I recently moved into a very tiny junior one bedroom apartment in San Francisco. If you have never heard of such a thing before, you are in good company. It is basically a studio that has a little separation, but no real separation. That said, I could not be happier! It is my little piece of heaven and the best part is that it has an awesome kitchen, perfect for hosting company!
This past weekend, I invited a few of my friends over to celebrate the new place, my new job, and life in general. I wanted to make something easy and fun that would require very little work when they arrived. This Rainbow Chard Salad in Parmesan Bowls recipe was the perfect appetizer. You can prepare everything before your guests arrive, as the bowls need time to get to room temperature. The slight bitter crunch from the rainbow chard pairs wonderfully with the creamy sweet avocado, and salty crunchy parmesan bowl.
I hope you enjoy and would love to hear about your favorite celebration appetizers!
[click to continue…]
We are so sorry it has been so long, sometimes you need to just run away and December was one of those months. So boy did we run! First we both went to Connecticut, then we went to Florida, and finally I spent a few days in southern California before coming back home to cook with you. This time was very magical because we got to spend it with the people we love most, our family. Cooking, laughing, eating, and enjoying every last moment. This time was also very special to me because after months of training I ran my first half marathon! Now that we are both home in our comfy houses, together via FaceTime and Skype, we promise that we will never take such a long break again.
As I’ve said the holidays were great and now with the New Year it’s the perfect time to eat deliciously and healthily. Today we made a winter squash salad, that combines the salty smoothness of goat cheese, the sweet flavor of golden raisons, the nutty crispness of acorn squash, and the heartiness of kale. This is great as a meal or as a compliment to a pasta or meat dish!
[click to continue…]
It is officially fall in San Francisco and while sadly, we do not have the beautiful changing leaves, we do have 80 degree weather. The weather makes me want to just play outside and enjoy everything the city has to offer, including the plentiful parks.
This weekend marks one of the biggest celebrations in the parks all year, The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. I am grilling out ahead of time and coming prepared with these fun, Shrimp Taco Lettuce Wraps. You can make the ingredients up to a day ahead of time and keep them refrigerated or eat them when the shrimp is fresh off the grill. Either way they are guaranteed not to disappoint. [click to continue…]
My dad loves making things. As a child, he built us a treehouse and dollhouses, throughout my adolescence he brewed beer, and now he is a beekeeper collecting delicious honey! He then shares the honey with us (my favorite!), uses it in food, and makes candles. I really enjoy this hobby of his.
Today using a special batch of his honey, I made an Arugula and Honey Roasted Almond Salad. The salad is light and summery offering a peppery bite from the arugula and a sweet, salty crunch from the almonds. The almonds also step this dish up a little offering a source of protein for a more complete meal!
[click to continue…]
This salad hits on all our taste sensations, the pepperiness of the greens with the sweetness of the fresh figs, the crunch of the toasted hazelnuts and the saltiness of the parmesan cheese. I love arugula, when my girls were small, I bought a case of it and we ate arugula twice a day till it was gone. It took a year before they even wanted to look at it again. Now they can’t get enough and would love it if someone brought them a case.
When I shop for fresh figs, I look for a little drip of liquid at the bottom or eye of the fig, telling me they are ripe. Somehow figs manage to be crunchy, sweet and chewy all at the same time. This effortless salad is delicious without them but figs take it to another level of flavor. [click to continue…]
I woke up with a craving for Little City’s almond encrusted portobello mushroom and spinach salad. With balsamic vinaigrette, shaved Parmesan and a balsamic glaze it is so delicious that it melts in your mouth. The mushrooms are roasted and cooled and can then be coated and refrigerated. Ten minutes before you are ready to compose the salad you cook the mushrooms for a second time. It’s easy to make, it looks beautiful and there is very little last minute preparation.
[click to continue…]
Today I am venturing to one of my favorite spots in San Francisco, Dolores Park. Dolores Park is beautiful and amazingly fun on weekend afternoons. Dozens of people and their pets come out and enjoy yard games, picnics, and cocktails while enjoying the art of people watching. Looking for something fun and different to include in my picnic lunch, I decided to make this roasted potato and arugula salad. It is the perfect accompaniment to any meal, twisting the old potato salad into something funky and original that will have you begging for more!
[click to continue…]
After slow roasting grape tomatoes, my kitchen smelled wonderful. A little orzo, some fresh herbs, the fragrant juicy tomatoes – it became the perfect side dish. [click to continue…]
