Fall is Having an Identity Crisis.

October is being a tricky minx. It knows that I want it to be cold and autumn-ish, and that is why it is now 90 degrees outside.

October is trying to spite me. But you know what? It's totally okay, because I'm taking the high road, and embracing this "Oops, we forgot to tell you it's still summer for a few more days" situation. I don't hate it.

Yesterday, I left my air-conditioned office, and was smacked in the face by dry October heat. So I did what anyone would do, when it's 95 degrees in mid-October. I went home, put on a bathing suit, and laid on the beach for an hour. And because it was still hot out when I was done (literally done, like cooked), I went inside and invented the best, "It's 90-degrees in October cocktail".

Recipe after the pictures. You're Welcome. Happy Friday.

Lemons from my parents' backyard in Santa Barbara.

Fresh mint from my tiny window garden.

I didn't have a strainer or a cocktail shaker.

I made do with a tea tumbler. Resourcefulness.

This drink is best enjoyed outdoors in the fading summer/autumn light and warmth.

"Solstice"      
 *Thanks to my dear friend Blake for coming up with this very appropriate drink name.
Serves 6

1/2 c. white sugar
2 1/2 c. water
4 - 6 lemons

(or... go to the store, get some Simply Lemonade and skip the first three steps. I'm not judging you). 

12 oz. vodka
6 oz. peach schnapps
20-30 large mint leaves

Directions: Slice the lemons in half and juice them, then strain juice from the pulp and seeds. Mix in a pitcher with water and sugar. (If you bought lemonade, then skip the above steps, you lazy bum...)

Separate the mint leaves into six portions , and then muddles the leaves (or if you don't have a mortar and pestle, chop it up and roll it between your fingers) and then put the leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker (or if you're me, a tea strainer).

Add ice to the shaker, and then add lemonade, 2 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce peach schnapps. Shake vigorously (really vigorously), and then strain into a glass. Garnish with more fresh mint and a twist of lemon.

Note: if you don't want to make them one at a time, you could also mix it all up and pitcher and just serve over ice, but word of warnings, the lemonade makes the mint turn kind of brown, and not pretty after a little while.

Also note: If mint isn't you're thing, this recipe is equally good with rosemary or lavender. Now hurry! Go make this and drink it outside while it's still sunny and hot out!

On Food, Love, & Life.

 "Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with complete abandon, or not at all." - Julia Child


Sometimes I'm afraid people read my blog and think my life is too good to be true.

Truthfully, its pretty darn good, so I can't complain, but its not perfect, and neither am I. To prove my point (in case you missed the last post about my dubious experience with criminals), I want reveal one of my many  flaws:

I'm an emotional eater/cook. Some people drink. Some people do drugs. I cook and eat. I cook when I'm happy. I cook when I'm sad. I sometimes cook when I'm angry, or jealous, or bored. It doesn't sound like that big a deal, but when you've had a hard day at work or a fight with a friend, and then you cope by purchasing $68 worth of groceries for one night's dinner, it can become a problem.  On not-so rare occasions, I've then gone home, prepared an elaborate meal that took 3 hours to cook, and a) eaten all of it in one sitting, or b) been too tired to eat more than a few bites. Neither one of these is a good situation (unless you happen to be my roommate in scenario b).

It goes without saying, the more upset or anxious or sad I am, the more intricate the recipe I will probably attempt to make. There's something about cooking that's therapeutic. There's something calming in knowing that even if I can't make my relationships turn out right, I can take 15 ingredients and combine them into something that's going to turn out perfectly. Or at least, its supposed to turn out perfectly.

But things don't always go as planned. Sometimes even the best planned meals burn, or turn out too salty or bland. And sometimes the ones that you throw together at the last minute with whatever is left in your fridge wind up being the best. And sometimes it just takes practice.

Practice reducing a sauce with heavy cream and wine so its not too runny, but also so it doesn't turn into congealed goop.

Practice searing a meat so its flavorful and done, but not dry and tough.

Practice makes food perfect. Except when it doesn't. That's when you sigh,  order thai food take out, and hope it works out better the next time.

There's not always a perfect recipe to make food turn out just right. There sure isn't a recipe for life and relationships.

You just chop, and dice, and sautee, and simmer, and cross your fingers.

And sometimes, just sometimes, its perfect.

                                                                          ~

Below is one of my favorite comfort food recipes, that I stole adapted from my good friend and ex-roommate Liz (she's the author of Twenty-Something). This recipe always makes me feel better. It's something about the richness of wine and heavy cream and the summer-y taste of lemons and artichokes. Enjoy!

Lemon & Rosemary Chicken in White Wine Cream Sauce

This is for Holidays with loved ones....or days when you just don't get out of bed all day.

So much is going on, I don't know where to start! It's almost Christmas, and this weekend was a crazy whirlwind of holiday fun, involving a white elephant party, (where I had the serendipitous pleasure of meeting one of the awesomely infamous members of the BadMan Blog) as well as participating in a rain soaked pub crawl, and dressing up like the spirit of Christmas Cheer, if christmas cheer took the form of a very festive black girl in holiday pajamas and rain boots.

By the time Sunday morning rolled around, I was done. I mean, done. I had planned to go to yoga in Brentwood, and maybe brave the rain and take on a Farmers Market, but then my body said "Yeah right, silly girl, you're not going anywhere." I slept in until probably 10AM okay noon, and when I woke up, I was ravenous. And that's where I got the inspiration for this post, because I decided to make one of my favorite holiday breakfast foods: Strata.

In case you're wondering what that is, here is the scientific definition: Strata n.1. if scramble eggs and toast got married and then had a party with all of your favorite omelette toppings inside a baking pan, Strata would be their lovechild. 2. The delicious breakfast you make for your friends/family during the holidays, when it's cold and rainy/snowy outside so they'll fall under your spell, love you forever, and do whatever you say (Unless you are SJP in the movie Family Stone, because she tries to make this dish and it ends very very badly).

Anyhow, I was starving. So, I gathered up all the ingredients in my tiny kitchen, and set to work.

 And after 30 minutes in the oven, here was the end result:

Well, that was the end, end result. but here's what strata looks like before you devour it whole:

Yum. Even with my sub par blackberry photography, that still looks kinda good, right?

 So you're probably wondering, "Why the heck are you blogging about what you had for breakfast?" And the answer is, because I love you. I'm giving you this recipe so you can bring breakfast cheer to all. Plus, it's so easy to make, but everyone who eats it will think you're a genius. Note: this recipe is not for the health conscious, and frankly, neither am I. It has cheese, and cream, and other delicious naughty ingredients. Like Julia Child, I believe the only time to eat something low fat is while you're waiting for your steak to cook. Also Note: I made this in my toaster oven in a pan that was probably about 5" x 8", so I've double the measurements for you. So here's the recipe. 

Merry Christmas from the Tiny Kitchen!

Holiday Strata

very lightly toasted sourdough, cut into cubes (enough to layer on the bottom of a pan)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups jack cheese (or whatever kind you like)
1 cup mushrooms
salt & pepper
2 cups bruschetta (this is just chopped tomato, garlic, and fresh basil mixed with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper)

Lightly grease a shallow baking dish and layer toasted bread cubes in the bottom in a single layer. Spread bruschetta and mushrooms over the bread cubes, then layer cheese over the top of that. Combine, eggs, cream, and sour cream in a  separate bowl with salt and pepper.

 Pour egg and cream mixture evenly over the bread and topping, and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until eggs are firm or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Some recipes for strata say you need to let this refrigerate over night, and use day old bread, but I've made this multiple times, and I don't think it makes a difference. Also, if it does, I don't care, because I'm impatient when it comes to food.You can also add bacon or sausage to this, and it's even more wonderful. Just fry it up, add it to the mix, and bake.

Twist: for a little southwest flair, swap out the bruschetta and mushrooms, and add salsa and green chiles. Bomb.