Monday, July 30, 2012

South Bound 35

Going down to Austin or anywhere in the hill country is one of my favorite things to do.  Especially when I get to visit my best friend, her husband and other college friends.  We began Friday with a night out downtown then headed to the lake Saturday morning. 


Kate, Nicole and myself

Our fearless Captain

My handsome husband


Nicole, AKA: Nickerdoodle, Coley, Coley Bear and I'm sure there are a few other names her husband has for her that I can not mention here... ;)

Me looking a little cra cra




The next day we were all full of sunburns and bruises but managed to make it out to brunch before we left back to Dallas.  For some reason I did not partake in any drinking.  Might need to go to the doctor to get myself checked out...


Oh and did I tell you Nicole got bangs!!!! ;)
Such a pretty lady.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Girls Night

Love, love, love getting together with the girls for dinner and drinks.  We do girls nights at different places and tonight we went to Sangria Tapas y Bar.  It's been around for a couple years and I have driven by it at least 100 times and for some reason never really had any interest in going.  And now, after experiencing the unique cocktails, fabulous food and live entertainment I'm kicking myself for never going before.  Especially when I lived close by!  I will definitely be taking my husband there with me in the VERY near future :)



Sparkling Sangria

 
Toasted Ravioli: Forest Mushrooms, Deep Ellum Goat Cheese and Honey Truffle Glaze = TO DIE FOR
 


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Meatloaf, say what?!

For those of you who know me, you know how much I LOVE to cook and entertain!  My top favorite things are (in order):
·       Traveling, not just to places I’ve never been but small town places I love to visit at least once a year.  Places such as Gruene, Wimberley or getting down to Austin when we can find the time to visit my best friend/partner in crime.  Center, Texas is another place that happens to be growing on me as well ;)
·         Going out to a fancy dinner with my husband or girlfriends
·         Cooking for friends I have over to our home
·         Any type of live music, preferably outdoors


Anywho, I digress…  Today’s blog is about meatloaf.  Yes, I said meatloaf!  I’m sure when most of you think of meatloaf you think of a dry, tasteless loaf of crap that needs to be covered up with about a bottle of ketchup so it’s edible.  I am very proud to say that none of that describes my meatloaf.  My husband says it’s the best he has ever had, and I chose to believe that he is telling me that because it’s true not because he is my husband ;)




Here are all the ingredients:


Preheat oven to 325, sauté onions, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for about 7 min until the onions are translucent but not brown, set aside and let cool slightly.

Crush your garlic cheese croutons, I like to put them in a plastic bag and beat them with a rolling pin.  Helps me take out some of my pent up aggression ;)


In a bowl add beef, sausage, onion mixture, crushed croutons, egg, glaze and cream.  Mix lightly with your hands, try not to mash or the meat will be dense.

Shape mixture into the shape of a loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.


 Add glaze to the top of loaf.  Cook at 325 for about 1 hour or until the meat is at a temperature of 160. 


When at the right temperature take out of the oven and blot grease off the pan with paper towels.  Add more glaze if any is left (if not no biggie).


Broil until you have the crispiness you desire.  Remember to let rest 10 min at least before you cut into it.  Enjoy!


Meatloaf
·         1 LB of ground beef
·         8 oz. regular breakfast sausage
·         1 small onion chopped
·         1 large garlic clove
·         1 egg
·         ½ t salt
·         1t pepper
·         Sprig of thyme (if no fresh thyme add 1t of dried)
·         2T cream or milk
·         ¾ cup of crushed garlic cheese croutons
·         2T of glaze

Glaze
·         1/3 cup ketchup
·         1T brown sugar
·         2T cider vinegar
·         1/2t Siracha
Preheat oven to 325, sauté onions, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for about 7 min until the onions are translucent but not brown, set aside and let cool slightly.   In a bowl add beef, sausage, onion mixture, crushed croutons, egg, glaze and cream.  Mix lightly with your hands, try not to mash or the meat will be dense.  Shape mixture into the shape of a loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Add glaze to the top of loaf.  Cook at 325 for about 1 hour or until the meat is at a temperature of 160.  When at the right temperature take out of the oven and blot grease off the pan with paper towels.  Add more glaze if any is left (if not no biggie) and broil until you have the crispiness you desire.  Remember to let rest 10 min at least before you cut into it.  Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The Dwarf House


Hello blog world!  On this day I suppose I’m beginning my blog Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.  Why that name you ask?  Well for two reasons, for one ohmylanta.blogspot was taken and anyone who knows me knows I ALWAYS say, “Oh mylanta!”.  Secondly, I live on the Disney Streets.  All of the streets in our neighborhood are named after something that has to do with Disney.  There are wonderful street names like Cinderella, Pinocchio, Snow White and then there is my street name… Dwarf Circle, hence thedwarfhouse.blogspot.com. 


I moved into the house recently with my husband and this is the first home I have ever owned!  Exciting right?!  Maybe if I didn’t buy a total fixer upper… I’m talking new floors, paint, new doors, 2 bathroom remodels, kitchen remodel so pretty much the whole shebang!  It has definitely been a labor of love and I’m so blessed to have such a handy husband, he has really saved us a lot of money by being able to do a lot of the projects himself.  The house is not 100% yet (will that day ever come?!) but as soon as it is I will be posting before and after photos.  But for now I will leave you a picture of our family minus Raider and Lola :)