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It has  been a busy month for me. My part time job has me averaging about 30 hours per week. The first and third week of this month I've been working the last shift of the day. It doesn't leave me a whole lot of time for doing things around the house, squeezing in the gym and preparing supper for my husband and I before I leave for work. However, I have been cooking. 
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Last evening my husband and I had the pleasure of having dinner with a business associate of his and his wife. We met them Yvonne's in Neptune. What an expected surprise to find this little gem! Yvonne's relocated to Neptune following a fire in Ocean Grove back in February 2015. Yvonne's is located on the southbound side of Route 35 just before the Headliner.

We started the evening at the bar, which was quite lively for a Tuesday evening. They have Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 12 noon to 7 p.m. Appetizers are 1/2 price, house liquors are 1/2 price, glass of wine $5 and discounted draft beers.
After settling in at a table in the dining we perused the menu for appetizers. Our host started off with the soup of the day which was a cup of French onion. I must say it was a rather large cup of soup,  an over-sized coffee cup. The table shared tuna nachos with yellow fin tuna, seaweed salad, atop wonton crisps garnished with spicy mayo and sesame seeds ($15) and  the Seashore Salad that had scallops and shrimp with avocado, red onion, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil and balsamic vinegar atop a bed of fresh greens ($20). It was more than enough for four people. By the way, the warm bread that is brought to the table is accompanied by delicious herb butter...yum!

I was almost full from enjoying the appetizers. I decided to try their classic 10 ounce sirloin burger that was served on a brioche bun along with fries ($12). Our host had the 14 ounce bone-in center cut Grilled Pork Chop served on top of bleu cheese mashed potatoes and topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions and cherry peppers ($27.00). His wife tried Brazilian pacu fish ribs with citrus-tequila BBQ sauce, sun-dried tomato polenta and asparagus ($30.00). Our waitress said that pacu fish is related to piranha. Our hostess raved about how delicious this dish was. The only down side was she had to be careful of the bones. My husband had Thai sea scallops pan that were seared with green curry sauce, served with mushroom clam risotto and Thai veggie sauce ($32.00), which he thoroughly enjoyed. We were too full for dessert.

Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. The food was creative and had a wonderful presentation. The portion sizes were more than adequate and the waitress was very patient and efficient. I must say, they do not offer nightly specials. However, I noticed on the chalkboard opposite the bar, that on Sunday evening's the chef does prepare some special entrees. Below is a listing of their nightly offerings. Sunday evening was not included in the online listing. I can't wait to try their nightly specials.

Monday - 1/2 Price Pasta Night. 
Tuesday - $12 Burgers & Brews, all day long! 10 oz. burgers with your choice of select draft beers. 
Wednesday- $25 Steak Night, Enjoy a cute of Rib-eye, NY Strip or Filet Mignon paired with two sides of your choice to enjoy!
Thursday - It is a Date Night, $50 Prefix Menu for Two, Includes a House glass of Wine Red or White, a Soup or Salad, Entree, And Dessert.
Friday - Happy Hour & LIVE Entertainment!
Sunday- 1/2 Price Wines! 

Photo from Yvonne's website/Google Images



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Last week our son became engaged to a wonderful girl. We are so delighted to have her join our family. To celebrate their engagement, I had them over for supper this evening.

As the weather is turning cooler, I thought Caribbean Pork Casserole would be great for supper this evening. I had purchased a family pack of pork tenderloins at Wegmans ($2.99/lb. for two twin packs) and would use one of the two packages. I was working until 4 today, so I did a bit of prepping last night by marinating the meat. When I came home this afternoon, I only had to do the veggies and brown off the meat. 
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It's quite chilly this morning at the Jersey shore. What better way to warm up your kitchen than with a quick and easy supper today. Another go to meal for me is Shepherd's Pie. Wegmans in Ocean Township carries Colmans of Norwich Shepherd's Pie seasoning mix along with several other seasoning mixes.
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This has been a tough week for me. I worked over thirty hours and all in the evening. You may say, "Great, you had the whole morning and early afternoon for yourself." However, I work at home i.e. laundry, vacuuming etc. you get the picture, no maid here. I also got to the gym most mornings too. By the time I return from the gym, it's time to start cooking supper so that I can have my big meal midday and my husband just has to reheat his. 

My sister's mother-in-law had a garden at her beach house again this summer. When I went to check on her house the other day, there was one lone, small ripe eggplant on the vine. I broke it off and brought it home. What to do with that small eggplant? I dug through my recipe box and found a recipe for eggplant and macaroni casserole. I got this from my friend Marlene over thirty years ago. 
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Another day of working the late day shift at work. Again, I need a meal that can be prepared ahead to make my life easier and quick for my husband.

During this time of the year, I like to make beef brisket. The recipe I use comes from my dear friend Bernice, whom I met back in 1974. I love this recipe as it has to be done head and contains your protein and veggies. I made my brisket early Sunday morning, and will cook it another hour before I have my midday meal.


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This week I'm been assigned to the last shift of the day. What this means is, by late morning, I have to have a microwaveable meal prepared for my husband to heat and eat. What fits the bill for this type of meal is a stir fry which includes your protein and veggies. The only other thing I have to make is a pot of white rice. 
For this meal, I turned to a favorite that I found in a weekly flyer that Wegmans use to send out when they first opened their store in Ocean.
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Last evening for supper I prepared the Bell & Evans Air-Chilled Whole Chickens. I roasted it in the oven seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and poultry seasoning. I melted a half of stick of butter to get a nice golden skin. Using the convection oven setting on my stove, the small chicken was done in about an hour. 

To go along with the chicken, I prepared a butternut and apple side dish recipe that I picked up at Delicious Orchards many years ago. The fragrance of the apples baking in the oven filled the kitchen with the scent of autumn. For the apples that the recipe calls for, I use Granny Smith. In fact, last November my husband and I were invited to a turkey fry and I brought this side dish along as something different and it was well received.

There was a bit of chicken left and some baked squash and apple casserole. I have a small supply of take out containers in which I put leftovers for my very grateful aunt. I'm sure she'll enjoy this meal. 

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Recently my son-in-law  had an opportunity to go to New Orleans for a friend's bachelor party. While the rest of the group was recuperating from the previous evening, my son-in-law strolled through town to sample what New Orlean's is famous for....beignets. So in exchange for a batch of my homemade chocolate chips, I received beignets.

My package was delivered on Sunday afternoon and immediately I had to dip into the bag to try them. They were heaven, a richer version of Italian zeppoles. On Monday, when the photo was taken, the beignets were already a day old. Not knowing what they would look like after I zapped them in the microwave, I took the picture above. I don't know if I'll ever make them, but I certainly enjoyed them while they lasted. Southern Living Magazine provides step by step instructions on how to make beignets. 
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In my earlier post, I told you about the sale ending today at Whole Foods on  boneless beef sirloin steaks. The butcher today was very nice when I asked him where I could find the steak. He told me he was cutting them right now and to come over to the glass (the cutting room is glass enclosed) and select the steak I wanted. I told him it was just for two people. He sliced a nice portion of beef that was perfect for two people.


​meet donna

A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

​If you have questions or comments, click on the envelope icon above to contact me directly. 

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