Dinner in Dwelling

There is nothing better than cozying up on the couch with a good bottle of Pinot Noir and catching up with your "stories" on the tube after a previous long night out with friends. Add great food, a boyfriend, a dog, a playmate, a sidekick, a partner or just a delusion to the picture and you've got yourself a perfect date-night in.

I have been making this salad every weeknight to go along with whatever I am having for dinner. It seems to compliment everything from an Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza (to die for, by the way!! No cheese, organic whole wheat crust, shitake mushrooms, roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and sweet onions!) to my Turkey Meatballs, to a fillet of fish. I absolutely crave it, but I didn't realize how amazing it was until I make it for others and they are just dying for the recipe?? I spice things up as seasons change and use what is fresh and in-season, but for summer I stick to these basic ingredients:

Simple Summer Salad

Mixed Greens or Baby Romaine
Avocado (pitted and diced)
Tomato medley - Cherry, Exotic, Grape, Mini Plum, etc. (halved or quartered)
Pine Nuts
Grated Parmesan
Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette
Fresh Cracked Pepper (to taste)

Nothing fancy. No slavin' away in the kitch. Literally toss to your liking and enjoy! The sharp Parmesan cheese and the creamy avocado mixed with the simple dressing creates an appealing texture that you have just to try for yourself...

This week I ventured out and made a filet mignon to go along with my salad and used the help of Tyler Florence to create a savory Pinot Noir sauce. As I am sure you can gather, I don't eat beef too often...but I crave the occasional steak and this one was totally tasty!

Filet Mignon with Mushroom and Pinot Noir Sauce

2 filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Assorted mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 cups Pinot Noir
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Season both sides of filet mignon generously with salt and pepper. In an oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the steaks in the hot pan and sear one sides, about 3 minutes. There should be a nice crust. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast about 10 minutes, or until steaks are cooked to your liking.

Remove the steaks and mushrooms and cover. Bring the pan back to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine and scrape the pan, getting up all of the good bits. Place the steaks and mushrooms back in the pan, coat in the sauce and add the butter for extra richness.

Plate the steaks and mushrooms again, topping with the sauce to serve.

Enjoy!

Afternoon Slump is Starting to Look Up!

Ok, I know that I've already mentioned my summer OBSESSION with iced coffee so I thought it only right to pass along some delicious dirt. Present a receipt from your morning cup of joe and Starbucks will sell you an iced grande beverage for $2. Only now through September 2nd (the officially dreaded final day of summer). So GO! RUN! Before summer is over!

And spread the good word...

(Though nothing beats the iced coffee from Cafe Angelique or Grey Dogs, but that's just my opinion).

Cookie Dreams Contest

What would YOU want in a cookie? Tell me your cookie fantasy and YOU could WIN your very own cookie....named after you! What is your ultimate flavor combination?
WHAT ARE YOU CRAVING?

If you're on Facebook, join my Group O'COOKIES and reply to the discussion board topic...
"What Would You Want In A Cookie?"

GET CREATIVE. GET THINKING. START DROOLING.
WHAT WOULD YOU WANT IN YOUR COOKIE?????

Voting starts now!

O'Cookies Captured

Fit Me on the Jitney!

Having an incredible summer so far...already can't wait to get out of the city again this weekend. Keep checking back for more summer eats and Hamptons feasts!

Put the Peanut Butter Down!

WARNING. YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER THAT I HAVE EVER TASTED. IN THE WORLD.

Do not try this at home. (Especially hungry and alone).Peanut Butter blended with sweet white chocolate. No trans fats, no cholesterol, and all natural , Peanut Butter & Co has been around since 1998 and prides itself on providing great-tasting, all-natural, healthful products. Now I realize that peanut butter can be a healthy part of a diet, as this is something I eat every day (though more like Reduced-Fat Jiffy on whole grain rice cakes), but this is no joke. One bite and you're hooked. This is definitely a dessert. Not a condiment. And what is lecithin anyways? At least it has no hydrogenated oil and no refined sugar.

Does that count?

4th of July Done Right

Hamptons. Piled-high burgers. Corn on the cob. Beer. Local wine. Drinking games. Friends.

Fun.

New to Foodie BlogRoll!

I have a new sidebar feature! Check out the Foodie BlogRoll. A great place to see all the newest blogs featuring recipes, food and restaurant reviews. You can join Foodie too! Just click the link to the left and you will be taken to the Foodie blog. Check it out!

Meat-and-Three with a side of Southern Comfort

Just got back from a wedding weekend [well-spent] in the Deep South of Birmingham, Alabama. Two friends from college were getting hitched and I thought it would be nice to share in the celebrations and catch up with old colleagues. After spending four years in Dallas, TX with true (egh ugh) southern gentlemen and belles, I thought I had seen my "fare" share of what the south has to offer...until now. Until B'ham. Roll Tide!

I was picked up by the groom from the airport and taken directly to Garage. Traveling with one of the groom's pledge brothers (my boyfriend), we joined his groomsmen for a low-key guy's lunch. Bar, by night, and by day a courtyard seating with eclectic and antique decorations for sale. The no-fuss menu was simply your choice of: BREAD, MEAT, CHEESE, TOPPINGS and CONDIMENTS (yes, they used the word condiments). To my surprise they came up with an extraordinarily tasty 

turkey sandwich. The whole wheat bread seemed home-made with a nutty crust. Fresh turkey, spicy mustard, lettuce and tomato with salt and pepper over a bed of potato chips and a crispy pickle. I devoured my sandwich while listening to drunken stories (that of which seemed straight out of the movie Varsity Blues) from the previous night. They were all "drunk as a buck" from all of the "hunch punch" (think extremely southern twang here). Perfect start to a full weekend.

Dinner that night was spent at the highly recommended (2001 James Beard Award recipient) Bottega Restaurant. I was really looking forward to some all-star food and this seemed like just the place. Upon entering, the vibe was highbrow and elegant. The staff was on-cue and ready to serve. We were seated immediately and ordered cocktails at once: Dirty Grey Goose Martini for me, and Scotch straight up for him. The waiter seemed thrilled that we were in town from New York. We took his word and ordered his recommendations that you can only taste in "these parts of the states".  We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes and Okra with craw fish aioli and the Beef Carppacio with horseradish and arugula. 

Mouthwatering. Um...need I say more? I then ordered the Grilled Grouper with sweet peppers, eggplant and capers and he had the chicken. The waiter paired wine perfectly with our main courses. We were heading to a rehearsal party from here and did not want to fill up on dessert so he convinced us to try their watermelon sorbet, while we enjoyed our espresso.   

The following day started with a Wedding Brunch at a family friend's estate. The house was located on a hill in Mountain Brook with the most amazing view of the city. Brunch consisted of Bloody Mary's, Biscuits with Ham and creme fraishe, different varieties of egg souffles, grits (of course), fruit salad, and coffee cake. That evening was the wedding. We enjoyed ourselves at their country club with 600 other guests (serious southern celebrating). I had the opportunity to catch up with a sorority sister who was born and raised in Bhama, now married and residing there...along with the rest of the family- all lawyers or teachers. I wasn't leaving until 5:00 the next evening so we made a plan to grab lunch the next day. She got so excited she screamed in her utmost southern twang "Girl! I will take you to the best meat-and-three around!" I had absolutely NO IDEA what she was talking about. Baffled. [confused smile]. Ugh. Sure?? She definitely got one huge patooty kick out of the fact that I was completely clueless as to what she was talking about. "Meat and three vegetables, of course!"

Tracy's- B'ham's "go-to" for filling down-home meat-and-threes (again, one meat and three vegetables). The friendly folks behind the counters and the smell of 

wholesome home cookin' as you entered (and the fact that Harris knew everyone there) made me realize how far away I was from home. The menu was written on a chalk board and consisted of Today's Meats: Fried Chicken, Hamburger Steak (still not fully aware of what exactly this is), Turkey and Dressing and the like. Their ever-ending list of vegetables included all of the country classics: Fried Okra, Fried Green Tomatoes, Black Eyed Peas,  Mac and Cheese, Baked Apples, Squash Casserole and Avocado Salad. Of course you also had your choice of corn bread or a roll. So not my typical lunch, but definitely one that I was looking forward to experiencing!  I ordered the Turkey and Dressing (asked for dressing on the side, but they obviously don't get that much because they didn't come through on that one), Fried Green Tomatoes (can't get enough of these) the Avocado Salad and my corn bread. Pure country. 

The rest of the day was spent, well, quietly. This city is a ghost town on Sundays! I tried to walk around but only found luck with a Starbucks to be opened (and a NY Times!!). Just a few breathing beings strolling around. And the dry cleaners had only pastel dresses (both women and children's) hanging in the windows?? It was oddly perfect. Yet couldn't imagine having to set all of your "to-do's" for Saturdays! 

Enjoyable weekend overall...I think I fell in love with Bhama. 

Latest O'Cookies Flavor!

EXTRA! EXTRA! 

Drum roll please.................

I am here to announce the latest addition to the O'Cookies family: 

Double Chocolate Cherry Chunk! 

Decadent white and dark organic chocolate with whole dried cherries and oats. Heavenly. 

Try one for yourself. Place an order by emailing: erino@o-cookies.com. Or stop by your local Cafe Angelique! 

Cheers!