So Nice, We Ate it Twice

As my family knows, I have a general prohibition on leftovers for dinner. I don't mind eating leftovers for lunch, but there's just something about the same dinner two nights in a row that I find hard to swallow. (HA! Pun totally intended!). That said, I have discovered the most perfect meal ever to make on a Sunday afternoon. It takes hardly any prep-time, it cooks itself while you're out doing whatever it is you do in the late Sunday afternoons, it's made all in one roasting pan so very little to clean up, and it gives you such delicious and plentiful leftovers that even I am willing to serve it again on Monday. Not to mention the huge added benefit of no cooking on Monday, which is such a relief on that crazy busy day.

The wonder-child of Sunday meals? Drum roll please...

Roasted chicken and vegetables.

Oh dear, were you expecting something sexier? Yes, perhaps I built it up too much. But really, isn't it true that the very best recipes are classics for a reason? And here's what makes it so fabulous - you roast the veggies right there in the pan with the chicken.

Now, this may be old news to you, because I've seen recipes for this floating around for ages. But I never tried it because I was concerned the veggies would end up too greasy. Let me tell you - they do not. They come out just right - flavored with the chicken drippings, but still crisp and earthy. Oh so good. And the key is to roast 2 chickens at once, which gives you plenty of leftovers.

(By the way, have you noticed I haven't been posting as much? You have? Oh, that's sweet. Sorry. Work has been insanely busy and I've been having to work every night after kiddos go to bed instead of playing on my blog.)

Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

2 whole chickens, between 3 and 4 pounds each, rinsed and patted dry

1 sweet yellow onion

1 head of garlic

1 lemon

Salt

Pepper

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Fresh herbs if you still have them, or your favorite spice rub if you do not (my herbs, after a summer of love, finally gave up on me this past week and wilted beyond my ability to resuscitate them. I'm going to blame it on the cold weather and not the complete and total neglect they've been subjected to since work got so crazy)

3 sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks

6 medium red potatoes, cut into thirds

6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. In the roasting pan: toss sweet potatoes, red potatoes, and carrots with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and a teaspoon of pepper. Arrange on bottom of roasting pan. If you have not filled up your roasting pan, add more veggies - remember the point is to have lots of leftovers. Place roasting rack over veggies.

Prep the chicken: stuff each one with half an onion, half a lemon, and half of the head of garlic (if you have fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme throw some in as well). Tie the legs together, tuck the wings behind, and place on roasting rack. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and your spice rub (if not using fresh herbs). Roast at 425 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve one chicken and serve with half the veggies. Save the other chicken and the remaining veggies for the next night.

Happy eating!

Life's Great Questions

Sometimes, on a rainy weekend afternoon, I sit and ponder Life's Great Questions. For me, these include such important matters as:

Why won't my toddler nap?
Where did the Tar Heels' offense go?
Will I ever master the art of washing, drying, folding and putting away clothes all in the same day?

And most importantly:

What's for dinner?

Answers to the first three seem to elude me. But here's an excellent answer to the last: Ina Garten's pot roast. This is the perfect meal to make on a Sunday afternoon so that it can feed you Monday evening as well. Recipe follows, with my notes included.

Ingredients
1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Good olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks) (Note: Leeks are so high maintenance with all that bothersome sand embedded in them. I substitute an extra onion)
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy (Confession: I only use 1.5 cups of wine, because I want enough left to drink!)
2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 branches fresh thyme
2 branches fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. (This is where Ina and I part ways. I actually use my immersion blender to blend for just a minute. So much easier than putting part of the sauce in the blender!) Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings.
On Sunday night, serve the roast sliced with sauce spooned over it, with a side of crusty bread and a salad. After dinner that night, take a few minutes to cut the remainder of the roast into bite sized pieces, save the remaining sauce in a separate container, and make a pot of brown rice. Throw it all in the fridge. Then on Monday, warm up the roast and sauce on the stove, heat up the rice in the microwave, and serve the roast and sauce over the rice. Dinner ready in less than 10 minutes!

Happy eating!

The Distillery

Do you ever have a complete and total lack of creativity? I obviously do, because I couldn't think of anything clever for today's blog title. But I know someone who doesn't: my friend Leigh, one of my college roommates, and one of the most creative, loving, and life-embracing people I know. She's the real creator of this blog (and I mean that literally - she actually set it up for me) and truly an inspiration. She's also celebrating a birthday, so this shoutout is for her - Happy Birthday Leigh!

***

Now, for today's restaurant review, a joint effort by Attorney Mom and me:

(Me): Talk about a tall order. Attorney Mom and I, along with our husbands, had tickets to see Seinfeld perform the other night, and we were looking for a place to have a quick bite to eat before the show. Savannah, while lovely in oh-so-many other ways, is not exactly known for its speed (there's a reason the whole "slow cook" food movement is so popular here; unfortunately Savannah's interpretation extends to "slow service"), thus we were a bit concerned about whether we could find a real restaurant that could deliver. But we did. The Distillery was exactly the right place - great casual atmosphere, good pub-style food, and excellent service, despite the fact that every living soul in Savannah apparently had the same idea we did.

(Attorney Mom): The name of the restaurant is The Distillery, but it's a bit of a misnomer, as its raison d'etre is to be a hand-crafted beer parlor (beer is brewed, not distilled...right?) Further proof that its soul is beer? I had a pour of the house chardonnay, and it was, to be gentle, not lovingly selected by a kind nose. The husbands had beer, and if that's your thing, get thee there pronto, as the beer went down well and the selection is fabulous.
And the food? I had a burger that was really delicious- the beef was very satisfying, as were the side fries that accompanied it. To me, there is nothing better than a crisp fry, and the overall crisp to soggy ratio was about 80/20, which is quite excellent, in the big scheme of eating fries all over town. My DH had the club sandwich, and as he similarly has sampled club sandwiches all over town, he deemed this one to be Most Impressive. The meat was handcut at the restaurant, and thus the sandwich went from tired cold cuts to a much more exciting bite.

(Me): I agree with Attorney Mom about the wine (though mine was a pinot grigio). On the upside, it was served nicely chilled. Nothing worse than warm, weak wine (shudder). I had the fish and chips, which was perfect. Tasty pieces of cod lightly battered and fried, and seasoned just right. Served the with aforementioned fries with a nice, light tartar sauce for dipping. Our server was friendly and efficient, quite a feat considering the packed crowds. My DH also had the burger and pronounced it "very good."

Overall, we give it 4 stars. (Out of how many? I don't know. We didn't actually set a system) Just the right place for a casual, quick downtown dinner.

Happy eating!

A Menu for You

First, a request: I am in search of a really good banana bread recipe. I have one that is perfectly fine, and we all eat way too much of it, but it's not a wow-this-is-the-best-ever recipe. If you have one, please post it! Note: those recipes that include coconut, walnuts, or raisins need not apply. We go through bananas like crazy around here, but at least once each week I don't time the supply quite right, and I have 2 or 3 overripe ones that could be put to better use.

No recipes to share tonight (Because I am sitting on the couch. Which is here. And my recipe book is on the shelf. Which is there. And do you think I have the energy, after a weekend of parenting two crazy boys, to move from here to there and back to here? No.) Instead, I'm posting this week's menus, recipes to follow later in the week!

Monday: Pot roast. Yes, it's still too damn hot outside for this recipe. But I have all the ingredients, it gets me two nights worth of meals, it tends to itself while we are running around like the overscheduled maniacs we are, and we all love it.
Tuesday: Pan fried flounder, peas, rice.
Wednesday: DH working, leftover pot roast for the rest of us.
Thursday: Baked tortellini. And some sort of vegetable. If inspiration hits by then.
Friday: Homemade pizza.

Happy eating!

Celebrate Good Times

Guest blog from Atlanta Mom today, with a restaurant review from her fair city! All I have to say is she'd better take me here next time I visit. Have a great weekend!
***
My husband and I have a lot to celebrate every fall. His birthday is in mid-August and our anniversary is September 2, followed by my birthday a week later. Every year I say that we should reverse our birthdays because by the time we get around to mine, we are often tired of babysitters and over-priced restaurants. This year his birthday was muddied more than usual by the back to school rush; he was traveling in Europe on our anniversary; and we had a school commitment the night of my birthday. So…we finally went out to celebrate all 3 events last Saturday night. And my sister babysat for free, which was an extra bonus (because it is so depressing to splurge on a nice dinner only to come home and hand someone at least $50 more). Anyway, I thought it would be appropriate to review this Atlanta restaurant because it was FABULOUS!

We went to Joël Brasserie (pronounced like Joelle, not like Billy Joel) in the Borghese development on Northside Drive. It used to be a super-fancy restaurant, but they recently closed for renovations, reopening as an upscale bistro. Neither of us had ever been, and what a treat it was!

My husband was not particularly adventurous (or apparently hungry), and he ordered, per his mom’s suggestion as she had recently been for lunch, the lobster cobb salad. Lobster upsets my stomach, so I didn’t taste it, but he said it was yummy. I, however, started with the heirloom tomatoes served with greens, cider dressing, and a sprinkle of fleur de sel—absolutely delicious. Is there anything better than good tomatoes? I don’t think so. For dinner, I ordered, by recommendation of our very capable server, the scallops (the sea bass was also tempting). They were beautifully seared, served over perfectly cooked zucchini risotto (I wouldn’t have known the zucchini was there if it weren’t listed in the menu description), and topped with a rich, very flavorful, chicken broth. The delicious aroma from the dish was just a prelude to how amazing it was. I’m not sure I could go there again and order something else—it was that good. With it, I had a generous glass of an Italian pinot grigio.

We ordered the dessert special to follow our entrees—a blackberry and apple crumble topped with lemon ice cream—a delightfully light way to end a fantastic meal. We topped off the night with a quick run to the bookstore before returning home to relieve our most affordable babysitter. We were very pleased with our yearly 3-fold celebration!

Something to Noodle Over

First, I suppose I should be grateful that it's took so long: we had a full 4 weeks of school before my kids (aka the walking petri dishes) brought home a cold. But here I am, with one kid recovering, one in the midst of it, and a scratchy throat of my own that I keep telling myself could just be from being up half the night listening to little coughs on the monitor (Whatever. I am so getting sick.).

It's times like these that I really, really appreciate a stocked freezer, because it's like having someone bring you dinner just when you need it the most.

So here's my advice to you - consider yourself forewarned that if you don't have this cold yet, but you have kids, it's coming your way. Take the time this weekend to stock up that freezer, and here's what should be at the top of your list: Chicken Noodle Soup. This recipe freezes beautifully, and nothing hits the spot more when you're under the weather.

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
4 quarts homemade chicken stock (or you can use Kitchen Basics stock if homemade is impractical this weekend)
2-3 cups chopped celery (I like lots of veggies in my soup, so this is heavy on the celery and carrots - do a small dice for both of them so you don't end up with big chunks of veggies)
2-3 cups diced carrots
1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups uncooked egg noodles (I use whole wheat egg noodles in this)
Salt and pepper

In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until tender, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and cook the veggies another 10-15 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and noodles, cook 10 minutes more until noodles are cooked through. Taste for seasoning. Maybe more salt and pepper? A little fresh parsley? You decide, but don't spend too much time on it. With that stuffy nose you're not going to be able to tell anyway.

Butter Me Up

What are the things you have on hand all the time in your refrigerator? Your oh-no-a-storm-is-coming-I'd-better-stock-up items? Mine are milk, yogurt, string cheese (wow, you'd never guess I have kids), eggs, and now a new one. Buttermilk. It is the new It Girl of the Barefoot Savannah fridge. I bought it to make a birthday cake last week and ended up also using it for FAB-U-LOUS pancakes (nothing like breakfast for dinner) as well as oven fried chicken. Mmmmm.

First, the birthday cake. I made Ina Garten's chocolate cake this week for DH's birthday, and Oh. My. Goodness. Who needs dinner when they have this cake? I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I really could have eaten every bite of this, if it weren't for the annoying detail that the birthday boy wanted some. Note: the recipe calls for a full cup of coffee. I reduced this to 1/2 cup, and that was perfect for us. Also, I used just vanilla frosting because chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream is waaaayyy to rich for me, but since I am so sweet, I'm including it here for you. (Pun intended) Here it is:

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Second, the pancakes. These are actually from the Joy of Cooking and are, quite simply, perfect. If you're a box-mix pancake person, these will make you swear them off forever. And, you can make them the night before, put the batter in the fridge, and have them on a school morning in less time than it would take to toast a bagel. Seriously.

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients, until just combined. Cook on griddle until bubble form and a couple of them pop. Flip, cook a minute or two more, and enjoy! You might like them with syrup, but my grandmother and I sprinkle a little sugar over them and roll them up like cigars to eat them. It's not pretty, but it's so, so good.

Bake it, Baby

2 for 1 today! A recipe AND a restaurant review. We are on a roll.

First - is there anything more boring sounding for dinner than "baked chicken"? Why is it that we say "roasted chicken" and it instantly sounds more appealing? But here is one of the world's easiest, inexpensive, and yummiest dinners: roasted chicken leg quarters. In fact, it's so good and easy that I'm suddenly wondering if I've blogged it before...but since I'm in a hurry (aren't I always in a hurry?) I can't be bothered to go back and check. If I've forgotten, then maybe you, dear reader, have as well. (And, as my grandmother would say, together we could hide our own Easter eggs...)

6-8 chicken leg quarters
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Optional: your other favorite seasonings or spice rub (I have a "Mediterranean" dry spice rub that was a hostess gift one time, and I love it with this recipe. Side note - nicely packaged spice rubs make great hostess gifts!)

Preheat oven to 400. Line roasting pan with aluminum foil (only to make it easier to clean up. If you have it out for whoever cleans up dinner, you can skip this step). Place chicken leg quarters in pan, skin side up. Rub with olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and optional spices. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

This is a great recipe to do with the "delay start" function on your oven. We always have this with lima beans and mac & cheese. Mmmmm...

***
And Attorney Mom had a fantastic lunch the other day at Cafe 37:

Cafe 37- Or, as we'll call it, Cafe 5 (Stars)

This week a dear friend and I enjoyed ourselves immensely at Cafe 37, a small, rustic-inspired cafe tucked into Savannah's Victorian district, on 37th street. The cafe has been open approximately a year, and serves brunch, lunch, and dinner. The space is small but filled with light, with a bar tucked on one side and the kitchen upstairs. I've only sampled the brunch and lunch menus, and as this is becoming my new favorite spot, I'll be presenting myself for dinner soon!

Lunch was just divine. Simple, flavorful, and executed to perfection. The soup of the day was french onion, and as I usually avoid this soup due to the (normal) overabundance of cheese and grease, I ordered it with a slight hesitation and a salad on the side. The soup arrived, in an appropriately sized bowl, with a perfect toast and adequate (but not overkill) amount of broiled cheese, and it was excellent. The flavor was the obvious result of a slow-cooked soup, with an fantastic depth that could have been provided by beef stock. (My friend and I were too absorbed in our conversation to chase down the chef, but dear reader, go after him!) The house salad was also Quite Perfect. Excellent greens, with fat dried cherries and lightly-candied pistachios, with a generous dollop of goat cheese that had been quickly heated, served on a toast.

I cannot wait to sample dinner, and to eat my way through the rest of the lunch menu throughout the next year!

Labor of Love

Fall is coming. Even here in the Deep South, the breeze is downright cool, and there are moments when the humidity isn't entirely suffocating. While this is sad news for us pool and beach addicts, this is great news for family cooking. All the things that can be made ahead of time and then left to simmer or bake - soups and stews, lasagnas and casseroles - are so much more appealing to make and to eat when it's cool(er) outside. I've always considered Labor Day the official beginning of fall (Sept. 22 just seems so random for a season change), so this is the weekend I'll start stocking the freezer again.

Which brings me to spaghetti and meatballs. Ina Garten's spaghetti and meatballs may very well be the best spaghetti and meatballs you'll ever taste. Seriously. Seriously. The sauce is out of this world, and the meatballs themselves are so fluffy (can food be fluffy? other than marshmallow fluff, of course) and tasty I could eat a whole pot of them. The only downside - they are truly a labor of love. It takes me at least a couple of hours to make this recipe, which means it doesn't work its way into the rotation very often. To compensate and try to get more out of my time investment, I double the sauce recipe. This way, I end up with enough meatballs and sauce for one night of dinner for my family, a second batch of meatballs and sauce to serve another night, and at least a jarful of just sauce to freeze for a time when I need marinara sauce, but not meatballs. Recipe follows, and note that I've already doubled the amount. Happy eating!

Ingredients
For the meatballs (Note: this part has not been doubled, as this makes enough for 2 meals for my family):
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce (Note: these amounts have been doubled):
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup good red wine, such as Chianti (Note: if you live in Georgia and decide to make this on a Sunday, only to be reminded after you've already waited in line for 15 minutes at Fresh Market that you can't buy wine on Sundays because apparently it is the Pathway To Sin, you can substitute good beef stock. I used Kitchen Basics the last time I made this, and it was fine. Not as good as with the wine, but still better than anything that comes in a jar.)
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped (Note: I prefer the smoother texture of the crushed tomatoes to the chopped tomatoes.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs. (Note: I make my meatballs half this size, about the size of golf balls. I end up with about 30, and a serving size for us is 4-5 meatballs per adult, 2-3 per kid.) Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. (Note: At this point I let the tomatoes cook for about 5-10 minutes, and then remove half the sauce and freeze it for later use. Now you're back to the amount of sauce the original recipe makes. Carry on.)

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Rocks Review

Attorney Mom guest blogs today with a restaurant review. Enjoy!
***
A Rocky Start to Savannah's Newest Restaurant

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had free babysitting, a free evening, and a wedding anniversary to celebrate - the makings of a great night! We decided to scope out the Bohemian Hotel, Savannah's newest "luxe" accommodations, featuring a rooftop bar (Savannah, weirdly, has a total paucity of these despite fantastic weather and pretty city views) and a first-floor restaurant, "Rocks on the River." The rooftop bar was relatively busy for 6 p.m. on a Thursday evening, but as the music was too loud and the sun too hot for us to enjoy our meal, we opted to investigate the restaurant, which features an extended menu from the upstairs bar.

The hotel offers an express elevator to the first floor (the lobby actually sits on the fourth floor, as the hotel spans a bluff along the Savannah River), and, as we exited the elevator and turned toward the restaurant, we were nonplussed to find ourselves behind the bar, and a bit lost. Without anyone turning to greet us, we asked the bartender where the waitstand was, and then presented ourselves thereto. Issue one: the hostess is not facing those patrons who arrive by elevator, leaving one's first impressions of the restaurant somewhat lacking. Rather, the hostess is facing those patrons who arrive via the entrance on River Street (mostly tourists, instead of locals who arrive via Bay Street). As we were seated, we quickly encountered Further Issues: first, the layout reminded me of McDonald's. The tables were too open and too close together, and nary a white tablecloth was in view. So, although the flatware, menu prices and excellent decor hinted at "higher-end restaurant," the lack of tablecloths, the diner-inspired plates, the table layout, and the blaring 80's music that followed us from the rooftop bar told us "high-end diner." This jarring effect of high-low elements seemed to be the result of poor planning and the loud music must, must be stopped. Or at least play Madonna! And, to be fair, the restaurant has only been open for a month or so, but our waitress, while kindly, could not tell us what sort of beer was served and had not eaten anything on the menu. Management, feed her already!

But the food? Mine was heaven. A wedge salad had perfectly executed bits and pieces, and my margarita pizza was the best I've had in Savannah- a thin crust and fresh toppings with a generous amount of buffalo mozzarella, finished with a splash of olive oil. The ricotta cheesecake to finish was light and didn't feature the gummy finish that normal cheesecake (cream cheese based) produces.

However, my husband's meal was Not So Good. The parmesan flatbread featured chopped tomatoes and onions, very nice, but the kitchen then splashed lemon juice across the dish. Lemon and tomato, in theory, are the tastes of Italy, but please, not together. He next ordered a spaetzl (egg noodle) and chicken entree. This dish tasted good, but as the only accompaniments were three halved and barely cooked brussel sprouts paraded along the top of the dish, once the sprouts were removed, the entire plate was brown. It did not look appetizing or healthy, especially to a Northern Californian, but with a bit of reworking on the visual effect, as well as adding more vegetables for a variation in texture, this dish should improve.

Stars? Two out of Five, with room to improve. Our Supper Club is taking a field trip to the restaurant in a few weeks, and I hope that with a larger crowd, more dishes can be sampled and the kitchen's uneven performance will be improved with time. Although I may just order that fantastic pizza again!