During San Diego’s June Gloom, the weather is rarely ideal for going to the beach.  Which makes me sad, because it’s around this time of the year that I start yearning for a beach day.  The beach is one of the main reasons why I moved from New Jersey to San Diego.  Each year while I was growing up, I would spend a week or two at my Aunt’s beach house on Long Beach Island (eating many of these).  It was one of my favorite times of the year.  So naturally, when it was time for me to move out on my own, I picked a city with easy beach access.

On the rare occasion in June when the sun decides to break through the marine layer, I immediate make plans to go to the beach.  I pack my bag with a book, iPad, iPhone, tanning oil (I am a New Jerseyite at heart), water and snacks, like these Kale and Avocado Summer Rolls.  Kale is marinated in a dressing of honey, lime, fish sauce, garlic and chile, then wrapped up with a fresh mix of carrot, cucumber, avocado, mint and cilantro.  These flavors are bold and bright.  Portable gourmet, this summer roll can easily stay in my bag for a few hours without worry of spoilage.

So it ends up that today is actually one of those rare beautiful days in June.  I’ve got my bag almost all packed up, so I’m going to finish here.  I’ll be on the beach enjoying a few of these tasty rolls.  Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Kale and Avocado Summer Rolls

This galette (a rustic, free-form tart) begins with a market bounty of ripe stone fruit: fragrant doughnut peaches, golden nectarines, tender apricots and blushing rainers.   A rhapsody of crimson and gold, the sliced fruits are tossed with ginger, vanilla and several spoonfuls of glistening white sugar.  Encased in a blanket of butter-speckled pastry, stone fruit and juices are then baked until melting and bubbly.  Served beside a scoop of cool vanilla ice cream, this warm Stone Fruit Galette with Ginger and Vanilla is little slice of heaven.

Over this past holiday weekend, Jorge and I hosted a Tart Party for a few fellow San Diego Food Bloggers.  I’ve always been a big fan of tarts, so I thought it would be fun to dedicate an entire party to them  Jorge made a super tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Tart, and I threw together a Zucchini Tart and French Onion Tart.  Marie and Dan, from Meandering Eats, brought an amaaaazing Triple Cheese Tart with Chocolate and Orange.  And Vintage Sugarcube’s Jenny baked a beatiful Corn and Basil Tart.  This tart was just bursting with corn flavor.  Stacy with Center Stage Wellness was also there sans tart.  Instead, she brought her new adorable baby, Iver .  Check out my Instagram feed for photos from the party.

I didn’t actually serve this Stone Fruit Tart at the gathering;  however, I was still in a tart-making mood after the party, so I baked two new tarts for Kitchen Konfidence.  Yes, that means there’s another coming soon  Continue reading for the recipe

Continue reading: Stone Fruit Galette with Ginger and Vanilla

If you are currently on the hunt for that perfect cocktail for Memorial Day weekend, stop here.  I’ve got one for you.  This Red Michelada comes from one of my new favorite Mexican hot spots, Puesto.  The most basic micheladas are made with beer, hot sauce, lime and salt.  Puesto’s Red Michelada is made with a bold blend of beer, fresh tomato, tomato juice, roasted jalapeno, onion, orange juice, lime juice and hot sauce.  Finished with a chile-salt rim, this tall glass of Mexican deliciousness is spicy, savory and surprisingly refreshing.  Enjoy one of these Red Micheladas grillside while you soak up some gorgeous afternoon sun.  I know that’s what I’ll be doing this Memorial Day.

In addition to this spicy libation, the man and I enjoyed a number of other tasty treats at Puesto including a flight of tacos, shrimp ceviche and two frosty paletas.  Continue reading for the recipe plus a recap of the entire lunch.

Continue reading: Puesto’s Red Michelada

With posts like this and this and this, you may have thought I was off the Paleo Diet.  But that’s totally not the case.  I’m still going strong  I did put on several pounds after my trip to NYC though.  With dining destinations like Le Bernadin, The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, Eataly, Baked and the Momofuku Noodle Bar, it was close to impossible for me to follow Paleo guidelines.  But I don’t go on many vacations throughout the year, so I was totally fine with breaking the rules.  I’ve got three recipes below that have helped me get back on track.  They’re easy to prepare and packed with flavor.  Each recipe also has a richness that makes you forget the fact that you are eating diet food.  Citrus Avocado Dip, Coconut Yogurt, and Chorizo Meatloaf recipes below.

Continue reading: Paleo Recipes: Week of May 13

Several days ago, temperatures in San Diego shot up to the mid 80′s and 90′s, causing an almost instantaneous craving for summer flavors.  Fresh berries, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, grilled meats and gloriously green herbs.  I immediately got in my car to do some grocery shopping.  Windows down.  A warm breeze blowing.  Spotify on full blast.  Pulled Pork Tamales with Corn Salsa in mind.

This recipe captures the essence of summer.  Smoky, succulent pulled pork is encased in corn masa, then steamed until light and tender.  Accompanying the tamal is a corn salsa spiked with red onion, serrano chile and chopped cilantro.  This salsa is fresh, fresh, fresh.  A perfect counter to the richness of the tamal.  Summer, I am ready for you.  Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Pulled Pork Tamales with Corn Salsa

Baby shower time!!! My friend Krystal is having baby #2 soon, and a group of us food bloggers are throwing her a Virtual Baby Shower! Krystal and I first met at a food photography/styling workshop hosted by Matt Armendariz and Adam Pearson. Since then, we’ve kept in contact with each other in the digital space. Sadly, I wasn’t able to participate in Krystal’s first VBS for baby Elena (whose Instagram pictures slay me – so adorable!). So I jumped at the chance to participate in VBS #2. Especially when I heard it was cupcake themed.

Let me tell you about these Maple Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting. Imagine a stack of pancakes that’s been doused with a substantial amount of butter and maple syrup, then topped with a melty, ooey gooey, toasted marshmallow. Yeah, that’s what these cupcakes taste like. They’re quite addicting. I actually sat down and ate three of them shortly after photographing the picture above. Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Maple Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

I’ve been quite busy over the past two weeks tying up loose ends before I go on vacation with the man.  We are leaving tomorrow evening for New York City!!!  So I’m going to keep this quick.  As quick as this recipe for Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise.  Seriously, this comes together in a matter of moments.  And I’ve got a video below to prove it!!  Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise

This is what happens when you buy bacon in bulk.  Freshly popped corn is tossed with marcona almonds, crispy bacon, smoked sea salt and cayenne pepper, then drowned in a rich, deeply-hued caramel.  Bacon Caramel Corn is both super tasty and super addicting with the most satisfying crunch.  To be honest, I’m usually not the biggest fan of caramel corn.  I often find that it is too cloyingly sweet.  Luckily, this version of caramel corn isn’t too sweet.  It’s quite savory actually with just a hint of sweetness.

Bacon Caramel Corn can be made up to two days in advance.  Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  If you’ve never made caramel before, I’d recommend doing a practice run.  This caramel is simply a mixture of sugar, water and corn syrup, so if you mess it up, throw out the batch and try again!  Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Bacon Caramel Corn

So I think I might have a new obsession: Orange Cardamom Scones + Blood Orange Marmalade + Mascarpone Cheese.  Sweet, tart, creamy, flaky, and buttery.  Does it get any better than that?  Not just for scones, this sunset-hued spread can liven up any slice of buttered toast or cream-cheesed bagel.  Typically thought of as a breakfast food, marmalade can actually be used in many other applications.  Try spooning a dollop over vanilla ice cream to brighten up your late night dessert.  This marmalade can also be shaken into a seasonal cocktail or be used as the base of a fruit vinaigrette.

I’m already one paragraph in, and I have yet to mention the best part of this recipe.  It only requires 3 ingredients.  And 1 of them is water!!  If you’ve never made marmalade before, don’t be intimidated and give this recipe a try.  I’m sure you’ll be surprised at how easy it is.  Continue reading for the recipe.

Continue reading: Blood Orange Marmalade