tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36908931305926827962012-02-07T22:30:44.884-08:00roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-35255927445860071752009-04-01T15:15:00.000-07:002009-04-01T15:18:51.163-07:00

I know spring has come and photos with beautiful colors, salads, soups, desserts and other light and fresh seasonal foods show up, but last week i was reading again about smoked and cured meats (thanks to Mike and Sherry from Menu in progress), and since i failed miserably that day to keep the lent and ate some grilled sausage, i thought i should talk about the same thing, even though the food

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-90784137759429205982009-03-25T13:23:00.000-07:002009-03-25T16:12:09.657-07:00

I hope this is a good sign: me - blogging - twice - this week :))) and maybe i broke the spell of rare posting and laziness.Because i have been talking about Lent before Christmas and now, before Easter, i thought it's time for some lent food. But first, i have to tell you something - i don't want anybody to think i am actually always able to fast, i am struggling and most of the time i a have a

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-5143700010765817372009-03-25T09:59:00.000-07:002009-03-25T12:51:02.283-07:00

Unintentionally, it's now 3 weeks later since my last post, and honestly i cannot make promises to change this bad habit, not even to myself. The reason this time.... nothing in particular, i don't know when the time flies. Moreover, Easter Lent started 3 weeks ago, and it's hard for me browsing online and looking at different blogs, especially if there is any photo that makes your mouth water. I

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-570915747687205402009-03-03T16:45:00.000-08:002009-03-03T16:50:01.931-08:00

I have been slacking off again on my blog, but i certainly hope it will not become a once-a-month posting deal. It seems i cannot joggle very well my job, spending time together with my family and friends, the house chores and the blog. Still doesn’t mean that i am not cooking or not taking photos, but i am very slow when it comes to posting. On top of all this, i will be changing jobs. It will

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-41115169533802715032009-02-05T13:17:00.000-08:002009-02-05T13:25:29.821-08:00

I am cleaning up my photo folders and before I come back with a soup or something else, it is time for these small bites to see the light. I chose them because they pair well with the sunny days and high 70's we had this past 10 days. (i started writing these lines yesterday, but as we speak it started raining and that's how it will be for the rest of the weekend)I told you already about Chez Pim

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-88456972728262723382009-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:002009-02-04T12:59:03.905-08:00

I made this back in November, but i didn't get to post it then, and since now my daughter asked me to make them again tonight, i thought it's time for this post, too.I found the idea on Chez Pim's blog, and fell in love with it immediately. (And digressing a little bit from the post - Chez Pim's blog was one of the first blogs i discovered about 2 years ago on the net. I cannot tell you how

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-16130180085127522482009-01-28T09:16:00.000-08:002009-01-28T11:08:13.965-08:00

When i took a break from posting from the end of November till January, i also took a break from reading my favorite blogs and i'll tell you now why. We tried to keep the Lent before Christmas, which is about 6 weeks, and for me it is pretty hard. Gabriel doesn't seem to mind or wonder like me. I always think about food and i always crave food, especially when i see beautiful photos, so i decided

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-19390076980150895212009-01-26T15:26:00.000-08:002009-01-28T11:18:22.594-08:00

This is one of those times when i am sorry there is such a big gap between our cuisines or cooking styles & trends, the Romanian and the American one, because i am not sure how good of a job i'll do when telling you how Romanian this food is. Just as much as the pancakes with bacon and eggs are the American breakfast, or the steak and the apple or cherry pies are culinary staples here. It

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-83543920969809402842009-01-20T14:16:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:18:10.118-08:00

First of all, let me thank all of you that continued to check for a new post for the last two months, i appreciate your good thoughts and words and although i took a pretty long time to get back on track, here i am again. And thank you for pushing me to come back to my senses and shake off the deeeep blues and laziness.I think you should know how much it had to do with your standing by me, your

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-83697753143301657372008-11-06T23:10:00.000-08:002008-11-06T23:12:27.461-08:00

Now that fall is here to stay, i love the color of the light this time of the year, it looks pale yellow, and it casts a warm glow to everything. The only thing that i don't like, is when the sun sets. I love the colors of the sunset, but the dusk feels so sad, sudden and overwhelming when i barely leave work to go home.I was reading the last number from Saveur, and i was carried away by the

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-62346107510012497422008-11-06T10:03:00.000-08:002008-11-06T10:05:00.961-08:00

I love mussels, and pretty much all seafood. The only ones that i am iffy about are the oysters, but i don't turn them down. It's just that i like them not too large, not too many, and served like shooters - with a bit of lemon or lime juice and a bit of tabasco or spicy cocktail sauce. All the others, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, crab, any kind of fish, are more than welcome, at any time,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-32281231513667166382008-11-04T10:00:00.000-08:002008-11-05T16:40:08.763-08:00

I dont' know why, but Halloween it is not one of my favorite hollidays. Actually, i don't consider it a holliday like the others are, i find it silly, commercial and a lot of times, the costumes are to blame as well (you should see how some of the girls from Clara's school dress on this day, i was really wondering, how could their parents let them wear stuff like that, or better said, how could

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-9944309954136682852008-10-29T11:34:00.001-07:002008-10-29T12:14:25.853-07:00

Maybe last week when i made this i couldn't have said that the fall is here, especially when every single day we had over 90F at lunch. But the mornings are colder, and so are the nights, the sun sets pretty early, so why not start cooking some comforting recipes that make the house smell amazing and warm.I found this recipe in the Food & Wine newsletter i get every week, and i am glad i looked

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-62512659754825599042008-10-27T17:08:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:11:46.065-07:00

Saturdays and Sundays are the days when we are lazy, go out, have fun, and spend bonding time. Usually Sunday afternoon I take Clara to Barnes & Noble and we stay there for hours. She finds lots of books to read and show me, and i find tens of magazines and cookbooks to inspire from.Last time, Clara found a cookbook for kids and she couldn't wait to go home and have the bull's eye and the apple

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-91365885426887557142008-10-27T15:55:00.000-07:002008-10-27T16:03:59.564-07:00

A couple of months ago, i was talking with Lola about asian recipes which we like a lot and wanted to make at home, since we always enjoy them when we eat out. We've been to Chinatown so many times, but we have tried only 3 or 4 places, and only one of them is our favorite. We never went twice to the others, because the first one was far better then any new one we wanted to try. We go there

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-51135189014429711192008-10-21T12:30:00.000-07:002008-10-21T12:36:07.331-07:00

I said I’ll be back with the recipe for the chocolate roll ( and I remember I still have some recipes from the party menu to come back with). I think this is one of the easiest desserts and you cannot go wrong with it. The filling doesn’t have to be chocolate, it could be whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, buttercream, whatever you like. The same with the fruits, but I think that the chocolate

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-49818592095720321162008-10-20T16:24:00.000-07:002008-10-20T20:46:36.454-07:00

I have been lazy again when it comes to posting. I couldn’t get myself to stay in front at the computer too much at home, and you have to excuse me, but I get enough at work 8 hours a day. I have been cooking, although not a lot, but I have been trying new recipes, which are waiting their turn to be posted.The summer about which I wrote a couple of weeks ago, it is definitely now gone. It is

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-67428418731981902582008-10-10T22:26:00.000-07:002008-10-10T22:26:09.255-07:00

This post is not about something recent, the party was back in April, and the pictures were taken then, but since at that time i wasn't yet ready to start this blogging affair, i saved them in a folder. Honestly, i was thinking i'll have the time to re-make some of the food to take new pictures, but until now, i didn't get to do it. Maybe later on, and then i'll edit the post to add the new pics.

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-15600688475591489112008-10-08T12:58:00.000-07:002008-10-08T13:03:22.572-07:00

I don't know if you've read here when i was talking about my dream of becoming Suzanne Goin (by the way, i've just seen again the commercial for land of food and wine, she is one of the chefs featured in it, and i still like her in spite of what i wrote lower). I have been planning for a long time to go to her restaurant Lucques, but for some reason we didn't get there until last Sunday. I've

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-18665755024449968322008-10-02T14:50:00.000-07:002008-10-02T14:56:14.242-07:00

I don’t know how the weather is where you live, but here, last week was hotter then July or August. And I don’t know if it is just my impression, but this summer was more humid than ever here in Los Angeles. The last three days were so hot, that is hard to believe is October already. Especially when I look at the stores and see displays with Halloween and Thanksgiving. I looked at the cooking

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-58288732195257638022008-10-01T10:40:00.000-07:002008-10-01T10:44:20.844-07:00

About two weeks ago, i made moussaka. Almost at the same time when Bea posted her wonderful vacation journal and pictures from Crete, including the moussaka she made back home in France with her mom.Off course her pictures are amazing, and her moussaka looks so good and tempting, that if i wouldn't have made it myself a couple of days before, for sure i would have made it after looking at hers.So

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-58145631372753831792008-09-29T13:25:00.000-07:002008-09-29T14:53:23.697-07:00

Back in April i found a recipe for cured salmon, so i decided to make it at home, since we love so much the smoked and the cured one that you find in the supermarkets.I gave it a try then, for my friend's surprise birthday party (which i will put together in a post some time this week) and we liked it so much, that i tried to make it again. I know you could use different ingredients for the cure,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-6825314025409566102008-09-29T11:16:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:16:00.350-07:00

When i was a kid, my mom and my grandma, and all of my friends' mothers and grandmas, were baking a lot. They were exchanging recipes, they were making lucious desserts with cream, fruits, cheese, nuts, layered, baked on the back of the baking tray or in it, cakes, and everything else you could imagine. Most of the times, especially after the ingredients were rationalized, they had to deal with

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-29969792537841201772008-09-24T14:55:00.000-07:002008-09-27T09:45:25.461-07:00

I am back. School started again, we are four graders now, a busy time at work, new rules and forms that i am learning, possibly looking for a new job starting January, fighting the blues (funny thing, blue is not my favorite color, but definitely the blue hue is around me a lot, sometimes more than i like it or can handle it), all these together kept me away from posting. Not enough time, not

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-87669469690131736012008-09-01T18:27:00.000-07:002008-09-24T15:01:12.708-07:00

My vacation is over. Hopefully, i am now rested and ready to go back to work. Spending time with Clara was really needed before school starts again and since my last vacation was over 8 months ago, a break from work was long over due.We went back to Oceanside, for a week at the beach and tanning, doing nothing and being as lazy as possible. And that's exactly how this past week has passed. I am

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-16513899512271000312008-08-22T12:00:00.000-07:002008-08-23T13:28:06.756-07:00

When my sister moved to her new place, we went to see it and help a little unpack her stuff, and then went out for dinner to a little restaurant on the corner of her block. My sister moved in Thai town, so there are 5 restaurants in 3 blocks, one more authentic than the other. And since we love their food so much, we were more than happy with their menu. I had a chicken coconut soup, Clara had

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-6763312754571930512008-08-19T18:11:00.000-07:002008-08-20T16:34:11.329-07:00

It's ice cream time! Every day, at home or out, the summer demands the wonderful refreshing taste and chill of the frozen dessert. Between the supermarket (with gallons of icecream, the ice cream sandwiches, the popsicles or the drumsticks), the Pinkberry, the Baskin-Robbins, the gelateria or your neighborhood ice cream place, the variety is pretty impressive and the flavors are amazing. Still,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-25648076334273065012008-08-18T18:33:00.000-07:002008-08-18T14:11:38.955-07:00

Tarts, pies, quiches, and souffles made such a comeback in the last couple of years, and they went well beyond the classics. You could find so many all over the blogosphere and on the culinary websites. They are tasty, easy to make (ok, maybe not the souffles), savory or sweet, with or without crust, you could play with the ingredients so much, choosing your favorites or what is in season, or

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-64010921247447519432008-08-13T20:25:00.000-07:002008-08-14T12:16:19.852-07:00

Clara has had a birthday party each year until now, or better said, two birthday parties - one here and one in Romania, since she was getting there the week of or after her birthday. She has been going back home each summer to see our families and my mom had a party for her birthday every time, inviting her friends from kindergarden. And which kid could say "no, thanks" to a second party, cake,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-66460332176946101612008-08-11T19:55:00.000-07:002008-08-11T20:13:58.635-07:00

My Asian food journey continues. Saturday night I made dumplings/ pot stickers, a quick and tasty dish, for me and Clara only. So, I made about 30 (just me and Clara, right), because I had about 2/3 of a pound and I didn't realize it's too much until i was frying the second batch and I used less than half of the meat.Dumplings are so easy to make, especially when you buy the won ton/ gyoza skins,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-2157154565738477862008-08-05T14:44:00.000-07:002008-08-05T21:44:47.478-07:00

This recipe belongs to Nancy Silverton, and I found it here, on the Food & Wine website. I told you before: i am a visual eater, the photos impress me a lot when deciding to make something or not. I really wanted to make this, and although my photo or tart don't look so beautiful as the ones in the original post, it was still a hit and i will make it again. My sister, who doesn't like dessert,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-12298695252619957432008-08-04T14:56:00.000-07:002008-08-04T14:56:56.947-07:00

The tomatoes that we picked from the farm last week were wonderful, bursting with flavor, and they made a simple tomato salad with feta cheese, while the ones that were not very ripe, I thought of stuffing them. Last week was nice and warm here, so no roasted tomatoes for me, and that's how I decided to stuff them with a cold pasta salad. This is the same orzo salad I made here and put it in

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-84382927874365278622008-08-04T12:00:00.000-07:002008-08-11T16:23:34.167-07:00

This is going to be a very very short post. I am trying to catch up with my pictures. This week and the following one is lent for us, so I will try to cook some vegetable dishes, but I have many photos and recipes from a while back that could be posted as well.Last week, I made these appetizers to nibble on with a glass of red wine when my sister came over, and although there is nothing

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-67965410554326971332008-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:002008-08-02T15:56:32.528-07:00

I have been pretty busy this week, and did not have too much time for posting. A lot of work at the office, yesterday Clara had a Tea Party with her friends, but I still made time to cook and take some pictures, now I just need the time to post them.This post is about tongue indeed, and I know there are not too many fans of tongue and/or other organs, but I belong to the group that really likes

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-34618141079014761942008-07-28T12:24:00.001-07:002008-07-28T15:35:48.048-07:00

Saturday we took off to go to a farm where you could pick our own fruits and veggies, pet the animals and get away from the city.Last year we went for the first time to Murray family farm and we loved it there. They had tons of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, peaches, nectarines, plouts, and cherry tomatoes. But because it took us about 2 hours to get there, I decided this year to look

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-13848858593248549042008-07-28T10:45:00.001-07:002008-07-28T23:47:33.120-07:00

I love artichokes, hearts or bottoms, canned in water or oil, depending what I am going to make out of them, but I've never prepared them at home until now.I've been looking at them at the market, and although I was not intimadated by them, I was laizy and chose the more convenient jars. But since now it's their season, I bought 3 artichokes last week and after searching for a recipe for them, I

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-43582631602891469932008-07-24T13:24:00.000-07:002008-07-24T14:02:56.056-07:00

From the series "Fish, again" - a playful take on the fried fish looking like french fries. I found fresh sprat, which I kind of butchered when I tried to clean it up. I usually fry this fish lined up 5-6 on a toothpick, but last night I thought they looked so much like fries, so why not make and plate them like a snack of fries. And this is just what I did. I usually just coat the fish with

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-55707697634350751442008-07-24T10:46:00.000-07:002008-07-24T13:23:46.866-07:00

I missed sour cherries for 6 years, since I left home. I looked for them, and some friends told me they went to a farm to pick their own a couple of years ago, some others found in little Armenian shops, but I wasn't that lucky.Until 2 days ago, when I found them in a Jewish store and bought 3 pounds, then rushed back home to see what I should do with them. I started looking online for recipes,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-91402793289990161012008-07-18T17:15:00.000-07:002008-07-19T00:40:50.980-07:00

Fridays we try to fast, as all Fridays throughout the year are lent days for us as orthodox christians. Actually, I should say me and Clara try to fast, because Gabriel always does.Lent for orthodox people is over 5 weeks before Christmas, 40 days before Easter, about a week in June before St. Peter and Paul, and about 2 weeks in August and some other days for different saints/hollidays. We were

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-68192281919294205862008-07-17T11:44:00.000-07:002008-07-18T12:11:27.656-07:00

Have you ever typed with a sparrow on your hand? Just asking, cause this is what I did this morning. Tweety is doing just fine, tries from time to time to fly a little, but he/she (still didn't look into this gender dilemma) cannot see with his left eye at all, so I think we'll keep him longer or for good.Now, back to the recipe posting. I found out from other bloggers about a blog which I have

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-74493548295288879352008-07-16T00:27:00.000-07:002008-07-19T00:50:07.061-07:00

**** Special note - thank you to my dear dear dear talented daughter, Clara, who took the the photo above and the one below. I think she did a wonderful job and made me so proud to have them in my post. She has being trying her hand with the camera latelly just to amaze us how good she is for a 9 years old./ Vreau sa-i multumesc scumpei dragei mele talentate fetite, Clara, care a facut poza de

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-22582968697748521022008-07-15T23:48:00.000-07:002008-07-18T09:44:36.205-07:00

First, Irina made her eggplant rolls, which look amazing, then Cristina, and last week I found this book by Jennifer Joyce online and was temped by the cover so much, that I had to try and replicate the zucchini rolls that appear in the middle. And because I'll get the book from the library only next week, I made them now using things that we like ( and happened to have in the fridge).So, here it

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-19806837696707476342008-07-15T12:49:00.000-07:002008-07-18T00:23:32.469-07:00

This post has no recipe, it’s just a diary about our 4th of July weekend at Big Bear, right before the flooding last week, and my unexpected trip to Oceanside. But before that, here is our new pet. Temporary pet. Tweety. Somebody found him/her (how could you tell?, I have to look for that) on Sunday at church and gave it to my daughter, so we decided to take care of him/her until is bigger and

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-85954785342447854802008-07-14T13:08:00.000-07:002008-07-18T09:47:18.359-07:00

My friend Cristina has a link posted on her blog to Il Gato Goloso’s blog, who wanted to put together a collection of recipes for jams, marmalades, preserves, canned fruits or veggies, pickles, you know, everything make in the summer to have later in the pantry.So I started looking and found some interesting recipes, two of which I couldn’t wait to make myself and share with others. And because

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-40199967744012157482008-07-09T10:51:00.001-07:002008-07-09T22:39:11.282-07:00

The second post with another recipe from the coctail dinner. When I made this it was because I love sushi, sashimi, tartar, ceviche, and California is a heaven for the Japanese cuisine (I know tartar and ceviche don't belong to the Japanese, but they are all the same). And my friends that came over that night love it too. I never tasted raw fish before coming here, even more, I was sceptic that

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-54158568364275765542008-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:002008-07-14T14:50:59.226-07:00

I am returning with some of the recipes from that January dinner, and the asparagus tart is the first one. My friends liked it a lot, they said it's like a bistro tart or quiche, tasty and very presentable. Not that my cutting it in small squares made it very presentable, but this time you have to trust me, the photo is not as good looking as the tart.My ingredients were for a 18"x13" baking pan,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-1694184834597055322008-07-07T14:10:00.000-07:002008-07-14T22:19:24.400-07:00

I cannot say enough "Thank you", "Grazie mille" or "Multumesc" to my dear friend Cristina for her advise and support, and for the compliment of passing this award to me. Cristina never stops amazing me with her baking, her homemade pasta and her knowing what the italian cuisine means. I truly believe she is Mario Batali's lost twin sister. I am grateful more than I could say ( and this is not

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-738185357180314742008-07-07T13:10:00.000-07:002008-07-12T14:52:40.238-07:00

The minivacation is over, we are back and have to get into the working mood. As you see I am blogging, not working, so the mood did not make a full come back yet. I will clean up the pictures and stories from Big Bear and put them together in a couple of days, so now I am looking through my old photos and recipes, and as I am cleaning the folders, I decided to post some of them.This post is about

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-57544904198497503452008-07-03T11:25:00.000-07:002008-07-03T13:26:02.734-07:00

8 posts only and salmon comes back for the second time, this should tell you how much we like fish, and warn you it will probably find its way back here pretty soon. Maybe because it is summer and fish is lighter then the red meat, maybe because I know we'll barbeque for three days in a row this weekend, anyway...The salmon was supposed to look different, but it didn't happen, maybe another time

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-57297202113593254062008-07-03T09:52:00.000-07:002008-07-03T13:21:11.461-07:00

I have been craving desserts with fruits for a couple of days now, but not something warm as a cobbler, nor sorbet. So yesterday I looked for a recipe for blueberry muffins and found one for a pound cake on epicurious from Gourmet magazine - May 2000.Last night, once again pretty late, I started making this and I am happy to say this is a keeper. Clara loves blueberries and eats them untill she

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-7848968176129340572008-06-30T11:23:00.000-07:002008-06-30T13:19:24.656-07:00

I couldn’t find my enthusiasm lately or actually the time to post anything. The school ended, the vacation started and we are trying to joggle between work and Clara and I don’t know how we would that without our friends’ help about 3 days a week since we have no vacation yet.It was Clara’s birthday, so we went to Disneyland, and although it was Friday, less people than during the weekend and not

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-20207121552344224392008-06-03T13:00:00.000-07:002008-11-06T23:35:30.187-08:00

Since I convinced myself that I love cooking and therefore I must be good at it, don't you like my reasoning and modesty?!, I've tried so many recipes that have nothing in common with the Romanian foods we grew up with. (My father always makes fun of me when I show them pictures of what I cooked and sees the combinations and the ingredients. Then he tells my husband to come back home more often

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-92048128268488698232008-06-03T11:23:00.000-07:002008-06-03T12:50:21.641-07:00

This is a staple in Romanian desserts, I would say, and almost all housemothers make it, but they might have slightly different recipes and different plating ideas. My mom's was good, and I don't know how come, but she made it most of the times for New Year's Eve parties, or at winter time. My grandma's was always good, and she would make it quickly for Saturday or Sunday lunches, when the whole

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-8696182606119397022008-05-29T12:50:00.000-07:002008-11-06T23:39:33.352-08:00

Everybody must have a different recipe for tomato soup, with or without cream, and different ingredients, and I could certainly say that I have never made tomato soup twice the same, because every time I use whatever I find in my fridge. You could always add zucchini, even grilled corn to it, more carrots.... Look only how wonderful Cristina’s carrot and tomato soup with ricotta dumplings looks,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-4027178245614912132008-05-29T09:48:00.000-07:002008-05-29T22:29:15.063-07:00

I think I start liking this blogging affair, especially since I am looking thru old pictures and don't have to rush home to cook and take new pictures, I have a couple saved already that I could use. This way I even feel less bad about having leftovers last night, instead of making something else. And since I am so comfortable with my laziness, I foresee tonight a mac & cheese dinner for Clara

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-78892394471522507152008-05-28T12:28:00.000-07:002008-06-03T12:45:45.046-07:00

I have been looking for some time now thru my pictures and saved recipes, to find the courage and inspiration to start this blog, trying to get over newbie's nerves and over my fixed ideas, displeased with my pictures and afraid of a mediocre posting. Browsing my folders, I finally decided to choose this salmon. Everybody in my family likes fish, but diferences appear when we have to say which

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690893130592682796.post-38978799709203043702008-05-08T15:17:00.000-07:002008-05-29T21:58:59.226-07:00

I am not sure why I started this blog, since I am spending my time online reading and drooling looking at other culinary blogs, always feeling that I don't have enough time for this, and to add to my unsettled mind, the small perfectionist part of me ( I should say extremely small part, for which I am ashamed, "but this shame will pass soon, sooner than it should", citing from Pride & Prejudice,

roxanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10466641863074183176noreply@blogger.com7