She Cooked on Vacation

I am not a cook.  I know that this sounds odd as I am an American female, a wife, and a mother, but the truth is that I am not a cook.  I, however, do like to eat.

Last month, I went on a vacation during which I had a few days to myself.  In preparation for my time alone without a car and with shopping more than a mile in either direction, I went to Trader Joe’s and bought the staples that one needs for a few days alone.

My Shopping List

• 3 bananas
• 3 apples
• 3 nectarines
• 1 red pepper
• 1 orange pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1 bottle Italian dressing
• 1 box pasta
• 1 lb asiago/romano/parmesan grated cheese

My days looked very much the same as the one before.

Breakfast: banana and apple

Snack: nectarine

Lunch or Supper is pictured above.

When I arrived at the condo on the first night, I had already eaten supper (by the way, it was a delicious fried shrimp plate at Ellen’s Harborside in Rockport, MA. Yes – I would go back again in a heartbeat!).

I put all of the chicken breasts into a container, dumped the entire bottle of Italian dressing in to the container, and put it in the fridge.  I also cut up the peppers.  Then each day – for supper or lunch depending on if I ate out (ie – walked to The Lobster Pool…click here to read about my lobster friend who I then ate.) for the other or not – I made up a plate that looks like this.  I baked the chicken in the oven at 450, flipped it every 10 minutes or so, for about half an hour.  For the last five minutes, I broiled it after covering the chicken with the grated cheese.  I baked the peppers in the oven for those last few minutes as well.

I ate well on my own – even without Chef Huz along.

What have you been cooking lately?  What do you like to eat when you go on vacation?

Oatmeal + Banana = Wonderful Muffins!

I had a weird afternoon on Thursday, and somehow I decided that I should bake.

So bake I did!  We had three bananas that needed to be used for something besides eating, and I love All Recipes’ website.  I just typed in “bananas” and “muffins” (because I figured I could do that.  And then I perused the choices.  I came up with one that sounded yummy…and I was right!  Side note: I like to think that I usually am right.

They turned out very well!

Click here for the recipe in its original form, but see below for the way that I did it.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter – softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas and honey; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until cupcakes test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

If you are into Weight Watchers, these are 5 points. Not too shabby.

I liked them!

And my kids liked the dough, so I made 9 “dough balls,” and put them in the freezer.

Ok – before you go too nuts on me about the raw egg bit, I am not forcing them to eat these.  They asked for them, and they are nearly 18.  Soon they will need to make their own choices without me, right?  I know…I am just trying to convince myself that I did not poison them.

What are you baking lately?  What are your favorite websites for recipes?

What are you doing reading this blog when there is a Sioux hockey game on and it is beautiful outside!?!?!?!  Seriously – is anyone else loving Minnesota’s new March?

Happy Saturday!

Buffalo Chicken Strips!

Last night we had to use of some chicken that was in the refrigerator.  I was happy to consume it because my huz turned it into such yumminess!

We found that Shore Lunch makes the best buffalo chicken seasoning.

Combine some of this with Kickin’ Chicken (a spice found at Sam’s Club) and some bread crumbs to create a breading.  Make an egg wash.

Bread the chicken strips a first time, then dip in the egg wash before breading a second time.  Fry it up in some vegetable oil until golden brown and cooked all the way through.  Consume it and enjoy!  A side of buffalo sauce and bleu cheese make yummy additions for dipping.  I also like to eat celery with this.

Love it!

Soup Off 2012–The Winning Recipes

Our church has a weekly children’s program called AWANA, an internationally known organization that promotes Scripture memory.  In the spring of each year, there is a Grand Prix where kids in grades 3 – 6 race cars that they have made themselves from the AWANA approved block of wood.  The church youth group has capitalized on this Wednesday by hosting an annual “Soup Off” competition as a fundraiser.

How It Works

• Youth group students, parents, and sponsors work the meal
• We recruit contestants to enter a soup in the “game” – it costs $5 to enter
• Between 15-25 soups enter each year for the prize – a soup ladel!
• People pay to eat and vote for their top three soups
• Church attendees donate bars for dessert – thanks to those who did!
• A local grocery store (thanks, Cub!) donates bread to go with the soup
• Winners are announced in the middle of the Grand Prix

Last year, my sweet girl won with her raspberry white chocolate dessert soup (I think the brownie croutons pushed the voters over the edge).  This year, with dessert soups banned, there was some super tough competition.

My personal favorite – the Buffalo Chicken Soup – did not make it into the top three, but it gets the prize of being named on my blog!  I cannot wait to get that recipe!

Last year, all four of my family members (that includes me) entered soups. This year, the boy took the year off.  But I was proud that we had a 75% family involvement rating!

See our entries below:

Now for the moment that you have been waiting for – The 2012 Soup Off Winners!

In 3rd place (represented in the photo by her daughter) is Shari Fehr with her Creamy Tomato Soup.

In 2nd place is my sweet girl –  Beth Bender – with her Curry Pumpkin Soup.

*insert drum roll here*

*wait for it……*

And in 1st place is Lori Hetteen with her North Woods Wild Rice Soup.  If you know Lori, ask her for some fun details about the story behind newest prize offered by my pastor huz.  On second thought, ask her husband.

And now for the real moment you have all been waiting for – the recipes!

Creamy Tomato Soup by Shari Fehr

3 stalks celery
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 medium onion
2 29-oz. cans tomato puree (no salt added)
1 46-oz. can tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 Tbsp. whole cloves
1 qt. half and half
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Puree celery, parsley, and onion together in food processor. Pour into 6-qt. slow cooker and add tomato puree and tomato juice. Add salt, white pepper, sugar, and butter. Place whole cloves in muslin bag or tea infuser and add to tomato mixture. Simmer in slow cooker approximately 4 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving, combine approximately 2 cups of the tomato mixture with the half and half, and then slowly whisk the combination back into the tomato mixture. (This helps prevent curdling.) Return to temperature, and then whisk in 3/4 tsp. soda for a more frothy texture. Remove cloves, and serve.

Curry Pumpkin Soup by Elizabeth Bender

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (optional – this chef did not use)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup curry powder
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (29 ounce) cans pumpkin
• 3 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until seeds begin to brown.
2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in flour and curry powder until smooth. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble. Gradually whisk in broth, and cook until thickened. Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half. Season with soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring just to a boil, then remove from heat. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

North Woods Wild Rice Soup by Lori Hetteen

Chef’s note: I adapted this from a cookbook called “Don’t Panic – Dinner’s in the Freezer.”  Author’s note: I am on my way over to your freezer, Lori Hetteen!

• 1/2 lb bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 c celery, chopped
• 1/4 c butter
• 3 T flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 1/2 c cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
• 1-10oz can chicken broth
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c milk
• 1 1/2 c half-and-half
• 1 1/2 c cooked wild rice
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• sliced almonds browned in a little butter

Saute onion and celery in butter until tender.  Stir in flour, salt, thyme, and paprika.  Heat until bubbly.  Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, milk, half-and-half, and cream of mushroom soup, stirring until thickened.  Fold in rice and bacon.  Serve topped with almonds.  (Yields 6 large bowls of soup)

And that, my friends, is how you win a soup off!

What great ideas does your community (church or otherwise) have to bring people together?

Knoephla–Yum!

Yesterday was one of those days when good food was sort of necessary. The reason for this was primarily due to the fact that I have realized that I am “a back person,” and that made me a bit blue. On Saturday, I spent the day with the huz “manning” the judges’ lounge because the kids’ school hosted a speech meet.  When the team hosts, the team (or team families) have a special room just for the judges. In the hours that I put in that day, few minutes were spent sitting.  In fact, standing and moving was all that I did that day. At some point, I realized that my back was not doing well (previous injury – dunk tank).  Shortly after the meet was over, I could hardly walk, sit, or stand.

On Sunday, I struggled through the day hoping that change would come with another day and night of rest.  I awoke on Monday and accepted that change had not come.  I dropped the kids off at school and headed to TRIA – the best find in the Twin Cities.   TRIA is an orthopedic center and has an acute care walk in.  Ah – mazing!  I saw a doctor who told me that I need to learn to take care of this back of mine. He sent me to a physical therapist who gave me some exercises and a stern talking to about lifting (restricted to 10 lbs or less for the next 4-8 weeks).

Yesterday was day one of “healthy back living.”  This meant that I worked from home and used my standing station – the counter when entering our home.  It was truly a long day, but it was better than the long day that Monday had been with the trips to the doctor and the physical therapist and then the attempt to catch up on all that I had missed at work.  Still – yesterday was a day that needed something to end it well – like good comfort food.

And the huz obliged.  He made knoephla (the word means “button” in German), a Germans-from- Russia dish that we have adjusted to suit our own tastes.  Knoephla is a type of dumpling.  It is easy enough to make, really, and we used to make it ourselves until a certain hook-up with the Grand Forks Grocery company allowed us to buy it pre-made by the box (not a small box!).  Now we just scoop it into boiling water, then fry it up with a little (ok, a lot) of butter, some onions, and some garlic.  We add deer bologna to it, and can we just say de-lish?   Yes, we can!  The huz fries up a bit of sauerkraut to add to his helpings.  That is his prerogative, but not my choice at all.

If you want to make your own knoephla or find out how to make some knoephla soup, simply use Google.  There is a ton of information about knoephla and the people group from whom it comes out there on the web.

Enjoy!  And Happy Wednesday!

Christmas in the Parsonage

We had a great day yesterday as we celebrated Christmas with just the four of us.

First thing in the morning – stocking stuffers which included items that each person would really love; the boy loves graphic t-shirts.  I do not obey very well.  My favorite part of my stocking stuffer was the Scottish shortbread cookies.  I did share!

Breakfast was next: croissant French toast with bacon (Hackenmueller’s, of course!).

The boy then read us the Christmas story…it was good to pause and remember the reason for the season.  As we continue to reflect tomorrow at our church service, I will remain inspired by my children and their dedication to celebration and remembrance.

Presents were next!  My gift = my favorite board game: Smallworld.  The huz’s gift = an expansion pack for the same game.  The girl bought an expansion pack that we had never used before (we usually borrow the game from friends) for the boy which added elements to the game that we discovered that we love as we played the game twice.  The huz won the first round.  We played again later in the day, and I smoked the family with my Imperial Skeletons.  The game is fabulous!  Some may object to some of the fantasy characters, but I love the game overall.

The board game – Quelf – was next on the day’s agenda.  The boy agreed to let me post a video of one of his turns.  The game is a lot of fun – especially for groups with a bunch of people in varying age groups.  Unfortunately, the size of the file would upload into this format.  Oh well!

Dinner: homemade lasagna with little meatballs.  YUM!

We ended the evening with a family movie night.

GREAT day!

Only at an Italian Restaurant!

On Thursday night, the huz and I decided to treat ourselves to a date night in the midst of the chaos that is illness and Christmas prep.  The kids were babysitting for a nearby family, and we had a bunch of things to get done.  But – hey – start the night off right with a little yummy cooking.  We wanted to pick up a gift card (because they had monetary incentives to do so!) from our favorite neighborhood Twin Cities Italian restaurant anyway, so we left the ideas of Uptown behind and headed into Robbinsdale to Nonna Rosa’s where we are never disappointed and always feel at home.

I have blogged about this fine restaurant previously (back on the former blog site), and I could probably do so about once a month because we go there that often!  When we sat down, the huz already knew that he wanted Veal Parmesan, but I did want to hear the specials.  My heart skipped a beat when the server said they had Baked Stuffed Shrimp – my favorite dish from my favorite Italian haunt in Cranston, Rhode Island, where I spent many a fine summer since early in my childhood. I try to get there once a year to visit my grandmother…and have her to take me to Twin Oaks for Baked Stuffed Shrimp.  When the server said this, my mouth started to water, and I could taste the yum.  However, I was smart enough to clarify the ingredients before ordering the meal.  Once the ingredients were shared, I knew I would not be satisfied – not that mussels, scallops, and other seafood (that I’m not fond of…simply a shrimp and lobster gal) wouldn’t be great for someone else.  Just not me.

We went with the Veal Parmesan – never a bad choice – with Caesar Salad – also never a bad choice.  They, of course, bring yummy bread.  I added on the Peroni Beer Cheese Soup because I had wanted some ever since seeing in on their Facebook post the day before when I was still loopy and exhausted from having walking pneumonia.  I love it when servers reference alcohol as if we are supposed to know what it means (who knew that Peroni is a brand – maybe flavor – of beer?) as in the name of the soup and then also in the name of creme brulee for the evening.  Fortunately, we know that we love the Bailey’s flavored creme brulee even though we have no idea what straight (or mixed with other liquid) Bailey’s tastes like.  The flavor of the evening was something that meant orange.  We had heard of this previously and decided we wanted to try it.  We discovered later (info on the bathroom stall) that homemade gelato (pistachio, wild berry, or salted caramel) would have been a possibility as well.  We almost ordered that to go as the “something that meant orange” flavor was not our favorite.

Well – the meal aside, the evening took a fun turn as we ate our dessert.  As I returned from the restroom (needed to rest), I caught the tale end of the conversation between the huz and our server.  Turns out that she is from North Dakota as well and from just a little north of Grand Forks.  When she came back by the table, we talked some more about it – and GUESS WHAT?   We are almost related!!!!

Well…not exactly – but close enough that we could have attended the same wedding or funeral at some point or still could.  I just had to map this out a bit to be sure, but our “relation” is only by marriage.

My Grandma’s sister’s son’s wife is her great aunt.  We share a cousin…her cousin is my cousin.  That makes us nearly related!!!

Only in an Italian restaurant – where we already feel like family because they know our names, what we like to eat, and where we like to sit – can something great like this happen!  Ok…to be honest…it happens all the time all over the world.  But how long would it have taken for us to figure this out?

The best part: we are going to Widman’s Candy to pick up some Chippers because my almost-relative wants some.  🙂

Watch for the blog post!  Merry Christmas Eve!

 

A Mixed Dining Experience: The Duplex

The huz and I have become frequent visitors to the Kitchen Window of late due to his recent obsession with knives.  I realize that some wives would be disturbed by this, but I am grateful because his use of knives leads to delicious food!  As we have driven to the Calhoun Square location in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, we have passed several restaurants that appeal to us.  The Duplex is one of these restaurants, and last night – thanks to a CrowdCut – we finally tried it out.  CrowdCut is one of the many money saving websites for food and fun that have become the marketing campaign for many a small business.  Others include Groupon and LivingSocial.

The restaurant gets its name from the structure in which it resides.  For most of its history, the building was an actual up-and-down duplex housing two families.  Neither home would have been extravagant as the floor plan is modest and would support two bedrooms at the most.   The second floor has been converted entirely to customer seating while about half of the main floor is seating and the rest the small kitchen and bar area.  Artwork by local artists adorns the walls, and lighting is provided by a variety of hanging lights from various time periods.  We were seated next to the bar; I would ask in making reservations in the future for a different location.  Although it was entertaining to observe the happenings there as people who did not know each other at all ended up having a “great” time together, that is just not my cup of tea.  I was about to write that I am too old for this, but I do not think that was ever my idea of a great time.

Our deal included a starter, two entrees, and two drinks.  The menu is eclectic and seems to change often.  I gather this because the menus themselves could have been printed that morning.  In addition to the printed menu, specials change daily.

We started with poutine which (as the menu stated) is house cut fries topped with eichtin acres raw milk white cheddar cheese curds and brown gravy.  Our server enthusiastically complimented us on our choice and said, “All those people in Quebec can’t be wrong.”  I guess the dish originates in Canada.  And they are not wrong at all.  If the Canadians make poutine as well as the chef at The Duplex, I am up for a trip to Quebec!  The portion size was amazing for the list price of $7.59.  As a starter, poutine could easily support a sharing with four people.  The ratio of fries to cheese to gravy was perfect, and the tastes blend in a way that I could not have imagined.  In fact, we had originally asked for the gravy on the side, but we decided to go with it “as recommended.”  In case you are wondering, there were a few great crispy fries (my favorites).  My only critique of this dish: there were some fries that had clearly been in the frier for the previous ordered.  Not a huge problem but somewhat surprising.

Although the special with ham and risotto enticed my husband, he chose the Dirty Rice and Shrimp instead.  The homemade sausage allured him along with a list of many of his favorite ingredients: jasmine rice with house made sausage, sweet corn, diced tomato, green onion and cumin.  Although the meal had great promise, it did not live up to his expectations as it was simply bland – lacking something that neither of us could put our finger on.  The sausage was good enough but not anything that we would consider “signature” in the sense that one would expect when “homemade” is in the description.  I was initially enticed by the buffalo chicken sandwich but went out on a limb and ordered the spaghetti amatriciana: bacon sauteed in onions, red pepper flake, garlic, and tomatoes tossed in homemade spaghetti and topped with parmesan.  I had made the mistake of not asking if the tomatoes were made into a sauce; I had envisioned it being more of a noodle dish with the diced tomato rather than a sauce covering it all.  This make a difference to me, so at first glance I was already unsure of the dish.  The noodles were well made and lived up to the “homemade” label.  It just was not what I had expected, and I could not get over that.  We ended up switching our meals, and neither of us took our leftovers home.

About half way through our meal, a man seated alone near us ordered dessert.  We decided that we should try that as well even though it was not part of our deal.  We had asked if we could substitute one dessert for the two drinks because the drink part of the deal allowed for $7.50 of drink for each of us.  We were told that the deal was specific.  We ordered a coffee and a hot cider to go with our dessert.

To say that our meal ended well would be putting it mildly.  We ordered an apple turnover with whipped cream and caramel sauce.  I think we would call ahead for this and visit The Duplex for the fries and this dessert only.  The crust was unlike any we had ever eaten.  Light, flaky, and full of taste that complimented the apple perfectly – I could eat this crust by itself and be satisfied.  The whipped cream and caramel sauce…oh yeah – and the apples… simply added to the goodness of the overall dessert experience.  We found out that the desserts, along with most of the dishes, are made entirely from scratch at the time of the order due to the small kitchen.  There is little storage space, and when the ingredients for a meal or dessert are gone, they are just gone.

To say that our favorite part of the meal was dessert would be an understatement.

Overall, this night out was fabulous.  In addition to the excellent starter and even better dessert, the candlelight atmosphere was fun and I had the best company – the huz.  While I would want to be sure that our seats were not next to the bar in the future, I could see myself going back to this restaurant.  The servers are great, though busy at times, and make you feel like you are their only table when they are talking to you.  The fact that it is a local business creating their own dishes and making excellent desserts makes The Duplex a restaurant that I would like to see stay open for years to come.

Best Italian Restaurant for Dinner…in Minnesota!

This has been quite a week full of personal fame and fun.  I will not recap, but you can read blog posts about the momentary fame in print on Monday and fame on the radio on Tuesday.  Fame comes and goes, though, and now it is Wednesday.  Fame is over.  Now we are on to fun things…like looking back at how we celebrated!

To celebrate my fun and fame on Monday night, my huz took me to one of our favorite restaurants – Nonna Rosa’s – in Robbinsdale, MN.  They currently only have 762 “likes” on Facebook, and, though I would like to keep them all to myself, they deserve many more than that.  Click here to like them. Only minutes from our house, this small restaurant has become a place that we frequent when we have a bad day, when we have a great day, or when we just need some creme brulee (I cannot figure out how to use accent marks in WordPress – sorry!!!!!).  Did you like how that rhymed?

Typically the huz and I share a meal and a dessert, but Monday night we each ordered our own dish as well as a shared dessert.  The default dish (which we did not order on Monday, by the way) is always Veal Parmesan.  The noodles are always al dente; the red sauce resembles the gravy that my Nana made (in our family sauce does not have meat in it but gravy does…there are different colors of gravy: brown, white, and red).  When I close my eyes and take a bite, I feel transported to a kitchen in Cranston, Rhode Island.  When I open my eyes, though, I realize that I am sitting at an Italian restaurant in Minnesota. As I have written in previous blogs, I am Italian…if you are not, you know you want to be!  Nothing is more Italian about me than my tastebuds.

One of the aspects of Nonna Rosa’s that I love is that the food is made with authentic recipes handed down from generation to generation.  Although Chef Francesco has ventured out of his grandmother’s kitchen and experimented, the heart and taste of the food seriously is all family.  One of our favorite dishes – Walleye with Risotto – is a perfect example of this.  Served during the summer when fresh walleye is available (Nonna’s only serve fish that is fresh), this dish taught me that risotto is gourmet.  I just kind of thought it was “that rice dish.”  Wow!  Was I wrong!  Made correctly…or perfectly by Chef Francesco…this is a fine meal.

On Monday night, my huz really wanted risotto, but the risotto special as well as the risottos on the menu did not have the perfect combination of ingredients.  That is really not a problem at Nonna’s.  My husband explained to our server that he is difficult and then proceeded to state his perfect risotto wish list of ingredients including shrimp, salmon, and asparagus.  She responded, “Not a problem.  We like our customers to feel like they have just walked into their grandmother’s kitchen and can ask her for whatever they want to eat.”

Making their customers feel at home seems to be the essence of Nonna Rosa’s.  Because I forgot my favorite gloves at the restaurant on Monday night, I needed to return last night.  While Chef Francesco’s wife and co-owner of the restaurant – Tina – searched and eventually found my gloves (thanks to the server who had found them), I also mentioned that I had forgotten to take a picture of my creme brulee so that I could blog about how great it was.  I asked if they had a picture of it.  She determined that the only way for me to get a picture of it was to order one up.  She did so, I took the picture, and we shared the creme brulee.

Thankfully the creme brulee of the night yesterday was the same flavor as the one on Monday night – Bailey’s.  Each night the creme brulee has a different flavor on the top.  This one happens to be my favorite.  Chef Francesco’s creme has a perfectly smooth consistency and flavor that satiates without overpowering.  The balance of flavors with the pudding and the caramelized crackle creates a positively comforting and exciting atmosphere inside my mouth.  Although I should linger in my consumption of this dessert, that rarely happens.  Every time I have the last bite, I want to order another.  Doing so would not solve the issue, however, because there would be a last bite of that one as well.

Sharing my favorite dessert with the co-owner of one of my favorite restaurants was so much fun and completely serendipitous.  Things like this just do not happen, but it did.  I enjoyed my conversation with Tina.  I learned that they have family ties with my family’s favorite breakfast place – Emily’s F&M Cafe.  Our family loves Emily’s.  In the midst of writing this blog, I found them on Facebook and liked them.  You should too! And then go for a visit so that will more than virtually like them.  After you try the pancakes or the hashbrowns or the Italian omelette (that’s what the huz says…so wish I liked eggs so that I would try this), you will LOVE them.  Last winter, we frequented Emily’s after shoveling ourselves out of 24inches of snow…several times.

Tina also shared with me the “main idea” of Nonna Rosa’s.  I had known that the restaurant was named after a Nonna (grandmother) in the family, but the restaurant is really a tribute to all of their grandmothers, their fine cooking, and family in general.  In the same way that the bar called Cheers was a place where “everyone knows your name,” Nonna Rosa’s is a restaurant where everyone feels like they are eating in Grandma’s kitchen.  Tina actually said, “At Grandma’s house, you don’t have to eat your vegetables, and you always get dessert.”

And that is why I will keep going back…just give me a reason!

Cooking Success

My daughter takes after my huz in so many ways.  One of them happens to be her cooking skills.  On Sunday night they decided to “try a new recipe” together because she had a great idea.  As I mentioned in this morning’s post, that would equal a complete fail for me.  For them, it was a complete success.

For those who want to know what the wonderful creation was: Gingerbread Pie.

Was it good?  Yes, indeed.