Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

The Vegetable Moussaka Recipe in The Olive and The Caper had such promise — I’m not quite sure why it wasn’t as good as it should have been.  An assembly line of baked Eggplant, blanched Potatoes and sliced Tomatoes was prepared, as well as homemade Bechamel Sauce.  All was layered as instructed with Bechamel and Cheese poured over top.  It looked terrific going in and coming out of the oven, but unfortunately didn’t become the fluffy cloud of Bechamel with goods underneath that I’ve previously enjoyed at a few Greek restaurants.  Instead it was dry throughout and curdled in places, not a desirable combination.

I like the cookbook, but will be moving past the Vegetable Moussaka.  Until choosing the next tasty Greek recipe to make, I’m sticking with the Greek Fried Egg and heading to Papadakis Taverna for a luscious Moussaka fix.  Opa!

I’ve discovered that Dill Pickles and Pine Nuts (Pignolias) go very well together, especially with Bubbies Pickles.  I’m not quite sure what to make with them yet, but damn — It’s a good combination.  Until a recipe is conjured up, I’ll keep eating a handful of Pine Nuts with each bite of a Pickle.  Give it a try.

I’ve always wanted to make my own Dill Pickles, but dread the whole canning sterilization process — It’s a turn off, HA.  So I searched for a way around it and came across a good shortcut for a quick, easy homemade Dill Pickle.  Its author, Michele of Cooking with Michele used Cucumber spears, but I was in need of chips.  And with some leftover Bubbies Pickle Juice and a self sealing mason jar, the result is above.  After a week, they were nicely crunchy and absorbed some of the Bubbies flavor and Dill Pickle taste.  It’s a great use for leftover Pickle Juice — It’s like getting a second jar of Pickles for free, or for the price of a few Cucumbers.

I’ve only just begun to explore the goods offered by Pascal Epicerie and Wine Shop and I’m already hooked on the Salads.  I’ve stopped in 3 of the last 4 days to choose from the Daily Pasta and Vegetable Salads offered by the pound.

So far we can’t get enough of the Bean Salad(s) and Roasted Vegetables — The Green Beans aren’t pictured, but they’re my favorite so far.  Pictured with the aforementioned is the Ratatouille and Beet Salad.  We look forward to trying ALL their Pasta and Vegetable Salads, to be posted here soon.  Pascal Epicerie and Wine Shop is next door to Tradition by Pascal, one of the best restaurants in Newport Beach.

One Red Bell Pepper makes a fair amount of Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.  This Sauce is a variation of several recipes I reviewed online.  And it turned out to be a simple and tasty combination.  I halved and charred a Red Bell Pepper in the toaster oven until completely black, then with the oven off I kept it in there for another 15 minutes to steam/loosen the skin.  And it peeled right off like nothing. 

To make the Sauce, add the Roasted Red Pepper to a mini food processor with the perfect balance of Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice and S&P — It doesn’t take much of each.  Puree all, then taste and add more of the above (if necessary) to dial in the flavor.  This small batch was so good — I ate the extra Sauce as Gazpacho.  Before that, I had it on some Lingcod I poached.

Related Link: /FoodBlog/2009/06/02/lingcod-fish-its-green-its-blue-its-white/

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/

Coach’s Mediterranean Grill & Bar in Huntington Beach always seems to provide good service and food.  This day we only had time for a quick bite, thus had the Hummus and Falafel with Pita Bread — The Falafel is served with Tahini, but we recommend it with Tzatziki.  The Hummus looked like a work of art within a wave.

Coach’s Mediterranean Grill & Bar is on Main Street in “Surf City” and a short walk inland from the Pier.  It’s an airy indoor/outdoor restaurant with good Mediterranean food and people watching from the patio.  And just down the street a New Exhibit at The International Surfing Museum  just opened — It’s Part One: The Wooden Years, an Exhibit on Board Shapers.  My friend Bonnie, an Interior Designer put the entire Exhibit together.  On opening day I popped in right when she had time for a bite, so we walked to Coach’s with our Opening Party Mai Tai’s — Shhh.  All was fab!  If local or visiting, be sure to check out the Surf Museum.  Live Bands occasionally play in the parking lot too.  And P.S.  There are a lot of good restaurants on HB’s Main Street.

Related Links:

http://www.coachsmedgrill.com/

http://www.surfingmuseum.org/index1.html

http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falafel

http://www.bonniejoydesigns.com/

Have you heard of The Veggie Grill?  It’s a small chain that I heard was good — So a couple of us tried it today for lunch and liked it.  I’m not in love yet, but the food was fresh, the restaurant was clean and the service was extra friendly and helpful.

We visited The Veggie Grill at The Irvine Spectrum.  It’s a semi fast food type of place, whereas you order and pay at the counter, then they deliver your food on real plates with silverware.  This first visit we both tried the same, a Baja Fiesta Salad and Bean Me Up Chili for the Soup & Salad Combo.  They also offer a few interesting Veggie Sandwiches and Burgers we’ll need to try next time.

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

Since I had a bunch of washed, fresh cut/peeled Celery leftover from a Vegetable Platter, I made this impromptu Cream of Celery Soup.  Homemade is way better than any canned version.  Sorry there’s no measurements here, but YOU CAN DO IT — Be generous with the Onion, Herb and Garlic for optimum taste.

Sauté chopped Onion and Celery with S & P in Olive Oil until almost caramelized, then add minced Garlic, fresh Thyme Leaves and cook a couple minutes longer.  Add enough Chicken Stock/Broth to cover all ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool and purée in a blender. 

Return the puréed mixture to a saucepan, reheat and add a little Cream, not much, none is really needed if that’s preferred.  And to nicely combine the flavors, add fresh Lemon Juice and S & P to taste at the end.  It’s a quick, easy, much better than canned copycat Cream of Celery Soup if in need, or due to an abundance of Celery.

The First Annual Orange County Restaurant Week officially starts today and continues through February 28th — More details about it are linked below.  As previously reported on Nibbles of Tidbits, participating Chefs are giving cooking demonstrations at Bloomingdale’s Home Store at South Coast Plaza.

Here Chef Paul French of The Californian at The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach makes their Wild Mushroom Ravioli with sauteed Jewel Box Mushrooms, Farmer’s Market Vegetables and Brown Truffle Butter Sauce.  WOW, it’s the best we’ve sampled (thus far) during these demonstrations.  And it’s fortunately one of the dishes being offered during OC Restaurant Week.

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=2623

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=2489

http://www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com/

http://huntingtonbeach.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/index.jsp

I like fresh Cranberry Sauce all year long.  It’s easy to make and a great side dish to have on hand.  It goes well with Pork, Chicken, Ice Cream, Sandwiches, and much more.  Why ever eat Cranberry Sauce out of a can when all you need to do is boil Cranberries in a mixture of half Sugar and Water for about 10 minutes?!  One Bag of Cranberries calls for 1 Cup of Sugar & 1 Cup of Water.  I also like to add Orange Zest and Juice.  It really makes a tasty Cranberry Sauce.

This fabulously easy recipe is shown step-by-step in the links below.  It’s been made by several food bloggers/writers/cooks.  When I came across it, I had to make it too.  The preparation is simple — Just boil Red Potatoes until soft and smash them down onto an Oiled baking sheet.  Drizzle the smashed Potatoes with melted Butter, minced Garlic and S&P, then bake in the oven at 450° for 25 minutes without turning.  Voila!  They’re done and taste great.  If you need more information than that, check out The Pioneer Woman and For The Love Of Cooking.

Related Links:

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/460615-crash-hot-potatoes

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/08/crash-hot-potatoes.html

After my Christmas Party this year I ended up with leftovers from two generous Vegetable Platters.  I love having washed pre-cut vegetables on hand.  They’re a great snack, but you can only eat so many Celery and Carrot sticks with Ranch Dip.  Since I had so many, I tried a few recipes.  Before that I did eat the Red, Yellow and (most) Green Peppers, and there were no Cucumbers after the party — I made a few dishes with the remaining Cherry Tomatoes, Celery, Carrots, Broccoli, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas.

White Bean & Celery Soup – This may not look like much, but it’s good.  The recipe (linked below) is a combination of Celery, Onion, Garlic, Cannellini Beans, Vegetable Stock and S & P.  I substituted Chicken Stock and added some fresh squeezed Lemon Juice at the end, plus Scallions on top.  It hit the spot after that.  http://www.opensourcefood.com/people/netwalker/recipes/white-bean-and-celery-soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup – I roasted Broccoli, Carrots, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas in the oven.  After all were a little charred, I removed the vegetables from the oven and added hot Chicken Stock.  I mixed some Milk with a little Cornstarch and poured it in, then brought all to a quick boil, simmered a bit and served this Soup within a short time.  It was easy and flavorful.

 Baked Cherry Tomatoes – I stumbled across this recipe (linked below) which seemed easy and a little different.  I had all ingredients, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Chives, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and S & P.  I followed the recipe exactly, but next time I might add less Lemon Juice, or add the Peel/Rind instead.  I’ve found that the Rind imparts a Lemon flavor without making a dish too tart.  Or Lemon Juice added at the end is sometimes best.  http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0896/cherryto.html

Roasted Carrots – I roasted Carrots in the oven with a little Olive Oil and Salt.  I ate several, then mashed the rest and incorporated them into an easy Carrot Souffle recipe.  It didn’t turn out like I hoped, mostly because I didn’t have all ingredients.  I tried to improvise, but the final was too dense, not fluffy and light how I want.

Cafeteria Carrot Souffle – Here’s the wannabe Souffle photo and recipe (linked below).  I mickey-moused this one, but you might want to give it a try.  It has potential.  After making all the above, I’m down to a small bag of Cherry Tomatoes, Carrots and Broccoli.  Any suggestions?  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cafeteria-Carrot-Souffle/Detail.aspx

Edamame are one of my favorite snacks.  I prefer them warm with Salt — That’s what I just made HERE.  Most Japanese Restaurants appear to serve them chilled.  I’ve seen and like both offerings.  When not eating out, I buy them frozen, cook for 10 minutes, drain, Salt and eat.

Related Links:

http://www.edamame.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edamame

It might not sound good to some, but these Vinegar Potatoes for lack of a creative title, end up sweet, soft and crunchy — You can’t stop eating them, or at least I can’t.  I finally write the easy prep steps here.  Three large Red Potatoes were used in the picture, although a few were consumed pre photo op.

VINEGAR POTATOES RECIPE:

Red Potatoes
Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

(1)  Peel and roughly cube Red Potatoes.

(2)  Boil cubed Potatoes until soft (Don’t overcook).  Drain and salt.

(3)  Add soft salted Potatoes to a frying pan with a little Oil (Olive/Canola combo or other) and fry until golden brown.

(4)  After browned add enough Vinegar to reach each Potato in the pan then quickly evaporate, approximately 1/8 – 1/4 cup.  Cook another 5-10 minutes, adjust S & P then serve.

This would make a great Thanksgiving side dish, especially since it can be made a day or two ahead.  It’s successfully reheated in the oven the next day.  I’m telling you they’re Tast-TEE. 🙂

Related Link: http://www.history.com/minisites/thanksgiving/

This was more of an Eggplant experiment turned into a what’s on hand Ratatouille.  Many Eggplant recipes require that you Salt and drain the Eggplant for an hour before cooking.  Salt is supposed to pull out the bitter flavors sometimes found in Eggplants — But I don’t want to do that.  Call me impatient, plus the process makes the Eggplant seem unappealing to me afterwards, so I never do it.

Here I conducted an experiment.  I cubed an Eggplant and sautéed half in a little Olive Oil and Salt over the stove, and baked the other half with some Olive Oil and Salt in the oven.  Since Eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge, I add more as needed while trying not to add too much.

Overall, I thought the texture of the baked Eggplant was more desirable than the sautéed Eggplant.  The baked Eggplant is pictured above being added to the Sauce.  I thought the stove cooked Eggplant was a little tough and less flavorful.  None were bitter.  I enjoyed eating the baked Eggplant straight from the oven, but the other wasn’t as enjoyable.

I added both Eggplant batches to sautéed Sweet Onion, lots of minced Garlic, chopped Tomatoes and served all over Angel Hair Pasta with a little Shaved Parmesan.  I would have been satisfied if I had just baked the Eggplant, ate it from the oven and skipped everything else.

Related Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratatouille

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071022104958AAVGqPO

I’ve been making this basic recipe for years.  I just switch it up between an all in, or some out combination of chopped Red and/or Green Cabbage, grated or chopped Carrots, finely chopped Celery or Celery Seed, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions.

I then add all to the above — Mayonnaise, White Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, and freshly ground Pepper to taste.  This is one of my favorite snacks to have on hand.  It’s hard to rival that perfect combination of ingredients. 

The Coleslaw above is made with Red Cabbage and Carrots, and the one below is made with Red Cabbage, finely grated Celery and Green Onions.  The measurements of the remaining ingredients vary on the volume of vegetables.  I’ll usually add a little at a time to dial in that perfect taste and coverage.  I tend to have a lighter hand on the Mayo and heavier hand on the Vinegar, without overdoing it.

P.S.  I confess that I also happen to like Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Coleslaw and Chic-Fil-A’s Coleslaw, although neither taste like mine, nor each other.  Coleslaw has endless variations and it’s a better snack than many.

Post-Post Coleslaw:  This one was made with shredded Green Cabbage, grated Carrots, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions, plus the standard mix-in, as detailed above.

Related Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleslaw

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0406a.htm

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#home

http://www.scribd.com/doc/124752/American-Chain-Restaurant-Recipe-Book

http://www.kfc.com/

To me, Deviled Eggs are a perfect combination of Mayonnaise, Yellow Mustard, Apple Cider Vinegar and S & P.  This is the first time I’ve piped in the filling using a pastry bag.  I could use a little more practice.  Some turned out good and others needed to be fixed — Once you lose that swirl you can’t get it back, but they all tasted the same.  Deviled Eggs are a good pre lunch or dinner snack to have on hand.  I’ve even had them for breakfast.  Why not?

Related Links:

http://www.deviledeggs.com/

http://deviledegg.org/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviled_egg

Have you seen Soy Chorizo?  Do you like Chorizo?  I love Chorizo, but made the mistake of reading its ingredients one day.  And one I can’t get out of my head is salivary glands.  After reading that I didn’t eat Chorizo for several years.  I’ve since loosened up and will eat it in a restaurant — I just try not to think about it. 🙂

At home I use Soy Chorizo.  It’s almost as good as the real stuff, but the peace of mind makes it terrific.  I’m not grossed out making it and the Chorizo flavor is there.  I bought this one from Trader Joe’s and Mother’s Market has it too.

Here I made Chorizo and Eggs.  I removed the Soy from the casings (plastic) and fried it in a skillet.  It cooks differently than regular Chorizo, since no fat (oil) comes out.  It’s almost hard to tell when it’s done because it doesn’t get much darker.  I cooked it for about 10 minutes then added the Eggs and cooked until done.  I served all in warmed Flat Bread with Sour Cream.  It’s good stuff.

Related Links:

http://www.traderjoes.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=839

http://www.mothersmarket.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=EMAF4UHXAMV58MQM1LG58N4W74AAFP7A

I came across the Peaches and Cream Pops recipe and fell in love with the picture.  It looked and sounded great.  I just had to make them immediately. 

Since I didn’t have actual Popsicle molds, I made mine in small plastic wine glasses generally reserved for a good picnic.  They worked well for this too.  I also used Yellow and White Peaches in mine, and added a little Honey, which is optional in the recipe.

My final picture isn’t as pretty as the one in the original recipe, but they tasted great.  I now want Popsicle molds and I’m inspired to make a multitude of flavors.  I currently have a fresh cut Pineapple on hand.   Hhmmmm, maybe that’s the next flavor.

Here’s the RECIPE and better final picture:

http://eatcaliforniafruit.com/recipes/recipe_Detail.asp?rID=130

I finally tried it.  To me it tastes like Cauliflower, but with less flavor.  I didn’t expect that.  It’s a pretty color and fun to try, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it, unless I needed its color contribution to a dish. 

I prepared a dish I make often with Cauliflower.  This time it’s ‘Roasted Broccoflower’ with Lemons, Garlic, Olive Oil and S & P.  It’s so simple and good.  If needed, the exact cooking instructions from a previous post are linked below.

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=121

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoflower

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-broccoflower.htm

Lo Siento.  I’m not really sure why I’m trying to speak Spanish right now – HA.  I tried a recipe I saw Rachael Ray make on 30 Minute Meals.  It’s called Potato Salad Fra Diavolo.  The combination sounded really interesting to me, so I made it, but didn’t like it. 

That was a bummer, since I was hoping to eat it for lunch throughout the week.  I followed the recipe exactly, which I rarely do.  I’ll usually change something.  To me, the flavor was a bit heavy and didn’t jive — Perhaps too much Mustard or Fennel, I’m not sure.

I love the TV Food Network and Rachael Ray, but this particular recipe doesn’t work that well, with all due respect.  It’s from Episode#: TM1903.  Has anyone else made it?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s a few pictures of my preparation and a link to the recipe so you can try it yourself.  Good luck.

Recipe Links – http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2055

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/potato-salad-fra-diavolo-recipe/index.html

It’s a new cool convenience to fresh Herbs if you don’t have them on hand.  They’re pretty good and especially great for Soups and Stews.  I’ve seen them in Basil too at Trader Joe’s, but the manufacturer sells a larger variety.  Both links are below.

Related Links:

http://www.dorot.co.il/eng/

http://www.traderjoes.com/