R & R Taqueria

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Back when I lived at home and had cable, I was lucky enough to catch the occasional program on the Food Network when my sister didn't have control of the TV. How I envied Guy Fieri driving around and visiting all those funky restaurants while enjoying a backstage pass to amazing food. Over the weekend my husband and I decided to take a drive and track down a dive in Elkridge, Maryland called R & R Taqueria. The authentic Mexican food is served up inside a Shell gas station.

At first I thought R & R was going to be a small adjoining structure. I've seen a few gas station/restaurant combos during road trips, but I've never encountered anything quite like this. We drove right past the restaurant and had to turn around! A ledge with bar stools sits beneath each of the windows in the picture above, and a wall of plexiglass separates the restaurant from the gas station's store. The small kitchen is open so you can watch your food being prepared while you perch on a stool.

What this restaurant might lack in ambiance, it makes up for in flavor. We each ordered huaraches and left feeling elated and stuffed. Both tortillas were topped with huge chunks of Oaxaca cheese (yum!) and generous portions of meat. The chili sauce that came with my huarache was out of this world. I highly recommend R & R Taqueria to anyone who is in search of exceptional Mexican food and a little adventure.

PS: I have a new goal to track down all the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in close proximity, so look out for upcoming food posts!

Sarah

Juggling Jobs

So during the times when I am not making food or going on a weekend excursion, I am usually at work. As I have gotten adjusted to the new area, my work schedule has evolved, and I am pretty happy with how it has turned out.

My main title is Reading and Writing Teacher at an after-school learning center. I love what I do here. Children come in excited to read new books, and I function as an editor and writing instructor for kids of all ages. These students may be behind, on par, or ahead of their grade level, but they all want to learn and improve so it makes for a great atmosphere. Recently my center decided to add some weekend workshops on topics we usually don't have time to cover, and I have been placed in charge of creating and leading a series of creative writing workshops. It is a joy and a challenge!

SAT tutor is another one of my titles. When I first moved I taught a class 2 nights a week, way far away, and at late hours. It was good experience working in front of a classroom, but the schedule was not the greatest. A problem with teaching courses like these is that low enrollment can cause a course cancellation a few days before you are set to start teaching. For that reason I have stepped back from that a little and remain available to proctor the occasional weekend practice test or substitute for another tutor.

The lack of SAT time left an opening for something else in my life, so I decided to look in to volunteering. I looked online and found Volunteer Match, a website that lead me to Reading Partners. This organization works with children who are reading below grade level and through a structured curriculum helps students gain reading confidence and competency. I am pleased to have found this program where I can learn firsthand how children acquire reading skills while making a huge difference in individual lives. Sometimes a system can seem hopeless, but helping just a few and seeing change on an individual level brings me hope for a better future. I know I sound sappy, but I have found my passion in promoting literacy.

I just thought I would share a little with everyone about the other activities going on in my life. At some point I may post a few writing exercises for kids that I have developed at my primary job, and now you'll know where they are coming from! I hope all is well in your life, and I encourage you to find a cause you are passionate about.

Sarah

National Gallery of Art

Sometimes I get so bogged down by the humdrum rhythm of everyday life that I forget I live in such a cool city. This weekend my wonderful husband and I hopped onto the metro and zipped over to the Judiciary Square stop so we could take in some culture at the art museum.

There is a really cool Byzantine art exhibit (free!) at the gallery until the beginning of March 2014. Amazingly old and well-preserved mosaics, manuscripts, religious icons, paintings, frescoes, etc. fill the exhibit and are accompanied by information on their specific history and the time period as a whole. Another cool feature I noticed while walking through was a few thick reference books laying on benches for visitors to peruse. A movie in one of the rooms displays Byzantine art that is still standing thousands of miles away. If you hear music, walk towards it to get to the video. No photographs are allowed here since this exhibit is on loan to the museum, but you could pick up a commemorative gift or postcard for yourself at the shop near the exit. If you are in the area, it is well worth the trip!

I can't report on the whole museum just yet since we only made it through a portion of it today, but the permanent collection we saw on the main floor of the West Building was incredible! My art history text book was up on the walls. In person! We saw Impressionist paintings galore. I can't even list them all, but the lady at the information desk informed me that I could plan my next trip online, so here is the link for that. You can search through the museum for artists and individual works all from the comfort of your home. However, the museum also has many comfy couches so you can plop down and marvel at each painting as you move from one room to the next.

The building itself is as amazing as the paintings housed in it and movies, jazz concerts, lectures, tours, and family events offer year-round entertainment. More details later! It is time for bed. This week I start my two new volunteer positions to improve literacy and spread the joy of books. : )

Sarah

Harpers Ferry Hiking

Last weekend my husband and I loaded up the car with our hiking gear and drove to West Virginia! It felt so nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of D.C. especially since we only had to spend an hour in the car getting there. Upon arriving at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, we learned that there was free entry for all to celebrate Veteran's Day. Normally it is $10 per car or $5 for individuals who enter on bike or foot.

The visitor center is small but has some very helpful rangers who are willing to guide you in the right direction. They also have stamps for your parks passport. If you plan on hiking, make sure you ask for a more detailed trail map. You might notice that this park is very spread out, but there are free shuttle buses that will take you from the visitor center to town. The buses were pristine and ran frequently.We were told 10-15 minutes, but when we were heading out around noon, the buses kept coming every 5 minutes.You can walk back to the visitor center from town. It is about 2 miles, and keep in mind the sun sets much earlier now! Also, know that there is more than one visitor center within walking distance. If you see the sign while at Jefferson Rock, that is the Appalachian Trail visitor center that is .7 miles away and not the National Park visitor center. We had no idea until we got right below it; fortunately, a nice lady walking her dog came by and was able to point us in the right direction. (Keep going on the trail and take the left at the fork in the trail and head down the hill. Then you will be back on the road with signs to guide your way.)

Our big hike of the day was the Maryland Heights Trail. This is one of the more strenuous trails offered at Harpers Ferry, but the view is so worth it. The hiking itself wasn't too difficult (unlike the Billy Goat Trail) it just involved a whole lot of up. Those were some steep inclines that did not let up. My husband likes to "get in a workout" on the first half of a hike. I felt like I was going to die as we trekked past everyone. (I survived!) If you take your time though, you should have no problem. There is a stunning overlook at the top where you can see picturesque Harpers Ferry sitting on the river below. The train passed by right when we got up there and topped off the whole experience. I will avoid describing too much and just show some pictures. It is very windy at the top! If you hike this during the fall/winter, you will definitely want a jacket.

There is plenty to explore in town as well. If you are hungry after a day of hiking, Lower Town offers a lot of sandwich/salad type restaurants and tons of ice cream shops. The architect in your group will enjoy the well-preserved buildings, and shoppers will be delighted with the assortment of stores including handmade and local items. We wandered into a "historic candy shop" that dates back candy favorites and their histories to the 1700s. The woman who owns this store will gladly talk to you about the fascinating history of candy, and the best part is you can take some home. Museums are set up in several of the historic buildings around town so you can step inside and learn more about this town's Civil War past. Did you know Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark) stopped through town to get his gear for their famous expedition? There is a cemetery that dates back to the 1800s nearby Jefferson Rock. If you walk a little further down the trail after taking in the view, you will notice some stone steps off to your right. Those lead up to the cemetery; there is a plaque at the top to give you more information about its history. One thing I really enjoyed about this trip was the history lesson. Signs and exhibits all over Harpers Ferry illustrated the town's past in an interesting and engaging way. This is a well-rounded family outing!

Infinity Scarf for Beginning Crochet

Finished Product!! I love the color so much and this scarf keeps me toasty. The large hook makes this a quick project, too!
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I know. I know. I haven't finished the last scarf, but I have learned an important lesson. Make that two.

1. Always buy 2 skeins of yarn if you have a scarf in mind. The beautiful variegated yarn I used for my scarf was purchased well over a year ago- before I even started crocheting. The colors jumped out at me and made me want to learn, so I took 1 skein of yarn home with me. When I finally started working on my project, I didn't even consider the possibility that my yarn might be out of stock. It had always been at the craft store which brings me to lesson number two.

2. If you don't buy enough yarn to finish your project, at least save the wrapper that came with the yarn. All the information you need to track it down is on that piece of paper. These wrappers can easily get lost or discarded over time because, frankly, they are annoying. It's like trying to keep up with your receipts: a fabulous idea until  you find bits of paper everywhere you look and want to burn them all. Maybe that's just me...

I would suggest finding a way to stash all of your yarn wrappings in a safe and contained location. A decorative box or project binder might work well. Then, if an emergency yarn situation should occur, you could take to the internet with all the information you need to track your yarn to a hoarder on ravelry who might be willing to haggle with you. The search for my yarn will continue, but in the meantime, I am itching to start and finish a scarf.

This wonderfully informative video walks you through an infinity scarf project step by step. Plus, this pattern calls for super bulky yarn and a large look, so the whole project can be completed in just a few hours. Yes! I am using Wool-Ease Chunky yarn by Lion Brand Yarn in a gorgeous spice color.

Easy Beef Stew with Barley

That's right. Barley. How often do you get to cook with barley? I can say it was a first for me. I was feeling pretty legit until I couldn't find the barley after scouring the supermarket. Any guesses on where it was hiding? It was in the Hispanic foods aisle (Goya brand). So, be patient and thorough in your search, or just ask a friendly staff member where this particular grain is stashed in your grocery store.

This recipe is in either from my Crock-Pot or Betty Crocker cookbook. I need to make an easy reference chart with all my favorite recipes and the books they are in. Is this a problem for anyone else? Fortunately, I've memorized this recipe now and eliminated the problem of finding it each time.

P.S. This meal goes great with a loaf of freshly baked bread.

Beef & Barley Stew

Ingredients:

-2 pounds of beef stew meat
-2 cans of diced tomatoes
-1 8oz can of tomato sauce
-2 cans (or 3 cups) of beef broth
-1 1/2 cups of water
-2/3 cup barley
-1 diced onion
-1 cup frozen green beans (we added a whole bag and it turned out great)
-1 cup frozen corn
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp dried thyme
-1/4 tsp pepper
-optional: serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top

Directions:
(There are several ways to cook this meal and each number below presents a different option.)

1. Dice onion, open cans and packages, and throw everything into the crock-pot at once. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. This method works well if you are going to be gone all day. Some of the barley will probably get stuck to the bottom if you are not home to stir. We didn't find that this affected taste or anything. Just try not to scrape the bottom of the crock-pot when you serve up stew. 

2. Put the beef in the crock-pot with all of the liquid ingredients and seasonings. Cook on high for an hour or two. Then add vegetables and barley and turn heat to low. Serve stew when beef and barley are cooked through. If you woke up late on the weekend and are trying to make sure your dinner is ready on time, this works well. You shave at least an hour or two off of your cook time.

3. This is a Crock-Pot recipe, but you could easily modify this for the stove top by cooking the beef and barley separately and then adding them to a large stock pot with everything else to simmer.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It had become a new fall favorite around here. 

Pumpkin Fluff

This is my obligatory pumpkin post for pumpkin season; however, I am pleased to report that this is now one of my absolute favorite chocolate-free desserts. I am so glad my friend brought this dish over for book club and introduced me to a new fall standard!

Pumpkin Fluff

Ingredients:

- 1 tub of Cool Whip
- 1 can of pumpkin puree
- cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 box of cinnamon graham crackers

Directions:

Stir together as much Cool Whip and pumpkin as desired. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Serve with graham crackers. Voila! This recipe works best if you taste as you go. It really is this simple. 

Fun Writing Aids

In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month, here are some fun ideas and websites that can aid you in your writing!

1. When you can't figure out just the right word for your sentence, type elephant (or another word that will stand out) and carry on. After completing your piece or reaching a good stopping point, you can search through your document and find each elephant and replace with a more appropriate word. I am excited to try this in my own writing. It will save time and allow me to use the best descriptors possible.

2. If you have a serious procrastination problem and need a new form of motivation, check out Write or Die. This worked surprisingly well for me. I wrote about 350 word in a little over 5 minutes. I felt the same urgency to write as I do the night before a paper is due because I didn't want any of my work to be deleted. If you enjoy editing, but have troubles writing something in the first place, this might be the perfect tool for you!

3. This site seems especially cool for kids who want to craft an interactive choose your own adventure story or creative writers looking to explore multiple plot lines. I haven't done too much with this site yet, but I did come up with a silly intro that would work really well for a children's story/ picture book.

 I will continue to post more cool things as I find them. I hope you try out something new and have fun writing!

Sarah