This Week for Dinner – Weekly Meal Plans, Dinner Ideas, Recipes and More!: Fab Faves

Category: Fab Faves

Friday, March 12

Chuck’s Donuts

We love Chuck’s Donuts in Redwood City. We promised Chuck’s Donuts as payment for any friends who helped us move…it worked, lots of friends showed. I’ve gotta give Chuck and his donuts a little shout out today. Plus the pictures are just too scrumptious not to share.

Open 24 hours? Hello, Donut Heaven! Fine, I’ve never actually gone at 4 am…but I COULD.

Seriously, these donuts are very photogenic. I was just going to snap a quick shot and say, “Chuck’s is the best.” But I couldn’t settle on one shot. Just look at that fluffy, greasy, sugary goodness!

You want a bite. I know you do.

Time to close the box. My heart and my thighs have stopped speaking to me. I need a carrot.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:21 pm 12 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, The Goods
Tuesday, March 9

Food is back! (And the most random post you ever did see)

People, I went grocery shopping today. Which means we will be eating food again. Which means I might actually start writing about food again. Food is back! Will wonders never cease?

I’m giddy with excitement. Look what arrived on my doorstep today…

I am SO excited about this new cookbook from Everyday Food. Every recipe I’ve ever tried of theirs has been great. When they offered me a review copy, of course I took them up on it. And guess what…you just might get your own chance at a free copy, if you’re good. (Okay, you are going to get a chance at a free copy, just not quite yet…stay tuned!)

And moving on with the randomness…I am not a fan of canned refried beans. Ever since living with a Mexican roommate in college (shout out to beautiful Estela!), I’ve gotten quite picky about my beans. But I’ve gotta say, these Rosarita Vegetarian Refried Beans are great. We’ve had them a few times over the last few months and I always think, I need to do a post about these. So here we are.

Last but definitely not least, did you see the Handsome Men’s Club skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live Sunday night? I laughed so much it was embarrassing. I love Jimmy…and this is just one small reason why. Enjoy!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 3:48 pm 21 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Musings, The Goods
Tuesday, March 2

Puking Pastilles Apron Giveaway Winner!

Time to announce the lucky random winner of this beautiful apron from Puking Pastilles…

Natalee Maynes, who said, “I like the infant carseat recovering. Juliette’s carseat could use a makeover.”

I think Juliette will be mighty pleased with her new carseat cover…and Natalee will look stunning in her new apron, I’m sure! Congratulations, Natalee!

For the rest of you…the Puking Pastilles patterns are only $3.99 and, as you all saw, they are super cute. Time to get sewing! You can read the Puking Pastilles blog here and view the sewing tutorials here!

Thanks again to Puking Pastilles for a super fun giveaway!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:38 am 1 Comment
Categories: Fab Faves, Giveaways
Tuesday, February 23

Apron Giveaway from Puking Pastilles

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you!

I have a fun giveaway for you today…this totally hip and adorable apron from Puking Pastilles, custom made to fit YOU! Seriously, how cool is this apron? I especially love how good it looks on my blog…too bad my blog doesn’t need an apron.

The winner’s apron will be made by Georgia, the talent behind the Puking Pastilles Etsy shop. I love supporting talented moms who start wonderful businesses…Georgia’s company is no exception. If you like to sew, check out their patterns (which are currently on sale…but not for long!). If you don’t sew, then hop on over and check out their “Learn to Sew” series on YouTube!

Lucky for you non-sewers out there, the giveaway involves no sewing whatsoever. The apron will arrive ready to throw on so you can cook in style!

To enter the giveaway, visit the Puking Pastilles Etsy shop, pick out your favorite sewing pattern and leave a comment on this post telling us which one it is! My favorite is definitely the reusable grocery bag – super cute and roomy. Please leave your comment before Midnight PT, Monday, March 1, 2010. (Prize can be shipped only to a U.S. address. Thank you!) The randomly-selected winner will be announced on Tuesday, March 2.

Good luck to everyone! And big thanks to Puking Pastilles for a perfectly lovely prize!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 242 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Giveaways
Friday, January 29

My Whole Foods Conundrum

I don’t often shop at Whole Foods. Not because I don’t like the store, I do. The fact that it’s generally more expensive and further from my house are contributing factors to my low attendance. However, the real reason I have to avoid that place like the plague might be a bit surprising. Whenever I shop there, I end up buying tons of unhealthy food! Hello, Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Cracker gelato. Come to me amazing baked goods. Giant chocolate covered strawberries? I’m in heaven.

I made a quick trip to Whole Foods last night on a quest for soup. I found it, along with gelato and a white baguette. And these great little chocolate chip cookies made by Whole Foods, which are a new find from the packaged cookie aisle. I rarely buy cookies, I’m a homemade girl all the way. But, I’m telling you, these little guys are GOOD. I think the fact they’re made with actual BUTTER might be the key.

Maybe one day I’ll learn how to find healthy stuff at Whole Foods…until then, anyone have a napkin? I think I have some crumbs on my face.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:17 pm 15 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, The Goods
Friday, January 22

Steel Cut Oats – Quickly & Deliciously Done

Just want to share my latest oatmeal find. Trader Joe’s has Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats that are awesome. They cook as quickly as rolled oats (5-7 minutes) and taste great.

We’re always hearing about how steel cut oats are great, but apparently they take a long time to cook (I honestly haven’t even tried). If you have a Trader Joe’s, you’re all set!

If you have any steel cut oat advice or know of similar products to TJ’s Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats, please share!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:34 pm 39 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Healthy Eats, The Goods
Wednesday, January 20

‘This Week for Dinner’ Facebook Page Has Arrived!

After months of not realizing that a Facebook group is different than a fan page, I’ve had my major “DUH!” moment and gotten it all straightened out. So, please become a fan of This Week for Dinner on Facebook! I’ve heard it’s the coolest fan page around. I think I read that in People or Wired or something.

http://www.facebook.com/thisweekfordinner

Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:40 pm 4 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Musings
Tuesday, December 22

Fred’s Steak

A delectable delight here in the Bay Area is Fred’s Steak. This is what Fred’s Steak looks like after it’s cooked. It melts like butter in your mouth and the flavor is unreal.

Here’s what it looks like uncooked. Pretty nuts, eh? It’s kind of shocking when you walk into the butcher shop to see a big pile of BLACK meat.

I think this might be my favorite red meat to eat. Although, filet mignon at a fancy steakhouse like Donovan’s might take that top spot. Regardless, I love Fred’s Steak. Too bad it’s $14 per pound! While it is in fact worth every last penny, my wallet can only handle Fred’s Steak for a special treat.

When I bought our cut at Shaub’s (the originator of Fred’s steak; you can also get it at Draeger’s), the butcher told me that while cooking it on the grill gives it a nice crispy exterior, most of the butchers like simply cooking it in the oven. So that’s what I did. It was so easy and came out perfectly. For those of you who live locally, this would be a great meal for Christmas. Maybe Santa can cover the cost.

It’s official, this post has made me hungry.

For those of you who don’t live anywhere near Schaub’s or Draeger’s, there is a recipe for the marinade on the Fred’s Steak Wikipedia page that may be worth trying! I would marinate a piece of sirloin for 3-5 days in a ziploc bag and then cook in an oven at 375 for around 45 minutes. I might just have to try it myself.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:05 pm 7 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Recipes, The Goods
Tuesday, December 8

Garlic Grater Plate

My mother-in-law recently gave me a garlic grater plate, a nifty little kitchen accessory I had never seen before. She said wherever she bought it (hmmm…a fair, maybe?) there was a loooooong line of people waiting to buy it, which she faithfully waited in just for me. I’m so glad she did, I love this thing! (Luckily for all of you, the plate can also be purchased on Amazon…of course. What can’t be?)

Basically, the garlic grater plate is a little ceramic plate with sharp teeth. You just rub your garlic cloves over the surface and voila! Your garlic is grated to bits!

We like to grate garlic, pour olive oil directly over the garlic on the dish, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dip pieces of good bread in the oil and you’re immediately transported to heaven. Cate calls it “the spicy oil” and loves it.

(This website over here says that you can grate lots of other ingredients on the plate as well…I’ll have to do some experimenting!)

Bottom line, we are loving this plate. You should get one. You’ll thank me.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:09 am 12 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Healthy Eats, The Goods
Sunday, December 6

Week 150 Menu

Oh my goodness. The site has been down for TWO DAYS. I have gotten a menu up every Sunday since I started the blog, even when I was stuck in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm. I thought this would be my first miss…but with 6 minutes to spare on this Sunday night the site is back. My menu will go up! YIPPEEEE!!!!

The reason it took two days for me to figure out the site was down was because we took a weekend trip to Monterey (that’s right, I didn’t go on the computer for TWO WHOLE DAYS). It was such a fun weekend! Today for lunch we discovered Vivolo’s Chowder House. The clam chowder was SO delicious. Here are the reasons why. 1) It was thick, but not too thick. 2) I didn’t notice potatoes (yes, that’s a good thing). 3) The clams were oh so good, and I only crunched 2 or 3 grains of sand, which is the perfect amount…enough that you know the clams are fresh, but not so much you break a tooth.

On to the menu that almost wasn’t!

MONDAY:
- Paninis (no we haven’t eaten paninis for 4 weeks in a row…we just haven’t had them yet!)

TUESDAY:
- Broccoli Cheese Soup

WEDNESDAY:
- Creamy Enchiladas

THURSDAY:
- Leftovers

FRIDAY:
- Hamburgers

SATURDAY:
- Eat out

SUNDAY:
- Dinner at friends’ house

Please share your lovely menus…now matter how lovely or un-lovely you think they are!

PS – I’m going to extend the Cake Wrecks giveaway 24 hours due to the site being down. So you still have a chance to enter by clicking here and posting a comment!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:54 pm 23 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Menus
Thursday, December 3

Perfect Chocolate Chips for Your Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since I shared my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with you, I figured I might as well divulge all of my secrets and share my favorite chocolate chips. I discovered Guittard’s Super Cookie Chips recently at Draeger’s (a fancy, dancy grocery store in Menlo Park, CA).

These Super Cookie Chips are great! First, they have the flat, disc shape that the New York Times cookie article talks about…it really is an ingenius idea using a disc shaped “chip” in the cookie. You end up with layers of chocolate throughout the entire cookie. Second, Guittard’s chocolate quality is just so good. I don’t really like eating chocolate chips alone…but I’ll gobble these puppies up no problem.

The New York Times recipe suggests the following chocolates, which I’m sure are equally as delicious. “Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.” Regardless of which brand you use, I am loving the disc shaped chocolate, it’s heaven in a chocolate chip cookie.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:36 am 7 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Featured Recipes, The Goods
Wednesday, December 2

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m a little obsessed with chocolate chip cookies. Okay, maybe a lot obsessed. Nate can attest to this fact. Which is why I LOVED this article in the New York Times. If you care at all about chocolate chip cookies, read it.

In connection with the article, the New York Times provided a recipe (adapted from Jacques Torres) that is outstanding. These cookies have it all – the crispy outside, the chewy inside, lots of chocolate. Oh la la.

I was really excited when I first read the NYT article because the recipe that I had most recently fallen in love with was a similar recipe by none other than Jacques Torres. Jacques knows what he’s doing, let me tell ya.

Without further ado, the recipe! I thought I would post it here on the site so I can add all my various notes on the recipe. And tomorrow I just might share with you the PERFECT chocolate chips for this recipe. But only if you’re good.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
From the New York Times, adapted from Jacques Torres
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour (Jane note: I use pastry flour here…that’s what my OTHER Jacques Torres cookie recipe calls for)
- 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
- Sea salt (Jane note: I used salted butter and added about 1 tsp of regular salt to the recipe…didn’t have sea salt on hand to sprinkle on top)

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. (Jane note: I do think there is something to the dough sitting over night…HOWEVER…I can’t resist and always cook cookies the night I make the dough and they still come out GRRRREAT! Promise. Feel free to bake right away! That said, don’t bake all the dough at once! You know better than that. Oh, and I’ve definitely frozen balls of dough from this recipe to great success as well.)

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside. (Jane note: I bake my cookies on my handy dandy Silpat.)

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. (Jane note: I never did the ‘transfer sheet to a wire rack then slip to another’ rack step.) (Another Jane note: one thing I DO do when they come out of the oven is sort of slam the tray straight down to force the cookies to settle…makes for a nice even cookie with a great texture.)

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 18 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Featured Recipes, Recipes, Recipes: Sweet Things
Monday, November 30

Cake Wrecks Book Giveaway! 3 Winners…AWWW YEAH!

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you!

Today’s giveaway is FUN FUN FUN. Please tell me you’ve heard of Cake Wrecks…if not, you are in for a treat, literally and figuratively. See what I mean? Don’t tell me you didn’t laugh.

If you haven’t been to the Cake Wrecks blog, I suggest you check it out stat! I discovered Cake Wrecks when they won a BlogLuxe award for Funniest Blog…and then they linked to all the other BlogLuxe winners and WOWZAH I got a lot of traffic that day and realized everyone and their dog had already discovered this wickedly funny site. It fast became a favorite of mine.

Jen Yates, the mastermind behind Cake Wrecks, recently published her first book, and it’s just as funny as you think it will be. {Although, I probably shouldn’t admit how long it took me to figure out why the cake on the cover is so darn funny.}

Anywhoooo….I did say there was a giveaway, right? Yes there is! Cake Wrecks is giving away THREE copies of the Cake Wrecks book (a New York Times bestseller, might I add) to THREE randomly-selected This Week for Dinner readers! Same drill as always, just post a comment and you’re in the running!

Comments need to be posted by Midnight, Monday December 7. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 7.

And while I hope you win the giveaway…this book is a great holiday gift idea, so you can also buy it here!

GOOD LUCK and enjoy the wreckage!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:52 am 237 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Giveaways, The Goods
Friday, October 23

Matthew Mead and His Lovely Books

Back when I first started this here blog, I mentioned a website that I liked, MatthewMeadStyle.com. This website is chock full of wonderful things. I was delighted to receive an email from Matthew Mead not too long ago asking if I would like to review one of his books. Of course I jumped at the chance and Matthew sent me THREE of his books: Entertaining Simple, Gifts from Nature and Matthew Mead’s Halloween.

I love all the books. Matthew has impeccable taste, is a great writer, and the recipes that are included look divine.

Entertaining Simple is fantastic. So many wonderful entertaining tips, decoration ideas, menus and recipes…it’s really lovely. And Gifts from Nature is a wonderful resource, complete with great ideas for every season of the year.

And if you’re dying to get your hands on Matthew Mead’s Halloween, you’re in luck…it’s on newsstands now. I saw it at Safeway just the other day. I love Halloween and this book did not disappoint. My favorite part of the book is all the pumpkin decorating ideas. CUTE stuff.

I’ve told you before, I only write about products and books that I like. And usually when I like something and write about it…well, it’s good news for you…perhaps I’m seeing a giveaway in your future? You’ll just have to check back to see!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 6 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, The Goods
Sunday, October 11

Week 142 Menu

I LOVE FALL. I know you all know that by now, but seriously, it’s the best season, hands down. We went to Arata’s Pumpkin Farm on Friday and had a blast. We did the giant hay bale maze, which was loads of fun for kids and the parents alike. Sad to say that Michelle (my friend) and I could not figure it out. We gave up and went in through the exit and, believe it or not, it was STILL hard. But seriously, that maze was HUGE, so can you blame us?

I love our little collection of little pumpkins and gourds. Aren’t those stems wonderful?

Okay, my menu has several duplicates from last week’s plan. Nate was gone most of the week, so the girls and I were able to last on leftovers longer. Oh, and we ate out a few times. When Dad’s gone, it’s party time! Now it’s back to being responsible. Phooey.

MONDAY:
- Broccoli Cheese soup

TUESDAY:
- Homemade pizza

WEDNESDAY:
- Pork chops…and this time I’m going to NOT massacre them like last time, so disappointing when you screw up!
- Veggie
- Brown and/or wild rice

THURSDAY:
- Leftovers

FRIDAY:
- Pumpkin pancakes

SATURDAY:
- Eat out

SUNDAY:
- Beef stew

Alrighty, folks…bring on the menus! Big and tall, or really small…we love ‘em all! (I should be a poet, no?)

I couldn’t decide which pumpkin picture to use, so I’m posting both. Hope you don’t mind me indulging my obsession with fall.

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 32 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Holidays, Menus
Tuesday, August 25

Blendtec Total Blender…I’m in love.

I have wanted a super duper blender for YEARS. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned my desire for a super duper blender on this blog several times. I am happy to report, I am finally the proud owner of a super duper blender and I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

One day my Auntie Barb (who is a happy VitaMix owner and got me on the quest for a super duper blender in the first place) mentioned the Blendtec Total Blender. I did a little research and decided that the Total Blender was my super duper blender dream. Since I have this food blog, I thought I’d give a shot at getting one of these blenders for a product review. I emailed Blendtec and they responded immediately. And sent me my dream blender! (By the way, Blendtec told me I could keep the blender or give it away on my blog. Now, I love all of you dear readers very much…but…there’s no way I’m giving this blender away. I just can’t part with it! Maybe next time. And now that you all hate me, let’s get back to the post.)

Here are the reasons I love the Blendtec Total Blender:

- First and foremost, our smoothies are soooo good. The texture is amazing. No more Jamba Juice for us.

- Preset buttons…there is a computer chip in the Total Blender with a bunch of presets. You want a smoothie? Just hit smoothie. You want soup? Hit soup. It does all the slowing down and speeding up for you and knows just how long to go for.

- You don’t need a little stick thing to push everything down. If you get the right combo of fluid and liquid and/or put things in the right order, you never need to push your ingredients down into the blender. It’s amazing. Once in a while we don’t get the balance right and have to do a little urging, but not very often.

- It blends things to bits. Or I should say PULVERIZES. You can toss strawberries in whole, leaves and all…and you don’t even notice there are LEAVES in your smoothie. The motor is super strong, so this would outlive several normal blenders in succession. Definitely makes it worth the investment.

- It’s really easy to clean. No parts to unscrew and get all yucky.

- If you make soup, it blends so fast it heats the soup up! Although, when I made my tomato soup (which was yummy, very fresh tasting), I did heat it on the stove afterward to get it really hot. I’m still perfecting the art of blender soupmaking.

Only one thing so far that I didn’t love about the blender – peanut butter. I don’t know if my peanuts were just old and yucky or if I was doing something wrong, but my peanut butter was gross. I may try another type of nut butter, but I’ve decided homemade peanut butter isn’t for me.

I didn’t know it until after I got the Blendtec, but this blender is the one that was made famous on YouTube with the “Will it Blend” series. They do crazy stuff like blend iPhones, it’s funny. So, not only is my blender awesome, it’s famous!

So, there you go. As I indicated, Blendtec did provide me with the blender, but I was not paid for this post. I really love it. And if I was a bazillionaire I’d buy you all a Total Blender right now. Aren’t I generous?

Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:53 am 22 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, The Goods
Wednesday, August 19

I’m Home…Phew!

Hello food friends! I’m home after a month of traveling. It’s nice to be home, but it was a FANTASTIC trip for so many reasons. The good news for you is I might actually start cooking again!

Doesn’t this pizza look good? That’s because it is! Bertucci’s margherita pizza is one of my favorites anywhere. I’m so glad I got to have some on this last trip…it’s been years! If you want to see another picture of the same pizza, be sure to check out my guest post on Make and Takes today, Meal Planning Tip: Be a Restaurant Copycat. I’m sure you all have good ideas to add to the post, so go read it and comment!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 8:30 am 3 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Roadtrip
Sunday, August 16

Week 134 Menu…and Jaffrey Fireworks

I went to one of the coolest things you can go to in the WORLD last night. I know I’m prone to hyperbole, but this time I’m telling it like it is. This is a once in a lifetime (or hopefully, if your lucky, once a year!) experience – the Jaffrey Fireworks!

If you can ever work it to get to Jaffrey, New Hampshire the third Saturday of August, you should. Atlas Fireworks, a world-class, big player in the fireworks world, is based in Jaffrey and every summer they put on a show with their latest and greatest. No words or pictures can even come close to describing one of their shows. It’s simply unreal.

Starting Wednesday, it’s back to real life. Wow, I can’t believe vacation is almost over. What a month! Gotta keep the menu items simple this week, ease back into things.

MONDAY:
- Driving from NH to MA

TUESDAY:
- Flying to California!

WEDNESDAY:
- Spaghetti
- Salad

THURSDAY:
- Homemade pizza

FRIDAY:
- Quesadillas

SATURDAY:
- Eat out

SUNDAY:
- Orange chicken
- Rice
- Veggie

Time for everyone to share their menus – bring it on!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:35 pm 16 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Menus, Roadtrip
Monday, August 10

New York City Jaunt

My 9-month-pregnant sister-in-law and I took my two girls into NYC last Thursday to see my other sister-in-law and her fiance who live in the city. Did you follow that? We met them in the East Village for lunch, because what is a trip to NYC without food?

We ate lunch at S’Mac…a restaurant that only serves macaroni + cheese. Well, they also serve one green salad and DELICIOUS warm cookies. But that’s it.

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of some of the flavors. But everything was AWESOME. Both sisters-in-law got Masala mac n cheese…which was so tasty. I ordered the garden lite, and it was oh so yummy. S’Mac was also surprisingly affordable, which is nice in NYC. All around a great lunch!

After lunch we walked over to Veniero’s Pasticceria and Caffe…because if there is a good cannoli within a mile of my person, I must eat it. And I did. In fact, I ended up eating more cannoli than I am willing to fess up to. Needless to say, I was a happy camper. Their cannoli was SCRUMPTIOUS.

The shop was FULL of beautiful pastry, cakes and cookies galore. (Check out the size of that cake above Cate’s head. How is that real?)

And I can’t even put into words how heavenly Veniero’s smelled. The line was very long, so we had to wait a while. We were so absorbed in looking at everything, we missed our number when it was called! They let us jump in line once we realized what happened…phew!

Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:00 am 11 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Roadtrip
Tuesday, August 4

Back in Bagel Country
I know I’ve written about bagels in the northeast before. More than once, in fact. But I have yet to find a real, live, honest-to-goodness bagel outside of the tri-state area (NJ/NY/CT). So, when I’m in Jersey and get the opportunity to eat an amazing bagel, I just have to write about it. HAVE to. I can’t help myself.

This morning my dad picked up bagels at Chester Bagel, one of my favorite bagel haunts. My all-time favorite is H&H Bagel in NYC, but I rarely get a chance to get into the city when I visit. Anyway, when I opened the bag this morning my heart was all a flutter. I know, I’m a little crazy, but these bagels are OH SO GOOD. They are bagels that know how to be bagels.

Here’s a little guide for identifying REAL bagels.
- The outside is shiny and crispy
- The inside is moist and chewy
- The word “bread” never even crosses your mind as you are eating your bagel
- It is so big you can barely eat the whole thing, but of course you do because you can’t stop yourself
- ‘Everything’ bagels include garlic, onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt
I think that about covers it! Enough rambling about bagels. Well, until next summer vacation in New Jersey, of course.
Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:38 pm 12 Comments
Categories: Fab Faves, Roadtrip, The Goods