Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que just opened their new location in Brooklyn. We went there for dinner with a group and it was as amazing as expected. The location is between 3rd and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, where there really aren't that many restaurants. It's a huge space inside, with picnic tables out front. There was a good crowd there on a Monday night. However, the wait was only about 20 minutes. They have a large bar, with an extensive drink and beer list, that you can hang out at while waiting for a table. They also take reservations through OpenTable, if you don't want to wait.

We started the meal off with appetizers of fried green tomatoes and deviled eggs. Both were delicious. We opted for "fancy" fried green tomatoes, that for about $10 came with  fancy pimento cheese and chow chow on top. For entrees, most of the group had combination meat platters that come with two or three meats and two sides. I had a pulled pork sandwich platter that came with two sides.  I had the macaroni and cheese and crispy cole slaw, which were both really good. There are so many choices for dishes and sides, it's really hard to decide. I would want to go back and try some other sides. The meats that were ordered were pulled pork, brisket, and ribs. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered whether it was a sandwich or plate loaded with meat. We all happily rolled out of the restaurant.

To sum it up, go here for dinner if you love meat and huge portions. It's affordable and excellent food. It has a lively atmosphere that's perfect for a group that's ready to eat and drink.

*Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - 604 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY

Mariella

A brand new restaurant opened in our area, Mariella, in the old Sweetwolf's space. We stumbled upon it during the first week it was there. It serves Italian food specializing in dishes from Naples. We were explained this once we sat down by the excited and friendly owner who greeted us and checked on us during the meal. There is a great outdoor space in the front where you can sit out on the deck. It was perfect for a Summer night out. Inside was nice as well, with dim lighting and a large bar inside. The service in addition to the very friendly owner, was helpful and attentive.

Since it was their first week, they didn't have their liquor license. We were told though that they will start serving drinks soon. The menu is small, with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients. We started with a mediterranean arugula salad with feta goat cheese and tomatoes, and burrata with eggplant. They were both amazing. We also got extra bread that was homemade, served with a white bean puree dip. This worked perfectly with the burrata, melting in your mouth. For our entrees we had two pasta dishes: a tube pasta dish with kale and walnut pesto and a fettuccine dish with summer squash, egg, and speck. They were both delicious and unique. We were pretty full, but were still happily surprised when they brought us a complimentary panna cotta with blueberries for dessert. It was gone within seconds.      

I would definitely go back to try some other dishes, even order the exact same. It was a warm place, with great food, and easy to drop in at. I really can't think of anything I would change about the restaurant or my experience there. I kind of want to go back tonight. 

*Mariella - 492 Sixth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I am a strong believer in eating breakfast every day (and occasionally, two breakfasts!). My go-to breakfasts are either cereal, or scrambled egg whites with toast or an English muffin, but I’m also a big fan of pastries. I’m a bit of a chocoholic, and starting off the day with a little chocolate always puts me in a good mood, so breakfast-appropriate chocolate pastries are my favorite!

This chocolate chip banana bread is a perfect breakfast food for me, since it’s packed with fruit, packs a nice dose of chocolate, and typically keeps me full until lunch (especially if I serve it with a side of scrambled egg whites or turkey sausage). The recipe is very simple to make, and uses ingredients that I usually have around the house. It’s also a great way to use up bananas that are overripe!

I made a loaf of the bread on a Sunday night, froze half of it, and had my breakfast ready to go for the rest of the week. You can refrigerate leftovers, but I put the leftovers out on the counter in a tupperware container and they didn’t get too dried out. Beware when you are cooking the banana bread that it may look cooked on the outside within 35-40 minutes, but check the middle of the loaf to make sure it’s fully cooked (unless you like your banana bread very gooey). I learned that lesson the hard way, although it was still delicious!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

(adapted from Chocolate-Covered Katie)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup skim or 1% milk
• 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup agave (or maple) syrup
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 packet of sweetener
• 2 cups tightly-packed, mashed banana (measured after mashing, approx. 4 bananas)
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients, and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix by hand into dry ingredients bowl. (Be careful not to overmix.)
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan and cook approximately 40-50 minutes, depending on how cooked you want it.
4. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.

*Makes approximately 12 slices.

Maysville

Named after the city that was the birthplace of Bourbon, it's no surprise that this is going to be a restaurant with an extensive array of fun bourbons and cocktails. You can check that out when you get inside and see a classy bar filled with a beautiful display of bottles. We went here for Ryan's birthday dinner after having previously been to Char No 4, their other restaurant in Brooklyn.

The standouts for me were the atmosphere, which was open and welcoming, and the food. We both had bourbon mixed cocktails to start from an awesome cocktail list. They were yummy and creative. We moved on to a ton of food. It was essential to over order since it was a birthday celebration. We shared everything, which I would also recommend doing. We had the Crispy Grits, BBQ Shrimp, and a Beet Salad as the appetizers. For our entrees, we had the Slow Roasted Arctic Char and a Steak with Potatoes. It was all flavorful and wonderful. I think the best thing was definitely the appetizer of Crispy Grits with Ham and a Bourbon Aioli. They were bite size and delicious. 

The service was friendly, but formal. It seemed fancier than I had expected and I had an after work crowd. It's that kind of place you might want to go to for a celebratory dinner and what I consider a fancy night on the town. 

*Maysville - 17 West 26th Street, New York, NY

Light Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Bites

When I first signed up for Weight Watchers, one of the foods that I was most sad to give up (or at least, dramatically cut back on) was macaroni & cheese. And if I’m being honest, Kraft mac & cheese, specifically. What can I say, I have a real soft spot for that blue box of cheesy goodness!

So for the past year and a half, I have kept an eye out for any “healthier” versions of mac & cheese that I could find. There are great alternatives to using full-fat cheese, and I’ve tried a few options, but I eventually realized that portion control is always going to be an issue for me when eating this delicious comfort food. And unfortunately I haven’t come across any version that allows me to eat as much as I want without stopping.

Hence why I couldn’t wait to try this mac & cheese recipe that is baked in a muffin tin - built-in portion control! With the added protein from the shredded chicken, I was satisfied after eating two of the muffins and a side salad. The buffalo wing sauce added a little spicy kick, mellowed out just enough by the ranch dressing. I ate mine dipped in some additional dressing (since I can’t handle much spice), while Rick drizzled his in extra buffalo sauce.

Considering how easy these were to make, and how delicious they tasted, I will definitely be making these whenever I’m in the mood for some guilt-free comfort food!

Light Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Bites

(Adapted from Emily Bites)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 cup milk (I used 1% milk)

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

3 tbsp light ranch dressing (I recommend Bolthouse Farms ranch dressing - it’s delicious, and typically found in the refrigerated dressing section)

3 tbsp buffalo wing sauce (feel free to add more if you like it spicy)

2 large eggs

1 egg white

1 cup cooked shredded boneless skinless chicken breast

1 medium celery stalk, chopped

4 cups cooked whole wheat macaroni (about 8 oz uncooked)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly mist two muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mixing it into the butter until thick. Stir in the milk and garlic powder and raise the temperature to bring the mixture to just under a boil. Add the cheddar cheese and whisk mixture together until thoroughly combined into a cheese sauce.

3. Remove the cheese sauce from heat, then mix in the ranch dressing and Buffalo wing sauce. Beat together the eggs and egg white and then stir into the cheese sauce until combined.

4. Add the chicken and celery to the cheese sauce and stir together. Add the macaroni and continue to stir until coated. Spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared muffin tins, filling each to the top. (You should be able to make approximately 16 muffins.)

5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops slightly brown. Let cool at least 15 minutes before removing from muffin tin, so that the muffins will stay together.

Makes approximately 8 servings (2 muffins per serving)

Light Deep Dish Taco Pizza

If you can’t tell already, I’m a huge fan of Mexican food. Like any good Italian-American, I also love pizza. So when I discovered a recipe for a skinny taco pizza (deep dish, no less!), I obviously had to try it out. And I was very glad that I did!

The pizza was very easy to make; the only step that took any real time was browning the ground turkey, and the entire recipe used only one skillet and one baking dish. The results were fantastic (albeit a bit messy to eat) - the crescent roll crust was fluffy and buttery, the taco filling was flavorful, and one slice was very filling. 

You’ll also notice that the recipe calls for 1 ½ cans of crescent rolls, which left me with an extra ½ can of crescent rolls. I rolled them up and popped them into the oven after the taco pizza finished cooking, for an extra treat!

And the best part of this meal was that Rick and I had enough leftover taco pizza for another 2 servings each! The crust was slightly soft when microwaved, but it still made for a delicious lunch the next day.

Light Deep Dish Taco Pizza

(Adapted from Skinny Mom)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel), drained
• 1 packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cans reduced fat crescent rolls
• 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
• Salsa (to garnish)
• Fat free sour cream (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Brown ground turkey meat and onion in a large skillet and drain well
2. Stir in water, seasoning, and drained tomatoes to meat/onion mixture
3. In a 9x13 baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray, press crescent rolls into the bottom and halfway up the sides
4. Spoon meat mixture over the crescent roll layer
5. Bake at 425 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes (it may take less time to cook, keep an eye on the crust)
6. Remove from oven and top with cheese
7. Return to the oven for approximately 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts and crust browns
8. Garnish with sour cream and salsa and serve

*Makes 6 servings

Pig and Khao

Pig and Khao is partly the creation of the Fatty Crew Hospitality Group and offers Asian inspired dishes. I was interested in going there for two main reasons: the menu and Leah Cohen from Top Chef fame is the chef there. We ended up going there on a Friday night for an earlier dinner since you need a reservation and it’s pretty crowded on the weekends. You walk in to a small restaurant with green walls, an open kitchen, which I love, and some hip hop music playing in the background. It instantly achieves what I think it is going for, a cool foodie spot with a young vibe. We arrived just in time to take advantage of the PBR happy hour special, $1 beers from 5-7pm.

We were seated quickly and happily drinking our beers within minutes. The service was attentive and relaxed. The menu is set up with mainly small plates and a few large plates. We opted to share everything, which is obviously the way to go. I forgot about what I might not want to eat or be cautious about eating, and dove right in to everything, including some pig head, which I had never had before. We ordered the Crispy Red Curry Salad, a Green Mango Salad, the Grilled Pork Jowl, the Sizzling Sisig, and the Grilled Sirloin. The food was delicious, with a wide range of options, and lots of pork and spice. The most interesting dish was the Sizzling Sisig, the pork head served with a fried egg on top. We added the lime and mixed all the pork and egg in the sizzling dish as it cooked. The combination of flavors were perfect. I would love to go back to Pig and Khao and try different dishes. They also have a cool outdoor space with lights strung and a keg of beer. You can hang out at back and drink all you want PBR for $15 all night. I think the blend of cheap beer and high end food makes this place a great spot and a cool place to chill out at.

*Pig and Khao – 68 Clinton Street, New York, NY