Happy Sunday loyal blog followers and friends!

This morning I ran an errand after I had breakfast out with my husband and some friends and found myself at Aldi picking up a few last-minute items for the week. I had a list but in true Rachel fashion, I browsed around the store to see what looked inspiring for a Sunday supper or weeknight dinner.

I found fresh mushrooms on sale for $0.99 for an 8 oz. package and immediately got excited at the thought of making stuffed mushrooms for lunch today! $.99 and Fresh from Florida… Winning! I’ve said it a million times, Aldi never disappoints!

Ok, enough talk, let’s get down to the good stuff….the recipe! Prepare the few ingredients you’ll need because the assembly and cooking moves quickly! Here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2 8oz. fresh, whole mushrooms
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan, grated or shredded
• 4 tbsp butter (real butter, folks!)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions below…..

Directions:

• Begin by removing the stems from the top of the mushrooms. Do not throw out the stem!!
• Clean the mushroom tops with a damp paper towel and remove the ribbing, delicately, with a spoon.
• Set clean tops aside and begin chopping the stems and 2-3 of the mushroom tops. If the end of the mushroom stem seem tough, you can discard that part and mince the remaining stem, set the minced stem aside.
• Mince the garlic. And please only use fresh garlic in this recipe and whenever you can!
• Begin sauteing the garlic in a medium heat saucepan with the 4 tablespoons of butter.
• Add the minced mushrooms to the sautee pan, about a minute after you’ve started the garlic.
• Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper at this time.
• Now add the seasoned bread crumbs, gently stirring so everything is mixed together. Add another pinch of salt and pepper to this step.
• Stirring in the parmesan cheese for the last step before assembly.
• Fill each top with a heaping tablespoon of the sauteed mushroom filling.
• Baked at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mushroom starts to soften and the top is a golden brown.

Bon appetit!

Rachel

I’ll start out by letting you all in on a little secret, I don’t drink any alcohol. Nor is my husband a wine drinker. So how did we end up at Carrabba’s in South Tampa for one of their infamous Wine Dinners? I won a dinner for two at a prior Yelp Elite event back in November. And like any good foodie, I would never waste a great meal that was gifted to me!

After receiving the certificate, I went online and browsed the menu options and dates. We agreed on the “Love is in the air” night since it had a few favorites we both enjoy.
The 5-course wine dinner was slated to begin at 6:30. The wines they served were specificly from Sonoma County, Napa Valley and Paso Robles. We were joined by the owner, Dave, from Vintage Wine Cellars in Tampa. He was uber knowledgeable and enthusiastic with his wine information. I don’t drink but their is something so mesmerizing about learning where our food and drinks come from!

I have an aversion to seafood, so I asked if I could sub out the two shrimp dishes when I spoke to Suzie while making the reservations and she was agreeably accommodating! This Carrabba’s keeps winning me over with their excellent customer care! Hubby loves shrimp so I wanted to share a night out with him he would enjoy as well…

For accuracy sake, I am sharing the menu for the Wine Dinner directly from their website!

The first course : SHRIMP RAFAELO BRUSCHETTE
Hand-breaded, lightly fried shrimp tossed in our white wine lemon butter sauce and topped with jumbo lump crab. Served with toasted bread
Paired with Prosecco Kiss

I didn’t get a picture of this course, and sadly it was my husband’s favorite! But Susie did bring me out the THREE-CHEESE & SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS… Stuffed with sausage, spinach, ricotta, romano, mozzarella and Italian breadcrumbs served over our tomato cream sauce. These were excellent!

The second course : HOUSE SALAD
Romaine hearts tossed in our creamy parmesan dressing with carrots and shredded red cabbage topped with pepperoncini and kalamata olives
Paired with Decoy Chardonnay by Duckhorn

The third course : SCAMPI DAMIAN
Sautéed shrimp with garlic and our signature herb mix in a white wine and lemon butter sauce tossed with linguini
Paired with Antica Chardonnay

Susie brought out their coal fire chicken version for me, which was very rich and hearty!

The fourth course : GRILLED CHICKEN SORRENTINO
Wood-grilled chicken topped with crispy eggplant, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes and our housemade Lombardo Marsala wine sauce. Served with Grilled Zucchini
Paired with J. Lohr “Seven Oaks” Cabernet

The fifth course and grand finale : CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Rich, hand-whipped chocolate mousse with decadent strawberry sauce. A light and dreamy finish to an indulgent meal
Paired with Elouan Pinot Noir

This was the best mousse I have eaten in a very long time! Rich, but not too rich, dense and flavorful with a strawberry coolie surprise on the bottom!

We sat at one of three large communal tables in their large bar area. The tables reminded me of a wedding set up with lovely fresh flowers centerpieces that were purposely and thoughtfully low. Decorative but not hiding your dates face! The other group sitting close to us were friendly and added to the conversation. At first it felt awkward sitting so close to strangers, not my husband’s cup of tea, but we all warmed up to each other as the wine began flowing.

The staff designated just for the Wine Dinner was superb! Susie, the wine dinner host was as bubbly as the prosecco she served! Kerey, the GM, was also on hand to give us the back story to each course. And the 4 servers we had were friendly, helpful and attentive! I wish I drank wine just to have a reason to go back and enjoy this unique experience again!

Ciao!

Rachel

The title for my recipe really should be BACON-Y Potato Soup! Like any good potato soup (the non vegan kind) it is loaded with crispy bacon! But if you want to convert this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version, you can easily do so by skipping the bacon, butter, heavy cream and cheese. I know there are several great vegan alternatives in the local grocery store around Tampa.

Ingredients :

1 box (32 oz) good quality chicken or vegetable stock. *I used Progresso*

6 strips of bacon, cut into bite sizes bits and cooked crisp in its own fat (save the fat!)

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

3 large Idaho or Russet potatoes, cleaned, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp AP flour

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Sautee the cut bacon until crispy, you may need to do this in two batches. To save time and clean up, I actually saute it in the stock pot that I’m going to be making the soup in. Once the bacon is cooked. transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside as this will be the last thing you put on top of your soup. Do not drain the pot as you will be sauteing the diced onions until they start to brown releasing all of their natural sugars.

Once the onions are sauteed, drain the excess oil from the pot and put it back on the heat. Add the stock and your peeled, cut and clean potatoes. Simmer on a medium heat.

While the soup simmers, in a separate small pan, melt your butter and add the flour – whisking as you go. This is how you make a quick and easy roux. Cook on a low heat for about a minute to alleviate any raw flour taste you’d introduce into your soup. Add a few ladles of the hot soup to the roux. Whisk vigorously. Sometimes it is hard to remove all of the lumps so I add the roux mixture back into the soup pot with strainer to make sure it is nice and smooth.

After about 15 minutes, your potatoes should be cooked. You can test it with a fork, making sure it goes through smoothly (this is a sure fire way to test if the potatoes are tender). I then mash a few of the potatoes against the soup pot to add a little more depth and creaminess to the finished product. Add cream and salt & pepper – taste for flavor – add more if necessary.

Garnish with cheddar cheese and bacon. You can also use sour cream if you have that on hand, it adds a robust tartness to the soup.

Pro tip*

You can add water to the soup if it’s too salty or thick. This step will not inhibit the flavor at all!

Bon appetit!

Rachel

Happy Saturday blog readers and friend!!! I was inspired to make this post after I picked up my biweekly produce co-op from the sweetest church group in Plant City @ Lone Oak Baptist Church. Lorrie is the coop organizer and she is amazing… She always picks out the freshest fruits and vegetables and works her buns off to make sure we all get our money’s worth! I have never had any complaints!

This morning I received a stunning asparagus (1 pound) bunch in my co-op basket and it just looked so hearty and fresh, I knew I needed to rush home and make something special with it! So on the short ride home, I decided I would make an asparagus and gruyere quiche. I knew I had all the ingredients so there wouldn’t be any unnecessary trips to the grocery store and I made a beeline right to my house!

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk or cream

1 cup shredded Gruyere Swiss cheese

1 lb cleaned and cut asparagus

Seasoning (to taste) – 1 tbsp garlic salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp onion powder and fresh grated nutmeg

Directions :

Preheat oven to 400 degrees as you begin your prep work. Roll out and crimp the edges of your pie crust. Set aside as you will need to have it ready for the quiche mixture. I do not blind bake my crust first for quiche, but if you prefer to, you can.

Whisk your eggs and milk until well mixed, add seasonings and freshly grate the nutmeg. Add the cheese and asparagus to your mixing bowl.

Pour the egg mixture into the uncooked pie crust. Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes. You can do the toothpick test to make sure the center is set. The quiche will have carryover baking time and will set as it sits, cooling off.

Serve with a nice spinach salad (how handy, I got a bag of spinach in my co-op basket too!) or a crisp green salad.

This quiche makes the perfect, well rounded breakfast and microwaves wells so you can eat it throughout the week. It’s a fabulous meal prep item! You can also serve it at brunch or lunch. Add sliced ham into he mixture for a hearty entree and you’ve got dinner!

Bon appetit!

My favorite Mexican restaurant, in Brandon is Sabor a Mexico on Hwy 60 across from Nativity Catholic Church. The best value you’ll find is their *All You Can Eat* Wednesday special for $9.99! The hours are from 5pm – 10pm to enjoy the “Specials”. They have other weeknight dinner specials but this post is dedicated solely to the AYCE night!!!

You can mix and match tacos, enchiladas, burritos, flautas, tostadas, chalupas and quesadillas with a side of rice and beans for $9.99. You also have your choice of protein. I am a taco *fiend* so I usually only get the tacos. But tonight I branched out and t few new entrees, a chalupa and the enchilada! Their meat is seasoned so perfectly! It’s like devine taco heaven!!! But my girlfriends that joined me for our Taco – Girls Night Out, also got a variety of other items and thoroughly enjoyed em! You know what I’m taco bout?!

Sabor a Mexico has several vegetarian menu items and a kids menu. They also offer other weekday specials, including lunch deals Monday thru Saturday 11am- 3pm.

Be sure to try the guacamole or queso blanco dip with their complimentary chips and salsa!

Be sure to tip generously as your servers are bringing you more than $10 worth of food! Think about all that taco fetching, bean slinging and salsa refilling they’re doing just to make you happy….

Remember when you go out to an AYCE special, don’t be glutinous and greedy, remember that the restaurant still looses profits on loss leading nights. Be thoughtful about what you order and eat all of what you get. Someone still worked super hard to make it for you and then serve it to you!

Tacos

*I was not paid or compensated for this independent restaurant/ food review. I paid for this meal and experience as any customer would have.

After running a few errands, I decided I was going to treat myself at my favorite boba tea spot. Since I was in the area. And since I was stopping for my milk tea, I may as well eat lunch too, right?! Kung Fu Tea/ Token Ramen in Riverview FL.

I arrived at 2ish and the dinning room was full, abuzz with happy dinners, so there was a short wait. Nice crowd for a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

The hostess brought me over an ice cold cup of citrus infused water as I browsed the menu. But I really didn’t look too long since I already knew what I’d be ordering… Hibachi Beef with noodles and extra veggies. I highly recommend springing for the cost of more veggies, they’re the best part of the hibachi meal!

Within no time I had ordered my lunch and my server brought over my clear soup. The lunch entree includes your choice of soup, miso or clear. I always opt for the clear. The soup is your topical beefy onion broth, commonly served at all the popular hibachi restaurants, with fried onions and mushrooms. It makes a delicious start to your meal!

I know what I’ll be having for lunch tomorrow, so much food for one lil’ food blogger!

I will point out when my food arrived, it contained shrimp and as you’ll learn, this foodie does not eat seafood! When I pointed it out, the server brought it back to the kitchen to correct. He brought me back my plate a few minutes later asking if I had any shellfish/ seafood allergies. I knew this meant they simply plucked the unwanted shrimp out of my entree. It didn’t bother me but I did want to mention it since I thought it was pretty honest of him to ask me. I like when a restaurant is conscience of food allergies!

And you can not come here and skip the boba tea! I’m pretty basic and usually get the milk tea with boba. It’s tastes pretty similar to how I drink my hot Earl Grey, only it’s over ice, so I’m a huge fan!

If you’re not a tea person, they have lemonades, slushes, yogurt drinks and espresso to name a few other drink varieties. When you order your tea, you will need to choose your sugar and ice level. I always go with “regular” for both. There are also other toppings beside the bubbles (boba, black tapioca beads), such as mango jelly, aloe, red bean, Oreo and popping bubbles (I’d choose these only for fruity drinks!).

Pro tip, do not forget to ask for the toppings such as boba or bubbles. It does not automatically come with the drinks! It will only run you another $.50 extra.

They also serve mochi. Vanilla, matcha, strawberry or mango; $5.99 for 3.

Florida State Fair 2020

My 17 year old, 13 year old and I headed out to get our day started nice and early at the Florida State Fair on this crisp, cool Friday morning! This is probably our 7th year in a row going on Hillsborough County student day. As of late, my oldest hasn’t been able join us. Back in the day, we were zoned only for Strawberry Festival Day, then the boys went a middle school zones for Fair Day. Now Hillsborough County gives the kids off for both days. The schools hand out free tickets to each student, the Thursday before the fair day.

We’ve had the same plan for years… we head out about 9 a.m, when the fair opens. We are guaranteed a great parking spot by Gate 3 (the entrance off of MLK). My boys and I walk around for about 2 hours, while the crowd is still small and mostly families, definitely less rowdy. We browse through the animal exhibits, the agriculture expo hall and the marketplace.

This year was the first year that they had the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum expo, which was is free with gate admission. The exhibit has many similar displays as the St. Augustine museum, including the large Robert Wadlow mannequin, pinball machines and interactive displays.

Our first food stop is always Peachey’s Baking Company, or as we affectionately refer to it as, the Amish Donut truck! They have, hands down, the best – hot – fresh donuts and pretzels in the entire state! They never disappoint! As we stroll the midway, munching on our donuts, we browse around to see what other treats tickle our taste buds.

The boys and I always walk around, after we get our donuts and pretzels, to see what other new food stands and trucks so unique snacks and treats.

You can appease the most seasoned carny pallet at the Florida State Fair! They have bison burgers, gator bites, hand dipped corn dogs, deep fried hot chocolate, candy apples, sirloin steak tips, crepes and funnel cake just to name a few notable foodie feasts I noticed as we walked around.

You can duck into one the merchant market place (inside the large expo hall) to escape to beating sun and find more unique treats. Alessi bakery had several bakery cases inside, full of a variety of strawberry desserts and Cuban sandwiches. I passed 2 jerky and meat stick vendors. And I found an ice cream stand that was serving up hard ice cream in several flavors.

Pro-tip – Portillo’s food truck is definitely your best bet for a bargain meal, $7 for a Chicago dog and hot french fries. They sell bottled Coca-Cola products and water for only a dollar!

I’m not sponsored or have any restaurants, coffee shops or dessert spots backing me BUT I love supporting local businesses! I love locally owned restaurants, farm stands and artisans! I am an avid supporter of mom & pop establishments. I love keeping my relationships local and showcasing all the amazing places to spend your time and money in Tampa Bay… So much so, I’ve got a fun giveaway planned!

So stay tuned and make sure you are a follower of my blog to enter!

Happy Superbowl Sunday friends!

In true TampaFoodMom fashion, I look for any excuse to host friends and throw a party! Tonight, my husband and I are expecting some friends over to join our family for some football but more importantly, dining on some great home-cooked food.

I always run my menu ideas by my husband, two heads are better than one when it comes to party planning! Sometimes I’m stumped for original ideas, so it helps to bounce things off of him. I usually shop at a few different grocery stores for the best deals. Since I’m always at Publix dropping my son off at work, I grab BOGO and sale items while I’m there. Then I head down the road to Aldi for staples like my chicken dip ingredients and tortilla chips. Lastly, in this case, I ventured over to Winn Dixie since they had Boston Butt on sale for $.99 a pound this week. And voila, pulled pork became the main dish at the party.

I’m also serving homemade mac and cheese, baked beans, buffalo chicken dip, chips and salsa, potato chips and onion dip, coleslaw, Hawaiian rolls to make little sammys, and brownies & lemon bars for a sweet ending.

I use the Frank’s RedHot Sauce, so naturally I make my buffalo chicken dip using their recipe, but with a few tweaks. And I’m stoked to share the recipe with you since it’s a crowd pleaser!

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

• 1 large can Swanson’s white meat chicken, drained
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup FRANK’S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (you can add more or less, taste as you go!)
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 -1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan in the stove top. Starting with the cream cheese then adding the hot sauce, ranch, chicken and mozzarella cheese until mixture is heated through, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.

Serve your chicken dip with tortilla chips, toasted french bread slices and/or veggies!

Whoever you and your crowd are rooting for, just remember to enjoy the experience!

During this past Fall, I discovered an amazing bakery in Lakeland. Born & Bread Bakehouse located at 1113 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33803. It’s tucked away in a little downtown storefront & only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays with very limited hours. (I recommend looking for them on Facebook and following their hours of operation and menu items for that day!) You may even have to wait in a long line that wraps around the building on Saturday morning but it’s totally worth it and here’s why….

Born & Bread Bakehouse in Lakeland was all I dreamed it would be!!! When I arrived I saw the line wrapped around the building, so that got me more than a little excited for what awaited me once inside!!!  And I was more than cool with the half hour wait to get in as I roasted in the hot Florida sun!  There was even a baker walking around with ice cold waters for all the patrons waiting in line! The bakery puts out a handwritten list (menu) of all of the savory, sweet & nourishing items they have made specifically for that day if you didn’t get a chance to read the one outside they’ll also be one up by the counter. Pro-tip: take a picture of the menu so you can read it a little easier as you move through and wait in the line.

Once inside, the line continued but moved quick. The interior had several tables and seats, a couch or two, some arm chairs and a breakfast bar overlooking the street view. The walls were adorned with vintage American flags, murals, a neon photo op and funky light fixtures such as woven baskets hung from the ceiling. The dining area was a buzz with cheerful chatter and content diners.

The line moves quickly and is a well-oiled machine. They flag down next in line with a little American flag, which is adorable since they literally flag you down! The employees are super friendly, patient and helpful which is great because it canby an overwhelming first time experience. They take your order on an iPad and they’re happy to answer any questions about ingredients, food safety and allergies. When your order is ready, they call your name very loudly and you slide down to the end of the counter where all of your items are neatly packaged in recyclable paper bag.

During my first visit, I purchased a country loaf, a lemon poppyseed scone, 2 plain croissants, a lemon blueberry croissant and a spinach and cheddar croissant. Oh and a cold brew horchada!!! The second time around I brought my little son with me. I know that bringing a seventeen-year-old to a bakery is always risky for the wallet but I do enjoy his company so it’s worth every penny! On that visit he came with me, we purchased a few Boston cream cruffins, two large warm ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies (he highly recommends this purchase!), a peanut butter pie for me (which was divine) and a Sourdough loaf for the next few days, at home!

I need to let all the peanut/ food allergy peeps know that this place knows how to safe guard their customers from food allergies….
My oldest son is allergic to peanuts but I love peanut stuff and couldn’t resist that peanut butter pie in the bakery counter tonight! I asked the sweet young man that helped me if he could bag it separate because I was bringing home treats for my family and didn’t want to cross contaminate with peanut. Not only did he accommodate my request, he showed me on the iPad where it said peanut allergy for my order! AND the person bagging my goodies even changed gloves after handling my peanut item!!!!

My favorites were the lemon blueberry croissant (which I had a few bites of when I got home – since it was for my 18 yr olds – he loved it!) and the spinach and cheddar croissant (which I devoured as I drove down Florida Ave to my next stop!)!!!

So worth the trek out there!!! And when I say track I mean it’s more than a half-hour from my house. If you know me, you know I don’t mind traveling for good food, unique experiences and great customer!

The central Florida gem is a must stop for anybody traveling down I-4 or simply visiting beautiful Downtown Lakeland!