Swim Day at Preschool

It's swim day at preschool tomorrow.  I'm excited for the Little Guy. I'm sure he is going to have a blast.

A reminder posted next to the sign-in sheet. Yes, yes, yes and yes... everything is ready.

Fruit Tuesday

Every Tuesday we have free breakfast at work, but since I always arrive too late for breakfast I usually grab stuff for snacks.  

A snapshot of what I hauled today... grapes, banana, Ritz bits and mixed nuts (cashew, almond, walnut and hazelnut).

Shrimp Po'Boys

Sprinkled with sea salt and freshly-cracked peppercorns, a pound of shrimp was sauteed in olive oil and butter and then finished off with juice of half a lemon and chopped flat-leaf parsley.  

On a separate pan, the cherry tomatoes were cooked in olive oil with chopped anchovies and capers until the tomatoes burst.

Then the shrimp was spooned into a focaccia bread warmed on a grill pan and then layered with lettuce.  The tomatoes with capers and anchovies were added on top.

There you go... Louisiana Po'Boy with Italian twist!

Oatmeal

On weekdays, my day usually starts with with a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries and strawberries.

Red Tulips

Warm greetings for a lovely week ahead!

A Pack of Egg Noodles

...was made into a pot of soup with edamame, organic free-range chicken breast cut into cubes, chicken broth, two cups of milk, salt and white pepper.

Sunday Brunch at Aroma Cafe

I have driven by this restaurant on Tujunga Avenue in Studio City countless times and there's always a long line no matter what time of day. One afternoon I even saw George Clooney when I peeked on my rear view mirror on a convertible Aston Martin. He was driving behind me on Tujunga from Ventura and then he pulled up in front of this restaurant. I have been intrigued for years, but never got a chance to try until today.

Surprised this spot is not a full service restaurant. And equally surprised that there is a huge patio at the back. From the outside and from the long queue, I was under the impression that this is a little cozy garden restaurant with few tables.

As for the food, I was not particularly impressed with what I ordered, Brioche French toast filled with strawberries and blueberries. But did like husband's pulled pork with grilled pineapple burger. The Little Guy had pancakes topped with banana.

Overall, a lovely place for outdoor dining, wide selection of breakfast/brunch items to choose from and the pastries look very appetizing.

Filipino Food-To-Go

Filipino food-to-go from Arko Foods in Glendale for tonight's dinner.

From top left clockwise:  kare-kare (oxtail and vegetables stew), ginataang langka (jackfruit cooked in coconut milk with shrimp paste), pork sisig (chopped pigs face and ears, chicken liver, chili and seasoned with calamansi/lemon), dinuguan (pork meat and intestine cooked in pig's blood).

Dim Sum

In San Gabriel Valley at Lunasia Dim Sum House with hubby's friend for some bite-size Chinese delicacies served on small steamers or small plates called dim sum.

On the table:

• Shanghai Pork Dumplings
• Steamed Chicken Feet
• BBQ Pork Buns
• Spareribs and Black Bean Sauce
• Steamed Sausage Turnip Cake
• Shrimp Rice Noodle
• Macao Roasted Pork Belly
• Pan-Fried Vermicelli Taiwanese Style

A Taste of Korea

At O. Tofu House on Devonshire in Granada Hills for some delicious Korean comfort food.

On the table...

• Seafood and scallion pancake
• Beef and octopus tofu
• Beef short-rib soup
• Deep-fried yellow corvina
• Bowls of steamed white rice

And, endless panch'an :-)

Garlic Steak and Eggs

Tonight's dinner was steak and eggs. Bone-in rib-eye steak seasoned with steak rub, with thinly sliced garlic inserted on small slits and then grilled on a grill pan. The eggs were cooked over easy. 

The flowers, plumbago, a native to South Africa, came from our garden.

Salmon & Spinach

We eat fish once or twice a week -- usually on Mondays, but this past Monday we picked-up food to go more here.

And so the salmon that was intended for Monday was grilled tonight seasoned with seafood rub on both sides and eaten with a bunch of spinach sautéed in butter with thinly sliced garlic, onion, salt and pepper.

Pollo ala Brasa

Last night we had to run some errands and decided to just pick-up food to go. First, we called our go-to Peruvian restaurant, they took our order, but called back a few minutes later that they ran out of pollo ala brasa.  Are you kidding us? How can a “pollo a la brasa” joint run out of “pollo ala brasa.” Not totally convinced, we drove down there but truth be told, people looking for the same item were walking away.  So we ended up at In-N-Out…  two orders of double cheeseburger and fries.

And dinner tonight, you guessed it right...Pollo Ala Brasa… Yes, we went back to the same place.

Toddler Talk: Watermelon

Conversation with a two year old this morning...

Me:  JD what would you like to eat for breakfast – cereal or oatmeal with blueberries?

Little Guy:  What do you mean?  I want watermelon mommy, watermelon please…

Me:  It’s too early for watermelon.  Later after school, we can picnic in the garden and have watermelon

Little Guy:  hmmm… okay

A few minutes later…  mommy, watermelon please…

Fast forward to now…

A Tunnel

... as we passed by a tunnel on our way home from Pacific Palisades.

Clambake Dinner on Father’s Day

A simple Father’s Day celebration since husband just wants to stay at home.

Toddler’s Crafts for Father’s Day

A trophy that says “World’s Greatest Dad”

and, a tie...

Graduation

But the Little Guy vehemently refused to wear his cap and gown so we just watched the older kids receive their diplomas. 

As Summer Begins

We had brunch in the garden to welcome Summer which officially kicks off tomorrow! Mostaccioli pasta with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, capers and tuna.  And, half a bottle Riesling to finish it off… cheers!

The Little Guy had bread with peanut butter.

A Taste of Lebanon

... at Hayat's Kitchen in North Hollywood.


On the table...

• grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice and vegetables cooked in olive oil and lemon

• kibbeh nayeh is made of minced raw beef combined with wheat, pureed onion and a mix of spices

• makanek is Lebanese sausage sauteed in lemon
• fatoush salad is a mix of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, parsley, radishes, olive oil, lemon and toasted pita'

• foul mudammas is made of fava and garbanzo beans with garlic in olive oil and lemon

Summer Friday

It's my second Summer Friday today, one of the little perks in my company which is observed between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 

Thought twice about the original plan to be homebound at one o'clock since it's the Little Guy's nap time in pre-school.  Instead, I drove 18 miles to have lunch with hubby and drove another 17 miles back to pick-up the Little Guy from pre-school. 

Lunch was chicken kabob on a bed of basmati rice with a side of Greek salad with extra olives and feta cheese.  Yum!

Pizza & Spaghetti

We're having the same old same old ... pizza and kung pao spaghetti with shrimp.

Rice with Chicken, Peas and Almonds

In a large saucepan with olive oil, I added chopped onion, sliced garlic and finely chopped parsley.  Then I added 2 cups of rice and 3 1/2 cups of organic free-range chicken broth. Cooked for about five minutes and  then simmered for another fifteen.

I seasoned the rice with salt and pepper. Added a cup of peas and sliced almonds and cooked for another five minutes. Topped with organic chicken breast cooked on a separate pan.

Dinner is served!

Tender Greens

...where I had lunch with a friend today. I had Tuna Nicoise -- seared albacore tuna on tender greens, tomato, potato, capers, green beans, quail egg, olives drizzled with sherry vinaigrette.

Fish with Eggplant

A whole eggplant sliced into cubes was salted and placed on a colander for about twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet with olive oil, I added chopped onion, sliced garlic and diced fresh tomatoes.  Three minutes later, I poured in a can of 8 oz tomato sauce, a can of coconut milk and then I added the eggplant. 

Seasoned with salt and pepper, simmered for about thirty minutes, then the fish came last. 

Beef Picadillo and Plantain

Dinner tonight -- ground beef, raisins diced potatoes, carrots and green bell pepper cooked in tomato sauce and seasoned with salt and freshly-cracked peppercorns. 

And then served with fried plantain. 

Pork, Beans and Potatoes

What we had for dinner was a simple, quick and easy to prepare dish made of diced pork, diced potatoes, sliced green beans and edamame. Cooked in organic free-range chicken broth with cornstarch to thicken.

Godiva

For dessert, we walked to Godiva and had two cups of chocolate/vanilla swirl ice cream.  Plus, the one free chocolate for being a member. 

California Pizza Kitchen

... for Sunday brunch.  And, we ordered the same dishes we usually order from this place --  tortilla spring rolls (mediterranean, thai and baja), Moroccan spiced chicken salad and kung pao spaghetti.