Steak and Eggs with Smoked Paprika

In Theaters Everywhere…

Over the weekend my sister and I saw the movie Chef. It reminded me to strive to do what I am passionate about.

I was also reminded that this is the beginning of Blockbuster Movie season. Walking through the theater, I got a preview of what’s to come. The walls were covered in posters advertising what will be blown up, turned into robots, animated, scared to death, invaded by aliens, laughed at, and enjoyed.

Summer Movie season is a little of everything. There are a few heavy films here and there (The Fault In Our Stars, anyone?) But for the most part the movies reflect the season. It’s a fun and carefree way to spend some time cooling off from the afternoon heat, and to ingest way more than your daily allowance of sugar from candy and sodium from buttered popcorn.

I have been introducing my kids to some of my favorite movies from when I was their age. Back to the Future was a big hit, as was The Goonies. Unfortunately, I was made to suffer through Ace Ventura Pet Detective—but it was worth it if only to watch my boys totally loose it laughing.

This week’s recipe, Steak and Eggs with Smoked Paprika, is inspired by one of my favorite summer movies, Twister. “Tasty Cow Aunt Meg.” Twister is one of my guilty pleasures, and everything a summer movie should be. It’s scientifically questionable, totally cheezy, and epically cool when seen on the big screen. (It’s also quite good when shown on the garage door on a hot summer night!)

If I catch it while channel surfing, I am incapable of passing it by. (Along with Top Gun, Stand By Me, Speed, Bull Durham…ooooo! Backdraft, Men in Black, Braveheart, Independence Day, The Sandlot, any Harry Potter, Forrest Gump…)

Brazilian Feijoada and Caipirinhas

The Beautiful Game

Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!
For those of you living a normal day-to-day existence, this week is like any other—although for some it is the last week of school, which makes this week (in the eyes of the kids) awesome. For us sports junkies, this week kicks of a month of pounding hearts, adrenaline spikes, heated debates, and hair pulling as the greatest sporting event in the world begins…the 2014 World Cup.

Aside from the Olympics, this is the only sporting event where the winners can legitimately call themselves a World Champion. Here in the U.S., soccer is well-loved by our younger generations, but for the most part takes a back seat to football and baseball. The rest of the world on the other hand, goes nuts for it. And I do mean nuts.,

This year’s games are being played in Rio de Jeneiro, which couldn’t be a more appropriate location. (Talk about a party!) Brazil has a long history of great soccer, and is looking to prove to the world again just how dominant they are in the sport.

For me, it’s an excuse to eat Brazilian food. I know. Not exactly the kind of fare you will find around every corner though you can find it—especially in the Bay Area. One of my favorite dishes is Feijoada.

Feijoada is Brazil’s most emblematic dish. It is stewed meat and beans with sausage and rice and collard greens. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it.) Throw in a caipirinha and I am a happy girl. Too many of those caipirinhas and I am too happy. (Be careful. Caipirinhas are the kind of drinks where you wake up in a road-side ditch…Don’t wake up in a road-side ditch!)

Authentic Feijoada can be time intensive and uses unfamiliar smoked cuts of meat not easily found by most Americans. (How’s that for diplomatic?) Below are two recipes for different versions of Feijoada. The first one is a not so traditional version from Chef Eric Ripert and is more approachable for the American home: the ingredients are more readily available, and the recipe is less labor-intensive. The second is a more traditional version for those who are up for the challenge.

And of course, the Caipirinhas…
Read more…

Santa Maria Style Tri Tip Marinade

Enough Already…

Summer insanity has invaded my world. There are still three weeks left of school, but I get a distinct impression that the only people who really care are the teachers…and even that might be a stretch. I have end-of-school-year burn out.

I no longer care if the kids are turning in their reading logs on Friday. I have given up on looking over their homework. And I consider it a major accomplishment if I can get a reasonably nutritious lunch into their backpacks in the morning. I am so over this school year, and my kids are ready for a break too.

The fact that we are in the middle of an amazing end to the little league baseball season is not helping our cause. We are crossing our fingers that we can celebrate a double Championship baseball season this week. My daughter’s team went undefeated in the regular season and swept their playoff games to win the Girls Pioneer (7-8) Softball Championship. This week, my boys are playing in their Boys American (9-10) Baseball Championship game against the Yankees. (Why does it always have to be the Yankees?) It is thrilling and so much fun, but I feel like I should have my mail forwarded to the baseball field. We aren’t home much, and I think it goes without saying that dinner around the kitchen table hasn’t been happening too often.

But, thank goodness it’s always easy to throw something on the grill. And we have been doing that a lot if only to have actual food for a change instead of the hot dog from the snack shack, or the pizza we picked up on the way home.

Last weekend, I marinated some tri-tips for after the game, and they turned out great. I used a recipe for Santa Maria Style Tri Tip Marinade that I adapted from The Food Network. It was a tasty, and an easy make ahead (kinda) dinner for busy summer evenings. Read more…

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches, Mint, and Almonds

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
Six years ago, when we moved into our current house, one of the first things we did (even before fixing the doors) was plant a fruit orchard on the Front 40 of our lot.

We originally planted 12 trees: 2 Peach, 2 Nectarine, 1 French Prune, 1 Sekel Pear, 2 Cherry, and 4 Apple. It’s been a painful process, often because we think we kinda know what we are doing—but we really don’t. Most of the time we just get lucky.

We lost one of the Peach trees to gophers, and have gone through multiple rounds of peach leaf curl. Last year we had quite a few prunes and apparently they were quite tasty. At least the squirrels thought so—since they ate them all.

This year things are looking up. The trees are bigger, and loaded with early signs of a decent crop: especially the Nectarine. It looks like we might actually get to harvest some of it. (Quick, somebody knock on wood!)

We usually head out to Brentwood to do our peach and nectarine picking this time of year, but I am hoping we can just eat our own crop. I have a feeling we will still end up in Brentwood. Peaches and nectarines do not last long in our house.

In the mean time I am keeping watch on the trees, and anticipating that first juicy, sweet bite. I am looking forward to a summer of recipes like this Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches, Mint, and Almonds adapted from Michael Symon’s cookbook Carnivore. The chicken is good, but the real reason I make this is for the peach salad. It’s such a great match for anything grilled. Read more…