February 28, 2013

Bacon Fried Rice

I think I have mentioned once or twice here that my son is a PICKY EATER. That deserves all caps because that’s how I say it in my head. It frustrates me. There’s a decent sized list of food that he eats but this list is very particular. Like…if I cut one of his beloved red peppers (favorite vegetable) in a different way, he will not eat it. He has a hard time trusting that things will taste the same if they look different. He’s SUPER visual (where do you think he gets that from?). More than half the time I do things to appease his picky palate but every now and then I get really annoyed and take a stand. I WILL BE MAKING MAC & CHEESE AND YOU WILL LIKE IT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I try…and then he still doesn’t like it! Whoever said it takes at least 15 tries for a kid to decide if they like something was full of crap.

And then sometimes I take two things that I know he likes…like bacon & fried rice and I combine them because HOW COULD ANYONE NOT LIKE BACON FRIED RICE?!! Seems logical, right? Part of me knew he would be apprehensive about the sliced onions. I know he still won’t go near eggs, but when we order Chinese Fried Rice at restaurants, he will totally eat the egg unbeknownst to him. So how did it go?

I should have trusted my gut…Kid Fail. What a crazy kid!

This Bacon Fried Rice is SERIOUSLY AMAZING. I’ve never really liked the pork in Pork Fried Rice but now that it’s replaced with bacon??! Praise the Lard! Bacon adds a delightful crispy bite that I can’t get over. Cooper, who LOOOOVES bacon didn’t appreciate that it was cut up in small pieces. He also was not down with the green onions. KIDS! Casey and I happily ate countless bowls of Bacon Fried Rice. Maybe it was a good thing we didn’t have to share.

This is going in the rotation and I will scoop out a bowl for my picky eater that doesn’t include bacon, green onions, regular onions and fun.

out & about, Uncategorized

February 27, 2013

Out to Eat: Delarosa

When you have a child, finding a kid friendly restaurant with great food can be a challenge. That’s why we love going to Delarosa when we’re in San Francisco with Cooper. The restaurant is not too far from where my parents live in the city and it’s a very quick trip for us from Marin because it’s right off the Golden Gate Bridge on Chestnut Street. It works out well for us when we want an impromptu lunch with my parents on a weekend. We love it and the food is nothing short of exceptional.

recipes, Uncategorized

February 25, 2013

Arugula Hazelnut Salad w/ Fig Balsamic

When I’m on vacation enjoying the local cuisine (in this case-tacos, guacamole & margaritas) sometimes I start to miss my regular eating routine. Although I’ve been known to say that I can eat Mexican food and never tire of it, I learned that in reality that’s not entirely true. My tastebuds were craving gigantic bowls of kale salads. I wanted big salads full of arugula and ones that encourage my hippie sensibilities. I needed salad like WHOA by day three of my vacation.

sidenote:

If you eat fries in Mexico, do they count as Mexican food?

Don’t answer that.

I had a salad like this at Chez Panisse last year. It’s simple, delicate and yet with the hazelnuts & shaved Parmesan it’s actually pretty hearty. It also includes a figgy balsamic that helps balance out the peppery bite of the arugula. Have you tried fig jam in a salad dressing? You should.

A salad like this gets me right back on track with my taste buds.

Tacos? I think I’ll have to wait a few days.

my everyday life, Photography

February 24, 2013

My Everyday Life: Week 8

Here’s what this past week looked like (in Mexico!!)

On our way home. It’s always so nice to experience a sunset on the plane.

Uncategorized

February 22, 2013

I love lists, Friday!

How to Lose Weight All Week. Good points!
I think we all could benefit from a Digital Detox. Don’t you agree?
Outfit Envy Alert! So chic!
I admire the honesty of this post about losing weight.
An interesting journey of freeing oneself from credit card debt.
Best Ways to Handle a Text from the Wrong Number. Hilarious.
8 Small Cooking Habits That Make a Big Difference. Truth!
Cat friend vs. Dog friend. (I’m totally cat friend!)
I love Citrus Cocktails, don’t you?
If you love shopping at Trader Joe’s (that would me me!) you’ll love this.
Joy has me super excited to be visiting NOLA soon with her travel post.
COCONUT Chex Mix? OMG. YES.
Can’t wait to get these Buckwheat Waffles into my belly.
I’m currently reading Gone Girl. Have you read it? I’m SO INTO IT!

The Mexican Situation! That’s the name of the latest Joy the Baker Podcast. I’m actually in Mexico this week phoning it in! We talk about Cadbury eggs, botch Spanish & discuss ways to not tell your friend you don’t dig her boyfriend. Thanks for listening!

Friends! I’m in Mexico with the crappiest internet connection so I’m not able to easily post My Bites Around the Net this week. I’ll add them to next week’s post. Thanks for your patience and a special thank you to all of you who try out recipes I’ve posted on my website. It means a lot!

Have a great weekend!

recipes

February 20, 2013

Orange Honey Ginger Ale

Spring is starting to show its face here in California. We’ve had a few nice days recently. They were the kind of days where I deeply regretted my long sleeve shirt & boot choices. I should probably look at the weather app on my phone before I get dressed. I have a feeling if I start now, I won’t stop. I can get rather obsessive with weather.

Blossoms are appearing on trees and it’s a nice change of pace to see some blocks of brilliant pink & white amongst the skeletal limbs of trees on our way to school in the morning. My daydreams are focused on warmer weather. Sunshine, citrus and things that make me feel good when it’s sunny…. like big jars of Orange Honey Ginger Ale on the back porch while Cooper digs muddy trenches for his big Tonka trucks. Birds chirp and seed packets wait to be organized.

This orange honey ginger syrup reminds me of perfumed orange blossoms and spicy ginger beer. It makes a wonderful mixer if you’re wanting to make a boozy drink. Rum, vodka, bourbon & gin are all welcome. Just probably not all together…at the same time.

I hope that sun is shining in your neck of the woods. And if it’s not, here’s a little bit of sunshine in a jar for you.

recipes

February 18, 2013

Cheddar Cheese Bread

As someone who cooks & bakes a lot, I find it necessary to have a few tricks up my sleeve when I’m entertaining. In my experience, people are always impressed if you can make carbohydrates fancier. That’s why I always run out of my killer garlic bread and continually blow minds with this herbed flatbread recipe.

Carbs can be mind blowing. What can I say? See that avocado on top of this bread? EPIC.

And this here Cheddar Cheese Bread is no exception. It’s like a bread meets biscuit. That means you can portion control (err on the big side!) your slice of bread. It’s crispy on the outside, and fluffy/slightly dense on the inside. What makes it more awesome is the bits of cheese that can be seen throughout. The edges of the bread have some crispy cheese baked in. YES to that.

I can imagine this recipe could be a gateway for more amazing Cheese Bread Combinations. Rosemary mixed in? Smoked Paprika? How about a few dashes of hot sauce? Pair it with a soup & salad?

Don’t mind if I do…