Baby, It's Cold Outside

Contrary to what most people outside of southern California believe, Los Angeles does get cold in the winter. I can already feel the temperature begin to drop in the evening. It’s even a bit chilly during the day in the shade. The breeze is cooler. The morning air smells different. I can feel myself beginning to sink into hibernation mode. Putting on my baggy sweatpants and hoodies and curling up on the couch underneath a blanket. So comfy and cozy.

It’s cuffing season and I’m alone again this year. I’m ready to binge watch those holiday Hallmark movies that all seem to involve a woman meeting her soulmate before Christmas. Waiting for that to happen to me. Ha-ha. I mean, sometimes those things do happen in real life too right? More often the exception than the rule but can it be my turn for an exception please? Universe, are you listening? I’m still here. Thank you in advance.

One more week and I will be in Panama on a yoga retreat. Looking forward to a change of scenery and switching up my surrounding energy. I could use some time for inner reflection and redirection. Not sure what to expect, but I’m open to all the possibilities. And oh my goodness, I’m turning a year older. Eeeeek. But it could possibly be my best year yet. So there’s that.

Rotisserie Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chicken soup is always good for the soul but especially during a cold winter night. I might be part of the minority who loves soup all year round though. Recently, I made chicken soup using a rotisserie chicken. Store bought rotisserie chickens are amazing. They are inexpensive, delicious, and usually around $7.99 and can last several meals. The only downfall for me is that I don’t really love white meat and I don’t want to eat chicken for more than a couple meals in a row. So I decided to save the dark meat to eat on its own and use the rest of the chicken to flavor a pot of chicken soup. I’ve never tried making soup this way before but was recently inspired by another food blogger. Typically, I make soup from scratch with raw chicken but this method was a lot easier and was still flavorful. It tastes even better the next day and it’s still delicious as leftovers after being frozen.

Rotisserie Chicken Soup (serve about 6-8)

Ingredients:

1 whole Rotisserie Chicken (store bought)

4-5 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

3 whole carrots, peeled and sliced

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

1 medium sized white potato or 2 small ones, peeled and cubed

1-2 cobs of corn (shaved) or 1 can of roasted or regular whole kernal corn (fresh is better and sweeter though)

2 cloves of garlic, mashed

1 chunk of ginger, peeled

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

2½ tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

dash of sugar (optional)

3½ quarts of water

Directions: First, I remove the dark meat from the rotisserie chicken. I love to eat dark meat with rice, soy sauce, chili, and cucumbers. I separate the dark meat from the bones, save the dark meat in Tupperware to be eaten later, and set the bones aside. Then I remove the white meat from the bones and break it up into shreds with my hands and set it aside, keeping all the bones. I usually use about 1½ cup to 2 cups of shredded white chicken meat in the soup and the rest I save to use in my salad.

In a 8-quart pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and lightly brown. Place all the bones from your rotisserie chicken (including some skin and wings, for more depth and flavor) into the pot and pour in 3 quarts of water. Make sure bones are mostly submerged. Toss in carrots along with bay leaf, ginger, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar. I personally prefer to cut up 1 carrot into big chunks to use at the beginning and cut 2 carrots into thinner slices to be added in later. Because of the thickness of the carrot chunks, it can withstand being cooked longer while sweetening the soup early on. The thinner slices are added in later so it won’t be overcooked and mushy but will be better for the aesthetic and for eating, in my opinion. Simmer for 45 minutes on medium to medium low heat, covered with lid slightly ajar.

Remove ginger and discard. Add celery, potatoes and corn to the pot. At this time, you can also add in the thinner slices of carrots. Toss in shredded chicken. Pour in 2 cups of water. Simmer for 45 more minutes with lid slightly ajar.

Taste broth. Add more salt, if necessary, and cook for a few more minutes. Remove all of the bones with tongs and discard.

Enjoy!

Happy 2019!

Wow! I can’t believe I have had this blog for a FULL year! I didn’t think I could do it. It originally took a little bit of nudging from a friend to get it started and now here I am—just over a year later. Well, congrats to me for that!

How did you spend your holiday? I spent Christmas and New Year’s in Boston visiting my family. Originally, I wasn’t sure if I was going to visit my family for the holidays. But after my Tulum trip over Thanksgiving (when I quit my job, chopped off 6 inches of my hair, bought a ukelele), I booked a one way ticket to Boston and I am so glad that I did. It was really nice to get out of LA and see my family, even if it meant braving the cold winter. I got lots of play time with my little niece and nephew. I got to play the ukelele for them even though I don’t know how to play (anyone want to teach me?). My mom made some of my favorite Cambodian dishes, including noodle soup, hot pot, pineapple sweet and sour soup, and vermicelli noodles. I also cooked for my entire family Christmas Eve. I made tomato confit with spaghetti, garlic shrimp, scallops, and grilled eggplant. I think it was a success—at least, they didn’t tell me otherwise.

Even though I was in Boston for a relatively short time (though it kind of felt like a long time), I unexpectedly made a connection with someone new. Unfortunately, he lives in Boston. Why does this always happen to me? Sigh. I must love the East Coast boys. But I also love LA. That’s the problem. Why don’t I connect with anyone here? LA is big enough. Help!

While I had fun back in Boston, I am SO happy to be back home, in my own apartment, in my own bed. My body is not made for East Coast winters. My skin was so dry and irritated. My eczema acted up. I felt ugly. And I didn’t know how to dress cute in the cold. I didn’t bring any sexy clothes for dates. Plus, my mom’s place is not that comfortable. She doesn’t like me messing up her kitchen. She keeps the house cold. She wants me to wear a scarf in the house. But Mom, scarves are made for outside! Also, I felt guilty if I slept in too late or wanted to lounge on the couch all day. The first thing I did when I got home was take a hot shower, turned on my fireplace (because in LA, it’s just a flip of a switch), put on sweatpants, and ordered my usual dish at my favorite Thai restaurant. Then I slept all afternoon that first day and slept 10 hours that first night. It felt SO good. Now, I’m rested, adjusted, ready to face the world. It’s back to reality. What is on my to-do list for the new year? Finish my cookbook, find a new job in fashion, learn the ukelele, continue working out. So let’s go Davy!

Cambodian Cooking with Mama in Boston

Since I was planning to return home for the holidays anyways, I decided to spend the month of December cooking with my Mama back home in Boston.  After only 4 full days with her, we have already worked on 8 recipes!  It has been quite a productive trip so far!  We have been busy grocery shopping, learning about different Cambodian herbs, discussing dishes step by step, taking lots of notes, and food plating for our photo shoots.  It has been a lot of fun and also a lot of work!  I've learned so much watching her cook and explain each nuance of her cooking in detail.  I am grateful that I have the time and opportunity to be here with her in person learning her art.  I am excited to share everything I learned with my mother in the upcoming cookbook!

Within this first week home, I also experienced this winter's first snowfall.  It was enchanting but also so very cold!  Because I had been spending all my time with my mother cooking, I hadn't had a chance to venture into the city until yesterday.  Boston is such a beautiful, historic, and charming city!  It was even more scenic with the remnants of snow that still lined the trees, cars, and buildings.  I wandered around Newbury Street and strolled through the quaint quarters of the South End.  

Here are a few shots from my first week back in Boston.  I included pictures of my nephew because he's just the cutest.