Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

In a previous post, I blogged about my Everyday Salad, which I eat almost every day, like, at least 5 times a week.  In that post, I included a recipe I found for light balsamic vinaigrette.  Since then, I've modified the recipe enough that I decided to write this new post including the recipe for the salad dressing I really use everyday on my Everyday Salad.  Here is my version of light balsamic vinaigrette. 

Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
makes about 8oz

Ingredients:
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c water
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp TexJoy Spicy Steak Seasoning (click here to buy it online)

Method:
In a jar or container with a screw-on lid,  add all ingredients, screw on the lid and shake the container vigorously until everything is well combined.

You can store the the dressing in the same container.  Just be sure to shake the container before serving.

Tips: I found the perfect container for shaking and storing your homemade salad dressing!  It's the OXO Salad Dressing 8-Ounce Shaker in Green.  The lid screws on tightly.  The pour spout makes it easy to pour just the right amount of dressing on your salad.  It's also the perfect size!  I got mine at Bed Bath & Beyond for only $9.99.

Note about the Everyday Salad: The Everyday Salad recipe says to put TexJoy directly on the salad, but since I now put TexJoy in the salad dressing, I don't put additional TexJoy on the salad.

Happy eating!

Everyday Salad with Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

My husband and I eat a side salad with dinner almost every night.  This salad has changed slightly over time, but we definitely have a "usual."  It's quick, only takes a few ingredients and tastes perfect with almost any meal.  It's definitely our "everyday salad," but it's delicious enough for company.

The recipe below is for 1 serving. 

Everyday Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed greens (I love the half and half spring mix and baby spinach mix at Vons)
5 grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tsp Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp goat cheese
1 tbsp Light Balsamic Vinaigrette  (recipe to follow)
TexJoy

Method:
Put mixed greens in a salad bowl or on a plate.  If the leaves are large, tear or chop them to a smaller bite-size.  Sprinkle with TexJoy.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.  Quarter the tomatoes and scatter on top of the salad.  Crumble goat cheese on top, and finish by sprinkling with Parmesan cheese.

Everyday Entree Salad

Want to turn this salad into an entree?  Double the recipe above and add one or more of the following: three ounces of diced chicken, 8 pieces of turkey pepperoni chopped in fourths, or 2 slices of crispy crumbled bacon.

This salad is especially delicious when paired with baked sweet potato fries or buttermilk biscuit triangles.

I often use the Light Balsamic Vinaigrette from Trader Joe's for this salad.  Last night, I ran out of this dressing, and Trader Joe's was closed.  Thankfully, I found a super easy recipe at http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/light-balsamic-vinaigrette.aspx.

I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen, and it only took a minute to whip it up.  It tastes almost exactly like the Trader Joe's version, but it's much lower in sodium content.  An added bonus is that it fills my leftover salad dressing bottle perfectly.  Even if you're short on time, you'll have enough time to throw together this easy dressing.

For convenience, I'm adding the recipe below. 

Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c water
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder

Method:
In a jar or container with a screw-on lid,  add all ingredients, screw on the lid and shake the container vigorously until everything is well combined.

You can store the the dressing in the same container.  Just be sure to shake the container before serving. 

I recommend washing out an empty salad dressing container and reusing it for this dressing.

Now, go, eat salad with everything!

Happy eating!

Oxbow Steakhouse & Bar-B-Que

Today my husband and I drove from Dallas, Texas to Austin, Texas.  We decided to stop for lunch along the way and saw a sign for a steakhouse, so we thought we’d give it a try. 

We walked up to Oxbow Steakhouse & BBQ and noticed that the hours by the front door indicated that they’re only open for dinner; however, the sign said “open.”  We pulled open the door and asked the hostess if they were open.  She said they’re usually not open for lunch but that they are today.  Not sure why they were open, but it worked for us! 

The restaurant was empty.  We were seated and brought menus.  My husband wanted a steak and thought about ordering the ribeye, which according to their menu, is their specialty.  I glanced over the menu and noticed the Ribeye Sandwich, which I pointed out to my husband, and he decided to order that instead.  It’s topped with provolone cheese and grilled onions.  He ordered it cooked medium.  It came with his choice of chips of fries, and he chose fries. 

I wanted a salad.  I almost always want a salad.  At home, I eat a salad everyday, so when I’m eating out, I feel the need to have at least one salad everyday too.  I decided to order the Loaded Cobb Salad which is topped with tomato, boiled egg, bacon, cheese and your choice of chicken or steak.  I chose steak and ordered it cooked well done.  I also asked for ranch dressing on the side.

While we were waiting for our meals, the waiter brought out cornbread and dinner rolls.  The cornbread was crumbly and pretty good with some butter on it, but it would’ve been better if it had honey in the mix.  The dinner rolls were kind of dry, but they were okay with butter (what isn’t?).

So, what did we think of our meals?

The steak on my husband’s sandwich tasted like it was cooked well done, not medium.  There was zero pink.  It was a little dry.  If ribeye is their specialty, we weren’t impressed.  The sandwich could’ve used some sort of sauce or something on it to make it juicier.  The fries were okay but nothing special.  My husband dipped them in steak sauce.

The steak of my salad was a little fatty, but it had a great flavor.  The salad wasn’t super big, but it tasted good.  I’m not sure what type of cheese was on it, but it seemed kind of like feta.  It was good, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.  I was expecting something more like cheddar. 

In short, I don’t think we’d stop at Oxbow again, but it was a filling lunch.

Happy eating!

Duke's Malibu

It was a spontaneous idea to eat a late lunch at Duke's in Malibu today.  It was just such a beautiful day with perfect weather, and we had no plans for Valentine's Day.  We called ahead to make sure they were having their normal lunch menu, which they were, and then we headed to the coast.  We would've made a reservation, but they were all full for reservations for the day.  However, the lady on the phone said that they reserved a third of their restaurant for walk-ins.  The winding drive down Topanga Canyon can be beautiful, but it is also full of twists and turns.  Keep that in mind if (like us) you're coming from the valley.

We probably could've found street parking if we really tried, but we decided to make it easy on ourselves and just go with valet.  This was the first time we've ever parked our own car at valet.  The valet directed us to park our car directly behind another car.  It's basically stacked parking, but the valets can move cars around when guests are ready to leave.

There were people waiting in the lobby when we arrived.  The hostess said the wait was about 20 minutes.  It was probably around 2:20pm, and lunch ends in the dining room at 3pm.  The hostess mentioned that there's open seating in the bars and on the patio if we wanted to check that out.  She put our name in, gave us a buzzer, and we walked down the hall towards the bar area.  The whole restaurant has windows facing the ocean, so as we walked, we had a great view.  

There are 2 bars.  The first one looks like it's kind of behind the restaurant area, elevated from the booths below.  At the second bar, the whole area is open seating.  There were open tables and seats at the bar when we arrived, but none of them were right next to the water, so we kept walking, hoping for a better view.  We walked out onto the patio, which is just past the second bar area, and all of the tables were taken.  However, there was a counter against the wall with 5 stools, all of which were empty, and it was right next to the water.  We decided to sit there and keep an eye out on the other tables to see if someone left.

We had never been to this Duke's before, although we've passed it many times coming and going when we have beach days at Point Dume.  We ate at the Duke's in Maui and loved it, so we've been wanting to compare the two.  First of all, the Duke's in Malibu has a better view than in Maui.  You're closed to the water, and you can hear the waves crash from your table.  I highly recommend sitting on the patio.  It was 75 and sunny on Valentine's Day.  It's not everywhere you can eat outside at the coast in February and not even need a jacket.

My husband went to the bar inside to ask about menus.  He was told that a waitress would come out and give us menus.  After waiting about 10 minutes, we still didn't have menus, so he went back to the bar and came back with menus this time.  I'm not saying anything bad about the waitress.  Service was kind of slow, but it looked like all of the waiters/waitresses had a lot of tables to handle, and we weren't in a rush.  My husband always seems to be in a rush, but I said to him, "Let's just enjoy being here.  We don't have anywhere else to go."  It was nice just watching seals play in the water and couples stroll hand-in-hand on the beach below.

We had 2 menus to look over, the Barefoot Bar menu and the regular restaurant lunch menu.  The bar menu has a lot of options for starters, entrees, drinks, and daily happy hour specials.  There are some items that aren't included on the regular menu.  I will always eat in the bar at Duke's so I can order off of this menu!

Shortly after my husband came back with menus, the people sitting at the table right next to us got up to leave.  We hopped up and claimed their table before they were even out of their chairs.  It was necessary because there was another couple ready to swoop in only seconds later.  The table was perfect, right next to the water with a great view.  We were in the shade, which was nice.  I burn without sunscreen.  There were also heaters hooked to the bottom of the thatched roof umbrellas, and they came on about an hour later just as it started to get chilly.  It was perfect!

We decided to get a couple of starters off of the Barefoot Bar menu.  My husband chose the Panko Crusted Calamari, which comes with guava cocktail sauce and meyer lemon remoulade.  It was a nice big serving for sharing, or it could be a small meal for one person.  I loved that the calamari were strips and not tentacles.  I hate tentacles.  They were really meaty, lightly breaded and delicious.  I would definitely order them again, and I’m not usually a huge calamari fan.  

I chose to get the Crispy Coconut Shrimp for a starter.  Coconut shrimp is one of my favorite appetizers ever, but they had me at “lilikoi dipping sauce.”  “Lilikoi” is the Hawaiian word for Passion Fruit, and it conjures up delicious memories from Maui.  The starter came with 5 huge butterflied shrimp which were lightly breaded and juicy.  The lilikoi dipping sauce wasn’t as good with the coconut shrimp as I expected.  I actually liked the shrimp better without the sauce.  These were so good that even my husband liked them, and he doesn't usually like coconut.  However, next time I’d probably try something else, perhaps the Crab & Macnut Wontons, the Fisherman’s Chowder, or the Grilled Chicken Quesadilla.

For his entree, my husband ordered the Kalua Pork Mac & Cheese, which is only offered on the Barefoot Bar menu and on the dinner menu (not the lunch menu).  It’s described on the menu as “Luau style slow cooked pork, creamy white cheddar sauce, ditalini pasta.”  If you follow my blog, you know how much I love white cheddar.  I never would’ve thought of putting these ingredients together, but it was a brilliant idea.  It came in a hot, oven-baked bowl and was a decent size serving for something so hearty.  I ate a few bites, and it was love.  It’s awfully rich, so I don’t know that I’d be able to eat an entire meal of it, but my husband didn’t have a problem finishing it off.  We are so going to try to replicate this at home.  We already buy white cheddar and make kalua pork.  Look for a recipe in the future!  Oh, and yes, this is definitely a MUST order item.  Until we perfect it ourselves, I would definitely order this.

I ordered a salad from the main lunch menu, the Arugula & Farro salad.  This is the exact same salad I ordered at the Duke’s in Maui, and it was the best meal I had during that entire visit.  I just had to order it again here for comparison sake.  It’s described on the menu as “Fire roasted vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, basil lemon vinaigrette.”  There are options to add citrus herb marinated fresh fish or fire grilled chicken breast.  There were 3 types of fresh fish, and I chose the Mahi Mahi.  I also asked for the salad without cucumbers.  I usually ask to have dressing on the side, but I didn’t this time.  The salad looked delicious and reminded me a lot of the one in Maui.  The fish wasn’t nearly as good though, I mean, how could it be?  It’s not like we catch fresh fish in Malibu the way they do in Maui.  They also forgot to leave out the cucumbers, so I had to pick them out.  I have trouble digesting them, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally eat one.  Overall, the salad was really good.  It wasn’t as amazing as what I remembered in Maui though.  Also, I hadn’t started making my Everyday Salad back when I was in Maui, and I think I’d prefer that salad over this one.  So, will I order this salad again?  No.  Did I enjoy eating it?  Yes.  Next time I might try the Turkey, Bacon & Burrata Sandwich, the Fish & Chips, or the Baja Fish Tacos.

We looked over the dessert menu, but we were too full at that point to even share something.  I was really impressed that the menu was shaped like a surfboard though, and if (when!) we come back, I'd probably try the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.

We left around 4:20pm, 2 hours after arriving.  It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.  There weren’t any tables available in the bar when we left.  The restaurant is closed daily from 3pm to 5pm, so I assume people who arrived early for their dinner reservation were starting with a drink in the bar.  It was really pretty painless considering it was Valentine’s Day and something we decided to do at the last minute.  Sometime I want to come back during sunset.  I’m sure there’s an amazing view from any table that time of day.

The valet was quick to get our car.  Valet parking only costs $3 before 4pm, and $4 after 4pm.  It’s worth it for convenience.  

Happy eating!

12 Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Black Friday isn't complete until you've had a turkey sandwich, but if you have a lot of Thanksgiving leftovers, you might want some more creative ways to eat them, like actual recipes that turn extra turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce into brand new meals.  Eat Drink and Be Me to the rescue!

Here are 12 recipe ideas that are specifically designed to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.  Treat your family to some or all of them this holiday season.

1. Turkey Omelet

This recipe is written for one omelet. Repeat steps to cook multiple omelets.

Ingredients:
2 eggs (or 1 egg + 2 whites)
2 tbsp water
3 oz turkey, chopped into small pieces
1 oz baby spinach
1/4 c sliced onion
1 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp Chipotle Tabasco (if desired)
TexJoy or salt & pepper

Method:
Spray a frying pan with Pam butter flavor spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until caramelized.  Add spinach and turkey.  Cook until turkey is warm and spinach is wilted.  Spread mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Mix eggs, water and Chipotle Tabasco together until well blended.  Pour egg mixture into the pan on top of the turkey and veggies.  Cook until set.  You can lift up the edges of the egg and tilt the pan to allow uncooked egg to get to the bottom of the pan and cook faster.

Once set, sprinkle with TexJoy or salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Fold egg in half.  Let cook for another minute.

Slide the omelet onto a plate.

2. Cranberry Sauce for Breakfast

Leftover Cranberry Sauce is delicious as a pancake or waffle topping, or you can spread it on toast.  Basically, use it in place of strawberry jam.

This morning, I had a Multi-Grain Waffle quarter topped with an ounce of Sweet Cranberry Sauce. The whole thing has less than 90 calories!  It's a great breakfast for the morning after a Turkey Day feast when you don't feel like eating a lot but still want great flavor!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Stuffing Cakes

Easily give leftover stuffing a crispy twist!  This makes a great side dish.  I used leftover Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing, but you can use whatever stuffing you have leftover.






Ingredients:
Leftover stuffing! (1/4 c per stuffing cake)

Method:
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and spray with Pam butter flavor spray.

Form 1/4 c stuffing into a ball and place it in the pan.  Smash it down with a spatula.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom of the stuffing cake starts to brown.  Flip stuffing cake over and repeat.

4. Stuffing Stew

This is an easy and delicious warm meal after a long day searching for Black Friday deals!  This recipe serves 2 people as an entree or 4 as a side dish.  You can always multiply the ingredients to whip up a bigger batch.

Ingredients:
2 c leftover stuffing
1 can (10 3/4 oz) low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded

Method:
Add all ingredients except cheese to a small pot and cook over medium heat until the stew thickens.  Transfer to a serving bowl and top with cheese.

5. BBQ Turkey Pizza

Chicken shouldn't have all the fun!  Turkey is just as delicious on a BBQ pizza.  

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pizza crust (get my recipe)
1/2 c BBQ sauce
12 oz turkey, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 oz Gouda, shredded
2 tbsp Parmesan, grated




Method:
Preheat your oven to 425.

Heat frying pan over medium-high heat and spray with Pam butter flavor spray.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are caramelized and all the water has cooked out of the mushrooms.

Mix turkey with 2 tbsp BBQ sauce.

Roll out the pizza crust and put it on a pizza pan.  Top it with the remaining BBQ sauce and then add the turkey.  Sprinkle the mozzarella and Gouda evenly over the turkey.  Add the onions and mushrooms.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

6. Buffalo Turkey Pizza

If you like your pizza spicy, this easy variation is for you! Follow the directions exactly as for BBQ Turkey Pizza but use Wing Sauce instead of BBQ sauce.  You may want to use a little bit less sauce (like 1/4 or 1/3 c) depending on how much heat you can handle!

If you're like me and can't decide which sounds better, BBQ or Wing Sauce, you can easily make a half and half pizza like you see in this picture.  Just divide the turkey in half and mix half with BBQ sauce and half with wing sauce.  Put BBQ sauce on half of the pizza and top with the turkey that was mixed with the BBQ sauce.  Put wing sauce on the other half of the pizza and top with the turkey that was mixed with wing sauce.  Otherwise, follow the directions as described for the BBQ Turkey Pizza.  Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Turkey & Rice Casserole

If you saved the broth from your turkey, you're in for a real treat!  If you didn't, no worries.  You can use chicken broth instead.

Ingredients:
3 c turkey broth
1.5 c dry rice
12 oz turkey, chopped

Method:
Follow the directions on your bag of rice, but use turkey broth instead of water.  When the rice has finished cooking, add turkey, stir and cook until turkey is hot.

This recipe serves about 4 people and would be delicious accompanied by my Everyday Salad and/or Baked Sweet Potato Fries.

Or, use this casserole as an ingredient in the next two recipes!

 

 

8. Turkey Burrito

This recipe is the first of three Mexican-inspired recipes.  It makes one burrito which has about 500 calories and serves one person.  You can easily multiply the ingredients to make multiple burritos for your family.

Ingredients:
1 flour torilla
1/2 c Turkey & Rice Casserole (see #7)
1/2 bell pepper, sliced (I prefer the red, yellow and orange peppers)
1/8 large onion, sliced
1 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp sour cream (if desired)
TexJoy or salt & pepper



Method:
Heat a griddle (or frying pan) over medium-high heat and spray with Pam butter flavor spray.  Add bell pepper and onion and cook until caramelized.  Sprinkle with TexJoy or salt and pepper.

If your Turkey & Rice Casserole is cold, heat it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese onto the center of the tortilla.  Top with Turkey & Rice Casserole.  Top with another third of the cheese.  Top with peppers and onions.  Top with remaining cheese.

Fold your tortilla.  I find that this is fairly easy to do by folding one end up, then one side across and the other side across until they meet.

(I like my burritos crispy, but if you don't like a crispy tortilla, you can skip the following step.) Hold the burrito closed and transfer it to the griddle.  Cook until the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown.  Flip the burrito over and cook until that side is golden brown as well.

Transfer to a plate and top with sour cream if desired.

 

 

9. Turkey Fajitas 

Fajitas are fun, and turkey makes them festive!  This recipe probably serves 2 people (or just my husband if he's really hungry!).  It'd be great with my Everday Salad on the side.

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas (more or less depending on how big they are and how much you fill them)
2 c Turkey & Rice Casserole (see #7)
1/4 large onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced (I prefer the red, yellow and orange peppers)
2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
4 tbsp sour cream
TexJoy or salt & pepper

Method:
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and spray with Pam butter flavor spray.  Add bell pepper and onion and cook until caramelized.  Sprinkle with TexJoy or salt and pepper.  Add the Turkey & Rice Casserole and cook until warm.

Heat the tortillas up in the microwave for 15 seconds; flip them over and heat another 15 seconds.

The fun part is assembling everything at the table!  Put the frying pan on a pot holder in the center of the table and dig in!

Everyone has their own preference for how to assemble fajitas, but my suggestion is to spread one tbsp of sour cream on the inside of the tortilla, sprinkle with 1/2 oz cheese and add a quarter of the mixture from the pan.  Roll up and enjoy!

 

 

 

10. Turkey Quesadillas

This recipe has about 500 calories and serves 1 hungry person for an entree or 2-4 people for an appetizer.  It would be great accompanied by my Everyday Salad.

Ingredients:
2 flour tortillas
3 oz turkey, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, sliced (I prefer the red, yellow and orange peppers)
1/8 large onion, sliced
2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp sour cream (if desired)
TexJoy or salt & pepper




Method:
Heat a griddle (or frying pan) over medium-high heat and spray with Pam butter flavor spray.  Put one tortilla on the griddle and cook until the bottom is crispy.  Transfer to a plate, crispy side up.  Put the other tortilla on the griddle and cook until the bottom is crispy.  Set aside.

Put the bell pepper and onion on the griddle and cook until caramelized.  Sprinkle with TexJoy or salt and pepper.  Add the turkey and cook until warm.

Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the crisp side of the tortilla on the plate.  Add peppers, onions, and turkey.  Top with remaining cheese.  Put the other tortilla crisp side down on top of the cheese.

Put the quesadilla on the griddle and cook until the bottom tortilla is crispy on the bottom and the cheese is melty.

Flip the quesadilla over.  An easy way to do this is to pick the quesadilla up with a large spatula and hold a plate upside down on top of the quesadilla.  Flip the plate over.  Voila!

Place the quesadilla back on the griddle and cook until the bottom of the bottom tortilla is crispy.

Transfer to a serving plate and cut into 4 pieces.  Top each piece with 1/2 tbsp sour cream, if desired.

 

 

11. Turkey & Buttermilk Dumplings

If you have leftover turkey broth, you'll want to use it!  If not, you can substitute chicken broth.

This recipe serves 2 people for an entree or 4 people for a side dish.  I recommend serving it with my Everyday Salad or Baked Peppers & Mushrooms.

Ingredients:
3 c turkey broth
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb turkey, chopped

For the dumplings:
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 c buttermilk

Method:
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder for the dumplings.  Add buttermilk and stir until smooth.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured cutting board to about 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch squares.  I find that a pizza cutter works well.

Put the broth, lemon juice  and pepper in a pot and simmer over medium heat.  Drop the dumplings into the pot.  It's okay if a little extra flour gets in the pot; it'll just make the broth thicker.

The dumplings will swell and puff up.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings are no longer doughy.  Add the turkey and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

If the broth gets too thick, add a little more broth or water.  If the broth is too thin, add a little flour.

 

12. If you have to have a turkey sandwich...

Why not make it extra amazing by adding triple cream brie!

Ingredients:
2 slices whole wheat bread
3 oz sliced turkey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 oz triple cream brie, cut into small pieces
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray
TexJoy or salt & pepper

Method:
Put the bread in the toaster. 

Heat the turkey in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warm.

Spray the insides of the bread with butter spray.  Spread mustard on one side.   Top with turkey.  Sprinkle with TexJoy or salt and pepper.  Top with brie.  Top with toast, butter side down.

Put the plate in the microwave for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted.

Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!

3 Stacks

We're visiting my husband's sister's family in Dallas, Texas, and last night that took us out to dinner at 3 Stacks BBQ.  BBQ is definitely better in Texas than it is in Los Angeles, so we're happy to get our fill of BBQ while we're here.  It's kind of like a sports bar with TVs and a beer list.  They have a variety of TexMex food and BBQ.

I ordered Contessa's salad, which is described on the menu as "hearts of romaine lettuce tossed with a 1/4 pound of chopped brisket, beans, cheddar, pico de gallo, and crispy tortilla strips. Served with avocado ranch dressing."  I asked for the salad without beans and with the dressing on the side.  I ended up not using the dressing.  It was okay, but I preferred the salad topped with the the spicy BBQ sauce that was on the table.  It was a really good salad.  I had a brisket salad at a BBQ restaurant in L.A., and it wasn't nearly as good as this one.  I could eat this brisket everyday.

My husband was torn between ordering the Brisket Tacos and the Brisket Cheesesteak.  Only in Texas.  In the end, he decided to order the Brisket Cheesesteak, which is described on the menu as "brisket with sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms topped with our queso on a toasted hoagie roll."  All the sandwiches come with beans (which are basically BBQ beans) and fresh cut fries.  His sandwich was huge.  I tasted a little of the meat mixture, and it was so good.  I mean, how could it not be?  I also tasted a couple of the fries.  They are very crisp and flavorful fries.

Our niece and nephew were with us, and they both got the kids' Chicken Tenders, which comes with a side.  Our nephew got fries for his side, and our niece got the loaded smashed potatoes.  She licked those potatoes clean.  She only ate one of her chicken tenders, but she loved the potatoes.  Our nephew ate all of his chicken tenders but didn't finish his fries.

My sister-in-law ordered the Club 9 which is described on the menu as "smoked turkey breast thinly sliced served with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo."  Her sandwich also came with beans and fries.  She shared it with her husband.  It was huge.  They really debated on how to even bite into it, but they managed.

We were all too full for dessert, but the kids got dessert anyway.  The kids' meals come with a complimentary ice-cream sundae.  Once again, our niece licked her bowl clean.

I really liked 3 Stacks, and I would totally go back if I lived in Dallas.

Happy eating!

Buttermilk Biscuit Triangles

I've always liked to pull my food apart instead of just biting into it.  I especially do that with anything in the bread family like doughnuts, muffins, biscuits, etc.  So, you can only imagine how much I love flaky, layered buttermilk biscuits.  The layers are practically begging me to pull them apart and eat them.

If you're like me, and you like layered biscuits, you'll love this recipe for Buttermilk Biscuit Triangles.  If you're like my husband and you love the flavor of buttermilk, you're definitely in for a treat.

Why triangles?  It's an easy to create shape that makes the biscuits seem a little more special than your typical circles, and no cookie cutter is required. 








I usually try to post recipes that have something redeeming about them health-wise.  This is not one of them.  This is definitely a splurge, but with portion control, anything can fit into a healthy diet.  Each biscuit only has about 100 calories.  The trick is stopping at one...or two...or three!  You can also substitute whole wheat flour for some or all of the all purpose flour, but your biscuits won't be quite as fluffy.

If you want to keep it light, pair the biscuits with a salad, such as my Everyday Salad.  That's what I did today, but I added about 8 pieces of turkey pepperoni chopped in fourths.  You really can't go wrong with turkey pepperoni!  If you want some true comfort food, I'd recommend pairing these biscuits with a bowl of your favorite soup, and of course, they're also perfect for breakfast.
 

Buttermilk Biscuit Triangles
Servings: 16

Ingredients:
2 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch salt
8 tbsp cold butter (1 stick)
3/4 c well-shaken buttermilk

Method:
Preheat your oven to 400.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Then cut in the butter.  You can use a pastry cutter, but I usually just hold a couple butter knives in one hand and cut back and forth across the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Add the buttermilk, and mix it in with a fork until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  I recommend using a dish towel because you won't need as much flour.  Knead the dough gently, and shape it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Now we create the layers!  Fold the dough in half.  Use a rolling pin to gently roll out the dough until it's about 1 inch thick again.  Repeat this process 3 more times so that you've folded the dough a total of 4 times.  Yup, the folding is what creates the layers!

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half.  Cut each half of the dough in half again.  You have 4 pieces.  Cut the dough in half the other direction.  You have 8 equal pieces.  Cut each piece in half at a diagonal.  Now you have 16 triangles.

Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, and set the biscuits on top.  Be sure to leave space between the biscuits.  They're going to need room to rise!

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.  When you remove them from the oven, you can spray the tops with spray butter or brush with a little melted butter if desired.

Happy eating!