For the Gourmandise in All of Us...

Macarons!

2011-12-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone's been talking about them... the new cupcake. This is a batch of pistachio macarons I made. I've decide to sell these cute little French pastries. The shells are very light--consisting of only ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar. They are filled with a variety of ganaches and custards... from tart passion fruit to dark chocolate with grand mariner. Anyway, check out my website!

Classic Pecan Pie

2011-01-04T10:14:00.000-08:00

So, my family acquired a very large amount of pecans. I'm not sure how, but it's certainly not unusual in Louisiana where pecans are plentiful! After making the pumpkin pie for Christmas, I decided that I wanted to make another pie, but I didn't want to make an extra trip to the grocery store to pick up any ingredients. Luckily, we already had everything that I needed to make a pecan pie. We

Pumpkin Pie

2011-01-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, so apparently there is this disconnect in American culture between the sweet potato pie people, and the pumpkin pie people. I seriously thought they were the exact same thing until very recently. Anyway, so back to these "sweet potato pie" people and "pumpkin pie" people. My mom has always made sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas. So... I guess that makes us sweet potato pie

Buche de Noel (Yule Log)

2010-12-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

I love pies, cakes, and cookies at Christmastime. But, I also like trying new things, and I wanted to bring a little bit of France with me home to Louisiana for the holidays. The Buche de Noel is a traditional Christmas dessert in France, Belgium, French Canada, Lebanon, and Vietnam. It is traditionally made from a sponge cake, and filled with chocolate buttercream frosting, rolled up to look

Tortilla de Patates (Spanish Omelette/Spanish Tortilla)

2010-12-07T01:23:00.000-08:00

What the Spanish call a "tortilla" is not the tortilla that we think about when referencing Mexican food. This tortilla is actually an omelette with fried eggs and fried potatoes. It can be served by the slice, and is found in pretty much every eatery/bar in Spain. Recipe- Spanish Tortilla 10 ounces red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch pieces 8 large eggs 4 teaspoons minced fresh

Big City, Little Kitchen Cookin- EASY Quiche Lorraine

2010-10-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

My roommate came home and said she was going to make a quiche lorraine for dinner (yes!) She seriously whipped this thing up in about 10 minutes before putting it in our toaster oven. You can make this simple dish in an entirely unequipped kitchen. You only need a stove (or hot plate), an oven (or toaster oven), and a cake pan/pie pan/ tart pan (or premade crust in a pan). The difference

Big City, Little Kitchen Cookin- Blueberry Buckle

2010-09-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

What is a buckle you may ask... A buckle is an old-fashioned single layer cake with a streusel-style topping. I got this recipe from my friend Grace, after an afternoon of blueberry picking over four years ago. I have made this countless times since because it is so simple. This is a recipe that people either LOVE or LEARN TO LOVE. If you don't like it the first time you try it, you

Farewell My Beautiful Kitchen

2010-09-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

I always felt like my kitchen in Los Angeles inspired me to use it. It was so large and beautiful. I also invested in so many gadgets that make life easier for cooks. Now I'm in a transitional period--in transitional housing. My pots and pans, sifters and strainers, zesters and mixers--have all been left behind in Los Angeles. I've grown accustomed to all of my handy tools! Nevertheless, I'll

Country Tuscan Salad

2010-08-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Once of my most vivid food memories is when I was in the Tuscany region of Italy. I had an inspiring Tuscan white bean soup--inspiring because it warmed my stomach.. and my soul. I was visiting my friend Grace, and she took me to a hole in the wall sandwich and soup cafe. The cafe was small and somewhat ordinary looking, but at lunchtime, the cafe bustled with Italians loudly ordering their soup

Tomato Tart--this ain't pizza!

2010-07-30T01:05:00.000-07:00

The bar is OVER and the blog is BACK! There will be bi-weekly updates, so check back often. It's summer, and one of my favorite things about summer is summer vegetables! Do your body and your taste buds a favor and pick up some beautiful tomatoes at your local farmer's market this weekend. I enjoyed two slices of this for dinner along with a glass of champagne. The herbs de provence provide a

Watermelon Curry with Grilled Shrimp

2010-06-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Do you have leftover watermelon from the strawberry-watermelon smoothie? Try this fantastic curry. It is a great summer soup and can be served chilled. The curry comes together so nicely, it is surprising that pureed watermelon is the base of this dish. The cubes of watermelon maintain some of the most refreshing and sweet qualities of watermelon, adding a nice contrast to the curry. I

Summer Smoothies

2010-06-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

I can only blend so many "classic" berry-banana smoothies... The following smoothies feature more sophisticated fruit pairings. Strawberry Watermelon with Ginger Combine 3 cups 1-inch cubes seeded watermelon, 2 cups frozen quartered hulled strawberries, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice in blender. Process until smooth. 2

Caprese

2010-06-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

A simple, elegant appetizer that is sure to please. Recipe- Caprese. Adapted from all recipes. 20 grape tomatoes8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes1 bunch of fresh basil3 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegarsalt and freshly ground pepper Whisk oil and vinegar together. Drizzle over tomatoes and cheese. Thread tomatoes, cheese, and basil onto

Summer Break

2010-06-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful readers and recipe-seekers. It's summer and I'm studying for the CA bar exam. I actually want to pass it, so I'm not going to be able to blog as much as I'd like to. I will be doing some blogging, but I will be back full force at the beginning of August, so be ready for some awesome posts then :)

Tabbouleh

2010-05-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

Tabbouleh is a great light summer salad. I used whole wheat "pearl (Israeli) couscous" instead of bulgur, because I love the texture of the tiny sphere-shaped couscous, and the whole wheat really makes the dish heartier. The photo is before I added the chopped greens (parsley and mint) and couscous. I absolutely loved that the chopped vegetables (cucumber and tomatoes) filled an entire large

Healthy Thai- Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro

2010-05-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

I recently made the cover recipe from the March 2010 Food and Wine "Healthy Recipes from Around the World" issue. The flavors in the dish were bold, yet balanced. The cooling cilantro and fresh lime zest and juice offset the spicy crushed red pepper. Also, cilantro and lime are great in the springtime--the sour juice from the lime helps protect the respiratory system, and the cilantro assists

Taste Beers from around the World at Disneyland's CA Adventures

2010-05-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you're headed to Disneyland's California Adventures this month, be sure to enjoy some of the events at Disney's California Food and Wine Festival. I didn't make it to the numerous wine seminars (only $1 for seminar and tastings) or free celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, but I did stop by the Festival Beer Walk. You can taste four different wines or beers for $10. The only "beer

Easy Omelet

2010-04-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for more ways to get my 5-a day (5 vegetables that is...) I happened to have some mushrooms and spinach, so I opted for a sauteed spinach and mushroom omelet with freshly grated parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. An omelet is great for breakfast with a piece of fruit, or for lunch with a simple side salad. I modified Jamie Oliver's Omelette Recipe. He suggests 2-3 eggs.

Quick and Easy Chicken Paella

2010-04-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I get inspired to make something out of my comfort zone. I've never had paella before, but it has always intrigued me. I found a recipe that was "quick and easy." The entire dish takes one hour--start to finish. Also, no special equipment required! It's a one-pan dish. Everything is done in a large skillet. I have never put a skillet in the oven before, but I followed

Devil's Food Cupcakes

2010-04-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, a girl needs some chocolate... These devil's food cupcakes with chocolate ganache really hit the spot. They are incredibly rich in taste, but light in texture. Because I am not a choco-holic, and chocolate icing on chocolate cake is a little too much for me--I used cream cheese icing for some of the cupcakes. Recipe- Devil's Food Cupcakes3/4 cup boiling water3/4 cup

The Best of the Bubbly

2010-04-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

The long-awaited results from the Bubbles tasting party! The Crowd Pleaser: D'Aquino's "Asti Spumante" This light, delicate, sweet sparkling wine is made entirely from Muscat grapes. Due to its lightness and sweetness, this Italian sparkling wine is a real crowd pleaser. Its alcohol content is low (7.5%) compared to other sparkling wines (~13%), making this an excellent wine to serve to guests

Strawberry Season!

2010-04-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

I just bought a pound of strawberries from my local grocer for 79 cents! I've always loved strawberry season. As a little girl, my family would go to a friend's strawberry field and pick crates of fresh strawberries. My mother and sister would stay in the car, so it was just my dad and I out in the field--getting dirty and having a good time! After we ate as many fresh strawberries as we

America Needs a Food Revolution

2010-04-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

How far gone are we, when the idea of cooking fresh food is revolutionary?? I recently started watching the incredible ABC show, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. The show focuses on Jamie Oliver's quest to enlighten people about food. He does this by attempting to change school lunches in a small town in West Virginia (that happens to be the most obese and unhealthy town in America). What is

Crêpes

2010-04-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have very fond memories of walking the cold, damp streets of Paris with a warm crepe enveloped in my hands. I explored with all types of fancy toppings until I settled on my personal favorite--"beurre et sucre" (butter and sugar). A "crepe Suzette" (butter, sugar and lemon juice) is a close second. And I can't leave out nutella! My favorite crepe stand in Paris was across the street from the

Wine + Art

2010-03-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Baton Rouge, I went to Corks-N-Canvas, an art studio that mixes learning to paint with drinking wine. I was instantly intrigued--we all think of pairing wine with cheese, but why not art? The studio focuses on the concept of art as entertainment. With a little instruction, anyone can paint. My mother had already been to the New Orleans Magazine Street location where she