Lauriol Plaza

Lauriol Plaza - picture from Spork and Knife

Lauriol Plaza has been my favorite spot to grab some stiff margaritas and cheap Mexican food since moving to the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) over two years ago. Located off of Dupont Circle, this three story establishment attracts all types of crowds, from the families with highchairs enjoying a Sunday dinner to young professionals with high heels enjoying a Saturday pregame. This is the place to go when my girlfriends and I want to enjoy a marathon gab session. Lauriol Plaza provides the perfect combination of a gossiping atmosphere and an endless supply of their famous frozen swirly margaritas.

Guacamole!

A Molcajete - TWSF looks at this every time they peruse Williams-Sonoma

I used to not like guacamole. Maybe it was the texture, maybe it was my unfamiliarity with avocados. Regardless, it was just "green stuff" to me. I think I finally tried it in college, and started eating massive amounts of it when I became an adult in the "real world." This year I started making my own guacamole as an easy party appetizer, and sometimes as late night munchies (yes, TWSF makes fresh guacamole when they come home from the bars).

Just this weekend, I stopped using the McCormick's Guacamole Seasoning. Why? Because I'm a a budding chef and using a seasoning packet makes me feel like I'm skipping out on some work. To be honest though, I think it's more flavorful with the packet of yummy goodness added. I'll include the packet as "optional" in the recipe, in case you like a little more spice in life and are okay with the semi-homemade stuff.

Fish Taco Night

My friends have been very into throwing dinner parties this year. I guess that’s what happens when you start venturing into your mid-20s. Personally, I love dinner parties. My college roommates and attempted to start a “Sunday Dinner” tradition at our apartment (slightly different…our long dinner table was actually a beirut table (or for some…”beer pong table”)). Unfortunately, a lack of funds and motivation turned our tradition into a random “Sunday Dinner” once every few months. Luckily, our motivation and fund situation has changed a bit, and my friends now get together fairly frequently for a homemade dinner.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chuck's family visited us last night and we wanted to impress. When you want to impress, you DO NOT try a new recipe. Go with something tried and true. We made this chicken enchilada dish last summer and were amazed with its flavor. This calls for a lot of ingredients, but it's worth the effort (and will either feed a lot of people, or 2 people for a few days). If you don't have much time and need to cook for a group of people, this is a great option.  We cooked the filling for the enchilada the night before, and were able to put the meal together in 15 minutes yesterday.  As much as I love sipping a swirly margarita(s) at Lauriol Plaza , it is possible to cook and enjoy a great Mexican dish at home.