Finding adventure in every day.

Posts from the “food and drink” Category

A Fall Feast for the Family

Posted on October 16, 2012

It’s been a long time since my family had dinner together, at least on an evening that wasn’t a holiday. With travel and living in different locations and work – life just gets in the way. When my parents recently decided to visit me and my brother, I knew that a restaurant just wasn’t the place for us. I was craving them all to myself in a comfortable and familiar setting. So I did what I always do when I decide to host people for dinner and tried out a brand new recipe (it’s a terrible idea but for some reason I keep doing it). Plus, I was looking for an opportunity to try out the bottle of Pinot Noir the lovely people at Mezzcorona…

Categories: food and drink, sponsored

Contest: Mezzacorona Moments

Posted on September 10, 2012

It was one of those weeks. You know the kind – where by the time Friday rolls around all you want to do is order a pizza, pop open a bottle of wine and watching three movies back to back? This past weekend, that’s exactly what Beau and I did. I usually wouldn’t have thought much about the situation. There’s nothing special about a night like that right? But when I looked down on my living room floor I could help but smile. My attempt at a relaxed and lazy evening had turned into a lovely little carpet picnic – our escape from the world, the stress, the noise – where we could just *be*.  

Categories: competitions and giveaways, food and drink

Food Pantry Drive for The Julian Center

Posted on August 1, 2012

Last week, I had a wonderful meeting with Bobbie Donahue, the Director of Development at The Julian Center, a resource and shelter for women and children of domestic violence in Indianapolis. She was lovely enough to sit while I spouted off several project ideas at a mile a minute, smiling all the while as I tripped over my words in excitement. We went over a number of different ways that the efforts I have in mind could benefit the organization in the most effective way possible. Bobbie told me that while the shelter regularly houses around 125 people, even the overflow room is overflowing. Summer is the lowest time for donations and the highest time for women and children seeking shelter and safety. Then…

Categories: food and drink, restaurants

Recipe: Baked Penne with Zucchini

Posted on May 8, 2012

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to cut. I don’t know why, it just slices and dices perfectly. Probably a weird thing to share with you but I thought I would open with that fun fact. My other favorite thing about zucchini (this one is more normal) is that it goes so well with pasta and of course, anything that goes well with pasta is delicious covered in cheese. If there’s any way on earth to combine all of these ingredients and make it somewhat acceptable to eat – it’s this baked penne (Prevention, January 2009). Quick, hearty, and chock full of veggies – all of the key components for an ideal weeknight meal. Baked Penne with Zucchini Servings: 6 Ingredients: 2  cups…

Categories: food and drink

Travel: A Few Days in London…

Posted on April 23, 2012

Now that I’ve finally been at home for a full week, I’m getting back into my normal eating, writing, working, routine. However there’s plenty to share about our recent adventure abroad! We spent the first few days of our trip in London while Beau did his business at Harrod’s and I ate my weight’s worth in the food halls. Browsing the produce section, I came across this strange and beautiful thing: It’s called a Romanesco. According to the description, These are pretty green vegetable look like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower but are more closely related to cauliflowers. They taste very much like cauliflowers. That sentence is not a typo on my end, it’s exactly what the sign read. I also spent some…

Categories: food and drink, travel

Back to Reality and My Kitchen

Posted on April 18, 2012

After three weeks of non-stop travel, I’m finally at home sweet home. Chicago with my lovely lady friends was a blast, Los Angeles with Beau and the little one made me feel like a kid again, and this past week in London was a week of making memories that I will cherish forever. But what I’m excited about right now, at this very moment, is pasta. Specifically this pasta. While one of my favorite ‘easy’ dishes has always been pasta with butter or olive oil and lots of parmesan, I never thought to use breadcrumbs. I came across a rendition of this recipe in the September 2009 issue of Glamour magazine. Originally titled, Nora’s Spaghetti with Sand, it’s a long time favorite dish of…

Categories: food and drink, recipes, travel

Eat: The Ivy

Posted on April 10, 2012

What’s the best thing you ever ate?  I can quickly identify two dishes that stand out for me. The first is the Black Truffle Fettucini from Pelago in Chicago. The second is the homemade lobster ravioli at The Ivy in Los Angeles (What can I say, I love carbs). Located off Robertson Ave. (a shopping-must!), The Ivy is known for many things – their gimlets, celebrity sightings and colorful floral decor. But if you ask me, the real star is their pink sauce which is also found on their rigatoni with peas and sausage. The homemade lobster ravioli is pricey for an everyday lunch ($29.75) so it’s probably great for my wallet and my rear that I live nowhere in the vicinity of this restaurant.…

Categories: food and drink, restaurants, travel

The Adventuress Begins

Posted on April 6, 2012

Hello and happy Friday! Beau and I spent the week in LA with his little one so I’ll have a report on that next week but for now I’m pleased to share an exciting announcement with you. Yesterday launched the first article in a new column I’m writing for the Indianapolis Star called ‘The Adventuress’. It’s basically what I’ve been doing here for years but specifically at places around Indianapolis that reader’s can visit, see, or experience for themselves. We kicked off with something I’ve always been slightly terrified of (as it relates to my mixed feelings on vegetarianism) – a hog butchering class at the Smoking Goose on Indianapolis’ East Side. It was an incredible experience, something I think all meat-eaters should pay…

Categories: adventure, food and drink, local

Book Worm: Food Rules

Posted on March 20, 2012

Lean in and listen closely because I’ve found the secret to a fit and healthy body. You will never have to try another fad diet or ridiculous cleanse again. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps: 1) Stay active 2) “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” 3) Read Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual Sound too good to be true? I promise it’s not. Unless you have a medical condition, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say something that usually isn’t very popular to say on the internet. There is simply no reason to be overweight or out of shape. Excuses? Sure. But cold, hard facts? No way. I naturally have a fairly slim physique but…

Categories: books and writers, food and drink

Flick Pick: Forks Over Knives

Posted on March 5, 2012

It’s no secret that we could all stand to eat a healthier, more plant based diet. More fruits, more vegetables, less meat, less…crap. When a book or documentary comes out telling me that I need to follow this diet (or something similar to it), I bite – no pun intended. I’m a sucker for the hype of healthy living. After watching the documentary ‘Forks Over Knives‘ last night, Beau and I were immediately moved to change our diets. I’m aware of the arguments against a whole foods, plant based diet. Honestly? I could care less. The message is to eat healthy things. Be active. Don’t put unnatural things into your body. I don’t know about you but I don’t need a thousand medical studies…

Categories: film, food and drink