Dining destination: Texas

Aaron, Emma and I just got back from our second trip to Texas. We had a great time on our first trip, back in October, and we were eager to head back for another visit.

First stop: Austin. We flew in and out of here on our first trip, and we didn't get much chance to explore. So we scheduled in a day to check out this southwestern hot spot. After checking in to our hotel, we asked the desk clerk for a restaurant recommendation. My only requirement was a local restaurant, preferably not a chain. She suggested Trudy's, a Tex-Mex eatery. It was a good call. The service was great, and the smoked rotisserie chicken tacos were excellent. They came with the spiciest barbecue sauce I've ever had, but it also was delicious.

On our way to Harker Heights, where my dad and stepmom live, we made a stop that Aaron had been looking forward to for months. Those Sonic commercials had gotten into his head, and he wanted to stop for a slush. Aaron enjoyed the slush, but I was disappointed. It was just a fast-food joint, certainly nothing special. But Christina, my stepsister, gave me a tip that turned out to be valuable. She suggested sticking with the limeades. She was right -- the diet cherry limeade was an inexpensive treat.

One night in Killeen, my dad and stepmom treated all of us -- including my half-brother Mike, Christina and her husband, Blair -- to dinner at Nami, a Japanese steakhouse. Aaron and I hadn't been to one in several years, when we had a great meal at the Benihana in Concord. It would be Emma's trip to one of these entertaining restaurants, so I was looking forward to taking her. It was an excellent meal. I had the sukiyaki steak. It was absolutely delicious. In fact, my 4-year-old ate nearly as much of it as I did. A winner -- now I want to try to re-create it at home.

We also had to make one other stop -- at the Mr. Snow shave ice stand. They make the best shave ice we've ever had outside of Hawaii. Even with full bellies after the Japanese meal, we still managed to find some room.

We certainly had some other good things to eat on our trip, including at a crawfish boil in Killeen and at the concession stand at the Texas Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington.

But of all the meals, the best was the Lebanese feast we had on the last night of our trip to celebrate my dad's birthday. Fresh grilled lamb, homemade tabbouleh and tzatziki, pita bread, and a big bowl of olives -- delicious!

One of my goals on the trip was to stick to a healthy diet. I did just OK on the October trip, and I was determined to do better this time around. The results: well, not as good as I'd hoped. But I had a good time and a lot of good things to eat. But an excellent trip -- even better! Thanks, Dad, Jody, Mike, Christina and Blair. We'll be back soon to visit -- and find some more tasty Texas treats.

I'm including a recipe that seems like it should be a Texas favorite, but from what I learned, it isn't. Texans don't like beans in their chili, but this is an excellent recipe nonetheless. This recipe is from the book, "The Best Light Recipe."

Vegetarian Bean Chili

1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 medium onion, minced
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed seeded and chopped fine
9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tbsp.)
3 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Salt
3 cups canned beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Toast the cumin seeds in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, oil, cayenne and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the beans, water, tomatoes, oregano and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chili is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the corn and continue to simmer until heated through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cilantro and lime juice, and season with salt to taste.

Cook's notes: Since I can't eat bell peppers, I substitute celery for added crunch. And, as the blog's title suggests, I hold the cilantro. In its place I add some flat-leaf parsley for a fresh flavor. I also have substituted lemon juice in place of the lime juice. The cookbook recommends a mix of black, pinto and kidney beans. I have used that combination and find it excellent.