Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

It takes too many Pomegranates, ARILS (seeds), stained fingers and possibly stained clothes to create what Pom Wonderful provides.  I grew up with a large Pomegranate Tree in the neighborhood.  All the kids loved the seeds, but it was a lot of work and a mess to get at them.  My Mom would tell us to open them up outside — Ever since that time, they’ve been a novelty in the supermarkets.  I’ll buy one occasionally, but the same obstacles to enjoyment still exist.

Due to the effort involved in getting at the goods, I was happy to receive a case of Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice in the mail.  I contemplated various recipes I could make with all of it.  Above I made Dried Cherry Scones with a Pomegranate Glaze — The Glaze is a mixture of Powdered Sugar and Pomegranate Juice.  And I’m calling them Pretty in Pink Scones.  I’ll be drizzling the Glaze over the Scones I’m entering in the Culinary Arts Competition during this year’s Orange County Fair.  In the long run this is the only recipe I made from the case, mostly because I couldn’t stop drinking them.  The bottles are so cute too.

Aside from liking the taste, I’m glad to read it’s good for you and grown locally in the sunny San Joaquin Valley.  And 100% Juice is always important to me.  When I ate Pomegranates as a kid, I didn’t know they were good for cardiovascular health and a superior source of antioxidants.  I didn’t care about that then, but I care about it now.  It’s good to find something I like that’s really good for me — I wish I could say that about more things.  Pom Wonderful appears to take pride in its products (literally) from tree to bottle.  Learn more below.  Knowing all these things, its value went up for me.  I need more. 🙂

Pom Wonderful DIRECT:
http://www.pomwonderful.com/?cmpid=71021&KNC-gle&&gclid=CIag7K6Z55oCFR0Sagodqi7PBw

What’s a Pomegranate?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate

Quiznos Sammies are mini Sandwiches on Flat Bread.  There’s not much Meat nor anything else, but the Bread and Sauces make ’em pretty tasty.  I especially liked the Chipotle Mayo on the Sonoma Turkey (below) and Basil Pesto on the Italiano (above).

Quiznos currently offers 7 different Sammies at $1.99 each.  There are a couple others I’d like to try — Overall, Sammies seem like a girl’s (or kid’s) menu item.  I don’t see many guys being satisfied with these two for lunch.  And it’s a little embarrassing ordering a Sammie.

Quiznos DIRECT: http://www.quiznos.com/subsandwiches/

Since Memorial Day usually falls within the last weekend in May, Nibbles of Tidbits continues to pay respect to our past and present Soldiers.  Our DC Correspondent, Steven Woo provides photos of Memorial Day in Washington, DC.  He BBQ’d using his new portable propane grill, witnessed the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally, watched the President’s speech, and throughout the weekend observed the ever growing leave-behinds at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  God Bless America.

Related Links:

http://thewall-usa.com/

http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/RollingThunder.htm

http://www.nextag.com/barbecue-grill-portable-propane/products-html

http://usacopywriter.wordpress.com/

We’re heading towards the end of National Hamburger Month (May).  It’s a good excuse to hurry and have one, or more.  We celebrated at The Counter Custom Built Burgers.  They have more than 20 restaurants in about 10 states and 3 countries, including Australia and Ireland.  We went to the one in Irvine’s Woodbury Town Center.

The Counter is a restaurant that provides a check-off menu to select exactly what you want on your Burger, starting with Beef, Turkey, Veggie or Chicken.  Our choices today both included Beef — One had Jalapeno Jack, Green Chiles, Tomato, Pickles, Green Onions and Roasted Garlic Aioli, and the other had Tillamook Cheddar, Mixed Baby Greens, Black Olives, Bermuda Red Onion, Grilled Pineapple and a side of Ginger Soy Glaze.

They also offer the above Starter that includes Sweet Potato Fries, French Fries, Crispy Fried Onion Strings and Fried Dill Pickle Chips, and comes with 4 Sauces — Ranch, BBQ, Apricot and Horseradish Mayo (I think).  The Apricot Sauce is served for the Fried Dill Pickle Chips.  It’s not a bad combination.  ALL was very tasty and fun to eat.

And we tried the Hobo Pack, which comes served in baked parchment paper for you to empty into the bowl.  It’s an assortment of Grilled Vegetables with fresh Herbs — I generally love the combination, but the flavor of this one was just okay.  A dash of Balsamic Vinegar would serve it well.

Overall, we really like the place and the service was excellent at this location.  We wish the tables were a little wider, since we had to play musical table stuff a few times.  And I need to go back at least 10 more times to try all the Burger combinations I have in mind.

The Counter DIRECT: http://www.thecounterburger.com/

MENU: http://www.thecounterburger.com/menu/

MORE about National Hamburger Month:
http://foodfrenzy.freedomblogging.com/2009/05/06/holy-cow-its-national-hamburger-month/7185/

MORE Counter Burger PHOTOS:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jcpo0wZfey_YaNzhk8vmGQ?select=tP23n9LMs-IeGqlnvmo27g

I love the Chocolate goodies at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and appreciate cute stuffed animals, but it’s time to lose or replace the bear.  Do all the stores have one?  They’re a mess — At least the ones I’ve seen in California.  They are sadly stained, faded and weathered.  It can’t be good to bring them in and out of the nice stores.  How about replacing them at least?

Aside from the bear, they offer an excellent variety of Chocolate and fresh Caramel Apples.  I understand it might be hard to give the bear the boot — It was tough to say goodbye to my stuffed animals. 🙂

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory:
https://rockymountainchocolatefactory.com/rmcf/control/portalHome

The sacrifices of our American Soldiers past and present is tremendous, and it’s the reason I’m free here today to make homemade Biscotti.  Let’s honor, respect and support all who fought and fight for continued freedom and liberation.

This is the first time I’ve made Biscotti — Since it’s pretty dry, I’m generally not a fan.  I added Powdered Sugar and drizzled Chocolate for sweetness and excitement.  Overall it was fun learning how it’s made, but I like Cupcakes, Pies, Cookies and other goodies a lot more.

Recipe: http://tiny.cc/5Qqwq
(The recipe calls for “2 Egg Equivalents” but I used 3 medium Eggs.  I also added chopped Almonds and Orange Extract).

What is Biscotti?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscotti

What is Memorial Day?: http://www.usmemorialday.org/

OMGosh, I’ve missed the LBC.  I lived in Belmont Shore and Belmont Heights in Long Beach for several years before relocating to Huntington Beach, then Costa Mesa.  I have a lot of great food and fun memories there.  It’s a cool city with vast food finds.  We skated the Long Beach Bike Path beginning to end, from Ocean/54th Place to Shoreline Village, like I have hundreds of times before — It’s nicely paved for skating.  

We had Shrimp, Chicken and Beef Fajitas, Side Salads, Chips & Salsa, Coronas and Margaritas on the Tequila Jack’s patio in Shoreline Village, which offers a few good restaurants to choose from.  This visit we attempted to eat at The Yard House, next door to Tequila Jack’s — BUT instead had an incident.  Since we skated, two were in socks and one in shoes.  Nevertheless we received an electronic transponder after reserving a table at The Yard House.

We secured 3 chairs at the bar to wait for a table to be available, then the YH Manager came over to tell us he couldn’t serve us due to the socks and we had to leave.  Real cool huh!?  I know there are rules, but was it necessary that we essentially be kicked out?  We weren’t walking around, we were going to be sitting outside, and looked and acted respectable otherwise.  He wouldn’t even allow us to wait outside until our patio table was ready.

I think the Manager’s non-flexibility was ridiculous — Our socks were gorgeous and would ultimately be under the table.  His fear of litigation and lack of case by case discretion lost our business.  THUS we had a lovely lunch at Tequila Jack’s, where they plainly saw our same state yet sat us without question.  Aside from this experience I like The Yard House and its food, but today we liked Tequila Jack’s much better.  The service was terrific.

More INFO: http://www.shorelinevillage.com/tequilajacks.html

Taco Tuesdays at Tequila Jack’s:
http://theguide.latimes.com/long-beach/restaurants/taco-tuesdays-event

8 Steers Fish & Steakhouse Restaurant is located in Costa Mesa off busy Harbor Boulevard.  Since I’m within walking distance from it a couple days a week, I’ve been trying a few Sides and Sandwiches for lunch.  So far we’ve tried the Cajun Fish Sandwich, which comes with a choice of Coleslaw, Chips and something else (tba).  The Fish on this Sandwich is Basa Fish.  It’s a type of Catfish I’ve never tried before.  It was a nice piece and the texture is similar, but I can tell I like Catfish better.  And I didn’t care for the Bread it’s served on — It got soggy, but the Remoulade Sauce made it all okay.

The Brussels Sprouts Side is a generous serving and pretty good.  It’s different and seems to have Bacon and Horseradish or Wasabi in it.  And I like their Coleslaw — It’s more Vinegary than Mayonnaisey.

Pictured above middle is Ginger and Scallion Mashed Potatoes, another uniquely flavored Side — They’re good too.  I really like 8 Steers’ menu and look forward to trying and reporting about more.

8 Steers DIRECT: http://www.8steers.com/

What is Basa Fish?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basa_fish

8 Steers’ Kobe Sliders:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/2009/05/09/many-steer-by-8-steers-on-harbor-stop-in/

UPDATE 08/01/09:  It appears they are no longer open for Lunch, just Dinner and Happy Hour starting at 4PM.

It’s easy to uncase and butterfly a Sausage Link, and convenient that it becomes the perfect shape for a Sandwich Roll.  Just cut the Sausage Link in (almost) half, peel off and discard its outer casing, then butterfly the meat.  It fries up well in a pan and could be a winner with tasty Sausage and a few more frills.

I like this Sandwich preparation idea, but will try it next time with a flavorful Italian Sausage, Marinara Sauce and Provolone Cheese.  The pictured Sandwich was bore-ring.  The Sausage was tasteless, which doesn’t work for anything, especially a Sandwich that just has it on it.

Related Links:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/butterflied

http://www.casings.com/html/home-english.html

Have you tried Potato Chip Baked Chicken?  I’ve been wanting to make it for a long time now — So I reviewed a few recipes and finally made these Potato Chip Baked Chicken Strips.  The process couldn’t be easier.  I just dipped Chicken Strips in melted Butter, rolled all in crushed Potato Chips until well coated, then baked the strips in the oven at 350° for about 40 minutes.  The baking time will depend on the size of YOUR Chicken pieces.

Overall, I thought they were good, but not great as expected.  As shown in the above photos, I experimented using 3 different flavors of Potato Chips, Sour Cream & Onion, Classic and Barbecued — We liked the Chicken Strips with the flavored Potato Chips the best.

Official RECIPES and related TIPS:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1839,152162-251202,00.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2194851_potato-chip-chicken-oven-baked.html

This year, starting June 7th YOU can be a Judge of The Next Food Network Star and each week’s vote will enter you to win a Grilling Oasis.  I’m not sure what’s entailed with a Grilling Oasis, but it sounds pretty good.  I’m gonna watch and vote.

More INFO:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-food-network-star/index.html?nl=FN_051809_27

http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-food-network-star-fan-vote/package/index.html

Have you ever tried Brown Sugar Baked Bacon?  It’s so good!  And easier than frying too.  Just toss a few Bacon slices with Brown Sugar in a large baggie until well coated — Place the Bacon on a foil lined cookie sheet, then bake in the oven at 350° for about 20 minutes.  Be careful, there’s a fine line between cooking the Bacon perfectly and burning it.

When made right, it  tastes like Candy — When burned or cooked too long, you’ll save a lot of calories.  Another tip, cook the Bacon on a slant to allow the grease to run down.  I use 2 – 3 upside down metal ramekins to prop up one side while baking.  It works well.

Related Link: http://www.ehow.com/how_2074497_bake-brown-sugar-bacon.html

I like the blurry hustle of the photo above.  We almost tried everything at the 14th Annual Taste of Anaheim and took a few notes.  This year it was held at The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, an outdoor mall venue that seems pretty nice — My friend was purse and clothes shopping in between eating.  We were able and happy to squeeze it all in. 🙂

Above from left to right working on down, we had Shrimp and Pineapple Soft Tacos from Tortilla Jo’s, Mahi Mahi from The Rainforest Café, Panini’s from I forgot where (sorry), Spinach and Artichoke Dip from Mimi’s Café (YUM), Corn Chowder from Storytellers Café (YUM too), and I forgot what exactly from Geisha House — Its presentation was nice.

Continuing above is Gumbo being served from Café Orleans (I think), Creole Shrimp from Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, Sundried Tomato Hummus on Cucumber from Lazy Dog Café, and Chopped Salad and Meatball Sandwiches from Oggi’s Pizza & Brewery — The Meatballs were very good.

We had Chicken Tikka and Samosas from Chakra Indian Cuisine, and as previously reported and linked below, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Crab Cakes and taste-TEE Sauce was a favorite, especially since they had an abundance of food, which beats a few.  And I’m not sure who was serving the Cupcakes above, but they look pretty.  I should have logged that name for sure, but after a couple Glasses of Cabernet some things just don’t matter, HA.

One thing we did care about was that a few restaurants ran out of food before the event was over.  The Taste of Anaheim ran from 5:30 – 9:30 PM and a few restaurants were out of food at 8:30.  To me, that’s not acceptable.  I paid $35 expecting to eat something from Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine and Mr. Stox Restaurant, but their spaces were hollowed by the time we got to them.  That was disappointing and shouldn’t happen.  Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse also ran out of food, but scurried to serve something, Hamburgers.  Although it wasn’t what we hoped for, we give them points for trying.

Related Link:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=5212

Tonight’s Taste of Anaheim at ‘The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk’ appeared to be a success.  Our favorites included the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich and Blackened Chicken Pasta from Dave & Buster’s, and the Crab Cakes from Bubba Gump Shrimp Company — The Sauce served with them was extra good.  Most restaurants did a great job.

We’ll report the rest of the story soon.  Overall, the food was tasty and plentiful — All you can eat for $35 was a good deal and the lines weren’t too long.  It was fun and we were full.

Bubba Gump: http://www.bubbagump.com/

Dave & Buster’s: http://www.daveandbusters.com/

Taste of Anaheim: http://www.tasteofanaheim.com/TOA09.php?page=home.php

It’s our second visit for lunch at The Veggie Grill at The Irvine Spectrum.  This time we tried the Sweet Potato Fries served with Chipotle Ranch and loved both.  And the “Bali Bliss” which is Indonesian styled Tempeh that’s sauteed and grilled, then served on a Bun with Chipotle Ranch, a tasty Relish, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion — It’s best with a side of their yummy Pesto.  And “Steamin’ Kale” with a Ginger Miso Dressing and Roasted Sesame Seeds.  As previously reported on Nibbles of Tidbits, the service is friendly and the food is fresh.  There’s a couple interesting Burgers we’d still like to try.  Check back soon.

Last time we had the Baja Fiesta Salad and Bean Me Up Chili.  See Review HERE: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=4617

The Veggie Grill: http://www.veggiegrill.com/

A friend raves about Jay’s Catering and recently had them cater her son’s First Holy Communion celebration.  He specifically wanted Sandwiches and Macaroni & Cheese.  And the Turkey and Roast Beef Sandwiches that were delivered looked just as good and fresh as they do on Jay’s Catering’s website.  Add a Green Salad, Pasta Salad and Fruit Platter, and you’ve got yourself a party.

Along with all was this beautiful Cake that was made with fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream — It’s from a local Bakery to be linked here soon.  And homemade White and Milk Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies were plentiful.  The kids love ’em.

Jay’s Catering DIRECT: http://www.jayscatering.com/

Stop into any Häagen Dazs Store on Tuesday, May 12th to receive a FREE Scoop of Ice Cream.  See more details and find a store near you HERE: http://www.haagendazs.com/

OC Foodies hosted a Mother’s Day Kitchen Getaway Contest, whereas you write (50) Words or less why your Mom is the Mom of choice.  The judges wanted it to be creative, clever and heartfelt.  And the prize was to be $500 towards (10) fabulous restaurants.  The winner isn’t posted yet, but I guess it’s not me, since I haven’t heard anything. 🙁

Here’s my Official Entry:

“She cooks for me on her Special Day — My Mom’s dishes are delicious, what can I say?  For that reason and immeasurable more, there’s no other Mother I could ever hope for.  She’s loving, giving and likes to eat, thus OCFoodies’ Mother’s Day Gift would be the BEST treat.”

HAPPY Mother’s Day Mom — You’re the BEST.

More INFO: http://www.ocfoodies.com/profiles/blogs/ocfoodies-wants-to-give-some

Have you seen 8 Steers Fish & Steakhouse Restaurant off Harbor near Sunflower?  I finally stopped in.  It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but it’s a nice escape inside.  The decor is stylish and the ceiling is two stories high.  They’ve got a great sounding menu too. 

This day I tried their Kobe Sliders to go.  I occasionally work in an office across the street, so I walked there for lunch.  These Kobe Sliders were well made and flavorful, much attributed to the Horseradish Mayonnaise and Sweet Rolls, a good combination with the Burgers.  It’s worth stopping in 8 Steers instead of just steering by it fast down Harbor Boulevard.  I look forward to trying more there soon.

8 Steers Fish & Steakhouse DIRECT: http://www.8steers.com/

UPDATE 08/01/09:  It appears they are no longer open for Lunch, just Dinner and Happy Hour starting at 4PM.

This came to me with a note that it should be towed with the barrel facing backwards — It’s a fun way to detour tailgaters, HA.

See MORE gun shaped and interesting grills HERE:
http://www.memorialmeat.com/wp-gallery2.php?g2_itemId=15

Did you know these Circus Animal Cookies ceased production last year?  They did, but Kellogg Company acquired the trademarks and original recipes to ensure they continue.  That’s pretty cool.  I truly haven’t had them since I was a kid, but the flavor is just how I remember it.  I brought them to the office and all said the same.  The taste transports many back in time.

The aesthetics of the Cookie was also commented on.  Some think the Frosting could be a little thicker, since you can see the Cookie on several White Circus Animals.  Others commented that the animal shapes could be more defined, and all should have more nonpareils.  It’s like the Cookie assembly line runs a little too fast, HA.  I agree with the observations, but does it really matter since it tastes the same?  Some think so, and some think not.  I’m still eating them — They’re good.

Happy 95th Anniversary Mother’s Brand.  That’s a good thing.  My favorite Mother’s Cookie is the Oatmeal. 🙂

http://motherscookies.com/

Nibbles of Tidbits will be entering a few items in the Culinary Arts Competition this year at the Orange County Fair — It’s July 10th – August 9th.  We’ll be submitting a Pie, a Bundt Cake, Gourmet Nut Clusters and a Scone.  Until then, we’re working on the best Scone to enter.  Once decided, we’ll post  the recipe here.  The Scones above include variations of Lemon Zest & Juice, Orange Zest & Juice, Dried Montmorency Cherries, Pomegranate Juice, Cream and Powdered Sugar.

Related Links:

http://www.ocfair.com/2009/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scone_(bread)

Our office had Pollo Asado Soft Tacos from the Taco Factory today for Cinco De Mayo.  The Chicken is marinated in Lemon Spices and Charbroiled.  It has a very good flavor, but some of the pieces had too much gristle.  Overall, the Tacos were enjoyed by most — 7 out of 8.

Taco Factory DIRECT: http://www.tacofactoryinc.com/