Food-topia

I’m a foodie. I love to cook and I love to eat. And then I had kids. More accurately, I had one kid and two more kind of fell in my lap. Three kids with vastly different tastes and who aren’t afraid to tell me when they absolutely don’t like whatever I’m serving. Sigh.

Any mom will tell you that feeding kids is challenging on a good day. But what’s a mom to do when all three, count ‘em, THREE of your kids are sick? I’ll tell you what I’m not doing: cooking up the old standby’s.

In fact, I’m not cooking at all. We’re eating leftovers and going/ordering out. Starting with breakfast. Ever been to Mr. Deli’s on Linglestown Road? My dad used to take me there for breakfast when I was in high school so it has a special place in my heart and I was happy to share it with the next generation. We got there at a good time when there were still plenty of tables. Our waitress was super nice and brought me my coffee fast. And the portions were so big, none of us were hungry at lunch which was good because by that time, my son was showing symptoms of an ear infection.

But eventually they did get hungry and thank goodness those Celeste pizzas were ten for $10 at the grocery store because they’re two minutes in the microwave and the perfect size for seven year olds. And if you get one with vegetables on it, you can pretend it's good for you.

After an afternoon spent consoling a screaming toddler (he was even waking up screaming during his nap), taking said screaming toddler to a weekend pediatrician appointment and then hitting up Target to fill his antibiotics prescription, I wasn’t cooking or even calling out. But my baby daddy definitely got a text requesting that he bring home pizza.

Weight Watchers hates me.

Moms, what do you do about meals when the kids are sick?

Hugs and dishes,

Em Chilada

Leftover Lowdown

It's a few days after St. Patty's Day... So what do I do with this leftover cabbage that we didn't cook? I am not interested in making Cabbage Soup especially when Spring has sprung.  Today I decided to make crunchy coleslaw. It is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

What you will need:

• 3 carrots
• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of mayo (you can add more if you like it creamy)

1. Rinse cabbage under cold water and shred it in a big mixing bowl. It's okay if it is not perfect, there will be pieces that you can't shred, unless you want to shred your fingers, so chop it up.

2. Wash and peel the carrots, then shred them in the same mixing bowl.

3. With a spatula fold the cabbage and carrots till they mix together. Then add the vinegar and mayo.

Super EASY and super delicious! Before you prepare this side dish, I suggest you open the windows in the kitchen and breathe in the Spring air.
Hugs & Dishes, Liz Zania

My new lunch obsession

In honor of St. Patrick's Day being yesterday, I felt I should confess my newest lunch obsession.  First I should tell you that I go through waves of being obsessed with a certain food for my daily lunch.  When I was doing the South Beach Diet I ate only turkey and cheese roll-ups with yellow pepper slices inside.  Then I ate only PB&J sandwiches for months, then I switched to tuna with dried cranberries and apples.  Now my newest obsession which, if I was independently wealthy, I would eat every day is the Reuben sandwich at the Sandwich Man on 2nd St. in Harrisburg.  They make the most delicious corned beef I have ever had at a restaurant.  It's sliced to the perfect thickness and piled high on their whole grain wheat bread (i don't like Rye bread!) with the perfect amount of sauerkraut and thousand island dressing.  I could eat this sandwich 5 days a week!!!  It is warm, delicious, and feels like home.  And when I eat it I am not embarrassed by the thousand island dressing running down my chin, because that is just a compliment to the chef!

 Hugs and Dishes,  Tina Grigio xo

You're my Little Irish Potato

A few things come to mind when I think of St. Patrick's Day: Green Beer, Pub Crawls and Cabbage.While most people are decked out in Green, throwing back car bombs and drinking Guinness, I decided to be good and stay in for the evening.

I stopped by to visit my Parents to say Happy St. Patrick's Day.  My Mother mentioned how she really loves Irish Potatoes. (Earlier in the week, Dad went on a mission around Central PA and couldn't find them anywhere.)  My Mother and Father, Philadelphia Natives were very disappointed this year...


As much as I would love to make these delicious Philadelphia treats for my Parents, I just didn't have the time.  So I Googled a recipe to share these sweet treats.


An Irish Potato is a sweet and creamy coconut confection shaped into little balls that sorta resemble a potato.

We are Dishing on Dishes...

This blog is a long overdue collaboration of four woman.  After numerous sushi lunch dates and at home dinner parties to bbq-ing baked potatoes slathered in butter  wrapped in tin foil on the grille and searing scallops in a pan...

Ah I'm beside myself right now just thinking of all the  yummy food and fun.  Food, Cooking, Eating... We do it every day.  To some it's fuel to most it's enjoyment.  To US it's the time we spend together to gab about fashion, friends and current events.