cauliflower and celery root soup with kale chips

We've been trying to eat more green around here. I never realized how difficult it was to get to 8-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Oh, my. We headed out to Trader Joe's this past Sunday and stocked up on eggplant, bags of greens, melon, avocado, and tons more. And then we received our CSA box on Tuesday filled with pounds of pounds of plums, oranges, kale, cauliflower, and the like. People - we are up to our ears in fruits and veggies.

In an attempt to put this produce to good use, I whipped up a soup using 4 of the vegetables in our kitchen. I was pretty pleased with the results, if I do say so myself. Oh - and I made my first batch of kale chips. It was love at first bite!

I had some roasted butternut squash and cooked green lentils in the fridge. I blended this with cauliflower, celery root, vegetable broth, and a tablespoon of curry powder. The result was a hearty, creamy soup without any added milk or cream.

Oh - and just so we're clear - yes, I know I used a Magic Bullet to blend my soup. I broke our blender earlier this week. I learned an important lesson: do not leave metal spoons inside the blender and then furiously hit the pulse button. It will break. Sigh. I also learned a second, possibly more important lesson, I need an immersion blender. Badly.

I love spicy foods, so I topped mine with about a teaspoon of chili oil. And then some goat cheese and microgreens because they never hurt anyone.

When I opened the CSA box and saw kale, my first reaction was KALE CHIPS! I have been dying to make a batch ever since I saw the easy recipe in Bon Appetit a year or so ago. I don't know what took me so long. These are addictive. And oh so healthy. I made some extra so I could bring them as a little afternoon snack for work tomorrow.

cauliflower and celery root soup
(makes 2 dinner portions)

1 large cauliflower
1 small celery root
1/2 cup roasted butternut squash
1 cup cooked green lentils
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon salt
Optional garnishes: goat cheese, microgreens, chili oil

Cut the brown skin off the celery root and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place celery root in vegtable broth, bring up to a boil, and then reduce to medium. Cook for 7 minutes. Breakdown cauliflower and add to broth. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until celery root and cauliflower are fork tender. Turn off heat and mix in butternut squash, lentils, and curry powder. Let cool for 5 minutes and then blend soup in batches.

Garnish with goat cheese, microgreens, and chili oil - if you'd like.

kale chips
(makes enough for 1-2 people, depending on how greedy you are)

1 bundle kale
Olive oil spray
Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash kale and dry thoroughly. De-stem the kale and rip into pieces. Place on lined cookie sheet. Spray with oilve oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 12 minutes, or until kale are crispy.

mozza's butterscotch budino

My boss generously took our team to Pizzeria Mozza last week for a leisurely Friday lunch. The pizzas were amazing - as to be expected. But our server warned us to save room for the butterscotch budino - "it's the restaurant's most sinful dish." Oh, wow. He wasn't kidding.

I try to steer away from dessert during the afternoon. I really really try to steer away from eating the entire dessert at a restaurant all by myself during the afternoon. I failed.

The budino is multi-layered, beginning with the butterscotch pudding - perfectly velvety and ever so salty. There's a hint of liquor to the pudding to give it a slight kick (my guess is rum). The budino is topped with a thick sauce of salted caramel and a heaping spoonful of fresh whipped cream.

Everything tastes delightful on its own, but when you manage to dig your spoon to the bottom of the cup and get the luxurious pudding, airy whipped cream, caramel sauce, and crunchy salt all in one bite...it's heaven.

I'm going to be making a bit of heaven at home -- I found the recipe at the NY Times!

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N Highland
Los Angeles 90036

ilan hall at urbano pizza bar

I'm a huge fan of Top Chef. Love the show. A few months ago we went to The Gorbals, and I actually peaked my head into the kitchen to meet Ilan Hall (season 2 winner). Wow...I'm kinda embarassed reading that sentence on the screen, but - in my defense - the kitchen is one of those "open air kitchens," so I didn't have to open a door or anything to meet him. And he was completely gracious about it and really excited to meet a fan. So there.

Anyways, I've been dying to go to Urbano Pizza Bar in Downtown. And then I read on Tasting Table that Hall had consulted with the restaurant and added a few menu items. There was pizza and bacon and pumpkin. I'm in.

This past Friday, I headed over with some friends. Hall added three items to the menu - scimietta pizza, charred corn with balsamic butter, and lasagna. We were in the mood for pizza, so we opted out of the lasagna.

The corn was smoky from the wood fire charring and was balanced out by the velvety balsamic butter sauce. The corn reminded me of when my dad used to grill corn and when we'd butter the cob some of the bbq sauce or salad dressing or whatever was on our plate would get on it. So you'd have this tangy creamy corn. So delicious.

The pizza was stellar. Thin, charred crust layered with pumpkin, goat cheese, applewood bacon and then garnished with thin strips of green onion. I'm of the philosophy that bacon makes everything better, but it truly works with this dish. The salty meatiness controls the pumpkin from getting too sweet. And the goat cheese and onion add some tang and texture rounding out the pizza perfectly.

I'm determined to make this in puff pastry form as an appetizer for entertaining. 1 sheet of puff pastry + 1 can of pumpkin puree + crumbled goat cheese, chopped bacon, and shaved green onion = easy, delicious, and inexpensive. Sign me up.

Urbano Pizza Bar
630 W 6th Street
Los Angeles 90017

pesto breadsticks

These are buttery and flaky and lovely. They kind of beg to be eaten alongside spaghetti and meatballs and then dipped in the leftover sauce. I ate them with salad and pizza, and I was still very content.

After the puff pastry defrosts, the entire preparation takes about 5 minutes and then into the oven they go. More time for talking with friends about upcoming dinner party plans (I have a very excited one coming up that I shall be writing about in due time).

The pesto filling was mellow and savory. I want to try this again but use a garlicky, pungent filling. Maybe a take on a chimichurri (parsely, garlic, vinegar, red pepper), but with goat cheese instead of oil. This recipe needs more of a creamy spread, not an oily spread.

Pesto Breadsticks
(makes 8)

2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup parmesan
1 tablespoon mascarpone
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out both sheets of puff pastry to 1/8 inch thick. Mix together pesto, parmesan, and mascarpone. Spread mixture over one sheet of puff pastry and then top with other sheet. Press sheets together tightly. Cut into 8 even strips. Holding both ends, twist each strip and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake 23-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

my new favorite kitchen gadget

(image via Crate and Barrel)

We recently acquired a few kitchen gadgets through a little event called our wedding. Josh had been wanting the Breville electronic water kettle for a while. This was a tough sell for me. Some kitchen gadgets seem entirely execessive to me - why do you need a garlic press when you have a knife? I was hesitant about the kettle - we already have a pot that boils water just fine, thank you.

But this kettle is the most convenient thing ever. It boils water in record time - about 2 minutes. It's electric and turns off once the water is heated. So you don't have to worry about water boiling over on the stove in the morning when you're in the bathroom blowdrying your hair or whatever. I'm sold.

And, I now drink tea (decaf) twice a day because it's just that easy. I feel so healthy already.

dinner at downtown's church & state

I went to dinner earlier this week at Church & State with my friend Ashley. I’ve been once but long before Chef Jeremy Berlin took over.  The food and wine were fantastic and appropriately priced. It’s the perfect spot for a date and has this romantic tone to it. We stuck with wine, but I’ve heard their cocktails are extremely drinkable.

The bread and butter were divine. I seriously love it when bread comes out hot – the butter just spreads so well! Each table has a little basin of coarse sea salt. Sprinkle some on the bread and butter. Utter perfection. (Josh has been to Church & State umpteen times and would like me to mention that their appetizer of bread with French Normandy butter will blow your mind….we just stuck with the free bread and we were very happy).

Ashley and I were feeling very adventurous (maybe it was the rose we were drinking on empty stomachs…) and ordered the bone marrow appetizer to split. I will admit, the consistency is a tad bit “jiggly.” But once I got over that, the taste was insanely good. Just imagine you’re eating butter, but really really luxurious butter. Spread on garlic toast. Topped with radish salt. Seriously so good.

Next up was the fig and caramelized onion tart. Oh. My. Goodness. Hands down, this was our favorite pick of the night. It was oozing in delicious cheese and the crust was thin and crispy so you could focus on the toppings and not the breadiness below.

We rounded out the night with the veal breast with pea puree, turnips, and cipollini onions. The veal was so soft you didn’t even need a knife, and it paired perfectly with the fresh peas and slightly bitter onions and turnips.

Church & State

1850 Industrial St, #100

Los Angeles 90021

213 405 1434

seasons eatings

(image via dionne and graeme stl)

Although it’s a balmy 80 degrees in Los Angeles today, the calendar swears it’s time for Autumn. I’ve been scouring my cookbooks and online blogs for seasonal recipes, so I’m prepared once the thermostat drops. We’re planning a bunch of dinner parties in the next couple of months (Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving…), and I need to test out some recipes. I’m thinking short ribs could be a delicious option for the Halloween party (plus short-ribs sounds like an appropriate dish for the Holiday).

Here’s some of favorites I’ve tagged:

The Pioneer Woman's Short Ribs with Wine and Cream
The Beerista's Butternut Squash and Spinach Gratin with Autumn Maple Sauce
Smitten Kitchen's Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta
Tartlette Saffron Pumpkin Macarons
Barefoot Contessa's Perfect Roasted Chicken
The Amateur Gourmet's Mushroom Bourguignon

make your own baked eggs brunch

(inhaling cookies after the race)

Josh completed the Los Angeles triathlon yesterday (yes, that’s swimming, biking, and running!). We had some family and friends over to celebrate after the race, and I set up a baked eggs bar. I recommend it for a simple, interactive brunch. I prepped everything in advance – so all that was left to do was assemble your own egg dish. Then we just popped them in the oven. More time for munching on mini cinnamon rolls and drinking mimosas.

(my baked eggs - i went all veggie)

I prepped the ingredients in the morning, after I dropped off Josh at Venice Beach for the swim. But you could just as easily prepare everything the night before.

Roasted Tomatoes:

4 tomatoes
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
½ teaspoon pepper
Cut tomatoes into large chop. Sprinkle with pepper and herbs de provence. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Roasted Mushrooms:
8 oz cremini
8 oz shitake
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Clean mushrooms with damp paper towel. Slice creminis in half and shitakes in quarters. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Sauteed Spinach:
1 bag of spinach
1 tablespoon of butter
Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add all of spinach and cover with lid until wilting begins (about 1-2 minutes). Remove lid and stir until spinach is cooked down (about 1 more minute).

(roasted mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, sauteed spinach)

I also bought some pesto, prosciutto, and goat cheese and assembled them on a platter for guests to add to their dish.

(prosciutto, pesto, goat cheese)

To assemble the eggs: Place ½ tablespoon of butter in the bottom of inidivudal baking dish (we use miniature crocks, but you could use ramekins). Have everyone dish in their ingredients. Crack eggs into separate glass bowls and gently pour atop the other ingredients. Finish with a ½ ounce or so of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees until whites are set (about 25-30 minutes).

Chris had the fabulous idea of writing everyone’s names on the foil so we could figure which dish belonged to each person. Genius.

We served the eggs with toasted English muffins, miniature cinnamon buns (from Trader Joe’s freezer section), fruit salad with blackberries, strawberries, and figs. Oh and blood orange mimosas – a very essential part of brunch.

fall into autumn macarons at bottega

I swoon over French macarons. They’re so delicate and sweet and divine. I’ve tried making them once before, and I can now truly appreciate the effort that goes into making one of these little cookies (and I can understand why each one costs at least $1 wherever you go).

After dinner at Mas Malo last night (I’m such a sucker for the potato and cheese tacos), I headed over to Bottega Louie for a sweet fix. I was pleasantly surprised to see they had revamped their flavors for Fall. They still have some of the stand-by favorites - Tahitian Vanilla, Earl Grey, Rose, Raspberry – but they’re also serving Cinnamon Caramel and Chestnut Apricot. The Chestnut Apricot was my favorite of the newbies - Autumn spices and a tiny bit tangy. Plus the gift box ($10 for 5) is just so cute. It seriously makes the best hostess gift. Or "thanks for watching my dog for the weekend" gift – Thanks, Natalie :)

sea salt caramels

(bequet celtic sea salt caramels via chelsea market baskets)

I am quite obsessed with salted caramels. I love the pairing of the buttery and chewy caramel with delicate flakes of salt. They are seriously. so. good. Since I am (clearly) head over heels for these little candies, I’ve tried a bagillion different varieties.

I always grab both Trader Joe’s holiday versions: the simple salted caramels and the chocolate covered fleur de sel caramels. Both are insanely affordable, which is a huge plus (especially considering some fancy salted caramels can run you $2 a piece – eek!). But I find that TJ’s salted caramels are a bit too hard and the chocolate covered ones are actually too rich for me (crazy, I know), probably because of the use of dark chocolate.

I love to try the freshly made, butcher-paper-wrapped salted caramels from bakeries around LA or on vacations. I grabbed a seriously giant caramel from Miette in San Francisco this past weekend. It took 4 bites to get through that sucker, and it was delicious, but just didn’t have enough salt for me. Sigh.

I’ve even attempted at making my own salted caramel. Well, I made a salted caramel sauce, not the actual candy. And it was pretty insanely good, if I do say so myself. (I completely attribute the sauce’s wonderful-ness to one of my favorite food bloggers – Smitten Kitchen). Even though I sat there – shamelessly – eating spoonfuls of salted caramel out of the fridge, I missed chewing on the real candy.

I finally came across my favorite salted caramel – Bequet Celtic Sea Salt Caramel! And, being the nice person I am, shared it with ALL of our wedding guests as our party favors. Seriously, almost half of our guests have expressed their undying love for these candies and have asked me how they can immediately order a shipment of caramels for their household. So I thought I would also share this caramel with all of you fine people. Some Whole Foods sell them, but not all. But you CAN buy them directly from their website. You will not be sorry. My advice: Order way more than seems reasonable. I have easily taken down a dozen in one sitting.

San Francisco

(the ferry building)

The trip to San Francisco was wonderful. The city was hit with a true Indian summer - low 80's for the three days we were up there. Our days were jam packed, but we managed to get in plenty of delicious visits to restaurants and bars around the bay area. Two of my favorite stops aren't pictured below, but you have to stop by if you're in the city: a Ward 8 cocktail at Rickhouse and a simple, but lovely, frozen yogurt with wildflower honey from Fraiche.

(dinner at mission chinese food - spicy chicken wings with mala...the schezwan spice that numbs your mouth)

(bright and early breakfast at blue bottle - granola with strawberries and peaches and a kyoto iced coffee)

(wandering around the ferry building while waiting for my lunch)

(lunch at frog hollow - braised tofu, mashed avocado, peach chutney)

(dessert at A16 - sea salt chocolate budino and peach buttermilk gelato)

(pizza of the day at berkeley's cheeseboard collective- gypsy pepper, onion, french goat cheese, and fresh herb)

TGIF

(chocolate croissant from Tartine via Munchums)

I am so excited its Friday! I have a jam packed weekend that includes a birthday dinner party for two of my best friend's Chris and Natalie. Their dinner parties always have amazing food, cocktails, and (especially!) dessert.

We'll also be jetting off to San Francisco. I can't wait for a chocolate croissant from Tartine Bakery, dinner at Mission Chinese Food (voted one of the best new restaurants by Food and Wine), and cocktails at Bourbon and Branch.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

for the love of n'ice cream

I am SUCH an ice cream addict. I think it's somewhat hereditary (my grandma loved ice cream and my mom has been known to take down 4-5 scoops in a sitting, easily). On our honeymoon, I made Josh visit every famous gelateria in Rome and Florence (his life is so rough). At times we enjoyed 8 scoops of gelato in one day.

Last night, I headed down to Venice Beach to grab dinner with some girls from work. Venice is kind of a trek for me, but they all agreed to head over to one of my favorite LA gelato shops afterwards, so I was in.

I've been to N'ice Cream several times. They have 3 locations (Venice boardwalk, Abbot Kinney, and The Market @ Santa Monica Place). I've tried tons of their flavors, but always end up ordering the Salted Caramel. It's ridiculously good. Their recipe is especially salty (in a good way) and the gelato is rich and luxurious. Plus, it's organic and made fresh daily. Do yourself a favor and go get a scoop. Like, now. Really.

asian cucumber salad

This salad is refreshing, simple, and inexpensive. It's perfect to bring to a potluck because you can serve it cold or at room temperature, and the more it sits and marinates in the sauce, the better. I like the texture of the thicker cut cucumbers, but if you're more of a thin-cut, "sunomono-style" person, then shave the cucmbers paper thin.
What you need (makes 8 side dishes):

5 cups of chopped cucumbers **
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot chili oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
**I used a mix of 7 persian cucumbers and 2 english cucumbers. You can leave the skins on the persian cucumbers (just rinse them), but I prefer to peel and de-seed the english cucumbers.
Simply chop all the cucumbers, mix together all the liquid ingredients, and pour the dressing over the cucumbers. Let sit in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Sour Beer Love

This past weekend we headed down to Beachwood BBQ for its Sour Fest - a week long sour beer event. Josh and I tried 11 different sour beers and made sure to order every single one of the Cascades on tap. Our favorites were the Eric's Ale (New Belgium), The Vine (Cascade), Bourbonic Plague (Cascade), and Sour Lavender (Craftsman).

If you're interested in trying a sour beer (they're amazing!), head over to a local Whole Foods. I recommend Duchesse De Bourgogne as a starting off point.