Giving Back This Thanksgiving? Easy As Pie!

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It's pie time again at Food & Friends! Each pie purchased through Slice of Life will provide one full day of meals for a child or adult living with a life-challenging illness. Serve a Thanksgiving pie that will warm your heart and help your neighbors. Your purchase will provide healthy, home-delivered meals to a child or adult battling HIV/AIDS, cancer or another life-challenging illness. With these meals, you will not only provide vital nourishment, but hope and comfort in their time of need.

At Home: Jägerspätzle

In 2006, I was in Southern Germany for a few months on a work assignment. There I was introduced to Jägerschnitzel, a dish consisting of fried pork cutlet with a mushroom sauce (Jäger = Hunter, and a sauce made with mushrooms and onions is commonly referred to as "hunter's sauce".)  I just love the homey flavor combination of mushrooms and onions.  Spätzle or spaetzle is an egg noodle with soft texture.  I had the best version ever when I was in Bavaria. It was pan fried with cheese and tasted like a skillet mac n' cheese.  For my next experiment of What Micky Eats...At Home, and in honor of Oktoberfest, I decided to combine my two favorites and make Jägerspätzle. This side dish is the perfect accompaniment to your German-inspired meal.

Marrow Brew n' Que at Three Little Pigs

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We recently attended a meat-lover's dream called the Marrow Brew n' Que.  Piloted by Chef Garret Fleming and Brian Pereira, Marrow will be the outdoor spit roast and barbeque area of Gristle, the new gastropub concept currently taking residency at Three Little Pigs with a series of intimate and creative dining events, until they open up their own space.  The philosophy as described on the website states: "Gristle serves food in an organic fashion - meat on bone, fish served whole. It is based on Chef Fleming's principle of conservation dining - using the entire organism rather than disposing of edible and often improperly executed parts that have the potential to be delectably divine."

Culinary Circle Pizza Giveaway

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"Dining in never tasted so good." That's the motto from Culinary Circle® that transforms creative casual dining at home with chef inspired cuisine that mirrors today’s most popular restaurants. In celebration of National Pizza Month, the Culinary Circle® brand of restaurant-inspired food reached out to me to try one of their newest pizza flavors.  And they were generous enough to offer one of my lucky readers a chance to win a gift card to try some pizza out for yourself!

At Home: Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispies

I have been craving peanut butter and chocolate so much these days.  I usually just cave in by eating a pb&j sandwich or something with Nutella in it.  But this time I wanted to make an actual treat and experimented with a no bake recipe to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispies as my next feature on What Micky Eats...At Home.

The Wine Down: Brunch & Champs at Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar

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As part of the closing events for DC Wine Week, Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar hosted a special brunch called "The Wine Down."  We jumped on the opportunity to attend this VIP event, as I love wine and brunch.  So what is a better way to celebrate?  Sonoma is wine bar in Capitol Hill and the perfect place to host such an event.  We were treated to fabulous sparkling wines and a preview of the items available on their new brunch menu.  Check out my photo recap below.

RedRocks Bistro

We visited RedRocks Bistro's most recent location in the Atlas District area of H Street NE (the other three are in Arlington, Old Town Alexandria and Columbia Heights). Offering a neighborhood spot with wood-fired Neopolitan thin crust style pizzas, this three-story restaurant is the largest featuring a 6,800-square-foot space with three bars and a rooftop patio with a retractable roof, in a building that has been vacant since the 1968 riots.  RedRocks promises a fast-casual experience, with pizzas ready in two minutes flat.  At the bar, you'll find 20 draft lines for local beers, cider, prosecco and wine, as well as bottomless bloody marys and mimosas for brunch.  Closest Metro is Union Station.

Celebrate Day of the Dead at Oyamel

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Go to Oyamel to celebrate the "Dia de los Muertos," an ancient Mexican tradition of celebrating the dead and enticing souls to linger with food, drink, and festivities. And enticed they will be by Head Chef Colin King’s creative takes on traditional dishes, featuring special dishes and drinks to die for. The Day of the Dead event will take place from October 21 to November 2, 2013.

At Home: Crock-Pot Chicken & Broccoli

Whenever we go to visit Keith's parents in Long Island, we always order Chinese take out one of the nights we are there.  Maybe it's a New York thing, but their Chinese food just tastes better than what we find here in DC.  A favorite go-to Chinese dish that we get is Chicken & Broccoli.  I love the mild and sweet brown sauce with the big chunks of solid chicken meat.   I made a lazy version called Crock-Pot Chicken & Broccoli as my next feature on What Micky Eats...At Home to go along with the Shrimp Fried Rice I made during my time home due to #shutdown.  Check it out below.

Travels to Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital of Texas and the 11th-largest city in the United States. The city grew throughout the 19th century and became a center for government and education with the construction of the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin. Austin has come to be known as "The Live Music Capital of the World", a reference to the many musicians and live music venues within the area. In recent years, some Austinites have also adopted the unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird". This interpretation of the classic, Texas-style sense of independence refers to the traditional and proudly eclectic, liberal lifestyles of many Austin residents.

DC Wine Week

DC Wine Week is around the corner! There is so much to celebrate and it is all packed in one week October 12 -19, 2013.  Stemmed from a passion for good wine and great conversation, founders Lisa Byrne and Vanessa French mind-stormed the concept on a cocktail napkin -over wine, naturally. This week long celebration will be dedicated to enjoying wine, wine education and an opportunity to help support the area's growing local wineries, wine shops, wine bars, restaurants and merchants.

At Home: Shrimp Fried Rice

Since I have been home due to circumstances out of my hands (aka #shutdown), Keith tasked me with making dinner and had a special request for Chinese food.  I knew I wanted to make a chicken dish for the main and decided to make fried rice to go with it.  I scrounged around the freezer and fridge to see what ingredients we had on hand.  I found a few jumbo prawns leftover in a package we bought at Costco.  They are raw, but already cleaned and deveined.  I thought they would be perfect to make Shrimp Fried Rice as my next feature on What Micky Eats...At Home.

Dolcezza Debuts Five Incredible Fall Flavors

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Dolcezza is pleased to present five flavorful gelatos and sorbets this fall. Crafted using only the freshest seasonal ingredients, these seasonal varieties will be available at all four DC area locations. In addition, the Georgetown location will also sell Dolcezza’s seasonal flavors by the gallon and prices vary depending on the flavor. For gelato-lovers, the temptations include Heirloom Neck Pumpkin; Maple Syrup and Sweet Potato Pecan Praline. For dairy free alternatives, don’t miss the sorbets, Pomegranate and Clementine sorbet.

At Home: Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Bars

For my next recipe on What Micky Eats...At Home, I was inspired to make these Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Bars after reading Averie's post on cleaning out her pantry to make M&Ms and Oreos Cookie Bars.  She has made several iterations and basically they need any kind of left over candy or cookie bits you have sitting in your pantry.  They are a great way to use up those loose odds and ends.  I had some left over pretzels and figured they would give an extra crunch factor to my cookie bars.

Lambert's Downtown Barbeque

Located in the carefully restored Historic Schneider Brothers Building in Downtown Austin, Lambert's serves up inventive BBQ, modern Texas cooking, and carefully prepared cocktails. They strive to provide a comfortable, casual, and original dining experience with true Texas charm.  Live music is performed most nights upstairs.  Reservations are recommended and you may get a prime booth to view the entertainment.

Call for Submissions - Show Me What YOU Eat...

You all love to read and see "what Micky eats", but I am curious to see what YOU eat. Share all the delicious things you've been eating and drinking by sending me a picture and I’ll feature you on my blog!

Fill out the form below to submit.  Submissions will be entered into a quarterly contest to win $25 transferred via Paypal!  Winner will be chosen based on number of votes received.  Interested?  Send in your submissions today!


Before you hit the submit button, please make certain you read the fine print. By submitting your image, you are agreeing to the official rules/terms outlined here:
- By entering the contest, all entrants grant What Micky Eats permission to display and promote images on my site, newsletters and various marketing materials with full credits being given to the photographer/artist/creator (unless anonymity is requested). Slight alterations may be made to properly fit the image to said item/location. I will not sell or distribute your images. Entrant retains all rights to their images at all times.
- Entrant acknowledges that photo submission is their original work or they own the rights to the image. What Micky Eats is not responsible for securing usage rights from third parties.
- Information collected from entrants will be kept private and not sold.
- Contest is ongoing with a winner every quarter (calendar three month cycle). Photo entrants will be posted for voting at the end of the current quarter, with the winner generally being announced the first week of the next month. (For example, entrants for the first quarter will be accepted January - March, for voting to occur end of March, and winner announced first week of April).
- Contest requires minimum of two entries by two different persons to run each quarter in order to determine a winner.
- Winners of the quarterly contest are eligible to re-enter the contest on any given quarterly cycle. In other words, entrants are eligible to win more than once.
- Winner is selected by number of reader votes. Winners have 24 hours to respond to their notification email to claim their prize. If they do not respond then the photo with the next largest number of votes will become the winner. All prizes will be awarded.
- Entry is free and is accepted from all ages and all countries.
- What Micky Eats reserves the right to refuse any submission, especially if deemed as inappropriate content.
- What Micky Eats is not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.
- In the event that the operation, security or administration of the contest is impaired for any reason, What Micky Eats may suspend or terminate the contest.
- This contest is sponsored by What Micky Eats, unless otherwise noted. Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.
- Prize description: $25 quarterly prize transferred via Paypal account. Winner must have a Paypal account in order to receive cash prize.

Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden

Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden in Austin features artisan bread (including baguettes, croissants, pretzels), locally roasted coffee, housemade meats (sausages, corned beef, pastrami), a full bar and more than 30 local and boutique draft beers. Bake shop is open from 7 am to 2 am with a fun beer garden out back that is open from 11 am to 2 am.

El Naranjo

El Naranjo is a restaurant & bar in Austin, TX dedicated to serving delicious traditional Mexican food.  With savory salsas and moles, well-seasoned food, and great concern for finding a pleasing balance of flavors, El Naranjo draws from the many rich traditions of Mexican cooking. The food has a strong culinary resemblance to the owners' former internationally acclaimed restaurant in Oaxaca, and we had to check it out during our visit to Austin.

1886 Café & Bakery

1886 Café & Bakery at The Driskill Hotel is one of the leading Austin, Texas restaurants that serves classic Texan comfort food in a casually elegant setting. Originally the hotel's saloon and billiard hall, today, the open kitchen features daily specials complimented by local favorites.  The hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark in November 1969, and the café located at the busy corner of Sixth and Brazos streets, remains the social gathering place for locals and out-of-town guests alike looking for delicious traditional Texas comfort foods that combine time-honored Texas traditions with contemporary preparation. The bakery features an incredible array of daily pastries, breads and Austin's finest custom-crafted cakes and pies, available via direct order, or by visiting the café for a custom consultation. 1886 Café & Bakery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with late-night dining, and offers full bar service.

qui

It's no surprise that I am a Top Chef fan, as we have dined at many of the cheftestant's restaurants before.  Hence, it was clear that I had to eat at Chef Paul Qui's newly opened restaurant while we were in Austin, TX.  qui  has been open just over 3 months now and only accepts walk-ins. We researched ahead of time and learned wait times range from 1 hour and 45 minutes on a Wednesday to 3 hours on Friday and Saturday.  But luck was on our side this Thursday night, as we were able to be seated right away.

Open Kitchen Celebrates Anniversary with Slow Food Fundraiser

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Known for its contemporary American cuisine and their passion for making, eating, and sharing good food with their community, Open Kitchen celebrates their four-year anniversary by giving back to its community and partnering with local non-profit Slow Food, DC chapter.  On October 7, 2013, Open Kitchen will generously donate 50% of the night’s sales to support Slow Food DC’s The Ark of Taste Garden program.

Franklin Barbeque

With the encouragement of friends, Aaron Franklin and his wife Stacy debuted Franklin Barbeque in late 2009 on an East Austin parking lot. From the walk-up window of a travel trailer turned brisket stand, patrons quickly noticed the Franklins were selling the best barbecue around. By spring, the line of admirers snaked around the block, and the press followed. Aaron and Stacy quickly outgrew their trailer, and moved their operation to a brick and mortar location in March of 2011. And despite the new digs and every reasonable effort to increase production, Franklin's line is as long as ever, and the restaurant has sold out of brisket every day of its existence.

Iron Cactus

The Iron Cactus in downtown Austin is located in the heart of historic 6th street.  The turn of the century building was remodeled in 1995 to include their famous rooftop patio which offers a fantastic view of Austin. The mission of Iron Cactus is to create a warm, friendly and unique environment while providing guests with the best Mexican food and fresh lime margaritas in the market. Featuring over 100 tequilas, the Iron Cactus has been named a top ten tequila bar by many national publications.

Wholly Cow Burgers

***Special Post by Keith***
I needed to grab something quick for dinner and was trying to get a break from the barrage of barbeque and Tex-Mex that I had been consuming, so I thought a burger would be a nice break. Wholly Cow Burgers had good reviews and was reasonably close to my hotel so I thought I'd give it a try.

East Side King

***Special Post by Keith***
Being in Austin for only a short time I wanted to eat as much of Chef Paul Qui's food as possible.  I went on an adventure to find his food truck, East Side King. My hotel didn't seem too far away from where this food truck camps out at Liberty Bar, so I decided to take a walk on over. The walk was a bit more adventurous than I expected. Dodged a few vagrants and navigated a highway underpass on the way from downtown to the east side. Doesn't seem the two areas of development have quite connected yet, but I managed to find the Liberty Bar without too much issue.

Taste of Bethesda

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Taste of Bethesda returns on Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 11am-4pm and will bring more than 50 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Produced by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, downtown Bethesda's famous food and music festival celebrates 24 years of diverse and delectable cuisine offered by Bethesda's local restaurant community. Five stages showcase musical and cultural performances, and a children’s area featuring art and craft activities, balloons and face painting will provide additional entertainment for young visitors. More than 35,000 attendees enjoy Taste of Bethesda each year.  Closest Metro is Bethesda.