Stuffed Pork Loin

So after I had volunteered to make family dinner, I had to figure out something to make for it! I wouldn't call my family picky eaters (except maybe my dad), we all are pretty adventurous, it just seems that we all happen to have really different tastes, so I was struggling to figure out something that I thought would appeal to all of them. My other issue that I was trying to work around was that I didn't want to actually have to be physically cooking something and be distracted from watching the game....because if you know me....I don't like to miss a minute...I even record and re-watch games! I was going through some recipes that I had saved and came across this one, I thought it would be perfect, it included at least one ingredient that everyone liked; Dad (bacon), Laura (pesto), Mom (spinach) and myself (cream cheese). But the big seller for me was that after I prepared it, I could stick it in the oven for an hour or so and just concentrate on watching the big game!

This really didn't have a lot of ingredients, and the presentation was quite fancy, the most difficult part was just figuring out the best way to cut the pork to get it to lay flat, but once I figured that out, I just pounded away with my meat mallet to flatten it some more! I really should have taken some before pictures of the process, but I was making three other recipes at the same time, so I just didn't have time. The original recipe used a pork tenderloin, but the one at my store were so small and narrow, that there was no way that I was going to be able to get all the stuffing ingredients in the middle, so I substituted the pork loin and it worked out just fine. The whole family really loved this; the pork was tender and the flavors worked really well together, and it just looked so darn fancy on the plate! I served it with Parmesan couscous (which my mom so graciously prepared since it wasn't quite half-time and I couldn't be torn away) and some creamed spinach (recipe coming soon!) It was a wonderful meal, and would work really well for a dinner party since all the prep can be done beforehand.

If you are looking to show off in the kitchen, you must try this!

Stuffed Pork Loin

adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

1 (2-3 lb) pork loin or tenderloin (I used loin because the tenderloins were too small to stuff)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. jarred roasted red peppers, chopped

6 - 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I just left them whole)

1 pkg. dried pesto seasoning (Like Knorr brand, usually found near the pasta)

Fresh spinach leaves to taste

olive oil

salt

pepper

Cut the pork almost in half, then starting at the middle, cut each side almost in half again so that it lays flat. Pound with a meat mallet to get the pork an even thickness. Spread the cream cheese over the pork evenly, leaving about 1 inch around the edges. Lay the roasted red peppers over the cream cheese then top with the bacon. Evenly sprinkle the pesto seasoning over the red pepper layer, then top with the desired amount of spinach. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the pork up jelly roll style. Using kitchen twine, tie the roast closed with about 3 or 4 pieces of the twine. (At this point, I wrapped in plastic and chilled until ready to cook.)

To cook the pork, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place pork in a baking dish; drizzle with the olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 60 - 90 minutes until pork is cooked through. Let it stand about 10 minutes, then slice it and serve it!

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes

This past Sunday night I had volunteered to make dinner at my parent's house for a Family dinner while we watched the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football (for those of you that missed it, the game was awesome, we beat the NY Giants!). After I finally decided what I was going to make, I was still looking at recipes online when I came across these little gems. I LOVE cheesecake as some of you may know, and I remember having a pumpkin cheesecake that my aunt made at a Thanksgiving probably 15 years ago, but I haven't had any since. I felt that it was fate that I try these out because for the bottom crust you were supposed to use a gingersnap cookie, and I just happened to have half of a box leftover from when I made the Pumpkin Pie Dip for the tailgate a few weeks back....jackpot! These were really easy to throw together, my mom and my sister both loved them, especially since they are just the perfect little serving size. These could definitely be jazzed up with some whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon, but they are tasty just how they are!

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes

adapted from Put A Lyd On It

18 paper baking cups

18 gingersnap cookies

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice

2 eggs

1 c. mashed pumpkin (From a can, 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)

1/3 c. light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place baking cups in muffin pans; press a gingersnap into the bottom of each cup. Beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and blend to combine. Add pumpkin and corn syrup to the mixture; beat for 1 minute. Divide filling evenly into the prepared baking cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes until just set. Let cool briefly, remove from muffin tins and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Harry Bissett's Bayou Grill - Athens, Georgia

After an amazing dinner our first night in Georgia, we were hoping that the trend would continue. On our first night in Athens, my dad had made reservations at a restaurant that specialized in Louisiana style cooking, so we were looking forward to some good ole' Southern cooking! Harry Bissett's is located in a building that looks like it should really be an office building, but alas, it is a giant two story restaurant with a bar and patio on the first floor and the restaurant on the second floor. Upon our arrival, were immediately seated in a large round booth on the second floor. The restaurant's interior is fairly plain, with a few pieces of art here and there.

We began to look over the menu and decided to get some soup and an appetizer to share. We ordered the Sherry Crab Bisque, which was a rich cream broth highlighted with sherry, red and green peppers and lots of crab. This bisque was outstanding! Each bite had the perfect combination of all the elements, it was smooth and just out of this world delicious! We all really liked this, but I think it was I who was the biggest fan, as I wouldn't let the waitress take the bowl until I soaked up every last drop with the bread that was on the table.

We considered getting the Barbecue Shrimp for our appetizer, but when we asked the waitress about them, she said that they were quite spicy. While my dad and I would have been okay with this, the frightened look in both my mom and sister's eyes made it clear that we needed to pick something else; so we decided on the Oyster's Rockefeller. I have always loved Oyster's Rockefeller, I even went as far as to make them at home once (and almost lost a finger in the process), so I was eager to try this version. My dad is more of a raw oyster fan, but since the oysters were from the Gulf of Mexico (he won't eat raw from what he refers to as "warm waters") he thought that the Rockefeller sounded like a good idea. There are many versions of Oysters Rockefeller, some include bacon, some include a heavy bechemel sauce; but these were very simple and light. The topping was just a combination of spinach, butter, celery and onions, but they were seasoned just perfectly, and I felt that they were one of the best versions that I had ever had. The topping didn't mask the flavor of the oyster, and the spinach was nice and tender. We had only gotten an order of four oysters, but we were all wishing that we had gotten more.

Mom was in the mood for some fish, and since the Catch of the Day was Salmon, she decided to get the Catch just simply grilled. She also got her choice of two sides and chose a garden salad and the jambalaya. When her plate came out, the fish had nice grill marks on it and it was very good in size and served with a slice of lemon on the side. She took a bite and discovered that it was very dry, which meant that it had been overcooked. She didn't bother sending it back, but she said that even if it wouldn't have been dry, that the flavor wasn't anything special. Her side salad had come out before the entrees, and it was really small, but it did include dark greens and not just iceberg lettuce. She liked the flavor of the jambalaya, but once again was perplexed by the small portion. All in all, she probably had gotten about 1/4 of a cup of the rice, while her fish was a really large portion. Over the course of our meal, we noticed that this seemed to be the pattern, huge entrees and small sides, which really makes no sense when looking at it from the cost perspective of the restaurant!

At first, my sister and my dad were going to order the same thing, but ultimately, they decided to order two things and then share bites. My sister ordered the Carpetbagger Steak which was a filet mignon topped with fried oysters and a Bearnaise sauce. She chose the side salad and the Brabant Potatoes, which were basically just potatoes cubed and roasted. When her plate came out, it was quite the sight to see. The steak was quite large, and was cooked to a perfection with a pink middle. The crispy oysters and the Bearnaise sauce were both excellent and plentiful. She tried each element on their own, but said that it tasted best when some of each were all featured in a bite. She was very happy with her entree, and while she ate they potatoes, she didn't think they were anything special.

I had a hard time deciding what to order, but I just kept coming back to the Veal Lafayette, so I decided when in Athens, do as the Athenians do! When my plate was served, I couldn't believe how huge the portion was! There were three large pieces of veal had been pounded thin, lightly battered and then sauteed, they were then topped with a cream sauce that was laced with crawfish tails, dill and sherry. I had never had crawfish before this, but upon my first taste I decided that I had been missing out! The tails were so sweet and tender, and when mixed with the sherry and the cream, it became a delicious sauce. The veal was nice and tender, and tasted wonderful smothered in the Lafayette sauce. For my sides, I chose the Dirty Rice and the Green Beans. I hadn't had dirty rice in a very long time, but my first bite was as good as I remembered. This version was speckled with ground beef and onions, and the seasoning was salty with a touch of spice, making it just perfect. But the real stand out of the sides was the green beans! The beans had been slow cooked with bacon, and well, bacon makes everything better! But seriously, the beans were so tender, they just melted in your mouth, and the salt from the bacon gave them just the right amount of seasoning. I gave my dad a bite, and declared that he should have ordered the green beans, which coming from my dad, is a big deal!

Like my sister, my dad wanted some red meat, so he ordered the Uptown Stuffed Filet. The meat was stuffed with blue cheese and then covered in a port wine sauce. Like my sister's steak, his too was cooked perfectly, making it extremely tender and juicy. My dad loves blue cheese, and the addition of the cheese to this steak did not disappoint. The port reduction sauce tamed the tangy blue cheese just a touch, making it a wonderful compliment to the dish. Like my sister, he too had gotten the side salad and Brabant Potatoes for a side (so boring!). He really enjoyed his meal, and after he and my sister swapped bites, they decided that they each preferred the dish that they had ordered to the other one, so I guess it worked out just fine!

I wasn't really in the mood for dessert (shocking I know), but my mom and sister really wanted something sweet to end the meal, so I told them to just go ahead and pick something and I would try a bite. Well, they picked something that I probably wouldn't have chosen, Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, but I was willing to give it a try. Well let me just say, they made a wonderful pick, the pie was so good! I was a bit hesitant at first because I am not a fan of pecan pie, but this had just a small layer of the pecans on top of the sweet potato filling, and it really complemented the filling just perfectly! The pie was topped with some Chantilly Cream (a type of sweetened whipped cream, in this instance, vanilla) and was truly heavenly. It is very similar in taste to a pumpkin pie, in fact, I am not sure I could tell the difference if I didn't know what I was eating. Both my mom and my sister thought that this was the best dessert ever, and started thinking about how they could recreate it for Thanksgiving!

While this meal didn't top our meal from the previous night, for the most part, it was a really good meal. While we did find some faults (overcooked fish and skimpy sides) we did experience some of that Cajun flavor that we were looking for. Athens is a small town, and I would reckon that this is one of the better restaurants in town, and if I did find myself there again, I probably would find my way to Harry Bissett's, if for nothing else, just to eat bisque and pie!

Harry Bissett's Bayou Grill
1155 Mitchell Bridge Road

Athens, GA 30601

http://bayou.harrybissetts.net

The Atlanta Fish Market - Atlanta, GA

I can't believe it has been three weeks since we got back from our Georgia adventure and I haven't posted about any of the delicious food that we ate! And eat we did; lots of wonderful seafood and Southern delicacies were on our agenda, and while I never did get any chicken and waffles (don't scrunch your nose at this, it is darn tasty), we did have some really wonderful food!

Our first night of the trip we stayed in Atlanta near Lenox Square, which is a big shopping district. Pre-trip my dad had done some research and had gotten us reservations at The Atlanta Fish Market, which was touted to have some of the best seafood in Georgia. After getting changed at the hotel we headed over for our 7:30 reservation, and even though it was really only 4:30 Phoenix time, we were starved due to traveling and the lack of a formal lunch. I was in charge of the driving during the whole trip since my dad had hurt his back, and while I don't usually mind driving, I am not fond of the passengers trying to tell me how to drive or that they accidentally forgot the directions! After a few maneuvers that could possibly be considered illegal, we finally found the restaurant, which incidentally is hard to miss due to the 65-foot high copper fish that sits out in front of the restaurant!

The restaurant was housed in a large brick building, and upon entering the high ceilings and colorful decorations gave it a very inviting feeling. We were taken to one of the large booths that ran along one of the aisles. Have I ever mentioned how much I love booths? It is just so much more comfortable, you can spread out, and if you are a girl...there is always room for your purse! This booth could have easily sat six people, so there was no fighting for elbow room. Our waitress came over and discussed the specials, then took our drink orders and left us to look over the menu. This menu was massive, there were so many delicious looking choices, we just couldn't decide! I think before she took our order, at least three of us had changed our orders at least three times!

When our waitress returned with our drinks and some crusty sourdough bread, we put in our order; a few appetizers for sharing and our entrees. We dug into the bread like we had not seen food in days. It was warm on the inside, and crusty on the outside, the perfect way to start our meal. Luckily, some of our appetizers arrived, otherwise we may have put ourselves in a bread coma!

The first thing on the table was the Creamy New England Clam and Cod Chowder. My family is a bunch of seafood soup loving fools, and we always seem to get clam chowder when we are out, so we were anxious to try this version. At first impression, I was a bit taken back by the appearance of the soup, I am used to a chowder that is very white, but this one had more of a golden hue to it. But all first impressions immediately went away as soon as I took a bite, it was the most amazing chowder I had ever had! It was thick enough, but not heavy; it had a nice seafood flavor, but not in an overwhelming way; and the potatoes were cooked perfectly. My whole family thought that this was a superb chowder, and the bowl was empty in a flash. In truths, I could have had another bowl just for myself!

My dad and sister were really excited to see New England "Steamer Clams" on the menu, so we got an order of them as well. Normally when we get these, the clams come swimming in the broth, but in this instance, the clams were served on the side from the broth, so you just dipped the clam in the broth. Wow, these were amazing!! The broth had such great flavor; garlic, lemon, butter and the clams were so tender it was a match made in heaven. A close second was dipping the bread in the leftover broth...mmmm.

My dad also wanted to share a salad to start and chose the Blue Cheese Caesar, since my mom does not like blue cheese, it was up to my sister and I to help with it. We all found the concept of a Caesar salad with blue cheese to be very intriguing, and the result was delicious. Basically, it was a regular Caesar salad, that was then topped wih crmbled blue cheese for some added punch. The three of us that ate it really liked it, you could still taste the Caesar dressing, but for a blue cheese lover, this is one tasty salad (and I don't even normally like salad!).

We had just barely finished all our starters when our entrees started to arrive. My mom one was one of the people who couldn't quite decide what to order, but utlimately, with some guidance from our server, she decided on the Jumbo Sea Scallops Hong Kong Style. Hong Kong Style is the restaurant's signature fish preparation, and you can get it with any of the fresh seafood selections that they have that day. So for the scallops, they were sauteed with sherry soy, scallions and ginger then served over a bed of sauteed spinach with a side of sticky white rice. The presentation of the dish was beautiful, and my mom couldn't get over how huge the portion was! Typically, restaurants will give you about 4 or 5 large scallops as a serving, this dish had about 10! Mom took her first bite and was very happy with the dish. The scallops were sweet and tender, and when contrasted with the salty soy it was a delicious combination. I was lucky enough to score a scallop off her plate, and it was so amazing, the flavors were so delicate and especially good when eaten with some of the spinach that had been cooked in the same broth; it was a very successful dish. Mom had a hard time eating all of the scallops, but she just couldn't bear to see any of them go to waste!

My dad ordered something I have never seen him order in a restaurant, lobster. It is not that he doesn't like lobster, it is just not something that he ever seems to be in the mood for (with the exception of when it is in a bisque - see I told you - seafood soup fanatics!). I guess the description of the 1 1/2 lb. "Signature" Whole Stuffed Maine Lobster was just too enticing for him to pass up. The lobster was HUGE, it took up an entire plate to itself, forcing the whipped garlic potatoes and green beans to occupy their own plate. The lobster had been split down the middle but left the tail meat intact to be dipped in drawn butter, but the rest of the shell was stuffed with Alaskan King Crab stuffing, which was basically like a giant crab cake! Dad really loved this, he said the lobster was cooked perfectly, and was not rubbery at all. The King Crab stuffing was seasoned well and really complimented the sweet lobster. The garlic whipped potatoes were also excellent, with just the right amount of garlic and extremely creamy from the butter. He too had a hard time finishing his meal.

I was in the mood for crab, but I am not a fan of crab legs and I didn't think I could eat two whole crab cakes so I decided to order the "King" Crab Fritters off of the appetizer menu. When my plate came out, I was presented with three medium sized fritters, some homemade potato chips and a side of spicy remoulade sauce. I cut in to the first fritter and was pleasantly surprised to find basically a crab cake! It seems that they had taken their typical crab cake mixture, dipped it in a light batter and deep fried them. The crab was wonderful, there was not a lot of filler, just crab and I really liked the remoulade sauce. The homemade potato chips were still warm and cooked just enough to give them a nice crunch. I felt that this was an excellent value because I was basically get the crab cakes at a much reduced price, and since I got samples from everyone else's plates...I had more than enough food to eat.

My sister was going to order the crab legs, but then she decided that she could get those anywhere, so she went with the Surf Special of the Day, the "Lobster & Frites." It consisted of a 6 oz. lobster tail dipped in their thin batter and flash fried and was served with french fries and some honey mustard dipping sauce. When her plate first arrived she was a bit confused because she didn't think it looked like a lobster tail, but she went ahead and started eating anyway. As she started eating, she realized that there wasn't any honey mustard dipping sauce (she has a major obssession with this stuff), while we waited to flag down the waitress, my dad finally tried a bite of her meal and said, "Mmm, those are some good shrimp." What? Shrimp, she had ordered lobster! Well when the waitress came back she confirmed that they gave my sister the wrong meal, and like magic, the lobster appeared, but we got to keep the shrimp too due to the mix up! Boy were we lucky here, these were the best fried shrimp we had ever had. The batter was so light, that it gave just enough crunch without masking the shrimp flavor. My mom, dad and I were happy to eat the plate of shrimp that we were given by mistake!

While my sister too enjoyed the shrimp, she loved the lobster. It had the same thin batter, and the sweet lobster paired really well with the honey mustard dipping sauce. She gave me a bite and it was delicious, a unique preparation that really highlighted the lobster very well! (Now this looks more like a lobster tail!)

Even though we had eaten way too much already, especially due to the tasty bonus shrimp, we just couldn't resist getting some dessert....I mean we were on vacation! I really wanted to get the bread pudding; I used to be very against bread pudding, but now I can't seem to understand why? This version was dotted with golden raisins and served warm with a butter rum sauce....it was divine! The raisins really made this exceptional, I think golden raisins get a bad wrap most of the time, but when they are warmed up their sweetness really shines through. My mom is a big bread pudding lover, and thought that this was an excellent version.

My sister is not a fan of bread pudding, so we ended up ordering a second dessert, the warm apple tart with cinnamon ice cream. The tart was excellent, it had a crumb topping and the crust was so flaky and delicious. What really set this tart apart was the homemade cinnamon ice cream that it was served with, it was a wonderful combination that made it very unique.

While we probably didn't need to have dessert, we were glad that we did, but we were very, very full! My sister declared it the best meal she had ever eaten, and most of us agreed that as a whole, the meal was AMAZING! Our trip to Georgia had started off on a high note, and I know if I ever get back to Atlanta, a trip to The Atlanta Fish Market will definitely be on my itinerary!

The Atlanta Fish Market
265 Pharr Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30305

http://www.buckheadrestaurants.com/

Black Bean and Mandarin Orange Salsa

I was running a bit behind in planning my tailgate menu for the ASU vs. Oregon State football game a couple of weeks ago. I like to theme my menus based on the team that we are playing, but I couldn't seem to draw any inspiration from Corvallis, Oregon or the Beaver mascot....is beaver even edible? Well, with it being October, it suddenly hit me, I would go with the team colors....ORANGE and BLACK! After my epiphany, I was able to quickly plan a color themed, or close enough, color themed menu!

ASU vs. Oregon State - October 3, 2009

• Grilled Sliders with Cheddar Cheese (I am not that good at grilling, so I figured the meat was the black part!)
• Black Bean and Mandarin Orange Salsa with Tortilla Chips
• Carrots with Ranch (I put black food coloring in the ranch...didn't go over so well!)
• Pumpkin Pie Dip with Ginger Snaps & Chocolate Teddy Grahams (Recipe Coming Soon!)

This wasn't one of my most elaborate menus, but it went over really well with my guests, especially this salsa. It was such a nice refreshing change from the normal black bean salsas that usually have corn in them, the sweetness of the oranges paired really well with the salty black beans. I usually end up with leftovers of most of the things I bring, but not with this one, the bowl was licked clean!

Black Bean and Mandarin Orange Salsa
adapted from Coastal Living - January 1998

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin orange sections, undrained
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. roasted red pepper (from a jar), diced
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (or you can use balsamic)
1/4 tsp. salt

Drain orange sections, reserving 1/3 cup of the juice.

Combine orange sections, beans, red pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the reserved orange juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt; pour over orange mixture, tossing well. Chill until serving and serve with tortilla chips.

VinciTorio's Restaurant

I hadn't been to a new restaurant in awhile, so I was looking forward to trying out this place with a few girls from my Sorority Alumni group. Two of them are regulars at VinciTorio's and had been wanting me to host one of the dinners there, so I finally gave in and planned the dinner there for a Friday night. I had called at noon that day to get reservations, and it was good that I did, because there were quite a few people waiting when we arrived, but we were seated right away.

The interior of the space has a very homey feel, with pictures of the owners family all over the walls. I estimated that there were only about 20 tables in the restaurant, so it was a nice atmosphere. After our waiter took our drink orders he came back with a basket of hot bread. My friends, the regulars, informed me that all the bread was made in house, making it very fresh. There were two types in the basket, a foccacia and a garlic bread. Both of them were excellent, the garlic bread was crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. The foccacia seemed to be scented with rosemary, and it was delicious dipped into the self-serve olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette that was on the table.

The menu had lots of options, pasta dishes, meat dishes, salads, sandwiches and pizza...so much to choose from! While we looked over the menu, we decided to get some soup and salad to start with. Katie was raving about the Mushroom Soup, and while I am usually not a mushroom person, once I saw hers, I decided to give it a try since my meal was going to come with a choice of soup or salad. It was a rich, thick soup made with mushrooms, cream and red wine. As I was eating mine, I just felt that something was missing, so I added a dash of salt, and then the flavors really came alive. It was delicious, and I may have cured my mushroom hatred (although it still applies to raw mushrooms....yuck!).

Laura, Whitney & Cynthia all decided to start with the Caprese Salad. The presentation of the salad was lovely, and it came with some pleasant surprises that were not indicated in its description on the menu; roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hears and kalamata olives! They gave me a bite to try, and while it was a decent version of a Caprese salad, it was nothing spectacular. The tomatoes seemed to be a bit under ripe, making them a bit hard and flavorless. The fresh buffalo mozzarella was good, and we really did enjoy the little extras on the side.

After we had finally decided on our main courses, it wasn't long before they started rolling out of the kitchen. Cynthia (one of the regulars) ordered the Gnocchi al Pomodoro Fresco, but substituted the fresh Pomodoro sauce for the Bolognese sauce. A huge bowl of little pasta and potato nuggets arrived, drenched in the meaty sauce. This is one of the usual things that she orders here, and she was not disappointed a bit. She gave me a gnocchi to try, and while I thought the dumpling was good (maybe a little tough), I was not a fan of the sauce. I think tomato based sauces are very personal, and what is amazing to one, just doesn't do it for another. I liked the ratio of the meat to the red sauce, but I think there was just a bit too much oregano for my taste, plus, I usually like my gnocchi served in a Vodka sauce!

Whitney was torn between two dishes, but ultimately decided to order the Ravioli di Zucca, which were butternut squash ravioli in a four cheese sauce. The presentation of these was beautiful, and she was quite amused that the ravioli were actually in the shape of large hearts! She felt the sweet squash filling paired well with the savory cheese sauce, and was very happy with her meal. It was definitely a rich dish, but not in a heavy way.

Katie (the other regular) ordered the Eggplant Sandwich which was served with homemade potato chips. The sandwich consisted of lightly breaded eggplant slices, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese all baked into a fresh roll....the sandwich was huge! Katie said that it was very good, the eggplant was not soggy in the sandwich at all, and there was just enough sauce and cheese as a compliment. She gave me a chip to try and they were amazing! There is just something about homemade potato chips, they were still a bit warm, and seasoned perfectly with a touch of salt.

Laura wasn't in the mood for anything heavy that night, so she ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad. The salad was a good size portion with strips of seasoned chicken breast perched on top. She really liked the chicken, and felt that it was cooked perfectly. The salad was dressed with just enough dressing to retain the crispness of the lettuce. Laura really liked this salad, and said it was definitely something that she would order again.

When I saw the Cannelloni Rossini on the menu, I need to look no further! I have always loved Cannelloni, but it is not found on a lot of menus, so I was excited to try it. This one was filled with a mixture of ground veal, chicken and ricotta cheese, then topped with a duo of bechamelle and marinara sauce. When the plate arrived, I couldn't wait to dig into it, but I was ultimately disappointed. The filling was really dry, and there wasn't quite enough sauce on top to make up for the dryness. Also, once again, the red sauce just didn't suit my taste buds, making it taste a bit odd to me. The bechamelle sauce did have good flavor, and I ended up dipping some of the delicious bread in it. I was bummed by my dish, but at least everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs.

At the end of our meal, both Cynthia and Whitney decided to get a Cannoli for dessert. I am not a fan of Cannoli, but they both assured me that they were very good. They were a good size, filled to the brim with cream, and accented with a sprinkling of chocolate chips, powdered sugar and a cherry on top!

Laura decided that she wanted some dessert also, but opted for gelato instead. She had her choice between chocolate and vanilla; she chose the chocolate. After just one bite, she declared it to be the best gelato she had ever eaten! At that review, we all grabbed a spoon and took a taste, and it was amazing! It was rich and creamy and had just enough chocolate to make it feel decadent, but it wasn't overly sweet. She happily cleaned her bowl and was glad that we stayed for dessert!

Overall, we had a really nice time at VinciTorio's, it is a charming neighborhood Italian restaurant. The service was excellent, and for the most part the food was really good. I would consider giving it a second chance because there were some other items on the menu that were very appealing to me, but for next time, I just know that I need to stay away from anything with red sauce!

VinciTorio's Restaurant
1835 E. Elliot Rd., Suite C-109

Tempe, AZ

www.vincitoriosrestaurant.com

Tater Puffs

I love a nice hearty breakfast in the morning, but if I am being honest, it is pretty rare in my life. Mornings before work usually consist of me getting up way too late, scrambling to get dressed and then grabbing some crackers or yogurt while I head out the door, that are ultimately eaten at my desk at work. You see, while I love a nice hearty breakfast, I love sleep more! A few weeks ago, I decided that I should make something that I could easily grab and go off to work with. I didn't want to make muffins, because while I do love a good muffin, I really need to have some protein in the morning. I had stumbled upon a recipe for these Tater Puffs on the Family, Friends & Food blog and thought they would make a quick and easy breakfast.

I modified them using what I had on hand (sausage instead of ham), but really, the options with these are endless. They were quick to throw together, and I was so proud of myself for having pre-made my breakfast for the week! I would suggest maybe adding an additional egg or some extra cheese, but other than that they were quite good, most mornings I even enjoyed them cold right out of the refrigerator!

Tater Puffs

adapted from Family, Friends & Food

1 (20 oz.) pkg. refrigerated hash browns
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. yellow onion, grated or finely diced
10 oz. pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease mini-muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until combined. Spoon a rounded tablespoon into each muffin cup, and slightly pack down.

Bake until golden brown, about 25 - 30 minutes.

(This makes about 32, so you can either do a second batch, or just put remaining mixture in a larger muffin pan.)

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Up until about a year ago, I had had a subscription to Cooking Light Magazine for almost 10 years, but when it came up for renewal the last time, I broke up with Cooking Light. It is not that Cooking Light hadn't been good to me and provided me with lots of delicious food over the years (I can honestly say, there wasn't a recipe that I tried that I didn't like), it was just that over time, it's offerings became less and less appealing to me. I am not sure if it was the mile long ingredient lists, or the obscure ingredients for that matter, but I hadn't tried a recipe out of my last 10 issues....so it was just time to move on.

So it only figures that since I decided to go and break up with them, they have changed their format and started putting out much simpler (and more personally appealing) recipes! I saw this recipe posted on a couple of different blogs, and all gave it rave reviews. My current Mac & Cheese favorite was a stove-top version that I had gotten out of an older version of Cooking Light, so I was eager to try a new version. Let me just say one word about this version....WOW! This is hands down my new favorite Mac & Cheese, it is so simple, so delicious, and it came from a light cooking magazine; does it get any better?

Oddly enough, the item that I think gives this the most flavor punch is actually not the bacon, but the green onions! I happen to love green onions, and the flavor of them, mixed with the creamy cheese and the bacon was amazing! Another thing that I really liked about this recipe is the way that it reheated in the microwave, it came out really creamy, not clumping up like some reheated versions.

So with fall upon us.....it is time for some comfort food....and this certainly fits the bill!

And now I am left to ponder if I really should have broken up with Cooking Light after all!

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Adapted from Cooking Light September 2009

3 1/4 tsp. salt, divided

12 oz. elbow macaroni

4 tsp. flour

1 1/2 c. skim milk, divided

2 c. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1/4 c. green onions, sliced

1 tsp. hot sauce

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 slices center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cooking spray

Preheat broiler

Bring 6 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook al dente, drain.

Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk, bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes, or until it cools to 155 degrees. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart, broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Spinach Enchiladas

If you had asked me as a kid if I like Spinach Enchiladas, the answer would have been an overwhelming NO! But once I got hooked on Spinach Artichoke Dip, I started to notice and taste all the delicious possibilities that spinach had to offer. Spinach works in just about anything, and really adds both color and nutrition to a dish; so now, I almost always have at least one package of it in my freezer to toss into a dish that I am cooking. Lately, I have really been into ordering Spinach Enchiladas out at restaurants, which is not the norm for me, but they have been hitting the spot (and well, the addition of the spinach should make me feel less guilty for all the chips and salsa, right?), and every restaurant seems to have such different versions. Some are in red sauce, others a cream sauce, and some have even been topped with sliced almonds that added a delicious element to the dish.

While watching some football a couple of Sunday nights ago, I got a craving for some Spinach Enchiladas, and while I could have gone out and picked up some take-out, I realized that I had all the ingredients on hand, so I decided to just make them myself! Let me say, these really are very easy, and they are really delicious. This night, I made them with a packet of enchilada sauce mix that I doctored up with some Chipotle seasoning for a bit of heat, but a can of prepared enchilada sauce would works just fine too, or you could even go the cream sauce rout....just go with whatever you are craving!

I baked these up in the toaster oven, which only took about 15 minutes, and I had myself a homemade Mexican feast. These were actually even better re-heated the next day, what a bonus!

Spinach Enchiladas

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen, chopped spinach; thawed and drained
1 packet Enchilada sauce mix, prepared per package directions (Or just use a pre-made kind)
2 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
6 - 8 corn tortillas, warmed per package directions (I could only fit 6 in my pan)
4 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once spinach has been thoroughly drained, combine it with the cheese and onions. Season with salt to taste. In an 11 x 7 inch pan, pour a thin layer of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Working with one tortilla at a time; dip each tortilla in sauce, then stuff with spinach and cheese filling. Roll up, and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with any leftover filling mixture. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!