Tracy Lee : Food, Style and General Musings

Texas Caviar  I made it through the 30 days with only one minor glitch (See S outhern Courtesy vs Scientific Method ).  All in all it was not too bad.  I believe it was harder on my family than me.  When I announced I would resume eating  meat on Valentine's Day there was a collective cry of "Thank God!"  Now you can cook normally again. Keep in mind that I have been making delish vegetarian meals and that I made no attempt to stop them from eating meat.  I live in a house of adults more than capable of making or ordering out their own meat.  I am no psychiatrist but I play one as mom.  Maybe what we eat as a family becomes a fundamental element of ritual that when eliminated creates a sense of loss.   Gathering to eat is only one element of the ritual,  sharing a common meal is another.  When the family is eating once dish and I eat another,  maybe there is a sense that I am rejecting some part of our family.   Then again, their reaction may not be that deep.  They may s

  Avocado Tostada I t is hard to believe I am almost finished with my experiment.  Just two days left!  Pictured above is an avocado tostada from the Leaning Pear in Wimberley, Texas.  Tostadas (toasted tortillas) are great because you can just let your imagination go!  Black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, mango, cilantro....go for it!  This features fried avocado.    Avocado Fries Avocados can be fried in oil or bake-fried.  Simply cute avocado into wedges.  Sprinkle with a little salt.   Roll in flour.  Dip into beaten eggs.  Dredge in panko crumbs.  Either bake in oven at 350 degrees or fry in vegetable oil.  You can jazz these up by adding garlic and or chili powder.  Avocado fries are also good as an alternative to French fries or an appetizer with a dipping sauce.   One of my favorites is cilantro lime dipping sauce.  You can use it on just about anything.     Cilantro Lime Sauce Ingredients 3/4 cup sour cream 1 /4 cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1/2 bunch cilantro 1/2 ts

My kind niece and nephew invited us over to their home for a craft beer tasting.  I was thinking beer, maybe a few snacks.  I should be safe with a veg and dip or cheese,  right?  Unknown to me,  my niece had spend a large part of her busy day making dinner for us : Boef Bourguignon.   Just to present all the factors in my decision making process. (1) My niece has two small boys under three years old. (2)My niece was unaware of my experiment when she planned her menu. So now I had a moral dilemma.  Do I keep my experiment pure and tell my niece although I appreciate your hard work,  I'll just have rice?  Or do I follow Southern Courtesy,  prioritize her feelings and just eat the dinner.  Those of you who know me already know the answer:  I just ate the dinner.  It was delicious!  Although I know science requires rigor and sacrifice,  I believe the sacrifice should be mine alone,  not my sweet niece who made time to create a wonderful meal for us.  My answer may have been different