The Undiscovered Foodie

Sometimes, when I want to try something new, I search google for a 5 ingredient meal. Now that I have the insta-pot, I search specifically for quick and easy meals using that! I’ll be honest, the insta-pot is not as “instant” as it claims to be and I am still learning about it, but this recipe turned out really yummy, so I’d like to share it.  CARNITA’S SOUP -3 cups of carnitas (you can buy it already cooked from the refrigerated section of Trader Joes) -1 pound of yukon gold potatoes, diced -6 cups of chicken stock -2 teaspoons of cumin -1 jar of salsa verde (16 ounces) Options for toppings: avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, shredded, pepper jack cheese. I used all of them. So, this just couldn’t be easier. Dump it all in the pot and mix.  Close the lid and set vent to “sealing”. Press “manual” followed by “pressure” until the light on “high pressure” goes on. Then adjust the +/- buttons until you get to 8 minutes. Cook. After it has cooked, slowly turn the vent ...

  It’s hard to believe today, with the wide variety of restaurants from all countries, cultures and demographics that litter this city, but it wasn’t until the 90’s that the foodie scene took Las Vegas by storm. The first celebrity chef to come to this city and open a restaurant was Wolfgang Puck. He spearheaded the movement and led the way for a vast array of chefs to open up eateries on Las Vegas Boulevard, among the lights, the glitz and the glamour with the likes of Michael Mina, Giada, Tom Colicchio and Gordon Ramsay, just to name a few.  Wolfgang Puck is an Austrian-American chef and restauranteur who moved to the US in his 20’s. He first opened Spago in LA in 1982. He now has about 6 restaurants in Las Vegas, one of which I had the pleasure of dining at recently.  Pucks Bar and Grill is located inside the MGM Grand and is one of his more casual establishments, but don’t let your eyes deceive you. The quality of the food is second to none.  While the pric...

When I was 19 years old, I got to spend a summer in Cape Cod, MA, doing theatre. It was pretty much a college students dream! Working on shows, weekly, during the days while performing a different show at night with just one evening off per week…it was heaven. We were living, breathing and sleeping musicals. I shared a large room with 7 other young ladies (yes, SEVEN) and didn’t seem to mind at all! Ah,youth. Oddly enough, I was considered one of the best dancers of the group, coming out of the rigorous training we had at Tisch School of the Arts/ CAP 21. I laugh about it now, knowing how it is definitely my weakest link in the triple threat world but way back when, I was all right at partner work, lifts and if I remember correctly, I even did the splits on stage!!  The work was so much fun, that we didn’t feel like we “needed” more time off than we had, but we certainly did make the most of those Sunday nights off. We would often go into town to eat the famous Quahog. Now, if ...

  One of my first visits to Montreal was being flown out to the Cirque du Soleil headquarters to attend rehearsals for “Saltimbanco”, a show that toured for 20 years. It was such a thrill to be there, amidst the inner workings of such a fine tuned machine, with the costume shop, the training facilities, the casting offices and the cafeteria (even the food there was amazing!).  The decor was playful and quirky, like the big tops themselves and I’ll never forget that feeling of being surrounded by some of the greatest athletes and artists in the world. Little did I know that I’d be back, 3 more times, for rehearsals with various Cirque shows and that I’d eventually live there with my ex-husband. Montreal is a gorgeous city with stunning autumns and unbearable winters. My favorite month there was October, when the maple leaves would turn the most brilliant shades of burnt red and crimson and the changing colors were like a painting.  There are many foods that I remember ...

Do you ever feel like you have a drawer or a cabinet overflowing with spices but you find yourself using the same three things repeatedly? I mean, what the heck is coriander anyways? I’m going to take a moment to share what’s in my “spice shelf” and attempt to demystify some of these for you.  GARLIC SALT: Well, I’ll be honest, this is probably the spice I use in the most consistent and daily kind of way. The way I see it is, if it could use salt, why not garlic salt? I use this in virtually everything from eggs, to chicken to salads and pasta sauce. If it’s savory, it’s going in. 2. TURMERIC: This spice goes in just about any Indian curry you will eat. To me, it’s stronger in color than flavor, with a mildly flowery edge. It also has many nutritional properties that serve as anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and that have been known to fight cancer. For singers, if your vocal cords are stressed from being overworked, try a warm glass of milk with honey and turmeric before be...

  I recently had a terrible dining experience. I was so shocked because it’s very rare that this happens in Las Vegas. The restaurants are sweepingly delicious. The variety is second to none. The service, while it has faltered a bit since the pandemic (let’s cut them a break in lieu of the circumstances) hasn’t been awful. But this recent experience was just plain not good. However, because of how wonderful the manager was in the end, I am not going to mention the name, until I go back and dine there again, as I was invited to do so. I’m willing to give them a second chance because, well, customer service matters, and she (the manager) put us first. In a nutshell, one entree was completely bland and lacking in any flavor and the other entree came out one hour after the first, also being the worst version of the thing that I ordered. It was so tasteless, and the elements in it were overcooked. It seemed as though it had been thrown together but it literally took one hour longer...

  I recently had the pleasure of trying a traditional Mexican dish in a new and innovative way. I was both surprised and delighted by the combination of flavors and it was yet another reminder not to get stuck in a rut with food. The best part about it is, it actually added nutrition to the dish and it got me thinking about how I sometimes do this too (and how I want to keep trying in other ways). Allow me to share with you this culinary experience. Most of you are probably familiar with the tamale, a Mexican dish made of masa (corn dough) that is wrapped around a filling and steamed in a corn husk. Having grown up in California, I was exposed to some of the best and freshest tamales around, often being sold by family friends or food trucks. I also remember getting them on the way to work in Jackson Heights (Queens, NY) from a lovely lady, selling them on the street, at the corner of my subway stop. They would be piping hot and I would eat them, while walking, on my way to teac...

  I most certainly cannot take credit for this recipe but I do think it is imperative to share it! I’ve always been a little nervous when it comes to making fish at home but this recipe will have you wanting to make it weekly, if not more! And the best thing about it? It only takes about 25 minutes, from start to finish. Here is the link: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/pan-fried-sea-bass-with-lemon-garlic-herb-sauce/ I used fresh halibut from Whole Foods instead of sea bass, and added a minute of pan frying time, on either side. I think the temperature, texture and moisture came out perfectly. What makes this dish so successful is the layering of flavors. You cook the fish fist, and remove it before making the sauce in the same pan (picking up all of the drippings from the fish that was lightly coated in flour). This gives it some richness and texture as well as depth of flavor. Also, there are 3 different kinds of fresh herbs in this sauce and I implore you, please buy and ...

Portugal is a magical place with it’s storybook castles on hilltops, Baroque and Romanesque architecture, it’s warm and kind people who smile when you try but butcher their language, it’s dark and almost brooding Fado music in small cafes, it’s wine festivals in the most picturesque settings and of course, it’s food. I got to spend a week in this beautiful country a few years back and every single day was rich with history, culture, romanticism, music and unique flavors. I’d like to share just a few of those flavors with you today.  Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa Bacalhau is a salted and dried cod with a very intense flavor that can be a lot to handle on its own. However it is probably the single most popular and common dish in Portugal and therefore, a must try. For me, the flavor was a bit overwhelming by itself, but in this dish, it was perfectly balanced and incredibly tasty. It is basically a casserole with shredded cod, potatoes, caramelized onions, boiled eggs and olives. This...

  One positive result of food blogging is that it has made me more aware of my surroundings and I’m always looking for a new type of food to try and share with you all! This week, it was Egyptian food at the only Egyptian restaurant in Las Vegas called Pots. It caught my eye one day on my weekly drive to Trader Joes and I took a picture of it while at a stop light to remind myself to check it out soon. Let me tell ya, I’m so glad I did! You might be asking yourself, “What exactly IS Egyptian food?” Well, I’m so glad you asked! It’s actually a mix of all of the different cultures of people’s food that have settled in the country from the earliest civilizations of the Middle East, to the eastern Mediterranean. You might be surprised to see many familiar dishes with a slightly different twist! I was delighted by everything I tried as I’ve always been a big fan of Middle Eastern food and the flavor palate that accompanies it.  First off, this is a very tiny place that invoke...