Lobster Chowda

My hubby and I were in Boston for a wedding that was held at the Harvard Club of Boston. We were served lobster chowder as a first course. The soup was creamy and the lobster meat was plentiful. Although it tasted a bit like clam chowder to me, the soup was very tasty.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups lobster meat, cut up
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup light cream
• 1/4 cup butter

DIRECTIONS

In deep saucepan, saute onion in 2 tablespoons of butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and water. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.

Add remaining ingredients, lobster meat, salt, pepper, milk, cream and 1/4 cup butter, and let it simmer on low (do not boil), for about 10 more minutes until the soup is heated through.

Spinach and Feta Mini Puff Bites

My friends and I got together on Friday to celebrate Matthew's 33rd birthday. For the occassion, I made some super simple and delicious hors d'ouvres like these spinach and feta puffs. I like using the puff pastry dough rather than the phyllo dough because it cut my time in half and I didn't have to worry about the phyllo drying out. This recipe makes between 36 and 40 mini-bites.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 36 mini-puffs)

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach
• 1/4-pound firm feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• About 20 grinds black pepper
• Small dash nutmeg
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 (10 by 9.5-inch) piece of packaged puff pastry

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Thaw frozen spinach in microwave according to package directions or by running under warm water. Drain spinach, squeezing the excess liquid from it. In a bowl, mix the spinach, feta, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg together.

Flour a clean, dry countertop or other flat working surface. Lay out the puff pasty on the floured surface. Flour the top of the dough. Roll out the puff pastry until it is half as thick (about 1/8-inch) and about 24 by 12 inches. Trim edges to size if necessary. Cut into 3-inch strips crosswise and lengthwise, making 32 (3-inch) squares. Make sure the squares are well floured then stack them in a little pile.

Fill a little dish with some room temperature water. Imagine each square you work with is separated in half by a diagonal. Place a couple teaspoons of filling in the top half.

Dip a finger into the water and moisten the edges of the top half with water.

Fold the bottom half to meet the edges of the top half. Use a fork to seal the edges.

Place finished pockets on a nonstick baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of Good Deal with Dave Lieberman

Blue Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers

This is my modified Emeril Lagasse stuffed hamburger recipe. These hamburgers are quite tasty but if you're not a blue cheese lover, try using cubes of pepper jack or even feta! Since I do not have Emeril's "Essence" I used grilled seasoning, but you can also use Goya seasoning or your favorite meat seasoning.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/24teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grill seasoning
• 12 ounces blue cheese
• 4 large whole wheat buns, split in half
• Desired condiments, such as sliced tomatoes, romaine, sliced onions, and avocados

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a bowl, combine the beef, garlic, salt, pepper, and grill seasoning, and mix gently but thoroughly. Divide into 8 equal patties. In a separate bowl, crumble the cheese and form into 4 equal patties.
3. Place 1 cheese patty on each of 4 beef patties. Top with remaining 4 beef patties, pinching the edges under to seal the cheese completely.
4. Place the stuffed patties on the grill and cook to desired temperature, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.)
5. Place the buns on the grill, inside down, until just warmed through, about 30 seconds. Remove the patties and buns from the grill and place on serving plates. Garnish with condiments and serve immediately.

Pan Roasted Quail Wrapped in Proscuitto

During the 4th of July weekend, my husband and I visited the Stroot's condo in Baja. Michel Stroot is a famous chef of the Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California. He is now retired, but once a chef, always a chef. He specializes in healthy yet flavorful food. While we were in Baja, he bought these quail to make a pan fried quail recipe. Although we didn't stay long enough to taste his creation, my parents told us it was incredibly delicious. The recipe below is quite delicious, too, and amazingly easy to make.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 8 semi-boned fresh quail (preferably local ones from your farmer's market)
• 8 thin slices proscuitto or Serrano ham
• 16 sage leaves (fresh)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• salt pepper
• 1/4 cup Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (choose a good one!)

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a sage leaf inside each quail and season the inside with salt and pepper.

Lay another sage leaf on the breast of each quail and then wrap each bird neatly with the slice of prosciutto or Serrano ham, and season with a little black pepper but no salt. The prosciutto is already salty. The seam of the prosciutto should be at the bottom.

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil and and two tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, just large enough to hold the 8 quail. When the oil is sizzling put the birds in breast side down and sear them for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and brown the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the birds from the pan and put them in an oven-proof dish put them into a 350 degree oven for about 6 to 8 minutes.

In the meantime pour all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and butter remaining in the fry pan, keeping any brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn the flame to high heat and carefully add the white wine and marsala and reduce by a half, scraping the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of cold butter, until it melts and thickens making for a richer, silkier sauce. Check sauce for seasoning.

After the quail have been taken from the oven, allow them to rest in a warm place for another 5 minutes and pour any further pan juices from the quail into the sauce. Serve the quail over some wilted spinach and spoon around some of the sauce. Magnifico!

Chicken Breasts with Walnut Stuffing

This may seem kind of weird, but in the summer, I tend to bake more than usual. I'm not sure why, but I'm thinking it's because I can just go home, put all my ingredients together and place them in the oven, that way I can just relax by the fan to cool off. Anyway, this recipe came out delicious. As a delicious and quick side dish, saute together string beans, corn, chopped red bell pepper and left-over roasted potatoes in butter and add thyme, pepper and a little salt.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 4 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded down to about a 1/4"
• The juice of one lemon
• 6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
• 3 cups real bread crumbs, toasted (if you have stale bread, it's even better)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• seasoned salt and pepper
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons of cold butter (keep in refrigerator until very end)

DIRECTIONS

Mix together bread crumbs, half of the melted butter, onion, celery, parsley, walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, and enough chicken broth to moisten the stuffing. Lay out 4 squares of aluminum foil, about 12"x 12", and butter generously.

Make a mound of stuffing on each buttered square of foil. Set aside.

Brush both sides of the chicken with lemon juice then with the remaining butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a chicken breast over each mound of stuffing then fold foil up over the chicken to make individual packages. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Open packages to expose the chicken. Place one tablespoon of cold butter over each chicken and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more, or until juices run clear.

Veal Country Fried Steak

My husband and I had a huge craving for country fried steak the other day after watching a cooking show about it. So off to the grocery store we went to buy cubed steak but, unfortunately, they had ran out. Instead, we found cubed veal steaks and we decided to give it a try. I'm not big on veal but this recipe came out delicious. The veal was juicy and tender and it has now become one of our favorite recipes.

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 steaks)

• 2 veal steaks, cubed (the grocery store sells them ready-cubed for you)
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 whole egg, beaten
• vegetable oil
• 1 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

DIRECTIONS
Season each piece of veal on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the egg into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Then follow by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with the other piece of veal. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the veal. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Remove the steaks to a plate and cover tightly with foil. Set aside.

Remove all but one tablespoon of vegetable oil from the pan you cooked the veal in--don't clean the pan because you want all those brown bits. Whisk in one heaping tablespoon of the flour left over from the dredging.

Add the beef broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Season to taste, but you probably wont need it. Serve the gravy over the steaks and serve with a side a mashed potatoes. Yummy!

Elotes!

If you've ever traveled to Mexico or live near the Mexican border, then you've probably seen corn vendors on the street. They sell elotes which basically translates to corn-on-the-cob. The elotes are steamed or grilled to perfection, then its husks removed and are served smothered in butter, lime, salt, crema, chili powder and sometimes cheese. Nowadays, vendors are selling only the corn kernels in cups with the toppings over it. I personally prefer the whole corn-on-the-cob because it's more authentic. If you are unable to find crema, you can skip it. Mmm, my mouth is watering.

INGREDIENTS (for 2 elotes)

• 2 ears of corn, clean and remove a few of its outer husks and some of their beards. Soak in water for 30 minutes.
• Butter
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Salt and pepper
• Mexican style crema (optional)
• Chili powder
• 1/4 cup grated dry Mexican cheese or parmesan or Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS

Set up a grill on medium-high (you can also steam or boil the corn if you don't want to grill). You can either 1. Place the ear of corn with its husk on the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning it several times, or 2. Peel the husks down, but don't totally remove them, and wrap a piece of foil over the husks to create a handle (see picture below). Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or as soon as the kernels get a plumpy and cooked through. Remove from grill.

Place your corn on a plate (peel the husk if you decided on method 1 above) and slather the toppings in the following order: butter, squeeze of lime, salt, pepper, crema, grated cheese and chili powder. YUMMERS!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapeño Piggies

My husband loves bacon...well, then again, who doesn't? Yes, I know it's bad for you, but bacon just makes everything taste better. He came up with this concept of wrapping a jalapeño with bacon and I created and cooked it. The outcome was this spicy, creamy, bacony "piggy" that is quite interesting. If you're an adventurous foodie like we are, give this recipe a try.

INGREDIENTS (makes 3)

• 3 fresh, large jalapeños
• 5 slices of bacon
• 2 ounces of goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped (or your favorite fresh herbs)
• Salt and pepper
• Wedges of lime
• 6 toothpicks, soaked in water for 5 minutes

DIRECTIONS

First, place your jalapeño peppers under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes. You want to char the skin all around, so turn them around a few times. Remove from broiler and wrap them in plastic wrap for a few minutes to steam-off the skin. Unwrap them from the plastic and remove the charred skin. Make a slit, lengthwise, on each jalapeño and remove seeds and ribs, but try to keep everything else intact. Set aside.

Next, set oven to 375 degrees and place the bacon in a baking sheet and bake in oven for 3 minutes, then turn them and bake another 3 to 5 minutes. You want the bacon cooked through but still soft and pliable--not crispy. Remove from oven and drain in paper towels. Finely chop two of the bacon strips.

In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, cream cheese, parsley and the chopped bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

To assemble: set the oven to broiler again. Stuff each jalapeño with about 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture. Wrap one slice of bacon around each pepper, securing the bacon with two toothpicks (see picture below). Place the stuffed peppers in a baking pan (you can use the same one you used for the bacon) and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, just to crisp up the bacon and heat the goat cheese.

Serve in a platter with wedges of lime and enjoy. A very cold, tall beer will certainly make this meal even more enjoyable!

Sandwich Cubano

Cuban sandwiches are one of my favorite sandwiches. They are tasty and make a hearty lunch. The sandwiches have a submarine-style layering of ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickle between a sliced length of Cuban bread. The key to a great Cuban Sandwich lies in the grilling. A great Cuban sandwich is grilled in a sandwich press (called a plancha) until the ham, pork, and pickles have warmed in their own steam.

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 sandwiches)

• 1 loaf Cuban bread (Italian or French bread may be substituted)
• Prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 pound baked ham, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound roast pork, thinly sliced
• 8 thin dill pickle slices
• 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Slice the bread horizontally to open. Spread a thin layer of mustard on top and bottom halves of bread. Arrange ham, pork, pickle slices, and Swiss cheese evenly over the bread. Cover the sandwiches with the top halves of the bread. Cut into 4 sandwiches.

TO GRILL:

Sandwich Press or Panini grill: Grill sandwiches in a hot buttered sandwich press until flat, bread is browned, and cheese has melted. Remove from heat; cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

Waffle Iron: Turn over metal plates to the flat surface. Place sandwich in hot buttered waffle iron, close cover, and grill for 3 minutes on each side.

Griddle: Place sandwich on a hot griddle, and position a heavy iron skillet or bacon press on top of the sandwich. Flatten the sandwich to about 1/4 of it original size. Grill the sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

George Forman Grill: May also be used.

Campechana, version 2.0

I've been having crazy cravings for campechanas or shrimp cocktails, lately--and no, I'm not pregnant! So I tweaked the original recipe and came up with this one. It's pretty close to the delicious version I usually get at a seafood restaurant in Tijuana. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (4 large servings)

• 1/2 cup white onion, diced small
• 3 limes, halved
• 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced small
• 2 cups V8 Juice
• Half of a jalapeno, seeded and diced very small (if you like heat, use the entire jalapeno)
• 12 shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 can (15oz) of oysters in water, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 avocado
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Tapatio hot sauce, or your favorite non-vinegar based hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a large non-reactive bowl add the diced onion, the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Then add the diced cucumber, diced tomato, diced jalapeno, cooked shrimp, oysters, one tablespoon cilantro, and the V8 juice. Then squeeze in the juice of two more limes and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and a few dashes of Tapatio sauce. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Just before serving, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cilantro, and one diced avocado. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

To serve: divided the campechana in 4 shrimp cocktail glasses, or large margarita glasses. Serve with a side of tostadas or tortilla chips, lime wedges and hot sauce.

Shrimp Cocktails, Mexican Style

My brothers and I grew up on seafood cocktails. On special occasions, my grandparents or my mom would take us to a seafood restaurant and buy us campechanas as they are called in Baja. Usually, campechanas are full of chopped oysters, octopus, shrimp, and big chucks of avocado. The recipe below only asks for shrimp, but you can certainly add other types of seafood. My mouth is watering already!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 (15 - 16 oz.) can tomato sauce OR a can of V8 Tomato Juice
• 1 cup chopped tomato (1 medium)
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tapatio or Sonora (do not use Tabasco)
• 2 avocados, seeded and peeled
• lime wedges, for garnish
• cilantro, for garnish
• tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in 4 quart saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook shrimp in boiling water until they form into the shape of the letter "C," about 3 minutes but no more than 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from heat; drain and cool in a cold water bath. Drain again then cut shrimp in half.
2. Combine tomato sauce or V8 juice, chopped tomato, chopped onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and hot pepper sauce in a large glass bowl. Add cooled shrimp and refrigerate at least one hour.
3. To serve: Chop avocados coarsely and add them to the shrimp mixture. Divide the shrimp and cocktail sauce among 4 large seafood cocktail glasses, or large margarita glasses and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve the Campechanas with lime wedges and tortilla chips on the side and a cold Tecate. Mmmmmm.....

White Corn and Petit Pois Salad

I love to make non-cooked meals during the summertime. This is a perfect summer salad that everyone will enjoy and you don't have to turn on the stove or use the grill. Isn't that fabulous? This salad is great for pic-nics and for parties. This recipe makes 10 to 12 servings, but I usually cut it in half for 4 to 5 servings. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 16-ounce package frozen white whole kernel corn, thawed
• 1 16-ounce package frozen baby peas or petit pois, thawed
• 1 cup chopped, peeled jicama
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped red and/or orange sweet pepper
• 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the corn, peas, jicama, celery, green onions, and sweet pepper.
2. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the vinegar, brown sugar, parsley, salt, and white pepper. Cover and shake well. Pour over the corn mixture; toss gently to coat. Stir in mint. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Melon Soup Experiment

I'm pretty sure I was a kitty or a Chihuahua in my previous life because I love basking in the sun. If it's ever under 65 degrees, that is too cold for me--and you wonder how I ever lived in Boston?!?! But with the heat our apartment gets very warm and, even though I love it, my husband doesn't! To keep him cool I experimented with this cold soup. There is no cooking required and it does cool your body down a bit. The soup is quite refreshing and it smells really good. You will need a food processor or a blender for this.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
• 4 or 5 mint leaves
• 1/2 cup half and half
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 large pinch of chili powder (optional)
• fresh, ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Crème fraiche or sour cream

In a food processor or blender add the cantaloupe, a pinch of kosher salt, and a large pinch of ground nutmeg, and blend until you get a soupy mixture. It will not be completely smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set aside. In the same food processor or blender (no need to clean it), add the cucumber pieces, mint leaves, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper and 1/4 cup cold water. Blend until you get a soupy mixture. Add this into the bowl with the cantaloupe soup. Mix to combine and add the half and half and a pinch of chili powder, if using. Finally, working in batches, add the soup mixture back into the blender and try to puree until almost smooth. Keep tasting and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Pour it back into the bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Serve soup in bowls and add a dollop of crème fraiche and more fresh nutmeg and enjoy.

$20 a Day - San Diego

I am a big fan of Rachel Ray's $40 a day show because she always finds the good bargains in various cities in the US and around the globe. However, when one is on a budget, even $40 a day, per person, is a lot of mullah. So, in my never-ending quest to find good deals, I decided to start a $20 a day blog on a monthly basis. I'll start with the easiest, which is San Diego, where I am from.

BREAKFAST

I have to agree with the experts that this is the most important meal of the day. A good, hearty breakfast is essential if you're a very active traveler and especially if you are on a budget.

• High to mid-priced: influx cafe - 1948 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92102

  The Traditional is a bagel topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, red onion, tomato and capers. $5.95 + $1.50 coffee

• Budget: La Posta - (corner of 3rd/Washignton) 3980 3rd Ave. San Diego, CA 92103

  The best freakin' burritos ever! Try the breakfast burrito with eggs, ham and cheese, $2.95

LUNCH

• High to mid-priced: Phil’s BBQ - 4030 Goldfinch St. @ Washington, San Diego, CA 92103

  This place is always packed and that's because they have the best BBQ west of the Colorado River. For a light, yet delicious lunch, try their Rib Tickler. It includes 3 pork ribs, 2 onion rings, cole slaw, and fries for $5.95.

• Budget: Roberto's Taco Shop - 2206 Carmel Valley Road, Del Mar, CA 92014 (or any taco shop in San Diego)

  Carne Asada Fries is the epitome of gluttony. It consists of fries topped with carne asada, guacamole, cheese, salsa and sour cream. $4.95. One order can feed 2 people.

DINNER

• High to mid-priced: Hodad's - 5010 Newport Ave. Ocean Beach, CA 92107

  This beach joint is famous for their burgers and it has a California cool ambiance of no shoes, no shirt, no problem! Try their special cheeseburger basket, which is an enormous burger, thick-cut fries, and tea, coffee or lemonade, all for $6.25.

• Budget: Dao Son Noodle House - 2322 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104

  The service is so-so, and the restaurant is "quaint" but the food is incredible. Prices range from $2 to $9. My all-time-favorite is the Garlic Fish. It is well-seasoned catfish marinated with garlic, lemongrass and simmered in a deep rich sauce. $5.99. They go by spicy levels of low, medium and hot. The medium in *incredibly* hot...you've been warned!

Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting

My husband is the baker of the family and last Saturday he made cupcakes for Lindsey's 30th birthday party. I think that the frosting is the key to any cupcake or cake. Neither one of us like the canned frosting they sell at the store, so for the cupcakes we made this butter-cream cheese frosting. Since the frosting has butter and cream cheese, it's best to keep the frosted cupcakes in the fridge just before serving. Originally we wanted to make a cupcake tree, but we didn't have enough time to buy the supplies, however cupcakes are a wonderful alternative to a cake and both kids and adults love them!

INGREDIENTS (makes about 2 cups of frosting)

• 2 pkg. (8 oz each) Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 pounds (32 oz) powdered sugar (about 8 cups), sifted
• 2 teaspoons good vanilla
• Food coloring, if using

Make the cupcakes the night before the party and refrigerate them. They will stay firm and will not crumble when you frost them with the icing.

To make the icing: place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a non-reactive bowl and beat with beaters until mixture is combined (you can use a food processor, like I did).

Slowly add the powdered sugar, until it's all combined. You can finish mixing it with a spatula. Add your favorite food coloring, if using. Cover the icing with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes to set slightly.

You can simply frost your cupcakes with an off-set spatula, or add it into a pastry bag and frost them that way. It's all up to you. We created three different colors of icing and used an inexpensive pastry bag to frost the cupcakes. They were yummylicious!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Matthew and I just love the tortilla soup they serve at The Prado restaurant in Balboa Park. Last night we both had a craving for it and I tried to recreate the soup. This recipe is my version, and I think it came out almost as good as the Prado's--perhaps mine is a little thicker. I used leftover grilled chicken, but you can use a rotisserie chicken as well.

INGREDIENTS (about 4 servings)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 large tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 can (15oz) low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• Salt and freshly, ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. Tapatio hot sauce
• 1 cup pre-cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

FOR TOPPINGS

• Tortilla chips, broken or crushed
• Sour cream
• Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your broiler. You can also use a grill to char your vegetables.
2. Rub about one tablespoon of vegetable oil over all the veggies: red bell pepper, tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves, jalapeno and onion. Distribute the vegetables in sheet pan and generously sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper on them.
   

   Place them directly under the broiler. You want to char the skin on all the veggies. Keep an eye on the veggies as they can get charred very quickly. Keep turning them with tongs to evenly char all sides. The process will take you about 10 minutes.

   
3. Place all the roasted vegetables in a platter and remove the skins from the tomatoes and red bell pepper. You can use your tongs to do this. Cut the tomatoes in quarters. Seed the red bell pepper and cut into chunks. Seed the jalapeno pepper (you do not have to peel it).
4. In a blender, add all the vegetables and any juices from the veggies and puree for 30 seconds.

   Add about 1/3 cup of chicken broth, the dried oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground, black pepper and puree for 15 seconds more. Add the puree mixture into a 4 or 6-quart pot and heat to medium.

5. Meanwhile, add the drained pinto beans into the blender, the torn tortilla and the remaining chicken stock.
   

   Puree for 30 seconds and add the bean puree into the pot with the veggie puree. Add the pre-cooked chicken and 1 tablespoon of Tapatio sauce.

   

   Stir and cover with a lid. Heat the soup until it simmers, about 10 more minutes.

6. Before serving the soup, add one tablespoon of chopped cilantro and taste the soup and adjust seasoning, if needed.

   

   Ladle soup into big bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves. Buen provecho!

Strawberry-Avocado Smoothies

My sister-in-law gave me the idea of adding an avocado to a fruit smoothie. At first I thought that the flavors wouldn't meld, but to my surprise they go amazingly well. Make sure the avocado is slightly ripe, but not over-ripe. I also cleaned, dried and stemmed my strawberries first then froze them. You can also buy a bag of frozen berries and use them instead. Give this smoothie a try, it will definitely surprise you!

INGREDIENTS (2 large smoothies or 4 small)

• 10 large frozen strawberries, halved
• A handful of frozen raspberries, about 5
• 1 large slightly ripe avocado, cubed
• 1 banana, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup frozen mango, or any tropical fruit
• 1/3 cup unsweetened or light soy milk
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water (start with 1/4 cup and add more if smoothie is too thick)
• 4 packets of Splenda

In a blender, add all of the ingredients and blend it until you get your desired consistency. Add more water, if needed. Serve in tall glasses and enjoy! These smoothies make a great alternative to breakfast or a light lunch.

Coffee Marinated Steaks

I first heard the idea of coating a big, juicy piece of steak with coffee grounds from my friend Xuchi. We visited her and her husband last weekend and they grilled us two versions of steaks that we've never had: Herbs de Provence crusted steak and these Coffee Steaks. I know coffee steaks sounds unusual, but they were quite delicious. Don't worry if the steaks look a little charred after you start grilling them; this will give your steaks lots of flavor.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1/2 cup coarse ground coffee
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 (8 ounce) New York or Rib Eye steaks

To make the dry rub: Place the coffee, salt, pepper and brown sugar in a small bowl and toss gently with a fork to combine. You are probably not going to use the entire rub. Put any leftover rub in a zip-loc bag and store it in the freezer for another time.

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and generously and evenly coat all sides with the coffee rub. About one to two tablespoon per steak. Loosely cover them with plastic wrap and let them marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.

In the meantime, setup your grill. Clean it; lubricate it; heat it to medium-high. Place the steaks on the grill for 2 minutes, then move them a quarter turn, and cook for two more minutes. This will give you great grill marks.

Flip the steaks and grill them on the other side in the same way. This will give you a good medium rare steak, or grill to your preference. Remove steaks from grill and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving.