he lived with as well.  Of course, there was the fact that Mac himself wasn’t prepared to take care of a dog at all, either, even if Jack had taken it upon himself to buy half of Pet Smart on his way back from the shelter.  Mac felt like he could barely take care of himself half the time; what made him think that he could keep another creature alive and healthy?  

Peña had died on his watch, after all.  How long until his dog got hurt because of him?  

It was at that thought that Mac realized he was spiraling into very dangerous thought patterns, and he only managed to drag himself away from them by distracting himself with the snuffling noises Cheese made while he slept and by feeling the soft warmth of his fur.

Maybe Jack was right – maybe a dog would do Mac some good.

Of course, there was the one problem that Mac found himself avoiding more earnestly the more attached he found himself growing to Cheese.  It was perhaps the most glaring reason for not having a dog, but it was also he one Mac avoided acknowledging at all costs, and yet he knew full well that he was not getting a cold as he had told himself when the symptoms first started.  He recognized that tell-tale itch at the back of the throat and the heaviness of the head all too well, though he’d held out hope he’d grow out of it someday.  The truth was in the sneezes, though, which started after midnight and only got more numerous and violent as the night progressed.

No, there had been a reason that Archimedes had been an outside dog.  There was a reason Mac felt like he had a head cold coming on.  And there was a reason that he should have told Jack no the second his friend had made it clear that Cheese was to be his dog.

Angus MacGyver was allergic to dogs.

So, uh, I’m back. Kind of. Been watching SarahZ on YouTube and got a bit nostalgic, but tbh it’s not the main reason I’m back on this self-proclaimed hellsite. I started recently on a diet plan (just trying to make positive changes in my life), and got really frustrated looking up food prep recipes. I’m sure this is far from a new concept on this site, but I really wanna set up a “blog” that’s no-shit, just recipes that I try. I’m not a chef or a food scientist or dietician or anything. Hell I can’t even take good pictures to make it super pretty or anything. I’m just sick of having to scroll through walls of text and fancy, unhelpful photos to get to recipes that use some sponsored product or another. Not to mention, of the two recipes I’ve tried so far (granted it’s not a big sample size), neither was quite right with their portion size. The cauliflower “Mac” and cheese was particularly offensive to me, because 8 servings turned out to be more like 5. (Might be that my cauliflower was cut differently and cooked down way more than theirs did but it felt like a load of bs). So I’m turning my rage into a new blog. I still have to set everything up (I’m on my phone for now and it looks like I can’t make blogs from the app or the browser-based app), but once I do I’ll post the info here, in case anyone is interested.

I Try One of Everything at Salt City Market (Part 2)

Remember like 3 weeks ago when I did a write-up of a food hall in my hometown, guaranteed to attract the attention of like, 2 people?  Well, it’s time for more of that! 

Attempt #1

While there wasn’t a line outside this time, the market itself seemed just as busy as it was the day after the grand opening.  I also tried to make a point to take in more of the decor, but I don’t think I really have anything new to add other than the fact that I watched not one but two people struggle to stuff the big paper bags their food came in into the trendy, tiny-opening trash cans.  More importantly, I forgot that like, half of the stands are closed on Mondays, meaning I would have to come back another time to finish my quest. 

ERMA’S ISLAND- Jerk Pork (half portion)- $10

I want to say right off the bat that of all the things I’ve tried from this market, this was hands down the best smelling.  And thankfully, the pork pretty much tasted as good as it smelled.  It was tender and juicy, and the sauce was complex, with a good amount of heat that didn’t overpower the other flavors.  The rice and beans that it came with, on the other hand, was a little bland, but that’s nothing that mixing the sauce into can’t fix.  

Unfortunately, I can never show my face there again, because when the cashier asked me if I wanted the half or whole portion, I said “Yeah,” and made her repeat herself like 3 times.

MAMMA HAI- “Marco Polo” Banh Mi- $10

Yes, that’s pepperoni on a banh mi.

The roll was nice and crusty, and to be honest, that’s like 90% of what makes a good sandwich for me.  Unfortunately, the pickled veggies and cilantro (and this blog is pro-cilantro, get over yourselves, haters) sort of overpowered the pepperoni and the char siu pork, which is a shame because I wanted that pepperoni to shine.  If this was a $5 banh mi, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, but at $10 I would have liked a little more meat, or at least for the already existing meat to make its presence felt.  The pate and mayo kinda also get lost, but do present a bit of richness in about every other bite (and, for another controversial sandwich opinion, I don’t necessarily think that every bite of a sandwich has to have an even distribution of everything, otherwise the flavors sort of just blur together after a while).  Overall, it’s a fairly decent sandwich, but left me longing for something more.  They also have a curry chicken banh mi, maybe that one has a better balance of flavor.

CAKE BAR- Locus Cake- $6.50

One thing about Cake Bar that isn’t made apparent by looking at their stand is that, according to their website, it’s meant to resemble a Vietnamese cafe.  In hindsight, this kinda explains the wide variety of specialty teas (specialteas, if you will) they also had available.

The chocolate cake was moist and had little crispy bits running throughout it.  At first, I thought it was eggshells, because I’m an idiot and always assume the worst.  After picking out an especially large chunk, I realized it was broken up bits of Biscoff cookies! (Further research has shown me that the parent company that makes Biscoff cookies is called Locus, thus, y’know, the name of the cake.  Probably should have put that together sooner, it literally says “Locus” on the cookie, one of which was lodged into the top of the cake.)  The buttercream was surprisingly light, and the caramel on top had the perfect consistency, gooey enough to stay put but not so gooey that it turned into a stringy mess after running your fork through it.  The only negative thing I really have to say about the all-around experience was that the box they used made it kind of difficult to get the slice out of it (as you can see, I ended up just tearing the sides up).

Attempt #2 

Since the market is relatively close to my work, I figured I would drop by after work one day to bang out the rest of the list.

BAGHDAD RESTAURANT- Beef Shawarma- $6.99

At first, I laughed to myself upon seeing it in one of those gas station sub bags.  The laughing faded pretty quickly, though, upon seeing it was, in fact served on a sub roll. I'm not a shawarma expert. maybe that can be an acceptable way to eat it? The beef was well spiced and that perfect sweet spot between tender and still having something to sink your teeth into.  Unfortunately, that’s more or less where my compliments end.  What little sauce the menu promised (just called “sauce,” don’t ask me what it is) has soaked into the bread and completely disappeared, making the whole thing somewhat dry and lackluster.  Also, they didn’t cut it, which was fine with the heartier banh mi’s baguette but with the softer sub roll didn’t have the structural integrity to be picked up whole without a struggle.  My biggest gripe with it is mostly on me, though, as the juice from the pickles tainted most of it with pickle stank, which could have been avoided entirely if I had just ordered it without.  

SOULUTIONS- Mustard and Berbere Fried Chicken ($6) and FIRE MAC ($4)

(Note- the $6 order of chicken comes with 2 of these chicken cutlets, but I carelessly ate one before taking the picture.)

I do want to clear the air here and say that yes, I did accidentally order fried chicken and mac and cheese from both of the soul food places.  I was originally going to get the burger, at my friend’s recommendation, but the menu board by the register suspiciously didn’t have the burger on it, so I panicked and ordered the fried chicken again.  

While the breading was stained yellow from mustard, the honey mustard taste was very subtle.  I also have to admit to not knowing off the top of my head what berbere (I had to google it, it’s an Ethiopian spice blend) tastes like, so i can't tell you if this tasted like that.  But, despite not being especially strong in either of the namesake seasonings, it definitely is a flavorful piece of chicken nonetheless.  Flavors work that way sometimes.

The Fire Mac may not have delivered as strongly on cheese as I may have liked, but it definitely did deliver on the fire, drizzled with a tangy buffalo-esque sauce.  And Topped with crumbled bits of fried chicken skins? Can’t go wrong with that.

JUICE AND FLOWERS- “Root | 12” Juice- $8

Misleading name, I didn’t see any flowers anywhere.  Zero stars. 

The beet and lemon were the most pronounced of the flavors, with the ginger lingering on the palate and, unsurprisingly, the apple and carrot mostly being there to round the whole thing out.  The employee that waited on me was very passionate and knowledgeable about the juice, informing me that 2 pounds of produce had gone into this little bottle, and that it’d have a shelf life of 3-5 days.  Which is good, because I put it back in the fridge after I got home to chill it back down, and then proceeded to forget about it for 3 days.  It’s also a very thick and hearty juice, so it doesn’t feel that weird to only want to drink half a bottle in one sitting and, y’know, make this $8 bottle of juice last a little longer. 

Attempt #3

Knowing fully well that I was going to have a long night shift ahead of me, I decided to check out the Coffee Bar side of the market for what would be my third trip over the course of 5 days.  I feel like I should also point out that the Coffee Bar, as its name literally breaks down as, serves coffee during the day and a full bar at night.  I also noticed during this visit that the Coffee Bar has a patio seating area under construction, cheesy string lights and all, that I am looking forward to.

Fruity Pebbles Latte- $6

Against my best judgement, I got it “for here” for the sake of the pic, even though a.) I had to break my rule of not eating in places because this fucking pandemic isn’t over yet and b.) I was nervous about being late for work the whole time (I did, in fact, get there on time).  As I waited, I could see their secret recipe fruity pebbles milk sitting on the counter.  It was, in fact, fruity pebbles and milk.  

I didn’t really think the Fruity Pebbles would work with the espresso, having had been burned before by places that just dump them onto things with no regard of the flavor profile just for the sake of the burst of color.  But, somehow… it did work.  Maybe it’s because cereal milk is never quite as strong as some might hope, but the subtle fruitiness of the milk played well with the chocolatey notes in the espresso.  The espresso itself probably also had the best crema on it that I’ve ever seen on a latte (and yes, I had to google the pretentious espresso-snob term for the foam that floats to the top).

Also shoutout to the pour over, which on their menu board is priced at "4-ish"

I’m so glad I’m living with my parents again at the moment.  Otherwise, this whole thing would’ve been like, a month’s worth of my food budget.