Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ Looking for a high protein / low carb way to start your day?  Give this really quick & easy meal a try!

My stepson, William, is an up & coming actor in Hollywood.  Recently he told me about one of the meals he had while on set & I just had to share it on the blog. This originally started out as a breakfast burrito, but by ordering it without the tomato-basil tortilla, it was turned into the perfect high protein / low carb meal.  I'm calling my version a ~ Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito.  

As soon as William told me about it, I was reminded of how I used to get a 'Naked Burrito' over at the restaurant ~ Chipotle's.  When they first opened up in Colorado, that's how you asked for a burrito minus the tortilla. (this was before they actually sold salads)  The name 'naked burrito' always cracked me up & this is the same method, just for a different meal of the day.  Why didn't I think of this for a breakfast burrito before?  Thanks for sharing your meal idea, William!

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

serves one

Layer all ingredients on a plate, starting with...

• sliced tomatoes
• cooked bacon or sliced ham
• scrambled eggs
• grated cheese (optional) 
• shredded lettuce
• sliced avocado (optional ~ I happened to have one in the fridge)

...and ending with ~

• chipotle salsa (or your favorite salsa/hot sauce)

Enjoy your high protein & low carb meal for ~ breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light supper or dinner.

William's original version with maple bacon & La Victoria Chipotle Taco Sauce

Dutch Apple Pie Yogurt Smoothie

Way back in the 80's, I remember going to TCBY to get frozen yogurt, it was one of the places we used to go on date night.  Their frozen yogurt is amazing & I was hooked on the first bite.  There was nothing better than driving to the beach, enjoying a Southern California summer night, listening to music & getting a big bowl of frozen yogurt to share.  I know it sounds like a cliche, but that's really what we did when we were young.  Growing up in Los Angeles had its advantages... :)

Our local TCBY had the most amazing flavor ~ Dutch Apple Pie ~ it was my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE.  I was never tempted to order anything else.  There was something about that combination of creamy, smooth frozen yogurt with the flavors of apple & cinnamon, it made me forget everything else. Chocolate ~ No way!  Vanilla ~ Are you kidding?  My heart belonged to Dutch Apple Pie...

It's been many, many years since I've been to a TCBY to have their frozen yogurt.  I just went to their website & it looks like the Dutch Apple Pie flavor has been retired from the menu.  That's really too bad, so many are missing out on that great taste.

After wandering down memory lane, I refused to let the taste memory die...I decided I could still enjoy that flavor combo, but in one of my smoothies.  It might not be the original frozen yogurt flavor that I still crave, but it's pretty darn close.   Next time, I'll have to try putting the Dutch Apple Pie Yogurt Smoothie in my ice cream maker for a frozen delight...Oh, yeah!    Enjoy!

Dutch Apple Pie Yogurt Smoothie

serves 2

inspired by my memories of eating TCBY's Dutch Apple Pie frozen yogurt

• 1 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
• 3/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 2 Tbsp oatmeal
• 1/4 frozen banana, sliced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 packet Equal (or you favorite sweetener)
• 6 ice cubes

Throw all ingredients into blender & blend until smooth & frosty.  Sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon before serving.

Meyer Lemon & Limoncello Bundt Cake with Limoncello Glaze

I think lemon has to be my favorite fruit flavor.  It's always been that way, ever since I was a little kid.  It's only fitting since I grew up in Southern California, that & the fact we had a huge, very old lemon tree in our backyard.  We used to get so many lemons off that tree, we couldn't give them all away.

I've recently fallen in love with another type of lemon, the Meyer lemon.  I so look forward to finding bags of these golden-yellow beauties at the market.  It's a real treat, since you never know when you might find them there.  They have such a wonderful flavor, you can eat the skin & they're not quite as tart as a regular lemon ~ I think it's the elegant version of a lemon.  When I'm lucky enough to find some, I like to turn them into a special treat.  This time the something special was a birthday cake ~ mine to be exact.  My day, my choice of cake.  It turned out really good, just what I wished for.  It was absolutely bursting with the bright, sunny flavor of lemons.  The cake was full of different types of lemon ~ juice, zest, whole almost-pureed lemon (skin & all), lemon liqueur & lemon mixes.   I was happy that I was able to work in my homemade Limoncello (I made a batch last fall, check out that post here).  ~  Layer, upon layer, of that wonderful lemon flavor that I love.  Oh, yeah, my birthday wish came true! :)

Meyer Lemon & Limoncello Bundt Cake with Limoncello Glaze

  ~ cake batter ~
1                 box lemon cake mix*
1                 small box lemon pudding mix*
3                 eggs
2/3 cup       oil
2/3 cup       water
1                  Meyer lemon, seeded & finely chopped
                    (skin & all) in food processor
2 tblsp         fresh Meyer lemon juice 
1/2 cup        limoncello liqueur


*  if you want a bit less of the lemon flavor, use French Vanilla cake
                                                 & pudding mixes

 

  ~ limoncello glaze ~ 
double if you like a lot of glaze
1 cup             powder sugar (or more, to get
                       proper consistency)
2 1/2 tblsp    limoncello liqueur
1 tblsp           fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 tblsp           Meyer lemon zest  (about 1/2 lemon) 

~ thin slices of Meyer lemon for garnish, optional
~ powdered sugar for garnish, optional

1)     preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease bundt pan

2)    slice Meyer lemon into one inch slices & remove seeds, then chop in
        food processor until it's been very finely chopped, reserve until batter
        is all mixed

3)    in a large bowl, mix all ingredients (except the chopped lemon) with
        hand mixer for 3 minutes, when done mixing batter, add the chopped
        lemon & stir by hand until fully incorporated into the batter

4)    pour batter into greased bundt pan, hit pan on counter to release any air
        bubbles and then run a spoon in a circle, around the middle of the batter
        (about 1" down into the batter) ~ this will help the cake batter rise
         properly

5)     bake for about 45 min, or until tester comes out clean & cake is golden
        ~ let cake cool in pan until it is ready to release from pan, then let cake
         cool completely before glazing

6)     mix all glaze ingredients together & drizzle over the cooled cake

7)    once glazing is done, arrange lemon slices on top of cake &
        sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired

                                                        Enjoy!

Homegrown tomatoes & veggies ~ Waiting to start the summer garden...

Heirloom tomatoes, in their many colors, turn any salad into a stunning dish!

 

I can hardly wait to get my tomato plants into the ground.  By trial & error I have learned that waiting, until after Mother's Day, is the prudent way to go with tomatoes ~ at least for the locations I've lived in for the past two decades.  If I plant the seedlings too early, they just sit there, doing nothing, while I worry if they will be OK if it suddenly turns cold for a few days.   They don't care if I want them in the ground as soon as I see them at the local nursery.  Tomatoes will grow & thrive when they are good & ready, and not a day before.  What is an eager gardener to do??

Well, this gardener goes through her old photo albums & now that I have a blog, I can also post the old pictures here, too.  If I can't plant my tomatoes yet, at least I can see what I grew/cooked the year before.  I'm reminded of the famous quote by Longfellow ~ "All things come round to him, who will but wait."  I know, I know ~ but, ohhh, I so HATE the waiting!

So, here I sit, waiting for Mother's Day ~ not for a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates, but for the day I can go out & buy/plant my tomato seedlings & start the gardening cycle once again.  Waiting, too, for the time I can enjoy eating my tomatoes ~ just like I did last year...

 

Homegrown goodness...

...never looked so pretty!

Here are some salads I've made, using only my homegrown veggies.  I get such a kick out of being able to create  pretty & tasty dishes from the veggie garden, just outside my kitchen door...


 

Homegrown tomatoes, basil, sliced cheese & French bread ~ add a bottle of wine & you've got the perfect summertime meal.

Tomato Water Martini

When I make salads featuring my tomatoes, I usually like to make a simple vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, a few herbs, salt/pepper & either a balsamic or red wine vinegar.  I will sometimes use ranch dressing if I'm tossing the tomatoes with cucumbers and/or beans.  Fresh shaved or grated Parmesan cheese is always a nice touch.  Another meal Roy & I REALLY enjoy eating in the summertime, when the tomatoes are sun-kissed & vine ripe, is warm, crusty French bread with sliced tomatoes, basil & cheese.  This is a full meal for us, we hardly ever have any left.  We eat it slowly & enjoy it with a bottle of wine.  Now, that is my kind of 'happy meal'!

Last year, I had a TON of yellow tomatoes get ripe, all at the same time.  I chopped them up for my Salsa Fresca & found that I had a large amount of 'tomato nectar' hiding in the bottom of the bowl.  It truly is the pure, clear, essence of summer.  What a treat!  I turned that golden liquid into a Tomato Water Martini ~ just using the nectar/tomato water as it was.  I like having the color along with the flavor, besides it was all ready to go without additional fuss.  Works for me!

Well, thanks for listening to this gardener go on about tomatoes.  The wait is almost over....  :)

Homemade Salsa Picada ~ my favorite salsa

This salsa is full of crunchy, fresh garden flavor. Using red & yellow tomatoes makes it very colorful.

Growing up in California means I started eating Mexican food at very young age.  As I've mentioned before, it's my comfort food.  One of my favorite Mexican foods is salsa. I love salsa.  I love eating salsa.  I love making salsa.  Did I mention I love salsa?

OK, now that I've made that abundantly clear, (heehee)  here is the recipe for my 'famous' fresh chopped, veggie packed, can't stop eating it until it's all gone Salsa Picada.  It's PERFECT  anytime (breakfast, lunch or dinner) or with any dish you want to give a Mexican flair to.  Serve it as a dip, as a topping, as a chunky sauce, as part of a filling...you get the idea.  But I must say, I think it really shines simply served in a bowl, as a dip for a big basket of warm tortilla chips.  Served with an ice-cold bottle of Mexican cerveza & you've got all you need to get a fiesta started.

I grow red & yellow tomatoes every summer ~ along with cilantro, onions & a bunch (no pun intended) of other veggies.  I look forward to the tomato harvest every year, because it means I can get my fix of homemade, homegrown salsa.  Sometimes it's the simple things that are the best.  Hope you enjoy this salsa as much as we do ~ it's addicting!

                                           Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Salsa Picada                                                                       

makes approx. 5 cups
 

3 cups       TOMATOES, chopped (about 4 medium tomatoes)
1/2 cup      ONION, finely chopped (about 1/2 medium onion)
1 cup         CILANTRO, chopped (about one bunch)
2 Tbsp.      LIME JUICE (about one fresh lime)
3 tsp.        CUMIN
2 tsp.        CIDER VINEGAR
1 tsp.        OLIVE OIL
1 1/2 tsp.   SALT (or to taste)
1/4 tsp.      PEPPER (or to taste)
1/8 tsp.     GROUND CHIPOTLE PEPPER  (optional)
       
3 cups       prepackaged shredded COLESLAW MIX

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1.)          Toss first 10 items together in a large mixing bowl

 
2.)          When mixed thoroughly, add in the COLESLAW MIX & toss again      
 

3.)          Let chill for 1 hour, tossing a few more times
              (The cabbage will wilt down as the salsa chills)
 
Serve with tortilla chips. Also great on fish tacos, nachos, burritos & just about anything!

                                                Enjoy!   

Kamut ~ An ancient food, perfect for Meatless Monday

Kamut Berry Salad ~ Great  recipe over at Poor Girl Eats Well, it's really tasty.

I am trying to get more whole grains in my diet & decided to give kamut a try.  It is not actually a grain, but is a berry/kernel. (I think of it as a grain, as do most who cook it)  The rumor is it can be traced back to the time of the Egyptian pharaohs & is said to have been found in some of their tombs, but it's exact origins are shrouded in mystery.  It is being grown commercially again, since it has such a great nutritional makeup & taste. It has a chewy texture & a slight sweet/buttery corn flavor.  If I had to compare it to something, it would be posole / hominy, just a really mini, chewy version.  I get mine from a local co-up bulk bin, but I know they sell it in some grocery stores, too.

I made three different meals out of the pot of kamut grains/berries that I cooked.  I was surprised at how much one cup of kamut made, plenty for multiple meals.  I was able to create two hot pilafs ~ one with a Thai spin & one with a Mexican flair.  I then made a cold salad that had a fresh flavor that reminded me of salads I'd order in California.  All three were tasty, filling & had a satisfying texture.  Hope you get a chance to enjoy it to!

Thai Green Curry Kamut Pilaf ~ I mixed some Thai Green Curry Paste in a little water & added it to some cooked kamut, mixed veggies, crumbled tofu, Braggs/soy sauce & cilantro. Yum!

Mexican Kamut Pilaf ~ I mixed cooked kamut with some salsa, crumbled firm tofu, black beans, diced onion & chopped cilantro.  I heated it all up & ate it all up.  Super easy & tasty.

Spinach Pesto & Spinach Strawberry Salad~Meatless Monday

Spinach Pesto

Spinach Pesto ~ One word ~ YUMMY! This is an excellent dish.  The vibrant green color is amazing.  J loves it!   He really enjoys eating his spinach & this dinner always disappears quick.  I love it when it's so easy to get him to eat his veggies.  I use whatever pasta I have handy.  Try this wonderful recipe over at Real Simple. I have to throw in a little bit of dried basil, along with the spinach.  It just isn't pesto (to me, anyway) without some basil.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette ~ What an easy way to eat your spinach. I don't know why strawberries with spinach trips my trigger so, but it does.  I guess it reminds me of the salads I used to make when I lived in Los Angeles.  I remember driving past large plots of strawberries & being able to just pull over on the side of the road to buy flats of fresh strawberries ~ still warm from being picked from the field.  Of course, that was in the late 80's/early 90's.  I'm sure all those fields, that were tucked in between housing developments, sprinkled here & there, in & among the foothills of L.A., are all long gone...OK, enough strolling down memory lane.  Let's eat!  :) 

I cheated with the salad dressing ~ I just added some strawberry jam to the bottled Italian dressing to make the 'Strawberry Vinaigrette'.  I say ~ Why not?  It makes this salad so very quick & easy to throw together.  It's also the easiest way to change up a salad dressing to suit whatever fruit you're using.  Use this 'doctored-up' dressing in any salad you're making ~ spinach, any other salad greens, pasta or grains.  It's especially good for when the different fruits come into season.  (I also like any excuse to keep different jams in the fridge. heehee)  Just change the fruit jam you are using to match the fresh fruit you are putting in the salad.  ~  Use blueberry jam with fresh blueberries, orange marmalade with oranges...you get the drift.  If I use a fat free Italian dressing, it even makes it diet friendly.  Gotta love that!

Spinach Strawberry Salad

with Easy Strawberry Vinaigrette

serves 2-3 (or one very hungry person, that would be me!)


1 bag                baby spinach, prewashed
1 1/2 cups        sliced strawberries
1/2 cup             walnuts, toasted & chopped
1/4 cup             Parmesan cheese, grated


1/4 cup             your favorite bottled Italian dressing (regular, fat free, lowfat)
1 tbsp               strawberry jam

~                      salt & pepper, to taste



Toss first 4 ingredients in salad bowl 

Blend Italian salad dressing with strawberry jam in small jar ~ Shake up until well blended 

Add dressing to spinach salad & toss to coat. Salt & pepper, to taste.

Enjoy!

Black Eyed Pea Tabbouleh Salad ~ Gluten-Free Twist

Black Eyed Pea Tabbouleh ~ This gluten-free version (using black eyed peas instead of the traditional bulgur wheat) gets it's fresh taste from using fruit in the salad, instead of the expected veggies. 

tabouli taboule tabbouleh tabouleh tabbouli

Have you ever had one of those days, when you get a craving that hits you from out of nowhere?  I was craving tabbouleh yesterday, big time, but I was fresh out of bulgur wheat.  Darn!  I did have a big bunch of parsley in the fridge & it continued calling my name.  I had to figure out a way to satisfy my hunger, using what I had available.  After rummaging around in the pantry & the veggie/fruit bins, I came up with a colorful assortment of ingredients to work with.  Now that I think about it, I bet I was actually craving the parsley.  I guess my body wanted a bit of spring detoxing.  Happy to say, I came up with a wonderful salad that was full of flavor, color, & all-around goodness.  Since I substituted black eyed peas for the bulgur wheat, it became gluten-free.  Cool.  I really think this salad can be used as a lighter tasting stand-in for traditional tabbouleh.  Who says black eyed peas are only for eating at New Years, in Hoppin' John or Texas Caviar?  I'll definitely be making this salad again, as well as adding more black eyed peas to our diet ~ so glad I was out of bulgur wheat.  :) 

I went over to Livestrong.com & got the scoop on all the items (parsley, black eyed peas, oranges, red grapes, purple onion, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, mint, & extra virgin olive oil) that I used to make the salad.  I was really pleased to see how much healthy goodness went into my impromptu lunch salad.  This recipe is a keeper, it reminds me of what is served in some of the restaurants I used to go to when I lived in Los Angeles.  California has access to such great produce, year round, it's easy to see why they like to use it in fresh dishes, like this.    Enjoy!

Black Eyed Pea Tabbouleh Salad

serves 2-3
  
1 can          black eyed peas, rinsed & drained
3 cups        fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup       red grapes, cut in half
1                 orange, peeled & cut into chunks
1/4 cup       purple onion, rinsed & cut into thin strips (or to taste)
1/2 cup       walnuts, chopped
1 tsp           dried mint, crushed (or more if you like a more pronounced mint flavor)
                   (or 5 fresh mint leaves, chopped) 


Dressing (double if you like a  lot of dressing on your tabbouleh)
1 tbsp          extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp          balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp          orange juice 

~                  salt & pepper, to taste


1)    toss first 7 ingredients in large bowl

2)    in a small jar shake until blended ~ olive oil, vinegar & orange juice
       & pour over the tabbouleh

3)    toss all together until combined, salt & pepper to taste

Homemade Limoncello & Old-Fashioned Lemonade ~ Creating Liquid Sunshine

Homemade Limoncello  ~ It's like drinking liquid sunshine

California Lemons

I love lemons!  As I've mentioned before, when you grow up in California, you are surrounded by these golden yellow gems, they are everywhere.  Even more so if you have a huge lemon tree in your own backyard.

My love affair with Limoncello began last summer.  Early in August I bought a big bag of California lemons & began searching the web for interesting recipes that used lemons in unusual ways.  I was intrigued by one recipe for making the Italian liqueur, Limoncello.   The thought of making a homemade version really tripped my trigger.  I like lemons, I like liqueur & I like to make homemade 'hooch' ~ sounds like a trifecta to me.  I placed that bet & happy to say, about 6 weeks after I started the process, it paid off ~ big time. By late September my beautiful lemon nectar was ready to bottle & drink.  I've now got a good supply of homemade Limoncello to play with & I'm loving it!


Limoncello is very easy to make.  You must have patience, but it's worth it to be able to sip a liqueur that you've created yourself.  It's so much more that just a drink, you can add it to recipes & when put in a pretty bottle, it makes a great hostess gift.  I recently used some of this liquid sunshine in a cake recipe I created & it really took the flavor of the cake up to the next level.   I'll share that recipe with you soon, but for now, why not try your hand at making your own Limoncello.  Lemons are everywhere in the markets right now, so get a bag & try it ~ I think you'll love it, too!

The Limoncello journey begins...

P.S. ~ When you make the Limoncello, you will have a bunch of naked lemons hanging around. I think the best thing to do with all of them is to make some Old-Fashioned Lemonade.  Homemade always tastes so much better than powdered.   It's even cooler when you serve it in vintage 60's glassware. Ahhh, the classic taste of summertime...

Old-Fashioned Lemonade ~ The classic refreshing summertime drink

Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins ~ Breakfast, Brunch or Tea Time Treat

Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins

(Updated 4/29/13 ~ Sorry to say, but the original recipe I linked in this post to is now MIA.  In Feb 2012, I found the recipe on FoodBuzz and it is no longer there.  I wasn't savvy enough at the time to know I should always go to the blog source for a recipe link, and that I should not rely on a recipe sharing site (like FoodBuzz) for my link.  So, I am now unable to locate that recipe. :(  

I've honestly searched the web for over an hour, looking for that Meyer Lemon & Almond Muffin recipe ~ but no luck.  I've modified my blog text and *supplied new links to recipes that are similar (as much as I can remember way back then) Now, none of them uses almond flour/almond meal in their recipes, but you can replace about 1/3 of the flour called for with almond flour/meal if you'd like.  Since I can't find the original recipe I used, I guess I'll just have to come up with one of my own! :)  Sorry for the confusion)

Growing up in California means you are surrounded by citrus trees. They are everywhere ~ in backyards, orchards & nurseries. We had a HUGE lemon tree in our backyard.  We used to give away bags & bags & bags of lemons every year.  The scent of really ripe lemons always takes me back to my childhood.  So, when they had Meyer Lemons on sale at the store a few weeks ago, I bought a couple of bags. Winter skies need some sunny, yellow lemons to help them be less dreary.

I surfed the net & found an unusual recipe that uses the entire lemon as part of the batter. First time I have seen that.  You remove the seeds & then add the lemon, peel & all, to the food processor & away you go.   *As I mentioned above, the original recipe I found used almond flour for part of the flour, but unfortunalely, that recipe link is no longer available.  But, here are some other Meyer Lemon Muffin recipes that sound really good...

Low Fat Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the blog My Kitchen Adventures

Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the blog Gas-tron-o-my

Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the LA Times Food Section

It turned out really good & makes an exceptionally pretty muffin, especially with a bit of sliced lemon on top & sprinkled with powdered sugar.   I think I will play around with the recipe a bit & see if I can get it even more lemony.  These would be perfect with breakfast, brunch, tea time or for an after school snack.  These Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins make even a gray, Winter day feel like a sunny day in Springtime.  :)

Perfect for Tea Time

Cooling...

Checking to see if it's done...

Mixing it up...

Green Chili Bean Dip ~ Fat Free & Fabulous

Green Chili Bean Dip with Chips ~ You'd never know the dip was Fat Free!

I am still thinking about appetizers / hors d'oeuvres for an Oscar Party.  How about some dip?  I think something creamy & a little spicy would be a good choice.  If you were to make it fat free & low calorie ~  I think you would definitely have a winner.  Since Los Angeles is home to some really great Mexican food, I decided on something with a bit of Mexican flair.  So, here is my recipe for ~ Green Chili Bean Dip. It is so easy to make & only takes minutes to put together.  It tastes like it is full of calories - it has such a rich flavor.  But, nope ~ no fat in this baby!

Depending on how low cal you want it, serve it with ~ baked chips, veggies or regular chips.

Green Chili Bean Dip ~ Fat Free
makes approx 1 cup


half of a 16oz. can             fat free refried beans
6 tbsp                                 chopped fire roasted green chiles - (like Ortega brand)
                                           get the 4oz. can
1 tbsp                                 water
2 tsp                                   taco seasoning mix

Blend all ingredients with a fork, in medium bowl, until smooth.  Let sit in fridge for an hour, or overnight, so flavors can meld. 

It can be eaten either - hot or at room temperature.  Serve with baked chips, veggies or regular chips.

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you'd like another Mexican low calorie treat, try these Baked Jalapeno Poppers.  I wrote about these last month & served them for Super Bowl.  Another appetizer that is full of flavor but low on calories.  Enjoy!

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Oscar Night Party ~ Appetizers, Hors d'oeuvres & Cocktails

Rosy Glow

It is almost Oscar Night & Hollywood is getting ready to celebrate this Black Tie event.  Many of us will also get all dressed up & host our own Oscar Party.  If you decide to have one, your guests will need some food & drink to enjoy while they cheer for their favorite actors.  Hmmm, What to eat?...What to drink?  No matter what you call them ~ hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, amuse-bouche, or nibbles ~ it's time to find the best munchies for your Oscar Party & a few fun cocktails, too.

I grew up in the shadow of the studios & that means you are constantly surrounded by the film industry.  I enjoyed that part of my life in Los Angeles.  Whether it is having your own celebrity sighting (much more common than you would think), watching a movie being filmed where you just happen to be, having friends/family that work in the industry, being an extra, or even just going to the movies ~ it creates a sense of magic that is hard to resist.

One of the first 'Mocktails' ~ Pomegranate Shrub

Since movies & TV are such a big part of our daily entertainment (no matter where you live), it's no wonder people like to get in the party spirit.  Here are a few fun food & drink items that this former California Girl enjoys.  Some might be a bit unusual, but since people from Cali can be a bit unusual...well, you get the drift.  Living in LaLa Land will do that to you.   

You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take the California out of the girl!  :)

Kir & Kir Royale ~ Classic French Cocktail

Manhattan ~ 60's Favorite 

  ~~~ Smoked Trout Pate & Trout Cocktail Spread, with Crackers ~~~   Why, you ask? Well, I bought some trout, but when I cooked it there were just too many little bones to worry about. What to do, what to do... I know, pick out all those pesce, er... I mean pesky (haha) bones out (which kinda tore up the fish) & make something else out of it. So I did. For the Trout Cocktail Spread (on the left) - I mixed the shredded cooked trout with some cocktail sauce, lemon juice, pepper & dill. It has the same texture/look/taste of mini shrimp.  Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage with crackers.~~~ For the Smoked Trout Pate (on the right) - Mash some cooked trout with a little mayo, ranch dressing, cream cheese, salt, pepper, dill & a few drops of liquid smoke - until it is the consistency you like.  It makes a very tasty pate. Garnish & serve with your favorite crackers.

Broccoli 'Chips' & Salsa

Broccoli 'Chips' with Salsa
serves 2-4

4-6       broccoli stems (use florets for
            something else)
-           favorite salsa

1)         peel the broccoli stocks, getting
            rid of all the thick outer skin

2)         cut the stocks thinly on the diagonal,
            into 'chips' ~ try to make a big as
            you can for ease of dipping

3)         serve with salsa

What a lowfat, low carb, low cal way to get your
Mexican food fix!  I just love salsa, but hate all
the calories/carbs that go with it.  This is very figure friendly - Hollywood stars LOVE that!  :)

Marinated Radishes ~ These are surprisingly good & so easy. Put some cut up radishes in a Ziploc baggie with a couple tablespoons of soy sauce (or Braggs Amino Acids), a little bit of water, oil, your favorite spices & pepper. Marinate a few hours or overnight in the fridge.  Serve with toothpicks. 

A lowfat, low cal, low carb, vegetarian treat. Can't get much more Californian than that!

           ...and the Oscar goes to...                           

Marinated Radishes ~ A lowfat, low carb, low calorie, vegetarian appetizer!