Review: Firefly, Manchester, NH
Friday night and no kids around, we decided to head out for dinner. We thought about visiting our regular series of independently owned, upscale restaurants in Nashua but decided we were in a more adventurous mood and wanted to try something new. A quick online search provided a place to try- Firefly, located in downtown Manchester.
Arriving at the restaurant about quarter to eight, we were told our wait would be 15 minutes. Although the bar was crowded, we chose to make our way there to order cocktails. A quick review of the drink menu, found what I thought would be…
Leftover St. Pat's Hash
Most of my family likes corned beef. So, when I purchase it for our St. Patrick’s Day dinner, I purchase more than will be eaten at that meal. Depending on the amount we have left, it can be used to make sandwiches or hash or just eaten plain.
As all of the leftover corned beef wasn’t eaten by Saturday morning, I decided to use it for breakfast. We also had leftover cooked potatoes from our St. Pat’s dinner, so making hash and eggs seemed like the perfect way to feed the family and clean out the fridge. Plus, with almost unlimited…
Review: Z Food & Drink, Manchester, NH
With the kids having plans for Friday evening, my husband and I had a couple 
hours to ourselves. After a busy week of work, we decided that dinner at a restaurant would be a great way to spend those hours. Although we have an assortment of favorite restaurants, we chose to dine somewhere different. Having enjoyed lunch at Z Food & Drink with a friend a few months ago, I suggested we try it for our dinner. We were not disappointed.
Arriving at the restaurant around 7:00, half of…
Grandma's Irish Soda Bread
I have some Irish ancestry, thanks to my grandma. However, I only cook Irish foods one day a year, St. Patrick’s Day. When I make that dinner, though, everything is homemade. I served corned beef, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage with malt vinegar on the side. Of course, Irish Soda Bread is part of the menu.
The recipe that I use is my grandma’s. The only difference is that I don’t add raisins. The appearance of dried fruit in the bread would make it unappealing to many of my family members. Also, according to family history, grandma and her sister differed in…
Asparagus Saute
Asparagus is a popular vegetable choice in our house. In fact, it is so popular that it is often requested by the kids. Well, some of them anyway. . .
So, with it being served as a side dish every few weeks, I have become bored with steamed asparagus. However, the idea of burying this delicious veggie under a heavy sauce was even less thrilling. So, I began to ponder how I could make asparagus more exciting without adding a fat-loaded topping.
I decided to consider other ways of cooking asparagus beyond my typical steaming or grilling. Sautéing seemed to be my…
Greek Eggplant Dip
In our house, both my husband and I enjoy cooking. In fact, we love a lazy Sunday where we can spend the afternoon in the kitchen making a variety of culinary creations. However, until last weekend we had an obstacle or two when cooking.
The biggest obstacle was our stove, which was in sad shape. The broiler didn’t work, and the gas burners were temperamental. As it is with appliances, these ailments were degenerative, getting progressively worse with time. Since we were ready to replace the stove, we decided we should have a few small kitchen repairs done and have the…
Restaurant Week Boston Kick Off Recap
Yesterday, my photographer (AKA my husband) and I headed to Boston for the Winter Restaurant Week Kickoff. Held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, attending this event is a definite perk of being a member of the media.
The event began a few minutes later than its anticipated 10:45 start, as Billy Costa (from NECN “TV Diner”) was running late. Unfortunately, fifteen minutes passed, and Mr. Costa had not arrived, so the event began without him. On hand to speak about the fantastic offers were Patrick Moscaritolo (President &…
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Homemade pizza is a family favorite at our house. Last Friday night, my brother’s family was planning on stopping by for a visit, so we asked them to join us for dinner. Trying to consider the food preferences of kids ranging in age from 21 months to almost 13 years old, pizza sounded like the winner.
For the kids and my finicky “little” brother, we made a few plain and pepperoni pizzas. However, for the more adventurous eaters we made Barbecue Chicken Pizza. This pizza is packed with flavor but is extremely easy to make. To make the recipe even easier…
4th Annual Winter Restaurant Week Boston
10, 9, 8, 7, 6. . .the countdown has begun! In six days, the Fourth Annual Winter Restaurant Week Boston begins. This event gives diners the opportunity to sample some tasty meals at even tastier prices.
Choose one of the many restaurants (over 220 chefs are participating), and make a reservation. Even though Boston is the center of activity, restaurants involved in this event are located throughout Boston, its suburbs, and further. Search for your dining location by neighborhood or by name.
For your dining pleasure, you…
Trio Wrap-Panini
My husband loves sandwiches, especially paninis. So that he could create his own panini combinations at home, I bought a panini pan and press for him at Christmas. It was love at first sight.
Since then, our entire family has used it for various lunches and dinners. However, I am not a big fan of sandwiches made with bread, as they tend to be heavy and filling. I prefer to make wraps. But just because I like wraps doesn’t mean that I want a cold sandwich.
My challenging requests for a sandwich led me to my creation of a wrap-panini. Using flatbread,…
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