Chili con Carne

Take the guesswork out of chili and do this simple recipe.  This is just far better than the ones you buy from a can.  It's quick and simple and it's made from "semi-scratch."

Thanksgiving 2012 Roundup

Let me start by saying that this post does not contain fancy Thanksgiving photos of lovely table settings or decorated platters of food or any of that. It's merely a quick recap of a simple Thanksgiving dinner which I cooked for the most part, despite feeling really sick and tired. And when the time came to eat, the fam was so hungry, they had no patience for food decoration, props or fancy photography so brace yourself, the food pics in this post can best be described as "rustic". :)

Asian Style Rib Eye Salad

Hello again everyone!  Between trick or treating and yesterday's presidential election, Veggie Girl and I have been busy all week.  But here I am again, and I am glad I was able to snap some pictures I can share with you all.

Italian Herb Roast Chicken & Vegetables

I love roast chicken and, for the longest time, was afraid of attempting to roast them whole at home because I always thought it would be hard for some reason and I would end up with really dry chicken. So I just settled for store bought rotisserie chicken and even then, they were sometimes dry or lacking in flavor.

Soy Sauce Pork Chops

Hello everyone!  First of all, I would like to thank all of our new readers.  This week, Veggie Girl and I were so happy to see new people liking us on Facebook.  Special shout-out to all of you who liked us this week, which ever part of this beautiful earth you are from.

How I Like My Bacon (Garlic Fried Rice)

It is very rare that the hubby and I get to have breakfast together during the weekday.  But today, when I mentioned bacon, he immediately got hungry before I could even get out of bed.  Yeah, the power of bacon...LOL!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins + Homemade Pumpkin Purée

I'm milking pumpkin season for as long as I can, can you tell? I made these pumpkin spice muffins last week to contribute to my daughter's fundraiser at school. It was a bake sale and parents were asked to donate a baked item. I know I could have just bought something from the store but since I had plastic containers of pumpkin in my fridge, I thought, why not make something from scratch with the pumpkin?

Slow Cooker Braised Garlic Spareribs

I recently had a hankering for some tender pork ribs and by that, I don't mean American style ribs with a sweet BBQ sauce. No, what I wanted was an Asian version with a salty, garlicky sauce perfect for drizzling over steamed white rice. I bought some spareribs over the weekend and today, was finally able to quell my craving. Best of all, these ribs cooked up in my slow cooker while I went about my day. I did spend about 20 minutes in the morning prepping the meat and putting the sauce together but after that, it was all on auto pilot. These ribs made for a fantastic dinner along with some sauteed green beans and steamed rice. Easy peasy.

Pork Meatballs and Pumpkin Soup (Chinese style)

Here's more pumpkin love. I made this soup over the weekend and I just couldn't stop eating it. Although it's a simple soup, it is packed with lots of flavor from the meatballs and a touch of sweetness from the corn and pumpkin. The key is to a) brown the meatballs, and b) allow the soup to sit for a couple hours after it's been simmered so that the flavors can really come together. If you're planning to make it for dinner, make it a few hours in advance. If you love pumpkin, this recipe is a must try.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding

It finally feels like Fall! We've had a drop in temperature courtesy of our first winter storm of the season and it feels good! Another thing that screams of Fall or October is the pumpkin and they are on sale everywhere I go, even at the local pharmacy. This excites me because I love pumpkin. It has a mild flavor and is slightly sweet at the same time, making it a versatile ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes.

VG's "Shanghai Angus Steak" (Panda Express copycat recipe)

I have been a big fan of Panda Express since I first ate there many years ago. For those of you not familiar with Panda Express, it is an American restaurant chain serving fast, casual Chinese cuisine. It's actually considered to be American Chinese cuisine as their dishes are created to appeal to non-Asian palates and frequently use sweeter, thicker sauces. 

Red Wine Steak Marinade

Hello again! Yes, I have been away from the blogging world for a couple of months due to work and other endeavors. Big thanks to Gingham Girl for keeping our little blog alive. While I may not have blogged, I have still cooked almost every day, even during the two weeks last month when we were hit with nasty 100 degree temperatures. When the weather gets that hot, we do most of our cooking outside on the grill. Yesterday, the hot weather returned once again, seemingly with a vengeance (it got to 105 degrees!) so I decided to marinate some steaks to throw on the grill.

Panko Crusted Teriyaki Tilapia Fillet

Boy, that's a mouthful of a title. LOL!  Fortunately it doesn't take as much effort to make as it is to say it.  Here's another quick and easy delicious meal.

Curry Potato Chips

What happens when I get some free time?  I get to experiment in the kitchen, that's what happens.  I had extra russet potatoes that I don't want to go to waste, so I thought of making my own potato chips.

Yakiniku Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

Here's a quick and easy meal that is easy to prepare.  It's for those days when you want to have some greens but you also want to balance it with a little bit of meat.

Bull-Dog Spaghetti

Hello there everyone!!!  I'm back after a super long hiatus.  I know, that's a sin in the blog world.  No excuses....it's just that Veggie Girl and I have been busy with work.  I will speak for myself but I have had no time to be creative in the kitchen.  I've been mostly cooking repeats that are already here on the blog.  But why bore you with my reasons, let's just get on to cooking once again.

Fab Friday!

Dozen Wicked Mint Brownies

I found a site through GG called Fab.com and they do indeed carry some fab items that are unique, bold and oh-so-interesting. I'm drawn to vintage styles and quirky, kitschy items with a sense of humor and the site certainly didn't disappoint.  I thought I would share some of my favorite finds for the kitchen, home and belly so today's post will be chock full of images but not much more. Still, I hope you'll enjoy looking at the pics and have a totally fab Friday!

Tommy Bahama Trees

I created instant trees yesterday in the form of these Tommy Bahama umbrellas.  I admit, as a landscape designer, my backyard is looking pretty bare.  I promise you, in time it will transform.  But for now, baby steps.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't often bake at night but tonight, the fam and I were craving something sweet for dessert. Something chewy, yet crunchy and decadent. One of the kids yelled out "chocolate chip cookies!" I remembered a recipe that I had favorited on Allrecipes.com a few years back so with my Android tablet in hand, off into the kitchen I went.

Cheesy Bacon & Garlic Dog Treats

It's another doggie biscuit making Saturday. The last of the peanut butter doggie biscuits that I made a couple of weeks ago just got polished off so I needed to replenish the treat box. Now that I'm getting into the groove of baking dog treats at home, I don't think I'd be buying them from the pet store again. Not only are homemade dog treats inexpensive to make but they are also all natural and can be made fresh on an as-needed basis. 

Chocolate Biscotti

Back in May of this year, there was a big hoo-hah about coffee being really good for you. The L.A. Times and the Huffington Post both reported that drinking at least one cup of coffee per day could increase your life span by 5 to 6%. Drink at least 3 cups and your life span increases by over 10%.

Spicy Japanese Cold Summer Noodles (Hiyashi Chuka)

We're sizzling in the U. S. of A. these days! Take a look at these temps across the board for this weekend. Lots of record-breaking 90 to 100 degree weather all over the map, including Southern California.

Lemon Cupcakes with Berries + Happy 4th!

Happy 4th everyone! Hope you had a nice cookout and celebration. As I write this, fireworks are still going off in the neighborhood. I guess the doggies will have to remain in hiding just a little while longer.

Kaleidoscope Dress

Sometimes, I just feel like blending in.  Last Saturday, I was invited to a swimming/children's party.  While I did not feel like swimming, I chose an outfit that I thought will blend in with my surroundings.  And by the way, I sewed this dress.

Easy Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

I'm surprised dog treats didn't make an appearance on our blog sooner. After all, I have two dogs and GG has one but I've always thought that making dog biscuits were more involving. Boy was I wrong! They couldn't be easier. After reading up on countless recipes for dog biscuits (some of which called for chicken livers, brewers yeast and some other ingredients that I didn't have on hand), I finally settled on a simple one that called for just a few ingredients and I had all of them in my pantry.

Broccoli in Creamy Lemon Dressing

I always thought I can only eat cooked broccoli and I was always baffled by how some people can eat it raw, until I tried Souplantation's broccoli salad.  Ever since then, I have always come back for this salad.

Mango, Apple & Cucumber Salsa

Hot summer days are upon us and to combat the heat, I've been making this cold and refreshing mango, apple and cucumber salsa to have on hand. I've eaten this with salmon, salads, enjoyed it with corn chips and as a taco topping over grilled meats. It just adds a nice zing and crunch to every bite.

Mignon Chocolates + Tote Bag

Last Friday, I met up with my high school classmate whom I have not seen since we graduated 28 years ago.  OK y'all, stop doing the math....LOL!  

My First Pillow

As somebody who is so new to sewing, I thought I'd start with pillows.  After all, they are just straight stitches all around the four sides...so I thought.  LOL!

Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot

Two weeks ago, Veggie Girl made a bib for our girlfriend's one year old daughter, little J-Girl.  So I thought maybe I should make something for her too.

Tour of Los Angeles' Fabric District

Earlier this week, our sewing teacher Regina kindly offered to take us on a tour of the fabric district in Los Angeles. GG and I jumped at the opportunity of course so bright and early on Tuesday we set out on our little excursion.

Quick & Easy Nachos

Ok, I needed to make something quick for tonight's dinner, if you can call it that.  Tonight was Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, L.A. Kings vs. New Jersey Devils.  The game started at 5:00 p.m. so I needed to make something easy to eat in front of the TV.  If you watched the game, then you know there will be a Game 5 on Saturday.....hmmmm....now I need to think of what to make for that game.

Mangoes with Thai Sticky Rice

Wow, it's amazing how we're already in June and half the year has already flown by. The school year is winding down for my kids and would you believe they'll be out on summer break in just a couple of weeks? Now that their end of the year exams are out of the way, their schedule at school is much more laid back with lots of parties and celebrations going on. 

Outdoor Pillows

Didn't I tell I've been sewing?  I have been obsessed with pillows lately....zippered pillows that is.  There's nothing like a clean pillow for me, so it has to be zippered and washable.  In the short time since I learned how to sew, I am proud of my zippers that I now call myself "zipper queen." LOL!


Since it's summer, I thought of making outdoor pillows that you can throw anywhere.  Whether it's your run of the mill plastic chaise or a kasbah-like cabana, throw pillows are a fine way to dress up your space. -GG-

12" x 18" zippered pillows

Detail of custom made piping, and zipper. 

Mini Frittatas

Good Friday morning!  Here's a delicious breakfast for the weekend ahead.  Have a good weekend everyone!

Fried Rice Noodle with Ground Pork

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a little bit addicted to sewing at the moment. Although I don't always have the time to sew something, I'm constantly thinking about my next project. As you can tell, this blog has become somewhat of a "show and tell" stage for both mine and GG's sewing projects and if this keeps up, I'm going to have to add SEWING to the blog header somewhere. But for now, food still remains as its primary focus.

Italian Wontons + Sewing Class Potluck

Just 8 weeks ago, GG and I were newbies to sewing and what a long way we've come thanks to our wonderful sewing teacher, Regina. Today marked the end of our workshop and we celebrated with -- what else -- food of course!

I originally wanted to make my usual chinese style pork wontons but GG said she would be bringing pasta so I thought, why not make an Italian wonton? Because I was pressed for time, I didn't get a chance to make a dipping sauce but next time, I'll definitely make some type of sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar-ish sauce to go with it. Still, I think they turned out pretty good.

Tissue Box Cover

What do you do if you have a smashed up tissue box and some leftover fabric?  Well, dress it up and cover it.

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

I became a subscriber of Real Simple magazine a few months ago through my daughter's school fundraiser (as they were selling magazine subscriptions) and I must say, I have really become a fan of the magazine. It covers the fundamentals of the hectic, multi-tasking lifestyle of the modern day woman by featuring articles ranging from home organization to fashion to cooking and everything in between. One of my favorite sections is their quick recipe guide where they take an ingredient (chicken thighs in this case) and give you a rundown of how to prepare it in a multitude of ways. I have tried a few of their easy, weeknight recipes and this one now ranks as one of my favorites.

My First Dress

Like I said in my previous post, Veggie Girl and I recently started sewing.  While we have not yet learned how to make a dress in class, I ventured out and decided to follow a sewing pattern on my own.

No-Sew Pin Cushion

Hello everyone!  I've been away from cooking for a while, and it's because Veggie Girl and I recently started taking sewing classes.  I got so excited with this new adventure that I could have bought a Jo-Ann's store for myself.  Gladly, I came back to my senses and quickly realized that I don't need to buy everything, when I could make one myself.

Korean Shrimp Rice Porridge (Saewoojuk)

I recently jumped on the internet TV bandwagon and finally bought a Roku after having considered it for months. This has enabled me to stream lots of shows from Hulu and one of the first shows I watched was the Korean drama, Boys Over Flowers. 

Grilled Cheese Sandwich With a Twist

Veggie Girl recently informed me of National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day here in the US.  Although that was two weeks ago on April 12, I thought I'd post a simple grilled cheese recipe here, as it is just one of those comfort foods we can have any time of the day.

Lemon Rice

We had April showers last weekend and cold, gloomy winter weather came back to haunt us for a day or two. Then Monday rolled around and the weather cleared up almost instantly. Today, we had sunny skies and warm summery weather so I sent the dogs out to play.

Good Friday Soup

Today is Good Friday here in the US, and for most Catholics, it's our last day of fasting, and abstinence from meat during the season of Lent.  Here's a quick and delicious way to fulfill those religious duties.

The Other Side of Me

Yes, it's true, I have another side --- the landscape designer side of me.  I have formal training in Landscape Architecture, and I wanted to share with you my most recent project for a residential sidewalk planting strip.

Sardi's Hearts of Palm Salad

Yes, I had a blogging hiatus. It was an unintentional hiatus because I got unexpectedly preoccupied with other things and this little blog just got shoved to the back burner. You know how that goes. But, I am back for now although I don't know for how long. Hopefully, I'll be back to a somewhat regular blogging schedule again but we shall see.

Ham & Cheese Croissant-wich

I rented the movie Hugo the other night.  Since the movie was set in early 20th century Paris, I decided to make a croissant sandwich, as I would like to talk about the movie.