For Kat's birthday last week, I made a batch of these caramel-y, chocolate-y cookie bars and brought them into the office. They were such a huge hit that I made a another batch for happy hour at a pub the next night. By the end of the evening, the whole box was demolished. They were rich, sticky, and crumbly - a perfect late night snack.
I found the recipe on the Joy of Baking website, but these are a classic recipe you can find in just about any cookbook.
Millionaire Shortbread Bars
Ingredients:
Shortbread:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Caramel Filling:
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate Topping:
6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Grease a 9 x 9 inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
Shortbread:
In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together. Press onto the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden in color. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the caramel.
Caramel Filling:
On the stove top: Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and cook, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 60 to 90 minutes or until the milk has thickened and has turned a caramel color. Remove from heat and beat until smooth.
Or in your microwave: Place the sweetened condensed milk in a large microwaveable bowl and cook on medium power for about 4 minutes, stirring halfway through. Reduce the powder to medium-low and continue to cook for another 8 to 12 minutes, or until the milk has thicken and has turned a light caramel color. Make sure to watch carefully and stir often - the sugar has a tendency to boil over and burn. Remove from microwave and beat until smooth.
Pour the caramel over the baked shortbread and let cool.
Chocolate Topping:
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel and let cool.
Cut the cookies into pieces (about 16 squares) using a sharp knife. Store any leftover shortbread in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate and caramel firm.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Cafe Firenze
Cafe Firenze
(In the Mission Bell Plaza)
563 W Los Angeles Ave
Moorpark, CA 93021
(805) 532-0048
Kat and I got my Mom a gift card to Cafe Firenze for Christmas since she's a fan of the show Top Chef, and the restaurant is owned by Fabio, who came in 4th place on the most recent season. Fabio instantly became our favorite contestant on the show because he was a smartass and had a lot of personality. He had quite a few quotable lines on the show as he became our favorite. My Mom decided to use the gift card this past weekend and invited me to go with her for dinner. Yippee!
Once you're inside (or near) the restaurant, it thankfully doesn't feel like you're in Moorpark. I'm quite surprised they put someplace this nice in a strip mall near a Big Lots and El Pollo Loco, but that's also kind of cool, too. I've never been to any of the other Top Chefs' restaurants but I imagine most, if not all, of them are from big cities and trendy areas. One thing that annoyed me about the booth we sat at is the pillows on the seat. There were 3 pillows on each side, which we had to move out of the way. It's a nice decoration when you're looking at an empty table but really, they just get in the way when you're trying to sit comfortably.
The interior of the restaurant is really nice, although it's a little on the dark side. They have seating right in front of the open kitchen so you can watch the chefs cook if you want. Fabio was indeed there, so even if I wanted to harass him for a photograph, he was kinda busy throwing down braised rabbit and gnocchi. They have traditional Italian faire on the menu - pastas, pizzas, steaks, salads, etc. My Mom and I each have our favorite dishes, which are nowhere near exciting or adventurous - spaghetti and lasagna. I'm guessing Fabio might get bored cooking those, but both of them were absolutely delicious. I may even dare to say it's the best lasagna I've ever had.
Prices are average - a meal for two will probably run you in the neighborhood of $40, including tax and tip. I've read some bad reviews with regards to their service, but we didn't have any problems. But maybe that's because we were there early at 5PM to avoid the dinner crowd. At any rate, I really liked the food and the atmosphere and want to take Kat there when she comes back home!
(In the Mission Bell Plaza)
563 W Los Angeles Ave
Moorpark, CA 93021
(805) 532-0048
Kat and I got my Mom a gift card to Cafe Firenze for Christmas since she's a fan of the show Top Chef, and the restaurant is owned by Fabio, who came in 4th place on the most recent season. Fabio instantly became our favorite contestant on the show because he was a smartass and had a lot of personality. He had quite a few quotable lines on the show as he became our favorite. My Mom decided to use the gift card this past weekend and invited me to go with her for dinner. Yippee!
Once you're inside (or near) the restaurant, it thankfully doesn't feel like you're in Moorpark. I'm quite surprised they put someplace this nice in a strip mall near a Big Lots and El Pollo Loco, but that's also kind of cool, too. I've never been to any of the other Top Chefs' restaurants but I imagine most, if not all, of them are from big cities and trendy areas. One thing that annoyed me about the booth we sat at is the pillows on the seat. There were 3 pillows on each side, which we had to move out of the way. It's a nice decoration when you're looking at an empty table but really, they just get in the way when you're trying to sit comfortably.
The interior of the restaurant is really nice, although it's a little on the dark side. They have seating right in front of the open kitchen so you can watch the chefs cook if you want. Fabio was indeed there, so even if I wanted to harass him for a photograph, he was kinda busy throwing down braised rabbit and gnocchi. They have traditional Italian faire on the menu - pastas, pizzas, steaks, salads, etc. My Mom and I each have our favorite dishes, which are nowhere near exciting or adventurous - spaghetti and lasagna. I'm guessing Fabio might get bored cooking those, but both of them were absolutely delicious. I may even dare to say it's the best lasagna I've ever had.
Prices are average - a meal for two will probably run you in the neighborhood of $40, including tax and tip. I've read some bad reviews with regards to their service, but we didn't have any problems. But maybe that's because we were there early at 5PM to avoid the dinner crowd. At any rate, I really liked the food and the atmosphere and want to take Kat there when she comes back home!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Jalapeno Pepper Spread
A new, yummy recipe to share. For those of you that like spicy food (like me!) substitute fresh jalapeno for the canned. I also substituted low- or non-fat cream cheese, and sour cream in place of the mayo. This tastes better after it sits in the fridge overnight and the flavors blend.
Jalapeno Pepper Spread
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chiles and jalapeno peppers. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Microwave on High until hot, about 3 minutes. If you would like to brown the cheese, bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
Jalapeno Pepper Spread
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chiles and jalapeno peppers. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Microwave on High until hot, about 3 minutes. If you would like to brown the cheese, bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Hill Street Cafe
Yesterday was my sister's birthday. In celebration, we went to this restaurant that my other sister works - Hill Street Cafe in La Canada. I was a little underwhelmed with this place, which is unfortunate because they had a lot potential.
Details:
Hill Street Cafe
1004 Foothill Blvd.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
tel: (818) 952-1019
All of us got breakfast at Hill Street Cafe, and the food wasn't bad - it was just... uninspiring. The coffee was good, and the bread they serve is decent - but very sticky because of the sweet onions they put on it, which is not a huge plus for me. I prefer not-sticky bread.
I got my standby for a new breakfast place - two eggs over medium with corned beef hash. I know it's not all that creative, but it's a good dish to judge how well a place does other dishes. I asked for the hash browns and corned beef hash to be made crispy, but you wouldn't have known it from how my meal came out. My eggs were a bit watery, which I hate (and why I order them over medium instead of over easy), and they had butter all over them. And my hash browns and corned beef hash were not crispy. The flavors were fine, I was just rather disappointed in the execution.
My dad had Eggs Benedict which he said was ok, except that the hollandaise sauce was not very awe-inspiring. My stepmom had a "fruit" crepe that had bananas and canned peaches on it. My sister had a giant California omelet, which seems to be one of the things they do correctly. And my sister's boyfriend had a crazy spicy chorizo scramble that came with tortillas that were on their way out of life. Overall, we were extremely disappointed, even in the free dessert they brought for my sister. It was this apple cobbler type thing, only the cobbler layers were vanilla cake mix, basically raw.
On top of everything else, it was all pretty expensive. There were six of us eating breakfast and the bill was almost $100. Crazy.
They're supposed to have good lunch combos - soups and sandwiches and salads, etc. I don't know much about the restaurant in general, and I would be open to trying it again for lunch. But I highly doubt this place will ever be one of my favorites.
Good for:
- not entirely sure yet
Bad for:
- bang for your buck
- breakfast
Adriana'a overall rating: 4/10 (and 1 of those points is due to my sister working there)
Details:
Hill Street Cafe
1004 Foothill Blvd.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
tel: (818) 952-1019
All of us got breakfast at Hill Street Cafe, and the food wasn't bad - it was just... uninspiring. The coffee was good, and the bread they serve is decent - but very sticky because of the sweet onions they put on it, which is not a huge plus for me. I prefer not-sticky bread.
I got my standby for a new breakfast place - two eggs over medium with corned beef hash. I know it's not all that creative, but it's a good dish to judge how well a place does other dishes. I asked for the hash browns and corned beef hash to be made crispy, but you wouldn't have known it from how my meal came out. My eggs were a bit watery, which I hate (and why I order them over medium instead of over easy), and they had butter all over them. And my hash browns and corned beef hash were not crispy. The flavors were fine, I was just rather disappointed in the execution.
My dad had Eggs Benedict which he said was ok, except that the hollandaise sauce was not very awe-inspiring. My stepmom had a "fruit" crepe that had bananas and canned peaches on it. My sister had a giant California omelet, which seems to be one of the things they do correctly. And my sister's boyfriend had a crazy spicy chorizo scramble that came with tortillas that were on their way out of life. Overall, we were extremely disappointed, even in the free dessert they brought for my sister. It was this apple cobbler type thing, only the cobbler layers were vanilla cake mix, basically raw.
On top of everything else, it was all pretty expensive. There were six of us eating breakfast and the bill was almost $100. Crazy.
They're supposed to have good lunch combos - soups and sandwiches and salads, etc. I don't know much about the restaurant in general, and I would be open to trying it again for lunch. But I highly doubt this place will ever be one of my favorites.
Good for:
- not entirely sure yet
Bad for:
- bang for your buck
- breakfast
Adriana'a overall rating: 4/10 (and 1 of those points is due to my sister working there)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Muddy Buddies
Okay, so the recipes for NYE didn't go as planned. The cheesecake came out alright, but not as spectacular as I envisioned, so I gave up on the cheese appetizers. Luckily, my hubby helped me make Muddy Buddies the night before. I can't believe how many people at the party had never experienced the joy of Muddy Buddies! They're super easy to make and addictive as hell - it's a good thing this recipe makes 9 cups of the stuff.
Ingredients
9 cups Chex® (any flavor; I did rice)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Measure the cereal into a large bowl; set aside.
Microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir until smooth. If needed, microwave about 30 seconds longer or until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated (and be careful to not break the cereal!).
Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag and add the powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake until well coated. (I only had 1-gallon bags so I split the recipe up into 2 bags with 3/4 cup powdered sugar in each). Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Olive Ball Appetizers
I feel bad that I haven't posted a new recipe in a while, so here's an old favorite. I think I'll be making this for a New Year's Eve party this week. The dough comes out flaky and warm, and the combination of sharp cheddar and salty olives makes them addictive.
Olive Ball Appetizers
(Man, I wish there was a better name for recipe called "balls," but there isn't.)
Ingredients:
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup margarine (or butter)
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Bisquick
1 jar (5 oz.) jar stuffed green olives
Directions:
Mix together the cheese, margarine, and Worcestershire sauce, then add the Bisquick. With your hands, knead into a dough. Drain and dry the olives on paper towels. Once (mostly) dry, wrap each olive in dough. Place onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Olive Ball Appetizers
(Man, I wish there was a better name for recipe called "balls," but there isn't.)
Ingredients:
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup margarine (or butter)
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Bisquick
1 jar (5 oz.) jar stuffed green olives
Directions:
Mix together the cheese, margarine, and Worcestershire sauce, then add the Bisquick. With your hands, knead into a dough. Drain and dry the olives on paper towels. Once (mostly) dry, wrap each olive in dough. Place onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Enterprise Fish Co.
225 State St. Santa Barbara, CA
Phone: (805) 962-3313
After a day of cleaning house, my hubby made an amazing suggestion to head up to SB for a spontaneous dinner. On the drive north, while our stomachs growled, we listed off all the places we could eat. We settled on the Enterprise Fish Company, a restaurant we'd enjoyed once before, and enjoyed even more yesterday.
Enterprise has a chain restaurant decor to it, but it's crammed with SB locals. Hands down, the best part is the food. Enterprise serves mostly seafood, any style you like it, and they rely on buttery, rich sauces and sides.
As an appetizer, I highly recommend the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp. They're breaded in a light, spicy flour and fried so perfectly crispy that we never leave any on the plate. Served with a creamy mustard or tomotillo dipping sauce - both very different and flavorful.
The lobster bisque soup is a little fishy - not my favorite. But Enterprise serves it with a pastry crust that's so buttery and decadent, it's more like Yorkshire Pudding than plain ol' puff pastry.
My husband enjoyed his steak last trip, served with cheesy potatoes Romano (twice baked potatoes loaded with Romano cheese). This time around he tried the chicken club sandwich - also fantastic, he says, but couldn't point out exactly why. Just a solid, yummy sandwich.
This trip I was feeling famished and splurged to try the Scallop Risotto. I'm so glad I did. After the shrimp appetizer, a dinner salad, and bread, the plate was so rich I was only able to eat a few bites. But they were amazing. The scallops were the largest I've ever seen, pan fried to perfection and sweetly flavored. They were served over a super-creamy and rich parmesan risotto and steamed spinach. It was one of those dinners you want to close your eyes to really taste the full effect of every bite.
So if you're in the Santa Barbara area, walking down State Street, stop by the Enterprise Fish Company for some decadent seafood. Just watch your wallet - plates range from $10 to $25 (more, if you're a lobster fan) but you certainly won't leave hungry or unimpressed!
Monday, December 22, 2008
gingergrass
I started going to gingergrass when I started working at my current job. It's a fairly trendy version of Vietnamese food, but they have deliciously creative dishes, and all of the dishes carry over the amazing flavors and combinations that you find in traditional Vietnamese food.
Details:
gingergrass
2396 Glendale Boulevard
Silver Lake, CA 90039
tel: (323) 644-1600
http://www.gingergrass.com
There are many great dishes to have here, but I tend to stick to a few that are my favorites. But before I get into the dishes, here's something you should know about me: I do NOT like tofu. I am simply not a tofu person. My mom was a vegetarian for a while when I was young, and it was a nightmare for me, because she would put tofu in everything. However? gingergrass blew my opinion about tofu out of the water.
One of my all time favorite dishes at gingergrass is their tofu lunch plate. Instead of the chewy, flavorless substance I was accustomed to, I was delighted with soft, textured bites. Maybe it was the crunchy shell that is created as they cook it, or their general method of making it, but it's fabulous.
In fact, you really can't go wrong with one of their three lunch plates. In addition to the tofu, they have a pork chop lunch plate and a wok tossed chicken lunch plate. All are delicious. All are served with their amazing Vietnamese "cole slaw" and broken rice, a combination of which could be its own mini meal.
As for dinner, my co-workers and I have tried a bunch of their entrees. The bo sate, shaking beef, and the wok tossed noodles are all favorites. I've never tried their noodle bowls, but they seem to be well liked as well.
Also not to be missed are their drink specials - the basil lime elixir is my absolute favorite, and the "gingergrass gingerale" is very tasty as well. And if you're in the mood for a caffeine fix, the Vietnamese coffee is crazy good. Brewed fresh for you into a cup of condensed milk, if you pour it over ice you are sure to avoid that after lunch food coma. They constantly have unique special appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The lychee panna cotta is absolutely to die for, and I was gutted to not find it on the specials any longer when I went last.
Prices are a bit on the expensive side, but are still reasonable depending on what you order.
Good for:
- lunches, work or otherwise
- fairly healthy fare
- beverages
- tofu
Tips:
- Three of the guys I've gone with have not felt full after eating at gingergrass. If you order correctly, you get more than enough food, but beware of entrees like the lemongrass chicken, because it's chicken on the bone, and a bit more paltry than other dishes.
Adriana's overall rating: 8/10
Friday, December 19, 2008
Pickwick's Pub
Pickwick's Pub
21010 Ventura Blvd
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 340-9673
I never went to the old Pickwick's but my fiancee and I are big fans of how it is now. We met up with a few friends for dinner and drinks one night and have been fans ever since.
We love the small, cozy feel of the place and we have loved every dish we tried. They serve British pub food - fish and chips, shepherd's pie, bangers, English breakfast complete with English bacon and beans. Everything is delicious. They serve other food such as burgers and tacos but we stick with the British food.
Service can be a bit slow at times and it can be hard to find a table on certain nights, but for a cozy, fun, yummy place where we always feel welcome, Pickwick's is our choice.
21010 Ventura Blvd
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 340-9673
I never went to the old Pickwick's but my fiancee and I are big fans of how it is now. We met up with a few friends for dinner and drinks one night and have been fans ever since.
We love the small, cozy feel of the place and we have loved every dish we tried. They serve British pub food - fish and chips, shepherd's pie, bangers, English breakfast complete with English bacon and beans. Everything is delicious. They serve other food such as burgers and tacos but we stick with the British food.
Service can be a bit slow at times and it can be hard to find a table on certain nights, but for a cozy, fun, yummy place where we always feel welcome, Pickwick's is our choice.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Cowgirl Cafe 2
Cowgirl Cafe II
2859 Hamner Ave, Norco, CA 92860
(951) 371-5465
Ok this place is AWESOME! It's on my favorites list and i've only been there once. Maybe it deserves to wait longer to get on that list, but i'm eager to put this on there.
This place is located in the little western town of Norco (short for North Corona) in the Riverside area. Norco has large sidewalks built for horses, and you can regularly see cowboys riding past. In fact we saw a large gang of men in sombreros riding by, something like the 3 amigos only authentic and cool, but with 20 or more people. Anyway, where do you see that these days? Norco is a great little town, feels like an old west town in today's modern age. It's the neatest little place on the 15 freeway.
Anyway there is an original Cowgirl Cafe in Mira Loma that I will try if i'm ever out there, but we have a friend living near Norco so we'll probably only ever visit this one.
This place is amazing. Only open for breakfast and lunch, they have dishes called the "Kitchen Sink" which includes all breakfast items except, the kitchen sink, so it's an all inclusive buffet like dish that manly men have trouble finishing. It offers great value food, large portions and hometown taste. They serve all drinks out of various mason jars - SO COOL, and the ambiance is very, well, country like.
You will wait for a table, especially on Sunday mornings, but it's totally worth the wait. The staff are friendly, nice and accommodating.
I ordered the half platter of biscuits and gravy, with a side of home fries. I am not a huge fan of bell peppers but the way they make those home fries, oh so yum! And those biscuits and gravy - GIANT portion and oh oh oh oh OH so yummy. Maybe I was hungry, maybe, but that place had such a great hometown southern feel to it. Friends got a variety of other things, BLTs, Sausage and eggs, french toast, and all said it was delish. The place is a local favorite so you know it's great.
I got to eat a few bites of their breakfast burrito as well - YUM YUM YUM! That's all I have to say.
Go eat there! This place is so divey and local that I couldn't find a photo of it online - crazy huh? But alas whenever we go back i'll take a photo and post one here :)
Good eats, no, GREAT eats! :) It's places like this that this blog is made for! Mmmmmmm Thank you Norco!
2859 Hamner Ave, Norco, CA 92860
(951) 371-5465
Ok this place is AWESOME! It's on my favorites list and i've only been there once. Maybe it deserves to wait longer to get on that list, but i'm eager to put this on there.
This place is located in the little western town of Norco (short for North Corona) in the Riverside area. Norco has large sidewalks built for horses, and you can regularly see cowboys riding past. In fact we saw a large gang of men in sombreros riding by, something like the 3 amigos only authentic and cool, but with 20 or more people. Anyway, where do you see that these days? Norco is a great little town, feels like an old west town in today's modern age. It's the neatest little place on the 15 freeway.
Anyway there is an original Cowgirl Cafe in Mira Loma that I will try if i'm ever out there, but we have a friend living near Norco so we'll probably only ever visit this one.
This place is amazing. Only open for breakfast and lunch, they have dishes called the "Kitchen Sink" which includes all breakfast items except, the kitchen sink, so it's an all inclusive buffet like dish that manly men have trouble finishing. It offers great value food, large portions and hometown taste. They serve all drinks out of various mason jars - SO COOL, and the ambiance is very, well, country like.
You will wait for a table, especially on Sunday mornings, but it's totally worth the wait. The staff are friendly, nice and accommodating.
I ordered the half platter of biscuits and gravy, with a side of home fries. I am not a huge fan of bell peppers but the way they make those home fries, oh so yum! And those biscuits and gravy - GIANT portion and oh oh oh oh OH so yummy. Maybe I was hungry, maybe, but that place had such a great hometown southern feel to it. Friends got a variety of other things, BLTs, Sausage and eggs, french toast, and all said it was delish. The place is a local favorite so you know it's great.
I got to eat a few bites of their breakfast burrito as well - YUM YUM YUM! That's all I have to say.
Go eat there! This place is so divey and local that I couldn't find a photo of it online - crazy huh? But alas whenever we go back i'll take a photo and post one here :)
Good eats, no, GREAT eats! :) It's places like this that this blog is made for! Mmmmmmm Thank you Norco!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Max's Chicken
Mmmmmm mmmmmmm delicious. We went with friends to a Filipino chicken place called Max's Chicken. It's a popular chain in the Philippines, and they have a location in Glendale California next to the Galleria, so we decided to try it out. The first time we went there, many many years ago, the service was terrible and the food pretty bad as well. So I was willing to give it another shot. I became a bit more nervous when I saw a pizza being delivered to the restaurant. I mean, where do you see pizza being delivered to a restaurant? But the place was packed on a Friday night and there were many groups of people there willing to wait for a table, so I was hopeful.
As we were seated, we walked by lots of packed tables with lots of yummy looking dishes. There's also a karaoke/sports bar within the restaurant so I may have to go there for my next birthday. We had excellent fast service from a nice friendly waiter, so obviously they had very much improved since the last time I went. Anyway here's what we ordered.
Max's whole fried chicken - OMG delicious! We had leftovers and on the car ride home it smelled like peanuts so I think their secret is they cook it in peanut oil - so beware if you are allergic? ask. But yes the food was amazing yum! Definitely better than Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles - and I may even say it quite possibly is better than KFC and El Pollo Loco, some of my favorite chicken places.
Lumipa Shanghai - that's the meat lumpia aka little taquitos that Filipinos are famous for and yes every white person I know loves them. Filipinos love them too - but the most popular white boy food. The ones at Max's were yum!
Lumpia Ubod - vegetable lumpia with peanut sauce all over it and filled with hearts of palm and other veggies in a cold crepe like wrapper. One of my favorite foods, but the one at Max's was "ok". Not bad, still alright, but not great.
Pancit Palabok - it's a noodle dish topped with an egg sauce, pork cracklings, green onion, shrimp and shrimp sauce, etc. It's a traditional Filipino favorite, and my personal favorite type of pancit. I actually really enjoyed it, but it does need a squeeze of lemon to make it tastier.
Garlic Rice - OMG! :) As a Filipina, rice is amazing and so yummy and I hardly ever cook garlic rice at home so when I do have it, I have to mmmmmmmmm. So I really enjoyed the garlic rice. May not be for everyone, but it's definitely one of my all time favorite foods. Max's made good garlic rice - very good :)
So that's my review of Max's chicken. Great service, great food, and prices about average. We're definitely going back there soon, and we'll try other things so the bloggers can get a nice view of all the different dishes. Mmmmm.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wine Country Trattoria
Wine Country Trattoria
Disney's California Adventure
(714) 781-3463 for advanced reservations
This restaurant is one of our favorite places to dine in the Disneyland parks. Not only does it allow drinking, it encourages it with a wine tasting bar off to one side! The waiters are as jovial as most Disneyland cast members. And the food at the Trattoria is (in my opinion) much better than grabbing a burger elsewhere, for not that much more in price.
My hubby ordered the meat lasagna and loved it. I've also had the alfredo chicken lasagna (pre-veggie-ism) and adored it too. And of course, with tiramisu on the menu, I had a light bowl of soup to save room for dessert. The poblano corn chowder was spicy, much like tortilla soup. I think this was also served around the park, but for the same price, I got a better atmosphere and yummy breadsticks to dunk in it! The tiramisu was perfect - creamy and rich. We cleaned the plate spotlessly.
Instead of paying $13 per glass of wine, we opted to upgrade a little and for $32 bought a whole bottle. It was a great, bad idea. It was a better deal, but I think we both agreed that we really didn't need that much to drink. (Then again, now I can say I rode the Tower of Terror and had the courage to raise my arms on the big fall!)
One thing to note: I'd suggest calling the Disney Dining line a day before your park visit to make reservations. Although we've never been turned away from the Trattoria as walk-ins, it might be difficult to book the usual 5-8 pm dinner hour.
Disney's California Adventure
(714) 781-3463 for advanced reservations
This restaurant is one of our favorite places to dine in the Disneyland parks. Not only does it allow drinking, it encourages it with a wine tasting bar off to one side! The waiters are as jovial as most Disneyland cast members. And the food at the Trattoria is (in my opinion) much better than grabbing a burger elsewhere, for not that much more in price.
My hubby ordered the meat lasagna and loved it. I've also had the alfredo chicken lasagna (pre-veggie-ism) and adored it too. And of course, with tiramisu on the menu, I had a light bowl of soup to save room for dessert. The poblano corn chowder was spicy, much like tortilla soup. I think this was also served around the park, but for the same price, I got a better atmosphere and yummy breadsticks to dunk in it! The tiramisu was perfect - creamy and rich. We cleaned the plate spotlessly.
Instead of paying $13 per glass of wine, we opted to upgrade a little and for $32 bought a whole bottle. It was a great, bad idea. It was a better deal, but I think we both agreed that we really didn't need that much to drink. (Then again, now I can say I rode the Tower of Terror and had the courage to raise my arms on the big fall!)
One thing to note: I'd suggest calling the Disney Dining line a day before your park visit to make reservations. Although we've never been turned away from the Trattoria as walk-ins, it might be difficult to book the usual 5-8 pm dinner hour.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Holdrens Steaks & Seafood
1714-A Newbury Road, TOPhone: (805) 498-1314
512 State Street, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 965-3363
Website: www.holdrens.com
Yum. Last night at Holdren's, we celebrated our 2-year wedding anniversary and everything went perfectly. The stars aligned, the wine was fabulous, and the dinner was delactable. While we don't usually need an excuse to go out (we love dining at nice places on random Tuesdays for no good reason - see Fins), we wanted to try someplace new.
Holdren's is a small place tucked into an even smaller mall. But the service is attentive, the food is fantastic, and the atmosphere feels comfortable and relaxed - not too fancy. Ask for Chris L. if you go - he was conversational, accomodating, and knew his wines. Based on his suggestions, we both ordered something we adored right away.
Hob Nob Pinot Noir
Ferrari Carano Cabernet Sauvignon
Mondays try the all-you-can-eat ribs. It was a $1 more than ordering the half-rack on the menu, and my husband raved about how tender the meat was. A rack and a half later he exclaimed, "This is the way ribs should be."
I ordered a side of veggies and creamed spinach. (It's not easy being a veggie in a steakhouse). The waiter offered to make me a veggie platter, but the creamed spinach was decadent and just what I wanted. I appreciated the fact that the offered, since not many places do.
All around, Holdrens exceeded every expectation. We'll be back soon!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Six layers of rich fudge frosting, light and fluffy chocolate cake, and delicate chocolate mousse. The recipe is from Paula Deen’s Chocolate Celebrations – it’s the cover recipe.Chocolate Mousse Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 batch Chocolate Mousse (see below)
1 batch Chocolate Fudge Frosting (see below)
Grated chocolate and curls for garnish
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powders, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, coffee, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Pour evenly into prepared pans and bake 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
Using a serrated knife, cut cake layers in half horizontally to make 6 layers. Place 1 layer, cut-side up, on a cake plate; spread with one fifth of the Chocolate Mousse. Repeat procedure with remaining cake layers and mousse. Freeze cake for one hour. Spread Chocolate Fudge Frosting evenly over sides and top of cake. Garnish sides of cake with grated chocolate and top of cake with chocolate curls, if desired.
Chocolate Mousse
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cold water
¼ cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups heavy whipping cream
In a small bowl, soften gelatin in 3 Tbsp. cold water. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add boiling water; stirring until gelatin dissolves; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder.
In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in gelatin mixture. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
Makes 4 ½ cups mousse.
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
10 Tbsp. butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter, stirring until melted and smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar. Let mixture cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Makes 3 cups frosting.
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
These were a huge hit last night. I have some good recipes but this made 90% of tasters exclaim something like, “Oh my god!” after the first bite. The recipe is from Paula Deen’s Chocolate Celebrations.Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
1 box (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla flavored pudding mix
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
1 batch Sinful Chocolate Ganache (see below)
Prepare cake mix following cupcake directions. Let cupcakes cool completely. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, cream, confectioners’ sugar, milk and sour cream. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Spoon pudding mixture into a pastry bag or a squeeze bottle that has a long, narrow tip. Insert tip into top of cupcake and squeeze about 1 Tbsp. pudding mixture into center of cupcake. Repeat procedure with remaining cupcakes. Spread Sinful Chocolate Ganache evenly over each cupcake. Store covered in refrigerator.
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Sinful Chocolate Ganache6 squares (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
In a medium bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 2 minutes total). Gradually whisk in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Let mixture cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency (about 30 minutes).
Makes 2 cups ganache.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Limon Latin Grill
1555 Simi Towne Center WaySimi Valley, CA 93065
Phone: (805) 955-9277
Website: http://www.limongrill.com/
We had a girls' lunch at Limon after a spa day and everyone loved it. I was so impressed that I took my hubby out to dinner about a week later... but really disliked it! It's too bad - even though the food's good, I doubt I'll drive out to Simi for this again.
Limon offers a full bar and tapas in addition to the extensive menu of seafood, meats, and pastas. The food is flavorful and beautifully served with a variety of creative sides such as quinoa or pineapple salsa. Diners fight over the patio seating to listen to thier acoustic guitarists. Fridays and Saturdays the restaurant clears out and becomes a dance club.
On my first experience, I was impressed. The lobster enchilada I ordered was surprisingly large and overstuffed with mounds of delectable fish. Even though it lacked sides, it was perfectly filling and rich. Other fun menu items shared around the table were the mojito chicken, paella, and lots and lots of chimichurri sauce. Dessert was a treat too. Usually, I'm the chocoholic but I let the other girls fight over the lava cake and churros while I dug into the bananas foster made with tart plantains.
At our second attempt, the service and food were both lacking. I asked for the miso halibut that I'd seen my friend order the previous week. (It took a lot of willpower to not take bites when she wasn't looking that day). Sadly, mine didn't look anything like hers. Even though the piece of fish was bigger, it was dry and missing the terriyaki glaze. It was also missing a side of pineapple salsa. I have a sneaking suspicion that the fish wasn't halibut too, but that might have been due to how badly they overcooked it.
Part of the bad experience was my fault and partly bad service. The waiter disappeared, and by the time my husband asked for the manager, he'd finished his meal. They offered to replace the dish with a corrected piece of fish, but by then we were done and I wanted to leave. We paid our $75 bill and left, not exactly feeling worth it.
I may have beat Addy to the punch on this review - feel free to add!
Giant Hostess Cupcake
Update 7/21: I jumped the gun on this one - don't do it! I had a terrible experience with this cake last night. The vanilla cream filling was horrid. I was up until midnight replacing the filling with a homemade whipped cream. I don't ever want to make this cake again, as cute as the idea was.
You know the one - the chocolate cupcake with the sqiggle of white frosting on top, and the creamy middle. I'm making a giant version for a coworker's birthday next week, and I couldn't wait until after the project to post the idea - it's just too good. Shhh... it's a surprise. Recipe courtesy of Baking Bites.
Giant Hostess Cupcake
2 batches of chocolate cake (4 layers, total)
1 batch vanilla cream filling
1 batch rich chocolate frosting (recipe below)
Take all four (cooled) chocolate cake layers and level the domed tops using a large, serrated knife. Using a large biscuit cutter or a paring knife, cut an approx. 5-inch circle from the center of each of two of the cake layers.
Stack one uncut layer on a cake plate or serving tray and place the two center-less layers on top of it. Fill the center of the cake with the vanilla cream filling. Reserve about 1-2 tbsp of filling to make the squiggle on top of the cake.
Place final uncut layer on top of the filling to seal it in.
Frost entire cake with a thin layer of rich chocolate frosting. Using a large offset spatula will give you the smoothest finish.Place reserved vanilla filling into a plastic bag and cut off the corner. Pipe filling onto top of the cake in a squiggly line to finish.
Cake can be refrigerated or kept at room temperature.
Vanilla Cream Filling
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (lowfat is fine)
1/2 cup butter (or trans fat-free shortening)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 scraped vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together the flour and milk and cook in a small saucepan over medium heat until thick. This will only take a few minutes. Sir continuously to prevent the mixture from clumping and do not bring all the way to a boil. When thickened (consistency will be that of a thin pudding or custard), strain with a mesh strainer into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely to room temperature.
When the milk mixture is cool, cream the butter (or shortening) and sugar together in a medium bowl until light. Add in the milk/flour mixture and the scraped vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract) and beat at high speed with an electrick mixer for 7 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
Rich Chocolate Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk (lowfat is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt together butter and chocolate in a medium-sized, microwave safe bowl. Work in 30 second intervals, stopping to stir frequently, and continuing until the mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly (about 3-5 minutes). Add in confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
You know the one - the chocolate cupcake with the sqiggle of white frosting on top, and the creamy middle. I'm making a giant version for a coworker's birthday next week, and I couldn't wait until after the project to post the idea - it's just too good. Shhh... it's a surprise. Recipe courtesy of Baking Bites.
Giant Hostess Cupcake
2 batches of chocolate cake (4 layers, total)
1 batch vanilla cream filling
1 batch rich chocolate frosting (recipe below)
Take all four (cooled) chocolate cake layers and level the domed tops using a large, serrated knife. Using a large biscuit cutter or a paring knife, cut an approx. 5-inch circle from the center of each of two of the cake layers.
Stack one uncut layer on a cake plate or serving tray and place the two center-less layers on top of it. Fill the center of the cake with the vanilla cream filling. Reserve about 1-2 tbsp of filling to make the squiggle on top of the cake.
Place final uncut layer on top of the filling to seal it in.
Frost entire cake with a thin layer of rich chocolate frosting. Using a large offset spatula will give you the smoothest finish.Place reserved vanilla filling into a plastic bag and cut off the corner. Pipe filling onto top of the cake in a squiggly line to finish.
Cake can be refrigerated or kept at room temperature.
Vanilla Cream Filling
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (lowfat is fine)
1/2 cup butter (or trans fat-free shortening)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 scraped vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together the flour and milk and cook in a small saucepan over medium heat until thick. This will only take a few minutes. Sir continuously to prevent the mixture from clumping and do not bring all the way to a boil. When thickened (consistency will be that of a thin pudding or custard), strain with a mesh strainer into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely to room temperature.
When the milk mixture is cool, cream the butter (or shortening) and sugar together in a medium bowl until light. Add in the milk/flour mixture and the scraped vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract) and beat at high speed with an electrick mixer for 7 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
Rich Chocolate Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk (lowfat is fine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt together butter and chocolate in a medium-sized, microwave safe bowl. Work in 30 second intervals, stopping to stir frequently, and continuing until the mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly (about 3-5 minutes). Add in confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
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