My Brother’s Pizza

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As a born and bred New Yorker I’m more than just a little picky when it comes to pizza. Since coming to school at Gettysburg, finding pizza has become that much harder… not many NYC style pizza joints in PA I guess huh? However, I recently discovered My Brother’s Pizza on Fairfield Rd about 2 miles away from the college campus.

“Brothers” (as it’s called by students) is situated in a strip mall right off Fairfield next to the Gettysburg Dance Center. While I can’t say that the pizza is as good as home, it is certainly close. The family that runs Brother’s is kind, thorough, and runs a very clean family friendly trattoria. There is plenty on  their menu for fast, fresh American Italian and plenty of room to spread out with your friends. I would highly recommend getting the pizza, the subs, or the buffalo wings.

As far as I know they don’t deliver to the college, however the drive is more than worth it and is much better than the other pizza joints in town.

-My Brother’s Pizza –

1685 Fairfield Rd # A
Gettysburg, PA 17325-6953
(717) 339-0599

Save Money on Valentine’s Day

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-How it All Began-

I think it’s safe to say that most people, single or not, end up spending money on Valentine’s Day. If you are in a relationship, costs can be infinite from spending on cards, gifts, dinner, drinks and so on. For single people, Valentine’s Day can be a money drainer also. A lot of people still find themselves celebrating this Hallmark holiday even if they don’t happen to like it. You may send a few cards, go out to dinner and/ or drinks with friends, or even drown your sorrows in a box of chocolate a McDonald’s take-out bag. Often in our culture, it seems like we are all trapped in this cycle of spending money. Why is it that we have all of these holidays that  pressure consumers to spend in order to feel satisfied? Better yet, what has convinced us that we must spend on others in order to feel included, appreciated and validated?

There are ways of getting around spending a lot on holidays like this one without feeling like you’re letting yourself down, or anyone else that you may feel pressured to oblige.

-Ways to Save Money-

Now prepare yourselves, these might seem devastatingly obvious…

First of all, rather than going out to dinner or drinks why not just make something together, it’s more fun anyway. Sangria, by the way, is a great drink to make with friends when you’re on a budget because the main ingredient is cheap red wine (get a bottle for no more than $6). By the way, the link attached happens to be my all time favorite Sangria recipe. 

Second of all, there are tons of sites online that you can make photo collages on. In fact, you can put these collages on calendars, computer covers, picture frames, and even mouse pads. One of my favorite things about this particular site is that there is a little bar on the top left corner where you can gauge how much money you want to spend. I most recently used gifts.com for my mom’s birthday when I made her a mouse pad for under $15. Not only did this gift save me a lot of money, but it was also thoughtful and personal (and she loved it!).

Lastly, rather than doing something like going out to the movies, why not rent a movie. Or better yet, if you’re on campus here at Gettysburg, why not rent a projector screen at the library and have a romantic movie night back at your dorm room? You can even pick up snacks at the commons and Bullet beforehand. Furthermore, if the weather is nice it might not be a bad idea to go for a walk into town or out to the Peace Light.

On the other hand, if you do happen to have some money to spend I would recommend the Pub, the Blue Parrot, Dobbin House Tavern or O’Rourke’s Pub. The Tavern is offering a Valentine’s Day Brunch menu for Sunday for $21.95 a person,  and the Parrot and Pub have seasonal special desserts and drinks.

No matter what you end up doing with your time and money this Monday evening, make sure you have fun.

-BerryGoodEats-

Apple Cider Vinegar: The Versatile Vinegar

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A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with a yeast allergy. Presented with this diagnosis, I was forced to start eating a completely yeast-free diet. Unfortunately, yeast is present in almost all food and I therefore needed to eat by trial and error. One food I missed most was bread, especially since I enjoy Italian cooking so much. Desperate to find a way to eat the foods I loved, I began researching homeopathic remedies for allergies. In my search I found Apple Cider Vinegar to come up as a solution for almost every ailment imaginable.

Apple cider vinegar can be taken orally and used externally safely. However, the smell of the vinegar is very potent, and so many users tend to water it down with water or honey, or simply mix it into their food. Some of the most common ailments that Apple Cider Vinegar is treats are: acne, insect bites, stomach pain, asthma and eczema. Many people also use ACV to increase weight loss.

I find the most effective way to use the Apple Cider Vinegar is to add it to all my salad dressings, to drop a tablespoon in my soups and pastas, and most of all, to take about 3-4 tablespoons of it orally everyday after a large meal. While it is very unpleasant to take a swig of ACV, it is also incredibly effective in getting it directly into the bloodstream. Often, I try to water down the vinegar with a little honey. After I eat, I take a big gulp of water followed by a shot glass sized sip of vinegar. Sometimes, I wash down the aftertaste with something salty, like tortilla chips or crackers.

Since I’ve begun taking the Apple Cider Vinegar on a daily basis I’ve found a huge improvement both in my allergy tolerance, and in my general health. I have much more energy, feel more clear-headed, have shed some unwanted weight, have beautiful skin, and my usually dry hair is quite shiny!

-The Flu Season-

On another note, Apple Cider Vinegar is notorious for helping to extinguish throat soreness, flu and cold symptoms at an alarming rate. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, gargling with ACV might help a lot to shorten the length of your illness and help to relieve soreness. Also, if you do indeed decide to drink the ACV it might help to cleanse your system and drain the bacteria from your throat and mouth.

Furthermore,  AVC contains calcium, iron, sodium, malic acid, potassium, acetic acid and pectin. All of these vitamins and minerals are essential in a healthy diet. In fact, some of their immediate benefits include avoiding fungal infections, curing runny noses, lowering blood pH levels, regulating blood pressure and removing bad cholesterol.

-Purchasing and Administering-

Finally, if you do choose to use this liquid gold make sure to buy raw unfiltered vinegar because without it you won’t be getting the necessary “mother of vinegar” which is found in the sediment  that settles in the bottom of the bottle. Therefore, make sure you shake the bottle well before using the vinegar so that the bacteria and “mother” get evenly distributed throughout. While this may sound gross, this “mother”  contains the necessary bacteria that help to stabilize and strengthen your immune system, stomach lining, and cardiovascular health.

-BerryGoodEats-

For a Cold Winter’s Night…

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As the harshest part of winter finally sets in we turn to comfort food and baggy clothes, this makes it very hard to stay fit and healthy. These winter nights  are sometimes the coldest, darkest, longest and loneliest of the year making cooking sound even more tedious to most. It’s sometimes difficult for me!

Last winter, however, I discovered a soup that is not only comforting, filling and delicious, but also simple and easy to make. I can’t say too much for the calories, but can guarantee it’s not nearly as bad as a trip to Panera Bread.

There are two versions of this soup: the original recipe given to me by my roommate, and my own variation of the soup.

-Ravioli Soup-

Ingredients:


20 oz bag of Buitoni Frozen Ravioli

32 oz chicken stock

3 links hot italian sausage, skin removed and rolled into dime sized meatballs

a bunch asparagus, chopped

2-3 cooked cutlets of chicken, fried in oil and shredded

*sliced baguette, for dipping

Preparation:

Fry meatballs in a medium-sized pan on medium heat until brown and crispy. Do the same for the chicken in a separate, smaller fry pan. While the meat is cooking, simmer chicken broth in pot. After the meatballs crisp up, add them to the chicken broth and make sure to get all of the pan juices along with them. Add the chopped asparagus to the broth. Let the meatballs and asparagus simmer in broth for 1 minute to add flavor. Bring broth to a boil and add the ravioli. Ravioli should cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the can be easily pierced with a fork all the way through. Serve immediately with warm baguette to soak up all the broth!

 

-Revised Ravioli-

Ingredients:

20 oz bag of Buitoni Frozen Ravioli

3 links hot italian sausage, skin removed and rolled into nickel sized meatballs

2 tbsp olive oil

parmiggiano-reggiano cheese, grated

Preparation:

Fry meatballs in a medium-sized pan on medium heat until brown and crispy.  While the meat is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil. Add the ravioli as soon as the water comes to a steady rolling boil. Ravioli should cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the can be easily pierced with a fork all the way through. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the meatballs.  After the ravioli is finished cooking, strain and add the ravioli to the meatball, olive oil mixture. Fry together for 30 seconds. Serve immediately with some grated cheese on top.

This recipe is very similar, but has some alterations because of my yeast allergy. I try to avoid the yeast and extra salt in the chicken broth (although it adds incredible flavor) while adding olive for some extra texture. This recipe is also missing the greens and the chicken because of the extra cost (asparagus is expensive). I usually steam some fresh brocoli when I prepare the revised ravioli so that I’m still getting some fresh greens with my meal.

The Blue Parrot

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The Blue Parrot, located in the center of Gettysburg (right off the main circle in fact), offers the best of both worlds to students, professors, tourists and locals. During the day this quaint little bistro serves original takes on old but delicious classics. However, on the weekends the Parrot offers an accessible bar with the back dining room open as an open seating area for larger groups.

-The Main Event-

Dessert

The Blue Parrot, while not advertising openly on their website, offers a series of desserts that change seasonally. All of the desserts are made in-house, including their own chocolate and caramel sauce.

Upon inquiring about the lack of  a dessert menu, not only did I discover that they did indeed serve dessert, but that their incredibly sneaky way of presenting their options makes it utterly impossible to resist having one!

I urge you readers, do not miss out on this season’s desserts. For the winter months, the Parrot is featuring dishes that include chocolate brownie sundae, banana bread pudding (don’t let the name deceive you), chocolate mousse, raspberry cheesecake and carrot cake.

My personal favorite of their winter choices thus far is the banana bread pudding. This dish, far superior to the others, features both the home-made chocolate and the caramel sauce. Resembling a cake-shaped pancake, the bread-pudding is packed with banana, soft warm cake, chocolate chips, and oozes with delicious chocolate and caramel. Needless to say, I fell in love that fated Saturday night.

Folks, this is the best part. Each dessert, which will easily feed two (and I am NOT usually a sharer), is $6.50.  I recommend coming with a groups of friends and sharing a few dishes. Their coffee and cappuccinos, while not straight from a bar in Italy, are also lovely. Furthermore, on Saturdays the Parrot serves until 9:30 pm, so if you arrive before that time you can order some dessert and go straight to the bar… did I mention you already have a table?

Joanna Berry

-BerryGoodEats-

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Catoctin Mountain Orchard

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Just fifteen miles south of Gettysburg College on Route 15, there is a small gem; the Catoctin Mountain Orchard.  At this orchard one can find anything from a selection of gourds and pumpkins, to apples and preserves, to fresh-baked pies. I love to go to this market for  specialty items like honey, cheese and seasonal produce. Not to mention, walking the orchards in the fall air is a wonderful bonus, and incentive to my friends, for a weekend trip down.

At this wonderful market one will be astounded by both the variety, and small-town freshness, while not spending an exorbitant amount of money. Just last weekend, after a great baby-back rib-filled lunch at Chubby’s Barbecue, my friends and I ventured over to the market for some fall fun. There, we picked out gourds and mini pumpkins (3 for $2), apples, cider, and what turned out to be much more.

Hint- come here for your Christmas shopping. Not only are all of the products fresh and beautiful, but they are home and hand-made! Some of the items are a little expensive, but other’s are a great deal. Ok, here’s the official run-down of what I saw…

Foods like:

Apples, plums, cheese (yes, home-made cheese!) and cider. Not to mention fresh-baked goods and jams, honey, honey butters and their own array of hot sauces!

Items:

Photos taken by locals, home-made wicker baskets,  home-made candles, pumpkins and other seasonal decorations.

While there I had a $30 budget to buy my sister’s birthday gift, some fall decorations, and a treat for myself and my friends. This might seem a hard task on so little money, but all of the options the market offered made it fun to choose! Between 3 gourds, two full-sized pumpkins, honey, hot sauce, a candle, a photograph, jam, apples, cider and a jar of nuts I just made my budget. What I’ve eaten so far has been delicious, and I can’t wait to brag about where I got my home-made candle!

During allergy season one should pay attention to some holistic options. Eating local honey is both soothing and delicious, and also has powers against allergies. When you eat local honey, you ingest the pollen that bees cultivate which helps your body to build-up an immunity, making allergies a lot less serious. Therefore, go to this great market and get some delicious honey! What a yummy way to take medicine… take that Mary Poppins!

Go soon before all the good pumpkins are gone!

-Berrygoodeats

Zucchini Pasta

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We all know what it’s like when our pockets are feeling a little tight, and yet that doesn’t keep the shopping list from getting longer. While living in Italy, I realized quickly that I would have to start budgeting my food money very carefully. Luckily, I also had a huge, fresh food market only two blocks away with a plethora of beautiful fruits, vegetables and grains at my disposal. While there, I discovered how miraculous a staple zucchini is. Fresh zucchini might be one of the most versatile and delicious fruits (yes it’s a fruit)- you can even eat the flower! This wonderful squash is best to buy in the summer, when it is in season, but fortunately, here in the US  there are ways of enjoying it all year round. Zucchini also happens to be relatively cheap, and will last a long time if refrigerated. Therefore, I never leave the market without at least two large zucchini and a package of baby zucchini.

Zucchini is a great choice not only because of its affordability, but because it is also very good for you. Zucchini has very little calories, is a good source of fiber, and contains vitamins like potassium, vitamin A, manganese, and folate.

One of my favorite ways to prepare zucchini is with pasta. All you need to enjoy zucchini on a regular basis is a box of pasta, some cheese and a lemon. This dish is incredibly cheap to prepare, very healthy, and extremely delicious.

Alright, down to business. Zucchini pasta is very easy to make, and is a good practice dish for fledgling chefs. This recipe can also feed many people at once, and prepares quickly so it’s good for a crowd. This recipe will focus on portion sizes for between 3-4 people.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb- 1lb of pasta (depending on the appetite of those consuming)

1 medium sized zucchini

1/2 lemon, juiced

pecorino romano cheese, grated (or parmigiano-reggiano)

1 tbsp. oregano

2 tbsp. olive oil (plus more to taste)

salt and pepper to taste (fresh ground and course is the best)

Preparation:

Put a large pot of water on to boil, adding a pinch of salt to speed up the boiling process, and a tsp. of olive to keep the pasta from sticking. While the water is boiling, rinse and slice the zucchini into medallions about 1/4 of an inch thick. While the water is boiling, add your favorite pasta. Personally, I would recommend thicker pastas like farafalle or penne, but virtually any kind would work (make sure not to overlook their cooking time).

After the pasta is on, place a large pan on the burner, coat the pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and turn the burner on medium heat.  When hot, place the zucchini medallions in, trying to give each piece as much room as possible. Make sure to turn the zucchini frequently, getting both sides a little crispy- this should take about five minutes. Turn the burner on low to keep the zucchini warm while the pasta finishes cooking.

At this point, you should check the pasta and give it a stir. Then, shred enough cheese for as many people are eating.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and portion onto plates. Add zucchini mixture to each dish. On each plate, squeeze over the lemon, drizzle a bit of olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and lastly, add some cheese. Remember to stir each dish well before eating in order to get the best flavor.

Eat well, and enjoy!

-berrygoodeats

Olive Oil- Milk of the Earth

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Using great olive oil is key to any wonderful dish. Cooking with olive oil adds a certain richness and flavor that one can’t find in any butter, and also promotes a healthier lifestyle. Unlike butter or canola oil, one can find many flavors and types of olive oils to cook with, thus adding a whole new dimension to any chef’s kitchen. Here are a few basics to get you started:

While cooking, use any basic olive oil since it will be absorbed by the food and it’s flavor’s will be distorted when heated. When I say to use a basic oil, I am referring to any olive oil brand that is moderately inexpensive and always unflavored.  Pouring your more expensive olive oil over cooked food, or serving it as a side for dipping is the best way to conserve this liquid gold and enhance your dishes’ key flavors.

Sometimes I like to buy a bottle of my favorite olive oil and add either some basic italian spices or some hot peppers to flavor it. For example, I love Luccan oils, so I usually spend the extra money for a small bottle. I pour some of this precious oil into a separate dark bottle (dark bottles that contain smaller amounts help conserve the oil longer) fill it with my favorite spices like oregano, thyme, basil and fresh rosemary and then place it in a dark cool corner in-between uses. This spiced oil is later poured in dipping dishes or drizzled lightly over a special dish or salad. Be careful not to be too liberal since this oil is both special and very strong in flavor. Instead, save the heavier pours for your less expensive oils, but remember that with olive oil less is always more (not to mention you can always add more later).

There are many types of olive oil, from lower grade oils that are refined to various levels of virgin oils that use no chemicals during processing. I highly recommend only using the virgin oils; trust me, the little extra money is worth the flavor difference as well as the health benefits.

Olive oil is quite beneficial to one’s health; it keeps your heart strong, gives you smooth, moisturized skin and is packed with vitamins and nutrients. I know from personal experience that there is magic in this wonderful elixir. Since converting from butter to olive oil I have found that my waistline has become considerably slimmer, my skin has been much softer and that my salt cravings have gone down considerably. I highly recommend making the shift and opening up to yourself a whole new world of sumptuousness and enlightenment.

Eat well!

Eat to Live, and Live to Eat!

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Using pilates, yoga, or just general health can help guide your eating habits and create a way of life that is much more prosperous. For example, today my mother and I were invited to an early morning private pilates session with our long-time friend and neighbor. We spent the morning getting private attention from our engaging and knowledgeable trainer, learning new ways to stretch our bodies and strengthen our “centers.” Pilates is a wonderful workout and practice for anyone- be it man or woman, young or old. I myself am not a big fan of tramping to the gym and doing one monotonous, strenuous workout after another. I hate running and can’t stand lifting. But using dance, yoga and pilates has taught me to focus and strengthen my body; I have gained more than just physical strength, I have been granted a newer and more focused sense of self and my body… not to mention found some long lost confidence!

Needless to say, after a two-hour session on the mat we were all ravenous. After working out, your body will crave carbs, proteins and fiber. So, I thought it was a good idea to scour the fridge for some left-behind meats and veggies. Sure enough, I found some chicken cutlets and one lone steak, along with a pepper and zucchini left over from the fajitas I made earlier this week. I also had some cheese, crackers and olives that I needed to clean out before the week’s end, and decided they would cover our “carbs” unit for the day. Being that we were in a bit of a rush to eat again after the intensity of the morning, I whipped together some teriyaki sauce to let the meat (chopped up chicken and sirloin steak) marinate in for about 30 minutes. While the meat was marinating, I prepared my Summer Salad, and then enjoyed some cheese and crackers with my guests.

They key to today’s meal was using everything I had in my fridge and combining old recipes with new ingredients to make a unique dish that suited my day’s needs.

Try this recipe for yourself and let me know what you think!

Teriyaki Kebabs

Ingredients:

1 red pepper

1 zucchini

1/2 onion

3 chicken cutlets

8-10 oz sirloin steak

Preparation:

Soak about a half a dozen grilling skewers in water for 5-10 minutes to keep them from catching fire on the grill (mind you, this is only if they are wooden like the ones I use). While the skewers are soaking, roughly chop up chicken and steak and place in the above-mentioned marinade for 20-40 minutes. Then, while the meat is marinating, coarsely chop up the onion and red pepper and stick the pieces onto skewers. Now, cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise and then chop into 1 inch chunks. Put the zucchini on their own skewers seeing as they may cook for a longer time than the onion and pepper. After the meat is finished marinating, place the steak and chicken on separate skewers.

Grilling:

Turn the grill on medium high heat. Place the skewers onto grill and then brush more marinade over each. Close grill cover and let cook for about 5 minutes. Then, intermittently check on the skewers and turn, each time adding more marinade. The pepper and onion will most likely cook faster than the meat and zucchini so watch them more carefully. After about 10-15 minutes it should all be finished (just be sure to turn and watch each skewer closely as they may all finish at different times). Remove the veggies and meat from the sticks and serve immediately on a serving tray!

Enjoy!

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

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This is a great marinade for any meat dish, and much cheaper to use than any store-bought brand. Not to mention, it’s fast, easy, you can make it any consistency that you personally prefer, and you don’t have to worry about any preservatives or chemicals. Plus, you can always brag that you made it yourself!

Ingredients:

Soy Sauce
Brown Sugar

Preparation:

Pour the amount of soy sauce you would like to use for a marinade into a bowl (I usually prep about 1- 1& 1/2 cups). Then, add crumpled brown sugar slowly to the liquid making sure to mix it in well and break up any clumps.

*If the brown sugar is hard, try putting it in a brown bag and thawing it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Keep adding the sugar until you get the desired consistency and flavor (it should be a little sweet). If I am making a marinade that is between 1 and 1& 1/2 cups, than adding about 1/4 sugar should be more than enough!

Coat the meat in the marinade and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cooking!

Enjoy!