Quinoa Zucchini Stacks

Quinoa Stacks

Ingredients

(makes 4 servings):

1 eggplant, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 1/2 cups frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste


Quinoa cakes:
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup diced red pepper (about 1/2 pepper)
1 egg
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
salt, pepper, dried basil & dried oregano to taste


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thaw spinach. Make quinoa cakes: mix quinoa, red pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and spices.  Add the egg and mix well.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet with about 1 teaspoon olive oil. Shape the quinoa mixture into 6 little balls, each with a diameter of 2 inches.  Don't worry if they won't stay together very well, mine didn't either; they'll take their shape as they bake. Brush the tops of the cakes with the remaining teaspoon of oil.
3. Slice eggplant and zucchini and add pieces to the baking sheet (you may need to employ the use of a second sheet.) Using a brush, lightly coat one side of each piece with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Put everything into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, pulling them out after 10 to flip everything over.
5. When the contents of the roasting trays are ready, pull them out and turn on the broiler. On the baking sheet, assemble: each stack begins with a slice of eggplant and is topped with a spread of spinach, 3-4 zucchini rounds, a quinoa cake, and finally 2 tablespoon of mozzarella.
6. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for about 2 minutes. While the cheese is browning, heat the tomato sauce in the microwave and spread 1/3 cup onto each plate. Top each plate with three veggie stacks.

Source:
http://healthygirlcooking.blogspot.com/search/label/Vegetables

Anchor and Hope

Cute drawing

The restaurant is located in the SoMa district so parking was a little sketchy.  Jake had to drop me off since we were already 15 minutes late for our reservation.  Story of our lives!  When I arrived, the hostess was kind enough to let me sit already.  This was beneficial since I was able to look at all the food that people around me were ordering.  The place was really busy and looked like the place to be. 

Marin Miyagi oysters on the half shell [turtle power :)]

There were about 8 different types of raw oysters to choose from and after learning that the ones from the East Coast were briny, I went with the local ones.  The oysters were slightly sweet, almost buttery so that was great since Jake is not a huge fan of the raw variety.  I honestly could have eaten a dozen by myself, but I still had my entree to look forward to. 

"Angels on Horseback"

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Oysters w/ Remoulade sauce

This was one of the dishes from the 7x7 magazine, so had to try it.  I think they barbequed the oysters because it tasted soo soo good.   Anything that is bacon wrapped, I am immediately game for.  This was the highlight of the night. The remoulade was ehh ok, nothing to write home about so I just put a bit on the oysters. 

Anchor and Hope Lobster Roll

Brioche Bun, Old Bay Kettle Chips

I was very surprised at how little lobster meat was in the actual roll.  Not happy! I had twice as much at Olema Inn and it was alot cheaper.  The taste was pretty good, but I thought for $24 dollars, they would pile on the lobster.  Not the case.  I also didn't like the fact that they gave me so many chips.  It's like they tried to distract me from how small the sando was.  Eww, huge turnoff.  I should have gotten the prosciutto-wrapped trout.  Now I regret it, bigtime.

Smithwick's Battered Cod

Rosemary and Thyme Potato Wedges

I am not a fan of battered fish so I alreade wrote off this dish before I even tasted it.  I had a tiny sampling from Jake's plate and the fish was really tender.  Almost too tender, which was scary since rock cod is supposed to be a dense fish.  Maybe they used something else.  When Jake offered me seconds, I politely declined since he was pretty hungry. 

Bailey's Malted Milkshake

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookie

Since I didn't feel like a chocolate cake, we settled on this.   The milkshake was tasty, but nothing I probably couldn't make at home.  Since we split dessert, they gave us separate plates so that's why I only got one baby cookie and a small glass.  It was just enough to satisfy my sweet fix for the night.

Toffee Crunch Chocolate Cake with Gooey Caramel

Top layer

Side profile

I was excited to make a turtle cake, but when I asked Jake if he liked pecans, he said he didn't like it so change of plans.  I thought oooh maybe this will be the magical day that I learn to make toffee.  It was actually alot easier than I thought and it definitely helps to build my culinary repertoire.  The only difficult part was the clean-up since the toffee stuck to the saucepan.  I had to soak it in hot water for half an hour to get most of it off, then followed it up with ALOT of elbow grease.  The other dilemma that I had was the springform pan I wanted to use was still stuck en route so I had to use a regular cake pan.  Not as pretty, but oh well.  I had to improvise.  All in all, when I finally surprised Jake with the cake, he said it was the best cake he ever had.  Sweet!  I brought the leftovers to work and they liked it so much for the next potluck, I am in charge of the desserts. Yay for me.

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Caramel Layer
1/4 cup butter
14 ounces bag of individually wrapped caramels
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup milk

Frosting
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup of homemade toffee*
1/2 cup chopped almonds

*For a recipe for homemade toffee, go to http://candy.about.com/od/toffeerecipes/ss/sbs_toffee.htm

 I stopped after step 6 and just used a pestle to pound the toffee into tiny pieces.  You can use a grinder if that is easier. 


Directions
Cake
1) Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2) In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3) Beat chocolate mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Set the rest aside.
4) Bake in a 350° oven about 20 minutes in a 9 x 13-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Caramel Layer
1) In a heavy saucepan, stir the unwrapped caramels, butter, condensed milk, and regular milk together on medium heat until all the caramel has melted.
2) Remove from heat and pour over baked cake. 
3) Pour remaining cake batter on top and bake for additional 25 minutes at 350°.

Frosting
1) In a saucepan, mix the butter, cocoa powder, condensed milk, and buttermilk on low heat.  It will get very thick.
2) Remove from heat and frost the cake.
3) Sprinkle the toffee and almonds on top. 
4) Refrigerate overnight or at least for 5 hours.

Miso-glazed Butterfish

This is really similar to the Miso-glazed black cod recipe so I will just spare you the details of the prep work.  The main reason I did not use black cod this time around is because they only had about two pounds at the Japanese grocery store I frequent.  This was not enough for the party so I went to a bigger grocery store.  They only had butterfish there so I decided to try it and see which I preferred more.  I found that the butterfish was alot flakier and more tender.  I do, however, like the fact that the black cod still has the skin attached because when it broils it gets so crispy. Lovely! On that note, the cod trumps the butterfish. 

Bacon, Cheese, and Green Onion Polenta Cakes

Polenta Cake Mixture

I have seen polenta as side dishes at restaurants.  It is usually in mush form.  Yikes!  I don't want to feel like I'm eating baby food.   Polenta fries would have been a HUGE undertaking so I am going to save that for when I have more time.  I contemplated for a split second just baking these in the oven to try to be healthy, but nah! Time to indulge since it's my boyfriend's birthday!  I have to mention that when frying these bad boys, make sure that you do not crowd them on the pan.  They tend to bleed together and that makes it waayyy harder to flip.  Also, it helps to have a sister to do all the work...Haha. Thanks Steph :P

Ingredients

(yields 8-10 servings)

3 cups of water

1 cup of corn meal

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1 cup of corn niblets
1 cup of Fontina cheese (cut into 1/4 inch cubes)
1 cup of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
6 slices of bacon (fried and cut into 1/3 inch pieces)
3 large green onions (chopped into 1/4 inch pieces)
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)


Directions
1) Bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the cornmeal very slowly to the boiling water while stirring.
2) Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 15 minutes or until it's quite thick. If it thickens too quickly at first, you can add a bit more water as you stir.
3) When it's ready, add the salt and sugar  Set aside to cool.
4) Stir in the corn niblets, fontina cheese, parmesan cheese, bacon, green onions, and cayenne pepper. 
5) Once evenly mixed, use an ice cream scoop to transfer the mixture onto parchment paper.  Form a ball shape. 
6) Pat it down with your hands until it's smooth and about ½ inch thick.
7) Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom, and a pat of butter. Flick water drops into the pan to test the heat – when they sizzle, add the polenta cakes. 
8) Fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, then gently flip them over and fry the other sides. 
9) Serve immediately.

Coconut Shrimp with Soba Noodles

Coconut Shrimp w/ Soba Noodles

There was leftover shrimp that needed to be used so here's what I came up with.  I had originally wanted to use udon noodles, but the store was out of it, so I settled for soba.  Also, I was thinking more of a curry dish, but that didn't really pan out since I only had Indian curry powder at home and wanted a Thai curry.  Since this was a last minute decision, I didn't even have fresh veggies at home so I used frozen stuff (green beans, yellow beans, and carrots) from Trader Joe's.  I liked that it added alot of color.  Oh I also sprinkled some toasted shredded organic coconut, yeah I'm pretty fancy, for chewiness.  Everything was obviously delicious and I even brought some to work for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

(yields 4 servings)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried basil 

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes
4 ounce can of tomato paste

1 cup of coconut milk (organic if available)

1 lb of medium shrimp (peeled)

1 lb of Trader Joe's spring medley (frozen green beans, yellow beans, and carrots)
1 lb of soba noodles

3 green onions (cut into 1/8 inch pieces)

1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions  

1) Boil four cups of water with salt.  When it comes to a rolling boil, put the soba noodles in and make sure to stir so it does not stick together.   I

2) Adjust the heat to medium and cook for five minutes or until al dente.

3) Strain the noodles and set aside.

4) In a large wok, cook the olive oil and garlic at low heat for 3 minutes.

5) Bring the heat up to medium and add the coconut milk, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper, and chili flakes.

6) Finally, add the shrimp and vegetables.  Cover with a lid and let it cook for ten minutes.

7) Sprinkle green onions on top and serve. 

8) To toast the coconut flakes, just place a flat layer on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about five minutes at 300 degrees.

Siena Restaurant @ the Meritage

Basil Pesto, Fresh Figs, Point Reyes Blue Cheese, and Balsamic Reduction

Everything that I love is combined in this dish.  Point Reyes blue cheese is just so amazing and that coupled with fresh figs, I feel like this could have been my entree.  It was thin crust so extremely easy to eat.  I really need to try making my own pizza at home.

Steak Frites

Grilled Flat Iron Steak Fried and House

Pomme Frites with Brown Shallot Butter

Ths steak was so-so.  It was a little more medium -well than medium.  The fries were the highlight.  They were really buttery.  Plus they soaked up some of the juice from the steak.  Sooo good.

Ravioli & Pumpkin Bisque

Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli, Roasted Pumpkin

Cream Sauce, Basil and Asiago Cheese

I usually never order ravioli at restaurants, but in my attempts to eat less meat, I decided to try this out.  The sauce was so creamy that I gobbled the whole plate really fast.  Actually, maybe I ate too fast because I had a stomach ache later that night. That was not such a smart idea since I had planned to be in a bathing suit and swim after dinner.  I was a whale-y

Pistachio Ice Cream

The ice cream was pretty good.  It was pretty similar to something I have made before.  Nothing fancy.  I just wanted something sweet to eat after my meal and I love pistachios.

Source:

http://www.themeritageresort.com/pdfs/Dinner%20Menu%20S%202010.pdf

French Laundry

Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

Wrapped in Toasted Pumpernickel

At first when I saw this amuse-bouche, I didn't know how I was supposed to eat it.  It looked like a salmon lollipop.  As I bit into it, I did not realize there was also creme fraiche inside.  So yummy! It definitely started the day off right.

Salted Sourdough Bread with Butter Inside

Salted Butter on Right and Unsalted Butter on Left

I could not believe when I opened the bread, there was already butter inside.  Good God! I never ever ever butter my bread, but in this case, I had to try it.  The unsalted butter was presented really nicely so obviously I had to put a little of that on my bread as well.  I'm sure my heart is going to stop ticking soon.

Jidori Hen Egg "Panna Cotta"

Smoked Sturgeon Glaze, California Caviar

and Pumpernickel Sable

The waiter had told us that they raised the sturgeon in a local farm in the Petaluma area.  The quality was really good and luckily since Jake is not really a fan of caviar, he gave me half of it.    The panna cotta egg at the bottom was a really unexpected texture.  Wow!  It was one of my favorites of the day.

Moulard Duck "Foie Gras in Terrine"

White Honey, Walnuts, Celery Branch and Dijon Mustard

This came as a supplement to the menu and I had to, had have it since I heart foie gras so much.  I normally like it seared, but in this case it was served cold and came with brioche that they "refreshed" for me, AKA a freshly baked piece was given as soon as my plate was finished.  Jake liked it so much whenever I would offer another piece, he never refused.

Salad of French Laundry Garden Brocollini

Hosui Pear, Red Radish, Pine Nuts and Young Ginger

To tell you the truth, I was not expecting much from this vegetarian dish, but everything was AMAAAAZING.  I think they tempura-ed the shiso leaf so that really made the dish.  The ginger was so nice and delicate.  I definitely should not rule out vegetarian dishes in the future!!

Carpaccio of Pimenton-Cured Atlantic Fluke
Chickpea Beignet, Jingle Bell Peppers, Eggplant Confit

Jake was originally not going to order this since he had never heard of fluke before.  We were all pleasantly surprised when we saw all the beautiful colors.  Oh lala!  It was nice to have raw fish. Very refreshing!  I ate over half of his order. Sharing is caring :)

Sauteed Filet of Chatham Bay Cod

Razor Clams, Celery Branch, , "Pommes Puree"

and San Marzano Tomato Compote

The fish was sooooo flaky and delicious.  It was cooked perfectly.  The pureed potatoes were so creamy.  Mmmm.  I am so glad that the dishes are small because I get full really fast and needed to save my appetite for the rest of the food to still come.   

Pistachio- Encrusted Maine Sea Scallop

Field Rhubard, Cipollini Onions,

Black Winter Truffle and Watercress

Unfortunately, this was the least favorite of the whole meal.  Maybe I am just really partial to seared scallops, but it was just really boring.  I could not even taste the pistachio crust. Also, that black pool at the bottom, I had a little taste and went "yuck."  I stayed away from it.  When I heard it was black truffle, I was very very very surprised since I usually love that.  It tasted more like fish sauce.  Oh well.  At least I had more to look forward to.

Tartare of Kuroge Beef from Shiga

Sacramento Delta Asparagus, Black Trumpet Mushrooms,

and "Creme Fraiche Pain Frite"

This was also a supplement.  Jake and I tried to get everything on the menu so ordering this was NECESSARY.  I really enjoyed the beef tartare.  The trumpet mushrooms were really good. I think they used it for the sauce as well.  So delicious!

 

All Day Braised Salmon Creek Farms Pork Belly

Grey Morel Mushrooms, Glazed Turnips, English Peas

and "Sauce Bordelaise"

Anybody who knows me can tell you that my absolute favorite thing to order in a restaurant is pork belly.  This was by far the best pork belly I have ever had.  OMG!!!! It had the perfect balance of fat and meat.  The morel mushrooms were excellent.  The pureed peas was really great combined with everything.  I am salivating just looking at this picture again.  Haha.

Marcho Farms Nature-Fed Veal Tenderloin

Garlic-Parmesan "Pain Perdu," Spring Garlic, Globe Artichokes,

Arugula and Piccata Sauce 

I kinda have a moral issue with eating veal and was a little disappointed when I knew it was one of the dishes. I thought "I guess I don't have a problem with foie gras, so buck up and at least give this a chance."  When I first ate it, I was very pleasantly surprised.  It was cooked so well.  I wasn't too certain what "pain perdu" was, but when I looked it up on Google, I found out it was New Orleans french toast.   I really thought it tasted like polenta.  

Andante Dairy "Cavatina"

Curried Apricot "Chiboust," Marcona Almond "Genoise"

and Fennel Bulb

There are certain foods I simply cannot get myself to enjoy and goat cheese is just one of them.  It really tastes like a wild animal and I can't help but see a cute little goat when I eat it.  I thought the sweetness of the apricot was going to offset the taste, but I was wrong!  I didn't realize what a big bite I took.  I didn't want it to go to waste so I gave my plate to Jake and made him finish it.  The waiter asked if I liked it since the plate I had in front of me was clean.  Jake ratted me out and told him I hate goat cheese.  So embarrassing, but there was good that came out of it.  The waiter asked me what cheese I actually did like so he went back to the kitchen and prepared me another dish.  How sweet!!

Oregon Blue Cheese with Fig Jam and Carmelized Leek

on Toasted Cracker

Oooh!  I love blue cheese.  I believe it was served atop fig jam although I didn't listen too well when the waiter was rattling of what was in it.  In any case, it was very tasty and in a way, I'm glad I didn't like the goat cheese because I got an extra course.  Yipee!

Soft-poached Egg with Black Truffle Oil and White Truffles

This was sooooo rich!!  I could only have a couple of spoonfuls since I started to reach my fullness threshold.  White and black truffles.  It was spectacular.  I wish i had more room in my stomach for this!!

Steel-Cut Oat Sherbet

  Granola,Granny Smith Apple "Nuage"

Rum Raisin Coulis

I am a BIG dessert person so I was happy that this was the first of the many desserts I was about to try today.  The apples were crisp and sweet all the same time. It was pretty tough to cut the granola so I just ate the whole thing in one bite.  The rum raisin coulis was extraordinary.  It was like a deconstructed fancy apple pie.  Delish!

"Savarin Au Citron"

Citrus "Vierge," Moulin des Penintents Olive Oil

and Straus Dairy "Creme Glacee"

This was such a sour dessert.  Definitely a nice change from the previous course.  The olive oil was a nice touch to add at the top.  I had to be really careful not to soak the "cake" for too long so I ate this very quickly.

Peanut Butter "Bavarois"

Crunchy Feuilletine, Maralumi Milk Chocolate "Whip"

and Gros Michel Banana Sorbet 

This was really tasty.  My favorite part was the banana sorbet.  It went really well with the peanut butter and chocolate.  Extremely common, but still nice combination.

Passion Fruit Tart with Whipped Cream

Whoa, more dessert!!  This was my favorite overall. You could really taste the passion fruit and the whipped cream was so dense.  It tasted like ice cream almost.  So goooood!

Assortment of chocolates

After the check came, they brought out a bunch of little candies to try.  The best thing was the chocolate at the upper right corner.  It was salted caramel.  So awesome.  My taste buds were a little tired of all the sugar I had, but you only live once!

Dark Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts 

Dusted with Powdered Sugar 

The macadamia nuts were good.  It tasted like the Mauna Lao ones I always ask for when someone wants to bring me back something from Hawaii.  I brought some of this home since I could not eat anymore.  

El Toro Loco

Chupa de Camarones

Prawn stew with cream, white fish, green peas, rice, eggs, and secret sauce

My coworker recommended this place since she lives in Pacifica so I thought I would try it.  She said to stay away from the Mexican dishes since they specialize in Peruvian food.  I really have been on a seafood kick and it was a pretty cold night (very typical in Pacifica) so soup was a good option.  There were chunks of white fish and the stew was really hearty.  The chef must have had a heavy hand with the cream, but I enjoyed it.  I think I counted about 10 shrimp and that was really awesome since I was really hungry.  When the bowl first came out, I totally thought I would have to bring some home, but by the end, I only had a litttle bit of soup so it wasn't worth it.  Wow I ate the whole thing.  I doubt I am ever going to be in this part of town again since it's in a secluded place and there's nothing else to do here, but go to the restuarant.  I was pretty impressed though with the quality so I'm glad I followed my coworker's advice.

Seafood Marinara

 

 

Seafood Marinara w/ mussels and shrimp

I bought all the ingredients since I planned to make dinner that night and was going to have my friend, Ryan, over.  Unfortunately, the day of the dinner, I got sooo sick with a cold.  The show must go on though so I took some Zicam and ate alot during the day. I tried to go with the old saying "Feed a cold" and hoped that I would muster up enough strength to entertain that night.  Luckily, I felt alot better and had Ryan and his one-eyed dog, Bravey over.  I personally think it was all my gorging that day that helped (cheezeits, hot chocolate, chex mix, whatever else I could get my hands on). Since I used whole wheat pasta, I thought it wasn't going to taste as good, but I was wrong.  Also, I added some sour cream since I wanted to do something different plus I had some leftover and needed to use it.  It actually turned out nice and creamy so that was pleasant.  I am trying to add more seafood recipes to the list since I am eventually planning to ween off meat.  Wish me luck!


Ingredients
 (yields 4-6 servings)
1/2 lb of peeled shrimp
1 1/2 lbs of mussels, debearded
4 garlic cloves (diced)
1/2 small onion
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 tomatoes diced
16 ounces of canned diced tomatoes
8 ounces of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of thyme
1/2 cup of fresh basil (chopped coursely)
 1 green onion (chopped finely)
1 package of whole wheat fettuccine ( I only used half)
      *optional
       1 teaspoon of salt
      1 tablespoon of sour cream

Directions
1) Saute the onions in olive oil until they are translucent
2) Add the garlic and cook on medium for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat down if the garlic starts to burn.
3) Add all the tomatoes (fresh and canned), tomato paste, oregano, thyme, basil, and green onions. 
4*) I had some leftover sour cream so I added a tablespoon of that.
5) Add the shrimp and debearded mussels and cook on medium for 10 minutes.  Discard any mussels that don't open.
6) In a separate pot, fill halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil.  Salt the water as needed.
7) Stir in the fettucine and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente.

Jake's Homemade Wonton Soup

Wonton soup with pork and shrimp

I had been feeling under the weather lately so I asked Jake if we could make wonton soup over the weekend.  He was a little hesitant since the dimsum place near his house has really good wonton soup, but I have been on a cooking roll and wanted to try making this for myself.  After buying all the ingredients at the market, it took about 45 minutes to prep.  The Olympics were on so we were half watching that and half cutting everything.  When everything was said and done, it tasted really good.  Presentation-wise, I would be a bit embarrassed to serve this to people other than my close friends and family since the wonton wrappers didn't hold up as well as I wanted.  Some of the filling actually exploded into the soup.  Haha.  I guess we didn't wrap them tight enough.  If I make this in the future, I will try to not cram as much filling as I did.

Ingredients

(yields 8-10 servings)

1/2 pound of ground pork

1/2 pound of shrimp (peeled)

small ginger (grated)

3 green onions (cut into 1/4 inch pieces)

1/2 cup of rice wine

3/4 cup of soy sauce

1/3 cup of sesame oil

2 cups of chicken broth

3 cups of water

4 tablespoons of Knorr wonton soup mix (available at Asian markets)

package of small square wonton wrappers (quantity: 60)

      *optional

       head of cabbage (roughly chopped)

       mushrooms (chopped to 1/3 inch thickness)

Directions

1) In a nonstick pan, cook the pork for about 5-10 minutes.

2) In a separate pan, add half a cup of water and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side.. 

3) Combine the two in a medium mixing bowl.

4) Add the ginger, green onions, rice wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

5) Mix together and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

6) Fill the middle of each wonton wrapper with 1 tablespoon of mixture

 *For instructions, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ33n10ht88&feature=related (that's not me by the way, I just needed a quick tutorial)

7) Set the wontons aside and make sure you don't keep them too close together since the wrappers will stick and it will be hard to pry them off without breaking.

8) In a medium-sized pot, add the chicken broth, 2 1/2 cups of water, and the wonton soup mix.  Keep on high heat until the soup mix is fully dissolved. 

9) Add the cabbage, mushrooms, and prepared wontons.

10) Cook on high heat until the wontons look transparent.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Papalote- Winner of the Burrito Throwdown

The Triple Threat Burrito

A Full Serving of Tender Grilled Chicken!

A Full Serving of Tangy Carne Asada!

Four Succulent Grilled Prawns!

A week after learning that this place won the Burrito Throwdown with Bobby Flay, I was worried that it would be super busy on a Friday night.  When we arrived at the Fulton location, we were pleasantly surprised that we only had one other person in front of us in line.  Not bad.  Most of the clientele at this place were college students since it's 2 blocks away from USF so they probably went for their fill before partying that night.  As I looked at the menu, I was originally gung-ho for the prawn quesadilla, but Jake wanted to get the Triple Threat since that was the featured dish on the show.  Unfortunately, it was $20 so we just decided to split it since I thought it was going to be absolutely huge and I didn't want to eat much so late at night.  When the cook handed us the to-go bag, it looked kinda small.  I was already worried..  The main draw of this place is their famous chips and salsa.  After trying it, I really didn't see what the big deal was.  I have had better at Chevy's!!  Anyway, on to the burrito.  I liked the fact they cooked the meat in front on you and it was nice to have carne asade, chicken, and prawns in one burrito, but...FOR TWENTY DOLLARS, I WAS EXPECTING WAY MORE.  I ate my half without problem.  Hell, I even ate an ice cream bar afterwards so I wasn't that full.  I guess it kinda ruined it as well that there was rice included.  I hate fillers so occasionally when I would bite into it, all I got was rice and sour cream.  Not fun!  So all in all, would I go back? No, thanks.  I would rather go to Gordo's for 1/3 the price.

Source:

http://www.papalote-sf.com/menu.html

Fish & Farm

Niman Ranch Cheeseburger

grilled onions, white cheddar, house made pickles,

secret sauce, acme bun, french fries, and bacon

I am slowly, but surely working my way through the "The 2010 Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die" so the next stop on the train to gluttonville was Fish & Farm.  I obviously had to order the cheeseburger so here's the lowdown:

1) I absolutely love love love that there was a ginormous steak knife stuck right in the middle of the burger.  It made me feel like a cavewoman with my hunk of meat. 
2) The burger was reallllly messy.  Thank goodness I was not on a date because I don't think I would be asked out again if someone saw the way I devoured it.
3) The fries were really delicious and I like that it came with "secret sauce," which was a little spicy.
4) I took home half the order since it was SO big and I did not want to force myself to finish and wake up feeling bloated.  
5) I enjoyed everything, but could have gone without so much peppercorn.  It's kind of a pet peeve of mine seeing mounds and mounds of peppercorn so docked point for that one.

**Oooh forgot to mention, at the beginning of the meal, the waiter came out and gave us an amuse-bouche.  The asparagus soup came in a shot glass and was perfect to have since it was a breezy night and I needed something to warm me up. It was really unexpected and appreciated since I have gone to really expensive restaurants (those will remain nameless for the time being) that did not do that so kudos to Fish & Farm.  That kind of service definitely does not go unnoticed. 


Source:
http://fishandfarmsf.com/

Kate's Kitchen

Hush Puppies

deep-fried balls of cornmeal served with pooh butter

I had never heard of hush puppies before.  I found out it was a Southern thing during breakfast.  In any case, my brother thought we should try it so he ordered it.  Wow this is soo good.  It was very savory and tasted so good when you added the pooh (honey) butter.  I wish they had timed it so we would have had this as soon as we ordered since I was starving , but they served it about two minutes before our actual breakfast.  Oh well.  I already looked on websites how to make this and they have some yummy derivatives with shrimp or curried crab so I gotta try that soon.

Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes w/ strawberries and granola

I read on the Yelp website that the pancakes were fantastic so after waiting 30 minutes outside in the rain for this, I was excited to finally have it in front of me.  When I first saw the amount of maple syrup that they gave me, I was a bit sad since I didn't think it would be enough, but the strawberries were sweet already so I didn't mind afterall.  The cornmeal really gave it a course, grainy taste that was really unlike pancakes I have had in the past.  I actually liked it since I don't like feeling I'm eating pancakes that are pillowy soft. Yuck.  I like it gritty, baby! The buttermilk also gave it a great creamy consistency so it was good to have that combination.  The granola bits on top were not that sweet, which I was thankful for since I didn't want sensory overload.  Overall, best pancakes I have had in a restaurant!!

Big Guys Breakfast

2 pancakes, 2 eggs, bacon, sausage and homefries

Since I already had the pancakes, the only things I tried from Jake's plate were the home fries, sausage, and bacon.  The homefries were just okay, although it was a nice change from all the sweetness from my pancakes.  I wish they had cooked it a little longer since the green bell peppers were still a little raw.  The sausage was the best part.  It was cooked flat like a patty and had alot of different spices.  It tasted like turkey sausage since it was so light.  The bacon was awesome as well since it had a nice, thick cut.  If I wasn't as full, I would have ordered this since it included the pancakes.  Maybe, next time.~

Source:
http://www.kates-kitchensf.com/menu.html

Anzu Restaurant

CUCUMBER SAKE MARTINI
Hendrick’s gin, sake, muddled cucumber,

 fresh lime, housemade simple syrup

Mmm...gin, my favorite alcohol.  The waitress said this is her favorite drink and it can sneak up on you so I decided I would give it a try.  She was right.  I could barely taste the alcohol so it was nice to sip throughout dinner.  I even ate the cucumber that had been soaking in the glass.  Ooh, it was so strong, but good.

SILKEN TOFU

basil, cherry tomatoes, avocado, tosaka

seaweed, wasabi mustard dressing

No wonder they call it silken tofu, it was so smooth and actually a little hard to pick up.  Haha.  I guess I need to brush up on my chopstick skills.  I liked how it had both red and green seaweed. So colorful! I felt so healthy after eating this and it has really inspired me to eat more meatless dishes.  Tofu is really so versatile so I'm happy we picked this.

KOYO
spicy hamachi, cucumber

wrapped with broiled scallop,

tobiko, pesto mayo, yuzu

I was scared since alot of these fusion restaurants use Sriracha or some other chili paste as a way to make their rolls "hot,"  but was pleasantly surprised that it was the wasabi that made it spicy.  I really enjoyed the freshness of the yellowtail and the scallop.  I was hoping that I could have more than my alloted four pieces, but Jake was fast to the draw and ate his really fast so I wasn't able to do a sneak attack and eat an extra one on the sly.  The ginger was a highlight since it wasn't dyed that peach color.  I appreciate when this is done because the ginger actually tastes better.

SMOKED BLACK COD and BRAISED PORK BELLY

smoked misoyaki black cod fillet, Kurobuta

braised pork belly, daikon cake, pea shoots

Oh goodness, where to start with this?! The pork belly was the fattiest I have ever had it and it was sooooo good.  Jake thought it was too fatty, however,  so I was happy since that meant more for me.  The daikon cake in the middle was good, but a bit out of place.  As for the black cod, it was very light and flaky.  The sauce underneath was good, but i just couldn't figure out what was in it.  I had never had anything like it.  It tasted a little meaty.  Hmm...maybe mystery is a good thing.   

 

KOBE-STYLE ONGLET STEAK

grilled Wagyu hanger steak, pommes frites, sauce à l’échalotte

 
The hanger steak was prepared really nicely, but after a while a steak is a steak is a steak.  It was good, but not memorable.  The fries were really yummy though.  I kept stealing them off Jake's plate.  I got the best thing on the menu so I guess he had to settle for the next best thing.
 

KEY LIME TARTLET

coconut whipped cream, toasted macadamia nuts

Happy Birthday to me!!!  I know it's been two months since my actual birthday, but there have been so many events lately that we could only celebrate it now.  Better late than never.  I have eaten some good Key Lime Pies in the past so I was excited to have this.  I'm glad that the serving was small since I was so full from dinner and I was still going out that night.  The coconut whipped cream was delicious.  It is definitely something I can add to my cooking repertoire.  You can also never go wrong with tons and tons of macadamia nuts.  Ohh la la!

Source:

http://www.restaurantanzu.com/Menus.html