Food, Fun and Life in Waukesha

Waukesha's A-List Winners

2012-01-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

The WISN A-List wrapped up voting at the end of 2011 and in the last few weeks, they have started to roll out the winners. All of the winners have now been announced and of the 117 winners, 19 of them are Waukesha companies (if I didn't miss any). And we have some repeat offenders too(in the good sense of the word)! This is the 3rd year of the A-List and each year the competition heats up a little more.

I am 1 of over 116,000 voters in the area. I know almost all of these businesses and have to agree with the A-List that these guys deserve their wins. Here are the Waukesha Winners:

Best Art Gallery - Clinton Street Gallery - 3rd consecutive win
Best Tattoo and Piercing - Waukesha Tattoo Company @ Galleria Edge - 2nd consecutive win
Best Sandwich Shop - Rochester Deli - 3rd consecutive win
Best Women's Accessories - Bangles & Bags
Best Women's Boutique - Bangles & Bags
Best Chinese - Golden Gate Restaurant - 3rd consecutive win
Best German - Weissgerber's Gasthaus & Biergarten - finalist the last 2 years

Best Martial Arts - J.K. Lee Black Belt Academy - 3rd consecutive win
Best Dance Studio - Liberty Dance Center - 2nd consecutive win
Best Neighborhood Bar - Bosco's Social Club
Best Boarding - Camp Bow Wow - runner up and finalist the last 2 years
Best Pet Sitting - Central Bark Doggy Day Care - won in 2009 as well
Best Children's Gifts - Cuddles
Best Comics - Neptune Comics - 2nd consecutive win
Best Furniture - Steinhafels - finalist the last 2 years
Best Musical Instruments - White House of Music - runner up last 2 years
Best Desserts - Allo! Chocolat - won in 2009
Best Liquor, Beer & Wine Shop - Discount Liquor - won in 2009
Best Caterer - Ellen Zilli's Catering - finalist the last 2 years

There is something to say about that much good coming out of Waukesha - we can hold our own and we aren't a suburb of Milwaukee. So if you haven't been to Waukesha in a while or haven't been to one of these places, they are WISN A-List certifiably great businesses and you should check them out. Not to mention all of our other great businesses that were runners up and finalists, but to find all of those, I would have to do a lot more digging and I just don't have the time. Here is the list of all the winners.

Way to go Waukesha!

Maxie's Southern Comfort

2012-01-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

Image from Maxie's Southern Comfort

This place has been on my list since I worked a fundraiser for cystic fibrosis at the Hilton two years ago and got just a small sample of their food. Of all the restaurants that were represented at the event, which was every big name in Milwaukee 2 years ago, Maxie's Southern Comfort stuck out as my favorite. It just was down-home, warm in the tummy, delicious food.

So when my friend Kathy asked me to make a dinner date for us in the new year, I instantly thought of Maxie's. I had a CityTin to use as well so it was a win-win. Kathy agreed to meet me there at 6:30 on a Wednesday night. She got there a bit before me and started by sitting on the small bench by the hostess stand. After she saw 3 tables come in and immediately get seated and then 3 groups asked to go on a list, she quickly got us on the list. She was told it was a 20 minute wait. They don't take reservations but I saw something about 30 minute call ahead if its busy as there isn't much space for people to wait.

I ended up parking down the street as I completely missed the large parking lot across the street from the restaurant but didn't mind the walk as we have had a mild winter so far. When I walked in, I immediately thought "warm and comfy" with the red wall color and dark tables and not to mention the wonderful smells wafting through the dining room. I saw Kathy sitting at the bar and was able to get a spot next to her. We were greeted by an extremely knowledgeable bartender and she walked us through a few of the beers they had available. Kathy chose Anchor Steam and I went with something dark from Abita, although the name escapes me. We were able to catch up a bit while enjoying our beers in frosted glasses (always a treat) and just a few minutes later we were taken to our table.

We were sat at a small table by a window right in the front of the restaurant. The window was a little drafty but after a little bit, I forgot about it and just focused on the menu and conversation. The restaurant is small but I didn't feel crowded by the tables next to us at all. It was a little louder in there but not that you had to talk super loud to have a conversation. And I heard and saw people going upstairs but I didn't ask what was up there at all. Maybe a large banquet room? Another bar? I'll have to inquire more.

Ok - onto the food. Our server came over, greeted us with a smile (always a nice touch) and walked us through the regular menu and specials menu. My friend Kathy had been told we had to try the hush puppies. Apparently we came on the right night as they don't have hush puppies as a regular item anymore and it just so happened to be a special. We looked through the menu a bit more while our server went to get us some cornbread.

By the time the server returned, we had decided - hush puppies for a appetizer, pecan crusted rainbow trout for me and Kathy went with the crab cake platter. He told us he would get the order in and it shouldn't be too long for the appetizer. We started in on the cornbread and my only complaint is that the cornbread was cold and I would have expected it to be room temperature or warm even. Cold was a little bit of a shock to me.

Then the hush puppies came. You could see the different ingredients in them and I like that you know right away they are made there. They were served with a sweet jelly sauce that went perfectly with the savory taste of the hush puppies. I should have saved the sauce to have with my fish because it was just decadent. I have only had hush puppies once before so I don't have much to compare to but Maxie's blew away the others that I have had.

The entrees came and I was very impressed and just took in the aromas coming off the food. It smelt absolutely amazing and I couldn't wait to dig in. My pecan crusted trout was two pieces heavily coated in chopped pecans. It was sitting atop a sweet potato hash with okra and other root vegetables that were sauteed to perfection. The trout was very moist and the pecans were delicious. On the side was an oil and vinegar arugula salad. Everything was so flavorful and it was my first time having okra. I now know how to pair it with other things and having it be a little bit firmer of a vegetable, it complimented the sweet potato well.

Kathy was served two huge crab cakes that were a dark brown color, not something I'm used to seeing but that didn't mean bad by any means. In the middle was their famous "rwb" slaw, creole rice with a ton of tomatoes and sweet potato fries. As soon as she forked into the crab cake, I could see the lumps of crab from across the table and began to salivate. I quickly grabbed a bit and was taken back by just how flavorful it was. I might go to say, this is the best crab cake I have ever had and I have had quite a few.

I think we both made excellent choices and ate as much as we could. I got through 1.5 pieces of fish and Kathy got through a lot of her crab cakes but both of us had a lot of our sides left. They are definitely plentiful with the portions. But I'm not someone that takes home fish or any seafood to rewarm unless its deep fried and even then I'm questionable on it, so I didn't take home the leftovers.

I would highly, highly recommend this place if you are looking for some down home southern style cooking. I can't wait to return and I will definitely tell my other friends and those with CityTins that this is a must-visit for 2012. I think you will enjoy it as much or more than I did. I do believe they have outdoor seating in the summer, so that excites me with our wonderful Wisconsin summertime weather.

They also have nightly specials to take advantage of. We were there on Vino Wednesday with $10 off bottles of wine, but since we were already having beer, we just stuck with that. But some of the specials like the Maxie's Mojito Mondays and the Rac 'n Mac Thursdays are forcing me to return :)

Until my next post, Happy Eating!

Sushi Time at Meiji Cuisine

2012-01-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

Image from MeijiCuisine.com

This past Thursday, I asked three of my friends to join me for a night of sushi and a movie in Waukesha. They all agreed and I was super pumped to use my LivingSocial deal for Meiji Cuisine. (If you aren't a member of Groupon or LivingSocial, you really need to get on board. I know that there are mixed reviews from retailers that they can be more hassle than they are worth, but if the consumer reads the fine print and understands what they are buying AND the retailer explains the offer to all their employees prior to the deal starting, they are great deals.)

The deal asked that I make a reservation and because we were planning for a 7:10 movie, I made the reservation for 5:45. When we entered Meiji, I could not believe from the outside how beautiful the interior is. I would never picture this from a strip-mall style business in Waukesha. Meiji is located right by Home Depot in Waukesha in front of Texas Roadhouse on Hwy J. The entrance is a little unique to get into, but there is ample parking.

Back to the interior. You walk in at the middle of the restaurant and we were immediately greeted by three smiling faces welcoming us for dinner. There is a beautiful fountain and blue glass light sculpture in the waiting area. Obviously on a typical Thursday night at 5:45, I don't think you would need to make a reservation, but by the time we left, the place was filling up. We were set at table in the middle of the restaurant side right across from all the chefs making the sushi. Tables are dark wood with tan placemats, white plates, burgundy cloth napkins and chopsticks. The art is modern Asian if that makes sense all in the black and tan color palette.There were 2 hibachi rooms located off this main dining room that I could see but neither were in use while I was there.

They asked us what menu we wanted to use. I had read some reviews on Yelp and heard from friends that if you don't know what you want and you get all the menus, its really overwhelming. I asked my friends to preview the Japanese sushi menu online so we could minimize being overwhelmed. We got 4 sushi menus and asked for the Chinese menu too to just see what else they have to offer.

Then came time to order. One of my friends ordered a sake and they suggested she drink it warm. I had never heard of that before but she took the suggestion and said it brought a whole new level to the sake experience. The rest of us just had water with lemon because with us getting older (haha) we thought sitting in a movie after a cocktail or two might make us sleepy or give us a headache (yep we are getting so old :) ). Our server gave us a few moments and then we were ready to order.

My friend Tiffany ordered an appetizer for us called wasabi salsa (which I didn't get a picture) that consisted of cucumber strips w/ salmon, tuna or yellowtail and topped with tomatoes, onions and a little wasabi. I'm not sure which one I had, because we dug in before asking, but the cucumbers were lightly pickled and then the seafood was wrapped around the cucumber. It was absolutely delicious. I am not one that has experimented too much in the world of sushi and never had sashimi, but this is going to become something in my repertoire! And this might have made me interested in trying sashimi sometime.

Next came the rolls, I decided to go with the Sexy Girl Roll to step out of my comfort zone. It was fried lobster inside the roll and spicy tuna and chef's special sauce on the top. They were wrapped in a pretty pick rice paper (so fitting for me). The fried lobster was delicious but the special sauce was pretty spicy on top - maybe a sirracha sauce concoction. Other than that, the rest of the roll was good but without that red dot of sauce the roll would be pretty bland.

Tory ordered the Outstanding Roll which was spicy tuna and tempera bits with eel and avocado in a green rice paper. This was absolutely delicious and my favorite roll of the group. I'm a sucker for avocado. The tempera crunchiness was just enough to make it a complete roll. I'm going to look for this in future rolls. I didn't try the sauce in the middle but check out that super fun presentation and Tory really enjoyed it.

Tiffany ordered the Mummy Roll which was tempura shrimp and cucumber on the inside, tuna and lobster with tobiko sauce and a sweet/sour sauce. The sauce was much calmer than mine but went very well with the roll and enhanced the flavor a lot.

Shauna is new to the sushi world but she was adventurous. She ordered the Boston roll which was shrimp with cucumber and mayo. We were both curious about the mayo but it really just added a little smoothness to the roll and the shrimp and cucumber were a good combo. She also ordered a California roll because that one didn't have any raw fish in it and she knew it would be a safe bet. I didn't try one of those but seeing as we all ate everything, I think they were just as good as the rest.

Tiff and Shauna also ordered spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce. They said they were good but typical.

As you have read, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Even without the LivingSocial deal, it came out to around $20 a person and for sushi that isn't too bad (and we were all full). Sakura and Meiji are very even in my book but I have only been to each one once. I can't get past the amazing lunch deal at Sakura. I highly recommend both for your sushi enjoyment and maybe I will get a group together to check out the Hibachi table soon as this is something on my hit list for 2012.

We finished enjoying all the sushi fun in about an hour and headed over to the Majestic to see New Year's Eve. Unfortunately we weren't the only people using our Spotlight discount from Marcus as they only had 4 seats left in the movie -- thus we would have to search all over the theater and not sit together. While we decided what to do, 2 tickets were bought and that settled the idea for us -- no movie. So instead we went to Tiff's apartment and played Just Dance 3 on her Wii. Not that sushi is a super fattening meal loaded up with calories but I was glad to not just sit after I ate (a resolution for me in 2012) One of my friends earned the nickname "Wind Up Toy" that night for her never ending energy in the game. It turned out to be a really great night.

Until my next post, Happy Eating!

People's Park X2

2012-01-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

Last week Friday, I had the opportunity to introduce my mom to People's Park. We met for a lunch and sat upstairs in the new lounge-looking area. Our server promptly came and brought us menus and got us some drinks. We began looking at the menu and the other booths and tables quickly filled up.

**Recommendation** If you are going to eat at People's on lunch, you want to plan to get there a little before noon or go for after 1 as right at noon, the influx comes in.

I shared with my mom a few of the different things that I have had on the menu - crab rangoon egg rolls, pot stickers, park fries and the chicken pesto sandwhich.

So we discussed for a little bit and I decided to try a burger and went with the Park Burger with chive fries. My mom got the chicken pesto sandwich and park friends.

The food came really quick and my mom was impressed right away with the presentation - cutting the sandwich in half already for her incase she wanted to save half. As soon as she took her first bite, she was in it to finish it. She loved it.

My burger was delicious too and I loved the avocado spread. They know how to cook a burger. I think they are a good contender in the Burger War in Waukesha but it's been a while since I have had a J.Lotti's one and I still have to have a Bodway's burger. But maybe we need to do this soon.

I went back to work and had the opportunity to leave the office early for the New Year's weekend. I texted my friend and she asked me to meet her at People's for a glass of wine. I laughed hysterically when I realized that I would be going there 2 times in one day, but said Why Not and headed over.

We went back upstairs to enjoy a comfy booth and overlook the bar downstairs. And just my luck, I had the same server as I had for lunch. He was just as pleasant as the first time. I decided on a Cellar No.8 Zin and my friend got the Malbec. I was still stuffed from my lunch so I was ready to just relax with my wine. But then I remembered how delicious their cucumber/olive/tomato salad is that you can get as a side instead of fries. My friend ordered the MMMMM...Mozzarella sticks (I think that's what the menu says). The food came out quickly and we sat upstairs chatting away. FYI the place isn't too busy around 3:30 in the day so you have your choice of anywhere.

So I'm glad to finally have People's Park back. Yep - 2 times in one day :) As you can see, this is a place that I would highly recommend in Waukesha. They have a Happy Hour until 7 pm on weekdays with good drink specials. I think I might have to get a Happy Hour crawl going. So until my next post, Happy Eating!

Eateries & Drinkeries

2011-12-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

Found a list that I made a year ago of "eateries and drinkeries" in Waukesha and places that I wanted to try. This is every place in the city & town of Waukesha that is not a national franchise or chain. If I missed something, please help me out! Those in bold, I have been to more than once or I go a lot. Those in purple, I have been to only once or its been a really long time since I have been there. Those in red, I hope to make it to in 2012 and write up a review.

Downtown Waukesha Main West of Clinton

Toon City

Donnie Boys
Magellan’s
Bodway's
House Of Guinness
Sprizzo’s

DW Clinton to Five Points
People’s Park
Steaming Cup
Spring House Tea Room
D Mo’s - defunct
Nice Ash

DW Broadway
Sakura

Hannon’s

Dave’s

Salty Toad

Key Westconsin

El Ranchito - moved to Delafield Street

Daddy Oh’s

St. Paul
Café de Arts
Rosati’s
New China Express

DW Main – 5 Points East
Sloppy Joe’s
RiverMill Foods
Generations
Chill
Bosco's
Divino Gelato
Coffee & Beans - closed

DW East

Paz’s

Mutt's

The Strand?

Jimmy’s Grotto
Fuzzy's

The Cooler

Palmar

Casa del Rio

Mexican by Y??

Alexis

Lincoln’s Pub

DW South
Eric’s Porterhouse
Club 400
La Estacion

Tap That

Book Café

Margarita’s

DW South & Broadway
J. Lotti’s
Rochester Deli
Mia’s

Outskirts SouthWest (East Ave/Sunset west to North Prairie)
Murf’s
Michael’s

Kim’s Garden

Sunset Family Restaurant

Fox View
Café Bistro
RJ’s

Rad’s - new owner/new name?

The Spot

Le Gong Gourmet

Outskirts SouthEast (East ave/Sunset East to New Berlin)
Matteo’s

Pat’s Rib Place

Neighbor’s Grill - Waukesha or New Berlin?

Outskirts North (n. of downtown)

The Olive Tree (then Tex-Mex) - closed?

Feng’s Kitchen

Spring City/The Rox

Bobanna’s

MC’s

Brewer’s Two

Gasthaus

Taco Amigo

Spring Garden

The Crossings

Good Harvest

Wonderland Tap

Linda Lu’s Diner?

Sal’s Pizza

Red Rooster

Peking House

Rooters
Master Z's

Outskirts East

Ching Hwa

Chocolate Factory

Gyros West

Jack’s Café

Albanese’s

Café Esperanza

New China Buffet

Oscar’s Frozen Custard
John's Root Beer

Restaurant Updates

2011-12-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to quickly send out update about restaurants in the area that I have heard about or experienced first hand.

People's Park is back open and I couldn't be more thrilled. If you haven't been here yet in downtown Waukesha, what are you waiting for???

Generations at 5 Points serves a chili and potato bar from 11 am - 2 pm for just $7.50 and that includes soda, coffee or tea.

Via their Facebook page, Magellans/M2 is now open for lunch on the M2 side. Lunch is served from 11 am - 2 pm featuring a slice of the day. I vote this place best pizza in Waukesha!

No progress is being made on the "Renovation" at the Clarke Hotel. I'm not sure what is going to happen there next but we all know that you don't want to give yourself a bad name in a small town :)

The Montecito opened on Broadway across from one of my fave spots "Poppin' On Broadway". Too Kool Fool tested it for lunch and I'm very interested to try it. They have darts, games, a lounge, a bar and a restaurant all in one :) Looks like they are open Christmas night and will also have Fish Fry Fridays.

Coffee 'n Beans went out of business this fall but that is making way for the expansion of Allo! Chocolat from my understanding.

Divino Gelato and Sloppy Joe's are closed now through February 17th as they pursue a venture in Florida. Ice cream and gelato probably don't sell as well in winter, but I will miss Divino's grinders :(

RiverMill Foods is now open on Mondays and from what I have been reading on Facebook, they have had quite the holiday season making cheesecakes non-stop! I haven't had it yet but bought a deal coupon that I will be taking advantage of very soon.

Bodway's put in tappers at the bar in October. Nothing tastes better than a tap beer!

El Ranchito did not close, it just relocated to a strip mall up the hill from downtown Waukesha on Delafield Street.

The Tex-Mex Restaurant that went in on the corner of Bluemound and J (formerly The Olive Tree) doesn't seem to be open anymore. If I'm wrong on this, please someone correct me, but I have driven by a few times and it's all dark.

Meiji Cuisine on Bluemound by Home Depot seems to be getting rave reviews. I have a Groupon deal for this spot too that I must use soon!

Biz Alliance & Welcoming Back People's Park

2011-12-21T21:38:00.001-08:00

So this is the first post that I'll be making from my iPhone. Not sure if I'll continue this route or stick with ole faithful, my laptop.

Anyways, last night was the Waukesha County Biz Alliance Holiday Party at Brookfield Suites. My friend Tiff and I attended and could not believe how many people were there and of course I couldn't believe how much food there was. We started with a little networking and wine and ran into a new networking bud and caught up briefly.

Then we hit the buffet. There was cheese, sausage, crackers and fruit--typical hors d'oeurves. But then there was the largest slab of meat that I have seen outside a butcher shop. The bone in the beef was no lie about 3 inches wide. It was insane and according to Tiff, very scrumptious. There were also mini spring egg rolls, quesadillas and bacon wrapped water chestnuts and a dessert table with dessert shooters, cookies and bars. But the other food star of the night was a mashed potato martini bar. The options were either traditional white potatoes or sweet potatoes in a martini glass that you then piled high with toppings. Tiff sampled this as I was saving room for the next stop and we couldn't get over how awesome of an idea it was. I shared with our new friends that we were then networking with that Generations is doing a baked potato or chili bar for lunch and that we should all check it out sometime.

Now onto my favorite part of the night....I got to go to People's Park. I have been patiently waiting the reopening of this bar and man oh man
was it worth the wait.

Following the party, a bunch of the young professionals met at People's to continue the holiday cheer. We made a reservation and were seated in the new upstairs area. Downstairs looks pretty similar to pre-fire design with just a few more tables in back. Upstairs is more lounge-y with a bar, some booths, high top tables and warm tones.

We were even lucky enough to score a peak at the rooftop dining. Unfortunately the phone stayed safely in my purse and I didn't take any pics from up there, but capacity is 49 people and there is a bar and beautiful wood floors. I think it would be a good location to rent out for a birthday party or other celebration and I may have just the right persons' party already in the works.

So after checking out the rooftop, I satisfied my People's void with potstickers and park fries. Everything was just as I remembered, including the very reasonable tab. I can't wait to get this back into my rotation and introduce my new friends to this late night spot. Welcome Back People's!!!

Until my next post, Happy Eating!

Bake Sale Recap

2011-12-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Last week Saturday was the #mkefoodies Holiday Bake Sale for Cookies4Kids. It was held at The Best Place at the Pabst Brewery. So many donations were brought in including some amazing vegan cupcakes from Compassionate Cake. I can't believe the skill that was put into decorating and I got the joy of trying a gingerbread cupcake and the flavor was spot on and amazing.

I snapped a few pictures at the event and I have to say that the fill-a-bag table was a huge hit. Volunteers had packages up their cookies in groups of 3-4 per bag and we had "donators" fill a lunch bag full with as many of those little bags as they could for $10 - a very fair deal. I couldn't believe how fast the cookies were going off the tables. We were constantly condensing and learned for the future to package more cookies that way.

Right before the event began - tables full of cookies!!!

From the balcony at The Best Place looking down on the event.

Cookie lovers buying and donating to Cookies4Kids

In all the event raised $1200 for Cookies4Kids and very few treats remained at the end. All of the volunteers were able to take home a treat for working and nothing went to waste. I think that next year the event will be even larger and we can raise even more. I'm very excited for that.

So here is what I made for the day. I had a few recipes in mind that I wanted to try but I knew that I wanted to try some more and went hog-wild at the store buying baking ingredients.

I knew that a lot of children have food allergies to either nuts or gluten so I decided to make two cookies to hit those marks. The first cookie that I made was a gluten free peanut butter kiss cookie that I found on RecipeGirl.com. They were extremely easy to make and I think they may become a staple cookie for me. You would never know that they didn't have flour in them when you taste them. It is a richer cookie as you truly taste all the peanut-buttery goodness, but what's wrong with that. I even decorated mine with a little red and green colored sugar on the outside. I use the chocolate stars instead of kisses to fancy them up a little more but this is one good cookie.

Another cookie that I made was from Gluten Free Essentials called a Cocoa Mudslide Cookie. I bought the mix from A Gluten Free Frenzy in Brookfield and it was a really easy mix. The only thing that I learned on this batch is with the chocolate and marshmallows in the mix, these can quickly turn into a mess in your oven and stick to the pan -- parchment paper is a must for the future! I of course had to try a few to see how they turned out. It was a very light cookie that resembled cake more than a cookie but the crunch on the outside with the soft middle was something that I dream for my cookies most of the time. I definitely got mudslide out of them and they sold pretty quickly at the Bake Sale as well.

I also made basic snickdoodles for the sale that I got from AllRecipes.com, but unfortunately I can't remember which one I used as they are all very similar. They turned out very well and sold great too.

I also attempted regular chocolate chip cookies, a cinnamon roll cookie and chocolate/butterscotch cookies and none of those turned out. I'm not sure what I did wrong but I was 3 for 6 this time around. Not the best odds, but I'm just happy I had somethings to donate that were delicious. And I gained a new cookie or two for my recipe box. Until my next blog, Happy Eating!

MKEFoodies Holiday Bake Sale

2011-12-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

Image from cookiesforkidscancer.org

This coming Saturday is the MKEFoodies Holiday Bake Sale that supports Cookies for Kids' Cancer. I am very excited to be a part of this amazing event. Area bloggers and friends are working hard this week to bake delicious holiday treats that will be sold at the bake sale. We do the baking, you buy the treats and make a donation to a great organization. Treats are sold in various sizes and packaging that could be easily given as a gift with no work on your part.

About Cookies for Kids' Cancer:
From the website "Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a 501(c)3 non profit, was founded by parents inspired by their son Liam's battle with cancer. They were shocked to learn that the main reason over 25% of kids diagnosed with cancer do not survive is because of a lack of effective therapies. And the reason for the lack of therapies was very simple: lack of funding. They pledged to support the development of new and better treatments by giving people a simple way to get involved."

The organization's mission is to Cookies for Kids' Cancer is committed to raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer, the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 18. Through the concept of local bake sales, Cookies for Kids' Cancer provides the inspiration and support for individuals, communities, and businesses to help fight pediatric cancer.

This November and December, Cookies for Kids' Cancer's long standing partner, the Glad products company, will match up to $100,000, one cookie at a time. We will count baked goods are sold at our event and report the number, as well as the total $ raised, to gladcookies@cookiesforkidscancer.org when the event is over. Every cookie counts, every dollar counts.

Here are the details of the Milwaukee Event

MKEFoodies Holiday Bake Sale
When: Saturday, December 10
Time: 12 pm - 4 pm
Where: Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery
901 W. Juneau Ave.

Here is the Facebook page and please share it with your friends to let them know about the sale.
If you can't attend, but would like to donate, click here for the donation page

This next week, I will be baking a lot and hoping to blog about all the yummy treats that I came up with for the event. A few highlight that I know for sure I'm making are cocoa gluten free cookies from A Gluten Free Frenzy, gum drops and snickerdoodles. I'm still looking through a few other recipes as I really want to raise a lot of money for this group. I'm very excited to package them up as I found a ton of pretty bags, boxes, cups, etc. to put everything in and look very festive.

About a year ago, I was introduced to the #mkefoodies group via Twitter and attended a few events in the past year. About once a month, the group gets together at a Milwaukee food establishment and we get to sample some of the food that makes the restaurant famous. There are usually drink deals for the group and just being around people that enjoy talking about food as much as I do, really increases the experiences. I have made new friends and introduced a few of my friends to the group. I am looking forward to attending more events in the future and possibly getting the #mkefoodies to come to a Waukesha establishment for food and drinks. I think that Waukesha has a lot to offer that they may not be aware of.

So check back to my blog for updates about the event and recipes I'll be cooking up. Until then - Happy Eating!

Water Street Brewery

2011-11-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

Photo from waterstreetbrewery.com

Water Street Brewery has been serving Milwaukee since 1987 and they brew right at their locations to provide fresh tap beer. They have locations in Milwaukee, Delafield and Grafton. I have been to the Milwaukee and Delafield locations but not the Grafton one. After a trip to the Art vs. Craft Fair this past weekend at MSOE, my mom and I worked up an appetite and headed to Water Street Brewery in Milwuakee for a quick lunch.

We got to lunch around 12:30 and had no problem getting a table. We were seated in the bar area at a booth and the first thing that got my attention was a bit of a sour smell. I know the smell from my days of serving and bartending. My mom didn't notice, but I think that the bar might have needed a good wipe down and the smell would have been gone. It wasn't overpowering but I know the smell and know how to correct it.

The booth we were seated at had a step up to get into it and as my mom stepped up, she caught her leather jacket on the metal edge of the booth and tore her coat. It isn't an obvious tear but she was upset about it. Could have been her for being short but the metal edges were sharp on the booth and could be at kid head height if they were walking by the booths.

We took a few moments to peruse the newspaper style menus. They were serving a brunch but my mom and I had already had a breakfast so we were ready for lunch. I chose the chicken salad sandwich with fries and my mom chose the southwestern chicken wrap with chips. We both just ordered water and were asked if we wanted a lemon with that. I like that some places ask before just putting it in or not putting one in at all.

While we waited for the food to come, I enjoyed the tunes as it seemed to be on a Dave Matthews sattelite radio station -- can't go wrong with Dave Matthews. Our table salt, pepper and a flower in a beer bottle for decor. Our flower was snapped in half and looked sad. It is just a carnation, so it shouldn't be too pricey to replace, or just remove.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

The food came decently quick as the restaurant wasn't busy. My mom was super hungry, but patiently waited for me to take a picture of her wrap. It was a hefty sized wrap with a good portion of multi-colored chips and a pickle slice. My sandwich was also quite large to bite into, but I managed.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

My mom said that her wrap had a bit of a kick to it but she really liked it. She used the chips to cleanse her palette between bites and cool her tongue down. My chicken salad was very delicious. It was uniformly chopped up chicken and I loved getting the big chunks of chicken in it that let me know it was made there and not something brought in on a truck. Look at the big chunk sticking out of hte sandwich below! The tomato slices were very bright red and helped. I also had bacon and cheese on my sandwich and with the toasted bread, the combination was great. The fries were crispy on the outside with yummy mushy potatoes inside. Both my mom and I commented on the juicy crisp pickle slices we received.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

Overall, the lunch was great regardless of the rough start. I know that I will be back and next time I'll enjoy a beer or two with my meal. Until then, Happy Eating!

Bodway's Wings

2011-11-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of Bodways.com

My friend and I stopped into Bodway's Live Music Grill a few weeks ago to sample their wings on their first official "wing night," which is Thursday for those of you interested. I saw it posted on Bodway's Facebook Page and inquired what were the minimums for ordering. I love Club 400, but I can't eat 20 wings and dislike that that is the minimum there. I was informed by Bodway's that it was a minimum of 6 per flavor (although their web says 20) and they had bone-in (.35 each) or boneless (.45 each). The sauce flavors are Honey-BBQ, Garlic-Herb, Zing, Mild or Demon. (I may have missed one or two.)

Photo courtesy of BestBurgerinMilwaukee.com

My friend and I arrived around 6:30 and we were able to grab a table near the front of the restaurant. It was a pretty happening place. A server swung by right away and asked what we wanted to drink. I remembered that they had recently installed tappers and tried to read the different beers on tap quickly. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough and the server said he would just come back when we were ready. (Help with the tappers would have been good instead of me cramming my neck around to see what they were and reading them.) I decided on a Blue Moon and my friend ordered a rail gin and tonic that was the special of the night (rail cocktails for $3).

We read over the menu and although I thought I read somewhere that a new menu was debuting Nov. 1, no new menu was available for us. We only came in for wings, so it was fine, but I'm interested to know what's new.

We decided on battered cheddar pints (cheese curds), frickles (fried pickles), 6 naked boneless wings with honey bbq on the side, 6 bone-in mild and 6 bone-in garlic herb. There seemed to be just one server for the full dining room and after Tony (the owner) finished a meeting, he jumped behind the bar to take orders and help the cook. Our food came out in good time considering the number of tables but the frickles didn't come with everything else. The server was so fast to put the food down, we had to flag him to remind him about the frickles and I wanted a water.

In the meantime, we dug in. The boneless wings were smaller than I expected, but it's been a while since I have had boneless wings and maybe that is normal size? The breading was really good with some additional spices in the mix. I should have just had them coated with the sauce because the honey-bbq was good and that is what I was nervous about. The chicken was really moist in the boneless too.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

I left the mild wings to my friend as hot sauce and I haven't been friends for a while now. I did try the garlic herb and it was really unique. It was dry on the wings and it seemed to be part of the breading really making them very flavorful. I always grab the special wing too as you can see in the pic below. There was a ton of garlic in it and I think more than a few wings would give me a headache but the flavor was great. Garlic does that to a lot of people in my family.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

The server finally came back to let us know that the frickles would be a little bit as they couldn't be put in the same fryer as other food or would end up making everything else taste like pickles. I was curious what fryer they were putting them in then, but we waited patiently for them to arrive. The battered cheese pints come plentiful in a basket and you can never go wrong with deep friend cheese curds and ranch :) They were delicious and I boxed some up to take home. (Unfortunately I dropped the box on the way home, mitten malfunction, and didn't get the eat the leftovers.) When the frickles finally arrived, my friend gobbled them up. It's something that I would have never thought to deep fry, but trying one a few years ago at State Fair brought them into my life and they will never leave. I wouldn't say they are as good at Horny Goat Hideaway's but to not have to travel to downtown Milwaukee for good fried pickles, Bodway's are very good. (sorry no pics of the frickles)

Photo courtesy of Sarah Zubarik

All in all our meal was good. There is some stiff wing competition in Waukesha, but I think that Bodway's can hold their own. More sauce combinations are all I can think to improve on for wing night. Maybe another server too, as I never got my water. Not a big screw up but it's something that I wanted from all the salt in the fried foods.

I will definitely return to Bodway's as their fish fry still intrigues me. Until then, Happy Eating!

Apple Cobbler

2011-10-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

I bought myself the Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 book months ago and have made a few of the recipes. It went on the shelf for a while and I forgot about it. With all the wonderful apples available this time of year, I overindulged and needed to find a way to use them up quicker than I eat them. With my vitamin C allergy, I can only have about half an apple and I hate to waste them. Lucky for me, the Hungry Girl book had a wonderful recipe that with a few modifications makes a wonderful Apple Cobbler.

Here's my altered version to feed about 6 people dessert (or a yummy sweet breakfast). It probably isn't under 200 calories for each bite, but close.

Apple Mix:
6 of your favorite apples, cored, peeled and cut into small cubes (bite size pieces) I know my picture only shows 3 apples but that wasn't a big enough recipe for a group so I doubled it.
3 Tbsp. brown sugar - not packed
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Splenda
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Crumb Topping:
1 cup Fiber One cereal
1 cup Golden Grahams
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Splenda

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium unheated pot, combine all the apple mix ingredients except the apples. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and stir well. Add apple chunks and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until liquid thickens to a syrup consistency and begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium baking dish.

Combine Fiber One and Golden Grahams into a food processor and blend until finely chopped but not all the way to breadcrumbs. Transfer to a small bowl, cut in the butter and splenda and mix until its a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apple mixture.

Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until the apple mixture is bubbly and the crumb topping is starting to brown. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

I had it with vanilla bean ice cream and it was wonderful.

Game Day Snacks

2011-10-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

These are a few standbys that make my friends' taste buds jump for joy. I don't have the original people to credit on the Ham Rollups or Spinach Dip but the Ham Rollups came from my coworkers and the Spinach Artichoke dip is from my cousin. The Black Bean Dip is my modified version of WeightWatchers.com recipe.

Ham Rollups
2-8oz packages of cream cheese (1/3 less fat works great, fat free makes it a little more runny)
1-8oz jar of olives stuffed with pimentos, well drained
1-2 Tbsp. minced dry onion flakes
approx. 12 slices of ham (square or rectangle work best)

1. Drain olives very well and chop them finely. I have decided to start to use a food processor to make it easier. This time I didn't allow the olives to drain and had to drain the mix onto a paper towel to absorb extra liquid

2. Add olives to the cream cheese in a mixing bowl.

3. Add in the onion flakes.

4. Mix all ingredients together well. You can use a rubber spatula but again, I used a mixer because my cream cheese was a little hard and I needed to get this done quickly!

5. What the mix should look like

6. Open up the packages of ham and set on a cutting board. You must dry off each side of the piece of ham before spreading on the mixture. I just dab at them with a paper towel.

7. Using a knife, spread a thin layer of the spread on each piece of ham, going all the way to the edge.

8. Roll up the ham into a spiral. The cream cheese will hold it shut.

9. Cut the rolls into 1 inch pieces and stack on a plate or platter to show the spiral inside. Voila, Ham Rollups that your guests will love! I didn't get a pic of the final product so thank you quick-and-easy-dinner.com

Spinach Artichoke Dip
2-8oz packages of cream cheese (1/3 less fat or fat free)
16 oz. light sour cream
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed to remove all water)
2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella
1-2 cups shredded parmesan/asiago cheese (I found that Kraft sells this as a mix in a 1 1/2 cup pkg.)
1 can of artichoke hearts, medium size
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
pinch of salt & pepper

1. Drain artichokes and chop up.

2. Add garlic and artichokes to a large microwave-safe bowl.

3. Add in cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, salt & pepper and stir all together.

4. Add 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, stir and microwave for 1 min. Pull out the bowl and stir, then add another cup of cheese. Repeat this process until all the cheese is added and the mixture is to the right consistency - all cheese is melted and gooey!

5. Serve immediately while it's warm or put in a mini-warmer and serve with tortilla chips or bread pieces. I prefer El Rey Tostaditas Chips that I find at Panos in downtown Waukesha.

Black Bean Dip

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cilantro, raw, fresh leaves. loosely packed
1/2 cup salsa, fat free
6 oz. container fat free, plain yogurt (I used Greek Yogurt for the thicker consistency)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. green tabasco (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until desired consistency. I left it a little more chunky. Scoop into a serving bowl and serve with veggies (carrots, celery pieces, cucumber slices, green pepper slices). If you let the dip sit for 4 hours, flavors come through more. I didn't take a picture of the final project, but kidscooking.about.com had a picture that looks very similar to my dip.

FirstWatch

2011-10-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

Image from FirstWatch.com

FirstWatch - The Daytime Cafe has been on my radar for a few months and an early morning shopping trip with my mom proved to be just the right time to try it. I had driven by a few times as I frequent TJ Maxx and Metro Market on a monthly basis, but I never got a good look inside.

When I suggested this place to my mom, she was fine with it, looking for something light, but filling enough to get us through our shopping trip without needing to refuel. (We can get ornery if we don't have food in us - ok I mainly do!)

We walked in and I realized that it wasn't at all what I thought. I was going with it being a Panera-type place where you order at a counter, but this was more like a breakfast cafe with very cheery colors and decor. You wait to be seated by the host and the servers wear khakis and bright colored polo shirts and everyone was smiling.

We were seated at a table right by the kitchen, but with all the cooking they were doing on a busy Saturday morning, I had no problem conversing with my mom or the server at all. You can see into the kitchen and it was very organized and very clean. I knew I had picked a great place.

A large chalkboard on the back wall lists the specials of the day. We read through the entire menu of breakfast and light lunch specials and both of us found something right away. My mom asked about the size of the pancakes and we were informed they are the size of a dinner plate. Luckily you can order just 1 and not have 3 huge pancakes that you can't finish staring at you. She chose 1 cranberry nut pancake and I went with the fresh fruit filled crepes with organic strawberry yogurt over the top. It also came with granola and a muffin.

We waited just about 10 minutes and our food came out. Presentation is definitely something they focus on. The butter was placed very delicately on top of my mom's pancake and she thought this would be a new pancake she might attempt at home sometime. My crepes were filled with large pieces of strawberries and bananas with the melon pieces on top of the yogurt. The crepes were light and airy. I have never had yogurt on crepes before and that is a much heathier option than the cream or ricotta that I have had before. That's granola in the cup and check out the size of that muffin.

We both agreed that this was a solid breakfast for both of us to shop on but yet neither of us felt stuffed. I saved the muffin for a late lunch snack and didn't eat all the granola. We were both extremely satisfied with the food and my mom wants to take my dad there very soon. They usually go to different little breakfast joints and this will be another one that my mom is sure my dad will like.

Check out the fun details on the napkin wrappers!

I signed up for their FirstWatch club and received a buy one, get one breakfast just for signing up. Then with my birthday just this week, I received an email for a free entree! I'll take that as a great club already. I wonder what else they will give out throughout the year!

Parkside23

2011-09-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sign Photo From OnMilwaukee.com

I have heard about this place for about a year now and wasn't sure I was ever going to have the chance to go there. I wasn't sure of the prices and if I could find a dinner buddy. Well luckily, with the help of Parkside23's Facebook page, I was informed they had quite a selection of Oktoberfest beers on tap and do beer flights all day, every day they are open. This I knew would gain me a dinner buddy and my first experience led to a second experience shortly there after. Read about both below.

Parkside23 is located at the corner of North Ave & Pilgrim Rd in Brookfield. This used to be the location of Sticks & Stones and the Pilgrim Square shopping center, but it sat vacant for many years after Sticks closed. What makes this restaurant unlike anything else in the area is the fact that they have a 10,000 sq. ft. farm located behind the restaurant and grow many of their own vegetables for the dishes. What they can't grow, they pursue local farmers and shops to help keep things in the area and help out the community.

Patio Photo from Parkside23's Facebook Page

Two weeks ago I asked my friends Tiffany and Brandon to join me for a beer flight after work and maybe stay for dinner (which of course turned into "yes staying for dinner" after reading the menu online). We took advantage of the last day of warm weather this summer and sat out on the beautiful patio. The patio is very large and most likely doubles the amount of business the restaurant can do on beautiful weather days. Although there are a lot of tables (patio wraps around the side as well in the picture above), I didn't feel like I was overhearing anyone else's conversations and could enjoy my meal with my friends. There even was a book club at the table behind us, but it was still a great dinner and their occasional laughter didn't bother us much.

We started of course with deciding on the beer flights - we all chose Oktobesfest flights which came with: Flying Dog Dogtoberfest, Great Lakes Oktoberfest, Milwaukee Brewing Oktoberfest and Lakefront Oktoberfest (if my memory serves). I am a New Glarus Staghorn "groupie" and switched out the Dogtoberfest for the Staghorn because I'm not a fan of huge hopes and that was no problem to do. The flights come served on a paddle in 6 oz. mini beer glasses. Our server wrote down the order for us so we didn't have to try and remember which beer was which.

Beer Paddle Photo By Me

It was unanimous in our group that Great Lakes has a spectacular Oktoberfest this year. I highly recommend it to everyone that wants to try one this year! Staghorn was good but definitely had a hint of sweet to it, like brown sugar, that I don't remember from years' past. It was my second favorite.

Andy's Eastside Shells Photo by Me

Onto the food. The menu is arranged by price but that didn't mean that lower priced items were smaller dishes. I decided on the Andy's Eastside Shells. Although the server told me this was a petite portion, when it was placed in front of me, I would not call this petite at all. Three pasta shells were overstuffed with Italian sausage, fennel, pine nuts and spinach. Mozzarella cheese was then melted over the top and the shells were placed in a shallow bowl with roasted tomato sauce surrounding them. Flatbread was served on the side that I used to scoop up every bit of the sauce. My mom makes stuffed shells and as a child it was a dish I always asked for. However, my moms were just ricotta and spinach. I never thought of having meat and pine nuts in it. The Italian sausage had a kick to it but it didn't over power any of the other flavors in the dish and they complimented each other well.

My friend Tiffany completely indulged in the fresh cuisine and started with the caprese salad special that night - three slices of the most ripely red tomato I have seen were topped with fresh basil and fresh mozzarella was placed in the middle with a balsamic reduction drizzle over the top. She loved it. Then she chose the braised short rib tacos that were served with avocado and rice on the side. Again she thought it was amazing. She even ordered the peach cobbler for dessert and split it with Brandon. (The homemade vanilla bean ice cream he couldn't resist.) Brandon order the BBQ pork flatbread that was cut like a pizza into triangles. Before I knew it, he only had one piece left and wanted to slow down to savor the amazing flavor of that last piece.

Braised Short Rib Tacos Photo by Me

BBQ Flatbread Photo by Me

Peach Cobbler Photo by Me

We were all members of the clean plate and cup club that night and overall, for what we ate and drank, it really wasn't badly priced and it was a great meal. Our server was absolutely outstanding and made sure we had the best experience possible.

Photo from Parkside23's Facebook Page

My second experience at Parkside23 was taking my mom there on her birthday. (Unfortunately I forgot to take photos of my dinner this time.) We have started a tradition of treating ourselves to a nice dinner for our birthdays. In the past, we have gone to Water Buffalo in Milwaukee, Generations at 5 Points for tapas and a few others that escape me right now. After my first experience at PS23, I emailed my mom the next day and told her where we were going for her bday if she was game (and she always is).

Photo from zvents.com

This time we sat inside in the main dining room (1. it is now fall and chilly out and 2. it was downpouring). We were seated a table the would sit 4 tightly but was perfect for us. In the pic above we would be the empty table to the left of the empty booth. The decor is very warm and inviting with cloth embroidered pictures of vegetables on the walls and stick/branch artwork dividing the dining room from the bar. Everything looks very natural and has a food theme but as you can see, not tacky.

We decided this time to get some wine and make the heavy decision of what one thing for each of us to get on the menu. My mom chose the stuffed pepper that was a red pepper stuffed with fresh veggies and a Parmesan-couscous on the side. On her first bite, she looked at me and smiled and said she was in heaven. She had been craving stuffed peppers for a while but just hasn't had time to make them at home with her busy schedule.

I chose the braised short rib that came with glazed carrots and russet parsnip mash. It came served with a knife but upon sticking my fork into the rib, the meat was so tender it fell right apart. I always attempt to make my roasts or beef stew with meat this tender, but apparently that chef has tons on me (as he should). Major props to him for that piece of meat. The carrots, although called glazed were just lightly sweet but perfectly cooked which I appreciated. I didn't want it to taste like that marshmallow weird casserole served around Thanksgiving. The russet parsnip mash was a bit too mashed for me and very smooth. I like my potatoes lumpy but the flavor made me forget that factor and I cleaned my plate.

Because it was my mom's birthday we had to split a dessert, which I forgot to mention earlier, they call "Rewards" (love that). The cobbler of the day was Blueberry served with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. We chose to split that and it came served warm in a ramekin and the ice cream was already melting into the cobbler making it a delicious "reward". The blueberries were really tiny compared to what I usually use, so maybe they are a different type but it didn't affect the flavor and I think they were even juicier. The topping was like an oatmeal-cinnamon-sugar-granola. You could see all the different oats in the topping. It was delicious and we finished the entire thing with blue tongues for proof!

I can't wait to come visit again and maybe just split something with a friend and enjoy 1 or 2 of their 20 beers on taps. Until then, Happy Eating friends.

Divno Gelato

2011-09-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Logo taken from Divino Gelato's website

I know I have written about this place before briefly, but it's such a great stop for a sweet treat or a sandwich, I'm taking a few moments to share completely about this place. Divino Gelato on Main Street in downtown Waukesha KNOWS Gelato and serves it up by the scoop, cone or more elaborate concoctions7 days a week. I first found this place over 4 years ago and only allow myself in the doors once every few months. The gelato is so wonderfully creamy that I have to limit my sweet tooth to only indulge a little.

One thing that some people may not know is that Divino Gelato doesn't serve just gelato. They also have Italian grinders (toasted subs), personal pizzas (made by Rosati's of Waukesha), soup, coffee drinks, sweet treats and more. In my dozen or so times that I have stopped into this place, the majority are trips for gelato, but I do occasionally stop in on my lunch for a grinder to take back to the office. Just last week, I stopped in and got a chicken grinder and pomegranate lemonade infused with herbs. The grinders take a few minutes to be toasted so I was able to take in the shop a little.

The decor on the inside makes it look like you are sitting on a city street in Italy. There are cute doors painted on the walls so it looks like the cafe tables are just outside shops and clouds painted on the ceiling. Behind the counter, the wall is painted bright yellow and the employees are always cheery and happy. (if you catch them when it's not too busy inside, you can sample little spoonfuls of the gelato. I'm sure you can sample other times too, but paying customers come first obviously).

Photo courtesy of Divino Gelato's website

I'm not sure how many gelato flavors are available on a daily basis, but I would say at least 25 - 30. Some flavors are very typical - chocolate, raspberry, cookie dough, but then they have tiramisu, peanut butter cup and toasted coconut. They are always changing up the flavors for seasons and to try out new ones. I like that you can get two different flavors in one cup. I usually do a nut with a fruit flavor (i.e. raspberry pistachio, almond strawberry).

Photo by me

Ok - back to the grinder. Because they toast it, the roll they put it on is crunchy but still soft to bite into. The chicken has Italian seasonings on it and is covered with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo. It's big sandwich but I manage to finish it all. I'm not a big fan of rewarming sandwiches because the bread and lettuce get so gross, and this sandwich is just too good to waste. The bread choice makes it so different than all the other sandwich shops in Waukesha (and there are a lot).

Photo by Me

The pomegranate lemonade was so refreshing as well. I had just been told from my mom a week earlier that rosemary added to teas and juices have great health benefits and I should start adding it to mine. When I read on the menu Pomegranate + Lemonade + Herbs, I just had to give it a try. It's poured from the large glass chiller you can see on the counter. My first sip was lemonade first and then I tasted the pomegranate. Upon the exhale after the sip, I definitely got the herbs and it was a great refreshing combination (and I could pick out the rosemary). I have to watch how often I have this and make sure I have the majority of it on a full stomach. You may not know but I have a low tollerance for Vitamin C and can only have about 20% of vitamin C a day to be safe. (not sure if it's the ascorbic or citric acid that makes me break out in hives and swell my throat) This is something that would definitely make me over-indulge and break out but if you don't have a problem with Vitamin C, I highly recommend trying this.

In Wisconsin, cold sweet treats aren't eaten as often in the cold months, but who am I kidding, it's still Wisconsin. I highly recommend swinging by Divino Gelato for a cup of coffee, a grinder and after being inside where it's nice a warm, finish the meal with a little gelato. When it's this good, how can you not?!

Juicy Olive, Lake Geneva

2011-09-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

Photos and images used in this blog are courtesy of Golden Oaks Mansion's website.

Occasionally, my foodie ways take me far away from the Waukesha area but I had a wonderful experience here a few weeks back and really want to share it with you. I hope if you end up in the area, you try it out.

A friend had taken advantage of a Groupon offer for The Juicy Olive in the Golden Oaks Mansion in Lake Geneva. Before I go any farther, I need to talk about my love of Groupons. This is probably one of the best inventions (in my mind) to get customers to your venue. I would say that not every industry can be successful with Groupons, but food, drink and entertainment venues do very well. I have purchased quite a few and unfortunately let a few expire, but I'm very happy with the places that I did get them for.

OK - back to The Juicy Olive. The place is situated 2 blocks from the lake in a really cute old mansion turned B&B. There are Greek goddess fountains in the front but it was a little too warm outside to enjoy the outdoors. Upon entering the mansion, you see the great old architecture that has been kept in tact. There are 6 rooms upstairs but I didn't inquire to the rates or occupancy. To the right is OMG Cupcakes, a quaint little boutique that sells tea and cupcakes and little tables in the front windows for which you can enjoy your treats. To the left is the Tea Room with old English style furniture. This can also be the B&B's sitting room.

If you walk through the Tea Room you get into the Juicy Olive. I would imagine that when this business was just a mansion, this would be the sunroom or the sitting room. The bar unfortunately looks like it was put in front of what would have been a beautiful old fireplace. The woodwork and mirror do look really nice behind the bar, but I'm not sure the actual fireplace is back there and may be storage cabinets now. The room only has 4 little tables and the bar, but it does have a cute L-shaped patio with a few more tables and chairs outside. There are full patio doors and large windows that fill the room with tons of great natural light.

We were the only ones inside when we arrived but the place quickly filled up with other patrons withing 30 minutes. Each table has a dish of their "Soon to be World Famous" pretzel mix. The pretzels were salty with a buttery taste and amongst them m&m's for the sweet tooth. These were endless for us!

The Juicy Olive has a wine menu, martini menu, limited selection of beers and a small bites menu. Our Groupon (which I'm unsure what the cost was) got us 2 cocktails and and one of the small bites. Unfortunately, the website doesn't have the menu that we received, as ours was much more involved and had higher quality dishes.

We decided that because the Groupon already gave us such a good deal, we would order 2 small bites and cocktails. My friend settled just on Blue Moon beer as it was a drive for us. I decided on a Colonel Purple Heart Martini, with chambord, pineapple juice and vodka in it. It was delicious. It took us a bit to wander the menu but we decided on the Tenderloin Skewers and Stuffed Mushrooms.

While waiting for the small bites to come out, we took in the decor and watched the guitarist set up for the evening. Withing 10 minutes of ordering our first dish came out. (I overheard the kitchen brings out the dishes as they get them complete). Set in front of us was a beautiful Tenderloin skewer with red onion, pineapple, green peppers and the most tender tenderloin I have possibly ever had. Under it were a few slices avocado and a Chipotle sauce. The only disappointment was that the menu said "skewers" and we only received one. We both wanted to eat the entire thing upon our first bite.

About 5 minutes later, the stuffed mushrooms came out. There were 2 large Portabellas on the plate that were cooked down slightly in a worchestershire sauce. On top of the mushrooms was creamy gorgonzola cheese melted and browned perfectly on them. We each got our own of these and it was absolute tastebud heaven - so delicious. Of course we wanted more but then, it wouldn't be a small plate would it? (sorry for the lack of photography)

After that we asked for the bill as we wanted to check out Lake Geneva a bit before heading home. The owner was walking around and talking with the guests and I overheard her say that the "Small Bites" menu and the Groupon were definitely helping to draw in more customers. The table next to us told her it was a great direction to go in by offering the smaller food portions and to keep up the excellent food skills. We agreed and thanked her for her hospitality and we were on our way.

RiverMill Foods

2011-09-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have had lunch in downtown Waukesha because frankly I have just been too busy. I have missed my walks downtown over my lunch and decided that with the beautiful weather today I was definitely overdue. I had no idea what I wanted for lunch and was planning to just wander until something caught my eye. Well the first place that I saw, coming from South and Grand, was RiverMill Foods. I had heard great things about the place from my friend Jeremy as he has lunched there and purchsased some of its artisan breads. He has also tweeted about his times there and RiverMill Foods is very responsive with social media.

RiverMill Foods is a family-owned business right on the 5 points in downtown Waukesha, next door to Generations at 5 Points. The window lettering states they have "Artisan Breads, Cheesecake, Homemade Soups, Fresh Salads, & more." Owner Laurie was the smiling face that greeted me upon entering the store today. The wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread filled the shop and made me really hungry for lunch. Two chalk boards listed the salads and sandwiches right where you place your order. I loved that the main ingredients of the different salads and sandwiches were listed out. This left my decision easy for lunch. Laurie clued me in to the bottom of the menu where they offer a lunch combo for a very reasonable $6.50 which is your choice of 2 of the following: a small salad, half sandwich or wrap, cup of soup or fresh fruit bowl.

I decided to go for the Lunch combo and ordered the Greek Salad and Turkey BLT on a broccoli cheddar roll. Laurie informed me that everything was made fresh to order and only with the freshest ingredients. My salad would be made just for me and if I didn't want something on it, I should just say and she would omit. I didn't ask if I wanted extra ingredients if there was a charge, but I was happy with everything on my salad and extremely happy to know it wasn't sitting in a cooler getting wilty.

It took only a few minutes for my order to be ready, but that gave me a chance to look in the cooler at the cheesecakes! They have 2 more chalkboards over the cooler that state the soup options that they have frozen to take to go and cheesecakes by the slice, 6", 9" or mini 2" sampler packs. These soup flavors got my attention right away and I know I will be back to try them: French Onion, Fiesta Tortilla, and Roasted Tomato Herb. But what really got my attention was some of the cheesecake flavors: Lemon Blueberry, Kahlua Fudge and Caramel Apple. I resisted soup and cheesecake for today but I know that I will be back there soon, now that fall is in the air, for some soup. And who doesn't love cheesecake? I may bring one for my work birthday treat if I don't feel adventurous to create something on my own. All they need is at least 24 hours notice to make the cheesecake.

Ok - onto the taste. I took my lunch back to the office although RiverMill Foods does have two bistro tables to eat at. I opened up the salad and was instantly impressed with how fresh everything looked. (Sorry my picture of the salad is of it almost finished. It was so good, I was too consumed with flavor to remember to take a before shot.) The salad consisted of mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese and sunflower seeds with an oil vinegrette dressing. I haven't had many greek salads in my life but this one was really good. The dressing was amazing. I thank Laurie for letting me know about the pits in the olives so I wouldn't bust a tooth, but they were easily manageable. The salad was just the right size for lunch. The sandwich looked just as good. Nice slices of turkey and tomato, with bacon, lettuce and mayo filled the broccoli cheddar roll perfectly. My first bite and I knew I was in trouble. The bread was so delicious and added an enticing flavor to the sandwich that I couldn't get enough of it. I was definitely a member of the clean plate club after lunch, but I didn't feel stuffed. It was the perfect amount.

I know that I will not be a stranger to RiverMill Foods and will definitely buy some artisan breads and frozen soups to get me through the colder months. I can hardly wait to go back again.

Until next time, Happy Eating!

Wings in Waukesha

2011-07-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

*Sorry for the lack of imagery again! I get so excited to try new places and I forget to take pictures once I'm there of the atmosphere and food. I will work on this! PROMISE!

It's been a long time (probably over 8 months) since I have met up with friends for wings. I used to have my typical places that I could be found on Thursdays (Club 400 and Fox Run Lanes). However, unfortunately to friend-relationships dissolving and jobs changes, I haven't made it out in way too long.

So when my friend asked me last week if I wanted to do wings, I basically jumped at the chance. I suggested Club 400 but with it being warmer out now, I know that Club 400 has a hard time keeping up with the A/C and my friend is an avid pool player so we ended up deciding on Sporties in the Sunset Bowl complex. The complex is located on Sunset Dr. in Waukesha between Grand and West Ave.

We pulled in the lot and we were 1 of 3 cars in the lot total. Granted, we went at 5:30 as she and I were both starving right after work. In following the track record of 3 cars, we walked in the bar and were the only people there to drink - the other cars must have been the employees. I'm not sure if Sporties has a happy hour special, but I know Flanagans (different bar in same complex) does, and I'm thinking they might want to, to increase that after work crowd that was definitely lacking. Sure it was the day after a holiday and most of Wisconsin is probably "drinked out" (who am I kidding, this is Wisco, we drink no matter what).

Anyways, I asked the bartender about the deal and he informed us that it didn't start until 6 pm but we could start with the pitcher of beer if we liked. The wing deal is 20 wings and a pitcher for $12. I thought that was reasonable and it included our choices of Miller Lite, Coors Light or High Life on tap (I didn't ask if we could substitute something better on tap, but that could be a thought for next time). We decided on Miller Lite and began chatting while waiting to order. The bartender came back a minute later and told us we were in luck - someone else had bribed the cook to start early and we could get our wings now. I forgot to take a gander at the rest of the menu (my bad) but I believe they have burgers and pizzas as well.

Ok back to the wings - they can be separated into groups of 5 for the different sauces and I was excited to hear the choices. That excitement quickly dwindled when I found out the choices were.....Hot, BBQ or plain. Increments of 5 and you only have 2 actual options!!??? Hot sauce and I have a love hate relationship so we decided on 5 hot and 15 BBQ.

When the basket came out, the wings looked huge and mounding over the top and plenty of ranch and celery were provided. I went for a BBQ and my friend went for a hot. She liked the hot although it was nothing more than Frank's Red Hots on them. The BBQ was really messy to eat as it didn't seem that they attempted to thin the sauce out at all and just threw the wings in a vat of regular BBQ sauce. The wings dripped with BBQ. I don't mind a little sauce, but when its dripping huge chunks of BBQ, I wasn't too happy. I did try one hot wing and it was ok, dipped in plenty of ranch and followed with a piece of celery. The hot were way less messy to eat. (You may think that I don't get the concept of wings as they are always messy. I get that and I enjoy a good wing coated in sauce, but when you couldn't see any of the skin of the chicken and its just all BBQ, that's when I draw the line.)

We ended up leaving a few of the BBQ wings behind as for some reason we both were full with less than 10 wings in each of us. This is a rarity as I can polish off close to 20 alone at other places. We agreed that next time we would probably get the sauce on the side if we came back, or we would just go somewhere else.

Once we finished the wings, we got a game of pool going to finish the pitcher of beer. If you are a pool/darts/sports fanatic, Sporties is the bar for you. They have flat screen tvs on each table, trivia, dart boards and pool tables everywhere. Not to mention the bowling alley, batting cages and volleyball leagues. Sporties is definitely the bar that has the most sports-oriented fun for people of all ages.

My suggestions to the bar is the add more sauce types for wing night - maybe a 1/2 red hots 1/2 BBQ flavor and maybe a jerk or terriyaki. I'm not asking them to have 20+ types like some chain restaurants in the area, but a few more than 2 options would really be great and would put them at a competitive level with other bars and restaurants.

Freeman Friday Night Live: Week 1

2011-06-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm a week behind on releasing this - Week 2 to follow in the next day or so!

Although I will not voice an opinion on the need to close the streets or not, I will comment on the wonderful event that makes Waukesha a fun place on Friday nights in downtown Waukesha. Two weeks ago Friday kicked off the start of Freeman Friday Night Live and if you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll explain. This is an event in which music stages are set up throughout downtown with local talent performing to crowds. The stores also tend to stay open later on these evenings and give those of us that work 8 - 5 during the week, the opportunity to get to these stores.

The weather on that Friday was absolutely perfect and so my friend Tiffany and I took advantage and headed out to FFNL. We started walking in mid downtown and saw babies dancing away outside of Gen 5 and people mulling around the stores too. During the walk it was great to hear all kinds of music and see so many people out on the streets in downtown. As you know I'm a big rooter for keeping it local and loved seeing so many people out.
We made it to Bosco's after running into Mr. Barta who was also taking in the scene before heading to his bar, Nice Ash, for the evening. We decided to park it at Bosco's on a few chairs and take in their beautiful patio and the Brewers Game. The patio at Bosco's was pretty full but we still were able to grab a table and watch the game. The addition of the new flat screens on the patio made it that much sweeter. The vodka tonics were perfectly refreshing as well. People even pulled out bags and ladder golf on the grassy area and started some heated competition. I wanted to join in, but I'm a little rusty in the ladder golf and bags department. I believe Bosco's has even set up leagues and maybe I should have joined.

We stayed at Bosco's until almost the end of the game and then decided to wander back to the West End and check out Bodway's (my new obsession!). Some of the stages had shut down by this point, but people were still every where in downtown. It was great to see. When we got near Magellan's we saw that they had acutally put up a tent over its stage area on the street and it made for a really nice looking stage. I like that the businesses in downtown are as amped for the music as the pedestrians and customers are.

We got to Bodway's and it was absolutely packed. A group of 5 walked in ahead of us and Tony politely told them he was probably going to be pretty full until the Brewer's game ended up invited the group to grab a cocktail or come back. I spotted a table for 2 near the back and asked Tony if it was up for grabs. He told me it was all mine. It was a bit warm in Bodway's but with an open-concept grill probably does that to a bar. We still grabbed a beer and checked out the menu. I informed Tiff into all the fun, yummy things on the menu and she immediately found many things she wanted.

One thing that I think is great about downtown is that the owners play an active roll in their restaurant/pub. I see Jeff and Joette and their family clan always at the Nice Ash, bartending, cleaning tables, helping people with cigars, engaging in small talk, whatever is necessary at the time to make sure everyone is having a pleasant experience. Tony is the same way at Bodway's and to me, this is what separates Waukesha from Milwaukee places. Sure I don't know that maybe I was served by an owner at a restaurant in Milwaukee, but with the size of Waukesha, I am able to find out who is working and their relation to the owner or that they are the owner. YAY for local businesses again.

As for the food, we started with deep fried pickle spears and the dipping sauce added a little kick to them. So yummy. Tiff got herself the Angus Filet sandwich and I got the Backyard BBQ sandwich with a chicken breast. The chicken was super moist and again, Tony rocked it with the food. Props to the chef! Sure I know that I need to get out to some of my other faves in downtown again, but I have a new go-to that I'm completely pleased with.

So what's on tap for me tomorrow night, FFNL with a few more friends this time. Hoping that the weather holds up and I get to enjoy a few more bands and a cocktail again. Probably in jeans and a jacket, but I'll still take it all in!

Bodways

2011-05-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Due to me being too talkative with my company on both meals as well as being a slightly air-headed foodie at times, I didn't take any pictures of the food or atmosphere. Hopefully I can add those after my next visit. But enjoy the posting, I think you will like it!

Bodway's (not sure if the pronunciation is bod-ways or bode-ways) opened in Waukesha in the Fall of 2010 with a limited menu. The owner's dream (Tony) started back in 2007 and I had been patiently waiting for him to open the place. I had a conversation with him at another establishment in downtown in late Spring of 2010 and he informed me that they were close to opening. I told him that when he was open, I would definitely be stopping in and getting him on my blog. Well I owe him an apology on the delay, but I finally ventured in last week Friday AND this week Tuesday for dinner.

Bodway's is located at the corner of Maple & Main in downtown Waukesha's West End. I'm not sure what the building was home to prior to it being the grill, but it is definitely a nice looking building that adds keeps up with the class and artsy style of the West End. I had become friends with Tony on Facebook a while ago and then "liked" Bodways as I do with all things Waukesha and stayed in the loop. From the postings that I was reading, Bodway's was being raved for its burgers and fish fry from opening weekend on. My friend actually was Bodway's 500th fan and this entitled her a free dinner for two! Of course I told her she had to take me and we finally decided to use the dinner last week Friday. (If you are the 1000th fan, its a trip for 2 to VEGAS!)

We arrived a little after 5:30 and the place was already jumping with people. There was a group having a wonderful time reminiscing high school stories at one table, over half the bar seats were full, and only 2 tables were available for us to choose from. So we sat down and took in the scene while waiting for a waitress.

When you first walk in, there is a stage to your left that has live music performances on Friday and Saturday nights (don't quote me, but that's been the pattern). Then there is a guitar shaped bar with exposed brick wall behind it home to the top shelf liquors. Towards the back of the bar is the kitchen area. The kitchen is open concept so you can see everything the chef is working on. (It takes a lot of skill to be willing to be so out in the open like that - props to the chef). The wall art is comprised of album covers of great bands of days gone by and classics that will never go old, as well as paintings of the Rolling Stones and other bands. You can definitely pick up that the theme is rock n' roll throughout the place and its done with class. I saw Bon Jovi stuff so it's all good with me :)

Tony came over first and took our drink order and my friend and him exchanged the info for the free dinner and he thanked her for being a fan and helping him hit that milestone. He got us our beverages and a waitress was soon to follow with the menu which she kindly explained. The menu is composed of "Opening Acts" (appetizers) that include wings and flat breads among other yummy treats, "Headliners" (main dishes) and Burgers. I shouldn't say "just" burgers as this part of the menu is enough to take in alone. First you pick your meat - filet, black angus patty, chicken breast, mahi filet (one more option I can't remember?) for a set price and then add whatever toppings you want for no additional charge (a few fancy options did have a charge, but not many). And they have every topping that I could think of! If you aren't sure you can create something on your own that will be tasty, they offer up some of the favorite combinations on the menu to spark your interest.

Ok - onto the food. I decided to go with a Headliner and ordered the Ribs on a Stick (which I will need to verify if they are from Robert's Specialty Meats or Tony's fine creation) and my friend chose a burger. The food came out decently quick and the plating was very creative. My Ribs on a Stick came over a bed of homemade potato chips and a side of house slaw. I didn't even know what to go for first. The ribs were on top, so I bit in. They were perfectly marinated and fell right off the skewer. I was instantly in heaven. I had dipping sauces on the side, but didn't even feel the need to use them because the pork was so perfectly seasoned itself. I took a few bites of the house slaw that had an asian vibe to it with peanuts in it and loved the taste but it had a bit too much spice for my buds. And the potato chips were also excellent. They are thicker than regular chips, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. I dipped them in the ranch(?) sauce that came on the side. There were way too many on my plate to finish but other than that, I would say that was one of the best meals that I have had in downtown in a while (and not just because it was free!).

The food and atmosphere really struck a chord with me (unintentional pun ha ha), that I brought my mom to the bar on Tuesday night for dinner. This time the place wasn't as crowded but Tony was there smiling and chatting with everyone in the place. He came over and took my mom's and my drink order and I explained the menu to her this time. She decided on a Honey BBQ Chicken Flat Bread and although it was an appetizer, it was a very generously sized and she was contently full when she was done. She didn't realize it had pepper jack cheese on it, and like me, she has spice sensitive taste buds, but she used my ranch(?) dipping sauce and it made it "cooled" it down for her enough to devour the whole thing. I decided on the Tenderloin Kabob Basket and again, I was just amazed with the quality of the food. The tenderloin was cooked to my liking, with just a little pink in the middle, and it was skewered with zuchinni, mushrooms and tomatoes. The two skewers were placed atop the potato chips and it came with the house slaw again. My mom tried the slaw and besides the spice kick in the after taste being a bit much, we both agree its delicious.

I have already told quite a few friends about the place and I think Tony has a great operation on the West End. His menu is diverse enough for downtown to fill in gaps that are missing, but also adding his own genius to stay around and draw his own crowd. And with the variety on his menu (he can surely have a burger of the month and other specials) is large enough to stay the same for quite some time. (The burger toppings alone could have you in heaven for weeks!!!). And I know there is a burger battle being tossed around in Waukesha once People's Park is back open and I think the competition is going to be fierce!

Stay tuned for more foodie fun from Waukesha coming up. Summer is coming guys - really it is - and I'm excited to get out more for all that Waukesha has to offer. Happy Eating!

Sakura

2011-04-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Tory wanted to meet up for lunch yesterday and suggested just coffee and a light something, but by the time I got in her car, her mind was on sushi and there was no changing it. I saw a sign on Sakura that they had some sort of lunch deal Tues - Fri so we decided to check it out. Sakura is located on Broadway right by Hannon's and Waukesha State Bank. We walked in and there were two people eating at the bar watching the sushi chefs at work (sorry not up on technical sushi chef terms). We were greeted with some sort of saying but not being familiar with sushi restaurants or the language I just said HI!

The decor inside Sakura is very basic - white walls with different sized boards in black on the walls that resembled trees to me in a way. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the ambiance and I am not a good describer, so I guess you just need to check it out. There was a funky chandelier in the entryway that was different than all the other lighting in the place and I don't know if that is tradition or not. Time to start reading up culture norms. Photo below courtesy of Scott Ash and this WaukeshaNOW story.

Anyways, we were seated at a table and told of the lunch special placard on the table (Tues - Fri 11am - 2 pm). We immediately went for that. The deals were 1 California roll and 1 additional roll from the list for 8.95 or 1 California roll and 2 additional rolls from the list for 12.95. We weren't really sure how large the rolls were but decided to get the 12.95 deal. We went for the eel roll and the philadelphia roll. As we waited for our rolls to be prepared, we scanned the rest of the menu. I'm not that familiar with sushi/sashimi foods so it was very foreign to me, but I think if I went with a large group, it would be a great time to try many different rolls at once. There were some deals in the back of the menu for large group ordering, so if anyone is ever interested just let me know!!!

The waitress brought over two small salads for us and a bowl of miso soup. I'm not familiar with miso soup and wasn't feeling soup yesterday so Tory tried it and said it was ok. The salad was really good and I loved the soy/nutty dressing on it. It did take a bit for me to figure out how to use chopsticks again, but once I figured that out, I dug into the salad.

Then the rolls came. We were surprised at how much food we got and probably could have gotten just the 2 roll deal. I believe each roll was cut into 8 and was served with something pink (later determined to be ginger) and some green paste. Upon oral investigation, I realized it was Wasabi paste and I'm still apologizing to my taste buds for that instant heat and pain. (not a fan of wasabi). After looking it all over, we poured ourselves some soy and dug in. I started with a California roll and it was pretty typical to what I had in the past. YUM. Then I went for a Philidelphia roll which was salmon, avocado and cream cheese in the roll. I really enjoyed this one. Tory isn't a big fan of cream cheese so she let me have my share of those. Then we went for the eel rolls which had eel sauce and toasted sesame seeds on the outside. I could definitely taste the difference and was a little nervous as I haven't had eel before, but it was so good! I really enjoyed that one and didn't need soy at all for those.

Our eyes were def bigger than our stomachs and we had a lot of leftovers. We were given a to-go box and Tory let me take home the rest. I was so excited to have them, but unforatunately I left the box at work overnight and, well, day-old sushi isn't my idea of a way to experiment with possible food sickness. I'm sure it would have been ok, but I don't want to tempt it as I don't know the temp of my work fridge and from what I read online, it should be consumed within 24 hrs at the longest. Eel is on the right, cali is at the bottom and philadelphia are on the upper left.

I posted that picture of my leftovers on Facebook yesterday and got a ton of responses that people wanted to know where I went and what I thought. I definitely think people should try this place and I believe off my recommendation, one friend did today. I think this could be a weekly/bi-weekly lunch stop for me. Splitting with a friend, its really not that pricey. Hope you take a gander there soon and enjoy it as well. Happy Eatings!

Finally Finishing Feb in Milwaukee

2011-03-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it was a bit longer than I thought that I would be able to get back to the blogging, but I still feel my input on two places I visited is timely and will give others a chance to have an idea of the places I visited before they go there.

First up, Distil, on popular Milwaukee Street was the location of the February #mkefoodies TweetUp. I had never even heard of this place prior to the TweetUp, but I'm always game for new places. It's a long skinny establishment very dim lit. We got there around 5:45 and grabbed a table near the back. The tables were all made out of solid wood and had big photos of distilery equipment on the walls to show you how things were distilled. This was the photo directly behind our table.

As we waited for the food to come out (Distil had prepared some small portions for us to sample), we got ourselves some drinks. I went with a Vodka and Tonic as rail drinks were $5 as part of the special. Adam was our server and he was a great guy to talk to about the Milwaukee Street scene. He was opening a specialty workout "boutique" across the street very soon, so we talked about that for a bit while waiting for the food.

The items came out on the table and they were unique to say the least. One was made with duck and another was with chorizo. The chorizo looked to me like it was deep fried but when I broke open the outer shell, it was very liquidy. It tasted great, but the texture was interesting. The other entree was a piece of duck on a crostini and had homemade pickles on top. The pickles were great adn more of a slicer style. I'm not a big fan of duck but overall it was alright.

They also had popcorn made in duck fat for us to snack on. I didn't really taste a difference at all compared to popcorn made other ways.

After we had a those, I then asked to look at a menu which was a huge book. The first page was a few entree items like sliders and smaller meals. The remaining 6 pages were all whiskeys, including one that was over $300 for it on the rocks. You must really like Whiskey to try that! Overall, I would say it was a fun night, minus their C02 going out and having to wait for our second cocktail, but I won't hold it against the place. I would be interested to see the place later in the evening and what kind of crowd they get.

After we finished at Distil, my friends and I decided to head to Crisp for pizza. (The small portions didn't fill us up at all and we were starving). I had a Groupon that was close to expiration and was dying to have their pizza again so it worked out perfectly. The place wasn't busy at all, but again it was still before 9 pm and a Tuesday night.

Crisp has two bars, one on the main floor and one upstairs, and they have ever changing artwork on the walls. A few months ago a friend of ours, Peter Westermann, displayed is amazing artwork there. Against the backwall, is the kitchen with their wood burning stove that cooks the amazing slices of pizza.

We decided to get some PBR's and pizza, altho they do have other things on the menu. I decided on the special slice of the day and got a Chicken Alfredo type pizza. Shauna got a unique piece called The Brat and Tory got the Pepperoni and 4 cheese. When the pizza came out, they weren't just slices of pizza, these were the size of 2 very generous slices or a 1/4 of a pizza. but don't worry, we had no problem stuffing ourselves with it all. The crust of their pizza is my favorite part. Nice and crispy on the outside and doughy-soft once you bite into it. I can't wait to go back again soon!

Oh yeah, and 3 PBRs and 3 slices and here was our tab!

I did also go to Trocadero for brunch, but I'll save that for another post that hopefully, I can get to very soon. That's all for now - Happy Eating.

February in Milwaukee

2011-03-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's not often that I make it to Milwaukee but February I made it there at least 4 times. It was pretty nuts for me, but I hope to make it more routine in the future. #mkefoodies is helping with that alot!

Ok - I'm technically starting on Jan. 29th as I attended a Wave game with the Waukesha Biz Alliance. I can't remember the last time I went to a wave game, but it was really, really fun. The UW-Madison band was performing and they were fun to watch. Not to mention it was Autism Awareness night at the game and that's a cause that is close to my heart. We got to do a meet and greet with some players and the coach before the game. There were pretzels and chips & salsa for us to snack on which held me over a bit. But I knew that if we were going out after the game, I needed something a bit more. Wave Games don't have a lot of variety of food, so I had a regular hot dog and a beer.

The Wave won and we headed out to Brady Street to see what was going on. We decided on Nomad, as it's a fave of Tory's and mine and we were very happy with the decision. The beer selection is amazing there and I got to try some new witbiers there. Unfortunately the names escape me! And surprisingly, the prices are cheaper than some bars in Waukesha that claim to have a great selection.

Then, my next trip to Milwaukee was for the Cupcake Clash on Feb 13. I had attended a cupcake event last September so I thought I knew what I was walking into. Boy was I wrong (but in a good way). The lines were wrapped around MSOE and we couldn't wait to get in. Organization was lacking a little but I understand and appreciate the efforts of every volunteer. Those that bought tickets in advance were extremely confused as to how to get in early and beat the lines.

Once we got in, there were so many tables of cupcakes and I was a little overwhelmed. We instantly bought more tickets to make sure we wouldn't have to wait in line later. My friends and I packed together and made sure we didn't get duplicates so we could try a lot of them. Some of my favorite cupcakes were a mimosa cupcake, a pancakes & bacon cupcake, a Guinness cupcake, a wine cupcake and a popcorn cupcake. Of those, the mimosa was my favorite overall and popcorn was the most unique in that they actually powerderized popcorn to use as the flour for the cupcakes.

After we headed west of MSOE for my first experience at AJBombers! WE got there at the perfect time as everyone else tried to get in after and ended up waiting. They have a unique ordering system in which you fill out your form yourself so there are no order mistakes.

They also have free peanuts and little peanut bombs to deliver them to the tables.

They surprisingly have no tap beers but that was ok for me. Food came out fast and I was so hungry for salt that I dug right in.

While we waited, they had my grandpa's favorite game for us to play. It's a brain teaser that can keep you busy for hours trying to master. The object is to only have one nail left.

The burger was very flat and not overly greasy, but the cheese and pickles really made it yummy! We ordered fries on the side and that was our only disappointment. There was no crunch, but they were soggy either. They were hard to describe and luckily they were only $2. Actually all of the food was reasonable so I was very happy with our lunch choice. I will definitely be back to try a few other burgers in the near future. And I will also have to try Sobelman's and be my own Food Wars judge!

Wow - this is taking longer than I thought - Distil and Crisp will have to come in a future post! I'll write again soon!

What's to Come....

2011-02-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Last week Friday, I got to experience Golden Gate Restaurant in Waukesha for the first time. It was only take out and I didn't even go and pick it up.

I had a very eventful weekend and can't wait to share my experience in Milwaukee -cupcakes, good burgers and great friends amounted to a wonderful time.

I found a cupcake recipe that I can't wait to bake tonight.

Then I was at Champps in Brookfield last night and I need to share about that as well.

And I can't forget to talk about the #beerclub I joined on Twitter.

But alas, there isn't time for that right now - hoping to get a lot accomplished tonight.

But what I will share with you is that I just signed up for a Vitalicious Tops giveaway from a fellow blogger. Healthy Living is a great new blog that I started to follow via my Twitter friends and I can't wait to read her archives. I am taking my role as a fellow foodie very seriously and can't wait to explore all the new foodie friend's sites that I have found in the last week. You too should follow this site if you are into healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle! Not to mention, if you haven't had Vitalicious Vitatops yet, you have no idea what you are missing out on. Why not try them for free?

OK - more on the other things hopefully tonight!

Super Bowl XLV Eats

2011-02-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I held a Packer's Super Bowl Party at my condo. I love watching a game with a big group and getting stats, etc from other fans. But of course what I love the most was making the food and seeing what my friends would bring to eat.

I decided on Sliders and made beef and turkey ones. By 4 pm, two of my friends had already each polished off 3 sliders each, so we figured we might as well make some more so we would have enough. And now I have 30 left over! :) Here's how I made them:

1# beef
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 TBSP Worchestershire sauce
Mix well by hand.
Separate meat into 2 oz. balls and then press flat (I had a scale so that helped a lot)

1# Turkey
1 pkg. dry ranch dip mix
Mix well by hand
Separate meat into 2 oz. balls and then press flat.

For both of these I cooked them on my little webber grill, the browned up nicely on the outside and then I put them in the oven on warm 9 X 13 pan with about 4 oz. of beer in it to keep them moist. Cover the pan with foil as well to help keep the moisture in.

In all we made 5 lbs of meat so that's why we had so many extra, but what an awesome meal to pop in the micro for whenever I need them. I served them on Sara Lee dinner rolls and offered the following toppings: Turkey bacon, BBQ sauce, swiss/cheddar/colby cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, onions (raw & sauteed in beer), mustard, mayo and pickle relish.

And now for the sides:

Deviled Eggs (Doubled Eggs according to some of my friends)
This is hard for me to measure but what I put in mine was finely chopped celery, pickle relish, dill weed, mayo and mustard along with the yolks - mixed it all together well and spooned it back into the eggs. I then sprinkled paprika over the top - these were a big hit.

Ham Roll Ups
See this blog post for the recipe

Little Weenies
These were turkey weenies or 'lil smokies that Hillshire Farms makes. I put them in a pot on the stove and concocted a sauce from strawberry and grape jelly, ketchup, salt, pepper and garlic and it turned out really well. These were made for Tiff's bday party two days before but they keep so well that she brought them to share.

Wings
I didn't get the recipe for these but my friend Kacey brought them and the boys enjoyed them. I wasn't sure if he fried them or baked them and I had already devoured enough so I didn't have any.

Paula Deen Yellow Cupcakes
Yep, this was a box mix, but I got it from the dollar store and it was a box that made just 12 cupcakes, perfect for a single person so you don't end up with tons of leftovers. I frosted them with Whipped vanilla Duncan Hines frosting, green & yellow colored sugar and then green frosting to write Go Pack Go on them! It was my creative side coming out of me.

Pasta Salad
This is one of my staples and its starts with a basic Suddenly Salad mix and then I build off of that. I use two packages for any party larger than 4 people. Make as the box says, but you can sub water for oil and it works fine. I also add Fat Free Italian Dressing to stretch it. Then I add pepperoni, black olives, ham, turkey, mozz and cheddar cheese and sometimes even mini tomatoes. It's so good and I don't feel bad about using a box to get me started. I sometimes add extra Italian seasonings, garlic powder, and parmesan too, but my friend made it this time and so it was to her taste.

Jello Shots
Not a party goes by that I don't have jello shots. This time I made 4 types. Sugar Free Lemon with Don Q Limon Rum (sub the cup of cold water for cold rum), Sugar Free Lime with Don Q Limon Rum, Melon Fusion Jello with Moscato wine (sub the wine for the cold water) and Island Pineapple jello with Moscato wine. Those are the green and yellow flavors that I have found around town. not sure if any others exist but I think I have done great with what I have and never get complaints on the shots.

That's what I can think of. Not super creative, but the sliders were time consuming so I focused on making those delicious. I don't have pics yet, but I'll update the blog tomorrow when I make some sliders for dinner with my friends so you can see them.

#NoKidHungry Bake Sale

2011-02-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

I have not fully researched all the details yet but I thought I would throw this out to my blogging buddies in #waueksha and #mkefoodie friends in Milwaukee and see if there is interest from anyone. I follow a lot of food related Tweeters and I came across this. Wisconsin doesn't have a presence yet, and I really think that we should be represented.

Follow this link and let me know if you are interested. I don't think I could be the front runner on this as I work 55+ hrs a week right now, but I would love to get this going with the help of anyone I can get. The date to host is Saturday, May 14th. Unfortunately the Waukesha Art Crawl is the weekend prior and that would be a great day to hold it in Waukesha, but I'm sure if there is interest, we could make it work.

Stand Up to Cancer

2011-02-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

I stand for My family & Friends affected by cancer. Who do you stand up for?

Yes I know that this is a food blog, but I think it's completely okay to take one day out and bring attention to a cause that means so much to me - finding a cure for cancer. The statistics aren't getting any better and from the StandUp2Cancer site, 1 in 2 men will have some form of cancer and 1 in 3 women.

This is something that affects everyone in one way or another and finding a cure is a must! Too many people have been taken from us too soon. I am thankful for advanced technology and early detection in that I have only lost one person too soon from this; my Aunt Sharon was taken from us at the young age of 26. But her daughters have grown up to be amazing people and advocates of this cause.

As some of you may know, my main focus is breast cancer support. I walk in the Riverwalk for a Cure every year at Frame Park in May, the Susan G. Komen 5Kin September and buy items that help support providing mamograms to those less fortunate. If I buy something in a retail store that has the ribbon on it, I make sure there is some sort of tag or label on it that states if a part of my purchase price was donated or if the company is donating a lump sum. If that isn't specified, I do not purchase. I don't like the idea of other people getting rich off of another misfortune. Kohl's and Avon tend to have some very nice items and donate greatly to the finding a cure.

And to incorporate food into this blog, the first cupcake tasting that I attended for IronCupcake Milwaukee was a breast cancer themed event. There were amazing pink cupcake creations and the flavors were amazing - X Rated, pink champagne, pink lemonade, strawberry - just delicious. I also intend to complete my baking set with a few touches of breast cancer products. No I'm not going to get the Pink Kitchenaid Mixer - one in white or black would be nice tho.

Although I focus my funding towards breast cancer support, there are so many other kinds of cancer that need as much attention if not more. I don't think there is a part of the body that is safe from cancer. Please take a moment today and StandUp2Cancer. You can donate your Facebook status, Twitter post and more to bring awareness to this cause.

Fuzzy's Food

2011-01-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

My friend Tiffany and I have been having cravings for a good burger for quite some time but we just had to figure out where. I had tried J. Lotti's and she loves People's burgers already so we decided to try some place that neither of us have had the burger from: Fuzzy's!

When we pulled in the parking lot on Thursday night, we easily found a spot to park and headed inside. Upon entering we realized that all of Waukesha was already aware of the amazing food as the place was jam-packed! We didn't take into account that Thursday was wing night as well and every tables was crammed with wing eaters.

We headed over to the bar side and looked around to see what our options were going to be for eating and the lovely gentleman at the bar in front of us, offered up his seat as he was "full up to his shoes and needed to go home to loosen the laces." This worked out perfectly and we stole an unused stool from a group of college men and settled in.

We started with a beer or two before deciding to get into the menu. Decent selection on tap - Horny Goat Exposed was my beer of choice and Tiff had a Blue Moon. We then got menus and started the task of figuring out dinner. The bound menu was way more than I was expecting from this tiny bar and everything began tempting my taste buds. I heard they were known for their breakfast but my goal was a burger, so that's what I focused on. The lovely couple seated next to us were regulars and helped us out by sharing their faves.

I decided on the 1/3 lb. Gina burger that had bacon, mushrooms and swiss cheese on it. I added lettuce but I'm not a big fan of onions or tomatoes on my burgers so I asked to hold those. I also decided to sub the fries for haystack onion rings and the entire entree was amazing. The burger was perfectly cooked and the toppings were just what my taste buds were asking for. So juicy and delicious. I made a good choice. (Sorry the pic is so poor, I forgot I wanted to document the food until after I had devoured half of it!)

Tiffany ordered a burger as well - the Mean Jean (? I think it was called) which had haystack onion rings on it. It looked wonderful and much larger than mine. She was in heaven while eating it. She said it was an amazing burger and it looked so great. She also ordered wings for us to share. We order them plain and get the sauces on the side. She likes hot sauce and I like terriyaki sauce so we got one of each. I only had a wing or two as the burger was so good I wanted to fill myself of that, but the wings were hot, meaty and had a perfect amount of crunch for me. I would definitely go back for just wings on a Monday or Thursday when they have their $.20 wing nights.

I also want to go back for their french dip sandwich, maybe a pizza and a few other of their gourmet sandwiches. Overall I was completely impressed with the quality of food, friendly regulars that helped us thru the menu and speed of service. This little Waukesha gem is one that I will have to make part of my regular hits.

Chicken Chili - a la empty my fridge, freezer and cupboards!

2011-01-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

I have had a craving for chili for quite some time and finally had the time to let it simmer on the stove and the flavors meld. The ingredients and directions are vague but it turned out amazing.

Not big on ordering chili when I'm out as I have very sensitive spicy taste buds and don't feel like having them burned off. I know that Nice Ash just had a chili dump and it ended up being extremely spicy. (That's why I prefer to make my own). So here it goes:

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 baby carrots, halved, and halved
1 TBSP EVOO
2 - 3 marinated chicken breasts, cut into cubes - mine were carribbean jerk/Jack Daniels left over from New Year's that I froze
1 can chiili beans in zesty sauce (It came that way)
1 can black beans
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce (i didn't have just sauce, so I used a combo of left over pizza sauce, bbq sauce and spaghetti sauce)
5 mushrooms, quartered
chili powder to taste - I used Penzey's Chili 3000
dashes of cumin, pepper, salt, garlic powder, paprika
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Let celery, carrots and onions sweat in the EVOO for about 10 minutes, then add all remaining ingredients and bring to light boil. The reduce heat to let simmer. I noticed that it was pretty runny so I added couscous (about a 1/2 cup) to help it thicken as I like a really thick chili. Simmer for as long as you would like - mine simmered for at least an hour. I then scooped a portion into a bowl and topped with shredded cheddar. I made little biscuits to serve on the side.

Now instead of having all these little containers of veggies, etc in my fridge and freezer, I have amazing chili!

Holiday Recipe Sharing!

2011-01-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

As I watch the snowfall outside in light little glitter flakes, I realize that I have eaten plenty of food in the last month and haven't posted about any of it. The only thing is, with all the holiday festivities, my eating was mostly done at home. But I want to share some of these recipes with you.

At my work Christmas party, I had these amazing ham rollups that my coworker brings every year. I never knew what was in them until now! Here goes:

1 pkg cooked ham - square shape works best
1 8oz. pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/3 of a container green olives with pimentos, chopped
2 TBSP onion flakes.

Mix the cream cheese, olive pieces and onion flakes until well blended. Take one piece of ham and pat it dry with a paper towel. Spread cream cheese mix on the ham until the entire piece is covered. Then starting at one end, roll the ham up. Then cut the roll into 1 inch slices and tada! ham rollups. Yes there is only 1 left in the bowl because these are unbelievably addicting!

Another amazing treat I had at the party was corn casserole:

1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn, undrained
1 Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 oz. container light sour cream

Mix all together and pour into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 60 minutes. I put a pan under the casserole dish because it puffed up and I was afraid it was going to spill in my oven. Again its just a small plotch because its soooo tasty!

Then in the past week, I got creative with my new food processor and made myself some great meals. I love my book Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 and decided to head right to the Fiber One section and make some out of there. Monday I made Fiber One Chicken Tenders and potatoes.

Cut chicken breasts into 2 - 3 oz sections.

Blend 1 cup of Fiber One with one tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt and some pepper.

Spread onto a plate. Next crack open 2 eggs and beat until blended. I then poured it on a plate so that I could dip the chicken in it and then into the Fiber One mix.

Then spray Pam on a baking sheet and place chicken on it. Cook at 375 for 10 minutes and flip and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

I then cleaned up some medium potatoes and boiled them with garlic and salt for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Then strained them and sprinkled parsley, salt and pepper on them. Bam! Side dish done.

We ate the chicken with BBQ sauce and it was delicious.

D Mo's at The Clarke Hotel

2010-12-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

The Clarke Hotel has been a topic of conversation since it opened in 2006. A boutique hotel in downtown Waukesha? Who would come to that? Apparently enough to keep it open with occupancy at high levels year round. The restaurant of the hotel has changed formats a few times since it opened. And being in the center of the city, its hard to not see the empty tables time and time again.

However, I think the restaurant has finally found a format that works as the tables have been full almost every night since the new management. The hotel is now leasing out the restaurant space and the two entities are run independently. D Mo's is the name of the new restaurant and I had the opportunity to enjoy a great dinner with my mom there last Thursday.

We got to dinner right around 6 pm and the bar had a large party having cocktails near the fire place and comfy couches. The dining room also had another table of 2 and a large party of 10+ in it. As we ate dinner, more and more of the tables filled up and even though there was the large party in the dining room and bar, the noise was mellowed and did not bother us during dinner.

We were greeted almost immediately by a very cheery server who gave us time to decide on wine and dinner. The menu had appetizers, chops, pasta dishes and salads. My mom and I ordered wine and the prices were not too ridiculous for the pour that we received. (Having worked in liquor retail, I know traditional restaurant markup and it was decent.)

As I heard rumors that the new head chef worked with Bobby Flay in the past, I immediately became consumed with the pasta dishes. The pasta is homemade!! I ordered the Seafood Ravioli in a sun-dried tomato basil cream sauce and I was very impressed with the smell when it was placed in front of me. I took my time to slowly enjoy the sauces and flavors and I think I fell in love with the dish. The seafood was all chopped up and mixed together and I could still tell the flavors apart even though I couldn't see what was what. 5 large ravioli and enough sauce to enjoy with a piece of the warm bread that was served with oil and balsalmic vinegar dipping sauce.

My mom ordered linguine with veggies and veal sausage and it looked amazing. I didn't have a chance to taste it but my mom completely cleared her plate and she never does that. We then decided on chocolate lava cake for dessert. We split it and that too was great. You can't eat it on your own especially after a full pasta meal but for $5 it was a amazing dessert.

We are planning on going back for another dinner and we also found out that they will be serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 - 2. The brunch comes with a bellini, bloody mary or mimosa and you choose options from a menu. There are plenty of gourmet breakfast options as well as sandwiches and soup.

Let's be Good Friends

2010-11-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

This blog post is taking a slightly different angle than my typicaly restaurant review or recipe. This one is going to be more about being a Good Friend to others in your local community and around the world!

About a year ago, I decided that I wanted to volunteer some of my time and help an organization in need. I was lucky enough to find an opportunity to use my marketing and PR skills with Good Friend, Inc of Waukesha. Incorporated in 2007, Good Friend has reached thousands of staff and students through their presentations to create autism awareness, teach acceptance of differences, and foster empathy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among their typically-developing peers.

In the past year, I have helped publicize their annual bowling fundraiser, the mural painted on Discount Liquor in Waukesha (autism-spectrum children and their peers helped paint the leaf border), advertise discussion groups they had to help them gain knowledge and research, publicize their annual FUNdraiser, work the fundraiser and even donated a blanket to the fundraiser that received an amazing bid! I really enjoy working with the organization and can't wait to see them grow and prosper in the future years.

Currently, Good Friend is competing for a Pepsi Refresh grant to help fund their middle school autism awareness, acceptance and empathy video. Pepsi holds voting competitions for great ideas every month and this month is Good Friend's turn. They are competing against other ideas in the $25K division. Currently they are ranked 73rd and need to stay in the top 100 to be able to continue competing next month. However, if major groundwork can be made in the next 8 days and we can get them in the top 10 - the idea is funded!

I know this blog post is a bit late, but if you read it and follow my simple instructions below, you can give Good Friend 3 votes a day for the next 8 days! That would be a great help and everyone involved with the organization would really appreciate it.

1 - Follow this link to Pepsi Refresh. You will need to set up an account and login before you can place a vote. You will not receive spam and you can then vote for up to 10 different ideas each day.
2 - You can vote from Facebook. Find the Pepsi Refresh Voting App and "Allow" it to do its thing so you can search for Good Friend Inc and then place your vote. Again, you can vote up to 10 different ideas each day.
3 - Text 103636 to the number 73774 each day to place a vote for Good Friend. You will receive a confirmation that it went thru and Good Friend gets another vote.

So if you have 5 minutes a day, an email address, a Facebook account and a Texting plan, I ask that you take that time to help those that need your help. The co-founders of Good Friend Inc want this video grant so bad so they can bring attention to a need that is so great right now. If you want to learn more about Good Friend Inc, please visit their website.

THANK YOU!

Amici Club at Carrabba's

2010-11-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty big at signing up for email lists for things that I enjoy. Some emails lists that I really enjoy getting come from, what else, restaurants. Last week I received an email from Carrabba's regarding an Amici Club event. The event was a beer and appetizer pairing event for me and a guest. I was pretty excited about it and RSVP'd almost instantly to be able to attend.

Not really knowing what to expect, my friend Shauna and I joined about 12 other diners at the restaurant at 4 pm and were told we were going to receive samples of appetizers paired with beers from Mr. C's bar. (Sidenote: Carrabba's has Happy Hour 7 days a week from open to 7 pm and that includes 2 for 1 beers!)

The appetizers came out as followed with beer pairing: deep fried risotto puff and Peroni, Calamari and Stella Artois, Bruschetta and Blue Moon, Chicken Marsala and Fat Tire, and chocolate mousse cake with LaRossa.

Shauna and I both agree that the pairings were proper and all the food was very tasty. I even got a seafood hater to eat all her calamari (very proud of her). The risotto puff and Bruschetta were great appetizers but what stole the show was the sample of the chicken marsala. Carrabba's marsala is more of a reduction and not a sauce and you can taste so many flavors in it. They use marsala (their signature sauce) on a lot of dishes - steak, pork, pasta, but this gave them the chance to promo their wood burning grill that gives their food the unique flavor. The dish, I believe, was a favorite for everyone.

The dessert and beer pairing was great - I probably would never order that beer just to drink with its 7+% ABV content and it just isn't my type of beer. But with a chocolate cake with chocolate mouse, whipped cream and chocolate shavings, it really accented the dessert well. I got a bit of a coffee taste in the beer and actually really enjoyed it.

Today made me think that more restaurants (especially the independents in downtown Waukesha) should hold days like this for their exclusive clientele. Heck, I would even gladly help the restaurant put it together. I think this is a win-win. The Amici event was free and a tip jar was set on the table at the end of the event to cover the servers and bartenders time waiting on us. The manager was even generous to give us $10 off a dinner if we decided to stay. However with Shauna and I on a budget and already eating an ample amount of food, we decided to pass. But we will definitely return for dinner (chicken marsala) and HAPPY HOUR!!!

Holiday Fun!

2010-11-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

Since I have been without a second job for a month now, funds have gotten tighter and I have to figure out ways to have fun but be very "frugal." There are a few ways that I have gone about trying to find the amazing deals around the area for food, fun and more. Being that I have more time off in my evenings, I have had time to search out the blogging world and follow a few more insightful blogs that have information for the "frugal minded." Here is one great one that I just found; a little overwhelming on a Sunday with all the ads they post, but she really had some great savings in hers. I have also looked into area Chamber sites and really studied up on the Downtown Waukesha site.

Being that a lot of my friend also lost their job/second job when I did, we are all feeling the pinch! So I am looking out for them as well when I think of things to do. A lot of us live right in downtown Waukesha (or near by) so I am trying to find a lot of things we can do with very minimal money.

I noticed in windows of bars and pubs in downtown Waukesha that more are having Happy Hour deals. I will have to post about those when I have all the details. But below is what I have found around the area that I hope to participate in.

November 19 - Christmas Tree Lighting in downtown Waukesha - 6 pm. It's at the Rotunda building. I'm hoping that this is better than the previous tree lighting of a 5 ft fake tree in a little alley in Waukesha. I have already heard this tree is better.

November 20 - Holiday Craft Fair at Washington County Fair Park - admission $3 but the chance to see 175 vendors with all sorts of craft and fun gifts. I'm hoping to get a lot of my xmas shopping completely this day! I have a good start for now, but can't wait to go next weekend!

November 21 - Holiday Stroll in downtown Waukesha and the Holiday Parade. Last year's parade was a lot of fun to watch and the shops are already getting decked out. I'm very excited to see it all that day. (pray for decent weather)

November 24 - December 31 - Country Christmas Lights at Country Springs. This is upwards of $20 per car but I hear there are discounts and coupons available. And if you load up an SUV with a bunch of folks, then its a perfect way to enjoy beautiful lights. (I recommend waiting for snow on the ground before going).

End of November thru End of December - Candy Cane Lane in West Allis. This is a neighborhood from about 90 - 85 street in West Allis off of Oklahoma that has wonderful christmas light on all the houses every year. If you move into this area, its drilled into you that you are part of this every year. We have always driven Candy Cane Lane because the weather is usually too chilly to walk it all, but maybe this year will be different with how mild its been. Canned goods are accepted and when I have the specific dates for this years, I'll post those too!

November 26 - 27 Bah Humbug Weekend in Waukesha. Details are still coming together about the event but it sounds like it could be a blast.

December 4 - Downtown Waukesha Art Crawl - just like all other Art Crawls, great savings at almost every store and restaurant. Time to get the remaining xmas shopping done.

December 8 - Christmas Train in Hartland. I went to this a few years ago with my friend Bree and Jason. It was a great time and again its for hunger so canned goods are collected as pay for the events. The train makes a brief stop in Hartland, the doors are opened and a band plays all our favorite carols while lights and animation go along with it.

December 11 - Santa Run/Walk in downtown Waukesha. Not many details are stated on this and I'm not sure if there is a cost to enter, but what's more fun than a bunch of santas, elves, reindeer and more running around downtown Waukesha.

Ok those are just a few things that I have found. Now who's ready for some fun???

It's October!!!!!

2010-10-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

October is by far my favorite month ever. It starts with being Breast Cancer Awareness Month and ends with Halloween. My birthday, fall color changes, brisk/sunny days and gaining an hour in daylight savings - who doesn't like this month? So let's start at the beginning and this may be a multiple entry blog as it may get quite long!

If you don't know know, I'm a huge supporter of finding a cure for breast cancer, so beginning in September, Shauna and I attended a cupcake competition that benefited the local Susan G. Komen foundation. We each were able to try 10 cupcakes and vote for the best taste and display. Low and behold, both that I voted for won! An apple-Heath-chocolate cupcake won and I think it did being so different than all the other pink cupcakes there.

Then on Sept. 26th, Shauna, Jeff, my mom and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Over 16,000 people participated this year, which was an astronomical increase over years past. It was amazing to see so many people supporting the cause. Next year, I may even run the race!

Okay - now into October!!! On Oct. 2nd - Farm Aid came to Milwaukee and I just had to go. This was my chance to see Dave Matthews for the year and be apart of history. Kacey treated us to steaks and potato packets. Minus the rain, it was a great time with tailgating, meeting up with old friends and enjoying great music with a great message. Dave definitely stole the show as I knew he would. But Miller Park is not acoustically sound for concerts, so if you go, get lower seats than nose-bleed, so you don't go deaf or get a headache from reverberations.As you can see, we were really high up and can you believe that just 3 Brewers handle all that outfield where all those people are sitting!!??

Oct. 5th was my actual birthday and my mom and I dined at Cheesecake Factory. To those that love 14 Hands wine - they serve it there (unfortunately a glass goes for what you can buy the bottle for..). I had a steak and shrimp combo with an exorbitant amount of smashed potatoes as you can see. Everything was delicious but they should really cut back on the portions -- way too large for anyone to finish and as Farm Aid just stated - let's not waste! Of course we had to get cheesecake and we couldn't help ourselves but to get our favorite combo - white chocolate brownie macadamia nut - YUM!!

After dinner, I met up with Tiffany in downtown Waukesha and we split a bottle of Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon at Generations at 5 Points. On Tuesdays, they have 1/2 price bottles on certain wines. It was a great way to catch up with her and the wine was delicious. Just as we were finishing the wine, we decided to head over to The Nice Ash for a night cap with Kacey, Jimmy and Jeff. That bar is really growing on me now that its only cigar smoke inside. They had Live Rockband going and Tiffany played guitar for a few of the songs. It was a fun way to end my birthday night!

There is so much more to talk about after, but I'll save that for another post...Thanks for reading!

J. Lotti's Opening Night

2010-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just a short blog as many more about this restaurant are sure to follow. Next Wednesday I will begin training to serve (and other front of house stuff) at J. Lotti's but I gathered a wonderful group of friends and we headed over there for their Grand Opening last night. When we got there, a group from the Waukesha Business Alliance, BID and others were seated at a table. I was really happy to see the local community come out a support this place.

We chose a booth and got comfy as we were ready for just about anything. The music was a good mix of pop, rock and R&B - something for everyone which was nice. We were greeted by our server and jumped into beverages right away! Tory and I opted for the X-Rated and Lemonade 2-4-1 special as the boys settled in with Brandy & Coke and Moon Man IPA. We placed our order and took in the ambiance. Tiffaney and John were walking around meeting people and thanking everyone that came in. I'm really excited to work for such wonderful people.

Then the food arrived. I ordered the Southwest Egg Rolls and Tory got the breaded chicken wings. Everything came with fries last night - a little additional perk for opening night seeing as the full burger menu will not be debuted until Oct. 2 (during the Art Crawl). Everyone cleared their plates and I believe everyone was satisfied with the food. As more friends arrived later in the evening I got to see the Pepperjack cheese shotz that looked yummy and the actual chicken wings that seems very large and smelled great.

The later in the night it got, the more and more people showed up. That's a great sign! Tonight they are going to have a band and show the lingerie bowl game on TV and Saturday they are going to show the UFC fight. Of course - drink specials will coincide with that. So if you are looking for a new place to try, head on over to J. Lotti's Pub & Grill House on South Street. And if Parking it at a premium on the streets, park in the structure, bring the ticket and you get a free beer!

Hope to see you there soon!

Fifth Friday

2010-08-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

The Waukesha Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Group meets at House of Guinness for networking and good conversation anytime a month has 5 Fridays - hence 5th Friday! I have gone to a few of these events and have met some interesting people as well as old friends. The crowd turnout is usually around 15 people that come and go and take advantage of the networking and drink specials to those in the YP group. With HOG now having both Strongbow and Crispin on tap, I was in heaven.

This time, no one from the Sentry Liquor crew could join me to network, so my Ellie and I went together. There was definitely some funny-men in the group but also some really nice people to network with. Ellie is venturing out on her own as a freelancer so this networking event proved pretty beneficial to her. It just helps to recognize a few more faces around downtown after one of these.

Ellie and I then grabbed a bite to eat at Magellan's - being two doors down and probably the best pizza in Waukesha. I have never seen the place so crowded, which made me happy that it's catching along. Magellan's has the bar side and then the food side (although food is served on both sides) the atmosphere on the new side (the old fish store) is more sports bar/restaurant-ish. We splurged and got the sweet potato fries which were delicious as always! Ellie dipped hers in BBQ sauce and said it was something about the sweet and smokey that made the combo so great for her. I would have preferred a little powdered sugar on them to reminisce the flavor of a funnel cake! (Never got one at the Fair so my next goal is State Fair!). Our pizza then came and the waitress apologized for putting pepperoni and not sausage on it, but we were completely OK with it. It's not like she switched banana peppers for mushrooms or something.

Again the pizza was delicious with pepperoni, mushrooms and onions on it. Nothing overpowered anything else and the seasonings they sprinkle over the entire pizza are definitely one of the reasons they stand out from other places in downtown. I have always talked about doing a "wing tasting of Waukesha' but maybe I truly need to do a "pizza tasting of Waukesha." My waistband may pay for it, but what a way to go.

This week I will be venturing back to places I love - Sprizzo's and Club 400. My co-worker Amy is leaving the company and we are sending her off in style with two gatherings on her behalf. I hope to have great reports from both events. And maybe even some pictures!

County Fair Food!!!

2010-07-09T11:28:00.001-07:00

In just under 2 weeks, the Waukesha County Fair will be in full swing. Yes I have already blogged on it once this year, but the food list has been released for the Fair. If you are planning on attending the Fair this year (plenty of ways to get in for cheap) WaukeshaCountyFair.com, there will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy. From the traditional hot dogs and ice cream and don't forget the 4-H famous cream puffs to the ginormous turkey legs, yummy catfish and deep fried everything - you just have to try something fun.

My go-to every year is Silver Spur BBQ. A tragic fire destroyed the building two years ago but they have re-established themselves in Elm Grove. Bubba's Chicken Strips meal is probably one of the most filling for the cost on the grounds. You get their yummy sweet-coated chicken strips and fries with homemade honey mustard for around $5. That's a great deal. I go once or twice while I'm working.

Another go-to for me is Catfish Johnny's and as the name states, this is hush-puppies, crab cakes and catfish fries. The owner "Johnny" is an amazing guy and has helped us out with supplying food for some TV segments. It is downright yummy and filling!

Of course the deep-fried cheese and veggie booth is always a hit at night for a late night treat while listening to some awesome music. I hope to venture out and really try something interesting this year. I know I said that last year too, but I really hope to.

Here is the link to all the food vendors at this year's Fair - it's like your menu to help you plan your day. Because who goes to a Fair and doesn't eat?!?!?!

http://waukeshacountyfair.com/pdf/food_vendor_menus.pdf

5 at 5 Gen

2010-07-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last night my boss Pete at the liquor store invited my co-worker Tory and I to join him and his wife for cocktails at Generations at 5 Points. http://www.gen-five.com/index.html We were very excited because Tory is friends with the head chef Joe and both of us know how yummy everything is there. As we were leaving the store, our co-worker Brandon stopped in. So after we arrived at 5 Gen and got the approval, Brandon joined us too - making it a party of 5. Of course we got there quite late (9:30) so tapas were done, but we could still get dessert.

We started with wine and being that it was Wednesday - house wines were $5 a glass. Their house brand happens to be Kendall-Jackson, which is one of my go-to brands when I need a wine or a recommendation for someone. Pete, Karlyn, Tory and Brandon all got the Merlot and I went with the Pinot Noir. They were all wonderful.

The came time for dessert. Our server (amazing lady that she was) shared with us that they had the pan-friend cinnamon bread which I have had before and absolutely loved. They also had a key lime pie and a "berrymisu" - remove the coffee, add berries. We decided on the pan-fried bread and berrymisu and we were soooo happy with our selections.

Both desserts were definitely enough for 2 if not more people to share. The warm cinnamon bread drizzled with caramel ended up being the favorite. A scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream on top was a perfect touch - along with a few fresh raspberries. The berrymisu was about 6 layers tall and just wonderful. Fresh berries everywhere and real whipped cream on the side made this a delicious compliment to our wine. We had some great conversation and ended up staying until about 11 pm. I'm not totally sure on their hours because two girls came in around 10:45 and were still served beverages at least. But I'm pretty sure entrees and desserts were done by then. All the website said was they are open until "close."

Unfortunately they don't do lunch hour or I would recommend this place to my co-workers as a break from the norm of deli-style sandwiches that run the downtown area. But with a happy hour that goes from 3 - 6 pm Tuesday - Friday that includes $5 glasses of house wine, $3 Svedka single mixers and $6 cosmo's - its definitely a place to hit up after a grueling day! They even have a few tables for outdoor dining, but they were not out last night.

They even have a really cute area in the back that I have considered reserving for a party. I would have to inquire as to the costs, etc. I think it would be a cute place for an upscale bday bash or some sort of party!

Waukesha County Fair

2010-06-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

If you didn't know, my day job at the advertising agency has me working press and media relations for my client the Waukesha County Fair. This year's Fair is already proving to outshine last year's greatly. Much brainstorming and discussion went into the off-season to make this year's Fair not the same-old, same-old. Closer to the Fair I'll have better updates but for now, I just want to highlight a few of the new things that I think are really awesome:

1 - Thursday Mainstage is back with a bang -TED NUGENT performs at 7:30
We haven't had a mainstage on Thursday night in quite sometime, so bringing it back with the infamous Mr. Nugent is the only way to do it. The concert is FREE with your paid Fair admission, but if you want to get up close to "The Man" you can purchase VIP seating for $15. http://waukeshacountyfair.com/pages/mainstage.htm

2 - Sea Lion Splash Show - Last year we had sharks and this year we have the loveable sea lions to make us smile and laugh as they put on a great show that runs every day of the Fair. This show is FREE with paid Fair admission and with multiple shows daily, make sure you get to see it at least once! http://waukeshacountyfair.com/pages/events.htm

3 - Waukesha County Fair Top Singer Contest - If you are between the ages of 16 and 28 and think you have the pipes to be the best at the Fair, you have the chance to win $250 and sing before The Guess Who on the Main Stage. Just send a YouTube click and your contact information to info@waukeshacountyfair.com and you could be a top contestant. Share with your friends if they have a killer voice too! Deadline for entries is June 30th. http://waukeshacountyfair.com/pages/top_singer.htm

4 - Ag Adventure Area - This year's Ag Adventure Area has been expanded beyond its tent to include a trout fishing pond, farm animal petting zoo, and more. Details to come but the trout pond is definitely something I'm excited to watch. Can't wait to see the joy on a child's face when they catch a big fish for the first time!

So those are a few highlights with many more to come, but just wanted to start with a few snipits to intrigue you. Of course, all of the details can be found at www.WaukeshaCountyFair.com. Now thru July 21, tickets to the Fair are $2 off if you buy online or at Waukesha area Pick'n Save stores.

The Wino In Me

2010-05-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been having such a craving for wine with dinner, after dinner, with a TV show - ok just about whenever. Not that I'm drinking it to get drunk, but I'm just really enjoying the taste of it lately and savoring it.

I'm a bigger fan of red wines than whites and I have never really been a fan of the super sweet stuff (I.E. Arbor Mist, Wild Vines and even some Rieslings) but I really want to share some of my favorites with you and how they taste to me.

First up - Menage a Trois Red Wine - from the Folie a Deux Winery, California.

This wine is a blend of 3 grapes, hence the Menage a Trois play on words. Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet grapes give this wine enough flavor without over-powering anything that you would eat with it. It is a bit on the sweeter side which makes it go down so easily, but this would be a great starter wine for anyone looking to venture away from the White Zins and into a heavier red wine.

Von Stiehl Red Satin - A wine from the Algoma, Wisconsin winery!
This winery uses a combination of Wisconsin, Californian and Washington fruits to create their wonderful styles. According to the website, its a blend of Midwest grapes and Von Stiehl's most popular wine. This one is very smooth and again on the sweeter side. We finished our night with this wine one night and everyone enjoyed it while relaxing after a cookout. Again, this could be a great starter wine for someone venturing into reds.

Folie a Deux Zinfandel - California
I have already mentioned the Folie a Deux winery earlier when talking about the Menage a Trois red blend, but this Zinfandel has a flavor all its own. When my boss said it was a "jammie" wine,
I was unsure but after tasting it - the word makes perfect sense. In the words of my coworker Jacob, its as if you are biting in the fresh fruit with each sip. This is about a $12 bottle but in my eyes its worth every penny! I haven't really paired it yet with a meal but Jacob had it with a steak and I can definitely see that pairing going very well. I hope to pair it with something soon!

Brassfield Eruption - This is the most unique blend I have had. According to the website "Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache and Petite Sirah are artfully blended to create a symphonic eruption of aromas and flavors in the glass."
I can't even say I have drank a straight Mouvedre or Grenache to know what those flavors are like independently, but those 4 grapes make for a terrific wine. It definitely lives up to its name with the subtle feeling after swallowing of an additional flavor eruption. This bottle is around $13 and I have paired it with grilled ham steaks and scalloped potatoes and it went perfectly.

7 Daughters Red and White Wines - California
These wines are being marketed to book club groups, single ladies nights and cheese pairings. Each wine is a blend of 7 grapes. The white is a little sweeter but the red is pretty mellow but has enough flavor to satisfy a true red-wine connoisseur. I think these would work for a ladies night and if you aren't sure what your friends would like - a blend is a great option.

New Age - White Wine of Argentina

This wine was something that always intrigued me but I'm not a huge fan of whites so I never wanted to spend the $8 - 9 on it. Well then my boss told me about having it at a tasting and actually serving it like a cocktail - over ice with a lemon twist! He said it was bubbly and refreshing and very enjoyable. I then had to try it. It's a screw cap wine which makes it perfect for a picnic and its little bubbly effervescence makes it very pleasing for a summer day. Its sweet but not overly sweet for a white and very unique in flavor again - crisp but not that it will hurt your jaw. I would have it with a nice picnic lunch of grapes, cheese and a ham sandwich and bet it would be great!

So those are just a few off the top of my head that I wanted to share with you, but I hope to update you more in the coming months and hopefully have better pairing options for them. And of course (shameless plug) all of these wines are available at Fox Run Sentry Liquor! Happy Eating (and Drinking)!

Good Eats For a Good Cause

2010-05-10T12:06:00.001-07:00

Saturday, May 1st was the Riverwalk for Breast Cancer at Frame Park. The weather was wonderful and the turnout was amazing! As of 11 am on Saturday, over 173,000 was raised by walkers, donations and stores around Waukesha. All of that money stays local to help research and fund projects for breast cancer right in our community. In conjunction with the walk every year is one of the Art Crawls in downtown Waukesha. Shauna and I got a chance to experience the crawl in full swing this year and I must say - I haven't seen downtown that crowded in a very, very long time. Lots of the shops had treats for their customers and we making donations to the cause through specific purchases. Of course I had to stop at Bangles & Bags and check out the new merchandise. My eyes caught many amazing bags, but I decided to go with a neutral striped one that was larger sized and will go with just about anything. I would say her prices are ridiculously reasonable. A lot of her jewelry is like $5 for a pair of earrings, $10 for a necklace. I would definitely consider this place the next time you are looking for that little extra something to dress up an outfit!!

Just down from Bangles & Bags is 1 2 3 Framing (I think that's the name) and the artist was creating original pieces of art on the road. All prints had the breast cancer ribbon or the Riverwalk for Breast Cancer logo on it. Shauna bought one that was a giraffe print with a breast cancer ribbon big on it. I liked them but I fell in love with a different print inside for my living room wall. I just need to get a frame for it now! (I know its a frame shop, but I'm on a budget). We walked thru a few of the other galleries in downtown and then headed to South Street to check out a newer floral store.

Jess Fleur Fun! is a really cute fresh floral store with home decor and fun stuff too! They had cute fridge magnets, flasks, purses, scarves, windchimes and of course flowers. The owners are super nice and very informative. We really enjoyed our chat with them about what they all can do for you. I will keep them in mind the next time I need a flower arrangement for a friend.

By this point we were pretty shopped out and hungry so we made our way to Sprizzo's and it was jam packed in there. We waited about 10 minutes for a table and ended up taking two end seats at the bar. That was ok but not ideal because I felt like people were watching us. The servers were too busy to take the time to watch us but sitting higher than anyone else in the restaurant was intimidating slightly.

The gentleman next to us ordered nachos and I definitely will consider that the next time I'm out. The plate was heaping with gooey cheese, chicken and jalepenos - it looked sooo tasty, I hope I didn't drool at all. I ordered a 1/2 turkey sandwich and a cup of the cheesy spinach soup. The color of the soup was less than appetizing (think split pea) but the taste was amazing. There was enough pepper to give it a kick without overpowering the cheese or spinach taste. We debated dessert there but decided to head over to Generations for a martini and maybe dessert there.

Generations was extremely crowded as well and we ended up getting a table outside. It was a bit chilly but we got to people watch a bit and didn't have to wait up to 35 minutes for dessert. I ordered a Raspberry seduction martini and Shauna had Bedroom eyes. Both of our claimed to have X-Rated in them, but I think it had the actual vodka and not the liqueur version. Either way, they were both amazing. I also was succumbed by dessert and had their pan friend cinnamon bread with ice cream and caramel syrup. Shauna got the last piece of chocolate truffle cheesecake (slightly too rich for my palate) but we were both in heaven. Joe McCormick actually came out of his busy kitchen and chatted with us for a bit. The mom and grandma make the desserts for the restaurant and he handles all the tapas. I think he has found himself quite a nice gig there. I have a gift certificate to use when I go with a group, so I'm excited to go back there again soon.

So that was my Saturday, Flashback to Friday night - we went to Magellan's again and took advantage of their amazing pizza and a pitcher deal. It was agreed that they have the best pizza of Waukesha by all four of us. And my friend Nick used to make pizzas and sold recipes for them so he is definitely one to not throw around a title like that. Too bad the pizza and pitcher deal was only last month, but I'm gonna keep an eye on the Freeman like a hawk for their next offer. That was is too good to pass up. Not to mention Magellans had their tappers hooked up and a mini-bar on the M2 side. It's taking shape!!!

Flashforward to this Friday, Tiffany and I decided to get dinner in Waukesha and decided upon El Ranchito after a Strongbow at House of Guinness (always delicious). I have never eaten at El Ranchito (www.elranchitowaukesha.com) but the cute garage door patio always made me curious. Unfortunately it was rainy and chilly out so we couldn't dine outdoors, but inside was just fine by me. The drink special was buy 1 small margarita, get 1 free, and you had all the options available to you: blended, on the rocks and flavors galore. I just went with the basic on the rocks and they were ok, but not the best margaritas in town. 2 for $5 isn't a bad deal at all. The menu is very extensive and a lot of it I could not understand but chips and salsa always help the reading go easier. I finally found Flautas (probably my favorite thing) and ordered some with chicken inside.
You could definitely tell these were hand-rolled and the meat was delicious inside. Tiffany chose the poblano peppers that seemed to be fried in egg and then she pulled it apart and put it on tortillas. The peppers because the consistency of spinach after being cooked and she really enjoyed her meal. I was stuffed leaving and because I wasn't going to be home much this week, I let one flauta stay behind.

The place was not very crowded but very cutely decorated. I would definitely consider taking a large group there because it was sectioned off nicely so that you had semi-private dining areas to eat in. Maybe my next birthday (just no tequila shots!)

I did splurge late, late in the evening on a piece of cheesecake with warm berry compote and whipped cream when I met some co-workers out late at night at People's Park(they serve til 1 am). One had a steak that looked amazing and two others had burgers. I figure at 11 pm cheesecake wouldn't sit so heavy in my tummy, but it definitely won't help my Weight Watchers weigh-in this week!

Good Ole Fashioned Home Cookin'

2010-05-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

So I have written about downtown Waukesha and all the yummy eats and treats I have found there, but I must get back to my first love - Home cookin'! I have done quite a bit of it lately and have decided to finally compile all the foods together and tell you about it.

Ok let's start with one of my new favorites - Buffalo Chicken Style Sloppy Joes!!!

I got this recipes from 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray and just had to make it. I have made this recipe 3 times and have learned to tweak it slightly each time to get just the right amount of sloppy! They are absolutely delish and you get to control the temperature on them. I typically have been adding the 1/3 cup and then have the Frank's Red Hots out on the table for guests to add more. You do need to use a quality bun for this or you will have one heck of a sloppy mess on your plate. As a side dish, I made mashed red potatoes and topped them off with some low fat cheese. This was supposed to represent potato skins that you would get at a bar, but unfortunately I was out of bacon bits. I did add some low fat sour cream to the potatoes to help mash them. This has become my new go-to recipe for a group.

Then I got a grill a few months back and find new recipes all the time to make on it. One of my favorite marinades has become Balsamic Vinegar, EVOO, garlic salt and pepper. The Balsamic Vinegar definitely helps to tenderize the meat slightly so for my smothered chicken breast, I had quite the tender juicy piece. I buy frozen chicken breasts and cut them down the middle to make two smaller breasts out of them. They cook faster this way and its the right amount of meat to fill me without over stuffing me. After I grilled up the chicken, I had some sliced mushrooms cooking in a pan with a little garlic salt and laid those over the breast of chicken and put a piece of provolone over the top. Voila! Amazing smothered chicken. For sides this time I grilled some zucchini that I marinaded in balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and then made smashed cauliflower (cooked cauliflower, cream cheese, spray butter and garlic salt). It was delicious and very low in carbs!

Pork chops were something new for me to grill. I got a great deal on 1/4 inch pork chops and was leary on how to cook them. I marinaded them in red wine vinegar, just a dash of EVOO, garlic salt and pepper for about an hour and got my grill blazing hot. These thin chops took only a few minutes per side and I like that I got the amazing grill marks too (getting fancy schmancy I know). I heated up some cooked green beans with garlic garni (a great spice mix like Mrs. Dash from California) and a little spray butter. And then I just made regular mashed potatoes to go with it.

So that was what I have made for myself recently that has been fun. I'm really wanting to make some good Kebabs soon and I also ventured out for the Art Crawl on Saturday so more blogs to come soon!!! Happy Eating!

It's Catch up Time!

2010-04-20T11:28:00.001-07:00

Wow has the time flown by since my last blog. I can't believe over a month went by and I didn't blog. I did eat at a few spots in downtown so now I have to dig thru my memory and remember all the yum-yum-ness! Ok let's start with what I can remember.

I visited the Rochester Deli on a Wednesday of Lent (I believe the last one before Lent was over) and had the opportunity to try their crab cake po-boy sammich. It was amazing. I have just realized my love for warm crab and when its fried with other yummy stuff, its even more delicious so I'm really glad I was able to try it. It was served on a nice kaiser roll with arugula and spicy red pepper mayo. (Note to self: I need to learn how to make red pepper mayo!!) Upon the first bite I was hooked and so made at myself for not going every Wednesday during Lent so I could enjoy it. Maybe I can convince them to bring it back as a daily special???

Next, I just want to make a quick mention that last week when I was at Subway, I saw that they have breakfast now. Semi-shocking to me, its nutritious and not too pricey. They have egg white scrambled on an english muffin and all the veggies to choose from that they typically have. I'm not usually on that side of town in the morning but its something to think of for a weekend. I will share once I try it.

Where to next? Ah yes..last week my friend Shauna met me for lunch at Sprizzo's and we got to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine on our lunch. We went a little earlier than noon because the place fills up quickly and we wanted to guarantee getting a spot outside. Good thing we did because right at noon, all the tables were full on the patio. I ordered half of the turkey sandwich and a side salad with their parmesan peppercorn dressing. I love the dill mayo that Sprizzo's uses (Note to self: Learn this mayo too!) and it just adds a little extra to the taste of the sandwich. My salad had lettuce, green peppers and tomatoes on it with a heaping amount of croutons. I shouldn't have probably eaten all the croutons but they were delicious. Shauna had a turkey deluxe sandwich and side salad and her sandwich looked amazing too. She took half of it home for dinner that night! The sandwiches are not on the skimpy side there at all. I probably would have been content with just half a sandwich and didn't even need the salad. One issue we did have was that the outdoor waitress seemed to get quite bogged down and it took a really long time to get the bill and then pay for it. So lunch took 1 hr and 15 minutes total. Ooops - had to make up that 15 mins. the next day. (Luckily the next day wasn't as beautiful out)

Lastly I want to talk about Magellan's. This was a new place to me and thanks to an ad in the Freeman, I decided to check it out. Magellan's was quite a tiny bar down by Donnie Boys that never really seemed to intrigue me. On a bar crawl thru Waukesha a year ago with Tiffany, we noticed their menu hanging outside and glanced at it. They have quite the menu of items to eat. So it then hit my radar to maybe go there sometime. Well this past winter the aquatics store next to Magellan's went out of business, leaving it vacant. Magellan's quickly scooped up the property and began working on it. They ended up building a stage in the front, put a pool table and shuffle board in back and a flat screen on the side wall. there are 4 bar height tables and 3 low tables for 4 up the middle. We overheard the waitress say they are having issues with the landlords not letting them connect the two buildings, but they hope to find a way to get people easily from one side to the other. In the basement they hope to build up stadium seating and put a big screen down there to watch games. I wish them the best with the place.

The ad in the Freeman said that the special for April was a pitcher of domestic beer and a 10" pizza for $8, so Shauna and I decided to try that. Well I guess we weren't thinking when we ordered because we thought a 10" pizza was little so we got cheese curds too! The cheese curds were amazing - different style breading that I can't explain - maybe beer battered - but they were delicious as always - deep friend cheese + beer + Wisconsin = heaven! And then the pizza showed up. Either my measurements were off or our pizza was more like a 12" or something - it was very big. The crust was nice and moist and they added extra seasonings on top of the cheese which made the pizza amazing. The explosion of flavors on my palette was spectacular. I believe they have a deal with a bottle of wine as well and pizza for a bit more. But I will definitely keep this place on my radar for food and fun in waukesha. I just started following them on Twitter and became their friend on Facebook and I see they have a Wii and competitions with it. That could be fun!!!

My next posting will be the about all the yummy food I have made for myself lately. I finally have a grill and I am very excited for this summer and the food I will concoct and enjoy!!! Until next time - happy eating!

Revisiting old Friends!

2010-03-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

In the last few weeks, I haven't had a chance to try anywhere new in Waukesha, but I did manage to stop by a few of my favorites for another meal.

We will start with Cafe de Arts. (http://www.cafedearts.info/1452.html) I met my friend Tory there two weeks ago while she was training for her new job and we both ordered the same thing unknowingly. The cook actually delivered the sandwiches and explained that she accidentally made our ham and cheese panini's on ciabatta bread and not on a french roll like it stated. It still looked and tasted like a panini to me, so I was completely fine with it. But I did appreciate the time the cook took out of the kitchen to walk over and confirm with us that we were fine with the slight change. It really shows care for the customer and hopefulness for a return (don't worry, I'm hooked, I'll be back)

Secondly, I went to Steaming Cup last week and enjoyed their Cranberry Bog sandwich. This is the epitamy of Thanksgiving-in-your-mouth (minus the stuff which I don't like anyways). Cranberry ciabatta bread, cranberry cream cheese, turkey, mustard, walnuts and toasted up warm. (Red peppers come on it too, but I ask for them to be removed.) The sandwich again was just as great as I remember, but the potato salad was a little too familiar to that you get at the supermarket deli. The only complaint I have about Steaming Cup (and there are ways around this) is the wait for food. I 100% appreciate the fact that my food is made fresh and isn't sitting in some chiller or under a heat lamp waiting to be ordered, but it does seem a bit long. I will have to order in advance from now on so I can fit in the walk there and back, get the food and have time to eat it at the office.

My latest visit to an old friend was to Coffee and Beans today for lunch. I have been meaning to get in here to try their lunch items and not just their beverages. When I walked in, it was rearranged from the last time I was there. All the coffee was on the right wall now. There were tables against the left wall and games and puzzles available for customers to play with. This is definitely something I may do at night with a few friends if they have later hours. I was disappointed they only had one size Chai Tea Latte and it was 3.95 so I skipped that today and got myself a cup of their soup of the day, Turkey Noodle. While waiting for the soup to come up, I eyed up a cinnamon raisin bagel and thought that was well worth it to have on the side. (Had I know the soup came with bread, I would have skipped the bagel. When I got back to the office and opened the soup, I was pleasantly surprised to see chopped up baby carrots and corn in the soup and not just turkey and noodles and sodium. However, the noodles had definitely taken a beating in the last day or so and were pretty separated apart and almost resembled rice. The soup was delicious. The bread with the soup was nothing too special - a little sweetness to it. I would probably go back and try one of their sandwiches and I find it funny - she has hot dogs on her menu. Good for summer to walk around the downtown and snack a hot dog.

Just thought of this - there are no street vendors in Waukesha - well at least not downtown. I have heard the Mexican ice cream man and watched him push his cart and of course there is the infamous ice cream truck playing fun songs all summer long, but no street vendors for hot dogs and brats. Maybe that is why Sloppy Joe's is located at the 5 Points??? They served Sloppy's and hot dogs, but I don't know about brats??? And when are they going to be open full time again????

Michael's - a Staple of Waukesha

2010-03-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

Michael's has been on the corner of Sunset and Grand Ave in Waukesha for as long as I can remember, but I have never stopped in or heard much about it until a year ago. My roommate of the last two years went there occasionally with her boyfriend and always enjoyed themselves there. My parents and I finally decided to try it for a fish fry two weeks ago.

Upon entering the place, I was totally taken aback with how large it is inside. When you look at it from the outside it didn't look much bigger than a place with a few booths and a couple tables, but it has a full bar, plenty of booths and tables for a big group. We arrived around 7 and were able to get a table within 10 minutes. We sat in the bar and got a drink and then got a wonderful, large booth.

The place smelled amazing and trying to decide what to have for my meal was difficult. I figured I should get a little of everything, so I tried the seafood platter, 2 pieces of cod, 2 pieces of perch and 2 butterfly deep-fried shrimp. The meal came with soup or salad and I'm a sucker for clam chowder so I had to try it. It was seasoned perfectly and the clams were not chewy as they can sometimes get.

When my meal came, I was very impressed with the size of the pieces of seafood. I tried one piece of each and a few fries and was very full. The breading on everything was a crumble-style but different on each item. I was very happy with my meal selection.

My mother ordered the baked cod and it was an extremely large piece. I took a taste of it and it was baked perfectly and seasoned with just salt, pepper, lemon and paprika. If my mom didn't have a cold, I would have taken home her leftovers. My dad had the perch and cleaned his plate so I'm sure he enjoyed it.

Michael's is definitely a place that I want to go to again, maybe with a group to order a pizza or their amazing pasta dishes. They often have coupons in the clipper magazine but even without it, the prices were extremely reasonable.

Fishy Fry Season

2010-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

The first day of Lent is here and for Wisconsin this means fish, fish and more fish - beer battered, lightly breaded, pan fried, broiled, baked, buttered - anyway you like it you can find it. Thanks to the Waukesha BID for posting an amazing article, I now know all of my locations in Waukesha to test out and trust me I will!!! Please read the article below I copied from WaukeshaNow.com to be able to share with all of you!!!

Fish Dishes Swimming in Historic Downtown Waukesha

Submitted By Waukesha Business Improvement District

Posted: Feb. 17, 2010 7:36 a.m.

The Waukesha Business Improvement District announces that many restaurants in historic downtown Waukesha are offering unique dining options for individuals looking for new fish fry options and meatless offerings during the coming months.

“A traditional fish fry is as Wisconsin as it gets,” said Karen Richards, executive director of the Waukesha Business Improvement District. “Our downtown restaurants offer some of the best fish frys around as well as amazing vegetarian dining options.”

Participating businesses offering specials and discounts include:

Black Trumpet Pasta & Chop House (inside the Clarke Hotel), 314 W. Main St., On Wednesdays, enjoy the Endless Pasta Bowl special with a variety of sauces including meatless options. On Friday, be sure to check out the All–You–Can-Eat Fish Fry that includes baked or fried cod, tarter sauce, fries, and coleslaw. The Early Bird price is $11.99, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.; after 5:30, $13.99. Perch is also available most Fridays at an additional charge.

Coffee N’ Beans, 234 W. Main St., #5, serves up a delicious Clam Chowder on Fridays for lunch.

Rochester Deli, 143 W. Broadway, Wednesdays during Lent, try the Crabby Po’boy, a fried-to- perfection crab cake delicately dressed with roasted red pepper mayo and arugula on a French roll. Accompanied by Spicy Sweet Potato Chips, Black Bean and Corn Salad, and a pickle spear for only $7.25. On Fridays, don’t miss the Early Bird Fish Dinner served 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for $7.95. Early Bird includes lightly breaded fried Cod served with Dan’s homemade potato pancakes and applesauce or seasoned cottage fries; includes fresh coleslaw, rye roll, butter, and tarter sauce. Friday Fish Dinners offer Chef Dan’s Specialty pan fried Canadian Walley Pike for $10.95; Baked Icelandic Cod for $8.95; or fried Italian Breaded Cod for $7.95. All dinners are served with homemade potato pancakes and applesauce, or oven browned seasoned red potatoes, fresh coleslaw, rye roll, and butter. Dine in or carryout available.

Sprizzo Gallery Caffe, 363 W. Main St., Each Wednesday at Sprizzo, a different fish soup will be featured including homemade Salmon Chowder, Crab Chowder, and the ever popular Fish Surprise as well as a Tuscan Tuna Melt full of tuna, Greek olives, green pepper, onions, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and melted provolone cheese. On Fridays, stop in for the Baked Cod Sandwich with dill mayo, tomato, cheddar cheese and of course, fresh baked Cod and the creamy Cod Chowder Soup. Vegetarian dishes served everyday include Vegetarian Chili, a Garden Grilled sandwich, a Cheese and Tomato Grill, the Zo Veggie, and amazing homemade Hummus.

Steaming Cup, 340 W. Main St., offers a great variety of vegetarian options daily including a Roasted Vegetable Wrap featuring roast vegetables with portabella mushrooms, sprinkled with the Steaming Cup’s specially seasoned olive oil and served on a flatbread or rolled into a tomato basil wrap. Two new vegetarian offerings are being served for a limited time including the Curried Pepper Patch served on a honey-sweet curry bread with the sweetest peppers available and the Olympian Olive Loaf, slightly melted Feta cheese with tomato on an olive focaccia bread.

Other places to check out for fish entrées include:

Dady-Oh’s, 250 W. Broadway

Dave’s Restaurant, 316 W. Broadway

People’s Park, 337 W. Main St.

RedStone Pub & Grill, 225 South St.

Sakura Japan Sushi & Grill, 332 W. Broadway

Rich in history and packed with contemporary flavor, Historic Downtown Waukesha & Riverwalk is easy to find with two way streets and ample parking that make it a friendly option. From I-94 exit at Hwy F south to Barstow, turn left to enter the Downtown Business District. From I-43, exit at Hwy 164 north; continue north to Main Street, turn left to enter the Downtown Business District. A variety of parking options are available including on-street parking, a variety of public parking lots and two parking structures.

For more information, log onto www.DowntownWaukesha.com.

Wings, Wings, Wings

2010-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

If you would have invited me to a wing night at a bar 3 years ago, my response would have been, "Can I get something other than wings?" But now, its a different story. I still don't like hot sauce really and that stems back to waitressing when the wing craze first started. Imagine smelling like that sauce all day and night while working and having it spill on you - just nauseating at times.

So it started at Club 400 when I got a raw chicken sandwich and decided to finally suck it up and get wings plain with BBQ on the side. This then became a favorite for me. Club 400 wings are nice and cripsy and just dipping it in the sauce was fine by me. At that time Club 400 only had Hot, Mild and BBQ. So Thursdays I would get my triple cripple and my wings and be a happy kid.

My outings to Club 400 became sparse in the last 2 years because of a change in the layout of the group and so we began to get wings at Fox View. They have quite a few different flavors but still really crispy wings. I get Terriyaki there and I have to say it beats the BW3's sauce for taste. (I have only had boneless or "naked" wings at BW3's). I have heard that the hot sauce is inconsistent in its heat, but never fails to impress for just a hot. They don't have a blazin' or anything like that and for $.25 a wing, I'll enjoy it and not argue. Plus the drinks are cheap and flowing well all the time.

In an attempt to try other wings in Waukesha, the liquor store went out the RJ's (old Tallinger's) for wings one night. They too have limited flavors so I got BBQ on the side and just started with wings. A major disappointment was that the wings took forever to be made for us. My friends enjoyed them and they were bigger than Fox's and club's wings but the length of time it took to make them when the restaurant was not busy nor was the bar was really a negative for us.

Last night, my friend Nick and I tried Master Z's wings. $.30 and a minimum of 5 or 6, but any increment after that I'm pretty sure. They have quite a selection of flavors and I was majorly impressed. I ordered 15 terriyaki and definitely could have gotten by with just 10. The wings were gigantic and juicy and the sauce was excellent. It wasn't overly salty like Terriyaki can be, it was just the right amount to not overpower the chicken. Nick got some of the Hotaryaki (hot and terriyaki) and he said the flavors really worked together well and he enjoyed those. And well with Nick being the spicy food connoisseur, he had to try the "Sphincter Shrinker" wings. He was definitely impressed with the heat they put off and would not have a ton of them, but he enjoyed them. I think I will definitely go back with my wingy friends and enjoy some more of the greatness that Master Z's has to offer. I hear their pizza is great too.

So I think next on my list is to try Radz's down on West and Sunset. He was written up in the paper, so I guess I'll have to see if I agree!!

Fast Food Debate

2010-01-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

Ok, so every once in a while, everyone is allowed to break down and grab fast food. I too fall into this category except that in the last 7 days, I have done more than break down...I have completely haulted, pulled over and gotten as much as I can of it. And to tell you the truth, as much as it tasted good, I prefer my stuff and real restaurant food anyday. Ok - here's the breakdown of the last week.

With moving out of my old apartment and into my condo, cooking was very sparse this week. So last week Thursday I took advantage of the new Toppers on Grandview and ordered a single order of Toppers Stix and a Myza for $9.99. Thank goodness I dated a few guys from Whitewater and got to understand the Toppers experience early on and know the greatness that it is. I got ranch for my Toppers Stix (they switched from Hidden Valley to another brand, but its still good!). The Myza is something new and very interesting. It's basically an oval piece of dough that looks like a football pizza and then it is cut 3 times diagonally to make 4 pieces of pizza out of it. I chose sausage as my one topping. The best part is some pieces had crusts on both ends. Hard to explain - check out www.Toppers.com So that was Thursday and I had the leftovers on Saturday when I woke up a little under the weather from the night before!!

Monday - Chef Boyardee Tortellini for Lunch - McD's for dinner. The Tortellini was actually extremely disgusting - a fake meat substitute in the middle that tasted like flour was just not appetizing. I used to love all of Chef Boyardee's stuff - guess its back to Ramen and Mac n Cheese! And then McDonald's. I had a Fair board meeting until 9:30 and by then I just needed something fast and wanted to get home. So a McChicken and small fry it was. The McChicken was quite heavy on the mayo which I would typically enjoy but with my new health kick, it made me mad that I was eating it. And the fries were extremely soggy. I like crispy fries - like from Oscar's or Kopp's. This was just a disappointment. But what should I expect for $2.10

Tuesday - Qdoba for Lunch, Spring Garden for Dinner. We were supposed to have Milio's Subs drop off a party platter for my company on Tuesday but it never showed, so I went with a quick and easy choice of Qdoba -- it's only a block away. Well Qdoba now has a Pick 2 menu so I chose a Naked Queso Burrito with Chicken and a Chicken quesadilla. Both are smaller portions than regular and I actually ate just the burrito and saved the quesadilla til today. Don't even bother looking at the nutrition facts because you will just make yourself sick. www.qdoba.com if you are tempted. I could attempt to justify it by saying they were smaller and I spread them out, but I know that I too could make this at home and have it taste better! I finished cleaning out my apartment and decided to get Chinese from Spring Garden that night. I only meant to order chicken fried rice and shrimp lo mein, but then I saw egg rolls and splurged for a spring one as well. When I went to pick it up they accidentally made chicken lo mein first so they gave me that for free too. At least I limited my intake and have plenty of leftovers now, but there is something about the MSG (I'm assuming) that makes Chinese taste so much better from takeout than from homemade. PS - if you like Hot & Sour soup, my friend Nick highly recommends if from there. They make it fresh and you get a huge container for really cheap. I have yet to try it.

Wednesday - (The complete derailment!) KFC & Noodles. Don't get me wrong, I love both of these places and I could have made better choices and not felt as guilty but I just decided to go for broke. At KFC I got a mashed potato bowl - mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, popcorn chicken and cheese, a trucker's fantasy!! It is always delicious and I saw that Hungry Girl suggested an at home version of this that is healthier so I should probably opt for that from now on. Noodles - well I never veer from what I know I love there - Pesto Cavatappi with Parmesan crusted Chicken. Just watching the oil pool up in the bottom of the bowl made me feel guilty. But I just love it, the mushrooms are delicious.

And Thursday - I am having my quesadilla from my Pick 2 from Qdoba - its ok - would have been better fresh and not nuked, but the smaller size is more like a perfect portion size. Definitely something to think about doing with a friend. They get a pick 2 as do you and you get to sample all different things for just around $6. I did notice that although the advertised price is 2 items for $5.99, when you add meat to anything - its an additional charge.

Ok - so tonight I'm going to make myself a healthy dinner at home and attempt to break myself of this horrible habit. Definitely not a good thing to do week 4 of a 13 week diet/lifestyle change.

One thing I would like to point out is that even though I ate at all those places there are plenty more in Waukesha that I could have succumbed to as well but resisted. Hopefully the next time I write, I will have new meals to write about or restaurant excursions. Happy Eating!

Fish Fry Friday

2010-01-25T09:04:00.001-08:00

In Wisconsin, what else do people get for dinner on a Friday but a fish fry. My parents have become quite adventurous with their fish fry Fridays and instead of just doing Blue Heron in Big Bend, they have ventured to Diamond Jim's, Bushy's and a few spots on the south side of Milwaukee. Well I lured them into Waukesha this week and suggested we try Redstone Pub & Grill (the old Ray's). My parents loved Ray's and I told them that this food was better already because of the amazing seafood I had already tempted my taste buds on, so we went on Friday.

**I know that I should not be comparing Ray's to Redstone because there is no relationship between the two, but my parents like trying new places and liked the ambiance of Ray's so I figured they would like Redstone.

We walked in the place around 6:30 on Friday and it was packed. There was a huge party of 12 in the back and a party of 6 up front. We were told a 45 minute wait and decided to go for it and put our names on the list and headed for the bar. Even the bar was extremely crowded and we had to wait for seats there. The party of 12 made it hard to get to the bar area, but right when I ordered the two patrons on the end seats got their table so we squeezed in and talked about our week and caught up for about a half hour. The hostess kept us updated as to our position on the list (which I appreciate) and my mom got to watch the bartenders make all kinds of fun drinks -- bloody marys, hurricanes, cosmo's, etc. etc. My dad was reading all the beers in their beer cooler and asking me about them (thank goodness for my liquor knowledge)

We got a table only about a half hour later and got sat in the same booth I get almost everytime I'm there. The waitress immediately came over and got our drink order, which shocked me with how busy the place seemed still. She got my parents drinks and took our order promptly. And dinner actually came out of the kitchen reasonably fast too considering the large parties that were sat before us.

My dad and I both had the lake perch (3 pieces I think?)that was lightly battered with a decent amount of flavor and then fried. It was served with french fries, coleslaw and marble rye bread with butter. My fries were a bit on the salty side and I realized I should have seen if I could have upgraded to their sweet potato fries (they taste like funnel cake!!) The coleslaw was definitely made on premise and very flavorful...not overly vinegary. And you can't go wrong with marble rye with soft butter spread on it. My dad finished his plate completely and helped my mom with her tilapia (A very generous portion). It was sauteed with a light breading on it and served with linguine and fresh cooked green beans. My mom said she was in heaven it was soooo good.

We didn't save room for dessert and by the time we left a band came in to set up for that evenings late night entertainment. I was ready to move onto the Nice Ash to meet up with friends, so I parted ways with my parents, but they definitely said they would return to Redstone again. Food was very reasonably priced (10.99 for the perch and 11.99 for the tilapia) I will be returning as well!!!!

Nice Ash was a fun time as always - a really great female singer was performing (didn't catch her name) Tried Samuel Adams Winter Beer and it was very very tasty. I like it better than 2 Below from New Belgium.

PS - I did meet a Bodway while at Nice Ash that said they are looking at 60 - 90 days out for the restaurant part to be open. (Maple & Main) I dunno - doesn't look like the building has changed much in the last few months. 60 - 90 out from Friday would take us to end of March or end of April. We shall see. I told the guy that I'm expecting something great because of how long they have worked on it. He also told me a few secrets about downtown that I am excited for as well. Keep reading for more!!!

Carriage Rides and Seasonal Decorations

2009-12-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a chance to walk through all of downtown yet at night and see all the beautiful decorations, but I have to say that what I have seen is just beautiful. With the snow on the ground and holiday lights in almost every business window, its hard to imagine that just a few years ago, downtown Waukesha was not the destination it is now. I do have to say that the holiday tree was pretty small this year and wish that someone would have donated one to help out the city in having a better tree. The one in front of the rotunda was just gorgeous tho!

My mom came to pick me up to do some xmas shopping on Saturday and she was stopped in downtown to allow the carriage ride pass thru. Yes carriage rides and from what I have read, they are very reasonable. What a great way to see the city and have some holiday fun as well. Maybe I will take one before they are done for the season.

I have not read about any after Christmas sales yet in downtown, but I'm thinking that I will venture out and see what everyone has to offer! And maybe venture into some new places I have never been into before. (More stuff to blog about then).

Merry Christmas everyone - may the joy of the season be with you today and always!

Cafe de Arts

2009-12-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

So today when I woke up, I could just tell it was going to be a super cold day - not to mention weather.com told me last night that it wasn't going to get above 10 and then with wind chill it could fall into the negatives! So when lunch time came around, I wanted to get something yummy and warm in my tummy. And seeing as I walk to work, I needed it to be close so I didn't freeze trying to get to the food. (And even though Walgreens has a great selection right next door, its one of those days that you just want something homemade.

My coworkers have been getting coffee from Cafe de Arts, located on the corner of St. Paul Ave & Brook Street (Across from Waukesha State Bank in downtown), which also puts it right behind my work. I had yet to venture in. So I looked up their menu online...Cafedearts.com and saw they had panini sandwiches. So I bundled up like I was heading to Antarctica and headed on my way.

I was pleasantly surprised upon my entering of how warm and inviting the place was. Warm hues of yellow and red paint cover the walls and the smell of soup and coffee lingers in the air - not overpowering though. Walls have been taken down to make room for more seating compared to the last coffee shop that was there. And for a very chilly day, every table in the place was taken. (This was a very good sign for me)

I decided on the Ham and Cheese panini sandwich and as a treat I got myself a chai tea latte! The sandwich was excellent. I am not one for tomatoes in the whole form - dice it or turn it into ketchup or spaghetti sauce and I can't get enough, but whole slices on a sandwich typically get taken off. Well not today. The combination of the brown sugar ham, melted cheddar and the tomatoes, with just a hint of balsamic vinegar made this sandwich very enjoyable for my palate. The sandwich comes with chips and a pickle and is definitely satisfying without over stuffing yourself. I'll save the chips for later this afternoon.

As for the chai - I don't think I have ever gotten bad chai - It is what it is and I like it all the time. Warms me up and gives me a little energy boost too!

If you are a coffee fan, you should try their coffees, my coworkers get one almost everyday so it must be good. And I believe he is extremely reasonably priced. He actually roasts his own beans right there and you can buy them bulk too! (Xmas ideas for the coffee fan in the family????)

I'm glad I made the effort to venture out and not just pop something in the microwave. Now its time to get back to work (Chai in front of me) and get busy!!

The "New" Nice Ash

2009-11-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Friday evening in downtown Waukesha with mild temperatures - what else is there to do, but stroll the streets and check out what's going on, grab a bite to eat and a drink. Tiffany and I ventured through all of downtown before, of course, deciding on Casa del Rio for dinner. I decided on the Seafood Enchiladas and I was so happy that I did. It was absolutely amazing! Crab meat and shrimp were chopped up and seasoned with just the right amount of spice and then rolled into flour tortillas, covered with red sauce and of course queso! (lots and lots of queso) I would highly recommend this dish at Casa. Tiffany got a combination platter and seeing as she was part of the clean plate club, I'm assuming hers was just as delicious.

My only complaint (and I don't know if I just haven't had an original margarita in a while or what) but my Margarita just didn't hit the spot for me. It was really salty and I'm not just talking about what was on the glass rim. The salt overpowered the lime and sugar taste of it. After I finished it, I then ordered a Bacardi Dragon Berry (strawberry) and Lemonade and that was sooooo delicious. It would be the perfect summer drink because it tastes exactly like strawberry lemonade (scary exactly and dangerously exactly!!) I will definitely keep that in mind for next summer!

After dinner we strolled back in the direction of our apartment and looked at what bars were the hot spots that night. Neighbors had a really loud band and only a handful of customers so we passed and headed to Nice Ash.

They opened up the addition side while renovating the other side and my-oh-my was I impressed! The place looks so large compared to when it was a celtic store with dragons and fairies in the windows. The bar is definitely the focal point of the place being a huge square with a little circular pod on each corner. The granite top is gorgeous and compliments the copper kick plates very well. The liquor display up the middle of the bar is quite the spectacle being lit with color-changing LED lights under the bottles and is a three-tier pyramid completely full with whatever your heart desires. All taps are just $5 and they feature quite a few tap beers now.

There was a huge TV on the side wall and one in the back that I could see from where I. The front area of the bar featured the signature comfortable leather chairs facing the band playing great 90s and older hits. The new side also has brand new bathrooms that are very nice!

Once the wall is taken down in between the old bar and new, this place is going to be absolutely "the place" to go in Waukesha. Not to mention it is going to be gigantic. The "Ash Hole" is staying and of course the walk-in Humidor but I don't even know what they are going to do with all the extra space! I'm sure they will think of something!

This Friday is the unveiling of the entire bar and I'm planning on going there to take it all in. I do wish Walt would have been able to see what has become of his favorite bar, but I'm sure he is looking down from above, cigar in hand and watching over all of us! I'll save you a stool Walt!

Poppin' for a Year!

2009-11-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

One of the stores that I frequent most often in downtown Waukesha is having its First Year Anniversary this Saturday. Poppin' On Broadway, a gourmet popcorn store, is located on Broadway Street between the 5 points and South Street.

The celebration is on Saturday, November 14 from 10 am - 3 pm.
PoppinOnBroadway.com

I stumbled across this place a few weeks after they opened and have fallen in love with its popcorn. The owner is an amazing flavor creator of all things popcorn. My personal favorite is the Broadway mix which has cheddar, butter and carmel corn all mixed together. Running in a close 2nd would be the parmesan garlic.

The owner is very pleasant and always has samples available. She does the flavored coated corn too and does Packer colors, Carroll University and Causes in which proceeds from that purchase go to benefit the cause.

The store's website is finally up and running and you can place orders online and ship it anywhere in the US. My aunt and uncle loved what I sent them for Christmas last year and had to visit the store when they were in town from San Diego. I plan to ship them more this holiday and possibly give it as gifts to others.

So if you find time this weekend, I highly recommend you stop in and check it out. Maybe start a little holiday shopping???? Trust me - if you like popcorn, you can't not like this store!

Cheap Eats Restaurant Reviews

2009-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

I occasionally get the opportunity to read the Milwaukee Magazine at work (I should really make it more mandatory for my PR jobs, but I rarely find it floating around here and find time to read it). Anyways, the cover story of the November 2009 edition is Cheap Eats by Ann Christenson, which totally intrigued me being the frugal food lover that I am. So I paged through the entire magazine and when I got to the story, I was amazed to find that not only did it have Cheap Eats in Milwaukee, but it also listed Waukesha and other outlying city hot "cheap" spots. I will post a few below of places that I have eaten. The entire article is available in the issue that is on sale now.

Let's start with the places that I have eaten at that made the list:

Real Chili - sure its in Milwaukee, but its a must-eat if you haven't yet. Located between Water Street and Cathedral Square on Wells, this place is great anytime of day. I had the mild with cheese and sour cream the last time I was there and with it only being $5 a bowl, it sure fills you up and satisfies you!

Tutto - I stumbled across this place with my friend Deana last summer looking for a quick snack after visiting the Milwaukee Museum's Body World exhibit. We sat in a huge booth - probably could have crammed 8 in there and we had our own TV to watch sports on. We ordered two appetizers (crab cakes and something else) and were completely blown away with how amazing the food was as well as the presentation. This place is located on Old World 3rd St. just south of Buckheads and Mader's. www.TuttoMilwaukee.com

The Rochester Deli - I have blogged about this place before, but I don't think I can give it nearly enough acclaim. This place is straight up city deli with awesome sandwiches, fresh salads, soups and amazing desserts all made by the owner himself. You must try a peanut butter/chocolate dipped cookie. Heck, share it if you can because it's a very large cookie, but definitely worth every bite. I have tried their cold sandwiches and hot ones and haven't come across any I haven't liked. They are "Home of the Best Reuben" and time after time I keep saying I'm going to get one, but I have yet to - maybe this upcoming March for St. Patty's day I will. The Friday fish sandwich is definitely something that can only come out of a Wisconsin Deli!
www.RochesterDeli.com

Oakland Gyros - I have been to both locations - UWM and Layton by the Airport - and the gyros are sooooo good. Well not that I have ever had a bad gyro, but sometimes the seasoning is just better than others! I even took my grandma here and she enjoyed herself. You can never have too much cucumber sauce and Oakland Gyros definitely supplies you with plenty!

Those are the ones that I have been too - now onto those in my area that I will be going to soon!!!

Jake's - I have heard people talk about this supper club before in Pewaukee, but haven't found an opportunity to go. Reading their dinner specials has made my mouth crave a nice steak. That will be a good treat once I am done with all this root canal work! www.Jakes-Restaurant.com

Pat's Rib Place - Located in what used to be a Subway on Sunset Ave & East Ave. Pat's has made a name for itself in serving up great wings and ribs. I have heard many compliments on it and have yet to go in there. I just have to be in the mood for ribs, which for me isn't that often because of the mess, but maybe, just maybe I'll venture there soon!

Haute Taco - Located on Capitol Drive in Brookfield, again I have heard all great reviews of this place. In a county that has many different Mexican style restaurants, its hard to try them all and not just stick to your favorites, but now knowing they were written up for Cheap Eats, I might just have to try it out.
www.HauteTaco.com

Bombay Sweets - I have never had Indian food and for an Indian restaurant to make it in Brookfield, it has to be worth checking out. They also have a location on 13th street in Milwaukee.

Eric's Porter-Haus - This place has been located on Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Waukesha for as long as I can remember and yet, I have never gone in. I see coupons and specials for it in the paper often and again still haven't gone in. Well their new "stimulus" specials may have just peaked my curiosity and again once my mouth is able to chew up a steak, I'm there.
www.EricsPorterHaus.com

Of course there are many other restaurants that didn't make the list and many more that should have, but a magazine can only write so much. That's what I'm here for - to share my love of food and the fun of Waukesha with you!!!

Sumthin's a Brewin'

2009-10-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

There is a double meaning to my headline: 1) Halloween is this Saturday and I'm excited to dress up and have fun in downtown Waukesha with my friends. It's fun to see all the costumes and its not as crazy as Madison but still a fun time. 2) The weather has definitely changed to fall/winter (we already had snow), so its time to get the slow cooker going and make some yummy treats! I didn't use it as much as I would have liked this year and since I found a small one for only $8, I can prepare half sized meals for when I'm living solo! Oh of course I'll still make meals for armies like I always do and have everyone over to enjoy, but I just have to get into the mood to do it.

I move this Sunday (hopefully!!) and I am going to be able to organize a kitchen that is functional and to my exact standards. Living with a roomie changed things a bit in this because it was set up to both our standards and I know I would have put certain things in other spots than where they were and vice versa. But now I start with a blank slate and and I'm ready to make it my own. I'm sooooo excited, but not looking forward to all the work. Then it will be time for a shopping venture so I can stock up on all things crock-pot! Chili , lasagna, pork tenderloin!!!! I can hardly wait! I definitely want to have a chili party (stole idea from Ellie!!!). And for those that don't like chili, well there will be something else for you to enjoy!

Onto Halloween, I don't know where we will all go in downtown because they aren't having the trolley this year, we will have to stay right in downtown, but I know we will have fun. We always do. OOOO and I found a job listing on Craigslist for a new "upscale bar and grill" planning to open up in downtown the first weeks of Nov. '09. I'm assuming this is taking over Ray's because nothing else has changed into a restaurant lately that I know of (and you all know I know Waukesha very well). I'm excited to have a new perspective of downtown and maybe venture to different places soon. Nice Ash will be opening the addition soon and I can't wait to see that. I have heard all good so far.

I'm dressing as "Captain's Treasure" this year - which is basically a sexy pirate. How fitting seeing as I popped a blood vessel in my eye and I now can wear my eye patch on it so I don't scare too many people. My friends are going as Dorothy (from Oz), Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter, Thomas the Train (Sebastian is 3 so it's fine), and Rosie the Riveter/Eskimo/or one other??? (costumer TBA). What are you dressing up as? Any big plans for the ghoulish night??

Taylor's & Pre-Bday Specials!

2009-09-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

I guess I really can't rave about this place enough, but Taylor's People's Park was where I heading with friends last Wednesday for a quick bite to eat after work. The atmosphere is fun, lively and not too noisy and the ever-changing wall art is surprise everytime. Currently, they are displaying some sort of Adam and Eve work on the walls that use jar lids as elbow and knee joints. I don't venture much out of the box at Taylor's because what I love there is so amazing, I have yet to find something to trump it. I always order the potstickers. You get 5 perfectly crisp pork-filled potstickers over some fancy lettuce with a Wasabi, Soy & Ginger Sauce. I have yet to be disappointed in this and would recommend it to anyone. The potstickers that they had on the menu at 5Gen when it first opened were good but more like flat eggrolls than potstickers.

My friend Jacob ordered the hot wings and I was actually quite surprised with the size of the wings. There was plenty of meat on them that he was only able to finish 1/2 his order. The hot didn't seem too hot from what I tasted, but there is something about that sauce that my palette just doens't like. Tiffany ordered the classic chicken breast sandwich that looked like the size of a Kopp's sandwich and she said it was delicious.

After our light snack we ventured for a walk around downtown Waukesha quickly and when we got to Divino Gelato, I just had to stop in for a treat. I ordered a small 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 mixed bery - can you say - berrydreamcicle!!! It was so delicious and hit the spot.

I'm a sucker for signing up for restaurant clubs and one perk is receiving emails with special treats in them for your bday. With my bday coming up next Monday, I have already received 8 offers that include things like free dessert or $10 off $25. I'm getting excited and I'm going to start hitting up my friends for dinner companions soon to take advantage. Then I will have a lot more to blog about!!!!

Night out with Mom

2009-08-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, my mom and I did something that we haven't done together in a long time -- went to a play and dinner! It was a wonderful time. About two weeks ago, for some reason that I still don't know exactly, I got the inkling to go to a play at the Waukesha Civic Theater. So I looked up the website and it just so happened that Seussical the Musical was going to be performing for 2 weeks. I immediately called my mom and asked if she wanted to join, which of course she said yes. I told her to plan to make a night of it and after the performance, we would go to dinner in downtown Waukesha somewhere. My mom is always up for that kind of fun.

So Saturday at 4 we went to see the musical, which was very cute and I even had crowd interaction twice! Yes, I had the lucky chair I guess and twice during the performance the actors touched me or sat in my lap! I found it really really funny. The play lasted just under two hours and by that point, we were definitely hungry for something, but we weren't sure what. Although it was rather warm out on Saturday (and humid) we still decided to venture downtown and find something to eat.

Right down from the theater is Generations at 5 Points (http://www.gen-five.com), a tapas restaurant. Tapas is small plate dining, not necessarily appetizers, but you could order up numerous items and share with friends. I guess I call it "perfect size dining" -- you don't walk away overly stuffed if you clear your plate, unlike an applebees or TGI Fridays size portion. I had been there once before and was curious as to their new menu items since my last visit. (The menu is changed up frequently so the chef can show off his culinary skills). I decided on shrimp and avocado purses, which had chopped up shrimp and avocado inside a wonton wrapper that was twisted shut on top to look like a little bad. I had three of these on my plate with watermelon-tomato salsa in the middle and a balsalmic reduction swirled around it all. The sweet and salt of the salsa and reduction worked perfectly with the purses and I enjoyed it all. My mom ordered the seared salmon and it was definitely one of the best pieces of salmon I have ever had. It had perfect color and was just flaky enough to break off pieces to share. It was served over pea pods and red peppers. I'm not exactly sure of the sauce that was on her plate, but I honestly didn't think it even needed it because it was amazing.

Of course we ordered beverages too, because not only is their food amazing, the drinks aren't too shabby either. They have an extensive wine list that you can order by the bottle or glass and many specialty martini's and cocktails. My mom got a glass of Echelon Pinot Noir that complimented her salmon well. I decided to go with something more unique and ordered the X Rated Fusion Martini. I believe it was X-Rated liquor, raspberry vodka and a splash of champagne because it was frothy on top. Definitely delicious and definitely could sneak up on you without you realizing it.

After dinner we wandered around town and looked at a few shops. My friend just opened Kindred Gifts, but unfortunately wasn't still open when we walked by. We then went by Sloppy Joe's Shake Shop and they were doing tons of business on a warm day. We eventually walked down to Divino Gelato (www.divinogelatocafe.com) to enjoy a sweet treat for dessert. I chose chocolate and mango gelato (per Dave at my job suggesting that fruit and chocolate gelato compliment each other wonderfully) and my mom got Almond Joy and pistacio. The pistachio was really flavorful but I didn't try the Almond Joy because I'm not a coconut fan. It was quite a popular place as well and they even had ladder golf outside so people could win t-shirts and other fun prizes. The owner took my mom and my picture for their website (so now I'm famous). It was a great way to end the night.

So my ventures around Waukesha are really exciting me - if you are curious about a place and want me to try it first, I'm all about it - so give me your suggestions and I'll see what I can do. Until then - happy eating!!!!

Tour De La Sha!

2009-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

I did another roundhouse of Downtown Waukesha in the past few days and boy oh boy do I have the delicious information to share with you. It started on Friday afternoon when I walked around Downtown Waukesha in search of lunch. I had started on Barstow and debated about Rochester Deli but seeing as I had that only the week before, I decided on Steaming Cup all the way on the other side of Downtown - thank goodness its not that big!

The place wasn't that busy for a Friday, but the weather was gorgeous so I think everyone was enjoying it in the parks. But I decided to go for it and take it back to work to enjoy. Typically I get the Tuna Jammer but for some reason I saw the Cranberry Bog sandwich and decided to sway from my norm. And I am really glad that I did. The sandwich was one of the best flavor expressive meals I have had in a really long time. It consists of Turkey, Cranberry cream cheese, peppers, and dijon mustard between two slices of Cranberry Ciabatta bread that is then grilled in a panini press. It was a little messy to eat but the flavors all complimented each other really well. I got potato salad on the side and a pickle slice and was stuffed and happy with my choice. I will definitely experiment with that at home, but don't worry Steaming Cup, I'm going to tell everyone I know to try the sandwich.

So after work on Friday, my friend Shauna met me at my apartment and we went to the House of Guinness for a 5th Friday Networking Event for the Young Professionals of Waukesha County. We received $2 off pints and so that makes Strongbow only $3 - you can't pass that up. Although the group was smaller this time, it was an excellent group and we shared a lot of information. We even dragged one gentleman along with us for the remaining of our excursion thru Waukesha. The next 5th Friday falls on Halloween weekend and I discussed with the event coordinator how cool it would be to do the bar crawl like last Halloween! We will see.

Finishing the event at 7 pm, we found ourselves extremely hungry and in need of a filling meal if we were going to enjoy any more drinking. I suggested Ray's on South and Tiffany, Shauna, Josh and I headed there. The place had a few tables filled when we arrived and Josh worked his magic with the waitress and got us a free round of beverages. This lead us to realize we definitely needed satisfying meals in our tum-tums. I went for the fried Perch and potato pancakes, pretty much my Ray's staple. The fish was excellent as were the mixed veggies on the side. The only odd part was that instead of receiving a few potato pancakes, I received 1 that was probably 8" across! It was still delicious. Shauna ordered a chicken sandwich that competes with Kopp's on size and taste and Tiffany opted for the Chicken Parmesan. She said the chicken was great, but could have used a bit more seasoning to compete with other menu options they have. Josh had eaten before he went out, but he stole tater tots from Shauna and seemed to be drooling as we ate.

Post dinner, we decided to take Shauna and Josh to Tiff's and my fave bar, Chill on Gaspar Street. Zack was again bartending and remembered Tiff and I from before. We had a blast at Chill. Josh made Zack experiment and just started stating what he wanted in his martini. It was a refreshing blue raspberry concoction in which Zack let me have the overpour from. Shauna tried the Cherry Squirt martini and commented on how strong it was. She then proceeded to share it with Tory when she arrived. Brandon ordered himself a Cosmopolitan upon joining us and before I could even ask if he liked it, it was gone - so I'm assuming it was great! Josh then challenged the bartender to make us a Piece of A$$ shot. Scared by the name, I questioned the ingredients to find out it was a version of a Snake Bite, which I enjoy. I'm unsure on the measurements, but the shot has Southern Comfort, Lime Juice and Amaretto. I really liked this one and due to another generous overpour of Zack's, I received two shots!

We then decided to venture onward to hit up another bar in downtown for a drink. Neighbor's Social Club's crowd seemed a bit older and the music was pretty loud so we continued on. I showed Josh a few of the other new places in downtown that had opened - Generations, Sloppy Joe's, The Black Trumpet and more. We finally decided on Taylor's People's Park because all the windows were open and the night was gorgeous. The music they were playing that night was a jazz/indie/pop/rock mix and really interesting. It had a great club beat to it, but didn't drown out our conversation. Josh ordered a Stoli Raspberry and lemonade while I continued my beer streak and went with a Blue Moon. We people watched while enjoying our drinks and Josh again worked his magic and got round 2 for free. This time I was able to try Josh's drink and I forgot how much I really love Raspberry and Lemonade in a drink together. I helped him finish it and we decided to just call it a night then. Friday on the town = success!

Finally, last night, neither Tiff nor I felt like turning on the stove and cooking dinner so I opened my entertainment book and found a coupon for Sprizzo's in downtown Waukesha. I had had breakfast there a few weeks back with my mom and enjoyed it, so we walked over and grabbed a table. It was not very busy so we should have had very prompt service (I'll get to that later). We started with the crab and artichoke quesadilla - a very interesting combination and we figured as long as we were getting a discount, why not? It was probably the best decision we made. Crab and artichoke compliment each other wonderfully with cheese and toasted warm. The salsa looked homemade as did the guacamole but I was hesitant on using them so the true flavors of the quesadilla would shine thru. Tiffany then ordered a Cheese Tortelini and sausage salad and I got the French Dip. Tiffany's salad was gigantic but a really interesting flavor combination in which nothing overpowered anything else. It had a light ceasar dressing on it and the sausage was the kind you put on a cheese platter, not like Italian sausage that has been cooked. My French Dip was alright. The menu said mushrooms but all I saw and tasted was roast beef and carmelized onions. The au jus didn't seemed to have too much to it either. The potato salad on the side had an orange color to the dressing and I figured paprika once I realized it wasn't very southwest/taco-like in taste, but it was good. All in all the meal was great, however for a Tuesday night and only having three tables in the place, I would have expected a little better service. Our waitress was chatting in the back with co-workers while Tiffany waited for a beverage and eventually just went to the bar to buy it and I had to make direct eye contact with her to get her over for the bill. Definitely something to be worked on.

So that's my last 5 days in review. I enjoyed every bit of what I had and thank my great friends for venturing out with me. We always seem to make a great time out of an unplanned night!

Waukesha County Fair

2009-07-15T13:20:00.001-07:00

Yes its that time of year already, the Waukesha County Fair starts today and runs thru Sunday on the Waukesha County Fairgrounds. (Sponsored by Aurora Health Care). Yes I have that memorized along with many other really facinating details of the Fair.

And again, I am in search of something unique and yummy at the Fair. In the gate handout that you receive upon entering the Fair, or find throughout the fairgrounds, a coupon for 50 cents off a Beer Battered Brat is trying to lure me in. Not sure if I'm going to be the first to try this, but I think I might be able to convince myself to have one by Sunday! Hey - there is a coupon on it and if they were willing to pay $$$ for the coupon space, I bet its worth it!

Catfish Johnny's will probably see my business for their catfish fries (I think that's what they are called) as well as Silver Spur for their amazing Chicken tenders with their secret Honey Mustard! I delivered cream puffs to the media for the last two days and surprisingly I never tempted myself into having one. I guess I never have been a cream puff fan and even having 50+ around me at one point didn't change the fact that its just a cream puff. Don't get me wrong, the media loved them and scarfed them down when we brought them, they just aren't for me. I might splurge for the 4-H ice cream cones. That will definitely cool me off.

But anyways, weather is looking great for the weekend and I hope you have a chance to stop out.

Thursday night - Herman's Hermits is on the Leinie Lodge stage at 7:30 pm & Demo Derby at 7 pm
Friday night - The Black Crowes perform on the Miller Light Main Stage at 8 pm
Saturday night - Gin Blossoms & Tonic co-headline the Miller Light Main Stage at 8 pm
Sunday night - REO Speedwagon perfom on the Miller Lite Main Stage at 6 pm

Of course there is always The Toys, Sweet Tarts and Left on Sunset to perform throughout the weekend in the Leinie Lodge. Check www.WaukeshaCountyFair.com for all the details. Hope to see you out there!

Five Points gets more Food!

2009-06-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm so unbelievably thrilled. This eye-sore has bugged me in Waukesha since I started at Image Makers. For those of you familiar with downtown Waukesha and the Five Points, there was an ice cream shop on one of the points, that was never opened, had horribly faded signage and didn't look appealing for a cute corner hot dog/ice cream stand. I emailed a fellow Waukesha blogger and he explained that the owner made their own hours and that was why it was never open, AND that if I really wanted to make the place into something great to help downtown Waukesha, that I should buy it.

Well of course I don't have the funding to open an ice cream parlor, but the thought is still in my mind for something I would love to do later in life. But I kept walking by the place hoping for change, or for me to win the lottery or something to help the owner out and make it the profitable place it could be.

Well to my amazement, I saw an article on WaukeshaNow.com today stating a Sloppy Joe diner is coming to downtown! So of course I have to read the article, and much to my surprise, the ice cream parlor sold to the owners of Divino Gelato and its only a matter of time until its another wonderful place. (If you haven't been to Divino Gelato yet, you must - Just west of the intersection of Main Street and Barstow, on Main - in downtown Waukesha!)

So read the article below and I will of course review the place once open!!!!

By Darryl Enriquez of the Journal Sentinel

Miss Kim's, the seldom-open diner that forever occupied a prime corner on the Five Points, is gone.

Joe and Lois Lester, owners of the popular Divino Gelato Cafe on W. Main St., are opening a restaurant within a couple of weeks that will feature sloppy Joe's, real ice cream, a soda fountain and hot dogs.

Over the weekend, the Lesters began interior clean up and scrapped off the painted signs that Miss Kim had on the windows.

Miss Kim is okay. She just decided to let go of the business, Joe Lester said.

The name of the place, at this point, is Sloppy Joe's Featuring the Pink Poodle. Lois Lester said the place will have a 1950s feel to it and some of the staff will wear poodle skirts, which she is having made.

The new diner will be kitty-corner the posh Black Trumpet Restaurant.

Need some time to CHILL!

2009-06-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Yes it has been a while since I blogged, but I have been super busy with bday parties and getting into summer that I just haven't had time. This will be a shorter entry(maybe) but I just wanted to let you know the places I have been in the last few weeks.

I have stopped into Chill Wine Bar in downtown Waukesha a few times and enjoyed the company of my roommate while trying some great martini's. I like the Barney Martini and the Cherry Squirt, but I also have asked the bartender to experiment and he made a pineapple-y/melon/tropical martini for me and it was delish. My roommate likes them a little stronger so I challenged her to the Gobstopper martini, which has every flavor of the pinnacle vodkas in it (probably over 8 flavors), some grenadine, apple syrup and a cherry of course. On Saturday nights, the bartender and his girlfriend jam out. Definitely stop by. It is located on Gaspar street, between South and Main, near Martha Merrils Bookstore.

Secondly, I went to downtown Milwaukee for my friend Amy's bday. We started with dinner at Water Buffalo (corner of Water & Buffalo!) and as always, the food was amazing. I got the shrimp stuffed shells that I just love there. The addition of the pine nuts in the ricotta cheese just makes them so dang tasty. I did get to try the braised ribs that my boss ordered and the meat just melted in my mouth. Definitely something to keep in mind for next time! Everyone's meals looked amazing including the chicken sandwiches, burgers and half chicken meal that I saw. No one complained about anything so I believe everyone enjoyed it as much as me.

After dinner we traveled to Milwaukee Ale House. I have never been inside of there before and have only heard great things, so I was pretty excited. However, for a Thursday night, it was really, really dead. I would say maybe 20 people in the whole place! Karaoke was going on but after the first 3 people went up and sang like they were in the top 8 of American Idol, we decided not to sing at all because it would only horribly embarrass us. So we finished our drinks and moved on. Oh yeah, I tried an Ale House specialty beer called something like Milwaukee Night Lights and it was great. On the lines of a Honeyweiss, but a little heavier.

We then finished the night at Buckhead Saloon. Two complaints (and maybe this is just because I'm getting older) One, on ladies night, there should not be a bikini contest with a bunch of drunk girls loosing their tops and trying to dance. I understand you want men to come in on ladies night, but this took away from our dance floor and that made us sad. Two, do you really need to have beer pong at bars? Can't we keep this as an at home kinda thing. It too takes up a lot of space that could have been used for dancing and more, but walking around the tables and the slippery floor was not fun. I do like the mini patio in the back to get fresh air. All in all, we did have the most fun there and danced later in the night when the contest was done. I have my fill of Milwaukee bars for a bit, unless I'm going to a club or lounge type place, or someone else is paying. Anyone willing?

Mom's Day Brunch

2009-05-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Word to the wise, if you want to make reservations for a brunch for Mother's Day - Plan at least three weeks in advance. My brother and I were not quite that quick and decided that instead of cramming Mom, Dad, Granny and us in a booth at 1:30 (not really brunch anymore), that him and I would cook it all. And I have to say, it turned out quite amazing.

I have no pictures for proof of this miracle that took place, but I will let you know what we all made. I made the famous "Zubarik Party Potatoes" first because they bake for a little over an hour. Its cream of celery soup, cream of potato soup, milk, sour cream, melted butter and hash browns (cubed variety, not shredded). Mix it all up and in an hour and 20 minutes you have the best potatoes ever! (in my opinion!)

Then I made the muffins - lemon poppy seed and blueberry - thanks to Betty Crocker's just add water varieties - Quick and easy when you are pressed for cooking time. Besides the fruit salad, the remainder of the food was stove top preparation. Scrambled eggs, ham steaks, bacon, and cinnamon french toast. Everything turned out great, no fighting between my brother and I, no one got burnt (just a little bacon grease spatterings).

Mimosa's were poured and enjoyed by all, and of course we had pecan kringle and cream cheese coffee cake for dessert. I have to say, I'm extremely surprised at how flawlessly everything went. Mom was extremely happy, along with grandma. I think for Father's day we are going to grill out! That's easier preparation - pasta salad and potato salad can be made in advance without getting soggy or dried out! And my mom is a grilling whiz! I hope I pick up some of her skills so I can grill as well someday. I'm good with burgers and brats, steaks I'm ok, but I need to work on my chicken skills - I seem to always burn it! Until next time - happy eating!

Generations at 5 Points

2009-03-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

I tried another great place in Waukesha yesterday with my friend Ericka. Generations at 5 Points is located (as the name states) right on the 5 points of Waukesha. Where Grand, South, Main and Broadway intersect to make the crazy intersetion in downtown. It is located on Main Street just east of the intersection and the place was definitely overdue in Waukesha. I would classify it as a lounge with nice low seating in front, bar tops in the middle and tables in the back. The lighting in the place was all a soft blue hue which was calming and inviting.

Now onto the drinks and food. The wine list was expansive and definitely had a great variety for decent prices. You can get it by the glass or the bottle. Then there were two pages of martini's and we each found one we liked. Mine was named "Bedroom Eyes" and had Midori, X-rated, Red Bull and a splash of Sprite. It was delicious - very fruity and a funky green color. Ericka ordered a Sapphire L'Orange martini which had Bombay Sapphire Gin, Grey Goose L'Orange Vodka and a splash of seltzer (comes with tonic, Ericka asked for seltzer instead) It was served with a blood red orange on it and was pretty strong but tasty!

We had a hard time deciding on which tapas (small plate dining) to get because everything sounded so good. Our server let us know that the tapas change every month but the popular ones would stay on the menu. I ordered the chicken potstickers which were much different than most potstickers I have had in the past. Usually they are greasy little puffy shell things but these were flatter in what seemed to be an egg roll wrap. Three of them probably had the same amount of filling as 5 regular ones. They were served on top of bean sprouts and pea pods in a Thai peanut sauce. The sauce was absolutely amazing and not over oily. I am definitely a fan. They also had lamb potstickers that intrigued me. NEXT TIME!

Ericka ordered spicy calamari and for small plate dining there were plenty of calamari for both of us. They served both types of calamari - the rings and the mini octopus looking ones. I get a little grossed out when the legs are dangling in front of me, but I made it through and enjoyed. The calamari was definitely spicy but the marinara sauce (homemade I believe) helped tame the red pepper. I hate when calamari is overcooked and tastes like rubberbands, but these were done just right. Just enough breading to add the crunch and spice but not take away from the flavor of the calamari at all.

I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a light meal or just some drinks. Martinis were around $8 - $10 and the tapas we ordered were $7 & $9 - so for $40 we were happily satisfied. The staff was really friendly and inviting as well. I will definitely be returning and hopefully trying their baked french onion soup soon!

www.gen-five.com - currently the link didn't work for me, but I hope its up and running again soon.

Popcorn and Fish Frys

2009-03-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Only 32 days to go on my Lenten Journey, but I have had some set backs already and I think I was a little too ambitious on making so many rules. Here's the rundown and status update:

Fast Food - don't even want it - I think of how bad it is for me and immediately think of something else to have instead!

Being Lazy - I have been making a conscious effort to get in more workouts, however I'm not happy with the results and know I need to step it up. Bethesda Park is already flooded for the year, so I have to find another walking path!

Sweets and Mtn. Dew cutting back - This is the one that I'm struggling with the most. I had a Mt. Dew the first week of Lent and forced myself to work extra hard at the gym the next day to work it all off. I have only had one since (the one I'm currently enjoying) but other sweets I have cut back on. (I will admit I bought a donut, but by the time I tried to eat it, all the frosting was stuck to the bag and I threw it out!)

Potato Chips - I haven't had a chip since Lent began, but I have found popcorn to be a good replacement - in the 99.4% fat free kind. However, Poppin on Broadway keeps calling my name and I have bought a few gourmet bags that I know can't be good for me! I have shared them tho and they are small bags.

Spending Frivolously - I have actually started writing things back down in my checkbook and I have realized I should not keep cash on hand because I will spend it. I hope that in the next 32 days, I can make decent progress and get myself in a positive savings direction again.

So that's the update - now to the food. I already mentioned Poppin' On Broadway, but I have to give Kathy mad props for her amazing flavor combinations and awesome selection. If you want a flavor, I bet she can make it. My favorite is the Broadway blend which is butter, cheese and caramel corn all mixed together. She had me sample her caramel covered cheese corn and its heaven. She does all sorts of flavored coatings and then seasonings too. I bought a parmesan garlic bag of popcorn and that was great as well. My aunt and uncle received a cocoa popcorn with m&ms and a vanilla almond one which they loved. I will be sending them more of those throughout the year! I enjoy going to Kathy's shop and hope that she makes it, but I have to realize its a treat and not something I can indulge in every week!

And of course, Tiffany and I enjoyed another fish fry being Friday in Lent! Only Wisconsin knows how to combine our love of fried food and beer so well! We started with a cocktail at Chill again and the bartender was finishing his dinner, which was the fish fry from Daddy-Oh's. Being from Illinois, he hasn't had many fish frys but said Daddy-Oh's was his fave. He made Tiffany a very interesting Berry Martini with cool syrup drizzled in the glass. I opted for the Barney martini with Blue Curacao and Grape Vodka. It was definitely purple. Tiffany got a second martini while we still decided where to go and this time it was Melon infused. We were very satisfied with our martini's and watched the place fill up really quickly around 7 pm. The bartender even jammed for us on his guitar for a bit, being it his last Friday night.

So after all that, we decided to try Daddy-Oh's. I have walked by on my lunch many times and seen the place quite crowded but I hadn't heard much about it. Its kind of like a diner and family restaurant in one. It has booths up front, a counter with swivel chairs and tables for 4 in the back. We chose a booth up front and started checking out the menu right away. The menu said right on it that it had an award winning fish fry, so I was psyched! We each got a fish fry - mine with potato pancakes of course and Tiffany got a baked potato. She ordered a side salad and I got the clam chowder. Then of course we treated ourselves and got the mozzarella sticks and a Peroni each to enjoy.

And now the critique: The mozzarella sticks were beer battered and wonderful. About 2 inches long, they were the perfect size appetizer. My soup was pretty good but I burnt my tongue on the first bite. Tiff's salad looked wonderful and the croutons were warm, fresh and buttery! The beers were good, but unfortunately they expired in the middle of '06. When I brought it to the waiters attention he asked if we wanted something different which we declined but suggested he not serve anymore Peroni's that are almost 3 years out of date. (The gentleman at the table behind us ordered a Peroni and the server still served it to him, with us right there still! I guess he didn't really care.)

The fish came shortly there after with swirled rye bread, coleslaw and 3 decent sized pieces of fish. The coleslaw was a little bland and I added a lot of pepper to it. The rye bread looked so pretty on the table, but I rarely ever eat it because I get so full on the fish. The fish was pretty good, piping hot is how I like it and with a little squirt of lemon over it. I did use some tartar which just tasted like typical tartar to me. The potato pancakes were the kind that would have been better served with sour cream than applesauce. They had a lot of green flakes in them which I figured out to be a whole mess of herbs and chives. They were definitely unlike any potato cakes I have had before and I'm not sure if I would get them again. Tiffany's baked potato was perfect she said with just enough sour cream and butter available on the side.

We will probably go back to the restaurant and maybe have the fry again, but their sandwiches sounded really great too, so I'm curious to try some other things. For $40, we received two gigantic fish frys, a cup of soup, a dinner salad, an appetizer and 3 beers. Not too bad. I wasn't able to finish my fish fry and brought a full piece home and we brought home one mozz stick too!

Lenten Ritual

2009-02-25T11:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, its that time of year again, when I sit down and take time to reflect on the negatives in my life and ways to fix them. My never ending battle with "bad for me, but tastes so good" food is always a forerunner for things to give up during Lent. For the past two years, I have given up sweets and it has gone very well. Besides one shot with regular Red Bull last year, I can honestly say I didn't have any sweets (diet soda doesn't count). Last year, I tacked on no Fast Food, because well, it was getting too convenient for me to order up some deep fried grub and mow it down everyday. I began noticing the pounds pile on. In direct correlation to the no Fast Food, I also gave up being lazy. This one is a bit harder to accomplish because working 13 hours days 1 - 2 times a week makes exercise quite difficult and I'm usually pretty exhausted.

So now here are the things that I'm giving up this year for Lent. Lent begins today and goes until April 12 - that is 2 days after Brewer's Opening Day (Brewers tees are a little tight) and 46 days from today, so I'm hoping to really make some major changes that will hopefully stick with me even after the 46 days.

1) Giving up Sweets - This is mainly to kick my Mountain Dew habit which has gotten a bit out of control lately. I need to look at it as a treat, just like cake at a party or ice cream and not something I can have all the time. Every bottle is 330 empty sugar calories that I don't need residing around my middle or eating away at my teeth. I will miss you Mtn. Dew - stay just as tasty and I'll treat myself to ou when I'm done! Also, I don't think I will need the cookies, candy or other treats in my life right now if I want to fit back into some of my summer clothes.

2) Fast Food - Again this year, I will give up Fast Food, with the same exceptions as last year. 1 - Lettuce based salads are fine with dressing on the side. 2 - Sub shops are not considered fast food, I just need to order in a low fat manner (thank goodness I have been reintroduced to Mustard in the last year and like it!)

3) Being Lazy - I pay for a gym membership every month and I bet I can count on 1 hand the number of times I went to the gym in 2008. So I'm going to have to get my butt in gear and set aside time to go and not make lame-o excuses. Also, finding out that I can rent workout DVD's on Netflix is awesome- One a week is good for me!

4) Potato Chips - They are my downfall - carbs, carbs, deep friend, yummy carbs! Standing around at the liquor store at night, the "single serving" bags just stare at me until I break down and buy them. And I could rationalize it until about 6 months ago when I realized that the "single serving $.99" bags are actually 3 servings and can have upwards of 20+ grams of fat in a bag. Having that instead of dinner is not a good route to go. Finding a substitute for chips is going to be tough, but my mom eats carrot chips with salsa and I think I could do that - or with sour cream!! We will see if that works!

5) Finally, my dwindling bank account has allowed me to see that I have enjoyed a good life this last year - probably too good. I have spent where I shouldn't have and didn't save nearly enough. So for the next 46 days, I will not be spending like I have been and would like to enjoy more company at my apartment instead of going out all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the bar, but when you are easily spending $20 every time you go, that's a lot of moola that I don't need to be wasting. So Fox View, we have had some great times in the last year, but I'm going to be taking a break from you and saving my wallet. You may see me there, but you won't be getting all my money like before! HaHa!

So there you have it, my 5 Lenten "give ups." I'm hoping to make it through these next 46 days without being a complete whiny, crabby person, but I make no guarantees. If I find ways around the potato chip craving, I'll post about that and leave status updates. Until tomorrow!!! (or the next few days!)

Best Meal Ever!

2009-02-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, again I took a long "pause" from writing and I have some other places to write about as well, but I have to tell you all about my dinner at Fleming's because it is the creme de la creme in my book.

Adam took me to Fleming's Prime Steak House & Wine Bar on Saturday night and although it is a franchise, the food is definitely one of a kind. We made 5:45 reservations and upon entering the restaurant, I knew I was in for a treat. We could have checked our jackets if we wanted to and also sat at the bar and had a cocktail first, but we were hungry and wanted to get to eating. Although it had formal ways of doing things, it was casual as well. We were able to sit back and relax and I didn't feel too out of my element. We were taken to a nice table with two short walls next to it, so it was semi-private. Though near the kitchen, I was not bothered by the noise once. I also had a great view of their wine room and the entire restaurant was decorated with magnums of different wines all over.

Our waitress was amazing and explained about the specials for the evening as well as that the entrees come a la carte and sides were to be ordered extra. They had over 100 wines available to choose from on the first 4 pages of the menu and I was in awe in that alone. I chose a MacMurray Pinot Noir for myself and I chose a Hogue Merlot for Adam. He was not a wine drinker but was curious and drank some of it. (I finished it with my dessert)!

They brought out a "snack platter" (I'm sure there is a better name for it, but that's all I can come up with at the moment) which had crackers, celery and radishes on it. There was a brie butter spread which was excellent, and a cabernet spread that was a little too vinegary for me.

We decided on an appetizer to start and what an appetizer it was. It was called the Chilled Seafood Tower for Two and had Lobster, 2 types of crab, shrimp and other yummies on it. I have never had such a grand display of seafood in front of me and if the restaurant wasn't so dark or formal, I would have taken pictures to share. The king crab legs were already split and the cocktail and mustard sauces that were served with the appetizer were excellent pairings. This was my first time having lobster and remembering it and it was better than I imagined.

Then came the entrees. The night special of a steak and stuffed salmon sounded great but I couldn't get my mind off the petite filet mignon on the menu. And a baked potato sounded so good to go with it. So that was my choice, done medium which of course they did perfectly and the potato came loaded with butter, sour cream, bacon and cheese. The steak just melted in my mouth and I savored every single bite.

Adam ordered the bone in ribeye and compared to my filet of about 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall, his ribeye filled his entire plate. He ordered it med-well and again, they did an excellent job. He ordered grilled asparagus on the side which was excellent as well.

And of course once the waitress mentioned the lava cake dessert that cooks while you enjoy your entree, we had to have that as well. I have heard of lava cakes before and in recent shows I have watched, they have been talking about their molten center and I never understood. It came out about 10 minutes after we finished our entrees and was plated perfectly for ultimate enjoyment. It had raspberries and a mint leaf ganish on top with two small scoops of ice cream on the side. We were also offered their homemade vanilla whipped cream to eat with the cake and that I couldn't resist. The second I spooned into the cake, I now understood the lava part. Gooey chocolate goodness began running from the middle of the cake and the warmth of the cake mixed with the cold ice cream was completely and totally satisfying for my palate.

Of course all of this goodness comes at a high price and this was definitely a treat that I am very happy I could enjoy (with the perfect company)! I am very thankful that Adam took me there and we had time to talk and relax. Although I was pretty stuffed when I left, I wasn't in pain (I have eaten to that point before - I think Adam might have been there!) I won't be going back there as often as I would like too, but I will definitely recommend this place to anyone that wants a very nice night out. Anniversary, promotion, intimate birthday - this is the place to go!

Holiday Yum Yums

2009-01-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know I'm behind on blogging and unfortunately, I just wrote it and lovely blogger erased it all for me. So here is my second attempt.

Every year at Image Makers, we do a holiday potluck lunch and gift exchange. It gives us all a 2 hour break to eat and talk and relax compared to our hectic days here. A sign up sheet is put up around Thanksgiving and we just ask that we cover everything so as to have an enjoyable meal.

This year, I made Mandarin Chicken Almond bites. I will admit I found the recipe on the back of a box of triscuits, but with slight modifications I made it my own. Basically you chop up a cooked chicken breast (that I marinated with 7-up and syrup from the mandarin oranges), mandarin oranges, crasins and almonds. Gloop all that together with a very small amount of miracle whip, add a little pepper to taste and voila! Yumminess! Chill in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors spread throughout and then scoop onto Triscuits. It was a big hit at the party and I had to reveal my secret. Oh well.

Next, I will talk about Christmas Eve and the wonderful evening at my bro and sis-in-laws. Lyndsey spent a lot of time making a wondeful meal and it all paid off because there wasn't one thing that didn't turn out or that someone didn't like. Let's start with the appetizers. Hot spinach and artichoke dip always goes over big at any party and it was sooooo yummy. Next was a sweet yougurt dip for pretzels and apples. This was my mom's favorite. The yogurt wasn't too sweet that it overpowered the apples either. And the salt and sweet when on a pretzel was delish. Finally, I have to rave about her brie. Firstoff, I have never had brie and for this to be my first time, it definitely made me a fan of more cheese. She put the piece of brie inside a pastry shell with raisins, almonds and apricot preserves, then wrapped the pastry around it and cooked it int he oven. She served it with crackers, but I think the pastry was amazing in itself that I didn't need the crackers. I took this recipe from her and definitely want to try it out at my next party. Hopefully I will be having a wine tasting party at my house soon.

Lyndsey also made an amazing Wassail, which is a spiced hot drink to enjoy after dinner. My grandma took the rest home with her to share with her "lady friends." (I love how old people talk!)

And now onto the main course. The table set up alone was worthy of being in Milwaukee Home Magazine or something on those lines HGTV - it was gorgeous. The candle holders matched the plates that went with the goblets, it was beautiful (Insert photo from Dad here soon!). Dinner began with a sweet raspberry vinagrette salad. My grandma isn't a fan of lettuce and she enjoyed the salad a lot.

The ham was from Honey Baked Ham and it was delicious - juicy and pulled right away from the bone. There were also mashed potatoes, asparagus, buttered corn, biscuits and muffins. I might be missing something else but I hope not.

And of course we had dessert of pecan pie and warm apple crisp. The apple crisp cooked during dinner and so it was so enjoyable after the meal. And the best part of it all!!! My brother and Lyndsey were leaving for Omaha the next morning and my parents were heading to California in two days, so.....I GOT ALL THE LEFTOVERS! It was such a treat and tasted even better reheated! I was able to share the brie with my roommate and she is a fan now too!

Ok - I shall add pics when I get them and hopefully post about New Years and the restaurants I have gone to in the last few weeks soon. I'm catching up and I might even have more after tonight. And now I'm hungry, so I'm off to find food!

Taters and Lunch!

2008-11-20T11:21:00.001-08:00

Wow - It's been a long time but I haven't done too much cooking lately to write about. However, I did do something fun last week and todays lunch was amazing! So let's dig in!

I bought a package of Simply Potatoes shredded hash browns a while back and kept putting off making them. You technically aren't supposed to freeze them, but I did and besides a little extra wateryness in the bag, they were just fine. Well I didn't want to make 8 servings of hash browns, so I decided to go to their website and try a recipe or two.

If you know me at all, you know that any chance I get, I order potato pancakes if its an option. I love them with applesauce. The right mix of salt and sweet. So there was a recipe on the site for simple potato pancakes. Onion, carrot, flour, salt, egg and pepper was really all there was too it. The tricky part is getting the oil/pam the proper temperature so it doesn't burn but will stick together and get golden brown and crunchy on the edges.

Well my first two I put in the pan, I realized right away were way too large and lumpy. In attempting to flip them, they just crumpled apart into hashbrown pieces. So I decided to just finish cooking those as hashbrowns and try again. I made the next two much much smaller and flattened them out more.

I must have had the perfect temperature pan by this time too because they turned out wonderfully. I made 3 more with the remaining batter. So I used half a bag of potato shreds and could have gotten 7 or 8 pancakes out of it total had I not made the first ones so large. It was fun to experiment tho! And I ate these with sour cream, something I have never tried before and only did it because we had no applesauce or syrup available. They were delicous and made it more like a dinner tasting meal.

And now for my zesty lunch today. I really was having a struggle figuring out what I wanted to eat today and then remembered Ray's on South (one of my new faves in Waukesha) does serve lunch. So I looked up the menu online and called in my order. It was ready in 10 minutes! I ordered myself a 1/2 hot ham and cheese sandwich and a cup of the zesty spinach soup. I didn't know what to expect when I got the soup because I didn't ask any details but I figured that I love spinach so it just had to be good.

The soup should be renamed pizza soup - I know that sounds lame, but it describes the soup so much better than Zesty Spinach. There was a lot of spinach is a tomato base, but there was also crumbled sausage, mushroom slices, onions and even pepperoni! It was seasoned pretty well and except for burning my mouth on the first sip (as I always do), I really really enjoyed it. The sandwich came on a nice soft roll and the ham was deli shaved and brown sugar smoked. I got cheddar melted over it and they did that in an oven for sure because the bun was a little toasted. It came with 3 pickle slices on the side and was the perfect salt to end the meal.

Prices are that of an upscale deli - $8.50 for my soup and sandwich combo, but I'm content and very satisfied. Between this and Rochester Deli, I'm never gonna worry about having a great fresh meal for lunch.

Stir Crazy!!!!!

2008-10-21T08:10:00.001-07:00

I just have to absolutely rave about Stir Crazy! Altho its not my favorite Asian restaurant, it definitely takes second. HuHot will remain #1. But anyways, last week Monday, Kathy and I decided to go to dinner at Stir Crazy at Brookfield Square. It's in the parking lot on the Boston Store end. Come Christmas shopping season, good luck finding parking there. Between Flemmings and Fresh Market, its already at a premium.

So we arrive and walk in and immediately the smells overwhelm me and I know I'm in for a treat. The bar is an oval to the left of the entrance and it seems like their specialty is wine - Yay! We are seated at a booth that is large enough for 8 when its only teh two of us. No lie - you could fit 8 but it was set for 6. So I'm looking around trying to figure out what is all going on. The entire back wall is a kitchen area and poeple are going down an assembly line and standing in front of woks and stuff. I was really confused as to what was going on and couldn't wait for our waitress to come and tell us about it.

She arrived and explained that there are two ways to order. You can order straight off the menu or enjoy their market bar in which you fill a mini wok with all the veggies you want, choose a meat and a sauce and carb (noodle/rice) and then a master chef will cook it for you to perfection. Kathy and I both decided on this and some martinis. (sorry wine - I'm ready for you next time.)

So she brings over our woks which are placed on a metal rack with handle and has a sauce cup and tells us to go load up and wait in line. So we went up to the veggie bar and I loaded up on bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, celery, carrots, snap peas, pineapple, broccoli and probably something else. Then I choose my sauce - they had about 6 to choose from. I mixed the traditional chinese sauce and terriyaki sauce so that it wouldn't be too salty. Kathy chose peanut sauce. (I'm always leary of peanut sauce being to spicy and overpowering my food!). Then I garnished with a little garlic and ginger root and waited for a wok to be available. I chose to add chicken and flat rice noodles.

I believe there were 8 woks and 4 chefs. Each chef managed two woks and had to clean and prepare our meal at the same time. Kathy got to a wok first and the second hers hit the pan, I was in heaven. The smell was amazing. I got mine in a wok a few seconds later and was just amazed at their chopping and flipping skills. They didn't lose any of my veggies!

So we get back to the table and our drinks have arrived. Kathy ordered a Strawberry Gintini - I'm not a fan of gin, but she loved it. I ordered a green dragon which was an appletini with midori melon liquor added. Double yum for adding the melon. It was amazing! We enjoyed our food and didn't do too much talking because we both loved it so much. I tried her peanut sauce on lo mein noodles and it was just right. Just enough spice but not too much that you didn't taste anything else. I'm glad I dulled down my teriyaki because I had the best stir fry I have ever had! And I had enough for dinner the next night too!

During our meal, I began to hear a loud banging on a gong sound and look up to see a master chef indeed banging on a large gong. When he stopped, the remaining chefs all lit the woks on fire for a show. It was really cool to see a wall of flames in the kitchen. Definitely added to the atmosphere. They did it again while we were enjoying dessert, so I'm thinking once an hour maybe???

And of course we had to indulge in dessert - because why not! We ordered the chocolate fondue with pineapple, mango and bananas! The chocolate was ok - nothing too spectacular, but the fruits were wonderful. I was stuffed and when the bill came I was a little scared, but much to my surprise it was very manageable. Two entrees, two martinis and dessert for $55!

My only complaint was the noise level. It's styled in the new open concept restaurant fashion with high ceilings and open duct-work, so it makes for a lot of background noise. However, I never heard specifics of other people's conversations, just an overall noise. The gigantic chopsticks and shrimp on the ceiling were a fun little addition. I hope to go back soon, if not before Thanksgiving, then I will wait until after Christmas, because I hate struggling for parking!

Birthday Treats!

2008-10-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

I am now officially 27 years old and how can anyone age another year without a party, food and drinks to celebrate?! Of course I celebrated in style and went overboard with food, but I would rather have too much than not enough. Ok, I'll run down the menu with you and break down the menu items that you may not know.

A party is not a party in the Zubarik household if Taco Dip isn't present. The only thing that I have learned to do differently because I hate cutting tomatoes, is to buy ones that are diced with green chilies mixed it. I just drained the can and then scoop out some of the tomatoes mixture and sprinkle over the top. Chips and Salsa was also present with the additional diced tomatoes with chilies added to the salsa. People raved about it!

Next I had a veggie tray complete with baby carrots, celery, cauliflower, green pepper and cucumbers. Tiffany's mom bought this dip called "Spinach Finach" in which you just add the mix to 16 oz. of sour cream. It had a nice zesty flavor which contrasted against the veggies perfectly.

Beer Dip was by far the favorite item on the buffet. And it was probably one of the easiest. 2 pkgs. cream cheese (I use the neufchatel 1/3 less fat variety), 1 pkg. dried ranch mix, 2 cups shredded cheese (the fancy, thin shred works the best) and about 6 oz. of beer. Just mix the ranch mix into the cream cheese by electric mixer (to save your arm), the slowly mix in the cheese and lastly add the beer about 2 oz. at a time. I used the "new-old" Schlitz and you could definitely taste that it wasn't just a Miller Lite in there. Just refrigerate for about an hour so it thickens and serve with pretzels.

Cheese and summer sausage with crackers is also a must have in the Zubarik's because it's easy and pretty much everyone will eat it. For some sweets on the table, I bought the Pillsbury premade cookies (with pumpkins and cats on them) and had a candy bowl. Chips and french onion dip was another easy table filler that I knew people would enjoy!

Then I decided to make some fun and yummy treats, so I made homemade (soft?) pretzels and Conky Wonks. I'll start with the pretzels:

1 tube Pillsbury breadsticks

1 egg, lightly blended

kosher sea salt

cheese sauce

2 tbsp. milk

Unroll the breadsticks into the 12 pieces of dough. Cut each of those pieces in half lengthwise. Then roll the dough to make a 10 inch long string. Loop it around into a pretzel shape and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat until all 24 are done. Brush them with the egg, sprinkle the salt over them and cook in the oven for 15 mintues at 350 degrees (or until lightly browned). Unfortunately, in my oven they ended up a little harder than the soft breadstick-like pretzel they were supposed to be. But once you warm up the cheese sauce and thin it out with a little milk, the combo was delicious and I would definitely make them again.

And finally the Conky Wonks - probably not the most attractive looking things but definitely delicious:

1 lb. hamburger

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 lb. velvetta cheese, cubed

1 loaf party rye bread

Brown and drain off the meats. Add the velveeta and cook on low heat on the stove until the cheese is all melted. Scoop out onto the rye squares and place on cookie sheets. Cook in the oven for 5 mintues at 425 degrees, to crisp the bread and the top of the meat. They warm up awesome in the microwave (only 15-20 seconds) and once I got people to try them, everyone loved them. They are defiitley my favorite, but if you are cooking for less than 20 people, defiitely make only a half recipe. I have tons left over!

Tiffany made me my cake and it was PINK!!! Love it. We made the diet soda cake in the microwave and it didn't turn out completely perfect, but we pieced it together and covered it in frosting and no one really cared. Sugar with sugar with sugary sprinkles - who would complain!!??

Drinks included beer, vodka, rum and margaritas thanks to my bday gift from my co-workers.

All in all, I think everyone found something they enjoyed to eat and definitely had plenty to drink. Now how will I top this for 28?

Tilapia, Cauliflower & Muffins, Oh My!

2008-10-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

This week hasn't been a good one for too many new recipes or treats. I have kinda just been working with what I have had around the apartment. But let me tell you the few things I have tried are pretty delish!

We will start with the Tilapia. I have fallen in love with a fish - crazy. Even more crazy, I had no idea what the entire fish looked like until now, just the delicious prepackaged filets I eat. (cute little bugger!) About two weeks ago, my mom took me grocery shopping to get my spirits up about a minor weight gain. She thought that with her assitance (financially and thoughtfully) she would help me fill my fridge and cupboards with healthy alternatives to what I was snacking on. Well walking by the frozen seafood case at Pick N Save and saw signs 2/$3 of these little seafood packets. There were cod filiets, tilapia, salmon and ?(can't remember). Well the tilapia was lemon herb and salmon was either teriyaki or plain. I chose plain to reduce the sodium intake and grabbed one of each. To my happy surprise, this little tilapia packet had two small slices of tilapia (a total of 4 ounces) in a light sauce. On the back of the packet were direction of about 6 different ways to cook it. I chose the oven method and was very happy with the outcome. 16 minutes later I had light fluffy tilapia to enjoy.

Now the question was what to have with it to stay healthy. I was really craving mashed potatoes but all those carbs were not making me so excited. That's when it hit me, mashed cauliflower. My co-worker Amy that was on Atkins told me about this alternative. So I zoomed over to my computer and thanks to allrecipes.com (my great friend) I had a great recipe. I steamed the broccoli with a garlic herb seasoning for about 15 minutes, drained it, added some of my wholesome spreadable butter - maybe a teaspoon, a tablespoon of weight watchers whipped cream cheese and a little parmesan cheese for taste. I mashed it all up and what I thought was going to be a soggy gross mess, only two minutes later, very much resembled mashed potatoes. (Doesn't it look like it!!!??) I steamed some green beans and was ready to dive in.

The tilapia was seasoned just right - not too much lemon or spice to cover the taste of the fish and it flaked apart wonderfully. I added just a hint of pepper to it to add a little more zest, but I'm definitely hooked and I hope they go on sale again soon. As for the cauliflower, it was amazingly great. Eventho it doesn't resemble the taste of potatoes at all, the texture and creamyness satisfied my needs. It was very yummy. I would not suggest adding anything like milk instead of cream cheese because the cauliflower is so liquidy already. I added just some pepper and a sprinkle more of parmesan and voila - uber yum. Oh and the beans were beans - nothing special done to them. Just something to fill me up.

So while I was still in a cleaning out the cupboards/health mode last night, I finally decided to do something with the bananas on top of my fridge. Banana bread was my first thought, but unfortunately I don't have a 9X5 pan (note to self - get one!). So I decided on muffins instead. It was the first recipe I found on allrecipes.com (I usually go with one of the top ones due to the ratings). This one had no oil or butter in it, so I gave it a shot.

3 over-ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 (which means 300 for me and up to 350 when you put them in. A little trick from Bobby Flay that allows muffins, cakes and other treats to brown evenly on top because of that burst of heat when it first goes in!) Blend egg and banana. In separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to the egg/banana mix. I ended up adding just a tsp. of water to help thin it. Maybe a little more wouldn't have hurt. The recipe said I would only get 10 muffins, but I got 12. Definitely use liners because these are thick, heavy muffins. They took a little longer than the 25 but maybe my oven temp is off. So I tried one just this morning. You defiitely have to spread something on them because they are a drier muffin with no oil, but for only two eggs and 3/4 cup sugar of badness, I think these muffins are pretty dang good. I will definitely bookmark the recipe and possibly add some nuts (chocolate chips!!! shh!) to the recipe to spice it up.

So another successful time of cooking. I'm really waiting for a flop because I haven't had one in quite a while. But lets not pray on the bad and just enjoy the tasty. This weekend, I'm having appetizers and cocktails for my friends so you will definitely hear about those yummy creations next week (if I remember what they tasted like!!!)