lovestarelle

curried fried rice w/smoked trout

who doesn’t love a good fried rice?  the great thing about the fried rice is that it combines a variety of flavors and textures in one dish, often utilizing whatever is in the fridge/pantry.  it’s  the ultimate comfort food.   i grew up eating kimchi fried rice or yang chow fried rice so this recipe from food + wine is definitely a new +  elevated version for me.   Continue reading

spicy thai beef salad (yum nua)

my favorite thai dish is spicy beef salad (yum nua), but let it be known not all yum nua is created equal! so far my experience has been a hit or miss at restaurants. the best thai beef salads have thus far been homemade by friends or especially moms of friends.  i like a juicy marbled beef and of course a lot of kick with a touch of sweet and acid in mine. when i make it at home, i use a ribeye steak, but a good skirt steak will do the trick too.

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quick scramble

i’ve never been a morning person, but as i’m getting older i’m becoming more of one.  these days i try to carve out time in the mornings to have some coffee and read my blogs + “news” (aka gossip columns) before i head to work.  having that quiet time instead of rushing out every morning really makes a difference in my headspace.  on the mornings i feel ambitious, i throw together a little breakfast.

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the revolutionary engagement

i read an interesting post the other week called “a new way to be engaged”.  the post shares a story about a couple who took a less than traditional route to getting married.  it sounds similar to my own engagement, but i thought it was a little funny to hear it described as revolutionary.  but of course, by definition it’s right on the money!

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wannabe chilaquiles

i discovered this amazing recipe for chipotle marinade on chrissy teigen’s site and it has come in so handy a few times already, sitting pretty in my freezer.

the other weekend,  i was starving at home – too lazy to go out and not much in the fridge.   worst of all, i was having serious cravings for chilaquiles.  what to do??  luck be it i literally hand a handful of tortilla chips leftover in the kitchen and some frozen shrimp.  so, i scooped a spoonful of the chipotle marinade and did a quick saute  with diced bell peppers and onions.  then, i fried up an egg and piled them high on a bed of tortilla chips.  this dish i dubbed the “wannabe chilaquiles”.   i know, not quite the traditional recipe, but it did the trick and totally satisfied my craving, leaving me panting and sweating from the heat (i added some crushed thai chilis to the shrimp for an added kick).

moral of the story is: it was delicious and everyone should keep stock of this marinade in their freezer as it comes in handy on many occasions. good for chicken, fish and of course wannabe chilaquiles.  continue reading for the recipe.

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the perfect taco

probably one of my favorite flavor profile is that of the taco.  onions, cilantro, lime and a savory meat is what dreams are made of for this gal.  the simplest of pleasures – i can love LA for the tacos alone!