Celebrating 5!

As I mentioned last week, Friday was our 5-year “date-iversary.”  So of course we celebrated.

On Friday evening, we kept things low-key.  I chose to make a stir-fry because it’s one of Big Guy’s favorite dinners.  The Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry was super easy to pull together once all the ingredients were prepped.  The fresh ginger is a must! So much flavor along with a little heat from the chile paste.  I served our chicken stir-fry over Jasmine rice – one of our favorite rice varieties.  On top of the stir-fry, I sprinkling of green onions and peanuts.  Love the salty crunch the peanuts add.  And for once, I didn’t change a thing in this recipe – well, I might have added a little less chile paste.  So delicious!

 

For dessert, we shared a Mini Cheesecake that I had picked up from The Fresh Market.  It was perfect with a glass of bubbles.

On Saturday, Big Guy took me out to dinner to celebrate.  Instead of trying a new restaurant (though we have a long, long list) we went with a tried and true place.  We knew that the food would be amazing and that the atmosphere was what we were looking for.

We were not disappointed.  I didn’t take any more pictures – in fact, as soon as this pic was posted on Instagram, I was banned from taking my phone out of my clutch the rest of the evening.  It was a lovely dinner with the best date I could ask for.

I cannot wait to see what the next 5 years has in store for us.

Happy Monday to you all!

 

Mura and Mushrooms

We checked another restaurant off our list!  On Saturday we headed back to Raleigh (seriously – I think we should just move there sometimes) to run a few errands and try a new-to-us restaurant.  Our list of super long but sushi peaked both of our interests!  (If you had asked me 5 years ago if Big Guy would be eating sushi with me, I would have laughed.)  A lot of sushi places are closed during lunch hours but Mura at North Hills is not (except on Sundays).

We decided to sit at the bar to keep the meal low-key.

http://www.muranorthhills.com

I was really tempted to try the Murjito but the bartender actually talked me out of it.  A classic mojito with an Asian flair, we muddle mint and cucumber together then mix it with Absoult Mango vodka and simple syrup then topped off with soda water. Served on the rocks.

I stuck with a glass of the Primal Roots (a white blend).  So refreshing and actually perfect with sushi.

We started the meal with an order of edamame.

And for the main meal – I went with the Mura Roll.

Tuna, yellowtail, salmon, crab
meat, wasabi, chives, cilanto
and masago, wrapped with
nori and thinly peeled daikon

And Big Guy ordered the Piano (which was super delicious – I had a bite…or two):

Tempura shrimp, spicy crab salad,
wrapped with thinly sliced avocado.
Topped with eel sauce
and wasabi sauce.

And the Surf and Turf:

Tempura shrimp, crab salad,
cream cheese, chives, wasabi, sliced
let mignon with teriyaki sauce.

We both left pleasantly full and decided that it’s a place we would visit again.

That’s the “Mura” part – now to the “mushrooms”…

I pinned a recipe on Pinterest and I finally got around to making Red Wine and Garlic Mushrooms.  I’m serious when I say these may be the best mushrooms to ever come out of my kitchen!  It didn’t hurt using a good red wine either.

My picture doesn’t do these ‘shrooms justice.  Butter, olive oil, red wine and garlic make for the most perfect mushroom ever.  Instead of parsley, I topped the ‘shrooms with chives.  The sauce!  I can’t even describe!

So there you have it, Mura and Mushrooms.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mustard-Thyme Sauce

This dinner is worthy of a glass of wine.  So go ahead, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio (or whatever you glass of choice may be for dinner) and prepare to have dinner on the table in 40 minutes.

I honestly think that chicken thighs are underused.  Personally I like to buy my chicken thighs at Trader Joe’s.  They don’t have too much fat on them and they’re the perfect size.

The roasted chicken thighs with mustard-thyme sauce starts by simply seasoning the thighs with salt and pepper and searing them on the stove top until lightly browned.  While the chicken thighs are cooking, prep the green beans.  Simply toss green beans with sliced garlic, salt and pepper.  Those will roast at 425 degrees.

Once the thighs are browned, place them in a oven-safe baking dish and place them in the oven with the green beans.  Now it’s time to make the sauce!  Add butter to the pan that you used for the chicken and saute the onions and thyme.  Instead of flour, I used cornstarch to thicken the chicken stock.  The stock is added to the sauteed onions – make sure to scrap off all the yummy “bits” on the bottom of the pan.  Allow this to cook until thickened.  Once the chicken and beans are finished – remove the sauce from the heat and add in the mustard.  Serve the sauce on top of the chicken thighs along with the green beans.

 

The chicken thighs were super tender but so flavorful from the onion and the thyme-mustard sauce.  The sauce was seriously better than I ever imagined.  And the green beans – you simply can’t go wrong with green beans roasted with garlic.

Super simple, super delicious and super healthy.

bu*ku

As much as I love cooking in my kitchen with a glass of wine, I relish an opportunity to dine with a friend at a new-to-me restaurant.  bu*ku has been on my radar for awhile and I finally was able to make my tastebuds smile.

bu*ku means “thank you very much” and considers their menu to be a mix of “global street food.”  I recommend going with something you don’t mind sharing plates with.

To start, we ordered wine.  On Friday nights, they feature wine flights.  I would have totally indulged had it not been a 1:2 ratio of white to red.  But it was a great value and a great way to try three different wines from the same region.

Our waitress recommended that for two people, we order 5 small plates.  And we did just that.  We began by ordering two cold dishes:

Red Snapper Ceviche papaya, red onion, bell pepper, aji amarillo, crisp plantain & tortilla chips 12

Crab-Stuffed Avocado bell pepper, red onion, mango, lime 12

The crab-stuffed avocado was one of the favorites of the night.  The crab was incredibly flavorful and so fresh tasting.  And the pairing with the rich and creamy avocado was perfect.

The ceviche was good – but my favorite part of that dish was the fresh tortilla chips.  Holy cow they were amazing.

After finishing those small plates, we ordered a second glass of wine and another round of food.

Cochinita Arepa soft corn pastry, pulled pork, guacamole, pickled red onions, queso fresco 9

Thai BBQ Prawns green papaya salad, Thai chiles, tamarind 13

Paneer Tikka Skewers soft cheese, bell pepper, tamarind chutney 9

Hands down, the best dish of the night was the Cochinita Arepa.  I actually “knew” to order this after asking the hostess what the best dish on the menu was.  She was right.  The corn pastry was perfection and the pulled pork rivaled any and all pork Big Guy’s cooked (shhhh, don’t tell him!).  I loved the pairing of the rich pork with the guacamole and queso fresco.  We should have ordered another one of these!

The BBQ prawns were super flavorful – but I found the papaya salad to be a little pungent.  I simply wasn’t a fan but we did finish all the shrimp.

And finally, probably my least favorite dish of the night was the Paneer Tikka Skewers.  I actually had really high hopes for this dish.  I am, in fact, a cheese lover.  The cheese was simply flavorless and had the texture of tofu.  Not what I was looking for.

Overall, the dinner was fantastic – I would go again just to have another order of the Cochinita Arepa and to try a fun libation from the bar.

“Merci, beaucoup”

Doesn’t get much better.

On Friday I posted about my favorites and one of my favorites was a brie appetizer that I mentioned I might be enjoying on the porch with wine.  Well, brie happened and so did wine but I didn’t end up making the appetizer that I posted.  You see, I swung by Whole Foods and picked up a brie that was too good to mess up.  So I simple paired it with some sundried tomatoes, dried apricots and rosemary lentil crackers (also from Whole Foods).

So delicious.  We also toasted with champagne to celebrate life in general.

For dinner, mahi for her and a ribeye for him.  But the real star of the show was the bacon-wrapped bundles of homegrown green beans.

I cooked the green beans in boiling water for about 8 minutes then drained.  While the green beans were cooking, I cooked the bacon on the stove top (but not until it’s cooked through!).  Take 6 or 7 green beans and wrap with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Place in a dish and pour over a butter, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic mixture.  Bake.  Take in the amazing smell.  Devour.

Those green beans were insane.  Salty sweet tender green beans.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

Wine for me, sweet tea for her.

This past weekend was full of Momma and Emily (plus Leann and Maggie and Haines on Friday evening) time.  It was glorious.  We got a few wedding details handled (more on that tomorrow) and we also had some delicious eats.  On Friday night, we had “ladies night” at Jibarra in Raleigh.    I was super impressed with the margaritas and the guacamole.  But I must say, Cantina 18 is still my favorite.  The salads were super fresh and I loved the dressing but I was kind of disappointed with the potato appetizer my Momma ordered.  Win some, lose some.  Would I go again?  Yes, if margaritas were involved.

pear and cilantro margarita

On Saturday, it was just me and Momma.  We decided to have dinner in that night (I had some blueberry goat cheese in the fridge I was just dying to get my hands on for an appetizer).  On the menu:  Grilled Chicken in Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette with a salad.  Oh, and I had wine, Momma went with sweet tea (such a Southern lady).

wine for me, sweet tea for her.

That makes me realize I should put a tea maker on the registry….

The grilled chicken couldn’t be easier – and you don’t even need an outside grill.  I didn’t even try to fire up BQ – I simply used a grill pan.    All you do is whirl the ingredients in a food processor (or blender):  sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil), balsamic and red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, olive oil and fresh basil.  Reserve a little for serving and then marinate the chicken for about an hour.

Grilled to perfection.

Perfect Momma-Daughter date night.

You know you hosted book club when…

There were a lot of other titles swirling in my head but I wanted to keep things PG on this family-friendly blog.

Last night I hosted book club.  As you know, we’re not that “serious” of a book club.  As in, usually only 2 or 3 of us have actually opened the book we’re “reading.”  Not this time around.

Only one person had not finished the book…some of us got through the trilogy.  I chose “50 Shades of Grey” as our “academic” reading material.  Mom, I don’t recommend you read this.  It’s a rather “graphic” book with not the best writing but it kept my attention.  I won’t go into any more detail – but I can assure you that book club wasn’t dull last night.

My contributions to the spread (if you follow me on instagram, I apologize – you’ve seen this).  Trust me…much more was added to the table once the ladies began to arrive.

Pioneer Woman’s Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

The chicken salad was a hit.  I used a rotisserie chicken I had picked up at HT and shredded and simply mixed in 1/2 cup frozen peas (they defrosted before all the girls arrived), about 1/2 cup mayo (I used the light olive oil variety), juice and zest of 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon of pesto (plus a drizzle of the oil on top), salt, pepper and fresh basil confetti (about 10 leaves).  It called for pine nuts – which I left off this time around – I think next time I’ll add some cashews for a nutty crunch.  I loved the peas in this chicken salad and the lemon zest added so much flavor!

A perfect bite.

These little babies got demolished.  And they’re so simple!  Dried apricots (TJs has the best), a dollop of creamy, tangy goat cheese (I mix the goat cheese with about 1 tablespoon of skim milk), a salty almond for crunch and a drizzle of sweet, local honey as a final touch.  Book club success.

Laters, baby.

Like butter.

Last Friday night, Big Guy and I got to have a date night after many weeks without one.  It was glorious.  Goat cheese and crackers, a glass of wine, the back porch and sunshine.  I tried to savor every moment because he’s been gone since date night for work.  And what does date night call for according to Big Guy?  Ribeyes.  We actually were watching “Best Thing I Ever Made: Grilled” and came across this recipe and I knew we would be recreating it.

If you’re a fan of ribeyes, make this.  Buy the ribeye today, prep it tomorrow and it will tantalize your taste buds tomorrow for dinner.  And yes, you really do need to buy a 24-ounce ribeye, bone-in, about 2 1/2 inches thick.

I gasped when I saw the size of this thing.  Twelve hours before you plan on eating this bad boy, season it with EVOO, salt and pepper (be liberal).  Wrap in saran wrap and let it hang out in the fridge while you do the whole “work” thing and day dream about dinner.  An hour before you plan to eat, remove from the fridge and let it sit.  This is when you drink your wine or cocktail.

I put my own spin on the Romaine Marmalade and Watercress.  I bought one bunch of watercress and two heads of lettuce.  To make this more of a salad, I drizzled the romaine with EVOO and Big Guy threw them on the grill with the steaks.  Once charred, he removed and I chopped.  Meanwhile, through the watercress, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oil into your food processor.  Give it a good whirl, then toss with the grilled lettuce.

The steak will take a good 20-25 minutes to cook.  Big Guy’s got it down pat…I won’t even act like I know what I’m talking about.  Once it’s cooked to your liking, medium-rare around here, remove from grill, place two pats of butter on top, tent with foil and let it rest.  Pour more wine.

Slice and place on top of the salad.

This steak was like butter, I tell you.  Cooked to perfection.  So flavorful and beautifully seasoned with simply salt and pepper.  And the salad!  Better than I ever expected.  The grilled romaine had a pleasant texture and the herbs added brightness to a rather “heavy” dinner.  Lemon juice added some zing to the plate.

So when’s our next date night, Big Guy?

Plan a Date Night.

And after you plan the date, go to the store and purchase the ingredients you’ll need for this dinner.  Not only will your significant other be happy, but so will you.  This meal was incredible.  Also – buy the best beef and bacon you can afford.  It makes SUCH a difference.

For the steaks – 2 beef tenderloin steaks (totally worth the splurge) sprinkled with salt and pepper.  (And yes – I made these steaks!)  Wrap with a piece of bacon (good quality bacon!) and secure with a toothpick that’s been soaked in water.  Preheat your oven to 500.  Heat your cast iron skillet over medium high.  Place a pat of butter and swirl of olive oil in the skillet.  Once hot and the butter has melted, sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side.  Then place the skillet into the screaming hot oven.  Cook until your desired doneness (we went with 4 minutes and it was puuuurfect).  Let sit, tented with aluminum foil for 5 minutes.

And for the side….Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms.  This recipe may be from Cooking Light but it doesn’t taste light at all!  The secret ingredient:  light cream cheese.  And instead of flour, I used a tablespoon of cornstarch.  Perfection.

I seriously wanted to lick my plate.

So what are you doing this weekend?  I hope you’re having date night…

Channeling Ree

Big Guy is crushing hard.  But not on me.  He’s got a maaaaa-jah crush on Mrs. Ree Drummond.  In fact, he’s got such the crush that I’m not allowed to watch her on the Food Network unless he’s watching.  But I can only blame myself.  I started reading her blog far before her book came out and way before she was on the Food Network.  I was the one that introduced Big Guy to Ree.  So last Friday when we decided we weren’t going to have steaks (gasp!) I turned to Ree for inspiration.  I knew she would give me an idea that would make Big Guy smile.  Pork Chops with Garlic and Wine.

I was only cooking for two so I cut down on the amount of butter and olive oil I used (but not too much…Big Guy can crush, but I don’t want him leaving me).

We weren’t disappointed.  I don’t even think he missed his usual ribeye.

The sauce is just unbelievable.  I might have licked my plate clean.  But that’s for me and Big Guy to know.

Trust me…you want to make this.  And you’ll also encourage any crushes your “man” may have on Ree.  It’s harmless.