FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Jalapeño Hand Pies

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HEB Primo Picks

When the November HEB Primo Picks box arrived, I was hoping it would include ingredients that I could use for holiday baking.  New-to-me, non-pumpkin ingredients that would serve as holiday recipe inspiration.

Jarred Jalapenos

I was tempted to use the jarred HEB jalapeños to make jalapeño poppers, but instead, challenged myself to be a tad more creative.  And as I was prepping my gramma’s pie dough for Thanksgiving pies, the idea of jalapeño hand pies came about.

Jalapeno Hand Pies

Spicy jalapeños, flavorful pepper jack cheese, smooth cream cheese, and classic cumin filled these pastries.  Jalapeño hand pies were extra popular among the gents at the holiday party I attended over the weekend.

{scroll down for recipe}

Jalapeno Hand Pie Stack

I also prepared a baked brie using the Central Market Cranberry and Orange Chutney that was included in the Primo Picks box that I will post the recipe for tomorrow.

Baked Brie Prep

Real Vacation

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I vacationed, for real.  For the first time since college, I wasn’t day jobbing or night blogging or doing anything but fun having.  It was marvelous.  And necessary.

I kicked off this time off with Fun Fun Fun Fest, which quickly turned into my favorite fest.  A month ago, ACL attracted anyone and everyone looking for a party. FFF Fest was reserved for a different crowd.  It was rock n’ roll.  And I loved it.

Some of my favorites:

Bleached – Dead in Your Head

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The Julie Ruin – Just My Kind

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MGMT – Introspection

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After festing like a boss (a phrase I completely jacked from the FFF Fest app), I followed Ariel back to LA where I had some QT with Runyon Canyon and The Strokes.  I’ve been on a kick for a few weeks now, listening to 15 Minutes, Ask Me Anything, Hard to Explain, and What Ever Happened on repeat, probably in that order.  Total processing tunes.

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There were friendship manicures.

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And costume-clad meals.

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And then it was time to head home and gear up for my first day of work at le new gig. First stop?  Uchi Houston for a managers’ meeting.  I spent the day surrounded by the most inspiring group of people, eating the most amazing meals.  It was an epic first day and I am so extremely excited to be a part of this family and for this adventure to finally begin!

Transition Breakfast

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Poached Eggs and Bacon

Wow, guys!  Yesterday was the last day at my traditional construction job.  And today I get to dabble in the feeling of zero professional obligation.  Though I’m quickly realizing there isn’t a switch – it will take some time to mentally distance myself from projects I’ve been so deeply vested in.  There is a sense of calm that comes with letting go.  Today marks the beginning of transition.

Fresh Plus Austin

And being someone who fully believes in starting things off “right”, the first breakfast of my transition period needed to be perfectly me.  I threw on some cozy sweats, embraced the arrival of Austin chill, and leisurely walked through my neighborhood to grab a cup of coffee and some bacon.

Upon my return, I slowly cooked the bacon over medium-low heat and used Alton Brown’s instructions for poached eggs.  This transition breakfast was delightful.

Perfectly Cooked Bacon

So what’s the plan?  In a little over a week, I will begin my new professional journey as the construction and facilities manager for a local real estate company that owns and operates properties and restaurants (like Uchi!).  This is an opportunity that combines my professional and personal passions and one that I never even thought to dream of, let alone land.

In the meantime, I’ll be decompressing, music festing, traveling, and just plain ol’ doing!

Guest Post: The Be Nice Box

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hey everybody!
my name is diana.
can we be friends?!
i live in minneapolis, ride my bike, talk about harry potter a lot & really love being nice to people!

see, i run a blog called ‘a year of minnesota nice.’ i started it after the boston bombings in april, with a goal to complete one random act of kindness each day, for an entire year.  so far, i have completed almost 120 acts ; its been such a blast! you can see a few of my favorite days here, here, here, here & here.

last month, i left my 13-year career in education, *knowing* i wanted to do something new with my life & time. i had no idea what that was, but i knew i was ready.

since i have started the kindness blog, there have been FOUR other women who have started their own blogs about kindness {so awesome}. you can see them here, here, here & here. i have been SO incredibly inspired by the blogs, emails & tweets that others have been sharing! its been so amazing to watch strangers come together, do good deeds & make the planet better. i kept asking myself ‘how can i use this blog & this platform and turn it into a career i will love?!’

one night, i was out walking my {super naughty} pup & the idea hit me!
and the be nice box was born!

do you want to know more?!
{say yes!!}

what is it? 
the be nice box is a monthly subscription service encouraging YOU to spread your own kindness!
there are 1, 3, 6, & 12-month & gift subscriptions available!

what do i get?
each month, the box will center around a theme & all contents will be a surprise until you open the box.  but, each month you will receive a list of 13-15 fun, awesome & affordable ideas to practice kindness in your area. along with the list, you will also find 5-7 materials, items & handmade products to help you fulfill some of those tasks. and finally, each box will contain a cool, handmade surprise for YOU!

how much does it cost?
a one-month subscription is only $12! 
you can get 3 months for $33 or 6 months for $62.
a 12-month subscription is only $120 {thats like getting two months FOR FREE!}
the best part?
$1 from EACH box sold will be donated to charity.
{each month, the theme & the charity will align. that way, we can make impact, after impact, after impact!}

also, shipping is ALWAYS FREE! there are no hidden fees or marketing tricks!
the price you see is the price you pay!

where can i sign up?
im glad you asked 😉
you can head over here to sign up!
please note : for the first few months, there will be a limited number of boxes available.
if the november boxes sell out, there will be a waiting list for the december box!

how can i stay connected?
lets be friends!
website // twitter // facebook // instagram // pinterest
i love social media & really believe that we can connect with folks we wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to meet!

other things to note : 
the boxes will ship around the 25-28th of october, so they will be on your doorstep by november 1st!
at this time, boxes will only be shipped INSIDE the US {sorry, international friends}

thanks so much for reading!
i really, really believe that if we all come together & take baby steps to be better, the world will absolutely become a better place!

if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email or connect with me on twitter!