Adventures in a New(ish) City: Finding a quality happy hour menu that doesn't break the bank is always a day-maker. Cove inside Haven has a few delightfully scrumptious items on its Happy Hour menu -- and most are only $6. Kim shared a few items with a friend, starting with the Pulled Pork Slider Trio, which she describes as a merger between a Sloppy Joe sandwich and barbecued pork. She also enjoyed the Wild Boar Chili Tater Tots and the best savory/sweet breakfast-for-dinner dish at Haven, the fried chicken and waffles.
LA Times: If you don't have a costume yet, try listening to your stomach...it might tell you what to be this Halloween. The LA Times reports that food costumes are one of the most popular outfits for the holiday. Maybe you can be a slice of pizza or a taco. How about keeping it in season and being a pumpkin? Or you can dress up as a sad Paula Deen and her friend, a stick of butter.
Blue Jean Gourmet: One of my favorite things about the fall season is making warm, comforting dishes, and Blue Jean Gourmet has one that is now on my recipe to-do list: polenta with lamb bolognese. She browns the ground lamb in a cast-iron Dutch oven, then replaces the meat with all of the veggies (carrots, mushrooms, onions), olive oil, garlic, red wine and tomatoes. She returns the lamb to the pot and lets it simmer for a few hours. After everything has cooked, she makes polenta and tops it with the hearty bolognese and Parmesan cheese. Can you say dinner?
CultureMap Houston: Tex-Mex restaurants are EVERYWHERE in Houston. Everyone seems to have his or her personal favorite (or two), but here's a place you should try. In fact, according to CultureMap's post, you may have never heard of Maria Selma. It's an orange-colored restaurant on Richmond Avenue serving dishes made mostly with imported Mexican ingredients. But the best-kept secret (not so much anymore) is the breakfast on the weekends. Marene Gustin recommends the huevos motuleños (ham topped with fried eggs, black beans, jalapeños, onions and tomatoes), as well as the cactus omelets.
The Huffington Post: Just as we all have our own Tex-Mex restaurant preferences, we also have our own apple preferences. Think about it: Ninety-nine percent of the time you choose the same type of apple at the grocery store. So, The Huffington Post explains what your choice in apples says about you. Fan of the Fuji? You're a risk-taker. Enjoy the tart Granny Smith? You live life in the fast lane. What about the classic Red Delicious? You've never given other apples a chance.
The Mija Chronicles: The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is just a few days away, and Lesley Téllez has five classic recipes you can make for the holiday, starting with champurrado -- a thick drink made from masa diluted in water and mixed with chocolate and cinnamon. Change up a typical tamale recipe by filling the masa with pumpkin puree and Mexican chorizo. If you can't celebrate Day of the Dead without a classic dish, Téllez has a traditional pan de muerto recipe as well.
