I won’t claim this is one of my original recipes, but it’s certainly original. Don’t curse me for giving you a chocolate outlet this simple and quick. Ingredients 4 Tablespoons flour 4 Tablespoons sugar 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, preferable Dutch-processed 1 Egg 3 Tablespoons milk 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil Purchased chocolate syrup (optional) 1 Teaspoon mini chocolate chips (optional) 1 Large mug Instructions Stir flour, sugar and cocoa powder in the mug:
Dry ingredients
Add egg to the dry mixture, stirring to combine:
Add egg
Pour in milk and oil, and mix well (add chocolate chips if using):
Wet ingredients and chips
Place mug in microwave and ‘bake’ for 3 minutes on high (cake will rise above the rim of the mug):
Baking
Flip the contents of the mug onto a plate (add chocolate syrup if using) and enjoy!
The online ordering process is superior in every way: the selection is there; the process is simple and the automated emails are clear and informative. The packaging used to ship wines offers uber-protection against breakage.
The customer service is amazing with fast responses. Couldn’t find a wine I’d hear of and an actual person emailed me within 20 minutes to offer to order the desired wine right away.
The Springfield, NJ store is perfect: a) specialty store that’s second-to-none b) great floor layout with everyday value wines on the first floor and special occasion wines on the second c) the wine cave makes me feel like I’m walking in oenophile heaven.
Love following the staff on Twitter @winelibrary @wldaily @garyv !
Long Valley Pub & Brewery, in Long Valley NJ, is housed in a beautifully-restored 200-year old barn originally built by German immigrants. The seven-barrel brewing system is by Pub Brewing Company of California. Don’t expect to see brewing taking place if you visit the Long Valley Pub & Brewery in the evenings as most of the brewing is done in the early weekday mornings by head brewer Joe Saia. For patrons who’d like to take a tour of the brewery, special arrangements can be made with Joe during the week.
Both the downstairs and upstairs bars offer a seasonal beer tasting to allow patrons to sample each well-crafted brew prior to committing to an entire pint. On a recent visit, the following selections were available (as described by the pub):
Extra Special Bitter (ESB)
Our ESB is dry hopped with East Kent Goldings which dominate its aroma and contribute much if the beer’s flavor. There is an assertive bitterness but it is masked somewhat by a caramel sweetness. Although assertive, the malt, bitterness and hop characteristics of this ale are well balanced for a smooth easy drink
Stone Barn Stout LVPBs Stone Barn Stout is a nitrogen dispensed dry Irish stout in the Guinness tradition. Roasted barley is what gives this beer its definitive taste and color with no hop flavor or aroma. Our Stone Barn Stout is relatively light in alcohol (ABV ~3.8%) but has a robust roasted flavor
Hookermans Light The lightest of our beers, having a delicate flavor & body, with a refreshing fruit aroma
German Valley Amber Fire brick red in color with a citrus hop finish
Lazy Jake Porter A robust black beer with a hearty roasted flavor, full of body & bold character
American Pale Ale We are proud to present this new addition to our family of finely crafted ales! American hops give this Pale Ale a bold crisp finish
While our party enjoyed all the samples, the favorites were the Hookermans Light and the Stone Barn Stout. Although the Hookermans Light is a milder, light beer, it’s full of flavor and pleasantly refreshing. The Stone Barn Stout is rich and chocolaty and features a gorgeous dark brown color and creamy thick head.
If planning a beer tasting, know that the kitchen staff prepares great starters to go along with the brews that can be enjoyed from the bar. We paired the beer sampler with the Ploughman’s Platter which features olives, hummus and toasted bread, country pâté, aged cheddar and roasted peppers – perfect match to the various beers.
Although a brewery, the space is very family-oriented and offers a sizeable children’s menu. Patrons should not hesitate to bring the whole gang for some family fun. Small groups are also welcomed on the second level, which used to be a hay loft.
Long Valley Pub and Brewery
One Fairmount Road
Long Valley, NJ 07853
These Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars are the bomb. They’re perfect for summer parties, hostess gift or to bring to potlucks. The bars are rich with a shortbread-like crust and a rich, chewy, chocolate center. They can easily be made the day before you need to serve them as they keep well covered in foil at room temperature.
This simple recipe requires no eggs, which is oftentimes an ingredient I don’t keep on hand. Don’t want nuts in the recipe, simply skip them, the bars are delectable without them.
Shortcut: Chocolate chips and condensed milk can be microwaved for 2 minutes instead of cooked on the stovetop.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the flour, sugar and salt and mix until the butter is completely incorporated and the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute – don’t overmix.
With floured fingers, press 2 cups of the crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13′ x 9′ x 2′ pan (I use glass); reserve remaining crumb mixture for the topping. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
Warm 1 ½ cups chips and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup chips and the walnuts into reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen bars.
Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars
2018-05-23 07:54:48
Serves 24
This simple recipe can be prepared as a last minute dessert, hostess gift or party treat.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the flour, sugar and salt and mix until the butter is completely incorporated and the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute - don't overmix.
With floured fingers, press 2 cups of the crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13' x 9' x 2' pan (I use glass); reserve remaining crumb mixture for the topping. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
Warm 1 ½ cups chips and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup chips and the walnuts into reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
4 Large grape leaves, fresh or in brine (if in brine, drain and rinse well)
2 Salmon filet, 8 oz each
2 Teaspoons, red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons, vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon, lemon juice
2 Slices of lemon, cut in halves
1/2 Teaspoon, garlic salt
Salt & pepper
Non-waxed dental floss or thin kitchen twine
Step 1: If using fresh grape leaves, remove stems and blanche in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from water and pat dry with paper towel.
Step 2: Lay two grape leaves on a work surface so that stems are facing each other and leaf edges are facing opposite directions, slightly overlapping.
Step 3: Place one salmon filet long ways over the grape leaves. Sprinkle each filet with 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt. Place 2 half lemon slices on each salmon filet.
Step 4: Wrap the overhanging grape leaves over the salmon to completely cover it and to form a tight packet. Using dental floss or twine, tie 3 times across each packet to secure the grape leaves. Rub 1 tablespoon over the packet to coat. Repeat steps 2 through step 4 for second filet.
Step 5: Heat grill on high. Place both salmon packets on the grill and turn heat to medium. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let stand 2 minutes.
Step 6: Remove floss or twine and discard. Open each packet by peeling back the grape leaves. Discard the grape leaves. Squeeze 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice over each filet and serve.
Uncle Nick’s is a crazy little space in Hell’s Kitchen that’s vibrant with patrons and with an energetic staff. The place consistently puts out unpretentious good Greek food.
Whether visiting as a couple or a group, sharing appetizers is a must at Uncle Nick’s. Some can’t-miss options are the saganaki, or flamed Greek cheese, the inopikilia sampler platter for two, the combo of four dips and the grilled octopus. The inopikilia platter is a good option for folks unfamiliar with Greek food or for anyone who wants to try a variety of fresh dishes like the octopus, the Greek sausages, dips and feta cheese.
Entrees are equally delicious, but become somewhat of an afterthought after munching on such tasty starters. Some favorites are the kebobs – beef, lamb, pork or chicken, the baked mousaka, the pastitsio and the Greek-style halibut. The fish is fresh and the kebobs are perfectly charcoal-grilled.
Uncle Nick’s offers catering, takeout and delivery and the restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner. Beware that the place is loud, but not in a bad way.
So, I’m in Salt Lake City for a conference (nice town by the way). It’s my first stay in Salt Lake City and I’m here for two days, working hard and playing…very little. As I picked up my registration packet upon arriving at the venue, the beautiful Grand America, I immediately noticed some interesting information about alcohol consumption I should be aware of as an attendee of the conference.
1) Alcohol beverage service in a licensed restaurant requires that:
You order food with your drink (can you say side of chips and salsa with after-dinner drinks?)
Your beverage be delivered to your table or at a counter by a waiter
You consume your drink at or near your table or counter
2) Limitation on number of drinks:
Each attendee may have no more than one spirituous liquor drink before the patron at one time (more on this in a bit)
Other than spirituous liquor, attendee may have no more than two alcoholic beverages at any time before them (sic)
What??! If you’re a road warrior like me and attend tons of conferences, you know that the ‘reward’ at the end of the day is a visit to the nearest bar to commiserate about the long hours with some of your cohorts. These limitations put a serious damper on the evening fun (nice town by the way).
Took an associate to dinner last night and we both ordered a well-deserved round of Stellas prior to our meal. I also ordered a decent glass of California Cabernet to enjoy with my steak. When the waiter brought my wine, he actually waited for me to drink my last swallow of beer prior to pouring my wine. State law! The poor guy actually said to me, as he was holding back the wine, “you’re not from Utah, are you?” and went into a well-practiced apology about not being able to put down the wine before he could pick the beer glass (nice town by the way).
And I thought my home-state of New Jersey was off by not letting me LEGALLY order wine online from a non-NJ vendor. More to come from my next conference in LAS VEGAS, where I don’t think my blog entry name will be “Drinkless in Las Vegas”.
Incredible! One word that describes the aroma as patrons enter Cinnamon Indian Restaurant in Morris Plains, NJ. The vibrant smell of cloves, cardamom, and yes, cinnamon, permeates the air at this casual restaurant in Morris County to the delight of Indian food fanatics.
First, the staff is friendly, helpful and willing to educate Indian food newbies about the ingredients making up each dish and about the extensive menu.
Cinnamon offers both an a la carte menu and a buffet for either lunch or dinner. Many diners opt for the buffet as it offers a chance to experience multiple dishes they might have not otherwise had an opportunity to sample.
The buffet features various salads, dips and yogurt sauces, flatbreads, rice and hot dishes. The chef’s special basmati rice is utterly perfect and serves as the ideal accompaniment to the assortment of sauce-based dishes. Some stellar dishes are the matter paneer, tender peas and homemade cottage cheese in a spectacular curry sauce, the chicken tikka masala, a popular Indian dish of chicken baked in a spiced tomato and onion gravy and the favorite, tandoori chicken, cooked in a traditional clay oven. Melt-in-your-mouth naan, a white flour bread baked in a tadoor oven is brought to the table for diners to enjoy as they begin their meals.
Cinnamon is a BYOB, but the restaurant offers incredible lassi drinks that are perfect paired with the ultra flavorful dishes. The restaurant offers catering and take out.
Overall great food, friendly staff and an economical way to sample excellent Indian cuisine in a casual atmosphere.
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