My life lately, as told by food

Hey, hi, howdy! Everyone have a good Fourth of July?! I'm still digesting. I should probably be doing some kind of detox or juice cleanse after eating all the burgers/sausages/cookies and drinking all the beers/wines/gin+tonics.

I have recipes that I want to share with you! Really yummy, tasty recipes. There are pictures on my camera and recipes in my brain but it feels like there is no time to bring it all together. It's no excuse! I know that! 

In the meantime I thought I would do a round-up of what my life looks like, in food. It's my way of showing you that yes, I still LOVE food and yes, it is still a big part of my life. So here it is! Everything I've been eating + growing + cooking! With a few cat and dog pictures for good measure :-)

WHAT I'VE MADE

I whipped up this roasted pork tenderloin with a fire-roasted tomato sauce and it. is. everything. This is absolutely a blog-able recipe and I hope to get it up by the end of the week!

These amazingly patriotic cookies are homemade lofthouse-style cookies with a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting. I used Wilton brand food coloring spray and red sand sprinkles to give these cookies a fun face-lift! They were the perfect dessert for those 4th of July cookouts.

These pretty cherry tomatoes came right from my front porch! I bought a single potted plant on a whim at Home Depot a few weeks ago and thought for sure it wouldn't live long enough for me to eat a single one. Boy was I wrong! Cherry tomatoes everywhere!!

WHAT I'VE EATEN

Wedding cake samples!! I, of course, chose the maximum number of samples possible. My favorites were vanilla cake with chocolate pudding and chocolate cake with cherry filling. My mom said I was boring for liking those best, but there is a reason those are classics!

Committee Boston is a new restaurant located in Boston's Seaport that features Mediterranean small plates and fabulous craft cocktails (notice the candied bacon garnish--my mouth is watering just thinking about it). I could not stop eating the dishes here! Everything was incredibly flavorful, fresh, and unique. I strongly recommend the zucchini crisps and the lamb pita pizza. The restaurant itself is spacious with a big bar and just-opened outdoor seating. I couldn't recommend it enough! 

Right near our apartment in Roslindale Village is a great local eatery called Birch Street Bistro. I had the grilled salmon with crispy shrimp. This shrimp was ADDICTING, I could have eaten a whole pound of that alone! Under the salmon was an equally addicting coconut cilantro sauce, which I could have eaten by the spoonful. Another gem in the greater Boston area that I would strongly recommend!

PET PICS FOR GOOD MEASURE

Star was EXHAUSTED after all the Fourth of July excitement! She passed out as soon as we got in the car! Luckily, she didn't react strongly to the noise of the fireworks and was able to stay outside with us while we watched them.

Dot continues to rule as the king of the castle. Here he is giving me his best "Judging You" face. He's the most photogenic creature on the planet (a totally 100% unbiased opinion)!

What are you eating or cooking that has you excited?! Leave a comment below!

Recent Food Adventures

I know, I know. It's been more than a week and I have left you with nothing to cook, eat, or laugh at. I'm quite sorry. Let me tell you this blogging stuff is hard work! And I am also getting into the thick of my exam season, which means most free time must be spent doing math rather than documenting my dinners. It's not about you, guys. It's totally about me.

Ok enough of this relationship break up business. Despite my lack of blog posts, I have been eating some interesting food at really good places! Here's a brief run-down of where I've been recently and the mouthwatering dinners I had there.

Good Eats in Boston:

Cafe 47 - I went here when my good friend, Lisa, and her sis came up to visit Boston. Truth be told it was the NEW YORKERS and not me, the local, who found this place. Also, as New Yorkers, we were VERY satisfied with the pizza here. The atmosphere is probably my favorite part of Cafe 47. It is quaint, dark, with rustic accents throughout. I had the Goat Cheese and Salmon Linguine (basically, all my favorite things on top of fresh pasta). It was outrageously good--sprinkled with a little bit of dill, fresh goat cheese, shredded salmon YUM! I definitely suggest giving this place a try. You can get a delicious dinner at a VERY reasonable price. Great for dates and small groups! .......Oh, I should mention, they had a selection of four desserts and we got one of each. Grilled apple bread, grilled banana bread, a Nutella PB banana grilled sandwich, and chocolate moose. Is your mouth watering yet?

Abe and Louie's - This is a fancy steakhouse located on Boylston street that is VERY good. Cor and I went here with family he had in town, and I must say the experience of going to a really GOOD steakhouse was worth it. The exquisite food was even more so. So you are probably wondering what steak I had.....well, I had the Chilean Sea Bass. Ok, look, it was a special that night and our waitor, Chris, made my mouth water just DESCRIBING the dish. I was NOT disappointed. It was beautifully grilled on top of crispy swiss chard with a jumbo shrimp right on top. I was eating like a queen. Now, don't misunderstand me -- this is a fancy little joint downtown and it will certainly be a long time before another gallivant to a place like this. But if you have a special occasion and a few dollars to spend, head to Abe and Louie's...it's just divine.

Wagamama - Wagamama...fun to say and an interesting eating experience, for sure. This restaurant has Asian inspired cuisine, with it's focus on noodle dishes. I had the Yaki Soba, which in a way reminded me of Pad Thai. The thing about Wagamama (say it aloud, go ahead) is that everything is freshly prepared to order so everything comes out haphazardly. Just ignore all manners if your food comes out first, because if everyone waited...you'd be eating cold noodles. Overall, though, the food is quite tasty. It's light and fresh, which is somewhat unexpected for such noodle dishes. Also, apparently their chocolate cake dessert is featured on the Boston chocolate tour, so you may be wise to try that out!

Have you eaten anywhere new in your city recently?

What's this about?

Welcome to my new blog, "Gas Stove Girl"! I have tried many times in the past to maintain a blog with a clear direction. Ultimately it turned into miniature rants I had about whatever was bothering me at the time. I learned that this type of online journal is not the way to get and retain followers of any kind. It also didn't provide me an opportunity to share experiences with others.

Cue "Gas Stove Girl," my amateur way of fulfilling my Food Network dreams. I love to cook! I have no formal training. More importantly, I LOVE EATING! My kitchen has one small swath of counter space, a microwave, a rice cooker, a George Foreman grill, and of course a GAS STOVE!

I have fun in the kitchen remaking family recipes, from my family and my boyfriend's. I pretend I am a pro and try my hand at some Food Network staples. I have a number of cookbooks I like to peruse. Some things work out well and some things go very wrong. These are my stories, my food experiences, my restaurant critiques, and my amateur cook tips.

Please check back every week for updates, reviews, recipes, and tips! I want you to start having as much fun in the kitchen and during meals as I have -- even if you aren't a five star chef.

Food is our common ground, a universal experience. - James Beard