kim, Author at Lovin' From the Oven

Buca di Beppo

June 13, 2016 by kim Leave a Comment

I was invited a couple of weeks ago to visit the grand opening of Buca di Beppo at The Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles and I brought some of my family with me to celebrate my little sister’s graduation.

Yes, even Ellie came with us (although, she was a bit of a monster and we ended up having to take turns eating and carrying her outside). That was my first experience of getting dirty looks from other guests for having a crying baby. The staff, on the other hand, was amazing!

If you’ve never been to Buca before, it’s family style dining. That means larger portions of food are put in the middle of the table and everyone shares them. We started off with some fried calamari and garlic bread. I can eat all of that garlic bread for dinner and be a happy camper.

Next, we ordered the Apple Gorgonzola Salad which had Granny Smith apples, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola tossed with mixed lettuce in their signature Italian vinaigrette.

As for our entrees, we had:

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken

Supremo Italiano pizza (I think this was the winner for me that night. I loved the flat, crispy crust with tons of flavorful toppings!)

and Cheese Manicotti.

Of course, we couldn’t walk away without getting dessert. I really wish I put my hand or something in this picture so you get a better comparison for the size of this bowl. It. was. HUGE.

The Colossal Brownie Sundae has twelve decadent chunks of freshly-baked brownies layered with six scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, topped with caramel and chocolate sauces then buried in mounds of whipped cream, topped with a cherry. My sister and I barely put a dent in this. I wish we could have taken this home to finish! The brownie chunks were warm and gooey, just the way I like my brownies.

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate an occasion or just to go for a casual dinner, do check out Buca di Beppo. They are wonderful with larger crowds and intimate dinners. We love going there for groups greater than eight people (which is always the case when I go out with my family). Just make sure to call ahead for reservations if you have a large party so they can accommodate you! There’s also a bar, so you never have to miss that important sports game when you’re going out for dinner (My DH was there most of the night watching the NBA semi finals).

Buca di Beppo Los Angeles – The Original Farmers Market
6333 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-370-6560
hours: 10AM-11PM

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

May 16, 2016 by kim Leave a Comment

Guys. Today was a success. I was able to change the bed sheets, do three loads of laundry, sort out Ellie’s clothes that she doesn’t fit anymore and put them away, vacuum upstairs and downstairs, do the dishes, restock the diapers and wipes, AND make dinner from scratch (including freshly baked cookies for dessert!). I haven’t had this productive of a day in quite a while and gosh darn it, it feels good.

It’s cause Ellie slept 13 hours last night and didn’t wake up until 11:30AM. She woke up twice to feed, but she passed out immediately after eating. She’s also taking longer naps today. Growth spurt? Who knows. Don’t get me wrong… I love my time with her awake, but when I can get everything on my t0-do list done, I’m THRILLED!

These iced oatmeal cookies are going into my favorites. They’re just the right amount of sweet and have a nice hearty flavor. They’re also soft and chewy… my kind of cookie!

The extra icing on the top also make them pretty, don’t you think? Recipe from Mother Thyme.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (pulsed in a food processor about ten times)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together the butter and both sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla extract.
Gradually mix in the pulsed oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Roll into 2 tbsp sized balls and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing.
For the glaze, mix together the milk and powdered sugar. Quickly dip the tops of each cooled cookie in the glaze and then let the excess drip off. Place on cooling rack until the glaze has set.

https://lovintheoven.com/iced-oatmeal-cookies/

Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings

May 2, 2016 by kim 1 Comment

I admit.. I haven’t cooked a “real” meal since Ellie was born. Eeeeeeep! Does that make me a terrible wife/mom? The thought of having to clean up all of the dishes after cooking a meal while watching Ellie at the same time exhausts me. How am I supposed to do all of that? Moms really are superwomen.

I made these long before Ellie was born, but they were an instant favorite. I loved the hot sauce combo with lime. I hated cooking with chicken wings, though. Next time, I’ll opt for boneless chicken and use the same sauce.

Either way, they’re a great appetizer to serve for a party. A little messy, but that never hurt anyone. These wings are sweet and spicy, seriously perfect.

Aren’t they beautiful? Who would have thought that chicken and beautiful could be used in the same sentence?

Recipe from Food Network

Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings

Ingredients

For the Wings:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup honey, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup Sriracha (or more, if you like things really spicy)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish with vegetable oil.
In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the melted butter, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Dry the wings with a paper towel. Pour the mixture over the wings and toss well to coat. Spread the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the wings until browned and crisp, 45 to 55 minutes.
To make the sauce:
Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice and stir until the mixture bubbles gently. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Carefully remove the wings from the baking sheet and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and gently toss to coat. Transfer the wings to a serving platter back to your casserole dish and drizzle with more honey if desired. Garnish with lime wedges, sesame seeds and cilantro.

https://lovintheoven.com/honey-sriracha-chicken-wings/

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