Pickled Lemons!

Make Lemon Oil Pickle - wikiHow

I ran across this recipe someone posted on WikiHow. The accompanying photo looks delightful and although lemon pickles may sound kinda weird, I like a lot of unusual pickled things like eggs, okra, onion and beets, to name a few. Oh yeah, kimchee too. So, I'm up for trying these. I think they'd be great with grilled salmon or baked chicken breast. I might even try doing a mixture of lemons and limes.

A New Tea from an Old Favorite

FRESH MANGO ICED TEA

Okay, so we went to Ruby Tuesday at Marley Station Mall again. Can't help ourselves -- it's one of our very favorite places. We had our favorite dishes, too -- the Pimento Cheese Minis and salad bar for me and the Salmon Cake Minis and salad bar for Hunny. I'm posting the photos of our yummy stuff, but if you're interested in the details about the Minis, check my post from January 27. They really are delicious! And, so far as we're aware, RT is the only place you can find them.

We did opt for different sides with our Minis this time, but what was really new this trip was my Mango Iced Tea. I've previously posted a photo of the Pomegranate Iced Tea that I normally have at RT's and I've raved about how no one else does iced tea as well as Ruby Tuesday. Well, you can see how awesomely beautiful it is, so chock full of juicy bits of real mango and topped with a fresh sprig of mint. It tasted just as wonderful as it looks! If you love fruited iced tea, you have to try Ruby Tuesday's! (Just click on any photo for up-close deliciousness.)

PIMENTO CHEESE MINIS WITH BAKED POTATO

FRESH SALAD BAR

SALMON CAKE MINIS WITH ONION STRAWS

Back from Paradise (Dragged Kicking & Screaming)

So, I have reluctantly returned to the "mainland" after Hunny spontaneously decided to sweep me off to the lush island of Oahu, Hawaii for a week.  I decided not to blog about any of our dining adventures since, first, it was a vacation and second, it wasn't in Anne Arundel County. Plus, I was just having too much fun to bother, honestly. But since we did take a ton of photos, I decided to share this one. We had lunch one day at the "Cheeseburger in Paradise Waikiki". Except for the fact that they serve cheeseburgers in a tropical atmosphere, they are far removed from the Jimmy Buffet chain of the almost-same name. The food was overpriced and both it and the service were mediocre. (And they don't offer fruit syrup for your iced tea, darn them!) The most interesting thing (aside from our waiter wearing a grass skirt over his shorts) was the "open air" style that allowed the local avians to wander in at will, which might explain -- partly anyway -- why the place was so dirty. Like I said, not at all like Jimmy's places. But it did make for an unusual photo op.

I'm Not Martha: Macaroni Pie with Eggplant Crust

This recipe looked and sounded like something Hunny would really like. So I decided to give it a try, even though I'm hardly as fond of eggplant as he is. Ahhh... the things we do for love.  Actually, this really turned out to be a labor of love, since it took a lot more work than I anticipated.

I was disappointed that my finished product didn't look nearly as appetizing as the picture that accompanied the recipe, but maybe I should have expected as much since I got it from the Martha Stuart web site. Obviously, the food stylists did their job well. The eggplant in their photo (bellow, right) doesn't even look browned and you can't see a trace of the breadcrumbs that line the pan. I did "doctor" my finished pie a bit by adding the remaining sauce on top and sprinkling it with parmigiana reggiana, but I felt compelled to do something to dress it up a bit. I mean, theirs looks fine naked, while mine looked .... well, sort of like a chunk of dirt. Sigh.












The good news is, Hunny really liked mine -- except for the fact that I was too heavy-handed with salting the eggplant. I guess it takes less coarse salt to do the job than the regular salt I normally use for bleeding the moisture from eggplant. Live and learn. At least the filling was yummy, even if I couldn't find the caciocavallo cheese that the recipe called for. (I substituted sliced asiago.) Martha would probably smack my hand, but I also used dried basil instead of fresh as instructed. And while I'm making confessions, I may as well admit that the inside of my pie probably looks a bit darker than the Martha one, too, because I used half whole wheat pasta with the regular stuff.  Yeah, I'm a rebel! Look, I'm a native South Carolinian -- it's in my blood!

So, even if my pie didn't turn out as photogenic as I'd hoped, it was good -- if you peeled off most of the salty eggplant. I don't think the eggplant part was worth all the work, really. I'll make this again, but sans the "crust."

GIANT Food's "SCAN IT" System - A Quick Tutorial to Get Out of the Grocery Store Faster & Easier!

 A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had tried this great new self-scanning technology at my local Giant Food store. The SCAN IT system makes it possible to scan and bag your items as you shop, so check-out is a breeze. It's faster, helps you stay within your budget, and takes some of the back-ache out of the grocery shopping experience, too. What's not to love? Here's a walk-through of my last shopping trip. I'm sure there are things I haven't thought of, so if you have questions, feel free to ask me. There's a link to email me on my complete profile. So.... let's start shopping!

The SCAN IT kiosk is at the front of the store and has everything you need for your shopping convenience. There are is right there -- multiple hand-held scanners and and ample supply of plastic and paper bags. I bring my own reusable totes.

Just enter your Giant Bonus Card number on the touch screen or scan it. One of the units will flash to let you know it's ready for you to use. You simply press the yellow button in the center to scan barcodes. You'll see the red laser light and it will "beep" when the scan is done. (You can "unscan" items if you change your mind.)
It will keep a running total of everything you've scanned, which is a major help when you need to stay within a set amount.

There's no need to worry about missing specials, either. As soon as I entered the produce section, the scanner alerted me to the special on sweet red peppers. As you go from section to section in the store, the specials in each area will be displayed.  Some of the specials are specifically for SCAN IT users -- just another good reason to use it!

The first time I used the system, I didn't purchase any produce, and I wondered how it would work. It couldn't be easier. The most commonly purchased items (like bananas) display automatically. So I only needed to touch the picture on the screen. The screen will display the price per pound/unit, the total weight (or number of units you've entered) and the total price. If you're satisfied with the amount, simply press "print" on the touch screen and a bar-coded price sticker will be printed for you.

Just stick the price label on your produce, scan it, and place your goods in your cart. My bananas are now ready to be paid for and taken home.

Code stickers are on most produce, so a quick way to find the right item on the scale is to simple enter that code number directly. Entering my eggplant's sticker number, 4801, got it to pop right up on the screen. A quick scan and it's ready to join my bananas!

Working my way through the rest of the store is even easier -- just pick up the item you want, scan it and bag it -- even in the deli or the meat counter. In the bakery, stickers are located above the bins for individual items like bagels. For convenience, if you select a dozen or half-dozen, there are appropriate stickers to scan to save time. Otherwise, just scan the sticker the number of times equal to the number of items you're bagging.

So, here my cart is loaded and ready to go. Let's head for the self check-out!

This GIANT has several self-serve check-out lanes, plus extra ones adjacent to the Customer Service Desk. The SCAN IT check-out instruction sign makes it simple -- and it really is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 - 4! First, just use the hand-held device to scan the "end of order" barcode on the sign. Then, place the device in the return rack to the left of the check-out console.

You'll be prompted when to scan your GIANT Bonus Card, then your total will appear. You'll be prompted to select your payment type and when to either scan your credit/debit card and sign the signature screen or insert your cash. (For you coupon users, you will have the opportunity to scan your coupons, too.)

In just a few brief moments, the transaction will be complete. No unloading and reloading your cart!

Just take your receipt and push your already-bagged cart of groceries to your car. Of course, getting them unloaded when you get home is between you and whoever you can corral into helping. (I love my husband! Thanks, Hunny!)

A few concluding words about this cool technology.... not all GIANT stores are equipped with it yet. The only Glen Burnie location that has it is the Park 97 store on Crain Highway at I-97, but there are several other stores in Anne Arundel County that do. You can CLICK HERE to go to their web site and see if your local store has it. And, if you don't already have a Giant Bonus Card, you can request one online by CLICKING HERE.

Cooked In Tonight with Breakfast for Dinner!

Mushroom, Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Omelet topped with Diced Red Peppers and Parmagiana Reggiana. On the side, Caramelized Granny Smith Apples and Hot Biscuits. YUM!

Carrabba's Italian Grill, The Horizons Center, 8030 Governor Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD

We almost went to Outback Steakhouse tonight, but I suggested Carrabba's Italian Grill instead. I love their understated old-world charm and quiet atmosphere, and that was as inviting and relaxing as ever. We were seated promptly and our server, Rachel, appeared immediately. She gets extra credit for accommodating my eternal pursuit of fruit-flavored iced tea. She had raspberry syrup added to it, and it was delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed the piping hot rustic bread served with herb-infused olive oil -- the perfect start to an Italian dinner.

Hunny and I ordered entrees that included a choice of House, Italian, Caesar or Mediterranean Salad, and we both opted for the Mediterranean. Not only did it look fantastic, it was! Fresh field greens, ripe oil-cured olives -- and that Pesto Dressing -- molta bene!

Just as I continually seek good fruit tea, Hunny craves the perfect salmon. He ordered the Grilled Norwegian Salmon with the Chef's sauce of the day and steamed asparagus. The salmon scored a high note with fresh taste and perfectly-prepared flakiness, despite the unimpressive sauce -- it could hold its own without it, actually. The asparagus, unfortunately, was uncharacteristically skimpy on portion size for Carrabba's. But, since it was undercooked, with tough stems, that may really have been a plus.

My Pollo Rosa Maria was surprisingly good. I generally favor steak over chicken, but the menu description of this dish intrigued me: "Chicken stuffed with fontina cheese and proscuitto, topped with mushrooms and a basil lemon butter sauce." It was a wise choice. The chicken breasts were cooked perfectly -- thoroughly done without being overdone -- tender and juicy. For my side dish, I selected cavatappi amatriciana. A short-cut extruded pasta, cavatappi is a corkscrew-shaped macaroni, served with the slightly spicy amatriciana sauce, which features diced tomatoes and pecorino cheese. I think Hunny wished he had chosen this instead of the asparagus -- and I'm glad I did!

I really like Bread pudding. It's one of those homey comfort foods that appear simple on the surface, but it can easily go awry in the hands of the wrong cook. Carrabba's Limoncello Bread Pudding is made with fresh Madagascar vanilla beans and has a creamy, custard-y inside and delicate, golden-brown crust. The scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is drizzled with Caravella Limoncello, a lemon-infused liqueur from Italy (of course). It is exquisite!

Like the asparagus versus the pasta, Hunny did not fare as well with his dessert. The Sogno di Cioccolata ("Chocolate Dream") had the potential to be a chocolate lover's dream-come-true. It looked luscious and, at first bite, held real promise, but the discovery that the brownie was substantially overcooked quickly deflated that dream. The inside of the brownie lacked the moist softness expected, and the edges were downright hard.  A nice dollop of vanilla ice cream in place of the whipped cream would have helped, but still wouldn't have been able to rescue that brownie.

I have to say that the service we received wasn't bad. It just wasn't the standard we expected from Carrabba's. We don't expect to see our beverage glasses stand empty, and they did a couple of times. And, we don't expect to have the check delivered when we've hardly started our dessert. It was, and even though our server said, "No rush," we felt rushed. All things considered, for a tab of over $60, we found ourselves wishing we had dined at the other end of The Horizon Center. (We have never been rushed or waited for beverages at Cheeseburger in Paradise.) Unfortunately, contrary to Carrabba's tag-line, it just wasn't that good this time.

From Our Own Kitchen -- Today's Dinner

One thing Hunny likes as much or more than salmon is sweet potatoes. So my special post-Valentine's dinner for him included Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Pearl Onions, Steamed Broccoli, and Braised BBQ Pork Cutlets. Yes, he was very pleased! 

Ruby Tuesday, Marley Station Mall, 7900 Governor Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie MD

Okay, I know we were just at Ruby Tuesday a couple of weeks ago, but hey, it's Valentine's Day weekend, they have a great special going, and.... well.... they are one of our top favorite restaurants. And besides, since I forgot to photograph the Italian Cream Cake last time, I wanted to get that up for my readers before y'all forget all about it. Yes, really... I did this all for you, my loyal followers.

Seriously, Ruby Tuesday's "Share the Love" three-nights-three-courses special truly rocks! For $19.99 per person, you get to share an appetizer from a selection of four yummy starters. You each get to choose an entree from an array of seven mouthwatering main courses. Finish by sharing one of four decadent desserts. Considering the consistently high quality of food and service RT delivers, this is a genuine BARGAIN! You better hurry, though... it's just for Valentine's Day, so it ends at closing Sunday night!

We tried the Southwest Spring Rolls appetizer for the first time. These delicate delights are grilled chicken, veggies, black beans, cilantro and a blend of cheeses wrapped in a tortilla and fried to light and crispy goodness. I especially liked the sweet and spicy Southwestern Ranch dressing.

I had a difficult time choosing between the Steak and Lobster Tails or the Steak and Lobster Mac & Cheese, but finally settled on the latter, a new addition to the RT menu. I've said this before, but it bears repeating -- one of the things we love about Ruby Tuesday is their creatively evolving menu, and this is a case in point! I would never have thought to add lobster to my favorite comfort food, mac & cheese, but I am so glad the RT chefs did -- it is creamy, cheesy goodness infused with juicy bits of lobster. The sirloin was perfectly cooked to my "medium well" order -- just enough pink for added tenderness -- and deliciously seasoned and browned outside. Fresh, tender-crisp broccoli and a just-right baked potato rounded out this course.


Now, really, Hunny is not the predictable type. He just happens to love salmon and if he finds it done a new way, he just has to try it. So, he chose another dish that's new to RT's menu, the Salmon Florentine. The creamy Spinach and Artichoke Sauce is tasty without overpowering the light and flaky salmon. It's accompanied by savory brown-rice pilaf and sweet steamed sugar snap peas. Fresh, healthy, pretty and delicious - this dish has it all!



We finished off this wonderful meal with a slice of the Ruby Tuesday dessert-to-die-for, Italian Cream Cake. Anyone who likes carrot cake will LOVE this three-layer slice of bliss. It's a moist buttermilk and walnut cake that tastes like carrot cake with coconut in place of the carrots. The sinfully lustalicious cream cheese frosting is just wonderful all by itself. In fact, as Hunny pointed out, the toasted coconut around the outside isn't necessary at all.... the pure frosting is .... well, you really, really need to try it for yourself! If you click on the photo for a close-up of this masterpiece, your watering mouth will convince you!

Even when the place is hopping-busy, as it was this evening, the Ruby Tuesday staff never seems to get overwhelmed, which in itself is remarkable. It was a pleasure to enjoy another great meal and impeccable service at RT. Our server, Melissa, never let our tea and soda glasses run dry, delivering the friendly, knowledgeable service that we've come to depend on from RT. (Speaking of tea, I must say again, NO ONE does iced tea like Ruby Tuesday! They are the masters!) Management, as usual, was greeting guests, keeping tabs on service, and generally making diners feel welcome and attended to. With the tab of less than $48 for a fabulous Valentine's Day dinner, one word sums up our experience: satisfaction!  Well, I could use other words... contentment, happiness.... it was simply a regular Ruby Tuesday kind of evening.

Leftovers CAN Be Good -- Steak Nachos

I'm not a big fan of leftovers. It's pretty common for them to sit in my fridge until I decide they're not safe to eat and toss 'em out. Sometimes, though, I manage to figure out a creative rescue.

In this instance, I salvaged some leftover steak that was just too good to let go to waste. I sliced it into thin strips and stir-fried it with sliced red onion in a little olive oil. While the onions were browning, I topped some tortilla chips with sharp cheddar and warmed 'em in the microwave. With the steak and onion piled on top of the cheesy chips, I topped it off with a few spoonfuls of salsa and viola!   Tasty + Thrifty = Yippee!!