Splurging on Burrata - Une Tartine at a Time

 I wanted to do something simple, but simple doesn't have to mean healthy. After being good and going for a run, I ran straight to the market (never a good idea to go to the market post-workout when I am starving and  generally over-buy without fail). I helped myself to the fancy burrata (normally I go for the cheapest domestic whatever that they have to offer) the "Zoe's" prosciutto, some fresh Acme bread and I nice bunch of basil. I trudged back home and set to work making my sandwich, snacking along the way.

 This is one of my favorite  sandwiches and requires virtually no work. Slice of a nice thick piece of bread and plop a generous dollop of burrata on top (halfway there!). I add a little bit of nice sea salt to the burrata to bring out the flavor and drizzle a bit of nice balsamic on top. To finish toss on a few leaves of fresh basil and a nice helping of prosciutto, et voila! La tartine est prêt a manger!

Breakfast Time - Cheddar Bacon Biscuits

I don't think this really makes it an excuse to call this breakfast, but football was on and I was in the mood for some sort of unhealthy 'game food' - so . . . carpe diem. Not only did I make bacon cheddar biscuits, but I ate mine with an egg on top of it. It was delicious. I plan on making something equally unhealthy and tasty for Super Bowl Sunday - thus emerges my love of football.

I adapted my recipe from Alton Brown's plain Southern Biscuit recipe. The biscuits were fluffy and buttery - perfect for eating as soon as they exited the oven.

More Comfort Food - Chicken Tagine

 I feel like, for the most part, I cook off the top of my head. I am inspired by recipes and photos and dishes I eat in restaurants, but I tend to riff on them, tweak here and there, make them my own. Having said that, I find that the majority of the recipes I actually post are recipes that I am following or at least loosely referencing - so, here is one of my favorite in-my-head recipes: Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots. 

   Also, I was in the mood for a soupier version so I added ample chicken broth, if you want yours thicker either let it reduce more or cut down on your chicken broth.

UCLA's Powell Library

Venice Beach

Ushering in the New Year - Tourtiere du Shack

I am a believer that food is a cure-all. As people make their annual resolutions I wonder at how they can even envision such discipline - giving up carbs? sweets? wine? Nope, I don't have it in me. Instead, I have decided to embrace food and consume more than ever before - partially kidding. 

I decided to make this recipe, the Tourtiere du Shack, as a cheer-up-and-feel-comforted meal. I read about this tourtiere a year ago in Bon Appetit. I was completely taken in by the amazing photos of Quebec in winter - beautiful heritage pigs in the snow and delectable, oozing maple syrup - and I tore out the recipe for the tourtiere because I fell in love with the story and the place but not really thinking that I had the discipline to make it - turns out, definitely worth the patience.

The recipe definitely takes a while but isn't actually that difficult, there is just lots of cool/waiting time. So hunker down with a good book and a glass of wine and decide to make this some time. The even better news - the leftovers taste just as good if not better. Happy New Year!

The old Helms Bakery building in Los Angeles

The view from the Grapevine, CA