ParkHouseSD Inspired Green Veggie Scramble & Pink Goddess Bubbles
A San Diego celebration menu: garden-fresh breakfast scramble meets sparkling strawberry-guava cocktail
The Dinner Bell is a love letter to food, family, and memory. It's where I share heritage recipes, revive forgotten dishes, and pair them with stories and sips from my California kitchen. I recreate the original, zhuzh up the flavor, and offer adaptations for how we eat today. Don't miss a bite. Subscribe and join me at the table every week.
Last weekend, my family gathered in San Diego to celebrate my nephew Ian's graduation from Point Loma High School. What a whirlwind that was! My sisters Julie and Jackie, my nieces Olivia and Hope, and my mom, Joy, were all there to cheer him on (we missed Quincy, who was busy with soccer up in Northern California).
We packed so much into those few days. We arrived just in time to change clothes and make it to the graduation ceremony, then celebrated with Ian's friends and their families over dinner. After collapsing into bed at 11 pm, we were up early for breakfast at ParkHouseSD, followed by pool time at the hotel, a walk along the Navy ships (including the USS Midway Museum), and a trip to Seaport Village for carousel rides, shopping, and Dole Whip treats.
But the highlight was Saturday night's graduation party, hosted by one of Ian's friends’ parents, with the most incredible view of San Diego. The White Collars (a local band and friends of the host family) played all our favorite throwbacks (including my fave Green Day), and honestly, it was one of the best parties I've been to in years. Picture this: a fully stocked bar, live music, and every generation mixing and mingling. It reminded me of the legendary parties my parents threw, where everyone was welcome, and the laughter never stopped. One for the memory books, truly. An unforgettable weekend all around.
Today, I'm sharing recipes inspired by our delicious meal at ParkHouseSD – a savory dish paired with the bubbly drink that my niece Olivia couldn't get enough of. The rest of the family went wild for the gluten-free chilaquiles, blue corn flapjacks, buttermilk pancakes, and their special brown sugar pancake. If you're ever in San Diego, definitely stop by ParkHouseSD for breakfast – nothing beats the real thing!
For Father's Day next Sunday, I'm sharing pancakes - one of my dad's ultimate favorites. The ParkHouseSD version I loved and will share my inspired recipe for is a lemon-ricotta pancake with blueberry sauce, which my dad would have honored and tried if I asked him to. Still, he would have much preferred a straight-up, simple pancake with lots of butter and maple syrup, so I will also share a recipe for that. I'll post this early Saturday in case you want to add it to your Father's Day menu this Sunday—cheers to all the dads who keep it simple and sweet.
For Father's Day next Sunday, I'm sharing pancakes - one of my dad's ultimate favorites. The ParkHouseSD version I loved is a lemon-ricotta pancake with blueberry sauce, and I'll share my inspired recipe. My dad would have honored it and tried it because I asked him to, but he would have much preferred a straight-up, simple pancake with lots of butter and maple syrup, so I'll share a recipe for that too. I'll post this early Saturday in case you want to add to your Sunday Father's Day menu—cheers to all the dads who keep it simple and sweet.
Have fun with these recipes. Make them your own, tweak them to match your style and taste, share them with friends, and enjoy every bite and every moment.
ParkHouseSD Inspired Green Veggie Scramble
This vibrant green scramble is like having a garden party on your plate. It's fresh, nourishing, and satisfying – the kind of breakfast that fuels you up and makes you feel good about starting the day right.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 2 generously
Equipment
Frying pan/skillet (stainless steel or non-stick)
Ingredients
1 cup green beans, trimmed
1 cup green bell pepper
1 cup zucchini
1 cup fresh spinach
6 large eggs
1/4 cup milk or water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
How to Make It
Prepare your vegetables: Chop the green beans, bell pepper, and zucchini into similar-sized pieces, then pulse in a food processor until they are broken down into small, bite-sized pieces. You want them uniform but not mushy.
Prepare the eggs: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk (or water), salt, and pepper until completely smooth and well combined. Set aside.
Start the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in your saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 to 40 seconds. Add the processed veggies and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but still have some bite. Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Scramble and combine: In the same pan, pour in the egg mixture and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a spatula. When the eggs are fully set but still slightly wet (about 1 minute before your preferred doneness), fold the cooked vegetables back into the pan along with the fresh spinach. The spinach will wilt quickly from the residual heat.
Finish and serve: Continue cooking just until the eggs reach your desired consistency, and everything is warmed through. Serve immediately, either spread across the plate or piled high, whatever makes you happy.
Pair with feta cheese and green salsa for extra zing, buttery, forked avocado toast, crispy mashed potatoes, or thick slices of bread slathered with parsley-whipped butter.
Parsley Whipped Butter
This butter transforms ordinary bread into something special, and it's ridiculously easy to make. The fresh parsley adds color and a clean, grassy note that pairs beautifully with eggs, vegetables, or just about anything that needs a little extra richness.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chilling Time: 1 hour | Makes 1 stick
Equipment
Ingredients
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely minced
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
How to Make It
Prepare the parsley: Finely mince the fresh parsley. You want it small enough to distribute evenly throughout the butter.
Whip it up: In a food processor, pulse the room temperature butter with the minced parsley until well combined and fluffy. The butter should be light and airy with flecks of green throughout.
Shape and chill: Transfer the herbed butter to a piece of parchment paper. Shape it into a log by rolling it up in the parchment, twisting the ends to seal. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Serve: When ready to use, remove from the fridge and let it soften for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. Slice thick rounds to top warm bread, or let them reach a full spreading consistency.
Pro Tip
This whipped butter keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week, and you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Make a double batch. You'll find yourself reaching for it constantly once you taste how much flavor that little bit of parsley adds.
ParkHouseSD Inspired Pink Goddess Bubbles
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 2 generously
This gorgeous pink cocktail combines the sweetness of fresh strawberries with tropical guava and crisp sparkling wine. Perfect for brunch, celebrations, or whenever you need a little sparkle in your day.
Equipment
High-powered blender (Vitamix is ideal)
Fine-mesh strainer (optional, for silkier texture)
Ingredients
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup guava nectar or juice blend
1-2 bottles sparkling wine or Champagne
How to Make It
Prep the strawberries: Remove green tops and blend until completely smooth. For an extra-silky finish, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Chill the puree until ready to serve.
Build your base: In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 cup of the chilled strawberry puree with 1 cup guava nectar. Give it a good shake to marry the flavors.
Assemble the drinks: Divide the strawberry-guava mixture between two champagne flutes (about 1/2 cup per glass). Top with sparkling wine, pouring slowly until it bubbles right to the rim.
Finish with flair: Garnish each glass with a fresh strawberry slice.
Pro Tips
If your strawberry puree feels too thick, thin it with a splash of water until it flows easily
A blanc de blancs sparkling wine brings just the right acidity to balance all that fruity sweetness.
Make extra puree; it keeps beautifully in the fridge for second rounds or tomorrow’s mimosas.
"Perhaps the most precious heirlooms are family recipes. Like a physical heirloom, they remind us from whom and where we came and give others, in a bite, the story of another people from another place and another time." —Stanley Tucci
Working with my family's recipes has me thinking about all the kitchen treasures in recipe boxes and family memories across the country. There's something special about recipes that come with stories, like a warm peach ice cream that connects me to my great-grandma Clara and those warm spring and summer days when homemade ice cream was a daily treat.
I'd love to feature your family recipes and their stories here on The Dinner Bell. If you have one that's been passed down through generations, the kind that comes with memories and meaning, I’d love to hear about it. What dish connects you to your heritage? Maybe it's your grandmother's Sunday gravy, a holiday cookie that only comes out once a year, or that mysterious family casserole everyone requests, but no one can quite replicate.
Here's what I'm looking for:
Recipes with family history
The story behind the dish…who made it, when, and why it matters
Any secrets, substitutions, or quirks that make it uniquely yours
Photos of the original recipe card, if you have one
And don't worry if you're not sure about exact measurements, family recipes are often more about feel than precision, and that's part of their charm.
Tell me about your heirloom recipe in the comments. Or better yet, share your recipe, and I’ll feature it here in TheDinner Bell.
Hit the heart button below (❤️) or look for "Leave a comment" and tell me what you thought of today’s recipe and pairing. I'd love to hear from you.
This was so good and so healthy. It’s good to see all the recipes that Jen has put together and shared our family history and memories no one can take away. She had researched all this history and the the people who came before us and this will go down to the future family members
This is a treasure and a lot of work but what a gift she had given all of us
Thank you Jen