A Spring-Inspired Frittata

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After being inspired by all of the great venues this week in Gettyburg, I decided to try a new frittata recipe based on the ingredients I had in my fridge at the time. Not only did it turn out great, but it was easy and fast to prepare, and kept me full for most of the day.

Instead of spending even more money at places like Dobbin House Tavern, Tipton’s and the Blue Parrot, I created a sort of potluck egg frittata, omelet creation the other morning to change things up. This egg dish easily feeds two, and can be thrown into a warm tortilla to make a breakfast sandwich if you are on the run.

-Ingredients-

3 eggs, beaten with a tbsp. milk

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 green pepper, chopped

1/4 white onion, chopped

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. oregano

1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and more to taste

-Preparation-

Put a medium to large-sized pan over medium heat. Add the butter, oil, onion and garlic stirring frequently. Beat the eggs with milk, herbs, salt and pepper. As soon as the onion is translucent, and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes, stir in the peppers. After two minutes, add the egg. Treat the egg just like an omelete, letting it set on the pan until it is brown.

Flipping the egg: Then, slide the egg off the pan and onto a cutting board. Place the pan face down over the egg (the uncooked side) and turn over the board. This should flip your egg perfectly. Continue to cook the egg until the other side is also brown.

Serving: Slide the egg off the pan onto the cutting board once more, covering with a bit more salt, pepper, and herbs, cut into slices and serve with some fruit or yogurt. I also like to slice some mozzarella, goat, cheddar or pepper jack cheese and place it on top of the egg in the last few minutes of cooking if you would like to try that.

Also: As I mentioned earlier, you can also put slices of the egg into a warm tortilla for an “on-the-go” wrap.

Try to put some different herbs, or even some hot sauce into the egg to add a little kick! Also, try chopping up some chipotle in adoba sauce for a smoky flavor in the egg.

 

Enjoy!

Restaurant Week in Gettysburg

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This week, April 4-11th, is the First Annual Restaurant Week in Gettysburg. Restaurants all around town are participating, and offering 2 course lunch and 3 course dinner specials ranging from $5-$30. I find this event particularly exciting because it gives addicted foodies like myself to hit up places like The Dobbin House Tavern,  J’s at the Village and The Inn at Herr Ridge. All of the restaurants on the list are excellent, and some favorites like The Blue Parrot may need to be revisited just to get the deal, but I urge you readers to splurge this week and experience some of the gems of Gettysburg for a fraction of the price.

Some benefits of attending Restaurant Week are: obviously the deals, better service in order to promote the restaurant, and an opportunity to branch out to different places that you wouldn’t usually try. Also, a lot of restaurants tend to through in more deals for customers, or give you coupons when you attend; this makes it even more enticing, and gives you incentive to go back!

To check out all of the participating restaurants, click here and note that there are some specials for $10 and under so this is completely affordable.

After I attend a few of the events I’ll tell you more!

Gettysburg: A Comparison Between Town and College Food

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Over the past few months, I have taken some time to speak to individuals on campus and have compiled some requests, opinions, praises and complaints about food on and off campus.

In my last entry, I addressed the food directly on campus and some positives and negatives that come with dining here.  In this entry I will continue that critique and add some alternatives that one can find in town.

  • One thing that I recently heard from a staff, and actually think is a great idea, is that Bullet Hole and the Dive should do deliveries Monday through Friday from 11:00 am till 1:00 pm for staff on campus. They can charge for this service, while also getting more customers from the staff that are tied up at work during the break hour. Not to mention, hiring more students for deliveries will get more jobs on campus… maybe these students can put this job towards work study?
  • More options for pizzas at the Dive
  • Some students would like to have nutritional information regarding the Frozen yogurt at the Dive
  • Bring back EDY’S ICE CREAM
  • Soft serve ice cream  needs to be cleaned out better so that flavors do not mix, please
  • Some students have complained that the food at the Dive, and at Bullet Hole is either extremely hot or cold… maybe find a middle ground?
  • Another idea is to have a late night dining option open on campus. Maybe a mini mart type of store, for coffee and snacks and some sandwhich and hot food options.  Many kids have no cars, and get hungry late at night and it can be very frustrating!

Alright, now onto comparisons between town and campus:

  • Personally, I think if you are going to splurge on a burger, you should not go to the Burger bar on Friday nights but rather spend the $10 you would to swipe your card and buy a fresh grilled burger at either the Pub, or the Plaza (both situated on the circle in town).
  • The Thai restuarant next door to Blue Parrot is apparantely cheap and delicious. Try some take-out and share with your friends!
  • Furthermore, I just found out that O’Rourkes has a Monday night special for steaks for $10! I know I’ll be there next week.

Hope these tips are helpful!

Food at Gettysburg College, A Critique

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On Gettysburg College’s campus, there are five food options: Bullet, the Commons Cafe, Ike’s Pizzeria, the Dive, and Servo.

  • Servo, the main cafeteria on campus offers a salad and yogurt bar, coffee bar, cereal bar, and four daily options ranging from self-serve to pre-plated meals. Some favorites include  buffalo chicken salad, burger bar, chicken fingers with seasoned loops, and Caesar salad. 
  • Second to Servo is Bullet, which offers hamburgers, wraps, sandwiches and salads daily, and features various daily soup options and specials like pulled pork bbq, Greek salad and black bean quesadillas.
  • Ike’s Pizzeria, situated above Bullet, offers daily pepperoni and plain pizza, and meatball subs. They also have specialty pizzas like buffalo chicken and Greek pizza. Also in Ike’s is a sushi bar, which will fix sushi fresh to order if you ask. On a daily basis, they put rolls in the fridge both in Bullet and at Ike’s.
  • Nearby to both Bullet and Ike’s, centered in the middle of the College Union Building, one can buy coffee and snacks at Commons Café. This café is a perfect little coffee shop, with Servo-fresh baked goods, cheap snack foods, milk, and Starbucks coffee options for students and visitors alike.
  • The Dive, which is located in the new Center on campus, features healthier options for the students. Every week they feature a new salad, sandwich/wrap, and smoothie options. They also make fresh salads, smoothies and pizzas to order, and have an assortment of sushi and healthy option snack foods.

It seems that the college really covers its bases with these five options, and in a lot of ways they do, especially with the addition of the Dive on campus. In fact, the Dive and the Commons are probably the most versatile options on campus, offering new options and food services to students. For example, having a “make your own” system at the Dive is wonderful for students who are tired of eating the same old food over and over again at Bullet and Servo.

The fact that Bullet and Servo only make the same things every day and every week can be very monotonous for students, especially those who have been here for 3 or 4 years. Furthermore, the options at both Servo and Bullet tend to be less healthy, and even the healthy options don’t seem to change making it easier to choose unhealthy options because they may look more appealing at the time! It would be wonderful if the staff at both dining options offered more options, especially heathly ones.

For example, additions to Servo could be:

  • An outside patio for students to sit at in nice weather
  • An improved salad bar with things like: roasted peppers, olives, red onion, and green pepper, and some cheeses like feta and mozzarella
  • Bring the cheddar back!!!!
  • Make sauté an everyday thing, so that vegetarians and healthier eaters can feel more excited about hot food!
  • Some fresh made salad dressings– they are not difficult to make, and if refrigerated can last a very long time. Just put them in squirt bottles on ice!
  • Steamed rice everyday

Ok, on to Bullet:

  • Fresh grilled chicken like in Servo, everday
  • Cheddar!!!!
  • Grilled chicken Caesar wraps maybe?
  • More exciting features, and possibly change the weekly menu
  • Also, please please please put out what you have advertised online! And if you do not end up making what you say you will, please change the cite or notify students… please!

The Dive fix-ups:

  • A “make your own” style yogurt bar like in Servo
  • Grilled wrap options with meats maybe? Something like a grilled Caesar wrap, Asian chicken wraps, veggie wraps but all with new twists rather than just bringing over old Bullet food and offering it there too
  • Mozzarella, cheddar and parmiggiano cheeses

The Commons suggestions:

  • Having milk is an excellent idea, maybe we can run with that and also offer things like peanut butter, nutella, white bread, and jelly? Or even eggs? The students love the idea of a mini mart that “we don’t need to pay for,” maybe we can test run some options and see what is received?

Further concerns:

Many students have pointed out that all of the Dining Services are clumped together physically on campus, and all have relatively strict hours. Living in an area where it is difficult to get food off of campus if you don’t have a car, it is sometimes frustrating to not have more options around campus, and maybe even a late night option.

 If anyone has any questions, concerns, additions, or opinions about this critique please feel free to comment or to contact me.

Nyack Wine Cellar, a Haven for Cheap & Delicious Wine

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It isn’t often that your local wine retailer can tell you about the vineyard and vitners from which your bottle came. It is even less often that they can tell you they visited the winery, and drank the wine from the source. With this sort of wine shopping experience, how is it possible then that this delicious bottle is less than $15 on average!

Before I go further, let me explain to some of you who are less familiar with”wine terms,”  some simple phrases that are easy to remember. First off, the difference between a winery a vineyard and a vitner is that the vineyard is the farm where the grapes are grown and harvested, a winery is the place where the wine is sold, and the vitner is the person who sells the wine.

Pennsylvania has very strict lliquer license rules, and so finding a good selection of wine is difficult at school Furthermore, the places who sell wine are able to price even the worst wines at ridiculously high prices (I’m talking to you Wine and Spirits).  So, when I go home I try to stock up on a few great wines to bring back. The Nyack Wine Cellar, while only one of many wine stores in my area, is by far the best.

The store, located on 43 South Broadway right next to Hickory Dickory Dock is small but does not lack in variety or service. Their prices range from anywhere between $5-$500 and will help to get whatever type of wine you are interested in. Furthermore, they know the wines, having tried them at the source. One customer reviewed them on Yelp!, commenting on the smallness but also asserting the helpfulness, friendliness and sheer quality of the products offered.

Although us Gettysburgians have no wineshops such as this one nearby, let it be noted that at the front of the store there are often bottles on sale. I usually peruse those first, and then I check for the other hidden sales. If you simply put on blinders for your favorites and try to be more experimental, you’d be surprised how many good cheap wines under $10 you can buy at Wine and Spirits.

One thing to remember when shopping for wine, is that you should try to check for reviews and even “points” that are given to the wine by critics. If the rating is over 85 points, and the wine is under $10, then you are getting a pretty good deal.

Good luck!

Five Minute Fried Rice

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At times it is very diificult to want to come up with an entire elaborate meal, especially on such small food allowance. Fried rice has become a staple in my diet, for a light lunch, snack, or small dinner at times when I don’t have enough time, ingredients or energy to cook. My recipe uses minimal ingredients, and some pre-cooked food to cut down on cooking time. It also uses ingredients that are most likely always in my fridge and cabinet.

Next time you go to the Grocery Store, pick up some pre-cooked rice for about $2-3 a piece (each box is one serving). Buying rice pre-cooked saves a lot of time and energy, and is well worth the investment unless you eat a lot of rice each week and can make enough fresh-cooked at a time.

The ingredients that I use, such as carrot and egg, can be subsituted for other ingredients like peas and tofu if you wish. This recipe feeds one person.

-Ingredients-

1 package pre-cooked rice (sticky is preferable)

1/2 carrot, finely chopped

1 egg, scrambled

2 tbsp. finely chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. butter

1/2 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. pepper

salt and sriracha to taste

*I also use a tsp. of hot sesame oil if you have som

-Preparation-

First, put pre-cooked rice in microwave to heat (follow box instructions). Then put oil, butter, onion, carrot and garlic in pan on medium heat to simmer for 3 minutes. Add the egg, salt and pepper and scramble into mixture (takes about 1 minute). After the rice has finished cooking add to the pan with the soy sauce and sriracha. Once the ingredients are combined and cooked to your desired amount(for me it’s about 30 seconds), remove from heat and serve.

Veggie & Steak Stir Fry

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I love making stir fry, it’s easy, it’s healthy and you can make it with a wide variety of ingredients. Stir fry is one of the most versatile styles of cooking, allowing you to create a sort of potluck with your fridge and turn it into salty, steamed goodness. I usually cook my stir fry with fresh broccoli , carrots, steak or chicken, and snap peas. However, any variety of veggetables and meats would work also. While I tend to buy fresh veggies because I eat them so quickly, I also recommend buying frozen because they won’t go bad, and are already cooked.

Whether you use my ingredients, or your own, make sure to cook your meats and veggies seperately at first, and then combine them in a fry pan later. For example, if I am using steak and frozen broccoli I would cook my steak first in canola oil with some salt and pepper. I would also defrost the broccoli. Then, I would slice the steak and combine the ingredients together in my stir fry pan.

This is a quick frozen veggie stir fry recipe that includes my favoriet ingredients:

-Ingredients-

 1 head broccoli, chopped and steamed

1/4 cup sliced white onion

1/4 cup sliced red pepper

2 carrots, sliced thin long-ways and then cut in half

3 cups snap peas

1 6 oz steak, fully cooked and sliced thin

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. sesame seed oil (optional)

1 tsp. fresh grated ginger

2 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sriracha hot sauce (optional)

2 cups cooked udon noodles/ or 2 cups cooked white/ brown rice

–Preparation–

First, put water on to boil for the noodles. Then, cook whatever meats and veggetables you are using as directed above.

Then, put oils in pan with garlic, onion, and ginger at medium heat; let simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the onion softens and  you can begin to smell the garlic. Turn up the heat to medium high.  Add veggies and cook for about 3 minutes to soften them. Lastly, add the noodles and steak. Then, immediately add hot sauce and soy sauce. Stir together for about 30 secs-1 minute.

Serve immediately.

Look out for a fast, easy Fried Rice recipe and an easy way to switch up my stir fry recipe in the next week!

Panko Chicken Cutlets with Parmigiano cheese and Grilled Asparagus

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Chicken is an extremely versatile meat to cook with, which is why I always keep a package of frozen chicken cutlets in freezer. One of the simplest and most popular ways to serve chicken is fried in olive oil with bread crumbs. While this dish is very yummy, it lacks the little bit of crunch I prefer to have when eating chicken.

Japanese Panko Breadcrumbs are much thicker and crunchier than regular Progresso crumbs. Usually used to make Tempura, panko crumbs add texture to a fried dish without needing a lot of crumbs. Also you can flash fry dishes with tempura and then simply bake them to finish cooking. This makes them very fun to cook with.

Sometimes I try cooking fish, pork and veggies in the panko (adds a wonderful texture), but most of all I love making Panko Chicken. There are many ways to serve the chicken panko style, including: mustard, parmigiano-reggiano, mozzarella, and herbed. Sometimes I even combine all of those flavors to make a super-flavorful chicken dish. Try it with your favorite cheeses and ingredients!

–Ingredients-

1 package chicken cutlets, sliced thin  (usually about 1/2 lb)

1 package Panko Bread Crumbs

1 egg scrambled

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

-These are all optional, however I recommend using any combination-

1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1/4 cup fresh grated mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. thyme

1 tbsp. basil

-Or-

2 1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard

-Preparation-

First, place the thinly sliced chicken cutlets into a bowl with salted water. Wash off the chicken in the water, and remove any unwanted pieces. Then, dry the chicken and place on paper towel. Set up a row on your counter like an assembly line with the chicken first, then one bowl, and then two large plates. 

In the bowl, scramble the egg. Then, on the first plate mix the panko crumbs and your other spices and ingredients. If you are using mustard then do not mix with the crumbs, wait till further instruction.

After your assembly line is prepared, place a few pieces of chicken at a time in the egg to soak. Then, take one piece at a time and cover liberally with the panko crumb, cheese and herb mixture. Finally, place finished pieces onto the last plate.

***If using mustard, then rub the mustard over the chicken, after the egg and before the panko crumbs.

While making your assembly line, place two medium to large pans on medium-high heat. After all of the chicken is ready to be fried, place about 1-2 tbsp. canola oil in each pan. Make sure to use canola oil, and not coconut or olive oil, because the oil with spatter and burn-off. When the oil and pans are heated, place chicken into both pans and don’t be afraid to try and pack them in closely. Also, make sure there is enough moisture on the pan or else they will burn (you may have to add more oil as you cook).

After about 1 mintute, turn the heat down to medium, and check any pieces that need to be turned. I usually wait for the chicken to turn golden brown with hints of dark brown before turning. For the next 3-5 mintues continue turning and pressing each piece so that they all cook evenly throughout. Chicken should be done when it is no longer spongy to the touch, also if you are unsure just cut the chicken open and make sure it is no longer pink in the middle.

In the last minute of cooking, sprinkle some extra  cheese on top of each piece and turn over to make a crispy crust. Promptly remove from heat (about 10-15 seconds) so the cheese does not burn, and serve immediately.

***For a lighter option, simply fry the chicken for one minute on each side so it turns a golden brown, and then bake for 10 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees.

 

-Side Dish Options-

My two favorite side-dishes for Panko Chicken are steamed broccoli, and baked asparagus.

For the broccoli, simply trim the broccoli head down to the stems and rinse in water. Then place pieces in a bowl with about 3 tbsp. water and steam in microwave covered with plastic wrap for 3-5 minutes.

For the asparagus, clean and trim the asparagus by cutting off the ends (about until there is no white left) and place in a baking pan covered with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees, turning occassionally. *** If you are feeling especially bad, try covering asparagus with grated parmigiano cheese before baking it.

Enjoy!

Buying Cheap Organic Food Is Possible

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Gettysburg College is in the middle of rural farmland PA giving college students like myself access to a plethora of farms and whole-foods products. What’s more, Giant (the local Grocery Store) has an entire section dedicated to organic and whole-foods. Here’s the kicker: Giant’s prices, while still not completely discounted, are much lower than those of let’s say Whole Foods or Fairway. In fact, Giant has much lower prices while offering most of it’s competitor’s available products.

The organic section of Giant is located on the far right of the store, immediately to the left of the produce section. In two aisles one can find anything from crackers and cereal, to frozen foods, milks and cheeses, even medicines and bath products.

I don’t shop in this section for the bulk of my food items, however, I do keep an eye on some of my favorite products to watch for sales. Also, I buy things like bath products in this section because the higher price guarantees that the products are not tested on animals and contain as few chemicals as possible.

Basically, I break down my shopping like this: anything that is an essential part of my diet, and lasts a long time in my fridge or cabinet, should be bought organic because I am making an investment. Not only am I keeping my body as healthy and chemical free as possible, but I am also supporting local farms and smaller companies. Then, for things like fruits and veggies I try to buy seasonal and fresh (unfortunately even organic foods can be effected by GMOs) so I just use my best judgment. Also, for items like meats and milk and cereals, crackers and baking mixes I read the packages and information and just try to get the best deal. Unfortunately, even the best known companies are run by corporations like Tyson and Perdue so there are not many ways to avoid buying from them unless you buy directly from a farm, or from a very small business.

For more information about organic foods and how the food industry is evolving I would highly recommend watching the film Food Inc., it completely changed how I eat and perceive the food industry, especially the FDA.

-Simple breakdown of what to buy-

1) If you really want to break it down easy, I’d say it is most important to buy things like honey, flour, sugar, eggs, and oil organic. This is because these products are best bought without any processing, and the more they are processed the less nutritional value they will have.

2) Another thing to note is that it is important to try to buy products that have been processed as little as possible. This means you should read labels on everything you buy, and even do a little bit of research about the companies you are supporting. If you stick to these two rules than you should be just fine.

3) On that note, I would recommend cooking with coconut oil because it is much leaner, and can be cooked into a variety of foods easily. Furthermore, I recommend buying local honey (helps with allergies), and purchasing organic nut products and oils to cook with.

Look out for more tips and recipes this Thursday, including Panko Grilled Chicken and uses of Coconut Oil.

-BerryGoodEats-

Shopping on a $20 Budget

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Having trouble spending within your budget every week? Try some new tips for buying foods that taste great, and last.

I am notorious for being a compulsive shopper, but working 7 hours a week has quickly taught me that in order to stay afloat I have to cut costs. Currently, my weekly shopping budget is $20 and my weekly pocket-money $10 (or under for saving purposes!). Shopping on a small budget can be a really difficult adjustment, especially when you love to cook as much as I do.

However, there is one simple trick I have come to live by: as needed, buy only your staple foods (pastas, milk, cheese, some hearty veggies like spinach and broccoli) and then work into those foods some extras that match. For example, I eat a lot of pasta, a lot of mozzarella and parmiggiano cheese, and a lot of vegetables. Therefore, I buy the cheapest pastas on the shelf, cheese when it is on sale, and veggies that will last the longest in my fridge. Then, I buy some meats that go with a variety of dishes that I make. Usually I pick up a package of hot italian sausage (Giant brand to save $) and some chicken (whichever is both the cleanest and cheapest). I put the meats promptly in the freezer and they can last up to 2 or 3 weeks. If there is any money left over on that trip I buy things like shrimp (frozen and fully cooked already about $5), some garlic, lemon, soy sauce, and potatoes.

It’s important to buy foods that can be mixed and matched with each other for different dishes. For example, I often cook pasta with cheese, or broccoli, or spinach. Or, I can cook pasta with my frozen chicken, sausage, or both. Furthermore, I can mix either meat with any of the above cheese and vegetable options giving me a lot of variety with only a few ingredients.

Most often, I buy the specialty items once every 3-4 weeks, and the meats every 2 weeks. Therefore, I am buying things like veggies, milk and pasta every week. If you rotate spending like this than the $20 gets spread out a bit, leaving room for some extras and favorites like eggs, brownie mix, tortilla chips and salsa, wraps, and chocolate. To make this money go even farther, I put whatever money is left on the side so that I can go back and buy those favorite things.

TIP: Try putting a money jar in your desk, and after shopping throw your change in there rather than in your wallet. If you don’t carry the change with you, you won’t be tempted to spend it until you really need it.

What’s more, I budget my extra $10 into hanging out with my friends. If I know that I am going to the Parrot during the weekend, and also want to go to Pitchers or Mama’s on a Tuesday or Thursday, I usually break my ten into two fives. Then, when I go the bar I only take one 5 with me so that I don’t overspend. It may sound lame, but it is actually super effective. Plus, you’d be surprised how many people will split a pitcher with you, and what kind of specials and promotions you can for under $5 if you look. 

For example, splitting a dessert at the Parrot is $3.50 each. Also, a Long Island Iced Tea at Mama’s is $2.50. Not to mention, the Pub has$3 pitchers on Tuesdays, and the Parrot serves some full drinks for under $4. So, as you can see there are plenty of ways to buy under your budget.

Finally, if you keep a change jar to collect extra cash every week, then you’d be surprised how much you can accumulate. Sometimes when I know I want to spend a little extra I dig into the jar and don’t feel guilty afterward.

Good luck, and enjoy!