Prime Cut Cafe and Wine Bar

1547 West Katella Avenue
Orange, CA 92867-3410
(714) 532-4300

Have you ever had your heart set on a particular meal? It is hard to accept anything else when

you really want what you want. Today that happened to me. We were headed to a favorite Mexican

restaurant for the Sunday Buffet. We weren't even sure if we would make it in time getting out of

church later than we had expected, too much traffic, and no parking. But we made it in time with

enough time to eat and not have the buffet closed on us before we were done when we realized-- a line.

The hostess informed us it would be a 15-20 minute wait and that was putting us in

danger of missing out on the buffet. So we headed out to see if we could find something else.

In the same center there are several choices for eating and the closest and most appealing was

the Prime Cut Cafe. We had thought about trying this place several times before but we just never did.

Until today.

Walking in, the first thing we noticed was a large bar in the center of the room with wine racks artistically

displaying a wide variety of wines. Well, it is a wine bar after all. It is a large open space that feels

somewhat homey. It is sophisticated without being stuffy. It is modern and clean and welcoming. There

were very few people there, which actually was a pleasant surprise since we had just walked away from

a place with a 20 minute wait.

We were given our choice of tables and began perusing the lunch menu. Sandwiches, burgers, salads,

at first glance nothing new, nothing special. Again I will say that at first glance the menu didn't seem

to be anything out of the ordinary. It was simple, with a nice selection, but not overwhelming. As I began

to study the choices, I realized that the menu might look simple but the explanation of the dishes was

anything but! The objective changed from finding something worth eating to narrowing down to the best

choice. Remember, I was thinking Mexican lunch buffet-- now that thought was long gone and I was

looking to please my palate in a far superior way.

We decided on an appetizer, it was Osmel's birthday so we thought we would splurge.

Cheese fondue: "A creamy blend of Gruyere, Fontina, White Cheddar and Parmesan Cheeses.

Comes with roasted garlic and grilled rustic bread."

And what a fantastic start. A very nice presentation, the cheese was hot and creamy (just as described)

and the bread was hearty and the garlic was soft and spreadable and served in a rich tasting garlic oil.

Very good start-- Mexican buffet? What?

I had the Double Chicken Sandwich: "Aged Provolone, Oven-dried tomatoes, Pesto aioli served with

shoestring fries." This was turning out to be a very good lunch choice.

Osmel had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup: "3 cheeses on sourdough bread with tomato bisque

and a small mixed green salad garnish." Now I am not one to go to a restaurant and order a grilled

cheese, but Osmel loves a good grilled cheese. Expectations are rising.

Mom ordered The Barbeque Chicken Sandwich-"Applewood Smoked Bacon, BBQ sauce, fried onion

strings, provolone, oven-dried tomatoes and red onion with shoestring fries."

So while we were finishing our fondue, our order came up and I was extremely impressed by the

server- Gary who came to let us know that our entrees were up and were we ready for him to bring

them? Impressive!!

Well, the descriptions didn't disappoint, everything was just as good as we had hoped for after

reading the descriptions. Wait, did I say as good-- I mean better!!

If you are in the area around Angel Stadium, The Honda Center, Katella and the 57 Freeway-

do yourself a favor, try this place!! By the way, I would suggest weekend lunch. Gary, our server

told us that during the week they were pretty busy, for lunch, but the weekends not so much-- yet.

Get in while the getting is good!

Easy Turkey Enchiladas and Cilantro Rice

150 calories per enchilada

20 oz lean ground turkey

1 package McCormick Taco Seasoning

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

Favorite Enchilada sauce

Reduced calorie Mexican blend cheese

corn tortillas

2 cups water

Spray pan with cooking spray and add ground turkey and brown. When cooking is completed add taco seasoning, tomato sauce and water. Cook over medium heat until the tomato mixture is reduced to your desired sauciness. Microwave corn tortillas.

For each enchilada add 1 oz ground beef mixture and 1/2 a cup cheese. Roll the enchilada. When the desired number of enchiladas are prepared, add sauce (1/4 cup per enchilada is one serving). Add 1/8 cup of cheese per enchilada. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350 or until the cheese is melted.

Cilantro Rice

Follow the package instructions to prepare rice adding 1 tablespoons caldo de pollo powder per 4 servings of rice and add the juice of 1 lime and cook as directions indicate. Chop 1 cup cilantro and mix into cooked rice.

For the beans I just use the no fat Rosarita refried beans and add 1 chipotle pepper crushed and 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce.

Mushroom Chicken and Lemon Rice

4 servings=191 calories per serving

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cups raw spinach

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

garlic powder

onion powder

poultry seasoning

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

salt and pepper

lime juice

cooking spray

season chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Spray pan with cooking spray. brown chicken. add white wine and let reduce. add fresh thyme leaves. add chicken broth and let simmer. add spinach and let cook down. saute mushrooms in a pan coated with cooking spray. add cooked mushrooms to chicken. add a touch of lime juice.

Lemon Rice

4 servings. Use the package directions to cook the rice. Grate lemon rind and add to the rice cooker. Add juice of one lemon. Add 1 tablespoon Caldo de Pollo powder. When finished cooking add 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and mix.

150 calories per 3/4 cup cooked rice

total calories= 341

Island Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

This is a savory, sweet, and spicy dish. The spiciness of the dish is up to you and how much jalepeno you want to add.

4 servings= 295 calories per serving

1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breast

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 cloves minced garlic (I like to buy it already minced or crushed)

1/4 cup fresh mint

1 tablespoons onion powder

1 20 oz can unsweetened crushed pineapple

1 bunch scallions

2 tablespoons diced green chilies

diced jalepenos (to taste)

salt

make a marinade with the orange juice, curry powder, soy sauce, garlic, mint, and onion powder. Place the chicken in the marinade for 3-24 hours. Slice the chicken and pan fry it in the marinade. Drain the pineapple (saving the juice). When the chicken is almost finished cooking, add the juice to the pan and finish cooking the chicken in the liquid. Let the meat set in the juice to rest while you make the salsa.

Chop the scallions and put into a food processor. Give it a few pulses to puree. Add the green chilies and the jalepenos and pulse again. Add the Crushed pineapple and pulse just to mix. Serve the pineapple salsa over the chicken.

I served it over rice 1 cup of cooked rice is about 200 calories.

Tired of Crying Over Onions?

My husband taught me a trick that I refused to believe worked... but it does. When you are cutting onions, fill your mouth with water and hold it in your mouth while you are cutting the onions. You won't cry!!

Tomato Basil Dressing

I love to put salsa on a salad because it doesn't add many calories, but it adds a lot of flavor. This is like putting an italian salsa on salad.

2 cups basil

1 tsp canola oil

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp crushed garlic

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Put the basil in a food processor with the oil, vinegar, and garlic. Puree. Add the sun dried tomatoes and puree again. Add the chopped tomatoes and pulse until it is completely blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

1/4 cup is only about 13 calories.

I made turkey burgers and added this dressing to them. It was yummy! For 1 lb ground turkey add about 1 cups dressing, 1 egg, chopped mushrooms (optional), and 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese. Form into 5 burgers (or it would make a good meatloaf). Cook in a pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Curry Pork and Chai Rice

3-4 servings

1 orange

1 lb boneless center cut loin pork chops

1 cup brown rice

cooking spray

curry powder

ground turmeric

ground coriander

garlic powder

cinnamon

garlic powder

salt

water

onions (optional)

2 chai tea bags

Rice:

Add 3 cups water and a little salt to the rice cooker (or follow the packaged directions for stove top rice). Add rice, orange rind, two chai tea bags and orange juice to the rice cooker and cook the rice.

Make a dry rub with the curry, coriander, garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric and sprinkle both sides of the pork with it. Coat pan with cooking spray and cook the pork (about 4 minutes on each side or until done). Juice the other half of the orange. Remove the pork and pour the juice into the pan and allow to cook down for about 1 minute while scraping the pan to loosen the brown bits. Drizzle the sauce on the pork. Cover the pork with foil and let rest before serving.

Serving size 3/4 cup brown rice and about 4 ounces of the pork.

About 600 calories per serving

Basil and Lemon Chicken Salad

I planted some basil plants and am loving trying to figure out different ways to use my fresh basil. This recipe is for only 2 servings. And there are 255 calories per serving. There are things that will change the calories slightly like what kind of mayo you use. I use Best Food Mayonnaise with canola oil. Also, I used the least amount of oil and mayo that I could use so it was a little bit drier than some people might like.

1/2 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

(I like the frozen tenderloins because they are easier and I can have them on hand all the time)

1 cup basil leaves

1/8 cup walnuts (you could use pine nuts but they are much more expensive)

1 tsp olive or canola oil

zest from 1 lemon

juice from 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons mayo

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt to taste

boil the chicken in a saucepan high heat for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked. I always season the water by pouring in salt, pepper, garlic powder and a bay leaf but this is optional. When the chicken is finished cooking, remove from water and place on a dish to cool.

In a food processor (I think a blender should work) add the basil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and walnuts and puree. I cut the chicken into small pieces and then added to the food processor to grind and mix. This will not work in a blender so if you are using a blender, just shred or chop the chicken into small pieces. Add mayo (as much as you like). I had it on the Orowheat sandwich thins that have only 100 calories per sandwich. The Sara Lee Delightful bread would be good too because it is only 45 calories per slice.

Balsamic Chicken, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

12 ounces chicken breast

(frozen breast tenderloins works well to make it quick and easy)

6-8 roma tomatoes

1 cup fresh basil

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 servings whole wheat pasta

2 bay leaves

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

2 tablespoons italian seasoning

salt

Boil the chicken in water (enough to cover the chicken with about an inch above) with the granulated garlic, italian seasoning, bay leaves, salt. Cook on medium high for about 15 minutes (or until fully cooked).

put the 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan on low to reduce to about 1/2 of the original amount.

Chop the Roma tomatoes. Chop the fresh basil and mix with the tomatoes in a a bowl. Mix the olive oil with the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, the crushed garlic, and a bit of salt separately and add to the tomato basil mixture. Toss well and let sit until the ready to serve.

When the chicken is finished cooking remove from water and set aside to cool slightly. Add enough water to your chicken liquid to cook your pasta (if needed). Bring the chicken cooking liquid to a boil for a few minutes add more salt and cook your pasta in the water.

Drain the pasta. Drain the oil and vinegar mixture (from the tomato basil mixture) into the cooked pasta and mix (this will prevent the pasta from sticking together).

Chop the chicken into small pieces and pour the balsamic reduction over and toss.

When you are ready to serve, toss the chicken, pasta and the tomato basil mixture and serve. This dish can be served cold or hot. Top with additional basil.

This is 4 servings and is 466 calories per serving. To reduce the calories you can serve over a salad instead of pasta.

You can also add mozzarella or parmesan cheese to top and

Lemon Basil Chicken

My summer quest is to find some healthy recipes that I can be quickly prepared and that are low in calories. I need meals that I can make during the school year when I don't have a lot of time to get dinner on the table. Here is find #1. The original recipe was for scallops so I made it a chicken recipe and added a few of my own touches.

1 lb chicken breast (boneless skinless- fresh or frozen)

1 large lemon

3/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon wonder flour

1 cup fresh spinach

1 cup sliced mushrooms

handful of fresh basil leaves chopped

I used frozen chicken "tenders" (if you use fresh chicken slice into strips) and poach the chicken in the wine, chicken broth, garlic, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Grate the lemon peel and add to the poaching mixture. If this is not enough liquid to cover the chicken, add a little more chicken broth. Poach the chicken for about 15 minutes over high heat or until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the liquid and pour it into a saute pan. Add the mushrooms, spinach, garlic powder and the juice from the rest of the lemon to the liquid and cook over medium high heat until the mushrooms are tender and the spinach is fully cooked. Add the basil. Make a well in the middle of the pan and add the flour to the liquid slowly stirring constantly. Mix everything together and continue to cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes stirring constantly. Pour the mixture over the cooked chicken and serve. Could be served over rice or pasta.

one serving of chicken is 4 oz and it is 256 calories.

Pineapple Soda

If you like pineapple juice you will like this recipe. I make it every time I buy a pineapple and it makes me feel like I am getting the most for my money.

When cutting the pineapple, cut off the leaves from the top (only the leaves) and discard. Then cut off the top, the bottom and all the skins. Cut the rest of the fruit from the core. Take all the "skins" and the core and put into a large stock pot (about 5 quarts). Add about 4 quarts of water. Add about 4-5 cups sugar (or to your own taste). Put on the stove over a high heat and let it boil stirring occasionally. Let it cook down until it is about 1/2 the liquid. Let cool and strain. Osmel likes to drink it straight, but that is a little bit too sweet for me. I mix it with club soda to make a refreshing pineapple soda. I store it overnight in the refrigerator with the majority of the pineapple pieces left in the pitcher and strain in the next day to give it a stronger pineapple flavor. When you discard the pineapple pieces, make sure to squeeze out the last bits of juice. Every drop counts :)

Best Chicken Sandwich

I was recently watching, The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. The episode was best burgers which got me to thinking about the best burger I ever ate. Now technically, it really wasn't a burger, it was a chicken sandwich but it was REALLY GOOD!!

The sandwich is from Red Robin and was truly amazing. As I think about the ingredients, I realize that it is a taste profile that seems to attract me over and over again. Here is the description from the menu:

Chicken Caprese Sandwich

"An Italian gourmet treasure. Tender grilled chicken breast topped with fresh Mozzarella cheese, balsamic marinated tomatoes and crisp romaine lettuce. Served on rustic ciabatta bread with pesto aioli. " (Red Robin Menu)

There is another sandwich that I recently had at a little sandwich shop in Yorba Linda that is similar. The sandwich shop is called Stefano's Golden Baked Hams (South West corner of Yorba Linda Blvd and Imperial Highway). They have a Caprese Sandwich (but order it as a Panini), it has of course- Mozzarella Cheese, Basil, and Tomato they serve it with their balsamic vinegarette and it is amazing!

Tortellini Salad w/ Balsamic Vinegarette and Pesto Chicken Salad with Hummus

I recently had the most delicious dish. It was a grilled chicken breast with a pesto and sun-dried tomato hummus. It was served with a salad with a balsamic vinegarette. Then later I had a pesto pasta salad with tomato and I was thinking how to kind of bring the two dishes together. This is what I came up with... I hope you enjoy!

Pesto Chicken Salad

1 1/2 lbs chicken (boneless/skinless)

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

parmesan cheese

2 handfuls basil (2 .66 oz packages)

olive oil

1 tblsp crushed garlic

2 tblsp balsamic vinegar

4 oz (1/2 jar) marinated sun-dried tomatoes

salt

crushed red pepper (optional)

4 sandwich rolls

Slice and bake the chicken covered with the rosemary sprigs and slightly salted. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Let the chicken cool and shred or cut into small bite size pieces.

In the food processor blend basil, sun-dried tomatoes and vinegar and add olive oil while blending to mix well. Add enough olive oil that the mixture is loose but not a liquid. For the garlic you can smash your own or buy it already crushed, add the garlic and mix. Sprinkle the red pepper if you want a little kick. Then about 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and salt to taste. Toss the dressing with the chicken to totally coat.

Serve on toasted french rolls. Spread a generous amount of hummus on the rolls. There should be enough chicken salad to make 4 sandwiches.

You could add the chicken to the pasta salad and just top with hummus instead of making sandwiches.

Tortellini Salad

1 box spinach tortellini

1 6.5 oz marinated artichoke hearts

1 cucumber

2 cups cherry tomatoes

shredded parmesan cheese

Balsamic vinegarette*

Directions

cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and cool.

Dice the artichoke hearts.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in halves.

Slice the cucumber and then cut into quarters.

Mix ingredients together then add vinegarette and add parmesan cheese and toss.

*Use your favorite balsamic vinegarette. I use the Good Seasons italian dressing packages and cruet. I use balsamic vinegar and olive oil and mix according to instructions.

Cubican Meatloaf

in my family it is always a struggle, what to make for dinner that my husband and I will both like. So tonight we are having a meatloaf (American) with Cuban flavors. Cuban + American= Cubican. If you look back at the recipe for my albondigas- that is pretty much my meatloaf ... but here it is again with a few additions.

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 onion

1/2 lime

bread crumbs

egg

1 lb ground turkey

cumin

garlic

salt

anchiote powder

puree the bell peppers and onion (I always do this because I don't like to eat anything with chunks of onion and bell pepper). Add egg, lime juice, seasonings. Mix together with bread crumbs. Shape into a loaf and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

This was YUMMY!! I loved the flavors with the ground turkey. Served it with Garlic and cheese mashed potatoes and a tomato, cucumber salad.

Healthier Albondigas (Latin Meatballs)

I call these "Latin" meatballs because they have flavors of Cuba and Mexico so they could be from either place and I wanted them somewhat healthier than the standard meatball so I made them with ground turkey and brown rice.

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup brown rice (cooked)

2 eggs

juice of 1/2 lime

oregano

garlic

ground cumin

achiote powder

chili powder

onion powder

Knorr Chicken Bouillon powder

salt

Put meat in a bowl and sprinkle all the spices, add the lime juice, two eggs and cooked rice.

Mix all the ingredients together (don't over mix) and form into small meatballs. Bake them at 350 for 30 minutes.

Use the albondigas in the Cuban Soup recipe on this blog from August 2010.

Southwestern Lasagna

3 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp granulated garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground oregano

the juice of 1/2 a lime

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1 onion

2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce

1 can black beans

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

dozen flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar/jack blend)

brown ground beef and rinse. Puree onion and add to the ground beef with black beans, tomato sauce, corn, seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly. Layer tortillas in a 9/9 greased pan and pour mixture over, add cheese, and continue to layer until the pan is full. Top the casserole with a thin layer of the mixture and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Add a little more cheese and bake for about 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Croquettes

Croquettes are a Cuban staple for appetizers. They make a good snack, and are really yummy in a Cuban Sandwich!!

2 cups heated milk

1 cup Wonder flour

2 Cups chicken (I use a good quality lunch meat)

1/2 stick butter

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

onion powder

garlic powder

parsley flakes

bread crumbs

egg

finely slice the chicken.

Heat the milk with the seasonings. Remove from the pot and set aside. Melt the butter slowly so as not to burn. Add some of the flour to make a rue. Add the milk and stir out any lumps. Slowly add the rest of the flour so as to prevent lumps. Add the lime juice and chicken and stir over low heat for a couple of minutes. Overcooking will result in the mixture being too pasty. Remove from heat and let cool. When it reaches room temperature place in the freezer until cold.

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Pour bread crumbs onto a plate. When the mixture is really cold, shape into tube shapes, dip in egg, and roll in the bread crumbs.

Fry them in hot oil until golden brown. Make sure that the oil is hot so the croquettes don't get mushy.

New Discovery!!

McCormick has recipe cards with the premeasured seasonings that you need for the recipe. They sell for about $2. I tried one of the recipes. It was good and really easy. I needed to add a few other seasonings to make it perfect... but what a great idea and how easy!! It is also good if you don't have a lot of seasonings.

Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)

I found a way to prepare the yellow rice in a really easy way!! I use a prepackaged yellow rice (in a long, gold, foil pouch)- I used 2 packs of the yellow rice and one cup of regular rice. Cook it in the rice cooker adding 1.5 x as much water, add frozen peas and carrots (about a cup) and add a little bit of salt.

I cooked the chicken separately and mix it with the rice.

This recipe is about 6 servings

Chicken recipe:

Need: Paprika, Garlic powder, Thyme, Pepper, and black pepper, ground cumin, and fresh garlic (2 cloves)

1 to 1.5 lbs chicken (I like white meat so I use breasts, but dark meat is ok too), 1/4 cup flour, salt, olive oil, 1 bell pepper (red or green), 1 onion, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, and 1/2 cup white wine

mix the dry seasonings with the flour and sprinkle about 1/4 of the mixture over the diced chicken. Heat the oil in a saute pan and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken and use the same pan to saute the bell peppers and onions until the onion is clear. I use a food processor to puree the onion and green pepper. If you use fresh garlic cloves, you can add them to the processor to make them smooth. (I ALWAYS use the crushed garlic I buy in the produce dept because I don't like chunks of garlic and it is easier than peeling and smashing garlic on my own.) If you do puree, just pour the mixture into the pan and heat it up. This process will help any small pieces of onions to basically melt away. Add the Tomatoes and white wine and bring to a boil. Add the remaining spice mixture and add the chicken back in cooking over low for about 10 minutes (to finish cooking the chicken).

When the rice is done cooking mix the chicken and sauce to the rice and mix together.

This dish can be served with the traditional tomato, onion, cucumber salad.

Thinly slice onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Whisk together red wine vinegar and canola oil. Pour over the vegies and serve. YUMMY!! Of course I don't eat onions but my husband loves them.

Bruschetta (Italian pronunciation: [brusˈketːa]

So my question... is bruschetta the bread or the topping? Who knows, but it is yummy!

Mine is simple.

For the bread, I like sourdough bread, but it can be any dense french style breads.

Slice the bread into finger size pieces. I brush mine with a garlic butter and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 oven until golden brown. Let cool unstacked to maintain its crunch texture. If you want to avoid butter, you can brush the bread with garlic olive oil.

For the topping slice Roma tomatoes in small pieces. Add fresh Basil cut into thin strips (using kitchen scissors works best). I like a lot! Add Olive Oil to coat and dash of Balsamic Vinegar. We recently had some with minced fresh garlic (which tasted fabulous but left me feeling insecure about my breath). Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Let it marinate for about 10-15 minutes before serving for a fuller flavor.

What can be said about this dish? It has a great wow factor without much work!

A Great Salad

There are a few things that I always love in salad, but it is the unexpected things and the mixture of flavors that work together to make a salad great... recently I made the most delicious salad, I was one happy camper.

The salad contained my salad staples:

Lettuce (different types)

Spinach (make sure it is washed well, there is nothing worse than taking a bit and tasting the dirt- even in prewashed spinach)

Broccoli slaw

Cucumber

Then I added a few "surprise" ingredients.

Blueberries

Avocado

Bruscetta topping (Roma tomatoes and fresh basil)

Mix all the usual ingredients, add blueberries and avocado.

In a separate bowl mix together diced Roma tomatoes, and sliced basil leaves. Add a little bit of olive oil to coat the mixture and a dash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Let the flavors marry for about 15 minutes and then add to the salad.

Finally, my favorite dressing is a balsamic vinegarette that is so easy. Use one of the italian dressing mixes that you can buy in the grocery store and it is easiest if you have one of their foolproof cruets that give you a line to show you how much vinegar, oil and water. Fill the cruet with the dressing mix, and balsamic vinegar to the WATER line. Then add olive oil to the oil line (if you don't have the cruet, it is about 1/3 oil and 2/3 balsamic vinegar. It is wonderful! Toss all the ingredients together and serve after about 10 minutes. If you want a little crunch, you can add some almond slices.

The combination of balsamic vinegar, basil, and blueberries make for that lovely mixture of sweet, acid, and savory that is heavenly!

Food from Morocco

Recently we went to a local Moroccan Restaurant. Holy Cow, it was delicious! I am looking forward to trying to recreate some of the tastes that we experienced. I can't wait to figure it all out.

Roasted Bell Pepper Salad

Green bell peppers were on sale so I used red and green. If red bell peppers aren't too expensive, you can use two red bell peppers.
You will need
2 Bell Peppers
Onion
Red wine vinegar
Oil
Avocado
Salt and pepper
Place washed bell peppers on the burners of a gas stove and blacken. Keep turning them until they are black. Rinse and peel off the blackened portion. Cut into slices. Slice Onion and avocado. Mix Oil and vinegar. Toss together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Boliche Mechado

Boliche Mechado is a Cuban Pot Roast with Spanish Chorizo. I had it the other night when we went to a really yummy Cuban restaurant the other night in Downey and had this dish. It was so good and I thought, I need to figure out how to make it. So, today I tried it and it was really yummy. It wasn't the same, but, it was good none the less... and my husband liked it. That is the real test.
I used a cut that was labeled Pot Roast. What kind of cut exactly, I'm not sure.
You will need:
Pot Roast
Crushed Garlic
Lime juice
tomato sauce
beef broth
cumin
oregano
bay leaves
red wine
salt
onion
Potato
bell pepper (1 red, 1 green)
Smear crushed garlic on the beef and pour a little lime juice (both sides)
Let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Generously cover with cumin.
Puree the bell peppers and onions in a food processor to make sofrito
Cut beef into strips and add salt.
Heat oil in the bottom of the pot and brown the beef (be careful not to let the garlic burn). Cut the chorizo into slices (on an angle) and saute in the pan. Add beef broth, tomato sauce, red wine, and the sofrito cover the meat completely. Add oregano and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for about two hours. Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and add to the pot. Add more beef broth if needed to make sure the potatoes are completely covered in liquid. Raise the temperature and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and continue to cook until the potatoes are fully cooked.
Serve over rice.