Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing all of you a romantic and delicious day ..... LET LOVE RULE!

LOOK BACK: 2013

A look back at our dinning adventures of 2013 including our official journey from Southern California to New York City!

For more information on dinning out, healthy recipes, entertaining ideas and decor go to www.OneDishAtATime.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

From One Dish At A Time to you and your loved ones, 

we wish you a very very 


Merry Christmas!!!!

SMOKED SALMON FOR DINNER

Major foodporn for dinner, I have a very special date with my mouth!! Yumm!




For dinner this evening I indulged in beautiful smoked salmon with capers, French mustard & crème fraîche accompanied by perfectly toasted garlic sourdough bread.

This is a light and satisfying meal that is tasty and contains Salmon which is a super food rich with Omega 3′s, protein, iron, calcium and, Vitamin D and one of my personal favorites!

Yep, I loved every bite!!!

Try it at home, they sell salmon in almost every supermarket worldwide, you can use smoked salmon or lox. You can also use cream cheese or sour cream and its can be eaten breakfast through dinner!!

Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOODY MARY

One Dish At A Time wishes everyone a healthy & prosperous 2013 ~ HAPPY NEW YEAR!




The perfect cure for a long night of New Year's Eve celebrations, a Bloody Mary.

Morning After Bloody Mary
1.5 oz. Tequila
6 dashes tabasco
6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch celery salt
1 pinch pepper
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 teaspoon lemon juice
7 oz. tomato juice
Pickle Wedges

In a large glass build ingredients and stir with a bar-spoon.

Garnish with pickle wedges.

Optional: rim glass with lime juice and dip into a mixture of celery salt & pepper.

CHEERS TO THE NEW YEAR!!!

CHILEAN SEA BASS CEVICHE

Chilean Sea Bass Ceviche (Serves 6)

1lb Chilean Sea Bass Fillet
6oz Diced Tomatoes
4oz Diced Red Onions
2-3oz Chopped Cilantro
2oz Finely Diced Green Peppers
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1qt Lime Juice
1 Diced Hass avocado
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Cut Sea Bass into small pieces and combine with the lime juice (diluted with 1 cup of water) to marinate for 2 hrs.

In a non-reactive metal bowl mix all the solid ingredients except the avocado. Add the oil and the salt & pepper to taste and set aside.

Drain the fish leaving 15% of the juice.

Fold the fish and remaining juice in with the rest of the ingredients with a rubber spatula gently and carefully not to brake the fish in pieces.

Chill for another half hour, dice avocado and gently mix in with the other ingredients. Serve with tortilla or plantain chips.

NESPRESSO U, MY NEW OBSESSION

I have never been more excited to have a brand new kitchen appliance!! OMG, I cannot even think about it without getting incredibly giddy and filled with pure joy!!! After a beautiful lunch with my in-laws this past Saturday,  I was enjoying my father-in-law so much that I decided to stay to enjoy more time with him. We continued chit chatting and we finally arrived at one of our know commonalities .... COFFEE!!

He began to share about his new Nespresso machine, which instantly triggered my excitement Richter scale off the charts. One thing lead to another an on our way to Bloomingdales to buy the very brand new Nespresso U we go ... he thought that do to my uncontrollable excitement over his purchase, he was going to buy my Hubby & I a house warming gift for our new home {we're moving, btw...lol}

I was speechless with thankfulness, I didn't know whether to jump up and down or scream .... I was just thankful .... still am ... Thank you Jeff!!

Nespresso makes the most efficient, modern and perfectly designed espresso making machines & coffee. Each and every pour is perfect time after time and the quality and flavor variety is above and beyond any competitor out there. It is a perfect machine for any household and can satisfy any demand for coffee. 

The quick coffee pods and the unique technology of the machines makes it a great aid to entertaining and busy households. It makes a rich and tasty beverage every single time and the possibilities are endless. You can make a perfect espresso, cappuccino, coffee, etc. They are compact and luxuriously designed.

I definitely recommend this and any other Nespresso product to anyone that asks. I AM IN LOVE!!!

ROASTING YOUR TURKEY - GOLDEN ROASTED TURKEY

Golden Roasted Turkey (serves 10-14)

1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup dry white wine (I always use Albariño, its a delicious Spaniard selection)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme and 1 sprig of rosemary. Scatter the remaining vegetables, rosemary and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

EGGPLANT AND PARSLEY DIP

Eggplant and Parsley Dip (serves 8-10)

2 lbs. eggplant (about 2 large eggplants)

1⁄2  cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 green bell pepper, cored and

 
   roughly chopped

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and

 
   roughly chopped

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves


2 tbsp. red wine vinegar


3 cloves garlic, minced


Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,to taste

Toasted pita or bread, for serving

Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high. Grill eggplants, turning, until charred and soft, 18–20 minutes. Let cool. Peel eggplants; scoop out seeds. Chop eggplants; drain in strainer for 30 minutes. 

Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers; cook for 10 minutes. Add jalapeños and continue cooking until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl of food processor along with reserved eggplant, remaining oil, parsley, vinegar, and garlic. Process until slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Chill to meld flavors. Serve with toasted pita or bread.

ENJOY!!

Photo: Penny De Los Santos
Recipe Courtesy of saveur.com

LAMB & EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA

Making moussaka is something of an undertaking—a rich meat sauce (made here with lamb, but you can substitute other ground meats such as turkey, veal, or even pork, if you prefer), layered with tender eggplant and a cheese sauce. You can make the moussaka in two smaller casserole dishes to serve one now and freeze one to bake later. 

Lamb and Eggplant Moussaka (serves 12-14)

3 lb eggplant (2 large or 3 medium)

2 large russet potatoes

Salt as needed

1/3 cup olive oil, or as needed

2 cups diced onion

1 1/4 lb ground lamb (or substitute beef, turkey, pork, or combination)

2 cups chopped plum tomatoes

2 tsp minced garlic

2 cloves

Small piece cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)

1 bay leaf

Pinch ground allspice

Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

2 cups Cheese Sauce**

Peel, salt, and rinse the eggplant if desired (see "note" below).

Place potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover them. Over medium-high heat bring them to a boil and boil lightly for 5 minutes. Cool, cut into 1/8-inch slices, and set aside.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the eggplant to the hot oil a few slices at a time and sautéthe eggplant slices, turning as necessary, until tender and lightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a rack to drain while you sauté the remaining eggplant, adding more oil to the skillet as necessary.

To prepare a meat sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the meat loses its raw appearance, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, allspice, salt, pepper, and about 1/2 cup water. Simmer until thick and flavorful, about 30 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red wine and continue simmering until the wine has developed a sweet aroma, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To assemble the moussaka: Scatter the bread crumbs in a deep, rectangular baking dish. Place a layer of half of the eggplant slices over the bread crumbs. Add the meat sauce and spread it into an even layer. Place an even layer of sliced potatoes over the sauce. Add the remaining eggplant in an even layer over the meat sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese sauce is thick and golden brown and the eggplant is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let the moussaka rest for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Note:

Many recipes instruct you to salt eggplant before you cook it. Some say this step is necessary because it draws out any bitterness in the eggplant. We think it's a good idea, even if the eggplant isn't large or bitter. Drawing out some of the moisture in eggplant collapses the vegetable a little, so it doesn't act as much like a sponge for oil when you fry it. 

Peel the eggplant if you wish and slice the eggplant to the required thickness. Place the slices in a colander and put the colander in a large bowl. Sprinkle the slices liberally with kosher salt and let them rest until the salt begins to draw moisture to the surface, about 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly, let drain, and blot dry.

** Cheese Sauce (makes 2cups)

5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Few grains of nutmeg
Salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk, working out any lumps that form. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk the egg yolks in a small boil and add a bit of the hot sauce to the yolks. Blend well, and return the yolk mixture to the rest of the béchamel. Stir in the cheese and blend well. Keep warm while preparing the moussaka.

Recipe Courtesy of Epicurious.com

SEASONAL SELECTIONS: EGGPLANT

August has many savory seasonal offerings and one of my very favorites is the delicious eggplant. This is an ingredient that can be cooked in so many different ways and can be incorporated into a variety of dishes of multiple coultures.

The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus [[Solanum]]. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato. It is native to India.

It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm long and 5 to 10 cm broad. Semi-wild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, has a meaty texture, and is less than in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms.

The fruit is botanically classified as a berry and contains numerous small, soft seeds which are edible, but have a bitter taste because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids; this is unsurprising as it is a close relative of tobacco.

The Eggplant : courtesy of SocialEats

FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO

WISHING EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY 

CINCO DE MAYO

SALUD Y BUEN PROVECHO!!

TIPS FOR PAIRING WINE AND FOOD

Pairing wine with the right food is a skill. You have to learn from trial and error what wine tastes best with what food. You will be able to eventually know right away what wine works with your menu. In the meantime, you can use the following 5 tips that experts use to know what direction to go with your wine and food pairing.

These tips give you some basic facts about pairing food and wine that can help you to understand more about why some wine and some foods do not mix well or why some wines work perfect with certain foods. Having this basic knowledge will help you out tremendously in your effort to learn how to pair wine with food.

1. Avoid foods that damage the taste of the wine. There are certain foods that will alter the taste of wine or make it so you can not taste the wine properly. You want to avoid foods that will not allow you to enjoy the full flavor of the wine. Such foods include – red meats with white wines; fish, vegetables and goat cheese with red wine; spice, garlic, vinegar and raw fruit with most wines.

2. Match older wines with delicate flavors. Older wines tend to have a mellower flavor that needs to be paired carefully. You can not use bold flavored foods or it will overpower the wine, perhaps even completely wipe out the subtle flavors of the wine.

3. Sweet or bitter foods accentuate the dryness of wine. You want to avoid pairing foods with a bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, or a sweet taste or aftertaste with any wine that tends to be dry. Instead you can pair these foods with a wine that is not dry.

4. Salty and acidy foods accentuate the sweetness of wine. As with bitter or sweet foods, with salty and acid foods you want to be careful paring it with wine that is sweet. You could end up with an overwhelming sweetness that prevents anyone from enjoying the wine. Try dry wines or those with a bitter taste with sweet foods.

5. More complex wines need less complex food flavors. Simple food with complex wine and complex food with simple wine is the general rule. This allows for the wine to stand out and to blend with the food.

There are no hard and fast rules to pairing food and wine. These general rules can assist you, but there are always exceptions to the rules. You just have to trust your own palette.

Just remember, the most important thing is that you enjoy your wine and your meal. 

Be willing to sample and to try things out to see if they will work or not. Eventually you will know what goes good with your favorite wines. When trying new wines, though, it will usually be trial and error to find the perfect match. Pairing food and wine is not something that you ever master because there are so many variables that makes it a never ending lesson.

Courtesy of EzineArticles.com

OCTOBER SEASONAL SELECTIONS

October is the first full month of Autumn and its the perfect time to fall in love with fresh produce. We wanted to share with you what's in season:

Fruits:

• apples
• cranberries
• dates
• figs
• grapes
• pears
• persimmons
• raspberries

Vegetables:

• beets
• Brussels sprots
• leeks
• letuce
• okra
• parsnips
• turnips
• watercress
• winter squash

Enjoy the season's best, happy cooking!!

17th ANNUAL LITTLE ITALY FESTA ~ OCTOBER 9, 2011

17th Annual Little Italy Festa
October 9, 2011   10:00 am - 6:00 pm

The Little Italy Festa is known to be one of the largest single-day Italian American festivals West of the Mississippi. Enjoy the wine & beer garden, entertainment on 2 stages, over 120 Italian food & crafter booths, sidewalk chalk art, and shop to your heart's content.

Little Italy - Downtown San Diego
India Street - between Ash & Grape Streets
Info: (619) 233-3898 www.littleitalysd.com 

OCEAN BEACH OKTOBERFEST 2011 - OCTOBER 7-8th

No one can dispute that Ocean Beach does everything differently. If it isn't the festival you'd enjoy, go out and watch the people. There's always entertainment in Ocean Beach. They'll have two stages with live music and the World Famous Sausage Toss.

Ocean Beach Oktoberfest 2011 ~ October 7th - 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. & October 8th - 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 


Location: Newport Avenue at the beach

SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT WEEK ~ JANUARY 16-21, 2011

I'm so excited, Restaurant Week starts Sunday. I love Restaurant Week!! 

San Diego Restaurant Week 2011

Extraordinary 3 course menus from San Diego's best restaurants. Experience cuisine that delights your palate and defines the art of dining in San Diego. Choose from over 180 of San Diego's best restaurants and enjoy a 3 course meal for $20, $30 or $40 per person, depending on the restaurant. Now is your chance to discover new restaurants and enjoy all your favorites at a discounted price!

What is San Diego Restaurant Week?

In its seventh year as San Diego County's largest and most successful dining event, San Diego Restaurant Week was launched with the intention of spotlighting the city as a premier dining destination. Held twice annually, this beloved culinary tradition features more than 180 of San Diego's best restaurants offering fixed price, three-course meals for $20, $30 or $40. There are no tickets or passes required. Food lovers may simply dine out at as many participating restaurants as they like during San Diego Restaurant Week, explore new dining opportunities or enjoy old favorites. Advance reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling restaurants directly or visiting their profile online.

Restaurant Week is organized by the California Restaurant Association's San Diego County Chapter. For a complete list of CRA member restaurants, click here.

San Diego Restaurant Week is part of California Restaurant Month. To learn more about California Restaurant Month and other participating cities please visit California Restaurant Month.

Not finding what you need? Contact Jenna Thompson at jenna[at]mcfarlanepromotions[dot]com or 619-233-5008.

When is it?

Restaurant Week occurs twice a year. The upcoming dates are September 19-24, 2010 & January 16-21, 2011

How do I take part in San Diego Restaurant Week?

No passes, tickets or coupons are required. Instead, diners may simply visit their favorite participating restaurants throughout the week to enjoy the special prix fixe dinner menus. It is strongly recommended that diners make reservations in advance. To make a reservation, diners may contact restaurants directly.

Which restaurants are involved?

More than 180 restaurants throughout San Diego County are participating. A complete list of participating restaurants is available here for dining ideas or you may call your favorite restaurants to see if they are participating.

Are reservations required?

No. Reservations are strongly encouraged, but walk-ins are appreciated. There is no guarantee that walk-in guests will be accommodated.

Go to the official site of San Diego Restaurant Week for more information on San Diego Restaurant Week 2011 by clicking on the image below.

Restaurant week is a great way to enjoy more of your favorite spots, but equally if not greater for trying out new restaurants or indulging in some of those fine dinning venues you may have been undecided about trying. It makes going out to dinner with friends & family a different kind of exciting to taste and review varied cuisines and new places. I'm definitely excited!

Restaurant Week is available in cities throughout the united states. Make sure to check for the Restaurant Week dates in your city.

HAPPY HOUR @ TOWER 23

I love a little posh in my life every now and then....

And for me that involves prosecco, oysters and a delightful ambiance sometimes!

I love JRDN Restaurant @ Tower23, with it's splendid sunset views and it's fantastic bar menu that contains classic bar faves as well as elaborate gourmet bites.....plus they have raw bar happy hour!!

Ummmm, yes, I love oysters!!

But, if raw-bar fare is not your thing, I absolutely recommend that you indulge in the many other small bites the bar menu has to offer....

Like the baked goat cheese plate.

Or perhaps a light and tasty tuna tartar.

And if bubbling wine doesn't float your boat either, they have a very impressive wine selection and specials on their bottles of wine on Tuesdays (don't worry guys, they have plenty of beer to offer as well!!)

But the point is, that no matter what you decide to drink or eat, you should decide to go, grab a seat on their outside lounge and enjoy the beautiful sun setting on the beach period!!

CHEERS!!

ENJOY!

I LOVE NEW YORK SALTY STREET PRETZELS

No matter what time of the year it is, you can find a fresh crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, covered with large chunks of salt, warm pretzel just about in every street corner of the NY boroughs.  Its a fantastic snack, not only is it readily available and warm, but it is low in fat and filling. All you need is a pretzel and a drink and you're good to go for the next few hours....don't you just love the practicality of it!! 


So, as I had mentioned before, I often would die for one of these tasty snacks!! I personally like to add brown mustard to mine, I don't know why it tastes so decadent with the mustard to me!! 

I had beautiful weather on my trip to New York and this day in particular was just perfect!! We decided to walk off the calories from our pizza-fest and we started heading to the east side of Lower Manhattan. As we are half way through SoHo, I can't help the overwhelming smell of coals burning and pretzels making!! Oh, I was in heaven....I followed my nose to next street corne and just as I invisioned it there it was.....a wonderful happy pretzel street cart, exactly where it was suposed to be!!!

I couldn't wait....I reached into my purse and crossed the street with the money flopping in my hands. I think the pretzel guy was extra nice out of fear from the crazy lady screaming "PRETZELLL" as she ran towards him...I know, I know, I get very excited...but, hey you only live once!!!

Anyhow, I purchase my pretzel and took a huge chunky bite out of it!!

As you can tell from the picture, I din't get the camera out of Joe's hand fast enough, but what the heck...thats exactly how good it was...worth the documented moment.

Once I got my fix, I was back to normal and we where on our way again...I must say Joe did have the other half of that pretzel.....my appetite was much bigger than my pizza full stomach!!