Tin Roof Bistro (LV's LA)

Tin Roof Bistro is a quaint, rustic and beautifully decorated restaurant hidden in a shopping center in Manhattan Beach.  The restaurant has an extensive offering of delicious appetizers, fresh salads, pizza, sandwiches pastas, chicken and seafood. There is something on the menu for every palette and if you bring your children, you will easily find items they like even though there is not a kids menu. There are lots of great lunch specials and the prices are reasonable for the quality of food that you get.

I highly recommend the caramelized Brussels sprouts. Full of flavor and healthy. The lemon, butter, garlic and capers really bring this dish together

The poached pear salad is the perfect combination of sweet and salty with mixed greens and a little crunch from the candied walnuts

The thin noodle lasagna is delicious, filling and a perfect complement to the poached pear salad

This delicious roasted tomato and corn soup was one of the highlights of my meal. It was full of flavor.

This braised beef short rib sandwich pictured above at the beginning of the post  is one of many lunch specials. This came with a delicious soup and a salad of mixed greens.

This light and refreshing salad tossed with a honey Dijon dressing was also a part of the lunch special.

The restaurant has indoor seating highlighted by lots of beautiful rustic decor

There is also a cute outdoor patio area, which is perfect for taking advantage of the warm weather and Cali sunshine:-)

This delicious pumpkin cheesecake was the perfect ending to a great meal and it is nice to be able to enjoy pumpkin cheesecake when its not Thanksgiving season:-)

Tin Roof is perfect for lunch or dinner and close to the beach and shopping.  Reservations are taken, but you can also walk in and be seated without a long wait. If you are in the south bay, this is a great restaurant to try.

Tin Roof Bistro

3500 North Sepulveda Blvd

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310-939-0900

Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

I have always been a fan of roasted corn. At fairs, carnivals and farmers markets I can often be found chomping on delicious grilled corn slathered with butter. Mexican street corn is delicious on a completely different level.  Grilling the corn over charcoal intensifies the flavors of sweet, crunchy, spicy and savory.  The sweet juicy corn, chili powder, cotija cheese and fresh lime is so good  and I can never eat just one. This has become my new favorite way to eat corn on the cob. Mexican Street Corn? Yes Please! 

A Latina friend of mine first told me about this type of corn and when she told me that mayonnaise was a key ingredient, I could not imagine that it would taste good, but I was so wrong and the end result is absolutely delicious and such an amazing flavor combination. Thanks to a chef friend at a Mexican restaurant, I now know how to make delicious Mexican Street corn at home and wanted to share the recipe with you. 

I like to put the corn directly on the grill because I love how it caramelizes some of the corn and makes those beautiful charred marks on the corn. You can also achieve a similar effect roasting your corn in the oven. The flavors come together with a fresh squeeze of lime right before sinking your teeth into this mouthwatering corn.

Start with fresh corn on the cob

Cut lime into wedges for the finishing touch. A fresh squeeze of lime right before you take a bite adds a great flavor infusion and marries well with all of the other spices and flavors

When you combine these ingredients and slather it on hot grilled or roasted corn, the result is unbelievable delicious. It is very important to use real mayonnaise, not miracle whip or any type of sandwich spread, it needs to be just plain mayonnaise. My special touch is adding a bit of smoked paprika along with the Mexican chili powder. I also brush with a little butter before adding the mayo and spices, it is a great touch because it intensifies the flavors.

You can leave the husks on or take them off. For grilling I like to take them off so that every kernel can grill and caramelize over the hot coals. I soak the corn in water for ten minutes before grilling because the moisture helps keep it juicy while grilling. If you are roasting your corn in the oven, it is better to leave the husks on.

Ingredients 

4 ears of corn with husks attached

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro

4 teaspoons Mexican chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) 

1 fresh lime cut into wedges

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese

Grill directions: Soak corn for ten minutes. Build a fire on the grill, or if using a gas grill set to medium heat. While the grill is heating, mix the garlic powder and smoked paprika with the mayonnaise. Grate the cheese and place on a plate. Place corn on grill and turn corn periodically until it is charred and cooked all the way through. While the corn is hot, lightly brush it with the melted butter and then slather it with the mayonnaise mixture. and then sprinkle with chili powder and roll over the Cotija cheese and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and if needed sprinkle with a little more chili powder. Serve with fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the corn.

Oven directions:  if you do not have a grill, or just prefer to roast corn in the oven instead of grilling it, preheat your oven to 350 and leave the husks on the corn. Place the corn directly on the rack and roast for 35-45 minutes or until the corn is tender and cooked all the way through. Peel down the husks and follow the instructions above for adding the sauce and seasonings to the corn.

Bon Appetit!

Cayenne Pepper

Hey Loves! I hope life has been treating you well. I have been busy and focused on other things, so I have not posted as often. Summer has officially started for my son, so I have lots of fun activities to look forward to with him. The weather lately has been strange strange strange with many days gray and dark and then sunshine late in the day. Sunny days always put me in a better mood and there are plenty of those coming and a big heat wave. I love clear blue skies and sunshine, but not extreme heat, so I am not looking forward to the heatwave. Although I am not looking forward to the scorching days ahead, they do give me an excuse to go the beach:-)

My outfit today is simple and classic with a white button down shirt, jeans and a bold color POP from my red shoes. In a previous post I mentioned the color red being like Cayenne Pepper  and these shoes make me think of Cayenne Pepper because you only need a hint of it and fires up everything it touches, just like the color red. Do you agree?

White Shirt: DKNY, Jeans: Gap, Purse: Roberta M, Shoes: Gigi Soho, Bracelet: Indian Boutique, Necklace: Mimi Boutique

Beautiful and unusual pieces of jewelry always catch my eye. I saw this bracelet at an Indian Boutique several years ago and it stood out, so I grabbed it

This pretty necklace was gifted to me by one of my sponsors and it is truly a statement piece that can be dressed up or down

There is just something sassy about a pair of red heels

Every woman has elements that make her style hers and hers alone. There are always little details that make up a woman's signature style that no one else can duplicate because her style is the essence of her authentic self

I love a great handbag. I have always seen my mother, my aunts and both of my grandmothers carry beautiful handbags, so I have always had an appreciation for them and for beautiful accessories. I love the color of this cognac, butterscotchy bag because it goes with just about everything in my wardrobe.

Have an amazing day!

2 Ingredient Low Carb Pancakes

Pancakes, french toast and waffles are occasional breakfast treats I crave, but I don't crave the sugar, fat and calories. I discovered an amazing way to enjoy pancakes without guilt. This simple two ingredient recipe is bananas! Quite literally. Two eggs and a banana and you have a light tasty pancake, although it is more like a banana crepe than a pancake. 

They are slightly sweet and I enjoy them plain, but a drizzle of syrup would certainly add to their deliciousness. I like them with a side of fresh berries for a healthy low carb breakfast. My only gripe about these tasty cakes is that they are difficult to flip over, so I usually make them silver dollar size to make flipping them over a little easier. I have also found that adding a teaspoon of baking powder helps the texture a little, but it is not required.

Start with two fresh eggs

And grab one banana

I like to use a blender to quickly mix the ingredients, but you can use a hand mixer or simply mash banana with a fork and then mix egg into it with a spoon

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 ripe banana

Directions: 

Either combine ingredients in blender, or simply mash with a fork, add the eggs and mix well. Grease a skillet with butter, coconut oil or your favorite cooking spray. When skillet is hot, pour a small amount of batter into skillet (silver dollar size).

Cook until edges are golden brown and flip over and cook until other side is golden brown. Serve warm.

 Bon Appetit!

No Sleep

Life is a series of moments and if you don't stop to appreciate and savor them, they are gone forever. Some of us are sleep walking through life, but we need to be alert and treat each day as a gift from God. 

White blazer: New York and Company, Nude T-Shirt: Macys, Jeans: Gap, Purse: Roberta M, Shoes: Jessica Simpson, Jewelry: Fashion District

Stay awake

Walk into some new dreams and goals,while you 
redefine the old ones

Take life as it comes...one day at a time

Shine like the jewelry you are wearing

Look ahead, not behind you because you are not going that way. Your purpose is in front of you.

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Have an amazing day!