PIZZA DIP
A layered, hot cheesy dip with all of the great pizza flavours including pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, olives and green peppers.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
1 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded/grated
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

Directions
Mix the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate.
Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and olives.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY FOOTBALLS

Ingredients
16 ounces milk chocolate chips + 2 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil
1 lb of fresh strawberries with leaves
white icing
No. 1 piping tip + pastry bag OR a plain old plastic baggie
Toothpicks
Wax Paper
Styrofoam

Directions
Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
If you have a melting pot that works but you certainly don’t *NEED* it though – you can use a double boiler or even any plastic bowl + microwave.
Melt the chocolate + shortening, stirring often until smooth. (I recommend adding vegetable oil or shortening a little at a time, as needed to get the right consistency).
Once you have the consistency you want, grab the strawberries by the toothpick and dip into the chocolate mixture.
You can then place them on wax paper to cool or if you don’t want the “puddle” you can turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into a piece of styrofoam.
Wait til cool/hardened.
To decorate, fill pastry bag with white frosting and use #1 tip to draw laces.  If you don’t have any cake decorating tools, you can simply spoon some frosting into a plain plastic baggie and snip one corner!

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TACO CUPCAKES

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
36 wonton wrappers
your favorite taco toppings – salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
cooking spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
Brown the meat in a skillet and drain off fat (I use a collander). Return the meat to the skillet; add the taco seasoning, water and black beans.  Mix and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until water is absorbed.
Spray 18 regular muffin pan cups with cooking spray.  Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup.  Divide half of the taco meat between muffin cups.  Sprinkle half of the cheese over the cupcakes.  Repeat layers – wonton, taco meat and cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.  Top with your favorite taco toppings.

Watch a preview of America’s Next Great Restaurant and get a Buy One, get One Free offer from Chipotle!  Get a coupon for a BOGO free any burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos. Promotion ends 3-6-11 and offer expires 7 days after video is viewed. may be redeemed at any Chipotle location:

Get coupon HERE.

Introducing Harlem’s first ever Restaurant Week! Well, actually, it’s a month long…but so is Harlem Week (Oh well *Kanye shrug*). Starting February 15 until March 15 you can enjoy 3 course meals for $20.10 at participating Harlem eateries and specialty items for $20.10 at Harlem retailers. If that didn’t sound intriguing enough, $1 of each purchase will go to UNICEF for Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

Check out the Harlem Restaurant Week Participants (Links to the actual websites, followed by links to their Yelp.com profiles):

67 Orange Street
(Yelp Profile)

Angelina
(Yelp Profile)

Cafe du Soleil
(Yelp Profile)

Chez Lucienne
(Yelp Profile)

Creole
(Yelp Profile)

Gospel Uptown
(Yelp Profile)

Grand Piatto D’Oro
(Yelp Profile)

Londel’s
(Yelp Profile)

Melba’s
(Yelp Profile)

Mobay
(Yelp Profile)

Moca
(Yelp Profile)

Mojo
(Yelp Profile)

Native
(Yelp Profile)

Nectar Wine Bar
(Yelp Profile)

Questan’s
(Yelp Profile)

Society Cafe
(Yelp Profile)

Sylvia’s
(Yelp Profile)

I’m definitely going to hit up 67 Orange Street, Mojo, Piatto D’Oro, Creole and Gospel Uptown. But then again at $20.10, all month long, I’ll probably make it to each restaurant…

Harlem Restaurant and Retail Week is brought to you by Harlem Park to Park and The Harlem Business Alliance. Find the complete list of restaurants and retailers at www.harlemrestaurantandretailweek.com

I don’t know about you, but I’m always trying to come up with ways to sneak in liqour – especially in a recession! Here comes the sneak-it-in disposable flask to make my — lush life even easier. They come in sets of three for $15 and I think they are hilarious…

You can find them at Restoration Hardware: restorationhardware.com

Harlem Pop @ Indigo Arms Guest House

181 Lenox Ave. (119th and Lenox), 2nd Flr.

S Dot Tell'Em

CIA

PS- you might want to google "sexy fried chicken" for funny results, don't ask…

I love you.

CIA

PS- this reminds me of thisiswhyyourefat.com

From now through Labor Day, on Sunday nights Gotham Bar and Grill is celebrating their 25 year anniversary with 1980's prices!

Gotham Bar and Grill, 12 E. 12th St. (between Fifth Ave. and University Pl.); 212-620-4020 or gothambarandgrill.com

CIA

It is that time of year again, you know the time when you go all outside of your dining out budget for the month- yes it's Restaurant Week time!

Get over the NYCGo.com and start making some reservations now- before you're forced to take the rickety-ass table next to the bathroom at 11:30 at night!

GFD recommendations:

21 Club
10 Downing
Kellari Taverna
Smith & Wollensky
Asiate
Butter
Morimoto
Center Cut
Mr. Chow
Dos Caminos
The Modern
Norma's
South Gate
Sushi Samba

CIA

Blow your mind away? Really? F

CIA

Blow your mind away? Really? F

CIA

OMG!! Its the most wonderful time of the year again!  My favorite holiday! The time of year when you can walk around with eyes shining full of wonder and joy… better than Christmas in July… its BBQ Days in June!  

CIA

Now through March 20th continue to take advantage of the prefix deals at the best restaurants in the city. Check out who has extended here.

CIA