Dinner with Friends

Marinade Sablefish or Black Cod with skin side up in the following:

1 cup sake

1 cup mirin

3 tablespoons miso paste

3 tablespoons raw sugar

2 crushed garlic cloves

a pinch of salt and a couple grinds of fresh pepper

2 cups white wine

1 heaping tablespoon paprika

*let the fish marinade overnight

Set oven rack near broiler. I hook my rack 1 below the top to avoid burning.

Place fish skin down and place under broiler for 3-4 mins, or until golden brown and crispy.

At this point juices can begin to puddle around the fish and start to burn under the broiler, I transfer the fish to a new pan for the other side of the fish to avoid smoking. No one likes to smell something burning right before being served.

Allow the skin side to get crispy, but DO NOT BURN THE SKIN. it will turn black but should not smell burnt. This is another reason why transferring the fish to a new pan can also be helpful.

I made a fresh pesto with a splash of cream for our sauce. Use a sauce that compliments your veggies being served under the fish.

I served my fish skin side down, over carrot and potato mash with steamed green beans and sweet local corn. Garnish the plate with your sauce and serve. ENJOY!

An evening with friends wouldn't be complete if everyone didn't bring their dog! I got a little help from a friend in the kitchen ;)

Tonight's Dinner

A trip to the fish market for some fresh shellfish inspired this improve meal for my family.

Clams with White wine Sausage over Spaghetti

1 pound littleneck clams

2 large sausage links (casing removed)

olive oil to coat pan

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1/4 cup diced shallots (this can be left out or substitute red onion)

1/4 cup finely diced green pepper (or substitute leeks)

2 garlic cloves (finely shopped)

2 fresh parsley stems with full leafs

just under 1/2 bottle white wine

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (cut into quarters)

Spaghetti (amount will vary depending on serving sizes)

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

salt & pepper to taste

Recipe:

Oil a pan at medium heat and add onion, shallot and green pepper. Cook until the veggies begin to softened, then add sausage and crushed garlic. Salt & pepper to taste. Break up the sausage and cook through, but to not brown the meat.

In a another pot of salted water, cook pasta according to directions.

Add half of your parsley, finely chopped, to the oiled pan.

Turn up the heat. Fill the bottom of the pan with wine, enough to submerge your clams.

When the wine is hot and steaming, add clams and cover. Shake the pan to help the clams to open. 4-6 mins they should be finished. Add tomatoes when you take off lid to check the clams. Do not over cook, and do not eat clams that do not open.

Remove clam, sausage and veggie mixture with slitted spoon. Set aside

Turn up the heat under the sauce and add the flour while whisking the sauce. Add remaining chopped parsley. salt and pepper to taste.

Put clams and sauce together over pasta and serve with a toast, top with a hard shaven cheese and a few chive sprigs.

ENJOY!

We Spend Our Days. . . .

Filling the fridge with fresh veggies and fruits. There are only two people living in this home. . . . but this is what it looks like to live with a FOODIE!!!

Miso Cod

This recipe was made famous by Chef Nobu in his wonderfully delicious restaurants NOBU. It is so easy and so tasty, also very impressive when served. ENJOY!

Marinade the cod in the following mixture:

1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons sugar

Allow the fish to marinade over night for up to 3 days.

Place the fish under the broiler for 3-4 mins on white fish side, do the skin side of the fish last, as it will cook quickly and should be crispy. About 2 mins.

I served mine over vermicelli noodles, carrots, red onions. Place them all in your broth of choice- chicken , veggie or miso soup. Steam bok choy and lay over noodles to place the fish on top.

Garnish with chive and a squeeze of sriracha.

Crafting Corner

Old wooden frames become a garden table

What to do: Cut four table legs from an old 2-by-2 and secured them to awindow frame (with safety glass*) usingdoor hinges as brackets.

Extra credit: Give a little sparkle to the rustic look with shiny new brass screws.

Time 1 hour

Cost: $27

Before & After

Before:

Old ladders

After:

Potting shelf

Visitor's Powder room

My parents recently bought a home with a guest bathroom displaying the most interesting layout I have ever seen. A linen closet, floor to ceiling, between the two sinks. Acting as a barrier between the two sinks.

The restroom seems to be very useful for sharing, maybe teenagers, or guests whom are not a couple. It also allows house guests to use the powder room's sink and mirrors for vanity reasons at the same time.

When my sister and I are both home- we LOVE the feature. We can both have our space to blow-dry, do our makeup, brush our teeth and get ready for bed- and be together in the space without feeling as if we were invading one another's space. The problem is the way it looks. Something feels awkward about the appearance of the closet, until I saw the restroom above I had no idea what we were going to do with the space. Here it is mom! This ones for you.

900 Sq Feet

Who needs over 1000 feet of living space? Every inch of this 900 sq foot bungalow in santa monica is stunning! A renovation to the small space included; painting floors and walls, new kitchen and bath, new windows and doors, an additional 250 ft addition to the back of the home, acting as guest bedroom and bath. Also new patio and backyard landscape as the couple was able to afford.

The kitchen, living room and dinning room were all connected when the walls dividing up the small rooms were torn down, creating one Great Room. The living space allows open living spaces without barriers between loungers, chefs or dinners alike. Also people enjoying the outdoor patio will feel apart of the free space with the new sliding doors to open the home indoor and outdoors as one.

The floors were painted with a high gloss deep hue to add modern shine to the bungalow.

New oversize windows and skylights invite in the sunshine. Walls are painted a light-bouncing white, while white ceramic subway tiles brighten the kitchen and baths.

For contrast, the wooden floors are stained in a custom mix of ebony and dark walnut shades; the high-gloss polyurethane top coat reflects even more light.

Get the look: Wall paint is Decorator’s White eggshell with semi-gloss trim throughout (benjaminmoore.com for stores) Kitchen tile is ceramic 3- by 6-inch in white K101 (daltile.com for stores)

Sunset Magazine's Small-home secrets

1. Paint all the rooms the same light hue. Match flooring and other shared surfaces for a seamless look.

2. Build in storage cupboards with doors and invest in a closet-organizing system―“worth the splurge to keep the house neat,” says Hart.

3. Install inexpensive wall pegs to make cleanup a snap and keep frequently used items at the ready.

4. Choose easy-stow guest seats for living areas.

5. Create several places in the backyard to lounge and entertain―especially if you live in a relatively warm area.

6. Reevaluate your belongings every few months. Donate, recycle, or discard what’s not needed.

Deep in Summer, Deep in Love

Natural Beauty

We Spend Our Days. . . .

Beautiful Townhouse