Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Creamy Chocolate Frosting (from Allrecipes, Servings: 24, Total Time: 3-3 ½ hours)

Cupcake

Ingredients

·         1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·         ¼  tsp. baking soda

·         ¼ tsp. sea salt

·         ½ cup butter, softened

·         ¼ cup white sugar

·         ½ cup brown sugar

·         1 egg

·         2 tsp. vanilla extract

·         1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

·         1 (18.25 oz.) box yellow cake mix (I used vanilla)

·         1 1/3 cups water

·         1/3 cup canola oil

·         3 eggs

Directions

1.      Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

2.      Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

3.      Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

4.      Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients

·         2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

·         6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

·         6 Tbsp. butter

·         5 Tbsp. evaporated milk

·         1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1.      In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.

2.      In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

3.      When the cupcakes are cool, top with frosting.

I made these for my stepfather’s birthday party and everybody loved them!  They are dangerously addictive!  Although the recipe takes a while to make (because of the refrigeration of the cookie batter), I think it’s worth it.  Each bite was full of chocolate and vanilla flavor – absolutely delicious.  The frosting is not overly sweet, so it did not overpower the cupcake, it worked perfectly.  It did not add too much moisture to the cake, either.  It was so hard to eat only one at a time! 

While the cupcakes are baking, the cookie dough gets nice and soft, ending in a perfect bite after the cakes cool.  The dough just seemed to spread out and permeate each crevice of the vanilla cupcake.  As I’m sure you can tell, my mouth is watering as I relive the experience.  Oh, if only I hadn’t given up chocolate for Lent.  Come Easter, these will be tops on my list!

Bean and Veggie Burger Enchilada Casserole

Bean and Veggie Burger Enchilada Casserole (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 6-8, Total Time: 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         4 Morningstar Farms Veggie Burger Patties, chopped

·         ½ cup chopped onion

·         1 tsp. chili powder

·         ½ tsp. ground cumin

·         1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 4 oz. can diced green chile peppers

·         1 8 oz. carton light dairy sour cream

·         2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

·         ¼ tsp. garlic powder

·         1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce

·         1 cup shredded taco cheese

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      In a large skillet cook the chopped burger patties, onion, chili powder, and cumin until onion is tender. Stir pinto beans and undrained chili peppers into burger mixture; set aside.

3.      In a small mixing bowl stir together sour cream, flour, and garlic powder until combined; set aside.

4.      Spoon burger mixture into casserole dish (or use an oven-safe skillet in the first step),  top with the sour cream mixture, and enchilada sauce. Cover dish with foil.

5.      Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

I decided to omit the corn tortillas in the original recipe because we had wheat tortillas that needed to be consumed.  We spooned the mixture into the tortillas – worked just as well (if not better, I know that in these casseroles the tortillas can get a bit soggy).

I really like this dish, but my husband found a tad too spicy.  I’ll admit, there was a little kick to it (I used green chile enchilada sauce, which is spicier than red), but that was fine by me.  I used the Burger Patties instead of Burger Crumbles because I had a large pack that needed to be used.  I think that it worked out quite well.  I liked the firm texture of the patties (and the beans) with the creamy sour cream, enchilada sauce, and cheese.  Just a total winner in my book and I cannot wait to make it again!

Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna

Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna (slightly adapted from Woman’s Day, Servings: 8, Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 large egg

·         4 egg whites

·         1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs

·         ½ cup all-purpose flour

·         2 medium (about 2 ¼ pounds total) eggplants

·         1 container (16-oz.) lowfat small-curd cottage cheese

·         1 container (15-oz.) part-skim ricotta

·         1 ½  cups part-skim mozzarella, grated

·         ½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

·         2 Tbsp. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

·         Black pepper

·         1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

·         ½ cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         1 jar marinara sauce

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Cover two large rimmed baking sheets with foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Beat the egg and egg whites together in a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs and flour in separate shallow bowls. Add 2 Tbsp. oil to the bread crumbs and mix to combine.
2. Slice the eggplants into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Dip the eggplant rounds in the flour, then the eggs (letting any excess drip off), and finally in the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to help them adhere; transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Roast until the eggplant is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Romano or Parmesan, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Fold in the basil and parsley.
4. Spread ½ cup marinara on the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Top with a layer of eggplant (8 to 12 slices) and ½ cup marinara, and dollop with a third of the ricotta mixture (about 1 ½ cups). Repeat eggplant, marinara, and ricotta layers twice. Top with the remaining ½ cup marinara. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella and 2 Tbsp. Romano.
5. Cover the dish tightly with a piece of foil (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I’ll start off by saying that I did not have enough eggplant to have three layers, so I ended with the cheese mixture and topped with more cheese!  I also used dried basil and parsley instead of fresh (1/3 of original amount) and a garden vegetable marinara sauce.  I used more panko and egg white than originally called for; the above accounts for those additional ingredients.  I used slightly less flour, but I kept the above at ½ cup.

This dish is very Italian – and very cheesy.  Now, I love cheese, but I would not use so much next time.  I think that I would cut it back, maybe using 2/3 of the amount called for in the original recipe. Of course, my husband didn’t think there was too much cheese.  He loved this and enjoyed helping to make it.  The cheese and sauce make the dish very creamy.  The eggplant remained tender and was fairly easy to cut through, I didn’t even need to use a knife.

This dish reheats well, so great for leftovers.  I look forward to making this again.

Orecchiette with Creamy Chipotle and Corn

Orecchiette with Creamy Chipotle and Corn (slightly adapted from Woman’s Day, Servings: 6, Total Time: 25 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 pound orecchiette pasta

·         1 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 medium onion, finely chopped

·         Kosher salt and pepper

·         1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·         ¾ cup skim milk

·         4 ounces lowfat cream cheese, cut into pieces

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan

·         1  tsp. chopped chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce

·         Pinch ground nutmeg

·         1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed

Directions

1.)    Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ - ½ cup of the cooking liquid, drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2.)    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3.)    Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cream cheese, Parmesan, chipotles and adobo sauce, and nutmeg. Stir in the corn and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn is heated through and the mixture has slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

4.)    Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if the pasta seems dry.

My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish.  It was not too spicy, so I added some additional adobo sauce to my servings (I didn’t want to add too much heat).  It wasn’t very creamy, so when I make it again I will likely add 6 oz. cream cheese or some additional milk.  I ended up adding about ½ cup water to help the creaminess, I didn’t want to add any more than that as it would affect the taste.  The corn adds a slightly crispy texture to the otherwise soft and chewy dish (even though I cooked the pasta al dente, when I tossed it with the sauce, it lost its crispness). 

Overall, an easy dish to whip up when you are short on time. I do plan on making this again!

Thai Spice Crispy Edamame

Thai Spice Crispy Edamame (from The Law Student’s Wife, Servings: 4, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients

·         12 ounce package frozen, shelled edamame

·         2 tsp. olive oil

·         1 tsp. sesame oil

·         1 ½ tsp. lime juice

·         1 ½ tsp. Thai red curry paste

·         ½ tsp. brown sugar

·         ¼ tsp. soy sauce

·         1/8 tsp. garlic powder

·         1/8 tsp. ground ginger

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain and set aside.

2.      In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, sesame oil, lime juice, curry paste, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger until well blended. Add edamame and toss well to coat.

3.      Spread the edamame into the bottom of a 9x13 inch-baking dish. Bake 15 minutes, then remove from oven, stir to rotate the beans, and return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I served this as an appetizer to the Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu and Pineapple en Papillote dish.  My husband and I both enjoy edamame, so I figured instead of just serving the regular pop beans with salt, I would opt for some different spices to coat them.  We both liked the outcome.  There is a slight, building heat to the beans – from the red curry paste.  I liked that they stayed nice and crispy, even when coated with the different spices and oils.  This dish was easy to make and do plan on making it again.

Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu and Pineapple en Papillote

Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu and Pineapple en Papillote (from Vegetarian Times, Servings: 4, Total Time: 1 hour)

Ingredients

·         1 cup basmati rice

·         1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach

·         2½ tsp. toasted sesame oil, divided

·         2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

·         ½ tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

·         1 6-oz. pkg. baked smoked tofu, diced

·         1 cup diced fresh pineapple

·         2 tsp. sweet chile sauce

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut four 15-inch lengths of parchment paper, and fold each in half. Set aside.

2.       Cook rice and spinach separately according to package directions. Transfer rice to bowl, and stir in 1 ½ tsp. sesame oil and sesame seeds. Drain spinach, squeeze out liquid, and stir in soy sauce.

3.       Open folded parchment sheets like a book, and arrange ½ cup rice to one side of crease on each sheet. Top rice with ¼ cup tofu, ¼ cup spinach, and ¼ cup pineapple. Drizzle with ¼ tsp. sesame oil and ½ tsp. chile sauce. Fold parchment over food so edges meet, then crimp and seal edges with small overlapping diagonal.

4.       Transfer packets to large baking sheet, and bake 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before serving.

When I first saw this recipe, I thought it would be kind of difficult to make – I’ve never heard of en Papillote.  I’m glad that I did not let that initial thought keep me from making this dish – it is good to try new things!  After I got all of the ingredients ready, the rest was easy (actually, it all was pretty easy).  I think that the most time-consuming part is dicing and waiting for the basmati to cook.

Both my husband and I thought that this dish was pretty bland, as is.  He added a bit more soy sauce to his and I added some more sweet chile sauce and some Sriracha to mine.  We were both plenty happy then!  Without those additions, you can taste the sesame oil and seeds and a little bit of the sweet chile sauce, but not enough to overcome the spinach and rice. The pineapple adds a bit of crunch to this otherwise soft dish.  I think that if I make this again, in addition to adding more soy and sweet chile sauce, I will not use the baked tofu. I don’t know that it added that much taste over regular tofu – I’d rather use regular tofu soaked in a combination of soy, sweet chile and Sriracha and go from there.

Vegetable and Garbanzo Curry

Vegetable and Garbanzo Curry (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 4-6, Total Time: 5.5 hours)

Ingredients

·         3 cups cauliflower florets

·         1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

·         ½ of 16 oz. bag frozen cut green beans

·         1 cup sliced carrot

·         ½ cup chopped onion

·         2 cups vegetable broth

·         2 tsp. curry powder

·         2 cups light coconut milk

·         ¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.       In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine cauliflower, garbanzo beans, green beans, carrot, and onion. Stir in broth and curry powder.

2.       Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

3.       Stir in coconut milk and basil.

The picture on the Better Homes & Garden website is very misleading.  My vegetables were in no way bright and vibrant.  After about 2 hours in the slow cooker, they were quite dull.  It definitely took away some of the excitement that I had for this meal.  The flavor was also kind of missing as well.  I added a bit of garam masala, red cayenne pepper, and ginger to try to get more flavor out of the dish. My husband enjoyed it, but I just couldn’t get behind it.  I finally just added some Sriracha to amp up the flavor.  With all that said, I would not make this dish again.  There are a lot of other curry dishes that I have made, successfully, and I’d much rather have those.  It’s a shame because this was super easy to make. 

As a note, I served the curry over brown basmati rice, which soaked up the broth/coconut milk mixture.  That was a nice plus – I like it when I have a runny curry and can use rice as a sponge!  This dish would not work with naan.

Southwestern Breakfast Bake

Southwestern Breakfast Bake (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings 6-8, Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

·         ¾ cup canned enchilada sauce

·         2 4.5 oz. cans diced green chile peppers, drained

·         ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 cup shredded taco cheese

·         3 egg whites

·         3 egg yolks

·         2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ½ cup skim milk

·         1 tsp. dried cilantro

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.       Spray a 2-quart square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, combine black beans, enchilada sauce, green chile peppers, green onions, and garlic. Sprinkle with cheese.

3.       In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl); set aside.

4.       In a large bowl combine egg yolks, flour, and salt. Using a wire whisk, beat mixture until combined (mixture will be stiff). Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Fold the beaten egg whites and cilantro into egg yolk mixture. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the bean mixture in baking dish.

5.       Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until egg mixture appears set when gently shaken. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Both my husband and I liked this dish, and he even ate some of the leftovers!  I used green chile enchilada sauce, which was a bit spicy, but tasty.  If I had used regular or mild enchilada sauce, I may have added a dash of hot sauce (as recommended in the original recipe).  I cut back on the green onions (using ¼ as opposed to ½ cup) because my husband claims that he doesn’t like them – although, I will say, he didn’t seem to notice that they were in this dish (the blend in with the green chiles).  Sneaky, sneaky!

I served the egg dish in soft taco shells and I don’t think that it needed anything extra (i.e. salsa or sour cream).  The black beans were firm and provided a good texture difference against the soft and chewy eggs.  The 1 cup of cheese was also plenty – it made the whole mixture creamy and everything bound together quite nicely.

I will definitely make this dish again, but I plan to make a few changes.  8 oz. of green chiles is a lot and the dish might work just a tad better with 4 oz. green chiles plus a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (or just one can of diced chiles and one can of plain diced tomatoes).  The regular enchilada sauce would definitely add some color, but I think that some variation of veggies would also be nice.  I think that adding corn would also be a nice addition.  Enjoy!

Ciro’s (Lancaster, PA)

Ciro’s (Lancaster, PA)

My husband and I drove to Lancaster, PA to celebrate his sister’s birthday.  She chose the restaurant, Ciro’s, for dinner.  The restaurant is in a complex that includes apartments, townhomes, and a few shops on the first floor of the apartments.  The lighting was dim in this large restaurant and there was a lot of seating.  We were ushered into a private room (there were 9 of us total). 

There were  a lot of vegetarian options, but I chose salad and a pizza.  The Arugula and Roasted Pear salad looked too good to pass up - baby arugula with honey roasted pear and parmesan cheese tossed with honey-champagne vinaigrette.  The arugula was fresh and crisp and the honey roasted pear was absolutely delicious.  The pear was firm and sweet.  There were large parmesan cheese shavings topping the salad and a drizzle of honey-champagne vinaigrette finished it off.  The vinaigrette was awesome and perfectly complemented the honey roasted pear.  The salad was lightly dressed and nothing got soggy.

As my main dish, I had the Verdura alla Griglia pizza.  I ordered the personal-size pie that had a medley of vegetables, roasted onions, roasted garlic and mozzarella cheese.  Unfortunately, my pizza came out very well done.  The waitress offered to take it back, but everybody else was already eating, so I just kept it.  It tasted like fire.  I’m sure that it would have been better (especially with the roasted onions and garlic), but it was difficult to fully enjoy it.  The center of the pie wasn’t too bad, so I cut off the crust and “bottom” third of the pizza so that I could at least eat some of it.  That part was savory and soft.

The restaurant has its own gelato case and you can go up and order your own.  I had a mixture of peanut butter and chocolate – a perfect ending compared to the disaster of a main course that I just had.  If I go to Ciro’s again, I will skip the pizza!

Cheesy Pumpkin Lentil Pot Pies

Cheesy Pumpkin Lentil Pot Pies (from Amuse Your Bouche, Servings: 2, Total Time: 50 minutes)

Ingredients

·         ¼ cup red lentils

·         1 cup vegetable stock

·         Black pepper

·         ½ tsp dried thyme

·         3 Tbsp. (heaped) pumpkin purée

·         1/8 cup vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated

·         1/3 sheet puff pastry, thawed

·         1 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1.       Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2.       Combine the lentils and vegetable stock.  Simmer gently until the lentils are soft and not much liquid remains. Make sure you stir to keep the lentils from sticking to the pan.

3.       Add the black pepper, thyme, pumpkin purée and parmesan, and mix well until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4.       Spray two large ramekins (or one dish) with non-stick cooking spray.

5.       Roll out the pastry until it’s about 2 times as thin as it was frozen.

6.       Distribute the lentil mixture into bowls and drape the pastry over the top. Press it down firmly around the edge of the bowls. Either cut the excess pastry off or leave a little excess over the edges (I left the excess).

7.       Cut a couple of small slits in each piece of pastry, and brush with milk.

8.       Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish.  It is very creamy and savory –  it actually does not have too much of a pumpkin taste.  The lentils were completely puffed up and were not hard at all – just the way we like them.  I used a little less than ½ tsp. of thyme and that worked out perfectly for us.  I think that the vegetable stock, thyme, and cheese were the primary flavors in my dish.  The puff pastry had a nice touch of brown to it and was quite crispy – a perfect contrast the creamy interior of the pot pie. 

This dish is easy to make and it perfect for two people. There are some other recipes that I have used that say they are for two people, but I always end up with leftovers (not a bad thing).  There were no leftovers to speak of with this one!  My husband dug in as soon as the pot pies came out of the oven and loved every bit of his!

Cheddar and Beer Risotto

Cheddar and Beer Risotto (slightly adapted from Emily Bites, Servings: 8, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients:

·         1 Tbsp. margarine

·         ½ small onion, chopped

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 cups uncooked Arborio rice

·         12 oz. bottle of beer

·         6 cups vegetable broth

·         1 ½ oz. Parmesan cheese, freshly finely grated

·         1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

·         1/8 tsp. sea salt

·         ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

1.      Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook 3-5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add rice and stir to combine. Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring throughout.

2.      Pour in beer and turn the heat up to high until the beer begins to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and add ½ cup of the broth. Stir until the liquid dissolves and then add another ½ cup. Repeat until all the broth has been added and the rice is creamy and al dente.

3.      Remove the rice mixture from the heat and add the cheeses, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and serve.

When I first saw this recipe, I knew that I had to try it, but I wasn’t sure if I should use Morningstar Farms veggie bacon or just bypass it.  I decided to bypass it this time and subbed in some sea salt to impart some of the salty flavor that I believe bacon adds (I haven’t had it in over a decade, but that’s what my husband tells me).  I think it worked – both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this creamy, cheesy risotto.  I used Yuengling beer (an old standby) and I think that the lager did just the trick.  I think that most beers would work, just make sure that you like the beer before cooking with it!  The cayenne added just a touch of heat, not too much and not too little – perfect for both my husband and me.

The dish is easy to make – as with all risottos you have to stir it, but it wasn’t super-involved or needy.  I could walk away for a few minutes and do something else without it sticking to the bottom.  I served my risotto with some Trader Joe’s Sausageless Sausage for some non-dairy protein.  I look forward to making this again!

FARMiCiA (Philadelphia, PA)

My husband and I went to FARMiCiA in Philadelphia for Restaurant Week.  The Prix Fix menu looked promising from a vegetarian perspective, but I should have compared it to their regular menu – I ended up spending more by going the Prix Fix route!  We went on a cold, snowy Sunday and had a treacherous walk because many places had not cleared the snow from their sidewalks.  We entered the bright, inviting, and warm restaurant.  There is a bar to the right side with some two-seaters and then larger tables to the left.  We were seated on the left in a two-seater, but there wasn’t a lot of room between our table and the one next to us (or the one behind us).  Kind of a tight fit in that particular part of the restaurant.

I started off the three-course meal with the FARMiCiA Salad.  It consisted of lettuce, garden vegetables (carrots and tomatoes), and croutons, and I ordered the herb vinaigrette on the side.  The veggies were all crisp and fresh and the herb vinaigrette was light and tasty.  I’m not sure which herbs were in it, but they worked well together – nothing overpowering anything else.

As my main dish, I ordered the Butternut Squash Risotto Croquettes.  I was excited for risotto as well as a vegetarian croquette.  The Croquettes were sitting atop a bed of sautéed spinach and topped with a walnut-sage pesto.  Some roasted cauliflower was on the side.  I’m not sure what the spinach was sautéed in, but it was the same thing the cauliflower was roasted in – it was a tad salty, but absolutely delicious.  I took bites of the croquette with the spinach and cauliflower and the crisp croquette worked nicely with the softer spinach.  The croquettes were pan fried and had a light crust to them.  The risotto was OK, but I think that a bit more pepper or other spice would have been good.  I did not like the walnut-sage pesto at all.  It was the same consistency of a regular pesto, but did not taste like one.  It was a tad too sweet for me.

For dessert, I had the Rich Bittersweet Flourless Chocolate Torte with chocolate ice cream & warm fudge sauce.  Talk about chocolate!  I was in overload mode!  It was good though, warm soft cake in each bite, paired with cold ice cream and hot fudge.  Oh my!  My mouth is watering just thinking about this delectable dish.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to eat the whole thing and my husband couldn’t help me because he was working on his own dessert.

I would like to go back to FARMiCiA sometime, and order off of their regular menu!