Coconut Dream Bars

Today I felt like cooking something sweet and coconutty. I found this recipe for Coconut Dream Bars on the back of the flaked coconut pack and decided to give it a try since the description sounds delicious.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Cups Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

3 Eggs

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 Cups Flaked Coconut

In a large bowl, Add the Flour

Then Brown Sugar

And Butter together

Blend together until the mix resembles fine crumbs. (I use a pastry blender instead of a commercial mixer)

Press the mixture onto the bottom of a ungreased 13x9 pan and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

While the crust is baking, Combine in a large bowl the remaining Brown Sugar and Eggs.

Beat together until blended.

Add in the remaining ingredients and stir together.

Spread the mixture evenly over the partially baked crust.

Bake another 20-25 minutes or until Golden Brown, then let cool before cutting and enjoying. 

This was the first time I made this recipe, but it wont be the last. The finished product to me tastes similar to German Chocolate Cake Frosting without the Cake. Very chewy and just enough sweetness.

Southern Baked Chicken

Being the Southerner that I am, cooking chicken just comes naturally, its something thats bred into our blood. Plus when all else fails its cheap to cook, and even more delicious to eat. Below is a recipe for Baked Drumsticks that The Girlfriend and I enjoy cooking together.

Ingredients: 1 Pack Drumsticks

 Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Lemon Pepper, Adobo, Basil Leaves, Oregeno, and Flour mixed to taste

 3 Eggs- Whisked

Italian Bread Crumbs

Start by letting the chicken soak in Milk for 10-15 minutes.

Then in seperate bowls, add your Flour Mixture, Whisked Eggs, and Bread Crumbs.

Coat each Drumstick evenly in Flour, then shake off any excess.

Next, roll each Drumstick into the Whisked Eggs.

Then finally add a even coating of Bread Crumbs and shake off any excess.

Place each Drumstick onto a LIGHTLY greased pan.

Once they are all coated and on the pan, Place them into a Pre-Heated oven at 350 F and bake for 25-30 minutes, then rotate the pan and cook another 10-15 or until the juices runs clear.

After they come out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying by themselves or served with sides dishes.

Kiss Me Irish Soda Bread

St. Patricks Day has always been one of my favorite holidays of the year, who else but the Irish would dedicate a day to Eating, Drinking, and Pinching if your not wearing Green. Instead of battling the crowds of drunk folks in the packed bars for a few noisy hours of fun however, The Girlfriend and I made our way to the super market to buy everything needed to make Irish Soda Bread instead. It's usually tradition for my Family to go out and enjoy a Reuben Sandwich and a couple of Guinness's to celebrate, but unfortunately this year being a few states away from home I missed out. The recipe below was given to me by a Irish friend since I wanted it to be as authentic as it could be, and its perfect for the beginner to advanced baker. Just remember to follow all instructions and if its not perfect the first time, try try again.

Ingredients: 3 Tbls. Softened Butter

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tbls. Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

3/4 Cup Buttermilk

1/2 Cup Raisins

Sift all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add in the Softened Butter.

Blend the butter and flour mix together until it resembles coarse crumbs. (I use a pastry blender)

Add in the Raisins.

Pour in the Buttermilk and give it a few stirs until moist.

Pour the dough onto a lightly Floured surface and knead until rounded and smooth.

Then Place it onto a LIGHTLY greased pan.

Cut a 1/2 in. X into the top and place into a pre-heated oven at 375 F.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown.

 Remove from the oven and place aside to cool before topping and enjoying with your favorite butters or jams.

Not So Tipico

147 Lawrence Street

      Lawrence, MA 01841-2607
 (978) 975-3715

Located on a busy street, El Tipico Restaurant is easily looked over by passersby going about their daily lives simply because of its small location. From the outside the scene looks uninviting, all you notice is the fading orange wall with a scratched up door and trash blowing over the sidewalks. The inside smells strongly of oil and is cramped and cluttered, small booth tables line the dark orange walls along with one giant painting of a sandy beach with a single palm tree and sunset. Being that its a Dominican establishment, the menu is written entirely in Spanish, but the person working behind the counter speaks English and always explains what the items for sale are. The food is reasonably priced and made daily, cooked as needed before going into a hot case to await purchase. Today The Girlfriend and I ordered the Castilla Frita, Chuleta Frita, Empanallidas, Relleno, Alcapurria, and Chicharon to take home for lunch. The food has been wonderful everytime we've dined there and outshines the shoddy establishment, but everything is usually quite greasy and the rib sauces is carmelized and sugary tasting. El Tipico is a great place to eat if you dont have a large budget and want to get your moneys worth, just dont let the surroundings put you off from giving it a try. Overall I give them a 7 out of 10.

Castilla Frita- Fried Ribs, Chuleta Frita-Fried Porkchop

Chicharon- Fried Pork, Almost like Pork Rinds.

Relleno- Rolled Potato Stuffed with Seasoned Meat, Alcapurria- Dough Stuffed with Seasoned Meat,   Bacalaito- Fried Fish Pancake

Ravioli Empanadas

Tonight The Girlfriends Mom decided she didn't want to cook and left me in charge of dinner. All the meat was frozen except for a pack of hamburger meat, so the wheel in my mind started turning, what could I make? Looking through all the cupboards I came up with these ingredients, Sofrito, Store Bought Spaghetti Sauce, 3 Eggs, Parmesan Cheese, Salt, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Oregano, Basil, Some Frozen Empanada Wrappers, and Butter. Instantly I thought of attempting Homemade Baked Raviolis, so I fried the meat then drained the grease, put it back on the flame with everything mentioned above (to taste) and cooked it over a medium heat until simmering. 

I put the mixture aside to cool, and set out all the Empanada wraps on the clean table top.

Then put a spoonful of meat in the middle of each and egg washed the outer dough.

After that I folded the dough over and pinched the seam together.

Once all the wraps were filled and sealed, I dipped them each in the remaining egg wash to get them ready for breading.

For the breading I rolled them in a mix of Panko Bread Crumbs and Parmesan Cheese to give them a nice crispness.

Then put them all on a ungreased pan and into a preheated oven at 350 F. for 8 minutes before rotating the pan and cooking an additional 5 min.

I watched until they turned a nice golden brown and took them out of the oven and let them cool on the pan.

The flavor was good and they had a very nice crunch, but were a little dry for my taste, so I added a little extra sauce on the top of mine and it made them wonderful. 

Overall it isnt the best random recipe Ive ever come up with on such short notice, but they were quick, simple, and filling. Ill definitely make them again in the future and keep updating the ingredients until theyre perfect.

Early Morning Delight

297 South Broadway

 Lawrence, MA 01843-2631

   (978) 687-9678

Hours: Mon-Fri 6 am - 3 pm, Sat 6 am - 2 pm, Sun 7 am - 1 pm

The Girlfriend and I are always on the lookout for different restaurants around our town and surrounding areas that are unique and not the everyday typical chain company. We both enjoy great food, especially when prepared with love and respect by the people who love cook. A couple of mornings ago we just happened to be up around 7 A.M (a rare event for us) and out driving around enjoying the day when we passed Charlies Diner. We've driven by it before and even had lunch there a few months ago, but I never wrote anything about it so I had forgotten our previous experience. With plenty of time to kill and a set of empty stomachs, we parked around back and walked in to the small restaurant that had wonderful aromas of bacon, coffee, and eggs drifting out the door towards our eager noses. The inside is a throwback to the 50's and 60's with old pictures and different knick knacks like pie pans and oil cans sitting on shelves all around the inside, and the tables are coated with a plastic that holds coins and newspaper articles from times past underneath for the patrons viewing pleasure. We chose a booth and sat while looking around at all the neat things to take in, especially the old men (that you can tell are regulars) who were sitting and telling stories back and forth. The Waitress arrived and took our drink order, then went back to filling the other customers cups and retrieving the various condiments that they asked for before returning with our coffees and to ask what she could get for us. The GF ordered a Open Faced Grilled Cheese with Tomato, Bacon, and Lettuce, and I asked for a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on Toast with a side of Home Fries (hash browns). The food was delivered around ten minutes after we ordered which I thought was wonderful seeing that they were quite busy, and even better, it was Delicious, everything was cooked very well. We finished eating and sat talking for a little while enjoying ourselves without anyone ever rushing us to leave or pay which I find very respectful. Overall it was a very pleasant breakfast and I would recommend anyone that loves food as much as we do to stop in and try out the very home feeling accommodations of Charlies Diner. They get a 8 out of 10 in my book.

Me So Hungry

73 Winthrop Ave # F
Lawrence, MA 01843-2836
(978) 659-0177

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My Girlfriend and I are lovers of  food and are often in search of different Restaurants and Diners located around our town. I'm hoping to start posting pictures and a review of all the places we eat at in the future to help others make wise dining arrangements, as well as stop them from wasting valued money on food that isn't worth it. First on the list to discuss is C 1 Chinese Buffet, we've been to C 1 before but I've never gotten around to writing about it until now. Located in a strip mall next to a dollar store and another that sits empty, the outside isn't very appealing to the eye, bland colors and tacky signs adorn the windows leading up to the double doors. As you walk in, it looks like a typical American/Chinese buffet, lots of knick knacks to buy at the counters and open space with a bright color scheme thats crammed full of tables and people all shuffling to and from the buffets. We were seated quickly and our beverage order was taken as we set our belongings at the table. The waitress said to help ourselves before leaving to fill our drinks, so we grabbed  plates from the dispenser and started helping ourselves to anything that seemed appealing. I tried the Chinese Spare ribs, General Tso's Chicken, Crab Roll, Fried Dumplings, Sweet N Sour Chicken, Lo Mein, and The Peanut Chicken. Everything was hot and well labeled, but it was all the same boring flavor that all Chinese Buffets seem to share, the only thing that stood out was the Peanut Chicken, and even it was overly greasy. The atmosphere is rushed as the waitresses watch and make sure to start rounding your dinner up after youve gotten your second plate by bringing the check with the standard store bought fortune cookie and no longer offering refills. Over all its a okay place to go on a Monday or Wednsday since it only costs $6.99 all day, but I wouldnt recomend spending more than that unless your just desperate for chinese. The C 1 Buffet gets a 4 out of 10 in my book.

C 1 Buffet: Fried Dumplings and Peanut Chicken