Austin, Texas

First Stop: Downtown Food Tour

What better way can there be to start the exploration of a new town with a food tour that highlights the culinary scene with an enthusiastic and a knowledgeable guide.   

 Austin’s Eats Food Tour gives you an exclusive taste of the specialty shops and ethnic restaurants in Austin’s downtown area. The delicious food tastings that satisfy even the heartiest appetites. Plus you get an “insider’s view” of the culture, history and architecture that defines the “Keep Austin Weird” slogan.

My daughter and I enjoyed the variety of appetizers and drinks at four locations. Note sunflowers in the background. 

We  sampled cheese, cracker and meat tray, a variety of tacos, several Thai dishes, unusual cocktails,  food from a street food truck

ending with a stop for delicious scoop of ice cream. And I might also mention it was toasty warm today 97 degrees!!!

We noted they really like their buildings painted with murals and bright colors. 

Keep Austin Weird is the slogan adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to promote small businesses in Austin, Texas. It is intended to promote local businesses and is inspired by comments made by Red Wassenich in 2000 while giving a pledge to an Austin radio station.

With 200 live music venues and as many as 2,000 bands and performing artists, Austin is considered the Live Music Capital of the World.

Every spring and summer about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats migrate to Austin, giving the city North America’s largest urban bat colony. Every night these bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge.

Whole Foods began in Austin in 1978 when 25-year-old college dropout John Mackey and Rene Lawson Hardy borrowed $45,000 to open a small natural foods store. In 2017, Amazon paid $13.4 billion to acquire the upscale grocery chain.

Austin is home to America’s only Formula 1 race, the United States Grand Prix. The annual race takes place at the 3.4-mile Circuit of the Americas course located southwest of the city.

U.S. News & World Report named Austin the best place to live in the U.S. in 2017.

Constructed from sunset red granite, the Texas State Capitol building in Austin is the largest state capitol in the United States.

While the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city’s population at 947,890 in 2016, Forbes named Austin as the fastest growing large city in the United States.

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Kebobs with Tzatziki Sauce

Happiness held is the seed;

happiness shared is the flower.

John Harrigan

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Tzatziki Sauce

Cook's Notes:
Tasty grilled skewered chicken marinated in a Moroccan style spice blend. It is easy to make marinating the chicken in lemon juice, olive oil and a blend of spices and then grilling it to perfection. The spice blend is made with a number of ingredients including a base of paprika with a touch of heat being provided by some cayenne and a hint of the exotic by the cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. Grilling the chicken only takes a few minutes. As a time saver serve kabobs using a prepared box of herb couscous or Basmati Rice (Roasted Chicken Flavor and Herbs with Orzo Pasta).
Recipe adapted from closetcooking.com and serves 4. 
Cooking Tip: I found grilling the kebobs on double sheet of foil worked well.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless-skinless chicken, cut into chunks 
• 2 TB. lemon juice (half of a fresh lemon) 
• 2 TB. olive oil , Garlic Olive Oil or Eureka Lemon Fused Olive Oil 
• 1 tsp. paprika 
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. ginger 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric, saffron or curry 
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 1/4 tsp. pepper 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• lemon slices 
• 10 large wood skewers (soaked at least 30 minutes in water). 
• optional veggies to thread on skewers: zucchini (green or yellow), sliced into 1/3″ rings, medium bell peppers, cut into 1″ pieces, 1 medium sweet or red onion, sliced into chunks, medium sized mushrooms, rinsed and dried on paper towels 

Directions:

• Place chicken pieces in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Combine spices in another small bowl and sprinkle over chicken pieces. Place in a freezer zip loc bag and marinate the chicken for several hours.
• Drain marinade and skewer the chicken with veggies. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 10 minutes per side.
• Serve with Tzatziki Sauce-a Greek cucumber yogurt dip. It’s a healthy sauce you can serve with chicken, grilled veggies, pita chips, gyros and as a raw veggie dip. 

Tzatziki Ingredients:

• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled about 1 cup 
• 10 oz. plain Greek yogurt 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 TB. lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill or 1-1/2 tsp. dried dill 
• 1 TB. freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste 
• 1/8 tsp. black or lemon pepper 

Tzatziki Directions:
The cucumber should be peeled, finely diced and strained of it's juices. I squeezed it really tight by the fistful with two paper towels. Getting rid of excess juice is important so that you tzatziki sauce isn't watery the next day.
Combine the strained and chopped cucumber with plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, dill, salt and pepper.
Mix everything together in blender pulse a few times, but not puree it. For best flavor make the sauce the day before for flavors to meld.

If you want to cheat I won't tell as I found this product in the produce section 
Tzatziki Ranch Greek Yogurt Dressing

2 TB= 30 calories

Ever Ready travels to

Starting in 

and making our way to the home town of HGTV Chip and Joanna Gaines

stayed turned for our adventures.

Black Cherry Chunk Ice Cream Pie

HERE'S THE SCOOP A Summer Dessert with Lots of Possibilities

Black Cherry Chunk Ice Cream Pie 

Cook's Notes: Any flavor of ice cream works for this pie. Optional garnishes include: cookie crumbs, sprinkles, hot fudge sauce, fresh fruit   
Ingredients:

• 1 quart black cherry chunk ice cream 
• 1 regular package of Oreo cookies (not Double Stuff brand) you will use 2-1/2 rows of the package.
• 5 TB. melted butter 
• 1/2 cup prepared fudge sauce

Directions:

• Remove ice cream carton from freezer to soften.  
• In a food processor crush cookies (you will use about 2 and 1/2 rows of Oreos that have been broken up). 
• Add in 5 TB. melted butter to food processor and mix well.  
• Press cookie crumbs into a glass pie pan and up the sides-reserve 1/2 cup cookie crumbs and set aside.  
• Place the pie pan in freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. 
• Remove pie and add 1/2 of the softened carton of ice cream, smooth out ice cream evenly in pie pan. Swirl in 1/ 2  cup slightly warmed fudge sauce and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cookie crumbs. 
• Return pie to freezer for an hour or until ice cream is fairly firm. 
• Add rest of softened ice cream and garnish with rest of cookie crumbs. Lightly cover with wax paper and freeze about 8 hours until firm. Then cover with 2 layers of foil.
  

• To serve, let pie stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into pie shaped wedges and top with slightly warmed fudge sauce and a cherry. 

Need more ideas for summer ice cream fun? Check out these links from Ever Ready.

Minty Ice Cream Squares

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/09/fall-at-its-best.html

Blueberry Swirl Semifreddo Dessert
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-semifreddo-dessert.html

Black Forest Ice Cream Pie
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/07/black-forest-ice-cream-pie.html

Fire Up The Grill

"To lie sometimes on the grass
under trees on a summer's day,
listening to the murmur of the water
or watching the clouds float across
the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

John Lubbock (UK) 

banker, politician, philanthropist, scientist

Raspberry Balsamic Chipotle Grilled Pork Chops

Cook's Notes: The tasty BBQ sauce has a little kick with a touch of raspberry sweetness. It makes 2 cups and is enough for 4- 6 pork chops or a rack of ribs. Any leftover sauce, refrigerate in a covered jar. Oh, sooo good! Can be made ahead.

Recipe from closetcooking.com
Cooking tip: For easier prep arrange all sauce ingredients on the counter next to the blender, adding in each one on the list.
Ingredients:

Raspberry Balsamic Chipotle BBQ Sauce

• 2 cups raspberries fresh (or thawed frozen) 
• 1/2 cup ketchup 
• 2 TB. seedless raspberry preserves/jam 
• 2 TB. honey 
• 2 TB. good white balsamic vinegar or Pomegranate Quince 
• 1 TB. soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free) 
• 1+ chipotle chili in adobo, chopped, drained on a paper towel 
• 1 clove garlic, grated 
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 

Grilled Pork Chops

• 4-6 pork chops 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

For the sauce

• Puree everything in a food processor or blender. It is an option to strain seeds but it was not a problem for me with seeds in sauce.

For the Grilled Pork Chops

• Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat, season the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, place them on the grill and cook until lightly golden brown on one side, about 8 minutes, flip them and cook until the pork chops are done, about 8 minutes, before basting in the BBQ sauce and enjoying them! 
• Baste chops frequently with sauce during the cooking time. 
• Option: Add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke to the BBQ sauce.

Summer Fun Round-Up

Ideas to get your summer time rolling along

20 Ice Cream Sandwiches with a Creative Twist

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g4406/homemade-ice-cream-sandwiches/?slide=1

May Book  Review from Mix and Match Mama

https://mixandmatchmama.com/2018/05/may-2018-book-review/

101 Kid friendly Activities
https://www.care.com/c/stories/3331/101-fun-things-to-do-with-kids-this-summer/


60 Things You Absolutely Have to Do This Summer
#1 Sip an umbrella drink by the pool
https://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/summer-bucket-list?utm_term=.ttEXmZlL2#.cuv9mvXK1

31 Fun Things to Do This Summer

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/gobankingrates/31-fun-free-things-to-do_b_7811856.html


Up North Parent
a site that promotes thriving families and strong communities

Kid Friendly Summertime Ideas 
https://www.upnorthparent.com/

The Ostrich and Other Lost Things

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." —Pablo Picasso

Beth Hautala is a gifted storyteller who writes with compassion, realism and empathy. Hautala earned a degree in writing and rhetoric from Northwestern College and is the author of "Waiting for Unicorns." She has also written for Lake Country Journal Magazine and Forget Magazine. She lives with her husband and four children in Brainerd, Minnesota, where she strives to write stories that tie heart and imagination together.

Lost and Found

Her newest middle grade book “The Ostrich and Other Lost Things,” tells 11-year-old Olivia Grant’s story. Olivia has a gift for finding lost things and she is a lover of found things. Her older brother Jacob is autistic, and Olivia is certain that if her brother Jacob’s lost plastic ostrich toy is found, she and their family will become whole again. Over the course of a summer, Olivia sets out to find Jacob's ostrich. She volunteers at the zoo, auditions for a production of Peter Pan, tries to figure out the pieces to the puzzle as to why a live ostrich keeps appearing in her backyard, and tries to navigate her way through complicated family relationships. With the help of her new friend Charlie, who is blind, and newly acquired confidence through her role in the play, Olivia discovers that maybe not everything lost was meant to be found, outcomes can’t always be overcome, and the discovery that there’s nothing more important than having an open heart to the power of unconditional love. “The Ostrich and Other Lost Things” has received praise from several national publications, including "School Library Journal" and "Kirkus Reviews."

Hautala begins each of her writing projects with a question or a truth. In the case of “The Ostrich and Other Lost Things” she explored the questions “What does it mean to be normal?” and “What do you do when your family looks different from others?”

Building on her experience as a mom, she finds her family a wealth of inspiration to draw upon when creating stories. As she was working on “The Ostrich and other Lost Things,” she consulted with medical professionals, explored current medical findings, and had numerous discussions with families who have a member with autism. She also read blogs by parents raising autistic children, and followed numerous Instagram feeds from people who are explaining what it’s like to be autistic. As she researched, Hautala began to understand that there really is no such thing as normal, and as soon as we stop expecting that of others, and ourselves, the sooner we will be able to respond to difficult and challenging situations with kindness and empathy. Hautala wants to be the kind of a person who does not look away, but one who acknowledges differences and diversity in all its forms with kindness and empathy. She wants to live in a world where people look for opportunities to respond positively to those with disabilities rather than out of fear, skepticism or judgment. And it was from this place that she began to write Jacob and Olivia’s story.

Hautala has an engaging writing style that children and teens can relate to. Her skillful use of the story arc, beginning, middle and end creates the right amount of tension, encouraging the reader to move on to the next chapter. As the storyline develops it feels real and authentic with fully developed characters whose individual perspectives contribute to the dynamics of storyline.

Olivia’s “ah-ha!” moment came at end of the story as she learned that she could look inside people where they were most real and the most lost and to love them anyway.

As a former elementary and middle school teacher I give “The Ostrich and Other Lost Things” my highest recommendation. It would be a wonderful resource for a read aloud and springboard for discussion.

Beth signing her books and greeting readers

In Beth’s words “Telling stories is the greatest gift I always dreamed I'd get to experience.”

You can follow Beth on Twitter at @BethHautala and on her website for book and contact information and upcoming events. Hautala is available for book clubs, reading groups and classroom visits. http://www.bethhautalabooks.com/

Upcoming schedule of events include:

• Brainerd Public Library, Teen and Children’s Writing Workshop July 18, 2018 
• The Jessie. F. Hallett Memorial Library, Crosby, MN July 26, 2018

Book Review written by Sue Ready published  in Lakes Area Living Magazine June 2018

Southwestern Chicken Salad with Lime Yogurt Dressing

Bring on summer with a Southwestern Chicken Salad with Lime Yogurt Dressing. 

Cook' Notes: A light summer salad that's filling and comes in at 380 calories.  Skip adding a prepared dressing and spring for a lime Greek yogurt dressing instead.
Recipe inspiration comes from Food Network Magazine January/February 2018  
and serves four.
Ingredients:

• 4 chicken cutlets or thin-cut skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• 1-2 tsp. chili powder, dry taco seasoning mix or Southwestern seasoning mix e.g. 

 the bonus of Perfect Pinch is a no salt additive  

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumbers, diced
• 1/2 cup red onions, sliced
• 1 -1/2 TB. lime juice, divided
• Chopped lettuce mix, about 5-6 cups 
• 1-1/2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. lime zest
• Lime tortilla chips 

Directions: 

• Toss the chicken with chili powder, taco seasoning mix or Southwestern type seasoning.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken on medium low covered, flipping several times until done. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl toss together chopped lettuce mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, grated cheese, and lime juice.   
• Slice chicken diagonally into strips and add to lettuce mix. 
• Stir lime zest into yogurt mix and add in rest of the lime juice.
• Divide salad mixture among 4 plates and top with yogurt dressing.  
• Sprinkle with crushed chips.