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