Haiku for the heck of it!

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Green Eggs and Ham

Should I have been a short order cook?  Is that my true calling?  Idk.  What I do know is that for some crazy reason, whipping up eggs in various forms, is a talent I have been blessed with.  Fried, over medium/easy eggs with grilled Virginia baked ham and a lightly toasted egg Finagle a Bagel with cream cheese, is the concoction I put together as a late breakfast for the hubs.  He gobbled it down, cleaning his plate per usual. 

The weird thing is that I don't fancy eggs.  If they are in a quiche, (recipe posted), or as the glue only in an omelette filled with veggies, meat, hot sauce, and cheese, I am all over it.  YUM.  Yeah.  Yeah.  Sounds strange but that's how I roll.  The prepared huevos always look so delicious and appetizing but I just can't stomach a plain old egg.  Uck.

My next cooking endeavor will be to master the poached and boiled egg.  Why not?  Right.  And many of the recipes I prepare, call for eggs.  That's cool and if I can't taste them, it's fine to dine.  The other day, I cracked an egg into the frying pan and two, TWO yolks came out, YO.  Ha.  No seriously, I was like a little kid in a candy shop.  I exclaimed, "OMG double yolk"  to the hubs, who of course was not very impressed.  I was super excited.  Then all of a sudden I felt so horrible.  As the eggs sizzled away in front of me and for some odd, twisted reason, I started picturing two baby chickies who could have grown up on a free range farm, just living the life.  Issues.  Um.  Yup.

Holiday Haiku!

Festive memories
Family, friends, Christmas cheer
Enjoy tasty treats

Fiesta!

Saturday evening, I hosted our umpteenth annual xmas bash.  Every year it gets a little bit better and this one was pretty fantastic.  Our house looked like a mini winter wonderland and our front porch was lit up with strands of lights with my new sparkling Christmas panda bear.  Yay!  About fifty or more of our close friends and our siblings gathered together to chat, catch up, laugh, reminisce, and you know

what's coming.  EAT!  And drink.  HA!

My awesome, 5 gallon jug of sangria was a huge hit.  The crowd was loving it and it went like hotcakes.  I had to whip up a second batch on a whim. People came with every beer and wine you can think of.  Everyone was so generous.  They brought tons of vino and other gifts for the hostess with the mostess.  ME!  It was fab.  :)

 For food, we had tons of candy and nuts, mi madre's meatballs and crab/cheese triangles, rolls, my delish kielbasa, a new lil weiner recipe which I posted last week, buffalo chicken dip, celery, and chips by the bff, pigs in a blanket made by the hubs, cheese, crackers, and pepperoni, shrimp and cocktail sauce, antipasto calzone made by an amigo.  Pretty sure that sums it up.  And it all was delightful. 

My buddies were nice enough to offer to make some delectable desserts.  One gal brought homemade lemon squares.  OMG.  Scrumptious.  Another made some blonde brownies which were  really good and another chica made my fave, 7 layer bars.  And this year, I actually got to enjoy one.  Long story.  Others brought some fresh cookies from the supermarket and another great pal made bread pudding.  YUMMY!  There was also Oreo chocolate balls.  Exactly what they sound like and oh so addictive.  And I ordered a cute gingerbread Edible Arrangement as a centerpiece.  Healthy and festive. 

One dude was nice enough to share his Twizzler cake balls made especially for him by Vancey Cakes (find it on facebook).  Talk about talent!  And the cakes are so moist and the frosting is so creamy.   The creations are amazing.  She made an interesting two flavor birthday cake for one of our mutual friends.  It involved camouflage, a pond, a dead duck and lots and lots of scrumptousness. 

Our guests ate, drank, and were merry.  It was a fabulous way to kick off the holiday season.  This year we were even blessed with fireworks.  YUP.  Good times, great friends, drinks, and FOOD. 

Last Friday of the Month---Recipe Friday

Crockpot Cocktail Weiners


1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 dash Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 package (12 oz) lil' smokies/weiners
5-6 slices of bacon


Heat the crockpot on low.  When warm, layer the bottom of the crock with the bacon strips and cover.  Combine all other ingredients and toss into the crock. Cover and cook about 3.5 hours on low.  Stir about every hour. 
I haven't made this recipe yet.  I have been researching a yummy, new weiner recipe for an upcoming fiesta.  Per usual, I viewed several ideas on line and then spiced it up a bit.  Will let ya know how delish they turn out. 
One of the many clever ideas I came across was using mini pretzel sticks instead of tooth picks, to pick up the mini delights.  Hmm. 

Thanksgiving Haiku

Fab brunch by hubby
Southern ribs and turkey breast
Our new tradition

Town Spa, 02072

The other afternoon, some cool girlfriends of mine and I headed out to one of my favorite pizza joints in the world.  The Town Spa in Stoughton has been in business for over 50 years and I can vouch for 30 something of them.  Oh!  Like I am going to tell ya my real age.  NOT! 

The food is always reliable and the pizza is the bomb.  Since I was a little girl, I have been enjoying the deliciousness of their perfect sized pizzas.  The best is that everyone, no matter what age, can order their very own pizza pie!  And no worries, they have every topping you can imagine.  Among others, linguica and onion is definitely on the top of my list. 

The pizza sauce is flavorful and they spread it on just right.  The ooey gooey cheese and other toppings together create scrumptousness on the thin, crispy crusted delight.  I LOVE it.  The menu also offers soups, salads, appetizers, cocktails, sandwiches and burgers.  I stick to the pizza and apps every time but I have been told by the hubs and others that the burgers are tasty.  But I do know for a fact that the wings are super delish. 

As soon as we sat down and ordered our beers and because I was famished, I put an order in for their phenomenal crinkle fries.  YUMMO!  The beer order was Bud Lights and a seasonal brew called Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat served with caramel and cinnamon on the rim. One of my buddies was seriously making out with the glass.  It was that yummy.  Too funny!  Our waitress was cool, friendly, and attentive but the woman who sat us was less than happy.  After we all shared the fries, we ordered some fresh Greek salads, thick cut onion rings, and some mozzarella sticks which they served with COLD marinara sauce.  Weird but true.  Don't get me wrong, the mozzies were good but they would have been way better with some warm dipping sauce.  Oh well. 

Soon after we devoured the salads and apps, our pizzas and burger were delivered.  Everything was so piping hot that I had to wait a good five minutes to take my first nibble of heaven.  The wait was well worth it.  My pepperoni pizza, sprinkled with salt and pepper and a healthy amount of grated cheese, was superb. 

The restaurant has a good sized bar and several tables/booths surrounding it.  And there is another dining area on the other side of the building with tons more seating.  There is a function room downstairs for parties.  There is also a take out area which has freezers full of pizza, (I bought four) you can purchase and cook at your leisure in the comfort of your home.  Best idea ever.  People come form all over the country for these pizzas and I think the Spa has some sort of pizza by mail dealio.  Don't mark my words though. 

After getting our fill, we chilled in the bar area which was way more lively.  Our lunch/dinner was a fun time.  We ate, drank, laughed, and chit chatted.  Some of us even extended our outing and headed out for some early evening shenanigans.  Good times.

Mother/Daughter Weekend 2011

Looking back at my blog, I can't believe it has been over a week since my last entry.  Well.  What can I say?  Tis' the busy life of a happy housewife.  HA!  So much eating has gone on since 'My Best Lasagna Yet' post.

On Thursday evening which also happened to be the Marine Corp Birthday, the hubs and I met up with some pretty cool friends of ours.  We shared a delicious dinner and vino at Delfino in Roslindale and then a drink at Birch Street Bistro.  Good times!  And scrumptious. 

Friday began what we in my family refer to as mother/daughter weekend.  It is an annual event which occurs on Veteran's Day weekend that we have been enjoying for over 25 years.  The roster consists of most of the females on my madre's side of the family.  Aunts and cousins, etc.  Imagine about 20 women give or take a few, ages ranging from 15 to 71 in the SAME house for a whole weekend?   
Awesomeness and drama llama are the words.  We LOVE it.  Most of the fam live in and around the Boston area now so we rotate the settings each year.  One family does have to travel from Florida.  But it's all good.  We wouldn't miss it for the world. 

The weekend originated way back when so all of us could get together once a year and start our Christmas Shopping.  Over the years, there is much less shopping and way more hanging out and catching up.  And while we sit and reminisce and chat, we EAT.  We seriously start consuming food from the moment we step into the house.  It is like Heaven on earth. 

The first night we indulged in some munchies and some meatball, ham and cheese, and Italian calzones, wing dings, and pizza from a local joint in Dorchester.  YUM!  We drank beer, wine, and champagne and had a good old time playing card games and being crazy. 

Saturday was the feast day.  Most of the chicks went shopping downtown in the afternoon and some of us chilled and did local errands.  I did end up scoring a cute black and white ruffly sweater from my aunt and a new Townies gray zip up from my uncle (http://www.towniesportswear.com).  Word.  For lunch, dinner, and dessert, we had everything.  From my awesome kielbasa to stuffed shrooms, tasty chili, chips and dip, guacamole and homemade salsa, candy galore, brownies, muffins, cookies, veggies and dip, juicy ham, scalloped potatoes, my mother's homemade meatballs and sauce, fresh rolls, sour and dill pickles, and macaroni salad.  Not necessarily in that order and I am sure I am forgetting something but we all sure did get our fill.  And we were/are nice enough to allow the men of our family to come over and join us for the big comida.  The meatballs made by the General are a definite staple at any function our family is hosting.  The sauce is to die for and the meatballs melt in your mouth.  People honestly stand in line around the crockpot until they are given the green light.  They are that good. 

This year we even had family visiting on holiday from Ireland.  It was quite lovely.  Besides looking forward to visiting with my cousins, aunts and their families, you all know I totally look forward to the selection of food.  There is always something new to try each year and there's always the essentials which are a must.  All of us girls have a great time socializing, making fun of each other, laughing, at times, crying, joking, and mocking.  We are truly blessed.  Especially to have such great cooks in our familia! 

My Best Lasagna Yet!

For a couple of weeks now, I've had a hankering for some tasty lasagna.  The other night, I whipped up my masterpiece.  Word to the wise.  Use the no boil lasagna noodles.  It makes the billion step process so much easier and you can not tell the difference.  Trust me on this. 

The ingredient list consisted of no boil lasagna noodles, 2 jars of tomato sauce of your choice, 2 cups of ricotta cheese, one egg, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil, garlic, one chopped onion, minced garlic, one pound of burger, and a box of frozen spinach (heated and drained well).  My special and secret ingredient is one layer of sliced pepperoni.  Freaking delish. 

After layering the ungreased pan with the uncooked noodles, creamy ricotta mixture, and sauce, spinach, and cooked meat blend, the concoction seriously weighed over 5 LB's.  The recipes I browsed called for cook times of 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Since my little treasure was ginormous, I covered it and cooked it at 350 for about an hour then uncovered for 20 minutes so the cheese could get all gooey and bubbly. 

Served with fresh scalla bread, this four food group in one dish, dinner was fantastic.  At first mention of this specific supper, the hubs turned up his nose.  But after indulging in a heaping portion and then seconds, his opinion on boring old lasagna changed dramatically.  That man has some good taste.  Obviously.  HA! The end result WAS scrumptious and there was so much left over, I was able to share with my neighbors and family and that makes me happy.  :)

Happy Halloween Haiku!

Snack size candy bar
Don't kid yourself, just take four
Either way, ENJOY!

Last Friday of the Month, Recipe Friday!

Chicken Cacciatore!

1 lb boneless chicken strips
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 can (28oz) "kitchen ready" tomatoes
1 TSP salt
1 TSP oregano
1 TSP basil
1/2 TSP ground red pepper
1 medium sized green pepper, cut in strips

Brown chicken, onion, and garlic in oil.  Add tomatoes, seasonings, and green pepper.  Bring to a full boil.  Then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Stir before serving over pasta of your choice.  Get some fresh crusty bread for dipping, too.  Delish!

This fancy sounding Italian specialty came from my hand written recipe book that mi madre gave me.   Pretty sure this one was borrowed from my aunt.  Either way it is super easy to prep and cook and tastes fantastic.  As always, I mixed up the ingredients a bit.  Try fresh herbs and spices, adding various peppers and onions and maybe a little sugar to the sauce.  I know I have mentioned this dish in one or two of my previous entries and/or on my Rozziefoodie facebook page---(www.facebook.com/pages/Rozziefoodie/) .  Too lazy to read back to see if I already posted this one.  HA!  You won't believe how delicious this little ditty turns out.  Enjoy!

Half Moons, 02081

As promised the update on my steak tip, baked potato, and grilled onion dinner the other night.  It was fabulous even without the unidentified other form of veggie.  The meat was perfectly marinated and grilled to awesomeness by yours truly.  Even having to work in darkness on a makeshift table made of plywood set on top of garbage barrels, by the dim light of a motion sensor light, my grilling skills shined right on through.  My strips were cooked medium well and the hubs' were medium rare.  Delish!  And to top it off, we had tons left over for the hubs to whip up homemade steak, onion, and cheese quesadillas served with salsa and sour cream for last night's dinner.  Yup!  They were beyond tasty.  I enjoyed them a wee bit too much. 

So the hubs and my dad-in-law have been busy laboring for weeks on various projects on our home. They are trying to get the jobs done before the colder weather hits.  And my trabajo is to make sure these handy dandy, hard working men take water breaks and have something filling to eat when lunch time rolls around.  Occasionally, I call a deli order into Todesca's which is located on Washington Street in Roslindale.  My most recent  assortment consisted of LOL cheese, domestic ham, salami, and roast beef for us to make sangies.  The small convenient store is very close to my home, reasonably priced, and the staff are friendly and down to earth.  The cold cuts and other meats in their deli case are fresh, delicious, and do not cost an arm and a leg, like in the supermarkets. 

Every time I shop at Todesca's, one of the first items I look for are the bombastic half moons for me and the whoopie pies, (which I have mentioned before), for my man.  Both are made by Butter Cafe & Bakery in Walpole.  Delectable!  The half moons are definitely the best I have ever tasted and I LOVE me some half moons and have sampled many.  Roche's has pretty good ones, as well.  But not half as creamy, fluffy, and heavenly as Butter's.  Whoopie pies are not one of my fave choices but I would never kick one out of bed.  HA!  The hubs absolutely devours the huge, chocolate cake like, Oreo looking treats.  After viewing Butter's website, I will for sure be taking a short road trip to the intersection of Rt 1A and Rt 27, in the very near future.  I am bit envious of my peeps who live in and around the Norwood/Walpole area right about now.  I heart bakeries and trying new places!

Steak Tips! It's what's for dinner!

At this moment to say I am tired is an understatement.  I am freaking exhausted.  Like the tired you feel when you get  home from Ireland after traveling for over 24 hours.  For some reason my evening snooze was less than adequate last night and I was awoken very early this morning by the sound of two men positioning their ladders on the side of my house.  Right outside my bedroom window.  WTF! 

After convincing myself that a burglar/murderer probably would not try to abduct me or kill me the first thing on a bright and sunny morning, I came to my groggy senses.  Since we have been planning on getting some painting done, I figured the hubs failed to mention that two gentlemen would be scraping and loudly sanding the trim of our windows straight away on Monday am.  Lovely!

Dozing back off was definitely not an option.  Up and out to Roche's I went.  The grocery list was short and consisted mostly of sale items.  On the way home, we hit Dunkie's and even my daily dose of caffeine did not awake my weary soul. 

So to the point of my entry and, at this point, the highlight of my day.  Supper!  Currently, a healthy amount of steak tips is marinating in awesomeness.  I combined soy sauce, Cholula hot sauce, teryaki sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to pour over the meat.  The aroma of my concoction was mouth watering.  The tips will be accompanied by huge baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, a roasted onion, and some other veggie which I can not identify at this very moment.  No preocupadas!  I will surely let ya know the outcome of my scrumptious grilled dinner which is in the making. 

Bamboo, 02026

The hubs and I love trying new places and he also loves him some Chinese food.  He chose the cuisine and I suggested Bamboo in Dedham (they have three other locations as well), next to the Holiday Inn.  Their menu features Japanese and Chinese dishes and Sushi options.  I have eaten there once before with some girlfriends and really enjoyed it so I figured I would share the food love with my man.  Chinese is SO not one of my favorites but I am willing to compromise on occasion.  And it is usually an eat in kind of dinner for us.  But we decided to get a little crazy and venture out on a rainy Wednesday evening for a long overdue date.  Might I add?  I was looking pretty snazzy.  Sporting my new to me with the tags still on it since April, leopard print rain jacket.  Stylish and practical.  Word. 

There were hardly any other patrons in the joint when we arrived.  The friendly host seated us immediately in a roomy booth located in a quiet corner.  The restaurant is divided into a small bar area, a Sushi bar, and two medium sized dining rooms with a buffet set up in the rear.  Our waiter was diligent and attentive at first.  But by the end of our meal, not so much.  That's when I/we decided to jet and enjoy some delectable desserts elsewhere.  But that's a whole other blog. 

We ordered our cocktails right away.  The white sangria with tiny pieces of apple and other fruit, which was fab, for me.  And something called a Gingy Sling (if I remember correctly) is what I decided on as a girly drink for the hubs.  BOO!  We both hated it and it sounded so delish on paper.  Uck.  Way too strong but the pumpkin liquor in the concoction was delightful.  I was disappointed because the last time with my chicas, the drinks were spectacular. 

After viewing the menu filled with a million options, we placed our sizeable order.  First we enjoyed fresh and crisp house salads with a tasty ginger dressing.  Yum.  After that our Bo Bo for two and vegetable tempura was delivered.  The Bo Bo included shrimp tempura, crab rangoons, boneless spareribs, chicken wings and fingers, beef skewers, and two egg rolls.  It was served with sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard.  And the lightly fried vegetables included two types of peppers, eggplant, squash, carrots, and broccoli served with tempura dipping sauce.  The appetizers were good but definitely not anything to write home about.  Don't get me wrong we got our fill and agreed that we've had better.  But I have to say the chicken wings were crispy and delicious and the boneless spareribs were addicting. 

The main entree arrived a while later.  It was a sizzling beef, scallop, and veggie dish in a sweet sauce and a side of chicken fried rice full of sprouts and peas which I despise.  Both dishes were mediocre.  I did enjoy the crunchy veggies from the surf and turf plate but the scallops and meat were chewy.  And by that time, I was pretty full from our first two courses.  The portions were not huge.  Although there was an ample amount for us to enjoy.  We did have some food left over to take with us, too. 

The food may have been just average but our date was a huge success.  We chatted, laughed, mocked, and appreciated each others company.  And we ended our fantastic evening at the bar at Isabella's in Dedham enjoying some scrumptious desserts, wine, and coffee drinks.  What a wonderful night. 

So Good I Had to Share!

For the Pats game today, I made my delicious wings, fried turkey kielbasa with onions, and the addictive awesomeness that is salsa con queso.  During the first quarter, the hubs and I gorged ourselves with the tasty appetizers while watching some football (if you want to call it that).  Thankfully, the Pats were left with some dignity, as they saved their own butts at the very end of the fourth quarter.  Phew!

After the game, I developed a hankering for a hunk of cheese.  Ha ha.  No sah.  My craving was for biscuits.  For the past week I have been dying for some Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits.  And today my void was filled.  The best is getting  the warm scrumptiousness right out of the oven.  The first one I sliced and topped with a slab of butter and a thin layer of raspberry jam.  I could barely get the mini delight assembled before shoving it into my mouth.  YUMMY!  One of the best combos in the world.  Melted butter, jelly or jam and your choice of a warm carb.  Trust me.  You will likey.  The second biscuit, I topped with a small sausage patty and a couple of slices of cheddar cheese.  Mmm good.  But not as delightful as the first flaky concoction.  No complaints though.  My dinner was just perfect.  And super easy.  :)

Thursday's Lunch

Thanks to a great friend of ours, my fridge has been brought back to life.  Of course the piece needed for the fix was the size of a printer's ink cartridge and only cost $6.  Imagine!  They just don't manufacture appliances the way they used to.  Our 86 year old fridge we have in the cellar is still running strong and will probably outlive our now 3 year old one in the kitchen.  So annoying. 

Because of the fridge issues, we hardly had any food.  Off to BJ's and Roche's to stock up.  Is it just me or does everyone get super excited to stock up on paper supplies and bulk food?  It makes me so happy to know a have a more than ample supply of paper towels.  For real.  It's an addiction.  No worries though, to make up for my heavy use of PT, I totally recycle other items that should be and I reuse soap bottles and things like that.  Greenwise all is good. 

After overflowing our cart at BJ's, we popped into Roche's for some sale items, deli meats, and bread, which brings me to the point of this entry.  Many people are not fond of pumpernickel bread but it is absolutely one of my fave carb choices.  And combined with fresh domestic deli ham and some yellow mustard.  YUMMO!  No need for cheese on this sangie.  Those three ingredients together create pure awesomeness.  Nice and simple and oh so satisfying. 

More than a Chef

What's that old saying?  If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.  Well my momma didn't raise no quitter.  Yeah the banana bread was a minor catastrophe but I surely did not give up on my baking quests. 

Thanks to my man picking me up a can of sliced peaches at 10pm the other evening, my virgin version of peach cobbler could seriously be packaged and sold.  It was that delicious.  Why wouldn't it be?  It's full of sugar and spice and everything nice.  Pure decadence.  The recipe I concocted from viewing many versions on the interweb, consisted of sliced peaches, loads of sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, lots of cinnamon, milk, and a whole stick of butter.  And I think I added some nutmeg because that's how I roll.  I can't stick to one recipe.  It's just not me. 

The best part was getting a healthy portion right out of the oven, topped with whipped cream.  Nice and warm and ooey gooey.  OMG!  I was honestly stunned by how scrumptious my first batch of homemade cobbler turned out.  Even the hubs who does not care for peaches agreed it was fantastic.  So there ya go.  I am a baker now.  HA!

Dinner Failure

Hey!  It happens to the the best of us.  Right?  Right! 

I am about to make peach cobbler for the first time.  Gotta do something to make up for the disaster of a dinner I made on this beautiful Indian Summer evening.  Plus I heart peach cobbler and have been dying for some.  Psyched that it's nice enough to grill out and that I got some great color yesterday but I more than ready for Autumn.  Love the fall and the cool crisp air.  Ahhhh. 

We had been looking forward to some grilled ribs since last week and I promised my dad-in-law some well deserved left overs.  To accompany them I sliced and diced a fresh garden salad with loads of feta because everything is betta with feta.  And I threw a couple of potatoes on the grill which were baked to perfection.  The main entree was looking really awesome.  Even the wee pieces I ripped off for the hubs and I to sample were scrumptious.  I was super excited.  All I knew was that two racks of ribs were about to be destroyed. 

After slobbering on some Sticky Fingers BBQ sauce and heating the ribs a bit longer, I was so hungry my mouth was watering.  The hubs chopped them up and we dug in.  DRY is an understatement.  The rub and sauce were delish but the meat tasted like cardboard.  FAIL.  After some discussion and choking down two more ribs, I deducted the problema.  The grill temperature was was too high and/or I cooked them about 1/2 hour too long.  So if you have been paying attention and read my dry rib rub recipe, decrease the cook time to an hour and fifteen minutes/half hour at 300 degrees.  MY B!

We were disappointed but at least the ribs were edible.  Combined with the sides, we both ate our fill.  I will stick to concocting the rubs and sauces and leave the rib grilling to the hubs.  Obv, it's not my thing.  We can't be fabulous all day, every day.  At least I have peach cobbler to look forward.  That is if the hubs ever brings home the sliced peaches.  Will let ya know! 

One of America's Fave Sangies!

In the midst of baking my first batch of banana bread from scratch, I was blessed with an unexpected guest.  After realizing that all purpose flour is definitely not the same as self rising flour via the interweb, I attempted to fix the mess I created and bake on.  Mi amiga arrived shortly after the second round of baking started. 

She commented on how awesome the sweet breads smelled baking in the oven and I explained my shortfalls with the whole baking thing.  We chatted for a while and caught up for a bit.  After some time the banana bread appeared to be ready.  My friend took off after our pleasant visit and I allowed the loaves to cool. 

The hubs was at work and I found myself starving all of a sudden.  I snacked on some left over meatballs that my mother had sent over which did not fill the void.  After a toasted Thomas' with peanut butter, I was still hungry.  Light bulb!

Wheat bread, LOL American cheese, butter, and thinly sliced tomato = the bomb diggity, aka grilled cheese with tomato.  Can you say freaking delish?  I can!!!  YUM!  So good and such a forgotten sandwich.  It is so tasty, ooey, gooey and delicious.  Yes.  It killed me to buy a tomato after all the beauties we grew this year in our garden but for the love of one of America's favorites, I did falter.  The only thing that was missing besides the chips which I had, was some piping hot tomato soup.  There is always a next time. 

Oh!  And if you missed my comment earlier on my Rozziefoodie Facebook page.  The banana bread turned out edible.  Way too much banana was added.  Nuff said. 

Food Highlights of the Weekend

So much food to blog about and so little time.  I have enjoyed various tasty treats over the past couple of weeks.  Here are some of my most recent.  Love food. 

Friday I made a delish beef stew in the crock and some yummy kielbasa (recipe previously posted) to snack on for an appetizer.  As a nice surprise one of my fabulous guests brought homemade guacamole and salsa, using lots of vegetables from her garden.  Both dishes were fresh and tasty and we got to keep the leftovers.  Word.  We also learned from the chef that if you leave one of the pits of the avocado in the dip, it will decrease the chances of the concoction turning brown.  And guess what?   It worked.  Useful!

The stew slow cooked for 8 hours making the meat literally melt in your mouth.  It was fantastic.  My recipe calls for potatoes, carrots, onions, fresh mushrooms, flour, salsa, stew beef, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, Bisto, onion soup mix, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, hot sauce, some basil, and water.  Slice, dice, and cut the veggies into good sized pieces and mix everything except the meat in the crock.  Place the stew beef on top, cover, and cook on low for eight hours.  Stir often.  As you know I tend not to measure ingredients.  So just use your judgement and add and subtract depending on the number of people you are cooking for.  Keep in mind one pound of stew beef mixed with the veggies is about 4 servings. 

The next day we ordered a late lunch to be delivered by Checkmate.  I wrote my review of this joint some weeks ago and as you know I likey.  The fried pastrami with American cheese and extra mushrooms  that I ordered and devoured was the bomb.  I would not feel right not mentioning how perfectly cooked and toasted my sub was.  Credit is due.  It was salty, crunch, cheesy.  Awesome!!  The rest of order was also very good. 

On Sunday, we ventured out to for some pizza, fries, salad, soup and beers at The Pleasant Cafe which I have mentioned in a previous blog.  We enjoyed our dinner at the bar. The service was a bit iffy, as the bartenders don't take food orders.  Bugs me every time.  Bizarre but whatevs.  After a bit of a wait we placed our orders and eagerly waited for our supper.  Per usual, the pizza and fries were soooo good.  The salads were fresh and the chicken and rice soup was super.  The place does creep me out at times but their food is always good and mostly reliable.  If you grew up in or around Roslindale, you KNOW The Pleasant and you either love it or hate it.  We love it. 

We ended our extended weekend with a late breakfast on Monday at the Spring Street Cafe.  As always, everything we ordered was fantaBulous!  From the coffee to the crispy bacon to my fluffy pancakes, I was more than satisfied.  The only negative of our visit was that they had just run out of the blood sausage that is included in the hubs' Irish Breakfast.  They made up for it with extra bangers.  We will forgive them this time.  Ha!

Last Friday of the Month-Recipe Friday

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8 ounce cream cheese softened
1 can (10 ounces) of chicken
1/2 cup of blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing
1/2 cup of buffalo wing sauce (I like Cholula original hot sauce)
2 cups (8 ounces) of shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Spread cream cheese into a shallow baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo wing sauce, and dressing.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.  YUMMO! 

This recipe was borrowed from the BFF and I mixed it up a bit.  If you haven't already tried this spectacular dip, you are totally missing out.  It is such a crowd please, you may want to make a double batch.  For realz.  Enjoy! 

The Deli

Yesterday, I decided to go on a huge cleaning and organizing spree for no good reason.  Once I started I could not stop.  My focus of the evening was the kitchen/pantry and the zillion gadgets, appliances, and other crap that we have managed to stock up on over the years.  It felt great to clean and put things in their proper place.  Ahhhh!.

My last task of the evening was to take stock of our fridge and freezer.  After viewing the Rochie's flyer, I printed up my list of well needed items to purchase.  I ventured out for the supermarket mid-morning thinking that the place wouldn't be a total nightmare on a Monday.  Well, I was wrong.  There weren't many people shopping.  Just the ones who think they are the only people on this earth.  Clueless is putting it lightly.  Ugh.

For the first time and against my better judgement, I decided to order the pre-sliced meats and cheese at the deli.  The whole time I was standing at the counter I was thinking to myself...why are you doing this?  You know you only like thinly sliced, fresh deli items.  My order consisted of some thin and trim ham (on sale of course), American cheese, and salami.  All pre-sliced.  Yes it was quick but I was nervous.  I grabbed some fresh Scali bread to make sandwiches with and cruised the store for the rest of my food.  After the obstacle course of people and grocery carts, my cart was FULL. 

My hubs and dad-in-law were busy working on our front porch when I arrived home.  After emptying the bundles and putting things in order, we sat down for lunch.  I will admit it this time.  I was wrong. The pre-sliced ham, salami, and cheese was fresh and tasty.  The slices of ham and salami were thinly sliced but the cheese was way too thick.  Two out of three ain't bad.  So there you go.  Pre-sliced!  You be the judge. 

Food: In and Around Golden Pond

Long time, no blog!  While living the large life, I have totally neglected all of you fabulous people.  Thank you again so much for reading MY version of life.  I really appreciate all of your feedback and support.  It's really cool. 

The past couple of weeks have been CRAZY busy but tons o' fun.  Since my last entry I have enjoyed a freaking delish dinner at Delfino's with great friends, a fantastic concert at Fenway with some cool peeps, a refreshing holiday in New Hampshire with the hubs, and a very nice bbq with old friends from high school.  And last but certainly not least.  My bff had a bouncing baby girl.  My god baby has arrived!!!!  And she sure is precious.  I am in love!

Last week, the hubs, my pup, and I stayed in the cutest little cottage at Cottage Place on Squam Lake in Holderness, NH.  The movie, 'On Golden Pond' was filmed on the very same lake.  The wee house number four that we chose was quaint and at the same time a bit rustic.  The furniture, lamps, bedding, and pictures didn't come anywhere close to matching.  There was dog fur all over the couches.  I had to wash down and disinfect the tables and counters and baby ants attacked and took refuge in my dozen of Hostess donuts.  I was only two deep into the box so I was really bummed.  But no worries, our view of Squam Lake and the mountains and the overall awesomeness of New Hampshire in general made up for my issues with our accommodations.  We will definitely be going back and I totally recommend the place. 

Now!  Onto what matters most.  The food.  Of course we brought up cold cuts, breakfast items, and TONS of junk food.  Well.  That is what vacation is all about.  Relaxing, eating and drinking.  Am I right or am I right?   We were lucky to have a great week as far as the weather was concerned which was great.  We hung out at the lake almost every day.  It was the bomb. 

One of the first nights, we decided on take-out from Village Pizza.  They made me the best toasted eggplant Parmesan sub I have eaten in a long time.  The sauce was tasty, just enough cheese, the eggplant was fresh and lightly fried.  I loved it so much I made sure to get another one before we left.  YUM!  Their other food was pretty good, too.  I can vouch for the steak and cheese subs and the salads. 

Another day for a late lunch, after a ride back from Laconia, we popped into this dive joint called The Mug Restaurant.  It has a bar on one side and a restaurant area with a pool room off of it on the other.  We enjoyed some yummy wing dings for an appetizer paired with some Bud Lights.  And for lunch we devoured a couple of juicy cheeseburgers and fries.  They were huge and cooked to my liking and piled with fresh lettuce, tomato slices and raw onions and served on a good sized bun.  For dessert, because we always have to have dessert, we shared a spectacular piece of fried dough with loads of powdered sugar and cinnamon.  Finger licking deliciousness.  So good, we returned another evening for some more fried dough, Bud Lights, and some monkey bread.  Can you say scrumptious?  OMG!  I had never sampled monkey bread before and served with vanilla ice cream-yummo.  To say the least, I was more than pleased.

Our trip was fabulous and my foodie adventures were a great success.  Per usual.  We did try some other places but I won't overload you all with the savory stories just yet.  Until we meet again.  Peace!

Putting a Thomas' English Muffin to Good Use

Everybody loves a Thomas' English Muffin.  The nooks and crannies hold all the awesomeness for us to enjoy.  Put some butter and raspberry jam or some peanut butter or maybe even some cream cheese on a toasted one and you are good to go.  MMM.

When the hubs is at work, I don't cook.  I am not going to prepare a huge, fabulous dinner for just lil' old me.  So I basically scavenge the house for something appealing and very simple to whip up.  After surveying my fridge and inhaling a Hershey's chocolate bar from the freezer, I came up with the best idea evah.  English muffin pizza!!

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, you are totally missing out on one of mine and many other's favorite childhood memory related to food.  You simply take an English muffin and cut it in half.  Spoon on a light layer of your favorite tomato sauce, sprinkle some garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper on the top.  Throw on some shredded cheese (usually mozzarella) or you could go old school and quarter up some American cheese slices and slap them on.  Bake in toaster oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the cheese gets bubbly. 

You can add and subtract the spices and sauces.  I would have added some chopped onions and/or peppers if I wasn't too lazy to cut them up.  Pepperoni is a great topping and so is thinly sliced sausages.  The mini delights can be enjoyed by people with all different tastes because you can make it to your liking.  And everyone can make their very own.  Great activity for kids, too.  So easy and delish and strangely filling.  YUM!

The Truth About Rozziefoodie

Looking back at my blog log, HA!  I realized that I am loving sharing my recipes, opinions, and overall love of food with you.  Also, I have been blogging since the end of June.  Wow.  Time sure does fly.  The summer has been great and pretty busy.  No complaints here.  Many of you have been more than supportive with your kind and encouraging words. Thank you so much for reading my new found hobby.

By now, most of you 'get' what my my blog is about.  Clearly, it is about food and my love of it.  The name Rozziefoodie simply means that I am a huge foodie and I happen to live in Roslindale.  Yes, some may argue over the spelling of the word Rozzie but come on!  The Square has been renamed Roslindale Village.  So let's all try to accept a wee bit of change and move on.  The show, Chronicle featured Roslindale and it's awesomeness last week.  It was pretty cool to see my neighborhood of Boston has evolved so much since the 80's.  Now, it is a cool place to shop, hang out, and of course, eat. 

But for real, I love to eat, cook, garden, dine out, and I enjoy take out very much.  Via this blog, I will continue to share my love of food with you in my own unique way.  My personal reviews of restaurants will rock on.  HenryAlan's comment from Universal Hub pretty much sums up my restaurant rating system.  "Wapo Taco is good for what it is. It can earn a good grade without meaning it's an equivalent restaurant."  This was in response to someone mocking my rating system, for me giving a B rating to both Redd's and Wapo.  Love it!  Ok, I hope all of you will continue to read Rozziefoodie!  Please and Gracias. 

Last Friday of the Month--Recipe Friday

Salsa con Queso

1 small package of Velveeta Cheese (pretty sure it is 8 ounces)
1 jar of thick and chunky salsa (16 ounces)

Cut the block of Velveeta into one inch cubes.  Place cubes in microwave safe dish and pour the bottle of salsa on top.  Cover lightly to prevent splashage.  Heat in microwave for three minutes on high.  Take out and stir the concoction really well.  Place back in microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Stir again before serving with corn chips and/or veggies. 

This recipe is so ridiculously easy and it is a HUGE hit at parties.  I know it doesn't sound appetizing and the final product is not even pretty but it is so addicting and yummy.  Not so healthy for ya.  But hey!  Everything in moderation, right? 

You can also make this recipe your own by adding fresh veggies, other spices, or various cheeses. 

I have to give props to my sis-in-law for suggesting that this awesome cheese dip would be a great topping for tacos or a good filler in homemade quesadillas.  Any way you have it, you will love it.  Enjoy!

Pickling!

Today, for the first time in my life, I decided to pickle up some cukes and peppers from our garden.  This year's crop has been plentiful.  So I decided to look up some pickling recipes and get to work.  The pickling process was simple.  As usual, I mixed and matched various recipes from the interweb and came up with my own cooking concoction.  I made a different brine for each veggie group.  For the cukes, I combined sugar, vinegar, water, kosher salt,  and all spice pebbles for the brine which I added to the raw, sliced cukes and garlic cloves in an air tight jar.  They will sit sealed in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.  For the banana peppers, chili peppers, jalapenos, and other peppers (now I wish I added an onion),  I combined sugar, vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves for the brine which I poured over the raw halved peppers and garlic gloves in an air tight jar.  Those will sit along side the soon to be pickles.  Here's hoping I am in store for some deliciousness after a fairly long wait.  TBC. 

Clancy's, Dennis Port

Before my review of Clancy's, I totally have to mention this adorable little place we went to on our second day down the Cape. We went to get a very late breakfast at Wolfie's in Dennis Port.  The place is so cute with an old school bakery with tons of homemade pastries, cookies, hermits, and cakes.  There was a place to order on the same side and tables and chairs in the other room with a computer and free wifi which I took advantage of.  It was raining but I am pretty sure there were some tables outside to dine at, as well.  I ordered and later devoured a tasty bacon and cheese on a sweet Portuguese bread like croissant.  Mi amiga ordered the same with an egg.  We very much enjoyed the sangies and they totally hit the spot.  The coffee was nice and strong and piping hot and I got a free refill which was coolio.  The dude that worked at the counter was so welcoming and trusting.  He offered to let us order and eat before heading to the ATM.  Neither of us had enough money and didn't realize it was cash only until after we ordered.  It's nice to know there are still people in the world who are willing to give others an honest chance. 

For dinner, that evening we decided to dine out at Clancy's which is located in Dennis Port on the water.  The place was mobbed when we arrived around 7pm.  We put our name on the waiting list and received a green vibrating thingie and headed to the bar for a drinkie.  The bartender was friendly and offered us samples of a sauvignon blanc and a chardonnay to see which we would prefer.  I can't for the life of me remember the name of either vino.  I do remeber it was delish and we each ordered a glass.

We were seated about five minutes later in a booth in the front room which looked out onto the water.  The view was pretty.  The waiter was friendly enough and definitely diligent.  He quickly delivered a basket of fresh bread and bread sticks which we dogged and he checked on our drink situation.  As an appetizer we decided to order a huge baked stuffed quahog which they describe as spicy and made in house.  The stuffing squirted with fresh lemon was so good.  I loved it.  For supper, I decided on a garden salad with bleu cheese dressing and one of the combo plates.  The chicken, sausages, and sirloin tips came with a baked potato with butter and sour cream, and a veggie medley.  It was yummy but I hardly was able to put a dent in it.  The portion was on the larger side.  Mi amiga had a salad with vinaigrette dressing and the fish and chips as her main entree.  She said the fish was light and not too greasy.  And she had a good amount left over.  I tried a wee bit of the fish and it was nice.  We were so full to capacity that we couldn't even fit in dessert or coffee.  We took care of our bill and headed out to 28 Club.  It is a small dive bar that we happened upon.  My friend compared the joint to an episode of Twin Peaks.  What a motley group of characters.  It was hilarious!  Such a blast!

Oh and I give Clancy's a rating of B-.  And our overall trip gets a rating of B+.  And that's only because of the crappy weather.

Dennis Port on Dwellable

Soon to be Last Friday of the Month...Recipe Friday!!

Scrumptious Quiche

Pie Crust, frozen 9" deep dish
Campbell's cheddar cheese soup (10 3/4 ounce)
4 eggs
Black pepper
Ham steak-diced
Small/medium sized onion diced
Half of a good sized green pepper
Mushrooms (4 ounce can, drained)
Shredded mixed blend cheese (4 ounce)

Beat eggs then add soup and mix until creamy.  Add peppers, ham, onions, mushrooms, and mix it all up good.  Add shredded cheese and mix again.  Pour the egg concoction into uncooked pie shell.  Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for an hour or until browned on top. 

I don't even like eggs but I can't taste them because the combo of these ingredients is so rich and delish.  This dish is filling and is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or even a snack. 
As with any recipe you can mix up the ingredients to your liking.  You can use cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup.  You can add or subtract the meat and veggies.  And even spice it up with some hot sauce or other spices.  Enjoy!

Per usual, this recipe was given to me by mi madre in a hand written recipe book that she wrote out for my brother and I back in 1999 for Christmas.  She is a great cook and her recipes are the bomb.  I cherish the contents and won't let anyone take the book out of my house.  Though, I have allowed people to copy the recipes by hand. 

Foodie Adventures on the Cape! Chapin's Restaurant in Dennis and Ocean House in Dennis Port

Not once but twice this summer, I have been lucky enough to vacation on the Cape.  Is it in or on the Cape?  Who knows!  I returned home from my second voyage on Tuesday after a two night visit at the Seashell Motel located on Chase Street in Dennis Port.  Picturesque is not the word.  The place is adorable, clean, right on the beach, and pet-friendly (even though we didn't bring our dogs, it is good to know).  I was with a good friend of mine who also happens to be a former co-worker.  She has stayed there before and she totally gets props for suggesting our accommodations and for taking the photo at the end of this entry.  The weather was awful but that did not stop us from having a blast, swimming in the rain, and acting a fool.  And of course getting our drink and grub on. 

Our first stop for a wee, afternoon snack was Chapin's in Dennis.  It was a happening place with a good sized bar, a restaurant area, and an outside patio.  It was raining so we parked ourselves at the bar, had a couple of drinks, and enjoyed some music.  It was an overcast, rainy day so I decided on a Smithwick's (which I prefer in Ireland) and mi amiga had a Mike's Hard Lemonade.  The tunes from an entertaining one man band were playing in the background.  I was jamming.  After a while, we decided to order a small bite to eat because we were a tad bit hungry.  We decided on artichoke bruschetta made with grilled focacia, fresh artichokes, vine ripe tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.  Totally hit the spot.  The focacia was grilled to perfection and piled high with the fresh veggies.  It was yummy.  The staff was friendly but I was not offered any free popcorn and I love me some popcorn and beer.  And I didn't realize until later that I could have served myself until the place cleared out a bit and I spied the popcorn machine in the corner.  Bummer!  Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. 

That evening, we ventured out by foot for a very late dinner at the Ocean House located on the water about a quarter of a mile down the road from the Seashell.  For lack of a better description, the joint was Fancy Smancy.  The staff members were in identical uniforms, the lighting was low, the service was better than good, the presentation was funky, and the prices reflected it.  We scored a high top table in the bar area.  The bar hostess did not impress me one bit but our waiter was cool and down to earth.  Because of the appetizer we shared late in the day and our continuous munching, we weren't starving. 

After reading the menu, we decided on some small plates that we could share.  Our choice of drink for the evening was Stella Artois.  Our waiter delivered some baked pita triangles with poppy and sesame seeds and some fresh bread with a scrumptious spread to hold us over.  After some chit chat, our order arrived in bits and pieces.  First we shared a large bowl of clam chowder.  It wasn't served hot enough but it was so creamy with huge pieces of potatoes and clams.  Delish.  Then we received two bison sliders served with spicy Thai ketchup, a gherkin pickle and a cherry tomato.  They were juicy and flavorful.  After that we had the huge basket of calamari mixed with cherry peppers, chorizo sausage, and Italian parsley which was mediocre.  We hardly put a dent in the order and didn't care for the oily batter or the dipping sauces. Although the chorizo sausage was yummy.  There just wasn't much of it.  My favorite carb of the evening was the order of hand cut Parmesan truffle fries which arrived last but certainly not least.  OMG!  Shoestring sized slices of potatoes fried in truffle oil, seasoned and salted to perfection.  And a ceramic cup of ketchup with a tiny spoon was delivered upon request. 

Of course our waiter had to announce that all the desserts were HOMEMADE.  How could I resist even after I insisted that I was so full that I was going to die.  Warm chocolate, caramel, molten cake with coconut gelato and berries?  Um.  Let me think about this.  YES!  And I am so glad I gave into temptation.  Paired with a half sized chocolate martini with vanilla and chocolate jimmies rounding the rim.  Delectable!  Ocean House gets a B rating from me. 

That is was what we enjoyed on our first day on the Cape.  I promise there is more food and fun to come.  

Dennis on Dwellable

Redd's in Rozzie, 02131

Earlier in the day, I declared Friday evening to be a date night. After a long day of errands, volunteering, and getting my hair did at Apple Salon, I was wrecked. And I could tell my hubs was just as exhausted from his daily activities. Just the same, we both decided to rally and headed out for a late dinner at Redd's in Rozzie.  And I am so glad we went because we had the best time.  I have been there once before.  But the hubs was a virgin to Redd's.  Exciting!  The restaurant is located on Washington Street in Roslindale in the same building as the former Geoffrey's.

By the time we got spiffed up, hit the ATM, and landed at Redd's, it was after 8pm. To say I was famished is an understatement. I could have jumped someone for a piece of bread by that point.

We were greeted immediately by a friendly dude named Zack who ended up being our server. The host greeted and attended to us in a timely manner. We decided to sit in the outdoor area because it was such a beautiful evening. I was a bit concerned about the bug biting situation but I quickly got over that.

Zack took our drink order which consisted of a PBR on draft for me and a bottled Unibroue Ephémère Apple Ale for my man. The apple ale was a lighter ale with a subtle taste of apple. It was delightful. The wine list is lengthy and the beer selection is interesting but on the smaller side. They also have some festive cocktails. And I know for a fact that their sangria is flavorful.

We placed or appetizer order the second Zack returned with our beverages.  The hush puppies with sweet onion and bacon ragout is so delish. The sweetness of the hush puppies which tatsted like a varitaion of cornbread, with the fabulous ragout is to die for. And they give you plenty to munch on. The fried whole belly Ipswich clams served with spicy ailoli were so light and crispy. Paired with the spicy dipping sauce, they were even more scrumptious. Then we decided to share the nightly salad special. It was a Caprese salad with sweet yellow tomoatoes with creamy fresh mozzarella in a homemade vinegrette dressing. It was fatastic. We put a hurting on most of the starters and still had a couple of hush puppies to bring home to the mutt.

After we ate our fill of the appetizers, I realized that we never received our basket of sourdough bread and homemade corn bread with sweet butter.   I really wanted the hubs to try the mouth watering butter so I requested our well deserved portion of bread. I love and need me some carbs. The hubs was very much in agreement about the butter. He was using it as a dip not as a spread.

For my main entree, I went the boring route which totally worked out to my advantage. I decided on the grilled half chicken with dirty rice, zucchini, and lemon chicken jus. It was freaking amazing. I was more than content with my choice. The chicken was perfectly spiced, so lemony, and baked just right. And the rice which I mixed with the cubed zucchini was surpisingly tasty. I was very eager to have the hubs sample my awesomeness so he could share in on one of the best chicken dishes I have ever eaten. Chicken is one of his least favorites and he totally sided with me. It was yummy and the portion was huge. The hubs very much enjoyed his baked summer flounder with roasted summer veggies and their very own tartar sauce. He gave me a couple of nibbles of the fish.  I liked it but could never make a meal out of any sort of fish dish.

Both of us were pretty full but we hardly ever leave a restaurant without indulging in something sweet. I loved the pecan pie which I ordered last time I was there so the hubs accepted my suggestion. We shared a pretty good size of homemade Oma's pecan pie with whipped cream. It's made with whole, crunchy pecans and it's so sweet and gooey. Delectable. We washed our final treat down with some lukewarm coffee and Frangelico because they ran out of Bailey's.  The concoction was very nice. 

Last time I ate at Redd's, I tried the hanger steak and buttermilk mashed with greens.  Savory. The steak is prepared on the rare side so if you are like me, you need to request it to be cooked a bit longer. The mashed are so creamy and addicting. And the locally grown greens are some of the best I have ever sampled. I also tried a bite of one of that evening's nightly special of fried chicken. In my opinion it was missing something but I coudn't put my finger on what it was. Maybe paprika or garlic?  Don't get me wrong, it was still good. My friend raved about the homemade baked beans, as well.

I love how funky and eclectic the place is.  From the down home Southern style menu options, to the patrons, to the staff, to the glassware. They serve hot beverages in cool, personalized mugs. The water is bottled in neat glassware like old milk jugs and wine carrafes. The staff members are more than friendly and accomodating. The joint was pretty busy that evening so the service was on the slower side. It wasn't to the point of annoying, though. I am the type that likes to sit, chat, and digest my food between courses so I didn't mind one bit. Their service is team oriented which only makes sense.  Your food arrives hot and scrumptious.  Anyone from your server to the bus boy to the chef to the manager can bring out your order. The funky bar area is cozy with a good sized bar and several tables. And they have a medium sized dining room and additional tables in the cute outdoor area.

Lead by Chef Delicious, otherwise known as, Charlie Redd, they serve dinner Tuesday-Saturday and brunch (which I am dying to try because I have heard mixed reviews) on Saturdays and Sundays. The prices are reasonable, the food is tasty, and the portions are on the larger side. I recommend Redd's in Rozzie and I give them a B rating. 

Recipe Friday!

Stuffed Mushrooms (aka the bomb diggity)

1-2 cartons of medium to large size mushrooms
2-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic
1-2 small onions
half to whole stick of butter
1 lemon to squeeze
Parmesan cheese
Italian bread crumbs

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the shrooms and boil for about three minutes.  Drain and rinse with water.  Put them in a bowl and squirt on the fresh lemon juice.  Mix.  Let cool.  Take off stems and chop them up.  Dice the onions, add the garlic, and shroom pieces and saute all in butter.  Remove from heat and sprinkle a medium amount of Parmesan cheese and Italian bread crumbs.  Stir it all up good.  Stuff the caps with the deliciousness that you will want to eat by the spoonful before you even think about putting it in the caps.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. 
As with every recipe you can mix it up to your liking.  Some people add ground sausage or crab meat. Both are delish.  It's whatever and however you want to make it. 
This recipe was given to me by mi madre.  I grew up eating these little pieces of goodness and I still request them on special occasions.  They are like potato chips.  Once you start, you can't stop.  Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad and Mj's

I love to cook and I enjoy the actual art of the process.  It relaxes me. It's something I do to keep my mind active.  I like being creative with the ingredients and coming up with new recipes. 

The hubs worked Friday.  On Saturday, I was at the Red Sox/Yankees game which the Sox won and my amigas and I had an absolute blast.  So I had planned to make a feast of a dinner on Sunday so my man and I could sit together and catch up.  To accompany my awesome ribs (the hubs helped), fresh corn on the cob, and baked potatoes, I made a cucumber salad which I had been marinating since Friday evening. I made a similar version with tomatoes last summer and it was fantastic so I pretty much used the same ingredients minus the feta.  I didn't have any in.  :(  I thinly sliced two medium sized cukes, chopped two medium green bell peppers and some fresh parsley.  All from our garden.  I added a small diced up onion to the awesomeness.  For the dressing, I combined a heaping teaspoon of white sugar, 4 minced cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, two tablespoons of white vinegar, one tablespoon of cider vinegar and I sprinkled in a tiny bit of dill.  After pouring the dressing over the veggies I gently mixed it up then refrigerated it until Sunday.  The final product was so pretty and beyond delicious.  It really complimented our scrumptious meal.  The hubs even liked it and he does not usually care for cukes. 

Monday, around dinner time and after a bunch of cleaning and errands for the better part of the day, I was starving.  The hubs was at work which left me to my own devices.  Steak and cheese with extra shrooms, boneless buffalo fingers with bleu cheese dressing and a crispy order of fries?  Why!  Yes please.  I don't mind if I do.  Oh!  Don't worry I didn't eat all of it.  At least not in one sitting.   

If you are from in or around the Roslindale area, you should definitely be familiar with Mj's on Belgrade Avenue.  My hubs is a family friend of the owner, a great guy who supports the community.  The hubs grew up with the owner's sons so he/we have been enjoying Mj's for a good long while.  They have a huge menu of appetizers, fresh salads, Italian-style pizza, hot and cold subs, calzones, burgers, wraps, dinner plates, etc. They do take-out, delivery, eat-in, catering and they have daily specials.  Their steak and cheese sub is without a doubt the best I have ever eaten in my whole entire life.  The steak is lean, tasty, and just greasy enough.  It is served with just the right amount of American cheese on a fresh sub roll.  I always add extra mushrooms because I love me some shrooms.  The boneless buffalo fingers are tender and just the right amount of spicy.  I love them.  They serve their fries in a cardboard box in a brown paper bag, as God intended.  That way, they don't get all nasty and soggy.   Even though I didn't indulge in their fabulous marinated steak tips this time.  I have to give them props and two thumbs up.  They are delectable.  The dude that took and reviewed my phone order and the one who delivered it was pleasant.  My food was hot and it arrived in under a half hour.  And the portions are sizable and the prices very reasonable. 

The long running business has been "proudly feeding the community for over 30 years."  So next time you have a yearning for some delivery/take-out, I recommend that you order lunch or dinner from Mj's.  I give them a rating of B+.

Spring Street Cafe, West Roxbury

I woke up ravenous on Friday morning so I suggested that we go to Spring Street for a late breakfast.  The hubs eagerly agreed.  We hadn't been out for breakfast or to Spring Street in quite a while so we were both psyched for the feast that was to come.  To say the least, we both love Spring Street for breakfast. 

The pleasant, Irish waitress warmly greeted us and chatted with us for a bit.  She wondered where we had been since we hadn't been in for while.  The staff and owner are personable, friendly, and efficient and they serve up some scrumptious grub.  The food is reliable.  Always hot and always good.  The restaurant is a seat yourself kinda place.  It has a cute dining area and a small bar that you can eat at.  The portions are just right and the prices are more than reasonable. 

We both ordered coffee.  I ordered one egg scrambled which I gave to my man because I hate eggs. It is easier to order the meal than being a side order queen.  The egg comes with great home fries cooked with onions, and toast (I got wheat).  I always throw in some kind of morning meat and that day I was digging me some crispy bacon.  They have awesome Irish bacon (rashers) and Irish sausages (bangers) which I love but I was totally in the mood for some good old American bacon.  MMM!  The hubs and I always share a short stack of fluffy pancakes with butter and syrup.  He ordered his usual, the Irish breakfast.  That comes with two eggs cooked to your liking, home fries, toast, bangers, rashers, black pudding, and white pudding.  He fancies the white pudding so he orders double .  The pudding is a sausage like meat.  We dogged just about everything except a piece or two of toast.  YUMMY and filling. 

Spring Street serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I usually order breakfast because it is so good and they serve it until 3pm.  Their lunch menu is a good size and I can vouch for their turkey clubs and fries.  The turkey and veggies were wicked fresh.  Honestly, the best club I have ever tasted and the fries are so light and crispy.  I am hoping to go in for dinner in the near future.  The supper menu has several Italian dishes which is right up my alley.  I give Spring Street in West Roxbury a B+ rating.  Next time you go out for breakfast, pop into Spring Street.  You won't be disappointed.