July 31, 2010

“That’s it!  We’re outta here!”, I said to Jesse as I placed him into his stroller.  We needed to take advantage of the fresh ocean breeze and the bright sun this past Wednesday morning.

I had gotten enough of it…this summer fog that made it seem like early morning throughout the entire day.  The past month here on the Central Coast (especially in our South County area) has been cooler than normal, with far too many overcast days for my liking.

Good thing there was a sunny summer surprise waiting for us at the farmer’s market.

Who could resist this gorgeous local berries?  I was so happy to meet Jan, who has been growing these beauties since 1985.  She was kind enough to give little Jesse a plum to keep him happy on the rest of our walk, which he greedily bit into over and over again until all that remained was red red juice all over his face.

I thought he’d enjoy the berries, maybe even more.

A little vanilla yogurt and a few berries stirred in.  A good snack for both baby and mama.

Too bad these berries didn’t make it through the rest of the day…somehow they were eaten all up!

July 31st, 2010 | Category: Baby Food, Desserts, Food, Locally Made, Snacks | Comments (3)

January 27, 2010

Just a heads up to all you art lovers in the area!   This Saturday between 5-8:30pm SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS and come to an awesome show at the Sanitarium in SLO.  Featured artists are joey Salazar, Vincent Bernardy, Joe Tomei, Rober MAJA & Suzie Bliss.  Art, live music and wine tasting at this free, open to the public event.

This Saturday, January 30 from 5-8:30pm.  The Sanitarium is located at 1716 Osos St., on the corner of Osos and Leff in San Luis Obispo, CA.  For more info, contact Vincent Bernardy or Suzie Bliss at (805) 544-4124.  See ya there!

January 27th, 2010 | Category: Desserts, Inspiration, Local Places, Locally Made, Snacks | Leave a comment

June 25, 2009

YES this is a food post!  I know it’s been a while, but my thoughts have not been far from the kitchen.  Summer is the ultimate inspiration for me and s’mores are another rite of passage like the Drive In!

Here’s a twist on the same ol’ treat:  PEANUT BUTTER S’MORES.  Need I say more?

June 25th, 2009 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (2)

April 10, 2009

I need to share a total thrift store score that I recently found! (Okay…bragging may be more like it.) These sweet little pans were a mere $1.70 and I couldn’t resist snatching them up. I assumed them to be Madeleine pans with their beautiful shell impressions and that’s exactly what I used them for!

Madeleine cookies are rooted in French history, though that history varies depending on your sources. All I can be sure of is that these spongy, vanilla-y, delicate little scallops are totally addicting and are perfect for dipping in tea, coffee or hot chocolate.  Here is also the perfect opportunity for your creative juices to flow…these cookies are virtually a blank canvas for flavors!  Here I made the original version along with Lemon Poppyseed and of course, Chocolate Chip.

View the recipe I used here!

April 10th, 2009 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (3)

March 31, 2009

With “The Day of the Chocolate Bunny” (ie: Easter) quickly approaching, I took some time to reflect on Springtime’s mythical character…The Easter Bunny.  I think this guy gets gets a bad rap.  C’mon, look at it this way:  Delivering goodies and presents for children near and far, and what does he get?  Nothin.  I figure old Santa Claus at least gets some milk and cookies for all of his hard work!

This cute little icon of Spring doesn’t even cast down punishment or seek revenge for naughty children in contrast to Santa’s bitter threats with lumps of coal.  Poor guy!  So if the Easter Bunny is expected at your house this year, consider showing some love…

…what am I talking about?   CARROT CAKE!

(Yes, I know I’ve been posting a lot of desserts…can you say NESTING??)

The use of carrots has long been a superb way to sweeten cakes and other baked goods, but I actually use them more often in savory dishes such as Enchiladas (oh don’t worry…recipe coming soon), Meatloaf and Veggie Sandwiches with Hummus.

Adding shredded carrots to dishes boosts some nutritional value with their folate, vitamin A and fiber…although I have to admit the biggest benefit for me is STRETCHING A MEAL.  I swear I’ve made two big meatloafs out of a 1/2 pound of meat just by bulking them up with shredded carrots and other veggies (note: celery does NOT work well with this…trust me).

So show some love and celebrate this gorgeous time of year!

You have to admit it, Carrot Cake tastes waaaay better than those stinkin’ dyed Easter Eggs any day!

View the recipe here: CARROT CAKE with Cream Cheese Frosting

March 31st, 2009 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (10)

March 25, 2009

Look around right now and you’ll start seeing the most amazing deals on apples!  I thought an abundance of apples was just a fall thing, but I’m not complaining.  Super quick ideas on what to do when your inner-thrifty shopper realizes that she just bought 6 lbs of apples for just a few bucks…  Applesauce and Apple Cupcakes!

To make a healthy, yummy Applesauce, simply dice 5 peeled apples (Granny Smith’s here), and stew along with a few tablespoons of sugar and a vanilla bean.  Add other spices if you wish, and you also might need to add a bit of water depending on the moisture content of the apples.  Simmer until apples are soft and enjoy!  (An awesome way to make your house smell super warm and inviting, too!)  Keep in an refrigerated airtight container for about a week.  Applesauce rivals yogurt as one of my favorite replacements for fat or oil in recipes.  Of course, they are PERFECT for cupcakes!!!!

For Apple Cupcakes:

5-6 apples, peeled and diced (I used a combo of Granny Smith and plain ol’ Red Delicious for these)

3/4 cup applesauce (recipe above)

1 tablespoon butter

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)

Optional for those that don’t have Walnut-Hating-Husbands: 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine butter, applesauce, sugar and egg together; in a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Blend wet and dry ingredients together, then add the diced apples (and walnuts).  Pour into paper-lined muffin tins or greased ramekins, filling just below the edge.  Sprinkle tops with a bit of extra sugar.  Depending on size, bake 30-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean (not poking any apples while doing so).  My cupcakes and small ramekins took about 45 minutes or so, due to the moisture content of the apple pieces!

Eat. Enjoy. Love. Share with friends

March 25th, 2009 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (3)

February 12, 2009

Who needs a box of chocolates when you can have a little bowl of warm goodness instead?  With the oats, fruit and walnuts you can also tell yourself that it’s more like health food, and not what it really is (gooey, fragrant, heart warming, indulgent dessert).  Try different combinations like strawberry rhubarb or cherry chocolate (might be next on my list).  Crumbles are waaaaay easier than making a pie or tart, which only brings you that much closer to your sugar gratification, and is an excellent way to score those extra points with your Valentine!

February 12th, 2009 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (2)

December 23, 2008

In tribute to the season (and to make up for some long overdue recipes), a color-inspired post.

Here is the best Gingersnap recipe you’ll ever come across…hands-down serious!  They don’t turn into those tooth-breaking air hockey pucks that I’ve gotten from the grocery store…instead they’re slightly soft, yet have a crispy, crunchy outside (from a roll in sugar before baking).  Yuuuum!  Want instant Holiday atmosphere?  Just throw a couple of trays of these Gingersnaps into the oven and you’ll transform your house into a festive-smelling, warm and cozy retreat!  Follow the recipe over here…

On the other side of the color-coin, a recipe that’s good all year round….PESTO!  Ok, pesto with a twist:  Parsley Pesto.  I always have some sort of parsley growing in my yard, but every now and then I’ll buy a big handful for a certain recipe, then have at least half of the bunch leftover to wilt in my crisper drawer.  Here’s my solution, and it’s perfect for those that think regular pesto is a little overbearing.

In addition to preventing a crisper catastrophe, there are some great benefits to adding Parsley Pesto to your menu.  An excellent source of Vitamins K, C and A…as well as having a decent amount of Folate and Iron (that’s 3 times as much vitamin C as in oranges, and twice as much iron that’s in spinach).  With a serving of just 2 tablespoons of parsley, you’ll also get some cancer fighting oils and antioxidants.  Not bad, eh?

I upped the anti of this little power plant with a turn in the blender with some walnuts and almonds (use traditional pine nuts, if desired).  Add this pesto to roasted veggies and pasta, or use to top a cracker or soup…  This recipe also freezes great for future use…see the recipe here!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

December 23rd, 2008 | Category: Desserts, Food, Main Dishes, Recipes, Veggie | Comments (1)

November 19, 2008

ok…well, technically these are more like butter cookies.  To my surprise, shortbread is nothing more than butter, flour and sugar…perfect for packing on those mandatory 10 holiday pounds!  The simple make-up of these cookies produces rich and delicate, crisp and crumbly, savory little tidbits.  It’s said to have been born in Scotland, then ran its way through the rest of Europe (England, Denmark, Sweden).  Who could blame anyone for sharing the love?

Shortbread cookies are perfect in their basic form, but are a great platform for flavor experiments.  I split the difference with both plain and Lemon Poppyseed cookies…and of course, both were iced with a simple glaze for extra special holiday sparkliness.

Sparkling Shortbread Cookies…

November 20th, 2008 | Category: Desserts, Food, Recipes | Comments (2)