Author: MS

Food: Dinner Tonight – Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Honey, Apple Panini

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I bought a first generation Panini press a decade ago from Williams-Sonoma (similar to this one) with the intend to press-grill a few of my favorite ingredients together into a delicious sandwich to pair with my homemade soups. But then ‘bread’ became a bad carb choice and I put away my Panini press. Fast forward to today, as we learn how best to eat, bread and other carbs or variations thereof, in moderation, my eyes lit up when I saw this recipe. So, Panini it is tonight for the fam! INGREDIENTS 8 slices sourdough bread 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 4 tablespoons apple butter 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded havarti cheese 1 honey crisp apple, thinly sliced 8 slices cooked bacon honey, for drizzling 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves  {more} And of course with a great recipe  comes a wonderful film recommend – Lost and Found – a film made in Ireland – five stories intertwined and very greatly told.  Not too many stories have me at the edge of my seat, but this one did. 

Let’s Start Monday Right

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I hope your weekends were grand and that you had a chance to decompress from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Perhaps your Monday is just beginning where in other places it’s nearing bedtime or beyond. But since I live in San Francisco, and my day is just beginning, as usual with the commuter train experiencing delays, I sit in my car near the station and list down all the beautiful things I want to share with all of you this week.

Travel: Best Places to Go In October If You Have Photography In Mind

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Took a 24 hour trip to Montana Friday to Saturday for business and although I was to arrive on Friday by noon – thinking I can have dinner with family, I ended up experiencing all the construction taking shape in various airports on the western side of this country, trying to get to my destination – since my original flight from San Francisco, with stopover in Seattle to Montana went south.  I barely had time to wind down a minute Friday night only to fly back early Saturday morning, – meaning I had to be at the airport by 5 – so you figure the numbers. 🙂 By the time I opened the front door to my peaceful abode, I felt as if I had missed out on so much – in just the twenty-four hours I was gone.  Do you ever feel that way? While walking a number of airports, with posters and signage pointing to travels  around the world, I couldn’t help but feel the need to travel in the best month of …

Zucchini Muffins Kind of Day

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I watched a movie on the Hallmark channel last night – where the perfect single mother bakes zucchini muffins for a road trip to drive her perfect daughter from Los Angeles to Oregon, where she would be attending college. Cute movie, great chemistry among the characters Amy and Noah, and perhaps it is one of the only films from Hallmark where there is actual sexual tension portrayed between the characters. So, besides the chemistry, all I could focus on was the zucchini muffins. Funny how things work on the ‘interweb’, because all of a sudden this recipe popped up across my screen and naturally, since it’s all gluten-free, I decide to bake them over the weekend and…share with all of you right here: INGREDIENTS 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium/large) 2 eggs 1/3 cup olive oil (or avocado oil or coconut oil) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt 3/4 cup almond flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or superfine rice flour) 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Roasted Squash-ghetti

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I bought my first squash over the weekend for this season knowing exactly the meal to make. My version is simple – ground Italian chicken sausage, corn kernels, shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh cut cilantro, naturally the squash cut in half, and broiled…and voila the simplest and easiest dinner your family is guaranteed to love. But I am not one who follows a measurement – and if you have trouble imagining how to work with the ingredients I have listed, then please follow a similar recipe, where you can take away the ingredients you don’t want and still get the best of the simplest Squash-ghetti dish: INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 head garlic 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage or ground chicken 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 can (28 ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes 1 dried bay leaf 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded provolone cheese kosher salt and black pepper …

Food: Dinner Tonight – White Bean Soup

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I do most of the cooking for my household and my mothers and last night while helping her with dinner, she expressed she was craving a certain white bean soup she made for us while growing up. So tonight, I’ll be making this recipe, adding diced potatoes to the mix. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion chopped 2 garlic cloves minced 1 large carrot chopped 1 celery rib chopped 6 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 15-ounces canned white beans drained and rinsed 2 cups baby spinach Fresh parsley for serving Grated parmesan cheese for serving  {more} On another note – have you seen the show Pennysworth? If you have a dark side or can stomach the concept of savagery, then take a peek, and let me know what you think?  Just to clarify I had no idea what to expect, and but now I am hooked and feel I should continue to watch the series. 

Looking Forward to October

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The first day of the month, and only 90 days to the end of the year. But no worries, October is a month I look forward to, especially after the sluggishness and the unmotivated I felt by the end of August, and all throughout September. To me, October is the month to shed all the negative and just enjoy the most brilliant of colors, the layering in fashion, the shift in decor,  comfort food in recipes, and the prelude to the holiday planning.  October is the coolest month of the year. What Film to see, what recipe book to buy, and where to vacation in October    

Autumn Days and The Whirling Thoughts…

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We got a glimpse of Autumn over the weekend, with cold weathers, strong winds, and rain, then sun, and it stayed brisk through last night. Which is hardly news, considering the snow storm over the mid-west and all other havoc around the globe. I do love this time of year, where all foliage are slowly turning various shades of red, yellow, purple, black, some blue, orange, magenta, and brown, the visual bringing a certain calmness to my soul. With the quiet there is much thinking going on, about the year, and the future, and all things necessary to sustain a ‘content’ life – happy is overrated. I learned that over the course of my life and I am now happy to be content. Doesn’t mean I’ve given up, but I am less stressed about finding the happiness detailed in fairy tales, and the need to have the lifestyles of the rich and famous. I am fine with who I am, and what I stand for, and have found ways to maintain a descent quality of …

Five Interesting Articles From Around The Internet

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We’ve had a couple of very hot days around San Francisco, to the point it was stifling. San Franciscans are never happy with our climate – too cold, too hot, too foggy, too windy. But it is what it is – global warming or not, we have seen the same pattern year in and year out. Doesn’t mean I don’t believe in global warming or are not concerned with all the issues surfacing across the globe, I am simply stating around this part of the world, we have grown accustom to the seasons. Today, after finishing up a conference call, working from home, since my beautiful dog isn’t feeling his best. Hasn’t really for a while, I realize I needed a distraction or two and what better way then to focus on some not front-page topics. {featured image source and inspiration for this blog entry}