Date Day: A City Adventure – 8/13/11

Joe and I went around to several places on Saturday, August 13. Rather than simply doing individual reviews, we've decided to give you a glimpse of a "date day." Here, for your reading pleasure, is a chronicle of our adventures.

1. Tap & Mallet

Joe and I decided to go to Tap & Mallet for the Southern Tier Total Tap Takeover, a special event featuring all beers from the Southern Tier Brewing Company. We had actually never been to Tap & Mallet, even though we’ve had it recommended to us before. We weren’t sure what to expect this first time there. We stood at the entrance for a bit, feeling awkward while waiting for a hostess, but when there wasn’t one, we decided to sit at the bar. The bartender was excellent, attentive, and friendly despite it being a very busy day for him. We also had the added bonus of sitting near the bar’s bobcat, which I friended on Facebook after overhearing that “Bob Cat” actually had an account. Why? I don’t know. Why not? 

Who knew bobcats were such social creatures?

Joe drank Krampus ’10. Seeing the name Krampus always makes me think of the Venture Bros. Christmas special (I don’t really feel like explaining that one—you’d have to see it). I drank the Wien Vienna Lager, which was good but really just reminded me of a fancy Yuengling. For lunch, Joe ate the burger with mash and gravy, and I ate the vegan chili. Overall, we thought it was a great place, and I have a feeling we’ll definitely be returning!

Surprise?

The vegan chili.

Joe's burger--what, you didn't think it was mine, did you?

2. Village Gate

Joe and I stopped in Village Gate Square on Goodman St., which is probably one of the most interesting places in Rochester. There are some popular restaurants there (Salena’s, California Rollin’, The Gate House, and Lento) and some cool specialty shops (The Bop Shop for records, Ricky’s Place for vintage clothing, Yankee Peddler for old books, and Outlandish for all of your gay pride and leather daddy needs... if that’s your thing). Village Gate is also home to many art studios as well. We visited Yankee Clipper, a collectibles store into which we rarely venture. Joe bought a football card, which I would rather not have to explain since it’s related to fantasy football. He doesn’t collect football (or any type of) cards, by the way, so this was a new thing for us. We also bought a Dalek figure there; Daleks are the things that look like fancy garbage cans on Doctor Who that fly around shouting “Exterminate!” We are very pleased with our Dalek and plan to include him this Christmas in a nativity scene, a la Mr. Bean.

We didn’t stop in The Bop Shop, and I’m not sure why, but it’s another favorite place of mine. I used to hate getting dragged there as a kid when my dad went record shopping, but when I finally started buying records too, it became one of my favorite places to go. Especially with some of my weird tastes, it’s the perfect place to go if you’re looking for something obscure, musically speaking.

3. Warner Castle/Highland Park/Mt. Hope Cemetery

These three are all in the same area. We parked in the lot for Warner Castle and went there first. This “castle” is a beautiful old home in the city open to the public during certain hours. They also have a beautiful garden behind the home. We took some pictures and saw a cat sunbathing (he had a collar, so we guessed he wasn’t a stray). He kind of looked like our cat Charlie, only with white paws.

The front of Warner Castle.

The courtyard in the back.

Kitty!

Near the front of Mt. Hope Cemetery.

One of the prettiest tombs there! Don't blink!

The older section, with the stairway from who knows when.

Next we walked through the edge of Highland Park. During the spring it’s known for its lilacs (hence the annual Lilac Festival). After that we arrived in Mt. Hope Cemetery, famous for being where local abolitionists Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass were buried. We didn’t go too far since we were having dinner soon after, but we walked around near the entrance where the fountain and many of the mausoleums are located. It’s a very pretty area, and although it’s a cemetery, it makes for a beautiful location for a walk or run through its park-like setting. If we hadn’t had any time constraints, we definitely would have stayed longer.

4. Abundance Co-op

Joe and I just went in here out of curiosity and to kill a few minutes before Lex and Ben arrived at The Owl House down the street for dinner. It reminded me of Lori’s Natural Foods in Henrietta, only smaller. If you live in the city and you’re in dire need of organic eggplant, I guess this is your place.

5. The Owl House

We had dinner with our friends Lex and Ben, another cutesy couple. We sat at the bar for a few minutes, since we were early and the restaurant didn’t open for dinner until 5:00. The bartender was nice, and Lex ordered a drink called “Agent Cooper.” Sadly, it took me a minute to get the Twin Peaks reference (“The owls are not what they seem...”), but I decided to try that as well. For dinner, Joe and I both had the Viva Verde! Tacos (Joe’s had pork, mine had tofu). I think mine could have had way more tofu in it, but I liked their use of fresh ingredients and the water bottle left on the table so we didn’t have to wait for refills. Lex and I also appreciated the fact that The Owl House accommodates those with vegan/vegetarian and gluten-free diets.

A damn fine drink.

My tofu tacos, with way too much cabbage and a cold black bean and corn salad.

Joe's pork tacos, which look almost exactly like mine... but with pork.

Lex and Ben--Cutesy Couples Unite!

6. Boulder Coffee Company (South Wedge)

A coffee shop with beer? Sounds like Joe’s kind of place. Lex, Ben, Joe, and I decided to go there so we could continue our conversation (and to wait out the heavy downpour during the thunderstorm). I drank a ridiculously huge iced chai, and we brought “Daffyd” the Dalek (the only nice Dalek in the village... anyone?) with us, as we all decided to name him. We also witnessed a Cake cover band called “This is Not Cake.” We could tell. I liked the comfy couches (those are always a plus in coffee houses), and I really liked some of the avant garde art on the walls—all or most of it was definitely local.

Mr. Bill!

Giant mermaid!

Dalek heart chai!

Lex posing as a Price is Right model.

After the storm died down, we went out to Lex and Ben’s place to continue chatting. I think we were going to play a game, but it never really happened and didn’t need to. For anybody who says that there’s nothing to do in Rochester, well, I think we proved you wrong... and this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Review: Grandpa Sam's Italian Kitchen - 8/5/11

When putting together our Top 5 lists, Joe and I had many different things to consider. We not only looked at the quality of the food for a particular restaurant, but also good service (and consistent good service), the atmosphere, the amount of options and flexibility in the menu, the presentation of the meal, the value of the meal for its price, and the ease of getting a table. One such place that Joe picked for some of these qualities was Grandpa Sam’s Italian Kitchen in Spencerport. If you recall the entry, however, you’ll notice that this restaurant ended up not in my Top 5 but instead in the honorable mentions section. Maybe since I’m the one writing this, I’m inclined to say that our recent visit to Grandpa Sam’s confirms my placement and not Joe’s. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good little place to go when you’re craving a hearty pasta dish, but the lack of consistency in the above categories, to me, prevents it from being one of the Rochester area’s best despite its potential.

Joe and I went on a Friday night for a nice convenient date night right down the street. We hadn’t made a reservation, so we knew we would have to wait a bit. Sometimes we’re lucky and can get in almost immediately. Being that it was a Friday, we didn’t mind waiting. Joe entertained me by trying to test my psychic abilities by Googling pictures on his phone and asking me to guess what it was. (FYI: I’m not psychic... at all.) Joe and I waited ten minutes in the small waiting area by the door, which got crowded fast. During times like those, I appreciate restaurants with a decent-sized bar instead of a few uncomfortable chairs squished together. Finally, we were seated by the hostess not in the main dining area but instead in the room off to the side, which had many empty tables when we arrived in there. I’m not sure why we had to wait if they had extra tables available; it could have been that they were waiting for additional waitstaff to arrive at 6:00, but they’re only open for dinner, so I’m not sure that that’s it. I always find it perplexing when you have to wait while tables sit empty, but I’ll give Grandpa Sam’s the benefit of the doubt this time.

The interior of Grandpa Sam’s is a bit rustic and feels like eating at someone’s house. I like the burgundy paint and the Italian style mural on the back wall. The tables are spaced appropriately, so you never feel like you’re eating at someone else’s table (I remember this feeling quite frequently at the now-closed Henrietta Bazil location). The overhead speakers blasted out tinny ’80s Italian pop music, which I don’t think I’ve ever heard there before; it amused me and Joe for a while. Our server came over promptly, and except for disappearing once during dinner, she was consistently attentive and friendly.

Dancing to the Italian version of Gunther!

In front of the burgundy door to nowhere...

For drinks, I stuck with a glass of water while Joe drank a Labatt. I had tried a sample of their pinot noir special for the evening and found it too sweet (it should be dry). After placing our dinner order, Joe and I received a mixed green salad and some freshly baked bread, both of which arrive with any meal you order. One thing I like about the bread is that the server gives you a dish of olive oil, ground black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese for dipping. You can order garlic bread instead for an extra fee, but the fresh Italian bread always tastes wonderful without that extra seasoning. The salad this time, however, lacked ingredients—only a couple of sliced grape tomatoes and too-garlicky croutons were added to it, and the dressing tasted too strongly of vinegar. For being a salad for two people to share, it also seemed fairly small, but given its lackluster taste, I guess we should have been glad they didn’t give us any more. While waiting for our food, Joe continued to test my psychic ability (still not psychic). We then had a disagreement over which Ramone was a conservative, and our friend Ian confirmed via text that I was right about “Kill a commie for mommy Johnny” (Joe said DeeDee—really?). I won $5, which he never actually gave me, and dinner on this date night, which he did pay for; I’m a lucky girl!

Joe noticed that they had new specials. One dish sounded a bit more upscale: grilled salmon with risotto and a pineapple tomato salsa. Due possibly to Joe’s last disappointing experience with salmon at Ellicottville Brewing Company, he opted instead for the other special of lobster macaroni and cheese. The picture showed a dish of creamy macaroni and cheese topped with a rather large piece of lobster, and for the $18 price of the meal, it should have come with something close to that. This dish had the creamy sauce topped with breadcrumbs as in the picture, but the lobster came in small chunks. Joe also guessed, based on taste, that they had stretched the lobster portions of the dish with pieces of albacore tuna and imitation lobster. He said overall his dish was mediocre, and had this not been a special, I bet he would have gone with a bolognese pasta, which is one of his favorites. The menu asked “Need we say more?” after stating that it was a lobster mac and cheese; we would have to say that yes, they could have said a lot more. It just didn’t live up to Joe’s expectations.

Joe's lobster mac--not exactly what was pictured on the menu

I ordered a create your own pasta dish because I wanted to do something I hadn’t done in a while. For some reason that I now forget, I had been craving alfredo sauce all week, so I decided to make that my order. Usually, I’m unable to get past the Butternut Squash Ravioli on their menu, a unique specialty that really makes the restaurant stand out amongst Rochester’s Italian restaurants. This time I ordered fettuccine alfredo with roasted red peppers. I, too, think I should have ordered something else; I’ve had their alfredo before, and I’ve never had a problem with it, but this dish was just too thick and too messy. I couldn’t take a bite without splattering the pasta all over, and the sauce was so full of heavy cream that after only a few bites I was full. I took the rest home, and I’m not kidding when I say it took me two more attempts in the following days to actually finish it. The flavor was good, but it was unnecessarily heavy. The added issue of making a mess trying to get the pasta on my fork didn’t do the restaurant any favors that night, and the presentation could have been better as well. This just looks like a big soupy mess.

Say "cheese"! No, say "too much cheese"!

Our experience that night wasn’t really bad, but it wasn’t really good either. Both of us have had better from Grandpa Sam’s, and whenever we go back we expect better. We’ve had some really good service there, like when we took my Nana to dinner for her birthday in June. We’ve also had some really poor service; on one of my birthdays, Joe waited half an hour for a second (and small) dish of spaghetti on an all-you-can-eat spaghetti night—something that should have taken only seconds to prepare. This evening, our service was merely adequate, and the quality of the food was mediocre, if we’re being nice about it. For that, Grandpa Sam’s receives a mediocre rating, and I think it will be a while before we dare to return for another date night.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Review: Ellicottville Brewing Company – 7/30/11

We're back! And this time with an actual dinner review (none of that silly lunch stuff here now!). Enjoy!

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After a visit to Olean for a friend’s afternoon wedding reception, Joe and I decided to take a short excursion to Ellicottville Brewing Company. This took us on a nice scenic drive of about 28 miles to the small ski resort town of Ellicottville, NY. Joe and I are both SUNY Fredonia alumni; during our last year or so there, a second Ellicottville Brewing Company (or EBC) opened up in the village. On any stop through Fredonia (or to it, back when we still had friends going there), EBC is a welcome sight and a great break on any road trip. On Saturday, we visited the original location for the first time, and we definitely found it a very enjoyable experience.

The first thing we noticed upon entering was that this EBC location is much more spacious than the Fredonia one. The interior has the look of an old ski lodge—almost everything is wooden and rustic, with detailed moldings, old black and white photographs of skiers from the 1950s or ’60s, and chairs actually made from rough-hewn branches. We waited at the door for about a minute (not very long on a Saturday night), and then the hostess greeted us and actually apologized for keeping us waiting. I was kind of surprised—on a busy Saturday night, I expect to wait, but I guess things are a bit different in Ellicottville. She seated us right afterward, and within a couple more minutes we had our drink order placed for a pitcher of Blueberry Wheat beer.

With apologies to the random people at the bar...

He looks like he has a halo and like he's in deep thought.

Still somewhat chipper (and hungry) after driving to Olean and then to Ellicottville!

If you’re going to a place where the word “Brewing” (or some variation) is in the name, you should expect good beer. EBC doesn’t disappoint! The Blueberry Wheat is my favorite, but they also have an Oatmeal Stout, “Nut Brown,” Pale Ale, and something Joe sampled later on called “Pantius Droppus” (he liked it, but it was too malty for me). Like the Rohrbach Brewing Company in Rochester, you would have to be crazy to order a Budweiser or Coors in a place like this. In our pitcher of Blueberry Wheat, they actually threw in some blueberries. I know this violates the Man Law of “no fruit in beer,” but I thought it was a nice touch. (Joe drank it; he’s the manliest man I know!)

Our beer!

The beer taps

Onto the actual meal: for a starter (sorry, appetizer—we’ve been watching too much Gordon Ramsay), Joe and I ordered mushroom bruschetta. It sounded too interesting not to try! The menus at each EBC location differ, and at “EBC East” in Ellicottville, they offer four different kinds of bruschetta: traditional, mushroom, steak, and pepper with goat cheese. The mushroom bruschetta was such a great start that it was almost too great; the rest of the meal had a lot to live up to. This dish consisted of four slices of Italian bread topped with a piece of ricotta cheese, arugula, and the cooked, marinated mushrooms. When the waiter first set the plate on our table, I detected the earthy scent of the mushrooms. The taste, although it started out a bit salty, finished nicely with no bad aftertaste, and we could easily pick up the traces of rosemary and the dish’s white truffle oil (fancy!). Our only (very minor) complaint was that the ricotta could have been a bit warmer—it tasted cold in comparison to the mushrooms and bread. That’s an easy thing to ignore, however, and the mushroom bruschetta serves as a great twist on a classic starter dish! (As an added bonus, check out the exquisite presentation—most of the meal came with square or rectangular dishes such as this one.)

For dinner, Joe ordered the Summer Salmon, which consisted of a grilled salmon topped with a cucumber and tomato tapenade with rice and asparagus on the side. After the excellent mushroom bruschetta, this dish really had to impress, and sadly Joe did not think that it did. He said for the most part that the meal was just bland. Everything was cooked fine—although the salmon was grilled too long and looked a little black around the edges—but mostly everything lacked seasoning. The saffron rice didn’t have a saffron taste, and I saw Joe add salt and pepper to it at least a couple of times. He had the same complaint about the asparagus—cooked well, but no real flavor. The presentation also lacked the same refined look as the bruschetta, since it was served on a bizarre beer bottle plate—cute, but not really fitting for this meal. The one thing that saved the entire meal from disaster was its side: a crisp Caesar salad with romaine, a house-made dressing, and “well-fired croutons,” according to Joe. Overall, however, Joe said that this ambitious meal was a letdown.

Joe's dinner with beer bottle plate!

 My meal was probably a bit less fancy, but mine was far from being a letdown. I ordered the falafel burger, which I thought was another unique twist on a classic. If you’ve never had falafel, I’ll explain it: it’s a Mediterranean food made from fried crushed chickpeas (same stuff used in hummus!), and it’s usually flavored with curry and other spices. It typically comes in a pita and is topped with tzatziki (a cold yogurt and cucumber sauce). Falafel usually consists of several smaller pieces of fried chickpea—EBC’s falafel burger was essentially one big falafel in a bun. I actually didn’t eat the bun because it was too big and instead just ate the falafel with my fork. I think it would have worked better in a pita. I know EBC was probably trying to get away from that traditional side of the dish, but it’s tradition for a reason: the bun is too big for the falafel burger. Unlike Joe’s meal, the falafel packed a lot of seasoning. In some places I actually found the curry too overpowering, but for the most part it had just the right amount of flavoring. I ordered a salad for my side dish, which I usually do because I hate french fries, and I loved its presentation in a neat little square bowl. The salad itself had a mix of romaine, arugula, and herbs, and the shaved parmesan and lemon balsamic dressing on it complemented the flavors nicely. My meal turned out perfect, except for the burger bun. This leads me to believe that the menu might be hit or miss; some of their dishes are quite ambitious, and sometimes you can only offer so much innovation on tradition.

Great presentation... except for the plastic cup of dressing?

On the night we dined at EBC, a jazz band, the Paul de Ritter Quintet, provided some entertainment. They even went around taking requests. After our meal ended, we sat at the bar with an old acquaintance from Fredonia and her boyfriend, since they also attended the reception. There we just talked, listened to the music, and drank a little bit more of EBC’s great custom brews. This must have been a festival weekend in Ellicottville, for there were bands in some of the other bars (and one out on the street). Maybe not every aspect of the meal was perfect, but I think we couldn’t have asked for a better night.

Our overall review is four out of five stars. The beer, the bruschetta, and the atmosphere definitely make Ellicottville Brewing Company a worthy excursion.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Simply Crêpes - 7/18/11

This is more of a mini-review than an actual one since it only features me (and my mom!). I realize that this is yet another lunch review, but I promise we will talk dinner soon. Very soon! After taking care of some business (finalizing plans for my and Joe’s wedding reception), we decided we were in need of some lunch. I’ve been to Simply Crêpes a few times with Joe and once or twice with my friend Alexis, but my mom had never experienced the mouth-watering deliciousness of Simply Crêpes. Interestingly, she said she couldn’t remember having crêpes since her honeymoon in Toronto with my dad... in 1983! Before that, she vaguely remembered having them when she lived in Washington, D.C. After some indecisiveness on where to go to lunch, we made up our minds once she revealed that little bit of information.

Simply Crêpes is located in Schoen Place in Pittsford and on Main St. in Canandaigua. Today, we went to Schoen Place, a small road set near the Erie Canal. All of the buildings in this area have a rustic cabin-like appearance, and the canal is popular for its path for walking and biking. When it comes to the matter of location (location, location, location!), this is a great spot for any restaurant. (Another favorite for me and Joe, Aladdin’s, also has one of their two restaurants in this area.)

The kitchen

In the dining area

The interior of the restaurant reminds me of walking into someone’s kitchen, maybe someone’s mom or grandma. Upon entering, I always feel like an old lady should come up to me, tell me to sit down, and head into the kitchen to “whip something up.” Small wooden tables sit scattered around the room, and the far wall displays a tall brick fireplace. The kitchen is visible from the dining area, but this is deliberate in the set-up. Unlike the Frog Pond, which merely suffered from a lack of space, Simply Crêpes display their kitchen to highlight their cooks’ preparation of their unique dishes. The restaurant is also exceptionally clean with no flies buzzing around, which is impressive in the summer with doors always opening and closing.

Traditional crêpes with strawberry

My mom ordered the Traditional Crêpes with strawberries instead of maple syrup. The presentation was exquisite. She said this was just how she remembered eating crepes—probably even better! She said she felt like she was eating a dessert, not a lunch. Try not to drool on your keyboard when you look at this picture.

Crêpe Épinards

I ordered the Crêpe Épinards—scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and tomatoes, and feta cheese wrapped in a crêpe. Without the crêpe, I would call it a lazy omelet. With the crêpe, it transforms into a really fancy breakfast burrito. This was a dish I hadn’t tried before—I usually stick to the Traditional Crêpes that my mom had ordered. This was good, but it was not their best dish, especially since the presentation lacked pizazz. Then again, I tend to think of crêpes as sweet foods, so with eggs, cheese, and veggies, it had more of the traditional breakfast flavors I expect in foods like this rather than being a decadent pseudo-dessert.

One disappointing thing about our lunch today was the service. It wasn’t horrible at all, but it was mediocre. Our waiter didn’t really come by too much. The cook called our order twice before our waiter came up to grab it. It’s kind of disappointing to sit right near the kitchen and see your order sitting for a minute or two where you could just grab it. However, our waiter was the only one on the floor. We were there during a later time for lunch, but we were not the only ones dining in the restaurant. There were several other staff members in the restaurant, but most of them were sitting at tables either in a meeting (two were sitting around a laptop) or putting napkins and silverware together. For most of our time there, only one young woman cooked in the kitchen. As I mentioned, this was not peak lunchtime, and the service didn’t greatly impact our experience, but that distribution of responsibilities seemed too unbalanced. That kind of thing can make customers very upset if it’s during a much busier time.

Overall, I’d give four out of five stars for today, not so much for my meal but because my mom left very impressed.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Date Night at Home: Cannelloni di Templare

This is what we had for dinner a few nights ago, and it was delicious. Joe came up with this recipe, and I told him that he could make it again any time he feels like it! This is a great option for a night in or even for hosting a dinner party. (We had a lot left over with this recipe.) Enjoy!

Cannelloni di Templare

This recipe is a bit of trickery and pocket-sized morsels rolled into cannelloni. The “di Templare” part comes in the alignment of the cannelloni into a cross shape (especially since it’s a cheater’s dish with lasagna instead of cannelloni pasta). I made a vegetarian version with mushrooms and a carnivorous version with sausage. Here are the ingredients I worked with.

Here are the ingredients, many of which came from Wegmans:

1 lb box of lasagna noodles
1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 8 oz can of plain tomato sauce

4 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms

.5 lb of chicken and apple sausage (can substitute with any sort of sausage as long as there are apples)
.5 lb of smoked Gouda

8 oz heavy whipping cream

4 oz vodka

1 tbsp garlic (minced)

shredded mozzarella

salt

olive oil

crushed red pepper

basil

rosemary

sugar

Directions:

Cut the Gouda into 1.5 inch squares about 3 mm thick. Set aside.

In a dutch oven or a large pot or wok, start the garlic* with 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red pepper, and 1.5 tsp of basil. Brown the garlic on medium high. Lower the heat, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, and sauté with 1.5 tsp of balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tsp of sugar, and the vodka. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add basil to taste. When ready to taste, slowly whisk in the heavy cream so it doesn't curdle and then lower the heat until it's on a slow simmer. (*Jen’s note: Joe didn’t specify how much garlic here. With minced garlic, .5 tsp=1 clove, so it’s up to you how much you want to include based on your preferences.)

Start the lasagna with some olive oil and salt. Boil the lasagna until al dente and then bathe in a blanching shock bath to stop the cooking process.

Marinate the mushrooms with 1 tsp of olive oil, .5 tsp salt, .5 tsp red pepper, and .5 tsp rosemary flakes.

Grill or sear in a hot pan or a grill for 2 minutes (I use a Foreman Grill). Once grilled, chop the mushroom into a fine tapenade consistency.

Grill the sausage in a pan searing or on the grill for 5-10 minutes (again the Foreman Grill is best for this). When done, take off and slice into thin nickels.

Sausage nickels

Preheat the oven to 325.

Take the lasagna noodles out one at a time and pat dry. Lay flat on a cutting board and add a wedge of Gouda at one end; next to the cheese, put some of the mushroom or sausage or both. Then gently roll the noodle on the cheese piece to completely tuck in the contents. After you have a roll, place it on a greased baking pan. Do this until you fill your baking pan. 

Blond mushroom cannelloni

Close-up

With the pan or pans laid out with little rolls of cannelloni, cover them with sauce so there is no blond pasta showing. When that is accomplished, sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella to your liking. 

Mushroom cannelloni before baking--lots of leftovers!

Joe's sausage cannelloni

Put the pan(s) into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

When they are done, serve in a cross formation on the plate. If you want to, put some leftover sausage nickels in the center. Cover the cannelloni with any leftover sauce and more mozzarella if desired. Garnish with parsley or basil.

Mushroom cannelloni--delish!

Sausage cannelloni