Why Bitches Love Brunch

Brunch is the best. Period. Ask any chick in your life, and she’ll tell you she lives for this shit. Bitches love brunch, and it seems like dudes don’t really have the same passion for the magical combination of breakfast, lunch, mimosas and sunglasses, so let me break down the key elements of the brunch obsession.

Sleep: Breakfast is an early morning thing, which is real rude. And lunch has a pretty strict noon-ish start time. Brunch starts anywhere from 10:00am to 3:00pm, providing your tired, hungover slam pieces just enough recovery time from the weekend rage to get rid of the dark circles and general fug leftover from the night before (in most cases…I’ve seen some of these monsters you dudes bring out in the daytime, and you should be ashamed of yourselves…woof).

Celebrate with food and drinks that are fancier than the people you’re probably feeding them to

“Molecular gastronomy” is apparently a thing now. So if you’re into things that are way too fancy for me to actually put in my mouth, check out these kits for your holiday party planning.

Press Release

With molecular gastronomy on the rise, as evidenced by hit television shows Top Chef and Top Chef Masters, at home entertainers are sure to be looking for ways to incorporate a contemporary twist to their favorite classic cocktail with these DIY molecular mixology kits. Lucky for them, MOLECULE-R has just launched three new Cocktail R-EVOLUTION kits which make creating and enjoying molecular masterpieces super simple for even the most challenged DIY-er. These revolutionary kits are available in popular cocktail versions including Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Margarita (MSRP $29.99) and have been introduced just in time for holiday entertaining and gifting.

Dallas Date Night: The Cedars Social

At first glance, The Cedars Social doesn’t look like much. There’s no sign out front, the building is a little sketch and it looks pretty small and uninviting. Then, as you walk into the possibly dangerous, unmarked south Dallas building against your better judgment, your mind is blown. This place is swank at its finest, and has a really cool retro vibe.

The Cedars Social is a cocktail den and restaurant with modern-day comfort food prepared by well-known NYC chef Kyle McClelland, as well as delicious old-school cocktails mixed by renowned mixologist Michael Martensen.

HAPPY HOUR: Sissy’s Southern Kitchen and Bar

Starting Friday, June 22nd, Sissy’s Southern Kitchen & Bar will offer happy hour specials featuring select Southern cocktails. Each day between 5 and 7 p.m., $6 seasonal drink features will be listed on the specials board. Expect weekly rotating cocktails mixed with Patron, Belvedere, Maker’s Mark, Stillhouse Moonshine and Moet.

Should sipping on cocktails work up an appetite, patrons can order a bucket of Chef Lisa Garza’s house-spiced, buttermilk-soaked fried chicken to take home for dinner. Buckets include 10 pieces of dark, white or mixed chicken and a side of slaw or whipped potatoes for $24 (plus tax and gratuity). Orders can also be placed ahead of time by calling 214.827.9900.

On The Border – Off the Chain

As a true Texas girl, I certainly enjoy a good Mexican meal. Add in a dash of holiday party planning, and this southern belle is in heaven. A few weeks ago, I was invited to taste the new On The Border holiday catering menu and it was absolutely delicious. Although I loved everything about the new menu, there are a few things that stood out to me:

The Skinny Margaritas

Like most red-blooded humans, I have developed a love affair with tequila. It’s delicious and gets the job done. As a fancy lady, I am also always looking for ways to get crunk with the least amount of calories, which is why I am a huge fan of “skinny” drinks. Unfortunately, reduced-calorie booze tends to leave you with ultra-sugary, cavity-inducing flavors and a very sober state of mind in place of drunken deliciousness. Apparently, the cavity cocktail is no more at On The Border and I was pleasantly surprised by exactly how delicious the OTB skinny margs were. They did not taste like a sugary-sweet lime slushie, but a proper tequila-with-a-hint-of-lime, grown-up drink. The skinny margs at OTB are hands-down my favorite skinny cocktail – and they didn’t cost an arm and a leg, so you’re able to get white-girl-wasted with very few calories and still have money for your yoga class this month.

The Bean Dip-tinis

As a lady of class and elegance, I appreciate the finer things in life. It’s the little details like adorable food presentation that really put a smile on this fancy lady’s face. On The Border completely tapped into this love of mine with their new holiday catering menu by placing the world’s most perfect food – delicious bean dip – into perfectly adorable martini glasses.

These little appetizers were cute, special and, most importantly, absolutely delicious. The mini-martini bean dip made my day and would definitely give any holiday party a little something special.

Long story short, go eat at On The Border – especially if you’re thinking of throwing a super fancy fiesta this season. And don’t forget to “taste test” the skinny margs – you won’t be disappointed.

Cheers!

Red River Rivalry – State Fair of Uptown at Urban Taco

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Not only has the weather finally cooled off to a tolerable degree during daylight hours (and an even more tolerable one at nighttime when we like to go out), but pumpkins are in grocery stores and on street corners, Starbucks smells delightfully of cinnamon spice, the Texas Star is lit up at night and there’s always a football game to be watched.

Here in Dallas, we’ve generally got plenty of football to fill our souls between talented, nationally-ranked high school teams and the Dallas Cowboys. Even SMU showed up last week against TCU in the Battle for the Iron Skillet (Sorry Frogs, but we still want you in the Big 12!). But what makes the best football weekend of the year in Dallas is the storied Red River Rivalry game.

Now it’s no secret that I am a proud University of Oklahoma alum, but the truth is that the OU-TX game is fun for everyone. Here are a few facts to support that opinion:

• It’s historically held in the Cotton Bowl during the middle of the State Fair of Texas. Awesome.
• Regardless of where your loyalty lies, both of these teams are powerhouses of collegiate and future NFL athletic ability, and most of the time both are strong contenders to win. It’s always more exciting to watch an interesting game than a blowout.

I feel like I’ve made a clear case. Anyhow, if you’ll be in Dallas this fine October weekend but are lacking tickets to the event, you should join Three Sheets Blog at Urban Taco‘s State Fair of Uptown. Why, you ask?

There will be nine big screens showing the game, stadium seating, face-painting and bottomless margs and mimos from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Not to mention a portion of all the proceeds will go to benefit Young Texans Against Cancer (YTAC) and First Descents. Brunch begins at 9:30 a.m., so try to take it easy enough on Friday to roll yourself out of bed early on Saturday morning and show up for the good seats. Full details, drinks and brunch menus after the jump.

Café Brazil’s New Holiday Menu

If summer is the time for a beer, then fall and winter are certainly the seasons for dark liquor. You know what that means. I know it hurts to think about, but soon enough, you’re going to wake up and wish you hadn’t. Your head will be pounding. The light will blind your soul, and you will understand why roaches flee from it.

You will be hungover.

There’s no avoiding it. It’s just part of the game. Fortunately, all you need to thrive in these conditions is a good breakfast. It doesn’t matter what time you drag yourself from your cave. Breakfast is what you need.

If you’re from Dallas, you’re probably familiar with Café Brazil. With locations in nearly every neighborhood in the city and a newish one in Fort Worth, it’s a staple for college kids and locals alike. Plus, some of them are even 24-hour locations. What’s more, it’s a hangover’s worst nightmare. Everyone has their own personal hangover cure – you know … the food you swear to anyone who will listen is the elixir of life. Mine happens to be quesadillas and Coke. Jealous?

Anyways, whatever your medicine, Café Brazil probably has it. The place has a really eclectic menu, and everything on it is delicious. From breakfast to sandwiches to quesadillas that I promise will make the sun go away, you won’t be disappointed. Not to mention the sweetest coffee selection I’ve found in Dallas.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to try out Café Brazil’s newest additions to the menu, which will make their seasonal debut on Oct. 4 through the end of the year. If you think Café Brazil’s regular menu is good, you’ll love the autumn spin on some of your favorites. Here’s what you can expect:

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Burgers

Planning on grilling out this weekend? Try these burger recipes from our friends at Jack Daniel’s. Because really, the only thing that can make summer grilling better is whiskey.

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 6 slices cheese (optional, but really…not that optional)
• 6 strips cooked bacon (also optional, but only if it’s against your religion)
• 6 buns or English muffins (we don’t get the muffins, but if you’re British, I guess you can do it)

Smoky Jack Burger Sauce

• 3 tbsp. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

Chili Jack Burger Sauce

• 3 tbsp. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 tsp. chili powder

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in small bowl
2. Add 3 tbsp. of your whiskey sauce to the ground beef in a large mixing bowl
3. Blend well with your hands and form into 6 patties
4. Sear patties about 2 to 3 minutes per side directly over high heat
5. Reduce heat to medium or move to a cooler area of the grill
6. Baste both sides with the remaining sauce and grill until the burgers are cooked through
7. During the last minutes of cooking, top with cheese and bacon, and lightly toast the buns or English muffins over medium heat

Maker’s Mark Chocolate Bread Pudding

I know it’s summer, but chocolate is never out-of-style. Also, whisky. That is why I’m sharing with you this recipe from our friends at Maker’s Mark for some awesome chocolate bread pudding. Let me know what you think!

• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• 8 ounces 72% dark chocolate, chopped
• 4 cups day-old French bread cubes (packed)
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together milk, eggs, and bourbon. In a large bowl, combine the liquids with the chocolate, bread cubes, and sugar. Toss to coat and set aside to soak for about 45 minutes, gently stirring once or twice.
3. Add mixture to a 13×9 baking dish and bake for about an hour.