My Time

Cream Cheese Cookies

I found a really easy cream cheese cookie recipe online, and while it was ok, it really didn't seem worth the effort.  So, I started playing wih the recipe and have come up with this really easy, really yummy, cream cheese cookie recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.

Blend in flour until well mixed. 

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.  Or if you want pretty dainty cookies, use a cookie press.

I put a large chocolate chip in the center of each cookie (whether dropped by spoonfuls or used cookie press).

Sprinkle unbaked cookies with a bit of sugar.

Bake for 15 miutes in preheated oven.

 

You really do not want to overbake these, they should be pale. I also saw a variation online where they added some strawberry gelatan to the recipe, to make strawberry cream cheese cookies.  And it made them pink.   I need to try that too.

I think we liked the cookies better not using a cookie press.  They were a bit thicker so a bit more soft.   But they sure are more pretty with a cookie press.  I had never used a cookie press in my life but this recipe certainly inspired me to use one.

Val liked them too, as many of you already saw on FaceBook - he left me the little reminder that we needed more cookies!  Rest asured, his cookie jar is full again.

 ENJOY!

 

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Taste of L.A.

 

Val & I spent part of our Labor Day weekend at L.A. Times Taste of L.A. event.  It was our first time at this event, and now we are wondering WHY was it our first time!!  This event was just incredible.  The venue was filled with dozens of the best Southern California restaurants offering tastes from their menus.  Every kind of food one could think of, from Sushi to Braised Ox Tail.  And there was no shortage of great food even for the most finiky eater, with the Grilled Cheese Truck close by.  But don't get me wrong - this was by no means a food truck event.  This was great restaurants with great food.  And the portions were perfect tastes, so one could sample so many different things.

There were several sessions of the Taste that took place, and we chose one of the 21 and over events,  where there were several wineries and liquor companies keeping us hydrated.  And the location itself was amazing - on the Paramount Pictures lot.  Fabulous.

If you have never tried this event, do!  Though I hesitate to spread the word since it will make it more crowded (if possible).  I know it sold out this year, and we were fortunate to have gotten our tickets a few weeks ago. 

The price is so worth it - aside from parking, all is included in the ticket price.  All the tastes and drinks you can handle, and most everything was amazing.

Though crowded, the event was run very well.  Lines moved quickly and the meandering was pleasant with many places to sit or stand at a bar table.  The DJ kept the vibe up and the mood was festive.  A perfect activity for our long weekend!  We had a great time!

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Salsa Festival

Each July, Downtown Oxnard turns a bit Spicy as the city makes way for the Salsa Festival.  We always have a great time and this year was no exception.

Our timing was off and we missed the cooking demonstrations, but the salsa tasting tent was a hit and there was some great music.

 

Val had some scary looking XXX Ghost salsa.  And he survived!  His next stop was some even more freightening "colon cleanser" salsa.  He kept asking for hotter and hotter, but stopped after that one LOL.

Val kept asking to taste all the Habernero Jelly he could find - to compare it to his own, and per Val "some were not too bad".  High praise coming from somebody who is so protective of his own habernero jelly!

We had some great Strawberry Salsa.  Who ever thought of such a thing?  Not me, that's for sure.  It was actually really good, and refreshing after some of the hotter stuff.  That said, I did learn that not all strawberry salsa's are created equal.  There were two there -- one I went back for again and again, and the other I just threw away. 

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Orange Salad

I've had a lot of people asking me about this orange salad - so thought I'd post the recipe.  The key to this salad is to let it chill for several hours before you serve it, so the flavors can mesh.  It's so good especially on a hot day.

 

Ingredients:

• 4 oranges
• 1 red onion, cut in paper thin slices
• fresh oregano
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Peel the oranges, carefully removing white membrane.  Cut crosswise into thin slices and discard any pits.  Arrange orange slices on a serving dish.  Separate onion slices into rings and scatter over the oranges.  Sprinkle on the oregano.  Season with salt & pepper.  Drizzle olive oil all over.***  Refrigerate until ready to serve (needs to chill a while for flavors to blend).

***I find this works best when using a mister to spray the olive oil. - it applies a finer layer all over.

Enjoy!

Food Truck Festival

The parking lot at Bridgeport Marketplace was recently taken over by at least 20 gourmet food trucks.  We had a great time and ate some incredible food.  I was amazed at the variety. 

They have had this event several times and this was the first time we actually got there. (Thanks Karen & Krista for dragging us along).

 

 

I had some amazing and super-fresh sweet potatoe fries....... drizzled with a bit of honey...... yum. 

Val went a bit more exotic - he had a soft shell crab po-boy off the truck called "Slap Yo Moma" Soul Food. 

Then he came back around with some sort of garlic chicken wings.  He was definitely enjoying that.

 

Then we saw this Tornado Potato truck -- look at that potato on a stick!  I had already filled up on my sweet potato fries, but I am definitely getting this next time!

 

 

 

 

2011 Bug Fair

You read that right - Bug Fair.  While I was having fun with girlfriends at the Remember When 3-day crop recently, friends took Val & his daughter Samantha to the Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum.  I was quite happy to miss this occasion - until I kept hearing about it nonstop for the next week and saw all these fabulous photos.  It sounded like they had such a good time. 

Look at these cookies - those cricuts are supposed to be there -- Cricut cookies.  Gotta say -- I would not have been eating those.

 Val ate them - and that look on his face sort of tells the story - I havn't seen him outside catching bugs for cookies LOL
Sam got in the fun -- tossing a sauteed cricut into her mouth --
There was evidently a variety of bug foods to eat. Though I won't be eating the bugs - I think I'll be putting this on my calendar for next year.  If for no other reason than to see who I can make eat a bug!!!

 (thank you Samantha and Karen for supplying the photos)

 

Long Beach Crawfish Festival

 
Alrighty - we went to the Long Beach Crawfish Festival this past weekend.  It was our first time and boy let me tell you there was a lot of food there ! 

Gator, crawfish, and lots of other Creole foods.  Had a general New Orleans feel with great bands too. 

More images from the festival - look at these huge vats they were cooking the crawfish in.  That's a lot of crawfish !

Bitter Melon

I found something new at the farmers market last weekend.  It's a little curious looking - called  bitter melon.  I was dubious, but the couple next to me raved about them so I got a couple to give it a try.

Later I read up on them - evidently they are very good for you, even commonly used as medicines, but most people find the taste unpleasant.  Val cooked them using this recipe.  It wasn't as bad as I'd read - but still not something I'd go out of my way for at all.  Val actually thought it was good.  He said "I'd eat that again".  Good thing babe - there's another one in the fridge.

 

Chicken Fajitas

This is one of my favorite recipes.  It is super-easy and not so bad for you.  And - very important - it tastes great!  I usually use low sodium soy sauce and light sour cream. 

Give it a try - let me know what you think !

Terragon Chicken Salad

Love this recipe - and it is awesome for using some of that leftover turkey (instead of chicken).  Aside from eating in a salad it's great as a sandwich too.  Enjoy!