February Random Bites

I'm still not fully recovered from the ankle injury.....but getting there slowly.
I can't wait to be fully back in business!!

I made this fabulous, easy cassoulet w/ sausage, white beans, canned cherry tomatoes and broccoli! Yes, broccoli!
The broccoli roasts in the pan, and it was the best ever. Sprinkled w/ toasted breadcrumbs the last 15 minutes of baking.

Based on this recipe.


Stuck inside during the winter?
Bake a cake.
I do it at least twice a week. It may not be good for your waistline, but it's good for the soul.

I made Silver Palate's fantastic Orange Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake. So good.

Have a slice.


I have been very creative with leftovers lately. My specialty.

A delicious leftover Sicilian slice from my local pizzeria, made a great breakfast w/ a crispy egg and arugula.

And if you have leftover bread lying around (I have a freezer full), then I urge you to make my chocolate orange bread pudding with bourbon.

I revisited the recipe and made an icing this time with powdered sugar and milk.

Really good, and there is bourbon in the recipe, so you can't go wrong!


Restaurant Bites:

Hey NJ peeps, there is a new pizza place in town.

Wood Stack Pizza Kitchen in Pine Brook, NJ (yes, as in Route 46).

A beautiful industrial style space, making Naples style pies out of Stefano Ferrara ovens.

Using the best local ingredients to make delicious salads and entrees, such as in-house made pastas; porchetta; octopus on fregola; stracciatella and really great pizzas.

We had the Bader Sting, a sopressata and honey pie and it was fantastic, as was everything else we tried.

Great craft cocktails and IPAs on tap. Moscow Mules served in proper copper mugs.

Loved this new addition to the Garden State, can't wait to go often!
Check it out.


Now I have taken this avocado toast craze thing too far.

I took out a frozen beet waffle, toasted it, and spread it with avocado.
Topped w/ some bacon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

DELICIOUS.


And to get spring going.....I made my favorite Roasted Vegetable Pasta Primavera.

You can use any vegetable you like, even leftover veggies work, just make sure you use onions and peas.
Recipe here.

and I want to say that I will be taking the month of March off to go on some exotic warm weather vacation.....but that's not happening with the state of my ankle, so I guess you are stuck with me for another month.

Hang in there, it's almost spring (says to herself everyday). :)