Fabulous Fish & Chips

 Fish and Chips are why I love Rhode Island! Do people in other states actually eat fish and chips? I have no idea? I never really thought about it. Fish and chips are uber popular in the summer in New England and mostly because they are so darn good!The light flaky fish and the crispy batter slathered in tartar sauce ( and ketchup.Yum.) If you missed my post before, I got the cod from Captain's Catch in Warwick, RI. They have a ton of great local seafood that comes in that day! You can't go wrong with fish that was caught that day.

Honeycomb & Cheese Crostini

Chewy.Sweet.Creamy=Amazingness

Can I start by saying this appetizer was such a hit!When I first went to Aquidneck Honey and visited Jeff, he gave me the idea for this appetizer. His honey was so sweet and amazing. Since he uses no pesticides, I felt alot better about using it in my menu. Now we are talking honey comb here, not straight up honey. I think serving honey comb adds such a "wow factor" to your dish. It is different and many guests may not have had it before. That always "ups the ante" for any dish. I paired this sweet honey with an Italian style cheese with nutty and caramel tones. I got the cheese from Narragansett Creamery who uses all local milk and cream with no artificial growth hormones. Hooray! If you cannot find this cheese, ask the cheese man( or woman) for a nutty cheese. Pair this with some amazing crusty bread, and you have one hell of an appetizer that is really simple to put together. The crustiness of the bread paired with the melted,nutty cheese and sweet sticky honey. It is a slice of heaven.

From Farm to Table: A Dinner Party that's All Local,All Rhode Island

I was super excited when I was chosen by Food Buzz to participate in their 24X24. What is 24X24 you ask? It is 24 people that get chosen to throw a themed party all on the same night around the globe.  I hosted a Farm to Table, all local Rhode Island dinner. Where is Rhode Island? Is it a state? You mean Long Island? No, I do not live in New York. Rhode Island is in fact a state. It is a very teeny tiny state on the east coast of the U.S bordering Massachusetts and Connecticut. You know Boston? Yeah, right near there.

Toby & his RI T-Shirt!

Recipe Swap: Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Can I start raving about this recipe now? Wow. This soup is delicious. First off, it was really easy to put together. Basically you chop and drop,simmer,blend and serve. I really enjoy butternut squash in the winter and this soup gave me a new way to use it. I am usually not a fan of overly sweet dishes and I was afraid this would be sweet, but it surprisingly was not. The bacon helped cut the sweetness of the squash and cider. It added really great texture also. A big thank you to Colleen who supplied me with this amazing recipe. Check out her blog, Does not Cook Well with Others!

WIAW& English Muffin Bread

It's that time again for What I ate Wednesday (WIAW) This post is a hodge podge of highlights of what I have eaten so far this week. I am also sharing a recipe for my guilty pleasure of the week English muffin bread!

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

I basically like spinach and artichoke stuffed anything, so this dish was a no brainer. I was in the mood for stuffed portabello mushrooms and I had no idea what I was going to stuff it with until I got a light bulb idea. I had some chopped artichokes from a pizza I made last night and some fresh spinach. Well that was easy. I think maybe I love the idea of spinach and artichokes because the sauce is rich and creamy. Actually this combo would be great with some pasta also. I guess kind of like the mac and cheese I made. Feel free to use frozen spinach also. Just squeeze out the water after it cooks. This is something you can put together fast so it is a perfect weeknight meal!

Better Food Photography Photos 101

My hottie husband measuring!

Food photography is uber important to having a successful food blog. No matter how great you write, people will be looking at your photos so they better be good. More importantly, with the rise of Pinterest (my new favorite guilty pleasure) your photos must be appealing in order for people to repin. Places like pinterest, tastespotting, food gawker, and photograzing drive tons of traffic to your blog, and what do you need to get on to these websites? Good pictures!

Outside the Kitchen: 22 Bowens

I was recently asked by the Newport & Bristol County Tourism Bureau to check out the incredible special 22 Bowen's has going on every Friday night in the blustery winter months.I had been to 22 Bowen's once before for Restaurant Week and was overjoyed with the meal we received. I was thrilled to be asked back to try out their "Dinner for Two" special running every Friday night this winter. This incredible deal includes an appetizer,entree, and dessert for two and a bottle of Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet or Chardonnay for $65.22.Count me in. Might I add, these entrees were no run of the mill fare. There was so much to choose from, one dish better than the next. There was salmon, ribeye, sirloin,pork, lobster ravioli. I mean seriously? Customers are totally making out on this deal.

My New Favorite Snacks!

So since I have been running around so much lately, I thought I would share with you some of my new favorite snacks!Sometimes I find myself only having time for a snack before class or working out.  Both of these snacks are healthy and utterly genius and delicious. I have come to the conclusion I cannot go through the day without snacking in between meals. Actually, nutritionists say that healthy snacking throughout the day keeps you full and stop you from overeating later. So if you are running around all day like me , snack away!

Chewy Soft Pretzel Bites

No one likes soft pretzels like my friend Katie. In college she would buy frozen soft pretzels to bake when we came home from a long night of partying or just because. Well, those days are long over for us ( 5 year reunion this year<cringe>.) Even though college is over, we can still rejoice because there is always an occasion to make soft pretzels.Kids LOVE pretzels and heck, adults do too. These are perfect just to snack on or to serve at your next party.

WIAW & Spicy Black Bean Soup

It's that time of the week again! What I ate Wednesday! Since this month is veggie themed I of course have lots to share!! I took Valentine's Day off this year for a "mental health day." And boy, was it needed. Between getting my MBA, working full time, and blogging I am stressed to say the least. A day to myself where I could do whatever I wanted sounded amazing. I ended up getting a hot stone massage ( OMG) and got all of the knots I accumulated from the past few months kneaded out! Gosh, did that feel good. After that, I spent the whole day lounging, watching T.V and I even got an oil change. My awesome husband even came home early from work before he had class so we could hang out! SCORE!

Sweet and Spicy Asian Slaw

First off, Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! Hope you all enjoy this special day of love with someone you love! Let's not forget, love that special person in your life all year round, not just Valentine's day! To that, Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful amazing husband, Toby. I love you bean. You are the best not only for putting up with me, but for supporting me and my baby for the moment, this blog. I love you!

Great Uses for Leftover Wine (if you ever have any)

I was uber excited when I saw this article on The Nest (website for married people, sister website of The Knot).  I rarely have left over wine (what can I say, Toby and I always finish it), but if I ever did I would want to have these tips in mind. I figured since they were so great I would share with all of you good followers.

Valentine's Day Special: Nutella Stuffed Pastry Hearts

Well kids, it's almost Valentine's Day and that means 2 things: it's time to eat amazing foods enveloped in chocolate...and drink champagne. Yeah, I know. Not everyone's Valentine's Day is like that. Whether you are single, dating, or married this is a perfect dessert to serve! You can fill these buttery delights with anything (peanut butter, jam, cream cheese, chocolate chips or for those savory lovers - cheese. These were super easy to make but we put together a video for you so you can look awesome on Valentine's Day.  And if you are single it may be even better because you can keep these babies all to yourself. 

Recipe Swap: Potato Dauphinois

Can I tell you all how happy I was to hear that the recipe swap was potato themed!Potatoes are one of my favorite things.. ever. Mashed potatoes are my favorite, but let me tell you these potatoes may be dethroning them! A big shout out to So Tasty, So Yummy for giving me this recipe. When I saw the picture for these potatoes on her blog I got really nervous, hoping that I could recreate. This dish is perfect for a dinner party because it is so fancy, but is made with such little effort! That is my kind of side dish!

Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

I have discovered my new favorite dish. I am a huge fan of Quinoa as you have seen in some of my latest posts, but this recipe has put this super grain over the top. I love mac and cheese from every angle. The cheese, the crunchy topping, the richness. Gosh, it tugs at my heart strings. This recipe makes it at least healthy for you. I used reduced far sharp cheddar, almond milk, and quinoa. I say that is a major win. Leanne 1, thunder thighs 0.

WIAW& The Best Addition to Any Dish: Pickled Onions

So it is love your veggies month.Well, I love veggies so that should not be a problem for my WIAW post. I eat veggies probably every day. My favorite, as you saw in my post from last week is brussels sprouts. I could literally have them every day. Today I wanted to give you a sampling of what I ate Tuesday ( WIAT??) and give you a veggie recipe to take away! Double Whammy. 

Chicken Toastadas

Since starting up graduate school again this semester, my time in the kitchen( and in general) has been limited.Working full time, going to school two nights a week, working out, having a life. Phew, sometimes it is alot. Lucky for me, I have this blog and it helps me find ways to help combat this constant loss of time. I started getting really good at making meals with whatever I have on hand and making it work.... actually really well I might add.

Baked Bang Bang Shrimp

So I have seen this recipe on Pinterest a few times now. It temps me every time. So I finally gave in. Apparently this dish is at a restaurant called the Bonefish Grill? I have never heard of that restaurant( there aren't a ton of chain restaurants in Rhode Island I guess,)but the dish looked delightful so I figured I would give it a whirl.

Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts & My New Obsession

First off, I was awarded another Liebster award from a fellow blogger! Please check out her blog, Go Bake Yourself. It is amazing and I want to make her desserts every day!! She is a young blogger who blogs far beyond her years. Not to mention....she calls Australia home.  Hooray and thank you Choc Chip Uru!

Secondly, I am not afraid to admit it. I love brussels sprouts. And call me crazy, but I always thought they were called brussel sprouts? Clearly I have been mistaken. Toby and I eat "brussels" as we refer to them at least twice a week. We usually saute them as a side dish with pancetta, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. Can you see why we are obsessed? I am not entirely sure how I never Incorporated them into a main dish before, but one night I was really craving pasta so I went with it. Spaghetti is on of my favorite pastas so I chose to shred the "brussels" so they were easier to eat with the pasta. I used whole wheat spaghetti, but feel free to choose whatever pasta you like best. And if you like things spicy, douse this dish with red pepper flakes like me. I LOVE IT.

Home Made Falafel (YUM)

Hello Falafel!

So I saw this recipe for crock pot falafel on pinterest the other day and was intrigued. I love falafel and  they are super healthy (minus the frying). So basically, what I am saying is that chickpeas are healthy. They are full of fiber and protein, not to mention a ton of other vitamins. Like 95%of falafel is chick peas so we are taking a step in a healthy direction. I was so hungry when I made these I did not want to make them in the crock pot. I just pan fried them with a bit of cooking spray and a tsp of olive oil.

Baked Eggplant Napoleans

Before I start this post, I would like to dedicate this post to Robert M Valentine Jr Esq. Bob, ( or Bob Loblaw as I refer to him as- Arrested Development.. anyone?) has recently become a vegetarian to make a healthy lifestyle change and I wanted to give him a recipe that was easy and not lacking in flavor. Also.. if you need a lawyer and are in Florida call him up. He just started his own firm. Yey!

Toby's "Healthy" WIAW & His Famous Meat Muffins Recipe

This week for WIAW I figured I would focus on what Toby eats during the week before the big Binge day. As you all saw last week, this is clearly his  favorite day of the week since he eats uber healthy for the rest of the week. For him, this includes lots of quinoa,lean meat ( bison,turkey) and veggies.