Entertaining

Eataly Silicon Valley grand opening press event

 in Entertaining / Events / General Fashion  tagged lifestyle / outfits / restaurants by
eataly pastries san jose silicon valley valley fair
eataly gelato
summer street style san jose

wearing: statement earrings / stripe dress (under $50) / summer nail polish / top handle bag / gemstone bracelets (San Jose designer) / black white sneakers /

Eataly Silicon Valley has opened their doors! This well-known Italian marketplace and restaurant and been long-awaited at Valley Fair. We have been walking past the “Opening Soon” signs for what seems like forever in anticipation of getting our own Italian marketplace in Silicon Valley, and now it’s finally here! Love!

My ancestors are Italian, so obviously I am always looking for fresh Italian ingredients for when I cook. I also enjoy authentic pre-made food, because my Mom cooks everything better than me anyway. haha

Eataly is a marketplace and restaurant which was first opened in Italy, so it isn’t an American creation which is trying to be Italian. So many American chains, which claim to be Italian, are really just pretenders; which is very annoying when you know what the food is supposed to taste like, how it should be cooked, and the ingredients which should be used! I watched my grandmother, who came here from Italy, spend hours upon hours in the kitchen. While I may not be amazing in the kitchen like she was, I do know Italian food, so let me tell you about Eataly with confidence.

As an American, you will expect pizza, pasta, and risotto. That’s great, Eataly has you well-covered with these types of food. I love that you can find food from various regions of Italy throughout the marketplace, and in the restaurants within Eataly. My family is Northern, so I notice the food my family cooks right away! Since I attended a press event, I was able to sample a few dishes, and they were all delicious. So, whether you prefer southern food or northern food, you will find what you love.

Eataly Silicon Valley is also a marketplace! The ground floor has snacks, coffee, pastries, and gelato. When you venture up to the second floor, you will find a variety of wines in all price points. I love how Eataly labels the region the wine originates from. It made it easy to find wine from where my family is from, and still lives. Love that!

The third floor was my favorite spot, as this is where both restaurants are located, and there is a fabulous market. You will find a variety of packaged foods from Italy, a butcher, fresh cheeses, meats, packaged food, dairy, produce, breads, and more. I was in heaven. Seriously, we have small Italian markets in Silicon Valley, but nothing this vast and all-encompassing. This is a one-stop-shop for Italians like me!

Eataly opens early, before the mall, at 8:30am. This is perfect for shopping for groceries. We can pop in before the mall gets crowded and buy everything we all need to cook at home; in one location! Love that! In addition, there is more wine on the third floor plus you can find gift items, cooking tools, and cookbooks. Wear your walking shoes, and get ready to spend time shopping when you go to Eataly! You will love it.

I hope you stop in and enjoy the food! You can learn more about Eataly by visiting their website at Eataly.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

*I received free food at the press event, I was not paid to attend. All thoughts and opinions in this article are my own.

eataly restaurants

Leftover turkey recipe ideas

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged cathys original recipes / entrees / lifestyle / recipes by
turkey mushroom risotto leftover turkey recipe ideas

Pictured: Turkey Mushroom Risotto / dark blue dinner plate /

Did you host a holiday gathering at your home and end up with tons of Turkey leftover? Yeah, this happens to us every year after Thanksgiving. To combat the leftover turkey, I try to get creative and move away from eating turkey sandwiches for a week. This year I made Turkey Mushroom Risotto and a Turkey Casserole to help use up the leftover turkey. It was delicious! Although the casserole did end up making more leftovers for us since we are a family of five. Haha, but I digress. . .

I thought I would share these recipes with you, in case you are hosting a holiday event in December and are cooking a turkey. These recipes can also be used with chicken if you are not hosting, but are interested in cooking them anyway. The risotto is really good with chicken! The casserole can also be made with tuna. If you make it with tuna, add a cup of peas. Peas are yummy with tuna.

Without further ado, here are my two leftover turkey recipe ideas!

Turkey mushroom risotto

  • I.5 cups chopped turkey
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups sauteed mushrooms (Sautee in olive and garlic)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 3 chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 cup cooked rice (I use jasmine brown rice; you can use the rice of your choice)
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 dash of black pepper
  • 3 dashes of paprika

Sautee mushrooms ahead of time. Cook rice in a rice cooker or your preferred way of cooking.

In a separate pot, mix all other ingredients together EXCEPT the parmesan. Simmer on medium for 45 minutes while rice is cooking.

When rice is done cooking, mix the rice and the parmesan into the mixture and stir until completely covered. Simmer another ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve and enjoy! You can top with more parmesan if you wish after plating. (Serves 6)

Turkey casserole

Pictured: Turkey Casserole / turquoise mug / dark blue dinner plate /

  • 2.5 cups chopped turkey
  • 1 lb. pasta (Shape of your choice)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 2 cut and peeled carrots
  • 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 2 cans Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup
  • 3 dashes of paparika.
  • 1 dash of black pepper
  • 1 cup of crispy onions

Pre-heat oven to 350

Cook pasta and carrots. In a mixing bowl, mix all other ingredients together except the crispy onions.

When pasta and carrots are done cooking, mix together with mixture. Stir until completely mixed. Pour into large casserole dish and smooth out the top. Top the casserole with crispy onions and cover the casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered.

Remove from oven and serve. Yum! (Serves 10)

There you have it! Two leftover turkey recipe ideas you can easily make at home without much effort. I hope you are enjoying the holiday season, and enjoy the rest of it!

Things you might need to make these leftover turkey recipe ideas at home:

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy

Cheesy Sausage Casserole recipe

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged casseroles / cathys original recipes / lifestyle / recipes by
cheesy sausage casserole recipe with potatoes

Casseroles are so easy to make, and they tend to hide the flavors of foods such as vegetables which are often snubbed by children. This is why I love making casseroles! They are easy to make, and my kids will eat the healthy stuff because the flavors are blended together; if not masked entirely. Love that!

This cheesy sausage casserole is super easy to make. All you have to do is chop the ingredients, mix them together, and bake! The resulting flavor is yummy, and enjoyed by both adults and children. That is a huge win! So, without further ado, here is my easy, cheesy sausage casserole recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 8 bockwurst sliced (or any sausage of your choice)
  • 1.5 lbs. Dutch yellow potatoes (cut in half)
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • three dashes of salt
  • paprika, basil (season to taste)
  • 2 pats of butter cut in quarters
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I like the Mexican cheese mix by Kraft)
  • Tools: mixing bowl, casserole dish, wooden spoon

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Once you have cut and sliced the ingredients, mix the potatoes, carrots and sausage into a mixing bowl. Coat the mixture with olive oil and salt. Stir. Then add the basil and paprika and stir. Then add the 2 pats of butter, which should be quartered. Then add the 2 cups of shredded cheese and stir. Cover the casserole dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.

cheesy sausage potato casserole recipe

After the casserole is done cooking, let it sit covered outside of the oven for roughly five minutes. Then, uncover and serve! Since this casserole has both potatoes and sausage, it can be filling. I recommend starting everyone out with one scoop, and if that is not enough food, go back for seconds. This recipe serves six people. Enjoy!

I hope you love my cheesy sausage casserole recipe. My family does!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

cheesy sausage potato casserole recipe