California Dreamin'

I lived in Los Angeles for a brief time, and sometimes there are things I miss about it.  While there, I noticed that there definitely is a California-style cuisine.  Typically, it's much healthier and fresher than foods you would find in other parts of the country.  This dinner is composed of things that remind me of that style of eating.  Enjoy!

Drink...

California Lemonade
*recipe from: Bar One Drinks
Now, I have to admit, I never drank anything like this while living in California.  Basically, I couldn't think of a drink that represented The Golden State, so I just chose this because it had the name California in it.  I must say though, it was quite good and refreshing.  It would be perfect on one of those hot summer LA days.  But, beware, it packs a punch!
I altered this recipe slightly because I didn't have all the ingredients.  It was great, but I bet it would be even better with the proper ingredients!
Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. Vodka  
• 1/2 oz. Gin  
• 1/2 oz. Rum (I didn't add this because I didn't have any)
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec  
• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice  
• 1/2 oz. Grenadine  
• Sour Mix (Lemon Juice, Sugar, Water)

Directions:

1. Make the sour mix by heating 1/4 cup of sugar in 1/4 cup water until it is dissolved.  Then, add 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Stir and let cool.
2. In a shaker add alcohol, lime juice, dash of grenadine and dash of Sour Mix. Shake well and pour into a highball glass with ice. 
3. Fill with Sour Mix and float the remaining grenadine on top (you can add extra grenadine for desired sweetness). 
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry. 

Dinner...

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich
*recipe from: All Recipes.com 
This is an old favorite of mine and in my mind it's a perfect representation of California style cuisine.  All of the ingredients are fresh and come together to make a great sandwich.  I have never actually grilled the vegetables on an outdoor grill (I have grilled them on a Forman Grill, which worked well), but I'm sure if you did grill them outdoors, they would be even better.  It also says to grill the sandwich when it is put together, which I am sure would be extraordinary.  I used to put all my cooked veggies on the sandwich and then grill it with the bread in the George Forman grill.  I really liked doing it this way because it presses the sandwich together and makes it almost like a panini.  I no longer have a Forman Grill, so for this one, I didn't do any cooking of the sandwich after putting it together.  I also used to be able to get a really good foccacia bread from the grocery store with tomatoes and onions on top that went perfectly with the veggies.  Now, I could only find plain foccacia bread.  It still tasted great, but it was definitely a downgrade from the other bread.  If I were you, I'd search around for a fancy foccacia bread!
Ingredients:
(makes 4 servings) 

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese   

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat. (or if you aren't using a grill, prepare a pan of a Forman Grill)
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. (or press the sandwich in a Forman Grill)  This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables.

Dessert...

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes
*recipe from: Oprah.com
Sprinkles bakery originated in Beverly Hills, California and is considered to be the first cupcake bakery.  I love a good cupcake and have tried them from a wide variety of bakeries.  Sprinkles is one of my favorites for it's simplicity, freshness, and just the right amount of sweetness.  These cupcakes were not difficult to make and I was obsessed with them!  They were sooooo good, especially the strawberry frosting.  They would be perfect in the summer when strawberries are in season.  The recipe calls for some frozen strawberries, but I used all fresh and it was great!
Ingredients:
(makes 12 cupcakes)
Cakes: 

• 2/3 cup fresh or frozen whole strawberries (thawed if frozen)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk , room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg , room temperature
• 2 large egg whites , room temperature 

 Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting: 

• 1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• pinch coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions: 
For the Cakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree. Add a few more strawberries if necessary, or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing. 

For the Strawberry Frosting: 

1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and puree.  
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners sugar; beat until well combined.
4. Add vanilla and 3 tbs of strawberry puree; mix until just blended.  Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air.  Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy like ice cream. 

Spring Supper

Spring is here in NYC and we have been trying to take advantage of all the opportunities to be outdoors.  This is a light, delicious Spring dinner - enjoy it indoors or out!
Drink...

Moscato Spritzer 

*recipe from Make It, Bake It, Create It
This is a refreshing Spring drink.  Because it is so sweet, I think it would be perfect for a brunch, a luncheon, or a bridal/baby shower.  
Ingredients:

• Moscato wine
• Diet Sprite (I used Diet 7up)
• Frozen whole raspberries

Directions:

1. Put a handful of frozen raspberries in the bottom of a wine glass.
2. Combine equal parts of wine and Sprite (I would suggest using a little less Sprite, since the wine is already really sweet).  
3. Stir and sip!

Dinner...

Pasta Primavera

*recipe adapted from Mama Grubs Grub
In case you didn't know, Primavera means Spring.  So, this is Spring pasta!  The original recipe uses different veggies than I used (I made it with asparagus, bell peppers, green beans, onion, and tomatoes).  The great thing about this pasta is that you can pretty much put any vegetables into it.  Use whatever you have leftover or whatever is your favorite.
Plus, you can enjoy this dinner while working toward your Summer swimsuit body because it's only 250 calories per serving.  I looked up other recipes and they were higher calories.  You wouldn't know it from tasting this pasta though - it's delicious! (I thought maybe the addition of a little garlic would be good, but I love garlic in everything)
Ingredients: 

All my veggies

• Linguine (I used whole wheat Rotini)
• 2 teaspoon olive oil 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 
• 1 cup chopped organic carrots 
• Asparagus  
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 organic small red bell pepper,julienned  
• 1 cup sliced organic mushrooms 
• 1 cup organic vegetable broth (I used chicken broth) 
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch 
• 1/4 cup organic half and half



The colors in this pasta are beautiful!

• 1/4 cup Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according the package.
2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. 
3. Add the onion and saute for 3 mins or until soft. Add the black pepper.
4. Add the carrot and asparagus to the pan and saute to coat with seasonings. add the water,cover and allow the veggies to steam for 4 mins or until carrots begin to soften.
5. Add the red bell pepper and mushrooms and stir. 
6. Add the broth to the pan. 
7. Whisk the cornstarch into the half and half, and add to the pan. 
8. Cook for 4 mins or until the sauce thickens up toss in the pasta stir to coat.
9. Add the Parmesan cheese to the mix and toss well.

Dessert...

Bird Nest Treats

*recipe adapted from The Curvy Carrot

 These were so easy to make and really cute.  Plus they tasted great.  They are perfect for Spring and would be really great for Easter too.  They include Cadbury Mini Eggs, my other favorite Spring candy (last week I mentioned the other one - Cadbury Cream Eggs).  I took the peanut butter out of the recipe because Doug doesn't like peanut butter (I know, I think the same thing...how could you not like peanut butter???).  They were still great, but would be even better with the peanut butter!
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, for greasing the muffin pan (I just sprayed the pan with Pam and it worked well)
• 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of butterscotch chips
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 ounces (1/2 of a large bag) of chow mein noodles
• 36 mini Cadbury Mini eggs

Directions:

My nests in the muffin tin

1. Generously grease the wells of a muffin pan with the butter (this will help later when you are taking out the chilled nests).  Or, spray it with Pam like me!
2. In a large microwave-proof bowl, heat the chocolate and butterscotch chips in 30 second intervals until thoroughly melted, stirring after each increment.**It only took me two 30-second intervals.
3. Once melted, add the peanut butter to the chocolate/butterscotch mixture, mixing well until smooth and completely combined.
4. Carefully add the chow mein noodles, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until completely coated.
5. Using a large spoon, mold the mixture into the wells of your muffin tin, indenting the tops slightly with the back of the spoon.
6. Chill the nests until hardened, about 1 hour or so.
7. Once chilled, gently remove the nests from the muffin tin.***I used a butter knife as a lever to pop them out-this seemed to work.
8. Place three eggs (or colored jelly beans!) on the tops of each nest.  (I actually put the eggs in the nest while the chocolate was still melted.  That way, when it hardened, the eggs didn't fall out.)