The New Pebble Beach

I grew up going to Pebble Beach for all of our family holidays.  It's been a year since I've been there (we're lucky enough to live relatively close).  When going back this time the lodge was 100 percent full and booming with business!  And they opened a delicious new restaurant where Club XIX used to be.  They changed the space into the antithesis of club XIX-  its a bright and airy new restaurant with a full open patio area, brick oven and pizzas and huge bar inside to satiate all the thirsty tourists.  Now you can sit out and have a casual mean while being right on the 18th green area at Pebble.

Alternatively if you're not up for dining at the lodge- drive up the road towards Carmel Highlands and stop here at the Point Lobos to do a breathtaking two hour hike.  Then head to Highlands Inn and the California Market Cafe for their fresh fish tacos while sitting outside on the cliff admiring the fog burning off and the views to Big sur where Anne Hathaway and Nathalie Portman were recently married.  What a fabulous weekend!

Fall Beauty at Filoli

Not only is food divinely delicious but so are our children and our surroundings.  And just the little things in life that make us stop and appreciate every moment of joy that is brought into our lives.

This week we took a trip to Filoli Gardens near Woodside to view the fall gardens.  The colors were alive and bursting with vibrant oranges, lavendars, burnt yellows and the firery backdrops of the hills behind the gardens.  

Not only do the gardens have acres upon acres of flowers and hedging to explore, but there is also an amazing labyrinth of fruit trees- pear, apple, orange and lemon.  Children love walking through the magical orchards and secret doorways that they have there.  And the cafe has special lunch treats for the whole family.

Sensational Summer Salad

It's amazing how delicious and crisp food can taste when it is freshly picked and grown with love.  Even the simplest salad can pop in your mouth with the flavors of summer

Summertime Rack of Lamb

This very easy rack of lamb is a hit every time I make it for our family or friends.  And it is so easy!  This time I roasted potatoes with it and served it with a summertime succotash of sweet corn, carrots, onions and haricot verts from the Palo Alto farmers market.  The whole dinner can be prepared in 45min-1 hour total and the flavors melt in your mouth.

I actually bought the lamb at costco and was amazed at the freshness and quality of the meat.  I would highly recommend the meats there if you choose carefully for freshness first.  Serve with a nice glass of cabernet or bordeaux and enjoy!

Recipe:
1 rack of lamb (8 chops in this instance)
Dijon or whole grain mustard
sea salt and pepper
fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary
bread crumbs optional (Omit for gluten free)

Preheat the oven to convection bake or roast 400F.

Brown the lamb in a pan on the stove on the top and bottom using butter or olive oil on medium high heat.

Transfer the lamb to a baking sheet.  Spread a layer of mustard on the top of the lamb to coat.  Top with fresh herbs a thin layer or bread crumbs.

Place lamb into oven and roast for approximately 20-25 min for medium rare.  Take of of the over.  You want the lamb to feel springy to the touch when pushing down on it.  If it's not springy leave it in a bit longer.  Tent the meat and let rest for 10min.  Once this is done slice the rib chops into desired serving sizes and voila!

Summertime Crisp

Nothing says summertime more than fresh ripe fruit.  And stone fruit and blueberries at that.  This year we acquired a house with a huge plum tree and I've been trying to figure out the best way to use them before all the squirrels get to them.  So get ready for a plum Bonanza!

This crisp recipe is seriously simple and easy to prepare.  It's my grandmothers recipe from Scandinavia passed down and now I make it with my daughter in the kitchen.  It's a great recipe to get the kids involved in- they can help make the topping and mix it all together.  And then do some tasty taste testing when it's all done.

Serve with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and enjoy.  It may disappear quickly!

Recipe:

A baking dish of your choosing.
As much fruit as you can fit into it without filling over the top.  In this instance peaches, plums and blueberries.
For the topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter melted
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut up all the fruit and place into the baking dish.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all the topping ingredients together until it is in pea shaped crumbles in the bowl.  Spread topping over fruit and place in the oven.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the crisp is brown on top and bubbly.  Remove and place on wire rack to cool.  Enjoy!