S'il Vous Plate

Christmas Presents are the Best!

2009-12-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

I thought the last thing that I needed was another baking implement (of course I love them, but our apartment has a small kitchen). Then John got me a silicon bouchon mold for Christmas! We had both just tasted delicious chocolate cakes that John's colleague made and thought they were scrumptious, so I was inspired.

My task for the family get-together was appetizers and I really wanted to use the bouchon mold, so I did... I created savory bouchons and they were very delcious (and cute!). Here is the recipe, adapted from a Giada de Laurentis Food Network recipe:

Ingredients

2 (8 1/2-ounce) packages corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (from an 8-ounce jar)
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the muffin mix, cheese, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the muffin mix. Stir to combine. Spoon the mix into the bouchon mold. add some asiago cheese on top. Bake until golden brown on top, about 12 minutes.

Alaskan Salmon Part 1

2009-08-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

John and his Dad spent a week fishing in Sitka, Alaska. During the trip, John spotted bears, eagles, whales, and lots of fish. He brought home 100 pounds of freshly frozen salmon and halibut so for the next few months I will be updating you on the delicious dishes we will create with John's catch.

The first meal was salmon, my favorite. It must be my Norwegian heritage, but I cannot get tired of salmon (good thing since we have a freezer full of it). I prepared a recipe that my Dad sent me that is quick and easy and utilizes wine and dill to bring out the natural flavors of the salmon. Please see the comments for the recipe.

Summertime Rolls

2009-08-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

I love summer. It is the best time for everything: going to the beach, reading outside, eating fresh food, and drinking fun cocktails. Luckily, I have a great partner in one of my favorite summer activities, drinking fruity cocktails. John created a special post-beach drink for me, a peach daquiri. As you can see it was really peach and so frosty and delicious. Here is the recipe:

Blend together:

2 peaches, lime juice, ice, white rum, and Grand Marnier pour into a cool martini glass.

Another favorite thing of mine is eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the garden. I have the most wonderful tomatoes right now and we get even better ones from my brother. The biggest thing that has come from my patio garden is my one and only cucumber. It was huge and honestly tasted pretty much like the ones from the store. But it was an exciting experiment.

The most wonderful thing about summer gardens is the plenty that they produce. Last week, I went to Davis and one of my coworkers brought in fresh basil from her garden. She had the basil organized into bunches so we could take them home for dinner, which I did. I was so inspired that I made pesto in order to savor the fresh flavors of summer.

Quiero Taquero

2009-07-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

The inspiration for this post comes from three of my friends. First off, the Myers invited us over to their home for their daughter's fantastic birthday celebration. The main party fare was provided by a taquero, a person, or in this case and most cases, two people who prepare carne asada tacos. My other friend from Orange County had never heard of a taquero and that inspired me to create this posting--that and the delicious carne asada tacos we had at the Myers' home.

Taqueros are a southern, southern California phenomenon, in fact, I think many taqueros are actually from Mexico (their trucks are at least). The taqueros come to your home and set up a giant grill where they barbeque carne and pollo asada. The taqueros also prepare fresh pico de gallo salsa. Each guest can choose between beef or chicken tacos ( or choose to have both). The traditional preparation is in two corn tortillas with cilantro and onions, but they also usually add salsa and guacamole as well. These tacos are absolutely delicious and even more so when you know you can have as many as you want. Usually the guys at the party have a competition (big surprise) to see how many they can consume that day. John had a (shameful according to John) five, a low amount, he has topped out at seven at previous events. I have personally seen one of my friends consume eleven tacos. When John asked the taquero what the max he had seen someone consume, he said he once cooked someone 24 tacos! I am not sure if this was a Guinness world record, but this sounds like a pretty amazing achievement to me!

Mushrooms and mushrooms again

2009-07-12T20:08:00.001-07:00

John and I are trying to eat a bit more vegetarian since we both know that meat consumption is not healthy or good for the environment. One of my favorite vegetarian dinners is grilled portobello mushrooms with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, but last week John decided to change it up a bit.

First, he experimented by making mushroom ravioli in a parmesan cheese sauce. He started off with shitake mushrooms cut into very small pieces and sauteed them in a little butter with thyme, garlic, and pepper. This amazing filling was stuffed into wonton wrappers, which he even trimmed with a special implement to make the edges zig-zag (always the aesthete). The wontons were then smothered in an amazing parmesan cream sauce, so worth the wait!

That was our Friday night, on Monday night things were a little less fancy, we had mushroom soup and a tomato salad. The mushroom soup included thinly sliced portobellos with garlic that were sauteed in a wine beef broth and then topped with shaved parmesan, chives, and shallot crisps. The soup was tangy and hearty and the shallot crisps were outrageous, everyone must try these delicious pieces of heaven.

Father's Day BBQ

2009-07-01T16:06:00.001-07:00

My Dad's wish for Father's day was to have his kids and grandkids over to share in a meal of his favorites--BBQ and blueberry pie. It turned out to be a potluck dinner with everyone bringing a wonderful dish to share with my Dad. We started with some beautiful appetizers created by my Mom, caviar on homegrown cucumbers and the always delicious combination of blue cheese, grapes, and crackers. We toasted my Dad with my new favorite summer before dinner drink, a glass of Crios Rose of Malbec, cheers!

The main course centered on Marc's delicious barbequed ribs. The ribs were perfectly cooked and falling off the bone. My Mom served us two wonderful salads, the black bean and corn salad (I know there are some fans out there, the recipe is in the comments section) and authentic German potato salad. For dessert we had blueberry pie by special request. I found the recipe online, but needless to say with blueberries cooked in sugar, how can it be anything but easy and so tasty!

Saucy 30th Birthday Celebration

2009-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

John and I think everyone needs a little sauce, and when it is a special celebration, sometimes you need a lot of sauce. Well, sauce was the theme of Nicole's 30th Birthday celebration. We had some celebratory sauce in the form of champagne and one of our super bomb wines, but mostly we had sauce accompanying John's delicious culinary creations.

We started out the evening with some munchies and champagne. The appetizer was a crostini topped with brie and truffled honey. I picked up the honey on a trip to San Francisco to the Ferry Building that included a mushroom store. It was fun to share this souvenir with my family.

We moved to the table to start the saucy adventure with the first course, chilled pea soup. I was inspired by the fact that we were celebrating on the weekend that kicked off summer and wanted to bring the flavors and textures of summer. The pea soup was accompanied by a cream sauce that John decorated into a flower and presented in chilled martini glasses. We served the soup with pea crisps (my favorite new TJ find) that Madeline enjoyed using to eat the soup (so much more fun than a spoon!).

Once we started on the second course, the menu was all John and all sauces. We were served a seared scallop on a red pepper coulis with an avocado sauce. The two sauces were beautiful looking and delicate enough so that the scallop was the star of the show. The Beckman Marsanne wine allowed us to remember our special trip to Santa Barbara that we took last year. We have been waiting to share a Beckman bottle with Marc and Nicole, and now that Abigail is here we can all share in the fun of drinking this special sauce!

The main course also had two inventive sauces that enhanced the wonderful offerings. The entree centered on the lamb tenderloin encrusted with pepper and juniper berries resting on a sauce of blackberry demi. Almost as delicious was the parmesan sauce drizzled on the broccolini. This was served with a cloud of garlic mashed potatoes. For the main course, we dipped into our wine cellar and pulled out my favorite bottle (thanks, Merv!), the Insignia to share for this important celebration. Finally, the dinner was capped off by croissant bread pudding with a raspberry schnapps sauce. The tangy and tart sauce worked perfectly with the sweet rich pudding. As you can see below, Nicole was pretty impressed!

History Staff Luncheon

2009-06-10T08:22:00.001-07:00

Twice a year, the UCI History Project, History Department, and Humanities staff are treated to a delicious lunch at Bob and Lynn's home. Past offerings have included grilled salmon and Mediterranean faire, a variety of Indian dishes, and a Mexican feast. Yesterday, when I entered their home the smell of curry and cumin greeted me and I knew we were going to be able to enjoy Bob's delicious Indian cooking! We started off with some wine and conversation and then moved into the dining room that was set up with a large selection of Indian dishes. There were so many options--luckily there were big plates--lamb curry, grilled tandoori chicken, cucumber salad, chickpeas and tofu, curried rice, yogurt sauce, and my favorite spinach dish (for the recipe, check the comments section). Since it was buffet-style we could pile our plates high and then return for more, which I did. The lunch was such a treat, it is a wonderful opportunity for us all to get together and enjoy each others' company. Chatting and catching up over great food is one of life's pleasures. Thank you Bob and Lynn for hosting such a wonderful lunch!

The New Bookclub: Theme Spain

2009-06-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

For months the bookclub has been meeting, but many of us have been "bad girls" and not been able to keep up with the hectic reading schedule of one book every two months. We decided we had to keep getting together and wanted to do something where everyone can contribute. Erika suggested we have a themed eating and drinking meeting replace reading a book. So, last week, we kicked off the new bookclub with a Spanish theme.

As you can see we had a wonderful selection of Spanish red wines to choose from as well as some delicious sangria that Andrea made in honor of our theme. These paired perfectly with the delicious cheese and olives that Lauren brought. Lauren marinaded a mix of green and black olives in oil, garlic, herbs, and red pepper flakes. These got our tastebuds ready for our first course, gazpacho. I used a variation of this recipe, which included tomatoes, grilled red pepper, red onion, garlic, and marjoram. It was just the right amount of spiciness--luckily for me the onion and garlic had a bit of a bite.

As we sat around Erika's beautiful dining table and enjoyed each other's company we were served chicken Marbella and Spanish rice family style. If you have not eaten or prepared chicken Marbella, you should. The chicken is marinaded for hours with sugar, wine, prunes, olives, herbs, and garlic. All the sweet, tart, and salty flavors come together while baking to create the Marbella flavors, yum! Chelsea made her jazzy Spanish rice with tomatoes and peas, a perfect accompaniment. In my book, the new take on the bookclub was a success!

Dad's 80th Birthday at Addison

2009-05-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Dad's 80th Birthday dinner was one that we will never forget. We celebrated the evening as an extended family with my Dad's sister, Edna Grace, and long-time family friend, Uncle Don. We sat around a circle table and the smiles, laughs, and conversation carried us throughout the wonderful meal. Each bite was a thoughtful combination of flavors and textures that made the meal decadent. Each course was paired with a specially chose glass of wine served in a beautiful glass.

Because this was a celebration, we started the evening with a glass of champagne. Then we were on our way, starting with an amuse bouche of avocado puree with pistachio oil and sea salt with a sourdough crostini. These California flavors were such a wonderful combination, we were ready to see what would come next!

Because one amuse bouche is never enough, we were served a buttery puffed pastry filled with melted cheese that tasted like gruyere. This bite-sized morsel was totally mouth-watering and definitely prepared my tastebuds for more, more, more!

The first course was Japanese hamachi (yellowtail) topped with golden caviar that was hidden under a champagne and yuzu crèmeaux (foam). These types of creations are what the chef at Addison, William Bradley, is known for, using the freshest ingredients with contemporary methods to create beautiful dishes and flavor combinations. The flavors were truly a fresh way to begin an amazing dinner.

My favorite dish was the prawn in brown butter. The prawn was halved, with one half topped by grapefruit and the other with lemon sorel. The tartness of the topping and the juiciness of the prawn was delicious, but the topper (and what made this dish my favorite) was the brown butter. This tasted like whipped carmelized butter, amazing. When I finished the prawn I used my bread to scoop up the rest of the butter. I don't know if this is proper etiquette, and I don't really care, it was delicious!

Our third course was English Dover Sole (this seems like one too many adjectives to describe sole, but I could be wrong) served on a smoked potato purèe and spring morels. This is one of those dishes where combining the things on the plate from the fish, to the scallion, to the mushroom, and the potato creates the most unique and memorable flavor combination. Along with this amazing dish we sipped a French pinot noir, "Les Bons Batons." A perfect pairing!

The main entree was lamb persillè accompanied by the most amazing side dish of fresh mozzarella topped with olives, basil, tomatoes, and bell peppers. The lamb was perfectly cooked and very tender topped by a layer of herb butter. This layer of herb butter is where the name persillè originates. According to the dictionary on epicurious.com, "Persil is the French word for "parsley" and persillade is a mixture of chopped parsley and garlic. It's usually added as a flavoring or garnish to dishes just before cooking is complete." The server explained that the butter was created, then frozen, and added to the lamb in the final stage of cooking. This brought a delicious richness and flavor to the lean meat that was extraordinary!

The cheese course, the cheese course, how can I do justice to the cheese course? The camembert was the perfect temperature and so creamy and flavorful. It was accompanied by an aged cheddar that was sweet and tangy and all the good things a cheddar should be, yum!

Between the cheese course and the dessert course we were offered an amazing palate cleanser called simply, "mint chip" on the menu. This was heaven! It was mint ice cream that tasted just like mint from the garden and the bottom half of the ball was coated in dark chocolate dust! This was exactly the reason that I bought John an ice cream maker and a mint plant many years ago. We never have made the mint ice cream with real mint, but after this dish, I am inspired to do so.

The gourmet dinner was capped off by a decadent chocolate and peanut butter terrine that was accompanied by a dark chocolate cookie that was lighter than air, a scoop of creamy milk chocolate ice cream, and butterscotch sauce. This was served with an amazing port that tasted like spiced raisins. What a topper to an unforgettable meal!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

Since John and I eat Mexican food at least once a week, preparing a Mexican dinner for Cinco de Mayo is a given. But what to make? There are so many wonderful choices and we only have one stomach each...Well, ever since our Moms got John cookbooks by the renowned Mexican chef, Rick Bayless, I have been asking for mushroom tacos. On Cinco de Mayo, my wish came true. They were filled with portobello and shittake mushrooms and grilled peppers. The tacos were accompanied by real refried beans and John's famous caesar salad. Que deliciosa!

African Spices Rub

2009-05-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I got Marcus Samuelsson's cookbook, Discovery of a Continent: Food, Flavors, and Inspirations from Africa. Whenever I get a chance to use this cookbook, the flavors that emerge from my dishes are amazing. To cook the pictured chicken, I used the Ras Al-Hanout rub recipe and then stuffed the chicken with lemon, ginger, olives, and garlic. I trussed the chicken (thanks for teaching me how, Dad) and roasted it on a rack (thanks for the roasting rack, Mom) for about an hour and then we savored the wonderful flavors of North Africa.

Ras Al-Hanout Rub: 1/4 ground cinnamon, 2 tblsp ground tumeric, 1 tblsp ground black pepper, 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Wonton Soup

2009-05-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

I want to share this delicious recipe for a wonton soup that John made for us. We had some pork loin and were wondering what do to with it when John suggested wonton soup. Even though I had just come back from Korea, the land of soups, I thought this sounded like a great idea (as long as I had nothing to do with making wontons--it is a lot of work people!). John found this recipe from Emeril Lagasse and altered it to suit our tastes. A soup suggestion: we used the Trader Joe's Savory Broth packets--they come in vegetable, chicken, and beef. These packets allow you to use concentrated boullion and add water to create broth. You can also just use the concentrated broth for sauces. I have found that these are a great option, we don't waste when we open those cardboard containers and we don't need a lot of cans hanging out in our cupboard. Think green ( and flavorful) and consider using TJ's Broth packets for your next soup

Korean Food Adventure ( in Korea this time)

2009-04-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that I had the luck to be selected for a Korean Studies Fellowship to travel to Korea for two weeks. Not only did we tour the country, but we also had an opportunity to eat many different types of Korean cuisine and get a sense of the culinary tradition of this country. I definitely enjoyed myself with the many adventures and want to share a few with you. Above, the national dish, Kimchee (pickled cabbage) is pictured. Every version of kimchee that was served was absolutely delicious. Korea, being a peninsula and criss-crossed by rivers, also has a long tradition of serving seafood and the fish below is an example of how it was served to us. At the first restaurant we visited the server deboned the fish for us. After this we were left to our own devices, which was not always so elegant. I can't remember the word (maybe someone can help me) for bon apetit, but I do remember the translation, "eat now!"

Another traditional dish we tried was cornish game hen prepared in a stone pot. The hen was stuffed with rice, ginseng root, a chestnut, and a date. Then it was cooked for several hours and served in the pot. It was served with a side of salt and hot sauce so I could spice it myself. We ate this on a cold day that capped a lot of walking around, which was the perfect dish for me when I was tired. On a side note, I shared this with Yongjin, the Director of the Fellowship program, she ate the accompanying chili peppers by first dipping them in hot sauce, wowwee!

Delicious flavors

2009-04-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

On our last night in Seoul, we went to a fancy Korean restuarant. Korean meals usually contain many different courses including appetizers, several soups, many side dishes that have spicy and/or pickled vegetables, and then a main course and even a side fish course. One of the most unusual dishes I had on this trip is the one pictured above. It was served on a roof tile and was deconstructed, it is up to the diner to put this delicacy together. The professor who led our trip demonstrated how to combine the ingredients. Begin with the round radish that was shaved very thin, it is used like a tortilla to hold the remaining ingredients. Next you add the cabbage and pork belly. Then, spread on a little bit of the shrimp paste (in the dish). Finally, you add as much spicy pickled vegetables as you like. I added quite a bit of veggies because by this time, I had a high tolerance for spice. You fold it up like a taco and eat it all in one bite (with chopsticks). Now, I know many of you are thinking, gross, right? You can't judge until you try it. This was one of the most delicious things I had on the entire trip, it was salty, spicy, rich, and flavorful!

Pastry Shop in Seoul

2009-04-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

You know how you can get any type of cuisine in a big city? Well, Seoul is no exception. We had a delicious lunch of sandwiches with pastries for dessert. The pastries were so pretty you almost (almost) didn't want to eat them. I also ordered some fresh squeezed kiwi juice that was served looking like a diner shake.

Mugwort

2009-04-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious herb that grows in the mountains and wilds and was served in most places we visited. It was tasty with sesame oil as a salad and also fried with a tempura batter. Apparently, it is also really healthy and used by herbalists.

Korean Market

2009-04-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Korean market had many fresh meats, fish, and vegetables for individual purchase. Pictured are a few samples of essential ingredients for Korean fare.

Korean BBQ

2009-04-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Nouvelle Korean

2009-04-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Weekend Get Together

2009-04-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Frickes invited the neighborhood gang to their home for dinner on Saturday for an evening of good conversation, wine, and food. The evening started with us clinking glasses full of the Magistrate wine and tasting Andrea's delicious sun-dried tomato stuffed mushrooms. We then moved to my new favorite dinner table (it was square so we all shared in one conversation all night) and were served a wonderful family-style dinner. We had John's caesar salad served along with grilled halibut, twice-grilled potatoes (there were at least three types of cheese!!!), and green beans. The halibut had a wonderful marinade that was sweet, gingery, and salty, the recipe is posted in the comments below. Brannon brought over a preview of their wedding wine for us to try, yum, I can't wait until August 28! The evening was capped by Jacki's family specialty, the Bailey's Pie. I LOVE this dessert and when you see the ingredients in the comments below, you will know why. Thanks, Jacki and Matt, we had such a great night!

60 Minute Meal

2009-04-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

What can a chef prepare in 60 minutes? If you are an Iron Chef, the answer is a lot of inventive dishes that have layers of flavor, not to mention a stunning presentation. Well, luckily I am marrying my own Iron Chef who created an amazing feast for his parents and me on Friday night. His inspiration was the flavors of Greece. We (I only participated in the shopping and strategizing portion of this meal) kept the starters light with homemade blue cheese stuffed olives. Then started with a scallop resting on a sauce of red pepper coulis topped with a drizzle of garlic, oregano, and olive oil with lemon zest streamers. The entree centered on Frenched (that means fancy) lamb chops with a homemade lamb stock, wine, and pomegranate reduction. This was served with my favorite dollops of heaven, pureed parsnips and cauliflower with roasted garlic, and spring asparagus. The meal was accompanied with special pinot noirs from Merv's collection, starring an amazing '98 Williams Selyem and Savingy les Beaumont. Finally, dessert was a fragrant surprise of vanilla ice cream topped with rose-infused fig preserves. As far as I am concerned, my Iron Chef's feast was a winner!

Fiesta Salad

2009-04-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Erin hosted our bookclub this month and served us a healthy and delicious dinner of Fiesta Chicken Salad. The salad was totally delicious and had so many flavorful goodies in it, I can't wait to make it myself. The recipe is in the comment link, saludos!

Jamaican Me Hungry

2009-03-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

So rarely do things that show up on this blog that I cook, but believe it or not, I actually do cook and even enjoy doing it. Last night, I made one of my favorites, Jerk Chicken. The spices and herbs that make up this marinade have all of my favorite flavors: sweet, spicy, and savory. The recipe I use comes from a Caribbean cookbook published by Hermes House. This book is one of a series that includes Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian, etc. and are sold at Borders for around five dollars. I love the way each recipe has a picture of the dish and everything is pretty simple to prepare. I served the chicken with another recipe from the book, Buttered Rice and Spinach. The name may make you hesitate, but it only had a tablespoon of butter, which gave this dish a rich satiny consistency. I sauteed onions, peppers, and garlic in the butter then added the rice and spinach. One day, I am sure that I will have the opportunity to actually go to the Caribbean and taste the amazing blend of flavors that make up this cuisine, but until then, thank goodness for my Caribbean cookbook. Now if I could only talk John into eating plantains on a regular basis...

Jerk Marinade

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp raw sugar

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

1 tbsp green onion (chopped)

1 tbsp onion (diced)

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

1 jalepeno (or however much you might like, you can also use red pepper flakes)

Korean Food Adventure

2009-03-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

So, most of you know that I have the luck of being able to travel to Korea in a little more than a week. Since I don't know too much about the culture of this country, I am trying to study up as much as I possibly can before I go to make the trip more meaningful while I am there. Dale, my colleague, his wife, Betty, and their son, Michael, invited me to a local Korean restaurant, Cho Dang Tofu and Korean BBQ, for dinner to introduce me to Korean food. Dale and Betty ordered their favorites Tofu Seafood Soup and Bibimbap (pictured above), as well as a Korean Beef Stew. These entrees were accompanied by many small dishes of vegetables and other delicacies, such as kimchee. Betty was curious about whether I would like kimchee, apparently you do or you don't, luckily I am on the do side of the equation, I loved it! Both the soup and bibimbap was served with a raw egg that you mix into the dish. Both were really spicy and super tasty. My favorite part about the meal was that we ate it family-style so we got to share and taste everything. After dinner, I got a tour of the Korean grocery store next door, which had so many items I have never seen before, like Korean melons and many different premade Korean side dishes. This was such a fun treat, thanks Dale and Betty, for such a wonderful evening!

Beer Can Chicken

2009-03-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

I have heard of beer can chicken, but have never tried it. Luckily, on St. Patrick's Day, I finally got to taste a Guinness Chicken that was expertly barbequed by Marc. The chicken sat on the open and full beer can for about an hour as it roasted in the grill. It soaked up the beer while the heat and smokiness of the grill cooked the hen from the outside. When dinner was served we all relished every bite. Normally, I don't eat chicken skin, but I ate ever morsel of the crackily herbed skin and the tender meat of the beer can chicken, yum!

Perfect Bloody Mary

2009-03-27T10:57:00.001-07:00

Bloodies and Crack

2009-03-27T10:51:00.001-07:00

Well you thought Cardiff-by-the-Sea was a wholesome neighborhood, but where else can you have a Sunday dinner consisting of a Bloody Mary and Cardiff Crack at the Carnahan home. Delicious! The fantastic Bloody Mary has been perfected by Mr. Doug Carnahan who has been working for months to achieve the perfect balance of flavors. His experimenting includes the development of a homemade bacon vodka that brings a smoky taste to complement the tang of the tomatoes and citrus. As far as I am concerned, no Sunday should pass without one of these in my hand. After the drinks, we settled down to a family-style dinner showcasing the highlight of Seaside Market, Cardiff Crack, also known as Burgundy Beef. Luckily Amy learned about this delicacy so we will no longer be excluded from having the opportunity to feast on the best addiction Cardiff has to offer its residents (except maybe VGs). Doug cooked the meat expertly on his grill. This was served along with creamed cauliflower (healthy clouds of heaven), grilled garlic toasts, and broccolini. I am ready to do it again!

2009-03-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

A Blog is a Girl's (this girl's) Best Friend

2009-02-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, ladies, I have a tip for you. If you want delicious dinners prepared for you on a regular basis, create a blog. Last night, I came home from the gym to find John whipping up a feast in the kitchen. I was not allowed to enter to see this magic happen, but I was told that he wanted this creation to be on the blog. So while he busily prepared dinner, I got to hang on the couch watching the Oscars and drinking his home brew. He even set the table and served us a fresh and tasty steak salad. The steak was New York prepared to a perfect medium rare placed on top of parmesan crisps. On the side onions cooked in a rosemary whiskey sauce were arranged next to garlic bread over a bed a salad that had the most delicious dressing. The salad dressing included:

fresh thyme, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, dijon, olive oil, honey, and meyer lemon zest. The only downfall to this fabulous dinner is that John was so tired I couldn't talk him into doing the dishes, but I guess I have to earn my dinner with not just words alone.

Sunday Brunch

2009-02-23T09:55:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, John and I were invited downtown to the Barajas family home for a special brunch. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the beautiful spread that Aly and Eric prepared for us. First off, I noticed that the table was set with their beautiful china that captures the fun energy of sunshine with its blue and yellow design. Eric and Luke added to the setting with the fresh gerber daisies purchased at the farmer market that morning. Aly totally out did herself hosting us with her special breakfast pie (yes, men, pie not quiche). She served this with the most amazing sausage that John and I have ever had for breakfast--apple sausage patties--yum! Luke's favorite was the cinnamon coffee cake that is a family recipe--I hope to post it up here as well because this is a treat that I definitely want to have as part of my recipe repertoire. Finally, the brunch was capped off with parfaits that consisted of fresh fruit, granola, and goat's milk yoghurt. It was so wonderful to get together with our special friends--we can't wait to do it again!

Saturday Brunch

2009-02-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

Erika invited the girls and babies to get together to spend time eating and chatting over Saturday brunch this weekend. The potluck brunch brought us together and gave us a chance to share a variety of breakfast specialties. Erika made the amazing frittata pictured above that consisted of eggs, ham, and cheese baked in the oven. Adrienne made her delicious fruit salad--we are lucky to live in Southern California where we can get pineapple and blackberries that are so sweet and tasty in February. Jacki brought some tempting chocolate covered strawberries--I had three so I guess I got my chocolate vitamins for the weekend! I brought the mandarin orange and vanilla upside down cake (recipe at link). I enhanced the recipe with a teaspoon or rosewater, which gave it a flowery taste that worked well with the other flavors. This was my first foray into rosewater and I definitely intend to use it again, maybe as the star of the dessert--I will keep you posted. Finally, to complement the sweets with another savory dish, Tina made breakfast crostinis with ham, asparagus, and fontina cheese. She says the secret is the dijon butter that serves as the spread on the bread before putting on the toppings. Of course, these tasty dishes were accompanied by mimosas and the beautiful view of the Myers backyard. What a way to spend a Saturday!

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Comfort Food

2009-02-17T19:40:00.001-08:00

I get to go to my parent's house usually once a week for a visit and to eat dinner together. My Mom always asks me what I want to eat and sometimes I pick one of my favorites: moussaka, Cornish game hen, anything with eggplant, and cassoulet. Yesterday, my parents made me a delicious comfort food dinner, perfect for a rainy day, cassoulet. Their recipe is not as elaborate as some French versions, so I invite you to give it a try. The recipe is in the comments link below, enjoy!

V Day = Chili Day

2009-02-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

John and my Valentine's tradition is to spend the day cooking chili, play games, and just hang out together around the house. This takes all day, so it is rare that we get to celebrate on the actual holiday, but this year we made chili on Valentine's day. Every year, John says I think this is going to be the best chili and I dutifully agree, but this year, I know that it was the best chili I have ever tasted. I think this is due to John's special chili preparation technique that he implemented for the first time. He roasted the chiles, soaked them in water, and then scraped the innards from the skin to use just the soft insides of the chiles to prevent any bitterness from entering the pot (this is serious business folks!). In years past, I have been the sous-chef, but luckily John has dropped my role from the chili preparation, so I could just eat cheese and drink champagne (see post below). Once the chiles were extracted from the skin he grinded them with fresh bell peppers and roasted garlic in the blender. At the same time, he individually cooked the tri-tip with masa harina so the meat was browned before the chiles and wine was added. This mixture cooked for three hours and was then served with aged cheddar, avocado, and scallions. V Day Chili 2009 was the best I have ever had!

Chiles, chiles, chiles

2009-02-15T11:27:00.001-08:00

I  Cheese

2009-02-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

For a Valentine's treat I headed over to my favorite cheese shop, Venissimo, to pick up some tasty eats for John and me so we had something to nibble on while we waited for the chili to cook. I knew we were going to drink some bubbly with the cheese and said so to the woman who was helping me at Venissimo ( as a side note--this must be one of the best jobs around, and I would gladly sacrifice some weekend hours to devote to the cheese shop, in exchange for cheese of course). A gleam came to her eye and she started pulling out the most delicious selection of French cheeses--a triple cream brie, a hard and swiss-tasting cheese named Comte, a salty blue cheese Saint Agur, and our favorite of the day ewephoria. Ewephoria tastes like an aged gouda and it was super sweet and delicious, perfect with the elegant bottle of Taittinger champagne we shared. Talk about true love!

Raclette

2009-02-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

On Saturday ( we had a great dining weekend!), my parents had John, me, and his parents over for a traditional Swiss dinner, Raclette. Now most of us know the most tasty and comforting Swiss dish: fondue. Raclette is a close second. Raclette is the name for the grill as well as the cheese used in the dish.

The dining process works simply: everyone is served some cheese to put in the little drawers to melt, once the cheese melts you pour it out on potatoes. A special bonus of the Raclette is the grill on top of the appliance. Grilled sausages and vegetables are also so good with melted Raclette cheese poured over the top of them! My Mom also served German pickles, gerkins, with the feast for a salty, crunchy contrast.

You don't have to go to Switzerland to experience the wonderful deliciousness of Raclette, you can buy a grill on Amazon or at Sur la Table (this is where I got the picture above). Raclette cheese is easily available at Trader Joes. But be warned--it is a stinky cheese--so don't let it sit in your refrigerator for long...

Friday night, date night, at home!

2009-02-09T18:35:00.001-08:00

I came home Friday night to John preparing a Friday night surprise dinner...First off, we have oysters on the half shell with champagne. The oysters were accompanied by three sauces: red wine vinegar with red onions (French style according to John), Tabasco (New Orleans style according to John), and horseradish. I tried them all, but the New Orleans sauce--not my style--and decided that the best way to eat raw oysters is with red wine vinegar and onions or shallots.

Second course, centered on one of my favorites, spinach, that was prepared with shiitake mushrooms and a cognac sauce. John bought four bunches because from past experience one is just not enough, so lucky me we have leftovers. This was accompanied by scallops prepared simply cooked with salt and pepper--delicious! The last player on the plate was the pan-fried new potatoes. These can serve as an side partner to many meals so I copied the recipe below:

Pan-Fried Friday Night Potatoes

Quarter new potatoes (John used baby Yukon Golds) and put in a Dutch oven with olive oil over medium heat for 25 minutes. Once cooked, add fresh garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and chopped up bacon. Yum, yum!

Soup's On!!

2009-02-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Chelsea hosted the bookclub this month and per bookclub tradition prepared a wonderful dinner for us girls. After 9 years, the bookclub has a few "rules": the hostess picks the book (usually), the hostess cooks (or picks-up) a delicious dinner, and then we drink lots of wine, eat wonderful food, and eventually talk a bit about the book. This month's dinner included a wonderful salad with berries, nuts, and fresh veggies along with two awesome soups. Chelsea made both the Tomato Basil Soup and the Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch. They were both healthy, flavorful, and delicious. I am hoping to post the Tomato Basil recipe below (once I get it--hint, hint) and the Chicken Noodle recipe can be found in the Hungry Girl recipe book. According to the website, the Hungry Girl philosophy is to eat delicious food that is healthy and low or no carb. This requires some smart ingredient substitutes. For example, instead of wheat noodles the soup had soy noodles. These were delicious and much more healthy than the carb-loaded regular noodles. For Hungry Girl soup recipes click here. Hungry Girl also suggests using pumpkin as a replacement for eggs and oil in baking. Chelsea employed this trick successfully for her peanut butter brownies, which were super gooey and rich. Thanks, Chels, for introducing me to Hungry Girl and for making a delicious dinner for us Hungry Girls!

Do you wanna Benihana?

2009-01-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

John and I were invited over to Andrea and Brannon's house for a Japanese feast Benihana-style that we will not forget. It started off with Pear Saketini's prepared by Brannon with the most delicious pear juice and fresh pears. After appetizers Andrea wowed us with her version of the Benihana recipes that were "to die for"! Benihana (according to the restaurant website) means "red flower", well I wonder if that is a red ginger flower because ginger was one of the stars of the table. The salad dressing and even more delicious ginger sauce that Andrea prepared was an amazing complement to the fried rice, veggies, and garlic-marinaded shrimp and scallops. We even learned a new shrimp trick from Brannon that allowed us to savor even more of the delicious dinner. This was capped by a dessert that allowed me to try rice ice cream for the first time, and it won't be my last! Thanks to Andrea and Brannon, I wanna Benihana again next weekend!

NYCs Top Three

2009-01-16T15:51:00.000-08:00

Last week, I had the luck to begin the new year in one of the greatest food cities, New York. Although I was there for two conferences, I did manage to enjoy some of the wonderful delicacies the city has to offer. Here are my favorites:

1. The best meal I had was at Becco restaurant. Not only was it tasty, it was a total deal. The dinner started with anitpasto misto that included at least 15 different dishes--including octopus salad, sundried tomatoes, and ricotta cheese with honey. Then, we were served three different pastas. It was all you can eat, but as you can see from the picture, one portion was enough. My dinner companion described the ragu sauce as a "dream," the homemade spagetti was a perfect accompaniment to the fresh basil and tomatoes, and the mushroom and sage ravioli was decadent. Of course we had dessert because we were planning on walking it off...

2. Fried plantains at Victor's Cafe--need I say more...But I will. They were filled with pulled pork and raisins accompanied by a black bean sauce and goat cheese.

3. Bread. I had the best bread at two places that I wish were closer to home:

Brioche at Le Pain Quotidien

Focaccias at Amy's Bread in Chelsea Market. I got a special guided tour of the market. I now know where I want to live when I win the lottery--well at least one of my homes will be in the market.

Bread pudding at Odeon. Who says you can't have bread for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert?

Good Beginnings

2009-01-01T15:49:00.001-08:00

Last night we started 2009 with a few of our favorite things: good friends, festive toasts, and delicious food. For my part, I made a cheese ball for the first time. I am not sure why I have never made one of these before, but I do know that I intend to whip up many more in 2009. By the end of the night there was a pretty big dent in it--I think it was at least half a pound of cheese per person. That was just the beginning of a fun night that included the delicious dinner John prepared and the Pecan and Chocolate Pie Amy shared with us. Yum!

John made a Prime Filet, which was wonderful. I usually don't believe in the hype over Prime--sorry Dad and John--but now I am a believer! Check out the delicious dish, Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce and Gorgonzola Scalloped Potatoes. My tastebuds were SO happy!