Delicious Cravings: Slow Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork

Early last week, a blogger I follow on Instagram posted a picture of BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich and the little baby growing inside me whispered, "Give me that."   Shredded pork, thick BBQ sauce, buttery bun, I needed it now! We've been basking in the laziness of a 4 day weekend thanks to today's French holiday - May Day - which is basically like French Labor Day.  We decided this weekend would be the perfect...

Opaque: Dining in the Dark

Last week, our friends Dawn and Marq invited us to join them at Opaque, a restaurant that allows its patrons to experience dining in a completely unique way:  in the dark.  This European trend arrived to SF a few years and the point is for the diners to use their senses of taste, touch, sound and smell, rather than sight, when eating.  All of their servers are either blind or visually impaired and are specially...

French Immersion: Coq au Vin

In the spirit of embracing our move to France, I have been trying my hand at a few classic French dishes, like the Salmon en Papillote.  Last weekend I decided to make Coq au Vin for The Hub, Kate and Shawn. Do you think it's beautiful?  Well you better, because it took me almost SIX HOURS to make it.  It was a labor of love that was really, really delicious.  The French sure know how to develop flavor...

Richard Goes Crazy and a Shrimp-Quinoa Salad

Before I get into today's recipe, I just have to share a few thoughts on last night's episode of  Top Chef, which is obviously one of my favorite shows.  I've seen every season (including Top Chef Masters) except for the D.C. season.  I love, love, love Richard Blais.  I think he is the best chef who has ever been on the show, period.  Game Over.  When you think about what makes someone a "Top Chef", Richard...

Pretty Parchment Packets: Salmon en Papillote

A lot of times when friends come into town, they want to take advantage of being by the ocean and go to a "seafood restaurant" for dinner.  I'm always a little perplexed by that request because in San Francisco, you can get fish at almost every restaurant, not just seafood restaurants.  However, I do have a go-to spot to satisfy that craving:  Hyde Street Seafood House. My favorite thing to get is the Salmon...

Crunchy & Colorful Winter Salad with Red Onion Vinaigrette

I try to eat a salad for lunch everyday but, let's face it, salads get boring.  A typical lunchtime salad for me includes romaine or spinach leaves with cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, carrots and lowfat feta.  Simple, easy to make the night before, and light on the calories.  This week I decided to mix it up by making a Crunchy and Colorful Winter Salad with Red Onion Vinaigrette.  I swapped out the boring...

Hub Specialty: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

In April 2008, The Hub and I took a trip to Jamaica to attend our friend's wedding in her hometown of Montego Bay.  We had a really fun time chilling on the Caribbean, experiencing the local culture and eating some amazing homemade island food!  We stopped at roadstand after roadstand for some spicy, authentic Jerk Chicken - one of our favorite parts of the trip! Ever since that trip, The Hub...

Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad

Last week we had our monthly Book Club meeting with an extra bonus celebration for Kate's Birthday.  We read The Glass Castle which is a raw and startling memoir about a family moving around the US living in poverty.  The author's parents were clearly mentally ill and the children were forced to fight for their own survival.  I've read a lot of memoirs in my day and this was one of the most interesting and eye...

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

This decadent dish was featured on the cover of the January/February issue of Cooking Light and I have been eyeing it for weeks.  A slightly "healthier" version of the traditional saltimbocca, this recipe does not call for cheese or dredging the meat in flour and frying in a lot of oil.  Instead it relies on the saltiness of the thinly sliced prosciutto and the tangyness of the lemon to create a rich...

First Meal in the Dutch Oven!

Remember a few weeks ago when I told you I'd be buying a Dutch Oven?  After some careful research, I decided on Martha Stewart's 5.5 Quart Red Dutch Oven for $69 at Macy's.  What a great deal!  And I had a gift card, so I literally paid nothing for this beautiful kitchen staple.  A Dutch Oven is heavy, cast iron pot used in long, slow cooking.  Kind of like a crockpot, except that it is meant to withstand very...