Chalupas, Burritos, Quesadillas, and Tacos

I was introduced to the awesomeness that is The Wapo Taco about ten years ago by a former co-worker (at that time, we worked right around the corner at the old Roslindale Highschool).  Wapo is located on Poplar Street across from Adams Park in Rozzie Square (or as the newbies call it, Roslindale Village).  So Friday evening when I developed a yearning for some tacos, The Wapo Taco immediately popped into mi cabeza.  The couple that owns the joint is friendly and diligent.  They describe their menu as authentic Tex-Mex with a hint of the old Southwest.  Everything they serve up is fresh, appetizing and spiced to your liking. 

My fantastic hubs was driving home from work when I called him to ask what he wanted for supper.  I suggested The Wapo Taco.  He happily agreed and offered to pick up our order on his way home.  Score!  I ordered a few Wapo steak tacos (strips of perfectly marinated, tender steak in a soft taco topped with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream and their homemade salsa), a Wapo chicken tacos (same as the steak except for chicken and I added diced onions to mine).  My man wanted a chicken quesadilla which is served with sour cream and their homemade salsa.  I remembered that the quesadillas were on the smaller side so in addition to that, I ordered him a steak burrito made with refried beans and shredded cheese rolled in a soft tortilla.  He was psyched but only able to finish half of it.  I decided to try something new so I ordered a chalupa.  It was made on a flat, crispy corn tortilla covered with refried beans, seasoned ground beef, lettuce, shredded cheese and sour cream.  YUM.  Their Mexican red rice is delish so I had to throw a medium order of that in, too. 

The chicken, steak, and ground beef were seasoned just right.  They offer the choice of mild, medium, or hot salsa and/or homemade taco sauce to top your meal.  The veggies and tortillas are super fresh.  We gorged ourselves and still had a good amount left over to snack on later.  And you can not beat the prices.  Our total for all the food we ordered was about $30 which is definitely reasonable.  Their fairly short and to the point menu boasts about their homemade taco sauce, salsa, taco shells, fajitas, seasoned beef, chili and nacho chips.  I can vouch for most of that and it all sure is scrumptious.  You can call in a take-out order or eat in their small dining area.  They are open noon-8pm, every day except for Monday.  So next time you crave some Mexican grub, give The Wapo Taco a try.  You will not be disappointed.  I give the The Wapo Taco a B rating. 

Recipe Friday!!

Tasty Cucumber Dill Appetizers

1 package Good Seasoning Italian Dressing Mix
1 8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
1 tablespoon Miracle Whip or mayo
1 cucumber sliced thin
1 loaf party pumpernickel bread
dill weed

Mix first 3 ingredients together and spread on bread.
This can be done several hours or the day before.
Stack in layers in a container with waxed paper in between.
Top with cucumber slices then sprinkle with dill weed.
Serve chilled.

This recipe was given to me by mi madre.  It is so easy to make and definitely a crowd pleaser.  A friend of mine uses Syrian bread sliced into triangles instead of the pumpernickel bread.  As in any and every recipe, you can mix it up to your liking.  You can leave out the dill weed or substitute it with another herb.  Enjoy!!

Leftovers for Lunch!

I have said it before and I will say it again!  Don't be a leftover snob!  Some of my best creations and in this case, one of the hubs' specialties, have come from scraps from our supper the evening before.  If you read my entry on Sunday (and I hope you did), you would know we enjoyed a scrumptious lemon chicken dinner made by yours truly.  Everytime I cook a meal, there is always enough left over for one more "normal" eating person.  That's just how I roll.  And it is always better to have more than not enough.  Right? 

The hubs diced the leftover chicken and doused it in hot sauce.  Then he cooked the meat with an onion in a frying pan.  Once hot, he put the yummy smelling concoction off to the side.  He placed a large tortilla in the same frying pan, spread the chicken mixture and half a bag of shredded Mexican cheese on it.  Then he topped that off with another tortilla.  It takes about 5 minutes to brown each side and to make the insides all melty and gooey. 

Quesadillas!  It is that easy.  We had enough fixings for two large ones.  We inhaled the triangle shaped pieces with sour cream and salsa.  I would have loved some guacamole but what can ya do?  Beggars can't be choosers.  Believe it or not, this meal is rather filling so there is always some left over for a late night snack or lunch the next day.  You can add any other ingredient you would like.  I've enjoyed them with steak, ground beef, various hot sauces, and different diced veggies.  You can't really screw up a quesadilla.   If we remember next time, we can add some of the banana peppers and tomatoes from our garden.  Any way you decide to make them, quesadillas rock!

Lemons!

The other day, my generous neighbor gave us a bunch of lemons, a couple of tomatoes, and some blackberries.  So I thought to myself.  When life gives you lemons...you create a recipe to use them!  My brain immediately started to think of ways to put those lemons to good use.  Maybe add some of the lemon juice to our daily smoothies?  Maybe mix up some delish lemon/vodka concoctions?  Hmmm. 

We have been pretty busy and the hubs has been working a ton so I haven't cooked a sit down dinner for almost a week.  So, I decided to browse the interweb for a new recipe to use for our Sunday supper.  There were various lemon recipes to obtain ideas from.  I had just purchased some chicken at Rochie's so I decided to make a chicken with lemon and potatoes kinda dish with Kellyb flair, of course.  No diggity!

The temperature outside had dropped a bit but I did not want to heat the whole house up by using the oven.  I preheated the grill to 350 degrees and started to prep the awesomeness.  In my opinion, chicken on the bone is always so much more tasty than plain old boneless chicken.  I slapped the four boned breasts seasoned with salt and pepper into a roasting pan (sprayed with Pam) with the sliced potatoes, diced onions and green and yellow banana peppers (from our garden).  For the next step, I poured the juice of two fresh lemons and about a half cup of olive oil over the meat and veggies.  After that I used my handy dandy garlic press to destroy 8 cloves of fresh, peeled garlic (from my cuz), I sprinkled that and a good amount of oregano on top of everything in the pan.  I love using that cool, little garlic press thingie, for some odd reason.   My last step was to add a cup or so of water to the corner of the pan.  For a garnish, I sliced another lemon and placed the pieces on top of the chicken.  That extra step really did contribute to the fabulous presentation.  When I put the roasting pan on, the grill had heated up to a little over 350 degrees so we were good to go.  The on-line recipes varied on the cooking times so I decided that about two hours would be sufficient.  I turned the chicken after an hour and at that point, the enticing aroma made my mouth water. 

To accompany the main entree, I sliced up a fresh zucchini (from our garden) and threw it on the grill wrapped in some tin foil for the last fifteen minutes of the roasting.  I made a small Caesar salad, too.  After waking the hubs from an afternoon nap, we dined together at our kitchen table.  The outcome of the meal was pure scrumptiousness.  The potatoes were absolute perfection and so lemony and the chicken was spiced and cooked to our liking.  Besides the olive oil, the majority of the ingredients were very healthy, too.  The gorgeous and delicious outcome is pictured below.  I totally recommend this recipe and cooking on the grill made it that much better. 

Recipe Friday!!!

Awesome and Easy Baby Back Ribs (dry rub)

6-8 lbs of Baby Back Ribs (2 racks)
2 tablespoons paprika

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chili powder 

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon minced onion

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients except the ribs. Rub the spice concoction all over the ribs (mostly on the meat side). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate ribs for at least 12 hours.

Preheat the the grill to 350 degrees. 
Slap the racks on the grill (meat side up) and cook for 1.5-2 hours or until rib meat falls off the bone and the outside is crispy.  Flip the racks once or twice. 
The rub is a bit on the spicy side but you can tone it down by adding less of each ingredient or spice it up by adding more. 
They will be delish either way! 
Yum yum in my tum!!

Bagels and Bees

A couple of days ago, my adorable nieces and nephew came over with their mom from Ireland for a visit.  The twins, a boy and a girl are five years old and their little sis is three.  Perfect and fun ages!  They are too funny with their Irish lingo and their brogues.  We thoroughly enjoy spending time with them and have been hanging out with them on a regular. 

Yesterday, my sis-in-law and mom-in-law dropped the kids off so they could spend the afternoon with us.  We gave them each these cute little plastic, potted flowers that dance in the sun.  They loved moving them back and forth from the shade to sunshine to watch them move.  Then, we wrote with chalk on the driveway which lasted a whole four minutes.  We did some gardening and harvesting which they really enjoyed.  They loved sitting and swinging on the hammock so that kept them busy for a good amount of time.  The sprinklers were a huge hit.  They loved running back and forth then drying off and doing it over and over.  They also enjoyed taking turns switching the water on and off.  It totally reminded my hubs and I of how important it is to appreciate the simple things in life.  We were all having a grand old time. 

For lunch, they ate egg and poppy seed bagels with cream cheese and slices of LOL American cheese which they LOVE.  After they finished, they had some sweeties (candy).  I bought the Hershey's miniatures so they could each choose which kind they wanted to munch on.  We decided to head outside to eat some fudgsicles then run through the sprinklers some more.  That was a very good idea because they were all covered in chocolate.  When they tired of that, hubs had already left for work so we danced to the radio on the backporch a bit, then went inside to change out of their bathing suits.  They wanted more sweeties and freeze pops and who am I to say no?  So they chowed a little more. 

Later on, I suggested we go for a short walk to the end of my dead-end street and back.  They were all for it.  We ventured out with our water bottle, just in case we became thirsty on the 3 minute walk down and back up the hill.  We were chatting away, counting the fire hydrants, everything was going great.  We decided to sit out front on the steps in the shade.  As we headed up my front stairs, my nephew, who was right behind me, started yelling and crying.  A flipping bee had stung him right between the eyes and he knew exactly what had just occurred.  I was a freaking panic but kept myself in check.  I picked him up and hurried the girls into the living room.  I have never been stung so I was totally ignorant of what to do.  I attempted to gently squeeze the stinger out and think I got it.  At this point, my nephew had stopped crying so I knew the pain couldn't be that bad.  I wrapped a bunch of ice cubes up and he held it over the sore and swollen area.  I quickly pulled out my laptop, which for the first time ever, decided to freeze up on me.  Breathe!  I went for the hub's computer and knocked some things over in the hurry which the kids inquired about.  They wanted to know what I was doing and why.  My older niece told me that her mother had looked to the interweb for answers on a previous injury to one of them.  I was relieved to hear that.  I was trying to give all of them my attention.  And at the same time I was trying to read bee sting care instructions and freaking out inside.  I thought if he was going to have an allergic reaction, it would have happened already.  OMG!  This all went down in the last ten minutes of their visit.  Their mommy and granny arrived to them chilling and watching cartoons and to me needing a stiff drink.

So just in case you find yourself in my shoes, here are six easy steps for bee sting care that I found on-line--

1-First check the stung area of your body for the stinger. Sometimes it may be left in your skin. If so, take a pair of tweezers and remove it immediately.

2-Wash the area with soap and water right away.
3-Place a cold ice pack on the stung area for about ten minutes. This will help the swelling go down and help relieve the pain.
4-Take a benedryl while holding the ice pack on your sting.
5-Apply some hydrocortisone to the sting. This will help with the sting itself.
6-If necessary, apply a bandaid.

Checkmate Cafe and Cherries

Today mi madre, mi tia, y mis primos came to my hood for a lovely lunch.  We hung outside on my backporch enjoying the beautiful weather.  Per my request, my madre brought a double batch of her awesome homemade tunafish made with a teeny tiny bit of mayo, diced sweet pickles and celery.  She left out the onions this time.  For a surprise bonus, my aunt made her delish macaroni salad.  Score! 

To start off our feast, we munched on some snacks which included Cedars' original hummus and Syrian bread, blue cheese spread (freaking delicious) from Rochie's with wheat thins.  My cuz made her fantastic salsa.  She added diced baby tomatoes, cilantro, onions, etc. and mixed it all together to create awesomeness.  We chowed on that with some Tostitos corn chips. 

I suggested that we order some delivery for our lunch from Checkmate Cafe on South Street in Rozzie.  The hubs and I order from Checkmate on a regular so I was pretty sure everyone would be content with their food choices.  And I was correcto!  One of my cousins had a small spinach and cheese calzone which she loved.  The other cuz had one of the gourmet subs called the chicken broccoli alfredo (exactly what is sounds like), which he dogged.  My aunt had the Checkmate chicken grecco on my suggestion.  It is a wrap filled with chicken, feta, Greek dressing, lettuce, and tomatoes.  It is the bomb.  My madre enjoyed her 'can't find a name for it''  I call it the Thanksgiving sangie.  It is fresh cut turkey with cranberry sauce, stuffing, and gravy.  She raved about it.  All the subs were toasted which made them that much better.  I inhaled half of one of my own concoctions, chicken cutlet with American cheese, pickles, and hots.  MMM!!  We also shared some crispy wing dings.  They were excellent. 

Everyone was very happy with their lunches.  The portions are fairly large.  Most of us had a portion left over to snack on later.  Checkmate's prices are reasonable and their staff is friendly over the phone and in person.  You can get take-out, delivery, or eat in their dining area.  We have eaten pretty much everything on their extensive menu.  Their Greek pizza is the BEST around.  I crave it once a week but try to hold off from ordering that frequently.  I highly recommend Checkmate Cafe and I give them a rating of a B. 

We had our fill but you all know, there is always room for something sweet.  For dessert, I served a peach coffee cake from Rochie's which, in my opinion, was a little cheap on the peaches.  I was a bit annoyed because I love me some peaches and I was really looking forward to trying something new.  Fail!  My cousin brought some Italian cookies which was very nice of her.  And the cherries I picked up yesterday at Rochie's were so fresh, juicy, and sweet.  I guess they made up for the crappy cake and are for sure, more healthy.  My family and I had a good old time hanging out, laughing, catching up and of course, eating!

BFF's Bambino Shower

Saturday was my bff's fabulous baby shower at her madre's.  It was a lovely day with a great turnout of family, good friends and a whole lot of nurses.  The weather was beautiful but it was a bit hot out until the sun went down.  Thank God bff's mom had central air for people to pop in and out of.  The theme was Winnie the Pooh just like the baby's bedroom.  We tried to get everything we could to match without being tacky and we succeeded.  Everything was perfect.  I really loved the honey beehive candle favors!  We don't know what my future Godbaby will be so we kept the decorations and plasticware pretty neutral.  Baby momma got tons of awesome gifts and cards and the happy couple managed to unwrap all of them pretty darn quick.  As the guests were leaving, it appeared that they all enjoyed themselves and had a good time.  The day flew by and before I knew it the party had dwindled down to a small group of us carrying on and carousing on the back deck.  It is so nice to get together with good friends and hang out and catch up especially on such a joyous occasion.  What a great day and night.  So fun!

But enough about the goings on of the awesome day.  I will get to my point.  FOOD!  The spread we came up with for the celebration was the bomb!  We had a veggie platter with dip, delish cold taco dip and chips (tpain), celery with cream cheese and olives (bff's mom in-law) homemade meatballs and sausages (my mom), kielbasa (me-recipe posted), the best pasta salad with fresh broccoli, tomato, olives, and feta, scrumptious potato salad with lemon and awesomeness (bff's mom), cold cuts from Tutto Italiano (OMG!) plated by Jidu.  We, also, had homemade grape leaves with Syrian bread and a gorgeous garden salad with croutons and feta (friend), fresh rolls, lobster rolls, a fruit pizza (very cute idea, made by nursey friend), a cute Winnie the Pooh cake with whipped frosting (friend from BJ's).  I am sure I am forgetting something but I do know it was all fantastic and made with love.  Everyone raved about the food and appeared to have their fill. 

And on a really awesome note, I received tons of positive feedback about this blog.  It was really nice to hear that people are for real enjoying my entries.  I totally appreciate the support and the love peeps!!!!  I am looking forward to continuing to blog on the love of my life, FOOD!  So spread the word about www.rozziefoodie.blogspot.com to your family and friends!!  :)

ps-The picture below is of veggies from our garden.  I couldn't stop laughing when we discovered that ginormous zucchini!!  haha

Recipe Friday

Awesome and Easy Kielbasa in the Crock!

2 14 ounce Hillshire Farms Polka Kielbasas
1 lb Light Brown Sugar
20 ounce Can of Pineapple Chunks (drained)

Cut the kielbasas into 1/4 inch slices and toss them into crockpot.  Throw the pineapple chunks and brown sugar on top of the kielbasa.  Cook for 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.  Stir occasionally.  You will LOVE the outcome.  Also, you can add some mustard or honey dijon if you want to get a little crazy and spice things up.  And to make this dish a bit healthier, you can use turkey or low-fat kielbasas.  You can't really tell the difference.  I mix it up all the time.  Enjoy!!

Mount Vernon, Somerville

My family, (who should all be reading my blog and loving it) frequents and fancies the Mount Vernon.  It is the go-to restaurant for a good, reliable dinner.  It is located on Broadway in Somerville, less than a mile from the border of  Charlestown.  I can't tell you how many dinners I have eaten there or how many 'times' our family has hosted or attended there.  To say the least, we dig the joint! 

Wednesday night, my madre, bro, hubs, and I went for a belated birthday dinner for my man.  If available, we like to sit on the bar side of the restaurant in one of their comfy and very roomy booths.  Both sides were pretty dead so we had our choice of where to sit.  Penny, our waitress had a great personality and a great sense of humor.  Although, she was a bit slow on the uptake with getting us our second round of drinks.  But her attention to detail and funny demeanor made up for it.  The minute we sat, she delivered a basket of popovers.  I was so bummed.  I do love my carbs in most every form but popovers, I do NOT care for.  I guess, others tend to love them.  They used to serve a warm loaf of fresh wheat bread on a cute little wooden cutting board.  Oh well!  I had to sit that round out. 

The waitress took our whole order and must have sensed my hunger.  She offered to bring our soup out right away. Word!   I ordered the chicken with rice soup which, in my opinion, lacked flavor, veggies, and rice.   That didn't stop me from slurping up the entire cup in two minutes so I guess it wasn't that bad.  My bro had the clam chowder which he reported was good.  I was famished so we decided to order some wings dings to hold us over.  They were tasty and crispy and cooked just how I like them.  I could have eaten the whole plate but I stopped at three.  They came with a sweet and sour dipping sauce which I didn't sample but the fam seemed to like it. 

We sat and chatted and our dinners were delivered before we knew it.  The madre got the roast beef (cooked perfectly) dinner with mashed and a sliced tomato.  I tried a wee bite and it was very good.  My bro got the cheeseburger club which he enjoyed very much.  I was too full to try a square.  The hubs enjoyed and put a hurting on the prime rib with mashed and a veggie medley.  The portion was ginormous and it was cooked just right.  I, for some odd reason, decided to eat light and ordered a BLT with American cheese on wheat with fries.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  Perfection!  I inhaled the whole sandwich and all the fries (minus the ones the hubs stole). 

Of course, three out of four of us ordered dessert.  The hubs got the tapioca pudding (uck! in my opinion) and loved it.  My bro, the strawberry shortcake made with a real biscuit and big enough to feed a small army.  He enjoyed it.  I ordered the warm apple pie a la mode which we all shared.  Delish!  The coffee and Bailey's made it all that much better. 


The Mount Vernon is a family owned and operated business which has been in existence for a very long time.  They have three locations in Somerville, Lynnfield, and Revere.  My family has been eating there since before I was even born.  The food is great and the service is, too.  The menu is varied and has tons of options from fresh seafood, burgers, corn beef dinners, (on st patty's), etc.  They always have a huge list of specials, as well.  I give the Mount Vernon in Somerville a B-.

Sophia's Grotto and Frozen Fruity Drinkies

Monday evening, a good friend of mine and I enjoyed a lovely dinner together at Sophia's Grotto in Roslindale Square.  I ate there a while back but I can't for the life of me remember what I had.  My friend and I sat in their outdoor seating area which they share with Birch Street Bistro and Village Sushi and Grill.  We were greeted and seated immediately by friendly staff.  We decided on the carafe of Sangria before we even opened our menus.  And what a fantastic choice.  It was scrumptious.  Our waitress was cool.  She was attentive yet not pushy about placing our dinner orders right away.  She delivered our vino and served us a bowl of fresh, tasty bread with a puree red pepper kind of hummus spread.   Awesome!  For an appetizer, we shared an order of perfectly grilled bruschetta with a heaping amount of diced tomatoes and mini cubed mozzarella in a delish dressing.  OMG!  My amiga had the open faced lobster ravioli which I was surprised to see was made with a red sauce.  She loved it!  I ordered the Mediterranean Chicken which is pan-seared chicken breast topped with olives, sun-dried  tomatoes and feta cheese,with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans (hold the olives-uck!).  I ravaged the mashed and very fresh green beans but didn't put a hurting on the chicken because it was a bit too juicy for my liking.  Keep in mind, I like my food cooked longer than other people prefer.  Whatevs!!   That's how I roll.  The portions were sizable and the prices very reasonable.  I didn't even notice if they had a dessert menu because we had already decided on going to the Bistro for a glass of wine.  It was a nice dinner and a great evening to sit outside, eat, relax, and catch up.  I give Sophia's Grotto a rating of B-.


I was chilling on my new, awesome hammock when the hubs returned home today after a few days away on vacation with the boys.  The only thing that I was missing from the paradise of the hammock was a frozen mixed drink in my hot, little hand.  Hubs to the rescue.  He hooked us up with several different fruit and vodka concoctions blended with ice.  Perfect!  We hung outside taking turns on the hammock because it is that awesome.  Meanwhile, I knew he would be tired, hot, starving and wanting a home cooked meal after eating take-out and restaurant food for three days.  I made his favorite wings (recipe I posted) which he dogged the second he walked through the door.  For dinner, I grilled baked potatoes, a vidalia onion, and steak tips.  I boiled some corn on the cob, too.  Everything was wonderful but hanging with my man and enjoying frozen drinks in our backyard was the cherry to our sundae!  Fabulous day!

First Harvest and Delfino

Yesterday I decided to weed our jungle of a garden.  We have one good sized one with veggies and two other areas where we planted herbs, veggies, and flowers.  When I examined and evaluated the overgrowth of the weedage, I wanted to quit before starting.  It was not a pretty sight.  You couldn't even see the cucumber vines growing on the ground because of the grass like weeds that infiltrated our garden.   After working for three hours, I was covered in dirt from head to toe and sweating like...well you all know where I am going with that one.  I was hot and exhausted.  Gardening is seriously an actual workout and pretty much kicked my butt.  Unfortunately after all my hard work, I didn't love the end result, as there were still some areas with weeds.  At least it didn't still look like the forest it was a few hours prior.  Although I can identify every plant in my garden, there were a couple fatalities.  A flower plant in the front garden, a cuke vine, and some celery stocks lost their lives.  But the outcome of the harvest was well worth the blood, sweat, and tears.  I picked two kinds of peppers, a cuke, two zucchinis and some rhubarb (which I hate).   Yay summer!

Yesterday evening, the hubs and I enjoyed a date night at one of my favorite places to eat in the world...Delfino!!  It is a little slice of Heaven right in Rozzie Square.  In my opinion, Delfino is superior to many of the spots in the North End. It is a cute little restaurant that specializes in authentic Italian cuisine.  It has a cozy atmosphere and it is always busy but in a good way.  They don't take reservations but you can call ahead.  We went at 8:30 and we were seated immediately.  That never happens so I was psyched!  We usually have to put our name and cell phone number on the waiting list and head over to the Birch Street Bistro which is around the corner.  We can get a quick drink there and depending on how hungry we are, a snack, as well.  The quality and freshness of Delfino's food is remarkable.  The service from Michael, the accommodating host, to the bussers, to the waitstaff and servers, to the chefs is beyond incredible.  They are attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu, the specials, and most importantly the wine.  I usually get the house Chianti.  It is very tasty.  Felix, our waiter was great.  There were several parties still eating so he was a bit busy but it didn't affect his attentiveness to us.  He immediately came over with a bowl of their fresh and crusty bread to dip in olive oil and to let us know the specials.  The salad special was an arugula one with Gorgonzola, caramelized, spicy walnuts made with greens with a delish vinaigrette dressing.  We totally had to have that after the mouth watering description by Felix.  I ALWAYS get their Caesar salad which is the best around but we decided to get a little crazy and try a new option.  We were very glad we did because it was amazing.  Felix listed several other nightly specials including a tuna with mango salsa over greens as an appetizer.  The four entree specials were swordfish, salmon, gnocchi with sausage (gnocchi is at the bottom of my list), and smoked then pan seared pork loin which I ordered.  They were all served with awesomeness but I can't remember all the ingredients for each dish.  Mine included a savory sweet sauce served under the medium well cooked meat topped with the mango salsa perfection, served with carrots and grilled asparagus and Delfino's delectable mashed.  The dish was scrumptious and the hubs agreed.  He had his and many others' usual...the open faced lobster ravioli.  It is served piping hot with lasagna like pasta on the top and bottom filled with generous sized lobster pieces and scallops in a cream sauce.  As  you should know by now, (haha) I am not a seafood type of girl.  But everyone I know who has tasted the lobster ravioli absolutely loves it.  They usually end up ordering it every time they go to Delfino.    I have eaten several dishes on their diverse menu including various pasta dishes (the bolognese is incredible), chicken dishes (the chicken Parmesan is the bomb), the steamed mussels (weird I know but I love them), to the aged sirloin (phenomenal).   The portions are sizable and I always have some to take home.  You can not leave Delfino without having a fresh cannoli made with the most rich ricotta filling in a crusty, sweet shell topped with pistachios.  OMG!!!  Others love their homemade tiramisu and chocolate bread pudding.  There is not one horrible thing I can say about Delfino and if you haven't been already, you need to go asap.  I give Delfino in Roslindale on South Street, an A. 

Awesome and Easy Sangria

1.5 Liter of Carlo Rossi Sangria (I usually purchase the gigantic 3.0 liter.  The huge jug holds in the fridge forever.)
Quart of OJ
1 to 2 Cans of Ginger Ale or Sprite
Tablespoon of sugar
Imitation lemon and lime juice
2 oranges sliced
2 limes-1 sliced, 1 squeezed
2 lemons-1 sliced, 1 squeezed
2 apples cored and sliced

In a large pitcher combine the orange, apple, lemon and lime slices.  Squirt in the real and imitation lemon and lime juices.  Add the sugar, sodas, oj, and the wine.  Stir.  Refrigerate for 24 hours then stir well.  Enjoy in a cute glass poured over tons of ice.  The fruit will serve as the garnish and a delish snack.  Cheers!

PS-Many other fruits would be a great addition to this concoction and you can always add extra liquor.  One can get very creative with this recipe. 

Caesar Salad and Romano's Pizzeria and Taqueria

Last night, I hung out with some awesome, longtime buddies of mine.  The weather was fantastic so we sat out back catching up and laughing.  We downed some beers and enjoyed a couple of grilled cheeseburgers and the BEST homemade chicken Caesar salad that I've had in a very long time (besides the one at Delfino's and that raving and extended review will be at a later date).  My soon to be a chef friend totally hooked us up and cooked and served our entire dinner including mini chocolate covered ice cream treats for dessert.  The salad was made with marinated and grilled boneless chicken, crusty (in a good way) croutons, shredded Romano/Parmesan cheese, and the most fresh Romaine lettuce I have ever chomped on.  It was just so crispy and crunchy.  The dressing was really tasty, too.  I forgot to take note of the name on the bottle, though.   After dinner, we all headed out to the Moose for some gallivanting including music, beers, and pool.  Good times!!!!

Today, I was a bit, shall we say?  Tired!!  And I am sure it had nothing to do with partying into the wee hours of the night.  Anywho, I woke up starving and couldn't think of what I wanted to eat and we don't have much to pick from in our casa.  I went through the list of various delivery places in my head because I knew I was not going anywhere besides the couch.  I finally decided on Mexican food from Romano's.  To tell you the truth, I am getting bored with pizza, subs, Chinese, etc.  I yearned for something good and different from what I usually have delivered.  Romano's has everything from Sicilian pizza which I've had before and it is the bomb, to subs, wraps, tons of dinner plates, appetizers, etc.  Their turkey subs with American cheese and all the fixings, no mayo, are very nice.  Their Mexican menu is authentic and delicious.  I went with two steak tacos made in a corn tortilla with cilantro, tiny onions, and hot sauce served with a fresh lime to squeeze on the meat.  Fabulous!  In addition, I ordered a grilled chicken quesadilla served with the same ingredients as the tacos.  I added guacamole and sour cream, of course.  The small order of boneless buffalo fingers with bleu cheese dressing sounded awesome so I threw in some of those, as well.  I was pleased with all of my choices.  The friendly driver arrived in less than a half hour.  My food was still fairly hot and the portions are generous but not crazy big.  There is plenty left over for a hefty midnight snack.  I could have gone without the delivery charge of $2.50 that I did not see posted on the menu until after I investigated why my total seemed high.  I quickly got over the fee once I got a taste of my fantastic taco.  Romano's offers take-out, delivery, and has a medium sized dining area if you would prefer to eat there.  It is located in Roslindale Square on Washington Street on the same block as Redd's in Rozzie (formerly Geoffrey's).  My rating for Romano's is a B. 

Fenway and Fries with la Familia

Last night, the hubs and I met up with my brother and a bunch of my cousins for the Red Sox game.  My twenty-six year old cousin who is visiting from Florida and has been to Boston a gazillion times had never been to Fenway for a game.  WTH!  I couldn't believe it.  We started at Boston Beer Works, a good place to meet up.  Waiting in line in the sweltering heat to get in was awesome...NOT!  Although the line did move fast.  Before we knew it and a few drinks later, all the cousins had arrived.  Of course food was ordered but I am not at liberty to review the snacks, as I did not sample any of it.  The place was bustling and the atmosphere was cool. 
Our seats at the park were awesome.  We were in section 3, row 7 in the right field grand stand.   Perfect view of the field and the fans around us were pretty cool.  I am not a stationary type of chick so I got up several times and then ended up in the standing room only section right above from where were sitting.  There was a nice, little breeze up there.  Everyone else joined us in our new viewing area to watch the end of the game.  Sox won 3-2.  I know all of you are sitting there thinking, Kellyb didn't eat??  I can't believe it myself when there is so much to pick from at Fenway including hot dogs, cotton candy, peanuts, popcorn, chicken fingers, etc.  Truth be told, I was in more of a drinking beer kind of mood.  After the game, we regrouped at the end of Yawkey Way. 
Some cousins jetted and the rest of us headed over to the Lansdowne Pub.  I was ravenous at this point.  I wanted some fries and I wanted them NOW!  We decided to sit in a huge booth kind of set up, along the left wall.  The place was pretty happening.  Lots of youngsters getting their drink on and some were busting a move.  I, too, was feeling the tunes and dancing in my seat.  Everyone said they weren't hungry and didn't want anything when I asked.  But, I am no fool and wanted to make sure I would get my fair share.  I ordered two orders of large fries and two orders of chicken bites (just write nuggets).  The chicken was blah but I still ravaged almost a full order.  The fries were fantastic.  They were served on a plate with a  paper bag to absorb the excess oil and to reduce the moisture.  Genius!  And believe me, it makes a difference.  I am a fry connoisseur and I get so angry when you are served/delivered fries in a styrofoam container.  Hello!!!!  Not good.   Everyone had a couple of drinks and helped me eat the appetizers.  I tried a sip of my cousin's mojito, which I had never tasted before.  OMG!!!  Loved it.  I would describe it as an adult lime rickey without the raspberry.  Although the raspberry would be a nice touch.   Am I right?  Either way, why hasn't anyone introduced me to this scrumptiousness sooner?   The fam and I had a great time together.  We definitely should make it a tradition.

Fun, Family, and Friends on Fourth of July Weekend

Friday, before the hubs and I met up with some friends, I made the most amazing, tender pork chops with onions in peppers.  I sprinkled each piece of meat with a good amount of salt and pepper and sprayed the sizzling frying pan with Pam then seared each chop.  The veggies and pork were cooked to perfection on medium heat (flipping a couple of times) after about 20 minutes for the man and 25 for me.  Yes!  I am weird about pork, too.  We gobbled the pork with veggies and some pasta salad up and headed off to hang with some buddies.  A very easy and delicious dinner was served and eaten in 35-40 minutes. 

Sunday was the celebration with family and friends and food.  Lots and lots of awesome food.  It was like heaven on earth in Wakefield for a day.  My uncle and aunt have a huge yard with a good sized pool, the perfect set up for a sick backyard bash.  Everyone was either drinking, swimming, chatting, chilling, playing games, or eating.  First we had the never ending amount of appetizers.  Anything from kielbasa, to boneless ribs, to every kind of dip you can imagine with chips and veggies, etc.  I kind of took it easy on that course because I knew I wanted to destroy me some grilled awesomeness.   I started with a good old fave...a hot dog with mustard.  I usually do sweet relish, too, but I needed a bite fast and in the worst way.  So good!  Everyone started digging into the tower of festive cupcakes.  Not that there wasn't a million other options for desserts.  I didn't want to miss out.  So, I proceeded to inhale a yellow cupcake with chocolate frosting (the perfect combo) made by my godmother.  Then I had some perfectly marinated steak tips with some delicious chicken tips.  There were tons of sides which I usually devour.  But for some reason, yesterday I was prone to the meat.  They had green salad, potato salad, two or three kinds of pasta salad, macaroni salad, baked bean salad.  I know I am leaving some out but I can't remember them all.  Later on in the day/evening, after I kicked some major butt in Bocce, I was craving a snack.   Oh!  And when I say kicked butt I mean my teammate and I beat 13 teams to win the tournie.  It was beautiful!!!  The grill was fired up for the fourth or fifth time of the day.  I was psyched to be enjoying a perfectly grilled cheeseburger with ketchup.  All the while my family and my uncle's friends were congratulating us on our win.  I was loving my bragging rights and talking major smack to my cousin who we beat out in the very last game.  It was all in good fun.  If you can't take a joke in my family...you're screwed.  We love laughing with and at each other and just having a good time.  Desserts had been on display for a while but I wasn't feeling my sweet side.  I only had one brownie with nuts made by my madre and a couple of nibbles here and there of other things.  The fresh strawberries and whipped cream looked scrumptious.  There were cookies of all kinds, halfmoons, several different pastries, and a gorgeous truffle.  My family DOES NOT mess around when it comes to food and having a good time.  A great day was had by all!!!

Bay Sweets, 02132

Almost every time I go to get my hair did, I stop into Bay Sweets on Spring Street in Wrox.  It is a hop, skip, and a jump away from Apple Salon.  If anyone is looking for an awesome and talented hairdresser...Apple's your woman!  The store specializes in Middle Eastern food and they have a plethora of products from Europe.  The Lebanese family owned and run business has an addictive aroma of spices and herbs that entice you the second you walk through door.  The staff is very friendly and helpful.  They even sell those hookah thingies.  One of those would be a cool decoration for your home and definitely a conversation starter.  Second to Byblo's in Norwood, the Bay Sweet's hummus is the best I have ever tasted.  Just enough of each ingredient in every mouth watering bite.  They have two sizes but don't fool yourself by getting the smaller one.  I could kill that all by my onesies in a single sitting.  The bread (Syrian/pita) is so fresh and light.  They have a huge selection of olives (not one of my faves) and Middle Eastern cheeses.  The prepared dishes in their fridge change daily.  You can find anything from grape leaves (lamb or beef with various spices, etc. rolled in an actual grape leaf) to hushwee (rice/chicken/beef in awesome spices with pine nuts) to many other Lebanese favorites.  The tabouli is scrumptious and always available.  Yesterday, I ordered a couple spinach boats (lightly baked dough with spinach and cheese on top), meat kibee balls (ground beef or lamb and tiny chopped onions and spices rolled into a ball), and sfeeha spinach pies (seasoned spinach and onions in baked dough).  Oh!!  And the cheese bread is to die for.  My stomach is growling right now writing this.  The dessert counter is always fully stocked with many different sweet treats.  I can not vouch for the pastries and cookies but they totally look yummy.  I've heard the baklava which is not my choice of dessert, is great.  You can guarantee anything you get from Bay Sweets is fresh and homemade.  They also offer sandwiches and roll ups on their menu and catering for all occasions.  I really could go on and on about how good their food is but there are way too many choices to review.  And if you don't see something you want, just ask and the cute, older gentleman will do his best to make it happen.  If you have not already been to Bay Sweets, you are missing out on some appetizing Lebanese deliciousness!! 
ps-To all my Lebanese lovelies...I apologize if some of the Leb. lingo is spelled incorrectly but there seems to be several ways to spell the words!

Recipe Friday

Awesome and Easy Chicken Wings


2lbs of wingettes
Half of a 15 oz. bottle of soy sauce

Quarter of a 15 oz. bottle of teriyaki sauce

Whole can of a 20 oz. pineapple chunks (drained)

Pam Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of pan with Pam then line it with tin foil for easy clean up. Put the wings in and douse them with the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and pineapple chunks. Cook for two hours. BASTING is the key to the awesomeness so do it every half hour. After two hours, take the wings out and drain the excess juice. You will LOVE the tasty outcome! If you want to get a little crazy...you can add your choice of hot sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, spices, etc. I add something different every time and I never measure anything. The wings are delish hot, cold or reheated. Enjoy!!!