Perfect Summer Margarita

Equal parts Patron Silver Tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, Cointreau and half part agave syrup.

Shake on ice and strain or whirl in blender with two parts ice.

One cup each with half cup agave and two cups ice makes serving for four.

Orzo & Mushroom Soup

Super easy and so simple to make it will become a week night staple in our house. I can only imagine all of the variations that can be made.

(You know I don't write recipes... bear with me)

16 oz of mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 T butter or margarine
1 t (ish) of Olive oil
2 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
2 T dried thyme
1 - 2 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 c orzo
8 c chicken stock

In a stock or soup pot bring stock to a boil to cook orzo according to package instructions. It will take just about the same amount of time to cook the orzo as it will to saute the mushrooms.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in butter and oil. Season with garlic, onion, thyme, salt and pepper. (I added a generous splash of red wine at this point. Yum.) Sprinkle flour over mushroms when they are tender and stir around in pan to thicken the liquid already in the pan. We aren't going for a roux - just a little bit thicker than it already was.

Ladle about a cup of stock into the pan with the mushrooms and stir , incorporating all of the pan goodness into the stock. Transfer all of the mushroom goodness into the stock and orzo and stir to mix everything up. Return to a simmer.

At this point, I couldn't wait anymore and ate a bowl. Hubs waited about 20 minutes longer and his was a little thicker. The next day at lunch the soup looked and felt like it had a cream base. DIVINE!

Glam White Cake Pops

Like the cake balls below, this cake pop project originated in the kitchen of Bakerella. Since these were originally intended for New Year's Eve, I used Funfetti cake. Genius. I know.

I learned last time that my slow, methodical dipping strategy isn't a good match for the quick to harden candy coating. I went back and forth to the microwave too many times to be efficient. Solution? I broke out the mini crock-pot and put the candy melts on low. Perfect temperature from start to finish without running back and forth to the microwave!

Each CP got a light dusting of sparkly sprinkles before being placed in the Styrofoam holder.

I covered the Styrofoam disc with wrapping paper and double stick taped it to a cake plate.

A little silver shred to fill in the center and some wayward cake balls around the edge, and this glam party platter is ready to go!

Photogenic and delicious! What more could you want for a party food?

Cake Balls

Thank you, Bakerella for bringing cake balls into my life.

I owe ya one.

Chocolate and chocolate. Intense, divine, and just right for a bite sized dessert.

 These cakeballs were bedecked in coconut and peppermint.

Just a sprinkling of coconut... a flurry not a blizzard. 

Candy canes make the best peppermint topping (IMHO) and its totally worth unwrapping and smashing the canes. Because you put all that work into getting candy cane bits, don't hesitate to use the extra for plating.
 

If you make them, they will come. And then come back for seconds.

The Mighty Cone - Austin, TX

I drove ninety miles to eat at the place next to this cutie...

I drove ninety miles to turn my nose up at a sign a weaker willed eater might not be able to ignore.

I drove (ok, really I rode) ninety miles - one way - to eat here.

The Mighty Cone.

At who's sign I dare not turn up my nose.

With a mighty presence on South Congress Avenue in Austin the efficiently outfitted food trailer has made quite a name for itself and it's deep sauteed fare.

Although the entire menu begs to be tried, I can't break myself away from the Chicken-Avocado Cone. It's blissful.

Each meal is served in a cone. The Chicken-Avocado is served with a warm and perfectly chewy flour tortilla, tangy cool (not goopy) slaw and topped with a mildly spicy chili sauce. The perfectly cut fries are dusted with a hint of chili powder tying them in with the rest of the savory, smoky flavors.

Who ever said SnoCones should get to have all the fun? Move over frozen mess. 

If your mouth isn't watering right.now please check your pulse. I wish I could bottle the smell and send it to you.

Good news. Avocado is available on the side as an extra if you are a junkie for an amazing deep sauteed delicacy. 

Yes, Mighty Cone, I obey and hope that you continue to do YOUR thing for a long long time.

The Mighty Cone... Making the world a better place one serving at a time.

Find them in person at:

1600 S. Congress Ave, at the corner of Congress and Monroe

or on the web at:

www.mightycone.com

Firefly Tapas, Las Vegas

Firefly Tapas in Las Vegas was suggested to us by a LV local. It was one of the best tapas experiences I've ever had! The service was stellar, the atmophere was perfect and the sangria was divine.

 

Barnaby's in Houston

One word.

Blissful.

Every bite was insanely packed with flavor. Each morsel was amazing.

The menu was postitvley enticing. It was SO hard to decide what to order!

The only no brainer decision was the lemonade. Lemons, sugar, water. Simple. Delicious. 

The lemonade mixed with the house blend iced tea in an Arnold Palmer was over the top goodness.

Every taste bud in my mouth was thankful.

I didn't think the cream-free tomato basil soup could possibly live up to a cream filled version but it was fantastically light and flavorful with an intense roasted garlic undertone.

Have you ever had blue cheese fondue fries? These babies deserve a medal of honor. Seriously.

Avacado. Cheese. Beef. Bun.

Uh.

Maze.

Ing.

Barnaby's is all over Houston and worth its weight in gold. Visit! Visit NOW!