Funnel Cake

Funnel cake is one of those awesome snacks that you only get to eat one or twice a year.. until now. A roommate of ours found this recipe in Food Network Magazine, and surprise it was actually as easy as they said it would be and as tasty as the authentic versions at Hershey Park and Disney. It takes about 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to heat the oil and a minute per cake. While the recipe calls for a deep fryer, we made do with a large pot filled with canola oil, so its definitely something you can make in your dorm.

Check out the recipe below, trust us, its worth it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/easy-classic-funnel-cake-recipe/index.html

Thank you Sunny Anderson!

Until next time, Keep Craving!

Ole Tapas

We were both looking for a new take on Newark Dining, since by May students are tired of the classic Main Street options. Ole Tapas, On Capitol Trail just won best new restaurant in 2009 and is continuing to prove that its got a new take on Spanish cuisine. We went tonight and lets just say our palates were really happy.

The menu has over 30 great tapas options. In Tapas, you order a bunch of small plates to share with who you're with. Ole Tapas suggests ordering about three per person- this was more than enough food for us, but guys, maybe you'll want more.

Here's what we tried:

Bocata De Puerco- $6- braised pork belly min- sandwich with fennel slaw

Higos Con Cabrales- $6- bacon wrapped figs with cabrales

Polo Muruno- $7- Stewed chicken with winter squash and chick peas

Gambas Rebosadas- $7- crisp florida pink shrimp with saffron aioli

Paella Mini- $7- miniature seafood and chorizo paella

Tapas Del Dia- (today it was $7 and was roasted asparagus with tomatoes and capicolla

Best of the night was the bacon wrapped figs with cabrales, the mixture of sweet and salty hid every taste note and was completely delicious. The only one we wouldn't recommend getting again would be the stewed chicken- it was a bit wattery. The tapas is delicious but also be sure to look out for Sunday nights "all you can eat paella" for $15. A steal for the complex dish with both fish and chorizo.

So take a walk on the wild side and try something out of the Main Street beaten path, and until next time- Keep Craving!

Yogurt at the Movies, Who'da thunk it?

Word has come from Sony Pictures that American movie theaters need to step up their game when it comes to helping curb the obesity epidemic in the country. And for us college students who will no doubt inherit many of today’s issues when we graduate, the future of food is important.

According to ComingSoon.net, Sony CEO Michael Lynton movie theater moguls at ShoWest, the nation's largest convention for the movie theater industry, earlier this month that "adding healthier options to your existing menu is the right thing to do for our industry, for audiences and for our country."

It's true - buckets of butter-soaked popcorn, super sized calorie-packed soda and handfuls of Jujubes don't exactly fall under "healthy eating." And in today's world, where healthy eating has become a national concern deserving of attention, healthy options like fruit cups, veggies with dip, yogurt and granola bars at movie theaters is not an abomination of movie-going tradition.

A poll of moviegoers commissioned by Sony showed two-thirds of moviegoers are more likely to buy healthy snacks at theaters if they are offered. In other words, two-thirds of participants were quite possibly dirty liars. But let's be real here. How many Americans are actually willing to give up their movie-going traditions?

If those people polled were being completely honest, then the future looks bright for much of film-watching America. If people in high places are serious about getting Americans to eat better, then healthier options in some of the unhealthiest places is a step in the right direction.

But for those of us who can't resist a small popcorn at the movies, don't stress about the new changes - existing menus at theaters across the country will remain the same. More room will just have to be made for fresh fruits and veggies at the concession stand, and we have no problem with that.

Keep craving!

Spring Break

Spring Break is fast approaching and with US destinations as the hot new destinations this year (can you say bad economy?) We thought we'd look at some of the best places to go in some of this year's most popular spots: Today, New Orleans.

New Orleans:

Antoine's- Open since 1840 with classic creole dishes its a New Orleans landmark. Mind you, the prices are a bit steep but for one nice night out its a good pick. Antoine's is especially cool because they helped out all of their employees during the Hurricane and even paid to house their families. The food is awesome, but for support alone, try Antoine's:

http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/antoines/menu.html

Casamento's - On Food Network's Diners, Drive ins and Dives "Cookin' and Old School" episode, Casemento's is featured, from Gumbo, Crab Claws and Soft Shell Crab Dinner- its a mix of old and new seafood dishes from as low as 6 bucks. And since Guy Fieri ate it, you know it has to be at least a little good (and way fattening) - but that's the best kind of food.

http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com/menu/menu.html

Progress Grocery- Has been making Muffuletta Sandwich with Olive Salad since 1924, you need to try this NOLA staple when you're there and its easy, cheap and filling food.

http://www.progressgrocery.com/

And of course, for Food Network junkies like myself- There's always NOLA- Emeril Lagasse's flagship restaurant- big $, but again, definitely worth it for a quality meal.

Until next location.. keep craving!

Philadelphia Flower Inspired Food Tour

Nothing like the Philadelphia Flower show to get your tastebuds in gear. Inspired by the "Passport to the World", City Food Tours has created a tour filled with amazing treats from around the world, all relating back to nature. They sample cheeses from across Europe, Chocolates from Central and South America and teas from Asia and Africa.

These specially crafted goodies all have botanical ingredients so its sure to get you in the mood for the flower show (open till March 7th!)

Here's a sample of what you get:

Exotic teas with jasmine, violets and chrysanthemums at Tbar

Lavender- dusted goat cheese and blue cheese with wildflower honey at Di Bruno Bros

Orange blossom and rose infused chocolates at Naked Chocolate Cafe

Prices are $35 per person or $30 for Seniors

If this isn't your cup of tea (ha.) city good tours has many other tours including the clasic flavors of Phili tour. So book and enjoy: http://www.cityfoodtours.com/philadelphia/philadelphia-food-tours.cfm?tourid=22

and until next time, keep craving!

Food in the News

It's time to get a little newsy about food. According to a recent story by The New York Times, the Food and Drug Administration wants to encourage manufacturers to print important nutritional information, including calories counts, smack dab on the front of food packages. That means that soon, that box of cookies, sugary cereal or even veggie crisps will tell you exactly how many guilty calories you're about to consume.

Essentially, the F.D.A.'s goal is to give food shoppers a jolt of reality before reaching for less than healthy snacks and treats. The problem is, official serving sizes for many packaged foods are just to small, and this means the calorie amounts that accompany them can be misleading. To fix this situation, the F.D.A. is going to define serving sizes for certain junk foods in terms of how we really eat.

For us, this is a pretty scary thought. We'll admit, we've gone through a pint of ice cream before without looking at exactly how many servings we were taking in. And really, how many of us can always muster the will power to eat just one serving and then put down that bag of chips?

So maybe a big reality check in the cookies and candy aisle isn't such a bad idea. There's a lot of confusion between serving sizes and fat and calorie counts, so many people think they're eating one serving and getting this many calories, when they're not. In today's world, in which a cheese steak or pizza pie is just a phone call away, it's difficult to tell how much we really eat in a day, a week or even in one meal. But eating anything we want is possible, we're just going to have to eyeball those food labels carefully and see how much of those delicious cookies we can eat. But the difference between how servings are doled out in the food industry and how much people actually eat is suprising... from the Times article:

"For ice cream, the serving size is half a cup. For packaged muffins, it is often half a muffin. For cookies it is generally one ounce, equal to two Double Stuf Oreos. For most children’s breakfast cereals, a serving is three-quarters of a cup."

If the F.D.A. pushes for major snack manufacturers to really stick those calories on the front packages of chips, will people strive to eat healthier and eat the proper servings of their guilty pleasures? It has potential. And because, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34 percent of adults are obese, it may be necessary.

Until then, we're going to enjoy our proper serving (okay, maybe a serving and a half) of potato chips and wonder what our shopping experiences will be like when the truth about food appears in aisles 1 through 9.

Keep craving!

Skor Bar Cheesecake

So we tried this one out- half from a recipe off of cooks.com and some improving when some aspects of the recipe didn't go according to plan. But after 5 errand trips for forgotten ingredients and some last minute re-writes, it actually turned out incredibly delicious- try it! Its impressive tasting and looking and is a great pick me up.

Crust:

1 and 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

6 tbsp unsalted butter melted

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

- preheat over to 350 degrees, butter the springform pan then combine crumbs, butter and brown sugar and press crumbs up the bottom and up 1 inch of the sides- Refrigerate one hour.

Filling:

2 ibs cream cheese

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

2 and 1/2 vanilla extract

2 tsp lemon juice

- using an electric mixer beat cream cheese in a bowl then add sugar, beat add eggs, beat then add extract and lemon juice.

- pour filling into crust and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes until it rises 1/2 inch above the pan

- cover and refrigerate until chilled- 6 hours (can be made a day ahead)

Topping:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter

5 hershey bars

-mix butter, cream and milk until combined over low heat. Break chocolate into pieces and slowly mix in until combined. Pour over cake

- break skor bars into pieces and put on top of the chocolate sauce, refrigerate for one hour until sauce sets.

- I know this seems like a lot of work, and we won't lie- it was. But it turned out amazing. Until next time, keep craving!

Snowed In

So for today, our second consecutive snow day, we thought we'd concentrate on some comfort recipes. Its tough figuring out what to eat when you can't get your car out of the lot to go to super fresh and you're not in the mood for the classic staples like salad. Staying in all day definitely makes you hungry, so we did some research and found some easy to make alterations on classic winter treats.

Hot Chocolate:

Take Ina Garten's advice and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso power.

Or if you feel like starting from scratch- try Paula Deen's White Hot Chocolate:

- 1 cup white chocolate chips

-1 cup heavy cream

-4 cups half and half

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Whipped Cream

Mac and Cheese:

You may only have kraft in the pantry, but by taking some ideas from the Neelys, you can transform it into something new. Try adding chopped bacon, parmesan cheese and potato chips to the top of the mac and cheese, then cook in the oven till golden.

Chicken Soup:

We all have some variation of this in our cabinets, and it's the perfect winter staple. To add interest, try adding some cooked pasta (your choice) or a splash of lemon juice like in Giada De Laurentiis' Lemon Chicken Soup with Spaghetti.

Until next time- keep warm and keep craving!

Are you ready for a throw down?

After watching Bobby Flay's show "Food Network Throw down" its hard not to want to try the food of those who are kings of their craft. Although the contestants on this show come from around the country, with only a short drive to a few major cities, some of these are definitely attainable. This winter break we tried out two in New York- both were awesome, and here's why.

1) Caracas Arepa Bar from the "Arepa" throw down. Arepa's are cornmeal pancakes that come with a variety of ingredients wrapped inside of them, usually some form of meat or fish as well as beans, vegetables or cheese. This restaurant is tiny and located in alphabet city New York. It was completely understated, but the food was completely awesome. Start out with the YoYos- fried plantain balls stuffed with white cheese. They are amazing; sweet, savory and filling. The best Arepa? De Pabellon. Made with shredded beef, white salty cheese, plantains and black beans. The meat was cooked perfectly, and the cheese and plantain combo was incredible. Not only is this place incredibly tasty but also pretty cheap. The meal I just described costs under $14.00 and the appetizer is really for 2.

http://www.caracasarepabar.com/index_2.php

2. Melba's from the chicken and waffles throw down. This restaurant, located in Harlem NY mixes southern staples with classic diner favorites for a delicious meal. You'll want to come for brunch to taste the famous chicken and waffles or the delicious sweet potato pancakes, but the dinner menu also has so southern classics like catfish. While the menu is limited, you come to Melba's for one thing- chicken and waffles, so it's really all you need. Its a great way to try this delicious treat, especially if it's your first time.

http://melbasrestaurant.com/

Both restaurants are truly at the top of their games and a great way to try acclaimed cuisine without the expensive price tag. If you're near NY, definitely give these a try, and until next time, keep craving!

Game Day

We were looking for some awesome game day treats when we stumbled upon these:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/wing-it/pictures/page-2.html

- Bobby Flay doesn't make any mistakes on the grill, and these look no different. A classic hot wing with yogurt sauce. Yum.

For some wing variations go to foodtv.com. They have a ton of amazing looking wings that are sure to satisfy any appetite.

Keep Craving!

Choose This not That

With February fast approaching, students will be clamoring to get into the bob carpenter center to shed off the unwanted holiday pounds. Exercise is incredibly important, but obviously, so are the right food choices. At college it seems incredibly difficulty, and sometimes impossible, to eat healthy. There are however, a lot of great alternative healthy options on Main Street.

Here are some easy switches you can make:

Starbucks:
CHOOSE: tall skim vanilla latte NOT: tall white mocha

Home Grown:
CHOOSE: Green Apple Wrap NOT: The Fighting Blue Hen

Wings to go:
CHOOSE: Jersey Chicken Club Wrap NOT: BBQ Chicken Cheesesteak

NDB:

CHOOSE: Whole wheat bagle with low fat cream cheese NOT: Plain bagel with bacon, egg and cheese

Klondike Kates:

CHOOSE Basil Pesto Roasted Salmon NOT: Chicken Parm

These are just some examples of easy substitutions you can make, but even the smallest step up can help you in the long run.

Keep Craving!

Most Expensive

We're used to reasonably priced college foods, lets face it- it's pretty much all we got at this point. But sometimes its fun to see what its like on the other side of the tracks. We did some research and found some of the most expensive foods products in the world: check them out, they'll blow your mind.

Cheese- The most expensive cheese in the world costs $500 per pound. Its made with moose milk, and specifically only three of them actually produce the milk, on a farm in northern Sweden. Only 660 pounds are produced per year!

Mac & Cheese- Only available in Santa Monica, for $95 a plate! The reason: they're covered with white truffle, brown butter truffle froth and parmesan cheese.

Ice Cream Sundae- Found only at Serendipity 3 in New York City. Its called "Golden Opulence" made with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, madagascar vanilla, covered in gold leaf and drizzles with the most expensive chocolate covered in chunks of more rare chocolate and suffused with exotic candied fruits, truffles and marzipan cherries. Wanna buy? $1,000.

For more of the world's most expensive, check out

http://most-expensive.net/category/cuisine

Until next time keep craving!

Books for Foodies

Schools still out (for UD at least) so while most of you are probably at home enjoying the big perk of break- home cooked meals, we've found some books to read while you're on vacation (we're jealous), or just hanging out at home with nothing to do. Here are some great books written by well known food critics and writers.

1) Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl- Ruth is the Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine and has written a book on her life and her experiences with food. Growing up with a mother who was only able to cook really disgusting and sometimes unsanitary dishes, she learned quickly the power, and the dangers of food.

"Food could be a way of making sense of the world, If you watched peopleas they ate, you could find out who they were."

This memoir is both funny and enlightening.. and only $15.95 at Borders

2) Insatiable by Gael Greene- This book is a definite must read for the food snob. Gael Greene, who is and has been a food critic for New York Magazine for years upon years, and was also a judge on Top Chef Masters, discusses her life-long passion for great food and great sex. This memoir covers both her career in food and history with men in a book that is interesting, but at points a bit much. Never the less it's an incredible look into an amazingly delicious life of luxury.

3) The Nasty Tidbits by Anthony Bourdain- Bourdain hosts No Reservations on the Travel Channel, a show about the food in different cities and regions throughout the world. He is both funny and awesomely sarcastic on the show and luckily he writes exactly as he speaks. This book is a collection of outrageous stories about his travels and his meals. He is refreshingly opinionated and this is a great read for those of you who like funny books.

Keep Craving!