Author: Suzanne Strength

You know all of the shows, "Best Of" magazine, newspaper and internet articles? I want to know if they are really worth the fuss. I'm trying to find out if I'd recommend them to MY friends and family. And as often as I can, I'll give you the source of who gave ME the original recommendation.
Charlotte · Denver

Thanksgiving Dinner Out?

Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

There is a first time for everything!  This year my children are going to the mountains with their dad for Thanksgiving, so the rest of my family decided we didn’t need to cook a huge meal…and we’d treat ourselves to dinner out!

If that’s something that appeals to you, here are some restaurants around Lake Norman and Charlotte that are serving Thanksgiving dinner!

CHARLOTTE

 

Eddie V’s:  “Even the gravy is served with a side of glamour.  Join us for a traditional holiday dinner with all the trimmings.  And for anyone who chooses to abandon Custom in favor of lobster, our full menu will also be available.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-8pm
  • Pricing: Adult $43  Child $15
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Baby French green beans with sundried tomatoes

Fleming’s:  “Let us host your three-course Thanksgiving, including your choice of Herb-Roasted Turkey or Petite Filet Mignon.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-8pm
  • Pricing: Adult $45  Child $22
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

Capital Grill:  “We’re hosting Thanksgiving for turkey and steak enthusiasts alike.”

  • Pricing: Adult $43  Child $15
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Slow roasted turkey with brioche stuffing

Chima Steakhouse: “Let us cook for you this Thanksgiving.  Complete Rodizio plus Thanksgiving favorites.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 12-8pm
  • Pricing: Adult $43  Child $15
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Thanksgiving menu offerings:  Roasted Turkey – cranberry sauce – stuffing – mashed sweet potato – green bean casserole – cornbread

Ri Ra Irish Pub: “We are open through the holidays and look forward to welcoming you, your family and friends to the pub to enjoy lots of festive fun. Feast on tasty bites, cozy up with our winter warmer drinks and celebrate the season with us.”

  • Thanksgiving hours 11-10 pm
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • No special Thanksgiving menu posted

JP Charlotte: “Thanksgiving Brunch at the Westin in Charlotte.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 10-3pm
  • Pricing: Adult $58  Child $24   Under 5 FREE!
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Roasted Pumpkin and Carrot Bisque

The Palm: “Join Us for Thanksgiving Day!”

  • Pricing: Adult $59  Child $24   
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Charred Brussels Sprouts

New South Kitchen:  “Traditional Thanksgiving feast complete with all the fixins!!!.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-7pm
  • Pricing: $35 per person
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Deep Fried Turkey

Buca di Beppo:  “Start a new tradition and leave your Thanksgiving meal to us so you can spend time with the ones you love. We are open for Thanksgiving and invite you to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.”

  • Thanksgiving feast begins at 11 am
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Spicy Italian Sausage Stuffing

Bistro La Bon:  “Never Too Soon To Start Thinking About Our Thanksgiving Smorgasbord”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 10-4 pm
  • Pricing: Adults $37 per person  Children 5-10 $16 per person  
  • Reservations: Online Reservations
  • Interesting menu offering: Squash Lasagna

Harper’s:  “gather ‘round our southern table”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-4 pm
  • Pricing: Adult $32  Child $15
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: The Best Prime Rib

Macaroni Grill: “Dine in and celebrate at our table. Regular menu will also be available.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-9 pm
  • Pricing: Adult $25  Child $12
  • Reservations: Online Reservations  
  • Interesting menu offering: Traditional Cheesecake with Pumpkin Crème Anglaise

LAKE NORMAN

The Foundry in Denver:  “Giving Thanks at the Foundry”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-2pm
  • Pricing: Adults $39 per person  Children 12 and under $15 per person  
  • Reservations: Reservations can be made by calling 704.585.8780
  • Interesting menu offering: Mediterranean Cod Artichokes, Spinach, Lemon Butter Sauce, Capers

North Harbor Club:  (Cornelius) “WE FEATURE A THANKSGIVING THEMED BUFFET CURATED WITH SOME CLASSIC THANKSGIVING FAVORITES ALONG WITH OUR SIGNATURE SIDES.”

  • Thanksgiving is served from 11-5 pm
  • Pricing: Adults $36 per person  Children 12 and under $16 per person  
  • Reservations: Reservations can be made by calling: CALL 704-896-5559
  • Interesting menu offering: Cajun Seafood Stuffing
Recipe

Winter Cookery

Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Winter.  Ugh.  After Christmas is over, I’m kind of done with it.  Recently we had a snow storm that shut down our Southern city for a few days, so I took that time to cook.  So, not all bad.  I’ve been neglecting that part of my life lately, so was nice to get back to it, even if it was forced.

Snow Cream!

So easy, you don’t need a recipe!  Stick a big bowl outside to collect fresh falling snow.  When full mix with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Scoop into a mason jar and garnish with snow if you want to be bougie.

I find myself really stepping up my pasta game in the winter, since it’s heavier and sticks with you in the frigid 40 degree temps of the Carolina tundra.  I found this recipe while searching for one to take to a friend who was in need of a casserole and a visit.  It was pretty to look at and yummy!

To view the recipe, head over to Very Best Baking

“BEST”-OVER HAM & PESTO PASTA

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 box (12 oz.) dry tri-color rotini or spiral shaped pasta (about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrot medley
  • 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
  • 2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded Italian cheese blend or Monterey Jack cheese
  • 3 tablespoons jarred or refrigerated pesto with basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups (8 oz.) cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

COOK pasta according to package directions, adding frozen vegetables to boiling pasta water for last 2 minutes of cooking time; drain. Return pasta and vegetables to cooking pot.

MEANWHILE, COMBINE evaporated milk, cheese, pesto and black pepper in medium saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

POUR cheese sauce over pasta and vegetables. Add ham; stir until combined.

Winter is when I’m ready for carbs.  These potatoes are simply delicious.  Seriously.  Not a lot of ingredients, and the hardest thing is slicing the potatoes thinly, but I have a mandolin so that was just plain fun.

Oh, and I forgot to snap a picture of this when it was done.  Curses!  But here’s the cookbook where I tried the recipe:

Potatoes Dauphinoise

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 medium russet potatoes (2 1/2 lbs)
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, plus more for baking dish
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS

  1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Scrub and peel potatoes, then cut them into 1/8 inch thick slices.
  2. Combine potatoes, milk, butter, salt and white pepper in a large saucepan.  Bring to simmer over medium heat.  Add the garlic; partially cover pan and simmer until potatoes are almost tender when tested with point of small sharp knife, about 20 minutes.
  3. Pour potatoes with liquid into a buttered 13×9 inch casserole dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until sauce has thickened and cheese is melted and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

 

Recipe

Grab and Go Breakfasts

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We’ve all heard the mantra: breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But for me, morning is the busiest time of the day and it seems I’m always just too late to do anything more than grab something as I head out the door.  These yummies can be eaten on the fly, so don’t skip breakfast when you can eat it on the fly!

BACON BISCUIT CUPS

INGREDIENTS

      • 2 tablespoons milk
      • 1 large egg
      • 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
      • 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese ( 2 ounces)
      • 1 green onion, chopped
      • 1 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits
      • 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

GARNISH

    • sliced green onion

DIRECTIONS

  1. Beat cream cheese, milk and egg at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
  2. Stir in cheese and green onion.
  3. Set aside.
  4. Separate biscuits into 10 portions.
  5. Pat each portion into a 5 inch circle, and press on bottoms and up sides of greased muffin cups, forming a 1/4 inch edge.

 

 

PUFF PASTRY CHERRY BLOSSOMS

INGREDIENTS

    • puff pastry sheet
    • pie filling, of your choice
    • egg wash ( one beaten egg)
    • turbinado sugar
    • glaze
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut your sheet of puff pastry into squares. I cut down the 3 vertical marks that are previously there. I was left with 3 strips. I cut each strip into 3 squares. They are not perfectly square, but that’s o.k! You can make yours larger if you like. Take one of your squares and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center. Don’t use more than that, or you will have a mess.
  2. Grab two opposite corners and pull up to center and pinch together.
  3. Do the same with the other corners. Now, pinch closed two seams and leave two open.
  4. Lay your cherry blossoms on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  5. If you don’t have parchment paper, grease your pan lightly.
  6. Brush with egg wash.
  7. Sprinkle sugar over pastry.
  8. Bake at 375 degrees until very golden.
  9. 15 to 20 minutes.
  10. Don’t worry if a bit of your filling runs out.
  11. You can take a knife and push it right back inches.
  12. Prepare the glaze while the blossoms are baking . . .Mix confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla.
  13. Make the glaze the consistency you like.
  14. Once the blossoms have finished baking, glaze them while still warm.

The dishes below aren’t mine, and haven’t been tested by me.  BUT they sound delicious.  I’d love to hear it if  you try any of these!

APPLE SANDWICHES WITH ALMOND BUTTER AND GRANOLA

These are great little sandwiches on the run that are packed with protein to keep you full until lunch.  From Garnish with Lemon blog

Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats

The ultimate make-ahead healthy breakfast.  Just don’t forget your spoon! This recipe from Kristine’s Kitchen Blog

 

Recipe

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

Delicious Avocado Ranch Dressing is a very versatile recipe.  Make a batch, eat it on your salad and then use it up on twists on classic recipes.

AVOCADO-RANCH DRESSING

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 ripe avocados
    • 1 cup ranch dressing
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
    • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

  1.  Cut avocados in half; scoop pulp into a food processor or blender.
  2.  Add 1 cup Ranch dressing and remaining ingredients to food processor. Process until avocado mixture is smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Use it up by making:

Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich from Spend with Pennies

Another brilliant idea is Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen

It would be cool and creamy on these Chili Nachos from Ragu

Charlotte · Uncategorized

Restaurant Review: Halcyon in Uptown Charlotte

Suzanne Strength1 Comment

Halcyon has been on my wishlist forever, but sometimes parking in Uptown Charlotte is a hassle.  It definitely was yesterday afternoon, but we persisted.  We circled the restaurant maybe 7 times, each time finding a parking lot with a “Full” sign.  On our 8th trip we found a parallel spot a few blocks away and got in in only 2 tries 🙂  Nerve wracking!!

It was worth the concentration and anxiety.  Once we walked to where GPS said Halcyon was, we wandered around another 10 minutes trying to figure out where the heck it was.  We followed signs, we went down an alleyway….I eventually gave up and asked another patron walking around near the Levine Center where the heck it was.  Turns out, you go up this gigantic staircase into the MInt Museum (there is an elevator on the inside of the building!) and there the restaurant is in all its glory.

The restaurant is beautiful, as you’d expect. When we walked in, I was struck by all of the organic decorative touches.  The hostess station sits atop the most beautiful wood table I’ve ever seen.  I couldn’t quit rubbing it.  I slipped around the hostess and snapped a quick picture of a long dining table waiting for patrons because it was so beautiful and simple.  The light fixtures look like a nest of twigs.  I was really wowed.

Look at that gorgeous table!

Huge windows overlooking Downtown Charlotte and check the light fixtures!

Love the organically shaped plates.

Despite the beauty inside, it couldn’t hold a candle to the beautiful fall weather we had yesterday, so we opted to sit on the patio.  Unlike many places, the outdoor furniture was comfortable and also lovely.  And the view!  Could not be beat.

View of Uptown Charlotte from Halcyon

The food was just as amazing as the view.  We scoured the menu and tried to order something different from each other so we could taste everything possible!  With so many delicious choices, that was easy.

Lunch Menu

First we ordered tea all around.  It comes unsweetened and they serve it with a simple syrup.  So, I was charmed the first time this happened to me, but now I despise this trend.  I can never use enough to even taste it.  Just give me some Sweet and Low and I’ll be happy.

My food, however, was without flaw.  I ordered the Local Catch of the Day which was pan seared Snapper.  They placed it atop a mix of summer veggies with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette on the bottom.  Seriously one of the best things I’ve eaten in a very long time.  The fish, though prepared simply, was so flavorful and flaky; cooked perfectly.  The skin was crispy and the inside was white and tender.  The veggies were sauteed lightly and the broccoli was charred so that was a perfect contrast of flavors.  Finally, that vinaigrette sauce: I wish I could come home with a cup full and slather it on everything.  It was tart and perfect when you dragged your fish or a vegetable through it.

Local Daily Catch with summer veggies, charred broccoli atop a puddle of roasted red pepper vinaigrette

My friend Paula got the Pork Belly BLT.  It was gorgeous!!  It’s this open-faced sandwich made on a brioche bun and stuffed with thick cut heirloom tomatoes, pimiento cheese, pork belly and drizzled with herb aioli. The fries are in a class of their own.  So crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside and seasoned to perfection.   Paula was very happy with it!

Pork Belly BLT with fries

My friend Jennifer got the Open Faced Lamb Sausage Pita, and she let me take a bite of the sausage!  It was just so spicy and tangy.  The pita had spinach, the sausage which looked to be spiced with a tomato confiture, topped with tzatziki sauce, herbed goat cheese and a beautifully fried egg.  Served with those amazing fries!  Superb.

Open Faced Lamb Sausage Pita

We were all so darn full from our delicious lunches, but we did decide to indulge in one small truffle 🙂  It was just a ball of ganache, rolled in cocoa powder and served with a few blueberries.  But it was oddly rich and perfect.  Just the little bite of sweetness we needed to end our perfect lunch.  Jennifer also got a latte which she said was great!

The perfect bite: Chocolate Truffle with blueberries

Latte

This restaurant is perfect for an al fresco dining experience with a beautiful view, or a date night when you want to impress someone.  Take a moment and look around the museum while you are there!

Recipe

Hogwart’s Haute Cuisine

Suzanne StrengthLeave a comment

butterbeerharry

 

Ok, so I’m 49.  But I still dream of living amidst the wizards of Hogwart’s halls.  Is there anyone in America who has not been charmed by this movie?  For a fun Friday night, we catch repeats of the movies on the Family Channel and then make some treats that Harry would love.  Our favorite is the Butterbeer!  It is creamy and sweet and frothy…and not fat free.  But yummy for a treat once in a great while.

butterbeer

Butterbeer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
  • 4 (12 ounce) bottles cream soda, chilled

directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, stirring occasionally. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, bring to a gentle boil and turn off the heat after about a minute of cooking.

  2. Turn off the heat and add the butter, salt, vinegar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature before using.

  3. In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining cream (1/2 cup) with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar syrup.

  4. In each glass, mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar syrup with 1/4 cup cream soda. Pour in the rest of the cream soda until it is nearly to the brim of the glass. Top with whipped cream.

  5. Serve immediately!

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Here are some other Harry Potter treats from around the web that I’ve yet to try, but shall presently.

Harry’s Favorite Treacle Tart courtesy of The Traveler’s Lunchbox: Click here for Recipe

Treacle tart

Licorice Wands Courtesy of Pastry Affair:  Click here for the recipe.

Mrs. Weasley’s Rock Cakes courtesy of  the barest hint of sweetness   :  Click here for recipe