Saturday Afternoon BBQ

So today was fun! Good food good company and all with the comforts of home. Andie and Brian invited everyone over for a fun small BBQ this afternoon. Just a good time with yummy home-cooked food. I always look forward to any meal at their house because as I have said before, I love my sisters cooking. She always goes all out and is really big in flavor. She can take the simplest recipe that my mom has been making for years and tweak it ever so slightly making what seems like a whole new dish out of something that is such a classic staple in our family.






Tonight, we had tri tip sandwiches and fish tacos. The tri tip is a pre-marinated piece of meat from Trader Joes. It is soooooo good. They have a few different types of marinades but they are all delicious. The fish tacos were delicious. The fish was Sculpin that Chad, Colleen's boyfriend had caught. He gave me a bag of meat and Brian a bag of meat a while ago. I cooked mine in butter, White wine, lemon, and garlic. It is a really good fish. I have never had it before, not too fishy. But it definitely dries out if you over cook it. Andie had marinated it in orange juice. All it needed was a little salt and it was perfect! She also made a homemade Aoili which was for the tri tip sandwiches but I put it on my fish taco with some poco de gallo, and avocado!!! Voila! It was of course every bit as delicious as it sounds. The meat was wonderful and went too quickly. Andie- did you even get a piece? :-(












I don't think that it is too difficult to see how we spent the remainder of the evening. It is funny how something so familiar takes us all back to a time and place when life was simpler and the most pressing thing was making sure you had the perfect marshmallow. Now, everyone had a different preference, but I keep it nice and simple; as you can see in my picture. Burnt to a crisp. Andie brought these brilliant cookies which eliminated half of the mess. Graham cracker cookies half dipped in chocolate. Genius!!!



Great night, good food, good company. Thank you Andie and Brian for hosting!!! The food was great!

Guest feature from Chapter One in Santa Ana

Ok seriously, while I had yuck meatloaf, no offense Kim, Andie my sister, and two of her besties Melinda and Sidvicious were enjoying delicious delights from Chapter One in the art district of Santa Ana. Andie has been RAVING about it and I'm dying to go! You'll see why!


Ok. Let's start with Mac n Cheese. You all know with my obsession!!!! I live for crusties on top! The crustier the better. This one looks amazing!



Fish and chips, chapter one!!! Looks good! Ps- shout to Sid for her "everything but the kitchen sink" cookies which are in all honesty the best cookies I have ever had. Dead serious.


"Duck breast and a waffle guest feature bitch"

This looks amazing!! I love love love duck!! Andie- you better take me on a date here. I have to have this duck and waffle!

Thank you for my Cupcake

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for bringing yummy delicious chocolate Oreo cupcakes to work today. You made the Nioxin and Sebastian presentations go by so quickly and put a sweet taste in my mouth!!! I don't even like chocolate and I LOVED this cupcake. The chocolate ganache, the Oreo crumbles on top, and most importantly- the surprise Oreo cookie at the bottom of the cupcake! I am ultra impressed and am definitely going to copy your recipe! You make an award worthy cupcake!!! Thank you!





Seriously sinful

Guest Features

It's that time again...




Egg white fritatta with sourdough toast at Renaissance Hotel Palm Springs.

Egg whites, spinach, and tomatoes.
Great presentation. Totally tasty and not watery!...
From Alicia Seevers- thanks for joining the guest feature party Alicia!!!!




Taco salad from my sister Andie!!! Oh Em Gee. This is such a classic as far as my family is concerned!!! My mom mastered the taco salad recipe and always made it for us growing up and Andie honed the recipe to be more like herself. I love taco salad. Thanks for the picture Andie, but an invite would have been so much better!!! Hahaha

Thanks everyone for the pics- keep sending them in!

Angel Game on a Monday...

So I guess a huge perk of living in southern CA during baseball season is the random opportunities that arrive to send you to an Angel game on a Monday night. Christina had extra tickets and offered them up to me!!! It was so nice of her and I had a blast.
I love baseball!!!! I used to be very obsessed and follow all the games and series. I love the Angels and have always been a huge supporter. It started with my dad. My memories at a baseball game with my dad all revolve around snacking. Dodger games would start at Friends, a chinese restaurant that he grew up going to. Then we'd go to the game and he would occupy us little kids who were totally uninterested in a baseball game by feeding us snacks. Seriously. Every snack guy who came by would make a killing off my dad because he would buy us whatever we wanted!!! The mandatory list goes as follows:
Hot dogs- obviously! I'm a classic ketchup kind of girl. As opposed to everyone else in my family. Andie and Stephanie truly appreciate a good hot dog but they load it with crap; mustard, onions, relish. Sick if you ask me.
Ice cream
Lemonade, frozen lemonade, Chaco tacos, peanuts, cotton candy, popcorn, churros, more got dogs. Seriously we were sick and ate none stop at a baseball game with my dad. But every memory of being at a game withy dad and sisters is a fun one and I just remember being like twins with my sister Stephanie. We always had a super good time snacking and doing whatever it took to get on the jumbo tron!!!!!!! We ALWAYS made it on!



So here is my ode to childhood baseball games! A delicious foot long hot dog at Angel stadium. 3 pumps of ketchup. It tasted so good. Keeping it old school.






Something new- boneless buffalo wings!!! So good!!!!! I swear I'm such a pig, I smelled The buffalo wings from 4 rows up. Honestly. I had to have them! They came from the Katella Grille Kiosk inside the stadium. Mmmmmm they were the perfect amount of spicy and a perfect addition to my stadium feasting tradition!

All in all a great night! Simple food, good time. What more can a girl ask for?

Kings Fish House- Part 1- Lunch

WoodRanch BBQ & Grill... So Good

Last night was a meat and potatoes kind of night! After a LONG to say the least day full of stress; a big yummy dinner was exactly what I needed. WoodRanch BBQ & Grill was the call of the day, and fulfilled my every need! Maybe I am a self medicated type of person, but I definitely find some healing qualities in the power of food. I will choose a  comfort food type of dinner any day to make me feel better... Is that a problem? :-)

Ok, as we all know, and for those who don't;WoodRanch means true love through the form of Garlic biscuits! SOOOOO GOOD! They are greasy, super garlicky, and every bit as delicious. I was introduced to dipping my bread in the WoodRanch BBQ sauce ( which who am I kidding- did I really need) and I died a small death! I had barely eaten all day so I basically was stuffing my face with these yummy garlicky bites of heaven praying that whatever cow had to sacrifice its life for my dinner would hurry up and pass its soul to heaven so that I could eat it and enjoy every bite!

 Ahhhhhhh, fortunately my dinner came just in time and I didn't have to rip any one's head off. I ordered a 10oz Baseball cut, lean, Medium rare with my side of Macaroni and Cheese. I don't think it is that hard to figure out by now that I am a carnivore through and through. I love meat, and I love Macaroni and Cheese with my steak! The mac and cheese was ok. I don't like being negative on my blog, but I like being honest. The mac and cheese was thick which was good, but you can tell that it was made in a large batch. There was no crunch, nothing special to it. It was good, just pretty bland. I like something wild and creative in my mac and cheese, and this one didn't even have the texture that I love so much.

But forget the mac and cheese; LET'S DISCUSS MY STEAK! This honestly was exactly how I like to eat my steak! I ordered it medium rare, next time will definitely get my meat rare! It was so good, so wonderful! The outside was perfectly crispy with pepper and juicy spices, and the inside was luke warm, juicy and COMPLETELY tender. Kudos to WoodRanch BBQ! For a corporate chain, this steak was so delicious. I loved it! And it made my bland mac and cheese obsolete!

 

Before I end this blog on such a good note- I have one MAYJAH (MAJOR) complaint to make about restaurants in general; WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF LEMON SLICES????????????

Why do restaurants serve lemon slices? I don't want a lemon slice! I want A LEMON WEDGE! I cannot squeeze a lemon slice into my water or Iced Tea because there is no content; it is so thin, and little and pointless. I don't get it. I worked in a restaurant where we served lemon WEDGES! Yes WEDGES! A Wedge which you can squeeze into you water, that actually has a purpose. I swear a lemon slice is such a waste of good produce. No one asks for a water with lemon or a tea with lemon for aesthetics! I feel bad for the waitress. I asked for lemon wedges. This is what she brought me. It wasn't her fault. Obviously, the managers at the restaurant call for slices to be cut for prep work- but, really, what's the point?

I just don't get it. At All. Is it my job to educate people on useless produce and prep work that could be done in a much more useful way?

Here is my CALL TO ARMS: Stop with the Lemon Slices. I don't want a lemon slice. It's a waste of your time and produce. Please save us all the hassle and bring me a lemon wedge!

(714) 974-6660

Anaheim
8022 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd
Anaheim Hills, CA 92808www.woodranch.com



Guest features!!!! So much to blog about!

Here we go......



Kumamoto oysters. Put me on the blog.... Brian Jackson, my brother in law. Kings Fish House




Mothers Day Breakfast made for Jennifer Felder by her 17 year old son! His first attempt at cooking ever!!! Such a sweet gesture, you deserved it Jennifer.
...Jennifer Felder



Ice cream cone...waffle cone with rice krispie treat circling it with chocolate peanut butter cups...yummy
.... Jennifer Felder in Boston for official Fantastic Sams Business!







Claros Italian Market- Italian cold cut sandwich courtesy of my sister Andie. This is my most favorite snack in the world. I live and die for Claros. If your Italian you know this is where it's at.
....Andie Jackson



Teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli. Again, another feature from Andie. She made this for dinner last Monday night. I am not a fan of teriyaki chicken but this is actually a dish I will eat haha. ....Andie Jackson




Steak and corn from Brandon. Corn is "fair style" yummy. Looks so good!!! Thanks Brandon!!!
...Brandon Jeter

Thank you to everyone who has sent me their pictures of food ordered served or made at home. It all looks great!!! Please keep sending in your pics of food and goodies you eat!! This is super fun following what all my friends and family are eating while I share my journey.

I have a stomach ache...

I wonder why???

As I have previously stated- I love tummy stuffers 101 sandwiches. There happens to be one very close to my work and I always get a discount because we all eat there so often.
I stick with what I know and what I love, my previously blogged about #28 heaven on earth on squaw with American cheese. But today it's cold and dreary and I wanted something to warm me up. Barbie gets a steak sandwich with avocado and it always looks good, so I treated myself to a "stuffer deluxe."


Steak sandwich on a French roll with swiss cheese, mushrooms, grilled onions, and cherry peppers. It sounded good. It sounded really good, and warm and hearty.


But now I have a stomach ache. It didn't taste horrible but it didn't taste great. It was heavy and greasy which normally I love, but something didn't sit well. I have a stomach ache and a reaffirmed opinion about sticking to my classic #28. Nothing a few tums can't help though. I guess that's the price of being daring.

Taco Mesa mmmmmmm

Ok, typically I don't go to Taco Mesa on Monday nights. But I was having a craving and couldn't help it. Taco Mesa is a small, festive healthier Mexican restaurant on Chapman Ave in Orange. My mom, Kim and I get taco Tuesday from there a lot and it's funny because Jackson loves the chicken tacos from there. I will never forget that at 10 months old Jackson ate 1 whole chicken taco, tortilla included and rice and beans. He is such a tank!!!
Anyways, I love Taco Mesa. Kim and I are the only ones in my whole family who love it. It's clean, the atmosphere is bright and kid friendly and everyone who works there is really nice. I can remember eating there with my mom from a really long time ago, and just she and I. It was like a special treat. And I love it still the same today.

So on Monday night I went on a date with Jackson to Taco Mesa. He got a chicken taco and immediately dumped the whole thing on the floor. I had to reorder another taco- which by the way, they gave me free of charge because they saw what had happened and didn't make me pay for an additional taco. Again, just a little tiny factor that makes my overall experience enjoyable every time. So Jackson ate his dinner and I had ordered my typical Taco Mesa meal.



3 shrimp tacos on flour tortillas, with extra cotija cheese and sour cream white sauce. Ok, this is such a yummy dinner I can't even explain it. The shrimp is a tiny bit spicy, grille with cayenne pepper and butter, then they add a cabbage mix which is just the right amount. I cannot stand when they add all lettuce and barely any meat or shrimp to a taco. There are so shrimp it's delicious. They do not skip on anything. On top of the cabbage mix is this sour cream white sauce. It is fresh and zesty and provides the perfect mild to the cayenne pepper. The tacos are topped off with traditional cotija cheese. Simply delicious.


Yes, I order 3 tacos every time and eat them all. These aren't street tacos either. They are full sized full of shrimp tacos that taste every bit as good and as juicy as the pictures above look.

Taco Mesa is a constant staple in my life. It's delicious always, a great environment always, kid friendly if Jack and I decide to have dinner inside, and tasted just as good when you get takeout- which is typical of a Tuesday night in my house. It's affordable and fun, and they just expanded their menu. I recommend you go and get hooked just like I am!!!!

http://www.tacomesa.net/menu.htm

Taco Mesa
3533 East Chapman Ave
Orange CA 92869
714.633.3922

Guppy House- Enough Said

Let me preface this blog by stating that I had NO IDEA what I was getting myself into! Guppy House- Last Saturday night... NOT AT ALL WHAT I EXPECTED

Went to dinner with my friend Kevin, who by all intents and purposes, raved about this place. I was a smidgen afraid because I like to be in control and like to know what to expect, and this one threw me for a loop. I was game though, and put on my big girl eating pants and away we went to Guppy House, an Oriental Restaurant which surprised me so much.

The music was bumping some old school R&B which made me laugh. They had Boyz II Men going, and some Usher, with the low lighting and it just was not at all what I had expected based on what Kevin had told me. No one was over 30 in the restaurant and from what I was told, this was the place to be!

They had a 2 page drink menu- and I don't mean Alcohol! They served everything from Boba any way you like it to Thai Iced Tea- which I had. They had hot tea, cold tea, Luke warm tea, fruit smoothies, boba smoothies, juice smoothies- you name it they had it!

Kevin got the hot fruit tea. It tasted sooooo good and the fruit inside was yummy. I was a little disappointed though when Kevin told me that he thinks all it is is hot Motts fruit juice and apple juice with fresh fruit added. But hey, it still tasted good.

We started with Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken- not exactly Pork Feet with beef broth, but it was delicious! I wasn't sure what I though when it got to the table. I was thinking Orange Chicken from Panda Express, but this was way better. The sauce was so good, just the prefect balance, not too much sour and just enough sweet. I personally thing sweet and sour often tastes rotten and so it isn't something I like to eat all that often, but this was really good.

Next we got Hawaiian Fried Rice. Yes, it was served in a pineapple. Andie always said that presentation is half the work of a good meal, and this one was really creative! Pineapples, bell peppers, corn, eggs, scallions, and raisins were sprinkled in the rice. You don't need Soy sauce. This is the real deal. It was perfectly flavored and honestly the sweet of the pineapple and raisins makes such a difference. At first I really didn't like the fact that it was sweet. But the flavors develop as you eat and I really ended up enjoying the fried rice.

What's on top of the rice that looks like cinnamon you ask? Well, we wondered the same thing- its DRIED PORK. Honestly, I was a little freaked out, but it was so good and so salty. I have never had anything like it before, and it was great!

We also shared Beef Skewers. The flavors were really delicious. My only problem was that the meat was extremely fatty which made it tough to eat. The flavors were spot on though and it looked beautiful, but not my personal favorite~

Here is where the night got interesting- Dessert.

Kevin ordered the small shaved ice with mangoes and strawberries. I had to stand up to take this picture to get the whole bowl in the frame. IT WAS HUGE. I am not exaggerating. Look Below.

This thing was massive. We didn't even make a dent in the shaved ice. And all the while we had another dessert coming- MY NEW LOVE- BRICK TOAST

This is what I like to call heaven, again. Brick Toast.

It is a 2 inch, yes 2 inch piece of sweet toast, covered in thick chocolate ganache served with strawberries, ice cream and caramel sauce. It is served hot and melts in your mouth. The textures of the crunchy 2 inch thick toast with the melted chocolate and ice cream is to die for. All night I kept smelling this rich chocolaty smell off and on, and Kevin told me that it was the Brick Toast cooking. Did we need an additional dessert with all the food we barley made a dent in on top of the mound of Shaved ice that probably weighed 10 lbs??? Probably not- but after smelling the Brick Toast and hearing what it was all about- I HAD to have some.

The best part is that our waiter, Kenny, a really sweet kid, told me that they make different kinds of Brick Toast; Nutella, peanut butter and Jelly, fruit, etc... I want to try the peanut butter and jelly next time. It has been exactly 6 days since we went to Guppy House and I have been dreaming of Brick Toast every single night since. I cannot wait to go back.

I thought it would be a traditional, old school Oriental restaurant that was very conservative and traditional with their dishes. Was I ever so wrong!!! It was a really fun time! Great food, HUGE portions, lots of new flavors and things I had never tried, and now a dessert that haunts my dreams. Would I call the Guppy House experience a success- definitely!!!

Also, I pretty much automatically fell in love with this place based on aesthetics and name alone!!! There are small little fish tanks built into the wall all around filled with cute little fish! No Alicia, not the kind you eat!

And I love anything in the water- I am a guppy myself afterall so this was purely destiny! Kevin, officially Thank you for introducing me to Guppy House! What a hit!

My FAMOUS Eclairs...Mother's Day 2011

Okay, Okay, I know it has been a while. Alix said that a blog is hard to keep up on- but my issue isn't blogging, it is taking the time to take the pictures from my camera, and then to edit them, and then to download, then to upload, and it goes on and on. It is just time consuming and Monday-Friday I am busy and tired.

So for Mother's Day, we all came to my mom's house and made dinner for Kim. Andie made steak, Colleen brought Lobster that Chad had brought home from Maine, Alix and Stephanie did side dishes (potatoes, Brussel sprouts, green beans, etc...) and I made my FAMOUS Eclairs!!! Basically- they were a hit. Dinner was good but my Eclairs were great! I made 56 and there were ZERO left at the end of the night. Follow me along the baking process- but I will never give away me recipe! It's my trademark and one day, when I open my Bakery/Cupcakery I will sell my Eclairs.

So basically, I start out by making the Pastry dough. No I cannot give you my recipe. Andie even complemented my Pastry dough and that's a huge compliment A: because no one in my family thinks I can bake or cook, and B: because out of my family, Andie is a trained professional- She went to Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale Arizona, so her opinion actually bares some weight in my opinion!

***The key here people, is COLD eggs. That's all I can tell you!

Next I made a homemade pastry bag- trick from Andie- use a large zip lock baggie, and cut the tip off according to the size you want. I use this trick for decorating cupcakes, cookies, and for piping out my dough. I made mini eclairs, and one batch of puffs for fun!

There were literally sheets and sheets of mini eclairs~

I won't spill my secrets on cook time and temperature, but I will say that you need to let the Pastry cool before you fill it. I usually fill it with a homemade custard, but Kim (my mom) specifically asked for whipped cream filling so voila~

Once I was done filling all of the eclairs, I made a homemade chocolate ganache which I drizzled on top of the eclairs. They may not be the most beautiful things in the world- but they tasted like heaven and were all gone at the end of the night!!! All in All it was a great Mother's Day. I even let Jackson have a tiny bite of an eclair and it got his seal of approval!