Christmas Weekend

For the past three days I have been playing hostess to my parents and it's been incredible. A sense of peace enveloped me on Friday when I realized, for the first time since I moved out of my parents house, I didn't have to spend my evening packing and preparing to spend another holiday away from my home. There was also a little bit of anxiety over the thought that for the next three days I was going to have to feed and entertain my parents. Lucky for me everything went smoothly. So smoothly that when I dropped my parents off at the airport yesterday my Dad turned to me and said, "We'd like to book in for next Christmas, Thanksgiving, and summer holiday".

Saturday when my parents arrived I whisked them off to one of my favorite lunch spots, the Coral Tree Cafe. We sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed our organic lunches. Dad treated himself to blueberry pancakes, Mom had a breakfast panini and I enjoyed a tuna salad sandwich. Mmmm! After fueling up we headed out to the beach to wander along the pier and enjoy the local talent. It's a great day when you feel the sea breeze blowing gently across your face and the warmth of the sun on your back as you gaze out over the ocean. Normally not something you would expect two days before Christmas.

The next stop was the Getty Villa. Originally opened in 1974, the Getty Villa has been closed for the past nine years for major renovations. Admission is free, but you have to reserve a timed entrance ticket online, something my roommate and I have been trying to do since the reopening in January. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that spaces were available for my parents visit. The villa is modeled after the Villa de Papiri, a Roman country house in Herculaneum buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79.


The villa is setup like an archaeological dig. When you arrive at the museum you must climb down into the excavation, passing what appear to be wood planks (but upon closer examination are revealed to be cement). The left picture above shows the stairs you must climb down and the horizontal lines of the faux wood planks. The center picture is the view of the outer peristyle and gardens. The picture on the right is of the fountain in the center of the Herb Garden. **Click on the photo to enlarge**

When we arrived at the villa we joined an orientation tour which introduced us to the layout, the history, and a little bit about the design of the museum. We then spent the afternoon wandering through the exhibits of Roman, Etruscan and Greek art.

My favorite was the current exhibition Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa. I've always been fascinated by mosaics but I don't think I have ever seen any that date back to the 2nd century AD. Artists impress me with their ability to portray life using their medium. Mosaic art is even more amazing in that the artists portray life using small pieces of colored tiles.

After thoroughly examining the gardens and the different exhibits at the Villa we felt quite parched and decided to head to the museum cafe, where we enjoyed an Izze soda while watching the sun sink towards the ocean.

At this point we decided to head up the coast to the barefoot bar for drinks as we watched the sunset and rested for our evening exercise. A Christmas Tradition in my household is to do the walking tour of the Christmas lights at Griffith Park. I think the 1.6 mile walk thoroughly tired us out, as we decided to pick up Chinese and enjoy a quite meal at home before settling into bed for a peaceful nights sleep.


We spent Sunday in my apartment cooking, eating, watching football, drinking, and relaxing. As the hostess for the Christmas meal I had complete control over what would be served. My parents feared that I would force tofurkey upon them but I think they were pleased with the combination of traditional and new dishes that I prepared:

Appetizers
Assortment of Baked Potato Chips
White Bean Dip served with Tortilla Chips
Pistachio Nuts
Lavosh

Main Meal
Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts with White Wine Gravy
Winter Vegetable Ciabatta Stuffing
Oven Roasted Rosemary Carrots and Parsnips
Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans
Oven Roasted Potatoes

Dessert
Stilton and Assorted Cheese Biscuits
Assorted Chocolates
Pear-Red Currant Crisp
Truffles

After gorging ourselves we decided to open our Christmas presents before going on an evening stroll around my neighborhood. Despite our stroll and respite from eating, we were still too full to even think about dessert and decided to leave the pear-red currant crisp until Monday.


Monday was similar to Sunday; A day for rest and relaxation. We finally made the pear-red currant crisp and then went for an afternoon stroll to the local park in the 75F degree sunshine. During the afternoon we watched the Eagles beat the Cowboys and then had a small dinner before it was time to return to the airport. I have to say it was really lovely to have my parents in "my world" for a weekend. I think they thoroughly enjoyed the role reversal, my dad was able to watch a complete football game for the first time in over ten years and my mother was able to avoid doing dishes, opting to sit on the couch and read her magazine instead. I enjoyed being able to try new recipes and finally give back a little bit of what my parents have provided to me over the years. I think it is safe to say there will be a lot more of this to come in the future.

Pear-Red Currant Crisp

I guess you could say the weekend wasn't quite the storm I was expecting. In all honesty, I guess a weekend for three isn't really that intimidating. When I asked my mother what was the highlight of Christmas this year she responded, as if on cue, "the Christmas meal" and I couldn't agree more.

I tried quite a few new dishes this Christmas; surprisingly they all received rave reviews. I'm not going to post all the recipes but here's what we enjoyed:

Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts with White Wine Gravy
Winter Vegetable Ciabatta Stuffing
Oven Roasted Rosemary Carrots and Parsnips
Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans
Oven Roasted Potatoes

In fact, the meal was so satisfying we were forced to save our dessert, pear-red currant crisp, for the following day. Lucky for you that means I could spend time taking pictures of it to accompany the recipe.


This recipe is modified from a recipe for Pear-Cranberry Crisp found in an old Cooking Light. Since the supermarket was out of cranberries I substituted Red Currants and eliminated the maple syrup and some of the salt in the recipe.

Filling

• 6 cups sliced peeled pear (about 8 small d'Anjou pears)


• 1 teaspoon cornstarch


• 1/2 cup fresh red currants


• 1/2 cup apple juice


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger


• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 3/4 cup regular oats


• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup butter, melted


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F

To prepare filling: place pears in a large bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch and toss well to coat. Stir in red currants, apple juice, vanilla extract, ginger, and salt. Spoon pear mixture into an 8x8 glass dish.

To prepare topping: in a medium bowl combine oats, flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla tossing until moist.

Sprinkle topping over pear mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling. You may need to increase the heat to 400F to brown the topping.

White Bean Dip

Right now it's the calm before the storm. In about an hour I'm going to pick my parents up from the airport. This year I have invited them to my house for Christmas. Not only does that mean that I am now responsible for the entire Christmas meal, it also means I am responsible for feeding and entertaining them for the next three days. I'm really excited about this opportunity. It could make them want to come back again and again, or it could completely dissuade them from ever visiting me again. Nervous? No, I have a game plan.

Since I won't be able to prepare the meal ahead of time I've stocked up on drinks and nibbles to keep my parents busy when I don't need their assistance in the kitchen. With the dining room table in the kitchen, they can either watch me prepare everything or I can send them to the living room to relax and read a book. To go with my nibbles I whipped up this quick and easy bean dip. Unfortunately it's been the only dish I have been able to make ahead.


White Bean Dip
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice of one lime
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz great northern beans, or other white beans
1 teaspoon minced garlic
chopped plum tomato (one or two)

• Place all items in a food processor and blend until smooth.


• Top with diced tomato and serve with tortilla chips.

Pictures from London

This may take a little time to load but I promise it's worth the wait!

3 Course Meal

"The soup was amazing and the tart was spectacular." ~Guest #2

"These dishes are truly impressive!" ~Guest #3

"The flavor combination in this tart is out of this world!" ~Guest #1

Last night my roommate and I had some friends over for a dinner party and, as you can see, the reviews were pretty favorable for the dishes we made. Or, should I say, the way I remember the reviews, were pretty favorable. I love dinner parties because they are a chance to sit down, enjoy good food, and catch up with whomever you decide to invite. All of the dishes we served were made ahead so it was simply a case of heating them up and serving them out. This is a real time saver when having a dinner party because it cuts down on the amount of dishes to clean afterwards and also allows the hostess to enjoy the party instead of being in the kitchen all night. The menu for the evening was as follows:
Leek and Potato Soup

Eggplant, Tomato, and Smoked Mozzarella Tart with Herbed Salad

White Chocolate, Cranberry and Macadamia Nut Cookies
Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes




Leek and Potato Soup
This recipe comes straight from my mother, the master leek and potato soup maker.

3 medium leeks, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 large potato, cubed
1 small onion, diced
reduced sodium vegetable stock
herbes de provence

• In a large skillet or wok, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and leeks and cook until softened.


• Add diced potatoes and enough vegetable stock to cover all ingredients. Season to taste with herbes de provence. Simmer until soft.


• When potatoes are soft, let soup cool, and then liquidize in batches in your food processor.


• Enjoy!

Eggplant, Tomato, and Smoked Mozzarella Tart
This recipe is originally from Cooking Light (April 2004). The smoked mozzarella really brings the flavor up a notch and is a nice contrast to the herbs and garlic. Serve with simple side salad, such as herbed salad which you can find in the bagged salad area at your local supermarket.

I have to admit I am not that great at following original recipes to "T" and therefore made a few substitutions. I eliminated the mint from the recipe, used Chinese eggplants and dried herbs, and bought a premade pastry crust. Below is my modified recipe:

frozen prepared whole wheat pastry crust
2 medium sized Chinese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

• To prepare the crust, preheat oven to 400F. Remove frozen crust from its packaging, pierce the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.


• To prepare the filling, arrange eggplant on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat the eggplant slices dry, brush with oil, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until eggplant is soft. Stack eggplants on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 7 minutes to steam.


• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add basil, oregano; mix well. Remove from heat, stir in tomatoes.


• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons smoked mozzarella on the bottom of the cooled baked tart. Layer the eggplant and the tomato mixture in the crust. Top with remaining smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.


• Cut into wedges and serve with a simple side salad. Yield: 4 servings

White Chocolate, Cranberry, and Macadamia Nut Cookies
This is one my roommate picked out from this months copy of Bon Appetit. A baker she is not, but honestly I have to say she has a lot of potential. It was loads of fun working together in the kitchen as it gave us a chance to catch up away from the normal stresses of our lives. Cooking making is a great holiday activity for all, young or old. We only used a cup of the cranberries and white chocolate chips, but I wish there had been more macadamia nuts.

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 6 oz)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (about 8 1/2 oz)
1 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted macadamia nuts (about 4 1/2 oz)

• Preheat oven to 350F.


• In a medium bowl combine first three ingredients. Set aside.


• In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until just blended.


• Using a spatula, stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts.


• Drop dough by teaspoonful onto baking sheet, and bake until just golden. About 15 minutes. Yields 36 (large) or 72 (small) cookies.

[Note: Due to the holidays we had to use Christmas color swirled white chocolate chips. From this recipe we made 45 medium sized cookies]

Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes
The tart chewy cherries provide a wonderful contrast to the powdered sugar coating and crumbly cookie.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more for coating
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup cherries
2 1/2 cups flour

• Preheat oven to 350F.


• In a large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cherries. Using a spatula stir in all flour (do not over mix dough).


• Shape dough by generous tablespoonfuls into football-shaped ovals. Place on baking sheet and bake until bottoms just begin to color. Approximately 15 minutes.


• Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes, before coating.


• Pour a generous amount of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add cookies to bowl and gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to a sheet of wax paper, cool completely and enjoy!

Reflections

Panorama Photos

This is a panorama view of the bench surrounding the Gran Placa Circular in Parc Guell. I was shocked when I arrived here and there wasn't a single tourist on the bench. A big difference from the overcrowded, fight for seat, bench that I remember from my last visit.

This is the gorgeous skyline of Barcelona as seen from the bench of Parc Guell.

A panorama view of the Barcelona skyline with labels.

Photos from Europe!

Now that I am home safe and sound I can finally post the photographs from my trip. I took quite a few photos and below are two slide shows with the ones that I felt were worth sharing.

Part of the fun of travelling during Christmas is experiencing the holiday traditions of different cultures. In Barcelona I learned about caga tio and cagnares. Caga tio is a wooden log with a painted smiley face and hat that has sweets inside. The children beat it open with a stick on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to find the hidden treasures. It was quite entertaining to hear the children chant the traditional song and then beat the over sized caga tio at the Christmas market Feria de Santa Lucia. On the other hand Cagnares were quite a different tradition. Cagnares are little defecating gnome-like porcelain figurines of everyone from saints and prophets to Homer Simpson and political figures. Catalans use these figurines in their nativity scenes.

So with that I'll leave you to enjoy the photos!

Christmas in Europe


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Photos from Barcelona


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Rainy Day, Internet Cafe

Location: Barcelona

Time: 12 noon

 

I am having a great time here in Barcelona! Honestly I have to say I have been blessed by the weather gods. Besides today, which is wet and rainy, I have had nothing but beautiful weather. So instead of wandering around in the puddles I thought I would take a moment to use this internet cafe and provide you with a little recap of what I have been up to.

 

Wednesday was my first day for exploring, on the schedule was Parc Guell and Poble Espanyol. When I arrived at the park I found that I was one of the first ten tourists in the park. This meant that I was the only person sitting on the winding bench enjoying the view over Barcelona. It was so tranquil compared to the chaos I experienced the last time I was here. As I was wandering up the hill to the higher vantage point I met a nice old man who insisted on showing me around the park and pointing out all the sights across Barcelona. This of course all occurred in Spanish, good thing that I still remember a word or two from Mexico! After telling me the history of the sights he checked his watch and revealed that he needed to get on with his day. I thanked him for sharing his knowledge and then was left to admire the view and wander around the park some more. Unfortunately, by the time I made it back to the front of the park I had been joined by a couple of tour buses of Asian tourists, a tour bus of Italian school kids and many other visitors. So much for more peaceful time in the park.

 

At this point I decided to wander back into the center of town and took a stroll down La Rambla. I grabbed a bite to eat and then continued my wander in the direction of Palau Nacional and Montjuic. The Palace, at the end of the Avenue of Cristina is such a spectacle to behold. Last time I was up here I wandered around the Olympic Stadium, however this time I was determined to check out the buildings and crafts of Poble Espanyol. Built as an homage to Spanish architecture this area contains all sorts of craftspeople. It was great to wander around and see all the local talent.

 

Thursday, I used the day to get lost in the old town. First stop was La Cathedral. Located in the center of the old town neighborhood it is absolutely amazing. There are something like 26 side chapels inside the church, all decorated differently. Although I have to say the best part of the church is taking the elevator to the top and wandering around on the roof. At a cost of €2.20 it is definitely the best item I have spent money on since being here. On the roof I was able to enjoy the sunshine while having a 360 degree panorama view over Barcelona. After visiting another church I grabbed a bocadillo y jugo and headed down to the water front to enjoy even more of the sunshine. I think the temperature yesterday was 15º, perfect weather for watching the yachts in the harbor by Mare Magnum. After a stroll along the waterfront I headed back to the old town to get lost in the winding streets and alleys. I found quite a few arts and crafts stands along the way and eventually ended up at the Feria de Santa Lucia next to the cathedral. It was amazing how quickly five hours pass when you are just wandering aimlessly through the streets of Barcelona.

 

Today, despite the rain, I have been perusing the shops around town. For lunch I am going to the Falafel place that my friends and I loved the last time we were here. This afternoon, Dad and I are hoping to visit La Sagrada Familia and then we are treating ourselves to dinner. Tomorrow I have to say goodbye to Barcelona, as we have a 7 o´clock flight back to London. It´s been an amazing few days and I only wish I had more time and more sunshine to explore even more. Next time I come I am definitely planning a day trip out of Barcelona to the Freixenet winery, only 45 minutes away by train.

Part 2

Location: London

Time: 9pm

 

Just a quick update. Last night Dad and I spent the evening at M&C's for sunday dinner, and what a dinner it was! I experienced the best roast potatoes I have ever eaten (sorry Dad!). I have no idea how M gets them so crispy on the outside yet so moist on the inside but however it is done, it is heaven sent. I also had the pleasure of meeting both M's daughter and her daughter for the first time. It was such an enjoyable evening that before we knew it, it was time to walk back to the station to make the last tube back to our flat.

 

I spent today wandering around the city completing some last minute errands and also using the free time to take some photographs of London. It's been a while since I have spent time just wandering around, taking photographs and I realized how much I have missed my little hobby. I also realized how old my digital camera is when I noticed my camera is only capable of taking pictures that are 2.0 megapixels.

 

Now that my suitcase is packed, I am ready to head off to Barcelona. I hope the weather stays pleasant, cloudy is okay as long as it is dry, so that I can really enjoy wandering the streets of Barcelona.

London

Location: London

Time: 5pm

 

I was just gazing out the window watching the London Eye spin around, amazed by the number of flash photographs being taken of the city, when I caught a glimpse of the glowing face of Big Ben and realized, wow, I am in London. It's hard to believe that it's already day three here, but what a wonderful three days it has been so far.

 

Friday E arrived from Paris via the Eurostar, and we spent the evening chatting away over a pint at the local pub. Saturday we slept in and then spent the day wandering around the city. We stopped in at Westminster Cathedral and marvelled at the beautiful interior. While Westminster Abby is architecturally beautiful, Westminster Cathedral is decorated beautifully. My family and I went to a Christmas service at this church two years ago and all I remember is the black ceiling and thinking to myself that it was as though I was looking up into the night sky. Little did I know that slowly the church would be installing amazing, colorful, and inspiring mosaics throughout. Even better, there aren't a million tourists buzzing around so you really can enjoy the peaceful sanctuary of being in a church.

 

Saturday evening my Dad threw together a wonderful dinner party. It was great opportunity to spend some time with my aunt and uncle and to see my dad's friends P&P and T&R. Unfortunately we didn't have enough chairs to seat the number of people we had invited so instead of a traditional sit down meal we had a rolling buffet; a few dishes at a time served throughout the evening. Lots of laughter and at least 7 bottles of wine later, we had to call it a night so our guests could make it home before the Tube closed.

 

Sadly, E had to return to Paris this afternoon but only after searching out fish and chips for lunch. It was wonderful having her here but next time I am definitely heading over to Paris. Tonight Dad and I are off to M&C's for a Sunday roast, rumored to be one of the best I will ever experience. Then Tuesday I will be off to Barcelona for a week of exploring. I am looking forward to spending some time in Parc Guell, checking out the Christmas markets, and enjoying the Catalan cuisine.

Europe Here I Come!

Well I guess this is goodbye for a little bit. Tomorrow I am getting out of LA, getting out of California, and getting out of the US . . . Europe here I come! Not only will I be spending a week in Barcelona with my Dad, but I will also be going to an alumni event at the university where I spent a year studying abroad during college. There's also the possibility that my ex-winglady who moved to Paris from LA might make an appearance. Who knows what will happen if the two of us are let loose in London! Let's just say it's going to be an exciting ten days.

 

However, I have to say my excitement has been a little dampened after checking the forecast this evening (pun intended). Not only is it going to be rainy in London for the next ten days but look at the temperature difference between where I am now and where I will be spending my vacation:

 

	Monterey Park	London	Barcelona
Low	48	44	45
High	71	53	58

 

I guess this just means that I will have to pack my coats, scarves and sweaters tomorrow because even if it's cold and wet at least it's Europe. I'll do my best to take loads of photographs while I am travelling, but I know for a fact that I won't be able to share them until I return. I might have a chance to post a blog or two, but it's not guaranteed. Either way, we'll definitely catch up once I return.

 

Adios!

Nutella Ravioli

**It's a holiday miracle! When I turned on my computer today the pictures were back! So now you can see how beautiful these little gems really are.**



In the excitement of sharing my freshly made and instantly gobbled batch of nutella raviolis I accidentally deleted all of the pictures I just took. Sad, because they really were beautiful photographs. So instead you will have to imagine the golden brown crispy triangles of oozing nutella until you make them yourself. Which I promise is the easiest thing to do. Here's my recipe from what I remember seeing on Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.

1 package of wonton wrappers
1 jar of nutella
vegetable oil for frying
powdered sugar

Take out one wonton wrapper, place a teaspoon of nutella in the middle. Using a pastry brush, brush two edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper diagonally in half and press down to seal. I like to press the edges with a fork to add a little detail to the raviolis. Repeat to make as many raviolis as desired. I recommend four per person.

Heat the oil over medium high heat until warm. You can tell the oil is hot enough when a piece of the wonton wrapper turns brown after 10 seconds in the oil. Place each ravioli into the oil and fry until golden, remember to turn the ravioli at least once. Set on a paper towel to dry. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend I spent some time with my favorite married couple J&C up in the mountains. With a whopping 6"-12" of man-made machine groomed snow we decided we would sit out on the skiing/snowboarding this weekend in exchange for Christmas decorating and catching up. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend! I arrived on Friday after a short five hour drive (yes I combined short with five hours, but only because I was able to use cruise control the whole way and for some reason I was under the impression it was going to take me six hours). After a few "welcome to the mountain" drinks, we decided to take an evening stroll to enjoy the crisp mountain air. Surprisingly this stroll took us straight to the local bar. We called it an early night so that C could get up for work in the morning, but only after impressing the locals with our shenanigans.

 

Saturday J made me a wonderful breakfast sandwich to power us up for decorating the condo for christmas. I am heading off to Trader Joe's tomorrow to invest in the secret ingredient, and I promise I'll share the recipe as soon as I am able to recreate it. So check back on the food blog later this week. After decorating we used the rest of the afternoon to browse the local shops.  J treated me to an ice cream and I treated myself to a Chia Herb Garden. It's hard for me to contain my excitement about this find, but that will have to be saved for another post.

 

Night number two was pretty much a repeat of night number one except the evening stroll was a little bit longer due to the scenic detour through the woods. It was a sad day on Sunday when I had to pack up my car and leave the wonderful mountain town. But that just means that I will have to return . . . how about the end of the month?