l o v e l y t h i n g s t h u r s d a y

The last few times I've walked down to the beach this is what I saw...balance.  Makes you think...
Strands Beach, Dana Point, California

non-meat lovers....look away

 My kids requested hamburgers for dinner tonight.  Not just any burger...these guys know a good burger.  So when we have burgers at home, which is not often, it means a James Beard burger with caramelized onions and swiss cheese.

Caramelized onions on a burger...what could be better?  Start with 3 or 4 onions, add sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of sugar, olive oil, butter and balsamic. Cook for about 45 minutes.

This is it after about 45-50  minutes...the entire house smells divine by now.

If you're going to indulge in a burger...you may as well add the sweet potato fries and spicy mayonnaise.  I can't think of a better combination.

This is the James Beard way to  make burgers...so good.

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lunch today . . . for 2

I first saw this at Fern and Feather...Alexis' photography is so beautiful and it was the end of summer so she used red and yellow tomatoes.  I make this all the time with just a few simple ingredients and it makes it such a great meal when served over brown rice. 

All from Trader Joe's...it's quicker than stopping at another market.

So delicious!

wood spoon restaurant - LA

My daughter and I heard about WoodSpoon restaurant from the Food Network show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."  Giada DeLaurentiis talked about this chicken pot pie that was too die for.  We were going to LA in search of a vintage shop that Madeline had read about on a blog...of course.  Since it was close by we thought we would give Wood Spoon a try...especially since we love Giada and she was recommending it.  When we sat down they brought over a carafe of cinnamon water.  It was amazing.  We both loved it and they told us how they make it.  They boil cinnamon sticks and let it steep.  They use just a small amount and then add water and ice.  Oh and the ipad is on the table only because we needed to map the location of the vintage store.  My daughter and I seem to never run out of things to talk about.

We started with an order of potato croquettes...they were so good!

But this is what we came for...The Brazilian chicken pot pie.  We loved that the pastry had a wood spoon on it!

WoodSpoon is located on 9th Street between Broadway and Main in downtown LA.  It's a cozy little place filled with people enjoying every bite!

a winter sunset

We have been planning our days around making it down to our bluff for the amazing sunsets.

They are so beautiful in the winter. 

did you know . . . ?

Did you know that Valentine's Day is the only day of the year you can get married at the landmark Empire State Building?  Read more about it here.  Here's a fun fact about me...my husband and I met and married in three months.  We were married on a sailboat...very romantic.  23 years ago, I think this would have had some appeal too!  Happy Valentine's Day!

soup

Soup for dinner...I sometimes  make a green salad, but this soup is packed with vegetables, so sometimes it's jut soup with a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a baguette.

My husband loves to cook and I think he likes the chopping part way more than me.  We love making this soup and storing leftovers in 2 serving containers in the freezer.   We can have an easy and healthy dinner by just defrosting what we need.

I love using Dean & DeLuca Chili Powder Blend.  See it here.

Spicy Bean Soup is so good...find the recipe here.