Applebees Happy Hour After Work!

Sometimes the work groupies hit Applebees after work to relax, especially after those crazy shifts. The new Bud Light Platinum came out so I had to try it even though it wasn't happy hour. I'm not the biggest fan of Bud Light but this beer is supposed to have double the alcohol content: 6% instead of 3.5%. I'm glad I gave it a try.... but I'm a loyal Coors Light drinker!

I ordered the build-your-own appetizer. It was AWESOME because you could pick and choose what you want. I gobbled it down before taking a picture but I'll probably order that platter every time now! I got Honey BBQ wings, their little tacos, and spinach artichoke dip. YUM!

Finals Week Brunch!- 2012

I had an online final, the Monday of finals week. That was my last final EVER in college because I was GRADUATING!!!!! So, because I wasn't overwhelmed studying for Vector Statics finals or Organic Chemistry..... I figured it would be fun to cook a brunch for several of my friends to start them off for a week of all-nighters and hard studying. Some brain food... My mom had a few recipes I wanted to try and I was excited to cook for the group.

I had juices and unlimited coffee for everyone. I made a zucchini quiche, a spinach quiche (the hit of the morning), a coffee cake, and eggs in baskets!!! Everything turned out to be delicious if I do say so myself, and I want to share the recipes with you if you want to plan a brunch too!!!! They were all SUPER EASY, super fast to put together, and all had the same cook time, so I could exactly plan service.

This is what the eggs in a blanket looked like on the fire! I added a little bit of pepper to the top, and no salt. That way, each person could choose how much salt to add for their liking. Cut a hold in a piece of bread and stick it on the pan. I used whole wheat bread. I did spray the pan with some PAM non-stick cooking spray. I toasted the bread on one side and then turned the fire way down and flipped the bread. Crack the egg in the center, sprinkle some pepper and wait. It only takes about 3 minutes. Make sure to keep checking that the bottom isn't burning!! Make sure the egg is completely cooked before serving.

This picture is the spinach quiche that was a huge hit. I altered the recipe slightly, using more spinach than it called for, and an Italian 5-cheese mix rather than Gruyere cheese. The recipe also calls for a pie crust, but I was too lazy and altered the recipe. Here is my altered recipe:

Spinach and Cheese Quiche

Prep: 15 Mins

Bake: 45 Mins

Serves: 8

½ onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

16oz package frozen chopped spinach (thaw and squeeze out water)

1 ½ cups grated Cheese (Italian 5 Cheese Mix works beautifully)

1 c whole wheat flour

1t Baking Soda

3 Large Eggs

Dashes of Salt and Pepper

Oven: 375F

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly mix.

2. Spray pie pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour mixture in. Bake 45 minutes until brown on top.

3. Sprinkle with more cheese and broil the top until cheese melts and browns. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving!

 The next one I made was a Zucchini Quiche. I thought that it was equally as delicious as the spinach, but the spinach one was the favorite. The only thing I changed on the recipe was that cheese. I used the Italian 5 cheese blend rather than Parmesan.

Zucchini Quiche

Prep: 15 Mins

Bake: 45-60 Mins

Serves: 8

3c grated zucchini

1 small onion chopped

1c flour

1c Italian 5 cheese mix

3 eggs

1/4c vegetable oil

2t basil (fresh or dried)

1t baking powder

1t salt

1t pepper

Oven: 375F

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly mix.

2. Spray pie pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour mixture in. Bake 45-60 minutes until brown on top.

3. Sprinkle with more cheese and broil the top until cheese melts and browns. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving! 

 The little puppies in the oven..... 

and out of the oven!

Lucky Elephant in Ontario

 

I had wanted to try the Lucky Elephant since a work friend told me about it months ago. It’s on the corner of 6^th and Mountain in Ontario. Turns out, the friend that took me, knew the owners and we received preferential treatment along with an amazing spread of delicious Thai cuisine. I arrived early to the lunch date and was greeted by a host dressed in an authentic Thai robe. All of the employees dressed the part. I fell in love with the decor. Everything was very fancy and such attention to detail. The inside of the restaurant was very clean and open and all of the decorations fit the Thai feel (elephants!). 

There was hand carved wood along all of the walls and little Thai trinkets in china cabinets separating the kitchen area from the dining room. Everything in the restaurant screamed Thailand, including the decorated china and vase on the table and even the menu. The table had a white table cloth covered with a purple and gold cloth strip. If you look, you can see the cloth in some of the pictures I took. That just added to the authentic feel of the Lucky Elephant. Many Thai restaurants all over LA county pay attention to detail of the restaurant, but then completely bomb the food. Not the Lucky Elephant! The food was amazing, colorful, attractive, and scrumptious to the last bite.

The service was top-notch and so friendly, and the food was incredible. All of the food delivery was professional and the presentation was great.  Even the garnishes paid attention to detail. Take a look at the little flower on a bed of cabbage on the plate below... not exactly an edible garnish, but it looked very pretty. And also notice the place mats on the table, as well as the purple and gold cloth underneath the glass on the table. I don't even know how they did it! The Thai Iced tea I enjoyed with my meal just polished off the entire experience. 

We started the meal with a delicious Thai soup and Rangoons and egg rolls served with a delicious sweet and sour dipping sauce. The flavors in the soup were so subtle and delicious. The soup was the perfect thing for an empty stomach to prepare for the insane amount of food that is to follow. The Rangoons were so good too! The egg rolls were super hot even minutes after they were brought out so heads up.. They burned my mouth!

My friend and I ordered from their Lunch Special section of the menu. $6.95 from 11am-3pm. You get the soup of the day (which was the delicious soup with subtle flavors pictured above), an egg roll or salad, depending on the day and one of the options listed on the page (about 15). We ordered the Chicken and Cashew nuts and the duck with basil because we were told they were two top sellers. Needless to say, it was obvious why they were top sellers.

First of all, the presentation was incredibly appetizing. I almost forgot to take the picture before digging in. The little butterfly made out of carrot was so precious, and I could not figure out how they did it. I thought it was a great addition to the dish. Everything was so fresh on the plate. The flavors were incredible on both dishes! The basil sauce that was on the duck paired perfectly with the subtle gamey flavor that duck has. 

As for the Chicken and Cashew Nuts, I'd say it was the best Thai chicken and cashew nuts that I have ever tasted. All of the veggies were al-dente, not overcooked or mushy. The flavors of the veggies and chicken and the sauce complemented each other with the melt-in-your-mouth results that is making me hungry just writing this. I can't wait to go back now. It was really that good. This dish was cooked perfectly and presented beautifully.

After all this food, you'd be surprised that we still had room for dessert. But we did! Deep-fried bananas with a pudding dipping sauce were the perfect ending to this authentic Thai meal. The crunch and the warm mushy banana were so tasty. Once we paid for the meal and chatted with the owner and his family for a little while, it was time to go home and fall into a food coma!! I will definitely be back!