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November 22, 2013

Restaurant Review: Hops House 99 at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, IN

I love being invited to try new restaurants! We really enjoyed our time at Final Cut's Sam Adams beer tasting event at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, IN, so when I was contacted to review a new restaurant inside Hollywood Casino, I couldn't pass it up!

Yep, a new restaurant/bar called Hops House 99. The theme is beer, beer, and more beer. They've got 99 brews (yes 99 brews!!!), 31 HD TV's, and food. Beer, football, and food, yes please! This has got to be a man's heaven.

 

















































It's got a nice bar area, and a huge dining area in back. We sat in the dining area. So spacious, soooooo many big screen TVs, tables and booths. We loved the look and feel of the place! And of course football was on. Winning.



















































































































Don't you just love these glasses?!? I do I do.


























































The menu features bar-type appetizers like nachos, fried pickles, wings, quesadillas, and more. Salads and soups grace the menu. I was this close to ordering their Fried Chicken Cobb Salad. When we go back, I'll definitely try that. They've got burgers and sandwiches. A few entrees like Fried Chicken, Ribs, NY Strip. Sides like waffle fries, sweet potato waffle fries, baked beans and more. And desserts like Cheesecake, Pecan Pie, and Dark Chocolate Brownie. I want it all!!!

We weren't really sure how this works, but figured if they are asking us to review the restaurant, we'd need to try an appetizer, an entree for each of us, and a dessert. 

First up, the appetizer. These Beer Cheese Fries ($6). They are everything. Waffle fries, first of all, are my favorite kind of fries. Sometimes though, when drenched in bacon and cheese, they can be soggy. But these were perfectly crispy. Piled with bacon, cheddar jack, and scallions, with a side of ranch sauce. I ate all of these. Every single bite. And there was a ton. I'd say that's a good amount for what you pay.



























































Since I didn't try one of their 99 beers, I definitely wanted to try their 99 Beer Battered Cod ($14). Beer-battered fish is one of my favorite things in the world when the batter is perfectly crunchy and beery. Beery? Is that a word? I make up my own words a lot. Anyway, it came with a side of cole slaw and tartar sauce. That batter was delicious - crispy with that perfect beer batter flavor. And the cod was plump and cooked well. Entrees come with a choice of 2 sides.  I chose their Mac and Cheese, and Bourbon Barrel Baked Beans (all sides are $3 a la carte). We both liked the baked beans but neither of us were fans of the mac and cheese. The mac and cheese tasted like it could have been a beer mac and cheese but I wasn't diggin the taste.



























































PJ ordered a sandwich - The Hot Chick ($9). It's a spicy chicken sandwich served with spicy mayo, vinegar slaw, and banana peppers. The only thing is, PJ isn't a huge fried chicken fan, especially on a sandwich with bread. There was no description that it was a fried chicken sandwich. If he'd known that, he wouldn't have ordered that. He said it was just ok because of it being fried, but said the flavor was good. Fried chicken lovers may love it though! His sandwich came with a side of waffle fries.























































Now for dessert. PJ always wants to order bread pudding, so bread pudding it was! White Chocolate Bread Pudding ($5), at that. It was delicious. Decadent, sweet, smothered in sauce and whipped cream. What a way to end the night!
















































For the most part, we loved our food! Only downsides were PJ's sandwich, and the mac and cheese. But the appetizer, my cod, the baked beans, and dessert made up for that!

Our waitress was very nice too (maybe because she knew we were reviewing the restaurant, but nonetheless, pleasant). She was informative about the beer menu and checked in on us often to make sure that our food was good and that we had refills. They didn't have Dr. Pepper though, that's always a bummer, so PJ got pink lemonade and I got water. Can we just send a memo to all restaurants in existence and tell them that it is now a mandatory law that they serve Dr. Pepper? Someone make that happen, k?

Head on over to Hops House 99 for some good food, good beer, and a good time! Just try not to lose all your money in the casino.


Peace, and bacon grease!





Hops House 99 on Urbanspoon

November 18, 2013

Spicy Crackers

Time for another month of Secret Recipe Club!






















 









































This month I was assigned to Rhonda, aka Giggles', blog The Kitchen Witch. So many good recipes! I wanted to make them all, and over time, I know I'll make a lot of them! Like her Featherlight Cheddar-Ranch Puffs which remind me of Red Lobster biscuits - Yum! And this Champagne Sunrise, I am a champagne FREAK! And Maple Rum Pecan Cupcakes with Candied Bacon??? I love all.of.the.things.  





































































But ultimately I chose this recipe because I'm all about a good dip or salsa during football games and for a quick snack, and what better way to jazz that dip up than with some spicy crackers!?!?
 
 
























































Be sure to use a deeper, narrower container rather than wide and shallow so that the oil and spices are more covering the crackers as they sit in the oils and spices overnight. The more shallow the container, the less the oil will cover the full surface area of the cracker. You'll flip midway through, so the crackers should be evenly and fully covered in the seasonings and oil, though not drenched. Also, don't stack the crackers so tight together... leave a little space between them so the oils and spices can get down in there and cover the entirety of the cracker and not just the top.

Now you've got yourself some extra-special crackers for dips, salsas, soups, whatever you usually use crackers for.  

   


Spicy Crackers
from The Kitchen Witch
  • 1 and 1/3 cup canola oil (do not substitute according to Aunt Pam)
  • 3 sleeves saltine crackers
  • 1 package Ranch mix
  • 3 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 teaspoon dried thyme
Stack the crackers standing upright in a plastic container that tightly seals, not overcrowding the container. 

Mix all spices and canola oil in a medium bowl. Pour evenly over the crackers, making sure the mixture gets down in the crevices so it will fully soak and cover the entire cracker overnight for 24 hours. Flip crackers midway through.
  

Printable Recipe






































































These crackers would be so good with Pineapple Salsa for that sweet and spicy contrast. Or with Avocado Salsa or Black Bean Corn Salsa. Definitely with some Bacon Spinach Cheese Ball. Like definitely. Or even with the most simplest Chipotle Ranch Dip.

And I KNOW I'll definitely be making her Grandpa Hoho's Shrimp Dip soon to go with these delicious crackers!
 

Check out my past Secret Recipe Club posts. 
 


linking up here.


Peace, and bacon grease!



November 16, 2013

Restaurant Review: Bruegger's Bagels' Fall Menu

Do you guys love fall like I do?

Within the past few years, I discovered my love of pumpkin. Which is so fall.

With fall comes caramel apples. And Thanksgiving and turkey and cranberry and stuffing and sweet potatoes.

Mmmm. I haven't eaten dinner yet and I'm making myself hungry. 

Well anyway. The point is that I love fall. I love the cool weather, the pretty leaves and trees. Fall is my kinda season. Until it starts getting cold of course.

So I was super excited when I was asked to review Bruegger's Bagel's fall menu. Will I?!?! I love Bruegger's AND fall. Win win.


PJ and I went for brunch one day to the Clifton location. He ordered the Roast Beef Cheddar Melt, with roast beef, cheddar cheese, pickled red onions & horseradish sauce on ciabatta. I tried a bite, and it was good stuff! I'm a huge horseradish fan especially paired with roast beef and onion. PJ would have preferred pepper jack cheese because he just wants everything covered in pepper jack cheese. But we both liked it and we'd both order it again.






















































I ordered their Chimi-Cheddar Egg Sandwich from there fall menu. It comes with egg, peppered bacon, cheddar cheese, green peppers and chimichurri sauce but they were out of green peppers, which I didn't want anyways. I really liked the chimichurri sauce. It maybe needed something a little more wet, like mayo, or more chimichurri. Bagels are thick pieces of bread and need something to counter all that bread and starch. Also I ordered mine on a plain bagel, but I asked for it on a ciabatta bread but they were out :(  Which seems to be a theme if you don't go early enough before everything is sold out. It would have probably been better on ciabatta, or a flavored bagel like the cheddar jalapeno, or cheddar pesto bagel, or any other bagel but the plain was just that... plain. Still good though.





I did try their Pumpkin Bagel with Pumpkin Cream Cheese from their fall menu. Yum! Their Cranberry Apple Bagel made a return to the fall menu and I loved that too. Perfect bagels for fall. Wish they had them year round!

























































 

Word of advice though: go early. By the time we went which was around lunch time, they were out of my favorite bagels like Rosemary Olive Oil and Cheddar Pesto, and PJ wanted Blueberry but they were out of those too. They also didn't have ciabatta bread for me, but did for PJ's sandwich.

I love everything about Bruegger's Bagels... their bagels, their hot sandwiches, their cream cheeses. Now all I need is one closer to my house!



























































Right now Bruegger's is selling Bottomless Mugs to benefit Children's Miracle Networks Hospitals so stop in and get your mug and help children in need, and get savings for yourself too! And be sure to try their tasty fall menu while it lasts!


Peace, and bacon grease!


October 28, 2013

The New Southwest #Cookbook Spotlight: Review and Giveaway

You've seen me posting delicious recipes like Mushroom and Leek Migas, and Savory Baked Pumpkin Flautas, and today it's time to review the amazing cookbook from which these recipes came. 

The New Southwest: Classic Flavors with a Modern Twist by Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes. 

































For the past two weeks, I've been eating my way through this cookbook. And loving every minute of it!

This hardcover, colorful, and informative cookbook is a keeper. 

Meagan includes a section in the beginning called The Southwestern Pantry where she gives detailed information about different Southwestern spices, chiles, produce, dairy, baking ingredients, and more. I really enjoyed reading through this part, and seeing some of the descriptions for ingredients included in some of the recipes, ones that I knew nothing about like Manchego cheese and oaxaca cheese and canela. Some ingredients are harder than others to find in regular grocery stores, so you may have to go to larger supermarkets or specialty stores for some of the items. I learned a lot reading that section, and it was fun to read all at the same time! 

Other categories include Breakfast, Drinks, Appetizers, Mains, Desserts, and more. I've got some recipes to make!

In additional to those Migas and Pumpkin Flautas, I also made her Whipped Agave Ancho Butter. Delish! The perfect mix of spicy with a little bit of sweet.




























































Serve it on toast, bread, grilled cheese, in meals that call for butter. I know I am!


















































Other standouts are her Three Sisters Hush Puppies, Dulce de Leche Layer Cake with Sweet Pecan "Pesto," and Drunken Black Beans. I didn't get to make these but can't wait!

It's been a long time since I've actually read an entire cookbook, but this one was so good, I couldn't help but flip through every page and even read the additional info! The migas were pretty good, and we loved the pumpkin flautas and agave ancho butter. I can't wait to make so many more wonderful recipes from this cookbook!

I liked it so much, that I want one of you to win a copy! Well actually, 14 of you will win this cookbook! Just leave a comment at the end of this post, and follow the instructions below for more ways to enter.



Enter to win a copy of 

The New Southwest!


1. Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know what your favorite Southwestern dish is.

2. Tons of optional entries in rafflecopter widget.
Hippocrene will be supplying 14 copies of The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi for this giveaway, in conjunction with The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight.  Contest is open to anybody with a shipping address in the USA.  Submissions will be accepted via the rafflecopter widget through 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, November 3, 2013.  Fourteen winners will be chosen by random draw, verified, and be notified by email (from Heather at girlichef) within 48 hours of the close of this contest.  The winner should respond within 24 hours of notification, or a new winner will be drawn in their place.  Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef.


Peace, and bacon grease!




October 27, 2013

Savory Baked Pumpkin Flautas #Cookbook Spotlight

I have a love-hate relationship with computers. 

Sure, they are amazing and give me the internet and email and the latest news but man, when they mess up I hate them. 

We've been having problems with our internet off and on for quite some time now. Today is another one of those days. 

I'm writing this post from my phone. Yep. It's brutal. Bear with me. 

But I just had to tell you all about these Savory Baked Pumpkin Flautas. Like, literally had to. The post is due today for The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight  :) 

But seriously, I also couldn't wait to share these. They're savory and flavorful. I loved the caramelized onions and garlic with the pumpkin. We didn't miss the meat AT ALL! Meagan sure does know what she's doing. 

Ha, and PJ can no longer deny that he likes pumpkin. It's a done deal. We are both pumpkin fans.



Savory Baked Pumpkin Flautas
slightly adapted from The New Southwest cookbook by Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes

*Yields: 12 flautas
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese (mozzarella cheese may be substituted)
  • 12 small (5-to 6-inch) flour tortillas
  • Olive oil, for brushing
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
Heat the butter in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add the onion and saute slowly. The onion will go from translucent and lightly colored to deep golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Once the onion is browned, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the pumpkin, salt, cumin, black pepper, buttermilk, and shredded cheese in a large bowl and stir until well blended. Fold in the cooled onion mixture.

Warm the tortillas and place on a flat surface to assemble. Top each tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture, roll tightly into a cigar shape, and place, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the top of each flauta lightly with oil and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the flautas are golden brown on top and the tortillas are crisped. Cool slightly before serving.

Printable Recipe

  

Oh, and you might wanna come back tomorrow for a chance to win this cookbook! Just sayin :)


This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef.

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef. - See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/MushroomLeekMigas.html#more

Also linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

October 21, 2013

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Secret Recipe Club time!

This month I was assigned to Brittany's blog, We Heart Vegan. I was intrigued looking through her recipes since I'm not familiar with vegan foods. I was tempted by Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, Vegan Enchiladas with a Creamy Pumpkin Sauce, and Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes, I chose this recipe. 

I am all about pumpkin everything during these fall days! I'll take any opportunity I can to eat something pumpkin flavored! 

Crazy thing is, I used to think I didn't love pumpkin. I'm not big on pumpkin pie actually, but I tend to like most other things pumpkin-flavored.

This dip was no exception. Creamy, a bit sweet, and that comforting pumpkin flavor. 




Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
adapted from We Heart Vegan

Yields: 1 cup (about 6-8 servings) 
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • Pinch of sea salt
In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well with a spoon until no lumps remain and all ingredients are incorporated.


Printable Recipe


Serve this delightful dip with crackers, cookies, fruit... whatever your little heart desires. 

Or you can eat it by the spoon. 

No judgment here.


Peace, and bacon grease!


October 20, 2013

Mushroom and Leek Migas #CookbookSpotlight

Hi guys!

 

















































I'm kind of a cookbook hoarder. Shelves and shelves and shelves of cookbooks. You wanna know the sad thing though? With the internet and food blogs and smart phones, it's so easy to find recipes without actually picking up a cookbook. 

Which makes me sad. Because I really like the feel of a cookbook in my hands.

I'm the same way with books. I refuse to convert to the e-readers because I just love the feel of a book in my hand. I love turning the pages. I love the smell of books. Same goes for cookbooks. Only, I have so bought into the whole electronic world of recipes and food blogs and cooking sites that I don't use my cookbooks nearly enough. So when Heather reached out to me to participate in The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight, I didn't hesitate. This cookbook is written by the amazing Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes. She's kind of a big deal. And by kind of, I mean majorly.

For the first week, all 15 of us bloggers made her Mushroom & Leek Migas, which I've learned are like fancy scrambled eggs. 

































The idea behind them is to serve a crowd from one pot/skillet. Though there's only two of us in my household, I still love the concept of this. Perfect for making for your family on weekends.





































 
Mushroom and Leek Migas
from The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes

*Yields: approximately 4-6 servings
  • 4 (5-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1 and 1/4 cups vegetable oil, divided
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 oz brown baby bella crimini mushrooms, brushed clean, sliced
  • 1 leek, ends removed, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Manchego cheese, shredded
To prepare the corn strips, cut the tortillas in half and then slice them into thin strips (1/2-inch to 3/4-inch wide). Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips for 1-2 minutes, flipping the pieces as they fry and removing the crispy, browned strips to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. 

Whisk the eggs and heavy cream together in a large bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Rinse out the pan used for the tortilla strips and warm the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Saute the mushroom slices for approximately 3 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Add the leek and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Pour in the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly in a circular motion until eggs solidify, stir in the fried tortilla strips. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until eggs are light, fluffy, and cooked through.

Remove from heat, top with the cheese, and serve immediately.


Printable Recipe




Manchego cheese is a bit expensive, I get it. But if you can, use it. I had never tried it before and both the man and I liked it. I couldn't find any at my regular grocery store, I had to go to a bigger marketplace where they have all kinds of fancy cheeses. 

And I really liked the crispy tortilla strips. And they're so easy to make! Just tortillas cut into strips, vegetable oil, and fry those suckers for a minute or so, and you've got crisp tortilla strips. 
































































I think next time I'll serve mine with some avocado, because, well just because. I'm always looking for an opportunity to add avocado to my meals. And maybe a little sour cream on top.

















This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef.

This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef. - See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/MushroomLeekMigas.html#more


Also linking up here.


Peace, and bacon grease!



This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef. - See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/MushroomLeekMigas.html#more
This post is part of The New Southwest Cookbook Spotlight sponsored by Hippocrene and hosted at girlichef. - See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2013/10/MushroomLeekMigas.html#more