Food

Mother’s Day {Gifts from the Kitchen}

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Mother’s day is right around the corner and whether you are celebrating with breakfast in bed or heading to your favorite spot for brunch, the day usually revolves around food.  Grocery stores advertise their sales on steaks and lobster tails and restaurants have special menus for their Mother’s day brunch. I think if you ask most mothers what they would prefer, most would say something homemade with love. So here are some {gifts} from the kitchen to share with your mom or yourself. Then go get yourself pampered at your favorite spa, or take a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine because you deserve it!

“Motherhood is…difficult and..rewarding”

Pancakes are always a favorite for breakfast but you can put a twist on the classic by making these oven baked Dutch-babies.

Dutch-Baby-Pancake

Here is another twist on a classic. Replace smoked salmon for Canadian bacon on the almighty eggs benedict.

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Healthy Hollandaise Sauce

Berries are where it’s at right now, they are in season and super sweet. Surprise mom with a berrylicious yogurt parfait.

Mixed berry and granola yogurt parfait

How about serving momma some hot homemade Masala Chai tea. Yum

Is mom more of a snack gal? How about this…Sea salt and honey butter popcorn.

Sea Salt Honey Butter Popcorn

or these Rosemary Cashews..I could eat the whole bowl!

Rosemary-cashews

Maybe dinner is more to her liking? Try this Fried Couscous Salad 

Fried Couscous Salad

You could serve it with this Salmon dish. Plus it’s a cinch to make!

Salmon with Honey Coriander Glaze

You can never go wrong with sweets and these are the best brownies I have ever had!

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

This Grasshopper Chocolate Bark looks divine.

Grasshopper Chocolate Bark

You had me at Creme Brulee, Meyer Lemon to be exact.

Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee

One of my moms favorite is the Palmier.

Cinnamon Palmier

Whatever you decide to do or to make, I hope your Mom’s day is great!

Carnitas

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These Carnitas are  simply the best. The orange juice gives them a hint of sweetness that pairs so perfectly with red onion and avocado. I doubled this recipe for Kaili’s party and it made the perfect amount. Serve with corn tortillas, sour cream, guac or salsa.
Recipe adapted from Chaos in the Kitchen
Ingredients

3 pounds pork shoulder (butt) roast

1 cup orange juice

6 cloves garlic

1 Tbs kosher salt

1 Tbs Cumin

water to cover
Directions
Cut pork shoulder in pieces and arrange in a large cast iron pan. You want a pan you can cover at least partially and is large enough at the base so the meat is in a single layer (or close to).Add the garlic, salt, cumin, orange juice, and enough water to just cover the meat.

Bring the mixture to a boil and cover loosely.

Allow meat to simmer until tender and liquid is evaporated. If liquid evaporates and the pork in not yet fork tender, add more liquid {half water, half orange juice} and continue to simmer.

Once the liquid evaporates and the pork is tender, there should be rendered fat in the pan. Break the meat up into small chunks with a fork.

Turn heat to medium and fry the meat until brown and crispy.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

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If you love cream cheese frosting then be prepared to be blown away by this recipe. I am pretty sure this is my new favorite cupcake and it’s a cinch to make. It’s semi-home made being that you get to start with a boxed cake mix. The original recipe I used called for a Devils food cake mix but I decided to go with a Dark chocolate cake mix because, well…duh, dark chocolate is always best.

Recipe adapted from Your Cup of Cake

Chocolate Cake
1 box Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcake liners.
Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, gently whisk oil, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla extract.
Pour cake mix into wet ingredients and mix.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Coconut Cream Frosting
8 ox cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Beat cream cheese and butter for 4 minutes.
Add vanilla and coconut extract.
Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Pipe  or spread coconut frosting on cooled cupcakes and roll in shredded coconut.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

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I made these cupcakes as one of the desserts for the grown folks at Kaili’s Fiesta. Martha never fails me, so I knew I would use her recipe. Of course you must have cream cheese frosting, nothing else will do.

I used gel food coloring that I found at a craft store for the cake and frosting, the color is much more vibrant than the liquid food coloring. I also  found these cute cupcake toppers. Planning a party is so much fun, don’t you agree?

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Recipes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.

* I wanted a few different colors of frosting, so I divided the frosting into 3 batches and colored them separately. You can use a spatula to frost them, that’s the easy way or you can get fancy and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Enjoy!

La Villa {Little Italy}

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Last Sunday was the Mission Federal ArtWalk in Little Italy. Every year my dad is there with all of his amazing Plen Air paintings on display. If you haven’t had a chance to check out his art, please do so here.

We took the Trolley down there to check out the scene and say hi to my dad. {but really we went for the food, shh!} If you haven’t been to Little Italy in San Diego, the main street is lined with amazing restaurants. If you are part of our family you will know that  decisions don’t come easily. So when Shane spotted a place we hadn’t been to, he made an executive decision, that’s where we would be eating lunch. We were the first ones there but the place was packed when we left.

La Villa Restaurant

We ordered a few different wood-fired pizzas, a salad and a sandwich. Everyone was very pleased with what they had. I think it was some the best pizza I have had outside of Europe, delish.

Caprese Sandwich
Chino Farms Salad
Margherita Pizza with Prosciutto
Spicy Calabrese with broccolini, goat cheese, ramps and chili’s
Margherita Pizza with Burrata

The Burrata on my pizza was the richest, creamiest, most amazing cheese. I tried to find some at a market down there without luck. Once I do find some I am going to recreate this pizza.

Kaili approves with our choice of restaurant

The Little Italy ArtWalk happens every year on the last weekend of April, aka Kaili’s birthday weekend! So plan ahead and take at trip to Itlay without leaving the country. Stop by Steve Kell’s booth to say Hi, then head over to La Villa for a lunch. { get the Margherita pizza with Burrata! }

Easter Inspiration

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Feeling inspired this Easter? Is your inner Martha screaming to make, bake and create? No? Well me neither and it probably doesn’t help that I have been sick. I do have a ham in the fridge to cook up and some plastic easter eggs but that is about it. I found some things to try to help fire up my inner Martha, maybe they will do the same for you.

Having an Easter get together? How easy is this? Perfect for over the fireplace, front door or even along the table.

Pantone Easter Garland

A new twist on the table centerpiece. Bonus, you get to eat the goodies after everyone leaves.

JellyBean Centerpiece 

Tired of dying Easter eggs year after year, try these pretty no-dye eggs for a change.

Pretty Glitter Eggs

Cupcakes in an egg. I love this idea, I just need a reason to make them.

Easter Egg Cupcakes

Speaking of cupcakes…who doesn’t love a cadbury egg once in awhile? Combine that with a cupcake, heaven!

Cadbury Egg Cupcakes

No Easter is complete without the Peep. Instead of buying them this year how about making your own?

Peeps

Then you can make these with the leftovers, if there are leftovers.

Peep S’mores

If you are feeling really motivated, you can wow your guests with this adorable bunny butt cake.

Bunny Butt Cake

Happy Easter!

Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps with Jalapenos

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I took advantage of Shane being home when I made this recipe. It’s not a difficult recipe but there are a lot of components and I wouldn’t have gotten much done on my own with a sick baby. I saw this recipe on {where else} Pinterest and it’s from Good Housekeeping. If you know me and my husband, we like things spicy so when I saw that these were topped off with cooked jalapenos I thought that these would be a nice twist to the classic beef lettuce wraps. Now I don’t know about you but it seems like every time I buy jalapenos for salsa or guacamole they are never hot, never. So when I was at the store I stood in front of the peppers for what seemed like forever trying to decide if I should buy a Serrano too but I opted to stick with the jalapenos and told myself that I would also use Sambal {an asian chili paste} to kick up the heat. Well it turns there is a such thing as a hot jalapeno and I was the lucky winner who picked  the two spiciest. Lets just say this turned out to be a “hot” dinner.

I also made this Korean cucumber salad to serve alongside the wraps. It went really well and it was perfect for cooling the palate.

       Beef

10 cloves garlic

2  jalapeño chiles

1 1/4 pounds beef top round steak or beef tenderloin

1/4 cups sugar

1/2  low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup

sesame oil

Coarsely ground black pepper

Wrap Ingredients

1 head Boston lettuce, separated into leaves

1 1/2 cup cooked rice noodles

1/2 cup Sambal Oelek

Prepare  Beef:

 Cut 6 cloves garlic into thin slices and mince remaining 4 cloves. Thinly slice jalapeños crosswise. Place the jalapenos and sliced garlic aside. Holding knife almost parallel to cutting surface, slice beef, against the grain, into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

In large bowl, place minced garlic and sugar; mash together with back of wooden spoon. Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add beef to marinade; cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile prepare the dipping Sauce

Dipping Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbs sugar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup water

Coarsely ground black pepper

In small bowl, place minced garlic and sugar; mash together with back of wooden spoon. Stir in soy sauce, water, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and set aside.

When Beef is done marinating prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over high heat. Place lightly greased grilling grid on grill rack to preheat. In 2 to 3 batches, remove beef from marinade and place on grilling grid; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side for medium doneness. Transfer cooked beef to serving bowl.

Heat saute pan over medium hight heat, when hot spray pan with cooking spray and add sliced jalapenos and garlic. Cook, stirring often until lightly browned, transfer to small bowl.

To serve, arrange all ingredients in small bowls on a large tray.

To assemble spread a little Sambal on a lettuce leaf, then top with some rice noodles, grilled beef, garlic, jalapeño, . Fold sides of lettuce leaf over to make a package to eat by hand. Dip wrap in dipping sauce.

Serve Korean cucumber salad on the side as a delicious cooling side dish.

Poulet Roti { roast chicken with herb butter }

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“Poulet Roti – That’s Roast Chicken, numbnuts! And if you can’t properly roast a damn chicken then you are one helpless, hopeless, sorry-ass bivalve in an apron. Take that apron off, wrap it around your neck, and hang yourself. You do not deserve to wear the proud garment of the generations of hardworking, dedicated cooks. Turn in those clogs, too. – Anthony Bourdain

Now days it’s so easy to grab a roasted chicken at any local grocery store but for close to the same price to can do it yourself and it’s SO much better.  Most recipes and chefs will tell you to truss the chicken but if I am being honest, I never do and it works out just fine. Just be gentile when you are loosening the skin for the butter. You want that herbalicious goodness to soak into the meat.

Roasting a chicken is practically foolproof but if you are worried about your chicken being undercooked you can easily stick an instant-read meat thermometer in the fat part of the thigh. Now get cooking, because this is finger licken’ good.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley plus 3 large sprigs

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus 3 large sprigs

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary plus 3 small sprigs

pinch of course salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

1 lemon, cut in half

Directions

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

Mix butter, chopped herbs, and pinch of coarse salt in bowl; blend well.

Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; fill with herb sprigs and lemon. Starting at neck end, slide fingers under skin of breast and upper part of legs, loosening skin. Spread herb butter under skin on breast and upper leg meat. Place chicken on rack in large roasting pan. Roast at 375 for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, crank up the heat to 450 degrees and cook for another 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Enjoy.

Smoked Salmon Salad

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Last week I had the most amazing salad at a local restaurant. It was just that good and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

I decided to re-create it with the exception of one ingredient, dried sweet corn. I looked around to see if I could find some nearby but I was out of luck. { I did find some on Amazon }

The flavors compliment each other in ways I would have never imagined. I mean who would have thought to put dried cranberries and smoked salmon together? But it works so well.

Ingredients

Smoked salmon, sliced

Israeli couscous [I used whole wheat]

Dried cranberries

Pepitas

Roasted red peppers, chopped

Butter lettuce or green leaf lettuce, chopped

Combine all ingredients, as much or as little as you please.

For the dressing, I used a Jalapeno ranch then added a little chopped Italian parsley and lemon juice. Combine until smooth and drizzle over your salad, a little goes a long way.

Enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp

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I love shrimp and I love coconut and when you combine the two, I really am a happy person.

The best Coconut shrimp I have ever had is at Coyote Grill in Laguna Beach. I have been there a lot of times and I always order the same thing, however if you go and it’s time for breakfast their Huevos Rancheros and French Toast are also very good. One time while I was dining on their amazing coconut shrimp with a friend of mine, we were introduced to the drummer of the Foo Fighters {Taylor Hawkins} although he was the drummer for Alanis Morissette at the time. Just sayin.

I have had this recipe “pinned” for awhile and the urge finally hit me to make it. I didn’t have to change a thing and I found the cooking time and temperature to be perfect. I love when that happens!

For the dipping sauce, I made my own. I had a jar of Papaya Orange Habenero Preserves in the fridge and I thought that would mix nicely with a Thai Chili Sauce, I was right. The Thai Chili sauce will work great alone if that is what you desire ore you can mix it with any flavor preserves.

Ingredients {Shrimp}

1 lb (24) large shrimp, peeled and deviened (weight after peeled)

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp panko crumbs

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 large egg

pinch salt

non-stick spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine coconut flakes, panko crumbs and salt in a bowl. Place the flour on a small dish. Whisk egg in another bowl.

Lightly  season the shrimp with salt.  Dredge the shrimp in the flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.

Place shrimp on the cookie sheet then spray the top of the shrimp with more cooking spray; Place sheet in the middle rack for about 10 minutes. Turn shrimp over then cook another 6-7 minutes or until cooked though. Remove from oven and serve with dipping sauce.