happy weekend!

packing and preparations filled this week, but we did take a break to eat at Roam. this is the best burger i've ever had (and i've had a lot of burgers). it had an egg on it with a slightly spicy chili sauce. yum. when you add a blue bottle coffee shake, zucchini fries and a ginger lime soda i was in heaven. i highly suggest you eat there this weekend.

i also made these delicious enchiladas. yum. if you crave tex mex and don't have access or have ever wondered exactly what tex mex means. make these, now. they are amazing and encapsulate the flavorful spiciness of the cuisine i love.

i can't wait to make have dinner with some good friends, work a bit and enjoy a cookout. summer is underway. even if that does mean fog, i'll enjoy it while i can. what are your weekend plans?

french toast

we've been messing around with french toast for a while but last week jacob perfected the creme brulee crust from melissa clark's recipe so i wanted to share the picture and the recipe here.

1 cup packed light brown sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm

2 large eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 (10 oz) sourdough bread, sliced thinly

1. preheat the oven to 375 '. in a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and butter until the sugar is completely dissolved ( i didn't combine them enough but jacob took it all the way and that's what made it truly delicious) Pour the mixture into a large rimmed baking sheet (about 11x17 inches)

2. in a pie pan or other shallow dish, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. coat both sides of the bread slices in the egg mixture, letting the bread soak up the custard for atleast 15 minutes, then place them on the prepared baking sheet over the brown sugar mixture. bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops of the bread are golden brown and the sugar is bubbling.

3. serve immediately while still hot, with the crunchy brown sugar side up, spooning more of the pan syrup over the tops.

it was delicious, especially with bacon.

happy weekend!

this past week we celebrated our 1st anniversary, i'll be sharing pictures of chez panisse and us in our fancy get up next week, but i wanted to share my second favorite photo from the yashica roll this weekend. the golden gate bridge is always photogenic but i love how its set between the blue sky and turquoise water.

you must check out the blue hour, brian has just returned from italy and the photos are moving, delicious and beautiful.

we're working hard this weekend but i plan on resting on memorial day. that will probably entail curling up with a good book. i've been lax on sharing my favorite books so try and i'll catch up now: i've enjoyed MFK Fisher's serve it forth, elizabeth gilberts stern men, isabelle allende's daughter of fortune, and my most recent favorite the particular sadness of lemon cake. an exploration of the connection of taste to emotion and a girl's journey to adulthood.

i also hope to see bridesmaids. it looks hilarious!

i have some extra strawberries here so i'm going to try this recipe but i've also seen alot of rhubarb cake recipes lately and might branch out in that direction next.

jacob's been working on his new album lately and has posted a demo. this one delves into the themes of journeying on the high seas. listen and share it with your friends!

happy weekend!

i am looking forward to this weekend. golden gate seminary's graduation is tonight and i feel like a lot of people are transitioning like us, which makes me feel better. i also can't wait to celebrate my friends' graduate school successes. jacob and i are hoping to hit up sol food as well while we're there.

Also this weekend, i'm preparing to put some photographs up at jacob's starbucks. i'm a bit nervous about curating, printing and framing them, as well as how people will respond. if at all. but i think its a step that moves me closer to feeling like a photographer. another way i'm trying to stay on top of that aspect is updating my flickr.

in the coffee realm,

stuff like this, excites me about moving back to texas.

this recipe was as delicious as i hoped, i'm planning to spend some time in the kitchen with my heart of the artichoke birthday present. i hope your weekend is full of things and people you love.

happy weekend!

i know this weekend will require some recuperation after such a big week with our dads but I already have some plans in the works. we're going to have to go back to bun mee, where i had the most amazing carmelized citrus rice bowl with jacob and my dad. i'm also going to continue to perfect this strawberry shortcake recipe with my favorite berry ever. i'm excited about hearing the MAIS capstones this saturday. i remember being super nervous and excited last year for my own and i can't wait to hear the culmination of their work. i hope this spring weather continues to stick around.

happy weekend!

Our dads are coming in town, well technically jacob's is already here and mine comes tomorrow, and we're going to paint the town. i can't wait to explore the sutro heights area with mine and do some shopping. its been a great week for risotto (i'll admit i added bacon to this recipe though), i've really enjoyed figuring out mypintrest, i've had some good chats with friends and my cold is limited to a few random coughs here and there. with this as mysoundtrack, i'm all set for an adventure filled weekend!

weekend plans

*

well i've been a bit under the weather this week (i did manage to make this recipe which i think you should try) but i can't wait to enjoy the weekend. stuffy nose and all. i plan to do some cooking, including my grandmother's coffee cake, which i haven't tried before, i'll keep you updated. we're also going to see water for elephants, i read the book awhile back and the movie looks beautiful. with it being easter sunday its going to be a full three days but i plan on sneaking a nap in somewhere. happy weekend!

photo by jacob

hopefully we'll find time to snap some pictures together as well, he took some great ones this week.

adventures in normalacy

i wanted to share these photos from our week here in the city by the bay. we hit up the farmer's market, hence my obsession with spring recipes, hung out on haight street and picked up some amazing records as well as puerto rican food, and enjoyed a delicious homemade (jacob made) brunch. i love enjoying where we are and spontaneous adventure.

asparagus

via today's letters

i love this blog. her way of expressing love in her marriage and out is wonderful and realistic and funny. as if this wasn't enough it provided me with this amazing recipe for asparagus. browned butter and balsamic vinegar, how could i go wrong. i also used less asparagus and put it on top of rice with a fried egg and the sauce reacted really well with the other items and was so flavorful but not over powering of the vegetable itself. i've been a bit disappointed with spring's offerings so far but now have renewed hope in trying to eat seasonally.

Chorizo, Red Pepper and Potato Gallette with Argula

Well that title is a mouthful, but i guess it fits the dish itself which is ridiculously filling and delicious. it all started when i got my new sunset magazine and i was pleasantly surprised by their savory pie section. I love savory pies. i made a butternut squash one in the fall and was very happy with the results. so this one, (though it doesn't seem in line with a seasonal theme, i probably would rather have had it in the fall,) is even better. when i saw that it had chorizo, one of jacob's favorites, i knew it must be made. so i used the smitten kitchen pie crust recipe. and my new pie crust cutter upper, made it so much easier, i love tools. and got to work.

unfortunately this is probably not a dish that promotes my ideology that cooking at home is cheaper or healthier. chorizo and manchego cheese are pricey people, but for a weekend splurge or week day pick me up its perfect, i just wanted you to know what you were getting into.

i would normally just link you to the recipe online but was shocked to find that they did not have the pie section of the magazine on the internet, its like they want you to buy their paper copy or something. so here it is, your welcome.

13 inch round pie crust( see link above or they suggest pillsbury refrigerated pie dough)

1/3 lb or manchego or other basque-style sheep's-milk cheese, thinly sliced

3 ounces spanish style chorizo, thinly sliced

1/2 lb cooked and thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell peppers patted dry

2 cups baby lettuce

(your favorite salad vinegar, i used white balsamic, they suggested sherry vinegar, and oil)

Roll out pie crust, leaving a 2inch border.

layer the filling ingredients. i did 1/2 of the potatoes, then cheese, then chorizo, then more potatoes, so that the cheese melted down and through everything.

fold the dough around the filling, then bake until crust is golden 20-25 minutes.

toss the lettuce with vinegar and oil, you can place it on top for a nice contrast, but i just served mine on the side.

there are no pictures due to poor lighting and hunger, but if you are confused about the folding issue here's a pic of the butternut squash gallete i mentioned earlier. its very rustic looking. nothing too complicated i promise.

also this says it serves four to six, they must not have meant people with any appetite or tastebuds or are assuming its all dieters because i made us stop eating it 2/3rds of the way through due to the afore mentioned health issues, cheese/chorizo/ and pie crust need i say more? but we could have easily finished it just the two of us.

i would bring this to a potluck dinner or serve it with a larger salad next time.

enjoy!

popovers

this puffed treat and i have had a long and rather gruesome history. it started off with awe. i knew of these bread delights that were served at Neiman Marcus but only saw the restaurant when we walked through the mall and never had one. i just knew they were very difficult to make rise and often thwarted the baker. but when i started working upstairs they were a regular treat. they even had popover pans and so i quickly realized i was going to have to master them. easier said than done. i have mentioned my inability to read recipes sometimes and i used a whole stick of butter instead of 1 tbs one time. those were inedible as they simmered and i couldn't figure out what was different. but i must add that this recipe is hand written and a few different girls have written temperatures and timings and its made the whole thing very complicated. but then, i came across a popover recipe in the Gastronomy of Marriage. A book i read a while ago and was revisiting now that i'm married. the recipe was simple and clear and added a tip about refrigerating the dough before baking. it worked brilliantly. try it, i think you'll be impressed with yourself.

valentines pancakes

i have wanted to make puff pancakes for a romantic brunch for some time. i found a recipe from the book in the kitchen with a good appetite, it was easy and i made it for dinner. it was very delicious and puffed brilliantly. but with the pressure of valentine's day and the fact that it was the second time i was going to perform this feat, (typically if i make a great recipe, it surprises me the first time and the second time it flops. i think my nerves make me more precise the first time and then for the second i'm not as careful ) it crumpled. but the fact that i am still sharing it with you today, should tell you something about how light, fluffy and carmelized they were the first time. we still enjoyed them but i think that it probably has more to do with the fact that its our first valentines day together than the pancakes themselves.

good times

its been a big weekend, my family came into town and we've been eating and sightseeing like crazy.

i've been wanting to share a couple of recipes with you though so i'll start there. this no-knead bread is incredible, though i've been using the wrong yeast, active, not instant, its still delicious. and since i had extra yeast i would no longer be needing i decided to use it for this cinnamon roll recipe i've been wanting to try. they were perfect after i froze them for a couple of days i let them thaw and rise overnight so they were very easy and fun for a saturday morning.

yesterday we visited one of my favorite places in the world, point reyes. we explored the lighthouse, looked for whales and i got free range eggs from marin sun farms.

on our 8 month anniversary we enjoyed our kara's cupcakes once again. they even had a heart on them this month. what a wonderful celebration!

pork chops with butternut squash, escarole and walnuts

this is my new favorite recipe. it has pork chops which jacob loves, butternut squash which is my favorite and a bit of crunchiness with the walnuts. i was a bit concerned with the escarole but its bitterness is perfectly complemented by the other flavors, i'm betting you could use spinach as well. the one skillet plan makes it very easy, but i made some couscous as well for a little extra heft. thank you sunset magazine!

butternut squash soup with a hint of apple

via food52.com

my first encounter with butternut squash soup occurred at the urban standard during college. it was lovely, sweet and savory with a drizzle of sour cream on top. but since cooking butternut squash for the first time this year, i have stayed away from similar recipes knowing that it would not be the same, and i would only hold it to a now impossible standard. but then i received this recipe in my email from food52 and couldn't resist. it has apple cider for the sweet and sour cream for the savory and was very simple. its delicious but i would suggest doubling it, as i did, because it did not make as much as i expected, though it says it serves four. doubled it served three with maybe one bowl left over and we each had cheese toast as well. i used sparkling cider instead of plain, and i'm not sure if that's why the apple flavor was a bit overwhelming, or if i just like it a bit savory than most. either way next time i'm going to cut back a little and use plain not sparkling, adding more to taste later if necessary. also, i did not think there was enough chicken broth so i added more and i just know looked at her step by step picture instructions and she warns that it looks like it won't be enough but it is, so next time i'll put in the smaller amount. let me know what you think.
as it was it warmed us up and made the winter evening a little brighter.

fall food

via smitten kitchen
fall cooking is apparently my favorite. the soup goal is going pretty well. black bean improved over time and was very filling and julia child's potato leek was delish but i like a little more flavor personally. i think i might try butternut squash soup next week. i did pick up a butternut squash at the farmer's market on sunday but wanted to go a different route than soup this week. i found a warm salad with tahini sauce and chickpeas recipe from smitten kitchen who got it from another wonderful food blogger orangette and was sold. its amazing, warm but cheery and bright, yet light as well. the perfect autumn dish.

lunch dish

photo via 3191 miles apart
i began a quest this week fueled by the desire to make more accessible lunches and expand the options from sandwiches, combined with a new empanada fixation from work and this quick lunch option here, topped off with a desire to make nigella lawson's lunch dish for some time. culminated in a delicious savory lunch turnover that i want to share for many reasons. not only because its amazing but because this is the third pie crust i've made in the past two weeks and its my favorite,i can imagine it with most anything, its perfectly flaky and it has cream cheese in it,yum, and you have no need for ice water or cold butter or any of the other persnickity crust issues that force you to the store to buy it in a box.

Cream Cheese Pastry
8 tablespoons (1 stick unsalted butter) at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup half and half
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

*i would double this next time because i only made four turnovers and had extra filling. and i would suggest throwing some grated cheddar in it and seeing what happens i think it would be an extra kick that would put this dish over the edge.

Mix butter, cream cheese and cream to thoroughly combine. Add flour and salt and mix until combined and a ball forms. Divide the dough into two disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

lunch dish
2-3 (about 12 oz) tomatoes, or same amount of drained, chopped or canned ones
2 small onions
2 eggs hard boiled
4 ounces pitted black olives
2 tablespoons olive oil, not extra virgin
9 ounces ground beef
fat pinch all spice, (i used cinnamon and nutmeg, probably a bit too much cinnamon but it was still varied)
salt and pepper
{i'm thinking about adding a few chopped red bell pepper and maybe some ground chipotle pepper because it was a bit too even keeled for us around here }
serves 6
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut an x in the bottom of your tomatoes, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle and leave for 5 min. drain, run under the cold tap and the skin comes right off,thanks smitten kitchen, cut into quarters and remove seeds and chop roughly. peel and chop the onions, hard boiled egg and olives too.

in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. cook the chopped onions until softened and beginning to color, turning the flame down to low if they look as if they're sticking. turn the heat back to medium and add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring a minute or so before adding the beef. stir well, breaking up the clumps of meat with wodden spoon as you go, then, when the meat's browned, stir in the chopped eggs and olives and season with the allspice salt and pepper. cook over gentle heat for about 20 minutes, stirring.

remove pastry from fridge and roll out thinly. cut into 5 inch diamater circles. i used the top of a bowl for a guide. place filling in center and fold over pinching into a half circle, turnover shape. place on baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes.

wrap and freeze for a quick lunch on the go or we enjoyed them with roasted potatoes last night.

beef stew with blue cheese

in the same vein as the carrot and sweet potato soup, aided again by sunset magazine
{the recipe is actually submitted by one of my favorite food bloggers molly watson}.
i made beef stew with blue cheese and chives to help with jacob's GRE this past week.
{he aced it by the way and i think we all know why....}
i've been disappointed with stew before, tender meat but flavorless broth, not so with this one. i think its the full bottle of wine, but maybe its the blue cheese, you be the judge.

*i halved the recipe so it serves four technically but after we ate the first batch we were low on broth so i simmered it with leftover chicken stock, approximately a cup, for the second meal.


about 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1.7 lbs of beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2 in pieces
2 slices hardwood-smoked bacon, chopped
1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
about 1 tsp salt
1/8 cup flour
1/2 tbsp. paprika, it suggests smoked Spanish paprika but this did not come with my spice kit and the plain paprika was great
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 bottle (750 ml ) dry red wine, we bought ours for 2 bucks at trader joe's but i'm sure the better wine the tastier, and of course because it cooks for over an hour the alcohol content is neglible
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4s or smaller, they suggest large pieces but some of our potatoes did not cook all the way through initially
1/2 lb baby carrots cut into rounds
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup or more crumbled blue cheese
pepper
1/8 cup minced chives or green onions

* its especially important to have all your spices etc measured out before beginning because the pan gets hot and everything starts to move fast or else burn and i was scrambling, just a tip.

Heat a 3-4 qt oven proof pan over medium-high heat. add 1/2 tbsp oil. when its hot, brown a fifth to a quarter of beef at a time, turning meat and adding remaining oil as needed, about 5 min per side, and adjusting heat so meat sizzles but doesn't burn. transfer meat to a bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. add bacon to pan and cook until fat renders{ don't know what that means, it got soft for me } and starts to brown. with a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl with beef. add onions to pan and stir in 1/2 tsp salt. cook, stirring until onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. transfer onions to bowl with beef. add flour to pan and cook, stirring until it starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes. add paprika and chipotle; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

add wine and increase heat to high. scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. add reserved beef, bacon and onions. bring mixture to a boil. cover and bake until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

return pot to stove. {this is where my oven proof pan was not big enough and jacob transferred it to larger pot} add potatoes and bring to a boil. add carrots and return to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer. cook, uncovered, until veggies are tender, 30 minutes. stir in butter and salt to taste {now that i'm reading this i don't think we did that, but i bet it would be good} serve hot, topped with blue cheese, a few grinds of pepper, and chives.