A Walk Under the Trees

... in the City of Angeles.  With 4 million population, it is the nation's second largest city. It is highly urbanized, yet a commune with nature is just a few blocks away.

Below is a snapshot from today's lunch break walk...

Our Korean Dinner

It's a cold winter night, we thought Korean food is in order so we went to O. Tofu House located on a strip mall on Devonshire in Granada Hills.

What's on the menu?

• Chapchae, arguably the most popular Korean noodle dish
• Beef and octopus tofu
• Rice with spicy seasoned octopus on a stone pot
• Spicy beef soup
• Banchan, a stone bowl of rice and hot tea

Burp!

A pleasant weekend wishes everyone!

 

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Kale

...  is what we had for brunch at home today with tomatoes and cheese and cooked on a cast-iron skillet.  

Crawfish on Fire

Popularized by Boiling Crab,  the Cajun flavored seafood in a bag -- no plate, peeled and eaten with bare hands -- is a restaurant concept that is popping up like mushrooms in Los Angeles these days. First step, you select the seafood which is sold by the pound -- shrimp, crawfish, crab legs , oyster, lobster, clams and/or mussels. Next, you pick the flavor/seasoning with choices of lemon pepper, garlic butter,  Cajun or Da Mix (fusion of all three). Then you decide how spicy you can go. 

We tied the bibs, the seafood bag came out... time to dive in and get messy.

Trattoria Amici

We had a wonderful time catching up with my cousin and her family at Trattoria Amici in Glendale.

On the table...

• Amici Salad
• Lasagna Classica
• Filetto Manzo Boscaiola
• Vulcano Fondente
• Budino al Butterscotch

Peruvian Dinner

On a Friday night at home... ceviche mixto and one whole pollo ala brasa husband picked-up from a Peruvian restaurant on his way home.

Snow-capped Mountains

We saw sunny skies again today after series of storms rolled across Southern California bringing snow in the mountains.

Here's a snapshot of snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains taken during a short hike earlier today.

Plantains

... are what we had for dessert, fried and sprinkled with sugar.  Our blood runs a little bit sweeter.

Gnocchi

Pronounced n'yaw-kee, this dish originated from Northern Italy, in the province of Lombardy.

Tonight's dinner is gnocchi in marinara sauce.  The gnocchi is store-bought, the sauce is homemade marinara.

On a Winter Day

After days of El Nino driven storms, the sun finally came out, so I took a walk up on the hill and down the winding road back to the street that leads to our office building. It's almost an hour walk.

While up on the hill, I took this snapshot of a lemon tree.

After a Heavy Rainstorm

... the sky is clear, the air is fresh, the leaves have fallen.

Orange Beef

This is flank steak cut into thin strips and marinated in the juice of two lemons, lemon zest, rice vinegar and soy sauce. An hour later, the meat was fried in olive oil and then sauteed quickly on the marinade with brown sugar and scallions. 

Two Robins and a Dove

... on bare maple branches.  I heard the melodic caroling of the robins as I head out the door.

Salmon and Golden Potatoes

Delicious salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acid which keeps the heart stay healthy and also play a crucial role in brain function.

The salmon was cooked on a 350-degree pre-heated oven for 6 minutes, then broiled for another 6 minutes. The topping was mayo, Dijon mustard and honey.  Paired beautifully with baby golden potatoes.

Rain Falls in Los Angeles

String of storms in the Pacific will hit drought-parched Southern California which will lead to flooding and mud slides.

A snapshot of the heavy downpour this morning. El Niño has arrived.

Sauteed Beef Liver

I know many people shy away from liver, but trust me, beef or chicken liver is delicious, nutritious and very easy to make.

First, I infused the canola oil with garlic on a pan with heat turned to low. Then I took out the garlic, cranked the heat to high and fried the liver in batches. Then, I spooned them all back to the pan, poured in half a cup soy sauce, squeezed in the juice of one lemon, added the zest, garlic, sliced red onion and cilantro.

Camellia

Heavy rain is in the forecast throughout the week. So while the sky is clear, I took a 2-mile walk during lunch break. 

Here's a snapshot of a white camellia on the side of the road.  

Vietnamese-style Noodle Soup

... to satisfy our craving for something warm, nourishing and flavorful. Again, it's left-over ham, rice noodles, onion & garlic, cilantro and lime.

Now thinking of more comforting dishes to make throughout the winter season.

Ham & Cabbage Soup

We had left over ham  from last week and cabbage on the fridge so prudence prevailed I made a pot of ham & cabbage soup with chopped onion, thinly sliced garlic, fennel seeds and sambal oelek.  A warm and delicious winter meal.

We took our bowls in the living room and watched DVR'd shows.

On New Year's Eve

We feasted on Hoppin' John and sauteed collard greens -- traditionally served on New Year and considered lucky food in the South. We also had spaghetti which equates to long life in Chinese tradition as well as a variety of round fruits, thirteen in total, one for each month of the coming year plus one extra to signify abundance. This is one tradition many Filipinos all over the world follow.

When the clock strikes midnight we were standing at the doorstep throwing a bucket of coins into the house to attract good fortune. Then we ate twelve grapes, a Spanish tradition called "las doce uvas de la suerte." Actually, thirteen, I tweaked it a bit, so we have "extra"  like the round fruits.  It's nice to have more than enough to save for the rainy days.

So farewell 2015. What an amazing year it has been. I'm loking forward to creating more happy memories in 2016.

Happy New Year to y'all! May the coming year be a joyous, healthy and a prosperous one!