When I was about five I was allowed to walk with my friend, the same age, to the 7-Eleven that was practically across the street from our apartments.  We usually got a quarter each to go on Saturdays and they used to have prizes hidden under the bottom of the cup.  The world-wide chain store actually began in Dallas in 1927.  I had no idea they started as an ice house and that their first name had been “Tote’m” because customers would “tote” away their purchases.  Apparently many stores even had genuine Alaskan totem poles in front.  I always knew they got their name from their operating hours which were seven days a week, but that was not until 1946.  Ironically in 1963 they began staying open around the clock.  My beloved childhood cherry Slurpee was originally called an “Icee” when it was introduced in 1965.  Today marks the official birthday of 7-Eleven, the world’s largest convenience store chain.  Each year, on 7/11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. you can walk into your local store and score a free Slurpee to commemorate it.  I remember this was the first sugary drink I ever let my daughter have.  Today we both chose a mixture of “birthday cake” and cherry to try and beat the Texas heat.  I’m glad one thing from my childhood hasn’t changed.  American singer Indina Menzel (ironically of “Frozen” fame) said:

“You get to relive your childhood when you have a baby and you see these toys and these books you read when you were little – the innocence that you are able to maintain because you have to find that again in order to connect with your child keeps you in a special state of mind.”

As my little one and I felt the hot air rising off the pavement I was so glad I got to share this with her.  We sat together in agreeable silence punctuated only by the occasional sounds of slurps.  Dirty bare feet and sweaty red faces are still a part of mid-summer in Dallas.  “Oh thank heaven” for 7-Eleven making more happy childhood memories … with cherry flavor on the top.

When we first bought our house we had to buy a washing machine, dryer, and refrigerator since the previous owners took theirs with them.  The microwave, stove and dishwasher were all the same brand so that is what we chose to stick with.  I am discovering things just don’t last like they did when I was kid.  We had ONE vacuum and ONE refrigerator essentially my entire childhood.  Now, as machinery and technology are becoming more sophisticated, I suppose there is more to break down.  We were fixing our fridge to the point of it no longer being cost effective and I was fortunate enough to wander into a showroom where they were having an obscene (and legit) appliance sale.  I took measurements, researched and finally allowed myself to admit I just loved the dark blue lights, the extra inside space, and the little ice cubes it made so perfectly.  As a kid my job was having to pour the ice in the tray.  For some inexplicable reason I DETESTED doing it and now I have an affinity for small ice as a consequence.  I expected my husband to be thrilled.  What I had not anticipated was the look of stunned disbelief my little one had as she threw open the French doors and simply stared up transfixed, mesmerized by all the LED lights illuminating our new refrigerator like something out of Las Vegas.  “Mama, it’s like we have TWO refrigerators!” she said as she kept her huge eyes trained unwavering inside the doors.  In the bottom freezer part I gave her the top drawer for all her gluten free food, I took the middle drawer and gave Daddy the big, deep drawer at the bottom.  I found myself showing off its features like it was the “The Price Is Right”, accompanied by echoing “ooohs” from my little family.  “And look!  There’s a spare ice tray!” I found myself exclaiming.  That will come in handy for our next party, which reminded me of some party we held at our house once and, as parties often seem to do, a lot of people were congregated in the kitchen.  More aptly, they were congregated around the man tending bar in the kitchen.  A woman we knew brought a guest and her boyfriend proceeded to crack on our fridge, carrying on about how tacky the magnets were.  He was a guest in our home, freely availing himself of our alcohol and heavy hors d’oeuvres, and insulting the hostess.  The ironic thing is, I grew up with Mama having magnets on her fridge and I promised myself when I moved out I was going to have a clean refrigerator devoid of any kitsch.  And then when I got my first apartment Mama got me one little magnet with baby wolves as a housewarming present.  I had my first wolf hybrid cub and it was one of the sweetest gifts she had ever given me.  From then on I was attached.  Those magnets tell the story of my life:  with past pets, a childhood picture, my folks kissing on a train, and a token of all of our travels since we have gotten married.  When I first got our new fridge it was so sleek and shiny.  I found myself polishing it every two seconds because of the blasted fingerprints.  Then I discovered it had to have its own cloth.  I felt like I had just purchased a new pair of designer sunglasses only it required a lot more work.  And then I realized I did not want to be a slave to an appliance; I wanted it to bring me pleasure.  So my little one and my husband helped me put our familiar magnets up much like decorating a Christmas tree.  American television producer Charlie Ebersol said this:  “As long as you’re centering back to home base, and that’s the strongest magnet in your life, that everything else is okay.”  Jesus Christ, my family, and my home are my magnet; I will not worry what others may think and I know that everything else will be OK.

I first discovered this when we were visiting in Santa Fe.  Now we eat it for breakfast all the time.  You simply heat olive oil in a pan, add some chopped onion, crack some eggs, and crumble some tortilla chips with them.  I love blue corn.  It is done in minutes!  You can add salsa, sour cream, guacamole, beans, cheese, or simply some salt.  Our whole family adores them.  Traditionally, corn tortillas are cut in quarters and lightly fried.  And they are often confused with Tex-Mex migas, a very similar dish involving eggs and corn tortillas.  Tex-Mex and New Mexico cuisine is similar and yet different — the common denominator of course being Mexico.  Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.  But I can tell you this; it simply cannot be beat!  It is healthy, easy, and quick.  I’m not sure how this picture looks, (and I know now why they have “food stylists”) but I just snapped our regular, morning breakfast.  It is healthy, delicious, and so simple it does not even qualify as cooking.  At our house it is a staple.  My little one and I live on them and my husband enjoys them as well.  American economist, academic, and writer Tyler Cowen said, “In most of the world, breakfast is an important meal.”  I agree, as everyone goes their separate ways for lunch and, if we’re lucky, we all come together for dinner.  The one thing we can count on, however, is breakfast together.  I love starting the day off right — gathered as a family and enjoying a good meal; no matter what you call it.

I was out a total of 14 hours working.  I love to cook for my little family but frankly that is not always possible.  I have at least discovered a place that makes something fresh to zap as opposed to a frozen dinner riddled with sodium, etc.  They have been lifesavers — organic, gluten free and low calorie.  I came across this and had never heard of it before.  But scanning the ingredients it had everything I love and I thought it was an interesting combination.  Thanks to Google I know shakshouka is a dish of poached eggs in tomato sauce with chili peppers, onion, and cumin.  Mine also had chickpeas which I adore and have never thought to put together with eggs.  It was delicious!  Apparently it is believed to have a Jewish, Tunisian, and Libyan origin.  I always love discovering something new and, at 45, this was both a surprise and delight.  The word itself means “a mixture” in Arabic and likely came from the Berber word meaning a vegetable ragout.  It may have also come from an old Phoenician, Canaanite language of the Semitic family meaning “to shake”.  This dish dates back to ancient antiquity and I had never even heard of it!  And it will be so simple to make!  I feel like an archaeologist who has just unearthed living treasure.  Life is full of wonder and new joys waiting to be found.  This was such a simple thing but it brought me happiness.  The American writer Will Durant once said, “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.”  I love learning.  And I love that I still have so much to discover.

I suppose you’re wondering why this title got placed under the food category … and/or why you’re staring at a picture of a grilled cheese sandwich.  To digress, growing up “Little House on the Prairie” was my favorite television show in the world, and remains in my top five even today.  In one particular episode Pa works for this woman who pays him in her old fine china.  I related to that a lot because once my daddy painted for a prominent jeweler and when he went for his money the man would only pay him with jewelry.  That is incredibly devastating when you know your father is worried sick about making the rent.  But you know what?  I remember him taking both my mother and me in that jewelry store and the owner treated us like royalty.  Mama picked out a gold necklace shaped like a rose in bloom that had diamonds in the center.  It was understated and elegant, just like she was.  And I got my first gold cross with a pink stone in it (one of October’s birthstones) that I wore proudly to church and on special occasions until I replaced it with the white gold and sapphire one I got working at Lord & Taylor when I was in college.  I still wear it to this day.  I keep searching for my childhood one, as Maris’ birthstone is also October and her favorite color is pink.  My mother wore that rose necklace for more than thirty years.  She never took it off unless it was briefly to have it cleaned.  I removed it from her neck with trembling hands the day she died.  We would never have been able to have something so impractical as that fine jewelry if the jeweler had not had any other way to pay Daddy.  In that episode of “Little House on the Prairie” Pa worked overtime to give Ma something IMpractical.  Their lives were so hard and they did not have occasion for much frippery.  What stuck with me was she declared they were going to eat on their fine china every night from then on.  Her family was shocked.  But she was right; she said every night with her family was special and worth celebrating.  Which brings me to this grilled cheese sandwich.  A panini grill was given to us as a wedding present over nine years ago which I felt was impractical.  After all, we had an oven with a broiler and a toaster.  It came from a high end shop and I confess I’d always intended to return it.  For some reason I never got around to it and it has lived perfectly preserved in its box deep in a drawer in our kitchen this whole time.  Digging for something else, I realized it was sucking up a lot of space.  Knowing it was way too old to take back, I removed our toaster and placed this grill out instead.  It made the perfect grilled cheese sandwich with absolutely NO effort.  None.  I didn’t have to watch it, flip it, or burn my fingers.  And it was instant.  WHY had I waited so long to enjoy this?  I suppose because I felt it unnecessary and therefore not practical.  I was a heroine at lunch as my little family gobbled down Trader Joe’s whole wheat gluten free bread with sharp cheddar cheese.  My little one said I was the greatest.  And for one glorious moment I felt like the character Ma:  adored, cherished, and superlative.  American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder said, “Time is long but life is short.”  How much time did I spend not using that panini grill?  I resolve to use it and enjoy it as often as possible.  More importantly — I intend to remember the lesson it taught me.

I love brunch.  Primarily I eat the “br” part of it as opposed to the “unch”; I suppose just because I enjoy a good breakfast.  My husband really got me started on wanting big breakfasts when we began traveling.  Then we’d eat a very light lunch and a little more at dinner.  I have also noticed it is the only time in which it is really acceptable to have an alcoholic drink early in the day.  Pictured here is simply a healthy smoothy — mango, pineapple and orange juice.  I don’t really love fruit so I find smoothies are a good way to sneak them in.  Of course seated across from said smoothy is my very handsome husband.  And you can just see the bow of our little one next to him.  The restaurant we were in recently opened a second location close to our house.  When I was in college I used to deliver food for them at their first location.  How’s that for full circle?  The company I worked for was called Entrees on Trays and I was the only girl driver.  I loved meeting the working people of that job and found the kitchens fascinating.  Delivering to some of the people was not the most pleasant but that was a learning experience as well.  If you live in a two million dollar plus home and your delivery driver does a good job I think you should tip more than $2 … particularly given you saved the mandatory 20% gratuity by getting it to go.  But I digress.  Sunday brunch is still a treat:  whether on vacation, for a special occasion, on a holiday or just for no reason at all.  I am reminded of American nutritionist Adelle Davis’ words, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”  Sometimes that is not always possible and I think dinner is very important as well, but I like the sentiment.  Wherever you are reading this and whatever it is you enjoy eating I wish you a happy, leisurely time spent with family and friends.

I believe mushrooms are one of my absolute favorite foods.  I have loved them for years but I think I have loved them even more after becoming a vegetarian.  Also known as toadstools, they are fleshy growths of fungus that are used in foods throughout the world.  “Meaty”, hardy and versatile, I have cooked white mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and of course portobello mushrooms.  I always have truffle oil in the house and I once told my husband at a wedding that truffles made ANYthing heavenly.  (He almost refused the macaroni and cheese because of his distrust.  After begging him to just take a taste he devoured three huge helpings.  All I could do was pray no one noticed and smirk, “I TOLD you!”)  I have consumed other different types like chanterelle, morel, and oyster mushrooms in restaurants in everything from soups to (vegetarian) “hamburgers”.  They say there are thousands of different types of mushrooms and only a small percentage of them are poisonous.  But I have always been too afraid to forage for mushrooms in the wild.  Despite the wonders of Google, I still wouldn’t trust getting the difference right between edible and poisonous.  While researching this subject I learned that mycology is the branch of biology dealing with fungi.  A mycologist has studied their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy, and use to humans as well as their dangers.  I found it fascinating that fungi are evolutionarily more closely related to animals than plants!  This was not recognized until only a few decades ago according to what I’ve read.  Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as symbionts.  Many fungi are able to break down pollutants and, by decomposing these molecules, fungi play a critical role in the global carbon cycle.  I certainly had no idea.  American mycologist Paul Stamets said, “Fungi are the grand recyclers of the planet and the vanguard species in habitat restoration.”  So now I have even more reasons to be wild about mushrooms … as long as someone can reassure me I’m eating the right ones.

Our daughter’s school had their annual fundraiser and this year it was a Mexican theme.  I attempted to ride the mechanical bull but there was only five inches of frayed rope with which to hang on.  I have heard it said a poor workman blames his tools but dang it was not even in a loop!  So I didn’t make my eight seconds and here I am with a shot of the piñata instead.  I adore mariachis and they had three men singing and playing the violin, guitar and bass.  The violinist also played a shaker which was a nice touch.  Growing up in Dallas I guess I have not realized how intertwined the Mexican culture has become with Texas.  There is Tex-Mex food (my very favorite), which does not taste right anywhere else, and Mexican music — both traditional and Tejano.  I love tamales on Christmas Eve and we had a huge band of mariachis at our engagement party.  I prefer Mexican beer (Tecate) and I also developed a fondness for a tequila called “Cava de Oro” in Mexico; the cave of gold indeed.  I cannot imagine life without guacamole or corn tortillas.  Or jalapeños!  I eat them with anything.  And I much prefer limes to lemons … they go in everything from the guacamole to the beer.  And salsa!  Salsa is my ketchup; my daughter’s, too.  It’s funny how I’ve also realized Spanglish has crept into my vocabulary although I only speak French fluently other than English.  Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said, “Mexico is a mosaic of different realities and beauties.”  I would argue Texas is the same.  Poochas gracias gatos for reading my thoughts.  Now I think I’m fixin’ to make myself some nachos.  Y’all take care now, ya hear?

HOW I have managed to live this long, and in Texas, and not know about this “hot sauce” is beyond me.  I guess I’ve habitually gone for Tabasco but I must confess this is infinitely better!  My little one loved it so much she LICKED HER PLATE and it coated the bottom of her ringlets.  We don’t really get why they call it hot; we simply find it savory.  I used an entire bottle on my spinach omelette and the waitress slipped me a new one, pictured here, to take home!  I seriously cannot get enough of it!  I have put it on practically everything and am considering carrying a purse to restaurants just so I will have some with me.  Apparently they’ve got five different kinds … and I am on a quest to find and try them all.  Our little one kept saying, “It’s not hot Mama; it’s good!” as I nodded in agreement through flavorful mouthfuls.  Personally I’m with American actress Cheryl Hines who said, “I love hot sauce.  It can’t be hot enough for me.”  However my husband does not have the cast iron constitution my daughter and I do so I hope he might enjoy this as well and try it.  I’m going to put it in guacamole the next time I make it.  Interestingly I discovered it is named after the Cholula Puebla which claims to be the oldest still-inhabited city of Mexico.  It was produced for three generations in Chapala, Mexico and was introduced to Texas in 1989.  So now I know how long I’ve been missing out!

I love to cook.  But I have guilt that I don’t/can’t/won’t cook every night.  I do try to cook as often as I am able.  The Easter Bunny found a cute chef’s apron at the Dollar Store and it was pink, my little one’s favorite color.  Who knew that would turn out to be her favorite goodie in her basket?  Not the pink clay or pink bows, the pink lip balm or pink Hello Kitty soap.  And I could not be more thrilled!  Now she runs and gets her apron which hangs in our pantry every time we cook.  She also gets her step stool because she’s still too little to reach the sink.  She really is a sous chef!  (Pun intended.)  I love teaching her and she seems to love learning.  There is a satisfaction that comes with creating a meal for loved ones and then sitting down properly to eat it.  She is so proud she has helped and will tell Daddy about her contributions.  I realize she is doing more little by little.  It is bittersweet to see her grow.  But I also realize that is what she is supposed to do, and I am supposed to help her do it.

‎”This is my advice to people:  Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun.” ~ Chef Julia Child

I shall endeavor to cook more, try more new things, learn from my flops, be brave, and above all have fun … all with my girl.