Moday Morning Maniacs!

Is this kid for real?

How could I not love this man? He is so super cool. Not only does he look yummy but he can cook yummy too. And he proved that second part last night when he fed Goat Galentine w/ Peach Mustardo to 100 people at an event. And they loved it. Only two people passed. Seriously. That is unheard of when your are trying to feed an animal that people never eat. To quote the great Salt 'n' Pepa..."whatta man whatta man whatta man."

Remember Oregon Trail?

Well you can play the old school version HERE for free and it's awesome!

Vacation is over and real life has resumed. Although... there have been a few changes.

Soon I will be able to announce some of them. Let's just say that for now I am on the road to becoming a full time (except Saturdays) stay at home mamma again.

To celebrate, I tore out the recipe pages of my absolutely new favorite magazine (Real Simple) and I headed to the market (sounds so much cooler than the grocery store). The boy & I spent two and a half hours looking for the ingredients as well as tasting a few. Thanks Heinens, the free fruit saved my crazy Catcher's life and also kept me sane.
As most of you know I DO NOT cook. I married a Chef, I really don't have to. Nor am I very good at it. However the news that I am not yet able to announce inspired me to spend $140 of money that we don't have on fancy pants ingredients for oh so yummy sounding dishes.

As you can guess, the boy's afternoon nap turned into my cooking time. Sort of. As I began the dish I realized we were out of olive oil. Now one may ask how the f does a chef and his widow run out of olive oil? No f'ng clue. A mere three hours later...and...Voila! A masterpiece of Tuna & Black Olive Vinaigrette Pasta. And guess what, the boy adored it. He almost ate as much as my prego ass did.

My Version of Tuna & Black Olive Vinaigrette Pasta

Real Simple's Version of Tuna & Black Olive Vineagrette Pasta

We are back from Jersey! More to come soon...

Ok Ok...this is really the last time I am gonna post for a week. But I just couldn't help but post these amazing pics of my two year old love sleeping so soundly. He is so fabulous. How did I ever get to be so lucky?

I am off to Cape May for the week. I will leave you with some of this hotness:
My man Becks. I think we may be seeing alot of him...

Dear Uncle Mikey,

Thanks for the rocking jersey. You are still my favorite uncle even though you live way far away in Denver.

Love,

Catcher

PS Don't be such a crybaby.

PPS Stop sending my daddy gross emails.


Cheers!

Boys get Playboy, I get Beckham...David that is. Not Robot Spice. To see more of the Beck's hotness click HERE.

As a Chef's Widow I get asked many questions regarding the restaurant industry that I have absolutely no answer to. However there is always one question that pops up, "What is my ideal restaurant?" that I should be able to answer effectively. I usually hem and haw and bitch about service but I have never really come up with a concise somewhat intelligent sounding answer. So here you go...my thoughts on what a restaurant should be:

My ideal restaurant could be described as one that is both simple and intelligent. I believe that a restaurant should keep all things as least complicated as possible while presenting themselves as very knowledgeable of their craft. There are five qualities that I seek in my ideal restaurant.

1. Simple Decor: I cannot stand kitsch. It takes away from the restaurant. The whole concept of having pieces of flair on the wall was created to distract the diner from how the food actually tastes. I like to walk into a restaurant that makes me feel like I was invited. I want warmth and comfort.
2. Knowledgeable Staff: I believe that all employee’s of a restaurant must know what they are taking about. They must act as professors of the concept as well as the food. When I have a question about the food, I want a complete answer, not the runaround.
3. Taste: Obviously I want the food I am paying for to make my taste buds beg for more. I want to taste something that is unique and pleasurable. I do not want to feel like I am eating at Friday’s.
4. Menu: Menu’s can be overwhelming with two many choices and poor descriptions. I like my menu concise and to the point. I don’t want to have to choose from 30 appetizers and 30 entrees. Keeping my choices simple keep me coming back. I think a simple menu that changes seasonally is perfect to keep the diner interested. I have been to way too many Cleveland area restaurants that never change their menu’s. I dot understand this. Variety is the spice of life people.
5. Chef/Customer Involvement: I am a huge fan of knowing or at least meeting the person who is creating the dishes I am either enjoying or possibly not enjoying. I really think that it shows the character & passion of the Chef and the restaurant if they are directly involved with the community and it’s people.

There are some things that make me insane at restaurants. This list could probably be longer but I’ll keep it short so you don’t fall asleep.
1. I absolutely cannot stand when my empty plate sits in front of me for two long. I understand that some restaurants wait for everyone to finish their meals before they bus the tables. However, if I am finished eating and I am speaking to a friend or colleague, do I really want my elbows sticking in my pasta dish? If a busser is good, he/she can clear the table without you even know they were ever there. I think I have the answer. Kung-Fu bussers.
2. Music Selection & Volume: Every restaurant I have ever been in that is located in Northeast Ohio plays the absolute worst music ever at the worst volume ever. Seriously. Every single one. Don’t try to introduce me to what you & your establishment thinks is ‘good’ music. Keep it in the background. The food show be the main show, not the Portishead album from 2002.
3. Pretension: For some reason, the food industry has turned into the music industry. I hate it when I land a server who thinks they are the Courtney Love of restaurants. Sometimes I have come into contact with the uber server, someone who makes me feel bad because I don’t know what fois gras is. That is a no-no in my book. Every customer should be treated with same respect no matter what kind of culinary background or knowledge they possess.
4. Lack of information: All I have to say is GET A WEBSITE. If you can charge $20 a head you can afford a website that is updated. I am an internet gal, that is how I get my information. I don’t call for reservations, I book online.
5. Food: If your food and the presentation is not up to par eventually I will turn on you. I understand that all dishes cannot come out perfect. I do understand that people have bad days and sometimes things just don’t work out. However if this is my third time eating in your establishment and my chicken is raw pink yet again we may have a problem. I am also not a big fan of over seasoning. I like my food simple and you better believe that I can tell the taste isn’t there when you smother it in salt.
That’s it. That is all I ask of my dining establishments. It’s really not that much...keep stuff off your walls, make your food taste good, have your chef make an appearance, don’t play crappy ambient music at loud volumes, don’t hire Courtney Love, invest in a website, clear the table when appropriate and with kung-fu like silence, and you are golden. You are my perfect little restaurant.

Need a Getaway?

Check out the fabulous giveaway that Five Minutes For Mom is having. Kimmy, you should totally enter this.

Happy Birthday Catcher Crazy Face!

I have been a mother for two years today. What an astounding thing that took place 730 days ago. My boys is no longer a baby. He is growing into a little man. From the talking, to the cuddling, to the screaming and yelling, he is now able to express himself and let me know what he wants or how he feels. He can stand on his own two feet. He teaches himself now, I am only in the background guiding him on what is safe and what is 'angerous.'

He is two. My god, I am in awe. I absolutely cannot believe that this little man has been in my life for two full years. The greatest years of my life, mind you. He has taught me so much. Not only about raising a child, but about who I am as a woman, mother, wife, and person. I have discovered myself in two short years, thanks to my boy. Some people spend years taking classes, traveling the planet, working a million hours a week to find themselves. All it took for me was one very long (48 hours) birth of a child.

So my son, thank you for all that you are and all that you will be now & in the future. You make me proud to be a mother. You make proud to be your mother. Happy 2nd birthday Catcher. You are my love.

Thirteen Pictures of My Favorite Boys in the World

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This has been an interesting week regarding blogging. Here I was thinking that no one reads this thing and all of the sudden WHAM!, I am getting angry comments regarding the kind of vehicle I buy.


"Buy an american car and not that jap junk, i hope anyone with a brain wont eat in your new place and support your business that dont support AMERICA!!!"


You have got to be some kind of asshole to write a comment like this. I mean does this guy think that everything he buys was produced in America. I am guessing those shit kicking boots he wears to clean up cow dung everyday were mass produced in China. That Fouis Vuiiton he bought his redneck wife, also mass produced in China. What about the computer he used? Was it made in America? Not if it's a Dell, Sony, Apple, or Gateway. Pieces & parts of those 'American' computers are all outsourced to cheaper labor countries. Oh and let us not forget, his Ford F150. Although it is American, guess where it was assembled? That's right my friends, Mexico.
You see the line is unclear anymore where and by who things are made. You better believe that your 'America car' is most definitely not the most patriotic car on the road. Hell, my Prius was assembled in the great USA by actual Americans.

I hope to god this asshole comes to our FRENCH restaurant.

I am so sick of these people who have issues with the silliest little things. If you haven't noticed it ain't the 1950's. Our economy sucks, not b/c of me & others like me, but b/c of the goddamn war and the blue bloods who dragged all our service men and women into a quagmire. So F off. I got a birthday party to plan and I have to go buy some paper plates that were made in Malaysia.


PS...That jap junk (as you so eloquently put it) gets 60 mpg. While you are giving 75% of your salary to foreign oil conglomerates, I am able to save money to send my boy to an 'American' college, where he will learn how ignorant people like you can be. Cheers!

Let's Lighten It Up A Bit....

The husband just called. Apparently one of you kind folks that read my stupid blog thinks I am talking shit about him.

Just to clear some things up:

1. This blog is not meant to be taken true or serious ever. It is my therapy. Most of the time I don't even spell check. I write and I publish. I rarely look at my posts after I write them (obviously).

2. I love the chef and I love my life. If I bitch about something that has to do with the husband it is usually very fleeting. For those of you who know the Chef, you know damn well he is close to perfect (other than the nail biting), and I am not.

3. If I say the Chef is unhappy, I do not mean drinkin' himself to death like Jeff Buckley unhappy. I just mean that he is not able to do what he is passionate about on a day to day basis right now, so shit is a little murky.

4. If you think I am talking shit, you obviously have never heard me talk shit. When I do, you'd know it.

5. The Chef reads this blog, do you really think I would write anything that would piss him off or make him look bad?


That's it. I was pissed but now I am not. I talked to my love and he's cool so I'm cool. For those of you who aren't cool....
I was totally gonna do a happy post about our upcoming Disney vaca. Looks like that'll have to wait a few days. Peace.