A December to Remember

WOW! I'm alive, and I've made it through 23 days in December...and what a December it has been.


The first week of this month, we said goodbye to our first apartment and hello to our first home. Its amazing how much you accumulate in such a short time. We filled a large moving truck and took 8 van/jeep loads full of our things. With the help of Mighty Moose Movers (no lie, that's what they're called, and I highly recommend them) and our family members, we managed to set up shop in short order. 


Then, I got sick. I spent seven days flat out on the couch, about to lose my mind since I couldn't do anything in our new house. I spent a fortune at the local pharmacy and have made friends at the nearby clinic. Apparently its funny that I work with kids, since that's the reason why I ended up with daycare diseases : strep throat and pink eye (ew.) Its interesting, I spend my days helping kids learn to take turns and share-yet when it comes to germs, they are more than willing to pass them on!


The third week we spent getting this house in ship shape order BECAUSE we were super ambitious and decided that we would like to host 30 of our close friends at a Christmas Open House. This involved one evening entirely spent buying a new couch for my "vintage room" (post on that someday soon), hauling it in a van, not being able to lift it since it gained 1000lbs on the ride here (I promise you it was the heaviest couch ever), having an angel neighbor stop to help, taking two doors off their hinges, and who knew couches could also grow an inch and therefore not fit but get stuck on an angle in the doorway of the room. In spite of this, the open house went wonderfully! 


This wouldn't be a post without pictures of the food I served. Thank you to my mother-in-law who reminded me to take pictures!!

For savory food we served: Sausage and Crackers, Hummus and Pita Chips, Vegetables and Ranch Dip, Nachos and Mexican Dip (recipe to be shared another day), Meatballs in BBQ sauce (see previous post). At the end of the table we also had a chocolate dipping station for fruit or anything you like to eat coated in chocolate!

For dessert we served (clockwise from the candy canes) my new experiment: chocolate saltine toffee bark (in milk chocolate and semisweet flavors), pretzels to dip in chocolate, my aunt made her chocolate drop cookies, sweet and salty popcorn, store bought cream puffs, a friend brought chocolate dipped pretzel sticks with toffee and sprinkles, my mom made dutch cookies, and friends brought a chocolate cookies and cream pizza we chopped into bite sized pieces

Check out this blog I found on pintrest with the recipe for the Saltine Cracker Toffee bark: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/03/saltine-cracker-toffee.html

To drink we had Champagne with cranberries as a garnish in the glass, coffee, teas AND two holiday drinks: spiced apple cider and eggnog!

For the spiced Apple Cider, I bought jug of apple cider at my local grocery store. I heated it up in a pot until it was simmering. Then I added two cinnamon sticks. I also placed 2 tsp of whole cloves and 2 tsp of whole all spice into a coffee filter and tied it at the top to make a little pouch. I let the pouch simmer for about 20 minutes to add flavor, but then took it out so that the spices wouldn't be too strong. Later on when the guests arrived I added whole cranberries and thin slices of oranges to garnish the drink.

For the eggnog, I bought 2% eggnog from our local grocery store, and placed it in a glass bowl over a bowl of ice. Eggnog should always be served chilled and kept cold. Then to add garnish and flavor I grated some fresh nutmeg on top!

To set the mood I decorated the whole place for Christmas, made sure to light candles and Matthew made a Christmas music playlist that was on in the background all night. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the place was filled with boisterous laughter and the holiday drinks ran dry.

I'll save the second half of the month for another time. Just wanted assure you that I'm still alive and well!

Holidays, here I come!!

Restaurant Review: Fratelli Pasta Grill

At the beginning of the month, my husband and I relocated from Old Riverside in Windsor to a cute home in Tecumseh Town. The move was crazy, but the house is worth it! 


After a few days of unpacking we agreed it was time to celebrate this new town we lived in (regardless of the 15 minute distance we were from our old place). Our good friends Natalie and James decided to show us Tecumseh, and decided on a newly opened restaurant just around the corner: Fratelli Pasta Grill

taken from Fratelli's Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fratelli-Pasta-Grill/168899966528013

As soon as we walked in the door, I knew we had found a gem of a restaurant. A waiter saw to us right away and then the restaurant owner approached us to engage us in some light conversation before we were shown to our table. The staff was engaging and served us well the entire night. 


I love a restaurant that gives importance to the decor and atmosphere. The restaurant was busy and buzzing when we arrived. The colours are warm and contemporary and the lighting makes the place sparkle. I loved the wall of mirrors! 

taken from Fratelli's Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fratelli-Pasta-Grill/168899966528013

As it was a Friday night, we made reservations, and I would highly recommend doing this. The restaurant is casually elegant, and you could go a little dressed up or in business casual clothing and fit right in. 

Now on to the good stuff, the food! Here is what we ordered:

Natalie and James started off with an appetizer of Parmigiana di Melanzane which is eggplant with roasted tomato sauce and mozzarella.

For dinner Natalie ordered the Salsiccia Rapini: a pasta with grilled sausage, roasted garlic, broccoli rabe and sundried tomato & evoo.

James ordered the Mare Monte: pasta with shrimp, mussels, squid, mushrooms, grilled tomato and evoo

My husband Matthew opted for the special of the day which was a NY Strip with gorgonzola cheese topping, garlic mashed potato and salad 

I chose the Filetto Di Manzo: two beef tenderloin medallions with a chianti wine reduction, garlic mashed potatoes and ratatouille 

The verdict: I can only speak for the flavors of my meal, and I can truly say they were dancing in my mouth. The steaks were grilled to perfection, and the wine reduction was a lightly sweet and savory partner. The potatoes, though strangely colored, were rich and delicious. 

Everyone else around the table agreed that the food was delicious. The flavors were well balanced and you could tell that the chef put much thought into what went on the plate. 

As for cost, the pasta dishes ranged in the high teens and twenties, and my steak was 28 dollars. Matthew's special of the night cost a whopping 40, which was a bit pricey, but not typical of the menu offerings. 

Fratelli's also offers lunch, dessert, a gluten free menu and a takeout menu, which I will have to explore at another date. 

Overall the restaurant was a big hit from the moment we walked in the door, to the moment we left. Great food, lovely atmosphere, good service. I highly recommend giving them a try!

Website: http://www.fratellipastagrill.com/

Restaurant Review: Tecumseh Roadhouse

Last  Saturday, my Hubby and I made desperate calls to our two younger sisters. We asked them to be our little worker elves, and in return we would feed them. So after a long day of packing and lifting boxes, we decided to head to Tecumseh Roadhouse, and we were famished!

We have been to Tecumseh Roadhouse a few times since it opened a few years ago. It is located on County Rd #42, so its not in the heart of the city, but if you are looking for some good Southern BBQ, its worth the drive. 


Historically, I have ordered the Uncle Dave's Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which is probably not the healthiest choice: but its oh so good! The seasoning on the chicken is more than just salt and breading, it has a mixture of some spices that kick up the flavour. Sadly, its no longer on the menu, which has forced me to branch out and order other things. 


Since the four of us were pretty hungry, and it was a busy night at the restaurant when we arrived, it took a good 45-50 minutes to get our food. It was worth the wait, but we did have to raid the pickle bar for something to nibble while our stomachs growled. 


This is what we had to eat:

My Husband ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich, which comes with two choices of sides. He selected the fries and mac and cheese. He reported all three to be delicious, and a sampling of the pulled pork confirmed that for me. It was warm, tender and smokey. What you see drizzled on top is one of the 5 homemade signature sauces...mmmmm mmm good!

My sister-in-law ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with coleslaw and fries. She said that the chicken was spicy, but she liked it, and ate the whole thing up! 

My sister and I chose to share the "Create Your Own Combo", which gives you two entrees to choose from a list and two sides for $18.99! The price was right, and we both were craving ribs, so we each had a half rack with fries and potato salad (not pictured). The ribs were very smokey, tender, and fell right off the bone.  We each doused ours in one of the signature sauces. We both agreed that it was enough food to feed us both. Delicious!

The exciting ending for us was the Tootsie Rolls that came with the bill; forget the Plain-Jane Mints, bring on the Chewy Chocolate!

Overall, Tecumseh Roadhouse is a nice place for friends to gather to enjoy a hearty BBQ meal. The menu is diverse, and is reasonably priced. Be careful if you go on the weekend, because the place tends to fill up quickly AND for your information, they are closed on Mondays.

Winner Winner, Turkey Dinner!

A few weeks ago, I was home and under the weather...and I managed to catch two amazing things on television: the 3 minutes of the Emergency Alert System Test(which I made fun of the day previous because of all the warning commercials...I had the audacity to ask who on earth was watching TV at 2pm...oh yeah, me.)
AND
The new show called: The Chew


I must say I do like the concept of the show. Its casual and fun. I have always loved Clinton Kelly from TLC's "What Not To Wear" days; and even though I am not as familiar with the rest of the cast, they are a lighthearted bunch.


As American Thanksgiving is right around the corner, a portion of the show was dedicated to a 5 minute Thanksgiving meal for when you get that craving. The concept sounded easy enough: Turkey breast cutlets, apple, cranberry, arugula and some pan sauce.


View the recipe and TV segment here:  http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Thanksgiving-Michael-Symon-Turkey-Cutlets-Apples-Cranberries


Here was my take:

The result was a little disappointing. With the tart flavours of the granny smith apples and cranberries, the whole meal had a sour taste. I actually omitted some finishing lemon juice that the recipe calls for, and I'm glad I did. 

This recipe however opened my imagination to how I could recreate a small version of Thanksgiving Dinner for two. So last night was part 2. I threw it all together in under 10 minutes, and this time, it was a winner! This meal is more about the timing than anything. You don't want anything sitting, getting cold OR overcooking.  I had some leftover mashed potatoes, which went perfectly with the meal. If you are making them from scratch, start this first and use your favorite recipe for creamy mashed potato. I always like to make extra to store in the fridge/freezer for a quick side to a meal when I'm in a pinch. 

The first thing I started to make was the Cranberry Sauce. I have recently been in love with using fresh cranberries (will post my new cranberry apple crisp dessert soon!) so I had some in the fridge. You can also use frozen cranberries as well. 

Ingredients for Cranberry Sauce:

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup cranberries

1 tsp maple syrup

In a saucepan, stir together the water, sugar and maple syrup over medium high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. 

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes.

Add the cranberries and reduce the heat.

Bring it back to a soft boil and let it boil for 10 minutes while you prepare the turkey breast. 

You will notice that the cranberries start to burst! Stir occasionally. Serve hot or remove from heat and serve chilled or at room temperature. 

Ingredients for Turkey:

2 Turkey Breast Cutlets

1/4 cup all purpose flower

1tbsp dry bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1tbsp unsalted butter

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, bread crumbs, salt, garlic powder and pepper to create a breading mixture (add other seasonings as you wish). Melt the butter on a frying pan at medium high heat. Coat the Turkey Breast with the breading mixture on both sides. Once the butter is melted and hot, add the turkey breasts and let them cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are crisp and golden brown. 

Plate the Turkey with a drizzle of cranberries and the bright red sauce on top. Serve with a helping of mashed potatoes, or a starch of your choice. And last but not least, add a lightly dressed salad to complete the meal. 

Not to brag, but my hubby smacks the table when I make something new that he likes. I had him smacking the dinner table over and over with this meal. He loved the light crisp flavour of the breading for the turkey breast; and gobbled up the cranberry sauce (gobbled...hehe)! 

We ate it so fast that I forgot to grab my camera. Whoops! I guarantee this meal is fool-proof and is easy to recreate and reinvent any night of the week.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American Friends and Family! To celebrate, I guess I'll just have to eat more turkey and shop until I drop; can't wait!

Moving On Up!

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you will know that we are moving! Onward and upward to bigger and better kitchens!


This is extremely exciting, as I have spent the last two years in a small kitchen. I do not want to complain, as these past two years were the ones where I learned to love my kitchen, and the magic that happens in it. But I have to admit that running out of room to roll dough, cool baked goods, plate meals and all that good stuff...was getting old.


I don't have a recipe to share or a restaurant review today, but maybe I can share with you the journey that my imagination and our marriage has taken, these past few weeks.


Remember how I said that I can be a little impulsive?


Well, mix that with my undying love for real estate, decor and change..and you have: 
the ongoing search for a new place
the sudden finding of a new place
the coercion of my husband to consider a new place and look at it
the intense moments of contacting the owner of said place before it was gone
the race to view the place
the luck of winning the owner's heart
the blessing of being able to leave our condo early
AND a month to pack, dream and MOVE! 


GO! GO! GO!


So far I have packed one box and clipped all good recipes from my magazines. We are halfway through the month, and two weeks away from moving day. OY


I have, however; mentally packed and unpacked our belongings...and imagined. I imagined where our furniture will go. I imagined the friends we will have over and the parties we will hold. I imagined my garden in the back yard. I imagined making loads of sugar cookies to decorate this Christmas-because I can! 


Our new house is very open concept. When you walk through the front door, the living area opens to a large eat-in kitchen with an L shaped counter-top. It has three bedrooms: One for us, an office for my husband and a ????? 


Here is the challenge: what in the world should we do with this third room? So far we do not have a child to put in it. We already have an office. We don't have any people who would stay there, and necessitate a guest room. We are perplexed! My husband wants a fooseball table room, and I want a vintage-chic sitting/reading/relaxation room. Any suggestions?


All in all, its been a busy month for us, and its about to get busier. Moving means packing and cleaning and sorting and calling people and...and...and...


And I can't wait. :)

Share a Meatball with your Sister

I have three sisters. 


Last year when we were married, my two sisters and my hubby's sister teamed up and we all decided to become sisters. And even though we are scattered a bit and busy most of the time...I am lucky to have them. 


Last year we decided to start a tradition called Sibling Christmas. We had all three sisters over to our place on Boxing Day (awesome Canadian holiday, if you don't know what it is, you should wish you did) and pretended that we all lived in the same home as siblings and recreated Christmas. At night we got in our jammies, I read a story (Are you my Mother?), we ate inordinate amounts of candy and sweets, opened stockings, had a sleep over, and opened presents the next morning. We each got to play Secret Santa to one of the other siblings,  and presented them with our gifts.


I told them that for Christmas Dinner they could pick whatever meal they wanted. What did they pick, you ask? 


MEATBALLS. Obviously.


I actually don't know why they love it so much. Its just a quick and easy meal that warms up your insides on a cold day. So in the spirit of the blowing chilly air and the email I just got to tell me which sibling I get to give a gift to this year...here it is folks: 


What you need: 
1 package of frozen meatballs (I like Angus beef, but anything works)
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup Basmati Rice (long grain rice, 1 cup is good for 2 people)
Vegetable oil
Salt


RICE:
The recipe for rice is one that has been passed down from my grandmother, or Bibi as we call her. Its not exactly precise, but once you understand the measurements, it makes sense. 


(Pictures go left to right, top to bottom in explanation)


For two people, I use one cup of dry rice. If you have a minute or two, always try to rinse the rice, and if you have more time, soak it for a bit. While the rice is soaking, put about a tablespoon of vegetable oil at the bottom of a saucepan with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of salt and heat at medium high. The oil should spread to cover the bottom of the pan (see picture). Do not wait too long to add the rice to the pan, do not let the oil start to smoke. Drain the rice and add it to the pan, its okay if it sizzles. Quickly follow up with some water. Start with a cup, and then do the spoon test (see picture 4). Take a spoon and place it up against the side of the pan, with the bottom touching the pan and slide it to the center pushing the rice with it. If the rice just barely pokes up through the surface of the water at the center, you have enough. Add or take away depending on the rice, if its still submerged, you might have too much and if its sticking up far above the water, you need more water.

Turn the heat up to high and let the water come to a rolling boil. Once it is boiling, cover the pot and lower the temperature to low. Let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Try not to peek and lift up the lid, but you will notice that when its ready, the surface of the rice will have little holes and it will look plump and not wet. Uncover the rice and toss with a spoon. Now its ready to serve!


MEATBALLS:
I cheat with the meatballs, you of course can make them yourself. One day I will share my homemade meatball recipe that I stuff with cheese and use with spaghetti. But for now, boxed frozen meatballs will do the trick, and are something you can stash in your freezer for a quick meal.  


(Pictures go left to right, top to bottom in explanation)


My cooking oil of choice is always Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I like to brown my meat as it adds to the flavour and makes the meatballs look rich in colour. To do this, I put a heaping tablespoon or two of olive oil at the bottom of a saucepan and heat it on medium high. Once the oil is hot, and has spread to cover the bottom of the pan, I add the meatballs and cover the pot. Toss them every so often until the surfaces have a golden brown colour (see picture).

While the meatballs are heating up, I make a mixture of BBQ sauce to coat the meatballs. We enjoy Bullseye BBQ sauce, but feel free to use whatever your favorite is. I add as much sauce as will coat the meatballs well. Often I add a bit of water to the sauce to make it more liquid and that allows for some evaporation of steam as the meatballs heat. If you want to give them a kick, add some garlic powder or pepper OR to make the sauce sweeter, add some maple syrup to the sauce. Have fun with it, and be sure to taste your sauce to see if it suits your liking. Once everything is heated through, its ready to serve!

ENJOY!

Restaurant Review: The City Grill

What seems like ages ago, it was warm outside. I was sitting in a new chic restaurant in Windsor's downtown, having lunch with my family. The large windows were open and a sweet breeze blew in. I had steak and frites...mmm those frites...bless them. 

borrowed from the website www.thecitygrillwindsor.com

The City Grill is one of the newer restaurants to grace our city centre. It used to be the home of Peppers Bar and Grill. Back in the hey day of our downtown, it was a Birks Jewelry store, and they even have the original door handles to prove it. Its a perfect place for a business lunch, a romantic date night or for a meal out with friends. 


The decor is something to speak of; its crisp, contemporary and refined. Service is quick and thoughtful, and you can tell that they care about the little details. There are fresh flowers on the table, crisp linens, flavored water, beautiful plating...all the things that I notice and love. 


LUNCH
A few weeks ago, the restaurant was running a promotion for their new business lunch menu: 50% off the menu with a reservation. My husband and I set it up; it was fun to meet during the busy work week for a little lunch date. This is what we had:

My husband chose the NY Strip Sandwich. See the fries? They are lightly seasoned and deliciously crispy! 

At the end of the summer, the restaurant was asking for suggestions for a fall menu. My husband suggested a Shepherd's Pie, and they did it. Here it is, this was my lunch, and it was served hot. I loved the presentation, and the flavors were good and hearty.

For dessert (come on, for 50% off, why not?) we had their freshly baked cookies. Since we had it last, in the summer, they updated it to include a milk chocolate chip cookie, peanut butter cookie and white chocolate cookie with vanilla bean ice cream. Need I say how amazing this was?


The business lunch was done in just under an hour, which is good for those looking to pop in for a nice meal on a work-day.


DINNER
Groupon had a deal for The City Grill a few months ago, and we purchased one with the intent to try their dinner menu. Only a few short days after our lunch, we were back for dinner with friends. 


Now since this was a review, I am going to be honest. In the summer, the water was flavored with berries, which was good. At lunch, the water was flavored with lemon, and that was good. For dinner, the water was flavored with cucumber. One person from our group of four liked it. The cucumber flavor was a bit strong, and with the meal, it didn't seem to compliment. 


This is what we ordered: 

Harvest Salad, as the restaurant describes it: arugula, grilled apple, squash, fennel, white balsamic and pear coulis. I was really excited to try this salad, and was a bit surprised. The idea of the different ingredients sounded intriguing, but they didn't blend in the way I hoped they would. Its a cold and refreshing salad, but the flavors are a bit muted.

 I may have expensive taste, but I can't help ordering a steak when its on the menu. This is the 12oz NY Striploin: Its served with a triple baked potato, a bourbon glaze, seasonal vegetables and baby onions. I ordered it medium-well, and it came cooked to order, still tender and hot- just how I like to have my steak! It was so much for me though, so I took half of the meal home!

My husband had the Seared Pork Medallions, in a puff pastry with julienne vegetables, roasted garlic whip potatoes, glazed pearl onions and drizzled with a calvados reduction. I didn't have any of it because my hubby ate it all and proclaimed it as delicious!


So overall, this restaurant makes me excited about the growing Windsor restaurant scene. We needed a new place for fine but modern dining, and The City Grill fits the bill. With its friendly staff, excellent service, attention to detail and classy atmosphere; its a place I will return to again and again, and recommend you do too. 


Follow them on Twitter (@TCGWindsor) and Facebook. Be sure check out their website www.thecitygrillwindsor.com for information on reservations, menu and special events!

The way to a man's heart...Creme Brulee!

Growing up, I didn't spend much time in the kitchen. So before I got engaged, I thought to myself, how on earth am I going to impress him??


I decided I would make him a meal, the very first ever, and it would be incredible!


True story: the second meal I made for him was a terrible fiasco. I marinated the steaks in onion soup mix. I didn't know that he hates onions; but he ate it anyway to be nice. He went home and got sick. I was crushed. 


Back to the first meal: I barbecued his favorite cut of steak, rib-eye; I made twice baked potatoes; and a side of grilled carrots. 


BUT..the dessert was the daring finish...his favorite, CREME BRULEE.


I poured over cookbooks, in search of the best recipe, one that I could not mess up. My mom had a cookbook by America's Test Kitchen called "The New Best Recipe" and it had just what I was looking for. This is a textbook, with more than 1000 pages and pages of detailed descriptions for each recipe. They discussed different options for creme brulee: how many eggs make the best custard, how to lift ramekins out of the oven, different flavored custard options...and so on.


It was just what I needed. I studied it like a student, bought all the necessities, and took a huge risk. 




I can't say this is the reason we are married today (he might!). What I can say is that this meal floored him. He couldn't believe that I made the dessert from scratch. I had found the way to his heart, through his stomach!


I am sharing this recipe with you, even though the firstborn nature in me wants to keep it all for myself. The reason is that it is delicious, can be made ahead of time for when you have guests and is perfect for all seasons. It is based off the recipe from the cookbook, so if you feel so inclined, go out and buy the book and see it all for yourself!

The Matchmaker would be Proud!

"Matchmaker Matchmaker make me a Match, Find me a Find, Catch me a Catch!"


I know all the lyrics to all the songs in the Fiddler on the Roof, ok? I'm not weird, I just have an appreciation for Jewish culture, and now, delicious Challah Bread.


One of the upsides to having a blog, is becoming a part of the blogging community. I follow a handful of food blogs, and am a huge sucker for pictures of food.


I am the person who after watching a Wendy's commercial about their new hand-cut sea salt fries, took one look at my husband, and without a word we hopped in the Jeep and had our first taste of these goodies. 


This delicious Honey Apple Challah Bread was no exception.


Challah bread is a special sweet braided bread eaten on Jewish holidays and the Sabbath. So in honour of what was Yom Kippur weekend, I tried my hand at my first loaf of bread - ever. 


The recipe comes from a fellow blogger, check out this link for detailed instructions: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/09/apple-and-honey-challah/ 


Here's how mine turned out.

My only regret with this bread is not adding cinnamon to the dough, I think that would have made it that much more amazing. The amount of honey that the recipe calls for, makes it taste mildly sweet, if you want it on the sweeter side-I would add more honey. 

It smells like heaven while baking and tastes delicious when warm. 

"....but Mama, the men she finds. The last one was so old and he was bald. He had no hair!

A poor girl without a dowry can't be so particular. You want hair? Marry a monkey."

Fiddler on the Roof

Restaurant Review: The Manchester

Each weekend we try to have a date night, and in honor of eating out, here's a review of one of my recent favorites!

THE MANCHESTER- English Pub and Restaurant

Now, it is a pub, so its not a fancy date night place-but they have live music most nights, a rustic atmosphere, and fresh, delicious, craving-inducing food.


Everything that we have ordered there, we have loved!


My personal favorites are the hand cut fries, prime rib sliders and the salads.


The hamburgers come with amazing toppings and are as big as your face. 


And you have to try their beef brisket poutine, from what I've heard its an experience.


I have to say something about the staff as well. The ones whom we have had serve us, have been friendly, casual and fun. It is fitting for the place that they work, and makes you feel like you really are in an English countryside pub.


The last time we were there, my sisters and I wanted a place to talk, but the band was a bit loud- so we opened the front door a crack and then went outside to decide what we wanted to do. The man at the bar, with superhero speed, ran out, and with a huge smile persuaded us to come inside - how could we refuse!


And finally, here are the pictures:

These sliders have become a craving, they are covered in caramelized onions and mushrooms and come with a side of creamed horseradish dip. I don't even like horseradish, but I love this dip! If you go for one thing, try these, they melt in your mouth.

The house dressing is a slightly sweet vinaigrette-mmmmm!

So go visit our friends across the pond at The Manchester, and then let me know what you think!

Oh My! Delicious Apple Pie

As I have mentioned before, I grew up in a Middle Eastern household- the only kind of pies we make have meat or spinach in them (tastier than it sounds, I promise).


My husband is a pie-man, any time is the time for pie. Summertime is good for a fresh strawberry or peach pie and autumn is good for warm, gooey apple pie. 


My very first apple pie was born last year for our annual family Thanksgiving celebration. 


Note to newlyweds: its weird being married, because you all of a sudden are expected to bring food dishes to the family gatherings...and it is similar to walking the plank. They all think, hmm, can she cook? Will she fail? Is he starving? 


And ever since I've been married, I have become a firm believer in dumb luck - this pie was no exception. It was like some miracle came in to being. Mind you we almost started a fire in the oven when the juicy filling starting to spill down the sides and onto the burning hot element in my aunt's kitchen. But they loved it. My picky cousins tried it, my uncle who NEVER eats pie couldn't stop eating it...my mom, my dad, my amazing chef of a grandma...it disappeared from the pie plate and into their bellies...and they actually loved it!


So this year was no exception, I volunteered to make another apple pie. Because some of my family is either cutting back on sugar or diabetic, I was actually asked to make two pies- one with sugar and one without. 

Traverse City Highlights: Northern Journey Part 2

Welcome to the second half of our trip to Northern Michigan. This in no way is an exhaustive review of things to do in the Traverse City area. Rather its a snapshot of things that I loved and would highly recommend. I hope you enjoy!


Day 1: First lets back up: my husband while driving up north had previously become fixated on having me eat a traditional local dish. I was not so keen, the name of it was weird, and it didn't sound all that appetizing. He was so set on it, he insisted it would be great for the blog...I said no. Little did I know...


Traverse City has a nice downtown, its a beautiful walk with a mixture of quaint and modern shops and a variety of restaurants. With the lovely weather we had (70-80 degrees each day) we decided to walk and explore different lunch options.


If my husband and I were animals, he would have the metabolism of a camel, and I of a squirrel. Couple that with the fact that we wanted to see everything before we made a decision, it was over an hour later, and we had walked very far...and I was about to fall on the ground. 


Then we saw it, the holy grail : Cousin Jenny's

Meet the Pastie.

I think the pictures really speak for themselves, they were warm, flaky and oh so yummy! Cousin Jenny's had a variety of flavors, but pasties take a while to bake, so once they sell out for the day, that's it. We chose the ham (left) and chicken (right) and liked them both especially with the simple gravy on top. So my husband was right and I had instant tummy gratification...win/win.


Day 2: We spent the day at the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. Its about an hour drive west of Traverse City, and has been voted as the most beautiful place in America by Good Morning America. There are no food highlights, my only recommendations is if you are not keen on diner food, pack a lunch and head back to the city before dinner! Here's a few shots to show you the beauty that is nature and old towns. 

We both agree that dinner that night was a highlight. If we're honest, it may be one of the best things about the trip. While walking downtown, we came across Hanna Bistro, and after reading the menu-we were hooked. What struck us the most was that they creatively used local ingredients to make the most delicious sounding fall selection of gourmet meals- and the prices were very reasonable. The atmosphere was wonderful as well: candle lit, old and new decor tastefully combined, local paintings and very cordial waitstaff. 

Clockwise, here are the restaurant's descriptions of our meal: 

The Chevre Spiced pine nut encrusted warm & creamy goat cheese with arugula and Michigan apple chutney with Fustini's Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and Blood Orange Oil (top right)

Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken with layered sweet potato and spinach, drizzled with honey bourbon butter

Double Cut Pork Chop  Thick and juicy, grilled and served with our own Tart Cherry BBQ Sauce, made with Leelanau cherries, served with parmesan, buttermilk potatoes    

Day 3: On our third and last day, we decided to take a trip up Old Mission Peninsula. Before we did, we decided to stop at the one place that everyone seemed to recommend online for a delicious breakfast or lunch: Frenchies Famous

The place was run by a quiet gentleman with local ingredients, handmade bread, rich and potent endless cups of coffee, homemade root beer and quaint decor. Only 6 people can fit in the dining area at a time, and if you can find a seat, I highly recommend making the stop for a drink and a meal-you will not be disappointed! We had french toast with local maple syrup and a mile-high pastrami sandwich with coffee and root beer, and mmmm...mmm was it good!

Last but not least, we made the trip up to the Peninsula and stopped at the highly acclaimed Chateau Chantal Winery. Another locally made product is cherry-flavored wine, as both succulent cherries and amazing grapes grow well in Northern Michigan. The winery is beautifully set on the top of a hill overlooking fields of grapevines and the lake. Wine tasting is free, and the gracious staff provided us with great advice on different wines to taste. We ended up leaving with a bottle of "Tonight" a lightly fruity champagne, Cherry-infused red wine for cooking and a Sparkling Cherry bubbly for a wine tasting party that weekend. The wine I do regret not picking up is the "Late Harvest Reisling" with a white wine with subtle notes of fruity apple-it was so good! 

I would definitely go back to the area, just because I feel that we only scratched the surface of things to do. Traverse City is an inexpensive place to visit and the variety of nature and local fare to enjoy is worth experiencing!

Oh and the sunsets were gorgeous too!