Farina Alto

For Mother's Day, I requested that we go out to dinner at a new spot in our area of town called Farina Alto. This restaurant opened recently, and is the second location (the first is in EDo). I love the original Farina, and when I saw that they were opening the new location closer to our house, I was really excited. I have visited the original Farina a few times and always thought it had the best pizza in town, but because it's a little more out of the way for us, I did not get to go there as much as I would like.

Farina Alto has the same great menu as the original Farina, but with a larger wine menu. The restaurant itself is much larger than the original. The inside has plenty of seating as well as a nice bar. There is also a great patio with beautiful mountain views. It was a little rainy when we went, so we ate inside, but next time we hope to be able to enjoy the patio. The interior is very nice, it would be great for a date night but was also good for a family dinner.

We ordered the antipasto platter for an appetizer which had a delicious assortment of cured meats, imported cheeses, roasted artichokes, peppers and olives. It was served with wonderful grilled bread. This was a great appetizer and I look forward to ordering it again. 

We split the Salsiccia pizza, which had tomato sauce, local fennel sausage, oven roasted onion, mozzarella and provolone cheese. It was amazing. Once again, Farina impressed me with their wonderful pizza. The tomato sauce tastes so fresh, the sausage was full of flavor, and of course, the crust was delicious and crisp. 

If you are looking for the best pizza in Albuquerque, give Farina Alto a try. You will not be disappointed.

Travel Tips Guest Post from Charissa

 

Today my friend Charissa from Mudpie Magnolia has written a guest post with some great travel tips just in time for summer! 

Charissa and I met eight years ago when we were both working for Reformed University Fellowship just out of college. We became good friends very quickly, and although we have never lived in the same city, we still stay in touch.

Charissa now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Robert and their dog Rufus. 

I hope you find her tips as helpful as I have! 

I travelled a LOT over the past three years. Most of my travel was work-related, and for a while, it seemed I was in a hotel bed more than my own.

My first trips in this stretch were a little stressful. I’m a planner, and there’s any number of things that can go not-as-planned on a trip. Once I learned some key things, I felt almost as comfortable in a TSA line as lounging in my hammock. (Okay, not exactly...but  I made some definite improvements).

Here’s a list of things I found helpful while traveling...and hopefully you will too, whether it’s a family trip or girls’ weekend.

 1.  Sign up for loyalty programs

It can feel a little overwhelming to try to pick a hotel or a flight out of the millions of possibilities. I found that narrowing down my favorite brands made those choices much easier. Almost every loyalty program for airlines, hotels, or rental cars is free, so you have nothing to lose...and upgrades to gain. I decided that I would focus on two hotel groups: Kimpton and Starwood, two airlines: Southwest and Delta, and two car services: Hertz and Alamo.

Thanks to simply creating an account, I’ve gotten car upgrades, room upgrades, and way more free drink coupons than I can use on flights.

2.  Let your phone know your itinerary

I do have preferred airlines (Southwest & Delta). I use the apps that they provide. Most every airline has an app that, at the very least, will let you view your itineraries. It only takes a few minutes to download the app and enter your account information for your preferred airline.

The advantage is that these apps will give almost-immediate updates for gate changes or delays, as well as showing your boarding pass. Most of them let you check your loyalty rewards as well so you can think “I will be earning 2 million points for this mess” while you’re spending the night in LaGuardia airport because Delta made a big mistake...not that I speak from personal experience or anything.

3.  Compartments

I keep all my stuff in little modules so that it’s easy to switch them in between suitcases or bags. I have all my tech equipment in one bag, my toiletries in a clear zippered plastic bag from the Container Store (ideal for when you take a carry-on and the TSA smells your lotions), and a small “quick needs” that holds some medicine, lotion, a Tide stick and mints. Whenever I switch between backpacks, purses, or suitcases, I can just grab these modules instead of trying to re-find and then re-pack each item.

4.  Pack snacks

I’m always a happier camper when I’ve got a little something to snack on and drink on the plane/car/train (especially if it’s a long haul). Since I usually travel by plane, I’ll grab a few healthy snacks (and some chocolate) and some coconut water once I pass through security. My new favorites are the Go Picnic meals (http://www.gopicnic.com) which you can buy before you get to the airport or sometimes once you’re there if you fly out of a bigger airport. I love them because they’re shelf-stable, cheaper than buying food on a plane, and they cater to dietary needs like gluten-free, vegetarian and kosher.

 5.  App it up!

My favorite (free) apps for travel (besides the ones for the airlines and hotels) are:

Hotel Tonight: Does just what it sounds like...helps you find a last minute hotel at steep discounts.

TripIt: Combine all your travel plans into one platform. I keep track of my cars, hotels, and flights simply by forwarding your email confirmations to TripIt.

GateGuru: Tells you where shops and food are located in your airport of choice. This has been a lifesaver in helping me to find snacks on long layovers.

Embark: If you’re in a large city with public transit, Embark is my favorite way to master the transit system with minimal worried. I use it in New York and my current home, San Francisco.

Kindle: Reading material! I use an iPad with the Kindle app, and will download either the Kindle free features (sometimes they’re truly awful), pick a book I’ve been wanting to read, or e-borrow something from my library.

Zinio: I subscribe to magazines through this app (Yay, Texas Monthly!) Between Kindle and Zinio, I’m not carrying a bunch of extra weight in reading material.

6.  Enjoy.

The best thing I’ve learned is that I’ll eventually get where I need to go. Being friendly to the travel industry always makes them more understanding and more willing to help you if something doesn’t go as planned.

Travel is as fun as you make it. Say hello to your seatmate, try taking the train, keep a journal...and enjoy your trip!

Hiking and Hamburgers

 

On Saturday we went to one of our favorite spots here in Albuquerque, the Elena Gallegos Open Space for a family hike. This park is a short drive from our house, but once we are there, we feel as though we have escaped the city. It's a beautiful park full of trails for hiking and mountain biking. There are also great picnic spots. It's a great place for a quick and easy hike, a family picnic, or a full day hike. 

Last year we went on many hikes with Jack, but at just over a year old, he was content to ride in our hiking child carrier pack, the Little Life Freedom Carrier. We loved this pack if you are looking for one for your little one. Josh and I both used it to carry him and found it very comfortable. Jack seemed to enjoy it too! He would smile and look around at the scenery as we hiked, and often fell asleep in the pack. It was easy to go on longish, somewhat strenuous hikes and carry him. I use to backpack often in college, so carrying him wasn't too different. 

This year, it's a different story. Not only is he much heavier (about 35 pounds), he is also much more active! So we have decided that this summer our hikes will be to spots that are a little more geared toward him. Elena Gallegos is perfect for this stage. Many of the trails, especially those parts of them that are near the parking area have wide, somewhat flat trails. You can also stay pretty close to your car and the restrooms just in case you need to rush back in the event of a meltdown! 

So when we arrived, we let Jack loose, and he ran (literally), the entire trail. I'm convinced he will be an Olympic distance runner one of these days. His endurance amazes me! He absolutely loved it, and we had a great time as well enjoying watching him having fun doing something we love and soaking in the beautiful surroundings.  

During the hike, Josh asked what was for lunch. I informed him that I am failing in my duties as a housewife and had nothing at home. Being the wonderful husband that he is, it didn't phase him. He suggested we try out a new spot in our neck of the woods called Freddy's.

When Freddy's opened up here in Albuquerque, I didn't think much of it. I was in no hurry to give it a try. But when he mentioned it, I figured we might as well check it out. Josh dropped the marathon boy and me back at home so I could get him fed and down for a much-needed nap, then drove through Freddy's and brought our lunch back to the house.

As you may have noticed in the picture above, I had already taken a bite out of the burger when I took the photo. I was a little hungry after chasing Jack through the desert mountains. That's my excuse for that and for eating all this fatty food. 

I got a Single Steakburger California Style with fries. I noticed that most burgers on the menu were double or triple which seemed a little strange, but once I got mine, I saw that the patty is very thin. It was plenty of food for me, but those with bigger appetites would most likely prefer the double. It came with their "Freddy's Sauce," which is like the special sauce at In-N-Out, basically thousand island dressing, which I liked. The burger was better than the typical fast food burger, but nothing incredible. The fries, however, were delicious! They are shoestring-style fries, which are my favorite, so they easily won me over. I also ordered a vanilla concrete (custard) with Oreo for dessert. It was good and very similar to other custard I have tried other places I have lived like Caliches in Las Cruces and Sheridan's in Lubbock.

Overall, I thought Freddy's had great fries, a good burger, and good custard. Although it's not the best burger I've had in Albuquerque, it's still a good spot for a quick meal, and I am happy to have something new close by.

Pimiento Cheese & Bacon Paninis

Last night I decided to make an easy Sunday night dinner. I made my pimiento cheese and spread some of it on two slices of Trader Joe's sourdough wheat bread. Then I put two slices of cooked bacon between the slices of bread and cooked it in my panini press. This is a wonderful meal for a lazy Sunday night or a weekday lunch. My pimiento cheese recipe will make plenty so that you can make sandwiches for your whole family and/or have some leftover to use throughout the week. It's also great as a dip with crackers.

Cinco de Mayo Lunch

Today for lunch I decided to make something with the few things we had on hand. Black beans, cheese, and tortillas made quesadillas an easy choice. I also had some salsa I had made last week. So we had an impromptu Cinco de Mayo lunch party.

I changed up my salsa just a little this time, based on what I had on hand. I used:

• one can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (original), drained
• one can diced tomatoes, drained
•  1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1/2-1 cup hot diced roasted green chiles
• dash of salt
• dash of cumin
• one garlic clove, pressed

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until you get the consistency you prefer. 

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend with your family and friends like we did!

Cinco de Mayo Guest Post

Check out my guest post over at my friend Charissa's blog, Mudpie Magnolia. Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

Southwest Roast Chicken Breasts

The other night I was planning on making some Tandoori Chicken using this recipe I found in Cooking Light last year. However, as the afternoon began to turn to evening, I realized it was not going to happen. I had not marinated the chicken ahead of time and there was no way we were going to have the energy to grill. For some reason, grilling on a Wednesday night seems to take an extra amount of effort.

So I decided to try making roast chicken breasts with a southwest twist. Baking the chicken with the skin on gives you crispy skin and moist chicken. These were very easy to make and tasted delicious! I look forward to making them again.

To make my Southwest Roast Chicken Breasts, you will need:

• 2 bone-in chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. butter, softened
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp. chile powder (or a little more if you want extra kick)
• 1-2 tsp. chopped cilantro
• salt & pepper
• olive oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, garlic, chile powder, cilantro, a generous dash of salt, and a dash of pepper in a small bowl. Carefully spread half of butter mixture underneath skin of each chicken breast. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each chicken breast and drizzle with olive oil.

Place a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom of a broiler pan then put the broiler rack on top of it (you could also use a wire rack on top of a baking sheet). Place chicken on top of pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes after baking.

When I made this, I only put salt and pepper on top, not in the butter mixture. I realized it needed more salt, so I think adding it to the butter mixture as I mentioned in the recipe above will help. Also, if you have limes around, squeeze some fresh lime juice on the chicken after baking.

I served ours with my favorite roasted asparagus. This time I minced some garlic and mixed it with olive oil and salt and pepper, then poured it over the asparagus. I also baked it at a higher temperature, 400 degrees, for about 10 minutes which made the asparagus and garlic nice and crisp.

This is a great meal for a busy weeknight or when you have guests. You can prepare the chicken ahead of time and stick it in the oven just before your guests arrive. This way you can visit and not have to worry about cooking when everyone arrives.

If you have any leftover chicken, it would be great for making my green chile chicken spaghetti! 

Cauliflower Soup

I recently discovered the wonderful blog, The Kitchn, which is the foodie version of Apartment Therapy (also good). I love all the wonderful recipes, ideas, and great kitchens featured on it.

While perusing the site, I found a recipe for Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup. It sounded really good, healthy, and pretty inexpensive, so I figured I'd give it a try. It turned out very delicious and was easy to put together. The only changes I made were with the garnishes. I used cilantro instead of parsley and I did not add any cashews, although I do think it would have been good. Josh and I both enjoyed this soup and it was especially good with some grilled naan for dipping. Another change I might attempt next time is sauteing a serrano pepper with the onions to add a bit more spice and flavor.

Lemon Chicken Piccata

Last week I made one of our favorite meals, Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata from a recipe I found in Cooking Light a couple of years ago. This is a go-to meal for us when I want to make something easy, tasty, and light.

The recipe calls for Meyer Lemons, but I use regular lemons and they work fine. I usually serve it with whole wheat thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta and veggies, this time it was broccoli. I usually pour some of the extra sauce and a little olive oil over the pasta.

Jack enjoyed it too, I just gave him some without the sauce over it. I didn't think he would be a big fan of capers!

White Sands

Last weekend we went down to El Paso to visit my parents.  We have been wanting to take Jack to White Sands National Monument, and figured this would be a good time of year to go. So on Saturday morning, we all drove from El Paso over to White Sands, which is about an hour and a half to two hour drive.

When we lived in Las Cruces, we went to White Sands often since it was just about 45 minutes away. It is such an incredible place to visit, unlike anywhere else on earth. Even if you have visited other sand dunes, none compare to these. We knew Jack would love going too given the fact that it's like a gigantic sandbox. Plus my parents had never been.

We all had a wonderful time. Jack loved sledding down the dunes, digging in the sand, and running around. My parents couldn't believe how soft and white the sand was. We played in the dunes and had a wonderful picnic. When we left Jack kept saying, "More White Sands, more White Sands."

If you're planning on visiting White Sands, here are a few things I recommend:

• Check the National Parks website ahead of time for hours, directions, pricing, and other details. 
• Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats for everyone in your group. The white sand reflects the  bright New Mexico sun, so if you do not have sunglasses, you will be miserable.
• Check the forecast before you go. Spring afternoons can be very windy. I went one time on a windy day and it was terrible with sand blowing everywhere. Also, summer can be very hot, so go very early in the day if you are planning a summer trip. 
• Bring plenty of water and if you would like to have a picnic, there are lots of picnic tables if you drive all the way to the end of the park road. There are drinks and snacks available at the visitor's center, but you will pay a little more for them.
• If you have a sled bring it or borrow one from a friend. You can buy them at the visitor's center, but they are a little pricey.
• If you have little ones, bring shovels, buckets, and other sand toys for them.

There is no camping at the park, but up the highway in the Organ Mountains is Aguirre Spring Campground. If you would like to stay in a hotel, Alamogordo is the nearest town, and Las Cruces is close as well. There are more hotel and restaurant options in Las Cruces plus Old Mesilla, which is a nice historic plaza with shops, restaurants, and other fun spots. Think a smaller version of Santa Fe. You could also go a little further to El Paso which is a much larger city.

If you have not been to White Sands, consider it the next time you are in the southwest. It's a beautiful spot and a wonderful place to make fun memories with your family and friends (not to mention, it's budget-friendly too)!