Charlotte and I had a wonderful dinner with Francis Ford Coppola winemaker Corey Beck a while back. Corey showed off a few of his favorite Coppola wines - all retailing under $20. Just as the evening was winding down, he stepped it up a notch and poured what may be the best mid-priced cabernet I've ever had: Coppola's Director's Cut Cabernet Sauvignon.
If Charlotte and I have one vice it's crunchy peanut butter. We love the stuff. But, it's always been a little bit of a guilty pleasure. I mean, the gooey, crunchy spread can't be good for you, can it? According to the folks at Prevention Magazine, peanut butter has some surprising health benefits.
Don't start a rumble with a Rubble.
I tried infused tequilas for the very first time when Charlotte and I were down at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa a couple of years ago. I have to tell you boomers, I fell HARD for these wonderful concoctions.
The beautiful JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
After dinner at its Cibolo Moon restaurant, our server Lauren brought us a tequila "sampler" containing three infused tequilas - strawberry/jalapeno, lemon/basil and mojito. They were all good, but the easy standout was the strawberry/jalapeno. This bad-boy drink was like a jalapeno punched me in the mouth, then felt bad about it and asked his strawberry girlfriend to kiss me on the mouth.
Cibolo Moon Restaurant
It's hard to forget something like that. And I didn't.
That's why I asked the kind folks at the JW Marriott to pulleeese share their recipe, so I could share it with our reader millions of fans. They were happy to oblige. The video 'splains it all to you (and comes complete with sound effects and my first taste ever of my own strawberry/jalapeno infused tequila - funny stuff). For those of you who aren't fans of my work in blogger cinema, feel free to jump past the video and print out the recipe below.
You're gonna thank me for this one. Trust me.
May marked Bob and my 36th wedding anniversary. Woo Hoo! To celebrate that and 2 other Hallelujah-worthy milestones, we took an amazing, 10-day Mediterranean cruise that brought us to the beaches of 6 countries.
Magnolia blossoms may be the state flower of Louisiana but we Texans are wild about them too. Their heavenly scent reminds me of home because Bob and I had magnolias in our yard for many years. Bringing those citrusy sweet-smelling flowers indoors was a treat we looked forward to every spring. Ahhhhh!
Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy that luscious scent whenever you're in the mood? Thanks to the folks at Crabtree & Evelyn, one lucky Boomer Babe will be able to do just that. We've teamed up with them to give away a $109 gift set including four of their new Pear and Pink Magnolia body and hand care indulgences.
You could win a body-pampering prize package from the botanical beauty experts at Crabtree & Evelyn. We're giving away a $109 gift set including 4 of their highly addictive, new Pear and Pink Magnolia-scented body and hand care indulgences.
Click "Read More" for details on how to enter. Contest* ends July 10!
One of the drawbacks to traveling is that it can sometimes be a hassle to find an outlet to charge an iPhone, iPad or other electronic device. Finding a power station in an airport can be problematic and until recently, charging a device on a plane wasn't even a possibility.
I'm crazy about spareribs. Nothing like a down-and-dirty barbecue to have fun.
This recipe also works well with baby back ribs, which take less time to cook through-- about a half hour. The internal temperature of the cooked ribs should be the same--165° to 175°F.
Maybe a little too laid back for his own good...
Our nephew Zach has a thing for blueberries. So a fruity dessert was a must when he and my younger sister Pam (she may be 50+ but she's still the baby of our family!) visited recently.
I bet they don't get many takers.
A few weeks ago I climbed in the Boomer Brief DeLorean and set the clock back to Dec. 2003. Seconds later I was sitting in an exam room with a doctor telling me I had cancer.
I know, you're all, "Gawd...is he going down that road? I think my phone's ringing..."
Before you bail - SPOILER ALERT - this isn't THAT kind of post. But if you're leaving, please return your tray tables and seatbacks to their upright and locked positions and don't ever sit in the exit row again.
Where was I?
Oh, yeah. The DeLorean.
Well when I hopped back in the DeLorean I accidentally reset the clock for the summer of 2009. That's when I found myself with Charlotte in another exam room. This time a different doctor was telling her she had cancer.
Doesn't that just suck?
For those of you keeping score at home. IT DID.
That's why I beat it back to 2014. Because you know what DOESN'T suck?
NOT having cancer.
That's why 2014 is better than 2003 and 2009. Charlotte and I just celebrated our 5 and 10 year anniversaries as cancer survivors **cue the marching band**.
When we were diagnosed I promised we'd do something special when we reached our milestones. You know what Internets? That's what we did.
If you're ready for an edge-of-your seat suspense movie, then put Prisoners at the top of your list. This film noir-ish drama features a superb cast, deliciously deranged plot and more twists and turns than your last rollercoaster ride.
Since I turned 50 I developed the metabolism of a speed bump. It's a problem all Baby Boomers face, but it doesn't mean we have to suffer the consequences. With a little common sense and a couple of life hacks, we can beat that middle-aged spread.
Dessert!
Want a super-simple summer dip that everyone adores? Try this Creamy Buffalo Ranch Ham Dip. My family's addicted to this cool, cream cheese-and-ham sensation.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
Follow us on Twitter: @BoomerBrief
and @CharlotteBoomer
Know someone battling cancer? Baylor Health Care System's Sammons Says... cancer blog is a great place to go for help. Here, you'll find information, resources, physicians, support groups and just about everything you need to help you navigate your way through this illness.
Senior Forums is a great place to get the news and share views on everything from hobbies and healthcare, to food, family & travel.
Matt Drudge gets the goods and his site ain't bad either.
You don't have to live in Dallas to enjoy D Magazine.
