Tempura Green Beans

*First and foremost, I want to say my heart goes out to everyone in Boston, especially those affected by yesterday's tragedy.  Rather than feel angry and confused about the bad people in this world, I am trying to focus on the good - those who run into a smoke filled crowd, those who donate blood and heal wounds.  And as a mother, this quote can help us all stay positive.  Ok, moving on...   

One of our favorite restaurants in Santa Monica is M Street Kitchen.  Kid AND adult friendly.  Cocktails, sports TVs, delicious food, a "kids-eat-free happy hour" with healthy, appropriately-sized portions and THE BEST adult happy hour burger.  Then there's the bakery - with homemade English muffins, sea salt chocolate chip cookies and brown butter rice crispy treats.  It's all stupid good.  If you're ever in LA, go there, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  

One of our favorite appetizers is something called Three Green Bites.  It's edamame, tempura green beans and shisito peppers.  I decided to recreate it at home (with avocado in place of the peppers) by frying up my own tempura green beans.  It was so easy and they are so good.  And trust me, if your kids don't like green beans, they will eat these.  Hey, whatever works.  

Tempura Green Beans

(Makes enough batter for many, many green beans)

Printable Recipe

Vegetable oil

Green beans, cleaned and trimmed (I like to use French-style cause they're skinnier)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light beer (or you could use club soda)

Salt

Soy sauce for dipping

Place 2 inches of vegetable oil (approx. 4 cups) in a deep pot.  Heat oil (over medium-high) until it reaches 350 degrees.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour and beer until combined.  Coat about 15 green beans at a time in batter.  

Using tongs, place green beans in oil one by one to avoid them sticking together.  Fry for a couple of minutes, until golden brown.



Remove with tongs and place on a paper towel to cool.  Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Serve with soy sauce for dipping (good for all the green bites).

hello.

my New York happy places...

Eataly

Tal Bagels

the Rachael Ray Show green room

(tune in to see Carson on the 26th)

Back from a quick trip to New York.  First time traveling with two little ones = success, in large part due to the fact that I recently gave birth to an ANGEL BABY who gives me zero problems (knock.on.wood.).  Thankful for the fact that my MIL is cooking the majority of Thanksgiving, but excited to contribute these.  And excited that my mom will be there also and is making this again.

More later.  And past Thanksgiving day posts here and here.  

Late-Summer Vegetable Soup

It's me!  It's me!  I hope you've been enjoying my fabulous guest bloggers.  I have been enjoying sitting on my lazy bum with a tiny baby in my arms.  Of course, it hasn't been 24/7 of that because, as you know, now I have TWO KIDS.  TWO KIDS.  And can someone please tell me how to successfully raise TWO KIDS?!  Two wonderful, beyond amazing kids : )

Thank you all for the well wishes.  I've been spoiled by the best friends and family (what would one do without grandmas??).  And food!  People keep bringing us food!  From Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding (I die) to Joan's on Third's Meatloaf and Mac & Cheese (I die again) to a homemade Late-Summer Vegetable Soup.  Click on that last link and make that soup, people, do it.  

One more week of guest bloggers coming up, you won't want to miss them.  

And now, just because...

Sigh.

I ate the salad..

I ate it up.  In case you missed it, you can listen here.

See, I really did...    

...and an hour later, I started experiencing contractions.  I'm not even kidding.

...to be continued.

*I had to pick a new winner of the Madhava Gift Basket because I didn't hear from winner #1, so LISA R., you are the new winner!  Please email me (contact info under Find Siri)*

Maternity Salad

There is a restaurant in Studio City called Caioti Pizza Cafe.  On their menu, they have something called the The "THE" Salad, also known as the Maternity Salad.  Apparently, pregnant women flock there everyday to eat this famous dish that is supposed to induce labor.  The ingredients are basic: romaine, watercress, gorgonzola, walnuts AND their super secret special dressing that you can purchase online.  It's the dressing that apparently does the trick.  They claim it's made from natural ingredients, but if it truly does "work" I'm going to guess it's either laced with castor oil or pitocin.

And I'm going to eat it.  Tomorrow.  On the radio.

On AMP Radio, and if you care to listen, click that link tomorrow morning around 8:05am PST and you can check out the live stream.  

Let's get this baby out of here, friends.  All together now.    

(image)

What's your favorite fast food burger?

The other day I drove by a Five Guys burger joint.  It was 10:37 in the morning.  I had been wanting to try this place for a long time, so the fact that most people were still waking up and heading to Starbuck's  at that hour was only a slight problem for me.  Slowly, I drove by and read the door.  It opened at 11am!  That's still pretty early to eat a burger : (

But you're only 38 weeks pregnant a few times in your life, unless you're a Duggar, so I decided to go for it.  I walked in by my lonesome.  This girl below came running towards me, and very joyfully asked me if it was my first time.  "Why yes!" I said, also very joyfully.  Gosh it was a joyful experience.  She helped me order a Little Cheeseburger (one patty) with Grilled Onions, Pickles, Ketchup and Mayo.  Simple.  Oh and a bucket of fries.  And a diet coke, sorry baby.    

By the way, not okay with listing calories on menus.  I mean why, why why why.

Anyway, 560 calories (oh plus the buckets of fries) later, I had ZERO REGRETS.  It was so damn delicious.  Tasted like it was fresh out of a local 1950's diner.  I think my favorite fast food burger yet.  Better than In and Out, better than Fat Burger (Carson said, I've never had).  So I want to know - have you had Five Guys?  What's your favorite fast food burger?  Let's discuss.  

Tea Time

How were your weekends?  Ours was full of restaurants.  I'm at the "almost one month away" point, and I'm finding it difficult to accomplish simple tasks like MAKING DINNER.  Speaking of being "close to popping" (never tell a pregnant woman she looks like that, never, ever ever), yesterday some girlfriends threw me a little "sprinkle" (that's what we decided to call a casual shower for Baby #2).  We had tea at The Peninsula in Beverly Hills.  What a joyful experience!  I've never felt so civilized, and so aware that my boobs were sweating in a lovely, classy environment.  I am the luckiest to have sisters and girlfriends like the ones I have - the aunties this baby will be blessed with. 

(The following photos taken by Katy at Chasing You Photo)   

the decor...

to begin, freshly sliced strawberries with whipped cream...

scones, tortes and cakes and profiteroles, tea sandwiches...

my personal favorite, curried chicken with cashews on raisin bread...

"bwah ha ha ha tee hee hee..."

baby's own cookware set...

*When I got home, Jack began instantly playing with the pots and pans.  Whipped us up a graham cracker, American cheese and carrot soup.  Mmmm um no.

Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Layer Cake

It was Carson's birthday last week, and if you've been reading this blog for awhile you know I get pretty obsessive about birthday cakes.  I find it the perfect time to challenge myself to the point of mental breakdown.  It always begins and ends as an enjoyable experience but somewhere in the middle my character flaws emerge.  You know - crying, cursing, cradling myself into a fetal position on the kitchen floor.  This time was no exception.  But, this was also no "piece of cake" to pull off HEY THERE PUN!  Lots of steps and layers and required equipment.  However, once you order things from Amazon like cake collars and liquid glucose and citric acid, you're ready to go!  And if you remain calm, eat a lot of the crumbles as you go, MAKE EXTRA FROSTING (I ran out), you too can pull this off.  And it's worth it.  

            

Everyone is doing it so the recipe isn't hard to find (like here, here or here).  

pre-baked cake...

cake and crumbles...

more crumbles... ohmygod they are good... 

layering with cake ring and cake collars...

a big old mess...

ready for freezer...

happy birthday carson : )

Instagram Friday

Earlier this week I FINALLY ate at Pizzeria Mozza.  It's only been a five-year-or-so dream of mine.  It was worth every last ounce of bread, oil and cheese.  We ate a lot... meatballs, fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta (my favorite), tuna stuffed in marinated peppers, fried risotto balls, a burrata caprese salad with garlic bread (oh my), a bianca pizza with truffle oil and fennel sausage (another favorite) and another pizza with slow cooked broccoli.  Did you not want to know all of that?  Sorry.  

I made another birthday cake in a soup can.  This time I made my own cream cheese frosting with a couple tablespoons of softened butter, a couple tablespoons of softened cream cheese, a half cup or so of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Dyed pink for my niece who just turned 3!  

And finally, if you live in the LA area, have you ever been to M Street Kitchen in Santa Monica?  Run there.  The food at the restaurant is really good but the bakery, THE BAKERY.  Ridiculous cookies (the size of your head) and they sell their famous Homemade English Muffins by the 6 pack.  I just ate one and I'm trying really hard not to go back for a second.  Only wish I had jam.  

Speaking of that - I want to make some strawberry jam this weekend but I've never done it before - anyone have a recipe they love or any pointers?  Sterilizing the jars seems like a whole thing...

Happy Weekend!  

The Hungry Cat Burger

Last night we went out for dinner after the Voice taping to one of our favorite spots, The Hungry Cat.  It was late.  Not late by "couples sans children in New York" standards, but late by our "we had our kid and are all usually asleep by 9pm" standards.  Since it was so close to bedtime, you'd think I would have chosen something nice and light to send me off to dreamland.  No.  That's not what happened.  I ordered the burger with cheese, canadian bacon and a fried egg on top.

Hey, chicken, cow and pig - come get in my belly!

Let's just say, the burger was fantastic.  Let's also say, that I felt like a carnivorous monster and a night of disturbing dreams ensued.  

(image here)

Giveaway Winner

I had Chick-fil-A for the first time ever last night.  A chicken sandwich, a few nuggets and some waffle fries.  I inhaled it all so fast I had trouble breathing for hours after.  Sexy.  Moving on...  

The winner of my Milk Bar Compost Cookie Giveaway is... Gretchen!  

Mom, before you go jumping up and down, you're not the Gretchen I'm referring to, I'm referring to the Gretchen who left the following comment...

"you can pick your friends and you can pick your noise but you can't pick your friend's noise"

Wise words, Not Mom Gretchen (please email me to collect your winnings).  But do you mean nose or noise, I wonder?  

Thank you to everyone who entered, there will be more!!  Have happy weekends : )

Tal Bagels

Hi.  Sorry I've been missing.  I'm in New York, having a religious experience.  At St. Pat's??  No, no, noooo you silly bird.  At Tal Bagels.

Everything Bagel.  Cream Cheese.  Whitefish Spread.  OH MY GOD.

Oh and Egg Salad on the side.  

How many bagels is too many bagels?  Gonna find out...

Eataly NY

Sorry for the lack of posts.  We were in NY last week and 2 out of the 5 days we were there I dragged my toddler here...

Eataly.  Mario Batali's Italian market that he himself calls a "temple."  I want to make fun of that statement but I can't, because that's what it is.  A temple.  Disneyland.  Heaven.  Where I want to be buried when I die.  Maybe under a big vat of mozzarella.  

50,000 square feet of magic.  The first day we sat at a restaurant and had a meal of pizza, antipasti, Italian beer and gelato.  The second day, to-go paninis and Italian soda.  I was taught how to properly taste olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar on tiny little spoons (first smell, then slurp).  My favorite finds?  A large tub of duck fat and a tiny can of cream and truffles.  Back at the hotel after each visit, we enjoyed dinner on the floor consisting of fresh bread, assorted cheeses and imported meats and marinated olives. I would have bought a tub of wine if I thought it would have survived a subway ride with a toddler.  If you're ever in NY, go to there.  Or better yet, plan a trip to NY just to go to there.  And read more about it here.  

(Image HERE)

Would you eat baby food?

I would, because I just did. And I'm not talking about the super healthy homemade stuff I used to churn out. I'm talking about Gerber, in a jar, baby food. Before you call 911 on me, THIS IS NOT ABOUT A DIET. Here's the story...



On vacation we ate at a restaurant called Savannah Chop House. It was sick and wrong in a good way. Guinness Braised Short Ribs, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, little shots of Lobster Bisque, etc, etc. And then dessert. Carrot cake so moist you almost felt like sleeping on a bed of it. The chef came over to our table and I asked him what sort of crack he put in the cake and HE said, "2 jars of carrot baby food." And I said, "come again??" And he said, "2 jars of carrot baby food." It is a Paula Dean recipe, and it actually calls for, yes, 2 jars of carrot baby food.



I found the recipe online, here. She named it after a real life baby, go figure.



So, would you or wouldn't you?? If you were a chef, would you have offered up that information? Don't get me wrong, I kept eating and the cake was delicious.



(Also, don't get me wrong, I wanted to throw up a teeny tiny bit at the same time.)