New Year's Eve...

So every New Year's Eve there is the great debate...to go out, or to not go out. We decided to stay in. Who needs to go out when there's delicious food, drink, love, and Sadie at home?

On the menu tonight...

Veuve (sipping Clicquot haha)
Grilled frisee with lardons
Grilled rib eye/strip steak with blue cheese butter
Wild mushroom risotto
Individual apple tartlettes

**pictures and recipes to come!

Happy 2011 everyone!

Another must return...Papillote

If you are in Savannah...you must stop here for lunch. You can eat it there or take it to go. It is located right on Broughton, so it is easy access to anywhere downtown. It has wonderful sandwiches (I had le Parisian with ham, brie, and apples...and Ryan had a croque monsiuer), even better macaroons and delicious breads. We will be back for sure! It marked a great finale to our dining experience in Savannah.

700 Drayton

As one of my Christmas presents, Ryan made reservations at 700 Drayton (located at the Mansion on Forsyth...a stunningly beautiful hotel). The restaurant is decorated in leopard print, black, and gold...but done so in a non-tacky way. Our table was right by a fireplace and we had a great server...Troy. We started with the 700 Drayton martini and got to the task of deciding what to order! For an appetizer I had crab cakes...some of the best I've ever had (excluding my own...ha ha). For entree Ryan and I both had the filet...but mine was topped with blue cheese and carmelized onions over blue cheese grits). We skipped dessert, because we were both too full. The menu is classic with just enough edge to make it unique. The table next to us had the scallops that looked equally as delcious as our entrees. Might have to make a return stop here too!

Touring the city through food night!

Our second night in Savannah, we could not decide and pick only one place for dinner...so we went to them all! We went to five places (ate at two, and drank at all, dessert at one!).

Our first stop was at Circa. We've been there many times when it was just a bar, but were excited to try it now that they have a brasserie-inspired menu. I had the frisee salad with lardons (they grilled the greens, giving it a wonderful taste and texture) and Ryan had the mussels (my mom was right, they are delicious just a little fennel-heavy). They offer a nice wine by the glass selection. We will have to go back and try other things off the menu. Stop one was successful...

Second stop...not so much. After Circa we went to Jazz'd. We have walked passed and ready about this tapas bar many times. We went and sat at the bar and had a bellini martini (yum), but were not impressed by the tapas menu, so skipped food. The bar was totally dead except for a table of impressively-drunk people (keep in mind this is seven o'clock on a Monday...). The drinks were good, but I don't think I would come back here. We were kind of bummed there was no live music either.

Next up was Alligator Soul. Any restaurant with "alligator" in the name of it, we had to try! This place has one of the most interesting menus I have ever seen. Again, we sat at the bar and had a lovely conversation with our bartender. She was truly passionate about her craft, and her creativty shone through when discussing drinks and wine. We started off with a fleur champagne cockail, complete with an edible hibiscus flower and ended on a wine flight with three delicious varieties. We both ordered appetizers again, but next time the entree selection is very tempting. Ryan had a cheese platter. It was good, not great. The grapes that came with it were a little old, and the cheese wasn't anything unique. My appetizer on the other hand, was quite possibly one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life! I had their version of shrimp and grits. The shrimp were grilled and on top was a spicy chipotle sauce. If I go back, I will definitely have this!

Our fourth stop was Murphy's Law Irish pub. Okay, I'll admit, we went every night we were there! It had such great bartenders and crowd, that we couldn't resist. It was a lot of fun watching the Falcons MNF game there, especially because the outcome meant I beat Ryan in fantasy football.

Our final stop was Lulu's chocolate bar. I had a bellini and a vanilla strawberry cake and Ryan had a triple chocolate mousse. Both were okay, nothing stellar.

A fantastic night all-in-all!!

Wiley's Championship Barbeque

We knew we wanted to try this place when we saw that it was rated #1 on tripadvisor for Savannah. It is a bit of a drive outside of the historic district (but we had planned a day of driving out to the islands, so no biggie!). It is located in a plain stripmall, and only has a few tables. We were lucky and grabbed two seats at the bar, coincidently enough, right next to Wiley, so that was fun talking to him. This is without a doubt, the BEST barbeque I have ever eaten (sorry Nashville, New Orleans, etc.). We both had pulled pork and it was unbelievably simple, yet delicious. The food is priced a little high for barbeque, but it was worth it. Our recommendation would be to skip the sides and get a to-go order of the good stuff and take it to one of the scenic parks or beaches around. We will be back for sure! We even bought a bottle of their sauce so we can make it at home, well at least attempt to!

Olde Pink House

A trip for us to Savannah without going to the Pink House would not be complete! It is some of the best food anywhere (and a good value too). We waited about 40 minutes so we could snag a table in the basement tavern (complete with a fireplace and piano player...the upstairs main dinning rooms take reservations). While we waited we sat at their brand new attached bar and watched Tim Tebow score the winning touchdown while enjoying their signature peach martini (when in Georgia...). The wait for the food was well worth it. For an appetizer I had the she-crab soup (really more of a chowder...it was excellent and finished with cracked pepper and a drizzle of sherry). For Ryan's entree he had the filet with shoestring onion rings (perfectly cooked, our only complaint was that the presentation wasn't very pretty, basically a piece of beef of a huge plain white plate...but the taste made up for it). I actually had two appetizers for my entree (which they were nice enough to put on one plate along with a lovely arugula salad)...I had a napoleon of fried green tomatoes and crab cakes along with shrimp and grits. Both were delicious. For dessert we had a trio of mini-cupcakes that were really good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, so much so that we ended up staying a few more hours after dinner and had drinks sitting on the hearth of the fireplace next to the piano. Pink House is a definite must for anyone traveling to Savannah.

I heart Savannah

We just got back from another amazing vacation, this time in Savannah. This is the fourth time we've been there, including our Honeymoon. Although this time the weather was a little uncooperative (it SNOWED!), we had a fabulous time nonetheless...our trip highlighted by amazing food and people, rather than the frigid temperatures! More to come from some of the wonderful restaurants we had the pleasure of experiencing.

Christmas morning

Merry belated Christmas everyone! Like everybody else, I have been insanely busy...this is actually the first time I've used the internet other than on my cell phone since winter break began! Ryan and I had a wonderful Christmas and were blessed to be able to spend time with good friends and family.

For Christmas morning we wanted something delicious and easy, so we made almost everything ahead of time. For one, we had leftover sausage and carmelized onion stuffing (leftover from Christmas Eve dinner...same recipe from Thankgiving), bacon, and stratta (also a previous recipe from this website...adapted from Giada's berry bread pudding...the only difference was using challah bread and making it the night before, so that the flavors could really meld together). Here are some pictures, taken with my brand new Canon EOS Rebel (thanks Mom and Dad!).

Leftover cranberries? Problem solved!

Every year around this time, I am once again reminded at how much I love cranberries! We bought way too many of them, so I took the leftovers and made some yummy muffins!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsps baking powder
dash salt
1 cup fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/4 cup half and half (or whole milk)
1/2 cup orange juice (might need more, if batter is too thick)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup melted butter
Cooking spray

Topping:
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 tablespoon of kosher salt

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix in cranberries. Make a well in the middle and add melted butter (make sure it's not too hot), half/half, orange juice, vanilla, and egg. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add batter to muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. Top with sugar/salt mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Thankful for friends and family

We had such a fun, relaxed Thanksgiving this year. It was just the four of us (Ryan, my parents, and me)...yes all that food for four people! It is insane, but we've had lots of yummy leftovers!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Stuffing/Dressing...either way

I decided to make my own stuffing from scratch this year and it was simple and tasted great!

Recipe:

In a large frying pan, heat (on medium-high) 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1 pound of your favorite sausage. Cook until browned and then transfer meat to a bowl. In the same pan, add 1/4 cup of butter. Once butter is melted and starting to boil, add 5 sliced sweet onions to pan. Add salt and pepper. Stir to combine with oil/butter. Turn heat down to low and put a lid on the pan. Continue to cook for about 45 minutes to an hour until onions are totally softened. Turn heat up slightly and carmelize onions for about 10 more minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add 1 loaf of day-old french bread, cubed or torn into 1-inch pieces. Add cooled sausage, 1/2 cup of chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped sage, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of dried thyme. Stir to combine. Next, add 3 eggs and 1/2 cup of dry white wine. Stir. Add 3 cups (more or less depending on how much is soaked up by the bread, you want all the bread to be moistened, without too much excess liquid at the bottom of the bowl). Finally, add carmlelized onions.

Make this mixture the day before and let sit overnight in the frige so the flavors have a chance to combine and "marry."

The next day, pre-heat oven at 375. Grease a baking dish (we needed two) with butter and put stuffing into dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until completely browned.

**Picture shows oyster stuffing, turkey, and then this recipe for stuffing**

Cranberry Sauce

To begin with, heat a medium-sized saucepan on the stove at medium heat. Add 3 cups of fresh cranberries, 1 cup of sugar (might need more depending on if you prefer more tart or sweet cranberry sauce), 1/4 cup of triple sec or grand marnier, and 1 cup orange juice. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Continue to cook for about 20-30 minutes until sauce is thick. Add two granny smith apples than have been chopped. Stir for about 5 minutes and then take off the heat. You can serve this warm (great over ice cream for a yummy dessert) or make the day before and put in the frige to get cold.

Champ

Ryan and I discovered champ while eating at the Spotted Pig in NYC this past spring and absolutely love it. Recently, we haven't eaten a lot of potatoes, so it was a real treat! It is basically mashed potatoes, but with more butter than milk/cream and you mixed in one cup of chopped scallions. Don't blend potatoes, just mash to combine all the ingredients, it should be kind of chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Carmelized Onion Dip

Recipe:

Start by slicing two large sweet onions and addding them to a large skillet at medium heat along with 1/4 cup of butter. Once all the onion slices are in the pan, add a dash of salt and pepper. Stir until all the onions are covered with the melted butter. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue to cook for 45 minutes at a low to medium-low heat until onions are completely soft and starting to turn brown. Turn the heat back up to medium for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and stir until almost completely evaporated (1-2 minutes). Transfer onions someplace to cool.

Meanwhile, mix together 8 oz of room temperature cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sour cream along with 1/4 cup of chopped scallions (green onions) and salt and pepper to taste. Once onions have cooled, add those to the cream cheese mixture. Add a few more scallions to the top and serve with tortilla chips or whatever you prefer!

**Note- I was too busy enjoying time with family to take a lot of pictures,completely forgot!

Our Menu for Thanksgiving

Appetizers-

Carmelized onion dip
Salsa
Torilla chips

Dinner-
Brined and grilled turkey
Champ (Irish style mashed potatoes)
Sausage and carmelized onion stuffing
Oyster stuffing (for dad only!)
Baby carrots with black pepper butter
Haricot Verts with crispy shallots and bacon
Gravy
Apple and cranberry sauce
Rolls

Dessert-
Apple crunch top pie
Mini-pumpkin cheesecakes
Mini- key lime pies
Fresh whipped cream
Vanilla ice cream

To drink-
Champagne
Pinot Noir
Cotes du Rhone

Recipes to follow!

Thanksgiving Prep

Ryan and I have decided to have Thanksgiving at our house for the first time. We are really excited to finally use our nice table linens and wedding china! We are in the process of researching stuffing, pie, side dishes, potato, and appetizer recipes. We will post updates on how the planning is going. Wish us luck!

Halibut with spinach and Berry parfaits

So...I'm a bad blogger, it's been forever since I put a new post up. In my defense, we have been out of town every weekend or have had guests. It's been a crazy Oct/Nov! But excuses aside...here is a recipe Ryan and I made Thursday night. We were exhausted after going to Epcot the night before (food & wine fest again), so we wanted something healthy and quick. We went to Whole Foods and got some halibut and produce (it was expensive, but we got a small filet so it wasn't too bad).

For the fish- on a small baking dish, line the bottom with thinly sliced lemon slices and place the filet on top. Finish with a pinch of grey or sea salt, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes (or until just opaque). Meanwhile in a small frying pan, saute 2 shallots in a tablespoon of butter and cook until slightly carmelized. Add the juice of one lemon and 1/2 cup of dry white wine. Continue to cook until liquid has reduced in half. Serve fish on top of sauteed spinach (heat some chopped garlic in a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and put in fresh spinach and cook until slightly wilted), and pour the wine sauce on top. Enjoy!

I can't take any credit on the dessert, that was all Ryan! He made delicious parfaits using strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, and angel food cake. It was really yummy. I'm going to have to have him make it again soon!

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Review

This past Saturday night Ryan and I went to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. It was a blast. It combined disney and food! As we made our way around the world, we rated each country's food and beverages.

My top 10 ranking (based on taste, presentation, and uniqueness) is the following (I'll have Ryan post his soon):
1. Mexico (tamal de pollo and passion fruit margarita)
2. Argentina (roasted corn and cheese empanada and steak with chimichurri)
3. Brazil (didn't have the food but their drink was the best all night, and I still can't pronounce it- leblon frozen caiprinha)
4. Japan (spicy tuna roll and california roll)
5. South Korea (barbeque short ribs with steamed rice and cucumber kimchi)
6. China (pork pot stickers)
7. Desserts and Champagne (trio of strawberry short cake, pear streusel, and dark chocolate with moet and chandon)
8. charcuterie and cheese (Ace Joker hard cider)
9. France (while the line for the outside station was way too long, by far the most popular, we stuck to the Pommery champagne inside, delicious as always)
10. Italy (baked cheese ravioli with creamy bolognese sauce with melted mozzarella and proseco)
11. Spain (serrano ham, chorizo, manchego, olive, and tomato bread with cava)
12. Germany (nurnberger sausage in a pretzel roll and riesling)
13. Morocco (beef in a pita pocket and sangria)

Hops & Barley (Ryan had the pecan bread pudding, I did not due to my strong aversion of nuts!)

The Mexico and Argentina food options were delicious and some of the most affordable. We are going to try to go back soon. Pictures include food from: Argentina, Mexico, China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Morocco, Spain, cider, and dessert.

Avoiding the Monday Night Blues..

Ryan and I had such a fun weekend- going to movies with family on Friday night, farmers market and lunch on Saturday, Gator victory over UTenn, party at Peggy's, and sunset at the beach on Sunday...it was hard to face another work week (not that I don't love what I do, I just wish there was more time during the weekend!). So to combat those typical "case of the Mondays," we decided to make some things we've never made. We were inspired by my lunch at Citrus Cafe and decided to make our own version of a Mediterranean platter (this time, meat included). We cooked herb and garlic meatballs, cucumber/yogurt salad, baked flatbread with olive oil and sea salt, and tabouli. It was all pretty quick; from fridge to table less than 30 minutes.
For the meatballs, we used ground chuck and mixed the beef with minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and worchestire sauce. Next they were formed into 1/2 inch in diameter balls and baked at 400 for 15 minutes.

For the cucumber salad, chop one whole English (or seedless) cucumber and add the zest of half lemon and the juice of a whole lemon to a bowl. Stir and add salt and pepper and a small container of Greek fat free yogurt. Lastly, add chopped parsley and add any extra seasoning if it needs it.

For the tabouli, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 cup of bulgar wheat and let sit, covered, for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl make a dressing of the juice of two lemons and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes, green onions, and parsley (about 1/2 cup of each). When the bulgar wheat is cooked, add it to the rest of the ingredients, stir with a fork to "fluff" the bulgar and enjoy (it's even better leftover cold).

Happy week to all! :)

Farmers Market/Citrus Cafe

On Saturday morning, we met up with Josh and Alison at the Sarasota Downtown Farmer's Market. It'd been a couple of months since we have been down there, and now I really don't know what took us so long! The weather was great, there was delicious food, fresh produce, music, and of course an array of cute dogs! We strolled around and then had a wonderful lunch at Citrus Cafe. I had a mediterranean platter with hummus, salad, tabouli, feta cheese, and pita bread. It was really outstanding. Josh and Alison had a veggie sandwich that looked good and Ryan's open-face meatloaf sandwich was really good too. Hopefully we can make this a regular thing on Saturdays! I recommend this place to anyone in downtown Sarasota.

http://www.citrussarasota.com/

Pizza Night

So on Sunday we made a ton of ragu, so we used the leftovers for a yummy homemade pizza. It was a perfect dinner for the middle of the week, mostly because we are so dead tired by the time we're home! For the pizza, we used the Publix bakery dough. We rolled it out and then put on a baking sheet and drizzed with olive oil and sea salt. We cooked the dough at a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes until it started to bubble (see picture). We took it out of the oven and added a few big ladle-fuls of the leftover rage/tomato sauce and then some graded mozzarella and parmesan. The pizza cooked for another 15 minutes, or until all the cheese was melted and it started to bubble and brown on the top. Lastly we topped it with fresh ricotta and basil. It was quite delicious; and since there's no decent pizza nearby, it was a good alternative. Happy almost Friday everyone!

PS. One of the pictures is of Sadie, watching us while we cooked.

Sunday Dinner 09/12/10

Another Sunday rolls around. Is it just me, or are Sundays kind of bittersweet? It's great because it's another day without work (plus football!) but there's always the fact that work is tomorrow looming in the back of your mind. We made the most of our Sunday today, went to lunch, shopping, and watched NFL at World of Beer (great place to watch football and not too crowded either). We decided to make a good hearty dinner (we are still recovering from exhaustion and dehydration from yesterday's 104 degree Gator game...btw that's the actual temp not the heat index; and we played an intense match of tennis this morning). We made ragu with ricotta spaghetti.

Recipe: In a large pot, cook 1 large chopped onion until translucent, season with garlic salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of dried herbs (oregano, basil, pasley,and thyme). Add in 1 pound of ground chuck. Cook until beef is browned and then add 1/4 cup of tomato paste. Stir until combined and then add 1 cup of dry red wine. Bring to a simmer and add a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Stir and bring to a simmer and then turn the heat on low and put the lid on. Meanwhile boil whatever pasta you like the best. Once pasta is added to salted, boiling water...add 1 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese to ragu and stir to combine. Serve sauce on top of spaghetti with chopped fresh basil and parmesan.

Happy week 4 of the school year!