Homemade Holidays!!!

This past year has just flown by. Our daughter Olivia is now eight months old and quite the little mover. She is such a happy baby who is always smiling and laughing.

I have been cooking up a storm as this is my favorite time of year to do so. The other day I made a rosemary chicken lasagna with homemade ricotta and I could not believe how easy it was. I got the recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog GOOP if you don't already subscribe to it I would highly recommend it.

www.goop.com

I have also been making lots of homemade candy. One of my friends was asking me about it and when I told her how simple it was she didn't believe me so I thought I must share with all of you.

Candy is a perfect thing to give for holiday gifts and to have around the house durning the holiday season.

Happy Holidays!!!

Jamielyn xoxo

Homemade Ricotta by Barefoot Contessa

Serves: Makes about 2 cups ingredients

4 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons good white wine vinegar

preparation

Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.

Pour the milk and stream into a stainless steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).

Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Chocolate fleur de sel toffee by Jamielyn

1- stick of butter

1- cup of sugar

12- oz of good quality chocolate, I use Valrhona or Callebaut (chips or chopped)

Sea Salt (I use fleur de sel wich is a french sea salt) optional

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Heat butter and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat (stir often) until it tuns a medium amber color. Once done pour onto cookie sheet and tip pan so it spreads about a 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with chocolate and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Top with sea salt (you can top with any nuts, dried fruit or candy)

Ladies, Lemons & Lunch....

Springtime is here which makes me very happy!!! We are expecting the arrival of our daughter Olivia any day now. The official due date is April 7th so it's really any day. I am feeling great, just anxious and excited.

I have been very busy trying to get as many things done as I possibly can, things I might not have time for when the baby comes such as planting my garden. I went to this great tomato sale in the valley called Tomato Mania. They had hundred's of different types of heirloom tomato seedlings.

It takes place in different locations every weekend you can go to their website and see where they will be this weekend & join the mailing list so you can be ready for next year. (this is the first year I found out about it)

www.tomatomania.com

Recently I had lunch with some of my oldest girlfriends & their kids. We all met back in 2000 when we were waitress's at Sushi on Sunset and have been close ever since. We usually get together for lunch or dinner about every two months. We had a pot luck lunch at my house which was so delicious. Erica made a wonderful vegetable & goat cheese Israeli couscous salad, Pretti brought some hummus & eggplant dip, Zarah made a fabulous vegetable quiche & chocolate cake & Leslie brought a variety of my absolute favorite pizza from Gjelina on Abbot Kinney in Venice. If you haven't been you must go...

www.gjelina.com

I made the following: Chinese Chicken Salad, Mint Lemonade & Meyer Lemon Bars

Mint Lemonade -

2 cups of sugar

6 cups of water

1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup of freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

1/3 cup of mint leaves and more for garnish

To make simple syrup bring two cups of water & two cups of sugar to a boil stir until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and stir in mint leaves. Simmer for a few minutes to infuse the mint. Let cool and strain out the pieces of mint. Pour lemon juice and meyer lemon juice into a pitcher add cold water and simple syrup. Stir all together and refrigerate.

* Meyer lemons are a little sweeter then regular lemons but if you prefer then you can use 2 cups of regular lemon juice

* I tend to like things a little less sweet so I often use less simple syrup, you can always add it to taste.

One of my favorite things to eat is Chinese Chicken Salad. I probably eat one at least three days a week for lunch. My favorite is from Joans on Third!!! I also like Chin Chin's or I make one at home. The best thing about this is you can really put in as little or as much of whatever you like.

Chinese Chicken Salad -

1/2 pound of chicken breast (boneless & skinless)

carrots

scallions

one head of lettuce, napa cabbage or cabbage

peanuts or slivered almonds

wonton skins

dressing

I boil the chicken until cooked thru then let it cool and shred it. I like to use cabbage or napa cabbage but lettuce works just as well. I wash and chop it very fine. I like to shred the carrots and then roughly chop them. I cut wonton skins into strips and cook them in a shallow pan of hot oil (vegetable is better for frying but I use olive oil) do not over crowd the pan and cook until golden and crispy on both sides. Toast the almonds or peanuts in the oven or in a skillet over medium heat (don't take your eyes of them) slice scallions and toss with dressing of choice.

I have a couple different options for dressing -

I usually make all of my own dressings but if you live in Los Angeles, just go to Joan's on Third and buy it there. Sure you can recreate it yourself but they do such a good job I just buy it.

www.joansonthird.com (make sure you pick up some peanut butter cupcakes they are the best)

or I like Bobby Flay's Red Chile Peanut Dressing

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/chinese-chicken-salad-with-red-chile-peanut-dressing-recipe/index.html

Meyer Lemon Bars

for the crust:

1/2 lb unsalted butter room temperature (I like Plugra which is European butter)

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups of flour

1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt

for the filling:

6 extra large eggs at room temperature

3 cups of sugar

2 tlb of lemon zest

1/2 cup of freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

1/2 cup of freshly squeezed regular lemon juice

1 cup of flour

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350

Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Mix flour and salt together and add to butter just until combined. Dump the dough onto a well floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough into a 9x13x2 glass baking dish. Press up the sides about 1/2 inch. Chill for about 1/2 hour. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool.

Whisk together eggs, lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest & flour. Pour on top of crust and bake for 30-35 minutes until set. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

* baking is much more simple then people think. I think the most important thing is the ingredients you use.

* always check to make sure you flour is fresh as it does expire

* try a get your lemons from a neighbor or friends tree or the farmers market (you can always grow your own)

Enjoy.....

Jamielyn xoxo

La Poubelle days and Chicken Crepes....

One of the greatest Christmas gifts I ever received was from my brother-in-law Josh, about five years ago he gave me this Williams Sonoma box filled with a steel crepe pan, a crepe cookbook and crepe mix. I have been making crepes ever since. They are so simple to make the batter consists of flour, egg and water. You can use any skillet but I recommend investing in a crepe pan.

In my twenties I lived in Hollywood by Beachwood Canyon and spent all of my nights at La Poubelle, a french restaurant on Franklin (on the famous Franklin block where you can find, Birds, The Bourgeois Pig & Mayfair Market) yes, right across the street from the Scientology Celebrity Center.

La Poubelle was nightly hang out for all of us actors and artists who lived in the neighborhood, this is when you could smoke in bars. We would drink wine, and eat their famous chicken crepes until the wee hours of the morning while listening to Frank Sinatra and of course Jackie and Francois.....

Here is my favorite recipe for Chicken, Mushroom & Spinach Crepes with a Sherry Cream Sauce...

basic crepe recipe

1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

a pinch of salt

1 egg lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups of milk

olive oil or butter for greasing pan

Put flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and some of the milk into the well. Whisk gradually to make a smooth paste, slowly whisk in the rest of the milk. Pour batter into a measuring cup. Heat pan over medium heat and add a little bit of butter or oil, pour a thin layer of batter into the pan tilting until the bottom is covered. Cook 1-2 minutes until golden. Flip crepe and cook other side for about 40 seconds. Crepes should be very thin and golden on both sides. Set crepes aside.

Chicken, Spinach & Mushrooms Crepes with a Sherry Cream Sauce

8 oz white button mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms if you prefer

2 tlb of butter

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 bunch of spinach, washed and dried

2 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces

2 tlb of chopped thyme

1/3 cup of chopped parsley

1/3 cup of sherry wine

2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400

Season chicken with salt and pepper add olive oil to a hot pan and cook chicken, set aside. Add butter to the pan and saute onions until soft, then add garlic cook for a few minutes and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add the thyme, parsley, sherry, cream, salt & pepper. Cook for about two minutes and then add the spinach. Cook until wilted and stir in the chicken.

Lightly grease a shallow baking dish. Take the mixture and fill each crepe and fold up on both sides. Place each one in the pan side by side.

Bake for 15 minutes....

Enjoy....

Jamielyn xoxo

Bouillabaisse...sounds fancy but easy to do

One of my favorite kitchen tools is my Le Creuset Dutch Oven....

If you don't have one you should really make the investment. Pieces like this will last you a lifetime and are perfect for making soups and stews. What better way to make dinner then throw everything in one pot; it saves you so much time and there is very little to clean up!

I went to the best nutritionist years ago named Hermien Lee who taught me that the best way to stay healthy is to balance your protein and carbs. Never eat one without the other or you will still be hungry and they counter act each other. The problem is that most people eat more carbs then the proteins and vegetables and it should be the opposite.

One of my favorite dishes is Bouillabaisse, now I know this sounds complicated but it is very simple and anyone can make it. The perfect thing about this dish is that you get all of your proteins, vegetables and carbs. Not to mention that it is so flavorful and delicious. Here is a very simple recipe. I always add carrots to mine.

CHICKEN BOUILLABAISSE

recipe by Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• Good olive oil
• 1 large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 1/2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons Pernod
• 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
• carrots sliced (or any vegetables that you see fit)
• Crusty French bread, for serving

Directions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt, pepper, and the rosemary. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces in batches until nicely browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, tomato puree, chicken stock, white wine, Pernod, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper to the pot. Stir and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is very tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Carefully pour the sauce into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the Dutch oven and add the sliced potatoes, carrots and browned chicken pieces with their juices. Stir carefully.

Cover the pot and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done. Check the seasonings and serve hot in shallow bowls with crusty bread.

Enjoy,

Jamielyn xoxo

Fruits and Vegetables......

I love all types of fruit and vegetables, one of the things I crave the most during this pregnancy is Juice! Almost any combination, you really can't go wrong and this is the perfect way to clean out your refrigerator of those left over carrots and apples.

The best $100 you will ever spend on a kitchen appliance is the Breville Compact Juice Extractor (no need to get the fancier more expensive one) I promise, it is easy to use, easy to clean and makes healthy, delicious juice!!!

Here is a recipe for my favorite juice......

APPLE, KALE & LIME JUICE

1 bunch of kale (curly or flat)

1 lime

2 green apples

1 orange

Remove the rind from the orange and lime, wash the kale and cut the apples in quarters. Turn on the machine and drop everything in. Within seconds the juicer will extract all of the juice. Stir and drink.

Enjoy.......

Jamielyn xoxo

Soft Shell Crab for one......

I love every type of crab, King, Peektoe, Snow, Stone and one of my favorites Soft Shell Crab which is a Blue Crab. You might have had Soft Shell Crab rolls at a sushi restaurant. I love it so much and am always thinking of new ways to use it so the other day I was craving a salad and came up with this.....It is really simple to make and not to mention healthy!!!

• 2 soft shell crabs*
• baby arugula
• 1/4 can of lentils (rinsed and drained)
• cherry tomatoes
• pine nuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 tsp of old bay seasoning
• 2 tsp of japanese yuzu vinegar* or ponzu sauce
• 4 tlbs of olive oil
• juice of one 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• a pinch grey or kosher salt & pepper

*soft shell crabs can be a little harder to find, you can look in your freezer section or seafood dept. I buy a big box of them at Los Angeles Fish Company downtown, Los Angeles. Look at September's blog "Everything Sushi" for location

*yuzu is an asian citrus fruit that is very tart and has overtones of mandarin orange

*you can buy yuzu vinegar at a asian market. Look at September's blog "Everything Sushi" you can find a location. If not substitute ponzu sauce which is much easier to find.

First you need to clean the soft shell crabs by removing what is called the apron which is the flap covering the backside, use your fingers to remove the gills and they are usually an orangish color and very slimy. (this only take a few seconds) then rinse under cool water and pat dry. (If you are buying live crabs you will also need to cut of the eyes and the mouth)

Heat 2 tlbs of olive oil in a pan until very hot, in the meantime mix the flour and old bay seasoning together. Dredge soft shells crabs in flour mixture covering both sides. Turn heat down low/med and add crabs to pans. Saute until brown on both sides.

Whisk together yuzu, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper and 2 tlbs of olive oil. I do this to taste. I tend to like things more on the tart side but if you like it a little sweeter you can add more sugar or 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar.

Toss baby arugula, tomatoes, pine nuts, lentils in dressing and add soft shell crabs......

Enjoy,

Jamielyn xoxo