An Evening With Star Chefs 2014

We had the pleasure of attending "An Evening With Star Chefs" hosted by Rosemary's Children Services on Saturday, June 21. In it's 51st year, the event is one of the most well renowned in the Pasadena area and was founded by Julia Childs. 

Ariel's Better Than Spaghetti

I hate spaghetti. Okay, maybe I just hate ground beef, angel hair pasta, and a marinara sauce. To me, it's a little boring. So a few years ago, instead of sayin I HATE SPAGHETTI, I'LL NEVER EAT IT AGAIN!... I decided to switch it up and use different ingredients. And after many tweaks and adding vegetables, Ariel's Better Than Spaghetti was born. It took me forever to get the ingredients down because I hardly ever measure. So, keep that in mind....sauce especially, if you like a lot of sauce- use a lot, if not...don't use a lot of sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup whole grain rotini

1 zucchini, chopped

2 cups of spaghetti sauce*

1 precooked beef sausage, sliced into rounds

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped

*i used Puttanesca sauce from fresh and easy, it is up to preference.

Let's get cookin!

Cook the pasta according the directions on the box

Cook the sausage in the skillet for 5-7 mins until they looked cook/brown slightly

Heat garlic, zucchini and onion in the same skillet as the sausage until the veggies are tender.

After 2-3 minutes, add the sauce.

Drain spaghetti.

When you feel your sauce (and veggies) are perfection, pour it over the spaghetti.

Enjoy!

Previously, I've added chopped red bell peppers and onions, which was also delicious. I made some garlic cheese bread to go with it, because why not find a reason for it?

Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Cookies

It's time for The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! For the past three years food bloggers across the nation have signed up to participate in the swap where they send three food bloggers a dozen of their favorite cookie recipe. 

Almond Macarons With TARDIS Tea White Chocolate Ganache

Whoa! Sorry about the delay! I've been crazy busy with Foodbeast work along with my office day job and baking endeavors...I know, excuses, excuses. But I'm back with a delicious new recipe!

Broccoli & Cheese-y Cheese Wontons

Today's recipe is brought to you in part by the letter A! Just kidding. It's actually a recipe created by Justin Warner, Season 8 Winner of Food Network's The Next Food Network Star...fancy! Ironically this Asian-American fusion appetizer was created to pair with a Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc...so maybe Asian-American-French fusion? This appetizer/party snack not only pairs well with this white wine, it's actually infused into the recipe via the sauce! Now THAT's fancy. 

Let's Chat

I had an epiphany this weekend. I realized in the midst of all the websites I contribute to along with my day job that I've been lagging on the site that allowed me to start writing for some of my favorite websites. I started this blog one day at a job I really despised. I was still pretty fresh out of college and was still trying to get a footing for this real world situation. 

Outside the college bubble. Outside the safety of the friends I spent an amazing four years with in the confines of our little town of Davis. Thrown back into my hometown with all my friends gone left only with the remnants of "congratulations grad" cards and the pressure to get a grown up job. After being exposed to a brand new way of food in college I found myself totally photo spamming all my meals on Facebook. After having countless friends complain to me that I was making them hungry with my delicious photos I figured, "Hey! Why not start a food blog?!" So that's what I did and it became something much more than I ever thought it would be. 

Kerfuffle Lip Balms

Do you remember Lip Smackers? Remember buying them because they smelled so delicious? Personally, I was all about that Dr. Pepper lip balm. Sure, Lip Smackers are still around but at the age of 25 I've kind of outgrown those trendy lip balms in favor of ones that actually help my lips, but I'm still not over requiring them to smell delicious.