Grilling

Grilled Mediterranean Pizzas + GIVEAWAY!

September 12, 2019

With Labor Day behind us we’re reaching the end of summer, and although everyone marks that specific date as the end of the season, we actually still have a few more weeks of summer left! Until September 23rd to be exact. That means we don’t have to start adding pumpkin spice to everything, just yet. Hold off on setting out those Halloween decorations and why not join me in celebrating these last two weeks by hosting a “I Don’t Want Summer to End” party with your family and friends. Have one more final BBQ or potluck outside and squeeze out every last drop of the season. I’m teaming up with my friends over at Crate and Barrel to bring you this recipe for Grilled Mediterranean Pizzas! It’s the perfect late summer entertaining recipe. I also wanted to showcase Crate and Barrel’s new and exclusive KitchenAid Stand Mixer in the beautiful Shaded Palm color. It adds a nice touch to any kitchen. In honor of this new release, I’m hosting a Giveaway over on my Instagram account for a chance to win one of these KitchenAid mixers of your very own. Follow along there to get all the details on how to enter! In the meantime, let’s talk about pizza—one of my favorite topics!

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Lomo Saltado Kabobs

September 10, 2019

I still remember the first time I tried Peruvian food and it changed my life completely. It opened my taste buds to another world that I can no longer see my life without. I don’t want to sound melodramatic but it’s nothing but the truth. It all started when my older sister started dating a guy in high school who’s family was from Peru. Side note, his name was also Jonathan which made it a little weird for everyone, especially me, but I digress. He introduced her, and then subsequently us, to a Peruvian restaurant which we still frequent to this day, long after they broke up and now she’s married to someone else with child. That restaurant was the best thing to come out of that relationship. My introduction to Peruvian food was Lomo Saltado, which is a beef stir-fry of sorts, with french fries. It’s so good! I wanted to take that dish and reinvent in a way by turning it into an end-of-summer friendly recipe that anyone can make. It’s out of this world and I can’t recommend it enough. You’re going to love it!

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Caprese Burgers

July 12, 2017

Summer means burgers and burgers means you’re the luckiest person alive because you’re about to eat something amazing and delicious. Especially if said burgers are flavored with pesto and topped with fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. You catching what I’m throwing at ya? Classic burger meets everyone’s favorite Italian salad. I’m using the word salad loosely here because there’s no lettuce involved and I’m not complaining about it. Anyhow, where was I? If this burger doesn’t hit you over the head, screaming at you, “THIS IS SUMMER!” Then I don’t know what will. I don’t think I know the answer to that. I don’t think I know you at all. Lucky for us all though, these Caprese Burgers are here to rescue us from the summer heat and cooking conundrum that plagues us all on a week to week basis, “What’s something easy and delicious that I can make for dinner tonight?” I mean, you still have to fire up a grill or heat up a griddle and cook these, but I mean at least you’ll have a burger at the end of it, and isn’t that what we’re all after in the end? A tasty burger that’s out of the box. These are for you.

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Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Greek Salad

July 28, 2015

It’s starting to get really hot over here in Los Angeles. Well in all honesty it’s been hot for a while now, but I’m just barely starting to notice it. The last thing anyone should be doing during this time of year is cooking in a hot kitchen for hours and hours. That sounds like torture. So to make things a little bit easier for us, I’m throwing this refreshing summer salad right at your face. Minus the standing over a hot grill/grill pan part, this is actually a quick and easy recipe that you can have ready in no time at all. The kind of recipe we need during the week. Sure, I have you grilling a few things along the way, so okay maybe we’re not avoiding the heat like I mentioned earlier BUT in my defense, the grilling part is super quick and the flavor you get from it is incredible, so it’s totally worth it. We can suffer for a few minutes all for the sake of food, right? Right.

Have you ever had watermelon, mint and feta together? The combination is out of this world delicious. The kind of thing that upon first hearing about, you’re skeptical, because it sounds super suspicious so you eat it with caution, but three bites in and you’re hooked. It’ll be the best thing you’ll taste all summer trust me. When you throw grilled shrimp into the mix, all bets are off. Go home because this salad has just won at life. It was inspired by a salad I just recently tried at a restaurant. I won’t mention the name of it because it’s the type of establishment you’re embarrassed to admit you’ve eaten at. We don’t need to dwell on that piece of information though, let’s move on. Anyhow, the salad had mixed baby greens, watermelon, feta and a mint honey vinaigrette and it was everything I never knew I wanted. The watermelon was really refreshing because it was super cold and added a great texture to the salad, along with the salty bits of feta throughout. I know I’m going on and on about this salad (we get it Jonathan), but I was pleasantly surprised. So I decided to go home and give it a go and try to make it myself like the restaurant’s version, but completely different and nothing like the original.

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Grilled Vegetable Lasagna

November 3, 2011

There is something about the cold crisp autumn weather that just requires long cooking sessions in a warm cozy kitchen. It beckons you to pull out those comfort food recipes and make something delicious and heartwarming in order to fill the entire house with warmth. Those slow baked, home cooked meals are the ones that take you back home. Back to the happy moments when you were younger and your mother, grandmother, father, grandfather, sister or brother cooked for hours and hours. Prepared delicious meals that always tasted knocked you off your feet.

Early one Sunday morning, you take a walk to your local grocery store, maybe even a farmer’s market. The organic atmosphere of the friendly environment instantly makes you feel better. Sure you haven’t been eating the healthiest lately, but its all about to change tonight for dinner. You are determined to make something that is filled with vegetables. Something that wont fill you to the top with guilt. Everyone is strolling around checking out the stalls. Looking at the fresh produce, feeling for the “best” picks, perhaps even trying a few ripe juicy fruits. Amongst all of the environmentally friendly people, the recycle-loving, free-spirited people; there with the non-chemical, natural produce all around, you get the sudden urge to make a comfort dish that is not only healthy but satisfying. With a goal in mind you travel through the different vendors and pick the produce that is best for you and the lasagna you plan to make.

Zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms, and fresh herbs. The ideas come cascading like a waterfall. A noodle free lasagna that would please any hungry appetite out there. Gluten-free but only by default, its the perfect dish to make in order to get on the healthy track. You arrive home, turn on the oven, and allow the grilling vegetables to fill your house with the aroma of summer; although you know that your right smack down in the middle of autumn. As the marinara sauce simmers, and you start to assemble the lasagna, you start to get excited and happy. While the lasagna bakes, you can’t decide which is more terrible, the 40 minutes you have to wait, and then the 20 minutes of cooling or the fact that you have to share with others. Satisfied you pull out the lasagna from the oven and allow it to rest before cutting. The solution to the problem; you serve yourself a big piece, and everyone else a smaller but modest piece. Enjoying every last bite, you vow that this will be added to your cooking repertoire. Content and more than happy, you sleep well at night because you know you’ve just had a healthy and satisfying meal; no guilt required.

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Good Ol’ Beef and Pork Burgers

September 13, 2011

You can’t decide what is for dinner tonight. The thought of having to figure out what to make for supper, yet again, makes your insides cringe. It forces you not to want to go home. Face those restless children, who are hungry, eagerly awaiting for food. Because they’re always hungry. After all they’re growing seedlings. You’re tired of all the fast food joints. The greasy, unhealthy food beckons. It calls after you. “Come inside.” Why you might ask? Probably because it’s simple and quick. You don’t have to worry about anything. A quick fix solution. You might even justify it by telling yourself that you are saving time and money, in the long run. “Once in a while isn’t bad. I’ll just cook tomorrow, and the kids really wants burgers tonight.” It definitely doesn’t help if all you get from the kiddies is “Oh please, can we please have burgers tonight?” Their taunts and yearnings are making you cave. Driving you crazy. “I’ll stop by the drive-thru on the way home and pick something up.” That’s settled. That’s what I’ll do. “Burgers sound good!”

Well, this is your conscious speaking. Fight the urge! Don’t go down that unhealthy path. You don’t want to keep feeding your children that garbage. You want to give them nutritionally sound meals. Or at the very least something homemade. It doesn’t have to be a five star gourmet meal. What’s more, you don’t have to be a gourmet five star Chef to feed your family right.

Try making you’re own “fast food.” By cooking it yourself, you can easily control the quality and freshness of the ingredients and the salt intake. So the troops back at home want burgers. Well then burgers they shall get! Better burgers! More flavorful burgers, without all the fat and salt found at those chain restaurants. So you think you don’t have time to make homemade burgers? Think again. These burgers are fast and delicious. You’ll feel a whole lot better feeding this to your loved ones, and they wont be dragged down by all the preservatives and additives. A much healthier alternative than those greasy options.

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