Top 12 ingredients that make food better

Posted on 07/28/2009 by Howard

For some strange reason, I have discovered that August is National Goat Cheese month. Goat cheese is one of my favorite ingredients, and got me to thinking about what ingredients I think make a dish jump from “so-so” to “slap your mamma” good. So here’s a list of my top 12 ingredients that make food better.

Goat Cheese – Just about anything from pasta to pizza to salad is made better with a few dollops of creamy, tangy goodness.
Mexican Sour Cream – No, not just regular sour cream. Not sure what makes it different, but once you’ve had it you won’t go back.
Bacon – Do I really need to say why bacon makes everything better?
Pecans or Walnuts – Being from Texas, I’m partial to Pecans, but I can go with Walnuts as a good substitute. Great from salads to main course to dessert. An all position player!
Eggs – By themselves they are great, but added to something unconventional and it makes for a unique experience. Try an egg on a hamburger, the classic steak and eggs, or eggs with chilaquiles – ymm!
Panchetta – Bacon’s sophisticated Italian cousin. For that bacon flavor without the heavy smokiness.
Butter – Sure, I like olive oil and I know it’s good for me and all, but nothing beats butter.
High quality spices – going full board here on the spices, but they make all the difference. I’m particularly fond of the high oil cinnamon from Pendery’s.
Fresh basil – the dried stuff tastes as much like real basil as tootsie rolls taste like Scharffen Berger Chocolate.
Prime beef – beautifully marbled and aged – it’s worth it.
Garden tomatoes – They shouldn’t be allowed to call what they pass off as “tomatoes” in the grocery store by the name “tomato.” You can’t get the flavor of a tomato by picking it green and gassing it to “ripeness.”
Homemade jam – I’m a big fan of homemade jam. It’s easy, cheap, and is another reason to make biscuits. (Not that you need a reason to make biscuits, mind you!)

The Secret to Great Pie Dough

Posted on 07/23/2009 by Howard

Krystal made a pie last night and we have definitely discovered the secret recipe for pie dough! The top secret ingredient – vodka! Since gluten (which makes dough tough) doesn’t form in alcohol, the dough is supple and easy to work with. All the vodka cooks out, leaving a flaky, yet tender, crust.
Here’s my old post with the recipe. Roll out a recipe today while the peaches are still good!

http://huhns.org/2007/12/10/whats-next-rum-in-the-biscuits/

Restaurant Review – Ellie’s Kitchen

Posted on 06/29/2009 by Howard

One of my main criteria for quality in a small family run restaurant is a simple one – are the people that own it there. Across the board I have discovered that when I meet the owner by them stopping by my table asking, “How’s your meal?” it assures a quality meal. Why? Quality comes from diligence. An owner who is diligent in maintaining quality and meeting the needs of his/her clientele is one who is going to bring success. An owner who is more interested in making money than in making good food isn’t going to be an owner very long. Owner there = good. Owner not there = bad.

So when I’m sipping on my raspberry iced tea and looking over the menu full of true Greek choices and a sweet Greek ‘yaya” (Greek for “grandma”) stops by to introduce herself (Ellie Ashley), I know I’m going to have a good lunch. And again, my criteria proves correct – owner there = very good indeed. Ellie’s Kitchen is one of those perfect little family kitchens that savors quality and customer service instead of seeking a quick dollar with premade frozen foods and barely acceptable surroundings. From the cloth tablecloths to the mural covered walls Ellie’s is a great place for a nice (and reasonably priced) lunch or even an off the beaten path quiet and romantic dinner. The menu is filled with authentic Greek choices and has the homemade touches that make you want to come back again and again. The hummus is savory with the perfect balance of garlic and chickpeas. If you go and do not order it, then your meal will be incomplete. The homemade tzatziki is a perfect match with the gyros or just about anything else. Make sure to save room for the baklava – freshly made and delicious! I can’t wait to go back and try the chicken and dumplings, the lamb shank, the shiskabobs,… not sure there isn’t anything on the menu I don’t want to try. Plus they have choices for kids – a must when you have a picky eater who is likely to balk at the idea of eating hummus or Greek salad. (A side note – to provide an example of their quality and service – Ellie brought my picky 3 yr old a sesame cookie (her mother’s recipe) at the end of the meal. It’s more like being in a grandma’s kitchen than sitting in a restaurant!)

With the quality in both service and food it is easy to see why Ellie’s Kitchen is in the midst of expanding their seating. I hope that their expansion will not overextend them and they will continue to provide the same quality that has been their identity. Chances are with ‘yaya’ in charge, they only have greater and better ahead.

Ellie’s Kitchen and Catering

Next to Ace Hardware in the shopping center at the SW corner of 2351 and Friendswood Dr in Friendswood

Price: About $9 for lunch

Food Quality: *****

Service: *****

Ambience: ****

Notes: Don’t miss the hummus or baklava! Make sure to tell Ellie hello – she’ll be there, I’m sure!

Mooyah Burgers & Fries

Posted on 01/30/2009 by Howard

If my typing seems a bit slow and lightly lethargic today, it’s because of the calorie induced comma from my lunch at Mooyah Burger & Fries, which opens soon, but through a great tip (thanks Jay!) Krystal and I were able to take advantage of their (free) preview lunch today. Free and lunch – two of my favorite words together.

Mooyah is the newest burger in town, but that certainly doesn’t mean they are new to the burger making scene. They have clearly studied what it takes to have a good burger and put some of these lessons into their burger making. They serve a classic “drive in” type burger – thin, handmade patties that are fresh and never frozen. The regular mooyah burger comes with two patties, grilled on a flat griddle giving it some crisp edges and a juicy center. Fresh beef – one lesson learned. The second lesson – fresh baked buns. They have them and grill them as well. Third lesson – toppings galore. Much can be said about the simple pleasure of a basic burger, but man cannot live on plain burger alone. Mooyah offers 3 different cheeses (cheddar, swiss, and american) as well as SEVENTEEN other toppings! They have the standard fare (lettuce, pickles, etc) and some more exotic options (buffalo sauce, A1 steak sauce, and something called “cholula” – which I googled to find out it means, “a city in Mexico” and it’s also the name of a hot sauce). You can pick and choose any toppings for free, including the grilled onions and mushrooms. Nice selection of toppings for a great price (a 2 pattie mooyah burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, sauted mushrooms, and “special sauce” runs $5.09) The burger comes out dripping with luciousness, so make sure to grab a handful or two of extra napkins.

Probably what people are most drawn to Mooyah for, however, is their fresh cut fries. These are fried in trans fat free oil and come out well seasoned and ready to devour. There is a slight seasoning to their salt, but not so strong that it overpowers the natural goodness of a starchy potato dipped in boiling oil until it’s golden brown.

Overall, Mooyah gets high marks for its burgers and fries as compared to the options available, but I still have higher hopes for them when I return. My burger, though it was topped well and disappeared quickly, was a bit salty for my taste. The fries were good, but I thought a bit greasy. Seeing that this was a preview and they were extremely busy, I suspect under normal conditions the quality will be better. The workers were very friendly and when our son spilled his drink they helped out quickly, but even in all of the commotion the manager never stopped buy to ask if everything was alright and offer any assistance. I’m sure this was a busy stressful day and I hope this isn’t a sign of how they will run. The manger sets the tone for the whole store, and if that tone is cold it will surely affect sales.

For the money, Mooyah promises to be a great place for a multi-napkin burger and some great fries for a decent price. They are a quickly expanding franchise that has a lot to offer, including online ordering, which is a great convenience when in a hurry. With all the topping options, I’m sure they’ll see me again.

Here are a few pics from my Mooyah experience!