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Momofuku Noodle Bar: A Foodie's Frugal Lunch in NYC!

11/12/2010

A few weeks ago my husband and I went out to lunch with two of our closest friends, Manda and David. Of course we wanted to go out for a delicious meal, but we also wanted to make sure that we kept it affordable! One of my husband's favorite restaurants in NYC is David Chang's Momofuku Noodle Bar.

Momofuku means " lucky peach" in Japanese, but since this restaurant specializes in ramen noodle soups, it's name was also probably inspired by the inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, of Nissin Foods, Japan.

Momofuku has become a cult classic on the NYC restaurant scene since it first opened in 2003, and you can expect a line almost any time of day. Our plan for Sunday was to get there right at noon when they opened, and we snagged a table right away! Here's a shot from the restaurant a little later in the day....

Momofuku has a small but delicious menu, with the two most popular items being the Momofuku Ramen, and the Korean Stuffed Pork Buns. New York Magazine described this fusion of Asian and American cuisine as "Japanese ramen by way of a Carolina whole-hog barbecue." And if you have ever tasted this steamy pork soup, I think you would agree with this assessment!

Here are a few highlights from our meal...

Momofuku Soju Slushie: Limeade
This is David Chang's spiked version of the classic Seven Eleven slurpy. Yes this slushie cocktail is as good as it looks! In fact it was so good, my lunch date is still talking about it! And of course when something is that delicious you need to try it in another flavor...

Momofuku Soju Slushie Round 2!

The slushie flavors at Momofuku change occasionally, and word on the street is that sometimes there is a Dark and Stormy slushie on the menu! To read more about the history of the Dark and Stormy, see my post here. I will definitely have to go back soon to see if this spicy cocktail has found it's way back on the Momofuku menu!

They also have a great selection of microbrews...I love a good IPA, and Lagunitas is one of my favorites!

Spicy Rice Cakes

No peanut butter required...I never knew rice cakes could taste so good!

Shiitake Steamed Bun

Even though this noodle bar is known for their pork buns, I love the mushroom version even more...

Ginger Scallion Noodle Soup

My soup, and my favorite thing on the menu!

Momofuku Pork Ramen

The classic...my husband orders this almost every time!

The Momofuku online menu does not include prices, but all of the dishes I have shown here were $16 or less!

And if you are an adventurous eater, another great option is the $25 Prix Fixe Lunch.

In my opinion this is one of the best deals in the city. A gourmet three course lunch for less than $10 a course! The menu changes daily, but here's a sample of what you can expect...

Image from Serious Eats

We didn't opt for the Prix Fixe option this Sunday, so we ended our meal with some delicious gelato from Venieros...right around the corner! Mmm, just looking at this gelato makes me want to go back for more...

Momofuku Noodle Bar is located at 171 First Avenue between 10th and 11th Street in New York City. The next time you are in the neighborhood you should definitely stop by for a bowl of soup...and a slushie!

And even if you don't live in NYC, you can still enjoy David Chang's delicious soup and other specialties. He now has a cookbook that would make a great gift, and will definitely give you a collection of many new and interesting recipes to try. I bought it for my husband and he loves it!

Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan, Amazon, $26.40

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Happy eating and drinking!

Kir Royale: A Tale of French Ingenuity!

11/5/2010

The weekend is almost upon us and I thought what better way to bring in the weekend than with a toast! One of my favorite cocktails, and favorite drinks for a toast is a Kir Royale.

The Kir Royale is a light and refreshing champagne cocktail that is made with champagne and the French liqueur Creme de Cassis. I love both the taste, and the beautiful color of this classic cocktail, and it is the perfect aperitif to serve to guests before a meal.

Besides being beautiful and delicious, the Kir Royale also has an interesting history. But to understand the history of the Kir Royale, you first have to look at the Kir, a french cocktail which came before the creation of this classic champagne cocktail.

History of the Kir Royale: The Kir originated in Burgundy, France in the 1940s, and is named after Félix Kir, who was a hero in the French Resistance during the Second World War, and then the Mayor of Dijon from 1945 to 1968. Felix Kir was very popular in his community, and he also was very interested in supporting the production of local products from Dijon. His most famous effort to support the products from his community was his creation of the Kir, a drink that mixed local peasant white wine, Aligote, which is highly acidic, with the local black currant liqueur Crème de Cassis, to make a sweeter and more appealing cocktail.

Elevating a peasant wine by the smallest addition of a delicious sweet liqueur? That is certainly Living Luxe for Less!

Felix Kir's recipe was delicious and a huge success in Burgundy because of how the sweetness of the liqueur balanced with the acidity of the local white wine. This combination of local flavors became so popular that it spread all over France, where people eventually changed the recipe to include other regional wines and liquors. And as the story goes, once the French upper class finally found out about this appealing cocktail, they elevated it to royal status by substituting champagne for peasant wine...hence the creation of the Kir Royale!

If you are looking for a new and refreshing cocktail this weekend, I suggest you try the Kir Royale! According to Ina Garten, my favorite resource for classic and chic entertaining, this cocktail could not be easier to make! Just add one teaspoon of Creme de Cassis to a champagne flute, top off with champagne, and that's a Kir Royale!

Happy Friday...here's a toast to the weekend!

Quick Cioppino: A Delicious $13 Seafood Stew for Saturday Night!

10/29/2010

Maybe it's a sign that I am getting older, but more and more my favorite weekend nights "out" are those that are spent just relaxing with family and friends over a delicious meal at home.

The weekend is the perfect time to whip out a cookbook, go to the store, get some fresh ingredients, and master a new technique in the kitchen.

And just recently my husband and I tried a recipe that was so delicious, easy, and affordable, that I just had to share it with you today!

Martha Stewart's Quick Cioppino

Image from Martha Stewart Living

Now I know what you are thinking...a cioppino...easy?! I promise you that we are not master chefs when it comes to preparing shellfish, and we were both amazed at how easy this complex flavored broth really is to make!

Here are a few photos from our recent cooking adventure...

Martha Stewart Quick Cioppino

Sorting the shrimp, mussels, and clams, and getting everything rinsed off!

This recipe does not call for many ingredients...here a few items we already had in our pantry.

Onions and spices simmering away!

Next we added the diced tomatoes...doesn't this broth look amazing?!

Almost done...we added the seafood to simmer for 6-8 minutes...

The finished project! This stew was so delicious. We loved the light consistency of the broth, and the bright bold flavors that we were able to develop in just a few minutes!

And of course you need a little (or a lot) of bread to enjoy with such a delicious stew! Unfortunately our local market was already sold out of baguettes when we got to the store, but these frozen dinner rolls did the trick!

Luckily we had many of the ingredients for this recipe in our pantry already, except for the seafood and parsley, and we decided to substitute shrimp for fish, which turned out great! The total cost of this seafood and parsley was only $13! Not bad! And I love finding recipes that can take advantage of what we already have in our pantry.

Here is the recipe if you are interested in trying this simple and delicious seafood stew this weekend...

Quick Cioppino: Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
2 1/2 cups water
14 mussels, debearded and scrubbed well
14 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
1 pound firm, white fish fillets, such as halibut or cod, cut into 2-inch pieces
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions
Add onion and garlic, and cook for 4 minutes. Add thyme, salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, juices, and water. Cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add seafood, cover, and cook until shells open, 6 to 8 minutes. (Discard unopened shells and thyme sprigs.) Garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.

And in case you are interested in trying this recipe with a new wine, I would recommend the 2009 Vega Murillo Verdejo that is pictured above. We used this wine in our recipe, and also drank it with our dinner. This Spanish white is from the Rueda region of Spain, and is a light, blended wine with a pleasant richness that balances out the citrus flavors in the wine. This was a great pairing for our Cioppino, and at only $12.99 a bottle, it was also a great deal!

Will you be cooking anything special this weekend?

Happy Eating and Drinking Everyone...and Happy Halloween!

Wine and Words for the Weekend

10/22/2010

It's been a long week, and like many of you, I am so excited for the weekend! I can't wait to take a few minutes to just sit back, relax, and hopefully enjoy some delicious food and wine with my family and friends.

Doesn't this glass of wine, cheese, and crackers look delicious?

To get your weekend started I thought I would share one of my favorite quotes about wine...

"Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly."
- W.E.P. FRENCH

Will you be opening a bottle of anything this weekend? I believe my husband I plan on sharing a bottle of this...

My husband and I are big fans of Guigal's Cotes du Rhone. Priced at less than $15 it is an affordable wine that is easy to drink, and big on flavor. But don't just take my word for it! Here's a review of this wine if you would like to read more about this delicious red...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers!

Healthy and Hearty, Easy to Prepare Entree Salads

10/15/2010

Last Friday I shared with you a new routine that has helped me save time and eat healthier during the week. I have started washing and chopping vegetables and greens at the beginning of the week, so that I have enough veggies on hand to quickly create a healthy and delicious dinner when I come home from work. If you have washed and cut vegetables and greens on hand, you can throw together a delicious dinner salad in minutes, as long as you have just a few basic food staples in your pantry.

To help you get started on this healthy and time saving routine, I have gathered four of my favorite Luxe for Less salad recipes that are easy to put together, hearty enough for dinner, and definitely delicious!

Turkey Salad with Tomato, Avocado, and Parmesan: Real Simple Food

Click here to check out this recipe! The dressing is so simple to make, and the turkey, avocado, and Parmesan really dress up this simple salad.

BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing: Martha Stewart Living

Click here to check out this recipe! Who doesn't love a BLT?! And by using buttermilk to thicken the dressing instead of oil you are able to cut down on fat and calories!

Pan-Seared Dumpling Salad: Real Simple Food

Click here to check out this recipe! My husband and I both love dumplings, but eating a whole plate of dumplings for dinner can be heavy on calories! This is a great way to enjoy the yummy taste of dumplings, with the added fiber and nutrients of fresh veggies and edamame.

Greek Salad: Martha Stewart Living

Click here to check out this recipe! I love a good Greek salad, and if you have olives and feta on hand, and you chop a few peppers and onion ahead of time, this salad is super easy to whip together on the fly!

Do you have a favorite salad recipe that is easy to prepare, and hearty enough to satisfy for dinner? If so I would love to hear about it!

Enjoy your weekend everyone...happy eating and drinking!

Time Saving, Healthy Weekday Dinners!

10/8/2010

Although I love to cook, and I definitely love to eat, I must admit that sometimes during the week I come home from work so tired that I don't have the patience or the energy to whip together a homemade dinner. But unfortunately what happens when I don't eat a real dinner is that I end up eating more calories in snacks than I would have consumed if I had just made something healthier, and more substantial for dinner in the first place!

So to overcome this hurdle and help myself and my husband find the time to cook more often, eat healthier, and save time in the process, I have started a new routine on Sundays...Rinse and Chop Veggie Sunday! Here's what I do...

1. I place an order from Fresh Direct and order a variety of fresh vegetables that have a long shelf time. Last week this included lettuce, carrots, celery, and scallions.

2. I begin rinsing and chopping...

Before I wash the lettuce I chop it, and then put it in our OXO Stainless Steel Salad Spinner. At $49.99 this is not a cheap kitchen appliance, but it cuts down on time washing your greens, and the stainless steel bowl is multipurpose. It serves as a serving bowl that is both attractive and functional, and it keeps lettuce crisp for days...literally!

3. Next I get to spinning...

4. Chop up a variety of veggies...and voila!

Now you have enough lettuce and chopped vegetables to serve as the base of your dinner for at least four days of the week!

Rinsing and chopping at the beginning of the week has really improved my weekly eating habits, and it has taught me that if I come home for dinner and I have a fridge full of washed and cut vegetables, I am SO MUCH more likely to toss together a fresh, healthy, and low calorie dinner, than if I came home to a freezer of ice cream, and a pantry of cereal!

AND...washing and preparing vegetables at the beginning of the week not only saves time and calories, it also saves money! Doing this extra prep at the beginning of the week has definitely cut down on our ordering out during the week.

And just in case you are curious...here are a few things we were inspired to make with our prepared veggies last week...

A Light and Healthy Caesar Salad

Shrimp Fried Rice

Bacon, Walnuts, Gouda, and Apple Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

And to make this healthy and time saving routine a success, I suggest always keeping your pantry stocked with a few staples that will turn your boring greens into a delicious meal in just minutes. Here are a few of my favorites...

Green Olives
Walnuts
Cashews
Apples
Dried Cherries
Dried Cranberries
Parmesan
Cheddar or Gouda Cheese
Japanese Ginger Dressing
Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinaigrette
Newman's Own Lighten Up Sesame Ginger Dressing

Do you think this would help you save calories and time during the week?!

Next week I will follow up with a few of my favorite recipes for hearty dinner salads that you can make on the fly when you have a stocked fridge of prepared veggies and greens.

Do you have any tips on eating healthier and saving time when it comes to cooking dinner during the week?

Happy eating and drinking!

Friday Food and Wine: Birthday Dinner Recap!

10/1/2010

What a week! I would like to thank everyone who made my 30th birthday so special! I am so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends, and each one of you found a way to make my birthday extraordinary!

In recapping my birthday it seems only fitting to start from the beginning. So first things first, I got to work on Wednesday only to find that my co-workers had surprised me with 30 gifts to open on my 30th birthday...how lucky am I?! Even though half of the gifts were my desk supplies re-wrapped, it was still a very funny, and very nice touch!

After a few hours, lunch rolled around and I was so happy to have a surprise visit from my adorable niece and my sister in law! Their visit included Buttercup Bake Shop cupcakes, and a special 3 year old rendition of Happy Birthday Aunt Jennifer...I don't think it gets any better! Thank you L and A!

After my surprise cupcake for lunch, the day just seemed to fly by! Here I am just home from work, and enjoying a pre-dinner champagne toast with my husband...

A glass of Champagne later, I was all dressed up and ready to go...and here is a picture from our elevator photo shoot! So glamorous. Haha!

After a nice brisk walk to the hotel we arrived at The Mark for dinner....

Once seated at our table, my husband and I were looking at the drink menu, and out of the blue our waitress appeared with two champagne flutes and a bottle of Prosecco for our table. How nice I thought to myself, my husband must have called ahead and ordered a bottle of wine for the table! Well after pouring our glasses of sparkling wine, the waitress presented me with a card that read, "Jenn, Happy Birthday, hope it's your best yet. Love, The Davidson Girls."

Of course I couldn't help but begin to cry right then and there. My dear friends from college were so thoughtful that they called ahead and ordered a bottle of my favorite wine for us to enjoy on my birthday. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry all over again. Thank you, thank you, thank you girls!!!

And next on to our amazing dinner! Everyone has been asking me how it was and I have one word for you...delicious! To start we ordered the...

Hamachi Sashimi with Avocado and Soy-Yuzu Dressing
and
Steamed Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Enoki Champagne Dressing

Both of these appetizers were presented beautifully and the flavors were impeccable. I must admit that I have enjoyed this salad before at Dune at the Ocean Club in the Bahamas, and it is hands down my favorite salad ever, many my favorite dish ever!!! The shrimp is so buttery and delicious, but the champagne dressing is what really sets this dish apart. I think I could eat this dressing all day and be happy!

And next up was the main course...

Grilled Black Sea Bass, Braised Fennel and Carrots, Cerignola Olives
and
Maine Lobster with Hollandaise and Crispy Potatoes and Herbs

This may look like a lot of food but each entree was so amazing, together we polished off both of these dishes. The fish and lobster were cooked perfectly, and the flavors in the sauces were delicious. Who knew that lobster and crispy potatoes went so well together? Great call Jean!

And last but not least...dessert. Just as my husband and I were discussing what we would like to have for our final course, once again our waitress appeared out of the blue with three lovely desserts!

Warm Chocolate Cake with Caramel Ice Cream
Banana Torte
Fresh Cut Strawberries

And of course, another note! My good friends A and D surprised us by sending over an incredible selection of desserts, and a special birthday note. Of course the waterworks started flowing once again, and I began to cry over my cake because I was so touched at the thoughtfulness and care that my friends took to make my birthday so special!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, A and D! You don't know how much this extremely kind gesture meant to me!

Here's a close up of our desserts with my birthday wishes from my generous friends who sent over dessert. Mmm, love this close up of the warm chocolate cake. It was so good, I wish I could dig into it right now!

And one last photo of our meal, about to dive into these amazing desserts!

I hope you all can tell from these photos, that I had a wonderful 30th birthday! Our dinner at the Mark was so incredible, and it will be one of my most treasured memories for years to come. Although the focus of this website is to "Spend less, Live Better," I believe that every now and then there is a special occasion that calls for blowing caution to the wind, and just plain indulging yourself in something completely luxurious.

Many of my friends have asked me about our dinner at the Mark, and commented that they have been wanting to try this new restaurant. If you are interested in trying The Mark, or if there is another upscale restaurant you have been dying to try but it is just not in your budget, here are a few suggestions for dining out luxe for less:

1) Visit the restaurant bar for a drink and maybe an appetizer. This is a great way to experience the atmosphere and food of an upscale restaurant without the high tab.

2)See if the restaurant has a brunch or lunch menu. The Mark has a wonderful brunch menu with lower priced items and cocktails, and this would be a great way to try a new luxurious restaurant for less!

If you read my post on Tuesday you will probably recall that I featured the dress I planned on wearing for my special night, and promised to follow up with a recap of the luxe for less accessories that I chose to complete my look for the evening. I promise to follow up on this post next week and focus more on my birthday dinner accessories, and how I completed this luxe look for less. Please stay tuned for more information on this next week!

Have a great weekend everyone!

And as always, happy eating and drinking!

Friday Food and Wine: Cascabel Taqueria

9/23/2010

One of the beauties of living in New York City is living in such close proximity to so many of life's necessities. If you are in need of bottled water, flashlights, paper towels, OR tacos and margaritas, you usually are lucky enough to have these necessities within just a few blocks of your apartment!

In my case, I'm lucky enough to be able to look out my window on the 20th floor, and look straight down at one of the best, if not THE best Mexican restaurants that New York City has to offer...

CASCABEL TAQUERIA

Cascabel Taqueria is a casual, counter style Mexican restaurant with an innovative menu, and a colorful and clever luchador themed decor. According to their website, their name has the following origins, "We stole our name from the hot chili peppers that jingle and rattle when shaken and we like to think we are making our own fair share of noise on the Upper East Side." Well judging by the long line outside Cascabel that I can see from my apartment every night of the week, I think it's safe to assume that this relatively new restaurant is causing more than a bit of noise on the UES!

The above images are from the Cascabel website.

Cascabel's menu is broken down into five parts and each item is meant to be shared amongst the table. Here are the categories...“Para Empezar” (starters), “Para Acompañar” (sides), “Tacos,” “Platos Grandes” (entrees) and “Dulce” (desserts).

There are so many fresh and flavorful choices on the Cascabel menu, but today I will focus on what we chose to order last night on our impromptu dinner date to Cascabel...(Enter dark, low grade photos, I apologize for the quality of these pics!)

To start we ordered a classic lime Margarita with spicy salt, and a Kelso, a locally brewed beer from Brooklyn. Our drinks were reasonably priced, and delicious! Unfortunately I didn't get a good look at the beverage menu, but they seemed to have a great selection of craft brews, wines, and cocktails, including a Watermelon Basil margarita that looked delicious! Drinks started at $6...

Next up, Guacamole Tradicional con Tostada, $7. We orderd the guac spicy, and let me tell you it was good!

And for another quick bite, the Gorditas Con Puerco, $6. These tasty tiny bites are made of heritage pork belly, chipotle honey glaze, cucumber, and cilantro, in between two corn cakes. I know no foodie worth his/her salt should admit this, but pork belly isn't quite my thing, so this was all for my husband, and he loved every bite!

Next up for the man's main course were the Carne Asada Tacos $8.5 with
grilled yucatán achiote hanger steak, oyster mushrooms, creme fresca, and crispy onion. Mmmm, OK, I stole a bite or two of these tacos!

And I ordered the Tacos Dorados $12 with marinated shrimp, roasted calabaza, fingerling potatoes, queso fresco, and tomato. These were so good! They were perfectly crisp and tasted like shrimp flautas with a light and citrusy mixture of greens and queso fresco on top.

Our dinner at Cascabel was easy, quick, affordable, and delicious. It makes it so easy to go out on the spur of the moment when you know you can just cozy up at the counter and order a satisfying meal and delicious cocktails in such an easy going environment, at such an affordable price.

If you haven't been to Cascabel yet, I highly recommend that you check it out the next time you are in the neighborhood!

They are located at:

1542 2nd Ave. New York, NY 10075
(between 80th and 81st)
Tel: 212-717-7800

Do you have a new neighborhood place that's fun and affordable that you are plan on checking out this weekend?

As always, have a wonderful weekend, and happy eating and drinking!

Luxe and Lazy Sunday Mornings For Less

9/17/2010

One of my all time favorite indulgences is to sleep in on the weekend, read the paper in bed in my pajamas, and indulge in a delicious cup of coffee with no worries about where I need to be, or what I will be doing for the rest of the day.

For all of my readers with children, you will have to forgive me while I talk about one of my favorite indulgences that I'm afraid will be a little different once I enter the world of parenthood...that would be the "lazy Sunday." Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure "lazy Sundays" are still possible when your home is full with shouts of laughter and cries for cereal at 6:00am, but it definitely is a different kind of Sunday from the ones I am still accustomed to as a newlywed sans kiddies!

Image via Couture Carrie Loves via Veranda

So when I am lucky enough to have a free Sunday with no where to go and no place to be, here are for things I like to indulge in to make my day of rest extra special and extra luxe for less...

1. A Gourmet Cup of Coffee
Brewing your own coffee will always cost less than going out to Starbucks to buy your own brew. We have a Cuisinart Auto Drip machine that we like, but a French Press is another great way to brew a delicious and gourmet cup of coffee for less.

Now, I don't know about you, but depending on the season I go back and forth between being in the mood for hot or iced coffee. This summer I perfected my recipe for ice coffee. Here's my recipe: 1) Brew a full pot of coffee. 2) Add your desired amount of sugar to the pot to sweeten your java. 3) Let the mixture cool and add in the desired ratio of milk. Then refrigerate and voila...a whole pitcher of premade, sweet and creamy iced coffee for you to enjoy the whole week, without having to throw half the pot down the drain (like I usually do when I drink it hot!)

2. A Sweet Mid Morning Snack
During the week I try and be "good" and stick to a diet of healthy cereal and yogurt for breakfast, but what the weekend rolls around I can't help but indulge myself a little! And what better way to indulge yourself than taking advantage of your long and lazy Sunday morning by baking some fresh goodies for breakfast?

Now I am not what you would call an expert baker...on the contrary, I am still learning the ropes around the oven and trying to remember the difference between baking powder and baking soda! But this recipe for Easy Chocolate Croissants from Real Simple is so easy even I can do it! One bite of these simple and delicious pastries straight from the oven, and you will never be sorry that you passed on brunch at Pastis with your friends for a nice lazy Sunday at home.

3. Good Reads. No lazy Sunday is complete without a plethora of reading material for you to sift through as you sip your coffee and nibble on your croissants.

My Sunday periodical of choice is without a doubt the Sunday New York Times. Even if you go the whole week without watching the news, you can go to work on Monday having caught up on "all the news that's fit to print" when you take a few hours to go through the NY Times Sunday Edition.

And if you are serious about reading the Sunday paper, I suggest investing in the N Y Times Weekender subscription.

4. The Mimosa.
Cocktails...in the morning?! Eh, why not! It's almost noon anyways...and as long as you have the two key components for my favorite Sunday cocktail... 1) orange juice and 2) Prosecco left over from the night before...you have a cheap and scrumptious sparkler that should happily remind you that NO you are not at work, and you can kick back, relax, keep reading the paper, and sip some orange juice and bubbly at any hour you like! (Image from Martha Stewart)

5. And last but not least..no lazy Sunday is complete without some easy and affordable Comfy Clothes to lounge around in as the morning quickly turns into the afternoon!

Lazy Sunday by livingluxeforless featuring

Do you have a favorite Sunday routine that only costs a little but satisfies a lot?

I hope you all have wonderful weekends!

Happy eating and drinking!

Living Luxe for Less Dinner Party!

9/10/2010

When I first came up with the idea of Living Luxe for Less, all of my friends and family were very supportive of the idea. But one of my friends, Ali, was so excited and enthusiastic about LL4L from the very beginning that I knew she would be an incredible resource for me as I embarked on my journey to create a space dedicated to living luxe on a budget!

Ali and her husband Howie have always loved to entertain at home, and in particular, they love to throw dinner parties with friends. There's nothing better than a good meal, good friends, and a bottle or two of wine in the comfort of your own home. But when Ali and Howie first started throwing dinner parties, they were shocked to discover that it was often easier to spend more money on cooking and entertaining at home than it was to eat out at a restaurant with friends. It also probably didn't help that for their first dinner party Howie made a lobster risotto! A delicious dish, but definitely more LUXE than LESS!

Since the lobster saffron risotto evening (resulting in a week of ramen) and another evening featuring truffle butter and Chateauneuf de Pape, Ali and Howie quickly learned the art of gracious entertaining on the cheap. While discussing how to plan a LUXE but not expensive dinner party, a few tricks Ali shared with me are to first, plan meals around seasonal fruits and vegetables; second, serve protein as an accompaniment rather than the main dish; third, use recipes that take advantage of what you already have on hand in your kitchen. Makes sense doesn't it?

After learning Ali and Howie's easy tips to entertain on a dime, I was dying to experience this meal in action, so Ali generously offered to have us over recently for an evening of homemade pizza, Italian wine, and fresh fruit cobbler.

Ali and I both agree that hor deurves and a light refreshing libation are an important way to make your friends feel at home, and to get any gourmet meal started. There is no need to spend hours worrying about the appetizer course, or to spend more here than you would on your main dish, but it is still not a course to be overlooked. For our cocktail hour Ali wisely paired a Prosecco with seasonal fresh fruit. If you would like to learn more about Prosecco, please see my post on this Italian sparkling wine.

For the main course Ali served two kinds of pizza: one with goat cheese, carmelized onions, and roasted beets, and the other with andouille sausage, roasted red peppers, and fresh mozzarella cheese. And on the side she served a simple mixed green salad with fresh parmesan, oil, and balsamic vinegar. Using simple, and fresh quality ingredients she was able to serve a gourmet main course for less than it would cost to order a takeout pizza!

And while the food you serve is always important, Ali and I also believe that paying attention to the wine you serve with dinner can turn an ordinary meal into something truly special. Although it can sometimes be tough to choose a proper pairing on a budget, we are FIRM believers in never being too proud to ask your local wine store for help. In this case, Ali and her husband Howie went to their favorite wine store, Mister Wright, where Joe was able to steer them in the right direction. (And I can attest to that!)

Here's a photo of the final product...doesn't it look delicious???

But Ali and I believe that no meal is complete without a delicious dessert! To entertain luxe for less Ali opted to serve fresh nectarine cobblers. This dessert allowed her to take advantage of items she already had in her pantry, supplemented with fresh nectarines as the star ingredient. Are you seeing a trend here? Using fresh, seasonal ingredients in your meal is a great way to keep the cost down but the quality high! Mmmm, fresh out of the oven...don't these look good?

And now the question you all have been dying to ask...this dinner looks so gourmet, is there anyway it really could be living luxe for less? YES! Ali did such an amazing job having us over for a wonderful evening of delicious food and wine, and she did it all for less than $70. Here's the receipt....

Receipt
Jour de Soif $14.99
Roccanora $14.99

Cantaloupe $4
Whole wheat pizza dough $7.99*
Applegate Farm organic chicken and turkey andouille $6.99
Red pepper $2.24
Beets $.99
Goat Cheese $2.99
Arugula $3.50
Fresh mozzarella $7.99
Nectarines $2.99

Food = $38.68
Wine = $29.98

* This was a 4 pack of pizza dough so the cost was really $4
** Prosecco was provided by me! If a guest would like to bring something to the party, always let them be a part of the fun!
*** If you are looking for a way to cut down on this receipt, this meal would have been just as delicious with only one bottle of red wine, but having a wine to pair with each pizza definitely added to the fun!

Thank you Ali and Howie for being such amazing hosts, and for sharing your clever tips on how to entertain for less! We cannot wait to return the favor soon. Also thank you for contributing the beautiful photos for this post, and for helping me tell the story of our fun dinner party.

Will you be entertaining this weekend?

Happy eating and drinking!

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