REVIEW: Angel Baby Car Seat Travel Bag- Durable

I currently own the Angel Baby Lightweight Stroller Travel Bag for our stroller and it has been a success.

I needed one for our car seat because I know the straps could get caught in the baggage screening systems or it could fall off the cart on the way to the place on the tarmac (I've seen this happen to other people's luggage and items especially in the rain).  This Angel Baby Car Seat Travel Bag is very compact yet the material is sturdy.  It can not be easily torn and protected the car seat against being stuck in the machine and getting dirty.  It can't really protect the car seat from a drop but it will keep it clean and everything in place.  However, if you gate check it, it has this carry-on strap that is really convenient.  I kind of wished it came with two straps--like how you would wear a backpack--carrying a baby and a diaper bag isn't always an easy feat with a one-shoulder car seat bag (gotta balance the weight of everything).  I highly recommend this bag for your travel needs and although I received this item at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased review, it does not affect the validity of my actual experiences.  I own an Angel Baby stroller bag that I did pay full price for and am highly satisfied.

PROS:
*  Compact
*  Easy to unfold and fold back
*  Keeps car seat clean and straps from getting caught in the machine
*  Easy to carry with the handle or shoulder strap
*  Bright red color to easily identify your car seat at baggage claim
*  You can also add a few more lightweight items inside
*  Sturdy and tear-resistant

CONS:
*  Could use two straps to wear like a backpack for even weight distribution when traveling solo with child
*  Takes patience in folding it back in the zippered pocket but it's not hard--just gotta move fast and get use to how to fold it

This is our Safety 1st Convertible Car Seat with the brand new bag--not opened yet

The bag after I folded it back into it's pocket. Very easy!

Buy it now here on Amazon-->>>>Angel Baby Car Seat Travel Bag- Durable

REVIEW: Xpassion Stainless Steel Barbecue Tongs

  Get yours today!! Silicone Xpassion Stainless Steel BBQ Tongs

I literally received my kitchen tongs about three hours ago and decided to use them right away. My main purpose of buying these is for handling meat or dealing with fried foods.

Tonight I made a hamburger/Salisbury steak and needed my tongs to lift and flour the meat, add it to the cast iron skillet filled with hot oil, and then lifting it out of the skillet.

The tongs are made with a high heat resistant silicone with silicone grips on the stainless handles.  I like the little stands that are on the handle when setting it down on the counter (or like my pic on the pan itself!)  The inside is hollow-ish…not sure how I feel about that because it can mean it may not last as long or food items can get stuck in the crevices.  We will see later on down the road. It also can be stored on a hook or magnetic bar.  When I used it for my beef, the silicone took the heat very well and the handles did not get hot at all unlike my old stainless steel tongs. 

I do not really have any dislikes about it yet...I did receive these at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased review but this does not discredit my experience or review with this item.

PROS:

·         High heat resistant silicone

·         Heat-safe grips on the handles

·         Easy to handle and adjustable

·         Can be stored on a hook or magnetic bar

·         Grips food items securely without dropping

·         Sits on the countertop without actually touching the tongs on the counter

·         Can also sit on the side of a cast iron skillet!

CONS:

·         Hollow on the inside—could trap food particles or makes it harder to wash

  Get yours today!! Silicone Xpassion Stainless Steel BBQ Tongs

REVIEW: Queen Bee Leather Conditioner

 

The Queen Bee Leather Conditioner treatment is really a great alternative to those stinky, messy, and sometimes short-lasting leather polishes that I have used in the past.  I decided to try this conditioner on my daughter’s boots.

 

The conditioner has no strong fragrance or smell; There is a smell but it’s not a wake-up-your-senses type of smell.  It’s a clear liquid and a little goes a LONG way—I found that out the hard way by having to polish a little longer.  There is an enclosed applicator pad—which I think needs a handle to make the circular motions a little bit easier.  It went on very easy and was very easy to use. The instructions were simple and to the point.  It said leave on for 30-60 minutes depending on how old the leather is. I left it on for about 60 minutes to get the full effect. 

Left is BEFORE; Right is AFTER

 

It can be used on any leather surface/items.  I am going to try it on a leather belt and handbag and see how that works out. I will provide an update at a later time.

 

PROS: 

• Clear
• Non-fragrant
• Non-greasy
• A little goes a LONG way
• Easy to use
• Doesn’t stain
• Multiple uses such as boots, shoes, belts, car interior, handbags, etc.

 CONS:

• None!

I received this product at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

 

Try it now for yourself! It's only $9.95 through Amazon and if you have AMAZON PRIME, it's free shipping!

REVIEW: Art Naturals Daily Organic Argan Oil Shampoo

I recently tried this shampoo and I normally wash my hair every morning. In the "before" photo, is a photo of my hair, the next morning using my regular shampoo and conditioner that I am usually loyal to--a brand that can be bought in any major retailer store. The after photo, is the following morning--using NO CONDITIONER!





Upon arrival, the bottle is slimmer but taller than what the photo depicts. It says "organic" but please note that it's *not* USDA-Certified Organic and some of the ingredients are hard to pronounce--doesn't bother me but may make a difference to others.

The smell is light and pleasant--reminds me of being in the salon. It lathers up really, really, well with only a quarter-size amount. I have super long, fine-medium, straight, Asian hair and that quarter-size amount went a LONG way. I followed the instructions completely by lathering from scalp to ends, waiting 2-3 minutes, then rinsed.

It rinses it clean and even starts to feel soft while I am rinsing! Some shampoos rinse clean but still leaves my hair feeling tangled or rough so that is why I use conditioner. I opted not to use conditioner after the Argan so that I can truly assess and review it and surprisingly, I didn't even need it! Even throughout the day, my hair felt soft, didn't get tangled as much, smelled good, and looked good--I usually need a good conditioner to have this long-lasting effect!

I highly recommend this shampoo. It worked for me and could work for you!

I received this product at a discount in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

You can purchase this product here: Art Naturals Daily Organic Argan Oil Shampoo 16 oz

Richardson, TX: Shuck N' Jive (REVISITED)

Another visit to Shuck N Jive becaues it was close by. We decided to do take-out instead.

We both ordered the Catfish and Shrimp Dinner for about $30.00 total. Let's just say, NEVER AGAIN and we will only stick with the crablegs and maybe the oysters.

Catfish- One (1) big fillet --we would've let this slide but the breading slid (no pun intended) right off as I was breaking a piece off plus the fish was kind of tough. Epic Fail. I am from the South, home of the catfish (Mississippi) and this was TERRIBLE. I had a catfish-fillet-shaped piece of breading on one side and a rubberry fish fillet on the other side of my plate. The breading wasn't even good...didn't even look like cornmeal to me...

Hushpuppy- that's right, hushpuppy singular. One whole, normal-size hushpuppy and it was mediocre.

Shrimp- Okay, the 6 shrimp were good..not bad but not OMG delicious but good. They had a good crunch and was seasoned well.

Fries- I didn't think french fries could be ruined but it tasted really weird---not like potatoes but like something old.

Slaw- They refer to this as "Cajun Slaw" --nothing was cajun about it and it was bleh. The serving size was small, the slaw dressing was not seasoned very well and it did not taste like "cajun".

Okay, now the Red Beans and Rice were pretty good and I'll give them that.

And that was it. We substituted one RB&Rice for the slaw. All of the above for about $15.00 per plate....NOT WORTH IT!!

 

Why Do I Love DASANI DROPS?

Hello World,

It's been awhile since I've written anything so let's bring you up to date!  We are expecting our first baby girl in September and we are also now married!  Yay, us!

Okay now on to business.  I've been an "Influenster" for quite some time now. It's a great site where you can sign up and try new products and submit awesome reviews.  Great thing is, you get to keep the products!  If you would like an invite, send me an e-mail at ChroniclesofMarti@gmail.com!

I recently received Dasani Drops, Dasana bottled water, and some awesome coupons from Influenster and I am writing a review today about them.

I love Dasani Drops because it's sugar free and zero calories.  No artificial sugars either--i.e. aspartame.  Okay you are thinking sugar free and zero calorie must tastes BLAH! However, it doesn't!  You can control the amount you want to put in your water and I like to put lots.  It gives it this nice flavored water without having to drink Kool-Aid! 

I received Strawberry Kiwi and Grape in my box.  I really want to try the other flavor such as Pineapple Coconut, Mixed Berry, and Pink Lemonade.

The drops by itself taste concentrated so that is a good thing.  The only con is that it stains your fingers for a day.  Not a bad trade-off!

Try it out for yourself and post your comments here!

Disclaimer:  These items were received complimentary from Influenster.  Make sure you visit:
DASANI™ Facebook Page.
DASANI DROPS™ Twitter Page.
DASANI™ Review Page.

Indian Cuisine: Compliments of Sunil

Our dear friend, Sunil or "Sunny" decided to cook for us one weekend.  We all met up at the Galaviz's (as usual!) and waited semi-patiently for the Goat Masala (Goat Curry) and Grilled Indian-Spiced Chicken to finish cooking.  Unfortunately, the goat masala was the first thing to finish cooking so we had to conduct quality control with the chapatis (wheat flatbread) while we waited on the chicken.

The Goat Masala was very, very good.  I've never had goat before and you couldn't even tell it was goat. It has the same consistency as chicken, a little more tender.  The spices were all there and it was soooo delicious.  The chicken drumsticks had a nice grilled touch to them and the spices reflected throughout the entire drumstick.  We always love it when Sunil cooks.  (It gives me a break, lol.)


I found a similar recipe here if anyone wants to try out the Goat Masala:  http://indianfood.about.com/od/meatdishes/r/Goat-Curry-Mutton-Curry.htm

Plano, TX: Zander's House

Menu:  http://www.zandershouse.com/
Hours: 
Monday:  11:00 a.m.- 3 p.m. | 5 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Tuesday:  CLOSED
Wednesday & Thursday:  11:00 a.m.- 3 p.m. | 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. 
Friday:  11 a.m.- 3 p.m. | 5 p.m.- 11 p.m.
Saturday:  12 p.m.- 11 p.m.*
Sunday:  12 p.m.- 10 p.m.
*Please check the Calendar Page or call ahead on Saturday nights as they sometimes are close for private parties*

My fiance and I are foodies and decided to check out Zander's on our designated "date night".  We try to pick a different place every week.

I am Vietnamese so of course, I will be slightly picky.

Appetizers:

We ordered the Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp which are always (at every Viet restaurant I've been to) are skimpy.  It was tasty.  I didn't really care for the "crunchy" that they added inside (which isn't traditional) and they could have offered more meat inside like the traditional pork and shrimp.  Most places have been known to cut one shrimp in half and make it look like it's two.

The Beef Carpaccio was excellent!! The herbs, spices, and beef were prepared to perfection.  I've had the "rare" beef version before and this one was actually slightly seared.  We used the reserved sauce with our dinner.









Dinner:

The entrees we had were the Spicy Basil Beef, Salt and Pepper Calamari, and Mixed Greens.  The calamari had a nice crisp and flavor to it.  Spicy Basil Beef could have used a little more basil but it was still good. Mixed greens were my fave!!!  It had bok choy, brocolli, peppers, and snap peas.

Everything we ordered tasted great.  The Jack Daniels on the rocks wasn't skimpy either, lol.

Next time, we'll sit at the family-style table and have them bring us whatever that's off the menu-- off-the-menu items are always great!

The only gripe I would have is that they didn't offer Pho, Banh Xeo, or some other traditional Vietnamese dishes and the prices are a "tad" expensive.  However, the serving sizes of the entrees were plentiful.

For two appetizers, 3 entrees, green tea, and one Jack on the rocks, our tab was about $82 and that includes tip.

Plano, TX: UrbanRio

Menu:  http://www.urbanrio.com/Menu.aspx
Hours:  Monday through Saturday- 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

My friends and I were sitting at Filmore's Pub and decided to cheat a little and go check out this new place called "Urban Rio".

We walked passed the antique shops and approached a very attractive and inviting UrbanRio.  The set-up, atmosphere, and building reminded me of Urban Crust/32 Degrees.

We were welcomed by friendly and helpful hostesses and decided to go upstairs to the bar area.  The decor is beautiful, contemporary, and trendy.  They have the glow-lighted ambiance and several tv's throughout the bar area.

We went outside to the patio area and it's very spacious and the bar is also connected to the outside area.  I love this place already!  The menu itself was short and sweet, it wasn't too wordy-- they weren't killing any fonts! The cedar wood used as the backing was a nice touch and "UrbanRio" was branded on the back of the wood.  Had a very nice selection of food and was unique.

Warm, fresh chips and cold salsa came out promptly.  The chips were the traditional yellow corn and they even had green chips.  The salsa had a nice spicy kick to it.  I think it could have been a tiny bit more flavorful.

Our waitress was nice and very knowledgeable. She did forget one thing but that's normal.  She even tried to get us a sample of some beans that we requested to taste but was not successful.  ::sad face::  It's okay, our overall service experience was great.

We ordered the Tropical Ahi Tuna Ceviche which has fresh ahi tuna, avocado, and GRAPEFRUIT pico de gallo.  It was very tasty and I love ahi tuna too.  They even have apricot pico.

What we also love is that their specialty and house margaritas which were made what I consider the "real" way.  No generic-pre-mixed laced with sour at all!  They even have tequila on TAP!

We all ordered the La Verdadera Margarita and it was made just perfect.  The right amount of tequila, a hint of sweetness, and not too much ice. They are served in colorful hand-blown glasses. They could have used a garnish or something to make it more presentable.  Maybe even a lime.

Next, we ordered the appetizer, Smoked Brisket Quesadillas.


Smoked Brisket Quesadillas with La Verdadera Margarita

 It was EXCELLENT!  It was double-layered (maybe triple?), yummy cheese, seasoned pork, and topped with a flavorful "crema" with cilantro and roasted corn kernels.

We will definitely be back!

Coppell, TX: Mua Sushi

Menu:  http://www.muasushi.com/menu/
Hours: 
Lunch- Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Dinner- Sunday through Thursday 5:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m. & Friday through Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

I decided to venture out of the office and get lunch one day.  I normally bring my own lunch so luckily this turned out pretty good.

I tried the Beef Teriyaki Bento Box from Mua Sushi located in Coppell, TX.

It consisted of beef teriyaki over grilled onions, steamed rice, California roll, a fried dumpling, various pickled veggies (oshinko- Japanese radish- is my favorite!), miso soup, and ginger dressing salad.  It was definitely worth $10!

The order was prepared very quickly, the staff was nice, and my food tasted awesome!  This will definitely be a repeat!

Richardson, TX: Shuck N Jive

Site:  http://richardson.shucknjive.com/
Hours:  11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Daily

We had an itching for seafood one night...I think it was Sunday?  So we decided to pay a visit to Shuck N Jive in Richardson, TX.

The place had a good crowd and the bar was average size.  We usually sit at the bar because normally you receive better and fast service (notice I said normally).  Our bartender, Hunter was also great.  We got our usual whiskey on the rocks (that night it was Maker's Mark).  They have draft beers also and a nice-size tv screen by the bar for your sports viewing pleasure which I happened to witness double overtime in professional basketball for the first time ever.

We ordered a 1/2 dozen of oysters on the half shell and they were awesome! I love raw and chargrilled oysters.  Marc's only had raw oysters maybe 2 or 3 times and he likes it so yay for us!!!  The raw ones go great with lemon, horseradish, a lil hot sauce or cocktail sauce.  We are supposed to make chargrilled oysters this weekend....mmmmmmmmm I can't wait to kill them!! (lol, literally).

We both ordered snow crab legs and they were the perfect size and serving.  Unfortunately the dish only came with one potato cut in half and one small corn.  I am a fan of corn and potatoes when it comes to seafood boils.  So we ordered two more corns and yeah, it was pricey for corn...  Butter and lemons are one of the greatest dipping/sauce combinations (next to garlic, butter, and lemons) for crab legs, shrimp, any seafood for that matter. 

I've been wanting crawfish and I'm so mad at myself for never getting any crawfish when I was in Baton Rouge.  I ate everything else there though, lol.  So I *had* to order one pound of crawfish because the other people at the bar were eating crawfish and said it was good.  My initial choice was crawfish (over crab legs) but when they told me it was $6.99 a pound, I was like ohhhh nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I paid $4.99 a pound ( I ordered five pounds) in Houston last year and they were plump, well seasoned, and AWESOME so I wasn't terribly upset.  I was in Houston on business so I didn't mind shelling out $4.99 a pound.  However, I'm used to paying an average of $2.50-$2.99 a pound and anything past that was expensive to me.

I can't fathom paying $6.99 a pound for crawfish and crawfish that were mostly small.  Of course, in Dallas, they have to be in season...so that explains why they are small but if they get them from Louisiana (which they are in season more often than not) then why can't it be in season now?!?! Oh well, anyways, I ordered one pound and they were good but not the right size..most were small and you can't get any juice out of the head when they're small!  Yes, true crawfish eaters must suck the heads cause that is the best way to get the most out of the crawfish along with their tails.  I'll check back again with Shuck N Jive on the crawfish in a couple months to see if the price ever gets lower and the crawfishies grow.

Shuck N Jive is a great place that is right around the corner, has a good selection of seafood and cajun dishes, nice casual atmosphere, and of course the doozy of them all for Marc..they have Golden Tee Live!!

Valentine's Day 2012

Most people would agree that Valentine's Day is mostly a "florist economic stimulus" day (well-put by my friend, James Williams).

The same ole flowers, candy, card, throw a teddy bear in there is sooooo cliché.  I mean it seems so high school to me and is an EASY cop-out.

Your significant other should treat you like a queen/king outside of Valentine's Day...it's even more special when it's on a random day.

Okay, so I'm sure you guys are dying to know what's in this photo.  For our Valentine's Day dinner, Marc cooked Mahi Mahi on cedar planks, grilled asparagus, orange jasmine rice, and made an awesome pineapple mango salsa and carribean jerk sauce.

The salsa consisted of (all fresh ingredients, of course):  pineapple, mango, jalepeno, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and lime.  You know I LOVE asparagus and especially the big ones (not the skinny little stalks).

It was a great Valentine's Day meal that was well-thought out because it was the same meal (the main ingredients) that Marc first cooked for me when we started dating...  ;o)

Meatloaf Night

Heelllloooooooo meatloaf night.  Marc made meatloaf the other night.  This is the pre-cooked photo.  I forgot to take an "after" photo but I can assure you that it was delish.

He made the loaf with a special blend of spices, carrots, onions, and bread crumbs. 

The glaze was mostly teriyaki-based but it had other ingredients and went very well with the macaroni and cheese and rice.

Mmmmmmmm.

1st Timer: Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, Irving, TX

Today I decided to choose Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches located in Irving, TX.  I chose it because they deliver and do not charge an outrageous delivery fee. (I attempted to order from another venue and they were going to charge me $6.95 for delivery plus $11.00 for service charge?) Really?!?  I guess those fees are okay if you order for the entire office...

So I started my online ordering process and it was extremely simple and user-friendly.  I placed my order at about 8:30 a.m. and picked a 12:15-12:30 p.m. delivery time.  The site allowed you to easily customize your sandwich and add any additional things to your order.  I ordered the #12 Beach Club which contained turkey, avocado spread, cucumbers, sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo on 7-grain wheat.  I added dijon mustard and had them add pickle spears to my order. 

I noted on my order that if no one was at the front desk then to call the number I provided them.

So, at 12:10, the delivery guy called and said my order was downstairs.  He was very nice and told me "here's your beach club sandwich with pickles spears".  I thought it was great! I tipped him $2.00.  Always tip if you receive great customer service!

I get to my desk and the sandwich is huge and as the pickle!! I love that they use whole pickles and cut them any way you want (halved, quarterd, or leave whole). It was humongous!! Like Vlasic on steroids!  The pickle was nice and cold and the ingredients in the sandwich were super fresh.

I like the fact that they used "real" turkey (not the kind you see at eh hemm, Subway) and had just the right amount.  I requested "e-z" (lightly added) mayo and dijon mustard and they made it just like I wanted.  There were three thinly slices of provolone and if you know me, I LOVE CHEESE, and it was fantastic too.  The bread was awesome, I like the taste of grains in my bread...yeah I know..I'm weird.  I think its the texture I like.  It was a perfectly-made sandwich that didn't make a mess! 

OMG, I'm in love with this sandwich, pickle, and this restaurant.  I will definitely order from them again!!!  Oh and they only charged me $0.41 delivery fee!!! Woooo Hoooo I'M WINNING!

-Tina


UPDATE:  February 24, 2012-  I ordered the #2 BIG JOHN®- Medium rare shaved roast beef, topped with yummy mayo, lettuce, and tomato and was not as happy as the first time.

Bits of my roast beef was HARD.  I had to tear the hard pieces off...I mean they were not chewable (and I often try to chew it anyway).  There was not enough roast beef either but then again, I didn't order the club-size.  My pickle was great as usual though!

MarTi= Leo + Libra

If you're in to horoscopes and such...I think we're a match! 

8/7/11:  Combination of the fire of Leo and air of Libra will lead to a warm atmosphere, which is perfect for everlasting companionship. Libras are usually very loving and trying to please. They are open-minded, optimistic and view life from angles, which are different from Leo's. This will give you many interesting insights. Libra fits well with almost any sign. Libra is often referred to as chameleon, because of their adaptability and dislike for conflicts. In a relationship, Libra will be very articulate and well balanced. Although Leo is usually honest, they cannot match the honesty and keenness that Libra portrays, hence Leo has to be meticulous when dealing with a Libra partner. Evidently, there is a certainty that the relationship will work out for the best. You, as a couple, share charisma and vigor in this relationship. You are so noticeable, that you will attract attention at any public event. Both of you can satisfy each other's desires and intimate needs. The indecisive nature of Libra places Leo in charge in both social and work relations. In other aspects though, Libra gives more instructions and directions than Leo does. In most cases Libra's attitude frustrates Leo a great deal, as Leo is a powerful sign with a predisposition to dominate in relationships.

10/7/11: Libra's amorous playfulness blends marvelously with Leo's dash and energy. Leo's generous, expansive sensuality really lights Libra's fire, and the thermometer moves up to torrid. Libra does have to approach Leo carefully on matters involving ego, but that won't be a problem for tactful Libra. In a real conflict, Libra knows how to yield gracefully. Together they share a love of luxury, going to parties, and creating a beautiful home that serves as a stage setting for these two stars.

2012:  Leo and Libra zodiac signs have many personality traits in common and their relationship can show great compatibility. Both the individuals were born to fall in love and they do this with much ease. They thrive on romance and between them; there will be no dearth of romantic gestures like giving and receiving gifts, writing love letters, going on candlelit dinners, etc. they both value being in love and make their partners feel very special. The Lion as well as a Libran also love parties and people and pay much attention to social appreciation.

Another thing contributing to the great compatibility of their love match is that a number of their qualities complement with each other. For example, the flexibility of a Libran balances greatly with the stubbornness of the Lion. However, if the latter starts to dominate too much, some problems may crop up. But then, a Libra will be able to handle the Lion with is tact and diplomacy and get things done from him very easily. Both of them love the finer things in life and believe in living in the present and enjoying it.

Leo Man and Libra Woman
The match of Leo man and Libra woman is one of those that develop into a long-lasting relationship. Both the individuals are gregarious, outgoing, adventurous and love to party. They love the limelight and the sound of applause. He appreciates the beautiful things in life, like art and music, as much as she does. Their relationship will be full of love, romance, passion, fun and excitement. Even their chemistry will be great and there will be no problems on the loyalty front too. He loves to lead and she hates to take a decision - so, a perfect match!

FEATURED GUEST BLOGGER, LIZ: Late Night Craving

Last night, around 2:30 am I had a strong craving for Broccoli and Tortilla soup.  Thankfully I had Tortilla soup left over to heat up & eat while I made broccoli cheese soup with extra cheese, & I enjoyed it with crumbled crackers. Yummm!  Unfortunately I did not take any pictures, but it was a satisfying & delicious resolution to my prego craving :)

-Liz
**Liz is currently expecting a boy June 21, 2012.  She resides in Flowood, MS and has been Tina's best friend since 1992.  Thanks Liz for your submission!   -MarTi

Super Bowl 2012 Rib Cook-Off

Super Bowl Sunday was great.  Spare ribs were the meat of choice for the cook-off this year. Last year, it was chili and the year before that were chicken wings.

I (Tina) was one of the judges so I got to taste all the yummy ribs.  The basic rules were to use spare ribs and dry rub (no sauces) only.

There were five entries and four judges.  We rated each rib submission based on taste, doneness (is that word?) and overall yumminess. 

Marc came in 3rd out of 5 which was pretty good.  His main ingredient was coriander and it stood out.  1st and 2nd place winners were Jason and Mano.  Jason's ribs were so good that we immediately knew that he would be the 1st place winner.  (All entries were submitted anonymously so we did not know who's ribs belonged to who).

I don't remember exactly which was which but some of the rib submissions were either too dry, bland, too salty, and/or basically just not good enough.

I can't wait until next year...I am SO going to participate as a contestant!

Oh btw, the Patriots had a  million chances to win and they blew it.  However, David Beckham won in my book.  ;o)

Fun Food

Marc wanted to make "fun food" the other night.  He decided to make sliders.  Sliders are named "sliders" because you have to slide them off the grill.

These sliders are made to taste just like Krystral burgers or White Castle.  We are total fans of Krystal's!  The only difference is we knew what was in the meat.  Surprisingly, Marc didn't really season the meat at all and it came out tasting fantastic!  We added extra onions, cheese, pickles, and mustard.  Dipped them in ketchup as we ate...

He cooked them on a grill and it also had to be cooked a special way for it to come out right.  Marc's been perfecting his technique for a while now and I think this is the way to go! 

We also had a side of seasoned curly fries.  This was definitely a "fun food" night!  I can't wait until he makes this again!!!  ;o)

Irving, TX: Zest Fest 2012

Marc and I recently attended Zest Fest 2012 in Irving, TX at the Irving Convention Center.  Admission was $15.00 each and parking was $8.00 (for future reference, it's cash only for parking).

As you enter the convention center, there will be a booth to the right of the door of the event that will validate your printed tickets.  You can also purchase tickets at the booth. 

We met our friends Mano, Lisa, and Jason and they suggested a couple of booths we absolutely should visit first and then make our own path of how to explore this spicy goodness.

First, we visited a booth that happen to have various types of hot sauces (which is the same for all the booths) but what stood out was the fact that it was tasty and had the U.S. Marine labeling on it!  So, you *know* Marc had to represent and buy the Marine-labeled sauce as well as the non-Marine labeled sauce (for consumption of course because the other is for show!).

The next booth was holding a contest for sauces made with the trinidad scorpion peppers.  If you know  much about peppers, it is measured at 900,000 on the Scoville heat unit scale.  To give you an idea of how hot it is, the Trinidad Scorpion pepper is so strong that those who handle it must wear protective gloves.  Exposure to the eyes or skin near the eyes when handling this pepper could cause temporary blindness.

They had a contest at the TS pepper booth that had,  I believe, seven different types of hot sauce ranging from hot to HOTTEST.  If you could eat a spoonful (about the size of the little pink Baskin Robbins spoons) of each sauce, you win a koozie and bragging rights.  We couldn't do the challenge because that one spoon was enough to get Marc's head sweating like a faucet.  I think it was rather tasty though and I agree with Lisa, they should measure peppers by recovery time...this one tasting took about 3-5 minutes to recover.  What made it worse was the fact we were drinking beer and not the $2.00/carton of milk (kindegarten-size) they were selling.

Later, Marc and I went back to that booth and tried their chili.  It was delish!!

We bought some really great stuff.  Salsa, dip mixes (you mix the dry packets of spices/dried peppers with sour cream), two types of rubs, some awesome parmesan garlic wings sauce (made with REAL BUTTER-- that was their main focus when telling us about the sauce), and one booth gave us a sample of a "salsa concentrate".

Okay, the salsa concentrate is made to simplify your salsa-making skills.  I believe it's a good idea for non-salsa connoissieurs.  *All* you have to add is Rotel or tomatoes to the salsa concentrate....wait a minute...doesn't that defeat the purpose of making fresh salsa?  Oh well, it isn't bad and it's not expensive either so more power to non-Foodies!!

We tried so many different types of hot sauces, BBQ sauces, dips, etc.  We didn't really find a good BBQ sauce but then again, this was a "Spicy" Food Productions event. 

I collected all the business cards (and wrote on the back what we liked) of the vendors we liked so that we can order items later or order more of what we bought.

I could go on and on about Zest Fest but perhaps, MARC can elaborate on his end.  ;o)

Marc's Pulled Pork- Tina's 1st Experience

So, Marc's a little behind on his blog entries so I will go ahead and rave about BBQ.  You may get a duplicate entry about pulled pork from Marc later...  Marc made pulled pork a long time ago and this was my first time experiencing it. It was a nice and cold winter day so we had fun waiting 7+ hours on Ms. Piggy's bum to get done-- we had a fire pit, beer, and margaritas--- isn't that fun??!?!

We got a late start (normally he starts before the sun comes out) but it still turned out great.

We like to put slaw on our pulled pork sammiches (yes, I said sammiches).  The pictures are self explanatory!

Doesn't Marc look so handsome in his chef's jacket?

Getting the heat just right. SLOW and LOW smoking...

 

Look at that awesome char!