I love sandwiches and I love pork.  So it was only natural for me to check out Porchetta‘s namesake sandwich, which is the top 10 of New York Magazine‘s list of 101 Best Sandwiches in New York, and devoured with abandon over at Serious Eats: NY.   Pork and carbs are a natural WIN, but would this sandwich live up to its hype? I was about to find out….

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A friend recently extolled the virtues of honey on everyday foods.  While some combinations, such as honey and peanut butter toast, were understandable, I was a bit skeptical of the more novel mash-ups -  honey/pizza and honey/hamburger to name a few (though I admit I’ll will try it out).  Anyway, when thinking of recipes to put together for Thanksgiving week, I thought the addition of honey to my super easy cornbread recipe would be a nice change.  Intrigued? Keep reading…

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Note:  If you follow me on twitter, you’ll know that this cheesecake met its untimely demise when it hit the pavement on my way to work yesterday morning.  It was so sad, and (I admit) tragically funny.  What makes it worse is that I had made a mini one for myself so I know how good it tastes.  There’s more to the story – perhaps one day when I’m over the sting of wasted dessert, I’ll share. But there sure were some disappointed people at work yesterday.

I’m just going to come out and admit it – I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin pie.   I know, crazy right?  I think it’s psychological – the whole it’s a vegetable (I know, it’s technically a fruit, but come on) but it’s sweet, etc. etc.  But if you throw cheesecake into the mix, well now – that’s a different story.  And if you put praline topping on top of the whole shebang – ok, NOW we’re talking.  My second Thanksgiving recipe post for pumpkin praline cheesecake is a little more time intensive, but its actual steps are quite simple. Let’s get started, shall we?

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Happy Thanksgiving week!  Yes, I like to extend this holiday of thanks to a 7 glorious days of gluttony.  In honor of the holiday, I will be posting three of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes for your mouthwatering pleasure.  These recipes are simple, yummilicious, and are bound to impress your family members, who will think you spent hours toiling away in your tiny apartment kitchen (oh wait, that’s just me).  I hope some of these dishes will end up on your table this Thursday!

I start this recipe week with the basic mashed potato.  Simple,  un-pretentious and incorporating a whole head of garlic.  Whaaa? Yeah, you heard me right. Think you can handle it? Then keep reading…

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Whaaaa? Half-priced sushi? NoshGirl, you so crazy.  I know, jumping at a discount for raw fish sounds like a bad idea.  Sometimes it is.  (Note to self, never have all-you-can-eat sushi on a cruise, ever again!  Let that be a lesson to you)  However, I’ve been going to Zen for sushi for a few years now, and I turned out just fine and dandy.  Soooo, if you’re willing to subject your stomach to some frugally-priced sushi in the name of a bargain, Zen is the place to go.

Following in the vein of cheap-but-good food, I first discovered Zen as a poor student.  Back then, my stomach was a bit stronger, and more importantly, my sense of food smarts was a little less inhibited.  Combine the two, and I was a regular at Zen.   Here’s the dealio:

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Yesterday evening, I had the unique opportunity to attend a chocolate and wine flight, hosted by organic chocolate company Green & Black’s.  I was first introduced to Green & Black’s 5 years ago, when I devoured a Maya Gold bar.  While I enjoy a chocolate bar as much as the next person, it was really interesting to learn more about manufacturing process, ingredient sourcing and nuances of this particular brand.  Of course, I was also distracted by all the desserts lying around!  There were a ton:

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Cathay Pacific airline is holding “The Art of Dessert” contest – and the winning submission may be served on Cathay’s international flights!  How cool would that be?  Pret-ty cool, if you ask me!  If you’d like to see my lychee souffle served across the world, please vote for my Steamed Lychee Souffle on the Cathay Facebook page! (Directions on how to vote below)

Directions:
1. “Like” the Cathay Facebook page (must be a Facebook member)
2. Click on the “Art of Dessert” tab
3. Find “Steamed Lychee Souffle” (I’m on one of the first few pages)
4. LIKE it!

Want to know how to make the souffle? Keep reading.

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When I was an undergrad at NYU, there were a few truths we held to be self-evident – dorm rooms were not as spacious as portrayed in Felicity,  don’t skip class because Tim Robbins could be the guest speaker, and the dining hall was for freshmen (sorry, freshmen).  But seriously, why pay $10 for reheated chicken fingers when you had a whole city of food awaiting you?

One of our late-night staples was Pommes Frites, which I still frequent when craving some starchy goodness.  As you can see, the menu is quite extensive:

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In a NoshGirl first, I’m reviewing a restaurant that I don’t *really* know the name of.  See, I go for dim sum a lot, and I’m pretty familiar with most of the popular restaurants in Chinatown.  A few months ago, a friend’s father suggested “King’s Seafood” to me.  I went. It was good.  I went again, and King’s Seafood had disappeared.  Sadsies.  A few weeks later, J&B Seafood popped up in its place. So I went, it the decor was the same, and the food was still good.

A few weeks after THAT, the restaurant was called New J&B.  Still good, same decor. What gives?  Anyway – as I write this, the restaurant is called New J&B. By the time you stop by, it will undoubtedly have a different moniker.  But let’s talk about the food, shall we? (more…)

Ah, the scrumptious cinnamon roll.  The roll is available in mall kiosks and pressurized Pillsbury cans alike; however, there’s nothing quite like a freshly baked cinna-roll, made from scratch.   Using this basic recipe from Paula “butter is better” Deen and this frosting recipe from Alton Brown, I whipped up a batch.  Keen to try? Keep reading.

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