Food Field Trip: Russo's

Well, we are down to the wire here folks. Exactly one week from now we will no longer be living in our adorable little shoebox. It is really starting to hit home now that there's a pile of boxes that are as high as the ceiling in the corner of our living room. When I am done posting this blog, most of my kitchen gadgets, including my stand mixer, are going to be packed into boxes. I don't envision myself baking any cakes in the next seven days. I will miss all of my adored kitchen items. It will be so wonderful to unpack them all in a few months when we move into our new home in the country! It will be a reunion of sorts.

I am going to miss so many things about our neighborhood, but I am happy that my most favorite food place will still be near and dear to my heart. My office is just over a mile away from this favorite spot of mine, so I will be sure to stop there when I am able to take a lunch break or when I'm on my way home from work. This favorite place of mine? It's Russo's.

A friend and former colleague of mine, Joe, told me about Russo's a few years back. Joe is Italian like me and was blown away by the fact that I had never heard of Russo's. So we traveled there one day after work so Joe could introduce me to Russo's. It was love at first site. I had no idea what I had been missing.

Russo's is a local market specializing in produce. They carry local produce whenever possible and hard to find items as well. You'll see folks from all ethnicities there searching for produce or herbs that are needed to make special cultural dishes. Their prices are reasonable and the quality is second to none. In addition to produce, Russo's carries fresh cut flowers as well as nursery flowers and herbs, fresh natural and organic meat, homemade pasta, a deli with the best Italian meats and Prosciutto di Parma (they have several varieties) outside of Italy, a humungous cheese shop, a bakery, and a prepared foods section. They have a fabulous salad bar that I venture to quite often as well. They also make great sandwiches. Some of my colleagues and I head to Russo's to make salads and get sammies every once in a while. OK, we go there at least once a week when it isn't the busy season. It's just so addictive.

Like many Italians, Christmas Eve is the pinnacle of all holidays for my family. We make sure to head to Russo's to get homemade raviolis and all of the meats and cheeses needed for our anti pasto. No other place will do. My love affair with Russo's runs deep, and I am forever faithful to this place for consistently giving me high quality products at great prices. Every time I decide to do the bulk of my shopping at Russo's and then head to a regular store for just the items I couldn't find at Russo's, my grocery bill tend to be so much less expensive and everything is so much fresher looking.

The only downside to this place is the fact that it is always jammed packed. I arrived there at 8 AM (the time they open) the day before Easter and there was already a line out the door. However I promise you this: the lines and crowds you will deal with are worth it. Just keep calm, you're at Russo's! It's almost like being at Disney World in my opinion. Hey, even my mother and aunt drive an hour to go to Russo's, so that just goes to show you how great this place is!

If you live somewhere near Watertown (where Russo's is located) or are planning a trip to the area, stop by Russo's and see what all the hooplah is for yourself.

http://russos.com/

Delicatessen Area

Prepared Foods/Bakery

Fresh breads both baked in store and from local ethnic bakeries around the Boston area

Cut Flowers and Florist booth

Produce

More Produce and fresh meats and dairy area

Fresh pasta and ravioli in the front, cheese station in the back

Entrance to store interior

Exterior, where seasonal nursery items are displayed 

Family Dinner: Homestyle Meatloaf (And it's healthy!)

Well, we have just over two weeks left living in the shoebox condo. We've been busy negotiating with realtors and such over the past few weeks. It's been very hectic! I've managed to crank out some delicious dinners and even snapped some photos of the food as well. Loading them into my blog sort of took a backseat, however. Sorry about that, food friends.

The word "meatloaf" always reminds me of my dad. He loves meatloaf. I've never had any strong feelings either way about the dish. Red meat is something I try to steer clear of, and if I do eat it I am usually making a burger or I'm out to eat at a steak house. Traditional meat loaf is one comfort food I have never really been into- until recently.

I created a meatloaf recipe that uses ground chicken breast. Now, I know that ground chicken breast is typically very dry and you are probably skeptical about using it as the main ingredient in a meatloaf recipe. I promise you that this dish is not dry at all thanks to the red bell peppers and sweet onions in the dish which add plenty of mouth watering moisture. In addition, the oatmeal and bread crumbs balance each other out while providing substance. This dish, when compared to a traditional meatloaf, is much lower in fat and has good fiber content thanks to the vegetables and oats. The not so healthy part is the glaze which is tangy sweet and oh so good. I think the glaze is fine to add. It really makes the dish and it still is a delicious and nutritious main course. Meatloaf really reheats well, too. You can probably get a few meals out of this recipe. Who doesn't love leftovers?

Homestyle Meat Loaf
1 lb. ground chicken breast
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced or chopped in food processor
1/2 large onion, finely diced or chopped in food processor
1/4 c. ketchup
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Glaze

1/4 c. ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. yellow mustard

Pre-heat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.


Combine ingredients in a large bowl; using hands to incorporate the ingredients. Shape into a loaf and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.


Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together. Once meat loaf has baked for 40 minutes, take the loaf out of the oven and pour the glaze evenly over the loaf. Return the loaf to the oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serves four.