Dining Out Southeast: Mio Sogno Ristorante, Oneonta, Alabama

 

Now that I have your attention....

Yes, I was even amazed at that cheese pull photo!

Upon a recommendation from a trusted culinary friend, we decided to try Mio Sogno Ristorante located in downtown Oneonta, Alabama.

We enjoyed the scenic 40-minute drive to neighboring Blount County. 

The restaurant is located in a former mercantile building, and the beautifully preserved historic interior makes for a cozy, charming dining room.

The after-church crowd was dwindling when we arrived around 1:45 p.m.  I waited until tables had cleared before I began snapping photos.

The menu has delicious offerings for appetizers, mains, and desserts.

While we discussed and debated on what to order, fresh hot bread was delivered to the table along with a cruet of herbed olive oil for dipping.

We placed our order with Taylor (who was attentive, personable, and efficient!) and immediately a bowl of salad to share arrived.  

We originally wanted to try the fried mushrooms, but they were unavailable, so we decided that the fried ravioli with tomato basil sauce would be an ideal substitution.  We weren't wrong.

I was thankful there was an even number of ravioli.  Call me quirky, but I always appreciate an appetizer that's easy to share. There were six fried ravioli on the plate, so Sweet Harold and I each got three. No awkward "You take it." "No, you take it." conversation over the last piece!

These were served hot and with cheesy goodness at the perfect melty point.  The sauce was served warm and it had a slight sweetness to it, not acidic at all.

Sweet Harold chose the Blackened Tilapia and Shrimp:  served with rice pilaf with corn, red peppers, green onions, herbs, grilled shrimp, and topped with chipotle lime sauce.

Isn't that a beautiful plate?  Sweet Harold nodded as soon as he took a bite and didn't say another word until he was halfway finished.  THEN he began to tell me how each bite was more delicious than the last one.

And here is his highest praise:  "I would put this seafood dish up against any similar dish I've ever eaten."  Wow.  Now y'all know, like E.F. Hutton (I'm dating myself here...), when Sweet Harold speaks, people listen.

One of the specials today was lasagna.  I asked Taylor for her thoughts and she readily agreed that would be an excellent choice.  She was correct.

Eight layers, y'all.  Eight.

This was a much larger portion that appears in these pictures, trust me.

I couldn't stop turning the plate to get another angle, it was so pretty!

And then...there it was!  The Cheese Pull Shot.  

I know y'all are envious....don't be, because you can go to Oneonta and order it yourself!

Now it was time for the meal to end.  Right?  Wrong.  Yes, we're both tracking points on Weight Watchers.  Yes, we've lost over 70 pounds between us.  Did we save up our weekly points to enjoy this meal today?  You bet we did.  Did we order dessert?  Oh, yes, we ordered dessert!

Sweet Harold adores bread pudding.  Me, not so much.  Raisins, for one thing.  But I digress.  He ordered the homemade banana bread pudding with pecans and topped with vanilla ice cream and chef's homemade caramel sauce.

 It's almost beautiful enough for me to take a bite.  Almost.

I chose the Homemade Chocolate Cake with chocolate icing and drizzled with chocolate syrup served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Did I finish it?  No, but every bite I did eat was delicious.

My recap:  The atmosphere was warm and welcoming.  Taylor was so sweet and efficient.  The food was delicious, beautifully plated, and well seasoned.  The desserts were the ideal ending of a wonderful meal.

As our friend observed, "This restaurant is a hidden gem."  

If you're within driving distance, make the trip. We certainly plan to go back.

Amaretto Pound Cake

 

One of the greatest enjoyments of my life is baking pound cakes.  I know I tell y'all that more than I should, but it's so true.

That being said, there are few things in life (culinary that is) that are more comforting than a slice of pound cake still warm from the oven.  

My daughter and son-in-law have birthdays a few days apart.  We try to have a joint meal and they decide on the menu together.  This year they requested an amaretto pound cake.

There's an important difference between amaretto liqueur and almond extract.

Amaretto has a lovely almond flavor, but it's much milder because it's diluted with alcohol and sugar. If you replace the extract completely with amaretto, the cake will have only a faint almond flavor after baking.  For the cake, I would use a combination of both.  This gives you that warm, rich amaretto flavor while the almond extract ensures the flavor comes through after baking.

2 cups butter, softened

2 3/4 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 t. salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

2 T. amaretto
1 t. almond extract

2 t. almond extract

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating 5 - 7 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.

Combine flour salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl; add to butter mixture alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Mix at low speed after each addition just until mixture is blended.  Stir in amaretto and almond flavoring. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes our clean. 

Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 - 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze, if only adults will be enjoying the cake, you can use full amaretto.  The taste will really come through because it isn't baked, but added after the cake cools.

For a stronger almond finish, I'd make it:

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 T. amaretto

1/4 t. almond extract

1 T. milk or cream (a little more if needed)

Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before adding glaze.  

Easy Blueberry Muffins

 

With blueberries are their peak, whip up a batch of these easy blueberry muffins.  

They're delicious for breakfast, a snack, or to have as a treat in someone you love's lunchbox!

1 egg

2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup blueberries

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease bottom only of medium size muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Beat eggs slightly in a medium bowl; stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries just until moistened. Fold in blueberries into batter.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.   Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Around Lolly's Sideboard: America 250!

Happy 250th Birthday America!  I hope each of you have a wonderful and safe July 4th!

The Curtains in the Background

 

Looking at this picture, it seems like an ordinary birthday picture from the early 1970s.  There I am, proudly posing with my BAKERY birthday cake.  I was 10 I believe in that picture.  I have attempted to count the candles, but to my best memory, I am going to conclude I was 10.  I don’t think turning 9 would have warranted a bakery bought cake.
 
But if you look behind that little girl, who had such an amazing life ahead of her, you’ll notice the curtains.  Simple, hand sewn café style curtains that my mama sewed herself on a Singer treadle sewing machine. 
 
You’ll remember that in the early ‘70’s many homes were decorated throughout with the “Early American” style.  Those of you of a certain age instantly had a flashback to that design. 
 
These curtains were full fledged Early American.  They hung in my mama’s kitchen for years and certainly they were there during the Bicentennial. 
 
When I was going through the tens of thousands of items in my parents’ home, I came across a tote that included quilt batting, half finished quilt squares, and the hope that someday she would be able to see well enough again to piece a quilt.  Sadly, that never came to pass.
 
But in the bottom of that tote was those curtains.  Those very curtains transported me immediately back to those innocent days of the early 1970s.  Before Watergate, before the Bicentennial celebrations, before I realized that childhood is so very fleeting.  She had kept those curtains all those years.  Why?  I have no idea other than she worked hard on them, was proud of her work, and thought maybe perhaps that Early American décor would become the rage again and she would be ready?
 
I handed off the tote to my daughter because she and my mother had talked hundreds of times about quilts and the process of quilting and I had been told by my mother more than once that she hoped one day my daughter would “take up quilting.”  It seemed only fitting she should have her Granny’s last projects.
 
So imagine my overwhelming emotions when a few days ago my daughter handed me a bag and told me it was an early birthday present.  She had pillows made for both of us from those curtains.  Imagine.  Fifty-five years later, those curtains have made it back into my daily life.  They have waited patiently for the opportunity to be present and to have a second go at life.  What a thoughtful expression of caring and love from my daughter.  I’m so proud of the pillows.

 

 

Blackstone Steak Fajitas....or Steak Fajita Tacos

 

I had every intention of making steak fajitas. Seriously. Every step of my plan was steak fajitas.

But somehow, mine ended up being Steak Fajita Tacos, while Sweet Harold happily enjoyed his the traditional fajita way!

It all started when I spotted a gorgeous tray of already sliced, ready-to-cook sirloin steak at Food City. My first thought was to make an Asian-inspired dish, but then I decided steak fajitas on the Blackstone sounded a lot more fun.

Lately, I've been reaching for the Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend, and I knew it was going to be the perfect seasoning for this meal. It has quickly become one of my favorites.

I'm sure I'm late to the party, but I only recently discovered these amazing Herdez Taqueria Street Sauces. The Cilantro Lime is my current favorite, but I happily stirred the original Roja into my refried beans.

Speaking of beans, we've been taste-testing several brands of fat-free refried beans lately, and the Casa Mamita brand from Aldi is currently sitting at the top of our leaderboard.

But back to the fajitas!

I liberally seasoned one pound of the sliced sirloin with the Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend and set it aside while I sliced one large yellow onion and one large green bell pepper. Since my jalapeño plants on the deck have been producing like crazy, I picked several fresh peppers, removed the seeds, and added those to the vegetable bowl as well.

The secret is getting the Blackstone screaming hot before adding anything. I give the surface a light spray of olive oil, then immediately add the steak. Since it was sliced so thin, it only needed a few minutes to develop that beautiful sear without overcooking.

The peppers and onions went onto the other side of the Blackstone, where they received a generous sprinkle of the same Southwest Kick seasoning.

After reducing the heat just a bit, I grabbed my metal spatulas and began turning the steak and vegetables over and over so everything could develop that wonderful caramelized sear.

Once the steak was cooked, I turned that side of the Blackstone off and focused on finishing the vegetables. I gathered them into a pile, added a splash of water with my Blackstone squeeze bottle, and covered everything with my Blackstone dome. The burst of steam finished cooking the vegetables perfectly while keeping them crisp and colorful.

About thirty seconds later, I removed the dome, mixed the steak and vegetables together, and dinner was ready.

Sweet Harold warmed a few carb-friendly tortillas and built his steak fajitas the traditional way.

Me? Well...I took a different path.

I had recently picked up a box of La Tiara Taco Shells, and somewhere between the sizzling steak, those perfectly steamed peppers and onions, and that bottle of Cilantro Lime sauce, my fajita plans took a detour. Those crunchy taco shells started calling my name, and there was no turning back.

I piled the warmed taco shells high with steak and vegetables before drizzling them generously with the Cilantro Lime sauce.

Never one to leave refried beans unadorned, I topped mine with the Roja Sauce, diced onion, reduced-fat cheese, and pickled jalapeños.

So yes...I started the afternoon absolutely convinced we were having steak fajitas for dinner.

Sweet Harold stayed the course and enjoyed every bite wrapped up in warm tortillas.

Me? I may have set out to make fajitas, but I'm not one bit sorry they turned into steak fajita tacos.

And honestly...

They might just stay that way from now on.

Now I have to know...if you were sitting at our table, would you build a fajita like Sweet Harold or reach for the crunchy taco shells like I did? I'd love to hear which team you're on! 🌮🥩