Braised Pork Spare Ribs with Orange Juice

Another braised dish! Yea! I really like this one. The flavors are different and unique. The meat was braised until super tender and fell off the bones. With that sweet and savory orange sauce, every bite was incredible. Bryan and I ate more rice than normal too, because the sauce was too damn amazing!

If you can get some sweet oranges and pork spare ribs today, I urge you to make this dish. Pork spare ribs maybe a bit harder to find. Bristol Farms didn’t have them, but they said that they can order them which may take a week. I got mine from Ralph’s and I had the butcher cut it into individual ribs. Hope you will find them!

Bird Watching and Bird Feeding

Have you ever done bird watching? A couple of months ago on a Saturday, Bryan and I  wanted to walk around and took some pictures to try out Bryan’s new lens. We drove to a near park. And little as we know, there are tons of different kinds of birds. The birds are always around us and we just have to look. So on that day, we saw snowy egret, great egret, red-tailed hawk, prairie falcon, red-winged blackbird, and a few hummingbirds. We really had no idea that all these birds living so close to us. Simply amazing.

Snowy Egret at Playa Vista Central Park

Allen’s Hummingbird  at Playa Vista Central Park

Ever since then, I wanted to have a bird feeder. It is lucky that we live in a triplex, so we kind of have a front yard. We went down to a store calls Wild Birds Unlimted in Torrance. That store sells everything related to bird feeding. The store owner was very friendly. He asked us about our living environment and helped us pick out what we need to get started. We got a feeder and some seeds. Back home, we started by hanging up a tube feeder with sunflower chips and sunflower seeds. For the first two weeks, we didn’t have any bird at all. Finally, there were a few house sparrows one morning. Then, a few house finches joined in. After a few weeks, there are so many birds eating on our feeder every day. However Bryan and I wanted to get some different birds, so we went back to the store and got another feeder.

Two weeks ago, we hanged up a finch feeder with Niger seed. Within a few days, we saw a couple of Lesser goldfinches. They are bright yellow and small. They sing nice songs. They are beautiful and cute. We were so excited about that. I can’t wait until Fall, because I heard there may be American Goldfinches. Woo hoo!

It is very nice to do bird watching at home. Bryan and I like to watch them while sitting on the couch and surfing the web. Our next door neighbor can also see the feeder and he said he loves seeing the birds flying back and forth. He likes to watch them while he is watching TV. It is a really fun thing to do. I am glad that we got the feeder and exploring with this new bird watching hobby.

Our feeder and some Lesser Goldfinches

A Lesser Goldfinch was bugging another one.

Want to identified a bird that you saw?

There are two really good sites that will help you. What Bird and All About Birds.

Want to learn about bird feeding?

Wild Birds Unlimited will teach you everything you need to know. They also have stores that sell bird feeders, bird baths, seeds and many more. If not, it is just fun to walk around their stores.

Meyer Lemon Souffle

Mother’s Day is next Sunday. If you are thinking about a gift for mom, this Meyer lemon souffle will sure impress her. When it comes to desserts, my mom prefers tangy than sweet or chocolatey. Therefore, I always think about making some kind of lemon desserts for mom on Mother’s Day. This souffle has definitely become one of my favorite lemon desserts. It is warm, fluffy, tangy and fragrant. Even though my mom is in Hong Kong and we are miles away from each other, I will make her this when we see each other next time. Happy Mother’s Day, mom! 

Let’s talk about Meyer lemons. I have heard so much about Meyer lemons, but I never tried it until 2 weeks ago. I found a pack of Meyer lemons in Costco. After a week of exploring, I have tried at least 6 – 7 different recipes with Meyer lemons. When comparing Meyer lemon with lemon, I came to a conclusion that Meyer lemon is less acidic and it is more fragrant than a lemon. They are definitely great for desserts. The only problem is that they are seasonal and they are not easy to find all the time. I know that Meyer lemon season is coming to an end now. If you can find Meyer lemon, buy and try it. If you can’t, lemon will be fine as well.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Button Mushrooms

I like braising dishes. They are always warm and comforting. Even though we are in Spring now, the weather is still slightly cool and the sky is always gloomy in Los Angeles. It sure sounds like a perfect day for some savory tender chicken. No worries. This is not a really heavy dish.

This chicken dish has many different seasonings. I promise you that the chicken will be packed with flavors. And you will be licking your plate clean with that sauce. Don’t forget to cook rice! You will want them.

New Addition: Wusthof Knife

Have you ever won anything from giveaway, sweepstake or lottery? I haven’t until recent month. Thanks to Homemade Delish giveaway, I won a Wusthof 4.5-inch knife! WOO HOO! I was jumping up and down when I received the email. For a moment, I even thought it was a scam. But I quickly realized that I actually won something. That felt really good!

Last week, I received my knife. It was awesome! Sharp and perfect for cutting small things, like vegetables and sandwiches. I am very happy to get an extra knife, especially I used to only have a chef knife.

Beautiful knife

Trying out the knife with tomatoes.

This week, I am not posting a recipe. I am actually exploring recipes with tons of Meyer lemons. And yes, Bryan is getting sick of hearing or tasting Meyer lemons. Hahaha… But after this package of Meyer lemons, he won’t have to see them ever again until next year.

Be sure to check back next week, I have an amazing braised chicken recipe.

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice (焗豬扒飯) is a classic in Hong Kong cafe. Who wouldn’t like pork chop with fried rice in tomato sauce and top with melted cheese? It is everyone’s favorite. It is a all-in-one casserole dish.

If you ask the people who have left Hong Kong for a while, what food they miss the most in Hong Kong, many of them would tell you cafe style food. Many Hong Kong cafe dishes are influenced by the west, like the use of tomato sauce, cream, cheese, and pasta. With the combination of Chinese ingredients and cooking style, these dishes are unique and special. They are definitely not too easy to find in the US, especially with that kind of fusion flavors. Therefore I tried to make them at home. After a few tries, I am very happy with this baked pork chop with fried rice recipe. It was good and it tasted very close to the flavors that I remember.

Give this a try and get a taste of Hong Kong!

P.S. I have to thank my Hong Kong friends, Iris and Tony for giving me this cook book. Without it, I won’t be able to recreate many delicious Hong Kong food at home.

Individual Strawberry Pavlova

Continue with the strawberry theme this week! I have some leftover roasted strawberry puree and strawberries from the Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream, so I thought what I can do. And yes, pavlova is the winner. I first learned about pavlova from watching Barefoot Contessa on Food Network. Ina made a beautiful mixed berry pavlova. I have been wanting to try it, and finally I did. I made individual ones, so it is easier to serve and Bryan and I do not have to eat the 7-inch cake by ourselves.

As far as I know, Pavlova is from Australia. It is a really popular dish in Australia and New Zealand. No matter where it is from. It is truly an amazing dessert to present and serve at a dinner party. It is light and it has fresh ingredients. It also highlights the berries during the spring season. The meringue is light and crisp on the outside and slightly gooey on the inside. With the fresh strawberry, strawberry puree and whipped cream, every bite is the perfect bite. You may think 3½-inch is a lot, but that is not true. It is a great serving size for one person. If you haven’t tried pavlova before, I urge you to make them today. You will not be disappointed!