Heading to the place I used to call home

I am going to Philadellphia next week, solo. This will be the first trip I take by myself since I have been married. It has been three years. Erik is taking a few days off to watch the gals, and his parents are coming to help him out. For 4 days it is just me. Sad to say, but I am kinda nervous. I am not scared that Erik will not do a great job. I know he will do fine. Maya and Amara will miss me, but the world will not stop. I just feel...weird, like on some level leaving them is not natural. The idea of being free gives me guilt, as if the idea of being alone has me let go of some kind of burden. Going away for a bit is good for me. Plus, it will be nice seeing friends and catching up. I just feel so different. I mean I am still Danna, my eyes are slightly more crinkly and my hair has some white spots, but underneath my new ass it is the same old me, but somehow it isn't. It is Danna, Erik, Maya and Amara. Danna, plus.
I wonder if I am the mom who talks about my kids all the time. If, because I stay at home, I have become boring. The girls and Erik are the center of my universe, aside from myself of course. I cook, write on this thing, read, eat out when I can, and take care of people, in fact I love taking care of people. I am good at it. Before having kids I was so judgemental (who the hell am I kidding...still am, kinda). I never thought I would be the one who'd stay at home with my kids. Erik and I discussed being home for a year, now it will be two. I enjoy being home with the girls. Today we went to the park. When we got home the girls were exhausted, so the three of us just laid on the floor. Amara was across my chest, in the crook of my arm, and Maya sprawled out on my belly. The three of us just watched the fan curled up, snuggling. Peaceful. My little heavens. So...I guess I am that mom.

Houston Chowhound

I am full. I mean Thanksgiving Day, carb coma full, and it feels nauseating, but good. Today I went to my first Houston Chowhound event. Houston Chowhound is an online group of foodies that meets for dinner and has occasional food oriented get togethers. LOVE IT. I am excited to meet food-oriented people, learn about new restaurants, and talk food. It was nice to get out. Today was a pot-luck brunch.
Before the event I thought and thought about what I wanted to make. I felt like whatever I made would in some way define me. As usual I read way to much into things because it certainly was not like that. Initially, I was going to bake a quiche from Julia's book. A frittata with goat cheese , sun-dried tomato and swiss chard sounded good. I wanted to make a statement, something different, yet traditional. Bon Appetit magazine had an article about old dishes made new, perfect. I went with bacon wrapped dates stuffed with asiago. The dish was super-easy, great finger-food, and may just be my new apertif horsdeuvres when we have company.

Perhaps the best part of the occasion was that I made them twice. I made the dates once yesterday for the event that I thought was...ummm...yesterday, and ate them pissed off on my way home in the middle of a torrential rainstorm. Than I made them again for the real brunch today. Needless to say I know where the kind woman, Shannon, who hosted, lives. It's a nice neighborhood, been there before. I swear I think when Maya and Amara were born I lost even more brain cells than I previously had. Oye.

Stuffed Dates (from Bon Appetit)
24 dates
small slices of asiago cheese from a hunk
hot smoked paprika
8 slices of applewood smoked bacon

Preheat oven to 425. Cut a small slit in each date, take out the pits and fill with the cheese. Slice each piece of bacon crosswise into thirds (3 pieces). Brush the bacon with the parika. Wrap the dates with the bacon. Have the paprika side facing in, towards the date. Attach each piece of bacon with a toothpick. Roast 6 minutes per side. Serve slightly warm with ample amounts of bubbly. Yum.

Passover

I love Passover. Most Jewish holidays are kinda depressing (well compared to Christmas). Passover is about freedom. I totally dig that. Plus, matzoh ball soup is involved, one of my favorite comfort foods, especially when I feel like ass. On Passover I get to make food that reminds me of family and gatherings. Erik and I made up our own traditions for Passover. During sedar we have philosphical discussions about the concept of freedom. This year I am not quite sure how much discussing will be going on, since there are three 14 month olds to contend with. We are making some yummy food though. I made a mocha tofu filled almond cake with dark chocolate ganache. It is made with agave nectar instead of sugar. I hope there is some left for our guests tomorow. I keep eating it! Even though there is no sugar it still tastes decadent, almost like tiramisu, but not. We are also going to make a 5 hour roasted chicken. The chicken comes out moist and succulent. Hopefully, the skin comes out crispy. We are trying a new recipe this year called Passover Puffs. Essentially, they are little souffle looking things made with spinach, mushrooms, carrots, and matzoh meal. Anything is better than the usual kugel. I am not sure about the veggie yet. First, I want to see what looks good at the market tomorow morning. This year I am not making the soup until after Passover. I wanna cook down that yummy carcass we're roasting tomorow and use that.

This will be a weekend full of cooking. On Sunday we are going to Katy (eek...it's kinds like venturing over the bridge in to Jersey from Philly) for Easter, so I am making strawberry shortcakes, with agave nectar. Since strawberries are in season here if it comes out well maybe I will post the recipe. If you're lucky!

Oh, and I will also try to remember my matzoh ball soup recipe as well. Have a happy and healthy weekend.

A bit of quiet

Through out my life I have always yearned. Since moving here I wanted to to home, missed my friends, the East Coast, pizza, bagels, good Italian restaurants. I even missed assholes (They have them here...they just come in the form of Christian right fundamentalists and yeehaws...New York has a different type of asshole, perhaps I should call them...douche-bags, sorry dad). New York and Jersey accents are coveted by me, like a breathe of fresh air actually (I think that may be apart of the reason why I love my acupuncturist...he is from Jersey). Erik and I continually had the conversation about moving home. When Maya and Amara were born I spoke of when I'd go back to work. I figured after they were a year I'd start looking for a job. After they turned 9 months I began thinking about how we should move in to a bigger house. I am always wanting more, bigger, better. Sometimes all that wanting makes me loose sight of all the amazing things that are happening now, here, in this very moment. I think finally I am starting to "get it". Perhaps (scoff, pshah, yeah right) I am growing up. It is about friggin time.

Instead of trying to figure out what's next I am enjoying what's now (at least for today). I like being home with Maya and Amara. It has been beautiful outside. I try to take the girls outside to enjoy the blooming flowers and sun. I cannot forget to turn my music up and to sing, loudly, even if the windows are open. When I cook dinner it is not always about what needs to be chopped or diced, but about the joy of doing, and the delicousness that comes out of it. A free minute relished. The small, cherished, at least for the moment. A sort of quiet peace has entered my life. Do not get me wrong, I still yearn, but if we stay in our house that is OK. I will work at some point, but for now I am not, and I am enjoying it. My life has been full of adventure, and I am sure it will continue to be. Sometimes it is nice to just be in it instead of contemplating the darn thing all the time.

San Antonio

Erik, the gals and I went to San Antonio this weekend. We thought it would be a great learning experience for ALL of us, and a nice prelude to our big trip to Philadelphia and Jersey in June. The girls were fabulous. They slept through the night, napped well, and had a good time eating different food. We stayed at a Marriot Residence Inn, which is perfect for families. The room had a kitchen equipped with an oven, toaster, and even a dishwasher. Also, there were two bedrooms, so the girls stayed in one room, and we had our own. Last time we went away Erik and I had to eat take out in the hallway leading to the bathroom, whispering in the dark, as the girls slept, so two rooms was a nice change of pace! We even got to watch a movie (Slumdog Millionaire...awesome). Of course before we left I read Zagat's, so I knew exactly where I wanted to eat lunch and dinner during our stay.

The first night we hit the river walk. The river walk is GREAT!!! The riverwalk is a meandering, cobblestone walkway with waterfalls, the occasional duck, beautiful trees and restaurants along a natural river that runs through San Antonio. Most of the places are kinda touristy, but there are also some great restaurants along the river. Plus, it is great to eat on the water and people watch. We walked along the river with the stroller until we had to keep picking the darn thing up. There are lots of steps, bridges, and bumpy crevices along the pathway. Plus, some parts of it are narrow...not fun with a stroller at all. The next night we walked along the street above and took an elevator down to where we needed to be. It was a lot more pleasant.
The first night we ate at Boudros, a Texas bistro. It was wonderful. The gals had grilled fish with fries and veggies that came with a remoulade. We all ate guacamole prepared table side which was delicious. They smoked their own serranos and added fresh squeezed orange, something I never thought of adding before. Orange juice added a great citrusy punch to the guac. The girls loved watching the waitress prepare the guacamole tableside as well. Also, while eating on the river they saw their first ducks. Boudros has a barge that people can eat on, as they float and ride around (how fun!). Our table was right next to the barge. The girls loved watching the boat bob, sway, and take off. I ordered duck three ways. It came with a duck confit eggroll, which I gave to the girls because I was not in the mood for it. There was also a roasted leg with a cherry sauce. It was AMAZING, fall off the bone good. The third duck was chopped in a Lousiana style red sauce that had a spicy bite. Amara actually was grabbing it and eating the duck straight off my plate. Erik ordered a chicken chop with avocado rissoto. He gave me a perfect bite, yum. We all had a wonderfully relaxing night.
The next day we got lunch from Texas Farm to Table. Texas Farm to Table is a place that has boxed lunches made with mostly local products. The ham in Maya and Amara's sandwich was made in New Braunfels, it was a thick, juicy slab o' meat and really smoky. There sandwich came with on think slices of bread with lots of roasted red peppers and melted swiss cheese. I got the vegie sandwich which was carrots, zucchini, hummus, chive cream cheese and mushrooms on whole wheat toast, and Erik got grilled chicken with more of those roasted peppers. The sandwiches came with pasta salad and fruit. I was disappointed that Erik and the gals' sandwich seemed like the same thing with different meats added, but they were both tasty. Furthermore, on the website it said the packaging the lunches came in were compostable, but it was the same old plastic containers with the "2" on the back of em'. Oh well. Lunch was easy and healthy, and that suited us just fine.
We ate in Hemis Fair Park near the playground. The playground was kinda nasty. There was lots of garbage in the mulch and three bums chilling out on the park benches. I wished it was cleaner because it had some fun looking mazes and slides to explore. The park was created for a World's Fair. There were interesting looking man-made waterfalls. We also checked out the Alamo. It was right next to the hotel. The mission and church of the Alamo were quite beautiful, despite all the death that occured there.
Our second and last night in San Antonio we ate at Acenar. Before we left my friend, Jenn, told us to check out the restaurant in Hotel Valencia. I picked Acenar because it had a high food rating in Zagats. I had no idea it was in Hotel Valencia, go Jenn! Hotel Valencia actually housed Citrus as well, another really cool looking restaurant, as well as a very happening looking lounge. Acenar was a bit off the beaten path; towards the business district and away from all the other restaurants. We loved it! It was a modern Tex-Mex menu, with baby goat and slow roasted pork on the menu. The salsa came in a fluted glass vase. It was not too spicy and had a great, smoky flavor, addictive. I was not too impressed with the wine menu...it contained Woodbridge (a turn off for sure), but they had prosecco (sparkling Italian wine), so I was happy. Erik drank about three of the fresh lime juice margaritas. For the girls we ordered mushroom crepes that came with an avocado creme as well as the empanadas. The crepes were made with cornmeal. They were simple and perfect for the glas. The empanadas had an extremely spicy sauce on it, which would not come off. I wish they put it on the side, since I was even having issues with how spicy it was. I was boring and ordered fish tacos, but Erik got gulf blue crab tinga tacos. Tinga means it is sauted with onions, tomatos, and garlic. His tacos were juicy, filled with heaps of crab, and straight up delicious we loved them.
On our way out of San Antonio Erik got breakfast tacos at Torres Taco Heaven. He got the chorizo, egg, and potato taco, as well as the ground beef or pico taco. Both tacos came on homemade flour tortilla. The beef, as Erik tells me, is all about the flavoring. For me tacos are all about the tortilla, if it is not homemade...yuck. The beef was tangy and well seasoned, the chorizo, soft and not too spicy, and the tortillas did not get soggy. Yum. Oh, and of course on the way back I had to stop in Luling for the que'. I got myself a meat sampler of ribs, sausage and of course, brisket at Luling City Market. This place is the real deal. You get your meat in the back, by the smokers. It comes in brown paper, with some sliced onion and a pickle if you ask for it. If you really want sides you gotta purchase that at the front. Erik actually said it was the best sausage he ever had, a lofty statement coming from the meat-loving man. It was pretty damn tasty. The ribs had a perfect crust, and the brisket was thick and did not need any sauce. Luling is known as one of the best places for bbq in the country, damn straight. It would make a vegetarian a meat eater. The shit was no friggin joke.
One pound on the scale later we are back and getting in the swing of our lives again. I love road trips and am happy that we now have the confidence to take them with the gals.