Quattro Goes To Mystic!

Like his Mom, Quattro thoroughly enjoys adventures. Exploring a new place, seeing new things, investigating new smells...it really makes for the perfect day. When it was decided to take a trip down to Mystic, we went back and forth on whether to bring the beast along for the ride. Having him tag along would hold us back just a bit but we decided it would be much better to have him with us for the day.

Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars

I came across these delectable treats on one of the Giada at Home episodes. While salivating over the TV screen,  I noticed that the ingredients were pretty standard and the recipe was extremely simple. I actually had almost all of the ingredients on hand too! So I decided to give them a try. And let me tell you, they taste as good as they look. Maybe better!

USA Food Tour: Connecticut

This past Friday was Nick's birthday. When I had asked him what he wanted to do he had said, "Why don't we start your USA Food Tour and hit up one of the states?" I thought that was a great idea! I had come up with the idea a few weeks ago so I was eager to get the ball rolling. I mean, I do have 50 states to conquer so time is of the essence, right?

USA Food Tour

I have recently become slightly obsessed with a particular travel blog, Alex in Wanderland. This girl is living the high life. She travels around the globe and writes about all of her experiences while sharing advice with her readers. What makes it even more interesting is that she is from my hometown. This particular blog has become a topic of conversation amongst myself and a few of my friends. Reading about all of her adventures gave me a wonderful idea. Why don't we travel around the US, exploring each state's cuisine. You have probably figured out by now that I Love Food. My life essentially revolves around it. Therefore I feel that this is a great way to try new things and see new places.

I have created a list of all 50 states and started compiling research to illustrate all of the different foods known to each region. So stay tuned for my new series of USA Food Tour stops.

Blueberry-Cherry Pie

There is nothing that speaks Summer like pie does. Strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, peach, blueberry, cherry...pretty much any fruit that you can pick up at the farmers market and turn into a delicious dessert. When I wanted to make a tasty treat for the 4th, blueberry and cherry pie jumped out at me. The colors speak for themselves, festiveness in a pie plate. I took it one step further by cutting little stars in the crust.

S'More Brownies Please!

S'mores are probably the most quintessential summertime treat. There is nothing better than sitting by the camp fire, toasting up some marshmallows, and sandwiching them between chocolate and graham crackers. I personally am a huge fan of s'mores. I believe my record in one sitting is over ten; a few of my cousins  and siblings can attest to that. 

With all of that being said, when I cam across a picture of s'mores brownie I was very intrigued. A brownie all by itself is delicious. Layer it with a graham cracker crust and top them off with toasted marshmallows and you have yourself an oozy-gooey, decadent dessert. I just know you are as excited right now as I was. So please be sure to whip up a batch of these fudgey delights and enjoy! 

Quattro's on Instagram!

I have become an avid Instagram user. I follow my friends and various celebrity chefs who all provide beautiful and sometimes mouthwatering posts. I must admit though, most of my favorite photos are those of my canine friends. There are quite a few posts out there devoted entirely to the furry little cuties. It was after some time of viewing them that a light bulb went off; Quattro should have an Instagram page! A place where his fans can view pictures of his oh-so-handsome face daily. It would also be a perfect "album" of sorts for my own personal use.

After only a week in the Instagram world, Quattro and I have already been featured on a page that posts various pictures from around the globe. Pretty exciting! Not to mention a great way to gain more followers.

Feel free to follow Quattro's new page where you will find several handsome and sometimes silly pictures of our furry little beast. Just search for the user name @smilingmalamute. Pretty fitting don't you think? 

My Week of Dinners

This last week was extremely hectic. I had one obligation or another every single night. This in turn made for a great week to document my week of dinners.

Monday was the monthly dinner date with Joyce, Jamie, and Sabrina. We had originally planned to go to a different restaurant. However, the day turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. After a week of rain we all agreed it would be great to sit outside. So we switched to another restaurant in Saratoga Springs that has great outside seating. This worked out well too because I had been meaning to try Druthers since they opened. Everything was delicious. From the beer, to the pretzels, to my chicken burger. Everyone was satisfied to the last bite. The company was great as well, but that goes without saying.

Bridesmaids Revisited

A few months ago Sarah, Theresa, and I decided we were overdue for a get together. The last time the three of us had seen each other was for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. So we settled on a weekend in June that worked for all of us. Sarah and I set out Saturday morning to spend the day together. 

We knew going in that it was going to be a wedding filled weekend. Theresa wanted to show us the church where she will be married next year, as well as the venue where the reception will be. Then we were going to meet some of her friends from home. Little did we know, Theresa had an exciting surprise in store. After we arrived at the house, the three of us sat down to chat and catch up before meeting up with the others. Right away Theresa jumped into a story which ended up with her asking Sarah and I to be two of her bridesmaids! She even wrote out these really sweet letters, personalized to each of us, telling us why she wants us to be apart of her special day. Of course, we said Yes! 

Happy Father's Day

Since my parents purchased their camp up in the Adirondack's, there have been very few weekends Dad has not spent up there relaxing. He loves the peacefulness and fresh air the Adirondack's are known for. With that being said, we could not think of a better way to spend Father's Day than up North with the family.

We started with a game of golf at a small course about twenty minutes from camp. Though I personally ended with one of the worst rounds since my first swing, we still have a good time. 

Linguini with Shrimp, Asparagus, & Cherry Tomatoes

This was my round for Girl's Night. I really wanted to cook on the grill and eat outside. However, the weather prevented me from doing so. So I turned to my cookbooks and found a delicious recipe from Giada's Feel Good Food. It was so easy to make and incredibly delicious! Paired with a nice, crisp glass of white wine and a side Caesar salad...we were ready for a fabulous Girl's Night!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

I learned something pretty amazing today. Fudge came up in conversation in the break room, as various foods typically do, and I was told that Fluff could be used to make it. I was very intrigued by this idea and decided to give it a try. I could have made a simple chocolate fudge, however I came across this chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe on Pinterest from Recipe Girl.  This recipe was so simple and quick, I had it in the fridge to set within 20 minutes. It was delicious! 

A Sisterly Weekend

About a week ago the twins and I were discussing our Memorial Day Weekend plans. All three of us were shocked that this long weekend had come upon us so quickly. Melissa and I quickly realized we had zero plans and decided it would be a great idea to spend it together. She drove in Friday night which worked out perfectly, allowing us to really spend all of Saturday together. 

After enjoying a stack of blueberry pancakes and doing a few chores around the house, we hit the fairways and played a short round of golf. The weather was shotty looking however during our time out the sun kept on shining. It wasn't until we finished our last hole that the rain started to come down. 

My Week of Dinners

Another hectic week behind me. Of course I had to document all of my tasty meals along the way. 

Monday
This week I enjoyed the company of my monthly dinner-date crew. We dined at one of my favorite restaurants in Albany, New World Bistro. The creativity and freshness the chef puts into every dish is amazing. You really cannot go wrong with any choice. We decided to share a bunch of smaller plates, and let me tell you, we had an explosion of flavors on our table. Here was the line up:
- "Cage" blackened string beans, one of my favorites!
- Warm curried cashews
- Hummus with flat bread and olives
- "Toscano" flat bread: fig jam, arugula, Gorgonzola, and topped off with truffle oil. Devinne!
- Fiddle head salad, which was on special that night. 
- Calamari 
And for dessert:
- Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
- Cookie Sandwich OTD: Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two very large and warm chocolate chip cookies. Drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Sweetwater Bar & Grill

I am not much of a restaurant reviewer. In fact, I do not know that I have ever written an official review ever (Yelp does not really count). However, I feel that it is my duty to portray my experience at Sweetwater Bar & Grill located in Boynton Beach, Florida. I visited Sweetwater while on my mini vacation a few weeks ago. Ryan had been wanting to try this little gem ever since his coworkers recommended it. So, on my last night in Florida we decided to see what it was all about.

Happy Mother's Day

Today we celebrate the most special woman in our lives. The person who brought us into the world, our Moms. It is a day to give back for the hundreds of other days that they have given to us. It is a day to remind them just how grateful we are for everything they have done for us and will continue to do throughout our lives. 

A Weekend in Florida

About three years ago, two of my dearest friends moved to Florida. I was extremely saddened by this endeavor...it meant no more family dinners, no more golf outings, no more Sunday night football. However I was also very excited for them and the new chapter in their life. This past weekend I was able to pay them a visit for an extended weekend. It was an amazing trip! 

Life is Short, Eat Dessert First

This week was my turn for Girl's Night. I figured I would change it up a bit and have a dessert night! I thought this would a fun, different way to enjoy each other's company. Not to mention I have a ridiculous attraction to sweets. So here was the line up.

A Broadway Adventure

This past weekend my mom, friend Sabrina, and her aunt Karen took a day trip down to New York City. My mom and I have been going to see various Broadway musicals for a few years now. She and Karen thought it would be fun for the four of us to take a trip and see a show on Broadway! We went back and forth on which to see and decided on Rock of Ages. Let me tell you, it was a great choice!

We took the train into Grand Central and walked to Bryant Park for lunch. They have a few food stands there to chose from. We settled on grilled cheese from, you guessed it, the Grilled Cheese and Soup stand. So simple, but so good!

Couldn't help but take a shot of this little lady. 

My Week of Dinners

Sunday

This was one of the first Sundays in awhile where I didn't have a million things to do. I took advantage of this and concocted a recipe I had been wanting to try. I saw the original Baked Manicotti with Sausage and Peas recipe on Giada at Home. I decided to change it up just a tiny bit from her original recipe. It was pretty delicious. You can find my version here.