Happy Thanksgiving!

This is not my turkey!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I love everything about it! M and I are cooking a feast for ourselves and then going to the movies.

After nearly a decade of asking my mom finally shared with me her famous cornbread dressing recipe. It is amazingly delicious! We were on the phone for what seemed like an eternity hashing this out, but I think I finally got it down, and I thought I'd share it with you all. You may have to adjust the spice measurements though. At first, my mom told me to add 1 Tbs. of pepper. I thought that sounded kind of high so I decreased it to 1 tsp. Maybe she was right...I guess I'll find out later! ha ha

M went to Connecticut for a business trip last week, and ate at some great local places. Keep an eye out, because he'll be guest blogging all about them next week about his adventures! Thanks Baby!

Be safe, and stay warm tomorrow. Enjoy!

My Mama’s Delicious Traditional Corn Bread Dressing

by Maria McCarty

Ingredients

Cornbread (2 boxes or packets)

3 Medium sized Carrots

3 Celery Stalks

2 Gala Apples

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Medium Onion

1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

½ stick of Salted Butter

2 Eggs

1 Can of Chicken Stock

 Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF

2.       Bake cornbread as directed on package. Once cool, add to large bowl and finely crumble.
3.       Dice carrots, celery, bell pepper, apples, and onion into small cubes.
4.       Beat eggs in small bowl and set aside.
5.       On medium heat, melt butter with oil in a large saucepan.
6.       Once butter is melted, combine diced vegetables with poultry seasoning, basil, and pepper.
7.       Saute vegetables until they are soft and onion is clear.
8.       Combine sauteed vegetables and beaten eggs into large bowl of crumbled corn bread. Mix thoroughly.
9.       Once combined add 1 can of Chicken Stock and mix thoroughly until moist; add more broth if needed.
10.   Use appropriate sized ungreased pan and cover with foil.
11.   Bake for 1 hr. or until browned.

Review: Hi-D-Ho Drive In - Alamogordo, New Mexico

If you are an avid reader of this site, you can probably tell that M and I are huge burger fans. So, it's no surprise that we hit up Hi-D-Ho Drive In on my recent visit.

When planning a visit, the trick the locals use is to call ahead - (575) 437 6400. I suggest that you use it too. We waited a good 30 min or so for our food AFTER we ordered. We skipped breakfast and headed to White Sands National Monument, so I can say we were a bit famished and the wait was pure torture, especially when we watched person after person walking in to get their call in orders. Hi-D-Ho has been around since the 50's, it's one of those old fashioned drive in's where you pull into a spot and turn on your lights to get a waitress over to order,

Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger

Tiger Burger

I ordered my usual Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger and M got the Tiger Burger. We wanted fries, but surprise...they were out. Instead we ordered onion rings, and I got a limeade. Burger joints without fries? Does it surprise you that I was majorly disappointed? The burgers though were fantastic. It was gigantic, too. The chile was flavorful and spicy, and the bacon was crispy. M's tiger burger was double the size of mine, with two patties and the toppings were plentiful.The onion rings were hearty, and crispy. They were good, but I really wanted fries.

I'd go back to this joint, but I'll definitely call ahead!

We were starving, so we dug in before the pictures were taken.

Here are a couple of pics from White Sands. If you haven't been there you really should check it out!

Review: Lorenzo's Ristorante Italiano - Las Cruces, New Mexico

I went down to visit M in Alamogordo last weekend. If you haven't ever been here there are a couple of hot spots to check out, but there's not a whole lot of restaurants. So, M and I went to Las Cruces for dinner on Saturday night. We found this great Italian Restaurant in the Old Mesilla area called Lorenzo's. According to the sign out front they are not to be confused with any other restaurants with the Lorenzo name that may be in or open in the Las Cruces area. Well, then...

We were greeted and seated very promptly by a very nice hostess. Immediately we noticed that the ceiling was littered with hundreds of one dollar bills that seemed to have floated up on their own. We asked our waitress about it, and she said that they did indeed float up there by a magic trick that Lorenzo performs for guests. Of course, I HAD to see this but Lorenzo declined our request for a show; he had to get home to tend to his newborn baby. Whatever! I'm joking...There was also a guitarist on hand playing great musical hits like YMCA.

Before I go any further, I have to apologize for my horrible pictures. My one complaint about the restaurant was that the lighting was terribly dim. It was so dark that we could hardly read the menu. I hate it when restaurants do that. I appreciate great ambiance, but I like to see what I'm eating and not to mention the person I'm dining with. SO with horrible lighting comes horrible pictures. My camera would just not focus on our meals no matter what setting it was on. One day I'll have a fantastic camera, but for now I don't.

Blurry Calamari

Anyway, we ordered the calamari to start (I think that we will try calamari from every restaurant in the world). It was great; fresh, crispy. It came with a spicy mayonnaise-y sauce that I didn't particularly care for. I would prefer a nice marinara.

 

The menu boasts several traditional Southern Italian dishes like lasagna, spaghetti, ravioli, etc. It also boasts several traditional dishes with New Mexico flare; of course, I'm talking about green chile! As soon I spotted it on the menu, I immediately knew that I was getting the Grilled Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with green chile. I thought M would get this too, but he opted for the Green Chile and Meat Lasagna. Once the entree was served he had buyers remorse, and we ended up switching plates. I got a taste first, and man was the fettuccine delicious. It tasted like the pasta was made fresh made that day, and the green chile was flavorful and had just the right kick. There was a ton of chicken too! The lasagna was excellent also; the tomato sauce was plentiful and very tasty; there were lots of layers, and plenty of cheese.

We practically cleaned our plates, so there was no room for dessert (this time). I definitely want to make another trip to Lorenzo's. People all around us were having pizza and it looked and smelled delicious. I'd like to try that!

Review: Sunday Brunch at the Broadmoor - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ahhhh...the Broadmoor.

I had seen the fine delicacies of this hotel on many travel and food network shows, and  I have always wanted to come here for Brunch.On our recent visit to Colorado Springs, M didn't let me down. I am normally not a huge buffet fan, the good ones are so expensive and I usually get full on one plate. I also have a hard time deciding what I want, and make all of the wrong choices. Not at the Broadmoor though; not at all!

As you drive onto the property you are immediately greeted with stunning mountain views and beautiful architecture. The sight took my breathe away, and I was giddy with excitement. I imagine that when I strike it rich I'll be staying on properties around the world that are this breathless, but for now I relish in the moment and thank M once again for bringing me here.

We had a reservation for 11:30, after getting a little lost on the way in we made it to the hostess station at 11:31. We were immediately seated and the hostess pulled out my chair AND laid my napkin across my lap. As our waitress arrived to take our drink order, I mentally prepared myself for the treats that lie ahead. Once she walked away, we practically ran to the buffet.

My Plate

M's Plate

One of my most favorite breakfast dishes is Eggs Benedict. I knew that they had a made to order station for them, so this was my first stop. M headed straight to the omelet station. We had to wait for a little while, and I have to admit that once I got my order an overwhelming feeling of anxiousness set in. I had no idea what I wanted now or what direction to go. As soon as I noticed the mountain of bacon and sausage, I felt more at ease. My first plate consisted of the following: Eggs Benedict, corned beef hash, bacon, sausage link, cheese blintz with berry sauce, mini bagel with lox, pan fried potatoes. M had an omelet, bacon, sausage link, potatoes, and a cheese biscuit. He said the omelet was the best he ever had! After we finished, we took a 15 min break, and then explored some more. From the carving station, we both got a slice of Honey Glazed Ham. I  also had a slice of Rib Eye Tenderloin with fresh horse radish sauce. The ham was so good; it was moist but crispy on the outside. I also had a few slices of cheese and a Belgium waffle; M had pancakes.

Only part of the dessert table

I forgot to take a picture of the Bananas Foster!

After that plate, we took another break and then headed up for dessert. There was a lady there making Bananas Fosters to order, and that was what I HAD to have. I made M get some too, even though he said he didn't like them. Next we hit up the chocolate fountain, because I don't know anyone that can pass up 4 feet of liquid chocolate goodness. M also got a gold dusted brownie; it was delicious!!!

I loved this place! I loved the food, atmosphere, and everything about it!!! There was only one thing wrong....and it's not even my complaint. M wanted grits, and there were none on the buffet. The buffet staff told us to ask our waitress and the kitchen staff could make some if they had them available. We did that, but our waitress forgot all about it.

If you decide to check out the brunch, dress sharp as they have a strict dress code and don't forget your wallet because it's pretty pricey. I bet they'd make you work for days if you couldn't afford it!!! Just kidding, everyone was so nice, they would probably let you slide...Oh, and wear your expandable pants :o)

Here are some photos from an area just past the dinning room. It was really a spectacular place.

View from right above the front entrance of the hotel

Review: La Baguette French Bakery & Cafe - Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

On Saturday, M and I decided to explore Old Colorado Springs. We were pleasantly surprised to find a ton of shops, restaurants, and ton of people walking around, enjoying theirs days. It was kind of late and we didn't eat breakfast before we left, so luckily we found this local hot spot - La Baguette French Bakery & Cafe. Check out the beautiful Croissant Chicken sandwich above. We sat outside and shared our sandwich, which was accompanied by some fresh fruit. The croissant was huge, fresh, flaky, and buttery. The generous portion of chicken salad was very flavorful, and didn't have all of the fru-fru stuff that some places add (you know raisins, walnuts, grapes, curry, etc). The restaurant was crowded and I noticed that a ton of people were enjoying the french onion soup. It looked delicious! I would've liked to try it to if we weren't on the go....I'll keep that in mind for next time. 

As we were strolling around, we hit up a farmers market that was happening down the street from the bakery. Everything looked so fresh and delicious. If we were headed back to ABQ right away, I would have bought one of everything!

Review: Ritz Grill - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Last weekend, M took me on a surprise weekend getaway to Colorado Springs. He planned everything!!! Which was awesome because I didn't have to do a thing....We started our trip out of Albuquerque around 9, and arrived in the Springs around 2:30. We had plans as soon as we got there to go to the Money Museum. I'm kind of a coin collecting nerd, so this was a real highlight for me! Afterwards, we went to our hotel and relaxed for a while before dinner.

Dinner was in downtown at a restaurant called the Ritz Grill. It gave the impression of being an upscale old fashioned diner. They are famous for the really good food and martinis, of course. Since it's downtown there was an wide array of customers. There were a lot of business people mixed in with some hip looking youngsters.

We had a reservation, and were seated right away. We picked out a booth and had a really nice, but very quiet waitress.We could barely hear a word she said, but thank goodness she could hear us because she got our drink order right. I got a Cherry Limeade martini, and M got his usual Tanqueray and Tonic.She also brought out some warm house baked sour dough bread. We knew that the food would be good when we ate this.

Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps

Graham Cracker Encrusted Calamari

Chicken Cordon Bleu

There were so many things to choose from on the menu, that we decided to share a few things. Plus, we were  starving so the idea of having lots of food in front of us right away was very appealing! We ordered 2 appetizers, Graham Cracker Encrusted Calamari and Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps with Kim-chi and Pickled Cucumbers (isn't that a pickle anyway?). Both were amazing! For our entree we split the Free Range Chicken Cordon Bleu with ham, gouda, mornay sauce, baby carrots, spinach. This was also amazing!!! We could've licked the plate, but since we were minding our manners we used the chicken to mop up all the sauce.

We were at the restaurant pretty early, as we had reservations at 7:30 but stayed until after 9. There was a band setting up while we were eating, but we left before they played.We were so full that we wanted to walk around awhile to check out the downtown nightlife. After about a block we were ready for dessert, and found Pike's Perk Coffee & Tea Shop and got our chocolate fix on with a slice of cake AND a mocha. The cake slice was humongous and equally delicious!!!

I was very impressed with both the Ritz and Pike's Perk. And not to mention Colorado Springs. We had such a fantastic time strolling through downtown. We found a ton of other restaurants that we're going to have go back and try. My only complaint about the Ritz was that it was so loud. It seemed like M and were yelling at each other across the table the whole night.

Review: 5 Star Burgers - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This past Monday was Columbus Day. M and I both had the day off, and it was such a nice day! For lunch we went to the new Rt. 66 Malt Shop on Central only to find it closed...Sooo, instead we went to 5 Star Burgers on Wyoming and Academy. This hamburger spot was recently mentioned in USA Today's 51 Great Burgers list. Currently there are two 5 Star Burger restaurants; one here in Abq and the other in Taos. When looking at the prices, here are some things to remember about this place (they are pretty pricey):

• there beef is All Natural, hormone and antibiotic free Black Angus, ground fresh every day at Five Star
• No Trans Fats, anywhere
• Continually source products from New Mexico
• Recycled and biodegradable paper products
• Drink cups are made from recycled plastic
• Carry out containers are made from 100% recycled paper
• Energy efficient equipment
• Frying oils recycled for bio diesel fuel

Business was pretty good for a Monday afternoon. As I perused the menu, I was also eyeballing other people's burgers (M hates it when I do that, but I think it's a perfectly fine way to figure out what to get). I decided on the green chile cheese burger with Pepper Jack cheese and Green Chile mayo, and M chose the  5 Star Burger with Gorgonzola cheese and Applewood Smoked bacon. They'll cook your burger how you'd like it as well.

The burgers were really really tasty, and juicy! At some places when you order a burger well done it's served so dry. Having this one that was so juicy was a pleasant surprise. One thing that disappointed me were the fries. First they are not included with your burger, and when you're shelling out over $8 for one burger this is pretty disappointing. Second, we ordered some to split and they are not as generous of a portion as the burger and they weren't anything special.

I do like that they have a burger of the month, and if you follow them on twitter you can also find other deals. Today they were offering 10% off meals for APS teachers or maybe that's all the time. Not sure.

I'm posting the menu for you all to check out. What do you think, am I being a cheapskate?