Olde Port Inn

I'm always in search of the meal so spectacular that I want to lick my plate. Well last night was one of those meals. Chris and I are over at the central coast with our friends Mike and Jen. Since I seem to pratically be a native of the area chosing restaurants and deciding what to do always tends to fall into my life. I was over joyed when Chris made the suggestion to drive out on the pier and go to the Olde Port Inn. (his training is nearly complete I've realized) Mike and Jen didn't even know the pier existed and so it was a great treat to try a new and unique place. Enough exposition, our meal was FANTASTIC. None of us were overly starving so we chose to split an entre then splurge at dessert. Chris and I chose the scallop and prawn combination. We started our with a nice Caesar salad (quick note: dear fancy expensive restaurant, don't give me a salad on a hot plate EVER again. This is my only complaint about my dining experience with you. Now get your act together next time). Next we enjoyed lovely sourdough rolls. Then came the main corse which they had kindly split onto 2 plates (at no charge). Thank goodness we split because it was sooo much food. 3 beautifully cooked scallops and 2 well spiced prawns on each plate with drawn butter, scalloped potatoes with bacon and a delcious Rosemary cream sauce (I can officially say they were the best potatoes I've ever had, and perfectly cooked veggies including purple cauliflower, what I think was a parsnip (is that like a yellow carrot?) and squash. I inhalled my meal it was so good, never stopping to breath. After our main course none of us were stuffed, just right for dessert. So what do we do? Everyone ordered a different dessert and we put them in the middle of the table and made the ultimate dessert buffet.


From left to right. Butterfinger pie, chocolate mouse, peach cobbler a la mode, and toffee cheescake. If anyone has a recipie out there for a great toffee cheesecake send it my way because I think this is one of the best restaurant desserts I've ever had. Overall it was a wonderful evening. If you've never been to the Olde Port Inn before do yourself a favor and go. Make sure to ask for the right table because if you're lucky you can get one where you can see through to under the pier and watch seals play around while you eat. Great friends, great food, great night.

New Car

Yes it's true. I bought myself a new car on Wednesday. It is a 2009 Saturn Vue XR v6. Black exterior. Gray cloth interior. XM radio, onstar, Bluetooth for my cell phone. The works! I'm thrilled!











It's going to look great with my "MNYMOUS" plates once they arrive!

Comments

A few of you have asked me how to post comments on my blog, well it turns out I've had my blog set up so you can only post comments if you have a blog too, well I fixed that.  Here's what you do!
Below each post there is 
POSTED BY SHAY AT 10:48 AM 0 COMMENTS
well if you cilck the word comments it will take you to a comment box where you can comment on the blog.   After you have written whatever you want go to the drop down menu just below the box where it says "select profile" scroll down to anonymous then hit post comment. Since you don't have a blog and will be writing anonymously make sure you include in your message who you are.  I may be able to tell from context clues but it will be much easier if you just sign your name at the bottom :) good luck.  Do me a favor and do a test and comment on this blog to see if you get it! Email me if you can't do it.

Veteran's Day Parade

On Wednesday a few of us from the Melodrama and about 80 little girls in tutu's from the dance studio all headed downtown to be in the Veteran's Day Parade.  With a pink tractor and all we proudly won first place in the Youth Float category! Click the link below for more pictures.
Veteran's Day Parade

Old-fashion soft pumpkin cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze (recipe follows)
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Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

FOR GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

I made these cookies last fall and they were such a hit I made them again this year. The batter is very runny so be sure not to place the scoops too close together. They turn out very cake-ey and moist. I substitute a spiced rum for the vanilla in the glaze! Yummy!

Spooktacular Cupcakes

When I first bought my Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook I couldn't wait for an appropriate time to make these monster cupcakes! Chris and I made a trip to the bulk section of WinCo and went to town on creating these little beauties!





We had so much fun and were on quite a sugar high from eating the candy as we were decorating. Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!