Brussel sprouts, pearl onions and a meaty fillet of sea bas in a cast iron skillet. 
Some nights we do fancy. 

Talk about the new year has me talking a lot about pizza. I think it's my new favorite food again. Growing up on Pizza Hut, Papa John's and Petrillo's (only when we were lucky), I was like every other kid who loved a good, greasy mound of dough, tomato sauce and cheese. Then pizza lost its pizaz for me. Maybe it was all that grease and cheese.

friends. food. together.

 

I don't like spaghetti much because I ate too much of it in college and as a kid, but in wanting a quick fix, I put together the leftovers I had sitting in my fridge--chard, kale, pesto and slow roasted tomatoes and made this mix. The pinenuts fancied it up a bit, and made this lazy pasta dinner a complete meal.

my new name for the caprese (said with a heavy italian accent) and current favorite sandwich is the BMT. basil, fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomato on a rustic baguette finished with a light drizzle of olive oil (believe me, this finish will do you good especially if it's quality olive oil).

Quinoa is super light and yet filling, easy to cook and goes with almost anything you've got laying in the kitchen waiting to be eaten clean. In this rendition, I added some lightly oiled summer squash, which my roommate brought home from the farmers' market. Benning's green tint squash as they're called. (I learned that by googling 'flying saucer squash' because that's what they look like.) They taste and share a similar texture to the Italian zucchini. Tossed in some halved grape tomatoes, red onions, pinenuts, mint and cilantro and then drizzled in a little bit of olive oil, vinegar and grape seed oil. Full of color and perfect for a summer afternoontime lunch.

i have the most bizarre cravings. they inspire me to cook and bake. this time it was breaded mac and cheese. back in the fifth grade or so my mom sent me to this after school program, it was more of a thing to keep my brother and me busy, also in hopes of making us smarter (thanks, mom). really, i think it was a big waste of money. however, one of the few fond memories i have is of the baked and breaded mac and cheese my writing instructor made, i think it was a last day of class celebration. it was so cheesy and gooey and warm and oh, so comforting, so much the opposite of those prep programs. in celebration of my GRE exam coming up on tuesday, i wanted to bring back some of that warm gooey deliciousness.

i burnt a little of the top, but it was all the more homier. i cut this epicurious recipe in half, substituted milk for soy mlik and added my own touch with a hint of thyme, tarragon and oregeno in the macaroni (i used shells :), and a pinch of chile to spice it up a bit. i also used my magic bullet to grind 3 slices of earth-balance butered toast and a small piece of leftover garlic bread to make the bread crumbs. the breading is what ultimately makes this mouthworthiness.

it's been a while since i've written a personal post, and i'm feeling a little inspired so here it goes..*deep breathe*

well, for starters, i had a wonderful winter holiday back home in san gabriel and (i suppose, the surrounding LA area.) every time i revisit, home has become more meaningful, and because i'm unsure of where i'll be post graduation-- in sf, across the states or in a foreign country, i'm cherishing each moment i have with my fam and friends. i'm learning to live in those moments and not take them for granted. the highlight: talking to my little sisters, britt and tiff about their first kisses, frequenting buddha bar, magnolia and bodega wine bar in pas with jen, the eldest sis, the yummy food my mom makes, my favorite noodle house kim ky, deep convos about life&college with cat, drinks @ the standard's rooftop bar w/rei, and seeing the rose parade live for the first time with natalie, my beautiful friend from Cal, ( she's from pasadena; it was like having a little piece of berkeley back home with me.) oh, and also being able to talk back to papa, in a polite, respectful, yes, i know i'm your daughter, but you're wrong, kind of way. :)

the weather in berkeley has been gorgeous. a few weekends ago i rode my bike down to the marina, and it was ahhhh, so serene and spectacular, just like it should be in this chaotic mess we call life. stumbled upon vik's, indian restaurant that makes delcious savory crepes and creamy mango lassis; i almost want to say it's the best in berkeley, but i always have cravings for naan n' curry's veggie tiki masala and garlic naan so there will be no debate.

i love living a life centered around food.

and good health. went to yoga to the people last night. operated by donations and with a mission to make yoga accessible for everyone, (indeed making it a a snug fit in berkeley), i LOVED it. i introduced myself to one of the volunteers and said it was my first time, and that it had been a long time since i practiced yoga. she was so sweet and friendly, she even instructed me on the basics before class, and thankfully, she did because i probably would have been lost in the class! sunday nights the class is candlelit, but don't let that fool you, that was one of the most sweaty and intense yoga experiences i've had, and it was so rewarding. after that one hour session, i felt so energized and ready to take on anything.

over dinner last night, my dearest friend tammy inspired me to create a "fantasy-make-reality to-do list" and the first to be added to that list, might i share (brace yourselves), is to be drawn nude. yup, that means naked. another, which i've added today is to move to london and/or paris and work for a pastry chef, inspired by these goddesses who make divine treats at chocolate & zucchini and coco and me.

yummy-ness of the day : roasted peppers and goat cheese on a toasted rustic baguette. my friend kelly made it for one of her parties last year. it was so delicious i recently had the craving, scrambled for memory and so the story goes.

other news, i didn't get either luce scholars program or the fulbright fellowship. suprisingly, i'm not as bummed as i had expected, that's probably becuase i never planned for the reaction post-acceptance/rejection. i'm actually really looking forward to the future, and thinking about what it is that i really want to do, what kind of life/style i want to create for myself. there are so many opportunities. i'm excited to choose "the one," or the many. like usual, i'm pretty optimistic.

good day, lovelies.