Thick Pork Chops Façon Grand’mere

For this recipe you will need:

2 ¾ TBS olive oil
1 TBS sugar
½ cup brown Chicken Broth
8 oz shiitake – stemmed & cut in half
24 small pearl onions, peeled
15 clove garlic blanched
24 asparagus tips
2 slices rindless bacon,
4 pork loin chops, 1 ½ “ thick – get center cut
12 ounces small round red-skinned potatoes, quartered, rinsed and patted dry
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Sauce
1 cup white wine (no vermouth)
1 ½ cups brown chicken stock
¼ tsp cracked pepper
¼ tsp finely minced fresh rosemary needles
2 TBS finely sliced fresh chives


Combine ½ tablespoon of the olive oil, the sugar, and onions (in one layer) in a sauté
pan.
Add ½ cup of the broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Cover, and cook for 20-to 25 minutes, or until the onions are tender and coated by a syrupy liquid.
Set aside.
Heat ¼ tablespoon of the olive oil in a small sauté pan and sauté the blanched garlic
over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.
Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Heat ½ tablespoon of the olive oil in a clean sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil and blanch the asparagus tips for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
Drain and refresh in ice water.
Drain again and set aside.
Place the bacon in a large sauté pan or skillet and sauté until crisp.
Drain on paper towels.
Heat ½ tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan.
Season the pork chops with salt and
pepper and sauté over medium high heat for 6 to 7 minutes on the first side, until golden.
Turn the pork chops over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes, or
until just cooked through but not dry.
Transfer to a serving platter, cover loosely with
aluminum foil, and keep warm.
Pour out the fat from the sauté pan and return it to high heat.
To prepare the sauce, deglaze the pan with the vermouth and reduce until almost dry.
Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of broth, the rosemary, and pepper, and reduce to 1 cup.
Adjust the seasonings if necessary and add the chives. Keep warm.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high
heat.
Add the potatoes and sauté for 15 minutes, or until tender, brown, and slightly crisp.
Add the reserved onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, and bacon to the potatoes, and lower
the heat to medium.
Toss gently and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Spoon the
vegetable mixture over and around the chops.
Garnish with the rosemary springs, and serve
with the sauce on the side.

Daylight Saving Time Begins Today

Let's Fall Back today. DST changed at 2am. If you haven't set your clock to jump backward yet do so from 200DST to 100 Standard Time.

Dinner At the Boat House

It's been at least two months that hubby and I haven't gone to boat house for lobster special every Wednesday. Earlier this afternoon, Michael asked me if I wanted to eat lobster for dinner. Without thinking twice I said, Yes. Who could say no for a very yummy lobster dinner, well I guess except those people who have seafood allergy or doesn't eat anything with claws. I love lobster, for $12 a lobster it's a bargain and I can eat 2 lobster no problem. Good thing we only go there once is a while or else I am having a major cholesterol problem right now. I haven't even started my plan to start running to lose a little bit of weight. I had a glass of chocoliteni my favorite. This drink doesn't taste like there's alcohol at all and it's a bit sweet compare to dirty martini. Over all hubby and I had a pretty good dinner.

Acai For Breakfast

Over the weekend we went to downtown Encinitas, CA to buy some breakfast. Many of us are familiar with Acai Berry. This is round, black-purple small looking fruit. This fruit looks like a combination color of grape and blueberry but it's smaller than both and darker. It has a minimum amount of pulp and has large seed. Many energy juice, ice cream, granola and energy bars use acai. This berry has higher antioxidant benefits than grapes and double than blueberries.


My husband and I love Acai and it's healthier than many juices you buy at the grocery store. Most of the time we buy acai juice at CostCo.

We found this one restaurant in Encinitas in a local food article magazine. They also have review about this because of their acai berry breakfast. One time we tried the food and husband and I both love it. Though I couldn't finish the whole bowl because it's too much for me yet the food is very tasty.

When I remember the name of what they call this acai breakfast I will let you know.

Tip Top Meats Part 1

I didn't realize just how much I love European Cuisine 'til my husband and I tried Tip Top Meats in Carlsbad, CA. This restaurant serve authentic European cuisine with very affordable price. Our first visit I tried Lamb Shanks, the meat is so mouth watering and even my husband couldn't resist to have some of my food. You can choose a side of Sauerkraut either just Red or White Cabbage or combination of both or you can also ask them for veggies if you prefer. You can also choose from french fries, mashed, or baked potato. They also have side of soup with a side of crackers. This meal I had only cost me less than $10 dollars. you may not beleive me but this is the truth. I couldn't even beleive it myself that there's one restaurant exist with good food and good price. When you visit Southern Cali you should try this restaurant.

Great Gourmet Food

Steak for Dinner

It's been quite a while when hubby and I went to CostCo. We've been just too busy lately. Anyhow, after our appointment with the Landscape Architect we drove to CostCo. We couldn't find the things that we needed for the house but we picked up a few grocery. Hubby bought some steak for our dinner tonight.

After the steak was completely thawed out, he seasoned the meat and we went down stairs in our apartment building to cook the meat. My husband did an excellent job grilling the steak, it was cooked right. Both of the steak was cooked medium-well (he preferred medium rare himself) and the juice was still there. It is really mouth watering, now it makes me feel hungry again just thinking about it.

What he did was seared the steak for a minute in each side. The meat is timely grilled according with the thickness of the meat. He both timed each side 6 minutes in a medium-high heat.

We had microwaved vegetables on the side. And our dinner was excellent.

I Love Your Blog Award

Thanks to Mom's Cafe for the I Love Your Blog Award.



I would like to give you this lovely award because I enjoyed reading your blog.

The instructions for the passing on of this accolade are:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog
2. Link the person from whom you received your award
3. Nominate up to 7 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on yours, and
5. Leave a message on the blogs that you've nominated

I would like to nominate the following blogs for the "I Love Your Blog" award.

Kate/KateLoves
Glenndel
Dauphine
lovely092101
Travelerforlio (Eunice)

Marinated Grilled Chicken

What do you think about 'Filipino Style Marinated Chicken'? Marinated in Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Finely Crushed Garlic, Finely Chopped Onion, Ketchup, and Salt and Pepper (TT). Well, to tell you, we had this food one dinner when we were camping in Wawona Campground. I marinated the chicken two nights ahead before we left home then I freeze them with ziplock. A few hours after we arrived in the campground we prepared campfire and put some charcoal for grilling. I grilled my marinated chicken, two corn in a cob wrapped in tin foil.

Good Food

When you go camping, why not eat good food, right? When we were camping in Yosemite we had pretty good dinner. Hot dogs, buns and it's condiments are perfect match. When we grill hot dogs we also toast the bun a little bit to give a little crisp to it when you have a bite. It makes it more interesting and tasty.

Corn is also a pretty good food for camping. You don't have so soak your corn before grilling or peel them and eat them burn. The way I do it is I peel the corn, wrap them with foil and grill them. It only take a few minutes to cook them depends with the heat too. When the corn is almost ready you can either sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

Just leave your message...

Am up in the mountain this week... Be back after Labor Day.

Take care everyone :)

Sunday Late Lunch

Both me and my husband feel lazy today. After I read my book for a little while I took a nap. Around 130 in the afternoon a very loud noise on my apartment roof woke me up. I don't know why these people couldn't wait 'till working days to fix something. The banging didn't end until after 10 to 15 minutes. It really did start to annoy me, after a while and these people on to of my apartment roof still didn't stop I went out and was gonna till them that they are disturbing people and why not wait 'till working days to fix whatever problem they're having as long as the problem doesn't cause another people.

Anyhow, I got up and decided cook some lunch. I cooked pasta in white sauce with shrimp. I also made fresh squeeze strawberry and mango juice. In my juice I tried to put sprite and ice on it, I was surprised that the taste was pretty good. I also made some garlic bread, I put butter, cheese, garlic and parsley bake the bread for about 10 minutes and broil for about 2-3 minutes depends how crispy you want the bread.

I wish I still have angel hair pasta available my pasta dish could have been better. Though the dish still taste good 'according to my husband'. Angel hair pasta is one of my list for grocery shopping.

What we ate today

I skip breakfast as usual and but hubby had a bar and a glass of juice. Before we went to Encinitas to re-check the house that we put an offer we stopped by and grab some lunch. We went to Sammy's Woodfired Pizza because they don't allow pets we ordered for take out and had our lunch somewhere else. I ordered an Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp in white sauce and hubby ordered Hawaiian Thin Crust pizza.

I like the pasta a little bit on the dry side. The one I ordered is a little bit soggy with the white sauce and it smell a little bit funny or maybe I am just not feeling my food. The pizza on the other hand was pretty good it is thin crust but not too thin, the side of the dough is still a little bit thick, I prefer pizza myself a little bit more crisp dough.

Around 7:30pm hubby and I walked to PF Chang to have some dinner. We ordered appetizers and soup. We had Southern Style Ribs, Chicken Wrap, Vegetable Dumplings and Wonton Soup. Hubby had a Green Margarita and I had Jade Martini, my martini taste like there was not much of an alcohol to it but for a glass of martini I was hit and a bit tipsy.

We finished our dinner between 830 and 900 in the evening we still walked back home. My feet were hurting and I felt like I have blisters, so I ended up walking bare feet. Gosh! I can't remember the last time I walked bare feet in the street. I felt better though my feet didn't hurt much anymore.

Cioppino Thursday

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	45 Min
READY IN	55 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons and 2-1/4 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 onions, chopped
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1/2 bay leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons water
• 1/3 cup and 1 teaspoon white wine
• 6 ounces large shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces bay scallops
• 4-1/4 small clams
• 4-1/4 mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1/3 cup and 1 teaspoon crabmeat
• 6 ounces cod fillets, cubed

DIRECTIONS

1. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
2. Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread!

Garlic Bread Recipe

Ingredients

1 16-ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened ( I added a little bit of thick cream)
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

Method 1 - Toasted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Cut the bread in half, horizontally. Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the two bread halves. Place on a sturdy baking pan (one that can handle high temperatures, not a cookie sheet) and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

3 Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over bread if you want. Return to oven on the highest rack. Broil on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the bread begin to toast and the cheese (if you are using cheese) bubbles. Watch very carefully while broiling. The bread can easily go from un-toasted to burnt.

4 Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Remove from pan and make 1-inch thick slices. Serve immediately.

Method 2 - Soft

Preheat oven to 350°F. Make the butter, garlic, parsley mixture as above. Make 1-inch thick slices into the bread, but do not go all the way through, just to the bottom crust. Put a teaspoon or two of the butter mixture between each slice. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and heat for 15 minutes in the oven.

Manicotti Alla Romana

Here's what I cooked for Monday dinner. This is an Italian pasta dish.


PREP TIME: 1 Hr
COOK TIME: 50 Min
READY IN: 1 Hr 50 Min

Servings for 2

INGREDIENTS

1-3/4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons and 3/4 teaspoon chopped onion
1-3/4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 ounces ground beef
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 (12 ounce) package manicotti shells
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
5/8 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons spaghetti sauce, divided
1-3/4 teaspoons butter
1-3/4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons and 3/4 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent. Saute garlic for 1 minute and stir in ground beef. Cook until well browned and crumbled. Season with salt and set aside to cool.
2.) Cook spinach according to package directions. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti shells and parboil for half of the time recommended on the package. Drain and cover with cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent the shells from cracking.
3.) To the ground beef mixture add the cooked spinach and ricotta cheese. When the mixture is cool, add the beaten eggs. Spread 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Gently drain the manicotti shells and carefully stuff each one with the meat and cheese mixture; place shells in prepared dish. Lightly cover the dish with plastic wrap or a clean, damp towel to prevent shells from cracking.
4.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5.) Prepare the white sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and chicken bouillon. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble. Stir in half and half and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Pour or ladle the sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
6.) Stir the basil into the remaining spaghetti sauce. Carefully pour or ladle spaghetti sauce over the white sauce, trying to layer the sauces without mixing.
7) Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes more.


ENJOY!!

Meal Plan This Week

MONDAY: Manicotti Alla Romana
TUESDAY: Ultimate Shrimp Scampi
WEDNESDAY: Bolognese Stuffed Bell Peppers
THURSDAY: Cioppino

Banana Lumpia

Is called 'Turon' in my own language. Yesterday, I asked my husband to buy me 4 ripe bananas because I am going to make 'turon' a day after. And yes I did.

I have:

4 Bananas (Depends with their size, I cut them into 2 or 3 parts and then each part I cut them in half)
Refined Sugar
lukewarm water in a small bowl.
Lumpia Wrapper (I use 'Menlo' Wrapper)


After I already cut all my bananas I set them aside and cut my wrapper.

Because I tried to save some wrapper I cut them in half. Cut them in half to have the triangle size both sides.

Now, I have to wrap my banana.

Put your half banana on the widest end side of your wrapper (the widest end should face towards you). Sprinkle some sugar. Bring one end (the Left and the Right corner of the wrapper) into the middle covering your banana).

Roll the wrapper and wet the end of the wrapper with a little bit of water in order to stick.

Dinner Today

Later this afternoon, I marinated chicken thigh and breast. This is Filipino style marinade with lemon juice, onion, garlic, back pepper and banana ketchup. I refrigerated the marinade chicken for a few hours. After my hubby came home we went down stairs to grill the chicken.

We had a pretty good dinner. We also had rice. I am very stuffed couldn't barely get up on my seat on our dining table.

Now, I am thinking to have some Creme Brule'. Maybe later.

Oyster Bar Happy Hour

We went to La Jolla for dinner today. It's been quite a while that we didn't have any oyster. The last time we had fresh oyster was when we were still in Colorado at the Jaxxs Fish House in downtown Boulder. So, today we decided to have some oyster, we ordered oyster shooter, calamari, steamed clams, crab stuffed mushroom, cheese garlic bread, and tacos. I also tried Cosmopolitan and Watermelon Martini, hubby tried LA Scraper and an Ale Beer. You may think that the food we ordered was too much for two people. Actually not the food are appetizer sizes so it's not really too much for two people.

After dinner we walked around by the beach just sightseeing with the beautiful scenery of La Jolla beach. Later we drove back home and stopped by at the Linen's N Things and CVS to look for the Braun cartridge. Too bad that they don't have one.

Our Dinner today

Because I've been too busy to do anything in the kitchen, hubby and I decided to go to the Filipino restaurant in Mira Mesa, CA. We had our dinner there, I guess because I feel that i don't have that many options in terms of Filipino food nearby where I live. This restaurant is a lot better than the other two I've been just a few blocks away from each other.

Hubby and I both had 2-items combo. I ordered bihon & pinakbet + gulaman drink, hubby ordered longanisa and grilled chicken + royal true orange. I was thinking to order soda too, but I tried to limit my soda as long as I can.

We went to Goldilocks and bought some pastries for Ate Joy and then we stopped by in Seafood City Filipino market to buy MJ her pedicure item, but unluckily they are sold out.

Fresh Lumpia Recipe

A few people was asking me with my Fresh Lumpia Recipe. Sorry it took me a while to give it to you. Anyway, here's the Fresh Lumpia recipe.

If you are too busy to make your own wrapper from scratch you can replace it with spring roll wrapper =)

Wrappers
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

About 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Filling
1/2 cup julienned onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, thinly sliced
1/4 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, and halved
1-1/2 cups finely julienned jicama
1/2 small carrot, finely julienned
2 green onions, finely julienned
2 teaspoons oyster-flavored sauce
1 teaspoon Filipino fish sauce (patis)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5 tender lettuce leaves

Getting Ready
Prepare wrappers: In a bowl, whisk together eggs, water, cornstarch, flour, and salt until smooth. Strain batter.

Place a nonstick 8-inch omelet pan over medium heat until hot; brush with 1/4 teaspoon oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan; tilt pan so batter covers entire surface. Cook until edge of wrapper is lightly browned and surface looks dry, about 45 seconds. Loosen edge with a spatula, turn wrapper, and cook 10 seconds longer. Turn wrapper out of pan onto a plate. Repeat to use all batter.

Cooking
Prepare filling: Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat sides. Add onion and garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken and shrimp; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add jicama and carrot; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add green onions; cook until vegetables are tender crisp, about 2 minutes. Return chicken mixture to pan; add oyster-flavored sauce, fish sauce, and pepper; cook for 1 minute. Cool.

Cut lettuce in half lengthwise. For each lumpia, place a piece of lettuce on wrapper. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into center of wrapper. Fold bottom third of wrapper over filling, then fold in sides.

Serve with garlic dipping sauce or a mixture of hoisin sauce and soy sauce.

Breakfast Today

I told myself that I have to start to have some breakfast everyday. This is the very most important meal for the whole day, so I have to put something on my stomach.

It was a success that I finally made something for breakfast. You may wonder what it is. I made some fresh juice & vegetables combines together. This is what I came up with, for fruits (plum & white peach), for vegetables (Carrots & Celery) and honey with a hint of Calamansi.

It was very light yet very refreshing.

Our Dinner Today

On the way home from Palomar mountain after our 2-day camping we stop by at Costco to get some gas because we only have I guess less than half-a-gallon in the tank. After the gas station we went inside the store to buy some seafood for dinner. We were so glad that they still have lobster claws available, so we bought about 2 pounds and a bottle of wine. Our dinner was excellent and we were stuffed. Our food was way better than eating out at the restaurant.

Lobster Claw personally broiled by hubby.

Green Salad with Avocado, Apple and Shrimp Salad on the side from Costco.

Here's our dinner with Mamosa and bread.

Mamosa and Bread am trying to stay away from rice so I replace it with bread for now

Salmon In Red Wine

Makes 2 Serving

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Salmon Steaks, each weigh about 6 oz.
2/3 cup Red wine such as Chinon or Beaujolais
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Tarragon
TT Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Garnish Tarragon Sprigs

* Melt half the butter in a skillet, add salmon and cook each side briefly over high heat.

* Reduce heat and cook salmon 3 minutes on each side, until salmon is opaque and flesh flakes easily.

* Remove salmon from pan, cover and keep warm, Stir wine into pan and boil until reduced by half. Dice remaining butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining butter, one piece at a time. Divide sauce among warmed serving plates, place salmon on top, garnish with tarragon sprigs and serve.

Enjoy!!

Gone for 2 Days

Hubby and i are going to Palomar Mountain for a 2-Day camping in Doane Camp Site. Will be back this weekend and answer all your messages.

~xoxo~

Bouquet Garni

With French cooking, a lot of their recipe have Bouquet Garni. You may want to know what this word is this is the French word for "Garnished Bouquet". Here are the ingredients you need to combined to create your Bouquet Garni.


1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
4 large sprigs parsley (including stalks)
10 cm (4 inch) piece celery stalked with leaves
two 10 cm (4 inch) pieces leek (green part)

Bouquet

Place the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and celery on one piece of green leek. Cover with the remaining piece of green leek. Tie securely with fine string, leaving a length of string attached so that the bouquet garni can be easily retrieved.

Chicken with Mushrooms

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM (French Cuisine)
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
4 Chicken Quarters
12 Oz. Chestnut, Oyster, Shiitake or Chanterelle mushrooms, or a mixture
1 Onion Finely Chopped
¾ Cup Vouray or similar fruity, Medium-Dry White Wine
2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Tarragon Leaves
½ Cup Regular Plain Yogurt
TT Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Garnish Tarragon Sprigs

PROCEDURE:
* Heat oil and butter in a heavy Dutch over add chicken and cook until browned.
* Remove in a slotted spoon.
* Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Cut large mushrooms into quarters and oyster mushrooms into * 1-inch strips.
* Add to pan with onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until soft.
* Stir in wine and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan and sprinkle with tarragon.
* Cover tightly and cook in the over 1 hour.
* Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a warmed plate and keep warm.
* Boil cooking liquid to thicken slightly.
* Stir in yogurt and reheat gently without boiling.
* Season with salt and pepper.
* Return chicken and vegetables to pan, turn in sauce and heat gently to warm through.
* Garnish with tarragon sprigs and serve.

Cooking Process

Chicken after putting all the ingredients and before putting in the oven.

Chicken After an hour in the oven.

Plate Presentations

Camping Dinner

Hot Dogs and Buns is what we had for Dinner last Saturday. We spent most of our time in South Carlsbad, CA camp site. Relaxing by the beach and getting away from a very busy street.

I would like to share to you some images of the dinner we had at the camp site.

Today's Meal

I am thinking to go to the store today and buy something for dinner. I am not a big breakfast and lunch person unless I have company at home. So, I usually have light breakfast such as milk alone or just eeg sandwhich. For lunch, I sometimes don't eat anything and sometimes just had pasta.

I have to make dinner and tried to cook as often as I can because hubby and I eat dinner together.

Okey... right now I am going to make a list for my grocery for this afternoon.

Soups and Salad

Is what I can think of a name for my newly created blog. I will be updating different kind of topics that are related to food, travel and other interesting things to write.

Bolsa Chica Reserve

June 7, 2008

After the Duathlon event in Huntington Beach, CA hubby, mingming and I was going to walk around the beach, so our mingming on the leash was ready to go.  It was around 0930 or 1000 in the morning.  When we were walking at about a few meters in the sandy beach one woman told us that there was a sign said "No Dogs Allowed" she also said that "Because it's a cat maybe it's okay".  We were talking with the woman for a few minutes. When we had a few steps forward the lifeguard came out from his nest.  He shouted, "No Dogs Allowed," including the woman we we all shouted back "It's a Cat!!" again... he shouted, "No Dogs Allowed".  We thought that he didn't heard us, so we all shouted back the same thing "It's a Cat."  The third time we were trading the same message, some people in the beach under the umbrella joined us to let him know that it's not a dog and it's a cat on the leash. 

Finally, he shouted "That one too is not allowed in the sand". He also said, "No animals allowed in the sand".

Well I guess our teased worked out very well.  I think that young man ran out of what he gonna say.

Later, we decided to drove by Bolsa Chica Reserve outside the beach.  Michael and I walked around the ground while our mingming was relaxing inside the car.

Here are some pictures we took.

 

Seafood City in Mira Mesa, CA

'I have to drive' Even though I am very nervous just thinking about driving in the freeway of San Diego, I need to get out the apartment. I don't want to be stuck in the apartment for days and really nothing much do but surf the net after doing my household chores. I finally used my husband's birthday present to me "Nuvi Garmin GPS". This really very helpful getting around new places and roads.

I went to Seafood City Grocery Store to buy something to cook for dinner. I bought fish and asked the attendant to fry them. I also had 1 fresh and cleaned fish for me to cook paksiw at home. I bought a few vegetables and fruits as well.

Good thing the road wasn't that busy. I was hoping the traffic wasn't supper bad, thankfully it wasn't. It only took me about 15 minutes drive from my apartment. I really have to start to get use driving around the busy road of California.

Vegetable Couscous

Serves: 4

Fluffy dish will tickle your taste buds.

INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced and pressed
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry couscous
1-1/2 cups water
2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS
1. Sauté onion, garlic and green pepper in oil in a large skillet until soft, then push to sides of pan.
2. In the center of the skillet, pour in the couscous. Add the water to the couscous, stirring gently. Top this mixture with tomato wedges and the cooked green peppers; cover pan for 3 minutes.
3. Add a little water and cook longer, if needed. Couscous should be light and fluffy.

NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 220
Fat: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Protein: 6.5 g

Daily Survival Kit Good for the Soul

I was reading one of my friend's blog 'Glenndel' a little while ago. One of her entry did caught my attention and decided to post it on my blog too to keep reminding myself and others to keep this survival kit on their daily lives. Feel free to share this to your friends and family as well.

Toothpick
Rubber band
Band aid
Pencil
Eraser
Chewing gum
Mint
Candy Kiss
Tea Bag

Here's why:

Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others...Matt 7:1

Rubber Band - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out...Romans 8:28

Band Aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's...Col. 3:12-14

Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings everyday...Eph1:3

Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay...Gen. 50:15-21

Chewing Gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything. Phil 4:13

Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly father...John 3:16-17

Candy Kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday...1 John 4:7

Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings...1 Thess 5:18

This is my gift to you. May God richly bless you.

To the world, you may just be somebody...but to somebody, you may be the world.

Send this to anyone who you think needs to know that they are loved by someone in their lives. Make someone's day just a little brighter today!

Insomnia!!!

What I am feeling right now is that I have "Insomnia". For the last few nights I just couldn't sleep early enough for me to get some good night sleep. I ended up sleeping too early!! I mean early in the morning somewhere between 230AM and 330AM sometimes around 4AM and the I got up between 8 and 9 in the morning same day.

Because I couldn't sleep 'till 3:00 in the morning I decided to pick up things in the apartment, clean the kitchen, do some dusting and other household chores that I can think of to keep myself busy. I wish I could vacuum at night, this is the only activity that is very inconsiderate for me to do because I am going to disturb a lot of people. So far keeping myself busy while am still awake it's working fine with me but keeping this late activity the same is not really working very well.

I don't know what's wrong with my body clock. I already forced myself to go to bed around 9 or 10 in the evening. Tried different tricks like counting numbers or counting sheep hoping this would help me sleep.

Any tricks you can advice to me to help me go to bed earlier? I prefer not to take any sleeping medications though.

For now... I have to go and do some other things. Hopefully I can get some input from you.

Later....

Duathalon Event

June 7, 2008 It's Michael's Duathalon Day!!! (Swim and Run) A lot of people traveling from other cities to join the Duathlon & Triathlon. The ocean water was about 56 Degree Fahrenheit and some people (women and men) who joined the swim didn't even had wet suit. I was surprised that they made it swimming in cold water. I guess you're not going to feel that much cold if your blood is rushing through your veins. I was very happy that Michael did a very good job with the Duathlon because he only had 6 weeks of training before the event.

Horse Radish leaves (Malunggay)

About a week ago I went to Pacific Ocean Market to pick-up some grocery. The store is about 15-20 minutes drive from my house and pretty much have good vegetable, meat and seafood selections. I got very excited when I saw fresh Malunggay, eventhough it was a little bit expensive, I decided to grab one pack and just freeze the left over unused vegetable. I also got one whole bamboo shoots for my vegetable soup. The next day I made some bisayan soup mixed malunggay, bamboo shoots with fried fish. Me and my husban's dinner was excellent and very healthy. I had some leftover as well for my lunch the next day.

How Mature are You?

You Are Very Mature

Even though you may not always feel like it, you're a full fledged adult. And while everyone should be as mature as you, most people aren't!

Are You Immature?

Officially Done w/ College Finally!!

Metropolitan State College of Denver Spring 2008 Graduation

Finally!!! After a very long struggle with school I am finally done. I am very excited and very happy that I accomplished something. I am now officially a BS Accounting graduate! I've been waiting for this time to come and now finally I did it!!

What a relieve that I am not gonna in school for quite a while. Hopefully I can recover will all the stress I've been through soon.

I am now opening another chapter of my life. School is done and Hello job hunting.