I love enfrijoladas…. a simple dish made with beans. Try these enfrijoladas as an alternative to spicy enchiladas. They are super kid friendly, and my son loves them too. Find my easy recipe over Babble.

I think this is the best flan I’ve ever made. The fresh banana takes it to a new level of love!!!  I made this Mexican custard treat a few weeks ago and thought I died and went to flan heaven. It’s creamy sweet and the cajeta adds the perfect touch of sublime to the entire experience. Find my recipe on Babble.

A toasted bollio smothered in refried beans and sprinkled in cheese. I could eat these delicious snacks morning noon and night. They are fast to make and even easier to eat. Find my quick how to video over at Babble. #FamilyFunNight

I am an enchilada freak. I love them in green, red, pipian, mole, you name it. I don’t always have the time to make them, but the stacked enchilada solves the problem of making them a time consuming effort. Find my video and recipe on Babble that I made using Old El Paso green enchilada sauce.

Do you have a go-to tool that you use to bribe your kids with? These easy to make Orange Buttermilk Donut Pops have been my negotiating leverage lately. Read how I use them to convince my son to be a good boy and use his words. The recipe along with step by step photos and story is over on Babble.

Labor Day weekend is here… and for food lovers living in Los Angeles that could only mean one thing. Buy tickets and head to The Taste, hosted by The Los Angeles Times. This will be the third year I attend, and seriously find this to be the best Summer event. It will takes place at Paramount studios, where the best of the best food and drink come together for a weekend of culinary delights!  If you are located here in Los Angeles and ready to make your taste buds explode…. I highly recommend you head to The Taste this weekend.  The schedule is listed below. See you there!

Buy tickets by clicking here!

• Field to Fork – Hosted by Russ Parsons, Times Food Editor, and Michael Cimarusti, Chef/Owner of Providence, Chef/Partner of Connie and Ted’s; Sat., Aug. 31^st, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  Spotlighting seasonal and sustainable dining, this event will feature demos by Ari Taymor (Alma), Sherry Yard (Helms Bakery), Ray Garcia (FIG), and Cimarusti, who will also participate in a panel, “Fish or Famine: Sustainability & the Seafood on Your Plate” with Parsons moderating. Wine experts will share tips for pairing the perfect glass with locally-sourced dishes at twotasting sessions. Participating restaurants include Bibigo, Canelé, DOMA, Farmshop, good girl dinette, Hamasuku, Michael’s on Naples, Momed, Mr Chow, Muddy Leek, Nobu, Pizza Antica, RivaBella, Sun Café Organic, The Curious Palate.

• ·         Flavors of L.A. – Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, and Sang Yoon, Chef/Owner of Father’s Office and Lukshon; Sat., Aug. 31^st, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
  An homage to everything that makes the Southland a world-class dining destination starting with a compelling look at “The Power of Pop-ups” led by Gold with Gary Menes (Le Comptoir), Craig Thornton (Wolvesmouth) and Nguyen Tran (Starry Kitchen). Cooking demos from Yoon, Brooke Williamson (Hudson House/The Tripel), Bryant Ng (Spice Table), Josef Centeno (Baco Mercat/Bar Ama) and a mixology session with Robin Chopra (Corazón y Miel) will round out the locally-flavored programming. Participating restaurants include 800˚ Degrees, Angelini Osteria, Border Grill, Bulgarini Gelato, Chakra Indian Cuisine, Chichén Itzá, City Tavern, Mayura, Meals by Genet, Pinches Tacos, Wood & Vine.

• ·         Labor Day Block Party – Hosted by Noelle Carter, Times Test Kitchen Director, and Nancy Silverton, Chef/Co-Owner of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza; Sun., Sept. 1^st, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  This end-of-summer bash will offer an inside look at barbecue with “Going Whole Hog: Tales from Masters of Competition BBQ,” a panel led by Carter that features Ryan Chester (The Rub Co.), Sylvia Curry (Lady of Q) and Neil Strawder (Bigmista’s Barbecue). Attendees will also be treated to cooking demos from Silverton, Evan Kleiman, and Fred Eric (D’Elish), and TimesColumnist Steve Lopez’s crowd-pleasing Firehouse Cook-off. Participating restaurants include BOA Steakhouse, Brite Spot, Café Gratitude, Coni’Seafood, Freddy Smalls: Bar & Kitchen, Got Kosher?, Haven Gastropub, Juan’s Restaurante, Kings Row Gastropub, Pizzeria il Fico, Pono Burger, Rosebud Cakes, Waffles de Liege.

• ·         Cocktail Confidential – Hosted by Betty Hallock, Times Deputy Food Editor, Jessica Gelt, Times Food & Night Life Writer, and Cocktail Chef Matthew Biancaniello; Sun., Sept. 1^st, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
  Blurring the lines between cooking and bartending, the final evening will center on a farm-to-glass craft cocktail demo presented by Hallock, Gelt and Biancaniello. Taking it a step further, some of L.A.’s boldest pairs, Michael Voltaggio and Gabriella Mlynarczyk (ink), John Sedlar and Julian Cox (Rivera) and Kuniko Yagi and Brandyn Tepper (Hinoki & the Bird), will share their inspiration for food and drink combinations. Participating restaurants include Chi Lin, Cliff’s Edge, Jitlada, L&E Oyster Bar, Manhattan Beach Creamery, Mexikosher, The Pub at Golden Road Brewing, Stella Barra, The Cake Mamas, The Corner Door, The Counter, The Park Restaurant, Worldwide Tacos, Zengo

 

Thank you to NatureRaised Foods for sponsoring this article. Learn how NatureRaised Foods is “Doing What’s Right, Right from the Start™” in your area.

It’s as if the grill beckons me once the hotter temperatures start to set in. As you know, I love cooking but am not always up for being in the HOT kitchen during these scorching summer months. With that being said I want to spend less time inside and more time outside. I start to dream up meals that could be prepared on the grill with very little prep inside the house. Yet, I don’t want to just throw anything on the grill, I still want my meal to be wholesome and nutritious.  Majority of the time I want tasty grilled chicken, and NatureRaised Farms® brand chicken makes that part easy…..  They are accountable when needing to feed my family something that is right, right from the start.  Here’s an important side note….  They do not add antibiotics ever, in fact their chickens are fed a 100% vegetarian diet (no animal protein and no bakery by-products), with no added hormones or steroids. I like knowing that and thought you would like knowing that too. No wonder it tastes so good…. It’s 100% all-natural. Okay, I’ll stop with all the scientific part of it and get back to my grilling and chicken love.

One of my all time favorite dishes to make on the grill is chicken panzanella salad. I always start it the night before when the kitchen is nice and cool. I whip together a little marinade drop it in a bowl with my chicken and let it stand over night. Then I chop all my veggies and place then in another bowl and place them in the fridge till I’m ready to eat the next day. It’s so easy. The next day I grill my chicken (depending on my mood, I’ll either use breasts or if I want some dark meat I’ll use thighs) and couple slices of bread. Chop both the chicken and bread, then add it into the veggies. Crumble some feta on top and give it a splash of salad dressing and there you have it….. one of the best salads I know how to make in a matter of minutes. The best part is…. It’s super fresh, yet filling with the bread, and hearty with the grilled chicken. It’s almost like having a deconstructed chicken sandwich but with way more veggies in it. Plus it’s a meal in itself…. No need for anything else on the plate.

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Panzenella Salad:

• 1 – package NatureRaised Farms® chicken (either breasts or thighs)
• 2 – tablespoons brown mustard
• ½ – cup white wine
• ½ – onion (sliced into big pieces)
• 3 – tablespoons olive oil
• 1 – tablespoon chopped garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 – hothouse cucumber (cut into ¼ of an inch slices)
• 1 – pint cherry tomatoes (I use both yellow and red) (cut in half)
• 1 – red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
• 1 – yellow bell pepper (sliced into strips)
• 1 – red onion (sliced thinly)
• 1 – bunch of asparagus (blanched and chopped into 1 to 2 inch pieces)
• 1 – French bread loaf or mini sourdough loaf (grilled and cubed)
• 5 – leaves fresh basil (chopped)
• 5 – ounces crumbled feta cheese
• ½ – cup Italian dressing