May 11, 2011

Artichoke & Basil Bruschetta

Friends! I’m teaching a cooking class with Digital Media Playground at Macy’s (in Union Square) this Saturday. You should totally come! I’ll be doing a little demo on one of my favorite summer foods, bruschetta! My friend Denise will also be teaching a lesson on food photography & how to take awesome shots indoors with tricky lighting. It’s gonna be fun!

I’ve been testing bruschetta recipes this week and yesterday I came up with this scrumptious Artichoke & Basil Bruschetta for the class. On top of a grilled/garlic rubbed crostini you’ll find creamy ricotta, basil, marinated artichoke hearts, a slice of Parmesan cheese with a squeeze of lemon. It’s so good I made it for both lunch AND dinner yesterday. You are going to LOVE it! One bruschetta down, three more to go!
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recipes

May 10, 2011

Strawberry Clafouti

My mom made a cherry clafouti for company when I was a little, and I’ve been smitten with the word *clafouti* ever since. Clafouti. CLAH- FOO-TEE. It’s a fun word to say. Go ahead, try it. See what I mean? I wish I could tell you that I was an immediate fan of clafouti, but unfortunately I can’t. When I was a kid, I wasn’t keen on anything that tasted like egg. There was an incident at a Mexican restaurant involving FLAN that totally scarred me. Flan is not the dessert you want to eat on your 9th birthday while you’re wearing an obligatory sombrero, trust me. So when I tried a hunk of clafouti expecting it to be like cake, I was truly disappointed! Through the maturing process I have learned the beauty of an eggy custard-like cake batter. Isn’t growing up fun?

Those gorgeous strawberries I brought back from Driscoll’s found a home in this simple Strawberry Clafouti recipe! The batter required a quick whirl in the blender, much like the Chocolate Dutch Baby I recently made and the strawberries get all roasted and gooey delicious like those dreamy Roasted Strawberries I posted. There’s also no shortage of buttered crispy edges. I love crispy edges! And can we just take a moment for that beautiful spongy middle mixed with a crazy amount of sweet roasted strawberries? I’ve never made anything like it. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a hunk and you can call it breakfast. Or position a scoop of vanilla bean gelato on top and you can call it dessert! Clafouti. Keep saying it. CLA-FOU-TI!
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around the home, Uncategorized

May 9, 2011

Mother’s Day Weekend 2011

We had a pretty busy Mother’s Day weekend! Saturday morning we went to the Farmer’s Market so I could gather a few things for what I was cooking this weekend. Nothing like fresh beets, fresh baked bread, lettuce, parsley & fresh chicken eggs to inspire a weekend menu!

After Cooper’s nap, we went to our friend’s fundraiser party in their backyard! They’ve got a bunch of chickens! You see that black & white one? Her name is Oreo. She was my favorite.

Photography, Uncategorized

May 7, 2011

365- Week 17

A food related photo everyday until 2012. Here’s week 17:

126/365 Poached Halibut with spinach & a garlic vinaigrette at Piperade

out & about, Uncategorized

May 6, 2011

Field Trip to Driscoll’s Berry Farm

It’s field trip time! Don’t you love field trips? I know I do. Last Saturday, I had a really awesome opportunity to visit Driscoll’s Cassin Ranch Berry Farm in Watsonville with a group of bloggers & writers. Casey stayed home with Cooper while I got a little time to myself. (Thanks honey!)

I also got to scratch off another item from my 31 comes before 32 list! #7. Go to a farm. Done!

Curious what it’s like to visit a berry farm? Let’s take a look:
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recipes, Uncategorized

May 4, 2011

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

I learned a few lessons from this Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Salsa recipe:

Lesson # 1 When Sriracha is involved in a recipe, it has to be good! I already knew this…but oh my word! Sriracha, cilantro AND pineapple. Heaven! Also, I love any excuse to use my beloved cock sauce. *snort*

Lesson # 2: No matter how hard I try, I can’t convince myself that baked coconut/panko covered shrimp taste just like the original fried version. Not to say that these shrimp didn’t taste good, they were actually pretty scrumptious! It’s just that whenever I order coconut shrimp on a menu, they’re both fried and earth shattering. I’m usually on vacation when this happens… drinking fruity cocktails that have umbrellas hanging off the edge of them. So yeah. Maybe that’s the real disconnect or maybe I just really need a vacation? (I do.)

Lesson # 3 I must make this pineapple salsa OFTEN and triple the recipe! We ran out of salsa before we ran out of shrimp. I think there was a point where I looked back and saw Casey drinking the juice from the little bowl I put it in. I think that’s a sign that he liked it?

Lesson # 4 Fry the shrimp next time. If I’m really craving fried coconut shrimp, then I should do it. It’s not like I’m going to make this dish weekly… I’ll probably follow all the the same steps but fry the shrimp in a shallow amount of oil in a frying pan. If you’re looking to eat something lighter, by all means make this recipe!
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recipes, Uncategorized

May 3, 2011

Quick Dinner Idea: Pizza & Salad

A few years ago I told you about a trusted staple in our dinner rotation- MAKESHIFT PIZZAS!! If you have access to Middle Eastern flatbread from Trader Joe’s, you can easily make your own quick custom pizzas. If you don’t, try to find some other comparable flatbread or pita. Wanna see how easy they are? Let’s take a look!