BEST POPCORN EVER!

For all the popcorn lovers out there - I present to you the most delicious, tasty, healthy and utterly addictive popcorn treat you will ever have.  I'm not kidding - they should steal the 'once you pop you cant stop' tagline from pringles because this is not the kind of snack that ends up back in your pantry half eaten.  it gets raped in minutes.  I actually don't even know if that's the right line ... come to think of it maybe its 'once you pop the fun dont stop?'  - oh well .. thats neither here nor there.  The point is that its positively fantastic popcorn.  The best part? its super low in calories and gluten free.  I am usually the first one to say that the "healthier" versions of snack foods never quite measure up to the original.  Yes, they can temporarily sink a sweet tooth or diminish the chip craving with some low cal, whole wheat, vegan crap version - but do they ever really taste AS good as the real deal? I'm gunna go with no.  However, this popcorn might be the only "healthy" snack food that I would say is even better than the super indulgent kind you get at the movie theatre that can run up a ridic amount of calories - so ridic I wont even mention the number because I like to pretend its a lie.

This kettle corn indulge gourmet popcorn has the perfect combination of salty and sweet .. and its soooo light!  literally floats up from the bowl into you mouth and throws a prom bash on your taste buds - little tasty salty sweet kernals of bliss dancing cheek to cheek to boys 2 men in your mouth.  Absolute heaven. 

Highly recommending everyone goes out - finds a specialty store and snags a bag of these babies ASAP.  Looking into carrying them at the cheesemonger people - stay tuned.

yumyum

xo chef natty

Veal Limone - an italian childs wonderbread pb & j

 

This recipe is like a little piece of my childhood all wrapped up into one perfect dish.  I remember asking my mom for veal limone as a kid.  Being that it is such a simple and quick dish to make - I usually got my wish.  That... and the fact that I was an only child which probably meant I could of asked my Mom to raise the cattle herself so my veal would be the freshest of fresh and she would have obliged.  Love you mum.

I would ask for this dish fairly often - just about as often as a normal child would ask for a pb and j on white wonder bread. and while my school kiddy friends busted out their lunchables and granola bar snack... i'd be busting out my tupperware with my leftover veal.... and pasta snack....

With a slightly modified version of a personal childhood favorite - I now present to you - my foodie bloggie lovers.... 

Veal Limone

You will need: serves 4

* 1/2 cup all purpose flour

* pinch of salt

* 1 tsp fresh ground pepper

* 4 large white veal scallops - pounded to a thickness of about 1/8th of a inch

* 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

* 4 tbsp unsalted butter

* 1 cup white wine

* 1/2 cup chicken stock

* handful of fresh leaf italian parsley - chopped

* 2 tbsp capers

* 3 garlic cloves - chopped

* juice from 1 large lemon

In a plate combine the flour, pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dip the veal into the flour mix and set aside.  Heat the oil in a large pan at medium high heat until it is hot but not smoking.   Add 1 tbsp of the butter and (working in batches) cook the veal until just golden brown on each side (this will take less than 1 minute per side).  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Next use the wine to deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon, scraping up any brown tasty bits.  Bring the wine to a boil and reduce by half.  Add the chicken stock, garlic, lemon juice and capers and cook the mixture for 6 minutes (the sauce will thicken slightly - if it does not thicken up enough - you may add just a sprinkle of flour and stir vigorously).  Add the rest of the butter and the parsley.  Add the veal back to the pan just to heat through.  Garnish with some extra parsley and serve right away!

Suggested pairings:
Simple Spaghettini with oil and garlic
or
Roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans
or
Mushroom risotto

xoxo
Chef Natty

Liberty Belle Bistro ... the new love of my life

 Hubs, we need to talk....

Move over hubby, mom, dad, besties and yes.. dare I say it...truffles, for a new love has stolen my heart and ran away with it. 

After a long search on Sunday morning for a brunch spot that didn't have people lined up out the door, hubs and I decided to try out a new spot in Liberty Village for our Sunday morning binge.  Now, just to preface the rest of this post, it takes alot these days to really get me wide-eyed and bushy tailed over a meal at a restaurant.  For every fantastic dinner experience there are about 10 mediocre ones in between that leave me satisfied, but not thrilled.  However, this quaint little brunch boutique tucked into my very own stomping grounds of LV might have just earned itself the title of the best brunch of my life - ever.

A very small and comfortable atmosphere that has a very homey feel to it and a mouth-watering aroma wafting to its patrons from the kitchen smelling of everything wonderful tickled my fancy right off the start.  After toying with the menu options for several minutes and probably pissing off my waitress (and hubs) with the number of questions I was asking (pretty standard when I am torn between numerous delish sounding dishes on one menu), I went ahead and ordered.  When everything was put infront of me and I took my first bite it was like instant addiction.  For the next 15 minutes there was no speaking,  no eye contact, no acknowledgement of any kind between hubs and I.  Except about half way through he stopped to let me know that for a minute he actually forgot I was there.  I wasn't offended in the slightest since it was actually that good.

What was on the menu you might ask?  Well, the first things brought out were our pear and blueberry juices - freshly made minutes before.  Totally cured the Sunday morning slight hangover we were suffering from due to one to many $16 beers at the leaf game the night before.  Then came brunch - Eggs Benedict.  Not just any Eggs Benedict - but Eggs Benedict with the most amazing slow braised pulled pork all on top of a freshly made croissant.  A side of frisee, rosti hash potatoes and homemade - yes homeeemadeee ketchup.  Each bite was like heaven.  Obviously in true Natty+Hubs form we couldn't leave it at just that.  No, no, no we complemented this already stellar dish with a side of boar sausage (cranberry and red wine) and the most amazing strip bacon i've ever had in my life.  No exaggeration.

All in all I left thrilled - not just satisfied - and cannot wait to go back again.  Hats off to Aiden Pascoe, the head chef of this new favorite.  With perfect and unique dishes like this, Liberty Belle Bistro is sure to give School a run for its money.

Liberty Belle Bistro is also open for dinner which I have not have the pleasure of trying just yet - but I plan to do that ASAP so I can update my foodie loves.

Liberty Belle is located at 133 Jefferson Ave and open 6 days a week (closed mondays)

xo
Chef Natty