Late Nights are Worth It

What a busy weekend. But, really fun!
First off, I never got around to blogging on Friday night because I had the most incredible evening that kept me out until 1:00 am. I haven't been out that late for a long time, but it was sure worth it.

We started off the evening with 9 holes of golf, which started out rough for me, but for the last couple holes I brought home the gold or I did great (for me). After that, we decided to go check out this restaurant that I have always wanted to go to and heard such fantastic things about, L'Albatros Brassarie + Bar in Ohio.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros and Kevin Reeves)
First of all, the inside of the restaurant is beautiful...just beautiful. A French cuisine restaurant, that has a very modern and classy look to it. The outside of L'Albatros has a patio with a full bar and a lounge area to sit at while you wait to be seated at your table. We, of course, had to sit outside. It was the perfect evening for outdoor dining.
Here is the outside patio where we ate:

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros and Photographer Kevin Reeves)
Now, this was the first time I have ever tried escargots. I whole heartedly dug in and ate it without so much as a blink. Honestly, I had to have some words of encouragement from our waitress, to take the first bite. And, I was so glad I did! It was incredible. The escargots was covered in a roasted garlic and fennel butter sauce. Amazing! Who new little tiny snails could be so tasty and elegant.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
We also ordered the Goat Cheese Tart with Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes, with a frisee salad on top.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
Another incredible appetizer. The goat cheese was warm and gooey with the sun dried tomatoes inside. An olive tapenade was served on the side that was out of this world, with a small frisee salad on top for a little extra crunch.
Since we had already ordered two pretty decent size appetizers, we decided to split an entree. It was hard to come to a decision and involved the waitress having to come back several times because we "still needed a few minutes", but we finally chose the Veal Short Ribs.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
This is one of the most tender meat dishes I have ever had. The Veal Short Ribs were served with a wild mushroom risotto and veal jus. Absolutely incredible flavors and texture. Plus, they split up the entree for us, so we didn't have to fight over who had more of the tender meat :)

Okay, so after that feast, we were totally stuffed. But, somehow, some way, we found a small space in our stomachs to fit dessert. Now, personally, I am not a girl who likes cake or bread-based desserts. But, put something creamy in front of me, and it is all over. Our waitress suggested the Creme Caramel dish for dessert. I believed her, because she had been three for three for the night, so I figured, the odds are good.

(Photo courteousy of L'Albatros)
Well, I thought creme brulee was my favorite dessert until this little piece of heaven was placed in front of me. The most creamiest, incredible goodness I have had in a long time. It was an incredible caramel flan-like texture topped with fresh whip cream. Insane flavors were happening in my mouth.

We actually ended up spending a couple of hours out on the patio. The cuisine was incredible, the ambiance was lovely and great music was playing. We thought the music was playing at the restaurant, but it was actually next door. We ended up walking over to check it out and hung out there for a little while to listen to some great blue grass music. Perfect end to the night.

Take Me To The River

I had an incredible hike today with a great guy and three crazy, yet adorable dogs. The place we went hiking has a river that you can basically hike through. The water is low enough for you to walk across the rocks and feel the water rush across your feet. I will admit it, my small 14 pound dog had to be picked up a few times, for she fears even the sight and sound of water. I could hike all day through a river. I might have prune-like toes, but that's okay with me! Before I headed out on my hike, I wanted something pretty substantial to hold me over until I had a late dinner. First, I had to have some sort of sandwich to keep the tummy happy.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Sandwich
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 slices of whole grain bread
1/2 tomato, sliced
4 basil leaves
4 slices of fresh mozzarella
Handful of Arugula
Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese
Roland Balsamic Glaze
1 Tbs. of Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a medium saute pan, add the olive and bring to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the bread into the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until the bread becomes a nice golden brown. Once the bread is ready, remove from heat and place the arugula on one piece of the bread. Then, layer on the basil, tomato and mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan cheese and the balsamic gaze. Finish off with salt and pepper.

The Roland Balsamic Glaze came in handy again today! Love this stuff so much. The perfect topping for the sandwich. This sandwich was perfect for me. Great flavor and kept me satisfied.
Now, right before I went hiking and running I had one these:

This thinkThin Chocolate Fudge Bar was incredible! As you know, I have been on a sweet kick lately, but I felt better about my sweet indulgence when I had this instead of ice cream. Coming in with 20 grams of protein, I certainly had less of a guilty conscious.

And, I also had one of these: (You can't tell, but the can is already open because I could not wait to sip on it before I took the picture).

I love, love, love Steaz Iced Teaz. I had the Lime Pomegranate Tea today, and this flavor is one of my favorites, although, I do adore the Blueberry Pomegranate Acai Tea too. The Lime Pomegranate Tea is a white tea that has such an incredible flavor and is also organic and fair trade. They make all different flavors of teas with green tea, white tea and black tea.

So glad tomorrow is Friday. Looking forward to the weekend, everyone! Have a great night :)

Thanks for the Technique Tip

I watched the movie Julie & Julia tonight and it was so cute! I had no idea it was about a woman blogger who decides to dedicate her blog to recreating Julia Child's dishes. It was a woman blogger's dream to see this movie! And, I used a cooking technique from Julia Child tonight in my dish. I worked with mushrooms and learned that you must separate the mushrooms in the pan or they will never brown! How interesting, huh?!
So, what did I use those mushrooms for tonight anyway, you ask?

Mushroom, Shallot & Goat Cheese Pizza
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla
1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms
1 cup Shitake Mushrooms
1 large Shallot, cut into fine, long pieces
3 Tbs. of Mackenzie Creamery Black Truffle Goat Cheese
Roland Balsamic Glaze
Pinch of Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt from Whole Foods
Pinch of Fresh Thyme
Directions:
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven is ready, place the whole wheat tortilla in the oven for about 6 minutes or until a light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to top with ingredients. Keep the oven going. Then, in a large saute pan, add the olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Once hot, place the mushrooms and shallots into the pan. Let cook for about 6 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and slightly golden brown. Meanwhile, spread the goat cheese onto the whole wheat tortilla. Then, top with the mushrooms and shallots. Place back in the oven for an additional 8-10 minutes. Keep your eye on the pizza so it does not burn. Once the pizza is done, top with the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt and Fresh Thyme. Finish off with the balsamic glaze.

The Black Truffle goat cheese I got from Mackenzie Creamery is an Ohio farm that produces all different kinds of goat cheeses. The Black Truffle goat cheese had an incredible flavor and texture.

I wanted to make a Balsamic Glaze myself, but it is really time consuming and I found a great substitute that has quality ingredients and is pre-made! Roland balsamic glaze had great flavor and great texture.

This pizza was an incredible dinner. The mushrooms and shallots with the goat cheese and Black Truffle Oil flavor was incredible. The hint of thyme and balsamic glaze on top really complimented the rest of the pizza and pulled it all together nicely.


Have a great night, and if you have not seen Julie & Julia, rent it! It is so cute, funny and heart warming.

Mid Blog Body Shutdown

Well, this post was supposed to be up last night, but I admit it...I fell asleep in "mid-blog". I know, seriously, how could that happen? I assume I underestimated how tired I really was. I woke up with my glasses still on and my computer propped up on a pillow and still in the same spot as I left it. Okay, so now imagine this post as Last Night Me.

I hit the course today! It was the perfect weather for golf today. Sunny, not too hot, with a light breeze. I played ehh, not so good....but my golf partner played great! He had a putt from about 40 feet that he sunk, and left me squealing like a little girl. I was so excited for him! Plus, isn't the point of golf to have fun, enjoy your surroundings and take it all in?
Afterwards, we went out to dinner to a local Lebanese restaurant that serves authentic Lebanese food and it was excellent. They have incredible Baba Ghanoush that is served with pita bread that bakes in their brick oven and is served fresh from the oven. I have been on a sweet treat trip for a little bit here and the quest continued this evening. I wanted something quick and easy, that would also take care of the Vanilla Ice Cream I still have lurking in the freezer.
My new favorite thing is something sweet with something spicy. It is really my favorite combination and the flavor of sweet and spicy in one bite is like heaven for me!

Red Pepper Chocolate Sauce with Vanilla Ice Cream
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 ounces Dark Chocolate
4 Tbs. Butter
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs. Water
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Dash of Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
A Few Pecans
6 small scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (3 in each serving)

Directions:
In a heavy medium sauce pan, bring the cream, water and salt to a simmer. Make sure to stir occasionally. Just before it starts to boil, remove it from the heat and add the dark chocolate and the butter. Mix quickly as the chocolate and butter melts. Then, add in the red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Continue to stir. Serve immediately on top of the vanilla ice cream and garnish with pecans and red pepper flakes.


You guys, I love spicy and sweet! The red pepper flakes with the cinnamon and chocolate was the perfect drizzle over vanilla ice cream. This girl's sweet and spicy tooth was satisfied!

Workin' Up That Appetite

I start a new job in a few weeks and I am so looking forward to it! So, in the mean time, I have been getting organized and ready. Today, I did A LOT of cleaning. I mean, I got a little crazy. I vacuumed the entire couch. I am talking under the couch, under the cushions, the pillows, the sides and anywhere else you can think of. Needless to say, I broke into a good sweat. Doesn't cleaning just make you feel like you accomplished something so great and you deserve a good ole' pat on the back? I certainly do :)
All that cleaning worked up a good appetite for dinner. Tonight's dining pleasure:

Vegetable Linguine
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
6 ounces of Whole Wheat Linguine
1 Zucchini, diced
1 Yellow Squash, diced
1 Onion, diced
5 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
1/4 cup of Capers
2 cups of Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbs. of Tomato Paste
Handful of Organic Brown Sugar
1/2 cup of Red Wine
Fresh Basil
Pecorino Romano
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a large pot, fill its contents with water and add salt. Bring to a boil. Once brought to a boil, add in the linguine and cook according to its package's instructions. Stir occasionally while cooking. Once the linguine is tender, remove from the heat and drain into a strainer. Set aside until ready to use.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Then, add in the garlic and onion. Let cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add in the zucchini, yellow squash and capers. Let cook for an additional 7 minutes, or until the zucchini and squash have a tender, golden brown look to them. Continue to stir intermittently. Then, add in the crush tomatoes and tomato paste. At this point, turn down the heat to low. While stirring frequently, let it cook for about 5 more minutes. Then, add in the red wine and brown sugar. Mix well and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, mix in the linguine and stir well. When ready to serve, top with salt, pepper, fresh basil and Pecorino Romano.


I loved this pasta dish for dinner tonight. All the fresh vegetables with the crushed tomatoes and the wine, with a hint a sweetness from the brown sugar, was delicious.
Hopefully hitting the course tomorrow! Goodnight.

Sunday Morning Rain is Falling

A rainy sunday calls for a day of lounging, cooking, napping and reading.
Although, the weather finally cleared early this evening, so we were able to go on a nice hike.

We walked through this:

And, came across this:

The river's water is very high because all of the rain from last night and today.

Before we headed out on our hike this evening, we had brunch. Our menu looked a little something like this.

Herb Omelette
Serves 2
Ingredients:
5 Eggs
Splash of Milk
4 slices of Wisconsin Cheddar
Handful of Mozzarella
6 Basil Leaves
Handful of Parsley
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbs. of Butter

Directions:
First, whisk together the eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Then, bring a skillet to medium heat until hot. Then, place the butter into the pan and let it melt evenly. Next, add the egg mixture into the pan and make sure the egg is evenly distributed throughout the pan. Let cook for about 6-7 minutes (depending on how hot your stove is) or until the egg is close to fully cooked. Then, on one side of the egg, place the cheese, herbs, salt and pepper. Then, carefully fold the empty side of the egg onto the side with all the ingredients. Cook for a few more minutes. Top the omelet off with more cheese if desired and garnish with fresh parsley.


Cinnamon Sugar French Toast
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 slices of Whole Grain Bread
1 Egg
1/4 cup of milk
2 Tbs. of Vanilla
3 Tbs. Cinnamon
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tbs. Butter

Directions:
Bring a medium pan to medium-high heat and add the butter. Meanwhile, beat the egg, vanilla and milk together in a medium sized, shallow bowl. Whisk well. Dip the bread into the egg mixture one at a time. Then, place in the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. While cooking the bread, in a medium sized shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Once the bread is done cooking, dip the bread into the cinnamon sugar mixture until the entire piece of bread is coated. Then, plate it. Repeat with the second piece of bread. Once both pieces are cooked and coated, finish off with pure maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon.

An incredible brunch before we ventured out with our two dogs into the wilderness :)
P.S. I forgot to talk about Inception! It was really good but I am so confused and I feel like I need to go see it again. There was so much going on and I wish I had paid more attention to the movie. So, I think to really grasp it I have to go back a second time (which you don't really have to twist my arm to do so!)

Movie Night

No cooking for this girl tonight!
I am going to see Inception!

I have heard so many great things about this movie, so I am jumping on the bandwagon and seeing what all the fuss is about.
Have a great night!

We've Got A Tumbler

As I mentioned before, I am starting to really get into golf, and today I played 9 holes with Julian.
Honestly, I did terrible. My game was so off and so not there. Isn't it interesting how some days you have the game of your life and then other days you are like, seriously, I am playing this bad? Well, that was me today. Oh, and to top it off, I fell out of the golf cart! I can laugh about it now, because I was not hurt, but I literally tumbled out of the golf cart while it was moving. I am sure the other people on the course got their entertainment for the day.
After golf and after going out to dinner, I wanted something to satisfy my sweet tooth. Something quick and something cool.

Sauteed Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Peach, cut into quarters
1/2 cup Organic Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Raw Honey
Dash of Cinnamon
3 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
6 small scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (3 for each serving)

Directions:
First, cut the peaches into quarters. In a medium saute pan, place in the butter and bring it to medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, place the peaches in the pan. Let cook for a few minutes on each side. Then, add in the brown sugar and honey. Then, bring the peaches to a simmer. Let cook for a few more minutes. Next, add in the cinnamon. Once the peaches are a nice golden brown, remove them from the mixture and set aside on a plate. Bring out the vanilla ice cream, and scoop out three small scoops per serving. Top the ice cream with the peaches and then drizzle the honey and brown sugar mixture over the top. Finish off with a little more cinnamon.


This was the easiest dessert to make. Not only was it easy, but it tasted incredible! The brown sugar, honey and cinnamon was an incredible flavor combination. The honey also hardened a little when it hit the ice cream, creating a nice shell-like topping. I loved it! Kinda disappointed in my pictures because they do not do the dessert justice! Trust me when I say this tastes a whole lot better than it looks!

Fiesta Fiesta

So tonight I was in the mood for some Mexican food, but wanted a light and healthy spin on it. What do we have here?

Vegetable Tostadas
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 onion, diced
cilantro, chopped finely
lime juice, squeezed
1 green pepper, diced
1 Cubanelle pepper, diced
1/2 cup Chihuahua cheese, grated
Splash of Frontera taco sauce
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
First, dice the tomatoes, onions, avocado, green pepper and Cubanelle pepper. Set the vegetables aside.
Meanwhile, bring a sautee pan to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place the onions and all the peppers into the pan. Let cook for about 7 minutes until a nice golden brown. Remove from heat once they are done cooking.
Then, in the same medium sautee pan, bring it to medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place one of the tortillas in the pan. Let cook for about 6 minutes on each side, untiil the tortilla is a nice golden brown color. Repeat for the second tortilla.
Once the tortillas are done cooking, place the sauteed onions and peppers on the tortilla. Top with the tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, splash of Frontera taco sauce and Chihuahua cheese. Finish off with salt and pepper.

This was a great vegetarian Mexican dish with all the right flavor combinations. If you want something light and tasty, this makes for the perfect little dinner.

Another Round

One of the best parts about summer is it's the opportune time to grill! Although, my dad always would grill year round, whether it was snow, rain, sleet or hail. No joke.
He would always say, "Just put on your coat or carry out an umbrella, don't let a little bad weather stop you from what you love to do!" Smart man.
Alright, so let's bring out that grill for another round, shall we?

Grilled Sesame Ginger Vegetable Kabobs
Serves about 6
Ingredients:
2 Onion, cut into large pieces
2 Yellow Summer Squash, cut into thick, 2 inch pieces
6 red potatoes
1 cup of
Lawry's Sesame Ginger Marinade with Mandarin Orange Juice
about 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Wooden skewers, (pre-soak in water beforehand)

Directions:
First, place the potatoes in a medium pot filled with about 2 inches of water. Add salt. Bring to a boil, and then let cook for a few minutes. Then, remove from heat, rinse with cool water, cut into quarters and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the cut summer squash and onion. Then, add in the potatoes. Pour in the Sesame Ginger Marinade and olive oil. Mix well. Finish with salt and pepper and mix everything well. Then, bring out the pre-soaked wooden skewers and place the marinated vegetables onto each. Make sure to alternate between onion, potato and summer squash. Leave enough room on the skewer to grab hold at the bottom and enough room at the top to avoid pieces falling off.
Once the grill is ready and hot, place the skewers on direct heat for about 30 minutes, 15 minutes on each side. Make sure to monitor the kabobs, because every grill temperature is different, so cook time may vary. When the kabobs are a nice golden brown, they are ready to be pulled.

Look at how nice and brown the kabobs turned out. Honestly, the flavor was incredible and the vegetables all had a great texture and bite to them.

So, thanks to sir Julian's mom, we used homegrown Romaine lettuce to make a salad. It was super crunchy, fresh and fab. Why mess with incredible homegrown lettuce? We stuck with it as the main focus of the dish.

Simple Romaine Salad
Ingredients:
6 pieces of Homegrown Romaine Lettuce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tbs. of Balsamic Vinaigrette
Parmesan Reggiano
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Wash the romaine lettuce thoroughly. Once cleaned, break into smaller pieces that are a good size for you in a salad. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the lettuce and top with Parmesan Reggiano.

We also grilled some chicken and smothered it with Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce

Topped with some cheddar cheese...

We took the grilled chicken and made a nice sandwich with some pumpernickel bread and more of the homegrown Romaine lettuce.

Finished off with a cute little Polish dill pickle. What is interesting is that a polish dill pickle is not soaked in a vinegar based brine. However, pickles made in the United States, are soaked in vinegar. So, when the polish dill pickles are done fermenting, they produce a thin film of bacteria that is removed before selling the final product. Interesting fact, huh?

This meal was a perfect grilling masterpiece. The vegetable kabobs were out of this world with the marinade.

Summer Heat Relief

Alright, so be honest. Do you find yourself coming home from work sometimes and thinking, "man, I could use a drink"? If this is the case, lend me your ear..or eyes.
The Pineapple Basil Martini. The perfect martini for a Summer Heat Relief.

Pineapple Basil Martini
Serves 2
Ingredients:
6 Basil Leaves
About 6, 2 inch thick, lengthwise pieces of Pineapple
1/2 cup of Skyy Infusions All Natural Pineapple Vodka
Extra Basil for Garnish
Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Directions:
First, make the simple syrup. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the water. Then, put in the microwave for about 1 minute. Once done, stir well. Then, let it sit and cool, until ready to use. Making the simple syrup in the microwave is a quick and efficient way to make some great simple syrup.

Then, in a large cup, place the pineapple and the basil. Muddle the pineapple and basil until the pieces are all broken up. Add in the vodka and the simple syrup. Mix well. Drain the mixture through a sieve into another large cup. Once ready to serve, serve the martini on ice and garnish with basil.

This martini is the perfect martini for summer. The pineapple blended with basil is an incredible medley. The Skyy Infusions All Natural Pineapple Vodka adds just the right amount of extra pineapple flavor. Gotta love it.

Golfing and Grilling

Golfing is Julian and I's favorite thing to do now. We have become consumed by learning the strategy of the game and mastering the technique of the pros. Honestly, we are having tons of fun with it and I even got a golf skirt and some golf shirts to get more into the zone.
After a round of golf in the crazy humidity, you sure work up an appetite. Dinner fit for kings was on the menu.

Grilled lobster served with grilled red potatoes and grilled green and yellow beans, but of course with some key ingredients in each to really spice it up.
We decided to do everything on the grill because the air conditioning was so nice and cozy, so why get the oven going and mess with it?!
While I was getting the red potato and green & yellow bean dishes together, Julian was master of the grill and prepping the lobster. He loves using all natural wood charcoal because it leaves an incredible after taste on the food and leaves all those nasty chemicals behind.

Grilled lobster
Directions:
If defrosted, cut the lobster in half, and place it on its back for about 10-12 minutes in the grill. Once the lobster meat is nice and white, it is ready to be served.

We made a simple garlic butter to drizzle over the lobster. We didn't make much, we just wanted a hint of the garlic butter. We diced some garlic very finely, melted a little bit of butter, added in some salt and pepper, stirred and served. It was an incredible addition to the already divine lobster.

Grilled Red Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 Red Potatoes, cut into quarters
1 yellow Onion, diced
3 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
Drizzle of olive oil
Rosemary
Thyme
Pepper
Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt

Directions:
Prepare the red potatoes, yellow onion and garlic as directed above. Place in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle the olive oil onto the vegetables and mix well. Add in the rosemary, thyme and pepper. Place on the grill on a piece of foil for about 15-20 minutes, on direct heat. Followed by, 15-20 minutes of grilling on indirect heat. Make sure to turn the potatoes regularly. Make sure they are nice and soft on the inside. Once cooked, garnish with the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt.

This grilled potato dish was the perfect accompaniment to the lobster. The flavor of the herbs with the final touch of the Black Truffle Oil Sea Salt was incredible. I found the salt at Whole Foods. They have so many different types of unique salts, I definitely recommend trying them out.

Grilled Green and Yellow Beans
Ingredients:
2 cups of Green and Yellow Beans, ends cut off and removed
3 cloves of Garlic, minced finely
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Parsley

Directions:
Prepare the beans and garlic as directed above. In a medium size bow, place the beans and garlic. Add in the olive oil and mix well. Add in the fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well. Place on the grill on a piece of foil and cook for about 20-25 minutes on indirect heat.

Now, I loved this dish because the green and yellow beans were from Julian's mom's garden. So, literally, as fresh as they could get! The parsley was also from Julian's backyard. I really believe there is nothing better then fresh vegetables and herbs.
Overall, a fabulous dish, after some fun golf with a not too shabby guy :)