Food.Fun.Stuff: Out with the Old and In with the New...Happy New Year!

Out with the old and in with the new. The old phrase still holds true on yet another New Year. New Years is a time for trying something new, changing old habits, etc. We are excited here at JKGF to see what the New Year will offer Washington, D.C. With a new administration, inauguration and new restaurants that will enter the arena, we are excited to see the city change. But first things first. The last day of the New Year is tomorrow and we are proud to say this has been the first full year of operation for JKGF (2008)! Thank you JKGF loyal readers for supporting us, sending us your ideas and most importantly enjoying good food! It has been our pleasure to serve you and we have so much more to come in 2009 (*Still haven't forgotten that we have to show you those China pictures, more new restaurant reviews and travels and maybe some TV action...;-)

With those things being said, you know we are hooking you up with what's going on in the District for New Years.

The Where's:
The Rock and Roll Hotel: $30-$80, includes food, beer and music.
Bus Boys and Poets: $49 in advance and $59 at the door, (202)387-7638 (call for details)
14K Restaurant and Lounge: starts @ $89, includes open bar all night, heavy hors d' oeuvres, fresh seafood and raw bar and some casino action.
Station 9: $40 general admission in advance and $80 VIP in advance, VIP includes open bar from 9 pm-12 am, champagne toast and hors d' oeuvres from 10-11pm (tickets are selling fast, so buy now!)

These are just a few of the hot happenings in the area so go, enjoy and have a safe and prosperous New Year...we sure have...Happy New Year from JKGF!

Picture source: http://www.odonovansbar.com/twisted/home.asp

Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas

Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas

4 cups black-eyed peas
5 slices of bacon
1 onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a pot over medium heat, add the oil and bacon and cook until bacon is crisp; drain on paper towels. Cook the onions and garlic in the bacon drippings until tender and add in the broth, salt, pepper and peas. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and crumble bacon; add to the peas. Adjust the seasonings to taste (*a little more salt or pepper if you want more...); cover and simmer until peas are tender.

*Johnna's tip: Black-eyed peas are the American New Years tradition. They are considered good luck and if you throw in some collards alongside them this will supposedly bring in money for the New Year. JKGF will be making a big batch of both with hopes of a wonderful 2009! Yaay, Happy New Year!

Picture source: http://gosoutheast.about.com/b/2008/12/19/black-eyed-peas-a-southern-new-years-day-tradition.htm

Drinks on Me: New Year's Pineapple Punch (Alcoholic)

New Year's Pineapple Punch

4 cups sugar
1 qt. water
1 cup strained lemon juice
2 qt. unsweetened pineapple juice
2 qt. champagne
Pineapple slices
Sprigs of Mint

Boil the sugar and water into a light syrup; cool. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir; pour into your favorite punch bowl. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: It's party time again. The last of the holiday Mohican's is here: New Years! Champagne and New Years go together like syrup and waffles, they're so good for each other:-) Add frozen fruit to the bowl to keep the liquid chilled during the evening...have a safe and Happy New Year!!

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple

Johnna's Pick of the Week: The Ugly Mug (D.C)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This is a phrase that can be said about 8th streets little token of ugly beauty, The Ugly Mug. JKGF likes a nice decor but it's really about the food for us. Now the Ugly Mug is not the beauty mark on the block but it has some of the best potato skins on this side of town and huge televisions for watching football to match. The atmosphere offers a super chill, laid back and friendly neighborhood bar/restaurant kind of effect. It is one of those places where jeans and a cute pair of boots (*for the ladies...) might be a little too dressed up;-) Throw on your Juicy Coutour sweats and black hoodies for this spot and enjoy some good 'ole fashioned beer and football conversation.

We suggest you try the potato skins (of course!) and the wings...basically your typical bar food but with a little more TLC here;-) The seats and booths are old and torn so this is why this won't be a looker, but enjoy it for what it is...a place where everybody knows your name!

The Where: 723 8th Street SE Washington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 547-UGLY
Check it out here.

Picture source: http://www.uglymugdc.com/

Poppy Seed Cake

Poppy Seed Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs, separated
2 oz. poppy seeds
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and stir in the poppy seeds. Add the poppy seed mixture to the butter and sugar and mix well. Stir together the sour cream and baking soda, add to the batter mixing well. Add the flour in 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the batter and pour into an ungreased bundt cake pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes and cool for 10-15 minutes; remove from pan. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Poppy seeds are great on baked goods:-) Poppy seed bagels are just the right touch for a breakfast on the go. The little black balls roll over your tongue adding not much flavor but more fun to your mouth. Enjoy for dessert or for breakfast on a bagel with some veggie cream cheese;-)

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Poppy-Seed-Bundt-Cake-III/Detail.aspx

Drinks on Me: The Russian Tea (Non-Alcoholic)

The Russian Tea

2 cups orange flavored instant breakfast drink
1 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup instant tea
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground all spice

Mix all ingredients together and store in a container; cover until ready for use. When ready for use, add 2 tsp. of mixture to 1 cup boiling water. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Making your own tea allows you the flexibility to sweeten and change the flavor of the tea to your individual taste bud. This mixture also allows you to monitor your sugar intake. If sugar is already in your tea, there's no need to pile on anymore when you're ready to take a sip. This saves time and calories in the New Year...let's get those resolutions crackin'!

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sugar-Free-Russian-Tea/Detail.aspx

Warm Crabbie Dip (Back by Popular Demand!!:-)

Warm Crabbie Dip

1 envelope vegetable soup mix
1 16 oz. sour cream
1 cup frozen crab meat (thawed)
1 3 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup cheddar and mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a baking dish and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until there is light browning on top. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, until cheese has melted on top and has begun to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few moments. Serve with whatever dipping option you choose.

*Johnna's tip: Warm crab dip is the perfect addition to your holiday spread. It is quick and easy to make and will hold your guests over until the real stuff comes from the oven (i.e. mac and cheese, stuffing...awww we can't wait!!) This recipe was one of the first to enter the pages of JKGF and has been a hit at all of our parties, gatherings and the likes (*It's being posted today by popular demand;-)...try it and tell us what you think.

Picture source: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50614

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

FaLaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa Tis' the Season!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa! JKGF wishes you all a happy and safe holiday. Here are a few of our favorite things, try it and let us know how you spent your holiday;-)

"Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Baked Glazed Ham with Golden Brown Sugar"

1 (12-pound) shankless skinless smoked cured ham
Whole cloves (used to stud ham)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup prepared mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Score top of ham into diamonds and stud center of each diamond with a clove. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours. In a bowl mix the sugar, mustard and vinegar and spread glaze evenly over ham. Bake for another 35 minutes. Transfer ham to a platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

"Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels,
Sweet Potato Latkes & fresh parseley leaves"

1/2 medium yellow onion
1/2 pound Yukon gold potato, (about 1 large)
1/2 pound sweet potato, (about 1 medium)
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch cayenne
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil
4 tsp. light sour cream
4 tsp. horseradish
2 or 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Grate the onion on a box grater into a large bowl. Grate both potatoes into the same bowl, grating down the length of the potato to get long strands. Toss the potatoes with the onions as you work to keep them from discoloring. (*Johnna's tip: Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the potatoes to keep them from discoloring) Put potato mixture in a clean dish towel and wring out excess liquid. Toss the latke mixture with the flour, salt, and cayenne. Stir in the egg.

Heat a 1/4-inch oil in a large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, spoon about 1/4 cup of the latke mixture into the skillet, pressing lightly to form 3-inch pancakes. Take care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook, turning once, until just golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the rack in the oven while you cook the remaining batter. Serve the latkes topped with a small dollop of sour cream and horseradish. Garnish with a parsley leaf. Serve it up or lower the heat in the oven and place in there to keep warm til ready to serve.

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,
Yogurt for Dipping and Lamb for Grilling"

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes with some fat attached 6 warm pita breads, for serving Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Recipe Below)

In a large bowl, combine the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, mint, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, and olive oil. Add the lamb to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Soak 8 to 10 bamboo skewers in warm water for about 1 hour before assembling the kabobs.

Preheat the grill to high, and lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking. Thread the lamb onto the soaked skewers and place on the grill, turning to evenly cook, about 12 to 14 minutes.

Drizzle the pitas with sauce, then wrap the pita around the meat on the skewer, fold over and twist the skewer off the meat. Eat til your hearts content.

Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate to chill. Dip and eat!

*Johnna's Tip: Use this yogurt sauce recipe for other favorites i.e. french fries.


"When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
AND Then I Don't Feel So Bad!!"

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rockefeller_Center_Tree.jpg

Christmas Ham

Christmas Ham

Precooked ham
Brown sugar (to taste)
1 can beer
5-6 fresh pineapple slices

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cover the precooked ham with the brown sugar and pour the beer over the ham. Follow the standard chart on the ham for the type of ham and the minutes per pound (*a good guide can be found at the bottom of the page at this link http://www.easy-cooking-recipes.com/ham-recipes.htm). Bake until done, should be sizzling a little. Top with fresh pineapple slices, Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Christmas ham is always the best:-) It's the one time of year that you don't feel guilty going for 2-3 servings of the white meat. The pineapples and sugar sweeten it up just enough to compliment the juices flowing from the ham. Salt and pepper are not necessary for this meat because the ham is already seasoned and salty enough. Have a wonderful Christmas and Enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.holidayham.com/

Drinks on Me: Sleigh Bells Martini's (Alcoholic)

Sleigh Bells Martini's

4 oz. cranberry cocktail

1 oz. creme de casis

1 1/2 oz. vodka

Ice

Candy kane

In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients except candy kane and shake; strain into a chilled martini glass; Stick in the candy kane for garnish and Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: It's that time of year for good drinks, company and food. This martini is the best way to start the party with its festive flavors and colors. Small candy kanes make the perfect garnish for this drink (*can be found at your local grocery store or Target/Walmart). Have a wonderful and safe holiday!!

Picture source: http://www.martinilovers.com/christmas.html

Merry, Merry Rum Cake

Merry, Merry Rum Cake

18 ounce commercial yellow cake mix (*can be found at your local grocery store)
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rum
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Captain Morgans rum (*or whatever rum you have on hand)
1 stick oleo (butter)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Blend dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup rum, oil and eggs for 2 minutes. Spray a bundt or tube pan with a non stick cooking spray. Bake in oven for an hour. Prepare hot sauce just before the cake is finished baking. In heavy frying pan heat 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup rum and 1 stick butter. While stirring, boil mixture for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove cake from oven. While in pan, slowly pour hot sauce over cake and let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before flipping onto cake plate.

*Johnna's tip: Aww rum, food and the holiday cheer...what a wonderful time:-) Rum cake is a great idea for Christmas dessert (*just another alternative if you're running out of ideas...;-) The rum is an added flavor and will not have you drunk off a slice or two, so this should calm any fears that your non-alcoholic guests may have in eating the cake. Enjoy and have a wonderful Christmas!

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Golden-Rum-Cake/Detail.aspx

Drinks on Me: Warm Cranberry Punch (Non-Alcoholic)

Warm Cranberry Punch

5 cups Cranberry juice
Honey (to taste)
Dash of Nutmeg
Cinnamon sticks
Cloves (just a little)

In a pot over medium heat, heat the cranberry juice, cloves and honey, stirring until the honey has dissolved and the mixture is warmed. Season with the nutmeg and serve in your favorite mug. Add a cinnamon stick to each glass for garnish and taste.

*Johnna's tip: Christmas is coming!! Yaay! How exciting and festive this week can be?! This is the time of year for warm, festive drinks that have plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg trimmings. Try to stay warm and enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.cooksrecipes.com/beverage/warm_cranberry_wassail_recipe.html

Food.Fun.Stuff: Calling All Female Chefs!

How fun is this JKGF readers...an all female calendar...all chefs! Here's the low down:

Women Chefs and Restaurateurs have created the Crowning Cuisine 2009 calendar. This is more than just a calendar featuring top DC women chefs, it is also an exclusive collection of their recipes! The calendar is available on the WCR Web site (www.womenchefs.org) until January and proceeds from the calendar go to WCR’s internship and mentorship programs to support women in every stage of their culinary careers.

For a good cause, featuring acclaimed female chefs and it's all about food, what more could a foodie ask for?!? We are excited as you can see and are ready to try some of those recipes...;-) Check it out and let us know what you think!

Picture source: http://www.womenchefs.org/

Easy, Breezy Cocktail Sauce

Easy, Breezy Cocktail Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. horseradish
1/4 tsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 3-5 hours before serving.

*Johnna's tip: So you find out your in-laws are coming in one day earlier than expected for the holidays, its 5 pm and they come in at 7 pm, so now you have to go to the grocery store and pick up something for them to eat....long story short, you need something quick and easy to make to hold them over until you either make the executive decision to order out or you decide you want to impress them with your cooking as you always have;-) Buy some cocktail shrimp from your local grocery store and throw together this quick, simple, easy cocktail sauce and serve! Well serve at least 'til that pot roast is done....;-)

Picture source: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/ShrimpCocktail.htm

Drinks on Me: Rum and EggNog (Alcoholic)

Rum and EggNog

3 oz. Rum
6 oz. milk
1 tsp. powdered sugar
1 whole egg
Nutmeg (to taste)
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients (except nutmeg) together in a glass and stir well. Sprinkle the nutmeg on top and stick the cinnamon stick in the drink.

*Johnna's tip: FaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa! Tis the season to drink plenty of eggnog infused beverages especially those containing Rum:-) Now another way to do this without all the fixings is to just buy some eggnog from your local grocery store and combine with your favorite rum;-) Drink responsibly!

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggnog

Maryland Crab Soup

Maryland Crab Soup

1 lb. shin beef
1/4 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
3 tomatoes (quartered)
4 potatoes (peeled and chopped)
2 onions (chopped)
1 cup fresh corn (*can use frozen as an alternative)
1 cup Lima beans
1 cup carrots
1 cup string beans
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. mustard
2 tsp. seafood seasoning (*Old Bay recommended)
1/4 cup butter
4 qt. water
6 steamed crabs
1 can beer

Combine all ingredients in a large pot except the crabs; let simmer. Clean the crabs and break crabs in half and cut lengthwise to expose the meat; do not remove meat. Place pieces of the crab in the pot with the simmering soup and crack the claws; add meat to the soup. Simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Don't like the idea of having to do all that work to get the crab meat out of the crab?? Go to your local seafood market and buy fresh crab meat that has already been packaged. Follow the same steps above except the part about cleaning, breaking and cracking the crab claws (Basically omit this part: "Clean the crabs and break crabs in half and cut lengthwise to expose the meat; do not remove meat. Place pieces of the crab in the pot with the simmering soup and crack the claws")...Doesn't this make the recipe a thousand times easier and more appealing to make at home?? Try it and warm up Maryland style.

Picture source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Maryland-Crab-Soup/Detail.aspx

Drinks on Me: Virgin Mary (Non-Alcoholic)

Virgin Mary

3 1/4 oz. tomato juice
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1 dash of Worcesterchire sauce
1 dash of celery salt
1 dash of pepper
1 dash of hot sauce
Ice

In a glass add all the ingredients in over the ice; stir well; add in additional seasonings until you've reached the desired taste. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: The Virgin Mary is the non-alcoholic version to the Bloody Mary. As we are in the holiday season, you are going to need just as many non-alcoholic drink options as alcoholic options...Deck the Halls!

Picture source: http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=280

Food.Fun.Stuff: Fashion Lives!

NOVA Fashion Week is coming to the DMV in February 2009...Yaay for fashion! We are excited because this will be one of the few times that members of all different facets of life will be invited to attend, not just fashionistas and the likes...foodies, political press and anybody who wants to meet and greet during this time is encouraged to discover what is Northern Virginia's noted Fashion Week.

What's the Deal?? The Fashion Week is in February 2009, more information can be found here: http://www.novafashionweek.com/

More good news: There's a student discount @ the price of $15.00:-)

We will keep you posted as the date nears, get ready to be fierce in the '09!

Picture source: http://www.cosmoworlds.com/fashion_weeks/nova_fashion_week-09042008.htm

Caesar Salad Dressing

Caesar Salad Dressing

1 cup mayo
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. half and half

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and blend/mix well. Serve over your favorite lettuce or salad mixture.

*Johnna's tip: Caesar salad does not have to be paired with romaine lettuce. Think outside the box lettuce such as spinach or leaf lettuce. Then add the croutons and some shaved Parmesan cheese and you have a good homemade Caesar salad:-)

Picture source: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Salad/CaesarSalad.htm

Drinks on Me: Jelly Bean Shot (Alcoholic)

Jelly Bean Shot

1/4 oz. grenadine
1/4 oz. sambuca
1/4 oz. Southern Comfort

Pour the grenadine in your favorite shot glass. Float the sambuca on the first layer and then float the Southern Comfort on top of that. Take one back!

*Johnna's tip: Southern Comfort is not to be played with if you're not a veteran drinker;-) Try this one with your friends or guest who have enjoyed a few more than enough shots of Southern Comfort in their lives, Enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.nextag.com/shot-glasses/compare-html

Food.Fun.Stuff: Out Sick:-(

JKGF Readers,

My, how we've missed you!! JKGF has been in remission from writing:-( for the past few days due to coughs and sniffles (Out Sick;-). We are recouping and getting it together along with new ideas for JKGF. We are ready to make 2009 the best year for Johnna Knows Good Food. New drink recipes, recipes and tons more restaurants and happenings to hear about (i.e. Nova Fashion Week is coming up, Thummitt is making waves in the foodie community...) Stay tuned and keep reading!

Sincerely,

JKGF;-)

And since we are out sick, here are a couple of our favorite store brought chicken noodle soups that we are using to get better:-)

Campbells Select Chicken with Egg Noodles
Progresso Chicken Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

We love them! They are making the sniffles that much more bearable and stay warm with the cold freezing temperatures outside.

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_soup

Appetizer Meatballs

Appetizer Meatballs

Meatball ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef (*or turkey/chicken)
2 1/2 slices of bread (wet)
2 eggs
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Sauce:
1 small bottle of ketchup
1 (10 oz.) jar of grape jelly
1 tsp. hot sauce
**Heat all the sauce ingredients together on the stove over medium heat in a small pot.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the meatball ingredients and form into small balls. Place on a non stick cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes until browned. Drain on a paper towel and combine with heated sauce. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Meatballs are the staple appetizer you are sure to find at this years office holiday party, at baby showers and bridal showers. This one is for those of us who got stuck with bringing something for the party and we really don't have the time to put together a gourmet meal. Bring this and they are sure to be gone by the end of the festivities;-)

Picture source: http://www.bigoven.com/158755-Appetizer-Meatballs-recipe.html

Drinks on Me: Rum Runners (Alcoholic)

Rum Runners

2 oz. white rum
1/4 oz. banana liqueur
1/4 oz. blackberry brandy
1/2 tsp. grenadine
5 oz. sweet and sour mix
Ice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a glass. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: You can mix with dark rum if you like (*use 1 oz. white rum and 1 oz. dark rum for the rum portion of the recipe). This, of course, makes the drink that much stronger, but you can handle it;-)

Picture source: http://stevesfrozenchillers.com/?tag=rumrunner-frozen-drink-mix

Food.Fun.Stuff: Tim Tam is Here!

Tim Tam. What a catchy name for some cookies?? It's funny because the name isn't what actually reels you in and keeps you wanting more...it's the actual cookies. Now you know JKGF readers we over here at JKGF are not sweet treat eaters or bakers to the least, but these little cookies have taken our attention away from our sweets retreat. We picked up one of these sweet treats to hold us over for a sec until the non sweet food was warmed in the microwave and can you guess what happened after that?? Well, we resulted to eating 2 (*ok maybe 3...) back to back, they were sooo good!

The Low Down:
>They are chocolate layered cookies that come in Chocolate Creme and Caramel flavors
>They're Australian and have been popular there for over 40 years (*how sexy is that?!:-)
>Run and go get them! They're available at TARGET for a LIMITED TIME ONLY

What they taste like:
Well words can't really describe, but we will try: In short, they are crunchy, sweet but not to sweet morsels of delicious chocolate...they just give you an instant comfort after eating one...yum!

Try them and tell us what you think. This is the holiday season so it's ok to splurge on that diet plus they're only here for a limited time anyway so Carpe Diem (*translation: Seize the Day aka Live a Little;-)!

Picture source: http://promotion.familytime.com/TMTM/default.asp

Quick Homemade Tapenade

Quick Homemade Tapenade

25 pitted Kalamata olives (coarsely chopped)
1 tbsp. drained and chopped capers
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
Pepper (to taste)

Combine the olives, capers, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper; mix well; refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.

*Johnna's tip: Serve tapenade alongside some toasted pita bread or toasted crackers as an appetizer. It is also a great spread for sandwiches and works well with different cheeses (*example: feta). It is a deelish Mediterranean snack that is super easy and simple to make. Grab the ingredients and have them on hand for all your appetizing needs;-)

Picture source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/health/nutrition/3recipehealth.html

Drinks on Me: Blueberry Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic)

Blueberry Lemonade

4 cups water
1 1/2 cups water
6 lemons of juice and zest
1 cup blueberries

Heat 2 cups of water with sugar; let the sugar dissolve. Continue to heat for 5-10 minutes until it starts to thicken up. Add in the rest of the water, zest and juice; allow it to cool to room temperature. Put the blueberries in a blender and puree. Stir berries into the lemonade and let sit for 2-3 hours at room temperature.

*Johnna's tip: Bring a little summer time to the winter:-) Lemonade is often the drink of choice associated with summer. This blueberry effect makes it more of the winter version for lemonade with blue being more of the winter tone (*versus yellow and strawberry which is often served during the summer). Chill out by the warm fireplace with some blue lemonade, Enjoy!

Picture source: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Retail-hospitality/Kitchen-equipment-supplies/Coffee-beverage/auction-187680160.htm

Food.Fun.Stuff: Thummit-The Next Step Toward the Perfect Meal

Dream Date: You and your love go out, under the beautiful stars, to your favorite restaurant and what do you know?? The bill is $200 and... it's paid for by someone else!
Doesn't sound like reality, huh? Well, Thummit is trying to make this dream come true for you and a guest. What are we talking about??:

The Low Down:
Thummit is a free social recommendation service that lets you easily make recommendations, save them, and share them with friends and other trusted sources. Anytime, anywhere.

Thummit is currently in invite-only beta, with an initial focus on restaurants. With Thummit, you can:

>Quickly rate restaurants with a simple thumbs up, down, or “meh”
>Rate restaurants while at your table, via text message
>Save your picks and pans in one place for later review or to share with friends
>Create lists (Chinatown lunch spots, favorite dives)
>Poll your friends for feedback on a specific suggestions (where to take a date?)
>Find restaurants based on picks from your friends, or “wisdom of crowds” recommendations with data aggregated from over 40 websites
>Integrate with your Twitter account to save restaurant-related tweets in one place

The Where: Washington, D.C. based

Now back to how you can get this dream date...:
Give Thummit a try, then enter to win a dinner on them! All beta users who vote in the “Last Night on Earth” poll are entered to win a $200 certificate to the restaurant of his or her choice.

And since we just love our JKGF readers we were able to snag an Invite Only code for our readers;-) Here's what you do: 1. Go to www.thummit.com 2. See where it says "Already have an invite code?" and click on the "Sign up here" beside that 3. Enter in your information and the invite code DCeats ** and sign up!

Thummit is the next cool tool for the food scene in Washington, D.C. Just think, now you don't have to waste time on a restaurant that sucks, you can just click on your computer or even cell phone and see whether there's a thumbs up, thumbs down or a maybe we should wait on this one...;-) Now Sign Up!

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumbs_up

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Crust:
50 crushed Oreo cookies
3/4 cup butter (softened)

Filling:
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
3 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cup 1% milk
3 cups Cool Whip
35 crushed Oreo cookies

Mix together the 50 crushed Oreo cookies and the butter together and press into a 9x13 inch pan. Soften the gelatin in the water, stirring over low heat until totally dissolved. Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until blended. Add in the milk and gelatin and mix well, chill until thickened but not set. Add in the whip cream and pour in all but 1 1/2 cups of the mixture into the pan. Add the cookies to the rest of the mixture and pour on top, refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving. Indulge!

*Johnna's tip: We are no bakers over here at JKGF. Now can you see why we are just smitten with this recipe?! Short, quick and you get your sugar fix without the blood, sweat and tears of the oven...If you're like us, then try it, tell us what you think and always Enjoy;-)

Picture source: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/philly-oreo-cheesecake-52809.aspx

Drinks on Me: Whiskey Sour (Alcoholic)

Whiskey Sour

2 oz. bourbon
2 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. sugar syrup
Maraschino cherry
Ice cubes

In a cocktail shaker, shake the bourbon, lemon juice and sugar syrup (*Add a drop more syrup if you like) together over the ice cubes. Strain into a chilled glass and top with cherry. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Everyone has there go to drink especially when the bar doesn't offer many options. Whiskey sours are the absolute go-to drink because 9 times out of 10, it will likely be one of the 2 drinks offered at just about every low-stocked bar. Make sure the bourbon is the good stuff to get the most out of your drink, Enjoy;-)

Picture source: http://www.pinkiesonline.com/whiskey.htm

Johnna's Pick of the Week (Travel Edition): Make My Cake (NYC)

Sweets in the City. If you're looking for love in New York you turn to Sex and the City, if you're looking for sweets Make My Cake is where you go. All the cupcakes you can eat!! We love the red velvet cupcakes with the pecan topped icing. The cheesecake is worth a commute uptown to Harlem and the clear seating decor makes it even more fun for sweet treats. The bakery has all kinds of goodies for you to collect on your way out the door: skim through the card rack or fun lollipops they have hanging around as part of your souvenir shopping. JKGF does have to forewarn you, however: We are NOT bakers, we repeat we are NOT bakers...but for some non-bakers we know when our sugar tooth has been hit with something good and Make My Cake definitely gave us the comfort needed on a cold winter night in New York City;-)

Picture source: http://www.makemycake2.com/About%20us.html

Waffles

Waffles

2 cups sifted flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs (separated)
1 1/2 cups 1% milk fat milk
5 tbsp. shortening (melted)
1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Preheat waffle iron. Sift together dry ingredients; make sure mixed well. In a bowl, combine the beaten egg yolks, shortening and milk; add in the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour the batter into the hot waffle iron being careful not to overflow and cook until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm.

*Johnna's tip: There's nothing like warm waffles in the morning. Waffles are actually one of the easiest and quickest breakfast foods to make. Save some of the batter for another day by refrigerating in a Ziploc container (*you should keep no longer than 3 days after making the batter).

*Johnna's tip, tip: Toppings options (ohh, the toppings...;-)= Whipped cream, strawberries, warm honey and of course, sweet maple syrup;-)

*Johnna's tip, tip, tip: Who would've thought fried chicken and waffles make a good combination?? Well they do and the folks at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and Glady's Knight & Ron Winan's Chicken and Waffles have made it the staples to their restaurants. Try this at home with your waffles: using your favorite fried chicken recipe (*we all have one...;-), make the fried chicken and make the waffles last, serve together and have a breakfast-chicken food feast. Also, fried fish and waffles isn't a horrible idea either...we wonder who's going to take that idea and run with it just like the good folks at Roscoe's did with chicken and waffles...hmm...

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle

Drinks on Me: Shirley's Temple (Non-Alcoholic)

Shirley's Temple

3 oz. lime soda
Splash of grenadine
3 oz. ginger ale
Cherries
Ice

In a glass, pour in the lime soda and ginger ale over the ice. Splash in the grenadine and stir; top with the cherries and serve.

*Johnna's tip: Shirley Temple sounds so cute and it looks cute too:-) This is the perfect cocktail to make especially when hanging out with someone who is drinking, it gives the effect of a sexy alcoholic cocktail but is as non-alcoholic as they come. Pull out the cherries and relax with Ms. Temple;-)

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kirsche.jpg

Food.Fun.Stuff: Zola's Wine & Kitchen Opens-Washington, D.C.

The Starbucks of Wine. For a wine connoisseur, Zola Wine & Kitchen is sure to be a regular stop on the way to the metro. Zola's Wine & Kitchen is the new creation and sister establishment to Zola's Restaurant in D.C. from Dan Mesches, president of Star Restaurant Group. The wine shop boasts what we've been waiting for: labels the wines for all the occasions on your agenda. Don't understand?? Well here we go:

Scenario: It's the evening before the huge Christmas party at work. You were responsible for bringing the wine and your boss is a huge wine connoisseur (*He and his wife own a house in Napa's wine country, so they know the real deal when it comes to wine.) Instead of you bringing in that regular 'ole bottle of Riesling that you always turn to, you go to Zola's Wine & Kitchen and you see the section labeled "Suggested Christmas Wine Selection" (*Or something very similar...) so you select a wine in less then 10 minutes (*By yourself, without the store clerks help) and your boss and his wife absolutely love it!! They tell you this is one of their favorites around the holidays and that you have great taste in wine (*Mind you, you know nothing about wine other than $3.99 is too cheap for it and $15-$20 for it is just in your price range)

Does this make the picture of what Zola Wine & Kitchen means to the Penn Quarter neighborhood?? We hope so, because we will be checking it out when that special anniversary, b-day celebration or holiday party rolls around.

Go by, drink some GOOD wine and look around (*it offers a cozy little setting for the wine consumer)...Enjoy!

*There's also a cooking school and private dining area...yet, another reason to stop in and say hello:-)

Picture source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/zola,1076390.html

Easy Jalapeno Poppers

Easy Jalapeno Poppers

16 oz. cheddar cheese
8 jalapeno poppers (seeded and halved) (*Imperative: Make sure all the seeds are removed or you are in for a rude Spice awakening.)
12 slices of bacon (cooked slightly and drained)

Preheat the broiler. Cut the cheddar cheese into slices and insert the slices into the jalapeno halves. Chop the bacon up and sprinkle on top of the cheese. Place onto a nonstick baking sheet and broil for 7-10 minutes until bacon is completely cooked and cheese has melted...Pop them in your mouth!

*Johnna's tip: Jalapeno poppers are soo much fun! They taste great and are spicy (*You know how JKGF feels about spicy food, so this says a lot if we actually love a dish with this much spice...) Appetizing: Serve them as an appetizer at one of your holiday parties or football parties (*Go Giants!). They go great with beer and light cocktails. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: Vegetarian alternative: Substitute the bacon for a dollop of sour cream or some finely chopped tomatoes on top of the cheese...pop one in your mouth!

Picture source: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/gallery.php?rid=105670