subscriptions & strawberries

PTL. I can finally feel the sun warming my long, winter worries away. The delayed Easter holiday really pushed back the spring schedule. I see afternoons of lotion, La Croix and lounging yardside in my future. For a printemps preview, I soaked up some rays during my lunch hour with spinach, spice and one thing real nice: the Europe issue of Travel + Leisure. This light dish is as unexpected as the hidden alleyways in Paris. See if you can spot what spices up my spinach and strawberry salad. Some kind of wonderful.

Spicy Spinach & Strawberry Salad

2 c spinach, washed

1/2 c strawberries, sliced

1 sweet bulb onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. EVOO

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. In medium-sized bowl, combine spinach, strawberries and onion.

2. Drizzle EVOO and balsamic vinegar over salad and mix well. Finish with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

#tbt travelstyle: big sur & blue skies

#throwbackthursday travelstyle to our Sept. 13-15, 2013 trip to San Jose, Carmel & beautiful Big Sur to watch Trey ask two of his friends if they want to do life together. Land in San Jose. Top Down. Highway 1 Drive to Big Sur. An incredible trip with an incredible man to celebrate an incredible couple. #EthanandHolly

first stop Bertucelli’s La Villa Deli for sandwiches almost as good as Trey’s Saturday Sub Sandwich and stacks on stacks of wine, fresh bread and cheese.

you, me & carmel-by-the-sea. Beachside cheers and luxury shopping tucked in hidden alleyways.

moment of mist & bliss along the PCH.

 morning run through the redwoods.

Enveloped by redwoods, our hotel the Glen Oaks Motor Lodge is one of our favorite hotels. Ever. Modern design inside a skeleton of an old motor lodge, each room features a private porch, heated recycled stone floors, a wine fridge, a garden of succulents and complimentary yoga mats. #namaste.

After our morning run along PCH, we stopped in Glen Oaks Big Sur Roadhouse across the street. We instantly feel in love with New Orleans chef Matt Glazer’s design of “homegrown modernism.” Everything from the wine barrel chairs to the leather wine rack, had a place and unique, West coast feel. Our morning fare consisted of:

Southern-Style Biscuits & Gravy: Two Buttermilk Biscuits with Hand-Made-Sausage Gravy

Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich: Fried Egg, Smoked Bacon and New York White Cheddar Cheese

White Corn Grits: With Serrano Chile and Bellweather Farms Peppato Cheese

Of course, since he is from NOLA, we sipped on two Café au Laits in the gorgeous Cali sunshine.

#weknowwhatsup. The March 2014 issue of Food & Wine Magazine listed Big Sur Roadhouse as the place to be & eat. We knew it before it was famous.

big sir & blue skies.

pacific ocean hike revealed hidden waterfalls & a backpack of bubbly. Cheers!

my Main Man.

the wonderful reason for our trip. Two days to celebrate the amazing Ethan & Holly Kaufmann with Trey asking them for their I Do’s. #OrdainedOnline #BestBigSurViews #BestWeddingEver #EthanandHolly #LoveThem

After a night of music & s’mores, we circled back to where we started in the city of San Jose.  Morning breakfast at Naglee Park Garage.

Garden Scramble: Three Eggs, Cherry Tomatoes, Veggies & Goat Cheese

Bacon & Spinach Egg Lasagna: Layered Eggs, Spinach, Bacon, Mushrooms & Swiss Cheese

Big Sur, until next time.

 

 

#tbt travelstyle: unBELIZEable

#throwbackthursday travel to an unBELIZEable vacation with my family and fiancé. From snorkeling with dolphins to shopping in straw markets to discovering a hidden restaurant, we made the most out of our 8 hour adventure in the country of Belize. You better BELIZE it!

beachside bliss on a small island getaway. Look at that #StarfishLove

snorkel before. hey dolphin following our boat. snorkel after.

a few of my favorite things. Baker’s, Beers and one hot Babe. We always ask for local beers and Belize had an amazing collection. Lighthouse Lager & Belikin, known as the Beer of Belize.

you + me, belize at sea.

climbing for coconut. Showing off our fav sunscreen, SunBum. Seriously the best skin care. Get it. Wear it. Love it.

people and places. To Do: 1. Shop the straw market for handmade souvenirs. 2. Take a water taxi to enjoy the Belize views. 3. Drink Belikin and repeat as necessary. 4. Stop and smell the Ixora, my favorite flower found all over the Caribbean. 5. Visit St. John’s Anglican Cathedral. Constructed in 1812, it was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras. 6. Stroll the streets and meet the people of Belize. 7. Find hidden water alleys for breathtaking view of blue. 8. Hold something ancient. 9. Blessed by Belize beauty in all things.

trey discovered a hidden, local hangout that serves incredible food. Jerk chicken, red beans & rice, coastal potato salad, all served with the best sauces we have ever tried. Oh and of course, a few Belize brewed beers.

end the day with a water alley view and Belize hot sauce as a traditional souvenir for Trey.

our signature goodbye with a little tequila. Belize, until next time.

santa fe: red or green

first stop: Santa Fe’s oldest restaurant, Plaza Cafe. on tap: Sierra Blanca Roswell Alien Amber Ale.

the historic diner is located downtown in the original location where it has continued to serve New Mexican cuisine since 1905. When asked ‘red or green’ go for ‘christmas’ to get a mix of both the red chile and green chile sauce. If I lived in NM, I would want it to be Christmas every day.

on my plate: Pork Menudo: hominy stew with cabbage, onion, lime and cilantro.  Served with chile and a flour tortilla.

winter walk on the plaza square after lunch to view the beauty of The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The Cathedral Bells rang just in time for us to see a bride walk through the doors to get married exactly 6 months to the date of our wedding day!

santa fe: lights & liquor

morning mimosas to start our trip off right.

in-flight screwdrivers. round 2. keep the complimentary drinks coming.

christmas in santa fe.

love & lights.

agave margaritas at our fav bar, the agave lounge.

Bon Appetit’s Agave Margaritas

2 Tbsp. agave syrup

1/4 c tequila blanco

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Kosher slat

2 lime wedges

1. Pour some kosher salt into a small dish. Rub 1 lime slice over half the rim of an Old Fashioned glass (if you prefer your Margarita on the rocks) or a coupe glass (if you prefer it up). Dip rim of glass into salt.

2. Combine tequila, agave syrup, and juice in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice and shake well. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with second lime slice.

this man is no old-fashioned.

santa fe christmas.

i’ll have a glass of chardonnay, please.

shops in the seasonal spirit.

cruising the greek isles

With the ocean blue rooftops, sunlight dancing off of rolling waves and endless bottles of wine, guests of the 16^th Annual Rockport Festival of Wine and Foods are transported to the island of Santorini to benefit theTexas Maritime Museum. In the midst of the wine tasting tables and cuisine booths, the annual Rockport Chef Cook-off has begun. Chef Adrian from HEB, defends his 2011 title and whips up another win with his fantastic chef creations. This year, Adrian features a seafood twist on the tradition bruschetta appetizer, a mixture of cultures with a basil, cilantro and avocado entrée and a simple dessert trick that will have you licking the EVOO from your lips. So grab a glass of Agiorghitiko, fire up the stovetop and get ready to yell, “Opa!” because it is time to bring the Greek Isles to your tabletop.

Shrimp Artichoke Bruschetta over Baguette

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 can Artichoke hearts, diced
½ C EVOO
½ lb. cooked shrimp, deveined
1 tsp. roasted garlic
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 baguette

Combine first seven ingredients and serve over baguette. Drizzle with extra EVOO for a flavor boost.

MexItalian Basil Cilantro and Avocado Pesto over Angel Hair Pasta

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

½ C Parmesan
1 garlic clove
4 oz. pine nuts
½ C EVOO
½ cilantro
1 avocado
1 lemon, juice only
4 oz. fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 lb. cooking shrimp, deveined

Blend Parmesan, nuts and garlic in food processor. Add EVOO, basil, cilantro, avocado and lemon juice. Season to taste. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat skillet on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp EVOO and toss pesto, shrimp and pasta together. Ready to eat with a drizzle of EVOO.

Appetizer or Dessert?

For dessert, Chef Adrian scooped a cup of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled sliced almonds on top and instead of a chocolate syrup, he drizzled a Tbsp of EVOO. That might sound like a weird combination of an appetizer staple with an American past time, but the olive oil transformed the store bought ice cream into a soft, velvet sweetness. Try it with your next bowl and you will never purchase the guilt-calorie chocolate syrup again.

sippin’ on the dock of the bay

Rockport, Texas. A place to sink your toes in the sand, follow the salty waves and relax by sippin’ on the dock of the bay at the15^th Annual Rockport Festival of Wine and Foods benefiting the Texas Maritime Museum. Recently, my Uncle Jimmy served as a judge for a chef v. chef food competition during the festival. The two chefs that battled it out on the makeshift kitchen floor were, Chef Adrian Perez ofHEB Plus against Chef Jaime Garcia of the Rockport Country Club. My Uncle Jimmy choose his two favorite two shrimp dishes from the night. If you can’t visit the beach this summer, bring the island flavor to your family with these two great Texas shrimp recipes!

Chef Adrian’s Jalapeno Bacon Shrimp Alfredo

6 slices, Jalapeno-seasoned bacon, chopped

1 C button mushrooms, sliced

1 lb. Shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 C heavy cream

2 to 3 Tbsp Grated (not powder) parmesan cheese

2 servings pasta of your choice. (Angel Hair works well.)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat skillet on medium-high heat.

2. Add bacon and mushrooms and sauté until bacon just begins to brown. Add shrimp and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Add heavy cream, lower heat to medium-low and add Parmesan cheese. Stir until thickened.

3. When pasta is done, drain thoroughly and place pasta in individual pasta bowls or plates. Ladle shrimp mixture over pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Chef Jaime’s Southwest Crusted Shrimp With Cranberry Relish

1 lb. Shrimp, peeled & deveined

Grapeseed oil (enough to cover bottom of skilled to about ½ inch.)

Cranberry Relish: (Start this first, as it will need at least two hours to meld.)

1 C dried cranberries

½ C chopped cilantro

1 Red onion, finely chopped

1 can, Mandarin orange slices

2 tsp. Honey

1/3 jar orange marmalade

1 tsp. Red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients except Mandarin orange slices. Allow relish mixture to set for 2  hours to meld flavors and soften dried cranberries.

Dry Crusting Mix:

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Cracked black pepper

1 Cup Panko bread crumbs

1 Cup yellow cornmeal

1 Cup all-purpose flour

Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.

Egg Wash:

3 eggs

1 Tbs. Water

Gently beat eggs and water until mixed.

1. Coat shrimp with egg wash (let excess drip off) and dredge shrimp in dry crusting mix. Gently shake off excess.

2. Cook shrimp in hot oil for about 2 minutes per side, turning once. Do not overcook.

3. Drizzle cranberry relish over shrimp, or plate a dollop of relish on plate alongside of shrimp. Arrange orange slices attractively on plate.