Historic Crenshaw is Getting Upgraded

(my new Avi pic @ilovecollins taken at the BHCPLive)

Who: BHCP
What: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Redevelopment Project
Where: Its in the neighborhood
Rating: Live music is always a good time.

Its very cool that the time is being taken to redevelop the historic Crenshaw district. Namely the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and the now Rave Cinema. I lived up the street from this mall between the ages of 7-16, so my days of roaming the streets and spending a countless amount of hours with friends window shopping happened within the radius of King, Crenshaw, and Stocker.

Of what we can call LA culture this area has given us cruising low riders, movies (Boyz in the Hood and Thin Line Between Love and Hate), The Incense Man, that guy that dances really hard on the corner listening to his head phones... you get the idea. While these aren't the greatest of memories its what's going on over there.

So if the city, the community, or even residents can muster up the backing and support to redevelop its appearance and activities, I'm in. I had a good time at the free concert series BHCPLive. I was able to catch the opening night. The set-up was very inviting and cozy. There were lots of families, a great mix of people in the crowd.

While the interior of the mall is still very much under construction its still open for business.

Totally Obsessed xoxo, Love

@weareKingmusic performing at the BHCPlive. 

babysistah (@elstylesla) getting interviewed

Goapele performing.

The Set-up. it was very cozy, love these lights. 

Southern Girl Desserts were in the house!!!

The Lobsta Truck

Who: The Lobsta Truck

What: Lobster roll with butter

Where: On Wheels

Rating: Get in my belly!

menu after the jump

Birthed out of a trip to Maine and inspired by the taco shacks in LA the Lobsta Truck is serving one delicious New England lobster roll after another.  I am usually one for variety on a menu but when you've got it right, stick to that. 

lobstatruck.com

@lobstatruck

Foodies: AHH Iced Coffee!

Are you a dedicated caffeine drinker? Do warm summer mornings put a damper on your daily dose of hot Joe? Well the @pioneerwoman has just the recipe for the best Iced Coffee... ever.

I can't even call myself a mild coffee drinker, but I have to admit I love to savour a nice tall cold glass of iced coffee. But who would have thought they there would be a smarter method of making this delicious creamy concoction without melting your ice. Check it out!

Start with a big ol' container, bowl, or pitcher (2 gallons). Pour in 1 pound of your favorite ground coffee. Stop and savour the aroma!

Pour in 8 quarts (2 gallons) of H2O, stir and make sure all grounds come in contact with the water. Cover and steep for at least 8 hours.

In another container place a few layers of cheese cloth over a strainer. (cheese cloth will prevent stray grounds from seeping into your new container) Slowly pour coffee into cheesecloth and strainer. Allow enough time for liquid to pass through. With a spoon you may gently force water out.

Voila! Isn't she a beauty?!

Add your favorite cream, sweeten to taste, add ice.  If your feeling fancy try a flavored syrup.

This mixture can last up to three weeks, if kept refrigerated and tightly sealed.

Recipe: Perfect Iced Coffee

courtesy of the (www.The PioneerWoman.com)

Prep Time: 8 Hours |  Cook Time: |  Difficulty: Easy|  Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Coffee (good, Rich Roast)
• 8 quarts Cold Water
• Half-and-half (healthy Splash Per Serving)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk (2-3 Tablespoons Per Serving)
• Note: Can Use Skim Milk, 2% Milk, Whole Milk, Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners, Syrups...adapt To Your Liking!

Preparation Instructions

(Adapted from Imbibe Magazine)

In a large container, mix ground coffee with water. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature eight hours or overnight.

Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a pitcher or other container. Pour coffee/water mixture through the strainer, allowing all liquid to run through. Discard grounds.

Place coffee liquid in the fridge and allow to cool. Use as needed.

To make iced coffee, pack a glass full of ice cubes. Fill glass 2/3 full with coffee liquid. Add healthy splash of half-and-half. Add 2-3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (can use plain sugar instead) and stir to combine. Taste and adjust half-and-half and/or sweetened condensed milk as needed.

Southern Biscuits To The 10th Power Baby!

Who: Nathalie Dupree & Cynthia Graubart

What: Book Southern Biscuits

Rating: Southern Seventh Heaven

We love a twist on an old classic. My grandmother makes home made drop biscuits, my cousin makes homemade monkey bread, and I even dabble with a mixed berry dessert biscuit. Its perfect for a brunch. I am a serious bread lover, so obviously I was  juiced when I came across a cookbook devoted to the simply delightful biscuit. Check it out!

 

Natalie Dupree has written and coauthored many cookbooks. Back in 1985 Dupree began her culinary television  production career with New Southern Cooking, where coauthor Cynthia Stevens Graubart produced. Together since they've introduced a new cookbook devoted to the versatile Southern Biscuit.

Southern Biscuits features a variety of recipes and baking secrets. With variations from simple three ingredient biscuits to more creative and technical biscuits that range from sweet to savory. Sounds good to me! Its a bread lovers dream, fruit filed, cream cheese topped, and savory spicy biscuits till your little heart is content.  Southern Biscuit is the definitive biscuit baking book. 

Here is a sample recipe: Pumpkin Puree Biscuit

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups commercial or homemade self-rising flour (see below), divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 
  

• 1/3 cup chilled shortening or lard, roughly cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)

ICING:

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Select the baking pan by determining if a soft or crisp exterior is desired. For a soft exterior, use an 8- or 9-inch cake pan, pizza pan, or ovenproof skillet where the biscuits will nestle together snugly, creating the soft exterior while baking. For a crisp exterior, select a baking sheet or other baking pan where the biscuits can be placed wider apart, allowing air to circulate and creating a crisper exterior, and brush the pan with butter.

Fork-sift or whisk 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl, preferably wider than it is deeper, and set aside the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Scatter lard over the flour and work in by rubbing fingers with the lard and flour as if snapping thumb and fingers together (or use two forks or knives, or a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like well-crumbled feta cheese, with no piece larger than a pea. Shake the bowl occasionally to allow the larger pieces of fat to bounce to the top of the flour, revealing the largest lumps that still need rubbing. If this method took longer than 5 minutes, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to re-chill the fat.

Make a deep hollow in the center of the flour with the back of your hand. Scoop the sweet potatoes into the hollow and stir with a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull the flour into the sweet potatoes. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the sticky dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If too dry, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of milk.

Lightly sprinkle a board or other clean surface with some of the reserved flour. Turn the dough out onto the board and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half, and pat dough out into a 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick round, using a little additional flour only if needed. Flour again if necessary, and fold the dough in half a second time. If the dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time. Pat dough out into a 1/2-inch-thick round for a normal biscuit, 3/4-inch thick for a tall biscuit, and 1-inch-thick for a giant biscuit. Brush off any visible flour from the top. For each biscuit, dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into the reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, starting at the outside edge and cutting very close together, being careful not to twist the cutter. The scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, although these scraps make tougher biscuits.

Using a metal spatula if necessary, move the biscuits to the pan or baking sheet. Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for a total of 12 to 14 minutes, depending on thickness, until light golden brown. After 6 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back, and check to see if the bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another baking pan underneath to add insulation and retard browning. Continue baking another 6 to 8 minutes until the biscuits are light golden brown.

Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners sugar and milk until smooth to make an icing. When the biscuits are done, remove from oven and slide them onto a rack over a piece of wax paper. Drizzle the icing over the warm biscuits. Discard the paper with the excess icing. Serve hot right away.

Foodies: Yellow Trio Salad

What: Yellow Trio Salad

Ingredients: Corn, Summer Squash, and Yellow Heirloom Tomatoes

Where: Food Network

Rating: Easy

Take a cue from mother nature and combine three of summer's golden-hued crops: corn, summer squash, and yellow grape tomatoes. 

Directions

Cut the kernels off an ear of corn

Saute in olive oil with yellow squash slices. 

Toss with yellow grape tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper.

foodnetwork.com

Foodies: Farmers Market

Who: Farmers Market

Where: Crenshaw and Stocker parking Lot of the Crenshaw Plaza (Weekends 9-4)

Rating: Its in the neighborhood

Ever since my days at Howard and living in New York I've grown accustomed to shopping fresh produce at farmers markets. Great on so many levels, they support farmers, small businesses, and there is always some treasure to discover.

Since the first time I visited this particular one they've increased in the number of vendors which is always good to see. I like to get the kale salad with pine nuts. Its dressed with a mango olive oil goodness, you have to get their early for that one because it sells out. Stop by if you can.

I always get the goat cheese with sundried tomatoes & garlic. its great for salads, sauteed veggies, and anything in a tortilla, trust me! They also carry olives, tapenades, and a garlic spread that is amazing. 

Avocado Oil
There's lots of info at this booth but its worth the samples

Homeboy Salsa & Chips
Jobs or Jails @ HomeboyIndustries.org

Bolani East & West Gourmet Afghan Food
These are so good!

,

Foodies: OH Thank Heaven...

Happy 7Eleven Day!! Get a Free Slurpee

Click here to find a location near you
7eleven.com

I wonder why its called 7Eleven?

Foodies: A Quick Summer Drink

What: Easy Summer Drinks

Recipe: 1 Lemon, 1 Orange, Blue Agave (to taste)

Rating: Simple Fresh Delicious

So it goes like this... I was so thirsty the other day and burnt out on drinking water. My other only option, at that time,was my chocolate Silk Soymilk. Although I think its quite refreshing, it just wasn't the taste I was looking.  I grabbed a lemon, an orange and started squeezing. Enjoy!

1 Lemon

1 Orange

Blue Agave (or choice of sweetener)

1/2 Cup of water

Ice

Squeeze lemon and orange into 8 oz. glass. Add 1/2 cup of water and sweetener to taste, stir. Add lots of ice and enjoy.

 

What I love about this drink is you can really build your flavors from here. Get creative, add fresh pureed fruit and colored sugar around the rim or glassware. Or even try your favorite carbonated soda or tonic waters for a spritzer. My new obsessions flavored syrups!