A special meal at The Publick House

Upon my return from Las Vegas early last week, Z and I met up at The Publick House in Brookline for some delicious beer and "special" pub grub. I call it special because The Publick House tends to charge a hefty penny for dishes you can get for less money at most other eateries outside of Boston. However, the food is high quality, and it's not every night we make it out to Brookline - so, sometimes, spending the extra few dollars is worth every penny. Plus, I got two meals out of my $17 entree.

I usually leave the beer ordering to Z, as he is the expert, and this evening was no exception. Especially between the jet lag, hunger, and the lengthy and varied beer menu Publick House offers, I was slightly overwhelmed. Thankfully, our waitress was more than willing to let us sample any of the brews we had questions on, too. I finally settled on a Whale's Tale Pale Ale, and later ordered a smooth Sixpoint Brownstone.

For an appetizer, we ordered the cheese plate, and from a wide selection of rare cheeses, we decided on the Rogue Chocolate Stout Cheddar and Tetilla from Spain (you get your choice of two cheeses).

The cheese plate came with fresh bread, cornichones, and house made spicy mustard. Both cheeses were unique and satisfying, although the chocolate stout cheddar was my favorite. A hint of rich chocolate flavor was present in the background, without taking away from the tangy bite of the cheddar. (Bonus: You can buy any of the cheeses on their menu at their Provisions gourmet food and beer store next door).

For our meals, I went for the Pumpkin Ravioli ($17), which consisted of a heaping bowl of fresh pasta, chocked full of creamy, pumpkin filling.

Personally, I loathe overly sweet pumpkin dishes, but Publick House's version of pumpkin ravioli had the ideal balance between sweet and savory. Between the cream sauce, asiago cheese sprinkling, and the mushroom and tomato garnish, this dish was flavorful, balanced and filling. I ended up eating half that night, and saving the rest for lunch the next day.

Z had the Roasted Fig Salad, which was made with bibb lettuce, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, and red wine-roasted figs tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with candied walnuts.

I forget the price of this dish (although I know it costs less than $17), but this heaping salad was divine. The flavor and texture combination was incredible - the sweet flavor of the figs went so well with the tangy goat cheese and sugary walnuts, and the balsamic dressing added a necessary salty flavor to round out the dish.

Overall, we had a great meal and some satisfying brews at The Publick House - not to mention helpful, attentive service. Even though the prices tend to be on the higher side, I am positive that we will back for another "special" meal sometime in the near future.

Best deal this week: $2.50 brews and $10 steaks at Sports Depot

I haven't been keeping up with March Madness this year, and I rarely keep up with sports in general - but I can pretend I know what's going on just as well as the next person, and I can sure as heck partake in the social events that come with watching sports. In other words, I can easily get into a sports game when there's beer involved, especially when the beer costs $2.50.

Luckily for me, and for those of you who may or may not enjoy watching sports, the Sports Depot in Allston is celebrating March Madness (or the remainder of it, rather), by serving up $2.50 domestic drafts, along with $3 Miller Lite bottles and $10 steaks. All right, so you might not be able to get a filet mignon at this joint for $10, but you can still fill your stomach with marinated steak tips (normally $15.99), New York sirloin ($19.99), and 10 oz. of top sirloin steak ($16.99).

In addition to their March Madness deals, Sports Depot's got some other deals throughout the week, too. One very notable deal: Appetizers are 99 cents from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the purchase of any two beverages. Appetizer options include Loaded or Cheese Nachos, Buffalo Fried Fish Fingers, and Chowder. To see more deals throughout the week, click here.

Kind-of-Mediterranean turkey burgers

Goat cheese, kalamata olives, parsley, and rosemary - all wrapped up in one elegant, healthy turkey burger.

I rarely eat red meat or beef when I am at home, so when I'm cooking burgers or meatloaf, I usually use scrambled turkey. Compared to scrambled turkey breast or beef, which cost around $4-5 a package at my local Hannaford, turkey is just above $3. And for this particular meal, I already had the rest of the ingredients in my fridge, minus the crumbled goat cheese.

I was pleasantly surprised at how these burgers came out, although I decreased the amount of goat cheese in this recipe - I added a little too much in the original recipe. The result, however, was an extremely flavorful, comforting turkey burger. It ended up being an affordable meal that I can make any night of the week - but still feel like I'm having a special, out-of-the-ordinary dinner.

Kind-of-Mediterreanean Turkey Burgers
Yields: 2 burgers

-1/2 package of scrambled turkey (freeze the second half for future recipes/meals)
-4-5 jarred and pitted kalamata olives, chopped
-1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (and a little extra for top of burgers)
-Dried parsley
-Dried rosemary
-Black pepper and a little salt

Directions: Just mix all of the above together in a bowl, and form into two good-sized burger patties (make sure to go light on the salt, as the olives are already pretty salty). Cook in frying pan with a little oil, and serve on toasted whole wheat bulkie rolls with extra goat cheese and sliced tomato.

On the side, I made my favorite oven-baked potato fries - which, to me, are sooo much better (and healthier!) than throwing some sliced potatoes in my deep fryer with a ridiculous amount of oil. All I do for these oven-baked gems is slice the potatoes lengthwise, mix with a tbsp. of olive oil, some rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper, and lay them flat on a baking sheet. I throw them in the oven at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes (or until crispy), turning them once.

And wala! You have yummy, good-for-you fries.

Best deals this week: elegant fare and cocktails for under $25

Since I have left you without a "best deal" for the last two weeks, here are several at Rocca Kitchen and Bar in Boston. To summarize: You can get quite the booze buzz from $20, and brunch for $5. Here's how:

$20 Pitcher of Dark and Stormy: When Zach first introduced me to this cocktail, I really didn't think I would enjoy it - but now it's one of my favorite booze-infused beverages. Dark rum and ginger beer, baby - and you can get a pitcher at Rocca for a mere $20. (Seven nights a week, with sames hours as the 5@5 appetizer deal - see below).

$22 for supper on Sundays (starting March 28th): From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays, you can order three courses for $22. The choices are basically salad, pasta, and dessert (pistachio cannoli, anyone?).

5@5 - Five Appetizers for $5 each: Seven nights a week at the bar from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close, Rocca serves up appetizers like honey-glazed chicken wings, burgers with fontina and pesto mayonnaise, and cauliflower fritti with anchovy aioli.

$5 Bloody Marys, Mimosas & Brunch Snacks: Every Sunday starting at noon, Rocca offers bloody marys and bellinis (Prosecco made with blood orange, peach or pear) for five bucks. Brunch snacks are also sold for $5, with options like Pizzetta Chicchi-richi (egg, pancetta and roasted tomatoes); Fully Loaded Patatine Fritte (with pesto, three cheeses and tomato); and mixed greens with herb and citrus vinaigrette.

Talk about upscale, elegant dining (and drinking) for under $25, all across the board.

5 tips for saving money while on vacation

In the 25 years that I have been alive, I have rarely traveled for personal pleasure - but that is about to change. Over the last year or so, I have made it a goal of mine to plan trips and travel the U.S./world, no matter how tight my budget may be. I refuse to be 85 years old, wishing I had spent the majority of my life exploring the world and enjoying the scenery and cuisines of regions outside of New England. With this being said, I also don't  plan to blow my entire savings account on each trip - and have recently realized I don't have to.

Case in point: My and Zach's mini vacation to Bethel, Maine was a great weekend getaway, but also didn't hurt our plans to Save for Italy. By planning ahead and cutting a few corners here and there, we were able to enjoy a nice weekend away without sacrificing our future travel plans/finances. I know a lot of you are also on a limited budget, so I wanted to share some of these money saving tips with you  - because you can still enjoy a vacation now and then no matter what your financial situation may be.

5 Tips for Saving Money While on Vacation

1.) Do your research. Weeks before we booked a hotel in Bethel, Zach and I looked online and called around to several hotels in the area, determining which place was the least expensive, but still within reasonable distance to Sunday River. We eventually decided on the Pleasant River Motel in West Bethel, which was a little more expensive then some hotels farther from the mountain, but we would have spent the same amount of money in gas anyway if we went with one of the farther hotels. Plus, we were on vacation - convenience was key.

2.) Pack a lunch. Whether you're going on a skiing/snowboarding trip or not, bringing some of your own meals and snacks saves a ton of money when traveling. So many hotels have fridges now, too, so it's even easier to bring your own food. Zach and I brought sandwich fixings for our lunches and snacks for between meals, and we probably saved a good $40 in three days because of it.

3.) Sharing is caring. On vacation, going out to eat is inevitable - and frequent (at least for me). I go out to eat for a living, but sometimes, by day 3 or 4 of vacation, I'm stuffed to the gills. To avoid this, I always try to share entrees with my fellow travelers, to save money and stomach space.

4.) B.Y.O.B. Similar to tip #2, bringing your own beer or booze on vacation is also essential. Whether you purchase it near home or once you reach your destination, buying your own 6-pack or bottle of wine at the store to have in your room can easily save you $5-10 a pop - hotels, resorts, etc. charge a ridiculous amount of money for booze. And if you bring your own, you can have more on hand for less money.

5.) Don't shop till your drop. Souvenirs are overrated. I understand the point behind collecting items from all the locations to where you've traveled, but how many magnets can your fridge really hold? When I travel, I might buy one small item at a local gift shop to give to someone at home or to use in my own house, but I never overdo it. My 2-year-old nephew is already sick of me bringing him back T-shirts from various locations he can't even pronounce yet. So enjoy the local merchandise, but only buy items you'll actually use - which don't include magnets and keychains.

What are some ways you save money while on vacation?

Eating our way through Bethel, Maine

Last weekend, Zach and I took a mini vacation to Bethel, Maine to relax and do some snowboarding at Sunday River. I hadn't been on vacation since April of 2009, so this 3-day getaway was sorely needed (for the both of us). The town of Bethel is extremely quaint, and fairly old-fashioned (in a good way) for being right next door to a popular ski resort.

I'm very lucky in the fact that Zach enjoys trying new restaurants and discovering a certain town's cuisine just as much as I do. So, when we weren't snowboarding or hanging out, we were eating. I was pleasantly surprised at the various options Bethel had, including a pizza joint that served gluten-free pies, and Cafe DiCocoa's, a vegan/vegetarian-friendly bakery and cafe.

This funky coffee shop had everything from gourmet cheeses to sandwiches/wraps and pastries. I loved the pro-vegetarian bumper stickers they had plastered sporadically around the interior, and the overall eclectic decor. I ordered a simple, perfectly boiled bagel with scallion and chive cream cheese, although some of my other spread options included Nutella and vegan cream cheese. Zach opted for the Brie and spinach whole wheat quesadilla, made with caramelized onions and fresh apples. I had a few bites of Zach's, and the quesadilla was incredibly innovative and tasty. Considering the high quality ingredients they use, DiCocoa's prices were quite reasonable, too.

Another highlight was where we ate dinner our first night in Bethel: The Suds Pub, a watering hole not too far from DiCocoa's on Main Street. Sud's is a pub in the basement of the Sudbury Inn, but the result is a dark dive bar that caters to families, locals, and ski bunnies alike. The place was just so inviting and friendly, and the food was ideal pub grub: burgers, fries, salads, and pizza. Oh, and they have 29 beers on tap. Hence why we went there.

I ordered the turkey burger and substituted regular fries for sweet potato fries.

The burger was simple, served with tomato and lettuce, but the flavor of the meat was anything but bland, which can be a curse of turkey burgers. I also ordered several locally-made brews, like Geary's and Shipyard.

The final highlight is the breakfast we had Saturday morning before our first full day of snowboarding at Bethel's Best. This hometown eatery is tiny, but the staff is more friendly than most people I encounter on a daily basis in Boston. Plus, the food was homemade and comforting. Zach had the tomato, egg & cheese English muffin ($2.99), while I ordered the Western Sandwich ($3.99), which was grilled homemade bread full of eggs with ham, green peppers, onions and cheese.

The bread was amazingly light and fluffy, although I could have done without all the butter from the grilling - I could have easily wrung out the bread to create a puddle of butter on my plate. But, what the hell - I was on vacation. What's another clogged artery?

All in all, we had a wonderful mini-vacation, with some amazingly delicious (and crazy inexpensive) eats. Since we're saving for Italy, we also saved quite a bit of money in other ways during this mini trip, which I'll share with you in my next blog post.  

Whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage & arugula

I have been a horrible blogger lately - but my mini vacation to Bethel, Maine was so worth the lack of blogging (blog post to come on that trip - $2 breakfast, anyone?). But for now, I promised you a whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage and arugula recipe - so a pasta recipe you shall get.

I actually saw a tweet on Twitter a few weeks ago about using chicken sausage in pasta, and I thought it was genius. I am not a big fan of regular sausage, and I love vegetarian sausage - but I never even thought of picking up some chicken-based sausage. It was pretty affordable too, although I forget the actual price (I am a horrible blogger, after all). I almost always have whole wheat pasta in my pantry, and I had a bag of arugula and a few tomatoes in the fridge - so all I had to do was pick up the sausage for this meal.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Arugula
Yields: 2 servings

-2 Trader Joe's Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausages
-2 cups arugula
-1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
-2 cups whole wheat pasta (I used rotini), cooked
-1 tbsp. olive oil
-White wine
-Crushed red pepper
-1 tbsp. minced garlic, jarred
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Dried parsley
-Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions: In a saucepan, heat up sausages until browned on each side. Take off pan, and cut into slices once cooled. In a separate pan, heat up olive oil and cook arugula until almost completely wilted. Add crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and dried parsley. Cook for about 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, garlic, and sliced sausage. Add a quick pour of white wine, and let cook off for 15 seconds, then add cooked pasta. Stir, and add shredded mozzarella cheese.

This dish was so satisfying, and took 30 minutes (max) to make!

Are you a fan of chicken sausage? How have you used it in a recipe?