Cakes by Jane

I'm not even gonna try to pretend, I am a sucker for pink cakes.  I don't know what the attraction is or where it came from, but its here to stay.  Normally I stick to my strawberry cake mix, but I found a company in asheville that makes a southern dessert-- sour cream pound cakes.  Have you heard of this?  I haven't been in the south very long, but I haven't seen them before.  A darn shame too if you ask me.  Cakes by Jane makes these cakes, and they just so happen to have a pink one.  They call it raspberry delight.  I think I'm going to have to try this kids.  I will let you know how it goes.  They are not so reasonably priced at $36.95, but they have had accolades from bon apetit, southern living and the food network.  Maybe I will save my allowance ;o)

Free Ben and Jerry's for a Year

Craig and I have working assets for our long distance.  When you join, they send you a voucher for a free pint every month for a year.  I miss that.  Then I found this!

Check this out!  Its a contest for free Ben & Jerry's and Rediwhip for a year. . .just leave a comment on the blog post.  

Here is the link  CONTEST  It ends April 29th, so make sure you get it in there before midnight!

Heavenly souffle

I must be in a sweet mood, because this souffle is really hitting the spot.  This is a dessert I never attempt because it is notoriously difficult, and a little decadent.  Heavenly Souffle makes a mix that you just you put in the oven.  Its not too expensive at $9 for two.  However, there is a minimum order of 4, so that brings it up to $36.   Maybe for a dinner party?  8 servings?  Or perhaps a years worth of souffle?   In either case, I say its worth a shot!

Rum cake fairy

I'm not sure if any of you are rum cake lovers, but I sure am, and for some reason, I have been craving them as of late.  I didn't ever think I liked them until craig made us buy one when we were on vacation.  Oh boy was it good.  They sell the tortuga ones in Kroger--which I find a bit disturbing.  I found this company, Rum Cake Fairy, that makes tasty rum cakes and I really want to try one.  Like most mail order food, they are a little pricey, but they do make mini and petite fours which are more reasonable price wise.  They have dark rum and fudge rum flavor.   I'm drooling.

Twisted Noodles

An unassuming thai restaurant nestled in a strip mall along university drive.  Saladelia is in the same plaza--odd to have several good restaurants next to a dumpy k-mart.  Anyway, they have a long and varied menu, and much to my delight, anything on the menu can be made vegetarian or even vegan.  I am not entirely sure how they planned to make beef noodle soup (pho) vegetarian, but I will go with it.  We started with the fried tofu appetizer crunchy and hot from the fryer.  I had the panang curry, craig the drunken noodles.  Mine was very good, a typical panang curry.  Craig didn't seem to enjoy his much and ended up finishing off the tofu in my curry.  I'd go again, especially given the variety in their menu.

Cheese Glorious cheese

Another local favorite, but not my hometown, guggisberg cheese.  This is something dr. csirke bought for me when we first started dating.  I was convinced I hated swiss cheese, he was convinced I wouldn't feel that way once I tried guggisberg cheese.  As usual, he was right.  Its super yum.  4lb wheel of the grass fed is 20.95--shipping varies depending on weight and location.  I highly recommend it!

Macaroni and Cheese Mrs. Csirke's way

Its a rainy day, and what more could a girl ask for than some homemade mac and cheese?
Adapted from Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook, you make this in less than 30 minutes with few ingredients.

1 cup elbow macaroni (or any other pasta if you prefer)
1 egg
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp water
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tbs butter (unsalted)
1.5 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar (or whatever else you have on hand)
Breadcrumbs




cook pasta about 8 minutes, meanwhile mix the mustard flour and water. Its ok to use dijon or regular mustard too if you don't have the powder on hand. In a 2 cup measuring cup, whisk egg. Then add mustard and 3/4 evaporated milk (this saves on dishes). Drain pasta, return to pot and put on low. Melt butter, then add the milk mixture and the cheese. I happened to have about 1/2 cup cheddar and 1 cup montery jack on hand, so that is what I used tonight. Stir until cheese is melted and mixture thickens.



Use store bought bread crumbs, or make your own (which I recommend). For the breadcrumbs, blend 2 pieces bread in a processor, then saute in a skillet with about 1-2 tbs butter. Move it around till its crunchy. Its quite good this way. Sprinkle the crumbs over the mac and cheese once you have dished it out. This will feed 2 hungry adults as a main dish or 4 or more as a side. I've made this for parties and its always a hit.

The Federal

A place we have been frequenting as of late is the Federal on main street in durham. "gourmet food with a twist" indeed! Their daily specials never fail to disappoint, and their regular menu is not too shabby either. Their cheese plates are tasty, and their grilled cheese is so clever--avocado, tomato, cucumbers, and cheddar. Garlic fries or salad on the side. . . Yum!

One issue the fed has is that it is often very crowded in the evenings and the seating situation is a bit chaotic. They have a sign in sheet and beer coasters with numbers on them. Often times, while you are waiting, if a table clears, someone not on the list swoops in and sits at a table and you are left to awkwardly go to them and let them know there is a list of people waiting. The wait staff is a bit aloof--partially because they are busy.

Worth giving a shot.

Triple cities mail order

As I have mentioned before, Upstate new york has some phenomenal italian. While I was on my search for sheet pizza last week, I discovered that a few of my favorites in binghamton ship their food.

Cortese ships their pizza, but unfortunately not their incredible cannolis, which are out of this world. Shipping costs, as expected, are a bit high, but if you order in quantity, the average price is reasonable. For 2 day shipping it is $25 to NC. Their pies are 9.25 for a simple cheese pizza. They ship once a week on Tuesdays.

Little Venice has spectacular homemade pasta. Their homemade macaroni (which looks like spaghetti) is to die for and their sauce is delish--a little sweet--but certainly unique. It isn't clear from their website, but it appears that they are willing to ship just about anything on their menu. Shipping is next day, but cost is not discussed. Another quirk, their meatballs are shaped like sausages. Their full menu is available for download as a pdf file on their site.

Whole in the Wall is a very earthy restaurant with a few notable items. First are their garlic balls. Can't explain them, but they are tasty. At $39 for 8, they are a bit pricey. One ball could easily be shared by two people. They are also famous for their pesto. I never thought it was terribly extraordinary, but others seem to love it. A four pack is $21.95.

Roma's Italian

Last week was my birthday, and I was feeling reminiscent of home.  I wanted a birthday like I would have if I were home.  I wanted sheet pizza, coke, and a strawberry cake.  Sheet pizzas are not common around these parts, so when I was doing a search, I came upon Roma's.  Apparently, the owners are from endicott, ny (where I spent a few years in my youth).  I was so excited! The triple cities have some of the best italian food I have ever had.  

Roma's was a small deli type italian joint with a smattering of tables.  I went on a wednesday afternoon, and I was told by the salesclerk they closed a 4pm.  When I arrived at 345, the chairs were on the tables and most of the lights were off (I was doing take out).  They had spiedies on their menu, as well as homemade gnocchi to take home.    The pizza was good, though not what I had anticipated.  The crust was a little too chewy.  I would eat there again, but only if I were in the area.

Overall:  4 out of 5