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Fifteen Dreamy Kitchen Designs

on October 10, 2020
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Dreamy kitchen designs have been a pinning obsession of mine lately. Because my move back to…

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Life

Halloween is Coming

on September 22, 2020
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I have been a freak about halloween since I was little — the costumes, the candy…

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kitchen gadget overview image
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Food Life

Kitchen Gadgets – my favorite utensils

on August 6, 2020
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I love a good roundup that includes some of my favorite kitchen gadgets! I’ve been in…

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Life

2020 reading list: sixteen books to read now

on February 24, 2020
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each year i say i’m going to put together a list of books to read and…

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Life

Laguna Beach Adventures

on July 29, 2019
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In april, I participated in an annual golf tournament that brings together California tourism partners and…

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Hello, There!

Hello, There! Hello, There!

Well, you found me. You're here. In this little corner of the internet that I’ve deemed an embarrassingly awkward display of self-indulgence. But ... I'll at least try to make things entertaining for you! Here, you will find all sorts of things – from travel experiences to food stories, from Murder, She Wrote comments to pet adventures. So sit back ... and enjoy!

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Chicken croquettes may be one of my favorite dishe Chicken croquettes may be one of my favorite dishes from when I was little. As I've shared previously, my mom had a few "show stopper" dishes and this is one of them. She always made it seem like these were an ordeal to make, but as I've made them a few times on my own now ... piece of cake! At least my way. ⠀ Oh, and I also served this batch with @bonnemaman_us cherry preserves. ⠀ I'll post the complete recipe to the blog later, but I had to share these now ... especially as we're all thinking about what to do with the leftover turkey this week. You can definitely easily substitute turkey for chicken ... and cranberry sauce for the cherry preserves I have pictured. ⠀ What are some ways you all repurpose all of the Thanksgiving leftovers? ⠀
Weekends are for donuts. Chai-spiced sugar coated, Weekends are for donuts. Chai-spiced sugar coated, pumpkin cream-filled donuts. And coffee. ⠀ What is your favorite sweet and indulgent weekend breakfast?
These are the tastiest stuffed mushrooms. 🤤🤤 These are the tastiest stuffed mushrooms. 🤤🤤 ⠀ The original recipe is from an old (old, old, old) James Beard cookbook. Although the recipe wasn't overly complicated, my mom still managed to simplify a simple recipe. And because we grew up eating them this way, this is the way I will always eat them. ⠀ I highly recommend trying them this way the first time and then branching out with experiments. I often say adding ground sausage or ground turkey would be amazing. The original recipe also calls for a little tabasco and parmesan cheese ... so throw that in, too! Goat cheese could also be a great addition since you don't have to bake these for too long. ⠀ My point is, sky's the limit! Go nuts! Create your own perfect stuffed mushroom recipe. ⠀ The recipe for these are up on the blog now. Link is in my profile. ⠀
Roasted beet and goat cheese ravioli! ⠀ I made t Roasted beet and goat cheese ravioli! ⠀ I made this dish by slicing the beets with a mandoline slicer and then cutting the shapes using a ravioli cutter. Fill each with some whipped goat cheese (smoked sea salt and rosemary) from @chevoolife, top with some olive oil and hazelnuts, and you have an amazing appetizer or side dish for the holidays. ⠀ Complete recipe is on my blog — link in profile.
We’re in our happy place 🤗🤗 ... It’s a b We’re in our happy place 🤗🤗 ... It’s a baking and cooking frenzy this weekend here at @cookingshewrote! Cookies upon cookies, donuts, and roasted veggies. 😮 ⠀ What are all of you baking/cooking this weekend?
Balsamic glazed roasted brussels sprouts with baco Balsamic glazed roasted brussels sprouts with bacon ... and goat cheese. Mmmmmmmm. ⠀ With Thanksgiving just two weeks away, I thought I'd share the brussels sprouts recipe that gets even the biggest skeptics to become fans. ⠀ Case in point, when I cooked Christmas dinner for my parents a few years ago, I was getting everything out of the fridge to begin prep work. My mom comes over to me and whispers, "your Dad doesn't like brussels sprouts, just as a heads up." Fast forward a few hours, Dad has several helpings of brussels sprouts ... and the look on my mom's face. 😮 ⠀ "What?" ⠀ "I thought you didn't like brussel sprouts." ⠀ "Hers are really good." ⠀ (No, they didn't get divorced, but Mom got a new recipe. 😉) ⠀ Ingredients: 1 lb brussels sprouts, halved 1 lb bacon, diced into 1/4" chunks 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp soy sauce Goat cheese Salt Pepper ⠀ Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. ⠀ In a large skillet, cook all of the bacon, remove and drain on a paper towel. Depending on how much grease is produced, keep a few tablespoons in the skillet and discard the rest. ⠀ With the bacon grease still hot, put the brussels sprouts in the skillet, season with salt and pepper (to your taste preferences) and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the bacon pieces, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the vinegar starts to reduce and thicken slightly. ⠀ Once vinegar is reduced, drizzle the sprouts with a little more vinegar (~2 tbsp) and then place into the preheated oven. (**If your skillet isn't oven-safe, transfer to a baking dish for this step.) ⠀ Bake for 12-15 minutes until the brussels sprouts are crispy and caramelized. ⠀ Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve!
Oh, did I do the "this is so yummy dance" when I t Oh, did I do the "this is so yummy dance" when I took the first bite of this dessert. ⠀ When I was little, my one uncle would always bring me a Napoleon dessert when he'd come back from the “city." I absolutely LOVED them. They were flaky, creamy, not too sweet. Ughhhhhh. So good. ⠀ I haven't had one since I left my hometown. As we're heading into the holiday season -- and since I probably won't make it home because of COVID -- a sense of nostalgia has come over me. I decided I'd do a version of this, but using puff pastry sheets and pumpkin pastry cream. ⠀ H-E-A-V-E-N. Pumpkin-y, flaky heaven.
Almost a month later and I’m still constantly th Almost a month later and I’m still constantly thinking about the puff pastry chicken pot pies I made about a month ago. (Yes, they were that good.) ⠀ Well, I wanted to change it up a bit so I created these puff pastry chicken pockets with a mushroom cream sauce. 😮😮 ⠀ All together, this makes a yummy, comforting meal. If puff pastry and chicken aren’t in your fridge right now, the mushroom sauce would be amazing on pork chops, steak, and/or pasta. ⠀ Yay for versatility!!! ⠀ How do you like to prepare your mushrooms?
Cold mornings + a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal + Cold mornings + a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal + a french loaf (see the second pic 😂). Makes me so happy. And calm. ⠀ What are some simple things that bring you joy?
You burrata believe I put a whole ball of cheese o You burrata believe I put a whole ball of cheese on this sandwich. Ham, burrata, a little cultured butter, and @gourmetgarden’s Italian Herbs mixed with some olive oil. I just love a good baguette-style sandwich, don't you?
It's officially soup weather in Northern Californi It's officially soup weather in Northern California! Pair that with the fact that I just went to the grocery store ... and you guys are in for a fall-flavored food extravaganza over the next few weeks. ⠀ First up is a super yummy roasted cauliflower and garlic soup. It's an easy recipe to make vegetarian/vegan, too! ⠀ Ingredients: 3 bags of cauliflower florets (also equals about 2 heads) 20 garlic cloves 1/2 cup carrots, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable works well) Olive oil Salt Pepper Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend Sourdough bread ⠀ Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. ⠀ On a baking sheet, place the garlic cloves and the cauliflower florets. Coat the cloves and florets with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss so each piece is seasoned. Make sure you have a single layer and place into your preheated oven. After about 25 minutes, check progress and toss the pieces so they're evenly roasted on all sides. Keep cooking, checking every 5-7 minutes (after the first 25 minutes). You want the cauliflower and garlic to be caramelized/golden brown. Once browned, remove from the oven. ⠀ While the cauliflower is roasting, chop your carrots, celery and onions. **You can also find pre-chopped mirepoix at most grocery stores. One container should be about the same proportions as stated above.** Once chopped, drop all of the vegetables into a large stock pot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil (you can also add a little butter for extra flavor), a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, three teaspoons of the Morton Nature’s Seasoning, and cook the mirepoix until softened. ⠀ After the cauliflower and garlic are roasted — and after the mirepoix is cooked — add the cauliflower/garlic mixture to the mirepoix and then add four cups of broth. Let the mixture come to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. ⠀ Serve with sourdough bread or croutons! ⠀ *** ⠀ What are some of your favorite soups to enjoy when the weather gets cold?? ⠀
I'm taking tomorrow off. To get an early start on I'm taking tomorrow off. To get an early start on my long Halloween weekend, I whipped up some coconut shrimp. ⠀ I don't know why, but I always thought coconut shrimp would be this long and involved dish to make. So, I never made it. Then COVID hit and I found myself with a lot of time for these "long and involved" recipes. Come to find out, coconut shrimp is neither long or involved to make. ⠀ (Damnit. 😒😒 The years I've wasted with basic shrimp recipes.) ⠀ Anyway, so you don't miss out either, here's the recipe! ⠀ Ingredients: 12 jumbo shrimp (as big as you can find at the store) 1/2 cup flour (I used Wondra) 3/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plain 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 2 eggs 2 tbsp milk or water Oil for frying ⠀ Directions: Peel, clean and devein the shrimp. Then butterfly each one. Dry and set aside. ⠀ On one small plate, combine the flour, salt and pepper. ⠀ On another small plate, combine the coconut and panko breadcrumbs. ⠀ In a small bowl, whisk the two eggs with the heavy cream. ⠀ Take one shrimp at a time and coat with the flour mixture (dusting off any excess), dip into the egg wash, and then do a final coating into the coconut/panko mixture. Set aside on a clean plate. Do this process with each shrimp. ⠀ Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Depending on the size of your pan, place a few shrimp into the hot oil at one time (adding too many at one time will cause the oil to cool and your shrimp to be oily). Once the shrimp are a golden brown on all sides (about 4-5 minutes), remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Repeat this process until all shrimp are cooked. ⠀ Serve with a sweet red chili sauce (or even a spicy mayo would be yummy)! ⠀
Every (Mon)day should start with something sweet . Every (Mon)day should start with something sweet ... like these quadruple chocolate turtle brownies. ⠀ I used @bakerbynature’s recipe for “the best cocoa fudge brownies” and then just made some slight edits ... 1/2 cup each of white chocolate, dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips (the cocoa powder is the 4th chocolate). Then I added 1/4 cup each of chopped walnuts and almonds. Once the batter was poured into the baking pan, I drizzled the top with the melted vanilla caramels from @kraft. 🤤🤤 ⠀
There’s something about the smell of sugar, cinn There’s something about the smell of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom baking together on a cool, fall day. 🍂🍂 #heaven
Who wants to join me for lunch? Barbecued pulled p Who wants to join me for lunch? Barbecued pulled pork with a spicy mayo coleslaw and dill pickles on a brioche bun. Oh, and kettle cooked potato chips.
There's no better day than Sunday to cozy up to so There's no better day than Sunday to cozy up to some of your favorite comfort foods ... so I decided to make some chicken pot pie hand pies. ⠀ What are some of your favorite comfort foods? ⠀
Perfection. Cheesy, fruity, toasty perfection. ⠀ The final meal of my fig/fig jam series. And maybe my favorite (although the muffins are a very, very close second). Here is a toasted cheese sandwich combining some of my great food loves -- sourdough bread, crispy prosciutto, @cowgirlcreamery Mt. Tam, and fig jam. ⠀ What have been some of your favorite fig recipes this season?
Figs, walnuts ... and powdered sugar. Here are so Figs, walnuts ... and powdered sugar. Here are some fig and walnut stuffed cookies to help with your mid-week slump! ⠀ If you're looking for the perfect "fall" cookies to complement your PSL or hot chocolate, I HIGHLY recommend @littlebrokenblog’s recipe (for fig & walnut stuffed cookies). The only alteration I made was replacing her recommended figs for my spiced fig jam ... and oh my goodness. ⠀ What treats are you whipping up this week??
Hands up if you like muffins for breakfast on a pe Hands up if you like muffins for breakfast on a perfectly cool fall morning! 🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️ ⠀ Before fig season is officially over, I highly recommend making a batch (or five) of my fig jam and then freezing some so you can make these muffins over and over (and over) again. ⠀ The overall muffin and streusel recipe was adapted from @halfbakedharvest’s "Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffins." However, instead of using pumpkin puree, I substituted unsweetened apple sauce. I also swapped the pumpkin pie spice for cardamom and ground cloves. For the streusel topping, I added chopped hazelnuts to one batch and chopped walnuts to another. Both were outstanding, so use whatever you have on hand. ⠀ To assemble the muffins: Once you have your muffin batter mixed, fill each muffin tin about halfway full. Then put about a tablespoon of the "spiced" fig jam into each muffin (see my recent post about fig jam for the recipe). Finish each muffin with another dollop of muffin batter (just enough to completely cover the fig jam layer). Top with the streusel mixture and bake. ⠀ After baking — to fancy it up a bit — I finished the muffins with a vanilla glaze drizzle (1 cup confectioner's sugar, 4 tbsp heavy cream and 2 tsp vanilla).
Something green! The other day I whipped up a batc Something green! The other day I whipped up a batch of balsamic fig-glazed chicken for my midweek salad. ⠀ Using the “plain” version of the fig jam from my previous post, I added a little balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and soy sauce to create a yummy glaze for the baked chicken. ⠀ Ingredients: 1 lb skinless chicken breast 1/4 cup fig jam 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp minced garlic ⠀ Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. ⠀ Pound the chicken breast so it’s an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper and place into a baking dish. ⠀ In a small bowl, add the fig jam, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Stir until well combined and until the jam has thinned. ⠀ Spread half of the mixture over the entire chicken breast and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F. **About halfway through the cooking time, use the remaining half of the fig mixture to re-glaze the chicken. ⠀ This chicken is great in salads, wraps or as the main dish with a side of brussels sprouts or asparagus.
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