tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90288957746931053972011-11-27T17:43:13.750-08:00Please visit the new site at http://www.cabcooks.com/ for more recipes and product reviewsCABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.comBlogger2451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-88326310224044250872009-05-14T07:36:00.000-07:002010-10-25T08:14:06.046-07:00

It's final. The small blog of Barefoot Plumies will be no more after today. But with encouragement from readers and the Mister, I have decided to start a new blog elsewhere. I'm hoping to make it better than Barefoot Plumies with more recipes, more pictures, and more kitchen gadget reviews. My sincere thanks to everyone who has stopped by, to those who have shared thoughts to help improve the

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-67568030427816560232009-05-12T15:23:00.001-07:002009-05-12T15:30:59.964-07:00

I'm posting this since mainly to notify readers who have RSS feeds or Google Readers to my site to let you know of the problem I am having with my blog at the moment.Some of you have been wondering what in the world is going on with this blog. Well, I'm trying to re-establish BarefootPlumies.com but Google Apps dropped the ball and Blogger is completely useless at this point. Fo the time being, I

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-21969265452151493182009-05-11T08:36:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:59:04.669-07:00

On a recent shopping trip to Costco, I kept an eye out for fresh lobster raviolis that my friend L said was really good. So when I saw these in the refrigerator section, I didn't hesitate to pick up a package, especially at about $9 (which should have been an indication as to what's to come).Actually, it is 2 packages, 16 raviolis in each. The ravioli is a rectangular shape and didn't look quite

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-57521511011392560452009-05-10T15:26:00.000-07:002009-05-10T15:28:55.595-07:00

Wishing mothers everywhere a wonderful day!

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-59580663201770520102009-05-07T06:39:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:59:23.435-07:00

If I had a dollar for every time I said I love fried chicken wings...I finally made Pim's Thai Fried Chicken recipe using chicken wings. I had a family sized package in the freezer and have not fried anything in over a month (unheard of!). I like cooking with wings since I seem to have a better handle on cooking it just right. Besides, how can you resist those cute little and delicious

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-42756736201289386002009-05-06T10:02:00.000-07:002009-05-06T10:11:28.931-07:00

I just noticed that WOW Grinds posted the Kalbi Kong Challenge results! Kum Chee Korean Buffet won with Yummy's Korean BBQ coming in second (Yummy's is my second favorite too). What's great is that the Homemade Challenger was 3rd place winnah!While you're there, check out the mochiko chicken musubi from by Akyth Inc. Looks ono! I might have to try that recipe.Hope everyone is haveing a wonderful

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-31894921950821552092009-05-05T06:27:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:59:52.214-07:00

I just couldn't leave well enough alone. It's not as if I had too much time on my hands or something but I decided to tweak Brownie #4, slightly. I've seen some recipes that call for adding instant expresso or coffee to boost the chocolate flavor in chocolate desserts. Instant coffee/expresso is not something I keep on hand. So instead, I decided to try cold coffee (Kona coffee to be specific

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-58249098130688319142009-05-03T16:28:00.000-07:002009-05-04T10:21:39.831-07:00

My favorite Korean BBQ restaurant is Buga. I crave it quite a bit and can eat there all the time. No joke. I've even been known to choose it above my favorite "special occasions" restaurant (The Oceanaire). A few things have changed since Kirk's (mmm-yoso!!!) first review back in 2005 (here) and my first visit to Buga. (Read Kirk's other posts here and here.)The panchan, although still the best

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-51227810558357005112009-05-01T07:52:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:22:20.547-07:00

I loved May Day when I was a kid. The schools would plan for days for May Day Celebration. Family and friends would come and watch all the songs and dances from each class. My mom would always take that day off from work to come see my school's performances. I remember climbing those gigantic plumeria trees in the back courtyard the day before to make leis for my Mom and me to wear. If I close my

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-71808099927428890112009-04-30T12:41:00.000-07:002009-04-30T13:01:54.032-07:00

Yes, I've been a bit neglectful of my posts. But I have an excuse, a really good excuse. A few weeks back, we had some water damage in the house that required a major bathroom remodel. Whole room got gutted. If there was ever a time to be thankful for home insurance, this sure was one of them.Nonetheless, it still has been a headache. In the midst of all this, we also decided to put down some

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-32147522345582661182009-04-23T12:24:00.000-07:002009-04-23T13:23:48.659-07:00

I have a fondness for small, "family owned" type restaurants. R & B is one of those places and has been on my lunch rotation list for quite some time. I realized earlier this week that it's been a couple months since I've been and took the opportunity to get some take-out the other day while I was driving by (going back to work from lunch, no less). Yeah, I had lunch already but why not take

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-18171592799968461512009-04-20T08:45:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:00:34.147-07:00

Woo doggy was it hot yesterday! It was 96 where I was but it didn't stop us from working in the yard or eating. Unfortunately no pictures of anything we ate. Well, actually that's not true. I did take pictures but they all turned out blurry and crappy. Not a single food picture turned out. Not a one. I've had it with that Casio and now just waiting for my new camera to arrive tomorrow!! So until

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-50608334112684570862009-04-17T07:54:00.000-07:002009-04-17T08:15:16.980-07:00

Just some mindless Friday food trivia to help us get to the weekend!Did you know celery has negative calories? Yup, it takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has calories.Cabbage is 91% water.A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continually from the bottom of the glass to the top. (Who discovered this one????)Boiling the cork for a few

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-15142585153959567082009-04-16T07:13:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:05:24.763-07:00

The delay in making Brownie #3 got the Brownie Guinea Pig Panel grumpy and anxious. As a matter of fact, one of them was quite demanding on getting his brownie fix, me being sick or not. Sheesh. It's not like there's crack in these brownies or anything (as far as they know).Brownie #4 - Winner!To get back at the demanding bunch, I decided to do something a little different, bwahahaha! Instead of

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-53251723601700468982009-04-15T06:46:00.000-07:002009-04-15T06:46:00.325-07:00

Just a couple of quick things today. While reading WOW Grinds upcoming Best Kalbi Challenge (I can't wait to see the results!!!), I realized that I haven't had kalbi in a while, which is unsat! Mental note, make kalbi soon, like this weekend!Anyway, I think I was drooling when I was reading about the challenge (can't wait to see the results! Awk! I'm repeating myself.) and if it's anything like

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-85796051913776594962009-04-13T08:37:00.001-07:002009-05-13T10:04:22.442-07:00

I dusted off the manual Atlas pasta machine this weekend and made sure everything still works (just like new!). Dinner plan was simple, bake some French bread, make fresh fettuccine pasta tossed with some Bolognese sauce. The only thing left was to decide which pasta dough recipe to use.After looking through some cookbooks and searching online for some recipes, I settled on a very simple egg and

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-5593781033944645672009-04-09T09:38:00.000-07:002009-04-10T09:36:44.942-07:00

I think food bloggers must have really tough skin. I mean why else would we put ourselves out there like a big round bull's eye, fully exposed to any half-witted Tom, Dick or Harry (or Jane for that matter) who hides behind a cloak of anonymity when posting comments? You know the old adage, "opinions are like assholes and everyone has one..."I've got one too and here's mine for the day. Think

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-76689206365589202072009-04-07T10:33:00.000-07:002009-04-07T10:57:02.227-07:00

Setton Pistachio has expanded their voluntary recall of pistachios. The press release can be found here on the FDA's Recall webpage. The recalls affected bulk items to commercial custormers as well as some packaged products (Trader Joe's being one of them). Check the press release for complete listing of recalled products.Any consumers who have purchased retail products being recalled should

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-84915634744176205832009-04-06T11:11:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:04:49.482-07:00

So it's been almost 2 weeks since the start of this nasty flu and I think I might have finally turned the corner (oh please let it be so). My appetite still hasn't come back yet (no appetite? you must really be sick!). I actually had enough strength this weekend to whip together some bolognese sauce so the Mister can have a decent dinner after working all day. At least it was better than laying

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-11802616996591915322009-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:002009-04-02T08:26:32.987-07:00

Sorry it's been a bit stagnant here this past week. Contrary to popular believes, I'm still alive, battling back from the nastiest flu ever. I didn't get a chance to make Brownie #3 but hopefully this weekend. Hope everyone is well and having a good week. And if you don't have this flu bug like I do, you are at least doing better than me! Be back soon (egad, I hope! hehe).

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-79647283431173523072009-03-24T18:17:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:05:56.252-07:00

We enjoyed the Chicago-style Deep Dish pizza from Sweet Home Chicago Pizza (review here). But we also wanted to try their NY-style pizza, both of us fans of thin crust and all. I think read somewhere on Yelp that they had bought Coney Island's recipe when they purchased the place. And since Coney Island had some decent reviews when they were in business, we were looking forward to trying the

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-90499847276155066832009-03-23T08:33:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:06:22.713-07:00

Encouraged by the taste of Brownie #1, Brownie #2 was focused on the texture more so than the flavor. My original thought was just to add some leavening (i.e., baking powder) which I believe would solve the height issue and give the texture a bit more...fluff without being cakey. On the morning of testing, I decide to also adjust for volume also since I was going to use the Baker's Edge pan.I

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-87951517380462912672009-03-20T15:33:00.001-07:002009-03-20T16:17:59.809-07:00

Here's the picture from the last post as a teaser. Well, it was sort of a tricky one since it's not duck noodles but rather stewed oxtail noodle soup with roasted duck! Surprise!!See if I posted this picture (without the duck, of course), it would have been a dead giveaway. hehe.A couple of weeks back, I decided to get some oxtail from 99 Ranch since they looked so good, even with the sticker

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-68099345827697344562009-03-18T08:40:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:06:45.561-07:00

Just a quickie today. I finally broke down and ordered the Baker's Edge Brownie Pan. I figured it would really come in handy during the Brownie Experiment. I'll have it before the weekend and will try it out on Brownie #2!A couple of weeks ago, I was flipping through some cookbooks my Mom had given me a long time ago. I don't recall trying a single recipe from these books so I finally decided to

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-81394050872856885222009-03-17T06:57:00.000-07:002009-05-04T10:41:08.036-07:00

As I mentioned in the last post, I was ready to test out recipe no. 1, which I will call Brownie #1 (original, isn't it?). I had some handwritten notes using Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie mix as a guide. I made notes as I went along the baking process, adjusting ingredients here and there. This is what I came up with. The ingredients I used were what were on hand (like dark brown sugar vs. light

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-50420211049101392792009-03-16T13:10:00.000-07:002009-03-16T13:25:52.755-07:00

I received my 2 tons of Callebaut cocoa powder Thursday of last week. Actually, it was really 11 lbs but 2 tons sounds funnier. Anyway, I didn't waste any time to start what I've now dubbed my "Brownie Experiment." Would you believe out of 8 different dessert-specific books, there was only 1 traditional brownie recipe? Every other recipe was some sort of spin on the plain brownie (raspberry

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-80588508840326787202009-03-13T07:41:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:12:06.102-07:00

What can I say, I love fried foods. And the latest new recipe I tried was Chez Pim's Thai-Marinated Fried Chicken. Pim's secret is using rice flour. I tried rice flour once with the Korean Fried Chicken Wings to see what kind of crust it produced. Rather than mixing in the rice flour with the sauce, I marinated the wings in the sauce alone and then dredged in rice flour. The resulting crunch was

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-61350486608500339792009-03-11T09:10:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:11:15.015-07:00

Sundays are good days for me to bake bread since they are typically quiet, nonstressful, relaxed kind of day. On this particular Sunday, The Mister was working and I had the day all to myself, a good day to bake bread!I've had my sourdough starter (from Breadtopia) for almost 5 months now, taking care of it every week or so. Although not neglected in feeding, I have only used it a couple of times

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-17186093906307784512009-03-08T12:23:00.001-07:002009-03-08T18:54:56.580-07:00

You know how sometimes a craving hits you when watching/reading something? Okay, so it happens to me more often than not. This time, it was Ina's 40th wedding anniversary dinner episode. I started to watch it for the Italian Wedding Soup but it was the Brownie Pudding that captured my attention. I love a good brownie, one that's crusty on the outside but still chewy on the inside. So the thought

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-1622438858973239512009-03-07T13:01:00.001-08:002009-05-13T10:12:59.966-07:00

Even though the chicken sandwich didn't turn out as good as I had hoped, I tried again but with a simpler approach, the KISS Principle. Things that I know taste good together should give me better results (fingers crossed).Yup, sometimes the most enjoyable things are the simpler things. This meatball sandwich was really just things thrown together from leftovers. Simple but very delicious. The

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-50475241697909358702009-03-06T14:15:00.000-08:002009-03-06T14:21:24.232-08:00

For the past few years, I've been living vicariously through Kirk's (mmm-yoso) love of banh mi. On Monday, I'll be able to live through Tony Bourdain since he'll be in Vietnam. Just watch the video below and you'll see what I mean. According to Travel Channel, Tony will be wandering through fish markets, food stands and sidewalk cafes. If the show is anything like this preview, I know I'm going

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-80580465901813646282009-03-04T11:58:00.001-08:002009-05-13T10:13:35.405-07:00

Just a quickie today. A couple of weeks ago, I made French Chicken in a Pot, a meal that was a bit too much food for 2 people. I decided to use the leftover in chicken sandwiches for lunch the next day. Some fresh baguettes from Panera Bread that morning was just the thing I needed.The Mister had a plain sandwich, chicken, lettuce, mayonnaise, and mustard. I wanted a little something more

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-68415278756102684642009-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:002009-03-02T10:23:42.368-08:00

When I received the recent issue (#118) of Saveur last week, I quickly flipped through to find the article on the glazed Hawaiian-style baby back ribs (cover feature). But something stopped me before I could get there. It was the piece on Gulyás, also known as Hungarian Goulash. The Mister immediately came to mind since he loves these type of dishes. So I asked him if he's ever had Goulash.The

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-71772018338383362952009-02-28T06:34:00.000-08:002009-03-24T18:18:52.743-07:00

We've had the flyer for Sweet Home Chicago Pizza laying around on the counter for several weeks now and finally got around to trying their pizza. The Mister, being from New York, have always preferred NY-style pizza but wanted to try a Chicago-style pizza. His last one was over 7 years ago and he couldn't remember if he liked it or not. So on an evening when neither one of us wanted to cook, we

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-87891274747993985262009-02-27T12:32:00.000-08:002009-03-06T14:45:03.400-08:00

If you're like me and know next to nothing about Sri Lanka, its cuisine, its people, its culture, then the next episode of No Reservations will be an eye-opener. According to Travel Channel, Tony will be shown the Sri Lankan culture and cuisine, cuisine influenced by Portuguese, Dutch, British, Indian, Arab, Malay and Moor traders.While in Colombo, Tony will samplig popular street foods, rides in

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-79483842819053228122009-02-24T16:11:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:07:46.190-07:00

Braising is a technique that I've really become quite fond. I've used it on short ribs and whole chicken. Since The Mister and I are dark meat fans, I thought I'd try a braised chicken dish with just dark meat. Anne Burrell's recipe for Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Almonds sounded perfect since we love mushrooms (you can find the recipe here). When I first read the recipe, it was a little

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-27988384869040276432009-02-22T12:26:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:08:14.486-07:00

One of my all-time favorite is The Mister's breaded pork chops. Thin cut, juicy pork chops fried to perfection. When he makes this dish, I make sure I stay out of the kitchen to let him do that voodoo that he do(es) so well. I've only helped with this recipe a couple of times but soon realized that it was best to just stay the hell out of his way and not mess with his OODA loop if I want my pork

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-90781384714222865312009-02-21T08:27:00.000-08:002009-02-21T08:36:39.866-08:00

I am really looking forward to this episode. Some of you know that Tony grew up just outside New York City, Manhattan. Some institutions of his youth are still going strong, some are hanging on by a thread and some luck, and some of which have since disappeared. Tony wants to remember 'his' Manhattan by visiting some of his favorites while he still can. Tony will be talking and eating with some

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-70549138891726825982009-02-20T06:51:00.000-08:002009-02-20T10:14:55.866-08:00

A little Spam Musubi to celebrate Aloha Friday!Have a great weekend! Postscript: I forgot to mention the Silver Bay Kennel Club Dog Show is at the Del Mar Fairgrounds this weekend. If you're looking to see a particular breed, go here for Saturday and here for Sunday's judging programs to find the ring number and the breed. Hours:Friday, 8:00AM-6:00PMSaturday, 8:00AM-7:00PMSunday, 8:00AM-3:

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-20183330408378534852009-02-18T06:34:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:08:52.363-07:00

I remember having a blast at the Old Spaghetti Factory as a kid with my then-best-friend and her family. We used to get the spaghetti and meatballs with a Shirley Temple chaser. A couple of kids thinking they were so cool. Ahhh, good times. Somewhere along the path of growing up, meatballs fell out of favor. But then, several foods from my youth just doesn't have the same appeal now. But I still

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-87290369157227987132009-02-16T10:26:00.001-08:002009-02-24T17:21:55.275-08:00

The weather has been cold and wet and what better way to stave off dreary weather blues than a hearty chicken dinner. I saw this recipe either on Cook's Country or America's Test Kitchen (I can't remember which one) and knew immediately that The Mister would love it. A very straightforward slow cook recipe that results in a very tender and juicy chicken.The recipe states a chicken between 3 1/2

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-19369585382821737302009-02-14T11:26:00.000-08:002009-02-14T11:35:39.124-08:00

I just watched the preview of Monday's No Reservations and I am starving! Tony will be visiting the Philippines. One of Tony's host will be Augusto, a runner up from the Fan-atic special, which aired last season. Although Augusto wasn't picked, he made an impression on Tony, and in turn, he is treated to a reunion with his family and 'the best pig…ever' at a spectacularly large cookout. (Did

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-86070888448508720952009-02-11T12:44:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:02:20.087-07:00

A friend suggested lunch at Star Anise Thai Cuisine. She's been there a couple of times and thought the food was pretty good. Hate to say it but she wasn't building up any confidence in me about the place. I've seen the restaurant in the Renaissance Mall but it never struck me as anything more than a Spices Thai Cafe knock-off. Don't get me wrong, I like Spices for a quick lunch but have yet to

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-79411839061591102122009-02-10T08:40:00.000-08:002009-02-10T10:50:21.519-08:00

One side effect of maintaining a blog (if you want to call it that) is getting emails from readers containing questions that are interesting, funny, informative, and well, bizarre. Here are some more entertaining questions I've gotten to date (unedited). Please, keep those emails and comments coming! It's better than hearing crickets from where I am!Q: So what are you some kind of culinery or

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-52388856338082736702009-02-07T11:36:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:02:53.817-07:00

Every time I've opened the freezer door the past 3 weeks, 2 packages of frozen thick short ribs have been staring up at me. They've been begging to be cooked. I originally bought them for Dr. Pepper Pineapple Short Ribs, and since I haven't been in the mood for DPPSR (sounds like some kind of condition), I had to come up with something else since I couldn't bear another weekend of those darn ribs

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-35811495123817593592009-02-06T13:56:00.000-08:002009-02-06T14:13:17.460-08:00

The actual title of this special is "Food Porn." But I didn't want to add certain words in the title to try to minimize the uh...unwanted hits, if you know what I mean.Tony will be joining Eric Ripert, Alan Wong (yea!), Martin Picard and other world renowned chefs to share some of his favorite examples of what he likes to call food porn. Those of us who read food blogs and/or blogs about food

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-24242233429616789702009-02-05T08:19:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:03:23.381-07:00

I received the SideSwipe Blade for my KitchenAid stand mixer about a week ago. This was a Christmas present from The Mister but the blade has been on backorder since the holidays. I'm sure part of the reason (other than it being the holidays) for the backorder was due to the recommendation by Cook's Illustrated. And since I love my gadgets, and having watched the video of the blade in action,

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-58852800501784101652009-02-04T06:58:00.000-08:002009-02-24T17:22:36.520-08:00

This recipe for Clams Casino was a favorite of my father-in-law. It's a favorite appetizer for us and the best part is that it can be made ahead of time and then baked just before serving.The Mister thinks the recipe came from a friend of his father's who got it from a restaurant owner. So, uh, guess that's a friend from a friend.We love this recipe but where this recipe can go wrong is adding

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-39823585860858283372009-01-31T03:17:00.000-08:002009-01-31T03:17:00.799-08:00

First off, I just wanted to say a big thank you to Ingrid at Room 214 for sending me an autographed picture of Anthony Bourdain. It is soooo cool! Even The Mister said, "That's cool!" This is only the second item I have in my posession that is signed by someone famous. The first item is an SF 49ers ballcap signed by Ronnie Lott. But I digress.There's just something about Chicago that appeals to

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-91347117160030396202009-01-30T09:09:00.000-08:002009-01-30T09:42:49.005-08:00

Just a quickie today. How many of you are throwing or going to a Super Bowl party this weekend? I bet lots. No Super Bowl party for us this year. Just us and the dogs.Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest food consumption day in the U.S.? Right after Thanksgiving.Did you know about 50 million pounds of avocados are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday? According to EatingWell

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-14604424800918536882009-01-28T08:18:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:15:48.102-07:00

I've been meaning to do a quick review of Sab-E-Lee Thai restaurant for some time, just hadn't had time until now. I apologize for the pictures because these were of take-out dishes, a couple of hours after the Mister picked them up. So they don't look as good as right out of the kitchen. But they were still just as delicious. I just never seem to have my camera with me whenever I ate at the

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-83073474092090799502009-01-25T23:32:00.000-08:002009-01-25T23:32:00.909-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-86112004027339454632009-01-23T15:54:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:01:07.229-07:00

Okay, all you Bourdainiers (I made that up), here's the sneak preview of the upcoming episode of No Reservations. Tony will be visiting Azores, a cluster of Portuguese islands. I don't know much about Azores and only a smidgen familiarity with Portuguese cuisine so I think I'm really going to enjoy this episode.Why Azores? Tony has worked in kitchens alongside many generations of Azorean

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-64547985857332266592009-01-22T11:25:00.001-08:002009-01-22T12:25:58.416-08:00

It's 2009, which means it's finally time to think seriously about a kitchen remodel. The Mister and I decided last year that we would make a go/no-go decision in early 2009 whether to tackle a remodel this year. Last night, the go decision was made (call it our contribution to help stimulate the economy). It means I have to start doing the actual leg work, talking to companies, and getting the "

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-60121429446939580252009-01-20T06:30:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:10:00.921-07:00

I typically only post recipes that I like but I'm going to make an exception this time because there was part of this recipe that I really liked and a part that I didn't like, at all. I've been craving a fruity dessert, maybe a fruit tart or something. Then I thought about the Asian cakes that my Mom used to buy for me when I was little. One of my favorite was a strawberry cream cake. Whipped

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-90161308503044281032009-01-19T04:10:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:16:56.118-07:00

The Mister and I have followed Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations for several years now (it's a standing record on the dvr). Some episodes were very entertaining while a few were um, kind of like watching a reality show of blunders and bloopers and where-no-to-go's. Still interesting but not sure if that's what Bourdain and the producers had in mind. Okay, maybe that's what the producers had in

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-83575561365325199352009-01-18T06:28:00.000-08:002009-02-24T17:23:17.741-08:00

I know it's a little late to be posting this since holidays have long past. But with all the craziness of the holidays, I haven't had time to do this post. But this was definitely one that I had wanted to blog about.I've never been a huge fan of pumpkin pie. So why would I definitely want to blog about it? Granted that I've always had the premade frozen crust with the filling made from the gloppy

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-90645059480325104422009-01-16T09:48:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:18:08.312-07:00

Before I ever tried Chicken Alice's Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) wings (original recipe here, mmm-yoso's version here, and my version here), I made a batch of "garlic" KFC. We love garlic and this recipe really sounded good. Love garlic or not, I was a bit hesitant because garlic burns quickly and deep frying a whole lot of minced garlic could be...a bitter catastrophe. But being a wing-aholic, and

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-61104295634125731942009-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:002009-01-12T09:25:18.374-08:00

Since the Mister is from the Buffalo area (ergo being a Sabres fan), I was really excited to find out that Anthony Bourdain recently visited Buffalo for No Reservations. Awesome! Can't wait to see the episode.

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-34375793336155106282009-01-08T11:04:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:18:32.552-07:00

For New Year's Eve dinner last week, I boiled some live Maine lobsters from 99 Ranch Market. It was a simple but very delicious dinner. I clarified some butter to go along with the tender and sweet lobsters. The Mister cooked some corn and we heated up the leftover baked orzo from Christmas dinner. Indeed we were eating well that night.But a rare occurrence happened. We had leftover lobster (gasp

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-81234449582406765632009-01-05T08:36:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:19:14.536-07:00

This is the first official post for 2009. Whew, where did 2008 go? This is also my first day back to work after 2.5 weeks off. Whew, where did the days go? Well, I know where the days went. It went into playing Guitar Hero World Tour, watching hockey and revamping my closet.In a half-assed attempt to ease back into work slowly (bwahaha), I was scanning through UT online and noticed in the

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-38388052193607908872008-12-31T23:20:00.000-08:002008-12-31T23:20:28.120-08:00

Wishing everyone prosperity, joy and good eating in 2009!

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-71557216259922914432008-12-30T21:00:00.001-08:002009-02-24T17:24:16.994-08:00

I have a recipe card for banana nut bread from long long ago. Where I got it from, no one knows. But the Mister really likes it.The Mister loves banana nut bread. And since there were a few very ripe bananas laying around, I thought I'd make a couple of loaves for him. (Ain't I sweet and thoughtful? hehe)Ingredients:2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour3/4 cup sugar3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-51655941193117879222008-12-24T22:20:00.000-08:002008-12-26T16:57:10.379-08:00

From my family to yours, we wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-25266291527986062472008-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:19:48.181-07:00

So it's been decided. We are having standing rib roast for Christmas. Whew, thank goodness because that I can do (over the turducken). I put the 4-bone roast in the refrigerator for aging yesterday. Ahhhh, can't wait! The Mister is planning on making his garlic mash potato. We'll also have sauteed mushrooms, au jus, corn, and probably something else. Ahhhh, can't wait! Oh, did I say that already?

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-52556675760596545012008-12-20T08:39:00.001-08:002009-05-13T10:20:25.949-07:00

I had a craving for hot pot a few weeks ago when the weather finally started to feel like Winter. Hot pot is something that can very simple or elaborate, depending on the occasion. Growing up, my family traditionally celebrate Chinese New Year with hot pots with 20 different dishes (for over 30 people) but they really can be, and has become, more than just for celebrations. With restaurants like

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-67849245033873338772008-12-14T14:10:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:20:48.129-07:00

I've read that if one can make yeast bread successfully, one can make pizza dough. I think that's a pretty true statement. As a matter of fact, pizza dough, as I found out a few months back, is one of the easiest yeast doughs to make. That is, once I found the right recipe. Once again Betsy Oppenneer comes through with her pizza dough recipe. I love this recipe because I can make 4 12" pizza

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-55316913726488706902008-12-11T08:59:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:21:08.579-07:00

To kind of celebrate the holidays with some friends from work, we decided to have lunch at Jeong Won Korean BBQ yesterday. Ms. L and Mr. S were with me the first time in May. And since Ms. L and I noticed some differences between the 2 visits, I thought it was worth mentioning.We also brought along Mr. T (no fool, not that Mr. T!). We got there a little after 11 am, the first customers of the day

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-19400739882849017912008-12-08T13:06:00.001-08:002008-12-08T13:07:26.358-08:00

Got your Christmas list ready yet?

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-26137136378598256142008-12-07T15:02:00.000-08:002008-12-07T15:59:00.506-08:00

Growing up in Hawaii, specifically on Oahu, December 7 was always a day of remembrance. I couldn't tell you how many times I've been to the USS Arizona Memorial, well into the teens. But even now, I still can't help feeling all sorts of emotions whenever I visit the Memorial. I took the above picture on the USS Arizona Memorial during one of my visits in 2006. It is one of my favorite

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-52976067653270000252008-12-02T08:10:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:21:58.827-07:00

I've already gotten several emails asking for Christmas dinner suggestions. Of course if you're not all turkey'ed out by then, consider a turducken, or a brined or fried turkey. For me, I'll be doing my usual standing rib roast, I think. And if you've been following along, I had promised the Mister to get a turducken if he still wants it. He hasn't made up his mind yet but I have a feeling he's a

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-41341680888481331122008-11-29T11:29:00.000-08:002008-11-29T12:20:10.270-08:00

Well, Thanksgiving has past and I'm thankful that I didn't gain 10 pounds the day after! Just a quick report on the fried turkeys. We ended up frying two 12 lb turkeys, one was an organic turkey from Costco and the other, my usual and dependable Butterball. Both cost around the same price, I think.The turkey in the back is the organic with a Cajun rub. The front is the Butterball with a salt,

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-33854801117607685242008-11-26T16:00:00.000-08:002008-11-26T16:59:32.835-08:00

Wishing everyone a wonderful and tasty Thanksgiving! Hope everyone eats well.

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-20038334788098931292008-11-25T09:13:00.000-08:002008-11-25T09:47:07.199-08:00

I'm cleaning up some old pictures on my Blackberry today so just a few ramblings on a couple of places I've eaten in the last week.When the weather stays cool and even dreary like today, it's hard for me not to think of noodles everyday. Yesterday, I met some friends at Santouka Ramen for a quick bite to eat. These are the same friends who I used to meet at Chopstix at least twice a month for

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-70243060675489221682008-11-23T08:25:00.001-08:002009-05-13T10:22:59.554-07:00

So it's Sunday morning, I'm sitting at the computer with a cup of coffee and a Spam musubi I made yesterday (breakfast of champions!) and all I can think about is the Thanksgiving meal coming up. About a month ago, the Mister, without any provocation from me, blurted out, "I want a turducken for Thanksgiving." I knew he meant business just from his tone. Hoo boy. This is not the first time he's

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-46049988102312968832008-11-21T09:30:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:23:24.158-07:00

After my so-so pho experience at Kim's Vietnamese Chinese Restaurant, I was jonesing for a really good bowl of pho. Kirk (mmm-yoso) really enjoys the pho at Lucky Pho (read his review here), so I decided it was finally time to try it. Hey, Kirk hasn't steered me wrong yet (and a few hundred, maybe even thousands, of other San Diegans). With my friend, L, in tow, we headed over for lunch last

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-32307181221907899372008-11-16T17:59:00.000-08:002008-11-17T15:59:53.344-08:00

I have a couple of friends who love red velvet cake. They get all giddy just at the mention of it. After all the drooling stopped, they asked (insisted was more like it) if I would make one with cream cheese frosting. I've never made it before so once again, I was on the hunt for a good recipe. I settled on Emeril Lagasse's "Sylvia" recipe because I wanted a butter recipe and not a traditional

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-60002429033401596402008-11-13T18:26:00.001-08:002009-05-13T10:24:20.484-07:00

For the past I don't know how many years, I've been searching on-and-off for a fool-proof fried chicken recipe. What I am after is a flavorful (spicy actually), juicy (white and dark meat), crunchy, fairly simple frying recipe. Not too much to ask for, right? Apparently it is. I've tried several recipes and none, so far, has made my toes wiggle. (Your toes wiggle when you eat??) Ha, yeah. That's

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-18792113071057431632008-11-13T07:58:00.000-08:002008-11-13T10:04:50.036-08:00

I finally met up with some friends yesterday for lunch. We ended up at Kim's Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant in Encinitas but to tell the truth, I was a bit reluctant because of some of the reviews I've read. But I was willing to try due to the "high" recommendation of Kim's pho from one of my friends.It was a bit of a haul from where I work but luckily, I had a bit of time. I got there around 11

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-2564724053749978462008-11-11T07:19:00.000-08:002008-11-11T16:23:48.055-08:00

I've mentioned the history of Veteran's day here. So for this year's Veterans Day, I thought I'd go a different route. Just a few things we learned as kids growing up in this country, but so little opportunity (at least for most of us) as adults, below are the words to The Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangled Banner, and God Bless America. We can always use a little refresher. And don't forget

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-32774732620499995972008-11-08T12:04:00.000-08:002009-02-24T17:25:33.228-08:00

I'm not exactly sure what to call this dish because it's kind of a butchered version of a dan dan mein (noodles) recipe that I found somewhere that I can't remember (ah, aging, ain't it grand?). That recipe isn't what I would consider classic Sichuan style but it's an acceptable version. But because I've substituted several of the ingredients, I don't feel calling this recipe dan dan mian

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-60248064041275051682008-11-05T05:00:00.000-08:002009-04-06T13:07:52.888-07:00

I've really become quite fond of making cupcakes. Well, and eating them too. They are quick to make and easy to eat. A cupcake a day keeps all your blues away (but not your waistline). My favorite is a yellow cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting, which is also my basic (foundation) yellow cupcake and frosting recipe. The recipes can be modified to make chocolate or several other types of

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-31970349249991429802008-11-03T10:03:00.000-08:002009-05-13T10:25:17.550-07:00

Hope everyone had a great Halloween. To counter all that candy and chocolate, here's another bread recipe that I made this weekend. It's a simple French Bread recipe from Betsy Oppenneer's The Bread Book. Oppenneer called it French "style" because authentic French bread is made from French-milled flour that creates a lighter loaf. Whatever because these are light enough for me.See all those holes

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-78721320259706121252008-10-31T07:47:00.001-07:002008-10-31T07:49:25.678-07:00

Have a creepy and ghoulish Halloween, everyone!

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-17217364993714501092008-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:26:51.509-07:00

I've been a baking fool lately. Blame it on the baguette and sourdough. With my so-so result with the sourdough bread the last go around, I thought I'd abandon all mixer and do the next batch of loaves all by hand. Yup, all by hand. I thought handling the dough from beginning to end will give me a better feel for the white bread since this was my first attempt at white "sandwich" bread.Since I've

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-64574409390698266642008-10-24T09:03:00.001-07:002009-05-13T10:27:24.528-07:00

I received my live sourdough starter last Friday from Breadtopia and I have been feeding it for the past week. I highly recommend getting a sourdough starter to anyone who don't want to attempt making his own. I love the smell and power of the starter from Breadtopia. It started to bubble within a few hours after the first feeding. So no question that it's very active.I've been looking through

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-66455482037768713532008-10-23T12:24:00.001-07:002008-10-27T14:50:01.205-07:00

Someone at work sent this video to me. Very very cool!Anyone know how to read kanji backwards?

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-82702531670347514862008-10-22T09:46:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:50:15.138-07:00

To help people get into the spirit of Halloween, M&M's has provided a very fun game that you can play. Well, it's fun if you like movies, dark movies to be specific. It's a painting that has 50 movie titles hidden within. Each title has a picture clue, some obvious, some not so much. But still fun. I knew all the movies, seen all of them except 6. So nothing too obscure. Just a small hint, some

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-18636938154778566832008-10-19T16:36:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:55:55.756-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with cinnamon rolls, that is if it's even possible to have a relationship with a food item. I love cinnamon rolls but hate the time-intense home baked ones. Don't misunderstand me, it's not hard to make cinnamon rolls, it just takes time. But every now and then (or once a decade), on a lazy Sunday morning, I actually feel like making them. My last batch of homemade

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-11869644909245552942008-10-12T18:09:00.000-07:002009-01-12T08:49:12.435-08:00

With the weather starting to actually feel like Autumn lately, I've been in more of a mood to cook and bake. And with a hankering for some home baked bread the last few days, I thumbed through The Bread Book by Betsy Oppenneer (her second bread book) looking for inspiration. I decided on a recipe for Tomato Basil Baguettes that was marked by an old, discolored piece of paper flagged from who

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-16486953318301678362008-10-09T09:01:00.000-07:002008-10-09T09:39:48.162-07:00

There is one fast rule that I abide by when having a conversation with people other than the Mister: I don't discuss religion, politics, or sex. No negotiations. I do, once in a blue moon, discuss politics with some family members but those conversations don't usually last long. And with the presidential election coming up soon, some people have the urge, nay, feel they have the obligation to

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-62670589867437141022008-10-06T13:20:00.000-07:002009-02-24T17:26:29.467-08:00

One of my favorite Thai dishes is Pad Kee Mao, also known as Thai Drunken Noodles or Thai Spicy Noodles. I've been playing with the idea of making some Thai dishes at home since a friend of mine said it was easy. I've tried making Shrimp Pad Thai (the Mister likes Pad Thai) and although it turned out pretty good, the recipe needs some adjustment for my taste. So I'll wait to post on that once I

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-88979457207526052832008-09-29T10:02:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:52:34.805-07:00

Have you started planning your costumes, parties and/or pumpkin carving? Heck, Halloween candy started showing up at stores the day after Labor Day, so what are you waiting for? Halloween is only a month away. No time to lose.Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I've loved carving pumpkins ever since I was a wee little lass, saving my lunch money to buy the biggest pumpkin I can find. Now

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-34715391496931697682008-09-27T11:22:00.000-07:002009-01-12T08:55:30.431-08:00

I recently came across a carrot cupcake recipe on the William Sonoma site that didn't have the traditional ingredients in a typical carrot cake (no raisins, cinnamon, other spices, or nuts). Since I'm not a big fan of nuts in my baked goods (much to the Mister's chagrin), I thought I'd give the cupcakes a whirl. The recipe is very simple and comes together quickly. Although I didn't have any

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-76180495704586504072008-09-24T10:39:00.000-07:002009-05-13T10:28:47.618-07:00

Every now and then, I go back and reread some of the recipes I posted. I made chicken fingers again this past weekend and realized that somewhere along the line, I've started to lean towards deep frying the chicken fingers rather than pan frying. I'm still pan frying but I'm adding more oil that barely covers the fingers, almost deep frying. I found that this cooks the chicken wings quicker and

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-84484147186147088632008-09-23T11:35:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:53:36.665-07:00

Well, almost. The season officially starts on Satureday Oct. 4, less than 2 weeks away. The Buffalo Sabres' 1st game is Oct. 10 (woohoo!) against the Canadiens at home. And this year, the Sabres will be visiting the Anaheim Ducks again at Honda Center on Feb. 2, 2009. The Mister and I are still debating whether to shell out some dough for some decent seats or just stay at home and enjoy the game

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-43410228601667755562008-09-18T13:19:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:53:47.630-07:00

Inspired by Cathy's (mmm-yoso) Friday's $5 meals for two, I thought I'd share one of my go-to "cheap" meals. I usually have all the ingredients on hand, maybe with the exception of ground beef on some occasions. This recipe has 3 things going for it, cheap, can be a 1-pot recipe, and heats up well as a leftover, if there are any. This recipe easily feeds 2 people, possibly 3 with some sides.If

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-85158585258391023422008-09-14T11:23:00.000-07:002009-02-24T17:27:30.730-08:00

About a week ago I made some sweet palmiers. Today is all about a savory palmier made with pesto using the other sheet of puff pastry. These make wonderful appetizers sure to impress. Techniques are similar to the sweet recipe and almost just as easy. The recipe includes homemade pesto but you can substitute with your favorite store bought pesto.Pesto Ingredients:1 cup basil leaves1/4 cup pine

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-18186735713023415002008-09-13T19:40:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:54:26.905-07:00

Here we go again. Mars Petcare US announced today of a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Schwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States. You can read all the details here. If you feed one of the brands listed, please, please,

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9028895774693105397.post-41507490112620595932008-09-12T21:22:00.000-07:002008-10-27T15:34:30.427-07:00

This year's Moon Festival is Sept. 14 (Sept. 13 in the U.S.). The Moon Festival is also known as the Mid-autumn Festival. If you've been to an Asian market in the past couple of weeks, you probably noticed all the various moon cakes for sale. The traditional red bean with egg yolk has always been my favorite. But it's been years since I've had one.If you happened to pick some moon cakes, turn off

CABhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03108581758717629963noreply@blogger.com2