Spaghetti Bolognese

Do you like carbs? You do? Me too!  I know low carb is all the rage these days and it is a great way to eat, but I need to indulge every now and again in something good. I'm talking  big ol  loaf of crusty, buttery garlic bread  and a plate full of delicious sphaghetti good. That's the kind of good that I like:-) Yes, you will pay for eating this way, but if you do it in moderation and strive to be physically fit, its all good.

This dish is actually not unhealthy. I make this delicious spaghetti with  a blend of ground turkey and sweet Italian turkey sausage and use whole grain pasta. It's the garlic bread I love to eat with this that gets me in trouble. Did I mention that I love bread?  This dish is full of garlicky goodness and fresh herbs, but my secret ingredient to a great sauce is a touch of red wine.  If you are pressed for time, you can doctor up a prepared sauce with fresh herbs and wine, but homemade spaghetti sauce is super easy to make and tastes so much better. Serve this with a big fresh salad and fresh bread and you have a delicious well balanced meal:-)

Here, have some

 

 

Ingredients 

 

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage with casing removed

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

3 teaspoons chopped basil

3 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 

2 6 oz cans tomato paste

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 cans tomato sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

regular salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of red wine 

Directions:

 

In large pot saute the garlic and onion until translucent. While the garlic and onion is cooking, start adding the Italian turkey and sausage.  Add the bell pepper, basil and parsley flakes. Cook the meat until brown.turkey until brown.  Puree the diced tomatoes and then add them along with the tomato sauce and paste and the remaining spices. Bring to a slow boil and stir in the wine. Let the sauce simmer on low for an hour.

Prepare spaghetti according to directions on package. Drain the noodles and spoon spaghetti sauce over each serving.

 

Makes 10 servings

Bon Appetit!

 

Skittles

I am enjoying these last days of summer so much. I had a great weekend with my little guy. We enjoyed some time at the beach and had a great time and I also got a chance to catch up with friends that I hadn't seen in a while. Quite a few of you have sent emails requesting to see more of my inspirational writing and recipes. You will see some great stuff coming up. The warm weather we have been having made me want to wear orange, which is among one of my favorite colors. I found this cute orange dress hiding in the back of my closet.

Most people know that I love bold colors. They just make me happy:-) These bold candy colored hues remind me of a pack of skittles. There is something I love about the color orange and yellow is my happy color. I decided to anchor these two bold colors with a  neutral blazer and a clutch that has a deep rich hue of purple and orange. Perfect summertime colors!

 You definitely do not blend into background wearing colors like this. What bold color combos do you like?

I love wearing rings even though I am starting to have a touch of old lady hands, LOL

Blazer: Bergdorf Goodman (old )Dress: H&M, Pumps: Urban Original, Clutch: Fashion District, Rings: H&M and Private boutique

I love the color and detail on this clutch. Do you like it?

These shoes are like the sun. So bright!

I really love statement jewelry. How about you?

Have an amazing day!

Nobu Malibu (LV's LA)

There is something rejuvenating about sand, beautiful water and the breeze of ocean air. Nobu Malibu is a beautiful, posh restaurant located in the heart of Malibu.   A group of friends and I came here to celebrate the birthday of a close friend in our circle and what a great dinner destination this was! The birthday celebration was so much fun.  The location is breathtaking and the food is fresh and tasty, but be prepared to spend a small fortune for the ambiance and the tasty Japanese food that will play with your taste buds.

  The cozy couches and tables next to the ocean are definitely prime real estate here, so if you want to be seated there, you might fare better coming early or on a week day.

 We had a great spot with a view of the ocean and of course, lots of great people watching. When we saw Hugh Jackman walk by, we knew it was going to be an interesting evening:-)

 The food here is served tapas style in small plates, so we started with lobster tacos and this was definitely one of my favorites

 Lobster and shrimp tacos, brussel sprout salad

 Field Greens salad with Matsuhisa dressing

 This brussel sprout salad was tasty with a unique flavor, but one of my friends didn't care for it. I thought it was fresh tasting with robust flavor

 This Lychee passion fruit  refresher was sweet and delicious. So perfect with the complex flavors in the food. Yes the ladies in this photo  are looking right at me trying to figure out who I am, LOL

Yellowtail with Jalapeno

The first drink was so delicious, I decided to try the Acai punch. It did not look appetizing at all when they brought it to me, but it was very refreshing. It definitely tasted better than it looked

Shrimp tempura rolls

Okra tempura

The rock shrimp tempura is a must try. Definitely tasty and a large enough portion for sharing.

I snapped this image of the waves crashing from our table. Isn't this view amazing? 

We arrived early evening and it was low key and calm, but after it got dark the energy level here went into overdrive.

The vibe as the evening went on was LOUD, vibrant and energetic, especially in the bar. After dinner, we lingered in the bar to continue our celebration and met some interesting people. Definitely not a dull moment. We didn’t leave Nobu until close to their closing time because we were having such a great time and good conversation among strangers who became new friends.

 If you are after a quiet serene experience, come early. For high energy, come later in the evening. Lots of great people watching and a parking lot full of automotive eye candy:-)  I highly recommend reservations because it gets very busy here, especially on weekends. Dining here is a luxury experience, so when your toy size portions come out, just smile enjoy the ocean air and eat:-)

Nobu Malibu

22706 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, CA 90265

310-317-9140

Stripes

Happy Tuesday loves!  Where has this summer gone?  My little guy is already back in school and I am so busy I almost have no time to post at all, but I wanted to show you my striped ensemble. I love stripes. One of my favorite ways to wear black and white stripes is to add a vibrant POP of color. This look is a simple black and white striped blazer with a silk shell and black slacks with strappy sandals. 

My life will be back to normal soon and then I will be updating my blog on a more consistent basis. How has your summer been? So do you love stripes too? :-)

Blazer: JC Penney, Silk Shell: F-21, Jeans: Macys, clutch: DIY

Have an amazing day!

Shrimp n Grits

If you have Southern roots. or you like Southern food, you should be no stranger to Shrimp and Grits. This is definitely comfort food. Smooth creamy grits, flavorful shrimp, and a garnish of green onions, make this a satisfying breakfast or dinner. I like to serve this with piping hot biscuits or crusty french bread. If you have never had grits before, just think of it as the southern version of polenta. 

 

 Start with 1-2 pounds of large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

I like to kick this up by adding cajun spices and finishing the shrimjp off on the grill, but when I am pressed for time, a good skillet works perfectly:-)

 

Grits are experiencing a moment of being trendy, but in my family this is no food trend, we grew up eating Grits and I have always loved them. I have always enjoyed Grits for breakfast, but Shrimp and Grits is perfect for dinner. This would be a great dish to have on Sunday after church with an ice cold glass of sweet tea.

 

Ingredients

 

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup quick cooking grits

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

green onions for garnish

 

Shrimp

 

1-2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined

1 clove of garlic minced

1 tablespoon Cajun or creole seasoning

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon butter 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup chicken broth

 

Directions:

 

Mix Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste and set aside. Sprinkle Cajun or Creole seasoning and paprika on shrimp. Heat butter and saute garlic until fragrant. Add Shrimp and cook until they turn pink. Add sauce mixture  and broth and simmer for a couple of minutes.  If  your sauce is too thick, simply thin it out with a little water or chicken broth.

 

For the Grits:

 

Bring chicken broth and whipping cream to a slow boil (simmer). Stir in the grits and a pinch of salt. Continue stirring until grits are thickened, stir in the butter and cheese. Spoon grits into serving bowls and top each serving with shrimp mixture and a sprinkling og green onions.

Bon Appetit!