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This Spicy Baked Shrimp Recipe Is Fabulous!

October 11th, 2008 1 comment

Like the recipe says, this Spicy Baked Shrimp recipe is yummmmmmy!  If I had more Shrimp, I’d make it again right NOW!  I halved the recipe for what’s pictured here — I need more Shrimp asap.     

I just mixed ALL the ingredients together, added the Shrimp and baked the combination in the oven for 20 minutes.  The preparation couldn’t be easier — Love that.

I served the Shrimp with warm crusty Sourdough Rolls that tasted so good dipped in the Sauce.  I’m glad I discovered this delicious recipe.  It’s officially a new, rustic and fun staple in my food repertoire.  You gotta try it too.

Related Link:

http://www.recipezaar.com/32745

A Visit To Pick Up Stix At Westcliff.

October 10th, 2008 No comments

I think Pick Up Stix does a pretty good job.  These pictures are from a pop in at the Westcliff location in Newport Beach, California.  TIP:  Try not to hit it when the nearby High School is releasing students.

Pick Up Stix is featuring Crispy Honey Chicken, Rice and a Salad for $4.99 — It’s in a Coupon Packet I received in the mail, but you don’t need the coupon to get it.  Since it sounded good and I pass by one, I got that Special to go.  I liked the Honey Chicken, but the Salad tasted bagged and was wilted.  I did ask that it be packed on the side, but they overlooked that request.  The Dressing for the Salad isn’t terrific either — I ended up using my home favorite Sesame Dressing.  Overall, I do like Pick Up Stix, but need to be selective with a couple items. 

Related Links:

http://www.pickupstix.com/

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

http://www.feastkitchens.com/products.html

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=35

Lunch At Cafe Sole´ At Glen Ivy Hot Springs.

October 8th, 2008 1 comment

I should have ordered this, but mostly because it’s so colorful, plus the Ranch Dressing wasn’t great on our Side Salads.  The Lettuce was fresh, but (in our three opinions) if having Ranch Dressing it’s hard to beat the taste of homemade/restaurant made Original Ranch Dressing.  Most others are too tart, thick, or just not good.  The one at Glen Ivy is okay, but a Salad is 100% better with any great dressing.

And I’m not a fan of the pre-made Sandwich waiting in the fridge.  We ordered a Turkey Sandwich and they just reached into the fridge, grabbed a Sandwich and handed it over the counter.  Cafe Sole´ looks better than that and should be.  They make their Salads fresh, so I was bummed to see the Sandwich.  

Since the Turkey Sandwich didn’t look bad, we kept it, but later returned it when refrigerator flavor was detected.  Yuck.  I can’t stand that taste.  We weren’t looking for it, but unfortunately it was there. 🙁

On a brighter note, they make the Pizzas in a wood burning oven.  We had the Mediterranean Pizza with Caper Berries, Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes, along with our mud bake, mineral bath, lounge in the pool, pedicures, pool aerobics, Wine and Bellini’s.  It was a beautiful day!  Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a pleasing place to spend the day.  It’s not inexpensive, so we were very happy to have $400 in Gift Cards.  We left with $1.24 remaining — Fabulous!

Related Links:

http://www.glenivy.com/

http://www.glenivy.com/index.php/resort/C18/

http://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/DryDressingDips.php

Here’s Where To Find Restaurant Menus Online.

October 7th, 2008 10 comments

Online Restaurant Menus are a lot less messy and more organized than paper Menus.  Many of the pictured Menus are online, so I’d better read them there or arrange mine in alphabetical order for just as easy access.

Search Menus By all USA Locations:

http://www.allmenus.com/
http://www.menuism.com/
http://www.takeouttonight.com/
http://www.imenuhq.com/
http://www.usmenuguide.com/

Specific Area Menus:

http://www.menupages.com/ – New York
http://www.usmenuguide.com/lasvegas.html – Las Vegas
http://www.menupix.com/losangeles/ Los Angeles
http://www.menukarma.com/menus/los-angeles

Design Your Own Menu:

http://www.themenumaker.com/
http://www.menushoppe.com/

About Online Menus and How To Find More:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_menus
http://www.ehow.com/how_2002982_menus-restaurant-online.html

Coleslaw’s On Hand Again and Again.

October 6th, 2008 1 comment

slaw-tomatoes-001.JPG

I’ve been making this basic recipe for years.  I just switch it up between an all in, or some out combination of chopped Red and/or Green Cabbage, grated or chopped Carrots, finely chopped Celery or Celery Seed, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions.

I then add all to the above — Mayonnaise, White Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, and freshly ground Pepper to taste.  This is one of my favorite snacks to have on hand.  It’s hard to rival that perfect combination of ingredients. 

slaw-tomatoes-004.JPG    slaw-tomatoes-007.JPG    slaw-tomatoes-009.JPG

The Coleslaw above is made with Red Cabbage and Carrots, and the one below is made with Red Cabbage, finely grated Celery and Green Onions.  The measurements of the remaining ingredients vary on the volume of vegetables.  I’ll usually add a little at a time to dial in that perfect taste and coverage.  I tend to have a lighter hand on the Mayo and heavier hand on the Vinegar, without overdoing it.

    

P.S.  I confess that I also happen to like Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Coleslaw and Chic-Fil-A’s Coleslaw, although neither taste like mine, nor each other.  Coleslaw has endless variations and it’s a better snack than many.

Post-Post Coleslaw:  This one was made with shredded Green Cabbage, grated Carrots, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions, plus the standard mix-in, as detailed above.

 

Related Links:

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

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0406a.htm

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#home

http://www.scribd.com/doc/124752/American-Chain-Restaurant-Recipe-Book

http://www.kfc.com/

Who Is Ruby Tuesday Anyway?

October 5th, 2008 1 comment

Ruby Tuesday Restaurant has been advertising in Southern California forever it seems, at least a year — But there hasn’t even been one in the entire state.  It’s kind of annoying, especially since they’ve persuaded me to want to try their Mini Burgers – HA.  I guess they’re busy building a brand, but seeing as they’ve spent a lot of money advertising in this market, they should at least open a restaurant in the state.  Right?

And I just recently saw a new Ruby Tuesday commercial telling me to “…forget everything [I] know about Ruby Tuesdays, [your] changing it all, a new menu, new decor…”  Blah, blah, blah.  Well, since I’ve never actually seen one, I can certainly forget everything I don’t know about it.

NEWS BULLETON:  A Ruby Tuesday finally opened in California last month — It’s in San Bernardino, so I still won’t be trying their Mini Burgers (aka Sliders) anytime soon.  Have you been to one?  If so, where?  I guess the advertising worked on me, but I’m still not driving to San Bernardino, so there. 😉

Ruby Tuesday: http://www.rubytuesday.com/

Ruby Tuesday’s MENU: http://www.rubytuesday.com/menu/pdf/s7.pdf

Make your own Sliders: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=4063

A Colorful Breakfast Inside and The Forest Outside.

October 4th, 2008 No comments

It’s half a homemade Waffle with Boysenberry Syrup and fresh cut Strawberries made by ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ while visiting Lake Arrowhead.  It was a colorful breakfast, but sadly the forest outside is badly burned. 🙁

Almost one year ago, a family cabin in Lake Arrowhead, California almost burned down.  If you recall, it was reported on the news in late October 2007 — There was a big fire in Lake Arrowhead and surrounding parts of the mountain.  One fire burned all the way up to the back of my Sister’s cabin. 

We had heard that most cabins on our street (Brentwood) were on fire, then finally learned that ours was one of the few still standing.  We were/are so thankful and convinced that ours was spared partly due to a fire access road directly behind it. 

Before the fire we all stared out the big cabin window and colored a picture of the forest.  We recently found those pictures and feel very sad for the trees.  Our crayon colors are now gray and black, whereas they were several shades of green and brown.  Our Waffles tried to cheer things up.

                   

We THANK ALL the Firefighters who helped save our cabin and others.  Sadly most of the trees in our area are burned, but many others are okay, and several cabins are being rebuilt. 

Related Links:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=5720289

http://www.knbc.com/news/14397191/detail.html

http://calfire.blogspot.com/2007/10/lake-arrowhead-fire-updates.html

Nordstrom Cafe Bistro At The Irvine Spectrum.

October 3rd, 2008 1 comment

This visit we had the Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad and Brick Oven Margherita Pizza.  Both were good.  I like many things on their menu — Next time I want the Chicken Artichoke & Goat Cheese Salad or Salmon BLTA. 

The decor could be lightened up a little, but the service is excellent.  The Desserts are on display and they offer Beer & Wine.  It’s a nice escape from shopping or working.  You’ll find it on the 2nd Floor of Nordstrom at the Irvine Spectrum Center — There’s a lot of great restaurants and entertainment at the Irvine Spectrum.

Related Links:

http://about.nordstrom.com/aboutus/restaurant/default.asp

http://www.allmenus.com/menus/54953/Nordstrom-Cafe-Bistro/

http://www.shopirvinespectrumcenter.com/

The Brea Mall Cafe Nordstrom INFO & FOOD:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/2009/06/07/cafe-nordstrom-serves-a-mean-mall-lunch/

It’s Called The World’s Simplest Bread.

October 2nd, 2008 1 comment

The recipe is from my Niece’s Cookbook, Family Fun Cooking with Kids.  And as declared, it is a simple Bread, especially if you’re not the one getting your hands dirty.  I supervised the preparation of this Turtle Bread and looking back the process wasn’t too bad.

BUT there was a time in the middle that hands were stuck to the Dough and Flour was flying.  There are no pictures of that in the book, nor here, since they’re not pretty.  But Oil up your hands real good BEFORE starting to knead the Dough.

This post is another feature of Kids in the Kitchen with Bailee and Alexis.  It was FUN to watch the Bread rise and shape it into a Turtle.  Its eyes are Raisins that expanded to look like Olives. 

The aroma of Bread baking in the oven and the opportunity to eat your own homemade Bread are special experiences.  We want to do it again.  For the recipe enlarge the picture below, or obtain this creative Cookbook and start cooking with your kids – They have fun doing the dirty work, HA.  It’s a win-win.

Related Link and Cookbook Information:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=990

These Wing Stop Boneless “Wings” Are Pretty Darn Good.

October 1st, 2008 No comments

The Lemon Pepper Boneless Wing Strips at the Wing Stop are yum-ME.  I usually get them TO GO with the Sauce on top, and they are still super crispy when I eat them.  I love that!  And I especially like the Lemon Pepper flavor.  Their Boneless Wings are tender and juicy, as well as crispy.  You can’t ask for more.  It’s nice to enjoy every bite of a so-called “wing.”  So not to wait too long, it’s best to call, fax, or e-mail in your order, if you’re getting it to go.  The Wing Stop in Costa Mesa off Newport Boulevard is fairly small inside, with two extra tables out front.  Enlarge the menu below to get a peek at the various flavors.  So far we can’t pull ourselves away from the Lemon Pepper.

Sage On The Newport Beach Coast.

September 30th, 2008 No comments

It’s lunch at Sage on the Coast in honor of a dear friend’s twenty years of service at the distinguished law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.  I once worked there myself.  The patio and adjacent garden at Sage are very nice.  It has a retractable roof and a fireplace.  We had a wonderful time in a beautiful environment with great food and wine.

To get an idea of what you might want to eat, I’ve posted a few photos.  Above is the Parmesan Crusted Asparagus with Balsamic Syrup, then moving on down to the Tortilla Soup with Cheddar Cheese, Cilantro, Chicken and Crispy Tortilla Strips.

Farmer’s Market Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese, Marcona Almonds and Orange Vinaigrette.

And this Roasted Cauliflower with Anchoaide Crust turned out to be one of our favorite dishes.

Sautéed Mexican Prawns with Linguine Pasta, chopped Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Spinach, Pine Nuts and Pesto Cream Sauce.

Coconut Crusted Barramundi with Coconut Rice, Bok Choy, Carrots, Shitake Mushrooms and Sweet & Spicy Sauce.  This is the first time I’ve tried “Barramundi.”   It’s a delicious Fish with beautiful white meat and great texture.  My portion was generous too.  I want it again sometime.

And here’s the Grilled Beef Filet Medallion, Hawaiian Ahi Sashimi, and Crispy Duck Confit Spring Rolls, respectively.

Sweet Potato Fries with Papaya Mustard, Grilled Salmon Salad, and House Made French Fries with Smoked Ketchup.

And of course we had Dessert, starting with a Lemon Chiffon Tart with Blackberry Coulis, Cream Fraiche Ice Cream and Lemon Tuile.

Plus an Old Fashioned Rootbeer Float, Farmer’s Market Poached Pear, and Hawaiian Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.

Butterscotch Pot de Creme, Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake, and a Cappuccino.

Based on the offerings from the local Farmer’s Markets, Sage prints a new menu almost daily.  And they’ve got a Late Night “Sweet Tooth” Happy Hour for dessert tasting.  That sounds fun.

Related Links:

http://www.sagerestaurant.com/SOC/default.asp

http://www.sagerestaurant.com/

http://www.gibsondunn.com/Pages/default.aspx

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

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tuile.htm

Artisan Salumi Santana & More At Charlie Palmer’s OC Location.

September 28th, 2008 2 comments

The Artisan Salumi Santana is described by Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s as Rustic Paté, Dijon and Country Bread, but you can see that it’s a lot more than that.  Can you believe that all these Meats are made and cured in the restaurant?  My favorites are on the entire bottom row and top left corner of the platter pictured here.  I especially liked the Smoked Meat (bottom corner) and both Patés.

The above was served with this Bread — I liked the presentation and stylish Bread Rack.  And more Bread choices are available to all guests and served on arrival.  It’ll be delivered to your table.  The Olive Bread also goes well with this appetizer.  As like the Meat, all Bread is made in-house.

During this lunch, we also had what’s to follow, starting with Crisp Pacific Sea Bass with Miso Orange Vinaigrette and Edamame Shitake Ragout.

Roasted Sonoma Chicken, a Crispy Thigh with Broccoli Puree and Preserved Lemon.  It tasted drizzled with Truffle Oil too and had many great flavors.


Charlie Palmer’s has a great selection of side dishes too.  This visit we had the Wild Mushrooms, with Shallot and Fresh Thyme.  I’ve got my eye on the Crisp Fries with Chipotle Aioli for next time — I bet they’re good here.

 

These desserts are best described as unique and luxurious.  I don’t have their official descriptions, but they’re similar to Ravioli of Pear with Rootbeer Ice Cream, and some pretty sophisticated techniques thrown in.

And Warm Gianduja, Smoked Marshmallow, and Kumquat with Chocolate Ice Cream.  WOW!  The Gianduja was presented in a warm round Donut oozing the Hazelnut.  Get a look at the Ice Cream color (below), that’s some richness there — I’ve never seen Chocolate Ice Cream so dark.  Have you?

This meal was truly amazing.  Thanks Charlie.  I like saying that, because I feel like one of Charlie’s Angels – HA. 😉

Related Links:

http://www.charliepalmer.com/bloomingdale/home_files/Web_menu_091508.pdf

http://www.opentable.com/single.aspx?rid=20119&restref=20119

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1036

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianduja_(chocolate) 

http://www.charliepalmer.com/bloomingdale/home.html

Tamale Trio From LA (El-Aaaayy).

September 27th, 2008 2 comments

My Uncle picked these up somewhere in Los Angeles.  He’s currently visiting from Denmark.  As previously reported on Nibbles of Tidbits, he opened up the First Mexican Restaurant in Denmark, and just added three more franchises this year.  He’s in California to see family and suppliers.  These Tamales are from one of his suppliers.  Thanks.

They’re Pork, Chicken, and Sweet (De Dulce) Tamales in the photograph above (respectively bottom up).  All were very good, but the Pork was the best, as you may guess from looking at the picture.  I steamed all in a pot for about 8 minutes and carefully turned them once.  It was fun to have the variety, and the sweet went well with the savory — It didn’t need to be eaten as a lone dessert.

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=428

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

http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2007/03/27/grandma-salazars-tamales/

http://www.tortilla-flats.dk/ (In Danish)

Try Charlie Palmer’s Sliders, I’ll Concur With ABC News On This One.

September 26th, 2008 1 comment

KABC, Channel 7 recently revealed where to get the BEST SLIDERS (Mini Burgers) and it recommended we try Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s in South Coast Plaza.  Although they named the “Top 7 Slider Restaurants in Los Angeles,” they noted that Charlie Palmer’s in Orange County has exceptional Sliders too — I just tried two of the three.

I had the Kobe Beef Slider and the PBLT (Pork Belly, Lettuce & Tomato) Slider.  And before I even took a bite of the Kobe Beef Burger, I knew it was the Best Slider I’ve ever had.  Seriously, it’s aroma put me at the best backyard BBQ on a sunny day.  I usually don’t write this flowery, but it was that amazing to me.

And the PBLT was also surprisingly good.  “Surprisingly” because I’m generally a visible fat avoider — I trim all meat.  For that reason I haven’t gravitated towards Pork Belly, but I just went for it.  The texture was tender, not chewy as feared, but more like a thick slab of Bacon, which I love.

Both Sliders are worth traveling for.  Pictured above (L-R) PBLT, Kobe Beef & Kobe Beef — We haven’t yet tried the Crab Cake Slider, but may need to.  There’s more to this meal, but Charlie Palmer’s Sliders deserve a showcase.

Enjoy!

Three Dog Bakery in Lake Arrowhead Village.

September 25th, 2008 5 comments

It’s already Octoberfest at Lake Arrowhead Village — Now and every weekend starting at noon through all of October.  And there’s no admission fee.  We were at the family cabin (nearby) last weekend with a couple Dogs, Holly and Maggie, respectively below. 

Since we cooked up a storm for ourselves, we picked up a few treats from the Three Dog Bakery for the pets.  Dogs are always popular in Lake Arrowhead Village, but you can’t bring them inside the roped Octoberfest/Band Area — You should know that if you’re a pet owner who also wants to party, because you can’t bring your Beer outside the ropes.

And we always bring Peanuts for the Blue Jays.  We just put a bunch on the cabin deck and they fly right in to get them.  It’s pretty cool.  They’re so beautiful too.

And here’s the Dogs playing in the cabin.  They were tugging over a stuffed Gorilla until we gave them the treats from the Three Dog Bakery.  I should also mention that there’s a Three Dog Bakery in Newport Beach too, since that’s where I live — Not at the Barkery, near Newport. 🙂

 

 

 Related Links: 

http://lakearrowheadvillage.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc

https://www.threedog.com/Default.aspx

http://www.lakearrowhead.net/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Arrowhead,_California

Mazzottis Is Friendly & Pre-Established.

September 23rd, 2008 4 comments

Mazzottis Italian Deli & Catering settled right into the former Dolcissimo Cupcake’s location.  It looks nice inside.  They utilized the space well by raising the counters and adding bar stools.  They even added three umbrellaed tables outside, which is most often my preference. 

Although Mazzottis is new to Costa Mesa, it was pre-established in Huntington Beach for about 30 something years, near Olive and Walnut.  There’s a picture of it on their new walls — I think I remember seeing it as a kid growing up while hanging out on HB Main Street.  And now they just re-opened on 19th Street in Costa Mesa with new family members.

I received a menu and 15% off coupon in the mail, and since it’s minutes away, of course I tried it.  They were so nice and allowed me to order a smaller portion Salad than listed on the menu.  I just wanted a side Salad, instead of the larger House Garden Salad — It was really fresh and the House Italian Dressing is good.  

I also tried Mazzottis Spinach Canneloni, which had a generous amount of Spinach.  I’m told that the Calzones are IT and referred to as “World Famous” — I haven’t truly enjoyed a Calzone in my life, but may need to give theirs a try.  Maybe I’ll be converted?

Garlic Bread came with the Canneloni, which was a nice bonus.  And I tried their Garlic Cheese Fries.  I wanted more garlic on them, but maybe that’s just me.  I’d go back and try some more stuff.  I’ve read the Meatball Sandwiches are good.  It’s great to have them in the neighborhood.

Related Links:

http://www.mazzottisdeli.com/ 

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=808

http://www.octhen.com/2006/01/my-favorite-orange-county-restaurants.htm#c2126793097698504116 – Mazzottis is mentioned in a comment near the bottom of the page.  OCThen is a great blog too. 

UPDATE 07/03/09:  It looks like they’ve closed.  That’s always a bummer to see.

Foodbuzz’s Version of 24 — It’s Impressive.

September 22nd, 2008 No comments

 Foodbuzz just kicked off its 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs promotion.  They picked 24 Blogs from around the world to participate by posting a Meal within the same 24 Hours.  I entered, but you’ll see that the competition was stiff — Hopefully my idea will get picked next time.  Until then, here’s a link to the 24 excellent posts.  All did an amazing job – http://www.foodbuzz.com/24.

As a Featured Publisher, I received this Apron and Spatula in the mail today.  Thanks Foodbuzz!  I’ll take a picture using them someday. 🙂

Our Sleepover Cake Interpretation.

September 21st, 2008 6 comments

We saw this recipe in a cookbook I recent bought for my Niece’s Birthday  — We thought it was so clever and cute that we made it during a sleepover at a family cabin in Lake Arrowhead.  That’s us on the cake from left to right, my sister Ami, Niece Lexi, Mom, Me and Niece Bailee.    

We look a bit like zombies, but it was fun to make.  Our heads are Nilla Wafers, the pillows are Marshmallows, and the bodies are Twinkies.  We used Jawbreakers for the eyes, sweet and sour Candy Rope for the bed skirt and trim, and made a Milk Chocolate Cake instead of a Vanilla one.

                   

                   

                   

Here’s a picture of the book cover and recipe.  The original looks more polished — It was harder to make than we expected.  It’s tricky frosting over the Twinkies, we added toothpicks to hold them in place.  The softer the Frosting and bed trim Candy, the better.  It was a cool experience together.

Our Cake was posted on Culinarty by Lore as one of (10) Original Food Photos.  Take a look at it there and check out her other picks.  They are all pretty amazing.  Thanks Lore.

http://culinarty.sapiensworks.com/articles/lores-choice-10-original-food-photos-5/

Related Links:

http://www.cookingwithkids.com/

http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/

http://www.amazon.com/FamilyFun-Cooking-Kids-Deanna-Cook/dp/1423100867

Homemade Sausage Patties.

September 20th, 2008 2 comments

I had some leftover Ground Pork from a Soup recipe I made for a contest.  The link to that recipe and contest results is below, and with the remaining Pork I made Sausage Patties.  To prepare the same, simply add a fair amount of each ingredient (relative to the amount of Pork on hand):

Fennel Seeds
Kosher Salt
Granulated Sugar
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Ground Basil
Ground Oregano
Dried Rosemary
Ground Paprika
Ground Coriander
Red Wine

Mix all ingredients into the Pork, then form into patties.  Brown the Sausage Patties in a skillet, then finish cooking them in the oven at 450° for another 15 minutes. 

I made a quick Pasta Sauce with Crushed Tomatoes, 4 pressed Garlic Cloves, Olive Oil, a Sprig of Rosemary and Salt.  I then served the Sausage Patties over Penne Pasta and Sauce.  The Sausage had a good flavor, but made me yearn for the lightness of a great Meatball.  I learned that I’d rather put the effort into that, but had to try this.

                   

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=866

http://www.leeners.com/sausagerecipes.html

Best Meatball Recipe: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=3198

Food & Art From Kids In The Kitchen.

September 19th, 2008 No comments

Lexi (9) made this Egg Flower Soup.  It looks terrific.  I’m told she loved making it and will be cooking again tonight.  The Soup tasted a little bland at first, until she learned the importance of Salt in good tasting food.

Bailee (11), another cook featured on Kids in the Kitchen, appears to be a talented Artist too.  This is her first picture on the first day of Art Class.  It has good shading.

Both creations are very impressive.  Great job kids!  Her Soup picture  reminds me of an Egg Flower Soup I once made and photographed.  It was good too.  If you want it now, click on the link below.

Egg Flower Minced Pork Soup Recipe:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=866

Review Of EPL’s Grilled Chicken Tortilla Roll.

September 18th, 2008 1 comment

I do like El Pollo Loco, but most recent experiences have been disappointing.  It’s been reported in a previous post, so now I’ll just focus on their New Grilled Chicken Tortilla Roll — I tried it and mine didn’t look like the one in the commercial, which has perfectly squared pieces of white meat. 

Unfortunately, the one served to me had mostly dark meat.  I do like dark meat, but EPL’s advertisement shows different.  And I’m not sure how it happened, but I even had to pick out a few weird pieces.  I guess I got a dud. 🙁

Aside from that, it should be called a Rolled Quesadilla instead of a Tortilla Roll, since its crispness may be the same.  It’s served with a choice of 3 previously existing Sauces.  I got the Cheese Sauce and it’s not bad.  I don’t think I’ll be having the Tortilla Roll again, but I still love EPL’s Chicken.

One more thing —  Are the ‘Loco Salads’ smaller?  It looks smaller, I think.  Since it’s only $1.00, I’ll let it slide.  I’m curious because too many things are getting smaller.

                   

NOTE:  This post relates to the El Pollo Loco Restaurant in Costa Mesa on Harbor/19th.

Related Links:

http://www.elpolloloco.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=669

http://ocmexfood.blogspot.com/2008/09/el-pollo-locos-grilled-chicken-tortilla.html

http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/2008/09/11/el-pollo-loco-copies-mcdonalds-snack-wrap/

Today’s Lil’ Tasty Breakfast Sandwich.

September 17th, 2008 No comments

For this Breakfast Sandwich I used a small French Roll, shaved Deli Ham, an Egg and a slice of American Cheese.  I cooked the Bread and Egg in a little Butter — The step by step process is pictured below. 

It’s as easy as one, two, three, four and hardly takes any time.  Breakfast Sandwiches can be made with what’s on hand, a Muffin, Toast, Bacon, Sausage, Cheddar, or whatever.  This is what I had and it’s a good combination — A top of the morning meal.

               
               

Related Links:

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

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1678/

http://www.everylastrecipe.com/rdir-id-3606.asp

Deviled Eggs To Me.

September 15th, 2008 No comments

To me, Deviled Eggs are a perfect combination of Mayonnaise, Yellow Mustard, Apple Cider Vinegar and S & P.  This is the first time I’ve piped in the filling using a pastry bag.  I could use a little more practice.  Some turned out good and others needed to be fixed — Once you lose that swirl you can’t get it back, but they all tasted the same.  Deviled Eggs are a good pre lunch or dinner snack to have on hand.  I’ve even had them for breakfast.  Why not?

 

Related Links:

http://www.deviledeggs.com/

http://deviledegg.org/index.html

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