Blogger Meet-up, Date Night & What I'm Eating : Seasons 52

The seasons are changing.  I love it.  The leaves. The smells of wood-burning fires.  The stylish wardrobe with layers, jeans, sweaters, boots.  But my favorite is the change in menus of many restaurants in the area; especially those who focus their menus greatly into what is ripe and in season.  One of those restaurants that prides themselves on wisely seeking fresh, regionally sourced meat, poultry, seafood and produce is Seasons 52 (at Keystone at the Crossing).  The head and sous chefs boldly experiment with flavors and ingredients while also focusing on healthy portions that create "seasonally-inspired" dishes with 475 calories or less. 

A couple weeks ago, I had the honor and privilege of getting to try Seasons 52's new Fall menu before they launched it to the public.  Talk about royal treatment.  Myself and 4 other local bloggers were treated to an amazing 12-course "tasting" along with carefully paired wines (picked out by our wonderful server, Jason).  This experience was so entertaining.  Not only did I enjoy the conversations with new acquaintances but the education we received from the head chef, Bill, was equally intriguing. 

Here were some of my favorites:

Grade A/Level 1 Seared Ahi Tuna

Organic Arugala Salad with portobello mushrooms, shaved Parmesan cheese and tossed in a truffle dressing.  (Who doesn't love the earthy flavors of truffles?)

NOT PICTURED: one of my absolute favorites was the Maple Leaf Farms Sesame Duck Chop Salad tossed with apples, butternut squash, dried cranberries and the surprise flavor of mint!  Yum!

Squash Trio: I was hoping there would be squash featured.  I was having a hankering so Autumn squash!

Brussels sprouts?  Seriously? Yes, they were great!  No offense, Mom, but yours have never tasted like these. 

(LEFT to RIGHT) Grilled Quail over broccoli; mashed sweet potatoes (not doused in butter or brown sugar, yet sweet and scrumptious); Cajun-style blackened Mahi 

We barely had enough room in our stomachs but we all found a spot for this amazing Mini Indulgence: layered Pumpkin Pie and gingersnap crust topped with sweet crème fraiche :)

Myself and the lovely ladies

Please check out these other amazing blogs:

• citynomnoms.wordpress.com
• basilmomma.com
• citynomnom.wordpress.com & entertaining-life-daily.blogspot.com
• foodplusfizz.blogspot.com

When I got home that night, I shared some of my leftovers with D.  A week later, when I was pushing for a DATE NIGHT, D suggested we go to Seasons 52; he wanted to check it out for himself. 

We went on a Saturday night with a reservation for 8:15, and when we arrived, it was a full house.  We actually elected to sit in a booth in the bar area rather than the large main dining room.  This turned out to be a great move because it was much quieter and made for easier conversation.  We also got to enjoy the live pianist who softly performed right in the bar (side by side with the bartenders).  Such a unique and classy touch.  I took more notice of the ambiance and decor.  Dark, intimate lighting.  Rich, deep wood paneling.  Natural stone. Open, airy kitchen.

I knew I was going to go for a seafood dish so I ordered a glass of vino, a South African Sauvignon Blanc, while D enjoyed a Sam Adams seasonal ale.  I loved the elegant table side wine pour (even just wine by the glass). We also went ahead and immediately ordered the Steak and Cremini Mushroom Flatbread - grilled, shaved steak, cremini mushrooms, gorgonzola cheese, sauteed onions and fresh basil. 


Absolutely amazing!

After a bit of back-and-forth, I decided to go with the Cedar-Planked Grilled Salmon which was accompanied with roasted red potatoes and grilled asparagus and carrots. 

It was an excellent choice.  The salmon was cooked perfectly, moist and seasoned just with a bit of salt and pepper and I loved the fresh veggies that came with it.  I also ordered the Squash Trio that I had enjoyed so much previously.

D went for the Grilled Lamb T-bone Chops; no surprise there!  3 medallions of perfectly grilled lamb served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and veggies.  D quickly devoured his meal; a sure sign that he thoroughly enjoyed it.  His only complaint was the amount of meat he received.  He thought it was a little sparse considering the higher prices than other restaurants in the area.  I tried to reassure him that the price goes into the quality and the careful sourcing. 

When the Mini Indulgence dessert tray came by I knew I had to try one.  Heck, for $2.50 each, I'd be surprised if there was ever a table that completely passed it up.  D swore he was stuffed but I forced a bite on him.  He's doesn't have the biggest sweet tooth.  I went with the Mocha Macciato. 

Light and fluffy. Sweet without being overindulgent. The perfect sweet cap for an amazing night out with D.

<3

Seasons 52
8650 Keystone Crossing
Indianapolis, IN 46240
(317) 846-5252
www.seasons52.com

What I'm Making: My first official furniture redo!

So I officially can't stand it.  I haven't blogged in over 3 weeks while settling into our new, beautiful home.  Uverse is supposed to be coming out next week to install after originally telling D it wouldn't be until JULY 21st!! So in the meantime, I've surmounted a pile of unfortunate circumstances: (1) Again, no cable or Internet; (2) No working AC [another lovely discovery right when the previous owner was moving out & we were moving in but should be taken care of in the next week or so]; (3) D is out of town on a family vacation until Sunday :(  ; and (D) the absolute cherry on the top of the Crappy Week Cake...my blackberry's track ball is stuck which is preventing me from using most of my apps including Twitter and Facebook [now I have my eye on the new EVO 3D phone].  I feel so lonely and disconnected from the virtual world, unable to blog and tag and IM at my leisure so I've resorted to doing ancient activities, almost unheard of nowadays, like... reading a book!!! One with actual paper pages, and all.  Over the weekend, I read The Reader by Bernhard Schlink which makes me want to rent the movie starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes.   Now I'm on to Night by Elie Wiesel.  Don't ask me why I'm on a WWII/Holocaust era kick but I find the time period fascinatingly bizarre, heart wrenching and dark yet the eyewitnesses and storytellers still retain their humanity.  Night is a short, not necessarily easy, read.  I should be done with it tonight. 

On Sunday, I decided to finally put my money where my mouth is and redo the vanity desk I bought nearly a year ago and was determined to transform.   I was driving down College and at around 30th St. I saw a woman having a yard sale.  And this little gem is what I ended up with:

I have to admit, I walked into this project and, more specifically, Menards rather sheepishly.  I had done a bit of research online and read through the many furniture transformation and home decor blogs.  I felt like I had a grasp of what I needed to do and what tools I needed to buy but once the sliding doors opened up, my anxiety hit the roof.  I eventually made my way over to the back corner of the store and into the sand paper aisle.  I bought a variation of sand paper and sponge-like sanders.  Then I looked at stain stripper.  I decided to choose a brand I was familiar with, Zinsser.  I went back and forth between the rub on and the spray on.  I think next time I'm going to go with the spray.  Stain stripper is a nasty, nasty thing.  I wasn't using my head when I thought I could use cheap, kitchen gloves.  That stuff ate through to my skin immediately.  Luckily, my neighbor had some chemical resistant gloves.

I also grabbed a small tub of vinyl wood filler which serves as a putty to patch the holes.

I had to have a sales associate help me select an slightly off white paint and primer, of which I went with a Rustoleum brand.  Upon a second trip to Menards, I grabbed rollers which made paint application so much easier.  I eventually settled on some hardware that I was okay with because, apparently, 2.5" is not a popular size for drawer-pull hardware.  I didn't feel like spackling up the original holes and remeasuring out new ones so I just went with one of few options that were cheap, black, and 2.5".

Once the table was completely stripped of the original cherry stain (a long, tedious process), it was ready to be patched, sanded and primed. 

Now, I have to be honest, I got lazy about the whole sanding process since I would have to do it by hand.  I eventually want to buy an electric sander.  Once the wood putty dried I tried to sand it down to be flush with the top surface of the table but as you can see, it didn't work out too well.  It doesn't really bother me.  Next, I applied a layer of primer to all surfaces and the insides of the drawers.  I used brushes for the primer layer which took forever and hurt my wrists (total weenie). 

The following day, I tackled the painting.  I used a combo of rollers and small brushes to apply to layers of paint.  I used a large fan to help things move along.  They dried very quickly and smoothly creating a final product I was very happy with.

I stood marveling it for several minutes and, of course, sent a copy of it to D.  I was originally planning to put it in the entry hallway by the front door but it was a little bigger than I thought so I put it near the half-wall that separates the living and dining/sunroom.  Now I just need to find the right stuff to accessorize!

It's amazing what people can do when they tune out, turn off and disconnect from their normal, everyday lives.  I can't wait to tackle the end tables I just bought from my new neighbor who is moving to AZ in the next few weeks.  She even threw in a can of dark stain that she just never got around to doing.

What I'm Cooking: Thai Inspired Turkey Soup

The girl is BACK!! After a long hiatus from using my noodle (haha, get it?) to create something healthy and flavorful, I whipped up an amazing dinner tonight!!  A new job, a house hunt and just life sidetracked me from getting creative in the kitchen and watching what I eat but I am ready to get back in line.  Luckily, I think my new coworkers are very likeminded so it helps to push me in the right direction.  After a LOOOOONG, 12-hour shift, I came home determined to make something exciting enough to write about.  I came up with my version of a Thai-Inspired Turkey Soup.  To be honest, I was influenced by a similar recipe I came across.  I did tweak it to my own liking and I think the results are better than I could have imagined.

THAI INSPIRED TURKEY SOUP

-1.25lb 97% Lean Turkey (ground)
-3 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
-0.5 tbsp Ginger Root (very finely sliced and chopped)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
-0.25 cup Green Onion/Scallions (chopped)
-4 tbsp Soy Sauce (I didn't have low sodium in stock so just  went with regular)
-3 Medium, fresh Mushrooms (sliced thin)
-0.50 cup Bean Sprouts
-0.25 cup Bell Pepper, Red, Raw, (diced)
-3 cup Chicken Stock (low fat, low sodium)  
-3 cup Water
-4 oz Whole Grain, Whole Wheat Egg Noodle Style
-2 cup Spinach, fresh

(Makes 6, 1.25 cup servings)

• In a skillet, brown the ground turkey with the crushed red pepper.  Afterwards, drain turkey and move to a large pot. 
•  Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, and egg noodles. 

• Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes

• Before taking off the heat, toss in the fresh spinach and let it wilt completely (about a minute).    
• It has a spicy kick to it so beware.... :)   

CAL: 208 FAT: 3.4g CARBS: 17.3g PROTEIN: 28.6g

Let me know if you give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!!

What I'm Cooking: Beef Stir Fry over Ramen Noodles

Super Yummy but beware of sodium (if you care)!!  This was thrown together with what was in my fridge/pantry. 

*Beef Chuck Steak Flat Iron Steak Top Blade Steak, 12.32 oz
*Onions, raw, .5 medium (2-1/2" dia)
*Mushrooms, fresh, 1 cup, pieces or slices
*Bean sprouts, 1 cup
*Garlic, 3 cloves
*Dynasty Oyster flavored Sauce, 4 tbsp
*Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade, 2 tbsp
*Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp
*Rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp
*Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil, 2 tbsp
*Green Onions (scallions), 0.25 cup
*Garlic Powder, .5 tbsp
*Cayenne Pepper, 1 tsp
*Choice Ramen, just noodles, 2.5 serving
*Sesame Oil, 1 tbsp

What I'm Cooking: Southwest Turkey Chili

My Southwest Turkey Chili simmering in a pot

One of these days I'm going to buy a nice camera and hone in on my food styling and blogging skills, among many other projects.  I promise you I am capable of more appetizing pictures.  Until then, I am going to continue to bring mediocre pictures of the foods/meals I make and you are going to love them anyways.

Last night, I cooked an easy one-pot meal that surprised me beyond expectations.  I had seen a similar recipe but decided to disregard and use my own culinary skills and just improvise the meal.  What I created was warming with robust flavors but light enough for a Spring/Summer day as well as a balanced blend of salty and sweet (from simmering the tomatoes, onions and corn). 

Here's how I did it:
-2 tbsp canola oil
-Onions, raw, 1 medium
-Bell Pepper, Red, Raw, Slices, 1 cup
-Garlic, 5-6 cloves
-Ground Turkey, 1 lb
-1 14.5 can Stewed Tomatoes
-Bush's Black Bean (Reduced Sodium), 1 cup
-Yellow Sweet Corn, Canned, .5 cup
-Campbell's low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup
-Chili powder, 2 tbsp
-Paprika, 1 tbsp
-Garlic powder, 1 tbsp
-Cumin 2 tsp

Makes 6 1-cup servings

In a med-high saucepan heat up canola oil and add the first 4 ingredients.  Cook until the ground turkey has browned. Mix in the dry spices. Stir in the black beans (drained and rinsed), corn and stewed tomatoes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring pan to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 mins, stirring occasionally.

Easy-peesy! Super yummy!!  You can even top with light sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions or cilantro.

And finally....

Cal: 269.3 Fat: 13.1 Carbs: 21.1 Protein: 20.1

What's better than reading awesome blogs???

....Winning awesome freebies! 

I've noticed that many of my favorite bloggers have, sometimes weekly, giveaways.  These are wonderful self made goodies or products endorsed by a company.  I can only hope that this little blog of mine, will one day have the opportunity to give back, as well.  So until then I am going to try my luck because I am in desperate need of help in decorating our future place.

Today's blog/giveaway of choice is Crazy Wonderful.  Her name is Shelley and she is a stay-at-home mommy, wifey, fellow-Aquarius and Midwesterner, and downright creative soul.  She is one of the many bloggies I check out on a daily hourly basis and today she's launching her very first giveaway (congrats).  For details and how to enter click here.

Totally luv it!! So fingers crossed!!