Zucchini Lasagna

My veggie lasagna is my most requested recipe from people.  I think the one thing that scares people the most is the long ingredient list, but it really is easy to put together. Here is a simple recipe that is a bit healthier than your normal lasagna. I just emailed this recipe to someone so I thought I'd copy and pasta it as a blog post as well.


4-5 zucchini's depending how big or small they are, sliced lengthwise
1 container of low fat ricotta cheese
16 oz shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1 jar of pasta sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
dried Italian herbs seasoning (optional)
Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
2. Thinly slice your zucchinis lengthwise. Make sure they are uniform slices and not too thick since they'll need to cook evenly
3. Mix 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp Italian herbs, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and ricotta cheese
4. In a 13x9 baking dish, spray cooking oil on the bottom and sides. Pour about 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom, enough to coat.
5. Put a layer of zucchinis, enough to cover the bottom, then sprinkle with salt and pepper
6. Spread 1/2 ricotta mixture across the zucchinis. Then sprinkle half your bag of mozzarella cheese
7. Put another layer of zucchinis, don't forget to sprinkle the zucchinis with salt & pepper.
8. Spread the rest of the ricotta cheese, then pour all your sauce on top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and put a dash of the Italian herbs across the top
9. Spray aluminum foil  with cooking spray and cover the baking dish loosely.
10. Cook for 50 minutes, more or less depending how cooked you want the zucchini.
11. Remove aluminum foil and broil for 5-6 minutes on high

Enjoy!

Homemade Chipotle Bowls

It is no secret I love Chipotle. Maybe it's the convenience or maybe it's the delicious cilantro rice.  Thanks to Kristen over at Iowa Girl Eats, I decided to make my own Chipotle bowls at home.  It seemed easy and I had most of the things on hand already.

Here is what you need to feed 4 people:

Cilantro rice:
4 cups cooked rice
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
lemon

Mix everything together

Filling:
2 chicken breasts diced into small pieces (or whatever meat you want)
1 packet taco seasoning
green bell pepper-sliced
onion-sliced

Marinate the chicken with the taco seasoning and cook in an oiled saute pan. Set aside. In the same pan, cook the veggies

Corn Salsa:
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tomatoes -chopped
1/2 onion- chopped
1/2 red bell pepper-chopped
cilantro
lemon

Mix together

Other accompianments:
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
salsa (preferably Trader Joe's garlic chipotle sauce)
sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a healthier option)

Now turn this..

 ...into this...

..and enjoy! Quick, easy, and delicious.

Crab Cakes

I was craving for salmon cakes, but found a can of crab meat in my cupboard instead.  I looked up a couple of recipes and decided to combine all of them and make my own.

This is an approximate measurement of everything, since I never measure my spices.

Crab Cakes

1 can crab meat (6.5 oz)
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1 egg
1 tbsp mayo
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 juice of lemon
lemon zest
1/4 cup green onions-chopped
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian herbs
S&P to taste

Mix together the egg, mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian herbs, and S&P.  Add into crab meat, mix in panko crumbs and parmesan cheese. Mix all together, be careful not to break up crab meat.

Oil up a pan and drop in a quarter sized ball of the mixture and cook on each side for about 3 minutes.  It should be golden brown on both sides.  Taste to see if you got all the seasonings right.  If so, this makes about 3 medium sized patties.  Cook at medium to high heat for the first 3-4 minutes on each side. Then change it to low heat so the inside heats through.

I whipped up a simple dip with what I had on hand.
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup greek yogurt (or sour cream)
a pinch of Italian herbs seasoning
a squeeze of lemon
lemon zest

Whisk together and you have a simple dip made in no time.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

The boy loves BBQ chicken pizza, so in an effort to make him happy, I scrapped together something easy.  It's cheaper than any pizza you can get from a restaurant and customizable to your liking

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Pizza crust (I used the Boboli thin pizza crust)
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 sliced red onion
1/2 cup corn (I buy the frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe's)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 chicken breast- shredded (cooked however you want, I had left over roasted chicken)

Preheat your oven according to the packaging details on the back of your pizza crust.
Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray.
Spread the BBQ sauce on, sprinkle with cheese
Pile on the rest of the toppings and stick in the oven for about 15 minutes

Enjoy!

San Diego: Taste of Gaslamp

Last weekend the boy and I did a quick weekend trip to San Diego.  The main reason for going down there was Taste of Gaslamp.  I had heard such great things about it in previous years and made it a point to make it down there this year.  During our short trip, we spent a lot of time in Little Italy and downtown.  Our hotel was conveniently located between the two. We discovered the Little Italy Mercato Farmer's Market on Saturday morning and browsed around while we waited for Taste of Gaslamp to begin.  This farmer's market has to be one of the best one I've ever been to. I would make the drive down to San Diego on Saturdays just for this.

Moving along to our main topic: Taste of Gaslamp.  $30 for a sampling of foods from 30 places around Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego. Best $30 I've ever spent.  You have 3 hours to take your little punch card to a map of restaurants to try their different dishes.  Here are a couple of my favorites in picture:

 Crab salad on a wonton chip from Nobu

 NY Steak from Palms

Scallop with pearl potato from Airr Supper Club

 Scallop over pea risotto from Soleil K

I am already looking forward to going again next year.

Hash House A Go Go

After hearing so much about this restaurant, a couple of us made the drive down to San Diego to try Hash House.  They are epically known for their chicken & waffles.  Apparently, people are saying it's better than Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.  I split an order of Andy's Sage Fried Chicken w/ mash potaters and a BIG blueberry pecan flapjack with the boyfriend.

The flapjack went unpictured, but it was the size of a giant dinner plate.  We barely even made a dent in it.

Their infamous fried chicken wasn't all that great.  I'm a big fan of dark meat chicken, so this just didn't do it for me.  The whole meal just felt too heavy for me and didn't sit well.

I declare: HYPE

Mesa

The only two reasons why anyone should ever go to Mesa in Costa Mesa

Reason #1: Lychee Martini

Reason #2: Cast Iron Skillet Mussels

The two things that are actually worth going for and paying the $$$ for.  The only great thing about this lounge is the retractable roof that pulls back at 11pm.  Otherwise, you're paying to cram into a small space and fight off douchebag bouncers.  Since when did this place get so crowded they needed security at the door?

Go early, get the mussels and lychee martini.  Then leave and hit up a more affordable bar.

Wine & Cheese Pleae

Lately I've been craving a little of this...

I love all things wine and cheese. Pour me a good glass of white wine and feed me endless amounts of cheese & salami.

How to: Roasted Vegetables

Over the past several years, I've really grown to like vegetables.  When cooked perfectly, I can eat them by the pound.  I've found that the best way to cook them is by roasting.  It is the easiest, but take so long to cook.  It is a set it and forget it way of cooking, easy enough for me. 

How to go from this...

 ..to this

Chop up whatever vegetables you want to roast. Make sure you chop them all about the same size so they cook evenly.  Coat them with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Toss them in the oven for 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees.  Half way thru, stir them around. 

Feel free to get creative with what you toss the veggies in.  Sometimes I do garlic salt instead of regular salt, Italian herbs, chili powder, or whatever you have in your spice cabinet.  

In the picture above, I roasted brussel sprouts, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and bell pepper.  Feel free to toss in any veggies you like.  If you live in Orange County, be sure to stop by Grower's Direct in Costa Mesa.  They have a ton of fresh produce at insanely low prices.  I've never found any bad produce there. 

Enjoy!

Old Vine Cafe

I've had Old Vine Cafe bookmarked for a while now and finally got around to trying it for lunch.  I'm a bit against spending $20 for lunch, but their 3-course set lunch was well worth it.  I stalked their menu beforehand so I knew exactly what to order when I arrived.

1st course: Porcini Bisque with a crostino

2nd course: Porcini Mac & Cheese 

3rd course: Grandma's Cheese Cake

I'm sure you can sense the theme I went with for my lunch.  I'm sure if they offered a mushroom dessert, I would've went with it.  The porcini bisque was nice and creamy with the perfect subtle taste of the mushroom.  It wasn't too heavy which I hate in a bisque.  The pocini mac&cheese had the perfect blend of cheeses.

Let's talk about the cheesecake.  I die.  When they first brought it out, I couldn't believe how small it was.  This thin little sliver on this ginormous plate was the biggest tease.  I don't normally eat desserts, but this was hands down the best slice of cheesecake I've ever had.  The graham cracker crust and the berry jam did it for me.

Overall, Old Vine Cafe was well worth my $20 spent on lunch.  I'd be happy to even order the cheesecake for all three courses.

Recipe: Easy Bruschetta

This recipe is so easy to throw together. I took me about 10 minutes from start to finish.

Easy Bruschetta:

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of basil, chopped

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

S&P to taste

Combine the first 4 ingredients and mix.  Then mix with the rest of ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.  To make it even better, you can reduce a cup of balsamic vinegar and drizzle it over the top when you're serving.  Serve it with toasted French bread.  It makes for a easy appetizer to throw together.

Enjoy!

xox,

C

Recipe: Balsamic Cream Chicken Pasta

I had dinner at Mona Lisa's in Huntington Beach a couple weeks ago and absolutely loved their Rigatoni Con Petit De Pollo.  It was a rigatoni pasta with a light balsamic cream sauce.  The sauce had the perfect tang to it that I fell in love with.  The boyfriend also raved about the dish so I knew it was something I wanted to recreate.  I searched high and low for a good recipe and came across one from AllRecipes.com.  I used it as a guide and adjusted it to my liking.  The recipe is just for the sauce, but I made it to put over pasta and chicken.  I'm sure it would be good over a variety of things.

Balsamic Cream Sauce:

2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, minced or chopped
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil and butter in a saucepan.  Add onions and saute on low/medium heat for 10-15 minutes. You want to caramelize the onions, not saute them. Make sure you're stirring it constantly so you don't burn them
2. Add the balsamic vinegar and let simmer for about 1-2 minutes.  You'll see it slightly thicken up.
3 Add heavy cream and chicken granules.  Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes until you see it thickening.
4. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir around until it all melts.  Freshly grated parmesan will give you the best results.  The canned and pre-shredded stuff will make your sauce lumpy.
5. Add salt/pepper to your liking

All done! This sauce was an easy 20 minutes.  The only long part is waiting for the onions to caramelize.  This was the perfect serving for 4 people.

Here is my go-to easy chicken marinade:

1 big piece of chicken breast, sliced or however you plan to serve it
1/2 cup of Italian salad dressing
2 cloves of garlic-minced
a dash of Italian herbs
S&P

Combine it all and let marinate for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes depending how big your pieces of chicken are.

I served this with some roasted broccoli, I prepared it the same way from my Beer Can Chicken post.

It was a very delicious dinner and boyfriend approved.  This is definitely going on my monthly rotation of meals

NYE Contest

The people of OC Fairgrounds graciously gave me two general admission ($70 value) tickets to giveaway for the NYE Block Party.  I thought it'd be fun to do a little contest here on my blog.

Here are some tidbits on the event:

* 4 stages featuring tribute bands from 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Personally the Journey tribute band is my favorite.

* 2 DJs spinning today's hottest music

* Demolition Taxi Cab Derby

* Comedy Hypnotist

* Carnival Rides

* 50 gourmet food trucks (try Burnt Truck, it's my favorite!)

Tickets range from $35-$75.  They even offer VIP admission for those of you that want to do New Years in style. 

So for the contest, you have a couple ways to win these tickets:

1. Leave me a comment and tell me what one perk of having VIP tickets is.

2. RT this on Twitter "I want to win the @OCFair NYE Block Party tickets from @CindyWang10"

3. @ reply me on Twitter and tell me one thing you did nice for someone for the holidays. My twitter handle is @CindyWang10

*If you're leaving a comment on my blog, please don't forget to leave your email address so I can get ahold of you for the tickets.

I will be choosing the winner on Christmas morning. Winning the tickets will be like an extra present under the tree :)

Goodluck!

xox,

C

NYE Block Party

Year after year, I try so hard to find something fun to do on New Years Eve and year after year, I fail to do so.  I always have such high expectations for NYE and am always let down because what I end up doing isn't as much fun as I hoped it to be.  Being in my early 20's, I've always wanted to party hard and get completely trashed on NYE because that's what people do right? Not this year.  This year I plan on kicking back and enjoying myself surrounded with my boyfriend and some good friends.  Thus, when I found out about the OC Fair NYE Block Party, I figured it to be fun and relaxing.  What really caught my eye was the 50 food trucks that are going to be there.  All those trucks in one place?  Sign me up!

First off, OC Fair is having a preview party next Thursday, December 16th.  It's free to get in and it'll be a good taste of what the NYE event will be.

I'll be there stuffing my face at my favorite trucks.  Come say 'hi' if you see me!

Food Trucking

Food trucks have been all the rage around OC and LA lately.  It all started with the infamous Kogi BBQ and their outrageous 2 hour lines.  Now there are well over 50 trucks roaming around So Cal with all different types of menus.  From fusion tacos to bakery sweets, there is always something from everyone.   Here are a couple of my favorites:

The Burnt Truck is my all time favorite.  They serve different types of sliders, with a menu that changes weekly.  I like a truck that can keep things fresh and not constantly serve the same thing.  They serve about 5-6 different sliders each week and sometimes keeping a couple of their best sellers on the menu.  They are regulars at Food Truck Fare Thursdays and OC DinDinAGoGo on Wednesdays at Irvine Lanes.

The Korean BBQ slider and Cheeseburger slider

My favorites are the Fried Chicken, Cheeseburger, PBJ, and Vietnamese Pork.  They also serve tater tots and fries.  

The Bakery Truck is a truck that my boyfriend loves.  Their cream puffs and dessert shots are to die for.  I'm not a huge fan of sweets, but their mini banana nutella cream puff has a special place in my stomach. 

A couple other trucks that I love, that I don't have pictures for are:

The Lime Truck for their Carnitas Fries. 10 hour pulled pork, guacamole, slaw, crema, and cotija.  The chipotle-honey slaw that tops it off is what makes the fries that much better.  Their menu is a bit pricier, but the quality of the food can't be beat.  You would never guess their food came off a truck.

Dos Chinos is a Latin Asian Cuisine truck serving tacos and burritos.  What sets them apart from Kogi's is that each taco is different from the last.  Their Bolsa BBQ Pork is hands down their best taco.  The only downside is that their service is slow and their tacos are sometimes inconsistent. 

Tropical Shaved Ice, the name says it all.  I've only ever had their fusion shaved ice and there's no reason to try anything else.  Shaved ice with your choice of bananas, lychee, or strawberries (when they're in season) all drenched in sweetened condensed milk.  

Taco Dawg is known for their tacos and hot dawgs with a fun twist.  I really can't pick a favorite because all of their tacos and dawgs are pretty good.  A must try is their Apple taco dessert, you won't regret it! Don't forget to grab one of their punch cards and say "waddup dawg" to the guys on the truck.

All of these trucks can be tracked down via Twitter and Facebook.  The best way to track their updates is from Twitter and some trucks post their weekly menu up on Facebook.  Take the time to attend one of the meet ups so you can choose from different trucks all in one area.