D'Lish Cupcakes

It's no secret I really enjoy gift markets. Granted, most in this area have some of the same vendors that I know and love dearly, but I still like to pop in and take a peek to see if there is anything I just cannot live without.

Plus, I get the chance to love on my friends who are uber creative and have booths at these markets.

There was a Christmas in July market this summer at a nearby church and I discovered 2 gals that are taking cupcakes to a whole 'nutha level.

Mercy me. These cupcakes are the perfect trifecta: look amazing, smell delightful and taste like nothing I had ever tasted.

May I introduce you to D'Lish Cupcakes?

Monica and Jen are the co-owners of D'Lish Cupcakes. They bake these darlin' treats in their own kitchens in Spring, TX.

They offer cupcake catering for all occasions: private parties, birthdays, corporate events, weddings and gifts (I took a box of 4 to a friend as a housewarming gift, SCORE!)

They offer a myriad of unique flavors. Here's a few: coconut cream pie, pumpkin cream cheese, cranberry orange cheesecake, caramel apple, strawberry (with real strawberries pieces, yum!), dulce de leche, pina colada, raspberry lemonade, mint chocolate chip, and their signature d'lish..which is the ultimate chocolate cupcake with turquoise frosting.

What I loved about these gals is they have taken the cupcake and dressed it up by thinking outside the box. Their flavors are uniquely theirs and they have a hint of decoration that is the perfect touch.

Take a peek at the pictures below and see if you can resist. If you can't, email them at d-lishcupcakes@hotmail.com and asked to be added to their email mailing list. They will email you what shows they will be at and also when certain flavors are available.

The Boys of Fall....and the Mom that cooks for them

It's the fall and we live in the South...

Football is here.

I'm a die-hard Aggie, but I have to admit that I secretly love to watch high school football more than college these days.

Maybe it is because they still love the game for what it is, not what it can give back to them. Maybe it is because I love the sense of community that resonates on a Friday night under those lights. Especially is small towns were a few of the cheerleaders come late to the game because their volleyball game ran late and then one of those same girls then leads the band at half time as their drum major.

Small town USA, nothing like it.

This fall our boys are playing tackle football for the very first time. I know some are gasping at the sheer idea of an 8 year old and a 10 year old strapping on pads and going to town.

I know...I. Was. That. Girl.

But here we are, 4 weeks deep and so far, so good.

What I thought to be major hurdles have been small and the boys are hanging tough.

Their momma has never done more laundry in her life. Thank goodness my man saw fit to bless me with a new washer and dryer for Mother's Day last Spring.

But an area that I'm still weeding through is the dinner situation.

A sweet friend of mine walked this road ahead of me and gave great advice regarding the feeding of the boys of fall. Her idea was to feed them dinner right after school, before practice, and then snack 'em after.

With the heat, I haven't been able to try that yet for fear of dinner not being a blessing the 2nd time around, if you know what I mean.

So today I bring you several recipes from my trusty crockpot. She does all the work for me while I sit in my folded chair and watch my boys do up-downs, run inclines and learn how to shoot the gap and trust their blockers.


Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves -- uncooked
15 ounce can black beans
15 ounce can yellow corn
16 ounces salsa
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese -- Kraft Philadelphia Brand preferred

Put frozen chicken breasts in crockpot. Cover them with a can of drained black beans, can of drained corn and jar of salsa. Cook on high 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Place block of cream cheese on top and cook for additional 1/2 hour.

*Serving options: shred chicken and serve over chips, top with guacamole

Peking Pork Chops

6 pork chops about 1" thick
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1-2 cloves garlic-mashed
salt and pepper to taste

Put pork chops in crock pot- mix other stuff together and pour over chops. Cook on low 4-6 hours or until tender. Serve w/ rice, or chinese noodles.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 C ketchup
4 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mix all ingredients (except chicken) in crock-pot. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high 4 hours. Remove chicken and
shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on buns.

**leftovers can be frozen and re-heated for sandwiches, a topping for baked potates or used to make BBQ chicken pizza (put on a pizza crust, top with favorite cheeses, onions, etc.) BBQ chicken burritos also work nicely (put on tortillas, add refried beans, cheeses, etc.)


And finally, I leave you with a great new song by Kenny Chesney. The video has commentary from various coaches and clips from all types of football. Overlook the teensy word spoken right before the song begins. I looked and looked for a version without it...

Chilly Milly's Snow Cones

Summertime is making plans to pack her bags and leave us in 2 weeks.

Dern.

I almost feel like she already has one foot out the door as football practice begins tonight and hence begins my what-to-do-for-dinner-when-dinner-is-at-8pm situation. But that is a post for another day.

Although Cypress is saturated with ice cream shops and wine bars, you do not see many snow cone options.

Chilly Milly's has come to town!

She has a little red trailer at the corner of Grant and N. Eldridge and she boasts of New Orleans Style snow cones. We caught her right at closing time yesterday and will most certainly find ourselves holding onto summer a bit longer by visiting her again in the coming weeks.

Give her a try!

She is open 1 pm- 7 pm Tuesday - Saturday and 12pm - 5 pm on Sundays.

Chilly Milly's Snow Cones
13750 N. Eldridge
Cypress, TX 77429

Happy Birthday Whataburger!

If you know me well, you know my youngest loves him some ketchup. We were thrilled to find a shirt on a recent vacation that summed him up...it says "I put ketchup on my ketchup".

True dat

And there is no better ketchup in all the land that rivals the ketchup at Whataburger. I am talking taste and the cute little tubs. You know the ones that you just rip the top off and have instant dipping potential instead of having to open endless packets to yield 1 measly teaspoon of ketchup.

Tell me I am not alone here.

So, anyhoo....today from 5-8pm, if you show up at any Whataburger wearing orange, you will be greatly rewarded with a whataburger in celebration of their 60th birthday.

And do not forget to stash some of that yummy ketchup in your purse for late.

Not saying I have ever done that...

Finally, a good reason for my oldest to wear that hideous burnt orange shirt he loves so dearly. Yes, he still loves the Horns.

Help us..

'Keep EJ's Open' Month

Restaurants are a dime a dozen in the Cypress area, some better than others.

But it means a lot when you have one close to home that can be called upon to feed the family in a pinch or when Mama just ain't feelin' it...if you know what I mean.

EJ's Neighborhood Pizzeria needs your help. See the letter below from Eric, the owner. BTW- their Tomato Vinaigrette is to DIE for.

Dear Loyal EJ’s Customers,

I have reached out over the past few months asking for your help to keep our doors open. The response has been great and I want to share a sincere thank you!

Over the past month, we have seen a few restaurants and businesses close their doors here in the Cypress area. Please help us continue to thrive so we do not become another victim of this economy.

As we continue to move forward, I am officially declaring August as “Keep EJ’s Open Month”. Although we are doing better, August has historically been one of our worst months. I am personally asking you to help us keep our doors open through continued visits and inviting those who may have not been to EJ’s before, to give us a try.

Here are some other ways that you may not be aware of that can continue to help us thrive:

Host a birthday or team party here. We have a great deal of $5 per person that gets you pizza and drinks for everyone!

Let us cater your party. If you are hosting a party at home or at work, we can provide you with pick-up or drop-off catering orders.

Are you a part of an organization who’s looking to raise money? EJ’s has hosted numerous successful fundraisers in the past! We will donate 15% of our sales back to your organization.

Need to entertain a group of kids? We offer kitchen tours and make your own pizza parties. We host kids groups of 10-15 where they get to take a tour of the kitchen and then make their own pizza. We’ve been doing this for years and is one of our best kept secrets (not purposely though).

Be an EJ’s advocate! Please feel free to forward our email offers to your friends and encourage them to sign up for our email club. You can also join us on Facebook and share you great experiences with you friends.

I know that I have continually asked you for your support and you have stepped up. Now it’s my turn. I vow to you that EJ’s will continue to improve. I am already working on several new menu items. I also plan to refresh the restaurant and retrain my employees to provide better customer service. These are just a few of the commitments I am personally making to you, our loyal EJ’s customers.

Once again, I sincerely appreciate all of the time and support you have given to EJ’s. I look forward to being a part of this community for many years to come!

Eric Lippmann

Houston Restaurant Week 2010

Are you a foodie?

Get ready to be dazzled.

It's time for Houston Restaurant Week 2010.

From August 1st-21st, you have a chance to dine out to help fight hunger in Houston. The opportunity to enjoy a three course gourmet meal for $35 per person (not including beverages, tax or gratuity) awaits you. Participating restaurants will donate $5 from each special meal sold to the Houston Food Bank. This is a wonderful opportunity for diners to try new restaurants or re-visit old favorites while helping to fight hunger in Houston.

And new this year....a LUNCH option! 2 courses for $20 and $3 will be donated to the Houston Food Bank.

Below is a sneak peek of some of the restaurants that are participating....and you can go here to view menu choices.


III Forks
51 Fifteen
Americas Post Oak "The Original"
Amerigo's Grille
Azuma Sushi and Robata Bar
Backstreet Café
benjy's in The Village
benjy's on Washington
Bistro Catron
Bistro Don Camillo
Branch Water Tavern
Brasserie Max & Julie
Brennan's of Houston
Brenner's on the Bayou
Brenner's Steakhouse
Cadillac Bar Houston
Café Moustache
The Capital Grille
Carmelo's Ristorante Italiano
Cavatore Italian Restaurant
Ciao Bello
Cielo Mexican Bistro
Crapitto's Cucina Italiana
Crave Sushi Boutique
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
Downtown Aquarium
Eddie V's Prime Seafood
Feast
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Frank's Chop House
Gigi's Asian Bistro & Dumpling Bar
Gravitas
Grotto
The Grove
Haven, A Seasonal Kitchen
House of Blues Foundation Room
Hugo's
La Griglia
Le Mistral
Mark's American Cuisine
Masraff's
Max's Wine Dive
McCormick & Schmick's
The Melting Pot - Westheimer
Michelangelo's
Mockingbird Bistro
Monarch Restaurant and Lounge
Morton's The Steakhouse
Mo's…A Place for Steaks
Noe @ The Omni Houston Galleria Hotel
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
Ocean's
Olivette at The Houstonian
Ouisie's Table
Palm Restaurant
Pappas Bros. Steak House
Pappas Grill
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
Pesce
Polo's Signature
Post Oak Grill
Prego Restaurant
Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Houston
Rainbow Lodge
Ruggles Grill
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Sambuca Restaurant
Smith & Wollensky
Soma Sushi
The St. Regis Houston - Remington Restaurant
Strata Restaurant & Bar
Sullivan's Steakhouse
Tony's
Truluck's
Valentino Vin Bar
Vic & Anthony's
Willie G's Seafood & Steaks

Shoplifting Birthday Party Ideas

I'm a rule-follower to the core, so I can safely tell you that I don't lie, cheat or steal...or tolerate those that do (and all the Aggies said, Whoop!).

So when I say I'm shoplifting birthday party ideas, I mean that I'm linking to another fabulous site and giving her all the credit.

We do share a name, after all.

Happy Birthday Planning!