Valentine's Day at Sagra in Austin, Texas

A Delicious Date Night at Sagra!

Join us for a special meal prepared with love for you and your cupid Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini has put together a romantic Valentine’s Day menu guaranteed to leave you feeling in love. Guests will enjoy a four-course meal in the romantic warmth of Sagra’s dining room. Custom wine pairing is available for all dishes.

For more information including menu and pricing, click here to visit their website.

Super Bowl Snack: Spicy Sausage Queso Dip

Here is a wonderful dip that is tasty. Make sure you have plenty on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spicy sausage
• 1 (16 ounce) package of Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained or 1 (16 ounce) jar of salsa

Directions

1. Crumble and cook sausage in large saucepan over medium heat until browned. Drain on paper towel then return sausage to saucepan. Cut cheese into cubes and add to sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. Stir in tomatoes.
2. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Super Bowl Snack: Chili

When you have a hungry crowd watching the Super Bowl, you should serve something that is filling and will keep wanting more. This chili recipe will score points with your team.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until evenly browned. Drain off grease, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. In a slow cooker, combine the cooked beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
3. Cook on High for 6 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Pour in the wine during the last 2 hours.

SFC to Open Fourth Year-Round Farmers' Market

Sustainable Food Center (SFC), a local non-profit with a mission of strengthening the local food system and improving access, will open a fourth year-round market on March 20th to complement its other three Austin area markets. The new location, SFC Farmers’ Market East, will operate weekly from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesdays at the YMCA East, 5315 Ed Bluestein (Hwy. 183 at 51st Street).
“This farmers’ market will help fill the long-identified gap in northeast Austin where access to fresh, local food is limited,” said SFC executive director Ronda Rutledge. “This particular market will include incentives of matching dollars to be given to shoppers who use their SNAP and WIC fruits and vegetable benefits for purchases weekly. Our long term goal is to provide these matching dollars at our other three markets as well.”

Along with operating the Double Dollar Incentive Program (DDIP) at the market, the East market will also host a tasting tent that alternates weekly with short cooking demos featuring recipes from The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre™. The market is also located where green space, trees, a playing field and playground are readily accessible. "We're grateful for our programmatic partnership with the YMCA and look forward to the cross-programming possibilities at this new farmers' market site," said Ronda.

There will be at least 10 vegetable and fruit farmers at this market, along with several ranchers and farmers who will bring meats, eggs, honey and dairy. In addition, the SFC Farmers’ Market East will consist of farmers’ market food vendors that sell breakfast foods such as tamales, tacos, and more. "Alone we can do so little and together we can do so much," said James Finck, President and CEO of the YMCA of Austin, "which is why we are thankful for strong community collaborations like the one with SFC. Partnerships such as this help us continue the important work of youth development, encouraging healthy living and fostering a culture of social responsibility."

The March 20th kickoff will include grand opening ceremonies and special music, cooking and tasting, children’s activities, YMCA activities, door prize sand giveaways.The DDIP program at this market is made possible through funding from St. David's Foundation, Texas Department of Agriculture, USDA, Farm Aid and Wholesome Wave.

SF Calso operates the year-round SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown at Republic Square Park (founded 2003), SFC Farmers’Market at The Triangle (2007), and SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley(2010). The markets Downtown and at Sunset Valley operate Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm (changing to 8:30 am to 12:30 pm May-August for summer hours), and The Triangle market operates 3-7 pm Wednesdays (changing to 4-8 pm for Mar-Sept for summer hours).

Sustainable Food Center envisions a food secure community where all children and adults grow, share and prepare healthy, local food. For more information about the markets, see www.sfcfarmersmarket.org. Also see www.sustainablefoodcenter.org.

Love at First Bite: Vivo Lake Creek to Woo Diners with Chef Petersen’s Five-Cours​e Menu

Acclaimed Chef Paul Petersen, the culinary mastermind behind the elevated Tex-Mex menu at Vivo Lake Creek, knows the way to any diner’s heart is through their stomach, and this Valentine’s Day, Chef Petersen is serving up a special Valentine’s Day menu that will have guests falling in love with Vivo all over again.   
 
 Amid Vivo’s luxurious leather booths, provocative artwork and low-lit, seductive ambiance, Chef Petersen will present his five-course lovers menu ($65 per person), which will also be available with specially selected wine pairings (additional $20 per person) chosen from Vivo’s unique 42-bottle wine list. Diners may also opt for any of Vivo’s specially concocted Valentine’s Day cocktails — liquid love creations designed to put guests in just the right mood.     
 
 The Valentine’s Day menu, which offers Chef Petersen an opportunity to further elevate his refined version of Tex-Mex cuisine, will feature alluring dishes such as mouthwatering appetizers like lobster sopapillas, and a main course of petit tenderloin served with spicy chipotle mashed potatoes and rich cabernet butter. One of Chef Petersen’s favorite ingredients and Vivo Lake Creek’s most popular, slow-cooked brisket, will also make an appearance on the menu. To complete the meal, Chef Petersen will prepare a dish sure to arouse guests’ passions. Diners will have a choice of desserts: the delicately divine mango mousse served atop sponge cake and drizzled with a raspberry puree, or Chef Petersen’s famously decadent red velvet cake dressed with house-made chocolate icing.      
 
 Vivo Lake Creek Valentine’s Day diners are encouraged to eat to their hearts’ content, but reservations for this special lovers menu occasion are recommended.
 
Vivo Lake Creekis located in the Lake Creek Village Shopping Center in Northwest Austin and features a variety of San Antonio-style Tex-Mex cuisine, signature cocktails and an exceptional wine list, all served in a plush, inviting and sensual lounge environment. For more information about Vivo Lake Creek and Chef Paul Petersen’s special lovers menu, or to make reservations for Valentine’s Day dinner, call (512) 331-4660, or visit www.vivo-austin.com.

Valentine's Day at Bistrot Mirabelle

We're celebrating Valentine's Day the only way we know how: with  amazing food.  Chef Clinton has created a wonderful three-course dinner to enjoy with a loved one or anyone who loves a great meal. We will also have our full dinner menu available.  Please join us! Make your reservation online or call us at 512-346-7900.

The Menu

Aperitif

Start with a complimentary glass of Bouvet Rose Brut from  the Loire Valley

First Course

Baked blue point oysters with mornay sauce

or

Endive and romaine salad with strawberry champagne vinaigrette, bacon & crispy goat cheese

Second Course

Grilled ribeye with bleu cheese glacage, pomme puree & truffled cream spinach

or

Grilled salmon with roasted potatoes & fennel, finished with brown butter hollandaise

Third Course

Raspberry tart with vanilla chantilly

or

Dark chocolate ganache candy bars with peanuts & white chocolate

$37.95

Super Bowl Snacks: Bacon-Wrapped Smokies

If you will be hosting a Super Bowl party, here is a recipe that is sure to please the hungriest crowd.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 1 (16 ounce) package little smokie sausages
• 1 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar.
3. Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.