1. Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. 
2. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. 
3. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. 
4. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. 
5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly. 
6. Serve with tortilla chips, celery sticks or crackers.

This is a butter bowl filled with the dip after it has been refrigerated.

TEMAKI

NIGIRI

MAKI

I didn't try sushi until I was in college. I didn't even really know about it until then. I thought - raw fish, ew. And I feel like that's what most of my sushi-virgin friends think. But not all sushi is raw! In fact, "sushi" refers to the vinegared, short-grain rice that accompanies the fish. And I would never give a beginner raw slabs. There are easier, beginner rolls - with cooked fish, or vegetables. But I wanted to get some sushi basics down so in case you're not familiar, you can give it a go.

SASHIMI

Sushi can be traced back to 4th century BC in Southeast Asia. As a preserved food, the salted fish, fermented with rice, was an important source of protein. It spread throughout China, and in the 8th century, it came to Japan. Sushi became more of a cuisine rather than a way to preserve food. Now sushi can be found all around the world. In America, we tend to have more westernized versions.


Types

• Sashimi - slices of fish without rice (usually two pieces per order)
• Nigiri - slices of fish on top of a small pad of rice, may have a piece of seaweed holding the fish to the rice (usually two pieces per order)
• Maki - rolled sushi, made with dried seaweed (usually six pieces per order). This is what I always thought of when I thought of sushi. A bamboo mat is used to roll the seaweed and rice, making the sushi uniform. They can be hosomaki (thin rolled) or futomaki (fat rolled)
• Temaki - single, large shaped like an ice cream cone. It is like a Japanese taco, with the cylindrical seaweed filled with rice and fillings.

Places in Morgantown for sushi

1. Volcano
2. Yama
3. Ogawa
4. Dragonfly
5. Hibachi
6. Fujiyama
7. Chinese buffets
8. Kroger

  
Terms

akagai, pepitona clam	ama ebi, raw shrimp	anago,  sea eel	aoyagi,  red clam	awabi, abalone	ebi,  cooked shrimp
hamachi, yellowtail	hirame, halibut	ika,  squid	ikura, salmon roe	inari, tofu pockets	kaibashira,  large scallops
kani,  crab	katsuo, bonito	kobashira, small scallops	kohada, Japanese shad	maguro,  tuna	masago, capelin roe
mirugai, geoduck clam	saba, mackerel	shake, salmon	shiro maguro, albacore	suzuki,  sea bass	tai, red snapper
tako,  octopus	tamago,  egg omelette	tobiko, flying-fish roe	torigai, Japanese cockle	toro,  fatty tuna belly	unagi, freshwater eel
uni,  sea urchin roe

Sides
Sushi rolls are almost always served with these two small sides, as well as soy sauce:

• Wasabi - Wasabi found in most stores or restaurants contains little or no real wasabi. It's usually horseradish and powdered mustard with green food coloring added. It is very strong.

• Ginger - Pickled ginger, it's used to clean the palate between bites of sushi. It is pink, also called "gari."

Beginners

You probably don't want to jump in with raw fish, so try something cooked, like ebi (cooked shrimp), kani (imitation crab stick) or unagi (broiled freshwater eel brushed with teriyaki). Even better are crunchy shrimp tempura (deep-fried shrimp) or maybe a vegetarian roll (with cucumber, avocado, carrot, etc.)

The most popular roll is the California roll (cucumber, crab stick and avocado). It's sometimes served "inside out," with the rice on the outside, instead of the seaweed. Sometimes they're coated in sesame seeds, tobiko (flying fish row) or masago (smelt roe). Other popular standards include the rainbow maki (California roll draped with tuna, salmon and yellowtail) and the caterpillar maki (avocado, crab stick, unagi and cucumber).

Moderates

"A nice piece of sake is a beautiful orange with streaks of white and will have a luxurious, buttery texture to go along with the unmistakable flavor of salmon. Hamachi is a rich tasting variety that will almost melt in your mouth, while toro is proof that the best flavor comes from the fat." - Mark Lo

Etiquette
Eat your sushi in one bite if the size permits. Larger pieces may be taken in multiple bites, but finish a piece without putting it back down on your plate. It is not considered good form to place the wasabi or ginger into your dish of soy sauce. Your sauce should remain pure of bits of food or other contaminants. When you dip your nigiri sushi, turn it upside down so that only the fish touches the soy sauce. Dipping the rice side will absorb too much sauce or cause it to fall apart and make a mess, thereby violating the previous rule. - Mark Lo


Common Rolls

Food	Definition
Alaska roll	a variant of the California roll with raw salmon on the inside, or layered on the outside.
B.C. roll	contains grilled or barbecued salmon skin, cucumber, sweet sauce, sometimes with roe. Also sometimes referred to as salmon skin rolls outside of British Columbia, Canada.
California roll	consists of avocado, kani kama (imitation crab/crab stick) (also can contain real crab in 'premium' varieties), cucumber and tobiko, often made uramaki (with rice on the outside, nori on the inside)
Dynamite roll	includes yellowtail (hamachi) and/or prawn tempura, and fillings such as bean sprouts, carrots, avocado, cucumber, chili and spicy mayonnaise
Hawaiian roll	contains shoyu tuna (canned), tamago, kanpyō, kamaboko, and the distinctive red and green hana ebi (shrimp powder).
Philadelphia roll	consists of raw or smoked salmon, cream cheese (often Philadelphia cream cheese brand), cucumber or avocado, and/or onion.
Rainbow roll	a rainbow roll is a California roll with typically 6-7 types of sashimi (yellowtail, tuna, salmon, snapper, white fish, eel, etc.) and avocado wrapped around it.
Seattle roll	consists of cucumber, avocado, and raw or smoked salmon.
Spider roll	includes fried soft shell crab and other fillings such as cucumber, avocado, daikon sprouts or lettuce, roe, and sometimes spicy mayonnaise.

I'm not an expert, so what do you have to share? Any added tips or your favorite sushi rolls would be awesome! Let me know in the comments below

Because of some unfortunate circumstances, I had to make an unexpected trip home to Wellsburg. That trip turned into another unexpected trip to Cadiz, Ohio, to a cemetery. After burying a loved one, my family headed to leave Cadiz and return to some semblance of normality. We were trying to unwind, and get out of there when we saw Ice Cream Island.

If I could give better directions to this place, I would. I just know we passed it on our way leaving. We were all down in the dumps, and hey, when is ice cream better? It was kind of warm out, and this small little stand seemed to be right up our alley. We stopped off into the gravel parking lot and walked up to the window.

They had sundaes, cones and some fried food - like pickles! My parents both got chocolate shakes, and I opted for a Moosetracks cone. It did take a little while, but I think that's because people in front of us ordered food. I didn't notice them when I first came in, as they were sitting off to the side on some picnic tables.

We didn't stick around for long and instead left for home. I focused on that cone instead of the day's events. It was sweet, the peanut butter cups were like little hidden treasures, and it was packed to the very bottom of the cone - a difficult feat for non soft-serve ice cream. I know they didn't make the Moosetracks, but they did pack that cone the best way possible. Plus it was overflowing from the top, too. For only $6, they not only gave me an excellent cone, but they helped bring a little cheer to my day.

Grade: A

I've heard of Moxxee. Apparently it's a hip little coffee place in Charleston that is fairly new (and highly anticipated up until that point). I'm nowhere near an expert on coffee. If you want that, you check out this blog. However, I follow a few Charleston friends on Twitter who seem to enjoy this place, so we decided to make a pitstop and get some mid-afternoon work done.

The outside resembled a bar to me, with some shiny silver astrological-looking sign out front. It's actually two goats (I'm a Capricorn), and is supposed to represent the origin of coffee.

"According to legend, coffee was discovered by a friar who was herding goats. Some of the goats that were grazing in the same area became rambunctious. They were eating coffee beans and getting a shot of caffeine. The friar harvested the beans and the practice of roasting them evolved." (Charleston Gazette)

I couldn't find the name Moxxee anywhere on the building; I didn't even know that's where we were until my friend pointed it out. I guess Moxxee is Native American for "black water." There is some parking and some outside dining, which is cool. Apparently a few of the windows on the side open up to enhance that indoor/outdoor dining feeling. When we walked in, though, every table, except one, was taken up. And that one had just opened up as someone left. I noticed on the outside of the door that it said max 15 people inside.

It's very small inside, with a few individual tables, some booth-like setup, some more comfy chairs over by the side, and a circular bar area in the center. It's a concrete floor, with metal chairs and gives off a minimalist feel. There was a cool TV screen hanging up where we were sitting that looked interactive. Apparently this little coffee shop is a third-wave coffee shop:

"For the record, first wave coffee is something served at diners and restaurants that appeals to the masses. It's been around forever. Second wave is coffee served at places like Starbucks. Third wave is vaguely defined as coffee made from beans purchased in small batches from coffee farms and individually brewed for each customer." (Charleson Gazette)

I do like its focus on the culture: they make individual espressos and cappuccinos from coffee beans from around the world. The countries are listed on the beans. The process takes longer, as each cup is individual, and the types of coffees are always changing.

While some tasty-looking pastries dotted the counter, I only wanted something small. I didn't really need the extra caffeine boost, so I opted for their "100 calorie Milk & Honey Burst" under specialty and cold drinks. I made sure it said nothing about espresso or java or anything. I wanted something easy. $3 later, I tasted it, and it was strong as could be. I tasted the top foam and threw the rest away. Maybe that's a waste. But it wasn't what I was expecting, it was overpowering, and I felt an instant headache coming on after my first sip.

Maybe it's my fault for not clarifying. Maybe it's their fault for not mentioning any trace of java under that description. Whatever the case may be, I'm not sure I want to spend that much for something I didn't entirely enjoy in a cramped area with lots of young kids sitting there, as some sort of status symbol. Or maybe I'm not the coffee culturist. Either way, if you're young, like the appearance, don't mind being a little squished, but could maybe get a great cup of joe, if that's what you're into, this is your place.

Grade: C

As one of the few coffeehouses in Morgantown, Blue Moose Cafe is one-of-a-kind. It boasts itself as being a cyber cafe, with wifi, during the day, as well as a groovy hangout at night, with a stage for performances. This hipster joint offers imported beers, smoothies, bagels, breakfast and lunch entrees, and of course, coffee. They have a number of organic, all-natural and vegetarian dishes. They are one of the most vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurants in town.

Breakfast is served Monday through Saturday all day, and a Sunday brunch is from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Dishes include various omelets, french toast, and the breakfast burrito.


Lunch is served Monday through Friday 11:30 am. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 12:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. They have sandwiches, like tuna salad, roasted red pepper and spinach melt, and a reuben. Salads include a spinach salad and mediterranean salad. And for the less adventurous, they have staples like grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly and quesadillas.

The building is located on Walnut Street, at an intersection, which makes it a prime spot for people-watching. It's artsy and eclectic. The interior is more shabby-chic. You order at the counter. I quickly looked over the menu and decided to try their Southwestern Black Bean Burger, which was a homemade black bean patty topped with white sharp cheddar, lettuce, onion tomato and chipotle mayo (or nay) on a toasted Kaiser roll. The friendly lady behind the counter rang me up and handed me a peacock card holder to set at my table.

My food came out not too long afterward. A beautiful presentation, the sandwich looked like it was going to be a hit. I mashed it all together, spread some of the mayo on it, and took a bite. It was … bland, dry, heavy. I put some more mayo on it, hoping to balance out the flavors. To no avail. I took a bite of a tortilla chip with some salsa. Even that had no depth of flavor. I went back at the burger - it looked too good to not be delicious. Chunks of corn were spread throughout. Even the chipotle mayo wasn't doing it for me - it, too, tasted like it was lacking.

Something here needed to balance out these flavors. Something light, sweet even. My tastebuds were craving it. So, we got some smoothies after our meal. You can choose your fruits, and I got strawberry with pineapple juice. It was tasty, and added that nice, cool, sweet, light flavor I was desperately seeking. I don't think this is a total loss, because I really enjoyed the smoothie. And, I've eaten here before, so I'm looking forward to trying it again.

Grade: C