Strawberry Season!

It's Springtime here in the South and that means it's strawberry time!  Honestly, this is really the only time of year that I even like strawberries.  There is just something different about locally grown fruit. 

Near our house is Cottle Farms, which has been growing strawberries in Columbia pretty much my entire life. Maybe even longer than I've been around, I'm not sure.  It's a huge operation and our kids love going out to the farm to pick their own berries.  If you've never gone, you should.  A word of caution though.  Don't let yourself get carried away and bring home 3 buckets full. It's easy to get all excited and keep on pickin' but remember, the berries go bad if they hang around too long and you can always go back to the farm when you need more!


We went out after school on Monday and the strawberries are gorgeous.  Bright red, glossy and plentiful.  Years ago, I came across one of the kookiest recipes ever.  It was in a magazine, although it's been so long now, I couldn't even begin to tell you which one it was. It was for a turkey and strawberry panini.  I know, I know.  Sounds insane, right?  Well, it's not.  It's been years since we made these sandwiches, but when I saw this year's crop, I decided it was time to bring back the panini.

Here's the skinny...Get a loaf of fresh Italian bread from the bakery.  Give it a layer of pepper jelly. Yes, you heard me.  Then layer really smoky, sliced turkey with some brie, sliced strawberries and fresh basil leaves.  Press and grill it with a panini press, waffle iron, in a pan, whatever your usual grilled cheese-technique is.  Prepare to be amazed.  It's the craziest combination of flavors and IT WORKS.  I told our friend Dottie about the sandwich and when I saw her yesterday in the school yard...well, suffice to say, she was raving about it.  Her husband loved it, kids loved it, she loved it.  I'm so glad she tried it because in the past when I've told people about this recipe, I get that sideways "okaaaay, right, Elizabeth" look. 

Dear readers, food fanatics, culinary daredevils, good food consumers, take my advice on this one.  Get thee to the farm!

Lunch in the Garden

You know those places that you forget about and then, when you go there again you always say to yourself "I've gotta remember this place and come here more often." One of those places for me is the Garden Bistro in the Vista.  My good friend Ellen loves this restaurant and is a regular. I recently met her there for lunch and had that "why don't I come here?" moment.  

For those of you who do not know the Garden Bistro, it's a cute little place that's decorated like a patio.  You're inside but you feel like you're outside.  It's tucked away behind the Art Bar so you kind of have to know what you're looking for.  The cool thing is that it's in the Vista, but its got an enormous parking lot right outside its door.  Parking is quite the rarity in this part of town.  It's a locally owned restaurant with daily specials and a really good regular menu.  Lots of fresh sandwiches, salads and soups.

When we went the other day, Ellen got one of the specials which was a turkey reuben.  It looked just awesome and I may have to get that next time. I chose a salad and soup combo: BLT salad (I'm a sucker for bacon) and French onion soup. I loved them both!  It was a perfect size for lunch and the taste was fantastic.  

If you read restaurant reviews on sites like Urbanspoon you know that Garden Bistro gets rave reviews all the time.  Comments tend to focus on freshness, variety, flavor and that it's a good local joint.  The atmosphere is comfortable, fun and creative.  They have a loyal following of regulars and deservedly so.  Sadly, the owner of the restaurant recently passed away from kidney disease at a much too early age.  I did not know him, but Ellen did and she (and many others) are greatly saddened by his passing.  I hope that Columbia's continued patronage will help keep his memory alive and will help his family continue on. Garden Bistro definitely is a keeper in Columbia's dining scene.
 

Serious about Salad

Hello, my name is Elizabeth and I'm a salad-bar-aholic. There, I said it.

Yes, it's true.  I love salad.  I love salad bars.  Now, my germaphobic friends are cringing, I know.  But, what can I say? I like to live on the edge.  The reason I love the salad bar so much is simply that I like being able to have complete control over what's going on that plate.  I can't begin to tell you how many times I've ordered something other than a salad (in a non-bar restaurant) because I don't want to go through the exercise of saying something along the lines of:

"I'd like the grilled chicken salad 
BUT without onion, cucumber, celery, or egg."  

And, so many times I've asked (logically) "since I don't want onion, cucumber, celery, or egg, could you put on some bacon bits or olives or something instead?"  Of course not.  That would mean we're interested in making our customer happy, and we really couldn't care less about that. With a salad bar, I avoid all of this awkwardness and annoyance.  I can build that salad with whatever I want and no one can tell me not to!  The problem is finding any place with a salad bar anymore.  I mean, it's even hard to find a crummy salad bar.  So, when you come across a good one, you want to stick with it!

This brings me to Jason's Deli.  I have been there twice now and both times have gone straight for their salad bar.  OMG...if you haven't checked this out, and if you're a salad fanatic like me, get in your car now.  This is the bar of bars.  The choices are beautiful and bountiful!  Romaine, spring mix, spinach, Kalamata olives, green olives, artichoke hearts, pickles, beets, cheddar, parmesan, pepperoncini, bell peppers, croutons, carrots, jalapenos, sunflower seeds, almonds, bacon...just to name a few!  Lots of dressing choices, mini-muffins, crackers, and Jason's deli flatbread crackers with sesame seeds & pepitas.  Heaven! ( I didn't take any photos because during the busy lunch service, I just wasn't up for looking like a fruitcake standing there snapping pix of a salad bar.)

Of course, there's a lot more to Jason's than just the salad bar.  First, throughout their menu, they feature organic, healthful ingredients, vegetarian dishes and a lot of gluten-free.  I'm also a big fan of soup and I can't even begin to remember all the soups they had available the other day.  I remember vegetarian vegetable, organic tomato basil, and broccoli cheese.  My mom had the manager's special which was a cup of soup and half of a "pastrami meltdown." This was beautiful pink pastrami piled on fresh bread with caramelized onion and melted cheese.  She chose the broccoli soup and said both were very tasty.  You can see Jason's menu here.

And the "icing on the cake" is the NON-high fructose corn syrup soft serve ice cream which is gratis with your meal.  What a sweet little touch, huh? This place serves really fresh, good tasting food and offers choices to satisfy everyone, including kids.  Of course, for me, it's the bomb-diggity salad bar of salad bars!  If you haven't checked it out, do yourself a favor.  It's right on Gervais in the heart of the Vista...you can't miss it.   

The Godfather of Bacon

I've admitted to you all before that I am an unabashed fan of bacon.  I love it.  I admit it and I'm not ashamed of it.  If I'm ever in a coma, please just advise the nurses to start cookin' up some bacon and I'll wake up in a flash.  

Today, the Vivvo and I joined my parents for lunch at the Gourmet Shop.  Viv loves to eat here for a few reasons:  1) our friend Brandi manages the place and always comes over to talk to us (Viv thinks that means we're VIPs) 2) One time, the owner let Viv go with her behind the counter and pick out any cookie she wanted (complimentary... of course it took a few conversations for me to make her understand that we don't get free cookies every time we go there) and 3) She loves croissants. I mean, really loves croissants.  She's actually developed her own "usual."  She orders a croissant with raspberry jam, butter and honey and a glass of milk.  Every time, without fail.

Like most people in Columbia, I usually order the chicken salad.  I mean, it IS what makes the Gourmet Shop famous.  One of their staff shirts reads "Peace, Love and Chicken Salad."  But, today, I decided I was up for a change of pace. There are lots of other dishes that I love at the G.S., but I decided on something new, well, new in the sense that I've never ordered it. The BLT.  OMG, call the BFF about the BLT, it's the BOMB.

You can't see the tomato, but trust me, it's in there!

This is the bacon lover's dream sandwich.  It is packed to the gills with beautiful bacon.  I mean, see that pile of it to the left?  It was just spilling out.  And this wasn't paper thin Waffle House bacon; no, no this was the real deal.  And, under all this dreaminess were two nice slices of bright red, beautiful tomato.  A little mayo completed the package.  And, as you can see, it's served on a croissant.  The waitress did ask if that was the bread I wanted, but I just don't like sandwiches like this on multi-grain because I think it's too sweet and the baguette can simply be too tall for me to bite.  I ordered the pesto pasta salad as my side.  This is a great pasta salad...fresh tasting pesto, bowtie pasta and green peas.  Today, however, I could only have a couple bites because of my monster baconator!

Since my big tomato breakthrough last summer, this is the best BLT I've come across so far.  Next time you're in Five Points, pop in there and see what you think.  If you get a really sticky table, chances are Viv was sitting there with all her honey and jam!
  

Bellacino's

I realize Bellacino's isn't new.  I remember when the one in Lexington opened, gosh, probably 10 years ago, one of my Realtor (r) friends used them all the time to cater Agents' Open Houses.  But, even after all these years, I had not ever actually gone into the restaurant.  Just had their catering on numerous occasions.

Bellacino's in Lexington, SC

Yesterday, my mom and I found ourselves in the area and decided to pop in and give it a try.  If you don't  know anything about Bellacino's, here's what I know.  It is a chain, but the Lexington & Irmo locations are owned by the same person.  Their menu is pizza, sandwiches (they call theirs 'grinders'), pasta and salads.  Neil tells me that any place that calls their sandwiches 'grinders' is a good thing in his book.  Apparently, years ago while working in Connecticut, he fell in love with grinders.  

As we walked in, the first thing I noticed was how clean the place smelled.  Restaurant cleanliness should go without saying, but as we all know, some restaurants get this and sadly, some do not.  So, after being greeted with a clean smell, I looked around and saw that the place is very neat, clean and tidy.  Good vibes so far.

We looked over the menu and decided to give the pizza a try.  We ordered a 12" with pepperoni, sausage & black olives. A classic combo, in this wanna-be's opinion!  You order at the counter and then the staff delivers your food to your table.  The dining room is large but has some dividers so it doesn't have the wide, open, banquet hall feeling to it.  I also noticed they have covered patio seating.  

Our pizza arrived and certainly passed my visual test.  Looks good and makes me wanna eat it.  Bellacino's cuts a round pie not into traditional slices, but slices it into a grid.  I like this idea actually because those of us who don't care for crust (kids) can get a nice gooey piece of pizza without the crust wastage.  For those of us who do like our crust, Bellacino's was nice and crusty, crispy and a medium thickness.  The sauce was nice, a little on the sweet side.  The toppings were also generous, especially the olives, which is a huge plus for me.  As a kid, we always went to our friends Dupre's pizza joint in Irmo called McIntosh's.  We ordered double black olives every time.  And every time, Dupre saw that double black olive ticket come in the kitchen and he knew it was us.  

Ummmmm

As most of you know, I am a life-long pizza devotee and a principal pizza proponent.  I've met very few pizzas that I didn't like.  Bellacino's is good and I'll gladly eat their pizza pie again.  However, on my next visit, I'll have to exercise some pizza lovin' self control and try out a 'grinder' or a salad.  

 la vita è più dolce con un po 'di peperoni in esso

Hungry Ladies Who Lunch

I had the great pleasure recently to meet up with my food-lovin' blogger friend Laura, -aka- The Hungry Lady. Laura is significantly younger than me, but she tolerated a lunch date with me nonetheless!  It was great to spend some face-to-face time talking about restaurants, her New Year's resolution to start cooking, and other food/wine stuff.  But, more importantly, I got to know more about her besides her love of food.  If you haven't read her blog, do yourself a favor and check it out. 

So, on to the food.


We met at MoMo's Bistro on Devine Street.  I had not been to MoMo's in years and never for lunch.  This was Laura's first time there ever.  The lunch menu was impressive.  Upscale sandwiches, deliciously described salads, a lobster quesadilla.  Laura chose the fish tacos and I opted for the French dip.  I'll start with Laura's...

Let me start with a familial aside.  My father hates tilapia.  I mean, HATES it.  He's sick of hearing the name, sick of seeing it on every flippin' menu, sick.of.it.  So, I couldn't wait to report back to my dad that MoMo's fish tacos are made with a real fish...Grouper.  When the plate arrived, all that I could utter was "wow, how pretty." 

The Hungry Lady sez "Yum Yum"

 It was a fantastic presentation.  Bright purple cabbage, beautifully grilled fish, bright green lime.  While I didn't taste, Laura said these were some of her favorite fish tacos and that the fish was cooking to perfection.  Thumbs up.

My choice sounds as boring as they come.  But, this sandwich will change your mind. What really caught my eye and convinced me that a French dip was in order was that it's made not with sliced roast beef, but with POT ROAST.  Hello?  Is this mike on?  Can you hear me in the back?  POT ROAST.  I have never seen this nor has it ever occurred to me to use this type of roast beef on a sandwich such as a F.D.  Sheer brilliance!  The meat was tender, juicy, flavorful...in a word, perfect.  But that's not all.  It was topped not with a food service-grade bland provolone or swiss. No, no.  MoMo's tops this baby with gruyere.  As it arrived at the table, it just looked dreamy with this soft, fresh hoagie roll with gooey, melty cheese cascading over that awesome meat.  And wait, there's more.  The French dip always comes "au jus."  For those of you who didn't major in French, this means "with juice."  (Ha Ha...I bet you figured that out when you were about 6, right?).  Well, it's been my experience that usually the jus is a sidecar filled with some run-of-the-mill beef broth.  This jus blew the doors off any French dip I've ever had.  Seriously.  Rich, deep flavor that just added that ideal finishing touch to this beautiful sandwich.  

I forgot to mention the fries..homemade and awesome!

So, folks, the bottom line is this.  I really like MoMo's for lunch!  I had a great meal, I got to learn more about a bloggie-friend who I really admire and I got to spread the word to you fine people.  Make a lunch date and enjoy!

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Asheville Eats

I hope this post finds you all well and happy after celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah.  I'm sure everyone has had their fill of other people's holiday tweets, Facebook posts and photo sharing, so I'm not going to do that to you.

Instead, I want to tell you about a little restaurant we checked out while in Asheville over the holiday.   My sister Katherine took us to Universal Joint.  What a cool, cute, funky little place!  It's totally got the kind of vibe that gets me and Neil going.  It's an old gas station building that has been turned into a local microbrew and sandwich shop.  There are photos of what the place looked like in the old days as a gas station and the garage's roll-up doors are still in place.  The garage contains a bar, tables and displays a chalkboard with a pretty extensive list of microbeers.  We chose to eat in the garage.  There is also outdoor seating available.

Village Gourmet: Salads and much more

I'm not sure how long the Village Gourmet has been open.  It's been awhile though.  For the last 12 years, my office has been within walking distance.  Needless to say, I've had most things on the menu and have watched the place evolve from a gourmet sandwich shop to today's daily menu of specials that range from a calamari salad to Kobe burgers to house-smoked pulled pork.

Cock 'n Bull on Rosewood

I've been meaning to post this for a week or two, so here I am finally sharing these thoughts with you.  The Cock 'n Bull started out in the basement of the building next to the Amoco on Rosewood.  Right from the start, they offered a unique and interesting menu.  I have heard tales of the Friday night Fish 'n Chips, which apparently sell out so you have to get there early.  I've never made it!  And, Cock 'n Bull is the official soccer HQ of Columbia.  If you even kind of like the game, this is the place to come and watch it.  And drink lots of good beer and eat good pub food.  Now, they are in an old house on the corner of Rosewood and S. Edisto.  

The feel is very familiar, comfortable and cozy in this old house.  Great atmosphere and the owners are local Rosewood neighbors, so it's cool that they really know their customers.

Recently, Neil and I were able to rendez-vous for lunch.  As you probably know, we are avid supporters of local businesses, especially restaurants.  So, heading over to yet another great joint right in our neigborhood was a quick and easy choice.  

As we entered from the side door, we were heartily greeted by Rod, the owner.  I've tried many dishes on their menu, but am still navigating through it so I've been trying to order something different each time.  Today, I chose the Shrimp Po' Boy & the housemade pub chips.  The Mister decided on the Duck Wrap with a side of lima beans.  (I know, right?  But, it is one of the sides they offer!)


Neil's dish first:  

Look at that arm; I am married to Iron Man!

it was a huge wrap, packed with roasted duck.  Neil commented that the sandwich was quite good but could have benefited from a little additional seasoning.  The limas were awesome.  Sorry I don't have more details; I was preoccupied with my order and didn't quiz him too much.  

My dish:  

I loved the presentation of this sandwich so much!  Using a whole romaine leaf impressed me and made the Po' Boy look very attractive.  The tomatoes were also placed on the side of the roll, so the beautiful red color was visible and included in each bite.  The shrimp were plump and perfectly cooked.  Frying shrimp can easily hit overcooked in a heartbeat if you're not careful.  These were just right.  The pub chips were also noteworthy because it was evident they were fresh cut and they were actually cooked as "raw fries" or floppy, as Neil calls them.  One of his pet peeves is places that claim to serve raw fries, but they are fried beyond recognition.  He tells me a true "raw" fry is supposed to be "floppy."  So, here the Cock 'n Bull totally delivers!


As we were finishing up, Rod came to our table to ask how our lunch was.  We chatted about our kids, who all go to the same school, and the Youth YMCA soccer that has just gotten rolling for the Fall.  If you appreciate being welcomed and known in a local establishment, Cock 'n Bull fits that bill.  They are simply nice people, cooking good food, serving up a million awesome beers from all over the Earth and diggin' on some soccer.  Two thumbs up...check it out for yourself.

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New Product

Image from Pillsbury's website

The nice people at Blogspark emailed me some information about a new product.  Pillsbury is introducing Pillsbury Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches and Pillsbury Egg Scrambles.  I haven't tried these products yet, so this is for your information.  You can click here to get a $1.00 coupon to try them out!

The Pillsbury Doughboy teamed up with Grammy-winning American gospel duo Mary Mary and surprised morning commuters with an unexpected performance.  There is a video that you can check out here of their impromtu breakfast boogie. Kind of a Doughboy flash mob.  


Thanks again to Blogspark and Pillsbury for sharing this information.  If you try the products before I do, post your comments here for others to see.

I ate a BLT & lived to tell about it!

This summer marks a monumental event in my taste bud evolution.  I have conquered the raw (red) tomato. The other day I bought one that was just beautiful.  It's a giant one, bright red, like as red as the background of this page, and once I squeeze the seeds outta the slices, add a little salt, I'm chowing down.  Now, anybody who has known me for any length of time is probably thinking I've been abducted by aliens and replaced with this tomato craving automaton.  In fact, I bet my sister is placing wagers on what type of anomaly is causing this:  stroke, demonic possession, one of those chips in my neck from the X-Files.  Whatever it is, I'm not only liking these big ol' summer tomatoes, I find that I'm craving them and am excited to try them.


Today, I stopped into a little sandwich shop that I learned about last week.  Zack's Sandwich Shack and Blue Plate Specials.  I love that they have such a long and specific name!  (You can "like" them on Facebook). 

This is Zack

You'd never expect to find a sandwich shop where these guys are located.  They are down a slope off Bush River.  They are surrounded by the American Legion, a batting cage facility, a towing service, a detective agency and two Christian ministries.  But right there in the middle is Zack's.

Po Girl

Shrimp is one of my all time favorite foods.  Those little babies are so versatile and tasty and they are a cinch to cook. Great for breaking up any mealtime monotony too. 


I got a craving for a shrimp sandwich.  One thing I'm always looking for is the perfect remoulade.  There are as many variations as there are people on Earth.  I've made it using a recipe, winging it, trying to recreate something I had in a restaurant.  Mixed reviews on my concoctions, so I continue to look for just the right one.  Well, I may have found one I can stick with.  I looked around the Food Network's site and modified one of Tyler Florence's recipes.  Here's what I did:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 1/2 tsp minced dill pickle
• 1 1/2 tsp minced capers
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped parsley
• 3/4 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

I mixed it all together and refrigerated for awhile to blend the flavors.  Then, I fried up some shrimp, sliced one of those big, red tomatoes we've been talking about, tore up some romaine and made myself a fantastic Po' boy, I mean, girl.  I got these really nice hoagie rolls from the Publix bakery that were perfect for this type of sandwich.  Slathered on the remoulade and piled in all the yummy ingredients. Success!

That's just a work of art, as far as I'm concerned!

My new favorite club

Just kidding!

Sometimes nothin' beats a good, tall, mayo-y, meaty club sandwich, right?  I've learned over the years that the best club is always made by someone else.  It's an interesting phenomenon really.  Try it. Make a club  at home for yourself.  It'll be ok, but it won't be great.  But, have your husband or your mom or someone make one for you and it's a whole new ballgame.

That's my kinda sandwich!

I can be a VERY picky sandwich consumer.  In fact, I didn't actually eat a real sandwich until I was about 12 or 13.  I mean, I'd eat peanut butter & honey or peanut butter & banana sandwiches, but nothing with meat, cheese, lettuce, etc. I can't even begin to tell you why.  But I can tell you it was in Charleston. My family was there for a weekend.  We were staying in a hotel and one day, mom and dad bought all kinds of cool sandwich fixin's, fresh bread and set up a spread in our room.  That's when I took the sandwich plunge.  I've been a regular member of society ever since.

I realize this is not a shrimp sandwich, by the way.

However, I am still particular. I don't like peanut butter and jelly.  I can't stand the thought of any sandwich on white bread.  No soft sandwiches either...I hate biting into non-toasted bread and instantly having a bread denture wedged into my hard palate.  It's like it gets glued up there.  Ick to the Ick'd degree.  And, don't even get me started on the evils of baloney.

Anyway you guys already know how quirky I can be, so I really don't need to go on.  So, let's move on to the point, shall we?

Today I made myself my kind of sandwich. I have some "popcorn shrimp" in my freezer.  [BACK STORY: At parties, I have a tendancy to start conversations with the caterers.  Often, I end up with leftovers to bring home, or if it's a lot, we donate it to the shelters.  This shrimp was from a recent party.]  So, I crisped the shrimp up in the oven, with a little spritz of "Pam."  Then, I mixed up some mayo, Dijon mustard and chopped jalapeno.  Result?  Crispy shrimp, spicy mayo on (lightly) toasted wheat bread and shredded romaine.  Happy tummy with a little warm burn!  And practically no work for me at all!

Easter Weekend Feasting Plans

Yummmmm   Ham

I wish my crust came out this pretty

Uncle Charlie would be proud

The Easter Sunday feast is always one of my favorites.  Sometimes I just picture the perfect pink-osity of a baked ham.  Or, my mind goes Greek and focuses on lamb; usually Uncle Charlie's souvakia recipe.  Or, other times, I have visions of light, fluffy quiches dancing in my head.  As I have been contemplating the Easter meal for this year, my mom just sprung into action and said, "Here's what we're having this year."  Dottie's sauerbraten, pickled red cabbage, mashed potatoes and green beans.  Jawohl!  Wir sind auf das Alte Land gehen!  This is one of my favorite meals of all time.  I am way excited. 

Sauerbraten...Get in my belly!

So, I'm merely charged with dessert.  I don't mind doing desserts.  I'm just not a big dessert eater, so I don't get as excited about it.  Anyway, I'm leaning toward a lemon tart with a coconut crust.  However, it is strawberry pickin' time, so if Vivi and I can get to the farm tomorrow or Saturday, that plan will change.  Get this:  I called the farm today to ask if they'd be open on Good Friday.  Not only are they open, they're working Easter Sunday too.  That's some hardcore strawberry commerce going on over there.  No holiday for you!  Must sell berries every day!  Get back to work!



Speaking of strawberries, I must share with you one recipe that I discovered 2 strawberry seasons ago.  I can't remember what magazine I found it in, otherwise, I'd totally give credit where it is due.  The recipe is for a panini that at first glance sounds pretty far out.  But, trust me.  You do, right?  Of course you do...this sandwich will make you exclaim "Franklin Delano!"  (I love that old man in the the new Oreo commercial!) 

So, here's how you make Smoked Turkey-Strawberry paninis...


Fresh bread (I used the Cuban from Publix's bakery)
smoked turkey breast
brie cheese with the rind removed, sliced
fresh basil leaves
beautiful local strawberries
pepper jelly


Spread the pepper jelly on one slice of bread.  Layer on the turkey, strawberry slices, brie, and basil leaves.  Top with another slice of bread (duh).  Spread good quality butter on the outsides and grill, press, or panini-maker it until the cheese is melty and gooey.


Take a bite, yell out "Franklin Delano", slap your mama and have a good, cathartic cry.  Yep, it's that good.  I prefer warm, personal, hand-written thank you notes please.  :-)

Enjoy and Happy Easter to you and your family. 

Good, Satisfying & Simple Meal when you just need a Short-cut!

I have had a cold this whole week.  I expected maybe a day or two under the weather; no big deal.  I've had 'em before.  But, this did not turn out as expected.  No, this cold was more ferocious, more evil, more intent on doing me in.  It teamed up with 2011's massive Pollen Invasion to try to conquer me.  But alas, I have prevailed.

So, in the midst of this epic health battle, I still had to be the incredible, amazing, to-be-awed Super Mom that I am known to be, right?  That included taming the laundry beast (this damn thing cannot be beaten; it keeps coming back), having Neil out of town for 2 nights (extra "mommy, mommy, mommy" questions as I'm sick as the proverbial dog), working and performing feats of genius and cooking.  So, by the time last night rolled around, I was a little ragged around the edges.  But, guess what, my foodie-licious little buddies?  I loaded up on cold  medicine, poured a glass of wine and hit the kitchen.  Result?  The ridiculously easy,  yet SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS open-faced roast beef sandwich.  Oh yeah!  

It looked a lot like this! 

But, remember, I was sick, so I'm going to be going all "Sandra Lee" and "Semi-Homemade" on ya.  Actually, I cooked very little, but the point I'm trying to make is that you can crank out a hot, homey, satisfying, old school dinner even when you feel like sticking your head in the oven.  (that's a funny story I'll have to tell you sometime...).

Ok, get ready.  You will not need to take notes here.  I took deli roast beef and sliced it into strips.  Then I warmed some olive oil in a pan and gently cooked some minced garlic, not so much to cook the garlic, but to flavor the olive oil.  I added the roast beef and cooked it on low just to coat with the garlic oil and warm.  Then, here's the hard part...I poured in a jar of "Homestyle" gravy from the grocery store.  (I know, I know... my mother-in-law, Mimi, the homemade gravy Queen is looking down at me shaking her head right now, but hey...I was sick!  Probably a high fever, I bet!)  I added freshly ground salt & pepper and spooned this yummy stuff over toast points.  It was fabulous.

And, the good news is that today, I am 400% better than yesterday.  The healing power of deli meat and jarred gravy?  Hmmm, something to think about.  Of course, it could have been the medicine I guess.

**Restaurant Review: Za's**

One of Vivian's new pastimes is going out to "the restaurant," as she refers to it (this applies to ALL restaurants).  One of her favorites is the spaghetti & meatballs at Za's.  Neil and I like taking her there because it's one of the few meals we order that she eats without a bunch of fiddling around and playing and non-eating.  Interestingly, she rejects spaghetti at home, but will plow through a bowl of Za's spaghetti.  

If any of you read my post "How my husband has influenced the Columbia restaurant scene"then you know we are no strangers to this restaurant. So this isn't a new place review, just a review of today's meal.  


Vivi ordered her usual, and as usual, ate very well.  She gave it a thumbs up and was very pleased to be able to demonstrate to our waitress her "happy plate."  For those of you without kids, that means a clean plate.  She was also delighted about the itty bitty grapes that were included in her side of fruit.  I must admit they were quite cute indeed.


Neil ordered the roast beef sandwich.  It's thinly sliced beef on a crusty sub roll with peppers, onions and cheese.  I tasted it and thought the roast beef was nice and flavorful, but the steak sauce that they served with it didn't do it any favors.  It was thick and very vinegary, but Neil tells me "It's just steak sauce.  That's how food service steak sauce tastes."  Ok, then.


I ordered an old favorite, the personal size (although I can only handle 1/2) "Zeus Za." Za's has very nice thin crust pizza that is baked in a wood-fired oven.  The Zeus is a beautiful combination of tomato, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, red onion and feta.  My pizza today was quite good, but the chef du jour was pretty heavy-handed with the red onion and light on the feta.  The onions were well cooked and soft but there were just too many.  A little more feta would have provided that subtle little goaty "bite" that makes feta so special.  

This is not an actual photo of my Zeus, but it looks pretty similar...

For any of you who have never been to Za's (and I doubt there are many who have not) I do wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant.  It's a comfortable yet mod locally owned spot right in the middle of Shandon & Heathwood.  They will make you happy whether you're there for appetizers before an event, drinks on a crowded people-watchin' Friday night or just a good ol' fashioned pizza and beer outing.  Check out their menu here, and then give it a go. I'm pretty darn sure you'll leave there happy.