....is Ginger & Sweet Chile Hash

A delicious breakfast hash with an asian twist! The combination of Ginger & Sweet Chile goes wonderfully with the potatoes, meat & greens. I was on the hunt for new savory breakfast recipes I came across this Serious Eats post and used it as inspiration. Add as much or as little Sweet Chile & Sriracha, I like it hot but I err'ed on the side of mild with this recipe. Enjoy!

...is a Mascarpone & Mixed Berry Breakfast

There's a delicious new post up at The Breakfest Hub this morning. Go take a look at the Mascarpone French Toast & Mixed Berry Syrup I made last weekend for Easter!

....is Mascarpone French Toast & Mixed Berry Syrup

I made this treat for Easter breakfast last weekend. I found this recipe in Sunset Magazine (May 2012) and it's a lovely combination of creamy mascarpone, berries & bread (mmmm bread). I didn't find the bread I was looking for at the grocery, so I made this loaf the night before. The majority of this recipe can be made beforehand (this works well if you like sleeping in!) all I had to do in the morning was reheat the syrup, assemble & panfrying the French Toast. I can't say this is a particularly healthy meal but it was so good, the plates were licked clean.

....is an Easter Bike Ride

On Easter Sunday the San Diego looked a little like this, blue skies and sunshine. My day started with some French Toast, and I honestly thought that was going to be the highlight, it was really good French Toast. My boyfriend suggested a bike ride in La Jolla, there's a beautiful beach and a whole lot of ocean to see. The only problem, small problem really, is the BIG hill between my apartment & the sandy shore.

View from the top of the hill.

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography & Caroline's Seaside Cafe.

A few reflection pictures at the bottom of the hill.

Lunch at Puesto, Mexican Street Food on top of another hill.

After lunch we sat on the grass and enjoyed the sunshine a little more.

The only downside was the up hill required to get back.

(Notice there are no 'after' pictures showcasing our sweat, exhaustion and my sunburnt arms.)

....is Barbecue Shrimp & Cheddar Grits

I started to write my own intro for this recipe but the book the Barbecue Shrimp came from did a much better job....

Barbecue shrimp, one of the four or five best dishes in all of New Orleans cooking, is completely misnamed. They're neither grilled nor smoked and there's no barbecue sauce. It was created in the mid-1950s at Pascal's Manale Restaurant. 

I know the amount of butter and pepper in this recipe seems fantastic. Be bold. This is not a dish you will eat often - although you will want to.

Serves 4-6. (I may need a new cookbook holder.)

For the Shrimp

Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food

1-1/2 lb Shrimp, Deveined, Peeled

(Leave the Tails!)

2Tbsp White Wine

1-1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

Pinch of Salt

1-1/2 Cups of Butter

Place Shrimp in a large skillet over medium heat, pour Wine, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire Sauce & Garlic over them. Bring the liquids in the pan to a light boil and cook, turning shrimp over with a spoon every 2 minutes, until all the brown grey color in the shrimp is gone. Don't overcook! At the first moment you think the shrimp might be done, they will be. Turn the heat to low.

Cover the Shrimp completely with a thin layer of Black Pepper. Ad the Paprika & Salt. Cut the butter into tablespoon pieces and distribute over the Shrimp. With a big spoon, turn shrimp over. Agitate the pan as the butter melts over the shrimp and emulsifies into the liquid at the bottom of the pan. When no more solid Butter is visible, remove the pan from heat.

For the Grits

Emeril Lagasse Shrimp and Grits

4 Cups Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
Salt & White pepper
1 Cup Instant Grits
2 oz. White Cheddar Cheese, Grated

In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the milk and butter. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil. 

Slowly stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes until the grits and tender and creamy, stirring every minute or two to prevent the grits from sticking. 

Add some water during the cooking process if the liquid evaporates to much. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Reseason with salt and white pepper if needed. Set aside and keep warm. 

Lagniappe....a little something extra
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Andouille Sausage, Diced
1/2 Yellow Onion, Diced

In a saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the Sausage and render for 2 minutes, set aside. Add the Onion and saute until Caramelized. 

Serve the Grits in a bowl with the Sausage and Onion over the top and Shrimp around the edges. Be sure to have a small bowl to disgard of the shrimp tails as you go. This meal has some kick, the grits help cool it down some but if it's too much you can lessen the pepper (the barbecue shrimp recipe would disagree with me.)

....is Birthday Month Dinners

URGE, American Gastro Pub

The Milk Burger

The Garbage Burger

The Deconstructed Chocolate Stout S'More


Sammy's Woodfire Pizza & Grill

Sun Dried Tomato Pizza and Balsamic Chicken Salad

March Birthday Babies. :)

7:15pm Sunset, I Love Spring.


Eureka! Burger

Fig Marmalade Burger

Lost & Found - Hop Head Red

Chocolate Espresso Souflé Coffee Cup Cake

....is Couscous with Lemon & Sage

I had some frozen peas taking up space in the freezer, a quick search for ideas one what to do with them lead to this recipe. The cooking time was quick, only as long as the time it takes to boil water plus 5 minutes. It was a wonderful dinner, light and delicious.

The Couscous
2 Cups Broth
1/2 tsp Salt
1Tbsp Butter
1 Box Plain Couscous (about 5 servings)
1 Cup Peas

The Mixings
3 Tbsp Brown Butter
10 Sage Leaves
Salt & Pepper

In medium saucepan, bring broth, salt, butter to a boil. Stir in couscous, peas & cover. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes.

In the mean time, Zest and Juice Lemon and set aside. Rinse and finely chop the Sage leaves, brown the Butter and as it turns a caramel color add Sage. This should bubble a little, remove from the heat as it calms down. Fluff couscous and peas, mixing in Browned Butter, Sage, Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice, Salt & Pepper.