October Foodie Penpal Reveal Day!

It's finally here!  The day where I get to share what I received from my October Foodie Penpal.  I will also share the blog of the person I sent to so you can read her post about what I sent to her. 

I have posted about Foodie Penpals before and this is my second month participating.  This time around, I received a package from Jo at Seese The Day.  Jo put in a lot of time and effort in sharing some family recipes with me, including apple raisin spice cake "sandwiches."  She said she usually makes this cake in a bundt pan but made little sandwiches for me instead.  Cream cheese frosting was placed in between the two cakes.  They were delicious!  She also made some chocolate kiss pies, which were Hershey Kisses baked in pie dough.  I love pie dough probably more than the average person so these were an awesome treat.  I am hoping Jo shares these recipes with me so I can share with all of you as well.  I unfortunately did not get a very good picture of her goodies since shipping them tossed things around a bit, but I promise they were delicious.  Thanks again Jo! 

Head over to Fork You. No Fork You! to see what I sent to Christina!

If you would like to participate in Foodie Penpals check out The Lean Green Bean.  Here are some details about the program. 

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. 
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. 

Are You Ready For Some Football?!

Now I am not an avid football lover/fan but I have tried to appreciate the game since I have been married.  I am originally from New York, so of course I am a Giants fan.  When I saw that they would be playing the Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium two days before my 30th birthday, I thought it would be a great idea to go to the game.  So thanks to Mr. G, we got two tickets.  A friend from New York was able to get tickets pre-sale so the plan was for our friend and four of his friends, Mr. G and myself, to all meet up in Dallas/Arlington for the big game.  As luck would have it, Hurricane Sandy would put a damper on our friend's plans and they decided not to come afterall, but Mr. G and I only live 3 hours from the stadium so off we went. 

It was a beautiful day in Texas, a cool 67 degrees, perfect football weather.  I was actually a little nervous to be a Giants fan in a sea of Cowboys fans.  As soon as we arrived in Arlington and got close enough to the stadium, I started to see a ton of Giants jerseys and at that point I became really excited.  I heard a lot of smack talking but it was all in good fun. 

 

I had never been to an NFL football game before, but I knew I was in for some excitement.  The Cowboys Stadium is only a few years old so it was very nice and clean.  Fortunately, our seats were not at the VERY top of the stadium, but we did have to walk up quite a few stairs.  Game time was 3:15pm and we got to our seats around 2:45 and I was surprised to see a lot of empty seats.  Once the game started, those seats filled up and Giants and Cowboys fans packed the house.  Mr. G and I sat next to two Giants fans and there were a couple right behind us.  Needless to say, we had some raspy voices at the end of the game.  Not a bad view eh? 

The Giants completely dominated the first half and I knew then and there that we came to a good game.  Things got real close at the very end and we thought we lost to a touchdown, but the Giants won afterall.  I couldn't be happier seeing my New York team win on Texas soil.  I'd like to make it to a game at Giants Stadium some time.  It would be nice to be on their turf and in their stadium.  Hopefully our New York friends can make it down next year because I would love to make this a tradition.  Go see a game everyone!  And thanks to Mr. G for going with me and for an awesome 30th birthday gift! 

Austin City Limits Festival 2012

For those not in the Austin area, ACL Festival is a three day music festival held in Zilker Park.  This year, the headliners were Jack White, The Black Keys, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  There are hundreds of bands that play, including a lot of local bands.  I have only gone one other weekend in 2009 with Mr. G and a few of his cousins and we had a blast. 

This year was a little different since we now have Sophie.  I knew she wouldn't be able to last all three days. It was either really warm or raining, plus my girl loves her naps.  We decided to take her on Friday which was a less eventful day music wise, but we could still catch bits of The Afghan Whigs and Weezer.

So off we went!  We headed down around 2pm Friday afternoon.  The best way to get to the park is to drive to downtown, park, and then take the shuttle over.  The city must use just about every single city bus, coach, and trolley because they know how to transport people.  Luckily, it's only a 10 minute drive over, not sure Sophie could handle sitting on our laps for longer than that.  I knew we would be in for a challenege since we decided not to bring a stroller, but we went about our adventure.

Then you arrive!  It's very busy, tons of people and it made me nervous bringing a 1 year old.  I have nightmares of her just walking off into a sea of thousands.  I did bring a "leash" just in case.  I don't think I would ever use a baby leash in my daily life but you just never know.  However, my 1 year old is free as a bird and loves to run around and go everywhere you don't want her to so she did not favor the leash at all. She cried.  And cried some more.  The second we put it on her, she tried to make a mad dash but was stopped dead in her tracks.  We decided to head over to get some food and then to the kiddie section.  It was very warm that day and the kiddie section was nice and shaded.  They even had a sand area that was completely shaded, with mist fans!  Definitely the coolest spot in the whole park. 

After some time at the kiddie area listening to kid songs, we needed some real rock and roll.  We walked over to see The Afghan Whigs.  I was not familiar with this band, but I could immediately tell it was a band that had been around for a while.  I thought the music was great.  I am partial to bands of the 60's, 70's and 80's so they were right up my alley. 

After a bit of hanging around in the heat with a 1 year old who would not nap, we decided to head home earlier than expected, but we had a good time nonetheless.  Sophie was a trooper that day and I was a super proud mom. 

On Saturday, Mr. G and I headed back down to the festival by ourselves and it decided to rain.  This was not the first time we experienced rain at ACL.  In 2009, it rained all day one of the days we were there and it was a complete mudfest.  This year wasn't as bad, but we did get soaked the second we walked into the park.  We headed to Big Gigantic first, who defintiely had the younger crowd dancing. including Mr. G and myself.  This group is more of a DJ so it was loud dance music, with thousands of people, dancing in the rain. 

Our main reason for going to the festival that day was to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse.  Mike and I have always loved Neil Young and his music will always be a memory of our relationship.  Before Neil came on, we saw The Roots (the picture above).  This group has been around for a while now and they put on a great performance.  A mix between hip hop, R&B, funk and soul.  One thing I love about ACL is the eclectic music choices.  There is everything from country and indie, rock and hip hop, old and new.  The Roots rocked for an hour long set and I was glad I got to experience their talent. 

Neil Young and Crazy Horse (pictured above).  I have never seen Neil play live before so I was excited to finally see him.  I had a chance about two years ago, but unfortunately could not make the show and had to get rid of my tickets.  I am not sure when the last time Neil played with Crazy Horse, but I know it has been a few years.  They are coming out with a new album so they played a lot of new songs during the ACL performance.  There were some classics in there such as Needle and the Damage Done, Hey Hey My My, Powderfinger, and Cinnamon Girl. 

Mr. G and I snuck away half way through the performance to get a bite to eat and to check out Jack White on the other side of the park.  We only caught his last song, but it was a goodie, Seven Nation Army.  I am a huge Jack White fan and of The White Stripes, Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather.  I've seen The Dead Weather twice now, once at ACL 2009 and then again a year later at Stubb's Austin.  I don't often find newer bands that I really like and want all of their music, but The Dead Weather has been one of them.  It ended up being a great evening. 

Sunday ended up being a wash and we decided not to go down to the park.  We had been up late the night before with Sophie so we were beat.  I feel like an old lady these days, I am turning 30 after all.  I kid, I kid, but next year I am only getting a day pass.  Fortunately, Sophie will be free until she is 10!  I can't wait to see who will be playing ACL 2013.  Did anyone else make it this year?  I would love to hear about your experiences! 

Autumn Sweater

One thing I miss about living in Upstate New York is the fall season.  I miss wearing a sweater and boots on cool days, going to a local orchard for apple picking and cider doughnuts, and the leaves changing color.  Even though we do get an occasional cool day here in Austin, the temperatures, for the most part, have been in the 80's.  The season just doesn't feel the same, almost like it is bypassed altogether. 

October is usually my favorite month as it is my birthday month but to me it is the true beginning of fall. 
It is the point when we start to have those crisp, cool mornings.  Halloween is right around the corner so the neighborhood homes start decorating.  Many people are at home on Sundays watching football.  To make it more fall like I will buy anything "pumpkin spice" or "apple pie" scented.  Those candles transform my whole house and make it warm and inviting.  I get into baking mode and have baked two apple pies in the last two weeks.  I promise dad, that I will make a lemon meringue soon.  I immerse myself in browns and reds and oranges, all the colors we associate with fall.  From pumpkins, to flowers, and everything in between.  It all reminds me of home.

One day, I will get back to New York in the fall and bring Sophie with me.  I'd love to show her where her mom and dad grew up and to visit family she hasn't met yet.  I want her to experience jumping in a pile of leaves and biting into an apple that she had to climb a tree to get.  I want to take the long, boring drive down I-88 to Oneonta, where I went to college, so she can see nature's beautiful colors.  And I will teach that girl how to make a pie. 

The Farmer in the Dell

Ahhh the weekend.  I love nothing more than to have a day off from work and have some extra time at home.  I also love visiting the local farmers market on Saturdays.  It was a chilly morning so it was only a brief visit but I got some delicious goodies.

There are plenty of vendors at the Cedar Park Farms to Market.   You can find anything from fresh picked fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood, canned goods, and baked items.  There are both organic and non-organic items, but all local.  Even though I still can't get used to the heat here in Texas, one perk is that the farmers market is open year round. 

My first stop was to Cake and Spoon.   This place has the BEST scones and I almost always stop by to get one to share with Little Miss.  The owner usually brings about 3 varities of scones as well as some homemade tarts.  I decided to try the apple tart since apple pie is one of my favorite sweet treats.  It's great for breakfast!  This one had a wonderful crust, flaky and buttery. 

Then it was off to Sweetish Hill Bakery.  I got a loaf of sourdough to make some yummy homemade paninis, but also scored this awesome loaf of tomato and mozzarella foccacia.  As you can see, I dug right in when I got home.  Great with a bowl of soup! 

My main reason for coming to this farmers market is that not only is it close to home (about 15 minutes away), but it also has The Peached Tortilla, a travelling food truck.  Food trucks have become a popular foodie staple, especially in Austin.  There are plenty of food trucks in this town, but this is one of my favorites.  I always get their Banh Mi taco, which has vietnamese braised pork belly, pickled daikon and carrot salad, siracha mayo, and cilantro.  Does that not sound amazing or what?  Since I had not eaten breakfast yet, I decided to try one of their specials of the day, a chinese chicken BBQ taco.  This taco had chunks of chicken with red cabbage slaw and hoison sauce.  Be sure to click on their link to see their full menu and check them out. 

If you hit up your local farmers market, feel free to share what your favorite finds are.  What did everyone else do this weekend?

Foodie Heaven

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big nerd and love all things food.  My idea of a good time is going to the Whole Foods in downtown Austin or visiting the local food trucks and farmers market.  I am also a lover of blogs.  I happened to stumble across a friend's blog by accident and while reading, I saw a link on the side of her page that was called "Foodie Penpals."  When you click on the link, it takes you to another blog The Lean Green Bean.  Being the nerd that I am, I got so excited by what I read.

Foodie Penpals is exactly that.  You get matched with a person to send a foodie package to and someone different gets matched to send a package to you.  I signed up immediately and anxiously waited to see who I got matched with.  The match list is sent on the 5th of the month.  I couldn't believe how many people were participating and not only in the U.S., but also in Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe.  If you live in the U.S. you get matched with someone in the U.S. 

Not 5 minutes after I received my match, I emailed her right away.  To not get kicked out of the program you have some rules to follow.  You must email your match within 3 days to find out their likes, dislikes, allergies, diet restrictions, etc.  Then you have to mail your package by the 15th of the month and the spending limit is $15. 

I must say that I really enjoyed the process of getting to know the ladies I was matched with.  I sent a package to a woman who also lives in Texas so I decided to get her some Mexican chocolate, tomatillo salsa and some Beanitos chips (much healthier than tortilla chips).  We ended up having a lot in common and she loved everything I had sent.  A woman from New Hampshire sent me a package and I was so excited when it arrived.  She sent me organic cookies, fruit chews, Lara Bars, and the best thing of all:  Coconut Sugar!  I can't wait to try it. 

I plan on signing up again for the month of October.  If you are interested in the program you can click on the link above or on the icon on my blog page.  If you participate, let me know what you think! 

Snack Attack

A little bit of goodness for the afternoon. Chocolate covered pecans. Go get some!