Zucchini Fries

This time of year always makes me hungry for fresh food.  Vegetables and fruit is so plentiful around my area that we are never at a loss on what to snack on and it is all healthy.  We take advantage of the land we have and plant a small garden every year.  Tomatoes, peppers, squash and a few other vegetables make up what we plant.  We have already had zucchini this year and a few cherry tomatoes.  I really enjoy grilling so as soon as the tomatoes squash and more zucchini come in be on the look out for a grilled veggie dinner blog.  Here is some zucchini sticks I made last week.  I sliced it, soaked it in an egg and milk wash, rolled them in flower and bread crumbs (salt, pepper and some garlic was in for taste) then repeated the soak and flower mix to make them extra crispy.  I use a small fryer and stand watch as they cook so not to over cook them.  I don't want them all soggy in the middle but I want them cooked. I tested a few before I got the right amount of time.  What you see is half of the zucchini cooked.  The second half I saved for another dish. Hope you have the chance to have this this summer.  If not I am sorry but you just missed out.  They are delicious.  As soon as the tomatoes ripen up I plan on having fried tomatoes and a BLT. That is one of my favorite sandwiches.  Till then, God bless, thanks for reading and see you at the garden.

Food Ideas please?

Well this will be a first for me.  I am asking all my readers for ideas on places to eat, what to order when going out or just food to make at home.  I love trying new things and new places so let the ideas fly.  Remember I am in #Pennsylvania near #Gettysburg.  #Maryland is a short drive and am willing to travel 50 miles if the meal is worth it.  I will try anything once and have no dietary restrictions.  I hate green peppers, peas, mushrooms and maybe one or two other things.  I love #Mexican, #Italian, #Asian and #American food.  I have tried foods from all over the world but those are my favorites.  I am ready to eat.  God bless, thanks for reading and see you at your favorite restaurant. 

Reid's Orchard and Mexican food truck make for a great day in July

Saturday the family took a little trip to Reid's Orchard in Otrana, Pa.  Being on a mountain it was almost 10 degrees cooler and it felt amazing.  Free music, a great view of the valley and orchard just added to the day.  I would highly recommend going one weekend.  It is a great evening or afternoon getaway for couples and families.  Great area for kids to run around and play ball or just relax with their friends.  Go for a nice walk through the orchard in between sets from the band or sit under the shade and enjoy some wine or hard cider with friends.  The band yesterday was the awesome cover band Schizophonic http://www.schizophonicband.com/ .  They take requests along with their great play list of 70s and 80s music.  The food truck was https://www.facebook.com/TacoTrapHouse/.  I had the tongue torta.  Sort of like a Cuban pressed sandwich but with garnishes such as avocado,chili pepper (usually poblano or jalapeno) tomato and onion are common. It is very popular throughout Mexica and is also available anywhere with a large number of Mexican immigrants.  We also shared an order of nachos.  They were covered in some of the same garnishes as the torta as well as cheese.  Both amazing dishes.  We took a friend with us and he has the spicy pork torta and said it was just as good as mine.  I just need to find the next location they will be so I can try a few more things on their menu.  If I find out where they will be I will be sure to let you all know.  God bless, thanks for reading and see you at the table. 

Sorry Deer (back strap) I was gone so long.

It has been way too long since I wrote a blog so with this being my first in a while I will keep it short and sweet.  What you see before your eyes is deer or some of you city folk will know it as venison meat marinating in some soy sauce and garlic salt.  I will be grilling them later for taco night tonight.  I will let them sit in the fridge for a few hours and soak up the flavor.  I will lightly grill them on each side for maybe 2 minutes.  Just enough to cook them but not dry them out.  Deer will dry out quickly because there is such a small amount of fat.  I even trimmed off the edges so there was no tough part left.  I will season my portion with some Mexican spices but leave my sons portion plain because being 2.5 years old he does not like his too spicy.  After all is said and done I will thinly slice each peace so they are a good size for tacos.  Sorry this one was so short but I needed a quick one to get back into writing.  I have been away so long like I said in the beginning I did not want to write about a 4 course meal or some huge dining out experience.  Also I wanted to let you all know I am working on a new venture.  I plan on expanding into the world of YouTube and do a Travel Channel/Food Network type show.  I will be going to local restaurants and having them cook a specialty of theirs and sit down with the chief or owner and talk to them about how they got started and try the meal.  You get the idea. So as soon as that happens I will be reviewing them on my blog here and also posting a link to my YouTube channel for the current video.  Well hope you like this edition of EwensStomach.  God bless, have a great weekend and see you at the table.

Taj Palace Owings Mills, Md.

If you are in the mood for Indian food I highly recommend Taj Palace in Owings Mills Md.  This is some of the best Indian food we have had so far.  Don't let the idea of Indian food scare you if you have never had it.  The menu there was very detailed in what each dish contained and it also broken down into vegan, vegetarian, and meat dishes. As a starter we ordered the Paneer Pakora.  This is a fritter made with lentil flower batter and filled with homemade cottage cheese.  Fried till golden brown.  I do not eat cottage cheese and this did not taste like or have the consistency of cottage cheese.  It was more solid and tasted great.  I ordered the Chicken Tikka.  Succulent, boneless chicken breast marinated in a special recipe and broiled in a tandoori clay oven.  Served with long grain basmati rice and a choice of dal makhani (yellow lentil sauce) or creamy spinach.  I had the lentil sauce.  The chicken was very good and moist.  It came out on a cast iron skillet much like fajitas.  There was cabbage and onions sizzling under the chicken.  Ellen ordered the Chana Masala.  Chickpeas slowly simmered with onions and tomatoes, then garnished with fresh herbs.  I tasted it and it was not bad.  She loved it.  Very tasty and filling.  As a side dish we got the Assorted basket of bread.  A nice size basket of assorted garlic naan, roti and that days naan creation.  We had enough to bring some home.  One of the best features of the menu was that you can pick the spice heat of your meal.  I picked mild but if you want to add some major heat they will do it.  The restaurant itself was very nice and staffed really well.  Fine dining in a casual atmosphere.  It is about a 45 minute drive from our house but well worth it.  I recommend to leaving the little ones at home since the tables have nice glass wear and table cloths.  Kids running around would be a distraction.  This is coming from a couple with a 2.5 year old.  Will we be going back?  Yes we will.  On our way home we were trying to think of friends that would like to go.  It would be a shame to hide this gem from everyone.  Thanks for reading and hope you can enjoy the food as much as we did.

Rocksalt Grille Westminster, Md.

Seafood egg rolls with ginger soy dipping sauce. Boardwalk fries topped with cheese and a old-bay ranch dipping sauce.Those were just the appetizers.  Delicious. For the main course I had pasta with a light tomato sauce, sauteed onions , shrimp and clams topped the pram cheese. Very good and not a heavy dish. I highly recommend this place. Great atmosphere and prices. Service staff were very friendly and helpful. Can't wait to get back and try the rest of the menu.Ellen had for her main dish was a Berrylicious Salad topped with walnuts berries and fresh salad.  She loved it and was one of the best salads she has had.  Would I recommend this place?  I sure would.  Will we be going back?  There is no question we will be returning.  I give this place 8 out of 10 for the food, staff and wait time.  We did go at lunch so there was not much of a crowd.  Parking is available but get there early so you can get a spot otherwise you will be paying for street parking. Thanks for reading, God bless and see you at the table.

I'm back

I was gone but now I'm back. Hope you all did not miss me too much. I will be posting new content and not just food. Heart related posts as well. Dealing with pre and post transplant and heart health. Hope you all enjoy the new format because I look forward to writing more. So stay tuned.

Leftover Lo mein.

So are you like me and do not care for leftover spaghetti 2 days in a row? Just save your noodles separate from your sauce. Sauce is better used for dipping soft pretzels in for a snack. I use my noodles for homemade Lo Mein.  Tonight I added fresh diced zucchini, onion, cabbage, one garlic clove and a few sauces. Heated in a pan with EVOO.  General Tso sauce to give it a little spice. Don't waste that pasta again. God bless, thanks for reading and use leftovers wisely.

Tofu tacos

Ellen wanted tacos the other evening and since she stays as close to vegan as she can I made tofu tacos. Radish, cabbage, salsa verde  and fresh herbs. I pan-fried the tofu after letting it sit in taco seasons.  We also used Sriracha hot sauce.  I added cheese on mine. They were delicious and fresh. So easy to make, healthy to eat and easier on your pocketbook than eating out. Sorry it was such a short blog. God bless, have a great day and try tofu.

Sykesville Maryland Carnival

Wednesday night was a really nice night.  We went to the Sykesville Md carnival.  Even with the pending thunder storm we went out. Waiting in line for my cheese steak with fried onions we could see the clouds rolling in. Banner was enjoying some fresh cut fries with old bay and vinegar when the first drops started to fall. Guess this was going to be a bust. Ellen and Banner went to the dining hall where they were selling dinner platters and desserts. I soon followed with cheese steak in hand. We escaped the storm and got into line. Ellen did not expect so many options for dinner. She got the fish sandwich with stewed tomatoes and baked potato, lemon aid and two bags of cookies. I just got a water since I already had my food. We sat and enjoyed our dinner with others that had the same idea. Since the fries were gone Banner helped himself to the steak off my sandwich and then a few cookies. Ellen got a slice of coconut meringue pie. Since I can't stand the taste of coconut I went up and got a slice of the dark chocolate meringue pie. Very tasty. We finished and headed out to see what the skies looked like. Sunny with a few clouds and a nice breeze. It turned out perfect. We walked around and did some people watching while Banner was amazed by all the rides. Still too young for them he just watched. Next year he will be able to get on a few. So all in all it was a really nice night. One of the better carnivals we have been to. God bless, thanks for reading and stay hungry out there.