I'm salivating....

Excuse my gross title....but seriously, this looks incredible! 

Photo credit:  Elaine Skinner

What an amazing concept!  A transient restaurant that travels from venue to venue (sometimes farm to farm) with ever changing menus fit to echo the setting, city or hands of the people who bring food to the table.  This sounds like a foodie dream complete with local ingredients and a local, celebrated chef all dining elbow to elbow at a long table together. 

If only I had a spare $400 lying around for Blake and I get experience this!

Food Review Times Two

I got the chance to hit up not one, but two new places in Austin.  Since you've probably seen Menu Plan Monday, you know that we don't eat out that much, but Wednesday was different! 

I met Kristin, a new friend from my Discipleship Group at Bouldin Creek Cafe.  Blake and I have been watching this place while it was under construction every time we drove up South First.  We were curious to see what would go into the space.  The Caffine Dealer sign is out front - I guess this popular spot moved to a new building.  

The space is so cool and has a great patio out front.  It doubles as a coffee house but also has great food.  I was a little bit suprised to find only vegetarian food but it did not disapoint.  We shared veggie fajitas and sweet potato tamales and they were both so good!  I was really satisfied too.  I might be making this my new office every once in a while!

Wednesday night was date night for us.  We've been trying to do a better job of sticking to our evenings out.  This week we tried The Backspace.  This spot is owned by the same people that own Parkside on 6th and is just around the corner from their first store.  It's actually unmarked, without a sign, and people are finding their way in just by word of mouth.  It's a really small spaace - only seats about 30 people, including the bar.  The menu is on the short side, but we were impressed by the quality of ingredients and the suprising flavor combinations. 

We shared the Octopus as an appetizer - drenched in a chilie & blood orange sauce and then shared the beet, fenel and citrus salad.  We started with only one pizza - Roasted Mushroom, Ricotta, Capers and Tomatoes but then decided it was too good to just stop at one and had the Fennel Sausage pizza as well.  The crust was really great.  Chewy but crisp at the same time.  I love the coal fire oven.  Yum! 

This is one that's worth checking out.  I'd stick to a week night if you don't want to wait since it is a small place.  Enjoy!

New Austin Eats & Drinks!

This week we had a chance to try a few new (to us) spots around town.  I love exploring new restaurants around town and this week's picks were great! 

Wednesday night's date night took us to a new Mexican food joint, Takoba, on the East side of 35.  Blake had been there before with some guys, during the weekend I kicked him out of the house for the Bachelorette Party.  The atmosphere was really great and they had a fabulous patio.  Would be a great spot for families too - there is a giant sandbox in the back.  Now that it's finally warmed up, we enjoyed sitting outside - even if the space heater was going.   I tried their mango-habenero margarita to start and we shared some chiviche.  It really inspired me to want to try to make my own - I'll keep you posted on that!  I had the fish tacos and Blake tried the chile relleno.  The chiviche was our favorite part!  

Friday Night we celebrate our friend's birthday at Lustre Pearl in the Rainey Street District.  We had yet to venture over to that part of town and sad that we haven't been yet.  We loved the vibe of all of the laid back bars.  Again, great patio.  There seems to be a theme here with this wonderful weather. Definitely a cool scene - but not too cool, if you know what I mean.  We can't wait to check out Clive - another bar on the street.  We might be hitting that up this week for date night. :)

Saturday Night we were pooped after a day of moving and saying goodbye to some friends.  We had an empty fridge and pantry and I wasn't really up for cooking - so we decided to go out.  We thought we "earned" a burger as a reward for our hard work all day so we tried out Hopdoddy on South Congress.  Hopdoddy is fairly new and recently replaced a grocery type market.  It was packed that night with the line nearly out the door.  Somehow, we snagged 2 seats at the bar and avoided the line.  Blake had the Magic Shroom Burger and I had the Greek Burger (lamb, yum).  We also indulged in some chili cheese fries and a beer.  Totally not what I expected for chili cheese fries but they hit the spot. 

Great new finds for us!  We're excited to keep exploring our new city.  If you're from Austin or love to visit, what are your favorite restaurants, coffee shops or bars?  Would love some recommendations!

Birthday Roadtrip for B

Saturday we decided to take a much needed day off of work to take a getaway to a place on our "Texas Bucket List" as a pre birthday celebration for B.  We had thought about taking a road trip somewhere but are quickly realizing being back in Texas, that getting out of the state is easier said than done.  We miss that about AZ.

We slept in that morning and got a late start on the road with just enough time to stop in Lockhart for some BBQ.  This town is supposedly famous for their Texas BBQ and have multiple well known smoke houses and meat markets to get your carnivore fix.  B chose Black's BBQ.  I think he chose wisely.

We walked in and saw dozens of options for serve yourself sides to choose from.  From creamed corn, mac and cheese to cornbread dressing and even sweet potato casserole.  The meats were cut for you on the spot.  We sampled some brisket and sausage and decided to go for a little of both.  The brisket was by far the best thing we had.  The place was a legit Texas BBQ experience, complete with old pics and road signs adorning the wall.  Our booth had a picture of Colt McCoy, Jordan Shipley and Stephen McGee from their visit together in 2006.

Happy Husband about to be very full

With full bellies, we climbed back into the car and headed about an hour down the road to Shiner, Texas.  Living out of state for the past several years, we always were on the hunt for Shiner on tap and it was a special treat when you could get your hands on it.  It's always been one of my favorites, maybe because it's a Texas beer, maybe because it's really a great beer. :)

We got a full tour of the brewery.  The most fascinating part was seeing the bottling process.  Being in the CPG industry, I found it particularly interesting.  Yes, nerdy I know.   Outside it smelled like freshly baked sweet bread.  Yum.

We traded our wooden nickels in for 4 tastings.  Our favorite was by far the Shiner 102, an anniversary brew.  Not sure what makes it a "Double Wheat" beer, but it was smooth, easy to drink and oh so good. Stock up if you see it, it's only in a limited production.  Shiner, Texas was a success.

Saturday night we entertained at our casa with a bunch of friends and family to celebrate him again.  I love love love to stretch birthday celebrations out as long as possible.  Blake was a master griller and made some killer burgers.  The night was filled with good friends, good beer, a fire pit, a few games of bags, bocce ball and even a 7 pound chocolate cake!

Can't wait to keep the celebrations going for my hubby!  I love birthdays!  AND I love him!

Winner Winner Chicken (Salmon) Dinner: Herb Crusted Salmon and Creamed Spinach

Our favorite dinner this week was our Herb Crusted Salmon with Creamed Spinach.  Both of these recipes are the kind that just kind of "sit" in my head and I don't really have them on paper or have specifics on how I make them again and again (I know, not helpful at all).  That said, I think I'll take a stab and putting these recipes down here.  Kinda fun that I actually get to claim them as my own! 

Disclaimer:  If you give these a try and they don't turn out....I'm sorry!  They are more of a little of this, a little of that type creations!  So, good luck!

Herb Crusted Salmon
I make this salmon by creating a herb paste in a small prep bowl.  I start with a large amount of dried dill (maybe 1.5 T), add in some garlic (1 clove fresh), 1/4 t of oragano, 1/4 t of garlic, 1 pinch of red pepper flakes or a couple shakes of Tabasco, 1/4 onion salt, some freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of sea salt.  I then add enough olive oil to turn this into a paste.  I also add about (depending on how much you like mustard) a spoonful of dijon mustard.  Spread this paste over the top of your fish.  Line a baking dish with foil (much easier clean up!) and bake at 375 to your desired temperature.  When I start seeing the white fat ooze out of the fish, it's usually close to being done and still moist enough too.  This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. 

Easy (and fairly healthy) Creamed Spinach
Sometimes I just want a little more indulgence to my veggies.  This is a great way to get the nutrients from fresh, green veggies and still have a satisfying, warm side dish.

Take 1/2 bag of fresh spinach (I sometimes incorporate about 1/2 a bag of defrosted chopped frozen spinach) and julliane the leaves.  Finely dice 1/2 yellow onion and throw both veggies into a mixing bowl.  Add in 1/2 cup light sour cream, a small handful of grated parmesean, salt, pepper and 1-2 cloves of garlic.  Stir together to form a mixture that is moist, but not overly wet.  Spray a shallow baking dish with Pam and spread in mixture to the dish.  Top with small amount of sprinkled parmesan and some panko breadcrumbs if you desire.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 until the spinach is hot all the way through and the cheese is melted on top.  Serve hot. 

Are these recipes helpful?  Is anyone trying these?  Should I keep going down this path with the blog? Would love your feedback!

Meal of the Week Winner: Chicken Fajitas with Sweet Potato and Poblano Peppers

Photo from RealSimple.com

This was by far my favorite meal of the week that we cooked from home.  Another favorite was the white bean and tomato basil side dish from earlier in the week.  This was a tasty dish that B and I threw together - inspired from Real Simple's November issue.  We had a couple friends over and I think they enjoyed it as well!

On a side note - I've been trying to cut out recipes or ideas that inspire me for my weekly menu plans and put them into a notebook.  It's been fun to try a few new things recently.  I would have never picked sweet potato in fajitas but it was yummy!  Here is my best idea of what I actually put together to make the dish....

1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 Chicken breasts or the chicken tenders ( Marinated for about 1/2 a day in the following:  1/2 packet taco seasoning, juice of 1 lime, 1 T worchester, 2 T Apple Cider Vinegar, 2T Cumin)
Heat one turn of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion, poblano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Meanwhile, light the grill and cook marinated chicken tenders until cooked completely through but still juicy!

Serve in fresh tortillas (the ones you have to cook up in the skillet) and top with sour cream and cheese.  We served it with Spanish rice, my mom's black beans (recipe upon request) and margaritas! Ole!

Black Eyed Peas and Football

No, I'm not talking about Fergie and Will I Am. 

B and I have had the chance to spend our last 4 new years eves and days together despite some long distance dating along the way.  We have fun memories of Tempe Beach park parties, piano bars, nice dinners at home with friends, falling asleep before midnight and nights out on the town with friends or just the two of us.  One tradition that seems to have stuck is our Black Eyed Peas (or Hoppin Johns) new years day meal and lots of football.  Our tradition would not be complete without "Blake's Secret Cornbread" and some Chili to go along with it. :)

I thought I would share the recipe for the Hoppin Johns.  Most people think about black eyed peas and turn up their nose.  I think this recipe might change their minds.  It's full of flavor and really satisfying.  You have to eat them for good luck anyway, so you might as well enjoy it!

3 Cups Black Eyed Peas (Fresh is best - but Frozen or Dried are good substitutes.  Avoid canned)
1.5 C Yellow Onion Chopped ( I tend to add a little extra, maybe up to 2 C)
1 C Celery Chopped
1 C Bell Peppers ( I like both red and Green)
1 T Minced Garlic ( I also go pretty heavy here, maybe double it)
1.5 T Thyme
1 t red pepper flakes
1 t Cayenne
1 Bay Leaf
2 C Chicken Broth
1 Can diced tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
1-2 Links of your favorite cooked sausage
3/4 C Green Onion
2 C. White Rice

Soak black eyed peas (if needed).
In large pan coat with olive oil and add onion and saute on med high heat.  Add celery and bell pepper until vegetables are soft.  Add spices and garlic then stir in beans.  Add can of tomatoes (with juices) and cover with broth.  Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Add in sliced sausage links and top with green onion before serving.  Serve over cooked white rice with extra hot sauce. We like ours more like a soup - so add more broth if you would like.  Always better on day two or three!
Enjoy!

This also sounds quite delish!  A great alternative for some obligatory BEPs!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/zannies-black-eyed-pea-dip/

Menu Plan Monday

B and I feel like we need a detox after all of our holiday eating.....Here are our (somewhat) healthy options to get us back on track for the week:

Monday: Grilled Chicken with White Bean/Tomato Basil Salad and Sauted Spinach
Tuesday:  Date Night!  Paella!
Wednesday:  Curry Shrimp and Snow Peas over brown rice
Thursday:  Pork Tenderloin with Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots and Salad
Friday:  Chicken Fajitas with Sweet Potato and Poblano Peppers

I'm hoping to post our favorite recipe of the week after they are 'taste tested'.  Stay tuned!

I love date nights at home.....

....a slow cooked meal, a glass of affordable, yet tasty red wine and candlelit dinners with my love.

Menu Plan Monday

I LOVE cooking. It really is one of the most fun, relaxing, creative, outlets I have. Most days when I get home from work I am truly and genuinely excited to kick off my heels and jump into preparing a yummy meal for Blake and me. He was pretty spoiled even in our dating days because ever since he moved to AZ, he was fed home cooked meals almost every night. I don't really enjoy recipes (I use cookbooks more as a source of inspiration, i love flipping through them for fun things to try), but I love to find creative and inventive ways to re-create something I may have seen or tasted. It's a fun challenge and I take a lot of pride and joy in my meals. Maybe too much at times. :)

I'm going to be starting a new series titled Menu Plan Monday. Blake and I usually plan out our meals on Saturday or Sunday, shop for our groceries after church and then have a week's worth of yummy ingredients for the week to whip into tasty dishes. If we think a meal was extra yummy it might even warrant its own blog post for your enjoyment. I may not have recipes for all of the meals - but feel free to inquire if you want some guidance on "a little bit of this, a pinch of that." Who knows, maybe I can even get the hubby to guest blog his reviews. I better thicken up my skin! Here's this week's plan: Bon Apetit!

Sunday (last night): zuchini tageletelli with chicken, simple green salad

Monday: marinated grilled flank steak, califlower mashed "potatoes", roasted tomatoes

Tuesday: Apricot glazed pork loin, green salad

Wednesday: Bible Study (Blake eats Pizza, I eat left overs)

Thursday: Cuban Sandwiches (with left over pork), cole slaw

Friday: Left overs - I tend to always cook for at least 3 so we can enjoy left overs for lunch or extra dinners

A Lovely Little Saturday

To enjoy one of the last cool(er) Saturdays before the insane AZ sun hits in full force, B and I rode our bikes to Vincent's Farmers Market this morning for some great eats and fabulous people watching. We skirted Camelback Mountain with some gorgeous views on our 13 mile trek. One of my co-workers, Meghan, recommended Vincents to me the first couple weeks that I moved here and we got hooked. They are a very high end restaurant in the valley but on Saturdays take over their parking lot with a very gourmet market.

It's such a relaxing atmosphere with so much to taste. We love that high school kids (we think a couple are the owners kiddos) run the show- preparing indulgent crepes, pizza, paninnis and manning the produce section. The paninni guy is our favorite. We can't seem to resist having one everytime we go. It's hard to say no - even at 10:30am to a Shrimp and Chicken Pannini fresh off the press!

Can Cookies Be a Love Language?

Because if so, that's definitely Blake's love language. Last night we christened the Kitchen Aid mixer with Blake's favorite, Chocolate Chip Cookies. Nothing fancy, nothing too complicated, just the good old fashioned Toll House recipe. Yum Yum. I also loved using new spatulas, cookie sheets and mixing bowls all that arrived yesterday. I think I could get into this baking thing. I really haven't been too excited about it in the past, mostly because following a recipe feels like you have to color in between the lines. But having some fun tools to use sure make it a lot more fun!

Isn't she beautiful?

That's one happy husband :)

We're going to try to make them last for at least five days....we will see how that goes with a cookie monster on my hands.