Meal Worthy of a Celebration

Quick recap: Hubby and I moved to Fort Worth for his new job.  It was a great opportunity and well worth the move from New York City.  When I finished school (my MBA), I packed up all my stuff and all of hubby's stuff and moved us down to Fort Worth.  Basically as the move finished, the final wedding prep was upon us.  I didn't stay in Fort Worth for more than a week before flying to South Florida to finish wedding plans and get married.  Once we got back to Fort Worth after the honeymoon, reality set in, and I started my job search.  I am proud to say that after an intense month and a half of searching, I got a job! 

Getting a job seemed like a worthy celebration, and hubby surprised me with dinner at Ellerbe Fine Foods, a market fresh high-end restaurant in Fort Worth.  We had heard great things about Ellerbe and had been looking for an excuse to try it out.  My getting a job was the perfect reason to go.  We got dressed up and psyched for a delicious meal out... and it did not disappoint.

Walking into Ellerbe, you notice the white washed walls and low-key yet refined atmosphere.  The sun streamed in through the windows and skylight of what once was a service station.  It reminded hubby and I of the restaurants we go to when we are in Napa Valley.  They serve fresh ingredients gotten at local markets and seem to have interesting stories to tell about the local vendors.  The meal overall was superb. 

 The atmosphere at Ellerbe was one of comfortable elegance.

Since this was a meal for celebrating, we decided to go all out.  We got a bottle of Sardinian red, which was surprisingly tasty.  We ordered appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  It was decadent but not overwhelming.  We started with a side of fried okra, which they are known for, and a charcuterie plate.  Both delighted the senses.  I am not normally a fan of fried okra, but you could tell it was freshly made and sourced.  The okra was juicy and the buttermilk dipping sauce added an extra element to the flavors.  The charcuterie came with three cheeses, two of which were from local farms no more than an hour from Fort Worth, and meats cured in house.

The light and crunchy breading held in the flavors of the fresh okra.

Local and in house preparation made the charcuterie stand out from others we have had.

For dinner, hubby had a pheasant stuffed with gruyere cheese and wrapped in pancetta.  The waitress explained that it was their take on chicken cordon bleu.  I was able to sneak a bite off of hubby's plate, and it was out of this world.  The pancetta provided a crunchy layer on the outside that led to the cheesy center.  I had the bacon wrapped salmon with herb farro.  It was delicious with complex flavors and fresh herbs.  My only note is that it was a bit too herby for my liking.  However, that did not stop me from eating the delicious meal.

Hubby's meal was fit for a king!

My meal was healthy but still flavorful.

Since it was a celebration in my honor and my favorite part of the meal is sweet, we decided to order dessert.  Although Ellerbe is known for their bread pudding (which was a tempting choice), we went with a chocolate marshmallow dessert that took me back to my childhood.  It tasted like s'mores, but the richness and depth of the flavors indicated that these were no ordinary campfire s'mores.  We almost ordered a second helping they were so good.

We closed our eyes as we savored the many dimensions of this outstanding dessert.

Happy weekend everyone!

The Adventures of Maui

I have some posts in the works, but until I am able to finish them, I thought I would share a little more of Maui with you.  I may have taken the Maui comics a little too far, but she is too cute not to photograph... though taking a picture of her in action is definitely a challenge.  Here are some of the photos done up like a comic strip.  Enjoy!

Monkey Business

When my parents were in town, we had gone to Tillman's Roadhouse for brunch (you can see that post here).  During brunch, we tried their skillet monkey bread, which left something to be desired... at least, for someone who has made monkey bread before and knows its cinnamon-sugary, buttery potential.  I didn't think much of that monkey bread until I found myself with two very ripe bananas.

Tillman's good but not great monkey bread.

When I have three bananas that are a little too mushy to eat, I usually make banana bread, but I only had two ripe bananas.  I went online to seek out a recipe that would be delicious and allow me to use the two bananas without needing to buy a third.  When I'm looking for a recipe with a specific ingredient, I usually do an ingredient search on allrecipes.com.  As I looked through the search results, I saw one recipe stick out from the abundance of banana bread recipes... bananas foster monkey bread.  At that moment, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.  I got to use my two ripe bananas while showing hubby that monkey bread is a dish worth swooning over.

The recipe for monkey bread is so easy.  With ingredients like sugar, butter, and biscuit dough, it is very hard to go wrong.  The result was dessert nirvana.  Hubby said it was the best dessert I've ever made... funny how little effort this took versus some of the my more extravagant dessert attempts.  It was a dessert worthy of skipping dinner (well, maybe just a small salad for dinner).

Look at how gooey and delicious that looks!  At Tillman's I had expected it to look like this but in the shape of a skillet.

We had our bananas fosters monkey bread a la mode for dessert.

Maui was jealous of our delicious dessert.

Public Transportation

One of New York's greatest qualities (in my opinion) is the subway system.  Don't get me wrong... it's dirty, unreliable, and generally unpleasant.  All those things aside, the subway allows people to get from one place to the other without driving, allowing for a possibly more productive commute.  When we lived in New York, hubby and I would bring magazines or books with us on the subway.  While it did take us longer to get from point A to point B, we were able to make better use of our time.

When we first began exploring Fort Worth, we noticed an abundance of trains.  Most are freight trains, but the TRE (short for Trinity Railway Express) is a commuter train that runs between Fort Worth and Dallas.  Being a New Yorker who depended heavily on public transportation, I was curious to explore the options available to me in the DFW area.

Last Friday, I decided to take the train to Dallas for lunch.  I arrived early to the T&P train station located South of downtown Fort Worth.  I bought my ticket and waited patiently for the only train coming to the station.  There are two platforms, but there is only ever one train there at a time since this is the last stop on the line.  I boarded a train car marked "wifi test car" and got lucky enough to surf the web during the ride to Dallas.  The double decker train car started off fairly empty and slowly filled as we approached Dallas.

 Here's the train at the station in Fort Worth.

The inside of the train was clean and well air conditioned.

Once in Dallas, I took the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) to get to my desired lunch spot.  The DART is Dallas' metro system and has an expanding number of lines and stops.  The connection was easy, and I seamlessly made my way into downtown Dallas.  The cars were clean and looked new, especially compared to many of New York's subway cars.

Inside of the DART car.

A downtown map at the Pearl St DART station.

The ride back to Fort Worth after lunch was just as pleasurable.  It was nice to get a break from driving, which I haven't gotten completely used to since being back.  Hubby and I do our best to take advantage of places in walking distance, but to get most places a car is needed.  The drawback to the trains is time.  From Fort Worth to the Arts District in downtown, the train ride is over an hour and a half while the drive is only 45 minutes.  If you have the time and find the wifi test car, you can be very productive while you make your way to Dallas.  Otherwise, it's probably best to drive... maybe get a book on tape to keep you busy.

 I wanted to make one last comment about my public transportation experience... the T&P station in Fort Worth.  This station is in an old art deco building, which I find to be quite lovely.  I've included some pictures of the lobby, so you too can share in the beauty.

Breakfast for Dinnner... Round 2

Like last week, we decided to have breakfast for dinner one night.  It's easy, cheap, and, most importantly, delicious.  This time, however, I got pictures!  We had the frozen potatoes from Trader Joe's, Hatch chile tortillas, an egg scramble with ham and cheese, and a ratatouille medley.  We had our carbs, proteins, veggies... it was quite a complete meal!

Making breakfast for dinner does get a bit hectic on the stove.

Voila!  A breakfast fit for prime time.

Yesterday was also Maui's first puppy training class.  We learned about the right and wrong ways of doing things as well as two commands: focus and sit.  Since getting back from the class, we've been practicing with Maui, but she doesn't always get it.  She is a very curious puppy, so there are far more interesting things in the world for her than learning to sit.  Hopefully, she'll have it down by the next class.

Maui was so good during class.

Spider Solitaire

I think I discovered the game of solitaire through my mother who used to play it on the computer.  From solitaire, she showed me freecell, another computer card game that challenges the mind.  When Windows started coming with spider solitaire pre-installed, my family got hooked on that.  I remember my parents playing games together using their combined brain power to claim victory over the card game.  First they started with one-suit games and then graduated to two-suit games. 

When I first started dating hubby, he introduced me to the world of crosswords, and I shared with him a love for spider solitaire.  While I still prefer to do crosswords with a buddy (my sports knowledge is lacking), hubby accepted spider solitaire as his own.  As my parents had, he started off with one-suit games and quickly went on to two-suit games.  After deciding that two suits weren't enough, hubby started playing three-suit games.  I would help him with games, but I don't think he ever really needed my help.  He took risks I would never take and would win games I would never have won. 

The other night, hubby decided to try a four-suit game.  I thought he was crazy for trying.  For me, knowing it's nearly impossible to win takes some of the fun out of it.  I sat there watching hubby play thinking to myself that too much thought was needed to do this right before bed.  Then he declared that he was about to win.  I thought he was kidding, but I saw on the screen how, in moments, he would beat a four-suit game.  Winning the game was almost like declaring victory over all of spider solitaire.  The student had become the master.  I know it may sound silly but that was pretty impressive.

The game when hubby said he was about to win.  Notice all four suits in place.

Even the pop-up confirms that it was a 4 suit game... so impressive!

Here's the latest in Maui's adventures.  She is hanging out with us on our patio in this picture.

Ropa Vieja

For dinner last night, I made one of my favorite Cuban recipes.  No matter where I have this dish, it is always delicious.  It is simple but flavorful, and that is the key to its continued success.  The dish is called ropa vieja, which translates to "old clothes."  This translation is probably due to the fact that the shredded meat in tomato sauce can look a little like old clothes.  However, it tastes delicious... I promise!

I had seen a recipe for a slow cooker version in Food Network magazine a while back, but on further inspection it didn't seem anything like what I was used to.  For example, it called for ketchup and jalapenos, which are definitely not normal Cuban cooking ingredients.  I referenced my Cuban cookbooks and found the proper recipe in a Spanish cookbook.  Using both recipes, I was able to come up with a slow cooker version of the ropa vieja I know and love.

Ingredients ready to go!

The most important ingredient for slow cooker ropa vieja is a slow cooker.  The other ingredients include:

1.5 pounds flank steak (skirt steak can also be used)

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic

1 red pepper, sliced

1 - 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 - 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1.5 tsp cumin

salt to taste

I put all these ingredients in the slow cooker for 8 hours.  About an hour before it is done, shred the beef with two forks.  It should fall apart easily.  Mix everything around and allow it to soak in all the juices for the last hour.  Serve over rice.

All the ingredients in the crock pot waiting to become a delicious dish.

The final dish... a juicy blend of beefy tomato goodness.

Fort Worth Water Gardens

While my parents were in town this past weekend, we discovered more of downtown Fort Worth.  We had driven and walked through Sundance Square in downtown several times now.  My parents enjoyed the shops and restaurants that fill Sundance Square, but we suggested walking a little further to check out the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  I didn't know anything about them other than having driven by the entrance sign.

We approached the familiar entrance sign and entered into a different world created by two New York architects in 1974.  The garden has four focal points that play off of each other.  We began at the quiet pool, a sunken area surrounded by cypress trees.  While by the pool (that you are not allowed to swim in), all you can hear is the sound of water trickling down the surrounding walls.  There is a feeling of peacefulness when surrounded by the sounds of water.  From the quiet pool, we walked by the mountain, a mound of steep, 20 inch steps.  The information sign said that the mountain is meant for perching rather than sitting or lounging.  We followed the path to the active pool, which gives the opposite feeling to that of the quiet pool.  The active pool is a gorge with loud waterfalls from all sides.  While the quiet pool gives a sense of calm, the active pool gives the feeling of rapids and adventure.  There is a path that winds itself to the center of the active pool and allows you to be completely surrounded.  The last water display is the aerated pool, which is supposed to give the illusion of being able to walk on water.  Hubby and I weren't fooled, but the bursting fountains were quite beautiful.

This is the sign you can see as you drive by.  I've been curious about it since we first got to Fort Worth.

 The quiet pool from above... an oasis in downtown.

 The walls that surround the quiet pool have water trickling down them.

The active pool is loud as waterfalls come from all sides.  The steps going down to the center looking intriguing but dangerous.

The aerated pool bursts to life, but I am not tempted to walk on water.

The Fort Worth Water Gardens are a cool relief from the concrete heat of the summer time.

It was so cool discovering a new part of Fort Worth.  We also found out that the portion of downtown where the Water Gardens are located used to be called Hell's Half Acre because of the saloons and activity of cowboys and outlaws in the late 1800s.  Hubby said that Fort Worth must have been the Las Vegas of the old West.  It was an interesting place then and continues to be now, though not quite so scandalous.

I got this cool app called Halftone with Starbucks' app pick of the week.  It makes pictures look like comic strips, and, of course, Maui is my muse.

Weekend with My Parents

My parents were in town this weekend, which means we had an excuse to try new restaurants and explore Fort Worth like tourists.  My mom got in Friday night without any problems.  My dad, on the other hand, had a difficult journey that included two canceled flights.  He ended up arriving on Saturday morning, and after his extra long trip, I knew we had to show him a good time.

The first thing we did when my dad arrived was go to brunch.  I had read an article about Vickery Cafe, and it had also been recommended to me as basic breakfast place.  We were told to sit anywhere when we arrived at the low-key restaurant.  The waitress told us that they had new menus, which we found translated into slower service.  Regardless of the service, the food was good, straightforward breakfast food.  It was exactly what we all needed to start the day.

The new menus looked nice, but they didn't seem strange enough to merit slower service. 

 

 My parents and I each had an egg over easy with smoked ham and home fries... very good!

Hubby had a veggie omelet with hashbrowns.  He said the omelet had lots of veggies and that the hashbrowns were better than the home fries.

Saturday ended up being rainy, so we did much of our sightseeing from the car.  We drove around TCU and down Hulen Street.  We followed the Trinity River North from Oakmont Park to see where hubby had biked last week.  Then we went to Magnolia Avenue to have a snack at Avoca Coffee.  Avoca is another place that has been recommended to us and for good reason.  The coffee is not only fresh brewed but also fresh roasted in their roasting facility connected to the coffee shop.  Hubby praised his cup of coffee while I enjoyed a muffin.

Ahh... this tastes so good!

The muffin was so good that I forgot to take a picture until half way through... okay, maybe a little more than half way. 

We did a little more driving and just barely beat the rain home.  The rest of the afternoon was spent watching football and trying to get the dog to go to the bathroom in the rain.  We didn't want to venture too far for dinner since there were flood warnings in effect and decided on Hoffbrau Steakhouse.  Hoffbrau touts itself as the best steakhouse in Texas and as having the best chicken fried steak.  Both of these are slight exaggerations.  While the food was good and reasonably priced (for a steakhouse), it was not the best we had ever had.  That being said, it was all about the company and having my parents there was great.  We drank wine and ordered the Hoffbrau chips (homemade!) as an appetizer.  It was a fun (and convenient) night.

Sunday, we decided to try something more fancy for breakfast and headed to Tillman's Roadhouse in Fort Worth.  Yes, this is the same Tillman's we went to for dinner on Thursday.  We had been impressed by the atmosphere and food earlier in the week and thought it was worth a try for brunch.  Their brunch almost beats out their dinner.  With good weather left over from the storms, we enjoyed our brunch al fresco.  All the dishes were very good and satisfied our need for a more upscale (but affordable) brunch.

We all enjoyed their peppered popcorn appetizer.

They served a vanilla almond coffee that was the perfect accompaniment to the shaded patio.

The last piece of skillet monkey bread, which we shared as an appetizer.  It wasn't quite as gooey and sinful as I had hoped, but it was still good.

My mom and I split the eggs benedict, which came with smoked pork, a cheddar chive biscuit, and cheesy grits.

My dad ordered the banana chocolate chip pancakes that were served with a hefty side of fruit.

Hubby ordered the special, which was lemon pound cake french toast topped with a strawberry herb syrup.  It came with a side of two eggs and bacon... now that's a special!

Overall, it was a great (and very filling) weekend with my parents.  I dropped them off at the airport this morning, and now it's back to the work week and the regular routine... laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping... oh Mondays.

My mom made Maui the cutest pet bed.  It's no-sew, so it's so easy!  She cut too large fleece rounds.  Then she cut coordinating strips that get tied together.  Just add a little filling, and it makes a great pet bed... or the world's largest chew toy.