Garrison's

Garrison's Tavern & Restaurant

Date night.  We were going to double date with friends and see a comedy show but by the time we confirmed our thoughts the tickets were sold out.  Next, we thought the two of us would go to the local restaurant.  A 30 minute wait is kind of impossible for me to accept.  Finally, we ended up going on a little drive and pulled up to Garrison's.  No lines, no waiting, perfect.

The only problem was that neither of us knew a single thing about this establishment.  Would it be more pub/bar then restaurant?  Did it matter?  The only thing I had my heart set on was a Cosmopolitan and they are pretty commonly available.

We were seated almost immediately in a dining area where we were the only occupants.  A few couples were in the bar area and the televisions were playing the play-off game.

The Mr. can be counted on to order either Chicken Marsala or Chicken Parmigiana and so tonight it is the Parmigiana.  Although I could have ordered any one of the specials I order the last one - linguini with chicken and spinach in a creamy white wine sauce.

 

We both order the New England Clam Chowder to start.  A generous portion, loaded with clams and potatoes, is served with a little packet of oyster crackers.  By the way, my Cosmopolitan was perfect!

 

Fresh salad, served without bread to my husband's disappointment, arrived with dressing on the side.  I eat my salad "raw" and so I gave my dressing to the Mr.  I enjoyed the mix of greens with spinach topped by red onion, tomato, cucumber and shredded carrot.

My dinner special is steaming hot when it arrives.  I ask for a spoon to assist in pasta twirling.  Again, the portion is generous for me.  The spinach is delicate, the chicken is moist and tender, the linguini cooked al dente and the creamy sauce allows the garlic to come right to the front of the line.  For me, that is fabulous.

I did not sample my husband's meal as I was quite happily enjoying my own.  He simply could not eat it without some bread and our server smiled and brought him a few slices of bread (without butter or oil).  The Mr. likes what he likes and for him the portion was not enough pasta and not enough sauce.  When I asked him if he would return he smiled and answered, "If you wanted to."

A group of young ladies were seated in our area.  I listened as they ordered paninis and burgers.  Perhaps he would have enjoyed a good burger instead?  The dining room continues to fill as 3 other tables are seated - maybe we were just too early for Garrison's though the first restaurant we visited already had a 30 minute wait.

Dessert was an absolute win!  An apple cheesecake in a crispy tortilla served with whipped cream and a strawberry.  Fabulous.

We had a lovely date night.  Enjoying each others company and keeping up on date nights after over 25 years of marriage is quite important to maintaining Mr. & Mrs. Fed Well.

Mexican Take II

Layoffs or restructuring or the elimination of positions, whatever way you would like to sugar coat the fact that a certain number of people I have worked with for the last 5 years are going to lose their jobs on Monday (maybe it's me) has put enough stress on me this past week that I feel I could snap - emotionally and physically.  Best way to escape?  Out to lunch, Mexican in fact, with one of my coworkers.

I am so excited for guacamole I think I clapped my hands at the table.

I love how creamy and perfectly ripe the avocado is every time we order it.  The fresh cilantro, which I am becoming used to but wasn't always my favorite, is a bright flavor and I enjoy it so thoroughly I can identify each flavor in the mix; onion, tomatoes, a pinch of salt - so fabulous!

While we talk over the impending doom and gloom, we can't help but continually guess about who will lose their job.  At the same time, our supervisor will be celebrating her 25th anniversary with the company next week.  Ill timed?  I'd say.  But, these things can not be helped.  I'm searching my memory for the best story to contribute on party day.

I have 2 favorite orders at this particular restaurant - either the beef burritos or the shrimp tacos.  Taco day it is.

A few tables are pushed together to accommodate the large group also dining.  They are from another local business and I notice out of the 12, only 2 are women.  I cannot tell by their clothing what kind of work they do, but they are wearing ID badges.  A gentleman gets out of his chair, gives a brief speech and congratulates another man for his 25 years of service then presents him with a framed award.  Maybe people really do stay loyal to one company for a lifetime.  My own husband has been with his employer for 26 years now but would love to retire and find a second job (he's been looking for about 18 months with no success).

Lunch is over and we head back to the office.  I am still edgy and can't wait for this round of headcount reduction to be over.  I'd like to think the people who are let go will move on to bigger and better things while remaining Fed Well.

Bad Girl Breakfast

A squishy hard roll, a scrambled egg and bacon.  A moment of silence please to honor this most perfect, yet highly unhealthy or at least lacking in nutrition breakfast.

Because I order it so rarely, I have affectionately named this treat, "The Bad Girl Breakfast," when talking with one of my co-workers and she knows exactly what I have ordered.

I have been cutting out the sweets and am on the treadmill faithfully every other day and continue to increase speed (don't tell anyone I was jogging the other night when no one was home) and adjusting the incline for bursts of extra work.

Honestly, I believe in moderation.  I do prefer fresh and raw produce.  Am I saying all of this for me benefit or yours?  Doesn't matter, mostly I'm feeling as if I am Fed Well.

Venison/Beef Chili on a Wednesday in January and a Cameo Appearance by Maddy

I grew up with a dad who hunted, married a man who hunts and raised two sons who avoid hunting.  Well, they used to go out with their father, but really, they went to keep him happy.

I'm not sure how old I was the first time I ate venison, but I know it didn't bother me and I was fairly young.  I remember my Mommy making a wonderful roast with apples and the meat was tender, sweet and delicious.

As a cook, I have ruined a few venison meals by overcooking.  The meat has very little fat and it is that lean meat that makes it feel like a fairly healthy choice.  My sons, the ones who don't really like hunting, are also at times a bit sketchy about eating game meats including venison and pheasant.  However, when I can mix ground venison with another meat, it is far more palatable for them and to further reduce any chance of a gamey taste, I prepare a chili.

 

On this particular night, it is just one son and the Mr. and myself at the table.  Dinners are less rushed in the winter, a bit more leisurely also because we do not have to rush out the door to take someone to practice, scouts, or pick them up from a part-time job.  Everyone is just a little bit older and for the 3 of us, our day begins around 5 a.m. so by 6 p.m., we are just starting to feel a little bit wilted.

We talk about work. It's kind of like therapy.  We get out the things that may be giving us a bit of trouble and see what the others think.  Sometimes we are lucky to share a few highlights and bask in the prideful glow of our accomplishments.

We clean our plates and agree it was a good meal.  Deciding to just push our bowls to the middle of the table, the conversation continues until our Maddy protests.

She whimpers and if she could speak her noises say, "Um, I think it's time for me to eat, don't you agree?"

She is part of the family and it is just as important that she is Fed Well.  Maddy will be celebrating her 6th birthday this month and she may never know just how much joy she has brought us.

1 + 1 = Happy Breakfast

One pancake and one sausage patty.  The cook in our employee cafeteria laughs almost every time I order this breakfast.  My serving size seems smaller than the average at work.  The typical pancake sale is double the size.

For years, I was someone who skipped breakfast, then I went to carbs only like a buttered hard roll or a bagel, next I moved on to a healthy breakfast of oatmeal and now with an employee cafeteria, I splurge all over the place with eggs, pancakes, and I've even tried the raisin bread french toast.  Spoiled.

Part of the mulit-cultural environment in which I work includes unusual smells in our office area in the morning.  Some eat soup.  Some eat dinner in the morning.  And others may not enjoy the smell of eggs in the workplace.  We make it work.  We are tolerant and I am seriously considering jumping over to try the non-breakfast food items in the morning just to switch things up.  Mixing it up and trying new things contribute to me feeling Fed Well.

First Order but Bad AGAIN

One thing food blogging does is force a person to take a good, hard look at their diet.  I haven't ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken in years.  In fact, I went to the Drive-Thru window and had to ask a million questions to figure out what would work for my family.  Usually, a regular customer would likely be able to just walk up and order.

I purchased a 12 piece family deal which came with 3 sides and biscuits so I ordered traditional mashed potatoes/gravy, macaroni and cheese (which I don't eat) and corn - the corn is 1/2 ear serving size.  By the way, the corn was super soggy with kernels so over saturated they no longer had any substance to their flesh, but the corn itself was super sweet. 

I tore into my piece of chicken and my taste buds very much enjoyed the feel and saltiness of the fried skin but my brain registered a big bright red warning flag.  "This is not good for you!"

My memory then recalled I have already had golden arches lunch and a pizza dinner and we haven't even reached the 10th day of the month and new year.  This is a problem.

I enjoyed the meal anyway and felt Fed Well not because of the processed food but in spite of it.  I am able to choose what, when and how much I eat.  I am lucky enough to be of reasonable enough health that these few bad meals will not put my over a cholesterol or sugar cliff.  I am smart enough to know enough is enough for now.

These recent food flings were fun but it is time to reel it back.  I am even back on the treadmill for at least 2 miles every other day adding more time and miles as the days pass.  We all enjoy being a little bad now and then, right?

Play With Your Yolks

I once had a friend who's husband could not stand the sight of anyone dipping toast into egg yolk.  

Odd? 

Or is it odd that I think that is half the fun of eating any eggs with a nice runny yolk?

My Monday morning was made a bit more tolerable with a smiley egg plate and wheat toast designed to dunk.

Maybe it's just odd that I turned my plate of eggs into a smiley face?  I just want to have a little fun, have a few laughs, who doesn't?  

Take a minute if you can, play with your food, do whatever it is that makes you happy.  If it means dribbling egg yolk into a smile, well, who does it hurt?  Hoping your day starts well and ends leaving you Fed Well.