Date Nut Bread

Today I decided to use up some dates I had by making a Date Nut Bread.  Here is the recipe and the results.

   Date Nut Chocolate Chip Bread
            

1 1/2 C Dates, pitted, chopped
2 1/4 C Water, boiling
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
2 C Sugar
4 Tbsp Butter, softened
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
4 1/2 C All purpose flour
1 C Nuts, chopped
1 C Chocolate Chips

1.   Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2.   Combine the Baking Soda with the boiling water in a bowl.
3.   Soak the dates in the water mixture for 30 minutes.
4.   Cream the butter and sugar together.
5.   Add the Eggs, Vanilla and dates with the water and baking soda mixture.
6.   In a separate bowl blend the Salt, Baking Powder and Salt.
7.   Add the flour mixture.
8.   Blend in the Nuts and Chocolate Chips.
9.   Pour into Greased 9 x 5 loaf pans.
10. Bake for  1 hour or until done. (Toothpick test)

Saw's Soul Kitchen Birmingham, Alabama

Every once in a while you have to be brave and try a place that maybe you would normally just pass by.   Saw's Soul Kitchen is just such a place.  Located in a less than pristine part of town, in a building that has seen better days, with bars on the doors and you can understand why we were glad to see 2 police officers having lunch there.   By the time we left we knew why this is one of the locals favorite places to eat.

Saw's Soul Kitchen

The menu, which is hand written on a chalk board just inside the door doesn't provide any real description making it hard to decide.  

We had heard about Saw's on the web and one of the items listed was the Pork and Greens so we knew we had to try that.  

Saw's Pork and Greens

Cheese Grits, Pulled Pork,  Greens and Homemade Onion Rings, what a great dish.  The cheesy flavor of the grits with the smokiness of the pork, the bitterness of the greens and the crunchiness of the homemade onion rings.  This is a must have dish.

Other than that, "What to Choose".  We as the officers and they suggested the Saw's Burger.  

Saw's Burger

Beef patty with american cheese, slice tomato, lettuce and Saw's special sauce.  We ordered the plate and got the Sweet Potato fries.  Either plate is enough for 2 so ordered accordingly.  

Saw's Soul Kitchen is definitely a keeper and we will stop here again when in Birmingham.

Saw's Soul Kitchen 

215 41st Street South

Birmingham, Al 35222

Until we meet again: Live well, Love Much, Laugh Often

One Hot Mama's Hilton Head Island South Carolina

Once in a while you find a restaurant the does a lot of things right ... One Hot Mama's (OHM) is such a place.  We found OHM shortly after we arrived at Hilton Head Island and have gone there many times.  OHM is an American grill which basically means they have a little of everything.  OHM menu includes  burgers, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, fish, brisket and even a  reuben sandwich.  The food is always well prepared and the portions are large.  OHM is most popular in the area for their barbecue ribs.  Their ribs are smothered in their "Mama's Perfect 10 Sauce".  There is a Rib Sampler that has ribs basted with  "Mama's Perfect 10 Sauce" the "Asian Sauce' and the "Chocolate Barbecue Sauce".  Yes, you read that right CHOCOLATE barbecue sauce.  The ribs are tender, meaty, flavorful and messy.  Here take a look:

One Hot Mama's ribs with 2 sides of Mac and Cheese and Cornbread

Ribs are not the only food that is good here.  The pulled pork is great, the burgers are a full 8 oz, cooked to your liking and topped with things like fried onion haystack, applewood bacon, grilled corn salsa or their own Devil Sauce.  Their other sandwiches are just as impressive.  I would recommend "The Big Daddy" ...  "Our Texas Beef Brisket & Pulled Pork with pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo, and coleslaw with our golden onion haystack served on our fresh baked yeast roll."  Let me tell you that is a mouthful of favor and if you are not careful it will spill onto your shirt.

On Sunday OMH has a great Sunday Brunch Buffet.  The lineup includes their pulled pork, cheese grits, home fries, fresh fruit, beans, coleslaw, fresh rolls, hot cinnamon rolls, waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, made to order omelets and don't forget the mimosa.  Needles to say it is quite a feast.

One Hot Mama's is one of our favorite places to eat a full meal, a Sunday brunch or Happy Hour.  Give it a try.

One Hot Mama's Hilton Head Island

Until Next Time: Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often.

Harolds Diner Hilton Head Island South Carolina

Do you have a place you like to eat that just has good food and is fun?  Well Harold's Diner is that type of place.  A small place whose sign says, "Sorry We Are Open".   Harold's is similar to the many small family run diners that use to dot the entire country.  A service counter with stools and a few tables against the outside wall.  On Hilton Head Island, Harold's is famous for Good Food and Good service but they don't advertise as such.  They advertise as Bad Food and Lousy Service.  Not really true but we don't want to mess with their reputation.  The food is always good and the good service is always provided with a side order of sass.

The newbie to Harold's is easy to spot; they walk in, look around, realize they seat themselves, sit down and wait to be served .   Not going to happen!  At Harold's you better grab a menu when you walk in, fill it out and hand it to the person behind the counter and then shut up and wait for your food.  Oh, don't forget  to put your name on the menu.  When your food is done your name will be called and your food set before you.   Should you forget your name on the menu, don't worry they will find you with such flattering phrases as "Who is the Moron that doesn't know their own Name?"   Want to have more fun?  Complain about your food and the staff will begin to have fun at your expense (all in good taste).  The name of the game at Harold's is Good Food and Fun.

Harold Hours:

Monday thru Saturdays 6:00 am - 2:00 pm
Holidays  Sometimes
Sundays Never

The menu allows you to create your meal as you want.  For breakfast you can choose a sandwich with your choice of bread, fried egg or scrambled egg, sausage or bacon or ham, cheese and/or lettuce and tomato.

Fried Egg, Sausage, American Cheese on a Kaiser

Or a more traditional breakfast plate.

Eggs, Sausage, Home Fries and Toast

They also have pancakes, french toast and grits.  For lunch they have great sandwiches and fries.  

All of the staff members wear shirts that have Harold's famous saying, "Eat at Harold's or we both will Starve".   Harold's Diner Hilton Head Island is the place to go for breakfast or lunch if you want Good Food. Good Service and a little bit of fun.

Until Next Time: Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often.

Dyer's Burgers Memphis Tennessee

What is better than a fresh, hot, delicious hamburger?  How about one that is fresh, hot, delicious and cooked in 90 year old grease?

Dyer's Burgers  Double with Cheese

Dyer's Burgers Store Front

Dyer's in Memphis Tennessee has been using the same grease since 1912 when Elmer "Doc" Dyer opened the restaurant.  Doc Dyer determined if he continued to use the same grease his burgers would taste better.  For over 90 years now the grease has been strained daily and protected from theft or contamination.  During the years the business has moved and in true fashion of moving a thing of value the grease was transported under the watchful eye of ARMED guards.  Seems like a bit much to me but  not to the owners.  

Dyer's Burgers 

The decor is diner style with a bit of wear but clean.  The menu is very basic, they have burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and a few sides.  We ordered burgers and fries.

The Famous Grease

The burgers are cooked in this 14" cast iron skillet.  The burgers are basically deep fried in their own grease and the grease of thousands of burgers before them.  I guess if these were French burgers they would be called "Beef Confit".

Dyer's Burgers Single with Cheese and Fries

The burgers are very good.  The grease does not impart a heavy flavor to the burger but it does help to cook the outside of the burger very quickly helping to seal in the juices.  The fries are good but not truly notable.   Overall the meal was definitely worth the trip to Beale Street.

 
Until next time: Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often

Dye's Gullah Fixins Hilton Head Island South Carolina

Dye's Gullah Fixins is home to a type of cooking known as Gullah.  Now, I thought this might be highly seasoned food similar to Creole or Cajun but it is not.  I am still trying to fully understand what Gullah cooking really means so here is a little research.   "The Gullah are the descendants of enslaved Africans who live in the Lowcountry region of the US states of South Carolina and Georgia", quoted from Wikipedia.  Now I thought since they are descendants of Africa then the food would be "African" in nature.  Spiced as African food and containing ingredients common to Africa. But I think that to get a true understanding you have to put yourself in the right frame of mind.  Consider that we are talking about "Slaves" not immigrants.  These people didn't send a note back home telling the family "Hey when you come over bring me some of those peppers we like so much so I can season up my greens."  On the contrary everything they had access to was given to them by the owners or was something they found growing wild.  So what type of seasoning do they have ... the answer: very little.   

Jackie order the Crab Cakes with Sweet Potatoes and Macaroni and Cheese.  I ordered the Fried Chicken with Greens and Sweet Potatoes.  After we ordered Dye brought out some of her Sweet Potato Corn bread.  The Corn Bread was great.  It has a nice sweet taste with a good texture.  It was drizzled with pure cane syrup which is very thick and dark.  

The food was presented very well.

Sweet Potato Corn Bread

Crab Cakes with Sweet Potatoes and Macaroni and Cheese

Fried Chicken with Greens and Sweet Potatoes

Until Next Time: Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often

Prime Rib - Lambert's House

When we were in Illinois this last time Theresa, my sister, and I went to Costco to do some shopping.  I found a great Prime Rib Roast, not only was it Prime Rib, it was "Prime" beef.  Prime beef is rare to find for most of us and who would have thought Costco of all places would have Prime beef.   I bought the whole rib roast and cut it into 5 small roast each weighing about 3 lbs.   The other night I decided to cook one for dinner.  As expected the beef was juicy, tender and delicious.  I served with a mixture of Brussel Sprouts and carrots with a Honey Balsamic reduction.  Here are a few pictures:

The whole Roast

The First Slice

Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Bacon with a Honey Balsamic Reduction

Until Next Time: Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often