T.W.O.

Pear & Almond Galette

Published on November 27, 2013November 26, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Galette’s are a quick and easy alternative to making a pie or tart. It doesn’t require a special pan or master technic. Check out how to make this pear & almond galette.

Ingredients

*Flaky Crust:

-2 cups flour
-¾ cup shortening (T.W.O. uses butter flavor)
– 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
– 5-6 Tablespoons cold water
-1 egg white
*Please note this recipe usually makes two pie crusts, so adjust accordingly based on the size you want your galette

Filling:

– 7 ounces almond paste
– 5 Comice Pears, peeled & sliced
– ¼ cup granulated sugar
– 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
– 2 Tablespoons nutmeg
– 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF. In a bowl mix the flour, shortening, sugar and cold water. T.W.O. uses a pastry blender to mix the dough together until you form it into a ball. Set aside.

In a bowl, carefully mix the sliced pears, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Be careful not to break the pears while mixing.

To roll out the dough, make sure your surface is floured so that the dough doesn’t stick to your countertop or mat. Using your rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly in a circular shape. With the assistance of a spatula, move the rolled out dough into the oiled or “PAM’ed” baking pan or cookie sheet. Next, add the almond paste to the center of the dough. You want to make sure the clumps of paste are distributed evenly, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge of the circle. Next add the pear mixture on top of the almond paste.

Using a knife, cut ½ thick strips along the edge of the dough. Next, take each strip and fold over to make a crust. Each strip should be crisscross. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake the galette for about 35 minutes or until the fruit mixture is bubbling. Check the crust at 15 minutes and if the pie crust is getting brown, cover with foil. Remove the galette and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. If you don’t plan to eat the galette right away, T.W.O. suggests warming it up prior to eating. Add a scoop of ice cream and you have yourself a gourmet dessert!!!

Happy Baking!!

Vegetable Noodle Medley

Published on November 25, 2013November 24, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Is there a way to make noodles that didn’t involve flour, egg and oil? Pshhh – Of course there is a way! T.W.O. will show you how to create noodles out of vegetables and bring some color into your cooking!

Ingredients
– 1 yam
– 2 large carrots, whole
– 2 zucchini
– Krazy Salt
– Pepper

Peel and wash the yam and carrots. Cut the ends off all the vegetables. With the julienne peeler, “peel” each vegetable lengthwise. The longer the “noodles” are, the better! Place all the vegetable noodles in a bowl and add Krazy Salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Once the noodles marinate, lightly squeeze the noodles to eliminate any excess water.

The creative part….what to do with the noodles? Here are a couple ideas:

Stir Fry

T.W.O. sautéed the yam noodles for 6 minutes added the carrots and the zucchini for the last 2 minutes. We added mushrooms and grilled chicken to create a noodle stir-fry!

Salad

Add your favorite dressing, some slivered pistachios and you have your self a great lunch!

Bed of Noodles

Place a grilled piece of meat, chicken or fish over a vegetable medley bed! It’s a great al dente noodle that compliments your protein.

Happy Peeling!!

Gruyere Popovers

Published on November 22, 2013November 22, 2013 by T.W.O.3 Comments

In T.W.O.’s family, we are always sharing new recipes and ideas, so we decided to post about the most recent inspiration from our sister-in-law (aka- our sister!). She invited us over for dinner and made Popovers that were delicious. We loved the idea, so put a spin on her popovers and added Gruyere cheese. Check out how to make these fluffy, flakey, delectable treats!

Thank you Becky for your inspiration!!! Xoxo

Ingredients:

– 3 cups milk, warmed
– 3 cups unbleached flour
– 6 eggs
– 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

*Butter is optional for greasing the pan. T.W.O. used PAM instead.

Preheat oven to 400°F. While the oven is preheating, place the muffin tins in the oven to warm.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk until the edges start to bubble. If you have a thermometer, the milk should be about 125°F. Slowly add the milk into the egg mixture making sure not to cook the eggs. Whisk together. After the ingredients are mixed well, add the flour.

Remove the muffin pans from the oven and spray with baking oil. Make sure you get the edges. With a big spoon, pour the batter into each muffin tin, filling it about ¾ full. Once you fill all the cups, place the muffin tin in the oven for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes. Note – DO NOT open the oven. This will let the heat out and your popovers won’t pop as well! Use your oven light to check on the status of the delicious, airy treats! Also – placing the popovers on the middle rack helps circulate the air.

Here are a couple alternative ways to spice up your Popovers without the Gruyere cheese!

Cheddar Cheese Popovers:
– 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Cinnamon & Sugar Popovers:
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 2 Tablespoons vanilla
-1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Have a T.W.O.-Pop of a time baking!!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Published on November 21, 2013November 19, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Need a recipe for the holidays that will really impress your guests? Well, T.W.O. has the perfect solution for you – Pumpkin Cheesecake. It’s a moist, creamy and delectable cake that will compliment any meal. There is even better news too – you can make it the night before so you don’t have to worry about baking the day of your dinner party!

Ingredients

Crust:
– 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
– 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1 stick butter, melted

Cheesecake filling:
– 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
– 1 (8-ounce) packages Neufchâtel, room temperature
– 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
– 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
– ¼ cup sour cream
– 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– ½ teaspoon ground cloves
– 2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ᴼF.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter. Create crust by pressing this mixture to the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put aside.

Using a mixer (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth. It is important to make sure your cream cheese is room temperature so the filling doesn’t contain chunks of cream cheese. Add in eggs, yolk, pumpkin, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. Slowly combine flour into the filling mixture.

Pour the filling into the springform pan, and make sure it’s evenly distributed. Put a bowl of water on the bottom wrack of the oven. This helps prevent any cracks in your filling. Place the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a butter knife comes out clean. Set aside and let cool for 30 minutes. Cover the cake and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. T.W.O.suggests leaving it overnight.

Once you are ready to eat, add some whipped cream to the top of the cake, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve! Don’t be surprised if people ask for seconds or get caught eating it for breakfast! T.W.O. did!

Happy Baking!!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Published on November 19, 2013November 17, 2013 by T.W.O.4 Comments

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Greek Yogurt…why not add Pumpkin Coffee Cake to the mix? T.W.O. just did that. Check out this savory coffee cake recipe that tastes like the holiday season in every bite! It’s a moist cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast, a snack and even dessert!

Crumb Layer
– ½ cup sugar
– 2 teaspoon cinnamon
– ½ teaspoon nutmeg
– 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
– 1 ½ cups unbleached flour
– Confectioner’s sugar (optional, to sprinkle on top of the cake when done)

Cake Layer
– 1 ½ cups unbleached flour
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– ½ teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1 teaspoon cloves
– 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup sugar
– 2 eggs
-1 Tablespoon vanilla
-½ cup sour cream
– ¾ cups Libby’s canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350ᴼF.

To Make the Crumb Topping:

Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Slowly add the melted butter and flour into the mixture. Mix well and set aside.

To Make the Cake:

Cream the butter, sugar in a bowl. (T.W.O. uses a KitchenAid mixer!) Add the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and sour cream. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed well before adding in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Once combined, get ready to assemble!

Pour the cake batter into a greased 9” round pan (or a spring-form pan, which makes for a better presentation of the cake!). Make sure the batter is evenly distributed. Add the crumble to the top of the batter and bake for 45 minutes or until a butter knife comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before taking it out of the pan.

Is it done yet? Sure is!!!!

Grab yourself some coffee, tea or even a glass of vino to enjoy this delectable, seasonal dessert!

Cheers

White Artichoke Pizza

Published on November 15, 2013November 14, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Happy Friday Night Pizza Night!!

Just got paid…Friday night… and T.W.O. is feeling alright! Our aprons are ready for some pizza making! This week’s pizza is a delicious white pizza with artichokes, mushrooms, garlic and fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients:

– Pizza Dough*
– Cornmeal
– Flour
– Fresh mozzarella, about 9 large round slices
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil
– 1 – 1 ½ cups marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 Tablespoons dried basil

* T.W.O. used VJB Cellars pizza dough which is made with 00 flour.

Preheat oven to 425ᴼF. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured/ cornmeal surface. Once the dough is evenly rolled out, transfer the dough to a greased cookie sheet. Next take the olive oil and spread it on the dough, making sure you reach all the edges. Sprinkle the diced garlic and basil evenly on top of the olive oil.

Add your fresh mozzarella, spacing the slices equally so the cheese will melt to the edges. Next, add your sliced artichokes and mushrooms. If you are an artichoke lover like T.W.O.- you can add more as desired!

Let the pizza rise for about 15 minutes. Note – you don’t want to put the pizza in a cold oven, so make sure your oven reaches 425ᴼ. Once the oven is ready, place the pizza in the oven and watch closely. Do not open the oven door, as you want to keep the heat in. The pizza will take 15-20 minutes. Once done, take the pizza out of the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes prior to cutting.

Is it time to eat yet?!

Sure is! Hope you enjoy this light, fresh and flavorful white artichoke pizza on your Friday Night. Don’t forget to pick your movie to go along with your dinner!

Lemonade – Newport Beach

Published on November 13, 2013November 13, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

A day shopping at Fashion Island, wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a fabulous lunch. T.W.O. + Mom decided to try Lemonade since they have heard so many great reviews about it. And now it’s our chance to give our review….

The Restaurant

The ambience of Lemonade has a clean, fresh, modern feel. The color scheme is yellow and white with some pops of green – sounds freshing, right?! Immediately when you walk into the restaurant, you know you have come to the right place. While waiting in line to order, you get a chance to review the menu. At first, it is overwhelming with the amount of choices on the menu, but we promise you that it is worth it. Once you reach the “food-line” the staff is eager to help you make your decision. If you change your mind based on what you saw being passed to another person, that’s fine! They will get you want you want! Everything looks too good not to try.

The Menu

Lemonade is a casual dinning experience with a menu that has many options for everyone. Salads, soups, sandwiches, poultry, fish, desserts and of course – Lemonade! T.W.O.+ Mom each got something different and we were impressed with our choices. Our favorite picks of the day were the herb grilled chicken, mozzarella, basil pesto, arugula, ciabatta sandwich, the butternut squash, radicchio, scotch bonnet sauce, sriracha pepitas side dish, and the pineapple chicken, green beans, coconut, jalapeno, jerk dressing side dish. The food tasted fresh and had a ton of flavor. The side dishes had a great mix of sweet and spicy and was not drenched in sauces.

T.W.O. is already looking forward to going back to Lemonade and can’t wait to try something new! If you are ever looking for a great casual dining experience, T.W.O. highly recommends Lemonade. There is even one in Dubai! Next trip!?

Cheers,

Dress for the Season

Published on November 11, 2013November 10, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

1. Topshop Crepe Shift Dress; 2. J.Crew Classic Pave Link Bracelet; 3. Boutique by Jaeger Top in Woven Jacquard 4. Kenneth Jay Lane: Teardrop-Beaded Statement Necklace; 5.Warehouse Gold Jacquard Skirt

6. Ted Baker: ‘Tabie’ Sequin Sheath Dress; 7. Givenchy Studded Earrings; 8. 31 Bits Emerald City Necklace; 9. Sam Edelman: Delta Pump; 10. Theory: Toska Blouse

VJB Vineyards & Cellars

Published on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

Wine. Pizza Oven. Deli. Gelato. Music. VJB Cellars has it all! Not only is their wine delicious, the atmosphere in their piazza is excellent. T.W.O. has been going to VJB for many years and takes all their visitors to this family-owned Kenwood winery.

Meet the Belmonte’s

Vittorio, Henry and Maria Belmonte are the family members who started this winery. Just about every weekend, you can see at least one of them roaming around the piazza. Like every visit to VJB, Vittorio and the staff greet us with open arms, just as if we were family. When in Italy…or should I say VJB!

The Piazza

The piazza is an open aired patio that is identical to the ones in a small, Italian town. With a pizza kitchen on one end and long tables on the other, it is a great place to enjoy lunch and some wine on a beautiful day. The food is excellent. Pizza, ribs, paninis and sandwiches are all made fresh to order. T.W.O. highly suggests the traditional margarita pizza. If you decide to go to VJB on the weekend, you can expect live music in the piazza. Close your eyes and you will think you are in Italy!

The Deli

What shall we eat?

Ordering our lunch!

The deli has everything from cold meats, fresh salads, and cheese that you can order to go or to enjoy in the piazza. Don’t forget to pick up some of Maria’s pasta sauce on the way out- it is delicious!

The Tasting Room + VJB Wines

Now to taste some delicious wines! Prosecco, Rose, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet, Rosso Family Blend, Dante, Sangiovese and Barbara are some of the varietals you will see at VJB. Even though T.W.O. enjoys all of the wines at VJB, their favorites are the Barbara and the Dante.

Gelateria

After an afternoon of live music, pizza and some great Italian wine- why not end it with some gelato! The dark chocolate is phenomenal!!

*This photo was taken on a previous trip to VJB with more of our family!

Cheers to VJB Cellars and a T.W.O. favorite winery. Thank you to the Belmonte Family for welcoming our family to your winery and making us feel like we are at home every time!