Briana's Strawberry Lime Sorbet

One of my twin daughters has a real sweet tooth.  Lucky for her I keep frozen fruit around and a Vitamix machine!  This is what she whipped up tonight after our dinner.  Ok so don't blame her for the lack of texture.  She blames me for telling her to blend it too long.  But the flavor was oh so perfecto!

Clavera Empanada and Tequila Bar

Hip little place right down the block from Buku.  I would say if you are not too hungry, go hear for a light dinner, or a late night snack.  If you have an appetite like I do, you can eat three of these babies and still not feel satisfied.  HOWEVER.  They are gooooooooooooooood!  Have a fresh tequila cocktail while you wait for these perfectly done empanadas.  I had the "El Pastor" which is made with sweet guajillo pepper marinated pork, cilantro, pineapple, and lime.  Or try the "New Mexicana" with roasted New Mexico chili spiced pork.  Don't worry.  There are vegetarian choices too.

Buku in Downtown Raleigh

You know how it is.  You go to your "favorite" restaurant, then proceed to order the same damned thing you always order from that venue because, well, you love it!  That is how my daughters and I do it at Buku.  In my "favorite dishes in my favorite restaurants" post I mentioned the excellent Belgian "Moules Frites," or mussels in a tomato, garlic, white wine an cream broth, that comes with toasted bread and french fries ($15). We also order the "Hot Pot" of roasted chicken, coconut red curry, and mushrooms ($10).  A bargain of a meal for three people.  And I mean can you really whip this stuff up at home easily.  Why no!

Pie Bird in Mordecai Raleigh

For a "savory" and "sweet" lunch on a week day, if you haven't been to Pie Bird in the Mordecai area of Raleigh it is time to go.  Don't go for dinner as prices double.  These cute little savory hand pies are served with sides of your choice depending on the day.  Choose some of the best fries around, or go with a side salad, or one of their dailies.  Curried Chicken, Curried Veggies, Spinach and Feta, Black Bean and Green Chili, Pimento Cheese, or the special of the day..........these pies have a oh so yummy crust!  And if you are into dessert, well you can't go wrong.  Pie in the sky!

Food photos taken in Budapest Hungary on our vacation last summer

Home Cooking Catherine Style

My daughters are out of town and so I splurged on some Wholefood's sea scallops to make for an entree this evening.  Sorry girls! At $25 a pound I'll wait for a better deal to feed your hungry teen stomachs! I went to my favorite recipe website, Simply Recipes, and made Sea Scallops with Asparagus Sauce.  I cheated with the sides and picked up some garlic roasted red potatoes and some grilled veggies (asparagus, portabella cap, red pepper, zucchini) at their deli to make the night a bit easier on myself. 

Tautogs Restaurant in Virginia Beach

This past weekend I took my daughters to play in a soccer tournament in Norfolk, VA.  Not only did my daughters' team win, but we ate at a winner of a restaurant in Virginia Beach called Tautogs. A cute renovated house a block from the water made it a very inviting place, full of locals and awesome seafood. Since the dishes we ordered were either specials or no longer on the menu at the time of this publishing...........I really need to start taking notes............I will just leave you with photos of the entrees: sea scallops (one of my ultimate favorite foods), a salmon and crab layered dish, and a "flounder like" fish I had never heard of before and naturally have forgotten.  If you are ever anywhere near VA Beach go!  It is only open for dinner. Very reasonable prices for seafood.