Ownership...

For those of you who have ever fought over food in the fridge, or have witnessed your children doing so, this kind of brings a whole new level to the concept of "staking your claim"...

Sorry for the Delay...

What with the state of the stupid economy, we haven't been going out to eat. So, you have to settle for a belated Valentine's Day treat.

Homemade heart shape pizzas!
Very fun & very tasty. Please ignore the state of my pizza pan. We eat a lot of frozen pizza.

Don't judge me...

Happy Birthday...Mr. President...

Be sure to sing the post title, or else it loses all meaning.

Anywho, Friday was James' 38th birthday. So, we both took the day off work, & got to go out to breakfast AND dinner...childless.

Breakfast was held at a local favorite, plus I had a coupon (HELLO Polock). I tried Claire's Harvest Benedict, & it was very good. The fire roasted garlic tomatoes were a nice addition to tranditional hollandaise sauce.

But, dinner, it was at my favorite place. On your birthday, your meal is free, so we only go here twice a year.

James tried to filet with lobster tail. Pretty much he orders this every time. He said is was good as usual.I tried the filet with the swordfish steak, blackened. I was impressed with how tender the filet was. I don't usually order steak out. The swordfish was done excellently as well. But, the rice pilaf, that was super boring.

Oh, plus, on your birthday, you get a free dessert. James took home the key lime pie & said it was AWESOME...

True Love...

On our recent trip to Holland, MI, we drove through Indiana on the turnpike. We've traveled this route before & my husband has NEVER stopped in South Bend. He is an avid U of M fan, & can't be bothered with such sentimental drivel. Well, the Gods must have been looking the other direction that day. Not only did I get to see the Notre Dame Campus (YEA Rudy!), but we even ate lunch @ the Legends of Notre Dame restaurant right on campus.

I had the Tilapia Po Boy sandwich. It was nothing to write home about, but I did get to see pictures of Joe Montana, Brady Quinn, & Jerome "the Bus" Bettis, so it was worth it.

And, just so you know, James left his U of M baseball cap on the entire time...

I Do Not Bake...

But, on a whim, I tried this recipe. OMG! I'm Suzy Fucking Homemaker! Who knew? They came out awesome. I can screw up premade school fundraiser cookie dough cookies. But, God was looking down on me, & these came out great. I'm looking for other fruits to use this recipe with from now on...

Holland, MI Dining Experiences Part II...

Our second night in Holland was more amazing. We rented a speed boat & chilled on Lake Michigan for 3 hours. Then, we got cleaned up for dinner. We were recommended The Piper by the general manager at our hotel. Let me just say how great it was. Different than anything we've been to in Toledo. We had a view of Lake Macatawa, the sun was setting, & the food was like something straight from the Food Network!

We started with salads. James tried the summer stack without much success. He got a rotten tomato slice. I had the bruschetta toss. It was edible, but nothing fantastic. The white cheese on top is mozzarella di bufala. It was completely unrememberable.

The entrees were much better. James tried the evening steak special. Beef tenderloin & prawn skewers. This was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! It had color, height, & was VERY flavorful. I was truly impressed...
I tried the artichoke ravioli. It was o.k. But, a bit too much vinagrette on top. It was overkill. But again, presentation was very nice...Finally, it's not vacation without dessert. I am a sucker for tiramasu. Whenever I see it, I have to try it. This had an added bonus of being made with mascarpone. Now, I've heard of this numerous times on the Food Network, & if it's good enough for Bobby Flay to use, it's good enough for me to try. It was amazing. Lighter than regular sour cream. There was a frangelica hazelnut cream sauce on the side too, & it was bursting with light flavor, adding tremendous layers of enjoyment!All & all, it was a great experience made better by the fact that I didn't have to cut up anyone else's dinner, or use the powder room while my meal was still hot & fresh!

Holland, MI Dining Experiences Part I...

We started our evening at a local favorite. The Crazy Horse Steakhouse & Saloon. James could get a steak, & I could try something new...

Appetizers anyone? These are PRETZEL crusted mozzarella sticks. Very nice crunch. Something different from run of the mill mozzarella sticks.

SHOCK! James tried the Cowboy Ribeye. Essentially a steak with a baked potatoe & fried onions on top. He said it was very well prepared, but honestly, he grills a good ribeye at home too.

Now, I tried the South by Southwest Tilapia. I chose veggies & smashed red potatoes (yummy) for the sides. See that dollup in the middle of the fish? That's chipotle-lime butter, & it is AWESOME! Overall a very elegant dish & the flavors blended very well together. The butter helped calm some of the heat on the fish making it more enjoyable to eat.

That's it for this installment. The next entry is a more "up" scale establishment...

There's a Pattern Here...

YEA! More carbs.

So, we went to the Olive Garden last night, & I am in love with gnocchi. I've tried it once before at a local place called Stella's, & it is divine.

The sauce on the veronese is delightful (creamy & flavorful), & the veggies supreme!

Good summer eats...

Last But Not Least...

You've got to love a meal that combines 2 of my favorites things: seafood & carbs. This is a Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich. A crab cake...on a bun...HELLO!

Needless to say, I loved it!

FYI, the tomato was safe...

Vacation Food #2...

I love a buffet. All you can eat? Come on. That's heavenly. Especially for an adverterous eater like me. So, imagine my delight to be given the opportunity to delve into the breakfast buffet @ Kalahari.

To the left is the carb lover in me: biscuits & gravy...yum! But, upfront & to the back are the "city girl" in me: eggs florentine & quiche...yep, that's the good stuff baby...

Grown Up Dinner Outing...

We have a neighbor who is having her mouth wired shut for some dental reasons. She chose to attend a new restaurant in town for her "last supper," & invited us along. It was a new type of cuisine for us, & VERY tasty. Plus, we got a show!

We tried sushi:

James had the filet:
(it was like buttah...)

I had the red snapper:

Then, there was the show...

I'm so glad we went. It was a lot of fun!