Liberty Market

We started our 85 restaurants of right with hitting up Liberty Market in Gilbert. This is a cute little restaurant owned by the same guy as Joe's Real BBQ and Joe's Farm Grill and of course we are fans of this added spot he has made. It is in old town right next to The Farmhouse which is also delicious!

I hade the Salmon BLT without bacon and added avocado....oh my goodness the salmon had some sauce on it that just made everything so good.

Dusty had the Sloppy Joe with garlic humus...I love humus!

One down 84 to go!

Phoenix Best Restaurants

Another year and another Phoenix Magazine...this time we get to choose from 85 Best Restaurants rather then last year when we tried the 50's best dishes in Phoenix...I am sure that one will come out soon enough but until then we will continue knocking out as many of the 85 Restaurants as possible. Dusty was on jury duty in downtown Phoenix for a week and hit about 5 or six of the restaurants listed without me and of course did not document any of them...so I guess he is just going to have to take me back! Some are repeats from last year, we will have to try and get to the new one's before we hit any of the repeats.

Christmas Trip to Utah

We were able to go to Utah this year for Christmas and Dusty thinks this is his one time a year that he has to go. Here are some random pictures that I took on our trip.

Dusty and Cortez in bed after his long drive on Christmas Eve...I cant get it to flip right so look closely.

Brady and Lorrie on Christmas Eve at my mom's

Brady got a SNUGGIE..not sure he kept it

Macy and I...my favorite picture of the whole week

Fred and Macy on Christmas Eve

Teryn and Macy got a little quad for Christmas

Teryn with her helmet on ready to ride

Macy and her helmet

Teryn and Hannah doing the wii dance game(not sure what it is called) but it made me realize that no one in my family really has any me rhyme

Had a blast as always visiting Utah, I'm ready to go back not sure Dusty is

Shalice's Birthday

Another year older :( for my birthday we got together for some lunch with some friends. It was hard to plan things because everyone was busy going here or there for Christmas parties and get togethers. My camera died also after about 20 minutes of being there so pictures were limited.

My Cake that Dusty made from scratch for me...red velvet my favorite!

Me and Pooja :)

Britney, me and Matt

and then the camera died...but I had a great birthday!

OUR new tradition

Dusty and I have decided to start "OUR" own Christmas tradition. The day or two after Christmas we have brought both of our families together for a dinner. As you all know Dusty loves to cook and being in Arizona prevents him from being able to cook for our families. So what better time to do it then when we head to Utah. This year he made Beef Wellington with a caeser salad, flat bread with spinach and mozzarella and homemade potato chips. He asked his mom to make the tomato basil soup and Becky helped out with dessert...Dusty thinks Becky makes the most amazing desserts which she does! Dusty doesn't like buffet style anything so with the help of Jaime, Jake and me people finally got their food. I feel so lucky to have such great family members, his and mine. Everyone was so helpful to get things together and cleaned up.

Tomato basil soup

Jessica and Rusty..I know they aren't officially family but we love them all the same

Dusty and his dad working hard at getting the plates together and my mom helping with the dishes.

One of the six tables I think we had

A few other people at tables

I asked Lyndsey to take pictures since I was a little busy and of course she captured one of her and Brett

Main Dish

Dessert...a pumpkin cake with whip cream and a snowflake on top

Brett enjoying his snowflake a little to much perhaps?

Cucina Toscana...go there now!

My first night in Utah Lyndsey and Brett took Lorrie, Bryan, and I to Cucina Toscana. All I can say is it was AMAZING! Brett has been doing work for them and so when "Arturo" I think thats his name recognized us he came and took our menus asked what we preferred to eat and took off. What came later was a delicious dinner that I will never forget. We all wished Dusty could have been there with us but he was still in Arizona working. We will have to go again...we just must! Since he took our menu's and I have been looking over the one on the website and I don't think these dishes were on the menu so I will try to explain what they are.

APPETIZERS

I asked for seafood and received scallops, calamari, and shrimp on a bed of spinach

Brett I think had veal?

Lyndsey had ummm not sure but that is craper berry sauce on top with fontina cheese I think

Again not sure what Lorrie had

Bryan had mushrooms on a bed of spinach and some kinda cheese

Lorrie and Bryan

Me, Brett and Lyndsey

BRING ON THE PASTA!!

They brought out this table and made our plates right there in front.

Angel hair pasta with a lemon white sauce, and spinach artichoke ravioli with some kind of sauce

MAIN COURSE I had Salmon, shrimp, scallops, calamari and clams in a red sauce

Brett had some kind of roast...so tender and delicious

Lyndsey had..not sure what but it was good

Lorrie I believe had the veil

and Bryan I think had the Strip Steak


YOU GOTTA HAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT

I had the Peach tart

Brett had the chocolate cake

Lyndsey had the peach sorbet

Lorrie the strawberry cheesecake

Bryan the creme brulee

and the chocolate syrup to drink or eat

and the whole group of us! Had a blast with my sisters and their husbands

THANKS LYNDSEY AND BRETT!!!

My heart is sad today

I found out yesterday that one of my best friends lost her father on Tuesday evening. I was unable to met her father, but know and love his three awesome kids he meant the world too. I know he had to be so proud of his kids and he was such an example to them.

The Three Patel's

Rahda, Gopaul and Pooja