Friday, January 17, 2014

Happy New Year, Happy New You?




Happy New Year, Happy New You? 

2013 was wild. Between college graduations, big birthdays, starting new jobs and going to a show or three every month, there is no telling why this blog was somewhat forgotten. 2014 certainly will not be the year I vow to do monthly juice cleanses, jog everyday, or travel outside the country regularly. Instead, the goal is to blog once a month. 

Now, back to the core of what we do well. 

SHOWS:
2014 was welcomed in with style. We headed down to Atlanta for two nights at the Tabernacle with Sound Tribe (STS9). Turns out that was a wise move since Murph announced a leave of absence from the band just a few days ago. What a lousy message I woke up to. Naturally, there were tickets purchased for an STS9 show in February that are useless now. 


We will be keeping our eyes open for upcoming festivals and shows to fill the Tribe Vibe hole. 

BREWS:
Speaking of Atlanta, if you're looking for an American IPA to keep you warm this winter be sure to check out the Hoplanta by Redbrick Brewing Company. It has a good mouth feel, pours about a 1-inch head, isn't terribly complex but it's good for a few drinks with friends. 

FOTOS: The Fotographer bought the Phoodie a new lens for the holidays. He's trying desperately to help me catch up to his skill level. I doubt that will happen anytime soon but I've certainly enjoyed trying.

PHOODS:
Do not continue reading if you made a New Year's resolution involving weight loss or healthy eating. If not, read on. Over the holidays I received truffle salt and truffle oil. With that, the search was on for the perfect recipe. While I wouldn't consider this the perfect recipe, I did come across a delicious truffle mac and cheese that we devoured in a single sitting. That polar vortex turned us into hungry bears preparing for hibernation. 

I began with the recipe from I Am A Food Blog and developed it from there.  
Truffle Mac and Cheese
From iamafoodblog.com
  • 1 1/3 cups macaroni
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon truffle oil
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, warmed
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 block cream cheese
  • freshly ground pepper
Cook the macaroni according to the package. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, reduce the wine over high heat until thick, syrupy and reduced in volume to about 2 tablespoons. Drain the pasta, place in a bowl and toss with truffle oil.
Add the chicken stock to the reduced wine and adjust the heat to medium. Mix together the parmesan and flour so that the flour coats the Parmesan. Add to the wine-stock mixture and stir until the cheese has been melted and mixture thickens slightly. Add the pasta and cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is completely melted. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and enjoy immediately.

I added pepperoncinis, chopped grape tomatoes, and truffle salt to the final product.

Happy 2014 and may your resolutions inspire and never restrict. 

Safe Travels, Good Vibes, and Full Bellies to All
-The Phoodie & Fotographer