on the dinner table

I've been getting tired of my own cooking! These days my dinner menu has been blah. The same ole things showing up on my table.
I began looking through new cookbooks, blogs, and this month's food magazines.

 David Chang's scallion & ginger soba with grilled trumpet mushrooms & tofu.

love this new book by Jenny Rosenstrach

I made this salmon salad from Dinner a Love Story

I didn't have any green beans so I threw in some broccoli

My Martha Stewart magazine came with a little Everday Foods insert

so I made this healthy version of mac and cheese with broccoli except I used all 

full fat dairy product...I didn't have any lowfat milk or cheese on hand.

I tried Lemon Poppyseed muffin's from Dorie Greenspan...sad to report they weren't that good.

I wanted to make cream cheese brownies, but changed my mind and made these.

They were a hit with my daughter and my nieces!

On Saturday some friends came over so my sister and I baked

this lemon cake from the most recent Bon Appetit magazine.

It had a great crust and was very moist. Warning...it has a lot of butter,

sugar, and eggs!

weekend fun

Then early the next day my sisters and I left for SF to help her move. I don't recommend this at all...spending all day at Disneyland and then driving for 7 hours early the next morning.

almost there!

Then we spend the next 24 hours helping her get settled in, shopping and EATING!

Have you ever been to Ike's? You need to go NOW!

Paul Reubens

Nacho Boy

We ordered both sandwiches on dutch crunch bread

lobster roll

fresh mochi

I won't even try to count all the calories I consumed within 24 hours or how many cups of coffee I drank. It made me really miss SF. I'm already planning my next trip up there!

For Valentine's Day A and I made heart sugar cookies.

getaway

E had a week business trip to Vegas so I decided to go for a couple of days sans child. This was the first time in a long time where we didn't take A with us. We've taken some mini trips when she was a toddler, but E and I usually take separate trips where one of us stays behind with her. I was nervous, but when I talked with her on the phone she said that she didn't miss me and told me that she liked "hanging out" at my sister's place. I guess she is growing up.

We tried the new buffet at Caesars...I won't tell you that we stayed there for 2 hours.

The lobby at the Wynn, we stayed next door at the Encore. 

I won't tell  you how many croissants I had while I was there...you might not believe me.

These were hands down the BEST pretzel bread I've ever eaten and I've had my share.  I am on the hunt for the recipe.

Society Cafe at the Encore

How we spent the end of January in pictures.

 A trip to the Getty Villa in Malibu

 easy raspberry jam tart

Picnic at the beach

crab for dinner

one of my favorite meals...crab stew

happy friday

We took a day trip to La Jolla. The day was cold , but clear. Though there was a little problem of a smell on one side of the cove (later on I found out it was years and years of bird feces on rocks...lovely, huh). There was even an article in the NYtimes about it. There is an issue on how to clean it up in an enviromenmentally friendly way without disturbing the habitat. Anyways, we had a nice (and freezing) time.

shrimp tacos at Georges on the Cove

From my little sister's garden. The carrot was unbelievably sweet!

Dinner in K-town

My new coffee cup 

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

I will make it one more time & then post the recipe...I'm still adjusting it!

mini vacay

I used to be a spontaneous person. But having a kid on the autism spectrum and getting older I've become a planner. But one Thursday afternoon, I started planning a mini vacay for my family. I asked my family if they were onboard without telling them much information. I quickly started planning while we were eating lunch and asked everyone to be ready and meet by 3. 

We decided to drive up the coast and stay in Pismo for one night then drive to Carmel for a day then off to SF.

On the way to Pismo Beach 

Carmel

The Ferry Building

view from our hotel room

the 2nd day was nice and clear

breakfast sandwich from Cowgirl Creamery

 

the holidays pt 2

Happy Monday!

My parents were here for the holidays. My mom's birthday is on Christmas Day so I made her cake. 

vanilla chiffon cake

We also went to the Griffith Observator. The day was so nice and clear.

 

Afterwards, we went to the Trails. They ran out of the their egg salad sandwich that day along with many other items :(