Roasted gorgonzola pears with farro salad

Roasted-gorgonzola-pears-with-farro-salad-4-inmyredkitchen Tell me, do you always bring your own bags to the store when you go grocery shopping?

If not, then why not?
I always have one or two cotton bags in my purse and I also try to keep a bigger grocery bag in the back of my car. As long as I can remember I carry the cotton bags in my purse and I not only use them for unexpected grocery shopping.

Garlic and black pepper croutons, it's great to always have some on hand!

Garlic and black pepper croutons

Garlic and black pepper croutons, it's great to always have some on hand!

Last weekend I went shopping with a friend, I left P and his mom at home and she left her husband and her cute toddler at home. Girl time!

I wasn’t really planning on buying something because I want to save up some money for when one of my sisters is coming to visit next month. She will be staying here for six (6!!) weeks and we have a lot of fun thing planned together: Disneyland (because that really ÍS the happiest place on earth I recently discovered), roadtrip to San Francisco (and back over the PCH – yay!) and a visit to Las Vegas (finally!).

My friend had some birthday money to spend so I just followed her around in the stores. Ok, and even though I was planning to buy something I did buy a cute cardigan and a new pair of sunglasses at LOFT (they were both on sale, does that count?) πŸ˜‰

At one point we stopped by Sephora. Yikes! Those places freak me out, I feel so out of place there.

Chocolate almond thumbprint cookies with almond paste

Chocolate almond thumbprint cookies with almond paste. Perfect for Valentines! | in my Red Kitchen

I’ve been wanting to make thumbprint cookies for a long time now, but I promised myself and my friends that I wouldn’t bake cookies for a whole month after the holiday season πŸ˜‰

But when you say Valentines Day, you say chocolate right? And roses, but no way I’m making roses out of chocolate πŸ˜‰
So even though my husband doesn’t like chocolate I wanted to make thumbprint cookies filled with chocolate.

California hot dog - a healthier twist on fast food | in my Red Kitchen

Food Truck Tuesday: California hot dog

California hot dog - a healthier twist on fast food | in my Red Kitchen – Click here for this recipe in Dutch -> California hotdog

Aaaaaand… another one! I already promised you a second hot dog recipe. For this second edition of Food Truck Tuesday I was planning to make the Chili dog I had at our first visit of an LA food truck.

And right before I was planning to make them we ran into the Dogtown Dogs truck again, this time at the LACMA at a Sunday when we went to the La Brea Tar Pits. We were into a small and quick lunch at 3pm. Yes, on Sundays we always take it slow and easy πŸ™‚

Chili dog - a hot dog with chili, cheddar and crispy tortilla chips. Home made fastfood! | in my Red Kitchen

Food Truck Tuesday: Chili dogs

Chili dog - a hot dog with chili, cheddar and crispy tortilla chips. Home made fastfood! | in my Red Kitchen – Click here for this recipe in Dutch -> Chili hotdog

And there it is, the second Food Truck Tuesday since I came up with this section πŸ˜‰

For this second edition I wanted to focus to the first Food Truck meal we had after arriving in Los Angeles a little over 9 months ago. It was on a sunny Saturday…

Wow, that sounds like the beginning of fairy tale πŸ˜‰

Sweet potato and black bean quesadillas

Sweet-potato-quesadilla-1-inmyredkitchen On MondaysΒ  -after a scrumptious weekend filled with brunches, cocktails and grilled chicken- I’m always craving healthy foods. Kale, quinoa, sweet potato, lentils, chickpeas, avocado, black beans… you’ll name it and I’ll eat it.

I start my week with juices, smoothies, green tea and salads and on Friday that’s slowly transforming into fried eggs, waffles, ramen, caffe lattes and pizza. It’s all about balance right?

Fennel Pork Bites - perfect for a Superbowl party! | in my Red Kitchen

Fennel pork bites

Fennel Pork Bites - perfect for a Superbowl party! | in my Red Kitchen

Last week we drove up to San Francisco. P had to go for work so we decided I went along plus we extended our stay for two nights. And best of all: we went by car instead of flying so we could drive back over the Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday!

Like, best decision ever! I drove up the PCH once, in October with my brother and his girlfriend. We didn’t plan our trip well because by the time we arrived at the beautiful part -Big Sur- it was already getting dark πŸ™ So this time P and I decided to do it better!

Black lentil salad with goat cheese | in my Red Kitchen

Black lentil salad with goat cheese

Black Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese | in my Red Kitchen

People often ask me if there is anything I miss from the Netherlands. I have to disappoint them (and you), because I don’t. Of course I’m happy when I stumble upon typical Dutch products in LA, like appelstroop, stroopwafels or beschuit. And the Christmas Stollen and bitterballen I made myself where also to die for.

But really missing those things? Nah… And you know why not?

Chinese Scallion Pancakes incl step-byb-step photo's! | in my Red Kitchen

Chinese scallion pancakes

Chinese Scallion Pancakes incl step-byb-step photo's! | in my Red Kitchen

– Click here for this recipe in Dutch -> Chung Yau Ban – Lenteui koeken

I really really really could eat these everyday, that’s how much I like them.
And I know what I’m talking about because this is what I often ate for breakfast in China. In 2010 I went with my Chinese aunt to her family in China, to a little village at an 8 hour drive south of Shanghai. These Chinese scallion pancakes were our breakfast, as well as some delicious steamed buns.

I really wish I could tell you I learned how to make these pancakes in the village where my aunt grew up,