Guys, I am so so excited right now. Not only is today my fav day of the week, cuz Wednesdays mean crushing on a fabulous female chef.  But also tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and I LOVE me some Mexican food.  So I had to choose a Woman Crush Wednesday that fits the theme don’t you think?  And if choosing one, why not two?  Oh yea!  Hence this week’s installment could also be called Women Crush Wednesday as our gorgeous gourmet gals are the incredible Two Hot Tamales:  Susan Finegar and Mary Sue Milliken.

Living in Los Angeles for so many years I can tell you one thing for sure, these two are household names. They are some of the most famous chefs in America, never mind that they are women succeeding in a male dominated profession. They combined forces to bring Latin food to the masses, and opened wildly successful restaurants, one of my all time favs being Border Grill in Santa Monica. They were the pioneers of television cooking shows and foodie radio programs, and their friendly, funny and informative tutorials are still regarded as classic culinary gems!

I had the great pleasure of attending one of their cooking demos at their downtown L.A. restaurant Ciudad.  Not only was the food served on the day amazing but my son and I were able to sit very close, so we practically got squirted with fresh lime juice when they were making their famous guacamole!  Of course meeting them personally and getting  a signed cookbook was quite memorable. They know their stuff when it comes to the kitchen and they impart their knowledge freely and generously. With numerous best selling cookbooks and other solo ventures of theirs, they are shooting stars.  I’ve been to Susan’s awesome Street Food restaurant which is delish and Mary Sue was first runner up on Top Chef Masters (winning $40,000 for her chosen charity Share Our Strength).

I am so excited to be making a couple of quick and simple recipes of theirs.  Of course I had to make two, cuz they are the TWO HOT TAMALES!  But these recipes will serve all of us in good stead.  Because some people think that prepping for Cinco de Mayo can be daunting.  But even if you only have a little drink such as this Bubbly White Sangria and some nibbles such as this Spicy Nut and Raisin Mix, you will be the most popular one in your bunch of friends.  So lets get going preparing these delectable goodies shall we?

The first recipe is a savory spicy snack.  Really, this is great a reminder to all of us that Latin food nibbles don’t have to be just chips and salsa!

Spicy Nut and Raisin Mix

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp peanut oil

2 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste

1 cup (145 g) golden raisins  (I didn’t have enough golden raisins so I used a combo of gold and regular raisins and some dried cranberries and currants)

2/3 cup (95 g) unblanched almonds

2/3 cup (66 g) pecans

2/3 cup (90 g)  cashew pieces or shelled pistachios (I used a combo of both)

*2 tsp Chile Powder Mix (see below)

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauces

1 1/3 cup (90 g) broken thin pretzel sticks (1 inch pieces) I used a gluten free variety

1 tsp coarse salt

pinch of sugar

*For the Chile Powder Mix

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp ancho chile powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp course salt

Mix ingredients together and store in a sealed container

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350f/180c

Heat the oil in a large frying  pan. Saute the garlic 1-2 mins. Add the raisins, almonds, pecans, cashews, chili powder, cayenne, and black pepper. Then add the Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Stir in the pretzels and cook, storing frequently, 3-4 mins.

Transfer to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt and sugar and bake, shaking the pan and stirring occasionally, 8-10 mins. Turn the mixture into a serving dish and cool.

Bubbly White Sangria

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (250 g) seedless green grapes, stemmed

1 to 2 Red Delicious apples, corded and thinly sliced

1 (750 ml) bottle fruity white wine

1 cup (225 ml) passion fruit or mango nectar

1 cup (225 ml) pineapple juice

2 cups  (450 ml) sparkling water

2 cups ice cubes

Instructions:

Combine the grapes, apples, and wine in a pitcher and let sit, refrigerated for 1 to 2 hours. Pour in the fruit juices and sparkling water, add the ice cubes and serve.

Talk about a perfect flavor combo! The Spicy Nut and Raisin Mix is sweet, salty and spicy with loads of texture and crunch.  I have to say it is quite addictive!  And the cooling and fruity Bubbly White Sangria is the exact liquid follow up.  I love it!  I am not usually a white wine fan, but this is such a tasty treat, and it feels quite healthy!  It was actually a warm sunny day here in London.  So Hubby and I couldn’t have enjoyed this more.  Funny enough, there are times he asks if we can take a break from a big dinner (I like my big dinners) and just have something light.  I think these nuts with some cheese and crackers, fruit and veggie sticks, would be a nice summer “nibbles” dinner.

What a wonderful #WCW with these amazing female foodies. Not only accomplished chefs but giving and contributing human beings. They are both involved in philanthropy and active in the Los Angeles community. They have won many awards as chefs and restaurateurs and continue to inspire so many of us. Thank you Susan and Mary Sue for all you do! I am coming to L.A. this weekend and hope while I am in town to stop in to Border Grill for some of your unbelievably awesome creations!
Con amor y gracias a mis profesores,

YDP

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, as you already know if you’ve been reading thus far in my journey, is my fav day of the week.  And even though I woke this morning feeling unwell, I’m not gonna miss Woman Crush Wednesday.  Especially when this week’s honoree is the phenomenal Domini Kemp.  Besides being a fabulous chef with award winning cookbooks, numerous successful restaurants, as well as her acclaim as an adored food journalist, Domini also embodies the term Wonder Woman. She is a fighter with finesse and female fortitude.  I think there is nothing that she couldn’t achieve or overcome. She quite frankly deserves to be the Woman Crush Everyday!

While I have made many of Domini’s recipes over the years, all with great success, for #WCW I always do a recipe I’ve never done before and I do it live on Snapchat (my username is: blissbakery).  Since I have never tried her Roasted Chicken recipe and it looks unique I had to give it a go.  First off, you start cooking the bird breast side down which I have never done.  And on the ingredients list, two glasses of white wine.  Not for the cook to drink but for the chicken to bathe in, sounds interesting!  We love to have left over chicken in the house for salads and sandwiches so this will be a hit, especially because my dog Stella loves to have a bit too!

Ingredients
2 heads garlic, unpeeled
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped (don’t peel)
1 medium chicken, approx 1.5kg
2 lemons, cut in half
Few sprigs thyme
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp of honey (optional)
2 glasses white wine

Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/gas 4. Make a bed of veg by putting the garlic, carrots and onions in the middle of a roasting tray.
I sometimes slice one head in half, horizontally, and leave the cloves of the other head loose, but unpeeled. Place the chicken breast-side down (yes, upside down) on top of the veg. Then stuff the lemon halves into the chicken. Pour the wine over it and then season generously with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes.

Take the roasting tin out of the oven, flip the bird over and squeeze some honey on top. Season again and cook for another 15-20 minutes. At this stage, take it out and leave for a few minutes.

Give the legs a wiggle: they should move about freely. If you aren’t sure, slice between the leg and the breast. Check what colour it is. It shouldn’t be too pink, and the juices should definitely be clear. I like to leave it covered in foil or in the oven – which has been turned off – to sit for at least 30 minutes before carving.
The roast bits of veg are an added perk. But if you can, strain some of that delicious jus at the bottom of the roasting pan, which you can always deglaze with a little water.
This is usually tasty enough on its own, with no adornment, but you can also transfer it to a smaller saucepan and simmer away till it’s nice and rich.
If you must, add some “beurre manie” which is equal parts butter and flour (just a spoonful of each) which you can chuck in as it will help thicken and emulsify it. Add some more honey or wine depending on what it lacks. Simmer until everything is just as it should be.
Once you have eaten your fill and just have bones left, put all those bones into a suitably-sized saucepan, fill it with water and gently simmer for as long as you can. I sometimes only manage three hours before bed time.
Go fishing for the bones and discard. Strain it through a colander and then cool it down. I do this by sitting the saucepan in a sink full of cold water to make a water bath. You just want to cool it down so you can then transfer it to the fridge and have it to use in your soups or as a nourishing broth on its own for the week.

 

Wow I am so glad I made this dish! The house was in heaven because it smelled so amazing, Stella was in heaven because I gave her a few bits, and I was in heaven because I had the most moist and flavorful chicken on my salad for lunch.   I put together a salad of mixed leaves, grapefruit, avocado, toasted pine nuts and goats cheese. The subtle lemon, garlic, and herbs that came through in the chicken was just the right touch.

Now when Hubby gets home we can have a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings too! And there will probably be some left for a chicken sambo for lunch tomorrow. That is the beauty of a roasted chicken, it’s the dish that keeps giving!

And speaking of giving, I want to give Domini kudos for her latest book called Ketogenic Kitchen.  It is a book she cowrote with Nutritional Therapist Patricia Daly and is based on a high fat and low carb diet. Domini credits this way of eating for helping her regain her strength and energy while overcoming cancer. They are currently on the press tour for the book (you can read about it at Domini’s former journalistic home The Irish Times).  They also have a website (click here) which offers recipes, videos and information about this type of metabolic therapy.

I can only imagine the stress that Domini had to deal with during her health struggle while she continued to run her businesses, work on her food writing, and look after her family.  But she managed to do it all with grace and openness.  Besides sharing her incredible recipes, she also wrote many candid articles in her eight years with The Irish Times, including her final one this past March.  And while I do miss seeing her in that realm, I sense that wherever Domini gets involved she will make that part of the world a bit better.  And so for her new projects, like helping people to heal through food (such as Alchemy) I wish her all the best.

Thanks Domini for being the amazing person you are!  Not only in the foodie world, but the the global world.  You are an inspiration for life!

With love and admiration,

YDP

 

 

 

As it turned out, Monday was not only Meatless but also it was a Museum Monday and a Margarita Monday with my Man!  I awakened with the notion to test out a new recipe I had dreamed up in my sleep:  A hearty stuffed mushroom.  More of a Sunday Brunch variety, but nevertheless eaten as my Monday main meal, minus the meat!   I used what I had on hand in the fridge (mushroom, spinach, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and eggs) to create a super healthy and delish treat.  I posted the tutorial on Snapchat (username: blissbakery) and got some great feedback.  And my taste buds gave it a thumbs up too (see below for full recipe and pics).

Later, I met Hubby for an early evening date which started at Wahaca for margaritas and nibbles.  I’ve been wanting to share this place with Snapchat since I did my Woman Crush Wednesday of the founder of the restaurant Thomasina Miers.  I love the food (Mexican is one of my fav cuisines and she knows how to do it right) and I respect the ethos.  To be adventurous we ordered a passion fruit margarita and for the other one, a hibiscus margarita. That way we could share.  And we ordered our ‘go to’ sweet potato taquitos and shrimp tacos for our nosh before we took the tube down to our next stop.

My hubby and I have a tradition of seeing traveling exhibitions of world photography. This tradition dates back to when we lived in Los Angeles.  I am not a photographer but simply enjoy every aspect of them, the composition, the subject and the mood to name a few. However Hubby has always enjoyed photography as a hobby has been known to take some incredible photos.  Some day I’ll have to swipe them and do a whole post on here!  But yesterday we went to the Somerset House for the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.  It was filled to the brim with photos from photographers of every age and every nationality and taken at locations all over the world.  It was a quiet enough night in terms of attendance, but that gave us loads of space to enjoy the plethora of pictures.  My favs included a heart made with water, a heart made with two women who had their hair braided together and an aubergine (eggplant) that was in the shape of a heart.  Yes I have a thing with hearts!

 

And now for the Egg and Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Brunch Boats

Ingredients:

4 free range eggs

200 g spinach (one bag, washed)

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic

4 sundried tomatoes (and some of the oil from the jar in which it is packed)

4 large flat mushrooms (such as Porabello) with the insides scraped out (you can use those bits to add to the spinach filling if you like)

Feta Cheese to crumble (or cheese of your choice)

Parmesan Cheese to grate on top

salt/pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200c/400f

Steam the bag of washed spinach. While that steams, chop your onion and garlic and sauté them in a frying pan with a little bit of the oil from the jar in which the sundried tomatoes come packed.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Chop the 4 sundried tomatoes and add to the onion and garlic when they have softened.

 

When the spinach is done, pour the water left in the pan back over the spinach. Let this drain then squish the spinach with a potato masher. Get all the liquid out so that the spinach can be made into a ball. Then chop up the spinach and add to the onion/garlic/sundried tomato mix.  Crumble a bit of the cheese into this mixture and taste to adjust seasoning if necessary (feta can be salty so if using that type of cheese make sure you taste after you add as you may not need as much salt).

Put the mushrooms in a baking tray and season them with salt and pepper. Then fill them with the spinach mixture leaving a small well in the center.  Carefully crack each egg into the spinach well and bake for 10 minutes or until egg set.  A few minutes before it is done, you can grate a bit of Parmesan Cheese on top.

To serve you can spritz a bit of Siracha sauce on top of the mushroom if you want it hot and spicy or drizzle with some of your favorite pesto sauce.  If you’re not afraid of carbs, this can be enjoyed with side of sourdough toast or some nice breakfast potatoes.

I hope you make some of your own special traditions on a Monday as I know it can be a day many dread on the calendar. You don’t need to make it meatless, attend a museum or have it dripping with margaritas. But if you find an activity that you can stick with, that brings you joy and happiness, then you will start to look forward to the 52 Mondays we are blessed with each year and they won’t be manic madness but instead mellow magic!

Much love of a Monday and everyday!

YDP

P.S. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, #snappy will be departing soon to stay with his new foster momma.  So before he goes we are having fun on these last few adventures with his girl Rose. They sure enjoyed the sights in London!