Vegetable Yakisoba

This is my first time to make Yakisoba, and I can't believe how easy it is! After "cooking up a storm," (as Veggie Girl puts it) for the Pacquiao v. Mosley fight, I still had some vegetables left over to last me a few days. Luckily, my cousin who came over that night to watch the fight with us, brought me some pre-cooked yakisoba noodles and a bottle of Yakisoba sauce. Because my cousin owns a restaurant, these pre-cooked noodles came from a big batch that they order straight from the distributor.

Fried Chocolate Marshmallow Wontons

The people I work with are all foodies just like me. We think of every excuse under the sun to throw a potluck party. "What lovely weather we've been having! How about we celebrate with a potluck party?" or "We saved $20 on office supplies last month. Good job, team! Let's reward ourselves with a potluck party!" Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating but we did once jot everyone's birthday down on the giant whiteboard so we could tell when the next potluck party would be happening (not exaggerating).

Summer Smoothie

It's smoothie time! It's that time of the year again when the weather is just perfect for a homemade smoothie. The first time I ever tried a smoothie was back in the early 90's at L.A. Fitness' smoothie bar. I was a regular at their bar even though it cost almost 3 bucks back then. But I did not care, I was hooked from that point on, and I made it a point to learn how to blend this delicious concoction. Of course they were serving the healthier version than the one I have here, but I love it just the same. Now, I don't have to pay so much for it anymore and I love serving it anytime I have guests or when I simply just crave it.

Shanghai Eggrolls

Here's another popular potluck item I love to bring, provided I have the time to make it. I won't lie, wrapping up the eggrolls take a while, but with practice, it's a walk in the park. I take consolation in that these are usually gone in just a few minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan

First of all, I hope all the moms out there had a great Mother's Day! I had a lovely weekend myself starting with a little shindig at Gingham Girl's house. She and her hubby hosted a dinner party on Saturday to watch the Pacquiao v. Mosley boxing match. Even though the fight was greatly disappointing, GG's food was not. That girl cooked up a storm in the form of a mini buffet that fed 12 people, all on her own. Very impressive! I then enjoyed a very lazy Sunday, just how I like it. :)

Linguini with Mussels

Hello again everyone! It's been a while since I last posted here. I've been busy with work, and with that, it means that I have not had time to cook anything blog worthy. I'm a landscape designer outside of my blog life and I am thankful that I have clients these days. Anyway, I've managed to squeeze in this quick meal. The weather has been in the mid to high 80's the past few days, and when it gets hot I crave a light seafood meal.

Green Enchiladas with Chicken

I'll be honest. I'm not very good at cooking Mexican food. I love to eat it but cooking it is another story. Still, I thought it befitting to tackle a Mexican dish on Cinco De Mayo to, you know, get into the spirit of the holiday. Technically, it doesn't apply to me because I'm not Mexican but that doesn't mean I can't help them rejoice by cooking and stuffing my face with some of their food right? Feliz Cinco de mayo México! 

Sweet & Savory Homemade Pop Tarts

I had a guest in my kitchen today. It was my cousin, Jetts, who had forwarded me a pop tart recipe from the LA Times about a month ago and said, "Wanna make these?" (or something to that effect). Who can resist homemade pop tarts? Not I! However, one cannot make pop tarts on an empty stomach so we headed out for a quick lunch at a local Mexican restaurant called Tacos Ensenada. Jetts had pulled it up on Yelp and said that the reviews were all positive. The biggest draw for us was that they feature 99 cent fish tacos on Tuesdays which happens to be today! What luck! And to think it's only been a stone's throw away from me all these years.

Rustic Fruit Tart

Baking is a such a science. Oh, very much so. I used to watch Good Eats on the Food Network with such fascination because Alton Brown would break down all the ingredients and the processes into scientific explanations. It all makes sense, really. If you think about it, food ingredients are merely scientific components that come together to create a reaction...wonderful, yummy reactions. The key is to do it right and practice makes perfect.

Wine & Cheese

Water, juice, and milk --- that's what you"ll find in my fridge. If I have wine, it's because I use it for cooking, or because friends have given it to us. Don't get me wrong, I drink it on occasions and when I make seafood pasta. It's just not something I'd always ask for when I go to a restaurant or a party. Needless to say, my hubby and I are somewhat wine challenged, so forgive me if this post might be too plain for you. But for those who are also challenged like us, I guess this is a good starting point. So, here's a "cheesy" attempt at a classic pairing.