All posts filed under: Food & Drink

Take Me Away: Tropical Smoothie

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Hi there! It’s heating up here in Houston, Texas! It’s even hot in the morning when I get up in my beloved city! However, it’s Houston. It’s Texas. It’s July! It’s not like we are not used to this here… In the name of staying cool and being healthy, I wanted a nice mid-afternoon treat to hold me over until dinner, and give me a little boost! Something that would taste like one of those “umbrella drinks” on the beach, but no alcohol. So, I decided to make a smoothie with the ingredients that I had on hand. It’s nothing fancy, but it sure did taste good! This would be great poolside! Here goes… Ingredients: 1 to 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks 1 banana 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder 1/4 cup of 2% milk 1/4 cup of coconut water (add more if needed for consistency you like) a few pieces of ice to make it colder Blend all ingredients together. Pour in a glass, close your eyes, take a sip, and imagine you are on a …

The Pisco Sour: One Of My Favorite Summer Cocktails

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Hi friends! The weekend is upon us and it looks like here in Houston the cycle of daily rain and clouds is lifting!  AND 4th of July is right around the corner! If you’re looking for a different cocktail to serve at your Independence Day festivities I’d like to introduce you to the Pisco Sour! All in all, I am not a big mixed drinks person. Though, I do love a good margarita and a good martini from time to time! But, I was wanting something different. Something that isn’t offered everywhere you go. HELLO Pisco Sour! I looooove Pisco Sours! Have you tried one? A Pisco Sour is a cocktail typical of South America. The drink’s name comes from pisco, which is the base liquor, and the term sour is in reference to the sour citrus juice, lime to be exact. Picso is actually a style of brandy common in Peru and Chile which has a bit of tequila flavor! I had my first Pisco Sour about 5 years ago at a Peruvian restaurant …

Miso Hungry! Celebrate Sushi Day!

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Hello friends! Kon’nichiwa! That’s Japanese for “hello”! It’s a beautiful, but HOT day here in Houston. It’s Father’s Day and it is also International Sushi Day! Do you remember the first time you had sushi? I do. I was out in Los Angeles with a friend. I was 19. Coming from a small-ish town outside of Houston sushi wasn’t on every corner like it is in a big city. I remember trying California rolls, tuna rolls (tekka maki), fresh salmon (sake), and eel (unagi), among other things. While it wasn’t love at first bite, I was definitely hooked ( pun intended ;)) and wanted to try more! Both of my kiddos had their first experience with sushi by the time they were 5! Although they started with california rolls, they have begun to like many other things and are starting to experiment more. Proud mama 🙂 These days, sushi is everywhere: the airport terminal, the strip mall and even your local supermarket. A spicy tuna or salmon roll is as easy to come by as a …

7 Margarita Recipes To Try For Cinco De Mayo!

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Holy guacamole!  Cinco de Mayo is just a week away!  And, it’s on a Friday this year! What better way to celebrate than with a deliscious margarita! I’ve rounded up some fresh margarita recipes on the blog today for your upcoming fiesta celebrations! This weekend is the perfect time to mix some up at home and see which ones you think are muy bien! And, don’t forget the chips and guacamole! But first, here are some Cinco de Mayo factos: In case your Spanish is *muy rusty*. Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for the fifth of May. The holiday celebrates an unexpected victory. The holiday actually celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The Mexican army won the battle despite being smaller and ill-equipped. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That occurred 50 years prior to the Battle of Puebla. It is celebrated on September 16. Cinco de Mayo is a bigger deal in the United States. In Mexico, the day is observed with political speeches and battle …

Around Town: Brasserie du Parc

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Lunch with a great friend is always a good idea. Lunch with a great friend at a great restaurant is even better! A few weeks ago my friend Bridgette and I had the pleasure of dining at the recently opened Brasserie du Parc in downtown Houston. We try to get together for lunch and catch up at least every other week. And we always make a point to go to a restaurant that neither of us has tried yet. It’s easy to have somewhere different to go each time as Houston is booming with new restaurants. What’s hard is getting to all the new restaurants! I guess if I dined out at least 2 or 3 times a week I could keep up 😆 Easier said than done with 2 kids at home and keeping up with all of their activities! Anyway, back to Brasserie du Parc! Brasserie du Parc is the newest restaurant from the owners of Etoile Cuisine et Bar that is located in Uptown Park. This Parisian inspired bistro occupies the first …

Glorious Grapefruit: I’ll Make a Margarita Out of You!

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What do you do when your friend gives you a bounty of grapefruit from her parent’s orchard? You make grapefruit margaritas of course! And this Spicy Grapefruit Margarita from Honest Cooking looks and sounds delish! Now I love a good margarita anytime. We live in Texas after all and it’s pretty much margarita weather year round. But I decided to juice these beauties and freeze the juice in ice cube trays to use to make margaritas pool side this summer! That way my summer cocktail will not only taste great, but be healthy too! Maybe I’ll even lose a little weight along the way 😉 Don’t judge! They are supposed to help you shed a few pounds!! Another way that I love my grapefruit is simply sprinkled with fresh rosemary and Tajin seasoning. Yummy! Grapefruit are crazy good for you! Here’s what Life Hack has to say about them: Grapefruit has surprising health benefits. The fruit grows in clusters similar to grapes, hence the name. It was first discovered in South America. It is a natural hybrid between orange and pomelo which …

Crostini With Sweet Pea Purée and Crispy Pancetta: Perfect For Easter Brunch

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Not too long ago I took a cooking class at Sur La Table with some of my fave girlfriends. It was so much fun! A great way to spend an afternoon or evening with your friends… We definitely shared lots of laughs! And, obviously, you get to try some fabulous new recipes that you can impress your family and friends with later 😉 While we prepared several things, my favorite was the Crostini with Sweet Pea Puree and Pancetta. This bright green pea puree on grilled rustic bread bursts with spring flavor. I love how the salty pancetta paired with the sweetness of the peas. When in season, fresh shelled peas are recommended for the freshest flavor, but frozen peas make a delicious spread as well. These would make a perfect accompaniment to a summer day soiree, an evening dinner party, or really just anytime. If you are gluten sensitive you can make these with gluten free bread. I loved these! I hope you will too! Here’s what you’ll need: 2 cups fresh peas, or frozen and thawed …

Around Town: Macaron by Patisse and Bite Macarons

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Attention macaron lovers: It’s National Macaron Day! Pierre Hermé declared the first “Jour du Macaron” in 2005, to bring the French delicacy into the international spotlight and raise money for his charity. It has since become an international phenomenon. If you are a macaron aficionado feel free to skip this part 😊 If you are not a macaron aficionado then read this: A macaron is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring. The macaron commonly consists of a ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. The name is derived from the Italian word macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the meringue. The related macaroon is often confused with the macaron. In English, most bakers have adopted the French spelling of macaron for the meringue-based item, to distinguish the two. This has caused confusion over the correct spelling. Some recipes exclude the use of macaroon to refer to this French confection while others treat the two as synonymous. The two food items are different, …

Around Town: The New Grotto Ristorante in Downtown Houston is a Must!

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If you’ve lived in Houston for any length of time you’ve probably dined at the Grotto’s located at Loop 610 and Westheimer. It’s kind of a Houston landmark! Well now there is a new Grotto in town located downtown on Avenida Las Americas and she’s a beauty! This past Friday my friend Holly and I decided to go take in some of the sights downtown as our great city is in preparations for hosting Super Bowl LI this coming weekend. Hungry, as usual, and so many great times with friends are spent over food and a great glass of wine, we decided to pop into the new Grotto. I was impressed from the minute we walked in. It is a gorgeous, industrial, but warm atmosphere. Taupe-y grey stone floors mingling with graphic black and white tiles. Light woods. Dark woods. White subway tile. Taupe-y grey brick. Steel grey metals. Stainless steel. Exposed pipes. Edison light bulbs. Large black framed picture windows and pops of green from succulents. There is also an expansive outdoor patio, which features sleek fire pits, TVs, and a front …

Around Town: Houston Mac and Cheese Festival

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Do some extra workouts, put your stretchy pants on, and get your tickets now for the Houston Mac and Cheese Festival taking place Saturday, April 15th at Silver Street Studios in the Sawyer Heights District! So, you may or may not know that I am gluten sensitive and doing my best to live a gluten free life. But, man do I miss mac and cheese! And mac and cheese is one of those things you just can’t get away from when you have kids at home! They probably want mac and cheese twice and week (Annie’s Organic of course) and it takes every bit of my strength to not take just one bite of that gooey goodness when I prepare it for them. All of that aside, Houston is about to host it’s first ever Mac and Cheese festival at Silver Street Studios on April 15th and I am hoping that they will have some gluten free offerings. Nonetheless, I wanted to let you, our readers, know about it. There will be over two dozen local Houston restaurants vying for …