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Margaritas Cafe in Smithtown
581-583 Smithtown Bypass
Smithtown, NY
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Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Cantina.
They provide the best in Mexican food, exotic drinks and live entertainment that focuses on both the traditional and contemporary tastes.
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Here’s a great meal idea for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration: ground beef and vegetable casserole pie topped with creamy and cheesy mashed potatoes. I decided this year, after spending lots of time in my very own “cottage,” to serve this classic Irish pie for my St. Pat’s dinner—a lucky dish indeed! Cottage Pie is also known as Shepherd’s Pie; the only difference is that Cottage Pie is made with ground beef, unlike the traditional Shepherd’s Pie made with ground lamb. This delicious and savory comfort food, (of English origin), is sure to make your family and friends feel lucky and blessed! It’s easy to make ahead of time and just needs to be refrigerated until ready to bake. Have some cold Guinness beer on hand and serve with a sweet Irish soda bread, then you’ll be all set to share the love and luck of the Irish! “May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your Cottage Door.” Happy St. Patrick’s Day from my cottage to yours! Xoxo Denise
1 large Vidalia onion diced
¼ cup olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 celery stalks diced ½ cup petite frozen peas
½ cup frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 T fresh chopped thyme
1 T fresh chopped rosemary
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste
½ cup red wine
2 T of tomato paste ½ cup beef broth
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled cut into chunks and boiled until soft
3 T of butter ½ cup grated cheese (parmesan or white cheddar)
¾ cup half and half
In a large skillet add onion, carrots, celery and olive oil over medium heat until vegetables become soft. Add ground beef and break up while browning. Blend in tomato paste, red wine, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Next, add parsley, rosemary, thyme, frozen corn (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Boil your potatoes, then drain and whip with an electric beater – the potatoes, butter, cheese and half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the meat mixture evenly at the bottom of your deep dish pie plate, then carefully spread mashed potatoes evenly on top. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Servings: 10 – 12
Here’s What You Need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup or ½ stick of unsalted butter, softened
½ cup buttermilk: to make buttermilk, use 1/2 cup milk plus ½ tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar
1 large egg at room temperature
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon milk
Here’s How You Do It:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk or mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingertips, work butter, then add in raisins and seeds. Stir in ½ cup buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round shape and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with milk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a knife to score an “x” into the top of the loaf, to allow steam to escape. Place bread in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm and wrap any left-over bread tightly in plastic wrap.
Even the groundhog’s prediction of six more weeks of winter cannot stop the inevitable melting away of the frost, the bursting of buds on the trees, and the desire to put away a winter puffer coat in exchange for lighter, airier fabrics and colors. But, while the weather hovers between winter and spring, choosing what to wear can be challenging. Blending the best trends from the two seasons may be the perfect way to manage the temperature fluctuations and, amid a pandemic, give you a reason to get up from the couch.
Designers quickly updated their runway trends as the world realized the need to stay home and stay safe. Rich, luxurious fabrics for sweats and joggers gave a heightened sense of fashion even when we only moved from room to room in our homes. For spring, lighter weight fabrics lead the way, with floral prints and bold neon colors. Sweatpants and joggers never looked quite so fine! Pair up those bottoms with spring’s bra top trend. If you are not one to dare to go so bare, simply hold off on putting those plush winter cardigans into seasonal storage; they’re perfect for showing off that bra top while still covering up.
On those days when the urge to wear a dress – at home or out of the house – overwhelm, take heart in knowing that there are many comfortable midi length dresses from which to choose. And, on days with a chill in the air, you can opt to pair it with a fuzzy cardigan, long duster jacket or a double-breasted coat. You will feel excessively cozy and look fantastic. If the temperature rises, set the jacket down and show off your new dress in figure-hugging knits or light, airy fabrics. This season, expect cut-out styles to feature your collarbone, waist, or shoulders.
As you plan your style from head to toe, remember to shift from tall-shaft fall and winter boots to booties or flats in lighter shades, fabrics and patterns. Personally, I love softening my winter look by transitioning from leather to suede, particularly in lighter shades of pink, lavender and soft yellow (yes, all three are great colors for shoes and can be found in my shoe closet).
Silver, the metallic color for spring, also ties in beautifully with winter’s palette of deep reds, rose tan, magenta, and classic blue, as well as with spring’s bold neons, sunny yellow, and radiant pinks. Use silver for accessories: jewelry, handbags, hair accessories, etc. Remember, the right accessory can tie your whole look together.
As winter comes to a close, we’ll all be able to get outside more and more. So, take the opportunity to grab beyond the comfy couch clothes in your closet and dress for the warmer weather ahead.
by Katherine Andrianas
Under the Mistletoe #LIPSTORIES Set ($29.00, Sephora.com). Features six new, party-ready shades in cream and metallic finishes: Confetti (metallic rose-gold), Toast (light nude), Wonderland (rosy mauve), Poinsettia (classic red), Cozy (vibrant berry), and Gingerbread (metallic nude). Heart-Shaped Tea Bags ($30.00, Uncommongoods.com). Each charming set contains 5 English Breakfast, 5 Earl Grey, and 5 White Berry teabags – all inspired by the joy of spending time unwinding with friends. Four Seasons Face Masks – Set of 4 ($48.00, Uncommongoods.com). Features blooms specific to summer, fall, winter, and spring so that safety is always in season. Poo-Pourri Toilet Spray Scent Jingle Bowls ($9.99, Bedbathandbeyond.com). Give the gift of bathroom cheer and make using the loo more luxurious. It’s poofect for stockings and is a pure blend of natural essential oils (pomegranate, pine and citrus). Christmas Photo Personalized Adult Socks ($19.99, personalizationmall.com). Put a smile on their face with a picture of your face. Available in multiple sizes and colors, these photo socks add holiday style to every wardrobe. Ellia Essential Oils (9.99, Bedbathbeyond.com). Soothe, calm and elevate your senses, nerves and mood with these pleasant aromas which are available in a variety of flavors: grapefruit, lemon, orange, lavender, cinnamon, peppermint, etc.
Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident, freelance writer and licensed agent at Signature Premier Properties in Northport. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.
This classic Greek chicken soup (pronounced av.go.lemono) is also known as Greek penicillin. A heavenly, velvety chicken soup with tart lemon, egg yolks, and orzo. It was an absolute favorite of mine as a child—made with love by my backdoor Greek neighbor, “Theia Betty” (Theia meaning auntie in Greek.) I fondly recall her walking through the backyard bringing our family a pot of this aromatic, tangy, yellow, and delectable soup. Often, she’d invite us kids inside on those cold sleigh riding days, to warm up our tummies and soothe our souls. It was the perfect fix before heading back outdoors to play for many more hours in the fluffy snow. She was a good neighbor! Avgolemono, literally meaning eggs and lemon, is loved by the Greek culture and considered to be their signature version of chicken soup. This tasty twist on classic chicken soup has a unique combination of ingredients which makes it smooth and comforting. It’s perfect to share with your family or your neighbors and is certain to put a smile on their face! Speaking about good neighbors…I am reminded of the late great, Mr. Fred Roger’s, and his message of kindness, empathy, and neighborly love. While we all get wrapped up in everyday life, we may not see our neighbors as often as we’d like. If that’s the case, go check on them by bringing a nice pot of this delightful soup, which is bound to brighten their day.
As Mr. Rodgers would say, “It’s such a good feeling…a very good feeling…the feeling you know that we are friends”. So, make it a beautiful day in the neighborhood, prepare some soup, and bring joy!
xoxo Your friend & neighbor, Denise
Ingredients & Prep
1 large diced Vidalia onion
4 green scallions sliced thin
¾ cup tiny diced celery
¾ cup tiny diced carrots
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves
¾ cup lemon juice
2 1/2 large cans of College Inn chicken stock
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (4 large boneless breasts)
2 large eggs beaten
2 large egg yolks beaten
2 lemons zested for garnish
Fresh dill for garnish
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup uncooked orzo or Arborio rice
In a large pot, sauté all onions until soft. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and spices. Add 4 boneless chicken breasts and sauté a couple minutes on both sides.
Add chicken stock and cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes. Turn soup off. Remove breasts to plate and let cool. Remove bay leaves. Shred chicken with fork when cool and put aside. Bring soup to a boil and add the orzo. Lower heat and cook until done (about 20 minutes). Add shredded chicken back into soup.
To prepare avgolemono sauce: Beat eggs with lemon juice until well mixed. While whisking, add a ladle of your soup to mixture as you continually blend quickly with wire whisk. Then, add another ladle and continue to whisk (this is called tempering the sauce so you don’t scramble your eggs). Add the sauce to your big pot and immediately remove pot from heat, ensuring that your eggs and soup don’t separate. Taste for your desired tartness. Lastly, garnish each bowl with lemon zest and fresh dill.
Claudia Fenner is a writer, photographer and travel enthusiast from Dix Hills.
Have any travel questions you would
like answered? Email her at
travelingclaudia@gmail.com.
Happy Travels!
“Hands build houses, love builds homes.” Amish Proverb It all started with a coat rack. We set out to Lancaster, PA on a hunt for a sturdy coat rack, and came back with a wonderful one-night vacation.
Before we left, I contacted Peaceful Valley Furniture in Strasburg, PA which is about 20 minutes from Lancaster. They had many coat racks to choose from, in all different finishes, starting at $69.
Passing through miles and miles of serene farmland, our 200-mile drive to Lancaster, PA took just under 4 hours. We checked into the gorgeous Doubletree Resort. Formerly known as the Host Farm, from when it opened in 1966 until it changed hands in the 1980s, it’s a beautiful spacious property set on rolling hills with its own 9-hole golf course. Hilton has updated it all and it’s a beauty.
First stop? To buy the coat rack of course! I chose a simple and sturdy one with a walnut finish. The store was filled with beautiful furniture all handmade by talented local Amish craftsmen.
It was dinner time, so we headed over to the famous, Miller’s Smorgasbord Restaurant. With great attention paid to COVID-friendly dining, we felt comfortable enough to have the buffet and it was awesome! All of the local specialties which ranged from: chicken pot pie with noodles, to baked cabbage in cream sauce, and shoo-fly pie were not only fresh, but delicious. There were also plenty of vegetable choices for the non-meat eaters.
Next day, we visited Hammond’s Pretzel Bakery, just on the edge of downtown Lancaster. Founded in 1931, Hammond’s is known to be the oldest family operated, hand-made pretzel bakery in America. Tucked behind a row of houses, we watched as the freshly baked pretzels tumbled in the oven and onto a conveyer belt to cool. We took home a few bags of them… although I wish we had bought more.
We only scratched the surface on what there was to do, see, and eat in Lancaster. Many of the attractions are only open on the weekends and we happened to be there mid-week. Among the attractions is the Amish Farm and House which, in a living museum, shows what Amish life is like (offering bus tours of the countryside).
There is also the historic Lancaster Central Market in downtown which was built in 1889, and has run continuously – selling local food and products.
For a full list of things to do and see in Lancaster visit www.discoverlancaster.com.
As with any trip these days, check on the COVID guidelines of NYS and the state you are visiting. Happy Travels!
Krista Pasfield is a resident of St. James on New York’s Long Island.
She is a Director of Operations and in her free time, an avid organic home gardener, world traveler, and writer. Krista may be reached at krista.pasfield@gmail.com
Here in the dark days of winter, it may seem counterintuitive to think about your summer vegetable or flower garden. However, now is the time to start planning so your garden can be ready to go once the ground starts to warm up!
Given the year we just had, getting out and into the dirt has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity. Having fresh produce on-hand can cut down on trips to the grocery store, help save money, support a sustainable lifestyle, and is enormously rewarding. Fresh-cut blooms can make a house feel like a home. A bit of patience and a couple of simple tools is all that’s needed to create a bed of flowers or vegetables that will provide four-seasons’ worth of fun, learning, and exercise.
Now is the perfect opportunity to start scouting for optimal growing locations in and around your home. It’s important that plants be located in a sunny place, receiving at least eight hours of sunlight every day. Remember, the sun will track differently over the course of the spring, summer, and fall, so choose an area that maximizes sunlight throughout the growing season.
Gardens should be planted in an area of fertile ground with dark, rich soil that can be tilled with hand tools or by mechanical means. Too much sand or clay will cause drainage problems, and possibly not provide enough nutrients to growing plants. Local garden centers, nurseries, or reputable online resources can provide useful tips on growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants that will thrive in your area.
Most popular varieties of garden plants can be started indoors over the winter using a simple peat pot tray, seeds, water, and sunlight near a window. Peat pots and seeds are available at your local home store or from a variety of online retailers. After planting seeds, keep the peat damp (but not wet), to encourage germination. Tent planted seeds with plastic wrap to retain moisture and create a greenhouse effect. The covering should be removed once seeds have sprouted. Seeds started in biodegradable peat pots can be transplanted directly into the ground or an outdoor pot after the threat of frost has passed. Using biodegradable starters eliminates transplant shock, which can occur when a plant is moved from its original growing container to a new medium and can have a negative effect on a plant’s growth and production. When planning and planting a vegetable garden, consider adding native plants and flowers nearby to attract pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. This will increase the garden’s yield naturally.
Prepping your garden now can help stave off the winter doldrums and ensure your garden is ready to go once spring rolls around. Happy planting!
Maria DiGiorgio is a devoted wife and mother, an educator and designer. Visit her Etsy shop: LaPetiteFleurbyMaria,
for beautiful, one-of-a-kind,
hand embellished floral
picture frames.
This is one of my favorite songs, written by the legendary Van Morrison, and sung so memorably, by the incomparable Rod Stewart! It is a love song, rife with heartfelt sentiments that express care, concern and passion for a love interest. We can all relate to this notion, and can certainly attest to the importance of being free with our emotions: openly, lovingly and often, in our relationships. I’ll bet you may not have entertained the thought that the object of your affections could also be you!
More often than not, we are consumed with taking care of others: family, partners, pets, etc., and naturally, we forget to add ourselves into this equation. Somewhere along the line, we got the message that complete and total selflessness is a good thing. Thinking about our own needs, wants and desires is, well, selfish! This could not be further from the truth. In fact, in order to better care for others, we must first care for ourselves. I was given this sage advice as a new mother, although initially, I was determined to never take it as it seemed impractical. How could I even contemplate anyone other than my newborn child? Slowly, but surely, I began to see the wisdom behind it and started to realize that I could give nothing to others, if I had nothing (of myself) to give. Inspirational speaker and blogger, Katie Reid, says: “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” When you really consider this, it makes perfect sense.
If we do not take time to address our own needs and wants, we will begin to feel resentful, overwhelmed, and even depressed. It is important to strike a balance between what we can reasonably be asked to give others versus what we can give ourselves. This takes time, reflection and the ability to prioritize. By simply making a concerted effort to carve out some “me time” each day (preferably), or each week, we can ensure that our needs and the needs of loved ones are adequately fulfilled. We can feel more energized to meet the demands of everyday living. By getting extra rest (sleeping in or taking a nap), preparing a nourishing meal, going on a leisurely walk (alone or with a friend), watching a favorite television show, taking a hot bath, enjoying a delicious cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa or wine, reading a book or magazine, window shopping or surfing the net, we can restore ourselves and begin to feel joy in giving to others.
The great Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde said: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” Let’s remember this thought as we continue to shower the people we love with kindness, compassion, empathy and love. After all, we must love ourselves first in order to give our loved ones what they really deserve!
20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000.
Winners will be chosen starting December 8th.
You will be contacted via phone if you are a winner!
