Short Month, Make the Most of it...

February is the shortest month of the year, but there is no reason not to make the most of everyday by challenging yourself to try new things. Here are five fabulous ideas to help make the most out of your February!

1. Find a new colorful lip shade to try
February is the most romantic month of the year, why not spice it up with a fun new lip color? I just got Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE VOLUPTÉ and I am having so much fun with it!

2. Try a new workout
Statistics say that most people who make January resolutions already failed, why not start fresh with a new workout? I am obsessed with Tone It UP which has free weekly workouts and YouTube videos that make it easy for people like me who don't know what or how to do certain workouts.

3. Experiment with a new recipe
Why pay exorbitant prices to eat out on valentines day? Instead, why not try a romantic dinner at home with a new recipe.

4. Buy yourself flowers
Whether you have a valentine or not this year, fresh flowers help perk up any room and can change a mood every time you walk by them. Why not freshen up your space with a nice vase this month?

5. Treat yourself to a pedicure
Spring is right around the corner which means almost sandal weather! Why not treat yourself to a pedicure this month with a fresh fun color?

Happy February!

Spice up Your Weekday Meals with Chimichurri Sauce

I am always looking for healthy easy ways to spice up dinner to make it a little more fun and exciting. The answer: Chimichurri sauce. Originated from Argentina, this is the perfect way to dress up any meal time. I love making a simply grilled chicken, fish, or steak and throwing this sauce on top; hello easy weekday meal!

What you will need:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 cloves of garlic
1 shallot
1/2 to 1 jalapeno (depending on how much heat you like)
2 cups cilantro
1 cup parsley
1/3 cup fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

Directions:
Combine vinegar, garlic, shallot, jalapeno and salt in bowl of food processor and let sit for 10 minutes. Add in cilantro, parsley and oregano.

 
Pulse to blend. Add in olive oil and blend again.

 

Taste and feel free to add more of the above ingredients as you feel are needed. You can add more jalapeno for heat or more cilantro for a citrusy flavor.

 

Top any grilled meat with your chimichurri sauce and enjoy. You can also use this sauce to spice up salads or dip bread in. You can store sauce in fridge and use through-out the week.

 

Bon Appetit!



Traditional Cocktailing with the Manhattan

There is a part of me that is very old fashion and traditional. There is a romantic side of me that loves the idea of my husband coming home after a long day in the office and serving him a cocktail before supper. I know this idea sounds very old fashion indeed-and there is no way this happens on a regular basis; but occasionally it is fun!

So for all of my friends out there who aren't whiskey/bourbon drinkers, here is how to make the perfect Manhattan cocktail.

The perfect Manhattan
2 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce Italian vermouth
2 dashes angostura bitters
1 large ice cube (we got cylinder ice cube makers that are fun to use and the ice melts slower so it doesn't dilute your cocktails)

Stir stir stir so the ice chills the drink and serve!

Cheers!

Good Eats in Reno

There is something transcendent about a good meal. To me, food can bring people together in a powerful way; it’s a shared experience unmatched in my mind. I have loved eating and cooking as a pastime for years now. I went to college in Reno and moved shortly after graduation to Southern California where my taste buds rejoiced in all the amazing diversity of cuisine. Moving back to Reno about two years ago, I was delighted how much the food scene here had evolved. Little restaurants and bars popped up that rivaled those I had experienced living in California. I love food and so glad that my home town is not transforming from only casinos and slots to a local foody and art scene.

This transformation was even recognized by the New York times.  http://blogs.rgj.com/renorebirth/2013/10/15/new-york-times-raves-about-renos-midtown-district/

Way to go Reno and all the local chefs out there that helped transform this city.

Eggplant Brushetta

What you will need

2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1 medium eggplant (sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds)
1 loaf of your favorite bread
8 ounces mozzarella
olive oil
Salt and pepper
Marinara sauce (store bought or you can make your own with this recipe)

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. In a shallow bowl, whisk two eggs together with a dash of salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, pour in your bread crumbs.

Dip your eggplant rounds into egg then into breadcrumbs ensuring your coat thoroughly. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Repeat till all eggplant slices are done. Place baking sheet in over until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

While eggplant are cooking, slice bread loaf lengthwise and place cut side up on baking sheet. Press slightly in middle to make a well. Place in oven for 2-5 minutes just to get a light browning on bread otherwise your bread might get soggy in the middle.

Top lightly toasted bread with marinara sauce, baked eggplant slices, and mozzarella cheese. Put back in over for about 6-9 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Once baked, you can cut into slices and serve. If you have fresh basil, it would be great to add a rough chopped basil on top.

 

Bon Appetit

Nourishment for the Soul

If you have read any of my posts before, you should have a pretty good idea that I love food. I love everything about food; the preparation of it, the look, the smell, the taste, the way it brings people together around a table. I married a man whose passion for food exceeds my own so its no surprise that when we travel we arrange our trips and excursions around cuisine.
 
Our most recent voyage brought us to Miami, home of the Bazaar by Jose Andres. It was a culinary marathon of 20+ courses ranging from small bite size salami and caviar to a dragon fruit ceviche and finished with a deconstructed key lime pie.
 
What I loved about this experience was that it was a 3 hour culinary journey I got to share with the love of my life. Its not just about the food, but how the food is experienced and shared and how that united us. In 30 years from now, my husband and I will remember this meal just like we remember the time we ate at Daniel's in New York or the place we picked a fish on the beach and watched them cook it for us in Thailand.

These meals create lasting memories for us that we can cherish for the rest of our lives. Sitting at tables all over the world, from Miami to my mother's kitchen counter, these meals make me stop and slow down and cherish what I have and who I am sharing these meals with. No matter what food you enjoy or where you eat it, I pray that you each can slow down and enjoy the nourishment, not just for your body but for your soul as well.

 

Bon Appetit

Thai Coconut Curry Soup



My husband and I have been obsessed with Thai food after we traveled there a few years ago. This dish is one of my weekday go-to-meals as it can be made under twenty minutes but doesn't lack any flavor.

What you'll need:

2-3 chicken thighs, deboned and cubed

1 bell pepper any color, cut into this long strips

1 carrot cut into thin long strips ( I used a mandolin for this)

1 egg plant cubed

1 Jar Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste

1 can coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

olive oil

Rice noodles

Cilantro

Optional if you have in your kitchen:

Thai chili

Coconut sugar

Fish Oil



Directions:

Cook rice noodles based on package instructions. This normally consists of boiling water-removing pot from heat and submerging noodles in water. Make sure you keep an eye on them and don't over cook.

Next, take a wok, or any large frying pan will do, and drizzle a little olive oil in pan on medium heat. Empty red curry paste jar into pan and stir. Let this slightly caramelize for about a minute.

 Add 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of water to pan and stir to low boil. Add diced chicken and simmer until cooked (approximately 7-10 min). Add eggplants to pan, let cook for 2 min minute. Add carrots to pan, let cook for a minute. Add bell pepper to pan, cook for a minute.

From here you are going to add can of coconut milk and stir. If you have fish oil, add a dash at this point. Add Thai chili peppers for additional heat to your liking. If you want to sweeten the soup, add a pinch of coconut sugar.

To serve, add a decent serving of noodles to bowl and spoon soup and veggies over noodles. Top with a pinch of cilantro.

Here are a few pictures of our Thailand adventure.

Bon Appetit