Blowin' Smoke BBQ - Savannah, GA

Great BBQ!  The pork had a nice smokey flavor, the beans were not too sweet or syrupy as many are, the coleslaw was fresh and not drowned in mayo, and the jalapeno corn muffin had a nice little kick (again not overly sweet) that was a nice accompaniment to the rest of the meal. I would definitely recommend visiting Blowin' Smoke if you are interested in some downright good southern BBQ.  

Salted Fudge Brownies

I love sweet and salty desserts - hence why I created this brownie recipe!  They have just the right amount of saltiness balanced by the sweet richness of the chocolate. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt (a good sea salt works great, too)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-inch square metal cake pan.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over low heat (or use a double broiler), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then whisk in the following ingredients, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated:  cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the salt into the batter.

Bake the brownies at 375⁰ for 25-35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a little bit of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate about 1 hour. Cut the brownies into squares. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Also great for brownie sundaes. 

Mediterranean Farro Salad

I love Greek flavors so this was how I used up some farro. By not soaking the farro overnight it remains fairly chewy and almost nutty. Great served over a bed of romaine lettuce and/or with tuna in olive oil. Enjoy! 


Ingredients
1/2 cup farro
1 cup water
2 TBS kalamata olives, quartered
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 TBS feta cheese, crumbled
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped
1 TBS vinegar (red wine, apple cider, or rice)
1 TBS olive oil
pepper and salt to taste


Directions
Bring farro and water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until tender (it will still be a bit chewy). Drain the cooked farro and mix it with the remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature or chill for at least 2 hours before serving (I prefer it chilled). 

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

This recipe, adapted from one published in Cooking Light, was very disappointing!  It really lacked any flavor at all. We added quite a bit of Cajun seasoning to liven it up and that really helped. 


1 cup rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 cup frozen chopped onion

1 cup frozen chopped green red bell pepper

1 cup frozen cut okra

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 - 1 TBS Cajun Seasoning (key to making this a flavorful dish)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts

8 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into half moons

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers and onion

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 

Cook rice according to package directions. While rice cooks, combine flour and oil in a Dutch oven; saute over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through Cajun seasoning); cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, kielbasa, tomatoes, and broth; cook 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.

Blackstone's Cafe - Beaufort, SC

We went here as they were recommended by Southern Living Magazine. They offer friendly service and good biscuits and sweet tea. However, the place smelled funny upon walking in (good thing they have a patio) and the shrimp and grits were extremely under flavored. Also, there was so much cheese smothering the grits that I didn't even want to eat all of them. Unfortunately, I cannot agree with Southern Living on this one. Be wary of travel guide and magazine recommendations :-(

Moon River Brewing Company - Savannah, GA

We enjoyed their Swamp Fox IPA, but the remainder of the beers were just mediocre. Service was slow. We didn't order any food, but they offer standard bar food - burgers, sandwiches, and a bunch of fried items. Definitely not a place I would return to - there is better beer and food elsewhere in town. 

Mellow Mushroom - Savannah, GA

The Mighty Meaty pizza was really good - who wouldn't enjoy a pizza loaded with four different meats including applewood smoked bacon?!  It was large for the price and tasted surprisingly fresh (not mass produced). If you are looking for a quick and tasty bite of pizza in Savannah I would definitely recommend Mellow Mushroom.