Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Support the Kaptur-Farr proposal to Food Safety Enhancement Act

Call Your Representative Today to support the Kaptur-Farr proposal to HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009

H.R. 2749, The Food Safety Enhancement Act, has been moving through committee and now is slated to go to the floor of the House today, Wednesday, July 29. The bill will go to the house floor under a suspension vote, which means limited debate and no amendments can be introduced on the floor. A two-thirds majority is needed for passage.

Last week, representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), Sam Farr (CA-17), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-2), Peter Welch (VT-at large), Chellie Pingree (ME-1) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee with specific proposed changes to HR 2749 that addresses many of the concerns raised by the sustainable and organic agriculture community. H.R. 2749 contains provisions that could hinder sustainable, and organic farmers' access to markets, require expensive fees, and lead to dismantling of important conservation practices and wildlife habitats.

PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IMMEDIATELY!
It is important that you call your Representative today, Wednesday, and ask them to join the effort to protect small and mid-sized family farmers, the environment, and consumer choice by supporting the provisions in the Kaptur-Farr proposal to HR 2749. Please see our friends at NSAC for further background information.


It's easy to call. Please call or fax your Representative's office and ask to speak with the aide that works on agriculture. If you don't know your Representative's name, please click here and enter your zip code in the top left-hand corner of the screen. Then call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Representative's office: 202-224-3121.

The message is simple."I am a constituent of Representative___________ and I am calling to ask him/her to support the Kaptur-Farr proposal to HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. I am also asking him/her to vote against HR 2749 unless the proposals included in the Kaptur-Farr letter are included in the final bill."

With roots dating back more than 30 years, SFC is involved in every step of the local food system from seed to table. Our mission is to cultivate a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food.

Contact Information
Susan Leibrock
Community Relations Director
Sustainable Food Center
512-236-0074 ext. 111

Friday, July 24, 2009

10 Best Low-Fat Recipes for the Grill

While looking for some new recipes to try out, I ran across these 10 tasty recipes. I'll be trying some of this weekend.

One of the biggest issues that most people have is low-fat and taste. A lot of my friends tend to say that low-fat means bland and unappetizing. Not the case! You can have flavor and taste without adding fat to your diet.

The 10 recipes include the following:
  1. Mojito-Rubbed Chicken with Grilled Pineapple
  2. Spiced Pork Tenderloins with Mango Salsa
  3. Grilled Eggplant with Ricotta Salata
  4. Filet Mignon with Horseradish Salsa
  5. Summer Squash and Chicken
  6. Turkey Cutlets with Melon Salsa
  7. Corn and Pepper Jack Quesadillas
  8. Lemony White-Bean Bruschetta
  9. Steak Sandwich with Grilled Onions
  10. Shrimp with Asian Barbecue Sauce
Once you realize that taste doesn't have to disappear when you eliminate the fat, you will find that low-fat meals can be tasty.

For all of the recipes, visit 10 Best Low-Fat Recipes for the Grill

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Monday, July 20, 2009

Roaring Fork Restaurants Launch “RF Rewards” Program

Austin, Texas (June 30, 2009) – The Roaring Fork, with two locations in Austin including its newest along Quarry Lake on Stonelake Boulevard, recently launched a new guest appreciation program called “RF Rewards.” The new rewards program is designed to reward frequency with the additional benefit of helping to offset the continuing economic doldrums. RF Rewards, available at all Roaring Fork locations – Austin, San Antonio and Scottsdale, will reward guests 10 percent for every dollar spent in the restaurant at lunch, weekend brunch, dinner and happy hour. Registration is free and available both in the restaurants and online at www.roaringfork.com.

Once registered, Roaring Fork will mail new members a personalized card within approximately three weeks of signing up. Members can then immediately begin earning rewards points to be redeemed once a minimum of $50 is spent (or once $5 in rewards is accumulated). The rewards may be redeemed on Sunday through Wednesday after 5:00 pm at any Roaring Fork location. Rewards members are also first to receive news on special promotions, seasonal menu items and recipes as well as a tasty treat on birthdays and anniversaries if the guest provides this information upon registration.

According to Garry Hubbard, general manager of the Roaring Fork at 7th and Congress, “This new program has been extremely well-received, with more than 450 RF rewards members signing up locally since we launched in mid-May. Frequent guests along with newcomers love the economics and the sense of appreciation,” he said.

Hubbard notes that this is a great program for corporate entertaining because of the generous rewards percentage. A host could easily earn enough credit after one dinner to provide a future complimentary dinner for two or more. RF Rewards do not apply to tax and gratuity and the rewards cannot be redeemed for the purchase of gift cards.

About Roaring Fork
Founded in 1998 by Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso, The Roaring Fork specializes in bold American flavors using wood-fired cooking techniques. The Roaring Fork is located at 10850 Stonelake Blvd. and at 7th and Congress Ave. Hours of operation at Stonelake are lunch daily at 11 am, dinner daily at 4 pm, and brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. Happy hour is nightly from 4 until 7 pm. The Congress Ave. location is open for lunch daily at 11:00 am, happy hour from 4:00 until 7 pm, Tuesday through Saturday and all night Sunday and Monday. Dinner is served nightly beginning at 5 pm. Villavaso and Foles also own the highly acclaimed Eddie V’s and Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants located in Texas, Arizona and California. For more information, including reservations, visit www.roaringfork.com.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Texas Monthly Ranks 50 Best Hamburgers in Texas

Austin, Texas—July 17, 2009—Texas Monthly, the expert on all things Texan, has published in the August issue their definitive story celebrating the iconic Texas food: the hamburger. A team of 31 eaters scoured the state, covering 12,343 miles, visiting 253 restaurants, and gaining a cumulative 45 pounds in their quest for the best 50 hamburgers in the state. In the introduction to the story, executive editor Patricia Sharpe and editor Jake Silverstein said: “In seeking burgers that stopped us in our tracks, we left some hallowed names in the dust. Undoubtedly, burger-loving readers will be outraged at a few of our picks and misses, but so be it.”

In a story accompanying the hamburger list, senior editor Gary Cartwright, through his extensive research, set out to prove that the world’s first hamburger was served in Athens, Texas, despite the fact that three other towns take credit for inventing the hamburger: New Haven, Connecticut; the Village of Hamburg, New York; and Seymour, Wisconsin. “The documentary evidence supporting this claim is strong,” Cartwright says.

The top 50 burger list and August issue cover are provided in the first link below. The second link is a video from editor Jake Silverstein providing background on the story. The issue is available on newsstands on July 23 and will be posted at http://www.texasmonthly.com on July 22.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/media

http://www.texasmonthly.com/multimedia/video/14142

Founded in 1973, Texas Monthly has a circulation of 300,000 and is read by more than 2.5 million people each month—one out of every eight Texas adults. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. Emmis owns and operates radio stations and other regional magazines.

Texas Monthly’s 50 BEST HAMBURGERS IN TEXAS:

  1. The Grape, Dallas, Classic Cheeseburger
  2. Counter Café, Austin, Counter Burger
  3. Alamo Springs Café, Fredericksburg, Cheeseburger (With Green Chiles on a Jalapeno-Cheese Bun)
  4. Toro Burger Bar, El Paso, Toro Burger
  5. The Cove, San Antonio, Texas Burger
  6. The Porch, Dallas, The Stodg
  7. Perini Ranch Steakhouse, Buffalo Gap, Hamburger Steak on a Bun
  8. Dutch’s, Fort Worth, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger
  9. Beck’s Prime, Houston, Bacon Cheeseburger
  10. Orlando’s, Lubbock, Cheeseburger in Paradise
  11. White Buffalo Bar, Gage Hotel, Marathon, Buffalo Burger
  12. Cover 3, Austin, Chop-House Burger (With Cheese and Bacon)
  13. Burger Fresh, Conroe, 1/2 Pound Hamburger
  14. Burger Tex II, Austin, Bulgogi Burger
  15. Twisted Root Burger Co., Dallas, Hamburger
  16. Max’s Wine Dive, Austin, Houston, Kobe Beef Burger
  17. Love Shack, Fort Worth, Dirty Love Burger
  18. Fatty’s Burgers & More, San Antonio, Ref Burger
  19. MoMak’s Backyard Malts & Burgers, San Antonio, MoMak Classic Burger
  20. Kelly’s Eastside, Plano, Southwestern Burger
  21. Big’z Burger Joint, San Antonio, Big’z Famous No. 1
  22. Chicken Oil Co., Bryan, Snuffy Burger
  23. Café Michael Burger, Galveston, Tiki Burger
  24. Burgers, Fries and Cherry Pies, Midland, The French Connection Burger
  25. Mockingbird Bistro, Houston, American Kobe Beef Burger
  26. Parkside, Austin, Cheeseburger
  27. Black Sheep Lodge, Austin, Black Buffalo Burger
  28. Miss Hattie’s Café and Saloon, San Angelo, Miss Hattie Burger
  29. Mel’s Country Café, Tomball, Double Hamburger
  30. Roaring Fork, Austin, Half Ass Burger
  31. Gene’s Tasty Burger, Wichita Falls, Frisco Burger
  32. Cliff Café, Dallas, Brie and Granny Smith Burger
  33. Bracken Store Café, San Antonio, Bean and Frito Burger
  34. Sam’s Deli Diner, Houston, Hamburger
  35. Dry Creek Café, Houston, The Regular (With Asadero Cheese)
  36. Hamburger Store, Jefferson, Build-Your-Own Burger
  37. Mighty Fine, Austin, Hamburger
  38. Roadhouse, Bastrop, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Burger
  39. Lankford Grocery and Market, Houston, Old-Fashioned Hamburger
  40. Classics Burgers and “Moore,” Kerrville, Cheeseburger
  41. Koffee Kup Family Restaurant, Hico, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Burger
  42. Hruska’s Store and Bakery, Ellinger, Cheeseburger
  43. Rosco’s Burger Inn, El Paso, Rosco Burger
  44. Port Aransas Brewing Company, Port Aransas, Stopher Burger
  45. Goode Company Hamburgers and Taqueria, Houston, Mesquite Burger
  46. Snuffer’s Restaurant and Bar, Dallas, Green Chile Swissburger
  47. Fred’s Texas Café, Fort Worth, Diablo Burger
  48. Speedy’s Burger, Houston, Hamburguesa Mexicana
  49. Gourmet Burger Grill, San Antonio, Hamburger
  50. Jakes, Dallas, #1 Jakes Special

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb fusilli pasta
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/3 English cucumber, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Generous grinding of black pepper

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Refrigerate while chopping vegetables.
Chop vegetables. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to blend.
Put cold pasta, cheese, olives and vegetables into a bowl and toss with dressing.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Emeril's Slider Recipe

I saw this on FoxNews and I tried it. I think you will be impressed with it. With the 4th of July weekend coming up in hours, I think you might want to give this a try. It does take any time to make these sliders.


Thursday, July 2, 2009

Monday Meal Makeover: Roasted Split Chicken with Mustard Crust - Nutrition | Physical - FOXNews.com

I tried this recipe and it is absolutely wonderful. It is very tasty and very good for those who are watching their weight. Jacques Pepin's recipe is perfect and you can't go wrong with it.

Most people tend to believe that dieting can't be tasty. WRONG! It can be. Just spend time cooking and not buying. I have noticed a lot of people buying those diet meals. Those things are expensive. Learn to use the kitchen for more than reheating prepared meals. You really need to start cooking again. When people go out to eat, most of them don't know what proper portion sizes are anymore. When you cook and prepare meals for you and your family, you will begin to realize that portion sizes in most restaurants are too large and can feed a family.

Monday Meal Makeover: Roasted Split Chicken with Mustard Crust - Nutrition Physical - FOXNews.com

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Critics Cringe at Ad for Burger King's Latest Sandwich - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

Burger King is really getting desperate to use advertising like this. I haven't been a big fan of the "Plasto-King" that they are now using. In several conversations with children, they said that he was creepy.

If I were Burger King, I would concentrate on better quality and customer service. The last time I went to a Burger King, it took over 10 minutes to get my order and it was wrong. This wasn't even lunch or dinner time. It was off-peak lunch (1:45PM) and there were only 5 people in the store at the time.

Critics Cringe at Ad for Burger King's Latest Sandwich - International News News of the World Middle East News Europe News - FOXNews.com

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