November 8th

Steakhouse Supper

Steak is so easy to make and makes you feel so fancy.  We don't eat much steak around here, so when we do, it feels like a real treat.  And if you're having a treat, why not slather a little (or a lot) butter on it?

Steak with Thai Chili Lime Butter
recipe from: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2013

Ok, I know this doesn't look appetizing.  I won't mention the things it looks like.  But....it really was good!  The steak was cooked perfectly and the butter on top added a really unique and delicious flavor.  There was a little spice, but it wasn't really spicy.  And the lime juice had a nice tang that went well with the rest of the dish.

Ingredients for the butter:

• 4 tbs (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 tbs chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp asian chili-garlic sace
• 1 1/2 tsp thinly sliced scallion (green part only)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp red curry paste
• 2 tsp lime juice
• salt

Directions for butter:

1. Beat the butter vigorously with a spoon until soft and fluffy. 
2. Add the cilantro, chili garlic sauce, scallion, garlic, and red curry paste.  Beat to incorporate.
3. Add the lime juice a little at a time, beating vigorously until incorporated.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Spoon over warm steaks, giving time to melt a little before serving.

Grades:

Megan - A- (You can't go wrong with adding butter to steak.  I liked the combination of spicy and tangy flavors in the butter and thought it complimented the steak well.)

Noelle - A (Noelle didn't have any of the butter because I just didn't make enough to save some for her.  I think she would have said it was too spicy anyway.  Plus there was green stuff in it.  But, she really liked the steak by itself.)

November 7th

When Life Hands You Lemons....

Make pork chops!  There's something about lemon and pork that go so well together.  Throw a little thyme in the mix and you have a recipe for success!

Pork Chops with Lemon Thyme Cream Sauce
recipe from: https://creolecontessa.com/2016/05/01/pork-chops-lemon-thyme-cream-sauce/

These checked off all my boxes.  Easy to make? yes!  Flavorful? Yes!  Loaded with sauce?  yes!  I don't know how healthy these were, but they were tasty for sure.

Grades:

Megan - A- (I liked the lemon and thyme flavor, plus come on...who doesn't love a breaded pork chop smothered in sauce?)

Noelle - A- (Noelle didn't have anything really interesting to say about these, but she ate it really well which is a win in my book!)

November 6th

Mmmm Good

There's nothing like soup to warm you up on a cool fall night.  This soup is extra special because it's healthy, but doesn't taste like it.  It really tastes just like the chicken tortilla soup you know and love.  No sacrifices here!

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
recipe from: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/0b/62/fa0b6246564ad2fd7a87fc44b7096df1.jpg

This is really pretty healthy and really, really flavorful.  You could even leave out the cheese and the chips if you want to be healthier, but I wouldn't.  They aren't adding too many calories since there's not that much, but they add a whole lot of flavor and feel like little treats while you're eating this soup.

Grades:

Megan - A (I was surprised by how delicious this was and will be adding it to my soup recipe book!)

Noelle - A- (Of course, Noelle's first question was, "What's the green stuff?"  After I assured her that I wasn't going to make her eat any bites with green stuff, she really enjoyed the soup.  She said, "I just want soup." and she was really into the chicken saying, "I want a chicken bite.  I just love chicken!")

November 5th

Top Secret

Today was the kickoff of "Stew Sundays."  It's the best time of the year when I don;t have to cook on Sundays because Doug makes a big, delicious batch of stew.  This week he made his chili recipe, which he informed me is too top secret and can't be shred on the blog.  I guess if you want to try it, you'll have to come over and have Doug make it for you.

Chili
recipe from: Doug (top secret!)

Doug makes a great chili. Sorry I can't share the recipe with you.  He even got the presentation perfect on this one!

Grades:

Megan - A (The perfect start to "stew sundays."  I love chili and have to admit, Doug makes it well.)

Noelle - This chili was a little spicy and Noelle is adverse to anything with even a hint of spice, so I didn't try to give her any.

November 4th

A Busy Night

We were hanging out with my sister and her family tonight and decided to go out to eat.  We thought we were early enough to beat the weekend dinner crowds, but I guess not.  First we tried Red Robin, but couldn't even find a parking spot.  Then we tried Olive Garden, but the wait was an hour, which is not ok with two toddlers.  So, we finally decided to walk across the parking lot and eat at Panda Express. 

Kung Pao Chicken
Panda Express
Aurora, IL

I have never eaten at Panda Express before tonight.  It definitely wasn't the best Chinese food I've ever had, but I still liked it.  And there was no wait, so even better!

Grades:

Megan - B (Not the best Chinese food, but still good for fast food.)

Noelle - A (Noelle had some sweet and sour chicken and chow mein noodles.  She ate almost all her food and seemed to really enjoy it.  She especially liked that her kids meal came with a chocolate chip cookie to eat at the end.)

November 3rd

No Pasta Needed

Lately I've been all about making pasta dishes without pasta.  It's healthier and usually pretty tasty (ok, not as tasty as pasta, but still pretty good!).  This one uses zucchini again (my most used pasta substitute), but it really does a good job of faking it.  You almost won't miss the pasta at all!

Zucchini Lasagna
recipe from: https://www.skinnytaste.com/zucchini-lasagna/

All right guys, this is a good one!  Its full of lasagna flavor, but much healthier without all the pasta carbs!  It still has delicious cheese and beef in it and the seasonings make it perfect.  Like I said before, you almost don't miss the noodles!

Grades:

Megan - A (I really like this recipe and think it is the perfect healthier alternative to lasagna.)

Noelle - D (Noelle is crazy for not liking this one.  I think it was because as usual, she isn't into eating things all mixed together and this was the ultimate mixed together dinner.)

November 2nd

No Tandoori, No Problem

Traditional tandoori chicken requires lots of marinating, long cooking times in a tandoori grill, and lots of work.  This version is easy and packed with flavor.  I'm not tandoori expert, so I can't give an official ruling, but I think it was a pretty good representation.

Tandoori Chicken
recipe from: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2013

This chicken had a good flavor and almost tasted grilled even though it wasn't.  And the cilantro-mint chutney served with it is key...yum, yum! 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon garam masala (recommended "McCormick Schilling", found at most grocery stores)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used Greek non-fat)
• 4 tablespoons juice from 2 limes, plus 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, or a mix, with breasts cut in half), trimmed of excess fat and skin removed

Directions

Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add garam masala, cumin, and chili powder; continue to cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds longer.
Transfer half of garlic-spice mixture to medium bowl; stir in yogurt and 2 tablespoons lime juice and set aside.
In large bowl, combine remaining garlic-spice mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and salt.
Using sharp knife, lightly score skinned side of each piece of chicken, making 2 or 3 shallow cuts about 1 inch apart and about 1/8 inch deep; transfer to bowl.
Using hands, gently massage salt-spice mixture into chicken until all pieces are evenly coated; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat oven to 325 degrees.
Pour yogurt mixture over chicken and toss until chicken is evenly coated with thick layer.
Arrange chicken pieces, scored-side down, on wire rack set in foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.
Discard excess yogurt mixture.
Bake chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 125 degrees for breasts and 130 for legs and thighs, 15 to 25 minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces.
Transfer chicken pieces to plate as they reach correct temperature.) After removing chicken from oven, turn oven to broil and heat 10 minutes.
Once broiler is heated, flip chicken pieces over and broil until chicken is lightly charred in spots and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 8 to 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes.
Serve with chutney or relish, passing lime wedges separately.

Chutney

Ingredients:

• 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• ¹⁄₄ cup minced onion
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon table salt
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¹⁄₃ cup plain yogurt

Directions

1. Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of processor bowl after 10 seconds.

Grades:

Megan - A (I loved the flavor of this and I think I could manage to eat the sauce by itself in a bowl.  It was so delicious, I can't wait to have it again next year!)

Noelle - A (I Didn't give Noelle the chutney [because there was too much green in it and I ate it all], but she really liked the chicken.  I wasn't sure if she would be ok with the flavors that she wasn't used to, but she wasn't bothered at all by it.)

November 1st

Welcome to November

We had a warm October, so I'm looking forward to November actually feeling like fall.  This dinner was a great start to a new month!

Capellini with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
recipe from: http://www.spoonforkbacon.com/2017/09/capellini-with-blistered-cherry-tomatoes-and-fresh-basil/

This pasta is full of simple fresh ingredients.  Even though there's not a lot to it, it is so flavorful and delicious!  I can't wait to make it again in the summer when I can use fresh tomatoes from our garden.

Grades:

Megan - A (This was so tasty and simple to make.  Also, it was a real treat because I haven't had real pasta in so long!  Like I said above, I can't wait to make it again!)

Noelle - A (Noelle loves pasta and tomatoes and this was no exception.  She just made sure that I didn't give her any "green things" when she was eating it.)

October 31st

A Not So Spooky Dinner

I had ideas to make a really creative and fun Halloween dinner tonight, but I think I used up all my ideas and energy when we had our party.  So tonight was just a regular old dinner.  Still delicious, just not very Halloween-y.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
recipe from: https://notenoughcinnamon.com/2016/11/15/clean-eating-turkey-sweet-potato-shepherds-pie/

I like shepherd's pie, so when I saw this healthier version, I just had to give it a try!  It might not look like much on my plate, but it was good! The sweet potatoes add a new depth of flavor that you don't get with regular mashed potatoes.  And the flavor inside is a bit different than a traditional shepherd's pie, but I really enjoyed it.

Grades:

Megan - A- (I thought it was like a shepherd's pie, but with a little bit sweeter of a taste. )

Noelle - C (Noelle wasn't too into this.  I think it was because everything was a little too mixed together for her liking.  Also, even though sweet potatoes were one of her favorite foods, she hasn't been liking them much lately.)

October 30th

Get Out Those Sweaters and Uggs

Fall is my favorite.  I love the crisp weather, the pumpkin spice, the apples, and bringing out all my warm clothes I haven't seen for a while.  This salad has all the fall feels in it.

Fall Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Goddess Dressing
recipe from: https://www.myrecipemagic.com/fall-harvest-salad-with-pumpkin-goddess-dressing-2501849668.html

This salad has every part of fall.  Apples...check.  Squash...check.  Cranberries...check.  Pumpkin...check.  It's all there...time to enjoy!

Grades:

Megan - B+ (I really did like this salad, but I just wasn't quite as smitten with it as I have been for other salads.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe the dressing was a little too untraditional for me.  Either way, I'd eat it again.)

Noelle - Noelle would have probably thrown up if I had given her this, so I didn't try.

October 29th

Fish I Like

If you've read my blog posts from earlier in the year, you know I am not a fan of fish.  However, if you fry it and coat it in a creamy, spicy sauce...then I can handle it!

Fish Sandwich with Chile Lime Dressing
recipe from: http://slowrobot.com/i/41325

I did not get to eat two fish sandwiches...that was Doug's dinner.  Instead, I had my fish on a bed of lettuce with no bun.  But even without the bun, it was still delicious!

The cornmeal on the fish gives it a nice crisp crust and the spicy chile lime sauce compliments it so well!  This is one of the few fish dishes that I can't wait to have again!

Grades:

Megan - A (I can't wait to have it with a bun next time!)

Noelle - A (Noelle didn't have any of the chile lime dressing because it was a little spicy for her.  But, she ate the fish and loved it.)

October 28th

This Is Halloween

For the past few years we have had a Halloween party at our house and this year was no exception.  Everyone comes in costume, we have some things for the kids to play with, and I make lots of Halloween foods!

Halloween Food

So, I ate it all tonight.  The diet was out the window.  But it was worth it.  I put a lot of work into making all these foods and I decided I was going to enjoy them!  And enjoy I did!  They all turned out great and they pretty much were all ideas from pinterest.

Grades:

Megan - A (Lots of appetizer-type foods made to look like Halloween things.  It doesn't get better than that!)

Noelle - A (Noelle spent a lot of time eating during the party and seemed to enjoy a little bit of everything.)

October 27th

A Halloween Concert

Tonight my dad's band was playing a Halloween concert at Mama and Me pizza in Homewood.  They sounded great and it was fun seeing everyone's costumes!

Antipasto Salad
Mama and Me Pizza
Homewood, IL

I hadn't been to Mama and Me since I was a kid prior to this.  It's a small restaurant, but it's great that they support their local musicians by having them play there.  We had a big section of groupies for my dad, so it was fun getting to see everyone, visit, dress up in costumes, and listen to great music.

Grades:

Megan - A (I love salads with lots of things in them, and antipasto is just that.  It was a typical salad with ham, cheese, olives, and peppers and Italian dressing.  I enjoyed it and felt proud of myself for eating something healthier than pizza.)

Noelle - Noelle didn't come to the concert because it was too late for her.  She was spending the night at her grandma's house.

October 26th

Getting Fancy With It

Every time I make steak it feels like we're having a fancy dinner.  This one was made even better by adding a delicious sauce over the steak.

Steak with Red Wine-Mushroom Pan Sauce
recipe from: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2013

This was a good dinner.  I cooked the steak perfectly (which rarely ever happens) and I think I could eat the sauce with a spoon.  I just cooked the steaks in a pan on the stove, but they would be terrific on the grill too.  Here's the recipe for the sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS vegetable oil
• 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 TBS balsamic vinagrette
• 1 Tsp dijon mustard
• 2 TBS cold butter cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tsp fresh minced thyme leaves
• salt and pepper

 Directions:

1. Heat the oil over medium high heat until just smoking.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute.
4. Increase the heat to high; add the red wine and broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits.  
5. Simmer rapidly until the liquid and mushrooms are reduced by 1 cup, about 6 minutes.
6. Add the vinegar, mustard, and any juices from the resting meat; cook until thickened, about 1 minute.  
7. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over the steaks and serve.

Grades:

Megan - A (Yum.  I mean steak is good to start with, but this sauce puts it over the top.)

Noelle -  A- (Noelle likes steak and this was no exception.  She wasn't too thrilled with the mushrooms, but I think she ate a couple.)

 

October 25th

Zoodles Disguised

As I have said before, I think the trick to making good zoodle dishes is to make sure there are lots of flavors and textures that cover up the zoodles.  This one has all the flavors and textures.

French Onion Zoodle Bake
recipe from: http://www.climbinggriermountain.com/2016/02/french-onion-zoodle-bake.html

This casserole really did have all the flavors of french onion soup, but it was much healthier.  I think the zoodles work well in it because their texture was similar to that of the onions.  I thought this was quite good, but almost anything can be made delicious with lots of melted cheese over it!

Grades:

Megan - A (I love french onion soup and this was a nice healthy twist.  The melted cheese on top was super decadent and the inside was full of flavor.)

Noelle - Onions + zoodles = A no-go for Noelle.  I didn't attempt to get her to like this one.  Although, with all that cheese, maybe she would've!

October 24th

Stuff It

I find that taking something you know and love and stuffing it into something else you know and love usually has good results.  For example, take tacos (yum) and stuff them into sweet potatoes (yum) and you get extra yums.

Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
recipe from: https://www.cookincanuck.com/turkey-taco-stuffed-sweet-potatoes/

These were stuffed with flavor and nutrition! Since they use turkey, they are healthier than traditional tacos and there's no flour tortilla either.  Just some delicious, baked sweet potatoes to add flavor and a creamy smooth texture.

Grades:

Megan - A (I liked the flavor of these and found that the sweet potato and the taco flavor really go well together.  The shredded cheese on top was a nice added bonus.)

Noelle - B+ (Noelle was a little worried when she saw everything all mixed together in these.  But after trying it, she actually did really like it.  She was especially happy that there were tomatoes in it.)

October 23rd

Quiiiiiiiiche!

I have only ever made one type of quiche before in my life (a quiche lorraine, which can be found on a previous post).  Since we have already eaten that quiche this year, it was time to try something new and branch out a little.

Roasted Tomato, Spinach, and Mozzarella Quiche
recipe from: https://thekittchen.com/quiche-recipe/

Like I said, this was my first time making a different kind of quiche, and I'm glad I did!  It was quite good.  The taste actually reminded me of a deep dish pizza, but a little healthier. We had this for dinner, but it would be a great brunch food too!

Grades:

Megan - A (I thought it tasted great.  It can't be bad when it tastes a little like pizza, right?)

Noelle - B (Honestly, I can't clearly remember Noell's reaction to this.  I think she liked it though.  I believe she just was a little worried about the spinach.)

October 22nd

Leftovers

I can't wait until January when we can have leftovers for dinner sometimes.  For today, I didn't feel like cooking so Doug had leftovers and I scrounged something up.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

You might think this sounds like a horrible dinner, but I love peanut butter and jelly and never eat it, so this was kind of like a little treat for me! 

Grades:

Megan - A (You can't go wrong with a classic.)

Noelle - Noelle had something more nutritious for dinner, but I'm sure she wishes she had PB&J because it's one of her favorite things.

October 21st

A Food Court Frenzy

Today Doug and I were lucky enough to attend a USC V. Notre Dame Game at Notre Dame.  My uncle got us the tickets and since Doug has never been to Notre Dame and I haven't been since I was a kid, he had a really fun day planned for us.  We tailgated, took a tour of the campus, saw the band play before the game, and even ate dinner in one of the dining halls.  This dining hall was set up like a food court with different stations serving different types of food.  If you know me well, you know that I have no self-control when it comes to food courts/buffets, so this got a little crazy.  I of course had a wide variety of items to sample and was thinking it's a good thing I'm not a college student, because my metabolism isn't what it used to be and I could never handle myself with all this unlimited food!

Popcorn Shrimp, Burrito Bowl, and Salad
Notre Dame University
South Bend, IN

First of all, if you haven't been to Notre Dame and you get an opportunity, you should take it.  Whether you're a fan of not, it is a beautiful campus and it has a great vibe.  Even though USC lost horribly, we still had a great time seeing the campus, visiting with family, and the food was good!

Grades:

Megan - A (I have always loved dorm food.  When I was in college I never understood people complaining about it.  I mean, you can choose whatever you want to eat and someone else cooks and cleans up for you.  What is there to complain about?  This dorm food was no exception.  In fact, it was better than the food I remember eating in college.  I know I had more things than I listed above, but I can't remember them all.  They were all tasty though.  And the best part was that I didn't have to make them or wash the dishes!)

Noelle - Noelle was still at her grandma's house.  I think she had pizza and her grandma was surprised to see how much she could eat.  The girl loves pizza.

October 20th

An Underused Ingredient

Every time I make something with fennel in it, I wonder why I don't use it in more recipes.  They say fennel has a black licorice flavor, but I hate black licorice and I like fennel.  To me it adds a unique flavor to recipes and also gives a nice crunch.  If you haven't ever had fennel, I suggest you give it a try.

Fennel Apple Salad with Walnuts and Arugula 
recipe from: http://www.simplywhisked.com/fennel-apple-salad-walnuts-arugula/

This salad has so much crunchiness and sweetness.  It also has so many fall flavors.  The only thing I changed was to use mixed baby greens instead of just arugula. 

Grades:

Megan - A (There's nothing better than a crisp, fresh salad to make you feel full and healthy at the end of dinner.  This salad is so satisfying because it has the walnuts to help fill you up and the apples to add sweetness.  The fennel bites are like little pops of flavor in your mouth.)

Noelle - Noelle wouldn't have touched this salad, so I didn't even try.

October 19th

When You're Old

Tonight after dropping Noelle off for a sleepover at her grandma's house, we decided to go out to eat.  There was a restaurant right by her house that looked good, so we headed in.  I was confused when we sat down and the waitress asked if we were just having dinner or if we were staying the night (people stay out later than dinner???).  While we were sitting and enjoying our food there was a band setting up and many people were coming in who were obviously there to "stay for the night."  So, I felt really old, but at least the food was good.

Chicken Nachos and Steak Tacos
Black Sheep
Orland Park, IL

This restaurant has an interesting concept.  You order with the waitress and she brings your drinks, but then when your food is ready a pager goes off and you go pick it up from a counter.  We decided to pick a couple things and share because the menu looked good and two things is better than one, right?  Both of the dishes we ordered were delicious and I also had a caramel apple moscow mule that was amazing.  I'd go back.

Grades:

Megan - A (The nachos had lots of toppings and cheese which made them perfect.  The steak on the tacos was braised in beer which gave it a different, delicious flavor that we both really enjoyed.)

Noelle - Noelle was having fun at grandma's house and wasn't at dinner with us.

October 18th

Challenge Accepted

I asked the Facebook world for some recipe recommendations and my friend Belinda challenged me to make Puerto Rican rice.  I have to say, I was a little intimidated by the recipe, but after taking a few shortcuts, it really wasn't that hard and was well worth the effort!

Salsa Chicken and Puerto Rican Rice with Plantains
rice recipe from: http://delishdlites.com/holiday-recipes/arroz-con-gandules-puerto-rican-rice-with-pigeon-peas-recipe/

I couldn't have gotten a worse picture of this, but let me explain to you what's going on here.  First of all the salsa chicken...
It doesn't get easier than this.  I put a couple chicken breasts in a pan, covered them with a jar of salsa, put a lid on the pan and cooked the chicken in the salsa until it was cooked through.  It turns our so flavorful, no one will ever believe how easy it was to make.
Next, the plantains...
If you haven't had plantains, they look like bananas, but you want them to be brown before cooking them.  The browner the peel is, the sweeter the plantain with be.  All I did with these was slice them on an angle and fry them in a pan with a little oil.  They get so soft and sweet and amazingly delicious.
Finally, the star of the dinner, the Puerto Rican Rice...
This was much more involved than the side dishes I typically make, but it also was much more delicious.  I think the work (and really there wasn't that much work) was very much worth it because the end result was so delicious!  There are a few shortcuts I took to this recipe.  First, I used store bought Sofrito which I thought would be hard to find, but actually it was really easy to find in the Mexican aisle of Jewel.  Second was the Sazon.  I also found that easily in the grocery store.  The third thing I changed wasn't really a shortcut, but I used brown rice instead of white rice.  Watch out though because that brown rice takes a long time to cook.  That was the only problem I had - the rice was taking so long to cook that everything else was ready and the rice still wasn't done.

Grades:

Megan - A (This dinner was restaurant quality.  The components of the dinner all went together really well and the rice was fantastic.  So full of flavor and so perfect with the chicken and plantains!  I will be making this rice again!)

Noelle - A (Noelle kept asking me if there were beans in the rice [I think because she is used to mexican restaurants that serve rice and beans together].  She ate all her rice and seemed to love it, except when she got a bite with an olive in it.  She hated that.  After I assured her that I took all the other olives out though, she finished it all.  She said, "I'm just going to sit here and eat all my food the whole time because I love it! It's so yummy!"  However, she only ate about half of her plantains.  But hey, that's better than last time she had plantains and she wouldn't eat any of them!)

October 17th

Leftovers From Mom and Dad

I'm still on my no-cooking kick from vacation and I still haven't gone grocery shopping, so when my parents offered us some leftovers to take home for dinner, I couldn't pass up that opportunity!

Pot Roast

There's nothing better than a delicious dinner that someone else cooked for you!  This pot roast was made by my parents and was delish!  The difference between this pot roast and those I am used to is that it was cooked on the grill, which gave it an added depth of flavor.

Grades:

Megan - A (This pot roast had a great flavor from marinading and then being cooked on the grill.)

Noelle - A (Noelle didn't have anything interesting to say about this, but I could tell that she enjoyed it because she ate it all pretty quickly.)

October 16th

Back to Reality

It's always hard getting back to reality after a vacation.  And the last thing I ever want to do when we get back is make dinner.  So, a combination of not wanting to cook and having no groceries forced us to order take out.

Chicken Shawarma Sandwich
Jerusalem Cafe
Oak Park, IL

I love shawarma and there's nothing better than having it on a warm pita with some hummus and tahini. 

Grades:

Megan - A (Jerusalem Cafe knows how to make good shawarma and their hummus is good too.  It's one of our go-to carry out places and it never disappoints.)

Noelle - Noelle was in bed by the time we ordered this and I didn't save any leftovers for her, so she didn't get to try it.

October 15th

Last Day Of Vacay

There's always a little sadness when vacation is coming to an end.  This was our last night in Virginia and we were spending it in Charlottesville again.  After spending the day exploring the University of Virginia, downtown Charlottesville, and Monticello, we were ready for a good dinner. 

Shrimp and Grits
The Fitzroy
Charlottesville, VA

We found this restaurant in the Charlottesville downtown mall and I am so glad we did.  The food and the cocktails were all soooo good!  I felt like since we were in the south, I had to try some southern food, so I decided on the shrimp and grits.  This is not something I would usually order, but I am so happy I did!  The flavors were amazing.  My mouth is literally watering right now as I type this. 

Grades:

Megan - A (I can't wait to have shrimp and grits again soon and they better be as good as these were!)

Noelle - A (Noelle had mac and cheese, another one of her favorites.  She seemed pretty into it, but I can't really give any of her quotes because I was far too busy savoring my dinner to be paying much attention to her.)

October 14th

C-Ville

Today we finished visiting the National Park and rented an Air BnB in Charlottesville, Virginia.  We had heard great things about the city, so we were excited to investigate.  Since we got in a little late to our house, we decided to just pick up food from somewhere and eat at the house.  After searching through the choices, we found a Mexican restaurant that had good reviews, and I'm always in the mood for Mexican!

Chicken and Steak Tacos
Charlottesville, VA

Doug found this place and picked it up, so I really have no idea what it was called.  It was really good though...I'd recommend it if I knew the name of it!

Grades:

Megan - A (The food seemed authentic.  My tacos were amazing and came with a variety of different hot sauces, which I like.  I also tried some of Noelle's food which was pretty amazing as well.)

Noelle - A (Noelle had quesadillas of course.  She also had refried beans and rice.  She loved it all.  I mean, what's not to love!)

October 13th

The Fanciest Small Town

When we booked our Air BnB in Washington, Virginia, we really had no idea what the town would be like except that it was going to be really small.  It was about a 20 minute drive from the national park and we got a great deal on a cute house.  No more having to be silent after Noelle went to bed - yay!  Well, let me tell you, Washington Virginia is so cute!  And so fancy!  It seems to be a popular tourist destination (maybe for those wanting to leave DC for the country).  We saw so many expensive, fancy cars and the downtown was full of cute little boutique shops and restaurants.  Originally I thought we could eat at The Inn at Little Washington because I read such great things about it, but then I saw that they only had a pre-fixe menu starting at $218 per person.  Um, not going to work (although our Air BnB host said it's worth it to splurge there for a special occasion).  So, instead we found a much less expensive, but still fancy restaurant down the street.

New Brunswick Stew
Tula's On Main
Washington, VA

I had never had New Brunswick stew and the waitress described it as being kind of like chili.  It came with cornbread on the side, so that pretty much sold me. 
I guess I would describe the texture as being like chili (but with chicken instead of beef), but the taste was almost more like a tomato and bean soup.  Whatever it tasted like, it was really good, and the homemade cornbread was fantastic! 
We also got a pumpkin creme brulee for dessert that was served in a little pumpkin.  So cute and delicious and the same time!

Grades:

Megan - A (This was delicious and it was nice eating at a fancier restaurant.  It felt like a special vacation treat!)

Noelle - A (There was no kids menu here, but they were so accommodating and made Noelle a grilled cheese.  I tried some, and that was a good grilled cheese!  She also loved the bread before dinner.  The owners were so nice.  They came out to talk to us and even gave Noelle a little pumpkin to take home!)

October 12th

The Perfect Dinner

We started our vacation today to Virginia!  We flew into DC and got in around dinner time.  We were staying in a hotel near the airport and picking up our rental car tomorrow.  Since we had no car, we had a tired toddler, and we were all hungry, it worked out perfect that there was a restaurant in our hotel!

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Comfort Inn
Arlington, VA

We're not talking the Ritz Carleton here, this was a Comfort Inn.  So, as you can imagine, it wasn't really a five star restaurant.  I went in with really low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.  The food was pretty good and the convenience couldn't be beat!

Grades:

Megan - A (This salad was pretty tasty.  I was able to get it with grilled chicken to be a little healthier, and since the chicken had lots of buffalo sauce on it, I didn't even have to use any additional salad dressing.  Comfort Inn for the win!

Noelle - A (Noelle had quesadillas which are quickly becoming her new favorite food.  I was nervous about ordering these for her because they came on a spinach tortilla and I thought she might be turned off by the green color.  I warned her when she ordered that they were going to be green [I told her that's just how they make quesadillas in Virginia] and she still wanted them.  She was not worried about the green color at all.  She loved them and ate a lot!  Doug and I tried some of hers too because it was a huge serving, and I have to say, they were pretty delicious!)