Okay, so even though we’re constantly hearing about all the great foodie deals around town, let’s face it: we can’t eat out every night! That’s why we’re loving these two blogs about how to cook at home on a budget.
Poor Girl Eats Well is written by Sacramento resident Kimberley Morales and we are consistently amazed by the dishes she puts together from items that we all probably have in the refrigerator! Her latest recipe for Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Wraps looks delish and at just $2.15 a serving it’s definitely affordable. In fact, her blog has become so popular, she was recently featured in the Sacramento Bee!
Another blogger to watch is Clara at Depression Cooking, a 93-year-old Sicilian-American who blogs about her experiences cooking during the Depression. Not only that, but her first cookbook, Clara’s Kitchen, will be released this October and is already available for pre-sale on Amazon.com! In the meantime, you can watch Clara prepare recipes like Pasta with Peas on her You Tube channel.
Archives for July 2009
Long Monday? Take advantage of these deals and kick-start the rest of your week!
Grange Restaurant & Bar is calling your name after work on Monday nights with their “IOU Happy Hour.” Beginning tonight through September 7th, if you visit Grange on a Monday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., you can enjoy beer, wine, cocktails and appetizers for up to 60% off! To make things even better, you will receive an “IOU” to use on your next visit for a complimentary appetizer anytime before September 7th.
Then, plan on starting your Tuesday off on a tasty note! The Sac Foodies are already planning a mid-morning field trip to Starbucks, and it’s not just for our typical caffeine fix. Tomorrow between opening and 10:30 a.m., all participating Starbucks locations will be giving away one FREE pastry with the purchase of any beverage. Just print this coupon and present it to the barista at the counter. Free doesn’t get much easier – just be sure to make it in before the deal ends!
Grange Restaurant & Bar
926 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 492-4450
On the road again…
I love a good road trip. As a kid growing up, I spent a lot of time in the car heading to see relatives across the country. I always got a kick out of the games we’d play along the way (think “I Spy” and counting red cars), but my favorite part about road trips, even to this day, are the food stops along the way.
As we embarked on our first summer vacation with Jacob, our now 7 month old bundle-of-joy, we chose to drive to Seattle by way of Bend and Portland to see friends for the July 4th holiday. I know what you’re thinking: that’s a long time in the car with a baby! Actually, he did quite well! The only thing he didn’t allow us time for was meandering through small towns in search of refreshing libations and interesting road fare. Instead, we were roadies on a mission!
First Stop: Bend, Oregon. In the quaint town of Bend, we refreshed our spirits with local brew and appetizers at McMenamins, set in what was once an old Catholic schoolhouse. McMenamins are hotels and restaurants, all unique in their architecture, scattered throughout the Northwest. In Bend, the restaurant is adjacent to the hotel, where old classrooms are now the lodging rooms. Complete with a pub, bakery, movie theater and Turkish bath house, this place has it all. We drank a very light and refreshingly fruity, Ruby raspberry ale, and enjoyed the Hummus Plate and Baked Wedge o ’Brie, which was fried with an apple and hazelnut crust! Yes, it was as good as it sounds!
Next Stop: Portland. By sheer happenstance, we ate at both Jake’s and McCormick & Schmick’s while visiting Portland (M&S is an FH client). At Jake’s, we moseyed up to the sidewalk seating for Happy Hour and ordered cheeseburgers, fries and beer, for the perfect welcome meal to Portland! The following day, we strolled along the waterfront and literally stumbled upon McCormick & Schmick’s and decided to stay for dinner and a beautiful view of the water. I had a delectable parmesan encrusted Halibut, and Lance ordered scallops with stir-fry over rice; both dishes were cooked perfectly and paired well with Northwest Region wines.
Destination: Seattle. Our friends welcomed us with a very detailed menu of wonderful home-cooked meals – including ‘halibut and chips’ and bison chili – all gluten and dairy free recipes! (I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the gluten, dairy free foods; not only did they taste good, in some cases they tasted better!) On the one occasion we ate out, it was during a day trip to Snoqualmie, where we had lunch at the Salish Lodge overlooking the roaring Snoqualmie Falls. We were banished to the Attic Lounge due to all our gear and three kids in tow, but the upstairs restaurant offered stellar views of the falls. The fare was perfect for our parched palettes – I ordered the fire roasted chicken sandwich with cherry pepper aioli, crisp pancetta, fontina cheese, and fried sweet onions on house made sea salt focaccia bread.
Now, I’m sure you’re wondering about the ride home, and I must confess that we ate Burger King, pizza and hotel breakfast. After all, we were once again roadies on a mission, logging 1,700 miles of fond memories and many culinary delights!
McMenamins
700 NW Bond Street
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-5174
Jake’s
401 SW 12th Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 226-1419
Salish Lodge
6501 Railroad Ave.
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
(425) 888-2556
Breaking News: Free Barbecue Samples from JR's Bar-B-Que at East Bay Restaurant Supply Today Only
In the foodie world, free food is always breaking news and this limited-time offer is no exception. Starting today at noon (until it runs out), East Bay Restaurant Supply is giving away free samples of JR’s Bar-B-Que. Get there quickly before it runs out!
East Bay Restaurant Supply, Inc.
522 North 12th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.440.0623
It’s Soup!? It’s an Onion!? It’s Soup in an Onion!
One of our colleagues just came back from having lunch at the restaurant inside of the Embassy Suites Hotel and shared this fun picture with us. We were so intrigued that we might have run down the street to try it ourselves if we hadn’t all already eaten lunch today! Described as French Onion Soup with a twist, it certainly fits the description! Now we want to know: What’s the most creative way you’ve served or eaten soup? Leave us a comment below and check back next week for a creative “Summer Fruit Soup Shot” recipe from Jenna!
Tower Bridge Bistro
Marketplace Café
Embassy Suites Hotel
100 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA
916-326-5000