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Sirens & Scoundrels March Field Trip ~ The Broad

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Remember that thrill of getting to cut class, load up on a bus with your pals and head out for a day of adventuring—all in the name of furthering your education? Do you ever miss the joys of a good old-fashioned field trip? If so, you’re in luck! Because we’re extremely excited to announce our very first official Sirens & Scoundrels Field Trip!

You’re invited to come join us on a group adventure Downtown to visit The Broad museum on Tuesday, March 8th, 2016. Tickets are totally FREE and can be reserved by emailing us at: sirensandscoundrels@gmail.com. Just let us know that you wanna join our field trip!

We’ll check out some art, get in some culture and then head on over to Grand Central Market for the deliciousness of your choosing. We’d love to have you join our art gang! Come cut class with your resident Ferris Buellers—we promise you won’t regret it. After all…life moves pretty fast—if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

The Broad Field Trip. Tuesday, March 8, 2016. RSVP at: sirensandscoundrels@gmail.com.

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Oat Cookies

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I have been asked for this recipe more than any other thing I’ve ever baked. So… I will share it with you now so you can hoard a batch for yourself as an act of self-love or wow a loved one with this bite-sized breakfast-in-bed to accompany a morning coffee. Words that describe my Oat Cookies: Quick, Easy, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Delicious, Addictive, Crowd-Pleaser, Snack, Dessert, Breakfast…Need I say more?

Makes 12 Cookies

Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Cookies

 

PREP: 10 minutes

COOK: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup chopped skinned apples (*you can also substitute chopped dried or fresh fruit like berries, dates, raisins, apricots, etc.)
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups quick oats (*you can use quick oats or regular oats; the regular GF oats give the cookies a crisper texture)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted roasted chopped almonds (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cookie sheet. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the oil, salt and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Set aside a few minutes for the oats to absorb the moisture. Meanwhile, you can skin, core and chop the apples into small chunks. Coarse chop the almonds. Add these remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix in.

vegan oat cookie-1

TIP: This is where you get to experiment with any flavor combo your heart desires! I love the taste of baked apples but you can substitute any fruit you wish – fresh or dried. I’ve baked this recipe countless times with whatever fruit was in season and it has always been a winner. Try a blueberry-almond version, a date & walnut cookie or a dried apricot & pistachio combo. You can substitute any nut preference you have as well, or make it a more decadent dessert cookie by adding chocolate chips & hazelnuts.

TIP: If you try a strawberry substitution (which I highly recommend if they are in season & organic), cut off the top green stem and dice the strawberry into cubes. To add more strawberry flavor to the oat cookie, lightly smash the strawberries with the bottom of a glass to muddle the juice out of the berry.  This will help to enhance the berry flavor of the cookie as it bakes.

Using a spoon, roll 2-3 heaping tablespoons of mixture into a ball of “dough” and place onto the cookie sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes or until nicely browned.

BON APPÉTIT!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

The Old Place ~ Cornell, CA

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Here at Sirens & Scoundrels, we’re dedicated to bringing you only the best of the off-the-beaten path adventures that LA has to offer. We love to bring you secret hidden places that you never knew existed that are just waiting to be discovered sitting in your own back yard. Well today, you’ve hit the Motherload. Because we’re sharing our most secret, most hidden, most favorite place in all of Los Angeles.

Universally, when people step foot in the Old Place, they want to know “HOW ON EARTH HAVE I NEVER KNOWN ABOUT THIS PLACE BEFORE??!” That was a lot of caps, but it’s true. But don’t beat yourself up for not knowing about it. See, that’s the thing with a secret—it’s a secret, until you get let in on it. It has to be shared.

Just a little ways up Kanan in the mountains of Agoura Hills, the Old Place is an old general store and post office turned steak and clam house that’s been a staple in these parts for 46 years. Run by the Runyon Family (yes, the very same as every-actress’-favorite-hiking-trail fame), the Old Place is a tiny gem that feels like you’ve stepped back in time a century or so. With it’s Wild West wood saloon exterior and tiny low-ceilinged interior that boasts just 5 booths, 3 tables and one long bar, you definitely feel a bit like Billy the Kid on a hot date stepping through the doors.

The restaurant is only open for dinner Thurs-Sun and additionally for breakfast and lunch Sat-Sun. Because the place is so small, dinner seatings happen in waves: 5pm, 6:30pm and 8:30pm and reservations are only taken for groups of 4 or more. Otherwise, you can put your name in at the door for a spot at the bar whenever one opens up. The Mail Room in the back (the original post office, hence the name) is available for reservations of 9-12 people.

The space is too tiny to stand around in, so you are invited to wait next door at the delightful Cornell Winery. Here, you can do a wine tasting (4 wines for $10), order artisan chocolates and shop for trinkets and treasures. It’s the perfect place to sit with a date and make it seem like you really planned to be this romantic, not just out of necessity. It’s also a great spot to chat with some locals and make new friends. We met some local musicians here who, turns out, were the wandering troubadours next door and they promised to swing by the Mail Room to play us a few special tunes during our meal.

Though we have come for dinner many times and enjoyed the sumptuous steaks that are grilled over local red oak, this time we decided to bring a group to try out their legendary brunch. And we really have to say…we might prefer the brunch. Don’t get us wrong, the dinner here is absolutely to die for. These folks know how to do meat right. It’s just, the brunch gives you so many amazing options that it’s hard to not just order the entire menu. And at a fraction of the price of dinner, you can afford to do just that.

We started off with an order of homemade cinnamon rolls that arrived in a cast iron skillet topped with clouds of creamy deliciousness that had our guests moaning ecstatically while Manmosas made the rounds (mimosas served up in 16 oz. beer glasses). Every frittata under the sun was ordered, showing up in personal skillets on beds of crispy potato crust, alongside plates of steak and eggs that made us cry with joy. The good thing about making friends with insiders is you can get the inside scoop. We were advised to: ORDER THE BACON. We did. We will now advise you to: ORDER THE BACON. The big, thick, juicy hand cut applewood bacon is the stuff bacon dreams are made of. The musicians we met next door, The Deltaz, let us in on a little secret off-the-menu item too…the Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon. EAT THIS. Order one for your table and split it. You won’t be sorry.

Speaking of The Deltaz, as we ate our insanely soul-satisfying meal, the brothers strolled in and played us a few throwback tunes—happy to take requests or just play some vintage favorites from the likes of Cash, Dylan, or Stevens, as well as some very good originals that got all of our toes tapping. Such a fun touch to create a truly festive atmosphere.

And as if this place could not get any better…it does. An added perk of coming to the Old Place during the day is that you can see the peacocks that live and stroll here, showing off all of their majestic aquamarine glory as they traipse by you chasing the sunlight. If you had already been pinching yourself thinking you must have stumbled into some old-timey dream, this confirms it: you have. Lucky for you, this is a dream you can revisit as often as you like.

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more Local Adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Visit the Old Place website for menu, directions & hours: http://www.oldplacecornell.com.

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

 

Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake (Gluten Free)

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I am being inspired by those romantic French.  My most memorable food memory is of this euphoric Poached Pear with Chocolate Sauce dessert that I devoured in Antibes, France that literally changed my life.  There’s something about chocolate that is so decadent and no one does it better than the French. From Chocolate Soufflés to Molten Lava Cakes, French cuisine & pastry is synonymous with romantic desserts that will ignite your desire.  Being gluten-free, I have always wanted to experiment with creating a dessert that has the creaminess of a Chocolate Lava Cake but without the use of flour. Thus the Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake was born.

We at Sirens and Scoundrels are always initiating fun gathering ideas and food shares. What could be more fun while celebrating this Month of LOVE than gathering your loved ones or Valentine’s date & having a decadent Chocolate Party? It’s a taste experience that will have your loved ones over the moon.

Because you’ll be baking individual Chocolate Lava Cakes, you and your guests have the freedom to flavor them to your preference and decorate them as a fun sexy activity. Set the mood with some French tunes and serve them some Champagne or Rosé as you create your works of art. The best part of this lavish Chocolate Party is that you get to devour your creations. I did the dirty work and taste tested all of these flavors for your safety and can honestly say that each one is more sumptuous than the next. I’ve chosen my favorite chocolate accompaniments, but the great thing about this recipe is that you can have fun experimenting with any flavors that are YOUR heart’s desire.

Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake: INGREDIENTS

There are 2 parts to this recipe:

Chocolate Ganache Filling & Flourless Chocolate Cake Batter

Total Time: Prep & Bake: 65 min.

Serves 6  

Chocolate Ganache Filling

Prep: 10- 15 min.

Cook: 5 min.

1/2 c. Heavy Whipping Cream

1 c. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cocoa ***not unsweetened)

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

pinch of Salt

Possible Flavors

*Raspberries

*Almond Butter/Slivered Almonds

*Peppermint Oil or Extract/Mint Leaves

*Orange Zest/ Orange Wheel

*Unsweetened Coconut Shreds

*Mexican Chocolate: Ground Cinnamon/Cayenne Pepper/Cocoa Powder

*Caramel (Soft Caramel Chews)/ Sea Salt

*S’mores: Marshmallow/Graham Cracker Crumbs

Flourless Chocolate Cake Batter

Prep: 15 to 20 min.

Bake: 25 min.

1 c. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cocoa ***not unsweetened)

8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter + extra for greasing ramekins

1/2 c. Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Eggs

1/2 c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Preheat oven 375 degrees.  Start by making the ganache filling. In the top half of a double boiler combine the heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Melt, stirring continuously. Add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

TIP: If you do not have a double boiler you can set two pots on top of each other to heat the chocolate over the stovetop. Put a cup of warm water into the bottom pot. Place your smaller pot on top. Over medium heat boil the water, which will make the chocolate melt without burning. You can use a microwave to melt the chocolate in a microwave safe dish as another option.

Now comes the fun part. I use a mini muffin tray, but if you do not have one, you can use an ice-cube tray. Before you start, it is important to keep track of which flavors are where. Place the flavors you want in each individual portion of the tin. For example: for the mint ganache, I used 4 drops of peppermint oil and a few pieces of minced mint leaf. For the orange flavor, I used a little orange rind zest and a few drops of orange juice. For the raspberry ganache, I mashed a few fresh raspberries. For the almond butter filling, I filled the cup 1/3 deep. You need to leave room for the ganache.

Use a spoon to portion the ganache into each cup. Use a chopstick or spoon to mix the flavors you have portioned into the single serving of ganache.

TIP: This is VERY IMPORTANT. As I spoon the ganache into a hole, I immediately top it with something to associate it with the flavor so that I can keep track. Also, make sure to wipe off the stirring stick after each use to not cross-contaminate the flavors.

Place the tin in the freezer to let it cool and harden.  While the ganache chills, it’s time to make the cake batter.

In a double-boiler, melt the butter and chocolate over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir continuously. When all of the chocolate and butter are melted together, pour into a bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes. Use this time to lightly grease 6 ramekins with butter. Set aside.

In the mixing bowl, add the salt, vanilla and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add 3 eggs and whisk in. Finally, add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Portion out the batter among the 6 ramekins. Each ramekin should be about 2/3 full of batter.

Place the ramekins on a glass baking pan or cooking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, take the ramekins out of the oven and take the ganache filling out of the freezer. Using a spoon, spoon out each individual portion of the ganache filling. It should be semi-hardened into a solid piece. Push the single serving of filling into the middle of a single cake. Use a spoon to make sure it is completely immersed and covered with batter.

TIP: Again, it’s important to set a signpost for yourself of which flavors are which.  For example, I place a single almond sliver on top of the cake to know that it is the one that contains the almond butter filling.

Bake an additional 15 minutes. Take cakes out of the oven and set aside to cool.

Now is when the fun begins. Set your table with all of the ingredients everyone will need  to make mini edible masterpieces. Entice your guests with some champagne to accompany your Chocolate Art Gathering and have fun!

If you choose to try the orange flavored ganache, I cut an orange wheel, sprinkled it with sugar and broiled it for a few minutes as a beautiful topper.

Have fun with it. For the Mexican Chocolate flavor, I cut out a heart stencil from a piece of paper. I iced the top of the cake with leftover plain ganache and dusted the stencil with a cocoa powder/cinnamon mixture.

Not only can your loved ones be proud of their mini work of art but they will be elated to taste test all of the versions of this dark chocolate decadence.

French culture  is synonymous with romance because they use their food to seduce the senses. They take their time over food to be present, engage and share. There are so many opportunities to create intimate quality time with yourself and your loved ones.  Nothing makes you more present than savoring food and flavors with great conversation. That is our hope for you this month.

As a recap, here are some possible flavor options!

Almond, Coconut, Mexican Chocolate, S’mores, Raspberry, Mint, Orange, Espresso/Coffee, Sea Salt Caramel, Vanilla, Lavender, Plain Dark Chocolate, Nutella/Hazelnut, Cognac, Cherry, Strawberry, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Banana, Rocky Road…and the list goes on!

Which will be your favorite? Will it be the creamy gooey caramel with sea salt or the tart punch of raspberry ganache? The Creamy Mint Cake that tastes like a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie? Let us know! MMMMMMmmmmmm……

BON APPÉTIT & Happy Valentine’s Day to you and all your loved ones from ~Sirens and Scoundrels!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Sarah Prikryl // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” (vegan & gluten free)

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I like to celebrate February as the Month of Love: love for a partner, love for your family & friends, and most importantly, love for yourself. So for each week in February, I am going to share one of my recipes featuring a culture that shares my food philosophy: FOOD IS LOVE.

Sharing Italian food is synonymous with romance–there’s something about Italian that makes you feel decadent and cared for. One delicious bite can make you feel like you’ve received a warm, passionate hug. Being present together over a shared meal “made with love” is what I want to entice you to do this month.

My spaghetti squash “pasta” will impress anyone lucky enough to be your heart’s desire. This Italian feast-in-a-pot is the perfect centerpiece for your next gathering, be it a romantic date with a bottle of wine or a celebration with friends. Not only is it gluten-free and vegan, but it’s simple to make and extremely satisfying.

Spaghetti Squash gets its name from its noodle-like texture when cooked. It is the perfect hearty base for a pasta-alternative meal. When the liquid is cooked out of the squash, it soaks up any flavors that you infuse it with, making the richness of the dish truly satiating while still feeling light and healthy.

Serves 6

Spaghetti Squash “Pasta”

1 – large Spaghetti Squash (football sized) or 2 smaller Spaghetti Squash

2 – Zucchini

2 – small Japanese Eggplant (optional)

1 – 8 oz. carton of Mushrooms

1 – medium-sized Red Onion

5 – cloves of Garlic

1/2  cup – chopped Organic Basil

1 – 28 oz. can of San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes

1 – 15 oz. can of Artichoke Hearts

1 – 8 oz. carton of small Organic Tomatoes

1 – tsp Dried Oregano

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan  (to taste, optional)

1 –  ball of Burrata (1 serving = 1 oz.) (to taste, optional)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. With a fork, poke holes all over the exterior of the spaghetti squash. With a large knife, cut the squash open length-wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and rub over the outside and inside of the halves.  On a baking sheet, place the squash halves open-side down (skin-side up). Bake for 35-40 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. The squash is “done” when it “shreds” easily with a fork and the consistency of the “noodle” is not crunchy. The “noodle” should have a limp “pasta noodle”-like consistency.

While your squash is in the oven, heat a pot on the stovetop with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Dice the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic. Throw the onion and garlic into the pot and allow to caramelize, stirring occasionally. (The onion will become translucent. As onions cook, they release “sugars” that will start to brown the edges.)

Cut the small tomatoes in half and add to the pot. Allow the tomatoes to cook down to a paste consistency. Open the can of San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes and add to the pot. With a spoon, “break” the peeled tomatoes down. They should fall apart pretty easily to a chunky sauce consistency. Simmer over medium to low heat, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tsp dried oregano. Add salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste. The longer this marinara sauce simmers, the more excess liquid evaporates and the richer the sauce will taste. I like to simmer the sauce for as long as possible until the marinara is a very chunky consistency, at least 20-30 minutes.

***I have made this recipe many times without eggplant, but if it is in season I enjoy adding additional vegetables for more texture. If you choose to use eggplant in this recipe, slice the eggplant into thin medallions and then half them. On a cutting board, sprinkle the eggplant pieces with salt and allow to sit. The salt draws the moisture out of the eggplant. (This is an important step; the vegetables “sweat” when cooked and the additional liquid that comes out of the eggplant will dilute the flavors of  the sauce.) After 5-10 minutes, you will see beads of moisture that you can dab off with a paper towel.

**Also note: the longer you let them “sweat”, the better the eggplant is texture-wise. The more moisture that is pulled out before cooking, the less “slimy” the eggplant will be once cooked.

While your squash is roasting, your marinara sauce is simmering and your eggplant is “sweating”, heat a skillet on the stovetop. Chop the mushrooms into pieces.

Once the skillet is hot, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and the chopped mushrooms. Cook them down until they brown on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside. Open the can of artichoke hearts, drain the liquid and chop the artichoke hearts into chunks. Set aside.

Your skillet should still be warm from cooking the mushrooms, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Once the eggplant has “beaded” moisture and has had any excess liquid dabbed from its surface, add the eggplant and cook on medium heat until the eggplant is browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

De-stem and chop the basil leaves. Now that the marinara sauce has cooked down, add 1/3 cup of basil to the sauce. Drizzle the sauce with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the artichoke hearts, cooked mushroom and eggplant to the sauce. Simmer on the stove top over low heat, stirring occasionally.

By this time, your spaghetti squash should be done in the oven and have been set aside. With a fork, “shred” the noodles from the body of the squash, down to the skin.  The squash may still be hot, so be careful to use a hot pad to hold the squash. (The great thing about this meal is that you could pre-cook the squash at a different time if you needed, chill it and use it whenever it is convenient to you.)

Place the “noodles” in a colander/strainer over the sink or over a bowl. Using a smaller bowl, press against the squash in the colander to push as much moisture out as possible. You will be shocked at the amount of moisture that drains out. (If the “noodles” are room temp, you can use your hands to make balls of the squash and wring them out in a cheese cloth or linen napkin.) Again, the less moisture remaining in the “noodles”, the more flavor the finished dish will have.

With a  peeler,  peel strips of zucchini length-wise, rotating around the core until you are down to the “core” housing the seeds. Discard the middle seeded area (this core is bitter). In the heated skillet, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and the zucchini “fettuccine”. Very quickly you will see the zucchini ribbons “curl up”.  Cook them until “al dente”. Do not overcook. Dab the zucchini “fettucine” with some napkins to soak up any excess moisture. Add the zucchini noodles and the squash noodles to the sauce. Stir.

Taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper, red pepper flakes or olive oil to taste. Spoon out a single serving and top with the some chopped basil and cracked pepper.  This version is completely vegan and gluten-free.

BUT, for those who love cheese as much as I do, add a sprinkle of shredded parmesan to make your heart pitter-patter. With a spoonful of fresh creamy buratta on top, you’ll have your loved ones recreating the “When Harry Met Sally” restaurant scene. Add a bottle of wine, some gluten-free toasted garlic bread and some dark chocolate for dessert and you’ll “WOW” anyone who’s been invited to your lucky dinner table.

BON APPETIT & Happy Valentine’s to all you lovers from Sirens & Scoundrels!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Sarah Prikryl // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Wolf Connection ~ Acton, CA

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Does the Month of Love have you feeling the call of the wild? Looking for that perfect hot date to get your blood pumping and make your temperature rise? Wanna let your inner beast out to play? Well, we’ve got just what you need to satisfy your cravings. If you’re ready to TRULY take a walk on the wild side, then grab the one you love (or the one you’d like to love) and head over to the Wolf Connection for their once-a-month Hike With the Pack.

Located in Acton just 45 minutes north of LA, the Wolf Connection rescues and rehabilitates wolves and wolf dogs from across the country. The sanctuary is home to about 30 wolves, most of which are neglected and abused domestic rescues from owners who didn’t get that wolves and dogs are not the same thing. But luckily, the incredible staff here at the Wolf Connection is dedicated to making sure that their adoptees get a second chance at life, nursing them back to health and heartiness with loving care and a keen understanding of what it means to be a wolf.

The Wolf Connection’s main focus (aside from saving wolves) is their youth empowerment program. They bring kids from our foster care system together with the wolves—a mutually beneficial relationship, as both learn to love and trust again while discovering where they belong. To learn more about the community outreach programs, origins and daily runnings of the center, you can read our profile on the Wolf Connection in Destinations Magazine: https://sirensandscoundrels.com/where-the-wild-things-are/.

Once you’ve met the wolves and gotten the lay of the land, your hike begins. The wolves that are trained for human interaction lead the way, overseen by their respective handlers, as the whole group heads out into the sprawling mountain landscape outside. Lush green hills, sloping trails and gorgeous rolling peaks surround you as you meander your way with the pack. The hike is beautiful and runs about an hour, but is very easy and enjoyable for all level hikers.

At various points throughout the hike, the handlers stop to provide opportunities for you to bond with the wolves and take photos. The most important thing to remember is that wolves are not dogs. They are incredibly sensitive and shy creatures that are not naturally accustomed to receiving head and belly rubs like our canine housemates are. With wolves, you must be quiet, calm and patient. If you wish to pet a wolf, you must stand back and give them their space, drop down low on your knee with your gaze softly downward and wait with your palms up. If they feel your energy settle in and it is appealing to them, they will approach and let you touch them gently. Always be soft and calm, allowing them to lead the interaction. When they are done, they will let you know.

After the hike, you head back to the compound for a big potluck where you can meet and greet with your fellow hikers and hear a bit more about the work of the sanctuary. They have a very cool sponsor-a-wolf program where you can become an angel to your favorite wolf and contribute to their continued care.

The next monthly hike is Saturday, February 13, 2016. Advance tickets are required and cost $55 for adults and $45 for children under 18, all of which goes towards keeping the sanctuary running. You can sign up on their events page here:

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ec4829kve7baf73a&llr=pdwrayeab

And stay tuned, because in April we will be holding an official Sirens & Scoundrels Field Trip to the Wolf Connection for their spring hike with the wolves. If you are interested in joining us, send us an e-mail at: sirensandscoundrels@gmail.com and we’ll put you on the invite list!

Get in touch with your wild side this Valentine’s Day Weekend! Find your wolf pack and unleash your inner beast…it’s so much sweeter than you know!

Full information on the Wolf Connection, their programs and wolf interaction opportunities can be found on their site: https://wolfconnection.org.

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Vegan Comfort Food ~ Lentil & Sweet Potato Salad

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So, this dish is pretty legendary amongst our friends. It seems inconspicuous enough at first glance—lentils in a bowl. Big whoop. Until you bite into it. Then universally everyone asks, “Wait, WHAT’S IN THIS?!” Quickly followed by, “Can you give me the recipe?” after going back for thirds. This is quite possibly one of the simplest meals you will ever make, but it is just undeniably delicious. It’s healthy vegan comfort food that settles deep down into your bones and feels like a big warm food hug. The secret is the richness of the roasted sweet potatoes combined with the unexpected creamy tanginess of the lentils cooked in olive oil and apple cider vinegar. I know people who have literally lived off this dish after being introduced to it. And it’s so easy ANYONE can make it. You ready? Here goes…

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS~

  • 2-3 medium-large sweet potatoes
  • 3 cups soaked or pre-cooked lentils (I use 1 bag of Trader Joes pre-cooked lentils)
  • 1 bag of arugula (optional)
  • olive oil
  • unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • everyday seasoning spice blend (I use Trader Joes Everyday Seasoning)
  • salt & pepper to taste

ASSEMBLY~

Preheat oven to 350°. Wash & peel sweet potatoes, then cut into 1” chunks. Toss sweet potato chunks in olive oil and spread onto baking sheet. Place on middle oven rack and cook for 20-30 minutes (until slightly soft), tossing halfway though. Remove sweet potato chunks from oven and set aside.

In a large pan, heat 4 Tbsp olive oil. Toss in lentils and warm through on medium heat. Add sweet potato chunks. Pour 4 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar over the top and combine mixture while continuing to heat through. Top with everyday seasoning blend, salt & pepper to taste. Add additional olive oil or apple cider vinegar to taste.

I traditionally serve this on its own as a hot meal or hot side dish in the winter, but it can also be made as a spring salad. For a salad, let lentils cool, then place them on a bed of arugula. Dress with olive oil, everyday seasoning blend, salt & pepper and you are ready to go!

HAPPY HEALTHY COMFORT FOODING!~ Sirens & Scoundrels

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Museum Free-For-All

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If one of your resolutions was to get up close and personal with more art this year, congratulations! Your hour has come! This Saturday, January 30th, you and your friends can get into over 30 museums in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas totally free as part of the 11th Annual Museums Free-For-All.

It’s the perfect opportunity to check out that museum you’ve always been curious about but never tried or visit an old favorite and explore their collections. General admission is free, but special exhibition tickets are not included and parking fees are still required where applicable.

Here is the official list of participating museums from So Cal Museums:

  • Annenberg Space for Photography
  • Armory Space for Photography
  • Autry Museum of the American West (Includes free admission to the Autry in Griffith Park & Autry’s historic Southwest Museum Mt. Washington campus)
  • The Broad
  • California African American Museum
  • California Science Center (Does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions or IMAX films. Timed reservations are required for space shuttle Endeavour.)
  • Craft & Folk Art Museum (Sun, January 31, 2016)
  • Descanso Gardens
  • Fowler Museum at UCLA
  • Getty Center
  • The Getty Villa (Timed tickets required. Visit www.getty.edu.)
  • Hammer Museum
  • Laguna Art Museum
  • The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum (Does not include Ice Age Encounters or 3D Theatre)
  • LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art/LACMA (Does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions)
  • Japanese American National Museum
  • The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles/MOCA
  • Museum of Latin American Art
  • Museum of Tolerance (Sun, January 31, 2016)
  • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
  • Orange County Museum of Art
  • The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
  • The Paley Center for Media
  • Pasadena Museum of California Art
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Art
  • Skirball Cultural Center (Sun, January 31, 2016. Noah’s Ark timed-entry, one-hour tickets are limited and distributed first-come, first-served.)
  • Sunnylands
  • Torrance Art Museum
  • USC Pacific Asia Museum
  • William S. Hart Museum
  • Zimmer Children’s Museum (Sun, January 31, 2016)

Check out our tips on how to do The Broad HERE & The Rain Room at LACMA HERE. Now go get your art on!

Full info can be found on the So Cal Museums website: www.socalmuseums.org/free-for-all/.

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

 

 

 

 

Chicken Vegetable Soup

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Flu season is upon us and nothing “cures what ails ya” like homemade chicken soup.  Recent scientific studies show that chicken soup really does have more medicinal value than a lot of over-the-counter medicines that just mask symptoms versus aiding your body in healing.  In my recipe, every single ingredient is medicine–each delivering anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting magic. Coming from a Tex-Mex and Korean food background and now being a gluten-free Cali-girl home cook, my version of chicken soup includes all the standard components of this traditional wonder broth…with some delicious twists.

I’m revealing all my secrets here to keep you in the best health for 2016 and beyond. All of our sirens & scoundrels need to be in premium health for this year’s coming adventures, so we’ll get past this flu season together!  First, let’s talk about the magic of all of these luscious ingredients:

–Coconut oil is extremely anti-viral.

–Garlic is also anti-viral, detoxes your body from heavy metals, aids in heart & bone health, is rich in manganese, vitamin B6 and that powerful vitamin C.

–Ginger root supports the digestive system, helps with nausea and is anti-inflammatory.

–Jalapeno is rich in vitamin C, has been proven to relieve migraines because of it’s anti-inflammatory properties and provides the brain with necessary amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.

–Onions improve the working of vitamin C in the body, which boosts immunity. They contain chromium, which assists in regulating blood sugar. They are anti-inflammatory and heal infections.

–Chicken bone marrow thins mucus in your lungs, is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, aids bone health, heals the gut and fights infection in the body. Bone broth is the most important component, even more than the meat of the chicken. The chicken from the bone also provides protein.

–Carrots are rich in beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B-8, folate, potassium, iron, copper, manganese and fiber. They are high in antioxidants.

–Celery is very rich in vitamin K and contains folate, vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C. It is also known to be a big source of dietary fiber.

–Zucchini is a great source of manganese, vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, copper, phosphorus and a good source of fiber.

–Kale is high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B-6, all of which support heart health.

–Mushrooms contain “good-for-your-bladder” selenium and are a source of vitamin D and iron.

–Parsley is magic for your system–being rich in vitamin C, vitamin B-12, vitamin K and vitamin A. It is immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, tones your bones and heals the nervous system. It also helps to flush out excess fluid from the body, supporting kidney function.

-Limes are very high in vitamin C and vitamin B-6 which supports the kidneys, urinary tract and respiratory system. They are anti-viral, aid in digestion and can rid the body of congestion and nausea.

***Food as medicine is pretty amazing and much tastier than aspirin or cough syrup.  One thing I cannot express enough is the importance of using organic vegetables, organic non-hormone chicken and filtered water. When boosting the immune system and aiding your body’s healing, the good nutrients that you absorb could be counteracted by the amount of toxins you intake if you don’t use organic.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Serves 6

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

½ bulb of Garlic (8 cloves)

½ large Red Onion (or 1 small onion)

3 inches of Ginger Root

½ large de-seeded Jalapeno

5 Chicken Legs

4 stalks of Celery

4 Carrots

2 Zucchini

8 Mushrooms

2 cups Kale

1/2 cup chopped Parsley

2 Limes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt the coconut oil in a pot. Mince the garlic. Chop the onion into chunks. Add both into the pot. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and start to caramelize. Chop the ginger root into small chunks. De-seed and chop the jalapeno. Add to the pot.

TIP: I de-seed the jalapeños and do not use the seeds in the broth. The seeds will add a lot of spice, so you can add them in to meet your heat preference, but I find the green of the jalapeño is spicy enough on its own.

While the onion, garlic, jalapeño and ginger are cooking, cut the skin off the chicken legs.

TIP: Cut an incision along the bottom of the leg and then use a finger to create space between the skin and the meat, pull the skin down towards the “foot”.

Place the chicken in the pot and sear the meat. Turn the meat as it browns on the bottom side.

Add water to the pot just enough to cover the chicken legs. Continue to simmer over medium heat.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the carrots, celery (including any celery leaves), mushroom, kale and zucchini into small chunks. Mince the parsley. Allow the chicken to cook for at least 20 minutes. The longer you cook the chicken, the more bone marrow seeps into the broth. You want to cook it at the very least long enough that the meat falls off the bone.

Add the carrots, celery, mushroom and zucchini to the pot. Add more water to cover the vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat an additional 20 minutes. By this point, the meat should be falling off the bone.

Using a tong or forks, pull the meat off of the bones. You can leave the bones in the broth to continue to cook. Add the kale and parsley. Cook another 10 minutes.

Pull the bones out from the stock broth.  Slice the lime into wedges. Portion out your soup into bowls and squeeze lime juice over the single servings so that it is fresh. Add as much lime juice, salt and pepper to your preference.

I mostly make this soup when I think I am coming down with the flu, but it is great as a detox or an anti-inflammatory remedy as well. It’s hearty enough that you can serve it as is or add a scoop of rice to make it even more substantial.

BON APPETIT!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Sarah Prikryl // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

The Lake Shrine ~ Pacific Palisades, CA

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A picturesque wooden windmill resting atop a blue lagoon. Gushing waterfalls cascading down lush green tropical hillsides. White swans floating gracefully along a glassy lake as dragonflies skip and chase each other. A sprawling rose garden bursting in full Technicolor rainbow bloom. And a sweet gentle hush of stillness so deep you’d swear you entered another dimension. And maybe you’re right. There is definitely something other-dimensional about this place. But luckily, you don’t have to book an international or intergalactic flight to experience all of its tranquil magic. This little piece of hidden Heaven is right here in our own backyard.

Tucked away behind an unassuming wood gate just above where Sunset meets PCH in Pacific Palisades, the Lake Shrine Temple has been helping people cultivate inner stillness since its origins in 1950. Founded by yogi Paramahansa Yogananda as the Los Angeles flagship of his Self Realization Fellowship, the Lake Shrine Temple’s 10-acre grounds provide the perfect environment for contemplation, meditation, inner reflection and connecting to whatever Higher Power you believe in. Open to people of all religious beliefs and backgrounds, the grounds are meant to be a sanctuary for contacting that elusive Inner Peace.

Entrance to the Lake Shrine is free. But since it is a spiritual center, there are certain guidelines to follow. Don’t lounge or sit on the grass—stick to the provided benches—and keep voices low to preserve the peaceful environment. Park in the lower lot off of Sunset and take a quiet stroll around the lake. The Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial as you enter houses a shrine to Gandhi which includes some of his ashes and offers a sweeping view of the lake grounds. As you wind your way around the dirt path, you’ll find many small seating areas with benches where you can take a moment to meditate or just sit and take in the beauty all around you. The small meditation dock is the perfect place to watch the ducks and turtles that regularly sun themselves on the rocks below.

Be sure to stop in at the beautiful and charming Windmill Chapel. This tiny chapel is filled with a deep calm that cannot be described, only experienced. Slip inside, take a seat and let the chapel do all that Inner Peace work for you—all you have to do is sit still and just soak it in. Listening to the silence in this spiritually-charged room is sure to provide you with some long sought for answers for those willing to hear. And any music lovers can take a little extra moment to pay homage to one of our musical greats, George Harrison, whose memorial service was held in this same room.

Take the staircase up to the top of the hill to find the gorgeous white Temple where regular services, talks and meditation classes are offered. For those who are curious, Yogananada’s literature can be purchased in the store here—everything from his world-famous “Autobiography of a Yogi” to small leaflets based on his many themed talks. Before you leave, be sure to check out the small gift shop down below by the parking lot. A glittering trove of Indian trinkets and treasures, it’s the perfect place to find that special little something to bring a piece of the Lake Shrine home with you. Toss a coin in the Wishing Well right outside and trust that any wishes made here have got to carry a little more weight with that heavenly wish-granting committee. And if you wanna go the extra mile, stop in at the sunken green grotto to meditate and set intentions for your year ahead with this New Year’s Meditation…

New Year’s Meditation~

If you spent New Year’s celebrating instead of contemplating, don’t worry—it’s still not too late to take a moment to turn a little inward gaze! You can use the entire month of January to clean house and set your sails for the year ahead. But before you can chart your new course, it’s really important to acknowledge where you’ve been. Here’s a really simple exercise to do if you still haven’t had a chance to sit & reflect. Sitting with your eyes closed…

1) Look back on the past year & ask yourself: what are all the things you are PROUD OF, what did you LEARN, in what ways did you GROW, what are you doing at least a little bit BETTER than you were before, and how did you POSITIVELY IMPACT those around you?

2) Then look ahead at the year ahead & ask yourself: what do you want to EXPERIENCE, how do you want to FEEL, how do you want to treat OTHERS, and how do you want to treat YOURSELF?

3) Finally, ask yourself: “From my deepest heart & soul, what do I want MOST for myself & my life?”

Hope this helps you to fully celebrate your past year with all its wondrous twisting paths that brought you to this moment & to truly chart your heart’s desires for your beautiful new year ahead! Unwrap this present moment with joy~it’s a gift!

Words & Meditation by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Cabin Feasting

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With winter finally hitting Los Angeles, it’s time to plan your next cabin excursion with friends. We’re so lucky that in California we have a million options for local getaways where the cabin game runs strong. So if you’ve got a cool case of Cabin Fever coming on (and really, who doesn’t?), then go check out Idyllwild, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Yosemite, Mammoth, the Sequoias…or all of the above!

This week, we shared our recent New Year’s adventure to idyllic Idyllwild with you. One of our favorite parts was getting to stay at a beautiful snowy treehouse cabin in the woods with friends. The great thing about being tucked away in a secluded cabin somewhere for a few days is that you get full permission to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Sacred time to just unplug, hunker down and, of course…chow down. And that’s really our favorite part.

Grab your gang, have everyone bring some groceries to cook up their favorite mountain meal and enjoy a weekend of culinary adventuring. On our Idyllwild trip, we hit a home-run with our Breakfast Baked Potatoes, which are vegetarian and gluten-free with a vegan option and will change your life in these next few chilly winter months if you decide to accept the challenge. HINT: It’s not a challenge at all. Super simple and easy to make, it can be adapted to suit any taste or diet. The only challenge is controlling how many times you can possibly eat it.

We’re also over-the-moon for our Siren Alexa’s Campfire Cider and thrilled to be able to share it with you here. A necessity for any winter cabin excursion, this spice-infused hot apple cider will certainly leave you with dreams of sugarplums dancing in your head.

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Just be sure to get out there and enjoy the snow in these next few months while we’ve got it! Be creative with your meals and check out our backlog of recipes HERE if you need a little inspiration—we’ve got you covered. Now, go get your cabin on!

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ENJOY OUR WINTER CABIN RECIPES HERE!~

snow-17         Campfire Cider Recipe

         Breakfast Baked Potato (with Vegan Option)

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Campfire Cider

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We were introduced to this mouth-blowing apple cider while on a beach camping trip with friends. (Yes, we just made up “mouth-blowing”, but that’s exactly how it feels drinking this cider.) One of our resident Sirens, Alexa, whipped out a bottle of rich dark brown swirling magic with cloved orange rinds that she’d been spice-infusing overnight. She threw it on the camping stove and lives were changed that night as we huddled around the bonfire, warmed from inside by what felt like Christmas in a cup. The recipe is kept loose, meant to be open to your unique spice preference. The key here is the infusing process—letting the cider marinate in the spices in advance for a good many hours before heating and serving, creating a robust and complex cider experience beyond anything you’ve tasted before.

 

Words by Christina Huntington // Recipe Words & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

Recipe from Alexa Coblentz, resident Siren & Filmmaker: www.alexacoblentz.tumblr.com

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Breakfast Baked Potato (with Vegan Option)

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This December, I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to combine my two favorite deep-winter comfort foods: baked potatoes and breakfast eggs. And just like that, my Breakfast Baked Potatoes were born. I began serving them to friends as December got chillier & chillier, culminating at our New Year’s cabin getaway to Idyllwild. It’s such a simple dish, but people lose their minds over it. We seriously had people moaning at the breakfast table. Plus, it’s the perfect hearty meal that easily keeps you going all day long while satisfying you deep down into your soul. The following recipe is how I like to make it, but feel free to experiment with ingredients and make it your own.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS ~

  • 6 medium-large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 6 organic eggs
  • 1 large white or yellow onion
  • 1 carton of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 carton of mushrooms
  • 1 bag of fresh spinach leaves
  • 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste

ASSEMBLY ~

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  1. Rinse and scrub the potatoes, then prick each with a fork 8 times around the skin.
  1. Rub skins lightly with olive oil and place directly on center rack of oven.
  1. Bake for 1hr -1hr 15mins, until skin is crispy but inside is soft.
  1. Wash all vegetables and then chop them, keeping them separated:
  • Chop onion into small chunks
  • Cut mushroom caps into thirds
  • Cut cherry tomatoes in half
  1. Wait until the potatoes are fully baked before cooking the vegetables so everything comes out hot at once.
  1. In a pan on the stove, heat a Tbsp of olive oil and sauté each vegetable separately until cooked through. Then set each aside in separate bowls.
  1. Sauté the spinach until wilted. I like to chop up a garlic clove or two to throw in with my spinach, but that’s up to you.
  1. Lastly, cook your eggs over-easy or over-medium, so you still have a good creamy yolk to cut into.
  1. Put a potato on each guest’s plate and cut it open in half. Have each guest fill their potato with vegetables, then top with their egg.
  1. Salt & pepper to taste.

VEGAN OPTION: Our vegans opted out of the fried egg and melted Daiya cheese on theirs instead. This recipe is adaptable to any taste preference and any diet. When it comes to stuffing a potato, the entire culinary world is literally your oyster. If you can dream it, you can build it.

~HAVE FUN & ENJOY!~

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Mountain Escape ~ Idyllwild, CA

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After many years of patiently waiting, winter has finally decided to grace us with her presence in Southern California. The recent rainstorms have brought fresh snow throughout our local mountain ranges…just in time for everyone to go back to work. For those of you suffering from Mountain Fever and looking for a quick and easy weekend getaway, we’ve got just the thing for you. But here’s the catch: you have to promise to keep this between us, okay? Purposely kept extremely hush-hush within the mountaining crowd, Idyllwild is a quaint and charming artists’ colony located just two hours east of LA in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs. It’s such a hidden gem that we debated even writing about it. But since we are sworn to provide you with the inside scoop on all things off-the-beaten-path-awesome in California, our sense of duty won out in the end. So without further ado, may we present: Idyllwild, the place to make all your mountain dreams come true.

The first thing you should know is Idyllwild is a not a place for those looking to shred. If you want downhill skiing or snowboarding, head over to Big Bear. This little community is for people who literally just love mountains—camping in them, hiking them, rock climbing on them, cross-country skiing over them, or just sitting on them and enjoying their stunning views from a cozy woodsy cabin.

Adorable alpine cabins are aplenty on Airbnb, VRBO and Home Away at a fraction of the cost of Big Bear, Mammoth, or Yosemite. We stayed in a gorgeous multi-level Swiss Family Robinson-style wooden treehouse, appropriately named “The Treehouse” that we would recommend to anyone. The owners were sweet and beyond accommodating and clearly put a lot of thought and care into their lovely little property, right down to the elk mugs and endless supply of firewood. Here in Idyllwild, cabining is its own art form. A true place to just relax, unwind and reconnect to nature and the ones you love.

We recommend setting aside time for a quiet weekend with friends up here. Most houses have beautiful decks to inspire both introspection and good conversation. Make a no-TV rule and bring your board games, puzzles, playing cards, books, journals and anything else that strikes your fancy—after a good old-fashioned snowball fight, Siren Christina gave tarot readings in front of the fireplace to our group, using the beautiful new cards that Siren Sarah bought in town from one of the many spiritual shops. Stock up on food for your kitchen and cook up some delicious and hearty family-style meals together. We’ll be sharing a couple of our favorite recipes from our cabin adventures with you this week on the site, so keep an eye out for our Breakfast Baked Potatoes and Campfire Cider—two deeply soul-satisfying essentials for any winter cabin excursion.

A big perk about Idyllwild is that it’s a dog-friendly vacation spot, with plenty of stores in town catering just to your furry family members. Mountain Paws offers everything you could possibly need, from homemade doggie treats to plush robes. For our canine companion, Banksy, we purchased a beige and white squirrel shawl-collar sweater from Mountain Paws that became the hit of the entire weekend. Just try to resist the photos of this dashing winter gentleman lounging in front of the fire and romping around in the snow.

As you pull into town, the sign outside pretty much says it all: “Welcome to Idyllwild. Home of Adventure, Music, Art & Harmony.” A perfect summation of this small artists’ community that somehow feels both nostalgically frozen-in-time and subversively progressive all at once. The town center has no stop lights, but has a health food store to rival any you’ll find in LA and a plethora of spiritual shops filled with new age books, crystals and clothing. The resident artists show and sell their work in the many small art galleries, while local musicians can be heard playing live music almost every night of the week. But don’t mistake it for a hippie town. Hard-core mountain climbers fill the streets and shops, right alongside the veteran mountain cowboys who settled up here decades ago. And all of it coexists harmoniously under the faces of the towering mountainscapes that will outlast us all.

Park your car on either end of the tiny town center and hoof it on foot to take in all the many sights, sounds and tastes that Idyllwild has to tempt you with. We started our trek off with fresh-pressed organic juices from the local health food store, Sky Island Natural Foods—just what the doctor ordered to get our blood flowing up in those higher elevations. We stocked up on some beautiful southwestern-style wraps at Forest Whispers gift shop located in The Fort (the big dark wooden two-story structure in the center of town that looks like a fort). Jim here is a total delight to stop and have a chat with and can fill you in on Idyllwild’s history if you’re curious. Upstairs, the books at metaphysical shop Lady of the Lake offered us lots of food for thought before we made our way across the street to Merkaba for some gourmet tea, mukluk and tarot card provisions. Ice cream shops, candy stores, homemade jerky, gift shops, antiques—all the quintessential small-town necessities you could possibly hope for abound side-by-side as you walk along the quaint little main street.

In one particular cluster that resembles a little wood-shingled Santa’s Village, yumminess waits around every corner. Coffee, tea and baked treats can be found at the street-front Idyllwild Bake Shop & Brew. But the real gem is hidden way in the back, if you wind your way past all the shops and up the little staircase to El Buen Cacao, an artisanal “bean-to-bar” chocolate shop. Specializing in non-GMO organic dark chocolate, the sweet husband and wife duo make all their own chocolates in-house—taking it from cacao bean to that ultimate rich chocolate bar in your mouth. We ordered some Mexican hot chocolate that was creamy, smooth, smoky and delicious—the perfect not-too-sweet combo that almost tasted like a cacao coffee brew, sans coffee. It got “all thumbs up” from our taste testers.

But our favorite shop by far has to be Mountain Mike’s. A tiny wooden shack tucked away in a little corner off the main strip, Mountain Mike’s Custom Leather feels like stepping into Geppetto’s workshop—if Geppetto was a bad-ass mountain man who made leather chaps, vests, belts and holsters for almost four decades. A true artisan, Mountain Mike still makes everything in his shop by hand, specializing in beautiful custom-made leather moccasins, each a stunning work of art in their own right. We spent some time chatting with Mike in his shop and he is a fascinating fellow with one hell of a life story. We won’t give away all his secrets, but do yourself a favor and stop in sometime for a visit with a true original who made his own path in life his own way. And while you’re there, be sure to pick up some of his beautiful handcrafts for one-of-a-kind treasures you won’t find anywhere else.

No trip to Idyllwild would be complete without the obligatory photo at the giant wooden wilderness carving in the town center. Take advantage of this photo op with wolves and eagles and bears, oh my! You can grab a bite at one of the many cute mom & pop restaurants (thankfully not a chain in sight here) if you wanna skip out on cooking for the day. On your way back out, stop by Quilt Town on the side of the road for beautiful hand-made quilts that are all Etsy-ready and very affordable. If you’re up for a hike, the Idyllwild Nature Center has endless trails available. Park entrance fee is $4. Whatever you do, just get yourself up to Idyllwild and turn all of your mountain dreams into a reality already! Just remember to keep it our little secret.

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more Local Travel Adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

>>For your journey, enjoy some of our favorite mountain music.<<

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

 

Detox Salad

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After the Holidays (a.k.a. the universal feasting marathon), January is usually a time to reboot. What better way to start your year off than with clean eating and lots of organic fruits and vegetables? The “juicing” craze is alive and well in Los Angeles and many of our favorite juice shops are promoting a New Year’s Juice Fast/Detox to help you kick-start your resolutions. More than just a diet fad, juicing is a quick and delicious way to get those healthy vitamins delivered right where you need them. Inspired by detox juices but wanting a little more “bite”, I created a detox salad that has all the delicious sweet and savory flavors of an apple & beet juice, but with all the fiber and crunch of actually eating food…so you leave fully satisfied.

When my body is screaming for a cold-pressed juice, my favorite flavors are both sweet and savory. I’ve integrated my favorite delicious immune- boosting ingredients into this salad:

Apples are anti-inflammatory, high in fiber, filled with anti-oxidants and full of C & B vitamins.

Beets are anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, filled with anti-oxidants, rich in A & C vitamins, B vitamin folate, potassium & manganese. This blood-red vegetable is good for your heart, liver and respiratory tract, aids nerve and bone function, supports your kidneys & pancreas and aids in digestion.

Celery is anti-inflammatory, high in fiber and burns more calories eating it than are in it.

Ginger Root is anti-inflammatory and soothes the digestive tract.

Lemon is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, rich in vitamin C, boosts the immune system and flushes out toxins.

Avocado is a good source of fiber, rich in anti-oxidants, lowers cholesterol, and has more potassium than bananas. The “good fats” aid in the absorption of nutrients.

Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds) are rich in protein, anti-oxidants and minerals (magnesium, potassium and zinc). This salty little accent adds an immune-boosting crunch.

***One thing I cannot express enough is the importance of using organic fruits and vegetables for this recipe, especially lemons and celery. The many good nutrients that you are putting into your body could be counteracted by the amount of toxins you are absorbing if you don’t use organic.

Detox Salad

Serves 6

2 large Organic Fuji Apples

2 medium Organic Beets

3 stalks of Organic Celery

2 Organic Lemons

1 “knob” of fresh Organic Ginger Root

1 small Avocado or ½ of a large Avocado

1/8 cup Pepitas (Roasted Pumpkin Seeds)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Wash and dice your celery into small chunks and place in a large glass or metal bowl.

TIP: The smaller you make the celery chunks, the more flavor it will absorb from the other ingredients.

Peel the apples. Chop in half. Cut out and dispose of the core. Cut the apple into small chunks. Add to the bowl.

TIP: Fuji apples are used in this recipe for their sweetness, versus Granny Smith apples which are tart. The sweetness of this variety of apple balances the root flavor of the beet and the tart flavor of the lemon.

Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice on top of the apples and celery.

TIP: If you squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl first, you can easily filter out the seeds before pouring it over your salad. The acid in the lemon keeps the apples from browning.

Peel the skin off of the ginger root and use a microplane grater-zester or a small-holed grater to finely grate the ginger root over the bowl.

TIP: The amount of ginger root you use is at your taste discretion. It is a very bold flavor and if you are like me and believe the more ginger the better, grate the entire root over the salad. If it is too intense a flavor for you, add a smaller amount for a more subtle flavor.

Cut your ripe avocado in half length-wise. Tap your knife into the seed and twist. It should come out easily. Draw a grid into your avocado half, with a small knife and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado from the skin. Add the avocado chunks to your salad.

TIP: By using a spoon, the avocado will stay in chunks verses a mashed avocado consistency.  Gently fold the avocado into the salad with a spoon. The lemon from the salad will also keep the avocado from browning.

TIP: Beets will stain your hands and any wood or plastic surface red. SO…I usually chop this last and quickly rinse off my knife, cutting board, hands and anything else the beet juice touched. To keep your hands from staining, you can use rubber gloves when handling them or rub salt on your hands and then rinse with dish washing soap. This is also why I recommend using a metal or glass bowl for the assemblage of the salad.

Chop the tops and tail off of your beets and peel the skin with a peeler. With a cheese grater, grate your beets over the salad or onto a metal or glass bowl. Add to your salad.

Chop and squeeze the last lemon over the top of the salad. Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with the pepitas.

TIP: Make sure to gently mix or “fold” the salad as to not mash the avocado.

I have made this salad without the avocado and pepitas before and it is still delicious. The avocado adds a rich creamy texture and the pepitas add an additional crunch, but you can alter this recipe to your preferences.

Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year! BON APPÉTIT!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

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Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2016 Sirens and Scoundrels

Texas Caviar ~ A New Year’s Appetizer

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Growing up in Texas, holidays are a time for gathering and feasting on Tex-Mex flavors. In the South, there’s a tradition to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. This Southern side dish is usually cooked with collard greens and ham. The peas symbolize prosperity, since they grow fatter when cooked. The greens symbolize money for the year ahead. Aside from adding that smokey flavor, the pork represents beneficial forward motion, since pigs forage by rooting forward. Texas Caviar is our no-nonsense version of black-eyed pea good luck to ring in the New Year. Combined with fresh lime, pico de gallo & guacamole, this dip is a winner at any party!

Texas Caviar

6 medium Roma tomatoes

2 cans of black-eyed peas

1 small red onion or ½ a large red onion

1 jalapeno

¼ cup minced cilantro

3 small avocados or 2 large avocados

4 limes

salt to taste

Any variety of tomato is delicious to use in this recipe, but Roma tomatoes are very easy to de-seed and the flesh is less watery than other varieties. Slice the tomatoes in half and cut the seeds out. The seeds can make the dip watery, so it’s best to use just the outer flesh of the tomato. Cut into small chunks.

TIP: Tomatoes can be delicate. For a cleaner cut, use a serrated knife and cut the flesh side up (skin side down).

Slice the onion into small chunks.

TIP: To keep from crying while cutting onions, you can:

  1. wear swim goggles
  2. put a piece of bread in your mouth while cutting
  3. chew gum

Slice the jalapeño length-wise and de-seed. Be careful not to touch the seeds. Mince the jalapeno.

TIP: You will want to make sure not to get jalapeno oil on your hands and then touch sensitive skin and/or your eyes.

  1. You can wear rubber gloves
  2. Wash your hands with dish soap and/or milk/yogurt to neutralize any burns on your hands.
  3. Make a paste with baking soda and water. Rub the mixture onto your hands and allow to dry before washing off.

Open the 2 cans of black-eyed peas with a can opener and drain. Set aside.

De-stem the cilantro and mince.

TIP: To quickly de-stem the herbs, you can hold the top of the stem with your left hand and pull along the stock away from the grain. To see a video of  how to de-stem herbs go to my CRASH POTATOES recipe to watch the 7 second video. Click HERE: CRASH POTATOES.

Cube the avocado.

Open the avocado by slicing it in half. Twist and open. One side will have the seed. Lightly tap the seed with a knife so it has a firm hold. Twist the knife and the seed should pop out. Hold half of the avocado in one hand and draw a cross-grid with your knife. You can use a spoon to scoop out the chunks without mashing the avocado.

TIP: You can tell if an avocado is ripe by pulling off the stem (button on top). If the flesh is yellow, it means it’s not ripe yet. Green means go. Black/grey means it’s overly ripe.

Combine the diced tomato, black-eyed peas, onion, jalapeno & cilantro in a large bowl. Mix with a spoon. Cut the limes in half & squeeze the juice over the mixture.

TIP: If you do not have a juicer, roll the lime on a countertop and squeeze with your hands before cutting it in half. Hold the lime half in one hand and then use a teaspoon and twist into the flesh. You will be able to get more juice out of your lime. The more lime juice you use, the better. The acid from the lime will keep your avocados from browning.

Fold in the avocado gently, so that it doesn’t become mashed and remains in chunks.

Salt to taste. I use more salt if my corn chips are unsalted and less salt if I choose Fritos or Salted Tortilla Chips to accompany the dip.

TIP: The longer the dip sits, the more the flavors meld together.

BON APPÉTIT! Have a safe and delicious New Year from Sirens & Scoundrels!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

 

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (with Vegan option)

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If you want to be the guaranteed hit of your next winter gathering, look no further than this Apple Crumble recipe. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for some time now and it never fails to be the sure-fire crowd (and stomach) pleaser at any party. I offer it to you here so that you can spread this edible joy in a baking dish to the ones you love and feel that immense satisfaction as they come back for seconds and thirds, scraping the dish clean.

Even though I eat flour, I adapted this into a gluten-free recipe for my many GF friends and to be honest, I prefer it this way now. Even when I don’t have gluten-free guests, I opt to make the GF topping because it’s lighter and melts away in your mouth perfectly. A simple switch of vegan sticks in place of butter can turn it into an instant and unexpected vegan dessert. It’s rare to find a dessert that has that same deeply soul-satisfying taste once it gets translated to gluten-free and vegan, but this one does. In fact, you could serve the GF vegan version to regular folks and they would never be the wiser. It really is that good. And the best part? It’s super fast and simple to make, with very minimal prep and clean-up. Serve it hot, topped with vanilla ice cream or vanilla vegan coconut ice cream for a culinary experience that gets the crowd moaning in gleeful ecstasy. Just be warned: this is a dessert that could make someone fall in love with you…so use it wisely! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

SERVES 8

FILLING~

  • 6 large baking apples (I used pink lady apples from Oak Glen), peeled & cut into ½” wedges
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp coarse salt
  • ground cinnamon to taste
  • ground nutmeg to taste

CRUMBLE~

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (vegan option: substitute Earth Balance spread or sticks, cold)
  • ¼ cup organic light-brown sugar
  • 1 cup gluten-free baking flour (I use Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
  • ½ tsp coarse salt

ASSEMBLY~

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. FILLING~ Combine apples, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg in a medium-sized baking dish.
  3. CRUMBLE~ In a large bowl, mix together butter (or vegan spread) and brown sugar until light & fluffy. Add flour and salt—combining with your hands until big pieces start to come together. Sprinkle topping over apple mixture in baking dish.
  4. Bake until center starts to bubble, about 45 minutes.
  5. Serve warm. Top with your favorite organic or vegan vanilla ice cream.

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Holiday Gathering ~ Gingerbread House Party

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Every November as Thanksgiving approaches, the emails and texts start rolling in, all asking the same question—“When is Gingerbread this year?!” A tradition a couple decades in the making, this kiddo-like party has become THE hot Holiday ticket for all of my grown-up friends, who clear their calendars each year to make sure they can be in attendance. What could possibly be so amazing about sticking a candy house together with some edible goop, you ask? EVERYTHING.

My mom started this tradition with my older brother and I when we were just kids growing up here in LA. Of course, at eight years old being given permission to make a house made entirely out of candy and then EAT IT is the most amazing thing that could ever happen. Especially for kids raised on tofu dogs and no-sugar cereal. As teenagers, the Huntington Gingerbread House Making Party really just became an excuse to mix our friend groups of guys and girls. Space was limited around the table and my girlfriends clamored for a chance to sit next to the older boys who frequented our house and practiced with their high school rock bands in our garage. Young teenage love blossomed over those shared candy bowls year after year. But we thought it might stop there. Once everyone goes away to college and becomes adults, who really wants to make candy houses still?

Apparently everyone. Each year as people returned home for the Holidays, they wanted to come sit in our Christmastown-decorated living room—fireplace blazing, carols playing, hot cider mulling—and build a gingerbread house. What started off as a fun distraction for children became everyone’s favorite annual adult Christmas party, steeped in a deep sense of tradition, festive coziness and Holiday cheer. Now when we sit down at the table, we get that chance to be kids again for a moment—playing, creating and celebrating friendships old and new.

This year, we decided to throw the Annual Gingerbread House Making Party in Siren Sarah’s backyard on a long farm table surrounded by Christmas trees, wreaths and firefly lights. We asked everyone to bring:

1) a piece of cardboard to build their house on

2) a couple bags of colorful candy to donate to the table for decorating

3) a box of graham crackers

WAIT A SEC—this was supposed to be a story about gingerbread houses, right? Well…the actual gingerbread got ditched back in the 90’s, when we quickly realized that having to pre-bake everything and then deal with those bulky pieces that would constantly collapse wasn’t really that fun creatively. Making the switch to graham crackers gives you ultimate design flexibility. Light and easy to cut into different shapes and sizes, if you can dream it, you can build it with graham crackers.

[HOT TIP: Make sure you buy the long rectangular graham crackers. Nabisco usually sells these. You don’t want the ones that just come as individual squares because you won’t be able to build larger structures with those.]

As the host, you want to provide:

1) aluminum foil to cover people’s cardboard bases with

2) the edible “glue” for people to build & decorate with [SEE RECIPE BELOW]

3) food, drinks & merriment

We recommend throwing some mulled apple cider and mulled wine on the stove. If you don’t have mulling spices on hand, just throw in some cloves and cinnamon sticks. Bring the drinks to a boil, simmering gently to stay warm so guests can help themselves throughout the party. As for food, think three words: warm, yummy and comfort. But heads up—savory treats are the best way to go, so that people don’t go into sugar overload.

You want your guests to feel Christmas Cozy in every way, so be sure to create a warm atmosphere—fire in the fireplace, carols, candles. Feel free to make it your own and leave room for the unexpected. This year, our Scoundrels Ross and Doug made a sneaky Santa visit to the 99 Cent store and came back with a sack full of treasures that they threw out to our guests—sending earflap animal hats, mini puzzles and horse calendars a-flyin’. Those animal hats got people back in touch with their inner kid and actually came in real handy to keep our ears warm as a legit winter frost descended upon LA. A lighthearted touch for a festive occasion.

To prep your table for building your houses, place a colorful tablecloth that you don’t mind getting a little dirty (the glue and candy will wash out). Distribute the candy down the center in plates or bowls. Put a bowl filled with “glue” and two dinner knives between each of your two guests to share. Wrap your pieces of cardboard in aluminum foil. Start by building the “base” of your house—making sure you put structural support inside if you plan to “build up” levels. Build the base of your house with thicker glue, then let your structure dry for a bit. You can add a tiny bit of water to your glue to soften it when it comes time for decorating. Adding food coloring to your paste also gives you color options to play with. Then just let your imaginations run wild. Over the years, we’ve had people build everything from a teepee campground to the Titanic to the Hollywood Bowl. Just give yourself and your guests permission to have fun and be creative.

When you are done building, take a photo of each guest with their brilliant work of art, then give the houses a little time to dry. Circle up and gather around the fire with your hot toddies, celebrating being together for the most wonderful time of the year, as it begins to feel a lot like Christmas…

EDIBLE GLUE FOR GINGERBREAD HOUSES RECIPE ~

 Serves 12 people

*SUPPLIES ~

2 dozen eggs

6 bags of powdered sugar

1 bottle of cream of tartar (found in the spice section of your market)

*MEASUREMENTS FOR BATCHING ~

 3 egg whites

5 cups of powdered sugar

¾ tsp of cream of tartar

When making your glue, it is best to work in small batches that you put aside into one large bowl. In a mixer, put in 3 egg whites (separate the yolks and put them aside in a tupperware in your fridge so you can bake something with them later if you wish). Add in 5 cups of powdered sugar and ¾ tsp cream of tartar. Mix on low speed so that the sugar doesn’t go flying everywhere. Beat it together until the paste looks smooth and shiny, with soft peaks starting to form. Use a spatula to scoop out the batch into a large bowl, then repeat the process until you have gone through all your eggs. You can make your bowl of glue a day in advance, just cover the top with a damp paper towel and put saran wrap over it. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes, gathering ideas, & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words & Recipe by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

The Broad ~ Downtown LA

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If you’ve been wondering about those mysterious photos of your friends seemingly floating amongst infinite cosmic light that have been popping up all over your feeds this fall, it’s time to trot yourself down to The Broad (like “road” with a “b”) museum and experience it for yourself. The newest arrival on the contemporary art scene, The Broad is already a hot-ticket destination for the city’s trendsetters, who flock through the doors each day to take in the likes of Warhol, Basquiat, Lichtenstein and Koons, amongst a plethora of modern art heavy hitters.

Built from scratch to host the 2000-piece art collection of Eli and Edythe Broad, the museum opened in September 2015 and has become an architectural destination in and of itself. Located adjacent to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, the Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed museum boasts a huge looming perforated metallic “honeycomb” exterior that adds even more wow factor to your walk down Grand Avenue—the two enormous landmarks at once opposing and complimentary.

The interior is everything a modern art museum should be—stark white, allowing the art to take center stage, sprinkled with a few cool futuristic accents (take the elevator for a fun little Jetsons experience). They’ve done an excellent job of packing a lot of art into just two stories, which means you can tailor-make your visit to suit your needs. If you’re the type who likes to walk through at a clipped pace and just take in the sights, you could be out in an hour. But if you like to read about the work, sit with pieces and experience the installations on offer (which we HIGHLY recommend you do), you could be there for several hours.

When you arrive at the museum, be sure to head straight to the kiosk for Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. This is the afore-mentioned Instagram-frenzied installation that is not to be missed. We don’t want to give too much away because it’s best to go in knowing as little as possible. Just know that you must sign up for a separate timed-entry slot upon arrival. Tickets sell out for the day very early on, so sign up, take in the museum and be sure to come back at your allotted time. Guests are allowed in only one or two at a time for 45 seconds. The best way to experience it is to take your picture up at the top and then PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY and enjoy it in real life. If you do, it will make you believe in magic again.

broad-34

The full collection is filled with enough artists to suit every individual palate. Takashi Murakami’s 82-foot-long In the Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow makes you feel as if you have stepped inside a Japanese animation—in all its bright, grotesque glory. Kara Walker’s African’t utilizes a simple old-fashioned silhouette technique similar to the decals we put up in a child’s bedroom for haunting results. As you wind your way through, heavy themes butt right up against candy pop. As you stand there considering the meaning of Koons’ giant metallic balloon animal, you definitely feel like you’ve cut class with Ferris for the day to ponder the meaning of life and art.

But hands-down our favorite piece was Ragnar Kjartansson’s The Visitors. Downstairs on the first floor as you enter, sequestered behind curtains, a little room opens up with nine video screens running simultaneously which feature musicians playing one song all together from different parts of the same house. Again, we don’t want to give too much away here, but we could have easily stayed in this room for the full hour without ever wanting to leave. It is a beautiful and transcendent moment of your visit—one surely not to be missed. Run, don’t walk, to see this one. Better yet, Uber—then you don’t have to deal with parking. Whatever you do, just get yourself here already.

Your Broad Visit 411~ 

The Broad offers free admission that can be reserved in advance online. One person can reserve up to eight free tickets here: https://ticketing.thebroad.org/general-admission. Be advised that tickets have been flying off the shelves and the earliest available opening is March 2016, so we recommend getting your tickets now. Choose a morning time slot when booking your entry tickets for the best chance at getting into the Infinity room. Same-day admission tickets are also available on a first-come first-served basis for those willing to brave the lines to get in. Be sure to download The Broad App to your phone before you go for a self-guided audio tour in your pocket. Opt out of the museum’s $12 three-hour parking for one of the cheaper lots in every direction that offer all-day parking for $8-$10. If you’re hungry after, hoof it on down the street to Blue Cow for delish bites and drinks or head over a few blocks to Grand Central Market where you can taste and tour the “art” of LA’s food scene.

The Broad is open Tues ~ Sun and admission is free. Find exact museum hours & info here: www.thebroad.org.

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography & Video by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Crash Mixed Potatoes

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Holiday Season is in full swing! Time for marathon feasting and gathering! This rustic potato recipe is my brother-in-law’s favorite holiday side-dish–both creamy and crispy in one delicious bite. Though these crash potatoes are sure to be a crowd pleaser all year round. They’re perfect for a fun brunch gathering, a hearty meat and potatoes night, or a lighter soup and salad luncheon. This recipe is like that favorite pair of jeans that you wear over and over again and accessorize as you please…it’s all about your preferences and your choice of potatoes.

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

1 bag/a dozen mixed potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

2 stems of rosemary

salt & pepper to taste

I love that the winter harvest brings us a variety of colorful vegetables in season.  In this version of crash potatoes, I use a variety of gold, purple, red and sweet potatoes. As you choose your potatoes, make sure they are similar in size; small enough (lemon size), but not too small (fingerling potatoes size). If you choose to use sweet potatoes (I love the added color and flavor) these typically are much larger in size than the smaller gold, purple or red variety.

TIP: You can remedy this by chopping them to the approximate size of the rest of your potatoes and forking the skin. (Fork holes into the potatoes to cut down the cook time.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fill a pot with water & bring to a boil on your stovetop.

TIP: You can cut down your heat time by adding hot water from the sink verses bringing cold water to a boil. Add a lid to speed up the boil time.

Rinse off the potatoes, washing away any excess dirt and add them to the boiling water. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender (around 20 minutes, depending on the amount and size of your potatoes).

TIP: Be careful not to over or undercook the potatoes. If you overcook them, they will have more of the consistency of mashed potatoes and won’t be as crispy. If you undercook them, they won’t be creamy inside.

As the potatoes boil, de-stem the rosemary. Mince the rosemary leaves and garlic cloves. In a bowl, add the garlic and rosemary to the olive oil.

TIP: To quickly de-stem rosemary, hold the stem in one hand. With your other hand, pinch your fingers down the stem, away from the grain, towards the root. Watch this helpful video for a visual:

 

Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and set aside. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil.

Place your potatoes on the cookie sheet at least two inches apart. With the bottom of a glass, “smash” the potatoes.

Drizzle the potatoes with the garlic-rosemary olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Grill in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 425 degrees until the tops are brown.

Now that you’ve tried the basics for this delicious garlic-rosemary version of Crash Mixed Potatoes, know that it’s just the jumping off point. Have fun and make it your own! Add some parmesan for an Italian side dish, or curry powder to spice it up. Add crispy bacon pieces or grilled onion and cheddar for a variation on twice-baked potatoes. I reheated my leftover Crash Potatoes and scrambled them with grilled mushrooms and eggs for a morning hash. The possibilities are endless!

BON APPÉTIT!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe, Photography & Video by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Winter Picnic ~ Malibu Wines

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When the leaves turn colors and start falling from the trees and that winter chill finally hits the air after those hot October nights, there’s nothing better than layering up in your wooly finest and heading out for a winter picnic with friends.

Our favorite spot to gather for some lazy mid-winter’s revelry is Malibu Wines. A local vineyard tucked away in the Malibu Mountains just off of Kanan, Malibu Wines offers a sprawling picnic area complete with farm tables, chairs and flaming heat lamps to cuddle up and get cozy around. Lay out a sumptuous spread, sample some house wines, take in the live music and soak in the glorious afternoon.

Order a couple bottles of wine for your table or try individual “flights” from the wine tasting bar. You can pick the flight of your choice and sample wines at your own pace throughout the day. Outside alcohol is understandably not allowed in, but you are welcome to bring any non-alcoholic beverages with you. We highly recommend bringing plenty of water to make sure your group stays primed and hydrated.

Food is not served on the grounds, though there is a small “market” with basic fixings like artisanal crackers and nuts if you forgot to BYO. But to get the most out of the experience, you really want to go full-blown picnic. Have all your friends bring something to contribute and soon enough, you have a proper feast. Cheeses, baguettes, fig jam, local honey, crudite, vegetable dips, charcuterie, marcona almonds and side salads work great as picnic staples. Make sure there are enough options to satisfy your gluten-free and vegan friends. If everyone has a dish they are famous for making, now is the perfect time to wow the gang with these culinary treasures. And don’t forget dessert! Any variation of dark chocolate deliciousness pairs perfectly with wine.

In these brisk winter months, it gets chilly up in the Malibu hills, so remind your guests to dress in layers. Bring a jacket, hat, scarf, gloves and even a good lap blanket. As the sun gets increasingly lower and the temperature begins to drop, you’ll be very happy that you over-prepared.

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Entry to Malibu Wines is free with the purchase of a bottle of wine for your group. Parking on the weekends is $14 to valet in the main lot, or else you can take advantage of the free shuttle service that takes you from the free parking lot just past the winery. But if you plan on drinking more than a couple glasses, your best bet is to Uber.

In California, we are so lucky that we can enjoy a nice crisp winter chill and yet still be able to lounge outdoors for the entire afternoon. Take advantage of the fact that we are actually experiencing weather beyond “70’s and sunny” and get out into that festive frostiness. There’s no better excuse to get close to someone you’ve had your eye on than to share a blanket and a glass of wine while the sun sets behind vineyard mountains. After all, winter and wine make the heart grow fonder…or something like that, right?

Malibu Wines is open Monday~Sunday 11am~7pm, with live music on the weekends. Visit their website for exact location and parking info: www.malibuwines.com.

 

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

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Pizza, pizza, pizza! We at Sirens & Scoundrels are always ones to initiate a gathering and a “Build Your Own Pizza Party” is an instant crowd pleaser. It’s a fun way to feast while accommodating any dietary restrictions. With all the different crust and cheese alternatives available now and an assortment of toppings, everyone can have it their own way!

I have been experimenting with Cauliflower Pizza Crust because it’s a wonderful gluten-free alternative. The first time I tried to make this vegetable-based crust, I learned a lot.  I found that the drier my ingredients, the crisper the crust.  All of it was delicious, especially the crisp edges, but the center of the pizza had more of a polenta consistency than a crust. We ended up eating the pizza with a fork, which goes against that satiating feeling of picking up a slice with your hands and devouring it. As your resident foodie, I went back to the drawing board. I’m a fan of New York-style thin crust, so here’ s a few tips:

TIP 1: The smaller you make your crust, the crisper it is. There’s more “edge” to each slice, versus on a whole pizza pie where you have just a portion of the edge and a “doughy” center. I experimented with making individual-sized crusts, instead of a whole pie and found that this was a win.

STEP 1:  Build Your Crust

Crust Ingredients

2 cups packed riced cauliflower  (Follow the instructions for Ricing Cauliflower: here)

1 egg

½ cup grated parmesan

½ cup grated low-moisture mozzarella

TIP 2: It’s important to use “Low-Moisture Mozzarella”.  In combination with parmesan, these drier cheeses will bind your crust without adding moisture to it. As a topping, they also both melt nicely without making your pizza crust soggy.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. This is where your inner artist/foodie can go rogue and make your own decisions. Try my mini-pizza-crust idea. Try a bigger traditional pizza pie. Try a rectangular shape. You get to make it your own.  Grab a handful of the “dough” and press a flat layer on the cookie sheet in the shape of your choosing. Bake crusts for 30-35 minutes at 450 degrees. You want your crust to be pretty “dry” in the center before you take it out of the oven. Check on the baked crust and accommodate your bake time depending on the size and shape of your chosen crust. Once done, take it out of the oven and let it cool to room temp. I found that as the larger-sized crust cooled, it would “bead” with moisture. You may need to dab it down with a paper towel to dry any additional moisture from the center.

STEP 2: Your Sauce

Sauce Ingredients:

1 -28 oz. can of San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes (you can use any canned tomatoes, but I’ve found that the San Marzano tomatoes are so flavorful and delicious)

4 cloves of minced organic garlic (I love garlic, this is another place you can modify your preference)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 pinch of red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp of olive oil

1/5 cup of chopped fresh organic basil

Salt & pepper to taste

TIP 3: The sauce is very important to the texture of the pizza. I’m a big fan of a good homemade red sauce. The longer you cook it, the more moisture will evaporate (which you want for a crisp crust) and the flavor will intensify.

Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil,  tomatoes and garlic to the skillet, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Let the tomatoes cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add the red pepper, oregano and basil. Reduce the heat and continue to let cook. Salt and pepper to taste. The longer you let it simmer, the sauce will reduce down to a very chunky consistency without much excess moisture (the clear water will separate from the rest of the sauce). If you are pressed for time, drain any excess water off, otherwise let it simmer until the excess water evaporates.

TIP 4: Dry out all of your toppings as well. There are two ways to do this. One way is to chop up your choice of toppings (mushrooms, onion, spinach etc.) and pre-cook them in a skillet with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. They will sweat out some moisture as they cook. Make sure to drain off any excess liquid and then dab them dry before placing on your pizza.  The other option is to place your raw ingredients (such as sliced tomato) on a paper towel, sprinkle them with salt and let them sit. You will notice the vegetables will start to “bead” with moisture after about 5 minutes; the longer they sit the more moisture will release.  Dab any excess moisture off with a paper towel.

Now that you have prepared all of your ingredients, the party can begin. Your guests can combine different sauce preferences, toppings and cheeses to design “build your own” pizza masterpieces. The sky’s the limit! Bake in the oven an additional 10 minutes at 425, until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, fresh basil, or a pinch of fennel seed to make it your own. Bon Appétit!

For more uses of the cauliflower crust, see the triumphant “Cauliflower Crust Egg-in-a-Hole” experiment: here.

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Stargazing ~ Joshua Tree, CA

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Looking for a fun, easy, affordable excursion to entertain your out-of-town visitors this Holiday season? Jump in the car and head out to Joshua Tree for a night of midwinter stargazing! Less than two hours away, Joshua Tree is one of our favorite places to get away from it all and get in touch with that deep desert stillness that always stirs the soul.

In these winter months, the best way to camp out is in a little desert hacienda—so you can be sure to stay toasty and warm when it comes time for sleeping. Joshua Desert Retreats has become our go-to purveyor of desert retreat houses. With twelve adorable, well-appointed and very affordable rental properties ranging in occupancy from 2 to 14 people, they have every kind of getaway home to fit your needs.

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All houses come with fully stocked kitchens, so you never have to leave the property unless you want to. So cooking and sharing meals together becomes a part of the fun. Most houses also include an outdoor fireplace, pool and jacuzzi. There truly is no better way to impress your East Coast friends than being able to sit outside in a hot tub all night in the dead of winter watching the stars shoot above your head.

We recently trekked out to Joshua Tree to take in the Leonid meteor showers. Siren Sarah cooked up a delicious Vegan Stew and we set up a cozy camp outside to watch the celestial light show in the sky. There are plenty of places to rent telescopes from, but we found that bringing binoculars is actually your best bet, so you can just lay back in a lounge chair with a blanket and enjoy.

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The best thing about Joshua Tree is that the light pollution is so low, you don’t need to wait for a spectacular cosmic event to go check out the stars—EVERY night is spectacular here. And every night brings plenty of stars that are visible to the naked eye as they shoot across the Milky Way.

So gather up some yummies to stock your fridge, grab your binoculars, blankets and loved ones, and head out to Joshua Tree to bundle up beneath a blanket of stars and give new meaning to “Silent night, holy night…”

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography & Video by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Vegan Roasted Vegetable Stew

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This weekend I was cooking for our Women’s Meditation Retreat in Big Bear. With the beautiful blanket of white snow outside our log cabin windows, it finally felt like winter had arrived in California. In honor of the holidays coming up and the brisk air outside, I wanted to ring in the season with a hearty stew to warm the soul and belly. I experimented with making this stew vegan to accommodate the dietary restrictions of some of our attendees. With some toasted gluten-free garlic bread on the side, this veggie stew was a warm delicious hug in a bowl. This could be a perfect addition to your holiday menu as we step into the season of sharing, gathering and feasting.

Makes 6

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes

2 zucchini

4 carrots

1 butternut squash

4 stalks of celery

1 onion

1 cup de-stemmed kale

5 mushrooms

1/2 can of chickpeas

6 cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped ginger root

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

avocado & cilantro to garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. With a fork, poke holes in the sweet potatoes, rub them with olive oil and lay them on a pan. Leave the garlic cloves in their skin, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil.

TIP: If you chop off the top of the garlic bulb before you roast it, the garlic can easily be “squeezed” out of its skin.

Chop the carrots and 1 zucchini in half,  length-wise. Chop the ginger root into chunks. De-seed, skin and chop the butternut squash into cubes. Rub the carrots, celery, 1 zucchini and ginger root with olive oil and lay on a cookie sheet, single layer, flat side down. On another cookie sheet, rub the butternut squash cubes with olive oil and lay in a single layer.

Roast the vegetables for 35-45 minutes in the oven until fork-tender.

TIP: The vegetables will “caramelize” and get brown on the face-down side, so turn them over halfway through to get both sides evenly roasted. The sweet potatoes will take longer, so it is important to roast them on a separate pan so that you can take out each vegetable from the oven as they are ready.

Let the vegetables cool. Once the sweet potatoes are room temp, the skin should easily peel off. Puree the inside of the sweet potato in a food processor, then set aside in a large stock pot. In batches, chop the cooked carrots, celery and zucchini into smaller chunks and puree. Add into stock pot. Then puree the garlic and ginger root. Combine all of the puree into the stock pot and stir together.

TIP: Add 1 cup of water to thin it out as you go.

Finely chop one onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat adding 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Cook onions in the pan until they are translucent and caramelized.

TIP: The onions excrete moisture–these “sugars” turn the onions into  a brown caramel color as they cook.

Bring the puree to a boil and stir. Add the cooked onion and remaining raw chopped zucchini, mushrooms, kale and chickpeas.

Cook on the stovetop over medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn. Once the zucchini and mushrooms are fork-tender, salt and pepper to taste. Add avocado and cilantro on top of each serving to garnish.

 Bon Appétit!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Go Rogue! ~ Opt Outside on Black Friday

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This Friday, instead of facing the real-life version of The Walking Dead at your local retailers–witnessing throngs of people stampeding each other in a crazed daze for a cheap(er) wide-screen TV…why not reclaim your sanity (and your humanity) and Opt Outside instead?

REI started this inspired movement by pledging to close its doors on Black Friday and #OptOutside in an effort to get families to bond out in nature instead of under glaring fluorescent lights buying a bunch of crap no one needs. You can find awesome hikes in your area just by entering your zip code here.

Save the Redwoods League has even upped the ante—offering free day passes to 49 California State Redwood Parks in Northern California. Happily, there has been an overwhelming response to this rogue reclaiming of the day after Thanksgiving and some park passes have already sold out. But there are still plenty of parks available. You can find a list here.

For those of us in Southern California looking for a place to spend November 27 in peace, we have some of nature’s best right here in our own backyard. Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forest and Mount San Jacinto above Palm Springs are great options for a quick day-trip. Our Sirens & Scoundrels gang will be heading out to Topanga State Park—which happens to be the largest state park within a city in the entire Unites States.

Even if you just step outside and watch the sunset together…be sure to take a moment to share a connection to something bigger than the inside of a mall. Go rogue and reclaim Black Friday…anti-zombie, pro-nature all the way. Raise your flag this Friday and stake your claim. Opt Outside and make yours a Green Friday!

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Cauliflower Crust Egg-in-a-Hole

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This year, I’ve had an ongoing weekly Sirens & Scoundrels cook date with fellow Siren, Pippa. Every week, we come together and experiment with rogue ideas in the kitchen. Some were failures, some were delicious triumphs. When I went gluten-free 5 years ago due to an allergy, pizza was the only thing I felt deprived of, since it was my favorite go-to meal. So I thought it was time I started experimenting with some crust alternatives. I’ve always been curious about cauliflower crust. Here’s the thing: because cauliflower is a vegetable, it sweats liquid when cooked down, which makes it difficult to get a really crisp crust. I theorized that if you make the crust into smaller, more personal sizes, then the middle of the “dough” will be as crisp as the edges. This led me to an enticing vision of combining my two favorite things: Pizza & Brunch.  Thus, the idea for the Cauliflower Crust Egg-in-a-Hole was born!

Makes 4

Crust Ingredients

2 cups packed riced cauliflower  (Follow the instructions for Ricing Cauliflower: Here)

1 egg

½ cup grated parmesan

½ cup grated low-moisture mozzarella

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Take a ¼ of the “dough” and form it into a ball. On the cookie sheet, flatten it out into the shape of a patty. Use a shot glass or small cup as a “cookie cutter” and make a hole in the middle of your crust. Use the excess dough from the middle of the crust to build up the inner circle edges to be taller than the rest of the crust like a mini volcano. Repeat instructions for all 4 mini crusts. Bake crusts for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.

Additional Ingredients

4 eggs

salt

pepper

4 Tbsp butter

Heat an iron skillet over low heat & melt 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter (you can also spray olive oil as an alternative). Brush the butter around the pan. When the butter foams, use a spatula to transfer your pizza crust. Crack an egg into the middle of the crust. Cook the egg to your liking. (I like my yoke a little runny–so I cooked it 1-2 minutes on one side, flipped it with a spatula like a pancake and cooked it on the other side for about 30 seconds-1 minute.)

Top with salt & pepper.  The possibilities are endless.  Adding avocado, black beans & salsa could be a Tex-Mex version for brunch.  Drizzling a marinara or pesto sauce could satiate that Italian craving. Play around & make it your own.  Bon Appétit!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe & Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Rain Room ~ LACMA

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For a city in the midst of a Megadrought, there is something strangely poetic about going to a museum to visit the rain. In Rain Room, LACMA’s latest interactive environment exhibit from their Art + Technology initiative, that’s essentially what we’re doing. When Random International originated the concept in London in 2012, followed by an insanely popular run at MoMA in NYC, it’s probably not what they had in mind. But just as every great work of art changes in relationship to its environment, this is no exception. What could be just a really cool sensory experience anywhere else, within the context of Los Angeles begins to take on a larger meaning.

Our first piece of advice is to go in knowing as little as possible. So honestly, you should just stop reading right now, buy yourself a ticket through this link and go. Trust us on this one…

Still reading? Okay, so you like to be prepared. In that case, we’ll let you in on a few key tips for getting the most out of your Rain Room experience. First of all, wear flat shoes or you won’t get in. You don’t want to be the one left standing outside in your cute shoes waiting for your friends to come out and tell you how it’s “totally amaaaazing!” and “hard to really explain” before posting epic photos of themselves on Instagram. NOT worth it.

Located on Level 1 of LACMA’s Broad Contemporary Art Museum building, groups of about twenty are brought in together for a 15-minute window. Once inside, the attendants inform you that only 8 people are allowed in the actual installation at any given time. They rely on the honor system for people to move in and out, giving everyone time to experience it. So don’t be a rain hog—go in knowing that you’ll have to share.

Unlike the James Turrell installation, they do allow cameras inside the Rain Room. Our advice is to get your great shot right when you enter and then put your phone away so you can actually get the experience you paid for. The best angle is from the corner as soon as you walk in or along the left-hand side. Shooting towards the one large white spotlight creates the best backlit effect. They tell you not to wear dark colors, but we found that darks actually create the best silhouettes. Your subject standing in the foreground blocking the light will also make for a better photo. Utilize your phone’s slow-mo feature for some epic music-video-worthy clips. Then…PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY. Seriously.

Once you actually step into the large square area of water showering down from overhead, they tell you to walk slowly if you don’t want to get wet. Advanced sensor technology picks up your movements, stopping the water above you as you walk, so you have to go at a pace that can be felt. Our attendant told us to “walk like a zombie.” We’d say, “walk like someone experiencing the wonder of rain for the first time”, so you don’t just shuffle around like the living dead. But be advised, you WILL get a little wet no matter what.

Much has already been written about how incredibly cool the Rain Room is. That it can make you feel like a god, satisfying fantasies of controlling the elements as you walk in the pouring rain, holding the power to stop it with your every move. But as we said before, given our unique current tenuous relationship with water, it brings up the other side of the question too: what does it mean to stand inside the rain, but never be able to touch it? To have it always JUST out of reach? Dry only where you are? The Rain Room can make philosophers of us all and it’s fascinating to talk to your friends afterwards about how they interpreted the experience (beyond, of course, being “SO cool!”)

The artists’ website states: “Rain Room is an environment of falling water through which it is possible to walk, trusting that a path can be navigated, without being drenched in the process. As you progress through the space the sound of water and a suggestion of moisture fill the air, before you are confronted by this carefully choreographed downpour that responds to your movements and presence.” We’re partial to this interpretation. That you can walk through a downpour and not get drenched, trusting that everything around you will support your journey. Any which way you think about it, the Rain Room delivers a sense of awe, wonder, play, mystery and excitement—forcing you out of the mundane and into the extraordinary. Now stop reading and go get your ticket already!

Rain Room runs from Nov 1-Mar 6. Tickets are currently sold out through January 2016, so reserve now & mark your calendars, as this event WILL sell out. Tickets are $30 for non-members, which includes general admission. $10 for members. www.lacma.org

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography & video by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Apple Picking Season ~ Oak Glen, CA

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Every Fall I go apple picking. And each time I come back with my bags of apples and Mile-High Apple Pie in tow, everyone asks, “WAIT!—You can go apple picking in LA?” YES. Yes you can.

Meet Oak Glen, CA. Nestled up in the mountains about an hour & a half east of Los Angeles, the folks in Oak Glen have been growing apples since 1867. If you imagine Autumn-in-Vermont Pioneer Village meets 1950’s Frozen-in-Time Americana, you’ve got Oak Glen. It’s a magic combo that makes you feel like you’ve just stepped inside a Charles Wysocki puzzle. Located a mile up the mountain, this 5-mile loop of sweet old-fashioned apple orchards actually experiences all four seasons beyond just “warm and warmer”.

Official apple picking season runs September to November, when the trees explode with ripe juicy apples of every flavor and the surrounding landscape bursts into an impressive show of bright yellows, reds and oranges. The best time for apple picking is the start of the season. But if you wait until later, there is still tons of farm fun to be had with less effort on your part. HINT: The bagged apples for sale are just as delicious as the ones you pick yourself and come from the same place. So it’s not too late to throw on your sweater, put a jacket in the car for later and wind your way up to Apple Heaven!

My favorite place to start any visit to Oak Glen is Riley’s Apple Farm, which feels like a real working frontier ranch. You can make all of your pioneer fantasies come true here—apple picking, cider pressing, hanging out in a log cabin, practicing your quill-and-ink writing and even perfecting your tomahawk-throwing skills.

Just down the road is Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho. “Why is every ranch called ‘Riley’s’”, you ask? The short answer is: The Rileys started this little apple enclave a hundred-plus years ago and kept building. So the whole town is a long-standing family affair. One of the largest farms in Oak Glen, Los Rios Rancho offers apple picking and pressing, a pumpkin patch, horse-drawn wagon rides and a large lawn area for enjoying a picnic with your gang of adventurers.

Los Rios is also the best spot in town to stop for a meal. Remember when I said Oak Glen was frozen in the 1950’s? That includes dining options—so vegetarians and vegans should plan ahead and bring their own snacks. For those without dietary restrictions, Applewood BBQ Slow Roasted Meats at Los Rios Rancho is the place to be.

Stand in line and watch the meat masters smoke their choice cuts to perfection in front of your eyes. My favorite dish is the tri-tip, which traditionally comes as a sandwich but you can ask them to make it an entrée plate on its own with a few country-style sides. Our gluten-free resident foodie Siren Sarah ordered the tri-tip salad and was thoroughly satisfied. The tri-tip is delicious, juicy and seasoned just right. Sitting outside with the huge mountain vistas behind you, live country music playing in the background, the smell of bbq and a crisp Autumn chill in the air, you will swear you are no longer in California. And you didn’t even have to hop on a plane to get here.

Stop in at the orchard’s country market to pick up provisions and mementos for home. I never leave Oak Glen without a bag of Pink Lady apples from Los Rios. Great for both eating and baking, they are crisp, sweet and tart all at the same time. Basically the perfect apple. They’re popular, so if the store barrel is empty, ask a staff member to grab you a bag from the back. Your mouth will thank you later.

After lunch, go down to the park behind Los Rios Rancho for a golden-hour stroll through paths of falling leaves and soft sunrays speckling through the trees. It’s no wonder that couples dot every few steps along the way taking their engagement photos. Something about this place feels classic and eternal all at once. On your way back out, be sure to visit the ranch’s farm animals. We’re not big fans of “petting zoos”, but the animals here at Los Rios are happy, sweet and clearly very well cared for. So go get some unabashed nuzzles from a goat or two.

For your next stop, head back down the mountain towards Oak Tree Village—the “city center” filled with tiny antique shops, novelty stores and stalls where you can sample apple beer. Oak Glen institution Apple Annie’s Restaurant & Bakery offers the pièce de résistance: The Mile-High Apple Pie. Also known as the best apple pie you will ever have in your life. That’s a big claim, but it also happens to be true. Each pie is filled with 5 lbs of apples, stacked all the way to the top of the 6-inch-high crust. The filling is the perfect sweet-tart mix with hardly any noticeable added sugar. The apples are truly the main event showcased in each bite. Do not leave Oak Glen without a Mile High Apple Pie to take with you. It will win you major favor back at home. I start getting phone calls from friends and family when they know I’ve been to Oak Glen, leaving deep breathy voicemails: “Did you get…the pie?” But with a pie this big, there is way more than enough to go around. HOT TIP: Warm it up and top it with some Alden’s organic vanilla bean ice cream for a flavor combo to stop the world.

As the sun begins to set into a Crayola pink-orange sky, put on some John Denver and wind your way back down the hill, soaking in the last of this quaint mountain town and its surrounding beauty. But rest assured knowing that the best is yet to come. You have a pie to eat at home. And not just any pie—the pie of your life. Enjoy every bite.

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more Fun Local Adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Oak Glen is open all year. Check website for individual farm operating hours. www.oakglen.net, www.losriosrancho.com, www.rileysapplefarm.com

 >>For your journey, enjoy some of our favorite songs from the original Mountain Man himself, John Denver.<<

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Apple Bake

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Returning from our recent day-trip to Oak Glen’s apple orchards with massive bags of farm-fresh apple bounty in hand, our Sirens were inspired to turn our treasures into tasty treats.

We invited the ladies over for a leisurely afternoon of apple baking, followed by a roundtable tasting with our Sirens and Scoundrels. There were some soul-stirring gems, as well as some disasters. (TIP: Guava and apples don’t mix.)

We’re sharing the best of the bake-off with you here. Try our recipes out yourself at your next Autumn-into-Winter dinner party. Happy baking!

 

       

CLICK LINKS BELOW FOR APPLE BAKING RECIPES~

Apple Castles

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (with Vegan option)

Vegan Sugarless Apple Oat Cookies

>>For your baking pleasure, enjoy these Farm Fresh Folk tunes!<<

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Apple Castles

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Serves 4

Ingredients

 

  • 4 apples
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • pinch of ground ginger
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Set aside. With a melon baller or pairing knife, cut out apple core leaving the apple intact. With a pairing knife or peeler, peel a long strip of apple skin from the very top of the apple and the very bottom, leaving the skin on in the middle. With a mandolin or knife, slice the apple into rings 1/8 inch thick. Squeeze lemon juice onto apple rings. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger together. Rub/lightly dust tops and bottoms of the apple rings. Stack the rings back into the apple shape on the cookie sheet. With the apple peel from the top and bottom, curl the skin, inside out, around your finger to create a rosette. Place the rosette in the apple stack hole on the top. Drizzle a little bit of coconut oil on each castle. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

In a pan, add the coconut oil and brown sugar, heat and stir until it reaches a syrup consistency. Add a pinch of cinnamon and the pecans. Take the apples out of the oven and drizzle the candied pecan mixture over each one. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Let cool. Add coconut vanilla ice-cream a-la-mode for the vegans. Bon Appétit!

Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”! 

Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels

Recipe by Sarah Prikryl // Photography by Sarah Prikryl

© 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels