Ms Lily's Favourite Cakes

My family and I recently celebrated my mom's birthday dinner at Ms Lily's on Houston. If you haven't been yet, get there! The Jamaican-style diner moves fast and serves up delicious fish dishes, Caribbean appetizers, and tasty curry. The bar is wine and beer only, but they've got some quite imaginative "cocktails" that will knock your socks off. Check out our delicious meal if you're not yet convinced...

The Appetizers:

Ackee Dip with Plantain Chips

Corn on the Cob rolled in Toasted Coconut
(My favorite dish of the evening!)

The Entrees

Curried Goat

Vegetable Roti
(Great with the rice to soak up the yummy sauce!)

Steamed fish with dirty rice on the side

Dessert!

We went with Mango Mousse
(evening's special) instead of a cake. So light, so mango-y!

Make a Meal out of Appetizers

Want to have a dinner party without tons of work? So did I! Some appetizers homemade and some simply store-bought and plated--I was able to do about 20 minutes of cooking, and enjoy hours of relaxed conversation with one of my favorite dinner guest. The key is to have a mix of breads/starch, vegetables, meats and cheeses. Hearty enough for a meal, but healthy enough to nibble while you chat. Here's what was served:

• Zucchini Oven "Fries" with Spicy Garlic Aioli (see recipe below)
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Spears (simply blanch the spears, wrap them, and stick toothpicks)
• Grandaisy Bakery Sesamo bread with brie cheese, olive oil and vinegar for dipping
• Delicious red wine (courtesy of my generous guest)

Zucchini Oven “Fries” with Spicy Garlic Aioli

For the Zucchini Fries

2 Medium Zucchinis

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tsp dried basil

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

For the Aioli

1 Tbs mayonnaise

¼ cup Greek yogurt (I use Fage 0%)

1-2 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed

1 Tbs Sriracha sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, then into ¼” diameter spears.
3. Beat egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 2 Tbs Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper in bowl.
4. Coat each zucchini spear first in egg, then breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet. Once all spears coated, bake for about 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.
5. While zucchini is baking, prepare Aioli by combining all ingredients in bowl. Transfer to small dish for dipping.
6. Remove zucchini from oven, sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs grated Parmesan and serve with Aioli.

 

Weekday Breakfast and Lunch NYC Favorites

My time in NYC in drawing to a close (BIG sigh). As I get prepped for a move out west to Los Angeles, I'm getting nostalgic and trying to frequent my go-to favorites over the last few years. I'm excited to share these 2: The Grey Dog and Westville.. These places have sung my breakfast/lunch heart song since the summer I moved here, and continue to do so to this day!

 Having the opportunity to catch up with a busy friend over a late-morning weekday breakfast at Grey Dog is nearly as indulgent as the food itself.  I went with the Morning Gloria muffin and an iced coffee on a warm spring NYC day (the Vegan Pumpkin muffin is also delicious, but go early because they often run out). Friendly indy staff, delicious coffee, and breakfast pastries that are the perfect combo of not-to-sweet and hearty. It's hard to ask for anything more! But you can have it--come back at dinnertime and enjoy their delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, beer and wine.





In case these photos don't say it all--a crowd-pleasing spot to meet for brunch, lunch or dinner. Everything from great burgers and hot dogs to plates of salmon and vegetables to amazing cobbler and cookies. Whatever you do, make sure you get the Market Sides! My mom and I got a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, the daily soup, and a plate of 4 market sides--glazed Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, beets with goat cheese, and roasted fennel with Parmesan. This might be my favorite lunch spot in all of NYC...really going to miss it!

Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Chorizo

Dishing up a plate of the Market Sides!

Urth Caffe

I paid a bit more for lunch at this popular cafe than I'd hoped. But my recent day of lunch and studying at Urth in West Hollywood was delicious and the outdoor pick-me-up I needed. The cost can likely be attributed though to high quality, organic ingredients...and the chance of bumping into a celeb. I'm the kind of person that would rather spend a bit more for something delicious and fresh, than a bit less for something that leaves me groggy all afternoon. The cranberry walnut bread with organic butter that came with my Urth Farmers Salad was a tasty treat as well. And, as always, delicious iced coffee is the key to my heart! Will definitely be back for lunch on their patio in the weeks to come.