Eleven people for a sit down dinner. To some, that might seem like a lot, but for our family, who meets every Sunday at my parents’ house, it’s just “Sunday Dinner”. My mom can carry off this dinner like a pro. She usually goes crazy each and every Sunday with homemade brioche or focaccia, roasted meats, fresh from the garden lettuces and vegetables and always a drool-worthy dessert.
Roots, deep below the ground, burrowing and then sprouting and finally like the ugly duckling, becoming something quite beautiful even if only from within. Roots are the beginning of everything, connect us, keep us hooked to our past as we gingerly step out into the world.
I remember distinctly when the “Chinese” Chicken Salad was on every cool menu in So. Cal. back in the day. “Lunching at Bullock’s Tea Room?…you must order their famous Chinese Chicken salad!”, friends would tell you. It even made it to the Los Angeles Times’ recipe section so that you, too, could have their “secret” recipe.
This grilled plum, peach and pluot salad atop peppery arugula, dotted with crumbles of fig goat cheese, sprinkled with toasted pepitas, sauteed pancetta and chopped prosciutto, was exactly what the doctor ordered so to speak. Now, that’s a mouthful, figuratively and literally my friends. It was dreamy.
Food, it’s what I throw at every problem. And no, not as in, “Duck! A tomato is coming your way!”, but as in, “Here’s a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies to heal what’s ailing you.” For the most part, my kids are pretty happy with this first line of defense. I can’t tell you the number of chocolate chip cookies we have eaten while listening to the woes of the first days of school or while studying for exams. Continue reading
It’s totally the dog days of summer. Just about everywhere you look, except London perhaps, is suffering from oven abolishing heat—at least here in the states…and definitely here in sunny, sweltering So. Cal. It is supposed to reach 106 today. Expletives come to mind. I won’t share those with you—today.
This peppery and lemon doused spinach and arugula salad was the ultimate pairing to my daughter’s graduation celebration dinner of rich mornay topped seafood crepes. It was filled with sweet English peas and dried blueberries, and was given a nice crunch from the toasted pine nuts and barely blanched green beans. For a final layer of flavor, I chopped up some fresh tarragon and made a tarragon lemon vinaigrette. It was the perfect refreshing bite to counter the sultry, salty and cheesy bites of crepe.
Eleven people for a sit down dinner. To some, that might seem like a lot, but for our family, who meets every Sunday at my parents’ house, it’s just “Sunday Dinner”. My mom can carry off this dinner like a pro. She usually goes crazy each and every Sunday with homemade brioche or focaccia, roasted meats, fresh from the garden lettuces and vegetables and always a drool-worthy dessert.
This last Sunday was my turn to host. It was to be a graduation celebration for my daughter, Zoie, and my niece, Lindsey. In true celebratory fashion around here, they got to choose the dinner and dessert. They chose seafood crepes. Can you tell they are both avid foodies? They fit right in with my family of crazed foodie lunatics. Continue reading
Happy almost Easter everyone! I am hosting Easter this year for our crowd of about 30 or so, and I have included what I am planning to serve as well as some yummy things I have seen around the blogosphere so enjoy! All photos have been taken from the blogs mentioned in this round up.
Hello Fall,
Nice of you to stop by for maybe a minute or so. Was I not welcoming enough? Did my three batches of pumpkin cookies, one batch of pumpkin muffins and my huge pot of sweet potato soup not convince you to stay?!
Well, too darn bad! Because I am going to push onward and continue to whip up Fall dishes like this earthy maple glazed pumpkin salad despite your stealthy escape. I am going to win you over…I am sure of it. As sure as I am of loving chocolate and hating Mondays, I am positive that I can get you to plant yourself for at least a couple of months…illusiveness aside. Continue reading
It’s been awhile since I posted. That happens. Life happens. This flan is yum…especially with Kahlua generously poured over the top and finished with a dollop of whipped cream. I have to warn you though, while the texture is perfection and the flavor creamy and sweet, I really didn’t taste the mango. Just thought I’d share that and be totally honest here.
Sweet And Crumby 