Santa Barbara Public Market - Santa Barbara, CA

I am so lucky to have met my dear friend, Dana, not only is she a wonderful person but she is a total foodie just like me! We love a good lunch/food adventure so we loaded up and high tailed it to Santa Barbara to check out the Public Market. We both heard it is lovely so we gave it a try!  

As you walk inside you are immediately welcomed by a gourmet grocery store. The items are familiar to those you would find at Whole Foods and other smaller boutique groceries.

The cheese monger is just a few stall down ready to answer any question you might have when wanting to pair with wines or to make the most ultimate grilled cheese sandwich. 

You will make your way to the next stall that is complete with all things balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The prices are extremely reasonable for what you are getting. I could have spent all day sampling but my cheeks were getting drawn up from all the tart goodness so i headed out. My favorite was the Ancho Vinegar - I had some kick!

Across the stall is the fresh pasta booth. How convenient would it be to pop in and grab a selection of hand made ravioli for dinner!? 

The meat selection comes up next and it was a beauty to look at all the selection of beef, pork and lamb. Everything looked so perfect!

 It was neat to see the butcher in action!

There is even a space that has an industrial kitchen for rent. It would be fun to take a cooking class featured by a local chef. I guess it would even be fun to have your friends over and make a whole bunch of enchiladas too - freezers and and freezers of enchiladas! The possibilities are endless! 

They have a stall of prepared food like these salad and sandwich combos. 

I though these tartines were cute!

 I really wanted to try a cupcake from the dessert stall but the worker ignored me so I took a photo of the precious little gems and moved on.

Our last stop was the seafood monger because we knew we had to do a little recon work before we left...

OYSTER SAMPLING!

I thought I was always a number one fan of kusshi oysters. I swore they were the best of the best. However, after trying Carlsbad Luna's I now know those are my absolute favorites. Totally briny, clean and absolutely stunning. These are the bomb.com!

It was a fun experience wandering stall to stall at the market. I just wish we had brought maybe a iced cooler to be able to bring some of these treats back to Ojai. The hour long car ride would be an absolute spoil for some of these precious ingredients. I will be back.

Not So Healthy Blog Post...

 All my exercising has given me quite an appetite and I have acted on a few of my favorite Pinterest pins. I have had my eye on Tater Tot Casserole and Saltine Toffee for quite sometime now so over the weekend I whipped up them both...

Tater Tot Casserole

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• Cream of Chicken Soup 
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 16oz package frozen tater tots
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brown ground beef. season with salt pepper.
3. Add chopped onion, cook until tender.
4. In a casserole dish, combine ground beef mixture, sour cream and  cream soup.
5. Top mixture with tater tots.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes till bubbly and Tots are golden brown.
7. Remove from oven; top with cheese, return to oven until melted.
8. Enjoy!

Saltine Toffee

• 48 saltine crackers
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan or large cookie sheet with sides with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Arrange the crackers side by side in a single layer on the foil.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the sugar and butter, stirring constantly until they bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
3. Pour evenly over the crackers and, using a spatula, spread to cover evenly.
4. Bake immediately. 
5. After 7 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the crackers. 
6.  Spread the chocolate evenly over the crackers with a clean spatula. Cool for 20 to 30 minutes before transferring the tray to the freezer. 
7. The next day, peel off the foil and break the toffee into pieces. Keep frozen or refrigerated.

Your mouth will thank me for all the deliciousness but your jeans may be fitting you a little extra snug. Eat this in moderation and everything will be all right! 

Hello Fall! - Ojai, CA

Last Saturday was the most beautiful introduction we have had to Fall in many years. The morning air was crisp and the warm, fuzzy it gave me inspired me to get cooking! I love cooking when the seasons change. Goodbye Summer. Hello Fall! Upper Ojai was just stunning, I had to snap a photo from my porch...

I set the table with candles, flowers and cloth napkins. It was just too pretty of a day not to go all out.

 Scott put on music and sweet tunes blasted through our outdoor speakers. 

Hi Scott!

My grandmother's wicker furniture makes for a lovely outdoor living space. We have used this sitting area so much this year. I see many more evenings of front porch sitting in our future! 

What I love most about cooking all day is the ability to have your meal ready and waiting with a fully clean kitchen to work in! Always clean as I cook, I hate dirty dishes. So with my kitchen spotless I decided to start cocktail hour...

 Cheers!

Scott requested his favorite, Deviled Eggs, to start. I like making them because it is such a labor of love. You must kindly handle the eggs to boil, crack and peel them without injury to the precious whites. Then whip up the yolks to your creamy desire. It is just such a personal recipe. A little of this, a little of that - add what makes you feel right. This time it was mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle relish, cherry pepper juice, salt pepper and a sprinkle (or in my case an accidental downpour) of paprika.

Our sweet friends Dana, Brandon and Ryan came over to enjoy eating with us. It is so nice to have local friends who appreciate good eats like we do! When I called them last minute to come up the hill and dine with us they were good enough to jump in their cars and join in. 

I love this shot of everyone digging in! Scott was in charge of cooking the steaks and salmon on the barbecue and he knocked it out of the park! Scott loves barbecuing so I knew he would love his job. He does get nervous about cooking up my seafood selections but every time he does it comes out perfectly. I love a little surf and turf with my meal.

My plate was complete with a piece of salmon, a big scoop of Melissa's Broccoli Salad, a twice baked potato (made with copious amounts of butter, sour cream, cheese and love...) and a slice of garlic bread. 

What is in Melissa's Broccoli Salad you wonder?

• Broccoli - 5 heads - finely chopped
• Red Onion - Only 1/2 - very finely chopped
• Cheddar Cheese - shaved, 1/2 cup
• Sunflower Seeds - 1 cup+, I used extra...
• Dried Apricots - 1 cup, also chopped finely
• The dressing - Mayonaise, sugar and vinegar - make a paste and adjust to your liking! I overly dress mine because I like my food saucy. But do remember as the vegetables "sit" the will sweat some of their liquids out and make the salad extra wet.

Mix it all up in a bowl and let it rest in the fridge for a couple hours!

Our party was a success. It was low key and last minute just like the best parties are. No fuss, no muss and just enjoying quality time with the people you love. 

Happy Fall everyone! Now get in your kitchen and start cooking!

Regalo Olive Oil - Ojai, CA

After our lunch in Santa Paula I decided to give James and Kate a little tour of Ojai. We took our photo in front of the Ojai Valley sign, check! Everyone does this. This spot is packed every day of the week! 

CHEESE!

After a scoop of ice cream and a walk through town we saw this sign and turned in. I love a good foodie adventure for Melissa Good Taste.

As you can see, the grounds and home were stunning.  

As you drive through the orange tree studded driveway you dead end into their Tasting Room. It is filled with all sorts of different olive oils as well as balsamic vinegars. Grab a snippet of bread and start sampling!

My favorite flavored oil was lemon. It was drinkable!  

And the strawberry and honey balsamic vinegar's were my favorite. They had chocolate and vanilla too! It was just an enjoyable little activity.

James stayed outside but I didn't blame him, it was a beautiful day!

Ojai is pretty special, I don't appreciate it on a daily level. I am usually too busy running to the bank, post office or grocery store to stop and smell the orange blossoms. When giving tours of my new home town it usually reminds me of how lucky I am to live here.

Melissa Good Taste Reviews...

Melissa Good Taste has received a lot of fun things in the mail to review, check it out...

I was blessed by the De Cecco Pasta Family and sent a box full of wonderful samples. Pastas, olive oil and pesto sauces filled my pantry and I got wonderfully creative. The olive oil was delightful for bread dipping or cooking, the quality was superb. The pasta cooks in mere minutes and has a nice flavor, it doesn't take more than a nice salt water bath to make it fork worthy!

Knickerbocker Glory: is a British Ice Cream Parfait and Matthew Robinson created a book filled with all kinds of fun recipes that mix and match all sorts of treats! A fun book, filled with beautiful photos of desserts! Delightful and beautiful!

Tanteo Tequila so thoughtfully sent Melissa Good Taste a party in a bottle! Jalapeno enhanced tequila in a gorgeous bottle inspired me to create a fun cocktail. I made an apricot puree, poured in a healthy dose of Tanteo, triple sec and ice. Whirl and buckle up for a good time! 

Soup & Pudding

Yesterday was rainy and chilly so I busted out my trusty dutch oven and tried my hand at home made soup. It wasn't to be fancy but to warm our bones.  This is what went down...

Ham & White Bean Soup

I sliced up a few carrots, celery, half an onion and a few cloves of garlic and dropped them in a pool of chicken broth. Diced ham and crisp bacon made their way as well. Two cans of Northern white beans rounded out the entire concotion. Salt, pepper and herbs de Provence are what I used to season up the bath but you could use what ever you have on hand. When Scott walked in the hose he smelled the pot of soup and declared himself cold and hungry. What an easy thing to do!

Tapioca Pudding

After soup we both got a hankering for something sweet. It was just too cold for ice cream so I whipped up some tapioca pudding. I followed the exact directions from the Minute Tapioca box except for adding more vanilla. This was too easy as well, we couldn't wait for it to set up so we ate it a little warm.

Our food was soft and mushy but I have to admit it was very comforting. Stay warm this season!

Eating the "Weis" Way - Ojai, CA

I started this blog four years ago for my deep appreciation of food. Other people cooking it for me, of course, so I could review it and document my experience that day. A hobby, if you will. It has now blossomed into a peek into my life as a horse trainer's wife, a cutting horse competitor and amateur cook. We have turned into quite the duo in the kitchen and I would love to share this end of summer dish that we both enjoy so much.

Salmon

So healthy for you and the easiest thing in the world to make. Ask your fish monger to make sure the bones are removed from a 5 - 6 oz filet. It is a perfect portion of fish that I manage to gobble up just fine. In 425 degree oven, let cook for 15 minutes. I vary the spices each time I make the dish but make it a play on salt, pepper, lemon, chile, or brown sugar and you will be doing great, I promise.

Corn

My husband is crazy for corn. Not the frozen or canned stuff either. Just buy an ear of corn, slice the kernels of the cob, and whirl it around a hot pan. Besides a little love from salt and pepper not much else is needed to make it perfect. If you are up for a little bit of butter you could add that but really fresh corn doesn't need it.

Watermelon Salad

I made this dish one day this summer and my husband has been hooked ever since. I have posted the recipe on Melissa Good Taste many times but it is basically watermelon, cilantro (can use mint or basil as well), jalapeno (totally optional if you don't like spice), feta cheese, just a kiss of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix it up and let rest in fridge as long as you like. Last night, I threw in bacon and served the salad on top of arugula and it was amazing!

On another note I was featured in the Cutting Horse Chatter - a beautiful ad showcasing my great horse, "Hallowed Be"... So cool and such a surprise!

Have a wonderful day!

Creamy Cilantro Chicken - Ojai, CA

We have been outside working a lot and the weather has been hot so when I get in the last thing I have the energy for is something fabulous in the kitchen. Salads are easy but not the kind of fulfillment I crave at the end of the day.  On that note, I dreamt up something easy, quick and simple on my way to the grocery store yesterday and surprised my husband with it last night. Read it, make it, love it!

CREAMY CILANTRO CHICKEN

Start off by chopping up a medium sized onion, yellow or white, whatever you have on hand. In a large sized pan get some butter hot and get them cooking over a low flame. We want them soft.

Once the onions have cooked down in size and have a little bit of color to them add a package of breast tenders. They are small in size and cook up fast! In the same pan as the onions place the chicken on top and brown them on both sides Salt and pepper them while they are here. Keep an eye on these as they will cook quickly because of their size.

Once the chicken in cooked through, add a half a jar of Herdez Salsa Verde. It has some kick so if spice isn't your thing maybe substitute for a similar salsa.

Add the entire tub of the 8 oz. portion size. I used Light Sour Cream because I think it tastes almost the same as the original stuff, an easy way to save some calories. Turn down the heat and make sure to mix the sour cream and salsa until it is a smooth creamy sauce.

Squeeze half a lemon into the sauce - mix.

Last but not least, my favorite part in throwing in some roughly chopped cilantro. It is so worth it and totally tasty. Give the sauce a final taste and add whatever you feel like it is missing or lacking.

 While you are cooking make sure you throw one of these bad boys in the microwave. I used one bag for two people so you may have to whip up more if you have more mouths to feed. I really enjoyed serving the chicken and sauce over the "Spanish Style"rice so I suggest you try it too.

This meal will be an easy go to recipe in my bag of tricks. I can promise you that! ENJOY!

Just a Sandwich... - Ojai, CA

I didn't feel like making anything for dinner. I didn't want to get pots and pans dirty, or deal with watching temperatures of things on the stove. I did notice we had bacon in the refrigerator so I asked my husband if he wanted: #1 Breakfast for Dinner or #2 BLT's.

 He went for option #2 so I turned on the oven for the bacon to get crispy. I toasted the bread, sliced the tomatoes and ripped up some lettuce. I added healthy slather of mayonnaise to the toast, a sprinkle of pepper and began to assemble. Sometimes there is nothing better than just a sandwich for dinner, we enjoyed the crunch from the toast, the crispy bacon and the last of the heirloom tomatoes from the Ojai Market. It sometimes just the simple things...

End of Summer Eats - Ojai, CA

Summer is coming to an end and that usually means our evenings BBQ's stop. I fired up the grill, dusted off the patio furniture and popped open a cold one.

Grilled chicken breasts, corn on the cob and a watermelon salad rounded out our plates. It was an outstanding meal, you know when everything tastes healthy and you just feel happy to be alive? I live for these warm Ojai evenings.

The Watermelon Salad is amazing. You should try it before it is Fall/Winter and we are all embracing pumpkins and squash!

Watermelon Salad: (Serves 2)

1/2 Mini Seedless Watermelon sliced into one inch cubes

1 handful chopped cilantro

1/2 jalapeno chopped

A handful of Crumbled Feta, maybe a little more (I eat it as I pour)

Olive Oil - Balsamic Vinegar drizzle

Salt - Pepper to taste

Mix it all up together and let it chill in the refrigerator. The long it sits the better it is, I promise.