Oh That California Food

Good Morning Friends, can you believe it's Thursday?! I can tell you that the traveling we did last weekend finally caught up with me last evening about nine o'clock-I was exhausted. We started watching the news in bed at 10:00 and I immediately fell asleep. I slept soundly until this morning; I knew I was tired, just not that tired. So one of the few things, besides family, friends, beautiful scenery that we miss in California is the food. California, at least Northern(don't know about Southern) has the best food of any of the states. Maybe it's because we lived there for 57 yrs; we traveled and have had some really good meals in other places, but I have to say that food in California is consistently good! I really planned to take more photos of our meals, but forgot until the meals were over. So here is the few~the first is a dinner at Rio Grille in Carmel; it is a very nice, somewhat expensive restaurant and the food was so good. This photo doesn't do it justice; this was a  pork chop with a special sauce and green beans.  It was wonderful!  I almost chooses the vegetarian dish that was a portebello mushroom, but choose this instead.

On Saturday morning, Aletha made us one of her gourmet breakfasts(she is truly a gourmet cook); she always makes the best meals from scratch~not just when we are there, but all the time.  This was an egg and vegetable frittata with sausage and toast.  It was so good-forget eating tiny portions.  

Saturday for lunch we ate at Nepenthe's in Big Sur and had a delicious lunch.  Hubby and Dave split a burger and Aletha and I split a beet salad and then also an order of Brussel Sprouts.  You know I have to say I've never liked them until a couple of months ago and now I really enjoy them~amazing how the body changes.  Saturday night we had roasted chickens, potatoes, a yam casserole and vegetables. 
Sunday was another great meal-Leg of Lamb for dinner with rice and gravy and green peas, plus a Cheesecake.  Let's just say I haven't checked the scale since I got back.  Of course, good food didn't end when we left Carmel but continued at Jim and Barbara's.  Lunch was ready when we got to their house and we had Chicken Minestrone Soup with Kale Salad.  I love soups and salad and it was a perfect cold day for them.  For dinner we had pork loin with a special sauce, potatoes and string beans-again just put a fork in us!  
So last night I actually made a new dish-Chicken with pearl onions, mushrooms, peas and a coconut sauce over Jasmine rice.  It was a definite winner.
Today, will be another day of catching up; I may run to the sewing machine store, the pet store and possibly Targ*t.  Also, I'm on a sewing mood right now so will probably be downstairs this afternoon.  I'm trying to figure out the best time to visit all of you and I'm thinking the morning and then errands and sewing in the afternoon.  I so need to check in with all of you!
I hope your day contains laughter, smiles and a bit of sillyness~
Until tomorrow,
Noreen