Don't You Forget About Me - Brunch Club May

I thought of a new excuse for not posting in a while.



Brunch club nearly disappeared after the last one that was sometime last year! Sue heroically revived it, and the newlyweds, Robily, graciously hosted at their new cool apartment in Pasadena. It was delightful to meet back up again. It had certainly been a while. With the return of brunch club, I am inspired to make a return to blogging after, well let's call it a sabbatical.

The club-goers (the brunch club goers that is) depend on us to bring the hearty egg-type dishes to the event so I made this little breakfast calzone I have been meaning to try from my recipe binder.

I made two, one with sausage/jack cheese/egg/peppers/onions



...and the other with feta/sun-dried tomato/egg/spinach/mushroom/onion.



The former was from the recipe, the latter was a creation of mine not only to accommodate the vegetarians in the group, but also to experiment with the concept to see if it would work with other ingredients. The feta/spinach one was actually better in my opinion.

It is almost unnecessary to bore you with a recipe for this because you can do whatever you want with these things. I used Pillsbury pizza dough which comes in one of those scary pop-open cans (doyouknowwhatimean?...one of those cans where you slowly peel away the wrapping on the outside until the can bursts open like BLAM!)
You can stuff the thing up with anything you want. I will definitely use more eggs next time. You can almost just make scrambled eggs with anything you like to add and then roll it up in that dough, and bake for about 15 minutes.

Instead of a traditional recipe, I will simply give you some tips for this:

*Cook or saute whatever meat or vegetables you will be using until the meat is brown or the vegetables are slightly tender.
*Mix together about 4-5 eggs, and scramble them with whatever filling (meat/veggies/cheese) you are using
*Roll out your pizza dough into more of a long rectangle so once the filling is added and folded it, you will have a log-shaped calzone that you can cut across.
*Add the egg filling down the center of the dough rectangle.
*You can fold the edges it and pinch them together at the top.
*Brush the dough with an egg white wash OR just use some cooking spray to lightly coat the dough (I used olive oil spray)
*Use the timing/temperature on whatever pizza dough package you use. Just make surethe dough is cooked all the way through. I believe I did about 20 minutes at 350 F.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into the calzone.

The Mezza

In Spain, it is tapas; in China, it is dim sum; in France, it is hors d'oeuvres; in Lebanon, it is mezza.



I love to eat this way. We like to call this type of tasting and snacking "appetizers" or as Zach's dad likes to say "appe-TEASERS". However, with the popularity of the eating-several-small-meals-instead-of-three-big-ones diet that is finding it's way into the American food culture, eating appetizers or sharing small plates for dinner has become something I now see regularly when dining out (and I do dine out quite regularly these days!). Now, I am not quite sure that this whole "several small meals" thing is something I completely buy into. I like to think people are capable of eating three meals without going overboard, maybe with a couple healthy snacks between. And when I go out for tapas, dim sum or mezza, it does not necessarily mean I will be eating less; it just means I will have the opportunity to taste more delicious plates. I will admit, this process slows me down and allows me to enjoy and appreciate each dish on another level which might ultimately lead to less of a calorie intake. It just seems like this dining method was made for people like me, you know, the people who like to"try" everything on everyone else' plate at the table after rushing through their own meals.

I made a mezza last weekend after we tasted a new Lebanese plate at one of our favorite Lebanese food spots in LA, Pi on Sunset. The dish was Kofta in Pita which is exactly what it sounds like: Kofta (or Kafta) in pita bread. It is like a Lebanese quesadilla (with no cheese). It was delightfully delicious so I decided to try it at home. I did cheat by buying the meat already spiced from an Armenian bakery, but I am sure this would work perfectly with any Kofta recipe.



The other dish I made was something for which I hold very fond memories. When I had a chance to visit Lebanon years ago, I would go to the bakery some mornings to bake my own manakeesh. This is essentially a thinly rolled bread topped with one of a few different toppings: zaatar (a sesame/thyme spice mixture), cheese or minced lamb meat. I used to call it :Lebanese pizza" when I was little. I suppose I like to compare every dish to something that is familiar. I did not make my own dough for this version, but you certainly can if you wanted to try it. There are several recipes available online. I am fortunate enough to have several greek and Armenian bakeries close by so I was able to buy some bread on which to spread the various toppings. It is the kind of thin bread that is almost like a thick pita.

Both of these recipes are super simple, and they are a great start for a Lebanese mezza if you ever feel adventurous enough to try one.

KOFTA IN PITA
2 large pita bread rounds (between 12 and 16 inches)
1/2 pound kofta meat (recipe here)
butter (room temperature)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Gently open the pita so that the whole inside is facing upwards...if you are using the real thing, the bread should be thin so be careful
Spread a very thin layer of butter on the inside of each half. (The butter will be on the same side of the bread as the meat).
Place half of the meat (1/4 lb) onto each of the open pitas; try to plop it around different places so it is easier to spread out.
Close the pita by folding the two halves back together.
Gently press the bread together, smashing the meat so it spreads evenly. I used a roller on the outside of the bread to flatten it even more evenly.
The pita should basically look like it did at first, but with a meat layer in the middle
Cut each pita into 6 triangles with a pizza cutter of a large sharp knife.
Place triangles onto a baking sheet lines with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes (until meat is cooked just all the way through.
Serve with hummus, labneh or just eat plain.


MANAKEESH

4 thick bread pitas (The kind that does not separate in the middle and is more like pizza dough. You can find these in midle eastern grocery stores, or you can use homemade or store-bought pizza dough)
1-2 tbsp zaatar (spice found in most grocery stores but definitely in middle eastern grocery shops)
4 oz Halloumi cheese (specialty cheese shops or middle eastern groceries)
good quality olive oil (I used garlic olive oil)
2 pinches of hot paprika

For manakeesh with zaatar:
Drizzle olive oil onto the bread (baked or unbaked)
mix the zaatar with olive oil. (keep adding the oil slowly and mix it until the spices turn into more of a wet paste...the consistency of mud)
Spread the zaatar thinly over the bread (use more or less to taste)
Bake at 400 degrees F for 5-10 minutes (or until bread is done and slightly toasted).


For manakeesh with cheese:
Drizzle olive oil onto the bread (baked or unbaked)
Crumble cheese and sprinkle it generously on the two pitas.
Drizzle a tad more oil over the cheese and sprinkle a pinch of hot paprika over the top
Bake at 400 degrees F for 5-10 minutes (or until bread is done and slightly toasted).

Do Da Dip, Guacamole Feta Salsa Dip

I put my hand upon your hip. When I dip, you dip, we dip.



Do you remember dancing to that song at middle school dances? If so, welcome to my generation.

There are a handful of songs that "take me back". It is so strange the music that is nostalgic to one generation can mean nothing to the next. Artists like Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and the Jonas Brothers are the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Hanson to the next generation. I suppose if you want to know how old someone is, it could be pretty revealing to start up a conversation about the music they grew up with.

I am more of a movie person myself (not that the two need to be exclusive). I am so behind with even popular music as an adult, but there are songs you just couldn't escape when I was growing up, mostly due tot the fact that you actually had to buy expensive CD's if you wanted to listen to specific music (back in my day). Otherwise, you were stuck with the radio. Here are a couple songs that would make me nostalgic from when I was growing up (even though some might say I still am):

"All MY Life" - KC & JoJo
"I Swear" - All for One
"Killing Me Softly" - The Fugees
"Ironic" - Alanis Morissett
"Time of Your Life" - Green Day
"BIG Papa" - Notorious B.I.G.
"I'll be Missing You" - Puff Daddy (as he was called "back in the day") and Faith Evans (this song was recorded in response to Notorious B.I.G.'s murder in the 90's.
"Dreamlover" and "Hero" (and any other song by Mariah Carey)
"I want it That Way" - Backstreet Boys
"Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears
"Bye Bye Bye" - N'Sync
"MMMMMBop" - Hanson

There are really too many to bother continuing listing them. I suppose this song list might reveal something besides my age. It might reveal the fact that I was not really an edgy kid growing up or I might have listed more alternative rock type music. And of course there are songs that "take me back" that are not from my generation at all like selections from some of my favorite musicals or songs from the soft rock station my mom used to listen to in the car, "Warm 94.9".

I wonder what ever happened to that "Da Dip" song. It was just so simple, and it really used to get people out on the dance floor. This dip has a bunch of ingredients, but it is pretty simple too. Though I doubt it would get anyone on the dance floor; it might be more of a lazy afternoon watching football kind of dip. In fact, this was the very dip enjoyed by Zach's and my family when we got together over New Years to watch the Gators win the Outback Bowl.



Da Dip: Avocado Feta Salsa Dip

(recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com - makes about 4 cups of dip)

3 plum tomatoes, chopped
3-4 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 clove garlic, minced
1 handful fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice (original recipe used red or white wine vinegar, but I didn't have any, and the lemon juice was great - lime would work too)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

In a bowl, gently stir together tomatoes, avocados, onion, and garlic. Mix in cilantro. Gently stir in olive oil and lemon juice. Then stir in feta. Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour (preferably 2-6).

This dip can also be used creatively as a topping for some grilled chicken or a spread in a nice fresh turkey sandwich. It is very different from a salsa and also pretty different from a guacamole. You can use less avocados and more tomatoes if you wish as well. Enjoy!

Sometimes Sides Take Center Stage

Say that 10 times fast.



I made a roasted chicken for dinner. I am still impressed with myself every time I pull out a whole, beautifully cooked bird from the oven. I am not sure why because it is really one of the easiest things to do, but it just looks so pretty. However, last night I made a roasted chicken with a spicy rub that looked much better going into the oven than it did coming out. It is not the recipe's fault. It is just that I was supposed to slow cook the thing, and seeing as how I wasn't able to start until about 6pm, I kind of rushed things a bit. The spicy rub charred, and turned black. It actually didn't look so bad once I rubbed the charred part off a bit.



While the chicken was still delicious, and the spicy rub flavor was the bomb, it fell behind the star of the evening's meal, the Mediterranean couscous.



I have never made couscous before. But sometimes you need an escape from the same old rice and potatoes. I liked this recipe because it was basically the starch and the vegetable in one. It could definitely even be the main dish in a vegetarian meal. It was so flavorful and pretty healthy (due to the vegetables, not the couscous since it is basically teeny weeny bits of pasta). I cannot wait to experiment with this weird little food some more, but I don't know that I will be able to beat this recipe.



Tracie's Couscous Salad

(recipe adapted from Paula Deen)

1 box flavored couscous (garlic or Parmesan), cooked (I used toasted pine nut flavored couscous)
1 can chickpeas
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped (I used a shallot)
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 to 3 limes, juiced (I used lemon)

*Be sure to chop everything nice and small so that nothing is too chunky. This is the kind of thing you eat with a spoon

In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients with the olive oil and lime juice, to taste.

Got Eggs? (and Feta and Spinach): Brunch Club October Continued

I cannot stop thinking about these little gems.



This is definitely a self-appointed title, but just call me "Savory Sammy" when it comes to brunch. I feel like I can be counted on to provide at least one savory dish when we gather for our monthly brunches. I had been planning to make Chocolate Chip Puffins for a while, but I needed a savory dish as well. I almost always end up bringing some sort of egg, meat or egg/meat dish. I am simply running out of ideas for ways to make eggs! I resorted to searching Tastespotting for egg dishes. If you are not familiar with this website, it is essentially pictures of food...pages and pages of food pictures. You can click on something that looks delicious and be directed to the website of the photographer (which usually is a food blog that includes a recipe).



I came across a delightful photo of a tasty-looking egg dish on a blog I had never visited, A Big Mouthful: Adventures in Food. I mean, I pretty much started drooling when I saw the picture of these "Spinach Feta Pop-In-You-Mouths". I thought if I could make something that looked half as good, I would be more than happy. I was impressed to find (after actually reading the blog post) that the blogger, Adrienne, basically made these spontaneously one day with some ingredients she had on hand. I was even more impressed when I got a chance to taste my recreation of them.



The recipe is flawless. I followed it exactly as written (which I almost NEVER do), and they came out perfectly...exactly as I had hoped they would. It was very easy too!

Please visit Adrienne's blog for the recipe and other amazing ones as well: A Big Mouthful: Spinach Feta Pop-In-Your-Mouths . You will not be disappointed!

Falling for Corn

While I do not welcome the cool weather of the fall, I do welcome the seasonal food.



We took Stanley to the dog beach in Huntington Beach this weekend. This was our second visit since Zach's parents visited back in August. Stanley loves making us chase him all over the beach as he gallops from one end of the beach to the other. This is basically our constant view of him:



We revisited the Park Bench Cafe which was really great again! We even ordered Stanley a little bowl of chicken off the "dog menu".



After lunch, we took a walk through the park trail, spotting this creepy crawler:



We are basically enjoying the perfect Southern California weather while we still can! That being said, I love fall vegetables almost as much as I love summer fruits. Pumpkin, squash, broccoli, onions and sweet corn are all such comfort foods to me. Zach and I bought some unbelievably large and flavorful heirloom tomatoes from the Ojai farmer's market along with some sage goat cheese and a sourdough/multigrain baguette. I decided to make that panzanella to use up these delicious ingredients, but I needed something to go with it. I love the combo of corn and tomatoes so I started looking for a recipe for corn cakes or corn fritters.



On our way out of Ojai, there was a bookstore that had a bin of "free books". I scooped up 3 free weight watcher cookbooks (they were the only cookbooks in the bin!). On the way I flipped through and found a corn cake recipe. Score! I know some of you will turn your noses to something I made from the Weight Watcher Cookbook, but these little guys were good. I ended up having to add a lot of extra oil to the pan because my nonstick pan was not really behaving. However, if you use a great non-stick pan, you should be able to get by just fine without adding extra oil.

Rustic Corn Fritters to Welcome the Fall Season

(recipe from "The Weight Watcher's Cookbook 2003" - makes 8 corn cakes/4 servings)

Cooking spray (Use some cooking oil if you need it)
2 C fresh corn kernels (recipe calls for thawed frozen kernels so that is just fine)
1 C chopped zucchini
1/2 C chopped red or green bell pepper (I did not have one so I added extra zucchini and onions to make up for it)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C finely chopped green onion
1/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C yellow cornmeal
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (I used hot paprika since I did not have red pepper)
1/3 C low fat mayo
1/4 C fresh cilantro
1/4 C fat free milk
2 tbsp lime juice
3 large egg whites

The recipe comes with a dreamy cumin sauce, but I went a completely different direction because I did not have cumin! I basically subbed 1/2 tsp of the hot paprika for the cumin and chili powder and left out the red pepper in the recipe below:

Creamy Cumin Sauce:
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (8oz) carton reduced fat sour cream (I used regular)

Serve 2 corn cakes with 1/4 C sauce over them. You can garnish with lime wedges or green onions. This went just perfectly with the panzanella. It was also a nice satisfying vegetarian meal.



NOTE: In case you are curious, one serving of the corn cakes (2 cakes) with the sauce is 4 weight watchers points, 372 calories, 9 grams of fat.

Brunch Club August: A Guest Blog by LeAnna

The brunch club was back and better than ever this month. I mean, look at us:



BreAnna did a fantastic job this month. They not only managed to host the biggest brunch club in brunch club history, they did it picnic style in their front yard area. With the city in the background, sitting under the shade of the tailgate tent with the canines and a plate of food was the perfect way to spend a lazy glutinous sunday afternoon.



Stanley meets Parker:


BreAnna always makes a ridiculous amount of food for their hungry guests. This is not me complaining by any means because every single thing is delicious. This month, LeAnna made a vegetable orzo dish that was of upmost satisfaction to this blogger. It was honestly the first time I had ever had the pasta-that-really-resembles-rice dish, and i was delightful mixed with some chunky veggies served cold brunch-style.



Some other notable dishes this week included LeAnna'a neighbor's chocolate chip cookies (her mother's recipe):



Sube's guiltily delicious berry berry good coffee cake was too good for words:



I made some siily-bad-for-you corn muffins stuffed with bbq pulled pork:


LeAnna was kind enough to write a guest blog for me after I offered my highest compliments to her veggie orzo. You will rarely see her without a smile on her face. She is always hospitable, even when she is not in her own home. She is the first to offer a helping hand to me in the kitchen when her and Brian come to my apartment for get-togethers. She is friendly, cheerful and a pleasure to be around. See for yourself will ya?

Hi! This is LeAnna. The Amazing Lindsey asked me to write a guest blog after hosting brunch, and I decided to go with it, despite having no idea how to write one. This should be fun for all of us!

So, a little back-story about me in regards to cooking: I'm half Sicilian and the other half is one of 26 grandchildren, from a mother who was 7 of 9, from a grandmother who was 13 of 13. I am genetically programmed to cook for LARGE groups of people. I can cook for one, two, or twenty--there is no middle ground. I do quite like cooking, but also being quite lazy, I don't very often. Thus, when I have a reason to cook (and REALLY cook, at that), I go ALL OUT. And now onto brunch…




For my (and Brian's) brunch I made/had:

Bacon

Hashbrowns

Pancakes

Stuffed Mushrooms

“Water Should Never Not Taste Like This” Water

Vegetable Orzo

Brian's Breakfast Casserole

Caprese Salad

Bagels

COFFEE (aka life blood)

And…

Mimosas (because what's brunch without booze?!)

I'm not going to lie, even with all the above and knowing that people would be bringing other dishes, I was still worried that it wouldn't be enough food. It's a hereditary thing. I was INCREDIBLY wrong about that, by the way--seriously, does anyone want to come over for leftovers? Please?

Well, incase you're not a fan of going over to a stranger's house and eating her brunch leftovers, yet would still like to recreate some of this experience, I'll share 2 recipes with you. (I'll try to give you the smallest serving sizes possible--key word being try.)

“Water Should Never Not Taste Like This” Water

This is a recipe I was inspired to create after enjoying some uber fancy water at a tres chic spa. I find it especially refreshing on hot days.



Ingredients:

2 gallons of water

2 lemons

2 oranges

1 cucumber

Prep:

Wash produce like crazy!!! You will be leaving the skin and rinds on and putting them in the water. Nobody wants to drink pesticides, so wash those better than you would your newborn.

Slice off ends of lemons, oranges, and cucumber. Discard. Slice remaining fruit and cucumber into ¼- ½ circles.

Put in a pitcher with water. Chill. Or don't. Delicious either way.

Also, to recreate a spa experience on a penny buster budget, grab the biggest glass you can find, pour in this water, throw on a towel, and sit in your parked car with the windows rolled up on a hot summer day.

“Vegetable Orzo”

This is a variation of a recipe I grew up with. It's fairly healthy because the orzo is marinated with the juices of the vegetables rather than a heavy sauce. It's vegan (I think).

Ingredients:

Orzo pasta

1 green zucchini

1 yellow squash

2 tomatoes

Shitake mushrooms (I normally put in 6, but it really depends on how much you like Shitake)

Small bunch of asparagus

Olive oil

Prep:

Thoroughly wash produce.

Slice zucchini, squash, and mushrooms. Dice tomatoes. Chop asparagus.

Boil water and cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain.

Add about a capful of olive oil into a skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms and asparagus. Cover. Occasionally stir.

When mushrooms first start to wilt (about 3-4 minutes) add zucchini and squash. Cover. Occasionally stir.

When zucchini and squash are wilted (about 10-15 minutes) add tomatoes. Stir. Cover.

Quickly allow the tomatoes to heat (about 2 minutes), then stir and remove from heat. Dump vegetables, along with their juices into your drained orzo and serve (or put in the fridge for later--can be eaten hot or cold).
And that's how you make that!

I hope you guys like these recipes. Yay Lindsey's blog readers!!!

Thanks for having me!

Happy Eating,

LeAnna

If you are wondering about my brunch recipe. Don't. I cannot even express how easy it is. It is simply Jiffy corn muffin mix and BBQ pulled pork. You can buy the pulled pork or make it yourself. I bought it. You just put some corn mix (prepare as directed on box) i the bottom of greased muffin tins, then put about 1 tbsp of pulled pork on top of it, and then top it with more muffin mix. The muffin mix will engulf the pork. For something a little more palatable for vegetarians or, well, health concious folks, you can use anything to stuff the corn muffins...ground beef, blue cheese crumbles, black beans, baked beans... just stick anything you want in there!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Quick, Easy. Cheesy.



I usually keep my work life out of this blog. I have always looked at this blog as something I can keep constant no matter what was going on with work. Wether work is going perfectly or poorly, writing about food and cooking is an outlet to something completely unrelated. I like this system, and I intend to keep it place. I just feel the need to mention all this (including the following) to explain the possible influx of idiot-proof, all-too-easy recipes about to invade this page.

Work has been busy to say the least. January through April is the busiest time of year in the entertainment industry and is known as "pilot season." It is the time of year all the new programs that will appear on the networks' fall schedule start casting. Casting offices have to fill series regular roles on the pilot (or first) episode of a television show that will either:

A) go on to air for years and years as a popular and successful series (e.g. "CSI", "Friends", "The Office" or last year's "Glee")

B) get picked up for a season, and start airing in the fall, only to be canceled after the first season (e.g. "Studio 60", "Freaks and Geeks", or last year's: "The Unusuals", "Three Rivers")

C) not even get picked up by a network which essentially means the pilot is the only episode ever shot, and the series never gets a chance (this is what happens most of the time).

Agents scramble to scoop up series regular roles on pilots for their actor clients because if the pilot gets picked up as a series, and is successful, it can be a solid paycheck for years to come. Casting directors carefully choose the cast which can make or break a pilot, auditioning hundreds of actors before making a decision on each role. Since the main characters in a pilot are can potentially be with the show for years, it is important to find really strong actors to fill these slots. Sometimes an actor can even be cast in a pilot, only to be replaced by another actor when the show gets picked up for series. An example of this is Full House. The role of 'Danny Tanner' (played by Bob Saget) was originally played by another actor named John Posey.



The producers had wanted Bob Saget, but he was not available when they shot the pilot because he was already set to shoot another show. By the time Full House was picked up and ready to shoot the series, Saget was available. The producers ended up firing John Posey and replacing him with Bob Saget. They re-shot the scenes from the pilot episode in which the 'Danny Tanner' character appeared, and the rest is history. If you don't believe me, watch the entire original pilot episode for yourself.

All this is to say a lot goes into pilots this time of year, and I am busy at work. I am not willing to completely give up cooking during this time because it is something that relaxes me and keeps me healthy. However, I need recipes I can whip out quickly, and this is certainly one of them. It is wildly adapted from my Cooking Light Cookbook (I definitely took the "light" out of it so click here for the original, lighter recipe), which was a gift from my brother and sister-in-law two Christmases ago. I call it Mexican Chicken Lasagna. It involves a simple chicken mixture as the filling, corn tortillas as the layers, plenty of cheese and taco sauce as the sauce. The original recipe is without the chicken so feel free to simply leave it out for a vegetarian option. On a different note, I imagine ground beef could be an interesting substitution for the chicken.



Pilot Season Mexican Lasagna

(makes 4 servings)

1 1/2 C extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I used some white cheddar some yellow...white cheddar is amazing for some reason)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked and chopped into small cubes or shredded)
1 cup cottage cheese (can use reduced fat)
1 C chopped onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C golden corn
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1 Cup taco sauce
1/2 C extra sharp Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese for sprinkling over the top


Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl.
Coat the bottom of an 9x9 casserole dish (or 11x7) with cooking spray.
Arrange 3 tortillas in bottom of the dish (I tore one in half to make them more evenly cover the bottom of the dish).
Spread half of chicken/cheese mixture over the tortillas.
Repeat procedure with 3 tortillas and remaining cheese mixture; top with remaining tortillas.
Pour taco sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with the 1/2 C of Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese.
Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

You can prepare the chicken/cheese mixture ahead of time to make this simple recipe even quicker when it comes time to cook it.

Brunch Club October: The Pumpkin Patch

How far will people go to decorate for Halloween?

"A 75-year-old dead man sat decomposing on his Marina del Rey balcony for days because neighbors thought the body was part of a Halloween display and didn’t call police."

This is a story Andy brought to our attention at brunch last Sunday. According to this article, the body was in plain view for all to see. Other articles claim the gun shot wound to the man's eye was thought to be self-inflicted.

Call us lame, but we were not ready to go to such great lengths this year to decorate for Halloween. We stuck with good ole fashion pumpkin carving.









One very sweet dog sat aside and watched.



But first came the feast. Hosting brunch has become a huge deal these days. Sube hosted this week. Let me just say that at this rate, our once-a-month brunches may be my only meals I eat. I feel like I am still stuffed 4 days later. Here is the breakdown:

The Bite Me Favorite for this Month goes to:

Fried Cheese Grits by Sube


I mean...come on. I don't need to explain why this was nothing but awesome.

Collard Greens and Gruyère Dip Baked Inside of a Pumpkin by BreAnna



Crepes and Sugar by Sube



Savory Corn Pancakes by Sube



Carrot Cupcakes by Natalie



Apple Crisp by Emily



Delicious Cake with a Fancy Name I Don't Remember by Sueb



Portuguese Sweet Bread by Sube



Hummus by Sube



I cannot believe this, but I did not snap a picture of Andice's dish...AGAIN. They brought delicious pumpkin pancakes. DELICIOUS.

Everything But Pumpkin Frittata by Lindzachary



12 large eggs
olive oil (for coating pan)
1 large zucchini, sliced thinly
1 large potato, sliced thinly
2 small tomatoes(one chopped, one sliced for the top of the frittata)
1 C feta cheese
1 onion
1/2 C chopped black olives
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, green peppers, garlic in a large cast iron skillet (at least 13" in diameter)over medium/high heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes and and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.
Add the zucchini, mushrooms, olives, and the one chopped tomato and saute until all the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Then mix in the paprika, salt, pepper, and 3/4 C of the feta cheese (reserving 1/4 C to sprinkle over the top).
Once the veggies are finished sauteing, turn the heat down to medium and pour the egg mixture over them into the skillet.
Gently place the tomato slices over the top of the fritatta in the skillet, and sprinkle with the remaining feta cheese.
Keep the skillet on the stove top for about 5 minutes, and pre heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Move the skillet into the oven to bake until the eggs are set (about 10-15 minutes).
Turn on the oven broiler for 2 to 3 minutes (just enough to barely toast the cheese on the top of the fritatta.