Bottega Louie

Sausage Pizza

Heaven

Bottega Louie

Channeling the Grilled Cheese Truck

This was adapted from the Grilled Cheese Truck star item, Cheesy Mac and Rib.  London Ly had made this for me and i had to share it with someone special!

You'll need:
EXTRA SHARP cheddar cheese
Macaroni and cheese (i bought the one in the tub at the deli, but you can make your own!)
Jack Daniels BBQ pulled pork
Sourdough bread
2-3 tbsp of butter

Serving 2

Get that cheese on the grater!  Need about 2 cups

Unwrap the pulled pork and cook at med-low heat in a medium pan

Next, heat up the mac and cheese in a small pot

Butter up your sourdough bread and place on medium pan on med-low heat.  Add the sharp cheddar and cover with lid so cheese will start to melt

Once the macaroni and pulled pork is cooked, layer them both on the bread.  I flipped the sandwich a couple time to make sure both sides were cooked.  But be careful if you're using large pieced of bread.  I needed my cooking assistant to help or else everything would have fallen out!

Voilà!

Buon Apétito!

Might want a little champagne to go with that!

Weekend Treats!

The Greenz truck came by the office last week.  Here is The Italian

Easy vegan overnight oats, my new fave breakfast!

banana eggrolls from PF Changs!

Protein Power Bowl

Made this one for dinner last night/lunch today!  I did half of the recipe since it normally makes SIX servings!!  Below is my half recipe.  Got this from Oh She Glows!

1c. chopped asparagus
1 can chickpeas
1c. uncooked quinoa
1/2 diced sweet onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
basalmic dressing to taste
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
2 tbsp chia seeds

First cook up the quinoa.  Boil 2 cups of water with 1 cup quinoa and simmer until cooked.  While thats cooking, chop up your onion and asparagus

Sautee onion in olive oil with garlic until transparent.  Add asparagus and continue to sautee with salt and pepper.

Once the asparagus and onion is cooked, add some balsalmic vinegar.  I love this one from We Olive in Ventura, CA

Now just bring it all together!  Start with the quinoa, then layer on the asparagus and onion sauté, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and chia.  I drizzled some more balsamic on before I mixed it all up!

Thanksgiving

Mom getting the turkey ready

Mom was able to snap one of me the night before baking away!

YUM!

2 nights later, London Ly was hosting girls night at her place.  She recreated the pulled pork mac and cheese grilled cheese sandwiches made by the grilled cheese truck...

Absolutely AMAZING!

Oh, and I had my regular from the grilled cheese truck on Tuesday.  Always delish.  Went for the tomato soup too, but it tasted more like marinara sauce.  I'd pass on that next time...

An introduction

I have a confession. I too photograph food. Yes it's shameful, we need a support group, but in the spirit of the season, why not talk some tacos?


Familia Diaz is a delightful Spanish restaurant in Santa Paula. I ventured there for a birthday dinner for the first time a few weeks ago after a recommendation from a friend. It's a tiny place that has been around for over 70 years; apparently a historical landmark! And the food... was... AWESOME. Well worth the drive to obscurity! The salsa was creamy and super tomatoe-y, the chips were hot and fresh, and the guacamole was fantastic.

Shrimp Fajitas

Steak Carnitas

http://www.familiadiazrestaurant.com/contact.html

Vegan Fruit and Nut Energy Bites

Another good one from Oh She Glows!
Preheat oven to 325.  Toast chopped walnuts/pecans in oven for about 10 minutes.  In the mean time....

Mix dry ingredients: brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon

I used pecans, dried cranberries, and chopped up figs.  You can add whatever kind of dried fruits you like!

Mix in dried fruit and nuts with dry mixture.  

Add flax egg, vanilla, and almond milk

Press mixture into square pan lined with parchment paper.  

Bake for 35 minutes at 325.  

Remove from pan and let cool for 20 minutes.

Cut into square with sharp knife!  Careful with the knife!

Enjoy!

Find the full recipe here

Vegetable Quinoa Soup

Got this lovely recipe from my fave, Oh She Glows.
This is her Holiday Soup for the Soul.  Delicious fresh vegetables with red quinoa.  Perfect for a chilly winter day!  Find her full detailed recipe here.  With much prettier pictures I might add!

Chop up 1 medium sweet onion, 1 large carrot, one medium zucchini, 2 garlic cloves

Cook onion in large pot with olive oil until onion is transparent.  Then add vegetables and sauté

Add dices tomatos, quinoa, and black beans.  Save the chopped spinach until the end!

Add water mixed with vegetable bouillon and simmer.  Add spinach and let it cook!

Enjoy!

Indian Buffet

My friend London Ly and I have somewhat of a habit of going on a great hike in griffith park and then blowing it all at the Indian buffet on Melrose.  Star of India is the best!  Love it!

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Oat Squares

Got this fabulous recipe from www.ohsheglows.com which has become my new favorite blog!  She also has reditions of this with apple butter and homemade jam!  So yummy!  Mine turned out a bit messy.  I think I overdid it a but on the pumpkin butter.  Still, they ended up delicious!

First, I made my OWN candied pecans.  Which I must admit are much better when you do it yourself!

Next, Mix all the dry ingredients.  I used whole wheat flour, brown sugar, oats, and baking soda

then add the wet ingredients.  Falx egg, vanilla, maple syrup, almond milk, and melter butter

Press mixture into a pan lines with parchment paper

Bake at 350 for 15 or so minutes.  I would keep in a bit longer next time

Oh She Glows makes her own pumpkin butter.  But I couldnt be bothered so I opted for trader joes!

Pour on a layer of pumpkin butter!

Top with your candied pecans and bake for another 10 minutes

Remove and let cool on the counter and then in the freezer or fridge for about an hour.  They really need to cool down before you cut.

Voila!  Like I said, mine were a bit messy.  They taste great if you keep them chilled and have with a big glass of milk!!  Enjoy!

here is the direct link to the recipe with all the detail I never include ;)

http://ohsheglows.com/2010/11/07/pumpkin-butter-oat-squares-with-candied-pecans/

Lardon

A couple months ago I was found the Lardon food truck from an UrbanDaddy email.  I immediately forwarded to our offices food truck scheduler.  She is a vegetarian so basically laughed in my face.  But I told her all the men who work at our office would die for this.  Literally every guy I know has an OBSESSION with bacon.  I dont get it, but fine.  Finally the day came when the Lardon truck made a visit.  I told myself I would order the craziest thing on the menu.  After actually looking at the menu I ended up with a BLT.  Oh and the guy talked me into a bacon cookie as well.  For the record, the bacon cookie had tiny bacon bits in it and pretty much tasted like a normal chocolate chip cookie.

http://getyourlardon.com/