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.

I think at first glance this pizza looks like it’s fancy. If you were on Supermarket Sweep–and it was pre-made–it’s probably the thing you’d think you should grab for, but in actuality this pizza cost me about $8 to make. All it takes is 2 lemons, some creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and some homemade pizza dough. It’s an impressive looking pizza and it tastes nothing like I’ve ever had before. It would seem that slicing up a lemon, putting it on a pizza and cooking it would be weird. Because, um, you’re eating a whole slice of lemon.  But when the lemons are sliced this thinly, they’re seamless, and their slight bitterness is actually an attribute to the pizza.  And plus, you have the creme fraiche that sort of downplays it and paired with smoked salmon, it’s a total winner.  I’m going to be eating this pizza all summer long.

{In my opinion, there’s nothing better than cooking pizza on a stone, but the good ones can cost upwards of $50. An amazing alternative (via my Dad) is picking up two clay tiles (from Lowes or Home Depot), which will run you around $2 a piece, and placing them in your oven side-by-side. Put the pizza on parchment–like I have above–and put it directly on the hot clay tiles. It’ll give you the same result: a perfectly cooked crust, at a fraction of the cost.}

Lemon Pizza

Serves 8 as an appetizer

Recipe by Christopher Idone via The Wednesday Chef

The original recipe called for salmon caviar, but since I’m not a huge fan, I opted to go with smoked salmon.  Go with what you think is best!

12 ounces prepared pizza dough (I used Deb’s recipe for a really simple, fool-proof pizza dough)

2-3 lemons, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced paper thin, seeds removed

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup creme fraiche

4 ounces smoked salmon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and roll dough out to roughly 12 inches in diameter and very thing – about 1/6-inch thick. Place on a greased sheet pan, or heat a pizza stone in the oven. Cover surface of dough with lemon slices, overlapping them very slightly. Sprinkle with pepper and olive oil. Transfer pizza to hot pizza stone or place the sheet pan in the oven.

Bake until dough is brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. If the lemons brown too quickly, cover the surface of the dough with foil until dough is cooked through.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool. Spread creme fraiche over the surface and dot with caviar (or in my case, smoked salmon). Cut into wedges and serve.

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.

Oh my lord, we had some gelato. I will say that I have been to Italy, and have sampled every flavor of gelato they offer. I got excited once in North Carolina when Barnes & Noble began offering gelato, until I realized that what they called “gelato” I called your average ice cream.  It wasn’t the soft, creamy confections that I had come to love in Europe. LA gelato though, doesn’t disappoint. This stuff will make you weep with happiness. And when you subtract the plane ticket to Italy, it’s the cheapest gelato around. If you go to the Gelato Bar, I highly recommend pistachio, hazelnut or the blood orange flavors, though maybe not together. Tell them I said ‘hi’.

If you want people (including your in-laws) to think that you and LA are super cool, take them to get gelato.

We also went to the farmer’s market.  I have a passionate love affair with the LA farmer’s markets and truly, they deserve their own post, but I’ll tell you a couple of my favorite things. First, you can get fresh young coconuts here. A very nice man will cut the top off so you can drink the refreshing coconut water inside, and he’ll also supply a spoon so you can eat out the flesh of the coconut. Chase’s mom wasn’t a huge fan of the gooey flesh, but I don’t think Chase had a problem eating her leftovers.

I also love this stand. It’s here every week with basket upon basket of fresh berries. Can you tell that we’ve had a good year for strawberries? Does the fact that Adrianna and I have used them in the last three posts give it away? Can you also tell that we share part of the same brain, since my salad is very similar to her macerated strawberries, and we definitely didn’t discuss this at all? Yeah, we creep ourselves out sometimes.

Seriously though, these berries are heaven. I bought these strawberries with Chase’s parents and fixed them for breakfast with our scrambled eggs with sour cream and buttermilk biscuits the next morning, just to give them a taste of what it’s like to eat some local CA food.

Maybe my “try the fresh coconut” idea didn’t work out so well, but my “try our fresh strawberries” epiphany was right on target. I think they’re fans. I know I am.

BTW – When I asked Chase to set the table for breakfast, this is what happened. Kinda gives away that we never set the table, right? Oh well, at least the tasty food distracted from the place setting.

Fresh Strawberry Salad

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The trick here is not to overthink the dressing. Basically, you want a 1 to 1 ratio of lemon juice to honey, with some chopped mint added in. Feel free to add more or less depending on how much you love mint.

2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chopped mint
2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered

Whisk together the lemon juice, honey and mint. Pour over berries and gently mix together. Allow to marinate for a few minutes, and then enjoy your fresh taste of spring.

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.

So yeah, it’s sort of an issue. Especially when I realize I’ve convinced myself that I’ve made a smart choice even though I’m spooning sugar and milk into my mouth at an unhealthy rate. However, I found a solution to my problem with this recipe. I’m not gonna lie, it still has some sugar, but A LOT LESS than most rice pudding recipes. And, this has brown rice instead of white rice, and soy milk instead of  whole milk. And it has blueberries. Fresh, juicy blueberries. So, with just a little sugar and lots of nutrition, I finally have a rice pudding that I can eat for breakfast. Well…that I can eat for breakfast and not feel bad about.

Brown Rice Pudding with Blueberries

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A huge bonus to this recipe is that it gives you something to do with cooked rice leftover from dinner. If you want to cut down on the cooking time leave out 1/2 cup of milk, although that might affect the creaminess of the final dish. You can also used dried fruit instead of fresh, but I would add it in at the beginning of the cooking process instead of the end.

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups low fat milk or soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a medium saucepan combine rice, milk, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon. Cook for 15-20 minutes stirring frequently until the pudding is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and add blueberries, stirring gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat in a big bowl with a spoon and feel happy about the decision you’ve made.

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.

I’m sure a lot of people might say that cooking pasta in a pot of boiling water is way easier, and it is, but the flavor isn’t as great.  Since the pasta “drinks” the stock, the flavor is richer and a bit creamier, sans cheese. 

Lastly, say you have no vegetables, no cool chicken, then all is good.   Pasta cooked in chicken stock (or vegetable) with a little salt, pepper and grated cheese = very cool meal.  If I could give any college kid a recipe, it’d be this one for sure.

Spring Pasta, Risotto Style

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

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Since it’s Spring (!!) I decided that a lemon pasta would be great. I added these cremini mushrooms, lemon zest, lemon juice and halved a few heirloom cherry tomatoes.  I’ve made this dish a lot with various ingredients, but this combination is by far my favorite

Yields 2 servings

4 tablespoons of olive oil, and more as needed

1 shallot (or small onion), chopped

1 tablespoon of garlic, minced

2 cups of cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

1/2 pound cut pasta like penne gemelli, or long pasta broken into bits

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (or add to taste)

3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (I used chicken stock)

1/2 cup of dry white wine or water (I used water)

1 lemon

zest of half of a lemon

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

Chopped fresh parsley

Freshly grated parmesan

Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When hot, add shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and begin to brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Add remaining olive oil and then add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper, then wine (or water). Stir and let liquid bubble away.  Note: if you’re using a chicken stock that is high in salt, then I’d add the salt toward the end.

Ladle stock into skillet 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When liquid is just about evaporated, add more. Mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep heat at medium and stir frequently.  Add lemon zest and lemon juice.

Begin tasting pasta 10 minutes after you add it; you want it to be tender but with a tiny bit of crunch. When pasta is about 2 to 3 minutes away from being done, add tomatoes and stir to combine.  Taste, adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley and Parmesan if using, and serve.

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.

And my obsession with olive oil doesn’t stop with lotions. I love fish poached in olive oil, salmon especially. These olive oil pancakes still  have my heart.  I also wouldn’t dare fry up an egg in anything but olive oil.  Not sure what to say. Olive oil is my thing.

Wanna know what’s not my thing? Measuring with my eyes.  When I first read over this recipe I noticed the 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf measurement. I grabbed my pound cake pan out of the cupboard and sort of shrugged off the idea of it not being the right size. I figured it’d work out just fine. Wrong.  Dead wrong.

When I realized my flub, I ran to the store and was sort of bummed when they didn’t have a real pan.  My inner snob doubted the ability of the foil pan, but the cake came out perfect. It was moist, and delicious with a strong hint of olive oil and a whole lot of lemon flavor.  Olive oil won’t ever let you down.

Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake with Glaze

Recipe by Karen Demasco from The Craft of Baking

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The olive oil flavor wasn’t as pronounced as I would’ve liked it to be, so I think next time, instead of using a medium grade–which is what I used–I’ll use a higher quality oil.

Makes one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 – inch loaf

Cake:

Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, strained
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoons Demerara sugar (I happened to have this in my pantry, but if you don’t, not a big deal)

Glaze:

1 cup of powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of milk

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, butter the pan and the paper.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and lemon zest. Set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium speed until the mixture thickens, is pale yellow, and forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted, 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, milk, and lemon juice. When the egg mixture has thickened, slowly drizzle in the oil mixture with the machine running. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture, and mix just to combine. Drizzle in the butter and mix just to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the Demerara sugar.  Bake, rotating the pan once after 40 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden, the center bounces back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean about 50 minutes. Unmold the cake from the loaf pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.  While still warm, prepare the glaze.  Mix the water with powdered sugar until completely combined, without lumps.  You might need to play with the consistency a bit to get it to your liking. Pour over the pound cake and let it dry, which should be fairly quickly. Once at room temperature, eat away!

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.

As you know I love LOVE pancakes, but sometimes when I’m looking for a lighter breakfast they can be a bit too much, so I usually opt for something less flavorful and exciting like a piece of toast or something lame like that.  But when I saw these pancakes being cooked up, I knew it was a match made in heaven.  The flavor was light, they had folded egg whites in them and a light, tangy cheese: ricotta.

The recipe I initially found was a bit faulty and after the third try of attempting to fix the milk to flour ratio, I gave up.  I decided me and that recipe were no match and it just simply was over for us.  I moved on and found this recipe on Gourmet’s website and with the first try we totally knocked it out of the park.  I sure am gonna miss Gourmet ;(.

If you don’t have poppy seeds, don’t frete; it’s no big deal.  They’re just there for texture and looking cute.

My egg whites were awesomely scary.  If you’re lucky, yours will too.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes

Adapted from Gourmet September 1991

These aren’t very sweet AT ALL.  If you’re into the sweet thing and don’t think syrup will do the trick, then add another tablespoon of sugar.  Also, try to bring the eggs to room temperature; egg whites peak much easier at room temperature.

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/3 cups ricotta
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• melted butter for brushing the griddle

• maple syrup as an accompaniment

In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the melted butter then turn down heat to medium. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

If they look a little soft in the middle, leave them on the pan a little longer, but just bring down the heat to low.  You don’t want an egg white filled pancake!

Serve the pancakes with maple syrup.