Showing posts with label week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label week. Show all posts
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Preview San Antonios Culinaria Restaurant Week August 16 23rd!

- $15 lunch and $35 dinner
- $10 lunch and $25 dinner
- Restaurant Week on The Move: $8 lunch and $15 dinner
Restaurants run the gamut from casual eateries to upscale fine-dining...and everything in between. For me, San Antonio Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try out a new-to-me restaurant and try three menu items for a great price. Most menus include an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Michael and I will be visiting at least one restaurant next week, and well be sharing the experience for this months The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out feature. You can visit the Restaurant Week website ahead of time to scope out each restaurants special menu to see which one grabs your attention. The menu from Two Step Restaurant & Cantina especially caught my eye!
1st Course:
Advance reservations arent required, but theyre a good idea since the most popular restaurants tend to fill up quickly. Simply call any participating restaurant directly to make reservations. Continuing this year is the popular Restaurant Week on The Move event, which features the best food trucks in the city. Its fun event is casual and family-friendly. It will take place this year on August 19th at Travis Park from 11oo a.m. - 200 p.m. Some of the participating food trucks include Chef Jason Dadys popular DUK Truck, Cheesy Janes, and Saweet Cupcakes.
San Antonio Restaurant Week benefits Culinaria, so your dining experience will also be a charitable one. For each meal ordered specifically for Restaurant Week, restaurants will donate $1 for lunch and $2 for dinner to Culinaria and the programs it supports. Culinaria is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to benefiting the San Antonio community and promoting San Antonio as an ideal wine and food destination.
Two Step Restaurant & Cantina Restaurant Week Dinner Menu

- Tomato & English Cucumber Salad with Avocado, Cotija Cheese, and Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
- Watermelon and Pineapple Salad with Feta Cheese, Cucumber, and Balsamic Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- BBQ Beef Ribs Spice Rubbed, Slowly Smoked and Glazed with Spicy BBQ Sauce
- Shiner Bock Shrimp Scampi with Jalapeño Bread Crumbs
- 14 oz NY Strip with Habanero Butter
- Choice of one side: Brussel Sprouts Sautéed in Butter with Bacon & Sweet Peppers; Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Corn Mashed Potatoes; or Roasted Corn Dressed with Cotija Cheese, Chile and Mayo
- Cobbler of the Day with Amy’s Mexican Vanilla Cream
- Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers, Slices of Fresh Banana, Whipped Cream and Ice Cream
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Photo courtesy of Duk Truk |
San Antonio Restaurant Week benefits Culinaria, so your dining experience will also be a charitable one. For each meal ordered specifically for Restaurant Week, restaurants will donate $1 for lunch and $2 for dinner to Culinaria and the programs it supports. Culinaria is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to benefiting the San Antonio community and promoting San Antonio as an ideal wine and food destination.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Culinaria San Antonio to Hold Inaugural Winter Restaurant Week January 19 24!

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August 2014 -- We enjoyed a three-course gourmet dinner at Bite during Restaurant Week! |
In addition to serving local food lovers fabulous food, every participating restaurant will donate a portion of their proceeds to benefit Culinaria and its continued outreach initiatives. For every meal ordered specifically for San Antonio Restaurant Week, participating restaurants will donate $1 from each lunch menu and $2 from each dinner menu ordered to benefit Culinaria. Participating restaurants will offer multi-course prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus in two pricing tiers:
- Tier 1 establishments will offer a $15 three-course lunch menu and a $35 three-course dinner menu.
- Tier 2 establishments will offer a $10 three-course lunch menu and a $25 three-course dinner menu.
Reservations are not required, but they are encourage; contact each participating restaurant directly to make reservations. For a complete list of participating restaurants and their Restaurant Week lunch and dinner menus, visit the Restaurant Week website. Also be sure to follow Culinaria on Twitter to learn more about their #eatdrinkgive campaign and events. Im very excited to share that The Weekend Gourmet will be taking part in next weeks Restaurant Week festivities for this months The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out feature.
Disclosure: The Weekend Gourmet will be partnering with Culinaria to provide media coverage during Restaurant Week. To facilitate coverage, Culinaria is providing us complimentary meal vouchers to participating restaurants. Culinaria is an independent not-for-profit organization committed to promoting San Antonio as a premier wine and food destination while fostering community growth and enrichment. Culinaria is a registered 501 c (3) tax-exempt organization. There is a valued volunteer board of directors who represent the community and guide the organization in its mission.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Wrapping Up Driscolls Berry Week with Baked Blueberry Lemon Doughnuts and a Giveaway for TWO FREE Driscolls Berry Coupons!!
Its time to wrap up Driscolls Berry Week with a sweet finale! Sunday is also World Baking Day, so the first thing that came to mind to celebrate both of these fun events was to make a batch of baked doughnuts using Driscolls sweet and juicy blueberries! I love my doughnut pan, so Im always looking for fun new ways to use it. When I thought about making blueberry doughnuts, lemon immediately came to mind. Its a perfect combination in my book! I looked around for a recipe that featured light, healthy ingredients and found a great recipe to tweak that features yogurt to keep the doughnuts nice and moist. The glaze combines crushed blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest for a pronounced fruit flavor. These doughnuts were love at first bite for me!

To amp up the blueberry flavor even more, I used Chobani blueberry Greek yogurt. The batter is flavored with both lemon extract and vanilla bean paste from Nielsen-Massey. These gems were literally ready for the oven in about 10 minutes. While they baked, I whipped up the sweet-tart glaze. These can be ready -- start to finish -- in just over 30 minutes. They make a great dessert or evening snack...and theyre also great for a leisurely weekend brunch. If you love blueberries, youll go nuts for these doughnuts. My recipe makes 6 doughnuts, but feel free to double the ingredients to feed a larger crowd.







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To amp up the blueberry flavor even more, I used Chobani blueberry Greek yogurt. The batter is flavored with both lemon extract and vanilla bean paste from Nielsen-Massey. These gems were literally ready for the oven in about 10 minutes. While they baked, I whipped up the sweet-tart glaze. These can be ready -- start to finish -- in just over 30 minutes. They make a great dessert or evening snack...and theyre also great for a leisurely weekend brunch. If you love blueberries, youll go nuts for these doughnuts. My recipe makes 6 doughnuts, but feel free to double the ingredients to feed a larger crowd.
Baked Blueberry-Lemon Doughnuts
adapted from King Arthur Flour
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375, and spray the wells of a doughnut pan with cooking spray. Prepare the batter by adding the following dry ingredients to a mixing bowl: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Whisk to combine and add the following wet ingredients to the bowl: 1 small container Chobani blueberry Greek yogurt, 1 large egg, 2 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. Nielsen-Massey lemon extract, and 1 tsp. Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract).
Step 2: Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Add 3/4 cup Driscolls blueberries and the zest of one small lemon. Stir gently to combine the zest and berries into the batter, being careful not to break up the berries. Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Step 3: Make the doughnut glaze. Add 1/3 cup blueberries to a small bowl and crush with a fork. Add the juice and from 1 small lemon and enough powdered sugar to make a thick glaze. Your mileage may vary, but I added about 1 cup of powdered sugar to get the consistency I was looking for. Its a gorgeous purple-pink color!
Step 4: Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them. This will allow them to release from the pan much easier. These doughnuts are a bit fragile when warm, so I found it easiest to place them on foil and spoon the glaze over the warm doughnuts. Let them cool until the glaze is set, then place on a serving platter.
Mercy, are these a little bite of blueberry heaven! Thanks to blueberries and blueberry yogurt in the batter -- and a healthy dose of blueberries in the glaze -- these doughnuts pack a huge blueberry punch! The lemon stands up to the blueberry quite nicely, but doesnt overpower. The yogurt keeps them moist and delicate, and the fact that theyre baked saves calories and fat over takeout doughnuts. I like knowing exactly what I put into these!
Ive had a blast at Driscolls Berry Week, and I hope youve enjoyed the recipes I featured. Driscolls is giving one of you TWO coupons for free berry products, so make sure to enter by leaving a comment below telling me your favorite way to enjoy berries, along with your e-mail. Ill be picking a winner on Monday, so hurry to enter. Good luck!
Disclosure: Driscolls and Nielsen-Massey gave me coupons for free berries and samples of extracts to facilitate this World Baking Day post. All opinions are mine.
Friday, February 6, 2015
H E B Con Agra Meal Maker Challenge Week 2 Chicken Caprese Tortellini Salad Featuring Hunts Diced Tomatoes


To make the prep work as quick and simple as possible, I used refrigerated tortellini, pre-cooked chicken breast strips and bottled Italian dressing. While the tortellini cooks, you have a pocket of time to chop some red onions and fresh basil. Simply add all of the ingredients to a pretty serving bowl, pour the zesty dressing on top, and give it a quick toss before serving!
Chicken Caprese Tortellini Salad
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 14-ounce can Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, drained well
- 8-ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini (mixed spinach and regular)
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls (or diced fresh mozzarella)
- 2 cups HEB Fully Cooked Diced Chicken Breast
- 1/4 cup purple onion, cut into thin slivers
- 3-4 basil leaves cut in a chiffonade
- 1 cup bottled Italian dressing
Directions:
- Cook the tortellini according to package directions. When cooked, immediately drain and plunge them into a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to quick chill.
- While the pasta cooks, prep the onion and basil.
- To assemble the salad, add the cooled tortellini to a large serving bowl. Drain the tomatoes very well. Add the tomatoes, diced chicken, mozzarella pearls, purple onion and basil to the bowl.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the top and toss well to combine all ingredients.
Thats it! This dish is simple to make, gorgeous to look at...and delicious to eat. This is the kind of salad that will even get the thumbs up from everyone who tries it...even men who might not normally enjoy salad for dinner. The hearty tortellini and double shot of protein from the chicken and mozzarella make this dish filling, yet light. We loved the freshness of the Hunts tomatoes, and the way the fire roasting brought out their sweetness. This is a regular in my Summer dinner rotation, and I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do!
The H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge is a lot of fun, but its also a contest. So...if you like my recipe, I would certainly appreciate it if you visited the H-E-B voting microsite and repinned it via Pinterest. Anybody can take part in the voting process, but my Texas readers will receive an added bonus: weekly coupons to save on the featured ingredient at your local H-E-B. At the end of the contest next month, the two food bloggers with the most votes will win some really cool prizes. Id be honored if you voted for my Salsarific Taco Skillet! Be sure to come back next Sunday for
another speedy family-friendly recipe.
Disclosure: I received compensation, as well as H-E-B and ConAgra products as part of this promotion. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out for August Myrons Prime for Culinaria Restaurant Week

One of our favorite San Antonio food events is the annual Culinaria Restaurant Week! This year’s event was held the week of August 17-24. Restaurants all over the city offered diners reduced-price multi-course lunch and dinner menus. Lunch menus were $15, and dinner menus were $35. Culinaria Restaurant Week is a fantastic way to visit a great restaurant and enjoy an appetizer, entrée and dessert for a lower-than-usual price point. This year, Michael and I visited Myron’s Prime Steakhouse for for this month’s The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out feature. We have been meaning to pay Myrons Prime a visit, and this is the perfect opportunity to make that happen! Myrons original location is in nearby New Braunfels, and they opened their San Antonio location two years ago.
Myrons has quickly become one of the most popular steakhouses in town. They served midwest prime beef, which represents the top 2% of beef in the United States. They also offer great seafood selections, and the food is served in a upscale environment. We arrived at the Alon Town Center and parked our car. We were immediately impressed with the modern decor inside: low lights, and lots of wood and leather. The hostess greeted us with a smile and seated us immediately. Our friendly server came by with hot bread, butter and ice water for us to enjoy while we looked over the Restaurant Week menu. It was a Friday night, and the restaurant was packed with hungry steak lovers. Michael and I wanted to make sure to feature as many menu items as possible, so we discussed which of us would order what. As you can see from the menu, we had quite a few options to choose from.
Myrons Prime Culinaria Restaurant Week
Dinner Menu
House Iceberg Wheel Salad With your choice of our house-made dressings
Choice of one of the following:
Salmon with Buerre Blanc over Basmati Rice with Asparagus
and Carrots
and Carrots
Slow Cooked Pork Chop with Apple Chutney, Basmati Rice with Asparagus and Carrots
Marinated Bone in Chicken Breast with a Rosemary White Wine Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus and Carrots
4oz Filet Medallion and Shrimp with Red Wine Demi-Glace, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, and Carrots
Choice of one of the following:
Warm Chocolate Cake
Cheesecake with Fresh Berries
Warm Chocolate Cake
Cheesecake with Fresh Berries
We both started with the salad, opting to have it topped with Myrons house-made ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles. The dressing was full of zesty flavor, and the hot bread and butter was the perfect salad accompaniment.
For our entree selections, we decided the best approach was to order the Fillet & Shrimp and the Salmon with Beurre Blanc. We wanted to see how Myrons prepared both steak and seafood, and this was a good way to sample a bit of both.
Michaels fillet was cooked perfectly medium, and it had a nice beefy flavor. The shrimp were large, plump and juicy...and they featured a nice amount of spice. The side dishes were prepared well too. The mashed potatoes were creamy, and the asparagus was steamed perfectly al dente.
I opted for the Salmon with Buerre Blanc. It was cooked perfectly juicy, and the buerre blanc had a hint of lemon. The flavorful rice pilaf was a nice side dish, and I appreciated that they subbed in steamed broccoli for asparagus for me. They didnt have to make a substitution to the Restaurant Week menu, but they did. Thats just the kind of customer service that we love!
For dessert, I called quickly called dibs on the Warm Chocolate Cake. Michael loves cheesecake, so he was perfectly happy to order the Cheesecake with Fresh Berries. Both desserts were very good and a perfect ending to our meal. The cheesecake was creamy and rich, and the chocolate cake was fudgy decadent goodness!

Disclosure: We were provided one complimentary Restaurant Week dinner at Myrons Prime to facilitate this article. All opinions expressed are my own, and all photographs are copyrighted by Michael K. Garcia. They may not be reprinted without permission.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
HEB ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge Week 1 Salsarific Taco Skillet Featuring HEB Smoky Citrus Salsa HEBMeals

Welcome, everyone, to Week #1 of the H-E-B/ ConAgra Foods Meal Maker Challenge. For the next five Sundays, ten Texas food bloggers -- including yours truly -- will be sharing lots of great easy family meal ideas. All featured recipes contain no more than seven ingredients and are ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. These recipes are ideal for the upcoming back-to-school rush, easily feeding a family of four. Each weeks recipes are built around a theme ingredient thats an H-E-B or ConAgra product. Just wait until you see what I have for you this week!

This weeks theme ingredient is H-E-B Salsa. There are several different flavors to choose from, but the Smoky Citrus immediately caught my eye. Flavored with smoky chipotle chile and lime, I knew it was just the flavor profile I was looking for. I knew that I wanted to make a skillet meal, because they are ideal for busy cooks since you can cook and serve the meal right from your pan. That means fewer dirty dishes during the cooking process and less time cleaning up later...a win-win scenario in my book! I came up with my quick-cook Salsarific Taco Skillet, which combines all my favorite Tex-Mex flavors in one bite!
Lean ground beef is flavored with the salsa, then pre-cooked Spanish rice and flavorful canned borracho beans are added. Then the mixture is topped with cheese and crunchy, colorful tortilla strips. A ramekin of cooling sour cream is served right in the skillet for those who want to top their serving with sour cream. I also like to serve the remaining salsa on the side for those who want to spoon more of it on top. Wait until you see how simple this dish is to whip up!
Salsarific Taco Skillet
A Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 1 cup H-E-B Smoky Citrus Salsa
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
- 1 package H-E-B frozen pre-cooked Spanish rice
- 1 can H-E-B Borracho Beans with Shiner Bock
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese blend
- 1 cup Fresh Gourmet tri-color tortilla strips
- 8 ounces light sour cream
Directions:
- Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the ground beef and salt & pepper to taste. Cook until the meat is browned, then add the salsa. Stir to combine and cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
- While the meat and salsa cook, prepare the Spanish rice according to package directions. Add the rice to the skillet, along with the can of borracho beans. Stir well to combine all ingredients, and cook until heated through.
- Turn off the heat. Make a well in the center of the pan for a small ramekin; place the ramekin in the well. Sprinkle the perimeter of the skillet around the ramekin with the cheese and the tortilla strips.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Just before serving, spoon the sour cream into the ramekin. To serve, spoon some of the taco mixture into bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and more of the salsa, if desired.
We really loved this quick meal! The spice level is quite moderate, but those who like a more pronounced heat can simply spoon more of the reserved salsa on top. The cheese and sour cream provide a nice cooling effect to the salsa, and the crunchy tortilla strips provide texture and an earthy corn flavor. Add it up, and youve got a meal that the whole family will love. This meal will easily feed four, and youre likely to have some left for lunch the next day too.
The H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge is a lot of fun, but its also a contest. So...if you like my recipe, I would certainly appreciate it if you visited the H-E-B voting microsite and repinned it via Pinterest. Anybody can take part in the voting process, but my Texas readers will receive an added bonus: weekly coupons to save on the featured ingredient at your local H-E-B. At the end of the contest next month, the two food bloggers with the most votes will win some really cool prizes. Id be honored if you voted for my Salsarific Taco Skillet! Be sure to come back next Sunday for another speedy family-friendly recipe.
Disclosure: I am being compensated for participating in the H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge. However, all opinions expressed are solely my own.
Friday, January 30, 2015
H E B ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge Week 3 Bacon Ranch Chicken Pizzas Featuring H E B Natural Chicken Breasts HEBMeals

Happy Sunday, everyone! Its Week #3 of the H-E-B/ConAgra Meal Maker Challenge. Im having a blast sharing my quick-cook family-friendly meals via this event! All of the featured recipes have only 7 ingredients...and they take only 30 minutes to whip up. During these busy August days, thats exactly the kind of meals that I like. Between a busy day job and morphing into The Weekend Gourmet nights and weekends, most nights I want to whip up something fast for dinner...but I dont want it to be flavorless and boring. With the right big-flavor ingredients in your kitchen, you can have a quick meal that makes your tastebuds sing in a matter of minutes!

This week, our featured ingredient is H-E-B Natural Chicken Breasts. Chicken is one of my go-to ingredientsfor quick weeknight dinners: thin-sliced chicken breasts cook up in minutes, and they are so versatile! I never get bored with chicken, because its such a great canvas to work with. For this challenge, I decided to go with pizza. Its the most family-friendly meal that I know of...everyone loves it! I wanted to do a fun spin on pizza, and two of my favorite flavors are bacon and ranch. Thats all I needed to create my super-flavorful Bacon-Ranch Chicken Pizzas. Yeah...I went there! By using pre-cooked chopped bacon and jarred alfredo sauce, these pizzas were ready in right at 30 minutes. Making them individual sized also means each person can adjust the amount of each ingredient to their preference.
This pizza combines seared chicken breast, ranch-infused alfredo sauce, pizza cheese blend, bacon and green onion...all on top of store-bought mini pizza crusts. There are only a few ingredients here, but theyre all so full of flavor that youd never know it. Youre going to make this one folks...its a keeper!!
Bacon-Ranch Chicken Pizzas
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb. HEB Thin Sliced Natural Chicken Breast
- 2 tbs. + 1 tbs. dry ranch dressing mix
- 4 HEB Thin Mini Pizza Crusts
- 1 cup HEB Four Cheese Alfredo Sauce
- 2 cups Pizza Blend Cheese
- 1/2 cup pre-cooked real bacon pieces
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 2 tbs. of the dry ranch dressing and salt & pepper to taste. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray and heat over med-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until they are golden-brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Set the chicken aside to cool
- Thoroughly combine the alfredo sauce and 1 tbs. dry ranch dressing mix in a small bowl. Place the pizza crusts on a large rimmed cookie sheet thats topped with parchment or foil. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce on each of the crusts.
- Top each of the pizzas with 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle each pizza with the bacon and green onion.
- Chop the cooled chicken and add a quarter of the chicken to each pizza. Top with salt & pepper to taste. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the crusts are golden-brown. For even cooking, turn the pan around halfway through the baking time.
This pizza is off-the-hook good...its one of my favorite recipe creations this year! If you love bacon and ranch, youll go nuts for this pizza. The creamy ranch-infused alfredo is a nice change of pace from the usual tomato sauce, and it pairs nicely with the ranch-seasoned chicken, bacon and green onions. The portion size is perfect when paired with a simple green salad on the side. This recipe is kid-pleasing...even if youre only a kid at heart like we are here at Casa Garcia!!
If you like this recipe, I sure would appreciate it if you voted for me! Its very easy to do. You can go to the H-E-B microsite OR you can go to the Meal Maker Challenge Pinterest Page and repin my recipe...each repin counts as a vote. It only takes a second to link over and vote, and I really appreciate the support. While youre there, you can also see all of the other great family-friendly meals that my fellow food bloggers are sharing!
Disclosure: I received compensation and free H-E-B and ConAgra products to participate in this promotion. The opinions expressed are all my own, however.
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