Wood Ranch - Santa Clarita, CA

Yesterday I cruised on over to Burbank to pick up Scott from the Bob Hope Airport and after many changes in flight arrival times I was getting pretty hungry. Around that airport there are not very many good food options other than fast food. So I decided to rough it, fight Interstate 5 traffic and pull into my favorite Wood Ranch for a mid day meal.

Scott was craving a salad just as much as I was and went for the Tri-Tip Chopped Salad. He has been judging the NCHA Futurity so it was nice to catch with him over a meal. The salad is the perfect amount of food for someone craving something substantial for lunch but not heavy enough to make you feel exhausted after eating it. 

If there is an Asian Chicken Salad on any menu you know I am going to order it. This Salad is very good. I am pretty picky on my Asian style salads because I have had the best one in the world at Tao' Tao's in Sunnyvale, CA. This one is completely different by using romaine, and incorporating mandarin oranges but I do love all the crunch from the nuts and puffed rice noodle.

While I was mowing down my salad I saw a plate of one of my favorite things go by... Onion Strings are so good! They are one of my favorite starters to a meal at Wood Ranch and I almost kicked myself for not ordering them! 

If you have not been to one of the Wood Ranch restaurants yet, you are missing out on a Southern California staple. Go and pig out on BBQ or order a petite lunch salad, it is all up to you! Just be sure to go... Hurry!

La Cosecha - Paso Robles, CA

Sorry bloggers! I have not been trying to ignore you but I have been busy doing the cowgirl thing at the PCCHA Futurity. It seems like my days go by fast, fast and then I go to sleep just to do it all again! I was lucky enough to have my three year old, Metallic Tears make the Open Intermediate Finals and Open Gelding Stakes with Russ Elrod so my mom and I had to go to lunch to celebrate!

 My mom is cute! She seriously is the #1 fan of cutting horses! Especially my horses! 

La Cosecha is located in the downtown square area of Paso Robles and hosts an outdoor and indoor dining area. Their food features mostly Latin cuisine and in tapas sized options.

 We  both were excited enough to want to cheers with an adult beverage so I ordered Tolosa Chardonnay and she went for one of La Cosecha's featured Bloody Mary's.

I went for the White Fish Special and asked to be served mashed potatoes served with it. The fish was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were stunningly delicious. They should be able to be ordered by the bowl. The white wine, heirloom tomato and caper sauce that the fish was topped with was terrific as well.

The braised and grilled pork ribs caught my eye and I was glad to get in a bite off my mom's plate. They were totally fall off the bone tender, in fact it was a dish to be eaten delicately with a fork. It was featured saying it was to come with black beans but it was served with rice only much to my mom's delight!

My horse ended up doing great in the finals winning about $8000! I was so proud everytime he walked down to the herd for his performance! We have been having such a good show!

It is now my turn to deliver, I have made the finals on my horse, Hip Hip Roo Rey (Scotty) in the Non-Pro Classic Challenge and in the Non-Pro Futurity and Gelding Stakes on Metallic Tears (Elvis). I am so blessed and couldn't be more thankful to my family for being so supportive! my husband for coaching me through everything... and all my helpers! It takes a village!!

Hello Fall! - Ojai, CA

Last Saturday was the most beautiful introduction we have had to Fall in many years. The morning air was crisp and the warm, fuzzy it gave me inspired me to get cooking! I love cooking when the seasons change. Goodbye Summer. Hello Fall! Upper Ojai was just stunning, I had to snap a photo from my porch...

I set the table with candles, flowers and cloth napkins. It was just too pretty of a day not to go all out.

 Scott put on music and sweet tunes blasted through our outdoor speakers. 

Hi Scott!

My grandmother's wicker furniture makes for a lovely outdoor living space. We have used this sitting area so much this year. I see many more evenings of front porch sitting in our future! 

What I love most about cooking all day is the ability to have your meal ready and waiting with a fully clean kitchen to work in! Always clean as I cook, I hate dirty dishes. So with my kitchen spotless I decided to start cocktail hour...

 Cheers!

Scott requested his favorite, Deviled Eggs, to start. I like making them because it is such a labor of love. You must kindly handle the eggs to boil, crack and peel them without injury to the precious whites. Then whip up the yolks to your creamy desire. It is just such a personal recipe. A little of this, a little of that - add what makes you feel right. This time it was mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle relish, cherry pepper juice, salt pepper and a sprinkle (or in my case an accidental downpour) of paprika.

Our sweet friends Dana, Brandon and Ryan came over to enjoy eating with us. It is so nice to have local friends who appreciate good eats like we do! When I called them last minute to come up the hill and dine with us they were good enough to jump in their cars and join in. 

I love this shot of everyone digging in! Scott was in charge of cooking the steaks and salmon on the barbecue and he knocked it out of the park! Scott loves barbecuing so I knew he would love his job. He does get nervous about cooking up my seafood selections but every time he does it comes out perfectly. I love a little surf and turf with my meal.

My plate was complete with a piece of salmon, a big scoop of Melissa's Broccoli Salad, a twice baked potato (made with copious amounts of butter, sour cream, cheese and love...) and a slice of garlic bread. 

What is in Melissa's Broccoli Salad you wonder?

• Broccoli - 5 heads - finely chopped
• Red Onion - Only 1/2 - very finely chopped
• Cheddar Cheese - shaved, 1/2 cup
• Sunflower Seeds - 1 cup+, I used extra...
• Dried Apricots - 1 cup, also chopped finely
• The dressing - Mayonaise, sugar and vinegar - make a paste and adjust to your liking! I overly dress mine because I like my food saucy. But do remember as the vegetables "sit" the will sweat some of their liquids out and make the salad extra wet.

Mix it all up in a bowl and let it rest in the fridge for a couple hours!

Our party was a success. It was low key and last minute just like the best parties are. No fuss, no muss and just enjoying quality time with the people you love. 

Happy Fall everyone! Now get in your kitchen and start cooking!

El Rancho Futurity #2 - Rancho Murieta, CA

 Days came and went with early mornings and warm evenings during the 8 day show. It seemed like it all blended together and I opened my eyes and the last day was upon is. We managed to get off the show grounds a couple times and during one of those trips we decided to give Big Al's BBQ in Elk Grove a try.

Animal hide on the wall, different BBQ sauces to try and an all wood interior got us in the mood to get our fingers messy with some BBQ. The menu was pretty straight forward: Pulled Pork, Brisket, Chicken and Ribs. 

 Scott went for a Brisket Sandwich Special with Beans and Potato Salad. He said the brisket was tasty as he doused the entire sandwich with their BBQ Sauce that is made in house. The potato salad was fresh and the beans lacked the pizazz he was looking for.

I wanted to get down with some ribs so I decided to do a Combination Plate as well. The ribs were fine, nothing that my momma can't do better. The french fries were divine. I was really craving french fries. Dipped in the BBQ Sauce was just perfection. They served a small piece of cornbread that I was not expecting and that was my favorite thing on the plate! Ask for the cornbread...

Back at the horse show...

Cowboy Ron made both of his finals the in the Non-Pro Derby and Amateur Derby. How cool is that? He walked away with a big check and two trophy knives!

Are you curious how Elvis and I ended up?

We navigated our way to Reserve Champions of the Non-Pro Futurity! I could not be any prouder of my horse, help and myself! It was just an outstanding experience. I got to add another El Rancho Futurity buckle to my belt and I could not be any more thrilled to sport it.

Thank you to show producer, Carol Ward and her entire staff... 

Cheers to the memories!

Rudy's - Texas BBQ

As I type this we are just finishing packing for our trip east to the great state of Texas! Fort Worth is where we will call home to compete for fame, glory, prizes and cash! Cowboy Ron will meet us there as we drive the horses out tomorrow morning. Thinking about Texas makes me think of things like, Rudy's BBQ!

 A franchise that is hooked up with a gas station for easy fuel and feeding! The restaurant is served cafeteria style, order, pay get your silver ware and chow!

They offer their not so secret BBQ sauces and rubs for sale, all of which were very tasty. 

What did I enjoy? The turkey was unbelievably moist and tasty! I suggest you get some slices of it! that is how they serve food by the way, by the pound or rack if you are interested in ribs. I also sampled the Green Chile Stew, it was not spicy so if you are looking for a kick maybe try something else. They serve slices of bread with everything, I wish I told them to save mine because I didn't eat it. I feel bad seeing food go to waste. If they have Banana Pudding grab some, you will not regret it.

So now that I am in the Texas spirit I am ready for a whirlwind of fun with the horses, food and of course friends! Wheels up, we are Texas bound!

Rudy's - Texas BBQ

As I type this we are just finishing packing for our trip east to the great state of Texas! Fort Worth is where we will call home to compete for fame, glory, prizes and cash! Cowboy Ron will meet us there as we drive the horses out tomorrow morning. Thinking about Texas makes me think of things like, Rudy's BBQ!

 A franchise that is hooked up with a gas station for easy fuel and feeding! The restaurant is served cafeteria style, order, pay get your silver ware and chow!

They offer their not so secret BBQ sauces and rubs for sale, all of which were very tasty. 

What did I enjoy? The turkey was unbelievably moist and tasty! I suggest you get some slices of it! that is how they serve food by the way, by the pound or rack if you are interested in ribs. I also sampled the Green Chile Stew, it was not spicy so if you are looking for a kick maybe try something else. They serve slices of bread with everything, I wish I told them to save mine because I didn't eat it. I feel bad seeing food go to waste. If they have Banana Pudding grab some, you will not regret it.

So now that I am in the Texas spirit I am ready for a whirlwind of fun with the horses, food and of course friends! Wheels up, we are Texas bound!

Logan's Roadhouse - Amarillo, TX

                                        

During our short stay in Amarillo we had a late lunch/early dinner and I suggested we try Logan's Road House. It is the kind of place where they encourage you to drop your used peanut shells on the floor. I am kind of OCD about things being just so and this just didn't sit right with me. I felt so guilty dropping them on the ground, I felt bad for the person who had to clean it all up.

My meal was a mish mash of a few things with included Grilled Tilapia with a zesty corn and black bean salad then topped with crispy tortilla strips. I was offered two sides and I chose the Loaded Mash Potatoes and Onion Peels. The potatoes were just fine, my one complaint was I wish they were served at a much hotter temperature. When they got cold the cheese kind of congealed and made eating less desirable. The Onion Peels were fantastic as was the spicy horseradish dressing. 

Another day on the road and another new restaurant. Melissa Good Taste just loves her life on the road! Lots of miles means lots of new eats!!

Wood Ranch - Ventura, CA

Scott usually goes surfing by himself these days. When he loads up his surf truck I find myself running my own errands or meeting up with one of my hilarious friends. I told him to hang ten and sent him on his way to catch some waves in the big blue. I buzzed around town, had a short visit with my buddy Lindsay and then surprised him at his favorite beach just as he got out of the water. He was thrilled and we decided to have an impromptu date night to celebrate. 

We decided on Wood Ranch as we had a gift card that needed to be used and it was located just down the street. The place was packed on what one would think was a regular Wednesday evening. Scott checked us in and we grabbed a seat at the bar for beer and to wait for our dinner table. This is when I act like I just met him for the first time and ask him questions like, "Do you come here often?"... 

The hostess grabbed us and we ordered Onion Rings right away. They are fantastic and even more so dipped in their BBQ sauce.

At a BBQ place I should have been craving ribs but I truly was in the mood for a salad. But not just any salad, but Natalie's Salad with baby greens, avocado, candied pecans, gorgonzola, cucumbers and a supplemental Salmon filet. It was terrific, light but totally satisfying after all those onion rings.

Scott was in the mood for manly food after burning calories during his late afternoon surf session. He wanted tri-tip, corn on the cob and I wanted suggested pulled pork with macaroni and cheese. We ordered it all with the piece of mind knowing we would just take home what we didn't finish. The tri-tip was a bust, it took a lot to saw and chew through - the dogs enjoyed it. The pulled pork was solid, the best on the plate. The corn on the cob was a smidge soggy, but he did appreciate the char on the kernels. And macaroni and cheese, not as goo as Melissa Good Taste's version but that is a tough battle to win!

Some of the best times are the ones that are unplanned. When you roll off the seat of your pants and live in the moment you create the best kind of memories. Keep your relationships fresh, fun and easy my friends!

Saloon BBQ Co. - Ventura, CA

Saloon is a new restaurant located on Main Street in Ventura. With a great location and cool menu I think it is a nice addition to the mix of restaurants downtown. You are handed a clip board full of wonderful sounding food items, plus the daily specials.

I sampled a few of the bbq sauces they had sitting out. The sweet was my favorite!

Hey look, Scott Good Taste!

I like that we were served our beers in this little boot, glasses chilled. Kathy Good Taste, I see you!

They brought out these corn muffins and they were fantastic served with honey butter. 

We tried the Fried Okra and it was addicting. It was a large pile but by the time we were done sampling the dish was gone. Either we were hungry or we like ourselves some okra!

My mom wanted to try the grilled corn, she didn't enjoy it so charred but ate it anyway.

She also ordered the Gem Salad with candied pecans and sliced grapes. It looked very refreshing.

I usually cannot say no to pulled pork and this time was no exception. It was very good. I ate it open faced so it could be a knife and fork meal. The fries were good at first - hot and salty. But after awhile after by tongue turned numb from too much salt I gave up on them.

Scott ordered the BBQ Salad and he loved it. All the great flavors of barbecue on a bed of healthy, fresh lettuce. What is better than that?

All three of us enjoyed ourselves at dinner but agreed it was not the most outstanding thing we have ever been to. Ventura is usually very cool, but inside the restaurant was pretty warm which made it kind of uncomfortable for dining. Our waitress was friendly and maybe they have a few quirks to work through. I love the decor and welcome comments for other diners!