Friends, spending time, having fun~

South of the Border outings are always more interesting & exciting when you have friends to share it with. Whether shopping, lunching or just wandering, it's better with friends. We walked through clusters of people down in Centro today exploring the ordinary, extraordinary & inexplicable.






Another fun time with the Chicas! Great day: Caroline, Joan & Lori!! BTW, where is other Chica in these pics? hmmm...Strange to have her Chiliquiles photo but not Lil Martha.

Caldo Pollo~wholesome tradition.

Riding for hours against the blowing wind yesterday with the Bob Seger tune~"Against the wind" in my head, dinner needed to be wholesome & warm. Caldo Pollo was the perfect dish for a hearty, early evening dinner. This traditional Mexican meal is served with a dish of avocado, cubed cheese & lime wedges to be added to taste.


















Caldo Pollo
4 medium carrots, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans or chick peas, drained
6 cups chicken stock
4 cloves garlic, minced and browned on a dry skillet
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 pinch cumin
2 whole chicken breasts, about 2 lbs total
2 chipotle chiles (canned chiles, drained & whole)
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper lime wedges(to garnish)

Place the carrots, stock, browned garlic, oregano, chilies, cumin& salt in a dutch oven (5 Quart) and bring to a boil.
Add the whole chicken breasts, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes.
Remove chicken to a plate to cool about 10 minutes.
Remove the chillies from the soup and adjust the seasoning.
Remove the skin & bones from the chicken& tear or chop it into coarse pieces.
Add garbanzo beans & chicken to the pot simmer 5 minutes.
Add cilantro & serve with wedges of lime on the side.
Serve with Avocado & cubes of Queso Chihuahua if that is your preference~

Desierto puebla de Agosto 28

Driving to Coahuila yesterday we drive through a small roadside town in the desert named for the patron saint day of Saint Augustine~August 28th. Some spots on the highway in Northern Mexico are little more than wide spots in the road. This small town had a few vendors serving the needs of travelers & many homes are painted in vivid colors keeping the dust from making the bleak landscape totally brown.






















Like a mirage in the desert the Giant 6 Pack beckons drivers onward...well, that & the 25 speed bumps leading into town~

Cleaning out & straightening up!

Pretty neat & tidy!

I cleaned out the refrigerator since we are traveling to Torreon for the week. I have a real adversion to returning to green & growing things that shouldn't be...

Post Script: After last night's dinner of veggies & left overs there aren't many green veggies left! Also, Patti we are waiting for another visit for the Dom...I'm trying to be good here South of the Border...

Evening out South of the Border!

We attended an ASOMO Fall Harvest Dinner & dance last night here in Monterrey. We are tired & resting from the fun but all in all wonderful evening. The dress I brought back from Texas worked & the vintage jewelry looked spectacular. My shoes were a killer on the slippery sidewalk but nothing too catastrophic. Security was high & we needed our passports to enter the venue but dinner & company was very nice indeed. Also we won a case of wine...although John says when there is an auction & tickets or $$ exchanged it is not truly winning! I still say "won".(besides, there was an American flag present last night~a total winner!)

Austin to Mexico~ company in Monterrey!

Dinner & cocktails on the Terrace under a Mexican starlit sky~

We had a dinner al Fresco last night when our friend Chris was in town from Austin. We dined outside under the stars, ate grilled steaks & not for the first time recently I served mushroom soup. It went well with the salad & steaks the guys grilled. All in all a very nice evening.


















Mushroom Soup
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Large Yellow Onions, sliced
1 lb white & Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
4 oz. Porcini Mushrooms
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
3 cups Vegetable Stock
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. Sherry
1/2 lowfat Sour Cream
salt & pepper to taste

Saute onion & garlic in olive oil, cook till onions are softened. Add mushrooms & cook for another 5 min. stirring. Add the chopped Parsley, our in the stock & season with salt & pepper. Bring to a boil & reduce the heat, cover the pan & simmer for 20 min.
Put the flour into a bowl, mix enough milk to smooth into paste, then stir into soup. Cook stirring for 5 min. Stir in remaining milk & the sherry then cook for another 5 min. Remove from the heat & stir in the sour cream. Return the pan to heat slightly, warming gently but not boiling.
Remove from the heat & serve garnished with parsley or other fresh herb of choice.

I made something today!

Picture this~I made an apron because a girl can never have too many of those! Yep, I did have a little furry sewing assistant. She is truly helpful in the department of texture & color!