The San Francisco Treat

So I know it’s been a while but it’s only because life has been keeping me busy. I finished grad school and, as part of my graduation present, I was given the gift of travel. My mom, being the generous woman that she is, gave me money to go on a trip of my choice as a way to unwind and regroup after a year and a half of hard work.


So after much thought and consideration, I decided to head to San Francisco! Well let me tell you it was the best decision ever. The trip was filled with lots of sightseeing, walking, running, and of course EATING.

Here are some of the food highlights from the trip:

Shrimp Omelet at a little Mexican restaurant in the Mission district (I don’t know the name of the restaurant, but I wish I did…it was amazing)

Prosciutto Pizza Pie with a side order of spicy cauliflower and a tricolore salad from Delfina’s

Cookie Dough Bon Bons and this amazing Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Cake at Sauce

And finally a picnic along the bay, courtesy of Trader Joes (great cheap wine too)

So next time you’re in San Fran, take advantage of everything that is there…the wonderful sites, the great people, and the amazing treats it has to offer.

The great ‘Chef’ of my Life

So last night I went to a wake for the dad of one of my high school friend’s. Wakes and funerals are never easy to attend, but last night, for some reason, this one affected me in a pretty big way. I didn’t know my friend’s father; for whatever reason, for as long as we have been friends, my friend’s dad and I never actually had the opportunity to meet. But as I saw my friend standing up there at the wake, now fatherless, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for knowing that when I walked in the door last night that my dad would be there.

As I was driving home thinking about all this, I started to realize that my dad is really the reason why I am so into food. Yes, I am Italian and eating is in my blood, but when it comes down to it, he is the reason I enjoy cooking and baking so much. First of all, he is an amazing cook. He really knows all the little tricks for making an amazing meal. So I think in that sense, he inspired me and still continues to amaze me in the kitchen. Second, he loves sweets, especially cookies. So is it really that much of a coincidence that I love to bake? I get so much joy out of baking a batch of cookies and seeing the excitement on his face when he gets to taste the first one out of the oven. Or I love finding a recipe (especially anything sweet with lemon) that I know he will love and making it for him,. I guess what it comes down to is that I am forever daddy’s little girl and for as much as we have in common, food is one thing that really makes both of us happy.

So here’s to you dad, the great chef of my life. I will bake for you forever!

Oh how I do love me a Big Salad

So for all you Seinfeld followers, I’m sure you remember the episode where Jerry, Elaine and George have to go to a different diner, where Elaine is appalled to find that they don’t offer a big salad. To George, the idea of not being able to get a big salad is ridiculous, but to those of us who love the idea of getting an outrageous amount of lettuce with an abundant variety of toppings, we can completely empathize with Elaine.

Lately I have really fallen in love with the big salad. I never thought that I would be the type of person who could make a meal out of greenery, but I feel that once you conquer the art of salad making, you come to love and even crave this leafy goodness.

If you find that you feel as I did (perplexed and somewhat hesitant about eating a salad) here is what I have found to be the best way to go about creating the perfect big salad.

First, it’s important to find the type of lettuce you like. Iceberg is fine, but there are so many varieties out there, you should take the time to figure out what works best for your palate. I prefer a nice spring mix. Then it’s time to figure out what toppings work best for you. It’s important to add bulk and substance to your salad, making it feel more like a meal than a bland filler. My base toppings consist of tomatoes (either whole tomatoes cut into bite size pieces or grape tomatoes easy for the eating), sliced cucumbers, and sliced mushrooms. From there I let my mood take over. As long as you stick to veggies, you can pretty much make the salad as big as you want. Shredded carrots, baby corn, olives, they all add bulk and great flavor to your base. Then for crunch I like to add some type of nut, preferably slivered almond or dry roasted peanuts, and some croutons, yum! And lastly, the dressing…this is the icing on the salad “cake.” Obviously if you want to keep it healthy go for a good low fat or light dressing, but of course a nice vinaigrette is always good too. And lastly, like everything else salad needs to be seasoned, so I like to add some salt and pepper to top it all off. One little note is that most prepared dressing have a good amount of salt in them, which in that case says to me, just add pepper.

So if you haven’t faced your fears and learned to master the art of making the perfect big salad, I hope this will help you find the road to your own salad bliss.

'Tis the Season to be Baking

I find that at this time of year, if you really want to get into the spirit, bake! Along with Christmas carols and holiday shopping, Christmas cookie baking seems to bring with it lots of holiday cheer. Most people seem to have, at least, that one cookie recipe that has become their annual Christmas tradition. You make them at this time of year, and this time of year only…but that’s what makes them special.


So what better way to pass on one’s holiday baking tradition then by hosting a cookie bake-off? Here are the rules (per my colleague and friend, Christine):

1.You will need one contact person to run the bake-off

2. Have friends/family bake their most famous holiday cookie

3. Cookies are submitted to contact person who will assign a random number to each cookie in order to keep baker’s identity confidential

4. All cookies should also be plated the same, again, to promote baking confidentiality

5. When displaying cookies, a voting bag or cup should be placed alongside the cookie with an image and description of the cookie

6. Each cookie taster will receive 2 ballots to vote as they please for their favorite cookies

7. And lastly, at the end of the event, votes are to be counted and the winner announced

As a great take home gift for all involved, gather all the cookie recipes before the bake-off and assemble them into a cookie cookbook. This is a great excuse to enjoy some great holiday treats, to showcase your baking talents, and last but certainly not least, to bring together friends and family

Tis the season! And Happy Holidays everyone! (Stay tuned for my holiday cookie recipe)

Take the "Thyme" to Enjoy!

Normally Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. A whole holiday centered purely on good food…how can you go wrong? But this year’s Thanksgiving was unlike any that I have experienced before, and not in the best of ways.

Every year my mom hosts Thanksgiving, and trust me when I say this, she is a pro! She has the table set about 2 weeks ahead of time. She labels each serving dish with its corresponding food item so on the day of, she knows exactly which dish goes with which serving bowl, plate, etc. She makes homemade chicken soup which is usually made in October and then frozen until November. And she is able to pull the rest of the meal off with perfect precision and excellence throughout the entire week before the holiday, right up to the day of the blessed event.

And the menu…well it’s fantastic. To start we have soup, and this year we also began with a garlic and white wine artichoke dip. Then we moved on to the main meal. Turkey of course, which is accompanied with the traditional stuffing, sweet potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, bread sticks, gravy, and cranberry sauce (and cranberry jelly). As an added bonus this year, we brought in 2 new menu items, a corn bread stuffing (courtesy of my sister-in-law) made with corn, white bread, cheese, and scallions (Yum!) and teriyaki honey glazed green beans, made with bacon, red bell peppers, onions, and cashews (courtesy of yours truly). And last but certainly not least, dessert! Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cinnamon coffee cake, cheesecake, all of which can be topped off with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Again, one of my favorite holidays!

So why, do you ask, was this year so “unappetizing”? The guests at our table consisted of some older relatives who don’t seem to understand how important it is to not rush through a meal like this. We started eating at 3 in the afternoon and by 6:30, we were done with dessert, and the table was free and clear of any and all remnants of a Thanksgiving dinner. I have never eaten so fast, and had so little time to enjoy the wonderful flavors of our Thanksgiving dinner.

So this post is really a message that I am sending out to the masses…Please take the time to enjoy your food, because the longer you sit and enjoy what you’re eating, the longer you can sit and enjoy the people you are surrounded by at this festive time of year.

What’s your favorite cookie?

I think it’s pretty safe to say that everyone loves cookies, or at least some kind of cookie. How could you not? The varieties are endless so, no matter who you are, you are more likely than not to find a cookie that you love and adore.

My personal favorite is a cookie that I think gets overlooked. Most people tend to stick with the classics, chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, etc. But for me, nothing beats the black & white cookie! Hopefully you have all seen the Seinfeld episode about this fantastic cookie…in his infinite wisdom Jerry brought the beauty of this cookie to the forefront of social awareness (of course his views on the black & white cookie are a tad more political than mine). But it is truly an amazing cookie. It takes the texture of a vanilla flavored cake and compresses it down to form the base for cookie. Then half dipped in black (chocolate) icing and half dipped in white (vanilla) icing, the combination of the cake-like cookie and the smooth, decadent icing tantalize your tongue. And depending on your plan of attack when eating it, the icing can be enjoyed separately or together.

So what does this say about me? That’s a good question. Maybe I like harmony so the symbolic representation found in the equally balanced icing represents balance? Maybe I’m indecisive, so the idea of having more than one icing flavor puts me at ease because then I don’t have to decide between chocolate and vanilla? Nah, I don’t think it’s either of those. It’s just a wonderful cookie that I love and adore, and like to treat myself to every now and then.

So I ask you, what is your favorite cookie?

Then go out and treat yourself…I’m sure you deserve it!

"Scents" of Accomplishment

One of the many things that I love about cooking is the sense of accomplishment you can get from combining random ingredients and making a fantastic meal. Cooking allows for creativity, and when ingredients are scarce or recipes don’t exist, you can unleash your cooking skills and create something that not only pleasures your palate but also your sense of ingenuity and adventure.

Last week, on a whim, I decided to stop at the food store to buy some things so that I could make myself something for dinner. There was no strategy involved, no recipe to follow, just the vague notion of what I felt like eating. I wanted a meal that was healthy, full of veggies, satisfying and somewhat simple to make. I walked around the food store, primarily sticking to the produce section, and ended up purchasing tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms. That was it. With only three ingredients and my home pantry ingredients it was time to get the creative juices flowing.

Here is my recipe for all of you to enjoy. It may seem simple and somewhat novice to the eye, but in actuality the success of the meal was mainly due to the skills and techniques I have learned over the years from watching hours upon hours of The Food Network. So, please enjoy this meal so that you too can feel your own “scents” of accomplishment!

2 Roma Tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1 Green Pepper (chopped)
1 Medium Onion (thinly sliced)
¼ Cup of Baby Portobello Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
½ Cup of Whole Wheat Pasta of your choice
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Canola Oil
2 Teaspoons Parmesan Cheese
Non-stick Cooking Spray
Salt, Pepper
Pasta Water (about 4 Tablespoons)

In pot of boiling, salted water cook pasta as directed on package. Once pasta is cooked drain most of the pasta water, reserving some to help create a sauce.
Next, coat a sauté pan with non-stick cooking spray and canola oil. Once oil is warm, add onions and mushrooms. Salt and pepper. Sauté together for 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and mushrooms begin to shrink in size. Then add pepper. Let pepper sauté with onions and mushrooms for an additional 5 minutes. Then add garlic power and red pepper flakes. Lastly add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Once all veggies are cooked, add cooked pasta and pasta water to sauté pan. Let this cook and combine for about a minute. Then add the parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to desired taste and enjoy!