Last Friday I celebrated my 30th birthday and I couldn’t help but think about some unique and fun blog post to share with you all. When I look back on the past 30 years [some I remember better than others], most memories revolve around food. Imagine that! So I thought I’d shed some light as to the foods that have helped shape my life and given me the “taste” to pursue my professional goals and personal love of food!
My Favorite Things to Make:
- Chicken Noodle Soup: This is pretty much the soup I make weekly and then I jazz it up based on what other ingredients I have on hand.
- Pizza: That was a given. Pizza is practically my maiden name.
I starting helping my Mom with Caputo pizza at a young age. It was my job to chop and play with the olive topping! - Over-Medium Eggs: That yolk though! Too bad I’m the only one eating them in my house.
- Sunday Gravy: A labor of love that’s not much labor at all. And it’s a recipe that you can use for so many different meals.
- Flank Steak Tacos: This is one of the first meals I ever made for Ted and he’d be happy living off of homemade pizza and flank steak tacos. I couldn’t agree more!
- Simple Veggie Sauté: I might go crazy with the “main dish” for dinner but the sides are always simple; veggies, sautéed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. My fav? Spinach! Or kale.
- Coffee: There’s something about brewing a pot of coffee that puts a smile on my face. And I also love how easy it is to make a cup of coffee with my Keurig.
Things That Make Me Go Mmmmm:
- My Mom’s Caesar salad: If you’ve ever had her Caesar, you know what I’m talking about. She adds CRISPY bacon and her dressing is light, but creamy.
- My Mother-in-Law’s Chocolate Pie: And if you ask her I’m sure she’d make you one too. Homemade crust and all!
- A Wedge Salad topped with a Filet: Call me fancy pants, but if you’re ever at a steakhouse I highly recommend this combination. Many people order the two to be served separately, but I ask for mine to be served at the same time!
- Michigan Strawberry Pie: Again, another one of my Mom’s classics. Michigan berries are small but packed with intense flavors when in season.
- Chips and Salsa: Like peanut butter and jelly, I just can’t get enough of the combo.
- Roasted Garlic: I love it on bread, with hummus, or heck I’ll just eat those roasted cloves alone. Bad breath alert!
- Cold Pizza: I love waking up, opening the fridge, and eating a piece of cold pepperoni pizza. So dietitian of me, right?!
Jump ahead about 20 years from the first photo in this post and I’m still eating pizza. In New York nonetheless…
Things I Do NOT Like to Eat:
- Meatloaf: It’s ok Mom. Even after 4 years of working in the beef industry I was never converted.
- Bologna: I don’t think I’m alone here.
- Chicken Nuggets: They just aren’t my first choice on a fast food menu….
- Smoothies for Breakfast: I just can’t stomach all that good-stuff in a cup right when I wake up. At 11am? Well sure hand me a green smoothie!
- Joey’s Leftovers: I know many parents eat their kids leftovers but he’s in this stage of putting food in his mouth, taking it out, licking the cheese, etc. etc. Need I say more?
One of my last photos pregnant with Joey. Come to think of it… during pregnancy he was eating all of my leftovers!
My Favorite Restaurants:
I’ve compiled a few of my favorites based on the locations I’ve lived and traveled to. I’m sure there’s many more that could make this list, but these were top of mind!
- The Boathouse, Traverse City, Michigan: I look forward to eating lake Michigan whitefish here every summer.
- Folgarelli’s, Traverse City, Michigan: The Godfather sandwich. Enough said.
- Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Traverse City, Michigan: A winery does count as a restaurant when they serve snacks! This is one of my favorites in Northern MI with beautiful views of Lake Michigan.
- Phoenicia, Birmingham, Michigan: I could bathe in the roasted garlic appetizer.
- Luxe, Birmingham, Michigan: If I could perfect their brussel sprouts salad at home I’d save Ted lots of money.
- Streetside Seafood, Birmingham, Michigan: Do not eat the clam chowder if you are past your due date. Just saying. I did and Anthony was born that day!
- Mudgie’s Deli, Detroit, Michigan: Umm if you keep reading this list you can tell I like to order sandwiches when I go out to eat!
- Mati’s Deli, Dearborn, Michigan: Every time I’m home I get the Goodbye Charlie at Mattie’s. Tuna melt for the win! Can you tell I like sandwiches?!
- The Presidio Social Club, San Francisco, California: Cheese toasts and gunpowder’s. When I think of our life in San Fran that’s what I miss. And staying out with friends late at night and not having to wake up at 6am.
- Pizzeria Pico, Larkspur, CA: And not because of the pizza… but they have the best soft serve ice cream topped with olive oil and sea salt.
One of my first dates with Ted was at P. Picco. 2 years later and we were married! It was love at first bite! - La Bodega, Cleveland, Ohio: I went to grad school in Cleveland and loved this foodie city. I routinely ordered one of the sandwiches at La Bodega on Saturday’s and wake up in Detroit craving them most Saturday mornings still!
As you can tell, I love food—- talking about it, eating it, and enjoying it with family and friends. I apparently also love a really good sandwich. So if there’s an awesome sandwich place that needs to make my the list for my 31st, tell me: where should I go?! I also just realized I forget to add spirits such as beer and wine. So I’ll just make sure I write a post for my 31st birthday all about wine and my 32nd all about beer. Because those two shouldn’t be excluded from my favorites!
haha remind to never make you a smoothie. Unless its with ice cream. xxoo happy belated