27.8.14

It's pouring colors of change

I'm back!  After quite a hiatus, and the urging of many people, I plan to kickstart this blog again.  I will need to rework the structure, focus and flow, but in the meantime, ENJOY!


The above picture CMYK, by Skurktur, a design firm in Norway, is my current desktop background.  I first saw the image in a girlfriend's instagram feed on her travels, and I immediately loved the mixed media stenciled piece of work.  While art is meant to evoke different feelings and meanings for individuals (this image was used in Italy for political and economic reform), I found this to be personally uplifting and applicable to shifts in my professional life.  

18.9.12

Jalapeno & Mint Meatballs


image megan*christine

a few holidays’ back my italian nanny taught us how to make gnocchi. the lesson itself was a beautiful gift, and the tips were priceless. despite how modest my grandmother can be, you can't let her fool you. she is an amazing italian cook, and everyone in our family can attest to that. it's been in the recent years that she finally saw our appreciation, as grandchildren, from another level, as we begged for her recipes so that we could recreate her dishes on our own. of all of her creations, i think the family would agree that her anise cookies, tomato sauce, chicken cacciatore and meatballs are the best. i steer from baking, so i have yet to attempt the cookies, but my sister-in-law, jessa, mastered them (which makes my brother quite the happy man). this past weekend i contemplated dusting off the recipe for her meatballs, as i challenged myself to make better meatballs than a local market in san francisco. with bryan's deep appreciation of meatballs, i anticipated that he might be a tough critic. i picked through epicurious for a good recipe, finding one for meatballs in tomato serrano chile sauce, and tweaked it for personal taste. the below is my version of the bon appetit recipe, and i think we could have handled more jalapeno (but that is us). i think two clean plates said enough, but this was pretty tasty

Jalapeno & Mint Meatballs
Meatballs
2 sandwhich thins toasted and choppped into small pieces
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound grassfed ground beef
1 (14 1/2) -ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Sauce
3 medium jalapenos, stemmed
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 (14 1/2) -ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
Salt & Pepper

1/4 cup EVOO
2 cup water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups Instant Brown Rice
1 can Organic Black Beans
1/3 cup white onion, chopped

For sauce:

Line heavy small skillet or baking pan with foil; add chiles and garlic. Bake on Broil until skins begin to blister and blacken, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Cool garlic slightly, then peel.
Working in batches, puree tomatoes with juices, whole chiles, and garlic in blender until almost smooth. Add S&P to taste.

For meatballs:

Combine bread, milk, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper in large bowl. Mash with fork until thick paste forms. Mix in beef, tomatoes, egg, and mint (mixture will be soft). Using 1/4 cupful for each, form mixture into 2-inch balls (or desired size).

Heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, flipping until all sides are browned. Add tomato puree; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a small pan, saute onions until clear and add black beans. Simmer until warm.

Bring Water to a boil in small sauce pan, add rice and cook for 5 minutes.
Spoon Rice and Beans into a shallow bowl. Top rice with meatballs and sauce and serve.

21.8.12

jalapeno honey dijon pork


A relaxing week inVirginia ended with an incredibly fun, but excessive in every way, weekend in DC.  It felt so great to be back in the kitchen and not eating out.  With the little energy I had in me, this recipe delivered a lot of flavor in little time.

**I chose to slice the pork in medallions instead of kabobs & broiled instead of grilled.  I served with cauliflower mashers & broccoli sauteed with tapatio, honey & lime.

From Gourmet magazine

Jalapeño Honey Mustard Pork Kebabs

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey

1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 fresh or pickled jalapeño chili, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)

1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 pound), trimmed and cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Prepare grill.

In a bowl whisk together mustard, honey, garlic paste,lemon juice, jalapeño, and salt and pepper to taste and reserve 1 tablespoon of marinade in a small bowl for basting kebabs.


Add pork to marinade remaining in bowl. Toss pork pieces to coat well and marinate 15 minutes.


Thread pork onto two 10-inch metal skewers and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 minutes. Turn kebabs and baste with reserved marinade. Grill kebabs, turning and basting them, 10 to 15 minutes more, or until pork is cooked through and registers 160°F. on a meat thermometer. (Alternatively, kebabs may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)


image megan*christine



3.7.12

golden run


a few shots while i was enjoying a quick run to the golden gate bridge during lunch.  can't complain about the summer sunshine in san francisco.  it's a great run along the water, which eventually leads up to the bridge (at which point i turned my loop). 

27.6.12

walk to the park


i decided to take a stroll from the marina to AT&T park to watch the giants play the dodgers.  it was a 4 mile walk, which isn't bad at all on a nice san francisco day (although my fancy sandals may have been a bad choice in footwear).  walking along the embarcadero i was amazed to see how much space was left unused on the piers.  although, i have no idea what the city has planned or what absurd zoning regulations may exist for such a space.  i did appreciate the extensive public art, which frankly is around much of the city.  always a supporter of the arts, public pieces are mutually beneficial to both the artist and the greater population, making a space that much more aesthetically pleasing. 

22.6.12

exploring LoHi


before heading to the airport, i decided to explore the LoHi neighborhood in denver.  previously i had enjoyed drinks at linger and a delicious dinner at root down (both which i highly recommend).  but i hadn't seen the area during the day.  for those familiar with san diego, it felt a bit like the east village.  a boom in redevelopment brought in fresh establishments and renovation.  an artistic vibe is evident through galleries and graffiti (i have a soft spot for graffiti).  and with the addition of the pedestrian bridge, getting to downtown is very easy by foot or bike.

* images megan.christine