CHICKEN ON A CAN

Season with roasted garlic, or garlic salt, Tangerines, and Rosemary. Then grab a can of Lila Rose, mimosa, beer, or any other wine or beer in a can - open the can and stick the chicken on it. You can also use a vertical roaster to assist. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 375 - this was a 3 pounder / more time needed the bigger the bird. I recommend using a thermometer to get it to the check the temperature. I get my organic chickens from Belcampo. When it comes to serving, I love using these dinner plates - enjoy! 

Fresh Juice Gin Cocktail

1 oz. fresh clementine juice

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 oz. rosemary and mint simple syrup

4 oz. gin

Put all in a cocktail shaker or ball jar with ice. Shake and pour over ice cubes with rose petals frozen inside them. Add sprinkle of julienned mint.

Malibu Boys and Girls Club Party!

[show_shopthepost_widget id="204895"]

-Shop the Post-

photo 2

photo 5

photo

On Sunday I had the pleasure of doing an event for the Malibu Boys & Girls Club hosted by Shelley Litvak and Jaye Eigler. We wanted to use a bit of nautical as it was at Shelley's home on the beach. Incorporating Sail rope, buoys, and shells is an easy way to Luluize any gathering.  Its makes it fun, and a little outside the box.

Turn any wooden surface (the buoy) into an impromptu sign with a chalk paint pen. It's easily erasable with a damp cloth. Wrapping sail rope around the silver wine vessel makes for a more casual & creative look.

A favorite of the night was my signature Turkey Meatballs with tomato jam, feta, & fresh basil.  Try my scrumptious recipe below;

photo 3

TURKEY MEATBALLS

Makes 8 burgers or 40 mini meatball PRE HEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES THIS RECIPE CAN BE USED FOR MEATBALLS,SLIDERS,TACO’S JUST ABOUT ANYTHING......... 1LB GROUND TURKEY 1LB SPICY TURKEY SAUSAGE OR REG SAUSAGE (YOUR CHOICE) 1 CUP RICOTTA 2 EGGS 1 CUP GROUND BREADCRUMBS 1⁄2 CUP PARSLEY LEAVES 2 TABLESPOONS OREGANO LEAVES 1⁄4 CUP OLIVE OIL 2 TSPNS FENNEL SEEDS 1/8 TSP RED CHILI FLAKES (OPTIONAL) SALT TO TASTE

PUT OLIVE OIL, PARSLEY, OREGANO, FENNEL SEEDS AND RED CHILI FLAKES ALL IN A BLENDER AND BLEND. MIX THE TURKEY, SAUASAGE, RICOTTA, EGGS, BREADCRUMBS AND HERB MIXTURE WITH YOUR HANDS. Form into any size ball you want to or burger. Depends on what you feel like.

NOTE: I ALWAYS FRY A LITTLE MEATBALL UP TO TASTE SO I CAN ADJUST THE SEASONING

TOMATO JAM: 1⁄2 CUP OLIVE OIL 1 LARGE ONION (JAY OMIT THIS AND ADD 3 MORE CLOVES GARLIC) 3 CLOVES GARLIC 1 BAY LEAF 2 TABLESPOONS TOMATO PASTE 2 28 OUNCE CANS DICED TOMATOES

*SOMETIMES I EVEN THROW SOME CARROTS INTO THE SAUCE. THEN BLEND IN BLENDER OR USE FRESH TOMATOES WHEN IN SEASON.

HEAT OLIVE OIL IN A PAN. ADD THE ONION, OREGANO, BAY LEAF AND GARLIC. COOK UNTIL SOFTENED. ADD THE TOMATOES,TOMATO PASTE AND BRING TO A BOIL THEN TO TURN TO SIMMER. TRY IT AND ADJUST THE SEASONING. I LIKE TO KEEP IT COOKING SO ITT GET’S THICKER. WHEN YOU FEEL IT’S DONE,TURN OFF. PUT THE MEATBALLS IN A PAN FITTED TIGHTLY WITH SIDES. POUR OVER SOME OF THE SAUCE. BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES.

National Egg Day

Today is National Egg Day and let's be honest; every day should be National Egg Day! I love eggs! On this day I'm sharing one of my favorite childhood recipes, the Soft Boiled Egg. As a kid this was my favorite breakfast. I liked that my mom put my soft boiled eggs into little egg dishes and I cracked the egg open myself with the back of my spoon which she showed me how to do, and then added a little salt and pepper. To this day I eat soft boiled eggs. Once a week my neighbor Bella makes me soft boiled eggs while she tries to teach me French. Bella adds her own twist by serving the eggs with matzoh she has burnt on her gas stove with fresh sweet cream butter. I love to dip the matzoh into the egg yolk.

Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 10.12.56 PM

SOFT BOILED EGG

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• Butter
• Salt
• Potato bread or matzoh

1. Use a pin or sewing needle to poke a hole in the bread end of each egg. Place each egg into a small saucepan of gently boiling water. [each egg? I thought there was only 1 egg used]
2. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and drain.
3. Run the egg very briefly under cold water, crack the top part of the egg, [what do you mean by this?] and place it in egg cup.
4. Toast the slices of potato bread and spread them with salted butter. Cut the toast into strips and serve warm with the soft-boiled eggs.

Cucumber Spiked Vodka

Today is the first day of June and I'm spending this glorious day outside, sipping on one of the simplest, most refreshing sneekys!

Screen Shot 2014-06-01 at 7.57.06 PM

Cucumber Spiked Vodka

This is ridiculously easy to make and you can prepare it in large batches, making it perfect for parties and hosting!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped seedless cucumber
• 1 bottle vodka

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, puree cucumber.
• Pour vodka and cucumber into a pitcher. Stir well.
• Refrigerate until chilled. Strain and serve.

Coq Au Vin

Today is National Coq Au Vin Day! For those who don't know Coq Au Vin is a traditional French dish of braised chicken in red wine, traditionally Burgundy. It's a dish Julia Child cooked frequently and helped increase the dish's exposure and popularity.

In honor of the late, great Julia Child I'm using her recipe to make Coq Au Vin for the family tonight.

coq-au-vin-oven

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lardons (4 ounces -- 1-by-1/4-inch strips of blanched slab bacon or salt pork - see Special Note below)
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds frying chicken parts
• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 tbs. olive oil (or good cooking oil)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 or 2 large cloves of garlic, pureed
• 1 imported bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp or so thyme
• 1 large ripe red unpeeled tomato, chopped, (or 1/3 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes)
• 3 cups young red wine (Zinfandel, Macon or Chianti type)
• 1 cup chicken stock (or more)
• Beurre manie, for the sauce (1 1/2 tbs. each flour softened butter blended to a paste)
• Fresh parsley sprigs (or chopped parsley)
• 1/3 cup good brandy (optional)
• 12 to 16 small brown-braised white onions
• 3 cups fresh mushrooms, trimmed, quartered and sautéed

Cooking Directions Browning and simmering the chicken. Before browning the chicken, sauté the blanched bacon or salt pork and remove to a side dish, leaving the fat in the pan. Brown the chicken in the pork fat, adding a little olive oil, if needed. Flame the chicken with the brandy, if you wish -- it does give its own special flavor, besides being fun to do. Then proceed to simmer the chicken in the wine, stock, tomatoes and seasoning as directed in the master recipe.

Finishing the dish. Strain, degrease, and finish the sauce, also as described. Strew the braised onions and sautéed mushrooms over the chicken, baste with the sauce, and simmer a few minutes, basting, to rewarm the chicken and to blend flavors. Special note: To blanch bacon or salt pork: When you use bacon or salt pork in cooking, you want to remove its salt as well as its smoky flavor, which would permeate the rest of the food. To do so, you blanch it -- meaning, you drop it into a saucepan of cold water to cover it by 2 to 3 inches, bring it to the boil, and simmer 5 to 8 minutes; the drain, refresh in cold water, and pat dry in paper towels.