All posts filed under: comfort food

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Hummus

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Over the weekend, while doing the usual grocery shopping, I brought home chicken as usual, and a half dozen fresh sweet potatoes with the intend that I would dice up the chicken, and the sweet potatoes  and stir fry it with garlic, olive oil and herbes de Provence blend of spices and then I saw this recipe and decided to shift gears and try something new. INGREDIENTS 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes juice of 1 lemon kosher salt and black pepper 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 4 cups baby arugula 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes + 2 tablespoons oil from the jar 4 ounces cubed feta cheese 2 cups plain hummus, homemade or store-bought naan, Persian cucumbers, and fresh dill, for serving  {more} In case you are curious about cooking with herbes de Provence – there is a whole list of recipes to incorporate the spice –    

Food: Cauliflower in Full Bloom

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I ordered a side of cauliflower the other day while lunching with a friend at Stanford Shopping Mall. We were aiming for a quick bite since we each had other engagements to attend in the evening. So we walked into my favorite eatery and in addition to a fried chicken sandwich, which I highly recommend, I opted for steamed cauliflower, which I didn’t realize until I took a bite, it was curry flavored. I don’t know about you, but although I love curry mixed with veggies, and some form of protein, I don’t care for it on cauliflower. Since cauliflower has a unique taste and one it takes time getting used to, adding the wrong flavors tend to play tricks on your taste buds and curry with cauliflower is just not the best of combo in my opinion based on decades of enjoying my family’s Mediterranean cuisine . But that’s me. You might think otherwise and that’s perfectly fine. But since Saturday, I’ve craved cauliflower, grilled to perfection in the oven and tossed around or …

So You’re Incharge of Bringing Dessert or That Appetizer For Thanksgiving

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Some of us are fortunate enough to get invited to that wonderful relative’s house for Thanksgiving or even a group of friends if you happen to be far away from family. The only upside or down, is having to bring either a dessert or an appetizer to contribute to one of the most important meals in the U.S. – Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s a list of suggestion for the chef and not-so-much on how to proceed: If baking is not your thing – then consider ordering a ready made dessert from here And if you’re curious as to what I am planning to surprise my family with for dessert this year –

Interesting Finds Online – Vol 6

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I’ve sort of lagged off on this topic for the sake of other variations of putting all similar topics into one entry  rather than a mix-match of topics. But then I realized since our brains are now programmed to wander off here and there clicking on links to read this and that, I should revisit my interesting finds online. Vol 6 goes something like this: 1. Ten products that promises to transform your hair, nails and skin while you sleep! 2. I don’t know about you, but I do admire Jennifer Aniston the most from her generation of actors who managed to set a standard for the rest of us to follow, in terms of looking and feeling this good. {photo source} 3. Five low-maintenance house plants is something I came across just in time, needing to refresh my studio apartment potted plants. 4. Here’s a suggestion for 20 lunches you can make over the weekend – although I do worry about how long freshly cut vegetables will last – but I am going to …

Take Note – How To Survive The Winter

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I do live in San Francisco, and some days in the winter it dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I know this all sounds funny for those of you struggling with worst weather conditions. But any cold or dreary weather does take its toll on anyone anywhere. So…this article caught my eye the other day and I thought why not share some of the suggestions offered -that I love – on how to survive the frigid winter season:  

Europe On My Mind…In Every Way

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Finally I am back in the city, and even though driving into town I rolled my eyes the second I got a glimpse of the fog and the dreariness, I have to say I couldn’t be happier to be back to some normality. I don’t mind the getaways, but lately I’ve found myself restless while I am away too long, missing the home cooked meals, and the order of things, and even how my skin and hair feels when I make an effort in my daily life, never mind all things writing I do best when I am in my comfort zone at home. Anyway, to cheer my up (I smile) I got online and searched for all things Europe. And here’s what I found interesting:

Recipe: Fresh Figs, Marcona Almonds and Honey

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Fig season is early June, and August to October. But I couldn’t help posting this recipe just in case you are able to find figs in your neck of the woods, right about now 🙂 This recipe calls for fresh figs, Marcona Almonds, yogurt and honey drizzle. Truly food fit for the gods or just me and you.  Something I would pair with a pot of perfectly infused tea on an early Saturday morning when I sit down to write my novel.

French Onion Mac and Cheese and Football

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A dreary Sunday I decided to spend at home, instead of walking through a mall for last-minute Christmas shopping. I felt the need to wind down, especially from the crazy busy week prior – coordinating festivities week at work, and planning the company holiday party in addition to my normal chores. With the mood I am in, I needed comfort food, a hearty steak and this amazing recipe I found, and had to share – French onion mac and cheese. Something which will become a norm at my house going forward.