Branches

They're natural beauty attracts me!

Lavender and Lillies

Little Green Cottage

Real Simple (not in love with the colors, but I could definitely see this with softer colors)

Not sure where I found this pic, but I like it!

Chateau De Moissac.  So gorgeous!

I randomly saved a couple of these pictures as inspiration, before I started blogging.  Not sure where I got them, but the decorators are very talented and seem to have lots of fun with decorating!  I love these!

Chuy's Mexican Grill

Oh my gosh, today was a food adventure for us!  We've been frequenting Chuy's for years.  They're famous for their Eclectic... way out there...decor.  I love it!  Elvis is everywhere,  Flying fish (I think they're fish), tattooed-looking walls, old Records, hub caps!  It's fun and colorful!  The phrase, so commonly used from Austinites... "Keep Austin Weird"... fits Chuy's description to a tee.  I've always been devoted to their crazy, huge burritos.  I prefer chicken with Verde (green) sauce.  Today, I tried a new dish.  The Southwestern Enchilada!  It was totally not what I expected.  It was so much more!  It was even topped with a Sunny Side up egg!  I thought to myself... "OK.... Not sure about this"!  My daughter ordered the same.  Our eyes were wide, staring at our enchilada plate for at least 5 minutes before we decided to tackle it!  Trust me when I say, this was no ordinary enchilada plate!  It was made with blue corn tortillas, pulled shredded chicken, cheese, tomatillo sauce... and a sunny side up egg!  We laughed, and immediately thought of "Man Versus Food" from the Travel Channel! Anyway, we tried it, liked it, and had plenty of leftovers to bring home!  Two Thumbs up for the Southwestern Enchilada plate at Chuy's!

At this time, I only have an Iphone Camera.  These pictures do not do the place justice... You've GOT to see it in person to catch the true vibe!  All I can say is... When in Austin... go to Chuy's!

Happy Monday!

Some "pick me up" pictures on this Stormy Monday!

Picture from Topic Den

Picture from Tradewinds Home Decor

This staircase was interesting... by Thom Felicia

I'm in love with the colors!  By Tradewinds Home Decor

Nautical Nook by Elegance Redefined

My daughter, Natalie, and I have been busy in the kitchen.  I posted the Orange Rosemary Glazed Chicken recipe last week.  It looked so good, I couldn't wait to try it!

The pictures below were of the first step with the chicken.  (The recipe called for chicken breast, but I happened to have thighs in the freezer, so that's what I used.)  I rubbed the chicken with seasonings, mostly consisting of Rosemary and Orange Zest... with other spices.  Then, brown in a skillet.  This is how the chicken looked after browning... still not thoroughly cooked.

Below is the glaze, consisting with mostly Orange Marmalade, Orange Juice, Red Wine Vinegar, Chicken Stock... and more spices.  This was boiled and then simmered.

While I was working on the glaze, the chicken was baking.  Towards the last part of baking time, I basted the chicken with the glaze, then continued baking until chicken was completely cooked.

The End Result, which I must say... was absolutely divine!

My Natalie worked on the Dessert.  Chocolate dipped bananas, covered with chopped walnuts, drizzled with more chocolate, and topped with stawberries.  Definitely a delectable dessert that wasn't a belt buster!

Natalie made this wonderful strawberry lemonade, made with the real stuff!  She's my health conscience sweetheart that is making sure we have enough of the good things in our bodies.  We just love her so much for taking care of us!

That was our dinner.  Another satisfying success for my family!

(The complete recipe is on my last post.)

Fleur Bleu 2009 North Coast Mourvedre

WineShop at Home has done it again!  They never cease to amaze me with their product.  As a wine consultant for them, I am so pleased with this month’s new arrivals.  I just had to share this with you.  We have four fantastic Fleur Bleu wines! These wonderful wines are exclusive artisan blends only available to you.  The wine I'd like to "Show Off", is the debut of our first-ever Mourvedre (pronounced More-VEH-druh) under the Fleur Bleu label. This rare and delicious varietal will definitely be a "High Demand" wine.  Below, is an excerpt from my WineShop at Home Vintner Notes and a Recipe for an excellent food pairing:

Fleur Bleu 2009 North Coast Mourvedre

In the early evening, when the shadows fall across the 

vineyards, one can often spot a perfect flower that in 

the daylight hour is bright of hue. But, in the magic of 

dusk, this shadowed flower becomes “Fleur Bleu” 

(FR: Blue Flower), lit by a rising moon or an early 

star. The magic of our Fleur Bleu wines will charm 

and delight you – revealing their mystery with subtle 

bursts of fragrance. 

Our Fleur Bleu Mourvedre (More-VEH-druh) is one of our Weekend 

ends turn festive in a hurry with a  Wines. Weekend meals for family and fri

well-selected wine or two paired perfectly with a more leisurely-prepared 

lunch or dinner. Today’s wine drinking consumer looks for a high-quality 

wine that can take a special place of honor on the table. Experts suggest 

keeping a mixed case or two of weekend wines on hand, so all you have to 

do is pull out a few bottles for those unexpected, spur of the moment 

guests. 

The Mourvedre grape originally comes from the southern Rhone Valley in 

France. There, the wines made from this grape are usually blended with 

Syrah, Grenache and several others to make the wines of the Chateauneuf 

de Pape. In California, this varietal is often used as a blending wine but 

also stands on its own as a distinctly earthy and complex wine. The grapes 

the High Valley appellation in California’s North  for this wine come from 

Coast region. This wine is ready to drink and enjoy now; or lay it down in 

your cellar and it will age well for four to six years. 

This Fleur Bleu 2009 Mourvedre has rich earthy aromas of black fruit, 

brown sugar, spices and vanilla with hints of cherry and eucalyptus. This 

wine has flavor to spare with all of the aromas mirrored on the palate. The 

mouthfeel is big and punctuated with heavy tannin and just the right 

amount of acidity. This wine has a long finish dominated by tannin. Enjoy 

this wine with roast turkey, chicken and dumplings, roasted vegetables or 

goat cheese.

This Fleur Bleu Mourvedre pairs beautifully with this recipe for Orange-Rosemary Glazed Chicken Breasts

Wine Country Recipes 

Orange-Rosemary Glazed Chicken Breasts 

Specially created for pairing with the Fleur Bleu 2009 Mourvedre 

   Ingredients:

Chicken

4 chicken breast halves, bone- in and  

  skin-on  

1 TBLS olive oil  

1 TBLS rosemary leaves, minced  

1 TBLS Italian flat parsley, minced  

1 tsp grated orange zest  

1 tsp salt  

1/2 tsp black pepper  

4 fresh rosemary branches  

Glaze

1/2 cup orange marmalade  

1/2 cup orange juice  

2 TBLS red wine vinegar  

2 TBLS chicken stock  

2 cloves garlic, minced  

1 TBLS fresh rosemary leaves, minced  

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes  

1/2 tsp salt  

1/4 tsp black pepper 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare glaze by combining in small saucepan the 

marmalade, orange juice, vinegar, stock, garlic, rosemary, crushed red 

 a boil over high heat; reduce heat  pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to

and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the 

sauce into a small bowl and reserve. Pour remaining sauce into pitcher or 

serving bowl for passing at the table. Heat olive oil in large oven-proof 

skillet over medium-high heat.  

In small bowl, combine rosemary leaves, parsley, orange zest, salt and 

pepper; rub all over chicken breasts. Place chicken, skin-side down, in 

skillet and brown, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet.  

Place rosemary branches in pan and place chicken breasts, skin-side up, on 

top of the rosemary branches. Place in hot oven and roast 15 – 20 minutes, 

brushing chicken breasts with ¼ cup of glaze several times during the last 

10 minutes of cooking. Makes 4 servings

Give it a try!  Go to My WineShop at Home Website to check all your favorite wines. 

Our trip to Corpus Christi, Texas

Now that the kids and I are on Spring Break, we had to visit Corpus Christi.  My mom, mother-in-law, the beach... and good food and fun were on our agenda.  We had it all!

The first stop in Corpus Christi was the The Executive Surf Club  This is one of our favorites.  It's a fun and relaxed atmosphere that caters to all ages.  The kids love their burgers and fries... and unlimited fountain soft drinks.  (That's one of the only times they're allowed to have unlimited soft drinks, so they are in soda heaven!) I had their chicken fajita nachos... which were Muy Delicioso!  My vegetarian daughter was good and ordered a shrimp salad.  It was Oh so Good!  The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor eating area.  Outside is a stage, where local bands perform at night.  It's very cool!  The place is a block or two from Corpus Christi's beautiful Bay Front!  It is surrounded by other shopes with souvenirs, a coffee place, and a museum.  In the center of this area is a tropical style courtyard with a fountain.  The courtyard houses South Texas' Walk of Fame.  This is dedicated to Texas born celebrities and famous people who have impacted the arts.  I am a huge fan of Freddy Fender.  I was fortunate enough to attend his dedication ceremony around 7 years ago.  His star is still there, accompanied by many other celebrities.  It's a very nice tribute.  I highly recommend visiting if in Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi's bayfront:

The Lexington via Fred LaBounty Photos:

We visited THE best Snow Ball place I've ever had.  They are owned by the Hernandez's and have been around since I was a very young girl.  My parents used to treat us all the time.

Our trip to the Beach was the best part of our trip!  Unfortunately, a cold front blew in that night, so we didn't get to play in the water.  We still managed to have some fun.

Have a great Spring Break!!