Tag: chocolate

Diners, Food

Red Lion Diner

Hollie

I had heard nothing but good things about the Red Lion Diner in Medford, NJ.  It has been around for a while and is always right on my way to Atlantic City.  A few of my neighbors told me it was good so I had to see for myself.  When the opportunity presented itself, I met one of my friends out there.

I had passed it a few times driving and my initial thought was “what a cute diner, I’ll add it to my to do list”.

Atmosphere: A

It’s a typical old school diner.  It has been there for years and you can tell.  It’s got the old school diner booth flair as well as just overall diner atmosphere.  It was the old school diner outdoor atmosphere that drew me in to begin with.  I should have taken a picture but there is a giant lion stationed right outside.  I guess it lives up to it’s name the Red Lion Diner.

Coffee: A

Since we went at night I ordered a decaf coffee.  I was actually pleasently surprised they had it on tap and she refilled it very quickly.  I never had an end to my coffee and it was actually some of the best decaf I have had.  It’s very rare you find a diner that has brewed decaf coffee on hand and refilled it as quickly as I drink it.  Great coffee but boring to take a photo of.

coffee

Food: A

The menu itself at the Red Lion Diner is pretty big.  There are roughly 10 pages of food.  There is everything and anything from steak to breakfast to Greek delites.  I ordered the Special house Greek salad with chicken.

It consisted of large block feta, lettuce, tomatoes, olives and a few roasted peppers. The dressing was essentally oil.  I liked the dressing a lot. The salad came with giant pieces of garlic bread (versus pita bread).  I enjoyed the raw peppers a lot in the salad.  It was moderately sized as well.

redlionsalad

If it were up to me I would have subbed the garlic bread for pita and this salad would have been perfect.

Dessert: F

This has never been a point I have not eaten or finished a dessert.  I love cake.  Everyone knows I survive partially off of coffee and partially off of cake.  For me to order a piece of cake then pass after a few bites…that has happened once (This was that time).  I was pretty bummed.  I ordered the German Chocolate cake.  It tasted as if it had sat out for several days.  It was somewhat hard and crusty (even the frosting was hard and crusty!).  I can normally find a reason for a D rating but solid F for this one.  I’m sad because it does look pretty nice in the photos but as they say…looks are deceiving.

redlioncake

My friend ordered the tiramasu.  He said it was good cake but not tiramasu as it was lacking the coffee taste.  It looked good to me so maybe if I go back, I’ll order that instead.  The middle was stuffed with a whipped cream type of frosting so that is up my alley.

redlioncake

Price: $$

For two meals, two drinks and two pieces of cake it was 55.  Overall not the worst value (except for the cake).

Overall Impression/Would I go back?

The salad was good and the Red Lion Diner seems to have a lot of options.  There are a lot closer (better) options so I would probably go back there instead.  It was a decent salad and they had good options.  It was just overly average with a terrible crusty cake.

Questions for you:

Have you ever passed on dessert?

What is your favorite dessert?

Breakfast, Food, Recipe

Baileys Creamer Waffle

Hollie

Baileys Creamer Waffle Recipe

I don’t know if I have ever mentioned how much I enjoy Baileys creamer. A Baileys Creamer Waffle is a fun and rich waffle to impress family and friends.

Baileys (Irish Cream) Waffle
2/3 cup flour (all-purpose flour, wheat flour)
¼ cup dark cocoa powder
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish cream (or whichever flavor you like)
¼ cup sweetener and vanilla extract (I used Truvia)
½ cup milk (or almond milk)

Baileys Creamer Waffle Recipe:

  1. Preheat, a waffle maker
  2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl
  3. Add wet ingredients (including Baileys Creamer) together and mix in a separate mixing medium bowl.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
  5. Pour waffle batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
  6. After cooked, put on a plate and add a layer of melted butter, maple syrup, greek yogurt, chocolate chips, or Baileys Creamer Waffle Glaze.
With more syrup...
With more syrup…

For the Baileys Creamer Waffle Topping Glaze: (which is always the best part).  My “glaze” came out a bit more creamy than a normal glaze
2 tablespoons maple, syrup
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons Baileys cream
¼ cup sweetener

Mix and top the Baileys Creamer Waffle.

I know I often say I have a new favorite pancake or waffle recipe. These Bailey Creamer Waffles are good and you can go so many different directions with them (with all the fancy creamers on the market).

Question for you: Favorite coffee creamer? Have you tried Baileys Creamer Waffle? 

Breakfast, Food, Recipe

Oreo Waffle

Hollie

(Healthy) Oreo Waffle Recipe:

I don’t even know how I thought of it, but a healthy oreo waffle is one of my better waffle creations.

The “Healthy” Oreo Waffle: 

chocolatewaffle

As a kid, I enjoyed Oreos.  As a human, I enjoy Oreos…however; you can’t eat Oreos for every meal and expect to run well or feel great.  That isn’t quite how life works.  So with that, I sought on trying to make a healthier oreo waffle.  It’s also effortless, and the hardest part would be making the frosting…or filling.

(Because I guess you can eat that more often)

Healthy Oreo Waffle Ingredients:

For the Healthy Oreo Waffle:

2/3 cup flour (all-purpose flour, wheat flour)
¼ cup dark cocoa powder (I like Hershey’s Cocoa)
¼ cup sweetener and vanilla extract to taste
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil

½ cup milk (almond milk works too)

Healthy Oreo Waffle Recipe:

  1. Preheat a waffle maker
  2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl
  3. Add wet ingredients together and mix in a separate mixing medium bowl.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
  5. Pour waffle batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
  6. After cooked, put on a plate and add a layer of melted butter, maple syrup, greek yogurt, whipped cream, powdered sugar, and crushed Oreos.

For the Healthy Oreo Waffle frosting:

½ cup vanilla greek yogurt
2 packets Truvia
2 tablespoons French vanilla creamer
2 tablespoons syrup
Mix the frosting and top on oreo waffle.
Crushed oreo

I don’t have much to say about this except for that since creating it, I feel like a true healthy living blogger by making a healthier version of something.  (This doesn’t often happen ha).  I have probably had the healthy oreo waffle (and shared with my family 4 times in the last week…which is a lot of waffles).  I still like my Oreos, but I enjoy this and has already become one of my top favorite waffle recipes.

Questions for you:
Do you like Oreos?
What recipe have you “healthified”? 

Breakfast, Food, Recipe

Wineocakes

Hollie

Okay don’t get your panties in a bunch.  After last week’s Guinness Pancakes those who did not like Guinness (weird) asked if there were any alternatives.  Did you ask that at college ragers too?  Of course there are alternatives to beer.  I’ll probably spend the next couple of weeks experimenting with my inner alchi.  (YAY for being 21). 

Why not make a winocake (winowaffle?).

winepancakes2

To be quite honest, I enjoy wine but I don’t drink a lot of it.  I still would rather have a bottle of beer but if someone is offering wine at a nice get together I usually won’t turn it down.  That is why this week is for all you wine lovers a nice delectable wine pancake.  I’m guessing you might want to make this for a brunch or a nice breakfast with the girls but you never know. 

2/3 cup flour

¼ cup dark cocoa powder (I used hershey’s dark cocoa)

1 egg

1 cup red wine

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup sweetener (I used stevia)

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/4 cup sweetener (less if you like bitter…more if you don’t)

1 tsp vanilla extra

Mix and pour over

Here is the thing.  The wine will not fully cook out.  You won’t get tipsy but as always I don’t recommend using this as a 6am breakfast…unless you really want too.  It would be great with the girls for a brunch and I fully plan on it…just next time I actually have friends over ha.

I tried to get the foodie design just perfect.
I tried to get the foodie design just perfect.

I almost forgot to tell you, that I had some friends over for a wino pancake breakfast party who quite enjoyed them.  I really enjoyed these a lot more than I thought I would, although I like wine (still not as much as Guinness LOL).

Questions for you: Are you a wineo? 

Breakfast, Food, Recipe

Guinness Pancakes

Hollie

It’s no secret that my favorite beer is Guinness.  I’ve never denied it on my blog.  Since my favorite beers is Guinness, it would only make sense that one of my favorite desserts is well…Guinness flavored anything.  Lately, I’ve seemed to be able to enjoy this a lot more since many of the foodie places I’ve gone have had this option…

No I did not have this for breakfast before work because well…that might be enough to lose my job.  They are a nice treat for dinner if you are feeling it, but then again I’m always feeling a casual beer at dinner so why wouldn’t I feel a casual bunch of Guinness Pancakes?

Guinnesspancakes2

2/3 cup flour

¼ cup cocoa powder (I used gheridelli cocoa powder but I know Hershey’s dark cocoa would be good here too)

1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup Guinness

1 tsp vanilla extract

*Personally I used NO sweetener here because I like the raw flavoring of Guinness.  If that isn’t your thing than maybe these pancakes aren’t your thing but you can always use a different brew or add sweetener.

Guinnesspancakes1

My verdict?

Well duh these are my new favorite.  They are extremely dark and almost fudge like.  I bet they would be just as good in waffle form so that’s what I’ll probably do…tonight.

GuinnesspancakesGuinnesspancakes1

Questions for you: 

Favorite alcoholic (or nonalcoholic) drink?

Mine is almond milk with a splash of seltzer water and 2/3 tsp chia seeds…whatever that means.  Just kidding my drinks diet is typically water, coffee, milk and Guinness.