Can you really call it a resolution?

I know we always make resolutions this time of year and half way through, we forget we ever made them.  However, I'd like not to look at this as a resolution, but rather a bit of an encouragement and a step toward some adventure and exploration. And no, I don't mean traveling (although I desperately need another European getaway). This type of adventure warms the soul, unites loved ones, and has the ability to bring you back to a special place where you were changed from then on out. I'm talking about FOOD! My "resolution" this 2012 is to step out and embrace the adventure one finds in the art of cooking. 

I stumbled upon this recipe when I was in desperate need of something to bring to a Christmas party.  Thank you Ina Garten for always coming to the rescue! This recipe could not be any easier. There is no dough, no pre-baking, no sticky messes.  The flavors are explosive and incredibly refreshing and I think it's the addition of the orange and lemon zest that really just add that pop. It is the perfect complement to the apples and pear. My recommendation is to taste test the fruit once everything in combined, because you may find that you really enjoy the orange flavor and want to add a tad more. Also, I've tried it with a variety of apples and pears.  I think anything works except for green apples. They are far too tart for this dish. As for pears, just make sure they are ripe or they will never soften, even if cooked. 

Photos courtesy of Andrea Chirita

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
• 2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples) 
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.


Original recipe courtesy of Ina Garten: Click Here 

Love,
B

Little Delights: Pumpkin Bites

"These pillowy spice cookies transform pumpkin pie flavors into portable treats."

-Martha Stewart Living 

Pumpkin Cookies with 

Brown Butter Icing

I finally decided to venture into the world of Pinterest a few months ago.  The first thing I ran into was this little recipe c/o Joyous . Pinterest, you are amazing, but I know you will drain all my free time (what free time??), so for now I've said goodbye. But hey, at least I discovered this amazing recipe. These little gems have been a hit everywhere I've taken them. These puffy little cake-like bites are delicious and not too sweet so they appeal to a variety of people. The frosting is quite delicious, but since I'm not such a fan of frosting, the second time I made them, I dusted half with powder sugar and the other half I sprinkled with sugar crystals before I baked them. All three toppings worked like a charm! 

• Ingredients

  For The Cookies

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• For The Icing

  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.
3. Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.
4. Make icing: Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time.

Recipe c/o: Martha Stewart 

I'd love to hear how these cookies worked out for you!

Love,
B

Blu Jam Cafe...an LA kinda day

There is nothing better than waking up early in the morning and walking through a sea of flowers at the Los Angeles Flower Market. You are immediately hit by an array of every color imaginable and then some. This place has probably become one of our favorite places. (okay maybe certainly)  Its magical in its own way and inspiration pours out at you from every corner (why can't weddings be our full-time jobs??) Anywho, me and Di had gone to get a little inspiration for a wedding Di has lined up this summer, and boy did we! With so much beauty surrounding you, its impossible not to.

 

After such an early morning, we were both starved and in need of some caffeine. I'd been reading a local magazine that reviewed some of the top places for breakfast and lunch and thought we'd go ahead and try one of them called Blu Jam Cafe. Boy were we lost for words at this place. Amazing, delicious, scrumptious, and indulging, can't even begin to describe the party in our mouths after just one bite! Di ordered the Florentine Benedict: Poached eggs on a toasted English muffin with sautéed fresh spinach, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and brie cheese, topped with hollandaise. Its served with side of potatoes that are so perfectly cooked yet slightly crispy at the same time! The dish has so many amazing components to it, its hard to pick out your favorite ingredients.  They blend so well together, as any egg benedict should!

I went for the more traditioanl breakfast: two eggs any style, crispy bacon and two pancakes slices of french toast. The eggs were so perfectly cooked, with soft, runny centers. The bacon was so crispy but not too greasy which is such a rare find. (who really wants grease all over their plates?) And now for the french toast. Hands down the best toast I've ever had, ever! (and that's saying a lot considering I worked at a breakfast joint). It wasn't too sweet or too dense. The real maple syrup definitely added to the perfection of that little french toast. 

If you aren't so keen on the breakfast dive type of vibe, then this place is superb and will sure meet your needs. It's got a nice LA urban feel to it. Its even decorated with local artwork that changes every month or so. They serve breakfast until 5 p.m. everyday! I mean come on now you really can't get any better than that. The place even opens up as a Bistro for dinner starting at 6 p.m. 

Now go try it and let us know what you think! 

Love,

B & Di

say cheeeeese

We LOVE cheese here and can basically eat it any time of the day (multiple times of the day in fact!). We can stand in front of the fridge, door wide open, having a lovely conversation, cheese in hand, like its nobody's business!  As for our favorites, I'm partial to Pecorino imported from Italy. Try it with pears (while in season) and honey. Super healthy and easy mid-day snack. Di loves the savory yet pungent flavors of Bleu Cheese.  One type we absolutely can't stop talking about is Gorgonzola, an Italian bleu cheese.  First time I had it was at La Giostra, Firenze in a pasta dish with crumbled pistachio nuts and pears. My tastes bud have never been the same!

But when it comes to cheese platters, it can get very overwhelming standing in the cheese isle of a grocery store not knowing what to grab at...ever wonder how to put them together? What cheeses complement each other best? Room temperature or cold cheese? Well I came across this blog at work the other day and thought I'd share with you!

The Perfect Cheese Plater courtesy of A Cup of Jo 

I was helping a friend prepare for his New Year's party a few months back and when it came down to the cheese platter I was pretty clueless.  Wish I had this then...The next time you plan on serving a cheese platter at your next party, follow these helpful tips! 

* When you invite friends over, buy one ounce per person per cheese; and stick to five to six cheeses total.
* Choose a fun variety of cheeses: different textures, countries, and all three milk types (goat, sheep, cow).
* Pair cheeses with: Dried cherries, walnuts, marcona almonds (I love these!), fresh grapes, crackers and French bread.
* Serve all the cheeses on one big board. You want your guests to start with the mildest and work up to the strongest, so place the cheeses in "clock order"--12 o'clock being the mildest and 11 o'clock being the strongest.
* Take the cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before serving. Cheese should be eaten at room temperature, when it's at its full flavor and texture.
* Put out a few different knives. Goat and blue cheeses crumble if you use a regular knife, so cheese wires are the best thing to use--if you don't have one, you can use dental floss! Softer cheeses work best with a butter knife. Harder cheeses, like parmesan, are good with a triangle-shaped knife. Cut circular cheeses in wedges, like a pizza.
* If you have leftovers, don't store the cheese in Saran Wrap, which will make the cheese sweat and leave a plastic-y taste. Cheese is living and needs to breathe, so wrap it in parchment or wax paper, and keep it in the most humid part of the fridge (usually the vegetable drawer).
* Typically it's OK to eat the rind of any cheese, as long as you can handle the stronger flavor (exceptions, of course, are cloth-bound or wax rinds).


If you want to read the entire post and a description on all the cheeses pictured, read it here and for you adventurous cheese lovers read this one here

So who's up for some grapes, cheese, and vino?!
Love,
B + D

Old Town Pasadena

This was our weekend...we fell in love with Old Town Pasadena! 

After Reality LA, we decided to change things up a bit...

Green Street Tavern

Delectable little French Bistro that serves only breakfast and brunch. 

Nothing beats a delicious brunch, refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio, and two friend that can talk for days.  We walked down Colorado Blvd trying to find some delicious pastries, and instead we ran into Intelligentsia and couldn't resist an afternoon coffee (when can we ever resist a coffee?) We loved this location because it had much more seating and places to relax. We did it Italian style and drank our coffees at the bar...and chatted about nothing else but FLOWERS! 

   

A lovely Ms. explained the process of how pour over coffee is done

A great place to find inspiration for your wedding can be a furniture store or home decor store.  The merchandisers always pair patterns and colors in ways you may not have thought about or pair together pieces like Moroccan inspired lanterns with simple chic glass candle holders. That's often what we do! You'd be surprised how much it helps!

Pottery Barn, Pasadena 

Also, our mouths dropped for these stunning shoes! 

 

We loved you Old Pas...Thanks for an incredible Sunday! 

Lots of Love, B + D 

The bold fold

What does Orange and waffles have in common? BRUXIE! 

First new thing I noticed when I got back to Chapman after my little adventure was this snazzy little walk-up restaurant on the corner of Glassel and Palm. Old town Orange is the best place for unique eats and this is one was no exception. So a friend of mine (Clauds!) finally suggested it for a quick dinner after a study date. Now let me tell you, I was so intrigued by the idea of eating savory waffles! I'm big on trying new and well...off-the-wall things. If I can't be adventurous everyday like ohhhh traveling foreign countries, the least I can do is be adventurous with my food! (Hey I take whatever I can get okay).

Here we ordered wild mushroom and Arugula...simply delicious.

But if you want more of a snack type meal, go with the classic PB&J! why not right?

GO try it and let us know what you think! Its ideal for snacks, a quick lunch,

 or a late night bite. 

Porto's Bakery & Cafe

Porto's Bakery & Cafe

From the rows of delicious pastries, decorative desserts,

perfectly brewed espresso, to mouth watering sandwiches and fried plantain chips. 

This little Cuban bakery is a favorite.

It is located in Downey, my hometown.

I lived 18 years in Downey. This little town

is a diamond in the rough so many great

things come from Downey. I will probably keep you all up to date

on more about Downey, but for now lets just droowl on all these

delicious pictures!

I will let the pictures I took while visiting this past weekend 

with my sister, brother, and brother in law

speak for themselves.

 I forgot to mention, the lines at Porto's are INTENSE!!!
I was there this Sunday, and it was out the door
and around the corner, not joking.

 this is a Italian Cheesecake.

Our favorite pastry at Porto's are these cheese pastries.
They are warm, sweet cheese on the inside
and caramelized crunchy sugar on the outside!

Iced Dulce de Leche Latte

...unfortunetely I did not take pictures of the sandwiches!
The turkey melt is great, so is the grilled chicken.
And if you love meat, the Cuban Sandwich is a classic!


Visit Porto's and let us know how much you love it!




Love, Di

drink some juice

Who would have thought it would finally be that easy to get all three servings of fruit and veggies in one drink! You know we're all about eating healthy here. Well at least we're trying to. These little bars are popping up everywhere and we're not talking about Jamba Juice. Mother's Market Juice Bar is just delectably good!

If you're feeling rather daring, go for the Beet Me Up: carrots, garlic, beet, spinach, and parsley. Looking for a little detox? Try the Detox Shock: apple, lemon, ginger, and a shot of wheatgrass.  If you have more of a citrus palette, try the Ma's Lemonade: Lemon, grape, and apple.

They've even got a "Create Your Own" portion of the menu:

Our signature combo is: 

50% apple with pineapple, orange, grape, lemon, and pear!

Happy Healthy findings! 

Love, 

Be