Me and My Cafes

When I am on vacation, even when I am traveling alone, I always try to set aside time for myself. In Taipei, this means finding a quaint dog-friendly café, with free wi-fi, delicious desserts, hip décor, comfortable couches and Louis playing in the background. Here are a few places I checked out.

Mucho Mucho Cafe
No.29, Alley 5, Lane 107, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd, Taipei


Cozy place.

The Path Cafe
10, Alley 33, Ln 216, Zhoungxiao E Rd, Taipei


I think I make better cheesecake.

My Sweetie Pie
No. 3, Lane 93, ShiDa Rd, Taipei










The apple pie was pretty good.

Insomnia
13, Ln 93, Shida Rd, Taipei












There is a 150NT minimum pp at this place. Did they just charge us for 300NT for microwaved mashed potatoes, vegetables and salmon?

Gobble Gobble

This year we have a whole lot to be thankful for Obama-Biden, Kate Nash (no relation to Steve Nash) and Vampire Weekend. In celebration of all our blessings we had an equally awesome Thanksgiving dinner - courtesy of yours truly, oh yeah - and the older brother. Side Note, I damn near cut my finger off!! Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without further ado, onto our featured presentation - TURKEY DAY 2008 ... Starring ...

Turkey


Apple, Cranberry, Sausage Stuffing

Bacon Sauteed Green Beans

Turon

Pumpkin Pie Cheescake


Turkey Day 2008 Step-by-Step

Turkey Treatment
1 10lb butterball turkey (defrosted for 5 days)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
10 cloves garlic, minced
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Rinse turkey with warm water and pat dry with paper towels
3. Stuff turkey
4. Rub turkey with garlic butter
5. Bake turkey in an oven bag on top of roasting rack for 2.5 hours
**Use the juices in the bag as gravy

Stuffing
1 Dutch Crunch Roll, cubed
1 White Sourdough Roll, cubed
1 package of Aidell's Portabello Mushroom Sausage, removed from casing and chopped
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 golden delicious apple, chopped
2 teaspoons ground sage
2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cooked turkey liver, minced
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cups dried cranberries
1/3 cup freshed parsley, minced
3/4 cup Swanson chicken stock, low sodium, no msg
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 and bake cubed bread for 5 minutes
2. Brown sausage and onion in large skillet
3. Add celery, sage, thyme and rosemary to skillet
4. In seperate bowl mix toasted bread, skillet mixture, apple, cranberry, liver, parsley, chicken stock, and butter
5. Spoon into turkey cavity

Green Beans
5 bacon strips
1 16 oz bag of frozen green beans
1. Cook bacon strips in a large skillet
2. Add green beans

Turon
Lumpia wrappers
Cooking bananas
Jackfruit
Dark brown sugar
Sorry this recipe isn't available

Cheesecake
2 8oz packages of Lucerne cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 brown free range organic eggs
1/2 cup canned Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon Trader Joe's pumpkin spice
1 9" premade graham cracker crust
1. Mix and blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl
2. Blend in one egg at a time
3. Scoop 1 cup of the batter and spread onto bottom of graham cracker crust
4. Blend in pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to remaining batter mix
5. Scoop the rest of the batter onto graham cracker crust
6. Preheat and back pie at 325F for 40 mins
7. Cool and refrigerate for 3 hours

Celebratory Pumpkin Pie

The best thing to ever happen to me, happened today and we're gonna celebrate with some good 'ole fashion pumpkin pie.

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
  
• 2 eggs
• 2 Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie spice
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

1. Heat pumpkin puree, spices and salt over medium heat. Put into a bowl and let it cool
2. Wisk in eggs and condensed milk
3. Preheat oven to 425
4. Pour pumpkin pie mixture into crust
5. Bake at 425 for 15 mins
6. Lower heat to 350 for 35-40 mins
7. Enjoy.. (w/ whipped cream!!!)