Everything is starting to bud and bloom! What are you doing to enjoy this lovely change in weather?

Santa Catarina Restaurant takes an entirely different approach to Mexican cuisine and coastal classics. The restaurant uses only the freshest produce and highest quality meats, and each dish is prepared with olive or canola oil to keep it light and healthy.

Appetizers like ceviche and Mexican totopo nachos make a great pre-meal snack, while entrees include fresh soups, Yucatan-style fajitas, and grilled cactus salads. Tres leches cake and traditional flan are served for dessert, and Santa Catarina’s margaritas are made from scratch and handcrafted with care. With its eclectic Mexican decor, dim lighting, and patio lined with heavy curtains, this is a unique option for lunch, dinner, and even Sunday brunch.

Santa Catarina Restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, remaining open until 10 p.m. on weekends. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Santa Catarina Restaurant
1310 Ranch Road 620 South
Lakeway, TX 78734
(512) 300-0946
www.santacatarinarestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/santa-catarina-restaurant-lakeway

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/austinevan

Any seasoned cook knows that sometimes you have to get creative when sticking to a recipe, especially if you're short on some of the ingredients. The good news is that with a few easy swaps, you can make any recipe, even if you don't have the traditional ingredients on-hand. Here are three cooking substitutes for when you’re in a pinch:

1. If you're missing brown sugar: Your craving for homemade cookies won't wait until you can get to the store for all the ingredients. If you’re short on one cup of brown sugar, you can substitute it one cup of white sugar combined with 1/4 cup of molasses.
2. If you're missing butter: While no kitchen should ever be without this important ingredient, it tends to happen if you cook a lot. You can replace one cup of butter with one cup of margarine or vegetable shortening. If the recipe calls for melted butter, you can use the same amount of oil.
3. If you're missing half and half: If your carton is empty, you can easily recreate this essential ingredient with 1/2 a cup of partly skimmed milk and 1/2 a cup of heavy whipping cream.

Top 3 Ingredient Substitutions [All Recipes]
Ingredient Substitutions [University of Nebraska]
Baking Ingredient Substitution Table [Joys of Baking]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Remy Sharp