Dinner Impossible

I am starting to get addicted with this show "Dinner Impossible". It is indeed very fascinating to me to watch this people plan the menu and do the work for less than 8 hours. I also love their recipes and I was thinking to try to make them myself. Food network is such a good show to watch you can learn different techniques and what to cook for your family. I did try quite a few of their recipes online and to tell you frankly without me sounding like am bragging about it the food that I cooked was really good. I should record this show on my DVR for me to watch it later.

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.