Mirabile dictu! What an honor it is to be included in this month’s Pasadena Magazine featuring 9 Groundbreaking Women! I am very excited to share with you a peek into the issue.

May, a memorable month in the Bijouxs Kitchen Studio! First up is Bijouxs very special feature in this month’s Pasadena Magazine! What a pleasure it has been to meet and work with the fantastic new editor-in-chief, Maria Russo! Thank you Maria! It’s exciting to hear the expanded vision Maria has for the magazine. Collaborating with the talented editors and staff at the magazine to create the concept for the five-page spread was a joyful creative experience. Merci!

The Pasadena Magazine feature contains recipes from my upcoming digital cookbook, Bijouxs Family and Friends, the first in a series of little jewel volumes. May and June are always calendared with celebratory events and this family-friendly menu is one I often serve in the summer when dining casually on our well-weathered picnic table. It includes favorites from Bijouxs.com, such as super-fresh Provençal Cocktail and Fresh Blueberry Pielets, along with exclusive recipes from the Family & Friends digital cookbook. (Pictured above, Santa Maria Style Steak Salad with Cheesy Crusted Potatoes). Pasadena Magazine May/June issue is on the newsstands now!

More about the upcoming cookbooks and the concept behind my work are here and as writer, editor, cook, book designer, stylist, photographer, and of course head dishwasher, Bijouxs is an independent, true labor of love! I know, I’m little crazy to produce the projects just moi, but I love creating the little jewel cookbooks, they are my culinary vision and I trust with the right partnerships I will bring the cookbook series forward. And after all, we never really are alone, I receive love and encouragement from family, friends and of course Bijouxs readers, thank you!

May – a busy, wonderful, memorable month at Bijouxs! Thank you again to Pasadena Magazine for the honor to be included among a group of very talented, groundbreaking women, I am humbled.

Wishing you all a very happy beginning to the summer season.

San Francisco welcomed me for a week with open arms, and yes, I left a bit of my heart there, but I returned with some recipes. A celebratory cocktail, the Bacon Bloody Mary, inspired by visit to a warm and most wonderful restaurant – cheers to Mother’s Day from Bijouxs.

Travel always inspires my tastebuds, new foods and new sites, arriving home with a list of recipe ideas to explore. San Francisco is a city that has provided me with a lifetime of memories, beginning with yearly shopping trips as a child for fall school clothes and this recent visit added to my already overflowing memory bank of this beautiful city.

This San Francisco visit was all about catching up with a dear friend, going all the way back to our young ‘tween’ days, and of course it included lots of food and shopping. Our on-foot wanderings, along with some fine recommendations led us to the Elite Cafe on Fillmore for a warm welcome and a delightful brunch. We also learned a little about how they make their famous bacon vodka, so back home I had some friends over to taste test a Bacon Bloody Mary.

Using the basic instructions for the Elite’s bacon vodka, I added Bijouxs Bloody Mary mix recipe and voilà, a bacon-infused Bloody Mary, Bijouxs style. The process is really quite simple, both the vodka and mixer should be made the day ahead, which makes the celebration day even easier.

COOK’S NOTES: I used Black Forest bacon, but applewood smoked bacon is also a nice choice. Use freshly grated horseradish – not sauce – look for it in the refrigerated cases at the market. You may substitute Tabasco sauce for the Sriracha sauce. The tomato juice mixture also makes for a very tasty alcohol-free beverage.

Thank you San Francisco for your warm welcome and friendly faces! Please visit the Elite Cafe when you can. Happy Mother’s Day!

What are you doing for Mom this year? Perhaps a stay at home leisurely brunch is on the agenda? Here’s an easy little gem to include – Lemon Asparagus Tart, part of a Bijouxs brunch.

Every six months or so a group of my wonderful friends and I get together for brunch, I know sounds so 80′s right? We have fashioned this infrequent event into a joyous meal that once was stretched to include shopping and attending a random concert by the English Beat, you just never know. Recently we gathered in the Bijouxs studio, these super talented business women and me, for a festive spring fete where a Lemon Asparagus Tart made an appearance.

As a cook, do I take shortcuts? Yes, of course I do. Rolling out a sheet of ready-made puff pastry, topping it with crumbles and grates of cheese and crossing with spears of asparagus is a such a short cut that yields a delightful spring tart.

As I have previously noted, I’m not very good at making my own puff pastry. The process just never caught my fancy enough to practice over and over until I got it right, unlike the ‘paella quest’ a cooking neighbor and I went on where we made paella every night for week until we found the flavor combination we were seeking, then were confused days later which recipe we enjoyed the most. Yes, I use frozen puff pastry=shortcut.

COOK’S NOTES: I have made this tart many times and like the result of using medium-thick spears of asparaus. If you can only find the thinner fresh spears, you may need to reduce the cooking time slightly as not to overcook the asparaus. If you can only find the thicker spears, be sure to peel the stocks about halfway up to remove the tougher outer skin.

Our shortcut contributed brunch menu included: Orange Julius Mimosas, Peach Bellini’s, and Bacon-Infused Bloody Marys (a recipe I was testing that was joyfully shared with me by a delicious and generous restaurant in San Francisco); Lemon Asparagus Tart, Couscous with Peppers & Herbs, Balsamic Marinated Strawberry Salad and Blueberry Scones. For dessert cannolis and assorted cupcakes. Easy, the menu came together perfectly. I strive to keep entertaining at home fun.

Thank you to my wonderful, talented friends and wishing everyone a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Travel creates rich memories – sights, smells and tastes. This salad of crisp pear, endive and creamy Romano cheese arrives from Florence, first served to me in a small trattoria with dark wood tables, quietly tucked away well off the main city streets, food love Italian style from Bijouxs.

An adventurous trip to Florence yielded it’s share of excitement, along with a box of little jewel recipes packed away in my memory. A lovely salad, that stole the show from the rest of the meal, was created from fresh pear, endive and lettuce, served table side in bowl, then tossed in a creamy dressing of Romano cheese, olive oil and fresh lemon juice, the dressing was hidden below the salad, a lovely surprise.

For the Bijouxs version of the salad, the beautifully colorful salad elements are sliced thin and plated, with a garnish of toasted hazelnuts, but I stay true keeping the creamy Romano dressing hiding beneath salad leaves. The salad ingredients are simple; pear, endive and lettuce, their sweet flavors contrasted by the salty, creamy bite of Romano cheese dressing.

COOK’S NOTES: I use an inexpensive handheld slicer to slice the pears, a great little tool to have in the kitchen. Choose a good Pecorino Romano cheese for the dressing (such as Locatelli), some Romano cheeses can be quite salty or bitter. A dressing alternative is to make a basic lemon vinaigrette and whisk in some creamy goat cheese for a milder dressing.

Salad love from Bijouxs, Italian style and a little everyday beauty.

Crispy golden baked potatoes topped with tender spinach and a collection of emerald fresh herbs – Bijouxs simple everyday kitchen beauty – bake a classic Hollywood little jewel.

People always ask what I eat for dinner, it’s always different, but a few basics do apply. Like most everyone I’m on a budget, I cook at home and I aim for simple, fresh ingredients. Baked Potatoes à la Garbo is a recipe I rely on because I usually have Idaho russet potatoes, some fresh greens and herbs in the kitchen, so this a easy dish for a weeknight supper, perhaps with fruit and cheese for dessert.

I love reading vintage cookbooks and my collection includes Gaylord Hauser’s Treasury of Secrets, first published in the the 1950′s, health and whole foods-based, extolling the benefits of things like olive oil, whole grains and yoga. Tucked within are stories and recipes, one recipe is Potatoes à la Garbo, which the author attributes to the great screen legend Greta Garbo whom he nutritionally counseled.

Potatoes à la Garbo are large baking potatoes cut in half, with most of the potato scooped out, rubbed with olive oil and baked to create crispy brown little vessels. The Bijouxs recipe revamp is to top the potatoes with a quick sauté of fresh spinach tossed with a variety of fresh on-hand herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

COOK’S NOTES: Choose large Idaho russets, these potatoes will cook up in about half the time of a regular baked potato. I freeze the potato that is scooped out and reserve as a thickener for soups. Other greens, such as arugula and kale (adjust cooking time) can be used in place of the spinach and use your favorite combination of fresh herbs. Cut the baked potatoes into wedges and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for the kids or just top with non-fat plain Greek yogurt and chives for a classic light-hearted baked potato.

Baked Potatoes à la Garbo – simple and fresh from the Bijouxs Recipe Collection.

Spring has officially sprung at the Farmer’s Markets! Grab your bags and head out to explore what’s new – a freshly baked baguette, some cheese and fresh pea shoots join for a little Spring market jewel.

I had the pleasure to attend a lovely tasting event at the Altadena Farmer’s Market hosted by Pasadena Magazine. The bright sunny weather and beautiful produce inspired a Spring Market Tartine.

It’s fun just strolling the market, picking up a great seasonal find, like fresh pea shoots, then creating a simple way to feature ‘the find’. Pea shoots are so tender and sweet, with the flavor of freshly shelled peas. They are great in salads and in a stir-fry.

This tartine begins with local items from the market, like an incredible freshly baked baguette from Bread Lounge, a generous layer of Drake Family Farms “Glacier” goat cheese, then a sprinkle of a walnut-mint ‘gremolata’ (walnuts and fresh mint chopped together + salt and pepper) a drizzle of walnut oil and finally topped with sweet, tender pea shoots.

A Spring Market Tartine makes a light lunch, snack or appetizer – enjoy Spring’s little gems at the Farmer’s Markets.

Define comfort: A classic farm-style dinner, just a few simple ingredients, the heart of everyday home cooking past – Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Gravy, a humble little gem.

The Bijouxs Recipe Collection project is truly an independent labor of love. The mission is to share my eclectic jewel box of treasured recipes collected from years of cooking, both personally and professionally, along with photographs depicting the everyday beauty around us, right here in our kitchens – that’s the designer part of me. Sometimes, the everyday beauty is so simple, a classic chicken recipe with no frills, a lovely image of cooking at home.

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Gravy is a sample of my family’s humble, farm-style heritage cooking, dating back to the 1800′s. This simple dish was reserved just for family. Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs, only 4 ingredients: chicken, a little butter, flour and stock, is really more of a technique than recipe, designed to garner every bit of flavor from a few simple ingredients.

It begins by using economical pieces of chicken, the leg-thigh combination. A slow searing/cooking process yields a very crispy brown crust. This process is best achieved with a cast iron skillet (a Bijouxs Basics) and placing a lightly weighted cover on the chicken to achieve the maximum skillet contact possible. After browning both sides of the chicken, the pan gravy comes together with a sprinkle of flour and stock, then the chicken goes back in the pan and is simmered in the sauce for just a couple of minutes before serving. Steamed rice with parsley completes the meal.

COOK’S NOTES: You can use this technique with other pieces of chicken, but the leg-thigh pieces deliver a super crispy crust, while remaining tender. Depending on the size of your pan, you will need to experiment to create a weighted cover – some ideas to try are an inverted pan lid, pie plate, or large plate weighted with another smaller skillet or a couple of large canned goods, such as soup or tomatoes, placed on top.

Simple comfort and everyday beauty, past and present from Bijouxs Recipe Collection.

Spice up your celebration with a snappy, fresh salad – Green Bean & Pea Salad gets it’s spunk from a snappy Chermoula dressing – no boring green beans need apply – more Salad Days at Bijouxs.

I admit I like to spice up a holiday table, especially with crisp, fresh salads. This salad utilizes Spring’s thin, french green beans, blanched just until tender, with crispy sugar snap peas, I also tossed in a few first harvest fava beans, just for good measure. Pretty in purple delicate micro amaranth tops the salad for festive holiday color.

You may recall chermoula sauce from the Pan Seared Fish recipe, but here’s the story for using it to make a snappy dressing to toss with tender green beans & crunchy sugar snap peas. Make the basic Chermoula sauce recipe, use a few tablespoons of the sauce and add enough vinegar and oil to create a to-your-taste spiced vinaigrette.

COOK’S NOTES: This salad is also wonderful using just green beans. Left over chermoula sauce is nice tossed with hot steamed fingerling potatoes.

Spice up your Salad Days with Bijouxs. Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!

Spring has arrived in LA, bright sun peeking through the foggy mornings, signaling Salad Days. Sometimes, just one small change can yield big results. Begin making your salad dressings from scratch and yield some delicious, healthy results – Salad Days recipes at Bijouxs.

A simple change, such as making all your salad dressings from scratch, is one that brings delicious results and saves money on your weekly food bill. Another advantage, is that the dressings are fresh, made without preservatives and you can control ratios of key ingredients, such as salt and fats. Once I made this change at the beginning of my cooking journey, I never looked back.

Salads play a regular part of most home cook’s weekly menus. Their freshness plays well along side dinner entrees and they often may be the mainstay at lunchtime, either at home or going along to work. With your homemade dressings at-the-ready, it’s easy to keep salads fresh and interesting, and it’s a simple change.

Once a week, usually on Sunday, I make up two salad dressings for the week. I make smallish quantities, about a cup of each, just enough to be used that week ensuring freshness and variety. A simple splash of lemon & olive oil is always an additional option for salads, variety is the key.

Green & Black Peppercorn Dressing packs a double peppery punch to simple greens. Place a small amount of the dressing in the bottom of a salad bowl, top with mixed greens and toss table side.  The small apothecary style jars I love are from Surfas Culinary District store in Culver City, they also usually stock the green peppercorn mustard as well.

A basic dressing, such as Lemon Miso Dressing, plays well with a variety of greens, here I picked up some Lamb Quarters lettuce at the farmers market. For lunch, I include crisp raw vegetables, some protein and lunch is served.

The savings realized by crafting your own salad dressings affords the opportunity to sample some wonderful oils and vinegars. I like to splurge and have one nut oil, such as walnut or hazelnut and a good Champagne vinegar, such as Vilux, which is a versatile and delicious salad basic, in the pantry. A great everyday olive oil and a basic red wine vinegar round out my salad pantry.

Some other Bijouxs favorite salad dressing recipes to try include: Bijouxs House Vinaigrette, House Caesar, Blue Cheese Vinaigrette and Lemon Miso Dressing. Choose flavors you enjoy, experiment and in no time you will be enjoying your own salad dressings everyday, a small change, with big results. Share your favorite salad dressing combinations, I’d love to hear what some of your favorites are!

A very warm welcome to all the new Bijouxs Recipe Newsletter subscribers. Thanks to everyone for supporting the Bijouxs Recipe Collection and enjoy Salad Days with Bijouxs.

The comfort of food. A childhood gem gets a little polish at Bijouxs – Meyer Lemon Pudding with Blueberries – light and fluffy, an everyday little jewel for Spring.

Simple treats, served family style, still tug at our hearts. A childhood favorite is lemon sponge pudding, basic ingredients combine to create a lightly baked pudding that yields a soft crust with a creamy lemon filling.

A bounty of Meyer lemons, gifts from friends, led me to an early morning juicing spree in the studio and to create the pudding using this charming citrus that carries both the essence of a lemon and an orange. A topping of fresh blueberries, for a tart burst, and a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar complete the dish.

COOK’S NOTES: Bake the pudding in a baking vessel with a 6-cup capacity. You may need to adjust the baking time depending on the size and depth of the baking dish you use – a deeper baking dish may require a bit longer baking time. Regular lemons of course may be used instead of Meyers.

To make a lemon sponge pie, pour the lemon filling in a 9-in pie shell, bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325-350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes, or until set.

Meyer Lemon Pudding with Blueberries, everyday comfort from Bijouxs Recipe Collection.