Jersey Exploration: The Summit House

Date Day!  We watched Summit House being built near some of our other favorite restaurants, so we were super pumped to finally try it out now that its doors are open.

We really loved the vibe right from the start.  The space is very open and airy with gorgeous natural light streaming from the windows.  The tables and banquettes create a coziness that is so welcoming, and the napkins and waitstaff aprons are a chic shade of classic denim helping the whole place feel special yet casual at the same time.

After perusing the cocktail menu, we couldn't resist the Up in Smoke: mezcal kicked up a notch with yumminess like pineapple, lime, cream of coconut and mole bitters.  It arrived to the table with a burning cinnamon stick wafting the loveliest smoky aroma everywhere.  What a fun treat!

Then we jumped right in for some delicious meals.

Duck Rilette & Tetilla Cheese

We had never tried duck rilette before, so this was an impulse order just out of curiosity.  A tasty way to start the meal, though Mel still prefers saltier meats for charcuterie courses.

Far Hills Burger

DJ was very pleased the burger meat was actually seasoned properly, unlike a lot of places that assume the grill will handle all the flavor.

Lobster Club

Mel is a sucker for a good lobster roll, but this lobster sandwich may convert her.  Rather than being drowned in mayo, the meat (which they didn't skimp on!) was simply rolled in butter so you could really enjoy the taste of the lobster.  And the fact that there was also bacon and avocado?!?!  This may be a sandwich that gets craved regularly.

Rather than getting dessert, DJ was intrigued by their Cocktail of the Month: Christmas in July (Cruzan light & dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, orange, and nutmeg). Not only was the presentation hilariously awesome, but the taste was light and refreshing.  A perfect summer drink we'd definitely order again!

 

Summit House, without question, you will be one of our new go-to spots for special dates.  Can't wait to return!

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Welp, it didn't take us long to go back to Summit House for another date!  This time, we decided to go in the evening to try out the dinner menu.  In a word:  AMAZING!  Each dish was absolute perfection.  We enjoyed our meal so much, we're already talking about when to go again to try other dishes and cocktails.  

Octopus

(stuffed piquillo, pepperoni, yukon gold potato, pressured lemon, avocado mousse)

Barnegat Light Scallop

(chicken chicharron, fava, cauliflower, vadouvan popcorn puree)

Rohan Duck

(compressed tomatillos, masa fritters, mole cilantro)



Guanaco Chocolate 3-ways 
(ancho guanaco cake, guanaja cake, guanaco sesame mousse, guanaco bark, tart cherry, almond butter, chantilly)

Overnight Oats: Changing Our Breakfast Game

Overnight oats have been all the rage for a while, but we were slow to get on board because Mel usually doesn't love hot oatmeal after a few bites.  But during a quest for healthier, heartier breakfast options, we decided to give them a whirl and fell in love!  

There are a bazillion recipe ideas for overnight oats if you use "The Google."  

Over time, this has become the combination we make most regularly:

• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 fresh mini banana, sliced
• 1 spoonful of Trader Joe's Mixed Nut Butter
• 1 spoonful of honey

Then:

1. Put all the ingredients into mason jar.
2. Pour milk of your choice until everything is submerged.  
3. Cover jar tightly and shake vigorously to mix all the ingredients.  
4. Place in fridge overnight.

In the morning, you will find a jar full of deliciousness!  If the oats are still a little dry, you can always add more milk.  Some people heat the oats up a bit, but we actually enjoy them cold.  One jar usually yields about two servings (unless you're super hungry).

With a topping of fresh fruit - our usual being blueberries - this is a delightful breakfast that leaves us feeling healthy and energized at the start of the day.

Mad Mex Madness for Father's Day

Every time we get Mexican food in the NY/NJ area, DJ laments: "It's not like Mad Mex."  Mad Mex was his fav spot to grab food during his time in Pittsburgh - particularly because of their awesome happy hour deals and huge margaritas.  We actually visited Mad Mex when we took a trip back to Pitt years ago, and Mel had to agree it was pretty tasty and the drinks pack a punch!  So recently, when DJ started bragging that no one could ever surprise him, Mel decided to do something a bit "mad" for Father's Day - a turnaround trip to the Mad Mex location in Philly to get all DJ's favorite dishes for a special lunch.

With a thermal bag and the best little preschooler co-pilot ever (thank God he loves long car rides and naming every vehicle on the road), Mel snuck down to Philly one weekday afternoon and stocked up on goodies to keep in the freezer until Father's Day.

And on Father's Day morning, DJ woke to find his gifts...

all loaded inside the Mad Mex takeout bag!  It took him a minute to register that he was actually seeing the Mad Mex logo.  And then he just stared in shock saying, 

"You couldn't have gone all the way there?!?!?!"

A testament to the food: all the dishes defrosted beautifully on a low heat in the oven and still tasted delicious even a few days later.  We had a lovely time sampling the Spicy Mad Mex Burrito, Mad Mex Enchilada, and Carnitas Enchilada.  Cheers to happy tastebud memories and successful surprises.  Next time, maybe we'll bring a cooler to cart home some margaritas!  ;)

Jersey Exploration: American Heroes Smokehouse

We drive past American Heroes Smokehouse pretty often and finally had a chance to try it one lazy weekend.  We decided to get an order of ribs, wings, vinegar slaw, and baked beans to sample a variety of their offerings.

The dry rub on the meats was so good we didn't even need or want the dipping sauces, and the ribs were super tender.  The sides were okay, but a bit on the sweet side for our taste.  We agreed we'd definitely order meats again from here next time we're craving that slow-smoked flavor, and we'll just make our own sides.  Grateful this place is an option on Door Dash!

Banana Bread, a.k.a. "Love Bread"

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is trending in our house this year.  A day is not complete without watching it and reading storybooks featuring the characters.  Several episodes/stories featuring friendly Baker Aker making awesome treats inspired our little guy to want to bake.  In one particular story, Daniel and his dad make banana bread in the shape of a heart for Mom Tiger because it's her favorite treat.  So we got ourselves a heart-shaped pan and decided to give it a whirl!

This Betty Crocker Banana Bread recipe is so simple it's crazy!  

 

The best part about the process is that it's very kid-friendly - lots of tasks they can help with like mashing bananas, pouring wet and dry ingredients, and mixing.  A super fun activity for a day inside!  And the final result is delicious. 

  We enjoyed making this banana bread so much, we actually made it again just one week later.  Looks like we'll be keeping this recipe in the repertoire for a while.  

Thanks for the inspiration, Baker Aker and Daniel!