T.W.O.

Chicken Fajitas

Published on March 4, 2014March 3, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Taco Tuesday can get a little old after a while, so T.W.O. decided to change things up a bit and make some chicken fajitas – with t.w.o. twists! These are not your average fajitas you order at a Mexican restaurant, because we decided to add cannellini beans and Rimel’s “Green Sauce.” This is a great dish not only for Tuesday, but for any day of the week! And it is great for a crowd! So invite your friends over and let’s have a fiesta!

Ingredients
-4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
-1 fajita mix
-Mini sweet bell peppers, sliced into stripes
-1 sweet onion, sliced into wedges
-2 jalapeños, sliced into stripes
-1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
–Rimel’s “Green Sauce”
-Corn tortillas*
-1 Avocado, sliced
-Salsa
-Cilantro

*T.W.O. uses the La Tortilla Factory brand of corn tortillas

Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into stripes. Heat up a sauce pan with olive oil. Add chicken breasts, fajita mix and ½ water. Cook chicken until done.

Remove chicken, keeping the juice to sauté the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables for about 5-8 minutes. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the chicken back into pan. Add about 1/3-1/2 cup of the “Green Sauce” and mix. Keep on the heat for about 2 minutes then remove.

Heat up the corn tortillas. Now it is time to make the fajitas! We like to top our fajitas with salsa, avocado, cilantro and a little of the “Green Sauce.” Now it’s time for a salsa dance!!

Ole!

The Bacara Resort and Spa

Published on March 3, 2014March 4, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

If you are looking for a nice relaxing vacation or getaway weekend and are willing to spend some money – The Bacara Resort and Spa is a great choice! Located North of the downtown, this resort has it all. Beach, pool, spa, dining, views and a fantastic wine room! T.W.O. spent a lovely afternoon walking around the grounds and some time in the Foley Wine Room. (More to come on that in a later post!)

This Spanish-style resort is welcoming right when you pull in. The “piazza” has a gorgeous fountain that is calming and the service is fantastic. The lobby is inviting with the beautiful floral arrangements and the complimentary lemon and cucumber water. It feels like you walked into the ultimate spa! The outside amenities include a pool, cabanas, fire pits, outdoor seating and the best part – views of the ocean.

Check out some of T.W.O.’s favorite highlights of the Bacara!

California Pizza Road-trip

Published on February 28, 2014February 25, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

In honor of Friday Night Pizza, T.W.O. will be featuring our favorite pizza places in California. Each places has a unique touch that keeps us coming back. Not only is the pizza good, the ambiance and the people you are worth make the experience that much better. Enjoy reading about our favorites.

ZeroZero, San Francisco

ZeroZero is obviously named after the flour that is used to make the pizza dough. That being said, by using 00 Flour and a stone oven, it’s safe to safe the pizza has a light, airy and fluffy crust. Not to mention the dough is sweet. Combining the dough with fungi or vegetables and even their seasonal special that incorporates fresh produce to make a delectable masterpiece. ZeroZero does it write! Start the meal with a beet salad and a side of fresh pasta. The lamb rague is awesome. Can’t forget about the wine on tap too! The rose is great!! The final course – an afrigato. Yes, ice cream covered in a an expression shot. Make your reservation early, this is a popular place!! Don’t forget to send you post card to T.W.O. To tell us about your meal!

Una Pizza Napolentana, San Francisco

Minimalist. Tradition. Perfection. It’s a one guy show at this restaurant. Immediately you walk into this place thinking that you are going to be impressed. It’s a white wall, concrete floor filled space that is commonly covered in flour. Yes, one guy. His kitchen is set up in the middle of the restaurant or should I call it an art exhibit. That’s the feel you get. Now for the pizzas-there isn’t many, but that’s okay because you don’t need much. Margarita, Bianca, traditional-take your pick. Each person orders a pizza for them self. And you will be disappointed when you fits his it yourself. Don’t expect salads or anything else on the menu. It’s all about the pizza. Pair it with wine or a beer and finish the meal off with coffee. That it. You will be coming back for more! There are no reservations for this place, so be sure to get there early. Once the pizza dough runs out, that’s it. Closed for business’s. Enjoy!

Pizza Port, Solana Beach

A day after the Del Mar horse races calls for a meal at Pizza Port. Located near the train station, this traditional pizza parlor has the best pizza in San Diego County. Grab your friends, a booth and a pitcher of beer and enjoy the big slices of Pizza Port.

Pizzeria Mozza, Newport Beach

Tucked in a corner of Newport Beach along Pacific Coast Highway, this gem is a great dinner spot for friends, couples or company events. (They have a great private room) Pizzeria Mozza specializes in wordfire pizzas along with salads, pastas and one of our favorite desserts in Orange County….Butterscotch Budino. Grab some friends and make this a stop on your drive up PCH. You won’t be disappointed!

Happy Friday Night Pizza Night!

T.W.O.’s Thursday

Published on February 27, 2014February 26, 2014 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Sorry we missed you today, but we were T.W.O. busy in the kitchen!

See you tomorrow!

Navy Savvy

Published on February 26, 2014 by T.W.O.Leave a comment

1. Jacket; 2. Purse; 3. Shirt; 4. Trousers; 5. Necklace; 6. Wedges

Cheers,

Zesty Lemon Chicken

Published on February 25, 2014February 24, 2014 by T.W.O.3 Comments

Do you ever get bored of baked chicken or your average barbecue chicken? Well if your answer is yes, keep reading! T.W.O. has a solution for you – Zesty Lemon Chicken. The combination of the citrus and the herbs used to cook this dish makes it an easy week night recipe that tastes like a million dollars. Move over barbecue sauce, let the lemons take over!

Ingredients

-4 Chicken breasts, bone-in
-1 Sweet Onion, chopped
-2 Garlic cloves, chopped
-2 Tablespoons Olive oil
-4 Lemons
– Herbs (Parsley, Coriander, Thyme, Rosemary), chopped
-Salt & Pepper
-Baby Potatoes, washed
-Lemon wedges
-Chicken broth

In a Pyrex, place the washed chicken skin side down. Marinade the chicken, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper for about 15 minutes. It is okay to place the lemon skins in the Pyrex, as this adds more flavors.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Add the potatoes, onions & garlic. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the dish to cover some of the potatoes and the chicken. (It should be about 1/3 of an inch)

Put in the oven for 25 minutes, then turn the chicken to the other side – skin side up – and leave it to cook for more 25 minutes, till the skin side is roasted. Once the chicken is done, plate the chicken, potatoes, lemon and drizzle with cooked broth. It’s time to eat!

T.W.O. signature

Farewell San Diego

Published on February 24, 2014February 23, 2014 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

San Diego. A city filled with adventure, history, scenery, and most of all – great memories! After 10 years, a T.W.O. will be moving from San Diego. These past years has been great in that lots of life time friendships have been made, success stories for the books, wonderful opportunities and a decade filled with happiness. San Diego will be missed, but will be visited very often. If you have never visited San Diego – this is one city you will need to put on the list. Padre and Charger games, Del Mar horse races, beach days, pretty sunsets, delicious restaurants, scenic hikes – it was all experienced. Here is just a re-cap of the past 10 years… Cheers to memories and new beginnings!

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites

Published on February 21, 2014February 21, 2014 by T.W.O.4 Comments

Blueberries. Greek Yogurt. And a Freezer. Yes – that is all you need in order to make these delicious, refreshing treats. The tartness of the Greek yogurt compliments the sweet flavors of the blueberry to make these bite size snacks the modern, healthier version of a bonbon. If you need some “pop” in your life, grab yourself some blueberries and yogurt and get to work!

Ingredients:
-1 package blueberries, washed
-Greek yogurt*

Lay out the washed blueberries on a mat or cutting board. Make sure the blueberries are fully dried. Using a skewer or a toothpick, dip the blueberries in the Greek yogurt. Swirl around, making sure to get enough Greek yogurt on the berry to freeze. Place on a parchment paper – lined cookie sheet.

Once all the blueberries are dipped, place in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Remove the blueberries and store in a freezer safe Tupperware or Ziploc bag. The berries are best after an hour being in the freezer. If you can’t wait that long, 20 minutes will do! Store in freezer.

Cheers to snacks!

Hats Off to Traveling

Published on February 20, 2014February 20, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

If you haven’t already noticed, T.W.O. enjoys traveling. And like most people, we usually get a souvenir (well actually, we should say souvenirs) when we travel! One of those souvenirs has to be a hat. Yes – a hat. It’s an item that we will wear the rest of our trip and get to bring it back home to the States. Beach hat, winter hat, ball cap – doesn’t matter! Here are some of our favorite hats we got a long the way.

Costa Rica:

The Caribbean:

Lake McClure:

Palm Springs/ Stagecoach:

Tahoe:

Angel Games:

Italy:

Spain:

Happy Travels!!!

The Fattoush Salad

Published on February 19, 2014February 18, 2014 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

T.W.O. first discovered fattoush salad at a great lunch spot in San Francisco called Blue Barn! The restaurant offers many kinds of salads and sandwiches, but the fattoush salad was our favorite. This salad is a variation of your traditional Greek salad – It has many of the same ingredients, but includes pita chips, parsley, mint and garbanzo beans. It’s delicious and makes for a great lunch or dinner dish!

Ingredients

For the salad:

-Mix of romaine and kale lettuce
-Garbanzo beans, rinsed
-Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
-Persian cucumbers, sliced
-Red Onion, chopped
-Kalamata olives, chopped
-Mint, chopped
-Parsley, chopped
-Pita Bread
-Feta cheese
-Chicken (optional)

For the dressing:

-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 cup lemon juice
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 garlic clove, chopped
-Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 415°F. Cut the pita bread into small squares and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the pita bread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, making sure to flip the pita bread over halfway through so they cook evenly. Take the pita chips out of the oven and set aside.