What a week it’s been! Monday was a super extraordinary day. First, I wake up to a lovely little feature on Refinery29. And then my afternoon was spent cooking and prepping for this year’s Dîner en Blanc in New York.

Dîner en Blanc is a giant picnic in a public space with thousands of people (about 3200 this year) all dressed in white. The location is kept top secret until just moments before the event. We met our group leader downtown who led us onto a subway at peak rush hour while we’re carrying tables, chairs, and picnic baskets! Once we finally make it to our top secret destination, Lincoln Center, we start assembling our tables and unpacking. It was quite a marvelous experience to watch the whole space unfold into a sea of white. Dîner en Blanc started in Paris 25 years ago and has now launched in cities all over the globe. I’m so thrilled to have been invited this year and I cannot wait to do it again next year.

For the cheese plate, I brought a delicious aged Manchego, a Wisconsin sharp white cheddar and a French brie, what’s a fancy French party without brie? Served with a French baguette, dried cranberries and almonds. For the appetizer, I made a cous cous salad with heirloom cherry tomatoes. For the entree, I made crab cakes served on a bed of arugula and topped with a remoulade sauce. For dessert, I made a raspberry cake. Perfect picnic food! Unfortunately, the pictures did not come out so great for the other courses so you’ll have to use your imagination.

As soon as the sun disappeared behind the buildings, the radiant glow of the Lincoln Center fountain and the twinkle lights from everyone’s candles created the perfect environment for the second half of the night. Yes that’s right, it’s time to dance! Check out this amazing time lapse video of the whole event. What a fabulous event and I honestly cannot wait to do this again.

I think I’ve found my signature Vanilla Latte baked good! I love vanilla lattes and I love baby bundt cakes. The shape allows for more surface space for more browning along the side and it leaves a little bowl in the middle for extra icing to hide in. And it sorta kinda tastes like a donut!

Let’s talk flavors for a second. I’ve been tweaking this recipe for a while to get the right amount of vanilla without overpowering and just a slight hint of espresso throughout. By golly I think I’ve done it! Vanilla, while so delicious, can ruin a dish if over do it. I have been using vanilla bean paste in a lot of my recipes because its slightly milder than the extract. So many test batches later… I’ve found that using a whole vanilla bean for this cake is exactly the perfect amount of vanilla.

Espresso on the other hand, I feel like I always want more of but the flavor doesn’t aways come through. I like adding espresso to brownies and chocolate cakes to give it that extra depth. The cocoa and coffee bean are just made for each other. Doesn’t always quite work with non-chocolate recipes. With this recipe, I think I’ve found a nice balance. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup & 6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter (1 & 3/4 sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup espresso (you can use instant)

Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
4-6 teaspoons of espresso

Preheat oven to 325°F or 160°C

Step 1: Mix Prep
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. Make your espresso and set aside to cool.

Step 2: Batter Up
Using the paddle attachment or whisk if you’re mixing by hand, mix together the room temperature butter and the two sugars until light and fluffy. Add in 1 egg at a time and mix until incorporated each time. Split your vanilla bean in half with a knife. Scrape out all the insides by running your knife along the half of the pod. Toss that sticky delicious goodness into the batter along with the 1/4 cup of espresso and mix to combine. Now add in a third of the flour mixture, mix until combined. And then a third of the buttermilk, mix until combined. Continue until all the flour and buttermilk is incorporated. Batter ready!

Step 3: Bake
Spray butter or oil on your mini bundt cake trays. Scoop the batter into the trays until about 3/4 full. They will rise a little bit. Pop them in the oven for about 30-35 minutes depending on your oven. Check on them at around 30 minutes, if a toothpick comes out clean, they’re ready! Let them cool in the tray for about 10 minutes before flipping them out upside down onto a cooling rack for another 30 mins to cool completely.

Step 4: Icing
While you’re waiting for your baby cakes to cool, you can start on the icing. Whisk together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of milk, 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste. Slowly add in the espresso 1 teaspoon at a time while you continue to whisk. You want the icing to be just thick enough so that when you pull your whisk away from the bowl there’s a nice long pull to the icing but still runny enough to drizzle. Once the cakes have completely cooled – I like to leave mine out for a good hour – use a teaspoon to drizzle the icing over each little cake making a zig zag pattern.

Serve with a cup of coffee for the perfect Vanilla Latte snack. Enjoy!

Summer has this lovely way of making me eat healthier. It’s 100% due to the fact that I might have to be in a bathing suit. Maybe I’ll actually make it to the ocean or perhaps a pool party! You never know! So many things in season, it’s hard to balance all the ice cream and lobster rolls. I’ve been filling my weeknights with quick healthy meals like this one and totally splurging on the weekends.

One of my favorite weekday go to meals: pan-seared cod with chopped blanched broccoli topped with some fragrant cilantro basil pesto. Tons of flavor, perfectly healthy and totally filling. It’s so easy to make and you can keep the sauce on hand for a few days to go with other meals. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of cod filet
1 head of broccoli
handful of cilantro leaves
handful of basil leaves
1 jalapeño (optional)
1 lime
1 garlic clove
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Step 1: Sauce
In a food processor, blitz together the garlic, cilantro, basil, and jalapeño if you want a little kick to it. Just chop it up a little bit. Add in the the juice of 1 lime and about 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Throw in a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Now blend completely while drizzling in about 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil until it is all smooth and combined. All done! Scoop it out, set aside for later. I like to jar this up and use it with other dishes during the week like with meat, pasta, veggie topping, and even a stir fry!

Step 2: Broccoli
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, make an ice bath for your broccoli. Simply put a tray of ice and cold water together in a large bowl. If you have a colander that fits in that bowl, even better! Trim your broccoli head so that they’re like little trees. Drop them in the boiling pot of water for about 1-2 minutes until they turn bright green. I like mine with a bit more bite so I take it out before the minute. Drain the broccoli and immediately dump it in the ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and chop the broccoli into small pieces. Plate the broccoli and now onto the fish!

Step 3: Cod
Cut and wash your cod fillet. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium non stick pan over medium-high heat, drizzle about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place the cod gently in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes, gently flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. You want it to be white through out. Plate the cod on top of your broccoli and top with the pesto.

The best thing about this dish is that you can pair it with just about any vegetable… wilted spinach, blanched kale, grilled asparagus, even bok choy! You can use any type of fish that you like. Since I’ve been eating more fish lately, I’ve realized that cod, sea bass and sole are my favorite. And it’s so simple, you easily add this to your weekly meal rotations. I’ll let you in on a little secret, it’s all in the sauce guys… it’s ALL in the sauce. Bon appétit!

Ah springtime. The sun is shining, leaves are back on the trees, flowers are blooming, and best of all, outdoor seating, patios and rooftop bars are back! Sipping on refreshing cocktails is a nice way to spend any afternoon but there’s something special about drinking outdoors that makes drinks that much more delicious. Whether it’s sangria, mojitos, margaritas, wine, beer or even water…. it just tastes better outside with the sun shining down.

And on the topic of cocktails, I recently threw a bridal shower where I featured six different signature drinks, each named after a Disney princess. It was my little way of incorporating the bride’s love for Disney without breaking out tiaras. The drinks were a HUGE hit! So much so that I’ve gotten several requests for the recipes. Well ladies, here you go! This is the Aurora drink… Prosecco with berries, mint and elderflower liqueur. Aurora is Sleeping Beauty for those of you who don’t know your princesses. Okay, I know very little about her as well. Wikipedia tells me that she’s got 3 fairy godmothers and I think there’s some reds, purples and greens going on. Tada! Reds, purples, green… and delicious!

Now to be totally honest, I’ve had some variation of this drink before. Some friends of mine made a big pitcher of something simliar at a Sunday brunch. Champagne with St Germain is a favorite combo of mine so when I see it on a menu, I am most likely going to order that. I’ve had the berries and mint combo with rums and vodkas. I’ve tried different versions of all these ingredients but this is the recipe for my favorite combo. And yes that little hint of lemon makes the biggest difference. Don’t forget the lemon!

Ingredients:
4 oz. Prosecco or Cava
4 oz. soda water
2 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
5 blackberries (1 extra for garnish)
5 raspberries (1 extra for garnish)
5 mint leaves, torn up
1/2 lemon slice

Step 1: Muddle
In a taller glass (or cocktail mixer if you have one), smash together the berries and mint leaves. Make sure to crush up those mint leaves to get the flavor out of them.

Step 2: Mix
Now slowly pour in the Prosecco, soda water and St Germain. Give that a quick stir.

Step 3: Pour
Now this is where you have options. You can pour the drink whole into a lowball glass with ice but make sure you serve with a straw so that your guests don’t get berries and mint all over their teeth. Or you can strain and pour into a lowball glass with ice or a champagne flute. Depends on how fancy you want to be. If you go the flute route, this recipe will make about 2 flutes worth. Don’t forget to twist and add the slice of lemon and a couple berries for garnish.

Say you want to make a whole pitcher’s worth. The key is the ratio: 1 part bubbles, 1 part soda water and 1/2 part St Germain. A little goes a long way with that St Germain. Hope you all enjoy it! Cheers!

That’s right, tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays… Cinco de Mayo! Who does not love Cinco de Mayo? Okay quick disclaimer: I realize it’s not a holiday that many people celebrate. The day doesn’t actually commemorate Mexican independence either (that’s in September day before my birthday), we’ve just adopted it as a day to celebrate Mexican heritage… which means mariachis, tequila and tacos for all. Having spent most of my life in LA, celebrating Cinco de Mayo is no different to me than the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chinese New Year.

I learned how to cook most of my Mexican dishes as a kid growing up in a hispanic neighborhood. There was always a mom, aunt or grandma telling me to stir, chop or mix something. This Salsa Verde recipe was picked up somewhere along the way. It’s super simple and easy to make. It’s a nice mild and tangy salsa made with tomatillos (husked green tomatoes). It’s great with chips or on top of pretty much anything. I usually have this, a traditional Pico de Gallo, and 7 different hot sauces on hand in the fridge at all times. What? A girl needs her choice of sauces!

For those of you celebrating with your own fiesta, check out some of my previous posts on Mexican dishes: Guacmole, Mexican Rice, Carne Asada, and Enchiladas. Buen provecho!

Ingredients:
6 small to medium sized tomatillos, peel the husks and wash well
1 large yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic
2  jalapeño pepper
handful of cilantro leaves
juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 400°F or 205°C.

Step 1: Roast!
Line a baking tray with foil. You’ll want one with a deeper edge to catch the juices. Place your whole cleaned tomatillos on the tray. Cut the onion into quarters and place on the tray. Add on the jalapeños, whole. Scatter with 6 cloves of peeled garlic. Place the tray in the oven for 15- 20 minutes.

Step 2: Blend!
Once your tomatillos are blistered and the onions have started to brown, take the tray out of the oven and let it cool until you can handle the veggies. While that is cooling, add cilantro, lime juice, and salt into your food processor. Cut up the tomatillos, onion, and jalapeños (toss the stems) into large chunks. Toss everything (juices from the pan too) into a food processor. Pulse pulse pulse, blend for a good 30 seconds to make sure everything is mixed and chopped nicely. Taste test, maybe add a little more lime or a little more salt.

Step 3: Optional!
Now this is a pretty mild salsa, yes even with the 2 jalapeños you roasted and added. If you want to add a little more kick to it, add in 1 more fresh jalapeño when you chop.

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

Since I’ve been on a raw food health kick lately, I’ve been experimenting a lot with different vegetables: cabbage, kale, carrots, beets, chickpeas, sprouts, and zucchini. I mean practically anything can be a “salad” if you want it to. I’m more excited about playing with their textures. I love the firmness of the raw zucchini, it’s almost like al dente pasta. I’ve done zucchini pasta before, by shredding the zucchini to be like spaghetti and then mixing in some tomato sauce but ribbons are different! Ribbons are like… pappardelle!

Okay, who am I kidding? Zucchini will never replace my love for pasta, but when you want something light, super refreshing with a little more bite than a piece of lettuce… this is the salad for you. Oh did I mention, it’s also delicious? I think the best part about this salad is that it took me about 15 minutes to make. It doesn’t even involve the stove! This recipe will come in really handy this summer. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
2 zucchini
2 summer squash
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and pat dried from a jar
1 shallot
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 sprigs of fresh parsley
3 sprigs of fresh cilantro
3 sprigs of fresh dill
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of honey or agave nectar
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Step 1: Ribbons!
Cut your zucchini and squash into super thin slices using a mandolin slicer or a vegetable peeler. I prefer vegetable peeler because I can control my slices a little easier without risking a finger. An adjustable mandolin would be great for this too. Put the slices in a colander, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside for about 5 minutes to let the water to drain. Rinse the salt off and pat the slices dry with a paper towel.

Step 2: Dressing!
Finely chop 1 shallot until it is super minced and place into a small mixing bowl. Then pluck all the leaves off your herbs, the thyme, parsley, cilantro and dill. Finely chop the leaves up so they’re all minced. Whisk the minced shallot and herbs with dijon, honey/agave, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Slowly add in the extra virgin olive oil as you continue to whisk. Voilà, you have dressing!

Step 3: Toss!
In a mixing bowl, pour the dressing over the zucchini and squash ribbons. Depending on the size of your zucchini and squash, you may want to only pour in half the dressing and add more if needed. Throw in the capers. Mix with your hands to make sure the ribbons get dressed. Transfer to a clean plate and serve!

Where does the time go?! I cannot believe it’s been so long since my last post. But to be totally honest, I had planned on taking a little break from Vanilla Latte at the beginning of the year. What was supposed to be one month off to redesign the website turned into… gasp… 4 months! And I still have no new design to show for it.

So what have I been doing? Well, I took a little “me” time after being sick for most of January. I decided to slow down on the work front and dedicate more time to friends and family. That did not quite happen, but I’m slowly getting there. How amazing was winter this year? I don’t even think I wore snow shoes at all. Next thing I knew, it was March and I was getting ready for the start of  wedding season. Spring rolled around and it’s been gorgeous in NY. A little sunshine was just the jumpstart I needed to get back to sharing my food adventures with you.

And on the topic of food adventures, I have been a little more adventurous in the seafood department. I think I can officially call myself a pescatarian, but I still generally stay more towards the plant based stuff. I am currently experimenting with a diet that has me eating veggies (mostly raw), fish (mostly raw), and tons of beans. I’ve  mostly cut out dairy, white carbs, and sugar. It’s been hard but with one cheat day a week, I still get to enjoy a burrito and scarf down a slice of pizza occasionally. We will see how long this lasts, but it has inspired me to post about all the salads and vegan dishes I’ve come up with. So stay tuned for spring health kick 2012!

And for those of you who didn’t know already, you can become a fan of Vanilla Latte on Facebook! And if you’re on twitter, you can find me follow @VanillaLatteCom.

It’s almost time for Thanksgiving!!! As soon as I decided to cook this year (about 2 months ago) I have been fine-tuning the menu and trying new takes on old favorites. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s pretty much the best excuse to cook all day long. So on top of the traditional Roast Turkey, Stuffing, Roasted Garlic Potatoes and Gravy, I am making my Jalapeño Cornbread, a variety of salads, and my alternative to candied yams or sweet potato…. sweet and savory sweet potato hasselbacks!

I love yams and I love sweet potatoes. I’ll eat them mashed, baked whole, french fried, in risottos and pretty much any other way to cook them. Except with marshmallows on top. I think it’s just a little too sweet for me. Hasselback Potatoes are baked potatoes with slots cut in and stuffed with garlic or breadcrumbs. It’s a Swedish dish… gotta love Swedish design, even in food! So I’ve tried a few variations of this recipe but this is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. You can use both yams and sweet potatoes for this recipe. Yams are generally a little more narrow than the sweet potato so make sure you don’t over cook, they will tend to mush together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
4 same-sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 sprig of rosemary
1 teaspoon of brown sugar per potato
1/2 tablespoon of butter per potato
pinch of salt per potato
pinch of fresh ground pepper per potato
tiny dash of cayenne pepper per potato
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F or 205°C

Step 1: The Hasselback Potato
Traditionally Hasselback Potatoes leave the skin on to crisp up but I like the sweet potato version without skin. Find the flat part of the sweet potato and make sure that’s on the bottom. Carefully cut slices into your sweet potato starting from one end. You want to leave about 1/2 cm in between and cut as low as you can without cutting all the way through.

Step 2: Assemble!
Insert about 4 or 5 slices of garlic into each sweet potato. Brush the whole thing with some olive oil and place onto a baking tray. Take your 1/2 tablespoon of butter and break it up into little pieces and rub on the ridges of your potato. Now top each one with brown sugar, salt, fresh ground pepper and tiny dash of cayenne. Make sure you spread that brown sugar all along the cracks! Break off a few leaves of rosemary and top each potato with 4-5 leaves.

Step 3: Bake!
Place baking tray into the oven at 400°F for about 35-45 minutes or until soft in the middle. Stick a fork in it to test. Check on them at about 20 minutes if you are using yams that are generally thinner. It should be just crisp on the outside and soft in the inside.

I wish everyone a very delicious holiday! Bon appétit!

I’ve been meaning to post this dish for a really long time. It is quite possibly my favorite go-to pasta dish. I would say it’s the pasta dish of all time but Mac n Cheese will always win that fight. But since Mac n Cheese, to me, means making a béchamel, using 4-5 cheeses, and patiently waiting for the baking part to be done…. this simple orecchiette dish wins for being quick, easy and so delicious!

I absolutely love Broccoli Rabe, aka Rapini. I love it’s nutty bitterness and vibrant green color. It’s also jam packed with good for your vitamins. As a side dish, I like to sauté with a little olive oil, so you really keep the flavor of broccoli rabe. Maybe a little grated Pecorino on top. Mmm. Okay so say you don’t love Broccoli Rabe as much as I do, you can easily substitute with other hearty greens like broccolini, spinach, or kale. I’ve tried the variations, nothing beats the rabe with this recipe! The provolone is a perfect sweet balace to the bite of the rabe. You’ll have to just trust me and try it. Bon appétit!

Ingredients:
1/2 box of dry orecchiette pasta (0.5 lbs)
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon of red chili flakes
2 tablespoons of butter
1 bunch of broccoli rabe (about 1lb)
1/2 cup of grated provolone cheese
salt
fresh ground pepper
sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

Step 1: The Rabe
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Toss in your washed broccoli rabe for about a minute. Take it out and throw directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, roughly chop into 1 inch sections and set aside.

Step 2: The Pasta
Using that same large pot, bring another batch of water to boil. Sprinkle in about 2 hefty pinches of salt. Toss in your pasta and let that cook until al dente. Follow the directions on the box or just do a taste test after a few minutes. You’ll want to stir occasionally to break up the orecchiette, they like to stick together. Once al dente, drain and toss back into the pot.

Step 3: Combine
While your pasta water is coming to a boil, you can start on the rest of the dish. In a large saucepan, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Drizzle a little bit of extra virgin olive oil so the butter does not burn. Toss in the diced shallot and let that cook until transparent. Add in the sliced garlic and red chili flakes and cook for another minute. Toss in the chopped broccoli rabe and toss until combined. Your pasta should be boiling away and almost ready to go by now… add in about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water into the saucepan before you drain the pasta. Toss in the pasta and mix until combined. Turn off the heat, sprinkle in the provolone cheese, add little fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt to taste. Combine and serve!

I like to top it off with a little bit of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving. Hope you like it as much as I do! Enjoy!

As the very last trip of the summer, Vini and I went to Minneapolis for my dear friend Annie’s wedding reception. We only had 2 days but we were so pleasantly surprised with all the foodie finds. We got in early, hopped in the rental car and started our midwest adventure.

We started at Brasa Premium Rotisserie. It was like southern bbq with a cuban twist. Vini had the slow roasted pork plate with rice and beans. I ordered a ton of sides for us to share including: cornbread, masa cake with cheese (it was like an inside out pupusa), apple and cabbage slaw, jalapeño cream spinach, and the salad special, curried chickpeas. It was all SO delicious. Unfortunately, I only snapped a shot of our Dr. Pepper bottle. When the food came, we chowed down so fast I totally forgot to take a picture!

After lunch, we went to the Walker Art Center. It was the perfect weather for the sculpture garden and a much needed walk after the feast we just had. For all you art folks out there, the Walker is a must see! I was so bummed we were a month too early for the Graphic Design: Now in Production exhibit.

The wedding reception dinner was at The Red Stag Supper Club. It was absolutely delicious! You cannot go wrong with a modern American restaurant with an old school feel serving yummy farm-to-table sustainable food. We were at a table with midwest locals and got a crash course on midwestern classic dishes. For starters we had this malt vinegar giant potato chip, truffle popcorn, and fried cheese curds. The potato chip was paper thin, super crisp and gigantic! Fried cheese curds are simply amazing, it’s like cheese funnel cake. And truffle popcorn, um need I say more? Our entrees were equally as delicious. Vini had the swordfish and I had the goat cheese fettucini. For dessert, we had a flourless chocolate ganache cake. It was phenomenal. Again, I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of the entrees and dessert!

The next day we had a few hours to kill before our flight so we drove around Minneapolis. Hit up some of the cute shops and attempted to visit some of their lakes. But really, let’s be honest, we were just waiting for a decent time to eat lunch. We were recommended Wise Acre Eatery and loved it! Delicious farm-to-table eatery that looks like it’s in a converted gas station. We were drooling at every description of the dish as our server was kind enough to walk us through each ingredient literally from farm to table. I couldn’t resist their CSA hash: fresh summer veggies chopped up and served with an herb scramble topped with chipotle mayo. Vini had their meatloaf sandwich which was a toad-in-the-hole in the actual meatloaf served on a carrot mash with some ginger rhubarb chutney. It was the perfect meal to end our quick foodie getaway to Minneapolis.

Dear Minneapolis –

We will be back, most likely for the State Fair so we can have more fried cheese curds. Stay awesome & delicious in the meantime!

Your new friend, Maggie.