Easy, Simple, and Tasty Meal

This week I tried making lentil pilaf for an inexpensive and tasty meal.  With a fried egg and sour cream on top, it fit the bill for a delicious meal!

Stay tuned for more information on how to create this delicious dish at home.

Eat, Drink and be Happy!
-The Food Pope

Cafe Latte

The talented baristas at Columbus State's SIPS make a wonderful beverage for busy CSCC students on the go.

I ordered a small cafe latte that was absolutely heavenly.  It was blended to perfection with a perfect balance of coffee and milk.  If you teach or study at CSCC's downtown campus in Columbus, OH, I highly recommend to check out SIPS for a beverage that rivals all other coffee houses I've visited.

Eat, Drink, and be Happy!
-The Food Pope

Veggie Burgers Galore!

Recently, I've had the opportunity to try some really tasty veggie burgers from several companies.

The above burger is by Sweet Earth Natural Foods, a wonderful company based in Moss Landing, CA.  http://www.sweetearthfoods.com/
The above burger was served with pickled onions and feta cheese on a pretzel bun.

This burger has some delicious Columbus-based Krazy Kraut, pickled onions, and banana peppers.  Check out Krazy Kraut at the following link: http://fermentedkrazykraut.com/

Roasted Root Vegetables

When searching for an inexpensive and healthy side dish, search no further than root vegetables.  These onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips were roughly cut and then drizzled with olive oil and fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper.

In the Food Pope's opinion, a pyrex pan works best for even cooking.

A 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes is all it takes!

Fresh Cut Fair Fries

Last month I had the opportunity to enjoy a basket of some of my favorite fries around.  Fresh cut and deep fried in peanut oil, I've been enjoying these fries at the Franklin Apple Festival each year because of their delicious, crispy texture which makes them perfect with tons of Heinz ketchup and a bit of salt.

Of the many delicious fair food items available at the festival, fries are by and large the best!

Free Range Turkey

For the Thanksgiving holiday I'm excited that I don't have to prepare the meal.  While I love cooking and enjoy the process of making a range of side dishes, desserts, and entrees for everyone to enjoy, it's always very nice to occasionally not have to worry about cooking and just sit back and eat.

While I was visiting the Worthington Farmer's Market this weekend, I chanced upon some fresh free-range turkeys for sale.  At a future holiday gathering, I hope to have the opportunity to purchase and prepare one of these ethically raised and killed turkeys from Ohio.

November Tomatoes

To my utter disbelief, I walked outside yesterday to find a wide variety of cherry tomatoes still alive and well on the plants I had planted in May.  While I usually think of the beginning of October as the end of Ohio's growing season,  the below tomatoes suggest otherwise.

My concern that the tomatoes would be flavorless was quickly dispelled when I arranged several on a salad.  They were sweet and flavorful; far better than anything available at the supermarket this time of year.