Homemade Vanilla Extract

December 2010 Food & Wine magazine arrived in late November and when I was reading it, I found this awesome gift idea for my girl friends.  Well Christmas 2010 came and went and I had nothing.  In 2011, I wasn't going to let this happen!

So at the beginning of November I ordered the bottles from the container store. Then bought a large bottle of vodka.  Then in late November I finally found vanilla beans.  I bought mine at Whole Foods and they were 5 bucks a piece, but when we were recently at a brew shop (the one we visited in this post), I found 8 vanilla beans for $8.  Wow, did I over pay!  Well I have no idea the difference in quality, but I think it is worth a try to save $4 a bean!

Then time to assemble.  I took the bean, cut it in half (lengthwise), because I was on a budget. Placed the bean in the bottle, then filled the bottle to the top with vodka, put the cork in, and placed them in a cool dark place for 6 weeks. I tied a festive gift tag to the bottle.  I've already tried mine and it is fabulous, even better than store bought!

Homebrewed by Andrew - Mystery IPA

On the way home from Santa Monica, we stopped at the closest brew supply shop to us in Santa Barbara.  Surf Brewery is a Brewery, Tasting Room, and Home-brew shop that is about 40 minutes down the coast in Ventura, CA. We were only there to pick up some supplies, but next time I would love to do a tasting or just hang out.

In the shop we met one of the employees who is also a Home-brewer who suggested an IPA to us.  Andrew asked him to put together a kit and give him the recipe.  So, he measured out the grains, picked out a few varieties of hops, selected the dry malt, and wrote down the steps.  The reason I call it the Mystery IPA is because we have no idea what it is. 

Once we arrived home Andrew was very excited to start his next brew.

Brewing the hops, grains, and malt

Shaking the bucket & mixing it all up. 

Measuring the alcohol content. 

The Fermenting Stages: This is where the beer sits and waits while it ferments. 

Now we must wait 3 weeks, but you can watch it bubble with us! 

Mini Veggie Pockets!

Earlier this month I was looking for healthy recipes I could make for Super Bowl Sunday and I came upon 50 Super Bowl Snacks on foodnetwork.com.  After looking through all of them #50 sounded awesome, quick and easy: Mini Veggie Pockets.

Here is the recipe:
1. Warm 12 mini pitas
2. Cut off the tops and fill with hummus, crumbled feta, chopped olives, cucumber, lettuce, and tomato.   

Really can't get easier than that!!! I modified it to my own likings by removing the olives and lettuce, I would rather have more feta, cucumber and tomato.  I also added a Tzatziki dip (see recipe below).  Which is also very easy, and it makes more than enough. 

Last night my friend Nicole was having a gathering for all Tax-Season Widows and Friends and I brought my Mini Veggie Pockets.  This time I set is up as a "Make-it-Yourself," rather than preassemble each pocket. I found this is best because it does not let the moisture from the veggies and sauce make the pita soggy.  NOTE: I usually can find the mini pita pockets at Trader Joe's, but last night they were out so I substituted with full-sized pitas and cut them each into 4 pieces and they worked just the same.

Tzatziki
Serves 12, Yields: 1.5 pints
Find this recipe online.

Here is the recipe:
1 pint sour cream (I used Fage 0% Greek Yogurt)
1 English cucumber, peeled, grated, and salted lightly
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1/3 c olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
salt

1. Just mix everything up together until it is all blended and the oil has emulsified into the yogurt/sour cream.  Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.  Put in resealable container and let sit in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Homebrewed by Andrew - English Pale Ale & American Amber Ale

This last Christmas all Andrew wanted was a home brew kit. In support of his dream to brew his own beer I bought him a kit (this one) and had to prepare myself for what I just did. Our one bedroom loft will be turning into a small 5-gallon brewery every 3 weeks or so. I have to admit, I was not sold on the idea, it seems like a lot of work for that ice cold beer. You can buy some really good beer at the store with absolutely no work, but where is the fun in that?

Well, the brewing begins!

Andrew and I really like Firestone Double Barrel Ale (DBA), which is a favorite central coast brewery. I did some research in what type of beer it was, I learned it was very similar to an English Pale Ale. Included in his Christmas present was a kit for English Pale Ale. He decided to make this beer for his first attempt.  Note: The Brewing took place before the blog and taking pictures of everything.  I will have pictures and more for the next batch!

English Pale Ale

After the 3 week fermenting stage, then the week long bottling and carbonating stage were complete, we were finally able to enjoy his first home brew!  We reveled his first beer at a weekly dinner, Andrew was the first to taste and gave a nod after his sip.  It was passed around to everyone, finally someone said, "This is really good!"  We all agreed, we were pretty impressed with Andrew's Homebrew.  And it was really good, it wasn't quite DBA (I would say I am the most critical), but it was really close.  I think the hop flavor was more noticeable in the English Pale Ale than the DBA.  We just ordered the "DBA" kit, this will be brewed after our next batch.

American Amber Ale

Also included in his Christmas present was a kit for American Amber Ale.  This was his second batch, you can tell this one is a little richer in color, but I didn't think it was richer in taste.  I found this to be a little bit lighter and more refreshing.  It has become my favorite of the two and my drink of choice the last few weeks.

Next Batch: Mystery IPA

TIP: Jalapeno Burning? I have a solution!

Monday evening I prepped the vegetables for our dinner Tuesday night. Included in the vegetables, were 4 jalapeno peppers.  So I did what I would normally do prepping any peppers.  I cut them in half, grabbed the seeds with my hands and tossed them, then cut long strips of pepper, and then cut across creating little squares.

3 hours later, I felt some slight burning, but nothing painful.  I washed my hands with dish soap and the burning went away.

Next morning, I woke up and took a shower, about 10 min after my shower, my fingers were on FIRE!!!! Starting to panic, this needed to stop.  So I went to my go to person, Google.  After searching for "how to stop jalapeno burning?" I found a web forum with may different solutions.  

Try #1: Cover your hands in milk/oatmeal.  I have this lotion called MILK, it is the best lotion in the world, and I thought it would work because it is dried milk solids and oat protein combined in a thick luxurious and moisturizing lotion.  Well the burning sensation got worse after applying the lotion.  So DO NOT USE for soothing jalapeno burning, but I highly recommend it for everyday use.

Try #2: Use a fat: Oil or Butter.  I used olive oil, I poured it all over my hands and rubbed it in as much as I could, but once again the burning got worse.

The Solution: Baking Soda!  I wiped all of the olive oil off my hands, and then rinsed my hands so they were a little wet, and then coated my hands in baking soda.  I felt cooling almost right away, but the burning was not gone immediately.  I sat over the sink for about 30 min (boring!), but finally the burning was gone.  Phew! I rinsed my hands again, and I was able to get back to work.

Breakfast at Four Daughters Kitchen

Sunday morning after celebrating in Santa Monica, we wondered over to Manhattan Beach for breakfast.  We ended up at Four Daughters Kitchen.  There was about a 30 minute wait, but it was worth it, plus you can take a stroll down to the beach, it is right down the hill.

 Caramel Latte

A Very Happy Anniversary!

Andrew and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary this last Saturday. As huge fans of Top Chef and Food Network, we became familiar with Nyesha Arrington, a southern California chef. Nyesha was one of the selected chefs on Top Chef Texas (Bravo). She was a great chef, but her time on the show came to an early end when she was paired with a disastrous chef who took her down with her. Soon after her departure, Wilshire restaurant reached out to Chef Hunters (Food Network) in search for a new executive chef. As each of the chefs in the competition were introduced, Andrew and I said wait a second, that is Nyesha from Top Chef! Nyesha fought hard in the kitchen and was offered the position at Wilshire. From that time Andrew became a huge fan of her. She proved herself and her talent in the online after competition for dismissed Top Chefs on Last Chance Kitchen  and she held her reign for 5 weeks. With all that said Nyesha has proven she is a very talented chef. To celebrate, we decided we would take that trip to Santa Monica, meet Nyesha and taste the food from the chef herself at Wilshire Restaurant.

I'm Obsessed...

Within walking distance of my house is a local coffee shop, The Daily Grind. They have a whole wall of different coffees, but the one that keeps me coming back over and over, the Cinnamon Bun coffee. It is a Colombian roast with a touch of cinnamon, and every time I take a sip I smell the sweet aroma of fresh baked Cinnamon Buns.  It doesn't require any sugar or cream, I like mine with a splash of Non-Fat Milk.  I think it is like breakfast in a coffee, I'm obsessed.

NOTE: They are cash only, so any time I have a few bucks in my wallet, I am sure to spend it on a Cinnamon Bun Coffee!  Today, I had to add up all my spare change to find enough to purchase this sweet morning treat.

Salmon & Corn Chowder

My friend Matt

Almost once a week Andrew and I either host or join a group of friends for a homemade dinner.  Last night it was hosted at David, Jojo, and Matt's house, and we were in for a special surprise.  I was expecting a delicious grilled meal, both Matt and David are geniuses with a grill.  But no, the grill was stored away tonight.  Instead a big red pot was stewing away on the stove.  Matt was the chef tonight, and he decided to cook up Salmon and Corn Chowder. 

While I was devouring cheese, crackers, and the local farmer's market's carrots with the girls in the living room, I heard a faint, "Sarah," from the kitchen.  I wasn't sure why I was being summoned to the kitchen, but I marched right in and said, "What can I do for you?"  Matt whispered, "You are the only one in there I actually trust to taste this." Yes, was I flattered! He just won mega-points with me and so did his dish.  So I took a spoonful of soup and gave him my honest opinion, it was salty and needed some pepper, maybe a little more citrus and cream.  Now that my duties were done, I returned to the living room and the cheese plate.

Not too much later, dinner was served and it was terrific!  I have to say I mentally took some of the credit, but Matt really deserves it all.  The chowder was served with a nice Caesar salad and cornbread (with corn kernels, my favorite) which was perfect for the cold windy evening. 

I highly recommend it if you want to try fish, but you really aren't a fishy person or just want a new way to cook salmon.  Here is the recipe from Wood-Fired Cooking by Mary Karlin. 

Salmon and Corn Chowder
Serves 6 as a main course
From Wood-Fired Cooking by Mary Karlin

3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces unpeeled small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped, including half of greens
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (about 2 ears)
4 cups fish or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 pounds salmon fillets, skin and pin bones removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup minced fresh dill (Matt used cilantro in his chowder instead)

Prepare a campfire or wood-fired grill for cooking with direct heat.  NOTE: We cooked it on the stove (Sorry wood-fire.)

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat and saute the celery for 3 minutes.  Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Stir in green onions and corn and add 2 cups of the stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Add cream and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the salmon and lemon zest and simmer gently until the salmon is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add more stock as needed and lemon juice to taste.  Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

Serve in bowls, topped with the dill. Or cilantro like Matt. 

Enjoy!

Bone Marrow my Love?

This Saturday is Andrew and my 3 year anniversary, so far every year we have celebrated with a fun and new dining experience.  I don't think we would have lasted this long if we didn't share the same love of food.  I can't wait to celebrate this year.  It is going to be hard, but I hope it beats last year. 

Last year we reviewed Yelp to see what the top restaurant was in Santa Barbara at the time, the winner, Julienne.  It is a very small intimate restaurant which focuses on local, seasonal and sustainable products not far off the main street.  They offered a 5 course tasting menu which allowed you to pick any 5 items on the entire menu.  Andrew and I wanted to pick 10 different items so we could try it all, and of course we did the wine parings as well.  It was a very fun dinner.  I can say there was definitely some great food served, but only one thing sticks with us today and we will continue to rave about it, probably for the rest of our lives.

Two words: Bone Marrow.  I know kind of scary, we were scared too, but we decided we would try it all.  It came out on a plate still inside the bone with a few pieces of toast.  We had no idea how to eat it, so we asked the waitress, "How does this work?" She told us, "Just use the knife and spread it on the toast." So that is what we did.  At the same time we took our first bite, and something seriously magical happened, that bone marrow was absolutely one of the best things I have ever tasted.  It had a jelly consistency, with a buttery, salty taste of OH MY GOD GOODNESS.  It has got to be one of the hardest things to describe, and all I have to say is you have to try it.

Not only was there love in the air, I mean it was our anniversary, but this bone marrow added even more love.  Our love for each other, our love for food, our new love for bone marrow, and Andrew's love for the chef.  Andrew insisted on going to the head chef to tell him how much he loved his bone marrow, the food and the chef himself, and while he was up there he ordered another one.  So yea, we had 11 course, 2 of which were the bone marrow.

So I dare you, next time you see bone marrow on the menu, order it.

Cupcakes & Champagne

So I am a wine club member at local beer and wine tasting room, Corks n' Crowns to be exact.  I know being part of a wine club sounds a little fancy, but for me it is to learn about wine and discover what I like.  My early experiences with wine included massive quantities of "Two Buck Chuck", boxed wine, and decanters of Carlo Rossi, which may have destroyed my palate more than anything.

Being a wine member at Corks (this is and how I will reference Corks n' Crowns from now on) gives me chance to try all types of wine from all over the world and really develop an appreciation of all types of wine and find my favorites.  In addition to the wine, it is just a really fun place to go.  I would highly recommend anyone in the Santa Barbara area to join, I have actually convince a few of my friends already.  All memberships include free tasting for you and a few friends every day you come in; who wouldn't love that!

My friend Bailey

A few months back Corks added Cupcakes and Champagne every Sunday to their weekly line up of events.  Our first visit was a blast, and if you asked me I would go every week.  The cupcakes are delivered to Corks, by Sugarcat Studios each Sunday morning.  I must say, the cupcakes were delicious, but do require an adventurous palate. 

The cupcakes included a Sharp Cheddar Cupcake with Honey Blue Cheese Frosting, Vanilla Almond Cupcake with Almond Buttercream and Granola Topping, and Egg Nog Cheesecake Cupcake with Brandy Cream Cheese Frosting.  They were all amazing, but the one I would love to have again is surprisingly the Sharp Cheddar Cupcake!  Ali Reide of Sugarcat Studios actually won Cupcake Wars with this treat the week before, and I totally know why.  It was so unique and tasty, anything that combines the sweetness of dessert and cheese always makes me happy.

Oh yea, the Champagne, it was good and who doesn't want to enjoy a beautiful Sunday morning sipping a glass of Champagne, or maybe three?

Check out some more wine tasting!

I'm Obsessed...

"I'm obsessed" is something I often say when I find something new that I can't get enough of it.  I am one of those people that will enjoy it over and over again until I am sick.

Recently, a friend brought over desserts when we were hosting a dinner.  They were cutest little ice cream cones, first part of my obsession anything mini just gets me.  But then biting into the hard chocolate shell and chocolate ice cream brought the biggest smile to my face, probably the best chocolate ice cream I have had in a long time.  You still get everything you would in a full sized ice cream cone but you have no guilt, you can't, it is mini, right?

You can find these delicious treats at Trader Joe's in the frozen section, Hold the Cone! Trader Joe's Mini Ice Cream Cones, Chocolate.  And if you were wondering just 70 calories (30 from fat)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

http://www.bobbyflay.com/

Valentine's day was always one of those days to me that was very silly, until 3 years ago when I had my first "real" Valentine.  It was short lived, until my special love became a accountant, and busy season doesn't let up for love.

So while he is working, I will be out with my girl friends, but we will be home together to enjoy dessert.  This year I decided to make a favorite, Mesa Grill's Chocolate-Peanut Butter Creme Brule!  Thank god for chocolate, peanut butter, and Bobby Flay!

Here is the recipe! You will love it!  I did half the recipe, because if I make 4 servings I will eat 3 of the 4.  In honor of Valentines day, I wanted to use heart shaped ramekins like these.  I was too late and had to get creative, so I took heavy duty foil, heart shaped cookie cutter and created my own.  I think they came out pretty good.

We enjoyed our Creme Brule with a nice glass of Trader Joe's 2009 Late Harvest Moscato from Paso Robles.  Delicious combination! 

Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter Creme Brule
Serves 4

From Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook Buy it here for Nook

3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
7 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup tubinado sugar or other raw sugar

1. Bring the heavy cream and milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, remove from the stove, and stir in the peanuts.  Let sit, covered, for at least and hour in the refrigerator and up to 24 hours.  Strain the mixture, wipe out the pan, and return to the pan.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Place the mixture back on the stove, add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and peanut butter.  Whist together the yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and the salt in a large bowl until pale in color.  Slowly whisk in the hot chocolate mixture and continue whisking until combined.  Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.

4. Place 4 8-ounce ramekins inside a large backing dish sing a ladle, divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins.  Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake until the custard is set around the edges but still jiggles in the center, 40 to 45 minutes.  The custard will continue to cook as it cools.  Let cool to room temperature then cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and the refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

5. Preheat the broiler until very hot.

6. Sprinkle an even coat of tubinado sugar over each custard, place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and broil  until the sugar is melted and dark golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Osteria Mozza

Andrew. Pam, and Hannah

Last Saturday, for Andrew's Mom's birthday we took her to Osteria Mozza, co-owned by no other than the Iron Chef himself, Mario Batali. Known for his Italian cuisine and combined with Nancy Silverton and Joe Bastianich they have created a dining experience to dream about. We made our reservations 3 weeks prior, yes you need to make them pretty far in advance, but no worries this gave me plenty of time to plan (A.K.A. dream about) my meal.

So that is what I did.  I reviewed the menu, read the reviews, and browsed the hundred of yelp photos over the next 3 weeks.  I planned out what I would order from the Mozzerella bar, primi, secondi, and of course the dolci. I also decided others that looked delicious, if we couldn't decide what to order. I know, I am a control freak. I don't think I am always this way, just when it comes to my food.

So finally the our reservation arrived, we sat at the table and we ordered. Now the experience began, and I tried every single edible item that was placed on our table.

Burrata with Bacon

Mozzerella Bar favorite: Burrata with bacon. Of course it is good it has bacon, but that is just the beginning. It was a small crostini with bacon, burrata mozzerella, and caramelized shallots, but what made it such a great bite, was the vinegar marinated escarole.

Primi favorite: We only ordered one, Orecchiette, it was good, nothing to write about. But I know next time, if there is a next time, I will be ordering the Raviolo, Calf's Brain Ravioli, or Squid Ink Chitarra Fredi I think those are more adventurous and could really excite my taste buds.

Secondi favorite: I love short ribs, and I have this thing where I have to order them. So that is what I did, but that wasn't my favorite of the night. My favorite was the Grilled Quail wrapped in pancetta. Perfectly tender with the salty sweetness of the pancetta. Ok, maybe I do like bacon...

Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes

Dolci (THE FAVORITE): Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes with Olive Oil Gelato and Rosemary brittle. This is a combination of salty, sweet, warm, cold, lemon, and rosemary, the only problem, I had to share with three other people. This is something I want to try to create at home. Once I figure out the recipe I will definitely be sharing it with you!

Ciao.

Chimi, chimi, changa!

Have you ever had that one taste of something and ever since then you have been chasing that same feeling of deliciousness you first had?

Well I have, and mine started one evening at dinner with Andrew. Andrew is an accountant and during busy season we cherish what ever time we can get together. Last year in February he asked me to join him for dinner at the little Mexican restaurant next to his office, La Playa Azul Cafe. I actually have no idea what I ordered, obviously it wasn't memorable probably something healthy and tasteless, but Andrew ordered a Chimichanga and oh boy I have been thinking about it ever since. He offered me a bite, I hesitated, but said yes and the moment the crispy flaky flour tortilla encasing the perfect combination of cheese, shredded chicken, rice, re-fried beans, sour cream, and guacamole hit my mouth, as Judy Joo would say on Next Iron Chef, I had a food-gasm. Yes I know this isn't anything fancy like what they have on Next Iron Chef, but this hit the spot and I haven't forgot it.

Since this day I have been in a personal battle with myself every time I go to a Mexican restaurant. Do I get the Chimichanga or go healthy? Healthy always wins, except for today.

Today, I woke up in downtown Long Beach after visiting a friend for the night. Right across the street was SuperMex. The moment I knew we were going to Mexican I made a mental decision, I want that chimichanga. About an hour later I sat there at the bar with the Laker game on, 3 friends and the holy grail of fried burritos in front of me. This was no La Playa Azul chimichanga, but it hit the spot. My craving has been satisfied. Period.