Baking for the fall season

It’s that time of year again! So to help get you in the fall spirit, here’s a pumpkin cream cheese muffin recipe. Easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients
Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Topping:
4 and 1/2 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

Batter:
2 and 1/2 cups of flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 eggs
1 and 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
1) 375 degrees, grease muffin cups
2) Filling
• Beat cream cheese until soft
• Add egg, vanilla, and brown sugar
• Mix together
3) Topping
• Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon
• Add melted butter and mix
4) Muffin batter
• Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon
• Add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil, and vanilla
• Beat together until smooth
5) Place muffin batter in muffins at half full
6) Add a tablespoon of cream cheese filling in the middle (try not to let it touch the sides)
7) Sprinkle the sugar topping
8) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees

Enjoy!!

The Sushi Place

Just checked out this new addition to the Federal Hill neighborhood over the weekend. I must say that I will be coming back. The Volcano Roll is absolutely delicious! Also, you have the option of BYOB making it perfect for a casual date night.

Also, there is a Canton location for those who those on the other side of the Bay.

The customer service was salty

My latest restaurant visit was at Salt Tavern. And I have to begin off by saying customer service is key. I don’t necessarily need a server who is very attentive. However, there should be a common decency among all people, not just those in the restaurant industry. And one lady there was just plain rude. She kicked someone out who was waiting for their dinner companion. You know that’s happened to the best of us, running a tad bit late for that reservation. Life happens, doesn’t mean you gotta be rude.

Anyway, that’s sadly what I remember the most.

I’ll attach a picture of my salmon, mussels and couscous with a hint of saffron because it was delicious. But that’s all I will say was really good. The doughnuts were nothing to write home about, just alright. In comparison, I thought a Boston Creme doughnut from Dunkin donuts was way better.

Lesson is: don’t be rude in any aspect of life. I just really don’t get it.

Warning

It’s restaurant week in Baltimore and I’m definitely going to go out more than once for this momentous occasion. I’ll have reviews coming up!

How to make your stomach happy

My all around favorite place to eat is Mamas on the Half Shell in Canton. Everything is perfect. The seafood club, the Mac and cheese, the fish & chips, the crab cake, the cream of crab soup, the oysters! Oh my god, I’m getting hungry just thinking of this place. If you don’t go here, you are seriously not living. I know, it’s a bold statement.

Also, for an added bonus, get a refreshingly delicious orange crush!

I’m back!

Sorry, it’s been so long since I wrote. Being a foodie also has its drawbacks, like being mad lazy. Although, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the couch potato life.

Anyway, my first entry is about the amazingly delicious gyro at Samos restaurant. This place is located in Greektown of Baltimore.

The gyro is the shit for many reasons.
1 – Tzatziki sauce. They make their own here and it’s by far one of my favorites ever. The sauce is just so refreshing with the cucumber flavor
2 – Sooooo much meat! Can’t go wrong with that
3 – The price, my gyro was about $6….

This place is perfect for cheap eats and deliciousness. Nom nom nom

Side note: Hummus was underrated. I highly recommend the lamb on a stick instead!

Smorgasburg. Try saying that 3 times in a row

Hey everyone! So I recently visited one of the greatest cities ever, NYC! While I was there, I had to try out the amazing food that they have to offer. On my foodie adventure, I went down to Brooklyn to visit Smorgasburg. What is this, you ask? Every Saturday and Sunday, a group of food vendors get together and sell cheap eats for all. The Saturdays are located at Kent Avenue and N. 7 St. I highly recommend this just because of the awesome view of the water and the buildings. The one food vendor I really liked was The Milk Truck. This is because this vendor represents everything dairy and delicious..from mac & cheese to grilled cheese. Both amazing! I tried the mac & cheese and you get to choose your own toppings. OF COURSE I went with bacon, duh.

For anyone interested in going here, I also heard The Noodle Lane is a good find, and there was one unknown vendor that sold Vietnamese coffee. Unfortunately I forgot the name, but you can’t miss it. This is a definite must for coffee lovers.

Hope you make this a part of your next food adventure when visiting the city that never sleeps.

 

Margs fo life

In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, lets talk about margaritas! And also, I hope you all had a wonderful tequila weekend.

One of the places you need to go to when getting a margarita is Nacho Mama’s in Canton.

They have big ass margaritas. HUBCAP STYLE! Fair warning, share it with friends or you will be destroyed. My favorite was the original or the Blue Suede Shoes.

Also, the Mexican food there is amazing and reasonably priced. All the quesadillas they offer are delicious and food coma worthy.

Come check it out and say hi to Elvis for me.

Helpful hints: Get a designated driver and get here before 5 pm.

The Mission for the Perfect Crab cake…

Being a Marylander, you have to know your crab cakes. Its like breathing. If you don’t know how to breathe/eat crab cakes, you don’t know how to live.

So I figured this would be a good post to people visiting the state. I know that you’ve heard of many crab cake places through shows like Man vs Food and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. But I’m going to give you the local scoop, go to G&M Restaurant and Lounge. Located in Linthicum, about 15 minutes south of Baltimore city.

Just look at the picture above. Thats a good looking crab cake. Its huge and filled with way more crab meat than breading. I would not say it is over seasoned, but thats whats nice about it. The crab flavor really shines through. Its just simple and delicious!

I have a few tips for this place though, to save your time and so you can get the bang for your buck.
1. If you’re going for lunch, get there before 12. I’d say around 11:30-11:45. After 12, the wait can take forever.

2. Get the crab cake sandwich instead of the actual crabcake. It saves a few bucks. Its $15 versus $27 at lunch time. AND ITS THE SAME CRAB CAKE.

3. If you aren’t feeling like walking out with a food coma, but want to try the way Marylanders eat crabs…get the cream of crab soup. Just as amazing!

That is all, hope this entry helps and gets you all to have a wonderful crab cake experience!

Work hard, party hard

Have you ever had one of those crap days at work where all you need to hear is those two wonderful words? Happy hour!

I know I have. Definitely stop by Roy’s. They are located in Harbor East of Baltimore City, but I believe they have chains in other states.The happy hour or should I say aloha hour is from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Now I’m going to make this simple, all you need to get there is the Charm city sangria (Ruby Red) and the $5 appetizers. Which appetizers you ask? ALL OF THEM! They have about six to select so why not get all of them to split with a friend? Or eat them all yourself. No judging, I’ve done it before. My favorites were the tacos, but honestly, all were delicious.

Ps. chocolate lovers will thoroughly enjoy their melting hot chocolate soufflé. Its a must!