Restaurant Week In Review

Here is the list from the week, with some opinions :)

20th - Mercado Juarez - Ft. Worth - We were trying to think of something different. We used to go here many years ago, but have not been in a while. I had the fajitas and they were pretty good. (We don't go to the Arlington location because years ago, they got a terrible score from the health department. I am not very forgiving of that.)
21st - La Hacienda Ranch - We didn't quite get our Mexican fix for the weekend, so we had to go to one of our favorites. Good as always.
22nd - Ken's Burgers - If you like a burger with a thin patty (my favorite), this is a great place. They have grilled buns and grilled and raw onions. They have good french fries, but they have changed them since the last time we were there. Pops was not happy about the change, but they were still good.
23rd - Pollo Campero - I have been here a few times, but this was Pops first time. I love the grilled chicken (very flavorful and citrus tasting) and black beans and rice. They also have fried chicken, which I tried for the first time. I like the grilled, Pops likes the fried. I like it, but I am not sure I can get Pops to go back.
24th - Jason's - A favorite in our weekly rotation. I love the salad bar.
25th - We went to a lecture series and reception for Craig Hall, who is a big time real estate investor. It was interesting to hear his opinion on the current financial crisis since he has been in the business for over 30 years; and has gone from rags to riches, back to rags, and riches again. The reception was catered by Consilient restaurants, which owns several of our favorites. We had the Brisket Sliders and Mac and Cheese from The Porch, and they were so good. I could have eaten a whole lot more, but since it was a small reception and I was talking to several people, I did not want to look like a pig.
26th - J. R.'s Steakhouse - I love steak, but my favorite part of the meal is the salad, sides and bread. We had the grilled lobster on cheddar corn grits for an appetizer. It was delicious. The wedge salad was a disappointment. I love blue cheese and theirs was funky. The bread was just outright horrible. The steak was one of the best I have had in a long time and the potatoes that came with it were really good.
27th - Pappasito's - Always a favorite. I always get the Del Mar, beef fajitas with shrimp that is stuffed with a jalapeno, cheese, bacon wrapped and grilled.
28th - Cafe Medi - It is a Greek restaurant that we tried for the first time. It was really good, and I will definitely go back. I love Gyro's and theirs did not disappoint. Pops had snapper topped with crab. The rice was exceptionally good.

For lunch this week, I branched out a little from my usual Celebrity. I tried Cero's Hero's in Grapevine. It has been there from many many years. It was good, but not something I am dying to rush back for. They are a cash only establishment, and that causes great concern when I am having to dig through my change to find enough.

I went back to Boo Boo's in Arlington to have their famous Chicken Salad with my favorite Spike seasoning. I had to taste the Chicken Salad one more time because I am getting ready to make some (literally after I finish this post) and wanted to make sure I had the right ingredients. I think I have it down now.

Restaurant Week in Review

I thought I would start something new. I will keep up with where we have eaten during the week and if I don't have a "review" on it and it is something that you are interested in, let me know and I will tell you all about it.

I will go back a little farther than a week, if I can remember that far back :)

5th - Empress of China
6th - Pappasito's - Ft. Worth
7th - Actually cooked steaks at home
8th - Jason's Deli
9th - Cuba Libre - Dallas (Lolly - BD Party) - Dickey's BBQ (Pops)
10th - Chipotle
11th - Pollo Campero (Lolly) - Cracker Barrel (Pops) - took Jordan and Justin after they went to a FC studies class at church
12th - Party at the McClendon's - Carraba's and lots of other good stuff
13th - Hibiscus - Dallas
14th - Family dinner at home - grilled out hamburgers
15th - Palio's Pizza
16th - Hector's on Henderson - Dallas
17th - Jason's Deli
18th - Chick-Fil-A
19th - Fireside Pies
20th - Tonight - Just decided JR's if we can get a reservation

Growing Up Too Fast

Landrie is growing up way to fast for her Lolly. I still want her to want to wear what we pick out for her and for her to watch "The Wonder Pets". She has other ideas.

Yesterday, we were sitting in the car and she heard some different voices on the radio. She asked me, "Why do they have different voices?" I answered that God made all of us different.

Then she said, "I want brown hair." You see, she has yellow hair and she doesn't like yellow hair. I told her I got to my hair salon every month and pay lots of money to get yellow hair. She said, "Will you take me there so I can get brown hair?" I think she is feeling like the odd man out because everyone else in her family has brown hair. I understand because growing up, I was the only one out of five with blonde hair and blue eyes. But it is true. . . blondes have more fun.

Landrie's 5th birthday is in a couple of week. Jennifer has planned a great party at a pumpkin patch in Flower Mound. She has all this cute pumpkin stuff picked out. Landrie DOES NOT want it. She wants Camp Rock with Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers. That is all she can talk about.

We know Demi's family through church and Janelle did Demi's hair for a music video about 4 years ago. We have told Landrie and so she always refers to Demi as "my friend Demi". She whispered to me yesterday, "Can you email Demi?"

Oh my goodness, she is only 5! She's talking about hair color, celebrities and email.

Cream Cheese

Paula Deen and I have a lot in common. We both LOVE cream cheese. And, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, sugar . . . all that fattening stuff.

I was making a cheesecake this morning for a party I am going to tonight, and I realized that I have bought a bunch of cream cheese this week. I don't cook much these days and I don't go to the store much, but I realized I have bought 4 pounds of cream cheese in the last week. I haven't eaten all of that, but I have had way too much. Yikes!

I made a strawberry pineapple Jello salad last week, with a cream cheese topping (package #1). It was so good that when it was gone, I made another batch (package #2). My friend Jodi had a birthday and called me for the number of one of our favorite cake places. She wanted to order a cake for her family celebration. I told her I would make her some strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese icing (package #3 & #4).

By that time, Jello #2 was gone so I decided to make another one of my favorite Jello salads. It is called Cherry Coke Salad and guess what it has in it. 8 ozs. of cream cheese (package #5). As I was making my cheesecake this morning, I opened up package #6, #7 & #8. Eight 8 ounce packages of cream cheese equals 4 pounds.

I'm sure I have gained 4 pounds just by licking the bowl.