Beef Stew

My homemade beef stew. Note to you beef stew makers: Beef chunks need to be cut down super tiny or cooked all day in a crock pot - otherwise, it's too tough. Also if you're looking for a kick add Sazon Goya. It gives it a unique flavor that you can't get from other spices.

Israeli Couscous with Tofu Dinner

I made some Israeli Couscous with finely chopped parsley.

Sauteed the tofu with baby corn. (I let the tofu marinate all day in a teriyaki marinade)

Turn off the heat and toss in fresh baby spinach. Stir a few times till spinach is slightly wilted.

Throw together on a plate and sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds. Viola!

Cucumber Cosmos!

Sorry for the stock photo. I let a friend of mine borrow my camera for a few weeks and I'm starting to realize how much I miss it. (And how often I take pictures of food and drinks). Anyways, I googled some photos and also found some recipes online, but nothing was like mine, so here's my recipe:

1/4 cucumber (sliced into chunks and muddled)
1 shot of Orange vodka (or Cointreau if your splurging)
1 shot of Lemon vodka
a heavy splash of white-cranberry juice (I kind of eyeball it - just enough to make it sweet, but not too sweet)
Put into a shaker with ice and sha- sha- sha- shake it!
Strain out into chilled martini glasses.

It's refreshing and delicious and a great spin on a classic cosmopolitan!

Xmas Food

Xmas dinner: Ham with orange sauce and homemade sweet potato gratin. Curtis made dinner. He's so good. :)

Baked brie with cranberry sauce.

I've never had baked brie before. I've had brie about 45784597845266 times, but having it baked was kind of incredible. Makes me wonder why I waited so long to try it.

Ok, this is stupid easy to make. Just buy pastry dough in the frozen food section of your grocery store. Lay one sheet out (thawed) onto a floured surface. Take a wheel of brie and cut the top rind off. Scoop spoonfuls of cranberry sauce on top of the brie and wrap it up like a gift. Brush with an egg wash and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. You will punch yourself-- it's THAT good.

Got this recipe off the pastry dough box. (The box comes with 2 sheets of dough so I figured I'd use both). Just lay it out and wash with egg then in small bowl put 1/4 c of Parmesan and 1/2 c Monterrey Jack and 1/8 tsp garlic powder. Mix together and spread evenly onto dough. Then take a pack of frozen spinach. Thaw it and rinse it and evenly sprinkle spinach onto dough. Roll that bad boy up and slice. Makes about 8 pinwheels. Holla!

Blizzard walks

This is us in the subway on our way home from Brooklyn. We had dinner with our friends then had to walk home during a blizzard. I was trying to portray annoyance in my face. Can you see it? (Thanks for the photo Heidi - I so took this from your blog!)

All of us looking so sweet - except Curtis. He looks like he wants to kill someone. All we were missing was Todd and Robin!

Test shot...not sure what we were laughing at. We were laughing a lot last night about several ridiculous things so it was hard to keep track...

AHH! SNOW!!!!

B + H

I had the best grilled cheese ever at B + H the other day. It was a rainy Sunday and Crystal (my house guest for the weekend had just left). We walked over to A and 8th and into this tiny little crowded diner. Warning: If you are claustrophobic or expect amazing service, you won't like this place. We sat at the diner bar and ordered a grilled cheese with tomato soup. The cook didn't speak English very well. He served us Omelets with potato. I looked at him and said, "THIS is grilled cheese?" And he apologized and took it away and remade our order. Typically, I would feel bad if this happened in another restaurant - but he was spastic and I didn't stutter. It was clearly his fault. Anyways - once we got our sandwich it was heavenly. The grilled buttery challah bread was light and airy. The tomato and melted cheese was divine. And the tomato soup was like something the Fashion Soup lady would make - amazing. Next time I may order it and pick it up. Eating in this place leaves something less to be desired.

Time to hibernate...

Girls by the Xmas tree. SO cute!

Mark holding Lin's purple and pink flowers.

This looks like eggs, but it's not. It's a little rice cake called Puto and it has a spot of cheese.

Porl Guisado. Kinda my new favorite!

Chop Suey. Yum!

Pansit. Oh hells yeah! I love me some Pansit and it's been ages since I've had some good authentic style Pansit!

Dessert Number 5646512354897. Actually this cake was so good. It was coffee flavored and spongy. I could eat it like it was air.

I told Curtis he looked really sweet with the girls. They were drawing pictures together. He said, "Don't get any ideas". hahaha

Eating Palitow (a sticky rice cake - like a dessert).

Eating Buko Pandan. (Think of it as a sweet soup made with coconut meat that looks like noodles and two kinds of green jelly - one made with seaweed.) It was dessert #2.

Mark with his daughter.

Boys.

Out for the count.