first frost cranberries are easy to make and are a crowd favorite. i personally ate about 1/2 the bowl at a holiday cooking party recently. most people don’t think of eating raw cranberries. this recipe is deceptively addictive. be sure to make extra batches! they make a lovely hostess gift when presented in a jar; […]
Turkey Chilequiles Casserole – perfect for leftover Thanksgiving turkey
November 24 by
This is a great recipe assuming you have turkey leftover from Thanksgiving! If you’re fresh out of cooked turkey, this recipe works well with a store-bought Rotisserie Chicken (4-5 lbs) 12 oz. bag of plain corn tortilla chips 2 tablespoons of canola oil 1 tsp ground cumin 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 red […]
fall bbq Palm Springs style
November 5 by
let me begin this post by apologizing for my crappy lens. maybe it has something to do with the time i dropped my camera while catching a woman and her infant as they were stumbling down some stairs at a pee wee baseball game. maybe not. maybe this stock lens is just lame and i […]
solstice stew :: veggies galore for crisp fall days
September 20 by
Fun post from my buddy Peilin Breller, food stylist extraordinaire….I’d never be able to make food look this good. Food styling is truly an art. Enjoy this awesome fall/winter stew. We sure did! Last December I found myself in the early morning hours at Stehly Farms in heart of Valley Center, San Diego’s gorgeous and […]
fresh garden salsa
February 23 by
there’s something really magical about fresh, homemade, garden salsa. the colors are vibrant. the flavors are unmatched. and when paired homemade tortilla chips, just so ever slightly salted, you’ll just want to eat the entire bowl. if you grow nothing else this spring than cilantro, tomatoes and some chili peppers, you’ll still be happy after […]
feta stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. you’re welcome.
September 29 by
i’m not gonna lie. these may just kill you. but you’ll be smiling when you die. grab some dates or figs. don’t know the difference? dates have pits. figs have small seeds and are more brown in color. i’m really hoping this isn’t what i’ll look like later in life without teeth. i used all […]
blended iced coffee yumminess + a giveaway!
July 2 by
i had my bible study girls over for breakfast today. i’d envisioned a nice peaceful meal outside until i heard lil G casually ask “what are those bugs doing out there?” turns out they weren’t bugs…but in fact, a swarm of bees! run for the hills, batten down the hatches! then we were greeted by […]
egg white & veggie frittata
March 13 by
wow, Peilin Breller and Emily Ivey sure know how to make food look GOOD! check out this frittata. i mean, it is delicious. but just look at that photo! don’t lick the monitor…it’s very unbecoming. ok, here we go: heat oven to 375 i used a cute 5×8 dish for this one dice 1/2 sweet […]
Sweet and savory chicken chili
March 8 by
I’ve made Deanna’s famous chicken chili for so many events and always get fantastic feedback. Here is the recipe that my dear friend Deanna created a few years ago. I’ve added a few tweaks, but will still give Deanna full credit! It’s unique sweet and spicy taste is different than your typical salty chili…this recipe […]
fire roasted baby bok choy
February 20 by
have you ever seen such a thing? roasting baby bok choy over the fire? i learned this from my chef friend on a houseboat trip years ago. first of all, who brings baby bok choy on a house boat trip? second of all, who’s fancy enough to grill it? we certainly knew how to eat […]
simple apple crisp
February 5 by
this is a super easy recipe that my pal Darren‘s family has passed down for years. we baked it. and before i even had a chance to return with my spoon, every morsel had been eaten. i guess it’s safe to say we loved it. 4 large apples-peeled, cored and sliced thinly 1/2 cup water […]
spicy asian style eggplant recipe
January 29 by
eggplant is a recent re-discovery for me. i grew it in my backyard garden in LA several years ago, but had sort of forgotten about it when i met my hubby. he hates veggies. yes, i hide pureed veggies in his waffles. don’t tell him. these are super easy. olive oil 1 Japanese eggplant (these […]
how to make fried rice
January 25 by
yay! Chinese New Year is around the corner. 2013 is the year of the snake. the Chinese calendar runs on 12 year cycles. the last time we were in the year of the snake, i was running a dot com and didn’t need lululemon. i recently signed up to be room mom for a few months […]
Chinese wontons, Darth Vadar style
January 21 by
Chinese New Year is coming up, so we’re sharing some traditional, yet simple recipes with you! * Wontons are traditionally made with ground pork and shrimp. My mother doesn’t eat pork and so whenever I can substitute out pork, I try to do so – this way Mom can enjoy my cooking as I have […]
caramelized pear & onion, fig butter, & brie on rustic sourdough
January 18 by
my 3rd baby is due in 2 weeks. my preggers cravings have kicked in today! a caramelized pear, onion, brie with fig butter on sourdough sounded so good, that i had to whip it together. so so so so good! first you heat up an iron skillet with a touch of butter and a tad […]
