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.