In Search of Breakfast

Published 3/20/2011

In Search of Breakfast

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Saturday morning is our morning to relax and start the morning with breakfast out then taking our time to run the weekly errands. I ask Doug if he had a preference for a place to get breakfast, in his typical manner he said, “Nobody can screw up breakfast so it doesn’t matter where we go.” This conversation happened several months ago and we are still in search for the best Saturday Morning Breakfast!

There are restaurants in the area that open for the early crowd but it is obvious that it is not because they are proud of their meals. Lots of mediocrity and some just down right need to take breakfast off their menu! Harsh, I think not! I want a good meal cooked the way I like it. I think that is a reasonable assumption when you walk into any restaurant. Whether it is a steak medium rare or eggs over easy, it is your choice and if the provider can’t get it right don’t go back. Easy as that!!!! Well, it is supposed to be but like all statements there are caveats. Some places get the gravy right, some get the biscuits right, some cook the best meat, but how many can you name that get it all right. Probably your home kitchen is the best place to always “have it your way”!

Well, Saturday mornings are limited as the “Best” breakfast place I know of is not open on Saturday morning. That is the Whistle Stop Café on business 287 across from the Railroad tracks in Decatur. They have been written up in newspapers and magazines that have a much larger clientele that we do here at Alvordonline.com. They do it right, “Your Way” and it is a homey atmosphere that you enjoy and go back for as often as possible.

BUT we are talking about Saturday Morning, obviously, a distinction that makes a Hugh difference in the selection of places to search for the perfect meal. We have searched Bridgeport, Decatur, Alvord, and Bowie. Trying to find a meal that is not “prepackaged” “plastic” or “inedible “it has been an ongoing challenge. I won’t go so far as to say that every offering is perfect but I have decided that the place that has the most menu Items with the potential to be Good is the Armadillo Grill in Bowie.

I know I have reviewed them before for dinner and after having eaten a wonderful Valentines dinner there it was a place I wanted to visit a second time.

On the side of Hwy 287 at the FM 174 Exit north of Bowie they are attached to a Truck Stop.

Well, DUH! As the kids say! Truck stops are known for good food and fast service and I again was impressed with the quick service we received. Their menu offers all the favorites for breakfast. I just wanted a fluffy egg, crisp bacon and a good fluffy hot biscuit with good hot thick gravy!! Anything else is just for variety and you take your chances everywhere you try new things.

They got it right….hot when it came, stayed hot thru the meal and was cooked to “MY WAY” which is so important. Fluffy scrambled eggs for me, an over easy egg for Doug and if “ the eggs ain’t right ain’t nothing go’nna be right”. The gravy was A++ and the Biscuit was hot and fluffy.

Now these are the basics, if a place gets the basics right I can forgive some other things, but doing the basics right is the only way to have return customers.

I hope that some of the restaurateurs’ of Wise and Montague Counties read this article and take heed, I will not name the places that I think are poor quality, if you eat your own cooking you know who you are, but I will give kudos to those who take their professions seriously and give them the praise they deserve. I hope you go try the places I like. Maybe your favorite is not mentioned here. Maybe I was at your favorite on an off day. I really don’t think good restaurants have an off day. It is not an option for serious businesses. So go try my favorites and let me know if you have as good of an experience as I have had.

Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato, Oh How I Love Thee!

Published 4/4/2011

Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato, Oh How I Love Thee!

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Sweet Potato, Oh how I love the!!!! Baked, fried, stewed, roasted just about any method a Sweet Potato is an awesome vegetable.

About a year and a half ago my husband and I decided to give up pasta, white bread and white potatoes. Believe it or not the best substitute was the sweet potato. I use as sweet and savory in dozens of dishes and make a point to ask for it if it is on the menu everywhere we go to eat.

Sunday lunch we decided to go to Bridgeport to the Stevens Street Grill. It is off the beaten path and if you haven’t found it you need to go in search of it. One block off Hallsell Street in downtown Bridgeport it sets quietly on a corner of a block. The outside almost looks like the surrounding office buildings, so the best way to find it is by following your nose to the wonderful smells being emitted from the building. The atmosphere is quiet and restful, most of the time, this Sunday the place was ‘a jumpin! Packed to the brim, the service staff was moving at top pace.

Doug and I were looking at the “specials” board at the front of the restaurant and low and behold they had added a new product to their offerings. “Sissy Chips” sweet potato chips, fresh cut and deep fried!

After we decided on our entree’s we decided to stick with the traditional sweet potato baked to perfection. You know what I mean, baked till it turns so sweet

that all you need is butter!

I picked the fried catfish to compliment my potato and salad. Doug picked a chopped steak for his entrée. Needless to say, PERFECTION in aluminum foil! The magic sweet potato goes with just about anything and if you are a “TATER ADDICT” it is a good substitute.

We have been going to Bridgeport about once a month for the last 6-7 years and I was surprised when our editor, Tracy said she had not been there till this winter! I am assuming that more people for Alvord are in the same group. Take my advice and make the trip, it is only about 16 miles and well worth the trip.

The folks at Stevens Street know steaks as well as potatoes. The chicken fried steak is as big as the platter they serve it on and the grilled steaks are cooked quickly and to your preference. They also know how to do deserts if you aren’t stuffed after the meal. And they are on my list of “GOOD GRAVY” places. And frankly if they get the gravy right the rest is usually done with the same attention.

Take that quick trip over to Stevens Street and tell them you heard about them here! It won’t get you a discount but they will know that Alvord Folks are coming to check them out.

A personal favorite Sweet Potato recipe:

Creamy Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew

1 ½ pounds of chicken breasts cubed

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

5 cups chicken broth

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 teaspoon savory (poultry seasoning can be used)

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut Chicken into one 1 inch cubes. Add olive oil and chicken to large skillet over medium-high to high heat, browning well, about 4 minutes on each side. When meat is almost browned, add onions to cook just until the sweat.

Transfer chicken and onions to a slow cooker set on low. Add some of the chicken broth to the skillet the chicken cooked in and use a spatula to scrape the bottom, breaking up any glaze the chicken may have left in the pan. Pour over chicken and onions in the slow cooker, and then pour in the remaining chicken broth. Cut the sweet potatoes in ½ inch cubes and add to the cooker, along with savory (poultry seasoning may be substituted). Stir all.

Cover and let cook 6-8 hours, depending on when you are ready to serve. Stir in the heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste. Thicken the stew before serving by mashing a few of the cooked sweet potato cubes in the broth.

Calories: 255 Fat: 8.5 g Protein: 31 g Fiber 1.5 g Net Carbs: 9 g

That Sweetie Pie Still Looks Pretty Good

Published 3/25/2011

That Sweetie Pie Still Looks Pretty Good

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Saturday afternoon was spent with some (old) friends getting reacquainted. We were all class mates and graduated from Alvord High School in 1967, yes to some of you “young’uns” that sounds so old. We are classy”Sweeties” and proud of every year we have been out of school. We did give up on trying to remember the last time we were all together….that was causing a real brain pain if you know what I mean!

We invaded a fantastic local restaurant for our reunion and here is a big THANK YOU to the Sweetie Pies service staff and management for a wonderful meal with wonderful friends.

My classmates, Charlene Thomas Scott and her sister Bobbie Thomas Foster, Connie Bell Parker, Nellie Brown Sisk, Cheryl Elliott Clark, Lana Caswell Garcia, and I had a fantastic time catching up on our travels, children, and grandchildren.

We were seated at a large round table with enough space for everyone and we took too much time deciding what we were going to try. We would get started on a story and end up having to ask for more time from the waitress. Thank goodness she was very understanding and patient. Laughter and chatting aside, we all chose from the luncheon menu. Several chose the grilled chicken or steak salad. I went for the house salad and dressing with a rosin baked potato. Those things are my downfall. A couple of adventurous ladies chose the Chicken Fried Ribeye that is Sweetie Pies house specialty. Everything was wonderful and we definitely didn’t take home any leftovers.

As usual Sweetie Pies met the challenge of feeding a large group with style. If you have not tried them out it is a place to go for any meal, lunch or dinner, whether it is a special occasion or you are just down right hungry for good food.

Sweetie Pies wait staff entertained us with a Happy Birthday performance for the birthday girl in our midst, Charlene Scott, they asked if she wanted it sung frontwards, or backwards, she chose backwards. I will let you go to Sweetie Pies to find out how that goes.

My Daddy always said if you can’t cut a chicken fried steak with a fork it isn’t any good, friends you can cut Sweetie Pies steaks with a fork!! His second love was pan gravy, he wanted it as thick as his mashed potatoes and YEP! Sweetie Pies has the best gravy outside of my kitchen. Sweetie Pies gravy is definitely a diet buster but worth a second, third or more visits just to keep from doing without “food of the Texas Gods” Chicken Fried Steak and GRAVY!!!

Sweetie Pies is a sister to Babes fried Chicken in Roanoak, Sanger and other places in the Metro Area, so if you can’t get to Sweetie Pies in Decatur, Babes too is awesome and just as much fun to try out.

Outlaw Comes to Town

Published 3/20/2011

Outlaw Comes to Town

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Shopping is hard work. Not only driving in Spring Break traffic but the lines at restaurants and of course the lines at Wally World, better known as your local Walmart. On Friday my shopping/lunch “pardner” and I took off toward Denton.

We had made a trip earlier in the week to Wichita Falls and got so excited about some purchases we made that we were half way home when we realized we hadn’t gone to Sam’s!! So off we go on Friday. First to the mall, then to the western wear shops, thrown in a resale shop and low and behold we were hungry – well one can’t walk and shop in Sam’s with our sustenance!!!

By this time we were in Krum at Fosters Western Wear and our stomachs were grumbling when we remembered a recommendation for a new hot burger spot in downtown Krum. Krum you say? An upscale restaurant, in downtown Krum? That is the last place I would look for upscale dining was a small town. Well, to my surprise, there it is and it is called “Outlaw Burger”. The new restaurant is the brain child of Chef Richard Spear. He has captured the spirit of the old time burger place with the upscale taste of downtown Dallas.

Burgers, salads, steaks all the normal fare, but with a twist. Homemade buns, hand dipped onion rings, fried pickle spears (not those chewy slices) and an atmosphere that makes everyone comfortable.

We actually were first told about the “Outlaw Burger” by someone who is a pumper and works in the area around Krum. He had said that it was the place all the guys were hitting for lunch. Then a friend of mine who lives and works in Krum told me about having the Plain Jane Burger and Fries that reminded her of the fries her Mom used to make. So with two good references we decided it was the place to fuel up for the rest of our day shopping.

I wanted to be adventuresome so I ordered the “Sam Bass Fish Sandwich” which was a thick filet of bass deep fried on a homemade bun, onion rings that were hand dipped and hot as a fire cracker!!! My friend ordered the Outlaw House Salad which was basically a cobb style salad with ham, boiled eggs, fresh greens, tomatoes and olives. YUMM!!! Needless to say we brought home GROCERIES!!! My eyes continue to be bigger than my stomach!

I definitely will drive to Krum again and try something different on the menu may be a steak or ribs.

I talked to our server to get some of the information about “Outlaw Burger’s” future plans. Mr. Spears has plans for 6-8 more restaurants. I bluntly asked if they were considering the Decatur area and got a definite YES!

Right now they have been doing lunch and dinner, at this printing they are beginning breakfast service so if you are in the area in the mornings stop and try their breakfast offerings.

So if you are like me and don’t want to wait till they open a closer place take the drive to Krum if you are coming off 35 E go to the four way stop and “Outlaw Burger” is in the middle of the next block on the right passed the four way stop. Before you leave give them your feedback on their food and service and let them know how good they are and in the comments area on the little card tell them you will be waiting for an Outlaw to come to town.

By the way we did make it to Sam’s…….

Spring Break on the Beach

Published 3/11/2011

Spring Break on the Beach

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

Spring break is a wonderful time for a vacation or this year most likely a “stay cation”. I remember being in college just waiting for spring break which in those “olden days” was at Easter. Now that we are politically correct and don’t recognize the fact that Easter is really the beginning of spring, Spring break stands a time of renewal for all of us.

I wish I could go to a beach somewhere and bask in the warm sun, but that just isn’t in the plan for this year. I am reminded of a few years ago when I was able to travel to Florida on a business trip. Sunny Florida was wet and not so sunny but a great place to visit even in the rain. A friend of mine who is ½ Cuban and ½ Polish took me to Cuban restaurant and introduced me to the Floridian style Cuban food which was a wonderful discovery and a delight to re discover recently here at home.

That brings me to being on a beach…..in Wise County beaches are a premium and not white sand and sea shells, they are definitely not where I want to be when the wind is blowing 30-40 miles an hour and below 65 degrees, so where does one go?

Well, lunch on the square in downtown Decatur is a start. What? You say! Yep, South Beach has come to downtown Decatur. Well, at least a little taste of the beach. South Beach Taco Factory is a bright idea on a cool March day.

If you have been to South Florida or Southern California you have probably seen Taco Shacks, well they are not shacks like we think of them here, but they are little restaurants that specialty is tacos and other Hispanic style foods.

South Beach Taco has taken the Cuban style of Hispanic food made it into a quick meal that is tasty and light. I was first introduced to the local style of Cuban cuisine in Fort Worth last spring at the Yucatán Taco, on Magnolia Street in the hospital district. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that South Beach Taco is a corporate sister to Yucatán Taco. Both are well done and fun!

My lunch partners and I chose different items from the menu so that we could “taste test” and we had a great time. The Cuban Torta Especial is a sandwich which has ham, shredded pork, pickles, cheese spicy mustard and is toasted much like a Panini and is served with Plantain chips. This is a huge sandwich and is great for a guy’s appetite. The Shredded Beef Salad bowl is a big bowl of mixed greens, Chihuahua cheese, tomato, red onion, cilantro, purple cabbage, queso fresco, cured olives and tortilla strips with a choice of dressings, either a Balsamic Vinaigrette or a spicy Herb Buttermilk it too is for a big appetite. My choice is the Fish Taco. I am particular about my Fish Tacos and I was curious as to whether or not they could get them right! The fish should be light and crisp and not soggy, the vegetables should be crisp and crunchy and the cheese should be tangy and not clumpy . Yep, I have my opinion and evidently others have that same opinion because the crispy Fish Taco’s that I experienced were wonderful. The house hot sauce was excellent and a good addition to the tasty tidbit. This was also a well done and a light choice.

I was impressed at the Macho Men who came in to order the nachos, burrito bowls and sandwiches. These were not office workers, and there were a cross section of people there, but these were guys that work up and appetite outside in the construction and oil fields. This is not a FU FU restaurant but a down to earth good place to eat. They are open daily at 11 and on some evenings and weekends are open late. They offer Margaritas and other adult beverages so for a night out they are a good place to stop in without having to fight the smoke of other restaurants.

I have made two trips to the Beach and will go again and thankfully I didn’t have to fit into a swim suit or get sand between my toes and I think on my next trip I will explore that Margarita and may be a………well I am not sure right now but by the time I get there I will have made up my mind…MAY BE!!

See you at the Beach, as in the South Beach Taco Factory!

If you don’t know S_ _ _ from SHINOLA you need a taste of Real Texas Cuisine

Published 3/6/2011

The Retired Cook’s Diary

If you don’t know S_ _ _ from SHINOLA you need

a taste of Real Texas Cuisine

By Suzette Pennington Munson

If you have grown up in Texas you have heard this quote many times. But Today I want to introduce you to “SHINOLA TEXAS CAFE’ “.

I have truly missed a good Texas Home Cooking Café that knows how to do what I want to eat Spot On!! Top Notch! And Numero Uno!!

Sunday after church Doug and I drove down to Springtown to do something we had talked about for three years. We went to find Tommy and Robbin Frantom’s restaurant Shinola.

I know a lot of you have been down ther to eat and here’s hoping the rest of you will make the trip.

From the Décor (Western) to a Sunday Buffet that is Hot and Tasty, to that warm personal touch that Both owners radiate to all their guest they have it right!!!

There are not many restaurant owners locally that come close to the food and a few others can meet the quality of service, so putting it all together can be a challenge that not many can meet or exceed. Tommy and Robbin show their experience in the planning and execution of Shinola.

We enjoyed catching up with both Tommy and Robbin as they were up to their elbows keeping the tables full and the fresh food flowing. Their hands on attitude shows and Doug and I are truly impressed at their energy and commitment through all the challenges they have had in the last few years.

We will be going back again for the Sunday Buffet which was wonderfully done. Hot food in small batches to make sure it is all at its prime when it is served. The rest of the menu was enticing so I know we will discover some of our favorites just waiting to be ordered.

If you really like Down Home Texas Style cooking head on down to Springtown, south from Decatur on Hwy 51, turn left at the red light on HWY 199 in downtown Springtown about 1 block (sign on the left) to SHINOA TEXAS CAFÉ’. Just let Robbin and Tommy know you read about Shinola here!!!

Published 2/25/2011

The Retired Cooks Diary

By Suzette Pennington Munson

This week I feel like we have been running a Maniacal Marathon. I just began watching 4 of my grandchildren after school at Alvord a couple of days a week. Add that to watching a 3 year old two days and picking up two school age kids from Bowie Schools and you have a cook that doesn’t want to cook! Too tired to cook, too tired to go out, but not too tired to eat.

We left the yard on Saturday night thinking we wanted good fried chicken, key word there, GOOD! We turned the pickup toward Decatur and started discussing who had the best chicken. By the time we got there we had completely changed our minds and decided on fish. Where to go for fried Oysters, fish that wasn’t just fried but had lots of flavor, and different kind of sides.

Which place in Decatur fit those requirements? Well, it was not the usual places that we go. We decided to go to Frillys on Hwy 287. It had been probably 6 years since we had been there and of course as all restaurants do, they have changed the menu. We were delighted to find our favorites.

Catfish with just a hint of Cajun spice, crisp coleslaw, and real red beans and rice with real Andouille sausage. I had a side of tender sweet fried Oysters and Doug had the fresh Gulf Shrimp with his catfish. I never scarf!! Just don’t, but I did! Scarf that is, the fish was so tender and tasty that I did not want to put down my fork. The Oysters were so sweet that they melted in my mouth.

We did “over do” it and if you are on a budget Frillys might be just a special night out meal but it was a treat and I will go again soon. Remember to always ask if they have specials and Frillys does, they post them on a board as you enter the restaurant. They also have live music in the bar on certain evenings and the music can for add to a fun evening.

Frillys is supposed to be reminiscent of Cajun Bayou restaurants but it is not like any of the ones I saw when we lived in Louisiana, they were a little less formal and a whole lot more noisy with a certain vibration that said “Cajun”, but for being in Wise County, Texas, it wasn’t bad on atmosphere and the service was excellent. I will definitely add this to my list of “Do Overs” as one of the hidden treasures in Wise County.