Our two week honeymoon began in Positano, Italy.  It is towards the southern end of Italy and has some fantastic views of the Amalfi Coast!  Positano also has beaches which was a must have for the first stop on our honeymoon.

Screen Shot of GoogleMaps

We decided to splurge a little in Positano. It was our time to relax, soak in being married and decompress after all that wedding planning.  We spent an evening researching hotels in Positano using TripAdvisor and Rick Steve’s guide.  When we finally stumbled upon Hotel Marincanto; I was immediately sold.  The pictures showed phenomenal views and was within walking distance of the beach!

After a red eye flight from DC to Paris and finally to Naples we arrived excited, but exhausted.  Luckily my husband had hired a driver to take us from Naples to Positano.  The streets are crazy windy and narrow. I was VERY happy to not be driving myself in a foreign country while totally exhausted!!  Hiring a driver was probably one of the best decisions we made.

Day 1:

We arrived in Positano and checked into the hotel.  We were both STARVING so we changed quickly and walked down to the beach.  Unfortunately we arrived at a weird time and had to walk around for a while before finding a place serving food.  We stumbled upon Le Tre Sorelle.  It had the MOST amazing pizza.  The best pizza we had all vacation.  Seriously I dream about this pizza it was so good. We went all three days for lunch.  Ok I think you now get how amazing the pizza was!

Honeymoon in Positano Italy. Favorite restaurants and places to stay | Life's Tidbits

After lunch we walked around and then retired to our hotel for a siesta.  After a much needed nap we watched the sunset on our balcony.  Such an amazing view!

Honeymoon vacation Positano, Italy | Life's Tidbits

For dinner we went to Ristorante La Cambusa.  It was okay, but nothing to write home about.  For our first night it was fine, but I’m assuming there are other better options for your first evening in Italy!  My husband had been instructed that when you pass a gelato place you stop … always.  So as we strolled (or really rolled) back towards the hotel we stopped for our first taste of gelato.

OMG the lemon gelato was to die for and totally worth feeling extra stuffed.  :)  Off to bed we went excited to spend the entire next day at the pool or beach!

Day 2:

Reading, sun tanning and have a beer by the pool took up the whole day!  We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.  We chose to stay by the pool instead of going to the beach where we would have to rent mattalas.  Considering the beach was rocky there wasn’t any real need to be there when we had a gorgeous pool at our disposal, plus the view is so perfect from the suntanning patio.

Honeymoon vacation Positano, Italy | Life's Tidbits

We made the trip down to the beach for lunch at Le Tre Sorelle.  When it was time to make some decisions about dinner out came the iPhone and directly to Trip Advisor app we went.  Buca di Bacco had some good reviews and we remembered walking past it the night before.  Boy did it not disappoint.  The mozzarella melted in our mouths and the gnocchi was the best we’ve ever had.  If I remember correctly it was called Sorrento gnocchi.  Either way have it if you ever go it was to die for.

Sorrento Gnocchi and tomato salad in Positano, Italy - Traveling, honeymooning, vacation | Life's Tidbits

The night ended with a “gelato cap” and was the perfect end to our second day.

Day 3:

The day was very much like day 2.  Time at the pool and then off to our favorite (and only) lunch place in Positano.  We were sad our time in Positano was coming to an end.

Our last dinner was at Ristorante Covo Dei Saraceni.  It was an amazing choice for our last night with top notch seafood and pasta!

Food and wine in Positano, Italy - vacation, honeymoon, traveling | Life's Tidbits

We made friends with a couple who was also honeymooning at the table next to us. It turned out that the woman works in my hometown as a school teacher.  What a small small world we live in!  After dinner we hit up a new gelato place and ended up getting the lemon gelato for the third day in a row. Some how it just didn’t get old.

Ciao and see you in Sorrento!

Happy vacationing!!

Signiture_Nicole

 

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My friend at work has been doing this slow carb / four hour body diet.  Now I am not going to speak to the diet, however I did decide to try a couple of the recipes from the PDF she sent me!  My favorites are the meatballs and the creamy chicken tortilla soup!!!  I’ve made a couple of minor changes to the soup, however the recipe is based on the Four Hour Body diet recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 can of refried beans (fat free)
  • 1 can of Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can of Fire Roasted tomatoes
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 can of Mexican or southwest corn (drained)
  • 1 tsp hot sauce (omit if you don’t like any kick to your soup)
  • Cajun seasoning (to taste)
  • 1 rotisserie chicken chopped up, skin removed and bones removed

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup | Life's Tidbits

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup | Life's Tidbits

I doubled the recipe so yours won’t look like as much in a big pot.  The chickens were on sale for $3 … yes $3 crazy, right?  So I just couldn’t resist buying two.  Also this soup tastes fabulous if you freeze it and then let it defrost on your desk at work in the morning.  Who doesn’t like easy lunches?? Okay onto the cooking portion of this blog.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil and whisk with refried beans.  Add all the ingredients (except the chicken) and stir together.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup | 4 Hour Body | Healthy and Easy Dinner | Life's Tidbits

Make sure the chicken is broken into bite size pieces. It makes the soup easier to eat.  Then add to the pot.

Heat thoroughly on stove for at least 5-10 minutes, which also allows the flavors to develop.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup | 4 Hour Body | Healthy and Easy Dinner | Life's Tidbits

It will make 6-8 servings or 12-16 if you double the recipe like me.  Serve immediately or put in containers to freeze!!

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup | 4 Hour Body | Healthy and Easy Dinner | Life's Tidbits

It is super yummy!  The husband and I are big fans and it is very much a recipe made weekly at our house as of late.

Happy Cooking!

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“Life itself is the proper binge.” ― Julia Child

I had foot surgery about a year and a half ago and while I was on “couch rest” I watched Julie & Julia so many times I can’t even count.  Since then I’ve been talking about making boeuf bourguignon.

Last weekend I finally got my act together went to the store Friday after work purchased everything and started prepping.  As I was reading through the recipe I realized it had to cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.  Ooopps and I mean big OOOPPPS.  It wasn’t even in the oven until 7:15pm, which meant we wouldn’t eat until 9:45pm.  Off to the Thai place down the street my husband went to get us dinner as I continued to cook.  Luckily Julia Child includes directions on how to serve it later.  So here is my tip … cook this on a Saturday night! After working a full day this meal is a bit of an undertaking for a Friday, in my opinion.

I worked mainly off of Julia Child’s recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I should mention I did make a few minor modifications.  This recipe serves 6 people or makes for fabulous left overs later in the week!

Ingredients

9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish, 3 inches deep
6 oz bacon
1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot (I used 4 carrots)
1 sliced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine, such as a Chianti (I used 2 cups)
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon (I used 2 cups)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic (I used 3 big cloves of garlic)
1/2 tsp. thyme
Crumbled bay leaf
Blanched bacon rind
18 to 24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock (ingredients below)
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms, sautéed in butter (Didn’t include)
Parsley sprigs  (Didn’t include)

Ingredients for Brown-Baised White Onions
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons oil
½ cup red wine (or bouillon, beef stock or water)
salt and pepper, to taste
4 parsley sprigs
½ bay leaf
¼ teaspoon thyme

Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.

Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.  Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

Chop the onion and carrot(s).  In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour.

Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove.

Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions andd saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown evenly. Be careful not to break the skins.

Pour in the wine and season to taste. Wrap the herbs in cheesecloth and add the herb bouquet to the pan.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove herb bouquet and put them aside.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions (and mushrooms) over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

For immediate serving: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. Make sure to start the potatoes and noodles before you warm up the the boeuf bourguignon.  Bring the stew to a simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10-15 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Can you say YUM?!?!  This recipe takes a lot of time, but it’s easy.  I definitely plan to make it for a dinner party in the near future.

Bon Appetit!!

Don’t forget to leave your tidbit by commenting below :)

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The husband and I go to this fantastic Indian place in Adams Morgan.  One time we really wanted Indian, but didn’t feel like venturing out of the house.  Enter the beautiful world of online recipes. I combined a few different recipes and came up with the following Chicken Tikka Masala recipe which is inspired by our favorite meal at the Indian restaurant.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)

Marinade-

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
2 teaspoons salt (or less, to taste)

Sauce-

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
2 garlic clove (minced)
1/2 jalapeño pepper (finely chopped)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 tsp of coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream (or I like to substitute fat free condenced milk)

In a large bowl mix yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger, and salt. Add chicken bits and mix well, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.


Lightly oil and pre-heat the grill pan to high heat. Put chicken onto the grill and cook until juices run clear. Discard the extra marinade.

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño peppers and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add spices and mix well. Stir in tomato sauce and heavy cream  (or condensed milk). Bring to a boil while stirring reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Add grilled chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve on top of white rice.

You can also serve this meal with naan bread, which can be find at any Indian Restaurant or sometimes places like Harris Teeter or Whole Foods carry it.

Happy Cooking!

Don’t forget to leave your tidbit by commenting below :)

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Last up on my oh so yummy (the opinion of my guests and myself hehehe) middle eastern inspired meal is the Greek Yogurt Chicken.

I realized I neglected to remind you in the other posts to purchase pita bread from the store.  Right before you are ready to eat pop it in the toaster for a minute or two to warm it up.  Leave it in the toaster a little longer if you want the bread to be a little crunchy.

Okay, back to the chicken …

Ingredients:

1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a large bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, ground cardamom and cayenne. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Preheat your grill or grill pan. Remove excess marinade and place chicken in your grill pan. Grill the chicken breasts over moderate heat, until they are browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and slice the chicken into strips and serve.

So now you’ve got the chicken, tzatziki sauce, tabboulehhummus and pita bread  all prepared and you are ready to go.  Don’t forget to set the table, grab a bottle of wine and maybe light some candles…

Then the BEST part … dig in and enjoy the meal!!!

Happy cooking!!!

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