Oh Fudge!

Although I’ve left Ann Arbor for the summer, the blogging adventures are sure to continue. It’s only Day 3 at home and I’m already starting to get a little stir crazy here in suburbia. With no job, yet, and no friends at home, yet, my only solution was to break out the baking goods and make one of my favorite classic and easy recipes, chocolate fudge. This “Never Fail Fudge” is fool-proof and makes enough to share with family and friends.

Here's what you'll need:

-2 ½ cups of white sugar

-5 oz. evaporated milk

-2 tbsp. butter or margarine

-1 7oz. jar of marshmallow creme (or Fluff)

-½ teaspoon salt

-¾ teaspoon vanilla

-½ cup of walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

-1 12oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

And here's how it's made:

1. Combine the first five ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until blended.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then boil slowly, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate, vanilla and walnuts (optional) until the chocolate is melted entirely.

4. Line a 9x13" pan (or 9x9" if you prefer thicker fudge) with aluminum foil, pour fudge in and allow to cool.

5. Once cooled, cut a slice for yourself and enjoy!

Note: I've found that the best way to store this fudge is by wrapping it in parchment paper and storing it in a tightly sealed container in order to ensure freshness.

In Good Company.

With freshman year finally coming to a close, I can’t help but to reminisce about the times I’ve shared with friends over a good meal. My Alice Lloyd and Markley crew have a weekend routine that we almost never fail to break, brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These meals normally take place in the Mojo dining hall, however, in search of a delicious breakfast and an adventure, we moved the crew over to Angelo’s for a Wednesday morning finals week breakfast.

Located at 1100 E. Catherine, Angelo’s has been a breakfast restaurant staple in Ann Arbor since 1956. Angelo’s is known for their homemade toast (I suggest trying white or raisin!) that is baked in-house every morning and can be bought by the loaf to take home.

My personal, no-fail favorite are their omelettes. For our breakfast adventure, we each ordered different varieties of omelettes with breakfast potatoes on the side, which I also highly advise.

Here’s how we did our Angelo’s experience:

Best dishes? Although Angelo’s boasts a huge and varied menu, it will always remain my go-to place for omelettes. Pair your omelet with breakfast potatoes and two slices of raisin toast and you’ve assembled the perfect Angelo’s breakfast.

Atmosphere? Quick, friendly service and small or large crowds are welcome, with optional counter seating. Closest to a Jersey diner feel I’ve had since being in Ann Arbor.

Cost? Reasonable. A complete breakfast (with eggs, toast and drink) will ring in around $11 dollars, though pancakes and waffles average around $6.

If you come on a weekend morning you can expect a wait, however, if you’re looking for carry-out, Angelo’s has Angelo’s On The Side (right next door) that operates with a separate kitchen specifically for take-out.

Check out the menu before heading over, you might have trouble choosing just one dish!

http://www.angelosa2.com/complete.pdf

Where Vegan Cuisine Reigns Supreme

With a cozy and relaxed atmosphere lined with Bob Marley posters, Earthen Jar, is an out-of-the ordinary buffet style restaurant that serves vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Jill, Megan and I used the warm weather as an excuse to take a lunch break and head down to S. Fifth Ave. Although the restaurant is small, the buffet provides customers with plenty of options. There is an entrée bar, with traditional Indian dishes that are all either vegan or vegetarian and vary in spices and a salad bar with different types of bean, potato and chickpea salads.

You can either dine-in or take out, and at $5.99/lb, it is easy to put together an inexpensive and delicious meal.

Here’s what we chose:

With over 20 options to choose from, we decided to the best approach was to taste test them all. Each dish was distinct and filled with tons of flavor. It was hard to resist going back for seconds!

A great compliment to a meal, or a refreshing dessert, the Soy Mango Lassi is a winner. Lassi is a traditional Indian beverage consisting of yogurt, spices and fruit, essentially a milkshake. If you're not into soy, they offer all their Lassi flavors with a dairy base.

Best dishes? It's a tough call with the entrees and depends upon if you prefer mild, spicy or extra hot. You can't go wrong with any of them. However, the banana and rice puddings stole the meal. They are neither traditional to India nor prepared the typical American way, but they are getting.

Atmosphere? Small, laid back, cozy and a fun place to grab a quick bite with friends. Only one guy runs the place and he was more than eager to let us try out the dishes we were nervous about getting before buying them.

Cost? Only $5.99/lb for entrees and salads. You can fill a container to go or a plate if you're eating in. Homemade baked goods ranged from $2.00-$3.00 and you can also have pita or naan on the side for under $1.

Here's their menu if you want to check it out before heading over:

http://www.earthenjar.com/menu.html

Jamaican' Me Crazy

Since the beginning of fall semester, I’ve passed the Jamaican Jerk Pit everyday to and from class. It took nearly a year to find someone brave enough to check it out with me, but this past Saturday Sarah and I finally made the trip over and discovered one of Ann Arbor’s buried food treasures.

From the front, the Jamaican Jerk Pit appears small, with limited seating on the top floor. However, once you venture downstairs you’ll find a cool Jamaican ambiance with bright colors and relaxed music. The food is fresh and there are a tons of options, even for the pickiest of eaters.

Here’s how we did our Jamaican experience:

For starters we went with Fried Plantains. Sweet, crunchy outside and warm, smooth inside, these treats are fun to eat and are great as an appetizer or as a dessert.

Jerk Chicken. Chicken quarters seasoned with a “secret blend of island spices” and served alongside a house-blend of sautee vegetables and rice and peas, white rice or seasoned red skin potatoes.

Best dishes? We didn’t venture too far outside the norm, but for less adventurous eaters the Jerk Chicken is a good call.

Atmosphere? Relaxed, rastifarian feel, sort of like being in a Jamaican café, without the locals.

Cost? Entrees came in around $11, while sandwiches, pitas, salads and starters were all under $10. Plenty of food for the cost.

If you want to check it out before heading over, here’s their menu:

http://www.irierestaurant.com/menu.html

Jill's Sweet and Crunchy Peanut Butter Wrap

Cereal for breakfast. Sandwich for lunch. Salad for dinner. Lack of variation in the dining hall has come to define the end of my freshman year.

Luckily, Jill saved the day by creating an absolutely irresistible and easy to make wrap. After trying this, a traditional peanut butter sandwich will never taste the same.

Here’s how she did it:

-1 12” whole wheat wrap

-3 tbsp. creamy peanut buter

-1/2 tbsp. honey

-2 tbsp. granola

-1/2 apple sliced into 1/8” slices

1. Spread peanut butter over one side of the wrap.

2. Spread honey on top of peanut butter.

3. Lay apple slices along the middle of the wrap on top of the peanut butter and honey and sprinkle granola over the top.

4. Fold two ends of the wrap inwards and roll then rest of the wrap to seal.

Now here’s the best part:

1. (If available) Place wrap in a panini press, close lid on wrap and allow to press for 2 minutes.

2. Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: If a panini press is unavailable, you can place wrap in a skillet over medium heat for one minute on each side.