miso hungry

dinner party numero uno

2010-06-14T08:14:00.001-07:00

I am so happy to report that as of a week ago, I do, in fact, have a fully functional kitchen. A kitchen means cooking and cooking means blogging. I'm so happy to be back!

Brandon entertained our guests while they enjoyed libations in the backyard and I cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Our guests drank cosmos and a twist on my minted lemondrop, sans mint with the addition of fresh cherry juice from the farmers market. In the kitchen, I worked on a farmers market Greek salad, risotto with leeks, and seared scallops.

Our guest list was exclusive, I must say. My parents have been so instrumental in our house-fixingupness. I am so lucky to have them. Also, Rich and Alba, our neighbors and my parents BFF's, have been there to help us throughout this process. Rich has helped my dad for countless hours with plumbing and the kitchen, and Alba helped me cut up old narsty plants among other things. I am so thankful to have a kitchen, but more so to have such an awesome crew who I can show my thanks (however ill-sufficiently) by cooking on Saturday night. And it was fun!

is it safe in here?

2010-01-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Oh my, is has been a while, hasn't it?

I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I am still here, living and breathing and creating, but in a way other than cooking at the moment. My husband and I bought our very first home! It's a big fixer upper with the time commitment that you would imagine goes along with a complete overhaul. We are living with my parents until we get in working order (and have been for a while), so you can imagine how cooking has been put on the back burner (pun most definitely intended). Once it is all fixed up, I fully intend to come back with a bang, or possibly a boil or simmer.

If you want to keep track of where we are with the progress on the house, check out my other project misohandy .blogspot.com. I miss my food blog like crazy!! I can't wait until I can carve a little piece of this world out for me and my cooking adventures. Till then!

monteverde

2009-08-17T10:41:00.001-07:00

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

The pictures speak for themselves... Monteverde was amazing.

Our fantastic room at Hidden Canopy Treehouses

Howler Monkey at Monteverde Cloud Forest. It was rife with all sorts of exotic creatures.

It looks just like a leaf! That really is a bug!

Same on this one...

When it rained, it poured!

Tarantula from our night hike

A mushroom growing on a beetle. Quite the sight!

They called this Angelina Jolie Lips

Humingbirds...

And now for the food...

Arroz con pollo

Empanadas in a rich, buttery crust

Breakfast at Hidden Canopy

Heart of palm fritters

arenal noshings

2009-07-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's true that when in Costa Rica, the food is not going to be the rich mole's and spicy chiles that you'll find in Mexican cooking. In fact, the food is quite simple. Comida tipica (typical food) called gallo pinto (rice and beans) and casado (rice and beans + protein) are eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's modest and can be quite lovely, just like the people of Costa Rica.

Our first stop in Arenal was where we were exposed to the most Americanized version of dining in Costa Rica. Well... actually I take that back. It's actually kind of hard to find real, honest to goodness, comida tipica in major Costa Rican cities. Randomly enough, our very first stop was at an Israeli restaurant on our way from the airport to Arenal. Loveat is a super cute restaurant serving ecclectic foods from burgers to pad thai to casado.

Loveat

I was starving and the view was amazing. We were lucky enough to meet one of the owners, an Israeli lady who had moved to CR 5 years prior with 18 people. They opened this restaurant alongside the ziplines right next door. I always admire people who can take such a big leap of faith.

inside the restaurant

The first thing that we ordered was guanabana (pronounved gwa-NAH-veh-nah) juice. It's a funky big green fruit that is sweet but round, kind of like ripe pineapple. It was very tasty.

oddly refreshing guanabana juice

As for the main course, what option did I have, really? Of course I got the Med platter and I was very glad I did. Everything was just the perfect texture and taste. I thought to myself that it was quite odd to be eating perhaps the best falafel I've ever had in Costa Rica, but I wasn't about to argue. I was too busy eating.

look at the cute little pita patties

Here are come random pictures from other restaurants we went to.

the coolest iced tea, ever. look at that lime! the flesh was an amber color I've never seen before.

flauta

fajitas

Then, for our one year anniversary (!), we went to the nicest/most expensive/most American restaurant in town, Don Rufino. Why did we do it? We read very good reviews, it was open late and had wine. Mostly the the latter two.

mmm... the wine was a lovely white blend from Chile.

some sort of steak, but I have to admit the potato piles looked like teeny turds.

The seafood plate was so much food. it was buttery and garlicky, but not overly so.

The obligatory anniversary dessert.

check out that tea timer!

Arenal may not have been the food mecca of Costa Rica, but I think more than anything, we chose the wrong places to go (barring the two restaurants I mentioned). Better food was to be had, and we were determined to find it.

sizzle fizzle in arenal

2009-07-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Can you see it??!

Arenal Volcano. From our hotel room. Like a real, live, oozing, exploding, melting, torching, amazing volcano with lava and all. We had a great view from our balcony at Casa Luna Lodge in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Costa Rica in July is smack dab in the middle of rainy season, so we saw a whole bunch of just that... rain. Not to fret, it did manage to clear just enough to almost see the peak of the currently active and erupting volcano. It was quite the amazing sight from our very nice and reasonable hotel room.

The open air hotel lobby

Arenal was the very first stop in our 3 city tour of Costa Rica. It was hard to plan a vacation in a country I didn't know, with hotels I've never heard of, in towns that I had no clue as to where they were. I am lucky enough to work with a few people who all seemed to agree that a three city trip was best to see the country in a short amount of time. Arenal (volcano), Monteverde (cloud forest), and Manuel Antonio (beach and jungle). So I took their advice and cross referenced my Lonely Planet Guidebook with TripAdvisor reviews and took the plunge. Veni, Vini, Vici.

Casa Luna Lodge was not my first choice. The Arenal Observatory was my first choice but it was completely booked. Because of their view of the volcano, Bran and I decided to take the drive (probably 20km, but about an hour of driving on craptastic CR roads) to the Observatory to check out all the fuss. It was definitely worth it.

There were views of the lake:

Hikes through the jungle:

A nifty suspension bridge:

Cute critters:

It was definitely worth the drive. And then some.

The next day (and our 1 year anniversary!), we took a trip to La Fortuna Catarata (waterfall). It was too beautiful to even capture in a picture, but I'll do my best.

and this was the other one that only shows up with lots of rain:

So yes, Arenal! It was definitely worth a stay! As for the food - I'll save that for tomorrow.

Heaven...

peeks in

2009-07-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

Guess I'm not eating tonight

¡Hola mi preciosos amigos! ¿Hablas español? I don't (well, yo habla un poco español)*! It's definitely an asset when traveling in any Spanish speaking country, including Costa Rica. ...smooth transition... Speaking of Costa Rica, guess where I've been hiding out the past little while? That's right, Brandon and I went to CR to celebrate our 1st anniversary (In related news, he got me a small camera to keep in my purse and true lens for my Nikon to boot, so I will be taking muy pictures from now on! Also, I'm an ass. We said that the trip was our gift to each other. I didn't get him anything but a sweet card and the news that I'll officially be adding his name to mine, shocking everyone, expecially Bran. It is the paper anniversary you know!).

I have so many cool things to share about my far too short trip through this ridiculously amazing and fascinating country - some food related, some note, all fairly awesome if I do say so myself. Stay tuned!

*I apologize for most likely butchering most of that. Why, oh why, did I take 5 years of Latin?

salted rosemary and olive focaccia

2009-07-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that scene from Clueless where Cher plops that big piece of doughie substance on to a baking sheet before stumbling into some "bad lighting" while trying, fruitlessly, to seduce the "Oscar Wilde reading, Streisand ticket holding friend of Dorothy" Christian? Cher was really on to something. There is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread when you walk through the door. Whether it's to show your love or in anticipation of some lovin', bread is always a wonderful, homie, satisying smell to unexpectedly wander in to.

This focaccia recipe is one from my vegetarian stage (though I still eat very minimal meat- only fish and fowl). The recipe is one from The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook (no, that's really it's name) on the very last page. The first time I tested it, I was a junior in college. It was at the very start of my getting extremely interested in cooking AND when I started dating Bran. Ahhhhh memories. Anyway, it always turns out well. Just make it, mmkay?

*Salted Rosemary and Olive Focaccia*
2 cups bread flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1/a oz sachet rapid rise dried yeast
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil

for the topping:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp rock salt (or pink salt if you have it)
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed

Mix toghether the flour, salt yeast, garlic, rosemary and olives in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the olive oil and 2/3 cup warm water. Mix thoroughly to form a soft dough.

Turn out the dough on to a floured work surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap or a dish towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Turn out the dough and knead lightly again. Roll out to an oval shape, about 1/2 inch thick.

Place the dough on a greased baking sheet, cover loosly with oiled plastic wrap of a dish towel and leave in a warm place for 25-30 minutes to rise again.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make indentations with your fingertips all over the top of the bread. Drizzle 2/3's of the olive oil over the top, then sprinkle with the salt and rosemary.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden. The bread should sound hollow when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack and spoon the remaining olive oil over the top.

cherry pickin' fun and infused vodkas

2009-07-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

The trees

Riddle me this: Is it fun? Is it free (or close to it)? Is it outdoors? If an activity meets all three of these criteria, then Brandon and I are probably doing it, have done it, plan to do it, or want to plan to do it on the weekend. Cherry picking is a fun Saturday activity that definitely fits the bill. It's cheap, tons of fun, and beautiful!

We went to Riley's Mile High Ranch all the way out in Yucaipa because, after a few minutes of research on the Internet, we knew they still had a good crop left. It was quite the trek, but well worth it. Walk up to the giant barn and they will give you a bucket for $10. You can pick to your heart's content - or as much as you can fit in the bucket. The cherries are perfect right now, so get your patooties out there and start picking!

Lugging my haul... heavy!

I got home with two giant bags of cherries and no real idea what to do with them. One can only eat so many plain cherries in the matter or a week. So, to start off, I figured I'd deal with them in the best way I knew how... in booze!

*Cherry Vodka*
Crap ton of cherries
Crap ton of vodka

Mix together. Let sit for a few days. Mix in cocktails or drink straight!

And since I bought two handles of Absolut Vodka (I almost always use Absolut or Smirnoff because they are perfectly suitable here) and had plenty of extra, I made a batch of my famous...

*Pineapple Lime Vodka*
1 Pineapple
5-6 limes, zested

Mix together. Let sit for a few days. You can add pineapple juice and lime juice if you need it to 'mature' faster. Serve over ice.
mmm...

I love to keep these vodka concoctions in the freezer during the summer... they are absolutely fabulous and always a crowd pleaser. Bonus: These make cute gifts if you bottle them in mason jars and tie a ribbon around the top.

breakfast for dinner

2009-06-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

Starkweather Lake

TGIF! It seems like this week just started. Time flies when your having fun and eating well.

Capping off this week of camping food is a meal that I often make at home- breakfast for dinner! I know, a bit repetitive being that yesterday I couldn't so much as think of anything besides bacon, but you can't have too much breakfast food. Breakfast for dinner is wonderful because there aren't as many ingredients to lug around with you and you definitely don't need a recipe to whip together something tasty.

You have nothing but options: french toast, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos... the possibilities are endless. We had french toast, scrambled eggs and turkey sausage (Jennie O is my favorite, and I've tried them all!).

Your fellow campers won't be disappointed, I promise you. And for sticking with me all week long (and for tolerating my weaseling out of posting pics and recipes for this meal), here are some pictures of Mammoth Lakes, Ca and my trip.

Peace

My renaissance man

Mom and Sis fishing

Jack and me playing fetch

The stream right next to camp

I love camping ♥

need i say more?

2009-06-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

For today, suffice it to say:

+

=

Happiness.

chicken strips and fries

2009-06-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

This one is too pretty, too easy, too tasty to not cook while camping. Sure, you have to stand over the stove and fry, but it is so worth it. I know what you're thinking - "it's only chicken and french fries!" Seriously, I know, but there is something about this recipe that is just ridiculously good!

The best part of this meal just may be the chef - my pops. You see, growing up, if my dad had the day off, you pretty much knew you were getting the one thing that he knew how to cook: scrambled eggs, toast, OJ. It is literally the only time I can remember my dad making a meal. So imagine my shock when my family came back from camping last year (I was unable to make the trip) and everyone went on and on about Dad's chicken and french fries meal. I said exactly what you're saying right now - "it's only chicken and french fries!" - but everyone assured me that they would live up to the hype.

He made me laugh. This is my dad. My mom is fishing in the stream in the background. He wanted to make absolutely sure I got documentation that he was prepping dinner.

So when it came time for the meal, my expectations were high. My dad sat down on the old picnic bench, picked up his knife and went about his potato slicing. He was in the zone. If there is one thing my dad is, it's thorough. He is a masterful woodworker, mechanic, painter, handyman. You name it - if my dad does it - he does it well. The same is true for slicing potatoes. He slices those puppies up like a champ! No thick cut steak fries for his diners, these were pomme frites!

*chicken strips and fries*
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup flour
2 tbsp seasoned salt
chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup milk
3 eggs

potatoes, slice thinly into fries
onions, sliced into rings
salt
lots of veg oil

*equipment*
pot for frying fries
pot for frying chicken
2 large plastic baggies
tongs

Put the milk and eggs into the plastic baggy. Mix it together and put in your chicken. Let it sit while you prep everything else.

Bread your chicken in the flour/salt/Bisquick combo. Fry to deep golden brown on each side. Fry your fries and onions at the same time.

Serve immediately.

Yes, *that* good.

nectarines, glazed and grilled - it's a picnic!

2009-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

We grilled this one on the George, which is why it's lacking those purty grill marks. Still tasted delish!

I'm taking a break today from my camping posts to participate in a virtual picnic! Louise from Months of Edible Celebrations has organized this fun little get together to scarf down great recipes from some mega talented and interesting ladies and gents in the blogging community. What a treat!

I'm going to a picnic and bringing nectarines!

My favorite kinds of picnic foods are fresh tasting and quick to prepare. There is basically no prep work involved in this dish besides cutting and pitting the nectarines. Just pop them on the grill (there may even be a BBQ at the picnic location, so you can do it there!), baste them with a little spiced honey, and top with whipped cream, ice cream, or creme fraiche. There isn't even a recipe! Simple, simple, simple!

*Nectarines - Glazed and Grilled*
Nectarines
A Bit of Butter
Honey
Cinnamon
Whipped Cream, Ice Cream, or Creme Fraiche

Halve you nectarines. Brush them with butter and put them flesh side down on the grill. Once they get a bit of a char, turn them over and brush them with some honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. When they are warmed through, they're done!

Top with the cream of your choice. I like mine plain.

Dig in! It won't fill you up too much to enjoy ultimate frisbee and a three legged race afterward. :)

Now that I think about it, this would be a perfect camping dessert! I'll remember this for my next trip in September. I can't wait to see what everyone else brings!

More camping dinners tomorrow morning :)

japanese curry

2009-06-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

It's risky cooking for my dad. He's yin, always choosing meat and potatoes over all other conceivable option. He'd rather eat in and watch the game on TV.

Me: "Dad, what do you want for your father's day dinner?"
Him: "Hamburgers."
Me: "Aw, I want to make you something special! If you could pick anything in the world, what would it be?"
Him: "Pizza."

I'm yang, preferring fresh tasting Cal Med fare or other interesting flavors. I adore eating out and consider myself a budding foodie (probably not apparent by these simplified meals, but I'll get to the good stuff soon!).

Him: "What's on your agenda tonight?"
Me: "Bran and I are going out to dinner at a place called Simon. The chef is Kerry Simon, Iron Chef America champion! He's creating a 4 course tuna tasting menu with wine pairing. I'm so excited!"
Him: "You had me until 'out to dinner.'"

My Funky Potato (would be an awesome band name, right?)

So you can see why he might be a bit apprehensive about this Japanese Curry business. Brandon did vouch for it- we have made it on other camping trips and he quite loves this meal- but it was very out of my dad's comfort zone. It didn't help that it's not the most visually appetizing meal in the world, though it smells divine! Dad, the trooper that he is, gave it a shot...

... and he liked it!

In fact, everyone liked it! It's quite a feat to successfully feed 14 hungry campers with a meal that only one had ever even tried before. Even the kids were fans. You'll like this. It's easy, warm, soul soothing. Perfect for camping. It will be an instant comfort food. I promise.

*Japanese Curry*
equal parts:
yukon gold potatoes, diced
carrots, diced
onions, diced
chicken, diced

oil for sauteing
water for boiling

1 (or more) box prepackaged Japanese curry*

white rice

*available in the Asian foods section of most big markets

*equipment*
1 high sided pot (such as a dutch oven)
something to make rice in
serving spoons

Saute your meat and onions in a big pot in a few tbsp of oil or butter. When the onions are soft and meat slightly browned, add in the rest of your diced veggies and add just enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot (about 3 cups). Cover and bring to a boil.

When the potatoes and carrots are just tender, add the broken up curry to the pot. Stir to mix. Let cook 5 more minutes.

Serve over rice.

tacos!

2009-06-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Camping in Devils Postpile (Mammoth Lakes, CA) was great fun and the food was simple yet fabulous! The weather was cold and cloudy for the most part, but the fishing was decent and the scenery is some of the most beautiful you can find anywhere in the world. There is something incredibly special about cooking while set amongst towering pine trees and a rushing river. Everything just tastes better.You can't beat this view.

Cooking successfully while in nature takes lots of forethought, especially if it's in a secluded location (like DP) and you have to pack in your ingredients AND your equipments. This means that planning is key! With just a little bit of work - and a very good checklist of items to take with you - you can be prepped to make meals simply and deliciously. I suggest making a list of meals that you'll make for each night, then thinking about every ingredient you'll need in making it. It's important to remember to pack simple things like salt, pepper, tongs, etc. or you'll regret it (says the chick who forgot oil a few years back).

So, to help you out, I'll be making a very detailed list of the items needed to pull off each of the next 5 meals. Each meal for my camping trip was planned for about 10 adults, and since it is camping, I'll just write an ingredient list rather than exact measurements. These meals are so simple that you will want to estimate how much you'll need for the number of campers in your party. Also, I'll jot down the equipment that you'll need.

These meals are not meant to be gourmet. It's just good, wholesome food that can be thrown together relatively quickly and with little prep time. And it tastes good.

*Simple Camping Tacos*
ground meat (turkey or beef)
garlic salt
salt
pepper
vegetable oil

cilantro
onions
grated cheddar cheese
jarred salsa
lime

corn tortillas

*Equipment*
cast iron skillet
large non stick pan
tongs

plates
napkins

For the meat: Brown the meat up in a couple tbsps of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet. Season and set aside.

For the shells: Heat up 1/4 cup of oil in the non stick pant. To fry them, quickly put them in the oil on side A and leave in for just a sec. Quickly turn it over to side B and fold it in 1/2 until lightly browned. Flip it over to the other side of side B and brown on that side. As soon as they're cooked, put them on a paper towel lined plate and salt them! Seriously, this makes them great!
Assemble your tacos with whatever accoutrements you like. I like cilantro, salsa, cheese and a super quick squirt of lime, but feel free to bring anything else you like.

It will fill you up and satisfy you. Until s'mores, that is.

i'm ba-ack!

2009-06-20T18:29:00.001-07:00

That's right campers! I had a WONDERFUL trip to Devils Postpile National Monument, but I can safely say I'm stoked that my hair no longer smells like smoke from the campfire! And I've finally showered (and so has Bran, thank GOD!)! And I no longer need fret that a bear is going to creep in and raid my ice chest! And I no longer have to hover while I pee (TMI?)! Camping is one of my favorite vacations in the world, but there really is nothing like coming home and cuddling with my kitties in my own bed.

Since I'm home, I'm getting my posties together and starting Monday of this week, I'll feature 5 ridiculously easy camping dinners, along with ingredient and equipment lists so that you're not left stranded without tongs or salt or something equally annoying. These meals were all made on a propane powered stove (you can see it in the pic) and with all the food and goodies that we could carry up in our cars. You forgot your coffee filters for the percolator? Tough tootles! No roasters for the marshmallows? Well, you better whittle yourself one or better luck next time!

Question of the day: What is it about food at high elevations tasting so damn good?

Hope to see you Monday!

camping

2009-06-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

The bags are packed, the hiking boots are laced up, the cooler is stuffed full with lots of goodies. It's time for a break. Time for CAMPING! But you know what that means. No Internet access! Or phones! Or TV! You might as well take away food and water. I can't remember a time without these things around me at at all times! It will be a welcome vacation not only from my day job, but from all the other technological distractions that are hard to separate yourself from on a daily basis. But that also means, no blogging :*(

In a very short amount of time, I have come to love this silly little blog. I so enjoy it - posting pictures, telling stories, meeting other people with interesting blogs, and having an outlet where I can create and then say "Hey, I did that." With this new-found love, I have big plans for when I get back.

First things first. I'm going to do a week-long ode to camping food. S'mores should not be the only food you eat while camping. These will be field-tested, Brandon-approved meals that are easy and satisfying to eat whilst in the wild. Also on the docket, I'll be teaming up with Natty from Life is a Feast to chronicle our happy hour findings and escapades in an 8 week long look into happy hours in Southern California. We both like good drinks, cheap eats and great conversation. I look forward to it!

So, with that, I'm going to rest up, take some pictures, and enjoy my week off with mother nature (and my wonderful husband, and parents, and 2 sisters, and their husbands, and their 6 kids, and the Jack!). It will be an adventure! See you soon!

Jack will miss you!

recession mondays at mo's

2009-06-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for all things discounted. I'm one of those people who is tricked into thinking I'm getting a good deal, even if (the proverbial) "they" jack up the prices so that they can discount them back down to basically regular price. I admit it. It makes me feel better to see the red marks on garments. 25% off! That's like making money!

Bran and I always look for deals when it comes to food (remember my Katsu-ya post?). I think it may have even been one day on our way to Katsuya that we saw the sign out in front of Mo's advertising their recession Mondays! So, being the deal-luvr that I am, I googled it when I got home to make sure it was legit and not some marketing scheme to get you in the door.

I couldn't find much about it online. I found it referenced in their Yelp reviews, but that was it, so we made the decision to give it a shot.

We have been to Mo's before and it's decent. It's not gourmet, it's not trying to be something it's not, it's just ok burgers at ok prices with decent ambiance and service. When it's cheap, as it is on Mondays, it's a nice place to grab a beer and a burger. I got the turkey burger with mozzarella and marinara and it was good. The onion rings and french fries are also pretty decent! I would definitely go back, but probably only on a Monday to take advantage of the discounts.

Here, have a fuzzy beer!

peanut butter bars

2009-06-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

It's a great feeling to be inspired. Sometimes that inspiration comes from the darndest of places.

I was lazing around early Friday morning because I had the day off, flipping through movies on a gloomy May day. I stumbled across that Catherine Zeta-Jones movie No Reservations. It had just started and I hadn't seen it, it was about food, Aaron Eckhart is easy on the eyes- 3 reasons that made it good enough for me.

If you've seen the movie (and probably even if you haven't), you know that while it's not exactly Oscar-worthy, it's a cute chick flick that satiates the sweet/sappy craving that some people feel at one time or another. But if you're a cook at heart, it also kind of gets your burners fired up. Since I had the whole day to myself, cooking is what I did.

I got out all of my mom's old cookbooks from throughout the years and spread them around my living room floor. They were stacked high but not at all intimidatingly so. I carefully looks through each one, separating them into piles of good, no good, and downright hilarious. It was so fun reading through them, coming across some of my big grandma's (which we lovingly called her because she had a big house) newspaper clippings that were neatly folded and tucked away inside the books. My big grandma was a great cook. I wish that she had been around longer so I could have learned some of her recipes and cooked with her. I loved, so much, finding these hidden little gems so many years later (and I can't wait to make her newfound beloved recipes).

I can't explain it well, but it felt like I was going back in time when I read these recipes. The recipes were so different from what you'd find in current mainstream cookbooks, food TV and the foodie blogosphere that I frequent. One of the New Orleans Donut recipes called for the little pillows of dough to be deep fried in fat. What does that even mean? Most recipes today hold your hand through the entire process. Is it lard? Canola Oil? Crisco? Halp?!

I have many-a-recipe now dogeared, awaiting my attention, but the first one I went for came out of this book:And the recipe that I based mine off of (I only altered the frosting):

*Old Fashioned PB Bars*
bars:
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2/3 cup butter or margrine
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
frosting:
8 oz good quality semi sweet chocolate
2/3 cup cream

Combine peanut butter, butter or margarine and vanilla in a large bowl: beat with electric beater until well-blended; beat in sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time.

Stir in flour and salt just until well-blended;spread batter in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

Bake in moderate oven (350) for 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Remove pan from oven to wire rack; cool.

Heat your cream in a heavy saucepan just until you almost see a boil, but don't let it boil. Take the cream off the heat and stir in your chocolate until smooth.

Slather the top of the cool cake with the frosting.

The recipe was very good! The was a dense cookie/cake texture, but the edges were my least favorite part, so I just cut them off. Here is the books version:
It is a good find!

bibimbap

2009-06-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

BEE-BIM-BOP! This is the most awesome word to say. I'm really lucky that Audrey did not smack me across the face when we were shopping for the ingredients and then while we were making it. I can be annoying at times. C'mon, say it with me!

BEE-BIM-BOP
BEE-BIM-BOP
BEEEE-BIIIIMMMM-BOOOOOOP!

That's not even how you say it! It's buh-BEEM-bop, but BEE-BIM-BOP has a much better ring to it, if I do say so myself.

Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish that means "mixed rice." That's because you throw everything over rice and mix it all together. Audrey's family makes it (though they're not Korean), so she was kind enough to show me the ropes this weekend.

*Audrey's Bibimbap*

1 pound ground turkey
1/3 cup red miso
2 bunches green onions
1 bag bean sprouts
2 big bunches spinach, rinsed well
white rice
4 eggs
soy sauce
sesame oil
sesame seeds

First things first, make your rice.

Boil a big pot of water. Blanch the bean sprouts for less than a minute. Fish them out of the water and set them aside. Now, blanch your spinach. Strain through a colander and set aside in a separate bowl. Flavor both the spinach and sprouts with about a tbsp each of soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and let marinate.

Meanwhile, cook the meat through in a large saucepan with 3/4 of the green onions. Once the meat has been cooked through, add in the red miso and soy sauce to taste.

Keep the meat covered and warm. Fry the eggs in a separate non stick pan, but keep them runny in the middle.

Assemble the bowls by layering the bottom with rice and each the spinach, bean sprouts and meat into 1/3s over it. Top with the egg.

Mix it all up. Eat.

pom

2009-06-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

I remember the day like it was a few weeks ago (because, well, it was a few weeks ago). I got a suspicious email from someone named the POMblogger. Since I get at least 50 pieces of SPAM a day, I was thisclose to just hitting the delete button, but then I read the title.... Hello from POM wonderful! I thought to myself "I like POM.!" Then I was like, "hmmm, blogger?" I have a blog. I wonder if the two could be related.

When I opened the email, I was very surprised to see that Janny, blog searcher-outer extraordinare, had stumbled across my blog. The email stated that she wanted to send me a free sample of their juice! I thought to myself for a split second that she must have mistaken my blog for someone else's, but then she commented on some of my content and I knew it was my blog she had been reading. Do you have any idea how cool that made me feel?

The awesome thing is that I already knew that I liked POM. I'm a huge fan of cranberries and cranberry juice, which is what is most closely resembles, though a bit thicker and more flavorful. My mind went kind of wild when thinking about the possibilities of what I could make with it.

I have some great cocktails in my arsenal that feature pomegranate juice, though the alcohol may negate the many health benefits, but c'est la vie! You can be healthy and tipsy at the same time, right?

*Pomegranate Grenadine*

1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar

Combine the two ingredients in a saucepan and let boil for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half. Let cool.

Use this in any way that you might use regular grenadine. For instance, in a...

*Laverne and Shirley*
...because she is a bit saucier than good old Shirley Temple
2 oz good vodka
1/2-1 oz pomegranate grenadine
7-up
pomegranate seeds

Shake the vodka and grenadine with some ice. Pour over a glass full of ice and top with 7-up. Garnish with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds.

sushi nishi-ya

2009-05-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the infamous Soup Nazi of Seinfeld fame? Here is his description via Wikipedia:

A stone-faced immigrant chef with a thick Stalin-esque moustache, he is renowned throughout Manhattan for his soups. He demands that all customers in his restaurant meticulously follow his strict queuing, ordering, and payment policies. Failure to adhere to his demands brings the admonishment, "No soup for you!", whereupon the customer is refunded and denied his or her order.

Sushi Nishi-ya in Glendale stars the same idea of that character in the form of a much gentler, though still imposing, superbly talented Japanese sushi chef. Behind the bar in this teeny-tiny, mom and pop run strip-mall sushi joint, he won't refuse service as the soup nazi would. However, he will tell you what you can order and when you can order it. His motto is you get what he gives you, in essence. Read the sign. The chef is the boss. His first question is, "is there any type of fish you don't like?" And from there, he takes charge. He even instructs you with which dishes you may use soy sauce.

If you put your faith in him, you will not be disappointed. Everything is extremely fresh and meticulously prepared by the sushi chef. Even the wasabi is freshly grated.

Because the restaurant is so intimate, I felt a little sneaky and disrespectful snapping pictures, so I only got a few and the ones I did are blurry and annoying, but I'll post them anyway.
If you are thinking about going to Nishi-ya and want to be surprised at the omakase, I would suggest not reading the following blurb. The sushi chef picks out the fish from mongers several times a week, so it does change up based on what looks best, but of the 3 times I've eaten here, it has only varied slightly. I know it seems silly, but the whole experience is kind of fun and adventurous to go into blindly, so read or don't read, it's your choice!

- marinated maguro from Boston
- fresh hamachi from Osaka (one belly, one back)
- smoked and fresh salmon with kelp from Scotland
- fresh scallop from Okaido
- blue crab hand-roll from Maryland
- fresh albacore with Ponzu sauce from Japan
- toro from Spain
It is fantastic every time I have it. The only negative I can fathom is the portion size, which is admittedly small for the price, but when it comes to raw fish, quality is far more important to me than quantity. If you eat the sushi and drink a beer, you will be more than satiated.

Good quality sushi, well-prepared and served by an informed and talented sushi chef in an intimate setting. Service is great and there's rarely a wait, but you may want to call ahead to ensure your seats at the bar.

sangria

2009-05-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

This is some good stuff.

Sangria is one of those drinks that is easily made with what's already in your fridge: the wine (red, white, rose), the sweetener(sugar or fruit juice), the fruit(tons of options here), the bubbly(sparkling water, lemon lime soda, none). So much of it is simply taking what you have and adjusting the the amounts so that it tastes yummy. Play around with it and have fun!

Plus, it's one of those make ahead batch drinks that you can prep the night before and put it out and let people help themselves. Easy, tasty, no fuss. What's not to love?

*Simple Sangria*
a bottle of decent red wine (I used a Spanish table wine)
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup triple sec
1 1/2 cups pomegranate lime juice (Trader Joes special!)
1/2 cup OJ
Any fruit you have available (I used apples, oranges, limes, strawberries)

Cut up fruit and throw it in all the liquids combined. Let it sit for a few hours, or even better, overnight. You can top it off with the bubbly or your choice or drink it straight over a big glass filled with ice.

It's a lovely drink to end a long weekend with!

katsu-ya

2009-05-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

For years, Bran and I have had one major goal when dining out at places we know we're going to love. We want recognition. We want fame. Well, not really. We just want to be 'regulars.' You know, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came? I can't believe that the first place that it happened was at the one and only Katsu-ya in Studio City.

For example, today we waltzed in and were greeted by warm smiles from every angle; "Irasshaimase (Japanese for please come in)!" they exclaimed. Our greeter asked "sushi bar or table?" Even though he already knew what we were going to say.

My favorite waiter, TK, came over to our table and greeted us, "Welcome back! Two sushi lunch specials, one with udon, one with tempura. I just can't remember what you normally order for drinks."

Party foul. I forgave him.

I said "I'd like an iced tea, please, and he'll have water. We'd also like an order of the crispy rice and spicy tuna today." I like to keep him guessing, you know?

But today, there was something different. I brought my camera to the table with me and unearthed her in the crowded restaurant. I'm sure it's nothing new to the crew from Studio City, mostly people in 'the industry,' anyway, but I felt kind of awkward snapping pictures throughout the meal. My Nikon D80 isn't the most covert camera in all the land.

But I finally got pictures, so I can finally blog on this awesome recession buster. I go to Katsu-ya at least twice a month on Saturdays to take advantage of the sushi lunch special- one piece each of a variety of sushi (tuna, hamachi, white fish, salmon, clam, sh imp, egg), one California roll, miso soup, and your choice of the following: veggie and shrimp tempura, udon soup, salmon skin salad, baked clams, or chicken teriyaki. All of this for just over 10 bucks. And the thing is, Katsuya has consistently been our favorite sushi restaurant around for the past 6 years or so, way prior to our knowing about this awesome recession buster. But one day we popped in for lunch and we found this little gem.

The sushi quality is top notch. The portions are generous. The tempura is light and crispy. The udon is fabulous. The price is right. The service is impeccable. Domo arigato!

One side note: order the crispy rice with spicy tuna. You will thank me.

toffee chocolate chip scones

2009-05-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Have I told you that I started bootcamp? Not military style, buzz cut requiring, kick your ass into the ground bootcamp, but a kick your ass gently while encouraging you to do be better and svelter bootcamp. I can attribute, at least partially, my lack of posting in the last weeks to a few things: West Coast Bootcamp, waking up a 5am to make it too said bootcamp, and my food journal. Yup, you read that right. Food journal. :(

So, I've been cutting back a bit lately. I'm drinking less booze, eating fewer sweets, making sure that I eat more meals throughout the course of the day. I'll never eliminate anything that I love from my diet. I think moderation is the key to eating healthfully, but I'm giving their way of life a shot. I told myself that at least for these 6 weeks, I'd follow their food plan during the week (kinda sorta) and I'll eat how I normally eat on the weekend. Well, guess what! It's SUNDAY! And I want scones.

*Toffee Chocolate Chip Scones*
(adapted from this epicurious recipe)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chocolate-covered English toffee bits
2 cups chilled whipping cream
zest of a lemon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Additional raw sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 375.

Mix together your dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips, toffee bits.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Add in the zest of a lemon.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Once they are combined, turn the dough out on to a cutting board and knead until it comes together - it will be sticky! Once it has come together, cut it in 1/2 and form it into 2 logs. Cut each log into 1/3's (forming basically 3 squares) and each 1/3 in 1/2 (diagonally). You will be left with 12 triangular scones.

Place the scones on 2 Silpat-lined baking sheet. Brush them with the melted butter and sprinkle them with sugar (I use Maui raw can sugar). Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

If you look close enough, it kind of looks like an alligator. A delicious, sweet alligator.

s'mores cookie bars

2009-05-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm going to blow your mind right now. You are either going to think this the most vile and revolting concoction known to man or you will bow down and kiss my toes when I make these for you. I don't think there is too much in between here.

I have had a hankering for s'mores for weeks at this point. I don't know where it came from, but I do know when my sweet tooth speaks, I must listen. Since then, I have been on a desperate mission to curb this craving. I came across this recipe from the super cute fun blog, Lovin' From the Oven, and I knew this was it. This was the recipe that would quite my inner s'mores-demanding demons.

*S'mores Cookie Bars*
(adapted from Lovin' From the Oven)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar (if you like a sweeter cookie, you can add another 1/3 cup white sugar). Mix in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt.

Add your dry ingredients to the wet ones. Divide dough in half.

Press 1/2 the dough into your baking pan. Layer in your chocolate, then your marshmellow creme. Top with flattened remaining dough.

Pop in the oven for 30 minutes. Ding! It's dunzo. Wait to cut into this until it's cool or you will be sorry.

If loving these is wrong, I don't wanna be right!

mostly pantry puttanesca

2009-04-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Puttanesca Recipe + Picture of a Kitty= HEAD EXPLODIE! Are you totally creeped out right about now? I promise you, no cats were harmed in the making of this puttanesca. I have gotten fairly lazy with the picture taking and wanted to post this awesome recipe, and blogs require pics, so meet my other cat, Maeby. My friend and teammate (Go Jedi Masters!), Mustafa, let me borrow his lens, and this is part of that experiment. I must get me one of those.

So anyway, I did a quick look over teh interwebs today and found this little doosie on the origins of Puttanesca (via NY Times):

Ostensibly a sauce invented and made by prostitutes, it is said that pasta puttanesca was designed to lure customers with its aroma. Other explanations have more appeal to the minimalist cook: that the prostitutes were too busy to cook much, or that they had no storage for fresh ingredients and cooked entirely from the pantry. My favorite legend has it that it was a favorite not of prostitutes, but of women who wanted to serve a quick meal at home in order to move on to other things.

So yes, no picture this week. But you should still make this recipe. Because whores like to make it. Wait, what does that make me?

Bran and I have been eating really late lately. He gets home after 7 every night :( and if we want to drive by a house that has just come on the market (we're house-hunting!) or do anything else that necessitates light, we have to do it in that window right after he gets home. That doesn't leave much time for cooking. And to be honest, I have a busy schedule of watching reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 to tend to after I get home from work, so dinner sometimes gets pushed aside.

So at about 8:15 last night, the question came up about dinner. Of course we hadn't been to the store in a week and Bran said he was craving pasta with red sauce. So, I started throwing things into a pot. We had 2 cans of this, one can of that, some of these, a few of those, some veggies that were almost past their prime... Voila! It isn't a true version of puttanesca (with the omission of anchovies and the added veg), but it's what it most closely resembled.

*Mostly Pantry Puttanesca*
1 medium brown onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
5 uncooked Italian sausage links
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
1 14oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1-2 tsp dried basil
2 heaping tbsp capers
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cups baby broccoli, chopped into large pieces

Heat your pasta water! I always forget to do that.

Cover the bottom of your pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Put in your onions and sauté until they are transparent. Add in the garlic and sausage. Cook through.

Add in all of your other ingredients. Let simmer with the lid off until your pasta (I like spaghetti here) is cooked or about 15 minutes.

Eat it up. Yum.

lemony lemon cake with whipped lemon curd filling and buttercream icing

2009-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Confession: I steal lemons from my neighbors lemon tree. I know, I'm a terrible person, but they are hanging over the fence in my backyard, so technically they're mine, right? Not to mention the fact that this is the most fruitful lemon tree with the most beautiful lemons I've ever seen. The skins are rarely flawed, the pith is not too thick or too thin and they yield massive amounts of juice.

If you are unfortunate enough to not have a lemon tree in your own backyard (and your arms aren't long enough to reach over the fence to pick your neighbors), there are a few techniques to use to pick superb lemons at the grocery. You want to make sure they smell lemony, feel heavy for their size and are a bright yellow color (not green or dingy yellow). I hate coming home from the store and cutting into a lemon, only to be disappointed when, even after using all my might, I can only get about a tsp of juice out of it. It's an obsession, a game if you will. Sometimes I even line up different measuring receptacles and put a lemon next to each one. The lemon with the most juice wins.

Obviously, I am obsessed with lemons. Easter begs for lemons, Easter begs for cake, Easter Begs for lemon cake! So, here we go!

*Lemon Cake*
(courtesy of Country Living)
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 parchment-paper-lined 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a mixer set on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the lemon juice and buttermilk.

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick tests clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Unmold the cakes and cool completely

Split cakes into 4 layers using a long serrated knife. Fill with whipped lemon curd and frost with buttercream frosting, but don't be as sloppy as I was!

*Whipped Lemon Curd*
(Adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters)

Wash and dry:
4 lemons

Grate the zest of one of the lemons on the small holes of a grater. Juice the lemons; there should be about ½ cup juice.

Beat until just mixed:
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)

Stir in the lemon juice and zest and add:
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces.

Cook the mixture in a small nonreactive heavy pan, stirring constantly, over medium heat until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle. When thick, pour through a sieve into a bowl or glass jars to cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Once the lemon curd is cold, whip up:
1 cup of heavy whipping cream

Fold the cold lemon curd into your whipped cream. Refrigerated until ready to use.

*Buttercream Frosting*
(courtesy of C&H sugar box:) )
3-3 3/4 cups of powdered sugar (1 box)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup butter

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer or with heavy spoon until smooth and creamy; scrape bowl often. If too stiff to spread easily, beat in a few drops of milk.

Happy belated Easter!

mixology monday! plan c, big-batch, minted lemon drop

2009-04-13T07:59:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the drink... er.. air? This month, I'm participating in what's called Mixology Monday- a monthly drink submission bloggy community thing (got that?). The main thing to know is that I'm involved, it's fun, and this month, it's being hosted by The Wild Drink Blog. Check out both of these sites... you won't be sorry! This weeks theme is twists on classics. My (third tier) drink of choice is a regular old lemon drop, but the twist is the addition of mint (I know, I know, big whoop) AND the versatility of making it in bigger batches so that it's absolutely minimal fuss. It's a twist in flavor, method, and service.

I came into this drink challenge with high hopes. On Friday night, I got myself to my favorite liquor store and perused the shelves to find a liqueur/liquor/mixer that might spark an interest. I have already blogged on my current drink of choice, so I had to go to plan B. I remembered my foray to a little bar in San Francisco, where I discovered a maraschino cherry liquor called Luxardo. I remembered it being not terribly sweet and not at all like cherry. It seemed like a challenge I was up to.

I got home Friday night and enlisted Audrey's help. We mixed the luxardo into everything that we could think of... I mixed it into a margarita, she tried a lemon drop, we tried a cosmo, we tried straight up with gin. Nothing, and I mean nothing, turned out remotely delicious. Sure, they were palatable, but since I might have more than my regular 5-10 viewers for this post, I wanted to make sure that it was spectacular. (BTW, does anyone have a tried and true recipe for Luxardo? I'm feeling defeated.)

Since Friday came and went and I already knew that I needed a drink to serve for Easter, I wanted to make a big batch of something I *know* everyone loves. I call it, plan C. So I went to my ace in the hole- a minted lemon drop.

It's showcases everything that's good with spring, great for large parties, and very versatile. Making drinks in big batches is sometimes exactly what the doctor ordered.

*minted lemon drop*
3 cups vodka
2 cups lemon juice
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup mint, torn into pieces

Put all of the ingredients together. Mix up and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Serve in one of several ways: shake it up and pour it into a martini glass for a more traditional lemon drop look, put it over ice for backyard BBQ's, or top it off with sparkling water if you're a lightweight (this drink packs a punch)!

It's no fuss and fabulous!

saladang

2009-04-07T07:04:00.000-07:00

My friend, Keoni, is a man of simple tastes. He enjoys eating very few things in this world: chicken, ramen, mac and cheese, a special family recipe custard pie, and, well, that's pretty much it. We are absolute opposites on the food/pleasure scale. He eats to live (sustenance). I live to eat (pleasure). This is why when he suggested eating Thai food that very first time I tried Saladang, I was a bit surprised. It's not that I don't trust his taste. It's just that I was shocked that he would suggest something to out of his comfort zone. He done good.

We tried. It was excellent. Happiness commenced.

I really like Saladang. So, it's not authentic. The flavors are fresh and good and the service is fast and friendly. It's just yummy. My party of four ordered the green curry with shrimp, pad se iew, pad thai, BBQ beef and Tom Yum Pak. We order pretty much the same thing every time we go because we are consistently happy with it. Sometimes it's good to know what you're going to get and Saladang delivers.

My absolute favorite is the Tom Yum. I call it foot soup because, to be frank, it smells like foot. But it sure doesn't taste like it. Fresh, fork tender veggies overflow in this spicy, sour soup. It's fills you up on good, tasty, healthy calories before the rest of the meal, which is always a good thing.

Oh yes, One last thing. I may be a little partial. Saladang did cater my wedding ::cough cough:: We had 10 different dishes, buffet style, and all were very, very good. I was happy. Plus, we fed 100 people for under $2000. This is UNHEARD OF in the wedding community. Choices usually are between chicken, beef, or fish. We had the options of pad thai, seafood medley, salad rolls, yellow curry, BBQ beef, pad se iew, etc. Everyone told me they loved the food, and I don't think it's just because I was the bride. Although possibly colored by the emotions of the day, I loved the food at my wedding. Saladang is good stuff.

crumbs bake shop

2009-04-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

I really do not like the Americana in Glendale. I avoid it at all costs, unless, of course, I'm shopping at Anthropologie, because, well, I love Anthropologie (can't help it!). I had a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble, and since that's the closest one I could think of on my way home from work, I braved Brand Blvd during rush hour.

While walking from my car (parked where the old Mervyns used to be to avoid paying for parking... shhhh!), I walked by a little bakery that I had passed by serveral times in the past, Crumbs Bake Shop. I decided to press my luck because we're talking cupcakes, people!

I walked in and I have to say, it was cute and inviting, albeit somewhat sterile. I was the sole person in the shop, although it could be due to the unfortunate, off the beaten path, location it holds on Brand Blvd, where only cheapies like me pass by when they steal parking lot time. When I got in, the case was full of muffin-sized creations priced anywhere from $3-$5. With Brandon in mind, I took home a Boston Cream and a Chocolate Chocolate Buttercream cupcake.

We split up the cupcakes that night. I really could only eat half a cupcake, so I cut them into quarters and tried a bit of each one. The boston cream was first. The cake itself was very moist because vanilla custard that was infused in it. It was good, not great. The chocolate chocolate had some problems in the cake department. It was somewhat of a dry crumb, but not distractingly dry. The frosting made up for it. It wasn't that cloying fake buttercream that you get at grocery stores (although, who am I kidding, there is definitely a time and a place where I could bathe myself in that stuff). It was just the right sweet, chocolate, buttery. Yum.

Overall, a bit experience, but I would eat one again. And, after checking out the site, I see that they are pretty much all over the show, so there might be one in your area. CUPCAKES! It's hard to screw up too badly, but it's also hard to perfect them. These are good!

bonny doon pacific rim dry riesling

2009-03-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

I like wine as much as the next snob. I try, try, try to study up on the different grapes and regions because it's all a lot of fun, you know, trying the wines and such. Being completely honest here, I do love wine and I find it really, very interesting, but there is of course this other reason to learn- I don't want to sound like a complete moron when ordering at a fancy restaurant. I always freeze up when I go into a nifty wine shop or order at a swanky restaurant. I know a fair amount, but when you get handed the wine list, there is an air of snobbery that you get dealt as well. I mean, am I supposed to decide between the $40 Pinot Noir and the $75 bottle? It's just a complete stab in the dark unless you are really well versed. I'm not. So, when this happens, I usually take the suggestions of the sommelier/wine dude. They generally steer me in the right direction and I get to learn about/try new wines.

However, the bottom line is that you can like a $10 bottle of wine just as much as you like a $30 bottle. The Bonny Doon Pacific Dry Riesling is the perfect example of that. It's not too sweet, crisp, and it's generally a really easy to find, solid bottle of white for a pretty spring evening. Pairs especially well with seafood or something with a kick to it. Even Jack likes it!

mango jicama salad

2009-03-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

LOST is one of my very favorite shows ever and I'm lucky enough to have a small group of friends who love it as much as I do. We make every Wednesday a celebration. It's the perfect mid-week perk up! That is, until you realize that it's already 9:40 and your DVR didn't record the show! This meal made up for our technological mishap. Imagine if we had ordered in bad chinese. I would have been pissed!

Being that this was a party, and we are in our very last days of the winter, there is nothing better to ring in the first days of spring with than fruit. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of fruit in savory salads, but this one is different. It's not quite sweet, not quite savory, semi salty, very tangy, slightly spicy. It's crispy, fresh and just plain yummy. I paired it with a delicious chile lime marinated chicken breast, grilled quesadilla and a chilly glass of Gewurztraminer. Perfect LOST night vittles.

*mango jicama salad*
3 mangoes, diced
4 ears of corn
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 pound jicama, diced
handful of cilantro, chopped
3 limes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Mexican fruit and veggie seasoning**
salt and pepper

Grill your corn until you get nice dark grill marks throughout. Corn doesn't need to be cooked for long. In fact, if it's really good corn, it can usually be eaten straight off the cob. I digress... Let your down cool down and cut it off the cob.

Once completely cool, mix together your corn, mango, red onion, jicama and cilantro. Top with the lime juice, olive oil, and fruit and veggie seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste.

This is even better if you can make it ahead of time and let it meld together in the fridge.

Fresh and tasty!

**If you can't find or don't have the Mexican fruit seasoning, you can sub in chile powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

chocolate sauce

2009-03-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

I have been trying for years to get my mom to stay with me in the kitchen and actually measure out the ingredients for her infamous chocolate sauce. My mom has been busy her whole life, so when she does something, she does it as quick as she can, and unfortunately that has always meant not measuring out her ingredients. My sisters and I get super annoyed because this chocolate sauce is delectable, and ours never turns out as well as hers!

Well, finally, after much ado about something, I got her to write it down! This makes me so happy! This chocolate sauce is not like chocolate fudge... It's thinner and when warmed and poured over ice cream, it won't slip right off. Instead, it coats the ice cream with a beautiful chocolate netting. I like a scoop of double rainbow with buckets of sauce on top.

*Chocolate Sauce*
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
1/2 c corn syrup
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Put the first four ingredients in a larger saucepan than you think you'll need - this has the propensity to boil over. Whisk constantly over medium high heat until it starts to simmer. Turn the heat to low. Leave simmering, uncovered. Do not touch again. Turn on an episode of Golden Girls. Watch to completion without fast forwarding through commercials.

30 minutes later your sauce is done cooking. Turn it off and take it off the heat. Stir in your butter and vanilla. Let cool for a bit. Bottoms up!

searing scallops

2009-03-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is the kind of meal that Brandon will, after tasting, put his fork down and come kiss me before I've even made my plate. Little does he know, the most time difficult part of the whole meal is the fighting the traffic home from Fish King after picking up the ingredients (sidenote: there actually is never traffic on my route home... it's all surface streets and takes a grand total of 7 minutes to get home). It just goes to show that good doesn't have to equal difficult. Cliche, yes, I know, but it's true! ::I'm feeling more and more like Rachel Ray every day:: :*(

The most important rule about scallop cooking... you absolutely must start out with quality scallops. This may mean a special trip out to your local seafood monger, but trust me, they basically cook themselves. When you are perusing the scallops, make sure you get 'dry' scallops. Wet ones have been soaked in chemicals and are nearly impossible to get the kind of sear that you're looking for. They only take a few minutes to cook, so if you have a couple quick sides, your meal can be to the table in under 10 minutes! So much better than take out.

*Simple Seared Scallops*

dry, good quality scallops
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter

Get your sautee pan nice and hot over high heat. Like Christian Bale in American Psycho hot (weird simile, eh?). Put in your butter and oil at the same time, and heat it through until the butter stops bubbling and cracking.

While it's heating up, dry your scallops off thoroughly. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

When you're ready, put the scallops in the pan. Wait! Don't touch them. Leave those little guys in there so they can develop a nice brown crust. You want them to be rare in the center, so you are only going to cook them about 2 minutes per side for medium sized scallops. Mine were big, so to avoid burning, I turned the heat down once they were browned and let them cook about another minute on a lower heat. If yours aren't terribly large, you won't need to do this.

Serve immediately!

These are so yummy. I got my scallops from Fish King in Glendale, so I picked up a quart of 'not-fried-rice' to make it was a kick-ass, crazy-easy meal. Top the whole meal off with a glass of chablis or dry riesling... heaven.

chicken tikka masala

2009-03-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

I kind of don't know where to start this post. This would be a good place. I came across Alosha's blog one day, before I had subscribed to Cook's Illustrated online. I was googling "Cooks Illustrated" + "Potato Salad" and boy, I got an earful about ATK and their PR department! Kind of disappointing, actually.

Now, I'm sure I don't have to worry about the ATK cops lurking behind one of my 12 unique visitors. I have to admit, a good part of this recipe was 'inspired' by the cooks illustrated recipe that I've used several times, but it is by no means an exact replica. Lucky for me, no one reads this blog! Woot! :*(

*Chicken Tikka Masala*
Chicken Marinade:
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
3/4 cup yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garlic (3 or 4 cloves)
1 tbsp ginger
4-6 chicken breasts or better yet, thighs
Masala Sauce:
1 large onion
1 tbsp garlic
1 tbsp ginger
1 jalapeno (seeds and ribs in if you like it with a bit of a kick)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
handful of cilantro

For the marinade: Sprinkle the chicken with the spices and let them mellow for a few miniutes. In a plastic bag, combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic and lemon juice. Put the chicken in the bag and put it in the fridge for an hour to marinate.

For the sauce: cook the onions on medium heat for 10 minutes or so, or until they are just browned. Salt and pepper those puppies to deepen the flavor. Dump in your garlic, ginger, jalapeno, tomato pasta and garam masala. Let those mellow over the heat for 3 minutes or so, then add in your crushed tomatoes and sugar. Cover and simmer.

Now, start your chicken. You can either grill it on a grill pan or BBQ or broil it if the mood strikes. I prefer grill pan, but it does leave quite the mess. Anyway, take your chicken out of the marinade and cook it however strikes your fancy.

Just before the chicken is done, add in the cream to the sauce and bring it up to a simmer. When it is just there, take it off the heat and adjust your seasonings.

When the chicken is done, cut it up into bite size pieces and put it into the sauce. Serve over rice. Not too difficult, right?

zankou, zankoo, zankow?

2009-03-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Fancy to-go box, eh? Zankou chicken makes a styrofoam box look like a golden platter from whence the gods eat. Ok, maybe not, but it sure made my tummy happy.

Finger licking delicious, tender chicken tarna? Check!
Addictively tangy, crunchy, yummy pickled turnips? Check! (I ate all of mine AND Brandon's)
Smooth, lemony, not too garlicky hummus? Check!
Pita bread to wrap it all up in? You betcha!

Zankou really is a Glendale, and quickly becoming a more widely known Southern California, institution. Everyone around knows about the legendary chicken and garlic sauce. Dude, it's even in Wikipedia! You ain't no one until you make Wikipedia. It's also in the Beck song, Debra ::clears throat::

"Like a fruit that's ripe for the picking'
I wouldn't do you like that
Zankou Chicken
'Cause only you got a thing
That I just got to get with"

I hear the whole roast chicken is really the piece de resistance, but the tarna was very, very good. My mom got the trip-tip shawerma and my bro for the falafel wrap. Both were very happy with the meal, although the tri-tip was a bit dry, like it had been sitting around for a while maybe? You don't go to Zankou for the beef, though. Go for the freaking fabulous fowl!

parmesan polenta with sausage ragout

2009-03-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

Do I make anything *without* sausage these days? I mean really people! I swear I usually don't cook like this, but it's been so cold and wet this last month that I've been craving it. And it's been in the fridge, so that's motivation enough.

This is the easiest meal ever. I originally got it from epicurious, but I changed it a bit and mine tastes better!

*Parmesan Polenta with Sausage Ragout*

4 links spicy sausage
2 bell peppers
1 package mushroom, more for the mushroom lovers
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 c. marinara sauce (homemade or bottled)
2 lbs polenta (I use 2 of those Trader Joe's tubes)
Parmesan cheese

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Heat up your sausage in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it's brown, add in your mushrooms and bell peppers (you can add red pepper flakes if you like it spicy, but remember that the sausage is also hot). Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in your wine and marinara and bring the mixture up to a boil. Let it simmer until it has reduced a bit, about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cut your polenta into 1/2-3/4 inch slices on the bias. Place them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with parmesan chees, approx. 1 tbsp on each piece. Put them in the oven for about 5 minutes. Once they are warmed all the way through, place them in your broiler to melt the cheese and let it turn to a lovely golden brown.

Serve 2 pieces of polenta with a big heap of the ragout. Pair with a bold red wine.

Haven't I mentioned that I'm writing a cookbook? 1001 Ways to do Sausage (badum bum, tsssss!).

my pixel is a star

2009-03-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Not food related! I just made my first lolcat. Back to food blogging later this evening, I just had to share this.

miso soup

2009-03-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

Miso soup is one of those things that I crave from time to time. The little packets of dried soup with sorry tofu floaters and sad specks of seaweed quench my cravings for a second, but it's just not the same :( Lucky for me, Glendale has a pretty big Korean population, so naturally, has a supermarket to cater to that demographic. I reap the benefits ;) HK has all sorts of interesting Asian foods, most of which I can't even decipher the contents, save the pictures on the packaging.

So I walked in the market with my right hand gal, Audrey (I'm with her often, right?), and we didn't really know what we wanted to make for dinner. We were completely ravenous (I went hypo-gly-psycho in the store and almost passed out, but cute little Korean gummy candies helped me off the ledge). We thought we'd do sushi (more on that later!) since we had started white rice on our way out the door, and what goes better with that than homemade super easy miso soup! Audrey's dad is Japanese, so she has lots of experience with Japanese foods and has a repertoire of recipes that she can replicate by site and taste. Here's one of 'em:

*Miso Soup a la Audrey*
12 cups water
5 heaping tsp hon dashi
1 package tofu cut into bite sized pieces
10 green onions 6 roughly chopped, 4 finely chopped
10 shitake mushrooms, cut in thick slices
1 small daikon, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white miso paste

Bring the water to a boil. Add in the hon dashi. Mix to combine.

Add everything else except the miso paste and finely chopped green onion. Boil that up for a few minutes. Add in your miso and green onion. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a couple minutes until you're ready to serve.

C'mon, that was blindfolded monkey easy, eh?

potato soup with leeks and sausage

2009-02-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy weeknight dinner for when you're feeling lazy and the weather is dreary. Perfect occasion for your enameled cast iron dutch oven! Important note: It's really crucial to salt and pepper your dish throughout the cooking process. Food with salt & pepper added only at the end sometimes falls flat. When you adjust seasoning at each stage, the flavor is much more developed. Yum factor increases. Celebration ensues.

*Potato Soup with Leeks and Sausage*
4 links andouille sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
5 fatty leeks, cut lengthwise and then into 1 inch pieces
1 stick butter
2 tbsp flour
6 largish red potatoes, diced to 3/4 inch squared
6 cups of chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf

Brown up the sausage in your skillet with 2 tbsp butter over medium high heat. Once it looks done, take it out and set it aside. Don't clean out your pan.

Put in the rest of the stick of butter, and turn the heat down to medium. Once your butter is bubbly, put in your leeks and some salt and pepper. Work them out, yo! Make those puppies sweat, but don't let them brown. This will take a good 15 minutes and look something like this:
When the leeks are tender (not smooshy), put in your flour. Cook that for at least a couple minutes to mellow the flour our. Once that's done, add the rest of your ingredients, including your cooked sausage. Season up your soup again.

Let this whole mixture cook together with the lid on for about 15 minutes. At this point, check your potatoes. The soup is done when your potatoes are fork tender. I really need to get you guys (hahahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha, like anyone but me reads this) my garlic bread recipe because it goes great with just about everything.

Enjoy!

simple, easy, delicious cosmo

2009-02-26T17:21:00.000-08:00

Don't they look purty? They are usually much more of a mellow pink color than the picture, but I just loved this shot. Anyway, these are super simple and really very good. I like to go heavy on the lime and line the glass with sugar to offset it.

*cosmopolitan*
1 shot vodka
2/3 shot triple sec
1/2 very juicy lime
2/3 shot cranberry juice
lots of ice

You have to mix, mix, mix this drink in a shaker, or it will just be off. The pictured cosmo was not shaken because my shaker is in storage, which is why it's so red. And when I say shot, I mean all the way to the top of a shot glass shot. Don't be shy!

farewell, san francisco

2009-02-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

(on San Francisco)
"It's simply a very romantic place. Just one look at any of those streets, and you couldn't be anywhere else -- it's so beautiful, and there's that location, and the sense of the free spirit~. Who couldn't become ravenous in such a place?"~Julia Child

"Leaving San Francisco is like saying goodbye to an old sweetheart. You want to linger as long as possible." ~Walter Cronkite

koko cocktails

2009-02-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

When I walked into Koko Cocktails, I knew it was my kind of place.

1. A DJ was bumping cool 40's music throughout the joint
2. When I sat down at the bar, they had my current favorite liqueur behind the bar (St. Germaine, and the bartender knew how to use it - as pictured)
3. They had the movie Caddyshack projected on the wall (!!!)
4. All cocktails are $7

The crowd was low key, but still lively. It wasn't too crowded, the bartenders were friendly and made awesome drinks, the clientèle wasn't too snobby/hipster/yuppie/scary. Audrey and I each had a St. Germaine and mint martini, something I had never tried. It was sweet and intense, but not too much so. I sipped on my drink, chatted with my friends, watched Caddyshack out of the corner of my eye.

Our second round went like this... I had a black cherry cosmo made with Effen black cherry vodka (lol, I said effen), triple sec, fresh lime and cranberry. Very good! Audrey had the casino which is made with gin, luxardo (marashino liqueur), orange bitters and fresh lemon juice. Hers was a bit harsh and bitter, but I can see why people might like it, but we just aren't those people. Brandon stuck with the dark and stormy made with rum, ginger beer and lime juice. It was very well put together. These were quality drinks in a quality environment. Go there and take me with you!

fenton's creamery

2009-02-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Cookie Creation - 1 Brandon - 0

Brandon ordered this for himself at Fenton's. FAIL. While obviously completely gluttonous and yummy, he didn't even come close to finishing. I ordered a single scoop sundae and only could finish half of it. I just wanted to play the sad Charlie Brown music while he skulked away from the ice cream monstrosity that beat him.

l'osteria

2009-02-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, especially North Beach, is such a strange place. There is a mix of tourist traps and great restaurants within feet of each other. The problem is differentiating the two. It's a crapshoot most of the time, but we were lucky to stumble on L'Osteria one night while walking the city.

L'Osteria is the real deal. This is a teeny tiny little hole in the wall that always has a wait. Actually, now that I think about it, everywhere in San Francisco is a wait! Anyway, this place literally only can accommodate 24 people in the entire restaurant. Just our luck that a party of 8 was just one party in front of us. We didn't mind terribly much because we had been walking all day long and just sat out in front of the restaurant for about an hour until a seat finally became available.

When we were seated, we got the wine list. I have recently discovered Italian reds, and I am definitely a fan. Every wine we have ever ordered there (probably 6-8 wines) have been very, very good. I got a glass of the cheapest Sangiovese ($7) and was very happy with it. Brandon and Audrey had the Spinelli ($5.50) and it was very decent as well.

When our food came out, I have to admit, none of it was very pretty. Sometimes, though, ugly food is the tastiest, and this was the case here. Audrey got the roast beef, which by the headliner picture you can tell is sliced very thin. It was served at room temperature with olive oil and pepper. She really liked it. The butter lettuce salad that came with it was very tender and tasty.

I got the special butternut squash raviolis with butter sage sauce and OMG, they were so good. The pasta was kind of odd. It almost reminded me of what a dim sum pork bun (the actual bread of it) would taste like if it were a ravioli. The dough was sweet and insanely good. The filling was to die for... perfectly balanced. Although only 6 raviolis came with the meal, it was enough food for a hungry Cori. Mmmm.Brandon and Keoni each got a pizza: sausage/mushroom and margherita , respectively. Brandon was kind enough to only get sausage on 1/2 his pizza so I could partake (the joys of being newlyweds, ahhhh), so I did. The crust was really thin and crispy, just the way I like it. It wasn't greasy in that orange oil way pizza can be (you know, the kind that cures a hangover in two minutes flat). The guys each liked their pizzas, everyone was happy.

Yet another successful and delicious meal courtesy of L'Osteria. We'll be back!

universal cafe

2009-02-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

I swear, this is my last breakfast post from San Francisco! I really loved my super simple breakfast from Universal Cafe... grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, alongside toast with fromage blanc, cinnamon, honey. The fruit was ripe, the toast was yummy. My black tea was good. The service was not particularly personable, but it wasn't rude, either. No complaints here.

My fellow diners had more of a problem with the menu. They thought it was a bit too ecclectic. I have mentioned it in the past, Brandon (the hubs) has simple tastes. The fact that you couldn't order simple french toast bothered him a bit. I told him that he should at least try the rhubarb compote on top, and awesome, trusting husband that he is, he did. The french toast came to the table smothered with delectable whipped cream and some rhubarb compote. It was superb for the first piece, but the whipped cream melted within a few minutes. He would have been wise to get it on the side. He liked it, although I think he would have preferred the simple french toast by itself.
Audrey got the eggs benedict type dish... two perfectly poached eggs atop the fattest, softest latkes I have ever seen. All of this was drenched in a hollandaise sauce paired some sauteed greens. It was rich! She only ate half of this puppy and was full for quite some time afterwards.

Everything was really fresh. You could tell that the produce changed often and with the seasons, which I personally love. I could have eaten for days from the menu, but the other members of my party felt that the menu was limiting by the eccentricity. I would definitely go back if I were a local, but I would have to find another group to go with!

mama's grill

2009-02-23T00:39:00.000-08:00

I'm not really too much of a breakfast person. Give me a simple tender scone and a cup of tea, and I'm happy. This probably doesn't ring true based on my last two posts, but there are certain things I look forward to waking up to. This is one of them.

Walking up to Mama's, you can tell that this joint is popular. Although possibly a bit touristy at times, it really does live up to it's badges of honors plastered along the outside wall. They scream "Trust me! I'm worth the 30 minute wait! Yelpers and Zagat think so!" They definitely do not lie.

The food was really yummy. I got the farmers omelet: bacon, melted leeks, goat cheese. I substituted turkey sausage for the bacon as I don't eat pork, and I think it would have been much better with the bacon my husband was indulging in. The home fries were not my favorite part... just barely done and a bit too al dente.

But then there was Brandon's cinnamon chocolate french toast. Super good. Everything about it was delicious, right down to the unseasonably ripe fruit on top.

Worth the wait!

tartine bakery

2009-02-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Brandon went to school in San Francisco... Berkeley to be exact. I was at school at UCLA at the time, so to make our long distance relationship work, he would come down once a month and I would make the trek up to SF once a month.

Food lovers that we are, we ate our way through San Francisco, one weekend at a time. We started in Berkeley, but almost always took at least one day to go on through San Francisco. We would BART into the city, eat somewhere, walk around a bit (just until we were hungry again), eat somewhere, walk around a bit, cycle, rinse, repeat. We wanted so badly to be hungry just a bit more often. In fact, this Onion article comes to mind, describing my feelings perfectly.

I digress. I wish I had taken pictures of my amazing pastries and tarts from Tartine, but it was rainy and I was hungry. Things just didn't work out. But we ordered a TON of food to make up for it.

I started with quiche of the day with nettles. Yes, I had no idea what nettles were, either. Apparently, they are a really mild leafy green, and barely noticeable in this quiche. It was absolutely divine. Soft, creamy, light eggs with a browned top and buttery crust. It was perfect with my English Breakfast tea. Brandon had the ham and cheese croissant, which he said is the best specimen he has ever had.

We had a banana tart for our breakfast dessert. It was very, very yummy. The tarlette crust was lined with chocolate and the bananas were bathed in a not too sweet caramel sauce. It was all topped with freshly made whipped cream and shavings of Valrhona Chocolate. Mmmmm.

In the car on the way home, we had the chocolate croissant and lemon tart. The croissant was very rustic, buttery and intensely chocolate. I have noticed that they like their pastries cooked a bit passed the golden brown color, and instead take it to a deep chestnut. It makes the crusts taste toasty and nutty all at the same time. The tart was sweet, but mostly sour, perfectly balanced. Definitely worth the food coma that ensued.

Oh my gosh, I know, I'm gushing. I love San Francisco, I love bakeries, and I love Tartine. Even in a city with so many enticing food options and a finite amount of meals, I do not miss a chance to go to Tartine.

mac & cheese

2009-02-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

There is just no arguing with this recipe for macaroni and cheese. I have spent the last 5 years perfecting this recipe, and at this point, it's damn good. So, it's not low fat. In fact, I think my ass gets fatter just looking at the pictures.

Let me put it in old lady terms: I have gall bladder issues. Dairy triggers these horribly painful symptoms. I had two servings of this. It's worth it; it's so worth it.

Mac & Cheese
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 cup flour
5 cups milk
1tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dry mustard
12 oz grated cheese (I like 8 oz cheddar, 4 oz pepper jack)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 pound macaroni

Heat up your water and your oven to 350. Those are the things I always forget to do!

Melt one stick of butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Put in the flour and let them cook together on medium heat for a couple minutes, making sure to they don't brown. This gets rid of the icky floury taste that you sometimes get from, well, flour. Slowly stream in all of the milk and whisk your mixture constantly. This is when you should start boiling your pasta (note: you should cook your pasta very al dente since it's going into the oven at a later point).

One that barely comes to a boil, add in your salt, pepper, and mustard. If you're feeling in the mood, add a dash of cayenne. Your mixture should be fairly thick at this point. Take it off the heat and add in your cheese.

Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter and mix it with the bread crumbs.

Combine your cooked pasta with your cheese sauce in a 9x13 pan. Top generously with the bread crumbs. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes.

There ain't no competing with this.

uber cheap wall decor

2009-02-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

This is a project that I did last spring when I had barren walls in my house. I wanted something quick, cheap and easy (that's what he said!), so this project was absolutely perfect to help give a bit of warmth to my home.

I bought four fabrics I thought would work well together from Tonic Living and promptly waited 2 weeks for my fabrics to arrive. The company is based in Canada, so it wasn't their fault, but it definitely helped me practice my patience skillz. In the meantime, I went to the art store and picked up some wood canvas frame pieces. I knew that I wanted to do three panels, to I wanted tall-ish and skinny-ish, but I wanted the fabric art to be a main focus of the room, so I went with 38x20 inches.

First things first... make sure your fabrics are nice and flat. That means you'll probably want to iron them. Then you can assemble your frame. It's super easy to do because these frames are cut such that a monkey with a blindfold can put them together.

Next, lay your frame out on the fabric and cut around your frame and position the frame so that your pattern doesn't look wonky. If you want to make the back edges look pretty, too (which doesn't matter because it will be against a wall, anyway), you will want to leave about two inches excess fabric around the frame so that you can fold over the fabric and staple gun it to the frame.

After you staple that first edge, do the complete opposite edge and pull tight. It may look like it's too taught, but it isn't and the lines will smooth out once you fasten the adjacent staples. When you are stapling those, you'll run into the corner problem. It's very simple to do a double fold and make sure that your corners are folded nice and tight:
Voila!

paella!

2009-02-16T15:14:00.000-08:00

February is the month of many birthdays in my family; my husband, my brother in law, and my dad all have birthdays within a 3 day period. We get together for each birthday throughout the year, so this was to be a big celebration. It obviously called for one thing and one thing only: PAELLA PARTY!

OK, so maybe that‘s not *totally* true. My family, for the most part, is very meat and potatoes. My sister, Heidi, is an awesome and adventurous cook, but my dad and most of the rest of the people in my family prefer ribs and potato salad to my frou frou miso glazed sea bass with garlic ginger green beans and wasabi mashed potatoes.

Paella is something that I made in the past that fit the bill of something that everyone could enjoy. It calls for several carnivorous palette pleasers, not terribly exotic veggies, and the most basic of foods, rice. It’s a one pot meal, which is always nice. However, since I wanted to cook enough for 10, I used two dutch ovens (I don’t own a paella pan).

I have to admit, it is a fairly fussy recipe, but I have tried to simplify it as much as possible. Here she blows!

*Dutch Oven Paella*
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (yes, thighs!), seasoned well with salt and pepper
1 pound spicy sausage - I used chicken andouille
1 pound shrimp
1 pound mussels
1 large onion
2 tbsp garlic
1 can diced tomatoes, liquid and all
2 cups arborio rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 tsp crumbled saffron threads (TJ's has them for cheap)
1/2 cup peas
1 bell pepper
1 or 2 dried bay leaves

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and adjust the rack to fit a big old dutch oven.

The first thing to do is blister your bell pepper over the stove. I take tongs and turn a burner on high and char the outside of the bell pepper until it gets slightly soft and blackened in spots on the outside. Chop it up into bite size pieces and set aside for later.

Next, use a few tbsp olive oil to brown up your thighs (bwahahahaha) and sausage over medium high heat. They don't have to be cooked all the way through, but you do want them to be nice and brown.

Add a bit more olive oil and then your onion. Let it soften for 3-4 minutes and scrape up all the browned bits with your wooden spoon. Add the garlic and let that cook for another minute or so.

Pour your can of tomatoes over everything and let that cook for a minute or two. Then, put in the rice. Cook the rice for about a minute and add the wine. Cook for another few seconds, then add the broth, bay leaves, and saffron. Let it come up to a boil.

Slap on the lid and stick it in the oven for 20 minutes.

Once the buzzer rings, take it out of the oven and put everything else in: shrimp, mussels, peas and bell pepper. Mix it all up and put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and sprinkle some parsley on top. Try to give it a sec to cool and dig in! It pairs nicely with a spinach salad with lemon shallot dressing and crusty fresh bread with butter.

elderberry collins

2009-02-11T10:34:00.000-08:00

I didn't even know that I liked gin until this drink. Craft exposed me to an extremely refreshing cocktail based on the classic Tom Collins. Here is my rendition of the drink, as prepared by G-dale's best bartender, our own Audrey!!! :::round of applause:::

*Elderberry Collins*
1 full shot glass of gin
2/3 shot of St. Germain Elderberry Liquor
splash of simple syrup
1/2 lime
sparkling water
ice
limes for garnish

Put the liquor, syrup and lime juice in your shaker (or Nalgene if you're super cool like us) and shake, shake, shake until you get a nice, blurry picture!
Top it off with a splash of sparkling water and a lime wedge.
So good!

craft la

2009-02-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

I love Top Chef. You get the drama of any good reality show (complete with canoodling contestants this season) with the added benefit of it being based around one of my favorite things in the world... food! Plus, the judges are pretty awesome. Padma, Tom, Gail... speaking of Gail, what happened to her? I miss her. This new British dude is trying to be the sarcastic Simon-esque persona but his insults fall as flat as warm, day old coke (and that joke).

About a month ago, my good friend, Audrey, took me to Craft, Tom Colicchio's restaurant, for my birthday. The meal was intense. It consisted of at least 9 courses and at least 3 or 4 amuse bouches to round it out. We got the wine pairing, so you can imagine that it was a a fun evening.

The restaurant's decor was stunning. Beautiful modern lights and accoutrements, without the starkness that normally comes with that style. It was warm and inviting. We each got a drink when we walked in. I got the elderberry collins. Best cocktail ever. I didn't even know I liked gin until I had this drink. Audrey and I have worked up a pretty great replica and I'll be posting that recipe later. She got a ginger mai tai, which was also excellent.

Then came the food. While very good, at times seemed to be lacking in both flavor and direction at times. It was kind of hit or miss for me. The salmon wrapped trout mousse with caviar on top was a divine, unctuous first amuse bouche that made me excited for things to come. Our first course was crab gratin, which was more soup-like than I would have expected but was still fabulous. Delicate in flavor, yummy. Right after that course came a cod pot pie with root vegetables. It was a pretty large portion for what it was, which was part of the problem. The flavor of the fish was overwhelmed by the thickness of the bechemel and the butter, but delicious, crust. It was a bit heavy for being served right after a very rich dish. I do tend to like Cal/Med cuisine, so I'm biased.

Then, the waiter served us the veal francobolli with pancetta butter. One problem- when Audrey made the reservation, she had specified that I don't eat red meat or pork. They told her that would be no problem to accommodate. We reiterated this to the waitress when we ordered. They still managed to forget and didn't prepare anything for me. We told the waitress and she was entirely apologetic and brought out some butternut squash with sage butter sauce very quickly. But the problem was the wine had already been poured- a deep California red to be paired with the veal. We asked to speak to the sommalier because neither of us thought that a red, let alone that one, would typically be served with the course I was eating. He came over to us and was extremely defensive. He said that the earthiness of the wine pairs well with each course. Whatever. I think he just didn't want to go pick out another wine, but when you're spending $400 on a meal for 2 people, you expect it to be perfect. (I'm realizing writing this down that I sound like a major pain in the ass, but I can assure you, I'm not. At least, I didn't think so).

I had a great time. The food was good. The wines were well paired (barring that one mishap) and solid. The desserts were innovative and downright delish. The experience was memorable and overall, very positive. It was just expensive for what you got.

Let me put it this way... Derek's Bistro in S. Pasadena is one of my favorite places ever. It's one of those places that you want to go to every time an occasion calls for fancy dining. You consider going to places like Craft, and if you actually end up taking the leap, you hope for it to be better than Derek's, especially because it's far more expensive. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

you said you wanted it, sweetie

2009-02-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I had a conversation with my husband, Brandon, about desserts. I told him that I was planning to make my awesome chocolate caramel tart later this week to blog about it, but that I needed input as to what he thought would be something else post about. He said chocolate chip cookies. He always says chocolate chip cookies. What can I say, the man has simple tastes and know what he likes.

The problem is, chocolate chip cookies are just 'meh.' I mean, I make an OK chocolate chip cookie, but I don't make a great one. I'm still in the market for the *best* chocolate chip cookie. I fully believe that sometimes the simplest recipes are the most difficult to perfect.

Then I has an epiphany. Brandon's birthday is this week. If I can't make the best chocolate chip cookie, I might as well make the biggest.

BEHOLD!!

The behemoth chocolate chip cookie cake.

I got this recipe from Martha, and boy, she wasn't kidding; this sure is GIANT. It was really easy to make, the cookies were very cakey and definitely soft enough to cut all the way through, and just the idea of a cake made out of cookies made me giggle. Brandon absolutely adored the cake. I couldn't argue that the novelty of it couldn't be beat.

I decided to go with buttercream frosting because what else could chocolate chip cookies need besides more sugar? That and I don't particularly care for cream cheese frosting. The cake slid around once the frosting was on, but I popped it in the fridge for a while until the frosting set up a bit.

C'mon, is it not the coolest cake you've ever seen?

easy, yummy din din

2009-02-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

I love my mom. I really do. We have a somewhat contentious relationship, but it is often times hilarious and we can laugh at ourselves, and do, often. Growing up, my mom was always good about making sure that we were fed, usually fairly healthfully, but the meals themselves were usually simple things that a working mom with 5 kids could whip up in no time.

Since I started cooking back in college, I have cooked many dishes that I never had growing up. An unanticipated side affect of all of this cooking has been that my mom has been more willing to try to cook a wider variety of things at home. If I make her a meal that she really likes, she'll make that meal again. And again. And again. Like, 2 times in a week, 8 times in a month, again. She's a creature of habit and if she finds something she likes, she'll stick with it.

This is one of those meals that my mom makes all.the.time. It's a combination of easy, reasonably cheap, requires little forethought, uses a very few ingredients (of which most are usually already on hand) and is really very tasty.

*Chicken Piccata*

4-6 pounded chicken breasts
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of capers
1-2 lemons for juice
1/2 cup of white wine
1 cup of chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons of parsley
4 tablespoons of butter

Salt and pepper your pounded chicken breasts. Dredge them in flour and fry them up in a pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2-3 tablespoons of butter until they're brown on the outside, and not quite done in the middle. Take them out of the pan and set them aside.

In the hot oil, add the crushed garlic and let it sautee for a minute. Then, add your white wine and lemon juice and let it cook down for a just a sec. Add in the capers, chicken broth, 1/2 of the parsley. Let it cook together for a few minutes. Put in the 1/2 stick of butter.

Add back in your chicken and any juices that have accumulated. Cook the chicken through. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley. Serve with thin spaghetti, garlic bread, and a veg.

the cake is a lie

2009-02-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

I did it. That thing that brides aren't supposed to do for their wedding. I made my own cake. But I have a perfectly valid and sane reason.

My dear husband and I decided that for our low key wedding, ice cream cake would be the perfect thing to cap off the evening. However, I had already ordered these uber cute and extremely well done Wii replicas to surprise my groom with on the day of the wedding. We all know that ice cream cake + warm LA July evening = disaster. So, I had to go to plan B. Fake Cake.

Now, this isn't exactly the most delicious cake you've ever tasted. That is, unless you like the taste of Styrofoam. I bought dummy layers and fondant from Lady Jane's Cakes and embarked on my somewhat watered down version of wedding cake mission.

It was trial and error. I watched videos on Youtube to educate myself quickly. I warmed the fondant through with my fingers, roughly measured out enough coloring to fold into the fondant, used powdered sugar to roll out the fondant. I gingerly placed the fondant over the filed down edges of the Styrofoam to create this cake that almost looks good enough to eat.

In the spirit of all things inedible, I glue-gunned the ribbon and the dragees on that puppy. Might as well, right? What can I say... I'm klassy like that.

No stress, yet still expressive and creative wedding cake - just our style.

**the following is evidence that we did indeed have a real, edible backup cake and didn't serve fondant-covered, glue-gun embellished, trace-metal-containing dragee-enhanced Styrofoam cake at our wedding**

how hungry are you?

2009-02-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

What is the deal with blogs, anyway? I can't tell you how many times I have started this, edited it, deleted it, wanted to share it, thought otherwise... but here I am again. Clean slate. So I'm taking this chance to use my cooking, crafts, photography, writing and life and will try to put it all together to make something that doesn't suck. Here goes nothing!