Civic Center Eats

For a couple of years now, I've wanted to go to Civic Center Eats.  It's been my greatest desire to eat from a food truck and since my husband does not share this need, I had to find someone to do it with me.

My original plan was to go over the summer with my kids.  That just never happened.

Then...the season was drawing to a close and I knew I had to make this a reality so I asked Denise from Eat, Play, Love if she would meet me for a play date.  I knew that if I asked someone to do it with me, I'd actually go through with it.

She said yes and we had a great time!  There is so much to choose from but we went with The Denver Biscuit Truck and we were not disappointed!

I had real southern Sweet Tea for the first time and it was so good!  I need to learn to make this myself.  Have you ever had this before?  I posted the picture on Instagram and discovered that most everyone has tried it at least once and that I'd been deprived my whole life!

My biscuit was to die for!  It's called The Franklin and contained Fried Chicken, Bacon, Cheese and Gravy.  HEAVEN! Their menu looks amazing and I can't wait to try something else.
 
The good news is that you don't have to chase down the truck to get some good southern food.  They have an actual restaurant and you can visit it any time you want.

Denver Biscuit Co.
3237 E Colfax
Denver, CO
Website 
Facebook
@DenverBiscuitCo

 

I think the next truck I want to try is the Tots Truck!  It looked like someone my kids might like too!

Join me next season at Civic Center Eats, almost every Tuesday and Thursday from June until September.

What is a Legume?

I like the word legume.  I like saying it and writing and mostly.....I like eating them!

If you are wondering what a legume is, I have an answer for you.  Here is a list:

• Baby Lima Bean
• Black Bean
• Black-eyed Peas
• Boston Bean
• Boston Navy Bean
• Cannellini Bean
• Chickpeas
• Chili Bean
• Fava Bean
• Great Northern Bean
• Green Beans
• Kidney Beans
• Lentils
• Lima Bean
• Mung Bean
• Navy Bean
• Pea Bean
• Peanuts
• Pinto Bean
• Red Bean
• Red Kidney Bean
• Snow Peas
• Southern Peas
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Soybean
• Wax Bean
• White Kidney Bean

Happy Coffee

My kids have been in school for several weeks now so you'd think I would be busy knocking things off from my Foodie Bucket List.

The PTA has prevented me from doing much of that but I'm about to correct that real quick.

Two weeks ago, has it really been two weeks ago?  I made plans to visit the Civic Center Eats Food Truck Extravaganza with my friend Denise from Eat, Play, Love.  But first I had to so to the Girl Scout Store and buy my daughter her first Daisy uniform.

I had a little time, so I checked with Yelp and asked it where the closest coffee shop was located.

It told me to go to Happy Coffee.

So I did.

 

Super cute little place with a pastry case that looked amazing.  I think I spied some homemade Pop Tarts!  I ordered a cappuccino and it was delightful!  Yummy coffee means a happy Mama!

 Happy Coffee

1 South Broadway

Denver, CO

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

When I was growing up my Dad got his pilot's license and many of his practice flights took him to the Cheyenne Airport. There was a little restaurant a few blocks away called The Owl Inn that had the most amazing Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie.

The last time I had a slice was in 1994.   I really, really miss that pie!

I decided that I'm accomplished enough in the kitchen now to figure out how to make it....or at least come close.  I came extremely close!  One bite and I was 14 years old again!

I am not good at pie crust...it's a skill I need to work on so I just use Pillsbury unbaked pie crust and bake it myself. Easy Peasy!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

inspired by The Owl Inn

• Pie Crust, purchased or homemade 

• 2 8oz blocks of Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 container Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

• 1 1/2 cups Chocolate Pudding, purchased or homemade
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 -2 tablespoons Sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Bake the crust in a 9 inch pie pan according to package directions.  Cool.

Layer 1:
Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a stand mixer with the flat beater.  Once it's incorporated, add the cool whip and vanilla extract.  Put cream cheese mixture into cooled pie crust.  Chill for one hour.

Layer 2:
Apply the chocolate pudding to your cream cheese layer and then add a layer of chocolate chips.

Layer 3:
Make Whipped Cream.  Put cold heavy cream  in mixing bowl.  Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract per cup of cream, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar  Adjust to taste. With an electric hand mixer or a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream.  Start slowly -- if you set it on high at first, you'll have cream all over the place. Set the mixer so it goes as fast as possible without splashing.

As the cream thickens, turn the speed up. As it gets foamier, start checking for a soft peak, which is what you want. The peak should bend over at the top when you remove the whisk.

Add the whipped cream to the top of your pie.  Chill for another hour before serving. Enjoy!

Summer Salads

I'm reading The Omni Diet and it made me realize that part of my problem with trying to lose weight is that I'm not eating enough vegetables.  The book recommends 30% protein and 70% veggies.  I've got some adjustments to make!

Yesterday, iKeith smoked and grilled ribs.  He smokes them first for about 6 hours on a low heat and then finishes them on the grill.  They are amazing!

I decided that we needed TWO veggie dishes and that I needed to use some of my fresh herbs that I planted recently.  A little goggling revealed that Mint and Zucchini go really well together.

Zucchini and Mint Salad

3 medium Zucchini, sliced thinly
10 Mint leaves, chiffonade
1.5 tablespoons Olive Oil
Zest from Lemon
Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
Salt

Thinly slice the Zucchini using a knife or a mandolin.  Roll the mint leaves into a cylinder and slice thinly into little strips. Put the Zucchini and Mint into a bowl and add the olive oil, mix.  Zest a lemon into the bowl, then cut it in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl.  Salt to taste.

Tomato and Basil Salad

1 Container of Cherry Tomatoes, halved
10-15 Basil Leaves, chiffonade
1.5 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and put them in a serving bowl.  Roll the basil leaves cylinder and slice thinly into little strips.  Add the basil to the bowl and add the olive oil and salt to taste. Serve to your hungry family.  Kids love this one!

CSA Basket Week One

One of the parents at my school owns a few business that deal in organic vegetables and fruit.  She even owns a Hydrophonic Farm that I'm hoping to tour with the kids in a few weeks.  She graciously started a CSA at my school for the summer and I'm so excited about it.

It's a pilot program at the moment with just families from our Kindergarten class but if it works out, we'll open it up to the whole school!

I've always wanted to participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so I'm really excited about it.  I can't wait to see what kinds of things we get and what I can do with them.

Here is our first basket!

This week's basket contains: Dozen Eggs, Curly Kale, Mixed Salad Greens, Bibb lettuce,  Gala Apples, Mini Seedless Watermelon, Limes, Rainbow Carrots, Red Onion, French Fingerling Potatoes, and Celery.

I don't think I've ever purchased Curly Kale before.  Does anyone know what the difference is?

What I Ate in San Francisco

I don't mind spending money on food if the food is good!  But I don't like spending too much money on food for my kids because they eat like little birds and they are hungry again an hour later.  On our trip to San Francisco I found many places that were a good value.  The key here is to do your research.  Many restaurants post their menus online and Yelp was super helpful also.

Sunday  

Fishermen's Grotto on Fisherman's Wharf, built in 1935 was the first sit down restaurant on the wharf and is a great place to sit on the patio, people watch and eat a big bowl of chowder in a bread bowl. Kids meals here are under $10 and large and filling.

Monday 

One of my favorite food days!  When searching Yelp for good restaurants to try I stumbled upon Darren's.  It was a block from my hotel and served breakfast and lunch.  It's a Vietnamese place so they have all of your Asian favorites and breakfast food too.  Kids had pancakes and I had a bowl of Pho!  It was amazing!

This was also the day I visited Trader Joe's and bought breakfast and snacks for our hotel room.  At lunch time the kids and I were shopping on Pier 39 and they just wanted a snack.  We sat on the patio at the California Wines Bar.  I enjoyed a Pinot Noir flight and we shared a fruit and cheese plate with a bottomless basket of sourdough bread. 

Tuesday

We were on the run all day!  Our lunch meal was at the Academy Cafe at the California Academy of Science.  This meal was not affordable but it was fun!  They offer a multicultural menu with  highlights including spring rolls, paninis, tacos and fresh pastries.  Grab a tray and go from station to station until you find something that strikes your fancy.  I had Mac and Cheese and began my obsession with Chinese Pork Buns.

For dinner we ate at a Tian Sing near Union Square.  It wasn't crowded and was very good.  I tried a new dish that I would never have ordered....Tripe!  Surprisingly good!  The prices are good and the choices are great!

Wednesday

The kids and I were at The Exploratorium and even though they have a restaurant, I really wanted to visit The Ferry Building again.  We walked (forever according my children) and watched lots of people jogging which just made me hungrier!  Unfortunately, we arrived right as all of the people in the financial district were there to eat lunch so the lines were long. We found a hidden corner with a coffee shop where I let the kids eat apple turnovers and cookies for lunch. I had a Carnitas Empanada and I loved it!

Walking back through we found Boccalone Salumeria and bought a salami cone so that kids could have some protein.  I had some special salami sliced for iKeith because I know how much he loves meat!

Then I spotted the Blue Bottle Coffee Co and I wanted to try it so I got a cup of joe and a cup of milk and then the kids and I bought a couple Macarons at Miette.

I scoured the menus for the restaurants at Pier 39 and the best value for kids and adults is the Pier Market. Make sure you print out their coupons before you leave and you can get several kids meals free during your stay.

Thursday

You can not go to California and not eat at In-N-Out.  My kids loved it!  I'm going to call this THE best value on the wharf because they don't seem to be hiking up the prices because of their location.  I'm looking at you Denny's and your $12 Grand Slam.

After taking a boat tour of the bay, we made our way to Ghiradelli Square.  After a little light shopping, we were on our way back to the hotel when I found the most adorable cafe.  I needed some caffeine so we stopped in for a snack and I did something I've never done before.  I ordered a Cappuccino!

The Black Point Cafe made me fall in love with Cappuccino! I loved it so much that I made iKeith come back with me the next day to have one.  He loved it too.  According to yelp, they are known for their Lavendar Lattes, I'll have to try one when I go back.

Keith and I like trying different cuisine so I searched Yelp again and came up with Stroganoff.  A cute little Russian restaurant across the street from our hotel! We enjoyed a appetizer of Beef Tongue with mushroom sauce and I loved the Beef Stroganoff.  Keith liked the Russian Beer and we had a fun dessert.

Last but not least.  We found a great ice cream place called Normans.  It's in the Cannery and only takes cash.  iKeith had Rocky Road and we learned that good Rocky Road is made with walnuts and that is how it used to be made many years ago.

I hope you enjoyed my foodie tour of San Francisco! Coming up next....Food of Ventura Beach!