Goodbye 2008

There is only one hour and 8 minutes left PST of 2008! I didn't want the year to end without one more post.

Yes in case your wondering I am home on my computer on New Years Eve ( No Judgement). Before you start feeling too sorry for me. I did have a wonderful dinner with my two longtime friends Dee and Monica. Now I am home with lots of champagne and a new Wii game to break in!

Anyway, 2008 overall was a good year. I changed jobs, got a new computer and made some great new friends. I also started this blog and my baking business Brown Sugar. 

I want to thank you all friends and family for all your support not only this year but every year. Tomorrow I plan to wake up drink a mimosa and make sticky buns from scratch!

I am going to go now I have champagne to drink after all.

Here is to a great 2009 !

Happy New Year!

Home for the Holidays!

As the song says "there is no place like home, for the holidays!". I am writing to you from Flying Star Restaurant in Albuquerque, NM. I've been back in New Mexico since late Friday night. It has been really great spending time with my friends and family, not mention all the good food I've eaten!
When we got in on Friday night Dee's mom had made a big pot of pasole. It was the perfect meal after a long cold night on the road. Yesterday, I went to Santa Fe to visit Sonya and Dave. We were suppose to have lunch at Tomasita's, but its closed on Sundays. Which turned out to be a good thing. Because we ate ended up going ot Castro's instead. Castro's is a small restaurant that specializes in traditional New Mexican fare.
We had queso and chips as an appetizer then I order the enchilada plate "Christmas style", that's with red and green chile. Since I don't get to have chile everyday any more. I always order both chiles so I make sure I get my fix of both.
The other great thing about being home is the home cooking. Cory and I are staying with my grandparents. Last night my grandfather asked us what we wanted for breakfast and what time we wanted to eat it. The amazing thing is that this morning when we got up. There was homemade biscuits and gravy, eggs and coffee waiting for us. It really doesn't get any better than that.
Today I took Cory for his first taste of Bob's Burgers. It's a local burger joint that has the best chile dog I've had in my life. Cory equated Bob's to In N Out burger with chile. At Bob's everything comes with chile on it. Fries, burgers, hotdogs you name it they put chile on it. I have to note though that the chile wasn't that hot today. Usually the chile is so spicy you can barely finish your food which I like. But today it wasn't that hot. It was spicy but not make your nose run and your ears hot spicy. The food still tasted good and Cory really enjoyed it.
We're here for five more days so there will lots more to eat! :) To make things even better we might even have a little snow for Christmas.

Happy Holidays,

"That's so White"

We are exactly one week away from Thanksgiving today. Cory and I will be going over to our friends house dinner this year. And the me and the other guest are bringing the sides. I e-mailed the hostess to ask her what time she was going to serve dinner.
She replies "I was thinking we would serve dinner at 5 and people could come over around 3." As I am reading this I'm thinking wha wha what! 5 that is so late! Me and my family never eat Thanksgiving dinner later than 2!
So, this got me to thinking does everybody else eat Thanksgiving dinner that late? I'm I the one that's out of line? I asked my friend Kirsten about it and she said they were eating at 7 because that's what time her boyfriend will be home from work. I still felt very strong in my conviction to eat dinner early. Then I got the following e-mail from my Kirsten this morning that only validated my beliefs. Please read below.

I'm sitting on the train to Manhattan, and this Hispanic girl is sitting across from me...seats that face each other. She's talking to someone on her phone and she said "we are going to my boyfriend's place for thanksgiving after we see you all. Can you believe it, his family eats at 5pm. That's so white! We eat at 2pm."Thought you may think that one was funny.


She was right I thought it was very funny and very true. There is a happy ending to my story, the hostess of my Thanksgiving dinner has been kind enough to push dinner up from 5 to 2:30. Awwee another Thanksgiving crisis averted. :)

So what do you think? Do you eat early or late on Thanksgiving?

Happy Place

It's Monday morning, and I am back in my cubicle answering e-mails and going to meeting. Talking about project plans, data integration etc...
But today my head is so far away. Today I want to be in my kitchen making a fabulous meal from my new Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I want to go to the farmers market and buy fun fall ingredients for a great soup. Then as something bubbles away quietly on the stove or in the oven. I want to read my book and inhale all the great smells coming from my kitchen.
I have a confession during the week I don't really cook. By the time I get home from working all day an the gym. I just don't have the energy to make a great dinner. I usually just go for whatever is quick and easy.
I do have goals of having great weeknight meals that you can smell before you even walk up to the door. I really wish I could find a way for my Corporate side and my domestic side to co-exists.
I better get back to work! I have a fulfillment vendor report to create! Good times :)

Once in a while....

Once in a while I do think about other things besides food. Today we are seven days away from electing our next president and vice president of this country. In honor of that I have this very funny video below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks Amanda,






Please get out and vote this year! :)

Food obsession of the week: FRITO PIE!

As I've mentioned before I tend to obsess on a food or a recipe until I either make it or go out and get it. Lately it's been all about desserts and baking. This week my thoughts have gone from sweet to savory.

This week all I can think about is Frito Pie! Now for those of you who aren't from the Southwest you may be wondering what the hell is Frito pie. Well I am going to tell you.

Frito Pie- is a bowl of Frito corn chips with Texas or New Mexico Red chili with meat poured over them. Top off with Cheddar cheese and onion and you've got Frito Pie!

I think the universe really wants me to make this for dinner because. My mom's office is having a Frito Pie party. My friend Sonya who teaches in Santa Fe was having it for lunch today. And Kirsten and I were both talking about how much we enjoy and miss Frito Pie.

This is an excellent cold day meal! Seeing that it's 80 degrees here today I don't need the Frito Pie to warm me up. It will make me feel cozy and all the same.

I may or may not make it for dinner tonight, but since my mind wont let it drop until I do make it. It will most likely be on the menu this weekend.

That time of year!

It's that time of a year again folks, where a girls thoughts turn to turkeys, stuffing, sweet potato pie, brining etc... Well at least this girls thoughts anyway. Yes I am aware that it's not even Halloween yet.
However, early October is when I start my menu planning for Thanksgiving. When I lived in New Mexico I never once thought of Thanksgiving, to be honest I didn't even like it. I didn't know what all the fuss was all about.
Back home we all went to my Aunts house for dinner ( lunch) and we were all back home by 3. My grandmother and Aunt did all the cooking and the menu has not changed ever! They are good cooks but twenty plus years of the same thing can get old.
Anyway when I moved to California, I had to start giving some serious thought to what my plans for Thanksgiving would be. The first three I traveled, and one year my mom and her homies came out to visit me.
But last year, last year was the first year I wasn't going out of town nor did I have family to come visit. I realized that I would have to make Thanksgiving dinner, It would be totally up to me what we would have. Did I mention I had never cooked a turkey before in my life! The thought of making Thanksgiving dinner made me excited, nervous and giddy all at the same time.
I would be making dinner for Me, Cory and Jill.
Three people should be easy enough right? The goal was simple, meal for three. Well that idea flew right out the window as I started reading food magazines and the New York Times food section. All of sudden my soul concern was, am I going to brine the turkey? Do cornbread stuffing or make my grandmothers dressing. It went on and on for days and I loved every single minute.
Finally the week of T-day came and I started cooking the Sunday before. I must have been to the grocery store at least a dozen times in those four days leading up to dinner. I would like to add that my good friend Jill did contribute appetizers ( yes of course we had appetizers) and side dishes to the menu. Our menu consisted of the following:
Appetizers
puff pastry pinwheels (Jill)
Kettle chips with blue cheese melted on top (Jill)
Champagne Cocktails with blackberry liquor
Dinner:
Turkey
Cornbread Stuffing
mashed potatoes (Jill)
cranberry sauce (Jill)
Princess yams
spicy green beans and kale
Cranberry Margaritas
Dessert
2 Sweet Potato pies
Lime chocolate cheesecake
Black velvet and coke (Jill)

We started this day at 11 and it went on until 3 am! The three of us had so much fun that day. I have to say it was my favorite Thanksgiving so far.
This year I will again be cooking dinner and the planning has started. I've read that Salting a Turkey is the new Hotness for bird prep this year over brining. I'll have to do more research to learn about this technique. I am so excited for this year after the success of last year. Now I finally get why people love this holiday so much. Great food, friends and relaxing it's awesome! So look for more T-day post from me in the next month and if you have any ideas or recipes I'd love to hear them.

Wait for it....

Monday night I was watching How I met your mother. I heard the best and funniest way to tell someone how much you enjoy a particular food item.
This episode was all about finding the best burger in NYC. In one scene the friends each took a bite of their burger and began to go on and on about this burger is so good blank. They finally came to Barney (my favorite character) and he said:
"This burger is so good; It makes me want to sew my ass shut!" I could not stop laughing all night. It also lead me to ask what I have eaten that was soooo good it made me want to sew my ass shut. What springs to mind at this moment is a hot Hash House biscuit with fresh berry preserves! Now I want to know what did you eat that was that good?

Bad blogger

As an avid, and do mean avid blog reader. I often feel disappointed when I click on my favorite blogs to find that they don't have any new posts. I am cool with going a day or two without new posts by my favorite bloggers. But more than that, and I start to get frustrated.
Don't they know that I check everyday to read their funny, entertaining or insightful post?! Don't they understand that if I don't have any new post to read, I'll actually have to read and respond to my work email?!
My love of reading blogs is what prompted me to start this one. Today it hit me like a 10 pound sack of flour. That cannot complain or be disappointed when bloggers fail to update daily. You know why because I leave in a big glass house of I don't update my own blog every day. So I will put down my stone.
I have thoughts everyday about post and things I want to share with you. However, work, life or just good TV seem to get in the way. I am truly in awe of the bloggers who make time to post once a day or even several times a week!
To my few loyal readers out there I apologize for being lax in my post. I am going to try and do better. Because I know how much I enjoy reading updated blogs. So I will do my best to check in more than a few times a month.
:)

Biggest Loser is back!!

I normally post about food and my obession/love of it. I am so excited today because my reality show The Biggest Loser is coming back on tonight. I think this show is so inspiring and motivating!
If you've never watched it I encourage you start this season. It's on NBC, Tuesday nights at 8pm PST. Check out the commercial for this season. The theme song is awesome for getting through the last moments of a hard workout.
Pride on Three!

Who knew?

Today Cory and I went to the library in our neighborhood. I haven't really spent much time in a library since college. I figured a library with an ocean view can't be all that bad. Today was my second visit, and do my great surprise and excitement they had cookbooks! 

Most of you may have all ready known this but I had no idea that you could check out cookbooks from the public library! They have cookbooks on anything you might ever want to make. What I really like is I can try before a I buy. So now when I see a cookbook I might want to buy, I can go to the library check it out at no cost and see if I actually like it before I buy it. Cookbooks can be expensive so this the perfect solution for those of us on a budget who still want to try new recipes.

I was overwhelmed with the selection of cookbooks available, so I couldn't really decide which ones I wanted to checkout. I ended up letting Cory pick one for me, he picked a chocolate dessert book. I've flipped through it and all ready found two or three recipes I want to make.

Next time your in the market for a good cookbook go to your local library first and test drive it before you buy it! 

 

Food for thought

It's Wednesday, and as most of my foodie lovers know. Wednesday is the day that the New York Times runs it's dining in/out section in their paper. I love reading this every week. It features great recipes, and I the articles keep me up to date on what's going on in the food world.
The highlight of my week is reading this section, its my escape into the world of food which is my happy place.
This week was different, this week after reading the article Love Food? Think twice Before Jumping In . I felt like my reality check had just bounced! The article is a cautionary tale of starting your own restaurant.
Its purpose to warn those who have dreams of leaving their day jobs in search of a glamorous career in restaurant ownership. The message is don't quit your day job! Which I understand, there is a very harsh reality that people need to know before starting your own business. The article is right not everyone is going to have the success of Ina Garten or Paula Dean.
But one think I know for sure you'll never succeed at your passion if you don't try! Everything in life is a risk. Who to say that your "day job" will be there tomorrow. Nothing is guaranteed in this life.
I felt like that article was talking to me, saying hey cubicle girl wake up and realize that your dream of running some sort of food based business (haven't figured out what I want to do yet, but taking suggestions) is just that a pipe dream. I was pissed off and sad and felt trapped!
But what I realized, that I do know for sure. Is your dreams will never come true if you don't follow them. It's like hoping to win the lottery yet never buying a ticket! Where would Ina and Paula be if they hadn't followed their passion? What if they listened to everyone and every statistic that said that their dream was doomed to fail?
I think I'd rather try and fail, then leave a life of regret wondering what if? When, I do figure out my food calling (besides just eating) I hope I have the courage to pick up the phone.

Shortbread Cookie Recipe

Last night I made the other half of the Shortbread cookie dough. It dawned on me that I should share the recipe for my loyal readers to try next time you need a great cookie. I hope you enjoy the Barefoot Contessa's cookies as much as I did.

Note: I find the edges of shortbread are ever so slightly sharper if you chill the cookies for ten minutes before you bake them. Shortbread can also be cut into shapes and refrigerated for a week and then baked the day you serve them.

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with your choice of cutter. Place the cut-outs on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

If you try it let me know how it turns out.

The Way the cookie crumbles

For those of you who don't know I have a tendency to fixate on things. If I get an idea in my head I can't let it go until I've either expressed it (about a million times) or resolved it.

Last week at work we had lunch catered by Panera bread Company. The last two times we've (and by we I mean me) ordered lunch from there, they brought these AWESOME shortbread cookies. Normally I wouldn't give a shortbread cookies a second look. But since I wasn't impressed with the chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies. I decided to give Panera on more shot to redeem themselves and tried the shortbread cookie.

After the first bite I was blown away by the buttery flavor, and flaky crispy texture. It had just the right about of sweetness and was rich enough that I only need half a cookie to satisfy me. Last week after my second go around with the cookie. I thought to myself, these seem pretty easy I bet I can make these myself!

Then the hunt was on for the perfect, shortbread recipe. Of course I waited until I got home from work to do this search and not look for it on company time ;) . After many recipes I found it. I was not at all surprised to see it was from my cooking and entertainment idol Ina Garten. 

The beauty of this recipe is it only has four ingredients, Butter, flour, sugar and vanilla extract. Things that most bakers have on hand. I was excited because I didn't even need to go the store.

Well, I sat on the recipe for about a week and on Tuesday night I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to make the cookies, I was like a woman on a mission.  The once the dough is made you have to chill in the fridge for thirty minutes. It was late so I figured I'll bake off the cookies tomorrow. 

I got up the next morning and found my dough was rock solid. It had frozen in the back of my fridge overnight. I was sad because I thought I ruined my dough. I got home tonight and thought well try thawing it out and see what happens. After thirty minutes on the counter the dough was still too hard to roll and completely crumbled every time I tried to roll it. I was just about to toss it out and try again. When it hit me let it sit for a little longer and give the butter a chance to melt. 

When I came back I found that indeed the dough was now rollable but it still kept crumbling on me. At this point I thought just roll it out slowly and see what happens. To my surprise I got it rolled out and cut out the cookies. I still was nervous not sure if they would taste any good. The timer went off and the first batch was out and they were so GOOD! They tasted as good if not better than the ones I had at Panera. I am glad I didn't scrap the dough and I stuck with it! Now, I can move on to my next food obsession!

I am baaaccck!

Hey everyone, I know it's been a long time since I've updated my blog. And as an avid blog reader myself I know how annoying it is not to have new post from your favorite bloggers. Then again it's not like you my loyal readers have been hounding me for a new post either. Only one reader asked about a new post? Where's the love?

Well, I am back and I promise to be more consistent with my updates. I'll do my part to write the food blogs if you'll do your and read it and tell your friends about it. Okay enough with the shameless pleas for readers. Now on to what I've been up to.

I haven't just been lazy the last few weeks, I've been busy. The last week in July I returned to the good old Land of Enchantment for a friends wedding. My mom came to visit me in California the week after that. Work has been busy and I even worked in another weekend trip to Palm Springs! 

Even though I haven't been blogging about food lately, doesn't mean I haven't eaten and made some great food while I was away.  My goal this week is to give an update on what I've been up to in the world of food lately. Here are just a couple of topics I plan to tackle. New easy desserts for summer, wedding cakes and Cory's addiction to Salsa and New Mexico Chile! So come back and see what I've been up to! In the meantime I am going to give you a foodie word of the day to hold you over until the next new post. The foodie word of the day is...

 Cruciferous vegetables - The scientific name for a group of vegetables that research has proven may provide protection against certain cancers. Cruciferous vegetables contain antioxidants. These vegetables , which are all high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, are: broccoli, Brussels spouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kale, mustard greens rutabagas and turnips.

If you have any foodie words you want the definition for drop me a line in the comments and I'll be happy to post it! 

More updates on the way :)

Good bye old friend

Tonight I got some very sad news. The Martini Grill in Albuquerque has shut it's doors for good. According to the news reports they lost their liquor license, because they were serving well liquor and passing it off to their costumers as premium liquor.

I don't agree with them cheating their costumers and breaking the law. But I have to say that when I heard the news my hear was broken. Even though I have not lived in Albuquerque for four years now. The Martini Grill was still one of my top spots to visit when I came home. It was one of the few spots that all my friends and I could agree on. 

The thing that made Martini Grill so special wasn't just the cocktails. Although they did have over a dozen varities of martini's. The food was great, they took bar food to a whole new level. One of my favorite dishes to order there was, the green chile cheese waffle fries topped with chicken wings. 

They made the best waffle fries I've ever had in my life! So good that they were even featured on the Food Network. When my mother told me the news she said you grew up there! She didn't mean I had been going there as child. But that I once I was drinking age I grew up drinking there. It was the place my friends and I would go when we wanted a "grown up" cocktail.

Not our standard rum and coke, or lemon drop shots we would do at our local college bar.  It was a place for us to go for girls night out. I've so many great memories there, of happy hours and long talks with friends that lasted until last call.  There are so many Friday nights here in California when I wish I could go to Martini Grill for a drink after work. 

I know it may seem silly to be this upset about a bar closing. But for me and my friends it's truly an end of an era! I feel like I've lost a friend. One of those really great friends who would keep your secrets, who is there for you to celebrate your triumphs and to comfort you when your down.  Good bye Martini Grill! You will always have a place in my heart. And all though you are gone you are not forgotten! As long as I can hold a martini glass in my hand you will be in my heart!

Love,

the 505 girls!

Foodie word of the week?

It's a working title okay. I told you I didn't think I could commit to a new word every day but I am going do my best to post a word as often as I can.  Remember if there is a foodie word or term you want the definition let me know and I'll post it.  

Today's word is for all my peeps in my home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The hardest thing about living in California is not the gas prices. It's not being able to get these delicious treat accompany every Mexican food meal. The word of the day/week/month is....

Sopaipilla -[soh-pi-PEE-yuh] This crisp, puffy deep-fried pastry resembles an air-filled pillow. The sopapaipilla is thought to have orginiated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, more than 200 years ago. It's a favorite Southwestern U.S. dessert, usually served with honey or syrup flavored with anise or cinnamon. Sopaipillas are also sometimes filled with savory ingredients like Refied Beans.

Kim's note they are also great stuffed with beef and red chile! New Mexican's leave a comment with your favorite place to get a good Sopaipilla. Since I no longer reside there I think it would be unfair for me to weigh in. To be perfectly honest, I miss them so much that all Sopaipillas are good to me these days. :)

Quote of the day

You all know by now how much I adore wine! I got my weekly newsletter from my local wine shop and it had this great quote from Ernest Hemingway in it about wine. I just had to share it with all of you.


Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.

Ernest Hemingway

Death in the Afternoon

Yes, it's Wednesday morning and I am all ready thinking about wine. No judgement!

Foodie word of the day

Okay, so I am going to try and post a new foodie word everyday. So send me any cooking or food words you would like the definition for.

Today's foodie word is:

Eau-de-vie:  French for "water of life" describing any colorless, potent brandy or other spirit distilled from fermented fruit juice. Kirsch(made from cherries) and framboise (made from raspberries) are two popular eaux-de-vie. 

Cheers!

Foodie Vocabulary

When I was in school I loved vocabulary lessons. For as long as I can remember, I've enjoyed learning new words. I am a talker, so the more words I know the better I can express myself.  A fellow foodie friend of mine gave me a food lovers/word lovers dream for Christmas.  It's a book called, Food lover's Companion-More than 6,700 A-To-Z Entries describe foods, cooking techniques herbs, spices,desserts, wines, and ingredients for pleasurable dining. This book is great for all those food terms I hear being thrown around on shows like Top Chef. 

In the spirit of keeping this blog informative along with entertaining. I am going to post foodie vocabulary words. So you can wow your friends with your food knowledge. Our first word will be: 

Draw- 1. In cooking, to eviscerate; to remove the entrails, as from poultry o fish. 2. To clarify a mixture, as in drawn butter.

Ideally I would like to have  a new foodie word of the day. However, I don't know if I will be able to post everyday. But I promise to get a new word up as often as I can. Who know I may get up to a word a day. So if there is a food word or term you've been dying to know ask me and I'll post the definition for you!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Did you know that the first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day? Well if you didn't, you know now! My favorite doughnut is a warm Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut! I haven't had one in ages, but since today is National Doughnut Day, I may just have to have one! Not only is it National Doughnut Day, it's my mom's birthday! Happy Birthday MOM! For everyone else Happy Doughnut Day! Have a great weekend, and have a doughnut!

And just like that, the party was a hit!

I am sure you are all dying to know how the SATC cocktail party turned out. Did I have enough food? Did people show up? Did everyone have a good time? Well the answer to all those questions is YES!!!! The party was a hit! There was plenty of food and cosmos to go around and everyone had a great time. I had a New York themed menu. Which consisted of the following:

mini pigs in a blanket (to represent the NY hot dogs)

mini pizzas 

pretzels with dipping sauce ( my twist on the NY soft pretzel stands)

mini bagels with lox

cheese board with fresh baguette

And pita chips and hummus

My friend Sara brought these amazing dark chocolate cookies, for dessert! And last but not least my killer Cosmos! I was a little worried that I wouldn't have enough food but turns out I had more than enough! I even had left overs which is fine by me. Because I believe it's better to have too much food than not enough! The party was fun, when everyone walked in the door they were immediately handed a cocktail. I had the movie soundtrack playing in the back ground. However, my concern was would everyone get a long. The women at my party varied in ages and backgrounds.  I was a little afraid that my guest wouldn't interact with each other. The last thing I wanted was people just talking to the person they came with. That was not the case at all. In fact some of my guest all ready knew each other from school or other organizations they were involved with.  Even for the people who did not know each other, they commonality in their love for Sex and The City. This show has a way of bringing together women of all ages and backgrounds with the common thread of friendship and the search for love. It felt good to bring all these wonderful women together to celebrate our friendships and who knows maybe somebody made a new friend that night.

 It was so good to have all my friends together the old and the new.  The movie was wonderful! The central themes of the movie were friendship,love and forgiveness. It made feel really thankful for my friendships. Knowing that I have friends that will be there for me no matter what happens good or bad. I can't wait to see it again! You maybe asking yourself is the same crazed girl who was in a full on panic three days ago? I'll have to say all the work and prep were worth it. Its funny because yesterday I was thinking man I need to do that again. I guess entertaining is like what I hear from mothers about child birth you forget about all the pain and you just remember all the joy you felt once the baby arrives/party gets started.  I will live to entertain another day. In fact I am going to put together a couples dinner party for a few of my friends soon!  I would like to thank all my friends who came to the party! It was so good to see you all and to share that night with some of my closest gal pals! I can't wait to do it again!

PANIC AT THE COCKTAIL PARTY!!!!!

I am officially in FULL PANIC MODE! The RSVP's are rolling in for my cocktail party tomorrow night and now I am up to 12 people! Bare in mind that my apart is only 900 sq ft! So I am not exactly sure how I am going to cram everybody in.
Then as I do every time I start spinning out of control with worry and panic I call my mother. And she usually is the calming, rational force in my life. However she does have her moments when unintentionally she does more harm then good. For example she asks me if I can find plastic martini classes for the guest. I prefer to use glass because the hold the chill of the ice better. She's like you have enough martini glasses for all those guest? Thanks mom now I have one more thing to worry about. So has she talks I quickly scribble down count glasses on my to do list. Then she asks "why did you invite so many people?!" Thanks mom that helps! Then when I start to explain why, beep my other line rings. And I kid you not this is exactly how the call went:
Kim: Hello
Caller: Your having a SATC party and you didn't fing invite Me?!
Kim: Who is this?! Is this C?!
Caller: Yes this Is C
Kim (thinking) I haven't seen or talked to you in three years
Kim: oh hi, I didn't invite you because I didn't have your new number or your e-mail address.
Caller: Well someone told me you were having a party and I should go to your palce.
Kim: Sure, come on over!
I figure what's one more person?! Plus this is what this night is all about right celebrating our friendships old and new and having a good time. I just need to keep this in mind! Needless to say I am totally useless at work! Who has time to schedule meetings and update project plans, when I have a cocktail party to throw! Priorities people priorities! Oh, and top it all off since it is SATC party all the girls are going to be dressed super cute. Meanwhile I dont' have time to shop for a cute new anything so now I have to hunt through my closet for something cute and chic. But thanks to Ruby I have the shoes covered!
All is not lost though! My dear friend has volunteered to come over after work and help me set up and shop for supplies! So with her and Cory (yes Cory you are going to help!) I will be fine and we will have fun! I am so excited to see this movie. But with all this party prep I am more excited about the cosmos then anything else. I am very blessed to have so many wonderful friends to share this with! I promise when you see me tomorrow I will be the picture of calm and relaxation ( well I can't promise anything).
Quote for today: It will all be fine in the end. If its not fine then its not the end!
Love ya (mean it)

Girls Night

Unless you've been living on another planet for the last two months you know that the Sex and The City movie is opening this weekend.
To mark this very special occasion I've invited my peeps over for a cocktail party followed by going to the movies! Of course I will be making my killer cosmos (limit 2 per person) and I will have lots of New York themed snacks on hand.
I am really new at "entertaining" people at my house. I will be honest I love the thought of having friends over. But the reality freaks me out. As soon as I send out the invitation my mind starts spinning! What am I going to serve? What if they don't like it? Is my house clean enough? What if we run out of things to say? None of my dishes match! Will people care if all my wine lahave logos from wineries on them?
I have Friends who are fabulous at entertaining who make whipping up a cocktail party for eight look as easy as ordering pizza and watching a DVD! When you arrive at their homes they are laid back and relaxed and everything is laid out beautifully. I wish I had that gene!
It dawned on me that maybe I could be a good hostess too! That maybe the more parties I throw the better I'll be at it, the more comfortable I will become. And maybe, just maybe one day I do will be one those effortless hostess.
But until then I am still a neurotic mess! I am still freaking out about the fact that I don't have any serving ware! My house looks like a tornado went through it! How I am going to time all the food so it's hot and ready when guest arrive. What if a there is a terrorist attack you know the normal stuff.
As Cory would tell me I need to calm the f down! And I will, I have noticed that once my friends arrive and cocktails start flowing (booze helps a lot!) I relax and just enjoy my guest. I realize that these are my friends and they don't care that I am serving them on mix matched plates and that I got 90% of my stemware for free from wineries. And if they did would I really want them to be my friends?
What matters is that the food is good, the booze is free and that we have laugh until our sides hurt. So now that I've had my little panic attack I am ready! I can't wait to see my girls, have a cocktail and enjoy a really good movie!

Chino Farms

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with  a co-worker and she mentioned that her boyfriend is a personal chef. Instantly my ears perked up. She was telling me how he took her to this amazing produce stand near my neighborhood. I then went on to tell her how I love to cook and always looking for fresh hard to find ingredients.

She then said to me if you love food you HAVE to check this place out. She said foodies from all over the city come to this produce stand. And she wasn't kidding! I googled this place and read that some of the best chefs in San Diego come here every day to buy their produce. 

After talking to her and doing my own research I knew this is a place I just had to see for my self. So last Saturday I woke up with one thing in mind Chino Farms! Cory and I got up and got dressed usually we go to breakfast first thing on Saturdays. But not today I was on a mission! First stop Chino Farms!

When we pull up, it's this little stand on this huge farm. I thought is this it? There has to be more. As I learned never judge a produce stand by it's size. When I got out of the car I could smell the fresh produce and herbs. As I approached the stand a man who was leaving yells over to me "You have to buy the strawberries!" I was like huh? There are strawberries here? He said yes in the front row they are the best. 

Now since living in California I have become a strawberry snob there is a great little strawberry field down the street from my home that I've been buying from for the last three years! As much as I love those strawberries the ones I purchased at Chino Farms were the best I've tasted in my life!

They had two varieties of strawberries California and French. I had heard about french strawberries but never tried them. They are smaller and sweeter than the Californian. The sales person told me if you've never had a french strawberry then you have to buy these you'll love them. So I bought both the French and California. I have to say she was right, the French Strawberry is the best I've ever eaten! I had to stop myself from eating them all in the car.  

Besides the strawberries they had more varieties of carrots than I knew existed. You name the vegetable and it was there! The other cool thing is that all the produce they sell is grown locally right there on the farm!

Needless to say Chino Farms hasn't seen the last of me! If you live in the San Diego area check it out. If you don't go on your own adventure and visit your local farmers market! You never know what food treasures you might find!

Happy Mothers Day

This post is dedicated to my mother and grandmother! Today is Mother's Day and I even though I am in California and they are in New Mexico they were in my thoughts all day. So much so, that I decided to make my all time favorite dish growing up today.  I needed a little taste of home so I decided to make my grandmother's Chili Beans! These beans are my ultimate comfort food! I remember coming home from school and smelling them as I walked in the door. That smell made any stress or drama of the day just go away.  I would load a up a huge bowl add crackers and dig in!

I've never attempted to make these beans for myself. But I thought that since I couldn't spend the day with my mother and grandmother I would make them.  I called my grandma at least half a dozen times in the last two days to make sure I was getting it right. I made my chili beans and just like I would back home. I made a big bowl and crumbled crackers on top. I stuck my spoon in expecting to be transported back to my grandmothers house in one single bite. 

However I as I took my first few bites I was disappointed. The beans were fine in fact Cory loved them. But to me something was missing. I couldn't put my finger on it. Did it need more salt, less chili powder, perhaps a little more garlic powder. I just couldn't figure it out, I followed her instructions to the letter why didn't they taste the same? Then it dawned on me the key ingredient that was missing was my grandmother's love!

I know that sounds corny but its true, my beans were good but. They weren't the same and I think I enjoy them far more when she makes them for me more than I like making them for myself. My grandmother helped me developed my love for baking and cooking. Many a saturday was spent by her side in her kitchen baking desserts and preparing family meals. I owe my skill in the kitchen to her!

My mother also contributed greatly to my love of food. She taught me how to eat out of my comfort zone and try new things. When a child I would never eat pasta in white sauces. Because I thought white sauce on pasta was white gravy. And I am was not a fan of white gravy at all. Then my mom ordered a pasta dish with white sauce and told me to try it. I of course refused and she insisted that I at least try it before I decide to hate it. So I gave in and too my surprise I LOVED it! That was the day I discovered cheese sauce! I hate to think of all the food I would have missed out on if she hadn't made me take that bite! 

That is just one example of how she helped shaped my view of food. I am grateful to my Mother and Grandmother for so much. My strength, humor and over all love for food. They have always encouraged me and supported me in my dreams! I don't know where or who I would be without their love and support. There really aren't words to express my love and gratitude. So happy mother's day! I love you and thank you so very much for all you have and continue to do for me!

Good to the last drop

I LOVE wine! I am a self proclaimed wino and a couple of weekends ago I had a weekend in wino and foodie paradise. One my favorite places to get away to for a long Weekend is Santa Barbara California! I went up there to celebrate a milestone birthday with one my dear friends! She had never been wine tasting up there and I couldn't wait to show her why I loved this place so much!

We started the weekend on Friday morning by boarding a wine tour bus! We had schedule a full day of wine tasting in the San Ynez valley. The first winery we went to was Curtis vineyards owned by the Firestone family. I’ve been to Firestone winery on another trip and wasn’t impressed. So I was a little skeptical about going to Curtis. I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t really impressed with the white wines, however I really enjoyed a couple of the reds I tried, so much so that I bought a bottle.

I wont bore you with a play by play of every winery we visited that day and all the wines we tasted. What I will say is wine tasting gives people a great opportunity to learn about wine. I’ve met several people who before going to wine tasting say “I don’t like red” or “I don’t like whites”. However once they go wine tasting their wine pallet expands. They discover that like more wine then they thought they did.

Also wine tasting is fun, on this trip we were on the tour with two other girls who we didn’t know but by the end of the day and several wineries later we were great friends. Or at least until the buzz wore off! Another reason why wine tasting is great, is because by tasting more wines you'll learn as I did that there is a perfect wine to fit every mood and occasion.

For example now that spring is here and the days are warmer and longer. I like to drink more white wines and I found one that I am totally obsessed with at the moment. It is a 2007 Malvasia Bianca produced by Mandolina Wineries in none other than Santa Barbara County. This wine is light and fruity with just a hint of sweetness. It is wonderful on a warm afternoon with a nice cheese plate, add some good music and you have my ideal spring afternoon!

The funny thing about this wine is I did not taste it in Santa Barbara in fact I tried it a couple weeks before at a my neighborhood wine store. Of course I would live in a neighborhood with a wine store, I couldn't imagine living in a neighborhood without one!

If you can't get out to wine country I suggest you look for your local wine store and see if they have a tasting room or even a tasting event. Most wine stores do, and it's a great way to try a few different wines from different vineyards in one place. It's fun to go with friends so next time you and your friends want to out for a drink go to a wine bar and do a tasting.

The moral of the story is don't judge a wine by it's label. Whenever you get the opportunity to try a new wine take it. Because you never know, your next favorite bottle may only be a corkscrew away!

Cheers!

Kitchen Spaz

I love to cook, and as I’ve shared in previous post I love the food network and cookbooks. So when I do get in the kitchen I am super excited and can’t wait to start cooking and see the finished product.
You may be wondering okay so what’s the big deal you like to cook and eat. Well I have notice that I can be a bit of spaz. Now, people have called me a spaz before about my driving (thanks Mom). Lately, I started to notice that when I cook I tend to get overly excited and rush things.
Since I watch so much food network, I am under the delusion that every meal no matter how intricate can be done and on the table in thirty minutes. So I find myself rushing around the kitchen like a crazy woman. I am dropping things, forgetting ingredients dropping F bombs left and right. The other night I sent a clove of garlic flying across the kitchen when I was smashing it with my knife.Now my peaceful kitchen time has become stressful.
However, I am determined to get this dish on the table no matter what; and 9 times out of ten it’s a success. I am very happy with the results and peace is restored to the universe. The other day I was in the kitchen and felt my inner spaz starting come out and heard the words of a dear friend in my head. “You should have fun when you cook, if it stops being fun then get another glass of wine!” These words have stuck with me and when I find myself in a tale spin in the kitchen. I stop tell myself Kimberly you are not a world class chef and you are not cooking for the James Beard award. Calm down and enjoy the process!
So, now I am not so concerned with absolute perfection and getting it done in record time. I really enjoy the process of cooking, I turn on my favorite music and maybe have a glass or two of wine and just enjoy the process. Don’t get me wrong I am still nowhere near being a blissed out zen master in the kitchen, I am too type A for that. I think I’ll always be a spaz(I am that girl) in some way or another it’s just how I get when I am excited and love what am doing. So when I am a spaz in the kitchen it just reminds me that I am doing something that I really love and that really excites me!

The Joy of Cookbooks!

I love cookbooks! I love everything about them the pictures, the list of ingredients. But most of all I love the possibilities that cookbooks give me when I open one up. I read cookbooks like some people read novels! I love the thought that with the right ingredients I too can make this wonderful dish come to life in my very own kitchen!
Cookbooks allow me to find a voice for my food personality! I pick recipes that fit my mood that day, not only do I find recipes that fit my mood, the authors I pick also reflect what cooking style I most relate to on any given day.
For example, Nigella Lawson is my go to girl for comfort food! She is a woman who is passionate about food and she only makes dishes that not only taste good but make you feel good! I swear her chocolate cake is the cure for any broken heart or bad day. I also love her risotto which is like a big hug in a bowl, it’s steamy and rich and make the world feel like a much better place to live in.
If I am entertaining friends or want to make an impression I pull out one of my Barefoot Contessa Books. Her recipes are all about the details from homemade chicken stock, to high end cuts of meat and fish. She also makes a mean cocktail; her recipe for cosmopolitans will knock your socks of literally, it is perfect for girl’s night in with some great appetizers and laughing until your side hurts!
When I have those days when I feel like I have over done the rich foods and butter. Hey I am not Paula Dean I can’t live on a steady diet of butter and mayonnaise (at least not while I still live in Southern California)! I turn to my Cooking Light cook book! It has all my favorite foods from soups to pizza. All the recipes are lighter versions than the original but they don’t skimp on taste. I firmly believe healthy food has to taste good; it’s only healthy if you eat it. This is an excellent cookbook if your watching your calories or just want to lighten things up every once in a while.
I have lots more cookbooks then the ones I have mentioned here and I love them all! I love them all so much that I have set a goal to cook at least one thing out of every cookbook I own this year! So I can continue to explore all my food personalities! Next time your in your kitchen or bookstore open a cookbook you’ll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself!

Cupcake Interrupted!

I would love to say that every time I bake or cook it comes out perfect and delicious every time. However I would be lying if I did. Sometimes despite my very best efforts I cook something thats less then amazing shocking I know. 

For example the cupcake you see above is just one example of how food doesn't always come out as planned.  The cupcake above is a Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting. I got the recipe from one of my food idols Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa). I first saw this recipe on her food network show and then when I got her cook book I just knew I had to make them. Every other recipe I've tried of hers has come out great. But there is a first time for everything. 

Where did I go wrong?! Though the frosting turned out great, the cupcake its self was a little off. The cake tasted bitter, reminded me of that unsweetened bakers chocolate. Now I followed the recipe too the letter. But I think where I went wrong was my choice in coco powder. I always try to use the best ingredients in my desserts (with in my budget) so I got this really high end coco powder and not the brand I usually buy, and the result bitter cupcake! 

I was disappointed, because I really wanted to love these cupcakes! I spent all week day dreaming about they way they would taste. My reality check bounced big time on this one.

It stands as a reminder that to be a good cook, like anything else you have to practice to get better. So this isn't the last this recipe has seen of me! I'll try it again, and I am sure the next time will be the success I dreamt of! 

So the moral of this story is, if at first you don't succeed try, try again!

That Girl

Among my friends we use the term "that girl" for example: I don't want to be "that girl" who is late all the time or I don't want to be "that girl" who is the crazy drunk.  I think my friends and I spend a lot of time focused on the girl we don't want to be. Like, that girl who doesn't cook, that girl with the messy apartment or that girl who always says the wrong thing at the wrong time.

But the fact is we are all "that girl" in one way or another for good or for bad. So this is where I would like to introduce myself, I am Kimberly and I am "that girl" who loves food! I love all things food I am "that girl" who wakes up on Saturday mornings to watch food network for recipe ideas. I am "that girl" who looks up the menu of a restaurant online before I go so I know what to order. Most of this blog will be devoted to my adventures in food! 

However I am also "that girl" who cherishes her friendships and what goes better with food than good friends. I am a self proclaimed wino! I am "that girl" who thinks the cure for a bad week is a big cocktail. So I'll hope you'll check in and read about me being the girl who loves food, friends and wine!  

Because at the end of the day all a girl really needs in the words of LeAnn Rhymes is A good friend and a glass of Wine!