Why can't my sides be waffles?

Confession time:

Umm...

I have succumbed to the peer pressure and I have watched a few episodes of 

"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo"

I know.

I really do.

But OMG.

It has provided hours of  entertainment and inside jokes that aren't getting old.

Things like:

"Forklift Foot!"

"Shhhh It's a Wig!"

{shhitzawig!}

"I hope she doesn't poot in your face!"

"I know you didn't just fart on my leg...!"

"Why can't  my sides be meat? BBQ, Chicken, Ribs!"

And that was all from 1.5 subtitled episodes. 

Wow.

Because of all the hoopla from my time with the Boo madness this week, this morning I wished that my brunch sides would be waffles--naturally.

WWHBBD?

I'm pretty sure, though, that I wasn't far off.

My friend Steph and I had waffles and a side of waffles at Waffle Brothers.

 Yum.

As silly as this post is, I realized yet again, that it's the simple things in life

--like that of a waffle--

and

--ridiculous shhitzawig jokes--

that makes life great. 

And, don't worry.

My Honey Boo Boo moments are numbered.

Really, they are.

They have to be. 

My brain cells couldn't handle it if I watched much more..!!

{But if you want your name to be a Honey Boo Boo nickname, just click here.}

{You know you want to...} 

#21: A picture of your favorite restaurant

This post was the hardest one to do from  the finding inspiration list.

See, we're kinda foodies in this neck of the woods, so this means we're pretty much snobs

when it comes to restaurants.

I think for me, picking a favorite restaurant obviously has a lot to do with the food...I am partial to what I call overpriced  

fancy American cuisine. I also love Asian flare and menus that have surprises.

Oh, and yummy, creative cocktails are always a bonus.

I think, though, that equally important to the food is definitely the atmosphere and the overall experience. When I walk into a restaurant, I anticipate being transported to another place. I mean, I go out to eat as a sort of escape from the hum drum routine, so I want it to be worth it--I want it to be memorable. 

Okay, enough with the hemming and hawing--I'm getting to the goods...

I couldn't choose just one place, (surprise!) so I have a few places that are my fave for a few reasons.

I think the word that fits my first choice is magical. Beatrice and Woodsley on South Broadway will transport you to another world. You walk in and instantly feel, well, you feel different. Talk about escaping to a better place... The aspen trees, the bar, the bathroom (!!) --all of it is just magical.

They also have fun and very unique cocktails that could possibly change your life.

  They serve seasonal fresh foods and pretty much everything is delish. (Brunch is a definite highlight!)

Even if you just go to have a drink--you will not be disappointed. 

Umm, please go to this restaurant, ASAP!

Next would have to be Fruition on E. 6th Avenue.

 

This hits my list because Brian and I spent our first wedding anniversary here and the experience reminded me of a place we went to on our honeymoon--Babbo in New York City.

(This is a whole other post--but if you're EVER in NYC, GO to Babbo!!!)

Fruition's service, attention to detail, intimate setting, and perfectly prepared food is just  

all so delicious and perfect--you can't miss. 

My newest obsession is Linger in LoHi.

Dear Lord.

This place blew. my. mind.

Linger pretty much encompasses the whole shebang--

The food --It's global "street food"--we recommend having your wait person go around the world for you--let them pick their faves and taste a lot of amazing things.

The drinks--we recommend doing the bartenders choice--tell them your liquor/taste preferences and they will make you a dangerously delicious delight.

The atmosphere--umm. Hello. The whole place is amazing, but it overlooks the city

in such a way that it seriously feels sinful.

The other unique thing is that this place used to be the home of Olinger (Linger, get it?!) Mortuary--so the ambiance is slightly creepy-- but not at all in a bad way.

(The dessert menu is a toe-tag, but it's cool, really!)

 I recommend going with some of your best friends and make it a really fun night that won't be forgotten.

For dessert, please go to d Bar and get this:

 

You won't be disappointed.

Trust me.

(And the crüe fries --dear lord. They have bacon. Need I say more?)

Finally, my all time favorite place to go is Madison Street Bistro. If you just clicked on my embedded link and got back to this blog, that wasn't an accident.

My Life on Madison includes my amazing husband as the chef of the family.

(My husband doesn't just "cook" he creates masterpieces that will leave you wanting more...) 

Let's just say when we have a dinner party we don't chintz on anything. We try to have a theme and our guests get the best of the best. We sorta love having people over and we do it pretty well,

 if I do say so myself. 

This may have to be a separate post, but really, food at the Laniel's house is something to experience.

(Here's a fun Bistro post to give you an idea of the goodness.)

But Madison Street Bistro isn't just for dinner parties.

 We had this on Tuesday and man, it was freaking delicious.

The recipe for "Spring Vegetable Bow-tie Pasta" is below.

So, there you have it.

Some of my most favorite places to be.

 I didn't include pictures of the people I was with while eating at these fabulous establishments but truly,

the company makes the experience all the better. (Duh. I was with Brian for ALL of these!!)

So, go make some reservations, call some friends (I mean, we aren't that busy this next month...)

and indulge on the goodness of eating out.

 Cheers and Bon Appetit!

Spring Vegetable Bow-tie Pasta

1 box of farfalle (bow-tie!) pasta

1 bunch of asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces

1 bag of french cut green beans (substitute peas if you so desire)

3 cloves garlic-chopped

1 cup of romano cheese, shredded

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Tbls butter

1 Tbls dried basil

Truffle oil to taste

Prepare pasta al dente

Heat olive oil over medium heat

Saute garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds)

Add veggies--cook for about 5 minutes

(Add basil half way through cooking time)

Toss with drained pasta, butter and cheese

Drizzle truffle oil over prepared serving for taste

Yum.

:)



You say paczki, I say DELISH!

Today I tried paczki  for the first time and let me tell you something...it sorta changed my life. This little sweet treat comes from Poland and my goodness it was good. From the looks of it and from this nice little Wiki description it seems like a run of the mill jelly donut--but it is so. much. more.

A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally, Spiritus) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough. 

My friend Hannah's finance's mom, Mrs. Lesley,  sent this little delight to them from Michigan and Hannah decided to share it with us at school. Dear Lord! It was delicious! It was  perfectly sweet and sort of dry (in a good way!) and the jelly  inside was just so, so good... I think I better stop. I'm craving more...

Suffice it to say,
thank you, Mrs. Lesley, for providing me with a perfectly sweet miracle today!

The Bistro

It's simple, really, invite a few friends over to our house, share food and drink, share stories about life, ask questions, laugh, (possibly cry...) and voila! The Bistro!

Sadly, we had our last Bistro night with our friend Allison who is moving to Kosovo (!!!) in August to teach. It became clear what a miracle The Bistro has been in our lives. Allison has been coming over about twice a month for a year. It has become a steady, comfortable, safe place for all of us. We commiserate, celebrate, laugh and just be present with each other.

Brian and I really like to host parties/get togethers in general. We like to show off Brian's culinary skills (...and sometimes mine. :) ), try new things and hang out with friends. On this last Bistro with Allison, we went all out. We had an appy that was to die for. A cold soup (that I made!) and Salmon burgers. Allison brought bubbly (our Bistro favorite!) and cupcakes. It was a perfect Bistro feast. We hung out on the front porch for the apps and then moved to the backyard where we played music, laughed and Facebook stalked. (I mean, it was the last Bistro, it had to be done!)

Spicy Pineapple Dip* (*recipe below!)

Me and my culinary prowess :) The food processor has officially changed my life!

Spicy cucumber avocado soup*Brian at his home away from home, the Weber, cooking Salmon burgers from Marczyk's market.

Cupcakes from Big Fat Cupcakes (DELISH!) We have found that for bubbly, most Proceccos are affordable and perfectly delicious.Our Bistro time with Allison has been a miracle in the mundane for sure. She, and the Bistro, remind me that life is meant to be shared. We need friends. We need good food. (and bubbly!) and we need a place like the Bistro to make it all happen.

The Bistro will miss you, dear Allison. xoxo

Recipes:

Spicy Pineapple Dip

8 oz whipped cream cheese

1 small can of crushed pineapple

4 fresh jalapenos, chopped

Replace 1 jalepeno with a serrano pepper for more intense spice

Mix all ingredients together chill and enjoy! (Wheat Thin Crisps are a very tasty dipping tool!)

Spicy Cucumber and Avocado Soup

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spicy-avocado-cucumber-soup

**We used sweetened coconut and it was tasty (the more the better, we think!) Also, the cilantro added a nice visual, but wasn't overly important for the taste.

Go to your local specialty market (or higher end grocers) to find delectable salmon burgers or tuna burgers. YUM!