Multi G-H Nut Cheerios??

So last May I completely swore of cereal.  I have loved cereal since I was a newborn, okay if you want to get picky then a toddler.  I loved it all and my love set in hardcore on those days I would stay at Gramma's house.  She would give me my very favorite of all Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch.  Her favorite was Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.  Over the years it became nothing but comfort food.  In high school and college who didn't want to sit and eat cereal all day.  Especially when it was served in those all-for-the-world-to-see-and-your-mouth-to-drool clear pour mass bins.  Forget the other food. 

In my twenties, I had moved on to Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats.  Somehow, I determined it was healthier than the full-on sugary stuff.  Over the course of nine years, I became a mini-wheat connoisseur determining who made the best frosted mini wheats.  Eventually, I believed that the generic and competing national brands were better at it than Kellogg's themselves!

During my last few months before my 30th birthday I was chatting with a personal trainer friend and we got into conversation as to how cereal is one of the worst things that you could consume.  All junk, just eating candy.  I secretly knew this all along but did not want to admit it.  So to ween myself off, I started eating organic cereal.  Puffins was pretty good.  Then by June I had gone cold turkey.  After a few weeks I didn't miss it.  Then on my 30th birthday I visited my two best friends in Florida.  One of which had a cereal junky family like me.  Oh dear.  I was in trouble.  

So by the end of August I was back on the wagon.  But this time it was a better choice.  My friends had taught me something new...mix cereals.  Well, I used to love Honey Nut Cheerios but they were just so syrupy sweet for me now.  Yuck.  So I thought, why don't I mix them with Multi-Grain Cheerios.  Lots of multi grain, little honey nut.  There you go, that is how I made the perfect cereal.  

Today I am finishing up the last of my double-box pack of Multi-Grain and double-box pack of Honey Nut Cheerios.  It has lasted me since the end of August when I determined I had to load up on my new find at Costco.  It is January of the new year and that is the present me.  If it had been the twenties me four boxes wouldn't have lasted one month.  As I am finishing up this last box I am done.  Not completely done, but just done.  Now that Cheerios has sided with us health-conscious Americans and deemed that their original Cheerios will no longer be made with genetically modified organisms I am going to keep one (only one) box of original Cheerios in the cabinet.  Those will be for those occasions of a quick breakfast or a pre-dinner snack since my husband gets home from work a few hours later than I.  But no longer do I gorge myself on cereal.

~with Angela O'

Photo Credit: www.honeynutcheerios.com

Photo Credit: www.honeynutcheerios.com

Boomerang's

Lance McInnes, Angela O' & Jack Fennel

I do love Boomerang's.  It is especially good on a cold or rainy day.  The food is so comforting and delicious and there is just something about that little basement building that is slightly underground.  It kind of reminds me of Ghostwriter, the old PBS show from the nineties.  Boomerang's is very well known for their Steak & Potato pie a.k.a. Stout Pie that is made with Guinness beer.  It is great.  That darn crust is so flaky that you don't regret eating it one-handed, even when driving down the street.  Every time I stop in there I find a UPS truck stopped and loading up on pie fuel.  

Lucky Me!  One day while shopping at my favorite Whole Foods and I happened to run into Jack and Lance.  The 'Pie Guys'.  Jack & Lance, the Boomerang's Founders.  Thank you for making Austin a better and more rounded place.  Literally.

Chalkboard Sign right outside the store

The best mashed potatoes.  You should try a Pie Floater.

Lance McInnes, Angela O' & Jack Fennel at my favorite downtown Whole Foods

Lighter Three-Cheese Mac

Here is a recipe for you all to try.  It is a yummy dish, but best ate fresh.  Try it for a small dinner party sometime.  I apologize that I didn't take any pictures this time!  So to make up for it I am typing in this cheesy looking font!  Bon Apetit.

Recipe by Martha Stewart's Food Magazine

Ingredients:

Salt

Pepper

1/2 lb short tubular pasta, such as cavatappi

2 cups broccoli, cut into florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 ounces Neufchatel cheese

3 cups 1% milk

1 1/4 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (5 ounces)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions.  Add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more.  Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan over medium-high.  Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ground mustard.  Saute until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Add Neufchatel, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated.  Gradually whisk in milk, then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in cheddar and Parmesan, then add pasta and broccoli.  Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and bake until bubbling in center, about 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with panko, and serve.

Per Serving: 453 cal; 20 g fat (11 g sat fat); 21  g protein; 45 g car; 2 g fiber

Serves 6

Active Time: 20 min

Total Time: 45 min

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Apparently I did take pictures!  I just could not find them at the time of this post.  Well, here they are!!
1/15/14
~ Angela O'

Easy Italian Chicken with Potatoes

This is a delicious recipe to make when you are in a time crunch.  You know that I do not like using pre-made sauces and mixes but I'll make an exception with this recipe.   It is perfect for a whipping something up quick that requires a comforting balance.   The night before I will cut up the potatoes, put them in a bowl of water and then place them in the fridge to reduce my morning preparation.   Before work that next morning, I will just dump everything in the crock pot for 8 hours and voila...yummy potatoes with chicken so tender it shreds on its own.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Ken's Italian Dressing with Garlic and Asiago Cheese (It's Gluten Free!!)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder to equal)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

Instructions:
Place chicken in bottom of crockpot.  Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, spices, and the grated cheese.  Put the potatoes on top and around the chicken.  Sprinkle with the remaining dressing, spices, and cheese.

Cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, till chicken is done and potatoes are tender.

Broccoli Cheese Frittata

 I just made this for dinner and it was delish!  You could serve it for a brunch if you so desire.

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg cream cheese, softened

6 eggs

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup finely diced red pepper

1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed or sliced zuchinni (I use fresh broccoli)

4 ounce (aka 1 cup) cheddar cheese, shredded

6 slices firm white sandwich bread

1 tbsp butter or margarine

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).  In large bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth.  Add eggs, milk, flour, salt and black pepper; whisk until well blended and set aside.

2.  Place onion, red pepper, broccoli and cheese in separate prep bowls.  Using 3-inch (7.5 cm) scalloped or round cutter, cut six rounds out of bread slices (discard trimmings).

3.  Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; arrange bread slices in single layer over bottom of pan.  Cook 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on one side; remove bread from pan and set aside.  Add onion and red pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in broccoli and spread evenly over bottom of skillet.  Sprinkle with cheese.

4.  Slowly pour egg mixture over vegetables.  Arrange reserved bread slices, toasted-side up, over egg mixture (do not press down).  Place in oven and back 18 - 20 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center.  Remove from oven; serve warm.

Makes 6 servings

*Recipe credit goes to The Pampered Chef

So here's the deal...you can actually get away with using an entire 8 ounce package of cream cheese in this recipe.  How do I know? Apparently because I didn't completely read the instructions until after I made it!  Haha.

~xoxo, hugs and quiches

Angela O'

Lemon-Olive Shrimp Linguine

We made this the other night for dinner and it was delicious.  Light and refreshing and the very next night I was craving it again!  The only change that I would make would be to add some color to the dish.  I will admit that I forgot to buy the capers on my shopping list so that could have solved the problem before it begun.

Ingredients:
1 to 2 pounds uncooked, peeled & deveined shrimp
2 T - extra virgin olive oil
2 or 3 tsp - Adams Reserve Rub seasoning
12 to 16 oz - linguine pasta
1/4 c - heavy cream
1/2 c - lemon vinaigrette
1/4 c - capers, rinsed and drained (optional)

Lemon Vinaigrette  (1/2 cup):
1 tsp - Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T - finely grated lemon zest
2 T plus 1 1/2 tsp - freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 T - extra-virgin olive oil

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain Well.
• Meanwhile, toss shrimp with oil and seasoning.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Saute shrimp 2 minutes or until just beginning to turn pink.
• Stir in vinaigrette  cream and capers; reduce heat to medium and bring to a boil.  Simmer 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.  
• Ladle shrimp mixture over cooked pasta and serve immediately

Tips:

• I use extra cream.  For the two of us, 3/4 cup to 1 cup will suffice.  
• For the two of us I only cooked about 2 handfuls of shrimp, not measuring.  I'd rather not have the cooked seafood leftovers.  It's best to make it fresh when possible.
• The original grocery store recipe called for a brand name pre-made lemon-olive vinaigrette from a bottle.  Because I don't like using pre-made ingredients I chose to find my own lemon vinaigrette recipe.  The recipe used is from Martha Stewart.
• Adam's Reserve Rub can be substituted with any seasonings that you would like.

~xoxo, hugs and quiches

Angela O'

2013 O'Mahony Irish Feast

Our annual celebration for our Irish heritage.  Yes, if you didn't figure it out from my blog name "With Angela O'  " my last name is very traditional Irish.  O'Mahony with no "E" and no it is not pronounced as O'Mahoney as many do.  However, before I married my very Irish husband I already had Irish in my maiden bloodline so it just made for a much more merry time!!

2013 O'Mahony Irish Feast

Sunday, March 17th 2013 @ 1:30 p.m.

Austin, TX

Menu: Corned Beef, Cabbage, Red Potatoes, Irish Butter, Irish Soda Bread, Dubliner Cheese, Cracker Assortment, Baileys Filled Guinness Cupcakes

 

Corned Beef

Cabbage

Swag Bar & Cupcakes

Swag Rack

Side Bar Decoration

2012 O'Mahony Irish Feast

Saturday, March 17th 2012 @ 6:00 p.m.

Austin, TX

Christmas Eve or Evening Mimosa

I know that a mimosa is typically served in the early day either at breakfast, brunch or for lunch while enjoying the company of friends or preparing a meal.  Instead I made a special twist on this drink so that we could serve it in the evening by replacing the orange juice with Italian soda.  I used the Central Market Organics Frutta d'Isola for this cocktail treat and it went over wonderfully after the beautiful Christmas Eve dinner that Mrs. Mary Ellen Doyle made for us (Roast Beef, Asparagus  Mashed Potatoes, Wine, etc etc).  Please enjoy!!  It was delicious and next time we had better bring more than one bottle!  Fill equal parts or less to taste preference.

Merry Christmas,

The O'Mahony Family

Outdoor Fall Dinner Party

Outdoor Fall Dinner Party 

The goal of this Outdoor Fall Dinner Party was to achieve good old-fashioned camaraderie while being seated at the dinner table.  More often than not it is has become extremely difficult to find a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table that everyone can actually sit down together and enjoy their meal.  The hustle and bustle of everyone trying to find someplace to sit has worn me down.  Partially because I wanted to be in an adult setting (kids were welcome of course) and partially because I love to entertain I wanted to find a way for us all to enjoy a true dinner party for the holidays.  An event where no-one felt obligated to provide space for and everyone nearby could enjoy.  In some way we were all connected, either neighbors or co-workers who have become friends over the past year or two.  The location was the mini playground in between our apartment buildings.  Most of us could just walk out our front door.

November 3rd was the chosen date so that it did not interfere with anyone's Thanksgiving plans during the week of the bird.  Again a way to avoid the rush of people coming and going as most of us have multiple friends and family dwellings to visit.  The time was early afternoon of course as I despise evening holiday meals because you waste your whole day in anticipation and preparation rather than enjoying.  Thank you to Gramma Sharon for instilling the good value of lunch as the main holiday dinner meal.  Besides why remove the option of being able to eat leftovers for dinner?!

This dinner party was Co-Op style so that there was absolutely no need for a host or hostess.  Everyone was in charge of a minimum of two things on the list whether they were dishes of food, beverages, ice, coolers, tables, chairs, etc.  The Co-Op made this style of dinner unique and a fun way to refresh a potluck!  To be honest I did play the role of a coordinator so that all the items on the list were accounted for however to clarify for your own co-op party there was no actual hosting. In order to make sure everyone had a fair shot of being involved I did send out a letter with the co-op ideas and commitment requests.  That was only to ease the process of set-up and food.

The Food: 

Michelle and Brian your mashed potatoes were absolutely delicious!!  Leah and John thank goodness for your double batch of green bean casserole to provide for those wheat monsters and those GF.  And that was quite possibly the best homemade cranberry sauce ever.  Nadine, gosh darn those sweet potatoes were the most beautiful I have ever seen served at a holiday dinner. And thank goodness those were real and not the yucky traditional ones from a can with brown sugar and marshmallows poured on top.   Emma and Adam, you always have the best beverage selection and we can always count on your sommelier mind to guide us through any occasion.  Ben and Rose, ummm THANK YOU for bringing us a pie from Quacks on 43rd.  Bless you!  Brittany, we definitely could not have called this a holiday dinner without your rolls and pumpkin pies.  Additionally, I am glad that you brought your dad to carve the turkey!!  One spoiled thing that I did gain from my family was that we always had an electric knife to carve the turkey so when it came to manually carving this year I was out!  Too bad as John and I actually made the turkey!!  At least we didn't have to cut up our sage dressing and cheeseball!! And thank you to all the guys as they put up our emergency tents in the case of rain.  We only had about 10 minutes of droplets though, just enough to make the tablescapes appear as if there was a purposeful dew sprayed on them.

And of course since we live in Texas I suspected that someone would want to dump BBQ sauce on their food. Haha!  Brian you were the one...had I known earlier I would have sent that gigant-o bottle of Rudy's BBQ sauce home with you.

The table scatters were mini plastic acorns.

A fun and clean way to add crackers on the table.  Get a couple of mini pails from your craft store and stuff with tissue paper.

Annie's Cafe & Bar

 I am lucky enough to have been graced with this wonderful place.  My style it is of course.  A bit of French and modern grace, Annie's Cafe & Bar is such a treat.  I can enjoy a posh drink with friends, a nice dinner with my husband or a beautiful brunch during the day.  Annie's was listed as one of Austin360.com Best Places to Brunch in 2011.  

Annie's Cafe & Bar offers catering services as well.  I have indeed acquired them to produce food for a Tiffany Blue Brunch this weekend.  The menu will include Ham & Gruyere Quiche and Fritata and Chocolate-Filled Croissants.

Love the old French country doors.

A peak of the oven

The Brioche French Toast

The delicious food

A Real Cup of Fruit!

As of August 2012 my husband will have lived Austin for 2.5 years and Annie's Cafe & Bar is the very first place he has received a perfectly delicious cup of cappuccino.

A great summer spot however I can't wait to enjoy myself under Annie's roof this fall.  Mmmmm, I'm already envisioning a warm beignet.

Your Famous,
~ Angela O'

Sourced from www.anniescafebar.com:

nnies Café & Bar is a modern Brasserie in the heart of downtown Austin. Inspired by the bustling bistros and great sidewalk cafés of Europe, owners Love Nance and Sherry Jameson reinvigorated the legendary Day Building at 319 Congress and created a space not only for dining but for meeting, drinking and enjoying life.

In 2008, longtime Austinites Nance and Jameson lost their lease after running the popular lunchtime café and bakery then known as Apple Annies for 26 years. They recreated the café as Annies and moved it to Congress Avenue, the Main Street of Texas. Annies quickly became a favorite with everyone from morning joggers wanting fresh omelets to legislators insisting on Annie's famous meatloaf to locals enjoying perfectly prepared treasures from that morning's trip to the farmer's market. Longtime Apple Annies patrons and newcomers alike discovered Annies as the perfect place to sit, sip and enjoy the revitalization of downtown Austin.

Annie's menu is filled with seasonal farm-to-market food prepared in simple, innovative ways. The café bustles with energy from early mornings, when the irresistible smell of fresh baguettes fills the restaurant, to the noon hour, when business people flock to Annies for a quick healthy lunch, to late nights, when regulars gather round the zinc bar for Austin's finest creative craft cocktails or decadent deserts.

Stop by and see why Annies is downtown Austin's homegrown favorite.

Check out the website for yourself!!

www.anniescafebar.com

319 E Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701

What A Night!

Tuesday Dinner Round One:

 It was quite the night we had!!!  Okay well by the time this blog is posted last night was quite the night we had.  So I talked my husband into taking a quick trip to Costco with me....I know I know it is so much more fun with a girlfriend but you can't always locate an unoccupied friend!  Anyway so this quick 45 minute trip to Costco ended up taking 3 plus hours out of the house.  Just as soon as we left Costco I had a brainaic thought to stop at one more place for only 10 minutes but it was just too long for our starving tummies.  After much debate we finally decided on stopping in at Cheddar's.  It was John's first time and I had only them once before, 10 years ago in Illinois.  So the atmosphere was nice enough when we walked in but to our dismay the evening was all down-hill from there.  Immediately we devoured our honey butter croissants while waiting for our soup and salad.  My baked potato soup came and it was completely cold, not even lukewarm cold!  John's lettuce tasted dead!  Okay okay no biggie, just have them fix it and we can deal with it.  Then dinner came and John's beef roast ended up being pork and fat on a plate.  But the chef/manager was like oh well it is a packaged veal as we don't carry pork.  WHAT?  Veal? He ordered beef roast...no where on the menu did those animal activists read they were eating veal.  (BTW we are not extreme or even picky about the type of animal meat we eat but it was a WTH moment I had to point out).  I had ordered shepherds pie since all I wanted was a simple home-cooked comfort dish.  Right before my eyes appears peas, corn, and carrots mixed in heavy duty taco-seasoned meat on a plate and a large scoop of mashed potatoes and crispy onion straws thrown on top. Not baked or even a pie, just thrown on a plate.  What happened to the shepherd's pie I ordered and what is this 1/4 inch thick red seasoning on top?  Chili powder? Hmmmm it was definitely time to cut our losses and leave.  After offering to pay for only the food we consumed we politely left.  

Tuesday Dinner Round Two:  

Can't get any worse right...we are moving on to a new place.  Pei Wei here we come!  "How can I help you?" "I'd like a chicken teriyaki bowl" "Okay sir, we are out of rice would you like noodles instead?"  "Excuse Me?"  "We are out of rice".......Really how is an ASIAN restaurant out of rice???????

Tuesday Dinner Round Three:

Finally settled in at Kerbey Lane Cafe.  Yay we got the giant both that I could literally lay down in.  Well I think it is time for a white strawberry sangria after this night.  At least the alcohol will numb my sore throat were as the cold soup could not.  Delicious omelet....yes after all that might as well order some reliable breakfast food....buttermilk pancakes and coffee.  WAIT MY SANGRIA!  Oh I only got half way through it!  Why did that FLY just CHOOSE to do a NOSEDIVE in MY DRINK!!!!!!!!!!

On our way home.....