Down South

I was in St. George a while ago and found an awesome mexican restaurant. I seriously can't get their fajita burrito out of my mind and it's been weeks!

Next time you find yourself in St. George, Utah check out:

Don Pedro's

567 South Valley View Drive, St George, UT

Snow Canyon image

Menu

It's been forever since I posted. I thought the best way to get going again was to get myself to put together a menu for the week. I love doing this because it forces me to do two things: use up parrishables, and grocery shop with a purpose.

Menu for this week:

Crock Pot Chuck Roast, with carrots and potatoes and leftover crescent rolls from Sunday dinner. This is always one of my favorites because it's so easy and it's ready for me right when I get home.

Caprese Paninis - I went out of town a couple weeks ago for work, to the exciting city of Casper Wyoming, and ended up finding a fabulous Italian restaurant called Boticelli. Who knew Casper would have good places to eat? Anyway, I ordered their caprese panini and it was so good it reminded me of my trip to Italy last summer. Just put fresh mozzerella, tomatoes, and pesto between some good bread, like ciabatta and press on a panini machine. If you don't have one, a George Forman grill does the trick.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos - place chicken in a crock pot with some salsa on low for around four hours. About 30 minutes before it's done add some sour cream and shred the chicken. Put chicken on flour tortillas and squeeze some lime juice on top. Add cheese and tomatoes.

Gorgonzola Steak Salad - I went with some girlfriends to the Sego Lily restaurant and had the best salad. It seems pretty similar to this recipe, so I'm going to give it a try and see how it compares.

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Restaurant Love

I had the best girls night out last weekend. My sister and I first went out for manicures. I don't typically get a manicure, but it really does make you feel girly, and for $10 it makes for some nice girl time. Afterwards we headed over to Cannella's for some fabulous dinner. We started out with the risotto cakes, I highly recommend them. Everything else was good, I just wish we left room for dessert. I couldn't help but oogle all the sweet goodness at others' tables. Next time I think I'll go for appetizers and dessert only. Check it out here. I also hear their outdoor dining in the summer is fantastic. You'll have a nice view of the main library in downtown Salt Lake.

Valentine's for Him or Her

Valentines can be such a fun holiday. Really the hardest part can be finding that perfect gift. As usual, my ideas center around great food. So I thought I'd share some gift ideas that anyone would love, male or female.

How fun would it be to sign up for couples cooking lessons? There are numerous places around the Salt Lake Valley that offer them. Try Les Madeleines (I hear great things about them), Sur La Table, or Caputo's Market & Deli, to name a few.

For a fun and creative gift, head on over to Color Me Mine and paint a pretty plate, then top it off with some homemade sugar cookies. Trust me, they'll notice all the effort that went into this gift. Or even better, make a date of it and do both projects together!

I love this idea I found over at Stephmodo - Print up a t-shirt declaring your love for your Valentine, but wait for a big reveal by keeping it under wraps (hide under your coat) until you go out to dinner (may I suggest Stoneground) and when you sit down take off your coat. I bet they get a kick out of it!

I know a box of chocolates is a bit cliche, but if you were to give me a box from Condies Chocolates it would be worth every calorie. They really are the best, and I happen to know the family that runs it. Trust them when they say that they really do hand dip every chocolate (they even taught me how).

If you want to keep it simple, cook a great dinner at home and avoid the long waiting lists at restaurants. I've been dying to try this simple french meal from Stephmodo (can you tell I love her blog?). Instead of spending a bunch of money on gifts, try giving your Valentine a thoughtful card and let them know how much you love them.

Chicago Style

My first adventure in Chicago was tasting Giordanos Famous Stuffed Pizza. The waiter told us that they put 4 pounds of cheese on every pizza! Seriously?! That means that in my one piece of pizza I ate a 1/2 pound of cheese. I kind of wish I didn't know that, but it was totally worth it! Guess what? They'll ship a pizza any where in the US! For a special occasion that would be really fun.

If you ever find yourself in Chicago, try Rosebud for an upscale Italian meal. The restaurant was beautiful and the food was amazing.

Now, if only I could get to Chicago when it's warm!

Royal Eatery

I've been craving breakfast food ever since I ate at the Royal Eatery a couple of weeks ago. I was downtown for the semi annual book sale at the Main Library. I scored like 20 books for $20. You should check it out, it goes on every October and April. Afterwards a friend and I headed over to the royal Eatery for breakfast and I can't stop thinking about it.

For nothing fancy, but really good food, check it out.
image via flicker

BBQ for Summer's End

For me, Labor Day weekend represents the ending of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Yes, my pumpkin obsession should be starting soon. And what better way to see Summer come to an end with a great BBQ meal. So Husband and I made our way to Pat's BBQ for a little brisquet, ribs, meatloaf, and all the fixen's, that was all to die for! If you're looking for a great, hearty meal that serves you enough food to last a week, this is where you want to be. Check it out here.

Just in case you were wondering, they sell their awesome bbq sauce for $6 a bottle. This is serious stuff!

No time for homemade?

Last week I went to bookclub and wanted to bring something yummy, but had no time to make something from scratch. I love making rolls, and will have to share my recipe soon, but I just couldn't fit it in my schedule. So, I ran over to Texas Roadhouse (remembering how yummy their rolls and cinnamon butter taste) and bought up a dozen of them. They come all wrapped up nicely in a pretty box and are only $3.99/dozen! So, if you're ever in a bind this is a great option.

If you haven't ever had them, trust me, their that good!

Gelato Countdown

In exactly 12 days I will be on a plane heading for Europe with my twin bro and his wife. First I'll be trying out bratwurst's in Germany (can you believe I've never had one before?) and then I'll move down through Italy in search of the best gelato. Seriously, if you know anything about me at all, you know that my favorite part of travel is the food!
It will be husbands first time out of the country (Canada just doesn't count) and we're both so excited. Any tips, favorite restaurants, shopping, or sites that are a must? Please share!

I went out with some cute girlfriends the other night to try out some local Italian pizza at Setebello's and then on for some gelato at Capo Gelateria. It's a good way to prepare for my trip, don't you think? Anyway, these connecting restaurant's are a must date night/girls night, and I highly recommend them!

I inquired about the difference between gelato and ice cream, and besides the differences in ingredients and processes, it apparently has fewer calories! I figured that I can now eat more of it while in Italy.