Foodie Friday

A glass of bubbly and the oyster station at an Oscar-viewing party that I attended last week.

Happy Weekend!

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Horchata

I think that I've found my new favorite Mexican spot.

On Friday, some coworkers and I wanted to celebrate the end of several long weeks and seek some refuge from the very chilly temps that New York has been having, so we headed to Horchata after work. 

As soon as I stepped inside, I knew that it was a good place.  A warm glow glistened off of exposed brick and the bottles behind the bar, and fairy lights and candles made you feel as if you were at the beach in Cabo, or at least in a friend's backyard on a summer night.

As the name of the restaurant would suggest, several Horchata options are on the menu, but R and I both started off with margaritas.  The classic for me, and the Blood Orange variety for her.

The margs were delightful, but the cheeky coasters may have stolen the show.

To go with our drinks, we started with chips, chips, and more chips.

Nachos, with chipotle queso, pico de gallo, and crema fresca....

Warm tortilla chips with guacamole clasico...

and the trio de salsa with salsa verde cruda, pasilla oaxaca, and papaya habanero salsa.

My favorite of the bunch by a landslide was the guacamole, but I never say no to trying all the chips-and-dip offerings.

As we gorged ourselves and chatted away, the drinks kept coming and the mood lighting got more romantical.

After we had finally thrown in the towel with the chips, we decided that it was time for entrees.  Some went for quesadillas, others decided that drinks counted as a main (I won't argue), and I ordered the Pescado tacos.

Grilled striped bass, shredded cabbage, and avocado-serrano salsa.

I'll admit, these weren't the best fish tacos that I've ever had, but they were still good and also nice and light, which is what I was going for.

We finished the night with more drinks, silly pet stories, and talk of warmer locales.

If you're feeling the need for a taste of Mexico, check out Horchata.  The atmosphere is warm and friendly and it feels like a tropical escape in the middle of Greenwich Village.  Can't we all use that in February?

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Foodie Friday

 Breakfast burritos that I made last week.  

Just scramble some eggs, plop them onto some warm corn tortillas, and then add some salsa, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.  

An eggcelent way to start your day (sorry, not sorry).

Happy Weekend!

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Strawberries and Cream

How did you spend Valentine's Day this year?

I spent it in typical romantic fashion...

Snuggling and kissing....

this cutie:

I went home to PA for the weekend to see Daisy (and my parents), and, since it was snowy and ridiculously cold, we spent a lot of time indoors, reading, napping (mostly me and Daisy again), and baking (mostly me and Mom.  Daisy was not helpful). 

For our Valentine's Day treat, we made one of my favorite desserts, which I hadn't had in a long time, despite the fact that, during my childhood, it made an annual appearance around this time of year.  I've heard similar recipes called by many names, but in my family we just always called it by the very original moniker of the "Strawberry Pretzel Dessert."

Like many wonderful things in life (parfaits, cakes, outfits from JCrew), it has layers.

It's also has that wonderful combination of salty AND sweet, while still being light and refreshing.

Let's get started, shall we?

To make enough to feed a crowd (or only about 6 if they are pros like my parents and me), you will need:

2 cups of crushed pretzels
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted

2 cups of Cool Whip
1 8oz. brick of cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar

2 3oz. boxes of Strawberry Jello
2 cups hot water
2 10 oz. bags of frozen strawberries

For the bottom layer, mix your crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter together and then press into a 9 x 13 pan. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, and then allow it to cool completely before moving on to the next layer.

For this one, you'll need to blend your cream cheese and the cup of sugar, and then fold in your Cool Whip.

Once everything is combined, spread the mixture over your pretzel crust.

Pop the pan in the fridge to chill while you finish the final layer.  Start by emptying the Jello packets into a bowl and adding the hot water (it should be close to boiling). 

Stir until the Jello dissolves and then add your strawberries.

Allow the Jello to set up for a few minutes and then layer it over the top of the cream.

And you're done! 

I know that it may be tempting to dive in right away, but stick the pan back in the fridge for a few hours.  You need to give it time to chill and set up.  Otherwise, when you serve it, you'll have a bit of a runny mess (which no one appreciates, especially on Valentine's Day).

It'll be worth the wait, I promise.  This is what you have to look forward to:

A cool, creamy, and fruity dessert that's a festive choice for Valentine's Day (and more unexpected than chocolate) but just as good at any time of year.

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