Crockpot French Onion Soup

Onion soup recipes go back to the seventeenth century and would have involved slicing onions thinly, frying them up on butter and them boiling them in water with bread and capers. In the nineteenth century flour, salt and pepper and grated cheese were added as a garnish for french onion soup. Today's french onion soup is juicy carmmelized onions in beef broth with croutons and a broiled gruyere cheese topping. This is one of our favorite recipes and very easy to make.

 Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 medium sweet onions
• 64oz beef broth (low sodium)
• 3 tbls flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tbls worcester sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• French bread
• Gruyere cheese

Preparation:
 Slice up onions thinly and add to crock pot with butter and salt. Cook on high for about 60 minutes (stirring occasionally) till onion are slightly carmelized and brown on the edges. Add the flour and stir in for about 5 minutes. Then add the beef broth, worcester sauce and pepper. Turn the crockpot down to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Before serving slice up some french bread and place a slice of gruyere cheese on top and put under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. Fill bowl with soup and float french bread with cheese on top. Enjoy!

Classic Texas Caviar

With the college bowl games getting ready to fire up i can't think of a better side dish for the tailgating party or friends in front of the big screen. Texas caviar is a spicy dish originating in where else? You got it. Texas caviar is made using black eyed peas, peppers, onion, veggies and spices. Everyone has their own version and i will share mine with you. I like mine spicy! Grab a bowl of chips or some small toast and sit back and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans blacked eyed peas (16oz)
• 2 cans fiesta corn (mexican)
• 1 red onion (diced)
• 8 green onions
• 3 jalapeno peppers
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 4 dashes of tabasco
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 diced plum tomatoes

Preparation:
 Add blacked eyed peas, corn, chopped onions, chopped peppers, and tomatoes to bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over peas. Enjoy!

Ricks Louisiana Shrimp Boil

This is great for weekend get-togethers, camping trips or a good family sit down dinner. This is usually done in a large pot (60 to 80 quarts) with a propane burner. But not to worry any large pot over the stove will be just fine.
So grab a cold beer and lets get started. Feeds 4-6

 Ingredients:

• 3 gallons water
• Salt to taste (around 3 ounces)
• 4 lemons
• Zatarain's seafood boil (1 package)
• 20 small red potatoes
• 12 frozen corn (1/2 ear)
• 2 pounds andouille sausage or any beef sausage (cut in 3/4 inch pieces)
• 3 pounds shrimp, 26-30 count washed with heads on or off

Preparation:
Bring water to a rapid boil and add lemons (quartered), zatariain's seafood boil and if you like it real spicy add a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. Boil for 15 minutes to create a rich seafood stock. Add potatoes and sausage and boil for 10 minutes or until potatoes start to soften. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes. Finally add shrimp to boiling water and turn off burner. Put lid on pot and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.Strain water out of pot and you are ready to go. Grab some seafood dipping sauce and spread out the newspapers. Enjoy!

Holiday Cocktail Ideas

Having your family and friends over for the holidays? Tired of the same ol egg nog, cold beer and wine? Here are a couple of ideas for holiday cocktails to get everyone in the cheerful spirit.

Bailey's Peppermint Cream
Ingredients:

• 1.5oz Bailey's with a hint of mint chocolate
• 4oz Hot chocolate
• Fresh whipped cream
• Peppermint candy cane 

Preparation:

Pour the bailey's and hot chocolate into a coffee mug. Top with a scoop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane on top. Garnish with a mint leaf. Enjoy

Gingerbread Apple Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2oz Domaine de Canton
• 1oz Vanilla vodka
• 2.5oz Apple cider
• A few drops of lemon juice
• Orange zest
• Agave Syrup

Preparation:

Line a chilled martini glass lightly with agave syrup on a dish followed by spiced graham cracker crumbs. Place all ingredients except for orange zest in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into glass. Freshly grate orange zest on drink and serve immediately. Enjoy

Easy southern style chicken and dumplings

When i think of comfort food the first thing that comes to mind is chicken soup, oatmeal or one of my favorites is chicken and dumplings. Growing up my grandmother prepared lunch every sunday with a choice of three meats to choose from and a sides list that would top luby's. But on that weekend when a strong cold front would blow in i knew there was a chance it could be chicken and dumpling day.

Chicken and dumplings is a delicious, inexpensive meal, and a great choice for a family dinner on a fall or winter day. Sure you could spend hours in the kitchen making everything from scratch but i have one that will take no time at all. Linda said this was one of her favorites. I think if you give these a try you will agree.

•  4 green onions
•  4 celery stalks
•  2 carrots cut and diced
•  4 cups of cooked and diced chicken ( rotisserie chicken is the best choice) 
•  1 cup frozen peas
•  8 cups chicken broth
•  4 cups water
•  1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, 1 tsp white pepper
•  3 cans of plain biscuits ( use 24 biscuits )

Dice up the onions, celery and carrots and saute in 2 tbs of olive oil for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken and spices and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken broth, water and peas and bring to a boil. Quarter your biscuits and drop them into the boiling water stirring to keep them from sticking together. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Bowl it up and enjoy!

Bears headed to the alamo bowl

Number 15 baylor has accepted an invitation to play washington in the alamo bowl in san antonio on december 29th. The RG 111 led bears (9-3, 6-3 big 12) finished the season with 5 straight wins. The bear's nine wins are the most since 1986.

If you are planning to go to the game i would suggest booking a room very soon. We have always had great luck using priceline.com and bid on the hotel room with a savings up to 60%. Be sure to choose the riverwalk district in your location search and you will be minutes away from the alamo dome. I personally have never paid more than $100 per night using priceline and staying on the riverwalk at a 4-star hotel or only a couple of blocks away at a 3-star.

 Christmas time is the best for visiting the riverwalk. It is a network of walkways along the banks of the san antonio river that stretch 5 miles through downtown san antonio. The riverwalk is lined with great resturants, shops and bars. Be sure to visit the market square off commerce st for its many maket shops and street vendors. Stop by la margarita for some great food and excellent margaritas. Mi terra cafe at the market would be my choice for breakfast anyday.

 Before the game be sure to visit the esquire tavern, the oldest bar on the riverwalk. The esquire boasts the longest wooden bar top in texas at over 100 ft. After the game stop by howl at the moon piano bar, dirty nelleys, waxy o'conner, mad dogs, coyote ugly or any of the famous riverwalk pubs.

Enjoy your time in san antonio and SIC'EM BEARS!

Rick's famous hot sauce

Slap some of this on your fried eggs, fajitas, veggies or just warm up some warm corn tortillas and drizzle some inside with some butter. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. It will not last that long!

• 1 can 28oz whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 can rotel tomatoes (original)
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 2 good size jalapenos
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Put peppers and cilantro in blender and chop. Pour off juice of whole peeled tomatoes and add to blender. Add rotel, tomato sauce and spices. Blend well. Enjoy!

Lets get started

I decided to start a blog on this great state of ours to share with you all of the great travel destinations and food choices we have to offer. Growing up in texas i have traveled all over the state and seen some exciting places. As with any vacation i have also ate some great food in these locations. Over time we will check out some of these vacation spots and list some of the great recipes i have came across. Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you again soon.