Fruit water pitcher...

Early Christmas present from my sweet hubby. I've been wanting one of these forever...love the healthy water with strawberries, kiwi, lemon, even rosemary. Couldn't wait to use it so I tried it out. Isn't it purty??

Mamma Mia consistently great!

As usual, Mamma Mia in PB does not disappoint. The lasagna tonight was a heaping portion of lighter than air deliciousness with a tasty, perfect sauce. The portion is big enough for my dinner plus at least one more meal, maybe two. And very reasonable prices. I'm not in love with  their wine list so we normally pay the reasonable corkage fee of $10 and bring our own. Hubby had a sausage risotto. I also had the insalata spinaci with a blue cheese "dressing" - it's not so much a dressing as a dollup of blue cheese heaven that's actually green - served with thinly sliced fresh pear...squisito!

Crab Crazy!

I know, Truluck's is a chain restaurant, BUT the one here in San Diego really is exceptional. I've been to them in other cities and wasn't at all impressed. Overpriced and not that great. But that has changed since I've been going to the San Diego Truluck's! This place does it all right. The service is exceptional. You don't even have to ask for a black napkin if you're wearing black; they automatically provide one. And the waitstaff is wonderful. They are always there when you need them but not overbearing. They usually have live music and the food is consistently yummy. The atmosphere is comfy but upscale (it can get a little loud on the weekends, but what nice place doesn't?). I had the hot house tomato salad and the Stone crab claws tonight. My husband had Chilean Sea bass. all was excellent. They even provide drawn butter with its own warmer. It doesn't get much better. Yes, it's a bit pricey but worth it for a special occasion. 

BOOK REVIEW: Daddy's Home by A.K. Alexander (Michele Scott)

I recently read the thriller “Daddy’s Home” by AK Alexander. I read over half on one afternoon and finished the entire thing in a matter of days. I found this book really kept my attention throughout.  A tough but likeable CSI, Holly Jennings, is in pursuit of a ruthless and vile serial killer who is stalking single women and their children. While trying to track down the killer, Holly is faced with personal issues of her own. She has plenty of adversary in her life but is determined to provide a good life for her and her daughter.  A mystery from her dead husband’s past haunts her, and a fun romance ensues with a charismatic Irishman.

But Holly’s main focus is to help put away the horrible killer who has made it his mission to find “the perfect family” whether they like it or not, even if he has to kill them to do it. Holly becomes tangled in the mess that is the killer’s sick fantasy. I do not want to print spoilers here, so I will just say that this book has lots of action and unexpected plot twists. I also really liked reading the story of the sicko killer’s “motives” behind his actions as opposed to just being told about them after the fact.

I found Holly’s CSI character to be intriguing and empowered without coming off as too harsh or trying too hard to be one of the boys. I would recommend this book and if you like other mysteries, the writer has published quite a few other books under the name Michele Scott, including a cute wine mystery series. These are nice because they are easy, quick reads and some even include recipes. 

http://michelescott.com/books/daddys-home/ 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1456332015/ref=s9_bbs_gw_d0_ir03?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=11TH16BCVVDE6H58KRB2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Vodka Cream Sauce w/ Wild Boar Sausage

Tonight I tried this recipe by Rachel Ray and it was great! We added crumbled wild boar sausage and I used an egg pasta (tagliolini) but I used Rachel's recipe for the sauce and it was really a treat. I highly recommend it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/you-wont-be-single-for-long-vodka-cream-pasta-recipe/index.html

My pretty tomato

First ripened heirloom tomato of the season, I haven't killed  my tomato plants yet this year - and I already ate it! It was delicious on top of my homegrown spinach and arugula salad :-)

Pizza Night

We love to do pizza night at home. We can make it a bit healthier and pick our own toppings. Josh and I don't always agree on toppings or even the same crust, so this time, we each made our own pizza. They turned out great. These days, we're getting prepared pizza dough from Fresh & Easy. It's ready to go. You just leave it at room temperature for 20 minutes, then roll out using a little flour to keep from sticking. Here are our masterpieces...Josh made a whole wheat pizza crust with no sauce, using olive oil and black pepper, hot Italian sausage, fresh basil and mozzarella. My pie was traditional crust, thin with a bit of pizza sauce, black olives, hot Italian sausage, arugula, fresh garlic and mozzarella. (I can't believe I forgot fresh mushrooms - my favorite!) Josh went with Goose Island Demolition - a Belgian ale, and to accompany my pizza, an Argentinian Malbec - 2009 Kaiken. The Kaiken was good, reasonably priced at $10 and was a great, smooth match for my pizza.

Winemakers Notes

The wine presents a vivid ruby red color. On the nose black fruit and blueberries aromas are evident, accompanied by chocolate, vanilla and elegant flower scents enhance the wine complexity.
On the mouth it has velvety and harmonious tannins and good structure, due to a proper harvesting time selection, while vanilla notes stay lingering during the long finish of the wine. It’s a fresh and joyful wine, were acidity is in perfect balance, a faithful example of the quality of the Mendoza first zone.

Spring lettuces grown in a pot

This year is the first time I've tried growing my own lettuce, and so far, I'm having great luck. Here are a couple pictures of some lettuce I'm growing in large pots on my front porch. It's growing so fast, I was able to share with neighbors. Does anyone know the name of the big shaggy lettuce plant? If so, please let me know.

Fried Squash Blossoms

It's been a while since I've posted on this blog but I had to share the amazing food experience I had this weekend.  If you have never tried fried squash blossoms, you are missing out big time! I picked up some fresh squash blossoms at a local farmer's market and they were so incredibly delicious, it might have been sinful!!

They're most commonly served as an appetizer. Here is the simple recipe:

8 Squash blossoms
1 1/2 cup corn meal mix - I can only find the right kind of corn meal mix in the south so I bring some home with me every trip! You can also use corn meal with a little flour added.
Salt and fresh ground black pepper (I also use some white pepper)
1 egg, beaten
Cream cheese or another soft cheese of your choice (optional)
Oil (vegetable or peanut work great)

Wash the blossoms and pat dry. Trim the stems leaving the green part in tact. Remove the pistols inside the flower.

Mix the corn meal mix with salt and pepper on a plate. Beat the egg in a bowl.  If stuffing, fill the blossom with cheese. Dip the blossoms into the egg and then roll them in the corn meal mixture. Add to hot oil in a skillet (be sure it's good and hot). Cook about 8 minutes until golden brown and flip them over with tongs. Cook another 5-8 minutes until golden brown on the other side. Transfer to a plate with paper towel to absorb some of the oil. Serve while hot.

I cooked half with cheese, half without and the ones without were also fantastic.