What is for dinner this week: November 27 - December 3

Well since technically this week is Thanksgiving week for us.  Why you ask....well we eat a week ahead of you, so I will give you a combo of new and some of our favorite recipes.... We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

• Sunday: Crock Pot Beef Tips with caramelized carrot risotto
• The beef tips were okay.
• The risotto - YUM! 
• Monday: Spicy Tequila Lime Turkey Tacos; served with mexican rice and black beans
• These sound yummy!     OR
• heat up your turkey in some chicken stock and add  Homemade Taco Seasonings 
• Tuesday: Breakfast 
• Wednesday: Chicken Pesto with Noodles
• Thursday: Leftover Turkey and Bacon Pesto Panini
• Friday: Flank Steak with Chimichurri
• Saturday: Pizza!

Easy Party Food Ideas for the Holidays!

You have so many fun party ideas this time of year! Let Buca make them easy.

You can help a party pop up anywhere this time of year, some of them carefully planned, some springing spontaneously from an abundance of holiday spirit.  Once you decide to entertain, coming up with great food for a party is the first thing to consider.  The good news is that you can choose delicious party food from an online menu, order online or by phone, and receive fabulous takeout food and everything  you need to serve it.

When you think party food, think Buca.
Throwing an office party?  Buca’s party catering helps you button it up.  Having a crowd over to watch the game?  Buca’s delivery menu is a BOO-YAH booster.  Gathering the troops for a fam jam?  Buca’s takeout Italian dishes have deep familial roots. (Blood may be thicker than water, but it’s not thicker than marinara!)

Whatever the occasion, instead of spending hours in the kitchen, why not enjoy the festivities as much as everybody else?  You have every reason to let a great party catering restaurant like Buca di Beppo provide the event catering you need. With Buca in charge of the party food  menu, you can relax and make sure every guest is happy.  Not only will they have a better time, so will you.

Choose from delicious party packages that bring your buffet ideas to life!
Buca’s dinner party pleasers include your choice of two fresh salads, two perfectly seasoned pastas, two luscious entrees and … ta-da! … two to-die-for desserts.  For fewer than 20 guests, Buca offers the Famiglia Italiana, a menu that can be customized for three or six people, then doubled or tripled to feed your crowd.  For 20 or more, the Festivitá Italiana is a sweet-deal meal, an Italian feast that includes a FREE pizza!

You can’t help but make good selections from Buca’s to-go menus.
There’s truly something to please every palate at your party.  Plus, all you need comes with your order – packaging made to be used as serving ware, plates (suitable for generous servings, of course!), napkins, cutlery and serving pieces – not to mention plenty of Buca’s fresh-baked bread.  What could be easier?
Pick a green or Caesar salad, then choose the pasta:  either hearty spaghetti with marinara or meat sauce, or fettuccini alfredo.  The entrees are exquisitely prepared, so it doesn’t matter whether you choose chicken limone or chicken parmigiano, your guests will ooh and aah, then follow up with yums and mmms.  Finally, the piece de resistance ― dessert.  When it comes to Buca’s cannolis and cheesecake, don’t be surprised if a reverent silence briefly punctuates your festivities as the confections are served!  Both the cannolis and cheesecake are light, creamy and richly satisfying.

Ordering party food from Buca’s to-go menu is a snap.
With just a few clicks, you can order online, or you can pick up the phone if you prefer.  Our party planners are professional caterers who have lots of fun party ideas to share if you’re looking for advice and experience.

Ordering food for a party couldn’t be easier with all the choices available.
I’ve only described two party menu options above.  Buca offers many other selections on their to-go menu, including a holiday dinner with turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes you’ll be proud to serve in your home.  Or, if you’re handling most of the party food at any gathering but want to order just one or two items – a spectacular dessert, say, or one of Buca’s perfectly prepared pastas – you can do that too. Take advantage of Buca’s strong tradition of Italian hospitality, delicious food and helping parties be hearty.  Order festive takeout for your gathering online or by phone anytime over the holidays – or anytime at all!

What is for dinner this week: November 20 - 26

Welcome to Turkey week!  We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving with friends and family.  I'd like to chat a little bit about a comedian I have now seen twice and he has brought me a lot of laughs both time.  I will admit I laughed more when I saw him in person, but I also saw him with about 3000 other MOMS.  John Branyan....the comedian, the best thing is you could watch this with your 2 year old and not worry about him/her saying anything that will mortify you for years.  We saw Wedlocked last night and he talks about all of the ups & downs of being married.  It ends on a slightly down note, but one that hopefully you will walk away with a thought in your heart about your marriage and how it is a journey and there are ups and downs, but they all are worth it and by walking through the valleys & mountains with your spouse makes it all worth while in the end and it helps you to love them more!  A favorite piece of his for me is his rendition of the Three Little Pigs at the conference where I saw his live performance. 

Wishing you a heart filled week of blessings! 

• Sunday: Korean-Style Chicken or Pork Noodle Bowls  
• This was delish!
• Monday: Pork chops and vegetables
  
• Tuesday: Out to dinner
• Wednesday:  Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini with salad and sweet potato fries
• I used Turkey instead and it was yummy!
• Thursday:  HAPPY Thanksgiving!  
• Friday:  Leftovers
• Saturday:  Brazilian Chicken with Coconut Milk and Coconut Couscous
• I made some modifications to the recipe...I wasn't willing to spend the money on Tumeric for 1 recipe and couldn't find the coriander.  I also omitted the tomatoes, well - because I just don't like them!  ; ) - So,  I just coated the chicken with the cumin & cayenne and then sauted the onions with the chicken and added the coconut milk.
• The only other disappointment was I didn't make double the amount because this was yummy delicious.  

February 26th - March 3rd

• Sunday:  Ate out with parents just before hitting the road
• Monday: Leftover spaghetti
• Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas
• I had to go with plan b - I had 3 pieces (small) in one bag of chicken and I pulled the 2nd bag out and there were vinyl strings coming our of some of the chicken.  So, I didn't want to do my plan a (baked fried chicken) for 3 small pieces....
• Wednesday: Lets see if the 3rd time is a charm... Let's try a Belgium waffle recipe.  
• Better, but still not the one....
• Thursday:Pork chops with honey mustard sauce and vegetables
  
• Friday: Out to dinner with friends
  
• Saturday:  Steak With Pesto Gnocchi
• This was really good.  We had it with roasted root vegetables and some olive oil focaccia

Don't forget to also visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans. 
Enjoy your week, Be thankful for your blessings both big and small, Love your family, and don't forget to play with your food!

What is for dinner this week: November 13 - 19

• Sunday: Flavorful Pot Roast
• Instead of buying the envelopes I used these recipes:  Italian Dressing Mix, Brown Gravy Mix
• I couldn't find powdered buttermilk, otherwise I would have made the ranch dressing also.
• I added potato, carrots, onion & celery to the pot before adding the roast
• This was a little salty for me, but DH really liked it!   Note:  I taste salt very easily. 
• Monday:  Ancho Chile, Shrimp, and Pasta
• We made with chicken since I'm allergic to shrimp.... I also couldn't find ancho chilies so I used 2 chipotle peppers.  I toned it down with some heavy cream as I was mixing the chicken and pasta together.  It was delish!
• Tuesday: Pancakes
• Always a favorite in our house!
  
• Wednesday: Green Chili Chicken Burgers
• YUMMY to our TUMMY!
• Thursday:Went to dinner @ Fireside Bar & Grill
  
• Friday: Easy Honey Mustard Mozzarella Chicken
• This was really good.  I had bacon cooked from Tuesday night and it worked really well + it took less time to cook.  
• Saturday: Original Ranch Pork Chops
• These were good again a little salty for me, but DH really liked them!

How to Makeover Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

 

Change things up this year! Bring the family to Buca for a delicious Turkey feast

that will even make Mom proud.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s time to start getting ready.  How many times have you put together the same Thanksgiving recipes?  You probably don’t even need a shopping list anymore!  Most of us only prepare a turkey once a year, but we do it every year, over and over and over …

Make this year different with some new Thanksgiving ideas.
Thanksgiving traditions are nice, but there’s no law saying that you’re forced to use the same recipes for Thanksgiving every year and all the same Thanksgiving activities too.  The point of the holiday is to spend time with the important people in your life and count your blessings.  And to make sure everybody in your group has some old-fashioned Thanksgiving fun.

Buca di Beppo adds spice to this year’s Thanksgiving meals.
Buca’s chefs have come up with some creative ideas for Thanksgiving that will make this year more memorable than ever.  They’ve put together a menu combining American tradition with Italian flavor for a Thanksgiving feast that gets you out of the kitchen — and friends and family out of your house!
This year, Buca opens at 11:00 AM Thanksgiving day with a holiday menu that will knock their socks off.  It starts with mozzarella garlic bread, apple gorgonzola salad and mozzarella caprese.  The main course is tender, moist turkey breast served over homemade Italian sausage stuffing flavored with garlic, sage and parmesan, served with gravy and whole-berry cranberry sauce.

Sides include traditional Thanksgiving foods such as garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli romano and green beans, as well as Italian-American extras like ravioli al pomodoro, penne basilica and lasagna.  Dessert’s sure to dazzle with homemade cheesecake, apple crostata and … drumroll, please … pumpkin cannolis!

And Buca’s Thanksgiving dishes are served family style — just as they should be!
Not only are our restaurants open on Thanksgiving, they serve your family and friends as you would at home, family style.  Guests can pass the dishes and share as they would at your dining room table while enjoying conversation and company in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.  If you have some Thanksgiving decorating ideas or traditional pieces, feel free to bring in that special cornucopia centerpiece, your turkey tureen or pilgrim-shaped salt and peppers.  Our chefs will even be happy to prepare a course in your servingware!  Just bring it in ahead of time, and it will appear at your Buca table as though it came from your kitchen.

And Buca has some wine suggestions to make Thanksgiving dishes sing!
May we suggest a Mirassou pinot noir for those who favor a nice red?  And we offer Clos du Bois’ delightful chardonnay to complement our roasted-to-a-turn turkey.  Both are available by the glass, bottle or carafe.  And we also offer a variety of soft drinks and teas for anyone who prefers non-alcoholic libations.

Buca’s Thanksgiving day menu gives you a sure-fire recipe for success!
Bring the party to Buca anytime Thanksgiving day after 11:00 AM, and let the Thanksgiving fun begin! Our Thanksgiving menu offers a variety of selections sure to please everyone in your party, along with fabulous service and an easy-going atmosphere that’s just right for enjoying the company of loved ones and giving thanks with them.

Buca’s Thanksgiving menu brings to mind all kinds of easy Thanksgiving ideas!
Not only are Buca’s restaurants open Thanksgiving day, they’re available every day of Thanksgiving weekend.  That means you can offer family, guests from out of town and friends a change of scene between football games, as a break from turkey sandwiches, or anytime!  And Buca also makes Thanksgiving dinner planning easy with catering for Thanksgiving or any meal.  Special rates available for parties of 20 or more, eat-in or take-out!

What is for dinner this week: November 6 - 12

I'm so very sorry for missing last weeks menu.  We had a very unexpected death in the family and had to travel to NJ for over a week.  Of course, the one thing I forgot was my laptop and so I couldn't post or do any work for Foot Notes By Kim or Grace MOPS....So, here is what we had a few weeks ago and all was delish!

• Sunday: Philly Burger with sweet potato fries and a honey paprika dipping sauce
• Monday: Spaghetti
• Tuesday: Out to dinner
  
• Wednesday: Tacos 
• Taco Seasoning mix I use...I don't buy the prepackaged stuff it is too high in salt and this tastes SO much better....
  
• Thursday: leftovers
• Friday:   Breaded Chicken Tenders 
• These were really good!
• Saturday: Chili

Tips to Entertaining Family on Thanksgiving Day

Get out-of-town guests and family out and about this Thanksgiving day!

Thanksgiving offers Americans a blissfully long weekend with family and friends.  In fact, more people travel to be with loved ones Thanksgiving day than any other holiday.  But four or five days is a long time to spend hanging around the house – especially if it happens to be your house, and you’re the entertainment committee.

Get them out of the house and into Buca di Beppo for Thanksgiving fun.
You’ve done it before.  Spent days planning a Thanksgiving feast, scheduling, shopping, slicing, sautéing, dicing, baking, basting, broiling and boiling in your kitchen.  No doubt your guests absolutely loved all the special Thanksgiving foods you prepared and served at your magnificently decorated dining room table, and hopefully they helped you put away the leftovers and do the dishes afterwards.  However …

Wouldn’t it be a pleasure to relax and spend more quality time with everybody on Thanksgiving day?
Going to restaurants for Thanksgiving is a happy tradition for many families.  It’s about as cost effective as buying and cooking a ton of groceries, gets everybody out of the house for a change of scene, and frees the host or hostess to enjoy the day with friends and family.  There are so many Thanksgiving activities you simply cannot participate in holed up in the kitchen, so much Thanksgiving fun you’re missing when you stress over the preparation of all those Thanksgiving recipes and wash all those Thanksgiving dishes. Why not take a look at all the restaurants open on Thanksgiving and give one a try?

Buca di Beppo gets everybody out for Thanksgiving fun.  Dine as early as 11:00 AM!
Buca’s one of the nicest places to go on Thanksgiving.  Each restaurant is designed around a series of dining rooms of varying sizes, perfect for any group.  The atmosphere is warm and hospitable – the service friendly and professional, and all the food is served family style, an especially nice touch for Thanksgiving dinners.  And Buca opens at 11:00 AM this year, so whatever your Thanksgiving planning demands, Buca fits the bill.

This year’s Thanksgiving feast at Buca is a tour de force. 
It starts with salads and appetizers, moves on to roasted-to-a-turn white meat turkey served with a spicy Italian sausage stuffing flavored with garlic, sage and parmesan, rich gravy and whole-berry cranberry sauce.  Sides include traditional green beans, broccoli romano and garlic mashed potatoes, as well as some Italian-American favorites:  ravioli al pomodora, lasagna and penne basilica.

Dessert selections feature creamy homemade cheesecake, apple crostata and one of Buca’s own Thanksgiving recipes, pumpkin cannolis!  They’re a sensational seasonal creation your guests will remember and request next year – Thanksgiving traditions in the making!

And since Buca serves every dish family style, it’s easy to order enough Thanksgiving foods to give yourself plenty of leftovers to take home.  But if you don’t want to offer your guests turkey sandwiches for the rest of the week, you can leave the remains of the meal behind when you’re through – including the dirty dishes!

Having dinner at Buca makes time for all kinds of Thanksgiving activities.
Just imagine that a four-day weekend stretches in front of you.  Friends and family, some of whom you haven’t seen for a year or more, share stories, laughter and great food with you all weekend.  And you have a wonderful gift – something you can share with all your loved ones:  Time.

Instead of spending hours in the kitchen with at least half your attention on the stove, you can participate fully in Thanksgiving traditions, Thanksgiving activities, and Thanksgiving fun with people who mean a lot to you. Of all the Thanksgiving ideas you’ve ever heard, going out for Thanksgiving meals is one of the best.  It gives you the opportunity to slow down, enjoy and truly give thanks.