Mexican "Lasagne"

I was trying to figure out a way to use some stale tortilla chips the other day and I came up with this recipe that my fiance totally loved. I think he could've eaten the whole pan himself.

Mexican Casserole

-Place a layer of tortilla chips in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan and smash them down to create a thin, flat layer that completely covers the pan.

-Mix together a 16 oz. can of refried beans, a 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes, and any or all of the following:

a small can of green chiles (drained)

a small can of corn (drained)

a small can of sliced black olives (drained)

1 sauteed onion

Pour this mixture over the tortilla chip layer.

-Over the bean layer, spread 1 pound of your favorite pre-cooked taco meat. For our casserole, I used ground turkey prepared with Lawry's taco spice, but you could use beef or chicken with any taco spice you like.

-Over the meat layer, sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese. I used cheddar, but you could use pepper jack, regular jack, or any combination.

-Bake the casserole in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

-Serve as-is or top with sour cream and/or guacamole.

Old Country Cooking

One of the foods my fiance grew up with and still really enjoys is the traditional Czech bread dumpling. I've been experimenting with different recipes to make dumplings just like the ones he remembers because, you know, I love him and stuff. And it turns out they're not as difficult as they sound. Here's a recipe, adapted from various sources, that comes pretty darn close to the dumplings my fiance enjoyed as a kid:

Czech Bread Dumplings (Houskove Knedliky)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 slices French or country white bread, diced

First, a couple of notes about the ingredients. The best flour to use is Wondra, a highly refined flour made specially for sauces. It comes in a blue canister and you can find it in your grocery store's baking aisle. The bread in this recipe needs to be dry. If you live in a dry climate, you can leave it out for several days and let it go stale. If not, you can toast it, but just until dry (not browned).

-Mix the beaten eggs and milk, and set aside.

-Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

-Put the dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well in the middle.

-Pour the egg mixture into the well and gently stir until just combined. The dough will be very sticky.

-Work the diced bread into the dough with floured hands.

-Shape the dough into two equal loaves.

-Cover the loaves with a large bowl and let them rest for 30 minutes.

-Meanwhile, set a large pot of water to boiling. The pot needs to be very wide, as the loaves must have room to boil without touching.

-After the 30 minutes have passed, gently reshape the loaves with floured hands and drop them in the boiling water. Boil for 12 minutes, then gently turn them over and boil for 12 more minutes.

-Remove loaves and prick them with a fork to release steam, then use a piece of thread to cut slices about an inch thick.

These dumplings are wonderful with a pork or beef roast and do a delightful job of soaking up pan sauce. I've also indulged my southern side by serving them with sausage gravy.

Christian Lacroix Fall 2009

In the past, I've accused Christian Lacroix of being... well... batshit insane. His career has been more about designing costumes than clothes. In fact, I believe I've described his clientele as "circus people" and "crazy ladies." Recall Edina Monsoon screaming "Lacroix, sweetie! Lacroix!" And I must admit, I felt more than a smidgen of schadenfreude when I heard he was filing for bankruptcy. After all, his house never turned a profit. Ever. How long can you expect to light money on fire before you finally have to give up?

And yet, the story of his final collection is bittersweet and strangely heartwarming. Seamstresses, shoemakers, and other artisans donated their time and skills to help the bankrupt Mr. Lacroix finish his collection. The models were paid the legal minimum of 50 Euros. And the results, I must say, are pretty fucking fabulous.

This is the most connected I've ever felt to a Lacroix collection. With his resources drastically reduced, he's created pieces that are subdued, but sublime. When a great artist is faced with constraints, sometimes the fundamental nature of his talent is even more clearly revealed.

TMI and PSA

This blog post pertains to my lady parts, and not in a fun way. You've been forewarned.

Recently I had an abnormal pap smear, and my OB/GYN decided a few areas on my cervix needed to be biopsied. A biopsy of the whatnot is not fun, but it could not be avoided. The results indicated that I have a precancerous lesion on my cervix. In a few weeks, my OB/GYN will remove the affected areas in an in-office procedure with local anesthetic. Needles, cutting, and cauterizing will happen in places I'd rather not contemplate. It won't be fun, but it's infinitely better than having cancer in the vadge. After the procedure, my pap smears will most likely be normal and I'll be just fine.

Now here's the PSA part. If this lesion hadn't been caught at this stage, it could've developed into cancer. Ladies, if it's been more than a year since you've had a pap smear, get one NOW. Call your doctor tomorrow morning and schedule one.

Furthermore, if you haven't gotten the HPV vaccine, get it NOW. If you have daughters, make sure they get it when they reach the appropriate age. The vast majority of cervical cancers are caused by high risk strains of HPV. Getting the vaccine is a no-brainer and it's absolutely worth it if it helps you avoid the pain, anxiety, and inconvenience of the things I'm going through this month.

Tonys Fashion Redux 2009

The Tony Awards are adorable. At last, the high school drama geeks have made good, and now they get to dress up in couture and revel in their passion for stagecraft. I must say, I was quite pleased with most of the sartorial choices this year.

Joys

Anne Hathaway. She is looking damn fierce in Oscar de la Renta Fall 2009. One more spot-on ensemble like this and I may have to start referring to her as "La Hathaway."

Mrs. Gandolfini. Very lurvely.

Allison Janney. I'm not real happy about the hair, but I love her adventurous color choice. Also, the cut of this dress makes her body look smoking hot.

Jessica Lange. This is a less successful iteration of Ms. Janney's look, but still, I liked it. Here's hoping that's not a tattoo on her left wrist.

Hope Davis. The shoes are kind of promular, but I think the dress is super fun and flattering.

Nancy La Scala. I was torn about that drapey neck piece, but on balance I think this look is damn fierce.

Concerns

Stockard Channing. I love Ms. Channing, but this little number is frump-a-dump. Her makeup is too severe and it ages her. Furthermore, she's a tiny, petite little person and this dress makes her look even shorter. How about a perky Dior silhouette and shawl collar next time?

Edie Falco. I'm kind of torn about this one. I love her hair and makeup, and I love the dress in theory, but I think the crumpled fabric is most unforgiving on her figure. I'm guessing this was a stunner on the runway model, but just didn't translate to someone with a BMI above the starvation range.

Chandra Wilson. Empire waist is not for full-figured ladies. Pseurry. Although she looks very pretty, poor Ms. Wilson should not even have been permitted to try this dress on.

Samantha Mathis. Architectural dresses must be flawlessly fitted, and this one was not. Also, she comes across as just a little underdressed, no?

Bebe Neuwirth. Frump-a-dump. The length and cut are super boring. I know she has insane legs - where are they? Also, HATE the clown shoes.

Haydn Gwynne. Her pale skin is cornea searing, especially against that bright purple.

Dolly Parton. Speaking of cornea searing... But this is Ms. Parton's schtick and I'd expect no less from her. I say that in the most loving way possible.

And we have our first ever male recipient of the Bjork Award!!!

Paul McGill. Shiny green leprechaun suit. Enough said.

Things I Lurve - Cinespia

Summer in Los Angeles means watching movies in the cemetery.  No, really.

Saturday nights all summer long, Cinespia hosts classic films in the Hollywood Forever cemetery.  People bring blankets and cusions and sit on a huge grassy lawn while classic movie favorites are projected onto the side of a mausoleum.  Upcoming films include Funny Face and The Graduate.  You can bring your own picnic dinner and booze.  Admission is $10.  Come early to find decent parking.

www.cinespia.org

Resort 2010

Ah, it's resort season.  The resort shows were originally meant for rich people who were looking to buy chic, casual clothing that traveled well to take on their summer trips.  It's become a delightful interlude of ready-to-wearishness tucked between the fall and spring shows.  Resort wear is typically just as it sounds - casual, comfortable, colorful.  Let's begin with a couple of ladies whose resort collections are, in my opinion, a big improvement over their fall collections.

Diane von Furstenberg

DVF is known for her fabulous taste in prints, and I believe her 2010 Resort collection is a return to form:

With some notable exceptions:

Some of my favorites from this collection included a sassy cocktail dress:

And a delightful pool cover-up:

Carolina Herrera

Ms. Herrera's fall collection was a very stiff, heavy, drab affair.  There's much more levity in the resort items, and these are some of my special favorites:

While I've very fond of the orange, I think it's better suited to darker skinned ladies, such as Sessilee Lopez, who is swiftly becoming one of my favorite models.

The less successful looks in the collection were, in my opinion, the ones that veered into the geriatric.  I hate the shiny fabric on the left, and as for the look on the right, it's a little too "brunch at the club."  Furthermore, I think lace, like facial hair, is almost always a bad idea.

I'm back.

They thought they had me down.  They thought they had me beat.  They thought Los Angeles had eaten me alive and I'd never be seen again.

Well.

How wrong they were.

I've had my own private dark night of the soul, ducklings.  Oh yes.  Especially if by "dark" you mean "thorough," by "night" you mean "reappraisal" and by "soul" you mean "finances."  But I have risen resplendent like a phoenix from the ashes, like Liza Minelli from the sordid detritus of her four gruesome marriages, like Robert Downey Jr.'s career from a needle-infested rat nest in Pershing Square, like Scarlett O'Hara from the smouldering ruin of Tara, clutching a cut crystal tumbler and swearing, as god is my witness, I will never buy cheap gin again, before finally breaking into a show-stopping rendition of "Don't Rain on My Parade."

Don't rain on it, motherfuckers.

There will be more fashion, more luxury bargains, more things I lurve, more joys and concerns, more bitchery than ever before.  Because if there isn't, my friends, then the communists, the terrorists, and the joyless, dour, uptight, self-righteous vegans have won.

Luxury Bargains

Through the year of 2009, Patina group has lifted their corkage fees in all restaurants except Patina downtown.  That includes Cafe Pinot, Market Cafe, eat on sunset, Nick & Stef's, and numerous other restaurants.  Bringing your own wine to a top notch dinner makes Patina group a luxury bargain.

Grilled Cheese

Los Angeles has had a long, torrid love affair with comfort foods.  Waves of comfort food trends have raged across the city for years - from mac & cheese to cupcakes to pot roast.  My theory on this is that it's such a professionally and aesthetically demanding place that people fall back on these wonderful childhood foods as a means of comfort.  We love comfort food here, we fetishize it - because we need it.

One of our best beloved comfort foods is grilled cheese, and since April is National Grilled Cheese Month, it's an especially good time to present some of the places around town where you can enjoy the fat, the carbs, and the delightful buttery crunch of a perfect grilled cheese.

Clementine's in Century City

During the month of April, Clementine's will have a special Grilled Cheese Month Menu featuring fancy schmancy items like grilled camembert with mustard greens and mushrooms.

The 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational

On April 25th from noon to 6 p.m., grilled cheese freaks will gather in Los Angeles State Historic Park to test their grill skills as they compete in the categories of traditional cheese only sammies, sammies with additional ingredients, and dessert sammies.  Admission is $5.

Campanile on La Brea

Every Thursday, Campanile hosts its venerable Grilled Cheese Night.  Arrive early and be prepared to wait.

Patinette at MOCA

Patinette lets you select your own bread, cheese, sauce, and extras to create your very own customized grilled cheese.

Rush Street in Culver City

This Culver City newcomer offers a $6 lunch special of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Ivan Kane's Cafe Was in Hollywood

On Mondays, Cafe Was offers brioche grilled cheese with truffle fries for $10.

Please share your own grilled cheese tips and stories in the comments!