Magnolia Pancake Haus

If you are ever in San Antonio and needing a great breakfast spot, you should definitely give this place a try (on the weekends you will probably wait about an hour, depending on your party size). We try to make a habit of having breakfast with my girlfriend's grandparents on most Sundays, and I am soooooo happy when this is our place of choice. They have bacon waffles (yes, waffles with bacon in them). Enough said. http://www.magnoliapancakehaus.com/

An Alternative to Antacids and Uncomfortableness after the Thanksgiving Gorge

I always overdue it on Thanksgiving. Don't we all? I wish I would have seen this article before today so maybe I could have tried this method this year. http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/bws/entries/2011/11/20/digestifs_for_post_thanksgivin.html?cxntfid=blogs_liquid

Austin Chef Paul Qui

Paul Qui is currently holding his own in Top Chef's newest rendition: Top Chef Texas. Paul Qui is executive chef at Uchiko restaurant in Austin, Texas. Born in Manila, Philippines and trained in classic French and Japanese cuisine, Paul takes a modernist approach towards food, where there are no boundaries. Starting as a stage, Paul worked his way up the ranks of Uchi to Chef de Cuisine and eventually Executive Chef at Uchiko. While training under Uchi Chef and Owner Tyson Cole, Paul learned to adapt traditional Japanese dishes with an eye towards local flavor, all while incorporating influences from South East Asian and European cuisine. On last week's episode, Paul won the quickfire challenge. The challenge was to create the best dish choosing from whichever chile the contestants preferred (they ranged from the Anaheim, $500 to the ghost chile, $20,000). The catch was that the hotter the chile, the more money you could win. Paul was the only one to choose the infamous ghost chile, which brought a prize of $20,000.

Eddie V's Sells Two of Their Top Concepts

About 6 weeks ago Eddie V's Restaurants Inc. sold the Eddie V's and Wildfish Seafood Grille to the enemy, Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse). Not that Darden is intentionally evil, but it was sad to see them gobble up 2 unique concepts. I can't say that I blame the owners of Eddie V's either. They made a lot of money and may be able to start up some new concepts with that cash, or retire. I just hope that Darden doesn't change Eddie V's or Wildfish too much. http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2011/10/12/eddie-vs-restaurants-sold-to-darden.html

French Quarter Grille

I used to work for Gumbo's in the downtown location with Dave Gore. It's really nice to see him get his chance at his own restaurant. This is a nice write-up about the makings of the French Quarter Grille, formerly Mama Roux. I haven't been there yet, but next time I am in Austin, you can be sure I will be dropping in. Good luck, Dave. http://www.austin360.com/food-drink/dining/cajun-restaurant-owners-built-on-culinary-legacy-of-1990506.html

Food Truck Frenzy

The food truck craze that this nation has experienced over the last 10 years got it's kick start in Los Angeles, and Austin is a major player in the market, but food trucks are a growing business in cities all around the country. This San Antonio Express News article argues why they are here to stay, and offers a bunch of locations around San Antonio. http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/article/Mobile-food-vendors-thriving-2228879.php#page-1

A San Antonio Staple: Bill Miller's BBQ

Bill Miller's BBQ has been in operation in it's current form since 1963 and operates in the San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin markets. I stopped by on the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving for some breakfast tacos and the place was a madhouse. I guess this is why: http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/article/A-Conversation-With-Ray-Chapa-Bill-Miller-BBQ-2275023.php

Brisket and Ribs

A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend's great aunt came into town for her yearly visit from Buffalo, NY. She requested brisket and I am usually the cook for these gatherings, so I of course obliged (I really like do it anyway). I also wanted ribs, so I threw on a rack of spare's, and there was another request for sausage.

Elk Filet

A friend of mine recently returned from a hunting trip to Wyoming. This was his second year in a row to go and both years he shot an elk. Elk are big. And I was the beneficiary of the extra meat. Elk filet is very lean, while still being very flavorful. In addition to the filet I have hamburger, sirloin, and round steaks for chicken frying. More pics to come from those.

Pork and Chorizo Sliders

I love burgers and theses are good alternatives to beef sliders. Ground pork is actually pretty lean, so adding the chorizo gives them more flavor. I like to serve them with King's Hawaiian sweet rolls. I also add diced avocado as a topping.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for grates
• 1/2 pound smoked chorizo sausage (fully cooked), casings removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 ounces sliced pepper Jack cheese (optional)
• 4 large hamburger buns
• 1/2 cup Green-Chile Mayo
• Romaine lettuce, for serving

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grates. In a food processor, pulse chorizo until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and add ground pork, garlic, Worcestershire, Cajun seasoning, salt, and cayenne; mix gently. Form mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties. (To store, cover and refrigerate patties, up to 1 day.)
2. Grill burgers, covered, until cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side. During the last few minutes of grilling, top burgers with cheese if desired and grill buns until lightly toasted. Place burgers in buns and top with green-chile mayo and lettuce.