SAFEWAY CINNAMON ROLLS--SO BAD FOR YOU BUT MMM GOOD

Yeah I know, it's from Safeway, a grocery store chain, your taste buds must be crazy.  But, seriously, for anyone with a sweet tooth these things are actually quite tasty and here's why.  Each Safeway has its own bakery and they bake their stuff fresh every morning, and there is something about these cinnamon rolls that makes them stand out from their standard donut array.  

The bread itself is appropriately flaky, cakey and slightly doughy and better than those Pillsbury cinnamon rolls which to me taste too much like their biscuits.  The cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar filling is gooey sticky goodness and doesn't overwhelm  the entire roll.  The best part for me has to be the icing--freshly made cream cheese icing full of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and a hint of citrus add a yummy topping.  

I will go so far as to say these are even better than Cinnabon is now.  I used to be a big fan of Cinnabon but I have to say the last few years when I've had one they just are not the same.  Their cream cheese icing has gotten more runny and is not as thick and creamy as it was or as Safeway's is now.  Plus sometimes Cinnabon overdoes the cinnamon in their rolls giving it an almost bitter burnt taste which is a shame as I know that the cinnamon they use is a special proprietary blend they have made and it should be better, but not always.  

Interestingly enough, there is one Safeway that does them the best of the different locations I've had one from and that is the one at Market and Duboce which by the way is the busiest store in their chain.  Again for me, the reason I know I like theirs the best is because they do put the most icing on it that I've seen compared to other stores.  And to answer your question yes I have a thing for cream cheese icing especially when it's done right like on a Safeway cinnamon roll.  Give yourself a treat and try one--they come two to a pack so you can share also--or be like me and gorge on the both.  MMMM....sugar coma....nice.  

THE PLATE AT HOME--A THANKSGIVING DINNER

It's Thanksgiving and we decided to try having a few folks over and I decided to make my first attempt at cooking a turkey.  That's right, I've never cooked one before and I'm inviting people over to try it.  I spent 2 days dry brining they turkey.  Really it's more of a rub similar to what one does when cooking or smoking pork to make pulled-pork barbecue.  I used a tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds of turkey then added some additional spices to the mix like garlic, pepper, rosemary, tarragon and sage.  Rubbed it all over the 20 pound turkey then sealed it in a bag and let it sit in the fridge for 3 days.  I then cooked it at 450 for the first 30 minutes and then turned it down to 325 for the next 4 1/2 hours, flipping it once to cook it upside down.  Surprisingly it worked.  The seasoning and the slow roasting helped keep it moist which was great since I didn't have that much gravy to hide dryness, though we did have enough wine to get drunk on if necessary.  

After the turkey was done I made a yam casserole--yams precooked in the microwave to slightly soften then peel and slice them into a glass dish, cover in cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, butter, brown sugar--cook for 45 minutes then add tiny marshmallows which I melt/brown on top with the broiler--this is what I call my one no-fail dish it always comes out good no matter what I do--except for that one time the marshmallows caught on fire but then you can just scrape off the burned part and the yams underneath were protected.  

The rest of the meal is what I like to call the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade way but without the cocktails and having wine instead.  I use a combination of boxed and frozen stuff to which I add my own seasonings and a few fresh ingredients to make it quick and homemade tasting easy.  2 bags of frozen corn warmed in a pot added salt, pepper, diced red bell pepper, ground red pepper spice, some heavy cream, tablespoon of flour cook till sauce thickens voila a southwestern cream corn.  We also had the standard green bean casserole--bag of frozen green beans steamed in microwave, added to casserole dish, cover with mushrooms, can of cream of mushroom soup, a little milk a little water cook for 30 minutes add French's Fried Onions and it's an instant holiday classic. Next was cornbread stuffing--a bag of dried cornbread stuffing mix, freshly sautéed celery and onions, a cup of butter, cup and a half of water, mix together spread in a casserole dish bake for 30 minutes and it tasted better than I thought it would, besides the turkey it was the one thing everyone had seconds on.  Then add some fresh whole wheat rolls from the local bakery and have someone else bring pumpkin and or sweet potato pie for dessert (though I did whip up fresh cream to go on top) and it's a complete meal.  One lazy staple I do like but you don't see in the picture is the Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce as for me in a childhood flashback it's just not Thanksgiving without that jellied roll with the can rings around it--mmm good.  

For my first attempt at this kind of holiday dinner things turned out okay, at least that is what everyone who came and ate said--I'll take them at their word.  Really I'm just happy the turkey wasn't dry and there were enough leftovers that I can make lunch to take to work for a few days because that's what it's really all about---leftovers!

LE TRUC...BUT IT'S REALLY A BUS..GET IT?!

**SADLY LOOKS LIKE THIS FOOD TRUCK HAS CALLED IT QUITS**

A week or so ago one of the many coupon/discount/daily deal websites I'm signed up with sent me a 50% off coupon (it was Scoutmob) for a relatively new food truck in the Bay Area called Le Truc.  One day last week I managed to leave work a little early and on my way home I see Le Truc set up in a parking lot on Brannan Street next to a Wells Fargo/Starbucks.  I thought, well that's convenient, so I went the few more blocks home got my coupon and headed back to give it a try, since you know I'm all about food trucks.  

DOC'S OF THE BAY---THIS AIN'T WHAT'S UP

Ah food trucks..to some they are a scourge of the city that takes away customers from small businesses with overpriced food.  Me, I kinda like them and when one is nearby I like to take the opportunity to try them out. Though I sometimes agree their pricing can be on the high side depending on the truck and quantity versus costs, but that's another discussion.  Anyway, local food truck collective Off The Grid has started a new location at 2nd and Folsom Streets.  Each day Monday through Friday there are 2 different trucks to choose from.  Since that is literally a hop, skip and a jump from where I work I decided to give it a shot.

HOT SAUCE AND PANKO--IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SAUCE

**Seems the building they are currently located in is being demolished! They will be moving somewhere else but the future location is not yet set. They are currently closed for the holidays but when they reopen it will only be for roughly 2 more weeks. Better get your wing fix now!**

It's a rainy Saturday and I'm venturing all the way to the other side of the city, the Richmond district to be exact, past Presidio Parkway, somewhere around Clement and 17th, almost all the way to Ocean Beach, ok not quite but still.  I'd heard about this place on somewhere on the web so I thought let's give it a try.  Beyond the unusual name Hot Sauce and Panko is a tiny storefront that you could miss even when walking by it, I certainly did.  It's a clean little place with 2 small tables on the sidewalk and 1 small table inside, looks like it's mostly a neighborhood take-out spot which explains why they are mostly known for their wings in many flavors as you can see on the menu.  But being me I decided to try something different and went for the fried chicken sandwich with bacon and a 50/50 side of sweet potatoes and onion rings.  Overall I will say it was mostly good.  

HRD COFFEE SHOP----PULLED PORK-ALICIOUS!

**THIS PLACE DOESN'T DO THIS SANDWICH ANYMORE AND AFTER A REDO THEY AREN'T THE SAME PLACE ANYMORE**

Ok--I realize I'm probably late on the bandwagon as HRD Coffee Shop at 3rd and Bryant has been around for quite some time.  And even Guy Fieri has been there which I will look past since it has recently come to light that he is a big douche, but that notwithstanding, I finally made my way to this place which is near where I live.  I've been 2 times and both of those have been on a Saturday because ever since it's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show it is always packed Monday through Friday particularly around lunch.  If you are okay with crowds then go as they do manage to move things pretty quickly but if you want to sit at the counter or one of the small tables in back go Saturday (they are closed on Sunday).  They serve breakfast --until 11am only and lunch.  The place itself is truly a small dinner--laminate countertops, slightly stained walls, old school menu on the wall, a big TV hanging in the corner (which happened to be showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show the time I was there).  But don't let that stop you from going here, the difference is the food has strong Korean influences and it's very good and the guys behind the counter are actually pleasant--not surly--like some hash-slingers can be.

I had heard many good things about the place from co-workers particularly about their Mongolian cheesesteak sub, their Korean spicy pork burrito and their double cooked pork chops.  However, I was in search of pulled pork (as usual) and I hit the motherlode.  I got the pulled pork sandwich with Korean bbq sauce and spicy peanut slaw served on a toasted roll with a side of french fries.  The pork is the star here and it was tender, juicy and flavorful--I'm not sure how they've cooked it, it's not smoked, more slow crock potted but they have done it well.  The sauce they put on is a bit spicy but it pairs well with the slaw.  Korean food in general is generous with the hot and spicy so I was okay with the sauce as it is part of the experience but believe me the pork stood well on its own.  If you order it you may want to start with the sauce on the side, that way you can use it to dip your sandwich and your fries into it.  The bun was soft and lightly toasted and held up well with the generous amount of pork and slaw they heaped upon it.  The spicy peanut slaw only had a hint of peanut and mint along with some vinegar and spices and it went amazingly well with the pork.  To be honest I didn't really even need the bread I would have been happy with just the pork and the slaw---amazing.  The fries as you can see are also the nice thin cut ones that McD's has made so famous but HRD does them well also, though they only put a little salt on the fries and well, myself, I like more, but they were hot and fresh out of the fryer which allows the salt to adhere better to them.  And all for only $6.75--you can't beat it.

There are any number of things on their menu to make your mouth water and the plates I saw being served make me want to go back and try everything they offer.  If you are ever in the SOMA (that's south of Market Street) neighborhood you should really try to hit this place up, you will be surprised.