Saturday Night

Michael and I went to Tuscan Hills for dinner last night. A relatively new restaurant on Queens Boulevard and 77th something.

We had fried calamari (Breading was a bit oily and not too tasty, but was not heavy. Marinara sauce on the side was mild, needed hot pepper). Straciatella soup was passable, but definitely not Dani's. Rigatoni ala Norma (with eggplant) was good and Michael's grilled chicken breast with tomato salad was good also.

Dessert was Tiramisu and espresso. Both were fine. Service was good.

It's a cute, small place and we would try it again and order differently to get a better feel for the food.

It is nice to have a new place in the neighborhood to go to.

BTW, when we stopped by Tuscan Hills earlier in the day to see the menu, some jerk hit the front bumper of our car. So this week, I get to tour auto shops. First to Wayside for a new bumper, then to Acura, who recalled our car model because the driver's air bag might blow up and shoot metal pieces into you if it expands while you are driving!

Such fun!

W and TH

Wednesday night dinner was on the table at 7 (as usual). We began with Garlic Soup, then added broiled rosemary frenched lamb chops and creamed spinach. Soup was great! I don't eat lamb (but Michael and Jesse like it very much) and creamed spinach, frozen, from Seaboook Farms is just what you thought it would be :)

Thursday was uneventful, but good, as we had Penne ala Vodka and spinach (fresh this time) with garlic and oil on the side.

Tonight, however, I may be giving Jill a fresh pasta making lesson. We'll see how that turns out :) I am sure wine will be involved, at least making it all humorous.

Have a nice weekend.

Just for you, Denise

Obviously I have been lax in my postings, or so I've been told, as I received a text message during my PA meeting tonight :)

No one will be impressed with my cooking this week. Sunday I made sloppy joe's (hard to believe, but Michael and Jesse like them). I, of course, do not eat them. Monday I made chicken cutlets, (which I also don't eat)and rice and salad on the side. (Somewhat boring). Tonight I had a PA meeting (that's parents association for those who do not know me well), so I did not cook. My boys brought in Tex-Mex. Tomorrow will be lamb chops and spinach. But I have been toying with the idea of starting with Castillian Garlic Soup (Sopa Ajo) which we all love and eat at El Quijote every chance we get.

I don't cook on Fridays and Saturdays so Denise, you may have to wait until Sunday to hear more. Unless we go to someplace cool for dinner over the weekend......

Friday Night

Last night Barb and I took Jennie out for her birthday. I won't tell you which birthday we were celebrating :)

Jen had a reservation at Philoxenia in Astoria. We found a parking spot close by and walked in. The bar area was empty and only 2 tables were taken in the dining room, yet when we asked to sit at a table with banquette seating, we were told "that's a table for 4." Yes, we are 3 people and we cannot sit at a table for 2 can we? So we have to sit at a table for 4. We were directed to a table in the the far corner against the wall. We asked to sit at a table near the center of the room in front of the fireplace. Not sure if they were too happy about that, but we sat down anyway.


They brought us menus which we perused for almost 20 minutes before the waitress came over. She prepared to take our order when we asked her for the wine list. But NO, they lost their liquor license for about 3-4 days and they cannot serve, sell, offer or let you drink your own. I asked Jen if they had confirmed her reservation earlier in the day and yes, they had, but neglected to say they were a dry restaurant.

We discussed the pros and cons of not having wine with a birthday celebration and we decided to stay anyway. However, after another 10 minutes of being ignored in an almost empty dining room, we got up and left.

Lo and behold, on the way out, at that banquette table for 4, were 3 people having appetizers.

Suffice it to say that Philoxenia is on my list. And that's NOT a good thing. My list is a boycott list (very similar to Joe's list).

In the car we went, Jen drove to Mezzo Mezzo where we had a great dinner of sharing appetizers, sharing wine and sharing friendship.

I thought the grilled octopus was a bit fishy, but the spinach pie, the cold dips, the horiatiki (country Greek salad) and the fruit crepe with nutella and chocolate were very good. The service was good too. Upstairs was a band "Spitfire" playing classic rock and roll. So we enjoyed listening to that too.

A nice evening with friends!

Oh My God!

I have to stop! Tonight's dinner was great (if I do say so myself).

Risotto Bianco with onion, garlic, white wine, butter and parm-regg. Near Heaven!

Then, chicken sausage with broccoli rabe. A family favorite.

We finished off with apple tart. The crust was very similar to shortbread, and I simmered the apple slices before baking with butter, sugar and raisins soaked in amaretto.

We almost never have dessert and I rarely bake (only at Thanksgiving, when Chrysalis and I go crazy).

Friday night, Barbara and I are taking Jennie out to dinner for her birthday. Jennie is choosing the restaurant, Tapas in Astoria I believe. I will let you know.

Saturday night is Brooklyn Bowl. I have no idea where we're eating, but rest assured, you will find out!

Have a nice weekend!

Three Nights

Tonight, I made fresh fettuccine with alfredo sauce (which is just butter and parm-regg).

I followed the recipe from THE BOOK, which is "the renowned specialty of the Roman restauranteur Alfredo, known as the 'king of fettuccine', who invented this dish during the 1930's in his restaurant in Via della Scrofa."

I also made Stracciatella soup (which is a favorite ours): Fresh spinach, chicken stock, romano cheese and eggs. Yum Yum.

Last night, dinner was Veal Bolognese (which has nothing to do with any kind of meat sauce, as most of us Americans would think). It is: breaded, sauteed veal cutlets, topped with prosciutto and shaved parm-regg, a bit of broth in the pan and covered until the cheese melts.

No, I didn't eat any of it, but Michael liked it. Jesse ate his for lunch today on a roll. (Cauliflower with garlic, oil and Steve's hot pepper on the side).

Tomorrow night is chicken sausage with broccoli rabe and risotto on the side.

xo and no cooking on Friday and Saturday!

Date with Michael

Michael and I had a lovely child-less day on Saturday.

We shopped until we dropped in Westbury.

Then talked about where to go for dinner. I mentioned garlic soup, and 1,2,3 we were in the city, parking on 23rd Street and at the bar at El Quijote with a full pitcher of sangria (best in the city) waiting for a table for 2.

Ten minutes later: garlic soup, salad, baked clams and shrimp with garlic sauce. Heaven!
(Their lobster and steaks are great too, for your reference).

Of course, RUB is on the same block. So we had to go for take out (chili, burnt ends, wings, corn bread and cole slaw (2 kinds) to save for Sunday!

Jesse came home from his senior trip today and I am back to food shopping, laundry and making dinner: Turkey burgers with onion, garlic and bbq sauce seared in a pan, then finished in the oven, smothered with sauteed onions on sweet Portuguese rolls with salad on the side.

Have a nice night!