Black and Blue Crumb Bars

These bars will blow any cobbler away.  Yes, I'm serious.

How could this be?!  Because you can enjoy these for breakfast or dessert with vanilla ice cream a la mode.  And who doesn't love some sweetness beyond the late night snack?  

Trust me; I tried them both ways in Seaside, Florida this past week for spring break.  No regrets, y'all.

I chill the bars for an easy cookie-like morning snack and pop them for 30 seconds in the microwave to get the ultimate, buttery crust you'd find in a pie.  Basically, these bars can and will please anyone!

black and blue berry crumb bars

makes approx. 36 small bars

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or your fingers to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the berries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until top is slightly brown.  Cool completely (you can even chill them in the fridge) before cutting into squares.

adapted from smitten kitchen

George's (Alys Beach)

ambiance
George's is located in Alys Beach, a grecian-like neighborhood of beach houses with all white exteriors and unbelievable architecture. The angles and simplicity make me feel like I'm in Europe! George's is a tiny cafe right off the highway filled with a warm staff and small but satisfying menu. The left side of the menu is entitled "mis-be-have" for your sandwich with fries option, while the right side reads "be-have" for salads and the healthy works. The dishes, therefore, can make even the pickiest of eaters happy! And who cares about misbehaving when it comes to eating...right?!

food

thai beef and noodle salad

crab cake remoulade roll

Our family opted to try entrees from all over the menu. Dad got the famous grilled grouper sandwich that magazines say "you must eat before you die." Julia and her friend Dena got the best burger on 30A. I tried the crab cake remoulade roll with bacon. I ended up taking the remoulade off, but I really enjoyed the fried green tomato on top. Mom ordered the thai beef and noodle salad with avocado and mango. The thai peanut dressing was awesome - I could've ordered an extra side of it! We also got the G.A.S.P. (garlic, artichoke, sun-dried tomato, pesto) in a pita with a side of nutty kale cous cous with honey and almonds. Our plates were clean by the end of the hour!

warm chocolate goo with vanilla gelato

key lime pie

candy bar mini cake

But how could we ignore dessert...Julia insisted on the warm chocolate goo, which turned out to be a simply darn good brownie. The homemade key lime pie was a classic. My favorite was the candy bar mini cake. The owner, Anne, told us that she spent two full Sundays after tasting a similar dish in NYC. The cake consists of snickers, rolos, heath bar, oreo, and reese's.

Interested yet?! Good.

Sesame-crusted Grouper

Remember that quinoa fried "rice" recipe that I created a few months back?! Here's the Asian-inspired grouper entree that compliments the quinoa so well.  It's light and healthy, and the fish cooks beautifully in the skillet.

I'm heading to Seaside, FL for a relaxing Spring Break with the family on Saturday morning - if anyone has recipe recommendations, now is the time to send them my way! I'll be experimenting in the beach house kitchen throughout next week.  Email any ideas to cara.greenstein@gmail.com or simply comment below!

sesame-crusted grouper

Makes 4 servings 

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 6-ounce grouper fillets
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sesame seeds
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

1. For vinaigrette, mix the soy sauce, mustard, ginger, white wine vinegar and green onions. Add more soy sauce for a less acidic sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil without whisking.

2. Dredge the fish on one side with flour. Spread some of egg over floured side of the fish with a pastry brush. Then, dredge in sesame seeds.

3. In a medium-hot oven-safe skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons canola oil. Once hot, add fish, sesame-seed side down. Bake in 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

4. Take fish out of the oven and carefully flip it over. Return to oven and bake 1 minute, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

5. Gently mix vinaigrette and pour over fish. Serve atop veggie quinoa fried “rice” for an Asian twist.

adapted from country home magazine 

Clark's Oyster Bar (Austin)

ambiance
Walk through these doors on a sunny afternoon, and you've entered California paradise.  Clark's, the "baby brother" of Perla's (it's less than a year old!), quickly became my family's new favorite for seafood and sophistication.  It's in a hoppin' location on West Sixth and equates its dining experience to a maritime yacht club.  How picturesque is that?! Put on your shades and Vineyard Vines and step into a beachside bliss.

food

The photos speak for themselves, but these dishes deserve some caramelized praise.

Our waiter gave us a "northeastern sampler" of our oysters on the half shell.  To be honest, I'm not fancy enough to taste the difference between these oysters; once they're doused in cocktail sauce, Massachusetts and Maine are the same to me. But, let me tell you: these oysters were good.

The wood grilled shrimp toast was unlike any other shrimp dish I've had - the shrimp mix was literally baked into the Texas toast. Delish.  And, of course, we couldn't go wrong with the lobster roll, a simple sandwich with succulent lobster, bibb lettuce and a buttery bun.

The wood-grilled brussel sprouts were too spicy for my momma, but I loved the sliced and skewered presentation.  I didn't have time to photograph the grilled cheese with sofrito because my brother Jake ate it too quickly.  Yep, it was that good.

I hope your Clark's experience is as delightful as ours was!

Icon Launch Party

Being a public relations student in Austin, Texas couldn't be more perfect. The scene is innovative, thrilling and creative - a flawless forum for applying my studies.

I was lucky enough to begin working for Icon in early November, when McGarrah Jessee posted an available marketing intern position for their "start up friends."  Little did I realize that I would quickly be thrown into a whirlwind of social media strategies, press outreach and party planning.

To say the least, I've loved the ride and constant spontaneity of being the PR specialist of a start up company.  Icon, a digital business card that aggregates your social media content in one place (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, your blog...), is off to an unbelievable start since its public launch on Feb. 20.

Here are some photos from the launch event (thank you Alison Narro!) that I pulled off, with the help of my professional event planner mother and the incredible Icon team.

Check out http://icon.me and claim your Icon now! It takes only minutes to create a sleek and professional profile.  You'll love.

peached tortilla catering

Olive and June (Austin)

When Hannah and her sweet mother invited me to Olive & June for dinner last Thursday night, I could not have been more excited to eat a delicious Italian meal with a great group! Our dinner was a lovely kickoff to our sorority's Mom's Weekend - three days of nonstop food and family fun. Look out for another critique of Clark's Oyster Bar, coming soon!

ambiance
Olive & June was warm, spacious and beautifully candlelit. The scene was more than appropriate for an intimate date or family gathering. We were surrounded by couples, girls' nights out and families with adorable babies. The dark wood and dish cloth napkins showed the comfortable twist to a sophisticated space.

food
Our waiter first offered freshly baked, sea-salt encrusted focaccia with homemade ricotta. Yes, please. Keep scrolling for the most fabulous dishes I've had in a while....

We loved the seafood frito misto with arugula and lemon - the jumbo shrimp, calamari and fish were somehow flash fried so lightly, that you could barely see the breaded layer. It provided the perfect crunch without overwhelming the seafood. Zucchini involtini was my personal favorite; not just because it had mushrooms, but because the choice of ingredients and presentation were so creative. The mushrooms were pureed with pine nuts, almost like a pesto (not like the one I attempted in December), and wrapped in thin strips of zucchini. The tomatoes and golden raisins were both citrus-y, but provided completely contrasting textures and flavors. So interesting and so freaking yum.

Brenna and I ordered two entrees to split - my favorite way to order at any restaurant, as you may know. The whole wheat ravioli was a winner; stuffed with goat cheese and sprinkled with pistachios, the rich flavor of the filling balanced well with a light olive oil and parmesean topping.  Spring risotto was also a delicious choice.  We ordered it without proscuitto to truly highlight the sweat peas and asparagus with savory mascarpone cheese.

Hannah and her mom also ordered the grilled branzino with citrus and hazelnut. While I didn't get a bite myself, the fish was cooked to perfection and paired well with grapefruit segments and watercress. For sides, the four of us chose the baked eggplant with mozzarella and roasted baby beets, served family style. Both were unbelievable.

Hungry yet? Make a reservation soon and enjoy the beauty of North Italy right here in Austin.