Homemade Turkey Meatballs

Every once in a while I like to share a bit of the cooking and baking I love to do. This time it was delicious turkey meatballs with an awesome rice that I got from Trader Joe's that is long-grain brown rice, black barley and daikon radish seeds.

Frosting Practice for Wedding Cupcakes!

A close friend of mine is getting married at the end of the month and I am so excited! Obviously I am excited for them to be embarking on their lifelong journey together, but I am also excited to be making the cupcakes for the reception! The cupcake recipe was set and we were discussing the frosting, both of us agreeing that regular buttercream frosting is pretty sub-par. After some research, she came across a recipe for {Swiss Buttercream} on one of my favorite blogs {Smitten Kitchen}. Though we are going to experiment with adding some flavor, I made my first attempt at making Swiss Buttercream and it was a success! Mmmmm buttery goodness :)

Hearty Veggie Soup :)

The other day when there was a torrential downpour outside and it was freezing cold (ok...this is California...maybe it wasn't freezing, but it was COLD), I wanted a nice hearty and healthy soup. Here are some pics since I don't have an exact recipe. It has vegetable broth, tomato paste, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, blue lake green beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and lentil. The spices include cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, oregano, basil, and parsley to taste. Topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Persimmon Cookies

A few weeks ago I made these cookies to take to work and they seemed to be a real success. For those who were asking for the recipe...here it is:

Persimmon Cookies
1 cup Persimmon pulp
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar together. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and mix with the persimmon pulp and add it to the butter and sugar mixture. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and spices together and sift into the batter. Add nuts (and optional raisins). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

My New Baby & Holiday Baking!

Here is my new baby! I am now the proud owner of a brand new "green apple" KitchenAid stand mixer! Here is the start of our journey together ~ a little holiday baking.

Butternut Squash Soup

To be honest, I don't have an exact recipe to share with you...but here is a delicious butternut squash soup I made for dinner tonight! I started by preparing the veggies to be roasted - butternut squash, potatoes, celery, carrots, shallots, and grated fresh ginger. I then tossed them with some olive oil and roasted them in the oven for about an hour. After the veggies were tender, I transferred them to a pot on the stove and added chicken broth, cumin, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper to taste. With a hand-held blender, I puréed the mixture to an almost smooth consistency and served it topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and chopped chives. I think I succeeded in making this ALMOST as good as my mom's version :)

Baby Shower! Cupcakes! Decorations! Sewing!

So, last weekend was my friend's baby shower - it was amazing! This was also my friend {Natalie} and my first attempt at doing a dessert spread - A few different kinds of beautifully decorated cupcakes, brownie pops, and fruit skewers. Many props go to our friend Tabitha, for her amazing decorating skills - it looked wonderful down to every little detail: the hanging onesies, the cute drink buckets, the appetizer table, the chalkboard, the small vases wrapped with beautiful ribbon, the stylish paper chains, the adorable "about to hatch" egg timer favors for everyone, and much, much more! Check out the handmade elephant stuffed animal and handmade flannel burp clothes made by our friend {Tricia}.

Below is the gift I sewed for the guest of honor ~ a nursing cover!

S'mores & Brownies :)

These are two great finds from the {Papery & Cakery} {blog}. I loved the idea of having {S'mores} at a wedding, or any party for that matter. This can work for both outdoor events that actually have a fire pit to use or individual table-top s'mores kits, like the ones made by {Cosi}! There are a few ways to do this, either by having a table set up with all the fixings for the s'mores or packing up individual baggies for your guests to use. The second great idea is giving your guest favors that they can make use of, not some little tchotchke that people usually don't know what to do with when they get home. I think this is a great idea, giving your {cupcake mix favors} to go home and bake a sweet treat. It is a favor that is filled with love and extra attention.

The Pasta Shop & Teance

This is it from my day trip to Berkeley. {The Pasta Shop - Rockridge Market Hall} and {Teance} were my last two stops of the day. Rockridge Market Hall's "Pasta Shop" location is amazing! I wish, wish, wish we had a market like this in San Luis Obispo. I haven't been somewhere like this, with fresh pasta, a huge selection of cheese, fresh produce, ingredients and products from around the world, sauces, and a great selection of prepared foods. This is pure heaven for anyone who loves to cook! Teance was right next door, where their mission is to promote authentic fine teas and re-introduce the culture of appreciating tea. They carry only the most pure, premium, and seasonal whole leaf teas possible - introducing the consumer to the enjoyment, health benefits, and serenity that comes with drinking tea. In their Berkeley retail store, they have a beautiful tea bar where you can sit and enjoy any of their fine teas. The coolest parts, other than the fact that this was my first experience in a store dedicated to teas with a tea bar in it, was the awesome fountain right in the middle of the store with water pouring down from the shower above and the awesome structural piece hanging from the ceiling!

Caprese sandwich for dinner :)

Today, I wanted to find another way to use the fresh tomatoes and basil I have, as well as the baguette from the Acme Bread Co - so I decided on a Caprese sandwich. Fresh mozarella, tomato, basil, red onion, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and BREAD! Mmmmmm. I tried to do that no carb/low carb stuff...and by tried I mean thought about it for a bit then had pasta and a sandwich for two meals of my day :)

Acme Bread Company ~ Est. 1983

Another Berkeley, CA gem is the Acme Bread Co - a nationally acclaimed artisan bread bakery. Steve Sullivan, the founder and owner, says that after all these years, the number one goal is to bake outstanding bread. Acme uses only organic flour as well as working closely with farmers - evaluating and selecting grain varieties for its flour every year. They work around the clock - 3 shifts of bakers a day - seven days a week at the Berkeley bakery to meet the high demands. At its newer and only other location, in the bakery in {San Francisco Ferry Building}, breads are baked fresh throughout the day in the hearth oven. It was 25 years ago, as a busboy at Berkeley's famous {Chez Panisse} restaurant where he worked while attending UC Berkeley, that he became interested in baking bread. Eventually after bread baking became a serious hobby, Alice Waters requested that he bake bread in the Chez Panisse kitchen. In 1983 he and his wife opened their first - now legendary - bakery.

On Monday, before heading back to San Luis Obispo from the Bay Area, I stopped at the Berkeley location to snap a few photos and pick up some fresh breads: Herb Slab for panini-making, a sourdough baguette, and a loaf of olive bread!

Fresh Basil and Heirloom Tomatoes!

My mom has been gardening like mad lately and sent me back home with delicious fresh basil she grew. It smells SO good that I had to make something immediately so I could use it. When I was home we made a very tasty bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes, also from her garden, so that inspired me to make a fresh heirloom tomato pasta sauce :)

I don't really have a specific recipe, since I just kinda threw what came to mind at the time in a pot. The basic idea is butter, olive oil, shallots, garlic, crushed chili peppers, salt, pepper, lemon juice, chopped heirloom tomatoes. I topped it with shaved Parmesan cheese. It was quite yummy if I do say so myself.

Moroccan Sunday Supper

{Amy Atlas} was a guest contributor on {Sunday Suppers} and worked on the beautiful table design for the Moroccan dinner that was inspired by old tiles. They were actually used as a runner type of decoration down the middle. Jessie from {Rountree Flowers} did the floral design with beautiful mums - inspired by the patterns in the tiles and by piles of spices. Rose petals were used to make garlands and the tabletop was decorated with pops of orange and pink. The candlestick holders were actually regular taper holders that Jessie converted into pillars by attaching votive holders on top. The fabulous backdrop and pattern along with all the paper goods & goodie bags were designed by Erica Miller of {Thoughtful Day}.

Some of the other talented people who contributed to this event were: Aran Goyoaga of {Cannelle et Vanille} *A NEW FAVORITE BLOG* who baked the orange flower macaroons, orange creamsicle panna cotta and baked meringue sandwich cookies. The amazing cake was designed by Archana Rao of {Love Street Cakes}. Ali Kantor of {Papery & Cakery} created a traditional moroccan cookie called kaab el ghazal, which served as a favor for the guests to take home in goodie bags. All photos were taken by {Karen Mordechai}.

How to use up bread stat!

So I had 4 sheets of tonir lavash bread left and it needed to be used before it went bad. I was trying to think of a way to use them up quick without making sandwiches everyday. I came up with a quick and very easy layered pizza. I used spicy Calabrese salami for an added kick. I have done this before with a French bread baguette and it is delish.

Element Fuego Grill

The {Element} grill by Fuego is an affordable, gas-powered grill with simple iconic form that features a high-powered dual zone cooking system - 4 cook top options in a small form. Robert Brunner, at {Ammunition} has designed this compact outdoor grills for {Fuego} as an extension of his previous {Fuego 01} outdoor grill design. "We wanted to make the Fuego brand accessible and affordable to all, and create something really very special in the process," says Brunner. I came across this beautiful product on {Moco Loco: The Modern & Contemporary Design Blog}

Natalie's Mediterranean Couscous and a Greek Salad

I am a huge fan of couscous and my mom has a delicious that {recipe} that I love to make. The other day my friend Natalie had made her own version that reminded me of that but had an interesting added ingredient...dried apricots! I decided to give it a try and LOVED it. I highly recommend giving this a try. It is a nice, light, and refreshing dish that would go nicely for a summer get-together. Visit her at {In the Kitchen with Kristie} to view the recipe! I paired this recipe with a Greek salad from {Cooking Light} - recipe as follows:

Makes 6 (dinner salad) servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
3 cups diced tomato
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon capers
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions:
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add lettuce and the next 6 ingredients (lettuce through chickpeas); toss well.

Bram - The Art of Claypot Cooking

While in the wonderful Sonoma town square for Mother's Day brunch, we discovered {Bram} - an awesome store carrying clay pots for cooking and much more! Owners, Ashrf and Shelly Almasri, opened the store just 6 weeks ago - this place will surely be a success! Ashrf, being from Egypt, is familiar with the traditions of clay pot cooking. Aside from a wide assortment of clay products, they also carry beautiful Alabaster bowls, gorgeous wooden bowls and cooking utensils, and more. They even have one wall full of amazing cookbooks - but not your usual cookbooks - ones about the different exotic spices used in the Middle East, slow cooking with clay pots, and much more. The choice of books is impressive - not just for content but for the design and photography - some being works of art in and of themselves. While there, I got myself my first clay pot and my mom bought a truly amazing book - {Saha - A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria}. This place is well worth a visit - beautiful merchandise, and if you don't know much about clay pot cooking - the owner is really sweet, knows his products, and more than willing to explain.

Tomato-Leek Cod

Another family favorite - Cod fish with tomato and leek!

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds fresh Cod
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cups leek, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes
4 tablespoons lime juice
zest of one lime

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the leeks, red bell pepper, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Add the salt, crushed chili pepper flakes, lime juice, and lime zest. Continue to saute until the vegetables are tender.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread about 1/4 of the sauteed vegetable mixture in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Lay the cod on top of the vegetables an top with the remaining mixture.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the fish is flaky.

Tip: This dish can be made with any other light white fish.

MMM...Banana-Walnut Bread!

Here is another family favorite - my mom's delicious recipe for banana-walnut bread.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (plus some to top)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, chopped walnuts, baking soda, salt, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, butter, egg, milk, and mix well.

Add the banana mixture tot he dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on the surface of the batter and bake for 45 minutes or until the tester is inserted into the loaf and comes out clean.

Transfer loaf to a rack and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Tip: This recipe can also make 12 large muffins that are baked for 25 minutes or until the tester is inserted into the muffin and comes out clean.

MMM...Food Photography

{Matt Armendariz} is one of the best food photographers I have seen! He is based in Los Angeles, CA and has been photographing for advertising and editorial for about 18 years. He is passionate about his job and claims to be a man who is obsessed with food, drink, and everything in between. (As am I...well except for the man part...) He is a former graphic designer and art director, who worked for companies like Whole Foods Market and Bristol Farms. Not only is he a photographer, but he is a blogger as well. His blog, {Mattbites.com}, has been recognized by many publications, editors and writers and is one of the charter members of Martha’s Circle, a selection of lifestyle blogs selected by the editors of Martha Stewart Living. Bellow is a clip from his appearance on her show :) I'm jealous.