Sometimes You Have To Do It Yourself

As the old saying goes, if you want something done right sometimes you have to do it yourself. I often feel this way with food. My boyfriend and I cook delicious meals that far surpass the food we eat at even the best of restaurants. When you throw in that we can enjoy these meals for under $50, including wine, compared to an easy $150 when eating out, sometimes it just makes more sense to stay home.


In general we try to prepare only fresh, organic and from-scratch food. Our latest masterpiece included a mixed green salad with grilled peaches, sliced almonds, Turkish feta, and a ginger dressing. For the main course we feasted on filet mignon with sides of kale with shallots and garlic and basmati rice with Greek yogurt.

For the dressing I peeled and minced the ginger, squeezed half a lemon, and combined it in a jar with white vinegar and olive oil and shook it up with a pinch of salt and pepper.

I sautéed the kale with minced garlic and sliced shallots with a bit of olive oil and vegetable broth. Kale needs to simmer for quite a while, until dark green and limp. I cooked this one for about 20 minutes.

We tenderized the filet and seasoned it with salt, pepper, olive oil, and oregano. It was first seared on the stove top to get the crispy outside and seal in the juices, then sent to the oven at 400' for about 6 minutes. The steaks came out medium rare plus.

We prepared the basmati rice similar to risotto. We sauté it with a bit of butter instead of boil it. Near the end we add copious amounts of large cracked pepper. (As you can tell, we can't get enough pepper). After the rice is finished we add a dollop of non-fat plain yogurt.

I briefly (about 2 minutes) marinated the local Georgia peaches in balsamic vinegar and grilled them until soft. These were added to the salad along with almonds and Turkish feta. Delish!

 





For our wine paring we sipped on Neprica "Tormaresca" 2009 Puglia - 40% Negroamaro, 30% Primitivo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine went great with the meat. Medium plus body, dark fruit and a bit of spice, overall balance in acidity and flavors.

I Didn't Even Miss The Bread

I invited some lady friends over for dinner this weekend. Since one of them has a gluten allergy, I got to experience cooking my first entirely gluten-free meal. I've had gluten-free food before, but never planned a whole dinner like this. I headed to Whole Foods since they have the most anti-gluten options, as well as stellar fresh veggies and meat.






The meal started out with "Mary's Gone Crackers" with aged white cheddar and a array of delicious olives. These crackers, made with brown rice, quinoa, flax seed, and sesame seed were crispy and tasty - just like crackers should be.




For the second course we had a simple fresh salad of mixed greens, carrots, cucumber, and radish. I whipped up my favorite from-scratch-dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, and brown mustard.

Our main meal included "De Boles" gluten-free multi-grain penne, baked chicken breast, and a variety of colorful veggies: broccoli, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and spinach. After we mixed everything together in one pot, it was seasoned with a pinch of salt, tons of cracked pepper, red chili flakes, and oregano. Each plate was then topped freshly shaved parmigiano-reggiano.







Gluten-free pasta definitely tastes different than ordinary pasta. But the difference is not a negative one. I quite enjoyed it. I was pleased and impressed to have eaten such a yummy meal that I didn't even miss the bread!

For tasty gluten-free reciepes visit Why Me? Gluten-Free.

New Hot Spot

With friends and family in tow, we headed out to try the new Midtown hot spot, Proof & Provision, for drinks and appetizers. All in all, we enjoyed the experience. It's a great location, beautiful welcoming decor - wood and low lighting with a pop of avocado green accent furniture. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.

Our bites:

Deviled Eggs - creamy with a distinct handmade taste

Meat and cheese plate - accompanied by brown spicy mustard and peach champagne jam with grilled butter toast.

Hardwood smoked almonds - dusted with rosemary salt, delivered warm, crunchy, and smokey (great snack!)

Chef Z's Grilled Cheese - fontina, pecorino spread, truffle butter, and bourbon barrel bacon (optional but should definitely be added!)

The best drink of the table (which was mine I might add):

Retox - camerena tequila, maple chili syrup, fresh lime, orange bitters, and chili flakes. This drink was refreshing and tart with a pleasant kick :)

I wouldn't go here for dinner but it's a great spot for drinks and apps. I will definitely be back.

Stick To What You Know

My boyfriend and I recently celebrated our two year anniversary at Ecco - where we had our first date. During this dinner I had the realization that once you find something you like, you should just stick with it. Although this thought can be applied to relationships, I am talking about food. I enjoy trying new things - food, wine, experiences - but sometimes the same old, tried and true is the best option. On this particular evening we decided to be adventurous with our menu options.

We played it safe with the wine and ordered the old familiar Pares Balta "Mas Petit" 2009 Cabernet/Garnacha from Penedes, Spain. It was delicious as always - on the fuller side of medium, perfect temperature, easy to drink with a variety of food, and a pleasant aftertaste.

The salad course was also familiar. We had the mixed lettuce salad with radish, almonds, and mustard vinaigrette. It was simple, light, and fresh. Although I might add that $9 is a bit much for such a small salad mostly comprised of lettuce.













For appetizer round we decided to try the piri piri squid, a dish we normally order but was prepared differently on the new menu. That evening the squid dish included castelvetrano olive purée, a sunny side egg, and cilantro. We liked it. The cilantro balances the overall flavor. The egg addition was quite tasty but definitely made the dish very heavy, it could have almost been an entree.

The meal then came to a halt when our server arrived to replenish our silverware and announced that they were out of clams for the evening. Why did this halt the meal you ask? We had ordered the Tagliolini, served with Georgia clams and shrimp with tomato-fennel broth. We were most excited about the clams since they make the dish and yet the kitchen did not replace them with anything else.

In addition to the pasta we tried a new wood fire pizza- mushrooms with garlic, fontina, and arugula. Ultimately, the mushrooms, garlic, and fontina combination was a bit too overpowering. It felt like each of these strong independent flavors were battling in my mouth. In the end, this dish was not a success. 











We ordered two different ice cream flavors for desert, one scoop of olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper, and once scoop of blue berry sorbet. Of course we preferred our typical olive oil gelato - the sorbet was too sweet.

Overall, dinner was a most pleasant experience, but the lesson learned was to stick with the old favorites when it comes to a familiar venue.

Let me explain

For all of you grammar police officers out there, let me defend my blog title. I am a firm advocate for the Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, because it resolves ambiguity. Please refer to the images below for a more visual explanation.

I welcome your anti-serial comments/arguments, but only because you have the right your opinion. Just know that you will not change my mind on this one.