Admittedly, these images aren’t the best, because I took these after the sun set and everyone was rushing me to eat. Â “OMG. Â Can you puh-leeease take the picture already? Â I’m starving!”
“Puh-lease yourself. Â You just ate 2 hours ago and 4 hours before that. Â Fine, I’m almost done. Â Can you just get out of my light a little?”
“Ugh!”  Sorta happens a lot around here.  😉
I had a great 2 days visiting my daughters in Dallas and I was also able to teach a class at my friend Lisa’s house for her and her lovely friends.  So fun!  I’m off to Palm Springs today to meet my husband and Mr. Picky for Modernism Preview Weekend.  It’s just a quickie in PS since I have get back to teaching classes in LA on Monday.  LA fall has finally arrived, as opposed to normal fall which is actually cool weather.  LA fall means you may need a sweater when you walk out the door in the morning or when the sun goes down, but it’s still 72 (or warmer) and sunny the rest of the day.  It’s all I need to start making soups!
I know sweets aren’t good for me or you or anyone. And believe me, I have tried to break up with them many times over. But then it’s a special occasion or a friend’s dessert cookbook launch party or it’s Friday, and I just can’t help myself. So you know what? Whatever. Sweets can hang out with me, but on my terms and not too much.
Let me get right to it — this soup is made with “Cranberry Beans,” not cranberries and beans. Â This came up a lot when I taught this soup last fall in my cooking classes. Â The lovely and tasty cranberry bean is also known as a “Borlotti bean,” and might be my favorite bean ever, which says a lot since I am legume crazy! Â All beans are not created equally, amongst varieties and brands. Â Cranberry, aka Borlotti, beans are rich and flavorful with a soft and creamy interior. Â They make the best soups.
I am feeling a little holiday-ed out today, and I am grateful for a short break before Halloween comes around.  Do you have your costume yet?  I just put mine together.  Stay tuned!
I am going to Dallas this week to teach a class and the bonus is I get to see my daughters, too.  My eating the last few weeks has not been what I like it to be so I will try to refrain from hitting the typical BBQ joints while I’m there. 😉  Have  great week!
It’s pomegranate season!  I love this delightful fruit with its delicious crunchy and juicy seeds.  But how do you get those seeds out?? In  my latest video, I demonstrate my favorite method for how to do it.  Once extracted, the seeds can be eaten out of hand, on salads, stirred into pilafs, with yogurt and granola or as a beautiful garnish on any number of dishes.  Enjoy!
Thank you to Foster Farms for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
Few things make me more excited than when Mr. Picky loves something I cook. I mean, the kid has challenged me in the kitchen for 13 years and still going! These Asian Turkey Lettuce Cups were such a huge hit with my son (and the rest of my family), that I changed my next cooking class menu so that I could teach this recipe pronto! We don’t go out to eat too often, but lettuce cups are something my son loves to order. I enjoy them as well because they are generally light and flavorful.  But it is pretty difficult to find a restaurant which uses mostly organic ingredients, so I enjoy lettuce cups much more when I can make them at home with the ingredients I prefer.
Happy weekend! Â I’m in Palm Springs this weekend with my family and my sister-in-law and her family. Â We are attending Desert Trip, also known as “OldChella,” a three-day concert with “vintage” artists like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters and others. Â It has been very fun and very civilized watching music with other AARP members (and almost-members.) Â Palm Springs is hot as you know what right now, so as soon as I get back home, I am going to make the biggest acai bowl ever!!
