I’ve Gotta Beef

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients.” -Julia Child We’re enjoying a cooler, later entree to Spring this year. Ok, I lied. I don’t know if we’re enjoying it as much as we’re tolerating it. Last year, this time, I was busy nursing the sunburn I gained during…

Unpreparedness

As a predominantly Type-A, unpreparedness makes me nervous. I even make packing lists for going on vacation. What if I forget something important like retainer cleaner or contact solution? Preparedness in the now, sets me up for comfort later.

A New Era

“You had better explore to Donwell,” replied Mr. Knightley. “That may be done without horses. Come, and eat my strawberries. They are ripening fast.” ‘Emma’ -Jane Austen I have been a fan of sweets since I was young, but lately we’ve been challenging ourselves to reserve sweets for one day a week only. I’m accustomed…

Half of My Heart is in Havana

I’m often inspired by the books I’m reading or the shows I’m currently binging. It’s almost like I don’t want to simply read, watch, or listen to the story… I want to absorb it into every fiber of my being. I’ve always been that way. Since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed being…

Playing Chicken

Getting a grasp on balancing full-time work, a commute, and everyday housework has sidelined one of my favorite activities. This beloved space. I have just enough time to cook, yes. Writing? There’s only so much of me to go around. At the end of the day, after my commute, after cooking and/or chores, I don’t…

Summer Slips Away

Summer passed by simultaneously in a blink and interminably. If I’m truthful, after a Summer with a health challenge and now having to lose the weight gained by more bagels and less cardio, I’m beyond ready for Fall. Beyond. If you know me personally, you know that my favorite time of year is Winter. Fall…

There’s Beauty in the Blend

One of the best things about growing up in the US of A is that we enjoy the incredible results of a couple of centuries of culinary influence that comes from such a melting pot of a nation. My fair-haired-blue-eyed ancestors emigrated from Germany during World War II and proudly became legal United States citizens,…

¡Cinco de Mayo!

In Texas (heck, in the United States as a whole), Cinco de Mayo is more of an unofficial cause for celebration than than it is in Mexico. Many people erroneously assume that it’s Mexico’s independence day. Actually, it only commemorates a single battle in the Mexican fight for independence from European control – specifically France….

Amazing St. Jacques’ Scallops

I remember the first time I ever heard of Coquille St. Jacques. I have been a voracious reader for as long as I could read. As a young elementary school student, I read this book about a seemingly poor girl named Mazie (sp?) during the Great Depression. Her mother died while she was young, but…

First at BAT

Growing up, sports was a big deal between my father and my brother. Football, yes, but especially baseball. Particularly Texas Rangers baseball. Because of this, a particular local restaurant (Bobby V’s Sports Gallery Cafe) was on regular rotation in our house. Per the website: “Bobby Valentine, baseball legend and former Texas Rangers manager, founded Bobby…