Finals Celebratory Feast

Well, we did it. Finals are over and of course the first thing Lara and I want to do is...FEAST. We wanted to use up everything in our fridge and lucky for us, I had a steak. So steak with a blue cheese crumble and zucchini and potato hash it is. 

The recipe called for Yukon Gold but we decided to mix a russet and a sweet potato. The mixture was TO DIE FOR, another great thing is that this is also gluten-free here is the recipe we worked off of:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/08/zucchini-with-potatoes-and-thyme

Cut up the potatoes, put them in a bowl and toss with garlic, salt and pepper. 

Cut up zucchini and onion.

Mmm, mmm, mmm potatoes and zucchini.

Now it's steak time.

Cookin it up, for medium cook until the internal temperature 130 degrees but don't forget to give it time to rest!


Crumble time...


Andddd the finished product


And now you can find us and our full belly's on the couch. 

Hurricane Sandy= feast!

When the threat of Hurricane Sandy hit Harrisonburg and all of our classes were cancelled, we did what was only logical...we had a feast!

I tried a new recipe (very time-consuming) but Amanda and I ended up frying up some awesome Sweet Potato-Leek Pancakes! Well...I prepared them, Amanda did the frying-- she's a pro.

Be prepared for a LOT of grating of potatoes and slicing of leeks when making these little guys...it's worth it, I promise!

The batter before hitting the pan

Frying 'em up! 

Aaaaand our yummy finished product!

These little puppies were gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and everyone liked them! Yum yum.

My recipe was from a cookbook, but here's a similar one to try!

Megan made chocolate chip muffins that morning too, and Tara made an awesome chipotle pasta (compete with a g-free version for Rylie and I!). SO GOOD. House bonding like no other.

Cheese, cheese, and more cheese

Now this isn't one of our own recipes but this place is just TOO GOOD for us not to share it with you all. Grilled Cheese Mania is a new little food truck that opened in Harrisonburg just a couple months ago, its located on 

1321 South High Street Harrisonburg, Va 22801.

They have gourmet grilled cheeses, homemade soups and mac and cheese, divine dipping sauces and amazing homemade sweet tea and limeade. 

And the best part is they serve them in these super mega big cups. 

This place is definitely worth checking out. The woman who owns it used to work at Mongolian Grill in Top Dog so she has a soft spot for JMU. They are so friendly and great...and will let you sample just about anything. Definitely go check them out. 

Here is there website with menu!

http://grilledcheesemania.com/

A Pinterest Success: Avocado Fries

I found this recipe on Pinterest and just couldn't resist. And to my utter surprise, they turned out fantastic, unlike many other Pinterest attempts. I have made these twice now and they are absolutely TO DIE FOR. What's better than an avocado? A FRIED avocado, and they're pretty simple. They're a great appetizer or it's fun to make if you just want to have a dinner full a small plates. 

Here is the recipe that we got from

http://www.adventures-in-cooking.com/2011/03/avocado-fries-with-cilantro-lemon.html

Avocado Fries

Oil For Frying

2 Avocadoes

2 Eggs, beaten

1 and 1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs

1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Cumin

Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce*

5 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1/2 of Lemon

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, lemon pepper, salt and cumin. Set it aside. Cut the avocados in half and then slice them vertically into 4 inch by 1 inch wedges. Set them aside. Heat the vegetable oil to 335 degrees Fahrenheit in a large frying pan, adding enough oil so that the oil is about 3 to four inches deep. Dredge the avocado slices in the breadcrumb mixture, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture again. Place them in the hot oil and fry them for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon or tongs, and set them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Allow them to dry for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a serving tray and serve them immediately with the Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce.

For the Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce, place the mayonnaise, cilantro, and lemon juice in a blender and mix until smooth and creamy in texture.

*Now for all you mayonnaise haters out there here are some other great things to dip them in: Barbecue sauce, a sweet and hot mustard or any other dipping concoction you come up with.

Mmm, mmmm, shells

Another successful Sunday dinner at the Dugout. Lara and I combined our love of cheese to make a delicious stuffed shell and kale dinner. I couldn't find the exact recipe we used, but this one is pretty close: 

http://afoodcentriclife.com/kale-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/

Here is our delicious...and half eaten finished product.

Welcome to Home Plates!

We're the girls of The Dugout, and we want to share our culinary adventures with you!

We'll dish them up and share them with you, so enjoy!