Beloved Burger

Want a fabulous, thick juicy burger for like six bucks??? Head to Arthur's in Morris Plains (or Hoboken). They are famous for their reasonably-priced steaks, but I'm all about the burgers here. It is honestly hard to find a burger that competes for the price.

Not to mention, I love nothing more than the pub atmosphere and free starters. I'm totally heading to the Hoboken outpost this summer when another burger craving hits.

{I completely overdosed on free pickles and spicy cherry peppers.}



{Hard to resist a giant cheeseburger and a side of their famous potatoes. Oh and their coleslaw is one of my favorite versions!}



Other beloved burgers here and here.

Handmade Bagels

Can you see me beaming from where you are sitting? I'm super proud of myself because I made the bagels that you see in the photo above. Yep. Made 'em. From scratch. After reading about them here I decided to test my bagel making skills! Turns out, it was a pretty easy process and SO WORTH IT.

{All it takes is a few simple ingredients and you are on the way...}



{Make dough. This takes some planning ahead as far as timing, but the dough comes together 1,2,3.}



{Shape bagels and let them proof in fridge overnight - hence the planning ahead!}



{Michael chose to top his with smoked salmon and a tasty seeded, scallion cream cheese that he made.}



{Totally delicious.}



Make them. Really. Do it. (original recipe here)

Happy Easter

Wishing you all a relaxing (and filling) holiday!



P.S. - I've been absent due to a mad case of the flu, but I'll be back to my posts this week :-)

Lovely and Luscious

Truth be told, I love a good tea room (like this one). So imagine my delight when I discovered a whole new place that serves authentic English-style afternoon tea! The The Cosy Cupboard in Morris County is perfectly Victoriana with roses, frills, shining silver and Royal Doulton. Wait staff even wear hotel jackets and tuxedo trousers.


On a recent afternoon my mom and I enjoyed some of the best scones, finger sandwiches, and tea I've ever tasted. And don't even get me started on the English trifle.....pure heaven.




I adored the Cosy Cupbard and their bucolic setting and will return very soon for another afternoon tea experience. Each and every thing was so on target that I think this place could serve a proper afternoon tea to the Queen of England herself!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

I've never tried to make homemade bread. The task always seemed too big to handle and quite intimidating. However, when I saw this post on a blog I read frequently, I knew I must get over my fear.

Turns out, the bread was not as tricky as I thought and it was so delicious that I may never return to eating store bought bread again. In fact, I'm already searching for what bread recipe to make next!


{Make the dough and let it rise. Easy peasy.}


{Roll the dough out, cut it into strips and brush with butter and cinnamon sugar.}


{Make stackable squares and put them in the baking pan for a second rise.}



{Viola - Perfectly baked bread that you don't even need to slice...it can just be pulled apart and be devoured quickly!}

Tex Mex Nite

Sometimes you want a soft shell taco or an enchilada....and some crispy chips and salsa. Oh and then you need the margarita to wash it all down! We were in that mood a few weeks ago and decided make Senorita's our destination. This spacious two story restaurant provided the comfort food we needed and I quite liked the rustic décor, open archways and festive atmosphere.





It wasn't the best Mexican I'd ever eaten, but I had fun and I think when the mood strikes, I'll visit Senorita's again.

My Apologies

I never really liked Bobby Flay. If you ask me why, I can't even tell you. Maybe I don't have a reason?! Maybe I just don't like the way he comes off on Iron Chef. Don't know.

I DO like his food though. He's a master and I won't deny that. My meal last week at Bobby Flay Steak at The Borgata proved it once again. We had all sorts of crazy food during the meal and honeslty, one thing was better than the next.


{Shimp cocktail that tasted fresh like ocean water was perfectly complimented by the spicy spicy sauce!}


{A crispy calamari and lobster salad appetizer. Crispy lobster, need I say more?}


{Towers of fried onion rings with blue cheese sauce and roasted tomatoes. Are you kidding me?}


{The sauce paired with this Southwestern Ribeye was utterly delicious and expertly offset the super-marbled richness of the meat.}

I just read that this is the first steakhouse Flay has opened. That being the case I guess I owe him an apology for what I said in my first paragraph. You have a new fan, Mr. Flay.