Carrabas! Carrabas! Carrabas!

I had a marvelous experience at Carrabas this Saturday - all thanks to the brilliant and unique Tastemaker Program through Foodbuzz and the fantastic staff at Carrabas.

We arrived on Saturday at noon. There were no other patrons as the doors are closed until 4. There were about fifteen to twenty Foodbuzzers and Guests. My guest and I was the first to arrive. We walk into the double doors and are escorted to a bar right in front of the kitchen. A few minutes later the festivities started…..

The kitchen was amazing with all the water boiling and the mind blowing aroma of garlic and spices.


The Managing Partner of Carrabas, Angela Gutierrez, entered the kitchen and introduced herself and began cooking up a storm. Angela descriptively gave us the directions of each dish. She was incredible.



The first dish the Foodbuzz Tastemakers tried was Carrabas Calamari. The Calamari is lightly breaded and served with their marinara sauce. The Calamari was tender and cooked to perfection. It was my guest first time in trying Calamari and she enjoyed it immensely

The second dish was the simple but delightful Tag Pic Pact. Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, Olive Oil and Basil is all. The garlic was caramelized and had a delightful taste. It was served a top homemade pasta! The pasta alone was to die for!

I loved this photo...I had to include it!
This special sauce is jammin' - for all you G-Love fans.
Angela is cooking the dish and serving it to the Foodbuzz Tastemakers.
The finished product. Look at that huge slice of garlic at the end of my fork! It tasted so yummy.
Angela is showing us the garlic and oil used to make this dish and how it caramelized the garlic.


The third dish was undeniably my favorite dish, The Linguine Pescatore. This dish contains massive tender scallops, Prince Edward Mussels, and Shrimp. It is tossed in a spicy tomato sauce containing crushed red pepper. I finished the entire dish. I am ready for a nap.

What a beautiful dish. It was topped with lots of freshly chopped parsley. YUM!

Sea food, see...

Service!

Mmmhh. It is almost gone. Oh. I miss this dish. I need a Carrabas fix SOON!

As for our last dish, my stomach would not allow me to finish it. Penne Franco is a light sauce using the pasta water, garlic, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives and topped with freshly grated ricotta salata. Angela served ours with roast chicken. Oh my! The chicken was to die for!

simple. beautiful.

The char marks from their grill. It is cooked with wood under a grill!! I am not sure what kind of wood, but you could taste they smokey taste in the chicken. They used their own seasoning mix on top of the chicken.

Angela grating fresh Ricotta Salata on top of our pasta dishes.

We were not disappointed! Every dish was simple, yet flavorful and delightful!

Last but not least...THE DESSERT!!! We had a variety! My guest loved the Cannoli one and ate three of them! The first dessert is strawberry, banana and pineapple with whip cream and it was amazing! The second was a chocolate moose with nuts. The third and final was the cannoli cream with crushed up pistachios. Wow.....

I do not think words can describe how unforgettable this dinner was. I am now a huge Carrabas fan!

Thank you Foodbuzz Tastemakers and Carrabas for the most amazing dinner!!

"Makes The Worst Day Vanish Curry"

I have had a little bit of a rough week. (Welcome to parenthood)
Let's see......Where to begin....OOOHHHH I KNOW...

My youngest decided to hide my keys (house and car linked onto ONE BIG KEY CHAIN). That is where it ALL started. I did not notice right away, but when we ran out of Juice and I searched everywhere for them.

My mother-in-law informed me that while having a conversation with her on the phone I interupted her to say, "Bailey Leland put my keys back. You can not play with those! I do not want you to lose them!"

They are gone. MIA. Vanished.Disappeared....

What could make this much worse? My husband who has my spare on his set of keys is out of town for a few days. I am stranded at my home! No where to go! I can't go get Juice. Milk. Food. SANITY....

What could make that worse?!?! The power goes out in the HOT HOT Florida sun. (105..Did I mention?) No air. No internet. No phone. No cable. No lights. Must I go on?

You may ask...Can it get worse!?! Yes. It can!
As I am searching under my bed for my missing keys I hear the most god awful bang! I run into my living room to find my youngest crying and hiding....Our flat screen t.v. is laying on the floor.

While searching for my keys she decided to use the flat screen t.v. as a jungle gym. Don't worry...She was not hurt. The t.v. on the other hand has a shattered base, but it is still working..LUCKILY!

That was not the only thing she decided to do while I searched high and low for my keys....My lovely two year old also decided to scoop all the kitty poopie from the box and put it all over the kitty. Yep.

BATH TIME for the kitty!!! Claw marks for Mommy!!In the heat of my home!! With no keys!! With a shattered t.v.!!!

But at the end of the day without my husband I lay down with my beautiful little girls cuddled under each arm after devouring a huge bowl of my favorite most comforting dish .......I smile, because no matter how awful my day is I am blessed. I adore my kids no matter what type of trouble they get into. I love my husband because he is working hard away from the what he cherishes most so I can stay home with my girls....I am overwhelmed with the love I feel..


"Makes The Worst Day Vanish Curry"
By: Miranda Hagan

This is by far my favorite dish of all time. It makes you forget everything. It is so yummy!!! This is also a healthy dish!!! It warms your soul!!
1. Toss 1 16 oz. Bag Fresh Spinach, 1 Large Vidalia Onions, 1 Large Package Mushrooms sliced then, 3 Chicken Breast Sliced Thin, and 4 cps Sugar Snap Peas together with 4 tsp garlic chopped in 1 tsp Canola Oil over medium heat.


2. When the meat is cooked add 1 can of Lite Coconut Milk, 2 Cps Chicken Broth, 1 tsp. Red Curry Paste, 1 tsp. Curry Powder, 1/2 tsp. corriander, 1/2 tsp. Turmeric, 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp. salt and 3 TB sugar.


I just wanted to show the bag of noodles used in this dish! They are FANTASTIC!



3. Add the entire bag of Asian Egg Noodles and let it cook for three minutes until soft. Add 1/4 cp. soy sauce and 1/2 cps. of diced up cilantro. Simmer.


4. Toss and it should be ready to eat....



Yum Yum Yum!!!

How to Take Proper Care of a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

The Lodge Cast Iron Skillet was founded by Joseph Lodge in 1896! Over a hundred and fourteen years ago!Do you want to know what is more amazing? It is still family runned today. The Cast Iron Pans made generations ago are still being used in kitchens today. They are timeless!

Though always been afraid to purchase one, I am now an owner of a cast iron skillet. Not just any cast iron skillet a US made Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.

Why so reserved you may ask? As I encountered the cuisine of southern womanhood, each discussion about their secret weapon was intimidating. This was a club no Ohio River Valley Girl should attempt to join. Besides, their wares had decades of uses to get that “unique” flavor. Seasoning? I HAD NO IDEA what a seasoned pan meant. I thought they put a little bit of salt and pepper on the pan, ha. Really, really hard to take care of and a huge pain to maintain?



Don’t tell the daughter of a Pipefitter, raised in the rust belt, that this piece of metal was out of my league.



I have since learned a lot from my Lodge Cast Iron. Again, this is my experience so please consult Auntie Lou Ann in case I missed something.


1. Cast iron is naturally non-stick. But if food begins to stick in a cast iron pan it may need seasoned.

I have learned that seasoning is a way of maintaining the pan. To season a pan you lightly oil the pan with a neutral oil (that is high in saturated fats) on the entire inside of the pan and flip and put it in the middle of the oven. Put a foil lined baking pan below on the last oven shelf. Bake on 500 for thirty to sixy minutes. Remove. Do over if needed.

If a pan is not seasoned correctly food will stick and it will be prone to rusting.

Seasoning correctly causes the oil to become permeated into the pores of a cast iron skillet. It causes a tough and hard film in the pan. This is the BIG secret of maintain a non-stick and an amazing cast iron-skillet.

2. If seasoned correctly nothing will stick to your cast iron pan. Because of this you will not need to add oil to cook making it possible for fat free cooking.

3. Cast Iron pans last a lifetime. Many lifetimes. Pass them down to your kids.......

4. The Cast Iron Pan heats and cooks all food evenly!


WHAT NOT TO DO WITH A CAST IRON PAN:

1. You should not wash it in the dishwasher or like other pans. Cast iron needs to be wiped cleaned without soap. No harsh brushes or sponges. If you have a lot of residue that is hard to remove, boiling water should do the trick.

2. You should not cook foods containing tomatoes, vinegar or other acidic ingredients. This will damage the seasoning that you have worked so hard to create. The best foods to cook in cast iron is high fatty foods. Such as: Bacon, Sausage, Chicken, Beef and Pork.

3. Never try to cook on a cold pan. ALWAYS PREHEAT!

I love my Lodge Cast Iron Pan. I am not sure how I lived so long without one. In the last month I have made: Chicken Fried Steak, Oven Fried Chicken, and Apple Dutch Pancakes. It is a must have in all kitchens!





Did I do OK Auntie? Now how’s about sharing that that fried mac n’ cheese recipe.

Vacation :)

The last two weeks I have been consumed by pure excitement. My husbands best friend (whom we named our daughter after Bailey LELAND) came into town and they played lots of music (They were in a band together for 12 years! They even went to California and tried to become professional musicians), went to the beach multiple times (once on the fourth to watch the fireworks), went to St. Augustine to see the beautiful amazing old houses and forts and lastly we spent four days in a nice hotel in Gainesville. I hope this explains my MIA. Here is some photos of the fun fun week and half:

Look at that sky?!?! It was so fantastic! That is the castle that Alex built...She is getting so big. :)

Bailey and I...

This is what the sky looked like. It was amazing...Bailey is playing in a little water-hole..

Alex is so proud of her daddy....She idolizes him.

Alex watching the jets fly across the sky at Daytona Beach.



Daytona Beach...Alex in the waves.
Bailey playing in the sand...

Bailey Sandy Face :)

Castle time!
My husband (left) and David Leland (right)
Love this photo. David Leland.

Love this photo. It is my husbands all time favorite guitar: Les Paul.

This is why I gave him a chance in College....He looks so handsome singing. :)
My husband and Dave still playing music. They played for many nights. This is the first time that my husband played all of his old music that he and David has written. It was so great to hear. It took me back 7 years. I have missed those years so much.
St. Augustine Bay....So lovely.
My Family:))) I am sooo lucky.
The fort...
The fort again...It was so beautiful. St. Augustine is one of my favorite places..

Enough pictures..

I do have posts planned too. All of my beautiful sunflowers have passed, but now I have lots of yummy Roasted Sunflower Seeds. I will be posting on the process.

I also have been testing out my first Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with many recipes. I will be sharing how to maintain a cast iron and some of my favorite recipes.

I also have been testing a Grow Box. I will be posting on what that is and the growing progression....

Take care and I have missed you all. :)

Easy Steps of Making Fresh Pasta using ImperiaPro Pasta Machine

I have a new addiction! I am coming clean and opening up to my supportive viewers.

I am completely addicted to my new CucinaPro Imperia Pasta Machine. In the last two weeks I have made Fettuccine, Angle Hair, Spaghetti, Orchetti, and Ravioli!!! IN TWO WEEKS!!!

I know...I know...Like I said before I am addicted and the first step is to admit you have a problem. (Problem!?!?....)

I can't help but to love this machine. It is so easy to work and you can a attach it to your table and it does not move!!! It is easy to clean. It is small and PERFECT!
Not to mention it makes incredibly YUMMY pasta!

Another positive note: MY Girls LOVE TO MAKE IT WITH ME!!!! It is so much fun for my girls. The pasta machine is easy enough for them too!!!! In my opinion, there is nothing better then to get your kiddos in the kitchen and learn the appreciation of food. (Plus, the kids tend to eat the pasta dinner up and fill their bellies beaming with pride!)

Let me start by the simple steps of making homemade pasta and a fabulous simple recipe.

Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe

2 Cps Unbleached All-purpose Flour (I recommend King Arthur)
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 TB Warm Water

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor. Add water by the Tablespoon as needed.
2. Let rest for 20 minutes.



My Alexandra is my helper in these photos.
The first step in making homemade pasta you need to send it through the very last setting. (Mine is 6) It will smooth it out. Fold it in half. Add flour. Send it back through. Repeat this step at least 6 to 7 times.

Move the setting down one and repeat the steps above a few times. Continue to work your way down the settings. Run the dough through the pasta machine a few times adding flour as you go until the desired settings.

For the Spaghetti I used setting 3.
For the Angel Hair I used setting 2.
For Ravioli I used setting 4.
For Fettuccine I used setting 5.


The next step is choosing the pasta size. For the Fettuccine you use the thicker cutting of pasta and for angel hair or spaghetti you use the smaller cutting. If you are making ravioli you do not need to cut the pasta.



We used the smaller cutting which made perfect spaghetti noodles!


When boiling fresh pasta it only takes a few minutes. Stay close by so not to overcook.


This is the finished product. It was wonderful!!! I am not sure how to put it into words the difference of fresh pasta to boxed, but YUM! It is a must try.



This is the finishing product of my fettuccine pasta! Isn't beautiful? I LOVE MY CUCINA IMPERIA! The fettuccine is made with a Creamy Homemade Pesto Sauce and Shrimp. It was FANTASTIC!!!



This is the homemade Ravioli. Sorry, I do not have a picture with it plated with my Marinara-Pesto Sauce that I call Giovanni Sauce. It was gone before I knew it.

My filling was:

8 oz. Ricotta
2 cps. Parm. Cheese
1 Egg
1/2 cp. Italian Shredded Cheese
Sea Salt and Pepper
1/2 cp. Chopped Parsley

1. Mixed it all together until well combined. I sat in the fridge until the Ravioli noodles were ready to fill. Each Ravioli was about 2 in. thickness. I cut the 2 in. thickness. Add a heaping teaspoon of the filling and then folded the top over and then sealed the edges! It was perfect!

You can find the CucinaPro Imperia almost EVERYWHERE! For around 60 dollars. It is well worth it! The kids and I are having so much fun with it and eating lots of wonderful fresh pasta!!!

Enjoy!!