Minerva Rewards

Minerva Rewards: It's about time somebody came up with something like this! Brilliant idea. Totally awesome.

Check out the new post from F.I.T. Human Performance

F.I.T Human Performance located on Glenloch in The Woodlands does a weekly report called "The Bob Report".  This weeks report is about fitness for your heart.  Check out the great post at: http://fitwoodlands.com/?p=380 

One of the highlights of the article is a new program by The Center for Disease Control (CDC).  The CDC has  launched Million Hearts™, to provide information to help empower people to make heart-healthy choices.  The website for Million Hearts is:  http://www.millionhearts.hhs.gov

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day!



Italian Desserts

Tonight Taste Magazine is featuring Italian Desserts.  Some you may know--some you may not.  I am an Italian.  I grew up in Rochester, NY.  In New York there are Italian Bakeries in every town.  Most people buy their bread and desserts from their local bakery. 

Ok - on to the yummy desserts.

Tiramisu - is a wonderful dessert.  It is made from lady fingers, espresso coffee and mascarpone.  It is not super sweet and it is light. 

Cannoli-  the shell of the cannoli is made of fried pastry.  The stuffing in a cannoli is made from ricotta or impastata cheese.  Some cannolis have chocolate added or cherries.  Cannolis are crisp and sweet. They originated in Sicily. 

Spumoni Ice Cream - I love spumoni but it is very hard to find in the South.  Spumoni is usually made from cherry, pistachio, and chocolate ice cream.  It usually contains candied fruit and nuts. 

Gelato - Gelato is made with milk, cream, various sugars, and flavoring such as fresh fruit and nut purees. Gelato tastes lighter than ice cream and the added flavors are much stronger. 

Napoleon - Crisp, flaky layers of puff pastry layered with Italian Cream filling. It has a vanilla type icing with chocolate swirled throughout. 

Pizzelle - A pizzelle is a traditional Italian cookie.  It is made from a batter that is poured onto a waffle-like machine.  Most pizelles are flavored with vanilla, anise, chocolate, lemon and almond. 

Sfogiatelle - pronounced s-voy-a-tell.  Sfgiatelle is a shell shaped pastry with many layers and filled with a ricotta cream filling. 

Zeppole - is fried dough.  It is basically pizza dough deep fried and rolled in sugar or powdered sugar.  It is similar to a glazed donut.  It is light and airy and sweet. 

There are so many Italian Desserts--we will definitely have to have a part two to this blog entry.

Hope I made you hungry!

Inroducing F.I.T. Human Performance in The Woodlands

Taste Magazine would like to welcome F.I.T. Human Performance as one of our new advertisers.
They are located at 27240 Glen Loch Drive,The Woodlands, Texas 77381
Their website is: http://fitwoodlands.com/
Here is some basic company info:

F.I.T. provides clients with specific individualized functional assessments and ongoing optimal performance training helping clients achieve their highest level of human performance. F.I.T. is goal setting for cardiorespiratory conditioning, flexibility training, and musculoskeletal resistance/strength training. Our goal at F.I.T. is helping you achieve and maintain your optimal functional human performance level. The mindset at F.I.T. Human Performance is catering to clients and designing programs that address functional capacity as part of a complete fitness plan developed especially for each individual client. Our training programs incorporate each individuals environment and specific goals, and address any muscle imbalances and movement deficiencies needed to improve in order to achieve for optimal function and to decrease the risk of injuries.   We will have some future articles from their weekly "Bob Report" so stay tuned.

 If you are in the area go check them out.  Improve your health, fitness and yourself. 

Valentines Day Suggestions - Pallotta's Italian Grill, Capri and Hasta La Pasta

Valentines Day is right around the corner.  Make reservations early.  Here are three restaurants we suggest and their menus!!!

Pallotta's Italian Grill   call: 281.364.9555
The Woodlands
http://www.pallottasitaliangrill.com/

Entrees:

Chicken Picatta...grilled chicken breast, lemon white wine butter sauce, garlic, red onions, capers, fresh lemon, side of pasta alfredo, toasted garlic bread.

Frutti di mare Pasta…fresh steamed mussels, gulf shrimp, tender baby clams, red onions, garlic, basil, oregano, topped with tomato and white wine broth, spaghettini pasta, toasted garlic bread.

Tomato Angelina...angel hair pasta, sundried tomato pesto sauce with olive oil and garlic, diced chicken, gulf shrimp, proscuitto, Italian ham, juliened sundried tomatoes, crushed walnuts, fresh ribbons of basil, toasted garlic bread.

Dessert:

Dominic' Muds for two...4 layers of mocha almond fudge ice cream, chunks of Butterfinger candy bar in between each layer, hot fudge and peanut butter drizzled throughout the whole thing, with a Nutter Butter cookie crust! 

Wine:

Cupcake Chardonnay

Hogue GENESIS Meritage

Brancott Pinot Noir

Jacob's Creek Merlot

Capri Pasta, Pizza & More   281-298-0055

The Woodlands

http://www.capri-pasta.com/

Still thinking about how to impress your love on Valentine's Day??? Well here you go! You can easily have a WONDERFUL meal of hand made pasta by candle light for under $60.00! Not a bad deal! Plus they will be serving  these new specials from 2/10-2/15. Don't miss out and don't forget your wine!!!!

Grilled Scallop Salad
A fresh salad made with romaine lettuce, watermelon, avocados and grilled scallops dressed with a light mint vinaigrette.

Sparkling strawberry Risotto.
A creamy risotto made with fresh strawberries and sparkling Italian wine.

Black truffle Tagliatelle
Fresh handmade green tagliatelle pasta served covered in a decadent black truffle cream sauce.

Citrus Salmon
Perfectly grilled salmon drizzled with a bright and sunny lemon sauce and served with two of our signature sides.

Mini Filet
Mini filet medallion served with Brie cheese and an apple balsamic reduction

Fresh berry "tiramisu".
A more romantic take on the classic tiramisu dish using lime and fresh berries.

Hasta La Pasta   832-717-7676

Cypresswood/Stuebner Airline
http://www.hastalapasta.com/

We hope you will enjoy!

Special Announcement Regarding The Montgomery County Foodbank

Please join the Montgomery Country Food Bank at:

Feasting on the Frontier will be held March 3, 2012 at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa in Montgomery. Sponsorships start at $1,000 and include a VIP reception prior to the dinner event. Our honoree is Gary Meistad, who has been involved in raising money for charities such as Make a Wish Foundation, Boys and Girls Country, and the Lawmakers of Montgomery County for over 38 years. Gary was very influential in bringing the gala to the Food Bank in January 2011.

Saturday, March 3, 2012 6:00pm at La Torretta Resort

Tickets are $75. Couples $125 pay online!

Dinner, Dancing, Silent Auction, and Live Auction
Dress is Texas Glitz-Boots, Bling, and everything in between!

Tickets and sponsorships are available online at www.MontgomeryCountyFoodBank.com or by calling the MCFB at 936.539.6686.  Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Please support them and plan on attending!

Thanks!

Italian Cheeses

February's issue of Taste Magazine featured some great Italian Restaurants.  We thought it would be fun to do a piece on Italian Cheeses. 

Italian cheeses are some of my most favorite cheeses.  Some have a very light taste while others have a definite bite to them.  I am not going to highlight every single Italian cheese but some of the more noteworthy.

Mozzarella (also referred to as pizza cheese)
Mozzarella actually comes in a few different forms. Fresh mozzarella ususally comes in balls. Mozzarella for pizza comes in a block or shredded. It is available in Whole Milk or Partt Skim. Mozzarella is a very mild cheese. When heated it melts and becomes stretchy. I think mozzarella is also great on burgers and salads.

Photo from Newyorkstyledeli.com




Parmesan (also referred to as grated cheese)
Parmesan cheese is a hard aged cheese. It is more mild than romano. It is usually grated or shredded. Its most common use is to top off a great pasta dish. I love to add it on soups, salads, and pizza. Some people love it on popcorn--hmmmm maybe need to try that.

Romano (also referred to as Pecorino)
Romano is a hard, aged Italian cheese. It is usually aged for over two years. Romano has a stronger flavor and aroma than parmesan. It is one of my absolute favorites. My mother, on the other hand, the non-Italian in our family can't stand it.

Provolone

Provolone is a great cheese for subs. Provolone is plain or smoked. It is a mild cheese. Great for slicing. It also works well on pizza. I prefer provolone over mozzarella. I use it on meatball subs, checken parmesan and also on salads.

Photo from: http://www.eiltd.com

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is Italian blue cheese. The cheese is piecred during the aging process to promote the growth of mold. The rich creamy cheese combined with the mold is excellent crumbled onto salads, added to the stuffing of chicken or just spread onto a cracker. Gorgonzola can be mild to quite strong.



Picture credit Cheese.com

Mascarpone (also referred to as Italian Cream Cheese)

Mascarpone cheese is a very soft cheese similar to cream cheese.  It is actually not a cheese but made cose to the way you make yogurt.  Mascarpone is a main ingredient in Tiramisu.  But watch out with it--fat content is 75% - Yikes!!

Tiramisu from Hasta La Pasta

Ricotta

Ricota cheese is smooth ad creamy.  It is anothe favorite of mine. I can eat it right out of the tub I love it so much.  Ricotta is of course a main ingredient in Lasagna but it is also a great addition to a pasta made with mariniare sauce with a touch of heavy cream.  Ricotta is also used to stuff calzones and is great in an eggplant parmesan.

Photo credit:  Bestofsicily.com

Don't forget to check out the first issue of Taste Magazine.

Click Here to view!

Have a great night.