May 4, 2011

nothing a 'shroom burger can't cure

B picked up some portobello mushrooms at the market, and I said "Oh, let's make portobello burgers."

And so we did.

We grilled big portobello mushrooms (well, not really grill because we used a frying pan but you get the picture). B was sneaky and took out some of the brioche insides and put in slices of jack cheese before they went to melt and toast in the oven. We topped the shrooms with caramelized onions and sauteed swiss chard. Added slices of heirloom tomatoes and a side of baked potato rosemary fries. Some siracha aioli to dip in. And boy, was it yuuuumm.

Being sick is no fun, but staying in and cooking for dinner is!

April 23, 2011

stylin' sammiches

Britt's my sixteen year-old sister and she's got a style for plating. My brother sent me this photo of a sandwich she made for him. I think it's beautiful. The crisscross of the carrots and yep, that's a dollop of hummus. Super cute and classy. I'd like to think I had some influence ;)

March 16, 2011

blueberries shmooberries

I believe highly in the superfood power of blueberries. Sweet, full of antioxidants and a tad tart, and oh so sexy blue inspired my making of mini blueberry muffins. I like to eat sweets in cute, bite-sized morsels. That way I can eat lots with little guilt. Thanks to smitten kitchen for the recipe.

March 15, 2011

my first soufflé

I've treasured my set of mini ramekins for quite some time (thank you, Goodwill). And alas, I put them to good use. Here's my first and certainly not last, chocolate soufflé! I followed this NYT's Mark Bittman's video recipe, and was surprised by how simple the ingredients were. As easy as it was to put togehter, the tricky part is getting the soufflé to rise and keep afloat. When I took them out of the oven, they were floating high in the sky and oh so magical looking, and then as I scrambled to get the camera, they quickly deflated. My heart almost stopped then. Here, I was able to capture just a little poof. I guess I'll just have to keep giving them a go!

February 22, 2011

let it rain, let it rain

I think there's no better time to drink tea than when it's cold and rainy outside. And rain it did all last week in San Francisco. Earl grey, rooibos and chai are among my favorites, and preferably with a splash of soymilk. Check out this handmade ceramic owl mug I got in Truckee last weekend (isn't it cute?). When B and I were in Tahoe, our AirBandB host made us some banana oat muffins that were so good I had a huge craving for them weeks later. The blog honey & jam has a really recipe (actually, I think it's what our host, Leora followed) and beautiful earthy photos to go with them. I didn't thave a muffin tin on hand so I turned the recipe into breaad form with a change in oven temp and time. The oats gave this bread a hearty chew and moist with a tad of sweetness from the bananas, mm mm yummy.

(download)

February 7, 2011

eggs and veggies

It's a slow Monday. That means more time for talk about good food. B and I had a bunch of leftover veggies, and one morning as many mornings, we like to go all out for breakfast. Not go out, but go all out. So we reheated a smorgasbord of chopped-up veggies--onions, mushrooms, broccoli..even potatoes (really, whatever we had sitting in the fridge that wasn't going to make it through another week) on a lightly oiled pan. We then added in whisked-up eggs and sprinkled some shredded cheese (oh, yeah.) Lots of it. Halfway through we decided it was more of tortilla española than an omelet. We let the eggs cook all through the bottom until it was golden brown and set on top. We had the brilliant idea of letting it bake in the oven for a while. Twenty or so minutes go by and voila!

Light and fluffy eggs with tantalizing textures of all the veggies and gooeyness of the cheese. Spice it up with some buttons of siracha and a garnish of cilantro. Maybe it's more of a crustless quiche. Whatever it is, it's damn good.

January 20, 2011

bar one

I've been helping B put together a cocktail bar, and alas, it's finished! We found the cart at Candlestick Park's Antiques Fair right when we were about to leave (such an awesome find). It gives the ensemble a rustic charm and is complimented by the living room paint. The mix of glasses we got over periods thrifting at Salvation Army, and we stocked up on cocktail essentials---rye whiskey, bitters, vermouth, you name--at Cask, the local liquor go-to for discerning connoisseurs. And who doesn't love the sweet touch of flowers?

January 19, 2011

who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

I forget how easy cookies are to make.

These are classic chocolate chip, crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle. I sprinkled a few of them with chopped up candy canes. The only regret I have is not sprinkling bits on more. Peppermint and chocolate. Feels like Christmas all over again.

January 18, 2011

last one standing

Velvety chocolate. Oh so divine.

The recipe is from my favorite London-based blogger and market stall holder, Coco&Me. Tamami, the blogger and baker calls them luxurious brownies. I added dried cranberries in the mix and topped them with walnuts. Luxurious they are with their rich, chcocolatey bite. When I was traveling in the fall of 2009 (wow, that seems so long ago), I made a point to visit her stall and had the pleasure of devouring a slice of the chocolate flourless cake. If only I could go back and try the cheescake or maybe a truffle or two. Mm.

p.s. I've made these brownies over and over. I highly recommend you giving them a go. I have to note that these weren't my best batch, but they photographed well and friends seemed to love them.

January 17, 2011

morning blues

I'm learning that the process to making granola is an art form. There's a lot of free form involved, and also, a lot of boiling, coating and mixing. And a lot of patience. For example, you can add whatever you like--oatmeal, flaxseed meal, vanilla, honey, molases, brown sugar. Whatever you have in hand, really. This time the added goodies were sunflower seeds and leftover dried persimmons my mom got for me from the Alhambra farmers' market. Once the wet ingredients have been boiled, you pour the hot concoction over your dry ingredients (leaving out dried fruits for last.)

With a spatula or what your mama gave you, your hands, mix each little grain, seed and morsel to ensure that it's well coated. Lay out a piece of foil on a baking tray and spread out an even coat. This is where discipline and patience come in. It helps to take out the granola every ten minutes and stir it up so that the other half gets even baking time on top. You have to be quick and smooth so that you get the granola back in the oven. I do this about four times and without burning the granola (keep in mind, it'll still be soft), you're done. The granola will get crispy on its own for about twenty minutes out of the oven. Scoop some yogurt with a generous helping of fresh blueberries and homemade granola, and voila!