The Dole Plantation

While in Hawaii in December I was able to visit the Dole Plantation.  I love hearing how companies started.  It all reminds me of the great American Dream of becoming successful.

El Hubby and I took the Pineapple Express tour of the plantation and did the maze. I learned a few things about pineapples while at the Dole Plantation. 

Did you know that pineapple did not grow on trees?  I sure didn't.  Kinda cool. 

Our tour guide showed us a coffee plant.  Of course I had to go check it out.

Apparently the leaved can be used for all sorts of things such as skirts, to wrap food in, etc.

I got to pick a coffee pod.  After squeezing it open 2 coffee beans came out.  Apparently when they are ready the pods get picked, then taken out of the pods, and then dried.  So cool!

I was fascinated with the whole coffee thing.  I mean, you drink coffee all the time.  But what do you really know about it?  I love learning new things.  Knowledge is power!

The train we took on our tour was super cute.

El Hubby and I were very excited to be riding on the Pineapple Express.

We took a picture with a pineapple in front of the train.  We are such tourist!

It was neat to see that pineapples were still be grown in Hawaii at the Dole Plantation.   Apparently pineapples need to be grown where the weather is warm like 70-85 degrees.  Pineapples are grown year round in Hawaii because of the warm weather in Hawaii.  The green, leafy part of the pineapple called the crown is what is used to plant pineapples.  Each crown is planted by hand.  A skilled planter can plant around 10,000 crowns in a day!  Pineapples are also harvested by hand.  The first crop takes 18-20 months to be ready for harvest.  The next crop takes another 15 months.  Our tour guide said there was a 3rd harvest but I don't remember how long it takes to be ready for harvest.  Pineapples must taste so good because so much love goes into them. 

In 2008 Dole Plantation's Pineapple Maze was declared the largest maze. 

So of course this Harry Potter fan needed to try the maze.  El Hubby and I did not get to every station.  I kinda freaked out and thought we would never be able to get out.  Or the Dark Lord would find us.  Whatever!  Plus, it was hot and I started to dream about Dole Whip.

The dole whip was amazing.  Now I am sure everyone has had the dole whip at Disneyland.  This is so much better.  So much better!  The dole whip was so smooth and rich in pineapple flavor AND so much more generous with the fresh pineapple.  The other Hawaiian food looked pretty good but we didn't get a chance to eat there.  However, I did load up on chocolate covered pineapple to take home to family and friends. Let me tell you.  This was so much better than chocolate covered macadamia nuts that everyone brings back from Hawaii.

If you are ever in Hawaii I highly suggest checking out the Dole Plantation.  It's fun for all ages.

Dole Plantation
64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy
Wahiawa, HI 96786
(808) 621-8408

Keep trying new adventures and food!

XOXO

McDonald's ... Hawaii Style

Now El Hubby and I don't eat a lot of fast food.  But when we do you better bet it is McDonald's.  For some reason we always celebrate with McDonald's.  I know.  We are super weird.  On our wedding day after all the festivities were over and everything loaded back to our apartment, we got McDonald's!  Every time we go out of time on road trips ... McDonald's! 

Sooo ... of course when we were in Hawaii we had to get McDonald's.  Now the McDonald's in Hawaii is a little different than on the mainland.  Hehehe!

The McDonald's on the island serves SPAM, rice, and Portuguese sausages!  Crazy!  The breakfast was not bad.  A little greasy but that is to be expected with spam and sausage.  El Hubby got eggs, Portuguese sausage and rice.  I got eggs, spam, and rice.

There was the normal breakfast of course.  But why order what you can get at home. The experience itself was kinda cool.  I always love going to McDonald's that are different than the ones in the states. 

McDonald's
2476 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815

Trying different foods is fun!

XOXO

Eggs 'N Things

Now that I look back 2012 was really a amazing year.  Lots of good things happen for El Hubby and me in 2012.  Hopefully 2013 bring more good things and excitement.

One of the things I got to do in 2012 was go to Hawaii.  Technically it was a business trip for El Hubby but I was fortunate enough to be able to go too.  I didn't get to do much site seeing because El Hubby was busy working a lot ... BUT I did have a amazing time relaxing on the beach, reading, drinking, and eating my favorite ... PINEAPPLE.

Hawaii is such a beautiful place.  Our hotel was on Waikiki Beach and when I mean on Waikiki Beach I mean it was on the beach.  So awesome!  One of my favorite things about Waikiki Beach is that palm trees line the streets.

Since me and El Hubby are food people we knew if we did not have time to do a lot of site seeing we were going to EAT.  Oh and eat we did.

One of my favorite places that we ate at was called Eggs 'N Things.  I had noticed the little restaurant on the first day we arrived but since it was way past breakfast time (more like dinner) I just made a mental note of the place.  I knew I wanted to go here.  When we finally made it the next day there was a line but I was determined to eat.  Luckily the host at the front was very friendly and we decided to order take out.  Which turned out to be a great idea cause the line was moving very slow.  However, once we sat outside to wait for our food the nice host outside said we could eat outside.  Since it was the morning and raining off and on no one wanted to sit outside to eat.  El Hubby and I took the opportunity to eat outside once our food was ready.  No drinks since we thought we were going to eat back at the hotel.  No worries.  The amazing view of the beach made up for it. 

Everything on the menu sounds delicious.  But my love for pineapple made me order the pancakes with pineapple whip cream and nuts. 

Oh this was amazing.  The pancakes practically melted in my mouth.  So delicious syrup was not even needed.  I ate my first pancake without any syrup.  But then I noticed the pineapple syrup.  AMAZING!  The syrup was not too sweet but the perfect flavor of pineapple.  I wanted to steal the bottle.  Don't worry!  I didn't!  I am not a nuts person but even the nuts were perfect on these pancakes.  The only thing I was sad about was that I forgot to go back to get some pancake mix before our trip was over.  Major bummer!

It wasn't until later in our trip that I realized that we had ate at the express restaurant.  While shopping we saw the flagship restaurant but it looked so much busier that the express restaurant.  If you are ever on Waikiki Beach check out Eggs 'N Things.  I highly recommend it.

Eggs 'N Things
Waikiki Beach Eggspress
2464 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
(808) 926-EGGS

Now if only I had tried their dinner!

XOXO

Biscoff Banana Bread

If you have never had a biscoff cookie then you are missing out.  They are delicious!  I had my first one on a plane ride to San Diego.  So good! I did a little research and apparently biscoff cookies are European and were made popular as inflight snacks. 

Biscoff cookies are crunchy with a caramelized flavor.  I normally prefer soft cookies but I will make a exception for biscoff cookies.    When I saw a jar of biscoff spread at the grocery store I knew I had to get it.  So good on a bagel.  The biscoff spread is also a great substitute for peanut butter. 

Biscoff Banana Bread
From Kirbie's Cravings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup biscoff spread

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Grease four 6x2 inch mini loaf pans
2.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3.  Blend in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
4.  Mix salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour.
5.  Pour half of dry mixture into butter mixture.  Put half of biscoff spread into batter.  Use remaining dry mixture.  Put the other half of biscoff spread into batter.
6.  Divide into prepared pans.
7.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

The taste of biscoff is very light in this bread but yet just right.  However, the smell of this bread is a-maz-a-balls!  When baking the whole house fills with cinnamon, biscoff, and banana. You can spread a little butter on the bread or some biscoff spread would work too.  I prefer to eat the bread plain. 

I shared these at a Tzu Chi meeting and by the end of the meeting I did not see any left on the plate.  I usually judge a recipe's success on how much is leftover and if people choose to take the leftover.

It's a new year so try new things!

XOXO

Vegetarian Happiness

This is what brings a smile to a vegetarian's face. 

Eat veggies, they are good for you. 

XOXO

Peggy

Sweet Tomatoes

One of my favorite places to eat is Sweet Tomatoes.  There is just something about salad that makes me happy.  Having a nice dinner at Sweet Tomatoes with my husband always makes me happy. 

I really love that Sweet Tomatoes now takes coupons via your smart phone.  It's convenient and environmentally friendly. 

Keep eating vegetables!

XOXO

Love, Peggy

Happy New Year!

2013 is here!  Now that I am 30 I feel that each year goes by faster and faster.  Which also makes me cherish all the memories with family and friend even more. Spend time with your family and friends.  In the end of the days all we will have are our memories and they should be good ones. 

This year I want to work on doing things that make me happy.

I want to:
-bake more
-cook more
-garden
-have a organized life (well at least organized to my taste)
-blog more
-take more pictures
-spend more time with my loved ones
-learn recipes from my grandmother
-be a better person
-worry less
-forgive and forget
... and the list goes on.  But mostly I want to be happy.

My wonderful husband made me breakfast on New Year's Day!  What a great way to start the new year!

I can't wait to see what 2013 holds!

XOXO

Love, Peggy

Ajisen Ramen at Westfield San Francisco

The Asian in me L-O-V-E-S ramen.  I am not talking about cup-o-noodles or Top Ramen.  I am talking about real ramen.  The real Asian ramen.  The kind that old Japanese men are slaving over a hot stove over. 
That kind of ramen.  There is something about Japanese ramen that just hits the spot.  Something about that creamy broth, thin cut meat, and egg that just excites my heart. 

El Hubby and I love going to Ajisen Ramen at Westfield Mall in San Francisco.  We have been there a couple of times and it has never disappointed.  I know getting ramen from a mall food court sounds weird but trust me Ajisen Ramen is good.  Very good.

This last visit to the city we stopped by for lunch and I ordered the Ajisen Spicy Pork Ramen.  So yummy!  The broth is full of flavor and the noodles cooked just right.  For the price of food the portions are not too bad.  El Hubby usually finishes all of his and whatever I don't eat of mine.  We make a great eating team.  We ordered a appetizer of friend chicken too but it was gobbled up before I could get a picture. 

The place is pretty small so get there early.  If not just write your name down and head over to Sanrio across the way for some shopping to kill time.  Trust me you want to wait for this food.

Ajisen Ramen Noodle
Westfield San Francisco Center, #C-12 865 Market Street
San Francisco, CA94103
(415)357-0288
Monday - Saturday: 10:00am to 8:30pm
Sunday: 10:00am to 7:00pm

Khloe the pup only has 2 speeds: lazy and excited. 

Remember, the holidays are about giving and being thankful for what you have.

XOXO

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

One of my favorite appetizers to get at a restaurant is spinach artichoke dip.  I know it goes straight to my thighs but oh it is so yummy.  So worth running a extra 2, 3, 4 ... 5 miles on the treadmill.  Okay wait!  Maybe not 5 miles!

So what could possibly be as good?  Spinach artichoke dip in pasta form.  O-M-G!  This is amazing.  I have made this 3 times before I could blog about it.  It is drool worthy and worth all the time it takes to make it. 

Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 bags baby spinach
2 can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
2 bottle Alfredo sauce
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
Pasta
1/2 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs

Directions:
1.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or skillet.
2.  Add garlic and throw in the spinach.  Stir it around until it's wilted, about 1 minute.  Remove spinach from heat and set aside.
3.  Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot and raise the heat to high.  Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside.
4.  Reduce the heat to low.  Add the 2 bottles of Alfredo sauce.  Add Parmesan, mozzarella, salt and pepper.  Stir to melt and add chicken broth until desired consistency.
5.  Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine.
6.  Gently fold in spinach.
7.  Pour the pasta into a serving dish.  Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes and plenty of Panko breadcrumbs for crunch.

I made this as a test run before Thanksgiving and then made it for the vegetarians in the family for Thanksgiving.  It was a hit among the vegetarians and carnivores.  More and more of my family is turning vegetarian so gatherings are becoming a little tricky.  

Then for Tzu Chi's gingerbread house building party I made this pasta again and one of the little girls ate 3 plate fulls.  I would call this a successful recipe.  That pioneer woman knows what she is doing.

Khloe the pup is as spoiled as ever.  The holidays are her favorite time of the year because she loves to snuggle and in the cold weather everyone welcomes a good snuggle.  Also, my family tends to give her a lot of seafood during this time of the year.  Just over the weekend I think Khloe the pup had over 6 shrimpies during dinner on Sunday.  Granted they were small.  But still spoiled.

Enjoy the holidays friends!

XOXO

Crab and Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

I love when a recipe turns out well and you end up making it again ... and again!  Successful recipes are always something to celebrate about. 

This crab and brie stuffed mushrooms is one of those recipes.  I hate ordering stuffed mushrooms at restaurants because they usually don't give you enough ... especially when you have more than 2 people.  So making this recipe at home is fantastic.  You can stuff as many mushrooms as you can with the filling and put as much filling as you want.  Costco here we come!

Crab & Brie Stuffed Mushrooms
Adapted from Pink Parsley 

Ingredients:
button mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup brie, cubed rind removed
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup lump crab meat

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Remove the stems from mushrooms, chop them finely, and set aside
3.  In a medium bowl, toss the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then salt and pepper.  Arrange in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet, open side up.  Set bowl aside to use for the filling.
4.  In a medium skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the onions and reserved mushroom stems until softened (about 3-4 minutes).  Remove from heat, stir in the cream cheese and transfer the mixture to the bowl.
5.  Mix in the parmesan cheese, brie, and panko bread crumbs.
6.  Lightly fold in the crab meat.
7.  Season with salt and pepper to taste
8.  Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and the filling is hot and bubbly.

My family gobbled this appetizer up at Thanksgiving.  I ended up making a huge tray of these and they were gone ... FAST!  Make these.  You will not regret it!

Keep the holiday spirit alive!

XOXO

S'mores Bars

Oh my gawd!  These are amazing.  Drool worthy.  I am pretty sure this S'mores Bar is better than smore's itself.

So amazing.  It's very rich so a small piece will be very satisfying.  But I won't stop you from washing 3 pieces down with a huge glass of milk.

S'mores Bar
From Wit & Whistle

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Milk chocolate bars
1 1/2 cup marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light.
3.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
4.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.
5.  Add dry mixture to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
6.  Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
7.  Place chocolate bars over dough.  2 king size Hershey's bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate if necessary to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick.
8.  Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff.
9.  Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff.
10.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool completely before cutting bars.

Please try to resist from cutting the bars before it cool.  It is worth the wait. 

Let the baking season begin!

XOXO

Bobby Hundreds from The Hundreds

Wow!  So it's been a very very very long time since I last posted on my blog.  A lot has happen and a lot has not.  But I do promise to blog more.

Today El Hubby and I decided to make a day trip to San Francisco.  Guess who we met?!?  That's right!  Bobby Hundreds from The Hundreds!  The day started out at The Hundreds shop.  It was the first place we stopped at.  El Hubby was hoping to run into Bobby Hundreds since we know from following his blog that he was in town for a collaboration.  We made our purchase at the store with no sign of Bobby Hundreds.  I had noticed on Instagram that Bobby Hundreds had posted that he was at the store.  However, I was too hesitant to ask if Bobby Hundreds was at the store.  We left and continued our shopping day.  El Hubby looked sad.  I felt like I had let down my husband cause I did not ask if Bobby Hundreds was at the store.  So crazy me decided to post a message on Bobby Hundreds Instagram.  Later in the afternoon we headed to Niketown which was our last stop of the day.  When we walked in El Hubby nudged me and said "that's John Hundreds".  I was really starting to feel bad now.  While waiting for El Hubby to shop in his favorite store I decided to sit down and check social media.  To my surprise Bobby Hundreds had replied to my comment on Instagram.  I ran to El Hubby and told him that Bobby Hundreds said to "come back".  So we paid and power walked to The Hundreds.  Guess who was sitting on the bench in front of The Hundred?!?  Bobby Hundreds!

The above picture is El Hubby showing Bobby Hundreds his loot from NikeTown.  Bobby Hundreds is really a cool guy.  I listened while El Hubby chatted with Bobby Hundreds.  It was so nice that Bobby Hundreds took the time to chat with us for awhile.  What an awesome day!

XOXO

Peggy

Whole Foods

Time flies by fast.  Life happens and there is nothing we can do to stop time.  August has been a crazy month.  My great aunt from Taiwan is in the states visiting.  My other great aunt passed away.  My brother in law got married.  A very full month.

My new co-worker likes to bring treats for the office.  It's pretty awesome.  Found these frog cookies in the office and couldn't resist so I took a picture.  And ate one of course.

Khloe the pup has been well.  However she might be getting a some cabin fever because it's been so hot in August that we haven't been able to go on many walks or park trips.  Hopefully it will cool down at night soon so we can take her out.

The end of summer is coming soon.  Boy does time fly by. 

XOXO

Happy Veggie Garden

A few weeks ago I  went down South to visit family with my mom.  El Hubby was not worried that I was going without him.  His reason was that I was going with "the vegetarian" and "how much fun" could I get in.  Carnivores can be so harsh.

Well we did have lots of Chinese food while in LA but not all was vegetarian.  But we did have a lot of vegetarian food. 

We ate at a vegetarian restaurant called Happy Veggie Garden.   Chinese people make pretty good vegetarian food.  I think I like Chinese vegetarian food the best because most items are hot and not in the salad category.

We ordered a lot of dishes but the one that stands out for me is the beef noodle soup.  Now if you have had spicy beef noodle soup you know what I am talking about.  No, there was no beef in the dish.  But the flavoring was pretty good that you might THINK it was made from beef.  Pretty amazing if you ask me. I think even El Hubby would approve.

Happy Veggie Garden also has some other amazing dishes like orange chicken.  Instead of fried pieces of chicken it is made from fried button mushroom.  Taste just as good and orange chicken without the chicken!

The food also comes with either rice porridge or buns.  Or you can always choose steamed rice too. 

Happy Veggie Garden
1015 S. Nogales Street, Ste 127
Roland Heights, CA 91748
(616) 810-2298

Khloe the pup really likes El Hubby's stinky fee.  I caught her playing with her pineapple on top of El Hubby's slippers.  Weird. 

Keep eating vegetables!

XOXO

McDonald's S'more Pie

The best part of camping is making s'mores by the camp fire.  I remember camping with my family when I was younger and enjoying ghost stories while eating s'mores. 

Now that I am married to a husband that does not camp I have not enjoyed s'mores in a long time.  Unless you count making them in the microwave.  Which I don't count. 

McDonald's came out with a s'mores pie.  Of course I tried it.  Duh!  This thing is pretty good.  However it is very rich in flavor.  Realistically I think I can only eat half.  El Hubby and I shared it.  The s'mores pie is basically chocolate and marshmallow wrapped in a graham cracker pie crust.  For fast food, I say this is pretty good.

I am probably bias but I think Khloe the pup is the cutest.  I am such a proud fur mama and until I have a kid she will continue to be spoiled.  Took a pick of her sleeping away.  It looks like she is smiling in her sleep. 

Keep making and finding good food to eat!

XOXO

S21

One of my favorite things to eat is noodles.  The best kind of noodles are either handmade or ramen.  When I heard there was a Japanese restaurant making ramen I knew I had to go.

I got the pork ramen and it was delicious.  The broth had a lot of flavor and the ramen was cooked well.  The pork was very tender.  My only complaint was that my ramen was served with half a egg and I would prefer a whole egg.  Otherwise it was perfect.  The portion is also very big.

S21 is a little place.  I really liked the restaurant because now a days it is hard to find a place with no TV or loud music.  El Hubby and I were able to enjoy a nice dinner and conversation.  The service was a little slow.  It looked like there was only 1 server the night we went but he was very nice and helpful.  The ramen took a while to arrive but it is for sure worth the wait.  El Hubby and I had order some sushi so it all worked out.  Ramen is not served everyday.  Ramen is only served on Tuesday and Wednesday for dinner.  I will for sure being going back to S21.

S21 Sushi & Sake Bar
5754 N. First Street
Fresno, CA 93710
(559) 438-7100

Khloe the pup can have a very serious face when she wants to.  She is usually all smiles but occasionally she will stare you down.  Watch out!

Keep eating good food friends!

XOXO

McDonald's Dipped Cone

McDonald's keeps coming up with new things.  Some good some not so good. 

The new dipped cone is very good.  McDonald's vanilla soft serve ice cream has always been yummy.  But dipped in chocolate is always better!  Also for $1.29 I am pretty sure no one can beat that price. 

This is how I caught El Hubby and Khloe the pup watching TV together.  These two always amaze me. 

Keep cool friends!

XOXO

Hash House A Go Go

El Hubby and I have a really good friend that has moved to San Diego.  He was basically our eating buddy.

It took about a year but El Hubby and I finally made it to visit him in San Diego.  The very first place we went to when we arrived in San Diego was eat at Hash House A Go Go.  The portions at this place are huge.  Oh and when I mean huge I am not exaggerating.  I swear El Hubby's plate took up 1/4 our our table.

I had one of the house hashes that had fresh mushroom, artichoke hearts, sundried tomato, and fresh spinach.  This was very yummy.  Oh and they did not skimp on any of the ingredients.  However, I think my favorite part was the biscuit.  It was nice, fluffy, flakey, and melt in your mouth.  Oh and then there was the house jam.  I don't know what it was exactly but it was amazing.  We talked about me stealing the jar in my purse.  Don't worry!  We left the jam on the table.

El Hubby and our friend, Cheng, enjoyed a mimosa at breakfast.  The boys claimed that it's vacation so drinking at 10am in the morning is okay. 

The portions are seriously big here.  I saw a lot of couples share a plate.  However, the only child in me hates sharing so there was no way that was happening.  You definitely get your bang for your buck at this place.  There are a lot of items on the menu to try.

Hash House A Go Go
3628 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 298-4646

 Khloe the pup is always down to play.  However, El Hubby and I do not always feel the same.  The poor pup lives a hard life. 

Good food is best shared with good friends!

XOXO

Pinkberry

So El Hubby and I are major dessert people.  Hence my baking obsession. 

One of our favorite sweets is froyo.  A few weeks ago I got to try Pinkberry for the very first time while in San Diego. 

Oh my gawd!  Pinkberry is awesome.  I got the peach yogurt with pineapple and strawberry as my toppings.  I was a little scared at first on how the peach yogurt would taste.  But it was amazing.  By my choice of yogurt and topping you can clearly tell I am a fruity kinda gal. 

I can't believe that I have been missing out for so long.  However, it does make me sad because there is no Pinkberry near my hometown.  But I did go to their website (because it's 2012 and everyone has a website) and found out that Pinkberry is a franchise.

Mental note:  start considering quitting day job and opening a Pinkberry. 

The Pinkberry I visited in San Diego was a cute kiosk looking place.  The line was long and slow but it was worth the wait in the end.  The store was nice and clean.  The employees were nice and happy.  But then who wouldn't be working in a yogurt place.  I am for sure stopping the next time I see a Pinkberry.  

Fashion Valley
7007 Friars Road #915
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 294-4600

Khloe this pup is always a happy dog.  There is really not much that gets this doggie down.  She even loves the vet.  It always makes me laugh when the vet is trying to feel her looking for anything abnormal and Khloe gives her kisses.  El Hubby and I are very luck. 

Life is short.  Eat dessert first!

XOXO

Salmon and Shrimp Dinner

One of my favorite parts of summer is grilled food.  Partly because it's yummy and partly because I am not the one standing outside in the heat watching the grill.  Thank goodness for El Hubby.

After months of not working out (sadly I am not exaggerating) El Hubby and I have been trying to eat healthier.  This means more lean protein, veggies, and less eating out.  For a little while we were eating out a lot and not at the best place.  Sorry McD's no matter what your commercials say you are no good to my waistline. 

This also means we are trying to be more realistic about our grocery shopping.  Sometimes we would buy all kinds of healthy food to only throw it all away when it went bad because we were eating out because we were too busy to cook the healthy items.  So now we also buy healthy frozen food and some not so healthy for those days. 

Hopefully this healthy eating and smart shopping will help my waistline and wallet. 

Ooops!  Almost forgot to talk about the food pictured above.  This is a dinner of a simple salad, salmon seasoned with pepper cooked in a foil packet with lemon on the grill, and shrimp marinated with garlic and butter grilled. 

Khloe the pup and El Hubby like to get into all kinds of trouble.  For instance, they like to play fetch inside the house.  It's all fun and games until something gets knocked over.  Oh and of course our house is not even that big.  What's a fur mama to do?  

Keep grilling friends!

XOXO

Ribeye Dinner

I believe I have stated that I do not grill.  I can do all the prep work.  I cut, marinade, and clean.  But actually standing in front of the grill?  Nope.  Too scary.  I leave that to El Hubby.  I like to call it team work.  I get everything ready, he grills, we eat dinner.  Bam!

This dinner was nothing fancy.  El Hubby seasoned the ribeye steaks with some salt and fresh ground pepper and then slapped them on the grill.  I whipped up some garlic mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and of course a salad.  I also roasted some broccoli but it never made it on the plate.  We had a lot of leftovers but that is the intention so that we have food to pack for lunch. 

Khloe the pup always wants to play.  However Khloe the pup's favorite game is keep away.  Which is only fun for her.  She pretends to give you the ball and then snatches it away right before you get it and runs off wagging her tail only to come back and do it all again.  Ah weird little doggie but I guess as long as she burns off energy that is all that matters. 

Keep on cooking friends!

XOXO

Grilled Pork Chops

We are now full blown into summer.  With the super hot weather what better way than to grill to keep the house cool.  Grilling also means less pots and pans to wash which is fine by me. 

A simple dinner of rice, veggies, and meat.  I like to mix brown and white rice and cook it with a little olive oil.  the rice comes out amazing.  Uh if I am too lazy to cook inside of course I would use frozen veggies. 

Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredient:
4-5 slice of pork
Italian dressing

Directions:

1. Marinade pork in Italian dressing (best if over night)
2.  Pass meat to El Hubby to grill

Muahahaha.  What a awesome dinner.  Okay okay I am guessing you grill the pork for about 7-10 minutes each side at around 375 degree F.  But don't quote me on that.  I solely rely on El Hubby for all my grilling needs.  Who do I look like?  Girl meets girl?  No. 

When Khloe the pup is serious she is serious.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Banana Oat Muffins

I think I have posted more banana recipes than anything else in the last 6+ months.  I can't help it.  El Hubby and I always have banana around.  It's a good snack food before and after a workout.  Then if they get too ripe you can't eat them cause they contain to much sugar.  Or can you ...

This banana oat muffin recipe that I am sharing is not too sweet at all.  Perfect for those who do not have a sweet tooth.  Which means 95% of my Asian family and friends.  

Banana Oat Muffins
From Honey & Jam

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Combine flours, oats, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat eggs until light.  Stir in milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the mashed bananas and combine thoroughly.  
5. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined.  DO NOT OVER MIX OR MUFFINS WILL BE TOUGH.
6. Spray a mini bundt pan with cooking spray and divide batter into pan.  Bake for about 14-16 minutes.

I brought these as a snack to a Tzu Chi meeting and they were a hit.  For me I thought these need more sugar.  They are definitely a muffin and not a cake.  But less sugar means more healthy.  Plus the oats are great for fiber. 

Khloe the pup is a very loved dog.  Looking at Khloe the pup it is hard to imagine that she came from a shelter and when El Hubby found her there she was just laying in the dirt.  Now she sunbathes on the patio.

Keep on cooking!

XOXO
Peggy

Rice Crispy Treats

Tzu Chi has started the summer math tutoring program for July.  This is really a great program for kids.  Every Saturday from 10am to 12pm kids grades K-algebra can come and get math tutoring for free.  I am pretty sure that free is always good. Snacks are also provided.  Since I am no math pro I will be part of the snack making crew.

For the first session I wanted to be extra careful since I did not know if any kids had allergies yet.  So what do I make?!?  Rice crispy treats!  Now I didn't know that there were people who didn't know how to make homemade rice crispy treats.  But I got asked for the recipe so I figured I would share on the blog.

Rice crispy treats really are super simple.  Any kinds of sprinkles or candies can be added.  If you want to get adventurous you can use other cereals instead of rice cereal too.

Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:
1 box rice crispy cereal (12 oz box)
1 bag mini marshmallow
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup M&Ms

Directions:

1. Microwave butter in a large bowl.
2. Add mini marshmallows into bowl with the melted butter.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.  Stir after each interval.
3. Add vanilla extract to the marshmallow mixture for extra flavor. 
4. Spray a very large bowl with cooking spray and fill with cereal.  Add the marshmallow mixture to the cereal and mix.  
5. Add any sprinkles or candy.
6. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Press rice crispy cereal mixture into pan.  Let set for about 10 minutes.
7. Slice and enjoy!

These homemade rice crispy treats were a hit with the kiddies.  But then again who wouldn't love something covered in marshmallow?  El Hubby even considered coming to volunteer to eat some rice crispy treats.  I let him have some for the promise of volunteering next time.  We will see.

Khloe the pup really only has two speeds.  Excited and lazy.  She is very good at both. 

Keep on cooking!

XOXO
Peggy