Eating & Drinking in Nashville, Part II

Source: Dreamstime

We woke up Saturday morning and made a beeline for The Pancake Pantry, a Nashville breakfast institution. There's always a line, but it moves quickly (and there's complimentary coffee while you wait). 

I'm not much of a sweets person, and that includes breakfast...so I was thrilled to see this savory option: Sante Fe Cornmeal Pancakes, which was three cornmeal pancakes with bacon, Cheddar cheese, and roasted green chiles cooked inside. It's recommended with maple syrup, hot picante salsa, and sour cream. 

What a fantastic combination of flavors/ingredients! I tried it with all of the toppings, including one recommended by the waitress (honey), which turned out to be my favorite! The only issue I had was that these were a little crumbly and fell apart pretty easily...it didn't hurt the taste, though!

After breakfast, we crossed the street to BookManBookWoman, a new & used bookstore I had spotted while we were waiting in line. 

I could have easily spent hours in there...I'm a moth to a flame when it comes to bookstores. I went straight to the cookbook section. I always buy a local cookbook (preferably one from the Junior League) from every city I visit. Here was this trip's find:

I'm in a great group of girlfriends, and we call ourselves the MotherCluckers...so this seemed completely appropriate! 

Speaking of the 'Cluckers, several of them had sent me up to Nashville with a wish list from Trader Joe's (we don't have one in Birmingham), so we headed over to grocery shop.  This was my first visit, and I was in HEAVEN! 

Pat had heard about an area of town called The Gulch, so we went to check it out. It's a very neat urban area with condos, offices, shops, and restaurants. It was the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day, so we stopped in for a green beer at The Pub. 

It was an unusually warm day for March, so we were able to sit on the patio and people watch, as revelers started showing up in their SPD attire.

At that point, we were starting to get hungry again (time to move on to another spot!), so we walked across the street to Bar Louie and snagged the last table on their crowded patio.

I got the Short Rib Sliders, which had asiago and swiss cheeses, spinach, balsamic onions, mushrooms, and a smokey horseradish sauce. The meat was incredibly tender, and all of the accompaniments added so many levels of flavor. YUM!

Stay tuned...one more more post to go, as I recap Saturday night and Sunday brunch!

Eating & Drinking in Nashville, Part I

Source: Dreamstime

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend had a weekday work conference in Nashville, and we decided that I'd drive up and we'd make a weekend out of it. We packed in so much from 5 p.m. on Friday to noon on Sunday! I'm sharing all of our spots, broken up over three posts. 

Our basic philosophy was that we weren't going to spend an entire night at just one location...we visited different places for pre-dinner drink, dinner, and post-dinner drink. It was a great way to see and experience as much as possible in a short period of time!

At the top of his wish list was The Patterson House, which has been named one of the top 55 bourbon bars in the country. We had some time to kill before it opened (it's a small space, and it fills up quickly, so get there early), so we headed down the street to The Red Door Saloon, a college bar on the edge of Vanderbilt's campus. 

We ordered two pints...and four appeared before us (Happy Hour is two-for-one)...with a whopping total price of $7.50. (We still talk about this. What a deal.)

Love the penny-topped bar!

I can't resist posting a picture of the mirror in the ladies room...you can just make out the sunglasses on top of my head. Apparently, it's a strategic placement to keep girls from lingering and causing a line. Hilarious!

 Back down the street we went...and talk about going from one extreme to the other!

The Patterson House is a gorgeous and intimate space, with bookshelf-lined walls, an expansive bar, and cozy tables. I'm not a bourbon person, so I had a glass of wine. Pat had a delicious (I sampled!) concoction of Belle Meade bourbon, pineapple syrup, and bitters.

We then headed to East Nashville, an eclectic and historic part of town that we fell in love with. It's an area described as being in the midst of a renaissance. 

While we waited on our table for dinner at The Silly Goose to be ready, we went next door to Two Ten Jack, a new Japanese-inspired pub (that is already incredibly popular...it was packed!). I want to go back and have the Nashville Roll, which is made with catfish, tartar sauce, pickled okra and cornbread. Wow!

Back to The Silly Goose...

How cute is the bandanna-wrapped silverware and clipboard for menu?

We started with The Claw, which was grilled wild gulf shrimp, applewood bacon jam, lemon, tuscan bread, fennel pollen, parsley. Light and delicious!

For dinner, I had the Darth Vapor, which consisted of porcini crusted black grouper, lemongrass broth, carmelized parsnips, brussel sprouts, shitakes, cauliflower, cashews, and cilantro rouille. Get out of town...party in my mouth! I particularly loved the nuts on top. This was out of this world!

For a nightcap, we headed over to Holland House Bar & Refuge, another spot named on the best bourbon bars list. 

We were initially disappointed to be led to the "back bar," but this turned out to be the best place to be! We had a very knowledgeable (and young!) bartender, who gave Pat plenty of great bourbon advice. One of the waiters from the neighboring restaurant Pharmacy (a stop next time) was working his way through the menu, and it looked delicious. (And that speaks volumes. I love knowing where restaurant people eat...always a good recommendation!)

We finished off the night with a few songs at The Big Bang dueling piano bar on Broadway! I can't ever pass these establishments up...and we had to hear some music in the Music City!

Roasted Balsamic Asparagus & Tomatoes with Feta

Now that we're (finally) getting some sporadic springtime weather, my boyfriend and I decided to start having Sunday Steak Night. As the grillmaster, he's in charge of the meat, and I'm in charge of the side(s). 

I saw this idea over at For the Love of Cooking, and I knew it would make a great accompaniment to the filets (that he wrapped with bacon) we had on hand. It called for cooking it on the stovetop...but I decided I'd rather be chilling on the porch with a glass of wine than babysitting the side dish. Luckily, Pam also had a roasted version (minus the feta) further back on her blog, so I basically combined the two ideas.

After roasting and tossing in the dressing, I added some of the feta directly to the mix so it could soak up some of the flavor...and then I also topped each serving with additional feta. 

This had such a bright, clean, and fresh flavor...perfect for spring! Feel free to dip some bread directly in the dish to sop up all of the balsamic goodness!

Printable recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into thirds
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
Sea salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and pepper

Feta cheese to taste

In a 9x13 baking dish, toss asparagus and tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 300 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Mix together dressing ingredients and pour over vegetables after roasting. Top with feta. 

Shortcut Beef Stroganoff

I saw this recipe in the latest (March/April) issue of Cooking with Paula Deen. They don't have it on their website, so I couldn't technically "pin" it.

This really reads more like one of Sandra Lee's semi-homemade recipes, since it uses prepared beef stroganoff along with "making it your own" ingredients added.

This is obviously quicker to make than traditional beef stroganoff (usually made in a slow cooker)...but with all of the flavor of being cooked a long time. 

The mushrooms were my favorite part of this dish. They had a big sale on button mushrooms at my local supermarket, so the shelf was empty. I had to use sliced baby portobellos instead, which were just as meaty as the meat itself.

Like I've said before...take help where you can get it. This was a winner!

Note: Co-worker ate some for lunch and said it was as good as his mom's "noodles with brown sauce" that he requested for his birthday dinner every year growing up. He said, "The sauce was just right. Not too thin, not too thick."

Printable recipe

1 8-ounce package egg noodles
1 8-ounce package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1 can beef consomme
1 15-ounce package refrigerated prepared beef stroganoff (like Hormel)

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a skillet, over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil for 8 minutes or until soft. 

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and beef consomme. Season with pepper. Pour mixture over mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add beef stroganoff to mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add noodles and stir thoroughly to combine. Set skillet off heat for 5 minutes for sauce to thicken. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Kentucky Hot Brown Crescent Bake

I can't claim to have a love for a Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich...in fact, I have never had one. However, I know what it is/what's in it. And, it has always sounded good to me.

So, when this popped up in my Pinterest feed (from Eat At Home), I decided to give it a try.

Given my lack of history, I can't say that I know for sure that this tastes like a Kentucky Hot Brown...but it sure was good. It's basically a trumped-up turkey sandwich with crescent roll crusts.

I could have SWORN that I had a package of Swiss cheese in my fridge...but, alas, I did not. So, I just sprinkled a layer of shredded Cheddar where the slices would have/should have gone. 

I particularly liked the tomato slices...they gave it a nice "bite." They gave the dish a fresh taste and added a little tang. It cuts easily into squares (I did nine) and re-heats nicely.

Printable recipe

1 tube crescent roll dough
1 8-ounce package sliced deli turkey
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices cooked bacon
3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 eggs, divided

Unroll crescent roll dough and divide into two squares. Place one square in the bottom of a greased 8x8 baking dish. 

Top with half of turkey, cheese, bacon, and tomato slices. Beat two of the eggs and pour evenly over the top. Top with rest of turkey, cheese, bacon, and tomato slices. Top with remaining crescent roll square. Beat remaining two eggs and pour evenly over top. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Manwich Stew

This isn't a sponsored post...but I had to include Manwich in the recipe title because it plays such a prominent role in this dish.

I saw this on Pinterest from Real Mom Kitchen. She calls it a chili...but that's not really what it is. It tastes more like Brunswick stew from the sweet-tangy Manwich sauce. I was a big fan.

I also loved that it didn't make a ton (four servings). My dinner...and lunch for me and two co-workers, and it was gone. 

This has such great flavor, and it comes together quickly for a weeknight meal. You can simmer for just 30 minutes (as directed)...but I let mine go on the stove for a couple of hours. The house smelled wonderful. Great winter recipe!

Printable recipe

1 pound ground beef
1 15-ounce can Manwich
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 15-ounce can corn, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder

In a stockpot, brown beef. Drain and return. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip Quiche

I had a hankering for quiche yesterday, so I took to Pinterest to see what I could find. Nothing was striking a chord...until I came across this idea from Chatty Gourmet.

I'm not above taking help where I can get it and using prepared foods in recipes. Why not? Let's face it...when you're starting with a tub of supermarket spinach-artichoke dip, you're pretty much guaranteed a good result. (Of course, you could make your own if you want to start from scratch.)

What I loved about this was that the fluffiness of the eggs cut the richness of the dip, but kept the general flavor. I used feta instead of the mozzarella she recommended for some tang. 

This was super easy and makes a great weeknight "meatless main" or brunch dish. It tastes dreamy...and much more complex than it actually is. Several co-workers and I just scarfed a piece down for breakfast. 

Printable recipe

1 refrigerated pie crust
5 eggs
1 cup prepared spinach-artichoke dip (like Publix brand)
1 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup feta

Fit crust into greased pie plate. In large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Add in dip, half-and-half and feta. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes (or until center is set).