As a mother of a two year old and four year old I am in the constant pursuit of family friendly places to dine. Most of the time this exasperated, over-worked momma prefers to eat at home in the privacy of her own kitchen where, when asparasgus is not well-recieved, no other diner is disturbed by large quantities of the vegetable being hurled in their direction. That being said, Knoxville is home to many unique eateries that are the perfect place to share with your family. Read the rest »

Names: Porter’s City Tavern & Frazier’s Bistro
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Ratings: 4 and 4.5 stars, respectively

I wouldn’t say I was devoted to the husband and wife team behind Porter’s and Frazier’s… but numbers don’t lie. Apparently, I’ve been to Frazier’s twice in the last year, and to Porter’s at least three times more. That’s a lot of dining dollars, and once you’ve had the opportunity to visit one of these establishments, you’ll understand why I’ve continued to return in the face of so many other dining options.

Kevin and Stacy Jennings started Frazier’s in 1998, and it has perpetually been on the list of local foodie haunts. Following their success, they opened Porter’s practically next-door in 2003. They recently left the comforts of Hillsborough street for North Hills with their new upscale-Italian establishment, Vivace, which I will review at a later date. Read the rest »

Emily Reviews: dazzling delightful delicious. magazine.

I want to introduce you to my new favorite magazine. I just hope it ends up taking off in the US. dazzling delightful delicious., (heretofore referred to as delicious) is a sister publication of an multi-award winning Australian magazine delicious. Right now, it is only available on newsstands for 3.99 per issue (or 3.19 at BJs Wholesale, where I picked it up while waiting for Customer Service - it was the best impulse buy ever). Read the rest »

The New Best Recipe, by the editors of Cooks Illustrated magazine

Are you ready for an adventure? This book is exactly that. If you are serious about cooking and are looking to enhance your skills in the kitchen, dive in. This cookbook is cooking school in a book. A comprehensive and well-rounded source, it includes detailed scientific explanations about why ingredients are used, how ingredients interact and why they are best for each specific recipe. This may seem extraneous to some, but if you are interested in deepening your knowledge of all things culinary, then this is a great resource for your kitchen. Read the rest »

First Meals, by Annabel Karmel (www.annabelkarmel.com)
“Fast, healthy, and fun foods to tempt infants and toddlers”

If you want your child to experience the flavors and tastes of fresh foods (as opposed to bottled baby food) this book is for you. Early on, my husband and I decided that we wanted our son to be at home with many tastes. This book was a great resource when it came to preparing baby food at home. The majority of the recipes in this book introduce new tastes and textures and, except for the purees, can be eaten by the whole family. Although, children seldom need to be placed on restricted diets, they all need a healthy diet from day one to ensure a lifetime of healthy and balanced food choices. Read the rest »

My absolute favorite cooking magazine, website, and cookbook are/is Cooking Light – www.cookinglight.com. I have subscribed to the magazine for 6 years now, and haven’t tired of it yet. In fact, I am such a junkie that at the end of each year, I buy the Annual Recipes cookbook for the year. Besides tasting great, their recipes are easy to follow and for the most part easy to prepare. Read the rest »

Everyday Food Magazine Review / Recommendation

I referenced this week’s recommendation in my recent Meal Planning article. So, for those of you who were wondering what Everyday Food was, here it is. I love this magazine for so many reasons: few ads, small size (5 ¼” x 7 ¼”), easy storage, tasty recipes, plentiful tips, and did I mention great food? Read the rest »