Grandma's Vinegar Pie

During Thanksgiving weekend the Johnson family eats pie for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, and for dessert after dinner. We are passionate about pie. At my wedding there was no wedding cake. I was more interested in wedding pie from Zingerman's. This Thanksgiving we baked Pumpkin Pie, Oatmeal Pecan Pie, Apple Pie, Blueberry Pie and Chocolate Banana Cream Pie. We also made a Johnson family specialty...Vinegar Pie. For the first fifteen years of my life I was a Vinegar Pie skeptic. Vinegar in a pie sounds gross. My mom finally convinced me to give it a try when she described it as a pecan pie without the pecans. Vinegar Pie essentially is a sugar pie. Nobody seems to know why the recipe calls for vinegar, but we add that tablespoon every time. It's about time I blog Grandma Johnson's Vinegar Pie. I dug out the recipe in Mama's old cookbook. Give it a try this holiday season! I have also included some of my Friendsgiving and KIPP Potluck photos. Quick tip: Next time you make sweet potato casserole, use marshmallow fluff. Your vegetarian friends will thank you and if you bake then broil it, the marshmallow will make a delicious crusty layer.

Mamita Chenhall's Recipe Book

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie, Vinegar Pie, Apple Pie, Oatmeal Pecan Pie 

Thanksgiving 2013, Green Bean Casserole, Marshmellow Fluff Sweet Potatoes, Alaina's Rolls

Pecan + Cherry Brussels Sprouts with Gorgonzola

Quarter 1 parent teacher conferences are officially over! At KIPP we conference as a full teaching team, so the fifth grade team has spent fifteen hours together over the past three days... and it was fun! We met with lots of happy parents (a testament to the strength of the team), shared some good laughs and ate lots of food! Last year we started the tradition of having a conference week potluck. As a result, we've eaten very well, enjoying Karen's apple crumble and pasta salad, Julie's black bean enchiladas and salted caramel cupcakes, Arlena's chili and sweet cornbread, Alaina's fluffy fruit dip and decadent chocolate pie, and Ashley's baked pasta and famous crumble. Tuesday I tried a pinterest cheesy tomato quinoa bake. Meh, it's not worth blogging. Today I decided to make my new favorite Brussels sprouts dish. I've made it three times in the past two weeks! I love roasting Brussels sprouts because of the way they get soft on the inside and are crunchy on the outside. The dried cherries and pecans add sweetness and texture. The gorgonzola topped at the end is the icing on the cake, and really brings the entire dish together. I'll be making this dish for school thanksgiving and LA friendsgiving. It's become a quick hit! 

Ingredients:
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt + Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Heat oven to 400° F. On a baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts, pecans, cherries, oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down (this will give them a nice crunch). Roast until golden and tender, about 25 minutes. Top with gorgonzola and serve.

Puerto Rico + Family Wedding + Mofongo

This past weekend Brent and I flew the red eye to New York and down to San Juan, Puerto Rico to celebrate my cousin Lucille's wedding. I did not realize how far Puerto Rico is from California! In my mind Puerto Rico is close. California is close to Mexico. They speak Spanish in Mexico and they speak Spanish in Puerto Rico, so they must be close, right? Our total flying time was nine hours one-way, longer than it takes to get from Michigan to London! It was a quick Friday-Monday trip, but it was totally worth it to see my party in a box cousin get married and to spend time with the crazy Chenhalls. Below are a few pictures from our trip. Keep scrolling for food pictures!

The wedding ceremony was at the Castillo de San Cristóbal, a Spanish fort in San Juan. It was such a unique ceremony location. Brent and I, of course, teared up when we saw Lucille in her gorgeous dress walking down the aisle. The reception was then at Hotel El Convento. We ate yummy food and danced for hours, to be expected from a Lucille wedding.



The next day Brent drove Marta, Brooke, Alicia Ann and I to Yunque rainforest. We had fun visiting waterfalls, going on mini-hikes and we had plenty of laughs. On our way back to San Juan we were determined to find some authentic Puerto Rican food. We stopped along the side of the road for some mofongo. Mofongo is made from fried plantain mashed with broth, garlic, and pork cracklings. It is typically served in a mound and filled with meat. We ordered a creole steak mofongo and a garlic chicken mofongo. I also had to order fried plantains and we got some chorizo too. We loved the mofongo so much that we had mofongo again for dinner back in San Juan. This time we had ropa vieja mofongo topped with shredded beef. When I got back to Los Angeles I bought a few plantains from the grocery store today, and I'm gonna play around with frying them and mashing them, but I am sure I will not be able to top what I had on this trip. It was such a unique dish, and had such a variety of textures and flavors. Delicious!



If you ever have the chance to visit Puerto Rico, do it! Flights are fairly inexpensive, San Juan is a beautiful, surprisingly big colonial city with great nightlife, food and sightseeing. The rainforest gives the off the beaten path experience, and the beaches are beautiful. Thank you Lucille for choosing such a great location to get married. Congratulations to you and Anthony!

Picadillo Potato Stew

Brent is in London for the next week for work. I wish I was there with him, but it makes me happy to know he is spending time with Jackie, Alex and Lindsey. While Brent is away I have spent a lot of time with run club and school friends. Friday night Archana and I hosted a new to KAO happy hour at AFrame. Saturday morning Kathy and I had a great run through Brentwood and Santa Monica. That afternoon Ma'ayan and I were in the mood to explore so we went to Mochica in Downtown LA for a late lunch. Ma'ayan has spent a lot of time in Peru, so she was able to help with dish recommendations. We had the Papa a la Huancaina, Ceviche Carretillero, and the Lomo Saltado. Check out the photos from our meal below! Today after run club I was craving picadillo. I had most of the ingredients in my fridge but was missing the meat and tortillas. I had a bunch of potatoes from my farm box this past week, so I chopped up some onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and peppers and made a stew spiced with my taco seasoning, the seasoning I use for my picadillo. I topped the stew with avocado, plopped myself on the couch and started watching episodes of New Girl (Alaina suggested catching up while Brent is away). I am enjoying my lazy Sunday afternoon, but it would be better with Brent!

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large russet potatoes, rustically chopped (that means not perfect!)

1 large carrot, rustically chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 avocado, sliced

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Hot Sauce!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup water

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion until onions are transparent. Add the chopped potatoes, carrot, taco seasoning, and water to the pot. Give the stew a good stir, then allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Last, add the green peppers and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve the stew in bowls topped with hot sauce and avocado slices.

Mochica Downtown Los Angeles

Kale Almond Pesto

Mary Ann and I visited the Brentwood Farmer's Market this afternoon in search of fresh ingredients for our Sunday night dinner. We had fun sampling foods, people watching and picking out produce. An hour later we left the market with heirloom tomatoes, wild arugula, baby kale, basil, apple cinnamon goats cheese, raspberry honey, berries, and almonds! I played chopped with produce left in my fridge and made a Tuscan kale almond pesto. I roasted the heirloom tomatoes and some purple peppers with some extra virgin olive oil and garlic salt, and cut up some calabrese salami. I tossed rotini pasta with the pesto, tomatoes, peppers, basil and salami and topped it with red pepper flakes. As a side dish I made a baby kale and arugula salad with some avocado, candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds and my champagne vinaigrette. While the tomatoes and peppers were roasting, and the pasta was cooking we snacked on an appetizer of whole grain bread with the apple cinnamon goats cheese and a drizzle of honey. The colors on our plates were beautiful! I was skeptical of kale almond pesto because of how much I love basil, but it was fresh, nutritious and had a beautiful bright green color! Tonight's meal was a great celebration of the produce of California!

Ingredients:
1 small bunch Tuscan kale
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup lightly toasted almonds
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
pinch of red pepper flakes
juice of one lime
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
In a food processor, combine the garlic, almonds and pulse to chop. Add the kale, parmesan, red pepper flakes, water, lime juice, 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Turn the processor on and drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until you get your ideal consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning/add more kale leaves as needed.

Roasted Fig + Grape Oatmeal

Last week my farm box surprised me a with box of black mission figs. I thought about using them to make Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread, Fig Jam or some sort of panini. I ultimately decided to switch up my regular oatmeal routine so I roasted the figs and some grapes with a little bit of brown sugar and extra virgin olive oil. I loved the sweetness and crunchy texture of the figs along with the warm roasted grapes. I did not miss the chocolate in my breakfast! I used the rest of my roasted figs and grapes as a topping for my daily yogurt with granola.

     

Ingredients:
4 fresh figs, quartered
1/4-1/2 cup grapes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup almond milk

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the fig quarters and grapes on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the  brown sugar on top of the figs and grapes.
Place in the oven and roast until the figs and grapes are soft and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare oatmeal. I simply use the microwave, putting the oatmeal in a bowl, pouring in the almond milk and microwaving for 1.5 minutes. Microwaves are not created equal. In Michigan my oatmeal is done in 1 minute. Alternatively you can cook oatmeal on the stove by bringing the required amount of water to a simmer and adding the oats and stirring until the oats are cooked through.
When serving, place the oatmeal in bowls, add the roasted figs and grapes, and top with a little more brown sugar. Serve immediately.

Border Grill Las Vegas

My baby sister got engaged this weekend! Marta and Brooke are driving across the country to their new home in Chicago. Brooke popped the question off the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur before they embarked on their journey. Brent and I were in on the secret and part of the engagement surprise involved us joining them in Las Vegas to celebrate for a weekend. It is crazy to think that exactly a year ago Marta and I were in Las Vegas with friends for a girls weekend, and this time we were back to celebrate her engagement. Last year Marta suggested Border Grill for brunch and we instantly fell in love. A trip to Vegas is incomplete without its all you can eat small plates and bottomless mimosas. 

We are big fans of the Santa Monica Border Grill happy hour, and the Vegas Border Grill brunch is on my top three list of best brunch spots (Cheeky's in Palm Springs and Angelos in Ann Arbor are on there too). The brunch served tapas style, and you order as much as you want from the menu for one fixed price. It is great for a group because you can sample a few bites of everything. We tried pretty much the entire menu. My favorites were the Skirt Steak and Eggs, Machaca Chilaquiles, Peruvian Shrimp and Grits and the Churro Tots. Ahh those doughy cinnamony churro tots. I was so full, but could not say no. The bottomless mimosas go beyond the regular orange juice and sparkling wine and include flavors like passionfruit, strawberry, watermelon and cucumber.

 If you time your meal well this meal can serve as your breakfast, lunch and dinner. With most all you can eat food options you really sacrifice quality for quantity, but not here. Every single dish is creative, celebrates Mexican flavors, and is carefully prepared. Our skirt steak was cooked medium rare at our request. I would drive to Vegas for this brunch. I used my new favorite app, Fuzel (thanks Alaina) to collage the many menu items we sampled. If you are planning a trip to Vegas, plan on visiting Border Grill at the Mandalay Bay. Congratulations Marta and Brooke! We love you!

Biscuits & Gravy,  Bacon Jalapeño PBJ, Frittata Tart, Skirt Steak & Eggs, Chilaquiles and Lobster Pancake

Breakfast Enchilada, Peruvian Shrimp and Grits, Pork Belly Waffle, Churro Tots and Banana Bread Pudding

Heirloom Tomato and Smoked Mozzarella Salad

The Balsamic Glaze is my new favorite product at Trader Joe's. It's both sweet and vinegary, and adds great flavor to salads, meats, and fruits. I have yet to try balsamic glaze on ice-cream, but apparently it is quite tasty. After a busy week with school starting at KIPP and Brent adjusting to his new job at Focusrite, we decided to spend Friday night at home. I prepared grilled chicken and made this salad with our farm box ingredients. The salad was so simple to build, highlighted the fresh produce, and looked so elegant. To prepare the salad, slice a few fresh heirloom tomatoes, the top them with smoked mozzarella and avocado. Next, sprinkle the salad with julienned basil leave, drizzle white truffle oil and balsamic glaze and last add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Ingredients:
2 Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced
6-8 ounces Smoked Mozzarella, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
A few leaves of basil, julienned
Balsamic Glaze
White Truffle or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A pinch of salt and pepper

New York Markets

This is my final week in New York City! It has been a summer of case studies, self-reflection, group work, New School Design Presentations and very little sleep. Outside of class I have found time to meet up with old ACS friends, hang out with family and make new friends. I have been on planes, trains and automobiles shuffling from Morningside Height to Brooklyn, Southampton, Washington DC and Westchester so that I could make the most of my time here. Of course I have missed Brent while I have been away, but I have also missed my kitchen! I love eating out, and New York offers some of the best dining, but it gets old fast. My Columbia dorm room microwave and I have become good friends, but I won't be sad to say goodbye. Carmen and Jim have let me take over their kitchen once or twice a week, and with all the markets New York City has to offer, there has been no lack of cooking inspiration.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Fairway Market really is like no other market. My closest location is right on the Hudson River in Harlem. During our first two weeks at Columbia, Meredith and I frequented the market for post-run gatorade and to buy ingredients for dinner. They specialize in unique, hard to find imported ingredients. I especially like their olive oil selection, coffee from around the world, fresh ravioli, olive bar and the cheese samples. Oh, and don't forget to bring a sweater! Much of their food is in the huge refrigerated section of the store, so don't plan on browsing too much. My favorite meal from Fairway was sweet pea ravioli with primavera marinara.

The Columbia Farmer's Market makes Thursday's happy. Yes, you're paying way more than you would at the grocery store for fruit, sweet treats, yogurt and pickles, but it's right outside our program building and there is something so nice about meeting the people producing your food. Plus, buying a fresh apple raspberry crumble pie and eating it with classmates during conflict resolution is always a good idea.

Milano Market is on the pricier side, but it is Italian food lover's dream. I've stolen ideas from their deli, like the fusilli with sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and grape tomatoes I made tonight at Carmen and Jim's. What I like most about Milano Market is their tossed salad bar. For $8.50 you can enjoy unlimited toppings, which sounds expensive but it you get all your veggies in, and you could pack in enough to make it last two meals. Unlike many New York tossed salad bars, the ingredients are fresh and they have a wide variety like pesto chicken, roasted bell peppers, artichokes and kalamata olives, along with all the regulars.

Westside Market is the most "grocery store" of the four, but it's still worth blogging. Their deli has been especially comforting when I want a home cooked meal but don't have access to a kitchen. I've enjoyed their grilled vegetables, risotto and quinoa salad. They also have a huge selection of fresh breads, cheeses, spreads and desserts. I stopped by here before yogaing with Shannon in Central Park to pick up some post-yoga picnic items. Their olive focaccia with their sun-dried tomato tapenade was heavenly. 

One more week in the city and it's back to LA. I'll be back next summer for part two, and I'll know exactly where to shop for yummy food :)

The Tripel: Part 2

On Friday morning I'm flying to New York for the summer. I'll be working on my masters at Columbia, and my program consists of two five-week summer sessions and 450 hour internship during the school year. I've been reading like crazy for the past month, getting ready for what will feel like Teach For America institute. I'm excited to see more of Carmen and Jim, and take weekend trips to Washington DC to see the Backous', but I'm really going to miss Los Angeles. Of course I'll miss Brent and Marta the most (Brent is coming to NY twice!), but I'm also going to miss the evening walks to the beach, Sunday morning run club in Bev Hills, yoga with Jackie at Art of Pilates, First Friday on Abbot Kinney and driving around with Alaina. I'm also really going to miss The Tripel.

Chicken Sausage Stuffed Dates, Red Curry Biscuits, and Hudson House Brown Sugar Ribs.

I start to go a little crazy if I go a few weeks without a good pretzel burger and tots. A few weeks ago after the marathon we rushed back from San Diego because I was craving The Cure (pretzel burger with egg and avocado). I've already blogged The Tripel, but the menu has so much to offer! And, since my last post The  Tripel's executive chef was runner-up on the Bravo show Top Chef. This collection of photos is devoted to Brooke Williamson's non-burger deliciousness, including some of her brunch items. I needed one last Tripel fix before heading out for the summer, so last night we took our celebrity friend, Lindsey Anderson (on ABC's Whodunnit?) before watching her series premiere, and I'm certain the week I'm back from NY will involve a visit to my favorite Playa Del Rey spot.

Sweet Carrot Farro with Egg and Sausage, Duck Hash, and Balsamic Onion Rings.

Calamari Po'Boy and the Blue Cheese Turkey Pastrami Melt.

Penne with Brie, Mushrooms and Arugula

It's carbo-loading time! San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon is on Sunday! Ahh! I am officially freaking out. The only thing left to do is sit as much as possible, sleep at least eight hours a night, and eat pasta, my favorite food. Send Carmen, Marta and I good luck vibes Sunday morning. We're starting at 6:15. Here's to hoping we don't hit the dreaded wall and end with smiles! 

Ingredients

12 ounces penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound button mushrooms
1 small red onion
1/2 cup pasta water
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

8 ounces Brie, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 package baby arugula

Directions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the mushrooms and onion and cook, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the wine, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
Toss the pasta with the Brie and reserved cooking water until the pasta is coated. Stir in the mushroom mixture and arugula.

Lazy Polenta Lasagna

When I'm craving lasagna but don't have the energy to prepare it, I make Lazy Polenta Lasagna. Because this lasagna uses such few ingredients, it's important to make sure you invest in quality. Skimp on the good stuff and this will taste like a lifeless "these ingredients have been sitting in my pantry for months" casserole. You might also consider adding a few fresh tomatoes and some fresh herbs to liven it up. Be sure to buy the best mozzarella cheese, stay away from ragu sauce, and don't buy the cheapo pepperoni in a bag. The prep work involved in this meal is quick. Just slice the polenta into rounds, top with a little bit of marinara, add the pepperoni, top with the rest of the marinara, sprinkle on the cheese and stick it in the oven. 30 minutes later you've got that warm, comforting lasagna taste in a fraction of the time.

Ingredients:
1 (18-ounce) roll precooked polenta, cut into 9 rounds
1 cup quality marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
9 thin slices pepperoni
Enough shredded mozzarella cheese to top the lasagna

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Cooking spray



Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange polenta rounds in an even layer in the bottom of the dish. Spoon marinara over the top, then scatter with oregano and red pepper flakes. Arrange pepperoni over the sauce, then top with cheese and parsley and bake until hot throughout and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.