Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. May you spend it with family and friends that love you, and plenty of good food and drink!

Us? We're cozy for a day with family, opening gifts and each contributing an "appetizer" that is spread out throughout the day. Mom is starting us off with a breakfast pizza!

I am making Baked Brie and Prosciutto Rolls.

INGREDIENTS
12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 oz. Brie wheel, cut into 12 slices
12 thin slices prosciutto
Honey, for drizzling
Green apple, sliced thinly
Jam of your choice
Flaky sea salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a clean surface and gently fold it in half crosswise. Brush the phyllo with a little melted butter, being sure to cover the entire top half.

3. On the short end of the dough, spread a thin layer of jam and then place a slice of apple, piece of prosciutto, and a slice of Brie. Roll the phyllo up over the filling, folding the side edges in to seal, burrito style. Place the roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet and repeat to make 12 rolls total. Brush the tops of each phyllo roll generously with melted butter.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Remove and drizzle lightly with honey. Sprinkle with black pepper and a little flaky sea salt. Serve warm.

What are your holiday food traditions?

Weekend Bites

So, I'm a little late in the week to catch you up on our weekend, but it was a good one so I'm still going to share!

It actually kicked off on Thursday, as it was our fourth wedding anniversary. Mr. H had our florist, Urban Orchid, recreate my bouquet. He's done that every year since, and it's always a wonderful way to look back on our wedding. Big husband points there!

We knew we wouldn't be able to go out to dinner to celebrate until the weekend, but still wanted to have an easy, yet special, meal at home that night. We had grabbed a truffle pecorino from Old Brooklyn Cheese Co. the weekend before, and it was begging to be grated over some pasta! It was soooo decadent. 

I just had to share this...he's not with me for my gift wrapping skills.

Friday we were offered some good seats to the Cavs' game, so we hopped downtown and enjoyed the game for a bit. No matter what the team is doing on the court, I always enjoy the experience of The Q. The fire cannons are my favorite!

But then we really got to celebrate on Saturday night. We headed to the holiday pop-up bar, Lake Effects, connected to The Schofield Hotel. Super cute and vintage Christmas-inspired setting with Instagram-worthy moments all over, but horrible, terrible cocktails. The beer and wine list is small and nothing to get excited about either, but I'd stick to it if I were you.

We then walked over to Urban Farmer, where we had held our rehearsal dinner. We were welcomed with a glass of champagne, and surprised with an amazing celebratory dessert. From start to finish, the meal was absolutely amazing.

Our last stop for the night was Hilarities at Pickwick & Frolic. Attending a comedy show is one of Mr. H's favorite things to do, and this was one of the most interactive shows I've been to. A good portion of his show was picking on the audience members, which was hysterical. Including calling one young guy's girlfriend on his cell phone to harass her for not allowing her boyfriend to drink alcohol, ever, because she had a bad experience once. You can only imagine the fun a comic had with that.

Sunday was spent recovering from the celebrating, as you can imagine.

We've been together 11 years, but being married for the last 4 has truly been even better than I had imagined. There's no one I'd rather celebrate life with, and not just in the big moments like an anniversary. We do a darn good job of celebrating and appreciating each other year-round! It's the people in your life that matter most, and I'm so lucky to have found him.

Thanks for taking a peek into our anniversary celebrations, and for enjoying and celebrating life in Cleveland with me year-round. With the holidays upon us, I reflect even more, and this little slice of the web brings me a lot of joy. Thank you!

Cleveland's Local Eatery

Cleveland's Local Eatery (C.L.E.) has opened in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood in the former Acropolis Restaurant Tavern space on Memphis Avenue.

 I can't find any information online, but I'm pretty positive that the new ownership of the space fell within the same family, but with a revamped concept and decor. It's fresh, modern and Cleveland-centric.

They are offering breakfast, lunch, and limited dinner service (closing at 7PM).

Mr. H and I decided to split two sandwiches on Saturday afternoon for lunch, including the Patty Melt with fresh cut fries...

...and the Classic Gyro ($8.99).

Both were solid and the price point should do well in the neighborhood.

But where this spot really shone was the customer service. You can immediately tell that it is family-owned and operated, and we were comfortable and checked in on from the moment we walked in the door to the final moments of the meal when we were served a housemade brownie with our check.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

C.L.E.
6019 Memphis Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44144

Holidays with Heinen's

Mr. H and I were recently treated to a Heinen's Holiday Entertaining event at the insanely gorgeous Trevarrow Inc. kitchen showroom. Seriously, what dream kitchens are made of. 

We were there for a cooking demonstration on how to prepare a perfect holiday roast, with amazing wine pairings included. Heinen's has some of the finest meat in town, with a dedication to quality and sourcing.

It couldn't have come at a better time, as the family has started to plan what Mr. H and my brother will be making for Christmas dinner. Perhaps a Boneless Rib Roast...

or Crown Roast of Pork...

or Boneless Strip Roast...

Each were expertly prepared and delicious! So were the wines...

...but I've come to expect that from Heinen's. Their wine selection is top-notch, the price points you can get high-quality wines at are a steal, and the staff in the wine department at any store location will never steer you wrong. We get the best recommendations from them!

Our favorite wines from the event (all pictured above) were the Jackson Estate Pinot Noir and the Liparita Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the event, I've already picked up a bottle of the Liparita and a splurge bottle of the Dragon's Tooth.

Heinen's has all of your holiday needs covered; from beverages to help you entertain guests (or deal with your family?), weekly deals, recipes, events, and more. Check it out for yourself.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend this event with a guest, and received a goodie bag and gift card in exchange for my engagement. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Weekend Bites

This past weekend's fun truly kicked off on Friday at noon. I was working from home, so I was able to scoot out to meet Mr. H in the neighborhood for a bite at Sabor Miami Cafe. I had a sweet tooth craving after lunch, and lucky for us...the new Lilly Chocolates and Confections location is right on the way home from the cafe. This Peanut Butter Maple Crunch Bar may be one of the best things I've had from them. Think "naked candy bar" for the texture and flavor.

Saturday started with a fueling at Cleveland Bagel Co., and I couldn't stop thinking about what foods I would top with this Everything Mix if it happened to find its way into my stocking this year. Hint, hint!

We killed some time before Ohio City Provisions opened at All Things For You vintage shop on Lorain. I picked up two gorgeous small ceramic Christmas trees. But as soon as Ohio City Provisions opened their doors, we were there to not only meal plan for the week, but to also start dreaming of what to make for Christmas dinner this year. Does your family make the same meal every year, or switch it up?

Saturday evening brought Date Night, with dinner out at Luca Cleveland. Both the Piatto di Mar and the Cannelloni di Vitello were insanely delicious and left us scraping the sauces off the plates. Then we hopped over to a new-to-us bar, Tributary. I enjoyed the setting, the craft cocktails were quite good, and the bar started to get busier as we left around 9:00PM. Before that, it was a little too dead in there. It's relatively new, but with the location on Detroit Avenue being near several of our favorite areas to dine in, I can see it being convenient for people to stop in before or after a meal nearby. We'll be back.

Sunday was mostly spent at the house preparing for the week ahead, but we did pop out to Creekside Restaurant for breakfast before grocery shopping at Heinen's in Brecksville. I've just never been enamored with the food at Creekside. You? 

We stocked up on some great wines from Heinen's for the holidays ahead, and snagged two of these planter beauties for our front porch.

It ended up being a busy weekend, but one on our own terms with no outside commitments. A great way to start December, because the rest of this month does not look that way!