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a balanced plate with room for dessert


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Espresso Bourbon Brownies

Espresso Bourbon Brownies | doughseedough.net

So, you know your favorite morning pick-me-up? (Yes, I’m talking about coffee). How do you make it better? Add bourbon, duh. And how do you make that better? Turn it into a brownie!

Espresso Bourbon Brownies | doughseedough.net

The bourbon taste in this is definitely prominent, so make sure you make it with something drinkable. Another tip: if you like these, hide them. I left mine out and they were completely gone a couple days later. Mike inhaled these at an alarming rate.

Espresso Bourbon Brownies
makes 16 brownies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons espresso granules
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place butter and unsweetened chocolate into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. In a small bowl, combine bourbon and espresso until espresso has dissolved. Set aside.
  4. Stir sugar into slightly cooled chocolate mixture until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. Stir bourbon-espresso mixture into the batter. Mix in flour and baking soda until just combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to make sure batter is evenly distributed and smooth on top. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
  6. Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Remove brownies from the pan and cut into 16 pieces.

 

adapted from Lemons and Anchovies


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Curried Mussels in White Ale

Curried Mussels in White Ale | doughseedough.net

I still remember when I made this dish – I had invited my mom over for dinner after she found out I was making mussels. I figured that since she fed them to us a couple weeks ago, it was my turn to host. She declined since they had some guests. Turns out, I am dang happy that she didn’t end up coming over (does that make me a bad daughter?). Mike and I devoured this entire dish by ourselves and were wishing we had more. We couldn’t get enough of how flavorful the curry ale sauce was. Seriously out of this world. Next time, I’m going to whip up a triple batch and force my mom to join us.

Curried Mussels in White Ale | doughseedough.net

Curried Mussels in White Ale

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 large fresh lemongrass stalk, bottom two-thirds of the bulb smashed and chopped
2/3 cup Shaoxing wine
15 ounce can low fat coconut milk
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, plus 1/4 cup chopped
2 12-ounce bottles Belgian white ale
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded; toss any that do not close tightly when tapped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

crusty bread for serving

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the Shaoxing wine, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce and basil leaves. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl; discard the solids.
  2. Rinse the saucepan out and then bring the ale to a boil over high heat. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to four bowls, discarding any that are not open.
  3. Add the red curry sauce to the ale and bring to a boil. Let cook for 1 minute and spoon over the mussels. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped Thai basil and cilantro and serve.

 

recipe slightly adapted from Food & Wine


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One Pan Sausage Skillet Dinner

It’s been quite a few days and I still smell campfire everywhere I go. I finally realized that it wasn’t my skin, hair, or clothing. The smell has somehow permeated into my glasses. I’ve soaked and scrubbed them, but to no avail. I love campfires, but this is a little much! I guess from now on I’ll have to camp sans-glasses. Essentially blind. I may end up just falling into the campfire…

When you’re camping, the fewer dishes to wash, the better. Seriously. Mike and I are so determined to keep our dirty dishes to a minimum that we ate straight out of the pan instead of dirtying two plates 🙂 This one-pan meal takes minutes to throw together and minutes to clean up. If you don’t have a fire to cook over, try baking this in the oven!

One Pan Sausage Skillet Dinner | doughseedough.net

(Please forgive me for the photo – turns out that Me + Camera – Light – Tripod = Disaster)

One Pan Sausage Skillet Dinner 

serves 4 – 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound baby carrots
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved (quartered if large)
12 ounce package of chicken sausage (I used Johnsonville’s Chipotle & Jack sausage)
4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, chicken broth, or water
shredded cheddar cheese, optional

  1. Coat a large cast iron skillet with olive oil. Arrange potatoes on bottom in an even layer. Spread onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms evenly on top. Arrange sausage over the vegetables.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together beef bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, dried minced onion, and black pepper. Sprinkle spices and soy sauce over the sausage and vegetables. Cover the skillet tightly with heavy-duty foil and cook over a fire for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until potatoes and carrots or tender and sausage is cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and return to fire for an additional 1 – 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.


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Turkey & Rice Taco Skillet

Before I dive into our weekend adventures and the recipe,  I want to explain why I haven’t been posting as much (and why I’m eating dairy again). I’m unable to complete even a simple 5 mile run without almost collapsing. I can’t eat without being sick. Two of the most important things in my life: running and food, are now what frustrate me the most.  I’m taking it a day at a time, praying that my doctors can figure out what’s wrong with me soon so I can go back to being normal. Until then, I’ll be posting a bit less; it’s hard to post new recipes when you don’t each much of anything besides cereal and salads 🙂

But onto happier things… Mike and I went on our first camping trip of the season this past weekend with our pups. It rained Friday, but Saturday was picture-perfect and we were able to get in a nice long hike. Really long hike. Because we got lost. But hey, what’s the point of life without a little adventure? I’ve got two camping meals to share with you this week. For our Friday night dinner, I made a Turkey and Rice Taco Skillet. It was pouring, but we huddled under the tarp with the dogs and ate our dinner. It was the perfect meal to keep us warm in the cold, wet weather. I figured I would share this recipe first since it kind of works with the whole Cinco de Mayo thing, too.

Though this was made over a campfire, it is easily adaptable to be made at home on the stove top. That’s the beauty of cast iron – it can be used inside and outside. I’ve finally gotten my “inside use” Dutch oven and skillet to where they are pretty darn well seasoned. The skillet I used while we were camping, though, has been on hundreds of camping trips with Mike when he was growing up. The skillet is so perfectly seasoned that it puts my pieces to shame. I guess I have something to work on, eh?

Turkey & Rice Taco Skillet {camping meal} | doughseedough.net

Turkey and Rice Taco Skillet
serves 4 – 6

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced (seeded if desired)
1.25 pounds lean ground turkey
1 packet hot taco seasoning mix
4 cups water, divided
3 cups Minute Brown Rice
1 – 15 ounce can corn
1 – 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 – 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes with jalapenos
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
sour cream to garnish
olive oil spray

  1. Spray a large 12″ cast iron skillet with olive oil. Add garlic, onion, and jalapeno and cook over the fire (or medium-high heat) until onions are tender. Add the turkey and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning and two cups of water. Bring to a simmer and stir in rice and remaining two cups of water. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and corn and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.
  2. To serve, divide between 4 – 6 bowls. Sprinkle with lettuce, cheese and top off with sour cream.

 

 


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Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Bourbon Glaze

Long ago, in my college years, I loved drinking gin (and got the nickname Ginni). Now, I’m loving whiskey. Whiskey sours, whiskey Cokes and most recently I’ve been diggin’ it with some root beer. You know the saying “don’t cook with alcohol you won’t drink?” Well, I prefer Kessler in my drinks (flame away, people), but I used Bulleit in these cinnamon rolls.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Bourbon Glaze | doughseedough.net

I used my cinnamon roll dough (but used dairy ingredients compared to non-dairy) as the starting point and made three batches of caramel before I finally got it right.

These bourbon-glazed cinnamon rolls are a decadent morning pick-me-up. Some people like coffee in the morning. Some people like tea. Everybody likes boozy cinnamon rolls. So, go into your kitchen, whip up a batch of these bad boys, and present them to someone who has a case of the morning grumpies.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Bourbon Glaze | doughseedough.net

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Bourbon Glaze
makes 12 cinnamon rolls

for the dough:

3/4 cup 1% milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

for the filling:

4 cups diced crisp, tart apples (3 – 4 apples) – I used a combination of gala and granny smith
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup 1% milk, warmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

for the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon (I used Bulleit)
2 teaspoons 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

to make the dough:

  1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Add in butter and vanilla and stir until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, combine yeast with warm water in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes or until mixture is foamy.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or in a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt.
  4. Whisk egg into the milk mixture until well combined. Pour milk and yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until dough forms a sticky ball. Add in remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time, kneading well after each addition, until dough turns smooth and soft but still slightly sticky. The amount of flour you use will vary, but I usually use about 3 1/4 cups.
  5. Lightly oil a large bowl. Form dough into a ball and place in bowl, turning to coat in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.


to make the filling:

  1. Place apples in a pan over medium heat and cook until softened, about 3 – 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Next, prepare the caramel. Place granulated sugar in an even layer in a large pot over medium heat. Let cook, undisturbed, until sugar just starts to melt. Then, start stirring occasionally until sugar turns golden brown. Remove pot from heat and slowly (and carefully!) stir in warmed milk. Stir until well combined. If sugar hardens, don’t fret! Return the pot to the burner and cook slowly over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the hardened sugar melts. This could take 15 minutes or longer. Continue to cook until caramel reaches desired consistency. Stir in salt and remove from heat to let cool.
  3. Stir 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce in with the cooked apples and set aside. Reserve the remainder of the caramel to drizzle over the cooked cinnamon rolls.
  4. Combine brown sugar with the cinnamon and set aside.


to assemble the cinnamon rolls:

  1. Lightly flour your work surface. Turn dough out onto floured surface and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Roll dough out into a 20×13-inch rectangle. Spread butter onto the surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar and spread apple mixture evenly onto the surface, making sure to get it all the way to the edges.
  3. Starting at the long end closest to you, tightly roll the cinnamon roll up. Gently pinch the end to seal and turn the roll seam-side down. Cut into 12 even pieces. Place rolls cut-side down into a lightly greased 9×12-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 350F.. Remove plastic wrap from the cinnamon rolls and bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool slightly before icing so they have a chance to soak up the caramel and cinnamon sugar.
  5. While the rolls are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, bourbon, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
  6. Drizzle glaze and caramel over the cinnamon rolls and serve.


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Spring Veggie Quinoa Power Bowls

Spring is here. With spring, comes spring cleaning. Most people clean out their closets and rid the house of dust bunnies. Why don’t ya take it one step further and clean up your lunchtime routine? Stop running to the closest fast food joint and prep this at home the night before instead. Your body will thank you.

I love quinoa for its amazing health benefits. It has protein, fiber, and iron, plus lots of vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy and help it repair itself. It’s naturally gluten free and it is one of the few plant foods that is considered a complete protein. As an added bonus, the texture is really, really cool. It can be a bit on the pricier side when you compare it to other grains like pasta, bread, and rice, but it’s worth the cost. (Hint: I like getting it from Costco. They come in huge bags for a good price and it lasts forever.) Asparagus is also packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. How could you not love a veggie that is a cancer-fightin’, health-improvin’ machine?

spring veggie quinoa power bowls | doughseedough.net

This quinoa bowl is packed with goodness and is so easy to throw together. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and it’s good warm, cold or at room temp. What more could you ask for?

Spring Veggie Quinoa Power Bowls | doughseedough.net

Quinoa Power Bowls
serves 4

1 cup quinoa
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
olive oil spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 ½ – 2 inch pieces
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 – 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 large lemon, juiced
8 cups spring mix (lettuce or other salad base of choice works, too)
4 ounces feta cheese
1/2 cup almonds
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  1. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add quinoa and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the dish. Spray a large pan with olive oil. Add garlic and onion and saute for 1 – 2 minutes, or until onion softens. Add asparagus, bell pepper, and garbanzo beans and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 3 – 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables. Toss to combine.
  3. To serve, divide the spring mix between four bowls. Fluff quinoa with a fork and place on top of greens. Top with vegetables, feta, and almonds.

 

adapted from Clean Eating Magazine


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Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

So, remember that amazing (and easy!!) pineapple salsa I posted a couple weeks ago? It’s not only good on chips, with pretzel thins, or plain by the spoonful… it’s delicious on marinated chicken, too! I’m loving all the pineapple that’s on sale right now and this dish is super easy to prepare. Prep and marinate the chicken the night before and then you have dinner on the table in 30 minutes the next day!

Pineapple Chicken with Fresh Pineapple Salsa and Cilantro Rice | doughseedough.net Pineapple Chicken

1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
cooking spray
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups fresh pineapple salsa

  1. Whisk together pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Place chicken in a shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, turning halfway through.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Discard marinade and place chicken into prepared baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake chicken for 30 – 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Pour reserved 1/4 cup marinade over chicken.
  4. Combine brown rice and cilantro in a bowl. Serve chicken with brown rice and pineapple salsa.

 

adapted from Cooking Light

 


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Recipe Remake: Crunchy Caramel Corn

 

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

I’ve been making this caramel corn for years now, and it still hasn’t let me down. The results are consistently good and it couldn’t be easier. My step-dad loves this popcorn so much that I started making it for him for Christmas. This past holiday, I stuffed a 3-foot tall stocking full of caramel corn… and included some gift certificates for more batches of it throughout the year. He cashed in one of the gift certificates recently and here are the results. It was so irresistible that I ended up making two batches – one for him, and one for Mike and me. We may or may not have eaten the entire batch in just a few short days.

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

Feel free to use more or less popcorn. I’ve started to use closer to 8 quarts of popcorn so that the caramel is a bit lighter and you get the occasional piece that isn’t 100% coated in caramel. Use just 6 quarts for a very in-your-face sweet, sweet caramel corn.

Crunchy Caramel Corn | doughseedough.net

Crunchy Caramel Popcorn
makes 6 – 8 quarts

3/4 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 – 8 quarts air-popped popcorn

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Line three baking pans with foil or spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil, unstirred, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
  3. Pour popcorn onto baking pans, dividing evenly between three pans.
  4. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Stir gently, breaking up large pieces. Serve immediately or store in air-tight container.

 

Tips for clean up – soak the pot and utensils in hot water. The sticky caramel will melt right off and there will be minimal scrubbing required. The foil in the pans will give you a quick, easy clean up. Just crumple up and toss!

 


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Fresh Pineapple Salsa

I’ve been loving the spring weather this week. All the snow is gone and the temps have been warm enough for me to run in a tee. Mike and I are hoping to take advantage of this weather by going on a nice, long hike and with the pups this weekend and then grilling out after. Fingers crossed that the forecast is wrong and that it doesn’t rain!

This pineapple salsa is sweet with the perfect amount of heat. It’s super versatile, too. I ate it with chicken, with pretzel thins, and even just straight-up with a spoon.

Fresh Pineapple Salsa | doughseedough.net

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

1/2 pineapple peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

  1. In a large nonreactive bowl, stir together pineapple, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


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DSD Goes to St. Louis!

Mike and I spent a week eating, drinking, and sight-seeing our way through St. Louis. It was my first time in the wonderful city, and Mike hadn’t been for years. I am still glowing from the trip – the weather was wonderful for almost the entire time and the city had so many awesome free activities. As always, though, food was my focus. Here’s a rundown of where and what we ate. As a bonus, you get some lovely iPhone photos as well (sorry, I wasn’t about to schlep my DSLR around with me everywhere!)

Blueberry HillBlueberry Hill St. Louis | doughseedough.net

This restaurant seems to be a large tourist trap. And we fell for it. Hard. Sure, the restaurant was filled with memorabilia, but it was our least favorite meal of the week.

What we ordered:

  • Buffalo Fries: “A bit spicy”
  • Reuben: “One of the best in St. Louis. Now larger! Corned beef on grilled marble rye with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and 1000 Island dressing”
  • Chili Mac: “Hearty portion of macaroni topped with our award-winning spicy chili”

The fries were pretty standard and nothing special. They had a little spice to them, but calling them “a bit spicy” is a stretch. I’m not sure why they claim to have one of the best Reuben’s in St. Louis. The corned beef looked like it was from a package and the sauerkraut was flavorless. I am a little blown away that there are so many reviews that claim the Reuben is the best. The chili mac was the best of the three. The chili was mildly spiced and pretty tasty, but the mac that was served with it was overcooked. At least the beer was good! Rating: C.

Bogart’s Smoke House 

Bogart's St. Louis | doughseedough.net

Mike and I spent the morning at the Soulard Farmer’s Market and walked passed Bogarts on the way to our car. We remembered that our AirBnB host had mentioned it as a popular BBQ spot, so we decided to go in and catch an early lunch (brunch?). We had a short wait with about 5 people in front of us; this gave us the opportunity to decide what we wanted to order. The food came out minutes after we sat down and… damn. There’s a reason the line was out the door and around the corner when we left!

 

What we ordered:

  • Burnt Ends Sandwich with Pit Baked Beans and BBQ Pork Skins
  • Beef Brisket Sandwich with Deviled Egg Potato Salad and Fire & Ice Pickles

This meal was phenomenal. The burnt ends and brisket were both wonderful and really well cooked. We tried all four of the sauces they had on the table:

  • Sweet Maegan Ann: “Sweet and Smokey KC Style”
  • VooDoo Sauce: “On a heat scale of 1 to 10, it’s an 8!”
  • Pineapple Express: “Made with pineapple juice, so a sweet start and a tangy finish”
  • Mad Maddie’s Vinegar: “North Carolina style vinegar sauce”

VooDoo was our fave. I would rate it maybe a 3 or 4 on the heat scale, but it was definitely tasty. The Sweet Maegan Ann and Pineapple Express were overly sweet for me, and Mad Maddie’s Vinegar was just not my style. I love vinegar, but not on my BBQ! I loved the beans and the potato salad sides. I gave Mike the evil eye whenever he took a bite because I wanted it all to myself (I need to learn to share). They also passed out some chicken wings while we were eating and that was pretty darn tasty as well. I don’t think they have wings on the menu, but they should be!  As a bonus, they also had an allergen menu posted on the wall. Rating: A.

Square One Brewery & Distillery

Square One Brewery & Distillery St. Louis | doughseedough.net

We did our fair share of brewery and winery tours during our time in STL, but we decided to dine at Square One because its menu looked pretty darn good.

What we ordered:

  • Rain Crow Farm Stout-Braised Pot Roast: “Local grass-fed beef, slow-roasted beef in a rich stout demi-glace,  served with garlic mashed potatoes  & fresh vegetables”
  • Sunday Fried Chicken Platter Special: this delicious chicken came with vegetables, mac & cheese, and a biscuit
  • Chocolate Stout Brownie with Caramel Sauce and Ice Cream
  • Whiskey flight & a cocktail

Mike’s fried chicken was the better of the two entrees. The fried chicken was perfectly crispy and succulent. I’m not a huge fan of fried chicken, but I definitely took a few bites of Mike’s dinner! My pot roast was hearty, but what I really wanted was a huge bowl of their mac & cheese with a piece of fried chicken. If you ever have a chance to eat at Square One on a Sunday, get there early and order the fried chicken! The dessert was phenomenal. I cried sweet tears of joy as I took my first bite of dairy-loaded dessert since November. Pure bliss. The whiskeys were good according to Mike, but he only had one favorite. My cocktail was decent, but nothing special. Rating: A-.

Bailey’s Range

Bailey's Range St. Louis | doughseedough.netI was immediately drawn to the huge table in the middle of this restaurant. It was packed when we went on Monday night. We got a table on the second level and were able to watch the cooks do their thing in the kitchen down below. This burger-centric restaurant was pretty cool. I wish I had gotten a little more adventurous and gotten a burger with cheese because their menu is fantastic. I was reeling a bit from my last cheesy meals, though, so I thought I would dial it back.

 

What we ordered:

  • Basic Burger: beef patty, catsup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles
  • American Burger: “beef patty, fried mac’n’cheese patty, bacon, house sauce, sriracha mayo”
  • Fries with horsey mayo and sriracha catsup

I loved their homemade ketchup. Mike’s American Burger was perfect: cooked to order and topped with a mess of mac & cheese. Even my Basic Burger was good – it was cooked well and the beer bun and homemade ketchup made it not-so-boring. That said, I still regret not getting a more interesting burger. The dipping sauces totally outshone the fries, though. Step up your fry game, Bailey’s Range. Rating: B.

Fountain on Locust Fountain on Locust St. Louis | doughseedough.net

The restaurant claims to be the most photographed restaurant in St. Louis, so I had to check it out. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food and drinks were.

What we ordered:

  • Pesto Chicken: “Grilled chicken smothered in melted mozzarella cheese with our house-made pesto sauce on a light and delicious deep focaccia crust, with side of St. Louis City Salad”
  • Blackhawk: “Sliced Certified Angus Beef, roasted red pepper and a delicious goat cheese, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil spread, w/ lettuce and tomato on Vienna rolls w/ side”
  • Signature Polish Dill Pickle Soup: “From a secret family recipe, an elegant potato based soup with crushed dill pickles”
  • Sprocket: “Start your engine with Fireball Whiskey, Ginger Ale and Hard Apple Cider”
  • Buck Wilde: “Whiskey lovers, tehre’s a celebrity in the house! Rye Whiskey, Dry Vermouth, Chartreuse, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of Bitters – just like Buck himself”

The dill pickle soup was one of my favorite dishes of this entire trip. I’ve never had anything quite like it before and I had to stop myself from licking the bowl clean. I’m hoping to recreate this at home sometime soon, because I need a steady supply of this soup in my life. It reminded me of dill pickle potato chips but in soup form and 1000x tastier. Both entrees were above average and the portions were big. We were both insanely happy with our cocktails as well. I wish we had saved room for one of their adult milkshakes 🙂 We almost went back for another meal, but ultimately decided that we shouldn’t repeat restaurants during our trip. For the quality of the food and the price, you really can’t be beat! Rating: A.

Broadway Oyster Bar 

Broadway Oyster Bar St. Louis | doughseedough.net

This restaurant was packed on Thursday night. We managed to snag a table in the front room with a great view of the live music. Neither of us were really hungry because we had gotten beer and apps at the hotel a few hours prior. I’m kicking myself for wasting stomach space on that because the food here was way tastier than the hotel stuff. I wish we had been able to stay longer for the band that started at 8:30, but a tornado siren and some pretty intense thunderstorms drove us back into our hotel room. Sad face.

 

What we ordered:

  • Mussels: “Steamed in a tomato garlic white wine broth”
  • Sampler Platter: “For the undecided, includes Gumbo Ya Ya, Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice & Crawfish Étouffée”
    • Gumbo Ya Ya: “Our version of this classic Cajun soup. The best in town!”
    • Jambalaya: “A traditional Creole rice dish containing shrimp, chicken, andouille & ham”
    • Red Beans & Rice: “A rich bean stew containing our special recipe andouille sausage & house smoked tasso”
    • Crawfish Étouffée: “A classic Cajun dish featuring lots of sautéed crawfish tail meat

The mussels were great and we couldn’t get enough of the broth that it came in. We were sopping it up with our bread, and when we ran out of bread, we started slurping it with a spoon. Classy. I thought that the crawfish étouffée was the best dish in the sampler platter, followed by the jambalaya and red beans & rice. The gumbo wasn’t my favorite; it had a strange coffee-like taste to me. I didn’t find any of the food to be spicy enough, but they had a nice assortment of hot sauce at the table that I could use to my heart’s content. Rating: B+.

The Aftermath: I’m compensating for my last week of overindulgence with salads for (almost) every meal. (And yes, I did tried toasted ravioli. It didn’t impress me all that much 😉 )

City Museum St. Louis | doughseedough.net

Eatin’ burgers at City Museum!