Happy Holidays!!

'Tis the Holiday Season and I am just loving all the cookies, parties, poinsettia's, christmas lights, candles.... it is just such a festive time of year that makes me feel warm inside! Thanksgiving was fabulous, one of the best I have to say. Not only was I spending time with my family but eating delicious food too! 


However, I think what contributed most to my successful thanksgiving this year was being able to spend some quality time with my 2nd family right before the holidays. After all, the holidays are much better spent with the people you love :) I went to Boston and was able to re-visit some college favorites AND the Marzilli's!!!! Just being in their house again was a treat for me!! After my visit, It was a nice to come home to my family & to enjoy the next few days with them <3

Antipasto at the Zampella's

Thanksgiving Table

My Plate :) :) 

Mom's homemade crust & Naomi's pumpkin pie

Alongside your family, the closest thing to family are your friends!! Christmas time is great for girls nights!!!!! Vino... dinner... and chatting ALL night!!

Salad, Garlic Bread, and Lucca's homemade pasta mmm!

Jodi's Christmas Present... cookies in a jar!

Instructions 

AND delicious!!!!

Lastly, I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday from my home to yours... I will be traveling throughout Europe with my beau for a few weeks <3... LOTS of pictures and blogs to come when I return... XOXO Happy New Year!!!! See you in 2012 :)

Major Catch Up :)

It has been a while since my last post so needless to say I have a lot to write about :)! Some of these stories are new and some are older ones that I had yet to get to! I have compiled a total of 6 meals I want to share... 1 in house recipe and the other 5 were out at restaurants. 


Meal #1: Leg of Beast


Chris Cosentino has a restaurant in the Castro called Incanto. He also has a special menu called Leg of Beast that needs a minimum of 6 attendees. Greg and I went with our friends Drew & sahar, whom invited their friends Sara and Anthony! The Leg of Beast is a prix fix dinner that includes starters, sides, a main course, and dessert. The main IS the Leg of Beast and the only item identified before you arrive. The starters, sides, and desserts are not pre-set. It's a fun surprise to see what they prepared. Boy was this meal delicious and I feel it needs no further introductions.... check out the pictures and the restaurant for yourself :)

Drew & Sahar with the MASSIVE bone!

our empty bottles :)

Meal #2: El Paseo


For Greg's birthday I decided to take him to a steakhouse... we don't go to them often and it is one of his favorite meals so it only seemed appropriate on this special occasion. I chose Tyler Florence's chophouse in Mill Valley since we were such a fan of his restaurant Wayfare Tavern in the city. Mill Valley is a quaint town not far from Sausalito. The service at this restaurant was impeccible.... however, the food was definitely the show stopper!! Check out our meals.... Beet and Goat Cheese salad, which is more of a norm lately in restaurants but I assure you this was by far one of the bests I have ever had!!!! Greg and I splurged and ordered the Porterhouse for 2... oh man! It was absolutely perfect! It came accompanied by a whole roasted garlic head. I love garlic and meat that melts in your mouth! Our sides were brussel sprouts- too die for- and the duck fat potatoes- our least favorite. I am sure most people will go and love them but Greg found the side dish to be a little oily and I did not like the Romesco sauce they put on the bottom. It is such a smokey flavored sauce that is a bit too heavy for my belly... We saved dessert for Greg's favorite ice cream in the city.. Mitchell's!!!! It is SO creamy and the hot fudge is a guilty pleasure of mine. Overall what a delicious delicious delicious night!!! Highly recommend El Paseo AND Mitchell's!

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Porterhouse for 2  

Brussel Sprouts & Duck Fat Potatoes 

Mitchell's!!!!!!!

Meal #3: Grilled Cheese Rolls with Tomato Soup


I love making homemade soup, tomato soup being my favorite. I add a little cream and basil to make it less acidic and more enjoyable. Obviously grilled cheese is the most common paired food. I saw on pinterest, of course, a new take on grilled cheese with tomato soup. Make the grilled cheese into rolls and dip them INTO the soup. Well clearly I had to try this so I made it with my family before Thanksgiving. 


Recipe


Grilled Cheese Roll:


Take your bread and remove the crust. Flatten the bread with a rolling pin. Add your cheese and roll the bread up and sauté in butter like you would a regular grilled cheese. Keep rotating sides to get it nice and brown :)


Tomato Soup:


Ingredients:


3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 carrots- unpeeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds ripened tomatoes- coarsly chopped (about 5 large tomatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves 
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream- optional and I usually do not even use that much


Directions:


Heat oil in large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes- until very tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes until tomatoes are very tender. Add cream and use hand blender to make it smooth/creamy. Serve immediately with some shaved basil leaves and a dollop of creme fraiche mmmm!

Half grilled cheese rolls/half regular grilled cheese 

Dunking the grilled cheese roll into my soup mmm!

Meal #4: Bar Jules- Mother/Daughter Date


My mom stayed with me for a night in the city and of course we decided to go out for dinner! Bar Jules is a restaurant in Hayes Valley that I have read about before. It is small but seemed really cute... and it was! The most intriguing part of this restaurant was how their menu changes EVERY day and for EACH meal.... I was shocked when the waitress told me that! Talk about fresh seasonal produce for each meal ... I am impressed.. and the food 100% reflected that!! I just can't help but to think how much work that is? along with how hard that is with knowing what to buy and how much of it? I guess when you are in the industry they have their own set methodologies, but I was surely boggled! 

Wine & Bread

Pork Shoulder & Polenta 

Sand Dabs with Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

Meal #5: UMAMI Burger comes to SF :) :)


Ever since my friend Sahar and I went to the UMAMI Burger in Santa Monica, I had craved this burger every single day! I couldn't wait for my next visit to LA to get it!!! Then my dream came true and the owner opened up a restaurant right here in San Francisco!!!!!!! OF COURSE Sahar and I went and brought our boys along to WOW them... needless to say everyone left extremely happy as we anticipated! I recently brought my parents and despite the hour and a half wait, it was ever so delicious!! With beers to go around, homemade cheesy tater tots and onion rings to share, the only thing left to await was our burgers.... My mom and dad both got the manly burger.. beer cheddar cheese, smoked-salt onion strings, bacon lardons all atop a Wagyu Kobe Beef burger. I got the UMAMI burger which is oven roasted tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, with a parmesan crisp .... mmmmm!!! We shared an ice cream sandwich at the end.. homemade chocolate chip cookie with Humphrey Slocombe Chocolate Malt ice cream in the middle... mmm mmmm goooooood!

Cheesy Tots

Manly Burger

Umami Burger 

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich

Meal #6: Noodle Soup Competition


Greg was studying for his finals today and I had a bunch of To Do items I wanted to get done. I decided to take a break half way through and treat myself to lunch! It has gotten cold so I figured something warm to fill my belly and a Christmas movie or two would be perfect :) Since I read a TON of blogs and always enjoy hearing what people claim to be the "best" of the city, I decided to do a little taste test myself. There are two noodle spots in the Tenderloin area that I always hear about. One is Turtle Tower and they are known for their Pho Ga- Chicken Noodle Soup. The reviews I read state this isn't the typical Pho because it is a Northern Vietnam dish with lighter chicken broth and different noodles. I have to say I enjoyed this dish. The cilantro was overwhelmingly good, the chicken broth had great flavor, and the noodles slurped into my mouth so easily!!! However, the chicken was just OK... it was juicy and tender so that wasn't the issue. The flavoring resembled a broiled chicken and I have an issue with chicken tasting like, well, chicken! I know weird. I need some kind of seasoning, breading, or flavor! 


The second place I went to was Hai Ky Mi Gia, which was literally a half a block away from Turtle Tower... made my journey easier! I felt weird calling one restaurant to order take out while waiting for the noodle soup at the other spot haha.... Anyway Hai Ky Mi Gia is known for their Braised Duck Leg Noodle Soup. Because of the duck, this dish was definitely richer. The noodles were more eggy and flavorful. It also came with sprouts and a solid broth as well! On the side there was jalapeños, pickled carrots, and picked cucumbers. 


Overall, I did like both of the soups and it was really fun to try. And clearly it was MORE than enough food so I have some lunch this week at work too!! Win Win for Lisa!! 

Pho Ga

Braised Duck Leg Noodle Soup