Food is awesome!

Food is awesome!
Food is awesome! (photos on this blog are borrowed from the interweb, friends, and/or are personal shots)

Monday, June 13, 2016

My Tomato Sauce Recipe!!

tomato sauce recipe!!
2 cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 can Hunt's tomato paste
1/4 cup Olive oil
good amount minced garlic
basil
oregano
salt
pepper
sugar
bay leaves -1
thyme
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
one whole yellow onion-peeled
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Saute' minced garlic and olive oil for about two minutes over medium heat.
Use medium sized crock pot.
AdMy d all other ingredients to the crock and stir. Throw in the delish garlic and olive oil to the concoction. Stir.
Optional-sprinkle cheese on top and cover. I wait for the full spread then add cheese if needed. 
Cook on low for five to six hours or high for three to four hours. Remove whole onion and enjoy!!
Just use your judgement on how much of each spice, etc. Don't be crazy but don't be stingy. I heart garlic so I use tons!!
Make sure to pick up some fresh bread for dipping and boil up some pasta of your liking. I toss the pasta with a little butter. It holds the sauce better.
YUMMYYY!!!!


Thursday, April 28, 2016

Brewer's Fork, Charlestown

Over the weekend the hubs and I headed over to Charlestown for an early supper for my bro's belated birthday celebration.  Brewer's Fork located next to McCarthy Bros. Liquors  http://www.mccarthyliquors.com   (shout out!), and a five minute walk from my family's home was his restaurant of choice for this year.  http://brewersfork.com

Since it was on the early side, we were seated right away in the outside area.  It was a super nice day, the sun was shining and the air was crisp.  Perfect.  The dining room was on the quiet side filled with tons of staff, high ceilings, funky lighting, popular music blaring, and a brewery type feel with a good amount of tables for all party sizes.  The kitchen has a huge wood fire burning oven and is an open set up for all to see.  You know I love that.  The bar is a decent sized area featuring a back wall lined with craft and local brew taps.  Beer lovers should be all up in this piece.

The birthday boy ordered a beer from Framingham called JACK’S ABBY EXCESS IPL described on their menu as -outrageously hoppy golden lager featuring toasty caramel malt notes alongside bold citrus, pine, and tropical fruit in the nose.  It was served in a HUGE mug about the size of his head.  The hubs went with the same in a pint glass, the women went for the house cucumberish sangria (was not a fan), and I ordered a glass of the 2013 PINOT NOIR RESERVE DOM. BRUNET.  Very nice!!  After a few rounds, we switched to carafes of the House Red.  The end of the evening is a bit blurry so luckily we ordered and ate before the wine had it's effect.  Ha!

To start, we shared  a couple of orders of the over roasted meatballs-tomato sauce, sheeps milk cheese-SO good, a dozen local oysters with lemon and mignonette-yumyum, crispy maple pork belly-not a huge lover but the fam dogged it, and finally, the flat bread salad-veggies, feta, lemon, oil-super fresh!

Our three pizza choices included the Marge-tomato, mozzarella, basil, the Salami-Genoa salami, tomato, and mozzarella, and the Baconjammy-asparagus, 3 onions, bacon jam, and mozzarella.  The third was the best by far.  All were tasty and plenty to share among the five of us.

Service was spectacular.  Plenty of staff, water glasses and drinks full at all times, a team type of situation, down to earth, and friendly.  Prices are what you would expect at an up and coming joint in C-town-reasonable but on the higher side.  The food was served as it was prepared which spaced out our courses.   Lunch and dinner menus are similar with small plates with other options such as a pickle plate or tuna crudo.  The star of the menu is the wood fire cooked pizza.  All sorts of flavors and concoctions.  Also big enough to split.  Sunday Funday brunch is served 1030am-3pm.  Lots of breakfast and lunch plates.

No dessert which is always a big bummer for me!  But the beverages, food, and company made up for my chocolate void.  Next time I will stick a Hershey's with almonds or a brownie in my purse.  Haha!!


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Eat With Jack O'Neill, West Roxbury



How's it going PEOPLE?

Yeah, it's been quite a long time since my last entry so fingers crossed I still know how to express my food thoughts!  No sah!!
 It's all good in my hood and I hope in yours, too.

Last Sunday, the hubs and I headed out on a date night to the old West Roxbury Pub which is now totally reconstructed and called Eat With Jack O'Neill.  eatwithjack.com

The Pub side was jamming with young (like babies) to old (like old) and all ages in between.  A group of volunteers musicians sat in the corner by the entrance. The traditional Irish seisiún was in full swing.  Fiddles, guitars, accordions, tin whistles, and banjos played good old Irish tunes.  Players came and went and the music went on for hours.  The crowd tapped, clapped, sang, and danced along.  It was the best way to get geared up for the best holiday EVER...Saint Patrick's Day!!

We were psyched when we spied a huge booth when we first walked in but we quickly learned it was being held.  No worries.  We ended up sitting at the very end of the long, shared dining table in the middle of the joint.  Usually this seating arrangement would really annoy me but since there was adequate space between parties, I agreed.  Also, the session was legit right in front of us which made me one happy camper.

There are huge booths lining the wall and a corner one towards the end, couple of smaller tables, the large dining table, and a pretty good sized bar.  The light fixtures are really funky.  They reminded me of an old time pub like in Pirate times.  :)

Our waitress was from Germany and super friendly, informative, efficient, and funny.  As you know, I am a beer drinking kinda girl but this evening I decided to go with the Jack’s Rose-- Georgi Apple Cider Vodka, lemon juice, pomegranate.  YUMMY!!  The hubs went with a nice, cold Allagash White.  After cheersing it up, we put our order in for wings.  Buffalo, glazed, perfectly cooked, and crispy, amazing wings with blue cheese dressing and carrots.  I devoured four of them in minutes.  Best wings I've had in a long time fo sho.  Other items the Pub menu offers--small plates-devilled eggs and Scotch egg, salads-kale, greens, and, pies-chicken, meat, , burgers, sandwiches, etc.  Lots of choices.  I noted they serve brunch on the weekends.  Irish breakfast, pancakes, fried chicken and more.  I will be returning swiftly.

For supper, the hubs went with his usual, fish and chips.  Very lightly battered, big pieces of fish and tartar sauce with handmade fries drizzled with vinegar!  YESSSS!  He thoroughly enjoyed his choice.  Yours truly went with the Steak and Guinness Pie with a beyond flaky pie crust.  The meat was tender, the thick, brown gravy tasted fantastic, and the veggies were just right.  It came with a simple green salad with goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar.  Perfect accompaniment but you could choose the fries if you preferred.

Before ordering dessert, I ventured over to the restaurant side.  Whoah!!  Whole other world up in that piece.  Smaller bar area,several white clothed tables and the atmosphere was chill, quiet, and a bit more fancy.  The menu is more extensive.  It features Irish and American Cuisine with delish choices including cheese boards, healthy salads, favorites from the grill, and mouthwatering sides like ham hock greens.  They also have a Rotisserie with fish and meats like chicken, pork, and more.  Good stuff.    I swear there was a bakery counter type area but was not very clear on that sitch.  I will have to investigate more in depth.  Which leads me to our choices for dessert.  They did not have the Bailey's cheesecake or much of anything else it seemed.  We went with our server's recommendation of the berry like ambrosia.  Didn't love or hate it.  Hubs seemed to enjoy it.  Chocolate is what I desire after a fabulous supper and Jack let me down big time.  But don't fret, I have high hopes that the bakery area I nosed around will grow into something I can really dig.  They do make their own selection of Irish breads so I am confident there is decadent dessert in my near future.

After finishing up, we ordered another round and headed over to sit at the bar to continue our wonderful evening of tasty food and music.  Can't wait to return for more delicious food, fun, and fiddles.