Your New Weeknight Pizza Place

My go-to pizza place is my saving grace when the late night hunger hits. They always answer the phone when I call, and I never have to wait over 10 minutes for the crispy goodness. Really, what more could I ask for?
If you are ever in the neighborhood of East Liberty and all of a sudden you get a craving for pizza, run over to Pizza Taglio as fast as your feet will take you. Their Roman style pizza making is one of a kind, and the taste is out of this world!! You can watch them knead the dough, prepare it for their stone oven, and dress it with wonderfully fresh toppings! I never stray far from their Ricotta Pie (Pictured above)! Once you taste it, you will be a believer too!  They lunch-lady-style-slop big spoonfuls of ricotta on a freshly baked crust and top it with the freshest cherry tomatoes and arugula!  One bite and the warm cherries burst into your mouth. My favorite is to spread the ricotta all over the entire piece, and sulk in my fat-kid-ness. My word of advice is to order your own pizza because sharing is simply out of the question. Also, go early in the afternoon as sometimes it can get crowded on a Friday/Saturday night. They only have room for so many pizzas in their stone oven, so its first come first serve.

Merry Christmas!

little DONUTS!

Come on! Who can say no to a little donut!  I certainly can't, which is why empty donut boxes have become a permanent fixture in my house. I found a quaint little donut shop in Oakland that sells the cutest little treats, and I can't stay away!! Being from the South, Krispy Kreme is a household name. You go to the drive-thru, order a couple blazing hot donuts, and slurp them down before you can pull out of the parking lot. However, these little donuts are a whole different animal. The toppings range from simple pounder, to the ultimate chocolate curled extravaganza. As you can see, I am a fan of chocolate curls! These donuts are much more "cakey" than the Krispy Kreme ones I am used to, but equally as scrumptious. They can be enjoyed hot, but are just as delicious cold. I recommend a Samoa signature donut, as well as a strawberry far out donut!  But who am I kidding, every single donut is highly recommended!!! Now, is there a puddle of drool under your mouth? I figured. Well, throw on that ugly Christmas sweater that aunt Bertha gave you, and run down to Peace Love and Little Donuts now...before I eat them all! Muahahaha!

Or visit their website, to gawk at the beauty that is PLLD! Peace Love and Little Donuts

Happy Munching,
B

Hump Day Din

By the time you are reading this, we will have officially surpassed the hump of the week. One day closer to the weekend!! Hump day is possibly my hardest day to get motivated to cook and I typically  opt for a night out. Tonight, there was no guessing as to where I was going to eat. I walked my happy tail over to Shadyside and was knocking on The Yard's door right at 4:00! This is only the second time I've eaten at The Yard, and I'm always surprised with how much I enjoy my meal. Just walking down the street, you would never guess such a tasty treat is down a dark set of stairs...But I promise you, its like the stairway to paradise. Once you sit down at a table and look at the large array of grilled cheese sandwiches, you will know you've finally found a good home! To make it even better, Monday night is grilled cheese happy hour, and the whole list if HALF OFF from 7-10! YAHOO! 

 

Pictured above is the Grilled Yard Walker with chicken breast, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and homemade mayo. 

Below is the Garden Burger with a chickpea patty, lettuce, tomato, onions, and a tin of delicious sweet potato fries..with cinnamon butter for dipping! 

Tonight, I opted for the Garden Burger. The chickpea patty was the most flavorful blend of chickpeas I've ever eaten. Even though its a little squishy (for lack of a better word), the onions and lettuce give you that nice crunch you're looking for in a burger! Washed down with sweet potato waffle fries is the perfect ending to a perfect meal. Next you roll yourself out the front door like Violet from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (after she turned violet) and slide right into your pajamas for a hump day nap! 

Not to be forgotten, when you're walking to your car and catch the delicious smells from Prantl's bakery, just stop on in for a Wednesday night sweet, you deserve it!  

Now rest up, there's lots more eating left to do this week! 

Happy Munching, 

B

The Best Christmas Presents for the Foodie in Your Life

How to work through your biggest Christmas dilemma- What to gift your foodie?

So- you have this foodie in your life and you're torn on what to get them. You've mulled through itchy sweaters, fuzzy socks and the always reliable "days of the week" underwear set..but nothing seems right. You know, deep down in your heart, that the ultimate foodie deserves the ultimate foodie gift. BEHOLD, a Christmas miracle has appeared right before your very eyes. It's a foodie Christmas list- made by one of the best set of tastebuds around. Sure to bring holiday cheer to vegetarians and carnivores alike. Now, where to start...where to start...

Macaroni and Cheese of course! Good tastes- www.good-tastes.com macaroni and cheese is made from clean ingredients and never use MSG. Their macaroni comes in several different flavors, and the best part is- its frozen!! The ideal gift for that broke college student with million dollar taste. You can stock up your freezer and thaw a pack out when you're ready for a gourmet meal. It doesn't get much better than that. Sure to have your foodie saying FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Next on the list is blooming tea..because what is better than getting to play with your food? There are several places to pick up a great tea, but my favorite is Teavana and their flowering pineapple blooming white tea. Not only delicious, but a feast for the eyes!

Another treat that has caught my eye this holiday season, is the hot chocolate on a stick from Starbucks. It comes with both milk and dark chocolate as well as some cutely packaged marshmallows for your enjoyment! Nothing like a warm cup of hot chocolate on these 70 degree winter nights.

"Of the month clubs" are always a sure winner on Christmas morning. After spending close to an hour looking for a macaroni and cheese of the month club, I had to settle with a bacon of the month. Guess I can show those meat eaters some love too. Visit www.baconfreak.com to place your order for 12 months of candied bacon goodness and ensure a year of smiles from your favorite carnivore.

Last but not least, a gift card to Whole Foods is always top in my book. I can peruse the hot bar when I'm not in the mood to cook, or use it to buy groceries when funds are getting low. Many people say gift cards are impersonal, but pay no mind. Whole foods is like the Disney Land of grocery stores..and who wouldn't want a gift card to Disney Land?

With all these options in mind, get to shopping! Us foodies need love too.

Happy Shopping

Pittsburgh's Best Kept Secret- Isn't so much of a secret!

For every foodie, there's always that one place- your staple. The one restaurant you fall back on time and time again. You've never chosen a bad plate, and you know you'll never leave disappointed. For me, its Noodlehead in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood. Just this weekend, Ive gone twice. I wouldn't go as far as to call it my obsession, but the food will make you swoon over and over again. The menu is small, with only a few categories and some small appetizers. Noodlehead is a cash only restaurant, with no phone and no way making a reservation..much less a call ahead order. However, the dishes speak volumes. My go-to is the See-Yew- which is a mixture of egg noodles, bok choy, broccoli and your choice of meat. Of course, I always go for the tofu (Some of the best i've ever eaten). What's also great about these dishes is the simplicity of making every dish your own. You choose the meat, as well as what spice level you can handle. With every visit, you can alter your dish with small changes but continue getting a mouth full of flavor. I promise to you, Noodlehead will never let you down. 

Feast your eyes on this masterpiece 

The best advice I can give is to- round up all of your friends, walk over to Noodlehead, sit at a round table and dig in-FAMILY STYLE! Trust me, trying all the dishes you can is never a bad idea at this establishment. Also, its BYOB, so grab a bottle of wine for the trip too! And not to worry, there's an ATM in the back incase you're low on Benjamins! 

Happy Eating!
B

P.S. Ive added the menu for you to peruse!

Happy Sunday all! 

As the end of the week is setting in, Im always looking to finish off random scraps from past lunches and dinners. My typical weekly staples include bell peppers, perhaps half an onion, one lonely tomato, an apple or two, and some eggs. Once Sunday morning rolls around, so does the weekly grocery list-and I never know what quantities to buy for the upcoming week since I still have some leftover. So, what is better than starting fresh? 

Here's my proposal:

Throw all your scraps into a skillet, scramble your last few eggs in it, and call it your Sunday scramble! 

Today, I have half a red pepper, half a yellow pepper, 1/3 of an onion and 5 eggs. 

First, I sliced the peppers and onions into skinny slivers. I sprinkled salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder over them while they simmered. 

Once your peppers are tender, add your eggs. 

Scramble those eggs, mix in your yummy scraps, and season to your liking! 

Your end product should look about as mouthwatering as this-

The great thing about your Sunday scramble is your ingredients can change weekly based on your dishes. A super tasty addition would be some cherry tomatoes, or shallots, even squash or zucchini. Make it your own, and test out different flavors. I promise you can't go wrong! 

Thank you for reading, 

Britt