Wow, am I ever excited to share this recipe with you guys today!

To do it properly though, I had to bring in some help because this was the first time I ever made étouffée, myself. So, this recipe comes with love to all you today straight from Adam’s mom, who learned how to make it from his 100% Cajun great grandma. When I was visiting Adam’s family in Texas over Christmas this past year, Nancy (his mom) made it for me and I couldn’t get enough! It’s thick and delicious with just the perfect amount of spicy kick. She made it with crawfish, of course, but I made this version with shrimp because after searching high and low, I just can’t find crawfish anywhere in the Bay Area.

When I asked Nancy if she minded sending me the recipe so I could make and post it on the blog during Mardis Gras, she re-made it herself just so that she could get the exact measurements right. She told me that whenever she walked into Adam’s great grandma’s house (no matter what time of day!), she was always greeted with the aroma of celery, onion, bell pepper and garlic cooking on the stove. She always kept an extra supply of seafood in the freezer to make this étouffée spur of the moment whenever company showed up.

Nancy also said that “the best way to wake Adam up for church on Sunday was to get that blend of onions and bell peppers going on the stove so he’d know there would be a great lunch waiting for us when we got home”. I’ll have to remember that one.

The key to making this is to assemble everything beforehand and have it all right next to you at the stove. It’s not difficult or time consuming, but the process moves very fast once you get started!

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Post tags: main courses, seafood

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I’m finally back with another one of my Great Grandma’s recipes!

I took a little break the past couple weeks mainly because I was so busy finishing the final edits of my book, traveling to Florida to help out Jaden with her book, starting yoga teacher training and developing new recipes for this site. Through all of that craziness, the big plastic orange box of Great Grandma’s recipes sat untouched on my desk and I knew I needed to get back in the game with the challenge.

For any new readers or any of you that have forgotten, last November I decided to take on the challenge of baking through my Great Grandma’s recipe collection. She worked as a cake decorator and baker during World War Two and I inherited all of her recipes (and some of her tools!) a few years ago. To see the recipes I’ve done so far, head to my recipe page and scroll to the bottom. I’m keeping track of her recipes there.

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Read the rest of Oatmeal Raisin Drop Cookies (377 words)

© Jenna for Eat, Live, Run, 2012. | Permalink | 52 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: baking, cookies, dessert, old fashioned, recipe box project

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You know when you finish reading such a wonderful book that you’re actually scared to start a new book because you know it just won’t live up to the previous one?

That happened to me with The Baker’s Daughter. I finished it a week ago and still haven’t started reading anything new…partially because I’ve been so busy and partially because I want my next book to be equally as amazing. Any recommendations?

The Baker’s Daughter is a novel set in two different periods, present day Texas and Nazi Germany. Reba, a young journalist living in El Paso is busy interviewing Elsie, a German baker, about Christmas traditions in Germany when she was growing up. Through flashbacks of Elsie’s childhood during the height of World War Two, we learn about secrets she has been holding onto for more than fifty years…the parallel between the Holocaust and undocumented Mexican families being deported in Texas is thought provoking to say the least. I loved both Reba and Elsie’s stories and thought the ending was fabulous!

On another note, I have “real life” book club this afternoon and I am leading the discussion on Sisters, which I read a couple months ago and loved as well.

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Post tags: book reviews

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Happy Friday!

This weekend marks my first weekend off from yoga teacher training in a month. I don’t even know what to do with myself. Or actually, wait—I do. I’m helping Adam pack up his entire house and move down to San Francisco. While helping him pack, I’m finding such classic dude toys…like a quesadilla maker! And an extra large “drain and drip” griddle. An ancient chocolate fountain from his twenty fifth birthday party. Two George Foremans go without saying.

What is it with guys and George Foremans??

I also found two dollars in quarters under the couch and a pair of black shoes I lost two years ago.

So let’s make some soup, shall we?

This is my new favorite potato soup recipe. It’s SUPER thick and hearty, and full of yummy things like spicy chicken sausage, fresh herbs and bacon.

Milk makes it extra creamy and it’s best topped with freshly grated cheddar cheese and more bacon bits.

Trust me, the name “chowder” rings true here—this isn’t some thin broth with potato chunks floating around. This is a belly-warmin’-snow-day-makin’-love-in-a-bowl cowboy potato chowder.

Be true to your inner cowboy (ahem–cowgirl!) and get the printable recipe over at The Tasty Kitchen Blog!

Make it this weekend, guys…it’s delicious!

© Jenna for Eat, Live, Run, 2012. | Permalink | 49 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: tasty kitchen blog

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This is my take on a very popular Latin American dish.

Arroz con Pollo, quite literally, translates to “rice with chicken” and if I had to eat one comfort meal for the rest of my life, this dish might just be that.

Just.you.wait.

I grew up in South Florida, where the Cuban and Caribbean culture heavily influenced the food scene. Think rice and beans, sugary sweet plantains, pork with mojo sauce, fresh seafood and mojitos. Lots of mojitos. When I moved to California a few years ago, I was instantly homesick for good, authentic Latin American food and after one really bad “Cuban sandwich” at a local Puerto Rican restaurant, I knew it was time to start cooking. I say “Cuban Sandwich” in quotes because this sandwich was anything but a Cuban sandwich. Luckily, I also found Sol Food but it’s a little far for me to travel every time I get a craving. If you live in Northern California and you’ve never eaten at Sol Food well…go today. Please. Then, let’s talk.

But let’s get back to the dish at hand—Arroz con Pollo. When my brother passed away, it was all I ate for days on end. It seemed to just magically appear and every time I thought it was gone, more came. It was like Tampa’s official meal for the mourning. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could ever eat arroz con pollo again but then I did, and it was every bit as delicious and comforting as I remember it being. Funny how food is that way.

Trust me, you want to make this. It’s worth every single minute that you spend cooking it, and is the perfect meal for company or to take to a friend that’s had a crummy day.

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Post tags: chicken, comfort food, main courses

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We like to stay in and cook on Valentine’s Day.

After working in the restaurant industry for so long and feeling first hand the craziness that takes place between the hours of 7pm and 10pm, I’d rather just make a reservation for another night and keep Valentine’s Day quiet and low-key. Oh and guess what! This year, Adam announced that he is cooking me a five course dinner. I’m baking vegan sugar cookies for a family event at the yoga studio and then can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve.

Just in case you, too, like to stay in on Valentine’s Day I’ve got ya covered!

Homemade pasta might seem daunting, but I promise it’s not too terribly difficult. Sure, it helps to have a pasta maker but you can use a rolling pin in a pinch (that’s what I did!). And what makes this ravioli so special—and red—is the addition of roasted beets. Just roast some beets then puree them in either a blender or food processor and add them to your basic pasta dough.

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Post tags: holidays, main-dishes, pasta, vegetarian

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This month, I am especially loving this photo of the sunrise over St. Pete bay. I was driving from Jaden’s house to the Tampa airport and was so taken by the sunrise (and hopped up on my Dunkin Donuts coffee! Man, I miss Dunkin Donuts over here in California) that I had to pull over and snap a shot with my iphone.

That day I literally watched the sun rise in the east and set in the west.

I’m also loving this book by Georgia Pellegrini. Although I’m not a hunter myself (I have trouble killing spiders), I truly admire Georgia’s passion to find out where our food really comes from.

This post by Baker’s Royale. I found myself fist pumping the air when I read it…and then craving scrambled eggs.

These baked beignets! I have a few more Mardi Gras-themed meals coming up in the next few weeks, but these will always be my favorite. They’re just so doughy! So sweet! So absolutely covered in powdered sugar.

 This two ingredient strawberry fudge….seriously!!!! I’m going to try the recipe on Valentine’s Day. Thanks, Pinterest!

And while we’re talking about deliciousness, let’s chat for a sec about this rainbow cake. All I can say is WOW. Just wow.

This pizza cookbook! I just ordered it myself after Todd used the dough recipe last week in Florida to produce some of the best pizza that I’ve ever tasted. No kneading required—you literally just throw all the dough ingredients in a big bowl, put it in the fridge and that’s it! I’m a believer.

This retro EAT sign from LifeUnscripted that now hangs in my kitchen (there are more available!).  It’s the perfect shade of blue.

Meyer lemon margaritas! Just use meyer lemons instead of limes—-delish!

….actually, I’m loving meyer lemon everything. Especially Maria’s pudding cake.

After using Jaden’s Keurig coffee machine all last week and getting all too used to the convenience of it (cup of coffee in thirty seconds? sign me up!), I debated buying my own. But then I went out and bought a new French press instead (here’s the exact one I bought)! I’ll take the extra three and a half minutes for the perfect cup.

The best camera is the one that’s with you.

© Jenna for Eat, Live, Run, 2012. | Permalink | 39 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: favorites

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End of the week check-in!

How are we all feeling? It’s been a good week here…lots of behind the scenes business going down. I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to turn my passion for food writing and blogging into a business, but as with any business, there’s a whole other side that goes unnoticed by most. Sure, I can work in my jammies if I want to (bonus of working from home!) and drink margaritas at four on a weekday (I never ever do this…ok maybe I do this…) but sometimes I have to put on my big girl business hat and grind it out. This has been one of those weeks!

In case I haven’t told you, my book is coming out September 4th!

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Post tags: Asian cuisine, healthy, main course, make-your-own-takeout, salads, vegetarian

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I like pink things.

Pink clothes, hot pink heels, pink frosted cupcakes and pretty pink bowls. Valentine’s Day? It’s my favorite and I like to go all out….starting weeks before. I have no shame. And sweet citrus bread that’s practically oozing with pink blood orange glaze is the perfect thing to serve up for a special Valentine’s Day breakfast, don’t you think?

I’m lucky enough to have a meyer lemon tree in my backyard (read: my neighbor has a meyer lemon tree in her backyard that she let’s me pick from whenever I like) and just love their tangy, sweet juice in everything from cakes, to breads to pasta dishes. If you’ve never tried using meyer lemons before, now is the best time to start! These plump lemons are in season now and, for the most part, are readily available at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.

This sweet bread or “tea cake” as we would call it down South, is quick to bake up and tastes even better the next day after the flavors have a little time to rest.

If you’re planning on making it for Valentine’s Day breakfast, I would definitely opt to bake it off the night before then slice it up and serve it with fresh strawberries and some pomegranate-studded Greek yogurt for a special breakfast treat.

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Post tags: baking, breads, citrus, seasonal

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Happy Monday!

As most of you know, I spent last week knee-deep in the Florida countryside (yes, Florida has a countryside) amidst chickens and alligators, helping the lovely White on Rice Couple shoot the new Steamy Kitchen cookbook. The cookbook will be out in a year and….drum roll please….my hand is in one of the photos. I feel so special!

Jaden, Diane, Todd and I had an absolute blast. Todd and I were in charge of all kitchen prep and production, while Jaden and Diane styled and shot the food. Looking back, I really don’t know how we managed to make sixteen recipes the first day and thirteen the next, but somehow we did. We fueled on soy sauce, coffee, pizza, tequila and wine. Not necessarily in that order. Jaden’s blog was one of the first blogs I ever read, and it was just so cool to finally get to meet and spend time with her. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that her family is among the kindest and most generous that I’ve ever known. On the last day, after we had finished all of our work, Jaden let me play around in her kitchen and studio, which was like letting a little kid loose in a candy store. Let me tell you, that woman has a serious prop (and cookbook!) collection.

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Read the rest of Authentic Shrimp Fried Rice (395 words)

© Jenna for Eat, Live, Run, 2012. | Permalink | 62 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Asian cuisine, make-your-own-takeout, quick and easy, recipes

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