Mazzaro's Italian Market Adventure

I was told this market in St. Petersburg, FL called Mazzaro's was an "experience" by a friend from work. It was!!! They have cut painted little Italian cars and murals outside that set the Italian ambiance. They have a cheese room, handmade pasta, a bakery and a deli. The market closes at two-thirty p.m. on Saturdays and the place was packed when we got there around one. I pretty much did a speed shopping tour of the place! It went down like this anything that looked interesting jumped into the cart...picture the 80's game show "supermarket sweep". 

Things that I came home with:

- Two tiny slivers of "imported" cheese

- A salami 

- mint chocolate candy called mint lentils 

- spices 

- lemon and chili infused olive oil

- truffle oil (like I know how or what to cook with truffle oil???)

- colorful bow tie pasta (which I later find out the the black stripes get their pigment from SQUID INK!?!?!?)

- fresh biscotti 

- the best grilled caprese sandwich with the freshest mozzarella on the PLANET! Which we ate in the car because the Patio was full and the store was closing but it was still the BEST!

- And a macaron kit  

http://www.mazzarosmarket.com/

Chicken and Waffles

It is always a treat to go get BBQ at Four Rivers Smoke House in Winter Garden, FL!!! I LOVE it there! Patrick and I usually split the brisket sliders and get four sides to share. My tummy is usually so full that I never have any room for dessert but I always look over every single dessert in the case! They just look so pretty and delicious in there - All of them! Another reason we usually skip dessert is that one of our sides is usually bananas foster bread pudding which I am sure was sent by an angel from Heaven to Earth!

Today however this "Chicken n Waffle" cupcake caught my and eye and I said, "What???" - like the little minions in the dispicable me movie! I had to get to go in a pretty little cupcake box of course. It was like I had my own special little treat. I didn't try it until the next day but I will say it was ummm... different...not bad but not the bread pudding. The icing was yummy! but...it was basically a cupcake with chicken breading bits in it...and a waffle cone garnish...  

https://4rsmokehouse.com/sweet-shop/

The Chicken N' Waffle Cupcake

This butter cake and waffle batter cupcake is blended with fried chicken crisps, drizzled with a bourbon maple glaze, frosted with a maple buttercream, and topped with a waffle cone piece!

In other Chicken n Waffle news...
THESE ARE WINNERS
https://www.facebook.com/melissaswaffletruck
and
The new Chicken n Waffle Sub from Publix!

Texas Swimming Holes

Recently we went on more of an impromptu vacation. We were traveling to Texas because my Aunt had passed away and my family was having a memorial service for her. She was one of my favorite aunts! She was a mother to everyone and very intuitive! I had not seen her or my other Texas family since 1999, and my mother seemed to be taking it pretty hard. She has said that my aunt had always been like a second mother to her. It was for these reasons that we decided to go to Texas. Patrick and I had first planned to drive and someone covered a shift for me at work that week for which I am very grateful!

Patrick had told me that he had never been to Texas and asking me what it was like and how long of a drive it was. I explained to him that my family lived in a VERY small town and there really wasn't much to see there except a bay on the gulf and that the water there was not quite like the water on Florida's gulf coast, but rather filled with jellyfish and oyster beds (think OUCH cut foot!). We decided to fly! I told him that I had visited San Antonio when I was in high school and that the river walk was nice and there was lots to do there. He looked on the map a determined that it's wasn't a far drive to get where we needed to go from San Antonio. I bought plane tickets, he took care of the rental car and we split the hotel cost as well. It was definitely an adventure between my family and our "rental car" and the "swimming holes" in Texas hill country. Patrick and I a had lot of fun exploring and then on our second to last day in Texas  I both cried my eyes out and laughed with cousins that I have not seen or had much communication with in close to ten years. We spent that last night at the same hotel and my mom, sister, nephew, and niece. I so much enjoyed talking and laughing with my niece and nephew at the local Dairy Queen restaurant!

San Antonio River Walk "Selfie" Cheese!

Prickly Pear Margarita at Boudro's Texas Bistro. Sweet with spicy chili powder on the rim and the "Best Damn Margarita!" that I have ever had!