When In Rome

Let me start this post by saying that I am a huge oatmeal fan. I eat it fairly regularly, regardless of season, and love trying new types.

A few months ago I noticed an ad that McDonald's added oatmeal to its menu. I didn't think much of it at the time and eventually forgot all about it. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, while I was on a trip I found myself at a rest stop and saw a huge full window ad for McDonald's new oatmeal. It was time to give it a shot. I must say I was rather skeptical, I asked the person taking my order if they had ever tried the oatmeal and they told me that they had, and found it surprisingly good. That's good to hear I thought.

I got my cup of oatmeal and went on my way back to the car. When I took off the lid the first thing I noticed was a pretty good serving size, maybe not enough for a full meal but definitely enough for a snack. I took my first spoonful and was very pleasantly surprised, this oatmeal is phenomenal I thought! From what I gathered McDoanld's starts with plain oatmeal (or maybe maple & brown sugar flavored oatmeal) and adds some more maple, apples, raisins, and cranberries. The different flavors mix together wonderfully.

I was so impressed with McDonald's take on oatmeal that I wanted to recreate the taste when I got home. Before trying McDonald's oatmeal I had never even thought of adding apples. The only fruits I had ever added to my oatmeal were banana, mango, strawberries, and kiwi (not all at the same time) but when in Rome...

Senioritis Oatmeal

*For the sake of convenience I use a microwave instead of a stove to make my oatmeal. I have made it on the stove in the past and feel that using the microwave doesn't sacrifice much in the way of taste and saves a bunch of time.*



Ingredients:
1 bowl of oats
1 diced apple
1 box of raisins
2 handfuls of cranberries
1 punch of maple sugar (not to be confused with a pinch)

1. Pour yourself a healthy sized bowl of oats and add enough water so that the oats begin to float around a bit - the more water you add the creamier your oatmeal will become, remember you can always add more water later on but you can't take it away ;)
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes - if the oatmeal comes out like concrete no worries, just add some more water and mix
3. Add apple, raisins, cranberries, and maple sugar



4. Mix, mix, mix
5. Add an apple wedge for style points, step back and admire



There you have it, Senioritis Oatmeal, Bon Appétit!

The Week That Was (Senioritis Style)

Happy Sunday everyone! As you may have noticed (or maybe not), we did not have a Friday Finds segment this past week. This was due to the fact that 2/3 of senioritis was doing some exploring in lovely Vermont and internet access was a bit on the spotty side. We will make it up to you, our wonderful readers, by bringing you an awesome Vermont inspired Friday Finds segment next week; but for now we leave you with the week that was.

We have family in the Boston area so we made a quick stop on our way to Vermont. While in Beantown we stumbled across a Party City (or something similar) and thought they might have some supplies we could use. No supplies but my sister thought it was a good photo opp to pay tribute to Famous Senior Groucho Marx. It didn't feel right without the cigar or mustache but Groucho, we salute you! (If you look closely you'll catch a glimpse of what's coming next at senioritis.)



Enough horsing around, off to Vermont. Our ultimate destination was South Royalton which Vermonters call the little green city that never sleeps (ok, I might have made that up). En route to South Royalton we found Queechee.

Queechee is most commonly known for it's Gorge, which is sometimes referred to as the mini Grand Canyon (that one I did not make up), but we found some other really cool stuff there as well.

The first of our findings in Queechee was an awesome little diner:



What a cool spot, the perfect throwback diner. It was like walking into a time warp. I went with the farmer's breakfast and it did not disappoint! 2 eggs, 2 french toast, ham, homefries, chocolate milk and the best maple syrup I've ever had. Unfortunately I didn't think of snapping a photo until I already had a clean plate ;)

Next up on the Queechee list was the Cabot cheese store. I must admit I'm not a cheese aficionado but wow, I never realized there were so many types of cheese. There was even a list of what beers & wines go with different types of cheese. Mooooo, my best Cabot cow impression:



Our final stop in Queechee was one of the coolest places I have ever seen, a toy museum. This toy museum was like a stroll down memory lane; it inspired me and made me a bit envious at the same time. The toy museum was made up of about 12-15 wood & plexiglass display cases and the ceiling was covered with different board games. I definitely want to have a display like this one day:

















The last quick stop on our way to South Royalton was the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vermont. We went on a tour of the factory, got some samples, and checked out the gift shop. Unfortunately we didn't have the time or manpower to take on the Vermonster (20 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, banana, cookies, brownies, and all of your favorite toppings):





We finally got to South Royalton where we cleaned a bit, put together some furniture, and had an all around good time. One of about 5 or 6 pieces that we put together:



While leaving South Royalton my sister discovered that horse drawn carriages are still a popular means of transportation:



It was a jam packed week with lots of traveling and lots of cool new discoveries but as always it's good to be home. Have a great evening and we'll see you during the week ;)

Dinner Time

I love good food. One of the best things about living here in NYC is the plethora of amazing restaurants pretty much everywhere. I love all different cuisines, and I'll try most foods once. All of that said, I absolutely cannot cook. I never really had the opportunity to learn or observe anyone else cooking while growing up, and as I've gotten older, I've become embarrassed at my lack of culinary fortitude; but rather than experimenting with recipes or asking friends for help, I've resigned myself to pre-cooked meals, sandwiches, and pasta.

One of the best things about food (deliciousness aside, of course) is the art involved in the preparation and presentation. As a restaurant-goer, I am often exposed to the end product: the pile of greens topped with the perfect color combination of fruit and meat; the artfully compiled plate of entree and side; and the perfectly drizzled sauce surrounding a brownie sundae. But I am left totally out of the loop as far as what goes into creating the masterpieces that I eventually devour. The animated movie Ratatouille proved that "anyone can cook," and so I appeal to you, our readers, for any suggestions you might provide on cookbooks or recipes for beginners. I barely know how to turn on my oven, so I'm talking extremely easy, introductory recipes here. Please feel free to offer any tips you might have!

In return, I have compiled a short list below of some of the most delicious eateries I've found in various cities here in the U.S. and across the pond. Thanks in advance, and have a savory rest of the weekend!!

-- Los Angeles, California - Doughboys. You can't go wrong there with any meal. Decadence at its finest. Check them out here.
-- Los Angeles, California - Newsroom Cafe. Try the Healthy Jumbo Hotcake or any of the salads or sandwiches. Four of of five stars!
-- London, England - Pizza Express. They're everywhere, and every location is just superb. There's much more than pizza, though the pizza is definitely worth a try. Have a look at their menu here.
-- Boston (suburbs), Massachusetts - Kelly's Famous Roast Beef. Hands down best roast beef in the northeast. Their seafood is pretty amazing, too. Since 1951.
-- Kittery, Maine - Bob's Clam Hut. Always crowded, winter or summer, and well worth the drive. The fried shrimp is fantastic, and for non fish-eaters, there are chicken fingers and grilled cheese. Check out their site.
-- Los Angeles, CA - Pizzicotto. Best (and most reasonably priced) Italian food in all of LA. It's in the very cute area of Brentwood, so park and walk around a bit before dinner. Here are some reviews.