Out to Birthday Brunch: The Breakers

Because why stop at one celebratory meal of unrestrained indulgence when you can have two?

Prime rib with bearnaise sauce, spit-roasted chicken, brown bread with sour cream and caviar.

Lettuce with balsamic-fig dressing, cornichons, two kinds of pate, roll, roasted vegetables, Caprese salad.

Egg Benedict, slice of bacon.

Cheese and fruit.

Dessert I: Tiramisu in chocolate cup, key lime pie, chocolate raspberry mousse cake.

Dessert II: Petit four, pistachio macaron, chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered toffee.

Not shown: The glass of Champagne that our dedicated waiters refilled whenever it got close to being empty.

A spectacular meal in a gorgeous setting. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for this fabulous experience.

(Healthy eating resumes tomorrow.)

Out to Dinner: 131 Main

We decided to have dinner out tonight rather than battle the Valentine's Day weekend crowds. We went to 131 Main, a reliable restaurant about three miles from home.

I started with a house salad, dressing on the side:

Main course was filet mignon, medium, with mashed potatoes.

Before:

...and after:

The leftovers are in the refrigerator, awaiting tomorrow's breakfast and lunch.

Dessert:

A warm brownie covered with vanilla ice cream and chocolate and caramel sauces. How does this fit into healthy eating? This is what I ate:

One perfect bite, and I left the rest for the menfolk to finish.

Life is uncertain...

Make dessert first.

The pumpkin pie recipe is the one on the back of the Libby's pumpkin can. The other things next to it are mini pecan tarts in phyllo dough. It's a riff on this recipe for pecan pie bites from Southern Living. I made these because I like pecan pie but don't want to have a whole pie to eat all weekend.

Filling:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 egg
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. melted butter
Crust:
6 phyllo sheets
2 tbsp. melted butter

Beat the egg, mix in sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, 2 tsp. melted butter, and pecans. Layer the phyllo dough, brush each sheet with melted butter. Cut the stacked phyllo into 12 pieces and put 8 of the stacks into a standard muffin tin (The filling as I made it only makes enough for 8 tarts - I thought it would make 12 so that's how I cut the phyllo dough. Those squares are the right size to fit into the muffin cups.) Fill the cups with the filling, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

I said the recipe makes 8, so why are there only 7 on the plate? Well, this is the first time I've tried to make these, so I had to test one just to make sure they came out well.

They're delicious.