Less Is More

Sometimes it is just better to keep it short.



Here is a list of things I think are better when people take the "less is more approach":

FEATURE-LENGTH MOVIES: I prefer them to be no longer than 100 minutes.

PHONE MESSAGES: In fact, who needs them at all when you call someone who already has your number programmed in your phone?

LIFTING WEIGHTS: Lower number of reps means you can lift more weight.

BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Sure they should be to the knee for the actual wedding, but lopping off some of that material with your amazing new sewing machine (thanksbostonlady!) can transform that thing into an awesome cocktail dress!

Before (photo by the amazingly talented wedding photographer, Jenny, who has posted lots of Meagan and Jon's wedding pictures here):



After:



I cannot wait for a good reason to wear this little number.

I used to think things are always better when you cook them longer in the slow cooker. This may have been wishful thinking since I usually turn it on in the morning and do not make it home to turn it off for at least 10 hours. I have always cooked things longer than the recipes calls for, and everything has always been delicious. I was under the impression this was actually helping rather than hurting. I do want to keep this post short to maintain the theme, but I should say, make this dish for a nice comforting, non-intimidating-attempt-at-using-polenta-for-the-first-time recipe.



It is easy, satisfying and healthy. However, do not cook it in the slow cooker for longer than the recipe recommends. In this case, less is more when it comes to time in the pot as the chicken can get a little on the dry side.



Keep It Short Chicken Ragout with Polenta and Veggies

3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (preferably Italian style)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (14-ounce) jar pasta sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 C dry sherry (or another dry white wine)
1 (24-ounce) tube pre-made polenta, sliced 1/2-inch thick
4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese (optional)

Combine frozen vegetable medley in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Place chicken on top of vegetables.
In a large bowl, stir together pasta sauce, tomato paste, garlic and sherry.
Pour 2/3 of the sauce over chicken and vegetables.
Top the chicken with polenta slices and cover with remaining sauce.
Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Totally optional and not part of original (healthier) recipe:
Scoop out the chicken breasts when they are finished cooking, and place them in a small oven-safe dish.
Top each chicken breast with a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese, and broil in the oven for about 2-3 min (until cheese starts to turn golden.
Then serve chicken on a plate, scooping out the vegetables and polenta onto the plate as well directly from the pot.

Serve hot with Parmesan cheese if you decide not to take the last step with the cheese slice.

Oh Lighten Up

Have you or anyone you love been visually assaulted by a Bravo! Network’s “Real Housewives” mini marathon?



In an attempt to sink their teeth into their victims viewers, Bravo strategically laces the end of each show seamlessly into the beginning of the next. Upon blinking, it would be difficult for the average woman person tell when one episode is ending and the other is beginning. Did I mention I love the show?

Sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of delicious pasta and some NY housewives (with their awesomely petty drama)to keep me entertained was 100% more relaxing than the attempt I made at getting a massage that left me sore (an unable to turn my head to the left for a day) last weekend. There is something about the mindlessness of it all. Somewhere around episode 3 of a marathon, you start to share emotions with these ladies. It is just enough drama to make you forget your troubles but not enough drama to actually stress you out. The New York Housewives are, by far, my favorite. However, I should say New Jersey is sliding in to a close 2nd.

Programs such as this are the "comfort foods" of television so why not cook up some comfort food to go with it? A pasta dish will do the trick, but let's keep it light...there is nothing worse than watching these women with better bodies than most 20 year-olds while burying my face in a 1,000 calorie bowl of heavy creamy pasta.



Real Housewives Shrimp Linguine

(serves 3-4)

1 pkg fresh linguine pasta (12-16 oz)- fresh pasta is really a lot better
1 lb cooked shrimp, med size - peeled and deveined
5 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 big handfuls fresh spinach leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 lemons
plenty of olive oil
plenty of grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 C)
salt and pepper

Boil the fresh pasta as directed (about 2-3 minutes). Drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside. The Olive oil will help keep it from sticking together.
Remove tails from shrimp.
Toss shrimp in a bowl with salt pepper. Squeeze the juice out of one lemon over the shrimp, and toss again.
In a large skillet or pan, sauté the shallots in olive oil for about 3 minutes over med-high heat.
While the garlic/shallots are sauté, squeeze the juice from 1/2 of a lemon over the leaves, and toss around until evenly coated. Then add the spinach leaves to the skillet/pan.
Cook spinach in the pan with the olive oil, garlic/shallots for another 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp (with any excess lemon juice from the bowl) into the skillet/pan; toss to incorporate (add olive oil as needed).
Now add the pasta (be sure to separate it as much as you can as you put it in the skillet/pan. Continue to add olive oil as needed.
Mix everything in the skillet/pan. Squeeze the juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon over the pasta, and add the Parmesan cheese.
Continue mixing until all ingredients are incorporated and the shrimp is heated all the way through (you do not want to keep it in there too long of the shrimp will get tough).

Father Knows Best: How to cut a Watermelon

Have you ever really looked at the skin of a baby?



It would make anyone jealous the way it is perfectly smooth. It has yet to face the harsh conditions of childhood and beyond: the bumps, bruises, rashes, scabs and scratches. It is fresh start.

I think a lot of people feel this way of marriage: it is a fresh start. It is a clean slate for two people in love to go anywhere with their lives from this unscathed starting point. I don't see it that way at all. By the time two people get married, they have been through something. I would always go ahead and make the assumption that the worst and best are yet to come so a couple who decides to marry must be at the point where they feel they will be able to support each other through not only the worst of times but also the best of times.

Meagan and Jonathan were married last weekend. I had the grand pleasure of standing next to her in front 200 close friends and family. It was a surreal experience being so close to the marriage ceremony. I could see the subtle exchanges between the bride and the groom that made for such an intimate experience: the squeezing of each others’ hands, the whispering of their prayers while her brother sang. I could see the pastor’s thorough notes from which he referred (he has known the couple for years and known Meagan since she was a little girl). I could even smell the flame drifting off of the unity candle. Everything about the ceremony and the events leading up to it were just right because those kids are right for each other.

Thursday evening was the CRAZY girls’ night at Ceviche http://www.ceviche.com/, a tapas restaurant in South Tampa. We enjoyed a delightful evening together, listening to plans for the honeymoon and details of what the next few days would bring. The night continued as we moved the party to Meagan’s home where we enjoyed delicious chocolate-covered strawberries and oreo-cheesecake truffles (I must have the recipe even though I am totally not allowed to eat them), coke zero and wine. Megs told charming tales, engaging us all …


Friday started off with GTL baby! (for all you “Jersey Shore” fans) – GNAILS – TARGET – LUNCH.



This was immediately followed by other random errands, diet lemonade from Chic-fil-a (so good), the rehearsal at the beautiful church, and finally the rehearsal dinner. The dinner was hosted by the groom’s family and was at the ever-so-classy event room at Jacksons Bistro on Harbour Island. Three walls were glass, and it all overlooked Tampa Bay at sunset.



The views of Tampa Bay from the restaurant gave me a fresh look at my hometown; it is prettier than I remember.



The speeches ranged from moving to hilarious (the bride’s brother and sister-in-law took the gold with their rap, “The Married Life” to the tune of Fergie’s “Glamorous”).

Saturday was the big day involving hours of primping, pictures and happy tears. The ceremony was so nice (as described above), and the reception was a blast. Everything just came together so nicely as we sent the happy couple off to their honeymoon at an all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia (IamnotjealousIamnotjealousIamnotjealousIamnotjealous).



I wish Megs and Jonathan all the best (not that they need it). While it may not be a fresh start, this certainly is the beginning of a fun new chapter in their continued lives together.



Upon returning to the real world this week (after all the exciting wedding festivities)...I find myself breaking open many a watermelon, one of my favorite summer foods. I usually end up eating about half of the thing myself. It is just the epitome of freshness. The bright pink flesh has never been exposed to the elements of the outside world. It grows and plumps within the confines of the thick, green shell until it is burst open to be pillaged for its cool, sweet and refreshing insides.

I have decided to share something very important exclusively with my readers: how to properly cut a watermelon (according to me). Very important indeed. Of course there is no wrong way to cut a watermelon, but as someone who has had a lot of practice over the years (a self-proclaimed expert, if you will), I have found that the best way is the way my dad taught me originally from the time I was a kid. I have tried it several ways, but as the 1954 television series says...

"Father Knows Best" - How to cut a watermelon; do it this way.

With a great strong knife, cut the watermelon in half long-ways.



At this point you can wrap plastic wrap around one half of the melon if you want to save it to cut later so it stays fresh longer. However, if you are me, you are eating the entire thing over the course of 2-3 days so you might as well cut it all.



Place the watermelon half, pink side down, on a large cutting board. Slice it in half lengthwise.

Place one of the quarters, green side down, on the cutting board. Slide the knife from tip to tip longways on one side, staying as close to the rind as possible (see picture).



Then do the same thing on the other side (try to make the cut meet close to the middle).



Cut slices (as thick as you like) across down into the melon.



If you want smaller triangles, you can make one more slice down the middle longways.



Pop out the slices!





You can cut the slices into smaller pieces if you want, but I like'em just like that.

Store them in a big ole' bowl and cover with a lid or some plastic wrap.

Thanks, dad, for ALL the life life lessons I have learned and continue to learn from you!

How Sweet It Is

This is the first summer in Los Angeles that I feel like a true Californian.



Ironically, I am writing this first post of the "new year" from my parents' home in Tampa, Florida. I am in town for the wedding of a very special lady: my best friend since kindergarten and a wonderful girl, Megs (more on that later). This will be the third summer I spend as a resident of the West Coast, and I finally feel like I've got it down. I know all the hot spots for the summer I won't want to miss. I know when the weather will be just right for beaching it with a sweater and beaching it with a bikini. Sadly, there are only about 2 weekends each summer when it is bearable for me to actually swim at the beach; otherwise, it is too cold!

Zach and I are always sure to hit up at least one of the cemetery screenings of old movies that are projected onto a huge screen at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery (you bring a picnic dinner and some vino and sit in a cleared field in the middle of the cemetery surrounded by mausoleums and graves.

One such screening last year:


We will surely take a day to drive over to the Pala Casino Resort (about 2 hours Southeast) to sit by the resort-style pool, gamble, spend our earnings at the huge buffet and then drive home (an actual room there costs about $400/night on the weekends).

There will be plenty of outdoor dining with our new companion, Stanley. We will also likely take a mini-vacation to someplace new as we usually do each summer...just for a weekend, of course.

Just because you are not out of school for summer as a "grown up" does not mean the summer feels the same as every other part of the year. It still feels special, and it should be celebrated!

I have chosen to celebrate with a favorite summer beverage back where I came from: sweet tea. The best sweet tea in Florida can be found at one of three establishments: Sonny's BBQ, Publix Grocery Store or Chic-fil-a (and yes, there are facebook groups supporting all three of these fine beverage variations). My recipe is for southern sweet tea with a California twist since I am including the mountain blossom honey we bought on our trip to Jullian, California earlier this year. It is just the thing to give this Florida classic tea a dash of refreshing California cool (although I am sure any kind of honey, plain or flavored will work just fine).



Southern (California) Sweet Tea
8 cups water
8 black tea bags (you could also use green tea bags if you want to be super-California)
1 1/2 C white granulated sugar
2 tbsp honey (regular or flavored)
Lots of ice

In a huge pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a boil (barely)
Remove water from heat, and add the tea bags.
Allow tea bags to sit for about 10 minutes, stir and then remove the tea bags from the pot.
Stir in the sugar and then the honey. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Transfer the tea from the pot into a pitcher (or two), filling the pitchers up just over halfway.
Add ice to the pitcher(s) until it is full. The ice will dissolve right away. Taste the tea to see if it is sweetened to your liking.
You can add more ice to make it less sweet, but keep in mind that you will serve the tea with ice as well so it should still be slightly sweeter than what you will want the finished product to be.
Put the pitcher(s) in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Fill a tall glass (or best case scenario a huge mason jar) about 3/4th of the way with ice, and pour the tea over the ice.



So refreshing.

Happy Anniversary!

I feel like an ass.

It completely slipped my mind to wish myself a happy one-year blogging anniversary. I made it to the one year mark as of June 2nd. Thank you to anyone who reads and a HUGE thank you to anyone who comments in private or in the comments section below (just so you know...the comments section is highly preferred). It is really encouraging to hear from you!

I think I will keep up the good (and-by-good-I-mean-consistent) work.

-Sammy

A Day to Remember

There are so many things I love about today.



What is better than a Memorial Day with friends, family, ours dogs and a fabulous cookout? Zach's mom and sister arrived to town Friday afternoon for the long weekend. Zach's sister, Wendy, will be in town all summer interning and working and enjoying the sweet California summer. We have been so busy all weekend so today was our chance to recoup. We set up our picnic table and loaded it up with some juicy burgers (with all the fixin's of course), sweet-buttery-salty-peppery corn, potato salad, watermelon, cookies and pie. Some friends joined our fab four to devour this feast in our warm sunny backyard.

Zach manned the grill.



Everyone pitched in to get the spread to the table.



Memorial Day weekend is the first of the summer, and we kicked it off properly.



The four of us spent most of the day in the apartment or outback with the grill. It was just one of those perfect days to me. I actually had time to wake up and make breakfast (spinach, artichoke and parmesan frittata), something I so rarely get to do.



I made some Southern Style Sweet Tea with the mountain blossom honey we bought down in Jullian, California a couple months ago, and I even whipped up a pie while I was at it. I know that all sounds exhausting for one single morning, but it was actually really relaxing for me. As a few friends started to arrive, we moved the party downstairs under the peach tree in the backyard. Stanley slept quietly nearby while Sube's dog, Three-Hole-Punch, pranced from person to person, looking for the suckers (me) who would give up a bite of their burger or whatever else she could get her paws on.



As early afternoon shifted to late afternoon, I found myself at the dining-room table in the midst of a highly anticipated sewing machine tutorial. Zach's mom was not only kind enough to bring her old sewing machine with her to give to me, she also taught me how to use it. I am going to continue making some fancy aprons with that machine, only now I will be about 9823745873658746 times faster...that is the hope, at least. Ain't she a beauty?



We went on to watch a really good movie called The Machinist from the comfort of our living-room sofa and ate California Chicken Cafe for dinner (a Lindzachary favorite). SeewhatImean? Perfect day.

Having Wendy here reminds me of the summer I spent doing the same thing she is about to do. It was a summer that changed my life in so many ways. My dad and I made the drive across the country on I-10, 10 hours a day for 4 days straight. It was a really special trip for me. While we did not make t-shirts to commemorate the drive (as Wendy and her mom did), we had a really good time listening to books on tape, finding good places to eat and talking a lot. I am pretty sure San Antonio was my favorite spot to stop.

Arriving in a new city like LA can be pretty overwhelming, but I seem to remember looking at it as a city in which I will never be bored instead of a city that will overcome me. It was really hard when my dad left to go back to Florida, leaving me in a new place by myself. I doubted my decision for about a minute. Internal dialogue: "What have I done? What do I do now? It's a beautiful day. I like it here."

I had never been so alone, but I embraced that feeling more than anything. I went to movies by myself, I shopped (wayyyyyyy too much), I went to the beach, to the farmer's markets and I ate at great restaurants. As a bonus, I loved the internship I was fortunate enough to do. I treated LA like my own little Paris, sitting on the outdoor patio at restaurants with a book (or more likely a magazine), taking walks and seeking out the city's great hidden places. I spent the summer falling in love with California and finding a career that seemed to excite me all at the same time. While I missed my friends and family in Florida ("missed" is probably an understatement, but I am sure you get the idea), I think that summer alone was something I needed and will always value. I think time alone with anyone teaches you a lot about them, even if that person is yourself.

I am glad Zach and I get the chance to be a part of Wendy's summer in LA. I really hope it can be as memorable of an experience for her as I found it to be 5 years ago.

Now for a recipe! Why? Because that is what I do! It is all about the food here. Every time I ask Zach what he wants me to make for dessert, he either mentions key lime pie or cheesecake, neither of which I have attempted until now. I found a recipe that seems to incorporate the two (although it is far more key lime pie than it is cheesecake). The recipe includes cream cheese in the pie filling. I am not a huge fan of key lime pie, but this one seemed pretty darn tasty. It is perfect for a hot summer day with a glob of cool whip on top. Doesn't it just make you want to have a picnic?



California Lime Pie

(recipe from Recipezaar, originally from the Cincinnati Enquirer - makes 8 - 10 servings)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice (I could not find any here in LA so I made it the California way with regular old lime juice)
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (you can make this yourself, but I just bought one for convenience)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat softened cream cheese until creamy.
Add sweetened condensed milk and beat to incorporate.
Add egg yolks and beat well.
Add lime juice and beat till combined.
Pour mixture into pie crust and spread with spatula until evenly distributed.
Place on cookie sheet and then into the oven and bake for 10 min or until the filling begins to set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack at room temp.
Then place in the refrigerator for at least an hour (two works better)
Cut into 8 slices and serve with a generous helping of whipped cream.



This post was written as a Guest Blog for my #1 alltime favorite blog: The Boston Lady (or as I like to call her: the giver of the sewing machine...seriously...so nice!) If you like my blog, you will love hers.

Farm(er's Market) Fresh Fried Potatoes

This is the only picture I have of the potatoes I made the other night.



Gone. All gone before I even thought to snap a quick pic. This has only happened once before and it was during my early food blogging days (see spinach and artichoke mac and cheese). These potatoes were delightful. They were flavorful with just the right texture: slight crisp to the outside and unbelievably creamy on the inside. Make these now (assuming you have a half bottle of corn oil, fresh sage, artichokes and 3 varieties of potatoes sitting around).

I bought the beautiful variety potatoes and fresh sage for this recipe (unfortunately not pictured) at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. It is one of my favorite places to be early in the day on a Sunday. It is a big farmer's market that is made up of half farm fresh foods (fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, eggs, nuts, beans, etc) and half prepared or made-to-order hot foods (pancakes, omelets, tamales, quesadillas, sausages, breads, coffee, crepes, corn, etc). There are also some boutique clothing and jewelry vendors sprinkled throughout. It is about a block from the beach in Santa Monica so the breeze is perfect for a hot day. Just ask Stanley...



There are farmer's markets are all over the city. I have seen bigger ones (Hollywood Farmer's Market on Sundays) and smaller ones (Larchmont Farmer's Market on Sundays) that I really enjoy, but the Santa Monica one has got a history with me. It is a big part of what made me fall in love with California the first time I visited. The idea of someday being able to go to the market any Sunday I wanted was just so appealing to me. I also used to dream about taking my dog for a walk around the area after eating a huge breakfast (the omelets are my favorite) because Santa Monica is probably the most dog-friendly areas in the city (even though they are not allowed in the actual market itself or even on the sand at the beach). It is every bit as delightful as I thought it would be, and Stanley looooooooved looking at the kites that were flying as we strolled down the walkway at the beginning of the sand. I still think about how I would love to live so close to the market that I could wake up and just walk there (Someday?).



If you find yourself in Los Angeles, this farmer's market is a must. I recommend the omelets (the biggest you have ever seen); they make it right in front of you as you tell them what you want in it. Oh, and the line is worth it. The pancakes are also huge and delicious with fresh blueberries. I rarely stray from either of those two things, but everything looks amazing so I don't think you can go wrong.



I have been meaning to make these potatoes for a really long time after reading about them on another food blog, Caviar and Codfish. It has a lot of great recipes and pictures that do them justice. You can find an original picture of these potatoes (instead of the one I have after they have been demolished by 6 hungry people) as well as the incredible meal that was made to go with them HERE .

Farm(er's Market) Fresh Fried Potatoes with Sage and Artichokes
(slightly adapted for convenience from Caviar and Codfish)

2 1/2 lbs potatoes, purple, new and fingerling
1/2 jar of artichokes, patted dry (original recipe called for about 8 fresh artichokes, but I didn't want to experiment with trimming them and prepping them properly this time around...the ones from the jar were fine for now, but I would like to try it again with the fresh ones)
1 handful (small), fresh sage leaves
corn oil, however much you need to almost submerge the potatoes in the pot...it was about 3/4 of a small bottle for me.
kosher salt (original recipe calls for fleur de sel which is probably best, but I didn't have any)
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional - not part of original recipe)

Fill a very large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot halfway with corn oil and place over med-high heat.
Cut the potatoes into thirds or quarters (depending on the size of each - the cut potatoes should all end up as the same size before frying).
After about 5 minutes, add the potatoes to the hot oil (the recipe says the oil should be 350F-375F, but I did not have a way of knowing how hot the oil was so I just put the potatoes in at 5 minutes)
Leave the potatoes in the skillet/pot undisturbed for 5 minutes, and then stir with a long spoon (don't get splashed with hot oil!). The idea here is to shift the potatoes around in the pot so the ones cooking faster can switch places with the ones cooking slower in different positions in the pot.
Leave the potatoes alone again for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, take the artichokes out of the jar, and pat dry with a paper towel (or of course, prep your fresh artichokes).
After the 8 minutes, add artichokes and stir.
Continue to fry the potatoes with the artichokes 10-15 minutes.
When the potatoes start to turn golden and become crispy on the outside (go ahead, take one out, blow on it to cool and give it a try), add the sage leaves for the last minute of frying (they will become crispy really quickly).
Remove everything from the pot and drain on paper towels set out over either a baking sheet or paper bags.
Sprinkle with kosher salt (or better, as the recipe says, fleur de sel).
I also sprinkled some shaved Parmesan cheese over te top of the hot potatoes which i think worked well. The original recipe also suggests serving with lemon wedges which would be nice too.

BONUS! I was also making some jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon at the time, so I scraped a couple chunks of toasted cream cheese that had been left on the baking sheet from that, and plopped them in the potatoes. It probably equaled less than a tablespoon of cream cheese, but I think it added a fun hint of flavor.