So we'll be in W Mass this fall visiting the other half's hometown. We'll be driving in to Boston for a wedding, but turning around pretty quick to get back to the kids.

I asked some friends for recommendations for something relatively quick but good, and got two suggestions for Kelly's. This sounds pretty perfect for us--I can get a lobster roll (non-existent in Phoenix) and he can get his "usual" roast beef.

The only downfall is that I was warned that the Framingham location has gone decidedly downhill. This is also the location that will be convenient for us. Anyone with firsthand experience? Are we better off going somewhere else?

I've spent the last 25 years of my life (aka my entire life) in the Phoenix area. Fiance is from W Mass (Agawam/Springfield), and we'll be heading back east for the Big E and a friend's wedding in Boston.

When we plan vacations, I typically make up a food itinerary for the entire trip. While he appreciates a good meal, he's hardly as obsessed as I am, and just goes along with whatever I say. However, since he's so familiar with his area I'm kind of leaving that portion of the trip up to him. (To give you an idea, he's most pumped for White Hut and ice cream at Friendly's.)

I think my biggest question is what to eat while driving to/from/in Boston. I am hoping I can convince him to a nicer sit down brunch/lunch the day after the wedding before we drive back to Springfield. I'd LOVE to do Neptune Oyster House, but the guy doesn't eat fish. A friend also recommended Toro, which I know he'd go for, but I was kind of hoping to make it somewhere more "New England." We're staying in what the hotel calls "downtown Boston," but we will have a car.

We're also driving up to Amherst and Northampton at some point, and any specific recommendations about the Big E would be appreciated. Also, is it too early for apple picking? Every fall I read about these apple cider donuts on every single food blog, and I'm dying to have one. Oh, and aside from the detour in Boston, we'll have our two youngsters with us. :)

Thanks!

So there are a bunch of threads on this already, but nothing that's really inspiring me.

The shower is for me. It'll be between 20-30 people. No real theme--I'm kind of just choosing random foods I've been craving. (My last shower I did Hawaiian--kalua pork and cabbage, shoyu chicken, pancit, lumpia, tropical fruit salad, haupia cake, punch bowl of Blue Hawaiians.) My mother and MIL are throwing it, but my mom wants me to let her know what kind of food I want. So far my (random assortment) must haves are:

Smitten Kitchen's Quiche Lorraine
Stuffed Mushrooms
My MIL's eggplant parm
Shrimp Cocktail
Cheesecake

I want to avoid anything too "cutesy"--cupcakes, mini quiches, finger sandwiches, etc. It's during lunch, so I'd prefer some substantial food, not just hors d'oeuvrs. My mother is a pretty seasoned cook, so links I could send her for recipes would be great!

Not sure if this is even making sense--please excuse my scattered preggo brain. Thanks!

So dear boyfriend gifted me with a new 14 cup Cuisinart food pro for my birthday this week. My old model was a crappy Black and Decker that was seriously held together by duct tape, so needless to say, I'm a psyched.

What I am wondering about is why you would make yeasted doughs in the food pro? I typically make my doughs in my KitchenAid, which works well for me. Is there an advantage to the food pro? To me I can't imagine the dough would be worked as well in the food pro than a stand mixer, but I haven't tested this out yet. Is it just a personal preference thing? Are recipes interchangeable?

The name says it all! It's ratatouille AND it's a pizza. Need I tell you it was delicious? It was as good to eat as it is beautiful to look at!... More