Life, Liberty, Food, Music, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Icky June gloom is over and the 4th of July long sunny holiday weekend has arrived.  YAY!!!!

The 4th means celebrations all over the US of A with friends, family, food, and fireworks. 

Amidst all the festivities though, I can at times lose sight of what we are actually celebrating - which is freedom from oppression and tyranny achieved in the United States in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (Note: Go see it in the National Archives if you haven't - Coolest historical thing in DC in my opinion).


I wasn't born in the US and my family is not originally from the US, but I am grateful to be here now, to be accepted, and to live my life the way I please without fear of retaliation or censorship.  I think it's a particularly poignant 4th of July celebration this year as people around the world strive to be free from oppressive governmental regimes.  I am inspired and humbled by the brave struggles of the men and women in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria as they have fought this year, and continue to fight, to have the unalienable rights we have enjoyed for 236 years - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

And to celebrate Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, below are three really great videos that I think depict each one these unalienable rights.

LIFE

The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, Mr. James Brown (RIP) shows us his interpretation of "Living in America".  This 1985 gem is flashy, dancey, and inter splices scenes from Rocky movies - an American pop culture cornerstone.  This video is awesome - lots of sequence and classic shots of 1985 US work force.  Enjoy. Woot!

LIBERTY

I know what some of you are thinking: "Really Z?  Kid Rock?  What's next Nickelback?"  Alright - admittedly sort of outside my general genre, but this is a good song and the lyrics depicts Liberty - the idea of being born free "like a river raging . . . and Wild like an untamed stallion".  I like the expansive beachy and open road shots... You keep on Kid Rock - there ain't no chains on you sir!!! Now go drink a handle of Jack for breakfast.   

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

The Pursuit of Happinss means many things to different people, but without getting philosophical... A good party makes most people happy - and the Beastie Boys do it well.  America's ancestors fought hard for our right to party, and I believe we all should make them proud this weekend :)  

Partying and food go hand in hand, and as such it just wouldn't be a true 4th of July celebration without copious amounts of desserts (we Americans like excess - it's OK we can cop to it).

Here's a no-brainer, 4th of July desserts generally incorporate the ol' Red, White, and Blue elements - and that's easy.

Red: Strawberries, blueberries, red hots, fruit roll ups (red stripes), red sprinkles, red food coloring 

 White: White frosting, white chocolate chips (white stars)

Blue: Blueberries, blackberries, blue food coloring, blue m&ms

And there you have it - Flag waving desserts! 

Although I would love to bake from scratch this weekend, I am alas a little pinched for time.  So, I am going "Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade" Style with Flag Cupcakes made from the items you see below.  And because I am party hopping on the 4th, cupcakes are perfect for me to bring along to share at each celebration (hopefully they don't melt along the way!)

If you do have a little more time this weekend, I recommend trying out the most famous of Flag Cakes - Ina Garten's tried and true recipe - Over 600 home cooks can't be wrong - this recipe is fab and not hard!  Check out Ina making her patriotic cake below, and for the recipe - click here.

 I say unto all of you this weekend - Rejoice in your freedoms, Be safe, Enjoy your loved ones, Eat well, and finally...

As Katy says - Be a firework, and don't forget to let your colors burst :)

Happy 4th!!! 

Hugs and Kisses



BOO!!!!

Thank you Marilyn Manson, Danny Elfman, and Tim Burton for getting us in the mood as we embark on All Hallows' Eve weekend. 

As Halloween approaches, I suspect the usual classics will show up on the tube - The Exorcist, The Shining, Psycho, Halloween, Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, SAW XIV (Blake, what am I missing?) - I have seen none of these.  Why? Z frightens easily - It's a fact of life. As my comrades from last weekend's trip to Knott's Scary Farm can attest, I jumped, shrieked, and cowered at every two-bit "monster" that went by - and I was genuinely scared. And as if there was a homing device over my head indicating "she is the weak one" the ghouls, ghosts, and goblins continued to single me out throughout the night.  It was good eve however topped off with a funnel cake so this weakling went home happy.

 In fact the scariest Halloween special I have seen is the 1990 "Growing Pains" yearly Halloween episode  - and in case you need me to jog your memory, see below:



At some point in this episode, the Seaver's eyes turn yellow and they waive their arms and make scary voices.  Yes, friends this award winning acting and high-end special effects  HAUNTED me for years.  Reed, my brother, still laughs at me for this and continued to scare me by waving his arms saying "woooooo" for years - maybe until I was about 27.  So Z doesn't do scary - that said I have seen Beetlejuice and The Blair Witch Project - you can stop clapping now.

So Halloween eats means all things pumpkin and candy.  I love candy.  At approximately 4:45 each day, I go to my fabulous co-worker's office which is basically a mini Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for perhaps a mini Kit Kat, M&Ms, or Sour Patch Kids.... so needed by that hour.  My favorite candy - chocolate and toffee, like a SKOR, but I don't discriminate - from Butterfinger, to Starburst, to Tootsie Rolls, to those cheap sugary bubble gum balls in the pink wrappers... all good.

This week, we are picking up on the other Halloween food - pumpkin.  I present a simple easy banana bread adapted for Halloween - Banana Jack O'Lantern Bread.

Banana bread is awesome because it is very easy to make and can be dressed up in so many ways.  The below recipe is Emeril Lagasse's go-to Banana bread and virtually impossible to screw-up.  To dress this up for Halloween, I added a couple generous tablespoons of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter.

You can add anything to this recipe - chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, oats - and you get a different spin on a great bread.  And for some extra pumpkin flavor, I mixed a few big tablespoons of Pumpkin Butter from last week's left over cream cheese frosting and it is SO GOOD on top of the bread (and now it's dessert or breakfast).

And here it is: Banana Jack O'Lantern Bread

Here is what you need
-1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening or 1 stick butter (doesn't have to be totally softened, but let it sit out for about 20 minutes)
-1 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-2 ripe bananas (great use of mushy bananas!)
-3 or 4 big spoons of Trader Joe's pumpkin butter (which isn't actually butter - it's just a pumpkin-flavored spread)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 1/4 cups flour
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Here is what you do: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Oil and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Using an electric mixer, cream the shortening or butter and sugar. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the bananas and pumpkin butter and mix well. Add the baking soda, salt, flour, nuts and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. The dough will be sticky. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and bake about 50 minutes to an hour or until the center is brown and set. Poke the bread with a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it's ready!

And now for a few Halloween tunes to get us ready for the weekend - I bring you the below eclectic mix for your spooky listening pleasure composed of Indie Rock, Rock, Urban, Metal, Classic Rock, Kids fun, Theater... Enjoy.

Some candy, Pumpkin banana bread, a few spooky songs, and my I Love Lucy costume (complete with red wig, red lipstick, and fake lashes) and I am ready for Halloween.  Have fun kids and if you bump into me out trick or treating, throw me a SKOR if you have one and you can have my pick of the litter. 

And I leave you with my favorite creepy and kooky TV family (other than the Seavers). 

Hugs and Kisses and Happy Halloween!

Autumn in LA... Nat "King" Cole, The Kinks, Sergio Mendes & more!

I almost died of heat stroke last Monday. No joke – Walking 5 minutes outdoors during lunch precipitated a bunch of “are you okays” from my co-workers upon retuning to the office.

Fast forward a week from the hottest day in LA history... It’s rainy, low 60s, overcast, girls are wearing boots... Autumn in LA has arrived.

To commemorate the coming of ye ol' harvest, let's cook, listen to great tunes, and then go watch "It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown." Who's with me?!?!

Autumn means wonderful things are in season – Apples, pears, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, squash... Autumn also brings wonderfully inspired songs - a bit slow and pensive, yet hopeful and comforting.

Unlike Summer which makes a lot of us want to be outdoors , Autumn makes a lot of us want to spend a cozy day at home filling the house up with fragrant smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and hot apple cider while listening to comforting and warm tunes.

As such, I bring you my ultimate comfort food Autumn dish - Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese paired with my picks for the best of Autumn listening. I made this on a perfect Autumn day while listening to my Autumn playlist. It was soothing to stir up butternut squash and creamy cheese, listen to the rain beat on the windows, and hear Nat "King" Cole's voice fill my kitchen. 

On to the Music.  I scoured the net and my iTunes to come up with my ultimate 2 hour Autumn playlist, but paired it down to six for you my friends (but if you are interested in more, let me know).

Here it is!

Autumn Leaves - A 1940s classic. For me, Autumn is a reflective season that conjures up memories of past loves and romantic Fall outings - hay rides, apple picking, baking pies, pumpkin patch visits. I wonder who Nat King Cole was thinking of...

California Dreamin' - Quintessential CA Autumn song (and my former Fall ringback!). I already love LA, and this song gives me another reason to keep that love alive, despite the traffic on the 405 because of all of the idiots who can't drive in the rain (oh wait, I may be one of them). Thank you Mamas and the Papas for this gem (no matter what you did/do in your personal lives).

Autumn Almanac - I freaking love The Kinks! What a happy song! Let's gather on a Friday and have buttered currant buns and then roast beef on Sunday... La la la la la la la la. Yay British rock!

Autumn - I will admit that I have never been a huge Paolo Nutini fan, but this song is converting me... The simplicity of Paolo's big voice solely accompanied by piano is lovely.  I am getting there with you Paolo...

Cinnamon and Clove - This playlist needs a little spice!  Enter Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66.  "A cup of sweetness, a pinch of sadness, a touch of Cinnamon and Clove" is the makings of many a Fall recipe.  A sassy, saucy, spicy, yet certainly Autumnesque tune - makes me want to make apple pie... This song should be on "Dancing with the Stars" if it hasn't yet.

Leave the Light On - My favorite comforting song by a female recording artist.  I want my dad to tuck me in to bed right now.  This song inspired this posting and this recipe because Mac & Cheese is warm and soothing and Priscilla Ahn's voice is just the same.

On to the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.  If you aren’t familiar with butternut squash, it’s a an orange phallic looking vegetable.  The first time I bought one, I had no idea how to peel and cut it. I ended up hacking off the skin with big knife – it wasn't exactly elegant, but it did the job. Here is a good instructional how-to video on peeling and cutting up butternut squash.




Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (serves 6-8 so half or quarter this recipe for 2-3).

Here is what you need

- 1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups). If you don’t feel like going through the hassle of cutting and peeling a butternut squash yourself, you can buy it already peeled, cut, and cubed at the grocery store. You can also use frozen butternut squash – they come in 12 oz sq. packages.
- 1 cup low-sodium canned chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry or ground mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14 oz to 16 oz elbow macaroni – I like wheat macaroni because its nuttier and healthier.
- About 1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (for the topping)
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- Any other cheese you feel like adding – I threw in some Gouda (why not!)
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (I like wheat Panko breadcrumbs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (note no butter is used in this recipe so its less bad for you than traditional mac and cheese)
- Cooking spray

Here is what you do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch square or round baking dish with cooking spray. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in all cheeses (except for the Parmesan which is for the topping), nutmeg, cayenne, ground mustard, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to your baking dish.  Then pour the cheesey squah mixture on top and stir it into to fully coat the macaroni.

In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.

Bake about 20 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble on the sides, and then broil for about 3 minutes to crisp up the topping.

And for dessert - 20 Ingredient Apple Pie.  I heard this on Splendid Table on NPR and thought it sounded awesome... I may give it a test run on Thanksgiving.

Hope you all enjoy this special season friends.  Hugs and Kisses.

Summer Anthems with Summer Cocktails

Hi Friends –

Join me in resisting the back-to-school ads and Fall wardrobe catalogs - at least for a few more weeks - because Summer is certainly not yet over.

I love the California Summer. After work, you can head to a sunny roof-top patio restaurant with friends (for Z, the Peninsula Hotel) or to the beach for a quiet evening constitutional (for Z, Manhattan Beach). And, CA Summer weekends are mini-vacations… BBQs, water sports, lazing around in the sun, dining al fresco (all so fun, but can give a terrible case of "the Mondays…").

If the last couple days are any indication, it looks like more sunny days are on the way. So let’s soak it up with the best of Summer anthems through the decades paired with Summer cocktails Rockin' Foodie style.

From Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's slow 1950s melodies to present pop diva daisy dukes-wearin Katy Perry – the below playlist captures the best of Summer themes.

Before we dive into the pairings, a huge thank you goes out to Malena Casteel - the creative mixologist and drink historian who was integral in creating these recipes. As a side gig, Malena bartends private events so if you are interested in her skills - malenacasteel@yahoo.com

The 50s

SUMMERTIME – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1957) – Originally written by George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward for the 1936 opera, Porgy and Bess, this has become the quintessential Summer standard recorded over 15,000 times. I love the 1:32 slow horn intro… then enter Ella’s gorgeous voice with the long drawn-out syllables of “Summertime and the living is easy” – Summer is captured right there in all of 6 words.

Such a leisurely and evocative standard requires a slow drinking Summer cocktail straight out of the 50s and before – the Gin Martini, but with added sweetness. I never thought I could drink a gin martini because I don’t like gin, but this martini has made me a convert.

Here is what you do: Combine equal parts Hendricks Gin and St. Germain Elderberry Liqueur with a dash of simple syrup (buy it or just bring to boil equal parts water and sugar, and then cool it down). Combine in shaker with ice and then pour into a martini glass and sip sloooowly.

As a tip - Bev Mo sells almost all liquor used in these recipes in very cute small bottles.

The 60s

SUMMER IN THE CITY – The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966) – A Billboard #1 Hit in the US, this song is NOT about lovely beach romances or cool summer breezes – nope – this pays homage to sticky Summer nights. This ditty is all about getting the hell out of work, changing into something fun, and going out for the evening – dancing, drinking, throwing a few darts - getting it all in before the morning grind begins the next day – very Norma Rae.

This drink has no frills – no umbrella, no juices, no pinky colors – it’s simply a beer poured into a tall glass, but with a Summer twist by adding a dash of Sprite, and then followed with a tequila shot. Simple, clean, does the job.


The 70s

IN THE SUMMERTIME – Mungo Jerry (1970) – This British pop song became a world wide hit in the early 70s climbing up UK, US, and Canadian charts. Celebrating the carefree days of Summer – In The Summertime, is my fav easy, happy, Summer tune. Besides images from the movie "Wedding Crashers", this song reminds me of Summer picnics. When the weather is fine, Z loves to picnic– and why not go big and bring the bubbly for a fancy champagne basil and strawberry cocktail that you can drink right out of a picnic paper cup. This is my current fav drink.

Here is how you make it: Muttle strawberries and basil with simple syrup in the bottom of a glass, add some ice, then add champagne, and top it off with a dash of Sprite. To make it picnic ready, pre-muttle your basil and strawberries with the simple syrup and store in a container. Pack a bottle of champagne and a can of Sprite. Once you are nice and settled on your blanket, add the muttled strawberry basil mixture to a paper cup and then top with the champagne and Sprite. Easy, breezy, and elegant!

The 80s

KOKOMO – The Beach Boys (1988) – The Beach Boys (originally from So Cal) scream SUMMER – "California Girls", "Surfin USA", "Surfin Safari", and of course Kokomo. Kokomo, as a single, was actually released to coincide with the Tom Cruise movie, "Cocktail" (appropriately titled for the Rockin Foodie this week!).

As child of the 80s, my elementary school’s 1989 talent show was replete with girls lip-synching to Kokomo (not me – I played the piano). This is the perfect classic beach and flip-flops song, and thus it must be paired with the classic beach cocktail – the Mai Tai. Since there are many different Mai Tai recipes, the brilliant Malena (who occasionally goes by the nickname, May) helped me come up with a simple home version that doesn’t require a lot of specialized ingredients- we call it the May Tai. 

How to make a May Tai: In a tall glass with ice add a heavy pour of coconut run, then a splash of grenadine, pineapple juice, and OJ (in that order for a pretty layered effect) and then float Myers dark rum on the top. The back-scratchers photographed here are from a Hawaiian Mai Tai enjoyed by my mama bear in 1988.

The 90s

SUMMERTIME – DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (1991) – This song has the distinction of being the only Grammy winner of this playlist! Cross colors, rayon, bad hats, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air – for me that encapsulates the 90s. I love when Will reminisces about the Summers of his youth. This song is infectious and makes me want to play Will Smith’s “Welcome to Miami (bienvenido a Miami)” and watch my brother’s play basketball.

So in conceptualizing this cocktail, I wondered “What does Will Smith drink? Per Eve Mendes, http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/01/23/eva_mendes_reveals_will_smith_likes_girl Sir Smith can’t hold his liquor and likes girly drinks – but its ok Will, I didn’t pair you with a pina colada, instead it’s a Summer vodka cocktail with a nod to basketball – A Melon Ball.

Here is what you do: Combine equal parts vodka & Midori (the green stuff), then top with OJ and a cherry.

The 2000s

ALL SUMMER LONG – Kid Rock (2008) – A mash-up of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama", this is Kid Rock’s biggest single yet. This hit rounds out our list because it’s a bit country and gives a nod to taking the boat out on the lake with your buddies – This song is made for Whiskey! As Mr. Kid Rock says himself, he was “sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow” but the Rockin Foodie requires we put that whiskey in another vessel before we get on that boat (don’t want the Coast Guard to chase us down!). And since we are talking "Sweet Home Alabama", here is the Rocking Foodie take on an Alabama Slammer mixed with lemonade that you can throw in a water bottle and take out on the lake.

Here what you do: Combine equal parts Southern Comfort whiskey, Amaretto, and lemonade and just drink it over ice or out of a sport bottle shirtless.

The Summer of 2010 baby!

CALIFORNIA GURLS – Katy Perry (2010) – Indeed Lady Katy - you got this nailed – we Cali girls are unforgettable, fine, fresh, and fierce. Off the “Teenage Dream” album slated for official release by EMI/Capitol August 24, this first single is, hands down, 2010's Summer anthem (followed closely by Unkle Kracker’s great tune “Good To Be Me”). Everything from the adult Candyland video to the frisky lyrics, make me want to stand up in a convertible with the top down (my top up, of course) and just have a good time. And since Katy mentions it and it's Z’s fav cocktail going back to college, I have to pair this 2010 anthem with the Rockin' Foodie version of a Sex on the Beach.

Here is what you do: Combine equal parts vodka, coconut rum, and peach schnapps, add a splash of pineapple juice and cranberry juice and enjoy over ice...mmmm… it’s the grown up gurls’ melted Popsicle.

Follow Z on Twitter! @therockinfoodie