Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Happiness Is In A Cupcake

"When I die I am going to come back as a bottle of sprinkles. Sprinkles make everyone happy."
                                            ~Aunt Missy

Nuff said. Thank you Aunt Missy for putting that into perspective. :)


Cheers!



Sunday, November 18, 2012

Getting Corny

I love corn and even better, I love corn bread. So, I find it only fitting to share with you this recipe that my sister gave me years ago. It is a recipe from a friend of hers. My sister served this corn bread at her wedding along with pumpkin soup and it was to die for. I could go for some pumpkin soup right about now.


Yummy Corn Bread

1 c corn meal
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking power
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 can cream corn
1 c milk
1/2 c canola oil
1-2 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Before mixing together, measure 2 tbsp oil in 10 inch cast iron skillet (must use a cast iron skillet because it makes a huge difference). Then, put in oven to heat up for about 5-10 min. Sift together first 5 ingredients. Seperately beat eggs, add oil, milk, honey, and cream corn. Add liquid ingredients to dry mixing quickly and thourouly.  Pour into the preheated pan. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.

If you wanted to change it up try adding sharp cheddar cheese with jalapeƱos for a kick. I may even add a little rosemary next time too.

Cheers!



Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Score!

You can only imagine my reaction when I came across this most wonderful vintage beverage cart! The best find in some time for me folks. I am super excited! It fits perfectly in my kitchen and goes along with my retro decor. Perfection.


The added bonus to this cart is.....


Electricity! It has an outlet! I havent tested it out just yet but when I do I hope it works!

Cheers!




Monday, November 12, 2012

Getting Fancy In The Kitchen...Sort Of

I often find myself cooking the same things over and over again becuase I know how to make them, have mastered the recipe, and know exactly the amount of time it will take to make it. I opt for the least amount of time always. Now, I have been trying to broaden my horizons a bit and will branch out to make something out of the comfort zone. So, I went with Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade from Cooking Light. I love cooking light because not only are the recipes amazeballs they are well put together and you are given the exact amount of time it will take to prepare and cook. What I love even more about Cooking Light is that I now can download it to my iPad. For some reason, reading a magazine is so much more fun on the iPad. This was fun becaue I have never "butterflied" anything, much less stuffed it with yummy goodness. So folks, I give you my first attempt!


Make it if you are a carnevor. It is pretty nice and very conducive to the Fall food category. :)



Sunday, November 11, 2012

Impromptu Pigs

So, Sundays around the Lucas house hold consist primarily of football. I, however, do not partake in this event. I have learned that I do not speak in the living room while football is on and walking in front of the TV is forbidden. I have also learned that when bad words are spoken they are not directed at me. Rather, only directed at the TV station and the computer station where the fantasy football is monitored regularly throghout the day. I have learned to carry on my day with no question. I have learned that I am free to do whatever I see fit on Sunday, as long as I do not disturb the system of manhood in the living room. I am okay with that. I have also learned that the man being in the living room will eat pretty much anything I feed it since it does not get off the couch at all during this sacred time.

As I was chatting with my sis via skype, she suggested that pigs in a blanket fair well as a nice sporty appitizer. I didn't really have the makings for it...so I thought. No little smokies and not the proper ingredients to make a nice dough. But, alas, I discovered I did have some turkey kielbasa and some grands biscuits. The man beings tastebuds will likely respond to this! I just cut the turkey keilbasa down to somewhat of a little smokey size, added some great cheese from Trader Joe's and wrapped those suckers up with the buiscuit dough and there you have it. Impromptu pigs in a blanket. That equals a happy manhood system in the living room.


Cheers!



Saturday, November 10, 2012

Austin, TX

Austin is such a great city here in Texas. It's only about a 3 hour drive for us so that's a bonus. They have a great music festival there every year in the fall and we have been going for a while now and look forward to it every year! It has been a few weeks since we got back but as usual had a great time with friends and saw some great bands too...and there was one really awful band with a consistent pattern of explicatives. That was unexpected and even more unexpected that they scheduled that band to go on next to the kids stage. I think the children watching what was going on at the kids stage may have added a few new words to their vocabulary.

We found a great studio apartment that we rented which was walking distance to the festival. That beat years past for sure. So long La Quinta, you will no longer subject us to high transportation rates with a reckless driver leaving me wondering if I will survive the ride.

The food at the fest is always excellent. Tim Love represented too. I got down on that Love Shack burger. Of, course we can never resist a Boomerangs Guinness steak and potato meat pie.



Pies sooooooo good they require several trips to the register. Go to their website now and order some. It will be more than worth it. Plus, come to think of it, come on down to Fort Worth and go to one of Tim Love's restaurants.

Well, enough about food. The weather was great. In Texas, the weather is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. It rained on Saturday with a brief...yet heavy...down pour. Other than that It was really nice.


On Saturday, we left the fest a little early. Our dear friend that was at the fest with us is a Sommelier and just recently passed his test for Advanced Sommelier. He is pretty fantastic and can sniff or sip a wine and tell you what frigging year it was made. I am pretty dumbfounded about that one but yet he says it's easy. Anyhoo, his friend that passed the certification with him just opened up a very cool wine cellar where we spent the evening.

We also celebrated our anniversary that weekend. We stayed in Austin a few extra days after the fest to relax and enjoy the town.


We went to 24 Diner for lunch. It was delicious! Jeff had Chicken and Waffles, yum.


I had the pulled chicken breast sandwich. It had goat cheese on it. That's all I needed to know.


We walked up an down South Congress which has tons of shops, restaurants, quaint hotels, and coffee shops. There is the coolest antique store called Uncommon Objects. We were in there forever. They had tons of cool and strange things. I had to resist the urge to take pictures because of all the "no camera" signs. I saw other people do it but I guess I am too by the book, darn it. I just imagine sirens going off and the authorities tackling me if I do something bad! Ha!

We happened across a great hat shop called Goorin Bros. Jeff picked up a spiffy new hat.


This store is awesome. The minute you walk in it is like you have walked back into time. I could picture myself shopping for a hat in the early 1900's in there. I love how they wrap the hats up too! Check this place out folks!


We also happened across The Impeccable Pig. Super cute store! I got myself a nice new winter coat.


All the shopping worked up a thirst so we stopped at Jo's Coffee. Best coffee ever folks! I haven't had someone make coffee that good since I was a barista at a little old coffee shop in my under grad days called Coffee Haus. Word.


Then, it was back to the studio for a little relaxation to end our vacay and to crack open the bottle of wine our Sommelier friend gave us 2 years ago on our wedding day. Ah, the simple things in life!


 Thank you Austin. You delivered as usual.

Cheers!





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