Sunday, November 16, 2008

After hiking, who doesn't want Bánh mì, Brownies...and Stuffed Squash?

I have lived in Atlanta for going on 4 years, and have never been to Stone Mountain. This is a really great civil war stronghold, with carvings deep into the rock dating back more than a hundred years. We decided to go on Saturday--it wasn't super warm, but winter isn't here quite yet.





As we were on the east side, we decided to head north to Buford Highway, and try this Vietnamese place I'd been hearing about, Quoc Huong. If you are in Atlanta, you should check it out. We started with some spring rolls...
and here is our $2 Bánh mì. If you order 6, you get one free. Seriously, if you find yourself in Atlanta with only $5 in your pocket, this beats the hell out of some McDonalds. Photog Extraordinaire, Tavo, took this pic. He needs to do more of our photography!!!

Back home to make brownies. I used my Grandma's recipe again--its a no fail :)
Grandma's Brownies

4 eggs
1 stick oleo (I'm writing it from her recipe)
1 cup sugar
1 can chocolate syrup
1 cup + 1 T flour
1/8 t. baking soda

frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 T. milk
6 T. oleo
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Bake brownies at 350 for 22 minutes and cool. For frosting, boil first three ingredients, then add chocolate chips. Stir until melted, and frost. These are great stored in the fridge.

Our friends came over to help us eat all the brownies!
(someone was so into his new phone that he couldn't smile for a picture)

While we had the oven going, I channeled Urban Vegan and decided to make a Stuffed Acorn Squash. I used our leftover Curry Lentils and Rice that we'd been eating all week.




Just in case you want it, here's the super easy Curry Lentil recipe--its a simple winner with both of us. You can add broth and make it a soup, but we like it over rice.

-1 1/2 cup dry lentils, picked and rinsed
-2 cups water
-small can tomato sauce ***Use unsalted and cook with lentils--if using salted, add after lentils are cooked
-small chopped onion
-chopped celery
-t. curry powder
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-salt and pepper to taste

1. Sautee onion and celery on med high heat in oil, add garlic after a minute or two
2. Add water, lentils, and UNsalted tomato sauce, bring to boil
3. Lower to simmer, cover, and let cook for 45 minutes.
4. Add spices in last 15 minutes.

Tastes better the next day!

17 comments:

Christo Gonzales said...

wow a whole can of chocolate syrup - the hersheys can? and the spring roll places looks great...but do you need to order all six at once...

urban vegan said...

What a nice and prety outing. You are so cute!

I love Vietamese food--could eat it every nite. Wish it was as warm here in Philly as it is down there--lucky you.

Your squash stuffing looks delish.

tavolini said...

Doggy--yeah, I think you need to get the sandwiches all at once. This place was killer--we both ate and drank, left with a $8 tab. Amazing!

Urban--I dig Vietnamese, too! Thanks for the Acorn Squash inspiration--can't wait to see your cookbook!

tavolini said...

Doggy--a can of hershey's syrup is 16 oz, same as the modern day bottle. Our local gas station carries the cans, so I always feel all nostalgic.

Maggie said...

I love Vietnamese strip mall places! There is in an area of Troy, MI with something like 8 in a two mile radius. I have to avoid the spot so I don't stop at every one.

Christo Gonzales said...

I feel all nostalgic - there are no strip malls in Manhattan.

Those hills seem cool, and you guys seem super cool and the weather seems barely cool.

Anette said...

The springrolls looks so fresh and pretty! I bet they tasted as good as they look! Think I will try the Curry lentils one day, I love lentils!

tavolini said...

Maggie--I grew up in Troy! Are you talking about the places on Dequindre? I also miss all the middle eastern food...mmmmm!

Doggy--Nostalgic for strip malls?? ;)

Anette--they were excellent! I love lentils, too. They're so speedy.

jesse said...

Holy guacamole, those spring rolls look SO GOOD. I need to stop staring at those rolls because they're making me waaaaay too homesick! >_<"

buffalodick said...

I haven't seen a can of chocolate syrup in years! Must be a pretty time honored recipe!

Darius T. Williams said...

This food - this food - this food...you do know this is some really good eating, right?

The Blonde Duck said...

Who doesn't love brownies! Yum!!!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I love the curried lentils and the acorn squash! Thanks for sharing your adventures at Stone Mountain, I haven't been there in a while. I love the laser light shows there during the summer.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh girl, what a fun adventure! I so wish you were my chef! :)

tavolini said...

Jesse--They WERE good :) But I'm jealous of all the food you're trying in England!

Buffalo--it is. I was so surprised to see one in the gas station of all places (I don't want to think how long its been there)

Darius--I sure hope so because I'm not losing any weight eating it ;)

Blonde Duck--I concur!!

Katherine--thanks for stopping by! I still haven't seen the laser show--that's on my list for this summer :)

Mama--I think we can work out a deal, here :)

tommie said...

I love the empty wine bottle by the brownies! My mom's recipes all have oleo on them. I had to call her the first time I made a chocolate sheet cake to find out what that was!

Vodka Mom said...

That's IT, I'm leaving. (You've made me too damn hungry.)

I'll be back!!