Impress Her By Cooking

HGTV’s “House Hunters” Visits The Woodlands

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: house hunters, television series

(As reported by TheWoodlands.Net)

Tune into HGTV’s hit television show, House Hunters, on January 26 at 9 pm central standard time, and watch as a young family explores The Woodlands in search of their dream home.

With coordination by The Woodlands Film Commission, a crew from HGTV’s House Hunters followed a San Francisco couple and their two children as they toured The Woodlands, talked about what they were looking for in a new home and why the community is the right fit for their family.

“Segments with the family were shot on a Waterway Cruiser, a Waterway Trolley and at Waterway Square highlighting some of The Woodlands most distinguishing features,” said Connie DeGuerre of The Woodlands Area Film Commission, an organization charged with promoting The Woodlands as a viable area for the production of commercials, corporate videos and still photography. The commission also facilitates the production process by scouting locations, identifying local crews and securing housing.

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Michelle Bellmonte and Robert Magee and their kids explored The Woodlands over two days last summer.  The crew from House Hunters returned to The Woodlands in early October to complete the shoot.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Posted in: Great Gatherings
Tags: super bowl, football, corn dogs, snacks, entertaining, party

Whether you’re invited to a Super Bowl party or hosting your own gathering, here are some super ideas for cheering the last two teams standing (and watching those million-dollar commercials) on February 5.

Inexpensive Decor

Highlighting the competing team colors is the easiest way to decorate for a Super Bowl party.

Stop by your neighborhood Dollar Store for plain colored wrapping paper in team colors. Wrap the coffee table and bar top for a simple, decorated touch. Balloons and ribbons are other inexpensive ways to up the chic factor.

Use food as décor. Add a pop of color by serving punch in the competing team colors. So for example, if the NY Giants face off against the New England Patriots, use blue and red food coloring.

A tower of cupcakes can easily be iced using the team logo and colors. Or, bowls of M&M’s (again, in competing team colors) placed around the house are in keeping with the event theme.

No Knives Needed

Super Bowl watching parties are casual so let your food selection follow suit. Party-goers are likely to be found with a plate on their lap so easy-to-manage foods are best.
Incorporate a bit of the host city by serving up Hoosier Pie (aka Sugar Cream Pie). Food Network got the recipe from the famous Hoosier Mama Pie Company so we’re passing it on to you.

Since no man wants to man the grill during the game, put that slow cooker to good to make pulled pork or beef sandwiches. Paula Deen prepares her beef sandwiches with dill pickles.

For non-cooks, heat up the oven and pop in some corn dogs. Dress them up by serving a variety of dipping sauces or melted cheese!

The great thing about hosting a Super Bowl watching party? Don’t sweat the small stuff … as long as there's an unobstructed view of the TV, football fans won’t be disappointed with a selection of traditional game day favorites.

Share your predictions for Super Bowl XLVI before Sunday's playoff games.

Have You Made A New Year’s Resolution Yet?

Posted in: In The Know
Tags:

Since losing weight is one of the top resolutions for most Americans, you can expect fitness gyms to be packed all month long. Sadly, (unless you are a gym junkie) exercise is only a small part of the equation.

80% of the weight-loss battle has to do with the food we eat and how our bodies use that food for energy. Exercise is just the icing on the cake!

Luckily, there are many online tools and smart phone applications that make it easier to track the foods we eat.

A popular site is LiveStrong.com. Its free MyPlate feature is an easy-to-use, customized food diary and daily calorie counter. The calorie counter allows you to set your weight loss goals, track your daily caloric intake and log your fitness activities. The online food library provides verified nutrition facts for store-bought items to fast food meals. You’ll even track the amount of water you consume each day.

Speaking of water consumption, a former Navy Seal and personal trainer once said he doesn’t start his day without drinking 32 oz. of water. Whoa!

Kick start your fitness routine by signing up for short distance races in your area. Participating in these events will give you something to train for. You might even meet new neighbors and friends on race day.

In fact, The 2012 My Fit Foods Woodlands Marathon is Saturday, March 3. Depending on your level of fitness, there’s a 2K Fun Run Walk, a 5K run, half marathon or marathon option. Online registration closes February 20 so there is still plenty of time to train.

Take a look at MapMyRun (founded in Austin, Texas) and LogYourRun. These free, online running programs allow you to create maps, set goals and track your progress.

If, like many of us, fitness and weight-loss is a resolution of yours for 2012, what changes will you make to reach your goal?
 

Winter Soup Warm-up

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: recipes, soup, winter, healthy

When the temperature drops, there’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup to warm you up. Whip up these healthy, delicious soups that are easy to make and sure to keep your New Years resolutions on track.

Chicken Noodle Soup
This simple chicken noodle soup is a family favorite and is great to have in the freezer when you don’t feel like (or your schedule doesn't allow for) cooking.

4 chicken breasts
olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup medium-diced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 cup medium diced carrots (about 3 carrots)
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan and rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. When cool, shred or dice the chicken meat.

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot and add celery, carrots, and noodles. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through.
Season to taste and serve.

Three Bean Turkey Chili
From TheYellowTable.com

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow (or white) onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano peeled tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans
2 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in pot over medium high heat. Saute the onion 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add turkey and brown, strain off fat. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring well to combine. Add the tomatoes and the juices, crushing the whole tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.

Drain the beans into a strainer and rinse. Add the beans and the water and bring to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (feel free to adjust those proportions according to your tastes). Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro and season with additional salt and pepper if you like.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Tsp Salt
1 green bell Pepper or Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
32 oz Box Chicken Broth
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels

15 oz can tomato, diced

1 Lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Juice of 1 Lime


Crushed Tortilla Chips (optional)

Accompaniments: Shredded Monterey Jack, Mexican Cheese Blend, Avocado, Sour Cream, Cilantro, Green Onion, diced

Directions
1. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the onions and salt for 3 minutes.
2. Add the bell peppers, garlic clove and cumin and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth and remaining ingredients (except for the lime juice & tortilla chips). Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
4. After 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts) remove the chicken from the pot and shred, using a fork. Place the shredded chicken back into the pot with the lime juice and simmer for another 3-4 minutes or until chicken is heated though.
5. Remove bay leaf, pour soup into bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips for everyone to stir in on their own.

Enjoy! 

~Jasmine

Employee Spotlight: Rafael Richard

Posted in: Ambassadors
Tags: employee spotlight, rafael richard, the woodlands resort

Before Elton John takes the stage, before President Obama addresses the country, before Mark Zuckerberg presents the latest changes at Facebook, a comprehensive audio-visual systems check is performed.

At The Woodlands Resort, keynote speakers and conference presenters can rest assured that their presentations will run as smoothly as possible with the help of Rafael Richards.

Rafael, part of the conference center’s audio-visual team, is responsible for setting up and testing the audio-visual equipment before each business meeting. Rafael also meets with presenters to ensure they are able to operate the equipment with ease.

His responsibilities don’t end there. Rafael also works behind the scenes and remains on standby in case any technical issues arise during the presentation.

One thing Rafael loves most about his job is interacting with guests and providing the best service possible. When guests leave the resort, he hopes they have had a very enjoyable and successful meeting.

After 20 years at the resort, Rafael maintains a personal goal to improve every year and continue to be an asset to The Woodlands Resort.

We appreciate Rafael’s continued dedication and are proud to have him as part of The Woodlands Resort family.

Let’s Get Organized

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: organization, storage, clutter

January is National Get Organized Month, making it the perfect time to clear the clutter and get a fresh start on the New Year. Identify the areas of your home in need of the most “help” and follow these simple tips for your most organized year yet!

(Courtesy of Prime-Living.com and Simplify101.com)

Kitchen
1. Start with the pantry. Check dates on canned goods and spices, removing anything past its prime. Then, divide your pantry space into categories of food and organize spices alphabetically so you can quickly grab what you need.

2. Remove all non-kitchen items from the kitchen. Find a new home for items like light bulbs, batteries, kid’s toys and general clutter.

3. Eliminate the excess. In addition to non-kitchen items, eliminate the extra kitchen items you don’t need. Remove extra (or excessive) coffee mugs, plastic drinking cups, carryout packets of plastic-ware and condiments, food storage containers without lids (or lids without containers), towels and potholders, and any bulky appliance you rarely (or never) use.

Home Office
1. Create a filing system. Use file folders with tabs in categories like bills, personal correspondence, and invitations. Have separate baskets for magazines, loose-leaf paper and photos that you can store on shelves.

2. Attack the pile of “stuff.” Go through small piles at a time, filing the important documents and throwing out (or shredding) what you no longer need.

3. Keep a bulletin board or dry-erase board where you can stick your to-do lists and leave yourself reminders.

Closet
1. Ask yourself the following about every item in your closet: Do I love it? Do I wear it? If you answer no, then it’s time to get rid of it. If necessary, enlist a friend to tell you if an item belongs in the “keep” pile or “donate” pile.

2. Sort your clothing by color with most-worn items in front, so they’re easy to access.

3. Install a “donation” box in your closet. Place a donation bin, box or basket in your closet so you can de-clutter your closet and toss items you no longer want as often as possible.

You may also consider investing in a few simple products to help get you moving in the right direction.

Drawer Dividers: Keeping your junk drawer, kitchen drawers and bathroom drawers organized is much simpler when you can separate items categorically.

Plastic Bins and Containers: Use them in closets, your pantry, craft rooms and office to sort everything from scrapbook paper to socks.

Message board: Keep to-dos, business cards, reminders and school calendars in one place and check it each day.

Baskets: Purchase a few wicker baskets that not only look nice, but serve as storage for blankets, remote controls, scarves or photo albums.

Looking for more organization ideas? Visit the NAPO Blog.