Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Once a week we enjoy dining out. It provides us the opportunity to forget about cooking and no dirty dishes! I spend most of my time in our kitchen when at home. Some days I never leave the kitchen! At least that's how it feels. So it's wonderful to dine out once in awhile.
When it comes to choosing a restaurant to eat at, I usually lean towards s cuisine that I can't make myself at home. Thai food and sushi are two great examples. I simply can't top that at home. But I also look for places that are kid friendly. Many establishments have a "kids eat free" day and this makes for a great way to save a little money when eating out. Plus it's safe to say it's "kid friendly".
Below is a list of places that are currently offering "kids eat free" meals on certain days. Please note that this may change as establishments make adjustments to their menu and promotions. I'd advise calling ahead to confirm their "kids eat free" promotion is still available.
This is a list that I will continue to work on, make changes, and add restaurants as we learn of more places. Please comment and share with us any other places where kids eat free and I will add it to our list. Thank you for your help!
Here is a list of places where kids eat FREE!
Bar Louie-Rochester
Penny Black- Rochester Hills
Mike's Pizza Bar-Detroit
Mondays
MOD Pizza-Rochester
Rochester Mills Brewery-Rochester
Fridays
Loccinos Bar and Restaurant- Troy
Kid Nights and Specials
Art & Jakes- Shelby Twp on 23 Mile
-Tuesday night 5:30-7:30 kids meals 50% off, free icecream, and a character visit or balloon artist.
Kerby's Koney (Various Locations)
-Wednesdays kid meals $2.99
Leo's Coney Island (193 S Livernois Rochester Hills)
-Wednesdays kid night from 6:00-7:30. A character visits and greets the children.
-Fridays are fun Fridays and from 6:00-7:30 they have face painting and a balloon artist.
Kid Nights and Specials
Art & Jakes- Shelby Twp on 23 Mile
-Tuesday night 5:30-7:30 kids meals 50% off, free icecream, and a character visit or balloon artist.
Kerby's Koney (Various Locations)
-Wednesdays kid meals $2.99
Leo's Coney Island (193 S Livernois Rochester Hills)
-Wednesdays kid night from 6:00-7:30. A character visits and greets the children.
-Fridays are fun Fridays and from 6:00-7:30 they have face painting and a balloon artist.
Olga's Kitchen and the Story of One Strong Woman! Plus Enter Giveaway for $25 Gift Card. Ends 10.31.17
Thank you to Olga's Kitchen for the lovely Moms Night Off dining experience in exchange for this post. All opinions and thoughts are my own and be sure to enter to win a $25 gift card to Olga's Kitchen so you can have your own "Olga Original" experience.
Olga's Kitchen is well known in the Detroit area but did you know it originated in Birmingham, Michigan? How cool is that! I've heard of Olga's Kitchen many times and even stopped in for lunch a few years back, but to be honest, I didn't know it had Detroit roots! If you ask me...this makes Olga's super cool...but the story keeps getting better.
Olga Loizon is a mom of three with a love for her Greek heritage who is now in her 90's! Back in the 1960's she wanted to share Greek cuisine with America. Entrepreneurship was in her heart along with her love for delicious food. To make this happen she knew she needed an authentic vertical rotisserie to prepare the meat but ran into a big problem because she was a woman and that meant she was denied the opportunity to purchase the machine. I can't even imagine! Anyways... the strong woman in her, which she is still proving to be today, did not let that stop her. She simply had her uncle make the purchase for her and got to work perfecting the Original Olga!
As you can imagine, she was a woman with determination and a dream. She had a vision and made it happen. I find that so inspiring!
The story of Olga's Kitchen is well worth the quick read. You can read all about Olga's Story here .
To celebrate this grand story and in honor of Detroit rooted restaurants I am giving away a $25 gift card on Suburbia Mom Facebook. Be sure to enter so you can have your own "Original Olga" experience. Good Luck!
A Special Story
Olga Loizon is a mom of three with a love for her Greek heritage who is now in her 90's! Back in the 1960's she wanted to share Greek cuisine with America. Entrepreneurship was in her heart along with her love for delicious food. To make this happen she knew she needed an authentic vertical rotisserie to prepare the meat but ran into a big problem because she was a woman and that meant she was denied the opportunity to purchase the machine. I can't even imagine! Anyways... the strong woman in her, which she is still proving to be today, did not let that stop her. She simply had her uncle make the purchase for her and got to work perfecting the Original Olga!
As you can imagine, she was a woman with determination and a dream. She had a vision and made it happen. I find that so inspiring!
The story of Olga's Kitchen is well worth the quick read. You can read all about Olga's Story here .
To celebrate this grand story and in honor of Detroit rooted restaurants I am giving away a $25 gift card on Suburbia Mom Facebook. Be sure to enter so you can have your own "Original Olga" experience. Good Luck!
A few years ago I had a studio loft located at the center of Arts, Beats, & Eats. As you can imagine, it was a FUN and action packed weekend! I even recall a huge storm that literally wiped out the entire event for a few hours!
The following year I volunteered to work a beer tent for the Royal Oak Jaycees and rode my bike to and from the event. These past few years have looked a little different as we are now in tow with two little kids. We park at the Royal Oak High school and take the free shuttle over to the event.
With so many great memories, It's no wonder why I am thrilled to be giving away two admissions passes and $40 in ticket vouchers for food and drink to one lucky winner! Enter below.
The Arts
Michigan has some talented artist and what better way to admire their work than the festival. You will find local photography,pottery, and, paintings. I am always amazed at how creative these artist are.
The Eats
Restaurants from all around Detroit show off their signature dishes as you will find everything from burgers and hot dogs for the kids to gourmet lobster bisque soup. Sip it all down with a refreshing Michigan brew.
The Beats
Entertainment is never disappointing at Arts, Beats, and Eats. You will find many different stages with different genre's of music. Anywhere from alternative to jazz. They even have a kids stage with some really cool stuff! Some of the major artist you will find performing this year are Candlebox, B52's, and 311. Check out the complete line up here.
How to win.
Simply comment on this blog post. Tell me anything you love about Arts, Beats, & Eats or why you want to go. One winner will receive two admission tickets and $40 in ticket vouchers. The winner will be chosen randomly. Good Luck! Ends August 28th at 9 PM.
Below is a glimpse of Saturday nights line up. It's sure to be a blast!
Saturday Night Michigan Lottery Stage
5:30
Half Light Music
7:30 PM
Candlebox
Candlebox
9:30 PM
311
311
If visiting Royal Oak (about 20 minutes north of Detroit) you will find yourself in a trendy downtown urban setting with delicious dining options. When I was invited to enjoy brunch at The Morrie in exchange for this review, I didn't hesitate. For one, I love brunch and for two... I am happy to share with you my experience. All opinions are my own and you can trust that I am giving you my honest opinion.
Brunch Menu
So let's get started. Let's chat about The Morrie's brunch menu because we all know that's the main reason why we're there. We want amazing food! At The Morrie you have a nice variety of items to choose from. The menu has a little of everything on it. I found sweet and savory items, classic breakfast choices, and even sweet potato tater tots. I went with Prosciutto Eggs Benedict. I totally recommend it. The only mistake I made was not ordering a side to go with it. When you order the Eggs Benedict you don't get any potato or fruit as a side. You get exactly what you see in the picture above. If you are extra hungry, consider adding a side item. It was just as it sounds...mouth watering! I also have to say, the french toast looked amazing. It was thick! Although I didn't taste the french toast, I wouldn't hesitate.
Drink
When I think of brunch I always think of Mimosas or Bloody Mary's. Brunch pairs well with a good drink . At The Morrie you are in luck. They offer a full stock bar and if you are a Bloody Mary fan order The Morrie's Bloody Mary. It consists of a double shot and they don't skimp on the toppings. As you can imagine, I was highly satisfied!
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is pretty cool! It has the Detroit Motown feel with a wall completely covered by records, On any given evening you can be entertained by live music. This place has an open floor plan which gives it a roomy feel. A ton of light comes in through the doors and windows. Beautiful sunlight for Sunday brunch!
Giveaway...Feeling Lucky!?! Win a $50 Gift Card!
Are you hungry for brunch after reading this? Well you are in luck. We are giving away a $50.00 gift card to The Morrie. How cool is that!?! Click below to enter. Good Luck!
The other day I had the pleasure to dine with other bloggers as we tasted the various food menu items at a new Noodles & Company store in exchange for this review. It's always fun getting together with like minded people as we chat about blogging and enjoy eating good food. As you can imagine, we tried some delicious food items!
If you've never been to Noodles & Company now is the time to check it out! I came up with my 5 reasons why dining at Noodles & Company is a must.
They now have a Spicy Korean Beef Bowl that is amazing! The beef is tender and the fresh sprouts give this bowl the perfect texture. If you love spice, this bowl is for you.
If you've never been to Noodles & Company now is the time to check it out! I came up with my 5 reasons why dining at Noodles & Company is a must.
Number 1: Spicy Korean Bowl
They now have a Spicy Korean Beef Bowl that is amazing! The beef is tender and the fresh sprouts give this bowl the perfect texture. If you love spice, this bowl is for you.
Number 2: Squeaky Clean Establishment
I think we can all agree on the need for a spotless place to dine. Noodles & Company is just that...squeaky clean.
Number 3: Quality Food and Beverage Choices
Everything here is fresh and of good quality. You can find top brand beverages for on the go and the choices are endless.
Number 4: Chopsticks
Sounds silly but it's a favorite for my son. The chopsticks have a connector which makes using them easy for children. My son suddenly stops being a picky eater and eats because it is fun! Win for all!
Number 5: Because you WON the Giveaway!
But you can't win unless you enter! One lucky winner will win a free bowl a month for an entire year! Wow, doesn't that sounds amazing! To enter, click on the link below.
Good Luck!
To check out more information on Noodles & Company and to see some pictures of other delicious items on their menu, check out a post I did over the summer. Click here!
Have you been to Noodles & Company? If so, what do you recommend?
Punch Bowl Social~ Detroit
An uplifting atmosphere, bourbon spiked punch, a game of bowling, and cauliflower nachos sums up my amazing experience at Punch Bowl Social in Detroit. I had a blast! This place has the entire package. It is ideal for a night out with friends or take advantage of their "Kids Bowl for Free" deal during the day. All ages can participate in the fun this place has to offer!
The Atmosphere
Detroit is making a comeback with Punch Bowl Social. The first words that came to mind are trendy with a rustic twist. The best part about the building is it provides a lot of natural lighting. The front of the building has large windows which are great for people watching and in my case taking pictures.
One of my absolute favorite parts about visiting Punch Bowl Social is the Z Lot Ally. It is the picture perfect ally with true Detroit vibes.
One of my absolute favorite parts about visiting Punch Bowl Social is the Z Lot Ally. It is the picture perfect ally with true Detroit vibes.
The Menu
The creative master to this menu gets a thumbs up from me. I am a huge fan of vegetarian options and when I saw Stuffed Criminis on the menu, all I could say was "yes please"! Crimini mushrooms are stuffed with taleggio cheese, tomatoes, celery & onion and then oven roasted. This quickly became one of my favorite items on the menu which makes for a perfect appetizer!
Detroit is known for their chicken & waffles. It only makes sence that it is on the menu. This sweet and salty experience was a first for me and I have to say...I am hooked! The chicken was panko breaded and it rested upon a malted waffles and then if that wasn't enough, they topped it with strawberries and chipotle pecan which gave it the perfect hint of spice.
The Dessert
The menu offered a great variety of desserts. Two of the items were cheesecake inspired with one being Chef David's Cheesecake. But chocolate gets me every time and I was quick to choose Chocolate Ecstasy Torte.
The Drink
This should be at top of my list because we all know we start by ordering our drink. We had the opportunity to taste two different spiked punches. Both in my opinion were excellent! Again the creative master to these drinks did right when they came up with such great names. "You must bring us...A shrubbery" was delicious. It is made of Skyy Moscato vodka. Then came the "The Bachelor"and it was made of bourbon. I soon came to find out that bourbon is a popular alcohol used in many of the drinks poured here at Punch Bowl Social. Who would have thought!
The Fun
There's a ton of fun to be had at Punch Bowl Social. Everything from bowling to simply catching up with old friends in comfy chairs. The best part is it is for all ages.
Conclusion
Punch Bowl Social is the place to be. They offer fun for the entire family and it's simply awesome!
Have you been there? If so, what is your favorite menu item? Please comment below about your experience so others can learn about this hot spot in the city.
Giveaway!
Now you can win a $50 gift card to Punch Bowl Social. The contest runs from August 9th - August 23rd. How cool is that! But remember you can't win if you don't enter! Check it out!
To enter please click below.
To enter please click below.
"Did someone say I can win a free bowl a month at Noodles & Company?" Yes, that's correct! I am hosting my very first giveaway and it's super easy.
Pasta is always a favorite for my family, especially my daughter. So when I was invited to attend a tasting at Noodles and Company, I was all for it! Not to mention, I've never been!
When I dine out, I tend to favor salads. Little did I know, Noodles & Company has delicious salads! They are both filling and healthy! My favorite was the Napa Market Salad with Chicken. The flavors of bacon, apple and blue cheese hooked me. The Chicken Veracruz was not far behind with its hint of spice and loads of avocado. The exciting thing is, if you win, you could have one of these each month!
Of course Noodles & Company offers a variety of pasta to choose from. If you're in the mood for Asian or Mediterranean inspired flavors, you're in luck. I was surprised at how many different bowls are available on the menu.
Are you hungry yet? I am! Now let's get to the fun stuff....the contest. It's easy and will only take a few minutes. Follow the link below and good luck!
Pasta is always a favorite for my family, especially my daughter. So when I was invited to attend a tasting at Noodles and Company, I was all for it! Not to mention, I've never been!
When I dine out, I tend to favor salads. Little did I know, Noodles & Company has delicious salads! They are both filling and healthy! My favorite was the Napa Market Salad with Chicken. The flavors of bacon, apple and blue cheese hooked me. The Chicken Veracruz was not far behind with its hint of spice and loads of avocado. The exciting thing is, if you win, you could have one of these each month!
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| Chicken Veracruz Salad |
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| Napa Market Salad with Chicken |
Are you hungry yet? I am! Now let's get to the fun stuff....the contest. It's easy and will only take a few minutes. Follow the link below and good luck!
To enter contest, click on Noodles and Company
Good Luck!
I started making these healthy treats when I was pregnant with my son and now I make them for him and he loves them. The funny thing is he doesn't like banana alone. It must be a texture thing but when they are used as an ingredient in these cookies, he is happy to eat them. Banana, oats, cinnamon and raisins are the only four ingredients I put in these cookies. How simple is that! If you would like you can substitute the raisins for chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips to make it a little healthier.
Today I'm taking the cookies as a treat for our toddler play date at my friends house. I'm sure this will be a hit. The next time you have ripe bananas, make these healthy cookies.
2-ripe bananas
1 cup of quick oats
Cinnamon ( I don't measure this...just sprinkle to your liking)
Raisins ( again to your liking)
Mix together and set oven to 350 degrees and bake on cookie sheet for 15 minutes. I suggest you store in the refrigerator and eat within a day or two. From my experience, these moist cookies can grow mold quickly.
I'm looking for more easy and healthy recipes using ripe banana. Do you have one to share? Please comment below.
I'm looking for more easy and healthy recipes using ripe banana. Do you have one to share? Please comment below.
I purchased one organic sweet potato from Krogers. I was able to fill a complete icecube tray worth of meals from just one sweet potato. Much cheaper than jarred baby food, plus I know it's fresh and free of preservatives.
Once I rinsed and peeled the potato, I cut it into small cubes and put into steamer. I steamed for 15 minutes and then pureed the potatoes with the water left over from steaming and 3 ounces of breastmilk. I didn't have an exact recipe and I just added the water and breastmilk as needed.
Beckett loved his sweet potato meal. I look forward to making him more meals. I am brainstorming on what will be next. I am thinking possilbly some type of squash.
I remember the day I created a Pinterest account. Who would have thought after a few years, I would be part of a Pinterest crafting group. I'm not crafty but I do enjoy pinning to my boards as I gather endless ideas of things I may or may never make. And the weird part is, I feel productive after pinning. As if I accomplished something!
Every few months a handful of us girls gather to get crafty and actually make a craft and cook a recipe from our Boards. It never fails....I spend hours searching for my craft and always wait to the last minute to gather my materials. Oh the time I waste tooling around on Pinterest! It's very easy to get distracted and begin pinning to my Fashion Board.
Our last Pinterest Party had a Christmas theme. I made these yummy No Bake Cake Pops! They were so easy and delicious. I actually plan to make these for Christmas Eve and maybe for the girls at work.
My craft was this monogrammed letter below.
It's easy. Just follow these simple steps.
Supplies
Lesson learned... Use Black Letters instead of these white.
Every few months a handful of us girls gather to get crafty and actually make a craft and cook a recipe from our Boards. It never fails....I spend hours searching for my craft and always wait to the last minute to gather my materials. Oh the time I waste tooling around on Pinterest! It's very easy to get distracted and begin pinning to my Fashion Board.
Our last Pinterest Party had a Christmas theme. I made these yummy No Bake Cake Pops! They were so easy and delicious. I actually plan to make these for Christmas Eve and maybe for the girls at work.
My craft was this monogrammed letter below.
It's easy. Just follow these simple steps.
Supplies
- Hot Glue Gun
- Scissors
- Black letter ( Michaels
- Red Holy Berries
- Ribbon
Directions
- Cut berries off stems
- Hot glue onto letter
- Tie on Ribbon
- Hang
It's that easy! My only major suggestion is make sure you use a black letter. I started off with a white letter and it looked awful!
Happy Pinteresting!
I needed to make something easy for dinner. Life with a three month old is busy in itself, so it must be quick and easy with very little clean up. Oh and yummy! Also this restricted diet makes things very limiting. It can't have dairy, soy, nuts or eggs. And shockingly enough, 60% of food items in grocery stores contain soy which makes dinner even more challenging.
Ha a roast! I took a pot roast, salt and peppered it, sliced red skinned potatoes, peeled carrots and placed them in the crock pot. I added a half cup of water and sprinkled some thyme over the potatoes and cooked on low for 8 hours . It was so quick and easy. Best of all , yummy. Nothing fancy,but perfect for our busy family !
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| Soy & Dairy Free Option Sold at Whole Foods Market |
I couldn't figure it out. My son was still showing signs of a food sensitivity and I've eliminated all dairy, soy, peanuts, and eggs. At least I thought I had. I was beginning to think that maybe it was wheat that my little man was having a reaction to. Every time I ate Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Ezekiel 4:9 bread from Trader Joes, my baby would have a reaction. Why? I decided to read the ingredients and to my surprise it contained sprouted soybeans. It was then that I decided to look more into what actually contains soy.
Luckily most products that contain soy will specify that it contains soy due to the Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Act of 2004 which requires food labeling manufacturers to list that a food product "contains soy". The only reason soy may not be listed is if it contains soy bean oil or soy lecithin.
I began to raid my cupboards and read labels. To my surprise soy was present in my cereal bars, some breakfast cereals, bbq sauce, the dairy free Earth Balance butter substitute I was using, hamburger buns and other breads. That's it! I never officially eliminated soy from my diet. That explains why my poor son is still showing signs of a food intolerance.
As I continue to read food labels in search of products that contain dairy and soy, I am finding that eliminating processed foods is in my best interest. It amazes me how many food products that we consume are processed. Even our basic hamburger buns are made of preservatives. I have a new found respect for those with food allergies. Its definitely not easy!
Something had to change so I logged into my Pinterest account and began researching some recipe ideas. Everything looked so tasty and yummy but of course I was challenged because I'm on a dairy and soy free diet due to my son showing a food sensitivity to dairy and soy. This made picking out a recipe even more challenging. But I was successful and made this! My husband was so thankful for something different and it was the perfect comfort food for a chilly fall day here in Michigan. It was also delicious the next day as left overs. This recipe is definitely going to be made again soon! Oh and it is best paired with a nice glass of white wine! I just opened a bottle of chardonnay, used a cup for the recipe, and we enjoyed the rest! Perfect way to relax after a long day.
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| Yummy! |
Fall brings the joy of beautiful colored trees, a picture perfect Sunday drive, and family outings to the local apple orchards. Recently, we went to Westview Apple Orchard in Washington Twp. which is about an hour outside of Detroit. We took our 10 week old son and enjoyed a beautiful fall day.
In Michigan, "an apple a day to keep the doctor away" is easy to accomplish. Especially this fall. Lush apple trees are bearing fruit and apple orchards are busy selling apple cider and donuts. Compared to last season, apples are abundant this year. This means lots of apple pies, apple butter, apple cider, and applesauce!
Yum! The smell of fresh baked apple pies and applesauce brings back great childhood memories. My grandmother would spend weeks making pies and delivering them to family and friends. She would purchase bushels of apples and my great grandfather would peel and dice the apples. I would help my grandmother bake and together we could tackle many pies at once. It was a fun family project!
Now I have a family of my own and I hope my son will remember the delicious smell of apples being baked. This year my husband made tons of apple butter and just when we thought we were done with apples, Busches Market had 3 lb bags of apples for $.99. Wow what a deal! So we purchased 12 lbs of apples to make applesauce.
Making applesauce is a fairly easy project. The hardest part is peeling and coring the apples. We use the Apple Corer and Slicer by Pampered Chef. It makes the job much easier and saves lots of valuable time. http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=229&categoryCode=CE
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| A fun filled day at Westview Apple Orchard |
Yum! The smell of fresh baked apple pies and applesauce brings back great childhood memories. My grandmother would spend weeks making pies and delivering them to family and friends. She would purchase bushels of apples and my great grandfather would peel and dice the apples. I would help my grandmother bake and together we could tackle many pies at once. It was a fun family project!
Now I have a family of my own and I hope my son will remember the delicious smell of apples being baked. This year my husband made tons of apple butter and just when we thought we were done with apples, Busches Market had 3 lb bags of apples for $.99. Wow what a deal! So we purchased 12 lbs of apples to make applesauce.
Making applesauce is a fairly easy project. The hardest part is peeling and coring the apples. We use the Apple Corer and Slicer by Pampered Chef. It makes the job much easier and saves lots of valuable time. http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=229&categoryCode=CE
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| Rinse apples before peeling |
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| Pampered Chef Peeler and Corer (Great tool to have) |
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| Dice apples |
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| Place in large pot and cook apples ( sugar is optional) We added sugar and cinnamon. |
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| Blend/puree apples and you have applesauce! |
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| We canned our applesauce. Check out Ball's Applesauce recipe and instructions on how to make and can applesauce. http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipe.aspx?r=126
Having homemade applesauce around as a dessert in the middle of winter is a great way to bring back those great fall memories we shared as a family. Happy picking!
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