May 28, 2016 - Sassy's Cafe and Bakery - Mesa, Arizona

I visited with Jeanne Stecher on May 28, 2016 for lunch.  We split the Spicy BLT Salad  - crisp romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, feta cheese, crisp hardwood smoked bacon, and fried tortilla strips served with creamy spicy jalapeno dressing.  Each meal is served with a miniature cupcake…ours was this cute little red velvet cupcake with the cream cheese frosting and infused with strawberry cream.

Then decided to have a cup coffee and a cupcake…Jeanne chose the Snickers…and I chose the Strawberry Cheesecake…Jeanne’s had a deep chocolate taste infused with chocolate caramel cream..and topped with chocolate pieces and nuts.  Mine was a white cupcake infused with a strawberry cream and topped with the whipped vanilla cream cheese frosting and one half of a huge fresh strawberry on top of the frosting.

I was happy to find another lunch spot plus what a bonus to find one more breakfast menu in Mesa.  I was very happy with my meal..and I will be returning to try some of the sandwiches.  The only thing I thought was strange was that we couldn't order a roll with our salad...in a bakery?

Sassy Café and Bakery

4210  E. Main Street

Mesa, Arizona 85205

(480) 649-3067

Store Hours:  Monday – Saturday 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Closed Sundays

Breakfast Served 7:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Lunch Served 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Dessert Served All Day

May 27, 2016 - Sapori D'Italia - Fountain Hills, Arizona

On our way home from a day spent in the Payson area Jeanne and Willie Stecher and I  decided to stop at this lovely Italian restaurant in Fountain Hills.

I wasn’t going to eat anything because I was still stuffed from lunch. Jeanne and Willie ordered drinks (Jeanne a Cosmos..Willie a Guinness)…a Caesar Salad and a Monte Etna pizza.  We shared everything but the drinks.  I did taste Willie’s though and it was a different variety of Guinness but I am not a Guinness fan..all the same it tasted pretty darn good.

A small bowl of freshly grated show Romano cheese was brought to the table…then a bowl of garlic knots and oil bread.  Yummy!  I am pretty sure it was Romano cheese.  How can I question my Romano cheese taster.  You will never know the amount of Romano cheese that I have graded in my life with Grandma Filicetti…and the tiny hard piece always left at the end was popped into my mouth and savored.  Yummy!  I love the tang of that cheese.

But since the Mannos do make homemade mozzarella..I just don’t know…now I will have to go back and ask…anyway the cheese was wonderful.  I spooned some grated cheese onto my dish and dipped the garlic knots and the pieces of pizza crust in the cheese…just as I love it.  I have done this for years.

The Caesar Salad was very tasty…and the homemade dressing was great…I especially liked what tasted like a lingering anchovy taste at the end of each bite.

The Monte Etna Pizza was perfect…nice wood fired brick oven thin crust…topped with a red sauce that had a really great hot taste at the end of every bite.  The meats were Salame Calabrese and  Coppa Capicolla.  I also could not tell if it was the meat or the spices in the sauce that produced the hot taste.

I really did love the evening snack here along with the wonderful live music entertainment.

I must go back there again…not only did I like the food, I want to find out what type of cheese was in the small bowl…and what is contributing to the hot taste at the end of every bite of the Monte Etna Pizza.  Good excuse, Lynda.

Sapori D’Italia

11865 N. Saguaro Blvd.

Fountain Hills, AZ 85268

(480) 816-9535

www.Saporiditaliaaz.com

Hours:  Monday- Sunday 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

History of the restaurant from their website:

Gasper and Maria Manno, opened Saproi d’ Italia in the Winter of 2009.

With an extensive back ground in restaurant management and culinary arts, Gasper and Maria have built Sapori d’ Italia into a highly-rated restaurant on both Yelp and Trip Advisor serving authentic Italian dishes along with an extensive selection of wood-fired pizza.

In January of 2013 Sapori d’Italia was featured on Restaurant Impossible and has since been named the highest viewed program on the award winning series.

Born in Sicily, Maria and Gasper moved to the US in their teens with their respective families. As with so many Italian families, both built their lives in the New York City area.

Fate brought Maria and Gasper together years later while attending college in New York City. They met one another through the Italian Club on campus. Married 36 years they have two adult sons; David who is currently the sous chef at Sapori and Jonathan the next generation pizzaiolo.

Sapori d’ Italia truly is a family restaurant. Relying on recipes that have been handed down from their Italian ancestors; Maria and Gasper take pride in using the freshest ingredients to create their signature Italian meals and traditional Sicilian delicacies.

Authenticity and quality are the pillars of Sapori d’ Italia, from fresh house-made pasta and mozzarella to the San Marzano tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese imported from Italy, each and every detail is overseen by the Mannos.

The moment you walk through the front door you are warmly greeted by Maria as if you are a long awaited old friend. While Maria manages the front of the house, she is also the pastry artist behind the mouth-watering desert selections.

Gasper oversees the kitchen and is the “pizzaiolo” behind the authentic wood-fired pizza. The pizzas are prepared and baked in the heart of the restaurant in a custom built stone oven imported from Italy. A favorite spot among regulars, the pizza oven is surrounded by a pizza bar allowing restaurant guests a first-hand view into the art of making pizza.

The Sapori d’ Italia team works passionately each day to provide a unique and unforgettable experience for all of their guests. They want each and every guest to feel as if they are dining in their homes.

May 27, 2016 - Crosswinds Restaurant - Payson, Arizona

Jeanne and Willie Stecher went with me for a visit in Payson, Arizona today.  We wanted to tour the Rim Country Museum and the Zane Grey Cabin.  We did both...thoroughly enjoyed our tours and both guides.  Great place to visit!

We asked where we could find good homemade pie. They told us about the homemade pie at the Crosswinds Restaurant at the airport so we drove up there for lunch…each of having a Patty Melt..with fries…the worst meal I have had in a long time…how can someone wreck a burger…well someone can…it tasted like bad cardboard.  I won’t be eating there any time soon.  Jeanne and Willie’s burger looked totally different than mine did.  Theirs looked like a burger...thick and juicy.  Mine looked like a dried piece of old meat.

They did somewhat redeem themselves with the homemade pie.  Willie chose the Strawberry-Rhubarb, I ordered the Mounds (a chocolate cream with lots and lots of coconut…just my style.)and Jeanne ordered the Banana Cream Pie…we had bites of each other’s pie…and all were very good…especially Willie’s because his crust was wonderful.

And, I must say, you just can't beat the wonderful view from the restaurant of the Mogollon Rim.

Crosswinds Restaurant

800 W. Airport Rd #B

Payson, Arizona 85541

(928) 474-1613

Hours:  Sunday –Tuesday 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

             Wednesday – Saturday 6:00a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

May 19, 2016 - Barrio Queen - Gilbert, Arizona

Sandy Wilts and I met Carol and Mike Thompson...and Jeanne and Willie Stecher for Happy Hour which is always 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.  All of us ordered the House Margarita except Carol who ordered a Aquas Frescas  - pineapple mixture.

The chips and salsa that was served with our margaritas was quite tasty...some thought it was too greasy...but they were big fresh chips...hot out of the oil...and the salsa was delicious.  I always manage to eat an entire meal of chips...and then try to eat dinner.  So Happy Hour appetizers are the way for me.

We decided to try the Happy Hour appetizers.  Sandy and Willie tried the Barrio Papas con Pollo - Barrio seasoned fried topped with pulled chicken and Oaxaca cheese.

Carol chose the Quesadilla con Pollo - flour tortilla folded with Oaxaca cheese, pulled chicken and spinach.

Jeanne ordered the Barrio Guacamole - The Queen's signature guacamole prepared tableside.  I liked the chunkiness of quacamole...but really what I like was the freshness of the ingredients...and the lime taste.

Mike and I ordered the Puerco Verde Cup - slow cooked, Coca Cola and orange marinated pork, topped with green chile, melted Oaxaca cheese, diced onions and cilantro.  The pork chunks were succulent...very tasty.

We also ordered the Cocktel de Elote - grilled cor cut form the cob, topped with butter, mayo, aged cortija cheese, Valentina, cilantro and lime.  They also served the Elote on the cob...but we thought off the cob would be easier to share.  I love Elote...and it didn't disappoint me.

Willie ordered the Pescado Tacos...small beer battered fish, cabbage, pico de gallo, queso fresco and spicy aioli.    I would try that when I return.

Food was very unique but so fresh.  The wait staff was fabulous.

Barrio Queen

388 N. Gilbert Rd.

Gilbert, AZ 85234

(480) 634-5025

Hours:  Monday – Thursday  11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

             Friday 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

             Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

             Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Happy Hour:  2:00 – 6:00 p.m.

May 8, 2016 - The Persian Room - Scottsdale, Arizona

The Hayes and Svendsen families celebrated Mother's Day at a dinner in The Persian Room.

We were served a basket of hot flatbread cut into triangles with butter, onions and cilantro as our drink orders were taken.  We buttered the flatbread, laid onion pieces and cilantro on the flatbread.  Rolled it up like a tortilla.  Yummy!  It tasted fantastic.  Who would have though?

Appetizer – Tah Dig – crispy and crunchy crust of rice topped with two toppings Ghormeh Sabzy – sautéed chunks of beef and fresh herbs (parsley, chive, cilantro and methi leaves), simmered in special sauce with kidney beans and dried limes plus  Gheimeh Sabzy -  sautéed chunks of beef with yellow split peas, onions and dried limes, simmered in fresh tomato sauce, topped with shoestring French Fries.  I really liked the crunch of the rice.  The whole appetizer was delicious.  I liked it so well that I ordered Ghormeh sabzy as my main course.  It was served with lots of white rice and saffron.

The appetizer was half eaten before I could snap a picture.  It was delicious.

My serving of Ghormeh Sabzy.  I am not showing you the separate plate of white rice and saffron but you will see it in some of the picture below.

Judson and Jonah shared a Chicken Barg Sultani – a chicken barg (marinated boneless chicken breast, skewered and charbroiled) and koobideh (a mixture of ground beef, minced onion and seasoning shewered and broiled.  Judson let me taste a bite of both meats.  The beef tasted like the gyros meat that I am used to eating in Mediterranean restaurants.  The chicken tasted as if marinated in something that contained saffron.  This was also served with a big plate of white  rice and saffron.

Joshua and Jody along with Jack and Judy shared Shrimp and Scallops – marinated shrimp and scallops, skewered and broiled.  Served on a bed of baghala polo – fresh dill weed and fava beans mixed with fluffy Basmati rice.  I tasted one of Judy’s scallops.  It was very delicious.  I have loved scallops all my life…but over the last few years decided that I didn’t like the taste anymore.  This dish would make me like scallops once again.

Dessert was shared by everyone for a taste – Persian ice cream – a yellow colored pistachio ice cream with a slice of baklava.

If you are looking for a new taste in food,  I suggest you give Persian food a try.  It was delicious.

There was a long wait.  I don’t know if that was due to Mother’s Day celebration or if that is normal but if you must wait I suggest that you do next door to the Caspian Market.  Walk through and see the big picture of the food from Persia…now Iran.  I thought all the desserts looked so good.  I had planned to stop on my way home and buy something delectable.  Then I didn’t.  I am regretting that as I write this.   I saw many items that I had tasted during my trip to Turkey.  (480) 513-8797

Jonah and Grandma Judy

Judson and Nonna

The Persian Room

17040 N. Scottsdale Road

Scottsdale, Arizona  85255

(480) 614-1414

Hours:  Sunday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

             Friday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

May 7, 2016 - Kentucky Derby Party at Las Palmas

We celebrated and watched the Kentucky Derby from the clubhouse at Las Palmas.  What a fun day! Sandy and I, along with many other Las Palmas women and men, made their own hats for the celebration.  I wanted to pass along some of the recipes that Sandy and I used to make snacks for the function.  At a later date I will also post the Mint Julep recipe that Sandy used.  Everyone must have enjoyed our food and drink because we came home only with empty plates and bowls!

And, big news!  My prizeless winning streak has ended.  My bet was on Nyquist!  Love that horse.

Sandy tried this recipe for the first time.  I ate late but was able to taste these.  Delicious!

Lorraine’s Bacon-Cheddar Straws

We call them:  Bacon Twists

From the kitchen of:  Food Network

Lorraine Pascale

All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface

One 13-ounce package puff pastry

1 tablespoon prepared English mustard

14 strips good-quality streaky bacon

3 ounces mature cheddar, grated

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry into a large rectangle, 1/ 4-inch thick.

Rotate the pastry so that the longer side is facing you.  Spread the mustard evenly over the pastry.  Lay the bacon slices on the pastry, long side facing you, leaving a small gap in between each slice.  Trim any mess edges that spill over the puff pastry, to neaten the rectangle into a straighter edge. Sprinkle the Cheddar over the bacon.  Cut in between each slice to form individual pastry-bacon strips.

Carefully twist each strip 4 or 5 times, so it looks like a curly straw.  Place o th prepared baking sheet and brush with beaten egg.  Chill in the fridge for 15to 20 minutes.

Remove the twists form the fridge and brush a second time with beaten egg.  Bake until the pastry is well risen and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

I tried these for the first time.  They are easy to make.  Taste wonderful.  These were very easy to make and didn't take a lot of time.  Thank God, we are able to buy these cute litte phyllo tart shells because I would have been working on these for weeks.

Mini Phyllo Tacos

We call them Mini-Tacos

From:  Taste of Home Appetizers

Roseann Weston, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

1/ 2 cup finely chopped onion

1 envelope taco seasoning

3/ 4 cup water

1 1/ 4-cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

2 packages (1.9 ounce each) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells

In a small skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir  in taco seasoning and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir n 1/ 2 cup of the cheese blend.

Place tart shells in an ungreased 15-inch x 10-inch baking pan.  Fill with taco mixture.

Bake at 350* for 6 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese blend; bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Yield:  2 1/ 2 dozen

Sandy also made these.  Once again I ate late.  None of these were left.

Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

From the kitchen  of:  Taste of Home Appetizers

Cristina Mather, San Miguel, California

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/ 2 teaspoon lemon juice

4 spinach tortillas (8 inches), room temperature

1/  2 pound fully cooked smoked salmon fillets, flaked

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, dill, capers, garlic powder and lemon juice.  Sprad over tortillas; tope with salmon.  Roll up tightly.

Cut into 1-inch pieces; secure with toothpicks.  Chill until serving.  Discard toothpicks before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield:  32 appetizers.

I will include one more.  The pictures of my Artichoke Dip with crackers didn't come out very good.

This is a recipe given to me by my aunt, Joan Leeds Patrick, over 20 years ago.  I have used this a lot for a party appetizer.  I always have received wonderful comments.  Try it!  Very easy time make and doesn't take much time.

ARTICHOKE DIP

From the kitchen of:  Joan Leeds

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts (not marinated)

     drain and chopped

1 small can diced green chiles

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients.  Place in small ovenproof bowl and bake

at 350* F for 20 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.

Serve as dip for chips or crackers (use Ritz).

Enjoy trying these recipes.  Serve something new when you are asked to bring an appetizer.  But most important - Have Fun!


I thought you would also enjoy some pictures of what other people brought.

Glenda Squire's  Fruit Tarts

Mary Pearsall's Bourbon Cake with Whipped Cream.

This cake was delicious.  So bouronnie...need I confess...I ate two pieces!

Sandy Wilts, Lynda Patrick-Hayes and Camille Keeler