Another excuse for Mexican — Why not celebrate Tostada Thursday? Is Taco Tuesday played? Is there room for both in one week? The pictured Tostada is from Café Rose Express.
It’s easy to make your own Box of Chocolates — It doesn’t take much time either, especially with a microwave and a good selection of Chocolate, Nuts, Fruit and decorative boxes/bags.
They turn out great if you don’t overcook the Chocolate — Always heat it in short (30 – 50 second) intervals at 50% power, stirring in between. Melted it becomes a velvety canvas.
Almonds and Peanuts from a leftover party platter were used to make Nut Clusters.
Molds were filled with Milk and/or White Chocolate and stuffed with an Almond, Dried Apricot or Cherry, then topped off with more melted Chocolate and settled until firm, then foil wrapped.
Dried Apricots and Cherries were used to make this batch — Choose what you like best.
Toasted Coconut was used to make Milk and White Chocolate Haystacks.
Pecans and Toffee were used to make Turtles and Marshmallows and Almonds were used to make Rocky Road. Milk, Dark and White Chocolate was utilized for markings and assortment.
Each Chocolate piece was marked, molded and/or prepared uniquely to be identifiable.
Giant Box of Chocolates (above).
Overall, they’re not as pretty as those you buy, but clean up well when placed in a cute box or cellophane bag — And could mean even more to a loved one. They taste great too.
I also experimented with broken Graham Cracker pieces — I topped them with Marshmallows, broiled the tops in the oven and dipped ’em in melted Chocolate (pictured above), before covering them with Chocolate. The S’more Bites ended up being a favorite.
And a very special Happy Mother’s Day to my incredible Mom in particular — She’s the bestest! The Cupcakes are from Sprinkles, custom made and adorned for sweet Marie’s (friend’s daughter) First Holy Communion, with leftovers as a M’s D treat with a Mimosa.
Enjoyed this Wet Burrito previously at Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant, but plan to see an Irish Pub on Cinco De Mayo — Went out for Mexican on St. Patrick’s Day this year. It could be a good plan, as it helps to avoid a wait, but I almost always prefer Mexican food. Cinco De Saint Patso is like Festivus only in that it’s a made up holiday. Have a great one!
And silently I say a little prayer, yes I do, But For The Grace Of God go I, I must’ve been born a lucky [gal], Heaven only knows how I’ve been blessed by the gift of… that song by Keith Urban, and many other things in this short life on earth. I’m grateful and hopeful. Happy Easter. Say hello to that old man passing your door, cause he might be rich, but truly poor.
Thank you Lord for the magnificent ocean and all the Fish in the sea. With a speck of your many blessings, Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza made the pictured Crisp Pacific Sea Bass with a Miso Orange Vinaigrette and Edamame Shitake Ragout. 🙂
Since Easter is upon us and the current most popular search here is “Easter Cookies” and it’s looking like we’re not going to be decorating new ones this year, we post an Easter Cookie Drive By linking photos of Easter Cookies gone by — Baked naked and amateurly dressed.
Final decorated Easter Cookies are linked here.
And more decorating ideas can be found here.
This post is probably more like an Easter Cookie drop off than drive by. 😉
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re looking for a simple Corned Beef recipe, one is linked here.
Our traveling Guest Blogger and Newport Beach Interior Designer, Bonnie provides her experience meeting Chef Sevaly and reports about his future after The Cooking Store…
What’s cooking at The Cooking Store? It was billed as a “Pre-Valentine’s Day Romantic Dinner,” but the meal served by uber-talented Executive Chef and Owner, Robert M. Sevaly, was actually enjoyed by us three girls, along with about 20 other cooking enthusiasts, for lunch on Sunday. On the menu was a delightful mixture of ingredients.
Mussel Bisque – According to mythology, the goddess of sensuality Aphrodite was born in the sea so it is no surprise that many kinds of seafood are considered natural aphrodisiacs. Mussels are a popular shellfish that for centuries have been considered an aphrodisiac. Now science can back up those claims as studies show that there are chemical compounds in mussels that release sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.
Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Brie Napoleon – The recipe for this sexy combination is noted below.
Napa Valley Flat Iron Steak
Shoestring Potatoes
Herbs de Provence Mashed Potatoes
Grilled Vegetables
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Molten Lava Cake and Flirtinis
It was quite an experience watching and listening to Chef Sevaly create this extravaganza! Everything was absolutely delicious, and at the end of the three-hour-long demonstration, we came away quite satiated.
If you have never been to The Cooking Store before, now is the time to go as it is closing at the end of April due to the Chef’s aversion to the retail environment. He still plans on in-home demonstrations and catering of private events. And while Chef Sevaly doesn’t know if another school is in his future, he is actively seeking investors, and you can bet that he will attract them, whatever his next adventure is.
Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Brie Napoleon Recipe
1 pack Wonton Skins (cut into 4’s)
1 wedge Brie (cut same size as wontons)
1 package Bacon (cooked in the oven and then cut to the same size as the wonton)
2-3 Onions (minced)
Oil for frying
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Honey
Salt and Pepper
Fist measure out the ingredients and complete the knife prep in the above list of ingredients. Use the bacon fat to caramelize the onions nice and slow then add the sugars and set aside. Cook the wontons in a small amount of oil so they stay flat. Build the napoleons by layering a wonton, cheese, onion, bacon, onions, and wonton. Place into a 200 degree oven just to melt the cheese, then serve.
Thanks to Bonnie for the above report and photographs. I hope to encounter Chef Sevaly someday. We’ll later provide a contact for him.
Happy Valentine’s Day — What the world needs now is love sweet love or heart shaped Eggs.
I like that Pinkberry is always coming up with something new — Right now they’re making hearts swirl by introducing the Pinkberry Swirly Gram. It’s a unique Valentine’s Day Treat that’s delivered. You can send one now through Valentine’s Day. Learn how to here.
Pre-Valentine’s Day I happily received a Cupid’s Swirl with a Swirly Spree, respectively translated, a Chocolate Frozen Yogurt with Brownie Bites, Raspberries and Shaved Milk Chocolate, and a gift-wrapped Pinkberry Gift Card — All was hand delivered to my office with balloons and a smile.
Didn’t get a photo of Cupid’s Swirl before melting, but you can tell it’s good. Senders choose from 3 flavors — Chocolate as described, or Blood Orange Yogurt with Blood Orange Pieces and Waffle Cookies, or PB’s Original Yogurt with Toasted Almonds, Strawberries and Dark Chocolate Crisps. All combinations sound perfect to me. I have to try the Blood Orange.
Thank you Pinkberry — I only inhaled the helium from one balloon.
Three who shared in the delivery experience and consumption agreed the Yogurt and toppings were excellent and it was a fun distraction at the office. Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday.
The day looked brighter as I went back to my office.
I sent the Swirly Spree to a nostalgic friend who reported to like Pinkberry this very day. Good timing for him — It went to a good home. Enjoy! We sure did. See earlier reports here.
Observing Martin Luther King Day from coast to coast — I personally respect his tremendous patience. And in relation to food, MLK makes us think of Milk, as it’s just missing a letter, and Milk Chocolate, a tie in to M&M’s World in New York’s Times Square, where Kids in the Kitchen Chef’s Lexi and Bailee are currently visiting. They loved all the colors.
They say it’s freezing in New York right now, but we’re observing the holiday in Newport Beach where it’s 74° today — I love New York, but it’s hard to beat Southern California weather.
I also think about MLK by U2 on The Unforgettable Fire, one of the best albums of all time.
We really don’t take the National Daily, Weekly or Monthly Food Holidays too seriously. They can be fun if it’s something you’re interested in, but they are otherwise self-servingly developed and potentially create gridlock by too many doing the same thing for the sake of celebrating a designated day. Instead, do and eat whatever and whenever you want in 2011.
In contrast to those thoughts and recognizing that others are interested in national and arbitrary food related holidays, as Orange County Food Examiner I wrote a short article about their observance in January — January 1st started them off with Bloody Mary Day.
And January 20th is National Cheese Lover’s Day, “they” say. Read about the best places to find a Bloody Mary, where to buy quality Cheese, and who has the finest New England Clam Chowder in the OC, since a food holiday in January happens to revolve around it — It seems that every food has a holiday these days.
Saying goodbye to 2010 and remembering yesteryear — The silverware bundle pictured above was used by my Great Grandma Moore (and possibly me as a child) so long ago. She passed away at the age of 98, about seventeen years back, but her great grand-kids luckily got to know her well. She was amazingly sharp and funny up until her very last days when she got Pneumonia and went fast. We still miss her. And this year for Christmas, my cousin Sharon, who inherited our Grandma’s silverware, sent each cousin (13 of us, I think) a bundle of it with a poem she wrote. What a beautiful thing! We all read Sharon’s poem and remembered our Grandma on Christmas. Some are going to use the silverware and others are going to frame it with the poem. Thank you Sharon. Now I’m ready to learn and eat more in 2011.
Note: Testing out certain photo editing tools and document scanning options in this post.
We broke in and stole everything.
I’ve always wanted to do this.
This Gingerbread House tasted good too — Learn more about it here.
Crepes Bonaparte and about 50 other Gourmet Food Trucks will be at the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party. We had the pleasure of trying their food at the Preview Event and what a treat it was. All was fresh tasting, sizeable and high in quality. Merci CB!
Check out their MENU and good prices too.
For our savory Crepe, we tried the Baby Bleu.
As you can see below, folded into the Baby Bleu is a generous amount of Chicken, Bleu Cheese, fresh Spinach and a Raspberry Vinaigrette — The combination goes well together. Unfolded it’s not as glamorous, but you’re able to see the quality of its ingredients.
And for our sweet Crepe we tried the HazelBerryAna with a side of Ice Cream — It consists of fresh Strawberries, Bananas and Nutella, a Hazelnut spread that seems to be all the rage these days, all rolled up (or triangle folded) into a large tasty Crepe.
Two of us shared both, but still couldn’t finish it all, especially since we had to save room for more truck meals. It was a lot of food that I’d like to have right now.
I don’t know his story, but this fun DJ will be playing tunes at the New Year’s Eve Block Party too. If the Preview Event is an indication of his talent, we’re in for good music on NYE.
If you’ve heard of Crepes Bonaparte before, but aren’t quite sure where, it could be that you remember them from the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” — They were one of seven truck teams competing for a $50,000 grand prize. They were eliminated from the competition in week three and now truck proudly around Orange County. Lucky OC.
Several other food trucks were serving up deliciousness at the Preview Event and I luckily spun the wheel to receive a sampling from Rolling Sushi. And toys were being collected to receive $5 off the price of admission to the OC Fair’s NYE Block Party.
Although not in the mood for Sushi this night, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavor of the pieces we received — And my guest who is afraid of Sushi even liked ’em.
I unfortunately cannot recall the exact names of the pictured items, but Rolling Sushi’s menu is linked here. They’ll be present at the NYE Block Party too, thus you’ll be able to try all then. And their impressive service is worth mentioning too — They were so nice.
Tickets are still available for the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party, so if you want to try Crepes Bonaparte, Rolling Sushi and several other popular Gourmet Food Trucks, buy your ticket today. And why not go all out with a VIP ticket — It comes with a few extra perks.
And finally, 12 lucky winners will have a chance to welcome in the New Year with a blast by free-falling at the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party at midnight. In other words, twelve coveted spots are being offered for a special midnight “drop” on the Super Shot Free Fall Ride. Interested riders can enter online at ocfair.com/giveaway and enter the code “countdown.” Winners will be selected on December 30th and must already have a ticket to the event. Good luck.
I hope to see you there — Happy New Year!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Bûche de Noël is a traditional French Yule Cake and the pictured is from Gelsons. We received a lot of tasty deliveries at the office this week and I tried my first Bûche de Noël — YUM! It’s now on my “To Make” list to be displayed during a future Christmas post. Perhaps next year.
And with respect to the Gingerbread House from Torrance Bakery (and Sarnoff), we love it and can’t wait to dig in with a swift karate chop to the snow covered roof — We’re admiring it for now, but once Christmas passes, it’s scheduled to be devoured, if not too dry. The Gingerbread man is already missing. Who ate it?
Merry Christmas to YOU and your family!
BookSwim, known to some as the Netflix of books, is a fabulous last-minute printable gift idea that delivers thousands of New York Times bestsellers to your giftee’s door! You rent, read and return, cutting down on clutter and amping up time curled up on the couch. You can purchase Gift Certificates in any denomination, but BookSwim is offering a holiday special right now — Any $50 Gift Card purchase comes with a $50 Gift Certificate to restaurant.com, and you even choose which greeting card to send. It’s a great deal for the readers and eaters on your Christmas list, or for any time of the year. I have it and still want it. 🙂
For the past month, I’ve been testing out BookSwim — It’s been all cookbooks for me and I love it! When my first three cookbooks arrived, I was a little taken aback that the books are indeed used. Unless purchasing through Ebay, I think most people are accustomed to receiving new books and items in the mail. I have no complaints, as they are certainly in fine readable condition, just not pristine, but who cares — I’m borrowing them until done.
Just like Netflix, you select your desired books (instead of movies) ahead of time and then they arrive in the mail. My BookSwim plan allows me to keep three books at a time and return two or three to receive more. All are shipped with a postage paid envelope for easy returns and the next delivery arrives fairly quickly. Some books are so good that I now want to buy ’em and others I’m glad I can return for others. It’s quite terrific actually and highly recommended by me and Nibbles of Tidbits.
Above is my current favorite I haven’t been able to give up — It has the most amazing Cupcakes, ideas and photos. I just keep sending back two books at a time. It’s all good.
As Orange County Food Examiner, I just posted a report on a few food happenings going down on New Year’s Eve. If local, YOU have a lot of choices. Crepes Bonaparte will be at the OC Fair’s New Year’s Eve Block Party — We’ll be reporting more about that soon. Until then, it’s easy to win free tickets here.
12/27/10 Update: The OC NYE tickets have been awarded and delivered. Congratulations to John in Huntington Beach! See our review and food photos from Crepes Bonaparte here.
Although the pictured 14lb. Turkey cooked up too dry, it was only $3 and provided a lot of tasty meals. I think the oven was too hot. During the holidays, Turkey deals are everywhere. It’s fun to get a giant Turkey for the price of a Chicken and better yet when it’s cooked well. Lemon slices were placed under the skin of this one, unlike another Turkey we’ve shown. Let’s see what happens next time — We try different methods and always shoot for juicy.
Prior to morphatizing the leftovers, we enjoyed the dark meat with Sage Mashed Potatoes (Potatoes, Butter, Sour Cream, Milk, roasted/fried Sage Leaves and Salt & Pepper), Roasted ‘What’s On-Hand’ Veggies (Celery, Carrots, Onions, Garlic and Sage Leaves roasted in the oven with Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar and Salt & Pepper), and Cranberry Sauce made with fresh Cranberries, Water, Sugar and Orange Zest.
Then it’s on to make the Turkey Stock that’s strained through cheesecloth and skimmed of fat. Prior to its preparation, most Turkey meat is obviously reserved to make the following or whatever YOU want.
We always have a Turkey Sandwich (or 10). Sometimes it’s only Turkey Sandwiches, because they’re simple and good. Sandwich variations are endless, but we often find basic the best.
This Turkey Chili was made with roasted and peeled Tomatoes and Chilis (Poblano, Anaheim, Jalapeno), Garlic, Turkey Stock, Chili Spices, drained Kidney and Garbanzo Beans, and large chunks of white meat Turkey.
Turkey Quesadillas with Sharp Cheddar and Pepper Jack Cheese, Salsa and Sour Cream.
Turkey Noodle Soup made with the Turkey Stock and leftover Roasted Veggies (pictured above), that were pureed, then strained to leave behind the Celery fibers — The process produced a flavorful Soup base in which to add Noodles and Turkey chunks.
An attempt at Shepherds Pie in a Mason Jar was put forth with a thickened version of the Turkey Soup (using Arrowroot), minus most Noodles, which was then topped with Sage Mashed Potatoes and Paprika and baked in the oven.
The Shepherds Pie wannabe ended up cooking together. It was pushed over its fine line of doneness, bummer — There was a moment when it looked great and was surely hot enough to eat. It should’ve been pulled out then.
Happy Holidays — Give a cheap Turkey a good home, your stomach.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I’m thinking about placing Lemon under the Turkey skin before baking it — If I do, I’ll be sure to slice it thinly instead of in half, so not to have it turn out like this hoochie. The photo was sent to me via an untraceable string of forwarded emails, thus I don’t know its origin. If it’s your Turkey, I’d like to give credit. It’s too funny! I dare YOU to surprise your family with the same. 🙂
Thanksgiving in Southern California — Are you still deciding how to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? As the Orange County Food Examiner, I recently posted a Thanksgiving Starter Kit that includes links to most local happenings. It’s a great place to begin your holiday planning. We hope it’s helpful. Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!
Nibbles of Tidbits is thankful for its many blessings, including YOU!
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