mamachallenge | Real Solutions for Real Parents | Dallas Blog

Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Texas Popovers with Strawberry Jalapeno Butter

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I’m a proud Texas gal.

Born, bred and while I do love to travel, I’ll always say this is home.


When you see those people with the big state of Texas across their chest, that’s us.

We decorate our home with big Texas flags and proudly sing anything by Pat Green and Robert Earl Keen (if you need more explanation, send me an email.) And we even live right next to this little placed called AT&T Stadium (AKA the home of the Dallas Cowboys and the biggest stadium ever built.)

Lonestar-Eggs-Package

When we cook, we buy, cook and eat Texas because…this is Texas and that’s what you do. Including my Lonestar Eggs (available only at Walmart.)

Lonestar-Eggs-Walmart

We practice Texas traditions like spring bluebonnet photos…

Bluebonnets

…and an annual girls trip to the flagship Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas for warm popovers and strawberry butter.

For some reason, even if you don’t like the ideas of dressing up in your Sunday’s best, you’ll do it every time, heels and all, just to get your hands on this complementary starter. It doesn’t matter what else you plan to order, it’s all about tearing off a little piee of the buttery popover and slapping a pat of the strawberry butter to melt down the bread just enough before you let it enter your mouth. Yep, it’s that good. And there’s something about eating something so sinfully simple that makes it so fun and probably even taste a little bit better.

Tea-Party

So when my little gal turned four with an over-the-top tea party, I knew I was starting something I was going to have to continue at home with big, fun elaborate tea parties! And all tea parties should include popovers.

But like any Texas cook, I can’t help but put a little something else in there to make it really wow. (We take our unofficial motto: “Everything is bigger and better in Texas” very seriously.) So it wouldn’t just be big popovers with strawberry butter, it would be strawberry-jalapeno butter.

Texas-Eggs

Before you go thinking I’m going to put my little princess in pain (or any others that don’t like a little spicy in their step), you should know jalapeno is a flavor and if you don’t include the seeds and stem, most the time you will just have the spice of the pepper and not the bite. However, I can’t help to include that the bite with the creamy sweetness of the strawberry butter makes it really a really good marriage of when opposites attract. Best of all, this all happened in just about an hour.

Ingredients

Yep, y’all, that’s all it took to make it. A few ingredients from your pantry and SIX Lonestar Eggs.

Lonestar-Eggs-Popovers

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Popovers with Strawberry Jalapeno Butter

  • Author: Autumn @mamachallenge.com
Print Recipe

Description

A Texas tradition, this is an easy recipe for the traditional popover with a spicy take on strawberry butter.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Turnovers
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 1/4 cup milk, slightly warmed
  • 6 Lonestar Eggs, beaten at room temperature
  • cooking spray
  • For the Strawberry Jalapeno Butter
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam
  • 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional: omit entirely or just remove seeds for less heat)

Instructions

  1. Sift flour, salt, and powder together in a large bowl.
  2. To the mixer, add eggs and slightly warmed milk together and blend on low.
  3. Add flour mixture gradually until all is blended.
  4. Turn off machine and let batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
  5. Preheat oven at 450F degrees.
  6. Spray muffin or popover pan with cooking spray.
  7. Fill pans until almost full.
  8. Place batter in the over and bake at 450F for 15 minutes. Then turn oven to 375F degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes until a golden brown. (Don’t keep opening the oven door to look at them or they will fall!)
  9. While turnovers are cooking, combine butter, jam and jalapeno together in a bowl and at medium until fluffy. Set aside until ready to serve (or put in fridge for a little bit to firm up.)
  10. Once turnovers are complete, remove from the oven, and serve immediately with butter.

Popovers-lonestar-mamachallenge

How do you show your Texas pride? 

 

“You’re the Bomb” Thank You Gift {Free Printable}

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Sometimes you just need to say thank you.

Especially for those things you just come to expect from people like your drycleaners, neighborhood barista, and even your daycare. These people make your world go ’round and can save your booty every time when you’re rushed, need a favor, or even just a smile when your day is done…


Bomb Pop Makes You Smile

With temperatures skyrocketing and a last few weeks where I felt I had cashed in all my favors with everyone, it was time to put a little back in emotional currency…or much easier said, I needed to give back and just say thank you to a lot of people who had helped our family keep going!

A little recognition was in order – in a sweet way.

Bomp Pop

With a  quick run to Kroger for the Original Bomb Pop, a cold ice chest, and a little bit of ink from the printer, Project “You’re the Bomb” was underway! Using this cute free printable paired with the iconic rocket-shaped multi-flavor sweet treat, made for an easy giftable that was just as much fun to make and give as it was to get!

Bomb-Pop-Package

Printing on 5X7 print sheets, the card can be used for anyone you want to say thank you to!

mamabomb

Bob Pop Thank You

A few tips for the “You’re the Bomb” thank you gift, consider the following:

  1. Don’t try to do too many unless you have a super cooler to keep it cold for hours
  2. Think about the schedule the people on your list have. Don’t show up at their busy time or they might now be able to enjoy it
  3. Make sure to enter this giveaway to get your Bomb Pop Prize pack including $25 gift card to Kroger!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Cool it with the Hottest Coolers

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Summer is hot, but your food and fun shouldn’t be! Here’s how to to Cool it with the Hottest Coolers. Affiliate links may apply. 

“It’s summer time”….(cue the Will Smith…)

With summer approaches hot times with fun activities that require you to keep your drinks and food cool while you hang with the heat. Whether you’re throwing a party, going camping or just roadtripping for a few days, these coolers definitely will take your ice chest to the next level.


Coleman // 54 Quart Steel Belted Cooler
$149.99

 

Coleman

Looks like the original steel-belted coolers of your grandparents’ days, but with today’s technologies. This stainless steel baby holds 85 cans, has rubber grip handles for easy carrying and comes with a solid steel latch seals it completely. Rust resistant with easy to clean base, lid and liner, this is the kind of cooler that will make you feel like you are ready for battle.

[Tweet “What’s the key to loading an ice chest? 2:1 ice to contents AND put the drinks in first! “]

YETI // Tundra
$399.99

Yeti

Austin-based YETI coolers have taken the cooler market to new heights! The Tundra coolers are built from the same process that premium kayaks are made from. It’s a process called roto-molding and the end result is a beyond durable cooler that will last for years. However, it’s the Fat Wall design – extra thick walls that include 2” of insulation all around that allow the YEIT to hold ice for days..and days…and days. If you check out their website, you’ll see every outdoorsman of every type is committed to the YETI and if you bring it to a party, better keep your eye on because someone will want it! Other features include non-slip feet, easy drain system and comfortable carrying options. YETI started with hard sided coolers, but now offers soft sided coolers and a whole line of drinkware….so something for everything!

Igloo // Party Bar Cooler
$199 – $249.99

igloo-studio-threeqrts-full

The folks at Texas-based Igloo definitely know a thing or two about keeping it cool, and their new Party Bar cooler powered by LiddUp is bound to take even the coolest parties. When darkness falls, the exclusive LiddUp® LED light system emits a cool glow that both sets the party mood and illuminates the cooler’s contents—letting thirsty guests find what they want quickly. The Party Bar effortlessly rolls your drinks from the pantry to the party on locking casters. Or if you prefer a more classic look, remove the Party Bar from its base for use it as a standard ice chest. With a built-in bottle opener with Catch bin to removable drink dividers and wine caddy to the convenient utility loops and removable lid…The Party Bar comes equipped with all the essentials you need to easily pick your poison, pop the top and party on.

Coolest Cooler // The Coolest Cooler
$299.00
TheCoolestCooler
Seting a Kickstarter record for the most-funded campaign ($13.3 million), The Coolest Cooler is just a presale away. Just check out what your under $500 purchase makes.

  • High-performance Blender
  • Outdoor BlueTooth Speaker with Party Pairing®
  • USB Charger
  • LED Lid Light
  • Cooler Divider / Cutting board
  • Bottle Opener
  • Done in One™ Tie-down bungee cord
  • 20V Rechargeable Lithium Battery
  • Accessory Deck
  • Ergonomic Design Built to Last

Keep it Cool this Summer!

Cute, Quick & Easy Gift Wrapping Ideas

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When it comes to wrapping gifts, there are two kinds of people…

Those who spend a lot of time to make them perfect and those who don’t understand why you spend any time on the what the OUTSIDE of a gift looks like.

Fathers-Day-gift-giving


Actually it’s possible to create a beautiful presentation without much time, money or creativity.

So just in time for Father’s Day, we’ve discovered cute, quick & easy gift wrapping ideas to wrap a gift without losing your time, money or mind!

1. ULINE // www.uline.com 

If they don’t have it at Uline, they don’t make it…

We’ll that’s not completely true, I’ve never found a better resource for finding just the right container. Uline is actually one of the largest online resources for shipping supplies and packaging for companies. While you do have to purchase in large quantities, the pricing makes it all worth it. While orders are shipped directly to you same-day, we’re lucky in DFW because you can go pick yours up directly at one of their shipping centers based in Coppell. Just take a look at just a few samples of fun containers I’ve found for gift giving and they’re also the ideal resource for favor boxes for birthday parties.

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For dad’s day I used this paint can and filled it full of candy – then wrote “Dad’s Stache” for a candy basket that he’ll love. Also, you can source something basic like a blank gift sack and then let the kids create their own special packaging with paint, colors, etc. that dad might love more than the gift!

2. Giftskins // www.giftskins.com

Where taking personal wrapping to a new level with Giftskins. This company allows you to create your own wrapping paper! Just upload a photo, then they create an adorable, customized wrapping paper just for you and then ship it right to your door . They have all kinds of themes or you can just have an entire roll made of your favorite moments of Dad love. Or use a photo from a great experience for dad, like a picture of a fishing trip that will make your presentation EXTRA special. Want everyone to see your Christmas photo or show the giftee where this gift came from – put your picture on it. And for companies that want to promote their business, you can upload your logo for that branded touch.

Fathers-Day-Gel-Skins

3. Cool Wraps // www.coolwraps.com

Tired of gift wrapping with the traditional roll of paper or look lazy using gift bag? Just get your CoolWraps, the original  shrink wrap bag, and throw away your scissors, your tape and your roll of paper. You just need a CoolWraps bag and your hairdryer. Featured on Shark Tank, this company makes it easy to wrap the odd shaped items that give you grief with the help of your blowdryer to form right to the gift. Just stuff it, seal it and shrink it! And best of all, you don’t need a large space to store all your gift wrap because these store flat!

celebration-pattern

Here’s a few helpful tips to make your CoolWrap look present perfect.

Knot Just a Good Dad You’re the Best Gift Card {Free Printable}

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With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s his turn to get a little love with this Knot Just a Good Dad You’re the Best Gift Card Free Printable and a massage.

Disclaimer

Fathers Day Massage Gift Card Holder

While MamaChallenge.com might be the name, we recognize that the role of a “mom” is sometimes played by the dad (or another male) who deals with all the dadchallenges that happen, too.


Show the fathers in your life how important they are and that you care about their well being with a massage gift card like from Massage Envy. The 34 Dallas-Fort Worth Massage Envy Spa locations offer a variety of massage treatments including Swedish, trigger point, deep tissue, sports and prenatal. The proven benefits of routine massage include improved circulation, joint flexibility and posture, relief from pain and swelling caused by arthritis, reduced blood pressure, fatigue, migraine pain and stress, as well as improved sleep, concentration and overall sense of well-being. Other services that are part of Massage Envy Spa’s Enhanced Therapies menu include AromaTherapy, Sugar Foot Scrub Therapy and Deep Muscle Therapy, which can be added to any massage to enhance the experience and stress relief.

Fathers-Day-Gift-Card

At Massage Envy Spa, an introductory, a one-hour massage session (a 50-minute massage and time for consultation and dressing) is just $49.99 and a one-hour Healthy Skin facial session is $59.99. Memberships are available for $59.99 per month and include a one-hour massage session. Members can enjoy unlimited additional one-hour massage sessions at the $39.99 member rate or a one-hour Healthy Skin facial session for $49.99.

All Massage Envy Spa locations are open seven days a week. For more information, visit MassageEnvy.com. Follow Massage Envy Spa Dallas-Fort Worth on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Best Subscription Boxes 2015

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I’m a sucker for a delivery to my doorstep.

Each time the FedEx man or that brown truck shows up with a box, it’s a fight to finish to meet him at the door so I can quickly whisk it to the kitchen to rip open the contents.

So ever since that first subscription box showed up in the market, I was hooked. It had all the fun of Christmas morning PLUS it was delivery to boot. I loved the idea so much I featured some of my favorite boxes on Good Morning Texas in June 2014.


Best-Subscription-BoxesA year later the subscription craze is still running strong and now each one is getting even more creative in efforts to fit your perfect fix. Subscription companies have stepped up their game with curation and education. Just check out the best subscription boxes 2015!

MISTOBOX

Coffee isn’t just about caffeine anymore with the MistoBox. Each month you receive four different roasters inside of your MistoBox from some of the hippest and tastiest coffee houses around. Each box includes tasting notes to help you learn more during your coffee journey and where it’s from. So you can just sit back and enjoy the grind…

MistoBox

Cost:  $12.99 to $22.99 per shipment depending on the options a customer selects.

CLUB W

For some it’s coffee, for others it’s wine. Club W works directly with wine makers. There are no middlemen, which means you get better wine for less. Shipping directly to you also so they invest in smaller, more unique lots with companies they don’t require quotas on quantity. Learning about wine should be fun, not overbearing or pretentious. Each month you’ll also receive with your box of three wines, short videos for every wine including tasting notes and other background information such as the producer’s story, an explanation of the growing region or a primer on the varietal.

Cost: Starts at 3 bottles a month for $39 + $6 flat rate shipping. Club W covers shipping on orders of 6 or more bottles.

CRAFTED TASTE

And for those of us looking for a new go-to-drink or are willing to expand our craft cocktail, there’s Crafted Taste. Purchased as a subscription or as individual kits, each new kit gives you everything you need to become a mixologist. From the sugar syrup,  liquor and even the napkins, every month’s shipment is a new reason to celebrate. I love this idea for a mandatory date-night in idea, girls’ night get together or the ideal birthday gift. And they’ll even customize based on tastes or large gift orders.

Crafted-Taste

Cost:  $65/month for a mixer-only subscription or $130/cocktail subscription and $200/premium subscription

SPICE MADAMS

Explore the world through curated spice kits from different cultures delivered to your kitchen every month!

Founded by two Dallas ladies, you sign up for the box, and you get four spices from a specific country or culture with education and recipes that feature the spices. Allows you to expand your culinary adventures with just one box a month!

Cost: $20/month and discounted rates with longer subscriptions

Spice Madam fans can use promo code UASPICEMADAM15 at Urban Acres to get a free UA membership and first Medium Share ($83 Value)!

CUPCAKE OF THE MONTH & BACON OF THE MONTH

From Amazing Clubs, America’s #1 Gourmet Gifts of the Month Club with over 1 million satisfied customers, you can’t go wrong with cupcakes or bacon, but they have 40+ other monthly box subscriptions to choose from.

Cupcake of the Month
Each month they’ll deliver a delicious selection of 12 gourmet cupcakes in four new flavors. Flavors range from old-fashioned favorites like creamy chocolate and red velvet cupcakes, to exciting new flavors like banana cream and tart raspberry. The cupcakes are made with only the finest, all-natural ingredients and delivered fresh, moist and pretty.

Cost: $54.95 with a 3-month subscription

Cupcake

Bacon of the Month
Each month they’ll deliver two generous, one-pound, thick-cut, hand-rubbed selections of gourmet bacons tha are low-production, artisan bacons from specialty producers nationwide. Bacon-lovers will be in hog heaven with delicious flavors like honey BBQ, sun dried tomato, fresh cracked pepper and many more. Each one-pound selection of gourmet bacon is made with only the finest, all-natural ingredients and delivered perfectly fresh in refrigerated packaging.

Cost: $49.95 with a 3-month subscription

PLATED

Plated takes the work out of making exciting fresh and restaurant-quality meals at home. This is flexible, weekly subscription service that allows you to skip as many weeks as you’d like and simple to cancel at any time online.  All of meats are 100% antibiotic-free with no added hormones, all seafood is domestic and sustainably sourced.  They offer up 7-9 new recipes on our site each week including 3 vegetarian options, and 4 meat and seafood options per week so that there’s a range of options for everyone. Featured on Beyond the Tank (Shark Tank spin-off) the idea of Plated is to help get busy Americans cooking more and living better by bridging the gap between how we say we want to eat and how we actually eat. Professional chefs create and test new recipes each week, with plenty of options for different tastes and different skills levels.

Plated

Cost: Dishes are $12 per plate (1 plate = 1 person or 1 serving) with a 4 plate minimum per order (that’s 2 meals for 2 people) and you can order as many plates/recipes as you’d like (in multiples of 2). Right now you can get four plates for the price of two.

GWYNNIE BEE

Gwynnie Bee is the only clothing rental subscription service exclusively for women sizes 10-32. Described as a digital department store with 2,000 styles from 150 brands to choose from, you receive unlimited exchanges and free shipping. With the most common plan, members receive on average $900-$1,200 worth of apparel for the same cost of just one dress but all the fun of having something new to wear!

Gwynnie-Bee

Gwynnie Bee members on Facebook

Cost: Most popular plan is $79/month for 3 items at a time and receive around 6-12 items a month. Gwynnie Bee is currently offering a free 30-day trial of the subscription.

Make sure not to miss many of these offers with free trials and BOGOs for the first month.

Win your own MistoBox from MamaChallenge.com!

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Celebrate Mother’s Day with a Night Out

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I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Calvin Klein. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #IC #euphoria4moms

I don’t intentionally mean not to make time for date night, it just happens. We’ll it actually doesn’t happen and that’s the problem.

We both know that it’s important to spend time together away from the kids to concentrate on celebrating parts of our marriage. But it seems so counterintuitive that the thing that is supposed to be a treat – something to look forward to that doesn’t require me to cook, clean or work, but instead have a good time, shouldn’t be so much work to make it happen. Finding the time, a babysitter, what to wear, what to do, where to go, and making sure things are good for the kids, etc. is a lot to coordinate and that’s just to get out the door. But I made a commitment that this time we wouldn’t let it just pass by on the calendar, we would go, experience something new, put on some and do it when we never go out – a weekday.

Now through Mother's Day, buy a large spray of euphoria Calvin Klein fragrance collection at Macy's and Dillard's and you'll also receive a beautiful live orchid with your purchase.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we would celebrate with a night on the town to FINALLY go to one of the “bucket list” restaurants we had been eyeing, Clark Food & Wood Co. And I would make it a point to dress up, wear something new, instead of something I had owned for years, and feel good about myself – you know, like you would have done when you first started dating and a date was a really big deal.

Say More This Mother's Day with Euphoria Calvin Klein

Ironically, when I went to look for a dress at, I was surrounded by young girls, having their makeup done, their hair done and beautiful dresses…it was prom season and I was smack dab in the middle of the beauty portion. However, it kinda added to my preparation period to and now I also wanted to make our night memorable, too. While our evening didn’t call for sequins, I wanted something when I slipped it on it made me feel alluring, sexy and make my husband drool – just a little. A few sprays of euphoria Calvin Klein, with its exotic florals and hints of mahogany wood, was exactly the right touch to make this day the “every day special occasion.”

Clark-Food-and-Wine-Co

The night at Clark Food and Wine Co. on Lower Greenville was ideal with the perfect patio temperature to enjoy eating outdoors and taking our time to exploring the menu that’s designed for sharing. Starting with craft cocktails including roasted bone marrow with truffle, grilled Texas Bobwhite quail, and a mind-blowing charcuterie with a rabbit and pork pate that I couldn’t stop eating and a buttermilk bleu cheese with honeycomb combo that could be dessert within itself.

Clark-Food-and-Wine

We tried things we don’t normally eat and best of all, there were even options for those are gluten-sensitive so we didn’t have to make big exceptions to the dining experience. Kinda like a song, the evening was right, the food was right and the delicious Sangiovese  we enjoyed down to the last drop made the night one for the books. While we bit into the bites of housemade picked and caper berries, we actually had the opportunity to talk about things that weren’t work or kid related, but us – the ones we met when we first met and decided to create a family together.

[Tweet “Celebrate #MothersDay w/ a Night Out! @Dillards, @clarkfoodwineco & #euphoria4moms #IC #ad”]

While I’ll love the Mother’s Day cards the kids will give me on Sunday with the breakfast of Pop Tarts they’ll make, this Mother’s Day it was nice to celebrate a night out with the other part of me that made me a mother…my husband.

Euphoria-Mothers-Day

Make your Mother’s Day mean more when euphoria Calvin Klein.  Now through Mother’s Day, purchase a large spray from the euphoria Calvin Klein fragrance collection at and receive a complimentary live orchid.


Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Elotes from R Bar & Grill

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Margaritas make the short list from one of my favoritest things EVER.

Second to that is tacos.

But what else makes up the perfect Mexican meal?


Besides rice and beans, most people don’t think Mexican food has any other side options. However, if you’ve eaten corn in a cup or more fondly referred to elotes, you know that corn added with a couple of key ingredients makes the closest thing to a pot of gold that I know of. Golden goodness.

R-Bar-Entrance-620x432

I recently discovered R Bar & Grill just around the corner from my house and can’t believe what I’ve been missing. While my experience found so many new favorites, the elotes had me reeling. So much so that I asked to meet the Chef Marcelo Vasquez to tell him how good they were. And then he said “these are so easy that anyone can do it.”

Then he gave me the recipe. And I’m giving it to you. That’s what you get when you talk to a blogger, right?

Elotes at R Bar Grill

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Elotes from R Bar & Grill

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 ounces fresh chared corn
  • 2 ounces heavy cream
  • 1.5 ounces cotija cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 fresh lime

Instructions

  1. In a sauteed pan place the corn and heavy cream over medium flame and let it heat well.
  2. Add the cotija cheese and melted the cheese slowly.
  3. Put the half of fresh lime and grilled both sides. Place all the corn mix in a serving bowl and place the lime on top as garnish..

R Bar is also hosting a Mother’s Day four-course special! Celebrate the special woman in your life by treating her to an unforgettable meal at R Bar & Grill on Mother’s Day. R Bar & Grill offers guests a set menu including an appetizer, choice of soup or salad, two entrée options and a decadent amaretto crepe for dessert to top off this special day.

Mother’s Day Menu

Appetizer
Scallops Tamales with Corn & Basil Puree, Chili Oil
Salad or Soup
Garden Mix Greens with Pickle Onions, Blue Cheese Crostini
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Honey & whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

Or

Parmesan & Lentil with Jimmy’s Sausage & Fried Croutons

Entrees
Texas Surf & Turf
Slow Braised Short Rib and Roasted Lobster Tail
Wild Mushroom Beer Sauce & Garlic Clarified Butter
Jalapeno Cheddar Au Gratin & Green Beans with Fried Shallots

Or

Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Shrimp
Red Wine Vegetable Glaze & Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
Jalapeno Cheddar Au Gratin & Green Bean with Fried Shallots

Dessert
Amaretto Crepes Filled with Caramel and Wild Berries with Vanilla Ice Cream

This four-Course Dinner option is available for $48.00 per person and will be served from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations to dine are recommended and can be made by calling the restaurant at 817.640.4711.

About R Bar & Grill

Located at Hilton Arlington at 2401 E Lamar Blvd, R Bar is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. – 2a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For reservations and more information, please call 817-640-3322 or visit www.rbarandgrilltx.com.

Make Your Best Cake Tips

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Baking the perfect cake isn’t just cooking. It’s a mix of art and science – and some experience in knowing the best cake tips! 

You know that expression “have your cake and eat it, too?”

Unfortunately when it comes to making them, most of us just skip to picking one up at the grocery store so we can take it home to eat it.  And if we do make one, well, it probably came from a box and lovely icing from a rounded container.

cake-tips


Face it: cake making isn’t easy, but with a little patience and few of these best cake tips, you can make your own little piece of sweet art a lot better than you ever thought possible. And when you’re done, you don’t even have to share. But I will share a few tips that will take you for basic to Betty Crocker in just one cake.

However, cake making isn’t just cooking; it’s art, it’s a science and actually a little lesson in history.

I love to read cookbooks and actually I own probably about 100+ of them and sometimes just love reading the ingredients, recipe names and my favorite, the descriptions, especially on old cookbooks (like those made from local women’s groups!) One of my favorites growing up were the red-gingham covered (affiliate link included) Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

BHG-Cookbook

Filled with tips to setting your table, to how to make Sunday dinner for your inlaws, this cookbook was the gold standard cooking staple for most women in the 50s as they either practiced for marriage or worked to “create a home” after the wedding. I love the tips they include as well as all the handy conversions. Just for cakes the section there’s a nifty tip sheet for all the things you did wrong with your cake and how to fix them next time. While looking for a little something to make for Easter, I actually ran across a recipe called “Easter Dinner Cake.” Since it was found in the sponge/pound cake section and made with orange juice, the recipe sounded perfect for Easter dinner. And with 11 egg whites, I had to know how this was going to turn out.

RECIPE: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook Easter Dinner Cake

Easter-Dinner-Cake-MamChallenge.com

As I started to think about Easter cakes, I remembered the one my mom made when I was young that had coconut, lime, lemons, oranges and all the other good stuff that still had me licking my lips for just one more bite 20+ years later. Luckily she knew exactly what recipe it was from her McCall’s Cooking School Cook Book binder, a mail-subscription service that sent you a few recipes every month to add to your binder until you had a full cookbook.

MCalls

Of course, this was BW (before the web), so it was fun to wait to see what recipes you’d receive each shipment.  I tried to find my own copy of the once mail-order binder cookbook, but from others looking for the same thing, it doesn’t appear you can find a copy unless you find one on Amazon from others willing to sell theirs. However, I’m reprinting it here for you (or  until they realize it might be worth it to put these online!)

Coconut-Citrus-Cake-mamachallenge

RECIPE: McCall’s Cooking School Coconut-Cream Cake with Lemon-Lime Filling

And it wouldn’t be Easter without Carrot Cake, right? I love this recipe ot just because it’s covered in Cream Cheese frosting, but because it is made with applesauce! You know I’m always about using applesauce in your recipes, especially baking, since it makes things lower in fat, higher in healthy ingredients and definitely much more moist! While you could use any applesauce, I like the cinnamon version from GoGo squeeZ to give it that little kick of sweetness. And then throw in a little 1/2 teaspoon of chile or chipotle powder and you’ve got a cake that won’t stop – at least not until you’ve finished every.single. bite.

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RECIPE: Best Carrot Cake Ever

 

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Best Carrot Cake Ever

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Best Carrot Cake Ever

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1¼ cup applesauce
  • 2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon chile powder or chipotle powder (trust me!)
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) + 1 cup for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, not drained

Frosting

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 lb powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine first three ingredients into a bowl.
  3. In another bowl mix all dry ingredients together and then add to applesauce mixture.
  4. Next combine carrots, coconut, nuts, vanilla and pineapple together. Then add to the applesauce mixture until well blended.
  5. Pour into two greased 8 or 9-inch pans.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
  2. Frost the cake until complete and serve! Add chopped pecans or walnuts for garnish.

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