Val's Birthday Weekend

As per usual, we have been busy.  But new jobs and music gigs are never a bad thing, even when it pains us that our food blog has gotten a bit dusty. (Sorry, food blog).

I am officially 28 years of age. Yup, I'm getting up there. Interestingly enough, I was born on Labor Day, so I got to spend the long weekend swept up in a whirlwind of one celebratory event after another. 

Best yet, I started the weekend off with terrific news: the federal agency I've been working at since the summer hired me permanently! That of course means that I'll be employed there as an attorney as soon as I graduate in May and pass the Bar *knock on wood* 

Considering the state of our economy and the legal market, I am certainly counting my blessings.  I enrolled in law school in order to help those in need, and this is nothing short of a dream job for me. A 40-hour work week, public service, great benefits, a laid-back work environment and a cushy starting salary is all I've ever dreamed of and more in a career. I no longer have to worry about job-hunting during the school year, paying back the mountain of student loans I've accumulated, or financing my upcoming wedding.  

It's amazing that Mani and I both managed to land government gigs in our hometown. Most state and federal agencies are headquartered in either Dallas or Austin, so we worried about having to relocate and be separated from our families. Our parents are thrilled of course :)

BestBirthdayGift.com

-China Bear-

Okay, everyone has guilty pleasures. Some people watch Jersey Shore, others listen to Creed--we like Chinese buffets. Seriously, where else can you get a plate of french fries and frozen yogurt? So for my birthday bonanza we decided to take our families to China Bear.  Growing up I remember it being one of the largest Chinese buffets in town. But upon revisiting this once magnificent restaurant, I was reminded that things aren't always as you remember them as a kid. We left the place with a bad case of food regret.   I venture to say that past the age of 10, one should never eat a plate on which french fries and frozen yogurt coexist. It was great to see our families nonetheless :) We'll find a tastier buffet at which to fulfill our every artery-clogging desire soon enough. Oh, and do see Machete. We did, and you won't be disappointed.

Why?

-Making Lasagna For Jill's Potluck-

Our dear friend Jill was in town from New York during my birthday weekend. As part of the festivities, she threw a potluck/surprise birthday get-together for me. We decided to make one of our best dishes--the Awesomesauce Lasagna. Truth be told, we lifted this recipe from Mani's dad. Legend has it that he and Mani's uncle spent over a year perfecting the recipe while in Italy. We can neither confirm nor deny. All we know is that this lasagna kicks absolute ass! After mulling it over for a good while, we've decided to share this recipe with the rest of the world. So with an open heart and empty stomach, we present to you the Awesomesauce Lasagna:

Ingredients:

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 large can of petite diced tomatoes

1 small can of tomato paste

2 cups of heated half and half

1 tablespoons of flour

1 pound of lean ground beef

3 tablespoons of unsweetened butter

1 zucchini 

1 squash

1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms

 1 box of lasagna pasta

4-6 cups of grated oaxaca cheese

1 pinch of fresh oregano

7-10 basil leaves

1 pinch of thyme  

Directions:

In a mid-sized pot sweat the chopped onions and garlic until lightly brown. Add ground beef and season with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Once the meat is fully cooked add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Make sure all of the water is fully drained from the can before adding the tomatoes. Add chopped zucchini, squash, and mushrooms. Cover the top of the pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, keep covered, and let it simmer for at least one hour. Right before you are ready to take it off the heat, add finely chopped fresh herbs and a splash of red wine. 

In a separate small sauce pan, start the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter, add flour and slowly stir in the half-and-half. Stir until it is thick and there aren't any clumps of flour. At that point take it off heat. 

Begin layering lasagna in a baking tray in following order: (1) pasta, (2) meaty red sauce, (3) white sauce, (4) cheese. Layer all the way to the top of the tray and top with a liberal serving of cheese. Place tray in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until nice and brown on top (see below). 

Notes: 

Mani's dad uses oaxaca cheese instead of mozzarella. Oaxaca has a bit more flavor although it is very similar to it's Italian cousin. You can use either.  

When applying the sauces in between layers make sure to have a very light hand. Otherwise it'll come out soupy at the bottom of the tray. 

Make sure to add lean ground beef. You don't want oily fat rising to the top of your red sauce.  Not tasty.

-Jill's Potluck-

L-R: Mani, Jill, Raven, Annie

Caprese skewers.

Dave & Crystal. Bump it.

Annie's baked mussels. A real crowd-pleaser.

Crab Salad. Yum.

Jamey's pulled pork sandwiches with Budweiser BBQ sauce. Yes, you read that right. He cooked that swine for 13 hours, and we were all in hog heaven.

Our lasagna. There wasn't a morsel left by the night's end.

A surprise cake for Val!

-Mo's BBQ with Our Nieces-
Our original plan to hit up Jasper's in the Woodlands fell through, so we opted for Mo's BBQ,  another childhood favorite of mine. Unlike China Bear, Mo's did not disappoint. Of course, nothing lives up to the Salt Lick in our eyes. But that spicy sausage and tender, smokey ribs certainly hold their own. The prices are reasonable too. A half-rack plate is $11. And a two-meat plate with ribs is just under $16.

Afterwards, we took our nieces shopping. Mani was a good sport through it all. Hanna and Leah were in and out of dressing rooms the entire day, and he patiently offered his best fashion advice to the tiny tweens.

Hanna and Leah probably bit off more than they could chew. *ba-dum-pish*

Yeah. We ate our weight in food that weekend. This is us deciding which detox plan to enroll in over the next few weeks.