What good is a bowl of tortilla chips without an authentic bowl of guacamole? Mexico is the top producing country for the delicious avocado fruit. Every year, on Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo, avocado sales increase in the United States. Avocados are as rich in nutrients as the richness of traditional Mexican interiors. Typical homes are brave and expressive in using deep colors in fabrics, tiles and paints. Colors are made through plants, bugs, and land. Today, the bold style of “MEXICO” inspired Vera’s authentic bowl of ‘Guacamole’ which she learned from the beautiful people of Mexico while she sailed along the coasts of Mexico for a year. Salute!

MEXCIAN Guacamole

Mince garlic, cube onions and tomatoes. Chop fresh cilantro. Set aside.

Cube avocados into a large bowl.

Combine all ingredients except, lime juice, into the avocado bowl. With two knives, cut/mix the ingredients together. Pat down with a big spoon. Drizzle lime juice. Cover with clear plastic.

Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with chips.

Ingredients

4 Avocados

2 Roma Tomatoes

3-4 Dashes Tabasco Sauce

1 Whole Minced Garlic

To Taste Kosher Salt & Crushed Pepper

1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro

Dash Cumin

1 half, minced White Onion — white not yellow so as to add that added ‘bite’. Yellow onions are milder.

1 half Lime juice, not Lemon

The color Red is seen everywhere from stop signs to a pair of shoes. Psychologically, red creates energy and symbolizes confidence. Learn tips on how red is used both commercially in businesses, and traditionally in homes. Today’s Study of the vibrant and sexy color “RED” inspired the delicious pot of ‘Stuffed Red Bell Peppers’

RED – STUFFED RED BELL PEPPERS – Yields 16 servings

Clean, cut in half, and de-seed the Red Bell Peppers. Set aside.

Clean and cut into slices, Tomatoes. Set aside.

Chop fresh Parsley. Set aside.

Heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together: Diced onion, Olive Oil, Rice, raw Ground Beef or Pork, Salt & Pepper to taste, 1 egg, flour, paprika.

On baking pan, drizzle Olive Oil preparing to receive the stuffed peppers.

Stuff each pepper half with the meat mixture.

Cover each stuffed pepper with a tomato slice.

Cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Sprinkle the fresh chopped parsley on each pepper. Serve.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Paprika

8 Red Bell Peppers

1 Onion

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Rice

1 lbs. Ground Beef and Pork

To Taste Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup Parsley, fresh

1 egg

5 tomatoes

1 Tablespoon flour

“Going Green”, “He was seeing Green”, “Green bud” – there are different meanings to this word. For interior design, studies show that the color green literally ‘calms and soothes’ the mind & body. It is the second most popular favorite color, after blue. In today’s episode, you’ll learn how green can make a dramatic statement in the right setting. The Study of the color “GREEN” inspired today’s quick & easy salad dressing that’ll compliment any leafy green salad. You just may stop using store-bought dressings.

GREEN – Green Salad Dressing

Mix all ingredients together.

Wisk to emulsify.

Drizzle onto salad, serve.

Ingredients

3 parts (.5 cup) Olive Oil

1 part (3 Tablespoons) Balsamic Vinegar

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Honey or favorite jam

To Taste Kosher Salt & Crushed Pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon lemon

Blue sky, blue pool water, blue margarita drinks…all of these share a common theme, color, calming beauty, and when mixed together, FUN! Blue is one of the most inviting and calming colors in the universe, and you will learn how and why this color works well as an accent color, or, a major theme in your home without over-whelming the design senses. Vera will help you show off your design smarts with a delicious Midnight Blue Margarita made from scratch. Cheers!

BLUE – MIDNIGHT BLUE MARGARITA

Create Syrup First:

Over medium-high to low heat, Boil together ingredients until blueberries break apart. Lower heat to thoroughly heat, do not burn. Take your time with this.

Chill glasses. When Syrup is cooled, pour .5 cup per glass.

Ingredients

Over ice, Shake together: Tequila Blanco, Blue Cuacao, Meyer Lemon Juice. Pour over blue syrup in glass. Garnish with fresh blueberries. Twist and light up a thin slice of lemon rind, toss into the drink. Salute!

Per Yields 8 if quantity increased
1.5 oz 12 oz. Tequila Blanco
.5 oz. 4 oz. Blue Cuacao
.75 oz. 6 oz. Blueberry syrup (see how below)
.5 oz. 4 oz. Meyer Lemon juice

SYRUP:

.5 cups 4 c water
.5 cups 4 c sugar
.5 cups 4 c blueberries

Is it pronounced ‘FO’ or ‘FA’, and why do they spell it ‘PHO’? You can get lost in the pronunciation of this delicious dish as easily as you can in a Vietnamese forest. But, once you taste the complex flavors in a bowl of Pho, you’ll appreciate the complexities that unfold in the architecture and colors of Vietnam. In today’s segment, you’ll be transformed by the brilliance and lusciousness of a unique Beverly Hills home, designed with its own floating Vietnamese Wedding Boat. When Vera Jaye was introduced to the culture, she immediately learned how to make the traditional dish of Pho, pronounced, ‘FA’.

VIETNAMESE – PHO – Yields 6-8 servings

In large soup pot, medium high heat, add and bring to boil: Beef stock, Fish sauce, Star Anise, Sliced Mushrooms.

Slice Beef Sirloin into thin slices. Set aside.

Slice Fresh Basil Leaves and Green Onions. Set aside.

Remove Cilantro leaves from stems. Set aside.

Rinse Bean Sprouts. Set aside.

Bring water to boil, enough to cover the Thai Rice Sticks. Pour the boiling water over the Rice Sticks. Soak per directions on package.

To Serve:

In individual bowls, equally divide the soaked Rice Sticks into the bowls.

Layer on top of Rice Sticks: Bean Sprouts, Green Onions, Raw Beef Sirloin strips.

Carefully ladle the hot stock with Star Anise and Mushrooms atop.

Sprinkle lime juice to taste.

Hot sauce optional.

Ingredients

10 cups – Beef Stock
2 Tablespoons – Fish Sauce
5 – Limes juice of
2 Star – Anise seeds
1 pkg – Thai Rice Sticks
1.5 cups – Bean Sprouts
6 – Green Onions
1/2 bunch – Cilantro
1 lbs. – Beef Sirloin for strips
1 cup – Fresh Basil Leaves
Handfull – Mushrooms

Victorian home architecture was as meticulous as a table setting for a Tea Party of the same era. Placement of a hanging picture, furnishings, or the shape of a bay window had reasoning and purpose not unlike what was served at a proper Tea Party. Enjoying a British Tea in the late afternoon was an important social event for the British elite that started in the mid-1800’s. Today, you’ll learn key elements to Victorian homes, and how to treat your guests at any time of the day with the right touch of napkin-folding to compliment that decadent scone and tea. Cheers!

When we think Art Deco, thoughts of the “The Great Gatsby”, Flappers, or many classic New York buildings come to mind. Art Deco style was everywhere, in fashion, architecture, movie sets, and what you drank at the Speakeasies, like Absinthe. Here is the ritual for preparing the special anise flavored spirit for your Art Deco décor and to impress your guests. Cheers!

ART DECO – Absinthe Per Serving

Pour 1 part Absinthe into a glass.

Place an Absinthe Spoon atop the glass.

Place a sugar cube on Absinthe Spoon.

Carefully and slowly pour 3 parts water on top of the sugar cube, dissolving the sugar water into the Absinthe.

Ingredients

A decanter of pure ice cold water

1 part Absinthe

3 parts Ice cold Water

1 Sugar cube per glass. Organic sugar cubes are often recommended as they are less compact and are more easily dissolved in water.

MOROCCAN – Roasted Chickpeas Appetizer

The fascinating colors and flavors of Morocco are as rich and complex as the country itself. The ‘Land of the Setting Sun’ saturates the senses with distinctive and inviting palettes of color, fabric textures and spices. Today’s episode of the exotic style of “MOROCCO” inspired Vera with the mouth-watering appetizer ’Moroccan Roasted Chickpeas’.

MOROCCAN – Roasted Chickpeas Appetizer

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix well all dry seasonings, set aside.

Drain chickpeas, pat dry with paper towels. Pour into a big bowl. Drizzle olive oil, then stove-top roast in a pan for 15 minutes, continually tossing not to burn. Use a splatter screen – some chickpeas will ‘pop’.

Pour chickpeas into a bowl, drizzle olive oil on them, then pour and mix the dry seasonings. Place onto the lined baking sheet.

Bake in over for 20-30 minutes.

Let cool, serve warm, or room temperature.

Ingredients

One 15.5-ounce can low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

RUSSIAN-Red Borscht inspired by Russian Byzantine style

Images of Russia can include cold winters, stiff Vodka and hardy soups. To complete the vision, we cannot ignore the ornate details of the Byzantine style reflecting the artistry of its stoic people. Tracked back to the Middle Ages, Byzantine architecture presents massive dome ceilings perched high above and adorned in elaborate images highlighted in gold. That round shape of the dome’s interior made good use of mosaic tiles, or was it the other way around? Her Ukrainian mother, a chef, and the Byzantine style of “RUSSIA” inspired Vera’s robust comfort food ‘Red Borscht’. Na zdrovie!

RUSSIAN – RED BORSCHT

Prepare Red Beets and Beef Shanks, first.

Beef Shanks:

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees. 1.) Pat dry, Cover Beef Shank with flour, add olive oil or butter and brown the beef shank on the stovetop 3-4 minutes per side, flip once, 6-8 minutes total. 2.) Oil any oven pan. 3.) Place layer of sliced white onions on bottom of the oven pan. 4.) Place beef shank on top of that. 5.) Add beef broth to just touch the bottom of the beef shank. 8.) Cover with oven proof lid, or, aluminum. 7.) Cook Slow-n-Low for 3 hours, until meat falls off the bone. 7.) Set a timer, and Check in on it and Marinate every hour. Add more beef broth if the pan dries out.

Red Beets:

In large pot, add enough water to cover the beets. Get it heating up. Meanwhile, wash the beets. Place into large pot of water. Bring to boil. On medium-medium high, Boil for 40-45 minutes. When done, save the water. Remove beets from pot onto a plate or bowl, cool. In the sink, easily peel off skin with kitchen gloves on, never ‘washing’ or ‘rinsing’ the beet itself with water. Coarsley cube the Beets. Place back into the water used for boiling. Add Beef Stock. Slowly, start to heat again.

Cut up all vegetables into bit sizes. Remove beef from bones, cut into bit sizes. Add all to beets. Boil for 20 minutes.

To Serve:

Ladle into deep bowls. Garnish with sour cream, fresh cut dill. Best eaten with dark bread, and shot of vodka on the side.

Ingredients

4 – Red Beets

1 – Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 – small Onion

2-3 – Stalks Celery

1 – Tablespoon Flour

1 can 16 oz. – Crushed tomatoes or chopped stewed tomatoes

6 cups – Beef Stock (advertise which is my favorite. Use low salt, can always add more if you want it.)

3 – carrots

3 Equivalency of Potatoes – I prefer the small ones that have buttery taste over Idaho, for instance.

1 – Small Head cabbage

1 to 2 – Cooked Beef Shank, cut into pieces (will hv to explain how to do this)
To Taste Salt & Pepper

Garnish – Fresh Dill

Dallop – Sour Cream (low fat) Don’t skimp here to use Yogurt as substitute, just doesn’t do it in the end taste.

Spaghetti and Meatballs inspired by the Old World Italian Villa

The Italian old-world charm buildings, and, stunning modern interior styles are as inviting as Italian foods. In either setting, you can imagine the gathering of families, and sense the delicate flavors of meals that were cooked for hours. From traditions to traditional foods, Vera is inspired by Italian architecture, interior designs, and foods with today’s version of her ‘Spaghetti and Meatballs’. Buon Appetito!

ITALIAN – SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS — Yields 4-6 Servings

Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Beat the egg. Mix it with all ingredients together. Wet hands, roll meatballs the size of a small lime, just larger than a golf ball. Place on a baking dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Sauce:

In a deep skillet or sauce pan, over medium heat, cook the garlic, onion, and crushed red pepper flakes for 5-7 minutes. Add all ingredients to this pan, Beef Stock last. Bring to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Turning meatballs occasionally.

Pasta:

Cook pasta, per package directions, drain and place, Family Style, on a large serving plate.

Carefully, pour heated sauce with meatballs on top of the pasta.

Drizzle Olive Oil on top.

Serve with side of Grated cheese and crusty bread.

A good glass of red wine accentuates the flavors!

Ingredients

1 lbs. – Spaghetti — get fresh from DeRomo’s. Add that as a Factoid.

Misc. – Salt, for pasta water

Meatballs:

1-1/4 lbs. – Ground sirloin

2 teaspoons – Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it

1 – Egg, beaten

1/2 cup – Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls

1/4 cup – Grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese

2 cloves – Garlic, chopped

To Taste – Salt and pepper

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons – Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1/2 teaspoon – Crushed red pepper flakes

4 cloves – Garlic, crushed or chopped

1 small – Onion, finely chopped

1 cup – Beef stock

1 can (28 oz) – Crushed tomatoes

Handful – Chopped flat-leaf parsley

10 – Leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced

For passing at table Grated cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano

For passing at table Crusty bread or garlic bread