Episode 5. The Kitchen Edition.
Siri and I have been friends since high school. And rarely is there an conversation between us that doesn't somehow come back to what we are eating or what we were eating or what we will eat or what want to eat. So it's no surprise that - every day - during nap times and beyond, this beautiful Mommy gets busy turning her passion and dreams of food into a Siriously Delicious reality. Pie and pizza and lamb chops and cupcakes and WHAT will she whip up next?
Funny you ask.
Because if you keep reading, you will find out...
Take a Peek:
the knock, knock questionnaire.
"For as long as I can remember, food has been a big part of my life.
Of course, everybody needs it to survive, but I need it to be HAPPY.
And where is my ultimate happy place? The kitchen! Any kitchen,
really, but particularly my own. Surrounded by familiar sights and
products. The one area of the house where I can say to my son, "buddy
I'm really busy, go find your father." Busy doing what? Sometimes
baking cookies for no reason at all. I try to keep the clutter to a
minimum, because mise en place is important to me. (Google that, it's
a real thing and it makes me feel like a real chef.) Welcome to my
happy place!"
I am...hungry.
I was born...in Los Angeles, California.
Grew up in...Eagan, Minnesota. With a splash of Connecticut here and there.
I crave...chocolate chip cookies the size of my head.
My kitchen is...my happy place. My safe place. MY place.
A favorite thing...my KitchenAid mixer. It's baby pink, which made a
lot more sense when I was a single gal, but I still love it.
Another favorite thing...the farmer's market. Nothing beats walking
around with coffee on a weekend morning and picking out fresh produce
and flowers. And any place that offers free samples is a place I want
to be.
Baking must have...butter. I know that's very Paula Deen of me, but
there is not much you can bake without it.
My favorite spice...cinnamon. I mix it in with my ground coffee
beans every morning. Love it in baked goods, and it can do wonders in
a savory meal as well!
My favorite sweet...CHOCOLATE. Anything chocolate. Especially dark.
Dark chocolate bread pudding would be on my last-menu-of-life meal.
Best LA Restaurant...so hard. Capo. They do NOTHING wrong.
My family...means a lot to me because... they make me want to be my
very best, every single day.
Favorite city is...New York. The streets make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you. Jay-Z and Alicia are right.
Favorite lounge wear includes... American Apparel tee's. In GRAY.
Song I have on repeat right now is... Tighten Up, by the Black Keys.
Also "Dora The Explorer Had A Farm." I made that song up.
I am thankful for...my boyfriend and his constant support. He even
supports my blog when he's NOT hungry.
Food I can't live without...garlic. I have come to accept that my
fingers will ALWAYS smell like it. Gross.
Drink I can't live without...coffee. I also really enjoy vodka but I
CAN live without it. I swear.
I love being a Mom because...life is no longer about you, but about
your tiny best friend.
Fondest memory(s) with my family...it always has to do with food. My
brother and sister filming each other's cooking shows in the kitchen,
my dad making pancakes on a Sunday morning, my mom making fondue on
Christmas Eve, countless dinner dates with my boyfriend and son...
food, food, food.
My pets are...well, last year we had a fish. Swishy the Fishy, named
after a New York Yankee. He died during playoffs, but that didn't
stop us from winning the WORLD SERIES! Was this question about
baseball or pets?
Best quality in a person is...honesty. (I'm working on it.)
Where I live and what I love about it...Santa Monica. The ocean.
What did I do to deserve watching dolphins swim by as I'm drinking my
morning coffee? I am fully prepared to come back in my next life as a
warty toad.
Favorite vacation place... Minnesota! I'm also a big fan of the beach
communities in California... Dana Point, Balboa Island and Santa
Barbara are big favs.
Favorite Movie...oh boy. Probably When Harry Met Sally.
What I love about fall... hearty meals like roasts, chilis, and stews.
Fall flavors like sage and cinnamon. Produce like squash and apples.
Pumpkin seeds!!
I have a collection of... sprinkles. Nothing excites me more than a
themed sprinkle. Do they make alphabet sprinkles? Because I want
them.
My friends...makes me laugh... because they are strange, and goofy,
and unordinary, and loyal, and I heart them.
My boys' favorite meals are... MEAT. My son is like a caveman baby
and likes to suck on his dad's leftover lamb chop bones.
Latest kitchen gift...my very own Siriously Delicious chef jacket! My boyfriend had it made, and every time I wear it I not only feel like a pro, but I am reminded how lucky I am to have him in my life!
My favorite Thanksgiving dish... brussel sprouts! They get a bad rep,
but try them with maple syrup and bacon. Not yo mama's brussel
sprouts!
Favorite celebrity chef... Ina Garten. She leaves all the bells and
whistles out of her cooking show and focuses on the FOOD.
Siriously Delicious Favorites:
Mama & Baby Rolling Pins - I'm a fan of anything mini. This tiny
rolling pin may be a toy, but that doesn't mean I don't keep it near
mine and dream of the day that I force my son to use it.
Le Creuset - I have gone through many an Ikea pot/pan in my lifetime,
you know, the kind that can only take one "crap I burnt the crap out
of that" mess. Le Creuset is worth the investment! Go ahead and burn
everything, it will wash out! Oven safe, fabulous colors. I leave
mine on the stovetop so I can lovingly gaze at them on a daily basis.
KitchenAid Mixer - Probably my first adult piece of kitchen equipment.
I don't remember what life was like before it, back in the day when I
was churning butter by hand. I wish I had a whole room of them in
every color! But that would be weird.
Immersion Blender - A recent gift from my wonderful boyfriend. Makes
pureeing soup a BREEZE, mess-free! It's such a power tool, you sort
of feel like you should be wearing a hard hat and neon orange vest
while using it.
Layer Cake - Our favorite wine. It's reasonably priced, and has a
screw top. When you have a child, short cuts are crucial. You no
longer have time to deal with the cork (but you DO have time to drink
wine).
Dunkin Donuts Coffee & Milk Bottle - Strong coffee is important in my
world, and Dunkin' Donuts does it right. Accompanied by this little
milk bottle... makes me feel like I live on a farm.
Baby Food in a Pouch - My son went through a NO-spoon period. These
pouches of organic goodness squeeze right into his mouth.
-
Siri, you're one of MY favorites.
Love you and love the food you feed me.
Thank you to you and your boys for a beautiful Knock, Knock morning by the sea!
xo
*Head HERE to find the recipe for the delicious Apple Pear Crumble pictured above. Stay tuned to Siriously Delicious and you just might get a few personal tips and secrets on the recipe from the chef, herself.
