Let Me Feed You

      I have this thing where, if friends are coming over, I get embarrassed if I don't have food in my house to feed them when they're hungry. Yes, I suppose there is always take out or delivery, but sometimes that isn't practical. Maybe I get embarrassed because I grew up around my family entertaining so much, and I just want to make my friends feel welcome. It's probably something I overthink, given that my friends are typically content with a drink and some cuddles from my cats, but on the off chance that one of them is hungry, I want to make damn sure I can feed them. So that's what started to happen, and now they just come over hungry. I'm pretty certain that's why they refer to me, ever so fondly, as "mom."

      It started off in high school when I would occasionally bring a Rainbow Cake to school. I would let anyone who asked try it (as long as they got their own fork) and soon enough people would ask me if I could make it for their birthdays or even just random days. When I brought this cake to school people would literally follow me around to get a bite. Years later I got my own apartment and threw a party. I decided to make Salmon Quesadillas at this party and this is the moment I realized that I only like making food for people I can actually tolerate. The ones I tolerate know who they are. They are the ones I will do anything for. They are the ones that are like my family.

      There have been many dishes eaten and created at my place. Different kinds of pastas, egg dishes, sushi, sweets, veggies...I could go on and on. I remember a night where drinks had been consumed and I decided to make brownies. The Ghirardelli Triple Fudge kind. Before I knew what was going on, my friends were in my kitchen looking for other things we could put in the mix. Usually I'm fairly protective of my kitchen but this night I didn't mind because, well...you know, alcohol. What they decided upon was Kona Coffee grounds and Kahlua. *Heavy Breathing* They turned out amazing and I will never look back!

      Before writing this post, I reached out to a few friends and asked what some of their memories were in regard to the food at my house. Maya, my Jewish little sister, loves baking Chocolate Chip Cookies with me. Isabella, my creative muse, loves a pasta dish I made for us one night that involves pesto, asparagus, avocado, and a fried egg. My spirit animal Trystan, thought my One Eyed Sailors were revolutionary and "the best hangover food ever." My guy friends are exuberant with the overall concept of food so thats pretty easy. A concept that Matt, my boyfriend, is loving. He and I are trying to make a habit of cooking dinner at least twice a week. Our newest thing is Stir Fry. Matt loves to Stir Fry. Besides making me swell up with pride and love, the overall message I got from them is that they were excited. That is and will forever be my goal. I want people to be excited about making and eating food.

(Corrine and me making sushi for the first time)

       Honestly, I quite enjoy having my house be the place where people convene and eat. I genuinely want to say thank you to every single person that has ever come over to my place and cooked or eaten a meal with me. The creativity and inspiration that you all provide is something that is incomparable to anything else I've experienced. I feel so lucky to call each and every one of you a part of my family and the friendships are priceless. You are always welcome under my roof and I truly hope it feels like home.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

      Summer is officially here, and if you live in Arizona, that means it's time to wear a sweater indoors so you don't freeze your ass off. I'm not a huge fan of summer, but it is the time of year I tend to get a lot of the things done that I couldn't tackle during school. Like going grocery shopping on a regular basis. Now, I am pretty good about not buying a lot of junk food when I go to the store. I make a point of never shopping hungry and if I do bring sweets home it's usually something that will last longer than a week. I told myself that if I truly want to treat myself with sweets, I have to bake them. You know, so I feel like I accomplished something and can reward myself by eating copious amounts of cookies. 

       These particular cookies are famous amongst my friends. My mom would make them a few times a year and whoever was over at the time would get to help create their glory. These are the cookies that, if my friends know that I'm making them, they will come over specifically to eat. The amount of excitement that surrounds them is unreal. And now I am providing them, and everyone else reading this, with the recipe. This could be dangerous. 

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup White Chocolate Chips

1 cup Butterscotch Chips

1 cup oatmeal

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the various chocolate chips and oatmeal. Use a spoon to scoop portions onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool on baking sheets or on wire racks.

       This recipe is incredibly easy. If you have ever bought a Nestle chocolate chip bag, you have seen this recipe because it is on the back of the bag. My mom just switched up a few things to make it different. See the original here. 

The 2015 James Beard Awards

      I'm a New York City kind of person. I love the controlled chaos, the don't mess with me attitude, and the incredible cultures that reside on every street corner. If you find yourself bored in NYC, you're doing it wrong. My mom and I have been going to the big city every spring for the past 6 years, but just recently, started going to attend the annual James Beard Awards ceremony. For those who don't know, its like The Oscars, but for food. I miss part of finals week every year to go to this event. Probably not the smartest thing, but hey, I like to eat. Naturally, I get overly excited each time the invitation arrives. This year was no different, but there was one thing I was unsure about.

      Chicago? I had never been to Chicago. I love traveling and I love exploring new cities, but I like to have at least a decent idea of what I'm getting myself into. All I knew about this place is that the weather is spastic and the deep dish pizza is the signature meal. I expected a NYC-esque city. What I learned: Chicago is NOT New York City. Chicago is very much its own. The people are welcoming, the city streets are stunning, the weather is still spastic, and the food is great. Here are some of the best places we ate before we attended the awards.

    The Boarding House - We went to this restaurant the first night and it set the standard for the trip. This restaurant is absolutely beautiful. It's two floors with the bar downstairs and the restaurant upstairs. The whole place has a bit of an industrial feel to it which I loved! And the food was incredible. They did a very good job of putting a unique twist on classic dishes. For instance, tuna tartar was now salmon tartar. Little changes like that make The Boarding House a restaurant you crave.

Salmon Tartare with cucumber, pickled fresno peppers, fennel pollen, and char roe

Beets and Goat Cheese Salad with pistachios, candied zest, pumpernickel, and basil

Mushroom Risotto

Scallops with kohlrabi, apple, pickled mustard seeds, and guanciale

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with vanilla ice cream and a strawberry chip

      Nico Osteria - We went to this restaurant for brunch with a group of people who are also affiliated with the James Beard Foundation. Meaning, I wasn't the only one at the table taking pictures of the food. I have found my people! The dishes were beautifully presented and the service was great. I was torn between three different things on the menu and our waiter recommended her favorite, the Ham Chop & Eggs. By far the best ham and eggs I have every had. They are known for their raw bar which does not disappoint, and the drinks and desserts were especially unique. I am curious to know what their dinner menu is like, but I don't know if I could ever pass up their brunch menu. Is it odd to go to the same restaurant twice in one day? 

Oysters with celery, champagne vinegar, and osetra caviar supplement

Knpachi with potato, frisee, and smoked banyuls. Bigeye Tuna with fennel, breadcrumbs, and ice wine vinegar. Black Bream with grapes, candied pumpkin seed, and basil. Wild King Salmon with chile, meyer lemon, and black lava salt.

Ham Chop & Eggs with polenta and roasted tomato vinaigrette

Port Wines

Unfortunately I couldn't tell you what any of these desserts were. I was too busy eating them.

      Spiaggia - This was by far the fanciest restaurant we went to. The portion sizes were smaller and they recommended that we each get three courses. Deep down, my mom and I knew this would be too much food, but screw it. We came to Chicago to eat. Spiaggia is Italian food with a twist, and frankly I was pleasantly surprised by the menu. When I think Italian I think pastas and pizzas. This was not that, which was refreshing. This restaurant is great for a special occasion, but for more casual dining they also have their Cafe that offers a different menu. 

Amuse Bouche

Primavera - spring vegetables, Montasio D.O.P., pumpkin seeds, and black truffle

Salmone - Quillayute River spring salmon, trout roe, green almond, wild mint, and extra virgin oil

Gnocchi - potato, ricotta, black truffle, and Parmigiano Reggiano

Chitarra - rye guitar string spaghetti, Taleggio, ramp, morel, and rosemary

Merluzzo - Pacific black cod, asparagus, guanciale, green strawberry, and black lime

Opah - Pacific opah, speck, eggpalnt, caper leaf, cherry tomato, and sea bean

Gelati E Sorbetti - Salted Carmel, Mango, and Smoked Vanilla Bean-Bourbon

      These restaurants were only the appetizers to the main course that is the James Beard Awards and we were ready. They were held at the Lyric Opera House and they couldn't have picked a better venue. The awards themselves were long (they always are) but only because everyone wants to get to the food they smell that is being prepared outside the theatre doors. However, I love the ceremony. Everyone, including the nominees, are so deserving. 

Plus, my mom marks down all the winners in the program so we know where to dine in the upcoming year. It was nice to see some familiar names too! The JBFA invites the previous year's winners to come back and provide the dishes for the reception. Both Peche and Commanders Palace (mentioned here) were there and we got to thank the chefs for their fabulous food that we ate last February in New Orleans. Overall it was such a fun night and I can't wait to come back to Chicago for the next couple James Beard Awards!

Things I Overheard In Napa

      Last summer for my mother's birthday we went to Napa Valley to celebrate. It wasn't my first time going, but it was the first time that I could drink while visiting. So that's exactly what we did, along with eating some delicious food. At our first wine tasting I realized two things. The first being that it is indeed okay to pour your wine out after you've tasted it. Being the naive 21 year old that I was,  I attempted to drink every single drop of wine that was poured for me. The result was me being hungover at 4pm and craving a burger for dinner instead of the amazing meal that we had planned that night at The French Laundry. The second thing I realized was that people in Napa (or visiting Napa) say some ridiculous and hilarious things. I decided to write those things down. So without further adieu, here are the things that I overheard in Napa. 

1. "I'll meet you in the limo." Because limos are the only way to travel around while you're in Napa.
2. "A day without cheese is like a day without sunshine." I agree with this completely. 
3. "Is this a private tasting?" This was said to us during a very obvious, private tasting. 
4. "I expect to have fun little nibbles." Taken out of context this is hilarious. But the "little nibbles" the man was referring too looked a little something like this...  

4. "But he's French so you can only take him in small doses." Accurate. 
5. "It's naughtiness, personified." Wine is just so naughty.
6. "A beautiful woman shall never be in want of a great bottle of Chardonnay, so enjoy." This is how you get her to call you.
7. "Would you like a local wine or one from France?" Because a wine from France is the only other kind of wine that would be good enough.
8. "Doing well? Surviving?" A pool boy to a group of girls, referring to the fact that it was 80 degrees out. 
9. "Instagram is an art." Said by the group of girls.
10. "Do you know how many chemicals are in that?" Facepalm.

Salmon Quesadillas

      When I think of a quesadilla I think of cheese with maybe a little bit of chicken inside a tortilla and some guacamole on the side. It's a nice meal. Easy to make, yet so boring. I like my food to be unique, so when I first tried Barbara Fenzl's Salmon Quesadillas, there was no going back to your typical cheese crisp. This recipe is one of my all time favorites and it has become a staple dish for my family at dinner time. I made about 16 for a party once and they were gone in about 10 minutes. My friends who attended had never had something like it before, and I will still get random texts from friends asking me when I am going to make them again. If you allow for a little bit of prep time, they are super easy to make and even easier to eat. They are the definition of gourmet comfort food.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

(Makes 6 Quesadillas)

Ingredients

      1 Pasilla (Poblano) Pepper

      1 Red Bell Pepper

      1 Shallot

      1 Avocado

      4 oz. of Smoked Salmon

      6 Large Flour Tortillas

      4 oz. of Creamy Goat Cheese

      4 oz. of Cream Cheese

Instructions

      Over an open gas flame roast both peppers until the skin turns black. Put into small paper or plastic bag to steam. With a knife, scrape the skin off. Do NOT wash off with water as you will lose the flavor. Dice the peppers and set aside.

      Mix together the goat cheese and cream cheese. Set aside.

      Dice the shallot. Set aside.

      Either slice or tear the smoked salmon into small pieces.

      Slice the avocado. 

Assembly

      Spread 1/2 of each tortilla with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the peppers and shallot on top. Layer the avocado and smoked salmon and fold the tortilla in half. Over medium heat, warm the quesadillas until lightly browned on the outside. Remove from heat. Slice and serve. 

      This is one of my favorite things to make. You can eat a bunch of them in one sitting, like I do, or pair with a light salad to make a meal. If you're curious about more recipes from Barbara Fenzl or want one of her cookbooks, click here. 

      Quick note! I didn't have a photo of the quesadillas to attach. I think I ate them too quick...but I will be attaching some soon!