CHEESESLAVE

This Christmas, I’m going home to Texas. First to Dallas to visit my parents, and then we’re all going on a road trip, 3 kids in tow, down to Austin. We’ll be getting our fill of Texas comfort food from my childhood: migas and Texas BBQ, pecan prailines, chili, quesadillas, and chicken fried chicken with fried okra, mashed potatoes and cornbread.

Nothing says Texas like pecan pie. Okay, that’s not exactly true. There are many things that evoke the spirit of Texas: armadillos, longhorns, Willie Nelson, chili, pickup trucks and gun racks, two-stepping, and nachos (invented in Texas). But pecan pie has got to be one of the very best things in all of Texas.

About 70 percent of U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, which puts them at higher risk for bone and heart disease.
“We expected the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency would be high, but the magnitude of the problem nationwide was shocking,” said Dr. Juhi Kumar of Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center. (Source)
CORRECTION: [...]

If you read my blog with any regularity, you know I’m a big fan of lard and tallow. I use them for pie crusts, making chicken nuggets and fried chicken, onion rings and French fries, and plan to try my hand at doughnuts and potato chips. Oh, and let’s not forget about buttermilk biscuits… [...]

I made a couple pies over the 4th of July weekend. While I hate to seem immodest, I have to tell you… I’m still blown away at how amazing the pie crust came out.

I’ve been making pie crust for decades and, thanks to Jeffrey Steingarten and Marion Cunningham, I have mastered a perfectly light, flaky pie crust.

But this crust was even better than my best pie crust. A hundred times better! My pie crust was elevated from perfect to divine, thanks to a new ingredient. New to me, anyway.

What’s my secret? Read on…

Who doesn’t love pie? Apple pie, pecan pie, coconut cream pie… mmm! A savory pie makes a wonderful dinner, especially on a cold winter night. (Check back — I’ll soon be posting a recipe for Steak & Kidney Pie. You could also make Chicken Pot Pie or Quiche Lorraine.)

Be honest. Are you intimidated at the thought of trying to make pie crust from scratch? If so, you’re not alone. Most people think making pie crust is hard. But it’s actually quite easy. You’ll be astonished at how simple it is to make the most delicious, flaky, perfect pie crust.

“When you die, if you get a choice between going to regular heaven or pie heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick, but if it’s not, mmmmmmmm, boy.” — Jack Handy
We had a few people over for a BBQ on Saturday, to celebrate my 40th birthday. My friend Steven came over on Friday [...]

I’m so excited! I came across this restaurant, Zarela, in New York City. It’s a Mexican restaurant that still uses lard. Real, home-rendered lard — not the gross toxic stuff they sell in stores (which Chef Zarela says is “poison”).
Not only that but they have all kinds of wonderful traditional dishes on the menu, things [...]

I went to the dentist today. And guess what? No cavities!
This is the first time I’ve had no cavities in years. And you would think that I would be more prone to dental decay — considering the stress I’ve had on my body over the past year (childbirth, breast feeding).
Here’s the interesting thing… For the [...]

Read an interesting article last night about how eating more good fat helps your body. I was particularly fascinated by this excerpt:
On a side note, I worked with a client from Mexico who was here visiting her daughter over the summer. The mother was 85 years old, very strong and healthy, and had not one [...]

Christmas is over.
We are still on vacation, though, visiting family. It’s cold in Seattle, but it’s wonderful to be with our family.
I’m thinking about goals for the new year.
1. My first goal is to lose the extra 30 pounds of baby weight by her one-year birthday, April 13th.
2. I also want to get all my [...]