Recipes, Food Tips, Healthy Eating & More

@imallears
The sardines I saw escaped the guillotine and I remember all to well them giving me the eye. My friend knows to keep the can out of my sight. Sardines in spaghetti? Yuck, ick, gag & definitely puke. “If you ever ate my spaghetti with sardines, you wouldn’t know what you we’re eating.”
That’s what I’m afraid of!!! Don’t you eat any normal food? My Purdy’s candy came today but don’t want to eat it until I can forget you eat fish bait. Do I need to send you a care basket of normal food? I have a hundred dollars of luscious looking candy and all I can think about is you ruining good food with fish bait.
Your gonna give me PTSD yet by traumatizing me with eating such indigestible concoctions.
I wish you last post came with a rating, NFHC (Not for human consumption) or DNR (Do not read) I guess NFJ technically covers most things but fish bait is absolutely a NFHC!!!

@imallears
Please don’t tell us until I eat my candy. My stomachs can’t take it.
Jake

@sandytoes14
Hi,

Instead of Oak and Ola (original spelling was wrong) we went to Steelbach inside Armature Works. My kids have been to Oak and Ola but said, while the food is superb, the portions are small.

I have been to Steelbach for brunch and had skirt steak with quail eggs and chimichuri which was very good.
This is labeled a steak house and the prices are high. The only one to have steak was my son in law and he had a baseball steak which is top sirloin.

We started with a share board of seasonal sausage, pickled vegetables, mustard and a pretzel baguette loaf.

They have share items and we did that and also a lot of tasting of other dishes. We shared Brussels Sprouts with sherry, maple, benne seed( sesame) and egg yolk. Also whole charred heirloom carrots with fermented honey, cilantro, hazel nuts and labneh (its a Greek yogurt). Others had a fried chicken that was brined for 48 hours, with potato starch, and honey hot sauce. Excellent and a good amount.

I had Truffled mushroom soup, grass fed bone broth (they make their own) ginger and ponzu (citrus based Japanese sauce.) This was the best earthiest meatiest broth I have ever had. Broth came in a jug and you pored it over the truffles in the bowl. Then I had the winter beet salad with arugula, dill horseradish vinaigrette, whipped feta and honey powder.
We shared poutine which is duck, cheese curds, duck gravy with rosemary... excellent....baked so it looked like Mac and cheese. My daughter had the curried carrot soup which was too spicy for me with the escarole salad that had pear, duck confit , sherry vinaigrette,pecans, blue cheese and pomegranate...huge plate.

You are met at the door and our waitress explained everything...how the meal is prepared...what it tastes like...very well trained.

The steak portions are large...24 oz porterhouse for $52..18 oz ribeye for $45 , a 32 oz tomahawk ribeye for $78. Which is why my son in law had the 9oz baseball sirloin which he said was good..not specactular..

The presentation of the food is unique. Cocktails are unique.

We shared desserts ....Brioche plus apple with mulled cider, salted caramel, dark chocolate... a chocolate and hazelnut mousse with Nutella cremeux (pudding) and a peanut butter puff pastry with elderberry, blueberry and ice cream.

It’s a dinner for special occasions although it was crowded for a Thursday night. Cozy booths...bar in the middle but a bit on the noisy side. While I like the food and would like to have tried the steaks, the prices are high. I saw the size of the baked sweet potato that had creme fraiche, Gorgonzola, scallions, honey, bacon and pecans.....enough for 2 maybe 3 people.

Service is excellent, waiters are knowledgeable

There is a restaurant in Tarpon called Olive the World that is small but great food at excellent prices. You can purchase olive oils, cheese and some frozen and refrigerated meals there .. beautiful combinations. They give you samples of olive oil or flavored vinegars with your meal. The cheese cake makes your eyes roll back in your head especially when you add coconut vinegar (my favorite). It’s off Tarpon Ave one block before Alt 19. Again, a small personal place where they open the door and greet you. . My friend and her mom who uses a wheelchair couldn’t navigate the one step up and they came out and lifted her chair right to the table. I really recommend it,

Someone help Jakeduck up off the floor please.

Salud
FL Mary

@ jakedduck1: simple sample recipe - to see if it’s quick enough and tasty enough for you. Ingredients: tortellini of your choice, whatever is permitted, chopped garlic, julienned sun-dried tomatoes (come in little pouches, already chopped, usually near the vegetable section), 1/4 cup or so pine nuts or chopped walnuts, pesto from a jar.
Boil tortellini as per package, drain. Save about 1 cup of the water that you cooked the pasta in. In medium non-stick frying pan with a hint of olive oil stir the tortellini over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they are just light brown. Add in the garlic (I usually use about 3 cloves, you can use more if you like), and the pine nuts or walnuts, and 2 Tbsp. of the sun-dried tomatoes. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add about 3 Tbsp. of the prepared pesto, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook for another minute or 2 until heated through. If permitted, add some parmesan cheese.
This makes a nice change from tortellini smothered with canned tomato sauce, and to me tastes pretty good. I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure leftovers could be reheated in the microwave.
Oops... just realized that the pesto is perhaps on your forbidden list. As an alternative, toss in some fresh basil at the very end. Sorry about that!

@imallears
A normal meal FINALLY, but your review needed a NFHC rating.
I am in shock which I will probably never recover from!!! I can’t believe anyone could assassinate a beautiful innocent little duckie let alone have the effrontery to even think about having one for a meal. it’s unthinkable, it’s unconscionable!!! They bring such peace and happiness to people. Eat bait if you want but duckies? That’s just wrong.
Jake

@ jakedduck1: simple sample recipe - to see if it’s quick enough and tasty enough for you. Ingredients: tortellini of your choice, whatever is permitted, chopped garlic, julienned sun-dried tomatoes (come in little pouches, already chopped, usually near the vegetable section), 1/4 cup or so pine nuts or chopped walnuts, pesto from a jar.
Boil tortellini as per package, drain. Save about 1 cup of the water that you cooked the pasta in. In medium non-stick frying pan with a hint of olive oil stir the tortellini over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they are just light brown. Add in the garlic (I usually use about 3 cloves, you can use more if you like), and the pine nuts or walnuts, and 2 Tbsp. of the sun-dried tomatoes. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add about 3 Tbsp. of the prepared pesto, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook for another minute or 2 until heated through. If permitted, add some parmesan cheese.
This makes a nice change from tortellini smothered with canned tomato sauce, and to me tastes pretty good. I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure leftovers could be reheated in the microwave.
Oops... just realized that the pesto is perhaps on your forbidden list. As an alternative, toss in some fresh basil at the very end. Sorry about that!

@ellerbracke
I love pasta like that...have done that to par boiled ravioli. Sun dried tomatoes in oil are fantastic and you don’t need a lot.
If Jake can’t have the seasonings or pesto just sautéing it in the olive oil is tasty. Forgot about that recipe. I’ve used nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan or half and half. Have to find my recipe for fake Parmesan for those who are lactose intolerant .

Regards from FL Mary

@imallears There is no lactose in aged cheese so the hard cheeses like Parmesan and Romano are fine for those of us who are lactose intolerant. Apparently the lactose is in the whey and that drops out during the aging. I can eat them, plus aged cheddar, Swiss, and some aged blue cheeses.
I miss being able to have a caprese salad though, goat cheese, and ricotta.
JK