Classic Rick Rolling

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

Wow, I am completely amazed at how this man seems to have not aged one bit. Still mighty fine!

Picnics & Paninis

There are some days where the sun is shining just right; not too hot with just the right amount of warmth grazing across your face. The days when a picnic is just calling your name and you can linger in the freshly cut grass under the shade of a big tree.

"Where springtime always lingers, where winter never enters, and where the last rose of summer is never seen. Where rains fall gently and ocean winds breathe softly under the Western sky. In the glow of the setting sun, there is Orange County."

- Unknown

My Ultimate Picnic Panini:

Yields: Enough for 2

4 slices of sourdough bread

2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. cesear dressing

4 tsp. pesto (you can use pre- made)

4-6 slices of turkey

6 slices of bacon (cooked)

2 roma tomatoes, sliced

4 slices of mozzarella cheese

8 basil leaves

garlic powder

freshly ground pepper

With your sourdough bread, spread the butter on one side of each slice (use more butter if needed). Then sprinkle the garlic powder on the side that you spread the butter on. Lay the butter side down and on the other side of two slices spread both the pesto and cesear dressing. Then layer with the mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, tomatoes, turkey, and cooked bacon. Sprinkle with pepper and close the sandwich. Heat through in a panini press or George Foreman grill until the cheese is melted and the crust is nice and golden brown, about 6-9 minutes. Enjoy!

Rachel Ray's "The Only Pizza You Will Ever Want Again"

After a long day of school, a long tedious meal is the last thing on anyone's mind. Rachel Ray sure comes to the rescue when you're in need of a quick and satisfying meal, after all she has come to be known as the "Queen of Quick." This pizza was definitely a tummy pleaser and full of flavor and actually surprisingly nutritious and substantial. 

As a note, I recommend making a stop at your local Trader Joes for your ingredients. They have individual portions of pizza dough for only about $1.50 and in plain, whole wheat (which we used), and garlic & herb. You can find all of the other ingredients there also, which makes for an easy shopping trip. 

Recipe is as follows (tweaked for convenience):

For the crust:

1 (16 oz.) package of pizza dough 

2 tsn. olive oil

2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the toppings:

1/3 lb. broccoli, chopped and steamed

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 lb. chicken (pre-cooked), chopped

1 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese

10 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

12 - 15 leaves of basil, chiffonaded

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a large baking sheet lined with foil, stretch out your pizza dough and form the crust. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and minced garlic, mix well. Spread the mixture over the crust. Top with the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli. Next, sprinkle the pizza with the mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the basil and serve.

How to Chiffonade Basil:

Stack your basil leaves on top of each other, then roll the basil into a little cigarette. Take your knife and slice the "cigarette" very thinly. And there you have it!

Orange trifle with Grand Marnier Cream

My mom absolutely adores Tiramisu, so as a mother daughter project we decided to take on this trifle for our Thanksgiving dinner. It has all of the essential elements of a tiramisu, except exchanges the coffee flavor for a fresh orange flavor, which makes it absolutely perfect for spring or summer (although it's just as delicious at all other times of the year). It's decadent yet light at the same time, and unbelievably delicious at all times - and super easy considering you don't have to slave over your stand-up mixer or oven!

Orange Trifle with Grand Marnier Cream (courtesy  of Sunset Magazine):

Yields: Enough for 8 - 10 

Ingredients:

10 - 12 medium sized oranges (check that they are sweet)

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp. Grand Marnier (keep separate)

12 oz. Marscarpone cheese

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup orange marmalade

2 loaves of pound cake, sliced into 1/2 in. slices (I recommend Sara Lee)

Zest 5 oranges using a microplane, set aside. Next, peel the oranges, removing as much white piff as you can. Segment the oranges by slicing in between the membranes on each side and gently pulling the segments out. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a strainer. Repeat this process until you have about 4 cups of orange slices and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Keep separate. 

Add the zest and 1/2 cup of liqueur to the orange juice. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, whip the marscarpone and cream until stiff peaks form (caution: do not overbeat or else you will end up with butter). Once you have stiff peaks, fold in 3/4 cup of the marmalade.

Next, take your trifle bowl, and layer the bottom with the slices of pound cake. Use a pastry brush to soak the cake with 1/4 cup of the liqueur mixture. Then layer 1/3 of the marmalade cream and spread evenly. Arrange 1 cup of the orange segments and repeat until you are out of ingredients. You should end with the marmalade cream on the top and the last cup of orange segments for decoration. 

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the last 1/4 cup of marmalade with the remaining 1 tbsp. of liqueur. Microwave until the marmalade is melted, about 30-60 seconds. Brush the mixture over the orange slices. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Mini Berry Cheesecakes

These little beauties are the easiest, cutest things ever. They make the perfect dessert for parties or birthdays or even if you're just plain craving for them. They are so easy to just pack along in a lunch or a picnic and it's guaranteed that everyone will absolutely love them. Plus if berries aren't your thing, variations of this recipe are more than welcome! Imagine topping them with a chocolate ganache, candied pecans, or whatever you can imagine. The possibilities are endless!

Mini Berry Cheesecakes:

Yields: 24 cupcakes

For the crust:

2 cups of crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup of melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all in a bowl, make sure it is well combined. Press into pre-lined muffin pans, about 1 cm thick. Bake for 4 - 5 minutes, make sure not to burn!!

For the cheesecake:

20 oz. cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Beat cream cheese until soft and airy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar slowly on medium speed while making sure it is well mixed throughout. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the vanilla and sour cream, mix well. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure it is thoroughly mixed after each. Add the flour and mix well. 

Once the baked crust is cool enough, fill the cups with the cheesecake mixture, leaving about 1 cm free from the top. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Once done, let cool completely for about 30 - 45 minutes.

Topping:

1 lb. or one box of strawberries, hulled and diced

1 box of raspberries, mashed

3 tablespoons of powdered sugar (varies depending of sweetness of berries)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Top cooled cheesecakes with the topping and let it firm in the refrigerator. 

Note:

. Frozen raspberries can also be used

. I would also recommend topping them with extra fresh blueberries

Tales of Summer Over-Indulgence

Ever heard of the Orange County fair? Well if you're a native, not only have you heard of it, you've probably made numerous pilgrimages during the summer. It's a staple to American culture and the culinary offerings never fail to delight, shock, or put into cardiac arrest. Name anything deep fried and I betcha, you'll find it here, along with deep fried poptarts, cupcakes, and frog legs. I'm surprised people still live to talk about it!

Highlights of my visit to the fair this year were the kettle cooked chips and the Mexican funnel cake. Chips... ehh you say? Well that's what I thought I would be saying, who the heck buys chips at a world-renowned deep fried food fair? ME, from now on, every year! There's something about these chips that are absolutely magical and completely addicting. 

The fresh grilled corn is also a part my yearly ritual menu. A vegetable to balance out all of that trans fat goodness. But I guess smothering it in mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, and hot sauce doesn't really help does it? 

Then an epiphany came to me in the form of a Mexican funnel cake. OH MY GOSHHH! Let me say again, many, many times over: oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. It was like a ginormous churro in the form of a funnel cake served with freshly whipped cream that should have basically been called ice cream, it was SO thick and creamy. But take my advice, share this beast with 3+ people (especially if you plan on trying other fair delights). We were so bloated I almost wanted to vomit. But my heart told me otherwise and its love for this funnel cake was undying and enduring... and that ladies and gentleman, was the day I almost died from a food coma.

In the same booth they sold "apple fries," and all I can say is that I shouldn't have wasted my precious stomach space on this. Next year, I'll definitely pass. 

Blonde Euphoria

Obsessions of the moment:

Lykke Li

"Little Bit"

"Dance Dance Dance"

Only best described through her playful visuals:

Basia Bulat

"Oh My Darling"

"Before I Knew"

"Little Waltz"

"Snakes and Ladders"

Basically, I am obesessed with the whole CD. It has literally been on repeat since the moment I accquired it. It's one of those CD's where you are iffy at first listen but as you let the lyrics wash over a couple of times, you understand the beauty of the simplicity. That's exactly how to describe Basia's music, simple yet understatedly elegant and gorgeous. 

"Before I Knew" is a hideously short song that leaves you longing for at least another two minutes, but forces you to loop the song on repeat until the sun goes down. On the plus side, the ukulele makes me eternally happy.

The Ramos House Cafe {San Juan Capistrano, CA}

Located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano is a gorgeously comforting nook known as 'The Ramos House Cafe'. I would compare it to your grandmother's kitchen rather than a restaurant. It is located in a beautifully restored historical house that takes on double duty, serving as a home and as a widely successful restaurant. It's owner can often be seen wandering the small area drinking his beer of choice, which makes for an atmosphere that is both inviting and casual.

The character that is found in the setting also incorporates into the food and dining experience. Sitting under a thatched vine roof makes for a beautifully lit table (just not when the weather disagrees). The menu constantly changes to highlight the season's best produce and is always made of the freshest ingredients, which can even be found in his own tended garden. I have to say that this restaurant is my most favorite in the area; it has never failed to please and always leaves me in a state of complete and utter satisfaction.

On the weekends, they have a weekend brunch menu that is $30.00 per person (an incredibly reasonable price), which includes a drink, a starter, and an entree. They also have sweets to choose from if desired, and trust me, they are most definitely desired!

Most of the pictures are of food already half-eaten due to the fact that I completely devoured it before even thinking about photographing it.

STARTERS:

1. Cinnamon Apple Beignets: basically anything fried is good, but when filled with apples and lain in a perfectly sweetened vanilla sauce, it can be called something better than just "good," maybe even supercalifragilisticexpialidocious... just maybe.

2. Basil Cured Salmon: beautiful pieces of smoked salmon (and not too salty, yay! for getting it right) topped with boiled eggs, a white sauce, greens and served with toast points. The salmon was like velvet on top of the crunchy toast, the eggs gave it an unbelievably creamy texture and the greens also provided a nice, refreshing crisp.

Others Available:

1. Caramelized Fruit Salad

2. Fresh Baked Huckleberry Coffee Cake

3. Sweet Corn Hush Puppies w/ Pepper Jam

ENTREES:

1. Southern Fried Chicken Salad with Corn Bread, Cranberries & Pumpkin Seed Buttermilk Dressing: The chicken was coated in some kind of meal which made it deliciously crunchy yet moist on the inside which went especially well with the tart cranberries. The corn bread were served in the form of Hush Puppies which were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, my favorite part being the whole corn kernels in the batter. The dressing was like no other I have tasted before, tart yet sweet and incredibly strange. It left me with a sense of confused pleasure.

2. Smoked Mac n' Cheese w/ Veggies & Lemon: I don't know what more I could have asked for in a mac n' cheese. It wasn't overly cheesy to the point of sickness but just cheesy enough and had the perfect consistency. What made this special was the addition of the vegetables. It was topped with asparagus which was perfectly cooked with just the slightest bit of bite. The addition of the vegetables allowed for a well rounded meal and not an overly bloated stomach, which I am totally down for.

Others Available:

1. Persimmon Pain Perdu w/ Sweet Pumpkin Seeds

2. Wild Mushroom, Roasted Garlic & Sun Dried Tomato Scramble

3. Smoked Bacon Scramble w/ Rocket & Caramelized Onion

4. Crab Hash w/ Smoked Bacon Scrambled Eggs & Sour Cream Remoulade

5. Fennel Hash w/ Fried Poached Eggs & Goat Cheese Hollandaise

6. Lentil Soup w/ Duck Confit and Gingerbread Crutons

7. Beef Stew w/ Blue Cheese and Truffle Mashed Potatoes

8. Spicy Crab Cake Salad

DESSERT:

1. Berry Banana Shortcake: Every time I make my journey to Ramos House, I always, and I repeat and capitalize, ALWAYS get this fabulous dessert. When I first read the menu I overlooked it because it sounded so simple, overdone, and boring. Simple it may be, but boring it most definitely is not. After a recommendation from the server, we decided to order this and we were not disappointed. It's warm and perfectly sweet and just an all around winner.

Napa Rose {Anaheim, CA}

A couple years ago, I encountered Napa Rose, a hidden restaurant within the depths of the Grand Californian Hotel in Downtown Disney, and it became one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had. Napa Rose only offers the finest and most seasonal ingredients, best interpreted through Executive Chef Andrew Sutton's modern Californian cuisine, which is well paired with the expanse view of Disney's California Adventure Park within the dining hall. The service was prompt and if you're lucky, like I was, also humorous and a bit witty. If you're looking for affordability, you will not find it here, where meals average $35 - $45 per person. I highly recommend a trip to this hidden jewel whether it be now or fifteen years down the road when you can actually afford it, just make sure to make reservations because trust me, all of the tables will go fast.

By the way, sorry if pictures aren't up to Annie Leibovits par, but I'm still a young working gal, so I'm still saving up for that gorgeous $600 camera everyone else seems to have but me. And to my defense, the lighting was absolutely horrible, as in most all fine dining experiences where dimmed romantic lighting seems necessary (what a crappy excuse). Hopefully these will do...

The Appetizers: The first was served in an extremely large Bento Box and consisted of sizzling shrimp on a hot stone, barbecued short ribs, chicken skewered on sugarcane, and more. I would like to delve into the details but I had this dish in '06 (still available now though) and though memorable, I guess not quite memorable enough. Though to its defense, it was extremely easy on the eyes.

The second:

1. Tuna Handrolls: So velvet-y I almost cried.

2. Pheasant filled Dolmas (Grape Leaves): Being a large fan of dolmas, I was pleased but a little underwhelmed, since I was holding large expectations.

3. Potato Lakes topped with Salmon Roe: Crispy and salty, conclusion: good.

4. Fried Oysters with Buttermilk Ranch: Still gooey and warm on the inside, not the best though.

5. Mini Tacos: So tiny that I underestimated their taste, but to my surprise, they were better than expected.

6. Beef Spring Rolls: THE best on the entire plate, so incredibly tasty and refreshing.

7. Lobster Slaw on Lobster Jelly: personally I thought it was on the verge of disgusting, me and a couple others. But again, that's just my opinion...

Lamb on top of butternut squash ravioli and roasted vegetables. I used to hate lamb because of that game-y aftertaste that always accompanied it. But an intervention was necessary, and this lamb was prepared perfectly, with absolutely no aftertaste! The ravioli was slightly sweet, which went well with the salty lamb. You could tell the pasta was handmade and it was perfectly chewy while still giving enough bite back.

Grilled atlantic salmon on top of a lobster and clam chowder with fennel. I'm not a fan of mis-naming things. So when I expected a thick and hearty chowder and got a broth-y sauce instead, I was semi-disappointed. But after giving it another chance, I was glad I had not completely given up. The salmon was perfectly undercooked, because overcooked salmon is vile. But looking back, "chowder" chowder would have probably completely overkilled the delicate salmon and its counterpart of fennel brothy-ness made a perfect couple.

This dish was part of the "Vinter's Table," which is the chef's personal tasting menu. It was a filet mignon served with a cranberry sauce. First of all, never in my life have I ever tasted something so perfect. It cut with the slightest of ease and the taste...oh the taste! It melted in my mouth like butter, and that's NOT a comparison, that's truth. It was brought into the highest stage of perfection by the cranberry sauce. You would have expected something tart or jelly-like but instead you are surprised by a thick syrup-y sweet accompaniment.

My personal dish was roasted pheasant accompanied by fingerling potatoes, stuffed cabbage, heirloom carrots, and applewood smoked bacon. Even the carrots, a mere garnish to the dish, were exquisitely cooked. The pheasant was moist and not at all overdone. But my favorite part of the dish was suprisingly not the pheasant but the stuffed cabbage. It was filled with a fennel, onion, and bacon mix which was a great addition to the overall theme of the dish.

I also tried the Napa Side of Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Blue Cheddar, Bacon, and Onions. It was kind of like a combination of scalloped and au gratin potatoes, with the best aspects of both. It was full of incredible flavor and I somehow managed to squeeze it into an already large dinner. What can you do when your inner fatty craves it?

Dessert Menu '08

Dessert from '06: A pound cake french toast served on top of raspberry and vanilla sauce. This was the best dessert I have ever had. Warm and crispy on the outside, but completely buttery on the inside. Perfectly rich but not overwhelmingly so.

So for dessert, I opted for the hazelnut creme filled doughnuts with "the best hot chocolate ever." I was extremely disappointed when I was greeted with a doughnut the size of a golf ball and even more so when the hazelnut component seemed to be completely lost. It was a sugary dough, nothing new and nothing special. But, redemption came in the form of its accompaniment, the hot chocolate. It's chocolate to milk ratio was out of this world which made it creamy and dense without over-killing the chocolate flavor.

I had other desserts but the pictures turned out to be crap. The other desserts consisted of:

1. Tangerine Creme Brulee with Grand Marnier Chantilly Cream: the creme was perfectly smooth and it was brulee-d all around. The more the brulee, the better the brulee - at least that's what I always say. The tangerine flavor was quiet but still there, just a perfect little hint.

2. Wine Country Apple Croustada with Walnut Ice Cream and Cider Caramel: definitely the best of its type. The apples were moist and topped with a chunky and crunchy crumble topping. Walnut ice cream...umm YES please? What more can be said about that?

3. Napa "Pick Me Up" Valrhona Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake with Bailey's Irish Coffee "Pot au Creme": If you are a coffee connoisseur, this is definitely for you. It definitely picks you up and in a good way at that. The Bailey's creme was gorgeously smooth, almost as if you had licked a baby's bottom itself. If that doesn't explain it well, you clearly don't know how to use your imagination.

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cakes

The holidays are the times when I: one, have the time to cook and two, enjoy to cook. So it's only fitting that for the holidays, I try to make something incredibly decadent, meaning something that will make me morbidly obese within one bite. Who better to borrow a recipe from than Paula Deen herself, the self proclaimed "Queen of Butter." 

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake:

Yields: 12 squares

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan 

1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix 

1 egg, plus 2 eggs 

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 

3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

And the results (Dum Dum Dum):

As you can see there are two unbelievably gorgeous layers, one cake-y and one gooey.  The second layer is similar to a cheesecake (well it basically is, since it has cream cheese in it) and never fully bakes (or hardens) as the bottom layer. But don't worry, that's the beauty of it all. That second "gooey" layer is comparable to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Ok fine, don't mock my comparisons, but seriously, Paula Deen's recipe for this non-conventional chocolate cake is on the verge of perfection, if not divine intervention. It's something all members of Chocoholics Anonymous will love. Am I out of line to say it looks somewhat similar to the snowy peaks of Big Bear? I think not. Substance and beauty, a rare find!