Thursday, April 29, 2010

Best things I ate this week: Indian

This week, I had the pleasure of eating at Cafe India in Camarillo.....this giant masala dosa (potato stuffed lentil crepe) served with coconut chutney was absolutely to die for.

Chicken saag and lamb pasanda.

Onion bhaji with tomato chutney.
Stay tuned for my upcoming review in the VC Reporter.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Where to eat your heart out this week...

Paradise Pantry announces their Tuesday's "Grilled Cheese & Wine" times! Along with their regular menu, they will also be offering special, melty, grilled cheese sandwiches- made with different artisan cheeses every week, so stop on by.

The Cave is celebrating their 2nd Anniversary! As part of the celebration, they have brought back their original menu and pricing... here is what's being served this week:

Cumin Rubbed Lamb $9
Filet Mignon with Purple Potato Mash $9
Mussels in Sweet Vermouth Cream $6
Pan Fried Garlic Scallops $8
Seared Salmon Rocket Salad $6
Tarragon Chicken Scaloppini $7
Tempura Shrimp $8
Tenderloin of Park with Apple Chutney $7
Three Cheese Mac-N-Cheese $6
Hummus Three Ways: Southwestern, Black Bean and Original $7

They are also offering $2 Dessert.... order their Gelato Duo and pay on $2! And...$2 Glasses of Wine.!!!! Nick has picked a favorite Red and a favorite White and they are available by the ounce or glass on the Enomatic Machine for $0.40 an ounce... that adds up to only $2 a glass.

Ojai Beverage Company is happy to announce the opening of their kitchen. They have been working hard with Chef Jerret Gilden to create an exciting new menu to compliment their selection of fine beer and wine. They will be serving from 11 A.M. until 9 P.M., Tuesday through Sunday. Check out their website for updates on the ever growing menu.

Monday, April 12, 2010

You could give Mom flowers, or you could give her one of these...



Mother's Day isn't that far away, so here are few ideas for all those busy moms you know.

Seasons Catering is offering a busy mom discount on their upcoming Crockpot Meals class, on Wednesday April 21st at 6pm. For $30 you can add a few new "do ahead" meals to your repertoire and if you let them know ahead of time, and bring your pot, they'll demo the meal in it and you can take it home (first come first served). I took one of Daisy's classes a few months back (see photo above), and it was amazing. Good food, good company, and lots of great recipes, tips and pointers.

Here's the menu for the night. . .
Chipotle Chicken Tacos, Cinnamon Spiced Pork Ribs, Slow Roasted Beef Sandwiches with Horseradish Cream Sauce, Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Apricots, Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pudding Cake. How can you resist?

Trying to come up with something fun to do on Mother's Day? Here's an idea. Take mom on a picnic at Old Creek Ranch Winery in Oak View. Everything is in bloom, its a beautiful spot for a picnic with your family, and you can enjoy delicious wine while you take in the view. Old Creek Ranch is like a little oasis, and its only 10 minutes from downtown Ventura.


And if you're a Mom, another thing on your mind these days might be summer camp. Well, Playing in the Kitchen has just released their summer cooking camp schedule. Chef Robin is an incredible teacher and just might inspire your picky eater to become an adventurous foodie. Read more about kids cooking classes in an article I wrote last year for Edible Ojai.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Best things I ate this week: Fries and Dirt


Who am I kidding, I've eaten way too many good things this week. We've had family visiting and it was Easter, so good things have been consumed in mass quantities. Wine, chocolate, and restaurant meals galore.

The best thing I ate that someone else made for me: the pommes frites at Ladyface Alehouse in Agoura. They were beyond crispy, perfectly salty, and seemed almost bottomless in their paper cone. They come with your choice of dipping sauce - we chose a creamy aoili, but there's a curry ketchup, a sweet and sour sauce, and an herbed creme fraiche as well. Oh, and the beer selection is divine. While their food is upscale and as local as they can make it, the vibe at Ladyface is anything but pretentious.

The best thing I ate this week that I made: dirt. Yes, thats what its called.


You start with chocolate cake, then layer a pudding mixture on top.


You top that with crumbled Oreos, and keep on layering.


When you're finished, gummy worms are the icing on top.


Here's the recipe - perfect for your next kids birthday party or potluck supper. And while it might seem like something just for kids, the adults at our Easter brunch devoured it as well. It is sweet, but the tang of the cream cheese keeps it from being overly sweet, and the mixture of textures is wonderful. This recipe makes a lot, so feel free to cut it in half for smaller gatherings. Or just make the whole thing, enjoy the yummy leftovers, and share with all your neighbors (thats what we did).

Dirt

1/2 cup butter, room temp
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 pkg instant vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
12 oz. cool whip
1 1/2 bags Oreos, crumbled
chocolate cake mix- baked, cooled, and cut into cubes
gummy worms

Mix butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar with hand mixer and blend well. In another bowl, mix milk and pudding mix until thickened, mix in cool whip with a whisk until smooth. Mix contents of these two bowls together.

Layer in large dish, large bucket, or smaller individual pails in this order:

Cake, pudding mixture, Oreos. Repeat this twice, finishing with the Oreos, and top with gummy worms.