Galentine's Day Pop Hearts

It's almost Valentine's Day, so why not make a sweet and gooey treat for your best gal pals! Video and recipe below, adapted from the recipes of some of our favorite inspirational women.

Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• Pie crust (use store-bought pastry dough, or make your own using Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe, which we did before filming) 
• 1 egg
• Sprinkles for decorating

For the filling (We adapted Ina Garten's strawberry jam recipe):

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1arge lemon juiced
• 1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries hulled and halved

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the jam: combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in saucepan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes until the strawberries release their juices and thicken up into a bit of a gel. 
3. Roll out pie crust and cut out heart shapes.
4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and place half of the hearts on the paper
5. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of jam onto the center of each pastry and spread out with a spoon, leaving a half inch border around the edges.
6. Whisk an egg in a small bowl.
7. Using pastry brush, dab edges of the pastry with egg wash, and cover the jam with a second piece of pastry to enclose the pop tart. Press down around all the edges and press gently with a fork around all edges to seal it tight.
8. Egg wash the top of the closed pastry.
9. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Let the pop tarts cool completely on a cooling rack.
10. Mix together the confectioners sugar and heavy cream in a bowl until you have a thick glaze. Spoon the glaze over the cooled pop tarts and sprinkle with your favorite cute decorations immediately.
11. Optional: wrap up in an adorable package and show a little love to all of your gal pals! 

Instructions adapted from The Pioneer Woman. 

 

 

The Cannibal Beer & Butcher | Culver City, CA

In a city that runs mainly on green smoothies, kombucha, açai bowls, and turmeric lattes, The Cannibal doesn't quite fit in. And that's really not a bad thing. Located in the hip new Platform complex, The Cannibal is paradise for those who like their meals a bit meatier, who prefer beer over 'booch, and who aren't afraid to come face-to-face with their dinner. Literally. 

The Cannibal is the West Coast outpost of a popular New York City eatery by the same name, founded by Christian Pappanicholas and Cory Lane, with executive chef Francis Derby. The space is comprised of two separate sections: on one side, a sit-down restaurant, and on the other, a casual sandwich and butcher shop. Described as "a butcher's restaurant," The Cannibal offers creative dishes designed to highlight the wonders of meat in all its forms. In fact, the team embraces the head-to-tail approach, utilizing the entire animal whenever possible - you can even arrange a feast for a large group, featuring an entire pig or lamb. 

At a restaurant with a dinner menu featuring massive hunks of steak, an entire pig's head, and hundreds of different beers, you may not expect to find a brunch menu at all - let alone one with any redeeming qualities. And yet, Cannibal offers us a pleasant surprise by offering a brunch menu full of delicious options ranging from riffs on the classics to almost hilariously over-the-top concoctions (see: the "Double Down," a breakfast sandwich stuffed with three kinds of meat, in which the bread has been replaced with bricks of hashbrowns - unfortunately none of my group were daring enough to order it). The menu is compact, but not without variety - from the German Breakfast (essentially a charcuterie plate) to the Gruyere Omelette to the Fruit & Granola, there's actually something for everyone. I daresay you could bring a vegetarian along, and he'd be pleased as punch. 

I was lucky enough to come for brunch with a sizable group, so we were able to cover a healthy portion of the brunch menu. There are a number of tempting starters available (including the famous Everything Pretzel, which I'll need to come back on another day to try), and we chose to start the meal off with a bit of sweet: the Cinnamon Bun and the Warm Butter Biscuit. 

The Cinnamon Bun was a well-executed version of the classic - puffed and yeasty with a bread-like texture, and accented with a generous helping of cream cheese frosting. This was light, subtle, and not too sweet. 

With the Warm Butter Biscuit, things were turned up a bit. While the biscuit is obviously another classic treat, Cannibal's version raised the bar - it was incredibly flaky and buttery, and was perfectly baked. And when you smear that sea salt caramel on top, it's absolute salty-sweet heaven. It's large enough to share, but you might not want to. Order it. Seriously.

Now, on to the mains. Luckily, there are plenty of brunch selections that allow you to take full advantage the chef's meat-cooking prowess. Most obviously, the Steak & Eggs - offered in the form of hanger steak, New York strip, or aged ribeye. The steak was cooked to absolute perfection, and it was accompanied by a delicious carrot-walnut romesco sauce. 

For the brunch purists of the world, there's a Two Eggs Any Style, served with ultra-crispy, fully rendered bacon. On the side were potatoes, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and a little bit spicy.

The Baby Gems Salad was a favorite at our table. It's easily customizable with the addition of hanger steak, grilled chicken, or even an egg and some bacon if you're feeling creative. The standout component was the champagne dressing; flavorful, tart, sweet, and applied generously. 

The Sweet & Spicy Chicken Biscuit is like a fun take on chicken n' waffles, and with that aforementioned flaky biscuit as the base, it's got a lot going for it. Flavor-wise, this is on the mellow side - we expected it to be a bit more punchy based on its description, but the flavors were really good and the fried chicken was perfectly cooked. The shredded lettuce added some nice freshness, and that biscuit was, well, perfection.

And because every brunch needs a good indulgence item, there's the Stuffed French Toast. This beauty is made of buttery brioche and is stuffed with rich Nutella filling, then is topped with a mound of whipped cream and tons of crunchy toasted hazelnuts. It's decadently delicious, and it is not on your Whole 30. It should, without a doubt, be a dessert. And because it's on a brunch menu as a main course, you should eat dessert for brunch. It's the right thing to do. 

Prices here do run a touch higher than your average brunch, but there's so much going right: between the gorgeous industrial-meets-modern-cabin interior, the fantastic and incredibly friendly staff, the impressive cocktail list, and even outdoor seating on a spacious patio, it's worth every penny. So, when you finally grow tired of green smoothies and whatever it is that people make with Sun Potion, know that there is some delicious, decadent brunch waiting for you at The Cannibal. 

The Cannibal Beer & Butcher
8850 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Paramount Coffee Project | Los Angeles, CA

If there is one thing I have learned recently about the Aussies (and the Kiwis, for that matter), it's that they take their brunch and coffee very seriously. Their café culture is quite unlike ours - and in all the right ways. They don't rush things, they don't stand in line, they prefer independent coffee shops over chains, and they tend to actually interact with other humans when they visit their favorite café. And, they serve healthy, delicious food, presented in jaw-droppingly gorgeous fashion (remember Bondi Harvest? So pretty). Luckily, a some of that Aussie magic is slowly working its way to our shores - and it's strongly evidenced in the charming Paramount Coffee Project (a.k.a. "PCPLA") on Fairfax. 

Inside, PCPLA is modern and beautiful, decorated in bright greens and fresh foliage, with a wonderful indoor-outdoor vibe happening on the adorable little back patio. It's just a stone's throw from several other well-regarded coffee shops, but that doesn't seem to deter its popularity. The thoughtfully designed café attracts hordes of creative types, coffee enthusiasts, and foodies, all of whom seem to have nothing but good things to say about it - in fact I overheard more than one group discussing just how much they "loooove this place." 

PCPLA was founded by three Aussies with impressive coffee backgrounds: Jin Ng of Paramount House, Mark Dundon of Seven Seeds, and Russell Beard of Reuben Hills. The trio teamed up to open the original PCP location in Sydney in 2013, and after it proved successful, they opened their L.A. outpost on Fairfax in 2015. The same philosophies that worked so well in Sydney run true in L.A.: the team emphasizes experimentation and education in coffee roasting and brewing, focuses on creating the most delicious food and coffee possible, and strives to provide top-notch customer service. The coffee offerings are varied and unique - their beans come from around the world, many from roastaries we Angelenos haven't likely come across before. 

I stopped in PCPLA recently on a weekday just after the lunch rush, and was pleased to find that it wasn't too crowded. I was surprised at first by the unusual ordering system - indeed, you do not need to wait in line here if you plan to dine in. Instead I was instructed to take a seat, and informed that someone would come by to take my order (side note: why does table service feel like such a luxury these days? Is this a dying concept?). I got cozy on the back patio, a comfortable indoor-outdoor space with a large communal table as well as several small tables. They've also extended the space into the parking lot a bit, adding some wooden picnic tables and plenty of lush greenery (ensuring it feels more like a garden and less like a parking lot). My order was taken quickly, and the coffee came out before I could bat an eye. The service was truly top-notch - every staff member I spoke to was friendly, welcoming, and conversational. 

My cappuccino was served up in a simple-yet-satisfying matte ceramic mug - the kind you just want to wrap your hands around on a rainy L.A. day. The espresso's flavor pleasantly mild, and tasted nutty and creamy, and a bit like cocoa. It was beautifully smooth, and sipping it was almost like enjoying a decadent dessert. 

As it was past the lunch hour, and the menu was oh-so-tempting, I also decided to order up some food. This menu was absolute torture - just about everything sounded delicious. Since I've craving grain bowls lately (or as Jonathan Gold might say, "Things in a Bowl"), I chose the Superfood Bowl - quinoa, candy beets, roasted carrots, sunflower, cocoa, blueberry, lebni, and two poached eggs. If that description sounds a bit like a mishmash of things that don't really go together, you're not wrong - and yet, somehow, the magicians at PCPLA made it all work harmoniously. Imagine that! Eggs and blueberries in the same dish? Strange, yet so wonderful. The juxtaposition of textures in this dish was a delight, and each of the flavors complimented one another nicely - especially the tangy lebni with the sweet roasted carrots and the strong spice mixture sprinkled on top (which I assume to be dukkah). A little unusual, so satisfying, and so delicious. 

Truthfully, I cannot wait to come back and try more of the treats on this menu and enjoy the relaxed vibe that this team has created. And that's saying something - because there are a lot of good coffee shops in this city. Maybe even enough that you could keep trying a new one each week without repeating for the rest of your life. But there's something so genuinely appealing about PCPLA - their creative cuisine, their commitment to excellent coffee, and their sincere friendliness - that makes it worthy of a repeat visit. 

Paramount Coffee Project
456 N Fairfax Ave
LA 90036

Chicken + Waffle Skewers

Looking for an easy crowd pleaser for your Super Bowl party but want to stick to your usual brunch theme? We've got you covered! Try whipping up these chicken and waffle skewers! 

1. Prepare your favorite waffle recipe or prepared waffle mix and let stand in a bowl. Make enough for 4 large waffles. We made one serving of this waffle mix which we picked up at our local Sprouts (we believe in taking some shortcuts when serving a crowd!).
2. Chop up 1 lb. chicken breast into 1 inch pieces.
3. Put 1 cup flour into bowl and add in 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix to combine.
4. Fill cast-iron or large non-stick pan with about 1/2 inch of a light non-flavored oil like canola oil. Put burner on medium and heat oil until little bubbles form when you put a wooden spoon in the oil. Don't let oil get too hot!
5. Dust chicken in the flour and put pieces in the hot oil one by one. Don't dump all the chicken in quickly, or the oil temperature will drop quickly.
6. Cook chicken 7-8 minutes until golden and delicious! 
7. Heat up waffle maker and spray with cooking spray.
8. Cook waffles as directed by your waffle maker. You'll want them to have a bit of crunch for best results.
9. Take waffles off the waffle maker and chop into similarly-sized 1 inch pieces.
10. Place one piece of chicken and one piece of waffle on a skewer and put on a platter.
11. Mix 1 tsp of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce and 1 cup of maple syrup up and set aside in a jar for your guests.
12. Sprinkle all the skewers with some chives for garnish and serve alongside syrup in an easy-to-hold plastic up. 
13. Watch your team win the big game! 

Makes about 20-25 skewers.

Go Get Em Tiger | Los Angeles, CA

If G&B Coffee in Grand Central Market is the posh, outspoken, sexy, sophisticated sister, then Go Get Em Tiger on Larchmont is the mellow, down-to-earth, quietly beautiful one who, if you're lucky, might also invite you over for an incredible home-cooked meal. The second brainchild of Los Angeles coffee powerhouses Charles Babinski and Kyle Granville, "GGET" both compliments and contrasts their first permanent coffee shop with its more relaxed, comfortable vibe. While G&B is like a sleek, neon beacon amidst the chaos of the market around it, GGET is a calm, minimalist retreat snuggled into one of the most charming neighborhoods in the city. It fits into the Larchmont neighborhood well, its beautifully designed space and expertly crafted offerings are exactly what you'd hope to find on this dreamy, tree-lined street. 

It's clear that this place is very popular, but even when it's buzzing with people, there's still room to sit down and relax or lean up against the bar and chat with a fellow coffee enthusiast. The crowd is mixed; there are film industry types, students, hippies, moms, and plenty of Instagrammers, but it doesn't feel so much like a place where locals hang out. Instead, you get the feeling that this is a destination, and that the mobs of people are here because they've heard just how good (and hip) it is. That floating astronaut painted on the wall behind the bar does make for a rather compelling photo for the 'gram, you must admit. 

GGET utilizes many of the same concepts that were set forth by Granville and Babinski at G&B, including the bar-style ordering system, rotating coffee selections based on frequent blind tastings, and an emphasis on consistency in their coffee through automation - a concept that is not embraced in most coffee shops. Rather than having a barista grind each espresso shot individually and then determine when to stop extraction by eye, things here are broken down like an assembly line: espresso shots are ground ten at a time to a precise measurement, then an automated machine cuts off each shot at the exact spot for ideal quality and flavor. This streamlined operation allows for optimal speed and efficiency, getting customers their excellently crafted coffees in record time. 

My cappuccino lived up to the high standards set at G&B; the flavorful 49th Parallel espresso shone through and the foamed milk was perfectly smooth. The espresso's flavor was bold, reminding me of charcoal and dark cherry. The drink was presented beautifully in the same glass cups used at G&B, showcasing the gorgeous line where foam meets coffee as well as some impeccable latte art on top. 

I also indulged in some of GGET's food offerings, as my visit fortunately occurred within acceptable brunching hours. When I visited G&B a few weeks ago, the smell of the malted waffles being made right in front of me was so tempting that it was permanently seared into my brain - so you know I had to start there. But since a waffle does not a balanced meal make, I also ordered a salad. 

This waffle was delightfully unique. I can't say I've had too many yeast-raised waffles in my day (despite my being an avid waffle-lover, so shame on me), so perhaps this is exactly what a yeast-raised waffle should be - no matter, it's delicious. Mine was served warm, with a big dollop of ricotta cheese in the center, a generous sprinkling of fresh berries, and the most delicate drizzle of honey on top. The flavor combination was just right; the malty, almost beer-like flavor of the waffle was light and just barely sweet (sounds weird, but it's so good), and it paired so nicely with the creamy ricotta, tart berries, and the light touch of honey. For the purists out there, for a dollar less you can also enjoy this waffle with butter and maple syrup, which I'm sure is also mouthwateringly delicious. 

In nearly any brunching situation, when a waffle is paired with a salad, you're going to expect the salad to be sad and boring in comparison - there's no way it can live up to the delicious decadence of a waffle, right? So, so wrong. I went for the Chopped Salad, comprised of Napa cabbage, seasonal vegetables, black sesame, and samal-miso vinaigrette, with an addition of shredded chicken - this was such a delicious and satisfying meal, that I'm still dreaming about it days later. The textures were varied and balanced - there was a satisfying crunch from the cabbage, thinly sliced radish, sesame seeds, and crisped rice. The chicken and the seasonal vegetables, which were roasted carrots and potatoes, were perfectly tender. And to round everything out, the mix was topped with the flavorful samal-miso dressing, which was decadently creamy, and offered a sharp kick of ginger. 

There are a lot of opinions out there about whether or not Go Get Em Tiger lives up to its hype, and for me, it does. This is a triple (maybe quadruple?)-threat that fits perfectly into the utopian Larchmont Village, offering excellent coffee and food, in a beautiful environment, with excellent service. So let's embrace this place for what it is: eat something fun and flavorful, post your photo of that astronaut on the wall to Instagram, and go get yourself some delicious coffee. 

Go Get Em Tiger - 230 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004