Salt & Pepper Crab

When I was first learning how to cook, circa 1990’s, the family went on a road trip vacation to San Francisco.  While there, we went to a non-descript restaurant called Thanh Long, where their specialty is Roast Crab. 

I Dream of Red Velvet & How to Line a Round Pan

Last Saturday, a friend of Veggie Girl and I hosted a casual get together among just us friends, which is really just a small group, and at the same time to celebrate the birthdays of Veggie Girl, Mr. R & Miss D, all within a few days from each other. Our friend Mrs. L prepared a Korean bbq feast for us, and may I say Hibachi Style, where you cook your own meat at the table, just like how they do it at a Korean restaurant.  What a delicious meal, indeed!

Sweet Chili Ribs

I made some salt and pepper crabs yesterday ( I will post the recipe soon), and I did not know what to pair it with.  I had pork spare ribs already thawing out but I still didn’t know what to do with the ribs to make it go well with the crabs. 

Classic Bistek

Another classic Filipino beef dish.  This is how my mom's bistek tasted, so this is what I am imparting to all of you.

  

Spicy Green Beans & Tofu Stir Fry

Stir fried green beans are, hands down, one of my favorite dishes to order at a Chinese restaurant. If it's on the menu, it'll be on my tab. However, when I first tried to make them at home, my green beans didn't quite turn out the same. The green beans at the restaurant had a wrinkly exterior but a crunchy interior which was what I loved about them but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get my green beans to turn out the same way. My homemade version tasted pretty good too but they just didn't have the same wrinkly texture.

Calamari

Yesterday I promised you I was going to post how I recycled the Grilled Squid leftover I had from Gerry’s Grill.  Before becoming a blogger, I probably would have just resorted to throwing away that leftover, since when I reheated it for lunch, it was starting to get chewy/rubbery.  The day progressed and I just cannot bring myself to letting the squid go to waste, especially since I know just a few hours ago, this squid was so delicious.

Gerry's Grill (Food Review)

The City Plaza, 11710 South Street, Artesia, CA 90701  Tel. 562-403-1000  http://www.gerrysgrill.com/us/index.php

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…..happy birthday Veggie Girl.  That’s right, yesterday was Veggie Girl’s birthday.  Weeks before yesterday, I’ve been thinking of what I can give her on her birthday.

Leche Flan (Custard)

I should have followed my Arroz a’la Valenciana post last Thursday with this.  Afterall, what better way to cap off a Spanish meal, but with a Spanish desert.  But housewifely duties came first, that is, cooking, cleaning and laundry, you get the picture.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Congee

Congee is a popular dish in my household. We love congee at any time of the day be it plain congee eaten in place of rice and accompanied by a few Asian dishes, or congee that's been flavored with meat and vegetables.

If you're not familiar with congee, it is basically rice that's been boiled down with water to yield a thick and creamy consistency. My Cantonese maternal grandma would call it 'jook' and my Hokkien paternal grandma would call it 'moy'. Besides being a popular breakfast food in many Asian cultures, it's also commonly fed to babies and toddlers. I practically grew up on this stuff.  Congee is such a comfort food too. When someone in my family is sick, congee is often eaten because it is soothing and easy to digest.

Sauteed Bok Choy and Mushrooms

Yesterday I made Arroz a’la Valenciana, and so for today, I thought I’d go meatless and make some veggies.  And just like Veggie Girl, I love bok choy, and her recent Bento Box Lunch post inspired me to make my own version. 

Arroz a'la Valenciana

The color alone is worthy of a Spanish fiesta.

One of the first few dishes I learned to cook was Arroz a’la Valenciana.  I inherited this recipe from my mom, so this may be different from the restaurant version or the true Spanish version, both of which I have never tried. 

Bento Box Lunch: Soy Sauce Eggs and Bok Choy with Garlic

A few years ago, I started packing bentos for my kids to bring to school. I'm not an expert bento maker by any means so they were pretty basic. They didn't have all the fancy little food characters or cute cutout shapes. They did have the occasional piggy egg (a hard boiled egg shaped like a pig), heart shaped rice balls and adorable, colorful toothpicks. Sadly, that was the extent of my bento making skills but it was enough to delight my kids, especially my daughter who was still young enough to appreciate cute little boxes of food. My son was mostly nonplussed about it. As long as the bento box contained food that would satisfy him and fill his belly, he would be a happy camper. No need for cuteness. You know how boys are.

Pork Lettuce Wrap

I am thankful that my husband is allowed to work at home a few times a week.  With today’s gas prices, and cost of living, every way you could pinch a penny, is worth it.  However, that also means that I can’t do my work because I have to take care of feeding him…hahaha.

Chicken & Shrimp Pad Thai

I used to order Pad Thai at every Thai restaurant I went to because I really love this dish. In doing so, let me tell you, I've tasted some very bad Pad Thai. Some Thai restaurants think they should alter the recipe to cater to American tastebuds so they use ketchup or peanut butter (gasp!) in the sauce. I've had my fair share of gooey noodles sitting in some very sweet bright orange sauce. For someone who's never had Pad Thai, it might not taste half bad but I know the difference. It just won't do.

Cocoa Swirled Banana Bread

Is there such a thing as baking phobia?  If there is, then I think I have that syndrome.  

Asian Style Tilapia

How do I love thee?

By:  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Classic Meatballs with Homemade "BBQ" Sauce

Today's post is special in my eyes. Why? Because it's our first beef post. Yes, FIRST ONE EVER after almost three months of blogging and more than three dozen recipes. I've even mentioned it to Gingham Girl (on more than one occasion) that we seriously need to post a beef recipe but it just never happened until now. I'm guessing that, like me, she's not a big red meat eater herself.

My gift from Spain: Toasted Egg Yolk Custard Nougat

Recently my cousin Jetts took a trip to Barcelona and Paris and returned home bearing edible gifts -- my favorite kind! She didn't tell me much when she handed the two packages to me except that one had chocolate in it. Yay! Chocolate!

Spaghetti with Arugula and Garlic Bread Crumbs

I'm a late bloomer with arugula (also called rocket). I didn't actually discover this "baby green" until I was well into adulthood. I grew up in Singapore back in the 70's/80's (gosh, I sound old!) and while I had eaten plenty of salads, I had never had one with arugula in it. I don't even think arugula was common in Southeast Asia back then. It was only when I migrated to the U.S., and after years of eating just plain garden salads or Caesar salads, did I finally try a spring salad with arugula in it. And that's how my love story with this peppery leaf began.

Sweet & Spicy Crab

Last Monday, memorial day, my husband and I decided to take a day trip with our dog to  Beverly Hills.  It was a beautiful sunny day in Southern California, that you just had to get out of the house and take in some sun.  After drooling over the mansions in Bel-Air, we thought we'd continue heading West to the beach in Santa Monica, so we can stretch our legs, and walk the dog.

Rotini Salad

My husband and I decided to take a drive to Hacienda Heights last Saturday, which is about 20 miles East of Los Angeles, to visit the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple for the first time.  Let me tell you, I had no idea there was such a gem hidden in the hills of Hacienda Heights.