My Favorite Restaurants

In the next couple of weeks I will be posting some reviews. I will be talking about my favorite restaurants and why I like them. Some of the restaurants I will be talking about are:

Leatha's
The Crescent City Grill
Mama Alma's Kitchen
Sushi Fusion
Fox's Pizza
Topher's
Bad to the Bone

All of these restaurants are in Hattiesburg or close to Hattiesburg. If anyone knows a place that's not on my list that I should try, please leave a comment and I will!

Getting Your Kids to Eat Fruit

I don't eat a lot of fruit. I like watermelon, bananas and strawberries, but don't eat them very often.

Last night my mom made some poppy seed dressing that she took to work with her. She told me that it was very good on fruit. At first, I didn't believe her, but I tried it and it was really very good. It is very easy to make. All you need is a blender and a few ingredients. Here is the recipe:

Poppy Seed Dressing for Fruit

3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider or white vinegar
1 t. dry mustard (you can buy this in the spice section at the market)
1 t. sea salt
1 1/2 T poppy seeds
1 c. vegetable oil

In a blender, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard and salt. Mix on high speed until well-combined (about 1 minute). While the blender is still running, SLOWLY add the oil until the dressing becomes thick and combined. Reduce speed to low and add poppy seeds. Blend on medium speed until well-mixed. You should scrape down the sides of the blender once to make sure that the poppy seeds are mixed in completely.

You can store this dressing in the refrigerator for over a week.

Comments

I forgot to tell everyone who reads this blog that I love reading your comments. If you read a post and want to make a comment, just click on the word comments at the bottom and it will allow you to leave me a message. I will check my messages every day and respond as soon as I can.

CAN'T TOUCH THIS!!!

When it comes to Italian food, the Magic Tomato (or as my little cousin calls it "The Magic Potato") is the best. My favorite dish is the Chicago-style deep-dish barbeque chicken pizza. The crust is crispy and seasoned very well. There are lots of toppings and it satisfies the hungriest customer.

My mom and dad's favorite dish is the New York-style thin-crust pizza. They like pepperoni, ham and cheese. It is always crispy and fresh and the perfect dinner for them to share!

The owner, Mr. Rich, is a very nice person. He always comes out of the kitchen and speaks to us to make sure the meal was good. It is always great! I have also tried their lasagna (which is VERY good) and their cheesy bread.

The restaurant is very kid-friendly. Every time I go I see families with children enjoying their meals without worrying about the fact that their children are having a great time. My mom and dad took my little cousin out to eat for her birthday. They told her she could go anywhere she wanted and she chose the Magic Tomato. I think it was the perfect choice! Here is a picture of Alyiah with the special birthday brownie sundae Mr. Rich gave her at the end of her meal!

She was VERY, VERY happy!

Restaurant Reviews

I am going to post reviews of restaurants that my family and I visit. Hattiesburg has some really good restaurants. My first review will be for The Magic Tomato.

Grape Salad (For My Friend Laura)

I made this grape salad for a Families with Chinese Children (FCC) swimming party last year. It was a HUGE hit! It has become one of my family's favorites. I hope you enjoy it!

Creamy Grape Salad

1 1/2 lb. green seedless grapes (washed and stemmed)
1 1/2 lb. black seedless grapes (washed and stemmed)
1 1/2 lb. red seedless grapes (washed and stemmed)
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (softened)
1 c. sugar
2 pkgs, vanilla sugar (found in German specialty groceries) (or sub. 2 t. vanilla extract
1 16 oz. carton of sour cream
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 c. brown sugar

In large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar or flavoring. Mix well. Add sour cream and mix until smooth.


In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, pour mixture over grapes. Stir gently making sure that all grapes are covered. Spoon grape mixture into large bowl or into an oblong baking dish.

In separate bowl, combine brown sugar and nuts. Sprinkle over grape mixture and lightly cover. Store in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before eating.

Welcome!

I wanted to thank each person who has taken the time to visit my new blog. I will be posting my favorite recipes along with stories about why they are special to me. I will include photos whenever possible.

Late this summer I will be traveling to China with my mom and dad. We are adopting a baby girl and my dad and I plan to eat our way through China one interesting dish at a time. Chicken feet...here we come!