potato latkes

Mikes mom found this recipe in the Boston Globe when he was a kid and from there, he was hooked.

This is a re-typed version his sister used for a school project--so adorable

She makes them every time he goes back home and they are delicious: crispy but fluffy and just slightly salty. I love to dip mine in sour cream (or the yogurt sauce I tried last night) but his standby is apple sauce. There are some habits of nine year old Mike that I won't try to change.

I did need to learn how to make them though--I had never even had latkes before we met. His favorite food and I can't make it? Not acceptable.

We tried a few times and I have to say it was one of the tougher recipes for me to tackle. Potatoes have a lot of water in them and if you don't squeeze it out, they won't fry or crisp up properly. Getting that outside crust is critical.

Last night I made a batch and was laser focused on getting them right. The verdict?

"Almost as good as my moms."

That I can live with.

Recipe is below, I make a slight adjustment to the one above by adding an extra tablespoon of flour.

potato latkes
4 potatoes, peeled and diced in large chunks
1 small to medium onion, peeled and diced in large chunks
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp of white pepper (regular pepper will do as well, you will just see the specks)
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
vegetable oil for frying

• grate potatoes and onions (or use your food processor which is easier and much quicker) into a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. 
• there will still be moisture and I squeeze them again before frying so don't kill yourself, but try to get as much out as you can
• mix egg, salt, pepper, flour and baking powder in a bowl, add onion and potatoes and mix together
• preheat pan with about 1/4 inch of oil on medium-high heat
• tip: oil is hot enough when you flick a bit of water into it and it sizzles
• place mixture in a colander over a bowl and squeeze handfuls of the mixture to get the water out and then form into a cake and place in the oil
• press down slightly with a spatula and let crisp up--first batch may take about 5-6 minutes, later batches are quicker. you want the edges to be brown and crispy
• flip and press down, then transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. season with a bit of salt
• move to a foil lined baking sheet and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all batches are cooked and ready to serve
• serve with sour cream or apple sauce, or my lemon herb yogurt, recipe below

lemon herb yogurt

3 tbsp fat free greek yogurt

juice of a half a lemon

a handful of chopped herbs-I like parsley and basil

salt to taste

stir ingredients together and serve over latkes, chicken, or thin it out with juice of a whole lemon for a creamy dressing!

I'm working on this craft I found on pinterest and need 1587 more wine corks

It's like this e-card was made for me.

I have been saving wine corks since I moved to California 5 years ago. I grab them from everywhere--one Monday morning I found a handful stashed in my coat pocket while I was walking to work. So lets just assume I have a prettyyyyyy good stash.

My goal was to make a craft with them which I never got around to doing. I am also not terribly creative, but with being unemployed and all...well, you find yourself with some free time on your hands.

I started simply a few years ago with this hurricane jar, a tall candle and some corks:

Cute, easy, puts my wine obsession on display

But in the past week I have amped it up a bit. As a mothers day gift for my mom, I spelled out "VINO" in wine corks which was so fun to make and I can not wait to give to her. 

I decided to keep going with it. Wine cork magnets, wine cork heart, wine cork coasters (or trivets--they are kind of big, what do you think..?)

Anyway I am not keeping all of this because Mike will kill me for producing more stuff as we are trying to purge pre-move. And also, they are good gifts right? Maybe I will take my talents to Etsy...

#instacookingvideo

 I am often asked how I come up with my recipes and meals. Where does my inspiration come from and how do I know what does with what?

I started out watching a ton of cooking shows. Food network was in constant rotation on my TV for a good five years. Giada, Paula, Ina, Bobby, Tyler…they gave me a foundation to build on and the principles for which I build my recipes and ideas off of to this day.

I also watch a ton of cooking videos online, read recipes on pinterest and follow other food bloggers on instagram. Inspiration can come from any place at any time and I find myself drawing on these things often.

But my start came from watching and with that I realized that I wanted to give my readers and followers something similar and thus the #instacookingvideo was born.

My first was how to cook bacon on an accordion in the oven. Life changing for me and I will never go back to cooking it stovetop.

If the video above doesn't work, you can view it on my instagram.

I am searching for more ideas to share so tell me what you would like to see. Some ideas in the queue are kale chips and artichokes and I am also going to do a 2 minute mug cookie which I just tried last night and died of absolute happiness.

//updated to include link to cookie mug and recipe//

If you aren’t following me on Instagram, you should probably start now.

a different kind of cocktail

Yes, yes this is normally a food blog, but as I consider the evolution of this I want to test some other topics.

I loved blogging about decorating, and with another move to come (you can read about it here, or see Mikes much better written version) I will be obsessing over home decor oh-so-soon.

Before I got into cooking, beauty products were my passion. I worked at bath and body works when they sold makeup and various skincare collections and learned so much about what brands and products I loved. It got me into face scrubs, eye creams, nars blush (orgasm, their best selling and most popular blus has been my jam for years) and even my favorite lip balm with their c.o bigelow partnership (which they discontinued!)

In college, the top drawer of my dresser was not full of clothes but instead dubbed "the secret drawer" that my friends could peek into for some fun samples or just a dab of moisturizer for their neck (make sure you add moisturizer to your neck every time you do your face or it will age faster.)

I now have my tried and true standbys and then a few products that I am still trying out or tweaking. One of my newest concoctions is to make an anti-frizz "cocktail"- I have insanely curly and frizzy hair and already had 3 products in my morning rotation. Needless to say it takes forever.

I like to use leave-in conditioner to give my hair a bit of softness and also help tame it, and sometimes moisturizing oil gives it just a bit of sheen. But adding two more bottles to my routine exhausted me. (I can't stress enough how long it takes me to rake product through my hair..)

So I took a page from my shampoo trick for years (mixing a clarifying with moisturizing-I only wash twice a week max, so this helps make it count) and mix another hair "cocktail."

In my regular bottle of hair milk, I squeeze in a bit of leave-in conditioner-I like mixed-chicks-and then a few squirts of a hair oil and shake it up. Instant blend of these products and only one thing to apply, in addition to my gel-mouse rotation.

A few of my other fave finds:

vaseline to take off stubborn eye makeup
a claw clip to wrangle all of my hair ties in one place
bath and body works "just a minute" hand scrub to soften heels--also a huge lifesaver in between manicures
urban decay naked2 eye shadow palette--great selection of everyday to smoky nighttime colors
neosporin to repair ragged cuticles
ddf sulfer therapeutic mask-acne cure!
apivita dark circles and puffy eyes mask-absolutely saved me when I would stay out late partying in my younger years, or just not get enough sleep. slap it on the am for a few mins, tissue off and you look awake and alive.

Let me know if you have tried any of these, or some of your beauty faves!!

lots of news and the 20 minute clean-up

Three weeks of funemployment down and we have made some big decisions.

A few months ago Mike and I decided to move out of the bay area, mostly due to cost of living, but also with the idea to explore a new city together. After mulling this decision over for months, we have finally locked down some plans...

First up, a three week trek across Australia and New Zealand with a quick stop on the Cook Islands. Then: scouting apts, packing up and driving north to Seattle, our new home.

All of these decisions have my type-A personality screaming with joy because I feel like the train that is my life is up and moving again. We have the trip of a lifetime booked, we have a general idea of when we want to move and I have begin scouting neighborhoods and rent prices. Oh, and I guess we both have to start looking for jobs. (one step at a time.)

Decisions are being made, we are moving to a new and exciting city and yet...this morning I started to panic.

The funemployment calm started to slip away when I began to think about all of the things that have to be done. There is less time to sleep in and cook elaborate dinners and lay on the couch watching Friday Night Lights. I have to plan. I have to clean. I have to pack. I have to move-again!

Organizing and cleaning calms me as much as planning does, but this afternoon I felt crippled with the stress of it all. So I employed one of my favorite tricks: the 20 minute clean-up. Set the timer on your phone for 20 minutes, blast some fun music and move as fast as you can and get as much done as possible. When the timer goes off? You're done. Or keep the momentum going and get a few more things checked off your list.

I felt instantly calm getting a few little things tidied up, the apt vacuumed and some laundry started. Now I relax on the couch with a book for a bit. Every little thing counts...

Any suggestions for Seattle? What about NZ or Australia? Leave 'em in the comments!

pizza night: bacon + kale + muenster cheese

Tonys pizza here in SF has some of the most mouthwatering, simple pizzas- their margherita pie is so perfect and yet has the most basic ingredients. The fresh tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and hint of salt is heaven.

They also go into the realm of some risky toppings: one pie has nutella, honey and blue cheese. You think it sounds weird, but try it.

On a recent visit I tried what they call the "Eddie Muenster": crispy, lemony kale, smoked bacon, muenster cheese, peppers, all drizzled with honey. And I never wanted to eat anything else ever again. I only wish I came up with that flavor combo-there is something about the sweet and salty combination that just works.

I knew I had to recreate this, so we planned a pizza night Sunday. One glitch: I got a little mandolin happy with my new kitchen gadget that morning and sliced my thumb right open. Lots of blood and a pretty deep cut. Rolling out pizza dough, grating cheese, basically anything that wasn't stirring a pot of something was just out of the question.

It was fun directing Mike around the kitchen while also taking a backseat. He rolled out the pizza dough like a pro and even taught me a thing or two: he roasted the bacon and the kale in the oven on the same baking sheet. The result? Bacon-flavored kale, aka how kale should always be eaten.

bacon, kale and muenster cheese pizza, aka the "eddie muenster"
serves 2-4 

1 pound of pizza dough (as always, you can make your own, but trader joes has a great one-way easier)
half a pound of kale (I like the curly leaf), diced into bite-sized pieces
half a pound of bacon
half a cup of muenster cheese, shredded
half a cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pepper (I used a red one, use any size, type you like)
1/4 cup honey
juice of a half a lemon
2 tbsp of butter
salt and pepper for seasoning

• preheat oven to 375
• line a baking sheet with tin foil (makes for easier cleanup!) and spread out bacon and kale. season kale with pepper
• cook in oven until bacon and kale are crispy--about 10-15 minutes
• drain kale on a paper towel lined plate, sprinkle with lemon juice, toss and set aside
• chop up bacon once cooked and set aside
• flour counter and roll out pizza dough. lightly oil baking sheet (if using a pizza stone, follow directions as usual) and place dough on baking sheet. 
• oil top of pizza and poke with a fork to allow air flow
• place dough in oven to pre-bake (about 10 minutes, until the bottom starts to lightly brown.)
• slice top and bottom off pepper and slice lengthwise down one side to open up the pepper in one flat layer, remove seeds. season both sides with salt and pepper
• preheat pan with 1 tbsp butter on high heat; once pan is really hot, add pepper, skin side down and then place a heavy object on top (i used a pot) for about 3-5 minutes

tip: this technique will "blister" the pepper skin and extract a ton of roasted flavor out of it, really quickly

• flip the pepper over and repeat, remove from heat and let cool and dice up once cooled
• heat honey in a sauce pan on low heat with 1 tbsp butter and a sprinkle of salt. keep on low heat, stir occasionally, until ready to use
• once crust is ready, assemble your pie. spread sauce on (alfredo recipe below, is what I used) then layer on peppers, bacon and cheeses
• bake for around 7 minutes, until cheese is melted
• remove from oven and pan, add kale and drizzle honey mixture, slice up and serve!

alfredo sauce
I thought this would complement the flavor well--you could use a marinara or a basic cream sauce as well
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour (traditional alfredo sauce doesn't call for flour but I like it as a thickener)
1/4-1/3 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup pecorino or any parm you like/have on hand
salt and pepper for seasoning

melt butter on stovetop, low heat, add flour and whisk
remove from heat and add milk or cream, continue whisking and bring back to burner
season with salt and pepper
add pecorino and leave on low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens up

easy risotto (i promise!)

I tend to stay away from complicated dishes and anything that takes too much attention. I get too distracted by a glass of wine and five other things going on in the kitchen to stir one pot for 30 minutes.

Risotto always seemed like one of those dishes that I would eat at a restaurant but avoid ever cooking for myself. The constant stirring, the ease of turning it to mush or making it too al dente--it all sounds so stressful and not what I want in my kitchen.

Then Valentines Day rolled around. Mike makes an early or day after reservation to avoid the crowds and overpriced food and I cook the day of. Last year I made his fave: bbq chicken pizza, the first dish I had ever cooked for him. But this year I wanted to step it up and make him something I had never made before.

Enter: risotto. "Why not?" I asked myself. I found a few ideas online that I pieced together into my own take and the cooking method seemed so easy. It cooks in the oven for crying out loud. So no constant stirring?! I was in.

I customized a bit by adding white wine even though the recipe didn't call for it (my motto: add wine whenever possible), and changed the ingredients to crispy pancetta and asparagus. Here is the original recipe and my take is below:

asparagus and crispy pancetta risotto
serves 2 (with a bit leftover for the next day :)

5-8 stalks of asparagus (depending on how thick they are), diced into bite-sized pieces
half pound of pancetta, diced (you can get the pre-sliced or just get a chunk of it and dice it yourself)
1 cup arborio rice
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 parsnip peeled and diced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup of white wine--pick a dry one like pinot grigio
2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2-1 cup of pecorino romano cheese--or any parm you have (amount depends on how much you like cheese--this also helps add a creamy feel to the dish)
salt and pepper for seasoning

• preheat oven to 450
• preheat an oven safe pot on the stove top on medium heat and toss in the diced pancetta, cook until crispy
• scoop out cooked pancetta onto a paper towel using a slotted spoon, add 1 tbsp butter and asparagus
• sauté until asparagus is slightly softened but not limp--about 5-8 minutes, tossing frequently
• scoop the asparagus out, set aside, add carrots and parsnips. after about 3 minutes, add shallot and then add garlic 5 minutes later. season with salt and pepper
• let sauté until shallots become soft and stir frequently to prevent garlic from burning

tip: you want to cook vegetables longer based on their firmness and also size. carrots and parsnips take longer to soften and cook down, whereas garlic will burn if you add it at the beginning.

• stir in arborio rice, add liquids and remaining butter
• cover with lid and place in oven for 20-25 minutes-risotto will be creamy when done. taste test to ensure its not too al dente and add more liquid a quarter cup at a time if it needs to cook a bit longer
• add lemon juice, pecorino, asparagus and pancetta, stir together and serve

This recipe is so versatile--add an extra cup of chicken broth in place of the wine (if you must!), and sub in any protein or veggie. One day I will get Mike to eat shrimp and try that...

Let me know how it comes out--I have a feeling this will change your view on risotto.