Weekend Preview

Happy Friday to ya, you guys! Once again the weekend is upon us and with it allowing myself a bit of indulgence food-wise. We don't have any definitive food plans yet, but I recently found a new Chinese takeout place with an awesome name that I think I'll be trying tonight. Also I recently was awarded a nice promotion at work so I think at least some sort of celebration might be in order! Happy eating and have a great weekend!

Weekend Preview

Alright after a long week there is nothing I look forward to more than having a couple good meals over the weekend when I left myself splurge a bit.  Last weekend was very successful with my trip to Some Guys Pizza (review coming next week) so I'm looking for something equally as interesting this weekend.  I had been hoping to make it out to the Food Truck Throwdown, but The Girlfriend had to run some errands this morning so I'm not sure we'll make it there.  That's a little disappointing for me, but I encourage the rest of you go to check it out. 

Even if I don't get to sample some food truck offerings there is always the prospect of dinner tonight, and where were going is still to be decided.  I've been wanting bbq for some time so maybe a trip down to Squealers is in order, but I've also been trying hard to venture out to places that I've never been before that you guys would like to read about.  If you have any recommendations please let me know either here in the comments or via twitter @hoosierdaddyIU.  Have fun and happy eatings.

Weekend Food Preview

Well thankfully another weekend is just around the corner.  That means a few things for yours truly.  First of all The Girlfriend and I are going to a party tomorrow night which should be a good time. If anybody has any good fall party food or drinks feel free to post them in the comments.  Also, speaking of the arrival of fall and colder weather I'm starting to get more cravings for comfort/bar food.  I don't know that's just how my brain works.  I think for dinner this weekend we might take a trip over to the Carmel Arts and Design District and find something that fits that mold.  If you have recommendations let me know.  Also, I just wanted to make this a little open thread of sorts for anything you want to talk about in regards to what you're eating, cooking, or restaurant recommendations.  Have a good weekend.  Happy eatings.

Weekend Food Preview/ New York Cheesecake Cookies

This weekend is a little bit special as I will be making a jaunt to the farthest point in South central Indiana.  I probably won't be doing a lot of eating out this weekend, but if anyone knows of places to go along the I-65 corridor let me know.  Also, I wanted to give you all a little sneak peak of some things I'm working on.  I should have some good product reviews coming down the pipe with frozen items I haven't heard a lot of feedback about yet.  A couple of them are new varieties of Hot Pockets so you know that has some potential.  Also, I wanted to ask all of you a question.  Has anyone ever had Godfather's pizza?  If so where is the closest one to Indy?  Have a good weekend everybody.  To hold you over until next week here's a recipe for New York Cheesecake Cookies.  The Girlfriend and I made them last night, and despite being a Sandra Lee recipe they are pretty ballin.  One note though...the dough might be a little dry.  Just add a little water (less than 1/4 cup) and it should be fine.  Happy eatings.

The finished product

New York Cheesecake CookiesRecipe copyright Sandra Lee, 2011

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers (1 sleeve)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, separated
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter with the brown sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add the egg white and beat until well combined. Add to the graham cracker crumbs and blend until just combined.

In a separate medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.

Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet. (If you do not have an ice scoop, then measure out the dough into scoops of about 2 tablespoons.) Flatten slightly, pressing your thumb in the center of the ball to create a small bowl shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Spoon the cream cheese into the indents in the cookies.

Bake until the filling is barely set and the cookies are lightly golden, 12 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing them and cooling completely on a wire rack.

©Television Food Network G.P.
All Rights Reserved.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers (1 sleeve)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, separated
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter with the brown sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add the egg white and beat until well combined. Add to the graham cracker crumbs and blend until just combined.

In a separate medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.

Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet. (If you do not have an ice scoop, then measure out the dough into scoops of about 2 tablespoons.) Flatten slightly, pressing your thumb in the center of the ball to create a small bowl shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Spoon the cream cheese into the indents in the cookies.

Bake until the filling is barely set and the cookies are lightly golden, 12 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing them and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Sorry For Slacking/Weekend Preview

I know it's been awhile since I last blogged, and some of you might be wondering where I've gone.  Don't worry I'm still here, but I've been picking up extra hours at my real job and not having as much time to blog.  I'm going to sit down this weekend and pound out a few posts though that should be going up throughout next week.  Stay tuned.  As far as this weekend's eatings go I'll probably find something to do solo since The Girlfriend will be occupied baking someone's wedding cake this weekend.  Northside Nights is going on so maybe I'll slip into one of those spots especially if I can find someone to join me.  As always have a good weekend and happy eatings.

Weekend Food Preview

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, but I thought it was time.  This week has been really long and kind of rough honestly.  I need some good eats this weekend to make up for it.  Not to give too much away, but I was definitely thinking of having at least one more meal on the Random Dude Eats Random Food Summer of BBQ Love Tour.  If you have any non BBQ suggestions please let me know, specifically on the NW side of town.  The Girlfriend got a new job over there, and I planned on showing her the best/quickest way for her to get to work so she doesn't have to go by the GPS' crappy routes.  Also, are there any new grocery products or fast food items on the market that would be worth trying?  Also, let me know if you go or plan to go to anyplace cool this weekend.  Happy eatings!

Movie Eats

Tonight The Girlfriend and I will be going to see Thor in IMAX3D and I was trying to think of what we're going to do for dinner. Fridays are typically a takeout night for us so we'll probably stick to that and grab something before the 7pm show. I wanted to open it up and ask what you all like to eat when going to a show?  Do you do a sitdown meal?  Fast food?  Before or after the film?  Do you like to get snacks at the theater despite it being a huge ripoff?  As for me I think I'm feeling like sushi tonight, and no theater snacks for me thank you. As always happy eatings and have a good weekend!

Weekend Preview

This lady is "extreme couponing".  I'm not kidding.

I'm sorry it's been kind of a slow blogging week.  I had a little two day mini vacation this week and otherwise haven't really been amped up to write.  However, I do have 1 or 2 reviews in the works.  I just have to quit letting myself be distracted by well...everything.  As far as potential weekend eatings go I have to confess there really isn't much on the schedule.  I have a craving for Chinese food, but I'm not sure if I'll blog about it because I've covered the places that I like pretty thoroughly.  If you have any suggestions for Chinese or even some other type of cuisine as always send it my way.  Perhaps this will be the weekend that The Girlfriend and I finally venture down to Broadripple for some review worthy eats.  Then again the weather forecast is not looking good so it might be a more indoor stay close to home type of dining weekend.  Speaking of The Girlfriend I wanted to let you all know that she is a certified chef and culinary school graduate and she currently hot on the job trail.  If anyone knows of open cook or entry level chef positions in town shout it out in the comments.   A couple parting thoughts 1.  Make sure you always have fun and relax with friends or loved ones on the weekends or your days off and 2.  Please for the love of God never use "coupon" as a verb.

Image courtesy: realitytvmagazine

Weekend Preview

I wanted to let you know that after somewhat of a boring food week/weekend last week I'm ready to go at it with both barrels this weekend.  I'm not sure where I'm going, but I've been planning on doing a breakfast review for a while and just haven't gotten around to it.  Part of that has to with the fact that you have to get up in time for well...breakfast which isn't something I'm really good at doing on the weekends.  But a good breakfast always makes me happy so I'm really going to try this weekend.  Also, I've been thinking about a place to go to do a lunch or dinner review and I have some ideas, but nothing is really nailed down yet.  I'm thinking sushi since I've got The Girlfriend enticed into going, but we'll see how it plays out.  Also, a couple of other things in the works are some grocery item reviews of stuff that I like to bring to work for lunch that you might enjoy also and 1 or 2 new fast food items on the market right now.  We do it all here at RDERF.  Just because it's fast food doesn't mean you can't appreciate it on a different level.  Well as I channel my inner Paula Deen let me say have a good weekend ya'll!

Image courtesy TMZ