Bye Bye Wisdom Teeth x 4

I had my wisdom teeth pulled this afternoon. All 4 of them. It didn't hurt at all at the dentist. But when I saw the tools and felt how the doctor was drilling and cutting my stubborn teeth in half, I got so scared that I actually cried. I can't believe I am 36 but still acted like 6. The doctor assured me I was doing a good job while the nurse wiped the tears off my face. I think they almost gave me a lollipop. 3 hours later, I saw my broken wisdom teeth on the tray, and secretly cursed at them in silence. Bye bye wisdom teeth. I am glad you are gone forever!

My entire face, tongue, even my ears felt numb from novocain after the procedure. I don't really know why but when your face, lip, and tongue are numb, they feel fat, like really really fat. But when you look in the mirror, they look normal. Even when you touch them, they feel fat in your hands. You guys ever had the same experience?

[Cook] Sauteed Cabbage

I found this online cooking school called Rouxbe. They had a sample lesson on their website, and I thought it looked great. I showed Dr. P, and he also thought I would learn to become a better cook from the cooking school. He also thought it would benefit him because he will get to eat all the delicious food. He liked the idea so much that he actually bought the one year membership for me as a gift. (Thanks hubby!) My first lesson was learning how to properly use a knife. I practiced on some leftover cabbage from our St. Patrick's Day dinner. Then I made simple Sauteed Cabbage using a recipe on Rouxbe.


Sauteed Cabbage

Because of copyright, I don't think I can post the full recipe with precise measurements here. The dish was made simply with chopped cabbage, butter, salt and pepper. Buttery crisp cabbage tastes pretty good. This would make a great side dish.

[Cook] [Slow Cooker] Corned Beef Dinner

I know it's really late, but this was our St. Patrick's Day's dinner. The recipe came from The Taste of Home Cookbook. I got the cookbook from Borders for only $5 from the bargain bin. Lucky find! I saw corned beef at Costco a week before St. Patrick's Day and almost bought it for about $5/lbs. Then I was doing grocery shopping at Ralphs and saw corned beef on sale for only $0.99/lb. I bought the 3 1/2 lb meat for $4 instead of $20. Another lucky find!  This recipe is really simple, and it turned out great. The corned beef was super tender. The vegetables were full of flavor, especially the cabbage. Dr. P has requested to have this dish every year for St. Patrick's Day.


Corned Beef Dinner
This traditional meal is a must for St. Patrick's Day but great any time of the year. A slow cooker makes it easy.

4 to 5 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 cups fresh baby carrots, halved lengthwise
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 corned beef brisket (3-1/2 pounds) with spice packet
3 cups water
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

[Laguna Hills] [Fast Food] McDonald's

McDonald's
25192 Cabot Rd
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 462-0448
http://www.mcdonalds.com

After getting my free ice cream dessert from Haagen Dazs, I saw there is a McDonald's right next door to the gas station. I have a coupon for buy one drink and get a free sandwich coupon from McDonald's. Perfect time to use the coupon since I haven't had lunch yet.


Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich ($4.29 Free) / McCafe Cappuccino ($2.89)

I bought a McCafe Cappuccino, and got the Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich for free. I always like McDonald's cappuccino. I always request it with no sugary flavor syrup added. It tastes so much better with the artificial flavor sugar.

[Laguna Hills] [Dessert] Haagen Dazs

Haagen Dazs
25172 Cabot Road
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 770-8300
http://www.haagen-dazs.com

I got a coupon for a free Dazzler from Haagen Dazs. I did a search for the nearest location on their website, and found this Laguna Hills "shop". When I got there, I was surprised to find out it was actually a gas station with a Haagen Dazs counter inside. But I guess Haagen Dazs in a gas station is still Haagen Dazs.


Haagen Dazs Dazzler

The coupon was for a Midnight Dazzler, but the lady at the counter told me they did not have the midnight chocolate ice cream. A dazzler is made of 3 scoops of ice cream with 3 layers of topping. Since they were out of the flavor, she let me pick any flavor I want. I got my favorite ice cream from Haagen Dazs, Raisin and Rum. For the toppings, I got Oreos, M&M, and gummy bear. Then I realized gummy bear is not a good topping for ice cream. Gummy bear will turn hard when mixed with ice cream.

[Cook] Chicken and Tri-Bell Pepper Chow Mein

This recipe came from Ming Tsai's Simply Ming One-Pot Meals: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes. You can find a video of Ming Tsai cooking the dish HERE. This dish use very simple everyday ingredients. The result was amazing! It tastes like restaurant quality chow mein. Actually scratch that. It tastes even better than restaurant chow mein. I think the honey and lime in the recipe did the magic!


Chicken and Tri-Bell Pepper Chow Mein

1/2 pound fresh or dried chow mein or Shanghai noodles
Kosher salt
6 Tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, plus more for coating the noodles
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut across the width into 1/3-inch strips
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons minced ginger
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/4 cup naturally brewed soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
Juice of 2 limes
3 small bell peppers, red, green, and yellow, cut into 1-inch dice
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, for drizzling

[Rancho Santa Margarita] [Bakery] Cinnamon Productions Bakery Cafe

Cinnamon Productions Bakery Cafe
22342 El Paseo #I
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
(949) 459-7900
http://www.cinnamonproductions.com

I went down to the dealership for car maintenance in Rancho Santa Margarita. I've never been to that city before, and wanted to explore the area a little after taking care of the car business. So I flipped through my Entertainment Book and picked a eatery around the area to go to. It's a fun way to see a new city because I get to drive around knowing there are food waiting for me at my destination.


BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad ($9.95)
Our 3-blend salad tossed with a Sweet and Spicy Ranch dressing, lemon garlic chicken, black beans, roasted corn, cilantro, tomato, topped with avocado and a zest of BBQ sauce.

Cinnamon Productions is one of those bakery cafes similar to Corner Bakery and Panera Bread. There is the bakery side with bread, cupcakes, and pastries. Then there's the cafe side that offers salad and sandwiches. My EB coupon was for buy 1 get 1 free. I decided to get one salad and one sandwich to bring home.

[Irvine] [Chinese] A&J Restaurant

A&J Restaurant
半畝園
14805 Jeffrey Rd #D
Irvine, CA 92620
(949) 786-3585

We haven't had beef noodle soup from A&J for quite a while, and Dr. P had the crave for it.


紅油炒手 Spicy Wonton with Hot Red Sauce (Szechuan Style) ($3.95)

I always like the Spicy Wonton with Hot Red Sauce at A&J, but every time we have it, Dr. P always mentions that he doesn't like the sauce. He thought the sauce had a sweet taste, which he didn't like, and which I like. haha...

[Trabuco Canyon] [Winery] Hamilton Oaks Vineyard & Winery

Hamilton Oaks Vineyard & Winery
31111 Hamilton Trl
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679
(949) 459-6913
http://www.hamiltonoaksvineyard.com

I bought a wine tasting at Hamilton Oaks Vineyard for 2 for only $10 from Groupon. We went and enjoyed some wine on a sunny afternoon.



I didn't even know there is a winery in South Orange County. This is a very small winery. Actually this is the owner's house. He operates his business from home. The house was divided to two sides. One side is where he and his family lives, the other side has a wine bar with patio seating area for wine tasting.

[Cook] [Slow Cooker] Asian Braised Pork

I saw this recipe for Slow Cooker Asian Braised Pork in Woman's Day Magazine. I had almost all the ingredients on hand. Only needed to go to the market for the pork. It was very easy to prepare. Pretty much just put everything in slow cooker and forget about it, then prepare the cucumber salad right before the pork is ready.  The pork turned out to be soooooooo tender and soft.  The sauce was a bit on the sweeter side.  I think I would add less brown sugar than the recipe called for the next time.


Slow Cooker Asian Braised Pork

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Servings: 4

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 2-in. piece fresh ginger, half thinly sliced and half grated
2 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-in. pieces
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced

[Laguna Niguel] [Bakery] Corner Bakery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe
27221 La Paz Rd #K
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 425-8673
http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com

I signed up to be Corner Bakery Cafe's fan on Facebook, and they sent me a coupon to get a free meal as a thank you gift.  That was nice.


Pasta Combo ($7.69)
Your choice of a Cafe Sized Hearty Pasta with Caesar Salad or Mixed Greens

I've had their salad and sandwiches before.  This time I want to try something different, and ordered a pasta combo.  The combo came with garlic bread and Caesar or mixed greens salad.  The oily garlic bread was tasty, but it must have a lot of calories.  Romain lettuce in Caesar salad was really fresh and crisp.  Good salad.

[Laguna Hills] [Colombian] Colombian Cuisine at Mitze's Kountry Kitchen

Colombian Cuisine at Mitze's Kountry Kitchen
25381 Alicia Pkwy #C
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 636-5418
http://orangecountycolombiancuisine.com

I like to try food from different country.  When I saw one of this 1/2 half deal for Mitze's Kountry Kitchen on one of those Gorupon similar website, I bought it right away because I don't think I've had Colombian food before.  We love all the food we had during our honeymoon in Costa Rica.  I wonder if Colombian food tastes similar to that?



It's not a big restaurant.  We went during lunch hour, and the place was empty with only one table of guests.  The waitress was very nice and friendly.  The owner also came out and greeted us, which was nice.  They actually have two menus, one for traditional Colombian food, one for typical American food like sandwiches and burgers and stuff.  Of course we were only interested in the Colombian menu.

[Teddy & Twinkle] Teddy Is A Funny Guy

Teddy is seriously funny. He's always doing funny things, making funny noises, and I don't think he knows he's all that funny.



Look the way he's sitting.  hahahaha....

[Shopping] [Deals] Free Shutterfly Mother's Day Card

Shutterfly.com is offering a 5x7" Greeting or Stationary Card for free via coupon code "MOMCARD". Shipping is only $0.99. I made my mom a Mother's Day Card and it only cost $1.02 after tax. Cheaper than a card you buy at a store, and it's personalized! Isn't my mom pretty and cute? I know she will love the card! Take advantage of this deal and make a beautiful personalized card for your mom, too! (Coupon ends April 28.)

P.S. Don't forget to use EBATES to get 8% cashback when you place your order.

Happy Day Pink Mother's Day 5x7 folded card

To view Shutterfly's popular Mother's Day designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

Oh No! Not Again....

Oops they did it again!

Teddy and Twinkle chewed up my laptop's power cord AGAIN!!

I just ordered my 3rd power cord.... :-(

Since all my pictures are in my laptop and I can't turn it on, I can't update my blog... boohoo~~~~

Hopefully the new power cord will be here within the next few days.

[Mission Viejo] [Fondue] Simply Fondue

Simply Fondue
28719 Los Alisos Blvd
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
(949) 707-5200
http://www.simplyfondueoc.com

I bought a Groupon for Simply Fondue.  The deal was $45 for a four-course fondue feast for 2 people (a $98 value).  The only other time I had fondue was at Melting Pot in Pasadena.  I remember the food was pretty good, but it was expensive to a point that I didn't think it was worth the price.



Ever since that time, we never really thought of having fondue again.  Well, we prefer Asian style hot pot or shabu shabu more than American style fondue.  But $45 for two people sounds like a bargain.  So we went to try fondue again.

[Aliso Viejo] [Vegetarian] Native Foods

Native Foods
26705 Aliso Creek Rd # E
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4803
(949) 831-1926
http://www.nativefoods.com

Dr. P's brother and his girlfriend Lucine came to visit.  Lucine is vegetarian.  We thought she would love Native Foods and took her there for dinner.  Yup, she loved it!


Verdi's Roasted Veggie Pizza ($7.95)
Creamy homemade Native Ricotta and pesto, roasted fennel, pear tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, sweet red onions, and garlic cloves drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Lucine ordered Verdi's Roasted Veggie Pizza.  We sat outside on the patio.  It was dark so the picture didn't turn out that well.  My photo doesn't do justice of how delicious this pizza was.  The crust was soft and bread-like, and spread with creamy pesto and vegan cheese.  The roasted veggies were so flavorful.  I had a bite, and decided I want to order this pizza next time I go to Native Foods.

[Laguna Beach] [American] K'ya Bistro & Bar

K’ya Bistro & Bar
1287 S Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 376-9718
http://www.kyarestaurant.com

Back to our favorite OC restaurant, K'ya Bistro.  This time we were smart and made reservation a few days before our visit.  We saw people got turned away because they didn't have reservation, just like us last time.  So remember to make reservation on Open Table if you plan to visit K'ya Bistro.



Last time we sat at the downstairs area, which was much quieter.  We requested to be seated there this time also.  But the hostess informed us that the downstairs area is only available on the weekend.

[Teddy & Twinkle] Twinkle Dreaming

Teddy and Twinkle have dreams in their sleep all the time.  They sometime talk, bark, breath heavily, move their legs, twitch or wake up suddenly.  I really wish I can know what they dream about.  I caught Twinkle dreaming and talking on video.



Twinkle was dreaming and started talking. She woke Teddy up. Teddy was like, "????? What are you talking about?" haha....