Friday, August 28, 2009

A Passion for Puffy...(Muffin that is)!

Today, we would like to share with you our thoughts on a fabulous establishment. Puffy Muffin. Puffy Muffin is a bakery and cafe/restaurant that is located in Brentwood, TN. I have some great things to say about this place.

First of all, I would like to start out by saying the number one reason why I like Puffy Muffin is because they serve breakfast. You can't find too many places that serve a fine southern breakfast and Puffy does just this. If you want a light breakfast, try the poppy seed or banana nut muffins. But, I cannot go "light" when I eat at Puffy (come on, I'm a chowhound)! What I like to go for is the "create your own omelet plate." You can chose from ingredients like bacon, sausage, ham, red onion, red and yellow pepper, mushrooms, or spinach. The plate comes with one side and a biscuit. The breakfast sides that I prefer is the hash brown casserole or home fries. Mainly, the home fries though.

If you are a pancake eater, Puffy Muffin also has some fantastic pancakes that I suggest trying. Another great option is the Southwestern quiche. The quiche changes daily, so if you are there when they are serving the southwestern quiche...take my advice and try it, because you cannot go wrong. You can also purchase larger quiches at the bakery to take home and heat up for later. And these are big enough to serve 6-8 people. 

I am also a lover of breakfast sandwiches. If you like these, then try the sausage, egg and cheese on a croissant. The eggs benedict is great too, by the way, but you can only get it on Saturdays.

Now time to talk about lunch...

For lunch, I would like to start off by talking about the Puffy Muffin Burger. It is out of this world! Many people would not think to order the burger here (simply because there are so many other great options to chose from), but I think their burger is up there with some of the best in town. In fact, whenever my husband orders it, I usually end up eating it all! They use sirloin which makes it great and their homemade bun also makes this burger "the shiz!"

Definitely try a cup of tortilla soup as an appetizer, because it is some of the best that I have ever had.  It has a creamier thicker base then your typical brothy tortilla soup.   Some other great things to try is their chicken salad and pimento cheese. If you want a smaller version try these on their homemade rolls. YUM!

Two other great southern dishes are the poppy seed casserole and English Hot Ham. The English Hot Ham is similar to the famous Louisville Hot Brown, which is a combination of turkey and ham over an English muffin topped with melted homemade pimento cheese. This is served open-faced with pickles on top...are you drooling yet? Do keep in mind, that if you are planning on having the crunchy chicken casserole or poppy seed chicken casserole that they do not serve these on Saturdays.

Also, Puffy Muffin had added some new items to the menu that I would like to discuss...the following are not however, available on Saturdays either. The taco salad is good new addition.  If you are on a diet, you can order it with ranch and sour cream on the side and use salsa for the dressing. Also, the chicken quesadilla is a new menu item and it is pretty good. A good new side to try is their fried mushrooms. If you dip those suckers in ranch they are delicious! My advice, when you are at the Puffy Muffin, do not get something boring like the turkey sandwich, get something good, fattening and delicious, because good food like this doesn't come around to often!

Okay my favorite subject...Dessert!

Puffy Muffin is well known for their bakery. I have to say that I do not know if there has ever been a time where I have left The Puffin Muffin without a cookie in my hand. They have many different cookies to chose from like chocolate chunk, M&M, Mocha crinkles, English Toffee, Macadamia Nut/white chocolate, molasses, sugar, and snicker doodle...(basically, you name it, they got it.) I have tried their chocolate ganache cake and it is awesome, as well. So, is the Boston Cream Pie. But my favorite dessert there is the chocolate bomb. I am dying to meet the person who invented these things. It is litterally an explosion of greatness!  The texture and taste combination is delightful! Trust me on this one y'all!

These are just the desserts that I have tried, but I know that anything they make is excellent, because they have been in the biz for over 23 years! They know their sweets.

Some reminders:

-Puffy Muffin is always packed for lunch. It is not that hard to get a table if you try and get their before 11.
-They will only put your name down if your entire party is there.
-Also, if you are in a hurry, and do have time to wait and eat they do have many sandwiches available for pick up, like their chicken salad rolls or pimento cheese rolls. They also have salads you can pick up to go or pints of their homemade chicken salad and pimento, as well.
-Also, if you need something for the family for dinner and you don't have time to cook...pick up one of their quiches and a salad and you will have dinner ready in no time.

Hope y'all like my review on the Puffy Muffin. It is a great place with great food. So if you are in the Brentwood area, try it!

For more information on Puffy Muffin visit www.puffymuffin.com

This is For All the Winos: Arrington Vineyards

Hey y'all! In our opinion, wine and food make a great combo, so we wanted to tell you all about Arrington Vineyards. Arrington Vineyards is a beautiful winery located in Arrington, TN, owned by the famous Brooks and Dunn musicians.


If you are looking for something fun to do that is budget friendly and a great deal of fun, Arrington Vineyards is the place to be. This beautiful destination is not too far outside of Nashville. It is actually located near Franklin, Nolensville and Brentwood. Arrington features all different types of wine and they have free wine tastings every day...even on Sundays.

What makes Arrington Vineyards so great is not only the good wine, but the beautiful Tennessee scenery that surrounds the vineyard. They have a deck outside with bistro tables and chairs where you can relax and gaze at the gorgeous landscaping. Also, there are picnic tables located throughout the grounds, as well.

In addition, in the summer and fall, they have live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. It is a great place to go and bring some food (perhaps some Martin's BBQ…it's not too far away) and listen to some great music. However, we must warn you, if you are going to go during these times, do try and get there early, because it can get pretty packed. On Fridays and Saturdays, the bands usually play from 5-9 pm and on Sundays 2-6 pm.

Another great feature about Arrington Vineyards is they offer gourmet picnics catered by either the Henpeck Market or the Red Pony. If you chose the Henpeck Market picnic special, they will supply you with a comfy blanket. All you need to do is order your meal 48 hours in advance. For details, call (615) 794-7518. Also, another great restaurant caters as well. No other than The Red Pony (y'all know us chowhounds love the RP)! They offer vineyard picnics that include a packed cooler, tablecloth, utensils, napkins, plates and wine glasses. They also ask for orders to be placed 48 hours in advance. Call (615) 595-6070 for more details.

If you are looking for a fun place to go on a date or even a great place to hang out with friends Arrington is the place. Another great time to go is during the day when it is not crowded and you can just relax and enjoy the beauty while sipping on some delicious wine. Also, we suggest the Raspberry Sweet desert wine. It is fantastic with chocolate.

For more information on Arrington Vineyards visit: www.arringtonvineyards.com



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Things That Make Ya Go MMMMMMMMM!

Here are some easy recipes that we want to share!  We hope you like them and please feel free to give us your reviews, as well.

1. T-T McGee's Stuffed Mushrooms:
-1 large container of fresh whole mushrooms
-1/2 to 3/4 block of plain cream cheese (softened)
-1 pound of hot ground sausage
-Breadcrumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove stems from mushrooms.  Brown the sausage in a pan.  After sausage is cooked drain grease.
-Mix sausage and cream cheese.
-Spoon Saugsage into mushrooms
-Sprinkle with breadcrumbs
-Cook 15 minutes

2. Hot Pizza Dip
-Red pizza sauce or pasta sauce
-1 Block of cream cheese
-Pepperoni (optional)
-Diced green peppers (or any other veggie topings)
-Parmasean cheese
-1 1/2 cups of mozzerella cheese
-Italian seasonings
-Thick Fritos for dipping

-Preheat oven to 350. Spread cream cheese on the bottom of your casserole dish.  Sprinkle with Parmesean and Italian seasonings.
-Layer with red sauce.
-Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese.
-Sprinkle a little bit of Italian Seasonings, again and Parmesean.
-Top with pizza toppings (peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni's, etc)
-Heat until cheese is melted through (about 15 -20 minutes).
-Serve with Thick Fritos


3. Tortilla Roll Ups (Great for Tailgates)
-1-pkg of totillas (the big ones) 10 per pack
-3 cups of shredded Fiesta of Mexican cheese (you can use more...I think the more the better)
-1/2 packet of Taco Seasoning
-1 can of diced green chilis
-Diced jalopenos (optional)
-Dided black olives (optional)
-1 bunch of green onions diced
-1 block or tub of softened cream cheese
-1 jar of salsa for dipping
-Toothpicks

-Mix cream cheese with taco seasonings (you can use as much seasoning as you like...I use 1/2 pack to 3/4)
-Spread cream cheese mixture on tortillas
-Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of cream cheese mixture
-Then, sprinkle chilis, diced green onions, jalopeno's, etc
-Roll Tortillas up and wrap in plastic wrap.
-Chill for an hour or two.
-Slice tortillas so that they are on an angle and disgard or eat end pieces. 
-Use a toothpick to secure roll ups
-Dip in Salsa then eat!

**During christmas you can use red and green tortillas...very festive!

4. Mississippi Tailgate Dip
-8 oz pkg diced ham
-8 oz. pkg cream cheese softened
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-8 oz Tub of sour cream
-1 bunch green onions chopped
-Dash of worcestershire
-Hawaiin Bread bowl (center removed- Keep center and cut up)
-What thins and leftover bread from bread bowl

-Preheat oven to 350
-Mix all ingredients (except bread bowl of course)
-Put mixture in bread bowl
-Place bread bowl on cookie sheet and bake for 30-45 min.  Check every 15 min. and stir
-Serve with wheatthins and left over bread.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tennessee is Going Cupcake Crazy!

Is it just me or is Tennessee going cupcake crazy? Everywhere I look I am seeing delicious cupcakes tempting me from every direction. All together I have tried three cupcake stores Gigi's, Ivey Cake and The Pink Cupcake. All are good, but I have to say that Gigi's is my favorite.

 If you haven't heard of Gigi's, then you must still be stuck on cookies, because, seriously, Gigi's is where its at!  There are four store locations in the Nashville and surrounding area (Cool Springs, Nashville, Hendersonville, and Spring Hill.)  Here is what I have tried so far: 

-Baily's Irish Creme- Yellow cake with Irish creme flavoring, Topped with irish creme chesse frosting and almonds.  I have actually gotten this one twice in a row, because it is my favorite.  The almonds really give this cupcake a great texture.

-Honey Chunky Banana Nut-  This is another good one.  Especially if you like Banana Bread.  It is topped with choclate ganache and a dried banana chip.  Imagine having a banana bread cupcake that is exactly what this is like...but better!

-Pina Colada-  If you are dying to go to the beach, but don't have time then go to Gigi's and treat yourself to a Pina Colada cupcake.  This has the falvoring of the drink, but descised as a cupcake.  At least after having one of these you will be able to driv home!

-Caramel Sugar Moma- This one is caramel cake topped with caramel buttercreme and drizzled with caramel.  This one is not bad, but a little too sweet for my liking.  Do not get me wrong I would eat it again, but it would suggest trying another one. 

Other cupcake flavors include:
-Apple spice and Everything Nice

-Birthday Surprise-
-Blueberry Swirl-
-Boston Crème
-Carrot Cake
-Chocolate Malt
-Chocolate Strawberry
-Chocolate Turtle
-Coconut Snowball
-Flower Power
-German Sweet Chocolate
-Ginger Bread
-Golden Brown
-Health Nut
-Italian Crème
-Key Lime
-Kiddie Cake
-lemon Dream Supreme
-Mellow Crème
-Merry Margarita

If you have been to Gigi's, tell us what was your favorite cupcake?
Also, for more information visit http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com/

Martin's Bar-B-Que (Tennessee's Hidden Gem)

Hello, Today I would like to talk to you about Martin's Bar-B-Que, also known as "Tennessee's Hidden Gem." Martin's is located in off Nolensville Road in the town of Nolensville, TN. This may be a far destination for some, but the drive is well worth it. Martin's has been awarded one of the top 10 BBQ joints in the country by U.S.A. Today and Yahoo and I sure do believe it!


First I will talk about the pulled pork sandwich, and it is very good. What I like about it is it does not have a lot of grizzle like most BBQ places. Martin's has so many different choices for BBQ sauce. They have the Sweet Dixie mild (o.k. but a little too sweet for me ), The Devil's Nectar (very good, I like this better than the Sweet Dixie mild, has a little kick), I prefer the Alabama White Sauce. This is a white sauce with a hint of vinegar and secret seasonings. It is Martin's version of the white poultry sauce that can be found in Northern Alabama. It is a great dipping sauce for their delectable hand cut fries, as well. Martin's has traditional Tennessee pulled pork. If you prefer North Carolina pulled pork then you might be disappointed because here at Martin's they do not use a vinegar base.

Now lets talk about their ribs. Some people may disagree with me, but I would put Martin's ribs up to The Rendezvous ribs any day of the week. Wet or dry these ribs are fantastic. What makes them so good is they have so much meat on them, and their seasonings on the dry ribs are great. Not too salty. If you want a dry rub there are two types of rubs you can get; the Memphis Rib Dust or the Hog Hoss Dry Rub.

I have never been one to like brisket, but I tried it the other day at Martin's and I actually loved it. Most places serve their brisket very dry, but not Martin's. No way! Martin's brisket is served so moist and perfectly cooked that it can compare to any Texas brisket. Also, they are famous for the "Red Neck Tacos," which is either brisket or pulled pork wrapped in a corn cake instead of a taco. This Redneck Taco is what Martin's is famous for.

My advice is if you are a first timer get the "Big Momma Plate." This way you can try everything at once (although you may want to share). This major masterpiece includes; 4 ribs (spares or baby backs), 1/4 pound of pork, 1/4 pound of brisket and two sides.

Speaking of sides, here is a low-down on the side portion of the menu: The fries are great, if you like hand cut fries. The green beans are good. They are Italian style green beans in a sauce that contains bits of the pulled pork. Slaw is good, creamy and thick. Cornbread is also good and moist. The potato salad is pretty good, but I would chose the fries over the potato salad any day of the week!

Now, Martin's has more than just BBQ. If you just simply are not a big lover of the hog, then Martin's has other options for you. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, smoked chicken, and fried catfish are all on the menu, as well. Only once, have a steered away from the hog and that was for some smoked chicken. I must say it is not bad, but I do not care for it as much as I do the BBQ.

Martin's is a great place to go for lunch or dinner, especially if you are with "the fam." But I must warn you, they are not open on Sundays or Mondays and try not to get there too late. When Martin's is out of BBQ, they lock the doors and head on home. Their motto is they would rather "sell out than sell out." This is something I truly respect, because it simply means they would rather close the doors and lock up instead of serve meat that has been frozen. And this is why Martin's is one of the top ten places for BBQ in the country!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

BrickTop's Nashville

Anyone that knows me knows how much I love BrickTop's.  BrickTop's is a restaurant off West End in Nashville, TN.  It is open for lunch and dinner throughout the week and brunch on Sundays.  Reservations are also accepted at this fine establishment.  BrickTop's is casual, American dining in a classy yet modern environment.  The service is top notch.  If you are looking for a place to take your clients during your lunch break this is the place, because it is quick and impressive at the same time.

Here are some of the best things on the menu at BrickTop's:

Appetizers- The spinach dip is by far the best I ever have and believe me, I have searched the world to try and find a better one and it simply is not possible.  This spinach dip cannot be beat (unless of course you go to Houston's Restaurant and the spinch dip is exactly the same- BrickTop's was formerly Houston's).   The deviled eggs are also something to write home about, but if you are going to chose between the two - get the spinach dip.

I have to say for lunch, my favorite would be the fish taco's.  It is just something about the flavors of the blackened fish mixed with the coleslaw and guacamole.  I used not like fish tacos, but I tried BrickTop's and it really changed my opinion. 

Believe it or not, the chicken fingers are very good as well.  And if you like shoe string fries, then you will like BrickTop's.  Another winner is the French Dip.  They slice their prime rib so thin it's perfect for any meat eater. 

My husband prefers the Ahi Tuna burger...sounds weird doesn't it?  It is not as weird as you may thing though.  This burger made from tuna is seared rare to perfection and served with creamy cole slaw on top.  It's a perfect burger if you are trying to stay on the healthy side.  BT's regular cheeseburgers and sliders are also delicious as well.

In addition, BrickTop's is famous for its flatbreads; I would suggest the bbq chicken and margherita flatbreads.  They are my favorite. 

As for sides, the mac and cheese is out of this world.  I would suggest getting this instead of the fries, because you can get french fries anywhere.  The cream spinach also is a winner as well.

My favorite BrickTop's salads are the Boston Blue Wedge and the Ahi Tuna. 

If you have not tried BrickTop's you should because it is a great neighborhood restaurant.

What's your favorite menu item at BrickTop's?  Tell us what you think!


For more information on BrickTop's visit http://www.westendrestaurants.com/menu.pdf

Recipe: Guacamole Chicken Quesadilla's

This Blog is not just about restaurants it is about food that we cook too!  That is why I wanted to share with you a recipe I created yesterday.  This does not take long to make and is very fresh and delicious.  Feeds two or three

-1 pkg 8in. Flour Tortilla's
-1 Ripe Avacado
-1 Medium Tomato (deseeded and chopped)
-1 chicken breast
-Chipolte seasoning, or chili seasoning
-1 Tbs diced jalopeno (seeded-if you like spicy dont deseed)
-Lemon
-3 Tbs Olive Oil
-1/4 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
-Melted butter
-Salsa (optional)
-Sour Cream (optional)

-Heat oil in a pan.  Rub chicken with chipolte seasoning and chili seasoning. Brown chicken on one side.  Switch sides and cover and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear.  Meanwhile, mash avacado with a fork.
-In a bowl combine avacado, jalopeno, tomato, and squeeze lemon zest and stir.
-Dice chicken when cooked all the way through.
-Brush butter on outsides of quesadillas
-Assemble quesadilla's as followed: guacomole, chicken, cheese


You can cook quesadillas two ways:
1. Oven: Heat 350.  Place on pan.  Then place a pan on top of quesadilla, so it wont bubble. Cook 6 minutes

2. On griddle or pan:  Spray pan with Pam or olive oil.  Cook until cheese is melted through.

Let us know what you think!

Nashville's New Cantina Loredo

Recently, my family and I just dined at Cantina Loredo down in the Gulch area of town.  This was not the first time I have dined at Cantina Loredo.  The first time, I ate there was in San Destin, FL.  I must say the food was pretty good. 

We dined on a Thursday night.  Otherwise known as "Ladies Night."  On Thursdays, all ladies of age get to enjoy half off house wine and house margarita's.  The maragaritas are good.  Although, I would suggest one of the specialty ones they offer.

For starters, we got the guacamole, which is made in front of you at your table.  Very good, but if you do not like cilantro then choose another appetizer (or perhaps, cuisine).  Also, we got the nachos.  The nachos are not like you average nachos that are piled up high.  The nachos are individual chip nachos.  Pretty good.

I got the stuffed jalopeno shrimp.  I must say I was pretty disappointed with these.  They were very bland.  My brother liked the Chimichurri steak.  My husband got the Fajitas, which were good.  My mother's entree was by far the best.  She ordered the Camerones Escondidos - this was grilled chicken stuffed with shrimp, topped with sautted spinach, and chipolte wine sauce. 

My advice would be if you are going to eat here, get something you do not usually get at your "typical" Mexican spot.  A taco is always a taco whether you are at taco bell or Cantina Loredo, so "think outside the box" and get something different. 

Also, this place is pricier than most Mexican restaurants prepare to spend an average of $15-$20 on each entree.

Also, the dress attire is business casual here. 

I give this restaurant 4 stars in my personal opinion.  If you have eaten here, please comment on what you have had and let the readers know what you think about Cantina Loredo

For more information of pricing and food go to: http://www.cantinalaredo.com/menu.php

Red Pony- Franklin, TN


First, I want to start writing about my favorite restaurant in the Nashville surrounding area.  This restaurant is the Red Pony and it is located in downtown Franklin, TN.  Let me start out by telling you this place is absolutely AMAZING!

When you walk in you are greeted at the door with smiles.  The restaurant has a "swanky-casual" feel to it.  Very chic, but relaxed at the same time.  The service is impeccable.  The servers really know their stuff. 

I need to start by telling you that the menu changes seasonally.  But, I will tell you what I had last time I was there. 

For a drink, I started with the "Nina P.D." This cocktail featured Smirnoff Strawberry accompanied with fresh muddled strawberries and guava juice. Very delicious.

We wanted an appetizer, but we were not sure what to get, so we asked our server what he liked the best.  He informed us about the Tempora Sushi Roll Shrimp.  Since, we could tell our server really knew what he was talking about we decided to go with the sushi.  Needless to say, it was FANTASTIC!  The sushi roll consisted of a tempured shrimp roll with cream cheese, Ginger soy and Miso honey sauce. 

For our meal, I had the Beef Tenderloin Pizza.  Although it was on the "Starter" section.  It certainly did the job.  This pizza was delicious. It was a flatbread type pizza with charred beef on top, mozzerella, blue cheese, oven dried tomato and topped with carmelized onion.  Every ingredient together formed a taste that made my taste buds dance.

I must say, what my husband got was the best.  He ordered the pork tenderloin.  However, this was not your average pork tenderloin.  This meaty hunk of goodness was wrapped in bacon, grilled and escorted with a yellow tomato bar-b-que sauce.  The side was just as mouth-watering; Blue cheese-sweet corn risotto - which literally melted in your mouth.

Instead of dessert, we opted for another cocktail.  We both had the "Quasi-Mojito."  This was like a mojito, but featured pomegranite juice.  Very delicious. Our server aslo treated us to choclate covered strawberries (and we didn't even order them).

I was very sad when the bill arrived.  Not because we had to pay, but because we had to leave.  I was saddened to part from the amazing food, service and ambiance.  All in all 5 stars!

For more information regarding the Red Pony, please visit: http://www.redponyrestaurant.com/

Southern Chicks Food Blog!

Hello, first of all I would like to give a big HELLO!  This is the first post ever written on the Southern Cookin Makes Ya Good Lookin Food Blog.  Let me start out with a little introduction.  First of all, we love food.  We love reading menus.  We love new restaurants.  We love cooking.  So we thought it would be best to share our love for food with YOU!  Here you are gonna find everything you need to know about restaurants in Nashville.  We will even write about our favorite recipes.  We hope you enjoy this blog and please let us know if you would like us to review a restaurant for you.  Have a great day!  And HAPPY EATING!!!