Exotic gifts & bellydancing from Arabic Bazaar on Wordfree Wednesday

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Lindsay S

Last weekend, I visited the Arabic Bazaar in Austin for the first time, and I immediately knew it had to be featured here on A is 4 Austin. I had planned to put it on Find it in Austin Fridays. It is a great place to shop for unique imported gifts (everything here is handpicked by the owner, Zein, on her trips to Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Lebanon. No “Made in China” imitations here!) And it’s a place to find authentic belly dance classes for all levels. So it would fit.

But when I looked at my photos, I changed my mind. The photos tell the story of this beautiful place better than words possibly could. So here, without too many more words, is Arabic Bazaar.

The Specs

5013 Duval St

Austin, Texas 78751
(entrance in back of building in alley)

(512) 533-9227

https://www.facebook.com/TheArabicBazaar/

Monday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday Closed (Except for special holiday events in December)

BlogathonATX 2014 brings together bloggers, writers, information and fun

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Lindsay S

Once again, BlogathonATX has offered Texas bloggers an amazing full day conference covering the need-to-know and want-to-know details for blogging better, protecting intellectual property and monetizing our creative work.

Okay, all of that plus a whole lot of sugar, hugs, caffeine, breakfast, laughter, catching up, lunch….and did I mention sugar and caffeine?

Who goes to Blogathon ATX?

The simple answer is, well, it’s not so simple. This is a conference for for beginners. And pros. It’s for people who are just getting the courage to start that blog they’ve been thinking about for the past two years, and people who are thinking about rebranding an existing site. It’s for people who love to write for the joy of it, and for people who are looking for ways to turn writing a blog into a source of income.

But isn’t Blogathon ATX 2014 over?

Yes, this year’s event has come and gone. But I wanted to mention it because it’s not too early to start thinking about Blogathon ATX 2015. After all, there will be treats!

SXSW 2014 in Pictures

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Lindsay S

The SXSW experience is a lot of things.

It’s the sounds of music coming out of ten bars, and still being entranced by a busker playing on a street corner. It’s the smell of pizza and tacos and bar-b-que and something sweet right out of the oven as you walk past a row of food trucks. It’s free t-shirts and more can holders than anyone could every need (but you can’t help taking just one more.)

But most of that is impossible to capture on the page of a blog. So I’ll have to settle for sharing pictures.

I’m starting this post today, but I’ll be adding more pictures throughout the week. If you’re here, I hope you’re having a great time. But if you’re not, here’s a glimpse into the insanity that is SXSW.

(Oh, and one more thing…a new mascot is joining A is for Austin. Or rather a few mascots. When I was a kid, I loved trolls. So when a few showed up during a recent trip, I decided to make them a part of my blog for now. So look for Wanda (a pink haired troll) and a few other friends in some of my pictures, at least for awhile. I hope you like the new addition!)

Healthy and TASTY meals from a can? A special post on affordable cooking

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Lindsay S

pot pie

Let me start by saying food banks are wonderful. They’re a lifeline to put food on otherwise empty kitchen shelves, and keep hunger at bay when the budget doesn’t support a trip to the grocery store. At one point in my life, a box of typical food bank canned and boxed food that appeared on my porch was a lifesaving gift, so I know what I’m talking about.

But one of the biggest challenges facing people trying to use a food bank to survive is how to build healthy, tasty meals from canned and packaged foods. Even after my own financial crisis had passed, my single mom days were often filled with trying to make healthy, tasty meals for my kids and I from the case-lot canned good section of the grocery store, or even what was on the shelves at Dollar Tree. If you’ve never experienced that, let me tell you, it’s hard!

The Capital Area Food Bank here in Austin understands that struggle. That’s why they’ve asked local bloggers in the Austin Food Blogger Alliance to come up with a family friendly, low cost dinner using canned goods likely to be found in a food bank. I jumped at the challenge, because I understand the need!

(Before I share the recipe, I need to let you know that even a meal as simple as this one is hard to make when you’re counting pennies. Food banks seldom include spices or seasonings on their shelves, simply because people don’t think to donate them, so making food flavorful is hard. I chose to include them here, because the availability of bulk spices in local grocery stores like HEB makes it more affordable to get a small amount for under a dollar, and make a big impact on flavor. )

I started with a selection of canned good typical for a food pantry. Selecting a variety of vegetables means you’ll end up with a meal that’s heavy on nutrition. If low sodium versions are available, do select those cans.

Vegetable (or Chicken) Pot Pie
6-8 small pot pies or one large casserole

Ingredients

Crust:

2 packets biscuit mix (available at many food banks, or for .50/packet at HEB
1/2 can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

Filling

1 can peas, drained
1 can carrots, drained
1 can potatoes, drained (diced, if not already diced from the can)
1 can corn, (do not drain)
1 can green beans (do not drain)
1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 can vegetable broth
1/2 can condensed cream soup (mushroom, potato, chicken, etc.,), low fat if available
1/2 can evaporated milk
1 can cooked chicken, tuna or turkey or one block tofu (optional)*
1 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a bowl, combine biscuit mix with 1/2 can of evaporated milk (or 1/2 cup regular milk)
Mix and set aside.
In a large sauce pan, combine all the vegetables, broth, remaining 1/2 can of milk, 1/2 can of condensed soup and seasoning.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onions start to soften

Make an egg-sized ball of the dough and pat it into the bottom of a pot pie tin or small loaf pan (I bought a package of 5 mini-loaf pans at Target for $1.45)

Pat one half of the dough into the bottom of a 9 x 9 baking pan
Fill pans to within 1/2 inch of top of the pan(s)

Pat out remaining dough to cover each pot pie (or the large pot pie.)

Make 3 -4 small slits in the top of the crust
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (or 45 minutes for a large pie)
Serve hot, in the pan or inverted onto a plate

If you have any leftover filling, as I did, mix the filling with the remaining broth mix and condensed soup. Add some extra milk, broth or water to make a nice cream soup to serve with another meal.

These pot pies freeze well. If you’re not planning on eating them immediately, assemble them, then freeze. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until hot in the center.

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* I don’t eat meat, so I used vegetarian protein sources. Tofu, at about a dollar a package is a great choice for vegetarians on a budget who want to make this dish.

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!)

The vegetarian way to welcome the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Lindsay S

Welcome to Wordfree Wednesday! Well, almost! Just a brief intro first.

My family is Southern, and that means New Year’s Day is greeted with Hoppin John. But because we don’t eat pork, and I don’t eat meat, the traditional recipes loaded with ham or bacon, just won’t cut it! So here’s a peek at our vegetarian version of Hoppin John, rich with spice (lots of spice!) and flavor!

Happy New Year, Veggie-style!!!

I promise to share the recipe soon! But for today, it’s just a wish that your New Year is as full of wonderful as these plates are full of flavor! Happy 2014!

South Congress Books on Find it in Austin Friday

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Lindsay S

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE books. And bookstores.

And while the big box chain stores are fine for picking up a magazine or the newest best seller, I have a special place in my heart for small, independent bookstores. Sadly, they seem to being a dying breed. So when I find one I love, I need to share it.

Today, that’s South Congress Books. This tiny treasure is tucked in among the quirky shops and restaurants on South Congress, near places like Big Top Candy and Guero’s Taco Bar. But it’s not a spot for the party crowd.

This is the place to go for that rare book you just have to have for yourself or a gift. Or an out-of-print or vintage treasure you just cannot find in a chain bookstore.

It’s also a place to wander through, and find yourself inspired by a beautiful image on a book cover, or magnificent illustrations or a haunting opening sentence — and discovering that THIS is a book you cannot live without.

If you’re searching for a certain title, you can check out their online inventory to see if they have it in stock. But I prefer to just stop in, and ask. That way, I get to browse the shelves — and maybe find that the book-I-did-not-know-I-needed (but now do!) is sitting right in front of me.

Rebooting with a memory

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Lindsay S

It’s been w-a-a-a-y too long since I’ve posted on here. So it seems only fitting to reboot the blog with a post about a food memory.

It’s not a fancy place. It’s not even a local place, even though I try to stick to local restaurants here. In fact, you’re likely to find this restaurant in most cities, usually next to a family friendly hotel, right off a highway.

But sometimes, even the most commonplace chains can hold big memories’

The chain? Cracker Barrel. But it’s not about the menu or some amazing dish, although the food is good. It’s about family. Family lost, and family found.

It started on a one ordinary Christmas Eve. While everyone else was running around buying last-minute gifts or frantically wrapping or assembling, my mom decided we would head to Cracker Barrel for an early dinner.

So off we went. My mom and dad. Me. My kids (two, that first time). My little brother. We waited for our table outside in the rocking chairs, talking and laughing. My mom and I never had a good relationship, but somehow, on that cool, almost chilly, South Florida Christmas eve, everything felt okay. Close even. When we were called to our table (near the lit fireplace!) we continued to laugh and talk. It was crowded and service was slow, but no one cared. We were, for the moment, a happy family. It felt like magic, no matter how unlikely the setting for real magic. Without realizing it, we had started a tradition.

The next year, the kids and I again joined my parents and brother for another Cracker Barrel Christmas Eve, And two years later, a new family member in tow (my youngest daughter), we did it again. Every year, as soon as we walked into Cracker Barrel, rich with the scent of candles and biscuits, the magic returned.

Sadly, the relationship between my mom and I broke down completely after that last visit. And before we could repair it, and spend another Christmas Eve at Cracker Barrel, she passed away.

But in a weird twist, the universe stepped in. Because of family battles between my mom and other family members, I never got to know my cousins very well. But one Thanksgiving, I was invited to join a group of them for a cousins reunion dinner. We feasted and caught up and laughed. And then, before everyone headed off to bed, we made plans to meet again in the morning for brunch, before everyone headed home. The place? Cracker Barrel.

A different city, a different location, but it didn’t matter. Just as on those Christmas Eves, the magic was there. I had family. We laughed, we ate, we shopped and we connected. And we planned for future get-togethers, with future breakfasts and brunches at the same spot.

Now I live far from my cousins, and those gatherings are just memories too. But when I feel too lonely and disconnected, I grab my daughter and we head to the Cracker Barrel here in Austin. The beach is far, far away. My cousins are no where within driving distance, and my mom has been gone for over three years now.

But for a moment, when I walk around the shop, or watch the flames in the fireplace, or engage my daughter in a game of checkers while we sit in rocking chairs, everyone is right there. Just out of sight, maybe. But all there.

I know someday I will go home, and once again be near that Cracker Barrel where it all started. But until I do, I love knowing there’s a place where my memories are alive and well at highway exits across the country.

Do you have a restaurant or food that evokes memories of times or people long gone? I would love to hear about your special memory.

Changes coming to A is for Austin

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Lindsay S

Hi all…

When we started this blog, we were hoping to keep up a steady stream of posts about area eateries, festivals, music and outdoor fun. But as it turns out, that’s harder than we thought. Neither our waistlines nor our wallets can handle eating out several times a week. And some of the exciting festivals and events haven’t quite worked with school schedules and homework. The result has been too much time between too few posts.

But we still want to keep the concept alive. So I’m making some changes to the content by expanding the scope. So here’s the scoop on the new face of A is for Austin.

Mondays will be “Make a Difference” Monday, an idea I started but hadn’t really gotten off the ground. That’s where you’ll find profiles of people and organizations making a difference for Austin area people and pets.

Tuesdays will be “Taste of Austin Tuesdays”, with recipes and cooking tips for a vegetarian take on Austin cooking, interviews with Austin area chefs, and information on upcoming Austin foodie events.

Wednesday will be “Wordfree Wednesday”, where I can post images of a wonderful place around Austin.

Thursdays will be the day for reviews of local restaurants, events and festivals. Making that one day a week will make it much easier to keep content fresh (and our calorie intake under control!)

Fridays will be “Find it in Austin Friday”. That will give me the chance to share some of the amazing shops and vendors I’ve stumbled upon around the area.

Sundays will be open for whatever else I want to share. It might be another event, a date night idea, or a restaurant I just have to talk about.

One other element will be changing. While I love taking the photos for my collages, sometime the venue just isn’t right for snapping a dozen shots. So future posts might have one picture, a collage, or a few photos. I will let the setting decide.

I look forward to writing this blog for a long time to come, and hope that these changes will make it more useful for you. See you on Sunday for the new beginning!

So what are you making with your Thanksgiving leftovers, Austin?

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Lindsay S

This is another one of those off-topic posts (I’m thinking of making them a regular feature on Fridays, so I can share the rest of the Austin experience with y’all.)

Today’s off-off-topic (kind of like off-off-Broadway but without the pretentious audiences) is a “What to Do With Your Thanksgiving Leftovers” cook-off on Google Plus. There was three of competing, plus an awesome judge and timekeeper (sucking up? You bet!) and a fun audience.

The challenge? Come up with a creative way to use Thanksgiving leftovers to make a tasty Black Friday meal. And we all jumped right into the challenge. We each cooked in our own kitchens, and shared the event as a live Google Hang Out.

The first competitor was Mary Helen Leonard of Mary Makes Dinner. She crafted her Thanksgiving leftovers into a tempting-looking Turkey Day pizza.

The second competitor was Amy Kritzer from Kosher food blog What Jew Wanna Eat and a series of regular cooking demonstrations from Google Austin. She turned her Thanksgiving ingredients into a delicious looking Thanksgiving Benedict.

My creations were a bit different. Because we are vegetarians (or at least 2/3 of the household is; my husband eats, well, pretty much everything!) , I skipped over the turkey and went right for the leftover veggies and stuffing.

And because we’re living in Austin, I opted for a local flavor, too. I started with a Southwest Corn Chowder, full of chopped veggies from the vegetable tray, corn, mashed potatoes and an array of smoky spices. The soup was finished with a dash of cream, and garnished with fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of Mexican cheese.

I also made a dish with leftover sweet potato casserole and stuffing, combining the sweet with heat by adding cayanne, San Antonio Chili Powder, a touch of garlic and some hot Paprika to the potatoes and then whipping them with eggs and egg whites. That became the soufflé to top a crust made of twice-baked stuffing baked in muffin cups.

I was going crazy getting ready for the event, but I had so much fun doing it! If you want to see the video, check it out on Google+. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite chef! There are prizes afoot, so click here to pick your number one choice!