Author: Lori Lynn

Wild Salmon, Cannellini Bean Basil Broth


Heart Healthy Wild Salmon, Cannellini Bean Basil Broth

I having been preparing and photographing some heart healthy dishes. This one is a flavorful low-fat/low-sodium chicken broth with cannellini beans, minced garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil, with rough chopped fresh basil. This earthy soup is topped with crispy-skin fresh wild salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Health Benefits of Cannellini Beans

These beans are low-fat, high in fiber and provide a high quality of magnesium, fiber, iron and folate. They help cut cholesterol. The beans fiber binds to fat to help flush it from the body. It’s also loaded with folate which helps lower levels of homocysteine, which clogs arteries. From Today’s Women & Health.



I am submitting this photo to the CLICK theme-based monthly food photography event for this month, which features any and all kinds of beans ‘n lentils.


Artichoke & Cambozola Quiche

If Camembert and Gorgonzola are among your faves you will love this Cheese Marriage Made in Heaven.

Cambozola is a German triple cream cow’s milk cheese reminiscent of French Camembert inoculated with the same blue mold used to make Italian Gorgonzola.

For the Quiche: The pie crust is pressed into the Le Creuset pan. Most of the rind is removed from the cheese and it is roughly sliced.

Frozen artichoke hearts are cooked, drained, cooled, and seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Place artichokes atop the cheese. Add the custard. Go here for my basic quiche custard recipe. Bake at 350 for about an hour maybe 1 and 1/4 hour.

The cheese melts thoughout the quiche, so the flavor is in every bite just like the Brie, Toasted Almond & Herb Quiche.

Didn’t get enough of that delicious Cambozola? Try a green salad, tossed with walnuts, baby heirloom tomatoes, and roasted walnut vinaigrette with warm Cambozola on toasted multi-grain baguette.

Afternoon Tea

I attended an absolutely lovely event co-hosted by the 7th Grade Girls and Mothers to honor the graduating 8th Grade Girls at Rolling Hills Country Day School in Palos Verdes, California.

This annual event, which has been taking place for decades, is held at the home of one of our families at Country Day School. This time it was at a beautiful home on the bluff overlooking the Pacific.

The 7th grade girls passed tea sandwiches, little cakes and tarts, and served tea and punch to all the attendees.

In addition, the 7th Grade Girls performed a delightful song for the 8th Graders by Rascal Flatts called “My Wish.”
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,

Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,

You never need to carry more than you can hold,

And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,

I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,

Yeah, this, is my wish.

The girls were darling, as always, and as the 7th grade girls did the serving, the 8th grade girls performed the role of gracious hostesses practicing their conversation skills with the adults. As you can imagine, I also have some adorable photos of the girls which I look forward to sharing with their parents.

Mini Scones were served with Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd.

Early on, it was a little overcast with the temperature in the mid 60’s. The sun came out towards the end of the event. The view was breathtaking.

I am sending this photograph “Centerpiece Overlooking the Pacific at Afternoon Tea” to Sandi at Whistlestop Cafe Cooking for her Centerpiece of the Month (COTM) event, an event which I have been meaning to participate in for forever.
And apropos of my Afternoon Tea post, today is the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day. Originally Mother’s Day was marked by the wearing of a single white carnation. Mom may get a big bouquet now, but the sentiment remains the same.
Happy Mother’s Day!
P.S. I love you, Ma.
May 14: Carol at Paris Breakfasts has linked Afternoon Tea in her “Tiny Teapots” post. If you haven’t already, please visit Carol and check out her fabulous watercolor paintings (of which I have 5 hanging in my home).

Fried Oyster Taco, Ají Amarillo Crema

Panko crusted Hama Hama Oysters from the Hood Canal in Washington State, quickly fried in canola oil served on a handmade corn tortilla with napa cabbage, sliced serrano chile, cilantro, ají amarillo crema, and a squeeze of lime.

One of life’s small pleasures is a fresh homemade tortilla. Buy tortilla masa from the refrigerated section. Knead the masa until it is soft and pliable, then form a ball. Place the masa ball between plastic wrap on the tortilla press, then firmly close the press. Lay dough on a hot heavy skillet for about 30 seconds per side.

For a change from the now ubiquitous chipotle cream sauce try making a sauce with chiles from Peru. Ají amarillo is one of my favorites, it is a lovely yellow color, quite hot but with a slightly fruity extraordinary flavor. You can buy ají amarillo paste in a jar (middle right). Mix the paste with Crema Mexicana or sour cream. I find it in the Peruvian section at my local supermercado.

¡Feliz  Cinco De Mayo!

Sea Cucumber & Sea Urchin

Sea Cucumber
Sea Urchin

I am the proud recipient of some fresh echinoderms from a surfer/diver friend of mine. They come from around the islands off the coast of Southern California. They make wonderful photography subjects, don’t you think?
I adore uni, so I am tempted to eat the sea urchin roe with a squeeze of lemon juice, maybe with sushi rice and nori, just like at the sushi bar.
But this euphemistically named sea cucumber is a whole ‘nother animal. It is kinda scary, even for me, and I am anything but squeamish with food. After looking at recipes on the internet in brown sauce and braised with mushrooms, I think the unfortunate fate of this creature will be the same as Psychgrad’s lemon cake.
And as if to add insult to injury I found this on line: Sea cucumbers are sausage shaped, and their skin is covered with warty bumps. When threatened, cucumbers can contract their muscles and shoot out water from their body making them thicker and harder. For this, they are considered an aphrodisiac. Yikes.