Breakfast frittata by Sam's mom.

I just discovered a cute web series called “Couple Time,” about the things a couple says and does when they are alone. My favorite installment is the one where the girlfriend offers to cook her boyfriend “a king’s breakfast” if he gets up to feed the cat.

I keep jokingly offering to cook a king’s breakfast for Sam, but the reality is that I don’t have much more to offer than the girl in the video. I could cook a middle class person’s breakfast, at best… scrambled eggs, maybe some pancakes from a mix…

I think the most royal breakfast I’ve ever experienced was last December at Sam’s parent’s house. They made challah French toast, a breakfast frittata, sliced melon… and we ate it in the dining room on breakable plates.

What would be a king’s breakfast, in your book? Could you actually cook one if you needed to bribe someone with it?

Also… does anybody know where I can get that bedspread? (Urban Outfitters?)

xoxo…

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Yes, yes, and yes!

My first Serious Eats book may or may not be stuck in the Burbank post office. It got lost in the mail or something. Amazon was super cool and overnighted a replacement, so this weekend I will finally get to dig in! It’s basically the website in book form– lists of awesome places to eat, recipes, pictures, anecdotes. HOORAY!

So… if you’re into that kind of thing (and if you like THIS blog you should really be reading Serious Eats… they’re serious), check it out. A great Thanksgiving gift (sure, that’s a thing…) for the foodie in your life.

xoxo…

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Triangles make everything taste better.

Every few years I go through a quesadilla phase. It typically comes out of nowhere (or maybe I’d see former-roomie Lauren making one and be inspired) and goes away by the time I’ve gone through one or two bags of tortillas. It’s like… when the locusts come. Very mysterious. (And luckily I don’t actually live in locust country, because I’m not a bug person.) (How many people are, really?)

Aaanyway, I always have problems locating good, not-too-unhealthy tortillas. Sometimes I walk into the tortilla (or bread) section of the grocery store and an grossed out by the smell of– I don’t know, maybe wheat? Flour? So I have to smell the bags to see if they offend.

I actually thought that the smell-thing might be indicative of a bread allergy, which is why last year I spent a week not eating bread to see what would happen. (Nothing notable, except that I didn’t get to eat my bread-crouton thing when I went to Tender Greens with Sam on our THIRD DATE.) (When I told him I might be allergic to bread, I’m sure he was like, GREAT. Self-diagnosing allergies? She seems like a PEACH.)

I ended up trying a new (to me) brand of flour tortillas– La Banderita. I really like them because they have layers… if you know what I mean. You can kind of peel them in half.

All that and 0g of transfats!

So I’m a happy camper. Until I get the vapors again, re: the smell of bread. (Seriously, am I weird? Do other people know what I’m talking about?)

And in case you’re wondering I happen to be using the Trader Joe’s brand light Mexican cheese blend, but I’m sure any will do. And I make my quesadillas in the microwave. Yes, yes, I’ve learned by now– everything tastes better on the stove. But… nothing tastes as good as lazy feels. (At least not right now.)

xoxo…

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Adding a bit of cheer to the gray cubicle.

The first two reusable snack bags were successful, but I realized that I often use more than just two bags when I pack my lunch. So I turned back to the internet for more bags. MORE! MORE! (Actually just two.)

I decided to branch out and try another brand. This time I chose snackTAXI, because their designs are so cute! My PB Green Bags have Velcro all the way across the top, whereas the snackTaxi ones have a little Velcro tab. Since each brand seems to be based out of a different family’s home, there are lots of interesting variations– but they all seem to work well.

I urge you to buy a bag or two and check them out! Is there anything cuter than those rainbow apples & pears, or the adorable tea time pattern? It makes me look forward to packing my lunch! (Sometimes I feel like I’m taking care of a young child– packing snacks in her lunch so she won’t get cranky, cooking her a nice healthy dinner rather than letting her eat fast food, not letting her eat too much dessert because it will make her tummy hurt. I’m a high maintenance toddler!)

But seriously, my inner child and my outer adult feel good about my one-woman attempt to not fill landfills with my Ziploc usage.

xoxo…

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Yes, please.

When I went home last weekend for a family Labor Day BBQ, I also got my first taste of one of my favorite parts of autumn– pumpkin! My family made pumpkin bread using a pumpkin they GREW in the backyard. How cool is that?

I can’t wait to have a garden someday… although I don’t like bugs (especially bees and spiders), so dealing with that side of things will be innnnteresting.

Say goodbye to summer BBQs…

I will miss you... come back next summer.

… and hello to pumpkin spice Frappuccinos! (And lattes, when it gets good and cold out.)

Hello old friend.

Each season, I forget that the next one exists. Now that I’ve remembered autumn, I’m quite excited!

What’s your favorite food of autumn?

xoxo…

If it's tiramisu, I'm in.

Today I met a friend for lunch at Cafe Gratitude on Larchmont. It’s vegan and the menu is a little… theme-y. Like, I have no idea how the servers memorize the names of the dishes. I just said, “I’ll have the tacos.”

I forgot to take pictures until dessert– but yeah, I had the tacos (“I Am Transformed”). (For the record– I was not transformed… other than feeling full after I ate them.) We also ordered the potato appetizer (“I Am Grounded”), as I bumped into another friend who gave the potatoes rave reviews. (I did not see any pink salt on them, but the menu says that’s the case.)

The nice thing about Cafe Gratitude is that they’re not taking tofu and trying to make it taste like meat. That can be a little dicey. (They do have a sandwich that they call a “BLT,” but apparently it’s not fake-meaty, and very good.)

The vegan tiramisu is called “I Am Adoring.” I was happy about the cake-to-”cream” ratio… I like cake!

So yeah, next time your favorite vegan wants to hang out, take them to Cafe Gratitude. They’ll be grateful to you, and you’ll be grateful it actually tastes good.

xoxo…

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Plastic desserts on a real dessert!

It’s July. It’s hot outside! I’m totally charmed by these cupcakes with plastic ice creams and popsicles on them, seen at my local Albertson’s.

And here are some interesting finds from today’s Hollywood Farmers’ Market.

I’m not big on the Lakers, but I dedicate these “Laker baker” potatoes to Lauren. (I believe they’re named for their purple/yellow look, but I can’t tell if they’ve been partially peeled or what.)

Serve with Kobe beef.

And I bought this blood orange juice, because I thought I might enjoy a few sips while I watch tonight’s new episode of “True Blood.”

True blood... orange juice.

Okay, I have deli and seafoods in my future, so I gotta skadoot.

Enjoy your Sunday! Go swimming. (I actually swam yesterday… at night, because I’m a vampire.)

xoxo…

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You Go, Girl.

I’m watching this weird “re-dance your solo” elimination thing on my TV, and it occurred to me that I haven’t mentioned “So You Think You Can Dance” on here for a while. From the first moment I saw Melanie’s audition solo, I was like, “SOLD!” She’s this little artsy nymph with CRAZY HEART (and moves).

Note to Jordan (female): I’m a little weirded out that your life’s goal is to be a Pussycat Doll. Do you understand what you’re saying? And your solo tonight was a stripper routine, complete with be-fringed boob-shaking.

Okay, nobody’s eliminated. Two couples will dance next week. Fine by me. Whatever. I’ll watch 20 couples every week. I’m not worried about ratings.

But I probably would have eliminated Jordan, because I’m a feminist or something.

I bet Melanie knows what I’m talking about! (Although her life’s goal– to be a guest on “Ellen”– is also kinda meh.) (I mean, I guess now that Oprah’s done, dreams have to be tailored appropriately.) (And maybe Jordan only wants to be a Pussycat Doll so she can meet Ellen. Who knows.)

xoxo…

The office kitchen-- no natural light, ever.

It’s a holiday-packed week. First Memorial Day on Monday, and now– National Donut Day! (Or doughnut, if that’s how you swing.)

You may recall that I’m not really a donut-eating gal, except for very special donuts/occasions. (For example, I am still hoping to trek to MA to try a bona fide apple cider donut.) I didn’t partake of the office kitchen donuts (yet…), because– I don’t know, I already had two breakfasts today. (And by that I mean I had two things when I would typically only have one… a piece of toast with butter and jam– I’m super British now– followed by an expired coffee yogurt with Wheat Germ.) (I’m also super… into eating expired foods before they’re too expired?)

But, whatever. This day isn’t about me. It’s about you, getting some free donuts. Check in at your local donut hole. (Get it?) I’m sure Dunkin’ Donuts is up to something… they don’t exist in CA, so I don’t cover that beat. (Starbucks has those mini donuts with the sparkle sugar… don’t know if they’re free today– or if they taste good– but they sure are purty.) (And Krispy Kreme used to be a big deal… what happened there?)

Find your donut-y bliss!

xoxo…

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Looking shrivel-y.

Today I tried roasting the potatoes. I prepared them exactly the same as I did last time (well, I forgot the salt & pepper until the end). Instead of the pouch, I laid them out on foil and roasted them at 400 degrees for a little over an hour. (I only planned on an hour, but I kinda lost track… whoops.)

At first I was worried that the potatoes were burned/shriveled, but they tasted good! (And they were still multicolored, it’s just harder to tell.)

Appearances can be deceiving?

I wish I could somehow combine the pouch potatoes and the roasted potatoes. I’m not sure which I liked better. The roasted ones are more of a snack or a breakfast thing, and the baked ones are juicier and feel more like a side dish. (Maybe if I roasted the potatoes a little less, they would have retained more juice… or maybe I should have cut the pieces a little bigger?)

Oh, and as long as I was taking pictures/eating things, I grabbed another shot of the inside of the ice box cupcake.

Better?

That is what it looked like inside! (And then I ate it.)

Okay, back to “The Office.” Watching Michael Scott leave. “Hey, will you guys let me know if this ever airs?” HE TOOK OFF HIS MIC. And missed his cake. (Sorry– spoiler alert.) (Also the new boss is crazy.) (Double spoiler alert.)

xoxo…

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