There's a new group in town...Eat to Love:|Feed to Love....What does that mean?
In a previous post (Do Me a Favor...) I shared some of my thoughts on why friends and gatherings are synonymous with food for me. I CANNOT go to a gathering of friends and show up empty handed...I feel naked if I do. Gathering around food, family and friends makes my heart sing. If they're happy (especially with what they are eating), then I'm happy.
In my circle of friends I am known as the go-to-gal for all things food and restaurant related. Whether it's what to take, what to make, or where to meet-up, I will always have a suggestion and a good one at that. I've become reliable that way : )
So, Knife Out is branching out with a new event forum: Eat to Love:|Feed to Love is all about feeding and connecting with the ones you love. It will consist of beautiful and creative women in the Los Angeles area that I will gather together on a quarterly basis over good food and fellowship.
Living in Los Angeles can be lonely sometimes and having a core group of sisters, I believe, is really important. These times together are all about edification, uplifting, and encouraging. I am determined to bring together women in this city who want to connect with others that are of the same mindset, which includes a negative-free zone! We catch it enough on the streets and in our workplaces that I want there to be one space that you go to (besides church, yoga class, etc.) where you can walk in feeling loved and knowing that someone is on your side.
Eat to Love: will be the group gathering at a restaurant. My goal is to have us eat our way through Los Angeles and enjoy what the culinary culture has to offer us. These times will be about creating and learning to foster new relationships with others. It's not necessarily for networking, since this word can have a negative connotation. I am more in favor of building genuine friendships/relationships so that when you need a helping hand there is someone else that can help pray with you, connect with you, or just believe for/in/with you.
Feed to Love has two parts. One will be the group choosing a charity where we will take time
to volunteer somewhere and feed the homeless, sick, or shut in. The second, will consist of meeting at a home, where we will all participate in creating dishes that we would make for those we love. This will be a more intimate gathering - a NO JUDGMENT ZONE - where people can kick off their shoes and unbuckle their pants! My hope is that we leave feeling more full than when we arrived.
Knife Out's first hosted event for Eat to Love: is Feb 8th. For more information, please contact me directly.
I am excited for this spin-off of Knife Out and my prayer and hope is that it will be as fulfilling and satisfying as I believe it will be.
As always,
Happy Knife Out!
PS Stay tuned for photos from our first event...
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Swai to the left, swai to the right...
Who's heard of swai? No? Me neither. For those of you who have, aren't you fancy!
I had been craving fish tacos so I went grocery shopping to purchase my items for dinner. I'm not a fan of tilapia so I searched through the fish section to see what else I could get. As I was searching, I came across a sign that said "Swai" which I had never seen in the store before. I was kind of in a rush so I grabbed it and headed for the checkout counter, figuring that I was going to look it up when I got home and hopefully find a quick and easy way to prepare it. I'm daring like that.
In my research I found:
Swai, which is native to Southeast Asia--Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia--is very similar in character to catfish, it has a sweet mild, taste and light flaky texture that can be broiled, grilled, or coating with bread crumbs and fried, according to experts. It can be prepared simply, but also takes well to sauces. A 3.5-ounce serving of plain fish contains around 90 calories, 4 grams of fat (1.5 saturated), 45 grams of cholesterol and 50 milligrams of sodium. Not bad. (ConsumerReports.org)
Interesting. I decided to create a quick marinade and grill the fish, adding a few fresh condiments to the side for toppings...quick, easy, and "healthy" (minus the tortillas, of course). And I can't have fish tacos without beans and rice so I prepared those while the fish was marinating. The fish doesn't take that long to cook once it's on the grill, so I was able to make this dish in under 30 mins. And it turned out wonderfully! This will also depend on how long you marinade your fish. It was so tender and flaky and had a very mild flavor BUT is still very hearty like catfish. Glad that my quick decision in the grocery worked out : )
Today's recipe:
Marinated Grilled Swai
Until next time,
Happy Knife Out!
I had been craving fish tacos so I went grocery shopping to purchase my items for dinner. I'm not a fan of tilapia so I searched through the fish section to see what else I could get. As I was searching, I came across a sign that said "Swai" which I had never seen in the store before. I was kind of in a rush so I grabbed it and headed for the checkout counter, figuring that I was going to look it up when I got home and hopefully find a quick and easy way to prepare it. I'm daring like that.
In my research I found:
Swai, which is native to Southeast Asia--Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia--is very similar in character to catfish, it has a sweet mild, taste and light flaky texture that can be broiled, grilled, or coating with bread crumbs and fried, according to experts. It can be prepared simply, but also takes well to sauces. A 3.5-ounce serving of plain fish contains around 90 calories, 4 grams of fat (1.5 saturated), 45 grams of cholesterol and 50 milligrams of sodium. Not bad. (ConsumerReports.org)
Interesting. I decided to create a quick marinade and grill the fish, adding a few fresh condiments to the side for toppings...quick, easy, and "healthy" (minus the tortillas, of course). And I can't have fish tacos without beans and rice so I prepared those while the fish was marinating. The fish doesn't take that long to cook once it's on the grill, so I was able to make this dish in under 30 mins. And it turned out wonderfully! This will also depend on how long you marinade your fish. It was so tender and flaky and had a very mild flavor BUT is still very hearty like catfish. Glad that my quick decision in the grocery worked out : )
Today's recipe:
Marinated Grilled Swai
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 tbsp. honey
- Salt & Pepper
- Fillet of Swai (I didn't rhyme on purpose, I promise)
- Corn tortillas
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Salsa verde
- Red onion
- Cole slaw
- In a small bowl, add the juice one lemon, cilantro, honey, salt and pepper.
- In a baking dish, place the fillet of Swai.
- Rub the smashed garlic on both sides of the fish and place inside the baking dish.
- Pour the lemon mixture over the fish. Let marinade for up to 1 hour making sure to turn the fish over after 30 mins.
- When you're ready to grill (indoor or outdoor, I did indoor), season the swai with a little more salt and pepper (to taste).
- Make sure to spray the grill with cooking spray so that the fish does not stick to the grates.
- Place the fish on the grill, 4-5 mins on each side (depending on the thickness), until fish is white. Place the tortillas on the grill, 1 minute on each side (just enough to warm through) and set aside. Cover them to keep them warm. Flake apart the fish and place in the center of the corn tortilla. Add your favorite toppings. It's easy!
Until next time,
Happy Knife Out!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
What's on tap for dinner...
Over the weekend my parents and I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting a restaurant that we received a gift card for. I hadn't been to said restaurant in a while and wanted to catch up on their menu. I ordered the lamb shank with seasonal vegetables & garlic mashed potatoes, my mom ordered a macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi, and my dad ordered a salad (sheesh).
Once all of our food arrived we dove into the most delicious meal. I, being the only one who eats lamb in our household (or I just ordered so brilliantly so that I didn't have to share) enjoyed every bite that I could before boxing the rest to take home to enjoy for lunch the next day. My dad's salad was....a salad. I'm not knocking salads because I do love them....but it was a salad.
My mother on the other hand fell prey to our hands constantly in her dish because her macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi was cooked to perfection. My dad is not prone to sharing food nor does he receive offers from other people's plates but this particular night he went to my mom's plate for seconds (and possibly for a third bite). This is a true testament that this dish was delicious. And for the next several days all we heard from him was how much he enjoyed it. So, I did some research on some macadamia nut crusted dishes and decided to take his favorite fish and turn it into one of his newly favorite dishes. Today's revamped recipe comes from fellow blogger Jo-Anna over at aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com.
Macadamia Nut Crusted Salmon
Once all of our food arrived we dove into the most delicious meal. I, being the only one who eats lamb in our household (or I just ordered so brilliantly so that I didn't have to share) enjoyed every bite that I could before boxing the rest to take home to enjoy for lunch the next day. My dad's salad was....a salad. I'm not knocking salads because I do love them....but it was a salad.
My mother on the other hand fell prey to our hands constantly in her dish because her macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi was cooked to perfection. My dad is not prone to sharing food nor does he receive offers from other people's plates but this particular night he went to my mom's plate for seconds (and possibly for a third bite). This is a true testament that this dish was delicious. And for the next several days all we heard from him was how much he enjoyed it. So, I did some research on some macadamia nut crusted dishes and decided to take his favorite fish and turn it into one of his newly favorite dishes. Today's revamped recipe comes from fellow blogger Jo-Anna over at aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com.
Macadamia Nut Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
1 flank of salmon (we usually cut these up to serving sizes)
1c - Macadamia Nuts
¼c - Teriyaki sauce
¼c - maple syrup
1 tsp - ginger powder
Salt
Pepper
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Pulse
the macadamia nuts in the food processor.*
They will still be pretty coarse in texture but not too chunky. Set aside. In a baking dish, carefully place your fish (either the whole flank or the portion sizes that you have created). Gently brush on some teriyaki sauce, generously coating the top of the salmon. Next, brush on the maple syrup. Then add the crushed macadamia nuts, covering the top of the fish, making a crust. Sprinkle on your ginger, salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 20 mins (depending on the thickness of your salmon, 10 minutes per 1 inch thickness of your salmon). (If the macadamia nuts are starting to brown too quickly, place a piece of tin foil over the top and continue baking.) If not, when its ready to come out of the oven, turn on the broiler and let it sit for 2-3 mins until the macadamia nuts are golden brown.
They will still be pretty coarse in texture but not too chunky. Set aside. In a baking dish, carefully place your fish (either the whole flank or the portion sizes that you have created). Gently brush on some teriyaki sauce, generously coating the top of the salmon. Next, brush on the maple syrup. Then add the crushed macadamia nuts, covering the top of the fish, making a crust. Sprinkle on your ginger, salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 20 mins (depending on the thickness of your salmon, 10 minutes per 1 inch thickness of your salmon). (If the macadamia nuts are starting to brown too quickly, place a piece of tin foil over the top and continue baking.) If not, when its ready to come out of the oven, turn on the broiler and let it sit for 2-3 mins until the macadamia nuts are golden brown.
This quick and simple recipe is not a household favorite of ours. I hope you enjoy as much as we did! If you do try it, drop me a line and let me know how it work out for you or if you have any questions about the proportions or preparation of the fish.
As always,
Happy Knife Out!
*Don't have a food processor? Use a coffee grinder. Don't have a coffee grinder? Use your good old-fashioned hands. Place the macadamia nuts in a bag and use a coffee cup or a juice glass to grind the macadamia nuts. Where there's a will...there's a way!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Baby It's Cold Outisde...Well, not in CA...
Welcome to the 2014!
My parents church had a chili cook-off that I participated in. It was my first competition of the sort and I started a week before preparing everything I needed to do to have my recipe ready for review (which definitely included visits to several grocery stores to acquire all of my ingredients). My father is a vegetarian...so.....he couldn't taste my chili. And two days before the competition my mother fell ill with a stomach bug and could not hold any food down. What was a girl to do? Luckily, I have some dear friends who do not mind eating my cooking ; ) So off to LA I drove and received a glowing response from three dear friends. I knew I was ready.
Sunday morning came and my crock pot of chili crossed several city lines and was ready for taste testing. The judges that participated could not be competing, nor could they have any family members that were competing. This was a very serious competition. The judges tasted without knowing who's chili belonged to whom. While the the results were being tallied, the cooks served their pots of chili to congregants. And I am proud to announce that my pot of chili won 2nd place!
For my friends snowed-in in NY, I hope you have all of these spices+ingredients in your cabinets. If not, I'm sure you will be able to make some variation of the recipe.
Now, I will not be posting the recipe that I created (of course not, it's a secret) BUT I will be posting a recipe that one of my favorite chefs (Ina Garten) shared on her show, the Barefoot Contessa. I present to you:
Devon's Award Winning Chili
My parents church had a chili cook-off that I participated in. It was my first competition of the sort and I started a week before preparing everything I needed to do to have my recipe ready for review (which definitely included visits to several grocery stores to acquire all of my ingredients). My father is a vegetarian...so.....he couldn't taste my chili. And two days before the competition my mother fell ill with a stomach bug and could not hold any food down. What was a girl to do? Luckily, I have some dear friends who do not mind eating my cooking ; ) So off to LA I drove and received a glowing response from three dear friends. I knew I was ready.
Sunday morning came and my crock pot of chili crossed several city lines and was ready for taste testing. The judges that participated could not be competing, nor could they have any family members that were competing. This was a very serious competition. The judges tasted without knowing who's chili belonged to whom. While the the results were being tallied, the cooks served their pots of chili to congregants. And I am proud to announce that my pot of chili won 2nd place!
For my friends snowed-in in NY, I hope you have all of these spices+ingredients in your cabinets. If not, I'm sure you will be able to make some variation of the recipe.
Now, I will not be posting the recipe that I created (of course not, it's a secret) BUT I will be posting a recipe that one of my favorite chefs (Ina Garten) shared on her show, the Barefoot Contessa. I present to you:
Devon's Award Winning Chili
Ingredients
5 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
Serve with:
Sour cream
Grated Cheddar
Diced tomato
Tortilla chips
5 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
Serve with:
Sour cream
Grated Cheddar
Diced tomato
Tortilla chips
Directions
Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed pot and quickly brown the meat, in batches, on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin and saute for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the reserved meat, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, to taste.
Add the kidney beans and warm through. Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl and serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomato, and tortilla chips.
Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed pot and quickly brown the meat, in batches, on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin and saute for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the reserved meat, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, to taste.
Add the kidney beans and warm through. Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl and serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomato, and tortilla chips.
**Should you have the time to try the recipe, please let me know how it turns out. You may not have all of the ingredients (namely, the meat) but I do suggest making sure that these list of spices stay stocked in your cupboard.
As always,
Happy Knife out
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