BJ's Brewhouse is one of those places where you have to take friends. It offers a wide variety of different dishes and best of all - ales. The chain lives up to its' name , for sure , although it has many other offerings too.
I finally got to visit the one in my area yesterday and was not disappointed. I was always near it in the Teterboro's restaurant row even parked in BJ's parking lot when the other chains had no parking. The eatery had been on my radar for almost two years and I was excited to go. Yes, it is a chain, started in 1978 but unlike other chain restaurants it offers a wide variety of different house made beers. The most intriguing right now is their pumpkin ale (does it have the same spices as the lattes?) and Piranha ale. I'm not a beer drinker by any means , but my next visit will probably include a mug of the last, - a citrussy tasting brew. They even have hard cider - wild berry, made with raspberries and blackberries instead of apples. That's another quaff on my radar.The chain has won several awards for its' brews , including the North American Beer Awards. Another plus is their home made sodas that include root beer and black cherry. There is wine too and even champagne for those who want to celebrate a special occasion. I like their iced teas and the fact diners receive free refills even when the first large glass is only half drunk.
The menu itself is mind blowing, being more of a thick book with so many different choices. There is everything from handcrafted burgers to lighter fare called Enlightened Favorites. BJ's Brewhouse is also famed for their pizzas which come in four(!) different sizes from a mini six inch to the largest fourteen inch. There's even a lower calorie flatbread version with the same sort of topping choices. I went for the lighter fare . First it was the avocado egg rolls with huge chunks of avocados. This is a meal in itself and should be shared. I loved the tangy dipping sauce which went well with the avocado , along with the shredded carrots and cream cheese with it. Then it was the Englightened Favorites, Enlightened Lemon Thyme Chicken. I loved this dish !!!! It is two herb roasted chicken breasts rubbed with Big Poppa's Desert Gold Rub - a mix of lemon, honey and a host of spices such as garlic and paprika. What made it for me are the roasted Brussels sprouts which were many. They made the dish. There were also red peppers, onions and tomatoes over arborio rice. It was so huge that I had to take it home for a second meal. I would have liked to have had BJ's signature dessert the pizzookie, a giant cookie,brownie or monkey bread topped with ice cream, syrup and whipped cream.
Try BJ's Brewhouse not just for the house brewed ales but for the delicious dishes.There are so many to choose from. You won't have just one favorite - you'll have several as you become addicted to this fun restaurant.
Showing posts with label monkey bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monkey bread. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Monkeying Around With Bread
One of the items on my New Year's must bake list is bread. I haven't baked a loaf or roll since high school -yikes - and would like to start up again./One recipe in yesterday's New York Times intrigued me. Monkey bread. It looks like a fun bake for when friends stop over.
Julia Moskin wrote about this popular loaf that is only about thirty or thirty-five years old. It was Nancy Reagan, former First lady of the nation and California that made this Golden State creation popular. Mrs. Reagan's recipe called for a dinner roll recipe in which two layers of butter dipped dough balls were placed in a pan and baked. Beaten egg was brushed over the surface to give the top layer a burnished brown color.This version could be used for breakfast with the rolls slathered with butter or jam or a Sunday lunch or weeknight dinner where the rolls could be dipped in gravy. Thirty years later extra's have been added . One of the first combinations were sugar and cinnamon, taken from Hungarian coffee cake that many bakeries made at the time.American home bakers have gone crazy and creative with the recipe. There are savory versions that feature pepperoni in one recipe, while peanut butter figures prominently in another. There's even a gorilla bread that includes cream cheese and canned buttermilk biscuits/ Pastry chef Claudia Fleming of The North Fork Table and Inn on Long Island's North Fork gilds her with a maple bacon glaze.
Ms. Moskin prefers a simple version, opting for the modern classic. Hers is one with the sandy sweet filling of a cinnamon roll and the coating of pecans and caramel of a sticky bun. It also has the plump majesty of a Bundt cake, resembling an edible crown. It will also be a scratch bread. She advises not using those buns such as Pilsbury's.. It may be an easy and convenient way to make the bread however keep in mind that there will be that salty flavor, a dough loaded with preservatives and a funny chemical aftertaste. Ms. Moskin uses fellow Food writer, Melissa Clark's, of A Good
Appetite column bread recipe. It seems simple enough It's a basic white bread dough. There's no need to go on a hunt for a starter. There are no long risings or unfamiliar flours. It can even be transformed into a pull apart garlic bread with melted garlic butter for the coating and Parmesan cheese and parsley for the filling.As with any bread recipe , it is a labor intensive one.that involves a lot of kneading and proofing. The caramel sauce Ms Moskin gives looks like a fun and tasty one, especially with the addition of a lot of heavy cream and butter.
Monkey bread is definitely on my radar in the New Year. A sweet version would be great for breakfast or brunch. A savory version would be great alongside pasta or homemade soup. Either way it'll be an interesting bake,
Julia Moskin wrote about this popular loaf that is only about thirty or thirty-five years old. It was Nancy Reagan, former First lady of the nation and California that made this Golden State creation popular. Mrs. Reagan's recipe called for a dinner roll recipe in which two layers of butter dipped dough balls were placed in a pan and baked. Beaten egg was brushed over the surface to give the top layer a burnished brown color.This version could be used for breakfast with the rolls slathered with butter or jam or a Sunday lunch or weeknight dinner where the rolls could be dipped in gravy. Thirty years later extra's have been added . One of the first combinations were sugar and cinnamon, taken from Hungarian coffee cake that many bakeries made at the time.American home bakers have gone crazy and creative with the recipe. There are savory versions that feature pepperoni in one recipe, while peanut butter figures prominently in another. There's even a gorilla bread that includes cream cheese and canned buttermilk biscuits/ Pastry chef Claudia Fleming of The North Fork Table and Inn on Long Island's North Fork gilds her with a maple bacon glaze.
Ms. Moskin prefers a simple version, opting for the modern classic. Hers is one with the sandy sweet filling of a cinnamon roll and the coating of pecans and caramel of a sticky bun. It also has the plump majesty of a Bundt cake, resembling an edible crown. It will also be a scratch bread. She advises not using those buns such as Pilsbury's.. It may be an easy and convenient way to make the bread however keep in mind that there will be that salty flavor, a dough loaded with preservatives and a funny chemical aftertaste. Ms. Moskin uses fellow Food writer, Melissa Clark's, of A Good
Appetite column bread recipe. It seems simple enough It's a basic white bread dough. There's no need to go on a hunt for a starter. There are no long risings or unfamiliar flours. It can even be transformed into a pull apart garlic bread with melted garlic butter for the coating and Parmesan cheese and parsley for the filling.As with any bread recipe , it is a labor intensive one.that involves a lot of kneading and proofing. The caramel sauce Ms Moskin gives looks like a fun and tasty one, especially with the addition of a lot of heavy cream and butter.
Monkey bread is definitely on my radar in the New Year. A sweet version would be great for breakfast or brunch. A savory version would be great alongside pasta or homemade soup. Either way it'll be an interesting bake,
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Pumpkin Goodness
It may be too early in the year to even mention pumpkins but there is a fun new cookbook that celebrates the gourd. After all, pumpkin is not just a fall October thing.It can be eaten all year round in a variety of yummy savory and sweet recipes
Pumpkin It Up (Gibbs Smith Press)written by Eliza Cross, a well known cookbook writer, is a cookbook that celebrates all things. pumpkin. (Keep in mind that this time of year is the perfect time to plant pumpkin seeds if you want homegrown organic pumpkins in the fall).She breaks the myth of cooking the gourd in the autumn months. The dishes can be made now for any summer feasting.The chapters include basic recipes,beverages and sweets along with muffin and breads.There are also savory recipes as seen in the chapters devoted to soups and stews, sides dishes and dinners. There is even one featuring pumpkin breakfast recipes. Of course there is a chapter on dessert along with one on cookies and bars. Ms. Cross also has two pages on hints as well. They are good, especially the ones advising when it comes to picking ones from the patch . She writes that it's best to pick out the smaller ones for making pie because they're sweeter and have a smoother texture than the ones used for carving jack-o-lanterns.Also use an ice cream scoop, a serrated grapefruit knife or a melon baller .when scooping out the flesh. One important hint is discerning between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The last already has spices in it and could ruin a savory dish if used.Another good fact to know is that the puree freezes well and can last up to nine months in the freezer .
The recipes are varied with a mix of the familiar and the fun. Starbucks lovers will go made for pumpkin spice latte, true to the name thanks to the addition of a cup of pumpkin puree.A perfect beverage for even cool summer nights is the pumpkin spiced cider.Imagine have the healthy gourd for breakfast. You can, thanks to recipes like pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin waffles along with a Dutch baby, that big pancake from Holland, made delicious with pumpkin and walnut. The savory recipes include the trendy but easy to make pumpkin ravioli along with pumpkin risotto, a mix of Arborio rice, sugar pumpkins and button mushrooms. Due to the squash's mildness it is excellent paired with different meats.It can be paired with turkey for an enchiladas or with chicken and apples for a spin on chicken Kiev.Pumpkins can be used as a side as for fries or baked with Brussells sprouts.It puts a different twist on the traditional fave baked mac and cheese..Of course pumpkin shines in pie and the book has three recipes: the traditional holiday one, but also a chiffon one and a pumpkin cream pie. Then there are the non traditional ones like the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin tiramisu. Try the pumpkin holes or monkey bread, both livened up by pureed pumpkin. There are the tasty crispies a kind of sweet pumpkin fritter. Candy lovers will lose their gourd over the pumpkin fudge and a spin on Reese's peanut butter cups - with creamy pumpkin filling poured into chocolate cups.
Pumpkin It Up is a great cookbook for pumpkin lovers and for those wanting more nutrition in their lives. It shows that pumpkin is not just for lattes and pies but can be made into tasty pastas and rices along with candy .The cookbook is a true salute to a humble gourd.
The book comes out in August but you can preorder on Amazon now,
Pumpkin It Up (Gibbs Smith Press)written by Eliza Cross, a well known cookbook writer, is a cookbook that celebrates all things. pumpkin. (Keep in mind that this time of year is the perfect time to plant pumpkin seeds if you want homegrown organic pumpkins in the fall).She breaks the myth of cooking the gourd in the autumn months. The dishes can be made now for any summer feasting.The chapters include basic recipes,beverages and sweets along with muffin and breads.There are also savory recipes as seen in the chapters devoted to soups and stews, sides dishes and dinners. There is even one featuring pumpkin breakfast recipes. Of course there is a chapter on dessert along with one on cookies and bars. Ms. Cross also has two pages on hints as well. They are good, especially the ones advising when it comes to picking ones from the patch . She writes that it's best to pick out the smaller ones for making pie because they're sweeter and have a smoother texture than the ones used for carving jack-o-lanterns.Also use an ice cream scoop, a serrated grapefruit knife or a melon baller .when scooping out the flesh. One important hint is discerning between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The last already has spices in it and could ruin a savory dish if used.Another good fact to know is that the puree freezes well and can last up to nine months in the freezer .
The recipes are varied with a mix of the familiar and the fun. Starbucks lovers will go made for pumpkin spice latte, true to the name thanks to the addition of a cup of pumpkin puree.A perfect beverage for even cool summer nights is the pumpkin spiced cider.Imagine have the healthy gourd for breakfast. You can, thanks to recipes like pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin waffles along with a Dutch baby, that big pancake from Holland, made delicious with pumpkin and walnut. The savory recipes include the trendy but easy to make pumpkin ravioli along with pumpkin risotto, a mix of Arborio rice, sugar pumpkins and button mushrooms. Due to the squash's mildness it is excellent paired with different meats.It can be paired with turkey for an enchiladas or with chicken and apples for a spin on chicken Kiev.Pumpkins can be used as a side as for fries or baked with Brussells sprouts.It puts a different twist on the traditional fave baked mac and cheese..Of course pumpkin shines in pie and the book has three recipes: the traditional holiday one, but also a chiffon one and a pumpkin cream pie. Then there are the non traditional ones like the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin tiramisu. Try the pumpkin holes or monkey bread, both livened up by pureed pumpkin. There are the tasty crispies a kind of sweet pumpkin fritter. Candy lovers will lose their gourd over the pumpkin fudge and a spin on Reese's peanut butter cups - with creamy pumpkin filling poured into chocolate cups.
Pumpkin It Up is a great cookbook for pumpkin lovers and for those wanting more nutrition in their lives. It shows that pumpkin is not just for lattes and pies but can be made into tasty pastas and rices along with candy .The cookbook is a true salute to a humble gourd.
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