The Cure All

Let’s say that you had a little too much to drink the night before… and let’s say, that you wake up with a terrible headache because of it…and let’s guess that you have some tomato juice in the fridge and some vodka on the bar… WELL, you are IN LUCK! Nothing quite cures a “headache” (aka – a hangover), quite like a Bloody Mary. As luck would have it, I have just the recipe to suit your needs…

Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

8 oz tomato juice
3 oz vodka
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp celery salt
1 tsp of Tabasco sauce
fresh lemon wedge
fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Fill a large glass with ice. To the ice, add the black pepper (to your taste) and Worcestershire sauce, then add remaining ingredients (except the Tabasco sauce).
2. Pour everything into a shaker and shake well. Pour back into glass and add tobacco sauce – give it a little stir.
3. Garnish with green olives or a celery stalk and take your “medicine” down like a big boy or girl!

Beignets in the Big City

Brunch plus soul food? Sounds divine, doesn’t it!?!?!? In San Francisco, there is a fantastic café called BRENDA’S French Soul Food, that serves the most AMAZING brunch. From omelets to croque-monsieur (a fancy ham & cheese sandwich), Brenda’s fills anyone’s craving for breakfast/brunch food!
The most delectable item on Brenda’s menu though, is the Beignet Flight. Brenda’s offers four styles of beignets: the traditional, chocolate, apple and…wait for it…a savory crawfish! The Beignet Flight is the best of all these worlds, offering a sample of each flavor.

My personal favorite is…the Crawfish beignet! Now I know there are some beignet purists out there that think filling any beignet is sacrilege but I beg these purists to give the crawfish beignet at Brenda’s a chance. The crawfish filling is savory and creamy at the same time and its flavor profile is off the charts!

If you find yourself in San Francisco, Brenda’s French Soul Food is one place you cannot miss!

Brenda’s French Soul Food
652 Polk Street
Cross: Eddy Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Ph. (415) 345-8100

Full Time Fancy

Here’s a quick tip….Dress up store bought brownies with homemade frosting. It’s a quick and easy way to add a little glamour to an everyday dessert! I recently whipped up an Orange Buttercream Frosting to go with some brownie bites and it was a hit!

Orange Buttercream Frosting

*3 cups of powdered sugar
*1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
*1 tbls of orange juice (Fresh squeezed or store bought OJ)
*Zest of one orange
*1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
*1-2 tbls of milk (Depending on the consistency you wish)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk until desired consistency is reached.
2. Add vanilla extract, orange juice & zest. Mix into frosting.
3. Add it into a gallon size Ziploc bag, clip the corner, and pipe onto brownies – VOILA! Your everyday dessert is now full-time fancy!
4. Pop one in your mouth and smile!

What the heck is POK POK?

Pok Pok sounds odd, I know. But let me tell you, this wonderful restaurant in Portland is SO worth traveling to the Pacific Northwest! Pok Pok Noi was featured on Guy Fieri's, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and it deserves every bit of the publicity!

Pok Pok serves Thai Fusion cuisine that is not only delicious, but affordable. Some of their specialities include sweet and savory chicken wings, chicken satay and an addicting papaya salad. Perhaps the most enjoyable thing on the menu though, is their drinking vinegars. Don't be scared! Let me explain... drinking vinegars are flavored vinegars that are reduced down to a syrup and then mixed into soda water. It is akin to an Italian soda...Carbonated goodness!

Next time you are in Portland, give POK POK NOI a try!


POK POK NOI
1469 Northeast Prescott Street
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 287-4149

Sunshine on a Dark Day

So, there is very little at work that makes my coworkers and I smile. But when that rare happy moment comes along, we seize it like a dog with a bone. One of the things that make the day bearable is the occasional lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Now, you’d think I’d be raving about their famous pizza (which is great) or their flavorful pastas (which are delicious). No. What I want to talk about are their desserts and this summer, the dessert of all desserts is being featured – the STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE. Light flaky shortcake, fresh strawberries and fluffy whipped cream, combine together to create the perfect ratio of berry-cake-whip cream. It is positively divine… If you’ve got a CPK by you, then you are in for a delectable treat!

Summer Lovin'!!

I love the summer. Beach days, lemonade, sunshine and most importantly, ice cream! Ice cream epitomizes what summer really is – a sweet, sweet time! In our family, Memorial Day weekend is our official welcome to summer and what’s better to serve on a lovely summer day? Ice cream sandwiches! My version of the ice cream sandwich is a take on strawberry shortcake. I make strawberry cookies with a creamy vanilla strawberry swirl ice cream middle, rolled with candy stars. It’s a hit with adults and the kiddos!

Here’s how I do it:

Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream (you’ll want to get this ready a day before you put the sandwiches together)

1) packet of vanilla ice cream starter (I love the Williams Sonoma version!) 1 ½ cups of half and half 1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream 1 pint of strawberries – diced ¼ cup of sugar

Directions: 1. Pour the ice cream starter and the half and half in a large bowl. Whisk until the starter is completely dissolved. 2. Stir in the heavy cream. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and turn it on, letting it spin for about 25 minutes. 3. While the ice cream machine is doing its magic, add the strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. 4. Transfer the macerated strawberries into a small sauce pan and heat it on medium for about 10 minutes until it becomes syrupy. Make sure you don’t leave it on the fire too long – it can burn! 5. About 25 minutes into the ice cream process, slowly add the strawberry syrup into the vanilla ice cream. Let spin for about 8 minutes longer. 6. Place ice cream into a container and freeze until ready to put the sandwiches together.

Strawberry Cookies: 1 package of strawberry cake mix 2 eggs 1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Directions: 1. In a large bowl, pour the cake mix and make a well. 2. In the well, add the eggs and oil. Mix well until the mixture resembles cookie dough. 3. Roll dough into golf ball size balls and bake for 8-9 minutes @ 350 degrees. 4. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Putting the sandwiches together…. 1. Take 2 cookies and lay them on their front side. Take (1) scoop of the vanilla strawberry swirl ice cream and place on top of (1) cookie. Top with second cookie. 2. Roll the sides of your newly minted ice cream sandwich in your choice of sprinkles (I like stars!). 3. Serve immediately or freeze and eat at your leisure!

Positively Elizabethan!

If you walk through the quarry, under the hedge, you’ll find Elizabethan Desserts, a bakery just as magical as the place you’ll find it in. Connected to a nursery and among cacti and flowers, Elizabethan Desserts offers the public succulents of their own in delightful treats such as the Churro Cupcake, Red Velvet Whoopie Pie and the sinfully delicious, Dream Bar. While the bakery is small, the amazing baked goods that Elizabethan Desserts creates have no boundaries!

Elizabethan Desserts 155 Quail Gardens Drive Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 230-6780

CREATE

Last night, I had the privilege of attending Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Studio Series. An annual event, this performance showcases young dancers-cum-choreographers as they create their own unique pieces, some for the very first time. Highlights of last night’s performance include numbers choreographed to Roberta Flack’s first album, First Take and a brilliant series of pieces danced in complete silence. Each performance, especially the dances in silence, was a breath of fresh air. Artistry such as these are exactly what the dance world needs. Ballet can be, at times, predictable, but with an infusion of a new wave of choreographers, the Nevada Ballet Theatre has given hope to this particular patron and their community.

As the lights went down, I was flooded by the nostalgia of standing on a stage when I was a young girl, anxious to perform but with butterflies in my stomach that could almost lift me away. Performing arts does that to me. It brings me back to a place in my life where creation was tantamount to bliss. These days, I find that feeling when I cook or bake. Whether it’s on a stage on in the kitchen, I encourage all of you to find that special thing in your lives that will allow you to open yourself up to creation. There’s no better feeling than putting something out there in the world that belongs distinctively to you and simultaneously to the world at large.

Nevada Ballet Theatre finds a new home at The Smith Center for Performing Arts, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Visit them at: http://www.nevadaballet.com/

The Happiest Place on Earth

No, I don’t mean Disneyland… I mean, STONE BREWERY in Escondido, California!

For those unfamiliar, Stone Brewery is the very same brewery that brings Arrogant Bastard Ale, to the masses. What most people don’t know is that it is also a top notch restaurant. I was lucky enough to visit this most wonderful establishment this past weekend and let me tell you, the place doesn’t disappoint!

Taking our queue from the whole, “when in Rome”-mentality, my cousin, Mary and I went the route of food tasters. We ordered a plethora of dishes so that we could really take in the food culture that Stone Brewery has brilliantly fostered!

For starters, we tried the homemade hummus….

…and an appetizer isn’t an appetizer without some refreshments…

Then, we got a little, teeny-weeny, carried away when we ordered entrees….

(From Top to Bottom: Chicken Schnitzel, Chicken Tikka Masala, & The famous Buffalo Burger)

…but in our defense, we couldn’t decide and we wanted to make sure we sampled everything… you know, for the people….

Let me tell you, everything was so delicious! From the breading of the schnitzel to the spiciness of the masala and the heartiness of the buffalo burger, the STONE BREWERY is simply outstanding!

And the beer? Well, let’s just say there wasn’t a drop left….

You can find the STONE BREWERY at:

1999 Citracado Pkwy
Escondido, CA 92029

Morning Glory

So a new coffee place opened up near me called GROUCHY JOHN’S. Located on the corner of Maryland Parkway and Wigwam (in Henderson), this mom & pop shop is host to a variety of coffees, teas and baked goods. What sets this place apart from the big chain coffee spots like Starbucks or Peet’s, is the neighborhood feel. When you walk into GROUCHY JOHN’S, big cushy chairs abound and patrons are encouraged to stay a while playing board games or sitting a spell in one of those comfy chairs with a book from their library.

Their coffee is just as home-y… From the Dirty Chai Latte (a chai with a shot of coffee) or the Pumpkin Spice Latte (a real coffee with none of that overly sweet stuff), this girl proclaims that there’s nothing Grouchy about Grouchy John’s coffee.

If you’re in the neighborhood, come check it out!

GROUCHY JOHN’S
8520 S Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89123
grouchyjohns.com

REPEAT OFFENSE

Ok, so I know I’ve already talk about LOLA’s but I paid them a visit a little while ago and every time I go, they knock my socks off!

This time, I had their FRIED CHICKEN SALAD with honey mustard dressing and boy-oh-boy, DELISH! The chicken is perfectly seasoned and fried and the dressing is on point. The salad, as a whole is a complete meal – the greens are fresh and the addition of cucumbers is inspired… it gives each bite just the right crunch!

Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives was recently at LOLA’s and if that’s not a testament to how fantastic this place, then I don’t know what is!

Check out LOLA’s at:
241 West Charleston Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 227-5652

Turning the frown upside down....

I had a terrible day at work today. I got thrown under the bus twice and by the time I left, I was a flattened pancake. I knew that I had to do something to raise my spirits because there was no way that I was going to let a place like work steal my blessings!

So, you know what I did… I made an ice cream sundae. Oh, not just any sundae – a vanilla peachy sundae, topped with luscious whipped cream!

And you want to know what the best part is??? It took less than FIVE minutes to make! See for yourself…

Vanilla Peachy Sundae

Ingredients:
- Vanilla ice cream (I like Breyer’s – creamy and smooth and will never let you down!)
- 1/4 cup of sliced peaches (I use the little packaged ones but fresh peaches will work wonderfully as well!...Note – if you use the packaged peaches, be sure to sieve out some of the syrup.)
- Whip cream in a can! SO GOOD!

1. Scoop two scoops of vanilla ice cream into a fancy bowl, top with peaches and finish with as much whip cream as will make your heart skip a beat!

2. Savor this as slowly as you can. It’s SO GOOD!


PS – the bowl in the picture… I made it and yes, it IS FABULOUS!

Dear Chick Fil A - I heart you.

I heart Chick Fil A. I do. Sometimes I think I could eat it every day. There’s something about the breading and the tenderness of the chicken that is SO delicious. My cousin, Monica, says it’s made from CRACK and you know what? I agree!

I usually get the #1. It’s a classic – Chick Fil A chicken sandwich, waffle fries and my favorite choice of drink, an Arnold Palmer. SO GOOD. I’m a big fan of cooking at home but if you’re going to have fast food, Chick Fil A, is the way to go. I hear it’s the healthiest of the fast food joints but in my book, it’s the tastiest.

Now I live in Las Vegas, so there aren’t any around these parts but every time I go for a visit to Southern California or the east coast, you can bet that at least one of my meals is going to be at Chick Fil A. Thank you, Chick Fil A, for being so awesome!

SHABU SHABU

Once upon a time, there was an amazing concept called SHABU SHABU…. SHABU SHABU is a magical pot that brings joy to so many people…

SHABU SHABU means “swish swish” in Japanese and swish-swish is exactly what you do. A plate of paper thin meats are ceremoniously set before you with a side of a positively enormous avalanche of veggies.

The idea of SHABU SHABU is just like hot pot eating. You take your meats and veggies and swish it around in the broth (distilled water) and then dip it in various sauces. These sauces, spicy, ponzu and peanut, are wildly different, yet wonderfully compatible. The best part is that after you’ve had your luscious meal, you don’t feel like you’re in a food coma!

My favorite place to have SHABU SHABU is at a place in Henderson, Nevada, aptly named – SHABU SHABU. I highly recommend this experience and this particular restaurant. The service is stellar and the food is DIVINE!

SHABU SHABU Paradise
1716 W Horizon Ridge # 110 Henderson, NV 89012
(702) 385-4567

Snails and Pastries

This is not about snails despite the title of this blog. It’s about the Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie at Double Helix. I LOVE sweet potato pie (SPP – what can I say, I like Abbrevs! [that’s abbreviations… what?!, I told you I was quirky!). ANYWAY… There is nothing more comforting than SPP and on a cold day like today, how could I NOT order it when I saw it on the menu at a little restaurant called Double Helix.

Double Helix’s version of the sweet potato pie is not a pie at all, it’s more of a tart. It consists of a bed of golden brown puff pastry, layered with smooth sweet potato puree, topped with caramelized marshmallows, and drizzled with the most sinfully sweet bourbon sauce. It is a sophisticated and elegant take on a classic. The only note is that when the server set the plate down on the table, I was immediately struck with the thought that this wonderful treat looked remarkably like a snail!! One taste of this unconventional sweet potato pie and you will forget all about the way it looks and focus solely on how it tastes. And boy, does it deliver!

Double Helix can be found at Town Square Shopping Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Looks just like a snail, right??? A delicious, sweet, delectable, snail!

Get Crepe-y With It!!!!

A creperie AND a waffle shop! In a single place???!!?! Sign me up!

This tiny shop is a little hidden gem that I've discovered just tonight. Crepe Shack and Waffles is a family owned shop, specializing in crepes and waffles with creative flair. Delights such as, Tickle Me Berry (featuring 3 seasonal berries) and the Rebel Special (strawberries, bananas & nutella), wonderfully entertain your taste buds.

A visit to Crepe Shack and Waffles is definitely a treat so make sure you have room in your tummy for their delicious concoctions!

Crepe Shack and Waffles is in Henderson, NV - on the corner of Eastern and Coronado Center.

Look at how beautiful this is!!

The Cozy Winter

I don't know about you but in the winter, I love to curl up on the couch with a cup of coffee, my blanket and a piece of cake. Winter just calls for those quiet little indulgent moments and I've got the perfect recipe to help make that happen.

Winter Spice Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temp
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, baking soda & ground ginger.

2. In a small bowl, add milk and sour cream. In a larger bowl, add brown sugar, butter, & molasses and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, mix well.

3. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture, ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated. Add cranberries, pecans & chopped ginger.

4. Pour batter into a buttered 13x9 baking pan/dish. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack.

5. Pour yourself some coffee or a glass of milk and ENJOY!