Dinner with Sissy

Burrata and Wine from the Tap - Delfina
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I have affectionately referred to my sister as "sissy" for as long as I can remember.  As a name... "I miss you Sissy", or as a noun... "That's MY big Sissy!"  You get the idea :-)

Well, Sissy came to visit on Tuesday night this week, and I could not have been more excited.  While it was primarily a matter of convenience, (the passport office is located in San Francisco) it was just nice to see her, and spend time one-on-one.  I love her husband to death - he is funny, sarcastic, and just fun to be around - but I do miss having just 'sister time' with her.

Anyway, with just one night to hang out, we walked to one of my FAVORITE restaurants in this city for dinner (and several glasses of wine).  Delfina is a fabulous pizzeria in my neighborhood, that boasts the most fabulous thin crust Neapolitan style pizza.  It's loud, and small, but feels cozy, and kind of fancy (even though it's NOT)... and did I mention that the food is out of this world??


Salsiccia Pizza - Delfina
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We sat up at the bar that looks into the open kitchen - my favorite spot.  I love to watch them flip the dough, and make your food right in front of you.  Everything is SOO fresh, and the fact that they have wine on tap (yep, ON TAP) makes me love this place even more.


Deep fried Zucchini blossoms - Delfina
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My favorites?? The fresh burrata from the 'starters' menu - they serve it with peppery arugula, toasted crostini, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top - heavenly.  I also LOVE the meatballs, but last time we came here, we went a bit overboard on the ordering so we held off on their meatballs for another night. Instead, we got one of their new additions to the menu - the stuffed zucchini blossoms that are overflowing with cheesy deliciousness.  These bad boys got battered and deep fried - I don't even want to know the calories - and the deep fried basil put this dish over the top.  Amazing.

For the finale, we got the salsiccia pizza - I could eat it every night and never tire of it, but I also love their panna pizza, the margarita, and the prosciutto pie.  Look at the full menu here - you will see how amazing (and reasonable) looks!!  If ever in SF - I highly recommend this spot.

A word to the wise - don't come starving.  They don't take reservations, and the wait can be pretty long on weekends, but trust me when I say it's worth it.  Order a glass of wine (or two) from the hostess, and you'll be fine :-)

Pretty Pink Peonies

I have a serious obsession, but they are sooo pretty, and only $7 at the grocery store!  I can't stop myself - peonies are literally THE MOST BEAUTIFUL flower on the planet!

Don't they also look so pretty in the morning light? Kris most likely thinks I'm insane to be snapping a few photos before work, but he's stuck with me now! Ha!

xo

Pinterest Recipe

Ok, I am totally guilty of this Pinterest phenomenon - pinning to pin!  I mean, there are just so many pretty, yummy, inspiring, funny things on Pinterest - it's become quite the addiction!  The problem?  I've never actually done any of the DIY projects I've pinned, or made any of the recipe's.  That must change immediately!

I decided to start out small with a simple side dish I'd pinned a while back.  Summer is nearly here, and in California it means amazing produce.  A quick trip to the grocery store later, three mid-size summer squash zucchini's were all mine!  Trust me when I say that this recipe for Squash Chips is easy as pie, and soo delish.

Squash Chips:

Ingredients:

  - Squash - this works with any kind here

  - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  - Salt

  - Pepper

  - Chili Flakes

  - Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Instructions:

  - Slice squash into thin rounds

  - Coat in Olive Oil

  - Move rounds to flat baking sheet - no overlapping

  - Sprinkle tops with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes to taste

  - Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until golden brown

  - Top with Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, and place under broiler for an additional 5 minutes until crispy (watch them - don't want to burn them in the final 5 minutes!)

Succulents

Trader Joes - one of my FAVORITE places in the world - had these sweet little succulents out front for $5 each!  Who would I be to pass up these adorable little guys.  Extra bonus: they came in these cute little creme colored pots!  Super duper bonus: zero maintenance (so they say!)

It's nearly impossible to see from this photo, but the pots have an awesome engraved detail at the bottom.  Can you beat that?!  Didn't think so...

Let's see if I can keep these alive now.  Watch, I will be the only person in the history of the world who will be able to kill these guys off.

Wish me luck!
xo

M.I.A.

I have been so MIA lately, it's not even funny.  Somewhere between work and a few other things going on, I've totally lost touch with my little blog.  While this is a total hobby for me, it's so therapeutic, and I've MISSED IT!