Simple Soup

Simple Soup with Poached Egg

Yellow Onions, Garlic, Celery, Parsley, Kale, Purple and Gold Fingerling Potatoes, Salt, and Pepper...Throw it all in a pot with water...cook...it's that simple.

Delicious and nutritious food is easy.

Use fresh ingredients, a little time, some imagination... heat, sniff, touch, and taste till satisfied.

Eat.

Enjoy!

:)

-Melissa Adylia Calasanz

Day after LA Marathon Dinner for Mister AC at Chez Calasanz

Mister AC ran the LA Marathon
on Sunday for his 40th Birthday

We followed up his run with wonderful friends
and his favorite treats of pizza and chips and other goodies.
So on Monday, I decided to cook him up something healthy, and nutritious.
This meal is packed with protein, fiber, and nutrient rich goodies.

Sauteed Super-Garlicky Shrimp and Shallots

Mister AC loves pasta
All kinds of pasta.
Any shape, size, hot, cold, with sauce, without sauce...he loves pasta!
He also likes spinach (lightly steamed and chopped), and cheese (little mozzarella balls), so I decided to toss them all together with roasted baby tomatoes (in the oven at 350 with just salt and pepper till they looked good to me), shallots (raw and diced), white kidney beans (canned, thoroughly rinsed), sage (fresh coarse shopped), a hint of olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.
The combo made an excellent pasta salad that was both nutritious and delicious.
Had to throw in a side o Green Beans for color and texture.

Served with love
and a bottle of Prosecco from our dear friend Jessica S
(Thanks Jessica S for the Bubbly!)
A wonderful home cooked meal for my wonderful man.
Cheers!
: )
3.21.11

Bar Snacks 12/12/2010

Cute snacks for cute guests

go great with a  BIG bottle of Sake!

Prepared for Erin and Ann

after the Xterra Crystal Cove Ultra

on Sunday, 12/12/2010

 : )

One does not have to slave over a hot stove for hours

to make their guests feel appreciated.

This quick little snack

was put together in as much time that it took for Erin, Ann, and Andrew

 to head to the 99Ranch Market (2 miles away)

to pick up the BIG bottle of Sake.

I figured these little treats would do the job

to hold them till I prepared the

Ghetto Gourmet Ramen for dinner.

Cute little deviled quail eggs

topped with caviar and chives

served with

garlicky/buttery toasts, cold sake, and cold beer.

I love

our  Kitchen "bar" at "Chez Calasanz"

Cheers!

: )

Beautiful Bird

When the weather cools down

I love to turn on the oven and cook amazing meals

Lately, the weather has been hit or miss

One day it's freezing

(by my SoCal standards, anything below 70 should be against the law)

the next day,over 80 degrees

I love a perfectly cooked chicken

Paired with roasted veggies and a glass of bubbly

Last Friday,

The weather was in my favor!

: )

First Step

Start with the best ingredients

I Grabbed this beautiful bird at my favorite Butcher Shop

McCalls Meat and Fish Company

in Los Feliz, CA

Simply, Cut up some veggies and aromatics

Throw in a Pyrex dish

Place birdie on top after stuffing it with some of the veggies and aromatics

Smear the skin with delicious butter, salt, pepper, and garlic

Top with herbs

Put in oven

Take your time preparing your side dishes

and cleaning the kitchen

Here is your reward

A Beautiful Bird!

I could stare at this all day

but I'd prefer eating it

Crispy Skin

Juicy Meat

A Perfect plate of dark meat

Served with rice, roasted carrots and garlic, and steamed spinach

A Perfect plate of white meat

Served with rice, roasted carrots and garlic, and steamed spinach

I love adding roasted Shallots, yellow onions, thyme, and sage

Served up with my favorite view

Mister Andrew C enjoying one of my home cooked meals

along with his favorite garnishes

Slowly toasted green onions, garlic, shallots, and yellow onions

Dinner was amazing

Had to make a plate for Andrew to take for lunch the next day.

Thank you McCalls for another perfect bird.

Can't wait to rock the chicken stock I made with the bones and make some risotto this week!

I welcome everyone to share your favorite way of preparing a chicken.

Cheers!

: )

Chicken Soup

What to do with the bones after baking

Chicken with tons of garlic and onions?

Make chicken stock for the most wonderfully rich Chicken Soup

Just put the bones in a pot with a bunch of onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper.

Let simmer till the water is barely covering the goodies.

Strain

Discard the limp veggies

Add fresh chopped yellow onions, whole cloves of garlic, celery, carrots, and chicken breasts

Add more water to cover all the goodies

 Simmer till you're happy with it

Add a bottle of wine from Anne's Boutique Wines

and you've got a perfect meal for a rainy evening

Nothing more to say except that it tasted even better today!

Stay tuned to see what we did with it tonight!

Please share what you think makes an amazing chicken soup.

: )

Garlic Chicken, Carmelized Onions, Fresh Vegetable Pasta, and Ghetto Garlic Bread

Amazingly Easy Sunday Dinner
with lots of garlic and onions

5 Bulbs of Garlic, 5 Yellow Onions, 3 Carrots, 4 Stalks of Celery,

and some Rosemary from the Garden
That's pretty much all I had in my vegetable drawers and bowls so I decided to put them to work

Had a 1/2 of stick of butter so why not chop up 3 cloves of garlic,
mix it with the butter, then spread it on the chicken
Got the chicken at 99Ranch for $0.69 a pound for their
Anaheim Location Anniversary Celebration

I'm a little frightened to think of where it came from and how it was raised

but wow was it fresh and delicious

Couldn't figure which was a better view

Mmm, baking at 350 degrees and getting crispy

Done
and ready for eating

Gotta have the freshly grated Parmesan for the pasta
there is no better tool than the Microplane-Everyone should have one!

Plating it Up!

Hey, Chicken, the caramelized onions are waiting to meet you at the table

along with the "Ghetto Gourmet" garlic bread

Dinner is Served
How many bottles do two people need for one simple dinner

As you can see, there is work looming in the background
Mondays usually begin at the studio at 6am, that means I have to get on the road by 4:30am to drive from Anaheim to Glendale-had to get their programs finished and printed for the early morning

But work would not keep me from enjoying a wonderful meal
Fuel the Body. Fuel the Mind

Notice the addition of the caramelized onions?
They were amazing! 

Looks like Mister Andrew C enjoyed the meal too
What better way to finish off a great meal
than with some Nutella and Pan DeLeche!

I chose to skip dessert...I prefer savory snacks for dessert and sweets at breakfast time

Here's lunch for tomorrow!

I'll post the pasta dish at a later time.

It's filled with tons of fresh mushrooms, carrots, spinach, roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic!

Mmmmm,
this dinner made it possible to make 3 completely different meals.
Stay tuned
: )

Presentation is be Everything (Sometimes)

Not every meal at "Chez Calazans" is labor intensive

Sometimes, it's good to keep it simple.

It leaves time for more delicious activities.

Glasses of refreshing Sancere from Silverlake Wine, paired with cherries, brie, toasted whole grain "Seeduction" bread from Whole Foods, lean ham from Whole Foods, and the best Homemade Beef Jerky from the best massage therapist around, Mister David Iler.

(yes, he is a friend and client...don't think that I'm easy on him just because he brings the most amazing jerky or that I'm just saying he's an amazing massage therapist...he is! )

When you're too tired to cook, this is a simple and elegant way to fuel yourself after a long day and also make your evening and your loved one feel special.

Cheers!

: )