Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

It’s still St. Patrick’s Day at Santa Anita Race Track, which was a good thing for us today.  We saved a lot of money on Beer and Hot Dogs and went home with a little more money than we came with — That’s a good thing!  It was a beautiful, thirst quenching day.

The big money was won on a 55/1 (odds) to Place — Too bad we didn’t go all the way with the Win.  Nevertheless, we had a magnificent time at Santa Anita.  It’s an entertaining way to spend the day.  The horses are only running live at Santa Anita Race Track until April 18, 2010.

Other media was broadcasting from the track and another race was getting ready to start, as we headed for six Beers for the price of one.  FYI:  There’s FREE Admission and more $1 specials every Friday.

Still hooked on Grilled Romaine Salad and busy working on a lot of exciting projects — Stay tuned and full.  Click here and above for the how to’s and more.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We already had our Corned Beef and Cabbage and post about it here.

If you can’t BBQ, grill or poach Salmon, this cooking method works well too – The above Salmon was marinated in a Chimichurri Sauce, then cooked at 350° for 15 – 20 minutes on a rack that’s placed on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Any rack will do.  There’s very little clean up and the gross white stuff (fat) that tends to collect around cooking fish is minimized.

TIP:  Save the rack from an old toaster oven before discarding it — It’ll come in handy for various cooking purposes, like this.

During Bertolli’s Taste & Tweet, we tried the Lemon Herb Shrimp & Penne.  We were impressed with the consistency and Lemony flavor of the Sauce and its ease of preparation.  All is happening right now — See link above for more details or click here for instant access.

* We paired our meal with Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio.  It went well with this Bertolli meal and will be reported about separately.

Stay tuned tomorrow on ABC starting at 9PM (Pacific) and on Twitter for Bertolli’s Taste & Tweet Sunday Night Dinner Party.  Nibbles of Tidbits will be virtually dining with other VIP Bloggers via #BertolliItaly — We’re on Twitter as FoodBlog and our Tweets (aka Chirps) are RSS’d below.  Our participatory selection for this fun event is Bertolli’s Lemon Herb Shrimp & Penne paired with Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio.  We can’t wait to try all during Desperate Housewives, when the Into the Heart of Italy episodes premiere.  Learn more @ www.IntotheHeartofItaly.com.

* Come back tomorrow to see how the above cooked up and click here for previous Bertolli product reviews.

Important Women’s Health Issue:

* Are you feeling tired?
* Are you stressed?
* Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
* Do you suffer from shyness?
* Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?
* Do you feel overwhelmed at times, as if there is not enough time in the day for all of your responsibilities?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas. 

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you’re ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacle that prevents you from living the life you want to live. Your stress will literally melt away. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas. 

Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn’t mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.  

Side effects may include:

– Dizziness
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Incarceration
– Erotic lustfulness
– Loss of motor control
– Loss of clothing
– Loss of money
– Table dancing
– Headaches
– Dehydration
– Dry mouth
– And a desire to sing Karaoke 

Warnings:

* The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

* The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.

* The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.

* The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting. 

Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas.

Note:  Photo by Food Colors — Above was forwarded by a friend. Original origin is unknown.  We think it’s funny!

Since this sounds like a fun contest with a great prize, and its proceeds benefit a much needed organization (all good criteria), we’ve reprinted the details here on Nibbles of Tidbits.

MAKI MADNESS SUSHI SHOWDOWN

Attention Surf City: It’s Time to Put Your Sushi Where Your Mouth Is — March 21, 2010!

WHAT: On Sunday, March 21, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is partnering with CASA of Orange County and OC Weekly to host its inaugural Maki Madness Sushi Eating Contest to coincide with the NCAA March Madness. Whether you’re a professional food eater or just like a little competition, you’ll definitely enjoy this sushi throw-down. One participant will be named Surf City’s 2010 Maki Madness Champion – winning sushi for a year, which is equivalent to 12 $50 RA gift certificates. Think you’ve got what it takes?

All interested gamers must register in advance online at www.ocweekly.com/RAsushi – space is limited to 40 participants. All of the proceeds from the $10 cash only registration fee and raffle (no purchase necessary), will benefit CASA of Orange County.

RA will feature its signature Tootsy Maki and offer guests a selection of themed drink specials. In addition to the sushi showdown, spectators and cheerleaders will enjoy full coverage of the NCAA March Madness tournament and may take part in mini basketball competitions.

WHEN: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: RA Sushi Bar Restaurant
The Strand in Huntington Beach
155 5th Street (at PCH)
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: (714) 536-6390

* The Hamachi in the photo is from a Sushi experience of another time.

Welcome to Irvine — The Lazy Dog Cafe.  We’re lucky to have you.  The Togarashi Edamame Beans (above) lead this post, because we think they’re the best Edamame in Orange County.  Wash your hands good before eating ’em, so you can lick your fingers.  Their smoky flavor is amazing.  My friend couldn’t stop talking about them, thus they made one of the biggest impressions.

The Lazy Dog Cafe at The Market Place in Irvine just opened a few days ago.  Nibbles of Tidbits happily attended a pre-opening sneak peek and we now report about a small portion of what’s on their menu.  To sum it all up, we were impressed with everything — The service, decor, friendliness, food and prices.  Here’s what we had… Trio of Hummus Dips which includes a Walnut Pesto, Sundried Tomato and Traditional Hummus served with Flatbread, Cucumbers and Tomatoes.

Spinach & Sundried Tomato Cheese Dip with Jack, Parmesan and Swiss Cheeses blended with fresh Baby Spinach, Garlic and Sundried Tomatoes.

Our sneak peek included a tour of the bustling kitchen and dinner with fellow Orange County Food Bloggers.  It was super fun to meet Scott from Foodie in Disguise and see Christian again from OC Mex Food.  And Griffin Eats OC posts another interesting report on The Lazy Dog Cafe.

Continuing with the food… We enjoyed the Cast Iron Idaho Trout that’s baked in a cast iron skillet with Sea Salt Roasted Vegetables, Baby Potatoes and topped with a Citrus Walnut Brown Butter Sauce.

Bacon Wrapped Coulotte Steak (best part of the Sirloin) served over Confetti Veggies and Mashed Potatoes with Burgundy Wine Sauce.

Mushroom & Onion Flat Iron Steak topped with sauteed Madeira Mushrooms and Onions, served with Mashed Potatoes and Confetti Veggies.

Beer Battered Fish N’ Chips made with Coldwater Cod and served with a Horseradish Tartar Sauce, Asian Slaw and French Fries.

Baja California Burger with Guacamole, Ortega Chilis, Jack Cheese and a Jalapeno & Lime Aioli with a side of Sweet Corn Salad.

The Bar Top is spectacular — I could stare at it all day, but probably wouldn’t get much accomplished.  Unfortunately I don’t remember the cool specifics about it, but ‘it ain’t no laminate’ on top.  We’ll ask our resident Interior Designer, Guest Blogger Bonnie to add a footnote about it.

Also pictured above is the Iceberg Wedge Salad, Chicken Tortilla Soup and a Cobbler — By the time the desserts came along, I was stuffed and had to get a move on, thus don’t have a clear report on the best part of the meal for some.  I sure wish I could take a bite now.

The view below is from the entrance looking into the bar.  It’s a big, cozy place with a menu to satisfy all tastes, even a dogs.

Dogs are welcome on the patio and even get their own menu upon request.  Not yet mentioned is The Lazy Dog Cafe’s Drink Menu — Who has time, fresh Mojitos, Margaritas, Lemonades and more, oh my.  I’ll go to The Lazy Dog Cafe anytime!

Bacon Wrapped Dates – They’re amazing tasting and one of the easiest appetizers to make.  The sweetness of the Date goes so well with Bacon, the only two ingredients in the recipe.  Just wrap short slices of Bacon around each Date.  I cut the Bacon with kitchen shears, after wrapping it once around the outside of the Date.  And I’ve since learned it’s not necessary to secure the Bacon on each Date with a toothpick, if you press it together well when assembling.  Then bake all in a 350° oven for 25 minutes (or until nicely browned) turning once about halfway through.  Cool slightly before diggin’ in, so not to burn your mouth on a hot Date.  With that in mind enjoy!

Many Bacon Wrapped Date recipes include Cheese, such as Cheddar or Parmesan that’s stuffed in the center of the Date, but we prefer them without Cheese — It’s a good thing too, since they’re faster and easier to make.

* If you like this recipe, you might also like Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.

Tonight I learned it’s a real treat to have The Lazy Dog Cafe in your neighborhood.  One is officially opening this Thursday, March 4th at The Market Place in Irvine.  It’s large yet cozy, stylish and warm, hospitable to people and dogs, and offers a very impressive well-rounded menu.  We’ll be posting the full report of our tasty samplings soon.

* Pictured above is The Bleu Cheese New York and a Pizza going into The Pizza Oven.

Our office appreciated saving money on Coffee this week, while trying Nescafé Taster’s Choice Instant Coffee (Stick Packs).  They’re made with real Coffee Beans and taste better than the Instant Coffee I remember from years ago, and would be preferred over some brewed Coffee.  Our favorites were the Gourmet Roast and 100% Colombian.  Might they be considered an inexpensive replacement for a daily Coffee Shop stop?  Maybe, but they can’t replace my occasional Latte out. 

* Try it for yourself on them — Click here to learn how.

I like it that fast food restaurants keep trying to come up with something new.  Some should stick with what they know best and others occasionally come up with something that works.  Thanks to Carl’s Jr. for giving us the opportunity to try their hits and misses.  This time we tried the new Grilled Cheese Bacon Burger and unanimously deemed it one of Carl’s hits.  As pictured, our Burgers were nicely gooey and perfectly toasted.  If all are made as good as this one, it should remain on the menu.  Read more Carl’s Jr. food reviews here — We’re equal opportunity tasters.

Orange County Restaurant Week starts this Sunday, February 28th and runs through March 6th, 2010.  This link will provide ALL the details — Prices, participating restaurants, lunch and dinner menus and more.  It’s the best time to dine out in Orange County.

* Photo is from a previous meal at Orange Hill Restaurant, a participant in this upcoming OC Restaurant Week.

Update 03/07/10:  This event has been extended an additional week.

Indeed, this Baked Onion tastes like Candy.  Growing up I would have gaged over the thought of it, but an Onion baked with Bacon Grease in the oven or on a BBQ is so sweet and delicious.  It just melts in your mouth.  And it’s super easy to make and impressive to serve as an appetizer or side dish.  It’s optimum for a fall or winter dinner party or all year long with meals.  My family has prepared countless bushels of Baked Onions over the years.  They’ve mostly cooked them on the BBQ, but when it’s cold it’s convenient to cook ’em inside.

They take about an hour to cook without much effort — As pictured above (l-r), trim the ends and skin of an Onion then make a few shallow cuts.  Place it on two layers of foil, then top the Onion with reserved Bacon Grease, Salt and Pepper.  Tent and seal the Onion in the foil and bake at 450° for 1 Hour.  It should then just fall apart in sweetness.  Many times we’ll unwrap and broil the Onion over top for an additional 5+ minutes before serving.  It’s so darn good!

Next month is March Mania at Chick-Fil-A.  What that means is… Visit a participating Southern California Chick-Fil-A on any Friday in March, keep your original receipt, then return with your receipt to receive the exact order FREE any day within the month.  For example, buy the pictured Nuggets and Sandwich on Friday, March 5th, then return any day after that in March for the same.  Pay nothing extra — Just save your receipt!

Why would you grab lunch elsewhere on a Friday in March?  One meal becomes two, thus four Friday meals become eight during March Mania.  It’s a super deal.

* I’ve been a long-time fan of Chick-Fil-A’s Chicken Sandwich with extra Pickles, Nuggets with all Sauces, Chicken Biscuit Sandwich and Cole Slaw.  They run a remarkable corporation, provide superior service and are closed every Sunday.  God bless Chick-Fil-A.

The pictured meal is from the Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant in Newport Beach.  We love their menu.  It’s always hard to narrow down a selection.  This evening we decided on the Blackened Swordfish (above) and Pacific Sand Dabs with Beurre Blanc Sauce (below).  Both were excellent, although a larger cut of Swordfish would have been nice and perhaps some greenery on the plate would have looked better.  Other than that all was fresh and flavorful.

Bluewater Grill is also gearing up for Orange County Restaurant Week, which starts February 28th and runs through March 6th, 2010.  During that period, they’ll be offering this prix fixe menu.  It’s the best time to dine out, because you get more for your money at participating Orange County restaurants.  View the details here.

And we thoroughly enjoyed our bottle of Pinot Gris from King Estate.  We polished it off with our last bite of Sourdough and Butter, then went home and popped open a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the rain.

It’s true — 50 Forks Restaurant at The Art Institute of California, Orange County serves lunch to the public when school is in session.  To learn more, view details posted at Orange County Food Examiner.  It’s a small place, so it’s recommended that you make reservations to secure a table.  Here’s the telephone number to get right on it – (714) 429-0918.

Continuing our tour of Casino Buffets, Nibbles of Tidbits recently enjoyed the Lunch Buffet at Choices inside Pala Casino Spa Resort.  We’re not major Buffet fans, but find many of the Indian Reservation Casino Buffets quite impressive and an amazing deal, especially if you join a Player’s Club.  You’ll need to check the details for each Casino, but a free or discounted Lunch or Dinner Buffet is often a perk of joining a Player’s Club.  At Pala Casino, it’s called a Privileges Card — It affords a 20 – 100% discount relative to one’s gambling practices.

Unfortunately our photos don’t capture the full grandeur of Choices Buffet, thus it’s recommended that you try it yourself.  They offer almost everything you can think of… Seafood, Mexican food, Chinese food, Japanese food, an extensive Salad Bar, fresh Fruit, American favorites, Italian food, every Dessert you can imagine, plus more.  And it’s the first Buffet we’ve seen serve Leg of Lamb during lunch — All you can eat Lamb, shucked Oysters and peel and eat ’em Shrimp is a deal in itself, without mentioning the Ribs, Ham, Turkey, Chicken, Salmon Fajitas, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, etc.

Pala Casino takes a lot of pride in Choices Buffet and wants its customers to truly enjoy their experience.  It’s well kept, clean, fully stocked and ready to be served.  We found the service and attention to detail remarkable.  They’re excited to present their remodeled Buffet (reopened Memorial Day 2009) and interested in customer feedback.  They want to make Choices the best Buffet in town.

We’ve learned that Indian Reservation Casino Buffets are relatively progressive (I wish I’d win it) and sophisticated.  Gone are the days of cheap Buffet food — There’s a lot of competition.  Casino Buffets are quite the production, prepared and maintained by a team of attentive chefs and staff.  Food is often presented as art, as shown by the flower carved out of a Watermelon and a dove carved from I’m not sure what.

As of this date, we think Choices may have the best Desserts seen thus far.  We haven’t found any Buffets lacking Desserts, but we’re extra impressed with the Dessert case pictured directly below.  In addition to offering almost every imaginable Dessert outside the case, those presented below are extra special.  To me, it was like visiting an expensive bakery after the Buffet, whereas you get to pick and eat whatever you want for free.  Elsewhere, each gourmet item may cost $5.  You always want more than you can afford — Here you can just go for it.

It was hard to narrow down our selection of Choice’s Desserts, but we ultimately decided on the Mango Mousse Tower, Tiramisu Mug and Raspberry Mousse Tower (clockwise below).  We’re not sure of their actual names and describe them by taste and design.  All looked like a work of art. 

Pala Casino is situated in a valley among beautiful hills — Below is just one view from the deck near the Food Court, close to more dining offered at Pala Casino.  After this visit, we deem Choices to be one of our favorite Lunch Buffets.

Although not captured in this post, Choices’ design is worth mentioning.  Our Interior Designer (Guest Blogger Bonnie) would have approved.  We particularly liked the giant monitors displayed throughout.  Each had incredible rotating food images to help get you in the mood.  Make sure you bring your appetite to this Buffet.

Note:  We’ll be visiting Casino Pauma’s Buffet in March — Check back for a report on it.

I recently came across this Rhubarb Dry Soda at Bristol Farms — And first must mention that the Bristol Farms in Corona Del Mar Plaza is an amazing store.  It’s a bit cramped when crowded, but I usually want to buy almost everything I pass by.  This visit the Rhubarb Soda caught my eye.  Have you ever seen it before?  I hadn’t and rarely eat Rhubarb, but had to try it out of curiosity.  And the verdict is… Next flavor please.  I like the carbonation and flavor options of the Dry Soda Co. Sodas, but this flavor not so much.  It’s described as refreshingly tart and complex, which is true, but it also tastes a bit like Grass and Dried Cherries.  The initial taste isn’t good, but the after taste isn’t bad, if that makes sense.  We’d like to try their Kumquat, Lavender, Vanilla Bean, and maybe Cucumber flavors next time.  They also make a Juniper Berry and Lemongrass Soda.  Overall, we’re excited to see such unique flavors.  Bravo to the fun of that!

While working/writing all weekend, I rarely left the house but for this Yogurtland Frozen Yogurt.  I didn’t want to do it, but was drawn over-and-over by the tart flavors, fresh toppings, make it yourself ease and good prices.  It’s a new favorite snack and dessert that briefly transports me to la la land — It’ll be four days in a row if I get it again tomorrow.  It’s too easy and they’re open late.

Yogurtland offers several flavors and toppings, but right now I’m hooked on the perfect combination of Plain Tart, Toasted Coconut and Taro Yogurts with Mango, Strawberry, Granola, Sliced Almonds and Coconut toppings.  It’s nice to be able to make exactly what you want and not have it cost too much.  I’ve been impressed each visit.

* Although you can’t make your own, I also like Pinkberry’s Frozen Yogurt.  The cost is slightly higher.

There’s a lot of people searching for — cookie decorating ideas, valentines day cookies, valentines treats and related.  We’ve posted about them before, but couldn’t fit ’em in this year.  Instead we provide a quick link to our best Valentine’s Day Cookie posts thus far.  Have a great one!

* Instead of decorating Valentine’s Day Cookies this year, we’ll be decorating St. Patrick’s Day Cookies, so come back to see them around March 17th.

Hip hip hooray, we’re on our way to the Pala Casino Buffet to spend the winnings of Super Bowl Sunday.  It’ll be explained later, but now I’m happy to report a $100 win in a Super Bowl pool, as I luckily did last year.  Is it legal?  I don’t know — Oh well.  In celebration of ALL and because my Dad loves Budweiser, I’ve posted the quotes below.

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

– Benjamin Franklin

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“Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.”

– Dave Barry

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“Beer: Helping ugly people have sex since 3000 B.C.”

– W. C. Fields

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“Remember I before E, except in Budweiser.”

– Professor Irwin Corey