Gruyere O'Gratin Taters...Hint, it's all about the NUTMEG

Alright, so I was super duper healthy with that Quinoa Tabouleh salad, but I also boarded the decadent train with another dish today.  Luckily, multiple mouths helped consume all the yumminess so calorie intake is in tact (until I hit up the leftovers later...HA!) Anyway, as I mentioned in my last post, I took a wonderful cooking class at Cook L.A. (Visit the website here!) and learned killer new dishes, as well as valuable knife, roasting, blanching, and toasting skills!  One of the dishes I learned was Gruyere O'Gratin Potatoes.  For the love of all that is holy....TRUST me when I say this one is a winner.

Here's What You'll Need:

3 Pounds of Potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced (Russet or Idaho work best)
3 Cloves of Garlic - finely minced
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper & Nutmeg - to taste
3/4 Pound Gruyere Cheese - grated (add a second type of cheese for a little variety)
2 Cups Heavy Cream

1.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin and even slices.  Making sure they are sliced evenly ensures an evenly baked dish!  Grate the cheese.

2.  Butter a pyrex dish (Either use one 9x13 or two 8x8 dishes).

3.  Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish.  Then sprinkle a handful of gruyere and minced garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and a dusting of nutmeg.  You want the nutmeg to be subtle.

4.  Repeat this process until you run out of potatoes and cheese.  Then pour the heavy cream evenly over the potatoes. 

5.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until done, approximately 50-60 minutes.  Check potatoes with a fork.  Fork should slide into potato easily.  If cheese is getting too brown, but potatoes are not yet done, cover with foil and continue baking.

6.  Remove from oven and allow potatoes to set (15 minutes or so!)  Serve and call me from heaven cuz after one bite of these bad boys, you'll think you've died and gone there!  ENJOY!

Quinoa Tabouleh Will Make you Drooly!

Boy, did I get busy in the kitchen today!  I was chopping and dicing like it was my job!  I love an afternoon of kitchen fun!  Forever on a quest for high protein, healthy vegetarian dishes, I was SUPER excited to learn this recipe last week.  I took a cooking class at a wonderful little cooking school in Studio City, CA called Cook L.A.  (Click Here to Learn More about Cook LA)  On this particular night, it just so happened that all menu items were vegetarian!  Bonus!  I loved all of the dishes we made that evening, but the Quinoa Tabouleh stood out as a wonderfully fresh summer dish that I would love to share with all of you.  That being said, full credit to Liz at Cook L.A. for the original recipe.  I tweaked it just a bit to my liking, as I'm sure we all do when it comes to loosely following a recipe.  (Except baking, I RARELY tweak a recipe when baking!)  Anyway, on to the goodness...

Here's What You Will Need:

1 Cup Quinoa (I used the Simple Truth organic brand from Ralph's)
2 Cups Water (or to punch up the flavor I used Simple Truth organic vegetable broth)
1 Bunch Parsley - chopped
3 Green Onions - sliced into thin scallions
3 Medium Tomatoes - small dice
5 Small Persian Cucumbers - sliced length wise and then chopped into 1/4" half moons (see photo below)
1/2 Medium Red Onion - medium dice
3 Cloves of Garlic - finely minced
Olive Oil (approx. 1/4 cup, but I just toss it on to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of a Medium Lemon (watch those seeds)

**Get creative and add a bit of mint, perhaps some diced watermelon, diced red and yellow bell peppers, or even some feta cheese!  However, the recipe above is bursting with flavor as is!**

1.  Step one is IMPORTANT!!  Dry toast the quinoa in a sauce pan before adding any liquid.  Stirring constantly, the quinoa will brown up a bit and smell almost like nutty popcorn!  Do this for 4 to 5 minutes.

2.  Add your water or vegetable broth to the quinoa and bring to a boil.  After it's boiling, reduce to a simmer.  Leave it uncovered and simmering until all liquid is gone.  Set aside to cool.

3.  In a large bowl toss together your parsley, scallions, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. (and anything else you've decided to add)

  

Here are your half moon cucumbers!

Look at that color palette!!

4.  Add your room temperature quinoa and mix together!  SERVE!!!  

This is a beautiful dish, bursting with flavor!  And it's quite lovely, aesthetically speaking!  

Euro Adventure - Day #1 - #30

Many people have been asking me about my plan/itinerary for my upcoming adventure. I am going to be traveling for about ten months, spending the majority of my time in Spain. However, since I'll be in the neighborhood ;), I decided to check out a few other notable European cities before I make my way into Madrid.  Here I will map out the first 30 days of my pre-Spain journey! In this post I will only briefly show you my stops, my route and some links to a few of the places where I'm staying. Hopefully, as I proceed on my adventures, I can keep you in the loop on what I see and experience! So here we go!  I depart Saturday, August 23rd!  

Stop #1 Edinburgh, Scotland

Adios California, hello Scotland!  Click HERE to see where I'm staying in Scotland!  I'm really excited for my time in Edinburgh.  The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is taking place during my stay.  This is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August in Scotland's capital city.  HEAVEN! 

Stop #2 Dublin, Ireland

Next, I fly to Dublin!  Click HERE to see where I'm staying in Dublin.  I'm so excited to see Ireland and I already have a musical pub crawl planned, as well as a bus tour to the countryside where P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed!  

Stop #3 London, England

On to London, Cheerio!  My dear friend Erin will be meeting me in London.  I can't wait to explore with her! Click HERE to see our cute flat in Soho!

Stop #4 Paris, France

Erin and I will make our way to Paris via the Chunnel. This is a tunnel that lies beneath the English Channel, connecting England to France. The Chunnel train travels at 186 mph. Click HERE to see where Erin and I are staying in Paris!

Stop #5 Nice, France

On to the South of France, where we'll explore Nice, Monaco, Provence, etc. Click HERE to see where we are staying in Nice!  After thirteen days of traveling together, I say goodbye to Erin on September 12th.

Stop #6 Cannes, France

I simply couldn't be in Nice (only a 22 minute train ride from Cannes) and not pop over to the infamous city that boasts the film festival.  I'll spend two nights in Cannes exploring, and possibly just laying on the beach. Click HERE to see my little studio in Cannes.

Stop #7 Aix en Provence, France

From Cannes, I will take a train through Marseille to the quaint town of Aix en Provence.  I learned about this sweet town watching a Rick Steve's show and I was simply tickled by the history and charm of this bustling little village.  I cannot wait to see it in person!  Click HERE to see my apartment in Aix en Provence. Also, click HERE for a NY Times article capturing the loveliness of Aix.

Stop #8 Bordeaux, France 

How could I possibly be in France without experiencing some of the greatest wine regions in the world?  I will take a train six hours across France to the wine region of Bordeaux, where I will reside for three nights.  

Stop #9 San Sebastián, Spain 

My final stop before heading to Madrid is in a coastal city called San Sebastian, in the Bay of Biscay, very near the France border.  This city has a picturesque shoreline and plenty of history.  Click HERE to see where I'll be staying in San Sebastian!

Finally, on September 21st, I will make my way to Madrid where my sojourn in Spain awaits!  I will also be making my way into Portugal, and even Africa!  I am excited and a little nervous, but my mind and heart are wide open to new adventures and experiences!  I hope you'll follow along!  xo

Flamenco Show at El Cid

My favorite gift to give to a friend or family member is something we can DO together.  Yes, purses and earrings are lovely, but memories of an experience are simply enchanting.  In the last several years I've tried to step up my planning game for my mom's birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, etc.  It's been wonderful…we've gone to many fabulous plays, musicals, concerts, tea on the Queen Mary, museums, exhibits, excellent restaurants, etc.  For her birthday a couple of months ago I was scouring L.A. Weekly and every other entertainment guide I could get my paws on and I just didn't see a play or musical that looked interesting.  I was starting to fear I'd have to resort to the old "lunch and a movie" routine (which of course she would love) when I remembered something I had seen during my month in Los Feliz.  There is a restaurant in Silverlake called El Cid that features live Flamenco shows.  I checked out the website (check it out here!) and looked into the shows.  The prices were great, $15 per person, and they had a variety of times available.  I opted for the Sunday show that started at 5:30 p.m.  We arrived a bit early to have cocktails and tapas on the patio before the show.  I love the set up of the restaurant.  Upon entering, you have to descend several uneven brick stair cases, which lends to the feeling of being lost in another world.  My mom and I felt it was charming and tranquil and we felt swept up in the whimsy of the occasion.  The tapas menu was fun…we ordered crispy brussels sprouts that were flash fried and dressed in a lemon vinaigrette and topped with sliced Spanish almonds.  We snacked on artichoke and boursin cheese beignets, mini spicy shrimp po' boys, and topped it off with crisp white wine from the Rioja region of Spain.  After enjoying our delicious tapas we headed in for the show, which was equally delightful.  If you have not yet seen a Flamenco show, go.  Now.  Flamenco is a dance performed with unparalleled passion and intensity.  It tells a story, and typically the musicians are also phenomenal.  We loved out experience and I would highly recommend adding El Cid to your "To Do" list.  We all have one of those in the note sections of our phones, right??  

xx

Love Affair with AirBnB

Last year I had a lovely mom, Sarah, who volunteered in my classroom on a weekly basis.  As the end of the school year drew near, we shared stories of what our summers would entail and I, of course, ended up sharing how much I love travel and how I was planning a summer in New Orleans, Spain, and then a "staycation" in Los Angeles.  During one of our conversations,  Sara bestowed upon me the greatest gift of knowledge for a lover of travel such as myself.  She told me about AirBnB.  This website is truly a wonder for those who have the travel bug.  It is a website full of wonderful vacation rentals that range from quirky, artsy bohemian lofts to elegant and ultra chic apartments, and everything in between.  Not only are there so many choices, but the price is so very right.  I have found that in most cities, the price of a two bedroom apartment is actually less expensive than a mid range hotel nearby.  Obviously you don't have the benefit of a maid service or a concierge, but every AirBnB at which I've stayed has had a wonderful host willing to help out with any information needed about the city.  Most hosts leave wonderful goody baskets, fresh linens and towels, and truly make their guests feel welcome.  My advice is to read the reviews carefully as fellow travelers are not usually shy about the pros and cons of a place.  You can rent just a room (if you are really on a budget) or you can reserve an entire apartment or house.  It is such a hidden gem and I just want to make sure all of my friends and family know about this wonderful site!  As most of you know, in August I will be embarking on a 10 month journey of traveling.  I start in Scotland, and eventually make my way to Spain.  I have reserved several AirBnB's for my journey and I'm thrilled with each of them!  I am staying with a friend at some of these locations so we opted for a little more space.  I've included links to a few of the places where I will be staying so you can check out what this wonderful site has to offer!!   I'm still looking for a location in San Sebastian, ES.  Also, in Nice, France, my friend and I decided to get a hotel, just for those 3 nights.  Otherwise, I'm AirBnB all the way!  Ask me questions if you want more information!  xoxo


Edinburgh, Scotland

Dublin, Ireland

London, England

Paris, France

Cannes, France

Aix-en-Provence, France

Bordeaux, France

San Sebastian, Spain

Madrid, Spain

Skid Row Experience

        Summer 2013 was an incredible journey for me.  I was able to spend substantial time in New Orleans with my beloved cousins, and then I was fortunate enough to travel to Spain, where I was able to explore Madrid and Barcelona, meet amazing people, and tap into strength that I didn’t even know I had.  The memories I created will last a lifetime.  The last leg of my wonderful summer vacation entailed renting a little studio in Los Feliz, an area of Los Angeles notoriously known for hipsters and night life.  While I was looking forward to participating in all things hipster, I also wanted to find an opportunity to give of myself and do something for others.  After all, in this fast paced, dog eat dog world that is inundated with social media, it is really easy to become self absorbed and closed off.  Our worlds, although broadened through the Internet, can almost become smaller...because instead of getting out there and forming communities, we are instead often staring at our screens, sort of swept up in a false sense of community.  Does this make sense?  Anyway, I could write a dissertation on that, but I will spare you.  :)  
I began searching for volunteer opportunities.  Boy, it can be difficult to give your time and help away for free!  Understandably, many organizations probably have a pretty strict filter system so that they procure volunteers who are trustworthy and reliable.  However, it can be tough and time consuming to go through an eight step process, interviews, finger prints, commitment of eight hours a week, just to help a cause you believe in.  Knowing I had limited time in Los Feliz, I was lucky enough to come across a group called Monday Night Mission that didn’t require any of the steps mentioned above.  Instead, their motto was basically, “Please help if you can!”  SOLD!  I read a little bit more about the group and learned that every night, Monday through Friday, a group of people get together at a Burger King in Downtown L.A., make as many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as their supplies will allow, and then head to skid row to feed the homeless.  The rules?  Donate what you can, even if it’s just a smile.  Wear closed toed shoes.  Be aware that you are putting yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, but that help is needed.  I signed up that very day.  
The plan was to meet at the Burger King at 7pm.  I went to Ralph’s and stocked up on ten loaves of bread, and three jumbo sized peanut butters and jellies.  I also brought a box of sandwich baggies.  Of course I was a little nervous about what I was getting myself into, but are we really living if we aren’t stretching ourselves?  Don’t they say life begins when you step outside of your comfort zone?  I pulled into the parking lot armed with supplies, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt.  I walked up to a group of people who were already starting to form a sandwich making assembly line.  These folks could not have been kinder, sweeter or more welcoming.  At the same time, they were there to work.  They had a goal, a job, and it was going to get done.  The volunteers I met that night were from all walks of life and mostly in their twenties and thirties.  I met a Time Warner executive, an aerospace engineer, a checker from Albertsons, and a Special Education teacher.  To be honest, our day jobs didn’t matter.  That evening we were sandwich makers and we were there to serve.  After about an hour, we had produced 400 sandwiches.  Other people had brought bottled water, boxes of fruit and one beautiful couple had put together baggies of toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss.  Can you imagine?  Imagine living without these items that we take for granted on the daily?  
Although the volunteers I was working beside were strangers, we quickly became one entity working toward a common goal.  After our PB&J building was done, the Monday Night Mission leader, Mel, brought the group together for a talk before heading down to skid row.  He gave us a little background on the group, on the homeless living on Skid Row, and once again warned us that we were going into a potentially dangerous situation and that it was very important to follow the leaders.  He graciously told us that if anyone didn’t feel comfortable making the trek into skid row that it was perfectly fine to leave now, that helping to make sandwiches was significantly generous enough.  No one moved an inch.  The more experienced volunteers (volunteers who do this several nights a week) took the lead and we caravanned from the Burger King parking lot to Skid Row.  I hopped into a car with three young men who were so kind and protective, knowing it was my first time volunteering and that I had come alone.  While I knew we were going into an unpleasant situation, I wasn’t entirely prepared for what came next.  
First, I must give huge props to the Monday Night Mission group.  Their operation runs like a well oiled machine.  We set up a folding table on the street and many of the male volunteers acted like shields while the women passed out the food.  As we pulled up to the area where we were going to pass out food, I was stunned to see a line of nearly 300 homeless people waiting.  According to my new friends that I was riding with, most of these people had been standing in line for hours, waiting for their first and only meal of the day.  Although it was shocking, I remembered what Mel said...that providing a sandwich and a smile to these folks was the best gift you could give.  So I got out of that car, plastered a smile on my face, and went to work.  As each person came through the line, one of the more experienced volunteers would ask for their name and then tell us their name so we could greet them.  Some of these people have almost entirely lost their identity, their dignity and their hope.  It was so important to smile, say their name, hand them a sandwich and most importantly, treat them like a human being.  There were men, women, young, old, crazy, insane, unclean, sad, happy, polite, and rude.  It was one of the most eye opening experiences of my life.  I was so grateful that I was able to stay at the front of the line almost the entire time and hand out food.  I was so grateful that I was able to look so many of these human beings who have fallen on hard times right in the eye, give them a smile, and hand them a meal.  The majority of the people I handed food to were kind, grateful and said a genuine, “thank you.”  I could see shame and despair in some of their eyes, and as my heart broke, I remembered to stay strong and look them in the eye, say their name and give them that smile.  I wasn’t scared if my hand touched their hand.  My goal was to make that moment a pleasant one, to show them a bit of love, to suspend time for just a second before they retreated back to their curb side home.   
I cannot and will not get into the politics regarding the homeless.  I have done some research, and I certainly have my opinions, but I don’t want to address that here.  However, I will comment on how much perspective one can gain when stepping away from their own lives and stepping up to help others.  It is the most fulfilling feeling one can have. I think it might be easy to be quick to judge...why doesn’t that lazy person get a job?  Why don’t they stop smoking crack and get a job?  I’ve worked hard for my money, why should I give it to someone on the streets?  I get it.  I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve had some of these thoughts myself.  However, we don’t truly know a persons path.  We don’t truly know what they have endured.  And while yes, I work hard for my money, I am also blessed with not wanting for much.  So why in the world wouldn’t I help those who are in need?  Because of my ego?  Because of my judgement?  Because of my assumptions regarding the “choices” they have made?  No.  I can’t think of a better use of my time, and a more fulfilling joy in my heart.  I am not here to preach, but I just wanted to share my experience with you.  With the holiday season approaching and colder nights being imminent, maybe you can find a way to give.  If you would like to head down to skid row with me, let me know.  I can promise you it will be an experience you will soon not forget.

Love. xo

“Giving is the highest expression of potency. In the very act of giving, I experience my strength, my wealth, my power. This experience of heightened vitality and potency fills me with joy. I experience myself as overflowing, spending, alive, hence as joyous. Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness.” ~ Erich Fromm

All Hail the Croughnut

For the past year or so the word “croughnut” has been resounding in my brain.  When I first read of this miraculous anomaly I felt my taste buds go into overdrive.  The idea behind the croughnut is an exquisite blend of doughnut and croissant.  It holds true to the size and shape and sweetness of a doughnut, but infuses the buttery, flaky, fluffy goodness of a croissant.  Heavenly, right?  The problem with these angelic pastries was that they were only being created in New York?  Ex-SQUEEZE me?  I would continuously ask people, “WHEN is the croughnut coming to L.A. ? I mean something that comes from the heavens should reside in the city of angels, am I right?”  But no one could answer this question and my heart remained heavy.  For a year I have been continually teased and tempted and mocked by food diaries, blogs, articles and even tweets about the almighty croughnut. Until today.  Today I logged onto twitter and saw the words I’ve been anxiously awaiting.  Croughnut comes to Los Angeles!  What’s that I hear?  Angels singing??  To make the situation even more beautiful, the shop that is selling croughnuts is exactly 1.8 miles from the humble Los Feliz studio in which I’m currently dwelling.  I immediately hopped in my car and high tailed it to Kettle Glazed Doughnuts at 6211 Franklin Avenue.  My heart was literally racing as I was speeding along Franklin.  For a moment I thought that perhaps I should reassess just HOW excited I was about this croughnut.  Maybe it was a bit excessive.  But the truth is, there aren’t many things we have to wait for anymore.  We live in a time where we can get almost anything we want on the ready.  We can google something if we don’t know it, we can buy something on credit if we don’t have the cash, and we have access to transportation to take us just about anywhere.  We don’t get the gut wrenching pleasure and thrill of anticipation all that often anymore.  So I think the thrill of awaiting the croughnut for an entire year made the ability to go get one that much sweeter.  Plus, I knew it was going to be good.  How good?  Boy was I in for a shock.

Kettle Glazed is in a modest strip mall on Franklin Avenue in Los Angeles.  They have only been open for three days and the shop had a crisp clean feel upon entering.  A friendly employee welcomed me and I proceeded to quickly scan the gorgeous pastries looking for my precious croughnut. I ordered two, along with an iced coffee.  They sell Coffee Bean coffee, along with an assortment of other beverages.  I paid for my fare ($3.75 per croughnut), snapped a few pictures and left quickly.  The anticipation was starting to make me drool.  I’m just going to warn you now...what I’m about to tell you next isn’t pretty.  I jumped back into my car and tore into that first croughnut as though I was seeing a morsel of food for the first time after a sixty day fast.  Did I care that the man from the liquor store was staring at me through the window, mouth ajar?  Did I care that crumbs were falling all over my freshly washed car?  Nope.  Not even a little.  The supple sugary party that was commencing in my mouth took me to a place beyond reason.  Nirvana was dancing on my tongue.  The thing I usually don’t like about doughnuts is that they are too sweet and dense and leave me feeling sick.  But the croughnut, oh the croughnut.  It was the most perfect blend of sweet, flaky, airy awesomeness and it far exceeded my expectations.  It was genuinely amazing.  To have waited to try something for a year, and then have it exceed my expectations....well, I think I just might be smiling for the next year! I guess some things truly are worth the wait. If you are even remotely local, get yourself to Kettle Glazed Doughnuts, buy a croughnut or three, hop in your car, abandon all sense of propriety and enjoy!