HAPPY HOUR, FOOD AND FUN

 Ingredients: Pillsbury Biscuits - any variety 9 eggs 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese Salt/Pepper to taste Diced ham Chives Canadian Bacon or Sausage Patty 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter Directions: Prepare biscuits according to directions.  Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees In large bowl, scramble eggs Add cheese, diced ham, chives, salt and pepper Heat extra large skillet and add olive oil or butter Add egg mixture and sauté for a few minutes until it starts to set Put skillet with egg  mixture into pre-heated oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until center of eggs is firm and no longer runny Let cool Use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut eggs into circle shapes Slice biscuits in half. Layer biscuits with egg and Canadian bacon. Enjoy! Notes: You can substitute the diced ham with crumbled bacon, sausage or veggies. You can add a slice of cheese to the sandwich. You can also add avocado. You can substitute an English muffin for the biscuit.

  Ingredients: 1 pound Chicken breast or chicken tenderloins - diced 1/2 pound chorizo sausage - diced 1 can diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 cloves garlic - chopped 1 small onion - chopped 2 bell peppers - chopped 1 cup white rice 2 cups chicken broth 2 bay leaves large pinch of Saffron threads Salt/Pepper 1 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon Parsley 1 teaspoon cilantro 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 olives with pimento (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in large pot and add diced chicken and chorizo sausage. Saute until browned. Add rice and stir until lightly browned and fragrant. Add all remaining ingredients and still well. Place in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, until rice is tender and chicken is 165 degrees. Enjoy!

My husband and I stopped into Think Greek on the way home from a road trip and were very impressed with our lunch.  I ordered the chicken bowl which had marinated and seasoned chicken breast chunks over onions and peppers, perfectly seasoned yellow rice, feta cheese and tzatziki on top.  I tried to finish it, but there was simply too much food.  My husband ordered the gyro platter which had lamb meat seasoned and cooked perfectly, lettuce, tomato, onion and a generous portions of tzatziki sauce, served with a Greek salad with feta cheese, olives and your choice of balsamic dressing or oil and vinegar. The staff was extremely attentive and the owner, Stella was walking around asking if everything's okay. Overall, this was a wonderful experience. It turned out that a few days later, Think Greek was the winner of Guy Fieri's Best Bite in Town, which aired on May 31st, 2024.  I highly recommend Think Greek.

  Ingredients: 2 slices Sourdough bread 2 slices prosciutto 2 eggs Butter 1 haas avocado Salt & Pepper Instructions: Smash avocado in small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Toast bread in toaster. Butter one side of the toast. Place toast on griddle or pan, buttered side down, and toast until crisp. Flip toast over on griddle (unbuttered side) and top with prosciutto.  Turn off heat. Season eggs with salt and pepper and fry over easy. Place toast with prosciutto on plate.  Add avocado mash.  Top with eggs. Notes: You can use any bread you like, but crusty breads work best. You can substitute the prosciutto with thinly sliced deli ham.

 Ingredients: 1 whole pork tenderloin 2 sweet Italian sausage links 4 ounces plain cream cheese 1/3 cup chopped mushrooms 3 cloves garlic - chopped Italian seasoning Spray olive oil Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove sausage from casing and crumble into pan. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook until done. In a bowl, mix cooked sausage crumbles, mushrooms, garlic and cream cheese.  Set aside. Butterfly the pork tenderloin and pound to 1/2 inch thick. Spread sausage mixture on top of pork tenderloin and roll up. Tie with butcher's twine. Place onto cooking sheet and spray with olive oil.  Top with Italian seasoning. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Notes: You can use any type of sausage you like. To butterfly pork tenderloin: Place the pork tenderloin on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to make a vertical cut along the lengthwise portion of the pork loin. Stop the vertical cut about 1 inc Place the pork ...

 Ingredients: 2 10-ounce cans chicken breast 2 eggs 1/3 cup parmesan cheese Italian seasoning Mozzarella cheese Pizza sauce Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Drain all liquid from chicken.  You can also squeeze through a towel. Break up chicken into small pieces and place on parchment paper lined sheet tray. Heat in oven for 10 minutes to remove remaining moisture from chicken. Remove from oven and place chicken meat into mixer bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Add to mixer bowl 2 eggs, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Mix well until fully incorporated. Spread chicken mixture onto pizza pan and spread with rubber spatula. Bake in 500 degree oven for 10 minutes. Add pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings and bake at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until cheese in bubbling.

  Ingredients: 1 package of chicken sausage 3 cloves garlic - chopped 1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon 1/4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon onion powder Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat chicken sausage with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook in oven for 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped garlic, broth, butter, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and onion powder in a saucepan and heat on medium heat for 10 minutes. Prepare pasta of your choice. Cut sausage into bite-sized pieces.  Place on top of pasta and top with garlic oil. Notes: You can use any type of sausage you have on hand.  I used chicken/kale sausage and it was amazing. You can substitute regular pasta for zucchini noodles for a low carb meal. I did both and they were equally as good.

  Ingredients: 1 small bag of baby carrots 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon sesame seeds Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Transfer to oven-safe pan and roast for 20 minutes until just tender. Enjoy! ** Please note that nutritional details are estimates and actual values may vary. 

 Ingredients: 4 thick bone-in pork rib chops 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 2 eggs - scrambled 3/4 cup Crisco or frying oil Salt/pepper to taste Instructions: Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper (or Nature's Seasoning). Combine onion powder and garlic powder with flour. Dredge pork chops in flour. Dip pork chops in eggs until both sides are fully coated with egg. Dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs. Heat oil in large frying pan. Fry pork chops for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until they have an internal temperature of 145 degrees.  Notes: If you can't find the pork rib chops, you can use any pork chop.  Just adjust your cooking time accordingly. You can make this gluten-free by substituting with gluten-free flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.  It's still really delicious and crispy. If your pork chops start getting too dark in the frying pan, you can avoid burning them by placing them on a baking...

  Ingredients: 5 medium red potatoes 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1 tablespoon Italian bread-dipping herbs 1 teaspoon chives for garnish   Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thinly slice potatoes by hand or with the help of a mandolin Place in large bowl and add olive oil and the bread dipping herbs. Place in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, until crispy. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.   Notes: You can use any potatoes you have handy.   I like red potatoes for their slightly sweet flavor. If you don’t have bread-dipping herbs, you can use a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano and dried basil.    

 Good for Gluten-free. I am always hopeful when trying out new gluten free products, but I am usually disappointed in the texture and flavor.   This pancake mix is pretty good for gluten free.   It is easy to make and the pancakes cook quickly.   The only issue is that they are not really very fluffy and the taste is a little bland.   Some butter and syrup helps, but at least I was able to have pancakes for breakfast.

My husband and I enjoyed a Sunday morning shopping expedition and found ourselves looking for lunch while we were out and about.  We came across Pier 8 Seafood Bar & Grill and though we should give it a try. We started out looking for a glass of wine for me and a beer for my husband. While there seems to be an extensive bar menu including liquor and draft beers as well as bottled beers, the wine selection is sadly very limited with a house Pinot Grigio, Moscato and a Merlot as a red. The waitress was unable to tell me which brands they carried and there was no wine list on the menu that I could find.  I settled for the Merlot and have to say it was definitely not a good one.  My husband's draft beer was cold and he was happy with it. The clam chowder is surprisingly creamy, delicious and chocked full of clams, however a small cup for $6.99 seems maybe a little pricey, but definitely tasty.  It was served with saltine crackers instead of the traditional oyster cra...

 My husband and I stopped in The Pub for a quick lunch on a weekday.  The atmosphere in this restaurant is like being transported to an old pub in the UK.  They spared no expense with the design and fabulous woodwork throughout.  The bar is an absolute masterpiece. As for the food, the fish and chips were fried to perfection. The fish was light and flakey, the batter was super-crispy and not at all greasy, served with a tangy tartar sauce. The grilled salmon was seasoned beautifully and cooked to a perfect medium.   The staff was super-friendly, and nothing was too much trouble.  They really made sure we had everything we needed at all times.  I highly recommend this restaurant.

 Ingredients: 1 pound stir-fry beef  1/3 cup beef broth 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce 3 cloves garlic - pressed or chopped 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 teaspoon honey 1 bell pepper 1/2 cup matchstick carrots 1 medium onion 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup basmati rice 2 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon olive oil Instructions: In a large bowl, whisk beef broth, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, honey and garlic.  Add in stir-fry beef and let marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours. Julienne cut bell pepper and onion.  Set aside. Boil 2 cups of beef broth and add basmati rice. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.  Turn off heat and cover. Heat a wok or deep pan to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add stir-fry beef and mushrooms, matchstick carrots, onions and peppers.  Cook 10-15 minutes until vegetables and beef are fully cooked. Place a half cup of basmati rice on plate and to...

  Words cannot even describe how incredibly beautiful these wine glasses are.   First of all they are huge and can hold a very heavy pour, but, the most stunning feature of these wine glasses by far is the royal blue center of the stem.   It is an absolutely mesmerizing feature. The glasses look like they are fragile, but the glass is remarkably strong.   I recommend washing by hand just to be safe.   The packaging was very secure and they arrived in perfect condition.   These are my favorite wine glasses ever.   Worth every penny!

Ingredients: 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs 3 cloves garlic - pressed or chopped 2 teaspoons sesame oil Juice of 1 Lime 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari 2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce 1/3 cup beef broth 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter 1 tablespoon honey  Instructions: Cut chicken thighs into chunks Combine remaining ingredients into bowl and whisk until smooth Marinate chicken thighs in mixture for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours Skewer chicken thighs Heat grill to medium high and grill approximately 12 minutes per side, or until reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Notes: You can use chicken breast or pork if you prefer, but chicken breast is a little drier when grilled. You can substitute lemon juice if you don't have lime juice. You can substitute red chili flakes if you don't have sweet chili sauce. You can substitute chicken or vegetable broth if you don't have beef broth Any kind of creamy peanut butter is fine. ** Please note that nutritional de...

Ingredients: Full rack baby back ribs Rib rub (I like McCormick Grill Mates Bourbon and Brown Sugar) Salt/Pepper Barbeque sauce (I like Kinders Honey Hot) Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 210 degrees. Season ribs with Salt & Pepper. Add a good crust of Rib rub and work into both sides of the ribs. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil so no steam can escape. Place wrapped ribs on a baking sheet in oven and cook for 4-5 hours. Remove ribs from oven and unwrap the top part of the aluminum foil. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add barbeque sauce to the top of the ribs and place in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on cutting board to rest for 10 minutes, then enjoy. Notes: You can use the same process on any ribs, not just baby back ribs. You can add an Asian flavor by substituting the barbeque sauce with teriyaki sauce and sweet chili sauce. ** Please note that nutritional details are estimates and actual values may vary . 

  Ingredients: Gluten free pizza dough (I like Bob's Red Mill) 1 cup Mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce 1/2 cup pepperoni red onion Italian seasoning or bread-dipping herbs Olive oil spray Instructions: Follow the instructions on your gluten free pizza mix.  Most of them require that you pre-bake the crust for 7-10 minutes prior to adding sauce and toppings. Remove pre-baked crust from oven and spray a little olive oil on the crust and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Top with pizza sauce of your choice. Next add your cheese.  I like full-fat mozzarella because it is really chewy and delicious. Finally add your toppings.  You can add whatever you have handy - veggies, meatballs, bacon, chicken.  I like pepperoni and onion. Bake your masterpiece at 450 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden. Notes: You can pre-bake the crust in advance, wrap in foil and place in the freezer for when you ne...

  I bought this machine to purify my own drinking water at home and get away from all of the plastic bottles we have. It is super-easy to use and the water is crisp and clean tasting. You just fill the tank, set the amount of water you want and hit the start button. It is very important to remember that you have to dump out the water from the tank after each use.   It is a little lopsided due to the filter cartridges being on one side, but it’s easy enough to move around. I love that we are helping the planet. It will pay for itself in no time.

  I love this cutting board!   First of all the wood itself is so beautiful, it looks like a work of art.   The size is perfect for regular cutting needs.   When you start chopping, the wood feels soft under your knife. I wanted to get away from using plastic cutting boards and I read that teak is one of the best woods to use for cutting boards. It cleans up in a jiffy and looks like brand new.   The price is amazing for this quality.   I will definitely be buying a few more.