The fantastic, community-oriented cafe has more than exceeded its mission statement! I adore it here and always stop by when I’m feeling the need for a calm, welcoming, and delicious experience.
I have yet to try the entire menu, but everything I have sampled so far is scrumptious! Order the soup of the day (vegetarian or non-vegetarian varieties) which is served with the best toasted-yet-super-soft focaccia bread or the red pepper hummus to start. Try their chicken and pesto baguette or their tuna and cheddar toasty bite. You feel like you have re-fueled your body with their natural and fresh ingredients that will invigorate your day!
Oh, and did I mention their vanilla latte is completely addictive and that their fresh veggie and fruit juices and smoothies are like heaven? (Favs: Jazzy Ginger Smoothie and Raggin’ Rabbit Juice.)
Everyone who works here makes you feel like you’re part of the family, cares about what you’re eating (kind of like Mom! (-; ) and creates such an inviting environment and thus, experience.
Thank you, Fresh Bites!!
A Little Belated (ooops! (-; ) But No Less Tasty!
The holidays are a time for family and feasting and this year my contribution to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner was making dessert! I decided to be very traditional with my baking choices deciding on Apple Pie, Pecan Pie, and the classic Pumpkin Pie. As always, I followed the directions from my trusty Fannie Farmer Cookbook for my apple pie and pecan pie but turned to my favorite grocery store, Trader Joe’s, for the pumpkin pie recipe. Everything turned out impeccably, with only a few setbacks (ran out of shortening, struggles with crusts, and a minor car snafu). But it wouldn’t be the holidays without some drama, would it? :-D I’m just grateful to have inherited my Fannie Farmer cookbook and love of Trader Joe’s from my older sister, they are the best and make the best food!
The Yummiest Apple Pie
· Click here for the recipe from my previous Apple Pie blog post
Best-of-All Pecan Pie
· Basic Pastry dough (see Apple Pie post here)
· 3 eggs
· 1 cup dark corn syrup (I know, it’s the bane of our culinary existence, but it makes the pie soooooo fabulously gooey!)
· ½ cup dark-brown sugar
· 4 tablespoons butter, melted
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· 1 ¼ cups pecan halves or chopped pecans
· 1 cup heavy cream, chilled for whip cream topping
Preheat the over to 425° F. Line a pie pan with the rolled-out dough and set aside. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a fork or wire whisk until the yolks and whites are blended. Add the corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla, and blend well. Stir in the pecans, then pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center quivers slightly. Don’t overbake! (**I love that this cookbook is soooo adamant!! :-D **) Let the pie cool a bit, and just before serving, whip the cream, then spread it over the pie or on the side.
Pumpkin Pie a la Trader Joe’s
· Basic Pastry dough (hahaha, again see my Apple Pie post!)
· 1 can Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin
· 1 cup heavy cream
· ½ cup whole milk
· 2 large eggs
· ¾ cup packed organic brown sugar
· 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend (get at Trader Joe’s, it smells heavenly!)
· ¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare pie crust. Mix together pumpkin, cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice blend, and salt, then pour into pie crust. Bake pie in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set but center still trembles slightly. (Filling will continue to set as pie cools.) Transfer to rack and cool completely. To prevent overbaking, you should start checking pie doneness at 45 minutes, as ovens vary.
Eat up and enjoy! And for those of you who love to pamper themselves, the can of organic pumpkin serves double duty of delicious pie filling AND the luxurious seasonal favorite, pumpkin facial! Just smear it on your face, save yourself $150 and soften your skin at the same time! Do I here multi-tasking around the holidays? Getting work doen and making yourself pretty at the same time? Yes!!
(P.S. I am not an esthetician or dermatologist, so if you have any skin questions, please direct them to the proper licensed professionals. :-D)
A Quick Southern California Trip Down Memory Lane
Seal Beach. More specifically, Seal Beach Main Street. A 15 minute drive from my childhood home and an area that is happily rooted in a slower era. (And if you’ve seen American Pie 2, the scene where they are driving down the main street of the lake town the guys are visiting is MY Seal Beach! Anyway!) I spent many days and nights down here. Going on dates, hanging out with friends and family; I love being in Seal Beach. I’ll detail more about it in other posts, I promise! I think it’ll be a series! Oooh!
But back to my lunch.
My mom and I spent a lovely afternoon down there, walking, shopping (at Linne’s Boutique, great dresses!!) and sharing lunch at The Beachwood BBQ. In a 1950s style decor, with Tiffany blue walls, black trim, classic photographs on the walls, and seats that face large windows overlooking Main Street, The Beachwood BBQ perfectly fits in with the quaint neighborhood. We ordered the smoked salmon (sooooo fabulous) and sides of the smoked asparagus and creamed spinach. Side note - the yummiest way to eat spinach is creamed spinach! Maybe not the healthiest way, but certainly the tastiest. Hehe! Oh, but if you’re a vegetarian, it is made with bits of bacon for flavor, just FYI. Our dish came with their signature cornbread which was the perfect pairing to soak up the last of the creamed spinach. Though I grew up in “healthy” Southern California, I do love me some true southern-style food! So when you want a little day trip, go to Seal Beach, it’s a relaxing and enjoyable time for everyone!
Next post on Seal Beach will be about one of my fav Mexican food restaurants in the area. Caliente!
