 |
| Photo by Katie Kay |
Every time I go to HEB I stop by the free sample booths. My favorite one is the Cooking Connection island where the guy with the microphone makes it fresh and serves you a little plastic Jello shot cup full of wine while you stand there with your mini plate and mini fork.
And I'm not just a free-loader. They love me there! I see the same guy every time, and I always chat him up. If I don't love the sample enough to purchase the ingredients, I'll make sure I mention a great recipe he made last week and tell him how awesome it was. Then he feels happy and filled with purpose, I get free food, and we all walk away satisfied.
 |
| Photo by Katie Kay |
The first time I ever had Ropa Veija was at Mission Burrito. I had no idea what it was, but the lady behind the counter told me it was "spicy beef with more flavor" and I never looked back. In fact, when Mission Burrito by my office started running out every time I tried to get some, I stopped going! Then they closed down that location. Hmm.
Then Matt came home one day with a recipe some guy made at a party he went to and said, "you have to try this, it's called Ropa Vieja!" Um, you mean this wasn't just a made-up name Mission Burrito gave their saucy beef? It's actually a thing people know about?
 |
| Photo by Katie Kay |
Remember when I said I wasn't going to bake any more chocolate and peanut butter, and I was going to start baking for Spring? Well--call me Miley Cyrus, but I can't stop. I won't stop. Around here, we love chocolate like David Hasslehoff loves a good cheeseburger.
 |
| Photo by Katie Kay |
Am I slightly disappointed that I've baked my way through a 3lb bag of miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and now I don't have a valid reason to bake, eat and share more peanut buttery chocolateness?
 |
| Photo by Katie Kay |
The path that led me to these Blondies was a beautiful, complicated, calorie-laden adventure that began and ended with a giant 2 1/2 pound bag of Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and had a whole lot of awesomeness in-between.
