Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta & Cabbage Slaw

Gosh, I have so many back up posts it's insane. Things I've cooked months, possibly even years ago that I haven't had the time to post. And you know why? Because every time I cook something new, I fall in love with it, and find myself itching to post it before all the other ones waiting in line to be posted. Such is the life of these black bean tacos. Gosh I love 'em so. I literally just made these for lunch a couple hours ago after I got off work and found myself oo-ing and ahh-ing at their deliciousness. 

These are a vegetarian option that makes you totally forget that you used to love meat. It's healthy, crispy, tangy, a bit spicy... it goes on and on. I'm so in love with these tacos!! This is a perfect meal - cheap to make, easy to assemble, good for you and so freaking delicious. 

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta & Cabbage Slaw

Yields: 6 tacos, 2 servings

Adapted from here.

For the black beans:

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic clives, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the cabbage slaw:

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tbsn. lime juice

2 cups coleslaw mix

2 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tbsn. mayonnaise (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the tacos

2 tbsn. olive oil

6 corn or flour tortillas

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

hot sauce, for serving

In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the black beans, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Use a fork to slightly mash the beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. To make the cabbage slaw, mix 2 tsp. of olive oil and lime juice in a medium bowl. Add the coleslaw, green onions, cilantro and toss to coat. If desired, you can also add the mayonnaise for a creamier slaw. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add three tortillas in a single layer. Once golden brown, flip, then spoon 1/4 of the bean mixture onto each tortilla and cook for 1 minute or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining tsp. of oil and tortillas. Fill the tacos with feta and slaw. Serve with hot sauce, lime wedges and sour cream.

Magic Coffee

This is an ode to coffee. I'm having an affair. I love tea, I do, but sometimes I need that extra little kick, that richness in flavor that only coffee can subside. Especially now that my days are longer with school and all, coffee can do things that tea can't even dream of... most namely: keep me awake during night class, oy vey!

The key to great coffee is great beans. You really must use beans you love! If you can, try to grind it just before using. But, being that most of us are lazy (ahem, me) and we don't always have the time to grind our coffee fresh, I recommend grinding in small batches, which is what I do. It's easier to find the time to pre-grind for a week than to grind every day and to be honest, I can't taste much of a difference (shhhhh - don't tell)!

This coffee is cold brewed and has a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar added, which makes it incredibly warm and comforting. The cold brew method is super easy even though it sounds complicated. Just throw everything into a container, let it meld overnight, then the next morning, strain all the grinds out and enjoy! It really is magic.

I got these new measuring spoons from Chef Toys. Aren't they gorgeously minimalistic? I had a variety of measuring spoons in my house ranging from plastic, to Hello Kitty themed, to horrific. I decided to throw them all out and stick to these. I think I made a good choice.

Coffee grinds:

The finished product ready to be enjoyed:

Pour over ice:

Add milk (vanilla soy was my choice) and enjoy!

An assembly line of sorts:

Magic Coffee

Yields:

Original recipe here.

2/3 cups coarsely ground coffee

3 cups water

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsn. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Put all of the ingredients in a quart jar and stir. Cover and refrigerate over night. Before serving, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and then pour back into whatever container you'd like to store it in. For each drink, fill a tall glass halfway with ice. Pour in the coffee until 3/4 full and add milk/ half and half/ cream to taste.

Here's a peek into my morning life: 

Just got the Macrina Bakery cookbook, so far it's love.

Tailored Tuesdays

Have you ever imagined the soundtrack to your life? Haha, I have.

Sometimes songs just have this incredibly cinematic quality to them - case in point: Go Outside by The Cults.

They just released the 'supervideo' for the song today! Apparently supervideos are mini-films featuring actors. In this one: Dave Franco and Emma Roberts. Supercute is what I'd call it!

MTV Shows

And here's what I'd love to wear in my life's supervideo. It's just me: simple.

My Favorite Financiers {2 ways}

These things are quite possibly one of my favorite things to bake ever. They are so deceptive. Look at them, just look at them. Those pretty little cakes above have much more to them then meets the eye. You might just cast them off as your typical tea cake but please, let's not be quite to judge.

These financiers are born from the beauty that is beurre noisette aka brown butter. Brown butter is one of the best things to ever encounter your kitchen. Once you smell the stuff, you're in heaven and once you taste it in sweets, it's a trip! Mixed with the nuttiness of ground almonds and fresh blackberries, it really makes a spectacular treat. 


My favorite part about these cakes are that they are gluten free. Gluten free you say? Heck I'm all for gluten, I love it but, this recipe uses rice flour in place of regular to make it gluten free. If you haven't tried rice flour before, give it a try! It makes delicious things like coconut mochi cake, daifuku and strawberry mochi cupcakes. I love the chewiness of it and it adds to the texture of these financiers in the most spectacular way. I love it so!

Honestly though, these little cakes are good with anything you can imagine. Here, I have them with blackberries and apricots. But I've tried them with rhubarb and with pears + pistachio. Every single time, they've come out spectacular and I can't get enough out of them. I can't wait to try them with tons of other add-ins. I'm dreaming of sweet cherries, earl grey tea, and raspberries!

Blackberry & Vanilla Bean Financiers

Yields: 12 financiers

Adapted from here.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup unsifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

pinch of salt

4 large egg whites

1 cup blackberries, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 375 F and position the rack in the center. Lightly spray or butter the inside of 12 financier molds or muffin cups with cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet, set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter until it turns into a rich hazelnut brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes before straining it to remove the little dark butter particles at the bottom of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the powdered sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Add the egg whites and mix until all the ingredients are coming together. Add the brown butter, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Divide the batter among the molds and divide the blackberries evenly among the top. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Sugared Apricot Financiers

Yields: 12 financiers

Adapted from here.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup unsifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

pinch of salt

4 large egg whites

2 -3 apricots, washed, pitted and sliced into wedges

turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 F and position the rack in the center. Lightly spray or butter the inside of 12 financier molds or muffin cups with cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet, set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter until it turns into a rich hazelnut brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes before straining it to remove the little dark butter particles at the bottom of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the powdered sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Add the egg whites and mix until all the ingredients are coming together. Add the brown butter, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Divide the batter among the molds and divide the apricot slices evenly among the top. Sprinkle with a generous amount of turbinado sugar and Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Aren't they just stunning?!

Honey Beer Bread & Grilled Beer and Cheese Sandwiches

One cooking memory that is distinctly contained in my head is the first time I made beer bread. I was well underage, holding what I recall now as a Budweiser over a bowl of flour. I mixed, I baked, I ate... I spit it out. Yep, not the best cooking memory. I don't know what I did to maul such a carbohydrate, but I was pretty inexperienced then and I'm sure I botched just about every step of the process.

My love: BUTTER!

Well, a lot of time has passed between now and then and things have changed. I love beer for its slight bitterness, tang and distinctive scent. I love bread for its soft interior and comforting chew. Together, I think they create something that I not only love, I adore. I attempted beer bread again and I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious it was. Soft, a bit sweet from the honey with a gorgeous browned crust. Beer bread is a bit more dense than others and has a different texture than your typical loaf, but it's easy to learn to love. 

Yeasty-beer-butter-goodness:

If you're in the mood for bread and have a fear of yeast like I do (as documented here): make this! It's easy as can be. Combine, mix, bake, slice, enjoy! Really, that's it. My ultimate favorite thing about beer bread is that it actually tastes like beer. When you pull it out of the oven, the distinctive smell of beer rushes into your nostrils. You sneak a taste and there it is, beer. It's awesome. Plus, if you make this honey beer bread, you can use it to make the utterly divine goodness that is grilled beer and cheese sandwiches (below). You... will... not... regret... it. Not one bit!

Slices like a dream...

Honey Beer Bread

Yields: 1 loaf

Original recipe here.

3 cups flour

2 tbsn. sugar

1 tbsn. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsn. warm honey

1 bottle (12 oz.) beer

4 tbsn. butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey into the dry ingredients until just mixed, DO NOT OVER MIX! Pour half of the melted butter into the loaf pan. Spoon the batter into the pan and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until the top of the loaf is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

I think the sole purpose of beer bread is to be made into this sandwich. Being a grilled beer and cheese sandwich is the life calling of beer bread. If only we all knew what our life purposes were; life would be so simple! Combine worcestershire-caramelized onions, cheese and beer bread and you really can't get any better than that. I challenge you, I really challenge you to try to make something more delicious. 

Ooey, gooey, crispy, creamy, tangy, sweet, crunchy deliciousness:

Grilled Beer and Cheese Sandwich

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from here.

1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsn. olive oil

1 tbsn. Worcestershire sauce

4 tbsn. Dijon mustard

4 slices fontina cheese

4 slices cheddar cheese

8 slices homemade beer bread (recipe above)

salt and pepper
oregano, fresh or dried

In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they begin to wilt. Add the worcestershire sauce, some fresh oregano (if using dried, use sparingly), and salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook slowly until the onions start to caramelize and gain color. Once done, set aside. Spread 1 tbsn. of mustard on 4 slices of the beer bread. Pair up the bread slices. Top half of them with a slice of fontina cheese and the other half with a slice of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with some pepper, then divide the caramelized onion among one side. Top with the other paired bread slice and grill, panini press or George Foreman the sandwiches until golden brown, cheesy, and thoroughly heated throughout. Enjoy!

Yea, this is for real.

Tailored Tuesdays

Business flirty is how I like my business.

1. Paul & Joe "Double-breasted tuxedo jacket"

2. Haute Hippie "Scoop-neck silk-chiffon shirt"

3. Alexander Wang "Wool-blend wrap-effect skirt"

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs "Lucy ostrich-effect PVC tote"

5. Elizabeth and James "E mason leather pumps"

6. Irit Design "Oxidized sterling silver diamond chain necklace"

All images can be found at net-a-porter.com.

Boiling Crab {Garden Grove, CA}

If you live in Orange County, I'm sure you've heard all the rage that is Boiling Crab. It's insane how much people love this restaurant - so much so that you'll see a line round the block on almost every night! 

Bibs here are necessary cause eating here gets a little messy! If your hands aren't covered in spicy goo then you aren't enjoying yourself enough! The vibe here is definitely fun - the perfect place to kick back some beers and have a grand old time with friends will eating like savages!

The cajun fries here are awesome. Nothing particularly special or mind blowing but they have great flavor and are the most awesome vehicle for soaking up all the spicy juices. 

Boiling crab has a great selection of seafood but specializes in crawfish. When the season is right, the crawfish get enormous!! I like crawfish, but I'm not a diehard fan so I opted for the clams. Whatever you get, from shrimp, to crawfish, to clams, I recommend you get the "whole shebang" sauce which is a mixture of everything they've got - and everything they have is delicious! I enjoyed the clams a lot.

GIGANTOR crawfish!

But seriously, the best part of the meal is soaking the last of your french fries in the saucy mixture left in the bottom of your bag. Mmmmm.

Yelp

Website

King's Hawaiian {Torrance, CA}

After coming home from Hawaii, I've been craving some loco moco like no other. If you've never had it, loco moco is a Hawaiian staple that consists of rice, topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg and gravy to top it all off. If it doesn't sound awesome, believe me when I say it is awesome. 

After a long, gorgeous and hunger-inducing hike, we headed off to King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery. Yep, the same King's Hawaiian that makes those delicious sweet rolls you can get at the supermarket. The best thing about this restaurant? The warm, fresh Hawaiian sweet rolls that they give you for free. Gosh I love 'em so!

I, of course, opted for the Loco Moco. It was satisfying, but sadly, not as good as the one I had in Hawaii. Oh well, I guess this just means I'm gonna have to learn how to make it for myself ;)

My friend got the breakfast burrito filled with fried rice, eggs and portuguese sausage. It was yummmm.

For dessert my friend got the banana eclair. Basically it was awesome; just as awesome as it looks!

Their infamous paradise cake is sure pretty to look at! Hearing the description makes it even more desirable. I mean layers of soft chiffon cake in the flavors of passionfruit, guava and pineapple?! They also have a cheesecake version of this but after such a heavy lunch, I opted for the chiffon. It was light as air and super delicious. The flavors were just hints; I wish it was a bit more in your face, but that's just me.

A perfect bite:

Yelp

Website