Restaurant reviews, dishes, recipes, and more - DineNDish's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Memorial Day Weekend: four course menu

Fri, 25 May 2007 17:36:04 PDT

Hey all, I wanted to include some recipes for this weekend's celebration!
This is probably my favorite time of the year to start off the summer. I love the warm weather, the BBQ's, and the comfort of being around family. I hope you all have a safe weekend and enjoy the time off.

-Serrena

Appetizer:
Tropical Fruit Salad

    * 1 medium ripe papaya, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    * 1 medium ripe mango, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    * 1/2 pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    * 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and ribs removed, minced
    * 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
    * 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
    * 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
    * 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    * Coarse salt

Directions
    * In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Serve immediately. This may be made 1 hour ahead, without adding papaya, and refrigerated. Add papaya just before serving.

Side Dish:
Garlicky Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

    * 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
    * 2 tablespoons olive oil
    * 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    * Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet,   toss asparagus with oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and browned in spots, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Main Dish:
Simple Salt and Pepper Chicken

Ingredients

    * 1 tablespoon coarse salt
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    * 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), quartered, rinsed, and patted dry

Directions

   * Preheat grill to medium-high. (If you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 3 to 4 seconds.)
   * Combine salt and pepper. Rub chicken with mixture, covering all sides and shaking off excess. (You may not need all of the mixture.) Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
   * Place chicken on grill, skin side down. Close cover, and grill 8 minutes. Flip chicken, and close cover. Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.
   * Transfer chicken to a plate, and let rest 15 minutes. Serve with bread salad

Dessert:
Apricot Dessert Quesadillas

Ingredients

    * 1/2 cup light cream cheese, whipped
    * 1 Tbsp sugar
    * 1/2 tsp lemon zest
    * 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
    * 4 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free
    * 4 medium apricot(s), sliced into thin wedges
    * 1 sprays cooking spray, butter-flavored
    * 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
    * 1 serving butter-flavor cooking spray

Directions

    * Stir cream cheese, granulated sugar, zest and lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Spread 1/4 of mixture on one half of each tortilla, layer each with 1/4 of apricot slices and fold each tortilla in half.

    * Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Arrange 2 folded tortillas in skillet; cook over medium heat until golden brown, flipping once, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Remove from skillet, cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining 2 tortillas.

    * Cut each tortilla in half to form quarter wedges, place on a serving platter, dust with powdered sugar (use a sieve) and serve. Yields 2 wedges per serving. -Flavor Booster: The hot-sweet bite of ginger adds an exciting taste dimension to the quesadillas. Halve the sugar in the cream cheese spread and mix in 1 tbsp finely minced candied ginger.

ENJOY!

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Margarita's

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:43:18 PDT

Hey All! So are you enjoying the warmer weather? As for me, I actually grew up in Salinas and moved here to good 'ol Bakersfield when I was about 13.....well, now that it's been about 9 years since then you would think I would have been used to the weather. I must admit I do love summer nights, but during the day.......find me hiding in a freezer! As a way to sort of kick off the summer months ahead, since mother nature decided to get us started EARLY, I decided to give a recipe I've used many many times from Martha' website. It not only is the easiest recipe I have ever used for a really good margarita, but it is also happens to be my ultimate favorite drink.

Ingredients

Serving: Makes 4

1 cup frozen whole strawberries ( already frozen strawberries can be bought at any local grocery store )
6 tablespoons tequila
1/4 cup frozen limeade concentrate ( *Limeade concentrate consists of just sugar and lemon juice. )
2 tablespoons triple sec
2 cups crushed ice

Directions

Place four 8-ounce glasses in freezer. Place strawberries, tequila, limeade concentrate, and triple sec in the jar of a blender. Blend until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add ice and blend until liquid is smooth. Serve immediately in chilled glasses.

Enjoy! Hey if anyone has any summer blends or any favorite recipes, feel free to post them!

Avocado Pie

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:34:50 PDT

    Over the weekend I was poking around the internet and came across the website www.supertarget.com. On there I found some dessert recipes. The one that actually stood out was name Avocado pie. Being that the main ingredient is a favorite fruit of mine, I never would have thought that making a pie that included this ingredient would actually taste good. Come to think of it, it actually tasted a lot like key lime pie!
    The recipe says it takes about 30-minutes to put together. When I made it, it took me just a little over 10 minutes. All in all it was a really simple recipe.
    Side note: When shopping for avocados make sure to get the really soft ones so they can be easily mashed. I came across another recipe that said you can also bake in the oven at 350º for 20 minutes and then chill for about 2.5 -3 hours. (Whichever works for you)

What you need:

1 avocado, mashed
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

What you do:

Stir milk into mashed avocado. Stir in lemon juice. Combine well, then pour into pie shell. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with cool whip.

Enjoy!
-Serrena

Do you like chile verde pizza?

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:53:44 PDT

Is that like asking do you like Kung Pao goulash?

How does chile verde, a staple at Mexican restaurants, end up on Italian pizza?

I can't answer that. Go to Tony's Pizza at 4130 California Ave. near Circuit City and find out because Tony (which in Spanish is Antonio) has it.

We would like to know how you like it.

Does it taste good or is this a blatant violation of the one dish, one nationality rule? Is there such a rule or did I make that up?

Posted by Steve E. Swenson

Your favorite restaurant dive

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:49:41 PDT

Of course, we don't mean dive in a bad way.

But not every restaurant has white table cloths and cold salad forks.

Some have both real people and real food, the kind you eat when you are around real people. Elegant no, but fun yes.

And those are the kind of places we'd like to know where you like to go to have some good food that's served with a little attitude.

My all time Kern County favorite was Green's on 178 on the road to Bodfish which back in the day served a Sonora Enchilada for $2.50 that would feed you for a week.

The Burger Hut on 19th Street is a local favorite.

Posted by Steve E. Swenson

Thai Food in Bakersfield

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:27:31 PST

So I've tried Siam Dish over on Ming and Stine. And I have to say I wasn't impressed with the dish I had nor the experience of the restaurant. The only Thai food restaurant I have tried and will compare other restaurants too is Royal Thai in San Luis Obispo. I used to live in San Luis Obispo when I was going to college and I swear nothing has ever compared to how great of a place that restaurant is. So my question is, are there any thai food places that are worth going too? If so, please explain what you've had and your experience (good or bad). I have been craving some really good thai food since I've moved back to Bakersfield and since my experience with Siam Dish I've given up hope.

-Serrena

Submit a review

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:06:14 PST

So, being that Valentine's Day is a very hectic day for some restaurants around town, did anyone find the time to take that special someone out for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner they deserve? Or perhaps the whole family? If so, don't forget to Dine N' Dish by submitting a review to the Inside Guide!
http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Businesses

valentine cupcakes

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:55:34 PST

Happy Valentine's Day! I thought I'd spread a little love by giving a simple recipe on how to make some lovely cupcakes. I hope everyone has a good day! Enjoy them not only with a loved one but with the people you LOVE that help bring joy to your life.
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe5610009&layout=martha

-Serrena

Soup's on, but where

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 06:41:25 PST

In our series of "where can I get something," this one is where can I get great soup in town?

While I love soup, I rarely order it out. The exception is Italian restaurants like Sorella's and Joseph's where I always order Minestrone soup.

But other places always have soup as a regular feature. And I like the soup at The Great Castle.

Where is soup on for you?

Posted by Steve E. Swenson

Best pancakes in town — where might they be?

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:43:03 PST

We are going to start asking "where can I" questions again.

So today's is where can I get the best pancake in town?

And do you like them fat or thin, with regular syrup or the rainbow of flavors out there?

I don't eat pancakes that often, but if I deliberately go out to have some, I will go to IHOP every time. Love the choices of the syrups.

Posted by Steve E. Swenson

Cocktails anyone?

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:00:09 PST

Basically if you drink, you have certain drinks that you will always get or maybe you might be the adventurous type. What is your favorite cocktail? What is the weirdest cocktail you have tried?

Superbowl Sunday

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:45:31 PST

So I'm sure everyone knows this Sunday is the Super Bowl. I know its a popular gathering for my family. I have to be honest though, I only attend for the food. We mainly serve the basics chips & dip, lil' smokies, bbq wings, vegetable trays, sandwich trays, along with ribs and shish kabobs. And then my aunts decide we also need macaroni salad, potatoes, green beans, etc...the list goes on. It's almost as if they feel the need to cook more so they keep themselves busy. But anyway, moving on to what I was getting too. I'd like to know what items you serve for an occasion such as this? Everyone has the boring items bbq wings and chips with dip. But is there any famous recipe you use every year? Maybe a lucky item, for good luck, served for that special team? Please comment!

Best place for a piece of pie?

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:18:17 PST

Other than Marie Callendar's, is there any place in Kern County that serves a great variety of pies? Odd question, I know, for a place like Bakersfield you don't hear that to often. But I have been craving some really good pie and don't know of too many places around here that actually serve that sort of thing. If anyone knows a place, I would greatly appreciate it!

-Serrena

Which restaurant has the best barbecue in Bakersfield?

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:34:59 PST

We would like your opinions on this question for a story and video we want to do on the best place.

We want to show how good barbecuing is done.

So after you go to a place and have that heavenly feeling of "all my taste needs have been met," we'd like you to share the place with us.

Posted by Steve E. Swenson

Chef Serrena

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:21:57 PST

    So, I'm 22 years old. And for the first time in my life, without someone watching over my shoulder and controlling every move I make, I made dinner all by myself. Ever since I burned popcorn, by accident, my friends and family stopped having faith that one day I would be a great cook.
    So I for once took the initiative to prove them wrong once and for all. I chose a simple meal but easily cooked wrong if not cooked correctly. It included the basics, chicken and rice. The rice I chose to cook was simple white rice. Which turned out even better than I had hoped. The chicken I chose was boneless chicken. Which I found can be easily cooked within a few minutes.
    Now, keep in mind I am a lover of Japanese foods. Anything with fish, poultry, meat and rice will do for me with a side of soy sauce or teriyaki sauce and wasabi. But seeing how being a student and only affording what was in the house I didnt have any teriyaki sauce or wasabi. I basically made what I could. Luckily I have an awesome roomate who knows a thing or two about cooking. He showed me how to make teriyaki sauce with just flour, oil, vinegar and soy sauce. With my great memory for the recipe I quickly whipped that up in the pan and set it aside to cook my chicken.
    The rice only took just a few minutes and was delicious. The chicken I cooked in a sauce pan with a batter that contained paprika, salt, pepper, flour, and a 1/4 of oil. (The mixture of spices was for seasoning.) And voila! my dinner was ready in just a few minutes. I loved every part of the whole process. I got to spend time alone in the kitchen, made dinner all by myself, and was a happy camper after eating the wonderful meal.
    So now that you have read my extremely LOOOONNGG little story, do you remember the first meal you ever made?
    -Serrena

Egg nog anyone?

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 17:04:14 PST

Hey all,
Just wanted to post some simple egg nog recipes. They are very interesting I must say. The chocolate egg nog is very delicious for those chocoholics out there. Enjoy!
Have a very Merry Christmas and be safe if your traveling!

-Serrena

No-egg nog
If you don't want to use eggs in your eggnog, pudding mix will do the trick.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 quarts milk
2 1/2 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg

PREPARATION:

Blend pudding mix and 2 cups of milk, following directions on pudding package. Chill for 5 minutes. Add the rum and nutmeg, then mix in the rest of the milk. Chill and serve.

Chocolate egg nog

An eggnog with a double-hit of chocolate, with Kahlua and chocolate milk

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups chocolate milk
5 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Kahlua (or strong coffee)
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 tsp ground cinammon

PREPARATION:

Combine milk and chocolate milk in a saucepan and scald (do not boil). In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until thick. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture and mix through. Then stir the egg mixture back into the hot milk, and place over low heat. Add whipping cream and Kahlua. Cook and stir until mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from heat and add rum and cinnamon. Let cool and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a sprinkling of grated chocolate and nutmeg.

Diet egg nog
6 cups of skim milk

1 cup of Egg Beaters (or your favorite comparable product)

Sweetener to taste (Use the pink stuff, the blue stuff, the yellow stuff AND if you use the real stuff, be sure and measure carefully and remember to count those added calories! Real sugar will blow up anyone except ants when used in high quantities!)

2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract (Rub a little behind your ears and live a little!)

2 teaspoons of rum extract

Ground nutmeg and cinnamon (or you can use a bit of pumpkin pie spice)

Heat the milk, Egg Beaters and sweetener in the microwave on high until thickened, stirring every minute or so. You can also use your stove if you prefer. Remove from microwave or stovetop and stir in the remaining ingredients. Next, cover the mixture very tightly with plastic wrap and chill. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg and cinnamon if desired. You can even add a dollop of nonfat, sugarfree topping for an added treat!

This recipe for Holiday Egg Nog makes about six – eight ounce servings for about 100 calories each. Be sure and leave some out for Santa along with your plate of holiday lowfat cookies. As he'll be making lots of stops on Christmas Eve, he'll appreciate this light, non-fattening treat! Who knows, he may even leave some very special in your stocking!

Rompope
Almonds add a unique flavour to this easy egg nog recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg yolks
6 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole almonds
Rum, if desired

PREPARATION:

Soak and peel almonds, then blend with a little milk until smooth. Bring milk to a boil, then add sugar and almond liquid. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Whip egg yolks with rum. Add the egg mixture to the milk mixture, slowly while stirring.

(all recipes were found on about.com/eggnog)

Cocktail Party Help!?

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:25:52 PST

    In celebration of my roomate and I moving into our home we have been wanting to put on a cocktail/christmas party for our friends and family.
    The only problem is what do you serve these people? What type of activities do you do? How many people should you really have? What types of drinks should you serve? Desserts or finger foods? What about invitations?
    As you can see I'm new to this, as well as my roomate, we are hoping to have our party December 16th so that gives us plenty of time to figure out what to do, right? Any suggestions?

-Serrena

You Be Pete!

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 02:16:33 PST

Restaurant critic Pete Tittl's annual dining guide was published in Eye Street on Sunday. In it, Pete gave his picks for 2006 for his top 10 fine dining establishments and top 10 casual spots, as well as top picks and runners-up in a variety of other categories.

So, now's your turn! What did you think of Pete's picks? What are your top 10 faves—new places, old places, fancy places, holes-in-the-wall, hidden secrets? What do you think of the age-old Bakersfield question of homegrown vs. chain? We're all hungry—so start typing!

—Jason

Grey's Anatomy

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 00:18:58 PST

    If anyone knows me like they do, they would know that I am a huge Grey's Anatomy fan. If you haven't seen it, please do! My favorite intern is Meredith and my favorite doctor would, of course, have to be Dr. McDreamy. (McSteamy is way hotter, but is a little too self absorbed.)
    Every Thursday I deal with the hassles of George being mean to my girl Callie and Cristina trying to keep a secret that may jeopardize Burke's career. You see, me explaining it doesn't help, you have to watch it to experience the drama these people go through everyday at Seattle Grace Hospital.
   Below is a recipe reprinted directly from the Emerald City Bar menu, the place where Meredith and McDreamy first started there looovvee connection!

Joe's Dip
Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped tomato
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
pinch of garlic powder

Preparation:
Blend your artichokes, mayo, Parmesan and garlic powder. Pour and spread around a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350° until lightly browned (about 25 minutes). Garnish with the tomato and green onion.

To check out full episodes from this month or for more info on Joe's Dip go to:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy/page?pn=recipe

Enjoy!
-Serrena

Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 12:05:46 PST

Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show:	Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:	Southern Traditions

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings

4 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16-ounce) package dried black-eyed peas, washed
1 (12-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups waterIn a large saucepan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, crumble, and set aside to use as a topping for the peas. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until tender. Add the peas, diced tomatoes and green chiles, salt, chili powder, pepper and water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the peas are tender. Add additional water, if necessary. Serve garnished with crumbled bacon.

In celebration of the Black Eyed Peas concert tonight, I thought I would input a recipe featuring the infamous bean that gave name to one of my favorite music groups. According to Jessica Harris, the author of "Welcome Table" a African-American Heritage Cooking book, a dish of peas is thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year. She also notes that some add a dime to the peas for an extra "boost" of luck to the recipient. Just some extra info for everyone. Enjoy!

Visit www.foodnetwork.com for more information on other recipes.