It's a Pasta Party!

Everyone has their favorite comfort food. Mine is pasta. One day I was scrolling on Pinterest and found what turned out to be one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I have ever made. Now I am going to share my version of it with you!

You can find the original recipe here: Two Timin' Pasta

Cheesy Brocoli Ziti

1 Box of whole wheat Penne or Ziti pasta

1 15oz jar of light Alfredo sauce

1 24oz jar of tomato sauce (I use Marinara)

3 cups of part-skim Mozzarella cheese

1 cups of Parmesan cheese

3 cups steamed broccoli (check out the freezer section for steamer bags)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook pasta according to box and drain
• Cook broccoli according to package directions
• In a large bowl, mix together pasta, broccoli, Alfredo sauce, tomato sauce and 2 cups of Mozzarella cheese
• Pour mixture into tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until it starts to get bubbly
• Take out of oven and top with remaining Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese
• Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted
• Serve with a salad and warm garlic bread for the perfect meal.
• Enjoy!

Did you try this recipe? Let me know what you think!

Noodles & Co.

If I had to chose one food to eat for the rest of my life, I would totally chose pasta. Like if a dish consists of pasta, I will probably love it. So when my friend told me that there was a restaurant that was all about pasta, you know I was down to go there.

Noodles & Co recently opened last spring and is located in the same complex as Habit Burger in Fair Lawn. John and I saw it after our visit to Habit Burger a few weeks ago and decided to return for a visit.

We arrived around 6pm on a Wednesday and the restaurant was not very crowded. We waited in line for a few minutes and were able to quickly order our food. We were handed a card and told they would bring our food to us when it was ready so we went and got our drinks and took a seat in a corner booth.

They brought our food out less than 10 minutes later and it smelled and looked amazing. We could not wait to dig in.

I got the Bangkok Curry topped with pork. It was loaded with meat and veggies. The sauce was a little bit sweet thanks to the coconut, but still had a slight kick to it. The rice noodles were well cooked and not mushy or over cooked like other dishes I have tried.

John ordered the Penne Rosa topped with grilled chicken. I stole a bite from him and was very impressed. The creamy sauce carried a lot of kick and the chicken was very tender, as well as the pasta.

Both of our meals ended up costing us only around $10 each. For a bowl of delicious, gourmet pasta and a drink that's a pretty good deal! We both left happy, full and excited for our next meal there.

Noodles & Company
16-31 NJ Route 208
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
(201) 797-2802
noodles.com

Brother Bruno's Pizza, Deli and Bagel: A Willy P Classic

If you ask any William Paterson student where the best pizza around campus is 99% will say Brother Bruno's Pizza. Located right off of campus next to Quick Chek, it is an easy five minute walk for hungry students to get some delicious food.

The pizza shop started its own Instagram account at the beginning of the summer (@brotherbrunopizzadeliandbagel) and since then have greatly expanded their menu. They feature dozens of specialty pizza pies from chicken caesar salad pizza to peanut butter and jelly pizza. One night after an especially long day at work, my roommates and I decided to stop in to try some of these crazy pizzas.

We walked into the shop around 10pm and decided that we were going to order two small pies to share between the three of us. We checked out the extensive list of flavors and decided on one half buffalo chicken, half calamari pie and a half french toast and half Nutella pie. After about a 15 minute wait, we were handed two hot, delicious pizzas.

We rushed back to our apartment so we could chow down on these pizzas. We opened them to find that for a small pie, these pizzas were pretty big, definitely enough for the three of us to split. They each had six decent-sized slices. For my first slice I chose Buffalo Chicken. The crust was so crispy and thin, just how I like it. The hot sauce was just the right amount of slice and it was loaded with chicken. I then chose the calamari which again had the same thin, crispy crust. It had a thin layer of a slightly zesty marinara sauce which had slices of fresh mozzarella on top of it. This pie also had a decent amount of fresh fried calamari on it. Never would I have thought to put calamari on a pizza, but whoever did at Bruno's is a genius. It's the perfect combination.

I was pretty full at this point, but I told myself I had to try one of the dessert slices. It was a hard choice, but I chose the Nutella Pie. It had the same delicious crust as the other pie but instead of a savory sauce, it was covered in melted, gooey Nutella, chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar. It was absolute heaven, I don't know why I did not try this sooner. My roommate tried the French Toast pizza and said it was equally as delicious and reminded her of a cinnamon bun. I cannot wait to try a leftover slice of that one!

Overall, these pies were definitely impressive. The creative flavors were executed very well and each one was equally as delicious as the last. I cannot wait to go and try some more varieties. Even better was that for the two pies and a bottle of soda I paid less than $20! A total steal again.

P.S.- This place not only has delicious pizza but they also have sandwiches, homemade bagels, pasta dishes and other entrees for very reasonable prices.

Brother Bruno's Pizza, Deli and Bagel
200 Hamburg Turnpike
Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 942-6561
brotherbrunopizza.com

The Most Important Meal of the Day

I love breakfast. I would eat it for every meal if I could. Being in college (and being the complete opposite of a morning person), I am always looking for affordable quick, healthy breakfasts to make/buy. After four years I have come up with a list of my breakfast staples.

1. Green Smoothie
I'll admit, I don't always eat all of my vegetables. While browsing my grocery store near my house, they were serving samples of these green smoothies and I hesitantly tried one (I mean a green drink isn't always appealing) and I was amazed at how good it was! Even more amazing is how simple it is to make.

Ingredients
1 container of vanilla greek yogurt (I use Chobani)
1 cup of orange juice
1 heaping cup of frozen mango (frozen pineapple is also delicious)
1 cup of greens (I use kale, but spinach works too)
1 banana

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend for about 45 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a cup and enjoy!

2. Luna Protein Bars
Some mornings I oversleep and really need a super quick breakfast that will keep me full until I get out of my three hour morning class. These could not be any more perfect. I keep a box on my desk so I can easily grab one on the go. These bars average around $14 for a box of 12.

3. Trader Joe's Waffles
I love Trader Joe's, like I would live there if I could. My boyfriend's mom recommended these waffles to me and I am so glad she did. My favorite variety is the wheat-free, but in the fall I reach for the pumpkin spice ones. All of the varieties are super delicious and only require a few minutes in the toaster to cook. I eat them with just syrup, or when I'm on the go I spread some peanut butter or TJ's cookie butter on one with some sliced fruit and it makes an easy, mess free breakfast on the go. These go for $2.99-$3.99 for a box of 8.

4. Special K Flatbread Breakfast Sandwich
Less than 300 calories and made in less than 2 minutes? What could be better? These come in several varieties including sausage or bacon egg and cheese and vegetable, egg and cheese (my personal favorites.) All are super filling and convenient for mornings on the go. A box of 4 sandwiches will run you around $5.

What's your favorite breakfast on the go? Let me know!

Lunch Break

Lunch is one of my favorite meals of the day and I am always looking for some quick, delicious lunch spots around campus. And as usual I want them to be cheap! Here is a list of my top picks around Willy P:

1. Zorba Greek Eatery
I love Greek food. I feel like it is so underrated because it totally makes the perfect lunch. Zorba's is located less than ten minutes off of campus right off of Hamburg Turnpike. My friends and I frequent this restaurant because it has amazing food for super low prices. The restaurant is small, nestled in a shopping center. We usually seat ourselves and are always quickly greeted by a host.

The menu has a ton of options. Sandwiches, wraps and salads are the most affordable choices and are awesome when paired with some of their appetizers (also affordable). The platters are where it gets a little bit pricy, but for the amount of food you get the price is well worth it. My usual order is a gyro and my friends and I usually split an order of either hummus, Greek fries or Zorba fries. The portions are huge and I always end up with leftovers no matter how hungry I was when I got to the restaurant.

All together I usually pay around $11 total for my gyro ($7.45), my share of the fries ($3.95 for a whole order that we split) and a fountain drink ($2.25). This makes it a total steal for a super filling lunch.

Zorba Greek Eatery
223 Berdan Ave
Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 628-7777
www.zorbagreekeatery.com

2. House of Platters
When I'm in the city I almost always will make a stop at the Halal Guys carts on 53rd and 6th for some platters. However, when I crave them a trip into the city isn't always possible. Lucky for me House of Platters opened up right down the street from campus in Haledon.

This place is the perfect place to go if you want to grab a quick bite on the go. You can call ahead for an order or just order there. I usually just order my food to-go at the restaurant and I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a fresh platter of food. I usually order the chicken and lamb platter which comes with meat, salad, rice and pita bread. They give you small containers of red sauce which is super hot (use sparingly) and a white sauce similar to tzatziki sauce. The restaurant also has burgers, chicken, wings and gyros.

I always pay less than $10 for a meal here. The platters cost $7.89 and are the most expensive item on the menu. All platters also come with a free drink which also saves some money! Definitely a great, quick value.


House of Platters
466 Belmont Ave
Haledon, NJ 07508
(973) 321-8371

3. Cinco De Mayo
Sometimes after a long week of classes all I want is a nice drink and a cheap lunch out with my friends. Cinco De Mayo is the perfect place to do so. This restaurants is barely over 5 minutes off of campus and is seriously a hidden gem. It is hidden off of High Mountain Road, you have to turn into a church lot and sharply turn down a side path to get to the parking lot. It sounds sketchy, but trust me it is worth it.

During the late spring months and early fall they  have seating on a patio outside of the restaurant and it is a great place to sit and relax with friends. They also have plenty of indoor seating for days with iffy weather and seating at the bar. Some days even have live entertainment!

Entrees here can get a little bit pricey, but lunch foods like quesadillas, salads and taquitos are super inexpensive! Their happy hour also happens right around lunch time so you can enjoy a $3 margarita, sangria or beer with your meal (if you're 21+ of course).

I ordered the chicken taco salad and a sangria-flavored margarita and my roommate ordered a chicken quesadilla and a sangria-flavored margarita. We also split an order of guacamole which is made table-side, so it's super fresh and you can chose exactly how you like it! When the bill came we split it in half and each had to pay less than $15 including tip! Once again, a great deal.

Cinco De Mayo
371 High Mountain Rd
North Haledon, NJ 07508
(973)304-4300

4. Bogie's Hoagies
Sometimes all I want for lunch is a sandwich. It is considered the classic lunch food. When I'm up at school, there is one place that I will always go to for the perfect lunch; Bogie's Hoagies. Bogie's is located less than 10 minutes off of campus on the main street in downtown Hawthorne.

The sandwich shop is small with a counter on one side and a few booths if you want to eat in along the opposite side. Large chalkboards are covered in colorful writing exclaiming their specials for that day. They have tons of different hot and cold hoagies, pasta dishes, fries and other sides.

My friends and I each ordered a half hoagie and we ordered two baskets of fries to split between the three of us. The sandwiches are huge and packed with fresh veggies, meats and cheese. The bread is crusty on the outside but super soft on the inside. The baskets of fries were much bigger than we expected, we could have easily split one between the three of us and still had leftovers which is crazy since one basket is less than $3! We also each grabbed a can of soda from their large coolers in the back.

When we went to pay I was shocked to find that my meal was less than $10 for a basket of fries, a huge sandwich and a drink! Also, be sure to hit the ATM before you come to Bogie's because it is cash only! I definitely recommend this place for all of the lunchtime classics.

Bogies Hoagies
CASH ONLY
421 Lafayette Ave
Hawthorne, NJ 07506
(973)423-2221
bogieshoagies.com

Do you have any recommendations for lunch spots around North Jersey? Leave me a comment below and you may see it featured in a future post!

Habit Burger

After a long week of classes, work and meetings all my boyfriend, John, and I wanted was a quick, easy meal out. We were going to head over to Shake Shack in Paramus (already a favorite for both of us) for some burgers. As we were getting ready to leave, a friend of ours recommended we check out the new burger joint in Fair Lawn. So off we went to Habit Burger.

The top-rated Habit Burger just opened its first New Jersey location back in August in Fair Lawn Promenade. We arrived around 8pm on a Thursday night and were surprised to find the restaurant packed! The line was almost out the door and there were no open tables. Thankfully most of the people in front of us in line were taking food to-go and several people left the tables by the time we were able to order.

The menu features a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads and sides for a very reasonable price. I decided on the classic Charburger and added on avocado and cheese. John chose the BBQ Bacon Charburger and added on cheese. We both made them into combo meals with fries and a drink. All of this food came out to just over $15!

After ordering we were handed a buzzer and pointed in the directions of their drinks and condiment bar. I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of their drink options was fresh, handmade strawberry limeade which both John and I quickly picked as our beverages. They also had several varieties of iced teas and Coca Cola products.

After about 5 minutes our buzzer went off and we went to pick up our food.

The burgers were huge as well as the portions of fries. The burgers were perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of toppings on them.

The fries however were a little bit lacking. They were pretty cold when we got them and most of them were way overcooked and really hard. We picked through them for the few good ones. Thankfully we were filled up enough by our burgers.

Overall I would recommend this restaurant. The service was very fast despite how busy it was and the burgers and limeade were delicious. The only complaint I could have had was the fries. I give this restaurant an 8 out of 10.

The Habit Burger Grill
3101 Promenade Blvd
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
(201)475-3800
www.habitburger.com

Blue Moon Mexican Cafe: Restaurant Week!

Last Tuesday morning, my sorority sister, Jessica, texted me excited that it was restaurant week in Bergen County. She sent me a list of restaurants and after much debate, we decided to head over to Blue Moon Mexican Cafe in Wyckoff.

The restaurant was an easy 15 minute drive off of the William Paterson campus. We arrived at the restaurant at about 8pm and were surprised to find that the restaurant was still packed that late on a Tuesday. We waited a few minutes and then were seated in the bar section.

We were quickly greeted by our friendly waitress and were handed the menus for the Restaurant Week options. We were also given a basket of chips and delicious salsa.

There were three options for the appetizer which included a house salad, cup of chili or a cheese quesadilla. I chose the chili and Jessica chose the quesadilla. The chili was super flavorful, but not to spicy and was topped with melted cheese, sour cream and raw red onions. I wish I got a picture of Jessica's quesadilla, it was a good size and presented very well. She said it was very flavorful and filling.

Next we chose entrees. You could chose from a fiesta salad, quesadilla, burrito or a combination platter. Jessica and I decided we both wanted to try as much as possible and both opted for the combination platter. I chose a beef chimichanga and chicken tostada with black beans and rice. Jessica picked a chicken chimichanga and beef enchilada with rice. While I enjoyed my entree, I wished the chicken tostada had a little bit more flavor. Overall it was delicious and so filling! I could not finish it all (but at least I go some delicious leftovers).

The final course was dessert. There was only one option for this: churros in a bag. This dish included warm churros with whipped cream, hot caramel and hot fudge to dip them in. They were amazing and the perfect ending to this meal. 

The Restaurant Week meals also come with a glass of their homemade sangria (if you are 21+). I got the red wine sangria and Jessica picked the white wine sangria. Jessica and I both enjoyed the two options. 

The best part about the Restaurant Week menu? All of these courses only cost us $25 a person! This makes it the perfect date night for us college kids. These events usually take place around the first and second week of October each year (this is the 6th year of them holding it). Check out a whole list of participating restaurants here and be on the look out next year for these great deals!

Restaurant Week Participants 2014

Overall I give this restaurant a 9 out of 10. The menu was affordable, service was quick and the food was overall very good.

Blue Moon Mexican Cafe

327 Franklin Ave

Wyckoff, NJ 07481

(201)891-1039

www.bluemoonmexicancafe.com