easy pork skewers

i buy food from several different places, depending on what i'm looking for, the day or the time. you can find me at the farmer's market, berkeley bowl, whole foods, lucky's and trader joe's (or tj's for short). i created this recipe after a recent trip to tj's, but of course you can get the ingredients anywhere. i really like trader joe's but the produce isn't always fresh, so be careful.

this recipe is easy enough for a fast weeknight meal, and impressive enough for company. make them for your dad on father's day! i used the broiler, but feel free to throw these babies on the grill. if you don't eat pork, just make chicken or veggie skewers.

happy father's day!

easy pork skewers
serves 6

1 pork tenderloin, cut into 2 inch pieces

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

pepper
1 container fresh pineapple, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 red onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
stir fry sauce

soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. preheat broiler. put pork in a small bowl and season (to taste) with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. toss to cover evenly. put ingredients on skewers in the following order: pineapple, pork, onion, pepper. place skewers on baking sheets in one layer. cook under the broiler for 5 minutes. remove baking sheets then brush stir fry sauce over skewers. place back under the broiler for another 5 minutes. remove baking sheets again, brush with sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes. serve over steamed jasmine rice.

uptown unveiled

on thursday, the sun finally broke through a thick gray layer of clouds. is june gloom finally over? uptown is a burgeoning area in oakland. it seems like there's a new business opening every few months! uptown unveiled was a free street fair on telegraph avenue between 16th street and grand avenue. live music performances, walking tours, skate boarding, dj's, art and food filled the streets.

looney's smokehouse is opening their second location in july at 5319 martin luther king way (where sweetie pie and poppy's used to be). i didn't taste the food but this plate of brisket, baked beans and mac and cheese looks pretty good to me.

it was a beautiful day in the town...

take me out to the ball game

i love football.

no, i really love football. it's not unusual for me to watch 4 games on a sunday, then turn to sports center for highlights. when john madden announced his retirement, i was broken hearted. i mean he's definitely earned it, but what am i gonna do without him? since i'm not the biggest basketball or baseball fan, this time of year, i'm usually just waiting for football season to come around again.

but i also love food. so when i read about a bacon wrapped hot dog at at&t park, i let all of my baseball friends know that i needed to try this ballpark delicacy. asap. when my sports addict brother invited me to a game, i was more than ready. food and baseball...this is where our worlds collide.

my brother told me to find out exactly where i wanted to eat (so he wouldn't have to miss too much of the game). that morning, i did my research and planned my attack:
1. tijuana-style bacon wrapped hot dog

2. crazy crab sandwich
3. made-to-order caramel corn

i spotted the tres agave cart almost immediately. after buying a couple hot dogs, we made our way to our seats carefully carrying part one of our lunch. the bacon wrapped hot dog ($6.50) was a celebration of meat, and all of the other flavors contributed to the party: smoky, creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet. the hot dog was topped with grilled jalapeno and onion and a squirt of chipotle mayo. everything was slipped into a pocket sliced into the top of a lightly toasted - but chewy - hunk of bread. i didn't see any cucumber pico de gallo, but it was still tasty.

after a few innings, i decided to venture out again, this time behind the scoreboard. the crazy crabz sandwiches ($15) were made to order. the baguette was sliced diagonally and then slathered with parsley butter. the crab was lightly dressed in mayo and then left alone, allowing its natural sweetness to shine. a couple slices of fresh tomato and a splash of lemon juice completed the bite. who knew you could eat so well at a baseball game? after the initial shock, my brother said it has officially become one of his staples. he will get a crazy crab sandwich every time he goes to a baseball game!

during the 7th inning stretch, i embarked on an unsuccessful search for caramel corn. after looking high and low and asking about 10 employees, someone finally told me only ticket holders on the club level have access to made-to-order caramel corn. bummer.

anyway, it was a beautiful day in san francisco and the giants won the game. the only thing that would make me happier would be news of delicious food at candlestick park, just in time for football season.

haiku: white nectarine

silky skin, soft flesh

floral perfume, sticky mess

sweet juice everywhere!

photo from wikipedia. my hands were too sticky to pick up my camera. and the nectarine was so good, i wasn't thinking about taking a picture anyway.