Caramelized Onion Crostini
Summer has always been my favorite season. As a child, I would spend all day in the pool or playing outside with friends. Soaking in the sun and fun I stayed outside until sunset at which point I would come inside and eat everything in sight. I do not know if it was from all the energy I used playing, but my appetite was three times larger in the summer. Now as an adult (still a little bit of a scary phrase at 25), not much has changed. Of course I have to go to work on weekdays, but I rise extra early and stay out a little later to enjoy the outdoors. I feel very blessed to live in the San Francisco Area, as the sun shines bright and I am surrounded by the beautiful bay!
This weekend, to celebrate Memorial Day, some of my friends and I made a special trip to a local beach town, Pacifica. I was astounded by the beauty surrounding me – soft sandy beaches, rolling hills, magnificent houses, surfers galore, and gorgeous people everywhere you looked. The day was magical. After the beach, we all headed over to my house for dinner and judging from my summer appetite, I knew we would be hungry. This Caramelized Onion Crostini Recipe fit the bill. It has lightly toasted French bread with a little olive oil, goat brie cheese, and delicately caramelized onions. The mix of textures comes together perfectly, creating a savory delight with a tinge of sweetness from the onions. It was a pleasure to share this with such good friends on a special holiday weekend and boy did it start the evening right.
Grilled Stickies
The great debate – cinnamon rolls or sticky buns. My choice had always been cinnamon rolls. Especially, my friend Barb’s recipe that creates cinnamon rolls with soft, rich melt in your mouth goodness. She always said the mixer practically made them for you.
In my late twenties I started traveling to Pennsylvania to visit family, which continued over the years especially when Stefanie decided to attend Penn State. On one of my first trips, I tasted and fell in love with sticky buns, particularly grilled stickies. Instead of toast or pancakes with your eggs, diners and Mom and Pop restaurants in PA give you sticky buns. And the best ones of all come from Ye Olde College Diner in State College. After football, they are Penn State’s claim to fame. Some nights you dream of them, grilled till the edges caramelize.
The diner ships them but I realized my cinnamon rolls recipe (actually Barb’s cinnamon roll recipe) translates into stickies that when grilled are almost as good. The best part of all, cook up a batch, split them up and wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them. Defrost, grill them in a cast iron pan and you have heaven on a dish.
This recipe has egg and milk in it but I have also developed an eggless, milk-less recipe that uses vegetable shortening, if you want it please email us and we’ll send you that one.
Lamb and Date Tagine
Around the time I turned 21, I was doing a six-month co-op for Johnson and Johnson in New Jersey. It was a wonderful experience; I loved the job and it made the commute home to Connecticut relatively short. The weekend before my birthday I went home to celebrate with my mom, stepdad, and grandpa. We had a wonderful celebration eating, gabbing, and laughing, and my mom surprised me with a beautiful Le Creuset tagine.
That was the last birthday I got to celebrate with my grandpa. But I am so lucky, because now whenever I cook with the tagine I think back to that night and all of my wonderful memories with my grandpa.
This lamb and date tagine recipe offers delicate and delicious flavors. The meat is exceptionally tender and holds a light sweetness from the dates. A dear friend of mine just returned to California after a long time away. I could not think of a better recipe to celebrate his return, as this recipe makes you feel right at home.
Mini Caprese Bites with a Pesto Dipping Sauce
We have had an exciting week. Stefanie’s cilantro garlic chicken wings were chosen as the recipe of the day at the Toronto Wing Festival. What a great feeling! Onto our mini caprese bites…
I had armloads of basil this week. My brother in law has the best garden and has been keeping me stocked with fresh herbs. I’ve made pesto twice this week, the first time in a food processor and the second time by hand. There is a big difference in taste but depending on time constraints either way works. I’ve poached the garlic so it doesn’t overpower the delicate tomatoes and mozzarella. These bites are easy to put together and any leftover pesto can be used in sandwiches or on pasta. [click to continue…]
Cilantro Garlic Chicken Wings
There is nothing better than crispy chicken wings. This recipe is no exception, especially when you happen upon a spot with a little extra crispy sauce! [click to continue…]
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These cookies were the best seller from a cookie business we had. We shipped all over the country and now we’re sharing the recipe with you. My husband’s favorite trick is to have me make cookie balls and leave them in a bag in the refrigerator. Every night he flattens them and pops them in the toaster oven for 12 minutes. Nirvana – hot cookies before bed. [click to continue…]
