October in Maryland and DC

I’m back in Maryland and D.C. for the third time this year! One of the reasons I love visiting my son is because we love eating out.

Find out about foods on my previous visits by visiting my February and July posts …

EATING OUT ~ February 2012


VACATION MEANS EATING OUT ~ July 2012


STILL TESTING FOODS OF MARYLAND ~ July 2012


So far this time, we’ve (my son and I) eaten twice at Wegmans, Columbia. Huge food bar section ~ a heavenly buffet. We (my son, my brother and his wife) dined at Red, Hot and Blue in Laurel MD. Love that place with its “pulled” meats and blues music.


Today I took a short walk to Roundz, a homey, yet classy café, market and catering establishment, less than a mile from son’s house. If you’re ever in Gambrills MD, please stop in to sample their gourmet fare and tell them you heard it from me. A new Wegmans is opening just across the highway October 28. What a great combo ~ Roundz and Wegmans!

Roundz food is yummy and inventive. For instance, most of their sweets are cut into individual pieces ~ round, of course!

Today’s coffee was 100% Columbian.

Entrees…

Vegetables…

She had something brewing on the stove AND was mixing up brownies.

I want one of those hand-operated slicers. Look how it curls the slices of squash for chips!

Employees at Roundz always enjoy their work and are very welcoming to their patrons.

Mini pumpkins and Indian corn welcome the fall season. The plan is to cut out the center out of some of the pumpkins to allow for insertion of tea light candles for an upcoming “Dinner after Dark”.

Eating out ~ Part 2 ~ AND Raspberry Pie Muffins

In my February 28, 2012 blog entry, Eating Out, I wrote about my two-week visit with my son in the Washington D.C./Baltimore MD area. We typically eat out a great deal when I visit and this time was no exception.

To keep the blog from stretching for miles, I only wrote about half of our travels and today I want to take you along on the rest of my journey.


Red Hot & Blue...

When my son was stationed in that area about fifteen years ago, he frequented Red Hot & Blue, a franchise barbecue establishment. “Barbeque, Burgers & Blues” to be exact. I don’t ever remember eating at a barbeque joint before that moment, but this was definitely a memorable occasion.

My meal sounds simple ~ Pulled Chicken Salad. Think whole chicken with bones and skin, marinated and roasted. Then, the bones and skin are removed and the meat is pulled into strips. My salad was huge, loaded with veggies and the pulled chicken piled high. Fit for a teenaged boy! Worthy of three meals for me. I took more than half home.

A side order of Hush Puppies took me back to Florida memory heaven. Haven’t had HPs in probably thirty years. Loaded with bits of onion and deep fried. They were worth the heartburn that followed later that evening.


The Spice & Tea Exchange...

Spices, teas, seasonings ~ all packaged and mixed on-site. Buy whatever quantity you want and the prices are reasonable. The Spice & Tea Exchange of Annapolis said I could order online, too. Didn’t realize it was a franchise until later in our conversations with the owners.

I came home with whole cloves, coconut thai rub and raspberry sugar. Today’s blog entry features (further on) a recipe using the raspberry sugar.


Mamma Roma Italian Restaurant & Pizza...

In the second week of my visit, son asked me to come up with some ideas for eating out. I checked online, of course, and we finally settled on Mamma Roma.

My order of fettuccine with marinara and lots of vegetables ~ roasted red peppers, green pepper strips, onions, zucchini ~ was huge! Again, a meal fit for a teenaged boy, but providing several leftover meals for me. Delizioso!

Follow-up... Thanks to Mamma Roma for emailing me the name of my fettuccine dish. It's called FETTUCCINE BOSCAIOLA!


It’Sugar...

I felt like a kid in a candy store! Located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, It’Sugar reminded me of when I was a kid and went to a neighborhood Mom&Pop’s store to buy a bagful of candy for a nickel. Candies galore, serve yourself, and pay close attention to the pricing.


Chocolate Chocolate...

A week before I set out on vacation, I read about the Frances and Ginger Park, authors and entrepreneurs. Frances and Ginger own a tiny, highly popular shop on Connecticut Avenue in Washington D.C. Chocolate Chocolate chocolates include every type of chocolate candy imaginable, carefully selected from candy creators around the world.


Son and I visited the shop (easily accessible by car or Metro), met the personable Park sisters and their store manager Koomo, and had a yummy time tasting and hearing about the origin of each candy we chose.

*********************

RASPBERRY PIE MUFFINS

The following is my basic recipe for 12 muffins. Use your imagination when it comes to adding ingredients or try some from my list below.

Muffins...

3/4 cup each unbleached white flour and unbleached whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients using fingers if necessary to remove any lumps from the brown sugar.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in...
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 egg.

Stir just until mixed, no longer.

Pour into prepared muffin tins (greased or oiled).

Bake in pre-heated oven 20 to 25 minutes.

For RASPBERRY PIE MUFFINS I made the following changes and additions...

*I changed the flour ratio to 1 cup white and 1/2 cup whole wheat

*I had Half’n’Half left over from another recipe, so I used it in place of milk.

*I placed 1 Tablespoon of Chambord French Black Raspberry Liqueur (which I found in a tiny bottle for under $5 at Bottles & Corks) in a liquid measuring cup, then added Half’n’Half up to the 2/3 cup line.

*After scooping about a tablespoon of batter into each muffin space (using half the batter), I placed a scant tablespoon (or a heaping teaspoon?)of Raspberry Pie Filling on each. Then topped each with the rest of the batter.

*Sprinkled each with Raspberry Sugar which I purchased in Maryland at The Spice & Tea Exchange. I had tried the sugar in two previous variations of this recipe, but sprinkled it on after baking which meant some of it missed the muffin and rolled onto the pan to melt. Take your pick and do it either way.


The basic muffins are delicious plain or you can add any one of the following...
1. Banana, cut up, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2. Raw cranberries, whole or chopped
3. Chopped uncooked rhubarb
4. Peach, chopped and mixed with a bit of lemon juice
5. Apple, chopped, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6. Raisins
7. Chocolate chips, regular or mini
8. Vegetables such as grated carrots, yams, or sweet potatoes


******
Step by Step in the Kitchen is on Facebook. Take a look and "Like" the page. I'll be posting extra notes and photos there.

******

I really love to hear from readers, to know what you think of my blog and my recipes.

What do you like to add to homemade muffins?

Eating out

I recently returned from a two week vacation with my son at his new home in a little community between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C. To clarify, the entire strip between Baltimore and D.C. is made up of small communities, and some might consider it one long shopping mall.

Son’s house is pretty much in the middle, making both Baltimore and D.C. easily accessible, by vehicle or by Metro.

My daily walks continue when I’m vacationing, and although I knew we’d be doing a lot of tourist-type traipsing, I ventured around the neighborhood on those days he worked.


Another new Wegmans...

My first target? Getting a look at the new Wegmans supermarket going up less than a mile away. Why was I so intent on seeing a half-built Wegmans? ‘Cause that’s what we have locally and as I always say, it’s not just a supermarket, it’s a “social event”. I can't wait until it's complete and I can go for groceries and coffee when I visit the area.

Lots of construction going on, so I didn’t attempt to get too close. Security guards caught up with me after about ten minutes. They typically stop cars from driving into the area and were surprised by (but tolerant of) my on-foot intrusion. Even gave me a ride for the short one block out of the area!


High end cooking...


Just across the highway and closer to home, I found Roundz. Love it, love it and went back numerous times for coffee and goodies. Roundz is a small gourmet market and catering business. They were very welcoming and kindly allowed me to take photos. I’m surprised I shed a few pounds in Maryland, especially after consuming their bread pudding and the red velvet cake with what tasted like a combination buttercream-cream cheese icing (emphasis on the cream cheese). Prices are hefty, but so are portions. Delicious!

BTW, I’m an occasional coffee drinker, must have decaf, and most speciality coffees are too dark and bold for me. The only exception is Wegmans’ Hazelnut Decaf. Anyway (or is it anywayS?), Roundz had a Guatemalan decaf the first time I was there and I decided to try it. Ended up having their decaf (diff flavor daily) 3-4 times. That good.


From gourmet to every day...

We watched an episode of “Undercover Boss” featuring the CEO of Checkers. A few days later, we discovered a Checkers drive-through nearby but barely visible from the highway. Had to have lunch and sat a table outside (no inside dining), freezing yet loving the food.

My only complaint was that the woman who opened the window to wait on us stood with her back to us while talking with another employee. Kept us waiting - not even a greeting - at least a full minute.

Let us, however, talk about more pleasant matters -- like the food! (I’m sure it’s not nutritious. It’s totally salty.) My burger of choice came with mushrooms and swiss cheese. OMG, it was so-o good. Equally mouthwatering were the fries with special seasonings.

(Follow up 2/29: I received a phone call and an apology from a manager at that Checkers restaurant.)

Time for Bibim Bap...

When I visit my son, wherever the USAF decides to station him, we habitually fix our own meals and often eat out. One of our favorites at his last assignment was Korean cooking and on my last full day in Maryland, son found Myong Dong, a small quiet place in Beltsville, Maryland.

What do we order at a Korean restaurant? Dolsot Bibim Bap, of course. On this occasion, we also split an order of dumplings. Loved it and they did a good job. Can’t wait to go back!


That’s it for today, friends. Coming in my next blog entry...

Red Hot & Blue
The Spice & Tea Exchange
Caribou Coffee
Mamma Roma
It’Sugar
Saving the best for last ~ Chocolate Chocolate!



******

I made Totally Nutty Granola Bars. Find other excellent ideas at Bam’s Kitchen.




******

Step by Step in the Kitchen is on Facebook. Take a look and "Like" the page. I'll be posting extra notes and photos there.