Granby Street Pizza - Good, Cheap Eats

Armed with our cameras while out and about this weekend, my daughter and I "discovered" Granby Street Pizza in downtown Norfolk. I say "discovered" because although I had heard of it, I didn't realize what a great spot it was until we actually went there.

We really just popped our heads in to see what was going on, especially since we had only recently indulged our sweet tooths at Chocollage (see Sunday, May 22 post).

Inside we found the pizza maker, Mark, tossing the pizza dough in the air to stretch it out, which he repeated a couple more times just for our viewing pleasure. We continued watching him as he made the exceedingly large pepperoni pizza, gaping as he loaded on the sauce, cheese, and roni.  Dessert suddenly seemed such a long time ago...

Although Mark was making up a fresh pizza, we also spied several other, different, delicious-looking pizzas lined up, ready for the serving. Since we love pizza about as much as we love dessert ... well, you can guess how this story ends...

At only $2.50 for a large slice with pepperoni (or $14 for a whole 18" pizza), this pizza is a nice deal.  Even some of the specialty pizzas are only $2.50 a slice, like the Italian Flag Bianca Pizza (white pizza) I enjoyed (shown below right). 

My daughter, Anna, in a kid's conservative fashion, ordered the pepperoni pizza. My tastes run a tad more exotic though, so I chose the Italian slice, which was made with tomato, spinach, ricotta, romano, mozzerella and a goodly smattering of chopped garlic.

After sampling each other's slices, we declared both quite good, although my girl ended up liking mine even more than her own. Determined to try some of the other pizzas at a later date, we decided that we will definitely be back, with the rest of the family in tow!

Granby Street Pizza serves New York Style Pizza; Stromboli, Calzones, and other Italian Fare; Subs, Burgers, Gyros, and Salads.

Located at 235 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 622-5084

Thanks to Mark and owner Peter Freda for allowing me to photograph them and their good eats!

Chocollage in Downtown Norfolk

Spent the day yesterday in downtown Norfolk, doing a photo shoot with my daughter. Since of course, we have to have great subject matter for our photos, and since food is always a most willing and pleasant subject, we decided to stop in at Chocollage Bakery and Cafe at 201 College Place.  

I had heard great things about Chocollage for quite a while, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about  -- besides that, I was craving a good cup of coffee, and we were both yearning for something sweet to eat.  

Chocollage, located just off of Boush Street, is almost hidden in a quaint side cluster of small businesses that are tucked among downtown condos and townhouses. 

Although it is hard to notice this unassuming bakery, and sometimes even harder to park just next to it, these small inconveniences are best ignored.  

Once inside Chocollage, you will encounter the feel of a homey, casual, european-style bakery.  When we walked in, my daughter and I were instantly greeted by the friendly gal at the counter, and by one of the owners, Mrs. Marshall, the grandmotherly proprietor and baker extraordinaire, who informed us that she had been there since 5:30 that morning whipping up her sweet masterpieces.

Among those sweet masterpieces were a fluffy, snowy coconut cake; Mrs. Marshall's locally famous peanut butter bombs; a variety of cupcakes; an amazing-looking pecan praline cake; cream cheese brownies; and other beautiful confections.

While it was hard to choose from the variety of tantalizing treats we saw in the well-stocked bakery case, we finally settled on two* -- my daughter chose a red-velvet cupcake thickly topped with a real butter-cream frosting, while I went with the fluffy, exceedingly moist coconut cake.  Slowly savoring each tender bite of that cake between sips of a nice cappucino, I was in heaven. My daughter also loved the coconut cake.  

From what I've heard and read, this cozy 16-seat bakery also serves wonderful sandwiches and other lunch fare in addition to its luscious desserts. Do stop by sometime, and if you do, please tell them Jo Jo sent you! 


201 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23508  
Ph (757) 533-5335

*I fibbed. We also ended up going home with a slice of that awesome praline cake and a chunk of those gooey cheesecake brownies for later. Just could not resist.  Total tab for 4 desserts, cappuccino, tax and tip was under $15!

So Much Waste

I often remind myself what a privileged, spoiled life my family and I live. Our over-stuffed refrigerator and pantry attest to that. Sometimes our food supplies are so crowded, I forget about some of the items we have only recently purchased. Just can't see 'em -- out of sight, out of mind. Not a good thing when perishables are involved.

I read or heard somewhere recently that the average American garbage can eats better than about 80 percent of the world's population. Looking at what my family and I have discarded recently, I can see where, sadly, that might be all too true. In our case, however, my compost pile is at least eating better than my trash can. This is some small consolation, and a step in the right direction to making our waste productive. (Another step in the right direction might be to buy a little less and then consume everything we buy. Novel idea, huh?).

Recently tossed spinach, green beans, rotted strawberries, moldy bread, and limes gone bad, garnished with banana peels and egg shells (the contents of the latter two were happily consumed).

Simon's Cat 'Cat Man Do'

Some of you may have seen this already, but I just discovered it. As someone who has several cats of my own, I found this cartoon video to be both accurate and hilarious.  En-joie.

Growing Daw-bah-leez (Strawberries)

"More daw-bah-leeze, more daw-bah-leeze" my then barely-able-to-speak daughter used to plead. That pint-sized little creature could easily down a quart of strawberries in one sitting. Now, as a healthy, growing, 9-year old, she still wants her daw-bah-leeze.

Since our gal can out do a linebacker in any berry-eating contest, we decided to grow our own strawberries last spring. Sadly for us, though, those particular berries did not survive our visiting bunnies. This year, however, we set our cats on patrol, and so far we are seeing actual strawberries instead of only their tattered remains: baby green ones, white ones, and smallish ripe red ones, ready for smoothie-making.

(Never mind the bunnies, I've actually plucked the small green ones and used them in tiny flower arrangements. With their long, graceful stems, they look quite beautiful in a mix of greenery.)

I love the way the berries turn white before blushing to pink and then to red.

Okay, I cheated here -- these are actually store-bought strawberries -- what I hope mine will turn out to look like, eventually. (Mine seem to need a little Miracle Gro.)

But, I did actually make smoothies with the ripe berries we have gathered thus far, combining them with two ripe bananas, about 3/4 cup milk, and 6 ice cubes (3 per nana).  Made 3 large size servings. De-lish and healthy to boot!

Eggs Sunny Side Up?

Chicken Parmigiano My Way

"What's for dinner?" That question is one that always rankles me a bit, since it reminds me what a tired and boring cook I usually am. I seem to have such a hard time coming up with something new that everyone in the family will eat, while still keeping things quick and simple.

Today, however, I was so proud of myself when I remembered a simple dish I used to make a lot several years ago - chicken parmigiano, without the parmesan!  Here is my version of the dish (semi-homemade) which turned out pretty darn good tonight, I must say.

Chicken Parmigiano JoJo -- with Rice

2 large deboned breasts

1 TBS olive oil

1 large jar seasoned sauce

1 TBS oregano

1 cubed small onion

1 glove garlic, sliced 

1 tsp chopped fresh basil (my plants are just babies!)

Mozzerella cheese (preferably shredded) and/or Italian cheese mix 

Sliced fresh tomato

Pound the breasts between saran wrap to make them tender. Place breasts in large pan, coat both sides with olive oil and cook meat just until it is opaque. Pour sauce on breasts, coating thoroughly, and heat sauce until just bubbly. Next, turn down heat to just simmering. Mix in oregano, onion, garlic. Cover and continue simmering about 20 minutes while making the rice (I used Uncle Ben's converted). While rice is resting, add fresh basil to sauce, top breasts with sliced tomato, and top the tomato with the cheese.  Cover again, just long enough to melt the cheese.  Serve with rice -- but watch that mozzerella - it tends to go everywhere your fork goes!

Hope you en-joie!

Sorry to Awaken You (Again)

Tip Junkie

Clutter Busting, Part II: Tackling the Medicine Cabinet

x

x

x

x

The Tylenol Recall and Disposing of Old Meds

If you read my April 19, 2010 post, you may recall that I am working on clearing out all the clutter in my home. 

Since all Tylenol infant's and children's medications are being recalled, I decided that today I would weed through all of my over-the-counter meds to dispose of any that were either recalled or expired. I did have quite a few Tylenol products, so I went to the company website to see what to do about the recall.  

What I found out is that the company name is McNeil, and that the products involved also included Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl (all for children/infants). I also found out that I can get a product coupon or full refund, and that I don't have to send the products in or bring them anywhere -- just contact the company.  

I like the sound of cha-ching, so I went with the money.  (Always go with the money, folks.) Now I'll just buy the more-cost-effective-anyway generics, which as of yet, have thankfully not been recalled!

Getting Your Cha-Ching. If you have any of these products, don't throw them out just yet. You will need to gather them, line them up in front of your computer, and click this direct link to start your refund process:  McNeil Product Recall (Tylenol/Motrin/Zyrtec/Benadryl).

In the FAQs section of McNeil's website, they also advise that we need to take precautions about how we dispose of their products, linking us to a site called Smart Disposal. Here is a quick rundown, taken directly from their website, of what you need to do:

Disposing of Your Meds: 

DO NOT FLUSH unused medications and DO NOT POUR them down a sink or drain. *

Be Proactive and DISPOSE OF UNUSED MEDICATION IN Household TRASH. When discarding unused medications, ensure you protect children and pets from potentially negative effects:

1. Pour medication into a sealable plastic bag. If medication is a solid (pill, liquid capsule, etc.), add water to dissolve it.
2. Add kitty litter, sawdust, coffee grounds (or any material that mixes with the medication and makes it less appealing for pets and children to eat) to the plastic bag.
3. Seal the plastic bag and put it in the trash. 
4. Remove and destroy ALL identifying personal information (prescription label) from all medication containers before recycling them or throwing them away.

I like the idea of  a and b, but I'm thinking I'll just throw away the bottle in the plastic bag and mark it "Do Not Use" with a sharpie, then seal it. I recommend that you don't ignore step d. above, in any case, to avoid even the remotest chance that someone could use the info to steal your identity. Besides, do you really want all those criminals and other trash pickers to know all your medical secrets?? ("Heck, Why not? "you say, "After all, our medical files are already being placed online for computer hackers and unethical medical staff to visit."  But hey, I say, let's just not make things easier for all these folks than it already is.) 


For more information on Smart Disposal, visit: www.smarxtdisposal.net. 


The image in this posting is borrowed from: De-Clutter Mind Map by Paul Foreman from The Mind Map Inspiration Blog.


Update May 19, 2010 -- WOW -- just checked my mail and found two refund checks! I can't believe how fast they responded.  I received $44 for about 6 items.  Not bad, I think.

Colley Cantina's Hot Poppers and Dark Brews

Been so busy lately, one appointment after another -- 21 in 27 days. Whew! And more to come.

After one doc appointment recently, I found myself with an irate, empty tummy. I'd been up since about 6 am (yes, really), without a thing to eat or drink but about half a cup of joe. Now, I know this is probably not the first thing to come to your mind when you are hungry, but as I was rumbling down Colley Avenue in Ghent just before the lunch rush, I thought about the jalapeno poppers at the Colley Cantina. I hadn't been to Colley Cantina in quite a long time, but I still remembered those poppers.

If you've never had them before, go and try them, and see why my car turned in Colley Cantina's direction. These are the most beautiful, fresh, succulent (!) stuffed jalapeno peppers you will likely ever encounter on this earth. Handmade, batter-crusted and oozing with cheese, dipped in a bit of cool ranch sauce, you will enter a new orbit when you pop one of these babies in your mouth.

So, okay, I got there and ordered me up a batch (a little bad grammar never hurt no one). While waiting, I did what I always do, read everything on it that has writing. Since there were no cereal boxes around, of course, I had to read about their brew offerings, which were plentiful, not to mention outstandingly interesting.

And here is where I really got interested. The Colley Cantina apparently excels at delivering a variety of exotic and micro-brews, of both the light and dark variety. Now, truly, I am not a big drinker, but I do like to quaff a nice, foamy, rich, dark brew every once in a while. However, it is not at all unusual for me to try to order one in a restaurant and then have them tell me that they can serve me a light brew and turn the lights out, if I insist.

Imagine my delight when I saw their dark beer menu, which I have kindly photographed for your reading pleasure (and to save a few keystrokes for my carpal-tunnel wracked wrists):

Pictured above: Stone 09/09/09 Vertical Epic (left) and the Stone Imperial Russian Stout (right)

Now,  I know that it was daytime, and I NEVER (hardly ever) drink in the daytime, but I did notice that they offered tasters for only 25 cents each, which seemed like such a very good idea.  Since this marketing ploy nabbed me on two counts -- dark beer, a penny-pincher's dream bargain -- I really had no choice but to try a couple.  Those would be the two shown above.

I do have to disclose that the 25 cent sizes are really no more than a sip or two, and that I did ask for a larger portion of both, for which I was charged the half-pint price.  However,  since I said that I do not drink during the day, I am only owning up to drinking the two sippy size portions. Based on this sampling, however, I can tell you that these two brews were DELICIOUS, particularly the Vertical Epic. Do try to squint and read what you can of the pictured descriptions as they really do describe the flavors quite accurately (chocolately, creamy, etc.).  I am still thinking about them and am contemplating a return trip very soon. (Curiously, I did happen to leave my credit card there by mistake).

Anyway, between the brews and the poppers, I was quite happy, and my tummy was as well. (I highly recommend dark brews to settle the stomach and they go quite nicely with the jalapenos.  My high school German teacher did advise that German women were known to drink dark beer when pregnant, so there may very well be something to this).

Colley Cantina is located in Norfolk's Ghent area at 1316 Colley Avenue. Phone number is (757) 622-0033.

Update on My Cousin, Tani

If you read my very first blog post, you may remember that I wrote about my cousin who just found out she has breast cancer. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow, so please remember her in your prayers.

My cousin, Tani, continues to amaze me with her grace, true courage, and positivism that goes beyond what could ever be expected. She says her goal is to be loving, regardless of the circumstances, even when talking to insurance adjustors who are planning to cancel her health insurance ASAP! Please check out her blog to see what I mean: http://tanikhabbaz.blogspot.com/.

(And Thank God for health reform once it won't allow insurance to cancel you...)

Related articles by Zemanta

• Care You Can Count on When You Need it Most - Reform Ramps Up (whitehouse.gov)
• Health Reform: A Timeline (health.usnews.com)

A Cactus in the Dark

In case you didn't already guess, I love cacti and succulents --not only photographing them, but growing them as well. We have quite a few of them scattered around between the potted plants on our backyard deck, and occasionally we like to move them around. . .

So, it was a lovely night, and my hubby called out to me to join him on the back deck where he was relaxing and enjoying a drink in the dark. With no lights on, we sat in the coolness of the day's end and chatted about upcoming events. As we chatted, we rocked, enjoying the stars that were now so visible in the sky.  

After a few minutes, I decided it was time to get up and get the kids to bed. What I didn't know though, was that a small but overly self-protective cactus was right below my bare left foot. Knowledge is everything, I think, and without it, I stepped right on that bad boy, only to spend the next half hour hobbling, wincing and trying to pull its spiky thorns out of my foot. 

Three days later, my foot was still sore.  Five days later, now, and the pain is almost gone.