CONGRATULATIONS SAM AND MEGS! XXOO

The wedding weekend extravaganza was amazing!  Everything went as planned, people flew in from several states, the weather was gorgeous and Sam and Megan were as happy as can be!  Just so sad that as usual it goes too fast!

The rehearsal dinner was great - gorgeous weather, the food is just top notch at St. Clair Country Club.  It was a loose and fun party - no sit down dinner.  The slide show went well even though it took me a few minutes to get it up and running!  A bunch of people got up and told stories and gave well wishes.  Will and I sang a song that he wrote - it was classic!  We sang a song titles "You're Sam Kane" to the tune of "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon.  Here are the lyrics:

You walked into the tailgate
Like you were walking onto a yacht
You had your Willie Parker jersey on
You had pulled pork in a pot

You had one eye on Megan
As you watched her drink a beer

And you were dreaming that she'd be your partner, she'd be your partner and

You're Sam Kane
You probably think this song is about you
You're Sam Kane
I'll bet you think this song is about you, don't you, don't you

Well you met her several years ago
When you were both quite naive
Meg was a Penn State graduate
And you went to USC

And even though you had a fight
On the first day that you met

You fell in love when you looked in Meg's blue eyes, looked in Meg's blue eyes and

You're Sam Kane
You probably think this song is about you
You're Sam Kane
I'll bet you think this song is about you, don't you, don't you

Well I hear you'll be living at Nunni's house
To embark on your married life
Megan can wear her comfy pants
And her retainer every night

We wish nothing but the best for you
Just love and happiness

And hopefully there's some kids in your future, kids in your future and

You're Sam Kane
You probably think this song is about you
You're Sam KaneI'll bet you think this song is about you don't you, don't you



I have to say - it was one of the most heart-felt and sincere wedding ceremonies I have ever been to.  I know I am sort of biased because Sam is my ONLY sibling, but it was truly awesome.  I know the two of them have waited a long time for this and it showed.  Megan was beaming and my brother had that perma-smirk on his face.  I cried like a baby watching her come down the aisle (I am actually tearing up writing this!) as Sam watched her.  He didn't take his eye off of her the entire time she walked down.  It was really sweet.

Megan's dress was stunning.  Her hair and makeup were gorgeous and her dress was unbelievable.  But it was the look on her face that made her so beautiful.  She was truly a vision.  Sam looked so handsome in his tux - I just love him so much.

WEDDING PICTURES!

ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT!

The wedding madness begins!  In exactly one week from now we will all be together celebrating at the rehearsal dinner for my brother and his fiance!  It is going to be a fantastic weekend!  The weather is supposed to be 75 and sunny!  Yeah!

Love you Sam and Megs!

White Truffle Oil Grilled Sea Bass with Grilled, Marinated Asparagus and Beans and Pasta Blend (Orginal Recipe)

The first time I ever had "truffle oil" was about a year ago.  My friend Laura introduced me to a salad at Houlihan's - the Filet salad with truffle oil dressing.  It was delicious.  I always see truffles at Giant Eagle but am intimidated to buy them!  Weird, I know!  Once a week, I go to The Uncommon Market to get my lunch meat - they sell Boar's Head - which is the best.  Every time I go, there is always a bottle of "White Truffle Oil" sitting on the counter STARING at me!  I caved last week and bought it.  I was so excited to use it!  The flavor is incredibly rich and buttery.  This meal was super easy and fast to make and as always, it was super tasty!  Enjoy!

White Truffle Oil

Bean and Pasta Blend

INGREDIENTS:

Two, 6-8 oz. pieces of Chilean Sea Bass
Bundle of asparagus
Bag of beans and pasta blend (toasted couscous, confetti orzo, red lentils, quinoa, chana dal peas)
White truffle oil in a spray can
Garlic salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp agave nectar
Fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 tbsp water
Sea salt

Dressing:

In a small bowl or hand mixer container, combine vinegar, oil, oregano, garlic salt, onion powder, agave nectar, water, pepper.  Blend with hand mixer until it becomes thick - set aside.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Prepare asparagus - place asparagus in Ziploc bag, pour dressing over and make sure asparagus is covered - put in fridge to marinate (about 15 minutes).
2.  Start cooking the "Gourmet Blend of Pasta & Beans" as per the package (about 15 min).
3.  Preheat grill on med.  Spray aluminum foil with canola oil cooking spray, lay on grill right before you are about to cook fish.
4.  Prepare fish - spray each side of the fish with the truffle oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
5.  Place fish directly on foil on the grill.  The fish will cook very fast - about 4-5 minutes on each side.
6.  Place asparagus in vegetable grilling pan - cook for about 5 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the asparagus, stirring and flipping often.

Is Bison Better?

Yes, it a nutshell and here is why (taken DIRECTLY from the High Plains Bison website)!

Bison isn't "health food". It's food that's healthy, really healthy. Naturally lean and lower in saturated fat than beef, chicken, pork, or even salmon. Low in cholesterol, low in sodium, a great source of iron and a healthy dose of Omega 3 fatty acids to boot. The dense proportion of protein, fat, mineral, and fatty acids to caloric value make bison one of the more nutrient-dense meats available today.

High Plains Bison is lower in cholesterol than beef and chicken. Bison is naturally:

• EXTRA LEAN
• A GOOD SOURCE OF IRON
• LOW IN FAT AND SODIUM
• SUSTAINABLE

NUTRIENTS (per 100g)	BISON (grass-fed)1	BISON (grain-fed)2	BEEF3	PORK4	CHICKEN5	SALMON6
calories (kcal)	107	109	243	152	119	168
total fat (g)	1.49	1.84	18.19	6.48	3.08	8.56
sat. fat (g)	0.68	0.69	7.32	2.24	0.79	1.50
cholesterol (mg)	62	62	66	55	70	62
protein (g)	22	22	19	22	21	21
sodium (mg)	50	54	57	45	77	47
iron (mg)	2.5	2.6	1.9	0.8	0.9	0.5

*Golden Bison Company, LLC. **USDA National Nutritional Database standard Reference Release SR20. 1. Grass-Fed top sirloin, separable lean only, raw. 2. Grain-Fed top sirloin, separable lean only, raw. 3. Composite of trimmed retail cuts, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, choice, raw. 4. Fresh, loin, center rib (chops or roast), boneless, separable lean only, raw. 5. Broilers or fryers, meat only, raw. 6. Sockeye, raw 

Bison tastes like the red meat you already know and love, but with a bigger, richer flavor that starts out hearty, then finishes with a hint of salty sweetness. It boasts a delicious juiciness and tender texture that makes it one of the most sought-after delicacies among steak enthusiasts.

 

Bison roam the plains and prairies, grazing on wild grasses, sagebrush and other native vegetation. What they don't graze on are hormones, antibiotics, or fillers. This is pure, honest red meat with no artificial ingredients whatsoever.

 

At High Plains Bison, we see ourselves as stewards, keepers of the flame. Our bison need room to roam and we give it to them. They also get plenty of fresh air, clean water, and warm sunshine. American bison herds are thriving once again thanks to foresight, respect and responsible husbandry, as well as a genuine desire to foster the survival of the species. So when you enjoy our bison, native grasslands are preserved, natural ecosystems flourish and herds thrive.

Summer Sundays

As in the winter time, I love to cook on Sundays.  I have the whole day (usually) to prepare, it is stress free since M has the girls contained (LOL) and I can really enjoy cooking. 

My Nunni spent Sundays relaxing.  She was big on treating Sunday as a day of rest.  No one could cut the grass, no weeding, no trimming.  She did, however, cook on Sundays.  Those days of going over to her house and eating a Nunni meal are precious to me.  They are some of my fondest memories.  I miss her a lot and think about her quite a bit.  It still does not seem real to me that she is gone.

I feel the same way when I cook.  It is not laborious to me - I really, really enjoy cooking.  I love to make new things, find new recipes and try out new cuisine.

I had some ground Bison meat I wanted to use.  I bought it a few months ago at Giant Eagle Market District.  They have fresh Bison at the butcher but they also have some in the section where they sell the nitrite/nitrate free hot dogs, etc.  I made Bison burgers, corn on the cob and I also "cleaned out my fridge."  I took all the veggies that were in there and chopped them up, tossed them in Light Olive Oil and some Borsari (see picture below).  Very simple, fast and can be prepped ahead of time.

Enjoy!

Borsari (found it at McGinnis on 88)

Bison

Ground Bison with 1 Egg, a Little Parm Cheese and Borsari

Fresh Veggies Ready for Grill

Delicious!

Easy Peasy

Super Cold Corona Light

Goofy Goofer!

Ingredients:

1 pound Ground Bison
2 tsp (or to your taste) Borsari spice mixture divided
1 egg
1/2 cup Light Olive Oil
Red pepper
green pepper
yellow pepper
broccoli
red or white onion
zuchinni
yellow squash
1/4 cup green onions chopped
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
corn on the cob


Instructions:

Burgers:

• Place ground Bison in large mixing bowl.  Crack 1 egg and mix together.  Add 1 tsp Borsari and parm cheese and mix well.  Set aside in fridge covered.  Turn on grill.

Veggies:

• In a large mixing bowl, chop all veggies in large pieces.  Add green onion, 1 tsp Borsari and olive oil.  Toss well until all veggies are covered.  Place veggies in vegetable grilling pan.  Toss on hot grill repeatedly.  Be careful of the broccoli, it cooks very fast.

Corn on the Cob:

• I have cooked corn on the grill several times, but yesterday I simply microwaved the cobs.  I wrap them in saran wrap and heat for about 4-5 minutes (Nunni did it this way).  I cooked 4 at a time yesterday.  Less then 4 only need about 3 minutes.

Change is Good

I felt like I needed to brighten up things up around here!  I found this new fresh template - which I love!  Now you can also subscribe to my blog and get updates as I post them.

Thanks for reading along with me - I hope you enjoy my blog.

:)