breakfast crepe with caramelized onions, egg, and ham.
also...pistachio macarons
The Little Door
Adorable little deli/cafe located near the Beverly Center. Macarons there...were terrible. But, the omelets were pretty delicious. I'm definitely coming back here soon. (need to try the escargots) I love how this cafe is K-9 friendly. 
The Parisian Omelet : wild mushrooms, parisian ham...Also, the potato gratin is amazing!! Back!
I know...I was m.i.a for the past month. Crazy schedule, but I still have some time to cook...but not to update. Forgive me.
I made brunch today! Eggs in a basket (with fresh bread I bought from the local farmers market!) along with a prosciutto and fig salad.
fooood adventures,
http://laviedelucy.tumblr.com/
I had SO many food adventures, but here are a few that I actually documented.
Hi/Bye!
Bye facebook.
Just f.y.i to everyone who is wondering "what happened to Lucy?"
Just go on my tumblr for my day to day. I just got tired of having all these blogs, and distractions in my life. Maybe I will be able to cook more.
Email: Lucychen7@gmail.com
au revoir and bonjour to a new life
Hello!
Hi everyone,
I am not dead. But, finals did drain me...and forced me to eat like a true college student. (Ramen, $5 footlongs where you eat it for two meals, candy, COFFEE...etc).
I will also be m.i.a for this month because I will be in NEW YORK! Volunteering for Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, and possibly for Milk studios and/or Pier 94 (Alexander Wang show).
Don't worry I will keep everyone updated with my celebrity/model sightings and all the wonderful restaurants I will be eating at. Follow me on my tumblr (I JUST created it...so nothing there...fail.) http://laviedelucy.tumblr.com/
FOLLOW MEEEE
au revoir California, bonjour New York! 
I'm ready!
I am ready to move to Italy or Paris! One day...soon. 
Oui, I am still in the process of reading this book, and I also watched the movie this past Friday...and I personally thought it was parfait!
Also, my sister's apartment mate is from Italy...definitely going take advantage of that and ask her to teach me Italian.
I've been inspired by the book Eat Pray love, to just ENJOY life. Take things slow, even if I have to study, pay bills, and work. I have come to the conclusion that I can find some enjoyment in those little responsibilities too.
Today I walked to the closest grocery store bought a baguette, some cheese, eggs, spinach, melon, and smoked salmon.
Here's my Eat Pray Love inspired brunch!
I put some Greek yogurt and honey on the deliciously sweet melon (which I bought for 99cents!)
Also, my sister's apartment mate is from Italy...definitely going take advantage of that and ask her to teach me Italian.
Spicy Baked Shrimp!
Super tired from my classes, but I decided that I wanted to cook! So, I made some spicy baked shrimp. I added a bit of my own twist on this recipe. Its so goooood, I think I can eat it all day with buttered french bread.
Adapted from Bon Appetite
Ingredients- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning (I made my own with this recipe )
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/3 of a can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 an onion (diced)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, shelled, deveined
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in 9x13-inch baking dish. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake until shrimp are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve shrimp with French bread.
What?! Another tart?
Because it was my friend's birthday (Happy 20th Jen!), I made a dessert fruit tart with lemon custard inside!
recipe
Okay, I know I haven't been posting recipes...but I'll put this recipe up Friday! (I have an 8am class tomorrow. gotta looooove summer school).
Crust:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
-In the bowl of an electric mixter, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt until just combined. Press dough into prepared tart pan and puncture the tart with a fork. Place in freezer for at least 10 minutes. This lets the dough rest and will help it hold its shape while baking. Place a piece of parchment paper over the tart shell and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden brown and set. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the pie and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until center of tart is golden brown.* Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, move tart shell to the refrigerator until ready to fill!
I used this recipe for the Lemon Custard
Asparagus and onion tart!
No time to update the recipe! I will do it after finals, but yummm.
Also, I ran out of butter...so I had to use half cream cheese in the crust...and guess what, turned out fine!
Shiitake pasta!
Made this recipe on a whim.
I used Shiitake mushrooms instead of crimini since...well, I ALWAYS use crimini mushrooms.
Ingredients (for the chicken)
2 chicken thighs (or breasts!)
1/4 of an onion (minced)
2 tablespoons honey mustard (I didn't have an dijon, but same thing. Improvise)
a dash (or two) of worchester sauce
2 garlic cloves
salt and lemon pepper
1. let your chicken marinate for about 30 min.
2. cook your chicken (with the minced onions), cook it so its ALMOST done, but with a slight pink on the inside. (we're going to cook it again so that your chicken won't be overdone)
3. take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
Ingredients (for the sauce)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1/4 cup of cream
2 (or more) tablespoons of grated parmesan
a handful of chopping parsley
about 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1. Using the same pan you used before, put the butter in the pan then add the mushrooms, let it brown a bit.
2. Then, add in the balsamic vinegar, cook for about 4-5 min.
3. add the cream, chicken stock, and the chicken you cooked prior.
4. Let it cook for about 15 min on medium high.
5. Lastly, add the parmesan and parsley, and voila tu es fini!
of course, I hope you guys all know how to make pasta...
Chipotle...NOT!
Homemade Chipotle. So easy to make...and cheap!
Of course.... Chipotle Tabasco!!
I made my black bean corn salsa, fresh guacamole, and some jamaican jerk chicken.
Black Bean Salsa (it makes A LOT)
1 can of black beans
1 can of corn
1/2 an onion (minced)
1 can of roasted bell peppers (chopped)
lime juice, so about 1 whole lime (squeezed)
salt and pepper to taste (about a teaspoon of both)
- mix all these ingredients together, and you have black bean salsa! Super delicious and easy to make.
Guacamole
3 avocados
1 tomato (diced)
2 tablespoons of sour cream (or as much as you want)
1 1/2 tablespoons of onion powder
1 whole lime squeezed
salt and pepper to taste
- mash to avocados, and then add in the rest of the ingredients. You can also add in minced onions, but I prefer onion powder.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
I cheated.
I had Jamaican Jerk seasoning. I cubed chicken breasts and then added in the seasoning, letting it marinate in the fridge for 30 min.
Cilantro Rice
Cook the rice as you would normally, but right before cooking it, add in some cilantro (I put about 2 tablespoons), and a sliver of butter.
Breakfast.
Yes, I forced myself to wake up this morning so that I can study for my two midterms on Thursday. =(
Talk about summer vacation.
Plus, it's FINALLY a sunny day in San Diego! Sunny days in San Diego is what California is all about. I cooked up a bagel breakfast panini, to make myself feel better about my midterms.
It's definitely the EASIEST thing anyone can make. I added spicy sausages too! yum.
Jajangmyun! (Black Bean noodles)
I basically grew up eating this. (Since my mom is, I guess you would call it, a Chinese born Korean she always cooked Korean food.)
flatbread
Tonight I made flatbread with mozzarella and caramelized onions and mushrooms and then I topped it with wild arugula (tossed with a bit of Italian dressing).
Definitely the perfect summer dinner, light but hearty.
I made a second flatbread as well, I rubbed a bit of garlic before I baked it and also added chicken.
Ingredients
pizza dough (from Trader Joes)
mozzarella (I wanted to use fontina cheese, but didn't have any!)
half an onion (sliced)
about a cup of sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
arugula (or spinach)
1. heat a skillet with about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add in the onions and mushrooms. Salt and pepper, then the 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Let it cook down for about 5-10min.
2.Preheat the oven at 450 degrees. Roll out the dough (instructions are in back of the bag) make sure to roll it super flat.
3. I added the mozzarella first and then the caramelized onions and mushrooms. (you can definitely add whatever you want)
bake it for about 10-15min. Just watch for the cheese to be golden.
4. toss the arugula in any dressing you like. Top it on the flatbread andddd voila! Bon appetite
I'M BACK!
Sorry, I've been busy moving out (off campus, finally!) and I haven't had internet for the past 2 weeks. Definitely facebook deprived.
Because I've been pretty busy with work and classes, I have decided that I will start making a series of lunches. Preparing for lunch is somewhat annoying, but worth it after working 4 hr shifts of re shelving books. (That's what I get for working in the library.)
Today I made a light Bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes and basil.
