Avocado Toast

Over the weekend I had breakfast at Swingers, a popular LA diner. If you've never been there, you'll probably remember it as the spot an awkward Seth Rogan took Katherine Heigl the morning after they made a baby...


Anyhoozers. It's a good restaurant, I like it. And even more now after my random breakfast order this weekend: Avocado Toast. It was described on the menu as thick, multi-grain toast, olive oil, sliced avocado, lemon, kosher salt and chili flakes. What? I had to try, and was very pleased with myself when the waitress told us it was the best thing on the menu. She wasn't wrong. It was so delicious. The toast had just enough crunch, it was smothered with bright avocado, fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of salt - always necessary with avocado - and the chili flakes offered this wonderful heat.


I knew I had to recreate it as soon as I got home, and that I did. The easiest thing to make, and would be great as an appetizer. Your friends would say, wow, you're cool because you made this.

Baked Red Snapper with a White Wine, Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

I know we're moving into stews, soups, roasts and heavy-clothes-to-cover-up-fat territory - but similar to the way I defy the white pants rule, I would like to present you with this light, fresh, heavenly baked fish dish. But hey, I'm not totally behind the times. With simple ingredients and little prep time, this is perfect for a quick, after-school dinner. Also, it sounds fancy (white wine), so it would also be appropriate for a holiday-time meal. See? I'm not afraid of change! I can adapt! I'm still wearing white pants.

Saute some mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until they're nice and brown. Add finely chopped celery and one clove of minced garlic, and saute for a few more minutes. Then add about 1/3 cup of white wine and let it simmer a bit. Add 1/4 cup of panko (or more, the trick is to sop up the sauce), paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Let it hang out over low heat...


Place your red snapper filets (I used 3) in a lightly buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, lemon herb seasoning, salt and pepper.


Cover fish with mushroom sauce. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with some more panko and add a few pats of butter. Pats? I don't know.


Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Eat outside on your patio, even in the wintertime.

Buffalo Chip Cookies

One of my mom's dearest friends, Cathy, bakes this cookie that, that, that... you see, I'm at a loss for words when it comes to this cookie. Let me try tourettes: Chocolate chips. Peanut butter chips. Coconut. Rice Krispies. Oatmeal. Butter. Sugar. Lots of it. By the way, why is "tourettes" spelled so fancy? Anyway. Whenever I'm home, my mom has these in her house. And that is because Cathy is the sweetest friend and makes them for just about any reason. To celebrate, to mourn, for fun, for crowds, for one, for no reason, for every reason. In true Cathy form, I made these cookies for two very glorious reasons (see below).

Cathy was nice enough to share the recipe with us, HERE. Now I can quit asking my mom for it once a year. By the way, Cathy, why are they called Buffalo Chips?

why, hello MOUND of cookie dough...


hello mound of dough with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and oatmeal and coconut and Rise Krispies in it...


ready to bake...


Now I will tell you my SUPER GLORIOUS FANTASTIC REASONS TO BAKE COOKIES. Number 1: My baby sister, Georgia Peorgia, went to college! I sent her a care package to Syracuse... GO ORANGEMEN!


Number 2: One of my dearest friends in the whole wide world had her first baby girl this morning (see pink sprinkles).


What will YOUR reason be for making them?? GO!