Butterscotch Brownies

by charlotte on February 27, 2010

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Blondies

Butterscoth Brownies or sometimes called Blondies

I might be the only person I know who is not fond of chocolate. I do like it in small quantities such as in tiramisu, café mocha, or maybe a small square of dark chocolate after dinner.  Marcel on the other hand LOVES chocolate so I am always trying new recipes that use chocolate but not too much of it. Here is one I tried recently from the Joy of Cooking book. I expected it to be a little bit more dense and less chewy but mine came out with loose crumbs and breaking apart. I can only blame the white whole-grain flour I used, and maybe the lack of corn syrup? Let me know if you have a good recipe for it or have any advice.

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Costello’s Travel Café

by charlotte on February 23, 2010

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Costello's Menu

We discovered this wonderful little café on NE Broadway last weekend.

Cafe Mocha

Cafe Mocha

Costello’s Travel Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as delicious coffee. They brew Caffé Umbria and serve bread from the Pearl Bakery. The place was delightful and the food, delicious!

Panini

Firenze Ciabatta Panini and Mykonos Wheat Levain Panini

It was just like the dream we’ve always had, to open a travel-themed coffee shop. For now, we’re happy to hang out in one.

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Curry Simple

February 19, 2010
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I discovered Curry Simple a few years ago when I was looking online for a curry recipe. When I first tried it, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make an authentic curry dish at home. I know I can buy a $2 tub of curry and pay $0.89 for coconut milk [...]

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Spaghetti al Pomodoro

February 15, 2010
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I first read about this sauce from Orangette who was inspired by The Amateur Gourmet and now it is all over the food blogosphere. The original recipe was from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Three ingredients: San Marzano Tomatoes, Onions, and Unsalted Butter. Now it’s my turn. I’ve used San Marzano tomatoes for [...]

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Nong’s Khao Man Gai

February 11, 2010
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Food Carts are very popular in Portland. I wish I could try all of them but my list of food carts and restaurants to try is endless! Here is one that I recently tried. Nong’s have been praised by various food critics and the locals rave about it in online reviews. Marcel and I have [...]

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Swedish Pancakes

February 7, 2010
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The Swedish knows breakfast. I will never forget the hotel we stayed at in Stockholm where they had everything you can imagine on their breakfast buffet. We had to get up early every day just so we had enough time to eat In my attempt to duplicate the pancakes, I’ve tried different mixes and recipes [...]

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Homemade Pizza

February 3, 2010
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I am constantly trying out new recipes, even some that are too complicated for my limited culinary skills. However, most days we eat simple meals that are quick and easy. Like a lot of you out there, I don’t always have time to spend  hours in the kitchen to make a great meal.  We don’t [...]

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Chinese-Style Steamed Fish

January 30, 2010
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A couple of weeks ago, my friend Sokbun and I went to Ocean City Restaurant for dinner. We ordered the steamed sea bass and it was delicious – delicate but flavorful. As I was searching online, I found this recipe on Steamy Kitchen. I am not going to post the recipe here as it’s hard [...]

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Lovejoy Bakers vs. Ken’s Artisan Bakery

January 26, 2010
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When I first discovered Ken’s Artisan Bakery, I was extremely delighted to find such a place in Portland. It is so European and reminded me of our travels in the old world. I also admire the bakery’s philosophy of using local ingredients and sustainable practices. Even though I am a fan of Ken’s, I am [...]

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Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

January 22, 2010
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Leche Flan is one of my favorite Filipino desserts. Unfortunately it is so high in cholesterol and sugar I rarely make it. An appearance is only warranted when we can share it with a hundred other people. This is not one of those times but I have some homemade ube (purple yam) ice cream sitting [...]

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