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By Adrianna, May 14, 2010

I find this strange enjoyment with ringing myself up at the grocery store’s self-checkout.  I love pressing the touchscreen, looking up produce numbers, and scanning each product’s bar code. After thinking about it for a bit, I realized it all goes back with my ambitions as a kid to be on Supermarket Sweep.  Do you remember that show? Oh my, how I wanted to wear one of those brightly-colored sweatshirts! And those gigantic name tags! Oh and my strategy. Umm…can we talk about the strategy that went into that game? Everyone knows that you go for the most expensive stuff in the store first. Like the turkeys or hams. And then you grab all the over-the-counter drugs, and then you move to the cereals or liters of soda. Man, they really need to bring that show back. It’s so 1990 in the most awesome way possible.

Continue reading 'Lemon Pizza'»

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By Caroline, April 21, 2010

I want to apologize in advance for my less-than stellar photos on this post. I’m not normally a photo-taking person; I don’t carry cameras with me to parties or in my purse, and when I do take photos for our lovely blog, it requires that I eliminate all distractions so I can give it my complete attention. So, when I decided to document what foodie spots Chase and I took his mother and stepfather to on their recent visit, I often realized that I had completely forgotten about the bulky, heavy camera in my purse until everything at the table had been eaten, or until we had left the restaurant completely. Still, lack of photos aside, if you ever come to LA for a weekend I’ve got some good suggestions of things to eat.

For their first meal we took Chase’s parents to Aroma for breakfast. Aroma is amazing, and it is “sooo LA.” Why is that you ask?

Because it’s a restaurant that relies on year-round outdoor seating.

Because the food is fresh, homemade and delicious.

Because their iced coffee is outrageously good.

Oh, and see that woman fussing over her dog? There’s always a few of those there. Always.

Now, when it comes to ethnic food, LA has a lot to offer.  You can barely pass a street corner without seeing a Thai or sushi restaurant. For parents that are fans of both, you gotta hit up Gindi Thai in Burbank. They have phenomenal pad thai and their green curry was blessed by the gods. They also have sushi rolls like The Sun, which includes apple, avocado and spicy tuna wrapped up in a roll, and is then topped with baked lobster. I know, it isn’t even fair. I wish I had a photo, but again, I’m  a bad blogger and am often too distracted by food to remember silly things like photos. Never, ever, ever have I heard someone complain about something they ate at Gindi. If they did, I would be seriously worried about the condition of their taste buds. Continue reading 'Fresh Strawberry Salad + What to Feed Your Future Mother-In-Law'»

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By Caroline, April 7, 2010

I have an issue with rice pudding. It’s not that I don’t love it. I do. A lot. My issue is that I always seem to convince myself that this is somehow a “healthy” dessert. I mean, it’s rice, right? How can rice be bad for you? This explains why in the past I have ordered rice pudding for breakfast, ignoring the looks of my friends when they realize my early morning meal will be coming from the dessert menu.

Continue reading 'Brown Rice Pudding with Blueberries'»

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By Adrianna, March 26, 2010

Let’s talk risotto.  Risotto and I have an awkward history. A few Christmases ago, I thought it’d be a fantastic idea to add risotto to our Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. As I was prepping, cooking and juggling five dishes, I started the risotto and between ladling chicken stock in the pot and doing random other things, I totally overcooked it, and it turned into a dry, rubbery, gross mess.  Once I realized I messed up the one dish I was most excited about, I had a breakdown.  A total kitchen breakdown.  My lovely family felt so bad about my breakdown that they ate the gross risotto anyway….as they laughed, of course.  So needless to say, me + risotto = not friends. BUT, me + pasta, risotto style = BFF.  I’ll explain…

There aren’t many recipes that totally transform the way I eat. I mean, I try a lot of stuff and methods to cooking things, but rarely do I ever make a recipe over and over again.  This recipe totally did it for me. It’s the one recipe I repeat at least once a week. Why? It’s super adaptable.  Literally you can put anything you want in it.  Have some scraps from a rotisserie chicken in the fridge? This is the recipe for you.  Have some extra vegetables without a purpose?  Their home is in this dish.  Have that awkward amount of cheese (ricotta, marscapone, etc)?  Put it in this thing. It’s also quick, but at the same time I wouldn’t feel shy about serving this to guests. Basically, it’s a huuuuge step up from the sometimes bowl of cereal I have for dinner.

Continue reading 'Spring Lemon Pasta, Risotto Style'»

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By Adrianna, January 11, 2010

I realized something about myself today.  Olive oil is my thing.

When I was 12 or 13, I received a spa cookbook for my birthday and became hooked on mixing up oatmeal masks, honey hair treatments and avocado masks.  Why my 12 year old self needed any sort of facial mask is another story.  But  I think I just liked the idea of cracking eggs in my hair and slapping oatmeal on my face; it seemed so neat and kinda retro. Now, the thought of slathering avocado all over my face sounds sort of weird, and plus, I’d probably just end up eating it anyway, which is even weirder. I know.

Anyway, I didn’t think much of it when I picked this pound cake out of a book of 200 or so recipes. Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake? I’m there. Sooo there. I then went to get ready for the day and grabbed my olive oil face wash and then put on this olive oil body lotion. And then I stopped. Whoa…I umm…really like olive oil. I guess I’m not so far off from my 12 year old self.  I still put food on my face thinking it’ll make me pretty. Hmmm…interesting.

Continue reading 'Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake'»

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By Adrianna, November 18, 2009

I think we all secretly enjoy sick days…at least a little.  Sure, you’re sick and that sucks, but there’s really nothing better than having an excuse to be cozy in bed during the middle of the day, watching television with mug in hand.  So last week when I went home sick, I was pretty excited that all of that was in my near future.

When I got home I immediately put on my pajamas, turned on the television, grabbed my computer to answer a few emails and got in bed.  Playing in the background was an episode of Martha Stewart, solely dedicated to the vendors at the Brooklyn Flea.  I was only half paying attention until a woman, who was a ricotta vendor there, began making Lemon-Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes alongside Martha.  I was totally in love.

Continue reading 'Lemon-Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes'»