Pop-Up Pantry: So good no one will think you cooked it yourself

True story: When I was in my 20's, a friend and I were put in charge of dinner plans for a group of us celebrating a friend's birthday. We did what all normal twentysomethings would do: We concocted an elaborate hoax and a web of lies intended to fool those close to us.

Instead of cooking, we bought a ton of really good Chinese food and told everyone we'd made it ourselves. (Because who has time to cook when it's the 80's and you're busy trying to score Duran Duran tickets or searching for the perfect shoulder pads?) Behind closed doors, we emptied take-out cartons into skillets and woks, making sure they sizzled extra loud for added effect. We forbid anyone from entering the kitchen lest they lay eyes on us reheating wonton soup or catch a glimpse of the stack of empty containers outside the back door.

Years later when we came clean to our friends they pretended that they'd known all along that we hadn't cooked, because "That meal was way too good for you guys to pull off." We instantly regretted not having stirred the duck sauce with our feet.

But flash forward to now, and it's no longer a dirty secret to serve pre-prepared food to your guests. We're still busy, and realize it's perfectly fine to have a little help if we need to work or would rather hit the town. (Although how many times do you really need to see Duran Duran?)

Get in mah belly, you crazy mushroom crostini and bastilla.

A couple of weeks ago i was introduced to a great new company called Pop-Up Pantry that offers three-course gourmet dinners created by top chefs, delivered to your door for the price of takeout and with minimal preparation. (Although Pop-Up Pantry is a subscription service, sign-up is free and you are never obligated to purchase.)

At the company's loft in L.A. we got to sample some of their fare: Delicious dishes including Lamb Korma with Biriyani Rice, Hoisin Ginger Braised Shortrib and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble from chefs like David Yeo (Le Cirque, Tavern On The Green), Rod Aglibot (Koi, BLT) and Beekman 1802 (Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge from The Fabulous Beekman Boys.) 

Pop-Up Pantry headquarters: We came, we saw, we stuffed ourselves

Pop-Up Pantry founders David Hauslaib and Tom Balamaci created the company because of their love of food and the lack of access to fine dining for foodies living outside of major metro areas. (And for people like me, who live within five minutes of some really good restaurants but don't always feel like going out to dinner.) The food is prepared, then frozen, vacuum-sealed, placed in an insulated box after preparation and delivered via UPS or FedEx – and are designed to go from package to table in 30 minutes or less. Man, that's way quicker than ordering and then waiting for sixteen cartons of Chinese food to show up.

Chef David Yeo making magic aka Onion Soup With Cheese Toasts

Besides the dishes mentioned above we were lucky enough to taste Onion Soup with Cheese Toasts, Bastilla (my favorite, and created by chef David Burtka who you will know as Neil Patrick Harris' partner) and Stuffed Peppers – it was all amazing and definitely fare that I would expect from a first-rate restaurant.

Founders of Pop-Up Pantry aka David Hauslaib and Tom Balamaci aka Really Nice Guys

David and Tom are really nice, accessible guys who are not only passionate about their food, but about their customers as well. They seem really concerned with finding out who their consumers are, what types of dining experiences they're looking for and striving to meet those expectations. Has your local restaurant ever invited you over and asked what types of food your teenagers like to eat? I didn't think so.

I didn't tell them my Chinese food story, but David and Tom if you're reading this – know that I will definitely be ordering from Pop-Up Pantry soon but would never try and take credit for the wonderful dishes you've created. Although there is that friend's birthday I've promised to cook for...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   

Go to PopUpPantry.com to find out more about their services, pricing and menus. 

And wait - it gets better: Pop-Up Pantry recently announced that in support of those affected by Sandy, they will be donating $1 from every online ordered placed to City Harvest, the world's first food rescue organization dedicated to feeding the hungry men, women, and children of New York. In conjunction, they are also offering customers $5 off every meal when they use the code “SANDY” at checkout

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Tweet Pin It

Winnie the Pooh (and Breakfast, Too!) at the El Capitan Theatre

Who knew my teenagers would be so excited to meet Winnie-The-Pooh? I was invited to a screening of Disney's new Winnie the Pooh movie at the El Capitan Theater as well as a pre-show character breakfast at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store and I had initially thought I would pass it up – while my girls are still very much into Disneyland, I thought they'd roll their eyes at seeing an animated movie and the prospect of meeting a big, sweet bear in a red shirt.

Boy, was I wrong.

The last time I saw them this excited was when they discovered that the local high school's boy's cross country team runs right through our neighborhood, shirtless. They didn't even balk when I told them we'd have to get up early on a Saturday in order to make it to the breakfast by 9:15. Who knew that Winnie the Pooh was such a chick magnet?

Seriously, when they saw him appear in the doorway, they started squealing like a couple of - well, girls. It was as if they'd spotted the boy's cross country team running behind him.

Hipper than the average bear.

The pre-show Breakfast With Pooh was a huge hit with my girls. Along with getting their famous Mickey Mouse Belgium Waffle, they were genuinely excited when Pooh came around to our table and greeted them personally. I'm not kidding, my 13-year-old said, with all sincerity, "This is better than the time I met Miley Cyrus." Sorry, Miley, but you've been trumped by a bear.

Here's the menu – I had the scrambled eggs and bacon. Confession: I couldn't decide between the bacon and sausage so I had my 15-year-old, who doesn't eat meat, order the sausage and then I took it. Stop looking at me like that.

Bacon or sausage? It was like Sophie's Choice.

Here's an added bonus: According to our waitress, anything you order from the Disney Soda Fountain can be taken into the El Capitan Theater. So of course I had my coffee refill put into a to-go cup. I would have done the same with the waffle but it was gone shortly after I snapped this photo.

Get yer coffee and Mickey Waffle to go.

Seeing any movie at the El Capitan is a unique experience, and this was no different. It started off with an organist playing a medley of Disney tunes followed by a little pre-show by that stud himself, Winnie-The-Pooh.

I'm telling you, he's got the teenage girls wrapped around his paw.

The movie itself is sweet and lovely to look at, just what you'd expect from a story about Christopher Robin and all his friends in the Hundred-Acre-Wood. This is a brand-new movie that will have a limited run at the El Capitan and is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

And here's the kicker – as if my teens needed yet another reason to love it - it features the music of their absolute favorite person, Zooey Deschanel. I know, right? So now my girls are hooked on the song, 'So Long' that Zooey sings in the closing credits. Man, now Pooh's a teen dream and has indie cred. Put a hoodie on him and next he'll be headlining at Coachella.



This was a great experience all around. While it's perfect for families with younger kids, I was excited to find something I could do with my teens that was fun for them and nostalgic for me. It once again proves how timeless Disney is, and I have to give them kudos for providing entertainment that's wholesome while still managing to pique the interest of older kids. And for proving a silly old bear can even hold his own against Hannah Montana. And maybe even a pack of sprinting, skinny high school boys.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Winnie The Pooh is at the El Capitan Theater from Nov. 4 - Nov. 20. The pre-show Breakfast With Pooh is only offered on select days, so check the website for availability (I found it fairly confusing to figure out the breakfast/movie tickets on the website – you might be better off calling the box office at 818-845-3110.)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

Tweet Pin It

Teenage Dream: Extra Dessert Delights

Did you know that teenagers love gum? Did you know that for a teenager, a pack of gum is like a secret weapon – if you pull out a pack of gum at school, not only will you have more friends than you can count, but a stick of gum can be traded for all sorts of wonderful things; paper, pencils, even entire lunches, according to my 13-year-old, who swears she doesn't know this information first hand.

(Yes, it's true that gum-chewing is against school rules, but – surprise! - ALL teenagers do it anyway. They also have friends on Facebook they've never met in person, say they don't have homework when they do, and occasionally pretend they didn't get your text.)

But yes, GUM. I can't go through the grocery checkout without both my teenagers throwing a couple of packs into my cart, and the choosing of the gum is a complex process in itself, requiring great concentration and thought. I let them take their time while I catch up with my tabloid reading, hoping they make a choice by the time the cashier starts ringing up my groceries. A few months ago they found this:

 

How crazy is that? A gum that tastes exactly like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream! Apparently just crazy enough that it became my teens' favorite, and pretty popular with their friends, too. Word has it that just one stick of these bad boys was worth TWO lunches.

Then I happened to get asked to try out some new Extra Dessert Delights flavors, and my teens jumped at the chance. Personally, I'm more of an old-school spearmint fan, so I turned over the tasting to my girls. That's right, I ASKED them to chew more gum. Here are their thoughts:

Root Beer Float – Hands down my teens' favorite. Didn't hurt that they all love root beer floats - and who doesn't? A couple of the 13-year-old's friends tried it, and they too agreed it was the best - really tasted like an actual root beer float! I wonder how it would taste with french fries?

Bananas Foster – Right off the bat they all remarked that the gum had an odd smell, and I had to agree. They couldn't get past that, and didn't care much for the gum. I'm thinking it might go over better if it was tweaked to taste like a Banana Split instead. Or maybe take a cue from Elvis and make a Banana-Peanut-Butter-Sandwich gum? Maybe not.
 
Lemon Square - Their second favorite flavor, and I liked this one too. As I mentioned, I'm more of a spearmint fan, but this was the only one out of the three that wasn't overly sweet. I think a lemon-flavored gum is a natural fit – sort of a refreshing citrus taste to clear your palate.

The final verdict? They'll definitely be picking up a pack of Extra Dessert Delights Root Beer Float gum when it hits the shelves, although chances are they wouldn't turn down any of the flavors if it was offered to them during history class – after all, we're talking about GUM. Now if only I could get them to answer my texts during lunch.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

And guess what? Only ONE of these flavors will be produced in 2012, and you can help decide which one by voting. So do your civic duty, even if it is only for gum by clicking here and casting your vote. (Vote for Root Beer Float. This biased message was paid for by teenagers who chew a lot of gum.)






. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tweet Pin It

Healthy Choice: My lunch needs a makeover

Here's a typical eating scenario that takes place during my day: I start off pretty good, eating a healthy breakfast of cereal or oatmeal (with tons of coffee, of course, just to offset all that healthiness.) Sometimes I'll get crazy and have an egg, but usually it's whatever my kids are having since that would be what is already out on the counter and doesn't require any extra energy to prepare. Some call it lazy, I call it efficient.

Then, around 3 or 4 o'clock I'll start to get really hungry. Why? Because I suddenly realize that I forgot to eat lunch. Not skipped lunch, but just completely forgot to eat with all the craziness of my day. And because it's so late I'll start to panic and just grab whatever I can in the kitchen. Sometimes it's a piece of bread, or a muffin, or a handful of chips. If we've just had a party at our house – look out, since I may just grab a cupcake or a leftover piece of birthday cake. You don't want to know what I had for lunch the day after a Super Bowl party.

So when I was asked to sample some Healthy Choice frozen meals, I thought, why not? I figured it might be a way to find something that could be whipped up quickly if I forgot to eat, and might inspire me to actually get on some sort of schedule so that I ate at a reasonable time like most normal humans do. Also, I'd been wanting to drop a few pounds so eating a portion-controlled meal at a sensible hour seemed like a good plan all around. Which is more than I can say for that 4pm cupcake lunch.

I have had Healthy Choice meals before and to be honest I think I just bought them because of the word 'healthy' in the title, and didn't realize that using that word means the product is actually held to a higher nutritional standard set by the FDA. (In other words, I don't think I could call yesterday's lunch of espresso and a Pop Tart 'healthy'.) Healthy Choice is the only major brand in its category that can call 100% of its products “healthy” as defined by the FDA. This means that each meal must be:

1. Low in fat
2. Low in saturated fat
3. Controlled in sodium and cholesterol
4. Supply at least 10% of the daily value for three beneficial nutrients (calcium, protein, fiber, iron, vitamin A or vitamin C)

Here are the two meals I chose to sample, how I liked them and if I'll be putting them in my freezer to get my lunch plan on track.

I enlisted  my 13-year-old sample the Chicken Parmigiana with me, since she never met a pasta she didn't like, and this chicken was served on a bed of penne. We were both surprised at how good this was. I was anticipating a dry, rubbery piece of chicken like you would expect with a frozen meal, but this one was actually pretty moist and the light breading was seasoned nicely and didn't overwhelm. The sauce wasn't too sweet, and the penne wasn't overcooked - again, not what you would expect from a frozen meal. I would definitely buy this one again – the only drawback was that I had to share it with my daughter.

My next meal, Sweet and Spice Orange Zest Chicken, came from the Healthy Choice Café Steamers line. The idea is that the food steams in your microwave for a healthier meal. I understand the health benefits if you're steaming fresh ingredients, but with a frozen meal the food has already been cooked so without knowing how the food was originally prepared, I'm not sure if there is any extra health benefit here.

But steamed or not, I found this meal to be a little lacking in flavor. The sauce was overly sweet, the rice overcooked and I found the dish to be just bland in general. The best part about it were the snap peas, which had retained their crispness and sweetness despite being frozen. I'm curious to try the General Tso's Spicy Chicken which may have a little more kick to it.

We've all heard before about the obesity epidemic in our country that is threatening our health and that of our children. (Center for Disease Control (CDC) says two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese) Healthy Choice sent along some research that shows that replacing 10 meals per week with a portion-controlled Healthy Choice meal, as part of a reduced calorie diet, can lead to weight loss, increase of energy and improved dietary quality.

It isn't likely that I'd eat (or feed my family) 10 frozen food meals a week, but I've always been a firm believer in portion control as a weight loss method and this shows me Healthy Choice meals could also be a part of my diet plan. (Their portion prevented me from stuffing myself with chicken parmigiana, for example.) Also, knowing that these meet the FDA requirements for a 'healthy' designation makes them a smarter choice than most for the occasional lunch.

I am on a mission to healthy up my lifestyle and that of my family, though, and in addition to eating a sensible lunch (at a reasonable time) I'm also vowing to get us out exercising as a family more often and to buy and eat more organic food. Healthy Choice meals can help me with at least one of those goals, as long as I remember to eat it at the right time. If they could make a frozen entree that came with an alarm clock it would be a perfect world.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

I received coupons for two Healthy Choice items to purchase for purposes of this review. I also received a stipend for my participation in this program, but no restrictions were placed on the content of my review. All opinions are 100% mine. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tweet Pin It

My Fresh & Easy Super Bowl Party Was Intercepted

I'm not sure if you heard, but there was this big football game on TV yesterday. I think a few people went to go see it in person at a big stadium, too, although I'm not sure why you would want to do that when the line for the bathroom is much shorter at home. (Sometimes they're cleaner, too. I said sometimes.)

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market offered to provide some food and drink for a Super Bowl party, so I decided to invite my family over to watch the big game. We're the only ones who don't own a huge plasma screen TV, although ours was considered big back when we bought it in 1958. Needless to say I had to lure everyone over with the free food, even though I knew I'd have to endure some more cracks about our "sissy miniature TV" (my 90-year-old mom is pretty harsh.)

This is what the nice people at Fresh & Easy delivered on Saturday. It's just a sampling of what they provided – they sent over enough of food for 15 people. (As well as those roses in the background, which they gave me because they felt bad for the delivery being late. Don't you wish the cable guy was as conscientious?)

Unfortunately, as usually happens when you spend two days cleaning your house in preparation for guests, the party Gods laugh in your Lysol-smeared face. My 14-year-old woke up with a 102° fever on Sunday morning, and we had to cancel the whole thing. She was pretty miserable, and I didn't want to spread the germs to the rest of the family, especially my elderly mom – you think she's harsh when she doesn't like your TV, you should see how she gets when she thinks you've given her a cold.

So most of the food is in the freezer, but we did have one of their Vegetable & Cheese Trays, some of their Buffalo Roasted Chicken Wings and we cracked open the Spinach Artichoke Dip, my daughter's favorite which made her feel a little better and apparently pairs well with ibuprofen. We're thinking of rescheduling the party to sample the rest of the food, even if there isn't  football game to watch it with. Maybe a Grammy party? Hopefully we'll have a new TV by then, one that's in color and has sound.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tweet Pin It

Fresh & Easy: I'm Stalking Your Cranberry Walnut Loaf

I got a box full of Holiday goodness from Fresh & Easy the other day. My 12-year-old insisted on staging a full-on photo shoot before we touched anything. It took awhile because the pine cones kept insisting we only shoot their 'good side.'

We haven't had a chance to sample the Pumpkin Pecan Waffle & Pancake Mix yet, but the Hot Chocolate Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings were put to immediate use topping off some homemade mochas. They can also be used to make a rich hot chocolate, or eaten straight out of the can with a spoon and a grin on your face. That last suggestion isn't on the can, by the way.

But let me tell you about my new best friend, the Cranberry Walnut Loaf. It's made by Il Fornaio especially for Fresh & Easy. The label says it's got cranberries, walnuts, raisins, citrus and pecans in it, but I think there are also diamonds, gold shavings and ground-up  leprechaun in there somewhere. It's magically delicious. (Sorry.)

We sliced it up, toasted it and spread a little butter on it and it was amazing. We finished the entire loaf within a couple of days, which says a lot since bread usually goes stale around here before we get around to eating it. We'll say, "Oh, let's make a sandwich," and then reach into the bread box to find something resembling a loaf of bread except it's covered in green spores and has grown some limbs. Don't worry – before we serve it to guests we scrape all of the fur off.

I've gotten a little obsessed with the Cranberry Walnut Loaf. In fact, I went to Fresh & Easy and bought all of the loaves they had left, because I'm going to give it away at my family gathering on Christmas day. Here, I'll prove it to you:

They only had four left, and I may or may not have had to push an old lady with a walker out of the way to score these (sorry, mom.) And since I have like 300 people in my family I'm planning to go back and buy some more. My husband is getting a little concerned with my obsession with the CWL (I've even given it an acronym – true love.) He's even started referring to it as "Your Bread," as in, "Would you like some of your bread with your coffee?" He says it in a slightly sarcastic tone, like he doesn't see its magical powers.

If you're on my gift list, you might be getting a loaf of my new best friend. If you decide to buy a loaf of your own, be prepared to fight me for it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I've talked about my love for Fresh & Easy before – here are some other products I recommend. Don't worry – it's a totally natural, harmonious kind of love.

Fresh & Easy Wine Tasting: Don't Make Me Drink Alone

Summertime And The Livin' Is (Fresh &) Easy

eatwell: Fresh & Easy's New Line of Healthy Meals Inspires My Terrible Taglines

Fresh & Easy Market: Be My Valentine

Hello Friend! Fresh & Easy On My Doorstep

Fresh & Easy: My New BFF

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tweet Pin It

Word To Yo Mutha! The Yahoo! Motherboard Summit

First of all, forgive me for using a Vanilla Ice quote in my title, but I thought it was a great way to show my enthusiasm for the amazing weekend I had as guests of Yahoo! for their first ever Yahoo! Motherboard Summit. Word! Also, it did remind me of a crazy karaoke night I had while I was there – I don't think I sang any Vanilla Ice, but I do remember belting out 'California Gurls' at the top of my lungs while doing some sort of pathetic shimmy during the 'Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top' part of the song. Which proves there is no dignity in karaoke, my friends – only grainy iPhone videos that a college admissions director will one day find online.

But enough about derailing my kid's future! Let me tell you about the Yahoo! Motherboard.

So, what is the Yahoo! Motherboard? It's a group of around 70 social-media savvy, plugged-in mom bloggers from around the country (and Canada) put together by Yahoo! to share and exchange ideas on everything from parenting to politics to current events. I'm honored to be in the company of such a smart, prolific group of writers and can't figure out for the life of me how I was chosen, although I'm thinking my days might be numbered once they get their hands on the above-mentioned video and see how I butchered 'Livin' On A Prayer.'

And let me just say that Yahoo! certainly does everything in style. They offered to fly us to their headquarters in Sunnyvale (I drove, more about that later) and put us up in the Four Seasons Hotel in Palo Alto. I'm not used to such swanky accommodations – how is it that there is an elevator that stops on every floor, and each room has its own toilet? And try as I might, I couldn't find a single blood stain on the bedspread. Who stays here, the Queen? My room was huge, with a massive bed made out of ecstasy and clouds. Then there was the luxurious bathroom with a huge sunken tub and a TV coming out of the wall. Yes, I soaked in there while sipping a glass of wine and watching The Food Network. (That last sentence there? Pretty much sums up how I'd like to die.)

 

The actual conference portion of the summit consisted of several informational sessions on things like online safety, editorial guidelines and various aspects of the Yahoo! brand. My favorite was the one presented by the people behind Shine, Yahoo!'s website just for women. I liked how they gave us straighforward, useful information about writing for the online community, and how to get people to read our content. Much more useful tutelage than what I got from an editor I once worked with who told me, "Sex in the title and boobs somewhere on the page." I did what he said, but I still thought it was a bit much for the PTA newsletter.

There were some sobering moments during the conference, too. One of the most impactful presentations was the one on online safety that involved the tragic, heartbreaking story of a teen driven to suicide by a sexting incident. (My fellow blogger April writes about it here.) I don't think there was a dry eye in the house when the video was over, and we all thought long and hard about how much more we were going to keep an eye on our kids and their texts and Facebook pages.

And what story about 70 women in one place would be complete without a paragraph or two about cocktails and food? There was plenty of it, starting with the amazing spread during our conference (check out those cupcakes) and our lovely dinner at Nola afterwards. Come to think of it, there was hardly a moment when we weren't surrounded by an abundance of things to eat and drink. At the Yahoo! headquarters they have their own cafe, where all the workers can get free beverages and snacks all day long. I don't know about you, but as far as employee perks go unlimited cappuccinos beats a 401k, a dental plan and a corner office any day.

And speaking of liquid gluttony, at the hotel I had what is now my favorite drink ever – the Basil Lemon Drop Martini. Not only is it tasty, but you can feel good about drinking it because between the basil and the lemon it's practically got a salad built right into it. Genius is what it is! I'm thinking if I use one of them to wash down a multi-vitamin I can call it a meal.

And here's something hysterical – somehow along the way, I got talked into being on a panel of bloggers who gave feedback on and talked about Yahoo!'s advertising. I know! How did that happen? I figure someone must have gotten drunk, scrawled my name on the chalkboard as a joke, and then didn't realize what they had done until the programs were printed up. I can just see them now, pointing fingers at each other and saying, "I thought YOU erased her name," and then someone got fired. But I guess I did okay – no one booed or threw their gum at me – and I think somewhere there's a video of it that I can watch someday. I'm betting it will be just as painful as that karaoke footage, except with more shimmying and less music.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

It really was a memorable weekend, and I have to thank the organizers at Yahoo! – Amy Heinz, Jeanne Moeschler and Stacy Libby – for putting together such a great event where I not only came away with valuable information, but where I got to meet and hang out with such an intriguing, exceptional, badass group of women. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tweet Pin It

Summertime And The Livin' Is (Fresh &) Easy

Last weekend was a momentous occasion, one of great beginnings and the promise of hope. One that lifted my spirits and helped me look to the future with a renewed sense of well being.

No, I'm not referring to my 14-year-old graduating from middle school, I'm talking about the start of grilling season!

Not that it wasn't great seeing my beautiful daughter walk across that stage and into the next phase of her life. I'm just saying this 'next phase' might be just a little bit better with juicy steaks, ribs and burgers grilled to perfection and served on the patio.

And to get me started, Fresh & Easy sent over a box of grilling and cookout essentials. As you know I'm a F&E devotee so a package from them is always an exciting day. Okay I admit, not quite as exciting as my daughter graduating from middle school.

But check out what I got!

• The Vine Yard Pinot Gris This citrus-y wine goes perfectly with chicken and fish and is a bargain at $6.99. I'm becoming a huge fan of The Vine Yard label -- I just recently had their Riesling, and it's become one of my favorite wines. (Fresh & Easy has a huge selection of wines for under $10. Go see for yourself. And bring me a bottle.) 
• Condiments Fresh & Easy has their own line of Organic Ketchup, Mustard and Barbecue sauce and they're all under $3. This leaves more money to pick up several bags of...
• Fresh & Easy Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt Kettle Chips Trust me, you'll need more than one bag. Moments after the photo above was taken that bag was mercilessly ripped to shreds and the contents ingested in mere minutes. And no I didn't share but I did let the kids have the entire bottle of mustard.
• Fresh & Easy Gourmet Wheat Hamburger Buns These are baked daily by Il Fornaio. These taste great, but my only complaint is that they're a little big for the average sized hamburger patty. Or maybe I need to start making my burgers bigger?
• Fresh & Easy Soft Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Like the chips, these were gone pretty quickly. I set the bowl down a few feet from where my girls and their friends were sitting on the couch so they had to get up to reach them. It's the most I've seen them move all summer.

If you're planning on grilling this 4th of July weekend, Check out Fresh & Easy's famous Mixed Grill Pack, a variety of beef, sausages and chicken. And if I sound freakishly excited about that it's because I am.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: fresh and easy supermarket | fresh and easy mixed grill pack | 4th of july barbecue 

Tweet Pin It

Loo Hoo's Asian Comfort Food Has Me Under Its Spell

A few weeks ago I was invited to a food tasting hosted by Cindy Liu founder and chef of Loo Hoo's Asian Comfort Food. Is that the greatest name or what? When we met I was going to ask her if it was a nod to Cindy Loo Hoo from 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas' but before I could say anything she put a delicious, icy cold Lychee martini in my hand and then I totally forgot what I was going to say. Then she put some hot, homemade dumplings in front of me and I even forgot more stuff. Then I woke up the next morning and I had a Loo Hoo tatoo on my hip. I'm just kidding about the tattoo part.

Cindy cooked up a fantastic feast for a group of us bloggers. First up were the dumplings -- she served up three different varieties: vegetable, pork and my favorite, kimchee. I love kimchee, and I love fried food, so putting them together in a neat little package is just pure genius. These are handmade dumplings made from recipes that Cindy created, and best of all she uses natural, farm raised meats that have been humanely raised with no growth hormones, antibiotics or animal by-product feeds. In other words, these are not from your grocer's freezer.

Next up Cindy brought out a couple of noodle dishes. One was a cold salad and the other was spicy Thai Red Curry noodles. Both of these were delicious and quickly devoured by everyone there. I don't know if you've seen a bunch of hungry bloggers at a food event, but it's kind of like watching the shark feeding at the aquarium. But a little more vicious.

For dessert Cindy served up something I've always wanted to try, Thai Mango Sticky Rice. This is rice that's been slightly overcooked and then mixed up with coconut milk and chunks of mango. I'm sure I just completely got that recipe wrong, but you get the idea. Either way, it was really tasty -- a very different melding of textures and flavors that kept me scooping up spoonful after spoonful even when I thought I was full. Once again, kind of like those sharks.

Cindy served all of these dishes with a Riesling, a wine that I usually find to be too much on the sweet side, but it went perfectly with all of these dishes. Yet another example of Cindy's voodoo! I told her that I want to go on a restaurant tour with her, because she's the best kind of foodie -- incredibly knowledgeable and accessible but not obnoxious about it. You know who I'm talking about. 

By now I'm sure you're drooling and smacking your lips, wondering where you can get your hands on some of Loo Hoo's Asian comfort food, and you're in luck -- Cindy cooks up her menu of amazingness at farmer's markets on Thursdays and Sundays:

THURS: Thousand Oaks Farmer's Market, at the Oaks Mall (1:30-6:30pm)
SUNDAY: College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Lot 8 (8am-noon)

Also, Cindy caters, and you can either pick from items on the menu or she will create a menu especially for you. Now that's what I call comfort food.

Thanks to Cindy for a great evening! I'm serious about hanging out. I promise not to force you to make me a Lychee martini. Well, maybe just one.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: loo hoo's asian comfort food | cindy liu | food

Tweet Pin It

I Turned Down Ashton Kutcher to Take The Road To Saigon and I'm Glad I Did

I almost didn't attend last week's opening night festivities of 'The Road to Saigon' at East West Players. I had gotten my dates mixed up and mistakenly agreed to attend a screening on that same night of 'Killers,' the upcoming thriller starring Ashton Kutcher. But while the chance to see Ashton shirtless was tempting, I did the right thing and decided to see 'The Road to Saigon' since that invitation had come in first. Also, my decision may have had something to do with the fact that they were serving homestyle barbecue at the 'Saigon' afterparty. I mean, Ashton's abs are hot but they're no match for a platter of succulent ribs in real life.

And I think I chose wisely. 'The Road to Saigon' is a clever, inspirational musical that chronicles the lives of three actresses who have played the role of Kim, the lead character in 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway and around the world. Through a mixture of monologues and musical numbers, Joan Almedilla, Jennifer Paz and Jenni Selma tell stories about their childhoods, families, professional travails and their auditions that landed them the coveted role. It's a little bit like 'A Chorus Line,' except there are only three characters and they're all Asian and female. Wait, I take that back -- this trio is so kickass it's more like 'Charlie's Angels.'

I brought along my 12-year-old daughter, and for me the best part was seeing how much she thoroughly enjoyed the show. She's an aspiring actress and drama student at her middle school, so the actress' stories were particularly relevant and inspirational. With the dearth of roles for Asians in the industry, it was great for her to see three performers who had broken through the barrier and achieved success. Equally important was that she got to hear about the hard work it takes to make it to the top -- hopefully she'll see that "more rehearsal time and less Facebook" is not just some annoying rule I made up.

As I mentioned, there was fabulous Asian-style barbecue at the afterparty and a bar serving a fantastic Lychee martini that is quickly replacing the Cosmo as my drink of choice (even if my daughter said those Lychees looked like eyeballs floating in my glass.) We ate, drank and mingled in the courtyard of the theater, which is a historic building -- the converted site of the former Union Church. A great night at the theater, wonderful food in a beautiful setting -- it was an amazing evening all around. And I didn't even think of Ashton Kutcher all night. Well, maybe just once.

'Road To Saigon' is playing through June 13

David Henry Hwang Theater
(Little Tokyo, downtown L.A.)
120 Judge John Aiso Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Click here for ticket information.

Here's a glowing review from The Los Angeles Times: "Road to Saigon is extremely specialized, virtually unclassifiable, and utterly enchanting. Don't miss it."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: road to saigon | east west players | miss saigon | union center for the arts

Tweet Pin It

eatwell: Fresh & Easy's New Line of Healthy Meals Inspires My Terrible Taglines

I love parties. Also? I love food. Apparently Fresh & Easy is aware of this because a couple of weeks ago they invited me out to their headquarters for a tasting party for their new line of healthy entrees, eatwell. I along with a bunch of other bloggers were treated to an incredible meal consisting of dishes from their new line, and I'm here to tell you that along with tasting good, they're good for you.

So not only can you eatwell, you can feelwell, too. Fresh & Easy, there's your new tagline, and yes you can pay me in hummus.

I don't have any problem finding many items at Fresh & Easy in the 'healthy' range, so I wasn't necessarily thinking they needed a line of healthy foods, but the eatwell line is great for those on restricted diets, wanting to lose weight or just wanting to lighten up their diet a bit. The items are all low in calories, sodium and are all clearly labeled with their nutritional information on the front of the package. Best of all, they're fresh, not frozen -- so much more appetizing than reaching for that smashed cardboard box in your freezer that's wedged in between the ice cubes and the frozen peas. Also, with prices ranging from $1.99 to $4.99, they're an economic way to eat healthy. Cheap & Easy! There's another tagline for you, Fresh & Easy. Oh wait, on second thought that has a whole other connotation - I won't bill you for this one just yet.

That night we were treated to a variety of foods ranging from Teriyaki Salmon to Spicy Tuna Sushi to a Veggie Hummus wrap (my favorite), and I don't think there was anything that I had that I wouldn't readily buy and serve to my family. Also, I like the idea of being able to buy healthy, reasonably-priced, fresh entrees for my vegetarian teenager on those nights where the rest of the family is having a meat dish. (The items come fresh, but can be frozen, too.) I think she'd be much happier having their Singapore Noodles or Tuscan Vegetable Soup than a packet of macaroni and cheese, and the rest of us carnivores don't have to feel guilty about digging into our steaks. Well, I should say more guilty.

Check out this spread -- the presentation was beautiful. I asked the Fresh & Easy employees if they always ate like this and they just laughed and said of course not, they always got to eat off the good china.

The items are meals in themselves (for instance, the Teriyaki Salmon is served on a bed of brown rice with broccoli and bell peppers) so they're great for keeping on hand for lunches on the go, too. Wouldn't you rather take Creamy Basil Chicken over pasta to work than one of those pre-packaged sandwiches from the vending machine? How long have those sandwiches been in there, anyhow? Why don't we actually ever see anyone filling that thing up? Are there zombies involved?

Wait, I feel another tagline coming on: eatwell, Now With 50% Less Zombies. Okay, that one might need a little work.

After our great meal, we were treated to a tour of the Fresh & Easy offices and test kitchens. Further proof of the healthy nature of the eatwell line -- usually I can't move after I've eaten, let alone get up and walk around and take some pictures. And as I've said it before -- I want to work for this company. Not only are you surrounded by food all day, but you can park your rad bicycle in the hallway:



The eatwell line is available now at all Fresh & Easy stores. Taglines not included.

Important Disclosure-ish Jibberish I was not given any monetary compensation for attending this event or writing about Fresh & Easy's eatwell products, nor was I required to write a review. I've already talked about my love for Fresh & Easy here on this blog, so really it wasn't like they had to twist my arm to come out and sample some of their food. You can come over anytime and see my refrigerator stocked with Fresh & Easy products. Wait - did I just invite a bunch of strangers to my house to poke around my kitchen? On second thought, don't come over just take my word for it. We did receive a very nice gift bag at the end of the evening containing a bottle of wine and a gift card. But I repeat -- do not come over to my house.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: fresh & easy eatwell | fresh & easy market

Tweet Pin It

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

What's better than raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens? How about a pair of sneakers that shape up your butt and a cupcake that tastes like a Cinnabon? These are just a couple of the cool products we got to check out at the fantastic LA/OC Moms Blog party thrown by the SV Moms Group a couple of weekends ago. Not only did we get to enjoy the beautiful surroundings at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, but we had great food, nice wine and the chance to meet reps from some first-rate companies and sample their wares. I love kittens but I'd take this event over their prickly whiskers any day.

So, without torturing you with any more Broadway show tune lyrics, here are a few of my favorite things.

Skechers Shape-Ups



Okay, I love these shoes. I have to admit they weren't on my list of things to buy, but when the nice reps from Skechers gave me a pair to try out I realized that maybe it really was time to throw out my twelve-year-old sneakers and slip into something new. And while I was a little skeptical of their claims that the shoes could tighten my butt and improve my posture, I have to say that after wearing the shoes everyday for the past week I'm beginning to think this is no ordinary pair of sneakers. I actually do feel like I stand up a little bit straighter when I have them on, and I can feel my leg muscles getting a bit of a workout. Plus, it's kind of nice to look down and not see shoes with holes and ketchup stains on them.


Cinnabon Cupcakes



How do you one-up a Cinnabon? Put it into a cupcake! Cinnabon is adding cupcakes to their menu, just to torture me that much more when I'm walking by their store at the mall, I presume. These cupcakes were delicious -- my favorite was the Cinnacake Classic, which tasted just like a Cinnabon, only cupcake-y. (<--- Hey look - I made up a new word.) I also love their retro packaging, which is going to make it even harder to resist at the mall. Damn you, Cinnabon!


Bosch/Tassimo Single-Cup Coffee Maker



This machine made me a perfect cup of coffee Starbucks coffee to go along with my cupcake. That was enough to make me fall in love, but the thing that impressed me the most was the fact that you could insert a little pod of milk, and the machine would steam it up perfectly for your cappuccino or latte. I have a one-cup coffee maker made by another company, but the thing's starting to buzz and hiss and it may just be time to move on to another machine, one that can put a little foam into my cup. I guess you could say I woke up and smelled the milk.


iGo



What is this handsome creature? I'll give you a hint -- it's coming with me to the Academy Awards on Sunday! No, it's not a device from the future that will make George Clooney notice me -- it's a combination cell phone charger and back-up battery from iGo. (Although I wish those scientists would hurry up with that Clooney device already.) All I have to do is charge the iGo for a couple of hours and then pop in my purse to use to charge up my iPhone when it runs out of power. I can spend less time worrying about my phone on the Red Carpet, and more time obsessing about my hair. Everybody wins!


Taga Bike



Okay, I admit I almost walked right by this one, because why would I need a bike with a baby carrier? I ain't birthing no more babies, I said under my breath. Although it must have come out louder than I thought because then the nice Taga man showed me his magic (no, not that, you dirty little minds) and turned the thing into a regular bike with a roomy basket in front, and then turned that into a shopping cart:


Schwing! I was mesmerized. Do you realize what this could mean? No more parking lot fights at the grocery store, and no more grabbing a cart only to find my hand stuck to the handle with some sort of mystery goo. Hey, and it might even come in handy if I have another baby. JUST KIDDING.

For more photos from the event and a great re-cap of all of the sponsors, check out this post on the LA Moms Blog.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: la moms blog | bosch | igo | skechers shape ups | cinnabon cupcakes | taga bikes

Tweet Pin It

Fresh & Easy Market: Be My Valentine

I've written here before about my deep, abiding love of Fresh & Easy Market, so when I received a big box of Valentine's gifts from them a couple of weeks ago it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like getting that special Valentine from the boy I had a crush on in 7th grade. Well, actually he didn't know I existed so instead of a Valentine I think I may have gotten a blank stare and a request to stop blocking his locker. So this was way, way better.

Here are the things I got in my special Valentine box, some awesome treats that you might want to get for your Valentine, or maybe just for yourself. I say give yourself a nice card, some expensive flowers and make a spread of Fresh & Easy delicacies, because then you don't have to share them with some stupid 7th grader that had zits and ended up in jail three times. Not that I hold a grudge.

Imported Gourmet Swiss Truffles



I'm not sure what's in these but I'm sure it's part of an evil plot to enlarge my butt. These little balls of nirvana were delicious and my daughters and I couldn't get enough. Yes, that box is empty and the only reason there was one left was because I had the last truffle in my desk, out of sight of my 13-year-old. You know something's good when you resort to hiding it from your kids. I usually only do that with my expensive vodka.

The coolest thing about these truffles is that as soon as you take a bite they split perfectly in half and it's like looking at a cross section of the earth. That creamy chocolate filling would be the molten core. See -- delicious and educational. These Fresh & Easy people are geniuses. By the way, that truffle in the photo is my last one and if this picture had sound you would hear me sobbing.




Fresh & Easy Snickerdoodles

Yes, this is just a stock photo off of the internet of a Snickerdoodle, because my husband and kids ATE ALL THE COOKIES before I could take a picture. I couldn't even find the package and I'm thinking they might have eaten that, too.

Obviously, they were very tasty.

Fresh & Easy Belgian Milk Chocolate With Pecans and Fruit



I'd never had a chocolate bar with fruit in it, but now I can add another thing to my list of things that I call out for in the middle of the night. Luckily they sent me a big bar -- 14 ounces! -- which should last me at least until the end of the week. I like to reward myself with a little square of this chocolaty goodness whenever I accomplish something big, like answering the phone on the second ring or getting out of bed.

Two Very Nice Wines (Under $10!): Montcadi Cava Rose and McGuigan Hand Made Barossa Shiraz



Who doesn't like wine? We do, and so do our friends so we shared the Montcadi sparkling rose the other night with our dinner guests -- it's a perfect party wine. In fact, it was so good it had us thinking, "Gee, we kind of wish we had kept that bottle all to ourselves," but hey -- that's what friends are for. We haven't gotten around to trying the McGuigan shiraz yet -- we're saving it for Valentine's Day. I regularly buy wine at Fresh & Easy and they have a large selection of varieties, most under $10. That leaves you more money to spend on other things, like granola and hummus (see my Fresh & Easy staples list here.)

So if you're having a Valentine dinner or just curling up on your couch with your Snuggie and the remote, you might want to think about picking up some of these treats to sweeten it up. Thanks to Fresh & Easy for being my Valentine!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: fresh and easy supermarket | valentines day gifts | fresh & easy wine

Tweet Pin It

Hello Friend! Fresh & Easy On My Doorstep

A couple of weeks ago I came home from running errands and found two big boxes on my doorstep. I've mentioned before about my paranoia and how I once mistook a package from Apple for an explosive device sent to me by an evil entity, so you can imagine my suspicion at discovering two mysterious parcels waiting for me. I had my iPhone at the ready, prepared to call 911 at a moment's notice. Actually, I was going to use my Bomb Diffuser 2.1. Yes, there's an app for that.

So you can imagine how relieved I was to discover the two boxes were actually from Fresh & Easy - they had come in peace, and were not an attempt on my life. I love it when my day starts off with a positive.

The nice people at Fresh & Easy had put together a sampling of some of their holiday products for me to try, so I changed out of my bullet-proof vest, called off the bomb-sniffing dogs and got down to business. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cranberry and Nut Popcorn Clusters - I'm not a huge fan of caramel corn. To me, most of it tastes like Cracker Jack but without the benefit of the toy. But this stuff has me hooked, probably because it's not as sticky-sweet as most others I've tried and the dried cranberries and nuts give it a nice twist. I wouldn't mind finding a toy buried at the bottom of the cylinder, though.





Gourmet Belgian Biscuit Collection - Somehow, calling these cookies 'biscuits' make them sound so much more civilized. And less fattening. And easier to eat several of them without getting that gluttonous, I-ate-too-many-cookies feeling. These are very good, and a nice accompaniment to my late-afternoon cappuccino and also a nice addition to my girls' lunchboxes. Although they call them cookies, not biscuits.




Chocolate Mint Thins - Okay, I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I bit into one of these and discovered they were not similar to the Girls Scout's Thin Mints like I was expecting. Instead of a minty wafer inside, they have a minty cream - think of a thin version of a Junior Mint. But leave it to the kids to save the day - my youngest sandwiched one of these between two graham crackers and created the most delicious little sandwich cookie invention, ever. They even came up with a name for it - the Minty S'More. I didn't have the heart to tell them it sounded like a stripper name.

I also received a nice bottle of Ogio Prosecco Spumante (champagne to you and me) that I gave away as a gift. The packages arrived shortly before we were leaving to see my nephew perform in a college production of Sweeney Todd, so I thought this would make the perfect after-performance gift. I forgot the campus was dry, though, which would explain why he looked in the bag and said, "Thanks for the cookies!" before hiding it under his coat. I'll have to ask him what he thought of the Prosecco - I just hope he didn't drink it out of a beer bong.


I loved getting the holiday gifts, but I do my everyday shopping at Fresh & Easy, too. Here are my staples I pick up there regularly:

1. Parmesan and Garlic Pita Chips - My 13-year-old's favorite. Since going vegetarian, she often asks for these, some hummus and cut-up veggies in her lunch. It doesn't get any easier than that.
   
2. Maple Pecan Granola Clusters - The. Best. Granola. Ever. Even for a non-granola person like me. I use mine to top my yogurt and my 11-year-old eats it straight out of the bag, like potato chips.
   
3. Thick Sliced Bacon -BACON! THICK SLICES OF IT! That is all.
   
4. Hummus - See #1.
   
5. Fresh Mozzarella - I slice it up and use it to top roma tomatoes and basil for our favorite caprese salad. But I also eat it straight out of the carton, like potato chips. I'm sure you see the theme here.
   
6. Restaurant Style Salsa - We eat chips and salsa at some point almost every day. Sometimes we'll go through two containers of this in a week. They call it restaurant-style, but I think it tastes even fresher than what you'll find in some restaurants. You know the ones.

I have to confess that ever since Fresh & Easy came on the scene I've been shopping less and less at Trader Joes. I suspect this will continue to be true through the holidays, since around this time the parking lot at Trader Joes gets pretty heated and intense, and I have no desire to die for a box of organic couscous. Also, the Fresh & Easy website has coupons ($6 off a $30 purchase!) and who doesn't want to save a few bucks during the holidays? Hey, those iPhone apps aren't going to buy themselves.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

tags: fresh and easy supermarket | holiday gifts | trader joes | what is up with the trader joes parking lot

Tweet Pin It