Restaurant Recommendation-Bradenton Beach, FL

This week, I am vacationing on the Gulf Coast of FL near Anna Maria Island and luckily escaped the wrath of Irene back home in NJ (lost power for a few days but no flooding, thank goodness!). I love coming here during the summer when the "snow birds" are still up north and you can really enjoy the peacefulness of the island and explore new places. This trip, we happened upon a new restaurant, Bridge Street Bistro, that just opened up this past February. For those of you reading this that live in the vicinity or might vacation here, I highly recommend this restaurant. It is located across from the beach with beautiful views of the sunset where you can either choose to eat indoor or out. The waitstaff was attentive but not intrusive (which totally rubs me the wrong way) and it was an overall great dining experience. Attire suggested is smart casual. 

I love eating out just as much as I enjoy cooking and of course, I had to sample everything! For starters, we tried the Black Bean Cakes with Guacamole and Salsa and Artichoke Spinach Dip. This dip was by far one of the best versions I have ever had. It was loaded with whole quartered artichokes, fresh spinach and the dip part was made with stone ground mustard and topped with what tasted like a white cheddar cheese that they broiled until bubbly and light brown. For dinner, I had the Filet Mignon with Au Poivre Sauce (Cognac Peppercorn Sauce) and my husband had the Ribeye Steak with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce... both of which were cooked perfectly. To finish off the meal, we shared the Zabaione with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in an almond shell (picture above).

The entire meal, including a nice bottle of Super Tuscan wine, was absolutely delicious from one course to the next and moderately priced. They also offer a lunch menu and early bird specials. So next time you're in the area, check them out!

Sea Salt Steak Fries

Once again, during one of my earlier posts, I had posted these fries with "sliders" but my earlier filing system was a little confusing. Since I happened to make these again recently, I figured they deserved a picture of their own. AND, since I recently learned that one of my daughters friends thought that french fries only came frozen in a bag, I had to set the record straight! These are SO easy to make and take even less time than cooking frozen fries in the oven. Though I'm sure the extra grease doesn't bode well (which is why I opt for Canola vs. Vegetable oil), it won't hurt you every once in a while and they do taste 10x better than frozen!  

Sea Salt Steak Fries

6 Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/2" strips

1"-2" Canola Oil, for frying

Sea Salt, as desired

In a large, deep frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook approximately 6-8 minutes; until they start to turn golden brown. Flip the potatoes over and cook another 6-8 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes on a brown paper bag (helps remove more of the excess grease) and sprinkle with salt. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Thighs in a Lemon Thyme Wine Sauce

I posted a while ago that I had received a Dutch oven as a gift from my Mom a while back but hadn't used it that often. So this past weekend, I decided to take it out of hibernation and try to make something else in it. We were having my husband's parents over for dinner so that we could watch a video I had put together for them of our trip to Europe last month and didn't want to be slaving away all day in a separate room. I really like cooking in the Dutch oven and I'm surprised I hadn't wanted one earlier; though with my hectic schedule before, I was lucky enough to even get any food on the table! I'm sure you could also make this in a slow cooker (which might be nice to try with the upcoming cooler weather). I also don't know why, but I can't stop cooking with lemons lately. Maybe it's the summer and they're just so light and refreshing... and they certainly didn't disappoint in this dish! The chicken was EXTREMELY tender and was practically falling off the bone. I happened to throw in the lemon peel after extracting the juice but if you're not a huge fan of lemon, it might be a little too much for you. 

Chicken Thighs in a Lemon Thyme Wine Sauce
12 Chicken Thighs, skin removed
2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1 Cup White Wine
1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped
1-10oz. Package White Button Mushrooms, washed and quartered
1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley
1 Lemon, juice and zest
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Butter


In a large saute pan, heat the oil. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to brown on each side for approximately 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a Dutch oven. In the same pan, melt the butter and add the mushrooms, scallions, thyme, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Saute until the mushrooms start to get slightly softened. Add the wine and chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add the liquid mixture on top of the chicken. Cover and bake at 300°F for 2 hours. Serves 6. 

And...speaking of lemons! I thought I'd share a picture with you. This is my youngest daughter, Gabrielle, holding an actual lemon from a cart in Sorrento, Italy. YES, it was that large and you can't really appreciate its massive size until you actually see it up against a person. No wonder why this region makes the best Limoncello!


Enjoy!