My friend Nicole and I decided to start meeting for breakfast. We both have busy schedules and it can be hard to get together but every once in awhile our schedules align and we can meet up for some early morning grub.

In New Jersey there are a lot of diners so it isn’t hard to find somewhere to eat. But diners can get a little old and there aren’t too many healthy decisions to make.

We decided to check out the Train Station Cafe, a small restaurant that is owned by my old boss. They are the same owners of Gia Nina‘s, one of my favorite Italian places.

When we arrived we had the choice of sitting inside or out on the heated sun room. We decided to sit in the sun room because it was nice and bright and we literally sat right next to the train tracks!

I will admit that I sometimes struggle with breakfast because I’m not usually that hungry in the morning. But luckily my stomach was awake and ready to eat!

We started off with some beignets, which are similar to donuts. They were really light and airy, which I loved!

I’m not sure if these are supposed to be enjoyed as a dessert after breakfast but we enjoyed them as a breakfast “appetizer”.

I also had a hazelnut cappuccino. It was the perfect cold morning drink to enjoy.

We both agreed that we could have just enjoyed the beignets and cappuccino!

But breakfast was on the way. Not like I would ever turn food down.

I had a breakfast crepe. It was filled with bacon, eggs and cheese. I’ve only ever had a sweet crepe so it was a different experience! It reminded me of an omelette. And served with the crepes as potatoes and fruit.

I really enjoyed my breakfast and I liked that it was a little different :) And I can’t wait for our next breakfast meet up… we have some ideas in mind. I wouldn’t be a foodie if I wasn’t thinking about my next eating experience!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I spent my morning running a 5 mile turkey trot in Fairmount Park. I was nervous because it was pretty cold and I don’t usually run outside in the colder weather but it all turned out well! It was also supposed to rain but it actually started flurrying towards the end of the run. It was pretty :)

My family is pretty big so Thanksgiving isn’t always at the same place. But for the past several years we have gone to my Aunt and Uncle’s in North Jersey.

We started off with some appetizers.

And some refreshing beverages.

Everyone mingled and caught up with each other.

I love how cozy their house is. Last year when I was interning in NYC I stayed at their house and it always reminded me of the fall and how pretty their home is during this season.

It turned out to be a perfect Thanksgiving day! Crisp, cool and a little cloudy.

And before we knew it, it was that time…turkey time!

Hello big ole turkey.

My Uncle Fred hard at work!

There were so many delicious sides that went with the Thanksgiving feast.

I loved watching everyone hang around the kitchen waiting for the food to be ready!

Until everything was just perfect and everyone dug in!

Everything was so delicious and everyone did a great job preparing the meal, especially my Aunt and Uncle.

Next up was dessert!

Can’t forget the after dinner cordials!

I am very thankful for everything in my life… my family, friends, Jay, my health, and good fortune and the ability to have so many good things in my life. I am also very thankful for the many opportunities blogging has brought me and has allowed me to express my love for food. Here’s to many more things to be thankful for in the future!

This weekend was my Gram’s 80th Birthday! Such an amazing thing to be healthy and happy at 80.

In order to celebrate we had a brunch at my Aunt’s house.

Fresh baked goods.

Pink punch.

Delicious dishes cooked by my family members.

And everyone enjoyed the food of course :)

One of the gifts that we gave my Gram was a book comprised of memories and stories that we’ve had with her. Because my memory involved my passion for food I thought I’d share :)

Strong scents of onions and garlic fill the air. Chopping, dicing, mixing. I crack open my Mom’s cookbook and search for a recipe card. Recipe by: Grandma Helen. The ingredients are simple, the measurements are not specific. A shake of this, a dash of that, a glug of olive oil. I do my best and cross my fingers that my recipe will come out the way my Grandma Helen’s would.

As a child, I remember watching my Grandma cook. She was always happy in the kitchen and everyone else was happy when she was in the kitchen too. There were always delicious smells wafting through the air and the end result was amazing. Cooking makes my Grandma Helen happy. She loves to feed others and watch them enjoy her cooking. You can never leave her home hungry, and she always makes sure you bring something home. And when she entertains, there is never enough food.

Watching my Grandma cook always made me want to be in the kitchen. Cooking always looked fun and creating things that people loved was something that I wanted to do. And as I was able to help my Mom in the kitchen I learned recipes and skills that she learned from Grandma. Whenever I pull out a recipe that my Grandma made I think about her and am thankful that she gave me something that I am passionate about.

Hello! I have some great news…

You’re invited! That’s right, you’re invited to view my POM dinner party.

We had a lot of fun, a lot of food and ton of pomegranates! So come on, the party started!

My party was held on Friday, November 12th and 7 of my closest friends and family attended.

For my POM decor I decked the table with a tan and red color scheme. A brown paper tablecloth lined the table and greenery ran down the table’s center. Pomegranates were the centerpiece of course and each guest had their own pomegranate with their name on it.

At each seat there was a menu.

Menu

Beverages

Pomegranate mojito

Wine

Unsweetened pomegranate iced tea

Appetizer

Maple shrimp wrapped in bacon with pomegranate horseradish sauce

Salad

Mixed greens with homemade vinaigrette topped with goat cheese, pomegranate arils, pine nuts and homemade croutons

Entrée

Roasted pomegranate chicken

Pomegranate cornbread stuffing

Green beans

Dessert

Homemade pomegranate ice cream

Each guest was also given a brief list of interesting pomegranate facts about nutrition and history of the fruit. I also asked guests to rate their impression of pomegranates before and after the party on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being POMs skeeve me, 10 being I’m in love with POMs! They were also asked to briefly describe their opinions.

Before the party guests said:

“3,No clue! I know they are healthy”

“5, I don’t know much about them”

“8, I know they are healthy but tough. I don’t know how to open them.”

“5, difficult to open.”

“5, I don’t know anything about pomegranates.”

“2, hard to open!”

I also found these little pamphlets at the grocery store and wanted to share them with my guests.

POM Wonderful was so generous and sent me a lot of products to help me get ready for my party. They sent me TWO cases full of pomegranates, a bunch of coupons for pomegranate juice, an apron, recipes, a cutting board and goodie bags for my guests!

Everyone was thrilled about their bags!

While I was getting ready for the party I recruited someone as a pomegranate fan…

Sandy was curious to see what all the hype was about and she told me that she loves pomegranates :)

Before my guests arrived I had a glass of wine with my sister Carrie and her husband Ryan. They were nice enough to let me host the party at their house!

Pomegranates were just showing up everywhere that night!

Before I knew it, it was 7:00 and my first guests were arriving!

Looks pretty refreshing! Want to know what was in them?

Pomegranate mojito

These measurements make 2 drinks.

•1/4 cup pomegranate juice

•2 tsp sugar

•10-15 mint leaves

•1/4 cup clear rum

Combine ingredients in a shaker. Use a spoon to muddle mint leaves. Pour beverage over ice. Fill rest of glass with club soda.

While everyone was arriving and mingling we started off with an appetizer!

Maple shrimp wrapped in bacon with pomegranate sauce

•1 package of maple bacon

•1 pond of shrimp, deveined

•1/4 cup horseradish

•1/4 cup sour cream

•2 TBS cranberry pomegranate juice

Begin by peeling and washing the shrimp. Next, cut each strip of bacon into thirds. Wrap each piece of shrimp with bacon so that bacon is tightly wrapped around shrimp. Place shrimp on a cooling rack over a shallow baking dish. Broil shrimp wrapped bacon for about 10 minutes, flipping them over half way through so that both sides are crispy.

While the shrimp are cooking, combine horseradish, sour cream and POM juice. Stir until all ingredients are mixed.

Serve shrimp while hot, with dip on side.

Before we sat down for dinner I wanted to show my guests how much fun opening a pomegranate could be!

I was sporting my apron! Isn’t it so cute!?

There were several helpful tips that I gave my guests:

-Cut the top and the bottom of the pomegranate off so that you have a steady fruit to work with.

-Cut along the membrane so that you do not rupture too many arils. And if you do, no sweat, it happens.

-To get the arils out you have 2 good options 1.) take each section in a bowl of water and worth the tasty morsels out. 2.) use a wooden spoon to knock the arils out.

I said feel free to try it out yourself!

I think everyone had fun trying and realized how easy pomegranates are to open!

After practicing their POM skills, everyone was hungry and ready to eat!

We started with…

Mixed greens with homemade vinaigrette topped with goat cheese, pomegranate arils, pine nuts and homemade croutons

To make the croutons I used:

•Half a baguette

•a drizzle of olive oil, drizzle of balsamic vinegar

•mixed Italian spices

-Cut up baguette into cubes and place on baking sheet. Pour olive oil, balsamic vinegar and spices over bread. Bake in oven at 350° for 20 minutes or until crispy.

In the dressing I used:

•3 TBS pomegranate juice

•2 TBS lemon juice

•2 TBS olive oil

•1 TBS Dijon mustard

-Combine all ingredients until mixed well.

To make the salad I washed the greens and tossed in the dressing. I topped with half of a goat cheese log, pomegranate arils, pine nuts, and croutons.

We chatted and ate…then it was time for more eating!

Green Beans

•1 pound of green beans

•2 TBS olive oil

•3/4 cup water

•oregano, salt and pepper

-Wash green beans and cut ends off. In a large pot add olive oil, water, spices and green beans. Put on medium heat, covered. Green beans will steam. When they become soft, they are finished.

Roasted pomegranate chicken

•6 chicken breasts with bone

•1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

•salt and pepper

-Begin by washing the chicken. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and make sure it is evenly distributed. Sprinkle spices over chicken. Bake in oven at 350° for 1 hour or until chicken is crispy.

To make the glaze:

•1/4 cup pomegranate juice

•1/3 cup honey

•1/4 cup white cooking wine

•1 TBS lemon juice

•1/8 TBS cinnamon

-Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Continue to stir until glaze begins to bubble. Bring to low heat until sauce thickens. Pour over chicken.

Pomegranate cornbread stuffing

•4 TBS butter

•3/4 cup chopped onion

•3/4 cup chopped celery

•3 cups chicken broth

•2 eggs

•6 cups cornbread, cubed

•8 cups white bread, cubed

•1/2 cup parsley

•1/2 cup pomegranate arils

•1/2 cup pine nuts

-In a sauce pan, melt butter. Saute celery and onions until soft. Add chicken broth and heat until simmering.

-In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour vegetable mixture into bowl. Pour into a greased baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes covered with foil, then an additional 30 minutes uncovered.

After dinner I had one more treat up my sleeve!

Homemade pomegranate ice cream

•1 cup sugar

•3/4 cup whole milk

•3/4 cup heavy cream

•3/4 cup nectarine pomegranate juice

-Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into ice cream machine and let the magic happen :)

I also threw in half a cannoli shell in the ice cream for a little added crunch!

So what did everyone think about pomegranates AFTER the party?!

“9, Awesome! Fun to prepare!”

“10, They are awesome!”

“8, Love them, surprised about the benefits.”

“9, POMs are delicious.”

“10! Delish!”

I was pretty sure that everyone had a great time based on the comments about the tasty food and excitement about the pomegranate demonstration. But when I read the comments, I KNEW that I had a successful POM party!

Thank you again, POM Wonderful for giving me this opportunity. I had a great time and so did my guests :)

On my last day in San Francisco I had something really fun planned! I was going to Sonoma, California!!

I really wanted to go on a wine tour tour for 3 reasons:

1.) I love wine.

2.) I wanted to see another part of California, as this was my first time visiting.

3.) I had all day to kill and my flight wasn’t leaving until midnight so I wanted to do something that would take up some time.

I did a good amount of research and red some good and bad things about wine tours. At first I thought I wanted to go to Napa but then everyone said that I should go to Sonoma instead. Rumor has it that Sonoma is less crowded and less snooty.

I decided to book my tour through a company called Terrific Tours. Seriously, such a great experience! My tour guide’s name was Hamilton and he was such a knowledgeable and nice guy. He explained everything perfectly and was very attentive to our group’s needs. Hamilton also had a cooler filled with water bottles that we were free to drink whenever we pleased. And all of the wine tasting fees were included! Which is an awesome perk because a lot of companies will charge you a tour fee and then make you pay for the wine tastings as well.

I met my tour group at a specific spot where we were picked up on time. There was a young couple and a daughter and her mom on the tour. I was a little worried that it would be two other couples but everything worked out perfectly. And the one couple that was on the tour wound up being so nice and we hung out for most of the day.

On our way from San Francisco to Sonoma, Hamilton stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge for some pictures. I was really thankful because I didn’t have an opportunity to check it out with all the Foodbuzz activities going on!

As we drove, Hamilton told us interesting facts about the different parts of California. I loved that he knew so much!

Oh, and it was seriously the most gorgeous day. It was a little warm but with a crisp bite in the air. I was able to not wear my coat all day. And the sky was so clear. I was so happy with how perfect the weather was.

Our first stop was at the Kunde Estate Winery.

When we arrived our first stop was inside this wine cave! I was really excited to be able to see a wine cave. As you first walked in the aroma of delicious wine just surrounded you and it was so amazing.

This was really neat. It showed all the different layers of the ground that the grapes grow in. And you can actually have an event in the cave!

This would have been the perfect barrel if it was made just one day later! March 10th is my birthday :)

California = grapes + sunshine.

And me + California = happy.

We then headed inside for a delicious wine tasting where I bought several bottles of wine!

Next, we headed to St. Francis Winery.

This place was beautiful on the inside.

And it was so so so beautiful on the outside.

I couldn’t get over how breathtaking the views were.

This was my awesome tour group :)

After taking it all in and having a few more sips we headed off to have lunch! We went to The Sunflower Caffe, a really cute and quaint restaurant. The food was excelletnt, well priced and they had a wide vairiety of things to chose from.

And they had a really cute dining area in the back where you could sit outside.

I had the roasted chicken breast sandwich: rosemary and garlic marinated, roasted chicken breast served cold with cambazola cheese,
mayonaise, Dijon mustard & mixed salad greens.

Right across the street was the Girl and the Fig, a restaurant that Hamilton said is excellent.

But we were short on time. Guess that means I’ll just have to come back to try it :)

We stopped in Roessler Cellars tasting room, which was right across the street from where we had lunch. We were only able to stay for a few samples but it was a great little pit stop!

Next, we headed to the Larson Family Winery.

It was so neat to actually see some wine being processed while we were there!

After visiting our last winery we headed to the ferry. I was thankful that the price was included with our tour so we didn’t have to figure that one out on our own.

The sun was setting on the ride back and it was so picturesque!

It was the perfect way to spend my last day in California. I really couldn’t have imagined it any better, from the weather to the delicious wine and everything that I learned.

I would recommend Terrific Tours to anyone and think that visiting Sonoma is a MUST!

I’m sure you’re all glad that my CA tales are over. In case you missed any of it here is a recap:

2nd Annual Foodbuzz Festival

Day 1: Part 1 Part 2

Day 2: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Day 3: Part 1

Leaving my Foodbuzz friends was a difficult task! It’s crazy how quickly you become friends with people.

On Sunday morning I reluctantly headed over to the Sir Frances Drake in the rain. I think San Fran was sad that the weekend was over too because it sure was a gloomy morning. We had a farewell brunch where we gathered to eat (of course), chat and say goodbye!

Fresh fruit!

I thought the food was good. Not excellent. I’m not a huge fan of buffet style meals, especially when it comes to breakfast. I just think things get kind of cold and unappealing.

After breakfast I headed out on my own to do some exploring!

I stopped by the Ferry Building again to get souvenirs and enjoy all the foodieness that it has to offer. While I was there I grabbed this lyche iced tea! It was so delicious and refreshing.

I had a little bit of time to kill so I walked (in the pouring rain) from the Ferry Building, where my tour for Alcatraz was leaving.

I had to buy a poncho and an umbrella because the weather was so out of control. I was pretty bummed but decided to make the best of my day. And to my surprise the sun came out while I was on the ferry!

Ok, so I’m going to share this picture with you guys because you need to understand how windy it was on the ferry. I was traveling alone so I had to get up the nerve to ask people to take pictures of me a bunch. Kind of embarrassing but everyone was so nice about it. So anyway, after a random guy took this picture he was like, sweet hair.

Hysterical! As bad as it is, it just is too good not to share!

Approaching “the rock” as they call it.

It wound up being such a beautiful day and I was able to get some really pretty pictures.

This was the laundry room in Alcatraz.

Showers.

I found it pretty interesting that the crimes people were in jail for weren’t all that horrific. They said it wasn’t the crime that they committed, it was their behavior that was what got them there.

On the tour they told us that having a cell facing these windows was most desired so that the prisoners could look at the sun. It was also like torture because they could see the city from their cells and felt like it was being dangled in front of them. They said that on New Years Eve you could hear all the wealthy people out on boast celebrating which was especially depressing.

Solitary confinement cell.

Looking out the prison window at the city.

The view of the city was gorgeous!

I had such a great time, even by myself. I would recommend anyone got visit!

After my tour I headed back on the ferry to meet Sarah for dinner.

As soon as I got off the ferry I noticed there was a rainbow!

I actually stayed right on the Fisherman’s Wharf but didn’t really get a chance to explore until I walked around with Sarah! So glad I did because it was a very interesting place. Pretty touristy but fun nonetheless.

Dungeness crabs!

Almost as big as my head! I didn’t realize how big of a deal these bad boys were in San Fran but I’m sure glad they were because I’m a huge fan of crabs.

Sarah and I walked around for a bit before deciding on this restaurant.

Our view was so beautiful!

We started off with some fresh, crusty, sourdough bread! I miss this stuff already.

I also had a cup of clam chowda. Even though I’m not a fan of clams, this soup was really good!

I love dining with other food bloggers!

I had half of a dungeness crab with scallops and some corn on the cob. Everything was cooked “wharf style” which was in tomatoes, green onion and a lemon butter!

Some veggies on the side.

Sarah and I had an amazing meal! The sun was setting and she had to get going to catch her plane. I headed to Barnes & Noble to relax and get ready for my big day in Sonoma! Which I am going to update you about next :)

Oh, and Amanda from Eatspinlive is having a giveaway for a Hamilton Beach 12 Speed Blender! Check out her blog for a chance to win :)

I headed over to the girls’ hotel before dinner while they got ready. We decided that a cocktail was needed :)

They were staying at the Sir Francis Drake hotel so we just went right to the lobby bar!

The bartender took his drinks very seriously!

Lauren and Lauren were raving about a delicious margarita that they had had the night before. Apparently it wasn’t quite what the bartender made but I thought it was pretty tasty!

Ladies! Gina, Sarah, Lauren.

Boony Doon Vineyard wine. They had delicious wine. And there was a different kind throughout the night to be paired with each course.

Delicious polenta appetizer.

The tables were set up so beautifully!

We all said we felt like we were at a wedding :) There wasn’t even a bride, but the I would have married the food so it was close enough.

Two of my favorite ladies! Debby and Monica! They were such nice people and so fun to talk to. They also gave me great advice and some inspiration! Check out their blogs because they are amazing cooks/bakers!

It’s true, we all do <3 Foodbuzz!

Then it was time to eat!

Eat, pour wine.

This was my favorite course! I culd have ate those scallops all day and night.

Lots of wine pours equals a little fun!

This was my first experience with lamb. I actually really liked it! I was nervous but I was joking that I can now cross something else off my bucket list. I don’t think I’d ever order it at a restaurant but it was a good experience trying it.

Mmm dessert!

By the time I worked my way through all of this I was quite full. It was such an amazing and tasty meal. There was a scavenger hunt afterward but we were all just too spent!

I have more to tell you…the farewell breakfast, Alcatraz and my day in Sonoma! I’ll keep you posted :)