Date Night at the Drive-In

After what felt like a forever January, I’m so happy it’s finally February! 

I’m reeling in the romance for a Valentine’s idea this weekend: a trunk date at the drive-in! Whether you prefer a scary movie or comedy, it’s the perfect intimate adventure. 

Considering the cooler temps, pack some blankets and bring your layers. You can watch from the seats with the radio, of course, but why not try out a cute picnic-style spread for a change?

We got cozy in our Roadshow BMW X3 tailgate and stepped up the usual popcorn and soda combo to cheese, chocolate and wine. Don’t forget a bottle opener and glasses!

I packed individually prepped ingredients in snack-sized ziploc bags and brought along the wood board to style once we parked at the drive-in. Since our occasion is Valentine’s, I added dark chocolate and candy to the mix. If arranging onsite is too much maintenance for your preference, order a prepared charcuterie for two from a local provider such as Feast & Graze. 

Now, which film is your pick? Make sure you two can agree—horror movies are a *no go* for me. Pull up to the appropriate theater entrance, park, unpack, and enjoy.

Greek-Inspired Lamb Sliders

Pump up the flavor for your big game spread with a secret ingredient: Mezzetta® Golden Greek Peperoncini. The base of our Greek lamb sliders includes chopped peperocini and za'atar, which we grill and pile high on brioche with a tangy tzaziki and crumbled feta. Grab the full recipe on caramelizedblog.com, and visit here to pack your pantry with their exceptional pickled selections for entertaining friends and family.

Serves 4 (8 sliders)

1 pound ground lamb
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon za’atar seasoning, separated
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperocini, finely chopped
1/4 cup diced caramelized onions
8 mini brioche buns
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 sprig fresh dill, plus extra to garnish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperocini juice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl, mix ground lamb with 1 tablespoon of za’atar, salt, pepper, peperocini, and onions until well combined. Use an ice cream scooper to form evenly-sized patties. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb scoops to skillet and smash with a spatula. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side until browned and cooked to desired temperature.

Meanwhile, in a small dish, combine Greek yogurt with remaining za’atar, lemon juice, peperocini juice, and fresh dill. Stir and spread on half of each brioche bun. Top with crumbled feta and a sprig of dill. Then, add slider patty to other half of bun. Serve immediately.

This post is brought to you by Mezzetta.

Crispy Caprese Chicken

I love this #dinneronawhim caprese-style concept for any season of the year — its preparation and presentation are simple yet elegant; flavorful yet friendly to even the pickiest of eaters.

For those of you intimidated by cooking chicken all the way through, you don’t have to worry here: Pounding each half of your breast to a 1/4-inch thick cutlet will cook over the stovetop in no time; and the extra step of sitting—for your mozz to melt—seals the deal for well-done (but not dry) chicken. And while it’s perfect on its own, serving atop some angel hair, orzo pasta, or even a bed of lettuce would be pretty delicious, too!

Serves 2 (easy to double!)

1 large chicken breast, halved
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Flaky sea salt
1 tablespoon pesto
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss cherry tomatoes in 1 tablespoon oil with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Place on a baking sheet and roast until almost burst, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.Meanwhile, prepare flour with seasoned salt and pepper in one shallow dish, a whisked egg in a second dish, and panko in the third. Pound each chicken half into a 1/4-inch thin cutlet. Dredge and drip in flour, egg, and then panko.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes per side. Turn heat to the low and place mozzarella slices on each piece of chicken. Place lid on the pot and allow mozzarella to melt for approximately 5 minutes.

Finally, in a small bowl, stir pesto with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice. Plate chicken breasts with cherry tomatoes, pesto sauce, and an extra pinch of flaky sea salt.

How We Addressed Drainage Issues in Our New Backyard

When dreaming of a new home after seven years in a Downtown townhouse, a yard for our two pups was the top of our priority list. We didn’t need a substantial size — but a space for Sawyer and Finn to roam, run and do their business leash-free was our ultimate wish! While taking the dogs on walks was a welcomed part of our daily routine, the frequency became a burden.

Our new home has a perfectly sized backyard, but it is unfortunately positioned like a bowl from higher-plane neighboring homes on all three sides. Previous homeowners were not dog owners and, thus, didn’t have to deal with the side effects of rain. We observed that a retaining wall was beginning to stress, and water had nowhere to go. A coincidental site visit during a flash flood gave us all the realities we needed to know (and face!).

My interior designer Ann Parker is married to a renowned landscape architect; and they both shared that Agriscapes would be our drainage go-to. Sure, we could potentially save 3-5% on the bottom line elsewhere, but the quality, expertise, and customer service of Agriscapes would prove a worthwhile investment.

Agriscapes’ co-owner Johnny Deniston studied landscape architecture, and his team provides full architectural plans (see ours above) as part of the process for no extra fee. It was helpful to see and understand the birds-eye view of our situation and see a start-to-finish project with one point of contact (rather than pay for an architect’s ideas first and separately).

Here’s what we learned:

1 - Addressing drainage is not fun nor affordable when executed correctly — but it’s absolutely worthwhile.

Underground remedies definitely do not relay to the beauty of a new piece of furniture or finish. You can’t even see the materials you’re paying for! While, yes, it’s frustrating, I’m so happy we moved forward with a foolproof solution rather than a “half baked” version that would still present flaws.

2 - Phasing is (usually) possible!

Our backyard master plan, detailed above, features a vision for a seating/entertaining area, additional plantings, and potentially a garden or water/sculptural feature to enjoy from the breakfast nook. Our back gate could be reevaluated as well, offering a more pedestrian-friendly entrance and view. For financial reasons, we were not able to execute it all at once — and that’s totally okay! Agriscapes determined a phase one that could secure our space until we were ready to restart — whether in a few months or a year.

3 - Obviously, planting sod right as winter commences is not an ideal timeline for grass to root and grow.

However, considering our immediate flooding needs that would prompt mud and messiness year-round—and considering our multi-phase approach—we decided moving forward now would be the best short-term solution.

We are so pleased with our results and couldn’t recommend Agriscapes more. Muddy paws and ruined floors, no more!