Rio Grande proves local Tex Mex is always best!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Lindsay S

It seems like my best restaurant discoveries are coming more and more in the form of happy accidents. Take Rio Grande in Pflugerville.

This time, it was a last-minute invitation to join with some people from a Meetup group. I never heard of the Rio Grande Tex Mex, but hey, have GPS, will travel. So off we went.

I have to be honest…I didn’t have high hopes. The name sounded like yet another chain Tex-Mex, with boring ingredients and so-so salsa. Boy, was I wrong!

First of all there was the salsa. This one had a real kick! And the chips were fresh and crisp. It was all I could do to not eat more of them. But the vegetarian nachos were calling out to me from the menu, so I wanted to save my imaginary “chip allowance” for my meal. (Imaginary, because I have yet to stick to it!)

In this case, thank goodness I did keep my chip indulgence low, because what arrived was a HUGE plate of giant chips, decked out with tons of vegetables, cheese, black beans and more of that amazing salsa…and a great big pile of jalapeno that warmed my capsaicin loving heart. On the side, was an even bigger pile of guacamole and another of sour cream.

I usually eat pretty low-fat, and in small quantities, but I knew this was going to be an exception. Who cares if it was all absolutely terrible for my waistline — my taste buds won out, and I feasted!

I’m not sure if I would like to claim that I ate the whole thing…that would have been quite an accomplishment for me. But the truth is, everyone around me wanted a taste, so I had some much appreciated help in clearing that plate. No, really! I didn’t eat it all!

The deliciousness didn’t stop with my nachos. My meat-eating partner-in-crime , Sir Lancelot, ordered Morlianas, a chicken enchiladas dish served with freshly sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers and queso fresco. Let me just say that there was not a speck left on his plate when the waitress returned to clear the table — and he had no help in cleaning that plate!

After we ate, I did some research on the Rio Grande Tex-Mex. It’s a local place with two locations (one in Hutto and the one we went to in Pflugerville), owned by native Texans Mario Maldonado and his wife Raquel Cisneros. It seems the two have a reputation for excellence in local restaurants — no wonder this didn’t taste like chain restaurant food.

The local pride also showed in the service. Our glasses never emptied…they were refilled as soon as they reached half full. And when there was a slight delay in the kitchen for one dish, our waitress told us immediately, and offered her apologies. I love restaurants where it feels like you’re a guest instead of a customer — and Rio Grande definitely provided that experience.

I can’t wait to go back…just read a review that they have an awesome breakfast, too. I’ll have to check that out next. Just let me run a 5K or two first…I don’t want to regret a single bite!

There’s a patio which would be great for a date night, and a good kids’ menu, too.

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More info on Rio Grande:

15821 Central Commerce Dr
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 252-1800

Monday – Thursday 11:00a – 9:30p
Friday 11:00a – 10:30p
Saturday 9:00a – 10:30p
Sunday 9:00a – 9:00p
Reservations: Yes
WiFi: No
Dog-friendly: No
Website: Rio Grande Tex Mex

Austin Diaper Bank helps young and old (Make a Difference Monday)

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Lindsay S

Can you imagine not being able to buy diapers for your baby? Or being a senior citizen in need of adult diapers, but with a limited income?

Diapers and other personal care needs aren’t covered by programs like Food Stamps. They’re not available at most food banks.

But if you have a baby or toddler, they’re not optional either. Lack of enough diapers to keep a baby clean can lead to a whole host of physical and behavioral problems. And now researchers are finding a link between being unable to afford diapers and a mom’s increased risk for depression. Which of course, then affects her ability to care for an uncomfortable, fussy baby — or a baby who may even be in pain with severe diaper rash and other infections. It’s becomes a downward spiral in which no one wins.

And for older people in need of incontinence protection, having adult diapers can mean the difference between going out in public at all…or becoming a recluse.

Cloth diapers might sound like an option for people with children, but the laundry costs can quickly become financially prohibitive for that, too. Especially if, like so many people in apartments, you don’t have a washer and dryer at home. (Trust me…I did the cloth diaper route! It was hard to keep up even WITH a washer and dryer!) Add to that the fact that most day care programs won’t accept a child in cloth diapers, and you have a secondary economic issue.

Thank goodness there are people stepping in to help to fill this need here in Austin. I met the ladies behind the Austin Diaper Bank at a Texas M.I.L.K. event a few months ago. I learned that the group was the idea of founder Beverly Hamilton. She read about a similar program in other cities across the country, and was touched by the impact of the programs on the lives of children and families. But when she learned that Austin had no such program, she stepped into the void. The Austin Diaper Bank was born in June of 2013.

“There are many reasons people need help with diaper costs,” the volunteers told me. “It could be a family living in poverty, a job loss, a divorce or an illness. And with seniors, it’s an on-going problem as income doesn’t keep up with higher prices.”

The program is currently run out of the director’s home, but is looking for help with renting a space so they can accept more donations, sort and repackage them, and get them out to the growing numbers of families in need. The group has already taken in and distributed over 50,000 diapers to date. But the need keeps expanding.

So how can you help? So glad you asked! Austin Diaper Bank is always in need of diapers, volunteers to sort, package and deliver diapers and to get the word out. Check out their How YOU Can Assist ADB in 2014 page for the details. That package or two of baby, toddler or adult diapers you donate could make a big difference to a family in crisis.

Austin Diner rocks it for breakfast

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Lindsay S

It’s cute. It’s kitschy. And it’s another diner here in Austin!

Those we’re my thoughts when we walked in the Austin Diner over the weekend. I immediately fell in love with the collections of vintage mixers and other kitchen ware from the 50’s and 60’s.

Then the waitress came over, and welcomed us to this adorable place. She was friendly — and once we told her it was our first visit, she her smile got even bigger. We felt like guests, instead of just customers!

The menu was just as inviting. Lots of delicious choices for our breakfast — and even after we had made our choices, we kept looking at the options for a later lunch or dinner visit, if the food was good.

It wasn’t long until that “if the food was good” turned into “Oh yeah, the food is good!” I ordered Migas — my favorite food in Austin. And I wasn’t disappointed! The mixture was delicious, and it was topped with just enough queso.

Others in our group opted for pancakes, eggs, sausages and other breakfast classics. And by the time we left, every plate on the table was empty. In fact, we were already talking about coming back again for the next weekend brunch. The diner has lots of vegetarian choices, in addition to classic diner food like chicken and dumplings. It’s a great choice for families, too. There’s a very limited, partial menu online, but the complete menu has a lot more choices.

I’m still in search of that real 24-hour diner somewhere in the Austin area (gotta know I can fill my eggs, potato and toast craving at 2 a.m.!), but the daytime diners I’m finding, like Austin Diner, are doing a good job of filling the void at breakfast time.

San Antonio Mission San José (Wordfree Wednesday)

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Lindsay S

There is some really OLD stuff here in Central Texas! You knew? OK, new to me! And I loved it!

Everything in Austin seems to have been built kind of last Thursday. Or at least in a year starting with a 19- or 20- . S’alright. So is everything in South Florida. But I was delighted to discover that there are buildings in our neighboring city of San Antonio that date back to the 1700’s!

We only got to visit one of the missions (and, yes, some of these building have later additions from 1800’s), but it was still amazing. The rest on another day. but for now, here’s Mission San José.

Lasagna Meets My Favorite Dip (Taste of Austin Tuesday)

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Lindsay S

I was browsing Pinterest this morning, when I spotted what I knew HAD to be my supper tonight. It was a recipe from blogger Megan Brewer for Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna Bundles.

Lasagna AND Spinach-Artichoke Dip? Oh, yeah! I’m there!

It had a lot of ingredients, but it sounded so incredibly delicious I had to try it.

Usually when I try a completely new recipe, I try to follow the directions pretty much as written. But for this one, I had to make one change. The recipe called for old-fashioned lasagna noodles, but all I had in my pantry were the oven-ready ones. I stopped at the store, but unless I wanted to pay for fancy imports ($5.99 for noodles? I think not!), all they had were the oven-ready, too. So I adapted — the roll up directions became a stack. I also added some delicious zucchini and some fresh basil from my herb garden.

The result? Delicious! Certainly messier than the recipe that inspired me…but the taste was all there, just as I imagined when I read the recipe.

So here’s my take on Megan’s recipe:

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, scrubbed and sliced thin, long ways
2 large cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon dried basil or 6 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 yellow onion, diced small

4 cups chopped spinach leaves (fresh, not frozen)
1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (I used marinated…next time, I would use plain ones in olive oil or water)
1 8 oz package cream cheese

1 can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, strained, with the liquid reserved
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic, pressed
Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese, blend
8 oven-ready lasagna sheets

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F
Lightly grease a large glass baking pan with olive oil
Place 4 lasagna sheets in the bottom of the baking pan
Set aside
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan.
Add zucchini, garlic and basil and saute for 3-4 minutes until tender
Remove cooked zucchini from pan, and keep warm on a plate
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan, along with the diced onions.
Cook the onions until they become translucent.
Add the spinach and artichoke hearts and cook them until the spinach leaves shrink down and become limp
Add the salt, pepper, and 3 cloves of garlic, and toss the spinach-artichoke mix together.
Strain off any excess liquid, then add the cream cheese and stir until it has fully melted into the spinach mixture.
Place 1-2 thin slices of zucchini on each lasagna noodle
Top each with one-quarter of the spinach-artichoke mixture
Add a second sheet of lasagna on top of each stack
Top each row with 1/4 of strained diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Pour the reserved tomato juice around the edges of the noodle stacks
Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil, add additional cheese and broil the top of the dish for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese browns, bubbles and melts.

Serve hot, with a salad and crispy bread.

Messy, yes. But oh so delicious!!!

Would I make these again? In a heart beat! My family loved it, too. I made a double recipe, and it’s all gone! But next time, I’ll wait until I can find regular lasagna noodles so I can roll them up. Thanks, Pinterest…and thanks Megan!

Making the Homeless Smile (Make a Difference Monday)

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Lindsay S

Today’s Make a Difference Monday isn’t local. And at the same time, it’s completely local. Let me explain….

The video below didn’t come from an Austin area group. But because this fair city is also home to so very many homeless people, the message…and the action…is perfect for here-at-home action. I’ve worked with the homeless for years, and know the value of a smile, a recognition that these people (whom my daughter once dubbed “Angels on the Street”) are no less human, no less deserving of a kind word, a smile, a ray of hope.

Watch the video. Check out the group behind it. Let it inspire you. At the bottom of this post are some links to help you get started on sharing smiles of your own.

Making blessing bags for the homeless (what to include and what NOT to include)

Homeless resources in Austin:

(My goal in the next few weeks is to create a single page, printable directory of local resources for the homeless residents of Austin. That way, we can all include those with the coins, food, or smiles we hand out. My husband deserves 100% of the credit for that idea…it is a great way to connect people with the services they might not know exist. Watch for that printable added here SOON!)

Sundays in my City: Castle Hill Graffiti Park

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Lindsay S

I reserved Sundays on this blog for whatever strikes my fancy. This morning, my inspiration came from Traci from A Star in my Own Universe, when her Sunday in my City post landed in my inbox. The post was part of meme from Unknown Mami, where she invites people to share posts that show something unique in their city. I loved the idea!

So here I am…sharing something that makes Austin unique, that was fun to look at, that made me smile. Castle Hill Graffiti.

In lots of cities, graffiti is an underground art. Buildings are tagged, arrests are made, but as an art form, it’s undervalued. Not so in Austin. We have an entire park dedicated to graffiti artists.

This is not an elite park, reserved for the few. There are no forms to fill out, or approvals to seek. Artists from around the city simply bring their paints and their vision — and art happens.

And the result is amazing! Colors, shapes, messages, interwoven in a collage that took my breath away…or made me smile.

Even the park’s trash cans, light posts and drainage lines had been turned into works of art.

It’s tempting to try my own skills with a spray paint can, and add to the colors of Austin. On the other hand, I am so impressed with the work of these mostly-young creators of color and design that I think I just might leave it to them, and remain an appreciative audience.

Eat chili, hang out at Jo’s, help people: what’s not to love?

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Lindsay S

Jo’s is one of the coolest spots on South Congress. Yummy meat, dessert and vegetarian menu choices, all kinds of coffees and teas, and a chance to people watch from a shady spot. It’s also close to the Pets Alive trailer, so I can get some puppy visits in (but that’s a story for another post!)

And now there’s another reason to love Jo’s. I just found out that Sunday January 26 it’s going to be the site for the 8th Annual Chili Cook-Off, sponsored by Shiner. The cook-off benefits the Sustainable Food Center, a wonderful local Austin charity working hard to make it possible for more people to have access to nutritious, affordable food through education, access to gardens and more.

So all in all, that means South Congress, Jo’s Coffee Shop, chili, music (live music will be provided by Jeff Hughes & Chapparal, the Jo’s House Band and DJ Ben Nuhn), beer for those who love it (and I know a LOT of Austin folks do!) and a chance to do something really good for people who are struggling to put healthy food on their family dinner table.

The festivities (including chili tasting!) start at noon and run until 3. And there are even prizes! Yes, some of those chili chefs will walk away with great prizes, so not only do you get to eat, you get to vote and help your fave cooks win some good stuff!

It’s $20 to join in the event, and that includes samples of all 14 chili entries, plus all the great music and atmosphere you want to enjoy. Beer and other drinks will be for sale, so you can safely go ahead and take a bite or two of that habanero-spiked chili, then put out the fire.

Jo’s is located at 1300 South Congress in Austin.

Austin Food and Wine Festival frenzy begins early

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Lindsay S

It’s no secret that the annual Austin Food and Wine Festival has quickly become one of the highlights of the culinary year here in the Capital city. But I had no idea the fight for tickets to the coveted event started so early!

This year’s Festival will be April 25th-27th at Butler Park and Republic Square Park in Austin. The strictly 21 and over event attracts foodies and chefs from around the globe, who come together to sample amazing creations, show off their masterpieces and gather inspiration for feasts they’ll just have to make in the coming year.

Tickets for this year’s fest go on sale January 21st…that’s next week! That’s also when you can find out who’s going to be featured, and get a first peek at the schedule.

It’s gonna be a yummy weekend in Austin! See y’all there!

(This Taste of Austin Tuesday is making me hungry! Come on, April!)

HOPE for Senegal on Make a Difference Monday

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Lindsay S

I blog a lot about food. Food I cook, and food other people cook for me to eat in restaurants. And then there are the food festivals and the foodie groups and the best places to find the ingredients for the next food creation we’re planning to make.

So it’s hard me…and for many of us… to get our heads around the idea that right now, there are places in the world where a gift of some flour or oil or milk could make a life-or-death difference for women and kids. That information was my introduction to HOPE for Senegal — and their campaign to provide mothers in war-torn regions with the very basics of food for survival.

That campaign saved lives. It’s still saving lives. But they have a new campaign in progress now.

Before I share that, I want to tell you a little bit about the woman behind this world-changing campaign, Yasmin DialloTurk.

I learned about the HOPE for Senegal project when I met its Project Director Yasmin Turk at MomCom, here in Austin. As a mom of three, I was drawn to her campaign’s goal of providing food and medical care to mothers and children in the most at-risk areas of the world.

But there’s more to the story. Yasmin has experienced hard times, too. At one point, this woman who is now on the verge of earning her PhD was a single mom with GED who needed to take the next step to make her own dreams come true. That early struggle is probably part of the reason she so empathizes with those moms who have lost almost everything — except their love for their children.

These days, HOPE for Senegal has is focusing on its core goal: education. They’re working to make literacy and education available to children and women in high-risk region. Right now in Senegal, less than 3 out of 10 girls can read. Boys are not much better off. And without literacy, there is little hope to break cycles of poverty, exploitation and abuse.

They have made significant progress…but there is so much more to do.

The project has a target goal of $22,500 to provide needed resources to help educate over 4,000 students. But with only 4 days left in the campaign, they are only about 10% funded.

Can you imagine the difference education can make in the lives of these children? So here it is….your chance on Make a Difference Monday. Click over. Donate what you can. Change lives.

(If you’d like to hear Yasmin speak about the project and its goals, be sure to register for MomCom 2014, coming up on January 24-25th right here in Austin — she’s one of many speakers at the event who can help you make a difference in the world…or just in your corner of it!)