Friday, June 12, 2009

Good Finds Part II

1. Nathan's Dairy Bar in Manassas, VA
Off of Route 28 in the heart of Manassas sits a modest ice cream stand called Nathan's Dairy Bar. It offers only outdoor seating, with front row view of Manassas' many strip malls and auto parks, but its dedicated patrons (and their dogs!) are often seen congregating under the multi-colored umbrellas well beyond Nathan's Saturday night closing time of 10pm.
I've only been there once, but it was memorable enough to add it to my Good Finds post. Their expansive menu and flavors seem to constantly be changing, save their old standards. I had a simple vanilla cone (soft serve; all the cones are soft-serve), but the dips make ALL the difference (I had cherry). Delicious! I remember seeing a sour apple ice cream flavor and a butterscotch dip flavor. The next time I go--and I hope the next time is soon--I will try this combo.

Best. Soft Serve. EVER.

2. Mediterranean Charm, by China Glaze
Every girl needs a great red nail polish and I think I may have found mine. China Glaze is quickly becoming my favorite brand of nail polish. Their colors, for one, are AMAZING and fun and so varied, but the staying power of the polish is what keeps me going back to it again and again. They come out with new collections pretty frequently and their finishes range from matte to shimmer to downright sparkle. I haven't bought this color yet but I have a feeling that if I find any free time this weekend, this will be added to my ever-growing nail polish collection. I will also buy the China Glaze base and top coats, as right now I'm using Orly's 2-in-1.


I tried this recipe a couple of weekends ago after catching the episode on the Food Network while waiting for my carpets to be cleaned. Fan-tas-tic! *If* you like rosemary, that is. If you don't, stay as far away from this recipe as possible! The flavors of the garlic and fresh rosemary just pop when combined with the ground chicken, and the mayonnaise holds it all together. One suggestion: don't grill these burgers unless your grill has very small spaces between the grates. Because the mayonnaise is incorporated into the chicken meat before cooking, the texture of the chicken changes, softening, and causing the meat to fall apart easier. I grilled them on my first attempt and about a third of the meat fell through the grates whenever I flipped them. I pan-fried them on my second attempt and they stayed in tact. The taste is almost sausage-y; very fresh yet hearty and fulfilling.
4. Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce
I have made at least three homemade pizzas so far using this sauce and every time I do Josh asks, "What kind of sauce is this? It's GOOD." And it is.
If you're like me, you like your tomato sauces more on the tangy side than the sweet side, and you like your sauces a bit chunky. This sauce is both tangy and chunky with just the right amount a sweet in there for good measure. Goes with any topping. Last night I used some leftover fresh spinach and whole-milk mozzarella.
Trader Joe's pizza sauce comes in a small plastic tub and is located in the refrigerated section near the prepared foods and veggies. It's usually placed next to the Trader Joe's fresh pizza doughs (ya think?), which are also very good. One container is enough for a 16" pizza dough.