ven a comer

Fasst Focaccia

2012-01-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not I've NEVER made bread from scratch. It's lame I know. There's something about all that waiting while things rise that make me lazy and honestly, impatient. But the other day I found this recipe and literally had 3 hrs before dinner time so I decided to give it a try.

It was easy, not a lot of waiting around and I was able to make it work even without having a bread mixer. After a few days, when it was a little stale, I cut up the rest and made croutons for salad. Give it a try tonight - you still have time!

Here is the recipe from the Blog Becoming Chef Nini

FAVE THINGS: Trader Joe's

2011-07-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

I don't knot about you, but I can't do all my grocery shopping in one place. I go to different places for different things. Safeway is where I get my basics, New Seasons is where I get fish, fresh bread and special ingredients, and Trader Joe's is where I get special treats. I want to share with you a few of my fave things from TJ's, staples I think you should get everytime you go there:

_Blue Corn Tortilla Chips & Pico de Gallo Salsa

I love these chips because they are really thin, have great flavor and are not too salty. I haven't found a better Pico de Gallo anywhere, it tastes SO fresh so can take it to a party and tell people you made it! Usually get 2 at a time.

_Pot Stickers

These are great to have when you have unexpected guests or when you want to add a little something to your dinner. I make a simple dipping sauce for them: Mix 2 tbs soy sauce + 2 tbs water + 1/8 tsp peanut oil + Sriracha sauce to hotness desired. Mix and serve.

_Edamame

Edamame is a great snack to have around because it's high on protein and super easy to make. For an easy lunch, make some miso soup, edamame and a few pot stickers.

_Nuts

Cashews, almonds and trail mix galore. They have the best selection!

_Peanut Butter
They have tons of options (roasted, salted, crunchy) and they are all really good. It's my fave brand peanut butter brand.

_Frozen Fruit

It's well priced and they have great varieties. I love the mango and the mixed berries to make smoothies.

_Other goodies:

Wine (they have bottles from $4!), flowers (pretty cheap and usually last the whole week) & cookies (tons of varieties to choose from - but not good if you're on a diet).

Do YOU have any TJ's favorites? Tell me about them!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

2010-07-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, a couple of friends and I have been doing something called CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) from a farm called Gardenripe here in OR. How does it work? We get one box of produce a week with a variety of organic veggies, mostly leafy greens (kale, rainbow chard, lettuce) and sometimes some amazing berries.

My favorites where the blueberries, I froze some (see best technique for freezing berries here) and made some baked goods. First I made some blueberry/corn muffins and they where great. But then I made these blueberry crum bars that where just amazing!

Here is the RECIPE (from Smitten Kitchen), it's super easy and i just loved the crumb mix - you can use it with SO many other fruits, cherries would be great... maybe peaches? Hurry up and make some today!

NOTE : Keep them in the fridge - they will last longer. Also, I warmed them up a bit at night and served them with ice cream as dessert!

Crabs with fennel & tomato broth

2010-06-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was going through one of my Sunset Magazines and saw this super yummy picture of crabs with a tomato stew. My hubby took one look and agreed with me: we HAD to make it that night. We both love crabs and we've had it many times but never cooked them ourselves or bought them live.

We decided to get them from this asian fish market, they have a great selection of fresh crabs, lobsters and fish. We picked our 2 crabs and home we went. We pretty much just googled "how to cook live crabs" and found a super easy way to do it. Then I followed the recipe from the mag and added some delicious crusty bread.

FOR THE CRABS
_We followed this directions on boiling live crab.
_We also follows this directions on how to remove the crab meat from the shell. It's messy and weird but go for it! We added the meat from the shells to the sauce, and kept the legs and claws on the side so we could crack them individually and dipped them in the sauce.

FOR THE FENNEL-TOMATO BROTH
Ingredients::
_ 3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut in half
_ 1/2 small white onion, quartered
_ 1 small fennel bulb, quartered (I only used half, not crazy about the licorice smell)
_ 1 tablespoon olive oil
_ 1 cup dry white wine
_ 1 can (14 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
_ 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
_ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
_ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
_ Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
_ 2 cooked crabs (1 1/2 lbs. each)

Directions::
_ In a food processor, chop celery, onion, and fennel
_ Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add vegetables, and cook until softened, stirring often, about 7 minutes
_ Add wine, 1 cup water, tomatoes, chile flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes to let flavors develop
_ Add the crab meat (from the shell) and cook, covered, stirring often, until warm and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with parsley
NOTES::
_ We served this with a nice baguette that I warmed up in the oven, great for dipping in the sauce!

Overall it was SUPER easy and didn't take too long. If you like crabs I totally recommend you try this recipe!

TOP CHEF TOUR

2010-06-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Even if you're a big fan of the show you might have not heard about this awesome Tour they are doing, there's not a lot of press for it. I found out about it on bravotv.com and read about it on how2heroes blog - it sounded super fun and a great way to learn more about my fave show so I had to go.

This is how it works: Two chefs from past seasons show up, demo a dish and then let you ask them ANY questions you want. The set up is small (no more than 60 people) and everyone gets to try the food. I grabbed a front row seat and really enjoyed watching them cook and talking about the show. They also sell tons of merchandise, have some games, and silly cut ups of Padma & Colicchio you can take pictures with.

The two chefs that came to PDX where from season 3: Brian Malarkey and Chris "CJ" Jacobsen. They where super nice and laid back. CJ was the one that cooked, his dish had a LOT of components but it was all really good:

_Slow cooked Lamb

_Apricots with a bacon, sugar and sheri marinade

_Salad of radishes, parsley, lemon and olive oil

_Sauteed garlic spears

_Wilted lettuce

Want to know some of the show inside scoop?

_They are totally sequestered throughout the show, no TV, no music, no books, no magazines... NO phone calls home! After they get kicked off they move to another house and its pretty much the same until they're done filming.

_The challenges are pretty much back to back, they don't get ANY days off (my question).

_The's a lot of "hurry up and wait". After they're given a challenge, they might wait up to 2 hrs in the van while the camera crew sets up at the Whole Foods before they can go in and buy t. They said it messes up with them because they have way too much time to over think their dishes.

_Food gets cold by the time whey present to the judges and they just have to deal with it.

_The judges deliberate for hours... at least 4-5. They are stuck in that room with tons of alcohol and nothing to do... how boring is that?

_They said they where going to try and check out Pok Pok and Le Pigeon while they where in town.

That's pretty much it! It was super fun and I can't wait for next season... starts next week!

Thanks to my girl Amanda from meals apart for getting us tickets :)

The Pound Cake

2010-03-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love pound cakes, it just reminds me of home. My mom always made them growing up, not necessarily for a special occasion, just to have around the house for "merienda" (our middle of the day snack) and cafecito (a small cup of coffee, our Venezuelan espresso). So the other day I just woke up wanting to have this delicious cake around the house, for breakfast, snack and dessert.

If you've never made pound cake you'll find the ratio kinda weird, but trust me i'll be perfect! Here's my mom Anamelia's recipe:

Ingredients::

_ 6 eggs

_ 3 sticks of butter (softened)

_ 3 cups of sugar

_ 4 cups of flour
_ 1/2 cup of milk

_ 1/2 lemon zest

Directions::

_ Preheat oven to 350º

_ Mix the butter and sugar until nice and creamy

_ Add the eggs, one by one

_ Slowly add the flour and mix. Add the lemon zest

_ Pour into a buttered and floured pan (that's the way mom does it!)

_ Bake for 1 hr or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean

Topping::

_ You'll have to eye ball this one: Start with 2 cups of confectioners sugar and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix. Keep adding lemon juice or water until you reach the right consistency, you want it to be a little runny but not too much, kinda like honey. Pour all over the cake and top with some more lemon zest!

I love it with coffee in the morning, its so nice and dense you can actually dunk it in your cup... yum!

NOTE: After reading this post, my friends at how2heroes.com asked me to make a video of it, of course I said yes :) Check it out: Anamelias Pound Cake!

Perfect Granola

2010-02-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

I LOVE love love granola. Specially on top of some plain yogurt, fruit and honey. But every time I think about buying one at the store I just can't get over the amount of sugar and crazy calories that they usually have. So I've been making my own for a while. I remember my mom making it at home growing up and just loving the smell of it in the oven. I finally found a recipe that I totally love and always comes out perfect. Its a mix of ingredients I like, and this Honey Almond Granola recipe.

Ingredients::

_ 4 cups rolled oats

_ 3/4 cup of almonds (I like buying them whole and chopping them myself, but you can just get the silvered ones)

_ 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

_ 1/4 cup chopped cashews

_ 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

_ 1/2 light brown sugar

_ 1/2 tsp salt

_ 1 tsp cinnamon
_ 1/2 cup of honey

_ 1/3 cup vegetable oil

_ 1 tbs vanilla extract

Directions::
_ Preheat oven to 325º
_ In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

_ In a small bowl, mix all wet ingredients. Pour it on top of the nuts and mix well.

_ Spread into 2 baking sheets, it's better to separate the mix in 2 so the granola cooks evenly and gets crunchy, not soggy.

_ Bake for about 10 min, mix, then cook for another 5. Keep an eye on it, you don't want it to burn!

_ Let cool completely, then transfer to a tupperware and keep covered. I've read it keeps well for 2 weeks only, but I keep mine for about 4 weeks. Just cover it well.

You can also add dry cranberries, raisins or even chocolate chips. Also, if you don't have all the ingredients i have in here don't worry — use what you have, just make sure you have about 5 1/2 cups total of nuts/oats so the balance is right with the wet ingredients. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup!

2010-01-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

Rain, rain, rain... that's how it is during wintertime here in PDX —but it's ok— perfect weather for making soups and yummy slow roasting things. A few weeks ago I was watching the food channel (shocker!) and Ina Garten made this Butternut Squash soup that looked SO easy and comforting I had to try it.
I waited for the perfect super rainy day and got to work. It took me about 1 1/2 hrs start to finish, and half of that time it's just letting the veggies roast in the over.
Here is my adapted recipe:

Ingredients::

_ 3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 1 big one)

_ 2 yellow onions

_ 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored (I got granny smith, still delish!)

_ 3 tablespoons good olive oil

_ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

_ About 4 cups chicken stock

_1/2 teaspoon good curry powder

Directions:

_ Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

_ Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on 2 sheet pans and toss them with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer — you want them to roast and not steam (which can happen if you put too many in one pan). Roast for 35 to 40min, tossing occasionally.

_ Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, dump them (in batches) in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add the rest of the chicken stock (if you like it thicker add less). Add the curry powder, salt and pepper to taste.

I served ours with spicy grilled shrimp and slices of toasted baguette. Sprinkle it with red pepper flakes and if you have, some sea salt, you'll love it. It makes about 8-10 servings so you'll have plenty of leftovers to share or eat later.

Xmas Cookie time!

2009-12-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I got together with 3 awesome friends to make 4 different kinds of cookies & a toffee/chocolate bark. The day started at noon with yummy lunch of homemade lentil & ham soup (thanks Mo!), right after that we got to work — our cookies to make: Sugar (double recipe), Chocolate-dipped Peanut Butter (double recipe), Gingersnaps & Linzer — a nice mix! We fist made all the batches of dough because they needed to chill for about 1 hr.

B planned ahead and made the Linzer cookie dough at home, which was great coz they took a while to make. We started cutting them up, making sure we got even number for the tops and bottoms. As you can see the tops get cut on the inside too so the jam comes through. Bianca melted the blackberry jam a bit and topped the bottom cookies, in the meantime, I sprinkled the tops with lots powder sugar. Look how pretty these are!

Then we moved to the Gingersnaps, which where super easy to make. The only thing I did different was adding more sugar on top after they came out of the oven. These cookies are super crispy and taste like the holidays.

Mo worked her magic on her toffee/choco bark. She learned how to make it at a class she took a few years ago. I just watched her make it — you have to move fast and make sure you have a candy thermometer!

Then was Peanut Butter time, which where also super easy, just had to scoop them, make balls and flat them out a bit. After they cooled I dipped half of each one in chocolate which makes them even more heavenly.

Mo & B worked on the sugar cookies making them into tons of cute xmas shapes. By this time it was almost 6pm and I had to run, so I took some dough and made & decorated them the day after.
Overall it was a SUPER successful cookie day :) we got a lot done and all the cookies came out fabulous. Thanks to Mo for hosting, B for finding the amazing Linzer recipe and J for helping out and taking pictures. Oh, and of course thanks to little C for being such a good baby. Hope we do this every year!!

Top Chef Tapas Extravaganza!

2009-12-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

Last week my friend Amanda wanted to throw a little pot-luck get together to watch the TOP CHEF finale. I'm a huge fan so i of course said yes and suggested a tapas theme. Us two—plus our friend Marcus—jumped in to it and started looking for great tapas recipes. I decided to make bacon-wrapped dates and a Basque Piperade with eggs and crusty bread (both recipes from our Portland shoot from my favorite tapas restaurant in town: Toro Bravo / Chef John Gorham). Amanda made some amazing beef empanadas (she cooked the beef for hours the night before) and a super fresh salad. Marcus got inspired by his favorite dish from Andina and made a crab, shrimp and avocado salad on top of home made chips (he actually cut up tortillas in cute holiday shapes and fried them!). He also made some super tender ribs that where delish!

This is the "Basque Paperade" Dish. I cooked it all in a large skillet on the stove, then cracked the eggs and popped it in the oven for about 15 min. I did have to fudge the recipe a bit because it makes pretty large quantities. I used: 1 1/2 onions, a 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes and a 12oz roasted red peppers. I also used regular eggs (not duck eggs), then followed the rest of the recipe.

_My bacon-wrapped dates

_Marcus's Ribs

_Amandas Empanadas

_Marcus Crab, Shrimp & Avocado salad on home made chips

The whole night was super fun and all the dishes where super delicious. We all really enjoyed it and want to do it again soon... what should be our next theme?

After Thanksgiving

2009-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

I know it's been over a week after Thanksgiving, but i wanted to share a few pics of our meal. We where only 3 people (my hubby, my auntie AA and me) but we sure cooked for a lot more! which was a good thing 'cause we had plenty of leftovers — just finished them up this weekend. I really enjoyed the cooking and trying new recipes, but next year I'll be VERY happy to go to someone else's house :) Hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving!!

cranberry sauce / turkey brining / stuffed mushrooms app

turkey all buttered up and filled with citrus & herbs / cooked cornbread stuffing

cooked turkey & mashed garlic potatoes / my plate!

three desserts: apple pie, pumping pie and flan

Prepping for Turkey Day!

2009-11-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of the things I've learned the most from cooking for Thanksgiving is prepping big time the day before. That way I'm not overwhelmed making all the sides and stand in the kitchen for 5 hrs. I don't usually cook for a lot of people, but we do make a lot of food — the hubby loves the leftovers — so the more I prep the better. Here is what I'm doing today to get ready for tomorrow... just wanted to share some tips!

Sides::

- Make the cornbread (from a mix of course!) for my cornbread, bacon & sage stuffing. I might also cook all the veggies for this, then just assemble & bake tomorrow.

- Roast the chestnuts for my brussels sprouts w/ caramelized mushrooms and shallots side.

- Roast 1 garlic head for my garlic mashed potatoes.

- Make the cranberry sauce. It'll be even better and thicker tomorrow.
Desserts::

- Make pie doughs. I'm making 1 apple and 1 pumpkin pie, so Ill just make the dough, separate them into disks, wrap them in plastic and pop them in the fridge.
- Mix pumpkin filling. The recipe says it's better to make it the day before so that sounds good to me!
Turkey::

- Make turkey brine. I'll be brining it over night, so I want to make sure the brine cools so it's ready tonight.

It might sound like a lot to do, but it'll be worth it! Tomorrow I'll get a chance focus on our 12lb turkey, relax with my hubby and auntie and drink good wine :) You might not want to do it all, but I hope this helps you and gives you some ideas on what to start today.

Have a great Turkey day!!

Ven a comer a PDX!

2009-11-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

Last week, Lynne from how2heroes.com came to shoot a bunch of videos here in Portland. I was lucky enough to help pick a mix of food carts, chefs and home cooks to shoot. We had a blast, ate amazing food and even got a chance to take a quick day trip to a few wineries and try some great wines. Here are some pics of our adventures!

Monday was food cart day: Jalapeño popper grill cheese from The Grill Cheese Grill, Potato Leek soup from Savor Soup House and Gingersnap cookies from The Sugar Cube. I also "made" Lynne try a ham, cheese & honey butter waffle sandwich from Flavour Spot.

For home cooks we shot 2 great friends: Jason (that's him getting ready for the shoot) made a delicious side dish of Brussels sprouts, caramelized mushrooms & shallots. Brian made a family favorite, shrimp scampi (that's us eating his leftovers).

We where also lucky to have 2 amazing restaurants participate: Screen Door made Grits & Grillades (the pic here is of a waffle & pears we had for brunch and some grits they made for a video). Toro bravo made 2 amazing dishes: piperade with baked duck egg and bacon wrapped dates... all delish!

On thursday we took a super fun trip to Dundee/Dayton area. It was my first time there so it was great to see how close Portland is from some great wineries. I also loved that they are literally across the street from each other, so it takes minutes to go from one to the next. My only advice: if you're planning on trying a few, bring your own snacks — only one offered few crackers. Here are the ones we went to:

_ Domaine Serene: Really nice with amazing views. It also had a fireplace that really made the experience great. Our favorite wines where from here.

_ Domaine Drouhin: Great views here too, they have a deck that'll be great to enjoy on summertime.

_ De Ponte Cellars: Small but nice, the girl was super friendly and she was a De Ponte.

_ Archery Summit: This was the only place that offered us crackers and water. It was a bit small too but really cozy.

So pretty much I had the greatest job for 4 days. I'll keep you posted to when the videos are up. Thanks to all the heroes to helped us make this an amazing week. In the meantime you should definitely subscribe to the how2heroes newsletter to be the first one to know when the videos are up, and to find any last minute thanksgiving ideas!

Asado Negro

2009-10-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

The name "Ven a Comer" came to me while going through my food memories growing up. It was what my mom yelled when dinner was ready, she would say "Carla, ven a comer!" (Carla, come eat!) and I would come running, always picking up my dad and brother along the way.

My mom, Anamelia, is an amazing cook. She's extremely creative and ambitious, and she's never afraid. I learned a lot just by watching her, she'd come up with great meals on the fly, throw great parties with great food, or feed my friends late at night after my own parties. She also always wanted to learn as much as she could, I remember taking "bagel making" classes when we first came here. Somehow I've been able to carry on her talent and love for food, one of my favorites times in the day is dinner time, when my hubby sits down to eat and tells me how delicious whatever I made was... just like my dad always did (and still does) to my mom.

Here is a video of me making one of my favorite Venezuelan dishes: "Asado Negro". My mom taught me how to make it over the phone :) It's a traditional beef dish cooked with panela (cane sugar) that helps create the dark caramel color of it's thick, sweet sauce. The smell of it cooking on the stove instantly takes me back home... it's a wonderful feeling.

If you're still curious about more Venezuelan & latin food, watch my other videos: arepas, fried plantains, tostones & tres leches cake.

_NOTE: not sure why the video is cut off on the right, sorry about that!

Dear Birthday Cake,

2009-10-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Birthday Cake,

I love you SO much. I love making you for my birthday so you can be as decadent as I want you to be. This year you where good... really good. We had you every night for a week and I didn't feel one bit guilty about it. You where a delicious chocolate cake, with 2 layers of peanut butter-cream cheese frosting, topped with a deep, beautiful chocolate glaze. I miss you so much already. Good thing the hubby's birthday is tomorrow, which only means one thing: more birthday cake to make!

CHOCOLATE CAKE (adapted from alpineberry)

INGREDIENTS::

_ 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (1 cup white, 3/4 whole wheat)

_ 2 cups granulated sugar
_ 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
_ 2 teaspoons baking soda
_ 1 teaspoon baking powder
_ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
_ 1/2 cup yogurt & 1/2 cup milk (recipe calls for 1 cup buttermilk)

_ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
_ 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
_ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
_ 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (or hot water)

DIRECTIONS::

_ Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (I used only 1). Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

_Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients. In another bowl, gently whisk together the yogurt, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
_Add the coffee and stir just to combine (carefully because it might splash). Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is well combined.
_Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

_NOTE: This batter is really runny—but don't worry—it's supposed to be that way.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS::

_1 1/2 packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

_1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

_4-5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

_1 cup smooth peanut butter

DIRECTIONS::

_In a large bowl with an electric mixer, bean the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 min. Add the peanut butter and bean until well blended (Makes about 5 cups).

CHOCOLATE CLAZE (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS::

_8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

_3 tbsp smooth peanut butter

_2 tbsp light corn syrup

_1/2 cup half-and-alf

DIRECTIONS::

_In top of a bowl set over simmering water, combine chocolate, peanut butter and corn syrup. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk the half-and-half until smooth (Makes about 1.5 cups).

ASSEMBLING:

_I recommend making the cake the day before so it's cooled and ready to go.

_Layer the cake with a large serrated knife (I did 2 layers) and spread about 2/3 of the frosting on each layer.

_Crumb coat: I learned this at a cake decorating class I took. This means adding a thin layer of frosting all over your cake so the crumbs don't show at the end. I did this and placed the cake in the fridge for 30 min.

_Frost cake: Add the rest of the frosting to the top of the cake, then with you knife start spreading the frosting to the sides. Once you're done, put the cake in the fridge for another 15 min.

_Chocolate Glaze: Add ALL the glaze on the top of the cake, then slowly spread it to the edges of the cake, letting it fall nicely on the sides.

This cake simply amazing. It takes some time to make but it's worth it. The actual cake is super moist and has a great deep chocolate flavor but it's not overly sweet. The peanut butter frosting is delicious, definitely going to make it again. The glaze totally takes the cake to another level and it makes the cake look even more beautiful.

Will work for food

2009-09-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I went to the lovely city of Boston for work. Besides my Dunkin' Donuts ice coffee (and sometimes a doughnut) every single day, I have to say I had some pretty amazing food while I was there. It helps a lot to have friends that love to eat, and I can say i'm lucky to have plenty of those :)

As soon as I got there — starving from the long flight with NO food — my friend Lynne had me over for dinner and made this amazing pork loin with mashed sweet potatoes and apple compote. It totally hit the spot and was perfect with a glass of red wine and some VMAs for entertainment.

One night, Lynne took me and the girls from the office to this great Italian restaurant called ERBALUCE. I can't describe how amazing the food was. We all ordered something different and the chef (Charles Draghi) was nice enough to send us a few little extra things. You can check out some of his videos here, specially the Chocolate & Caramelized Orange Tarts, I had it and it tastes as good as it looks!

Beautiful Summer Soup with edible flowers

Jessie's Crab Risotto on the shell | shrimps w/corn salsa

raviolis w/something delicious inside (can't remember what)

Lynne's bunny—I mean rabbit—with strawberries

Dreamy chocolate & caramelized orange tart

Other good spots I went to this time around:

SONSIE on Newbury street, great for drinks and people watching.

OLECITO on Inman Square, great fish taco & chips & salsa for lunch.

CENTRAL KITCHEN on central sq, always amazing. Everything is good.

STEPHANIES on Newubury, a bit pricey but the salads are really great.

JP LICKS, one of my fav ice cream places — had the oreo cake batter! dayum!

PHO PASTEUR on Chinatown, great soups after a shopping spree downtown.

Meal at SONSIE with Suru: Gnocci w/ tomato sauce | Butternut Squash & Sage pizza

Amazing beef soup from Pho Pasteur

Overall I had the best time in Boston, tons of work but tons of play as well. Thanks to all the friends who shared meals with me. Oh, and I also shot a cooking video which I will post soon!

Stuffed Grape Leaves

2009-09-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago — after fun times at happy hour with some friends — I happened to walk by a greek specialty store. I walked in pretty excited... I've been wanting to make stuffed grape leaves for a while and I knew I'd find them there. I left the store with a small jar of leaves, some amazingly fresh feta cheese, and a big smile.

The next day, recipe in hand, I got to work. I decided to try this vegetarian recipe, but instead of white rice i used brown rice (healthier and tasted the same). I recommend watching the video as well.

Though they required some patience to make (specially during the assembly) they where pretty easy. Cut up all the filling ingredients, wash up leaves, stuff, cook and eat! I served them with a quick yogurt sauce for dipping and they where delish (yogurt, lime juice, parsley, salt & pepper). The recipe makes a lot, so you'll have plenty of leftovers.

Banana bread

2009-08-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

My hubby LOVES bananas, he eats one pretty much every day. But he likes them only when they are still greenish. I like them when they are all nice yellow. We both hate them extra ripe, so when we have a few I always try to make something good out of them — like muffins or banana bread. This time I made banana bread and added some coconut for extra texture and flavor... and also just because i can! I found this recipe online, changed a few things and wrote it down on a piece of paper. Today i can't find the original, so here is my version. I really think is one of the best ones i've made, it's SUPER moist and easy. With a nice cup of coffee is heaven.

INGREDIENTS::

_ 1 2/3 cup of flour (I used 1 whole wheat and 2/3 regular)

_ 1 tsp baking soda

_ 1/4 tsp cinnamon

_ 1/4 tsp salt

_ 2/3 cup sugar

_ 2 eggs

_ 1/2 cup melted butter

_ 3 bananas (smashed)

_ 2 tbsp yogurt

_ 1 tsp vanilla extract

_ 1/2 cup walnuts

_ 1/2 cup coconut (optional)

DIRECTIONS::

_ Preheat oven to 350º

_ Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set aside.

_ Beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. About 8 minutes. Add the butter and mix.

_ Add the bananas, the yogurt and the vanilla.

_ Fold dry ingredients. Add the nuts and coconut if using (you can also add some chocolate chips!)

_ Cook for 45 to 1hr

After you make this you'll repeat after me: "I'll NEVER throw away bananas ever again" :)

Grilled Omega-3's

2009-07-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

It's been so HOT lately it's really hard to get motivated and cook inside, so we've been trying to grill as much as possible. Last night we made some amazing Salmon on the grill, it came out super delicious and I love the smoky flavor. This marinade is super easy and it's a mix of salty and sweet, the sugar makes an amazing crust on the salmon and the red pepper flakes gives it a little kick. Hope you like it as much as we do!

INGREDIENTS::

_ Salmon

_ 2 tbsp brown sugar

_ 2 tbsp soy sauce

_ 1 tbsp sesame oil

_spices: red pepper flakes, ground ginger, salt & pepper

Mix all the ingredients and marinate your salmon for about 30 min. We start to cooking the salmon on the flesh side for about 5 min, then flip and cook until desired doneness.

SIDES::

_ garlic

_ brown rice

_ kale

The Kale is super easy and SO good for you: Add some olive oil to a deep pan on medium heat. Add some garlic and cook until almost done, add the washed and cut up kale and stir. Add about 1/2 cup of water and put the lid on. It'll take about 5 min to cook, uncover and add salt & pepper to taste.

For the brow rice I just followed the package instructions, but lately I've been making it with chicken stock instead of water, it really adds a lot of flavor. For the plating I did a very "latin" thing, which is taking a small bowl, adding the rice and flipping it so it looks all cute :) it's great for portion control!

Duh-licious Tomato Salad

2009-07-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Yey tomatoes are in season! If you've been going to your local farmer's market you've probably noticed some beautiful tomatoes in shades of red, green and yellow. They all taste like a good old tomato, but some are slightly sweeter and some a bit tarter. Next time you see them, get a few (i like one in each color!) and make this salad I've been making, my hubby and I just can't get enough of it!

When you read the recipe you're gonna go "duh!" because it's so simple, it's almost silly. But here it is anyway, it's super healthy, quick and duh-licious :)

Ingredients::

_ tomatoes

_ fresh Basil leaves

_ balsamic vinegar (the thicker the better)

_ olive oil

_ pepper & SEA salt (if you don't have some it's ok, but I recommend having some at home)

Directions:

_ Cut your tomatoes any shape you like (I quarter them and slice them up) and arrange them on a plate.

_ Drizzle with olive oil and a good balsamic vinegar

_ Tear up some basil leaves and sprinkle all over.

_ Top with sea salt and corse black pepper.

Enjoy!

REVIEW:: Yakuza

2009-06-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I love sushi, in fact we went for sushi on our first date (and then for ice cream... can you think of a more perfect date?!). But since moving to PDX we've had a hard time finding a really good & affordable sushi restaurant. There are definitely a lot of choices. Mio Sushi seems to be the preference of a lot of our friends, but we didn't really like the atmosphere and found the rolls uninspiring. Masu is pretty delicious but a bit pricey, reserved only special occasions. Our favorite so far has been Sinju, we're been there about 3 times and LOVED everything we sadly it's not close to our place. Then there's YAKUZA, only a few blocks away from our place, we're walked by many times and finally decided give it a shot.

The place is super cool: it has beautiful wood tables and long benches, pretty hand painted murals, a huge garage door that opens in summertime—and my favorite—a small but open kitchen so you can see the chef rolling away. They also have a small patio out back. Overall, great ambiance.

The menu is short and sweet which we didn't mind at all, specially because creativity is definitely present. They offer cocktails with ingredients like grapefruit, basil, carrots and wasabi. I went for the safer "beet martini" and it was delicious and super refreshing.

All the starters sounded delicious and combined interesting ingredients with seafood. We had the kobe beef tartar with jalapeño lime oil, crispy poach egg and a grilled baguette. The beef was seasoned with asian spices and it was so melt-in-your-mouth tender it could have easily passed for tuna. The egg on top was amazing—now how do they poach and then make it super crispy?— i want to know because i'd love to have this for breakfast! It was a great combination.

We also shared the Sea Scallop: shredded filo wrapped sea scallop tempura, with nori & creamy spicy sauce. This was visually amazing and did not disappoint after the first bite. The scallop was cooked perfectly and the crunchiness of the filo was like nothing i've ever had before. Definitely a must when we go back.

From the signature dishes, we tried the hamachi (seared Hawaiian yellowtail, jalapeno lime salsa, house ponzu, baby cilantro). It was cooked really nicely and we loved the tartness of the lime juice combined with the slight sweetness of the ponzu sauce. For rolls we had the spicy tuna (minced big eye tuna tartar, cucumber, kaiware sprouts, creamy spicy sauce), the hamachi (minced Hawaiian yellowtail & scallions, bosc pear, avocado, shaved jalapeno) and the really spicy (yellow fin tuna, cilantro, Thai chilies, creamy spicy sauce, siracha, avocado). They where all pretty delicious.

kobe beef tartar

Sea Scallop

hamachi

Overall we'd probably go back again, but on a special occasion or maybe for happy hour (menu is limited but looks really good). It's definitely not your middle of the week spot.

SCORE: 4 stars

YAKUZA LOUNGE

5411 NE 30th Ave.
Portland, OR

503.450.0893
www.yakuzalounge.com

Garlic Spears

2009-06-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen these in your supermarket? They look like little stems with yellowish flowers about to pop open. But they are garlic spears (the stem and bud of the flowering tops of the elephant garlic) and they are delicious! I love experimenting and trying new things, so i had to give them a try. The closest thing I can compare them to is a really thin asparagus, and the bulb is super soft and delicate. The garlic flavor is really mild, like roasted garlic but without the sweetness.

Give them a shot—they're super simple and delicious!

Ingredients::

_ 1 bunch of garlic spears

_ olive oil

_ 1 tbs of butter

_ salt & pepper

_ 1/4 cup of water

Directions:

_ Wash up the garlic spears and cut up about 1 inch of the ends.

_ Heat up the olive oil & butter (medium heat). Brown the spears for about 2 minutes and stir around. After they get some color add some salt & pepper to taste, then add the water and cover for about 2 minutes. Keep and eye on them, the idea is for the stems to get a nice bright green and get tender (kinda like a asparagus).

I served them as a side dish with dinner, then heated up the leftovers and served them with a sandwich. I can think of SO many things these could be good in, like pasta, maybe a nice couscous salad or plain and grilled. Yum!

Shrimp on the grill

2009-06-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

The weather has been crappy lately but we still decided to grill this weekend. We felt like treating ourselves, so we went for the always delicious home made pizza with new toppings (mushrooms and pineapple). But we also decided to try something new: Prosciutto covered shrimp!

We bought some uncooked shrimp on the shell which I cleaned and deveined (keeping the tails). Then marinated them on olive oil, pepper, paprika and chili flakes for about 1 hour. Then I took a slice of prosciutto, cut it in half (lengthwise) and rolled each shrimp securing them with a toothpick. We cooked them for about 1-2 min each side, making sure NOT to over cooked them which is pretty easy because they cook super fast.

They came out super tender, the prosciutto crunchy and salty and delicious! These would be perfect for a special party (special because the ingredients aren't cheap) as an appetizer. We'll be making them again for sure.

One with the chicken

2009-05-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

I did it! YES, i'm pretty excited... i broke down a whole chicken all by myself! First, I had to watch the video a few times to get a really good idea on how to do it. Then, I felt pretty confident on the steps and I just went for it! William does make it look pretty easy—not that it's complicated but it is kinda hard to cut/break the bones and make it look as clean as he did. But i'm sure with some practice i'll get better.

After I cut up the chicken, I divided the pieces in half and marinated them 2 ways. The fist marinade is what I use most of the time when I make chicken, it's super simple and fresh. The second marinade it's more like a rub and it's all about whatever hot spices you have. Then it was off to the grill and also make my sides: corn ragout and a super simple lettuce/tomato salad.

MARINADE 1 (taken from here but changed up a bit)

_ 4 garlic cloves

_ about 1/2 cup of fresh parsley

_ juice of 1/2 lemon

_ red chili flakes

_ salt & pepper to taste

_ olive oil

_I usually just cut everything up pretty small and add the oil, but this time I used my mortar (inspired by josh & William's video). Either way it comes out super good.

MARINADE 2

_ cover your chicken pieces with lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper, then add any hot spices you have. I used: chili powder, paprika, cumin and garlic powder.

We've never made wings or drums on the grill before and i have to say they came out amazing—crunchy and crusty on the outside and super juice on the inside. Lucky for my husband I only like the chicken breast, so he loved eating all the dark meat all by himself.

My only advice: make sure you don't overcook the chicken!

how2heroes Anniversary Party!

2009-05-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to Boston to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of how2heroes.com. As you've noticed in previous postings I LOVE this website, not only have I contributed to a few videos myself but I also work for them so I had to be there and celebrate this amazing achievement with the crew.

The cooking began the day before when Lynne and I —after carefully strategizing— decided what to cook: beef empanaditas (latin style filling), mini arepitas (filled with beans and cheese), Quinoa salad (with beets, asparagus & shrimp), whole wheat Brownies, mini potatoes with avocado mousseline, sprinkled with bacon and beef sliders (with spicy ketchup). We literally cooked and cooked non-stop until 3pm when it was time to shower and get ready for the party.

We arrived at the Bulthaup Kitchen Showroom with only 1 hour to prep, but the whole h2h crew was there with crazy amounts of food in hand so it went smoothly. The party started at 6pm and everybody was hungry! the food table was constantly surrounded by people and the choices where endless.

Now lets talk about the drinks! We where lucky to have 2 amazing guys bartend the party: Augusto Lino (from Upstairs on the Square, who has done more than 10 videos for the site) and AJ Rathbun (cocktail author & enthusiast). AJ created a drink just for the party, the "how2heroes sparker" with St. Germain and kiwi. Lino was shaking a Jean-Cauving Highball that had gingerbeer and whiskey. Both where amazing.

But there is more. The party also had "heroes" demos throughout the evening. It started with Bea & Anne (Lynnes mom & auntie) and continued with some of the best chefs in Boston. It was wonderful to see these great chefs share their recipes, tricks, techniques and most importantly, their passion for food. Here's the rundown:

__Jose Duarte (Taranta) made a Peruvian Crab Meat Causa with some great latin flavors

__Marjorie Druker (New England Soup Factory) made the most creative, refreshing and unique Gazpacho I've ever had. She is SO wonderful and has so much charisma. Loved her!

__Jason Bond (Beacon Hill Bistro) made Cavatelli Pasta that totally made me want to make it at home

__Eunice Feller (Bread & Chocolate) made mini whoppie pies and brought about 200 to share with everyone!

__William Kovel & Joshua Smith (Aujourd'hui) made a Garden Herb Marinated Chicken with Corn Ragu. This one made my mouth water, it just looked so delicious and easy to make, I promise to make it soon and post pics.

__Peter Ungár (the Dining Alternative) made White Miso Cured Cod. You HAVE to watch all his videos on the site, not only do they look delicious but they are absolutely beautiful!

The party was a big success and we all had a great time. It was exhausting but absolutely wonderful!

I want congratulate my friend, boss and favorite foodie, Lynne Viera, for this amazing accomplishment. Thanks to you we all feel like heroes every time we cook!

Carrot Cupcakes

2009-04-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

There's no secret that I like sweets. So when picking what to bring to a Easter Brunch the decision was easy: Cupcakes!

I wanted to try something new but I wasn't sure what. So i went to how2heroes to get inspired and there it was. This Carrot Cake looked SO amazing i just had to try it myself. I followed this recipe pretty closely, just mixed my flours (half whole wheat, half white) and replaced raisins for walnuts. I loved the extra crunch in there. These came out super moist and delicious, not super sweet and of course the frosting was the perfect compliment!

Go fish

2009-03-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I love fish, but with salmon and tuna being so pricey lately (specially at our local New Season's Market) we've been having mostly Tilapia. We usually prepare it the same way every time because it's SO good and it always comes out delicious. I really recommend buying it fresh and preparing it the same day, it really makes a difference in flavor. This time I served it with grilled zucchini and onions, super healthy!

INGREDIENTS::

_ 1 lemon

_ 2 tilapia filets

_ spices: Chili powder, Cayenne pepper, ground garlic, salt & pepper

(you can also use your favorite spicy/bbq mix even if it's for meat)

_ 2 zucchinis, sliced longwise

_ 1/2 onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS::

_FISH:

_Squeeze half the lemon all over the fish (both sides) and sprinkle with all your spices. I usually add a lot more on my hubbys than mine because he likes it really spicy.

_Heat up just enough olive oil to cover a non stick pan (medium heat) and add your fish. Cook for about 3 minutes, flip and cook for another 3 minutes (or until nice and brown). Then, I like to squeeze the other half of the lemon in the pan and cover it for another minute or to until its done. How do you know it's done? it should be easy to cut with a fork and should be nice and white on the inside. Be delicate when taking it out of the pan!

_VEGGIES:

_Just sprayed them with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grilled them on our indoor flat grill.

I bet you'll love this and it'll become a staple at your house!

Shower time!

2009-03-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Bianca, Petra and I had the pleasure of throwing our friend Mariah's baby shower. It took a lot of planing, research and time, but it was a lot of fun! B and I made the beautiful "Diaper Cake" you see here. It's a "cake" made out of rolled up diapers, decorated with pretty ribbons and cute baby things.

We all made different simple & delicious dishes: a veggie plate with my a super yummy cream cheese dip, cheese and crackers, mini quiches, Petras' meatballs and my mini biscuits. I decided to make mini biscuits because it's one of Mariah's favorites. I made 1" round biscuits (use your favorite recipe or a box mix) and added some fresh rosemary for extra flavor. After I baked them, I cut them in half and brushed them with melted butter. I filled each one with a tiny piece of bacon and cheddar cheese. Then I warmed them up a bit so the cheese would melt. I thought they came out super cute and delicious.

We also made some really yummy cupcakes. Petra made the vanilla ones (her favorite glutten-free recipe) and I made the chocolate ones and decorated them with this super decadent white chocolate frosting.

The afternoon was a lot of fun and I think Mariah enjoyed herself. I also have to say that B and I had a great time making the diaper cake and would love to make more, so please send the word out!

Photos taken by my super talented friend Amy Hall of Amy Hall Photography. Thanks girl... if only you could take all the pictures for my blog!

Lovely Huevos Rancheros

2009-02-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

What a better Valentine's day gift than to cook something delicious for your hubby?! I knew we where going out for dinner, so brunch was the perfect option to start our lovely day. Almost every time we go out for breakfast my hubby picks the mexican option: breakfast burrito or the huevos rancheros — so I had to make one of these!

I decided for the Huevos Rancheros and i have to say they where super delicious, easy, and they took under 30 min to make. I started them by making a "sofrito", which the base of a lot of Latin America dishes. It consists of cooking garlic, onions and peppers until tender. I usually add this to black beans and to ground meat if I'm making tacos. It's also great with scrambled eggs. This sofrito will be the base for the sauce. If you're feeling lazy just buy a salsa and substitute it for this sauce (I would just warm it up). This serves about 4 people. Here is what I did:

INGREDIENTS::

_ 8 Cloves of garlic, chopped

_ 1/2 red pepper, chopped

_ 1/2 green pepper, chopped

_ 1 onion, chopped

_ 1/2 Jalapeño (optional)

_ Small corn tortillas (if you can get them at your local mexican store, they are super cheap!)

_ 2 cans of diced tomatoes

_ 1 can black beans

_ Eggs (depends how many people you are serving)

_ Cheddar cheese

_ About 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

_ Spices: Cumin, chili powder, chili flakes, Salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS::

_ Make the SOFRITO: Heat up some olive oil and add the garlic, cook for about 1 minute, then add the peppers (no jalapeño jet) and the onion. Cook until tender. Set aside about 1/4 cup of this so you can add it to the black beans.

_Make the SAUCE: Add the jalapeños to the sofrito and let cook for a bit. Then add the can of crushed tomatoes, about 1 tbs of cumin, the chilis and salt and pepper to taste. Turn to high heat. Let it get to a boil, then simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes. This will thicken the sauce and let all the flavors blend together. Add some cilantro and re-season if necessary [If you're feeling lazy to make the sauce just buy your favorite salsa and warm it up]

_Make the BLACK BEANS: Take the 1/4 cup of the sofrito you made earlier and put it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Drain the can of black beans and rinse with water. Add to the pot and mash a bit (you can use a fork or a potato masher). Add about 1/4 cup of water and season with cumin, some chili flakes, salt & pepper, and my secret ingredient: 1-2 tsps of sugar. Cover until is all heated through. Add the cilantro.

_ Shred some CHEESE.

_ For the TORTILLAS: You can warm them up in the oven, we like ours pretty crunchy so I leave them for a while but definitely keeping my eyes on them. You can also just heat up in a pan. (2-3 tortillas per person—my hubby had 5 but he's definitely an exception!)

ASSEMBLING TIME::

_ Make sure the sauce is ready, the black beans heated through, the cheese shredded and the tortillas are warming up. Now you can start frying the EGGS, 1-2 per person (you can scramble them but there is nothing like breaking that yummy yolk and tasting all these amazing flavors together!).

_ Place your tortillas in a plate. Add some Black beans. Top with the eggs. Add some sauce all over the eggs and some extra on the plate. Top with cheese and some cilantro. Enjoy!!

You can serve this family style, just put everything in blows and let everybody make their own. If you do it this way i would recommend scrambling the eggs, it'll be a lot easier. Hope you make this soon!

heart cookies

2009-02-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I felt like making these Vday love cookies from one of my favorite websites: how2heroes.com. They are SUPER easy to make and so buttery, crumbly and delicious. I promise I won't make anything with coconut for a while :)

Be sure to check out all the great VALENTINE'S DAY ideas on the site. I can't even begin to tell you the amazing things they have. I'm particularly dying to try the Chocolate-Raspberry Cupcakes, the Sticky Buns and the Salmon with Quinoa... YUM!

Coconut Dreamin'

2009-01-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

By now you should know that I LOVE coconut. My husband is a coconut addict too and would eat anything that tastes coconutty :)

Lately we've been LOVING these Dream bars, these are the most delicious chocolate & coconut bars you've ever had. I've made them a few times because we are addicted to them — I even made a batch for our road trip and they where life savers!

They are super easy but are not the healthiest thing in the world, but it's ok, you "only" need a little piece. I've adapted a recipe I found on Martha.com to make them as healthy as possible. I promise you they'll be a big hit!

INGREDIENTS::

_ CRUST

_ 20 big graham crackers (I get the Honey Maid Grahams Low Fat)

_ 1.5 sticks of butter, melted (I've tried reducing this amount but you really do need this much)

_ pinch of salt

_TOPPING

_ 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

_ 2 cups of flaked coconut (I get organic unsweetened)

_ 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans

_ 1.5 cans of sweetened fat free condensed milk

DIRECTIONS::

_ Preheat oven to 350. Make sure rack is in the center.

_ Line a 9x13" with parchment paper. It might get a bit messy and it will not look perfect so don't worry about it.

_ Make crust: In food processor grind the crackers, add salt and melted butter. Pulse a bit more. Pour this into the pan and press into the bottom with your fingers, make sure you get all the corners.

_ Add the coconut all over, again, make sure you get the corners.

_ Add the coco chips and the nuts on top of the coconut.

_ Pour the condensed milk evenly over everything covering them all.

_ Bake for about 15 min, rotate pan and cook for about 15 min more. You want a little brown around the edges but the middle nice and creamy.

_ Transfer pan to wire rack and LET COOL. I know you'll be tempted to eat it now. After it cools carefully lift the parchment paper, place it on your cutting board and cut into squares.

The original recipe says you must wrap each bar with plastic wrap and keep them refrigerated. What I do is put them in a tupperware container but I add a layer of parchment paper between the bars. And I don't like to eat them cold so I nook them for about 6 seconds... dreamy!!

Wrap it up!

2009-01-21T10:28:00.001-08:00

After our holiday road trip I've been trying to make healthy dishes for dinner and trying not to eat too many carbs at night, so last week I made one of our favorites: Lettuce wraps!

These are super easy and delicious. Here is my super simple recipe:

INGREDIENTS::

_ 3 chicken breasts

_ soy sauce

_ lemon juice

_ 4 garlic cloves

_ 1/2 chopped yellow onion

_ 1/2 chopped red pepper

_ 1/2 chopped green pepper

_ fresh ginger

_ 1/2 cup of sliced carrots (i used mini carrot sticks)

_ salt, pepper, chili powder, chili flakes (plus anything you like!)

_ lettuce (i like boston lettuce because it can hold the chicken nicely)

_ extras: cilantro, green onions, cashews

DIRECTIONS::

_ Cut up the chicken breast in small pieces and if you have time, marinate it in some soy sauce, lemon juice, salt & pepper

_ Saute chopped garlic, peppers and onions until tender. Add the chicken and let it brown

_ Add the ginger, the spices and the carrots (i like to add them last to keep them crunchy)

_ At this point I usually add a little bit of water or chicken stock if I have. Just enough so it all comes together and you get a nice little extra juice.

_ Cut the head of lettuce in half, then in half again and put some leafs in a plate (be delicate so they don't break)

_Extras: I like to cut up some scallions, cilantro and crush a few cashews.

I like bringing all the things to the table, that way everybody can make their own. Make sure you have some good hot sauce too to give it a little kick. Feel free to add more veggies or any spices you like. You can totally make this whole think mexican style and add some black beans. Be creative!

Road Trip!

2009-01-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

For 2 weeks my hubby and I (joined later by my awesome sis-in-law K) took a super fun 10-day road trip. I knew this meant not cooking at all for a while and I was pretty excited about trying new places (which is my second favorite thing after cooking!).

First we drove from PDX to San Francisco. We where there for a few days, spent Christmas eve and day with my aunt, then off to L.A. to see my brother for a few days. Then it was off to Napa for a few tastings, then back to PDX. The food overall was pretty good. Here are the highlights:

_ON THE ROAD::

Off 1-5 we stopped for lunch and this great burger place: Bartels Giant Burger. It was cheap, the burgers where really good and the chocolate milkshake even better. A must stop.

_SAN FRANCISCO::

Kirala: Super delish sushi, the fish just melted in my mouth! The place was super crowded but loved that it was pretty casual and the service was really good.

OOLA: Small place by our hotel. Food was good, we had some amazing oysters, ahi tuna and some really good fried potatoes with parmesan and truffle oil. The drinks where super overpriced though.

Ghirardelly: Had some Coffee ice cream with chocolate bites, lots of dark chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Need I say more? it was outstanding, still dreaming about it.

A16: I loved this place. Super cute and slick without being pretentious. We shared an appetizer of Mozzarella with olive oil that was incredible, we could have easily ate one each. The pizzas where lovely, thin crust and simple toppings. We had the margherita with prosciutto and the Scarola. Overall a really good meal.

Xmas: For Christmas we decided to make some baked salmon with hebs (auntie is vegetarian), mashed potatoes and a yummy salad of greens, goat cheese and toasted walnuts. It was delicious. On Xmas day my K and hubby made some great pancakes and cooked the leftover mashed into some really good breakfast potatoes.

_LOS ANGELES::

Mariasol Cocina Mexicana: We didn't really eat here but we relaxed, had drinks and enjoyed the sunset. This place it's at the end of the Santa Monica pier so it has a great view and you get free home made chips and salsa. What more can you ask for?

Gheisha House: Underwhelming is the right word for this place. The sushi was just ok, actually on the small side. Service was really bad. The place is kinda cool but not amazing. The price? expensive! I wouldn't go back. Ever.

Fritto Misto: REALLY good Italian place. Our friend Pete took us there and we loved it, good price, good wine and delicious food. Deliziosa!

_NAPA::

Elyse Winery: Super casual tasting. K and I had lots of fun here, tried about 13 wines for $10, learned nothing about wine and got a great buzz.

Domaine Chandon: We all did this tasting and we had a blast, it was SO good! If you don't have much time in Napa doing one wine tasting and one "champagne" tasting is great. Totally recommend it.

Now I'm back to cooking and cooking SUPER healthy. I'll try to post something good for you next week!

Thanksgiving feast for two!

2008-12-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

So this Thanksgiving was just about my hubby and I but we decided to still cook like we where feeding a crowd. He loves turkey and gravy and wanted to make sure he had tons of leftovers. I knew I was gonna be cooking all day long — but I wasn't to stressed about it because I made sure I did a LOT of planning ahead of time. I started researching menus a couple of weeks before (Marthat Stewart, Epicurious and How2Heroes) and we also went grocery shopping on Tuesday so we did not have to deal with the crazy crowds. It really went smoothly.

We decided to brine the turkey this year, we did a dry brine we saw on MS and it was super easy and fast. You just mix salt and bay leaves, rub it all over the turkey and then pop it in the fridge for at least 24 hrs. Thursday morning we just took our 18lb turkey out of the fridge and let it rest for about 1.5 hrs, cleaned it really well and then stuffed it with oranges, limes, garlic, celery and tons of yummy herbs. I followed Martha's recipe of Roasted Turkey and it worked out perfectly.

ALSO ON THE MENU:

_Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic: Roasted the garlic the day before.

_Corn bread stuffing with sage & turkey bacon: Started from this recipe but replaced pecans for chesnuts & turkey bacon for the ham.

_Brussel Sprouts: Simply sautéed in a pan with garlic, salt & pepper

_Gravy: Same MS recipe, but only added about 1c of wine

_Cranberry sauce: Made it the day before

The results? the Turkey was delicious and super juicy. I really think brining helped. It cooked in about 3.5 hrs, almost 1 hr before we planned, so we had to rush a bit to finish the rest of the sides... it all came out delicious! After dinner we made the apple pie and the pumpkin pie (I made the crust dough ahead of time) so that gave us enough time to digest a bit and then had some amazing warm pie. By the way, we watched an amazing movie called "The Fall"—rent it... it's awesome!

Hope your thanksgiving was delicious too!

Your butcher knows best

2008-11-20T09:36:00.001-08:00

A few days ago, feeling pretty carnivorous after spending 1 week at my wonderful-but-vegetarian auntie's house, I decided to get some real protein—preferably something dead and non tofu looking. I stopped by the meat department and saw some amazing Top Sirloin Steaks on sale, so I decided to get them. As the butcher was handing me the meat I decided to ask him about tips for cooking them, I figured he could have some good ones being a butcher and all. This is what he said:

_When you get some leave them on the counter so they can rest, dont put them in the fridge (it was about 5pm and I knew i was gonna be cooking them around 7pm).

_Season them generously with salt & pepper and a little italian seasoning.

_Mince some garlic and really rub all in to the steaks on both sides.

_Then—this is the BEST part— sprinkle it with ground coffee and don't be shy!

salt, pepper, seasonings & garlic with the coffee!

So, I went home and did exactly that. When E came home we fired up the grill and followed his cooking directions as well:

_Cook the first side for about 1.5 min, then flip and cook for another 1.5 min.

_Flip again but twist a little so you get the nice marks, cook for 2 min (close the grill). Then do the same on the other side.

_Let them rest for at least 5 min before eating.

The results? an amazingly juicy steak, perfectly cooked and super crunchy on the outside. Pretty outstanding! We both agree that they where better than many steaks we've had in restaurants... and SO much cheaper.

Lesson learned: Don't be shy to ask your butcher for tips!

Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake

2008-11-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

I love coconut. I really love coconut. So last week i felt like trying this new recipe I saw on Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, a Coconut-Pineapple loaf Cake. My hubby loves this kind of cakes, specially if we have them over the weekend with a nice cup of coffee. I usually make sure to use less sugar that what's asked for, use whole wheat flour and even add some grounded flaxseeds so at least I feel it's all kinda good for you. So, if you like coconut and pineapple, this cake is a must!

_COCONUT-PINEAPPLE LOAF CAKE

INGREDIENTS::

1 1/2 cups of sweetened shredded coconut (i used organic, unsweetened)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter/room temperature

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar (I added 3/4 cup)

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunk, in juice, drained well. **here is the thing: my hubbs wasn't really into the pineapple chunks—I liked them—but in the future i might cut them up in smaller pieces**

DIRECTIONS::

_Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; set aside. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

_Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

_Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple and 1 cup coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and smooth top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (cover pan with foil halfway through). Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

happy yummy birthday!

2008-10-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Last Monday was my hubby's birthday and as always he rather have a delicious home made meal than going out to a restaurant... which is great for me because I usually try to cook something new. This time, a suggested a Beef Stew because I recently watched the video at how2heroes and seemed totally doable. Plus, this one is made with beer (instead of wine) and I knew he'll like that.

It was my first time making a stew and I have to say I really liked it. It actually tastes better the days after you make it which is a plus cos you're gonna end up eating tons of it all week. I recommend having all your ingredients laid out and chopping all the veggies you'll need before hand so when you start it'll be extra easy.

You start with browning the meat, after it browns you add some flour and stir for a bit. After that you add some garlic and shallots, stir, then the all the veggies. Then the beef stock and after a few minutes, the potatoes... and that's it! Just let it simmer for a total of about 1.5 hrs, making sure you add the beer about half way. Also be sure to use fresh herbs for this, they make such a difference!

Here is the link to the recipe: Stout Beef Stew.

Oh, and If you're wondering about that cake... I made it the same day and it's SO much work! It's called CocoChoco and it's inspired by a cake my hubby and I had while on a vacation trip on Margarita island, Venezuela. It's a layer of Chocolate Cake covered by a layer of Chocolate Mouse followed by a layer of Coconut Mouse. It's creamy, airy, chocolatey and delicious, but i can't share the recipe just yet!

be a hero

2008-09-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to the lovely city of Boston for work and had the chance to shoot a couple of videos for this awesome site called how2heroes. This site has great cooking videos from regular peeps like you and me and also some from amazing chefs—all sharing their recipes and tips. You can learn how to make a traditional Apple pie, learn what molecular gastronomy is all about and try some new booze mix like the venus in furs cocktail. Needless to say I've pretty much watched every video there AND also had the chance of shooting my own. I confess it's kinda embarrassing to watch myself, but whatever! the point is that i get to share some wonderful traditional recipes i grew up with. Here are some pics of my last shoot: how to make plantains 2 ways: Tostones (fried green plantains) and Platanos fritos (fried ripe plantains). Oh, and you know what? you can shoot your own too. Register and read about how you can upload your own fabulous cooking video... c'mon don't be shy!

i heart pizza

2008-09-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

i love sushi. i really love venezuelan food. but i'm super and totally in love with pizza. the thing is that it's almost impossible to make it at home and make it good. i've bought different kinds of dough, made them in cookie sheets, pizza stones, you name it, and it's never been good enough. Then one day I was at the grocery store and was browsing though a magazine... and there it was, a picture of a super crusty and delicious pizza made on the grill. I got totally inspired and went ahead and got the ingredients (not the first time this happens!). At first my hubby seemed a little hesitant... i mean we've tried making pizza before and it was never that good PLUS we're both total pizza snobs! but guess what? it came out great: crispy crust, yummy sauce, melty cheese and crunchy top.

DOUGH::

Didn't make it (hey i know how to pick my battles!) got it a New Seasons

SAUCE::

1 Can crushed organic tomatoes (i got garlic/basil flavor)

Olive oil

Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

_Mix all in a blender (super quick coz you don't want the sauce too watery).

TOPPINGS::

Sorpresatta

Mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil

Don't stop here... be creative!

_Grease a cookie sheet, place your dough and cut it in half. you want something small and easy to handle on the grill.

_Take your dough and stretch it delicately with your hands... we just played around with it. it really works when you place the dough on top of the back of your hands and stretch it with your knuckles. place back on cookie sheet.

_The grill should be really hot and make sure you bring everything you'll need next to the grill... these cook fast and once you start you better give them all your attention.

_Ready? place dough on the grill and watch it... it'll take a minute or two, don't close the grill. after one side is done, flip it and start adding the sauce, cheese and toppings right away. you can close the lid now but keep and eye on them. If you think the bottom is done but the cheese is not melted just put them on the top area of the grill and close it to finish them up!

on the grill

finished home made pizza on the grill!