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Fun Fact: Lemon Trees Have Thorns

21 days ago, I arrived in the City of Angels. My first week here was awesome. I got to see an amazingly talented Alumni in their improv show, and was lucky enough to attend a tour of the set and taping of the award winning television show Modern Family. Oh, and had a few strawberry margz at Venice Beach, good times, great oldies.

Once all that fun was over, it was time to start looking for a job…

I am a college graduate. Yes, my degree was in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting BUT I attended a liberal arts college which forced me through four years of science, MATH, language, history, and other “general education” courses. I felt that by not going to conservatory, I would have an advantage over others by having a liberal arts degree. The ongoing joke with BFA’s is that we are majoring in bar tending and serving, but, so far, what I have learned in my short time here is that: BFA degree = no.

Okay, that is not really fair. It just meant no at the WORST interview of my life. In which I was essentially forced to admit that if I had to choose between a shift at this crappy job or going to an audition that I spent $50,000 going to college to do, I would have to pick the audition. Being the good ol’ Missouri girl that I am, I just couldn’t lie about what I would do. However, for now, I am just going to make lemonade from the neighbors lemon tree:

Lemonade Syrup Concentrate (Also pairs well with Vodka)

Halve and squeeze yer lemons as best as you can without getting the seeds in with the juice

For every 1/4 cup of lemon juice, add 2 tablespoons of sugar

Stir, and stir, and stir some more until the mixture is no longer grainy.

Depending on how strong you like your lemonade, I add about 8oz (one cup) of water to a little over a tablespoon of the concentrate. Add ice of course, and if you want to feel special, save some of those lemons to slice and add to the drink. Or make the whole thing into a pitcher, that sounds nice too. Otherwise you can keep your concentrate in the refrigerator for about three days.

P.S.

For all my Missouri friends, sorry about the snow. I wish you were here sweating in this 80 degree weather, helping me drink this lemonade.

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"California Style" Tabbouleh Salad

Its been a whirlwind first week here in sunny Los Angeles! I have been craving this salad for awhile, and wanted to add a slightly different twist. There is an abundance of Cilantro in the grocery stores here, and I thought it would be a nice change to swap that out for the Mint that is in traditional Tabbouleh. I also like to eat this because it tricks me in to eating veggies... I went kind of light on the red onion because it is so powerful but if you really enjoy getting heartburn, knock yourself out and add as much as you like ;)

You will need:

1 1/2 cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes (I also used the baby Sunburst Tomatoes nom nom nom)

1/4 cup Red Onion

1 cup Cucumber

1/4 cup fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Salt and Pepper

3-4 tbs fresh chopped Cilantro

1 cup uncooked Couscous  (I used whole wheat Couscous, because that is what working actresses are supposed to be eating...)

Chop all the veggies as large or small as you like, I left them pretty chunky for photography purposes, but the smaller they are, the better they all blend together so you can get a little bit of each one in every bite.

Place all the veg in a large mixing bowl and add lemon juice and toss it all around. Let the veg marinate in the fridge while the couscous is cooking.

Cook the Couscous according to package directions, typically its equal parts Couscous to boiling water, and let it set for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. Let the Couscous cool off as long as possible before adding it to the veggies. 

After adding the Couscous to the veg, add the olive oil, chopped Cilantro and a few good cracks each of the salt and pepper-- of course taste it for flavor before serving. Let it chill in the fridge for as long as you can wait to let all of the flavors come together, and enjoy!

P.S.

MY NEIGHBOR HAS A LEMON TREE AND I AM OBSESSED WITH IT.

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A very #Christmakuh brunch! #Latkes and we are bad Jews eating sausage! Do you like applesauce or sour cream on your Latkes??? #MerryChristmas #HappyHanukah from da Kaplanz

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Roasty Toasty Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR FALL DECOR JUST YET!

Make some delicious Roasted Pumpkin Seeds instead!

Just cut off the top of your pumpkin, slightly at an angle:

GUT THE PUMPKIN MWAHAHA!

Wash and dry (on paper towels, as best as you can).

Line baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray and place in an even layer on the sheet.

Roast n' Toast at 350* for approximately 15 minutes, oven heat may vary as well as humidity. Carefully stir and rotate the seeds every few minutes so they won't burn and cook evenly.

Melt at leas a half sick of REAL BUTTER PLEASE and drizzle over the seeds. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them and bake another 5 minutes. I know its hard, but you need to let them rest and set up for a few minutes before chowing down. Wow these are one of my favorite Fall foods of all time! You could also just do plain salt but THAT IS BORING. Have fun, and Happy Fall Y'all! 

xoxo,

Rachel K

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The beautiful voice of Maddi from Madison Avenue!

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STL was TURNT UP for @chancetherapper

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Fried Green Tomatoes -Green Tomatoes, as many as you want -Seasoned flour such as Louisiana Chicken Fry or Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour -Italian Seasoned Bread crumbs -Milk and Egg beaten together -Vegetable oil for frying Cut tomatoes into thick slices, dry batter with seasoned flour then dredge in the milk/egg mixture. Then dredge in the bread crumbs and let rest for a moment. Fry in the hot oil, about an inch deep depending on the thickness of the tomatoes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and enjoy!

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#NOMS #NOMZ #BEAUTIFUL #friedgreentomatoes #ranch

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Sundries Farmer's Market!

A good friend of mine was very ambitious and decided to start up a Farmers market in Branson. I was so excited to learn that she and others were putting this together, because since recently moving back home I have seen the dire need there is for fresh, quality produce. All chefs, new and experienced, should know how important the quality of your ingredients is for the flavor and characteristics of your dishes. I have been so disappointed since moving back in the lack of quality produce at basically every grocery store in the area-- which blows my mind because this is a very rural area, and you would think someone somewhere is growing something delicious and healthy. Also, something that is important to me personally, is sustaining and supporting our local economy which is exactly what a farmer's market does.

But enough ranting, here's a bit about Sundries! 

"Sundries Farmer's Market is a collaborative effort between businesses, farmers, and the Ozarks community to support local food and farmers. Sundries Farmer's Market's ultimate goal is to promote healthy, sustainable lifestyles by creating a place for local farmers and producers to offer their high quality products and nutritious, locally grown food."

Home-baked Honey-Wheat bread! 

Fresh Okra

Be sure to "Like" Sundries Farmer's market on Facebook to see what else they have to offer! I will be posting a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes that were purchased here soon! 

https://www.facebook.com/SundriesFarmersMarket

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Some pumpkin friends from the Sundries farmer's market #smallbusinesssaturday #farmersmarket #pumpkins #heirloom #fall #pretty #local

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@mileycyrus baby pig ain't got nothing on my baby pig #lola #lolagram #pig #baby

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#Vino #PinotNoir #deglaze #sauce #CoqauVin

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Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin

According to my dad, this was “the best chicken and rice I’ve ever had.” This recipe seems ambitious but I promise that it is not! You just need a little time and patience and it will be well worth the wait. Browning the chicken beforehand is VERY IMPORTANT, and be sure to choose a red wine that you actually enjoy drinking. I chose an inexpensive Pinot Noir that was quite tasty and I do recommend that you stay away from the sweet ones (save those for dessert). Visitors to Yummytown will require:

4 chicken leg quarters

2 small or 1 medium yellow onion sliced in rings

2 cups baby carrots

2 strips of BACONNNNN

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup or so of flour

1/2 cup and an extra splash of Red Wine

1 cup chicken broth

Salt n Pepper

Chopped garlic… a nice tablespoon

Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (a pinch of each, but mostly Thyme)

A large Crock-Pot

Brown the bacon and set aside for later. Add butter to the same skillet to melt while you lightly dredge the chicken in flour on both sides, then season liberally with salt and pepper.

Brown both sides of the chicken on medium heat, just until the skin is getting some color, and place in the bottom of your crock pot.

Turn the heat way down on your skillet and add a good guzzle of the red wine, PLEASE BE CAREFULL IT WILL BE DAMN HOT AND I ALMOST BURNED MYSELF THE FIRST TIME I DID THIS. Whisk whisk whisk until all the lovely bits at the bottom are scraped off and then add your chicken broth and whisk some more.

Remember that bacon we made earlier? Hopefully you have resisted eating it at this point and can crumble it on top of the chicken in the crock-pot along with a pinch or so of each spice (mostly the Thyme). Really just go by your sense of smell: if it smells good, it it will probably taste good. Layer the carrots along the sides of the crock-pot, and place the onions in a layer directly on top of the chicken.

Take the lovely sauce you made and pour it all over everything, add an extra ½ cup of the wiiiiinnneee.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Serve with rice. THE REAL SHIT not the minute rice or a little piece of me will die. I made the 20 minute kind in almost exactly the amount of time it took me to put the main dish together in the crock-pot and I heated it up later. In the end, YUMMYTOWN and I really really hope my Wino friends will enjoy this for their next Winesday get-together :)

Xoxo,

Rach 

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#nationaldogday #Lola #lolagram

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Can hardly believe it’s been a year since I met my long-lost Uncle John

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California dreamin' on this hot summer day

That's not how that song goes.....

Basically yesterday I gave myself 138 days to GTFO of Missouri.

I just graduated college from Missouri State University with my BFA in acting and I met so many amazing people, and learned so much about myself and the world. Sadly I know that each day that I stay here I am putting all of that time (money) and effort spent at school to waste. I still need:

1) Money, of course,

but that is not nearly as important as

2) A new car.

My sweet baby beast truck just won't pass those emissions laws out thar in Californie and I am CERTAIN I couldn't afford the gas... hopefully one day I can. I am fortunate enough to have a place to live when I get there with a family friend, let's just call her my Aunt, for as long as I need to until I find the perfect place for myself and little Lola bean.

I am working 7 days a week to make my dreams come true, I will do whatever it takes (within my moral limits...) to make it out there, and I wake up every day with hope and excitement to be one step closer.

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Coconut Shrimp with Piña Colada Sauce

I find that even people who say they don’t like seafood enjoy this sweet and crispy dish... my secret is butterflying the shrimp, which eliminates the weird “shrimpy” texture so the tropical flavors and crunchy batter are the stars of the show. This dish will make an amazing appetizer for any summer party, or I would recommend serving with a nice green salad or couscous for a light dinner.

Here is what you will need to buy your ticket to Yummytown... For Shrimp: 1-3 lbs raw, peeled shrimp (tail-on preffered) 1-2 cups Panko bread crumbs 1/2 cup plus 3-4 tbs cornstarch  1 tbs powdered sugar 1 cup Piña Colada mix  1 12 oz. package shredded sweetened coconut flakes Vegetable oil for frying  3 separate bowls for battering the shrimp. For Sauce: 1 6 oz. can CRUSHED pineapple ¼ cup Coconut Rum 1 cup Piña Colada mix  1-5 tbs powdered sugar Red Pepper Flakes if desired

Breading and Frying the Shrimp 1)      Peel, de-vein, and strain any excess water from your shrimp, leaving the tail on. Butterfly the shrimp by gently slicing through the middle of the shrimp where the vein used to be. Slice most of the way through, but not entirely in half. 2)     Your first batter bowl will have the corn starch, the second bowl will have Piña Colada mix with corn starch whisked in, and the third bowl will have the sweetened coconut flakes along with the breadcrumbs. 3)     Toss 2-4 shrimp at a time in the cornstarch, then holding the tail, dip in Piña Colada mix, and lastly, roll the shrimp in the coconut mixture. Set on a plate to rest for a moment while you continue to batter the remainder of the shrimp. They will fry better if you let the batter adhere to the shrimp for just a minute or two. 4)     Meanwhile, you have had your oil or deep fryer heating to the temperature of 375 degrees. 5)     Once the shrimp have rested, slowly add to the heated oil. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE OIL!!! These little things fry FAST and the coconut can burn quite easily. It will only take maybe 4 minutes at the most to turn a lovely golden brown. 6)     Strain on paper towels and serve with the Piña Colada dipping sauce.  Piña Colada Dipping Sauce 1)      In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of the Piña Colada mix and slowly, slowly bring to a boil. Once the mix is making small bubbles, whisk in the powdered sugar and remove from heat.  2)     Strain the pineapple juice from the can and add crushed pineapple. 3)     Let the sauce cool, and add the coconut rum. Waiting for the sauce to cool retains the alcohol content of the rum and results in a better flavor ;)  *If you want, whisk in a tsp of red pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy kick. You could always separate the sauce into two different bowls to have one sweet and one sweet and spicy sauce. Refrigerate for several hours, it is best to make this even the day before if you can.  I encourage you to seek out sources of sustainable fish and to educate yourself on the issues the oceans and creatures of our planet are facing. Please check out this website for tips on how to find responsibly harvested seafood:  http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_recommendations.aspx A happy planet = more Yummytown for everyone!  Thank you so much for reading! Check back soon for the next recipe!  xoxo, Rachel K