Food.Fun.Stuff: Sex and the City: The Movie

JKGF would like to proclaim Friday, May 30, 2008 as a national holiday but we don't have those powers over here:-) On the brink of the debut of Sex and the City: The Movie, JKGF has some tasty little ideas on how to celebrate 4 of America's favorite ladies coming back on the big screen.

1. Girlfriends- This is a great way to bring your friends together from their hectic schedules. Schedule some cocktails, dinner or both before seeing the movie.

2. Posh Restaurant (D.C.)- JKGF past Pick of the Week, Posh, is having a whole evening devoted to the return of SNTC: special martini drinks, special a la carte menu, the works!

3. Get together- This is for your guys and gal pals. A good way to spark up conversations on love, relationships, etc. as you know SNTC had so many fun and interesting convo topics. Invite them over, watch the past episodes from the original series, make pink martinis and fun appetizers, have fun!

*Picture source: http://www.hbo.com/city/look/carrie_6.shtml

Food.Fun.Stuff: Re-post by Popular Demand

A couple of months ago JKGF went on a scavenger hunt for late night eating in Washington D.C. after many requests for where to get good food in the Metropolis after hours. Below is a repost for those of you who missed out, Enjoy!

Hungry at 12 am, 2 am, or even 4 am?? Don't know where to go or order good food at this late hour?? Johnna Knows Good Food is on the case and discovered these tasty eateries for a late nite bite in the city

Finals (24 hours everyday)

Georgetown Cafe (D.C)

-Georgetown's cheapest excursion. Omelets, coffee and good company...try it;-)

Steak and Eggs (D.C)

-Small and off the beaten path, Johnna Knows Good Food is a big fan of Steak and Eggs. Perfect when you're in the mood for steak and eggs or just about any other breakfast food.

The Diner (D.C)

-What's your pleasure?? Burgers, breakfast, hot chocolate that makes your mouth water?? A must try while in the D.C area.

Tastee Diner (Bethesda, MD)

-Good ole fashioned diner food. As simple as that.

Bob and Edith's Diner (Arlington, VA)

-With 2 locations, 1 open 24 hours and the other til 1 am on weekdays, this is a staple in the northern Virginia diner experiences. Trying to eat late and sweet but feel good about that diet?? Wheat waffles never tasted so good.

24 Hours (Weekends)

Kramer Books & Afterwords Cafe (D.C.)

→Daily 1 am; Fri. & Sat. 24hr.

-Location, Location, Location. This place is located directly across the street from the Dupont metro stop. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served everyday until close...whatever fits your mood!

Broadway Diner (Rockville, MD)

→Mon.-Fri. 24hr.; Sat. & Sun. CLOSED

-Pancakes, Pancakes, Pancakes! The line is out the door on Sunday afternoons... Try at least one of their sweet delicacies on a late night food outing.

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse (D.C.)

→Mon.-Wed. 11:30 pm;Th. & Sun 1:30 am;Fri. & Sat. 24hr.

-Menu options the same as they were 30 years ago. Burgers and fries from a D.C classic.

Midterms (4 am or later-Weekends)

Five Guys (D.C)

→4 am weekends(Wisconsin); 12 am weekends(Chinatown)

-Burgers and Fries. D.C.'s own version of the West Coast's In and Out. These juicy burgers are worth one diet slip up.

Bistro Francais (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. & Sun. 3 am; Fri. & Sat. 4 am

-Mix it up a bit with this French eatery. Try some

Soupe à l’ Oignon (onion soup) or Oeufs Bénédict (eggs benedict with canadian bacon) at this late nite getaway to Paris in D.C.

Julia's Empenadas (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. 2:30 am; Fri. & Sat. 4am

-Quick and to the point. Chicken, Veggie, Fruity Empanada anyone??? Try the veggie, especially after partying at one of the hot spots near one of the 3 Julia's Empenadas locations.

Amsterdam Falafel Shop (D.C)

→Mon.-Wed. & Sun. 2:30 am; Th. 3 am; Fri. & Sat. 4 am

-Adams Morgan. Trying to avoid a hangover. Falafels made quick and easy. Enough said.

Quick Pita (D.C)

→Sun.-Th. 2:30 am; Fri. & Sat. 4:30 am

-Kebabs, spinach pie and falafels make Quick Pita a good pick for late nite eating in Georgetown.

Late Registration (2 am or later-Everyday!!)

The Childe Harold (D.C)

→Daily til 2 am

-All American favorites from the Wild Billy burger to the buffalo wings are the late nite stomachs answer.

Tryst (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. 2 am; Fri. & Sat. 3 am; Sun. 2 am

-Great place to study, read a good book, surf the web (free Internet access) or to just have a quick bite and some tea with a friend.

Buffalo Billiards (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. 2 am; Fri. 3 am; Sat. 3 am; Sun. 1 am

-Voted Johnna's Pick of the Week (December) for the best happy hour and now a Johnna Knows Good Food Top Five in the D.C. area for a great place to have the munchies while in Dupont.

Philadelphia CheeseSteak Factory (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. 2 am; Fri. & Sat. 4 am; Sun. 2 am

-Georgetown's tasty haven for All American late night food.

Old Glory Bar-B-Que (D.C)

→Mon.-Th. 2 am; Fri. & Sat. 3 am; Sun. 2 am

-Cravings for barbecue-anything should be fulfilled here. Ribs, sandwiches, burgers and more!

Orientation (11 pm-1 am closing time)

Zaytinya (D.C)

→Tue.-Th. 11:30 pm; Fri. & Sat. 12:30 am

-Yogurt fries, mezzes and Greek cheeses that will make you think your sailing the Mediterranean Sea. Late nite fine cuisine at its best in the District.

Old Ebbitt Grill (D.C)

→Daily til 1 am

-The oldest saloon in D.C serving up steaks, mashed potatoes and more American favorites.

Bar Pilar (D.C)

→Daily til 1 am

-After a show at the Black Cat, your appetite should be ready for Bar Pilar's everchanging menu. Be prepared for anything from their garlic soup to mushroom risotto.

Meze (D.C)

→Sun.-Th. 1:30 am; Fri. & Sat. 2:30 a.m.

-In addition to the free belly dancing lessons on Sunday nights, Meze offers a vast array of dishes when looking for late nite Turkish cuisine in the District.

Stoney's Bar and Grill (D.C)

→1 am weekdays; 2 am weekends

-Traditional All American cuisine from a D.C. staple here since 1968.

Quick and Easy Chicken Tenders

Quick and Easy Chicken Tenders

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (*Recommended: Italian seasoned)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
A drop of crushed red pepper
8 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, thyme, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper. Dip the chicken strips in the melted butter, then dip them in the bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat each side with the bread crumb mixture. Place the chicken strips in a single layer in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and browned. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Serve with your favorite store-brought barbecue sauce or honey mustard sauce OR make them homemade (*even better!*) and enjoy. JKGF made this last night with some creamed spinach on the side, dee-lish!

*Johnna's tip, tip: These tenders will fulfill your fast food craving for chicken nuggets with less calories;-)

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fried-chicken-tenders/Detail.aspx

Bloody, Bloody Mary (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Bloody, Bloody Mary

1 1/2 oz. vodka
3 oz. tomato juice
1/2 oz. lemon juice
7 drops Worcestershire juice
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 dash ground pepper
1 dash celery salt
Freshly grated horseradish
Ice

In a tumbler, shake all ingredients together except for the Ice. Strain ingredients in a glass over the ice; Serve.

*Johnna's tip: This old fashioned favorite should be served with the wedge peel of a lime or lemon.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 lb. broccoli (frozen)
1 onion (chopped)
1 garlic clove (chopped)
1 tsp. Tony Chachere's seasonings
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes

Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain. In a pot add in the 2 cups of water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil. In a saucepan, make a roux with 2 tbsp. of flour and 1/2 cup of milk. In another pot, add in the cooked broccoli, chicken broth and other seasonings. Add in the roux; stir. Cover and turn down the heat; simmer for 15-17 minutes. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Serve in bread bowls (*can be found at your local grocery store) or sprinkle bacon bits on top or add in 1 cup of chopped potatoes to the original recipe...there's so many ways to take this dish or you could just keep to the basics: bowl and a spoon. Enjoy;-)

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-of-Broccoli-Soup-I/Photo-Gallery.aspx

Post-Workout Banana Juice (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Post-Workout Banana Juice

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup natural yogurt
2 eggs
2 bananas (sliced) (frozen)

In a blender add in the orange juice and yogurt and blend on low. Add in the eggs and frozen bananas; blend until smooth. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Decorate with fresh strawberry or banana slices and maybe some homemade whipped topping...enjoy your workout!

Homemade French Fried Onions

Homemade French Fried Onions

4 yellow onions
Flour
Milk
Oil
Garlic powder (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
fresh lemon slice

Peel and cut up the onions into 1/2" thick slices and separate into rings. Dip into milk and flour; fry in deep, hot oil until crispy and browned. Drain on a paper towel. Season with salt pepper and garlic to taste. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over onions. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: These are excellent with spicy remoulade sauce (*recipe found on JKGF) or good 'ole fashioned ketchup. Now that summers here, make this a cookout staple side dish or appetizer.

Picture source: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--2177/french-fried-onion-rings.asp

The Tom Collins Drink (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

The Tom Collins Drink

2 oz. gin
1 oz. lemon juice
1 tsp. simple syrup
Fill with soda water
Ice

In a tumbler combine all ingredients over the ice except the soda water. Strain ingredients from the tumbler into a glass and top with soda water; stir. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: A cherry or an orange slice go nice as a decoration for this good but Strong treat;-)

Food.Fun.Stuff.: JKGF Atlanta

JKGF is in the south's golden city of Atlanta for the holiday weekend. Stay tuned, plenty of foodie experiences to report soon, Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!

*Ooo, free sushi @ Strip in Atlantic Station tonight from 6-8 pm for all my Atlanta readers, JKGF and friends will be in the building trying our best chopstick techniques;-)

Food.Fun.Stuff.: Taste of Ten Run Down

The Taste of Ten, such a success! $10 got you 6 tickets and 6 tickets got you an opportunity to try 6 different restaurants appetizing treats during the Taste of Ten. Here's the run down of what JKGF nibbled on:

Fado: Bar food that doesn't taste like your typical bar food. Who would've thought corn beef, cabbage and deviled eggs would taste good together?? Too bad they couldn't serve the Irish beer to go along with the deal...

Mama Lucia: Pasta, pasta and more pasta! The Ravioli Rose stole JKGF's foodie heart:-)

Morton's: For under 10 bucks, you got a nice bite of the famous steak houses filet mignon.

Ruth Chris: Another steak lovers dream served up steak sandwiches for a ticket;-)

The Source (A Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the new Newseum location): The most dee-lish spicy tuna tartare (and to be honest JKGF is not the biggest spicy foods fan, but this little treat hit the spot!).

And of course to finish things off, you must have dessert so JKGF avoided the McDonald's apple pies being offered up for a ticket to taste Gifford's Ice Cream in Swiss chocolate, strawberry and mint chocolate chip, ridiculously tasty!

All in all, you get the picture, JKGF had a fantastic experience and is dreaming up a way to get these fun food festivities to become a regular activity on the Verizon Center's calendar...Stay tuned!

पिसतुरे सोर्स: http://www.verizoncenter.com/about/

Blue Berry, Berry Pancakes

Blue Berry, Berry Pancakes

2 eggs (separated)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
whip cream (amount desired)
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Beat egg yolks in a mixing bowl; add milk and melted butter. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients; mix until batter is smooth and stir in blueberries. Fold in beaten egg whites. Cook on a hot greased griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Top with whip cream; serve.

*Johnna's tip: Try some blueberry syrup with these pancakes if you want a double shot of the blueberry effect, Enjoy!

Picture source: http://weightwatchers-recipes.blogspot.com/2007/01/weight-watchers-blueberry-pancakes.html

Strawberry Smoothie (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Strawberry Smoothies

1 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
4 oz. low fat plain yogurt

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Top smoothie with some fresh strawberries if desired.

Food.Fun.Stuff: To Do List

Don't Forget:

1. Taste of Ten

The Who: Verizon Center 10th Anniversary
The What: Food everywhere. Enough said.
The When: Today:-) 12-2 pm.

Fab people will be in the building including, but not limited to JKGF:-)

2. Calling all foodies: If you know of any interesting food outings, experiences, discounts going on in your area and would like them posted, shoot JKGF an email. We want your food.fun.stuff so foodies all around can enjoy, not just the foodies in Washington, D.C. So send 'em in so we can all share in the experience!:-)

3. The other place to be today: Georgetown. Intermix. JKGF is a foodie but is equally as much a fashionista and this event at Intermix merges the two! Intermix is holding an event to raise money for the Washington Humane Society Fashion for Paws fundraiser. Sushi and clothes are included in this free deal. Donate, eat, be fabulous!

The Curry Chicken

The Curry Chicken

1/2 cup onions (diced)
1/2 cup celery (diced)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (4-pound) chicken, cup up (*or chicken wings, drummettes, etc.)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 cup curry powder
Currants and grated coconut (optional)

Saute onions, garlic and celery in oil until tender. In a separate pan brown the chicken in oil and add in the sauteed veggies; cook slow for about 1 hour, until tender. Put the broth in a pan with mushrooms, ginger, flour and curry powder. Heat gently and add this mixture to chicken. When ready to serve top with currants and grated coconut.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with your favorite rice (white, brown or yellow) or your favorite breads.

*Johnna's tip, tip: Spice things up with some crushed red pepper or some ground or fresh pepper.

Picture source: http://happyhomemaker88.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/

Keep It Simple: Gin and Tonic (Alcoholic)

Keep it Simple: Gin and Tonic

1 oz. gin
Fill remainder of glass with tonic water
Ice

In a glass top ice with gin and tonic water. Give a quick stir and serve.

*Johnna's tip: JKGF posted this very, very basic recipe because it is a JKGF favorite. It is served in almost all places even the holes in the walls all over the world and its an easy go to drink when last minute guests come over. Additionally, the gin can be substituted with vodka and the tonic does seem to help suppress that possible next day hangover...;-)

Food.Fun.Stuff: Tommorrow's Lunch

"Taste of Ten" Luncheon: Come One, Come All!

Tomorrow the Verizon Center will be holding the Taste of Ten Luncheon in celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Yet another reason to eat, eat and eat! The areas tastiest restaurants will be serving up lunch including some of JKGF faves Matchbox, Zola, District Chophouse and Zatinya. JKGF will be in the building where lunch never tasted so good;-)

Details, details, details: 12-2 pm, tickets are $10, @ Verizon Centers F street entrance, Enjoy!

*Johnna's Disclaimer: The image to the right is NOT what the food will look like...just for laughs and giggles;-)

पिसतुरे सोर्स: http://headquarters4health.com/

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade Mayonnaise

1 egg yolk
Salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. Dijon style mustard
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp. white wine vinegar (*or lemon juice)

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, salt and mustard. Whisk constantly and begin adding in the oil drop by drop; increase drops as the mayonnaise begins to thicken. After all of the oil is added in, add in the vinegar or lemon juice and beat. Give one last stir and its ready to be served.

*Johnna's tip: This recipe is great for those trying to watch their diets but still want the enjoyment of mayonnaise. With this recipe you are able to watch the ingredients that are included in one of your favorite dressings, so make a sandwich or two feeling guilt free!

Picture source: http://80breakfasts.blogspot.com/2007/03/homemade-mayonnaise-with-olive-oil.html

Oldie but Goodie Pink Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Oldie but Goodie Pink Lemonade

2 cups white sugar
9 cups water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup cranberry juice (chilled)
Ice

In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Decorate with fruits that not only pop in flavor but with color: grapefruit, frozen grapes or strawberrys.

Food.Fun.Stuff.: My Trip to Philly

JKGF took its foodie addiction to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this weekend. What a great idea! The idea of eating a cheesesteak anywhere else now seems absurd and will not be allowed by JKGF ;-)

"One, wiz, with": The lingo spoken by a true tourist in Philly when ordering a Philadelphia cheesesteak. When ordering the cheesesteak, this is the common way: one= 1 cheesesteak, wiz= cheese wiz as the cheese of choice (other alternative are provolone or American cheese), and with= fried onions. After this you are asked whether you want salt, pepper, ketchup, pickles and a whole host of other options with that cheesesteak. JKGF tried the "one, wiz, with" at Gino's, which is a city tourist staple (*try this if you want to be a tourist. It's dee-lish) and JKGF made it to the real mom and pop of Philly at Max's (*try this if you want to be a native Philly cheesesteak taster. It's even more deelish, but there'll be no cheese wiz here..the natives aren't a big fan).

The scene: Art everywhere. One of the few places painting on buildings won't get you in those uncomfortable silver bracelets;-) The art is mesmerizing as you wiz thru the city and the architecture is old with laments of Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and of course, good 'ole Rocky (*JKGF could not make it up those stairs after the cheesesteaks...).

The people: Great vibe. Typical east coast flair, everyone buzzing around just doing their own thing and of course lining up for those cheesesteaks. Philly loves its sports! 18,000 showed up for the Souls arena football game (which they won, yaay Souls!) on Saturday and I'm told this is small compared to some of the other sporting events.

Moral of the story: Philly's a good place to go. Food. Fun. Stuff. Tell 'em JKGF sent you!

Picture source: http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/showpicture.htm?key=kveus1041&dir=philadelphia&tpe=city

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 lb. fresh asparagus
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
Sour cream
Fresh Dill

Wash asparagus and cut ends. Cut the stalks into 1" pieces and cook in a small amount of water for 15-17 minutes; drain. In a blender, puree the cooked stalks with about 3-4 tbsp. of the broth. Combine the puree and broth in a pot and cook over low heat, stirring. Right before you are about to serve, add in the heavy cream. Ladle soup into bowls, top with freshly chopped dill and a dollop of sour cream.

*Johnna's tip: Sprinkle in a little garlic powder...garlic makes everything better!

Picture source: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=230698

Tequila's Sunrise (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Tequila's Sunrise

1 1/2 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. grenadine
4 oz. orange juice
Ice

In a tumbler, shake all ingredients together. Pour and serve!

Johnna's Pick of the Week: York Castle Tropical Ice Cream

Sweet Tooth:

York Castle Tropical Ice Cream

Do you just feel like you need a trip to the Caribbean?? Perhaps laying by the beach with a sweet taste of island flavor?? OK so now that you're back to the reality that you are not at the beach and most of your summer trips will be taken up and down the 495 Beltway, why not allow at least your sweets pallet a little escape? York Castle makes it easy for you to escape for just a few minutes before hitting the Beltway traffic with flavors such as the Fruit Basket (guava, strawberries and cherries in one!), PinaColada (*a JKGF fav) and Passion Fruit. And of course they have some other goodies that you can indulge in for the full Caribbean experience i.e. yum for the Jamaican patties and another two thumbs up for the Jamaican Black Rum Cake. Enjoy, Escape, Plan a trip...but if you can't just go down the block to York's;-)

Fun.Food.Stuff.

To Do List:

1. Don't forget your freebies at Mickey D's and Dunkin Donuts today!

and

2. Is anybody else in love with Butterfield 9 in the District?? Well Butterfield is making itself even more admirable to the foodies in the area by creating a summer cocktail hour each Tuesday from 5-7 pm. Think adult lemonade stand meets tasty treats made by Butterfield 9...is your mouth watering yet and its not even close to Tuesday...*sigh*...

Yum, Yum Brownies

Yum, Yum Brownies

2 sticks of butter
2 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp. cocoa
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix cocoa and butter in a bowl until creamy. In another bowl, beat eggs into the sugar; add in the cocoa mixture. In another bowl, sift flour over nuts and mix gradually. Slowly add to the liquid mixture; blending well. Add in the vanilla; beat well. Bake in a greased baking dish lined with wax paper. Bake at 250 degrees (DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN) for about 1 or more hours. You should be able to stick a fork or toothpick in the dish and it come out clean. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with a homemade whipping topping or some homemade ice cream, yum!

Party Punch (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Party Punch

4-3 oz. pkgs. strawberry Jello
4 cup sugar
4 cup boiling water
6 oz. frozen orange juice
6 oz. frozen lemonade
3 oz. almond flavor
6 oz. vanilla flavor
48 oz. pineapple juice
1 gallon water
2 liters Sprite or Seven Up
Assorted frozen fruit

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into 2-1 gallon jugs and freeze. Take out of the freezer about 4-5 hours ahead of serving time. Add in Sprite or Seven-Up, frozen fruit and Serve!

*Johnna's tip: JKGF is on its summer frenzy so fire up the grill and serve some punch poolside! This punch can be spiked with your favorite type of liquor if you want to spice things up;-)

Food.Fun.Stuff. >>>FREE!!!

Foodies and the like, tomorrow is your lucky day! Enjoy a free iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts (make sure you order with Soy Milk as this a part of a health conscious effort) or bite into a free chicken sandwich at Mickey D's (i.e. McDonald's). Don't forget to tell 'em who sent you!

Honey 'n Mustard Chicken

Honey 'n Mustard Chicken

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast (split)
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. red pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder (*or to taste, JKGF loves garlic!)
Parsley flakes

In a bowl, combine the honey, mustard and seasonings. In a broiler pan, broil the chicken for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and coat with the honey mixture. Continue broiling until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts and coat the other side with the honey mixture and broil until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Top with about a 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: This is a good grilling option. Fire up the grill and try it with a JKGF sweet, fruity drink!

B-52 (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

B-52

1/3 oz. Amaretto
1/3 oz. Kahlua
1/3 oz. Irish Cream

Pour in ingredients one on top of the other. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Anybody remember the 'Love Shack'?? Laughing out Loud ("LoL")!

JKGF Expansion!

JKGF is expanding its "Food.Fun.Stuff" section to include cities from all over. Shoot me an email of events going on in your area that are well, food.fun. and stuff. JKGF is an equal opportunity foodie, so send me your fun foodie happenings!

Food.Fun.Stuff: Tattoo'd Drinks

The Tattoo Bar: Who would've thought??

The Tattoo Bar has quickly become a JKGF favorite. It's one of those places where you instantly feel cool by just being there, kind of like when you visit Karu N Y in Miami. The theme is tattoos meets biker meets downtown DC's urban professionals in a place where the happy hour hasn't been ruined by long lines and pushy crowds (*more details on the happy hour in JKGF Happy, Happy Hour Pick of the Week!). Check them out for a night cap tonight if you feeling up for it at midnight ladies (ladies open bar on champagne and vodka mixed drinks midnight-last call)...Drink responsibly and tell 'em JKGF sent you;-)

Pound Cake

Pound Cake

1 1/4 cups butter
2 tbsp. shortening
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. vanilla butternut extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy on high speed of mixer. Add 1 egg at a time; beat 20 seconds. Add in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each cup. Blend in flavoring. Pour batter into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake for 65-70 minutes.

*Johnna's tip: Pound cake has such endless possibilities: Top with your favorite fruit, ice cream or serve with your favorite coffee, espresso...make a night of it...pound cake and treats!

The Strawberry Daiquiri (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

The Strawberry Daiquiri

Club soda
Strawberries
Sugar
Ice

Mix 1 1/2 cups of strawberries, 1 1/4 cups of club soda, a handful of the ice and 3 tbsp. sugar in a blender. Pour mix in frosted glasses; serve!

*Johnna's tip: Garnish with your favorite treats i.e. strawberries, blueberries, etc. Also, the strawberries may be substituted with your favorite fruit i.e. blueberries, raspberries. Enjoy and drink responsibly! Just kidding...this beverage is Non-Alcoholic;-)

Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake

Pie Crust (*can be found at your local grocery store)

Filling:
5-8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 pt. whipping cream
5 whole eggs
2 tbsp. flour
1 pt. sour cream
Lemon juice (to taste)

Topping:
2 cans frozen strawberries
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Filling:
Combine the cream cheese and sugar; beat until smooth. Add in all other ingredients and mix well; pour into crust. Refrigerate cake for 6 hours to overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and bake for 45 minutes or until firm.

Topping:
Cook strawberries, cornstarch and sugar until thickened. Spread on cake; cool. Refrigerate cake for 4-6 hours or until cool.

Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Add a dollop of whip cream to your slice..if you can handle it;-)

Short and Sweet Cham-tini (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Short and Sweet Cham-tini
6 oz. Champagne (chilled)
1 oz. peach schnapps (chilled)
Mix ingredients together and serve it up!!

*Johnna's tip: Slice up some fresh peaches and slide on the top of the serving glasses...yum

Johnna's Pick of the Week (Travel Edition): Wet Willies, Miami

Happy, Happy Hour

Wet Willies

Every hour is happy hour at Wet Willies! When on South Beach one must:

1. drink one of those huge drinks at the random restaurants that line the strip;
2. Rent a South Beach scooter; and
3. go to Wet Willies.

It's kinda like going to the candy store for alcoholic beverages. Flavors like Call a Cab, Shock Treatment and Attitude Improvement disguise just how potent these drinks are. Ooo and they let you mix them up too, so you could Call a Cab and have an Attitude Improvement all in one:-) Go and enjoy, remember what happens in South Beach stays in South Beach!

The Foodie Blogroll

A Foodies Dream: The Foodie Blogroll

So what if you could read about food of all kinds, from all over the world, with all kinds of fun stuff attached?? Well it's not a dream folks, its a reality via The Foodie Blogroll.

The Foodie Blogroll is a foodies dream where you can browse through hundreds of food blogs perusing until you find exactly what your looking for for that perfect graduation dinner, first date dinner or just a simple gathering with a few close friends. Check it out, JKGF did and joined the club (http://www.foodieblogroll.com/)!

Food.Fun.Stuff. (Travel Edition)

Chicken 'n Waffles Controversy:

Gladys Knight Chicken and Waffles vs. Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles

Chicken and waffles. What an interesting combination, but a very tasty one. After having the dining pleasure of the chicken 'n waffle havens of the south and the west coast, I made a conclusion. Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles has this combination down to a food science. The waffles are so sinfully good, the chicken is cooked with just the right amount of crispness and don't order a side order or you will never want to leave! Now this is not the dieters choice, you can only allow yourself Roscoe's on special occasions i.e. whenever the craving for their macaroni and cheese starts really wearing down on you...All this is not to say Gladys Knight's waffle haven isn't good, it is, but just not where Roscoe's is. When your on the West Coast, check for Roscoe's and when your in the south check out Gladys Knights...at the end of the day, they both have a combination you can't resist trying...even if Roscoe's is a little bit better...;-)

JKGF Warmed Banana Pudding

JKGF Warmed Banana Pudding

3-1/2 tbs. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups milk
3 eggs yolks, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
5 or 6 bananas, sliced
1 pkg. vanilla wafers
3 egg whites, beaten until stiff
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix flour, sugar and salt in saucepan. Combine beaten egg yolks and milk; stir mixing well. Add in flour mixture & blend well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla. Place a layer of vanilla wafers in bottom of a large baking dish. Add a layer of sliced bananas over wafers. Top with cooked custard mixture. Repeat layers as needed.

For meringue: Beat egg white slightly. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar (*or to taste). Beat until stiff. Add in 1 tsp. vanilla. Spread meringue over pudding. Bake until golden brown. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve this dish to anyone you are absolutely trying to impress. JKGF guarantees they will definitely have your cooking approval after tasting this treat;-)

Minty Chocolate Delight (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Minty Chocolate Delight

2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. peppermint syrup
14 oz. mint chocolate chip ice cream
Fresh mint leaves

In a food processor, combine the milk and peppermint syrup. Add in the ice cream; combine. Give it a quick stir, pour into glasses and decorate with fresh mint leaves; serve.

*Johnna's tip: If chocolate is more your thing, supplement the mint leaves for chocolate chips and Enjoy!

Fun.Food.Stuff.

Spring Fling Networking Gala

Another reason to eat, drink and well be social, is the Spring Fling Networking Gala that's going to be held at Dickstein Shapiro, LLP tonight. For 35 bucks, you get open bar, hors d'oeuvres and some goodies for door prizes.

Reasons JKGF would check this out:

1. food (I love it when firms have hors d'oeuvres, you know they won't have any pigs in the blanket at this function...)
2. open bar and
3. networking is the key to this city. DC is a networking haven.

So check it out, eat, drink and all that other good stuff!

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

Slow Cooker
4 lb. ground turkey
1 cup onion (chopped)
1 cup green bell pepper (chopped)
1-28 oz. can tomato sauce
2-10 1/2 oz. cans condensed tomato soup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ("WS")
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

In a pan, cook turkey, making sure to break up the meat, until browned; drain out excess fat. Add in the onions and green pepper stirring frequently until they have softened, about 10 minutes. Put the meat mixture in the slow cooker; add in the remaining ingredients and stir. Cook in slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours. Serve on your favorite buns.

*Johnna's tip: Have fun with sloppy joes...get some seedy buns and make some homemade french fries (*recipe coming soon to JKGF)...make sure you have plenty of napkins for the mess:-)

Picture source: http://pinchmysalt.wordpress.com/2006/07/28/homemade-sloppy-joes/

Apple Icey (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Apple Icey

1 apple (green)
juice of a 1/2 of a lemon
juice of 1 orange
1/2 part grenadine
Ice

Scoop out the flesh of the apple and put in a blender with the juices, grenadine and ice; blend ingredients until it comes to an icey pulp. Pour and serve!

Hang-Over...Solution!

So Cinco De Mayo was fun, great and grand...but ended with the worst hangover?? JKGF to the rescue! Being an expert in this area, check out the recipe below JKGF cooked up to help you lift your head up today:

The Cocktail Chronicles: Lift My Head

Vinegar
Worcestershire sauce ("WS")
tomato ketchup
1 egg yolk
Cayenne pepper

In a chilled glass, combine equal parts of WS, vinegar and ketchup. Be careful and add in the yolk without breaking. Add in some sprinkles of cayenne pepper and gulp it down at once. Yaay for fun, booo for hangovers:-( Feel Better!