With a personal goal to try new things and push the limits of my cooking, I found a fun inspiration. It seems that Ancient Fire Wines and I have something in common; neither one of us are big pasta eaters. Now that’s not to say we don’t like pasta; we just couldn’t eat it every day. Ancient Fire Wines wrote a blog called Light & Easy Pasta Bake, and it looked wonderful. Now, I didn’t have all the ingredients in the house to make Jason’s pasta dish so I started scheming my own. It is such a fun thing to be able to take a risk and try something new, especially with cooking. You know the flavors you like and usually have a general idea of what tastes good together. That’s when the magic happens: trying combinations you have never tried before and coming up with something tremendous.

Now, just like Jason’s, my wife loves, loves, loves pasta! It’s very funny to read his blog and find these commonalities. It’s also fun to note that every once in awhile we like to make our wives happy and cook a little pasta. This dish is, according to my personal critic (my wife), one of the best pasta dishes I have made to date. Her exact words were, “You can make this any time!” And you  know, when momma is happy, we’re all happy. It’s a simple dish I threw together with random ingredients, and then we devoured. I am learning a great lesson in cooking. You have to take the things that are not your favorite ingredients (in this case, pasta) and find a way to make them their own. I am not a fan of red tomato-based sauces (I prefer cream white sauces). Also, I am a carnivore by heart, so almost any dish that is loaded with meat, I can take it a long way. When you try this dish be prepared for an amazing delight.

Italian Sausage & Linguini

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 Box Pasta, uncooked

1 Small Onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Italian Sausage Links, casing removed

1 Cup Button Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 Cup Olives, chopped

1 1/2 Teaspoons Italian Dressing Seasoning Blend (I used Good Seasons brand)

1 Cup Half & Half

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 Green Onion, diced

3 Slices Tomato, diced

Directions

1. Cook linguini to directions on the box.
2. In a large skillet, saute onions in butter until lightly opaque on medium-high heat.
3. Crumble sausage and cook until no longer pink (about 5 to 7 minutes).
4. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Stir in olives, Italian dressing mix, and half & half.
6. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
7. Add tomatoes and mix in right before serving (you don’t want to cook them, just warm them up)
8. Serve and garnish with green onions and Parmesan.
9. Enjoy!

When I first started this food blog, I had already been cooking by a means that  my wife and I called “tempting fate.” We, jokingly, called it that because of the craziness of some things I’d sometimes throw in dishes or the ideas I’d sometimes come up with. When I decided to take on the challenge of cooking a meal once a week of something I had not cooked before, I knew what I had to call it. Hence, the new section on the blog called Tempting Fate. This is my first post in a series that will feature unique dishes from styles cooking that I have not done in the past. These dishes will be everything from vegan to Hungarian. Whatever recipes I can come up with within a given style.

Inspired by Cook Train Eat Race my first post is a vegetarian dish. Jason told me that a simple way to tip-toe into the vegetarian world is with what he called Soyrizo. What is Soyrizo? Well, it’s soy protein mixed with spices that comes out looking and, to our surprise, tasting like chorizo. Chorizo is a Mexican style sausage found in a lot of breakfast dishes. I wanted to do a dinner using Soyrizo as an ingredient, and my wife suggested Jambalaya. We thought it would be a good idea and a great way to mix some complex flavors and still keep it vegetarian. At our local store, I found a brand of Soyrizo from a company called Freida’s, whose biggest claim is 100% vegetarian. So with the Soyrizo in hand, I took my first dive into a vegetarian dish I hope you enjoy.

Soyrizo Jambalaya

Serves 2+

Ingredients

1 pkg Frieda’s Soyrizo Meatless Chorizo

1/2 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

¼ Cup Chopped Onion

2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced

½ Cup Tomato, diced

3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce

4 Dashes Hot Sauce (adjust for desired heat)

1 Cup rice

1 Tablespoon Thyme

2 Tablespoons Paprika

2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth

Pepper

Directions

1. Combine the Soyrizo, cajun seasoning, and paprika; mix it well and set it aside (remove the casing from the Soyrizo).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and onions, and cook until onions or beginning to turn opaque.
3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, hot sauce, Worcestershire, thyme, rice, and broth.
4. Cook everything until the rice absorbs most of the liquid (approximately 15 minutes).
5. Once rice is cooked, add Soyrizo and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Season with pepper to taste (avoid adding salt since the Cajun seasonings come with lots of salt already in them and you can quickly over salt this dish).
7. Enjoy!

Tempting Fate Thoughts:

The dish was great! We enjoyed the flavor of the Soyrizo. My wife and I both would have wanted more meat-like things in the dish. Not knowing vegetarian cooking well, I would need suggestions for next time that we could have a Polish sausage-style ingredient and something to replace the chicken. It was really easy to make and completely fulfilling. I am glad we gave it a go.

We love trying new food combinations and sending our palate on a roller-coaster ride of flavors. We love that risk-taking feeling of going out of our comfort zone and diving into a new dish. That’s what we have done. I have to admit I personally couldn’t stand the taste of bell peppers, no matter what color, until about a year ago. If I could taste or see them in my food, my meal would be over at that point. I’d go pop a bag of popcorn, make a cocktail, and call it day. However, like with most things, you have to move outside of your comfort zone and find a way to make it work for you.
For the last year that’s what we did. We tried different combinations and pairings and began to understand how the different color of the peppers brought different flavors to each meal. Experimenting on when to add them to a dish so they melded with the other flavors and didn’t completely take over the dish. We experienced how the flavor changes when you roast a pepper versus sautéing it, what foods paired up well, and some other flavor combinations to completely avoid. We all have that recipe or two from our childhood nightmare kitchen disasters that scarred our palates for life (goulash anyone? MAJOR YUCK!).  In the end, I found that bell peppers are definitely my friends. So if you have a food you don’t think you like, try it several ways until you find something that works for you. I missed out on a lot of great meals over the years by refusing to try them for fear of that overpowering bell pepper flavor. Now, I’m still weary when I see them, but I just choose to try it anyway. Now, as for pickles and olives. . . We’re are not there yet. . .

Here is a simple dish with a bell peppers that just complement each other tremendously.

Mango Chicken Wrap

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Mango (Frozen works great)
2 Tablespoons Red Curry Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon ground red pepper
2 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken (rotisserie or leftovers)
1/2 Cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
Flour Tortillas
Mixed Red Leaf Lettuce

Directions

1. Combine mayonnaise, mango, curry, chicken and red pepper in a medium bowl.
2. On a tortilla add a small amount of lettuce
3. Add about a ? cup of the chicken mixture making a straight line down the center.
4. Top with onions, and bell peppers and serve.
5. Enjoy!

What are you going to accomplish today? Many people feel like they are going nowhere in life. They get up, go to work, come home, cook dinner, and go to bed. They never feel like they accomplished anything. I tell people you get that feeling when you have no direction in life. When you have no target to aim at, you will just fly around aimlessly, hoping that you will land somewhere safe and secure. Wouldn’t it be great if every day before you went to bed you could look back on the day and think or say, “Wow! What a great day!” Well, here is a little tip to make each day a great day. Before you go to bed each night, write down 3 things you really need to get done the next day. Maybe it’s a project for your boss or to go grocery shopping; whatever it is, write it down. (I use 3×5 index cards and aim for 6 objectives a day.) Then, as you go through the day, every time you complete something on your checklist, draw a line through it  and cross it off your list. If at the end of the day, if you did not complete all your objectives, then roll whatever you missed onto the next card. Doing this makes you organize your thoughts and gets you moving in a forward direction. You will be amazed what this simple little trick can do for your life.

Another trick is each morning when you get up, go to the mirror and greet yourself with a huge smile and say, “Good morning! It’s going to be a great day, and watch out world; here I come one more time!” I know they may sound silly, but you will be amazed at the effect it will have on your day. Trust me. You cannot say, “Look out world; here I come one more time” without smiling. I promise you. Then each night before bed, you do two things. First, you write down your objectives for the next day on your index card. Then you go to the mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say, “Wow! What a great day! I completed everything (or x amount) of objectives today. What a great day.” Continue to say, “I am going to sleep great tonight and wake up refreshed in the morning.” You start building this into your routine and you will amazed at the quick transformation it will have on your life. Now onto the food.

Bacon Breakfast Tacos

Serves 2

Ingredients

8 Strips of Bacon

3 Eggs

1 Tablespoon Milk

1/2 Avocado, thinly sliced

1/4 White Onion,chopped

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheese

1/4 Tomato, diced

Lettuce, roughly chopped

4 Taco Shells (Crunchy or Soft)

Sour Cream & Salsa (optional)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees; warm tortilla shells 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Cook bacon until crisp ( I cook it in the microwave).
3. Add milk and salt & pepper to eggs and whisk briskly until combined.
4. Cook eggs over medium to high heat until light and fluffy 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Crumble bacon into base of tacos and top with eggs, cheese, avocado, onions, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa.
6. Enjoy!

Camping season is here woohoo! Are you ready? It doesn’t matter if your tent camping or RV camping make sure you have all your essentials. It’s time to break out your favorite camping recipes and dish up some good ole’ camp food. If your tent camping make sure you bring lots of ice. Depending on your style of camp food, below is a camping list of grocery essentials you will need to start your year off right. My family and I used to tent camp when we were younger. We did 4H and many trail rides. Now that we are older we RV camp. Its my favorite style give me the air-condition and the heat. I did enough tent camping in the Marines Corps. From years of camping we have put together a pretty extensive camping list for our adventures. I hope this help you on your way…

Food Condiments
·        Salt and Pepper
·        Spices – Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder,  Cumin, Paprika
·        Herbs – Basil, Thyme, Rosemary,
·        Butter
·        Ketchup
·        Mustard
·        Mayo
·        Salsa
·        Pickles
·        Relish
·        Squeeze butter

Beverages and Drinks
·        Adult beverages – Beer, Wine, Vodka, Rum, Wine Coolers
·        Bottled Water
·        Soda/pop
·        Juice
·        Coffee/Tea
·        Cocoa
·        Cider
·        Milk
·        Lemonade
·        Gator-aid/electrolytes
·        Kool-aid
·        Hot Chocolate

Food Basics
·        Flour
·        Sugar
·        Eggs
·        Butter
·        Cornmeal
·        Cooking oil
·        Potatoes

Sandwich Items
·        Bread
·        Peanut Butter
·        Jelly
·        Tuna
·        Lettuce
·        Cheese
·        Tomatoes
·        Deli meat – Turkey, ham, Roast beef,

Snack Foods
·        Granola Bars
·        Fresh Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, Lemons
·        Raisins
·        Energy Bars
·        Cookies
·        Pop Tarts
·        Pretzels
·        Beef Jerky

Other Food Items
·        Syrup
·        Coffee Creamer
·        Cold cereal
·        Marshmallows
·        Hot Dog & Hamburger buns
·        Potato chips
·        Corn on the cob
·        Pancake mix
·        Instant Oatmeal
·        Soup (mix or cans)
·        Frozen hashbrowns
·        Onions
·        Cheeses – Parmesan, Shredded, Sliced

Meats
·        Sausage
·        Ham
·        Hamburger meat
·        Hot Dogs
·        Steak
·        Pork Chops
·        Chicken
·        Bacon

Other Items·
·        Syrup
·        Coffee Creamer
·        Cold cereal
·        Marshmallows
·        Hot Dog & Hamburger buns
·        Potato chips
·        Corn on the cob
·        Pancake mix
·        Instant Oatmeal
·        Soup (mix or cans)
·        Frozen hashbrowns
·        Onions
·        Cheeses – Parmesan, Shredded, Sliced

There is plenty more you can add to this camping list but this will give you a good start on the season. Camping Recipes will be abundant and you can make almost anything you with these essential items. Have fun Camping!

Here are some recipes to get you going

http://www.themanlyhousewife.com/seafood-boil-berrybrownie-parfait/

http://www.themanlyhousewife.com/chicken-fajita-salad/

http://www.themanlyhousewife.com/bacon-wrapped-egg-cups/

http://www.themanlyhousewife.com/true-tacos-what-a-recipe/

http://www.themanlyhousewife.com/taco-style-sloppy-joes/

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a $50 stipend to make a recipe featuring a beer from the New Belgium Brewing Company. The New Belgium Brewing Company produces the following beers: Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, Abbey Ale, Trippel Ale, 1554 Black Ale, and the original Fat Tire Amber Ale. I have to admit that it’s been awhile since I have had any of these beers, because I have become more of a wine and liquor drinker. It was refreshing when I got the Fat Tire home and had that first taste. That was delightfully tasty. Before I go further into this post, please remember to drink responsibly.

I have made brats with beer, steaks with bear, pork chops with beer, so I wanted to make something that was out of my normal routine. My wife suggested it, so I decided to give it a go and make Fat Tire Fondue. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed some amazing flavors. Now here is a Manly Housewife Fondue cooking trick. With your fondue, forget using the little candle burner that comes with your set. Go to a big box store and get a single table top burner. You can find then for around $10 or less. These are great you can adjust the heat of the fondue and cook right in front of you and your guests.

Fat Tire Fondue

Serves a lot more than we anticipated (Probably 4 or more)

Ingredients for Fat Tire Cheese Fondue

12 Ounces of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

6 Ounces Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced

1 16-Ounce Bottle of Fat Tire

2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Cream or Half-and-Half

Dash or 2 Hot Sauce (optional)

Dippers (Have fun with these)

1 Green Apple, cubed

1 Quarter Loaf of Sourdough Bread, cubed

Broccoli Florets

Green Onions

Directions

1. Arrange all dippers on a plate (if you wish, toast the bread in the over until lightly toasted).
2. In a fondue pot, saute onion in butter until tender.
3. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
4. Stir in beer and hot sauce Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Add cheese and flour; stir into saucepan until melted.
6. Stir in cream and mix well
7. Enjoy!

Fear is like a brick wall, an intimidating wall that can keep us from achieving our personals goals. This wall can keep us from making a simple dish or an extravagant meal.  To some, these fears can be seen as little and insignificant, but, to most, they are real. Most of the time it’s the thought of making a dish that has never been tried before or making someone sick that can cause fear to strike.  People have the fear of cutting themselves or cooking too much food. These can all be true fear but with a little help can easily overcome.

The definition of fear according to *Wikipedia.com is that “fear is a distressing emotion induced by a perceived threat.” By their definition, they are stating that fear is a fight or flight trigger. You either push forward or run away. I like this thought process because it truly gives you a high-altitude view of what’s happening.  When you approach the kitchen, you usually have a few thoughts run through your mind. The biggest question is, “What’s for Dinner?” followed quickly by, “What do I do with what I have on hand?” As you look at the kitchen, you can begin to formulate a game-plan over what you want to cook.  Your mind begins to move forward and putting together ingredients that you can use to make a meal.

Here is where (for most people) fears begin to creep in. Whatever their brick wall is starts working its way to the surface. If they have a fear of cutting themselves, the knife block can look intimidating.  If they have a fear of making somebody sick, all the bacterias come to mind.  Or if it’s a fear of making the big dish, they begin to rationalize the idea of time, components, ability, skill, training and any other number of things that goes with that thought process.

Here’s a cool thing. . .  these types of fears CAN be conquered.  How?  By doing what a famous movie says and taking baby steps. Here’s how you do it.  Step one: determine what fear you want to overcome.  Get a clear picture in your mind what you want to conquer. Step two: set a time-frame for when you want to conquer this fear.  Today, next week, whatever it is, set a time and date. Step three: write it down. Write down your goal, write down your objective, and write down your deadline.

I want to be able to grill perfect hamburgers by next Sunday.

And the final step is to take action. Do something that will help you conquer your fear.  If your fear is making a particular dish, sign up for class or find recipes and follow their detailed instructions. If your fear is you’re afraid of cutting yourself, go to a local knife store and have them teach you how to properly use a knife. If you don’t have a local knife store, check the local universities schools colleges and see if they have beginners cooking courses that teach knife skills. If your fear is making somebody sick, then invest in the proper tools like thermometers and temp gauges and study the different meat temperatures or contamination processes. Make yourself a scholar of these things.

See, when we step back and look at our particular fear and begin to analyze why we have this fear, we begin the process of conquering this fear. I often hear things like, “I don’t know where to begin”; “I don’t have the skill”; or, “I could never do that!”  These are all negative thought processes. Sometimes you’ve just got to be your own coach.  Be the guy in the corner of the ring yelling and motivating you. Yelling that you can do it. Be the guy that says,  “You’ve got to do this! Fight! You CAN do this!” Talking to yourself may sound silly, but you will be amazed at the change of attitude you’ll have of wanting to accomplish and conquer your fear. It can be that simple.  So here it is.

Determine what you want

Set a deadline

Write it down

Take action

All this makes you move forward toward accomplishing you goal. If you goals are big goals like cooking a 7-course meal, accompanied by paired wine. Then set little goals along the way. Set a goal of making the Hors d’œuvres first or taking a wine class. Your fear of the kitchen can be conquered if you will develop a plan and implement it. You can’t sit around just hoping it will go away; you have to do something about it.

* Fear. (2011, March 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:50, March 31, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fear&oldid=418781421

Life is a funny thing. We find ourselves doing mundane things day in day out, same ole routine. Ever notice how you leave the house at the same time every day or go to bed at the same time. You feed the dogs or cats at the same time, and they come to know this routine and will let you know if you’re so much as one minute late. But all the clichés are true; you really should stop and smell the roses. Change it up a bit and do something different. Simple changes can make for a great recipe of life. If your spouse does all the cooking, surprise him or her with a personalized, home-cooked meal from you. If you’re new to cooking, check out StartCooking.com This site instructs you, step by step, through the cooking process. If you travel the same way to work every day, go a different route. Better yet, take the alternate road on the way home so you’re not late for work. When we fall into a set routine, we tend to forget that life is meant to be enjoyed and lived. Start today and give life a twist. Do something spontaneous and unexpected. Treat yourself to something new. Remember, life is not about a job, a career, or what bills you need to pay. Life is about the stories you get to tell later.

Philly Taco with Salsa Twist

(Taste like a Philly cheese steak with salsa in a tortilla)

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Package Carne Picada 1 to 2 pounds (Carne Picada is a shredded beef you can find in the meat section)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1/2 Orange Bell Pepper Cut into Strips
1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper Cut into Strips
1/2 Red Bell Pepper Cut into Strips
1 Onion Cut into Strips
Soft Flour Tortillas
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (Fiesta Style)
Salsa

Directions:

1. Mix Taco Seasoning and Carne Picada
2. In a 10 inch skillet add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook Carne Picada. It cooks just like ground beef.
3. While Carne Picada is browning dice peppers and onions and add to separate skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil and cook until onions become transparent about 10 minutes
4. Warm tortillas in microwave or in a pan
5. Take one tortilla add a couple spoonfuls of Carne Picada.
6. Cover with pepper onion mixture, cheese, salsa to taste and enjoy
7. Enjoy

I often speak of taking risks in the kitchen. Taking a chance in the kitchen is like taking a chance in life. How often do you try something new or unique, a new recipe or style of cooking? I have decided to eat my own words and pick up a new segment on this blog. Once a week I will try and make something I have never made before, something from a different cuisine to a different style of cooking. What has inspired me to take such a leap? I was recently introduced to Jason Bahamundi from the blog <a href=”http://cooktraineatrace.com/”>CookTrainEatRace</a>. Jason’s blog and my blog could not be more different if you tried. Where I cook mainly somewhat unhealthy, meaty, and fun dishes, made from things I find in the pantry, Jason’s approach is healthy, amazing-looking, well-planned, vegetarian dishes. We both write about the things we love and our passions. His running in marathons and training and my goals and achievement and getting what you want in life. Although our food choices differ, we are united by our desire to tell a story centered around good meals.

His blog has inspired me to do more and set higher goals on my cooking. If you read his <a href=”http://cooktraineatrace.com/about/”>About Page</a>, you can see how is life has unfolded and the risks he has taken. That is exactly what you have to do get what you want out of life. Do what you have to do to follow your passions and desires. Make the sacrifices you need to make to accomplish your goals. Jason chose a vegetarian lifestyle to help get better at something he loves to do. What are you willing to give or take on that would help you get were you want to go?

Inspired by Jason’s passion, I have decide to up my game on this blog. Each week I will roll out a different cuisine or dish style. I will push myself to make dishes that take me further outside my comfort zone. Here is a list of styles I will work on. Please add more styles to help me out.

1. Vegetarian
2. Vegan
3. Gluten Free
4. Raw
5. Kosher
6. Organic
7. Ethnic (Italian, Polish, German, Chinese…etc)

This is a short list but I am sure there are styles of cooking (or not cooking) I don’t know about. Please let me know. Also, with many of these styles of cooking, I am going to have to do a lot of research so if you have recipes or links to recipes for any of these styles, I will take that, too.

Jason and I talked via Twitter (@cooktraineatrace and @manlyhousewife) about taking one of each other dishes and doing it in “our” style, which for me was a huge challenge. I took his recipe for Buffalo Tempeh and Black Bean, Zucchini and Olive Tacos and did The Manly Housewife way. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Round Steak Tacos & The Manly Housewife Hot Wings

Serves 2

Ingredients: Tacos

4 Corn Tortillas

2 4-Ounce Eye of Round Steak

1 Avocado

1/8 Cup Onion, chopped

1/4 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 Green Onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped

Shredded Cheese

Couple of Black Olives, chopped (optional)

Lime Juice

Taco Seasoning (for the Manly Housewife version click here)

Olive Oil

Ingredients: Hot Wings

6 Hot Wing Drum Sticks

1/4 Cup Butter

1/4 Cup Hot Sauce (Cholula or Franks)

1 Tablespoon Honey

Season Salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sprinkle frozen hot wings with season salt and cook for 45 minutes. Finish, by turning heat up to 425 for another 15 minutes.
3. To make wing sauce, mix together butter, hot sauce, and honey and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, add hot wings; cook and addition 5 minutes and ready to  serve.
4. For the tacos, season both sides of the meat with taco seasoning.
5. Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
6. Place steak  in pan and cook 2 minutes each side; remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then dice.
7. Warm tortillas in oven or microwave; then layer steak, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, olives, lime juice, and cheese.
8. Garnish plate with avocados.
9. Enjoy!

12477 Timberland Boulevard

Keller, Texas 76244

817-337-6999

Its been awhile since I did an Out ‘n About segment here on the Manly Housewife. Let me start this one and sum up our experience in one word, WOW! We went to a local Italian eatery in Keller, Texas, that we had heard good things about. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint. From the atmosphere to the food, this is truly a marvelous dining experience. With a slight wait, we chose to sit at the bar top, and I’m glad we did. There we met our bartender/server for the evening; he introduced himself as Justin. He politely walked us through the menu and wine selections, explaining the different courses and the different wines. Immediately, we all felt like we had made a friend. Through what seemed his expertise in wine, we selected a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon and some calamari, and our night began. Through the conversation we learned that Justin and his wife, Cynthia, own the restaurant and that they had a great, heartwarming story to tell. The details of the heartwarming story are theirs to tell, but you can read about the restaurant life here. Cynthia came by and joined in the conversation but quickly went back to greeting guests and ensuring proper service throughout the restaurant.

Some of the great things we loved out this restaurant:

• The Atmosphere – Elegant, yet not uninviting, warm and comfortable
• The Prices – Not over the top (unless you have as many bottle of wine as we had); most meals range from $10 to $16 and no wine bottle is over $20
• The Food – Wonderfully prepared and the flavors blend well together
• The Wines – Each wine handpicked by Justin himself, and, let me tell you, these were some of the best selections we have come across
• The Owners- Dedicated to their craft, Justin and Cynthia put their heart and soul into their restaurant. You can taste it with each bite, feel it with each drink, and see it when you walk through the door.

The pictures on the rest of this post were taken from cellphone if the quality does not due the justice.

We started the dinner with wine. There of us chose Oliva’s house salad with their house vinaigrette, except my wife, who chose the Caesar. Although not disappointed with her choice of a Caesar salad after tasting the vinaigrette wished she had ordered that (she ate a lot of mine).

The Main Courses

My Sister-in-law had the Manicotti ricotta and herbs rolled in pasta topped with marinara & mozzarella. The flavors were wonderful, the seasonings blended well with the sauce, and the taste was not overpowering.

My brother enjoyed Rib Eye Steak 12 oz,  rosemary-mushroom and onion butter,  fresh vegetables (the Manly Housewife pick of the menu). The flavors and tenderness of this steak was divine.  My brother and I had serious reservations about ordering a steak in an Italian restaurant but, let me tell you, it was well worth it.

My wife had Chicken Marsala: mushrooms, Marsala wine sauce. These succulent chicken breasts were smothered in a rich Marsala sauce and the mushrooms had its own distinctive complex aroma that tantalized the tastebuds.

I enjoyed the Veal Genovez: portobello mushrooms, with creamy cognac  sauce. What a flavorful dish! You could not ask for more flavor with each bite, a perfect combination on a bed of pasta.

After several (and a few) bottles of wine, we decide we were going all in on the desserts. With four of us at the bar top and five desserts, we each decided get something different, so as to try as many as we could. Typically, most people do not save room for dessert when they eat out; however, here I would not suggest that. Just jump right in and eat as much as you can.

The Desserts

Tiramisu

Cannoli

Creme Brulee

Cyn-sational Chocolate Custard

Oliva’s has become a staple in our family. Their top notch flavors and attention to detail are second to none. They get the Manly Housewife stamp of approval. Go see them and tell them The Manly Housewife sent ya.

Follow them on Facebook