Category: Salads

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Daily Quiche

Daily Quiche | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Daily rotating quiche are served with a side of Shu farms market greens, simple and yet profoundly classic. The Daily Quiche is a perfect example of farm fresh ingredients used from local growers to create the menu at Sqirl Los Angeles. When I moved back to LA this was one of the first restaurants I sought out.

SQIRL RESTAURANT

Opened in 2011, this restaurant has created creative recipes using local ingredients. I loved the food and have enjoyed the cookbook from which this recipe is brought to us. I posed a jam recipe, and I actually had met Jessica very early on when she sold her jams at the Altadena Farmer’s Market. So good, I knew more what destined for her. She can take basic ingredients and make them special, like her thick buttery toast with Seedless Blackberry Cardamom Jam. So good.

DAILY QUICHE

No, you do not need to make this quiche daily, but at the restaurant they do. They mix up the ingredients for variety, however this take with spinach, garlic, shallots, feta cheese in a lush creamy filling is my choice. There is a nice balance of the rich filling to vegetables and herbs. The crust is buttery and substantial. Using local farm raised eggs from a local source is my choice. The eggs are from chicks right down the street from me-perfect.

Daily Quiche | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Daily Quiche: Bijouxs Little Jewels

Daily Quiche | Bijouxs Little Jewels

LOCAL EGGS

Daily Quiche | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Now that I am up in Ventura by the beach, I was so happy to find local eggs, right down the street from me. They are great, roaming free in the back yard.
Contact 805-258-8883 only if you want order, purchase and pickup. Thank you.

 

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Santa Fe Salad

Santa Fe Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Today I am recreating a favorite restaurant salad–Cheesecake Factory Santa Fe Salad another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY

Beginning in Beverly Hills in 1978 (wow) starting with just cheesecake then expanding to a full menu, the restaurant chain has thrived over the years. Of course the cheesecake is great, however one of their salads has remained a favorite-the Santa Fe Salad. Although the menu is a throw back to the 80’s, the food is still great.

SANTA FE SALAD MEMORIES

It may seem a bit dated, but this salad has a taste combination that remains flavor relevant. Fond memories of getting lunch with my bestie at my home in Pasadena. Sadly she has passed, but enjoying the salad reminds me of her. The core ingredients of the salad are simple, roasted chicken if desired, grilled fresh corn, black beans, tortilla strips and Romaine lettuce, but the dressing(s) are the KEY. Tossed with a Spicy Peanut-Cilantro Vinaigrette which is so yummy I like spike it flavor up with the addition of a side of their Peanut Sauce which I always order.

Santa Fe Salad | Bijouxs Litle Jewels

 

SANTA FE SALAD AT HOME

Now that the Cheesecake Factory is just not down the street, I took a try at making the salad myself, knowing the salad dressings would be the key. Yes there are a few components to the salad, however you can make the dressings ahead and store in the refrigerator. Of course, I searched around the internet and found a few versions of the salad recipe. Guess I’m not the only one who craves this salad. I came pretty close with my sleuthing and tinkering to try to get the flavors correct. The peanut sauce is not exact yet, but close. I serve the salad without the chicken, which is how I order it.

Santa Fe Salad

Food memories are always a Little Jewel.

 

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My Everything Salad

My Everything Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

My Everything Salad is a delicious antidote to avoid food waste in the kitchen, another Bijouxs Membership Collection.

MY EVERYTHING SALAD

I have been creating endless salads using leftover ingredients in the kitchen fridge for years, hardly thinking of them as a real recipe and hardly photo worthy. I came across this salad, and it struck a cord with me. Many of the ingredients were things I typically have on hand-cooked grains, beets, carrots, green onions, cucumber, and fresh herbs. The only to-get items were the pomegranate seeds and Shishito peppers, made easy via Trader Joe’s.

 

My Everything Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

NO FOOD WASTE

I am working hard on reducing any food waste. If I cook a recipe for the blog I share it with friends and neighbors. I found that freezing large quantities of food, did not work for the solo me. I am constantly moving on to the next thing. So, leftovers in my fridge are constantly reimagined into something, interesting or not so interesting.

 

BEAUTIFUL FOOD BY DESIGN

Again, I go back to my Bijouxs basic mantra ‘“the everyday beauty all around us, right here in our kitchens.” I think even the rag-tag kitchen stragglers can be made into something healthy and beautiful-avoiding any waste.

My Everything Salad is another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Membership Collection.

 

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Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Bring on Spring! Bring on the Pixies! They are almost ripe, just a matter of weeks. Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad is a great way to begin the Pixie season, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

PIXIE TANGERINES

These tangerines are synonymous with Ojai, a lovely town nestled in the foothills just inland from the central coast. Pixie tangerines are a famous crop of the region, with many citrus groves in the area. Pixie’s are sweet and a very special citrus to herald in the Spring season. I am so lucky, my neighbor has a very abundant tree that I gather from each year.

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

OJAI

The town of Ojai has a special place in my heart. As a kid, we used to drive from the valley over the interior road to the town. I always loved the Spanish Mission architecture of the town, reminding me of the valley I was raised in. Charming shops and restaurants line the main street and Bonnie Lu’s is a part of the food culture.

BONNIE LU’S CAFE

One of the cafe recipes I was attracted to was this salad with a No Oil Citrus Sesame Dressing & Butter Leaf Lettuce Salad via Edible Ventura County.  Pixie tangerine is a part of both the salad and the dressing. The salad also contains asparagus spears, tomato and shallots.

Breakfast is also served at the cafe, they close at 2 pm so plan an early trip.

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

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Warwickshire Chicken

Warwickshire Chicken | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A trip to the English countryside inspired a simple dish-Warwickshire Chicken the newest Little Jewel in the Recipe Membership Collection.

ALWAYS ENGLAND

What seems so long ago a friend and I travelled to England. We toured much of the Cotswolds and nearby regions. While staying in some charming little cottages, we set out to the local markets and did some of our own cooking. Since we were both chefs, we dreamt up this easy and delish dish we dubbed Warwickshire Chicken.

WARWICKSHIRE CHICKEN

Marketing in other countries is a great experience. The markets in the nearby English villages actually had a great selection of meats and produce. Since we were cooking in small rentals we kept things simple. This chicken recipe was on repeat, and remains a Bijouxs Little Jewel.

SIMPLE COOKING

With just one small fry pan we were able to execute this delish recipe. First, we pounded thin boneless chicken breasts between plastic wrap. For the breading, we crushed up some crispy garlic croutons, again easy to find. A couple eggs were whisked in a bowl and we were ready to cook.

Warwickshire Chicken | Bijouxs Little Jewels

We added olive to the pan over a medium heat. Next, dipped the chicken breasts in the eggs and then the croutons. Fried the chicken on both sides until crispy. The hot chicken breasts were served with cool salad of baby greens dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper.

This recipe remained a favorite when we returned at the end of each day to our cottages to make a fresh and healthy meal-Warwickshire Chicken,  still a true Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

 

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