I did quite a bit of good eating this weekend and it’s not over, yet!
There were samosas at Rock Sugar, foie gras tapas at Monsiuer Marcel, and artichoke dip at The Abbey.
Be sure to follow me on Foursquare and Twitter for more location information as I romp around the streets of LA and NY this week.
This is just one half of the biggest burrito I’ve ever seen or eaten.
Finished it all.
#chipotle
My Real-Fake Guacamole:
Guacamole is one of my favorite spring/summer time treats. I hate ready-made guacamole and I am not a fan of making it from scratch, all the time. So, here is my real-fake version.
This takes about 5 minutes to make. Seriously.
- Cut fresh avocado into cubes (cut avocado in half, remove seed, cut squares into the flesh, remove with a spoon)
- Season to taste with salt and garlic
- Mash avocado
- Add ready-made pico de gallo salsa
- Combine, blend and fold until well blended
- Add the juice of half a lemon
- Continue to blend
- Cover and refrigerate.
Enjoy!
(search “recipe” for more food photos and recipes)
These are my Real-Fake Mashed Potatoes:
These are very simple…
- Boil 2 large potatoes until very soft. I use Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Make instant mashed potatoes are directed on the box: boil water, milk, add salt, butter. I also like to add fresh pressed garlic.
- Cut and combine the boiled potatoes with the instant mash. Whip with a blender until fluffy.
Done! Fast and easy. Fancier than just plain instant mash, not as much work as home cooked mash.
Enjoy!
Since getting remarried, last year, my diet has gone through significant changes. My husband is a pescetarian and, to make my life easier, my son and I became pescetarians, as well.
Now, 6 months later, I have began to incorporate other meats into my diet and give myself one cheat day a week. This week, my cheat meat was chicken and my son wanted it fried.
No problem!
Here’s how I do it:
- Clean chicken pieces with water, lemon, and vinegar in large bowl. Drain.
- Season chicken in bowl with seasoned salt, garlic, pepper, etc. Rub pieces.
- Whisk 2-3 eggs in a separate bowl, then, add eggs to seasoned chicken. Coat.
- Pour flour in plastic shopping bag. Season flour.
- Place chicken in the flour. Roll until coated. Let rest.
- Heat cooking oil (corn or canola) in large quart pan. Enough for deep frying.
- Fry pieces until deep golden brown, remover and place on paper bag and/or absorbent napkins.
- Poke pieces with a knife to be sure the meat is cooked throughout.
Everyone’s stove top is different, but I find medium/high heat to work best. I prefer to use thighs and wings for frying.
Enjoy!
(Search “recipe” for more awesome food photos and recipes)
Goat Brie with Fig, Honey, and Nuts:
Here’s a little snack I like to make when having a girls day/wine and cheese with friends. The ingredients are very simple, all of which I purchase from Whole Foods.
- Goat Brie (circularly shaped, if possible): place brie in a bowl or small container with a lid. Remove rind from the top and score, deeply, with a knife.
- Fig Spread: smother brie with fig spread, liberally.
- Nuts: cover with plain, roasted, salted, or candied nuts, whole, crushed, or slivered.
- Honey: Drizzle nuts with pure honey.
Cover the dish and let set overnight for maximum marriage of tastes. Serve with seeded flatbread and meats like peppered pepperoni, pancetta, or prosciutto. I think, next time, I’ll crumble a bit of maple smoked, thick cut bacon and sprinkle it on top!
As seen at, the French market, Monsieur Marcel.
I’m getting serious about my food.
Really serious…
…and if you love food, venture out of your local everyday grocer; visit farmers markets and specialty shops. You’ll discover more ways to fall in love with food, over and over, again.
My manager and I had a little Friday night pizza bake-off last week and this is what it looked like. I would like to explain to you all the thins we put on our pizzas, but I can’t.
I just can’t.
Olives, mozzarella, pickled apricots, panchetta, churizo, basil. It was a lot. Both pizzas were very good but, according to my kid, I won the challenge.
I smell a rematch…
This morning, I made Cream of Wheat for breakfast.
Simple, hot, fast.
Naturally, since I don’t drink cow’s milk, I made it with almond milk. I added a few dashed of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and a half capful of vanilla almond extract. I did not add any sugar since the milk is already sweetened.
This sort of cereal is famous for its ability to wind up super lumpy, so, be sure to whisk constantly while cooking.
My grandmother would our a little bit of cool milk on top and sprinkle with a little bit of extra sugar.
Love that.
Spring is the perfect time to clean and take inventory. This applies to your closet, your home and, most importantly, your refrigerator.
Makeover Month isn’t just about changing our outside appearance but, also, the overall health of your insides –– and a healthy body begins with a healthy fridge!
Hopefully, the inside of my refrigerator will give you some ideas. If you have any questions, ask me at VYOU!
Today’s lunch: Fried Cod & “Real Fake” Mashed Potatoes
Making mashed potatoes from scratch can be a hassle and require quite a bit of manpower and time. My “Real Fake” mashed potatoes are the perfect way to make instant mashed potatoes with that homemade taste and texture.
It’s super simple:
- Boil 3-5 Yukon Gold Potatoes (peel beforehand if you’d like)
- Prepare instant mashed potatoes, leaving them a little loose
- When ready, remove potatoes from the flame, dump boiling water and mash just a little.
- Combine Yukon Golds with instant mash and blend with electric mixer to desired consistency.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic, and butter to taste.
You can find my fried cod recipe here and search “recipe” to find more!
Enjoy!
I felt like a quick snack in the middle of the night, so the husband and I ran out to satisfy my craving for Gorton’s Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp with cocktail sauce.
I crushed these in like 7 minutes.
As usual, my husband and I did a little cooking and this is what it looked like. These are recipes you’ve seen before, so I won’t bore you with them:
- Teriyaki salmon
- Coconut peas and rice
- Fried plantain
- Johnny cake
- Sweet potatoes
- Side salad
Search “recipe” for all my home cooking how-to’s.
Yesterday, I had a couple hours to kill after dropping my teenager off at band practice so, I decided to treat myself to lunch at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills.
One of my favorite plates there is the kobe beef sliders with truffle fries. Well, actually, the plate comes with regular fries, but I always substitute them for truffle fries.
I’ve been on a meat binder this weekend. Will have to go back to fish by Monday.
