A Magnificent Mothers Day to All :)

I have been blessed with such an amazing relationship and was happy that I could help celebrate her today.   Of course we have our ups and downs, if you don't then, I'm sorry, that's just odd.  Some mothers receive homemade cards, breakfast in bed, or a meal out.  I consider my trip home a gift in itself, but Meghan and I did a bit more.

For breakfast, I tried a new recipe from my Barefoot Contessa cookbook - Orange Cranberry Scones.  My mom's favorite scone is the ever-so-popular cherry, white chocolate scone from Looney Bean in Mammoth Lakes.  But, it was a little out of my league and I have a goal to test out my current cookbook recipes, so that was the plan.  We actually started the day with a walk around town with Bodie (our fabulous yellow lab) and picked up a coffee on the way, but the scones were ready for when we returned.

4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

3/4 pound cold unsalted butter (diced)

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cold heavy cream (although we found out that heavy whipping cream is the same)

1 cup dried cranberries

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk (for egg wash)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees and let the baking begin!

I didn't have a hand-zester tool, so I ended up improvising with our cheese-grater.

Mixing up the flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest (mmmmmm citrus)

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and heavy cream

Cream the butter and flour until the batter looks like little pebbles.  I had difficulty obtaining the perfect dough, so I started the integrate the egg and cream mixture. 

This did the trick and I soon was left with a perfectly buttery dough ready to be rolled out.

In order to divide the dough into shapes, I used the top of a cup, but it would work just as well with different shaped cookie cutters.  Maybe make breakfast a little more exciting.

Place the batter in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.  The biscuits might be better off if rolled out with a thicker consistency, but still ended up quite tasty.

Delicious and flaky.  Perfect on their own, warmed with a little butter, jam, and berries, or a nice cup of coffee. 

Flowers brought home to brighten the day and a lovely pick-me-up for Mom and the one and only Bodie resting in one of his favorite spots. 

Dinner was yet another treat, especially for a college student like me.  My dad had picked up excellent shish-kabobs from Bristol Farms (chicken and steak), and we paired it with asparagus and white rice.  Probably the most tender chicken and steak, grilled to perfection with pepper and onion. 

My grandparents enjoying the time by the pool

Our cheese snack platter with a selection of crackers.  Cheeses consisted of: Brie, blue cheese, salami, jack, and cheddar. 

The "Grill Chef" prepping dinner.

I've always had some trouble finding the perfect homemade frosting recipe, but somehow Meghan has managed to find one that is absolutely to die for.  Based off of powdered sugar with some butter, milk, and vanilla. Even better once placed in the fridge.  

The best were topped with coconut, per Mom's request and we topped many of them off with the fresh strawberries that Jamma and Papa picked up on their way up north.  What would have been even better is to have the "muffie" tin, a pan that only makes the top of the muffins, the absolutely BEST part of a muffin or cupcake.

It was a wonderful day with family, a lovely day outside to be in the sunshine and there are many more to come!

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.  ~Terri Guillemets

How Exciting, It's MAY!

May probably has to be one of my favorite months.  No, it is not just because it is my birthday, ok maybe that is the reason I like it so much, but there is also Cinco de Mayo!  A day we all claim as our own, celebrates Mexican heritage and pride as well as commemorates the cause of freedom and democracy during the first few years of the American Civil War.

Growing up I was adverse to any type of Mexican food or anything containing mint flavor.  I know, growing up in Southern California, how could I have avoided such delicious cuisine?  My aunt would tease me and say we were having tacos and mint chip ice cream for dinner.  Well, times and taste buds have definitely changed and I now crave Tex-Mex, Mexican food, and of course mint ice cream!

To start off the celebrations, I threw together a quick "Fiesta Salad" with black beans, lettuce, guacamole (compliments of Trader Joe's Avogadro's Guacamole), baby tomatoes, salsa, and some grilled chicken strips.  I could have included some frozen corn I had sitting in the fridge but I was pretty hungry by the time I got all the ingredients in the bowl.  To pair it all off, I grabbed the bag of "Reduced-Guilt" tortilla chips, another favorite from Trader Joes and was in 7th heaven.  This was a new product I was testing out and they seem to have won my heart out.  I don't try to rave about every product that I try and believe me, if something is not up to par, I will let you know.  But these chips seemed to have the most crunch.  They do tend to break easily under the pressure of the guacamole, but were not as flimsy as Tostitos and were much more satisfying.

But enough of this weak attempt at a Mexican meal.  I'm really ready for my sister's homemade tacos, where she makes the taco shells by placing fresh tortillas from (yep, you guessed it...) Trader Joes in a pan of oil and magically removes them, crispy to perfection.  I've heard my uncle Rob makes amazing tacos, but I have yet to see him in action.  We will have to have a taco throw down this summer.

Here are some great ideas from Sunset to celebrate your own Cinco de Mayo celebrations this week, month, or YEAR!  Wherever you can pick up a bag of tortilla chips and avocados, it's a fiesta.

From main dishes, drinks, even tutorials on making the best guacamole, check out some 

Favorite Mexican Recipes

{Some of the favorites? Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Tortilla Soup, Grilled Skirt Steak, Yucatecan Tostadas, Baja Fish Tacos, Mexican Chopped Salad with Orange Cream, Halibut Tostada with Yogurt-Lime Sauce}

Someone has already taken on the task of searching out the best burrito.  There happens to be a few spots along the California coast I might try to search out

"The Hunt for the Best Burrito"

And if you can't seem to put the perfect menu together, try this one!

Cinco De Mayo Taco Party

Fiesta Dinner Menu

I plan on testing these bad boys out very soon and definitely stay tuned for the Tres Leches Cake.  When we traveled to Costa Rica a few years ago, we were introduced to the fine sweet treat and I've been searching out the perfect recipe ever since!

*Another Costa Rican favorite was the delicious and omni-present Arroz con Pollo.

My compliments, as always, to Trader Joe's and Sunset, two quality institutions :)

Together We are Giant

Baseball season has begun and what particular foods come to mind?  How about peanuts, a good 'ol hot dog with the fixings, and if we are lucky, some frozen yogurt with sprinkles.  This would be out treat out when we would travel to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play.  Last night I took a trip up to the city with a few friends and obviously we did not visit the Ravine, but rather AT&T Park to watch the Giants take on the San Diego Padres.

With today's updated ball parks you can't go wrong.  There are so many choices even the pickiest health nut might be able to find a meal.  

Here we are getting onto the favored public transport of Northern California...Cal Train.  Not the cleanest, but very convenient for baseball games. 

Fans taking advantage of Safeway's deals before entering the overpriced stadium. 

AT&T Park 

The Giants do a quality job of including all sorts of flavors - hot dogs (Hebrew National for the win!), pizza, bread bowls (with that classic sourdough), Mexican, and more!

Hmmm, that looks neat! Kid's meal? Maybe that's the one for me!

Ghiradelli favorites offering a $9.50 sundae or look out for the hot chocolate later on!

A look over the well-groomed field and out towards the San Francisco bay

Sean and Hallie ready for their first Giant's game (also Hallie's first-ever MLB game!)

The only thing I haven't been able to find is a well-priced meal.  After years of experiencing the outrageous prices that we were being charged for a meager hot dog, we have started packing our own meals.  This isn't exactly what managers want for the stadium, but what are they going to do about it?  Actually, the Safeway outside the Cal Train station and down the street from the stadium is overflowing with people before the games, picking up any last minute drinks or snacks to pack in. 

 

My homemade selection consisted of pasta salad (pasta with an Italian dressing, cucumber, baby tomatoes, chicken, asparagus, and some BBQ sauce to top it off), a bag of grapes, and 1/2 cup of pistachios.  Nuts with shells always make eating them a more exciting experience.  Or at least it takes longer. 

Because I didn't splurge on dinner, I made sure to snatch up the popular Ghiradelli hot chocolate when I saw it.  I am an expert with this, having attended a number of Giant's games.  First of all, do not buy anything that doesn't not come from the Ghiradelli man.  Second of all, it must come from a silver canister that is on the server's back, not the individual cups in the trays.  These cups have been sitting there for who knows how long and could very well be cold.  Might as well have a sign selling "chocolate milk" for $5.75

Notice the man actually dispensing the warm chocolately liquid from the pack on his back?  Then, per your request finishes off the top with whipped cream. 

Poor picture quality but this was when they featured one of the older ushers dancing to "I'm Sexy and I Know It," by LMFAO.  Absolutely adorable and hilarious.  Made my night to say the least. 

We did end up with a sundae towards the end of the game.  I tested a bite and even though the fudge had settled towards the bottom, it was as delicious as ever.  

No peanuts and no cracker jacks, but hopefully this left you with a little more inspiration and desire to watch America's favorite past-time. 

LET'S PLAY BALL!

National Grilled Cheese Month

Who knew there was a specific month dedicated to one of the tastiest combinations?  Well, that's just what the Counter is celebrating this April.  Each week, they introduce a new special combination to the menu and while I missed out on the ultimate mix (see the first week, "The Western"), I had been dreaming about having a grilled cheese all day. 

I almost went for the kid's cheddar grilled cheese, but gave the "Red, White, and Blue" a chance.  Blue Cheese, Swiss, Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Pesto.  Honestly, the blue cheese was a bit overwhelming.  I have just taken a liking to it, but would prefer it in a salad.  I also skipped out on the pesto and traded it in for a BBQ sauce and ketchup mix.  

Every day is a prime day for a grilled cheese, but if you feel you missed out, here are some of the upcoming national food holidays featured in May.  I think every food item has its own special day throughout the year.  

Asparagus Month

Barbecue Month

Chocolate Custard Month (really? never heard of it)

Egg Month

Gazpacho Aficionado

Hamburger Month (looks like I'l be making a trip to the Counter or grilling on my own!)

Mediterranean Diet Month

Salad & Salsa Month

Strawberry Month (my personal favorite...there will be lots of fun strawberry recipes coming up!)

Just to make it this much better...my birthday is considered "International No Diet Day"

Classic Cookies with a Twist

The other day I was browsing one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes & Cashmere, and Emily had experimented or tested out a cookie she claims is the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever."  Well, it looked simple enough so I went out to find the remaining ingredients.  Yes, this is a big step for me and it was well worth it! These turned out to be the fluffiest homemade cookies I have ever had. 

I absolutely adore the way Emily lays out her page and blog posts.  She seems to have a fantastic way of laying out the ingredients and it might help to invest in a different camera.  The entire process does take a bit of time because the dough apparently tastes better if it sits for 24-36 hours.  This ended up working out well in between my crazy class, work, meeting, and intramural schedule.

Ingredients

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. (8 ½ oz.) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz.) bread flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt, such as kosher
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups; 10 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, preferably about 60% cacao content, such as Ghirardelli
Sea salt or kosher salt for garnishing

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 

Yep, keep on mixing! Look at that creamy texture.

Slow down the mixer and begin to integrate the dry ingredients.  This can become a tad bit messy so make sure to incorporate it in small batches.  Sometimes holding a dish towel around the top of the bowl can also act as a solution.  

Add the chocolate chips, and mix briefly to incorporate. Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly. 

I used a standard-size ice cream scoop, which created massive size cookies.  If you prefer smaller cookies, then divvy them up by hand or two spoons as my grandmothers still do.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Now, the original recipe suggested that I place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheets, but I felt this made it much more difficult to remove the cookies after they had been taken out of the oven. 

Go ahead and indulge.  I'm sure you will be drooling by the time you take the cookies out, so enjoy. 

 Here's the Original Cookie Inspiration and some of the tips I picked up from my cookie research:

1 - Change up the flour mix with cake flour & bread flour 

2 - Chilling the dough for 24-36 hours allows it to soak up all the flavors

3 - Room Temperature Ingredients

4 - Variety of Chocolate - there is always the Toll House option, but I followed a suggestion to tes out Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips and brought it to a new level

5 - Seasalt perfection...sprinkling a little salt on top gives the cookies a nice sweet and salty combination

6 - Better to take the cookies out a tad bit early rather than late, just to make sure they aren't overdone (and they might taste even better if chilled :)