Cherry & Goat Cheese Kale Salad with Pistachios

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If you haven’t noticed, cherries are in season right now and most grocery stores have them on sale, so T.W.O. capitalized on this opportunity and bought bags and bags of the delicious red fruit! With all this supply, we tried to incorporate cherries into every meal.  Below is a simple, summer recipe that is easy and doesn’t require a lot of prep-work.  Add some grilled chicken or flat iron steak and you have yourself a main entrée!


Cherry & Goat Cheese Kale Salad with Pistachios

Ingredients:
– 4 – 6 cups baby kale
– 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
– 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
– 1/2 cup pistachios
– balsamic vinaigrette
– hearts of palm, sliced

Directions:
1. In a bowl place baby kale, cherries, hearts of palm and pistachios. Mix well.
2. Toss salad with balsamic and sprinkle with goat cheese.
3. Plate and serve.


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Cherrie-O,

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Grilled Halibut with Roasted Tomatoes & Squash

imageBuying the best fish is important to T.W.O.  We don’t buy farmed raised and we like it fresh.  Wilder the better!  Anyways, this time we were at the market the Halibut caught our eye.  It was a beautiful filet of fish and we couldn’t wait to come home and grill it!  We wanted to keep the recipe simple, yet full of flavor.  Check out this recipe below that is easy, delicious and will be sure to melt in your melt in your mouth.  (Unless you burn the filet!!)


Grilled Halibut with Roasted Tomatoes & Squash

Ingredients:
– Halibut
– 1-2 lemons
– 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
– 2 cups zucchini squash, halved
– 1 cups onion, chopped
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 2-3 tsp olive oil
– Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1. Fire up the grill and turn oven on to 425⁰F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper for roasting and another baking sheet with foil for the fish.
2. Season the fish with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Before placing the fish on the foil, squeeze lemon on the foil so the fish does not stick. Let it sit.
3. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, zucchini, onions and garlic on the parchment paper. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Place into the oven and roast for about 25-30 minutes.
4. After the tomato medley has been in the oven for about 15 minutes, take the fish to the grill. Carefully move the fish (still on the foil) to the grill, removing the baking sheet. Grill for about 10-15 minutes depending on the size/thickness of the fish.
5.Once the fish is done, remove from grill and plate. Spoon the tomato medley over the fish to complete the dish.

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Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette and Jalapeños

imageWith summer approaching, well in SoCal it already has, T.W.O. wanted to fire up the BBQ and grill some potatoes for their weekend dinner.  It’s a great side dish to your meal that is a new spin on traditional potato salad.  It’s warm, spicy and refreshing….what else can you ask for?


Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette and Jalapeños

– As adapted and modified from Food and Wine-

Ingredients:
– 1 1/2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
– 10 scallions, cut
– 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, for dressing and brushing
– 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
– 1 cup lemon juice
– 1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
– Salt
– Pepper

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for about 15 minutes. Drain water and halve potatoes lengthwise.
2. Preheat BBQ. While BBQ is heating, brush the scallions with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the bbq for about 2 minutes or lightly charred. Transfer to a plate and cover to let steam for 5 minutes.
3. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on foil and add to the bbq for about 5 minutes or lightly charred. Transfer to a bowl.
4. While the potatoes are on the grill, mix together the remaining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice. Add the scallions to the dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix well. Sprinkle the jalapeños over the potatoes and serve.


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Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

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Even though the first day of Spring was last week, Summer is officially here in Southern California.  That being said, T.W.O. enjoys firing up their grill and barbecuing fresh seafood.  For this Taco Tuesday, we are featuring a Spicy Shrimp Taco Recipe with homemade Chimichurri Sauce.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Ole!


Ingredients
– 1 lb wild shrimp, peeled & cleaned
– 2 Tablespoon olive oil
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon onion powder
– 2 teaspoon paprika
– 1 Tablespoon oregano, dry
– 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
– Salt
– 3 limes, sliced
– 1 lemon
– 8 corn tortillas,
– cilantro leaves for garnish

For the Chimichurri Sauce:
– 1 small bunch Italian parsley
– 1 small bunch cilantro
– 3 Tablespoon oregano
– 4 -5 large garlic cloves, diced
– juice from 1 lemon
– ⅓ c extra virgin olive oil
– ½ red chile pepper
– Salt

Instructions:
1. To make the Chimichurri sauce: Using a blender, add the parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and red chile pepper. Blend until smooth. Season with the sea salt and if you need to add more lemon juice to the sauce to make it more liquid now is the time to do so.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl toss together the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano and red pepper flakes. Season well to your taste with the sea salt.
4. Preheat the BBQ to medium heat.  Add the shrimp to the grill for about a minute on each side until it curls up and turns pink; making sure not to overcook it. (Please note T.W.O. skewered their shrimp for best grilling results)
5. Heat the corn tortillas on a low open flame.  Assemble the tacos garnishing the tacos with fresh cilantro and lemon or lime juice.


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Guinness Affogato

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Since St. Patty’s Day is tomorrow, T.W.O. decided to start the party early by making this Guinness Affogato. Its the perfect adult dessert that is rich and creamy and will have you satisfied (and maybe up) all night long!  Enjoy!


Ingredients:
– Vanilla Ice Cream
– 2 ounces expresso*
– 12 ounces Guinness Beer

* If you don’t have an expresso maker, you can use instant expresso.

Directions:
1. Put 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a large glass or bowl.
2. Pour the espresso over the top of the ice cream, followed by the Guinness.
3. Stir and enjoy.


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Amsterdam Eats

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Hallo!! T.W.O. ate a lot of good food in Amsterdam, and in this post we will be highlighting our favorite meals.  Thank you to family and friends that sent us recommendations!! Enjoy!

 

Foodhallen

Foodhallen – it’s the Dutch version of the Ferry Building in San Francisco, the Bourough Market in London and the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid.  Our perfect place to spend a couple hours – tasting food and mingling with the locals.  It was hard to choose a place to eat at so we had to visit the Foodhallen twice!!

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Restaurant ‘t Zwaantje

If you are looking for traditional Dutch food, this is the place for you to go.  It’s a quant restaurant located on Berenstraat and happen to be on the same street as our apartment.  Not a far walk for us.  The onion and vegetable soup, filet and chicken were all delicious.  All entrees are served with chips/fries and a salad.  Don’t forget the apple streusel – delicious!!! If you don’t walk out of there feeling satisfied….I don’t know where you went then!

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Cafe George 

Cafe George was the perfect dinner spot for us during our stay in Amsterdam.  The diverse menu had something for everyone.  The tomato soup and lobster bisque was the perfect start to our meal.  We sipped on some vino while we enjoyed our main entree – pasta vongole and the lamb shank.  Both were impeccable from the sauces they used to the side salad that accompanied the dishes. Since it was near our apartment, we stopped here for a glass of rosé and cheese plate one afternoon. Don’t miss out on a Cafe George visit!

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The Seafood Bar

After touring the museums all morning and walking through the Vondelpark, The Seafood Bar is the ideal spot to grab lunch.  It feels like you just stepped into a coastal lifestyle…classy, nautical and fabulous. The menu has something for everyone and will even satisfy the non-seafood type.  The fish is fresh and cooked to perfection in the open aired kitchen.  Make sure this is a spot on your to-do-list while visiting Amsterdam.

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Vyne 

Tired of Bier?  Well, we got the spot for you.  Vyne is a small wine bar located on the Prinsengracht and has an amazing wine list.  They also serve small plates from Thursday till Sunday, so if you want something to eat and a delicious glass of wine from France, California, Italy, German, Australia or South America – this is the spot.  If you are lucky enough like us, you might get to enjoy some “vault” wine with a famous local.

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Pancakes!  

It’s not a complete trip without eating at Pancakes!.  T.W.O. was lucky enough to have it right across the street, so we rolled out of bed and were first in line on a brisk morning.  Sounds crazy?….no not really.  Every day there is a line out the door to get into this small cozy Dutch restaurant. We ordered the“poffertjes”  (powdered sugar),goat cheese,spinach,garlic oil,pine nuts pancake, and a vegetable pancake.  All were amazing!!! Don’t miss out on Pancakes!

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Café De Doffer

For a quick lunch and drink, stop in this café.  Its the perfect place to escape the cold and feel like a local.  

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Cheers,

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London Eats

Other than seeing the attractions of London, we had to make sure we ate well.  There are so many restaurants and pubs that are highly recommended on the internet.  Even though the internet is a great place to search, personal recommendations from family and friends are even better. Thank you to a wonderful coworker, who gave us her favorite places to eat in London. Needless to say,  T.W.O. ate very well and we are happy to share these spots with our friends and family!

The Market Tavern

Tucked amongst the chic boutiques and intimate cafés of Shepherd Market, The Market Tavern is a city pub where every drink is poured with a generous serving of quirky personality. The Pub is know for the best Sunday roast in Mayfair. It’s tucked away on a windy street, but don’t let that deter you from walking in.  T.W.O. ordered the Sea Bream and the Rib Eye steak.  Both were fabulous….the Sea Bream being our favorite of the two.  

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Thomas Cubitt

Located in the middle of Belgravia on a distinguished nd desirable street, The Thomas Cubitt is a cozy restaurant with beautiful food and great atmosphere.  Since they are know for their Fish & Chips, we ordered one of those and the Beef Braised Guinness Pie.  There are two dining rooms, Ground Floor and the First Floor.  For a casual dining experience the Ground Floor is great (that’s where we sat) where the First Floor is more intimate.  T.W.O. perfect for a London night night!

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Blackfriars Pub

“A traditional pub of unique character, revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its quality pub food which are served, as they should be, with a generous measure of famous British hospitality.” After a day of walking around London, we popped into this pub to grab a beer.  Its near the financial district, so expect to see professionals grabbing a beer with their colleagues.  Perfect place for T.W.O.  (Might meet a young lad!)  We loved standing at the bar sipping a beer chatting away with locals!  Everyone was so friendly! Vier?!?!

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Paul

Conveniently located near our hotel and the S. Kensington Underground, it was the perfect place to grab a flat white and a croissant.

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Whiskey Ginger

Located in the Borough providing high quality food all sourced as close to home as possible.  We stumbled upon this place while walking through the Borough Market.  It was a quant little restaurant that was calling our name.  They were serving mulled outside, but we decided on a local beer. Its a perfect place to stop and take a load off your feet between the Tower of London and the Market tour.  

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Casa Brindisa

We discovered Casa Brindisa through Gwyneth Paltrow.  She wrote it up as one of her favorite restaurants in London.  Being a GOOP supported and have been to Spain just a year and half ago, we decided to try it.  The padron peppers were delicious and everything else from there was just alright.  Let’s just say they were heavy on their oil.  It was kind of a disappointment – but at least we had a fun, young waiter keeping us entertained!

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Zetland Arms

TRADITIONAL.ENGLISH.PUB – CHECK! Located in S. Kensignton, this pub was the perfect stop to warm up after a long day being a tourist.

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Ampersand Hotel -Apero 

T.W.O. stayed at the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington.  It is a boutique hotel that is in the perfect location and cutest neighborhood.  The staff was very nice and helpful during our stay.  The deluxe rooms are the perfect size for two people who have big suitcases and did i mention the bathroom floors are heated?  Oh and they stock the fridge with waters, orange juice and milk every day at no extra cost.  There is also a tea bar that you can enjoy in-suite.  We loved staying in this hotel and would suggest it to friends and family.  One amenity that will take us back to this hotel is the breakfast at the Apero.  It was absolutely divine. Tucked beneath the Victorian cellar arches of The Ampersand Hotel, Apero brings a shot of fresh Mediterranean style to the heart of South Kensington. The Coconut Porridge with Caramelized Bananas was the perfect start to our morning.  How English of us, right?  We also tried the Goat Cheese & Herb Egg White Omelet.  Top 5 best omelets ever eaten!  The baked goods are delicious – chocolate brioche slice in particular! And the coffee….perfectly made latte! Cheers to Apero and another trip back!

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Here are some places we didn’t get a chance to try, but are on our list for our next trip!

Polpo

Polpo is a bàcaro. This is a Venetian word to describe a humble restaurant serving simple food and good, young local wines. 

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Bumpkin

Bumpkin is your local Great British Brasserie, a home from home serving delicious British dishes, made with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. Bumpkin is your perfect neighbourhood retreat and we look forward to serving you the best in British food soon.

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Can’t wait to go back and be less of a tourist and more of a local!

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Cheerio,

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London Sites (Part 1)

T.W.O. traveled to Europe this past Holiday Season for 11 days.    On the itinerary… London, England and Amsterdam, Netherlands.  It was the perfect time to go since all the Christmas decorations were on display in both cities and we timed our visit perfectly with great weather.  It was cold, yes, but we couldn’t complain since we had many sunny days and hardly any rain.  In these next posts you will find out why we loved London and Amsterdam so much.  Thank you to all our family and friends who gave us recommendations and help make this trip a huge success!

LAX -> LHR

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Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. It was one place we wanted to see from the outside since it’s so iconic with hopes to maybe see the Queen (or Kate!). haha!  We also planned our visit based on The Changing of the Guards.  It doesn’t happen every day – so before you go check the site.  The ceremony starts at 11:15am and we learned that you have to get there early for front row seats.  Unfortunately, we didn’t so we saw a lot of selfie sticks instead of the ceremony. We got some small glimpse of the March and made some friends with two nice Belgians guys and after 30 minutes we decided to beat the crowd and leave.  Got our pictures and headed towards the London Bridge.

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St. James Place
St James’s Place is a street in the St James’s district of London near Green Park.[1] It was first developed around 1694, the historian John Strype describing it in 1720 as a “good Street … which receiveth a fresh Air out of the Park; the Houses are well-built, and inhabited by Gentry …”[2][3] Henry Benjamin Wheatley wrote in 1870 that it was “one of the oddest built streets in London.

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London Bridge + Tower Bridge + Thames River Walk

We took a cab from Victoria Station since the District and Circle lines were closed for maintenance and we didn’t want to have to deal with the crowds getting on the Underground.  It was a fun experience! We traveled along the Thames River and were dropped off on the London Bridge. The London Bridge was the perfect place for photo ops of the Tower of London.  Highly suggest going here and then walking over to the Bourough Market.

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Borough Market 

Borough Market is London’s most renowned food market; a source of exceptional British and international produce. It was the perfect place for T.W.O. to walk around – YES our cup of tea! We love strolling through these international markets exploring the produce, baked goods and the creations each vendor displays. What better place for a food bloggers paradise!  Make sure to check the times of the market on the website !

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Tower of London – Crown Jewels 

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It the home of the Crown Jewels – – which was the first place we stopped.  Since we were there later in the day, the line for the Jewels was pretty long.  We suggest getting there before 10am to avoid lines.  Make sure to get a Beefeater tour of the Tower – great way to learn the history behind this historical landmark.  Also – get tickets online HERE to save time.

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Cheers to a fun day in London!!  VIDEO TRAILER HERE! More to come…

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Cheerio,T.W.O. signature

Cranberry Orange Bread

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This past weekend was filled with baking and holiday cheer!  One of the items we baked was Cranberry Orange bread.  It is an easy recipe that will have your guests in awe and wanting more.  The orange zest and juice gives this bread a moist texture as well as a refreshing flavor.  Its the perfect holiday gift or treat this season!


Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients
-2 cups flour
-1 cup sugar
-1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
– 1 teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon baking soda
– ¾ cup orange juice
– 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
– 2 Tablespoons shortening
– 1 egg,
– 1 ½ cups fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix together orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg using a KitchenAid mixer or handmixer. Mix well. Stir flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. (T.W.O. used a food processor to chop the cranberries.)
3. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.


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Guinness Pot Roast

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Pot Roast…doesn’t sound that exciting, but it can be when you add Guinness to the ingredients and slow cook it for a couple hours! T.W.O. made this dish for the UCLA vs USC game a couple weeks back. Go Bruins! Check out how to make this easy and one-pot recipe.


 Guinness Pot Roast

Ingredients:
– 1 medium size boneless pot roast
– 3 14.9 oz cans Guinness (the extra one in the pack is for you!)
– 1 16 oz can pepperoncini
– 4 cups water
– 2 packages Lipton Onion Soup Mix
– Montreal Steak Seasoning

Directions:
1. Season the pot roast with Montreal Steak Seasoning on both sides.
2. In a large pot, sear each side of the roast for 6-8 minutes on medium-high heat.
3. Once the roast is seared, add the onion soup mix, 3 cans Guinness, water and peperoncinis.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours and watch the liquid level. If it starts to get low, add more water or Guinness.
5. After a couple of hours of cooking, turn heat off and serve with your favorite dish. Mashed potatoes would be highly suggested!

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Cheers,
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