What is on your Christmas Table?

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Iowa Cafe Swamped With Orders For "Obama Cookie"

I am always willing to try a good cookie.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

I recently found this blog

I definitely plan on trying some of the recipes. Don't they look delicious

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Comments

Happy Veteran's Day

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Munch on this - Barack Obama needs your vote

Barack Obama needs your vote and we're asking you to please consider the campaign he has run and vote for him. He has consistently addressed the issues facing our nation.
Vote for Obama - and take a friend or neighbor. Call across state lines and help us. Please help us fight against the misinformation and get out the vote for Barack



http://wesupportobama.blogspot.com

I interrupt today to share a word about Voter Protection

Voting made Delicious! GO VOTE

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Getting our Grub on - October 21, 2008

Blueberry Yogurt
Kimchi Stew (finishing off leftovers)

What went in the stomach today

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Peanut butter and jelly on toast
Apple Juice
Kimchi Stew
Shrimp Dumpling
Steamed Dumpling
Oatmeal
Now and Laters - Banana, Cherry, Apple

Eating at the Mall

Eating at the mall can be so underrated. I think the food court makes one of the best family outings for lunch. There is something for every taste and you can still sit together and eat as a family.

I remember about 6 years ago I thought I would go to a mall and work my way around and eat at each food spot. I think it was the Beverly Center that gave me that idea.

I never completed that mission.

I don't understand why McCain won't just admit the connection

All he had to do is say I was mistaken. I believe that is why Politicians (from every stripe) irk more people. When they are wrong they won't just admit it.

I'm still concerned what will happen with the economy.

This Election is not a game and we don't get a Do-Over

Happy Rosh Hoshanah

Myspace Comments, Rosh Hashanah Comments at WishAFriend.com

R.I.P. Paul Newman

R.I.P. Elmer Dills

I just found out that Elmer Dills has passed. He will be missed

Sometimes it is hard to believe 7 years have passed

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid416421276?action=rss

L.A. BBQ FESTIVAL - SANTAMONICA - This Weekend

The L.A. BBQ Festival will take place at the Santa Monica Beach North Parking Lot on September 13-14. Enjoy the grilled meats from some of the top pitmasters around the country. Tickets are $10 a day or $50 for a two-day fast pass that gets you admission on both days, shorter lines for food and beer, and more (food/drink not included though). you the heads-up now.

They have a website with more information: http://www.labbqfest.com/

An American Historical Moment

Two foods on my mind

Loco Moco and Chicken Adobo has been running through my mind the last few things. I am hoping to learn how to make both but also looking to try it at a restaurant

A Cost Saving Find

embed:

Yep this made me a bit hungry

Cool video on how to fry an egg on the sidewalk

Something I found on my friend's myspace page

Bennigan's file for bankruptcy

This news came via Jacksonville Business Journal. Just another sign of the state of the economy. This is not the first and sadly will not be the last food related bankruptcy. Complete story at this link

The restaurant chains Bennigan's and Steak & Ale have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and will close all their company locations, a spokeswoman has confirmed.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company owns and operates more than 300 locations, potentially putting thousands of people out of work. But a spokeswoman for Plano, Texas-based Metromedia Restaurant Group, which operates the restaurants, did not have specific numbers.

With Labor Day comes BBQs!!!!!!!!!!!!

Randy Pausch - Thanks for sharing yourself with us.

REST IN PEACE.

Just tried a new snack but I like it

It is called picola. I tried the Strawberry flavor. It is a Japanese snack that reminds me of the wafers I had in my younger years.. Unfortunately it has High Fructose Corn Syrup but it is listed as the 7th ingredient.

Quote for the Day

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~Jim Davis

The worst thing about a sore throat

I can't really eat since it hurts when I swallow. Drats!

Starbucks California Closures

I am sure this will hit some of you harder than it will me (I'm not a coffee drinker). Here are the California Starbuck Closures.

CALIFORNIA

#9583 - NATIONAL & 36TH
3506 NATIONAL AVE
SAN DIEGO, CA

#10630 - HWY 111 & RANCHO LAS PALMAS
71743 HWY 111
RANCHO MIRAGE, CA

#10710 - FLORIDA & SANDERSON
2801 W FLORIDA AVE
HEMET, CA

#10813 - CANYON SPRINGS & CORPORATE
2692 CANYON SPRINGS PKWY
RIVERSIDE, CA

#10888 - RAMONA & MISSION
4467 E MISSION BLVD
MONTCLAIR, CA

#11029 - LA PAZ & VALLEY CENTER
14689 LA PAZ DR
VICTORVILLE, CA

#11896 - SAN JUAN & MILLER
1280 SAN JUAN RD
HOLLISTER, CA

#13745 - PCH & BOAT CANYON
636 N PACIFIC COAST HWY
LAGUNA BEACH, CA

You can find the complete list of US Starbuck Closures at this link

Has anyone been to Ngoma

It is a restaurant I saw during a Japanese news show and I want to try it.

Well the craving is curbed....a bit

I actually tried Kyochon yesterday for the first time.

and then went back today. Okay back to budgeting time

Making the best Fast Food Choices

Okay, I will admit I could care less about nutritional content when I eat out but for those who do...

-AlwaysHungry

Have a craving for chicken

There are two places that I am hoping to try really soon (budget permitting)

Pollo A La Brasa - 764 S. Western (totally looks like a hole in the wall)

and

Kyochon Chicken (heard it is pricey but wants to try at least once)
3833 W. 6th Street

I am really not sure why I am having such a craving for chicken. Last night my mother made some fried chicken (yum) and I am still wanting some this morning. I don't need it. In fact, I'm about to put an exercise DVD in and take out the weights (knowing I'll probably only work off one chicken leg worth of calories)

Such is life. I'm enjoying it though

-AlwaysHungry

Eeks, that was suppose to go to the Homeschooling Page

I decided to keep it though. You know food for the mind...

English Level Test

It is Obon Season

Do try to catch one near you...

Just the thought has me drooling

Dangos....Chirashi.....Shaved Ice...Ikayaki.....

Some interesting items on here

Back to the Pocky Quest

I finally found a new flavor pocky at the store. Thanks Little Tokyo's Marukai!

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)
14. Marble - Mousse Shitate Mild & Bitter
15. Tsubu Tsubu Blueberry
16. Marble - Horoniga Caramel Chocolate
17. Dessert Banana
18. Brazilian Pudding

Last Night I finally tried the Carl's Jr. Prime Rib Burger

Here's that Fakerestaurant thing they're doing

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

I love the range of things you can find online

No Willpower....

I admit it I have no willpower today. I will definitely have to put in some exercise time. My mother made some banana pudding. I love banana pudding (I don't like bananas though)

Anyway, I tell myself I am helping her by getting seconds (and thirds) so that the refrigerator will have space for the other leftovers. I hope that everyone is having a great 4th of July. I love seeing the "good" news showing the families at the various parades. It was nice seeing Senator Barack Obama and his family out today (they showed him on CNN).

Have a safe evening everyone.

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It's Time for Me to Find New Places to Eat

Sign by Danasoft - Myspace Layouts, Forum Signatures

A Fun Food Related Widget

More about the Bake Sale this Weekend

2nd Annual No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale - June 28, 2008

Here is the write up:
Come out and support the Great American Bake Sale as the ladies of No Cookie Left Behind work to raise funds to support Share Our Strength, an organization that fights children's hunger in the United States. Can't make it to the bake sale? Tax-deductible donations are also being accepted online.

What: The No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale
When: June 28, Noon to 4 pm
Where: Scoops Ice Cream Shop, 712 N. Heliotrope, just north of Melrose (as if you didn't know)
Why: As part of the Great American Bake Sale, we're filling you with sweets to raise funds for Share Our Strength, an organization that combats childhood hunger in the US by:

• increasing access to the public and private programs that can provide food to those who need it,
• strengthening the community infrastructure for getting healthy food to children, and
• teaching families how to get the most nutrition out of a limited budget.

Can't make it to the bake sale? Support us with a tax-deductible donation:
gabs.strength.org/goto/nclb

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Drats! I missed it

Playing around with Widgets

Tried another Kit Kat

So far I think this last one, White Chocolate, is my favorite

KitKat
1. Vanilla Beans
2. Delicious Apples (Shun no Ajwai Ringo)
3. White Chocolate

My Ongoing Pocky Quest

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)
14. Marble - Mousse Shitate Mild & Bitter
15. Tsubu Tsubu Blueberry
16. Marble - Horoniga Caramel Chocolate
17. Dessert Banana

In The News: Tomatoes and Salmonella

source: Yahoo News

McDonald's, others pull tomatoes over salmonella

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago

CHICAGO - McDonald's, Wal-Mart and other nationwide U.S. chains have halted sales of some raw tomatoes as federal health officials work to trace the source of a multistate salmonella food poisoning outbreak

Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell were among other restaurants voluntarily withdrawing tomatoes from their menus, following federal recommendations that consumers avoid red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.

McDonald's Corp., the world's largest hamburger chain, stopped serving sliced tomatoes on its sandwiches as a precaution until the source of the bacterial infection is known, according to a statement Monday from spokeswoman Danya Proud. McDonald's will continue serving grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to that variety, she said.

The source of the tomatoes responsible for the illnesses in at least 16 states has not been pinpointed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said at least 23 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

What is your favorite type of food
	Sushi
	Hamburgers
	Pizza
	Korean BBQ
	Ribs
pollcode.com free polls

I also appreciate Asian Music

I love the variety in the world. It has been a while since I've shared any of my playlist so I figured today would be the day. Enjoy your weekend

The Snacks in Our Life

I've discovered Pretz!

They're by the same people who brings us THE POCKY!

My son picked up some Melon Pan flavor from Marukai. In one word - delicious! Guess I'll start keeping track

Pretz Quest
1. Melon Pan

I'm Definitely going to try this

R.I.P. Pringles Can Creator

via Associated Press:

Ashes of Pringles can designer buried in his work
3 hours ago

CINCINNATI (AP) — The man who designed the Pringles potato crisp packaging system was so proud of his accomplishment that a portion of his ashes has been buried in one of the iconic cans.

Fredric J. Baur, of Cincinnati, died May 4 at Vitas Hospice in Cincinnati, his family said. He was 89.

Baur's children said they honored his request to bury him in one of the cans by placing part of his cremated remains in a Pringles container in his grave in suburban Springfield Township. The rest of his remains were placed in an urn buried along with the can, with some placed in another urn and given to a grandson, said Baur's daughter, Linda Baur of Diamondhead, Miss.

Baur requested the burial arrangement because he was proud of his design of the Pringles container, a son, Lawrence Baur of Stevensville, Mich., said Monday.

Baur was an organic chemist and food storage technician who specialized in research and development and quality control for Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co.

Baur filed for a patent for the tubular Pringles container and for the method of packaging the curved, stacked chips in the container in 1966, and it was granted in 1970, P&G archivist Ed Rider said.

Baur retired from P&G in the early 1980s

Cottage Cheese Meatloaf

We recently prepapred another recipe. It is from a book where celebrities submit their favorite recipes. Unfortunately, I don't have the book handy to share the actual title. This recipe was submitted by the talented actress Julie Andrews. It came out very moist

Cottage Cheese Meatloaf

1 pound lean ground beef or veal (we used ground turkey)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except Parmesan cheese and mix lightly until well blended. Press mixture loosely into shallow 8-inch square baking pan.

Bake meatloaf uncovered 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over top. Return to oven and continue to bake 10 more minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares

Serves 4

The More I eat them, The More I like them - Fran!

(i won't mention the part about The more I need to exercise)...


Fran Quest?

1. Aromatier Moriichigo- Strawberry
2. Winter Premium - Torokeru Purarine
3. Winter Premium - Furan White Chocolate
4. Aromatier Rum & Vanilla
5. Original Chocolate

Counting Calories

Happy Mother's Day!

Myspace Graphics at WishAFriend.com

Frans, Pocky and Kit Kats....oh yummmmm

These are the snacks of my life!






some of the pictures I never uploaded

and the Pocky Quest continues

and to think I've still only had a fraction of what they make. Fun munching

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)
14. Marble - Mousse Shitate Mild & Bitter
15. Tsubu Tsubu Blueberry
16. Marble - Horoniga Caramel Chocolate

Some recent home munching

Munchies from Mitsuwa
Soda from Galco's

Do you Like Wine?

What we ate last night

Last night was another recipe time. It was actually a recipe from the May 2008 Ebony Magazine called "Quesadillas Turkey Ham Club Sandwiches"

I wish I had taken a picture of it. It was pretty good. Not exactly low fat, but it was tasty. Here is the recipe

QUESADILLAS TURKEY HAM CLUB SANDWICHES
Yields 4 servings

8 slices oven-roasted turkey breast
8 slices baked ham
4 slices cheddar cheese or other cheese
10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup arugula (we ended up using romaine lettuce because that what was in the house)
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Arrange two slices each of turkey and ham on top of each tortilla, and one slice of the cheese.
2. Top each with tomato and arugula, and fold in half.
3. Cook each tortilla in nonstick skillet on medium heat until lightly brown, about two minutes on each side.
4. Cut into wedges

5. Mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice and cayenne until well-blended. Serve with sandwiches.

Calories 897, Total Fat 58g, Cholestorol 164 mg, Carbohydrate 44g, Protein 48g, Sodium 1073mg

mmmmm....blueberry

I admit I was a bit afraid to try it but it was delicious. I would definitely try/buy it again

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)
14. Marble - Mousse Shitate Mild & Bitter
15. Tsubu Tsubu Blueberry

I didn't see this coming

I haven't met an Arby's I like yet. Sad news via CBSNEWS

Arby's Swallows Up Wendy's

Roast Beef Sandwich Chain Buys Square Burger Biz For $2 Billion

(AP) After two past rejections, the owner of Arby's shaved roast beef sandwich restaurants is buying Wendy's, the fast-food chain famous for its made-to-order square hamburgers and chocolate Frosty dessert, for around $2 billion.

Triarc Companies Inc., which is owned by billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, said Thursday it will pay about $2.34 billion in an all-stock deal for the nation's third-largest hamburger chain started in 1969 by Dave Thomas. Wendy's had rejected at least two buyout offers from Triarc.

Thomas' daughter Pam Thomas Farber said the family was devastated by the news.

"It's a very sad day for Wendy's, and our family. We just didn't think this would be the outcome," said Farber, 53.

If her father were alive to hear news of the buyout, "he would not be amused," she said.

Thomas became a household face when he began pitching his burgers and fries in television commercials in 1989.

Wendy's International Inc. deferred comment to Triarc, which had nothing further to say right away.

Triarc will pay about $26.78 per share for the company, which has about 87 million shares outstanding. The price is a premium of 6 percent from the company's closing price of $25.32 Wednesday.

Under the terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the second half of the year, shareholders at Wendy's will receive 4.25 shares of Triarc Class A stock for each share of Wendy's stock they own.

Prepared two Corn Flake Recipes

If you have children you can put the corn flakes in a freezer bag and let them crunch it. They will probably enjoy that. Fortunately we got the corn flakes when they were on sale, the 10 lb bag of russet potatoes was under $1, and the Foster Farm chicken was on sale for 55 cents a lb. We are truly sale shoppers.

We made the Cheese Potato Crisps

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

3	large baking potatoes, peeled
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
2	cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes® (crushed to 1 cup)
1/2	teaspoon paprika
1/4	cup sliced green onions

Directions
1. Cut potatoes lengthwise into slices, about 1/4-inch thick. Place in single layer in 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spray potatoes with cooking spray.

2. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, then with cheese. Top with KELLOGG'S CORN FLAKES cereal and sprinkle with paprika.

3. Bake at 375° F about 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve hot garnished with green onions.


and we also made Double-Coated Chicken

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

7	cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes® (crushed to 1 3/4 cups)
1	egg
1	cup fat-free milk
1	cup all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon pepper
3	pounds chicken pieces, (without or with skin) rinsed and dried
3	tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Directions
1. Place KELLOGG'S CORN FLAKES cereal in shallow dish or pan. Set aside.

2. In medium mixing bowl, beat egg and milk slightly. Add flour, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Dip chicken in batter. Coat with cereal. Place in single layer, in shallow baking pan coated with cooking spray or foil lined. Drizzle with margarine.

3. Bake at 350° F about 1 hour or until chicken is tender, no longer pink and juices run clear. Do not cover pan or turn chicken while baking. Serve hot.

Another Pocky Flavor tried

I'm also a bit jazzed because I heard Marukai has blueberry pocky (one I've never tried or heard of before).

Here's the current list

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)
14. Marble - Mousse Shitate Mild & Bitter

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KitKats

After a trip to Mitsuwa I was able to try 2 new flavors. Mitsuwa actually had quite a bit of flavors I never heard of but they are pretty pricey so I will only try it occasionally. I think I will start keeping track of the flavors I've been fortunate enough to find:

KitKat
1. Vanilla Beans
2. Delicious Apples (Shun no Ajwai Ringo)

Happy Earth Day!

Eating more Frans!

It is hard to find new varieties of Pocky to find. I am also trying the Frans now so I'm keeping track of them too:


Fran Quest?

1. Aromatier Moriichigo- Strawberry
2. Winter Premium - Torokeru Purarine
3. Winter Premium - Furan White Chocolate

Had Tous Les Jours Bakery this morning

Would have taken pictures but we gobbled it up too fast. Bought 2 Milk Softs (my personal favorite), a Sweet Pumpkin Bun, Snowpea something (but it was pretty tasty), and a Twist Twist

Pocky"ing" our lives away

Pocky Quest marches on

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. Fuyo no Kuchidoke (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble
12. Marble - Kaoru Rum Raisins
13. Dessert - Noukou Ichigo Chocolate (Strawberry)

Last Night's Dinner

Last night for dinner we prepared a recipe "The Ultimate Hamburger" with Fries

The Ultimate Hamburger consisted of
Hamburger Bun (top)
2 bacon slices (cooked)
2 ham slices
mustard
1 lettuce leaf
2 slices Kraft Cheese
5-6 pickle slices
mayonnaise
2 slices tomato
hamburger bun (bottom)

It was actually pretty good. The recipe came from the internet a bit ago but I can't remember from where. We had some sweet potato fries on the side

Deaths in the food world

Lately it seems that there have been so many deaths in the world of food lately. Sadly these two happened within the week

Al Copeland, Popeyes Chicken Founder, Dies at 64

Atlanta, GA 3/24/2008 04:06 PM GMT (FINDITT)

The founder of the fast food chain Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken has died. Al Copeland, 64, died at a German clinic on Sunday after being diagnosed with a malignant salivary gland tumor last year.

Copeland opened a restaurant called Chicken on the Run in 1971. After losing money for six months, Copeland changed the recipe of his chicken to a more Cajun style. He reopened the restaurant as Popeyes Mighty Good Fried Chicken. The restaurant was named after Gene Hackman’s character, Popeye Doyle, in “The French Connection.”

The name soon changed to Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken and began franchising in 1976.

Egg McMuffin Inventor Dies at 89

By DENISE PETSKI – 15 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Herb Peterson, who invented the ubiquitous Egg McMuffin as a way to introduce breakfast to McDonald's restaurants, has died, a Southern California McDonald's official said Wednesday. He was 89.

Peterson died peacefully Tuesday at his Santa Barbara home, said Monte Fraker, vice president of operations for McDonald's restaurants in that city.

He began his career with McDonald's Corp. as vice president of the company's advertising firm, D'Arcy Advertising, in Chicago. He wrote McDonald's first national advertising slogan, "Where Quality Starts Fresh Every Day."

Peterson eventually became a franchisee and was currently co-owner and operator of six McDonald's restaurants in Santa Barbara and Goleta, Fraker said.

Peterson came up with idea for the signature McDonald's breakfast item in 1972. He "was very partial to eggs Benedict," Fraker said, and worked on creating something similar.

The egg sandwich consisted of an egg that had been formed in a Teflon circle with the yolk broken, topped with a slice of cheese and grilled Canadian bacon. It was served open-faced on a toasted and buttered English muffin.

Thought this fitted perfectly today

Happy Easter!


How To Make Hot Cross Buns

-AlwaysHungry

Crockpots

I'm looking forward to using the crockpot more. With the weather getting warmer and warmer I enjoy smelling the food cooking without standing over a fire. I love homes that have inviting smells. Food gives such a welcoming aroma (except when it is burnt food, which I've also been guilty of)

AlwaysHungry

Kit Kats

I love getting comments. Often they take me in a direction that I never considered before. I often find out new things. Learning never gets old with me.

A while ago, mowgli was kind enough to comment on an entry about Kit Kats. I honestly had no idea that they were originally an England product.

I found this in their wikipedia entry:

A Kit Kat bar or KitKat bar ^[1] is a confection which was first created by Rowntree Limited of York, England, and now produced worldwide by Nestlé, which acquired Rowntree in 1988,^[2] except in the USA where it is made under licence by Hershey's. Each bar consists of fingers composed of three layers of crème-filled wafer, covered in an outer layer of chocolate. Each finger can be snapped from the bar one at a time.

I'm still trying to taste the various flavors since that is also a relatively new "find" for me. Definitely a quest to continue.

The Small Places

Recently, I have decided that when possible I'm going to eat at many of the non-chain, mom & pop stands and small restaurants. At the very least - give them a try. (As long as they have an "A" rating). Often I have seen that I get the best service from them and that is saying something when you realize the person who is there at dinner time may have also been the one who opened up that morning. I'm so behind but I will try to list the ones I get to visit. I've been to a few in the recent months

Capitol Burgers - on Pico Boulevard (my personal favorite because I've seen the older gentleman there since I was in Junior High and my Aunt Dorothy use to place orders - I'm now in my 40's)

One thing I have trouble with is that I can remember the places more than the names but I plan to keep my pad handy and actually enter the information on my blog (which right now is more like scribble on a paper which gets lost in the clutter of my desk.

-AlwaysHungry

Boolgogi - Bulgogi - FIRE MEAT

Last night's dinner was pretty good. We got it from a Korean
cookbook(I can't think of the name, I had copied the page). It was
called Fire Meat. The blurb in the book mentioned that the dish is
boolgogi. "bool" means "fire" and "gogi" means "meat. It came out
pretty well. Wish I would have thought earlier to pick up some Kimchi
from Kimchi House but next time.

So we had a good meal and learned some Korean! A good day!

-AlwaysHungry

Fran - The Original (by Meiji)

Well I was determined to make some progress. Here is the picture of the Fran snack I mentioned earlier. It was pretty good. The cost was reasonable too. I actually purchased it at a Korean Market off of Olympic Boulevard. I can't think of the name of the store though. The security guard was a bit irritating.

Almost Pocky

Well my Pocky quest has slowed down - a bunch. I recently bout some pocky-like snacks called Fran. On the box it says "The Original" so I wonder if it came first. The company that makes it is Meiji. I plan on looking it up to find out more about it. I did see some of their commercials on Youtube but it was in Japanese and I barely know Hiragana.

They were pretty good. I would buy them again. I plan to cut down on snacking though. I took a picture of the box but I have to find it on my computer. In fact, I'm behind on uploading pictures

Quote for the Day

The cold and flu hit our home so its been a variety of soups and liquids for us.

Today while making some Trader Joe's peppermint tea, I found the following quote on the box and wanted to share:

"The first cup moistens my lips and throat, the second shatters my loneliness. The third causes the wrongs of life to fade gently from my recollection. The fourth purifies my soul. The fifth lifts me to the realms of the unwinking gods." - Chinese mystic, Tang Dynasty

-AlwaysHungry

I have not forgotten - THE POCKY QUEST

Now to be honest after the last flavor I tried, I may want to wait a while. I didn't make it through one of the pocky and ended up giving the box for me.

The flavor: Marble - Green Tea. I don't think Green Tea and Pocky should ever be in the same sentence again.

Anyway, the Pocky Quest continues:

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk
10. FUYO NO KUCHIDOKE POCKY (Winter Seasonal)
11. Green Tea Marble

What flavor will be next?

Fried Plantains Recipe

Today we made a recipe that we've had for a while but never tried. In fact the paper showed that I first printed it from an email on 1/30/2001. Well today was the day to make it and I actually enjoyed it. This is a surprise for me because I do not eat bananas. Unfortunately I did not print out the title of the recipe so I do not have any idea what the actual recipe is called. The person who contributed it to the e-group did mention it was a Ghana appetizer that they found in an African cookbook that they had checked out from the library.

Well here goes the recipe. It is easy to make.

3 cups cooking oil (only one cup if you use a wok)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 large unripened plantains (peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick)

In a deep fryer or a skillet deep enough to cover the plantain slices, heat the oil until it is hot but not smoking. In a small bowl, combine the water, ginger, salt, and ground red pepper. Drop plantain slices into bowl one by one, coating each pieces evenly carefully place the coated slices in the hot oil and deep-fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the fried slices with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels.

yield 6 servings.


If you try it please let me know your thoughts.

-AlwaysHungry

Have a Happy Valentine's Day

Our Picture of the Day

Can't think of anything more important to do today. Can you?

So much for willpower ...Kit Kat

Curiosity led me to go ahead and try the other "new" flavor of KitKat I had - Cookies & Milk. It reminded me of Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

KitKat Flavors:
1. Caramel
2. Cookies & Milk.

both flavors bought at Marukai Market in Little Tokyo

February is the Month of Love

and we LOVE our playlists!

Mmmmm...KitKat

Well I tried a new KitKat flavor today. Pretty good stuff. It was KitKat Caramel and seems to be a Japanese version.

I actually bought a second "new to me" KitKat flavor but so far that one is missing in action and no one has claimed eating it.

Could it have been misplaced?

-AlwaysHungry

I admit, I've always wanted to make my own sushi

I think I may try it sooner than later. I've also seen classes offered at some of the Community Colleges. So, between the classes and these videos I found yesterday I should be ready to go.


How To Make A California Roll Uramaki

-AlwaysHungry

My Korean BBQ Adventures

Well I've decided to try some more at home. I desperately need some banchan recipes. I want to have a ton of little dishes. Looking online now. This time I also plan to marinate our meat myself. I hope it goes well.

All of this rain makes me want to definitely eat something hot. Wish me luck.

Another Pocky conquered

We opened it up yesterday but I forgot to blog about it so Pocky #10 is FUYO NO KUCHIDOKE POCKY (Winter Seasonal)

Guess what?

I have two new flavors of Pocky! Can't wait to try them out. I'm trying to wait since I went Smores crazy this weekend

Let this Marinate in your Mind

R.I.P. - Carl Karcher founder of Carl's Jr.

Carl Karcher passed away on Jan. 11, 2008. Today was his memorial. More news about it can be found here.

Here is a bit:

The happy face star symbol of the Carl's Jr. empire, fashioned from yellow and red roses, graced the altar Friday at St. Boniface Catholic Church, where Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher was remembered as a loving father, mentor and man of deep faith. Some 2,200 mourners filled the sanctuary of the church and parish hall and spilled out into the parking lot, where many watched the nearly two-hour service on a large screen. The founder of the CKE Enterprises died a week ago -- five days shy of his 91st birthday -- of Parkinson's disease-related pneumonia at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton


Carl's Junior has always been one of the better fast food burger places. I respect the devotion he had towards his wife and family a lot. She preceded him in death. I like to think that they are together again, smiling. I believe LOVE is ETERNAL.

-AlwaysHungry

Time to think about what's for lunch

Pocky Quest - Current Status

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron
9. Milk

I'm aiming to have at least 10 by the end of January, then it will get hard hunting for flavors

Need more Pocky flavors

Well today I opened up my last box to try and the final flavor (for a while) is...

MILK

What is Pocky?

Pocky (noun)
a crunchy and popular Japanese snack made by the Glico company. essentially a stick cookie dipped in any sort of a variety of flavored creams. the most popular flavors are strawberry and chocolate, though more esoteric flavors like yogurt, milk, and honey also exist. there is also "men's pocky," which features a darker bittersweet chocolate

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Cooking at Home

Well I love eating out but I also like trying things at home. This week has been a good week for creativity for us. We actually did homemade Korean BBQ w/ Panchan on Monday night and last night we actually had Shabu Shabu for the first time ever. I think it came out pretty well. We bought the meat & sauce from Marukai but I hope to go homemade for the sauce next time. It was also fun to sit around and eat as a family.

Food is great. Family is better.

JJ's Bakery

What is worst than a kid in a candy store? AN ADULT IN A BAKERY. Made the trip to JJ's Bakery on Sunday and the person I was with truly tried to clear them out.

What did we buy? Well luckily I have my receipts - all 3 of them. She kept making return trips. Can you see a week of working out in our future?

Bacon sticks
HotDogCheese
Danish Blueberry
Danish Onion
Vanilla Cookie
Bacon Sticks (yep we got two)
Danish RB
Danish Tuna
Danish Raisin
Grill Sandwich
Triangle Cake
CK Pie

The thing is I could actually see me buying everything we tried - again. It was really good. It didn't help that they kept bring out warm items while we were there because the willpower was low. I do think I will try one of their cakes the next time I go. They have a few locations but here is the one we went to:

J.J. Bakery
2370 Crenshaw Blvd - KL
Torrance, CA 90501
310-328-6668

Another day another flavor. So far I like them all. Of course some more than others but there are quite a few that I would buy again. Anyway, today I chose one that I had actually not even seen in stores before (which isn't saying nothing since I'm still fairly new to the Pocky world)

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)
7. Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)
8. TsubuTsubu Marron

A Peek at our other blog

Pocky Quest - Conquered 7 varieties

Mmmmmmm, I'm loving this quest. Well today I opened up another pack

#7 Chocolate Crush (Rangdosh)

I have no idea what Rangdosh is. Can anyone help me? May have to do a google search or something for it later. The picture on the box looks like a broken cookie. Anyway, I like it.

Luckily these things have a shelf life. I've been pacing myself. After I open the box it is fair game for the entire family.

Pocky Quest

I won't lie I was thinking what flavor to today since yesterday. I really liked the dessert chocolate from yesterday. It was pretty rich tasting. So I've picked the one I will be trying today which means I'm 6 flavors into my quest. Does anyone know how many flavors or variations of pocky there is?

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Dessert - Chocolate
6. Chocolate Crush (Almond)

Most of my pocky purchases were bought at Marukai Market in Little Tokyo (California). I seem to have a weakness for Japanese snacks. They tend to give me the right amount of sweetness without being overly sweet. I'm contemplating a Kit Kat quest too since I found out that they too have different flavors.

Pocky Quest - 5th Flavor

Well as I mentioned yesterday I bought some Pocky from Marukai Market. I look forward to trying them this month. I actually showed some restraint by not devouring them yesterday but today they may not have much mercy.

Actually, I do plan to try one a day. Today's flavor is Pocky Chocolate Dessert so here are our current standings:

1. Tahitian Vanilla
2. Strawberry (w/ flavor crystals)
3. Strawberry
4. Coconut
5. Pocky Dessert - Chocolate