The Adventures of Bella, Blake & Billy is a group project. I wrote the story in 2018, my then six-year-old niece illustrated all of the pictures, my then four-year-old nephew was our creative director and helped us navigate what we should draw for our four-year-old audience. My mom gave the pictures some love on photoshop by smoothening out the colors as well as hours and hours of manuscript size revisions. When my niece Julianna was six years old, she told me she wants to be an artist. She would spend hours drawing pictures of herself, her dad Josh, mom Rahil, brother Jace, aunt Sara, uncle Tim, grandmother (my mom) Noushin, and me. Julianna and Jace would draw pictures of the places they went on vacation or things they enjoyed doing. It was their way of capturing their favorite moments. I included a few of her pictures at the end of the book. My love and passion for writing started when I was in fifth grade. I told my father I wanted to write like him, and he gave me a small journal and told me start by writing down all of my dreams first thing every morning. I woke up a few minutes early every morning and quickly jotted down my dreams using as many detail and descriptive words possessed by a ten-year-old. I quickly progressed to writing stories I created with my own imagination. I wrote about my favorite place I visited with my parents and sister when I was younger, the Hearst Castle and my favorite subject, mice. I had about ten stories written with the idea that I would publish a book of short stories. Unfortunately, in January 1986, our house caught on fire, and we lost everything in the house, including my stories. I remember when we went back to the house the day after the fire, I didn’t run to my room to check on my clothes or toys, I ran to check on my books. I was devastated that they were gone. Outside of school projects, I didn’t write again until I was thirteen. It has always been what seemed like an unattainable dream to become an author of a published book. My entire adult life has been consumed by either college, law school, work, or both. But, after 35 years my dream of becoming a published author has finally come to fruition! Stay tuned for my adult books! I self-published The Adventures of Bella, Blake & Billy. I’ve heard people mock those who self-publish as not being real authors. But, after all the hard work, sweat and many, many tears of frustration trying to put a book together, I have even more respect for self-published authors. Trying to navigate photoshop and manuscripts when my skills are limited to words on a page and not creating entire books, was a monumental feat. My mom, Noushin spent six to eight hours a day for the last four days helping me get the logistics correct. Without her, this project would not have been finished. Charity Ayres walked me through the “how to” even start process, without her this project would not have even begun. I’m eternally grateful to both of them for their help, support, and encouragement. If you’d like a copy, here is the link on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09983MHWN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= If you’d like a copy signed by the author and illustrators, please Venmo $20 to @Laila-Khosroabadi and email me your address and your special note you’d like to add to your book at lailak818@yahoo.com. Thank you! Ingredients 16 ounces Brussel Sprouts, sliced 1 shallot, sliced 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped 1/4 cup balsamic glaze 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (optional) Instructions I use a Breville air fryer and get the best results. Slice the Brussel sprouts and place them in a bowl with the shallots, drizzle the olive oil on top and mix well. Place a thin layer on a baking sheet and place in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they are browning. Remove the Brussel Sprouts and put them back into the bowl and drizzle balsamic glaze on top, add the walnuts and toss to coat evenly. Place back on the baking sheet and into the air fryer for 10m minutes or until the Brussel Sprouts are crispy. Remove and goat cheese and serve. Note: you can use the oven, just increase the heat to 425 and 30 minutes on the initial time. Also, I use Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze, but but any glaze will work. This goes great with Lamb Chops I like to add my avocado to my pico de gallo for fun. Then use on tacos or a tortilla chip. Ingredients 2 avocados 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1/4 cup chopped cilatro 1/4 chopped jalapeno 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes 2 limes This recipe is so simple and quick you can make it anytime. Just take all of the ingredients and add them together. Add salt and pepper. If you are adverse to spice, reduce or eliminate the jalapeno. I used it on my taco, it was a simple ground beef taco with low carb tortillas. 8 Lamb Chops Rub Ingredients 2 tablespoon ground coriander seed 2 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoon dry thyme 2 tablespoon ground dry lemon 2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup olive oil Preheat the grill on high. Mix the rub ingredients together and rub it on the lamb. I use a technique to get the rub on the lamb without wasting. I place a small amount of rub on the lamb and using a small silicone grilling brush I dip the brush in the olive oil and spread the rub evenly on the lamb. You want the grill to be very hot so that you can grill the lamb quickly. I suggest grilling it medium rare to medium. Because this lamb is fatty and you added olive oil, the goal is to sear the fat without overcooking the lamb. That will be accomplished by using high heat for a short period of time. Grill on one side for 2 minutes and flip. Flip them so they are grilled for 4 minutes on each side. Keep an eye out for flare ups too. Ingredients Burrata Dip 4 Burrata balls sliced 1/2 cup basil julienned 4 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half 1/2 cup walnuts chopped 4 table spoons basil olive oil 1/2 cup peach balsamic vinegar Ingredients Garlic Baguette 4 cloves fresh garlic minced 1 French baguette sliced 1/4 inch thick 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Burrata Dip Instructions Use a shallow bowl so you can place the Burrata flat on the bottom. I sometimes use a serving dish instead of a bowl. Place sliced Burrata in the center leaving about an inch space between each ball. Place the tomatoes around the Burrata, not on top. Sprinkle the basil on top of the Burrata and tomatoes. Drizzle the basil olive oil sparingly on the tomatoes and Burrata. Drizzle the peach balsamic vinegar on the tomatoes. I don’t drizzle any of the oil or balsamic vinegar on the Burrata so that the flavor of the cheese is not over powered by the oil and vinegar. Add the nuts evenly on top. Garlic Baguette Instructions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a silicone food brush, brush a thin layer of olive oil and drizzle a small amount of garlic on each slice of baguette and place in the oven. The baguettes should be slightly toasted in about 8-10 minutes. *I use We Olive Peach Balsamic Vinegar and Basil Olive Oil. Ingredients Chicken pieces bone in with skin Nut Crumbs Cooking Spray This recipe is very simple, you don’t need to measure anything. I typically use bone in chicken thighs with skin, but you can use any type of chicken you like. Keep in mind the chicken skin will create that extra delicious crunch. You want the chicken to be a little moist, not too watery because the crumbs will fall off. You can also use Nut Crumbs that are gluten free, Paleo, Vegan, Keto and Sugar free and tastes delicious. If you want something that’s bread based, Progresso has a great Italian breadcrumbs seasoning. You’ll follow the same process. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use an oven tray and spray it with cooking spray. You want to cover it well with the cooking spray. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the tray. I use aluminum foil so its easy to clean as well. Either way, get a good coat of the cooking spray on the tray. Take each piece of chicken one at a time and place it in a bowl pour some of the nut crumbs on one side, make sure the entire area is covered, turn the chicken around and cover the other side with crumbs and place it on the oven tray skin side up. Repeat this with all of the chicken. When you lift the chicken some of the crumbs will fall off. Then add some extra crumbs to the top of each piece so that they are completely covered. Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray. Again, make sure the entire top of the chicken is covered with the spray, that’s what will add the extra crispiness. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve and enjoy! I’m sorry, Ripping…tearing… It will never happen again. I’m sorry, Shattering…cracking… The words pierce my skin. I’m sorry, Snapping…splitting… Please understand. I’m sorry, Hesitation…dispense… I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry, Observing…listening…remembering… The words he says. I wrote this poem in an English class when I was in college. That was at least two decades ago. At the time I wrote it, I thought I knew the value of an apology. I thought it was a step toward forgiveness and healing. I thought saying “I’m sorry” would fix everything. But today I realize I was young and naïve. An apology doesn’t always make someone feel better. They aren’t designed to heal. Instead, it is an acknowledgment. Some apologies acknowledge a bad or mean behavior. Some apologies admit something. Some apologies are thrown around when an apology isn’t even warranted. One thing all apologies do is invoke an emotion. I don’t hold grudges. In fact, I pride myself on my ability to forgive swiftly and completely. However, I never thought an apology would enrage me while simultaneously breaking my heart. Last year, in the middle of a deadly pandemic, I met a wonderful man. A kind, thoughtful, generous, goofy man whom I quickly grew to love and adore. We had an impulsive and fleeting romance; you know the kind they write bestselling novels and block buster movies about. And yes, you guessed it, the kind that ends tragically. The tragedy isn’t a result of someone dying or some unforeseen turn of events that precludes two lovers from being together. The tragedy is a direct result of one person sabotaging himself. You see it happening. You know exactly where it is headed, but like watching a bad car accident, you’re powerless in changing the outcome. Not because you’re idly standing by. You’re doing everything you can to prevent it, you frantically turn the wheel, you slam on the breaks all to avoid inevitable doom. But you my darling are not driving. You have no control over the wheel, their thoughts, their actions, their behavior, their foreseen trajectory. All you can do is stand there in utter disbelief and watch as the wreckage takes place right before your eyes. Every single day for six long, drawn out, painful weeks, that’s what I witnessed. More candidly, that’s what I lived through. For six weeks, I was criticized for everything I did, said, didn’t do, didn’t say. My entire existence was brutally judged. Throughout it all, I stood my ground. I stayed true to myself. Mostly because I don’t know how to be anyone else. I don’t know how to act different. Being myself meant I had to pick me. I had to stand my ground and demand that I am treated exactly as I deserve and accept nothing less. I couldn’t waver, not for one second. Because if I don’t know how I deserve to be treated, no one will know how to treat me. As you probably predicted, as accurately as you can predict a spinning car will hit anything in its path, the relationship ended as swiftly as it began. I had no emotions, no tears, no sadness. After six weeks of relentless criticisms, I could no longer love this man. Instead, I was annoyed at the inconvenience of having moved twelve hundred miles and the knowledge that I had to piece my life back together again after six excruciating weeks of what felt like six years in the Twilight Zone. Since his self-sabotage started immediately after I moved in, I had six weeks to process everything. I was convinced that I was processing it all very well. I subsequently discovered the reason of his self-sabotage. On some days it enraged me. On most days it gave me solace that I had no control over the outcome. We were clearly in route to the path of destruction from the day we met. The short version is, he wasn’t honest with himself or me. After I left, we had numerous conversations related to the logistics of my move. He was once again kind, thoughtful, generous, and extra helpful. At first, I thought it was all out of desperation to get rid of me. Until one day it dawned on me and I sent him a text that said, “I guess you did actually love me”. His reply was simple and precise “no question”. My heart stung at the sight of those words. Hours later he said the infamous phrase, “I’m sorry I failed”. That was the first time he apologized. I hadn’t been expecting or waiting for an apology. For over five minutes, I read the words over and over again expecting them to change right before my eyes. Each time I read it, it felt like a hammer was smashing my heart into tiny, stabbing fragments. Part of me wanted him to take it back. I didn’t want him to acknowledge he did something wrong. I wanted to go on believing he was oblivious to what happened. That he too was in the Twilight Zone watching powerlessly, unable to change the outcome. I wanted him to feel like me. My blinding tears coupled with my shaking hands made responding an arduous task. I simply thanked him for his apology and assured him that I appreciate it. Over the next few days, his first apology morphed into a second even more sincere apology, followed by a long conversation about what went wrong. I mustered up the courage to ask him if there was anything I could’ve done different, better. I expected a painful, critical thesis of all the ways I could have saved our relationship. His response wasn’t what I anticipated and has left me confused, “I don’t think so, you were true to who you are.” On the one hand, I am thoroughly pleased with and proud of myself for my unwavering conviction…but on the other, I’m confused and saddened by that fact. I know he means I was honest. He could’ve done better. He could’ve singlehandedly changed the trajectory of our future, by simply not lying. So, when I read and hear the words “I’m sorry” in this situation, it doesn’t give me solace…instead there is a ripping, tearing, shattering, cracking, snapping, and splitting of my heart. Here’s to spicy spring nights! Cheers! The first time I made this recipe, I added a tad too much cayenne and it was super spicy. I would caution to add less and if it’s not spicy enough increase the cayenne. Keep in mind, the longer it cooks the more the flavors of the spicy will come out. While you’ll start on the stove, most of the cooking is done in the oven. 2 pounds chicken 1 pound baby potatoes skin on cut in halves 6 large carrots or 1/2 pound baby carrots 1 leak sliced in rings 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon cayenne 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 16 ounces water Preheat the oven to 425. Add all of the ingredients into a large pot and stir until combined. Then add the chicken. On the stove, bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, cover it with a lid and move it to the oven for 1 hour. You’ll know it is done when the chicken easily separates. My inspiration for including cooking and recipes in my blog are my two sisters, Rahi and Sara. I love them to death, but I just don’t know how they didn’t pick up my recipes after 28 years of living together. Okay, I only cooked for Sara 14 years, but I cooked regularly. By regularly I mean 5-6 days a week. Rahi, my older sister and I shopped weekly. We went to the grocery store together and picked up what I…I mean we…wanted to cook for that week. We did this for at least 8 years. Sara is ten years younger than I, so she was still living with our mom. I figured our weekly adventures to the grocery store, where Rahi pushed the shopping cart in a completely different isle than I was located with my hands full of groceries hunting down the cart, would soak in. Boy, was I wrong. Once I moved out Rahi’s daily diet consisted of fast food, restaurants and anything cooked by anyone except Rahi. Truthfully, I was clueless as to how little Rahi retained until approximately 6 months before her wedding. Rahi has always been a size 2 or less, but in 2009 she wanted to lose a few pounds for her wedding. I suggested she stop eating out and start cooking at home. When she confided in me that she just didn’t know what to buy at the grocery store, I was a little dumbfounded. But, because my sisters mean the world to me, I agreed to drive 140 miles to help her do some grocery shopping. We started out in the produce section and I began asking her what fruits and vegetables she likes. She could only identify a few. I started explaining to her how other vegetables could be used in foods for variety and flavor. I noticed she was very quiet. My own moment of enlightenment came when I looked over at Rahi and she was so overwhelmed she had tears trickling down her face. Two thoughts went through my mind, first, why on earth is she crying. Then I realized this is more complicated than it seems. I take cooking for granted because I have been doing it for so long and I really am very passionate about it. With each recipe I am in heaven working in diligently in my kitchen. But, the reality is that if I didn’t have my experience, I would feel overwhelmed like I do when I pop the hood of my car. I am also inspired by Sara. She enjoys cooking and she is great at it. But, she lacks the ability to come up with a new recipe. Which I am learning is pretty common. However, once I give Sara a few items on a recipe she is great at cooking it and sometimes even puts her own twist to it, which makes me so proud. Thanks to Sara, I finally get to share my recipes on a large scale. Sara is like me and unlike Rahi. We don’t have the metabolism of a size zero and we have to watch what we eat. I often get to cook something healthy and bounce the idea off her because she understands when I don’t want to sacrifice taste for healthy. While most of my recipes are healthy, it is not always the case. Come on a girl needs her cheat nights…I mean night… right? I think understanding me is the key to understanding my cooking and the madness that goes behind it. First, I have to emphasize that cooking for me is my way of relaxing. It helps me unwind. Second, I believe in my ingredients. I will never use a mediocre ingredient and I will always guide you to the best. The best is not necessarily the most expensive. I am also the crazy lady who will go to 3 different grocery stores to pick up the ingredients, feel free to stick to one store. My countless hours of cooking have given me the ability to try a food and recreate it, thanks to the help of my friends and family who act as my victim…err…volunteer “tasters”. I often do just that. This keeps my menu exciting and keeps it from becoming boring. I have a huge shortfall, which is my inability to cook less than 4 servings, but I will do my best. Pour yourself a glass of wine and let’s get cooking!!! Here’s to stepping outside the oven. Cheers! I saw a leg of lamb at Costco and it was calling my name. I had never made leg of lamb, but I recall from seeing it at restaurants that it is usually roasted. I decided to get adventurous and grill it. However, I had to do a little trick. I sliced the leg of lamb into 2 inch thick pieces and grilled it. It was impressively delicious. 2 pounds sliced leg of lamb Rub Ingredients 2 tablespoon ground coriander seed 2 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoon dry thyme 2 tablespoon ground dry lemon 2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Preheat the grill on high. Mix the rub ingredients together and rub it on the lamb. You want the grill to be very hot so that you can grill the lamb quickly. I suggest grilling it medium rare to medium. Because this cut is fatty the goal is to sear the fat without overcooking the lamb. That will be accomplished by using high heat for a short period of time. Grill on one side for 4 minutes and flip. Flip them so they are grilled for 4 minutes on each side twice. Keep an eye out for flare ups too. A side dish suggestion that goes great with this dish is grilled zucchini. 6 zucchini cut in half the long way, as seen in the picture Lightly salt and pepper and place on the grill skin side down first. Grill for 4 minutes and flip. Grill for another 4 minutes. Here’s to taking things slow. Cheers! I love lamb, but if you don’t cook it properly it can be a real disaster. With lamb shanks, you have to cook it for a long time. It’s not done until the meat falls off the bones. It can take anywhere 3-4 hours. For this recipe, just give yourself a lot of time. Maybe make it on a day where you’ll be home relaxing or taking care of other things. It’s totally worth the wait. 6 lamb shanks 1/2 yellow onion 3 cans stewed whole or half tomatoes 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon turmeric Optional: 3 small potatoes cut in half Place the lamb and half onion in a large pot and add water until all of the lamb is covered. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Let it cook for 3-4 hours. Make sure you check on it every 30-40 minutes to ensure the water is not evaporating too fast. Peel the eggplant and cut into 2 inch circles. Fry the eggplant. I use coconut oil to fry the eggplant. You’ll notice that the eggplant soaks up the oil really quickly. You’ll need a lot of oil. You’re not deep frying it so, there should only be enough oil to keep the eggplant from burning. Once the eggplant is partially cooked the oil will drain out. So if this is your first time frying eggplant don’t worry. When the eggplant is browned flip it over and fry the other side. When you’re done frying all of the eggplant, set aside. You will be adding it to the stew once the lamb is tender and falling off the bone. When the lamb is cooked, which you’ll know by easily trying to separate it from the bone. If it separates easily, it is cooked. Remove the onion. Make sure there is some water in the pot about 1/4 of the way covering the lamb. Then add the tomatoes and place the eggplant on top. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes. My two favorite ingredients, which I always have in my kitchen and have been known to travel with are Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. People are always confused about both of these ingredients. I will try to clear any confusion you may have regarding these ingredients. The darker the olive oil, the stronger the flavor. The method in which the oil is processed is what determines if it is extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is also best used fresh. It doesn’t age well. I recommend using the robust olive oil for dishes like pasta, or when you drizzle it on your vegetables. Use a lighter olive oil for salads or bread dips. Most people think there is only one flavor balsamic vinegar. If you haven’t tasted different types of balsamic vinegars, you are really missing out. I use balsamic vinegar to marinating steaks as well as for common uses such as a salad dressing. Once you get a few delicious balsamic vinegars the sky is the limit. The quality of your olive oil and balsamic vinegar are not directly related to the price. I have spent obscene amounts of money on these only to be completely disappointed. If you want a delicious salad dressing or a fantastic pasta sauce, you cannot start with a subpar major ingredient. Both olive oil and balsamic vinegar are essential to the flavors of your dish. Think of them as your supporting actor. They make a significant difference. I know many people who claim they are olive oil and balsamic vinegar snobs and spend $30 or more on a bottle on something that is barely mediocre. I was always on the hunt to find that perfect olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You know the one you taste at your favorite restaurant and when you try to make the salad dressing or bread dip at home, it never tastes the same? Well, it’s simple, you don’t have a quality olive oil or balsamic vinegar necessary. Thanks to We Olive you can. I discovered We Olive on a trip to Santa Barbara. The We Olive store was filled with barrels of olive oil and balsamic vinegar varieties that they make. They use sustainable farming practices which is another plus. They also have bottles from other companies, but I never waste my time on those. You can taste each of the different flavors before purchasing. They do allow you to take your own containers or buy one of theirs. I recommend buying one of theirs. However, when I lived over three hours away from the closest We Olive store, I purchased gallon size glass bottles and filled those babies up. It is not cheap, but it’s completely worth it. If you don’t live anywhere near a We Olive, don’t worry, they have a website http://www.weolive.com. My staples that I always buy are the Aged Balsamic Vinegar and the Arbequina Olive Oil and I use these for salad. I also like the Mission Olive Oil for drizzling over pasta, vegetables or dipping sauces. With respect to balsamic vinegar, I use the peach and blackberry for salad dressings too. the Peach Balsamic goes great with fish and chicken and the Blackberry Balsamic is great with beef or lamb. Here’s to wowing your dinner guests while appealing to everyone’s taste buds. Cheers! This recipe is a favorite by everyone who has ever tried it. I eat it with a side salad or basmati rice. I also like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy when you grill them. One great thing you can do with this recipe is make the marinade and add it to chicken, place it in a freezer zip lock bag or Tupperware and freeze it. Then when you’re ready to cook it just defrost it in the refrigerator and while it is defrosting it will marinade. There are a few options to cooking this marinade, which I will share with you. 2 pounds chicken Grill Broil The other option is to use the marinade to broil a whole chicken. You need an oven safe dish that the chicken fits into completely. Place the chicken breast side down. Then add the marinade over the chicken. Cook the chicken according to weight. However, approximately 15 minutes before the chicken is done, carefully turn the chicken over and allow the breast to turn a golden brown color. Salad I typically like my salads to look like a box of crayons. However, the flavor of the chicken is so delicious that I keep my salad simple for this meal. 2 Cups mixed green Here’s to stepping out of your comfort zone and trying Lamb. Cheers! This is a delicious recipe, most people have either never tried lamb or have had it prepared improperly. Don’t let your past or lack of experience with Lamb scare you off. 2 cups plane whole milk yogurt Here’s to Taco Tuesdays at home with a sure bet. Cheers! If you’re thinking the time it takes to marinade the meat is just too long, here is my secret. I prepare the marinade and steak in advance, throw it into a freezer bag and freeze it. You just need to make sure you use freezer bags. Then when you’re ready to have Carne Asada, steak, burritos, tacos or salad just remove the bag from the freezer the day before and place it in the refrigerator to thaw and you will have yourself some great Carne Asada for the grill. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until it is a liquid paste texture. Add flank steak and let marinade for 4-24 hours. Grill on medium-high heat for 4 minutes on each side. Here’s to learning to trust your skills. Cheers! This recipe is a little difficult to make, but completely worth it. Now, it is not hard, you just need to figure your own way around the sauce. But, otherwise it is fast and easy. Typically, what I do with this sauce is add a small amount of lime and Jalapeno at a time, until you find the flavor you prefer. Here is chance for you to use your skills. Ingredients: – Tortilla you can also wrap them in lettuce if you’re watching your carbs/paleo If you noticed, I didn’t mention how much of each item to use. This is because most people will have a different preference for the amount of sauce, lime as well as spice. I prefer to grill my fish; it is healthier and tastes better. To grill fish, use aluminum foil and spray the foil with Pam so the fish doesn’t stick to the foil. You don’t want to overcook the fish, so grill it on medium heat for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until it turns white as opposed to opaque. Putting it together, place about 3-4 oz of fish on each taco, add cabbage, taco sauce, avocado, sprinkle with cilantro and serve. This is a great side dish or snack filled with protein. I typically make a lot and refrigerate it. It will keep for at least 1 week. It is a favorite among many, including myself. Here’s to making life as simple as we can. Cheers! Lentil Salad 2 cups brown lentils Boil lentils in medium sauce pan until cooked. Do not over cook the lentils; they should just be slightly soft. As soon as they are eatable drain them and rinse with cold water. Rinsing the lentils will stop the cooking process. Allow the lentils to cool. Mix in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until cold. Here’s to adding a little fire to your life! Cheers! This is one spicy salad. If you prefer a little less spicy, just reduce the peppers. I suggest adding a little pepper at a time until you figure out how much you prefer. It is a very refreshing dish that can be a great summer dinner. Just keep in mind that the beef tastes best if it has been allowed to marinade over night. Marinade lb beef flank steak or 1 lb beef sirloin steaks or 1 lb beef tenderloin Mix ingredients in a Ziploc and let meat marinade from 2-24 hours in liquid. Char grill or broil meat to med rare, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let rest at least 10 minutes then slice VERY thin (1/4″ or less) against the grain. Use very good quality meat for this dish; you want it to be fork-tender and melt-in-your-mouth! Dressing 2 tablespoons sugar Mix all dressing ingredients together 1+ hours before serving salad. Be sure to taste and make any necessary adjustments. The dressing should be SPICY, Sour, Salty and sweet in that order. Salad 1 lb fresh salad greens (I use the bagged spring mix or butter lettuce) Pour half of dressing over the red onions, lemon and mix in a LARGE salad bowl and let them absorb the flavor, 15 minutes. Add lettuce, tomatoes, scallions and mint and the remainder of the dressing. Toss the salad until all ingredients are very well coated and mixed. Truth is I love to cook, so the fact that I encourage people to stock their kitchen with what I think of as the essentials of cooking should by no means be a deterrent. While some people will have their own favorites, others may be reluctant to spend money before they really commit to cooking on a regular basis. I live by the motto that the quality of what goes in comes out. First, I must warn you that there are two ingredients you cannot do without if you’re following my recipes. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I suggest buying these items from a Trader Joes, Whole Foods or a local ethnic market. They have a great selection and don’t charge an arm and a leg. I have to confess, I buy my olive oil and balsamic vinegar from We Olive and it is expensive. But, it is not essential to buy it from there. I also use grapeseed oil, coconut oil and ghee. Olive oil, is a very healthy and delicious addition to your ingredients. When selecting an olive oil it can get a little intimidating if you’re not familiar with the different oils. The darker the oil the more flavor. Olive oil can get bitter if burned at a high heat so never use olive oil for frying. I personally use olive oil when I want the flavor of the oil to enhance my recipe. For example, salads, pasta dishes, grilling or broiling. Examples of when you don’t want to use it are soups, baking or rice. When I am not using olive oil, I am typically using grapeseed oil. Getting back to the type of oil, I suggest stocking up on two, one light and one dark. If you have a favorite just go with that, if you don’t buy two small ones and see which you prefer. Most importantly, find one you love. Like I said, I buy my olive oil at We Olive. I like the Tuscan for every day cooking and dressing and I also like the flavored oils, but that’s a personal preference. Coconut and grapeseed oils are simple; it is all the same from my experience. Unlike olive oil, coconut and grapeseed oils can be cooked at very high heat without changing the flavor of the oil. I use these oils to fry, bake, or cook anything where I don’t want the flavor of the oil to be part of the recipe. For example, rice, Mexican food, Thai food. I will always let you know which oil to use and eventually you will be able to figure it out on your own. Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite kitchen essentials. I use it like most people use salt. I use it for salads, marinades, grilling chicken, steaks and many, many more things. You will need to try a few and find one or two that you love. My favorite is Aged Balsamic, Blackberry Balsamic and Peach White Balsamic, all are sold at We Olive. However, I recommend also buying one that is not infused with additional flavors. Costco has a great balsamic vinegar as does Trader Joes. I am not a fan of plain white balsamic vinegar but again it has to be what you love. Moving on to cooking utensils. I am obviously more passionate about the ingredients then the utensils, however, I have found that the better the utensils the better the cooking experience. If you have not already done so, then I recommend buying a good set of knives, you can start with a few basics such as a Chef’s knife 8 inch, Santoku 7 inch, Carving knife 8 inch, Utility knife 6 inch and if you can, a Tomato knife 5 inch, only because cutting tomatoes can be so much fun with this knife. I personally invested in 26 piece set of Wusthof knives, but it is by no means necessary to make such a financial commitment. If you can invest the money, buy the few I mentioned from a good manufacturer and increase your collection as you go. The best way to keep your knives sharp is to sharpen them with a knife sharpener every other time you use them. Also make sure you do so at the correct angle or you can ruin your knives. If you have quality knives, it is a good idea to have them professionally sharpened once a year. Pots and pans are another essential item (that was a joke). I own a set of Calphalon pots and pans. I prefer the Contemporary Nonstick with the metal handles. I also use stainless steel for recipes where I am browning meat, or making a sauce. Also, I like the metal handles on both sets because I can use them on the stove as well as the oven. Finally, you will need an electric wine bottle opener so you can open up the second bottle of wine quickly and it won’t interfere with your cooking time. We will be cooking with wine very often and sometimes we will use it as an ingredient. I whipped this up for a healthy, quick picnic option and it was a hit! It’s refreshing and you can make it into a sandwich, eat it on it’s own or scoop it over lettuce. Here’s to a quick, easy recipe you could’ve thought up yourself! Cheers!!! 2 cans chicken breast packed in water or 16 oz of shredded chicken breast Mix the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate and serve cold. Here’s to letting your taste buds go wild. Cheers! This recipe is delicious and while the ingredients are different, you won’t regret making this dish. If you are serving it with another meat dish, such as lamb or beef, I suggest using the broth instead of the chicken. That way you can eat the rice with the main dish. Preparation Here’s to cold nights and relaxing in front of the fire. Cheers! All I know is that when it is starts getting cold outside I want soup. Ingredients In a large stock pot over medium high, heat the oil. Sauté the 2 cups of onion, celery and carrots for 4 minutes, season with salt and pepper (remember you’re going to add ½ gallon of water so it will water down the flavor at this point more flavor is better). Carefully add the brandy. After most of it has cooked off stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tarragon, thyme and peppercorns. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Strain the broth. In a stock pot add the butter and 4 ounces of the stock slowly add in the flour to make a roux (this is a creamy thick mixture). Add the onion to the roux and cook for 3 minutes, add the corn and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the strained liquid into the pot with the roux and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour. Add the crab and clams to the liquid and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in the cream. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, it makes the flavor absorb better. Serve. Enjoy. Here’s to secretly healthy treats. Cheers! I normally call this Chicken Tortilla Soup, but truth is there are no tortillas anywhere near this recipe. It is healthy, but don’t worry after tasting it you will feel the required amount of guilt to overcompensate the healthy portion. Ingredients 1 onion chopped In a large pot sauté chicken and onion for 10 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the avocado and cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes depending on how hungry you are. Serve in bowls and add cilantro, sprinkle cheese and avocado. If you must have the tortilla you have two options, first you can just use tortilla chips or you can buy tortillas and slice them, spray them with Pam and place them on a cookie sheet and heat them in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350 until they get crunchy. Here’s a simply delicious appetizer for your. Cheers to eats and treats! 2 loaves French bread baguettes Sautee the shrimp in 4 table spoons olive oil until cooked, remove from heat and chop. In a mixing bowl add all ingredient, except parmesan cheese, and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then cut the baguettes into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Place the baguettes flat on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil on each baguette then add mixed ingredients on each baguette. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you want the bread. If you place aluminum on the cookie sheet under the baguettes and spray it with a cooking spray, it will help make them crunchier. Remove and enjoy! Garlic Hummus In a food processor finely chop juice of all limes, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and ground until smooth. Add tahini and ground until fully mixed. Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus 4 tablespoons olive oil In a food processor finely chop jalapenos, cilantro, juice of all limes, garlic salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and ground until smooth. Add tahini and ground until fully mixed. – 3-7 bone prime rib bone cut from the rib and tied together Heat the grill to 325-350 degrees (3-5 grill burner turn middle burners off). – Mix all of the herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper together and rub all over the meat, including the underside where the meat is sitting on the bone. This is the before This recipe came out surprisingly delicious. – Spaghetti squash – 1 can diced tomatoes – 2 cups mushrooms – 1 bell pepper; any color – 1 tbsp. of chopped habanero in Adobe sauce – 1 pound ground beef/chicken/turkey – 1 cup chopped onions – 1/2 cup tomato paste – 3 table spoons olive oil First, cut the squash in half. Empty seeds and add a table spoon of olive oil, tsp salt and tsp pepper, to each side, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 1-1:30, depending on size. You can tell if it’s cooked by simply using a fork and pulling the squash out. Brown ground meat with the onions. Once the meat is cooked add tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms and bell peppers. Add about 1/2 cup of water and simmer. You want the sauce to be very thick because the squash has a lot of water in it naturally. Simmer for 25-30 min on low. When the sauce and squash are both done, mix them together, add 1 tbsp. olive oil, cover with a paper towel and place the lid on it. Summer on low for 25 min. This came out super yummy and took me 15 min from prep to eat time. This is only enough for 1 person so just double for 2 and so on. Cheers! 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes 1 pack Shirataki angel hair noodles 1/4 cup fresh parsley 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon Cajun Street seasoning 1/4 cup chopped yellow or white onion Rinse noodles and blanch. Drain and allow to sit. Santee chicken with onion. When the chicken is almost cooked add the remaining ingredients except for the Parmesan cheese. Sauté for 5 min or until the juice is cooked and mostly dry. Place in serving dish and add the Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! These are links to buy the noodles and Cajun seasoning. Why drive all over town looking for this stuff when you can order it online. http://www.amazon.com/Shirataki-Noodles-Pack-of-5/dp/B002CENRLG – 2 eggs – 1 cup mushrooms – 1/2 cup green bell peppers – 1/2 cup yellow bell peppers – 1/2 cup orange bell peppers – 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in halves – 1 slice toasted bread – 3 slices of bacon chopped (center cut) – 1/4 cup chopped white onion – 1 cup rice vinegar Chop all vegetables and bacon into 1/2 inch pieces before starting. You’ll be sautéing them while cooking the eggs. In a medium sauce pan fill it 3/4 with water and boil. Once the water has boiled add the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium. In a pan sauté bacon for 3 minutes on high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and sauté for 5-8 minutes on medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. You don’t want to over cook them so they’re not soggy. Add tomatoes and sauté covered on low heat for 3 minutes. Toast your bread. In a plate, place the toast, add the bacon and vegetables and put the eggs on top. 
1 white onion grated
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ cup dry parsley
1 TBS paprika
2 cups lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and marinade 4-24 hours. Heat grill and place chicken directly on the grill. If your grill has 2 shelves, place them on the top shelf, otherwise if it is directly on the fire lower the heat to medium. I like to turn my chicken every 4-5 minutes until cooked.
½ avocado sliced
¼ cups shredded carrots or 8 baby carrots chopped
8 cherry tomatoes cut in halves
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS peach balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
3 teaspoons dried crushed mint
½ yellow onion chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 lbs lamb chops/shoulders
8 oz white fish (Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Cod are my favorite) makes 2 tacos
– 1/4 head Shredded cabbage
– 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
– Jalapenos
– Mayonnaise, (olive oil version has ½ the calories and twice the taste)
– Limes
– 1 Avocado sliced
Basically, you will use approximately 1 cup of mayonnaise and add the juice of limes so the consistency becomes slightly less thick than regular mayonnaise. You don’t want a watery sauce. Then add Jalapenos and blend it in a bullet or food processor, until the Jalapenos are finely blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the salt and pepper as you go. It is important to know that salt tones down the flavor of lime so it is best to add it after the lime and a little at a time.
1/2 lb cherry/grape tomatoes each diced into 8 small pieces
¼ cup fresh mint finely chopped
½ large red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup Olive oil
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar, I use blackberry balsamic from We Olive.
1 teaspoon Cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons palm sugar
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3 -4 tablespoons fish sauce (to taste); not to be mistaken with the fish paste
4 -6 shallots, minced
4 -6 serrano peppers, very finely minced or ground to paste
2 stalks lemongrass, remove outer stalk and slice very thin or grind
3 tablespoons toasted rice powder (ground fine)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions or 1 bunch green onion, cut to ½ inch
1 cucumber, peeled & seeded cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes or wedges tomato
1 lemon, cut in half lengthwise and very thinly sliced (toss into salad for garnish/flavor)
1 cup fresh mint leaf, roughly chopped
6 stalks of celery chopped
2 cups pickles chopped
1 cup mayonnaise. I use the type made from olive oil.Ingredients
The Crab, Clam and Corn Bisque is one of my favorites and is just delicious. If you don’t have an aversion to bread like I do, okay so it’s more like my vanity precludes me from eating carbs but you get the point, try it with sourdough bread. Remember to heat the bread because heating sourdough changes the consistency and flavor.
12 oz crab meat
12 oz clams chopped
2 table spoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cups chopped yellow or white onion
3 cups chopped carrots
3 cups celery
1 cup brandy
½ cup tomato paste
3 crushed garlic cloves
8 sprigs fresh tarragon or chives or green onion stick parts
8 sprigs fresh thyme (do not remove them from the stems)
15 black pepper corns
1/2 gallon water
2 ounces butter
4 ounces flour
2 cans corn kernels
*1 cup heavy cream (I don’t add this part if I want to make a lower calorie version. You can add the cream to each bowl if you like just add about a tablespoon or 2 at most)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic or 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp red chili powder (if you like your food spicy add more to taste)
¼ tsp cayenne
1 ½ quarts low sodium chicken broth
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro leaves
2 lbs. chicken; use boneless, skinless chicken; it is also easier to chop if it is still slightly frozen
1 avocado
2 zucchini
2 stalks celery thinly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
* I like to use different color bell peppers because they have different flavors and I like the way it looks, but sometimes they can get expensive so feel free to improvise.
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lime juice (optional)
Grated Mexican blend cheese (you can find this at any grocery store)
2 cans crab meat
2 lbs shrimp
8 oz parmesan cheese
4 fresh tomatoes chopped
1 red onion finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh finely chopped chives
1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil
4 garlic coves finely chopped
Olive oil, I use a quality oil from We Olive.
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 garlic cloves
2 (16 oz) cans chickpeas drained
4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3 cans of chickpeas drained
1.5 cups of Tahini
3 jalapeños
2 cups cilantro
6 limes
salt / pepper to taste
3 table spoons minced garlic or 9 fresh garlic cloves
– 1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
– 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
– 1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano
– 1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme
– 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
– 8 gloves garlic
– 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 teaspoons kosher salt
– 2 teaspoons pepper
– Put the prime rib bone side down on a large rimmed sheet pan and put it on the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Temperature should be 130 degrees.
https://www.urbanaccents.com/product/cajun-street/?gclid=CI30y_yr0cgCFYdbfgoda64JIA
Poaching the egg is a little challenging. After you reduce the heat use a wooden spoon and stir the water as the water is still spinning gently add the eggs one at a time. Allow it to cook for 5-8 minutes depending on how well you want the eggs cooked. When they are cooked use a slotted ladle to remove the eggs one at a time. Place in a bowl, this will reduce the run off water.
Inspiring Laila 
