The family Italian restaurant is an often done experience.  Every town in America, no matter the size, has at least one Italian restaurant. This usually means you can get pasta covered in some form of marinara sauce.  Throw some Italian bread on the table and some parmesan cheese out of a green can, and you have the local Italian restaurant.  Recently, my family got to experience something totally different than that when we visited Polcari’s in Salem, NH.

Polcari’s is a local chain (3 locations in New England) that has been family owned for three generations.  The decor is strictly that of a family restaurant.  No ambiance or mood lighting here.  But this should not deter any family looking for a great family meal.  My brood of four started our meals with the bread and oil dipping sauce.  The oil had a little red pepper zip, so that made my precocious daughter turn up her nose, but made my adventuresome son dig in!

After the bread round, we ordered the Polcari’s Signature Antipasto Platter, which came out as a heaping mound of sliced aged Provolone, Mozzarella cheese, imported mortadella, sliced pepperoni, thinly sliced prosciutto, Genoa salami, pepperoncini peppers, black olives and an assortment of homemade marinated vegetables, which include fire roasted red peppers, tender, quartered artichoke hearts, button mushrooms and ripe plumtomatoes.  The presentation was pretty and the food was plentiful, but getting equal portions of each items was difficult.

For our main course, we went for some of the house specialties: Schiaffettoni (pronounced: ski-uf-fet-tony), which is rigatoni tossed in a rich sauce of sweet caramelized onions, toasted walnuts, fresh spinach and a garlic cream sauce.  We also ordered Sweet Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Cavatappi Pasta which came in a light cream Marinara sauce.  And lastly, a well presented order of stuffed shells was chosen.  The theme of food at Polcari’s is to think big.  All of the portions were huge and were enough for us to take home and continue eating for three days!  Not only was the quantity amazing, so was the quality.  Each of these meals was delicious.

My family loved Polcari’s, and we will be returning.  If you are in New England and want to be well fed at reasonable prices, check them out.

Just last week I wrote about the arrival of chilly fall days and making soup.  It may come of no surprise to my fellow New Englanders, but a day or two after that, we had very warm weather.  In this part of the country, you need to have a big bureau with room for both cold and warm weather clothes, as you never know what the day will bring!

So, as the temperature was set to rise to 80, it was no longer soup and homemade bread weather.  The warmth and humidity lent themselves to a salad dinner.  I adore almost every salad available, especially Caesar.  However, with many local orchards full of ripe apples, I wanted to use them in my salad.

I find that in most dishes apples compliment poultry quite nicely, which made chicken an easy choice for the other main ingredient in my salad.  Rather than making a tossed salad, I opted to make a mayonnaise and sour cream apple-chicken salad combination that sat atop lettuce.  With the creaminess of the salad, there was no need for additional dressing.  (However, having said that, I prefer my salads to be on the drier side.  My husband and kids thought that there could have been more dressing on the salad, so you may want to increase the amounts.)

Served with leftover breadsticks from our Turkey Meatball Soup, we kept cool on a warm for September sort of evening.

Apple-Chicken Salad

2 Tb. lowfat mayonnaise

2 Tb. sour cream

1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1 Tb. lemon juice

salt and pepper

4 cooked boneless chicken breasts, diced

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced

2 Fuji apples, cored and diced

1/3 cup walnut, chopped

Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, apples, and walnuts.  Add mayonnaise and sour cream combination, and mix well.  Chill for 1 hour.

Place torn lettuce leaves in 4 salad bowls.  Top each with Apple-Chicken Salad, and serve.

When one thinks of excellent Italian restaurants in America, typically urban locations come to mind.  However, some of the best Italian food I ever have eaten was served at Pasquale’s Ristorante, located in the rural town of Candia, New Hampshire. 

Last Friday, my husband and I joined another couple for dinner at Pasquale’s.  We met them at the bar and were treated to martinis expertly made by Rob.  After a few minutes of conversation we were seated in the Angel Room, which our friends Ryan and Wanda had reserved for our dinner.  They also made arrangements to have a menu specially chosen by the chef for our evening.

This amazing dinner started with a course of pan-fried mussels served with a bechamel sauce and crumb topping.  The mussels were tender, and the sauce was creamy yet not heavy.

Our antipasto course was Zucchine and Melenzane Terrina.  This beautiful creation had delicately thin slices of zucchini encasing layers of eggplant and four cheeses.  To compliment this course we had Greco Di Tufo.  This white wine had an excellent balance between a honey-like sweetness and a bite of acidity.

The next course, the primo piatto, was Spaghetti alle Vongole Macchiato.  The pasta was perfectly cooked al dente and was accented by little neck clams.  Our wine for this course was Fiano di Avellino, a delicious white wine that had a hint of pear.

Arriving next was the secondo piatto, Stinco di Agnello al forno, braised lamb shanks, served with mashed potatoes and green beans.    The lamb was amazingly tender and flavorful, another exceptional dish.  Our dish was accompanied by Mara, a medium-bodied red wine that tasted of spice and fruit.

To complete our meal we were served the dolce course, also known as dessert.  We were presented with small cups of Budino della Nonna.  This rich and creamy pudding-like dish was made with Amaretto, which gave it an incredible almond flavor.  To complete this course, we were served glasses of Moscato Dolce.  This sweet dessert wine was an excellent accompaniment for the dolce.  Sweet but not overbearingly so, it provided a wonderful finishing touch to our 5-course meal.

Although, my husband and I have dined at a wide assortment of restaurants, this is the best Italian restaurant we have visited.  What makes Pasquale’s Ristorante so notable is that it excelled in all areas.  Each course was expertly cooked, had delicious flavors and beautiful presentation, and was delivered with first rate service.  We will be returning soon, most likely bringing friends and sharing our new discovery.

Working from home, I have the benefit of making lunch in my kitchen.  I don’t have to decide either the night before or early that morning what I will want for lunch.

With plans to go to dinner with friends at an Italian restaurant tonight, I wanted a lunch that would not be heavy.  This restaurant is new to my husband and me, so I want to be hungry enough to sample lots of items on the menu.

When lunchtime came around today, the air had a chill and the sky was overcast.  Definitely not a salad sort of day.  I wondered what I could create that would be warm but not too filling.  We had leftover zucchini and cremini mushrooms from a dinner earlier in the week.  We always have whole wheat wraps and a variety of cheeses in the refrigerator.  Together, I decided I would make an interesting pizza.

My husband, who was working from home today also, shared this lunch with me.  For a quickly thrown together lunch, we both thought it was tasty.  One more thing to add to my “What to eat for lunch today?” list.

Very Flat Zucchini Flatbread

2 small zucchini, sliced into 1/2″ rounds

1/2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil

5 cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/2 yellow onion, diced

salt and pepper

1 piece whole wheat flatbread

2 Tb. shredded provolone

2 Tb. shredded parmesan, divided

Preheat oven to 375.  Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.  Place zucchini rounds in pan, cooking for 2 -3 minutes per side, or until zucchini is golden brown.  Remove zucchini from pan, pour olive oil into pan and add mushrooms and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Place flatbread on a pizza peel.  Place zucchini rounds on flatbread, and top with mushrooms and onion.  Sprinkle with provolone and 1 tablespoon of parmesan.  Slide flatbread directly onto oven rack and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove using pizza peel and top with remaining parmesan.  Cut into slices, and serve.

With the arrival of September in New Hampshire, the feel of fall is omnipresent.  Although the days can be warm, the nights are cold, with temperatures dipping into the 40s.  Thus, our menu begins its transformation from salads and fresh produce to soups and homemade bread.

Earlier in the week, the sky was overcast, rain showers were predicted for the majority of the day, and the temperature hovered in the low 60s.  With weather such as this, it seemed like the perfect day to allow a pot of soup to simmer on the stove for the day.

While a chicken broth-based soup sounded perfect, I didn’t want to make traditional chicken noodle soup.  Knowing that I had ground turkey in the freezer, turkey meatballs seemed like a great ingredient for the soup.  With such a hearty element to this soup, I decided not to add pasta or rice.  Instead, a few vegetables added to the soup would give it a variety of colors, flavors, and textures.

When the kids arrived home from school, they could smell the soup and excitedly asked how long it was until dinner.  Sadly, dinner was 3 hours away, but happily they were looking forward to that night’s meal!  To help pass the time until dinner, the kids helped by making homemade breadsticks to accompany the soup.

There were rave reviews about the soup, though our ten year old did question the presence of spinach in her soup.  However, with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the soup, the meal was enjoyed by all.

Turkey Meatball Soup

8 - 10 cups chicken broth

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1-1/2 cups baby carrots, diced

30 turkey meatballs*

1 Tb. Italian seasoning

freshly ground black pepper

6 - 10 oz. baby spinach, chopped

Combine broth, onion, carrots, meatballs, Italian seasoning, and black pepper in a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  (The soup can simmer for hours at this point.  Check every hour, adding more broth, if needed.)

Thirty minutes before serving add spinach.  Stir occasionally.

*Turkey Meatballs

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey

1/3 cup egg whites

1 Tb. water

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 Tb. dried parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, preferably freshly grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 375.  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.  Form mixture into small meatballs, approximately 3/4 inch in diameter.  Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

Scattered throughout the United States are local restaurants that take a different tact on their menu. One of the great things for me is going to these local haunts and trying things that you don’t normally find on every menu. One such place that I went to recently with my parents was The Georgia House Restaurant in Laurel, Delaware.

The restaurant is quaintly situated on the banks of a river and has a large deck for people that choose to enjoy the outdoor feel. Considering we were visiting during the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, we decided to eat in the simple but fresh dining room.

As previously mentioned, the one characteristic that really stood out about The Georgia House was its menu. A vast menu that covered everything from sandwiches to entrees, seafood to pastas, there was an item for almost every taste. On the entrée side they had a whopping 19 sides dish choices! Things like strawberry cantaloupe salad and baked pineapple were next to favorites like french fries and coleslaw. Besides the sides another unique twist was that there were two bread basket choices to go with your meal. We went the “Augusta Bread Basket”, which was a generous portion of homemade sweet potato biscuits, corn pone, and coconut-banana muffins with the first being our favorite.

My parents and I chose Savannah Fish & Chips, Miss Vicky’s Meatloaf, and Country Fried Steak. All of the meals were well presented, and I would classify them as filling, but not exceptional. I love the fact that a small local restaurant in an out of the way place in America had such a varied and aggressive menu. But sadly, I found the execution a little lacking.

In a bright spot to end the meal, I chose a Peach Bread Pudding off of the desert menu (which also had 12 items to choose from) and thought it was wonderful.

The prices were very modest and the service was friendly, so if you are ever in rural Delaware, I think The Georgia House is worth a shot. It will not amaze you with taste, but the varied and creative meal is probably worth your time.

My best friend and I made plans to go to dinner as a mini-celebration.  Not wanting to be rushed during our evening, we wanted a restaurant that would allow for that.  Having been to Unwine’d many times, I knew that they would allow us to dine at our own leisurely pace in a comfortable environment.

Arriving at 7 o’clock, the bar was almost empty, but the part of the restaurant that we could see from the host stand was nearly full.  Much to our delight, we were asked if a couch would be fine for our seating, and we gladly accepted the offer.

There are many unique features at Unwine’d.  One of these is the adjustable coffee tables.  Upon initial inspection, they appear to be regular height tables.  However, with a simple lift and pull on top of the coffee table, and the table is the perfect height and closeness for dining at the couch.

A second great feature is the bud vase and flower.  In addition to providing decoration to the table, this flower serves as your method of communication with your server.  If you want your server to come to your table, take the flower out of the vase.  Otherwise, leave the flower in the vase, and you can enjoy your dinner company without interruption.

Seated on the couch, my friend and I decided to review the martini menu, skipping the vast wine menu. Both of us were in the mood for a fruity concoction and chose a drink that had mango rum and Hypnotiq, among other ingredients.  Both of us found these to be delicious.

Debating whether to have entrees or share smaller dishes, we chose the latter.  We reasoned with a lighter dinner we would have room for dessert.  In retrospect, I would have chosen an additional small dish and skipped dessert.

Following our pattern of choosing the same item, we both ordered the Mixed Greens Salad and also the Assorted Cheese Plate.  The mixed green salad was tasty, a combination of mixed greens, apples, dried cherries, toasted almonds, strawberries, and gorgonzola served with a citrus vinaigrette.  The cheese tray had four cheeses, brie, gouda, bleu cheese, and an unknown.  The cheeses were served with crackers, bread, grapes, blueberries, and lightly salted nuts.  It was a great choice, allowing us to nibble and chat.

Although the foods and drinks were great, service was an issue during our visit.  Our waitress must have been very busy, as another server brought orders to tables for her.  While a different server delivering food isn’t a problem, not knowing where the food goes is.  This server was embarrassed several times during the evening, needing to ask many tables if the food which she held was theirs.  Additionally, when presented with our cheese tray, the cheeses were not described, as should be done.

Having saved room for dessert my friend and I scanned the dessert menu and, again, chose the same item, Multi-Berry Cobbler.  This dessert had a note that 15 minutes had to be allowed, so it could be served warm.  What a great note!  Arriving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that already had begun to melt  from the heat of the cobbler, I was excited to taste this treat.  Sadly, it was not what I had been imagining.  The berries were very tart, and the ratio of crust to fruit seemed to be a little crust heavy.

The drinks and dishes are well worth a trip to Unwine’d.  I will visit again soon, hoping that service is better that night.

For many people a weekend morning without plans is the perfect occasion for sleeping late.  For me, it is the perfect time for a big, homemade breakfast.  At our house, the kids often request my cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip scones, pancakes, or waffles.  However, if the kids aren’t home in the morning, it is the perfect time to try a less sugar- or chocolate-based breakfast.

With no kids home on this past Saturday, I decided to try my hand at baked grits.  Having been raised primarily in New England, grits are not native to my cooking repertoire.  However, with travels to Maryland and Delaware on a fairly frequent basis, I have seen this dish on many menus.  Checking out fellow diners’ meals, grits seemed like a nice replacement for homefries or hashbrowns.

Plain grits seemed okay, if they were topped with butter, salt, and pepper.  To make our grits more flavorful, I decided to add cheddar and parmesan cheeses and dried chipotle chile pepper.  While they baked in the oven for 20 minutes, I had time to cook the sausage and eggs.  I even had an extra minute to make mimosas for an extra special touch.

While much of the Eastern time zone was waking, we were enjoying a hearty, delicious breakfast for two. Personally, I’ll take breakfast with my husband over sleep any day.

Two-Cheese Baked Grits

4-1/2 cups skim milk

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried chipotle chile pepper

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 Tb. butter, unsalted

2 cups quick-cooking grits

1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine milk, salt, chile pepper, and black pepper.  Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium.  Stirring constantly, add grits, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.  Stir for 4 - 5 minutes or until grits are creamy.  Pour grits into a greased 8 X 8 baking dish.  Top with remaining cheddar cheese.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Serves 6 generous portions.

All four of our children enjoy helping to prepare dinner.  In fact, we often need to divide kitchen assistance so that everyone gets a chance to cut, stir, etc.  After a recent Sunday dinner, in which two of the children helped make dinner, each of them wanted to cook dinner on his or her own.

So, each of them began to envision what dinner he or she would create.  Sammie decided that she would make a pasta dish that could be served cold, as it was a warm end of summer day.  Rather than making a salad with all of the ingredient assembled, she made a choose-your-ingredients pasta salad.  This was a great idea, allowing each of us to choose from an assortment of vegies.  It also allowed each diner to choose the amount of vinaigrette to be placed on the salad.

Rather than using a store-bought vinaigrette for the salad, Sammie and I created our own balsamic vinaigrette.  We wanted something that would have a bit of sweetness but that also would have some tanginess.  Additionally, I prefer salad dressings that are lighter, so we used less olive oil than most recipes suggest.

With a little help from Mom, Sammie made a great meal for a warm summer night.  The combination of farfalle, red and orange bell peppers, broccoli, and olives gave the salad a lot of color, and the homemade vinaigrette added depth to the flavors.

Sammie’s Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried mustard

1 Tb. honey

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a cruet, cover, and shake well.  Chill until ready to use.

My beautiful bride and I were celebrating our first weekend without kids in almost three months by taking Saturday and doing some leisurely shopping.  We strolled around looking for a new fireplace, some clothes, and other odds and ends, but what we had not anticipated buying was a new way to make tea.  That all changed when we saw a new shop, Teavana, in the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire. 

The nouveau looking shop drew us in with some free samples and an extremely friendly staff.  But what turned us into buyers was how our senses were perked at the store.  At the entrance, we were greeted with samples for us to taste.  The smell of their amazing teas and the sight of the precision and care in which they present their product enticed us.  We could hear the way they spoke with passion about their product and company. It was the one store all day that made us       feel better.

After having the wonderful aroma wafting through our noses, we decided to buy Pina Colada , an herbal blend that made us think of an island getaway.  We also bought a canister that we can use to store our tea and a very nifty contraption they call the Perfect Teamaker, which allows you to quickly and easily make a perfect cup of tea.

For the lover of tea or for just an advernture for your senses, you should visit Teavana.