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Hotbox Hipster

a pittsburgh hippie chick's unbridled love for all things food related

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March 2012

The Green Mango

this past saturday found us enjoying an incredibly flavorful Thai meal at the Green Mango in Regent Square. (a Pittsburgh suburb)  i had done a bit of research on the place, and read some fantastic reviews… leaving me not a single reason as to why it shouldn’t move to the top of our short list for datenite. hotbox hipster and hubby of said hipster are the parents of two cutie patootie preschoolers, who happened to be spending the night at mimi and pappy’s for the night. begin datenite for two thirsty for fun thirty somethings.  knowing that The Green Mango was a BYOB, (with no corkage fees, PS) we parked on South Braddock and headed to D’s six pack and dogs for some take out brew. we mix and matched a six pack of IPA’s for him and Belgian whites for her, and walked on over to the restaurant straight away with the ice cold treasures. There was a bit of outdoor seating, maybe six small tables in all, which were all occupied around 7pm when we rolled up. we easily secured a small table for 2 inside, and were attended to immediately with glasses for our beer and menus in our hands. waters came a minute later, and we were allowed to place our appetizer order shortly thereafter. the service was ultra attentive… even for clearing plates and empty bottles. We ordered both the Tofu summer rolls as well as some spring rolls… both were fabulous.

Tofu Summer Rolls

the dipping sauce had some crushed peanuts atop, and it lent a lovely sweetness to both. next up was the Tom Yum soup with chicken. my sinuses immediately kicked into gear and i felt amazingly alive while eating this spicy bit of genius. The broth was maybe some of the best i’ve tasted, ever. i am longing for a bowl of this soup right now, no joke.

Tom Yum soup with chicken

i honestly could have stopped here and been utterly satisfied, but it’s just not my style. gluttony rocks, and how. placed before me shortly afterward was a steaming plate of drunken spicy noodles with chicken.  it’s a plate of wide noodles that are ever so slightly oily, and both spicy and sweet all at the same time somehow… with bits of fresh basil, napa cabbage, tender and juicy chicken, and thai chili bits all throughout…. words fail to describe this masterpiece of a thai dish folks…. you need to order it.

Spicy Drunken Noodles with chicken

word of wisdom, i ate maybe a fourth of it and took it home. day 2, saute a half of a small zucchini cut into small bite sized pieces for a minute or two, and then add your left over noodles. place lid atop, adjust heat to medium, and set timer for two minutes. plate your food and enjoy for the second day in a row.  our beers tasted like heaven with the spicy food, and the atmosphere in this quaint little place was very relaxed. we will be back… oh yes sir, we will be back.

<a href=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/23/270710/restaurant/Pittsburgh/Regent-Square/The-Green-Mango-Edgewood”><img alt=”The Green Mango on Urbanspoon” src=”http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/270710/biglink.gif&#8221; style=”border:none;width:200px;height:146px” /></a>

 

The Green Mango on Urbanspoon

salmon- done right, done easy.

salmon. it’s thick, it’s pink, and it’s bursting with flavor. and don’t even get me started on it’s nutritional benefits. ok, get me started.  did you know that a  measly 4 oz serving of wild salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D? not many foods can make that claim. that same piece of fish contains oodles of omega 3 fatty acids (lowers cholesterol),  B12, niacin, and selenium (makes your hair shiny), and is an excellent source of B6 and magnesium. it’s thick like a steak, and it’s a fish that even ‘non fish lovers’ can love.  it helps strengthen the heart muscle, and it’s known for helping your brain work better and improving  your memory. why, i ask then, would you not want to eat this bad boy at bare minimum- once per week??   in my house, we’re trying in earnest to subscribe to this thought process.  three out of four of us heart salmon more than a back alley hooker loves crack.  we purchase a  one pound piece (sometimes wild, sometimes farm raised) and rub it down with olive oil and salt and pepper. move your oven rack to the top position to utilize your broiler properly. set broiler to high, and let preheat a few mins. line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. and place metal cooling rack on top. position your salmon in the middle, and cook for 8 minutes or so. remove pan from oven, and carefully with a firm spatula… free up salmon from cooking rack and flip over quickly like a pancake. cook other side under broiler for four minutes. (note: this was a thick piece of salmon, and these time frames yielded a well done fish. if you like it a little more rare, please tweak accordingly.)  remove to cutting board and let rest a few minutes. serve however you see fit. i like it over a bed of orzo, or sometimes with a gorgeous salad plate.  however you plate it up, this power  house’s health benefits are too fabulous to ignore! it’s the perfect addition to your healthy lifestyle.

drizzle the salmon with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
what it looks like after 8 mins under the broiler at 495 degrees. ready for flipping now.
serve it a little something like this... and watch them smile and giggle like a school girl.

make ahead sausage and cheese fritatta

if you need to host a brunch for any reason, and are in need of an epicenter recipe… use this winner- and branch out in several directions from there. it’s an easy, no fuss, make ahead recipe that is sure to please the masses. the trick is in the sausage. yes-sir-eee, the pig saves the day once again. buy bob evans ‘sage’ flavored. it suits this recipe perfectly, and lends the perfect savory tang you’re after. this recipe is truly versatile, so much so that i’ve once even used some left over garlic bread in it, as well as pre-chopped frozen red and yellow peppers. whatever veggies and herbs i have on hand, that’s what is going into the egg mix. (within reason) the nice thing is that it has to sit in the fridge over night… allowing no stress for you come the next day when you’re ready to eat. simply take it out of the fridge one hour before you’re ready to bake it, and allow it to come to room temperature a bit. It bakes for 50 mins to one hour, and you want to serve it shortly after taking out of the oven- for the best taste. it’s great with a few drops of hot sauce on top, salsa,  alone, or even with Pittsburgh’s favorite condiment, Heinz ketchup.

OK, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED: 


1 lb of bulk sausage (i love Bob Evans Sage sausage in this recipe)

9 eggs

3 cups skim milk

1.5 tsp dry mustard powder

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

10 slices white bread, crust removed (or left on, both ways are delish) and cubed (feel free to use some stale ital. bread from dinner two nights ago as well.) 

bell pepper (diced) – i like red or  yellow or orange in this.

handful of chopped fresh spinach leaves if you have them

small piece of onion finely diced (if you have it)

Brown and drain the sausage. set aside to cool. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk. Add seasonings and bread cubes. Fold in sausage, cheese , peppers, onion and spinach or herbs. Place in your 9×13 glass pan (i use a big round dish and it works out perfectly and looks amazing upon serving.) refrigerate over night. remove from fridge one hour before baking. bake at 350 for around 55 mins. Cool just slightly before serving.

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