So tonight I am doing laundry, drinking red wine and making pizza. And my best friend reminded me that I am pretty much Jersey Shore except the California version, which is LRP (laundry, red wine and pizza). Thanks E for giving my night a name!

Ok actually I really don't have anything in common with the cast of Jersey Shore except for the following:

• My Grandma lives on the Jersey Shore...however she lives in a dry town. And yes visiting her was very awkward. And yes they still have dry towns. 
• Snooki and I both like pickles
• I taught a class once with a guy in it who looked like Vinny. And yes I embarrassed the hell out of him by telling him that
• I love Italian food

Ok sure I really just wanted to use the word soiree in a blog...it is just so sophisticated and classy. And I really did just have my first run in with a gluten free recipe. I have been aware of gluten free for awhile and I had always thought of it as meaning "wheat free." However, recently I started to notice more and more "gluten free" products and more "gluten free" recipes and I just wasn't so sure what it all meant so I did a little research.




Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and malts. It is often found as a food additive, flavoring and thickening agent. And obviously it is found in most bread, cracker and pasta products. It is the substance that makes dough doughy and helps bread rise.  People who have celiac disease can not have gluten or their bodies react adversely to gluten...hence the influx of gluten free products hitting the market in order to accommodate this diet. There are also some people who just do not believe in eating products that contain gluten and they also subscribe to this diet.

So in this months issue of Everyday Food there was a recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread. It called for gluten free flour and I was curious as to how that tasted, whether or not it impacted the consistency and where I could even buy it. The buying part was easy as I found that most large grocery stores carry gluten free products. The recipe did also call for gluten free baking powder which I could not find. However, since I wasn't actually making the bread for anyone with an allergy I did sort of cheat...yes this is a confessional of sorts.

I just learned that gluten free flour is a blend of alternative flours like rice, tapioca and bean. I was impressed as the consistency is the same as all purpose flour and although it smelled a little nuttier it didn't seem extremely different, like using wheat flour. I didn't notice an extreme difference in the consistency of the dough and when I tasted the bread I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't excessively dense like wheat flour can be and it didn't add any strange after taste...I was happy with the taste of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg and the consistency just felt like pumpkin bread. Phew!!

Anyway this recipe was also really easy...which is as you know always beneficial for me. In a bowl mix the dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. And in a mixer bowl cream the sugar and butter, adding the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and the flour mixture. Finally adding the buttermilk and the pumpkin.

Now the only minor mishap I had with this recipe involved the oven. I don't know if it was me, the pan or the gluten free flour, but my bread tended to rise kind of a lot...actually so much that some of it dripped over the pan and onto the bottom of the oven...hmm yes smoking up the entire house. It also rose so high that it touched the next rack of the oven and left some nice oven rack marks on the top of the bread. Everything I have read doesn't describe a correlation between gluten free flour and bread that takes over the oven like a B rated movie about the blob...so maybe it was just me.

Here is the recipe if you would like to try it: http://www.marthastewart.com/945741/pumpkin-bread

Anyway all and all I have to say I was impressed. I would definitely use gluten free flour again and I actually just found a recipe for gluten free jalapeno corn bread that might just be next on my list. Hope you are all having fun detoxing from Turkey Day-Cheers!!

So for Thanksgiving I volunteered to make a Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Pie. I thought it would be good for me to get out of my comfort zone and since I have very little experience making pie crust I decided the challenge would be good for me. I always tend to make cookies or brownies and I just seem to shy away from the pies and cakes....and now I know why. I do have to admit that I did think of buying a Pillsbury crust just to keep in the fridge in the even that last minute disaster set in, but I decided that just wasn't very fun and adventurous.




So this recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens and I thought,"eh they should know what they are doing, they have been making pies for a long time." And come to find out Better Homes and Gardens does know what they are doing, but me on the other hand...well...

So the crust recipe had me put flour and salt in a bowl and cut the shortening in with a pastry blender. That part was going pretty well...I own a pastry blender so that was great and when the recipe said to cut the shortening until they were "pea sized," I was pretty good with that as well. Then the recipe had me add 1 T water at a time until the flour is moistened and this is where my troubles started. How moist are we talking about here? I know that a lot of people make their crust to "feel" a certain way, however when you aren't sure what it is supposed to "feel" like it all becomes a little more complex. The recipe said to form it into a ball, which I was able to do, however once I started to roll my ball out it started to crumble. After adding more water, fighting with the crust and deciding that the majority of the crust won't be visible anyway after I add the filling, I put it in the oven.

Unfortunately when it came out of the oven it looked worse than before. It had kind of stretched, moved and done it's own thing and so there were some holes in my crust. However, again I decided after I added the filling all would be ok again.

You thought I was exaggerating with the holes, huh

The filling was super easy and super yummy. Just remember to take your cream cheese out of the fridge to soften before you make the filling. I am notorious for forgetting to take my butter or cream cheese out of the fridge and then I end up fighting with it, waiting for it or trying to put it in the microwave and over cooking it.

So the first layer of filling is made in a mixer. Just add the cream cheese, sugar and egg. Once the pie shell is cool add this layer and then put a layer of mini chocolate chips over it.

The pumpkin pie layer is also very easy as it just consists of pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and eggs. This is poured over the cream cheese/chocolate chip layer. Bake it in the oven for 60-65 minutes and voila!!!

I dd find that there was a lot of filling!! My pie kind of looked like it was on steroids especially while it was in the oven. Once it came out of the oven and started to cool it looked like a normal sized pie, it hid the holes in the crust...ok actually there was so much filling you couldn't even see the crust...so it was a win/win. I decided that pie filling is kind of like chocolate...people just don't complain when there is too much of it.

Steroid Pie!!

Here is the link to the recipe if anyone wants to try it: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pies/pumpkin-chocolate-cheesecake-pie/ Seriously great flavors. I love pumpkin pie, love chocolate and love cheesecake so I was pretty gosh darn happy as this allowed me to say,"oh I just want one piece of pie." Whereas normally because I want to try it all I would need 3 slices of pie and well that is just over the top. Haha


Hope everyone had an incredible Thanksgiving filled with amazing family, friends and blessings. Cheers!!

In California it is easy to learn about wine as you are surrounded by it. It is a part of our agricultural make-up. Plus growing up in a family that had Italian food roots there was wine on every holiday dinner table.  I remember being around champagne...actually my first champagne experience happened at a New Years Eve party at the ripe 'ol age of 3, hmmm.




It is a wondrous thing when people leave their glasses on a coffee table that you can actually reach and since I wasn't a shy child I thought everything belonged to me...including other peoples champagne glasses. As the legend goes, after downing a few glasses, I was doing "twirls" in the middle of the room in my party dress. Oopsie... Unfortunately I do not remember the brand of the champagne from that night or the vintage. And that has pretty much been the way my champagne education has gone, up until recently...it usually consisted of mimosas, champagne on New Years and a few other random occasions...weddings, bridal showers, etc. And it always ended with doing twirls in my party dress at the end of the night, champagne with unknown names and unknown vintages...I am joking...sort of.

Recently I have had the pleasure of learning more about champagne. I had my first champagne and caviar experience in Las Vegas a few months ago and it was breathtaking, as if I had walked into a new and wondrous world. I also had my first Cristal champagne experience in Phoenix not too long ago...also an eye opening event.

And most recently I had the pleasure of experiencing Duval Leroy Champagne at Bellavino in Thousand Oaks. This line of champagne completely changed the way I view champagne as this champagne was not too dry or too sweet or have that "bitter" kick at the end of it. It was truly very smooth, refreshing and easy to drink. Sure it probably helped that I could listen to Pierre's accent all night long, but no seriously the champagne was amazing. And yes his name really was Pierre! Actually on Thanksgiving I opened a bottle of Duval Leroy in the morning and we all tasted it and then we went to mimosas and it was just too disappointing...I have seriously been spoiled now.

Duval Leroy is well from France in the Champagne region...figured you probably could have guessed that part. However, it has been around since 1859 and it is one of the few champagne establishments that are still 100% family owned. It also has a female owner and a female winemaker which makes it even more unique.

It is hard to tell but the Eiffel Tower is on this bottle

The company definitely has champagne making to a science. Pierre was telling us that the champagne was aged for 18 hours and I thought for sure there was a translation issue, however the only translation issue was mine. As they are so conscientious with their champagnes that they do age some of their varietals for 18 hours, tasting it regularly to ensure that they are getting the flavors out of the grapes that they are looking for. He did say that depending on the crop sometimes it is 16 hours and sometimes it is 18 1/2 hours. However, I pretty much decided that is the job I want.

The champagne is made from chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier grapes. We tasted 4 different varietals and each of the champagnes had a slightly different flavor palette, but all were equally smooth, enjoyable and creamy. Here is the link to view their champagne menu: http://www.duval-leroy.com/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=77&id_parent=2&titre=Range%20of%20wines

Bellavino Appetizers

Bellavino will be doing a champagne event on December 6th if you are interested in trying it. They also have great food, a fun atmosphere and an eclectic wine list. Here is their web page: http://www.bellavinowinebar.com/

If you are local you can purchase the champagne at Bellavino's retail shop or you can buy it on-line at www.bevmo.com. And honestly the price point is not outrageous at all. The champagne is light enough that it could easily be paired with a fish dish or a light pasta dish. I definitely recommend it!! Cheers!!

Are you all thinking dirty thoughts? Did you open this thinking you would find hot firemen in the kitchen wearing turnouts and no shirts? Did you think I was going to reveal some torrid dirty little secret? It is ok I know that we all have fireman fantasies...I did too until I married one. 

Do you ever have Betty Crocker fantasies? Ya know those ones where you are wearing that super cute apron, high heels, pearls and completely clean in the kitchen. You are preparing a 7 course meal for your husbands business associates and your family consisting of 2 children who are athletic, beautiful and polite, look like an episode of Leave it to Beaver.




Yeah I don't have those fantasies either, but when I was making my truffles today and they were looking picture perfect, they were easy and they tasted like chocolate/orange heaven I started to feel a little cocky. And honestly this recipe is perfect for holiday entertaining or those times when you just want to impress someone without a whole lot of effort....because seriously none of us have the time to slave over a stove making a 7 course meal and no one wants to wear pearls anymore. I don't cook in heels I wear slippers.  I love buying super cute aprons and forgetting to put them on. My kitchen looks like a tornado hit it when I get done with it and I usually work 10-12 hour days and I am starving when I get home. As for the husband, his associated and those 2 kids....yeah well I have a Persian cat.



So this recipe is beyond easy. Put dark chocolate chips in a bowl and if you haven't used dark chocolate chips before let me just say they are great!! In a saucepan combine whipping cream and orange juice and bring to a boil. Pour over the chips and stir until they are melted. Add orange zest and orange extract. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 2 hours. I actually found that if you put them in the fridge for a little longer they are actually even easier to handle.



Scoop the chocolate mixture, about a tablespoon, roll into a ball with your hand and then roll in cocoa powder. The best tip I got from this recipe was to keep washing your hands. No, this is not because I have grimey little hands and the recipe was afraid that I would contaminate all who ate them with my germs...it was to help with the chocolate mixture sticking to your hands. And honestly this was a great tip because the chocolate mixture would start to stick to my gooey hands and the truffles would be harder to shape. However, once you washed your hands it was like brand new hands again. Chill the truffles until they are ready to serve...doesn't get much easier than that now does it...and they look like you spend hours. Don't worry I will keep your secret if you keep mind...anyone who asks me about the truffles will get this response,"oh my gosh these took all day, they were made with love and it is my Grandma's top secret recipe so I am sorry I can't share." Cheers my friends!! I am going to eat truffles with an amazing syrah now.

• 1 package(s) (10-ounce) dark chocolate chips, Nestlé® Chocolatier
• 3/4 cup(s) whipping cream
• 3 tablespoon(s) orange juice concentrate, Minute Maid®
• 2 teaspoon(s) grated orange zest (optional)
• 2 teaspoon(s) pure orange extract, McCormick®
• 3 tablespoon(s) unsweetened cocoa powder, Hershey’s®

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1. Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine whipping cream and orange juiceconcentrate; cook over medium heat just until boiling. Pour cream mixture over chocolate chips; use a rubber spatula to stir until smooth. Stir in orange zest (optional) and orange extract. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
2. Pour cocoa powder into a pie plate. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture; using slightly wet hands, form into a ball. Roll ball in cocoa powder to coat entire ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat to make 22 truffles, rinsing hands when mixture becomes too sticky to roll. Chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with grated orange zest (optional).

So last night I decided to make Loaded Potato Soup as planned. Let me just say it is very rare that I actually stick to my plan so I was pretty thrilled that I went to the gym and ran my 5 miles, went to the grocery store and actually started to cook the meal I had anticipated. However, the plan quickly started to fall apart after that.



Here is the Cooking Light Loaded Potato Soup recipe:

• 4 (6-ounce) red potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup prechopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 bacon slices, halved
• 1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)
• 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

Preparation

1. 1. Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.
2. 2. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk; add to pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper.
3. 3. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.
4. 4. Discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

Let me start by saying I Heart Bread Pudding!!! I am not normally a huge dessert fan...love to make them...but give me a slab of cheese, a hunk of bread and a glass of wine any day and I will be just as happy as a clam.



Speaking of which did you know that the saying "happy as a clam" has been around since the 19th century. It actually use to be "happy as a clam in high water," but it got shortened over time. And it refers to the fact that if clams are in water at high tide more than likely humans won't be able to get to them and eat them, which obviously makes them happy. Isn't that funny!!

However, bread pudding is one of those few dessert exceptions that I make. Probably because its bread, cream which is in the cheese family and chocolate. I do not like raisins in my bread pudding and I was a little concerned going into this class for fear that everything would be raisin packed, but I got lucky.



Last night I went to Let's Get Cookin' and made 1 savory and 4 sweet bread puddings. They were all heaven and they were all sans raisins!! I loved this class because bread pudding is very easy to make, not especially time consuming and adaptable, meaning you can pretty much add whatever you want to it...and it all tastes good.



The cooking class started with a savory bread pudding which I had never had before. It was kind of a cross between a quiche and souffle. However, I could completely see myself making this recipe for a brunch and it just screams Easter. It was called Savory Bread Pudding with Spinach, Bacon and Gruyere. This isn't the exact recipe we made last night but this one is pretty darn close: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Arugula-Bacon-and-Gruyere-Bread-Pudding-350898

The class was then divided into groups and we all get to make parts of the sweet bread puddings. I was assigned to the Fall Fantasy Cranberry Orange and Pecan Bread Pudding. Yes, of course I chose this pudding since it had the phrase "fall fantasy" in it...seriously how could I go wrong with that one This was an orange/chocolate bread pudding and it would be amazing with a great martini. My first task was to cut the bread, which was 2 large baguettes. And it was pretty comical because as I cut the bread into cubes and the instructor kept putting her hand into the bowl and pulling out pieces that I had cut too large and tearing them smaller. It was pretty funny!!

It was also pretty strange that I was the most talkative person in the class. Everyone else took their bread pudding way too seriously!!! And pretty quickly it was pretty obvious as to which side of the room was having fun with their bread pudding and which side of the room appeared to be in an episode of Masterpiece Theater...boring.

And I have always thought that my knife skills left something to be desired, however it was not me who ended up with a band aid and a bleeding finger. Of course out of all of the people in the class it was my partner in crime who ended up with a bread pudding injury. Nice job my friend!!! Luckily she was ok and we didn't have to take a trip to the ER in lieu of eating bread pudding because that would have a royal bummer...and yes obviously I am a good friend since I took a photo of her injury and included it in my blog...



So bread pudding is very easy to make. All of the recipes although they had different flavor variations pretty much consisted of bread that was cubed. The type of bread that is used can vary depending on the consistency and flavor profile you are looking for, but bread is definitely a common denominator.

The bread cubes then have an egg and cream mixture that is added to it, to make it a kind of soupy consistency. Finally, just add the flavor you are looking for. We had a banana caramel bread pudding with a caramel sauce that was actually really good and more chewy in texture. We had a coconut rum bread pudding that was heavenly...actually probably my favorite...and it tasted a little bit like a coconut macaroon. My orange/chocolate bread pudding which reminded me of those Xmas chocolate oranges we all use to have in our stockings as kids.  There was also a chocolate cherry bread pudding.


Here is my favorite recipe of the night-Coconut Rum Bread Pudding

16 oz loaf of thick cut white bread cut into 3/4" cubes...this was the hard part
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, they preferred the brand Chaokoh
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heave cream **yes bread pudding is extremely low in calories and fat **
1/4 cup coconut rum **1/2 cup if you plan on drinking some of it **
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup toasted coconut

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside

Heat the coconut milk, whole milk, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat.

Whisk the coconut rum, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, extracts and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the coconut milk mixture into the egg mixture whisking constantly. Add the toasted coconut. Pour this mixture over the bread in the large bowl. Fold gently to combine the mixture. Let stand to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.

Divide the mixture among 12 ramekins or into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.

Place the ramekins into a roasting pan and transfer the pan to the oven. Pour boiling water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until golden brown about 40 minutes. If using the 9x13 increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, but this recipe can be served cold or warm.


The class also had us make some sauces which were extremely rich and luscious accompaniments for the pudding. Bread pudding is truly the perfect Fall/Winter dessert and I will definitely be going back to these recipes the next time I entertain, want to impress someone or just need a sugar infusion.
Cheers my friends!!

So tonight I learned a very valuable lesson as I started cooking my Red Beans & Rice recipe with a bad attitude. For clarification, I had the bad attitude not the Red Beans & Rice. I had preconceived notions and I was pretty sure it just wasn't going to be any good. I am not a huge fan of canned kidney beans and I think they can be kind of chalky. I was pretty sure there wasn't going to be enough sausage in this recipe for my tastes and I was hungry and sweaty after a spin class. I  also knew there just wasn't going to be enough flavor, especially salt because you know how Cooking Light can be. I had even already figured out the title of my blog based on how bad this recipe was going to be, it was going to be titled "You Win Some/You Lose Some & Tonight I Lost."



Well lesson learned because my judgment was all wrong. This dish is overwhelming with flavor and it smelled amazing while it was cooking. The sausage, cajun seasoning and tabasco gave it a great kick. The beans were great as they were somewhat mashed and really absorbed the chicken broth. The mixture was thick, homey and perfect comfort food for a cool Fall night. And this dish was seriously one of the most pleasant surprises!! So I learned to not judge a recipe until you have tried it and keep an open mind.



This was my first time using or tasting boil in bag rice. I hate instant rice so I was also a little hesitant about this aspect of the recipe. However, the boil in bag rice was light and fluffy and had a rice consistency. I am still a huge fan of jasmine rice, but this rice totally worked as the base for the red beans and rice and it saved about 10 minutes in cooking time, always a bonus.



This recipe called for andouille sausage and just so you know it also goes by the name of "hot link" sausage. I was kind of freaking out in the grocery store because I couldn't find a sausage package marked "andouille" however once I googled it all was right with the world because the store had "hot links." I also thought you might like to know some random facts about andouille sausage:

• In French it means imbecile
• This style of sausage is smoked
• It is made with pork, garlic, pepper, onion, wine and seasonings...Love it as those are several of my favorite things!!!
• It is French in origin but it became popular in Louisiana and is prevalent in Cajun cooking

Seriously this recipe would be the perfect pre-race meal since it has protein, carbs and veggies. However, I do have to say that I stand by my muffins and wine because that really seemed to work before my last 10k. Cheers my friends and have a great week!
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