Night on the Town

So tonight, I went out to dinner with my fab parents to Molinari's Restaurant in Mentor, Ohio (www.molinaris.com).

First up, I needed a drink. You know, long week, something that just really works. I ordered the Cleveland Cosmopolitan.





The Cleveland Cosmopolitan included Belvedere Cytrus, Grand Marnier, cranberry & lime juices served with an orange slice.

The cocktail was pretty tasty, I must say. As you can see, no orange slice, but a cherry resting at the bottom of my glass. The appetizer they served us, MultiGrain Crackers with White Bean Dip, was quite tasty. The texture of the bean dip was smooth and creamy but still had the crunch of the white beans. Very tasty.



So a few great appetizers and salads later, we decided to get an after dinner drink. We decided to stop at Cheesecake Factory for an after dinner cocktail. Okay, I know you are thinking, Cheesecake Factory just for a cocktail!? I may be called crazy, but one of my all time favorite drinks is at the Cheesecake Factory...the Strawberry Martini.



Divine. The drink is made with Fresh Strawberries, Pearl Vodka and they are Handcrafted Per Order. It is served with a strawberry, which I cut up into four pieces, drop it my drink, and let the cocktail marinate into the fruit. Serves as the perfect finish to the perfect cocktail!

I hate canned soup...but YUM!

I must admit, I really do not like canned soup at all. But, I have to say Amy's Organic Soup is super good. It is packed with flavor and all natural. No preservatives, no added "stuff", just natural. I had the tuscan bean and rice soup last night for dinner sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It was really good. I have also tried the tomato bisque which is very tasty also.

So this soup in the can...I recommend!

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Feta

So last night for dinner I made a great pasta dish. I brought the leftovers for lunch today. It was really great. Actually, for lunch I did not heat it up and decided to go for a cold pasta dish and it was fabulous, especially on a hot day like today...80 degrees here in Ohio! Wahoo! So, to this dish you could add some shrimp if you wanted some protein. Shrimp would be a really great addition.


Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Feta
Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 box Barilla Whole Grain Pasta
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 small yellow onions chopped
1 container of all natural pureed tomatoes
1 tbs. of honey
1 tbs. of Italian seasoning
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
4 tbs. of feta cheese
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the whole wheat pasta and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Strain once the pasta is fully cooked. Meanwhile, chop the onion and garlic and add into a saute pan drizzled with olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Slowly add the all natural tomatoes and reduce the heat to low-medium. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the honey, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Let cook an additional 5 minutes. Before you serve, sprinkle with some fresh parsley and feta cheese.


This dish is really good and I love the honey that I put in it because it adds a sweet taste to the tomatoes and binds together nicely. The feta melts easily on this dish and really adds a nice flavor to it!

Atlantic Salmon Burgers

So, I got these great frozen Atlantic Salmon Burgers from Whole Foods. I usually am not much of a salmon fan, but I have to tell you these salmon burgers are really great.
So, for dinner last night I made an Atlantic Salmon Burger with a side of roasted asparagus.

Atlantic Salmon Burgers
Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 package of frozen Atlantic Salmon Burgers (use 1 patty)
1 small yellow onion sliced
A few sprigs of lettuce (I use the Earthbound Organic Fresh Herb Salad)
1 mini whole wheat pita
1 tbs. of all natural tartar sauce

Directions:

Heat a small skillet on medium to high heat and add about a tbs. of olive oil. Place frozen patty in the skillet and let it cook for about 5 minutes on each side. The patty should have a golden brown finish. Cut your whole wheat pita, add layers of lettuce, onion and the tartar sauce and place the patty in the pita. Divine! If you use the Earthbound Organic Fresh Herb Salad, it has dill, cilantro and parsley added so the flavors are incredible!

TGIF!! Now Here is a great Stirfry Recipe

Sooo happy it is the weekend. So a few days ago here in Ohio it was 83 degrees! Today...36 degrees, oh and snow on the ground! Can you believe it?! I am ready for spring to stick around. I have this recipe for some really great Asian Stir Fry. I eat it for dinner or lunch, it works great as a lunch to take into work, put in the microwave for a few minutes and walah...you have some great stir fry that everyone wishes they had :)
Now I make this recipe with frozen vegetables. I love frozen vegetables because they stay fresh longer and they have just as much nutrients as fresh vegetables and are super easy to heat up. But, if your heart desires, you can use fresh vegetables instead!

Asian Stir Fry
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen asparagus
1/2 cup frozen red and yellow peppers
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 small yellow onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 cup brown rice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup sweet and sour sauce

First bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the 1 cup of brown rice. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 40 minutes covered.
In a saute pan, add about a tbs. of olive oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Let saute for a few minutes. Add the frozen broccoli, asparagus, red & yellow peppers, and spinach. Let the vegetables defrost for about 10-15 minutes. If you decide to use fresh vegetables, give them about 10 minutes.
Add in the rice once it is completely cooked. Stir. Add in the sauce mixture and let cook for another 7-10 minutes. Ready to serve! Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper as you like.

I love this dish...I especially love when the spinach is soaked up with the rice and the sauce, it is super tasty. Enjoy and Happy Friday!