Saturday, March 25, 2006
Dinner at Home
Korean Style Short Ribs
-1 1/2 lb thin sliced short ribs
-3 packets splenda
-2 tb hot chili powder
-1 tb sesame oil
-3 tb rice vinager
-1/8 cup dark soy sauce
-1 tb granulated garlic
-1 inch nub of ginger, grated
Mix all ingredients (except short ribs) together. Marinate short ribs in the mixture for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have the time. I have cooked these in 2 ways--one way is just to grill them if you have and outdoor grill. Because they are so thin they grill up very quickly. The other way to cook these is to broil them on high for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until dark and crispy on each side. When broiling it is important to place the ribs on a raised rack on a cooking sheet because if you don't they will never get crispy and they will just sit their in their own fat...the rack allows the fat to drain.
-3 packets splenda
-2 tb hot chili powder
-1 tb sesame oil
-3 tb rice vinager
-1/8 cup dark soy sauce
-1 tb granulated garlic
-1 inch nub of ginger, grated
Mix all ingredients (except short ribs) together. Marinate short ribs in the mixture for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have the time. I have cooked these in 2 ways--one way is just to grill them if you have and outdoor grill. Because they are so thin they grill up very quickly. The other way to cook these is to broil them on high for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until dark and crispy on each side. When broiling it is important to place the ribs on a raised rack on a cooking sheet because if you don't they will never get crispy and they will just sit their in their own fat...the rack allows the fat to drain.
Pea Sprouts with Garlic
-1 lb pea sprouts
-5 cloves garlic
-3 tb rice wine
-2 tb rice vinager
-salt to taste
-olive oil, enough to coat pan
Sautee garlic in olive oil on medium until just turning brown. Deglaze the pan with the rice wine. Add the pea sprouts, vinager, and salt and sautee until peas sprouts are fully wilted and tender. They will reduce in volume by at least half.
-5 cloves garlic
-3 tb rice wine
-2 tb rice vinager
-salt to taste
-olive oil, enough to coat pan
Sautee garlic in olive oil on medium until just turning brown. Deglaze the pan with the rice wine. Add the pea sprouts, vinager, and salt and sautee until peas sprouts are fully wilted and tender. They will reduce in volume by at least half.
Evening Grazing from New Hai Ky Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Next door to Yum Yum Fish is a decent noodle shop called New Hai Ky Restaurant. You can also get barbeque and roast items to go.
Half a duck (4.50) - Standard
Half a duck (4.50) - Standard
Lunch at Yum Yum Fish, San Fransico, CA
Yum Yum Fish in the Sunset shares a cramped store-front with a French fishmonger. It's a primarily a take out joint, but have 3 small tables where you can eat sushi that you order from the counter. They'll bring you over some complimentary tea, which is very weak. The prices are cheap and the fish is fresh and good. Can't really ask for anything more.
Miso Soup $2
Standard.
Edamame $3
Nicely salted.
Assorted Sashimi $13
Very fresh.
Hamachi Poke
Nicely spicy and very fresh.
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0
Website
Health Code Violations
Miso Soup $2
Standard.
Edamame $3
Nicely salted.
Assorted Sashimi $13
Very fresh.
Hamachi PokeNicely spicy and very fresh.
Food: 1
Decor: 0
Service: 0
Website
Health Code Violations
Friday, March 24, 2006
Dinner at Hawthorne Lane, San Francisco, CA
We hadn't tried Hawthorne Lane yet, and it is close to home, so we decided to give it a shot. The food was ok and the service was inconsistent.
Variety of Breads (free)
Trio of Toro $22
Sashimi, tartare and grilled toro with shiso leaf and soy dipping sauce. This was decent but not spectacular.
Seared Foie Gras "PB&J" $20
Strangely good. A bit too nutty though.
Pan-seared sea scallops $14
The tender texture of the scallops and the creamy cauliflower puree were accented with the saltiness of the capers and the slight bite of arugula. Quite good.
Braised veal meatballs $16
Served with pine nuts and noodles, the meatballs were moist and the noodles were unnecessary.
Espresso Sundae $9
The best sundae ever. The espresso ice cream was not too sweet and the little crunchy bits were amazing. Yum. Alexis polished off the whole thing by herself.
Petit Fours (gratuit)
Too be honest, at this point in the meal we'd had a bit too much to drink and can't quite remember whether we liked these or not. They were certainly not memorable...
Ratings:
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Variety of Breads (free)
Trio of Toro $22Sashimi, tartare and grilled toro with shiso leaf and soy dipping sauce. This was decent but not spectacular.
Seared Foie Gras "PB&J" $20
Strangely good. A bit too nutty though.
Pan-seared sea scallops $14The tender texture of the scallops and the creamy cauliflower puree were accented with the saltiness of the capers and the slight bite of arugula. Quite good.
Braised veal meatballs $16
Served with pine nuts and noodles, the meatballs were moist and the noodles were unnecessary.
Chinese style roasted duck $29
Served with steamed green onion buns (below) and pear candied ginger chutney, this was supposed to be one of Hawthorne Lane's specialties. It wasn't bad but I've had much better for less $$.
Served with steamed green onion buns (below) and pear candied ginger chutney, this was supposed to be one of Hawthorne Lane's specialties. It wasn't bad but I've had much better for less $$.
Espresso Sundae $9
The best sundae ever. The espresso ice cream was not too sweet and the little crunchy bits were amazing. Yum. Alexis polished off the whole thing by herself.
Petit Fours (gratuit)
Too be honest, at this point in the meal we'd had a bit too much to drink and can't quite remember whether we liked these or not. They were certainly not memorable...
Food: 1
Decor: 1
Service: 1
Website
Health Code Violations
Lunch at Tu Lan, San Francisco, CA
We had a bit of a hankering for Vietnamese, so we headed to Tu Lan and ordered our usual.
Crab Asparagus Soup $8
The soup tasted as good as usual but it was a bit slimier--maybe the eggs weren't fully cooked or something. We still finished it all.
BBQ Pork $5
Alexis loves this incredibly simple dish of BBQ pork and sauteed scallions. She forgot to ask them to hold the rice.
Whole Fish $8
This picture was taken after most of the fish was eaten (oops). It was very good and crispy, as usual.
Previous Posting
Crab Asparagus Soup $8
The soup tasted as good as usual but it was a bit slimier--maybe the eggs weren't fully cooked or something. We still finished it all.
BBQ Pork $5
Alexis loves this incredibly simple dish of BBQ pork and sauteed scallions. She forgot to ask them to hold the rice.
Whole Fish $8
This picture was taken after most of the fish was eaten (oops). It was very good and crispy, as usual.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Dinner at Home
Caprese Salad
Fresh basil, fresh mozzerella and thinly sliced tomato drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinager and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Lemon Caper Salmon
This salmon was simply oven-baked until barely done (10-15 minutes) on 400. It was first sprinkled with a few tablespoons each of olive oil, lemon juice and capers.
Green Beans Sauteed in Butter
Seasoned with salt, these french green beans were sauteed on medium heat for about 6 minutes, or until heated through but keeping their crunch.
Lunch at Work
Salmon Salad with Avocado
Salmon Salad
-3 cans salmon, drained
-1/2 onion, minced
-1 small cucumber, diced
-1/2 cup mayo
-2 ts miso
-1 ts rooster sauce
-juice of 1/2 lemon
Mix all ingredients together and serve. The mayo mixture can also be used as a dipping sauce for a variety of other things, vegetables, meats, fish, etc.
-3 cans salmon, drained
-1/2 onion, minced
-1 small cucumber, diced
-1/2 cup mayo
-2 ts miso
-1 ts rooster sauce
-juice of 1/2 lemon
Mix all ingredients together and serve. The mayo mixture can also be used as a dipping sauce for a variety of other things, vegetables, meats, fish, etc.
Breakfast at Home
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Dinner from Mehfil Indian Cuisine, San Francisco, CA
We hadn't eaten from our favorite Indian take-out in a while and Alexis was having a bad day and didn't feel like cooking, so we decided to order. Once again, it was very satisfying.
Chicken Mahkni $10
A much better version of the standard Chicken Tikka Masala.
Tandoori Prawns $12
Very big and not over cooked. Pretty good.
Saag Paneer $8
Mehfil's is a very creamy version of saag and quite tasty.
Previous Posting
Chicken Mahkni $10
A much better version of the standard Chicken Tikka Masala.
Tandoori Prawns $12
Very big and not over cooked. Pretty good.
Saag Paneer $8
Mehfil's is a very creamy version of saag and quite tasty.
Lunch at Work
Cobb Salad
Mixed greens, avocado, bacon, gorgonzola, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, onion, cucumber and homemade ranch dressing.
Mixed greens, avocado, bacon, gorgonzola, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, onion, cucumber and homemade ranch dressing.
Ranch Dressing
-1/4 cup mayo
-1/8 cup whole plain yogurt or sour cream
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-4 dashes worcestershire sauce
-1 tb dill
-1 tb oregano
-1 tb basil
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb dijon mustard
Mix thoroughly.
-1/4 cup mayo
-1/8 cup whole plain yogurt or sour cream
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-4 dashes worcestershire sauce
-1 tb dill
-1 tb oregano
-1 tb basil
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb dijon mustard
Mix thoroughly.
Breakfast at Home
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Dinner at Home
Steamed Baby Bok Choy with Ponzu Sauce
Ponzu Sauce:
-1/8 cup soy sauce
-2tb rice vinager
-2 packets splenda
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
-1/8 cup soy sauce
-2tb rice vinager
-2 packets splenda
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
These ribs are parboiled for 15 minutes, then rubbed with the wet spice rub (recipe below) and then cooked in the "Set It and Forget It" Ron Popiel Rotisserie Oven for 38 minutes. This results in thoroughly cooked, yet juicy ribs with a nice, crunchy crust.
Chili Rub:
-1tb each of: granulated garlic, cumin, hot chili powder, black pepper
-1ts salt
-1 tb lemon juice
-2 tb worcestershire sauce
-1 packet splenda
Mix all ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes, until the spices absorb the liquid and a thick paste is formed. Rub all over the meat.
Lunch at Work
Breakfast at Home
Monday, March 20, 2006
Dinner at Home
Garlic Prawns and Sesame Noodles with Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
This is a great, quick weeknight meal. We got home around 10pm and were eating by 10:45...
Sesame Noodles:
-4 packages yam/shirataki noodles, boiled for 3 minutes and drained
-3 tb tahini
-1 tb rooster sauce
-1 tb sesame oil
-3 tb soy sauce
-2 tb rice vinager
-3 tb sesame seeds
-2 scallions, sliced in rounds
Toss all ingredients together.
Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
-1 cucumber, julienned
-1/8 cup rice vinager
-1 ts chili powder
-2 packets splenda
Mix all ingredients together and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain the cucumbers.
Garlic Prawns:
-1 pound prawns, peeled
-8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
-1/2 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the garlic for a couple of minutes in a few tablespoons of butter, until barely beginning to brown. Add the prawns, salt and pepper and cook until prawns are pink. Squeeze a half a lemon in and continue stirring for about 30 seconds. Take off the heat to avoid overcooking.
-1 pound prawns, peeled
-8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
-1/2 lemon
-salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the garlic for a couple of minutes in a few tablespoons of butter, until barely beginning to brown. Add the prawns, salt and pepper and cook until prawns are pink. Squeeze a half a lemon in and continue stirring for about 30 seconds. Take off the heat to avoid overcooking.
Lunch from Pasta Paridiso, San Francisco, CA
This was yet another lunch catered in at work. We knew it was going to be bad when there was literally one item on the menu that was low carb--so we both ordered the steak and a side caesar...
Side Caesar
This "caesar" was little more than romaine lettuce and ranch dressing...
Steak with Steamed Veggies
Giao proclaimed his steak "inedible" and threw it away. He claimed that it had big veins in it and was not even fit for animal consumption. Alexis' wasn't that bad--she ate it at least. But the veggies were strangely chemical tasting.
Giao proclaimed his steak "inedible" and threw it away. He claimed that it had big veins in it and was not even fit for animal consumption. Alexis' wasn't that bad--she ate it at least. But the veggies were strangely chemical tasting.
Side Caesar
This "caesar" was little more than romaine lettuce and ranch dressing...
Ratings:
Food: 0 (Banned!)
Food: 0 (Banned!)
Breakfast at Home
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Dinner at Home
We had a few people over for dinner tonight and took the opportunity to make a big pot roast, a task that Alexis had never before attempted. But first we ate some nice cheeses that we got at the Cheeseboard in Berkeley, a great cheese coop with hundreds of cheeses at discount prices. You can taste anything and end up buying more that you had intended.
Blue Gouda, Brique des (something), Camembert, Epoisse, Appenfelter (sp?)
Chocolate Chip Brownies
This was just a recipe I got from some website...nothing special. I don't think that they were sweet enough for our guests tastes, but we liked them.
Freshly Whipped Cream
Blue Gouda, Brique des (something), Camembert, Epoisse, Appenfelter (sp?)
Pot Roast
I got impatient and switched cooking methods half way through, which resulted in dry meat and too much broth. However, had I just continued with my oven braising method instead of trying to quicken the process via stovetop simmering, I am sure this would have been delicious, as the flavors were great...
I got impatient and switched cooking methods half way through, which resulted in dry meat and too much broth. However, had I just continued with my oven braising method instead of trying to quicken the process via stovetop simmering, I am sure this would have been delicious, as the flavors were great...
Pot Roast
-6lb round tip roast
-1 bottle of red wine, drinking quality
-assortment of fresh herbs, whole
-1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
-2tb whole peppercorns
-salt to taste
-12 baby turnips, quartered
-4 golden beets, cut in eighths
-2 parsnips, rough chopped
-1 onion, rough chopped
-2 quarts stock
-8 slices bacon, diced
-1/2 lb cremini mushrooms
Marinate meat in the wine, herbs and peppercorns for at least 6 hours. Preheat oven to 300. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry. Render the fat from the bacon. Set the bacon aside and brown the meat in the bacon grease. Bring stock and marinade to a boil and put in roasting pan. Set the meat in the roasting pan. Cover and put in the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Throw the veggies into the roasting pan with the meat for the last 45 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time. When done, remove meat from pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Then slice. Meanwhile, reduce the remaining pot juices to make a nice sauce for the meat and veggies.
-6lb round tip roast
-1 bottle of red wine, drinking quality
-assortment of fresh herbs, whole
-1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
-2tb whole peppercorns
-salt to taste
-12 baby turnips, quartered
-4 golden beets, cut in eighths
-2 parsnips, rough chopped
-1 onion, rough chopped
-2 quarts stock
-8 slices bacon, diced
-1/2 lb cremini mushrooms
Marinate meat in the wine, herbs and peppercorns for at least 6 hours. Preheat oven to 300. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry. Render the fat from the bacon. Set the bacon aside and brown the meat in the bacon grease. Bring stock and marinade to a boil and put in roasting pan. Set the meat in the roasting pan. Cover and put in the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Throw the veggies into the roasting pan with the meat for the last 45 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time. When done, remove meat from pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Then slice. Meanwhile, reduce the remaining pot juices to make a nice sauce for the meat and veggies.
Chocolate Chip Brownies
This was just a recipe I got from some website...nothing special. I don't think that they were sweet enough for our guests tastes, but we liked them.
Fresh Strawberries
Freshly Whipped Cream
Brunch at Home
Our breakfast plans fell through so Alexis ended up cooking up this for brunch.
Carmelized Onion, Salami, Cheese and Spinach Scramble
Carmelized Onion, Salami, Cheese and Spinach Scramble
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