Pin a Day: Salsa Cheddar Chicken

On Saturday, we spent the day running around and decided to come home for dinner and to have a relaxing evening.  I had preselected this recipe for Salsa Cheddar Chicken.   We were serving it with brown basmati rice that called for a 40 minute cook time, so I started the rice first and then started working on the rest of the dish.  Mike helped out by slicing the pepper and chopping up the tomato.  While the rice was cooking, I started by browning the chicken for 5 minutes per side in zesty Italian dressing.  Next, I cooked the green peppers about 5 minutes.  I mixed in the tomatoes and salsa.  We used a smoky chipotle salsa, which added some great flavor.  I added the chicken breasts back in and cooked about 15 minutes until that chicken was cooked through.  Finally, I topped the chicken with some cheddar cheese and cooked it another 4-5 minutes until the cheese melted.  We served with rice and dinner was ready.  This was a pretty healthy dish and I really wanted to love it because it had so many ingredients that I typically have on hand.  Unfortunately, it was just okay.  Mike liked it a little better when he chopped up his chicken and mixed it all together.  Maybe making a similar casserole would be a better choice for us.  However, this was an easy to make, healthy meal that was decent, just not the perfect pick for us.

Pin a Day: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

We love Asian food, whether we go out to eat it or making it at home.  I also love that it's easy to find Asian recipes that are fairly healthy and definitely tasty.  This recipe for Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps was no exception.   Another cool thing about this recipe was that I got to utilize my underused food processor.  I gathered up all my ingredients and read over the directions a second time before getting started.  I threw the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts in the food processor and pulsed it a few times to mince them up.  I may have over processed them, but the recipe still turned out great.  Next, I mixed up the marinade for the meat.  I tweaked the marinade to my tastes and according to the availability of ingredients in my kitchen.  Next, I put the chicken breasts in the food processor to mince them.  Ground chicken is expensive so I was glad to see this new trick for making my own ground chicken.  I mixed the chicken with the marinade and let it sit for 15 minutes.  During that time, I rinsed my lettuce and cut up some strawberries.  I cooked the meat in a little bit of oil until it was fully cooked.  While the meat was cooking, I mixed up the sauce and got all the other ingredients ready.  When the meat was cooked, I removed it from the skillet and cooked my green onions, garlic, and ginger.  Next, I added it my bamboo and water chestnut mixture and cooked for a few minutes.  Finally, I mixed my chicken and sauce in and heated it up.  Then, it was finally time to eat!  We really enjoyed the great flavor of these wraps!  It was definitely a tasty and healthy recipe, however, it was time consuming and used a lot of dishes.  So, if you have some time and want a healthy dish, this is a great choice!

Coffee, Beer, and Great Food...oh my!

After a week long cold and being under self imposed house arrest, I was feeling a little stir crazy.  I wasn't feeling 100%, but I needed out of the house.  Mike remembered a new spot close to home that we'd been wanting to try out.  So we hopped in the car and headed over to Red Horn Coffeehouse and Brewery.  It was tucked away in the corner of a strip center, but the interior was pretty cool.  I recognized it as a place my dad might enjoy as there was a huge crowd of cyclists that had taken over half the seating area.  We had prescreened the menu, but it still took us a little bit to decide.  The menu included sandwiches, appetizers, and baked goods.  There were also more extensive coffee and beer menus. 

Coffee Grinder

I opted for an iced latte and turkey panini.  The coffee had a great flavor and I was glad I didn't add a bunch of flavoring that would dilute the natural taste.  The panini was grilled to perfection and was the perfect lunch for someone was only recently regaining their appetite. 

Iced Latte

Turkey Panini

Mike tried two different beers and the meat and cheese plate.  His first beer was coffee stout, which was really good.  Had I been feeling better, I would have ordered one of these as well.  The second beer he got was a blackberry beer.  It was very unique, but great as well.  Both of these were brewed by Red Horn, along with 4 of the other beers on tap.  The rest of their menu included other craft beers, mainly from Texas.  His meat and cheese plate was crafted from cheeses from Antonellis (an Austin based cheese shop).  It was interesting, but he definitely enjoyed the sampling.

Meat and Cheese Plate

We always like to try new local businesses and this was a great experience.  We look forward to bringing friends and family to visit Red Horn as we try out new brews, coffee treats, and yummy foods, perhaps while enjoying live music. 

Pin a Day: California Club Pasta Salad

This week I experienced the dreaded summer cold.  It started with a tickle in my throat and ended up with foggy brain and overall exhaustion.  I lucked out and most of my menu items were either old favorites or things Mike could easily help me make.  On Friday, I felt a little better and tried this recipe for California Club Pasta Salad.   I loved that this was an easy dish that would provide us with some leftovers.  I did make a few changes.  I omitted the avocado because I don't care for its texture and added in some chicken.  I started by cooking my chicken and pasta.  I used protein plus pasta, which was a healthier option than traditional pasta, but was tastier to us than the whole wheat variety.  Meanwhile, I mixed my dressing of light ranch dressing and light Miracle Whip.  I also cut up my tomatoes and lettuce.  Once the pasta and chicken cooled, I mixed everything together and let it chill for about an hour.  While the salad chilled, I made some bacon and crumbled it up to top the salad.  I had high hopes for this salad, but it was just okay.  I might try it again and substitute broccoli and cauliflower for the lettuce.  However, it was not a complete disaster, considering how bad I felt all week.

Pin a Day: Beef Carnitas Tacos and Easy Spanish Rice

Yesterday was a perfect day for trying new recipes-I had plenty of time and patience on my side.  I have been wanting to try some new Tex Mex recipes and I tried two.  First, I made Beef Carnitas Tacos.  I thought these were okay, but I'll admit to having high expectations.  Mike thought they were pretty good.  I started by gathering up all my ingredients and putting my sous chef/chopper (Mike) to work.  I sauteed some onions and garlic in my small dutch oven.  I browned the meat for about 5-6 minutes.  Next, I added red pepper flakes, salt, sugar, and beef broth.  I nestled an orange wedge in the mix and let it simmer for about 1-1.5 hours.  

When the beef was done, it was taco time!  We served our beef with red peppers, roma tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream.  It was served on tasty some tasty HEB tortillas.  We ate up most of the meat leaving us with not much leftovers, but I had started out with less than the recipe required.   

My second  recipe of the evening was not super successful.  I tried to cook Easy Spanish Rice.   It started off very similar to the tacos, with me sauteeing onions in oil in my braiser.  Next, I added the rice and browned it a little bit.  Finally, I stirred in the salsa and chicken broth and let it cook about 20 minutes.  I tried it and the rice was still hard and the liquid hadn't all evaporated.  I cooked it another 5 minutes and it was still pretty firm and runny.  Finally, I brought it to a boil and cooked it about 10 more minutes.  The final result had some firm bits and some mushy bits.  I'm not sure if my failure was due to the type of rice I used (basmati) or that I didn't let the liquid boil in the first place or some other random failure.  This will not likely be a recipe I repeat.  Overall, I wasn't super thrilled with last night's dinner and hope for more success in the future.

Pin a Day: Ramen Noodle Salad

This weekend was a busy weekend for me with a bachelorette/birthday party all day on Saturday and a birthday/BBQ on Sunday.  I was bringing a few dishes to the BBQ on Sunday so I knew I needed something quick and easy to make.  I started off with my standard cake mix cookie bars, which is a family favorite recipe.  I also wanted some sort of salad because that's what I crave in the heat.  There are so many varieties of the Ramen Noodle Salad, but this one seemed to work for me.   I was able to easily find all the ingredients at Target or home and it took less than 10 minutes to mix.  I got out my big 4 qt Pyrex bowl and started adding ingredients.  I started by breaking up 2 packages of chicken ramen noodles.  Then, I added a bag of coleslaw, sunflower seeds, and almond slivers.  I cut up 4 or 5 green onions to mix in. I stirred all the dry ingredients and made the dressing.  For the dressing, I mixed up 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, and the flavor packets from the Ramen.  I poured this over the salad until it was well coated and popped it into the fridge.  I pulled it out several hours later before we headed to the BBQ and it was ready to serve.  Apparently, it was a big hit, with several guests asking our sweet hostess for the recipe.  I am glad everyone liked it and happy to share this great summer side.  Enjoy!

Pin a Day: Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Yesterday, I created a delicious aroma in my home all day long.  I tried this recip for Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches.   I started cooking this right after breakfast so it would be ready in time for dinner.  I started by trimming some of the big chunks of fat off the chuck roast and then cut it into 8 pieces, which I placed in the crockpot.  Next, I added some zesty Italian dressing mix and a 16 oz jar of giardiniera, and beef broth.  I skipped the banana peppers, as I am not a fan.  I turned my crockpot on low and let it cook for about 7.5 hours.  About an hour before I wanted to eat, I pulled out the meat and shredded it.  I let it cook another hour on low.  Meanwhile, I started cooking my green beans and cut up some beautiful strawberries.  After an hour, dinner was ready.  We served the beef on hoagies with provolone cheese, but any well structured bread would work.  The meat was very yummy.  It was juicy with great flavor.  It did take a long time to cook, but it was super easy.  This recipe would be great on those days where you want to throw something in the crockpot and have little prep work right before eating.  I definitely think we will be eating this one again.

Pin a Day: Chicken Broccoli Bake

Apparently, I only make new recipes once.  To be fair, there are so many wonderful recipes to try on Pinterest and only so many meals in a week.  On Tuesday, I made Chicken Broccoli Bake.   This was definitely a tasty and easy meal to make.  In addition, all the ingredients were things I love.  I started by preheating my oven to 400.  While the oven was preheating, I made my stuffing and prepared my other ingredients.  I sprayed my 9x13 with cooking spray and began adding ingredients.  I started by cutting up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.  Next, I added some thawed frozen broccoli.  (I thawed mine by running it under hot water for a few minutes.)  I cubed 8 oz of 2% Velveeta and added that to the mix.  Finally, I added some low sodium cream of chicken soup and stirred the ingredients.  I put the stuffing on top and cooked it for 40 minutes.  While the casserole was cooking, I made a salad and set the table.  I was so excited when the casserole was done because it smelled great the whole time it was cooking.  It was pretty yummy.  I loved the combination of the creamy, cheesiness with the broccoli, chicken and stuffing.  I made the casserole as healthy as possible, but its probably not the most healthy option available.  We were excited that it made plenty of leftovers and tasted great.  Will we try it again?  Maybe, it was tasty, but there are so many other choices.

Houston Holiday

July 4th has been a "friends" holiday for us since we started dating and this year was no exception.  Now, we spend it in Houston with our good friends, Ashley, Jason, and Mildred (Cecil's fiancée).  We lucked out and had a fairly quick drive this time and for once, it didn't rain during our drive.  We arrived just in time for the dogs to get reacquainted, the boys to have a quick beer, and then we were on our way to dinner.   

Karbach Brewing Company

We opted to try out the new restaurant at Karbach Brewing Company.  For my St. Louis friends, it definitely reminded me of Schlafly's Bottleworks, but in a more modern building.  We had all tried Karbach's beer, but were eager to try out the many food options.  I sampled a few beers before settling on a dry Irish stout, which had a bit of coffee and chocolate flavors. 

Beer

The menu had so many great choices and we all like to share so we ordered a little bit of everything.  I got the BBQ Pork tacos, which had a sweet and tangy Carolina BBQ pork, with some marinated vegetables and a side of beans.  They served me 3 giant tacos, which definitely provided more than I could eat. 

Pork Tacos

Everything Pretzel

The Everything Pretzel tasted just like an everything bagel and was tasty as an appetizer for Mike and I or as a main course for Ashley.  It was served with a cheese sauce and delicious mustard.  It was an interesting twist on your average pretzel. 

Beer

The only disappointment of our meal was Mike's 3 Little Pigs Pizza.  The bones of the pizza were tasty, but it just didn't have as much flavor as we had hoped.  However, the overall meal and dining experience was wonderful.   

3 Little Pigs Pizza

Jason ordered the Korean Fried Chicken and it was amazing.  If I could steal a recipe from Karbach, that would be the one I wanted.  The chicken was sweet with a little bit of a kick, which is my favorite way to eat Asian foods.  We all totally enjoyed our Karbach feast and would definitely head back. 

Korean Fried Chicken

After Karbach, we headed to Bahama Bucks for sno cones and smoothies.  Bahama Bucks is a chain with locations in St. Peter's (MO) and one coming soon to Cedar Park!  There were so many flavors to choose from, including my personal favorite, Grape Sweettart.  We inhaled our sno cones so fast that we didn't even have a chance to take a picture before the brain freeze set in. 

S'Mores, Maple Bacon, Caramel Macchiato, Strawberries and Cream Doughnuts

Saturday morning, we slept in a bit, but not so late that we missed out on an opportunity to try doughnuts from the Grove.  The Grove was located dangerously close to Ashley and Jason's house and will likely be a request from us on our next visit.  The Grove was a cute doughnut shop and Vietnamese deli with adorable signs and pictures on the walls in the cozy location.  They had a huge menu of selections and each doughnut is handmade to order.  Ashley and I each ordered 4 doughnuts and while they were being made, we got to talk to the owners, who were celebrating a year in business.  We got the  doughnuts home and it was time to dig in.  They were all delicious and so fresh.  Each doughnut we tried was better than the last one and the flavors were all perfect.  I think my favorite was the S'Mores as the marshmallow was toasted to perfection.  These were some of the best doughnuts we've had and we look forward to trying more next time! 

Dreamsicle, Maple Bacon, Creme Brûlée, Salted Caramel and Pretzel Doughnuts

A sign that I'm having a really good time is that I forget to take pictures and that happened for the main event on Saturday.  We went on our second annual Burgers and Brew Tour.  We rode the Wave bus to BRC for burgers and a beer pairing.  This year's burger was a yummy BBQ burger and we had an 1836 (the year Houston was founded) beer from Buffalo Bayeu Brewing Co.  After dinner, we headed to Buffalo Bayeu for more beers, a tour, and socializing.  We brought games and had a fun game of Cards Against Humanities going on.  We also had a celebrity doppleganger sighting (Joe Biden).  Our last stop was back to a private parking lot, where we watched fireworks and ended a great evening.  Once again, we had another wonderful Independence Day with our friends and we hope to make this an annual tradition. 

Pin a Day: 20 Minute Chicken Enchiladas

Mike hasn't had a lot of input into my menu planning lately, so when I asked him what he wanted, he had definite opinions this week.  One of his requests was for chicken enchiladas.  So, I tried out this recipe for 20 Minute Chicken Enchiladas.   This was a pretty good recipe and with some slight modifications, it could become a great recipe.  I started by cooking the chicken in some chicken broth so it stayed tender.  While, I cooked the chicken, Mike cut up onions and tomatoes.  I made the sauce and that's where my slight problems began.  I don't think I let it get thick enough because it was pretty runny.  I pulled out about a 1-1.5 cup of sauce.  I mixed the cooked chicken and beans into the rest of the sauce and cooked it for a few more minutes.  I put about 1/3 cup of the mixture into each tortilla.  The mixture was pretty runny so this part was a mess.  I drizzled the extra sauce on top and added some cheddar cheese.  I broiled it on high for about 3 minutes.  We added sour cream, tomatoes and cilantro to the cooked enchiladas and enjoyed.  They actually turned out well and next time I'll be sure to cook the sauce until it's thicker or add rice.  I have a feeling this will become a part of our favorites.

Parking Lot Party

A few weeks ago, I headed to the Round Rock Outlet Mall for a new event spearheaded by my friend, Lauri.  Eat Drink Shop Texas is a local market that takes place in the front of the mall near the entrance on the third Saturday of each month.  I missed the first one because I was working, so I was really determined to make it to this one.  There were several tents with foods, natural products, and crafts all made in Texas.  I was hoping to take Mike and have lunch, but things didn't work out that weekend.  So, I decided to check it out by myself. 

I didn't really need any crafts or natural body products, but I'm always up for food items.  I purchased some raw local honey from Bubba's Bees.  I've had this honey before and it tastes so much better than the stuff from the store.  Now I just need to make some biscuits to put it on!   

I stopped by the Savory Spice Shop booth.  I've been to the store multiple times and have loved everything I've tried there.  On this Saturday, she was handing out free samples of the California Citrus Rub.  I baked some chicken and put this on the chicken breasts.  It was great and definitely added a little bit of a kick to my chicken. 

Finally, I do live in Texas, so I had to check out the Texas Sizzle All Natural BBQ sauce.  I tried it and it was sweet and smoky deliciousness.  I also liked that it was missing most of the preservatives normally found in sauce.  The other cool thing I loved was that a dollar from each bottle was going to help flood victims in Wimberly, Texas.   This sauce was a perfect combination with my super easy pulled pork from HEB and I have plenty of sauce leftover for my other endeavors.

So, if you're looking for something fun and local to do on the third Saturday of the month, I suggest you head over to Eat Drink Shop Texas.  You never know what you might find! 

Pin a Day: Skinny Broccoli Salad

Eating vegetables is not super exciting for me most days.  I also feel like I eat the same ones all the time. So, when I found this recipe for Skinny Broccoli Salad, I jumped at the chance to try it.   Overall, this was a really easy recipe to make and it made a ton of food.  As I started chopping, I realized my bowl wasn't big enough so I just cut the recipe in half.  Chopping took the longest, as I chopped broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onions, and tomatoes.  Then, I added in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup light ranch dressing.  I mixed it all up and refrigerated it until dinner.  At dinner, we both had huge portions.  It was really yummy and refreshing.  It seems like I've finally found a tasty way to get in a bunch of vegetables.  This was such a hit, that I'll probably make a second batch once we finish this first one.

Pin a Day: Skinny Bruschetta Chicken

I'm always looking for a new recipe that is both healthy and flavorful.  This week's Skinny Bruschetta Chicken was definitely both.   I baked my chicken at 375 for about 20 minutes after I seasoned it and added some chicken broth to the pan.  Meanwhile, I cooked some pasta, made some salad and made the bruschetta topping.  I chopped up several small tomatoes, half a red onion, a handful of basil, and a clove of garlic.  To that I added some olive oil, sea salt, and balsamic vinegar.  I went rogue and didn't measure the ingredients, but instead eye balled it.  When the chicken was done, I served both the chicken and pasta with the bruschetta topping.  It was really yummy and light.  My only regret was that I used thin chicken breasts that got a little overcooked.  Otherwise, this is a perfect summer time dish.  This would also work great with grilled chicken or topping a baked potato.  I have a feeling we will make this several times this summer.

Asian Sensation

Sometimes you get stuck in a rut.  That has happened to us lately when it comes to restaurants.  We have some favorites and we go there all the time.  I was checking out Yelp! and came across Jenna's Asian Kitchen in the Hot and New Section.  It wasn't too far from our house and had great reviews so we decided to check it out.  It was described as a Chinese and Korean restaurant and the menu was huge.  There were so many things to choose from.  We started off with complimentary shrimp chips, which were interesting.  They were a great munchy while deciding what to order. 

Shrimp Chips

We were both pretty hungry that night and for different things so we ordered two appetizers.  Mike got the crab wontons, which were made with real crab.  They were crispy and had a wonderful flavor.  I opted for the steamed potstickers, which earned multiple stars for presentation and flavor. 

Crab Wontons

Steamed Potstickers  

You'd think we would have been full after all that, but we still managed to sneak in our entrees.   Mike ordered the Drunken Spicy Beef Noodles.  He really enjoyed it and at first it didn't seem that spicy.  However, all of the sudden, I could tell when he got a really spicy bite.  Throughout the rest of the dish, there were occasional spicy bites, but overall it was a great dish.  I picked the sweet and sour chicken as I liked everything in it and I didn't have to make any substitutions or deletions.  I really hate doing that.  My food was great too and definitely not spicy.  Mine was almost too sweet at times, but I handled it just fine.  After our meal, we were stuffed, but happy campers.  We will definitely head back here as there is so much more of the menu to explore.

Drunken Spicy Beef Noodles

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Pin a Day: Easy Onion Scallion Beef

This was a week full of great food and Wednesday was no exception to that trend.  I tried out this recipe for Easy Onion Scallion Beef.   I had to make several changes and substitutions, but the overall result was delicious.  For the beef, I bought thinly sliced beef that was recommended for sandwiches because I knew it would stir fry quickly.  Unfortunately, I was unable to add onions because they onions at my grocery store were all rotten.  I am not a fan of the quality of produce at times here in Austin and this was no exception.  So, I ended up using some frozen broccoli instead of onions, because beef and broccoli go well together.  I started by marinating the beef, while I started on some rice.  Next, I cooked the beef half way and mixed together the sauce.  I didn't have any oyster sauce so I substituted some teriyaki sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Next, I cooked some garlic and broccoli.  I added the beef back in, along with the sauce and cooked it until it was done.  Finally, I added in some scallions and it was ready to eat.  We both really liked it and enjoyed the various flavors.  I doubled the recipe, but it was so good that there were very few leftovers.  This is definitely a dish I'll make again and hopefully next time I'll be able to add in onions.

Pin a Day: Creamy Garlic Chicken

It's summer time, and I'm looking forward to a summer full of new recipes and new restaurants.  I have Pinterest boards chock full of recipes to try and a list of all the restaurants I want to visit.  So far, this week I have tried two new recipes and hope to try at least 1-2 new restaurants this weekend.  For our first new dining experience, I made this Creamy Garlic Chicken.   This recipe was okay, but not a favorite.  I started off by browning the chicken thighs.  I used boneless and skinless thighs to make things easier to cook.  I think the fact that it used thighs may have been the reason Mike didn't care for it, as he prefers lighter meat.  Next, I browned the garlic and created the sauce.  I added the chicken back in and cooked it a little bit longer as the sauce thickened up.  I served it with noodles and salad.  It had a nice, rich flavor, but just wasn't one of our favorites.  If you like chicken thighs or garlic, this may be the recipe for you.

Pin a Day: Southwestern Fiesta Chicken

After a busy April and May, it has been a while since I've tried anything new.  That changed this week when I made Southwestern Fiesta Chicken.  We love Tex Mex foods and in the summer I'm always trying new recipes that will make plenty of leftovers.  This recipe was easy to make and fairly quick, thanks to the help of my sous chef.  I started off by making the rice.  Unfortunately, my HEB was out of cilantro so I just had lime rice instead of cilantro lime rice.  Meanwhile, I cut up the chicken, seasoned it with my favorite fajita mix from Savory Spice Shop, and browned it in my cast iron braiser.  While I was doing this, Mike chopped up 2 red peppers and a large onion.  I cooked the chicken until it was no longer pink (about 8 minutes) and then sautéed the onions and peppers and frozen corn in more fajita seasoning.  After about 5 minutes, I added garlic, drained black beans, drained Rotel, and the chicken back to my very full braiser and cooked about 5 more minutes to allow the flavors to mix.  I wasn't able to add the rice to the mixture because there wasn't enough room in the braiser, so we served it on top of the rice.  We added a little bit of shredded cheese and fiesta ranch on top.  It was delicious, fairly healthy, and easy to make.  This also made plenty of leftovers and will be a great new addition to our summer favorite recipes.

Pin a Day: Taco Pasta

For Cinco de Mayo, I didn't have anything authentic planned,  so I tried Taco Pasta.   This recipe was great because it was tasty and made tons of leftovers.  I started by making the pasta.  I used macaroni this time, but you could use any type of pasta.  Meanwhile, I cooked the meat (ground turkey) and then added taco seasoning, garlic, and salsa.  In a separate sauce pan, I made the cheese sauce using skim milk, 2% cheese, and low fat sour cream to make things a little healthier.  Then, I mixed it all together.  The overall result was delicious and much tastier than a prepackaged taco pasta dinner.  This also was a healthier version of a taco pasta bake that I used to make, so we were very happy with it.  It was quick and easy and it will definitely be on our menu again.

Homeward Bound (Tuesday April 28)

On Tuesday, it was time for everyone to head home.  The St. Louis team had to get on the road early in order to start their 10+ hour drive and we all had to be out of the condo by 10 am.  We got everything packed, team StL sent on their way, and we headed out.  We had a few hours to kill before our flight left so we decided to stop for breakfast.

Condo complex

Our home away from home

Our Patio

We stopped by the Donut Hole for one more breakfast before we left.  We had a short wait, but we didn't mind, we knew it was worth the wait.  After a week of heavy eating, we just ordered donuts, coffee, and hashbrowns, but it was still delicious.  We also picked up a souvenir Donut Hole mug for Mike and it made it home safely. 

Red Velvet Donut! 

We headed to the airport, successfully returned our rental car, and started our series of waits.  Both of our flights were on time and everything was smooth sailing.  When we finally landed in Austin, we grabbed our luggage, found our car, and headed to pick up our sweet pup.  He had a wonderful visit with Cotton, Linda, and Eric and we were so thankful that they were able to watch him.  We visited with them for a little bit before heading home.  We got home and crashed-the true sign of a great vacation.  We all had a great time and were so thankful for our wonderful trip. 

Happy pup

Margaritaville (Monday April 27)

If shopping is an option, consider me there.  On Monday, it was rainy and gross, so Mom and I decided to hit the nearby Silver Sands Premium Outlet Mall.  Yes, I have an outlet mall right by my home, but I love shopping, especially with Mom.  When we started out, it was not very busy, but the crowds picked up as the day went on.  We found some cute stuff and a potential new friend at the Loft.  The rest of our trip was enjoyable, earned us our steps for the day, and finished sweet with a gelato snack.  We got back to the rest of the crew at the condo and made our plans for the rest of the day.  The original plan was to go to Harbour Walk Village for an early dinner and then a dolphin cruise.  Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating and we had to pass on the dolphin cruise for this trip.  We still decided to do an early dinner, as we really hadn't eaten much that day and we knew we'd need plenty of time to pack up before we headed out.

Dinner was at Margaritaville and it was definitely a memorable place to have our last dinner together.  We started off with drinks and this crowd of 30+ got a kick out of our waitress demanding to see everyone's IDs.  All the kids went with the blender size drinks.  We started off with the pretzel sticks, which were tasty when paired with queso and mustard aioli.  The food was great, the restaurant had a cool view of the harbour, and my parents enjoyed watching concert clips while we ate.  The most impressive food selections at Margaritaville that night were the boys' Volcano Burgers that required a fork to eat and my giant club sandwich.  It was a fun farewell dinner.  After dinner, we walked around Harbour Walk.  There were a few souvenir shops, several snack places, and a lot of potential.  It didn't seem like it was totally occupied yet.  It had cooled off a bit, so we stopped for Starbucks.  Mike and I are also popcorn lovers, so we stopped by the Popcorn Jungle for plane snacks.  We headed back to the condo to get our pack on and make sure that we were all ready to go home the next morning. 

Pretzel Sticks

Blender sized drinks

Volcano burger

Welcome to the Club!