Julie & Julia.... learn to master the art of cooking!!!

I recently saw Julie & Julia which I loved. It is the perfect film for anyone who loves food. It was so inspiring and made me want to rush home and make dinner. I think I related to it in so many ways because my husband is much like both of the male characters....very supportive of me and my cooking and always happy to try any new dish I make.....he always has a way of making me feel so accomplished in the kitchen........

I started cooking when I was about eleven years old. My three sisters and I were raised by a single mother who worked late hours so we would take turns cooking dinner every night. My older sister Kristin is an excellent cook. She learned from my mom who learned from her mom. By the time I was in high school Kristin had tought me how to make Shrimp Scampi and California Rolls......

I moved to the city after high school and worked in several restaurants. I ate such wonderful food that it became by mission to duplicate everything at home in my kitchen. I am a self-taught cook who has learned from restaurants, friends, Food Network, hundreds of cookbooks, and trial and error.

Many of my friends are wonderful cooks and for those of you who think you can't or that you're not good at it......that simply is not true. Now if you don't like to, that's a different story. Cooking is much easier than most people think....how many times do you come home from a long day and want to make dinner so you open up a cookbook and look at some recipes that sound good but realize you only have half of the ingredients? This is the biggest reason people always make the same old boring, standard dinner.

Always start with a recipe......

#1 Set aside some time on the weekend to look through your favorite cookbooks and pick out a few differnt recipes (depending on how many nights you will be making dinner that week)

#2 It is always good to have a main course (protein), a vegetable side, and a potato or starch side.

#3 Make a list of every ingredient that each recipe calls for.

#4 Go into your kitchen and cross off the items you already have.

#5 Shop

#6 Prepare or chop anything you can in advance to save time. (It is to good to have tupperware in all different sizes. You can get great plastic containers from Surface restaurant supply store in Culver City. http://www.surfasonline.com/)

When I make things such as Coq Au Vin, Bouillabaisse or Sushi I feel like I get too much credit. My friends always say these dishes seem difficult and way too complex, but the truth is anyone can make them. It might take a little more time but if you follow a good recipe you can do it too.

I always start with a recipe first. Once you become more comfortable in the kitchen you can start adding and taking away ingredients to adjust the recipe to your desired taste.

Keep in mind that cooking measurements don't have to be exact but baking measurements do. Baking is a science.

There are some really great chefs on the Food Network but try branching out a litte. Here is a list of some of my favorite chefs:

Mario Batali
Julia Child
Barefoot Contessa
Nancy Silverton
Michael Chiarello
Alice Waters
Nobu Matsuhisa

I know we all lead busy lives and don't always have the time to prepare an elaborate meal so here is my staple for when I am in a hurry:

Barefoot Contessa's Roasted Chicken

Jamielyn's Sweet Potato Crisps & Sauteed Green Beans with Lemon & Almonds


Perfect Roast Chicken by Barefoot Contessa

(5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

kosher salt freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes

Sweet Potato Crisps

2 large sweet potatoes
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
1 cup flour

In a medium skillet heat the oil on the stove top. Slice the sweet potatoes 1/4 inch on a mandolin, dredge in flour and sautee until brown on both sides. Let rest on a paper towel and sprinkle salt.

Green Beans with Lemon & Almonds

1 lb of Green beans
3 tlb olive oil
1/4 cups of whole almonds
juice of one large lemon
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

On the stove top heat the oil in a medium skillet until hot, sautee green beans on medium heat until soft, add red pepper flakes. Crush the almonds (put in a zip lock bag and use a mallet or rolling pin) and add to the pan. Turn up the heat and cook until the green beans start to char on the outside add lemon juice and turn heat down. Cook for a few more minutes until the almonds start to caramelize.

Enjoy

Jamielyn xoxo

Farmers Markets and Summer Fare

I love going to the farmers market and also think it is extremely important to do so.

As much as I love my Whole Foods, when you buy fruits and vegetables from a grocery store the produce was harvested early in order to be ripe by the time it gets to the store. Harvesting produce early causes it to loose some of the nutrients and vitamins not to mention taste.

The produce from the farmers market comes directly from the farm.... trust me you will notice a difference in the taste and the good news is it is also less expensive and much more fun. Many of the markets also sell flowers, cheese, fresh bread, coffee and other handmade items.

I live in Los Angeles and we are so lucky to have them in different parts of town on a daily basis. I can go to the Melrose Place on Sunday or West Hollywood on Monday...I also love going to the one in Santa Monica. Here is a website which lists all of the markets in the LA area and surrounding

http://www.farmernet.com/

I also encourage everyone to start their own garden...at the very least grow tomatoes....you can do them in the ground, pots or even window boxes. As long as you get sun you will have tomatoes.

Here is another great website that shows you what time of year to plant different vegetables in Southern California.

http://www.digitalseed.com/

click on digital gardener then click on vegetable schedule

In season: Light summer fare that is simple to make

Figs -

1 basket of figs
1/2 lb of blue cheese (any type I like stilton)
baguette (french or sourdough)

Cut the figs in half and scrape out the inside with a melon baller or spoon, put in a bowl, slice bread and toast or leave as is. Spread blue cheese on the bread and top with fig.... So simple and delicious!!!

Brushetta -

1 lb tomatoes (vine ripe or cherry)
5 basil leaves
tlb olive oil (extra virgin and use a good quality)
tsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic, minced
sea salt or kosher salt
pepper
Baguette (french or sourdough)

Dice tomatoes and put into a bowl (drain some of the juice and seeds) tear basil or cut into a chiffonade: place leaves on top of each other and roll tightly then thinly slice in the opposite direction. Add olive oil, balsamic & garlic, mix together and add salt and pepper to taste. Slice bread and toast or broil you can also char it on the bbq, brush with olive oil and top with Bruschetta. This is so simple but for some reason it is always the biggest hit at my house.

Corn with parmesan, cayenne & lime-

This is a secret that I am giving you but I promise you will never want corn any other way.

6 ears of corn in the husks
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 limes
1/4 lb of grated parmigiano/reggiano

Soak the corn in water (you can do this in the sink, do not remove the husks) for about forty minutes. Shake off excess water and BBQ until slightly charred. In the meantime melt butter and mix in cayenne pepper set aside. Grate the parmesan cheese very fine. I put it in the food processor. You want it to form a powder like consistency. Take the corn out of the husks roll in the cayenne butter, roll in the parmesan and squeeze with lime.

Enjoy
Jamielyn xoxo

Iced Cappuccino's

One of my favorite things about summer are iced cappuccino's!!! I have one every morning, they are so refreshing and the perfect way to start the day. If you don't like caffeine you can always get decaf or half cafe....

The best ones in LA are at Joan's on Third & Urth Cafe. If you have never been to either of these Joan's on Third is a gourmet shop/cafe. They make the best Chinese chicken salad and peanut butter cupcakes. They make ready made food to go and are open from 8am-8pm.....

Urth Cafe is another great cafe which has the best homemade soups and on Saturday mornings they make these spinach croissants that are amazing...they use fresh spinach. FYI they are also famous for their spanish lattes...



If you choose to make one at home I would recommend using Danesi espresso which you can buy at Joan's on Third, Surface (restaurant supply store in culver city) or online...the best sight is

www.grancaffevuotto.com

www.joansonthird.com8350 1/2 W 3rd StLos Angeles, CA 90048-4311(323) 655-2285

www.surfasonline.com8777 Washington BlvdCulver City, CA 90232(310) 559-4770

www.urthcaffe.com

I always have mine with not fat milk and no sugar but you can always add cocoa powder or simple syrup.

To make simple syrup:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Enjoy...... Jamielyn xoxo