Hey Danvers, What’s for Dinner?

Flavors Of Autumn: Creamy Butternut, Bacon and Shrimp Risotto With Orange Sauce

Try this delicious dish as your main meal, tonight for a taste of Italy in the fall.

Who said your side dish can’t double as your meal? With autumn weather in full swing, warm risotto is the perfect go-to comfort food, especially when paired with seasonal vegetables, like roasted butternut squash seasoned with just a hint of cinnamon. Of course, a little bacon always makes it better; and while we’re at it, how about tossing in a handful of jumbo shrimp? Sounds like a meal to me! Risotto is an Italian rice dish made by first sauteing the rice in olive oil or butter, before slowly and continuously adding broth for the rice to absorb. It lends itself to being the perfect base for any vegetable or protein additions to stretch it out as a full meal.  The best part about risotto is the incomparable flavor. Plain rice pales in …

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Business Spotlight

Nicastro's Drives Over The Bridge Into Danvers Square

The popular Gloucester driving school is opening up a second location at 10 Elm St. on Oct. 22.

By embracing burgeoning technology and the advantages of social media, Nicasto's Driving School of Gloucester is set to propel their business into the 21st century, and they are taking Danvers along for the ride. Nicastro's, a family business started by John Nicastro, Sr, has been a staple in the Driver’s Educational arena on the North Shore for over twenty years. Nicastro’s has seen adults young and old from all over the north shore come to participate in classes, where they have learned defensive driving techniques and the rules of the road from Nicastro’s Massachusetts State Certified Instructors. Beginning Oct. 22, Nicastro's will open its doors to its newest classroom addition, located at 10 Elm St. in Danvers Square. According to …

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Hey Danvers, What’s for Dinner?

October Immune Booster: Striped Bass With Ginger and Citrus Shrimp Stuffing

Short on preparation and cooking time but long on taste and health benefits - this baked fish dish is a stunner!

If you're gearing up for a healthy and fit fall, think fish. There are many health benefits to adding more fish into your diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2010 Dietary Guidelines state Americans typically eat only 3.5 oz. of fish per week, but to boost immunity and achieve the necessary intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and nutrients for healthy cardiovascular and nervous systems, 8 oz. is necessary. For these busy school days it's just so much easier to toss a handful of frozen chicken nuggets on a cookie sheet than to prepare a big meal. Just thinking about what to make for dinner can raise one’s blood pressure to unhealthy levels. That’s why it's important to have a few go-to healthy meals that don’t cost a lot and are …

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Business Spotlight

Londi's, One of the First to Rebuild in Danversport, Guarantees Freshness

Ted Londi grew up working in restaurants, and knew he could do it better, proving so when he opened Londi's Famous Roast Beef, Pizza & More in Danversport in 2009.

Londi's Famous Roast Beef, Pizza and More specializes in roast beef, salads and calzones. But their extensive menu has many more choices, from subs and triple decker club sandwiches to specialty pizzas that owner Ted Londi has learned to guage what's popular according the season. "Right now, we are selling a lot of roast beef and club sandwiches," he said. "But in the winter it's all steaks and dinners. But pizza is all the time, starting on Thursday through Sunday - it's all about pizza." At 116 Water St. in the Danversport, Londi's was one of the first businesses to open after the infamous Thanksgiving Day Blast shook the neighborhood back in 2005. This upscale takeout restaurant was designed with an open concept and plenty of seating. …

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Hey Danvers, What’s for Dinner?

Dates In A Blanket Inspired From Nine Elm

Try this appetizer for Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates at your next Octoberfest for a delicious burst of fall flavor that your guests will not soon forget.

Whenever we get a chance to dine out we are always trying new and interesting dishes. I recently went to Nine Elm and had the most amazing dinner, as always. But it was the appetizer that, for me, nearly stole the show. What was this amazing little appetizer that left such an impression? Bacon wrapped dates. Yup, seems a little weird, right? I have had all kinds of bacon wrapped appetizers, from pineapple, to shrimp, to chicken...but dates in a blanket?  Chef Matt Sanidas is known for his creative flare, and yet it was the simplicity of this dish that impressed me. The dates are stuffed with blue cheese, and plump up when they are baked. The cheese melts, the salty bacon carmelizes, and the combination of flavors is downright heady. It’s …

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Business Spotlight

Solstice Massage Has A Hands On Approach To the Military

Striving to 'give back,' the owner of Solstice Massage & Bodywork at 92 High Street in Danvers utilizes her skills to provide relief to men and women in uniform with free and discounted treatments.

Laura Broderick may have found the best way to give back to our honored active military men and women - literally. “They get their massages complimentary - I don’t charge them,” the Danvers resident stated. When asked how long this deal is running, or if it coincides with a special holiday or event, her reply is simple and succinct: “It’s not a special - I won’t charge them. Ever.” Broderick is not only giving back to active military, she’s included veterans of the military, too, who receive services at a 50 percent discount. One may wonder why Broderick chose this specific cause, to give back specifically to men and women in uniform. She explained: “Why do I do it? Well, my brother was in the Army; my dad was in the Korean War, and …

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Hey Danvers, What’s for Dinner?

Super Soup: Tuscan White Bean Soup With Kale

Kale has been called the most nutritious vegetable on the planet, so try this spicy soup recipe and kick up your immune system going into the fall.

Have you ever been transported to a different country just by taste? We discovered Vinny Testa’s at the Liberty Tree Mall, or Vinny’s, as we liked to call it, by chance, and quickly grew to love the fresh Italian flavors as much as the atmosphere. In fact, all four of my children practically grew up in their high chairs we were there so often. At least weekly, and sometimes, like during the Christmas shopping rush, twice in one month, we indulged in their homestyle Italian fare. Finer dining it was not, but fresh, flavorful and family-friendly. Those were the days! I always looked forward to a piping hot bowl of their Tuscan style, white bean and sausage soup. I imagined that this soup embodied the flavors of Italy. It was spicy, without …

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Business Spotlight

Owners Celebrate 22 Years At Pip Printing

Advancements in computer technology have enabled Pip Printing to evolve over the twenty two years the Freeman's have owned the printing shop in the Danvers Village.

The Freemans weren’t exactly looking to get into the printing and promotional items business. In fact, Bob Freeman, who had a background in engineering, was simply looking into options for business ownership when his realtor suggested Pip Printing - part of a franchise based out of California - with a shop located in Danvers that had just hit the market. Pip Printing has been a staple in the Danvers Village strip of shops since the 1970s. The property was once the site of a butchery, before it became Postal Instant Press, and finally evolved into what is now known as Pip Printing. The Freeman’s took a chance and never looked back. Sept. 8 of this year marked the 22nd anniversary at Pip Printing. While Phyllis Freeman grew up in Brookline, …

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Eating Healthy Can Taste Great: Dairy, Soy and Wheat Free Zucchini Meatloaf

A couple substitutions makes this meatloaf diet-friendly, with delicious flavor your whole family will love.

Sometimes it takes a challenge to discover new recipes. I was asked to create a complete meal for a family member with an unusual set of dietary restrictions, which included lactose and wheat intolerances. I immediately began canceling out dinner ideas from my mental go-to list; this one has cheese, that one has too much sugar and so on. I thought a great meat and potatoes dish would go a long way. I settled on meatloaf, with mashed potatoes, and began devising substitutions to get around the milk and bread I would normally use. To be honest, I wasn't sure whatever I was making would taste so great. To be sure I was delivering on taste, I made a test meal for my family. They love it when they get to be guinea pigs for my crazy creations, …

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Business Spotlight

Margaret's Place Thriving In New Location Downtown

Owner Margaret Melanson marvels at the loyalty from consignors who have been with her from the start, and how with a little luck she is in the location of her dreams after twenty eight years.

  What a difference a day makes. When the building where Margaret's Place has been a staple for consignment clothing for the past quarter century was sold, many wondered if owner Margaret Melanson would just close up shop. But as the first ever consignment shop to open in Danvers over twenty eight years ago, Melanson at 75, was not nearly ready to throw in the towel on the business she has loved from the day she bought it from the original owner in 1984.  With a lot of help from her daughters, and some additional little luck finding the perfect space to relocate to, Margarets Place is back on track, and better than ever. With gleaming wood floors, exposed brick walls, high ceilings with exposed natural wood beams, and an antique beehive …

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