San Antonio River Run

San Antonio offered a warm, muggy morning when we arrived at the River Walk and boarded a boat for a tour on the water. White linen tablecloths and napkins greeted us as we sat down to breakfast hors d'oeuvres, piping hot coffee and mimosas. A waitress from the adjacent Zuni Grill distributed menus. "We'll serve breakfast when you circle back around," she said.

Our driver, in a dapper white straw hat, piloted us along the water and regaled us with tales of San Antonio's rich multi-cultural history. We passed a metal sculpture and plaque that celebrated the first mass held in San Antonio, in 1691, and a double-tier stone bell tower built during the city's 'mission' period, in the 1700s. An ivy-covered foot bridge and adjacent Spanish-style stucco building with red tile roof resembled a European village.

We pulled in beside Zuni Grill and gasped as enormous plates of food arrived. My chilaquiles plate paired fresh eggs, cheese, corn tortillas and green chile sauce with a small bowl of fresh melon, and hand-cut grilled potatoes. Another mimosa, a coffee refill, and we were off again. As the sun poked through gray clouds, passengers on other boats looked longingly towards our breakfast feast and we turned our attention to the now-bustling River Walk.

Mexican Comfort Food

Although our family is far from vegetarian, I do make a vegetarian entree at least once each week. We also like Mexican food, so I created this recipe to satisfy both requirements. I knew I had a hit on my hands when I shared some extras with our Hispanic neighbor, who said they were the best enchiladas he had ever eaten. See if you agree!

Red and Black Enchiladas
Makes 7-8 enchiladas

1 large red onion, rough chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cans (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups Colby Jack cheese, grated
7-8 multi-grain tortillas (may substitute traditional flour tortillas)

Easy Enchilada Sauce at http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_10360,00.html
*For a vegetarian version of this sauce, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

OR 3 cups canned enchilada sauce

9 x 13 pan
2 frying pans
tea towel

Cilantro for garnish

Spread half of the sauce (approximately 1 ½ cups) evenly across the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Sauté red onion in one frying pan until soft but not limp, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and set pan aside.

Heat a dry frying pan to medium. One at a time, heat each side of a tortilla in the pan until small brown spots appear and the tortilla becomes pliable. Wrap 'fried' tortillas in the tea towel to keep them warm and soft. When all tortillas are fried, begin assembly.

Lie first tortilla flat and spread approximately 1/8 cup of onions on tortilla, about 1/4 of the distance in, from the right edge. Top with 1/4 cup black beans and 1/4 cup cheese. Draw right edge of tortilla over filling and then roll tightly, towards the left, to use entire tortilla. Transfer filled tortilla to 9 x 13 pan, open edge down.

Fill the remaining tortillas and add to pan, with sides touching. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce, and any extra onion or cheese, evenly across the enchiladas and then cover with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and allow to cool slightly.

Serve with chopped cilantro, and rice or a vegetable side dish, such as sautéed corn and zucchini.

Mirror Image

There are moments when every element combines to create the perfect photo. Such was the case when we stumbled across this lake in Colorado's high country, outside of Leadville, during a summer vacation with our young daughters. Like Forrest Gump, we had trouble telling where the earth ended and the sky began.

Water so still that it created a mirror-like surface reflected miles of serene, verdant peaks as billowy clouds cast interesting shadows across the landscape, and parched, yellowed grass framed the lake edge. As the girls and my husband took in the mesmerizing view, I captured the moment and scene for matting, framing and forever.

Wine by the Bay

In October 2007, Cellar360 opened at Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco with a goal of bringing the best of wine country to wine lovers who lack sufficient time to visit Napa or Sonoma. New owners stripped away modern construction to reveal brick, wood floors, ceilings, columns, and windows in the circa 1864 Woolen Mill Building, and then transformed the space with undulating architectural curves, loads of light and hundreds of beautifully displayed bottles.

But Cellar360 is more than a retail store - it's also a multi-brand tasting and wine education facility in which educators from COPIA/The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, teach classes. Their classroom is a glass-walled room that seats 40-50 people, attached to a full-service stainless steel kitchen with an expansive viewing window. Cellar360 also hosted a wine and chocolate class on February 16.

And tasting is an important part of a visit here. Sample a multi-brand flight of wines at the tasting bar, enjoy a pairing of cheeses and wine, or sip a glass of vino with one of 25 cheeses, soups of the day, salads and sandwiches or dishes such as truffled macaroni and cheeses or brussel sprouts with pancetta, that are available on-site. Then take one of your favorite bottles home to share with friends and family.

Luscious Lemon

I recently bought my first bottle of Limoncello Italian liqueur for use in a rather complicated recipe that required its lemon influence. Because I was anxious to try the liqueur immediately, I created a simpler recipe in time for my husband's birthday, several days later. It's loosely based on a recipe for Orange Twist Bread that I baked for a commercial client for nearly three years.

If you love lemon flavor, try Drunken Lemon Cupcakes - and sip some chilled Limoncello on the side. It's a fresh and refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Cake batter

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream (may substitute plain yogurt)
1 jigger of Limoncello
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
grated rind of one lemon

cupcake papers

Frosting

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 jigger of Limoncello
1-2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake papers in 15-18 sections of cupcake pans, depending on how large you want your cupcakes. Squeeze juice from lemon and then place rind into a food processor, chopping into fine pieces. Set aside 1-2 tablespoons. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and stir until well combined. Add sour cream, Limoncello, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour and combine well. Stir in remaining lemon peel. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Cream together butter, cream cheese, and confectioner's sugar, add Limoncello and stir until thick and smooth. Stir in lemon peel and frost cupcakes.

Environmental Excellence

Since early 2008, the refurbished Q hotel + spa kansas city in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri's oldest entertainment district - Westport - has instituted more than 30 environmental initiatives. Environmentally sound cleaning supplies, organic wines in the bar, and bulk table condiments, ceramic plates and organic Fair Trade coffees in the breakfast room, are only the beginning.

There's a trashcan in each room for recyclable materials, a single cup coffee maker with ceramic mugs, and Earth-friendly body care products at sink and shower. Q uses compact fluorescent bulbs in every light fixture, recycled paper products throughout the property, and flow restrictors on everything that moves water – from toilets to laundry facilities. The hotel also offers free bicycle or shuttle transportation, to reduce the use of rental cars.

But Q hotel & spa offers luxury too. There are HDTVs in every room, comfortable, modern furnishings and decor in a soothing palette of chocolate brown, sea foam green, cream, and brushed chrome, a day spa with pedicure and manicure stations, and a room with two massage tables. If you appreciate environmental awareness while traveling, Q hotel & spa may fit the bill when you visit Kansas City.

Tea and Trade

It’s sometimes possible to ‘travel’ around the world without ever setting foot outside your hometown. Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit, fair trade organization that works with more than 100 artisan groups in 30+ developing countries. Artisans whose work reach the shelves of a Ten Thousand Villages store receive a living wage and full payment for their work, before shipment.

The local Ten Thousand Villages store currently displays a Nepalese tea set with hand-painted designs that originated from women’s wall paintings. The set reflects a thriving tea drinking culture. Located amidst the Himalayas – including Mt. Everest – Nepal grows aromatic teas that have become increasingly popular throughout the world, in recent years, because they are generally more flavorful.

But tea is more than a beverage in Nepal; it is a way of life. Sherpas awake mountain trekkers with tea, and ‘Have you had your tea?’ is a common question everywhere. When the Nepalese share tea, they are at their most hospitable. And, when foreigners return home, many suffer withdrawal from this gentle, pervasive practice.