Leo’s Chorizo Burrito is the most delicious chorizo burrito I have ever had. Slightly spicy and packed full of flavor.
We have eaten our fair share of chorizo, so when we walked up to the counter we immediately asked, how is the chorizo? The counter person said, “We have the best chorizo. No lie.” He was not lying!
Here is how I order my Leo’s Chorizo Burrito:
Light Egg, Extra Cheese. The Chorizo burrito also has potatoes inside, leave them alone. The potatoes are nicely proportioned within the burrito.
They have other items on their menu. They are all good, but Leo’s Chorizo Burrito is the star of the show.
TIP: Leo’s Tacos & Burritos is closed on Sundays and Mondays
Total Cost: $9.78
Location Visited: 10277 W. McDowell Road Avondale, Arizona 85392
You know when you see a mass of people waiting to be seated at a restaurant, long lines at a retail shop or anywhere, you think, whatever they are selling must be good.
This was Drunk Munk. Twice, I had eaten at a restaurant across the street and each time I noticed the loads of people at Drunk Munk, having such a good time. I made a mental note to add Drunk Munk to my must-try list.
My husband and I finally stopped by for happy hour. This is what we had:
Bottle Rockets $12
Pork Pot Stickers $12.50
Spicy Teriyaki Ribs $14.50
Bikini Girl Cocktail $14.50
Flower Goddess Cocktail $12.50
I listed the regular menu pricing. During happy hour there are select menu items half off. Everything we ordered was on the happy hour menu.
Although everything we had was scrumptious, I would not pay full price for anything we had.
The Bottle Rockets were the best! Shrimp, cream cheese, scallion, wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, and fried. The Bottle Rockets were served with sriracha and sweet chili orange sauce. The Bottle Rockets are even worth trying to duplicate at home.
The Pork Pot Stickers were good but nothing special. A bag of Trader Joe’s pot stickers is comparative for much less and a larger quantity. My family hates it when I compare dining out food costs to grocery food costs. haha
Spicy Teriyaki Ribs were tasty, tender and dipped in the standard teriyaki sauce you would find at your local Asian restaurant. While eating the ribs, I said to my husband, it felt like it should have included a side of rice.
The cocktails! The drinks! The libations! Whatever you want to call them, they are why everyone at Drunk Munk always seemed so happy and having a wonderful time. The cocktails were superb.
My husband had the Bikini Girl cocktail, much like a Pina Colada. I had the Flower Goddess Cocktail, mimicking a Sex on the Beach cocktail. There was no skimping on the liquor. I had to ask the bartender to add a little more juice to balance out the drink for me.
So, if you are looking for great drinks, hit up Drunk Munk for cocktails, sit under the cute tiki hut outside, and order a few appetizers.
Total bill without tax and tip: $66 regular menu price $33 happy hour menu price
Location Visted: The Drunk Munk Tiki Bar & Restaurant 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Suite 1 Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
I like to give credit where credit is due, but honestly, I have seen a variation of this shrimp, sausage, and cabbage recipe all over Instagram. I thought my family would love this, or at the very least, like it. I thought you would as well.
Here Is What You Will Need
1 – 32oz. Bag of Raw or Cooked Shrimp 2 – Heads of Raw Cabbage 2 – Sausage Links 2 – Boxes of Krusteaz® Honey Cornbread 6 – Corn on the Cobs (cut in half) Garlic Butter to Sautee Salt & Pepper to taste
Put It All Together
You can use whatever sausage links you like, including andouille, beef, and turkey.
I used these:
I have never made cabbage in my life, so I asked my husband to prepare the cabbage. I knew if he did it, there would be no taste experimenting, and me potentially ruining the dish.
Edward said all he does is cut the cabbage down into bit-sized pieces, put it in a pot with a little water to cover the bottom, season it with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 30 minutes. The cabbage should be tender.
Moving along, I do not handle shrimp and I almost always buy shrimp that is already shelled and deveined, and I asked my son to peel the tails off.
At this point, you all are wondering, what did she do exactly? Look, this meal was a collaborative effort. lol
As the cabbage cooked, I cut the sausage links into chef-like angled pieces, (this shape makes it seem like you are a professional) and then I pan-fried the sausage.
I sauteed the shrimp in this garlic butter, and then combined the sausage, shrimp and cabbage.
I boiled the corn on the cob and baked cornbread (this was happening simultaneously).
The Verdict
I served this as a main dish, but everyone felt it should be a side dish. My response: A dish with shrimp AND sausage AS A SIDE!? Okkayyy…. Hahaha, but they all liked it!
“If it is not candied yams, I do not want to try it.” Those were the words that my son spoke to me when I asked if he wanted to try the sweet potato scramble.
I first had this sweet potato recipe as part of the continental lunch paired with a mixology class my husband and I attended. We took a bite at the same time, and both our eyebrows raised and said, this really has potential. I knew I would remake it at home, my way, and I did.
Here Is What You Will Need
1 – White Onion 1 – Red Bell Pepper 1 – 8 ounce Turkey Sausage Chub 1 – Bunch 0f Green Onion 2 – Bag of Fresh/Frozen Diced Sweet Potato 2 – Piece of Bread for Toast (optional) 2 – Egg (optional) Salt, Pepper, and Cumin to Taste
Put It All Together
First, I cooked down the turkey sausage. Removed the sausage from the electric skillet.
Diced the red bell pepper and white onion and sauteed them. Removed them from the skillet.
Next, I added enough extra virgin olive oil to the bottom of the skillet, added the sweet potatoes, seasoned them with salt, pepper, and cumin to taste, and let them lightly brown. Flipped the sweet potatoes to make sure they were crisped on all the edges.
Then I combined the turkey sausage, red bell pepper and white onion, and added them back to the skillet with the sweet potatoes and garnished with green onion.
Lastly, I fried the eggs separately and we ate them on the side, along with a piece of toast with apricot jelly to complete the meal.
We loved this meal. Like my son, I would not have typically eaten sweet potatoes without them being candied, but this scramble is absolutely now on our regular menu rotation. It made me happy.
Only one of our kids tried it and liked it, so we were secretly ecstatic we had leftovers. Warms up fabulously. The second day we ate it with scrambled eggs, a better option than fried eggs.
Before I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer, I thought you lost your hair from having cancer, in general. I quickly learned I was losing my hair from the chemotherapy drugs that were given through IV infusions.
I kept most of my hair for the first 3-4 weeks of TNBC treatment, and my daughter slowly trimmed it away as it started to shed. Losing my hair was absolutely devastating. Those that know me, knew I prided myself in the maintenance of my natural hair. Folks would say, it will grow back, but that is NOT what I wanted to hear or even the point for that matter. Unknown to people who have not had a personal experience with cancer, everyone’s hair does not ALWAYS grow back.
Nine months into my Triple Negative Breast Cancer journey, I still have not allowed myself to be completely in public without a head covering. It feels naked. It feels as-if my whole self is not present. It feels and looks like even though the breast cancer is gone, it is still here.
Oh yes, I had my lumpectomy surgery. By the time you read this, it would have been about eight weeks ago. Recovery was hard and painful at first, but the process has eased up, mostly. The surgeon was successful in removing the remaining cancer chemotherapy did not kill. The surgeon was also able to obtain clear margins. No cancer cells in the surrounding breast tissue. CANCER FREE! A VICTORY!
Next step is radiation. Radiation therapy to the diseased breast, every day for the next five weeks. Radiation therapy does not make you feel ill, like chemotherapy. However, you are tired and want to lay down 12 hours out of the day. There is some darkening of the treated breast, and soreness, but I have not had any skin breakage, or burning. I am confident that it will stay that way, with my current routine of not letting the entire breast get dried. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize seems like the winning plan.
My Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma breast cancer diagnosis changed after surgery from TNBC – Invasive Ductal Carcinoma to TNBC – Metaplastic. Rarer than they thought, and Metaplastic has a higher rate of recurrence. Radiation therapy cleans up any microscopic cancer cells that are unseen and reduces the chance of recurrence. Radiation therapy does not cause hair loss, so I am focused on doing as much as I can to gain that part of myself back, without obsessing and doing too much.
I have not seen many black women on the socials diagnosed with breast cancer, updating their hair growth journey. As vulnerable as it is, I decided to share my journey in hopes that it helps someone. The below pictures are 2 1/2 months post chemotherapy treatment. I have hair again, ya’ll (insert happy tears)! Look at my eyebrows too. haha
Currently I am keeping it simple using these products:
Aunt Jackie’s Biotin & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Oil – I apply the scalp oil once a day in the evenings.
Shampoo – I use a scalp massager and shampoo my scalp as needed.
Jamaican Black Castor Oil – I apply the castor oil once a day in the mornings.
As always, if you have any questions that you feel may help you along your Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or Metaplastic breast cancer journey, reach out to me in the comments or send an email.
All of you guys who have prayed for me, checked up on me, visited me, and everything in between, thank you with my whole heart! xoxo
This canvas had a beautiful, yellow, and orange pear painted on it. The canvas hung in my kitchen. A few years ago, I repurposed the canvas and created a “gather” sign to hang in my themed modern farmhouse home.
Doing a refresh in a few spaces and decided to update the gather sign once again.
Out with the canvas, and I went with a grayish/black metal, glass frame from HomeGoods for $29.99. That is typically more than I would normally pay for this type of project, but I had these frames on-hand for a different project that I have not done yet so I decided to put it to use now.
Anyhow, I searched Etsy for a digital download of a gather print I liked. I paid $5. The Etsy seller even made the image high resolution for free, so I could print to poster size, 24×36. Then I sent the digital print to Walgreens for printing.
Walgreen’s Photo Center often has 50% off printing promo codes. If you do not see a promo code displayed on the screen for your project, wait. Printing a 24×36 inch poster sized print is normally $32.99. I paid $16.49 plus tax.
Tips:
Find inexpensive frames from Dollar Tree, Amazon, HomeGoods, etc.
Find digital art or prints on Etsy from sellers with a style you are looking for.
Find art on art.com and society6.com.
Use Walgreens or a similar print shop to print your digital art or print.
Always use a promo code to save money.
My gather sign refresh cost $21.49.
Did you know about this printing hack? Have you used Etsy, art.com, or society6 to print art or digital prints? Where do you typically buy your frames?
I learned about Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant from my co-worker. He knows all about the speakeasies, wineries, and bars. He is very thorough in his analysis, so I took him at his word when he said the winery was cool. I do not know if my restaurant experience was in the forefront of my mind, but I vaguely remember him not really raving about the restaurant side of things, but going into detail about the winery. As you read on, you will see why both sentiments may be the case.
I made a reservation through Open Table the same day, and we ventured out. Make a reservation more than a day in advance if you want to be seated indoors, because reservations fill up fast. We were able to snag a table outdoors on the patio. Thank goodness the weather was nice, cool, and misters going made it a bit chilly for me. Good thing, I always have a jacket for backup.
Patrons’ attire ranged from dressed up to casual. We were somewhere in between.
When you first walk-in there is a retail area where you can purchase Cooper’s Hawk branded wine, wine glasses, and other wine accessories. As you walk through the retail shop, the reservation check-in area is situated right outside the restaurant entrance. Off to the left, the wine tasting area spans across the side wall, and it was packed full of wine tasters. The wine tasting does not take reservations and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The attendants said to allow 45 minutes to one-hour for the tastings, if you plan to participate before a dinner reservation.
With the reservation we waited approximately 15 minutes for our table to be ready. Once we were seated, we were offered two complimentary wine tastings each. I tried two white wines, Gewürztraminer and Blanc de Blanc. I appreciated them both, but I was surprisingly delighted by the Gewürztraminer. I had previously researched this wine, and it was described as the “grown up Moscato.” That description was quite accurate, a white wine, sweet but not too sweet and delicious on its own.
I was feeling adventurous, so I already knew I would order a wine flight as opposed to a single glass of wine. The flight allowed four options. You can choose a pre-selected bubbles, white, red, or lux flight for $18.99-$22.99. You can create your own flight for $21.99. I built my own flight, two white wines, Cooper’s Hawk White and Reisling. I also added two red wines, Cooper’s Hawk Red and Lux Cabernet. The two red wines were not my favorite. One, I am not a fan of wine being served warm, even though this is the red wine etiquette. I wanted to break all the rules and add a few cubes of ice, but I did not. Two, one of the red wines was spicy. I am also not a fan of wines that leave a hotness on your palate. I chose the reds to accompany my main dish, which was beef. Both white wines were shockingly smooth, and delightful. Made me regret choosing reds, at all. I enjoyed both whites overall, but the Riesling most of all.
Moving on to the underwhelming part of the evening, the food, and maybe I should not say it was completely underwhelming. The Brussel Sprouts were amazing. This is what we ordered:
Key Lime Pie – Fresh-Squeezed Citrus, Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream, Lime Dust, $10.99.
The braised short rib was edible, but I had to jazz it up with parmesan cheese, and then I could eat at least half of it with the added cheese flavor. I should have been warned when the people at the table next to us left their Short Rib Risotto unfinished. The turkey burger was nicely seasoned with natural herbs but lacked salt. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto arrived late, and it is not pictured because it immediately went back. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto lacked and missed the mark all the way around. Aesthetics, flavor, and timeliness. I was shocked to learn this dish is a chef’s recommendation on the menu. It should be removed immediately from the entire menu.
Both desserts were complimentary, due to the late food and the lack of quality of the Shrimp & Scallop Risotto. I did not try the Reese’s Ice Cream Cookie, but can you go wrong with Reese’s and Ice Cream? I hope not. The Key Lime Pie was very good. I am a Key Lime Pie connoisseur, so take my word.
Despite the not-so-great experience with the main courses, overall, I would return to Cooper’s Hawk Winery, and indulge in their extensive wine list. As my co-worker described it, it is certainly a great place. The winery is impeccable. We decided as a group that if we must eat when visiting Cooper’s Hawk Winery, the appetizers are the way to go, because have you ever had a terrible appetizer, anywhere?
There are several locations across the United States. In Arizona, there are four locations, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Surprise.
I kept seeing them all over Instagram (@aceofwingz), so we had to give them a try.
Lots of flavors for everyone’s taste, and don’t sleep on the loaded fries. Just treat yourself!
Check their location before you pull up!
Location Visited:
Ace of Wingz Not listing the location visited, because they were a food truck. Then they’ve moved around to a few buildings. They are worth looking for when you would like to go.
I was craving macaroni salad. I am the only person in my house who eats it, so I rarely make it. I decided to try a different version, Bacon Ranch, to see if I can persuade the family to give it a try. I got the recipe from Pinterest (Pinterest User: LifeInTheLoftHouse.com) and my 10-year-old daughter asked if she could make it. She whipped it up in no time. She only needed help with boiling the noodles. She could probably do this part as well, but I have not relinquished boiling or frying to her, yet, for obvious reasons. I asked my husband to take care of the noodle boiling, and she went from there.
The Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad was a hit with everyone. We will definitely be adding this to our menu of optional sides, especially when we grill.
8 slices of cooked bacon chopped (The recipe suggested using pre-cooked bacon, just threw in the microwave and done. Best advice ever! Also, if you do not eat pork, just skip the bacon. Turkey bacon will not do this recipe justice).
1 large tomato, diced (Most of the house does not eat tomatoes, so we left them out).
1 can (4.25 ounces) sliced black olives, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (We used ½ cup of cheddar cheese).
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain water. Rinse pasta with cold water to cool. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dry ranch mix, garlic powder and milk. Add pasta, cooked bacon pieces, tomato, olives, and cheese to the bowl. Gently toss to combine everything.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. (We ate it immediately, and the next day it was just as good).
Sharonda Shariee - Curating a Life Well-Lived 