We got a new Toaster Oven/Convection Oven!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. We got a new Breville Toaster Oven/Convection Oven today. Though we were looking for a Cuisinart or a Black and Decker we wound up with a much better one, though without the rotisserie. We had to rearrange the entire kitchen.:) Consumer Reports tested this one highest and it was rated number 1 by almost every review of it. I still haven't used it, but I plan to try it tomorrow. You have to do a few things before you can use it.

We went to a new restaurant, Peekskill Brewery. This place has a beer theme. I mean everything has been paired to its correct beer. When we started we were served a taste of beer and wonderful hot rolls with butter and tapenade. My husband, daughter and I ordered butternut squash soup and instead of being comforting it was spicy, but it was good. I think it needed a little calming. I tried adding butter to it and that was better. Though that should not be necessary with soup.:) My other daughter ordered the clam chowder which was also very spicy. My husband ordered the Blue Point Blueberry beer, which was smooth and delicious. I hope to find that somewhere again.

Our main course was excellent. My daughters shared the Shepherd's Pie and it was warm, filled with ground meat and covered with a crusted mashed potato crust. My husband had a chopped salad with pieces of steak and the steak seemed to be marinated from the little bit that I had. I ordered the Southwest Chicken Sandwich, which came with a warm potato salad and a delicious cole slaw. It was on a large sesame bun with guacamole, lettuce and tomato. There was a cumin mayonnaise, which I had put on the side and after putting it on my sandwich I realized that was the spice that was in the soup. But the chicken was cooked perfectly on the grill and I got to taste their french fries, since my daughter ordered them as a side dish. My dish had a choice of french fries or potato salad and with that choice I will always go with potato salad.:)

For dessert we all four shared one chocolate cupcake called a Porter cupcake, because of the beer with which it was made.:) I couldn't taste the beer much, but it was very good and just enough for all of us. I've always felt that you don't need a lot of dessert, but even a few bites of it is okay.

The service was so excellent that I wanted everything to be perfect so I could rave about it.:) When we finished our appetizers there was our main course. It was seamless and very rare!

We will probably go back there in the future, but I will remember that they like to spice up their food. If you like spicy food you will love this. Of course, we didn't taste everything that they make.:) I will probably be visiting their website and telling everyone about the restaurant, but you have it here first. So if you are in my area go there and see if you agree with my review.

The other thing I wanted to say is that two of the books I offered as prizes are already gone. If you were a winner, please contact me so I can send out your book as soon as possible. If they are sent Priority you will get them before Christmas and can use them as gifts.:) You can still get into the contest, since I have one more book to give away. Be the first one to leave a comment on this post and you will be the last winner!!

Dogzilla and Oliver's Must Do List are no longer available. Sorry! A lot of other great books are there for you to choose. Remember to please send me your address and choice no later than tomorrow if you want it before Christmas. Otherwise I can't promise it will be there.

Until the next time, here is another reminder that my radio show: Red River Writers Live Tales from the Pages, will be airing on Tuesday, December 22nd at 3PM Central time. I hope everyone will tune in to hear Sally Drumm with her group of Milspeak writers. This should be a great Christmas show.:)

Until the next time thank you to my new readers and of course I appreciate the ones who continue to read my meanderings.:) I hope that one more person leaves a comment so I can give away the last gift book. Just a heads up. After the contest is over I will have books left over and will be running contests regularly.:)