Zilker in the Spring 2013

My family is here, and I have had such a fulfilling life here. Bloom where you are planted!

Gina

Mealplan Monday #53 and Juan in a Million

One of the things the boys and I love to do is discover new fun places to eat.  Recently, we visited Juan in a Million downtown.  

 No really, they are thrilled to be there - just hungry.

 Then, IT arrived.  The Don Juan.  World's largest breakfast taco.  

The thing must weigh a pound.

I challenged both of them to finish it!

Monday - (freezer) Chimichangas, salad, crock pot pintos
Tuesday - Creamy Spagetti, peas and carrots
Wednesday - Pulled pork stuffed baked potatoes, salad (the last of the pulled pork, for now!)
Thursday - Orange Chicken with rice and green beans in the Dutch oven
Friday - Mom off! Pesto Chicken Pasta, corn and Stadium clean-up with the Boy Scouts. Joy.
Saturday - Easter Dinner:  Spiral Ham, green bean casserole, oven carrots, rolls.
Sunday - Sammies and deviled eggs
Dessert this week will be a strictly pineapple version of this cake

 

And they did.  It's so gratifying to see them eat.  Makes my heart glad.

Gina

March 2013 Thrifting

I really needed some new summer stuff, and lately, the boys aren't as into thrifting.  So I had to wait until Spring Break was over and hit up my favorite Salvation Army.  

I found a pair of shorts, a pair of capri's, a tee, some like-new Keds slides for me, a pair of shorts for hubby,

and these darling birds!  I'm sure you have seen these - they aren't rare.  But I remember my mom having a set when I was a child.  They lived on a doily atop the TV cabinet.  I always thought of them as "love birds" for no particular reason.  The lady sold them to me for $1.50 for the pair.

 One of them had been broken and repaired with glue that discolored over time.  Exactly like something that would have happened in my childhood home.  

It was nothing spray paint wouldn't disguise, and after two coats of Rustoleum in Heritage White satin, they went to live on the floating shelves in our master bedroom.

 

Just like a family - repairable, redeemable, lasting, lovely.

Gina

Shared with:

Rock Island Tea

Over Spring Break we made the most delish iced tea - this is The Girl taking some with her "to go" on her way back to Waco.

 She's pretty much a sweet tea addict.

It was sweet and lemony and tasted like an amaretto sour.

Here is the recipe, adapted from the Houston Chronicle:

Rock Island Tea
2 T. unsweetened tea powder
1/2 c. sugar
1 can. frozen lemonade concentrate
1 T. almond extract
Blend all ingredients together and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add water to make 2 quarts.  Chill, then serve over ice.

I think it might be my favorite drink this summer, right after iced coffee!

Gina

Mealplan Monday #52 with braces for Bubbie

One of our Spring Break days last week was a wash, with two dental appointments and just general lethargy.  Scout had a wisdom teeth extraction consult, and Bubbie was scheduled to get braces.  Here you can see he was thrilled to show me his 'before' smile.  

 

 Ok, in his defense it was 8 a.m.  On Spring Break.

Monday - Spinach and Sausage Cresent Bake, carrots
Tuesday - L.O. freezer soup, fresh bread
Wednesday - Fish Tacos, mango pico salsa, refrieds
Thursday - Mom's Bruschetta Meatloaf, masheds, salad
Friday - Freezer Meal - Pork al Carbon (in the crock), rice, black beans
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Freezer Buffalo Chicken, leftover mashed potatoes, corn
Dessert this week is Savannah Banana Pudding

 For the 'after' shot, he wasn't much more cooperative.

.

Gina

Austin mural photo scavenger hunt

On Wednesday we got out to play in the craaaazy Austin SXSW traffic and take the Austin Mural Photo Scavenger Hunt from Are We There Yet, Mom?  So much fun to get out and about, finding our way around enjoying the beautiful weather!  We couldn't do all of them in one day, but here's the three that we found:

For this one we simply parked in the Greater Austin United Way's parking lot - it is right off MLK and IH35. 

 This one took some doing as traffic on South Lamar was ridiculous at 4 p.m.  

Scout thumb upped every one...

The slow drive down the crowded street was great for people watching.

And look at this other wacky graffiti mural we couldn't stop at but will come back to, maybe in the summer:

For this one, we parked at a nearby McDonald's and walked a block over, stopping at Cornucopia to sample popcorn on the way back.  I think it would also be fun to pose at some Austin businesses that have fun or artsy signs out front, like these:

In between all the photo scavenging we ate and thrift shopped.  And we were all worn out by dinnertime - mission accomplished for Wednesday.

Gina

Mealplan Monday #51 and freezer cookie dough

Since the holidays, I haven't made up any more cookie dough to freeze - I guess I just forgot about it.  Homemade cookies take very little time, and if you have a stand mixer, very little work.  They can be store frozen and baked in 10 minutes or so.  Plus, cereal bag liners are *free* storage.  Win, win, win.

Go here for the Toasted Oatmeal cookie recipe I made for my sister.  This go round, I was out of nuts, so I subbed in the last of the coconut in the pantry - about 1/2 a cup, and toasted it along with the oatmeal.  It smelled divine!

It should look like this - a tad browner won't hurt, you just have to be careful not to let it scorch.

Rolled up this way, the dough keeps a few months and is easier to slice and bake.

Monday - Yucatan Chicken Enchiladas, black beans, salad
 (homemade enchilada sauce from here)
Tuesday - Honey Pesto Salmon, carrots, pilaf
Wednesday - Bacon Jalapeno Popper Quiche, fruit salad
Thursday - Grilled Cheese and pulled pork on Texas toast bread, tomato soup
Friday - Mom off - order pizza!
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Freezer Meal
Dessert this week will be Brownies with Bluebell  coffee ice cream

The second batch I made was Peanut Butter Brickle

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
Cream those ingredients.  Then mix up and add:
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Mix well with creamed mixture, then toss in 1/2 c. butter brickle bits and stir til combined.
Chill well.  Bake at 375, 10-12 minutes.

Two cookie doughs, wrapped and ready to bake.

Gina

Adventures in Spring gardening

About a week ago, we had some high winds that whipped my neighborhood.  My yard was buried in leaves, and because I had the garage door opened a tad, garage was full of leaves, too.  Looks like March is here. 

My potted plants that have been wintering in the garage - today I need to re-pot some of them, giving them new potting soil and water.  And some of them get new homes.  

I put new soil, new mulch, watered them, let them stay out in the afternoon sun.  It's only froze a handful of times this Winter, and I'm thinking Spring might as well officially be here.  Some of the plants I had been saving went bye-bye.  

This one is the only new one I bought:

A lavender plant that will live on the deck.  I hope it does well; it smells heavenly.

This is the front yard after I raked up 6 large bags of leaves.  We've had scant rain.  My lips and hands feel like they are permanently chapped.  

I ran out of bags or I would have done something about the back patio, which is covered in leaves and twigs from the wind gusts of 50 mph.  Oh well, there's always next week, and I will have helpers since it's Spring Break.  (:

Gina