This may be the most delicious thing I’ve ever seen out of all the food blogs I read–and of course it’s from Kelly at Just A Taste. Looks all kinds of ooey gooey amazingness. The recipe does require a good amount of prep time, but can you just imagine pulling apart a soft, cheesy piece of this straight from the oven? Oh, my goodness. You can customize it with any of your favorite pizza toppings, too.
I’m bookmarking this for a weekend cooking adventure.
Despite the fact that I’ve made it abundantly easy for me to have a healthy breakfast at work (tasty low-fat granola and coconut milk at both of my two desks) cinnamon rolls keep calling my name. At this point, I’m starting to worry that I truly am addicted. No matter; I’ve now found 10 more reasons to indulge — even on the weekend! — thanks to LA Weekly’s list of the 10 best cinnamon rolls in Los Angeles. Uh oh …
I crave Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food like nothing else – and ever since my trip to Egypt and Jordan, I’ve been craving Arabic coffee even more. So it was only natural that my first stop on Los Angeles Magazine’s list of 101 Cheap Eats (Summer Bucket List item #21) was Momed.
Nestled among designer fashion stores and ultra modern cafes lined with rows of glimmering luxury cars, Momed, on Beverly Hills’ Beverly Drive, doesn’t exactly give off the “cheap” vibe. And to be honest, it actually isn’t all that cheap (perhaps by Beverly Hills standards). But it’s worth it.
From the moment we walked in, I couldn’t take my eyes off the brightly colored meze (salads) beckoning to diners from a refrigerated glass case. In fact, my first thought was to start with the $16 three-item meze combo. The boy reeled me back a little and suggested we start with just one meze before the main dish. I reluctantly agreed and before long we were devouring the muhammara, a subtly sweet blend of roasted red pepper, walnuts and pomegranate served with wheat pitas.
As I eagerly anticipated my main course — the absolutely delicious and return-worthy duck shawarma with oven-dried tomatoes, figs and garlic spread – I was pleasantly surprised to see mint lemonade, just about the most refreshing thing you can drink, on the menu.
We wrapped it up with Arabic coffee – just the way I like it, with a hint of cardamom, although I could’ve used just a pinch more – and three desserts. Yes, you read that right. We simply couldn’t decide. With a baklava combo that included regular and chocolate versions of the honey- and pistachio-filled filo dough treat and baklava bread pudding on the menu, who could?!
All in all, it was an incredible meal. Cheap? No. But worth every penny.
How good does this look to make for the weekend??
P.S. Who’s braving the crowds to watch The Dark Knight Rises? I totally am. : ) Have a great one, guys! xx
My wonderfully talented co-worker, Chris, made the most amazing ice-cream cookie sandwiches and brought them to work today…needless to say, I pretty much died of happiness. They are not your store-bought variety, which I’ve never liked because of how sticky and doughy some of them can be. These are light, crispy cookies, with spoonfuls of rich Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch ice-cream sandwiched between. This is the exact recipe she used; it can be a bit of a process, but you will be amazed at how delicious they turn out. And, of course, you can fill it with your favorite ice-cream flavors and roll it in sprinkles, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. Great for parties and summer BBQs!
{photo via Annie’s Eats}
Well guys, this is real. Sprinkles, the beloved cupcake bakery, has opened an ice-cream shop next to their flagship store in Beverly Hills. Think scoops of creamy, organic ice-cream in flavors ranging from Salted Caramel, Coffee Fudge Almond, and Pistachio, to Cherry Vanilla, Cap’n Crunch, and Peanut Butter Cup. All this yumminess is served alongside fresh-baked cookies, brownies, or even sandwiched between two cupcake tops. And you can bet there’s also a Red Velvet ice-cream flavor and a Red Velvet waffle cone. Heaven…just in time for summer.
Sometimes when I go to places like Ojai or Los Olivos or watch Gilmore Girls or basically any show about suburban life in the ’50s, I wonder what it must be like to live in one of these tiny towns where everyone knows everyone and people spend lazy afternoons eating ice cream in the park. I think I might finally know.
Last week, I started house sitting in Monrovia, a hidden gem (and virtual time warp) just off the intersection of the 210 and 605 freeways. I don’t know if it was just the particular weekend I spent there or if this is the norm in Old Town Monrovia (a stretch of small businesses, shops and restaurants extending down Myrtle Ave), but over the course of a single weekend, there was a street fair, a farmer’s market, a parade, music in the park, a clown on stilts blowing balloons, a woman playing a violin outside the local movie theater … I mean, everything was just so pleasant it was hard to believe it was actually real. I had to resist the temptation to walk up to random strangers to ask if they were actually just extras in an elaborate remake of The Andy Griffith Show. The town is charming to say the least. And it seems so tucked away yet it’s barely 10 minutes from the freeway. Leaving Monrovia for a friend’s birthday party in Beverly Hills on Saturday felt like entering a foreign land — or maybe leaving one, I’m not sure.
Jury’s still out on whether small town life is for me. Perhaps if there were a beach nearby? I’m certainly a fan of the local eats. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:
The Peach Cafe – The Monte Cristo is to die for!
Cafe Massillia – A great spot for classic French dishes at reasonable prices — and they just opened a new location in Yorba Linda.
Mediterranean Garden Grill – All my favorite staples (tabbouleh, kibbeh, shawarma, kabobs, baklava) and a hookah happy hour if you’re so inclined.
I’m still eating my way through this quaint little town and trying to understand exactly how it can stay so quaint, but I would highly recommend a visit if for nothing more than to marvel.
{Photo via Gem City Images}
I’ve started seeing watermelon at the grocery store. Summer is almost officially here! Oh, picnics and outdoor events and beach days, how I cannot wait for you to arrive. So I’ll make you arrive early with this delightful watermelon juice recipe from Sugar and Charm that sounds perfect for an afternoon on the porch.
When I’m craving some comfort food or feeling lazy, this recipe from The New York Times is my go-to choice: Spaghetti with Fried Eggs. It’s ridiculously simple and sort of like a delicious, poor man’s Carbonara…just cook the pasta, fry up some eggs, and toss together with parmesan cheese and garlic for a rich, creamy dish. The only trick you have to master in this recipe is to not start cooking your eggs until your pasta is done–they fry up so quickly and you’ll want them just gently cooked so they’ll easily turn into a nice sauce. When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll also add fresh parsley and black pepper. It’s the perfect dish to make at the end of a long week. :)
Have a great weekend, guys! xx
{photo via Food 52}
Strawberries are in season and on sale everywhere these days, and this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles looks like a delicious, quick, and healthy way to enjoy something sweet. A perfect treat for this weekend!
Celeste
Kim
