Stout Braised Buffalo Pastitsio with Black Truffles

I always look forward to occasions where I can feed lots of people - excuses to make huge casserole dishes like pastitsio and moussaka. I threw a Greek Spring themed dinner party a few weeks ago and twisted this Greek classic around using buffalo meat instead of the traditional lamb/beef. In my celebration of massive, shaggy, grass grazing bovids, I  braised the buffalo meat in...

Almond Croissant Smack Down Continues - Fleur De Lis

While visiting Cottage Grove, a quaint little town south of Eugene and hometown to my future husband, we got a hot tip about this awesome bakery in town. The next morning Justin reported that they had almond croissants, quoted as "our favorite" per website. So we had to hit that. The almond croissant ($2.75) came obviously sliced apart and put back together again, further flattened by a heav...

Jr's Taqueria - Salem, OR

Excluding a state capital, there isn't a whole lot along the I-5 corridor between Eugene and Portland with the exception of beer, Hungarian food and Jr's Taqueria. On a hot tip, the future husband and I found Jr's in a non-commercial, but more industrial side of Salem. Clean and welcoming, we made quick-decision orders and sat down to a booth accompanied by two bottles of righteous house made sa...

Not On Purpose Vegan Dinner + April Happenings

Crostini: Cashew herb cream cheese with balsamic fig and cress In these two years of graduate student life, I have become one of those people that stay in the common area of whatever Coffee Shop X you might happen to be in way beyond the appropriated cappuccino drinking time. I build a nest with my adult backpack, laptop, academic papers (read, BORING) and caffeinated beverage, trying not to...