Pin a Day: Steak with Shallot, Butter and Balsamic Sauce

Beef, it's what's for dinner!  I enjoy a great steak on occasion, but I always feel like they taste better in restaurants, where they put a little more effort into making it extra special.  So, this week, I searched and tried out Steak with Shallot, Butter, and Balsamic Sauce.   I figured this was a chance to make an elevated steak that wasn't too over the top.  I started with a flank steak.  I heated up my grill pan to medium heat and placed the steak in the pan for about 7 minutes on the first side and then about 5 minutes on the other side.  I wanted it medium well and I came pretty close to succeeding.  There was just a little bit of pink in the center, but the steak wasn't too tough.  I allowed the steak to rest a bit in the grill pan removed from the heat, while I made the sauce.  To make the sauce, I started by melting butter in a sauce pan with some olive oil.  Once the butter had melted, I added the shallots and cooked for about a minute.  Next, I added the balsamic vinegar and allowed the mixture to cook and reduce.  I poured the sauce on the steak on a cutting board.  This was not my best move, as the sauce ran everywhere.  I sliced the steak into thin strips for serving.

While the steak was grilling, I prepared a salad and baked potato to go along with the steak.  I finished it off with a Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, courtesy of Ashley and Jason.  I really enjoyed the entire meal.  The steak was cooked through and the sauce was simple, but made dinnner feel just a little bit fancier.  I look forward to trying this recipe again and plan on using some of my leftover steak to make steak nachos. 

Wacky Waco Weekend: Part 3

The final day of our trip allowed us to sleep in a little bit before we headed to the Olive Branch Bakery and Cafe for brunch.  It was a really cute little place located near the Spice Market and Crickets.  Mike, Jason, and I were thrilled to get started on the unlimited coffee.  We lucked out that they had several different varieties, so we took turns trying them.  However, we all agreed that the best was the 254 blend.  

It took a bit for our food to arrive, but it was worth the wait.  I opted for the chocolate chip stuffed french toast, which had a creamy bread pudding vibe to it.  It was quite delicious.  Mike went with chocolate chip pancakes, which also had hints of orange essence.  They were amazing and rivaled our favorite Kerbey Lane pancakes.  Jason and Ashley each ordered omelets and enjoyed them as well. 

After brunch, it was time to head home.  As always, we had a wonderful adventure with our friends and we are looking forward to planning our next trip together.  In addition, we had a wonderful weekend in Waco and look forward to taking any guests to go visit. 

Wacky Waco Weekend: Part 2

On Saturday morning, we all got up a reasonable hour with hopes of leaving for Magnolia around 9:00 am.  We were eventually able to find parking in a church lot near the silos.  Ashley and I immediately got in line at the Silos Baking Co, so we could get some yummies for breakfast. The line was really well organized and we were given cards to make our selections to make ordering run smoothly.  

Inside the bakery, you could see the attention to detail was very present.  The interior was beautiful and everything was labeled in a gorgeous script.  Once inside, things went really quick.  We paid, got our items and headed outside to find the boys. 

I am a cupcake snob, but these did not disappoint.  The cupcakes were tastefully decorated, appropriately frosted, moist and flavorful.  There is nothing I hate more than a dry cupcake with too much frosting to compensate and these were perfect.  They were also more of a standard baking size than the oversized monstrosities that many bakeries create.  I had a pumpkin spice cupcake that was delightful and Mike's peanut butter cup was pretty tasty, too.  They paired nicely with our Common Grounds coffee. 

After breakfast, Ashley and I headed to the store to pick up some goods for ourselves and our homes.  It was really crowded inside and there was no way we could fit the stroller and it may have tested the guys' patience so they enjoyed the beautiful weather.  The store was two levels full of decor, trinkets, and souvenirs.  There were also two long lines weaving through to get to the registers.   

After completing our shopping, we headed to the garden.  We also checked out the food trucks on site and stopped for a few pictures.   

All of our trips involve great food, so we headed to Vitek's for some delicious BBQ.  It was 101 years old and they had their BBQ down to a science.  I really loved their mac and cheese and the sausage was pretty great, too.  After lunch, we dropped Mike and Jason off at Bare Arms, a newer brewery and bar, so we could get our shop on.   

Our first stop was to Harp Design Company, which had some cute decor, but we were a little disappointed that they didn't have much furniture.  Next door, we saw the house that Chip and Joanna had fixed up for the Harp family.  From there, we headed to Junky Monkey, Junque in the Trunque and a few other antique stores.  It was fun to get some ideas and a little scary to see things from my parents' basement in a few of the stores.  Next, we picked up the boys at Bare Arms and headed over to the Spice Village for more shopping.  The boys went to Cricket's for cocktails, while we shopped.  Spice Village was a little overwhelming with the amount of stuff that was housed in a space.  There were definitely gifts for everyone and I will have to keep that in mind when thinking about holiday gifts.  

We decided to eat dinner at Crickets because 1/2 of us were tired and 1/2 of us were feeling silly.  This picture was on the wall by our booth and created much dinner discussion.  We had another really fun day and called it an early evening, knowing that some of us had a long drive the next day. 

Wacky Waco Weekend: Part 1

A few months ago, our friends invited us for a Waco Weekend.  We were excited as we'd never been there, it was a great excuse to get out of town, and we always have adventures when we are together.  Mike and I prepared for part of the trip by watching Fixer Upper on Netflix, so we knew what the hype was all about.  We all counted the weeks down until our trip was finally here!  We only had a short 1.5 hour drive, but our friends were traveling a bit further so they let us know when they were on their way and we left a few hours later.  Since we are all beer and coffee enthusiasts, Mike and I stopped by Redhorn to pick up some beer and coffee to share.  I also ordered a latte to pump myself up for the drive and Mike enjoyed a brew so he would be calm to deal with me.  😀 Other than a little bit of traffic from Round Rock to Georgetown, our trip was fairly easy.  There was also a bit of construction, but we made great time.  As luck would have it, we all arrived at the same time.  We got checked into our suite (we are close friends!).  We unloaded the cars, shared some beer (they brought us Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and Yuenling!), and checked out Ashley and Jason's lists for the weekend.   

Our first stop was Twisted Root for dinner.  It was a funky little restaurant known for burgers and root beer.  They had lots of cool specialty burgers and some wild choices of meat.  The burger I picked had cheese, delicious ranch, and homemade potato chips. Mike and I split some fries that had bacon, cheese, jalapeños, and ranch for dipping.  All the food was amazing and from the root beer fans, I heard the root beer was great, too.  The ordering system was cute too, where each guest received the name of a celebrity or character to get their orders.  Quite fittingly, our order was under Mary Poppins.  The food was awesome, it was a cool atmosphere, and best of all, there is an Austin location!  We will definitely try this place again. 

Our next stop was Cricket's, a bar and grill.  Here we ordered beers, snacks and a little dessert.  We were excited to catch up and plan for our next day's adventures.

Pin a Day: Skinny Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

On Tuesdays, I typically bake, so Mike can share treats with his work friends.  This week, I opted for a healthier choice with these Skinny Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins.   The strawberries have been super yummy here lately, so I was excited to try these out.  I started by preheating the oven and mixing my dry ingredients.  I decided to make a double batch so there was plenty for us and to share.  In a separate bowl, I mixed the applesauce and sugars.  I used my handy egg separator to get my egg whites and added them to the applesauce mixture.  I mixed the wet and dry ingredients until it was just moistened.  Next, I diced my strawberries and added them, along with the chocolate chips, to my batter.  I used portion scoops to evenly divide my batter into 20 muffin cups.  I baked them at 350 for 17 minutes.

When the timer rang, I stuck a toothpick into the muffins to make sure they were done.  I let the muffins cool in the tins for 5 minutes and then moved them to cooling racks.  Initially they stuck to the muffin liners, but by the next day, they were easier to remove.  The muffins were really tasty and were a perfect addition to milk or coffee.  They were apparently a hit at the office too, even when Mike commented that they were healthy.  I will definitely make these again, especially when I know that strawberries are in season. 

Pin a Day: Chicken Caesar Tortellini

On Saturday evening, I was headed out to hang out with some friends.  I wanted to make dinner before I left, so I had planned on making this Chicken Caesar Tortellini.   I bought the ingredients, but I did not read the recipe in advance.  As I was getting ready to cook, I realized that I would not have time to marinate the chicken, so I just created my own version of the recipe.  I grilled the chicken for about 7 minutes on each side in a lightly oiled grill pan.  While the chicken was grilling, I boiled water and cooked my tortellini.  I let the chicken cool before cutting it into pieces.  I added the chicken to the tortellini.  I poured some Caesar dressing on and mixed it all together.  It tasted great and was a quick dinner option.  I may try this again by following the actual directions, but my substitute wasn't too bad.

Tacos and Trivia

For today's post, we find ourselves back at good old Whitestone Brewery.  Each Wednesday for a while now, they have been hosting trivia on Wednesdays through a group called Geeks Who Drink.  Working evenings meant that this was not a possibility for us.  Now that I have a more open schedule, we decided to give it a shot.  We were a little worried on how we might do, given that we were a two player team against several other teams that had up to six team members, but we were assured by the host that we would be fine.   

Before trivia started at promptly 7:00, we ordered a few beers in our Oktoberfest mugs and took some time to check out that night's featured food truck.  This week the food was from Taco Time, a food truck we hadn't tried yet.  We decided to split some nachos and got a few tacos too.  I picked the beef fajita and it was delicious.  The meat was well seasoned and tender.  Mike ordered a beef fajita taco and a chicken fajita taco.  The chicken was just as good as the beef and equally delicious.   

Our food was ready right as trivia was ready to start so we were on our way.  There were 8 rounds including a visual round that had us identifying and matching pictures.  In between each round, music was playing and there were bonus questions.  We almost felt like the trivia was tailored to us, with several midwest/Missouri questions popping up in the mix.  After a few rounds, we were excited to be in 2nd place, but were not convinced that we would remain there, as it was just the two of us.  Each round we continued to feel pretty confident with our results, and we ended the evening in 2nd place.  Not bad for just the two of us in our first match.  We even won a free beer!  We will definitely be back for more trivia, beer, and tacos and next time we hope to bring some friends. 

Pin a Day: Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

It's finally starting to feel like fall here, so it was time to make a fall treat.  I opted for this delicious sounding, Apple Crumb Coffee Cake.  The recipe called for a round springform pan, which may be one of the few kitchen tools I don't have, so I made it in a square baking pan.  I started by making the crumb topping.  I melted the butter and mixed it together with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour.  I set it aside when done.  Next, I used the apple peeler corer slicer to prepare 2 apples.  Then, I made the cake.  I combined the dry ingredients and whisked them together.  I mixed in the butter chunks until it resembled coarse crumbs.  Finally, I added in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk.  I poured the batter into my prepared cake pan.  Next, I added the sliced apples in layers.  I topped it with the crumb mixture and popped it in the oven for about 43 minutes. 

After the cake had baked, I mixed together brown sugar, water and vanilla to make the glaze.  When the cake had cooled, I poured the glaze on top.  We enjoyed the cake later with milk, but ice cream would be a tasty addiction as well.  I saved some for us and part went to work with Mike.  The was a delicious treat and I highly recommend it to anyone who has some spare apples this fall. 

Pin a Day: Easy Crockpot Sriracha Honey Chicken Wings

Last week, I felt like trying a new recipe and I went with something pretty different than anything I'd made before.  It also took a little detective work to find the main ingredient.  I had no idea that chicken drummettes would be hard to find, but eventually I was able to make these Easy Crockpot Sriracha Honey Chicken Wings. I added the sriracha, butter, lime juice and honey to my crockpot.  I stirred it until well mixed and added in my drummettes.  Next, I mixed the drummettes into to make sure they were well coated.  I turned the crockpot on low for about 5.5-6 hours.  When Mike was ready to eat, he put several on a foiled lined baking sheet and popped them into broil for a few minutes.  He did the same for me when I got home.  The drummettes were really tasty.  They had the perfect amount of sweet and spicy.  I didn't even feel the need to add anything to cool it down.  We both liked this recipe and it was really easy to make, so we will likely make it again.

Pin a Day: Pork Carnitas

On a work night, crock pot meals are the way to go.  A perfect example of that would be these Pork Carnitas.   Mike chopped up some onions and we added them to the crockpot.  Next, I put in a large pork tenderloin.  I seasoned it with bay leaves, cayenne, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Next, I poured in a can of Rotel tomatoes and a jar of green chili salsa.  I turned it on low for about 6.5 hours.  Mike shredded it right before he was ready to eat and served it on tortillas.  It was delicious.  The meat was tender and juicy, without being too spicy.  The meat was also great as Pork nachos for leftovers.  It made so much extra that we had plenty for leftovers and I froze some in its juices for another few meals.  While Mike likes things a little spicy, this was a great starting point, where you could easily add more heat.  This has definite potential to become a favorite in our house!

Pin a Day: Roast in a Slow Cooker

I've been wanting to try to make brisket at home, despite all the great BBQ places here in Austin.  Unfortunately, if you want to buy a brisket here, they are all huge!  I didn't need meat for years, so I bought a small roast, with the hopes of putting it in the sous vide.  Again, I failed, because the roast would need to cook 2 days in the sous vide.  I opted to find a recipe for putting the roast in the slow cooker and found a better option.  I selected this recipe for Roast in a Slow Cooker and loosely followed it.  It called for a roast, ranch dressing mix, Italian dressing mix, brown gravy and some water.  I didn't exactly have those things, so I improvised a bit.  In my crock pot, I placed my roast, a packet of chicken gravy, a bottle of Italian dressing, some dried onion soup mix, and a little water.  I turned my crockpot on low for 6.5 hours and hoped for the best.  Mike made some angel hair pasta for a side and sliced the meat.  It actually turned out great!  The meat was tender and full of flavor.  I was impressed that my made up recipe worked so well and based on its success, we will make this again.

Pin a Day: Baked Crispy Buffalo Chicken

On Monday, I worked an earlier shift, so I was able to cook dinner for us.  Unfortunately, I had a stressful day and obviously wasn't very focused on cooking.  However, Mike assured me that the Baked Crispy Buffalo Chicken turned yummy.  In addition to the chicken, I also made some risotto and broccoli.  For the chicken, I didn't follow the directions completely, but my version turned out ok.  I preheated the oven to 400 and started prepping.  I used chicken tenderloins for ease of prepping and eating.  I got three bowls ready for dipping.  The first bowl had flour.  The second bowl contained hot sauce and egg whites.  The final bowl had panko bread crumbs.  I dipped each chicken tender in all 3 bowls, making sure they were well coated.  I placed them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and popped them in the oven.  I realized later I was supposed to pan fry them first, but I missed that step.  So, I turned up the heat to 425 and cooked them about 20-25 minutes.  When they were done cooking, I dipped each chicken tender in Buffalo sauce and drizzled them with ranch dressing before serving.  They ended up tasting great with my modifications and I'm guessing that Mike will request these again.

Pin a Day: Layered Chicken Taco Salad

After a relaxing weekend, it was time to get back to cooking delicious meals.  Last night, we tried a variation on one of my favorite meals, with this Layered Chicken Taco Salad.   I mainly used the recipe to get an idea of what ingredients to use and how to put it together.  As often, I made my own changes to make it more appealing to us.  I started by marinating my chicken breasts for about 4-5 hours in the fridge before grilling them.  I used 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 TBSP lime juice, and 1 tsp garlic powder.  I mixed it together and put it on my chicken.  When it came time to eat dinner, I heated up my grill pan and cooked the chicken for about 7 minutes on each side.  Meanwhile, I rinsed and prepared spinach and romaine lettuce.  I topped that with a can of corn that had been drained.  Mike chopped up some Roma tomatoes and a red pepper.  After the chicken was done grilling, I let it set a few minutes and we sliced it and added it to the salad.  We garnished our salad with cilantro, scallions, cheese, tortilla strips, and some spicy ranch dressing.  The salad was yummy!  It was the perfect meal to end a weekend of relaxation and didn't overstuff us.  I've made several variations of this meal before and I will definitely make it again soon.

Pin a Day: Sesame Ginger Slow Cooker Chicken

Not all recipes are created equally.  This recipe seemed like it had a lot of potential.  We love Asian foods, it was a slow cooker recipe, and bonus, it included some vegetables.  However, this recipe ended up being a bit of a dud, compared to others we've tried.  This recipe also definitely required a little more work on Mike's part, too.  I got it started, but he had to do the hardest work, making the sauce.  On Monday, we gave this recipe for Sesame Ginger Slow Cooker Chicken a try.   I started by defrosting chicken tenderloins overnight and cut them into bite sized pieces.  I put the pieces into the crockpot.  Next, I added baby carrots and ginger.  It called for fresh ginger, but I had some ground ginger that I used instead.  Then, I mixed together chicken broth, minced garlic, sesame oil, and the honey.  I poured that on the chicken and carrots and turned my crockpot on for 6.5 hours on low.  I went to work and the rest became Mike's responsibility.  He made some rice and then had to do the sauce.  He was a little concerned about the sauce, but he did just fine.  He did feel like he put in a lot of work for it to not turn out excellent.  He removed the chicken and carrots from the crock pot and reserved the liquid.  He combined that with a mixture of soy sauce, water, and cornstarch and cooked it for a bit in a sauce pan.  I feel like the sauce didn't quite thicken up as expected and it also was lacking a bit in flavor.  We did eat it as leftovers, but it just wasn't as fabulous as other recipes had turned out in the past.  This is a recipe we likely won't try again, unless we come up with a new idea for sauce.

Weekend Wandering

This Labor Day weekend was the first in a while that I didn't have to work, so we took advantage with a day of wandering, a day of work, and a baseball day.  We started off with a trip to Fredericksburg (about 1.5-2 HR drive) in the Hill Country portion of central Texas.  It was a sunny day, so it made for a lovely drive.  With all the rain we've had this spring and summer, it was quite green and beautiful.  On the way from Austin to Fredericksburg, is the Texas Wine Road, which we decided to take part in.  We stopped at the Texas Hille Vineyard, which was a little off the beaten path.  The drive to the vineyard definitely reminded me of Missouri Wine Country, complete with a few twisty spots.  

The winery was beautiful and we showed up at the perfect time.  There was a bus full of people on a tour, so we quickly partook in a wine tasting.  We tried 5 different wines and ended up buying two and getting our tastings for free.  As we were paying, the tour finished and it was time for us to move along.  We grabbed a few more pictures and headed on to our final destination.

My idea to visit Fredericksburg, a small German founded town, must not have been unique because the town was packed!  We picked a place to eat on our way, but there was no parking to be found!  We ended up going out of the way just to find a good spot.  On our way to Silver Creek Beer Garden and Grille, we passed by several stores, noting which we'd stop by on our way back.  After our walk, we definitely had an appetite and thirst for some great German food.  We started off with a delicious brew while we browsed the menu.  I opted for the pepper wurst sandwich with fries and Mike selected the schnitzel sandwich with fries.  The food was delightful and we made great choices.  The sausage was a little spicy and cooked to perfection.   The schnitzel was something new for us and paired great with the mustard.

After lunch, we stopped by a few stores and picked up some fudge and popcorn.  It was pretty crowded so we skipped most of the stores.  Our drive home was long, but uneventful.  We had a great day and look forward to future weekend adventures. 

Pin a Day: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

This week I made a new dessert, which may have been the easiest recipe I've ever made.  I decided to try Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars.   This recipe only has three ingredients and can be done in a few steps.  I doubled the recipe so I had enough for work, home, and one of Mike's coworkers.  I used 2 cups of peanut butter, 2 cups honey, and 6 cups oatmeal.  I melted the peanut butter and honey in the microwave.  Then, I stirred in the oatmeal.  I pressed the mixture into a 9x13 pan.  I let the bars set overnight and divided it amongst 3 containers.  The bars were a hit at work and home.  Mike did comment that chocolate might be a great addition in the future.  The bars were yummy, but a little sticky, so letting them set in the fridge might be worth a try.  I also loved how simple the recipe is and it's not super unhealthy either.  This is definitely a great recipe that I'll be making again.

Midnight at the Oasthouse

After several rough weekends this month (I am so excited September is almost here!), we decided to escape the house this weekend.  I had spruced up my look with a fresh haircut and the deletion of my sparkles, so I wanted to go out.  Mike did a great job planning and we opted to see Sausage Party at the Moviehouse.  For dinner, we tried the nearby, Oasthouse Gastro Pub.  It was a cute atmosphere and it must be fairly popular, as it was pretty crowded.  Mike decided to order an Oasthouse Mule to get things started while we browsed the menu. 

Everything on the menu sounded delicious so our work was cut out for us.  Oasthouse offers a seasonal menu with many locally sourced food items.  In the end, Mike chose the Blackened Chicken and Ricotta Gnocchi.  The chicken was cooked perfectly, tender in the center, with a well seasoned crisp outer layer.  The gnocchi was creamy and delightful.  I went with the Swine Burger and fries.  The burger was made of ground pork, topped with cheddar and some sort of aoili with a bit of a kick to it.  We were very happy with our meals and had we not been heading  to the movies, we might have tried dessert or appetizers.  The food was excellent and the atmosphere was cool, so we will definitely be back to try new items on the menu.

Pin a Day: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I love my husband the most.  The recipe I made last week is proof of that.  Again, I was having a rough week last week with a sinus infection and then a reaction to a common medication, but I needed a little something to distract me.  So, I made him this Slow Cooker Chicken Curry.   Mike really likes curry and orders it at many Asian and Indian restaurants.  I don't mind curry, but it's not something I typically seek out. However, I was pinning on day and found one that seemed easy, so I gave it a try.  The recipe called for chicken thighs, but those aren't really my favorite so I used chicken breasts.  I cut them in half because they were pretty big and added them to my crock pot.  To the crockpot, I added a jar of salsa and 2 TBSP of curry powder.  I cooked it on low for about 8 hours.  I realized the thing I don't love about curry is the smell, which is unfortunate because it's pretty strong.  About 30 minutes before serving, I made some rice.  It turned out great, the chicken was tender and falling apart and the flavor was wonderful.  While it's not necessarily my favorite, this is a recipe I'll make again because I love my husband.

Pin a Day: Crockpot Ravioli

Sometimes, even when I don't feel well, I still feel the need to make some delightful food.  This was definitely the case with this recipe for Crockpot Ravioli.   It was a very simple recipe, but it yielded some excellent results.  Basically, you take a package of ravioli (we picked beef) and place it in your crockpot.  Add a jar of your favorite pasta sauce.  Cook it on low for about 3 hours.  About 20 minutes before serving, add some mozzarella cheese and allow it to melt.  Then, you are ready to serve.  The result was yummy and easy.  This will definitely become a work night favorite in our house!

The General

Last week, Mike left his laptop cord at work, which led to an adventure for us.  We needed to go to the Apple Store at the Domain after we ran another errand.  We got the cord quickly and then had some time for lunch.  We headed over to the Rock Rose to check out our lunch options.  There were a few places we'd tried before, a few we didn't feel like, and several new places.  Eventually, we decided to try General Tso' Boy.  It was an Asian inspired sandwich shop. 

We got there at just the right time, as the place was hopping.  It was ok that we had a little wait so we had time to select our items.  Mike went with the General Tso' Chicken sandwich and a hamburger spring roll.  I opted for the Char Siu Pulled Pork sandwich.  The spring roll really tasted like a hamburger.  It was pretty good, especially when combined with the honey sriracha ketchup.  Mike's sandwich wasn't bad either, it was general tso's style chicken on a sub sandwich.  The bread was fresh baked from Easy Tiger, a local bakery and bar.  My sandwich was delicious.  It was an Asian BBQ style pulled pork sandwich.  It had great flavor and was very filling.  Overall, we really liked our food and will be back again.

General Tso Boy and Hamburger Spring roll

Char Siu Pulled Pork