Cooking Single in the City

Hey there, single foodies. What is UP?! It has been a HOT minute and we're glad to be back, bringing you recipes, events and chats on our blog, Cooking Single in the City, a cooking blog from singles cooking in the city FOR today's singles cooking in the city!  Heard of the LA Food Bowl? Well, SoCal singles,  Cyndi and Kyree, took a joy ride on the LA Food Bowl '22, an annual three-day event that takes place at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA ... and what they find is a palate full of herbs, spices and everything nices! 2022's Food Bowl was sponsored by the LA Times and City National Bank, and what a great time they had.  Held in September, this year's is soon approaching so stay tuned! A must-event for ANYONE living in Southern California, here is the link for you to purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-times-food-bowl-night-market-2023-tickets-420745831107 This video was initially produced for Cyndi's YouTube Talk Show, A New Thing LIVE. S ubsc...

The flight from Orange County to Seattle proved to be simple--short, but sweet.  The walk in my Stiletto Low-Cuffed-Booties from SeaTac/Light Rail Station to the Condo on the other hand, was cold, wet and long.  Boy was my arm burning--pulling my tightly-packed clothing for seven days proved to be quite muscle-defining. Arriving on the 14th floor of the Elektra left me chilly and ready for something warm as I looked out onto the beautiful gray native to Seattle.  Shortly after dressing down from my "I'm traveling-on-a-plane-and-I'm-single" look, I threw on some much flatter riding boots and headed straight for to Pike Market, where I singled out the greenest, most gorgeous produce pieces of Ginger, Celery, Broccoli, Carrots, Garlic, Onions and Cilantro from their Farmer's Market to whip up my Chicken soup! The streets of Seattle, still wet from an earlier drizzle, were filled with people, each with a mission of their own.  Though Seattle-ites are...

This week got off to the perfect start by watching last week's episode of Next Food Network Star , only to be followed by this week's (gotta love TiVo) ! However this time, the experience was a tad bit different--unlike my night on the town at the NFNS Los Angeles Viewing Party with the actual contestants at South in Santa Monica, I was at The Bates watching " Sweet to Savory Carnival " with my girlfriend and her kids. They were an easy sell--all it took was the first few minutes of the second episode and they were hooked. So off we were to a great beginning...kids-n-all! Giada had already proven herself kid-worthy to watch with Gracie, who is not-yet six years old. With Joshua, 10, jumping in feet first into our food network telie feast, he decided that not only does he love to eat food, but that it looked easy enough to make, asking us if we could make crepes the next day. "Can we make crepes tomorrow?" is the question that continued on and on for the...

...was a LOT of fun! Singles drizzled in from a long week's work, only to find themselves with the likes of others, who, like them, were ready to take on the challenge of home-made pasta, along with some staple Italian dishes, of course. The verdict? Delicioso! Please note: I only including the recipes for Panna Cotta, Sicilian Meatballs and our 15-Minute Tomato Sauce (simply amazing); however, ify ou'd like to give our Caprese Salad or homemade pasta-making a shot, email me at cookingsingleinthecity@gmail.com for the recipe--we're more than glad to oblige. Recipes - Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun Sicilian Meatballs (Courtesy of Bon Appetit) Ingredients: 2/3 cup breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons milk 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 large egg 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons dried currants or...

.....many singles out there! Tall, skinny, short, stout, lean, blonde , bald, brunette, tan, white, olive, young, old and the list goes on and on. It's the weirdest thing, because though we apparently don't stick out like a sore-thumb, we are huge community...not to mention a hot commodity! LoL But we're out there...alone...trying to find our other half. Singles connections, singles events, match.com, eharmony, christian cafe...you name it, we're there...and there are THOUSANDS upon thousands! For those of you privileged enough to not be in this category...keep your eyes opened...and keep us in mind when a fitting potential comes your way. Keep our business cards on-hand...if you don't have mine, let me know! ;-) Just sayin '... Until next time, Bon Appetit ! Cyndi, 40 & SINGLE

...some really nice cookware, cooking utensils and toys at a really great price? Funny you should ask (or did you?)-- Sur La Table is having their annual cookware sale with items at 20 - 40% off! http://www.surlatable.com/category/id/104534.dohttp://www.surlatable.com/category/id/104534.do Don't live near one? No worries, just click away and cook until your heart is merry and bright! I also have personal Pampered Chef consultant who allows me to throw some GREAT catalog parties just so I can pick and choose some new knives and other toys....oh what fun! Suzie Genin , Pampered Chef Consultant -- smgenin@yahoo.com Until next time... Bon Appetit !

...okay so yes, it's been a while--and we're so very sorry! We've been working tirelessly on many projects...all surrounding this one, of course. :) So, we had our first official cooking class last night--and oh what fun! With the aromas of onions on the grill, and whafs of seared salmon floating beneath my nostrils every few seconds, this bunch was brave--so willing to jump in and try new cooking techniques, and had the humor to match! Thank you to everyone who came. Thanks to Andrea Clever, our lovely Chef -extraordinaire and co-host, Jacob Gardner, it proved to be more than what any of us had imagined! Singles, be sure to challenge yourself to try these recipes at home...With the exception of the flourless chocolate cake, these recipes are designed to serve no more than 2...so if you need to double for four+, go ahead and do so! I'm celebrating the birthday of one of my best friends...think I'll surprise with our flourless cake! :-) Bon Appetit! Andrea & Cyn...

- 6 Potatoes (peeled and sliced) - 2 Onions (chopped) - 6 Cloves of Garlic - Chicken Stock (to cover potato's in pot) - 1/2 stick of Butter - 1/2 cup of Milk - 1 package of Bacon (cooked & crumbled) - 1 8 oz package of Cheddar Cheese (shredded) - Salt & Black Pepper to taste - Cilantro for garnish - Tabasco Sauce Place potatoes and garlic in a large pot with chicken stock & boil for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Add the 1/2 cup of milk to the potatoes 5 minutes before end of cooking time. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, saute onions in the butter for about 8-10 minutes. Remove potato's and garlic from pot and place into food processor. Add 2 cups of broth to the potatoes & pulse until potatoes are broken down (you want them somewhat chunky). Add onions & butter to potatoes and pulse. Finally add your cheese & bacon to the processor and pulse. Serve in a large bowl and garnish w/ Cilantro ! If you like some HEAT...add a couple of dashes of Ta...

- 2 tablespoons Dried Rosemary - 2 teaspoons Dried Thyme - 1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seed - 1 teaspoon Black Pepper - 6 cloves of Garlic (minced) - 1 teaspoon Celery Seed - 1 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - 2 quarts Chicken Broth Low Sodium - 8 oz Clam Juice - 6 oz Tomato Paste - 1 stick of butter - 1 cup White Wine - 1 1/2-2 pounds Raw Shrimp peeled & deveined w/tails - French Bread or Sourdough Bread for Dipping Partially break up the rosemary, thyme and fennel seed with mortar and pestle or whatever you have handy. Place all ingredients, except wine and shrimp in a large pot. Simmer for about 30 minutes, then add white wine. Continue to simmer for a total cooking time of no more then 2 hours. I would suggest cooking for at least 1 1/2 hours. Just before serving, add raw shrimp. Simmer stirring until shrimp is done, about 2-3 minutes. Cut bread into one inch slices & place into large basket or bowl for dipping. Each bowl should contain a serving of shrimp and a lot of brot...

"Carnita Taquitos" - 4 lb Pork Shoulder - 4 cups Chicken Broth Low Sodium (hot) - 2 tablespoons Cumin - 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder - 2 tablespoons Onion Powder - 1 tablespoon Chile Powder - 2 teaspoons Ground Coriander - 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper - 1 Lime (extract juice) - 1/4 teaspoon Salt - 1/2 bunch Cilantro - Corn Tortillas Add hot chicken broth to Crock Pot. Add spices and lime juice to crock pot and and mix well into chicken broth. Add pork shoulder to crock pot. Add cilantro to pork 1 hour prior to being completed, for extra flavor. Cover and cook on high for 6-6 1/2 hours. Remove the meat carefully from crock pot and lay out on a cookie sheet. Separate the fat (discard) from the meat and shred pork w/ a fork. Spread out on cookie sheet and pour some of the juices from crock pot over the meat. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until meat is brown and crispy. Heat Tortillas (no more then 6-8 at a time) in a damp paper towel and microwave for ...

So, a night at Kel's proved to be more than magnificent! I'd say one of the many perks to still being single (even at 40), is that you can just "up and at it" to your girlfriend's place for din-din with "the girls!" It's true, our Kels is no longer single. Well, she's single as in not-yet-married, but still, no longer S-I-N-G-L-E, as in...awkward first moments on your first few dates, always saying the wrong thing when he says the right, and lonely late nights talking to no-one but your dog before going to bed. Not that I'm bitter or anything...it's just nice to be able to visit with your girls every now and then. So as far as I'm concerned, even though Kelly's got a man, she's still one of the girls! :-) This night proved to be NO different. The girl threw down. She invited us over for laughs and catching up...but this is nothing new. In the summer, she has over her place for some pool-time and nite-time jacuzzi-relaxation. S...

Let me start by saying, "By far the BEST Artichoke Dip out there" ! Yes...I must be a little insane to pass this Recipe on, but I want others to experience the Joy, Love & Deliciousness of this dip. I have had numerous opportunities to share this w/ my friends & family and it never disappoints. I guarantee you haven't tasted better... Spinach Artichoke Dip: - 2 boxes frozen chopped spinach - 3/4 stick of butter - 1/2 white onion (chopped) - 8-10 cloves of garlic (minced) - 2 8 oz cream cheese (cut into cubes) - 1 16 oz sour cream - 1 cup shredded Romano cheese - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese - 2 cans Artichoke Hearts (Artichoke Bottoms & Quarters work well chopped) - 8 oz grated Monterrey jack cheese - Tabasco Sauce for taste 8-10 drops Cook frozen spinach according to package directions, drain well (this is key). In separate nonstick pan, melt 3/4 stick butter. Saute garlic & onions in butter until clear. Add ingredients in the following order (mixing w...

Can you say a little piece of "Heaven" ? This is truly one of those recipes that will stick with you forever, it's so delicious, it literary melts in your mouth, you can't help but let out a "Big Happy Sigh" when you taste your first bite ! This has been a "Top Secret" recipe of mine that I created from a favorite dish of a local Restaurant my family & I used to dine at. The restaurant is long gone, but the memory of this dish lives on...enjoy ! Steak : - Rib Eye Steak - 2 slices of Bacon - Sea Salt for seasoning - Ground Black Pepper for seasoning - 2 toothpicks soaked in water 20 minutes to prevent burning on grill Escoffier (Escoffia) Sauce : - 1 pkg Crumbled Blue Cheese - 1/4 cup/stick of Butter - 6-8 Garlic Cloves Peeled & Minced - 1 teaspoon Orange Extract Season both sides of the steak w/ salt & pepper wrap bacon around the steak and hold in place with toothpicks; cover and place in refrigerator for at least 30 Min's. Preheat...

I love to cook and I especially love any food that has some kind of "Heat". I discovered something wonderful called "Jerk" Seasoning many many years ago and have been a big fan since. The spices & herbs bring out some wonderful flavors in any meat you choose to barbecue ie steak and chicken are my favorites. It's something everyone should discover for themselves; thou it's not for the faint of heart...your taste buds will explode in a good way ! Here is one of my favorite recipes to cook for myself that is quick & delicious... "Jerk Chicken Kabobs" & "Cilantro Rice" Jerk Chicken : - 2 chicken breasts (boneless; cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes) - 2 Bell peppers; Red, Yellow or Green (cut into 1 inch pieces) - 1 Red Onion (cut into 1 inch pieces) - Button Mushrooms - 2 tablespoons Jamaican Jerk Seasoning - 2 cups of Lite Italian Dressing Marinade chicken in 2 tablespoons of Jerk Seasoning & 1 cup of Italian Dressing for about 30 M...

Hmmm...wow--I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner and what a day today has been! Let's see. It's now Thursday...and although I had planned on doing nothing today but slightly prepping for a two-day shoot my company will be filming, that is exactly what I didn't end up doing. I actually spent the ENTIRE day preparing for our shoot. Before I realized it, it was already almost 8:00 p.m. and I still hadn't eaten yet. No bueno. How do you say "quickie"? I say spinach, tossed with shredded carrots and Persian cucumbers drowning in Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing; Only to be followed with Pasta Primavera made with shallots, mushrooms, squash and you guessed it...Tofurkey Italian Sausage. Mmmm good! Because the night's a little cold and soon-to-be wet, nothing warmed me up more than this steaming hot melting pot of Italy! The perfect answer to a day drowned in trying to locate all but two cables, putting together production schedule...

Outdoor barbeque's are nice--down right fun, to be honest...but no one does it right like the Argentinians! You haven't had a bbq, until you've feasted at an Asado! This past Sunday night was no different. To honor a birthday and the arrival of an out-of-towner, my best friend and her hubby threw a little gathering in their backyard. Quincho El Gaucho -- Chimi Churri Gaucho Grill Although I hadn't realized that there'd be more than a handful of married-couples, I decided to invite a sweet friend of mine....who, like me, was in dire need of something out of the ordinary. The Argentinians did not disappoint. They never ever do.

So yes it's true! A little music goes a L-O-N-G way! Meaning to be up to good, I threw on a little Grecian music early in the a.m. to get my artistic juices flowin'! It did a little more than just that, in that somehow the Mexican breakfast bug hit me...hard. The problem is that first-off, there was nothing Mediterranean about my meal, and secondly, I wasn't even at home. Not to worry. Sure sign of a true girlfriend? Having the ingredients needed to cook the meal you are craving! LoL. Okay so that's not a definition of a true friend...but it sure helps, none-the-less. The wonderful thing about this particular morning is that there were not one, but a group of three of us all in the mood to dance, eat and chatter over Donut Shop Coffee (thanks Coffee People!), homemade tortilla chips, guacamole spread (yes, spread), tortillas and papitas! This meal was enough to throw anyone over...over their waistband, anyways. :) So outdo ourselves we did! All through my 20's ...

Lights! Camera! Action! Always wanted to work in the media-industry but just too afraid to step out and try? Maybe like thousands, you've been laid-off? Worked as a gaffer now ready to embark on DP? A production coordinator ready to produce? How about having never worked in the industry but yet you're ready for something with a little more of a "buzz" in your day? Perhaps media-match is just what you've been looking for! Posting everything from a p.a. to animator or producer, this website might have more for your money. http://www.media-match.com/jobsboard.php In their own words media-match is..."Your one stop resource for television and film production jobs! The following openings have either been posted directly by one of our 20,000+ employers, or pulled from various sites around the web (and remember, many employers contact our users directly without advertising their positions at all)." I'm actually gonna give it a whirl, myself. We'll see wh...

So many questions after our most recent rolling earthquake. I hear things like "Why would you want to live in California?" "Aren't you afraid of earthquakes?" "I'd rather live somewhere where we at least have tornado-warnings, unlike where you live and it just starts to shake." Well, truth be told, we live where we want to live. Some of us live where we do because of comfort. Others because of cost. Some live where they do because they want to be close to family. Others? For work. Me? I'm here because I'm called to live here...at least for now. So until I hear different, Southern California'll just have to the good times roll! On this particular Thursday where at least two earthquakes hit us (though I only felt one), I should have known there was something in the air when I woke up craving a shake! Not an ordinary shake--but one made up of a splash of apple juice, a banana, frozen strawberries and other assorted berries. I did manage to...

Ever just have one of those days where although you had "other" things planned, every thing turned out exactly the way you know they were meant to turn out? W-o-w. Well today that was my day and the only thing I can say is...amazing. In all my 40 years of living I can honestly say that there have been days, weeks, years even where I have toiled and spun my wheels only with NOTHING (of importance) to show for it. LoL. Sad, but oh so true. Lately, my life has been anything BUT that, and for that, I'm grateful. My hands are to the right plow and not building in vain--who has time for to labor for that which profits nothing? Not me. At least, not any more. :) Today was incredible, and as I made my way through Fullerton's chaos of today's heartbreaking news, I wound up home right when I was supposed to be. With fifteen minutes to eat, I quickly pulled out the extra-firm tofu, a carrot-broccoli mix a lemon and some evo. Much to my delight, an avocado was not too far aw...