Closing the generation gap .... with cookies

I was taught to respect our elders. It's just how we were raised in my generation. In fact, I've always really liked being around seniors, because they represent such a wealth of knowledge, experience, wisdom and history. 

I worked as a candy striper for four years in the skilled nursing care wing of a hospital, was a highly involved volunteer for the Senior Olympics, and generally just like spending time with my elders. 

Despite irritation and discouragement from my observations of the lack of respect and consideration our elders receive, sometimes a brilliant ray of sunshine breaks through and renews hope. This time, it was in the form of two adorable little boys - ages 4 and 6. 

The doorbell rang at my parents' house the other day. Mom was greeted by a young family who introduced themselves as neighbors from a few streets over. The parents, both school teachers, explained that they take their two sons by my folks' house nearly every day on the way to the swimming pool, and they often see Dad working in the yard. The little boys were so impressed with how dedicated he is to making the yard nice that they wanted to do something for him. 

And so, little Finn and Jack each wrote Dad a note which was delivered along with a bag of delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies. Upon learning that Dad had just celebrated a birthday, the boys were even more excited. 

Mom didn't mention that he just turned 99. I don't know if the kids could even fathom that. Mom didn't mention that he doesn't keep track of the fact that he's outside 25-plus times a day. The kids might like this, but they cannot fathom that it's because his dementia makes him forget how often he's out there. 

But bless that family, the parents who instill great values in their children, and the big hearts of those two boys. If I ever get to meet them myself, hugs all around! THANK YOU.

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Headed to the World Cup? Here's how to not get robbed in foreign cities.

Everyone’s seen the video in which a Brazilian woman being interviewed on live TV is rumbled by a thief who brazenly steals her gold necklace on-air.

Having experienced Sao Paulo, which admittedly is not a particularly safe city, I'd like to share a few tips to increase your odds of not getting robbed. Especially if you're headed there for the World Cup.

• The general rule of thumb: don’t be stupid! You know all the usual stuff like never carrying your passport, always having ID, respecting laws and customs, not leaving a drink unattended, etc.

• Constantly scan your environment. Know what/who is in front of/behind/next to you. Don’t walk so close to the street or doorways that you or your belongings can easily disappear. Narrow streets are a dream for thieves on motorcycles. Notice buildings, landmarks and small details: they help keep you safe and alert and could be important if it becomes a crime scene.

• Separate your things. Put a ‘steal’ wallet in your pocket with stuff that you don’t really mind having lifted, including a modest amount of cash. Put your other money in your hidden pocket. If held up, offer the aggressor your fake wallet and your phone if you must.

• Related to the above, take only one credit card with you at a time, leaving others in the safe. Use an ATM during the day, return directly to the hotel and put it in the safe. Ensure you’re not being followed. Get the bell captain or concierge to have an employee accompany you to your room if you're nervous.

• In a taxi, it’s best to put your laptop bag in the trunk. Road-based thieves are often on motorcycles and just want you to open the window and hand over your wallet. They won’t take the time to examine the contents of the trunk.

• Walk confidently and don’t look clumsy or foggy. Head high, good alert posture, purposeful gait. Thieves read body language.

• Leave your bling home. Don’t look expensive. If you have a ‘more money than sense’ air about you, you’re an accident waiting to happen.

• Don’t wear silly heels. Carry them in a bag if you must, but you’ll be thankful for comfortable flat shoes if you have to run.

• Only take the public transportation known to be safe for visitors. In Sao Paulo, the metro is generally okay for anyone to take, but buses are never okay for tourists.

• Malls are generally pretty safe – as long as they have security guards, nice stores and restaurants, video surveillance and families.

• Study up on the place you’re going so you know the usual MO for thieves in that region (e.g., gypsy girls in Rome, young fit men preying upon middle-aged cruise passengers in the Baltics, tandem motorcycle riders in Sao Paulo, thieves who target the Metro in Paris).

• Register with STEP – the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. You’ll receive alerts about the countries/region(s) where you’re traveling, and can receive assistance more quickly from the State Department if you run into trouble.

This isn't a foolproof formula. But in a few decades of travel, I’ve never been robbed (thankfully!). Some of it is sheer luck; most of it is just being alert and practical. And I’ve been to some seriously dodgy places.

Don't let paranoia ruin your trip though - enjoy the travel, and don't be stoopid!

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Sao Paulo: first impressions

Olá, Brasil! Arriving in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a trailing spouse to Greggles provided the excitement of adding another continent to the list, and for me the first time I've been below the equator in 16 years. 

I've been reading up on this sprawling city (3,090 square miles!) with 20 million residents, and the major thread running through it all is ... crime. Oh well - you just cannot openly carry anything of value and you should be okay. And avoid motorcycles, especially those with two riders.

My impressions from our first few hours here ... 

Lots of serious poverty - we're talking desperately poor.

Graffiti everywhere, even in posh neighborhoods.

Traffic. All the time. What do you expect with 20 million residents plus visitors?

Amazing, amazing espresso - thank goodness for our access to the executive lounge at the hotel, with constant access. Coffee helped create this city.

Very meaty culture ... everything is about meat and I'm guessing that vegetarians have to look for options. Churrasco flavored potato chips, even. And what's up with the abundance of white bread? Weird...

And we really need to figure out a few words of Portuguese ... even with the World Cup coming here in a few weeks, signage is not in multiple languages and English is not something you hear a lot.

Portuguese is an interesting language - it sounds like what happens when you put Spanish, Japanese and French in a blender.

We will be venturing out a bit tomorrow, so I look forward to exploring more of local culture and maybe finding a good caipirinha!

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Filling passport pages in Houston

As the most ethnically diverse city in the nation, you can imagine that Houston always has something happening which is influenced by well-known and sometimes obscure cultures. We especially embrace this, since it's part of what makes Houston so special. The art, food, dance, religions, and cultural customs which converge upon HTX daily, distinguished from one another yet threaded together by the 90-plus languages spoken here on any day.

The Japan Festival is a decades-long tradition in our city to celebrate the 'Way of Japan' - from both ancient and current perspectives. Since the Asian population in Houston continues to grow and have a larger hand in shaping our city, its popularity also grows. Here are some scenes from the event...

the warriors ...

 
 the anime ...

of course Capri knew every character ...

Can't wait for the International Festival - this year Australia is a theme! G'day, mate.

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Welcoming our new granddaughter

Hard to imagine it at my young age (cough, cough), but we now have three granddaughters. Actually, I did none of the hard work - like giving birth or raising kids to get to this point. But it's so nice to reap the rewards of being a grandparent. 

Hard to imagine that Louanne and Mike went to China to adopt Nadia almost seven years ago, and that Amelie is already four. Now there is Dani, who just turned two, and has been living in this country for just a few short weeks. To say the least, she's adorable. And she's learning English at an astonishing rate. And she has her own distinct personality, different from her two sisters. 

Greg and I were able to meet her, finally. We had waffles for dinner (apparently for Nadia and Amelie, the concepts of 'Papa' and 'waffles' are forever inextricably linked), and got in some fun playtime with all three. 

And we even got Dani to give us huge smiles and giggles for pictures (she usually wears a pouty face in group photos). I especially loved watching Nadia and Amelie play.  

The only slight disappointment is that there wasn't a spare superhero cape in my size. 

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Trail Mix, Remixed = Granola on the Cheap

I like granola every now and then - it's great on yogurt and fruit, and makes a nice little breakfast when paired with almond milk. But it's kind of expensive. 

Upon discovering the forgotten remnants of five bags of trail mix intended for Greg, I figured there's a way to make something good out of these leftovers instead of tossing them. So, I picked through them all and saved the best stuff for a stellar batch of granola. Voila! - trail mix, remixed! 

I made this recipe from about 15 recipes - switch up your ingredients however you like. The basics are oats, nuts, seeds, fruits and a binding ingredient. Spices are up to you.

You'll need:

3 cups of old-fashioned oats
1 cup (approx.) of raw almonds/cashews/hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup (approx.) of seeds - pumpkin (green ones), flax, chia, sunflower, etc. 
1/3 cup (approx.) of shaved coconut
1 cup (approx.) of dried fruits - raisins, cranberries, dates
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey 
1/4 cup vegetable oil 
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
pinch of nutmeg

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, seeds and coconut. In small bowl, mix sugar, syrup/honey, oil, vanilla, salt and spices. 

Drizzle over dry ingredients and mix well. Place on large cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking pad or parchment. 

Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring gently a few times, until it's golden and smells incredible. 

Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes and then put in a big bowl. Add fruits and mix gently. Let it cool completely before putting it in a container (I just throw it in a large zipper bag). 

Enjoy!!

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I could give you my word as a Spaniard

"I could give you my word as a Spaniard."

"No good. I've known too many Spaniards."

Greg and I love to quote this from our fave flick The Princess Bride, since he is of Spanish heritage. Plus, it's funny to say it in public because you find out who else is in the Princess Bride Club. 

I was fortunate enough to tag along with Greg to Spain (business for him). We've been to Barcelona previously, and we're fans. 

There's something magical about standing in front of any building or park designed by Antoni Gaudi. 

Or wandering through ancient Roman architecture, losing yourself in the mazed passageways of Barri Gotic, allowing yourself to succumb to the wafting smells of tiny restaurants and dimly lit antique shops. 

Spaniards are fascinating to me anyway, but the barcelonians are a little different and hard to just group with the rest of the country. This happens with other regions too, of course. 

What I like about barcelonians ...

• they tend to be friendlier than other European cultures
• they're social people and enjoy all kinds of interactions, whether it's chatting over a coffee or sharing tapas
• they're very culturally inclined, surrounding themselves with great design
• they love their dogs - a bunch
• they speak both Catalan and Spanish, in most cases
• they don't get a lot of sleep (seeing as dinner time starts around 10 pm...)
• they love to eat!

Yep, Barcelona is a pretty enjoyable place to hang out. And I think if a resident there gave me their word as a Spaniard, I'd be inclined to believe them!

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Pantry turkey sausage-sweet potato egg-topped hash

If you're craving a ton of flavor, a few nice nutrients and a satisfying dish for any meal, here's an easy one to try. And for the most part, this uses what you already have on hand. Even better. 

For this hash, you'll need:

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion (any kind), diced
2 cloves of garlic
4 links of breakfast turkey sausage, or two large links of regular turkey sausage, sliced
About 4 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
3 sage leaves, finely sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Eggs - one per serving
Mustard for serving

Method

Steam sweet potatoes in a covered bowl in the microwave with a bit of water (a few tablespoons), about 4 minutes. Drain. 

Heat large heavy-bottomed pan to medium, and drizzle in a few teaspoons of olive oil. 

Saute onions, garlic and red pepper for about 3 minutes, until they become slightly translucent. Add turkey and saute until it begins to caramelize. Add sweet potatoes, herbs and salt and pepper. If mixture is dry, add a few tablespoons of chicken broth. 

While the hash finishes cooking, fry or poach an egg for each serving. Plate hash, top with an egg, crack some nice black pepper over the top and pass around a good quality mustard. 

I recommend this locally-made one from Revival Market - it's sweet enough and crunchy from the whole mustard seeds. YUM!!

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Found a use for leftover kolaches

Before the syrup

Those leftover kolaches don't need to be chucked, after all.

A highly popular pastry in Texas, kolaches are of Czech origin. The 'real' kolache is actually a wedding pastry filled with fruit - never meat. What we call the kolache in Texas is actually a klobasnek, which is essentially a little hot dog and cheese baked inside a rather large, sweetish airbag of fluffy dough. 

Kolaches are a twice a year occurrence for us. When Greg is given the green light to fetch said treats, he buys too many. Which in turn means there will be one or two strays which are popped in the fridge and promptly forgotten. 

Last night, in my usual bout of insomnia, I thought - why not slice up the remaining kolaches and make them into Czech French Toast? And - whattaya know - it worked.  

Czech-ish French Toast

2-3 leftover kolaches, sliced diagonally in 1/2" slices
2 eggs, beaten 
1 T milk or half and half
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
Shake of cayenne pepper 
Shake of nutmeg
Maple syrup

Beat together egg through nutmeg, dip kolache pieces in mixture and do your thing as you would French toast. 

Drizzle over the maple syrup and enjoy! 

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Another outstanding Houston event

Houston Magazine (from Modern Luxury) is celebrating its 100th issue. Browsing through it, I must say it's exciting to see how far Houston has come. Our city is more committed than ever to solidifying and putting a finer point on its identity, which is easy when we can point at specific standout physical and cultural attributes, but more tricky when you consider our vast diversity, because by nature it means there are so many identities coming together in HTX. 

Let's get to the good stuff. The fun events that remind us repeatedly why we love living in this city. Last night's Modern Luxury celebration, staged at The Tasting Room, was no exception. Lexus is a major sponsor, so you threaded among shiny new vehicles to enter the event. Once in, having been handed a glass of champagne, you were encouraged to jump in on the photobooth action (I'm a sucker for those). 

And, of course, enjoy the wonderful hummus, charcuterie, spicy shrimp, and other delicious bites. With a few dramatic touches of decor, outstanding live music, and some of the best people watching you'll get anywhere, this was the place to be. 

For us, we loved being in the vibe, greeting a number of our friends and acquaintances, and meeting a number of new folks. We guess others enjoyed it too, since the turnout topped 900. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to reload more business cards for tonight's event.... 

The goodie bags included pecan pie!

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Breakfast quesadilla: Cheesy Sweet Potato Mushroom Hatch-adilla

I needed something other than a smoothie for breakfast. Searching through the fridge, I spotted a sweet potato and some Cheddar. Hatch chiles are always in good supply in the freezer, and I'd picked up some yummy Hatch onions too. With mushrooms and turkey bacon on hand, it just seemed like a good idea. 

Cheesy Sweet Potato Mushroom Hatch-adilla

• 1/2 a small to medium sweet potato
• Scant 1/4 cup of sharp Cheddar, grated
• About 2 Tbsp. of diced Hatch chile onion (or green onion)
• 3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 a small Hatch chile, roasted and diced small
• 1 piece of turkey bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 Tbsp. of your favorite bbq or jerk sauce
• Two flour tortillas (get the ones made in-store)

Punch tiny holes in sweet potato and cook in microwave (5 mins. on full power for a smaller one). Let it cool a bit. 

In large fry pan, put a little coconut oil (or spray) and saute mushrooms and onions just slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 

Build your quesadilla by spreading on a little bbq sauce, then placing in the pan. Now pile on flat spoonfuls of sweet potato. Dot with mushrooms and onions, Hatch chile, turkey bacon and Cheddar. Spread remaining sauce on the other enchilada. Put the top on, and toast your enchilada, flipping once carefully. 

Enjoy - it's a little weird but really yummy! 

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Houston Restaurant Weeks: La Casa Del Caballo

There are restaurants you drive by a million times and never stop - for no specific reason. We finally stopped at one such place during Houston Restaurant Weeks at La Casa Del Caballo. This building has had many names, and it's known in Houston as one of those 'cursed' locations from the many restaurants it's housed, and from an infamous fire.

Once the last garishly decorated, mediocre suburban Tex-Mex shuttered after four months, the building sat again for a while. Finally, in moves a genuine Mexican steakhouse with a good pedigree: La Casa Del Caballo. The owner, a northern Mexican, would grill for family and friends in his backyard. 

While more elegant than a backyard, the authenticity is undeniable when the smell of mesquite greets you upon entering the building. It reminded me of some very old-world restaurants in Italy and Spain. Nice!

The meal was very good overall, with some pretty outstanding elements. 

The tortilla soup with crispy tortillas, fresco cheese and guahillo pepper strips offered amazingly deep chile flavor. Really rich with umami goodness. 

I hardly ever have steak, but this is a steakhouse so the 6 oz. eye of the ribeye seemed appropriate. While a bit more medium than medium-rare, the quality and flavor more than made up for it. It was simple and simply gorgeous, with four different sauces to enjoy alongside it. I liked combining the tangy red onion and creamy avocado sauces. These mesquite grilled veggies were divine - I could have had a huge mound of them.
 

 

Greg's chicken enchiladas had that amazing red chile sauce on them, and it reminded him a little bit of New Mexico - we both really enjoyed it. And the crispy tortilla housing the chicken was impressively tasty and super-crunchy. The chicken inside was fine and predictable.

 

 

For me, the chocolate and white mousse was a pleasant texture - no grainy feel - though I didn't really finish much of it (I prefer very dark chocolate).  

Greg's Caribbean dark rum cake was moist and flavorful, and that sauce was super-delish.

I'd say we give this place a strong three stars. The decor is quite nice, quality of food is quite good, and plating is unimaginative. We hope they make it as there are plenty of steakhouses, but not northern Mexican ones.

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Hatch chile remoulade - an August treat

It's August. You know what that means, right? It means Houston is wicked hot with that humid 'air you can wear.' And our very furry dog pouts all month long. 

But apart from that, it's HATCH CHILE TIME! Being married to a dude from New Mexico means that I've now taken on board this annual tradition of sourcing, roasting, peeling and freezing as many Hatch chiles as our constitutions and patience allow. 

We've learned a few things from our mistakes:

• Drag out a big fan and point that sucker right on the person manning the grill (the person not manning the grill is in charge of beverages)
• Get hot chiles - they're better
• Be ready to roast them ALL at once
• Plunge them into ice cold water as soon as you've blistered the skin
• Let them sit for a while so the skin is ready to part with the rest of the pepper
• Remove the tops and skin, give them a final rinse and drain, and freeze them in small portions

The night we roasted our chiles, I made a nice little remoulade which we smeared on some shrimp hatch chile burgers, and used as dip for our sweet potato oven fries. Delightful! 

Hatch Chile Remoulade

2/3 cup mayo (use a good brand or make your own)
2 tsp. of ketchup 
1/4 tsp. of Sriracha (or less)
1 hatch chile, roasted/peeled/diced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
A few dashes of Van Roehling's Campfire Dust, or seasoned salt plus pepper 

Mix everything together, then adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. 

Let it sit for a bit. Use on sandwiches, add to macaroni or potato salad, mix in your crab cakes, or whatever your imagination dictates! 

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Houston Restaurant Weeks: Hearsay Gastro Lounge

Continuing the Houston Restaurant Week marathon, we made a return visit to Hearsay Gastro Lounge after a very long absence. It's not that we don't adore this place - it's just that there are too many other choices. We were SO happy we went - the place was packed, and the food was outstanding. 

First, the building. Lots of history dating back to 1852. Three fires, a few hotels, a factory and a couple of restaurants later, this place has a few stories to tell. And the way it's designed, you could absolutely be right in the middle of New York. 

Then, there's the food. The taste and portions were both amazing. Here we have crispy calamari, which was light and non-oily - just how it should be.

The beet salad with feta was dressed perfectly, and the beets were delectable. 

The salmon was seasoned and cooked perfectly, as was the asparagus (really crunchy and bright-tasting). That sauce - wow. Decadent! The risotto was super-creamy and provided perfectly flavored forkfuls along with the salmon. 

The massive burger and huge mound of fries looked a bit daunting to me, but Capri reports that it was perfectly done. While not the best fries I've ever had, they were perfectly respectable and made more interesting by the addition of Parmesan and rosemary.

As chicken picatta goes, this was a fine specimen with chicken that actually tasted like chicken, fairly pleasant mashed potatoes and an excellently lemon-y sauce. The spinach was the unfortunate victim of over-salting.

While I'm not a dessert person, this massive slab of cheesecake was one of the best I can recall. That perfectly light texture and a complete lack of graininess are key to this deliciousness, as is a crust of the exact right thickness. YUM! Greg enjoyed a gorgeous chocolate cake layered with mousse. 

This lunch experience reminded us that we need to visit Hearsay more often, and that it's a good thing Houston Restaurant Weeks is only for one month. My workouts can't keep up with the lunches!

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