SAMMICH!

Okay.
It's one of those late in the night posts.
But hey! It's still 4/10/11 like I promised, so it's all good!

Here we go:

For those of you who know me, you probably know that I love sandwiches.
Love. Them.

The other day, I had a sandwich.
So tasty!

Actually, it's kind of rare when I don't have a sandwich at least once in a week.


Fortunately, to support my love for sandwiches, the building I work in is nicely sandwiched between two great restaurants that excel in the sandwich department.
(Pun intended; I am so clever.)
And by no accident, they are my two favorite restaurants in DC.
(This is coupled by the fact that, while I would like to and should explore more of the city, I have this crippling fear of going out and trying new places - especially by myself. Lately, it's gotten better, but it is still there.)

My most favorite place is G Street Food.
I go there at least once a week. (Though I try not to, because then my sister makes fun of me.)

A while back, I was cruising the Washington Post's restaurant guide. And, being a sandwich lover, I immediately checked out the "Best Sandwich Places in DC". I only noted the ones that were near my office (see note on fear)

I had this place in the back of my mind, mostly forgotten for a long, long time.

Then, one day, starving, coming back to the office from a doctor's appointment, I was like, "You know what? I'm going to try that place. ... Uh... where was it again?"
Sadly, it was so close to my building that I felt bad that I hadn't gone the extra half-block to get there before.
But man, oh, man. All bad feelings were gone soon thereafter.

I got the Grilled Chicken Chermula and it was awesome.
Just.
Awesome.

Just thinking about it makes me happy. :)
(And sometimes hungry.)

I plan on trying their whole menu eventually, but I nearly always have my go-to sandwiches - the Grilled Chicken Chermula and the Cubano.

The Grilled Chicken Chermula is has, obviously, grilled chicken and chermoula. (I had to look up what it was when I got back to my office and started munching on it.)
It's also got bacon. (BACON!)
Like all their hot sandwiches, they grill the bread a bit to get this lovely crunch and some extra flavor.

Grilled Chicken Chermula <3

I tried the Cubano after a strong recomendation from my friends Tom and Arina. They're super smart. :)
Apparently that's all they get when they go there.
It's got like a normal Cuban sandwich, it's got the pork, but switches in prosciutto for ham, jalapeño for pickle, and it isn't pressed.
But either way, it tastes good.

Nom! And check-out the grilled bread action. :D

I think I am going to make a separate post with all the things I've tried and my reactions.

But that would be nerdy.

... We'll see.


My second favorite restaurant is Breadline (mostly because I haven't gone there a lot... yet).
Their bread is pretty awesome.

... But I wish their website looked prettier.

Right now, I'm really digging their new turkey sandwich with sweet potato and cranberry sauce.
It's like Thanksgiving in a sandwich!

Sweet potato, turkey AND cranberry sauce.

So yes.
I like sandwiches and I like these restaurants and I'll make a more substantive post about my cooking classes soon.

(Please excuse my excessive use of parenthesis in this entry.)

Bedtimez!

(Crud. Adding the pictures officially made it midnight... Oh well.)

[Recipe] Maple Pecan Granola (+ Kashi puffs)

SO.
Apparently I am a really bad blogger.

Sorry about that.

BUT. Going to do TWO posts today.
I actually had an entry already written, but I wanted to put pictures in it, so I had to search for them in my hard drive first. And that's hard. :P

I'll do that later tonight, after the gym (and taxes).

As for this post, I'm going to talk about granola!

Yum :D

One thing that I didn't know about granola is that it's basically toasted, sugared oats. With stuff in it.

The funny thing is that granola is is RIDICULOUSLY easy to make. And cheap!
It's just a little time consuming.


For my recipe, I've altered AB's granola recipe.
His recipe has coconut (ew), raisins (meh), and lots of nuts (... too much).

Working with the ingredients I always have in our kitchen, I've created a Maple Pecan Granola (+ Kashi puffs).

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Kashi Whole Grain Puffs (YES! Product placement!)  (I don't always have this on hand, though.)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit.
Mix the sugar, syrup, vegetable oil, and salt in a small container. (I usually do it in a one-cup measuring cup.)
Mix the oats and pecans together in a big bowl.
Mix the "wet" ingredients into the oats and pecans.
After this mixture is coated well, add in the Kashi puffs. (I do this because I think that it'll prevent the cereal from getting too wet. Not sure if it makes a difference.)
Spread it out on a baking sheet and bake for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir the granola so it doesn't burn.

ENJOY!

I like to eat it with a cup of yogurt. :)

(without puffs)

Of course, you can always tweak the add-ins (pecans, puffs) to your liking - as you can see through my alterations of AB's recipe.

I usually make a 1/2 recipe. After the jump:

so sad...

I took another cooking class (on tarts) this weekend and I will detail more about it later.

We got to take home some pastry dough.
One of the things we made was Pâte Brisée. The instructor was telling us about the self life and she said that this dough can stay in the fridge for two days so I decided to made a tart shell with the dough.

What is sad is that I rolled out the dough...
... and now, today, my upper arms hurt.
From that "exercise".
Sad.

Anyway. Bed time; hope to write up that entry soon, with a lot of pics. :)

Nice to see you again!

Wow! It's been SUPER long since I made a post! Sorry, guys!

Been busy...
I started my MBA class! Juggling work, school, and other stuff that I need to do is really hard.
Akk! Too many things to do.

Anyway. While I was "away", a few big things happened!

1) My birthday
2) Cooking class
3) New Year's Party

Jump jump!

omg!

Google finally made an official blogger app!
This is to test it out.
I am actually drafting up a real post right now.
Later!


ETA: Hmm... The app does not recognize html...

Go me!

So!
I am good.
I signed up for classes.
Crazy, right?

I graduated in 2007 and it's kind of exciting to think that I'll be taking classes again.
And by classes, I mean "class" since I'm only taking one to start with. I'll take on more if I can handle it, plus work.
Too many things to do...

It's an MBA course - "Management of Information Systems"... and we'll see how that goes.
I wanted to take "Entrepreneurship" (to maybe see how I can fold that into "the Business"), but all the class offerings were closed and I couldn't sign up for the online listing for some reason.
Will look into that later.

My euphoria sort of died a bit earlier today, as I was going through all the requirements/items I need for the class (which starts this Thursday!).
I looked at the book list, and was like "oh, not bad; there's just one book!"
...
And then I looked up the price and it was like, TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.
The class it eight weeks long! What?
Stupid books! I forgot how much I hate you guys!

Anyway.

I ALSO signed up for cooking classes!
Much more exciting.


I'm going to take classes at the L'Academie de Cuisine.

I've been thinking about taking them for a while (like, for years), but I always got turned off by the price. They're about $75 for a two to three-hour class. I'm sort of a penny-pincher so there's a big sticker shock, but I decided to bite the bullet, because this is something that I really, really want to do. I want to further myself here, much like with the MBA classes.
Also, I need to get out of the house more. Sad.
(Also, also, I routinely save a big, big chunk of my money, so... What's the point of having money if you don't spend any of it?)

I'm going to take:

Pasta 101 - 1/29/2011
I love pasta. (Italy: "PASTA!")
It's so tasty. :)
And it looks so simple on Iron Chef... but I've never tried it.

Tart Workshop  - 2/26/2011
Every time that I've helped my mom with tarts, I think I've sort of failed at it.
The whole cutting the butter into flour always was tough, probably because we don't own a pastry cutter or a food processor. In any event, I still want practice.

Cupcakes - 3/5/2011
I signed up for the one in March, that will feature:
Lemon Cupcakes with Lavender-White Chocolate Buttercream; Chocolate Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate-Crème Fraiche Icing; Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache
(Hm... I don't really like coconut...)

The other cupcake classes in February were not appealing.
Mudslide Cupcakes; Mojito Cupcakes; Pina Colada Cupcakes with Roasted Pineapple Filling
OR
Valentine's Day - Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing; Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes with Ganache; Coconut Cupcakes with Passion Fruit Icing; Valentine Sweetheart Candy Cupcakes; Classic Vanilla with Pink Icing and Lacy Chocolate Hearts

I don't like alcoholic drinks, so the first class is kind of meh (even though there probably won't be any alcohol in them?) and the Valentine's Day one is just depressing because it's ON Valentine's Day. (Though my sister loves red velvet cupcakes and that would be nice treat to make for her).


Yeah.
It was really painful to click on that "pay" button...
Everything costs money. :\

BUT! If any of you are in the area and want to join me in this adventure, I've linked the classes' sign up page above. :)
Haha!

I really wanted to take "Cake 101", "Bread Baking", and "Basic Knife Skills", but they're really popular and fill up very quickly.
By the time I thought about taking classes, it was too late.

(Also, do you like how I am cheap with the book, but not for these classes?)

Anyway. Speaking of tarts, my Dad and I went to eat dim sum this past weekend and we got egg custard tarts!
They are delicious and I will now share a couple pictures of them with you all. :)

Yum! (And the plate is pretty, too)

Okay! Time to go to bed.
(How's that for an abrupt ending?)
Bye!

Bread Co, Toll House and Aliens

Yesterday, my sister and I went to Bread Co, or as everyone who's never lived in the St. Louis area calls it: Panera Bread.
(And I'm a snob who insists on calling it "Bread Co".)

I love Bread Co.
This is probably because I spent four years in St. Louis for school and ate there a lot. Like, a lot, a lot.
When I lived in an apartment with my best friend, Amy, in my junior and senior year, there was one that was literally 2 minutes away from our place, walking - from our front door to theirs. One of my favorite things to do was to get a couple of their chocolate chip bagels sliced in their bread slicer and eat it on the way to (and in) class.

In my fantasies, I'd have a cute cafe/bakery like a Bread Co restaurant in the future (though, of course, on a much smaller scale). I'd have a daily rotating menu and lots of cute pastry desserts.
But one thing that stops me from thinking about that one too deeply is the amount of work that would have to go into it. I know the restaurant biz is harsh, though I don't really know that much about it beyond that. Also, if there's a bakery attachment, you have to get up early to start the dough, baking the bread... and stuff...
I hate getting up early. I am not a morning person.

That is why I do most of my baking at night.

In fact, I'm baking tonight!

I'm making a batch of chocolate chip cookies while watching tv.
I'm watching a rerun of one of the "Ancient Aliens" episodes. (omg love that show so hard. I want aliens to be out there.)
Watching tv while baking makes the waiting between the pans of cookies bearable.

My go-to recipe is the original Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie.
And, like I mentioned in the post about the super cookies, I have a big issue with mix-ins.
Which is sometimes a good thing, because tomorrow I am going to my Auntie Su's house for hot pot and she looooves chocolate. So I make sure to add extra when ever I go to her place.
See?

Chips EVERYWHERE!

And, since I can't think of more stuff to write/I need to go to bed, picture spam!

Before baking. See all the chips? :)

Nom!

Paper bag is my number one choice for cooling the cookies off.

Close up!

Good night!

[Recipe] Super Cookies!

Okay! Second post of the day!

Mostly because I love love love these cookies.
I've made them twice and they're super good (haha) and I love them.

nom!

They're basically peanut butter-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies.
Three of my favorites jam packed into one!

My Mom got this recipe from a co-worker of hers, and it's too awesome not to share.
Sharing is caring!


Makes 90-100 cookies (crazy.)

Ingredients
3 1/2 sticks butter
1 box brown sugar (~ 3 cups)
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 jar (18 oz ~ 2 cups) crunchy peanut butter
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
24 oz chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

Instructions
Cream butter and sugars. Add ingredients in above order, stirring by hand. Roll into 1 inch balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

My notes and the calculations for the halved recipe after the jump.

People I admire

Okay, so I thought this might be a good way to introduce my way of thinking... by showing you guys which people I admire.
And by people, I mean people related to food things - so pastry chefs, chef-chefs, foodies, food bloggers, et al.
Other people don't count.
Because that would take forever.
(It's already taking forever.)


I'm an avid consumer of the Food Network and Travel Channel, so a big chunk of these are celebs.
(also, Urban Dictionary, you are hilarious ♥)

Alton Brown. Of course.
AB is godly in my book. I want to be like him. If I wasn't such a frugal miser, I would have all his books. Why, back when Good Eats was new, I wanted his babies, too. (Now, not so much. I don't like the scruffy look.)
Basically, food + science = awesome
I need to be more science-y in my baking and cooking. I've heard that the best way to bake is to go by weight, and one day, when I grow up, I will do that.

I love Geof from Charm City Cakes. (Duff? Meh.)
His precision amazes me. I want to be like that.
Though, I am a bit of a perfectionist, so maybe I could be like him.
(I also want to be laid-back and chill like him, but that's another story.)

Diamonds for Dessert is one of my blogging heroes. All her stuff is adorable and she has some geeky projects. I love how she makes clear instructions for everything she does. Sharing is caring. :)
I don't always have time to read my blogs, but I make it a habit to always see all of her new projects.

And, last, but hardly least, is my Mom.
She started me baking and it seems that everything she makes is wonderful (except this one sponge cake many, many years ago. lol). She helps troubleshoot my problems and gives me advice.
I love my Mom. :)


Other Cool People I like:

First post!

Hi, my name is Anita and I like to bake for my family, friends, and coworkers.
I'm (not really) a closet foodie and I've been dabbling with the idea of starting my own baking business.
And now, I've finally gotten off my butt to start a blog.

... This is kind of intimidating.

Anyway.
This blog is my attempt to chronicle my thoughts, my (limited) experience, and my new discoveries.
I also figure this is a good way to show off that I have decent communication skills, like all those job advice websites recommend we all to do.
I'm pretty shy in real life so it's probably good a way to put myself out there.

The reason for my blog title is a play on my name.
Anita sounds like "I need a", so "I need a little something sweet". :)
It's pretty funny because I actually haven't been teased by my name a lot. Maybe less than 5 times... and I only remember one instance.
Maybe everyone I know is too clever to use a cheesy pun like that.

So! A new year, a new start, and a new outlook on life; I hope you enjoy.