Mr. FvF and I were lucky enough to be invited to the pre-opening friends & family event at the new Dewey's Pizza at Austin Landing. For you suburbanites that tend not to venture too close to downtown Dayton - I can sum Dewey's up pretty easily by just telling you it's killer pizza. Perfectly chewy crust from a Hades-hot brick oven, high quality (and several locally sourced) toppings, a few calzones and a handful of good salads. They keep the focus where it should be - on the pies. With some quirky names (like the Dr. Dre) and nicely profiled flavor combination, even the pickiest eaters would be hard pressed not to find something they love. While Dewey's pies appeal to people like me who would order something way of the pizza map like their seasonal Porky Fig (fig jam sauce, prosciutto and gorgonzola) - you can also pacify the less adventurous 'za eaters with the X-Pepperoni or just build your own.

I can get pretty wonky when it comes to pizza toppings, but the mister likes to keep it basic. Their special was The Don - all of the good Italian meats and plenty of cheese. We did that one half, and on the other half, the Meatball (pretty self-explanatory).



One of the things I love is that they're not dicks about doing half & half pies, as long as the sauce base is the same. So, if you have wildly different taste than your dining partner, no sweat. Both sides tasted amazing, but I stopped just short of hating myself...or so I thought. Did you guys even know Dewey's had dessert? I'm betting a lot of people don't, because who can suffer dessert after eating their pizza?

• Can't recall the name of the maker, but Dewey's sausage is made by a Cincy-area purveyor and can only be found on their pies.
• While the dough is fresh, it's aged 2-3 days, which gives it the chewiness that their customers love.
• Their current stores are in the major Ohio markets, and St. Louis. Never would have guessed, but apparently Dewey has family there.
• Dewey is a real guy! 
• In all of their markets, beers are also locally sourced and some are exclusive to their restaurants.
• An eatery after my own heart - they love wine so much, they made their own. I didn't get to try this because I was busy sampling beers and turning into Violet Beauregarde, but it's on my to-do list. 
• There's a good chance they're working on a gluten-free pizza dough. According to the head honchos, they won't put anything on their menu that they don't love themselves, so I'm guessing it will be more than passable.
• Those dudes in the kitchen can spin some serious dough. 

In hindsight, I'm really disappointed that I didn't take an outcome picture of one of the first recipes I've created in a while.  Rest assured, they didn't look all that spectacular - just your average looking corn muffins.  I let a few of the mini ones cool and tasted them while they were still warm, and was immediately disappointed that there was no heat, that I'd used far too little pepper.  Then, oh snap!  There it was.  Just a few seconds after I'd imbibed it, that little bit of warmth snuck right up, and it was perfect.  I will say it was a tiny bit of smoky heat to finish, not even too much for my 18 month old son to handle.  If you like a higher level of sass, seed and mince one additional chile for the recipe.  I took this one to a cookout, so I erred on the side of caution and went with just what regular folks would enjoy.  I had to wash and reuse muffin tins between batches, and this still only took me an hour, start to finish.  Makes about 4 dozen minis.


2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
3 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter/margarine, softened
8 oz creamed corn
1/3 C milk
1/3 C shredded asadero cheese
1 whole chipotle pepper, seeded and minced
1 tbsp adobo sauce from the can of peppers
1/4 C diced yellow onion, sauteed

Mix all of this together and spoon into greased muffin tins.  Mini muffins will take about 15 minutes at 350, while larger muffin or popover tins will take 20 minutes or so.  if you decide to do this in a cast-iron or loaf style, I'd give it at least 45 minutes.

You're probbaly figuring out by now that I have a ton of back-logged reviews.  congratulations! You're very intuitive.  Your mother says so. On another morning when Lil FvF was with the grandparents, we decided to finally get around to trying Lucky's for brunch. We get in a bad habit of always wanting to go to Golden Nugget, so our breakfast and brunch wishlist is long.  Blind Bob's menu always looks great, but for personal reasons, I don't eat there.  Lucky's brunch menu is on the smaller side, which isn't always a bad thing - plus they offered gluten-free banana bread French toast.  Score!

Well, not so fast.  It was just alright.  It was very mealy, which can be expected from g/f items, so I can't place that blame on the recipe or the cook.  I didn't taste the slightest hint of banana, either. The density inside and crunchy outside were tops, but the overall texture and taste was just off.  I got a little bit of both the maple breakfast sausage and smoked bacon, both of which were excellent.  The eggs were just eggs.  Nicely cooked, but by no means fluffy.

Mr. FvF really enjoyed his chorizo breakfast tacos, but the "home fries" went to waste because they'd been cooked with peppers and onions (not noted on the menu), both of which he can't stand.

Our server had an almost empty house, with only us and one other party of drunken ladies brunching, but she was pretty out to lunch the whole time.  We had to go to the bar and ask for refills and had no flatware on our table when our food came.

Reasonably priced, free lot parking, bloody mary bar and perfect meats give them a lot of aces, but they need to offer a few more better-executed options to keep us coming back.

When the company emailed me and wanted me to try and blog about their bars, at first I was all, "Yeah, they're gluten-free!"  Then I saw "vegan & raw," and have to be honest that I was a bit put off.  But, I'm an equal opportunity eater, so I'd give'em a whirl.  They arrived at just the right time, too.   After a little surprise appendectomy a few weeks ago, I found myself housebound with lunch and dinner prospects, but nothing for breakfast.  I figured if I tried a different flavor GoodGreens bar every day of my confinement, my research would be thorough and complete.  Mr. FvF shared the duplicate flavors, and we gave the coconut ones to my dad because ewwwww.

I've always enjoyed eating fruits and veggies in their original state, so I never enjoyed or understood products aimed at cramming as much of your daily intake into a juice, bar, sauce, etc.  GoodGreens claims to get 100% of your daily fruit and veg in these little bars, no bigger than your average protein bar.  If my husband was still sure that he didn't like any vegetables besides potatoes and corn (I know a lot of you have an eater like that in your house), these would be ideal.  We both enjoyed the same half of the flavors - Chocolate Mint (tastes a lot like Thin Mints), Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Raspberry.  The Mixed Berry bars lacked the faux-chocolate coating that I thought helped balance out the slight grittiness of the texture.  I'm not necessarily saying gritty like it's a bad thing, but they have a similar mouthfeel and aftertaste as a lot of protein bars.  Mr. FvF and I actually enjoy protein bars and don't mind that taste, but Pa FvF did not care for them at all.  So, don't get carried away thinking this will solve your picky eater problem.    All things considered, I'll buy these with my own American dollars if I see them in the store.  Right now, you can buy them by the box at the GoodGreens website - or if you're on the OSU campus, you can find them just about anywhere.

In order to get my warm weather figure back on track, I decided I had to start eating breakfast again to get my metabolism going in the morning.  I'm not the world's biggest yogurt fan, have teeth too sensitive for cold cereal in the morning, and refuse to leave myself time to make a proper breakfast.  Pile that on top of my body's general disdain for wheat products, and I'm a bit short on options.  A few weeks ago when I was passing over the crunchy hippie in Kroger - y'know, that small area between produce and the bakery where you assume nothing tastes good - I noticed more than one option of gluten-free frozen waffles.  Van's has bold, clever packaging and caught my eye right away.  I'd always known Van's products to be superb to most frozen varietals from my dieting days, so I was amped to try it. And the magic word - SALE.  Kroger has pretty much consistently had these waffles on sale for over one month - 2 for $5.   I picked up a box of the Van's g/f Blueberry Waffles and decided to give them a whirl.

The next morning, I recalled from leaner times (not with weight, just with money) that frozen waffles never really get warm enough in the middle from toasting alone, so I nuked it for about 10 seconds first.  A little butter and some maple sizzurp and you've got yourself a fine breakfast, even for the tenderest bellies.  These waffles not only have blueberries in them, but are also sweetened with fruit juice, so it is actually apparent that you're consuming a blueberry product.  As for the texture, a gluten-eater wouldn't know it from an Eggo.  It's crisp on the outside, soft and chewy inside.   In the following weeks I also tried the plain (too plain for this gal, even dressed up) and the apple cinnamon, but neither won my heart like the blueberry.

The photos below aren't mine - I had to steal them from the interwebs because the last thing I'm thinking of in the morning is taking photos of my food for you guys.  I need that time to saddle up these sweater monkeys and clean my shotgun.  More importantly, I'm pointing out the source because this philistine put peanut butter on a blueberry waffle.


The following week, I was equally tempted by the sales price of another brand - Kinnikinnick.  You have no idea how long it took me to type that shit.  I grabbed a box of their Brown Sugar & Cinnamon G/F Waffles for just under $3.  Out of the box, they were visibly wimpier than the Van's, but I was willing to let that go if they had the flavor and texture on lock.  Prepped one the exact same way as the others, nuking it just slightly beforehand, then toasting.  Buttered, sizzurped, and dove in expecting a whirlwind of rich cinnamon & brown sugar flavor.

No dice.  The hint of flavor was just that - and the texture was all wrong.  Was I sleepwalking at Kroger again and picked up some kind of fancy dog food waffles?  These were rubbery and spongy, nothing like my beloved, buttery, crispy Van's.  That's what you get for buying Canadian, kids.

Mr. Fvf and I have been going out for dinner much more often than we should lately. My longer hours and more grueling days at work make for a lousy housewife, but also mean finances are fast and loose, and we can basically dine out whenever we please. So - more reviews for you, but bigger front-butts for us. Can't win'em all. One of the many Fridays that I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to look at and dismiss anything in our cupboards, we decided to check out Los Reyes. It's always been hard for us to make it to a meal there. We either completely forget about it, or get pulled in by the tractor beam of Christopher's Restaurant a few doors down. I'd heard quite a few good things and not a single bad thing about Los Reyes, so I figured it was high time to get around to it.

The hostesses were very friendly, but also very in violation of child labor laws. I would be shocked if they were a day over 13. Regardless, we were seated quickly and had our drink orders taken right away. The place was nearly packed, just as much as any other place would be on Friday evening during dinner rush. I obviously wasn't the only one that had either discovered or was hoping for a diamond in the rough.

Their menu did lack a little bit in the "entrees not involving flour tortilla" department, so I stuck with my usual suspects, the flautas (two beef, two chicken).

Mr. FvF went straight for the entree containing the most of his favorite sausage, Pollo con Chorizo.
You'll have to excuse blogger for being a total dickweed today and not letting me align or justify much of anything at all.  Due to that, I'm really tired of monkeying with this entry and I'll just give you a very forward opinion.  Wasn't impressed. My flautas didn't even come with beans or rice.  Almost everything needed more salt, or more seasoning. Must have been the blandest chorizo I've ever tasted, and I'm almost certain that they used flour tortillas for my flautas regardless of what the menu stated.  The price was right and the service was good, but the food just wasn't impressive.  It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't great.  We'll probably stick with our old favorites next time when it comes to Mexican food. 

Mr. FvF's grilled cheese was pretty standard fare, but he was more than happy with it.  My club sammich, on the other hand, was a total mammoth.  It towered a good six inches (that's what she said) and its bread overfloweth with fillings.  Unlike the Filling Station, Butter Cafe understands that a club is supposed to have turkey AND ham, not make you choose between the two.  The ham & turkey didn't stand out, but the bacon was thick-cut, crisply cooked and super tasty.  Tomatoes were decent, and leaf lettuce is always welcome in the place of iceberg.  The toasted Udi's bread toasted up more firmly than regular breads, leaving you with destruction of both the upper and lower palates in its wake.  The tots were good, but could use some work.  The seasoning was great, but the potatoes themselves were really dry and gluey.  I'm guessing since it was 30 minutes til close, they weren't fresh at all.

It's sad that I'm still doing Restaurant Week shit from almost three weeks ago, but it's really pathetic that I have a good five posts prior to that still needing edited and posted.  I'm sure you'll find a way to deal with it, Chubs.

So, our first RW experience was at Dublin Pub, and was mostly assy.  For the big-baller event, I wanted to go to Sunrise Cafe. (I always *try* to go The Winds, but am never impressed with their menu.)
Despite the fish offerings, Mr. FvF took one look at Sunrise's menu and he was all, "Ewwwww, that's bourgie.  Do not want!"  Luckily, my homegirl Carly was into it, so she and I made it a gal-date.  

We both ordered the same appetizer - Toasted Sesame Flatbreads with Caramelized Onions, and the same entree - Garlic-Stuffed Wagyu Kobe Sirloin (mid rare), with polenta and roasted carrots.  The starter came out quickly and looking great, but it was astonishingly a little too much onion.

Now, considering that I can barely get caramelized onions into recipes because I stand over the stove and eat them with a fork, that's a really bold statement.  I will say they were caramelized perfectly, though.  Sweet as jam.  What I actually liked more was some sort of bacon-infused butter that was in the center of the plate.  I ended up scraping off 90% of the onions and smearing it with the pig-buttery goodness, and that took it up a notch.  The flatbread was more like a really weak pita, too - not exactly the thin & crispy goodness that I had imagined.  

We were both such Motormouth Mabelles that we weren't even halfway through our apps before out entrees were on the table.

Anycrap, after my brief match with Prednisone in October, about 8 pounds have crept back on, and I simply am not havin' that shit.  So, our lunches and dinners are going back to the lower end of the glycemic index, as to make nice with our waistlines again.  


A lot of South Beach recipes don't appeal to me that much, so sometimes I'll take Adkins recipes and cut a lot of the fat out of them.  Everyone loves the lettuce cups at PF Chang's, but i don't have the patience to dice chicken or the stomach to put it in a food processor and think it'll ever be clean enough again.  I really don't care for ground chicken, either, since I'm allergic to nasty.

This is all comprised of shit that we almost *always* have on-hand at Chez FvF.  Wicked easy, and the dude loved it.  Here's what you'll need:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs, if you prefer)

 2 tsp olive oil  

 2 minced shallots 

3 tbsp dijon mustard 

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (white wine vinegar works, too)

1 tbsp butter 

7-10 oz fresh spinach 

salt and pepper

Let me preface this by saying - and you may want to sit down - but, prior to this, I'd never eaten Indian food before. I used to be a real nervous Nelly about trying new things, but once I got past that - I just never got around to trying it.  So, I really haven't a clue how authentic (or not) this recipe is.  But, aside from a few spices I needed to pick up, it was something I already had all the ingredients for and seemed easy enough. Here's what you'll need: 

2 Tbsp olive oil 

1 cup diced onion 

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 

2 tsp coriander powder 

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp to 

1/2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

2 tsp minced fresh ginger 

2 tsp minced garlic 

2 Tbsp tomato paste 

1 can petite diced tomatoes 

3 chicken breasts, 

2 chicken breasts, diced (raw)

Mr. FvF and I have been trying to eat fairly healthy at lunch and dinner to combat all the other carb-o-riffic holiday treats that are finding their way into our faces. Last week, I was craving Italian - specifically, something swimming in a rich bolognese. Other than piling on pasta, there aren't tons of options. Then, I came across a South Beach dieter's blog with a recipe that used zucchini and squash as vessels for fillings, the same way I do my stuffed shells. Then I slapped myself for not thinking of that on my own. I started to choke myself, then I remembered that I'm not Rob Schneider. Even I was skeptical, and I was almost sure the husband wouldn't dig this, but it turned out surprisingly kick ass. Here's what you'll need:

Anytime I get an inkling of something new Mr. FvF discovers that he likes, I try to find a way I can create a meal around it. I can't remember how, but he realized he liked Asian-style sesame, dressing - so I figured I could make a spinach salad of it. But, just any regular spinach salad wouldn't do. Unlike lettuce, green leafies like cabbage and spinach are sometimes even better when they wilt under a bit of heat, so I thought I might try putting a chicken stir fry on top of a bed of it.

I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to make chilaquiles for dinner. It's one of the easiest dishes ever if you use pre-made ingredients. Even if you make everything from scratch, it's still only about a 30 minute dish. Here's what you'll need:

You might remember me mentioning a few weeks back that we had dinner at Las Piramides and loved every second of it. Mr. FvF, especially, had a huge hard-on for the Chorizo Pollo he ordered. It's really only three basic ingredients, so I figured I'd give a whirl of recreating it in our own kitchen. Here's what you'll need (serves two, multiply as needed):

Next time you decide to have taco night, ditch the ground beef and seasoning packet and try something equally quick, but much tastier.

We had some leftover corn shells, an avocado, regular staples like cheese, Dei Fratelli black bean & corn salsa and black beans, and Dot's Market had their house-marinated chicken on sale for $1.99 a pound (they do this at least once a month). They breasts are huge (that's what he said!), so one can easily feed two people. I tossed one of the mesquite chicken breasts on the grill for about 8 minutes per side, shredded some cheese, sliced up an avocado and called it a day. Viola. Dinner in yo' face in about 20 minutes, with negligible prep.