Archive for July, 2010
Dora Wat (Red Pepper Chicken), Iab, Injera
Poultry & Pork • Tags: berbere, chicken, cottage cheese, Ethnic Exploration, ginger, Greek yogurt, injera, Little Ethiopia, Merkato, niter kibbeh, spicy, teff flour
Right in the heart of LA, there’s a small strip of Ethiopian eateries lined up to each other for several blocks. It was just a matter of time until this little neighborhood, appropriately called “Little Ethiopia,” was on our radar for one of our monthly Ethnic Explorations. We decided this was the month to venture into the African cuisine. Immediately, Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant and Market stood out among the many options in the area for its quaint market and gift shop filled with goodies.
Continue Reading »
Grilled Summer Squash Salad
Vegetarian • Tags: 101 Cookbooks, beer, cilantro, Ethnic Exploration, salad, squash, sriracha, vegan, Vidalia onion
Here’s another Guest Test Kitchen for ya! This month, our dear friend James shares one of his favorite recipes and cooking inspirations. He shows how your favorite recipe can be jazzed up or tweaked to fit any occasion and season, and how sexy a simple squash salad can be. This dish would be a fabulous contribution to any summer meal gathering. Plus, it’s vegetarian so everyone can love it. Enjoy!
Continue Reading »
Ginger Lime Cooler
Drinks • Tags: citrus, cocktail, ginger, lime, simply syrup, triple sec, vodka
Have you ever made something once and then become determined to use it over and over again in new ways? Let’s use simple syrup as an example here. It’s such an easy, and occasionally necessary, component for a cocktail or sweetened beverage, but we do have some friends who didn’t even know that you could make it yourself. With just a little sugar and water, yes, even you can make your own simple syrup. It’s a blank canvas that can be adjusted and flavored however you choose. Once you have the base, you can add it to just about anything. Make a big batch and store it for all those times your recipe needs a little something sweet.
Continue Reading »
Ga Kho (Vietnamese Caramelized Chicken)
Poultry & Pork • Tags: caramelized, ethnic, fish sauce, ga kho, rice vinegar, Vietnamese
Always on a mission to step outside of the box, here’s a a recipe from uncharted waters–Vietnamese cuisine. Can you believe we’ve never made one Vietnamese dish? When it comes to cooking, we both have our own personal missions and goals, and one of them is to try new recipes from all across the globe. About a month ago, we spent an afternoon noshing on a full array of Vietnamese food cooked by Hong and Kim of Ravenous Couple. When Hong heard we had never eaten Vietnamese before (not even the well known banh mi), he graciously extended an invite. They stuffed us to the gills with a myriad of foods that tickled the tongue with flavors. It was time to add Vietnamese food to the list of must-eats. As easy as it is to find a Vietnamese restaurant in this town, it’s more fun to try it at home.
Continue Reading »
Zucchini and Mushroom Pockets
Vegetarian • Tags: cremini mushrooms, goat cheese, Greek, phyllo dough
It is so easy to be lazy in the summer. Sometimes you just don’t feel like cooking! Your boss is getting on your last nerves, so you run out of the office to escape. Traffic’s terrible (as usual), and the ride home feels like an eternity. You walk in the door, and all you want is to pour a glass of wine–not turn on the oven. We’ve all been there, no matter how much you enjoy to cook. There are many ways around this, and one of them is planning ahead, but another is keeping your mind open. Instead of making a big meal that feels daunting at the time, think about what is light, easy and satisfying. Fresh vegetables are so easy to make into quick, varied meals. Plus, they make the perfect summer dish when the sun is high, and your patience is low. And you can still have that glass of wine. We’d never take that away from anyone!
Continue Reading »
Bananas Fosters Bread Pudding with Custard Sauce and Banana Rum Sauce
Other Sweet Treats • Tags: bread pudding, Cajun, cookbook, custard, double boiler, giveaway, Palace Grill, rum, Santa Barbara, Snubbr
Yes yes, it’s another post highlighting yet another dessert. What can we say? We have a strong sweet tooth. A meal just isn’t complete without a sweet finish. This one takes us back to a road trip though. Just over a year ago, we celebrated Memorial Day on a weekend getaway in Santa Barbara. Our first night there we ate at the incredible Palace Grill–a charming, Cajun-style restaurant. After eating our meal, we tried their Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé for dessert. This delectable dish was a hot mix of bread budding with Grand Marnier, raisins and a whiskey cream sauce. It was so bomb we had to take a picture, which previously lived in our About section for a while. If you saw the excitement and anticipation in our eyes, you’ll know why this version had to be made.
Continue Reading »
Black Lentil and Couscous Salad
Vegetarian • Tags: couscous, feta cheese, healthy, lentil, mint, Moroccan, orange, salad
If you’re the kind of person who equates salad with lettuce and only lettuce, then today’s recipe will be a lovely change of pace for you. If you are the kind of person who adores couscous, then today’s recipe will be one that you must make now. Don’t waste another second. Two friends hosted a Moroccan-themed dinner party, and the side dish requirement needed to be filled. Couscous is a versatile, quick grain that you can make in less than 5 minutes and dress up however you like. Plus, it’s good for you! You can’t go wrong with this one. That’s why you can’t go wrong with this salad.
Pin It
Pin It Continue Reading »
Salmon Spanakopita
Seafood • Tags: Greek, Greek yogurt, healthy, phyllo dough, salmon, spanakopita
One of the best parts of summer is finding ways to eat in a lighter fashion. Don’t get the wrong idea. You will still see lots of desserts popping up this summer and maybe a few more cocktails, but don’t think that’s all we eat. We like our protein and veggies as much as the next person, and we both find ways to create balanced meals for the majority of our eating. If you have a hard time squeezing in healthy servings of the food pyramid, try wrapping them in flakey, crispy dough. Maybe phyllo dough if you’re feeling frisky. It’s light and airy and provides just the crunch you need when paired with fresh salmon, spinach and feta cheese.
Continue Reading »
Crab and Shrimp Burgers, Garlic Grits Fries
Seafood • Tags: crab, garlic, seafood burger, shrimp, shrimp and grits, Southern, Tabasco
We do a lot of talking about Southern foods. Maybe it’s because we miss them so! There’s something comforting and familiar with all of the foods we remember from our respective youths (even if that youth extended to our college years). We associate these foods with memories of family and friends on birthdays and holidays. No Thanksgiving or Christmas are complete without key dishes that only certain people are entrusted to make, and they know exactly who they are. One of the Southern dishes we’ve lamented the loss of would be shrimp and grits. It’s not a complicated meal, but it is full of complexity in its own right. A mouthwatering bowl of shrimp and grits will remind you of all that is good in the world, and you will be craving more. Oh yes, it is that serious, and you’ll see why.
Continue Reading »
