longhorn make over

I couldn't omit from my list of warm, relaxing restaurant environments a western-themed one. Yes, in other words, a casual dining establishment. Another one. It seems the restaurants in American have been sequestered into two categories: fast and casual. Longhorn Steakhouse, no surprise, is supposed to be reminiscent of a Western rancher's home, complete with oil paintings, photos and Western memorabilia.

Story goes, that the original place was fairing poorly, and was about to go under, when a freak snowstorm blew into town, stranding commuters and tourists. The restaurant immediately offered $1 drinks and saved the business! Almost like a miracle! The only thing I am sure of regarding this story, is that this is one article on Wikipedia that might need a little fact checking. Or perhaps the story just leans toward hyperbole.

Longhorn Steakhouse offers as an appetizer a tortilla, rolled around a spicy filling of chicken and cheese, fried and served with an avocado-lime sauce, the Firecracker Chicken Wrap. I replaced the chicken with black beans, still within the theme of the joint, and used vegan cheese instead of the dairy.

This turned out to be one very tasty appetizer. The combo can be baked instead of fried, just as with a taquito or flauta, which, in fact, is what this concoction is. 

Cost Breakdown

tortillas: $1

beans: $.75

cheese: $1

dip: $1

pepper, cilanro: $.75

oil: $2

Total to make 6 flautas:

$6.50

Their cost per flauta:  $2.20

Make Over cost per flauta: $1.10

FIRECRACKER WRAPS PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

VSSD, PPK cookbook challenge

Jimwich

As everyone knows,  Vegan Sandwiches Saves the Day! is up for this week in the PPK's Cookbook Challenge. So, if you have the book (and if you don't, get over to Celine's or Tami's blog to check out some of the recipes.) head over to PPK and post your review.

Since I have the book, I definitely needed to make something. Since it is David's birthday this week, he got to pick the recipes, and because he chose to honor another husband, he  picked the Jimwich (Tami's husband, for whom the sandwich is named) AND because he chose the sandwich named after our feline companion, here is my first gratuitous photo of Jimmy, taken by Kate, the youngest, and a budding photographer:

Jimmy

A string of coincidences led from a great sandwich to a cute kittie, although in the pic above he seems to have world domination on his mind.

David has had the sandwich before, so he knew what he was doing when he asked for it. As he was finishing up the Jimwich, wiping his mug and hands profusely, while deeply sighing contentedly, he whispered, 

"The best sandwiches are the messiest ones."

Not that the sandwich is that particularly messy, he just happens to be particularly persnickety.

Thanks, ladies!

Oh! And check back here next week, as Vegan Sandwiches Saves Day! Blog Tour comes to Weekly Vegan Menu. ... and you know what that means! If not, be back to find out.