Memorial Day in Albuquerque

Memorial Day is a time to remember the men and women that have served in our armed forces.  It is also a time to attend fun events that are happening around the city.  Parties, cookouts, and concerts are just some of the events happening around Albuquerque this weekend.

We have your list below of what festivals, concerts, and events are happening around the city.  There are events for every single person to enjoy.  You can learn more at about.


Butterfly Pavilion Opens
The PNM Butterfly Pavilion opens Friday, May 23, with hundreds of butterflies.

Trey Songz and Sevyn Streeter
Trey Songz has received a string of Grammy nominations and topped many charts. Hear him at Sevyn Street at the Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino on Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m.

Austin Piazzolla Quintet
The quintet specializes in the music of the late Argentine composer Astor Piazzola. Hear the nuevo tango music at Robertson & Sons Violin on May 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Albuquerque Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival
For those who love sewing and quilting, enjoy the festival at New Mexico Expo May 22 - 24. There will be make and take workshops, demos and classes. Tickets are good for all three days; purchase them at the door or online, where you get a half off coupon.

New Mexico Watercolor Society Spring Exhibition
See works of art by the New Mexico Watercolor Societyat New Mexico Expo, Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sky City Memorial Day Events
The Haaku Museum at Acoma Sky City will have an arts and crafts show May 23-26. Enjoy traditional dances, movie screenings, food, and arts and crafts. A variety of arts and crafts will be available for purchase.

Les Miserables
The Broadway hit may very well be the most popular musical ever. In 19th century France, Jean Valjean leaves prison only to find more mistreatment as a free man. See the epic play at the Albuquerque Little Theatre weekends through June 15.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair
Join Encore Theatre for a production of the Narnia classic, The Silver Chair. See it at City Church at 5300 Second NW May 23-25. See it again May 30 at Calvary Chapel in Rio Rancho.

Memorial Day Concert at the Zoo
The New Mexico Philharmonic will play patriotic tunes at the Zoo. Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy patriotic favorites as well as the 2014 Jackie McGehee Young Artists' competition winners. The concert is Saturday, May 24 at 8 p.m.

Summertime in Old Town: Memorial Day Concert
Spend the evening in Old Town with a Memorial Day tribute concert. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., hear the Albuquerque String Trio, and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., hear a classic military ensemble with the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps. The free concert takes place in Old Town plaza on Saturday, May 24.

Guera
Working Classroom presents Albuquerque native Lisandra Tena in her interactive, one-woman show. In a tribute to waiting tables, Guera is a menu of scenes from Tena's life, each performed at the audience's request. See it through May 25.

These Shining Lives
The Duke City Repertory Theater performs a play about the lives of Catherine Donahue and her friends, who work in a radium dial factory in the 1920s, and become ill. Catherine and her co-workers face their employer in a David and Goliath fight. See it at the Cell Theatre weekends through May 25.

The Gospel According to Joan
Albuquerque's drag troupe The Dolls will perform the world premiere of the story of Joan Crawford. As the star nears the end of her life, she reflects on life, love and her rivalry with Bette Davis. See it weekends at the Aux Dog Theatre through June 1.

Arsenic and Old Spice
Join the Foul Play Cafe at Sheraton Uptown for a mystery dinner theater. Help headmistress Hedda Hare from McAdam Academy figure out who might have done her in. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through May 31.

The Man From Earth
Written by one of the writers for the original Star Trek and Twilight Zone, Jerome Bixby, The Man From Earth features a retiring university professor who claims he is a Cro-Magnon man. See the play at the Adobe Theater weekends through June 8.

Southwest Soundfest
Enjoy an all day music and food celebration at the Balloon Museum. Twenty local musicians will perform on two sound stages. There will be food trucks, a beer garden, and entry to the Balloon Museum is included in the ticket price. Soundfest takes place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 24.

Se7en
See Kevin Spacey in a film about two homicide detectives on the hunt for a serial killer. See it at the KiMo Theatre at 7 p.m. on May 24.

Albuquerque Civic Chorus Anniversary Concert
The Albuquerque Civic Chorus will perform opera choruses at the South Broadway Cultural Center on Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, May 25 at 3 p.m.

Downtown Growers Market
The downtown market offers food, music, entertainment and a wide variety of vendors. Parking is not a problem, with 500 free parking spaces within two blocks of the market. The market will be a great place to be on Saturday, May 24.

Idalia Road Marketplace
The outdoor Rio Rancho market features fresh foods, gifts, plants, music and more, every Saturday and Sunday through October. Free.

Flea Market
One of my very favorite things to do is wander the aisles of the Flea Market on a Saturday or Sunday. It's free at New Mexico State Fairgrounds.

Solving a Haunting
The Open Space Saturday Sunset Series opens with a talk by the Southwestern Ghost Hunter's Association. The lectures take place at the Elena Gallegos Picnic Area at 7 p.m. on May 25.

Albuquerque Beer Week
The 2014 Albuquerque Beer Week runs for ten days from May 22 through May 31. Enjoy beer tastings, a special golf tournament, beer tappings and other events around town. Discover some of the city's breweries and pubs.

Albuquerque Blues and Brews
The annual Blues and Brews takes place at Sandia Casino on Saturday, May 25 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (2 p.m. admission for VIP ticketholders). You'll hear live music from top blues bands, sample dozens of beers from regional craft breweries, participate in raffles, games and more.

Albuquerque Wine Festival
Head out for three days of fun over the Memorial Day weekend at the Albuquerque Wine Festival, where you can sample wine while listening to great music. The festival takes place at Balloon Fiesta Park and features live music as well as wine tasting. Monday is Military Day; $3 discount for active military with photo ID. Sample wines from the many wineries throughout the state. Food vendors and arts and crafts will also be on hand. The wine festival runs May 24-26.

Turkey Feather Blanket Weaving Demonstration
A cultural demonstrator from Santo Domingo Pueblo will weave traditional turkey feather and rabbit fur blankets. Other demonstrations include making shell inlay jewelry. The free event takes place at the Petroglyph Monument on May 24 - 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Summertime in Old Town: Shelley Morningsong and Fabian Fontenelle
Hear Native American music in Old Town on Sunday, May 25 at 11:45 a.m. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Las Otras will perform. The event is free.

Summer Music Series
Enjoy a free Sunday night concert at Haynes Park in Rio Rancho beginning at 6:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic. On May 25, hear the Daryl Dominguez Band.

Santa Fe Fiber Arts Festival
Learn how New Mexico textiles are made at Los Golondrinas. There will be sheep shearing, wool dyeing, weaving demonstrations and fiber arts supplies. The festival runs May 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony
Rio Rancho will have a parade beginning at 10 a.m. on Country Club Drive. Follow the route down Southern Boulevard to Veterans Monument Park on Pinetree Road. Following the parade, a remembrance ceremony will honor military who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Memorial Day Ceremony
A special ceremony to honor our nation's veterans will take place at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial on Monday, May 26. A musical prelude takes place from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and a ceremony from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This is a free event.

Johnette Napolitano
The singer and songwriter best known for her work with Concrete Blonde will perform at the Outpost on Monday, May 26 at 8 p.m.

Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Do you love food?  Grocery Shopping could be a battle every week then.   If you are like me, you would buy everything that looks delicious.  Keeping a list does not sound as fun, but it can save you money for fun things throughout the week.

Read the list below to learn about some great tips on how to save money grocery shopping.  You can still get all of your favorite foods without coming home with extras that you do not need.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

Keep a list— and use it. Sure, a lot of us keep a half-hearted grocery list on the fridge door, but how often do we actually look at it in-store? And if the list is forgotten, you can end up wandering around the store trying to recall what was on it, putting ad-hoc items into your basket all the while. My best advice is to keep your list on your smartphone or tablet, and if you have multiple people to shop for — use a list-sharing app!

Shop against the clock. It's been proven again and again: the more time you spend in a shop, the more money you'll spend, too. Try timing yourself the next time you go grocery shopping, and aim to shorten your shopping time by 20% thereafter. You'll find you spend less, and — bonus — you'll spend less time in the grocery store.

Plan (meals) ahead. I'm a big fan of meal-planning and do it every week before my shop, even if it's just a loose outline of what I'd like to eat. Purposefully planning meals which use some of the same ingredients cuts down on leftovers and waste.

Shop your cupboards. When you're really tight on cash, try opening your pantry instead of (or at least before) going to the shops. Sometimes I'll set myself a cooking challenge — to use the rest of those lentils in the cupboard, or make something with all those frozen peas I seem to collect. Doing this once a week will cut down on buying new food that you don't necessarily need, and it's also a great way to rediscover old favorite recipes.

Buy on sale (with caution). Look, 2-for-1 and 20% free offers can be great, but only when you'll actually use the products. Otherwise, you end up paying more than you need to on food you won't use. Generally, look for sales on household items like cleaners and toilet paper, as well as non-perishable foodstuffs, and leave the fruit and veg deals, unless you're sure you'll use them.

Use your points. Speaking of sales, you know those store cards you have and scan every week? Well, they're racking up points that will only help you if you use them. I'm the worst for letting cards tick along for months and even yearswithout a second thought, and am usually surprised when I realize that they're actually, you know, worth something. So next time you're at the till, ask the cashier how much your points are worth now — you might save a bundle!

Work some "flex spend" into your budget. We all want to try new things, and in the candy land of choice known as the grocery store, this can lead to expensive last-minute choices. In my experience, the best way to combat this is not to fight it. Deciding to allow yourself a little flexibility — say, a five dollar allowance or a single impulse item each week, will help avoid the feeling that you're depriving yourself, and you'll be less likely to go overboard.

Do Not Fear Mother's Day! We Are Here To Help!

Are you still trying to decide what to make Mom for Mother's Day?  We have three easy skillet recipes below that anyone can make.  These great recipes will make you look like a five star cook for the Mom in your life.

There is a recipe below for every taste, and we think that the Mom in your life will enjoy it.  You can even have the kids help you make these dishes.  These recipes will all take between 30 minutes and an hour. Keep reading and we hope these will help you make this Mother's Day special. You can learn more at mlive.

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage & Eggs adapted from TheKitchn.com

Ingredients

2 large onions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Table salt
1 pound loose breakfast sausage (or vegetarian substitute)
3 large sweet potatoes
6 large garlic cloves
4 long stalks rosemary, about 1/4 cup of leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

To make the hash:

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. (Don't worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and lower the heat further if they start to burn. Cook them until they are soft and brown. Do not let the onions burn.

Meanwhile, put the sausage (or vegetarian sausage) in another skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until it is browned and beginning to crisp. Drain away any excess fat.

While the onions and sausage are cooking, peel and then chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Finely mince the garlic and rosemary leaves, and toss them in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are dark brown and the sausage is crispy, stir these into the sweet potatoes as well. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potatoes evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.

Refrigerate the cooled hash for up to 5 days.

To serve:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish. You can also bake in individual ramekins. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and scatter the goat cheese over the hash.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are hot and the eggs are baked through. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)

Serve immediately.

Serves 8

View full sizeBlueberry cinnamon skillet coffee cakeJessica Webster | The Ann Arbor News 

Blueberry cinnamon skillet coffee cake - adapted from The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook

Cake 

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, each cut into 8 pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Streusel 
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

For the cake: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla and sour cream.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

At the lowest setting, just barely blend the flour mixture into the batter. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until completely blended.

For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chilled butter, pinching with your fingers until well blended. Stir in the walnuts.

Generously butter a cast iron skillet and spread half the batter evenly in the pan. Top with the blueberries and half the streusel. Carefully spoon the remaining batter into the skillet and smooth with a knife. Scatter the remaining streusel on top.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

View full sizeSavory Dutch baby pancake.Jessica Webster | The Ann Arbor News 

Mushroom, onion and Gouda Dutch Baby (adapted from a recipe on Food52.com)

8 tablespoons butter
1 medium sweet onion, diced
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup grated aged Gouda cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large sautée pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it has melted and foamed up. Add onions and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the herbs, then stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes until they are browned and softened as well. 

Remove from the heat.

Put the eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper into a blender and blend them at high speed for about a minute. Stop, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, and blend for another 30 seconds.

Place the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into a 12-inch cast iron skillet and put the pan into the oven. Wait until the butter is completely melted and bubbling, then carefully take the pan out and swirl the butter around to make sure the pan is coated.

Spread the onions and mushrooms on the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Pour the egg and flour mixture on top. Finally, sprinkle the cheese all over it and put it back into the oven for 20 minutes, until browned on top. The pancake will puff up as it bakes.

When finished, take the Dutch baby out of the oven. You can scatter more sage and thyme (or maybe chives) across the top if you desire. If you really want to be decadent, melt a tablespoon of herb butter on the top of the pancake as soon as it leaves the oven.

Serve hot, and enjoy.

Serves 4-6.

Best Place for the Twenty Something

Photo: Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau

Are you wondering if you are in the right city? Albuquerque was just voted one of the best places for twenty somethings!  The city is super affordable, which is perfect for the just out of college age group.  The survey evaluated sustainability, transit, cleanliness, and affordability to make the ranking.  The survey also dove deeper into walk-ability, gym presence, and the over-all well-being of the cities' residents.

We have the Albuquerque portion of the survey below.  You can find out what other cities are on the list by going to greatist.

1. Albuquerque, NM

Average Temp (High, Low): 70, 43 Median Income: $44,594 Average Rent for 1-Bedroom Apt.:  $646Population: 529,872 Median Age: 35.1

Okay, we get that the desert isn’t usually where most 20-somethings would think to look for their ideal locale, but Albuquerque was included in the list of top 10 U.S. destinations for value vacations, especially noted for it’s affordable pricing. It’s also the fifth cleanest city and one of the greenest cities, too. And thankfully, though the city is also considered the ballooning capital of the world, that does not mean balloon animals peruse the streets, but instead the city’s skyline can often be found peppered with hot air balloons (especially during theInternational Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest hot air balloon festival). Albuquerque also has one of the top zoos in the country, the Albuquerque Biological Park (tickets are just $5 to $12 for a solid day’s worth of fun). If ballooning doesn’t fill your fresh air fix, Albuquerque has plenty of outdoor space with 28.1 percent parkland