What Dreams May Come...

I have been planning once again (and who is laughing?).

Monday night is to be: Broiled double thick bone-in center cut loin pork chops smothered in cubanelle and roasted peppers with a bi-color (romaine and radicchio) salad on the side.

Tuesday night is to be: Lemon-Rosemary chicken breasts with cauliflower, garlic, oil, hot pepper and bread crumbs on the side.

Wednesay night is to be: Filet Mignon accompanied by broiled brussels sprouts with garlic and bacon.

Thursday night is to be: Chicken breasts roasted with mustard and a side of asparagus.

Friday night I am going out with Jennie and Barbara for Jennie's birthday. Yea, good company and no work :)

xo

Since Valentine's Day...

We had a very nice dinner at Penny and Joe's with Joe and Denise for Post-Valentine's Day...baked salmon and halibut, eggplant rollatini, salad, appetizers, cupcake dessert and good company!

Chrysalis and Ryan visited with us for a few nights. On Saturday, Chrysalis and I observed her good friend Joseph in the Jessup Competition Moot Court. It was wonderful! I loved the banter amongst the judges and the responses and propositions from the "agents" (law school students). Later that night, Michael and I went to Dee's and had our usual-we shared a salad, this time it was tri-color, I had the Olive Delight pizza with kalamata olives and Michael had the rosemary turkey buger with carmelized onions. We shared a bottle of Chianti and also discovered that Dee's has paired up with the Wine Room of Forest Hills to prepare their new wine selections. Very Nice!!

Sunday, pleasantly unexpected, we were invited to Leslie's for Sunday dinner, which, of course, included a BIG pot of gravy with sausage, meatballs and pork. Way Yummy!! Great food and great friends!!

Monday night, as Michael wanted a certain kind of beer to bring to Leslie's ski house this coming weekend, we went to New Hyde Park to pick up Innis & Gunn-Scottish beer, then we went over to Eddie's for pizza. We ran into a friend of Michael's from his childhood, Erika and her family. We sat with them and ate. It was really nice to see them again.

Last night I made Michael wedge salad (iceberg, tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese dressing) along with chicken marsala (diet version-no butter, only olive oil, splash of marsala wine and mushrooms). Tonight's plan (ha) is turkey burgers au poivre and roasted fennel. We'll see...

Valentine's Day

I drove to Brooklyn yesterday afternoon to pick Michael up from work. We went to Jake's BBQ on Columbia Street for dinner.

Best thing: BYOB-2 beers
Average thing: Food and service
Good thing: Corn bread
We had: a $27 dollar meal for two--pulled chicken platter with Cajun rice and cole slaw and a pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw
Review: Don't need to go back, but totally edible

Moving on...After dinner we went to Fairway in Red Hook. Probably the 2nd greatest food store in New York State (after Wegman's of course). We did our shopping and came home.

Sounds crazy, but last year when Michael asked what I wanted to do for Valentine's Day I said the same thing as this year...Let's go to Fairway. Jewelry, flowers and /or chocolates not required :)

And for a post-Valentine's Day celebration we are joining Denise and Joe at Joe and Penny's in the Bronx on Wednesday night for dinner. Looking forward to an evening with our friends!!

This Weekend

Friday night Michael and I and Jill and Lenny went to Dani's. The four of us have not been there together in I can't remember when. It was long overdue and we had a great time. Of course, the company could not have been better, however, the food was really good too. We shared a salad with house dressing, too many pieces of their delicious bread, a straciatella soup, 2 half carafes of house red, 2 bottles of River Horse beer (10%). Lenny had shrimp parmigiana and ziti with meat sauce on the side. Michael had chicken breast with peppers, onions and broccoli in marinara sauce and Jill and I each had eggplant casserole (we only eat half and take the rest home for lunch another day).

Mike and Margo came down from Ithaca late Friday night, stayed over and we went to see Ryan dance in a senior dance concert at Purchase on Saturday night. Before we saw the performance, we met at a bar/restaurant near school called The Cobble Stone. We had a veggie stack (spinach, zucchini, summer squash, portobello mushroom and roasted peppers piled high and covered with mozzarella and balsamic glaze (WAY good); Buffalo wings; jalapeno poppers, a few beers and Michael and I shared a turkey burger.

Today is a lazy day. Change the sheets, towels, etc. and ready the wash for tomorrow, think about what to make for dinner (or order in). Michael is going out to do some errands.

Have a nice week!

Keeping up with the Shapiros

Well, that is a tough one!

Lori and Steve ALWAYS have great food, friends and wine when they have us over. Yesterday was no exception. It was Steve's 50th Birthday and coincidentally it was also Super Bowl Sunday. Two great reasons for a party!

The party started with Buffalo chicken dip (hot out of the oven) and spinach dip in a brown bread basket. There was also shrimp cocktail and pigs-in-a-blanket. Many great bottles of wine were opened and savored.

Dinner was catered from Iavarone (what could be bad about that). We had chicken balsamico - chicken breast and julienned vegetables in balsamic; orechiette with sausage and broccoli rabe; paella valenciana with sausage, chicken, shrimp and mussels. Lori made meatballs and chicken nuggets for the little super bowlers :) Pam and Joe brought Greek salad and pita from Greek Village near their house (it's a really great salad). Next time, I asked Pam if she would make homemade tzatziki (Joe says it's great) Yippee!

Dessert was a Reese's Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake (of course Michael stayed away). Fluffy made her famous and delicious crumb cake. There were also various other sweets on the counter.

Everyone asked about Jesse, which is so nice! We had a terrific time, as always. HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE! and many, many, many...more.

View Steve's 50th Birthday and Super Bowl Party Video Slideshow

Belated Photos

Greek Salad



Chicken and Olives


Broccoli and Cauliflower




Mom's Birthday spread


Ceviche



Mini Quiche

Since Whenever

Last night we had one of our usuals: Turkey burgers and Greek salad. The night before was baked chicken breasts with olives, tomatoes and pearl onions in balsamic and olive oil with broccoli and cauliflower on the side. Photos are available and when I remember to ask Michael, he will post those as well as photos of his mom's birthday party.

I came down with a cold in Ithaca, so I haven't been myself lately :) Today I made pasta fagioli and tomorrow I am planning to make stracciatella. I also want Chinese food for dinner tomorrow night because...it's Chinese New Year...and it makes sense (to me).

The Creutz Family is coming for dinner on Saturday night (except if there's a storm) and I plan on serving chicken riggies, broccoli and cauliflower (so good together) and salad. We will start with the usual of bread, olives and cheese and I am making chocolate chip cookies and apple/blueberry cobbler for dessert. I am looking forward to our wonderful friends spending time with us!

Sunday, as you know, is Super Bowl Sunday and we are going to the Shapiro's to watch the game and celebrate Steve's 50th birthday. Woo Who!!!