$22.89 Santa Fe Salad for Mid-Term Election Night 2026 from Chili's Bar and Grill in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

$22.89 Santa Fe Salad for Mid-Term 2026 Election from Chili’s in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Chili’s makes filling comfort foods even for items like salad. 

On mid-term election night, I ate a Santa Fe Salad with crispy chicken tenders to relive my college days watching election returns in Chicago, usually at Bennigan’s Bar downtown. The Chicago Democratic Machine turns out the vote and turns out big money for its very nice bars and restaurants, which prepare full-menu dinners for all special events from elections to symphony fundraisers. 

My new Bennigan’s is Chili’s Bar and Grill in Salinas, California. My light yet filling Santa Fe Salad featured two crispy chicken tenders that sat on top of a generous salad with the following items: 

-pico de gallo salsa made up of tomato, red peppers, onion, cilantro, and lime juice

-house-made guacamole 

-cilantro 

-corn tortilla strips

-house-made ranch dressing 

-a drizzle of spicy Santa Fe sauce 

Mixed together, this salad was a spicy immune system booster with Vitamin C-rich ingredients like cilantro and pico de gallo salsa. Vitamin C is also a strong antioxidant and helps regenerate cells in the body. 

I ate a few extra tortilla chips with the salad, but just alone it was sufficient. 

I liked eating something healthy on election night when a historical race was happening here in California – Xavier Becerra was elected the first Latino governor. 

(I also watched Harold Washington, the first African-American mayor of Chicago, be elected in Chicago at Bennigan’s. If you live long enough, you see lots of “firsts.”) 

Chili’s Santa Fe salad is a really good catering item for fundraisers for its easy assembly and availability of basic ingredients locally. These salads also come in easily stackable delivery boxes.  

I like the Santa Fe Salad from Chili's in Salinas (California) and think salad lovers would like it too. It has an added benefit of being a not too expensive dish to use for fundraisers. 

Bon Appétit! 

By Ruth Paget 

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

UChicago’s Arts and Humanities Day is November 7, 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

University of Chicago scholars will meet with artis and social commentators for Arts and Humanities Day on November 7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

Events include free and paid art exhibits, concerts, and panel discussions.

Event schedule and ticket purchase details follow:

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/arts-humanities-day-returns-reconsider-familiar-stories-and-americas-legacy-250?mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGlQXSuGGQBAmSgLWkCat5H2-Ibiu8N6qtji47nDItKVIycRvqPmKvtQw-ijSdClQ5BhFuBYQHtWd8iBiz1tKWTLeGsF2Noaf7ylGCNGddGJ5dSG6A

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

Mediterranean Diet is Made Up Many reposted by Ruth Paget

My favorite foods come from the Mediterranean.

If you can keep your portion size down to avoid obesity, the Mediterranean Diet has the following benefits summarized in the video below:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfoahHDd/

A sample Mediterranean food pyramid follows:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLHMHD9h/

Bon Appetit!

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

2 Blank Journals (192 pages each) for $15.99 on Amazon reposted by Ruth Paget

2026 - 2027 will provide the material for many stories and memoirs.  

Journaling is a great way to record events while dealing with them.  Journaling entries provide material for later analysis and story writing

I also use journals to note economic lessons from literature.  Balzac made many economic remarks.  In the Bal de Secaucus, he even stated that his youngest daughter is not matching possible marriage partners with her small dowry after marrying her older sisters to rich men - very grumpy French dad remark.

The journals I Like to use have:

-a hard leather cover

-inside pocket for receipts, photos, stamps, and post cards

-two attached bookmarks

-192 blank pages

-a built in pen holder

-a built-in strap to hold the journal tightly together

Two journals like this cost $15.99 on Amazon as of today (November 3, 2026).  The journals lie flat when open.

More details follow at Amazon’s link below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08PNRDXDD/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A1GNZ5R621YPTF&psc=1

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, and the Carmel Valley History Centet

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory blogs

Istara P’tit Basque Sheep’s Milk Cheese is around $18.69 per pound today at Costco in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget

One of my favorite products at Costco (worth the membership for me) is the French Istara P’tit Basque sheep milk’s cheese at $18.69 per pound as of today. (November 2, 2026)

This round cheese with a basket shaped rind is festive for Thanksgiving, but I eat a slice of it or Brie with breakfast or with charcuterie as a light dinner. 

The cheese is semi-hard and has a buttery taste.  I like it with apple slices.  P’tit Basque comes from France’s Southwestern corner and is part of the Basque Country that is made up of territory in modern-day France and Spain.

Information about the cheese follows:

https://www.thekitchn.com/costco-istara-ptit-basque-review-23490414

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory blogs

Chic $18.99 Toblerone Frozen Cake at Costco for Thanksgiving at Sand City, California reposted by Ruth Paget

I have taste-tested the Swiss Frozen Toblerone Cake from Costco at Sand City (near Monterey), California and think this would be a chic dessert for college students and up for Thanksgiving.

It costs $18.99 (as of November 1, 2026) and features honey and nougat with chocolate flavors.  It is gluten-free and crunchy - perfect with coffee or Darjeeling tea.

Information about the cake from Almondy follows:

https://www.almondy.com/en/foodservice/almond-cake-with-toblerone/

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Good Deal Fish and Chips at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Good Deal Fish and Chips Dinner at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

When my family wants to go out for a California diner meal, we do a beeline for Black Bear Diner in the Westridge Mall in Salinas, California. 

This California chain offers a mini newspaper full of classic American dishes, but my favorites at Black Bear Diner are Friday Night Fish Fry, reuben sandwiches, and fish and chips. 

For $16.99 (online menu price as of 10-28-1016), the fish and chips meal comes with the following items: 

-3 large, deep-fried pieces of cod with a golden crust that is hard enough to be tapped for sound yet soft enough to be easily cut with a fork 

-a generous helping of double-fried French fries that take up half the plate. The fries arrive salted and do taste great with ketchup. 

-coleslaw with a delicious dressing of cream and apple cider vinegar. 

Black Bear offers a choice of sides, but I like what is on the menu. 

I drank two large unsweetened iced teas with this meal and thought everything was refreshing. 

I had no leftovers, but my husband Laurent and daughter Florence Paget gave me their leftover fries and coleslaw for lunch the next day. 

I thought the meal was delicious and also thought $16.99 for this meal was a reasonable price. With the iced tea, my meal cost about $20. 

I like fish and chips and think that the Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California does a good job with this meal.

By Ruth Paget 

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games