Sous Vide, Sous Chef

Thanks to our wonderful relatives at Christmas and the upgrade of my iPad, we had a chunk of change to spend on the 'Zon.  We had narrowed it down to a toaster oven or a sous vide cooker.  Mike let me made the final decision and it took me a bit to weigh my options.  Eventually, I opted for the sous vide because I was more than a bit intrigued.   In addition to the sous vide, we also ordered a food saver to vacume seal food.  The sous vide we purchased is placed in a pot of water and heats the water to a desired temperature.  Once the water is the right temperature, you add the vacume sealed food and cook for a period of time.  The food cooks evenly and thoroughly. 

The first food we opted to make was burgers.  Mike made the patties the night before and sealed them with the food saver.  Once the water got to 141, we placed the burgers in for 40 minutes.  Then, Mike threw them on the grill for a minute to brown the outsides.   

Our burgers turned out delicious.  They were juicy and tender and perfectly cooked.  Our first attempt at sous vide cooking was a success and we look forward to trying our sous vide with a variety of other foods. 

Double Date Night

Last Saturday, we went on a double date adventure with our friends, Cassie and Jerry.  We started the evening at Fire in the Hole pizza place in down town Round Rock.  We enjoyed garlic bread, a Creasy pizza, and catching up with our friends. 

Our next stop was to the candy store a few doors down to make sure our sweet needs were met.  Mike and I ended up with a random assortment of gummy bears, chocolate, and all grape Mike and Ike's.  We all had fun checking out some of the more rare candy treats. 

The final leg of our date was across the street at the Brass Tap.  We enjoyed the amosphere of this bar and the cool decor.  The boys decided to join the beer club with hopes of hitting the 300 beer club someday.  Cassie and I just plan on stealing all the cool shirts they are going to earn.  We had a wonderful time on our adventure and can't wait for our next double date night! 

Pin a Day: Funfetti Blondies

This weekend I attended a Glitter and Wine party with some friends and knew I needed a sweet treat.  I opted for these Funfetti Blondies because sprinkles are the baking version of glitter.  The recipe was pretty easy and very similar to other Blondies I've made in the past.  The first step was to line my 9x13 pan with Golden Oreos.  Next, I mixed up a rich batter of eggs, butter, sugars, vanilla, flour, sprinkles, and white chocolate chips.  Finally, I topped it off with crushed Golden Oreos and more sprinkles.  I baked it for about 25 minutes and then let it cool overnight.  I cut through the thick layers the next day and it was ready to serve.  They were delicious, but very rich.   They are definitely the type of treat you can only eat in small doses.  We had a great time and the Blondies were a great treat to share at work and at home.  

Brewing up a Stone

Mike has been waiting for Whitestone Brewery to open for quite a long time now and it finally opened on New Year's Eve.  This Sunday we finally got a chance to try it.  Whitestone Brewery is located near the back of a shopping center at Whitestone and Discovery in Cedar Park.  Mike was especially excited because the brewery is within in walking distance of our home.  I'm always up for trying a new place.  We arrived at 1:00 Sunday afternoon and there were a few other patrons seated at the large bar area.  We grabbed a seat and were educated by the bar tender on their 4 different beers.  I opted for the blonde and Mike did a flight to try all 4 beers.  He eventually settled on ordering the kolsch.

The brewery was very inviting and cozy.  Other than the obvious tables and bar, it almost felt like you were hanging out in someone's living room.  There was a spacious patio that was heated and will be excellent when it warms up. This past week, they've also had visiting food trucks set up near the patio and Sunday was no exception.  In addition, there was a great view of the trains behind the brewery. 

The featured food truck on Sunday was Emojii's Grilled Cheese.  We looked at the menu and they all sounded great!  We opted to split two, so we could try more.  Our first pick was the classic, which had cheddar cheese on sourdough bread and a red pepper aioli for dipping.  It included a side of veggie straws and a chocolate chip cookie.  It was tasty and I loved the dipping sauce.  Our second choice was the chicken pesto grilled cheese, which included fajita marinated chicken, mozzarella cheese, and pesto.  We both decided that it was our favorite.  It had so much flavor and was a delightful sandwich.

Our first trip to Whitestone Brewery was a huge success!  We loved the beer, food, and atmosphere.  We look forward to becoming regulars and seeing what other features they have to offer as they continue to build their business. 

Pin a Day: Crock Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Last Sunday was my third day off in a row and I was feeling productive, so I made a big batch of this Crock Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup.   I loved that it was easy to make and that it would make plenty of leftovers for the upcoming week.  I also got to use my new favorite product, Beast Clawz, along with the recipe.  I started by chopping up my celery and carrots. Mike chopped up the onion for me, so I didn't have to cry!  I added all my the veggies, spices, chicken breasts, and broth to the crockpot and put it on low for about 6 hours.  Meanwhile, we straightened the house, took down Christmas decorations, and grocery shopped.  (I told you I was feeling productive!)  After 6 hours, I started cooking rice, shredded the chicken, added frozen corn, and the cream mixture.  To shred the chicken, I used my new Beast Clawz.  They are the perfect size for my hands and pull apart meat much easier than using two forks. I've also used them with pork for pork tacos and they work great!  I highly recommend a pair of these if you shred meat often.  To make the cream mixture, I measured the flour and milk into a container with a lid, sealed it, and then shook it up.  I used skim milk, which cut down on the fat, but may have made it a little less creamy than other milks.  I also think you could skip this step and just have the broth if you wanted.  Once I stirred the rice in, we were ready to eat.  My crockpot was full!  I probably could have used my bigger crockpot, if I had thought about it more.  After eating, we still had enough leftovers to fill my big 4 quart Pyrex bowl.  We really liked the soup that night and have enjoyed its leftovers all week.  I'm not sure how well this soup would freeze, so make sure you are prepared to eat lots of leftovers, feed a crowd, or consider halving the recipe.  Overall, I was thrilled with the outcome of my first new recipe of the new year.

True North

Saturday was Mike's birthday and as usual, we set out to see a new movie and followed up with a delicious meal.  This year, Mike selected Creed to see at iPic and North at the Domain.  The movie was great and the iPic is our favorite place to watch movies.  After the movie, we wondered in a few stores despite the drizzle.  We got to North a little early, but they had our table ready for us.  We sat in the heated and covered patio area, which gave us a great view of the open kitchen area.  We started with drinks.  I ordered the sangria, which had hints of strawberry and lime.  Mike ordered a Fireman's #4 beer.  Since we had popcorn at the movies, we weren't starving and decided to skip appetizers and just order our meal. 

Our waitress brought us some bread and sun dried tomato butter to enjoy while we waited for our food.  The bread was nice and crusty and paired nicely with the yummy butter.  Mike had a great view of the kitchen and was able to watch the chefs creating pizzas and making pasta from scratch.  After watching them cook, we were really excited for our food to arrive.  Mike ordered the chicken parm, which came with a side of pasta in a garlic butter sauce.  It was cooked to perfection and all the flavors complimented each other nicely.  I chose the chicken pesto pasta.  This dish was also delicious and was a large portion, so I was able to make a second meal later on.  We browsed the dessert menu and many of the items sounded great, but we had lemonade cake waiting at home, so we didn't indulge this time.  All the food was great and the atmosphere was enjoyable.  We will definitely be making an effort to visit North again in the future. 

A Rockin' New Year's Eve

Before we moved to Texas, we had a New Year's Eve tradition of a games night with prizes.  Since moving, we have continued celebrating New Year's Eve at home.  We just prefer being home and safe to being on the roads with the drunks and crazies.  However, we always make sure to have some delicious drinks and eats for our celebration.  On tap this year, were Moscow mules for Mike, in his new copper mug.  I celebrated with a variety of craft beers and we both toasted 2016 with champagne.

We did 3 of our favorite appetizers to snack on.  I made the beer dip the night before.  I got this recipe from my friend, Carrie, and it has been a hit at my celebrations for years.  To make the beer dip, you need a package of cream cheese, 1/2 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dip/dressing mix, a package of shredded cheese, and beer.  I throw all the ingredients into my stand mixer and let it mix to the right consistency.  I usually use 1/4-1/2 cup of beer depending on if I'm doing a double or single batch and depending on how thick I want my dip to be.  For this batch, I used a Texas Ziegenbock beer.  I refrigerated the beer dip overnight and served with pretzels.  My next treat was pigs in a blanket.  For this recipe, you need a 2 cans of crescent rolls and a package of cocktail wieners.  I preheated the oven to 350.  Meanwhile, I cut my crescent rolls into 1/2, and wrapped each strip around a wiener.  I placed them on baking sheets and baked them about 12 minutes.  I serve them with my favorite mustard.  Finally, I made some buffalo chicken dip.  For this recipe, you need a package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing, and 1 1/2 cups shredded or chopped chicken.  I mixed them all together in a glass bowl and microwaved for about 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  Once everything was well mixed and combined, I put the dip in a mini crockpot to keep it warm.  I doubled the recipe and a double recipe fits perfectly in my mini crockpot.  I served the buffalo chicken dip with tortilla chips.  

While we enjoyed our appetizers, we binge watched The Americans, which is a great show.  At 11:30, we tried to turn on one of the New Year's Eve shows to watch the ball drop.  I must be old because all the music on the Ryan Seacrest show was either terrible, or I didn't know the artist.  I definitely preferred the show that played Earth Wind and Fire.  We watched the ball drop, had our smooch, and stayed up a bit later.  It wasn't our fanciest New Year's Eve, but it wasn't too bad. 

Pin a Day: Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the weekend before Christmas, treats were a must.  I needed some for work and home, but they needed to be slightly festive.  I opted for these Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies.   I've made variations before, but the recipe sounded great so I tried out this new version.  I started by creaming the butter and sugars.  Next, I added in the egg and vanilla.  Next, I was supposed to add cream, but I substituted milk and it was fine.  Then, I added the dry ingredients and finished up by adding in the cranberries and white chocolate.  Here's where I quit following directions.  The recipe wanted me to chill the dough, but I didn't have time, so I ignored it.  Guess what?  Cookies were still delicious.  I baked them until right before they browned.  I made a double batch so I had plenty of cookies and they were a hit.  The only thing I might change about this recipe would be adding in a little orange zest.  Otherwise, this recipe is a keeper that I urge you to try!

A Blazin' in the Sun

A few weeks ago, we were in for a stellar evening as we headed out to see the new Star Wars movie.  It was the last weekend before Christmas and we decided to try out a new eatery on the way.  I had seen signs for Blaze Pizza on the side of 183 and decided to give it a chance.  It reminded me a bit of Pieology, in that it was a create your own pizza place. I walked down the line and picked my various toppings.  Mike thought he was ordering a preselected menu item, but wound up creating his own as well.  We each ordered our own, but we definitely could have split one since we were headed to the movies too.  The pizzas had great flavor and the crust was crisp and thin.  While this place was great, it's not likely that we will go back on a regular basis because it was so much like Pieology, which is much closer to our house.

Pin a Day: Lunch Lady Brownies

'Twas a few weeks before Christmas and the schedule was busy.  The associates were crabby and chocolate was a necessity.  I thought about making my mom's famous fudge, but I didn't feel like standing and stirring.  I opted to try a new recipe for Lunch Lady Brownies.   I love brownies with chocolate frosting and this sounded like a great recipe choice.  The brownies were super easy- I may never use a box again!  First, I creamed together the sugar and butter.  Next, I added the eggs one at a time.  Then, I added the vanilla and finally the flour and cocoa.  I cooked them about 20 minutes at 350.

 While the brownies were cooling, I mixed up the frosting.  I put all the ingredients in the stand mixer and let it mix until it hit the right consistency.  I frosted them when cool and cut them right before I left for work.  These were yummy and easy to make.  Also, the chocolate was just what we all needed while dealing with crabby people.  These brownies were the perfect choice for a stressful time!

Pin a Day: Slow Cooker Shredded Pork Tacos

I'm still in blog catch up mode.  I'm hoping to get all caught up before 2016.  Right after Thanksgiving, I was working a lot and feeling guilty for not cooking more.  I tried to create several crockpot meals to make plenty of leftovers for Mike.  I tried a new recipe for Crowd Pleasing Slow Cooker Pork Tacos. 

This recipe was extremely easy to make and quite delicious, too.  In fact, I am planning on making these again next week.  I started by putting the onions, peppers, taco seasoning, and oil in a microwaveable bowl and microwaving for 5 minutes.  I added the tomato sauce and poured the mixture to the crockpot.  Next, I added the pork.   Target didn't have a pork roast so I used 2 pork tenderloins equivalent to 3 lbs.  I made sure the sauce was covering the meat and cooked it on low for about 8 hours.  Once it was done cooking, I pulled the pork out and shredded it.  I added it back to the sauce and let it cook a bit longer while the rice cooked.  I topped my tacos with some shredded white American cheese.  They were so yummy and something a bit different from my typical crockpot meals.  Just blogging about it makes me hungry for them again.

Friendsgiving

Slowly, but surely I am catching up on past blog posts that I should have written.  This year we celebrated Friendsgiving with some of our friends here in Austin.  Both of us work for retail companies so it's almost impossible to travel for Thanksgiving.  We had a full menu this year, but everything turned out amazing.  Our smoked turkey came from Big Cat BBQ here in Cedar Park.  We ordered two turkey breasts and got so much turkey the day we picked it up.  We ended up serving half and freezing half for busy holiday nights.  Most of our other recipes come from people we know and love.  I made Mike's family's stuffing/dressing balls, corn casserole from a recipe adapted for Foods classes by my friend, Carrie, and a green bean casserole created by my friend's husband.  My desserts were German Sweet Chocolate Pie, a family favorite, and an apple crisp inspired by a recipe from my Aunt Tammy.   

Cecil is always thankful for friends, family, and comfy beds. 

I also made something new this year.  For the first time ever, I made mashed potatoes.  I could usually give or take mashed potatoes, but this were pretty good.  I was also thankful that my great grandma insisted that I have a potato masher because it made everything so much easier.  I used this recipe  to make my yummy mashed potatoes.  First, I peeled my potatoes.  This was the timeliest step.  Next, I boiled my cubed potatoes for about 30 minutes or until I could easily pierce them with a fork.  I drained the water and mashed them on the stove on low heat, which made mashing easy.  I added in butter, cream cheese, half and half and garlic.  I stirred it all up until it was nice and creamy.  I put them into a casserole dish and refrigerated over night.  On Thanksgiving, I pulled them out to warm to room temperature and cooked them until they were heated through.  They turned out great and will be a welcome addition to future Thanksgiving meals.  We had a great day with wonderful company and look forward to hosting again next year.

Adventures in Baby Prepping

Well, it's been a while since I've blogged, but we are in the midst of holiday season and I do work retail, so I apologize.  A few weeks before Thanksgiving we headed to Houston to visit our dear friends and have one last adventure with them before they became parents.  Little did we know how close they were to becoming parents.  In typical fashion, we drove down after lunch and arrived in plenty of time for dinner.  We headed over to Sugarland Town Square to eat at a new Thai place, Song Kran Thai kitchen.  We ordered a variety of dishes, including appetizers, main courses, and even dessert.  All the food was delicious and the atmosphere was really cool too.  Everyone left the meal stuffed and satified. 

Appetizers at  Song Kran Thai Kitchen

Pad Thai

Molten Chocolate Cake

We woke up early Saturday morning to head to Pearland to go to Killen's BBQ.  In true Texas fashion, Killen's opens at 11 and serves until they sell out, so people line up for a chance to try the BBQ.  It was a nice day, so the wait wasn't too bad.  We got there at 10:30-10:45 and waited for about 1-1.5 hours.  The BBQ was amazing.  We all got a variety of meats and sides and shared.  Each thing I tried was better than the next.  They also had several delicious sauce options.  I didn't come close to clearing my plate, but I didn't want to be uncomfortably full.   

After our delightful lunch, we were stuffed and sleepy.  Some of us took a nap, while one of us went to fix a cast for a patient.  When we were done, we were ready for the next part of our adventure.  We can always count on two things when we visit Houston- great food and great beer.  Saturday night, we trekked to Texian Brewery to celebrate their 3rd anniversary.  We got commerative glasses and go to try several different beers while we listened to a live concert.  There were a couple of food trucks there and we enjoyed snacks (We were too stuffed from lunch.) of kimchi fries and cupcakes.  We had a great time chatting, listening to the music, and enjoying the beer.  Next time you see Mike, ask him about his porta potty adventure, if you want a good laugh. 

Sunday morning, the girls got up early to get donuts from the Grove, before we headed home.  We had another wonderful weekend with our wonderful friends and can't wait for our next trip to meet their sweet baby boy! 

Dinner and a Show

Saturday night, after a long day at work, we decided to try out a new place.  My stipulations were that I wanted something new and I wanted some good beer or wine.  It took a bit to decide, but we finally selected Farm to Fork in Leander.  It had pretty good reviews on Yelp and was close, so we decided to give it a chance.  After a slight detour( I missed it behind the gun shop!), we made it.  It was tiny and eclectically decorated and there were about 10 people in line ahead of us.  I was a little concerned we'd have to go back to the drawing board.  Fortunately, some of th people did to go orders, a few people finished, and some spots opened up at the bar.  The best part of the bar was that I could see everything going on with the food prep, which was a show in itself.  The place was slammed and the sous chef let us know that they were short staffed that night.  I was still optimistic and wanted to give it a shot.  We ordered some local craft beers (I can't remember the name, but they were tasty.) We made our selections and then got to watch the chefs create our dish and many others.  

Mike picked the MooPig, which was described as a meatloaf made with beef and sausage on a sandwich with cheese.  He also ordered a side of Amazing Mac and Cheese.  The Amazing Mac and Cheese was a yummy mac and cheese with bacon and truffle oil.  I picked the turkey bacon club, which included 2-3 types of cheese and was grilled to perfection.  My sandwich was huge and despite being hungry, it conquered me, so Mike had to help me finish.  I also had a side of the Amazing Mac and Cheese, but all the sides sounded and looked amazing.  We definitely enjoyed watching the chefs cook and interact with the staff and the food was fabulous to.  This was a great find and we can't wait to go back and taste more treats from Chef Shelley and Chef Amy!

Pin a Day- Greek Marinated Chicken

Yesterday, I had the day off so I had some time to try out a new recipe.  I decided to try out this recipe for Greek Marinated Chicken.   I started yesterday morning after breakfast by marinating the chicken in a mixture of Greek yogurt, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  I let it marinate in th fridge all day.  About an hour before dinner, I preheated the oven to 375 and put it in a glass dish to bake.  The chicken breasts were pretty thick so I cooked it for a full hour.

About 20 minutes before the chicken was done, I prepared some couscous and got a salad ready.  The chicken turned out great. It was tender and juicy with a great flavor.  This would also be great as part of a salad or sliced up in a pita.  I have a feeling this will become one of our go to recipes in the future. 

Pin a Day: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Friday was a stormy, wet and cooler day in Austin.  It was the perfect day for soup.  I decided to try this recipe for Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup.   I loved that it was a healthy recipe from Hungry Girl and that it was fairly quick to make.  Mike chopped up an onion while I cooked and mashed up the potato.  Next, I cooked my garlic and onion in a little bit of olive oil.  I added in my chicken broth and milk.  Then, I added in the flour, whisking it until it completely dissolved.  Finally, I added in the potato and all remaining ingredients.  I brought it to a boil and let it simmer for a few minutes.  We topped it with bacon and cheese and served with salad and pretzel rolls.  I wanted to love this soup, but it was only okay. It definitely didn't compare to my favorite, Houlihan's baked potato soup.  So, I will be heading back to Pinterest for a healthy, fast, and tasty potato soup recipe.

Bull's Eye!

This weekend I didn't do a lot of cooking.  It was rainy and gross and I just wanted to hibernate the whole time.  Fortunately, there are tons of places nearby to grab a quick bite.  On Sunday, we hit up a new spot, Dart Burger in Cedar Park, for lunch.  It only took about 3 minutes to get there and it was not busy at all.  They had several different burgers and chicken options on the menu.  I opted for the burger with guacamole and fries.  Mike ordered the double cheeseburger and fries.  The food was good.  The burgers reminded us a bit of Culvers with the buttered buns.  The fries were fresh and crisp.  This was a great meal to warm us up on a cold Saturday.  We will definitely go back to try the chicken and other burger options.

Round Rock Rendezvous

Last Friday, I got to go on an adventure in Round Rock in Georgetown with my favorite twin and her sweet mama.  The girls took me to one of their favorite food spots in  downtown Round Rock, Fire in the Hole Pizza.  It was a rainy day and we had a time limit, so we didn't get to experience the whole ambiance, but it was still a great choice.  We started off with the cheese bread, which had provolone, garlic, and lemon.  The lemon seemed like an odd addition until I tasted it.  The lemon added a kick and brought out all the flavors.

Cheese bread

When I first entered the restaurant, I immediately smelled pizza dough cooking.  I knew I would order pizza, but what type to pick?  My experts told me everything was delicious. I opted for the Kentucky pizza, which was topped with pulled pork, scallions, crispy potatoes, and a bourbon sauce.  It also called for an egg, but my stomach and eggs don't mix so I went egg free.  It was so yummy!  The pizza itself was delicious and the Kentucky flavors made for a unique pizza choice.  The leftovers were great the next day too.

Kentucky pizza

The pizza and garlic bread were so tasty and featured a thin crust.  This is definitely a place I will return to, especially with my pizza loving husband. 

Pepperoni pizza

Next, we stopped by Lamppost Coffee across from Round Rock High School.  They had been raving about a new treat called Wintermoon, so I was excited to try them.  The coffee shop itself was really cute and I love trying out small coffe places.  The Wintermoon was delightful. It was a sweet and creamy iced latte.  It was sweetened with the top secret moon milk, rumored to be made with unicorn tears.  Another win for the day and the perfect fuel to prepare us for an afternoon of shopping.

Wintermoon

Sweetened with Unicorn tears

We then travelled on the the square in Georgetown.  There were tons of cute shops with crafts, jewelry and gifts.  I had a great day filled with friends, food, and fun.  It was also nice to try out several new places.  I can't wait for our next set of adventures! 

Pin a Day: 2 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken

Yesterday was another slow cooker Wednesday.  Mike had to work and I found a perfect BBQ recipe.  When you live in a state that is in constant danger of wildfires, you certainly don't want to be the cause, so I knew the slow cooker would be a safe way to get a delicious BBQ meal.  I used this recipe for 2 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken.   It's funny that a recipe with such a long time could be so easy.  I actually made my pasta salad first so it had plenty of time to marinate in the Italian dressing.  My pasta salad is very simple with noodles, chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cheese cubes, and Italian dressing.  At noon, I threw the frozen chicken breasts and a bottle of Stubb's BBQ sauce in the crock pot on low.  At 6:15, I pulled the chicken out, shredded it, and put in back in on warm.  I made my baked beans (Bush's beans, dried mustard, minced onions, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and Sriracha) and we were ready to eat.  I served the chicken on burger buns last night, but it would be great as tacos, nachos, or on rice.  We liked this meal and it was super simple.  I've also learned that a bag of chicken breast+sauce+crock pot=tasty meal!

Pin a Day: Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken

I try to use my crock pot at least once a week to create leftovers for Mike for nights I have to work.  It's also great to use when I go pick him up from work because dinner is ready when we get home.  This past Wednesay, I tried this recipe for Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken.   It sounded yummy and promised to be very easy so I thought I'd give it a shot.  I was running all over Wednesday so I almost forgot to make it.  Around 12-12:30ish, I put my can of pineapple in the crock pot, added my frozen chicken tenderloins, and covered it with the mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar.  I turned my crock pot on low and went about my day.  Mike and I got home at 6:15 and I started the rice on the stove while I pulled out the chicken.  I added some cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up a bit and shredded the chicken. The chicken practically fell apart as I was shredding it.  I added it back to the sauce to soak it up while the rice cooked.  Once the rice was done, we served our food and enjoyed.  It was a great combination of sweet from the pineapple and savory from the soy sauce.  Add some strawberry shortcake beer from Redhorn and I was set for a fabulous evening of catching up on fall tv.  Mike added a bit of hot sauce to his to kick up the heat a bit.  This meal also made great leftovers and probably could be frozen as well.