Recipe: Corn, Bacon and Green Onion Tart
adapted from Cooking Light, May 2003

(made in lieu of Tacos on a Tuesday, served with Butternut squash soup and Pinot Noir)

3 slices smoked bacon
2 cup corn
1/2 c chopped green onions
1 cup milk
1/4+ grated asiago cheese
shake of salt
grind of pepper
2 egg whites
1 egg (beat all the eggs before adding to mix)
10 oz refrigerated pizza dough

Preheat over to 375F
Cook bacon slices in skillet about 3 min add corn and onion, saute 3 min (or untill corn is hot), place in large bowl. Add milk and 1/2 the cheese, slat and pepper, egg and whites, blend together.
Coat a small baking pan (or tart pan if you have one, or 2 qt souffle dish) with cooking spray. Open dough, let rest 5 min then roll out on floured surface and pat inot bottom of pant and up sides of pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet (to catch spills when it cooks) pour egg mix into dough, sprinkle remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until set. Cool 10 min. enjoy!

Review: Boca Chica
13 1st Ave at 1st, Manhattan

Absolutely delicious! This latin inspired place has low lights, about a dozen tables, and the best mojitos this side of the east river. We were a bit of a crowd (7?) but it didnt take more than a few minutes wait. The service was speedy, but not too rushed (the pressure to leave was definitly from the crowd at the bar behind us, breathing down our necks). The food was really quite tasty (esp the smashed yams!) and the "basket of rolls" was dried plaintain slices with a spicy black bean dip, which was loved by half the table. I would say a moderately priced place for dinner on a Saturday night. overall: cant wait to go back!

what I had: Lime chicken with avocado/onion salsa and smashed yams and rice; mojito!

Recipe:HOT BUTTER RUM
I joined a "chain" recipe email and bugged 8 of my closest friends and family to send a recipe to a stranger and pass on the email . . . one was supposed to get 36 new recipes back . . . here is the one I got:
(it sounds good for a winter party, or a coronary, but i've not made it yet)
1 # butter
1 # brown sugar, packed
1# powdered sugar
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Rum

IN MIXER CREAM TOGETHER BUTTER, SUGARS AND ICE CREAM. ADD OTHER INGREDIENTS. MIX WELL. FREEZE MIXTURE
TO SERVE: IN A MUG PLACE 1 Tablespoon OF MIXTURE (OR MORE DEPENDING ON SIZE OFMUG AND TASTE) WITH 1 JIGGER OF LIGHT RUM. ADD BOILING WATER. STIR. GARNISH WITHNUTMEG.---ENJOY!
Description: "MAKE A HEAD OF TIME AND KEEP IN FREEZER FOR THOSE COLD WINTER NIGHTS"

Recipe: Biscotti (reduced fat!)
warning: this is a very plain biscotti, not a Starbucks fancy kind, but great with coffee/tea

A:
3 1/3 c flour
2 1/2 t b.powder
1/2 t salt

B:
1/4 c canola oil
1 1/4c sugar
2 eggs plus 2 egg whites
1 heaping t lemon zest
1 heaping t orange zest
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla

Mix "A" in a medium bowl. set aside. Mix "B" in a large bowl (may want to use an electric mixer if you have one). Gradually add "A" into "B" until incorporated (may seem kinda extra flour-y, just use hands at that point). Separate into 2 - 3 sections, shape into a log (~2.5 inch diameter) and place on baking sheet (I use parchment paper, or grease sheet first). Flatten with your hand untill only about 1" high. Bake at 375 for 25 min. When cool enough to handle, cut, on the bias (slight diagonal) ~ 3/8" wide, lay on sides on baking sheet and cook 10 min. Turn each slice on other side, cook another 10 min. Transfer to wire rack and cool.
You can keep these in a tin, or in the freezer for a 1 -3 mos. enjoy!

Review: Island Burgers and Shakes
766 9th Ave, btwn 50th & 51st St
Clinton (do people really call Hell's Kitchen Clinton?)

Very cute TINY place (they dont serve fries because no room for a fry machine). There are over 50 ways to get your burger or grilled chicken. It can be crowded and you get to know the people at the neighbooring table. Service was nice and reasonably speedy; decor was, well, I guess an attempt at "island-y" . . . there were surfboards on the walls. Not a cheap burger, but a hell of a lot of food.

What I had: Mona Lisa style chicken, Snapple lemonade

Review:
Tellos
Italian Restaurant
263 W 19th St, Btwn 7th & 8th Ave, Chelsea

Excellent! Great food, reasonable prices for the food, cute classy kitch decore and best service ever! Only odd thing is I think the bar tender was trying to sound Irish (stock phrases like "What'll you have?) had an accent, while others sounded rather midWestern.

what I had:
Jack and Ginger with a cherry at the bar, eggplant and red pepper with tortollini, pinot noir