Garden Update!

Pictures from the first week of May:

What's Cookin' Tonight...

I've really been craving fish for a few days, so tonight I'm going to make fish in a brown paper sack. Yes...fish in a brown paper sack. It is Chad's most favorite dish!

Ingredients:
-4 FRESH tilapia fillets
-4 small brown paper "lunch" bags
-1 bunch asparagus (If you don't like asparagus, use thinly sliced carrots)
-2 zucchini squash, cut into 2 inch strips
-1 onion, diced
-2 cloves garlic, diced
-2 tbsp paprika
-2 tbsp oregano
-1 tbsp salt
-1 tbsp black pepper
-1 tbsp red pepper
-3/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
-Lightly oil a medium baking sheet and the bottom and sides of the paper bags.
-Distribute onion and zucchini in the bottom of each bag evenly.
-Mix garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl and rub each fillet with this seasoning mixture.
-Place tilapia fillets on top of the zucchini mixture. Distribute asparagus evenly on top of each fillet.
-Roll down the tops of each bag and oil them so that they will remain closed.
-Bake for 35+/- minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. You want the fillet to be white and flaky.
-When you remove the baking sheet from the oven, VERY carefully transfer the entire bag to a plate. Be careful because sometimes the bottom of the bag falls out! Cut and pull away the bag and serve with brown rice or a thick slice of bread.

Good Food!

Food rave of the week: The National of Athens, GA

I officially found a new favorite Athens restaurant on Monday night when a friend suggested that we meet there. The National is the perfect mix of here and there. Its a comfy local place with the class of a fine urban dining experience. Their website (www.thenationalrestaurant.com) gives the following description:

"The idea behind The National is simple: to provide a casual neighborhood gathering spot reminiscent of the bars and cafés we’ve enjoyed on travels to Europe. Mediterranean inspired food and wine is served for lunch and dinner in the dining room and throughout the day at the bar. While our menu points to culinary traditions from abroad, we value our local farmers and our dishes reflect the changing seasons in Northeast Georgia.

The National is brought to you by Peter Dale/Chef, Chris Luken/Bar and Hugh Acheson (chef of the acclaimed Five & Ten)."

For dinner, I had the haddock with rice and a cream sauce with pomegranate top. I also tasted the delicious seafood stew and for dessert we shared the cazuela with chocolate sauce plus ice cream! Wow...the food that we tasted was ridiculously good! The portions were the perfect size and the service was incredible! I can't wait to go back.
We learned about The National through a very talented artist and great friend, Matt Zbornik, who designed and built their bar. He also introduced us to another restaurant that he worked with a few years ago, Farm 255. Both restaurants work to support local farms and change their menu with the seasons. By the way...my favorite dish at the Farm is the Cast Iron Raclette. It is so simple, but with pickles, potatoes, toast, and cheese how can you go wrong?

Dreaming Of A Downtown Christmas...

My Downtown Monroe Christmas List:

My Little Charlie Brown Tree

-For ANY kid: Elf On The Shelf can be purchased at Man In The Moon Books @ 133 S. Broad Street for $30. This is the cutest gift and unlike many children's gifts, it will be used year after year.
-For the gardener: Pick up some gardening tools and seeds at Buckles Hardware Company @ 113 N. Broad Street. Stick them in a galvanized tin bucket and top with a bow! Its a practical gift that any gardener will appreciate.
-For the chef: A gift certificate for a Honey General Store Co-Op Box of course! For just $25 you can introduce your friend to an organic cooking experience that they might just share with you!
-For the aspiring yogi: Classes at Shapes Yoga Studio are a great way to destress after the Holiday frenzy. Men and women enjoy yoga, pilates, and balance ball classes geared toward beginners. There is even a pre-natal yoga group for all moms-to-be!
-For the aunt who loves pink: Sugar Free Pink Flamingo Chocolates from Merle Norman @ 121 S. Broad Street. Yummy! Bring her in for a makeover too!
-For the architecture lover: Houses of the Founding Fathers, a coffee table book filled with beautiful homes and outstanding architecture. $50 at Man In The Moon Books.
-For your favorite niece: A Vera Bradley Miller Tote in the Cambridge pattern from Clara Belle's Monogramming & Gifts @ 117 N. Broad Street.
-For your wife, mom or basically ANY woman on your list: A spa gift certificate for Roxy Salon & Spa! They can enjoy their choice of services and you pick the dollar amount! This gift is flexible, relaxing, and luxurious.
-For your husband/boyfriend/dad: Help him get his caffeine fix and free wireless internet access at the Blue Marley Cafe on the corner of Washington Street and S. Broad Street. You choose the dollar amount for a gift card that they can use all year!
-Last minute Christmas Decor: Check out all of the beautiful trees, wreaths, and ornaments at Once Upon A Season @ 127 N. Broad Street. These ladies can help you decorate your entire home for your Christmas festivities!
-For your little ballerina: Dance, gymnastics, or art lessons from Ballet On Broad at 132 N. Broad Street are a great way to get the kids moving! You'll find something for every age group. They also have great clothes, dance accessories, and toys!
-Oysters Anyone? Do you have an oyster tradition for Christmas Eve (raw oysters, fried oysters, oyster dressing, oyster stew)? If you don't, start one this year! Visit CCS Fresh Seafood Market @ 129 N. Broad Street for the freshest seafood around. Their sock-eyed salmon, halibut, and shrimp are incredible too!
-For the too-cool little brother: A recycled onion bag wallet for $10 by Jocelyn at Honey General Store and a Johnny Cash CD from Stan's Music & Sound @ 139 S. Broad Street.
-For the art lover: Local art is an incredible gift...to the recipient, to the artist, and to your community. Honey General Store features art from Leslie Moody, Susan Pelham, Becca Blair, Jacqueline Delker, and Sarah Howard, who are all Monrovians. Many of the other downtown businesses display pieces from our local artists, so stroll through downtown and check them all out! The Gilded Lily @ 123 N. Broad Street displays and frames many of these unique local pieces. Make sure you stop at the Monroe Art Guild as well.
-For the foodie: You can't go wrong with a gift certificate to Twisted Oak Woodfire Grill. Contemporary American food at it's finest with great a wine selection, too!
-For the out of town guests: If you're having guests from out of town consider booking them a suite at The Wayfarer Hotel in downtown Monroe. Give your guest room a rest!
-The ultimate gift: Own a piece of Monroe! If you're looking to move to Monroe or really surprise your family, stop by Broad Street Realty @ 118 N. Broad Street to buy this fully renovated 1930's cottage. With 4 fireplaces, you can hang all of your stockings! This 3 bedroom/3 full bath home is at 716 East Church Street and was renovated by Draper Construction Company. Call 770-601-7992 to view the house! Pictures coming soon!

Turkey Day Menu

It is so hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is only a few days away! This year is sure to be entertaining for everyone because I will be cooking and serving our late lunch. This will also be my first turkey, so please pray for me next Thursday! I thought that I would share our menu and a few recipe ideas with everyone so here goes...

Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry and Walnut Stuffing
Zinfandel Cranberry Sauce
Old Fashioned Dressing
Sweet Potato Souffle
Arugula & Gruyere Cheese Quiche
Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Homemade Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream
Cherry Pie from Big City Bakery in Athens, GA

Zinfandel Cranberry Sauce:
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup Zinfandel (We're using 4 Vines 2004 Sonoma "Sophisticate" Zin)
-12 oz fresh cranberries
-1/2 tsp fine orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Chill.

Arugula & Gruyere Cheese Quiche:
-1 frozen pie crust
-3/4 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
-2 tsp olive oil
-1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
-5 cups chopped arugula (this works with any leafy green...we even tried it with collards!)
-1 tsp balsamic vinegar
-3 eggs
-1 cup heavy cream
-salt & pepper to taste
-1/2 tsp paprika
-1/4 cup bacon crumbles (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Sprinkle shredded Gruyere cheese across the bottom of the pie crust. Saute olive oil, shallots, arugula, and vinegar until the greens cook down.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and paprika. Pour the vegetable mixture into the pie crust. Cover the vegetable mixture with the egg mixture and sprinkle with bacon bits. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the quiche starts to lightly brown on the top.

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds:
-1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
-2 tbsp olive oil
-Salt & pepper to taste
-1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Add oil to the pan. Toss beans in oil and melted butter. Add salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle almonds on top and serve! Cook green beans 5 minutes in 1-inch boiling water, covered. Drain beans and return pan to heat.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 medium (about 6 pounds) Cheese Pumpkin
3/4 cups WHOLE milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the sliced and covered pumpkin until tender. When it is easily pierced with a fork, scrape away from the skin and transfer the "meat" of the pumpkin into a food processor . Add the remaining ingredients to the processor and pulse until everything is evenly mixed. Pour the mixture into a frozen pie crust and bake for 50-60 minutes .

Whipped Cream: Whisk together whipping cream and vanilla extract until fluffy. Place in the freezer for about 5 minutes and whip it again!

Tiny Tots Parade

Downtown Monroe's Tiny Tots Parade had a great turnout again this year! Here are some
pictures of our trick-or-treaters!