Mighty Good Recipe

Is It Really Better Than Sex? Cake
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/is-it-really-better-than-sex-cake-recipe/index.html

Hmmm...let's just say this is my all-time favorite cake. I rarely bake, so I've never technically made this recipe. But Sara bakes it, and I usually polish off a good 85% in a four-day span. It's good for a 5-lb. weight gain. Actually, a better name for the cake would be "After Your Partner Eats It, You Won't Want to Have Sex With His Fat Ass Cake".

He Said, She Said

It's the end of the month...and guess what's due...another He Said, She Said for Carrie and me. Here’s how it works:

We went to the same restaurant at different times.
• First time eating at the restaurant.
• We read no previous reviews.
• We wrote our reviews separately.
• Once written, the reviews were not changed.

The Grove is one of the many fancy, shmancy restaurants located in downtown Houston. Here's a few helpful reminders: reservations recommended, business casual attire, and you may want to park next door at the GRB Convention Center.

The Grove
1611 Lamar Houston, TX
http://www.thegrovehouston.com/

Atmosphere: (5) Stars
He Said:
The Grove is about as sophisticated as it’s going to get in Houston. Big, open restaurant setting with floor to ceiling windows that look out to Houston’s new gem…Discovery Green Park. Beautiful oak trees (hey…it ain’t called The Grove for nothing) line the restaurant. Inside…the décor is modern, with some retro touches. We sat in a “booth”. I’ve never sat in a more comfortable “booth” in my life. It was more like a mini-sofa that hit me just right in the back. As you enter Grove, you’ll be struck by one of the nicer bars in the city…very elegant. The Grove is perfect for a business lunch or a romantic dinner. We went for lunch.

Atmosphere: (4.5) Stars
She Said:
Beautiful, clean décor with huge windows looking out onto Discovery Green. I loved the simple, chic table settings. Two minor details resulting in the 4.5 star rating…1. The tables were a bit close together resulting in feeling a little like you’re eating dinner with strangers. 2. The hard surfaces and many windows result in a noisy dining room. While we didn’t have to shout, this is not the place to go if you want to have a discreet conversation.

Menu Selection: (3) Stars
He Said:
The menu was fairly limited, but again…when you go to a restaurant of this status, you know going in the menu’s not gonna be an Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Menu Selection: (4.5) Stars
She Said:
Although the dinner menu was not extensive, I found plenty of enticing offerings, including 9 appetizers, 7 salads, soup of the day, a couple of sandwiches and burgers, 8 small plates (4 oz protein and half an order of the side) and 9 large plates (8 oz protein and full side). Vegetarian options available in each category. Wine and specialty drink menus also provided many options.

Taste: (3) Stars
He Said:
My entire meal screamed average. I ordered a wide variety of things and took a few bites off Sara’s plate. I started off with a speciality drink, (can’t remember the name) but it was the best thing I had. It contained rosewater, blood orange juice, vodka, fresh strawberries, and a few other things. Very complex drink and it was refreshing. I ordered the Dustin’s Farm Deviled Yard Eggs. Sounds fancy doesn’t it? Actually, they are average deviled eggs with a piece of Spanish chorizo (very good) and tapenade on top. The flavors just didn’t blend well…I thought it needed a sweet element. My entrée of Pulled Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with sweet black-eyed peas was good, but very small. The chicken was moist, but there certainly wasn’t enough…an almost comical amount of chicken. The peas provided a nice balance to the dish. I took a bite of Sara’s Lamb Burger. It was a little peppery, but not bad. Tasted like a gyro on a bun. We all split the bread pudding for dessert…and I was not too impressed. Had some good elements but they scrimpted on the Mexican chocolate. I did love the finely diced pears on the side.

Taste: (4) Stars
She Said:
We both ordered Caesar salads and small plates. Marinated black cod in a mushroom broth with baby bok choy for Warren, Gulf shrimp and scallop brochette with braised baby carrots, English peas and almond oregano pesto for me. The Caesar dressing with its bit of heat was excellent. Warren’s cod was perfectly cooked and presented in a sea of rich earthy broth. My scallop was perfect, the peas were a nice side and the pesto was delish. The shrimp, however, left a bit to be desired…overcooked and under seasoned. The real gem of the evening was our dessert, the Texas peach and Prosecco parfait. This layered dessert started with a Prosecco gelatin, covered with a peach foam, topped with blackberries and candied Meyer lemon. This is exactly what I love about going out to dinner. Something that you would never think to make at home, but makes you want to figure out a way to do it. It was amazing!

Service: (5) Stars
He Said:
I have not one complaint with the service. Our guy had a good, even-keeled demeanor and did a fine job throughout the meal.

Service: (5) Stars
She Said:
This is where The Grove really shines. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and offered detailed descriptions of entrees and desserts. The staff was extremely attentive (my water glass was never less than half full, Warren’s napkin was refolded when he went to the restroom) yet unobtrusive. It was clear that the staff does it’s best to satisfy patrons when a table next to us needed to accommodate first two, then four, extra diners.

Pricing: (1) Star
He Said:
This was a joke…even by classy, downtown restaurant standards. My tacos hit $12. Bigger portions would have made this price a bit more palatable. I think my drink cost $11 but I need to confirm that. Sara’s burger was $15…ridiculous!

Pricing: (3.5) Stars
She Said:
Given its location, the pricing did not surprise me, but I did feel that it was slightly overpriced for the food that was served.

Overall Opinion: (3) Stars
He Said:
The service, atmosphere and drink gave The Grove a respectable status. I wouldn’t go there to eat again, but I’d definitely stop in for a cocktail. I think this restaurant needs to spend more time trying to raise its food quality and less time writing fancy descriptions for average selections.

Overall Opinion: (4) Stars
She Said:
I would definitely hit The Grove again for drinks, appetizers and dessert. The ambiance and service made this dining experience a treat! Given that it is a bit pricey and my entrée fell a bit flat, I would likely give it another try for dinner, but it would probably not be my first choice.

Tip Jar

Each week I'll give out a tip...take it or leave it.

Grilling Burgers
Wanna grill some burgers this holiday weekend???

Lazy Way...But Still Good
Go buy a package of frozen, formed, 1/4 lb. hamburger patties from the grocery store. Throw them right on the grill...frozen. Maybe about 4-5 minutes per side. This way they won't get dried out. Season to your liking.

A Little More Effort Way...But Very, Very Good
If you're not feeling lazy...go to a meat market (better than a grocery store)...get some good ground beef. Mix in a package of onion soup mix, form patties (kind of thick) and throw on grill. Probably about 6 minutes per side.

Test Kitchen

Every Saturday I'll try out a new recipe...you'll see the good and the bad of it. Thanks to a reader for sending me a great crock pot recipe link. For this week's Test Kitchen, I decided to give one a try...

Soy-Glazed Spareribs
http://www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/crockpot/soyribs.html

Description: Bomb! But in all fairness, this recipe has a lot of potential. This is a classic example of the importance of reading other people's reviews of recipes. They offer great tips. That's one of the benefits of using a big site.

Recipe Difficulty (Scale of 1-10): 2
Any crock pot recipe should never have a high difficulty level. If it does, you probably should move on. This one was easy. I had to bake the spareribs in the oven and then transfer them to the pot. That was easy and so was making the sauce.

How it turned out: Uneatable
Cows whose favorite snack is a salt lick said this was too salty. This was shocking because I really didn't feel this would be a problem. The good news...the ribs were very tender. That's why this recipe has a world of potential.

Would I make again: Yes
Here's how I'll do it next time...and yes, there will be a next time. Cut the soy sauce in half (and use a low sodium). I plan on keeping the chicken broth measurement the same but use a low sodium as well. This recipe is a classic example of "you can always add more salt, but you can't take it back". Recipes like this get better each time you make them.

SAVED UPDATE!!!
I'll be frank...I wanted this recipe to work, and when it bombed, I was pissed. That usually results in me immediately tossing it into the trash. Sara stopped me. I put the ribs in the fridge. The next day I cut all the lean meat off the bones. I then diced the meat into small pieces. I made a simple soup with cabbage, noodles, and a variety of other things. The rib meat provided all the seasoning I needed for the soup and because the pieces were so small and diluted from the broth...it turned out pretty good. Plus a good soup really cleans out the pantry.

Back to Basics

Boiling Water

Nope...not gonna write a post about how to boil water. But boiling water will be the hardest thing to do in this one-pot, basic recipe. About the only thing I hate about cooking is the clean up. Even the most basic of recipes can have tornadic affects on the kitchen. Not this one.

1. Get a large, deep pot and fill about 3/4 full of water...salt generously. Set on high and bring to boil.

2. Get some broccoli florets and diced carrots and throw in water. Boil for about 5-6 minutes.

3. Once you hit the 6-minute mark, leave veggies in the water and add a package of angel hair pasta.

4. Boil the veggies and pasta for 5 more minutes.

5. Turn off heat, drain everything, and return pasta and veggies to the original pot.

6. Place pot back on the cooling burner and add 2 TBSP of butter and a generous pour of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. (Add a seasoning like dried basil if desired)

7. Finally, add a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Serve.

The clean up will be easy...one pot, one colander, one mixing spoon, one knife, and one cutting board.

*Note...If you like to add some meat to the dish, purchase some quality smoked sausage that comes fully cooked and add to the boiling water for about a minute.

Happy Hour

Rum

No...not just any rum...the good stuff! My brother-in-law Scott introduced me to this liquid gold on a family trip to The Keys. It's called Ron Zacapa and look to spend about $40 a bottle. Its chief competitor is called Zaya...which is also around the same price and has a comparable taste (in my opinion). This stuff is smooth and can only be appreciated straight. Mixing this fine rum with anything should result in an automatic arss kicking. Goes great with a nice cigar (occasional for me).

*Note...drinking more than what is pictured is probably a solid indicator of alcoholism.

Unique Randomness

My random thoughts...once a week.

• I went to Kroger’s the other day. Wanted to pick up a few items…one of which was cilantro. Apparently, the mental institution let out some patients to do a little grocery roaming. I watched this nut-job rifle through every bunch of cilantro…and then every leaf on every bunch. Each time I went back…she was still there. I’m cilantro-less this week.

• Sydney got a Leapfrog Walker for her birthday from her grandparents. It’s now her third favorite toy. Right behind the package of Welch’s chewies she carries around, and the air return grate she bangs on 100 times a day.

• Speaking of kids…Nat hit me in the nuts again. And again it was accidental (true). The latest unfortunate incident occurred during a tickling session. Her left knee did a pile-drive on my package. Why do people think this makes your voice go higher? My throat is still sore from the low-pitched grunt. I’m up to about $30K if America’s Funniest Home Videos is watching.

• This is who the Rockets are desperately trying to sign as our next savior. Really?

• Denver's convention center is cool...why can't Houston have a giant bear looking in a window?
  

Mighty Good Recipe

Chicken Valdostano
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Valdostano/Detail.aspx

This is a great recipe...plus it has the added bonus of having a cool name. "Honey, what are we eating tonight?" "Chicken Valdostano...I said Chicken Valdostano." I wouldn't deviate from the recipe. I followed it precisely and was very happy with the results.

Restaurant Review

Los Dos Hermanos Mexican Restaurant
5013 N. Shepherd Houston, TX

The Run Down: In baseball terms, Dos Hermanos is like that fourth outfielder on the team. He's good, one heck of a nice guy, and just finds a way to get in the game every once in awhile. Okay...if you're not lost yet, I'll get back to food speak.

The Decision: I used the baseball analogy because Dos Hermanos is located near some very formidable eateries along Shepherd Drive....some stiff competition. It's right across the street from Simo's Diner (one of my favorites). I've driven past the place a hundred times and when Sara got a hankering for breakfast tacos the other morning...I figured it was time to give Dos Hermanos a shot.

The Food: Our food was excellent. I kept it safe and simple...Huevos Rancheros...the litmus test for a good Mexican breakfast. They passed. The yolks were nice and runny, the refried beans were solid, and the pappas fritas provided a nice compliment. I mopped up everything with their homemade tortillas, which were excellent as well. I heard no complaints from Sara on her tacos.

The Price: Great prices...Sara paid for the bill, but I'm guessing it was in the $10 ballpark (get it...ballpark).

The Overall Opinion: Los Hermanos was clean, felt very safe, and was quaint. I have a real soft spot for the little neighborhood places. A woman, who I assumed was the owner, treated us like royalty. I could tell she was genuinely concerned whether we liked her cooking. In Houston, competition for these types of places is stiff, but I can see myself becoming a breakfast regular at Dos Hermanos. It makes you feel good letting that fourth outfielder get a few at bats. Especially when he makes tortillas this well!

Tip Jar

Every week I'll give out a tip. Take it or leave it.

My lovely wife came up with this little nugget. Tired of making dry cornbread? Take a box of Jiffy...follow the instructions, but add about 7 oz. of creamed corn (half a large can). To me, cornbread tastes better when baked in an old caste iron skillet. Don't have one? Most antique stores have them for pretty cheap.