Archive

Archive for August, 2008

Egg Flower Minced Pork Soup. Hochiak!

August 30th, 2008 3 comments

I stumbled onto this blog http://www.deliciousasianfood.com/ and learned that its writer was running a contest.  What fun!  He’s offering a $100 prize too.  Who can’t use that these days?  The challenge is to make one of his recipes and post about it on your blog – Then votes will be collected on his blog.  PLEASE vote for me, Entry #17. :)

Thanks for the cool challenge.  I decided to make the Egg Flower Minced Pork Soup, because it has very few ingredients and I’ve never added a minced (ground) meat to a Soup before.  I’ve been excited to make it all week, but finally got the chance up against the Malaysian timezone.  Good thing I picked a relatively easy recipe.

Yum!  It was better than expected.  I did it.  I put the Onions in first, then lowered the temperature to a simmer and added the Pork, Eggs and Green Onions.  It was pretty flavorful.  I will definitely make it again.  Thank you Delicious Asian Food.

PLEASE VOTE for ME – Entry #17 directly below.  Voting is open until 09/09/08 (Malaysian Time).  http://www.deliciousasianfood.com/ 

UPDATE: The Contest is over.  I unfortunately didn’t win, but had fun competing.  THANK YOU to those who voted for me.  I appreciate it.

Contest Information: http://www.deliciousasianfood.com/2008/08/21/100-up-for-grabs/

Delicious Asian Food’s recipe and original post:
http://www.deliciousasianfood.com/2007/05/08/egg-flower-minced-pork-soup/

 

Agua Caliente Casino Buffet in Rancho Mirage.

August 28th, 2008 3 comments

We had the Agua Caliente Casino Buffet for lunch today.  The food was fair compared to two other Casino Buffets we’ve had this year, but the Desserts were tops.  The pictures will give you a taste. 

We liked the Buffet best at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Palm Springs.  It offered Prime Rib, Carved Turkey, Shrimp, and a great variety of International dishes, Salads and Desserts.  It’s very impressive.  When we hit it everything was fresh.  And the Buffet at Pala Casino Resort & Spa in San Diego County was second runner up.

You Know El Matador in Costa Mesa, Right?

August 27th, 2008 No comments

I wrote a lengthy review about El Matador for Orange County Mexican Restaurants (OCMEXFOOD Blog).  Christian Z’s site has a lot more food pictures.  Check them out.  I just ate there again and had the Chorizo Con Huevos y Papas with a side of Tortillas and good Cadillac Margarita.  I liked it all. 

I’ll tell a semi-funny story about Chorizo when I prepare a Soy Chorizo post.  I don’t wanna think about the ingredients now.  Ciao.  :)

Related Links:

http://ocmexfood.blogspot.com/search?q=el+matador

 

Moussaka On The Go. Why Not?

August 26th, 2008 1 comment

I was busy working on many things today, but near one of my favorite Greek Restaurants and had to eat something.  I hadn’t tasted the Moussaka from the Greek Town Grill yet, since I always get the Dolmades.  I wrote about them in a previous post – They’re the best. 

The Moussaka (aka Mousaka) was good, but I have to admit that it didn’t top the one served at Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro.  It’s amazing there.  Both restaurants have tasty Greek dishes — It’ll just depend on where you find yourself.  Greek Town Grill is more casual and both are very welcoming.  The waiters often dance at Papadakis.  It’s a fun atmosphere.

Related Links:

 http://www.papadakistaverna.com/

http://www.greektowngrill.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=92

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moussaka

http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/Shelly-Borrell–A-Food-Writer-in-the-Making/124/

La Siesta Catered The Ole Hanson Beach Club.

August 25th, 2008 1 comment

La Siesta Restaurant was working hard, not napping.  They recently catered my friend’s wedding reception and did an excellent job.  The food was very good. 

I had never heard of them before, but I’ve since learned that they’re well loved in San Clemente.  I picked up one of their business cards and it says they specialize in Carnitas.  That’s what I liked the most.  Oh, the reception was very fun too. 

The view from the Ole Hanson Beach Club was spectacular.  It’s a great place for a wedding reception.  La Siesta was set up on the roof.  It’s a winning combination for those looking to tie the knot.  And finally, here’s a picture of the Cake.  It was cool too.  Congratulations Andrea & Mike.

 

Related Links:

http://www.lasiestasanclemente.com/

http://www.olehansonbeachclub.com/

If you’d like information regarding the Cake, please let us know in a comment.

Have You Tried Broccoflower Yet?

August 24th, 2008 No comments

I finally tried it.  To me it tastes like Cauliflower, but with less flavor.  I didn’t expect that.  It’s a pretty color and fun to try, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it, unless I needed its color contribution to a dish. 

I prepared a dish I make often with Cauliflower.  This time it’s ‘Roasted Broccoflower’ with Lemons, Garlic, Olive Oil and S & P.  It’s so simple and good.  If needed, the exact cooking instructions from a previous post are linked below.

broccoflower-006.JPG    broccoflower-010.JPG    broccoflower-017.JPG

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=121

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoflower

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-broccoflower.htm

Rachael Ray’s Potato Salad Fra Diavolo Esta No Fantastico.

August 23rd, 2008 4 comments

 

Lo Siento.  I’m not really sure why I’m trying to speak Spanish right now – HA.  I tried a recipe I saw Rachael Ray make on 30 Minute Meals.  It’s called Potato Salad Fra Diavolo.  The combination sounded really interesting to me, so I made it, but didn’t like it. 

That was a bummer, since I was hoping to eat it for lunch throughout the week.  I followed the recipe exactly, which I rarely do.  I’ll usually change something.  To me, the flavor was a bit heavy and didn’t jive — Perhaps too much Mustard or Fennel, I’m not sure.

I love the TV Food Network and Rachael Ray, but this particular recipe doesn’t work that well, with all due respect.  It’s from Episode#: TM1903.  Has anyone else made it?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s a few pictures of my preparation and a link to the recipe so you can try it yourself.  Good luck.

Recipe Links – http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2055

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/potato-salad-fra-diavolo-recipe/index.html

 

Happy Hour at The Yard House.

August 22nd, 2008 2 comments

Most of the appetizers at The Yard House are half price during Happy Hour, which is 3:00-6:00pm (M-F).  It’s a great deal on good quality food.  We got the Crab Cakes, Ham and Pineapple Pizza, Sliders with Bearnaise Sauce and French Fries, plus a Hefeweizen and Dirty Martini.  We liked it all.

food-show-flowers-yard-house-091.JPG     food-show-flowers-yard-house-087.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-082.JPG

Related Links:

http://www.yardhouse.com/flash/default.asp

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1310

Dolcissimo Where Did You Go?

August 21st, 2008 4 comments

Dolcissimo Cupcakes on 19th Street is NO MAS.  I’m not sure if they just moved or closed.  Their website doesn’t currently state.  It just shows business as usual, but their telephone number is out of order.  I’ll update this post later if I get the full story.  It appears the property owners didn’t have trouble securing another tenant.  The sign is already posted – Mazzottis Italian Deli & Catering, which doesn’t sound bad, but I’ll miss those Cupcakes.  I guess it’s another reason to make my own Cupcakes.

UPDATE 08/03/09:  It appears that Mazzottis opened, then closed a few months later.  The space is now occupied by Thai Tastee.

Strawberry & Banana Filled Crepe By Chef Nieces.

August 20th, 2008 No comments

My Nieces made this for breakfast today and sent it to me in an e-mail.  It’s a Strawberry and Banana filled Crepe with Chocolate Sauce.  It looks great – I wish I got to eat it.  Thanks!

The Breakdown Of A Chocolate Bean.

August 19th, 2008 1 comment

Chocolate’s progression on its way to your mouth.  I didn’t get to see the entire process, but the HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE links below will show you more.

food-show-flowers-yard-house-018.JPG     food-show-flowers-yard-house-024.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-027.JPG

Related Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuKL9uesf2c

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Chocolate

2008 Celebrity Food Show Cake Competition.

August 18th, 2008 2 comments

It was a Cake Making Competition among culinary students from The International Culinary School at the Art Institute.  The participants represented a few different schools, including Orange County, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Texas. 

The theme was America’s Best.  On this first day of the competition we saw the makings of a Liberty Bell, Luggage, a Hamburger and French Fries, a Stadium, the United States, and a few others we couldn’t make out at the time.

food-show-flowers-yard-house-033.JPG     food-show-flowers-yard-house-007.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-009.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-040.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-052.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-041.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-043.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-044.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-049.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-048.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-055.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-054.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-045.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-010.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-047.JPG

And the winner is…

winning-cake.jpg

We didn’t see all the Cakes in final, but do have a picture of the WINNER.  This picture was sent to me by one of its creators, Michael Hadobas, who is coincidentally the one piping the playing cards above.  He did a great job on them.  He and his partner Dorthy Sepcic made the winning Cake.  As you may guess, they’re from The Art Institute of Las Vegas.  Congratulations!

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=793

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=735

http://www.celebrityfoodshow.com/

http://www.artinstitutes.edu/

2008 Celebrity Food Show Review.

August 17th, 2008 2 comments

The event was touted as the 2008 Celebrity Food Show.  It was heavily promoted and looked enticing, so I went with a friend.  We didn’t stay for the Ace of Cakes Show because the food exhibit area was way too small.  We had reservations to see Duff and the rest of the gang at the 4:30 show, but left before it started.  The picture is from a peak at the 2:30 show.

We had arrived at 1:30 to first experience the Cake Making Competition and Food Exhibits, but there wasn’t enough to see to fill the time.  Overall we weren’t impressed.  It seemed more like a glorified swap meet or Costco’s on a Saturday, plus a fair number of vendors weren’t fabulous or even set up.  And we saw way too many Salsa booths.  

All didn’t seem worth the $25.00 entry fee — And no one even asked for our tickets.  People were just wandering in and out of all the open doors.  The pictures below are of a few items we sampled or purchased, and a couple displays that caught our eyes.  The Cake Making Competition pictures will be featured in a future post, since it was the best part of the event.

food-show-flowers-yard-house-014.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-015.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-020.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-012.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-005.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-006.JPG

potato-salad-food-fair-020.JPG    potato-salad-food-fair-016.JPG    potato-salad-food-fair-023.JPG

Related Links:

http://www.celebrityfoodshow.com/

http://www.thesmokestackco.com/index.shtml

http://www.chipotletx.com/

http://www.lacookiestogo.com/Lisa_Anns_Cookies_to_go/Home.html

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=735

http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Beautiful Summer Dahlias in Costa Mesa.

August 16th, 2008 No comments

Some flowers are edible, but these aren’t.  This post is for the locals, but you can certainly enjoy the pictures.  If you’re nearby it’s a fun find.  Dahlias can be fresh cut from our Costa Mesa neighbor’s backyard from June to September.

Just point to the one you want and Mr. or Mrs. Banks will cut it for you.  They’re located at 1589 Riverside Place in Costa Mesa, California 92627 – (949) 642-8107.  The Dahlia prices range from $3.00 – $8.00 each.  If there’s a ‘Dahlias Today’ sign out front, feel free to walk back to see the beautiful flowers.  They’re gorgeous.

food-show-flowers-yard-house-061.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-062.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-063.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-069.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-075.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-076.JPG

food-show-flowers-yard-house-068.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-066.JPG    food-show-flowers-yard-house-064.JPG

A Bouquet of Herbs From a Friend.

August 15th, 2008 1 comment

A friend gave me these herbs from her garden.  I love bouquets of everything.  This one consists of Rosemary, Basil, Garlic Basil, Chives and Garlic Chives.  Thank you very much!