Reviews « Real OC Mom

1-2-3 Dinner!

Mmmmm….another one of my “old” summer favorites originally published last year. And by the way, Real Simple just published their all-new 3 ingredient recipes, which I can’t wait to dive into!

Here’s the post from July 2010:

I really enjoy Real Simple magazine – I’ve been a subscriber since they first launched back in 2000. One of my favorite things about the magazine is their cooking section. I’ve tried many of their recipes and they are always easy and usually delicious.

But when my latest issue arrived and I saw “3-Ingredient Recipes” on the cover, I figured there just HAD to be a catch. I adore recipes with a short list of ingredients, but 3?!?! I was prepared for the obvious, like fruit salad with 3 kinds of melon, or oatmeal made with oats, milk and raisins. But I should have known better – Real Simple rarely disappoints! I flipped back to the section and was delighted by an array of appetizer, main dish and dessert recipes, many of which appeared so “gourmet”, yet only required 3 ingredients!

I immediately went to the main dish section to find something to make for dinner. I decided on the “Brown Sugar-Glazed Pork”. Who wouldn’t love that? I headed out to the grocery store to pick up my ingredients needed…….pork tenderloin. That’s all I needed, no kidding. I had the other two ingredients already (Worchestire sauce and brown sugar), and I had staples on hand to whip up a side dish or two.

So, here’s the lowdown:

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin, approximately 1.25 lbs. (I used 1.14, and it yielded 4 generous servings)

1/4 cup Worchestire sauce

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Salt and Pepper (okay, I know that’s technically 5 ingredients, but come on….these really don’t count)

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high heat

Season pork with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk together Worchestire sauce and brown sugar and set aside

Grill over medium-high heat, turning often, for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 150-degrees. During last 5 minutes of cooking, brush with glaze

When pork is done cooking, remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing

That’s it! So, so easy! And it was a big hit at our house. Daughter said it was “delicious, though I would have left out the pepper”. Husband said it was the most tender pork he had ever eaten, and even my Dad, who is a SUPER picky eater, gobbled it up.

For side dishes, we enjoyed sauteed sweet onions and spinach and the brown rice my family loves (http://www.realocmom.com/blog/recipes/a-brown-rice-your-kids-will-love/), though mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli would be delicious, as well.

For more 3-ingredient recipes, check out the August issue of Real Simple Magazine, or go to http://bit.ly/aAOoto

Filed under: Recipes, Reviews
by real oc mom
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28
Jun
2011

A Sweet Visit to Sugar Blossom Bake Shop

Have you been to Sugar Blossom Bake Shop yet? No? Well, what are you waiting for? Lei Shishak, the owner, is just as sweet as can be and her cupcakes and cookies are divinely delicious! I enjoyed a scrumptious visit with my family, and talked with Lei. You can see it all on my first ever vlog entry here:

A special thank you to my lovely family for enthusiastically joining me on this outing, and especially to Real OC Dad, for his fantastic filming and editing skills!

Filed under: Dining out in the OC, Reviews
by real oc mom
2 Comments »

12
Jun
2011

Fun Game for Mealtime

Mealtime at our house is very important to me. It’s the one time during the day where the three of us get to sit down and spend uninterrupted time together. Usually, we talk about our day – what we learned, funny stories, highs and lows of the day. Sometimes, though, by the time we sit down, everyone is kind of tired and not super talkative. Or we share all about our days in five minutes, and then can’t thing of anything else to talk about. I know, for those of you with more than one child, it’s kind of hard to imagine a quiet dinnertime! But for us, it happens more often than I’d like to admit.

So, to help bust mealtime boredom, we like to find a fun game to play. The challenge is that the game can’t really have “pieces” to it – no gameboard, dice to roll, etc. It has to be fairly simple.

Hedbanz certainly fits the bill. Real OC Daughter received this game as a birthday gift, and we’ve decided it makes a great mealtime game. The premise is that you put on an adjustable headband, tuck a card into it that you can’t see but everyone else can, and use questions to try to figure out what your card is. It’s pretty silly, and leads to lots of giggling. The last time we played it, I was “scissors”, and boy, did that take me FOREVER to figure out!

It’s a great conversation starter, or for those of you with multiple kids and are tired of mealtime squabbles, this works, too. Plus, it’s good for any age – the cards have a picture and the word, so you don’t have to be able to read. So, if you’re looking for a fun game the whole family will enjoy, that’s also great for dinnertime, I highly recommend Hedbanz.

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Reviews
by real oc mom
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25
May
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Natural Allergy Remedy

I suffer from pretty nasty allergies, particularly this time of year. I have had allergies my entire life – I used to get them as a young child. They improved somewhat when I had my tonsils removed, but when spring comes around, they definitely rear their ugly head again. Usually I can take some Claritin or Zyrtec to help, but then I feel like I’m in a fog the rest of the day.

Recently, I went to see an endocrinologist who combines Eastern and Western medicine. I’ve been feeling kinda’ blah, so I thought I’d give something different a try. Specifically, she incorporates Ayurvedic medicine into her practice. One of my complaints was my allergies. She shared a homeopathic remedy that I had not heard of before.

Organic Nasya Oil is a nasal lubricant made from sesame and olive oils. It comes in a little glass bottle with a rubber dropper. You take one little drop onto your finger, rub your fingers together, and rub it around the inside of your nose, then pinch your nose and take a couple of little breaths in to draw it up into the upper nasal passages. The oil lubricates the inside of your nose and helps keeps pesky allergens out.

I’ve been using it for the past 5 days, and I must say, it’s kind of amazing! We’ve had such strong Santa Ana winds around here, and yet, no allergies for me. Usually I’d be miserable – stuffy, itchy throat and eyes, sneezing, coughing, and I’ve had none of that since I’ve been using this stuff. In fact, I forgot it this morning, started feeling some allergies coming on this afternoon, and within 20 minutes of using it, all symptoms disappeared. I think I’m in love!

Oh, and little bonus – it actually improves mental clarity, too! So, not only am I using something to relieve my allergies, but it actually helps my mind feel sharper and more alert, instead of like a balloon.

If you want to give this little miracle bottle a try, you can buy it on my Amazon store HERE . I purchased mine from my doctor for $13.95, so this price is comparable to what I paid. It may also be available at Mother’s or Whole Foods, but I haven’t checked.

Disclosure: I get a small percentage (about fifty cents) if you buy from my store. I bought my own bottle and no one paid me to write this post – I just think it’s so amazing that I wanted to share.

Filed under: Health, Helpful Tips, Reviews
by real oc mom
1 Comment »

02
May
2011

Fairy Garden Classes for Kids

Recently I had the pleasure of taking my daughter to a fairy garden class at the Dragonfly Shops & Gardens in Old Towne Orange. What a treat!

This shop is such a gem tucked inside a quaint little corner of Orange County. It’s an old house, with a beautiful outdoor garden shop. There was a nice table and chairs set up on the front patio in preparation for the class, and one of the lovely owners, Kim, helped the kids get right to work.

First they painted their fairy garden pots. There were plenty of paint colors on hand to please boys and girls alike, and I could see the creative juices flowing! The kids got really into designing their pots to make them perfectly pleasing to the fairies who would come visit. There were flowers, stripes, polka dots, and curly painted words in brights shades of purple, red, orange and pink.

While the pots were drying, it was time to decorate the birdhouse stakes to go into the gardens. Kim brought out the sequins, and the girls oohed and ahhed with delight. They got to cover some darling little wooden birdhouses with sequins, gems, wood cutouts, and beads. These would certainly attract fairies to the gardens!

Once the pots were dry, they needed filling. The kids got to put their hands into some dirt and fill up their pots. A few of the girls (yes, mine, unfortunately!) were hesitant to stick their bare hands into the soil, but once they got started, fears were quickly banished. There’s just something about the feeling of good dirt between your fingers, isn’t there? And when it came time to sprinkle fairy dust (glitter) into the soil and mix it in, well, they were sold!

Next came the plants. Pretty, dainty little plants just perfect for the tiniest of fairies. And in beautiful shades of green, pink, gold, orange, and red. Lots to choose from!

Then the kids covered any exposed soil with tiny rocks. Kim explained to them that fairies don’t like to get their feet dirty, so it was important to cover all the soil with the pebbles.

Finally, they put on all the finishing touches. They each got a mini arbor, reflection ball, their decorated birdhouse, and some tiny critters, like ladybugs and frogs, to finish off their gardens. They were all so proud of their creations, and so excited to bring them home to entice the fairies to come and visit! Amazingly, something in the garden moves around every night, so when Real OC daughter goes to check on it, she knows the fairies have been there. And since I’m a huge fan of anything that keeps imagination and the magic of childhood alive, I’m absolutely loving it!

I highly recommend checking out the fairy garden classes at Dragonfly Shops and Gardens. The classes are offered on the first Saturday of the month. They also do fairy garden birthday parties – such a fun idea! For more details on the Dragonfly Shops and Gardens, you can visit their website HERE

Let the class begin!

sequins!

Let's go explore the garden while the paint dries

Planting the garden

We're all ready for the fairies to visit!

Filed under: Reviews, Things to do in the OC
by real oc mom
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11
Apr
2011

Young Chef’s Academy Giveaway!

Have you been to the Young Chef’s Academy in Irvine yet? It’s SO cute! And such a great way to get your kids cooking (check out their website HERE). If you read my post yesterday, you know how I feel about letting kids into the kitchen and why it’s so important. And the Young Chef’s Academy is a wonderful place for them to learn culinary skills that they can practice and use at home. The teachers there are so great at working with the kids, and their menus offer a variety of delicious meals the kids will enjoy making and eating.

To get your kids cooking, I’m giving away one free class to the Young Chef’s Academy! It’s a Junior Chef class, appropriate for ages 5 1/2 – 12, which normally costs $35. And you get to pick the class, based on your schedule and which menu looks interesting to you. For schedule and menus, click HERE (make sure you look at the Jr. Chef classes only). You’ll have 3 months to use the class once I announce the winner.

Want to know how to enter? Okay, here goes:

Just leave a comment on this post telling me your family’s favorite dinner. That’s it! One comment equals one entry.

For one additional entry, “like” the Real OC Mom Facebook page. Come back and leave a comment telling me you “liked” the page, along with your name so I can verify.

Next Thursday, I’ll announce the winner of the giveaway and send you an email with all the details.

And if you don’t win, don’t despair! I’ll follow up with a great coupon for anyone who’s interested in trying out the Young Chef’s Academy.

Good luck, and happy cooking!

Filed under: Giveaways, Reviews, Things to do in the OC
by real oc mom
21 Comments »

22
Mar
2011

The Iditarod – The Greatest Sporting Event You’re Not Watching

This year in my daughter’s classroom, they are following the Iditarod Race. A lot of people I’ve talked to have never heard of it. I had sort of heard of it, but didn’t know much about it. But now that we’ve started following it, I feel like we’ve been missing out – it’s a great sport for families to follow!

Each year, on the first Sunday of March, approximately 60 mushers set out with their team of sled dogs. The course is about 1,150 miles through the roughest terrain in Alaska. It takes nearly two weeks to complete. The teams go through mountain ranges, dense forests, frozen rivers, and along the coastline. It’s pure wilderness at its most beautiful and most unpredictable. Along the way, the mushers must contend with storms, wildlife, and solitude – it’s just you and your dogs.

Unlike many sports, the competitors are both male and female. Plus, to make it even more interesting for kids – there are dogs involved. Lots and lots of dogs! Each team must start the race with a minimum of 12 dogs and a maximum of 16 dogs. And one of the great things about the race is that care of the dogs is of primary importance. There are checkpoints along the way where dogs must be logged in and examined by veternarians. There is also a humanitarian award given to the musher who exhibited best treatment of his or her dogs on the trail.

And there are fascinating stories about many of the mushers. In 1985, the first woman ever won the Iditarod – her name was Libby Riddles. She wrote a great book for kids called “Storm Run”, all about her victory that year and how she won. The weather was terrible that year, and she basically crossed the finish line first because she was more stubborn than anyone else and willing to go out into the blizzard when no one else was. I highly recommend her book – you can find it in my Amazon store HERE

This year, the favorite to win is Lance Mackey – he has won the past 4years in a row and is looking to make it a fifth. He is the father of three, and in addition to mushing “since birth”, he helped the Jamaican musher train for last year’s Iditarod.

Yep, you read that right…the Jamaican musher. Newton Marshall began his training in Jamaica, where he was born and raised, and then moved to Alaska to train with Mackey. He ran his first Iditarod last year and became the first Jamaican ever to finish the race. And he’s back again this year. There is a great video on YouTube that tells his story HERE (note that if you want to watch this with your kids he does use the term “freeze my balls off” at the very beginning, so you might want to mute that).

My daughter’s class drew names out of a box to choose the musher they would root for. She drew Ray Redington Jr., whose grandfather was one of the founders of the Iditarod. He’s currently running in the top 10, so it’s been a lot of fun to follow him. We also sent him an email at the beginning of the race, and he emailed us back, which was pretty exciting for my daughter!

So, if you’re looking for a family-friendly sport to follow with your kids, you might want to check out the Iditarod. It’s all about nature, and the bond between humans and animals, and good sportsmanship. It just started Sunday, so there’s still plenty of time to get involved. The race isn’t televised, but you can follow it on the Iditarod website HERE. One warning, though…once you start, you will get hooked!

Ellen Halverson 's team run on Long Lake in Willow, Alaska duirng the re-start of the 2011 Iditarod.

Filed under: Family Traditions, Reviews
by real oc mom
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08
Mar
2011

Family Fun in Lake Tahoe

Snowmen and parkas and snowboards, oh my!

We just got back from a week in Lake Tahoe with my parents, and boy did we have a great time! There is so much for families to do there, and it’s really different from our everyday life in OC. We started by flying Southwest Airlines out of Ontario Airport for about $150 per person. A deal for airfare, for sure! We rented a large Chevy Yukon, complete with snow tires, seat heaters (which sure do come in handy in snowy weather!) and a DVD player. We stayed at the Hyatt High Sierra Lodge in Incline Village, in a quaint little 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo, complete with fully stocked kitchen, TV with DVD player, fireplace and washer/dryer.

On our first day there, we walked out our back door onto our snow-covered patio and went right out to play in the snow. We made snow angels, built a snow cake (the snow was too powdery to pack into a full snowman), and threw snowballs at each other. We went for a little “hike” in the snow, and sank up to our knees in it. Real OC Daughter was in awe of it all, since she hasn’t spent much time in the snow. We had some real family fun playing outdoors.

Real OC Family Out in the Snow

The next day, we decided it was time for our daughter to learn snowboarding. I’m not a great skier, and Real OC Dad prefers snowboarding, so we felt like it would make the most sense for her to learn to snowboard. My hope is that as she gets older and more practice, it will be a fun father/daughter activity for the two of them.

We found a ski resort 5 minutes from where we were staying, Diamond Peak. We headed over there, got her and Real OC Dad all fitted up with gear, and put her in a morning boarding lesson. She was really excited because there were 2 other girls in her class, one of whom was 7-years-old, too. It was a larger group than I would have preferred for her first time on a snowboard (and everyone else’s first time, too), so Real OC Dad hopped on his board and joined in the lesson to help out. I followed and took some photos, so we looked like great over-protective parents of an only child.

Real OC Daughter really enjoyed snowboarding, even with its challenges, and by the end of the lesson, she and Dad were riding the little beginner chairlift together, coming off fairly gracefully, and heading back down the beginner run. Diamond Peak has a great chairlift for first-timers – it’s not steep or too high off the ground, and they stop it if you fall while getting off. When the lesson was over, we headed into the lodge where my parents had secured a table for us, and dined on some unhealthy lodge food. For some reason, greasy burgers and fries taste oh, so good after you’ve been out in the snow. I hadn’t exactly burned a ton of calories running around snapping photos, but oh well….it’s vacation!

Snowboard Lesson at Diamond Peak

Real OC Daughter and Dad on Beginner Chairlift at Diamond Peak

On Monday, which was President’s Day, my dad dropped hubs and daughter off at Diamond Peak again, while my mom and I headed to the gym for an indoor workout. Then I whipped up some sandwiches and we headed back over to the ski lodge to have lunch together. Real OC Daughter was doing great on her snowboard, and having lots of fun with Dad. But after lunch, she was ready for a little break. So, we brought her back to the condo and left hubs there to do some snowboarding on his own. He had a great time enjoying the scenery, the slopes, and the great outdoors – things he doesn’t do much as a technology consultant!

Real OC Daughter Snowboarding at Donner Ranch

The next day, we all packed up early and headed to a ski resort touted as “family-friendly” about an hour away, Donner Ski Ranch. It was much less crowded, probably because the President’s Day weekend had come to an end. They had a great little moving carpet that Real OC Daughter could ride to the top of a mini-slope perfect for beginners. Within an hour, she was riding up the ramp, hooking up her bindings, and boarding down the little slope all on her own. She was so proud to be doing it all by herself! I again secured a table in the lodge, read on my Kindle, and occasionally ran out to take pictures and videos.

Thursday, we decided on an indoor day – it was supposed to be stormy, so we didn’t want to venture out in weather that was too bad. I did make it over to the gym for a good workout, but otherwise we spent the day indoors, reading, watching movies, and being cozy by the fireplace. It was a very relaxing day! Real OC Daughter also enjoyed the “wildlife” right outside our door. She put out pieces of bread and pizza crust for the visiting squirrels and blue jays.

Some Local Wildlife Enjoying Snacks at our Back Door

Beautiful Blue Jay on our Patio Table

That night, Real OC Dad and I decided a little “date night” was in order. My parents were happy to take on the task of hanging out with Real OC Daughter for the evening, and they made a reservation at the Lone Eagle Grill, near our condo, which overlooks the lake. Hubs and I decided to head over to Bite, a local Tapas restaurant that had pretty good looking Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed – the food was delicious and the atmosphere was swanky and just right for a couples dinner. We started with a white bean garlic dip with fresh carrots and toasty bread, along with a cup of butternut squash soup – yum! Next we had the goat cheese sliders, which were divine – crusted goat cheese and tomato relish on a yummy bun. We also shared the beef tenderloin meatloaf special, which was delicious. We finished off with some tasty little apple turnover bites. I’d say it was great upscale comfort food, and if you’re ever in the North Tahoe area, I highly recommend you try out Bite for dinner.

White Bean Dip at Bite

Delicious Goat Cheese Sliders at Bite

Our last day there was very stormy, so we didn’t venture out too far. We built a snowman outside our door, but otherwise stayed in and were lazy again. In retrospect, I wished we had been a little more adventurous the day before, since it was stormy, but it’s hard to know these things. And anyway, we enjoyed some good quality family time together. It isn’t often I can sit and relax for an entire 24-hour period without feeling guilty about laundry, chores, cooking, etc.

Real OC Snowman Complete with Stylish Hat

Then it was time to travel home. We went back down the mountain to the Reno airport and flew back home. It felt so good to curl up in my own comfortable bed last night and dream about all the wonderful memories from our week in Lake Tahoe. I look forward to heading up there for a fun snow vacation again soon!

Filed under: Reviews, Travel
by real oc mom
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28
Feb
2011

What I’m Reading

I have always loved reading. Whether it was a Nancy Drew novel of back of the cereal box as a young girl, the Sweet Valley High series as a young teen, or the Hunger Games series or my favorite mom blogs as an adult, I find it one of the most soothing, rejuvenating activities around. I’m kind of a bookworm, to be honest – always have been.

This week, I’m reading “The Book Thief”. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before, as the narrator of the story is Death. The story is set in WWII Germany. I know, that sound awfully dark and depressing, but I’m about halfway through, and finding it surprisingly uplifting. The main character of the story is Liesel, a young girl who is finding her way through life during a very difficult time. She is adopted and, like nearly every pre-teen girl, not really certain about who she is or where she fits in. She is fascinated by books and, though she cannot read, begins to steal them at a young age. Her foster father lovingly gives her reading lessons in her basement using the first book she stole, “The Grave Diggers Handbook”, and she develops a passion for reading. She has friends, her foster parents love her and care for her the best they can (they are very poor and food is scarce), but she carries a secret around with her like a stone around her neck. Her family is hiding a young Jewish man in their basement. She talks to him, reads with him, exercises with him, but can tell absolutely no one about him. It’s a story that speaks of hope and simple joys in a time and place full of darkness, hardship and sorrow.

As I said, I’m halfway through the book, so I can’t tell you how it ends (nor would I want to, really), but I am enjoying the story of this spirited young girl and am looking forward to finding out where she, and the young Jewish man, will end up. I, of course, am hoping for a happy ending, but since the narrator is Death, I’m not too certain that will be the case. Will Death find Liesel as a young girl, or an old woman who lived a full life?

Have you read “The Book Thief”? What did you think of it? Or have you read any other books lately that you would recommend? I love comments, so please share!

Filed under: Reviews
by real oc mom
3 Comments »

16
Feb
2011

Dinner is a Dream!

Have you heard of Dream Dinners? It’s one of those places where you spend an hour or two assembling meals, and then come home to stock your freezer full of healthy, delicious dinners. I was contacted by the DD in Tustin to check out their store and try a meal sampler – 6 meals of 3-servings each. So, armed with my rolling ice chest and a hair elastic, I headed over to 17th Street in Tustin. I walked into the store and found a cozy yellow, red and black color scheme, homey furnishings, and gleaming food assembly stations. And it was lively – there were about 12 women of all ages working away on their meals. What a great crowd for a Thursday morning, and it definitely gave the place an upbeat vibe (the ’80’s music playing in the background didn’t hurt either)!

One of the gals working there walked me around and explained everything to me. I had a typed list of my order, along with labels for each meal. She suggested I fill my pockets with ziplocs and jump right in. I headed over to the Mexican meatball station and began my assembly. I filled my bags according to the recipe and within 10 minutes, my first meal was done. I zipped it all into one giant bag, labeled it, and put it on the shelf with my name. Wow – a meal made in so little time, and someone else came along to clean up after me!

I chatted with a few of the customers while I prepped my meals. One woman, a retiree, said she has been coming to DD for 4 years, and she usually makes the 3-serving sized meals for her and her husband to enjoy, but sometimes she makes a 6-serving size if she wants a meal for entertaining. She loves DD for the variety it offers – she felt stuck in a food “rut”, and that she was cooking the same things over and over again.

I also talked to a mom of three kids, ages 4, 8 and 12. She has been coming to DD for almost 3 years, and she likes it for the convenience. Because there is a big range in age of her kids, they are very busy with different activities. She’s not home much to cook, so DD provides her family with a home-cooked meal that she couldn’t otherwise pull off.

When I was done assembling my meals, I chatted a bit with one of the owners, Jamie. She is a mom of 3, and her co-owner, Erin, is a mom of a young child. I just love mom-owned businesses! After talking with her and the other customers, I realized that DD is great for so many types of families – working moms (they will assemble your meals for you for a small charge), moms with infants or toddlers who have little time to cook, moms of older kids who are involved in after-school activities, or moms who don’t find themselves particularly gifted in the kitchen.

Armed with my 6 meals prepped in less than 2 hours (with chatting time), I drove home and hummed a happy little tune as I filled my freezer. It wasn’t food for a month, but it certainly was enough to get us through a couple weeks with a few nights of “oh, no….it’s 7 pm and I haven’t even thought about dinner today!”

So, how was the food? Well, so far, so good! Hubs and daughter loved the grilled chicken with sesame honey butter and the shredded pork burritos. Hubs particularly loved the chicken and white bean chili with corn fritters (wasn’t daughter’s favorite, but next time I’d omit the jalapenos and make a couple of the fritters without the bleu cheese). And as for me, well, there have been a couple of nights already where I’ve let out a huge sigh of relief because I didn’t have to scramble to get dinner on the table! Bottom line: The food is way healthier than fast food, tastes way better than frozen dinners, and is less expensive than takeout.

Interested in trying out Dream Dinners yourself? Reserve a session at the Tustin location, mention Real OC Mom, and receive a free 3-serving of either the Crispy French Onion Chicken, Pork Chops with Herb Mushroom Stuffing, or Sweet Chipotle Chicken over Egg Noodles. Just put Real OC Mom in the special instructions, along with which meal you’d like free.

For people who want to go every month, they have a loyalty program, where you earn a percentage off each time you go (saves a little bit of money, which is always nice). On your twelfth visit, you get 20% off your total order, which is a great deal!

Happy dining!!!