yum. el encanto.

I am such a sucker for Mexican Food, I love love love it. When the theoretical question is asked “What would you want for your last meal?” most people I know respond with steak and potatoes—not this girl.  Give me a plate full of stuffed burritos, fish tacos, Mexican rice, refried beans, chips, and salsa and top it all off with a delicious margarita—salt of course.  Luckily for me I grew up in Phoenix—the “unofficial” best place to get Mexican food north of the Border. When the mood strikes you for some delicious, Old-World Mission-style cuisine head north of the Valley to Cave Creek and stop in at El Encanto. This place boasts authentic handmade Mexican Cuisine made daily with fresh ingredients.  No you won’t find enchiladas that have been sitting under a heat lamp for hours waiting for you to order it, you won’t find questionable “meats” here; but what you will find is some of the most delicious fish tacos (my favorite!), Pollo Fundido which is a deep fried chicken burrito with fundido sauce smothered on top.  What is fundido you ask—well it is creamy, cheesey, jalapeñoy melt in your mouth delectableness.  If you just can’t decide what to get, order the fajitas, they are brought to the table still sizzling and they are so tasty.   Last but certainly not least- order a margarita “Cadillac” style (floater of Grand Marnier).  I am a self-proclaimed margarita snob—my Dad, hands down, makes the BEST margaritas.  El Encanto shocked me when I ordered my first and then a second margarita, a rare occurrence for me.  Most Mexican restaurants disappoint me with their margaritas and I end up drinking a Mexican Beer, not here.  Whether you like them frozen, on the rocks, salt, or no salt, just order one, they are delish! I haven’t even gotten to the ambiance of the place yet- outdoor seating around a pond- or sit inside and admire the pond through the floor to ceiling windows!  It’s a great spot for a date, a “ladies night out”, or a family dinner.  They cater to it all! Below is a link to their website. nom. nom. nom.

Accolades:

Phoenix's Best
Phoenix Magazine

Best Margarita
New Times 2001

Most Romantic
Good Morning Arizona

Best MexicanReader's Choice
North Valley Magazine 2006

 

"Like a trip to Mexico
without the long drive"
Where to Eat from Chic to Unique, 2007

Top 12 Outdoor Eateries
Desert Living Magazine, 2004

Perfect Spot to Pop the Question
GoCityKids.com 2007

http://www.elencantorestaurant.com/index.htm

be nice.

I was perusing through one of my daily read blogs—320* Sycamore--and came across this little gem.  I like the saying--I think I’m going to make myself one of these…who knows I may even make my mom and sisters one too! This is a super easy and cheap little addition to anyone’s house.  You can customize it to fit your décor.  Who doesn’t need a daily reminder to be nice? Wink. Wink.
http://granvillehouse.blogspot.com/2011/02/little-shelf-in-bathroom.html

cake cookies.

"funfetti" cake cookies.

Two Birthdays in the office- of course that means there was a smorgasbord of food that everyone brought in.  One of my friends/co-worker brought in the most delicious treat to share. “Funfetti Cake Cookies”, I’m not kidding these things were gone before lunch. One co-worker even wanted to give her a hug because they were so scrumptious.   Naturally and the ladies in the office requested the recipe. I have the recipe listed below as well as the link to the site where it was originally posted:

http://www.fortheloveofblogtherapy.com/2011/05/cake-mix-cookies-funfetti-birthday.html

ingredients:

1 box of “Funfetti” Cake Mix

½ Cup Butter or Margarine softened

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 eggs

1 jar of “Funfetti” Frosting

preparation:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon

Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by slightly less than tablespoonful’s 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Cut each cookie in half once cooled and fill with a generous amount of Funfetti Frosting.

Enjoy!

inside-out carrot cake cookies.

So after tasting how delicious those were when I stumbled upon this recipe I HAD to share it.  Carrot cake is my all-time favorite.  When I was in college I was unable to get home for Easter one year, and I spent Easter in my apartment making a homemade carrot cake, shredded carrots and all. I tried to perfect my mom’s recipe- I didn’t- I will never have her touch on baking, but I gave it a valiant effort and proceeded to eat the entire cake.  Makes me miss college, when I could eat an entire cake- and not gain weight. Sheesh.  

I’m pretty sure it’s the cream cheese frosting that makes any and all willpower disappear as soon as I see a slice of carrot cake- these I’m sure may be my ultimate demise.  (I will not add raisins when making these). Below is the link where I found this recipe:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/inside-out-carrot-cake-cookies-2483350/

ingredients:

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)

1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped

1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces)

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup honey

preparation:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total.

Cool cookies completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

Enjoy!

i love vinegar.

top 10 reasons why:

1. Make your fresh flowers last longer.  Add two tablespoons of vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

2. Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet. Blot up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times with lukewarm water, and then apply a mixture of equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry. (I’ve never had to do this because my dog is perfect and has never peed in the house)

3. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.

4. Remove that icky musty smell from towels and workout clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.

5. Get your dishes to sparkle. Clean the dishwasher by running a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

6. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal by making vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through.

7. Non-Toxic cleaning for the bathroom. Remove soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub, tile, and shower curtains. Simply wipe the surface with Vinegar and rinse with water.

8. Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

Make your furniture look new again.

9. Remove stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and then polish for the best results.

10. Feel good recipe. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.

(not to mention the fact that it is very cheap and good for the environment)

sign up.

Every once in a while something will come along that just cannot be passed up.  This is one of those events.

This event is in memory of Alana Lysholm-Bernacchi, a TGen neurogenomics researcher who passed away from complications of a brain tumor in 2007. All profits raised will be donated to TGen, a Phoenix based Non-profit Biomedical Research Institute focused on developing earlier diagnostics and smarter treatments.

Follow the link to sign up.

http://arizonaroadracers.com/Calendar/champs-for-research5k.php

some tips for your first 5k.

1. It's only 3.1 miles, don't overload on carbs.
Have a well balanced meal like a banana and bowl of oatmeal.

2. Run at YOUR pace, you don not need to prove anything to anyone.
There is no need to be self-conscious about your pace. You're running a race for a good cause, do you know how awesome that is?

3. Start in the right place.
You might think it's a good idea to start in the front, but probably the most important thing in your first race is to start in the right spot. Start further back than you think you should, not as many people will pass you-- thus saving your ego.

4. Don't change anything on race day.
Don't change anything--don't wear new shoes, eat new food, drink new drinks, do new stretches. You wouldn't color your hair on your wedding day would you? Stick with what works.

5. Have strategically placed fans
Have them at the starting line, mile 2, and the finish line. This way you'll get the encouragement through the finish line!

Don't forget you are doing this for a good cause, have fun and think maybe next you will run a half marathon.

Sources: Jenn Sale a Yahoo! Contributor
http://www.shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/running-your-first-5k-heres-some-tips-for-a-great-race-2475508/