Art and Aioli

The Femme Foodie Group

2011-07-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Lately, as I am sure you are aware, my attention has not been on blogging or documenting any culinary adventures. But this doesn't mean that I have not been cooking, dining out from time to time and enjoying gourmet delights. Actually in an effort to pursue my passion for food with like-minded girl friends, I have helped to start up a gourmet group! Planning and coordinating schedules in our busy lives is the tricky part. But the hope is to meet every other month and rotate the host. I thought a cute name would be "Femme Foodies" or "The Gourmet Gals". What do you think? Any suggestions?

We had our first official get together last week. I hosted and since it was Bastille Day, I chose a French theme. Everyone brought a dish or some wine.

I made a tomato tart which was a sort of combination of Stacey's Recipe (from Stacey Snacks) and that of the famed David Lebovitz. For the tart crust I used Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe. In addition I once again made Laura's Veloute of Prawns and grilled up some fresh vegetables.

Others dishes that friends brought were: a cheese platter, a trio of tapenades (olive, tuna fish and eggplant), Gruyere puffs, light green salad, lemon tart, chocolate mousse, palmiers with fruit and whipped cream, and apricot pastries. And of course some very nice wines!

It was a really fun evening with some great women and fabulous food! I can't wait until the next one. While it is the host's job to come up with a plan or a theme, I thought I would look around for suggestions from other gourmet groups as to how they plan or structure the group. What themes are fun? What tips or recommendations do you have? We are open and looking for ideas. We have also thought that in the off months, we might plan to go out to a new restaurant or wine bar or something of that nature.

Thank you again to all my friends for a wonderful night and helping with the food and wine! Until next time!

Cheers!

Red Carpet Ready!

2011-03-01T14:44:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite days of the year is Oscar Sunday. The glitz and glamour of it all is so exciting. The dresses, the stars, the thrill of the movies... all an escape into another world. The other world of the movies themselves and that of the actors and this life of glitter in the spotlight.

For many years now my mom and I have termed this day to be OUR "Superbowl" since we really have no interest whatsoever in the Superbowl itself. And several years back before I met my husband and started a family I had begun a tradition of having an Academy Awards Party. I had had about 2 or 3 before we got married then one the first year when I was pregnant with my daughter and then after that.... Well it seemed so hard with the little ones. I got lazy. Lazy about planning... lazy about inviting people... not enough friends in my "new life". My husband isn't into it or wanting to really participate and so I just blew off the party. I still watched of course! And usually made some good food to go along with the show too.

But now, I am ready to get back to some of the things I love to do and have put aside for so many years. I am designing a lot but now starting to read again and ready to put more parties and entertaining and dining out into the mix. I miss it so much. To ensure I went through with the Oscar party, I emailed a save-the-date. And if there is one thing I hate is flakiness and failure to go through with something you said you were going to do. So then I was obligated. I sent out the invitations. The party was ON!

I began thinking of a menu and how to decorate. I didn't want to spend too too much money and did not want anything that would tie me to the kitchen while my guests were here and the show was rolling. So the key was good home created food and decorations with a touch of Hollywood sparkle.

It began with the menu.... I started to think about the films that had been nominated for best picture. The stage began to appear and set in my mind. And I came up with the following!

Black Swan Bean Soup
simple and healthy black bean soup
garnished with cilantro, bell peppers, sour cream and tortilla strips

The King's Salad
the El Torito salad!
romaine lettuce with bell peppers, pepitas, cotija cheese
tortilla strips and cilantro pepita dressing

True Grit Taco Bar
flour and corn tortillas with carne asada and pollo asada
with garnishes of cilantro, onion, tomato, cheese, guacamole and salsa

Jalapeño Fighter Dip
spicy jalapenos and green chilis in a creamy cheese concoction
with a panko crust and tortilla chips for dipping

Inception Cocktail
part margarita-part champagne
this sexy cocktail is made with a refreshing blend
of lime juice, tequila, mint and champagne

Winter's Bone Brownies
a decadent marbled brownie
with rich chocolate and a cream cheese swirl

Toy Story Snack Bar
all the favorites!
popcorn, red vines, licorice, cinnamon bears,
m&m’s, hot tamales and gourmet gumballs

I decorated the Toy Story bar with my kids toys! Fun fun fun!!!

I made wine charms for the glasses with the various Oscar award categories.

My daughter helped out by cutting stars from gold paper I had lying around and strewing beads around on the tables. The night was a success! Just so much fun and I am thankful that I dipped back into the entertaining game and for all the friends that joined me for grand evening.

And of course... you will need to start with the perfect invitation! I have created one just for the occasion!

Hollywood Glamour Invitation by NicChic
More Oscars Invitations

Cheers!

Stay tuned for my black bean soup recipe!

Wine Lover Business Card from Zazzle.com

2010-07-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Wine Lover Business Card from Zazzle.com

Do you have a food or wine blog? How about profile cards to promote it? Check out one of my more popular wine designs! The invitations are a hit but these business cards are one of my favorites! They look amazing on the premium pearl or gold paper too!

But maybe you have something else in mind. Let me know what your blog is about or your design ideas and I can work something up for you!

The Colors of Summer!

2010-07-05T14:50:00.000-07:00

I just loved the look of these peaches in a crate and wanted to share them with you. The colors were so beautiful. The fruit looked so fresh. It just screamed summertime!

It's Almost Halloween!

2009-10-09T11:19:00.001-07:00

Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat! It's almost Halloween on each spooky street!

Are you looking for some tasty morsels to serve at your Halloween bash? If you are planning a buffet style for a large or even a smaller group, my I suggest one or both of the following dishes.

The first is my "famous" antipasti platter! I have talked about this one before here. Basically, I like to make a pretty platter with a variety of tasty items that all go together. I often vary what I put on the platter but I almost always place roasted red and yellow bell peppers, a mixture of tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic, salamis, prociutto, and olives. Other options are different meats, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, or different cheeses. Be creative. Use what is on hand and play with the color to make an attractive arrangement. I serve with fresh baguette slices or Italian ciabatta. This dish is really popular with my family and friends. I am asked to make it for many parties. The above platter was for a friend's 40th! It is a pretty large platter and I did one other one for that party at just the same size.

But the STAR of the platter is the Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers from Bon Appetit in the center! This is an amazing recipe and SO easy! I make it all the time.

Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons capers, chopped

Overlap cheese slices on medium platter.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper and stir just until garlic begins to color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano, salt, and pepper. Cool. Stir in capers and remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Spoon over cheese slices.

This next dish (above) I want to introduce you to is from a 1995 issue of Martha Stewart Living. Once again, I have made this dish a couple times and each time it did not disappoint. In fact it was just SO good, I could barely stop eating it and rice, especially cold rice, is not even a big favorite of mine. It is just so fresh and tangy and light yet flavorful. The orange and lime juices just sing. The cilantro provides zing and the saffron the allure of far off places. The colors make it even that much more gorgeous both to the eye and the taste buds!

While this salad calls for squid/calamari, I chose to put shrimp in it instead. It was a bit easier and I felt that it would appeal to more people. The whole dish comes together in a snap and is so versatile. It can be a side dish, a main course, a picnic item or an appetizer.

Paella Salad

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 cup long-grain white rice
3 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/4-inch rings
1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes (12 ounces)
3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Crumble saffron into 2 cups of cold water in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and transfer to a bowl to cool.
Whisk together lime and orange juices, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cumin. Pour over cooled rice and mix to combine.
Bring a saucepan of cold water to a boil. Add remaining teaspoon salt and squid. Cook until squid is completely opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain again, pat dry, and add to rice. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve.

Don't forget, if you are looking for Halloween items or invitations, you can find many cute and festive things in my Zazzle Gallery! http://www.zazzle.com/missnnick* Please come on in and have a look. There are also many other designers in the forum with fun, witty and amazing art and gifts!

Blog Cards, Profile Cards, Business Cards

2009-08-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Cute Cupcake Calling Card by MissNNick
Design custom business cards on Zazzle.com

Do you need a business card? Mommy card? Profile card? Blog Card? Come check out my Zazzle store and check out the selection! Or if you don't see what you had in mind, send me a note and I will work with you to design something for free and add it to the site. Then all you have to do is click and order! It is that simple. And I will continually be adding cards and designs to the store as well so keep checking back!

And again, I know I have been rather MIA but life is busy. As a quick update, I have been out playing with the kids this summer, working on a new line of photo cards, setting up more and more product on the Zazzle Store, have my computer crash sooooo bad that it took over a week to recover all the data and I still lost some. Mostly photos of all things. But my family photos were mostly backed up on Kodak. But the food photos... those I have been saving to share with you... the fish on the grill from Bon Appetit, the friendship bread, weekday dinners and who knows what... GONE! GONE, GONE, GONE forever! You know what that means???? #1) I REALLY don't have much to share at the moment. AND #2) I better get in the kitchen and start cooking up more dishes, photos and memories!

I want you to know that I miss you and blogging but some other things are just taking precedence. I hope you will excuse me. And I hope to be back soon.

Wedding Food Highlights

2009-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

My cousin's wedding reception was at the Balboa Bay Club just over a week ago. Now I have a particular soft spot for this place as it is not only near my beloved water and Newport Beach but it is also where I had my reception! So my husband and I took a couple photos outside for memory's sake. How do you like my yacht? Don't I wish... But I did want to share my new shoes I am just loving!

Now check out these flower arrangements and the CAKE! Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous? It was truly a spectacular wedding. One of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

Now onto some food highlights. Unfortunately I started to eat this before taking a shot of it.

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Pancetta and Asparagus

This was to DIE for! And for once I was rather happy my husband is such a picky eater. I got his too! Not that I needed that much but oohhhhh.... It was so amazing.

Tower of Red and Yellow Heirloom Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella and Arugula

I think this one speaks for itself. Absolutely delicious and beautiful to look at as well.

Now I am really bummed as I forgot to take a photo of the main course. I was just too busy eating, drinking, talking, laughing and having fun. But it was a duo of Pistachio Crusted Sea Bass with Beurre Blanc Chardonandnay Herb Grilled Filet Mignon with Port Sauce. Good? You could say that!

And check this out. BEFORE the cake was cut, this warm bread pudding à la mode was served.
Now bread pudding isn't my favorite dessert. It is fine but I usually don't waste the calories. But THIS! Oh me, oh my! I ate almost the whole thing! As as you see from above, I was already stuffed to the gills. It was warm mixed with cold. Doughy and cakey mixed with creamy and just so delicious.

What a fun night! We all had a blast and the food was just to die for. A big congratulations to Erica and Ronnie! You are a beautiful couple and I wish you all the best!

My Miss 'N Nick Zazzle Store

2009-06-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

buy unique gifts at Zazzle

Hello Everybody!

How are you? I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the end of spring. Summer is nearly here! I cannot believe how time flies.

This quick post is to let you know about a new store/gallery I have opened. It is a print on demand site called Zazzle. There are a number of different products I have put the Miss 'N Nick style/my designs on from t-shirts to tennis shoes! Hats, buttons, mouse pads, onsies and even actual postage stamps can all be created and customized to my (or your) specifications. Please check out some of the designs I have created so far. http://www.zazzle.com/missnnick

Also, if you have a need for something in particular like shirts for your child's soccer team, hats for your company picnic, buttons for your new born baby or personalized gifts, I would be happy to work with you and illustrate something for FREE! I will then add it to the gallery and all you have to do is customize it with the text or sizes you need and order! Everything ships within 24 hours! It is that simple.

Once again please check out the site. http://www.zazzle.com/missnnick. Let me know if there is something you would like to see and tell your friends. Keep checking back too as I have a ton of ideas and designs I have yet to load into the gallery. This will be slowly happening as time permits. If you have a blog or website and want to help me promote it, I would be so happy to have you copy or share this flash piece or the web link on your site. Let me know.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!
Best,
Nicole
http://missnnick.com/

The Best Blueberry Muffins

2009-05-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

Whenever I go to the market with my children I try to get them to pick a new fruit or vegetable. This tactic seems to work just a teeny tiny bit better for getting them to try new things and have healthy options. So one day, not too long ago, my daughter started jumping up and down and begging for the blueberries. They looked good. The price still wasn't that low. But....

Me: Will you eat them?
Danielle: Yes!
Me: Promise?
Danielle: Yes! I love them!
Me: Are you sure?
Danielle: Mommmmmmyyyyyy... I want blueberries. They are sooooo yummy and I am going to eat all of them all up as soon as we get home.
Me: Okay then. You better eat them!

Flash forward an hour or so. Danielle eats one. She makes a face and pushes the basket away. I throw back a few. Nicholas wouldn't try them. And forget my husband. He is the worst!

You see last summer in Vermont, Danielle at a gazillion blueberries from a wild bush but the commercial variety do not seem to appeal to her too much. They are plump and pretty but do not have that same sweet and sour taste. So they sat in the refrigerator. And sat. And sat. And finally... there was only really one thing to do with them!

The problem was. I am not the biggest fan of muffins. They always taste just okay to me and after eating them I feel more bloated than if I ate a whole pizza! And YES, I have eaten a whole pizza once or twice in my life! The muffins just seem to sit in my stomach like a ton of bricks. But others like muffins so I could always bring some to my mom, grandmother, kid's teachers etc... Right?

WRONG! These turned out sooooo good that a couple made it to my mom's house and that was it! We gobbled them up for 2 days and then I froze just a couple for some special morning when I really wanted a sweet confection. Really these are probably THE best muffins I have ever had. You must give them a try.

Blueberry Muffins Recipe
(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Greek style yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp flour (if using defrosted frozen berries)

cinnamon sugar mixture

1 Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel.

4 Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour.

5 Use a standard 12-muffin muffin pan. Coat each muffin cup lightly with oil using a pastry brush, or with a little butter. Or use one of those convenient vegetable oil sprays. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve slightly warm.

Just perfect! And soooo moist. Delish!

P.S. If you think I am missing or MIA recently and possibly continue to forget to visit or post now and then it is just because with the warm, summer-like weather we have had here in So. Cal., I have been inspired to get off the computer and play with the kids, go for long walks, go to the pool (our community pool is now heated again), exercise, take the kids to Disneyland (with our passes), go to the pool, go out to eat, make margaritas, drink wine outdoors, go skating, go to the pool, make black bean soup, make cilantro pepita dressing, make cocktails, go to the pool, go to the beach, make more play dates, sign the kids up for camp, go to the pool, watch movies, have friends over for dinner, make food out of nothing, teach a friend from Romania how to make Mexican food, go to the pool, help plan a cousin's wedding, make birth announcements, go to the pool, go shopping, go to sushi, buy clothes, go to the pool, make mini tuna crab cakes in little mini tortilla bowls and take them to friends at the pool (I am so mad I didn't take a picture of this yesterday! They were GOOD, cute and I didn't even think I had anything for lunch before envisioning it), meet up with old friends you now talk to on FB, go to a museum, order pizza with friends, have more friends over, did I say go to the pool?

Needless to say my kids are progressing by leaps and bounds in their swimming skills. They are great. I am proud. We are fat, VERY tan and happy. So if you do miss me... I think you know where to find me! AT THE POOL! So come on down and join us! Bring some sunscreen.

Left-over Gruyère and Cider Fondue Sandwich

2009-04-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

This post is in honor of Kathy's Grilled Cheese Pageant at her blog Panini Happy.

She gave plenty of time for all to enter. I had some great thoughts and ideas. Who doesn't love grilled cheese. And it is SO easy! But with my own "Open House", Easter etc... Time danced quickly away from me and the last minute was nearing. I didn't have everything I needed to make a Croque Monsieur like I wanted. I didn't have fresh mozzarella so my favorite tomato, basil, mozzarella was out. Plus that is fairly common. The good news? I had some left-over cheese fondue. Maybe I could do something with that. And I had some homemade bread. But when I woke up, there was NOT much of that even left! Paul had eaten some for breakfast.

So what you see above is ALL of the bread left in the house! The filling is left over fondue from Easter. I had made Bon Appetit's Gruyère and Cider Fondue from the March issue for an Easter appetizer. It was fantastic on Easter and I hated to throw away the left-overs, but each time I stared at the sad lump of cheese in my refrigerator, I was uninspired. The pageant was a good opportunity to use it. It was a more spreadable texture given the alcohol it was cooked with. And it did not look very appetizing at first. As it cooked though, the cheese gained back some of its sheen and melted around my panini press. Still it didn't look all that pretty. I paired it with bacon as originally I served it with sausage and thought it was a nice change yet complimentary. It was good. But something seemed missing. Maybe the bacon should have been inside?

I wish I had taken photos of the original fondue. It was great paired with bread (of course), small potatoes, green apples and kielbasa sausage. But we were so busy with the Easter egg hunt, scavenger hunt, jumping on the trampoline, eating candy, visiting with relatives, swimming, two big birthdays (my sister's 40th and my cousin's 30th, and eating more treats and goodies than anyone needs, that I totally got sidetracked and forgot!

Yes! My son opened all of his Easter eggs and candy onto the trampoline and began to eat and then jump, eat and then jump. Everyone was cracking up! He is SUCH a Dennis the Menace!

Click on the collage to see the images better if you like!

Welcome to Open House Night!

2009-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Open House Night! This is a sort of belated blogoversary celebration for me. It has been just over a year since beginning the blog. And what a fun ride it has been. I have learned so much from the new dishes I created and from all of you. Mostly, I am grateful for the new friends I have made and finding such a warm and generous community of fellow foodies!

A big thank you to those who participated in the party and brought something to share. I really appreciate the time and effort. Not to mention the delicious recipes! YUMMY!

As with any party, real or virtual, I would like to start by offering you a drink! Here is a Greek Skinos on the rocks with a slice of lemon.

This beverage is brought by my good friend Peter at Kalofagas. If you you aren't familiar with Peter and his cooking, you are missing out! I highly recommend heading over and sampling some great Greek cuisine. It is all to die for! Today Peter brought the Greek liquer, Skinos which is made from mastic gum. He grabbed a tumbler, threw in some ice and poured us a good shot which is garnished with a slice of lemon. Let's sip and savour this one slowly! It is a sweeter drink, perfect for after dinner. For more on the drink or Peter head here.

How about a cookie to go with your drink? Check out these adorable Butterfly Sugar Cookies.

These were brought over from Kathy at Cooking on the Side. Not only are they delicious looking and cute but I love that they fit in with my stationery style at Miss 'N Nick Designs! How fun is that! Kathy is one ambitious and talented young mother. Not only does she stay at home with her toddler but she manages to now have two fabulous food blogs with a ton of followers. Panini Happy is Kathy's first blog and is devoted to panini sandwiches. Cooking on the Side is her newest. It explores the recipes which are printed on packages we all have at home. How creative is that! Read the recipe and more about these darling butterfly cookies here!

Are you more in the mood for chocolate? Try some of these Walnut & Chocolate Mini Balls!

Coming all the way from Canela's Kitchen in Santiago, Chile, these little spheres of goodness should tame even the fiercest of sweet tooths. I know they are fantastic as Canela certainly knows her way around a kitchen especially in the baked goods department. Note: She is as sweet as her sweets too! Check out her blog for a healthy dose of yum and some beautiful music to listen to as you read. For the how to and ingredients for the Chocolate balls, click here.

Still not rich and chocolatey enough for you? Dive on into this Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookie Cake! Talk about sinful! With this around you KNOW it is a special occasion.

This amazing tower of goodness is brought over from Kristen at Dine & Dish. Kristen is a multi-talented, multi-tasking mom of three wows me with all she can accomplish. Imagine pulling off this cake with three young ones! Oh but wait, she is also in her third trimester and expecting a fourth soon! How she manages to maintain such an amazing site, writing and cooking while raising these kids is beyond me. It must be the organizational skills coupled with an amazing attitude. At present she is even organizing the third round of Adopt a Blogger! Check it out on her site. Click here for the recipe on this chocolate masterpiece.

Had your fill of sweets? Would you prefer to start with the savory? Step on over here and try some of this amazing White Bean Dip with Pita Chips.

This white bean hummus is a perfect appetizer for just about any occasion. Melissa at Alosha's Kitchen pitched this one in and I couldn't be happier with how well it complimented all the other dishes. Now if you haven't sat down over at Melissa's blog yet, you must. Melissa claims she only started cooking a few years ago but you wouldn't know it when you look at the dishes this witty writer pulls out from her oven! Wow! She looks like a pro to me. Go check it out and see what you think. For the recipe on the white bean dip made with cannellini beans pop over here.

I made a few made a couple dishes myself too. The first is a Spanish Tortilla (often called tortilla de patatas or tortilla española). I have really been wanting to make one of these for a while. It is basically just potatoes and eggs cooked in a pan until browned. Who wouldn't love that? I read about them in many blogs and magazines and for some reason had never tried it. Even when I was in Spain one time. I thought this party was the perfect occasion to give it a go.

I based my recipe on a very simple one I found at the Food Network site. But I combined ideas and techniques from a few other recipes I read as well.

Spanish Tortilla

Ingredients

4-6 medium-small yukon gold potatoes, sliced thin
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
4 extra large eggs
a few splashes of half and half or milk (about 1/8 cup)

Slice the potatoes evenly and fairly thin. I used a mandolin set at 1/8". Slice the onion in the same fashion.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Cook the potatoes and onions on medium to low heat until they begin to soften. Some may begin to color or turn golden. Continue cooking and turning until the potatoes are cooked through but not falling apart or breaking. Remove the potatoes from the pan and drain in a collindar.

Meanwhile break the eggs into a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in milk. Add the potatoes and onions to the eggs mixture and toss until coated and evenly mixed.

Wipe out the frying pan and return to stove.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on a high heat and pour in the mixture, moving it around in the pan to make it lie evenly. Fry until golden brown on the bottom side. Turn down the heat and allow to cook for a couple minutes more to set the inside. The top may still be a bit runny. Continue to cook until the bottom is browned.

Slide the tortilla onto a large plate. Place the pan onto the plate and using oven mitts, flip the tortilla so the top side is now on the botttom. Return the pan to the stove and fry the other side until golden brown.

Slice into wedges and serve. DELISH!

Now I needed something to go with the Spanish tortilla. I opted for my famous (in my family) antipasto platter. The star of this platter is Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers from Bon Appetit. The first time I made it, I knew it was a keeper. And now it is one of my favorite go-to recipes for parties. EVERYONE loves it! I mean EVERYONE!

Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons capers, chopped

Overlap cheese slices on medium platter.

I like to make a pretty platter with a variety of tasty items that all go together. I often vary what I put on the platter but I almost always place roasted red and yellow bell peppers, a mixture of tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic, salamis, prociutto, and olives. Other options are different meats, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, or different cheeses. Be creative. Use what is on hand and play with the color to make an attractive arrangement.

Serve with fresh bread. In this instance I once again made Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

_________________________________________________________________
But wait! Don't forget! There is a giveaway too! The winner can be found at this post on the
Miss 'N Nick Design Blog! Or leave a comment here asking me and I will reply posthaste!

Don't Forget!!! The Virtual Open House Extravaganza + a Giveaway!

2009-04-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

You are ALL invited! In honor of Art and Aioli's ONE year anniversary, I am hosting a VIRTUAL Open House night with food, wine, art and great company!

I would love for you to participate! Bring an appetizer, beverage, or dessert to share. Or send me some artwork to hang on the wall. I will need your food and art submissions by 6am April 13th.

Please send entries to missNnick [at] gmail [dot] com. Include "A and A Open House" in the subject line. Make sure your photos are at least 150 x 150 pixels (square). You will need to include your name, blog name and URL, the name of your entry (dish), the permalink to your entry, and a link back to Art and Aioli!
(Note: There are TWO "N"s in the email address)

Don't forget the giveaway too!
2 Individuals (drawn at random) will each

receive 2 boxes of the invitation of their choice*
Plus free typesetting
All from Miss 'N Nick Designs

In order to be eligible for the drawing to win the invitations, you must pop on over to my Stationery Blog at Miss 'N Nick and leave a comment there. You can reach the proper post here: http://missnnick.com/blog/2009/03/spring-celebratory-giveaway.html

Tell a blog buddy!

Onion Soup - Comfort Food at its Best!

2009-04-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

Spring has been a little funny this year. We have had a few warm days, some mild days and a few down right chilly days (for California that is). I also have read that a lot of you in different parts of the country or the world are facing a really cold spring, possibly some snow even. I really cannot imagine. But given the pending rain in the next day or two here, I thought I would offer up one of my very favorite comfort foods which is perfect for a chilly night. Although, unless temperatures are over 85°, I am happy with it any time.

French Onion Soup! Simple and so easy to make and it never fails to make me happy. You can look around at recipes and may have a favorite of your own. Frankly they all seem pretty similar to me. If you taste and add as you go, you should get it just right for your taste. Here is what I put in.

French Onion Soup (adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

Ingredients
2 Tbls unsalted butter
2 Tbls olive oil
5-6 onions sliced thinly
1-3 cloves of garlic diced
1-2 Tbls. fresh chopped thyme (tarragon also works really well)
1/4 cup dry sherry, cognac, or wine (I use sherry usually)
4 cups beef stock (or more to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

French Bread (stale or toasted works best)
Cheese (I prefer a good Swiss cheese such as Gruyère or Emmenthaler. But Mozzarella or provolone also work well. I also think it sometimes melts faster when grated but is prettier if you slice it before putting it under the broiler.)

Melt the butter with olive oil in large stock pot. Add onions, thyme or tarragon and garlic. Cook on medium to low heat until the onions begin to color and turn golden. This will take some time. Stir occasionally and allow at least 20 minutes or more. At this point you can put a lid on the pot and allow the onions to continue their slow cook until brown. Check it often and stir occasionally. Once again, this may take time. Up to another 30 minutes to an hour.

When the onions are the desired color add the alcohol and cook down for a minute or two. Add your stock and bring to a boil.. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or more. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon into individual bowls or cruets. Place a piece of toast or bread onto the soup, top with the cheese and place under the broiler until cheese is browned. Serve right away.

BE CAREFUL! I know you are aware that things from the oven are hot but something about these bowls with cheese under the broiler. REALLY hot and easy to burn yourself on. It is also very hot when you take that first bite. I don't know how many times, my tongue has been numbed with burns from onion soup!

To take comfort to an even more comfortable level (especially with little ones). On this particular evening I paired the soup with a simple burger. The kids love theirs with mustard. Normally I want my hamburger with the works but with such a substantial soup, good meat and....

Freshly made rolls created from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day recipe, simple was just right!

And to make the children (and big adult kids) happy, I worked up a batch of homemade fries as well. Remember when I said I was going to blanch a bunch of potatoes and freeze them in this post? Well let me tell you! I did it. I must have cut and blanched about 15 or more potatoes in my deep fryer. When they had cooled enough I put them in ziplock bags and placed them in the freezer. The result was a much quicker homemade fry on the night desired and it was SO crispy! It is my new method. If I have any potatoes and spare time, I will blanch and freeze for the future. The kids love them. I know fries aren't very healthy but it has to be better than fast food right?

________________________________________________________________
Don't forget to RSVP to my virtual Open House and stationery give away! The deadline has been extended until April 12th. Just email a good party recipe to missNnick [at] gmail [dot] com (missNnick@gmail.com) and include your name, blog address, permalink to the entry and a link back to me! Can't wait to see you there! (Note: There are TWO "N"s in the email address.)

Caramel Rolls- A breakfast treat, dessert or indulgent snack

2009-04-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

WARNING! Proceed with caution and continue reading at your own risk. If you are an individual who has chosen to sacrifice something for lent such as sweets, sugary substances, pastries, junk food, dessert, over indulgences or carbohydrates-- discontinue reading now and come back April 12th or later. In the event that you do choose to continue reading, note that Art and Aioli and all associated with this blog are in no way responsible in any way, shape or form for you breaking any resolutions, diets or promises to yourself or anyone else. I am in no way to be held liable for what you may or may not do with this recipe and the final product.

Are you still reading? I owe this recipe to Kristen over at Dine and Dish. And at this point I don't know whether to thank her with the biggest hug ever or to be very angry as these things are so addicting and delicious, I could not stop eating them. And the thing is they are so easy to make. Aside from needing just a little patience for the rising time, it came together in minutes! It was so much easier than when I made these cinnamon rolls! Do you remember them? Oh yes. They were great! But a little time consuming. And you know what? These are ALMOST as good if not just as good and so very very simple. I couldn't believe it. I've got to hand it to Kristen for always finding simple and utterly scrumptious recipes. Go check out her site!

Mom’s Caramel Rolls (from Sidd on Recipezaar)

Like Kristen did, I halved this recipe since it was just for my family and it yielded PLENTY. 12 very decent sized rolls! Kristen used her bread maker for much of the beginning but I just used my hands. Sometimes it is soothing and really, it was just so simple.

Actually I halved MOST of the recipe. I did go ahead and make ALL of the topping and felt it was the right amount. We love that gooey, drippy, luscious stuff and if you are going to be this bad, you might as well go all the way! I also added nuts to the topping of one pan of rolls. I just love nuts with this kind of thing. But my kids prefer it without. Next time I think I will roll some nuts up inside the rolls when I sprinkle the cinnamon sugar onto the dough.

2½ hours | 2 hours prep

SERVES 18

2 cups warm water (not hot)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast (2 T bulk)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter (let sit out until soft)
1 egg
6 1/2 cups flour
cinnamon-sugar mixture

Topping

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons water

Mix water and yeast and wait 5 minutes.
Stir in sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour.
Add egg and butter and mix.
Stir in rest of flour by hand, if dough is still sticky add just enough to make it not sticky anymore.
Let raise until dough is double in size.
Sprinkle flour on surface and roll dough out until is approx 18 X 12 inches.
Spread a very thin layer of soft butter on dough and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on it.
Roll dough from the long side, it should look like a log.
Cut into 1 inch pieces.
Should be 18 pieces.
Place brown sugar and butter into microwave dish and heat until butter is just melted; stir well.
Stir in 3 T water.
Divide mixture into 3 pans (8-inch cake pans).
Place 6 pieces in each pan.
Let raise for about 45 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes in a 325°F oven.
When you take out of oven, turn each pan of rolls over on a plate, otherwise you will have a hard time getting them out when they cool.
If you can, let them cool slightly and enjoy them when they are still warm.

It is killing me to even write this post. I want one so bad. Perhaps I should make these for Easter Sunday! YUM! My extended family would love them.

Thanks Kristen!

Don't forget to RSVP to my virtual Open House! Just email a recipe to missNnick [at] gmail [dot] com and include your name, blog address, permalink to the entry and a link back to me! Can't wait to see you there! (Note: There are TWO "N"s in the email address.)

DEALS and STEALS! A guide to eating out for less in Orange County

2009-03-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

You love food. And maybe you are a good cook but who doesn't love to eat out now and then? I know I do. But it is just a little harder for everyone, no matter what your situation may be. In the current economy we are all cutting back.

I have some great news though! You don't have to blow your budget every time you eat out. You can have your cake and EAT it too!

Get Happy at Happy Hour!
Many restaurants offer happy hour deals. If your job is flexible or you are able to get out early, you can still enjoy some very good food at prices that are up to half off the regular menu prices. Check your local favorite spots for happy hour times and prices.

And check THIS out! Here in Orange County Happy Hour Week is coming up! April 12th-18th, many fabulous OC eateries are offering special happy hour menus all day, all week! You HAVE to check it out! What a deal! Nearly a steal. If you aren't in Southern California, maybe you can Google around and find a site with restaurant deals in your neighborhood.

Kids Eat Free!
Now for the real STEAL! Yes, it is true. You can take the kids out for FREE! Many restaurants are trying to help out people with families. In Orange County and probably in your area as well, restaurant all over are choosing a day to offer free kids meals with the purchase of an adult meal. Here are some sites that feature the deals around this town:
http://www.lilaguide.com/forums/t/138.aspx
http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/2008/07/22/kids-eat-free-in-the-oc/
http://www.ocfamily.com/t-EatUp_OC_restaurants_kids_eat_free0908.aspx

I hope you can find some great deals in your area as well.

Now for a quick bite from the Art and Aioli test kitchen.

Just add some special sauces to snazz it up!

We had my son's 3rd birthday over the weekend. Since it was at a park, I needed to think simple and easy to transport. My sister suggested Togo's. Well their sandwiches are okay but they don't thrill me too much. I decided to just make my own.

First up was purchasing good bread. That is a MUST. I made two kinds of sandwich. One was a fairly classic Italian Sub. I just mixed up my own sort of vinaigrette sauce. Don't forget to offer peppercinis!

The other sandwich I offered was a turkey sandwich with an avocado basil aioli. Let me tell you, the aioli came out GREAT!

Have fun with your sandwiches and play around with sauces and ingredients.

Avocado Basil Aioli

Ingredients
1/2 recipe of this homemade mayonnaise (I added 3 cloves of garlic)*
1 1/2 avocados cut up
large handful of basil

Put your mayonnaise in the food processor. Add the avocado and basil and blend to the desired consistency. Quick and easy. It is ready to go!

* If you don't want to make the homemade mayonnaise, use 1 to 1/2 cups of good quality commercial mayonnaise.

** Mix it up. Add cilantro instead of basil... or try some tarragon and roasted garlic... how about roasted red peppers and oregano... lemon zest and rosemary. I could go on and on. The possibilities are endless!

Don't forget to RSVP to my virtual Open House! Just email a recipe to missNnick [at] gmail [dot] com and include your name, blog address, permalink to the entry and a link back to me! Can't wait to see you there!

You're Invited!!! A Virtual Open House Extravaganza + a Giveaway!

2009-03-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

You are ALL invited! In honor of Art and Aioli's ONE year anniversary, I am hosting a belated blogoversary bash! As a culinary art studio, it will be an Open House night with food, wine, art and great company I hope! Stop by any time on Tuesday April 14th to check it out.

But I would love for you to participate as well! Bring an appetizer, beverage, or dessert to share. Or send me some artwork to hang on the wall. It must be tasteful and suitable for audiences of all ages. I will need your food and art submissions by April 8th to make sure I have time to hang it and set it all out on the buffet table. I do want to make a nice presentation for the very first Art and Aioli Open House night.

Please send entries to missNnick [at] gmail [dot] com. Include "A and A Open House" in the subject line. Make sure your photos are at least 150 x 150 pixels (square). You will need to include your name, blog name and URL, the name of your entry (dish), the permalink to your entry, and a link back to Art and Aioli!

In addition to a wonderful party spread, I am going to do a new giveaway!

2 Individuals (drawn at random) will each
receive 2 boxes of the invitation of their choice*
Plus free typesetting

All from Miss 'N Nick Designs

But here is the catch! While I would love for you to leave a comment on this post and gladly welcome any thoughts, in order to be eligible for the drawing to win the invitations, you must pop on over to my Stationery Blog at Miss 'N Nick and leave a comment there telling me why you prefer traditional invitations in the mail as opposed to Evites or emails etc... You must leave the comment by midnight on April 10th in order to be in the drawing. You can reach the proper post here: http://missnnick.com/blog/2009/03/spring-celebratory-giveaway.html

I am so excited. I just know we'll have a great turn out. Don't forget the deadline is April 8th for recipe entries and April 10th for contest entries. Tell a blog buddy!

*NOTE: The Cupcake invitations are NOT available for this offer. As one of our most popular designs, we are back ordered on this piece for about a month and I do not want to offer something that will not be available right away. Also note that if you need more than 2 boxes (20 invitations) , the two winners will also have the option of purchasing more of the same invitations or matching note cards at a 10% discount in conjunction with this giveaway extravaganza.

__________________________

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Hungry right now? Try some of this!

Chinese Chicken in Lettuce Leaves

adapted from The Sterling Performance Cookbook

3 Tbls. oil (I use vegetable but add a small splash of chili and sesame oil as well for some heat)
1 1/3 cups finely chopped chicken breast
1 cup seeded and finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 Tbls. sugar
1/2 Tbls. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 1/2 Tbls. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tbls. soy sauce
3 Tbls. water
1 Tbls. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 large scallion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the chicken, green or red pepper, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until the peppers turn a deeper color and the chicken is cooked, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, soy sauce, water, and lemon juice to the chicken mixture, stirring well. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove the chicken from the heat. Sprinkle with the scallion and walnuts and garnish with cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.

Make spicy dipping sauce!

Spicy Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/8 cup or more soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 or more tsp. chili oil
1-2 tsp. hot chinese mustard
1-2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
A few scallions

Stir all the above ingredients together in a bowl until well blended.

To serve plase 2 or 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on a lettuce leaf, roll up; and place on serving dish. Pass the sauce separately.

Listen! If you are a fan of the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's, then you will like these. They are just as good. If not (dare I say???)... Better!

Tips: Cut the chicken pieces as small as you can. It is the hardest part of this dish. To make it easier to cut, freeze the chicken a little while or let frozen chicken thaw out partway.

Hey, did you know we are now on Facebook? Join the group. It's a lot of fun and a wonderful forum of ideas.

Putting Some Art in Today!

2009-03-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

"You've Got a Friend" 2009 • By Sand Artist Ilana Yahav

You all know this blog is mostly food or the art of food. But just wanted to share an extremely beautiful video of sand art. It is amazing how this woman works and creates so quickly! Inspiring!

I received the video via email. The sand artist is Ilana Yahav. Check out her website: http://www.sandfantasy.com/

Irish Meets American- My St. Paddy's Day Meal

2009-03-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Happy belated St. Patrick's Day to all of you. I hope it was a good one filled with corned beef, green beer or whatever floats your boat.

I don't usually do anything especially Irish on St. Patrick's Day. It's pathetic I know. Maybe because I only have a wee amount of Irish in me (hear my strong Irish Brogue?). In reality the the holiday is to honor St. Patrick, think about the start of spring and get a much welcome reprieve from Lenten resolutions. Now it is just an excuse to party! I remember one year, in my younger, single days, in which my friend and I got to an Irish pub a little before 5pm. After over an hour and a half of standing in line with no real signs of promise that we would EVER get in, we hightailed it out of there and had a glass of wine at some "non-Irish" and probably classier bar. That line thing was NOT up our alley. Nor is getting there and beginning to drink in the "wee" hours of the morning. Some people have to work! I'll go to an Irish pub another day of the year.

This year, however, I was in the mood to make the infamous corned beef! But my husband didn't think he would like it or eat it. Soooo picky! ;( So I came up with the idea of corned beef and pastrami sandwiches with cold slaw! At the last minute we invited a couple neighbors over too. I made green malts for the kids. The guys had beer and the women, wine. So you see... it wasn't quite corned beef and cabbage nor was it exactly hamburgers and fries. But very Irish-American wouldn't you say?

I didn't get a great picture of the cold slaw but I made it with my grandmother's ultra simple recipe with a little modification. She used just the cabbage, mayonnaise, a splash of white wine vinegar and a teeny teeny bit of sugar plus salt and pepper. We don't measure much in my family. My changes were, adding green onions, green bell pepper sliced very very thin and I used Julia Child's recipe for homemade mayonnaise. This was a GOOD cold slaw! I am picky about cold slaw but this was good!

I purchased the deli meat and amazing Gruyere cheese at this awesome German Deli near here. Mattern Deli has THE best sausage, meats, roast beef, pastrami and more. I love their sandwiches! And the bread... so different from that you find in most any other market. If you are in Orange, go check them out!

I thought the kids, as well as the adults might like a little pot of gold to go with their meal.
May the luck of the Irish be with you this year. We could all use a little pot of gold about now!

For a little more depth on the holiday and it's traditions, check out this video.

Double Double Protein Style!

2009-03-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many of you are familiar with In 'N Out. They really do have GREAT cheeseburgers!

How many of you know about the "secret" menu? Well in case you don't know, there are a number of ways to order your burger that are not posted on the menu boards at the restaurant. My favorite alternative to the regular cheeseburger is the "Double Double Protein Style"! This burger comes sans (without) a bun and is good for those minding their carbs more than their calories. And let me tell you... it is soooooo good! Almost just as satisfying as the regular double double! Go on... get a burger today!

Cherry Berry Shortcake and My First Recipe Contest

2009-03-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

It all started out with the contest. Do you know the one? Did any of you enter? The contest that Foodbuzz was running for Outstanding in the Field sponsored by Quaker True Delights. Well it called for recipe entries using on or more of the following ingredients:

Cashews • Chocolate • Raspberry • Almond • Bananas • Coconut • Macadamia nuts • Cherries • Cranberries

And the winner gets a trip to Chicago and an amazing outdoor dinner. So I thought... why not? Let's give it a shot! But the ingredients lent themselves more to a sweet concoction than that of a savory one. I can create and make up sauces, dips, appetizers and the like but a dessert? That is not as easy. What would be the point anyway? I never win anything. But the challenge was gnawing at me. I started to brainstorm. Cheesecake kept popping into my head. But could I pull it off? I kept toying with ideas. There were a few. Then it was coming down to the wire. The due date was Feb. 28th. Cheesecake has to be made a day ahead and I hadn't even gotten ingredients or decided the dish completely. Oh hurry up! Just choose, shop and get on with it!

And so I did! What I came up with is a Cherry Berry Shortcake as I call it. From their list, I used raspberries, sour cherries and macadamia nuts. I felt the shortcake idea was something loved by all and not as pretentious as cheesecake can be at times. It is homey and comfortable.

The base or cake I created was inspired by combing parts of my scone recipe with a traditional Scottish shortbread recipe and then I threw in some cream cheese in honor of my jam crescent cookies. I am calling this biscuit a Macadamia Shortbread Scone!

The cream topping was inspired by both clotted cream, whipped cream and cheesecake and has elements of all three in the ingredients and flavor.

As for the berry sauce, I used my grandmother's raspberry sauce for cheesecake as the jumping off point, added the cherries and made a few tweaks here and there.

It wasn't that easy. The hardest part was remembering to write the measurements and ingredients down as I went. Because at times I started small and added. So my paper had many scribbles and crossed out numbers etc.. The end result? Well it was pleasing to the eye and the taste? Soooo fabulously good! It was just amazing! The shortbread scones are right up my alley. My sister, cousins, mom and even my picky husband just couldn't get enough.

Here is my recipe. It is kind of long due to the 3 parts. But it is not really that time consuming.

CHERRY BERRY SHORTCAKE

Macadamia Nut Shortbread Scones

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus a tiny bit more if you wish for sweeter scones)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
About 1 cup chopped madadamia nuts
10 Tbls. butter (cold)
4 oz. cream cheese (cold)
1/2 cup sour cream (heavy cream that has soured or regular cream or milk will work)

In large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder until mixed. Add the macadamia nuts.

Cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients until it resemble course meal. Add the cream (or milk) and stir until the ingredients hold together and form a dough. Using your hands shape the dough into a 2-3 inch thick log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Pull the cold log of dough out of the refrigerator and roll into plain granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut into 1 1/2 inch discs and place onto baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly colored. Cool.

Sour Cherry, Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup pomegranate jelly
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
1 Tbls. cornstarch
1-3 Tbls. sugar
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
3/4 cup frozen sour cherries

Mix the cornstarch, lemon juice and pomegranate jelly in small bowl until combined. Pour into sauce pan along with the raspberry preserves and heat on medium low until no longer cloudy and sauce begins to thicken. Add the frozen fruit and heat until warm and beginning to bubble. The frozen raspberries will begin to break apart. Add sugar to taste. Remove from heat and cool. Can be made a day ahead.

Whipped Lemon Cream

Ingredients
4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1/3 cup sour cream (commercial)
3 Tbls. granulated sugar
2-3 Tbls. lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4-1/3 cup powdered sugar (to taste)

Combine cream cheese, creme fraiche, sour cream, lemon and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.

Meanwhile put heavy cream in a large bowl and beat until beginning to thicken. Add vanilla and powdered sugar (to taste). Continue to whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until just mixed.

Assemble the Dish

Place the macadamia shortbread scone on a plate. Pour a little berry sauce over it. Top with whipped lemon cream and a little more sauce.

Garnish with fresh berries, macadamia nuts or an extra scone piece. Serve immediately.

Now I wonder who won? Have you heard? I cannot find a post or announcement on the Foodbuzz site. I thought the results would be in today or sooner? We shall see. I am not holding my breath. But maybe you should until you try my dessert. It is worth the effort!

Welcome to My Culinary Art Studio

2009-03-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! If you are a returning friend, WELCOME BACK! In the past few months or more I have been back and forth and in and out of working on this blog. At times it was just too busy. I had too much to do and too much to take care of. This is the main reason for my absences.

Then a few weeks ago, my one year anniversary in which I began blogging was to arrive. I wanted to do something special. Have a great meal or dish or post or giveaway. The day began to approach rapidly and I had no great ideas. No fabulously perfect dishes to share. I wasn't altogether that busy. I had many posts and photos in the vaults and in my head but I was out of steam. I was just not motivated. I did not feel happy. There are many things to worry about these days with the recession, loss of jobs, money problems, mortgage issues... Many of us are having a hard time. The weight of all these things was upon me and I just could not write, could not concentrate. But as will all things we pick ourselves up, dust off and begin again refreshed.

My goals are many. My hopes are high. My dreams are vast. With this blog, I truly want to make improvements. I want to work harder at providing new recipes. I want to post more often. I want to work harder at my writing skills and food photography. I want to visit other blogs more often. My hope is to provide an enjoyable site with useful tips, recipes, hints and information. One that is fun to read and view as well as something worth continually returning to. I want a more professional outlook yet will still write from my heart and personal feelings. My children will undoubtably pop into the mix from time to time. How can they not? They are the biggest part of my life.

For all of you that are regular visitors, you will note the new masthead. I had an idea for this header nearly a year ago but needed the time to set up the "artist's table". After a couple hundred shots and different configurations from simple to complex, I then went to the computer and played and created in order to come up with the new one above. Within this post you can see my two runner-ups. In the sidebar you can see some of my favorite close up shots from the day. The main idea was to play with the "art" concept along with the "aioli". I wanted it to look like an artist's work table. The work, the art will be the posts. The food. The writing. The creating of recipes and meals and parties. Cooking is an art. To really be good, one should be able to use creativity. Plating of food can be wonderfully gorgeous and have amazing design qualities. So within this site I hope to realize my art as a designer, a chef and a writer.

Thank you to everyone who comes to read and respond to Art and Aioli, a blog about art, food and the art of food. Cheers to you all and here's to new beginnings and hope for more flavorful days to come.

Pesto for Peter

2009-02-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

Have I ever told you that at one time in my life I did not care much for Italian food? Seriously! I really did not care for it! Oh I liked pizza! That was always good. But pastas... Meehhhh. Marinara bored me and was just not very good. Pesto was horrific. Alfredo was good for about one bite and then felt heavy. They were just there and never fabulous. And really the only thing I thought of as Italian was pasta and pizza. That was in high school. And then I went to Italy the summer after Junior year! Oh boy! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I could not get enough. After eating so much I was nearly comatosed at lunch, I lay there and counted the hours until dinnertime. I adored the pasta. I loved the pasta in France, Austria and Switzerland too!

My tastes must have changed. So I came back to the US ready to embrace Italian food and slurp it up with gusto. But the next time I had spaghetti... Meehhh! Blah, boring, blech, nadda. I was not interested. What was the difference? Why did I like it there?

It didn't take long to figure it out. Here at home I was used to mostly marinara sauce from a jar and dry pasta that was cooked a bit longer than the proper al dente. Or places like the Old Spaghetti Factory. It isn't horrible food there or anything but it is so... American? Or? Just not like the tiny little restaurants I frequented in Italy. In Italy, it was all very fresh, very good ingredients. The sauces were often simple but you could taste the ingredients and they did not overpower the noodles. The pasta was al dente.... just the right amount of bite to it and not the limp kind I was accustomed to. The portions were also smaller. Pasta is not the MAIN course but a small first plate. I don't want a huge portion of pasta normally.

Now I think you can find decent pasta at restaurants sometimes. Americans started catching on to the fact that the pasta should be al dente. Home chefs often began making their own sauces. It is definitely better. But it will never be the same as in Italy... How could it?

So when I make pasta, I always make my own sauces. It is really quite easy and doesn't take much longer than opening up a jar. I do use the dry noodles most of the time. It is easier to just have it on hand. My Italian friends use them. It is just important not to cook them too long. Once in a while I even use a jar of pre-prepared marinara or red sauce. It is palatable. But I can rarely leave it alone. I almost always doctor it up. Unless I am just making it for the kids. But when it comes to pesto sauce, I have tried jar after jar after jar and really I can barely stand to eat a bite. It is never good. I went back to the supposition that I really just don't care for pesto. Until I made my own! What else was I to do with some sad wilted basil?

After I whirred together a few simple fresh ingredients, I stirred it into some homemade pasta from my farmer's market. The pasta was warm and perfectly al dente. I took a bite. My eyes closed. Imagine a chorus of Alleluias swirling my head. This was heavenly! And so easy!

Simple Fresh Pesto

2-3 cups fresh basil leaves
2-6 cloves of garlic (I like a lot so I use 5 or 6 cloves)
2-3 Tbls. pine nuts
1/4-1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan

Olive Oil (amount is determined by what consistency you prefer)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, blend the basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan. With the processor going, slowly add the olive oil scraping down the sides occasionally. Keep adding the oil until the pesto is the consistency you desire.

At this point I taste the sauce and decide if it needs more garlic, nuts, basil or cheese. Add and adjust to your taste along with the salt and pepper.

Best if used immediately but it should store in the refridgerator for up to a week. But really it is better right away. I do not heat it directly on the stove. Simply stir it into warm pasta. Or put it on top of some bread or pizza or an egg or a sandwich or... I am sure there are many things it would work well with.

I am dedicating this pesto to my friend Peter (and Kimberly) because I wish this is what I had made for him and Kimberly when I brought food over a few weeks ago. Instead I brought some curry soup that I felt was just not up to par. Not sure what was wrong with it.

So Kimberly, please try this for your husband. It is easy!

Do You? or Do-U-Not? Do... DOUGHNUTS!!

2009-02-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

We all know that they are VERY fattening! They are not good for you, pure and simple. But do you or do you not just crave a doughnut now and then? Do you or do you not eat them from time to time?

Every so often I sure do crave a GOOD doughnut. And a few weeks ago this craving would not go away. I thought about them day and night for two days. I did not go out to buy any. I considered it. I even considered purchasing some at the market. Can you believe that? I don't know that I have ever bought doughnuts from the regular market. Then I started thinking some more.... My mom always loved her grandmother's homemade doughnuts. Why can't I make my own. Especially since I have a deep fryer now!

Yes. The decision was made. I WOULD make doughnuts from scratch. Now for the recipe. I took a look around my cookbooks. Not much to offer in the way of doughnuts. Then our great vast web. There are plenty to be found here. It seems most doughnuts were of the yeast variety. These are good and I shall try it sometime but when it comes to doughnuts, I usually want the cakier type of dense doughnut or old fashioned glazed doughnuts. Not to say that the chewy Crispy Cream yeast doughnuts aren't tasty. They ARE.

Upon perusal I found a few recipes I really wanted to try. But one really stood out. Because I love the old fashioned buttermilk doughnuts and because I happened to have some buttermilk that needed to be used before it went bad, I tried a recipe for Buttermilk Doughnuts that I found on Stephan's site, This Engineer Can Bake. His Recipe is sited as being adapted from Baking Illustrated.

While my doughnuts were not THE most perfect shape in the world, they did come out as very presentable and wonderful tasting. The only problem is that doughnuts are only really really good the day you make them. And one doughnut is really all one should ever eat in a day. So we all ate TWO! Then I gave some to my mom and grandmother. I also froze some as soon as I though it would not melt the plastic bag I put them in. The frozen doughnuts were pretty darn good several days later. I simply heated them in the toaster oven until warm all the way through. This is definitely the way to go if you don't want to eat them all and feel like a heavy ton of bricks.

Note: I do not have a doughnut cutter. But I do have a very sturdy round cookie cutter which I used for the basic shape. For the hole, I used the cap of a water bottle. It worked well enough but the doughnut holes (which I did fry up as well) were not so perfect looking because they sometimes stuck to the cap.

Buttermilk Doughnuts
Adapted from Baking Illustrated

Makes 15 to 17 doughnuts (assuming they all work out)

3 1/2 cups (17 1/2 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 cup (7 oz) sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup buttermilk
4 tbsp (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk

6 cups peanut/sunflower/safflower oil

Cinnamon Sugar

1 cup sugar (7 oz)
1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. Mix 1 cup (5 oz) flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

2. Mix the buttermilk, butter, and eggs including the yolk in a 2-cup measuring cup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry; beat on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Decrease the speed to low and add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stir the batter once or twice with a wooden spood or rubber spatula to ensure all the liquid is incorporated. (The dough will be moist and tacky, like a cross between cake batter and cookie dough.)

3. Fit a candy thermometer to the side of a cast iron kettle or large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (or simply use a deep-fryer); gradually heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Roll with a heavily floured rolling pin to 1/2-inch thick. Stamp out the dough rings with a heavily floured doughnut cutter (the width of the ring should be about 3/4 inch or less), re-flouring between cuts. Transfer the dough rounds to a baking sheet or large wire rack. Gather the scraps and gently press them into a disk; repeat the rolling and stamping until all the dough is used. (Cut doughnuts can be covered in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)

4. Carefully drop the dough rings into the hot far 4 to 5 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. As soon as they rise to the surface, turn the doughnuts with tongs. Fry the doughnuts until golden brown, about 50 seconds per side (mine took about 3 minutes). Drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or wire rack. Repeat frying, returning the fat to temperature between batches and adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the oil from overheating.

5. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl or pie plate. After the doughnuts have cooled for about 1 minute toss with cinnamon sugar to coat. Alternately, you can also use non-melting powdered sugar if it is available in your area.

Fries Fries Fries... Hurray for Les Pommes Frites!

2009-02-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

Did I ever tell you what I got for Christmas? Well one of the things was a deep fryer. I have always wanted one. I know it isn't healthy but aren't homemade fries better than those from a fast food chain? Or the frozen fries from the market? I think so. After all it is a potato! Along with the fryer, my husband got me a mandolin. In order to really get the french fries right, you need them to be similar in size and shape. The mandolin REALLY helps this out.

If you have been following along for a while, you may remember this post in which I made homemade french fries. Pretty sad when you compare to these beauties! I have made these frites three times now since the holidays and they just keep getting better. A deep fryer and the uniform size is such a great help in making a crisp french fry that is still soft on the inside. With the fryer, they are coming out crisp, golden, hot and full of the potato flavor at the same time. If you are doing french fries at home, this IS the way to go.

Note: Each time I used the mandolin and soaked the cut potatoes in ice water for at least 20 minutes. I then blanched the fries for about 5 minutes in the hot oil and let them cool off for about 10 minutes before refrying for the final result. I salted the hot potatoes after they were finished and while still hot.

One day soon, I plan to blanch a whole bunch of potatos and flash freeze them to use as needed without going through as many steps when we are hungry for these little sticks of yum!

Next time I post on fries, I'll do the sweet potato variety!

Starting Early

2009-02-02T09:57:00.001-08:00

They say that "imitation is the best form of flattery." They also say that the earlier you start, the easier it is to learn and to become very good at something. ~~Who are "THEY"???????? Well let's leave that conversation for another day unless you know the definitive answer!~~

Often when I am taking photos of my food and creations, my kids tell me to take a shot of their plate. I oblige even if their food is not very interesting or well plated. That is the beauty of digital after all. You can take as many photos as you want and it doesn't matter. But the other day, clear out of the blue when I was not working on anything special or using the camera, my daughter told me she needed the camera. You see she has been into making her own sandwich lately. She has a small knife that she likes to use for the mayonnaise and works very hard to make it just right. On this day she was extremely proud because she felt her sandwich was perfect to her specifications. Just the right amount of turkey and salami (her favorite sandwich) and when she bit into it, it kept it's shape and didn't fall apart as many of her creations usually do.

So this post is for Danielle (age 4 1/2). Above you see HER favorite sandwich on her favorite bread. She made it herself. (I cut the bread of course). She shot the photo herself as well. She took a few photos. Of the sandwich and our work environment and one of me!

Danielle's Sandwich Recipe
Use fresh good quality French bread or rustic Italian white bread. Spread an ample amount of good quality mayonnaise onto each piece of bread. Put down a layer of turkey and a few pieces of salami. Put the second piece of bread on top and eat.

Dear Danielle,
Hopefully years from now, you will still be able to find this blog or have some record of it and all the posts and photos. May you have become the beautiful young woman I know you can be and hopefully you will love to cook and take photos like I do and we can share our passion and new recipes together.
Love,
Mommy

My not as messy as usual kitchen and funny pose and over done smile that I seem to make when my child is taking the photo! Another hot day in winter here in sunny CA! I am usually in a tank top.

Simple Yet Satisfying

2009-01-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing a certain 4 letter word splattered all over the blog world the last few weeks. Have you noticed it? Do you know the one I mean?

D-I-E-T! Yes. This is the word to which I refer. Heaven knows that I should take heed and follow some of your leads and go on one of these. I know there are others that feel the same. But the truth is... I have always been very BAD at diets. Do you notice that whatever you are bad at, you seem to do poorly at and you just DO NOT like?

Okay. So let's drop the dreaded 4 letters and just say we need to modify or adjust some habits. Mostly I need and should exercise but frankly as a practically single mom with very small kids and a little business, not to mention some house work, when do you propose I do that? You see, I can type this in 5-10 minute increments. Or while the kids are watching a show or in between little things. But exercise is not so easy to fit in. And as some older and wiser women tell me, "the kids are only really little for such a short period of time."

Okay so let's just work on the food thing. I know I can do better in that department as well. One problem is that though I LOVE to cook, I often say I HATE to make dinner. By this I mean that making dinner is trying to decide what to make for dinner that is at least somewhat kid friendly, healthy, doesn't take too much time out of a busy day and isn't a fortune. COOKING is creating, playing, and fiddling around. Loving the ingredients and letting them help mold the meal. It is an act of love and passion. Making dinner is a way to nourish myself and my family in a healthy, efficient and sensible way. This is not always pure joy. Do you know what I mean?

Well here is one version of a dish I make that is quick, easy, affordable, luxurious and what I consider fairly light or dietetic at the same time.

I don't really know what to call it... Egg on spinach??? Spinach salad with poached egg? What I do is put a good handful of fresh, raw baby spinach on a plate. Meanwhile I caramelize onions and or shallots (in this instance, both) and poach an egg. I drizzle olive oil and possibly a tiny splash of vinegar and fresh ground pepper on the spinach, then top with the onions and egg. The heat from the warm onions and egg will slightly wilt the spinach making it just the perfect texture.

Look how appealing and colorful this is when the egg is cut open. This dish is rich and flavorful and more than filling and satisfying. It comes together in minutes. Spinach is packed with vitamins and minerals. The eggs have such great protein and the onions not only taste like candy but help burn calories to a degree. Now beat that!

The other night I paired it with a small slice of the Trader Joe's Tarte Alsace. I wanted just a little bit of crunch and feeling of bread and the crust is very very thin so I don't feel too too guilty about it. For a frozen food that is ready in minutes, this is amazing. It is probably my all time favorite frozen food of all time (aside from ice cream etc...). If you have a Trader Joe's near you, I highly recommend picking this up and keeping it stocked in the freezer for those night you just can't cook.

Stay tuned for my own homemade versions of the Alsatian Tart. I am still playing around some but have made a few. They are a crowd pleaser to say the least!

And the WINNER is...

2009-01-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love this gorgeous hand painted bowl and serving pieces? I got it as a wedding gift and am afraid to use it for food because it could ruin it. Also... I think it was purchased at an art gallery so I am not sure how safe it would be. I have served fresh bread in it from time to time but that is it. Usually it sits in the kitchen looking pretty. A piece of art as it truly is.

What????

Oh.... You don't care about the bowl? You want me to announce the winner? Okay okay. I will. But first a big THANK YOU to all who commented and continue to visit my site.

It looks as if I will be serving up some personalized wine and cupcake stationery to.....

Congratulations Carla! I am so happy to get your cards out to you. I will be contacting you with the email you provided in order to get your address and find out what you would like me to print on the cards. If you don't receive an email or if you want to contact me, you can do so at missnnick@gmail.com.

I wish I could personalize cards for everyone. But as a sort of consolation prize I am offering up the below recipe to all the participants and all who frequent my blog.

I have been meaning to share this recipe with you since Christmas. Aside from the fact that I haven't had time, I didn't get any great photos. I made them on Christmas Eve and there was just so much to do. The photo above is a shot of the process. I never did get a shot of the finished cookie. Not only have I wanted to share the cookies with you because they are so good but my recipe is on the saddest piece of crumpled, faded, old and jam stained paper you can imagine. It feels slightly like fine fine sand paper from the traces of flour left on it. Having typed out nicely will be a treat for me.

These Jam Crescents are my mother's all time favorite cookie. I make them nearly every year but for some reason usually only at Christmas. I don't know why. They are so good and with a cup of coffee in the morning... Well that is the perfect breakfast! Okay so it's not the most nutritious breakfast but it is damn tasty and just the amount I want in the morning. It is like a little baby pie.

Here is my recipe for JAM CRESCENTS:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
8 ounces of cream cheese (cold) (this is what makes it sooooooo good)
1 cup of butter (2 sticks of cold butter)
2 Tbls. sour cream

Jam or Preserves of your choice (I prefer preserves)

In a large bow mix the flour, sugar and salt until blended. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut the cream cheese and butter into the dry ingredients as you would for pie crust. Do this until the consitency is something like cornmeal. Stir in the sour cream until the dough comes together and you can make a ball. (I tend to use my hands toward the end to get it nice and moist. Do not overwork it though.) When you have a ball of dough, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat your oven to 325°.

Divide the dough into quarters keeping the unused portions in the refrigerator and covered in plastic. Roll out the dough and using a 3" round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles of dough. Place 1 teaspoon of preserves or jam in the center of each circle. (Be sure not to put too much as it will seep out when baking... I am classic at this mistake). Moisten the edge of the dough by dipping your finger in a small bowl of water. Fold one edge over to create the crescent shape and seal it by pressing down the edges with a fork. Prick the top with the fork.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Popular preserve flavors for these cookies in my family are apricot and boysenberry or raspberry. I prefer the latter two. Also note that I tried jelly one time and I don't know what it was but it seemed to melt or dissolve. and REALLY seep all over the place. Somehow the jam or preserves are thicker and hold up better to heat.

Did You Know About This?

2009-01-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Here is just a little tidbit of information for you. It is an email I received a couple months ago. The crazy thing is it is from a friend that is close to my mother's age. She was unaware of this. I didn't know about it. I forwarded to my mother and aunt and others. THEY didn't know about it. Do YOU???

The email states:
"I had to go into the kitchen and check this out for myself. Whoever looks at the end of your aluminum foil box? You know when you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time.

Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, Press here to lock end. Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out when I was trying to cover something up.

I'm sharing this with my friends. I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this."

Go figure! Now tell me... Did you know? I am so curious as to how many people actually ARE aware of it because so far, I haven't met anyone who is. Please let me know.

Reminder: You have until midnight tonight 1/21/09 to make a comment on this post for the giveaway!

100th Post! Back to Cooking and a Giveaway for YOU!

2009-01-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying "HAPPY NEW YEAR" to all of you. Hopefully you missed me in my absence. I do apologize for being MIA for so long. To keep it short and simple... let's just say life got in the way. I have missed blogging and sharing with all of you. And I hope to devote more time to cooking, blogging, recipes and expanding my menus in 2009. But family will always come first.

Now I find it fitting that this very first post of 2009 coincide with my 100th post! So in that honor, I am sharing with you my first attempt at homemade raviolis and a giveaway as well.

The dish I am sharing is from a cookbook I really enjoy as the meals always come out great and it has the most beautiful photos. The book is "Great Recipes for Great Weekends" published by Food & Wine Magazine in 1989, the year I graduated from college. I think it was a graduation gift. I have always admired the photo of their Potato, Onion and Cheese Ravioli in Cheese Béchamel but had not tried it to date. I have always wanted to try my hand at homemade pasta as well. So it was perfect.

Making the pasta dough was a snap. Very easy. Very quick. Turning it into the little raviolis? Well that was not so easy. The main problem is I do not have a pasta machine and could not roll the dough out thin enough. So my raviolis were VERY thick! I also do not have a pasta cutter or ravioli mold so it was all done by hand and some of the raviolis opened a bit in the cooking process. But it did not do too badly.

You can see my raw raviolis here. I cut the edge scraps of dough into pasta ribbons instead of creating more raviolis and in case my kids would prefer the simpler pasta as opposed to the filled pasta.

The filling was with potato, onion and cheese and was so simple, easy, slightly different and delicious! I also think the mixture could be used in lasagna or other Italian dishes. The only substitutions I made in the dish was substituting ricotta for the farmer's cheese as I could not find the latter at the market. The sauce... Well how can you go wrong with Béchamel and cheese???? YUUUUMMMMYYY! This is definitely one I would try again.

Potato, Onion and Cheese Ravioli in Cheese Béchamel

Egg Pasta:
About 2 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
3 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. olive oil
pinch of salt

Potato, Onion and Cheese Filling:
2 medium baking potatoes (about 8 ounces each) peeled and quartered
1 Tbls. olive oil
2 medium onions chopped
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces farmer's cheese (I used ricotta)
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Béchamel Sauce with Cheese:
2 cups milk
Bouquet Garni: 5 sprigs parsley, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme and 1/2 bay leaf tied in a double thickness of cheesecloth
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
3 Tbls. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Additional freshly grated Parmesan, for broiling (optional)

Make the egg pasta: Place 2 1/2 cups of flour in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the whole eggs, egg yolk, oil and salt. Using your fingers or a fork, mix the wet ingredients, gradually incorporating the flour, until the mixture is blended and begins to mass together. The dough should be soft, pliable and sticky. If the dough is too dry and stiff or will not absorb the flour, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Shape the dough into a ball, dust lightly with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for at least 1 hour before rolling out.

Meanwhile, make the Potato, Onion and Cheese Filling: In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain; put through a ricer or the medium disk of a food mill.

While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Puree the onions in a food processor.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, onions, Parmesan, farmer's cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix until well blended.

Make and fill the ravioli: Divide the disk of dough into sixths. Pat out each piece of dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds. Pass the dough through a pasta machine with the rollers set at the widest setting. Continue rolling the pasta into a sheet, reducing the space between the rollers by one number each time, until the pasta has run through at the thinnest setting. Roll out the remaining pieces of dough in the same fashion.

Cut each long sheet of dough into 2 shorter lengths (each one will be at least 12 inches long).

To make free-form ravioli without a mold, place a sheet of dough on a flat surface. Spoon or pipe mounds of filling onto the dough, leaving space between the mounds. Paint the exposed areas with water. Drape a second sheet of pasta over the first. Press down around the mounds of filling to remove the air and to shape the ravioli with your fingers. Press well to seal the edges. Cut out the ravioli with a pastry wheel or ravioli stamp.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

Cook the ravioli, 12 at a time, in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6 to 7 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. The filling will be hot and cooked through. Do not overcrowd or the ravioli might stick together. Drain well.

Make the Béchamel Sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the milk and bouquet garni and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in another heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes without browning to make a roux.

Whisking constantly, strain the boiling milk into the roux. Return to a boil and cook, whisking, until the sauce is thickened and smooth, 3-4 minutes. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cheese.

To serve: coat each portion of ravioli with some of the sauce. Sprinkle on additional Parmesan, if desired. Run under the broiler for 30 seconds, or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve at once.

Try it. You'll like it!

NOW.... Onto the giveaway.

To celebrate my 100th post, the new year and new starts, I am giving away two boxes of note cards from my stationery line. For those of you who are not familiar with it, I own, design and illustrate invitations and note cards for my own line of stationery entitled: Miss 'N Nick Designs. You can see the entire collection at www.missNnick.com.

Since this is a food blog, I am popping the cork and pouring you a glass of the good stuff. Wine is the perfect accompaniment to the raviolis above. The winner will receive my wine note cards. After the selection is completed, I will personalize the cards with your name, monogram or a short message of your choice.
AND I will give you the ever-so-popular cupcake note cards with pearl embellishments. These too can be personalized with your name, monogram or a very short message (ex: Thank You).

You have until Midnight (PST) on Wednesday January 21st to leave a comment on this post. Anything will do. Just say hello if you wish. Of course anything rude or disrespectful WILL be thrown out. The winner will be drawn at random and announced sometime by Friday the 23 (I hope).

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I truly appreciate all of you who have not lost hope in my return and continue to visit and share food and recipes. Happy 2009! May it be a year in which we can all find great satisfaction and joy.

Happy Holidays!!!

2008-12-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

I know I have been MIA for a while but I have been busy designing custom holiday cards for people (including myself as seen above) and packing up other orders and THEN finally starting in on Christmas shopping etc... not to mention all the birthdays and kids parties we have been attending. It is a busy time.

But I wanted to pop on and wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays and I hope to visit all of you on your blogs very soon.

Best wishes in the New Year!
Nicole

I have news!

2008-12-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Okay. I am going to make this quick. I feel badly that I haven't had time to visit blogs or post on my own. This is very commonly my busiest time of year. I have custom Holiday cards to design and get to the printer so they can be sent out in time. Today I am doing a holiday boutique with a few other women who will also be selling their wares. So I have been busy packing up cards and preparing display boards along with all the designing and print proofing. Pile kids and a house on top of that... Well you get the picture.

Oh yes... my news! I am so excited. NOOOOOO! I didn't win the lottery (I WISH). I am not expecting or anything. But yesterday at Trader Joes I found it! Burrata!!! I have been looking each and every time I go since falling in love with the cheese several months ago. And it is HERE! At least in my neck of the woods. Hooray for TJ's!

(Sing to the tune of "Tomorrow" from Annie)
Burrata. Burrata. I love you Burrata. You're only a TJ away!

So tonight after standing on my feet all day trying to peddle my stationery and HOPEFULLY making a little money, (please send your heartiest hopes for me.. I need it desperately right now), I will be sitting down to the lovely white gift of sheer creamy heaven paired with tomatoes, basil and a glass of red!

I hope to be cooking and blogging more soon. Hope your holiday season is faring well. Cheers.

A Tag and a little about me!

2008-11-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who had well wishes for me and visited while I was taking a little break. Nothing really wrong here. I just sometimes need to change things up. In addition, it is also a busy time for all of us and I am getting the Holiday card orders out so there hasn't been much time for blogging anyway. Even though the last week I have been itching to do so.

Now, first things first. I have been TAGGED! Lisa at What We Eat was so kind in inviting me into the game. The object is to list 7 random or little known things about yourself and then tag others to do the same. So here goes.

1) My great great great (not sure how many) grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence! His name was James Wilson. My mother's grandfather still bore the name of James Wilson (Cox) as did his son and grandson.

2) About 12 or 14 years ago, I was in an infomercial for Perfect Smile Tooth Whitening Cream which was hosted by Vanna White.

3) I have had the wonderful opportunity to glide in a hot air balloon across the Masai Mara over Tanzania and Kenya in Africa at sunrise. It was quite an experience. So beautiful to see the earth awakening and all the animals.

4) I am a pretty good snow skier and was on the ski team in college. Unfortunately I have only skied one day in the past six years due in part to the pregnancies and then a husband who doesn't love it as much or want to spend the money to go. I am slightly a snob about it and will only go to the good spots... Mammoth, Tahoe, Park City... I don't like the local mountains.

5) The only body part I have ever broken is my nose. I did it at 18 while water skiing and attempting to jump the wake. (I'm not too bad at water skiing either). It wasn't pretty and now I am afraid to jump the wake.

6) The best concert I ever went to was to see Neil Diamond with my parents. I love his music and he has such an electric quality to his performance. It was amazing. Of course, even as a teenager I preferred his music, folk music, new age, classical, or musicals to top 40 or much of the rock. I know... I am a dork!!!!

7) I have written and illustrated two children's books which have yet to be published. I have a few other idea in my head that I need to work on as well.

Now I am not sure who to tag. So please, if you would like to play, anyone and everyone is welcome. Please join in. I would love to hear more about you.

So here is a little bit of what I have been doing the last few weeks. Food is never too too far from my mind even when I am not cooking a lot or anything too special.

Painting pumpkins and making flower pot turkeys.

Finding unique and fun ways to use kitchen tools!

Silly kids!
Crazy space girl! They think this makes a great space helmet. Not the best picture of here but ooohhh sooo funny.

One of the meals I made. Grilled chicken with some sort of lemon, garlic, cream sauce I think. I don't really remember now.

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving! The holidays are upon us. Cheers.

Salmon with Tarragon Leek Sauce

2008-11-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

I am in a funk. It isn't just writers block or food funk. I just can't seem to be very inspired by much the last few days. There is plenty to do. I need to clean the house, fold laundry, organize, exercise, plan for Christmas, file and more. I could take the kids to the park more or play more. I could write some other ideas that have been rolling around in my head. But really nothing is inspiring me or motivating me beyond the absolute necessary. I cannot even seem very motivated to cook. What is wrong with me? Did the 12 kids and 7 moms I had for dinner and movie last Friday just wear me out that badly? Am I getting sick?

There are just no good words or thoughts. I cannot wax poetic or even offer you anything remotely interesting to think about or to eat. My head is heavy.

So here is a dish I made a couple weeks ago to tide you over until I get some spunk back. I had some leeks and some salmon and was craving Tarragon which is one of my favorite herbs. And what do you know... I found this on the Epicurious site! I modified mine and just threw in rough guesses at the ingredients to make just enough for myself. I didn't have vermouth so substituted some white wine vinegar as per the suggestions on this site: http://whatscookingamerica.net/alcoholsub.htm

I served the salmon on a bed of rice with steamed artichoke on the side. I cannot say it was the best I've ever had. But it was a good meal and my daughter did eat a little of the salmon. For a mid-week dinner for me and the kiddos, it was just right.

Salmon with Tarragon-Leek Sauce

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
4 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 4 cups)
1 1/4 cups dry vermouth
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
8 6-ounce salmon fillets
All purpose flour
Additional chopped fresh parsley

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft and transparent, about 15 minutes. Add vermouth and boil over high heat until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Add cream and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm.

Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Dust salmon lightly with flour. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 non-stick skillets over medium-high heat. Add 4 salmon fillets to each skillet and cook until opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer salmon to plates. Spoon sauce over salmon. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve.

Testing 1-2-3, Testing

2008-11-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

Have I ever told you about my cooking history? When it all started? Now that I am nearing my 100th post, and in light of the menu at hand, ~~I thought I'd give you a brief synopsis.~~ Okay. As many friends and family can attest, I don't make stories short very often. So let me appologize in advance.

Up until I was a senior in high school, I had helped my mom in the kitchen when I had to. The usual things... chopping this, tossing a salad, making sandwiches, frying up taco shells, making the garlic butter mix for garlic bread and stirring now and then. My mom is a good cook but not experimental too too often. It was all fairly standard things. Oh and there was that one chocolate mousse for French class. But my sisters and I all like to bake cookies and cakes. Mostly so we could eat them! I baked A LOT of cookies in high school! I made them for friends, for fun, for boyfriends, for teachers and for the whole football team!

I am not sure exactly what inspired the decision to cook my first WHOLE meal. At the time I had a serious boyfriend who I loved dearly. His parents and siblings were going to be gone for an entire evening. Now being the good Catholic kids we were (HEY, I am serious! We happened to be the type that actually DID NOT go against the rules or not much anyway), we didn't think of "monkey business". Somehow, we decided or I wanted to make a romantic dinner for him.

My aunts and mother helped inspire the menu based on what we really liked and what they thought wouldn't be too complicated for me. Except the cheesecake. At this time I can't remember if I made the cheesecake at home or over at his parents house. I do remember we were there early in the day and did the grocery shopping together. I felt like such the "couple". The menu was chicken piccata, rice, some vegetable I forget, salad and cheesecake. And do you know what? It came out great! All of it. I mean it may not have been the best I'd ever had but hey, for my first dinner by myself?

Now let's skip off to college. Freshman and sophomore year I lived in a dorm. We made quesadillas and burritos there with our IRON! They were actually great by the way. But nothing was interesting until junior year or senior year. By then I was declared as an art major. My close friend had always cooked with her mom. While they too mostly baked, she also made a lot of pasta dishes. So she and I would bake together and started making more than burritos for dinner and experimenting a little. We started preferring wine to beer or cocktails by senior year too. Often we would paint and sculpt all day and then go home and cook and drink wine and sometimes use the wine in the food. Then go back to the studios and create some more. Good memories. Good times. After graduation, I then dated her brother for about a nano-second. He had dropped out of cooking school in San Francisco and was staying in Santa Barbara for a while. I was in awe with his abilities. Then I started working at a French restaurant. Ohhhh yeah. That was cool.

I think I got my Bon Appetit subscription around that time as a graduation gift from a relative. I started dabbling. By the time I was 25, I was living on Balboa Island and jumping from job to job and cooking more and more. Sometimes just for myself. I loved it. I also started watching Emeril and the cooking channel then. At that time when I wanted a recipe, I had to either send in a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) or madly write it down. I have a few copies of the later still in a box of recipes. It is funny. I can barely read it. By 30, most who met me knew two things right off the bat. "This girl likes food and wine!" Then came into play another boyfriend. He was happy to eat any experiment I might put before him as were his friends. I had always favored doing sauces as there was room for play and measuring wasn't imperative. Then came the soups. I was making soup right and left for a year or so. And with roommates, a boyfriend and his MANY friends, there were plenty of people to help eat it. They all said they loved it. And since I rarely had left overs I believed them. I was experimenting and making a lot of "everything but the kitchen sink" soups. Or what I called "Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Soup." Just when we thought there was absolutely nothing to eat in the house, I would somehow whip up a soup to satisfy many. It was fun. It was challenging. It was at the height of the Seinfeld show and its popularity too. So as you can imagine, I got the nickname, "Soup Nazi" for a while!

After that life took a few twists, some turns. I went through short period in which I didn't cook too much because I was so busy. But rest assured. This was a time of going out and dining well often. Good food was no stranger for me. It was a fun time. And I started getting some VERY good wine! Then the kids came and a picky husband and little time. Cooking wasn't as often and soups? Almost never.

Now as you can see, cooking is back in full force and as of this fall, so are soups! The soup Nazi is back folks! And I've got a new creation.

Now I am not sure what to call it though. Maybe you can help. It is definitely a Southwestern flavor with some heat. I was in the mood for something in the Mexican family and so I pulled out the trusty stock pot and started dumping stuff in. But this time, I actually considered each ingredient as I did it and guess what? I actually wrote it all down for you (and for me).

Spicy Baja Bisque -- A Southwestern Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbls. butter
1 leek chopped
1/2 onion chopped
5 cloves of garlic chopped
1 1/2 jalapeno diced
3-4 whole tomatoes
1 roasted red bell pepper
1 4-oz. can of diced green chiles
1 4-oz. can corn
32 oz. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Cholula seasoning (available on the spice aisle or Mexican aisle of supermarket)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup tequila
1 cup heavy cream

In a large stockpot melt the butter and add the leek, onion, garlic and jalapeno. Continue to saute until soft and onion is translucent. Add the tomato, roasted red bell pepper, chiles, corm chicken broth, cumin and Cholula and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1/2 and hour or so. Remove from heat and puree in batches or using and immersion blender until smooth. Return to pot. Add the lime juice and tequila and bring to gentle boil. Add the cream and let boil gently again. Reduce it to simmer and allow the flavors to meld for at least 20 minutes. I often keep soups on the stove for an hour or more on low. Keep an eye on the consistency. If it is really getting thick, remove it from the heat or add more cream or chicken stock. If it seems to thin, let it reduce some. Add salt, pepper and more lime juice to taste.

On this evening I chose to garnish the soup with grilled shrimp and a jalapeno, cilantro lime oil. Unfortunately I didn't write down all those ingredients exactly which is a shame because the flavor was phenomenal but here is what I think I put in the oil.

Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Oil

1 small avocado or 1/2 large avocado
1 large handful of cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime (maybe more)
1 jalapeno
1-2 garlic cloves
1/8 cup or more vegetable oil

In a food processor add the first 5 ingredients until smooth and combined. It will probably be thick and hard to get the cilantro smooth at this point. Begin slowly adding the vegetable oil and possibly more lime (depending on taste preferences) until you get the consistency you like and it is completely smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle the jalapeno cilantro lime oil on top. Garnish with grilled shrimp, chicken, corn chips or diced vegetables.

I made homemade flour tortillas for the side with butter and salsa. I found the recipe for these on Orangette. They were delicious and the perfect accompaniment. I also topped with some crumbled tortilla chips for crunch.

My take on the new soup? Good. Very good. It is worth making again for sure. My mom? Mmmm this is good. It is kind of spicy. We like spicy. My dad? After he ate 3 bowls of it, said, "This is pretty good." Not a man with a lot of words mind you. Now should you try it too? YES! And please, help me think of a good name for this. Any and all ideas are welcome.

Ideas on the top of my head:
Spicy Southwestern Soup with cilantro oil
Mexican cream of tomato and jalapeno soup
Southwestern Kitchen Sink Soup
Drunken cream of tomato jalapeno soup with cilantro lime oil

Oh it is late. I don't know. What are your thoughts?

A couple days later I topped the soup with pepper jack cheese, guacamole, tortilla chips and a quickie made-up stuffed jalapeno. There are a ton of things that can top this soup. Have fun with it. I sure did!

Trick or Treat...

2008-11-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat!
You can be sure I will do that! Or my sisters and I will. We love Halloween.

The previous post was actually my youngest sister's 30th birthday costume party the week prior to Halloween. This post features my other sister's house where we always go to celebrate the night of the dead. She gets really into it and has a ton of decorations! She really goes all out. And she makes a ton of food too. So adults and kids alike have a blast!

The ghostly dining room table spread for all the goulish guests to help themselves.

The bar. Complete with "blood"! Or red and white wine anyway.

Brie with golden raisins and some sort of sauce as well.

Spinach dip and crackers.

Cream cheese with spicy red jalapeno jelly... mmmmmm!
Cheddar, jalapeno cornbread and spicy nuts in the background.

Soup Station: Tortilla soup with avocado and other good fixin's.

I tried out the popular "almost no knead bread" recipe. And paired it with a pistou.

I also made an Alsatian tart. I made up the recipe for the most part and
want to play with it again soon so I will do a full post when I recreate it.

Boo!

All Hallows Eve

2008-10-31T03:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated my youngest sister's 30th birthday. All of us sisters like to help in the food department and brought a dish. I made Robin Sue's Jalapeno Popper Dip. The only change I made was to add 2 finely diced fresh jalapenos to kick it up a notch. It tasted great and is perfect party fair for a good size group. Next time I will add even more jalapenos though. Maybe an extra can of jalapenos and 3 or 4 fresh ones. Most of my family and friends are happy to have it HOT!

Oh and I served it with the very fresh corn chips available at a nearby market.

Oh... did I tell you the theme? Well it is close to a certain time of year....

Costumes were in order! Famous duos was the theme.

My husband vetoed just about every suggestion. But agreed to be Dopey??? Huh???? Chalk that one up to a huge crush on Snow White! I guess he was willing to sacrifice all dignity to have a date with a "real" princess.

The biggest problem was that there is not a Dopey costume to be found ANYWHERE!!! Especially last minute as no decisions were made until two days before. In fact, you cannot find a dwarf costume of any kind.

Luckily??? I say that with hesitation. I found a green table cloth at a thrift store. Mind you, I DON'T know how to sew and haven't a machine!!! That afternoon I created the above. The hat was a baby blanket from Target sewed over a ski hat!! The buttons are the lids to Pringles cans. The boots are just felt wrapped and tied at the ankles. The belt buckle is cardboard with yellow tape and the belt strap is fabric. Whew!!! Looks kinda crazy and sloppy but I got a lot of Kudos for originality! And he for huevos!

Happy Halloween Everyone!
Have fun and be safe!
Don't eat too too much candy.

The Golden Egg

2008-10-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Do you like eggs? There are A LOT of people who don't seem to like them. My sister doesn't. Well it is the yolk that she mostly doesn't like. Good for her in a diet and health standpoint but ooooohhhh the yolk! I don't think I could eat an egg without it. And then there are those who say they like them but only eat them scrambled or really well done. Well then you miss the best part of the yolk I think.

But the egg is so beautiful, so neatly packaged, so healthy and SO versatile. There are so many things you can make with eggs and so many ways to prepare them. You can have poached, fried, scrambled, over easy, hard boiled and more. You can make omelette, quiches, frittatas, and stratas just to name a few. Eggs are NOT just for breakfast. They make a great lunch or dinner. And don't forget dessert! My chocolate mousse was 90% eggs.

A few weeks ago, Gloria from Canela Kitchen reminded me of a recipe in the August issue of Bon Appetit for poached eggs on brioche. I remember having seen it and then seeing it again on Gloria's blog pushed me to think of it more. In fact, I couldn't stop thinking of it for a few weeks. I thought it would make a great dinner. Then came the night when I had good bread, fresh basil and as always, eggs.

It was simple other than the fact that I had never actually poached an egg before. It is a bit tricky to get it to stay together and look nice. Mine was far from perfect. But the taste? With all that golden yellow yolk oozing out onto the bread and the plate and melding with the parmesan and pistou sauce... Well that and the sips of a clean crisp chardonnay had me in near nirvana! Eggs are worth their weight in gold! So delicious. I am all about the Pistou now too. Step aside pesto, there is a new basil sauce in town!

Bored of the same old things for quick night dinners? Need something new and totally satisfying? Have an egg.

Poached Eggs and Parmesan Cheese over Toasted Brioche with Pistou

Ingredients

1/3 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 small garlic clove
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
2 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche or egg bread, toasted
Parmesan cheese shavings

Puree basil, garlic, and oil in mini processor until very smooth. Season pistou to taste with salt and pepper.

Add enough water to medium skillet to measure 1 1/4 inches. Sprinkle salt generously into water. Bring water to simmer over medium heat. Crack eggs 1 at a time and gently slip into water. Cook until egg whites are just set and egg yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.

Place hot toasts on plates. Top each with Parmesan. Using slotted spoon, transfer 2 eggs, well drained, to each piece of brioche. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper. Drizzle with some of pistou and serve.

Soup and Salad - Food and Friends for Fall

2008-10-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about having friends for dinner is it inspires me to clean the WHOLE house. So for a couple of hours, the house is all clean. Then I tear apart and create happy havoc the kitchen. The kids bring the toys back out. Spills begin to occur. And once again we are back to where we started. Ahhhh well it was fun while it lasted.

The other thing I love about guests is trying out new recipes. I know a lot of people who only make tried and true dishes. Things they know turn out well every time. Not me! Fool that I am, I usually tend to see this as an opportunity to try something new or experiment. Luckily, most of the time, the food turns out pretty well if not very good! (Can you tell I typed that while knocking on my wooden desk and my head?)

The weather was cool again and I was still in the mood for soup. I also wanted to practice that amazing French bread again. That decided, I thought I'd add some green salad. Paul doesn't eat any soup at all so I wanted to do a salad he would like. He loves Caesar salad and I have admit, when it is a good one, it is one of my favorites too.

Caesar salad and I are no strangers. I have made this recipe and that for years. Most of the time the ingredients are all the same or similar. In fact really it has been quite a while since I followed a recipe. I was getting lazy and sloppy and the dressing hadn't been coming out quite as well as in days of old. Hence my decision to find a new recipe again. Where did I go? To whom did I seek advice? A fellow blogger of course. Peter at Kalofagas has never let me down so far. His Caesar had all the ingredients I have been using but the portions were actually laid out. This is where I had been lacking. Peter's recipe was well balanced and creamy. I probably added an extra clove of garlic as I am obsessed with garlic and can never have enough. And let me tell you, I can find nothing wrong with this recipe. It is simple and so delicious.... In fact... I am hungry. It is dinner time. I must retreat to make it again, NOW! I see no reason to really mess with any other set of ingredients. Go for this one! Thanks Peter.

I wanted a soup that just sang fall. As I had never made butternut squash soup, I searched for a good recipe. After a glance at this and that, I came across a very simple recipe that sounded just right at June's site Thyme for Food. It was my first time on June's blog and I am so glad I found it. She has really got some good looking recipes there. I might just try her No-Knead Bread this weekend! The only modification I really did was to add a leek. I have been so into leeks lately and had a bunch here. I also topped it with one of the homemade croutons I made for the salad and some sage fried in butter. I wanted whole sage leaves but the market was out. Go figure! So I had some nice Greek sage that I just sauteed in butter on the stove for a few minutes. Here is June's recipe with my changes.

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 leek chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 gloves galic chopped
1 3lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into even small chunks
6 cups chicken broth (48 oz)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
pinch or two of fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash, chicken broth, dried thyme and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor, or in the stockpot with an immersion blender until smooth.

Return the pureed soup the heat. Stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a brief simmer, then remove from the heat. If the soup is too thick, thin it out with additional broth or water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more nutmeg if desired.

Top with fried sage and homemade crouton.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main meal

Did I like the soup? Oh yes! My guests just loved it too. I even served it the following day again to my sister and her husband. They inhaled it! It was smooth and subtle and very festively fall.

Now soup and salad with homemade bread are certainly enough for me. But I like to fatten up my guests and spoil them as best I can. I also need to give Paul something with more substance than just salad. So I marinated some flank steak which he threw on the grill. When I say it was a cool day, I am talking 60's and our grill is just about 5 feet from the kitchen so I grill year round! I thought another earthy vegetable would be nice. And what goes better with some steak than mushrooms. I based my recipe off of a recipe I had done before from Bon Appetit December 1999. It is Creamy Sautéed Mushrooms with Toast. When I made it for my aunts 60th birthday, the crowd inhaled it. Now this recipe is for 30 appetizer servings so for a side to dinner, I simply used one box/carton of button mushrooms and just splashed in the Marsala and heavy cream until it felt right. Any way you do it, you just can't go wrong with mushrooms, marsala and cream! So very very good.

So here's to good friends, good food, good wine and cooking and sharing! Cheers!

The Prize

2008-10-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

Look at this beautiful specimen that I picked up last week at the farmer's market. I was a good 4 or 5 inches in diameter and about 3 inches tall. And the colors... red and yellow and orange and peach. It looked like a glorious sunset. I wanted to keep it as a sculptural design element in the kitchen. But we all know it wouldn't last. It wouldn't stay beautiful.

So I took a bunch of pictures. And let it sit there for a day just to look at. Just to gently touch the smooth fiery skin. And then.... I cut it open. I ate it. How did I eat it? With what did I eat this gorgeous heirloom tomato with?

I made a special, out of the way trip to Whole Foods Market to get that Buratta cheese again. I had been dreaming and thinking of it for so long. This was my meal two nights in a row. Pure heaven! So delicious. And if you have not gone out to get that cheese yet, I urge you, do it NOW! You will not regret it.

Oh! I almost forgot. Here are come pictures of the tomatoes at the farmer's market stall and the man who grows them in San Clemente!

He was excited to pose and be on the blog!

The Bold and the Beautiful!

2008-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

No. Don't worry. I am not going to talk about or review or comment on a soap opera or anything. Rather, I am going to praise the Daring Bakers (Breadchick and Sara) and one of their great mentors who has truly inspired so many, Julia Child! These women are bold and beautiful and amazingly talented.

It all started with the desire to make bread. And French bread is my favorite. I have made bread before. I probably started about ??? 15 years ago. I made some here and there. It went from not very good at all to somewhat decent loaves. If I really really had to though, I could maybe count the number of times I made bread. Not too too many. Less than one a year in total and it has been a few years since attempting it again- pizza dough and focaccia not withstanding. Recently, since starting my blog, I have been once again yearning to make bread. So a few weeks back, I made some. It was an easy recipe and a little quicker than some. The bread fell into the "decent" category. So I decided to search for a better if more complicated recipe. So I googled a little and clicked around and decided upon French bread ala "Ze Daring Bakers Conquer French Bread ala Julia." Go check it out! This is not a recipe to be trifled with. It is not one for the timid, rushed or faint of heart. This is a bold and very LONG recipe. After I began reading and scrolling down, I got a little dizzy. I printed it out.

My default in printing things online is usually at about 90% size. Out spit 19 pages of this recipe! Not only does Breadchick provide all of Julia's recipe and suggestions but some of her and Sara's notes as experienced bakers. These Daring Bakers suggest reading the recipe over at least twice before starting. And I HIGHLY suggest you follow their advice. As it was lunchtime already I did not have time to more than skim the whole thing first. And before I even knew which end was up, I simply dove into these new and slightly choppy waters. To compensate for not reading it all over a couple times, I read the first steps VERY thouroughly as I followed them. Rereading from time to time with each couple steps. I did this until the my perfect little ball of dough was ready for the first rise.

*********Big Sigh*********
Can you hear it?

Isn't it lovely up there? All round and smooth and perfect and dough-like. Beautiful. While this little dough baby was resting and happily covered with a bath towel in it's cozy little bowl, I reread the first part. I probably read that first part a total of 10-15 times as I worked through the steps. But you know what? For the first time ever, I have an understanding of what the yeast is supposed to really do (besides make the dough rise). I began to understand the gluten and how it was supposed to work and how it is supposed to feel. It felt GOOD! So good that one of these times I may have to try it all by hand, without the stand mixer.

So far, so good now right? Okay. So I had at least 3 hours to wait for the first rise to finish. I had plenty of time to read and reread the rest of the recipe. I started to. YIKES!! It was just so long. Not that I didn't have the time. It just looked so daunting and hard. So instead I read the steps to the next rise and did NOT look any further for now. I read those steps a few times saving the later portions for later to ease my tired little mind.

Here all these times working with dough and I never knew the sides of my bowl should be as vertical as possible for the rise to work properly. I had always placed the doughs in a wide glass bowl. For shame! Look how big and poofy and blistery my dough got! And in the minimum suggested amount of time! The hints and tips these Daring women provide are great. I love the "marking" of the bowl to know how much larger the nebulous "3 times the size" truly is.

And so I went on through the recipe, reading only the steps that were next on the agenda. I did not want to overwhelm myself. It worked well for me this way. Unfortunately I started a bit late and was at this point counting on the bread as part of dinner. I cut a few corners on the second and third rise and did a little less than I think would be optimum. And so came time to actually cook my creation.

As per the tips, I similated my oven the best I could to be like that of a baker's oven. I made 2 round loaves as I did not think the baguette shape would fit on my pizza stone very well. I let the second loaf rize a little longer while cooking the first so in actuality, this loaf did have the right amount of time for the final rize.

The trickiest part of the whole thing was getting my shape onto the wooden paddle and then onto the stone. It was also hard to cut the top. No knife I found was sharp enough. Even my exacto knife did not make the cut very smooth or easy. Do any of you Daring Bakers have any more tips on this?

The other big "no no" or short cut I made was to cut the bread before letting it cool the recommended 2-3 hours. As it was, dinner was running really really late! My silky, subtle, sexy soup was finished and smelling so so good! The kids were whining. My stomach was too! I DID let the second loaf rest and cool though. Does that count for anything?

The end result? Not the very best bread I have ever had. BUT it was by far and away, THE best bread I have ever made, despite rushing things a bit here and there. This bread was just as good or better than any fresh bread from my regular markets. It simply did not stand up to the best breads I have ever had from really good bakeries, restaurants or of course those lofty gorgeous loaves I carried around in Paris!

I made the bread again the following weekend. I started at 8 am this time. Once again I accomplished it by reading each section as I went and did not try to overthink parts that were to come later. Maybe with a few more attempts, I will not have to read quite as intensly. I did not take short cuts on this second try but only allowed the bread to cool about an hour before eating it. But the results were about the same as the first week. Very good. I would have to say at least a strong B or B+. I do think I need to start earlier. Maybe at 6 am? And the other large pitfall is just getting the perfect little risen shape onto the transfer board. Any advice on this?

If you have some time and patience, do go and read Julia's recipe as posted on The Sour Dough site. It was a challenge! And while I do not feel I have conquered the mountain, I do feel I have made my way pretty far up there and really enjoyed the trek so far. How very Zen of me, right? Well I do want to get pretty close to the top but for now I am enjoying the path and the fruits of that path. Keep tuned in as this is not the end of my attempts for the perfect French bread. I am having some fun now. Won't you come and enjoy a slice with me?

A special thanks to Julia Child for all the inspiration she has provided all of us and to Breadchick and the other Daring Bakers for their recreation.

Silky Subtle Sexy SOUP

2008-10-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

Soup is an interesting food. It is often associated with the poor or homeless. It is the primary food at many shelters and "soup kitchens", of course. This is due to its relatively inexpensive cost to produce and the fact that soup can be quite filling. It warms the bones. Soup is often considered peasant food or that for country folk.

But then again, this humble dish is seen grazing menus and the lips of servers spouting the specials at the finest restaurants in the world. It can be classy, sophisticated and elegant but of course must not be slurped! At least not in the western world. If you are from the east, go ahead and slurp away! It will most likely please your host.

Soup can be made with anything. Vegetables, meats or a combination of both can comprise a soup. There are fruit soups, hot soups, cold soups, savory soups, sweet soups, chunky soups, pureed soups and more. Soup can be very versatile. It can pair with a salad or a sandwich. It is also quite easy to prepare and more than forgiving for those who are timid or not very comfortable in the kitchen. You needn't fear it getting overcooked, or deflating or flopping. It comes together simply and easily and has plenty of room for play if you like to experiment.

The first weekend in October proved to actually be a bit cool and felt like fall, putting me really in the mood for soup. My preference with soup is puréed soup. And I often incorporate some cream. It may be fattening but ohhhhhhhhhh, it is so good. As I had my Sterling Performances Cookbook on my mind, I chose a recipe that I had yet to try.

Cream of Leek Soup with Stilton Crust

Ingredients:
3 tbls. finely chopped shallots
4 cups chopped leeks
2 tbls. unsalted butter
1 cup diced potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups cream
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
8 slices of Stilton cheese

In a medium pan, saute shallots and leeks in butter until vegetables are limp. Add potatoes and chicken broth; cook, covered, until potatoes are done, about 30 minutes. Cool and puree. In a saucepan, bring cream to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low; stirring frequently, cook until cream is reduced and slightly thickened, about 45 minutes.

Add cream to the leek and potato mixture, bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice to taste. Serve in bowls and top with a slice of Stilton cheese.

Serves 8

The only modifications I really made were probably a little more than a cup of potatoes. I had 2 russets so I just used all of it. And as I had some Gorgonzola in the refrigerator, I did not bother with buying Stilton. Maybe next time.

I accented my soup with prociutto wrapped pear slices and homemade French bread. It was a perfect pairing. The pear complimented the blue cheese and soup perfectly while the prociutto added that little bit of saltyness and contrast in texture. Listen. This is one of the best soups I have ever had. Rich, creamy, silky, smooth, sexy, sophisticated, savory, subtle, sumptious, serene and so satisfying. This meal is just one of my favorite kinds.

My bread? Well you can be sure that post is coming down the pike very very soon!

Foodbuzz Publisher Community Launches

2008-10-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official launch of the Foodbuzz Publisher Community with over 1,100 feature publishers from around the world and I am one of them! It is all very exciting.

For those of you not familiar with Foodbuzz, in many ways it is rather like the Facebook or MySpace of the foodie world. It is an online community of food bloggers and foodies from across the globe. “Food bloggers are at the forefront of reality publishing and the dramatic growth of new media has redefined how food enthusiasts access tasty content,” said Doug Collister, Executive Vice President of Foodbuzz, Inc. It is a place where foodies can connect, share ideas and make friendships. It is a source of information and a continually evolving and growing wealth of creativity and resources for those who like to cook or just dine out. If you are looking for menu ideas, new recipes or restaurant reviews anywhere in the world, this is THE place to find information from real people who have tried and tested the recipes and rated the restaurants.

Foodbuzz is a fun community filled with interesting and talented individuals. And the perks are fantastic. I August, I was invited to dinner in Newport Beach along with a number of other Foodbuzz publishers and bloggers. What a perfect evening. Dining under the stars and talking food, photos, writing and creative kitchen techniques. Not only that but just a couple of weeks ago I opened my mailbox to a nice little package from Foodbuzz. Inside was a new spatula and this cool Foodbuzz apron. How fun is that? A little surprise in the mail is always special.

For more information on Foodbuzz, the official press release or how to get involved in the community, please check out the website at: http://www.foodbuzz.com/features/

Or contact the Foodbuzz Executives below:

Doug Collister, Executive Vice President of Foodbuzz
415-296-5243; doug@foodbuzz.com

Ryan Stern, Director of the Foodbuzz Publisher Community
415-296-5244; ryan@foodbuzz.com

or feel free to email me and I can send you the press release. My email is missNnick@gmail.com

Thai Chicken Angel Hair Pasta

2008-10-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

There is something I have been meaning to share with you for some time. I am really not sure why I haven't yet. I'd like to introduce you to the Sterling Performances cookbook. This book was put together by The Guilds of Orange County Performing Arts Center as a fundraiser. My mother was on one of the committees that helped with the promotion of the book in 1994. The recipes were donated by "members and friends" of the Center's Guilds.

Now I have only made a handful of recipes from this book. But they all have come out so well. The recipes are all pretty simple. The ones I have tried are packed with flavor. This one is especially flavorful and intriguing. One begins by marinating the chicken in vinegars, oil, soy sauce, peanut butter and spices. Later this marinade is reserved and heated to create the sauce for the multitude of flavors packed into the dish. The thing that is so wonderful and tasty in this pasta is that the flavors of the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, cilantro, lime, spices and jalapeno are all present yet none overpowers the other. Each element is perfectly balanced to lend the hint of flavor in each bite in such a subtle and unique way. This was the third or fourth time making this dish and I have yet to be disappointed.

Thai Chicken Angel Hair Pasta

1 tbls. peanut butter
1 cup peanut oil
1 tbls. sesame oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbls. soy sauce
2 tbls. chopped fresh cilantro (I put in a bit more than this)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
3 to 4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (I love garlic so much I generally always add an extra clove or two to all recipes)
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, boned and skinned
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. angel hair pasta
1/2 pound fresh snow peas, strings removed
3 medium carrots, julienned, about 1/2 pound
1/2 cup salted peanuts
2 tbls. chopped cilantro

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the peanut butter, peanut oil, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, green onions, garlic, lime juice, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and white pepper. Rub the chicken breasts with the salt and slice into thin strips. Add to marinade; set aside for 2 hours. Drain chicken; pat dry and reserve marinade. Grill or pan-fry chicken strips until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain. In a large saute pan, bring reserved marinade to a boil, add snow peas and carrots; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Combine with the chicken strips and pasta; sprinkle with peanuts. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Marinating Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6

The book suggests serving this dish with Vichon Chevrignon.

My only regret this last time was that after serving the kids, we were so hungry that we started eating before I remembered to take any photos! So I had to quickly revamp the serving bowl with peanuts and cilantro and my dish has been eaten from so it isn't quite as fresh and appetizing looking as this meal truly is. But trust me on this one. If you like Thai food, TRY IT!

FYI: The book mentions that for information or phone orders to call 714-556-2122, Ext. 558 I do not know how current this information is or whether or not the book is still in print or if they have done any more since.

The Fashion of Food

2008-10-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you had chocolate mousse?

I haven't had it in ages. Oh, I mean, I have had the mousse-like filling in cakes and desserts but real chocolate mousse all on its own. Well it must be 10 or more years! And back in high school I decided it was in my top few desserts to order. I thought I was the height of sophistication to have this as my favorite. Maybe because I had been to Paris and tried it there. Maybe because my friend, Terri and I made it as part of a French class presentation/skit. Oh how we slaved over both the mousse and our cooking show lines in French. But we made a mean mousse and got an excellent grade.

Flash forward 20 plus some years and now cooking shows are more ubiquitous than newspapers it seems. Many would do anything to be one of the select few that gets paid to talk about their passion. Cooking and food blogs are more than plentiful. But where is the chocolate mousse? I don't see it on restaurant menus often. Of course with two little ones I am not at restaurants often either. Has it fallen out of fashion? Is it passé? I have really had a craving for it lately.

Food does have it's own trends. Things are in and out. I think mousse is one of them that just isn't that in right now. Or do you disagree? At any rate, you need fear not because there are plenty of recipes for this classic dessert all over the internet both in blogs and major sites like the Food Network and Epicurious. And many of them are very simple too. After making it the other night, I felt so satisfied with just a little bit. I say, let's bring it back in style! At least in our own kitchens.

I chose a recipe from Kim's site at Easy French Food. It was so simple and quick (except for the chill until set or overnight part)!

Mousse Au Chocolat

8 ounces good quality dark cooking choclate
6 eggs, at room temperature*
whipped cream (optional)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Seperate the eggs into two large bowls.

Beat the egg whites until very stiff.

Stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolks, beating vigorously until the mixture is smooth.

Stir one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and mix until thoroughly blended.

Carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites.

Spoon the mousse into individual parfait glasses, chill and serve with whipped cream and shaved chocolate if you wish.

4 to 6 servings

This version of chocolate mousse was not as fluffy or airy as I remembered it to be. It was dense and rich and I really thought it needed a bit of the whipped cream with every bite. But it was good and did not feel too heavy or as fattening as so many desserts can be. If you have the foresight to prepare dessert a day ahead of time, I say try this! It also makes entertaining easy to just have it all set and ready to serve. Just whip your cream before you serve it. Delish! Thanks Kim, for the inspiration. And my kids loved it. I felt like I gave them protein and dessert in one fell swoop!

Next time I might try Julia Child's Perfect Chocolate Mousse Recipe that I found on David Lebovitz site. It looks a bit more involved and tricky but I am up for the challenge!

Hey, how do you like my cute little glasses my parents got for me in Morocco a few years back! They are perfect for this kind of little dessert or for lemoncello!

* One more note. This chocolate mousse recipe and many others uses raw eggs so make sure they are fresh and do not let the mousse sit out of the refrigerator for very long.

A Family Meal for Fall

2008-10-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes simple family meals are just as delicious and elegant and those with guests. Until yesterday, California was showing no signs of autumn and was hotter than anything. I am sick of the heat but a warm night and grilling is never a bad thing.

On the menu:

Grilled marinated chicken and asparagus with hollandaise sauce.*
*Really the hollandaise came out just perfectly but just as I was finishing to warm it, we had a 4-year old
melt down over clothes and it was on the stove too long and curdled. Darn it! It still tasted very nice.

Mixed green salad with slices of pear, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese
tossed in a light balsamic and lemon vinaigrette.

Fried Pancake of Grated Potatoes
(Pommes Paillasson)

I was searching around for a recipe for potato pancakes after reading Mireille Guiliano's book, French Women Don't Get Fat. What exactly was a potato pancake? And what is the difference between a potato pancake and a latke? Well I still don't know the answer to that one. Maybe there is no difference. Maybe one is just associated with Jewish tradition and then other countries have different names for it. Can you give me the answer?

At any rate, I did find a few different recipes for this fried potato patty. The one I chose was from Epicurious (Gourment Magazine- March 2001). It had a lot of positive comments and seemed very straightforward, simple and versatile. I followed the recipe just as it was except I probably did only about 1/2 the recipe. (I guestimated the quantities).

The potatoes WERE very good indeed. Crispy and tasty and similar to some hash browns. But take note, they need to be eaten right away. After they sat a while it got a little soggier and less crispy. I think they would be well paired with breakfast, eggs, soup, meatier fish, steak and more.

Trial and Error?

2008-10-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

I love to cook. But I feel there is still a lot to learn! It's the old adage, "the more you learn, you learn how much more there is to learn." And the more I blog, the more I find great ideas and recipes I should try. There are so many things I have yet to try or attempt. One of these is making my own homemade pasta. I do not have a machine which is one reason I never made it. The other is that somehow, somewhere I got the idea that I needed semolina flour. Semolina flour is not easy to find at most markets. So a month or two ago when I saw semolina flour at Claro's Italian Market, I picked it up.

Now it has been just sitting there in my cupboard for a little while and I finally decided to try out a pasta recipe. I found a simple recipe using the semolina on Melissa's blog, bitchincamero. It was my first time on her blog and everything looked just amazing. Melissa's recipe called for either all semolina flour or 1/2 semolina flour and 1/2 cake flour. I chose the latter as she mentioned the pasta would be a bit more delicate.

After combining the ingredients, kneading and coming up with a firm ball of dough, I followed Melissa's instructions and wrapped it "tightly in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour."

Now I followed Melissa's instructions to make the ear-shaped orecchiette but let the kids have their way with some of the dough too. It was very soft and easy to manipulate into shapes just like Playdough! Talk about fun for the kids!

They made little worms and balls and a few little twisted type shapes. If you haven't involved the kids in the kitchen yet, this is a great way to do it. It isn't even that messy like cookies can be. We all had fun and who cares if the pasta in funny shapes. This meal was just for our family.

We were busy having fun and not working really fast so we kept much of the shapes under a cloth to keep them from drying out too too much.

My ear shapes along with some of the kids' funny shapes!

When you are finished with the formations, put into your boiling pot of water for a few minutes. Melissa's directions say 2-5 minutes. I think with the semolina and our possibly bigger or fatter shapes, it was more like 5-10 minutes for al dente.

The finished product was a bit more dense and rugged than I prefer. Maybe it would have been better with Melissa's hearty lamb ragu. All her food and recipes look just amazingly good. I did a light sauce of parsley, garlic, creme fraiche and a squeeze of lemon with parmesan. Perhaps it was not a good match for the dense hand formed pasta?

I think the heavy consistency was primarily due to the semolina flour. Afterward I ran across a few articles that mentioned using all purpose flour or "oo" flour for hand made pasta without a machine. Do you know what is best? What is "oo" flour and where do I get that? Does anyone have a good recipe for hand made pasta?

If you do have one or find a good one, let me know straight away and then go into the kitchen with your kids and make it. It is so fun and combines both play time and dinner prep in one fell swoop.

Carpe Diem

2008-09-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

If you ever have the chance to fall in love, carpe diem! If you have the chance to marry your best friend, carpe diem! If you know what you want, really really know, then carpe diem and go after it!

And if you ever have the opportunity to go to Ojai Valley Inn and Spa then seize that day and GO! It is just gorgeous. The hills, the landscaping, the rooms, the golf course, the pools, the dining areas... I could go on and on.

Now if you are invited to a wedding, I say carpe diem! Many men I know say they are boring or that they find it an obligation. Excuse me? Gorgeous grounds or banquet halls, food, wine, dancing, conversation, music...... Weddings are FUN! I love them. And if you happen to have a wedding to go to at the Ojai Valley Inn--GO! You might just find yourself eating some delectable courses. The menu options are astounding. Such as:

Appetizer
Ahi Tempura, Nori Wrapped Ahi Tuna,
Jumbo Asparagus and Hijiki Seaweed Salad
with Wasabi Cream and Spicy Mustard

Salad
Champagne Poached Pear and California Goat CheeseSalad
on a bed of Butter Lettuce and Arugula, with Candied Pecans
and Fried Beets, with a Dijon Vinaigrette

Entrée of Duet of Grilled Marinated Tenderloin of Beef and Roasted Lobster
Applewood Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Paired iwth Maine Lobster
Basisl Essence Potatoes and Truffle Butter

Wedding cake of course ensued. I am sorry but I forgot to get a picture of the whole cake. It had layers of white cake with a chocolate mousse-like filling and vanilla creme frosting. Good coffee, champagne and wine were flowing liberally!

I do have to that the ahi appetizer was my favorite. A true work of art... It was amazing. There were four of those round tempura pieces on the plate. It was filling in and of itself yet somehow I wish I had had the idea to steal my neighbors who seemed to busy to eat anything. The thought.....

The salad was clean and flavourful and just the right mixture of texture and flavor.

The main course sounded and looked so impressive and really had nice flavors but the beef and lobster were a little over-done in my opinion. It is pretty hard to serve a crowd that size (around 150) and have everything come out perfectly.

The whole evening was one of beauty and class though. The centerpieces were the largest I had ever seen in my life. The music was a mix of classic and fun. And staying at the resort for 2 whole glorious days... Priceless!

Congratulations to Natalie and Cassidy. May you live a long, full and loving life together.

Olives in Ojai

2008-09-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

Look! I brought you back some olives from Ojai.

Friday night in Ojai, we dined at a little restaurant called Suzanne's Cuisine. It was just a hop skip and a jump from the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa where we were staying for the wedding. The meal we had was lovely but I especially loved the olives that were served with the warm bread at the start of the meal. I could have made a meal of those and the toasty 'n tasty french bread! They were thick and meaty and full of garlic and good olive oil flavor.

Upon inquiring about them, I found out that they buy the olives from a distributer and wash them to get rid of some of the vinegar then soak them in their own garlic and olive oil mixture. Suzanne, the namesake and part owner, agreed to sell some to me when I departed on Sunday. She dug up this cute little jar and had it all ready to go. Now they are in my refrigerator and I am rationing them for a little while. They are just so good and perfect to pair with fresh bread, cheese and wine. All my favorites!

Maybe I'll try to make my own soon! Where do I buy the olives though? Any clues?

Next up: Wedding pics! The event and food was just amazing!

Napa Rose Bar -- Disneyland Grand California Hotel

2008-09-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

We have season passes to Disneyland. As do my sisters. Being that the kids are very little toddlers, we generally go only for a few hours, a couple rides and then call it a day. Because we are there for such a short time, we usually park in the Downtown Disney parking lot. This lot is free for 3 hours and then you get an hour or two free with validation.

Inside the Disneyland park, a burger, fries and a drink or something to that effect is probably close to $10 – $15 per person! And that burger will BARELY have any meat and the meat that is there is cooked until it has the texture of cardboard and the fries are tepid and limp.

But my sister discovered that if you leave the park and walk a few steps over to the California Grand Hotel, you can then meander to the Napa Rose Restaurant.

We go to Disneyland to have fun with the kids so the main dining room is not appropriate. But the bar is very very nice, practically empty and offers both the kid menu and appetizer menu. Adult beverages start at around $7 each. Adult appetizers around $13. So that is only $20 and you have WINE and gooooood food! Okay. It may NOT be a huge portion. But it is good and balanced. You will sit in a soft, relaxing chair near a fireplace. A waiter will server you and you will have a plethora of enticing options.

The kids menu offers roasted chicken breast, mashed potatoes and vegetable for only $13. Likewise the filet mignon on the kids plate is $13!!!! My husband said “it is probably so small… barely a medalian!” But do you thing the burger patty in the park is any bigger???? AND they validate for you! This saves a few dollars too.

My kids shared a pasta with red sauce for $7 and ate the WHOLE thing!!! Quite a rarity! As well as a cheese pizza for $7. My husband also had a slice of theirs. It would have been enough to fill me up. I got a prociutto, caramelized onion, cheese (I forget the name), grape and fig pizza ($13) and a glass of red wine ($7ish).

We also got dessert!!!! THREE scoops of ice cream (gooooood quality) for $6.50 on the kid menu. At Haagen Dazs just outside you get ONE scoop for around $4.00!!! And a flourless chocolate cake with dark chocolate, orange ganache and cinnamon ice cream! Yeah baby!!!

Why go with crappy junk when for a few dollars more you have a mini fine dining experience!

Works for me!!!

What would you prefer?

* This image was taken from my Iphone... sorry for the quality!

From My Garden To Yours!

2008-09-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Don't you love it when fate or perfect timing steps in? The other day when I had a beautiful piece of fresh salmon waiting in the refrigerator, I was folding laundry and just half-heartedly watching the Food Network when all of a sudden I hear Paula Deen mention Garden Salmon. My head perked up and I listened. By garden Salmon, she was referring to using the herbs from her garden with a little butter and then baking it. Easy enough!

I set out to do the same. My garden is a little pathetic these days though. I just do NOT have a green thumb. Brown is more like it! But my basil is still growing well. Not in the pots but in the ground. And there are still peppers growing. The Fresno chili plant is especially prolific.

To begin, I turned the oven to 350º and took out a large piece of tin foil. I placed my salmon down and added a fairly good slab of butter. Then I topped with the basil and Fresno chilies from my garden along with capers, lemon slices and a little garlic salt and pepper. The tinfoil was closed and I put it in the oven. How easy was that!

About 13-14 minutes later, I took it out and here is what I got. Tender, juicy, flaky, moist salmon! I plated it with a little orzo which had just a little olive oil and fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top. It was delicious and felt fairly light and a perfect late summer meal. And salmon is amazingly good for you. It has a ton of those Omega-3 fatty acids that not only good for you body and heart but can increase brain development and help skin look younger and more beautiful! Talk about a miracle fish. Who doesn't want to be a young healthy braniac with gorgeous skin?

Speaking of fate. I would like to dedicate this dish to Rebecca, my new adoptee. From my garden and home to yours... I hope you like fish and I DO hope I have some wisdom to impart. I was paired with Rebecca at Ezra Pound Cake in the Adopt a Blogger Event created by Kristen at Dine and Dish. It is a really fun event that pairs more experienced bloggers as mentors to those who are newer to the game. If you are feeling sage these days, go sign up at Dine and Dish.

Now here's the funny thing. I am supposed to be the mentor! Good thing I've been eating my salmon! It is ironic as I feel so new to the blogosphere as it is. And one look at Rebecca's cooking and photography and I am SURE I can learn a lot from her. You have to check it all out. She is a newly married, professional cook who is currently on hiatus. Congratulations!

From what I've seen so far, she is one talented young lady. I am dying to try some of her recipes. The pastries are divine! But first up may just have to be these Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-Lime Dressing. I can't stop thinking about them. I just hope I can find the green tomatoes.

Keep checking back as I hope to recreate on of Rebecca's masterpieces very soon. Meanwhile, I am getting the house in order to head up to the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa for the weekend. A family friend will be getting married there and I am sure it will prove to be about the most spectacular wedding I ever go to unless I start hob-nobbing with the stars.

The Gift

2008-09-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you are given a special gift. One that, in just looking at the box, is almost pleasure enough. Just holding it, wondering or maybe even having a pretty good inkling of what's inside, is half of the joy. Picture a little familiar looking blue box with a white bow. It in itself would make a handsome decoration on your dressing table. You know the one. While I have only had a couple in my life, the signature light blue is enough to delight. The color has a feeling of beauty and promise.

And so it was when I beheld the beautiful "gift" that Marie, the Proud Italian Cook, showcased a little while back. Ever since I saw it, I knew I had to have one too. I looked at a couple markets to no avail. And then the day came. I was near Whole Foods. Marie got hers there. I did too.

While the "gift" I found was not in the same fancy outer wrapper that Marie acquired, when I set it gently on the plate, I knew I had only seen the surface. Inside was the true gift. As with the little blue boxes I have received, I simply looked at my pristine, white, handformed looking ball for a while. Next to the tomatoes and basil it sat so daintily. The colors calling out Italy and late afternoon sunshine in a Tuscan garden. I added olives, organic ciabbata bread and a dish with olive oil and balsamic. It was beautiful!

My very own little ball of Buratta cheese! I was almost afraid to open it up. It was just so perfect. But alas, I had to see what was inside. The soft outer shell of fresh mozzarella cheese broke slowly apart to reveal the creamy marscapone which began to ooze out from the center. I took a little wedge and smeared it endearingly onto my bread. The first bite had to be free of other flavors. Into my mouth it went and seemed to just melt down my throat. I took a sip of wine then gingerly spread a little more on the bread. This time adding the tomato and basil. Another taste. Sheer heaven! This is NO ordinary cheese. It is precious and beautiful and mild yet stands out of the crowd. It IS a special treat.

Now Marie, I do not know whether to thank you for your post and the introduction to the Burrata, or berate you for getting me to fall in love with yet another costly and somewhat fattening delicacy! But in all seriousness, I am soooo grateful. For me, THIS is a perfect meal. A perfect little gift!

Speaking of gifts.... I am bringing a ton of this Burrata cheese over to Susan for her virtual SGCC 1 year Blogiversary Bash! It is not a difficult recipe but but a gift of my new favorite cheese along with tomatoes and basil from my garden. Congratulations Susan! Thanks for the invite. It's going to be a great party!

What do you see when you turn out the light?

2008-09-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

Is is visions of sugar plums? Chocolate, mint or raspberry delight? Do you prefer cake? Or a nice cheese tray? Ice cream or candy or crème brûlée. Tell me your favorite dessert!

On a daily basis, I do not necessarily eat dessert after dinner. I might have a bite of chocolate or a gummy bear or something but dessert is NOT every day for me. But when I have guests I do like to offer some sweets.

For our small dinner party I looked again to help from a friend and choose a recipe I had been ogling on Robin Sue's Red Kitchen. It was these caramelicious-shortbread bars which Robin found at Ann's Velvet Lava Cafe. I just couldn't get them out of my head. I LOVE caramel!!!!!!!! I ADORE shortbread!!!! And chocolate... Well that is the icing on the cake of course! I had to try them.

The only change I made was to sprinkle some walnuts on the top as I thought it would be pretty and be a nice addition to the chocolate and caramel. I was slightly disappointed that my caramel color was not as dark or rich looking as Robin Sue's. But there was NO disappointing in the taste. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMmmmmmm GOOD! Sooo rich and decadent. I was berated a little as my friend's husband said it had enough fat and calories for a whole day worth of food but that didn't seem to stop anybody!

Because I didn't want to eat these waist-expanding treat all day the next day, I froze the remaining bars. And if possible, I have to say they were even better after being frozen! I love cold frozen chocolate. I kept them in the freezer up until one concert in the park night and brought them to the park. They truely were fabulous! So if you like your sweets cold, try freezing these treats... I might (doubtfully) help stop you from eating too much at once! I highly recommend having friends nearby to help you from eating all of these yourself. It is QUITE dangerous.

With A Little Help from my Friends...

2008-09-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday is cook and have friends over. Most of you are foodies as well so I am sure you can relate!

This post is a bit belated as this dinner was about a month ago. But time gets in the way of the best laid plans doesn't it. At any rate, we had a couple friend over for dinner one Sunday night in August. My husband is NOT the best eater in the world and I wanted something he would like as it was actually his idea to have guests this time. We hadn't barbecued any steaks in a while so this is where the menu began. Steak! From there I went on to potato as it is an easy pleaser and goes well. Corn is so summery and such a favorite with kids so I had to have that. Now how to make it interesting...

This is where I "try with a little help from my friends" in the food blogging world. I had been thinking of the sauces that Robin Sue from Big Red Kitchen had made to go with her Carne en Palito ever since I read the post. Robin originally got them from Laylita's Recipes. They sounded wonderful and just a little different. I didn't have any skewers here and didn't want to run to the store, plus I wanted the steaks to be whole so my husband would like it better and it would hold more juice in. I decided to add some chicken to the menu for the kids and as I thought the sauces would be great with chicken as well like an appetizer.

The two sauces I chose were those Robin had chosen– Laylita's Balsamic Chimichurri Sauce and her Salsa de Mani which sounded like such a different peanut sauce. And let me tell you, these sauces STOLE the show! They were great. We all particularly loved the Balsamic sauce on the steak. While it seemed just a simple vinaigrette, it was just so flavorful and perfect with the dinner as a whole.

To round out the meal, I prepared green beans in one of my favorite ways. I simply steam fresh french green beans. Meanwhile I caramelize about 1/2 an onion in butter over the stove. When the onion and beans are finished I toss them in a bowl with fresh baby tomatoes, a little olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar along with salt and pepper to taste. I love the combination of the al dente warm beans, sweet and savory onions and the cool crisp raw tomatoes.

In lieu of bread I took out some extra pizza dough that I had (frozen and saved) from this night and rolled it out for focaccia bread. Any pizza dough works great for focaccia. It is so easy. All you have to do is top it with a few herbs and some olive oil! In this case I topped it with olive oil, red onion, tomato, oregano, cilantro and parsley to compliment the sauces I made.

Now, let me not overlook the potatoes I made! These accordion potatoes were inspired by Peter at Kalofagas. They just looked so fun and different despite the simplicity. Okay the ingredients were simple. Just some butter and seasoning. But I did find it a little time consuming to get the butter in every crevice with two little ones running around. That being said, they came out great both visually and to the palette! I did make some modifications to my potatoes. Instead of using the seasoning Peter used, I melted butter and to that added some of the herbs I had chopped for my sauces. In this way I felt it would be a better compliment to the whole meal.

The kids ate outside. The adults ate inside at my new table which has a handy expansion lief tucked conveniently underneath. It is a higher bistro style table and fits just right in it's rectangular form for every day and yet is not too crowded as a large square for nights when guests are over! I really like it.

A special thanks to all my blogging buddies who aided with their recipe ideas. And a special thanks to my family and other friends who helped gobble everything up! It was a lovely evening.

Now stay tuned and let your stomachs digest this a little and I will tell you what I made for dessert! You didn't think I'd forget THAT little detail did you?

Grilled Chicken with Asian Slaw and Avocados

2008-09-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

My Asian slaw (above) is a slight adaptation I made to my family's "famous" Chinese Chicken Salad recipe. Whenever we get together with the WHOLE family, it is always a potluck. My mom has 3 sisters and a brother and they all live here in So. Cal. so add their kids (my cousins and often significant others ... none are married yet) and my sisters and all our kids... Well it is a big group. And chances are somebody makes the Chinese Chicken Salad as their contribution to the meal.

The reason it is so popular with our family is twofold, I think. Firstly, it is mild yet very flavorful and appeals to most everyone. And secondly, it is made with cabbage. Cabbage is the perfect salad when you need to make it ahead of time and serve a large group. It can hold up well to the dressing and does not easily wilt or get soggy when sitting fully dressed on a counter for several hours! Really it is the best way to go if you have a large group. For as good as a green salad may be, once it wilts, gets soggy and turns to a mush of old lettuce... who likes it?

When you are in a quandary about what to make for your next potluck, I urge you to offer up this salad. It is so easy and I have yet to meet someone who didn't like it!

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 small head of cabbage (I buy pre-shredded bags and use 1 to 2)
4 green onions chopped
1 package of chicken flavored Top Ramen®
2 Tbls. sliced almonds
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbls. butter
cooked chicken (about two large full breasts)

Normally I bake two or three chicken breasts with bones and skin in the oven with light seasoning and olive oil. When cooked through, let it cool. Shred or cut up chicken into bite size pieces. Can be done up to a day ahead.

Crumble up the Ramen® noodles and set the seasoning packet aside. In a medium saute pan melt the butter and add the crumbled noodles, almonds and sesame seeds. Saute on on medium to low heat until the noodles and almonds begin to brown and get crispy. Take off the heat and set aside to cool in a small bowl. Can be done several hours or up to a day ahead.

Make the dressing.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 packet of seasoning from the Top Ramen®
Salt and Pepper to taste
(I add a little chili oil and a tiny bit of soy sauce too)

Whisk together all the above ingredients. Can be made a day ahead.

In a large bowl combine the cabbage, green onions, chicken, toasted Ramen, almonds and sesame seeds and toss with the dressing. And voilá! There you have it. If I make it though, I almost always add red and/or yellow bell peppers to give it some color and add some vegetable content. Other great additions I have tried are celery, carrots, and mushrooms.

Now as I said, these photos are a slight adaptation to the above recipe. I had made the salad one evening when my parents were over. I didn't use all of the dressing or the toasted topping though. So the next day when deciding what to eat for myself, I decided on this little twist.

In a bowl, I tossed the cabbage with red bell peppers, cilantro and green onions with the dressing. I placed it on the plate and topped with the toasted noodles, almonds and sesame seeds and garnished with more cilantro. I then placed fresh, warm, grilled chicken and sliced avocado on my plate and drizzled with a tiny bit of chili oil. I LOVE heat!

The cilantro worked so perfectly with the dish that I may include it the next time I make the regular recipe. And the warm chicken and avocado really rounded out the meal. Let me tell you. It was filling, flavorful and a more than satisfying dinner for a warm summer evening. DO try this at home.

Grilled Chicken with Asian Slaw and Avocados

This dish is based off of an easy and satisfying ...

See Grilled Chicken with Asian Slaw and Avocados on Key Ingredient.

Buzzed on Food Blogging

2008-08-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

While part of me still feels very new at this whole blogging thing and I still feel that I have a lot to learn, it has come to be part of my life and part of who I am. It is no secret that I love food and cooking and here I have a forum to share and talk about it. And all of you are so good as to come and visit and comment from time to time.

One of the great things about blogging is visiting others. Learning about their sites, lives, talents and recipes. There are so many interesting, creative and talented people within this community. But last week it went even one step further.

Thanks to Foodbuzz, I was invited to a dinner with several other Southern California bloggers. There were about 20 total and all had so much to offer in the way of knowledge, food and personality. It was an amazing and enlightening evening. I am so fortunate to have finally met some of you and gained some new friends! I also really enjoyed meeting our two hosts from Foodbuzz, Kristen and Ryan. You girls are so much fun and did such a great job. Boy! What a job you have. I am envious. It is so fun for you. And thank you for making us all feel so welcome and at ease. Thank you Foodbuzz for the great food and wine!

The lovely event took place at Blanca in Newport Beach. It couldn't have been a better setting with the water at our side and the twinkling lights of boats as we sipped our wine. The night was warm and the company warmer. Here is a list of some of those I met. DO check out their blogs. I know I will be stopping in for plenty of visits!

Blog	URL	Name
An Easy Recipe	http://aneasyrecipe.com	David
Eat in O.C	http://www.eatinoc.com/	Daniel
Griffin Eats OC	http://www.griffineatsoc.com	Griffin
I Nom Things	http://inomthings.blogspot.com/	Ila
LA and OC Foodventures	http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com/	Hiu Chung
Orange County Mexican Restaurants	http://ocmexfood.blogspot.com/	Christian
Pleasure Palate	http://pleasurepalate.blogspot.com/	Abby
Rasa Malaysia	http://www.rasamalaysia.com/	Bee
RumDood	http://www.rumdood.com/	Matt
The Delicious Life	http://thedeliciouslife.blogspot.com	Sarah
This Man's Kitchen	http://thismanskitchen.com	Hal
Wandering Chopsticks	http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/
Go Eggless	http://goeggless.com	Sarah
Panini Happy	http://www.paninihappy.com	Kathy
Gourmet Pigs	http://gourmetpigs.blogspot.com

MENU

First Course
Asparagus Salad
Burrata cheese, toasted hazelnuts, arugula, truffle vinaigrette

Main Course
Roasted Dover Sole (pictured above)
Tuscan white beans, Spanish chorizo, market carrots, parsley espuma

Roasted Flank Steak
Whole roasted garlic, Taleggio cheese potatoes, red wine reduction, herb salad

Dessert
Manjari "Grand cru" chocolated decadence
Salted caramel, ice cream, coffee chips, Spanish almonds

The Classic Wedge

2008-08-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

Okay. So you cannot really see my "wedge" shape all that well what with all the dressing, bacon and goodies on top but I assure you, I DID start with a wedge shape of iceberg lettuce on my plate.

There is nothing like this classic "oldie but goodie" salad. The KEY to making it good, however, is a really good dressing. Where do you get a really good dressing for your wedge? Make it yourself. Yes. This is the best way to do it unless you choose to drive to your favorite steak house and have them serve it up for you.

Once you have the dressing, assembling the dish is a snap. Place your wedge on a plate, pour on some dressing, add your favorite toppings. I suggest bacon and red onions. But I always throw in tomatoes too. I love tomatoes. And as simple as this is, it is sophisticated enough for a very elegant dinner party. Try it. I know you'll love this dressing recipe. Please.... DO NOT buy a bottle of blue cheese dressing for this salad. I just is not the same.

Blue Cheese Dressing

1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup half and half
4 oz. good quality blue cheese (my family likes Maytag. It is expensive but worth it)
3 tsp. grated onion (I add more)
1 garlic glove finely minced (I probably use 2 or 3)
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce (Tobasco)
1 tsp. worschester sauce

Whisk the ingredients together to blend and salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add a little cayenne pepper for more subtle heat or depth. It is best to refrigerate your dressing for at least an hour before serving to help meld and marry the flavors. Can keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2008-08-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

It is time for our annual trip to Vermont to visit with Paul's side of the family. This is really the only time we see them. While most of his immediate family lives in Virginia, the whole group congregates in Vermont (where the grandfather and his siblings grew up) for a very large extended family reunion on Saturday. There is over 100 people at the actual reunion some years.

We stay at a little hotel walking distance to Paul's grandparents home. Vermont is a beautiful state.

The whole family really enjoys Nona's spaghetti. This includes my children too! Here they are last year gearing up for the synchronized eating contest! Is there an Olympic event for such a thing? ;-) Maybe there should be!

This is going to be a short trip this year. So I will be back blogging and visiting in less than a week.

Little Sticks of YUM!

2008-08-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, a friend referred to the ubiquitous fried potato (aka: french fry, fry, frite, chip) as little sticks of yum. This seems a very apt description! Personally if I see fries, I have a very very hard time resisting them. They are just so ... well yummy!

My very favorite are the really thin frites served often in French bistros or cafes. What is your favorite? Thick? Thin? Healthy? McDonald's? I do have to admit, I LIKE McDonald's fries!

I have tried making my own on a few occasions. I know you are supposed to blanch the potatoes in the oil first. I do that. But still my fries do not come out quite as crispy as I would like. Maybe I am too impatient and do not let them cool enough after the first blanch. I have also heard you can freeze them after the first blanching for a crisper fry. Maybe a deep fryer would do the job better. I am not sure. I do want to purchase one.

Do you have any tips for me on getting a crisper fry?

Despite the not-so-crisp nature of my own version, they did have a good flavor. As a family keen on dipping, I served them with ranch dressing and ketchup. I normally make ranch dressing using a packet of powdered mix, mayonnaise and milk (as per the directions). I highly recommend making your own dressing even if it is just with a packet. I cannot stand ANY bottled dressings. It just doesn't taste right to me at all. And making your own is so easy and can last in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks! So it needn't go to waste.

What are your favorite fry dippers?

And the story (party) continues...

2008-08-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Preparing food to bring to a party in the park is not always easy. At least not for me. First you have to decide, are you going to cook on the grills there? Or go with food that can be eaten cold? Then there is the factor of things that can withstand the warm weather and all the prep and transportation. Really for me to have a party at a park, is harder than at home.

Since the party was at 3:00 in the afternoon, I decided I didn't need to have a full meal. But wanted appetizers. But what? Dip? Well my sister made some dip for me and brought that. It is easy and always pleases but I wanted something more impressive. An antipasto platter seemed just the thing. I do an Italian style platter that is a huge hit with spicy marinated mozzarella and tomatoes and basil etc... But I wanted to do something new this time. I decided it should be somewhat Greek or generally Mediterranean in nature.

My platter above has cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and basil, feta, salami, kalmata olives and drizzling of an olive oil mixed with lemon and fresh oregano.

I also wanted to serve more salamis, some Manchego cheese and more olives and roasted peppers.
I served a bowl of fruit with berries, grapes and pineapple. It looked prettier with out the plastic but the flies this year... The f...in' flies!! So over them.

I digress. I placed a bowl of pita chips and pita bread on the table along with a purchased cilantro jalapeno hummus and my own basic hummus.

Hummus
2 cans of garbanzo beans (drain and reserve liquid)
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves (use more or less based on personal taste)
olive oil

In a food processor, combine the first 4 ingredients using olive oil and/or reserve bean liquid to thin to the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

As an experiment, I took 1/3 of the hummus and put it back in the processor and tried to add roasted tomatoes and basil. It had a good flavor but was a little too thin and runny. I think it would be best to do this before adding the oil and reserved liquids.

The other sauce/dipper I chose was this Skordalia recipe I read about on Peter's site Kalofagas. I was immediately intrigued. I had never heard of skordalia before but it turns out it is more or less a Greek version of aioli! How perfect given the name of my blog. I do not have a good photo of this (or the hummuses) but let me tell you, it was GOOD!!!! If you don't like garlic, it may not be for you. It really packs a punch and is very very garlicy but that was fine by me and based on how much was eaten, my guests as well! It was great with the pita but I think it would also be wonderful on grilled white fish or chicken. Frankly I could probably put it on anything and love it. Thanks for the referral and recipe, Peter! This is definitely a keeper that I will make again and again.

Our guests seemed to like everything as it was mostly gone by the end of the party. Nothing makes me more pleased that to see everyone eating my food.

I did do one thing to make life easier on myself. I ordered pizza for the kids to be delivered to the park. Some also took fruit and veggies but pizza is always a kid pleaser.

We had a great day. And since most of the food was eaten, clean up and take home wasn't too too bad. Except for all the princess paraphernalia! (Don't you just love that word? So fun.)

Oh wait! You didn't think I would serve all this food without offering a special libation do you? I made a white wine sangria. I didn't really use much of a recipe but threw in some wine, brandy, simple syrup and my secret ingredient tea! I use lemon zinger herbal tea for white wine sangrias and cranberry or some other berry herbal tea for red sangrias. Of course there was a lot of fruit too-- Peaches, green apples, lemons, oranges, limes....

Drink up and enjoy your weekend! Cheers!

Once Upon a Time...

2008-08-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

There was a little princess of a girl who after months of planning and deciding and waiting and going to other parties...

FINALLY got to have her VERY own party! She felt quite big. Such a proud 4 year old!

It was her special day held at a local park. And she milked all the attention
and poses for all who were so gracious as to attend this royal event.

All the coolest of friends made it!

There were A LOT of presents. Most of them princess themed as that was her greatest desire.
Oh how she LOVES presents.
It was a very happy day.

But wait all you loyal and royal subjects! This is not the end.

Mommy made a lot of food for the royal guests. And she will post about it as soon as she can get all the photos loaded and the floors mopped and the custom invitations done and new orders to send out and put the invoices in the mail and the toys put away and the laundry done and....

________________________________________________________________

Well you understand. Please partake in some of the cookies she made for the day. They were from a recipe on Orangette's blog. Molly adapted these chocolate chip cookies based on an article in the New York Times. Well after reading her post and part of the Times article (I still want to read it all but as you see above, there are many many things to do.)

But back to the cookies. I made them for Danielle's party (which was over a week ago). They were a HUGE hit and I think it was one of the best homemade cookies I have ever had and certainly the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. The only modification I made was adding walnuts to half the batch as my family really like walnuts in their cookies. You really ought to try them! Sooo moist and delicious that I am tempted to whip up another batch VERY VERY soon. The only hard part is waiting a couple days to cook them after you make the dough.

Check back very soon for the rest of the feast. I am giving you the dessert first so you will not loose too much patience with me.

Old School Egg Salad Gets New California Girl Makeover

2008-07-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Back in my single days, I rarely had bread in the house. I mean I do like bread but regular sliced sandwich bread is just so so and frankly I could never eat the whole loaf by myself before it went bad. And I am not one to freeze bread that was just mediocre to begin with. So mostly I bought French baguettes or fresh sour dough or something from a bakery only when having people over or doing appetizers or bringing home a fabulous piece of cheese and a bottle of wine. Back then I basically shopped when I was ready to eat and KNEW I was going to be home to eat. When you are single it just seems that sometimes a week or two may go by and you never end up eating at home except a quick snack. Or that was how it was for me. So I hated to buy things that spoiled quickly.

Now while I didn't have any bread in the house regularly, I DID always have tortillas. What good Californian doesn't? They seem to last quite a while in the refrigerator and it is just easy to whip up a quesadilla or burrito or something when there isn't much to eat. Now most of you have probably made plenty of quesadillas and burritos with your tortillas but how about wrapping up cold cuts or other sandwich fillings? My favorite choice for this is egg salad.

Egg salad is a childhood comfort food for me. There is nothing like it just the way my mother and grandmother made it on fresh, soft, plain white bread. But when all else fails and you don't have bread, try a tortilla!

Simply hard boil your eggs and make the egg salad as to your preference. I do it simply, as my mom did, with good quality mayonnaise, a little paprika, salt and pepper and occasionally a tiny bit of Dijon.

Using tongs, heat your tortilla over a gas flame moving it around and flipping until it is warm and browned on each side. This is what makes the tortilla really tasty especially if it isn't really fresh.

Place the egg salad on the tortilla and fold like a burrito.

EAT!

Try it at home sometime. It is really good. Especially if the egg and tortilla are still a bit warm!

Ahi Sashimi with Soy Bean Purée

2008-07-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have been following along for a while, may remember my mentioning some great food on my trip to New York. The trip was such a busy tiring one, I barely (operative word) had the energy to eat let alone take photos of the food. But one dish really stood out. I found it to be an amazing compilation of flavors and savored every morsel. This gastronomic treasure was found at Mercer Kitchen in Soho, one of Jean-George Vongerichten's many restaurants. He called it a tuna spring roll with soy bean purée.

Normally when I think of a spring roll, I think of veggies and possibly a meat, chicken or fish encased in a thin rice paper or other such wrapping. Jean-George's, however, were just the raw tuna in a circle with a very thin layer of light flakey wrapping around the edge. These were plated in a semi-circle on one side of the dish with a mirrored semi-circle of the purée on the other. In the middle was a design with another sauce or two and edamame lined up in a row like a Zen rock garden putting you at peace before entering into perfect union with your food. It was phenomenal! Did I say that already??? Well it was!

Okay. So as you might have gathered, I really enjoyed these spring rolls. But it was the sauce/purée that really cinched the deal. So what was in it? Soy bean obviously. In my mind that means edamame. I also tasted lime and there was a good amount of cilantro too. "I could make this", I thought!

Shortly after getting back from the city, I went to my farmer's market and found a new fish vendor. She touted the fish was fresh enough for sushi. So I opted to try her ahi. Not cheap... but less expensive than some stores. I thought it might be perfect to try with Jean-George's sauce!

Now for the sauce. I knew it had edamame. I put that in a blender. Cilantro? Check! Fresh squeezed lime? Check! Whiz and blend. Too chunky. Not smooth enough. I needed something to thin it out and make it a sauce. What could I add? A little oil. Olive would be too Mediterranean. So I added some vegetable oil and some sesame oil. Getting thinner. I added a little soy sauce. I added a little chili oil but not too much as I didn't want it to spicy. I couldn't add much more lime as it would be over-powering. And so it went. I added edamame, cilantro, lime, a combination of sesame and vegetable oils and soy sauce until the consistency and taste was close to what I envisioned.

Sorry to say, I do not have exact measurements for you. I just kept putting in a little of this, a little of that. I got close! My sauce was still thicker than the chef's but the taste was close. Not quite the same. But close. Maybe with practice I will get it! And maybe with practice, I can work out some measurements and better guide for you. Because this definitely had a great flavor!

I tried to plate mine similarly to the restaurant presentation. Of course, my ahi was just raw and sliced. In the center I made a design with soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil with the edamame beans in a line. Unfortunately when I brought it to the table the oils and sauce blended around and wasn't as pretty as it was when I first did it. I also had to realign my beans for you.

I think my version may have been better suited to a grilled white fish. A lovely sword fish or even sea bass or halibut would have been divine!

This photo is far from ultra appetizing but as an experiment, I took a small piece of the ahi and rolled it lightly in panko. I then QUICKLY tried to brown it in a pan of hot oil. Unfortunately the ahi cooked up much more than I would have liked. I wanted a crunchy outer texture and seared fish but it was almost cooked all the way through as you can see. It was pretty good. But I liked it raw better.

I wish you could taste it too and help me decide the proper ingredients and quantities. But I will keep at it and see if I can't get it to be a bit closer to the original.

Now look at my messy kitchen upon preparing just one experimental dish for just myself! Oh and some rice and peas for the kids. Pathetic! Wish I was neater when cooking. Then it wouldn't be such a pain to clean up afterward.

Art and Aioli

The Femme Foodie Group

Red Carpet Ready!

Wine Lover Business Card from Zazzle.com

The Colors of Summer!

It's Almost Halloween!

Blog Cards, Profile Cards, Business Cards

Wedding Food Highlights

My Miss 'N Nick Zazzle Store

The Best Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins Recipe(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

Left-over Gruyère and Cider Fondue Sandwich

Welcome to Open House Night!

Don't Forget!!! The Virtual Open House Extravaganza + a Giveaway!

Onion Soup - Comfort Food at its Best!

Caramel Rolls- A breakfast treat, dessert or indulgent snack

Topping

DEALS and STEALS! A guide to eating out for less in Orange County

You're Invited!!! A Virtual Open House Extravaganza + a Giveaway!

Putting Some Art in Today!

Irish Meets American- My St. Paddy's Day Meal

Double Double Protein Style!

Cherry Berry Shortcake and My First Recipe Contest

Welcome to My Culinary Art Studio

Pesto for Peter

Do You? or Do-U-Not? Do... DOUGHNUTS!!

Fries Fries Fries... Hurray for Les Pommes Frites!

Starting Early

Simple Yet Satisfying

And the WINNER is...

Did You Know About This?

100th Post! Back to Cooking and a Giveaway for YOU!

Happy Holidays!!!

I have news!

A Tag and a little about me!

Salmon with Tarragon Leek Sauce

Testing 1-2-3, Testing

Trick or Treat...

All Hallows Eve

The Golden Egg

Soup and Salad - Food and Friends for Fall

The Prize

The Bold and the Beautiful!

Silky Subtle Sexy SOUP

Foodbuzz Publisher Community Launches

Thai Chicken Angel Hair Pasta

The Fashion of Food

Mousse Au Chocolat

A Family Meal for Fall

Trial and Error?

Carpe Diem

Olives in Ojai

Napa Rose Bar -- Disneyland Grand California Hotel

From My Garden To Yours!

The Gift

What do you see when you turn out the light?

With A Little Help from my Friends...

Grilled Chicken with Asian Slaw and Avocados

Grilled Chicken with Asian Slaw and Avocados

Buzzed on Food Blogging

The Classic Wedge

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Little Sticks of YUM!

And the story (party) continues...

Once Upon a Time...

Old School Egg Salad Gets New California Girl Makeover

Ahi Sashimi with Soy Bean Purée

Blueberry Muffins Recipe
(Adapted from Simply Recipes)