Burrata Cheese Crostini with Basil Oil
Have you had it? Have you cried from happiness of eating this cheese? The first time I had it was before the Sex in the City 2 movie. My girlfriends and I met in our party dresses for cocktails and appetizers before heading over to see the SITC girls head to Abu Dhabi. We went to Farfalla in Westlake Village. I LOVE eating out with my girls because we usually order a ton of different things and share. And they like all of the things that my sweet hubby doesn’t. We ordered burrata cheese over a crostini drizzled with a basil oil. GASP! It was delicious. The cheese was creamy, the bread was warm and soaked in butter and the basil oil gave the perfect punch of flavor. Of course I had to recreate it. And it was kinda super easy.
Italian Quesadillas
I’m not gonna lie. It takes some planning to keep new recipes coming every few days. And my past two weeks have been crazy so my posts have dwindled for just a moment. But I’m proud to say that I’ve been stockpiling. I’ve got some ammunition that I’m ready to release people! That being said, I had a very ambitious night where I decided to make six (SIX!!!) new recipes for a casual dinner party. And of course because I hadn’t spent a few days in my kitchen and I’m pretty sure my Kitchenaid hummed to life on its own, I needed to cook. I was also craving mushrooms and because Ryan won’t eat mushrooms, I thought I could add them to an appetizer and get my fix. That’s one of my favorite things about entertaining friends, we outnumber my picky husband so I can make some really yummy dishes!
Oh! And these are vegetarian 😉
Hubby’s Note: Yes. I’m picky. But I’m really cute. So…I’ve got that going for me…which is nice.
Apricot and Ricotta Cheese Crepes
As I’ve told you, in my previous life I worked for a pretty fabulous international restaurant chain. I was their Director of Human Resources. It was a job that evolved over the years and I was self taught for. I almost felt like Superman leading a double life though. By day: HR. By Night! Cooking. My fabulous Molly came up with the perfect idea of me and Jessica, one of the 4 partners in crime, to start a catering business. And we did. And we were busy. I would spend my entire day processing payroll, dealing with health benefits, employee complaints and what not. By night, Jessica and I would come up with menus and marketing, recipes and recruits. A few months into the business we catered a baby shower at this gorgeous ocean view mansion in Santa Barbara. I’m going to get off topic for a sec. They had these walls in their house with zero texture to them. Smooth as a baby’s…. And then they acid washed them. These walls made this house look like it was floating in the clouds. If I ever hit those 6 little Super Lotto numbers, my house must have those walls. Back to the crepes. One of the menu items for the shower was these crepes. We seriously could not whip them up fast enough before the platters were empty again. After catering that event, I was talking with my sweet (strawberries!) co-worker Alisha who fell in love with these crepes. This is another recipe she’s been asking for and I’ve slacked on. YIKES!
Here is my thought. It’s Labor Day weekend. Four years ago it was 120 degrees and I was close to going into labor. So let’s celebrate and have brunch Sunday. Make these with my Green Chile Breakfast Casserole, serve up a bottle of champagne and let’s call this a relaxing weekend.
It’s My Birthday and I’ll Give YOU presents if I want to
Yes sir, today is my birthday. Well, that’s a white lie. It was actually on August 24th but due to the state of health in my household, I spent 6 hours in the ER with my little angels on my birthday. Everyone is finally feeling healthy again. So, I say today is my birthday because we are finally going to celebrate my birthday tonight. Good friends, good food, healthy kids and….cocktails. I was fine skipping my birthday this year but Ryan insists I get one year older. Meanie.
Red Potato and Goat Cheese Stack with Basil Balsamic Drizzle
Last night I posted my recipe for Filet Mignon with Whiskey Cream Sauce. So far two of the comments on the steak refer to the potato stack next to the steak. I felt bad about not getting yesterdays post up until late so I am giving you another recipe today. When I made it for the first time, I didn’t dip the potato slices in the vinaigrette before assembling and that is a MUST.
My sweet girls are sick as sick can be so this post has to be short. I barely got any sleep last night and I would love to catch some shut eye before my angels wake up from their naps.
But get ready for tomorrow! It’s my birthday and the start of another fabulous giveaway!!!
Filet Mignon with Whiskey Cream Sauce
This past weekend I had my first mommy getaway in almost a year. My brother in law is getting married in October and I went on the bachelorette party for my soon to be mini sister-in-law. I say mini because she’s a beautiful petite woman. I was so excited to spend the weekend with her, her friends and of course my other sister in law, Kellie.
I don’t know what it is about when Mom’s go out of town but Murphy and his damn law inevitably show their faces and the children get sick. Here I am sitting on Descanso beach in Catalina with 12 really fabulous ladies and my brand new iphone gives its legendary ring of a new text message. Excited to see a picture of my darling girls, I am instead greeted with, “Buggies has a fever of 102.” Ugh. Really? 102??? Several hours and several text messages later, I’ve decided to stay on the island rather than helicopter myself for a bazillion dollars to my doorstep. As the night goes on, she’s not feeling better and my guilt level starts to rise. My downright out of this world husband insists he’s got everything under control through the cries from the girls and the panic in his voice.
Fire Roasted Artichokes
Here in Los Angeles, we have this restaurant called Houston’s. Or Hillstone. It depends on the time of day and what the current California law is regarding calories being listed on menus. Anyways, Ry and I fell in love with this place so many years ago I feel like it really wasn’t THAT long ago. I mean really, why do I still feel 24 but get carded at the grocery store with TWO kids and feel like a champion when they ask for my ID? Probably because my 32nd birthday is coming on strong on August 24th. Sigh….
Ryan and I have loved artichokes forever and I have spent a lot of time trying to master the Houston artichoke. It’s sweet, but savory and smoky and fire roasted and perfect. And! Alas! I duplicated that tricky little sucker. Ready?
Lovely Lady Cilantro Corn
I’m guessing I have your attention. In 2005, I was going in for my 6th round of Iodine Radiation treatment. I swear this story is good. Not depressing. But I will tell you this. I had 100% Follicular Thyroid Cancer at the age of 4. I spent 2 years in the hospital and I was diagnosed cancer free just before my 6th birthday. (Yay!) I went on to regular schooling, made friends, graduated high school, graduated UCLA, met my husband and then….In 2003, a week before my wedding I got THE news…the cancer was back. I went through a round of Iodine treatment in March of 2004 and then again in December of 2005. I’ll have you know that I have now been cancer free for the 2nd time for 5 years (holllllla!!!!!!)
Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Salmon
We recently spent some time in Oregon with really amazing friends. It was a much needed Mommy and Daddy getaway. As well as a much needed catching up with friends and enjoying time together getaway. After a weekend of relaxing, touring the cities and wine tasting; I insisted on making our friends dinner. Not to mention their kitchen is made of the things I dream about. I found a few empty drawers and actually contemplated trying to fit myself inside of them to just live in this kitchen. I know that sounds weird, right? Trust me. This kitchen makes my heart swoon and my knees buckle.
The Pacific Northwest is known for their amazingly fresh killer seafood so I chose to make a Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Salmon. Our tour guides led us to this fantastic local store that I would call a cross between Whole Foods and Bristol Farms. But here’s the kicker – it only sells local items from Oregon. How freaking cool is that? It of course had other staples that you could find at any high end grocery store. But if there was a local Oregonian product – that would be the first one on the shelves.
Alongside this salmon, I made cilantro corn and my mango salad. Since it was a side dish, I just left out the chicken and pumped up the avocado and mango. It turned out quite delish, so here we go!
Hubby’s Note: This salmon needs to be grilled. My wife prepares it and I grill it. I recommend two things to help this process. First, I recommend Grill Grates. Go to Amazon.com to find them. I found them courtesy of Craig Goldwyn at Amazingribs.com. Second, any time you’re grilling you MUST have a timer and a thermometer. Fish is one of the rare cases, where i don’t use a thermometer. I only use a timer. Specifically the Weber Grilling app, “On The Grill”. I love this app. Use it all the time. It’s got a timer as well as temperatures to look for. Both the USDA and the Chef’s temps. For a 1 inch filet of Salmon, i went ten minutes, flipping once. It was perfect. So healthy, and so good.
Parents Magazine Best Food Blog Nominee!
I’m speechless.
Best Food Blog nominee?? I honestly do not know what to say. I mean, I won’t lie. I totally broke out in my best 80’s dance moves in my kitchen. Granted the music to Rapunzel was on and well, that always gets me movin’.
If you would (pretty please with sugar on top) go to
http://blog-awards.parents.com/blog-awards/mom_blogs/432-mommy-bistro
and vote for Mommy Bistro!!!
Oh and keep your peepers open cause the next giveaway is just around the corner!!