Hey everyone! I’m back from my vacation in California! I was there for one jam-packed fun-filled week that was perfect for a foodie, and I’d love to share some of my experiences and creations with you!

First on the list is a California must-have for all people. No excuses. It’s In-N-Out burger. Simple little burger joint? Anything but! Literally everyone I know who has visited California or lives in California loves In-N-Out. Maybe it’s the burgers, maybe it’s the animal-style fries, maybe it’s the shakes. Whatever it is, they’re doing it right. Their burgers are juicy, the buns are toasted, the toppings are fresh, the fries are crispy and perfectly salted, and the shakes are thick and creamy. PLUS they can wrap your burger in lettuce instead of a bun if you want. This place rocks!

Then, we went to a little restaurant called Mama Cozza’s. Let’s just say Guy Fieri from the Food Network visited twice for his show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and loved it both times. Yeah, it’s that good. And I got to meet the original owner! To start you off, they give you little crunchy breadsticks and a veggie platter, and then they bring out your (probably huge) meal. Mine came with soup and a salad, just in case I was feeling peckish after my whole meal and a side of pasta. Then, they finish you off with a shot of anisette, which is a licorice flavored liqueur.

Story time: I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy food, and Guy Fieri is not. And when I saw the menu items he had recommended, I forgot that they’d probably be spicy. So of course I ordered the spiciest thing on the menu- sausage, potatoes, and chicken in a jalapeño sausage gravy. Delicious, but I could only take about 4 bites. And then when I tried to eat the leftovers, the spice had, let’s say, matured. My lips were on FIRE! However, it was worth it. The food is absolutely delicious, and their bread is to die for! Below are pictures of Guy Fieri’s visit, the bread, my dish, and the original owner and his wife with their newborn son (the current owner).

Now came my time in the kitchen. My aunt, who I was with, is a great cook and loves trying new recipes. This one was a pork chop with a blueberry-peach salsa. For sides, we made wild rice pilaf, grilled pineapple, and roasted asparagus. YUM!

If I remember correctly, the salsa had blueberries, peaches, lime juice, basil, shallots, scallions, and olive oil. It was delicious just by itself! But then put over the tender pork chops, it was incredible.

Our next dish was grilled rib-eye steak with Montreal seasoning, garlic Parmesan bread, and steamed broccoli. The bread was my personal creation, so I’ll share the recipe with you!

Ingredients:

• Sourdough wheat bread, sliced (Or just plain sourdough bread)
• 1 stick softened butter or margarine
• 3 cloves fresh minced garlic
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• 4 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (my aunt had this in her garden, so I used it, but it’s not entirely necessary if you don’t have it)

Mix the butter, garlic, Parmesan, and parsley together in a small mixing bowl. Spread the butter mixture in a thin layer on both sides of every slice of bread. Then, right before dinner, set your oven to broil and put the slices of bread on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet right under the broiler, and just let the bread toast until it’s golden brown and crunchy.

This bread has a terrific savory flavor, and goes great with any dinner. We had it with our lasagna the next night, and it was just as good as with the steak!

The final stop was at Catalina Island, where I got a good old fashioned corn dog. While this isn’t anything of culinary genius, I just love a good corn dog!

Our food along this trip obviously wasn’t the main part of our vacation (although it was a fantastic part!). What really mattered was that we all were together and enjoyed each other’s company, and got to do a ton of fun things together! I hope you all get to have as much fun with your families as I did with mine.