"Flying with Ly Air this Morning Ladies?"

" Ladies, welcome to Ly Air this morning, I am your Mommy/ Pilot/Flight attendant for today. I hope you are enjoying your homemade sourdough bread and Capri Sun Juice pack I quickly handed out while strapping you into your seats. It is currently 37 degrees, a bright and sunny, crisp morning, we will be flying from: Our Lovely Home to Daycare in just a few moment while we warm the cockpit. It is a quarter to ten o'clock and traffic should be relatively light, we will be arriving in approximately twenty minutes."

Yes, I'm wearing Hubster's Bomber Jacket again because I'm so cold here! After finishing the above speech to my 2 and 3 year olds (Youngest and Oldest), Youngest says,"What are you doing Mommy?!" and I say that I'm so happy to be on vacation finally, that I'm going CRAZY! But then I know they love it when I act like this, so I just keep acting silly.

We get to one of the eight lights we might drive through on our route and I come over the speaker as flight attendant. "Trash anyone, trash- trash..oops thank you very much,(it's one finished juice pack) Please make sure to eat your bread so we are finished when we get to our final destination!)"

I start talking about Christmas again and what we will be doing for the next week, that tonight we will go see Santa. "What are you going to tell him you would like for Christmas again?"

Oldest says, "A Pink Pony, a baby-baby Dinosaur, and Pink Dancing shoes like my white party shoes."

And Youngest shouts, "I want a Big, Big Dinosaur that says Roarrrr!"

Now, we will see if they have the courage to tell Santa all this....and if they will sit with him to have their picture taken.

I pull into Daycare, "Thank you all for traveling with Ly Air this morning. It is still 37 degrees, but you be sure to have a blast-in-a-half at school while I go send out Christmas Cards and put our second wreath on the garage that Hubster has been too busy to put up. Love you, and see you this afternoon when we will go see Santa!!! Yeahhhhh!"

Delicious Vietnam #8, Bánh Da Lợn, or Layered Tapioca Cake (this translates to Pig Skin Cake!)

One must say that I am thankful to take part in Delicious Vietnam monthly. It always encourages me in my cooking and teaches me new skills. And as always, my children and husband really enjoy whatever I experiment on. This month I feared I was not going to make it though. My work schedule is eleven days straight so that I can get off to enjoy a long holiday. Not to mention all the other little and big things that need to be attended to: house decorations, Christmas (Snail-Mail) Cards, getting the girls to visit Santa, shopping, and just getting the house ready for my long awaited VACATION! All I really want is to stay calm…..

So I remind myself, “Julia, this is your time to have fun!!!” I do a quick search on the internet and run in to,“Pig Skin Cake” or Bánh Da Lợn or Layered Tapioca Cake.

Although I haven’t eaten any in a few years it again reminds me of my love, Hubster. He graduated college before I did and moved to Dallas to start a job in his career. I couldn’t move in with him until I finished school, and then do to employment opportunities once I graduated, I moved to Maine instead of in with him. This was a trying time in our relationship, long distant phone calls at all hours of the day, what day will come conversations, and then care packages in the mail, “YES!!” In these care packages he would send things like Roman Noodles of different kinds, rice cakes, and Tapioca Layered Mung Bean Cakes. I’d share these goodies with my housemates and as I always do, try to unravel the mystery of how this Tapioca Mung Bean cake- so Non-Western was made.

While I was planning for this month’s event I ran across this blog, Playing with My Food http://pwmf.blogspot.com/2005/10/bnh-da-ln-steamed-tapioca-layered-cake.html. I was really impressed. It looked pretty easy with the correct ingredients and correct equipment, all of which I had or knew where to buy easily. I followed this recipe down to the smallest gram.

Last night I stirred and steamed it up. It was ready to slice in the morning and to share with coworkers at work. They all seemed to really enjoy it. It is just so different to anything Western. And the girls, my two and three year old, well they both ate large pieces at the breakfast table as I was headed out to work this morning. They “ewwed and ahhhed” over it! It must have been the layers and the bright colors.

I also have to say that although this is very common to see at the register as you check out of Asian Markets and doesn’t cost much to buy, it’s good to know that it is relatively easy to make and a lot of fun!

Many thanks to the very talented creators of Delicious Vietnam, bloggers of: A Food Lover's Journey and Ravenous Couple.

If you would like to participate in this monthly event see: http://www.anhsfoodblog.com/2010/04/delicious-vietnam-new-blogging-event.html for details.

Lastly, I would like to say congratulation to Deb at http://www.bearheadsoup.blogspot.com . Please enjoy going to her site and reading all the entries for this month sometime after the second Sunday in December.

Where Have I been?

Where have I been?
I really can’t tell you.
I guess I’ve just been caught up in life!
Thanksgiving was great.
I’ve been keeping up with Delicious Vietnam.
The kids have been getting there bedtime stories.
There have been no trips to the library.
It has been so cold and with the time change it is just so dark when I get off work- we just go home and curl up every night.
I’ve stopped running and cycling for a month now, but really can’t find the time to get it back in my life.
In this way I’m looking forward to getting the holidays over-yet I’m just so excited for them too!
So, I guess I’m just taking a winter break. I do plan to get my Delicious Vietnam entry in this month though!
I’ve been making yogurt and need to do a posting on this….
I also started a sourdough starter the week before Thanksgiving.
I’ve been having fun experimenting with it. ( Another posting opportunity.)
If only I could get my Christmas Cards in the mail this week.

Vegetarian Vietnamese Egg Rolls- Cha Gio Chay (Entry #3 to Delicious Vietnam)

My family seems to be eating much better these days! Delicious Vietnam really gets my mind going about what to cook every month. Hubster enjoys seeing everything I'm learning about his culture and the girls get to taste the other "half" of their ethnicity, cooked by their American Mother, and it's just so much FUN!

When we travel to Vietnam we always go to lots of Buddhist Temples. My husband has a cousin who is a monk. When we visit they cook a huge feast of vegetarian food which is just unbelievable to me. It's the best vegetarian food I've ever eaten in my life and I'm a reformed Vegetarian of six years. (Yes, I went back to eating meat.) It is the best vegetarian food to me because I can't even tell there is no meat, and there is no dairy. Which as a reformed, American Vegetarian, I always felt I over ate the dairy portion of a balanced diet.

Each time we have eaten at the temple they have made Vegetarian Egg Rolls. I'm always careful to try and decode the ingredients. Then I always plan to make them when I return home and never do. So this month I decided it was time! I decided to Google: Vegetarian Vietnamese Egg Rolls. I found two recipes:
http://www.phamfatale.com/id_84/title_Mini-Fried-Vegetarian-Eggrolls-Cha-Gio-Chay-in-Vietnamese/

and

http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2008/06/cha-gio-bapram-bap-vietnamese-corn-egg.html

I carefully compared the two and then followed mainly Pham Fatale's recipe. Wondering Chopsticks' recipe had some great information about Buddhist holidays and explanations about the ingredients, but I went mostly with Pham Fatale's Recipe because of the Mung bean, which I remember in the egg rolls I liked so much.

Here is my version of Pham Fatale's recipe:

Yields ~30 rolls

1 pound shred taro root
1 julienned cut, carrot
1 finely diced shallot
1 diced onion
4 cloves of garlic,minced
1 block of firm tofu, steamed and mashed
1/4 steamed mung beans, mashed
2 oz wood ear mushrooms re-hydrated and finely sliced
2 oz glass vermicelli noodles, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Rice papers, hydrated in water for wrapping filling

Directions:

Make filling by shredding taro root in food processor. Add all the other prepared vegetables. Season. Take a small amount of the filling and fry in frying pan to taste seasonings and adjust if necessary. Wrap in hydrated rice paper and fry until lightly golden. Eat with nuoc mam sauce, lettuce, sliced cucumber, cilantro, and rice vermicelli as a giant salad.

Next time I will use the regular egg roll wrappers. The rice paper was crispy, but I know that I prefer the real egg roll wrappers. I will also take out the tofu and add all mung beans. The tofu was too mushy for my liking. I also would like to play around with adding cilantro and mushroom powder like the original recipe used. Sadly, these were not anywhere as good as the ones I had at the Temple. But I plan to keep trying on this recipe since I know they can be so good!

And lastly, I'd like to say, "Don't make egg rolls unless you have time to devote to them." They can be very time consuming but are well worth your labors. Happy Eating!

I'd also like to say thanks you to Delicious Vietnam's founders: http://www.anhsfoodblog.com/ and http://ravenouscouple.blogspot.com/. You can also stay tuned and see the other entries to this event, posted after Nov. 14, 2010 hosted by MissAdventureAtHome this month.

Fall Is Here.... How About an Apple Pie Turned Apple Pear?

Fall is my favorite time of year. I hear lots of people exclaim this same comment. I always listen to them and wonder to myself if they really know what a change in season is. Yes, here in Virginia there is a change in season, but it's really nothing like my real home.

As my followers know, I'm originally from Vermont. There the seasons are extreme; each having great beauty! The Spring is probably the hardest season. The ground stays cold for what seems forever and then the ground warms up to make mud season! But adventually, real Spring appears with flowers peaking through the ground with life, greening up. Summer is hot, but everything stays emerald green like the mountains. Winter is just a winter wonderland. It's part of the lifestyle and you can't be in a hurry when there is a light flurry or dusting of snow covering the ground. But Fall, Fall is the sensorial season. You see the colorful leaves, the trees are loaded with pinks, reds, yellow, and orange. The apples are ready for harvest. The tourist buy the maple syrup, apples and apple cider, pumpkins, and whatever Vermont Goods they can find. It's a life of it's own there, and I miss it.

When I get homesick I always cook. I'll cook something I was either brought up on, or something that I just know my Dad would be making right about this same time. Last weekend this just happened to be an Apple and Pear Pie for me. Dad made this probably last year, but whenever it was, I remember him describing it to me on the phone and how good it sounded to me.

So I Googled the Internet in search of this pie recipe and found this one:

www.goodhousekeeping.com//recipefinder/apple-pear-pie-1696?click=recipe_sr

I used this recipe for both the crust and the filling. However I did not use the ground anise seed. I later thought about cinnamon. After all, I don't think I've ever had an apple pie without cinnamon. But I left this out and sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar on the crust instead. The crust was flaky and easy to work with. The pie was awesome and really hit the spot! I served it with a little vanilla ice cream- warm!

Oh! And I can't forget that youngest said a funny when I went to cut the pie. She looked up at the table with the cooling pie and went running away into the living room saying,"No Mom, No!"

I was like, "Youngest? What's the matter?"

She said, "No Mom! Don't cut the Turtle!!!"

So Oldest looked at the pie and said, "No, that's not a turtle, that's a pie."

So I cut in and murdered the Turtle/Apple-Pear Pie.

Everyone thought it was delicious! You now also know, that the pie had a beautiful, tall, crust like a turtle's shell.

Kyaraben Bento

Recently I've really gotten into International Food. I guess it has been in part to taking part in Delicious Vietnam, created by www.anhsfoodblog.com/and ravenouscouple.blogspot.com/.

Yes, a Bento lunch is Japanese!- not Vietnamese, but in a few minutes of wild surfing last week, I found myself reading about the adorable art of Kyaraben Bento or charater bento lunches made in the shapes of favorite cartoon characters-or anime. There are books out there and supply stores with the cutest stuff on the net.

Last night I was preparing for a weekend (day) of overtime at work. I decided to get lunches prepared for the girls-helping Hubster out. Well I made these little dog face bento lunches. I got out my artistic side and whipped these little lunches out. I also got out of work early by chance to see the girls' delight in eating their special lunches! They ate really well. Nothing was left! And Oldest even told her Grammy about it, yet the conversation was going so fast that I think Grammy might of missed Oldest's description.

I will definitely be trying this again and hope to get some more Bento making supplies A.S.A.P!!!
It was lots of FUN!!!!

Nature 101......Hubster's Treasure

Yesterday the girls and I arrived home from work to find Hubster working on the yard.....getting ready for next year's crop, a green lawn. Yes, he's obsessed about having a beautiful lawn. If the summer hadn't been so hot, it would still be beautiful.

I puttered around, clipping back the hosta and watering some plants when he started calling my name. I knew it must be something by the extreme excitement in his voice! So I hurried out to the front to see what he wanted. It was the largest larva I'd ever seen!

Hubster said, "Here, feed this to the fish, would you?"

So I brought it in and decided I had to at least photograph it before it was tossed to the fish. Man it was gross! You see those brown specs...you know what that is right?!!

I told the girls,"It's Nature 101 girls!"

September’s Children’s Literature Review

September
Author: Chris Van Allsburg

1.)The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg
2.)Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg
3.)Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
4.)The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
5.)Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg
6.)The Z Was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts by Chris Van Allsburg

Yes, I’m running…..late again. It’s the second week of October and I haven’t posted my review of last month’s children’s literature. This past month we went through our selection rather quickly, so we made a second trip to the library and picked up whatever our hearts desired. I make a point of always letting the girls pick out at least one book they want to read, but usually the other books are the ones we are focusing that month. So the second trip to the library this month, which was pick whatever your heart desires, were mostly Halloween and seasonal books about apple growing and such- basically the girls raided the library’s, ‘Month of October’s Suggested Reading Table’.

As I wrote before, about reading Chris Van Allsburg this month, I was worried these stories might be too advanced. This was true to some degree, but then there were some aspects I was surprised about, for instance: Van Allsburg’s artwork is so fun to look at, even if you aren’t reading the story, it’s just fun to look at the pictures!

Youngest, being youngest, had the most trouble with the month’s selection. But of the books she liked and asked to hear again were: The Garden of Abdul Gasazi and The Z Was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts. She also liked Two Bad Ants, but I think this is in part that her sister LOVES this story and has been read it at least twenty times! Youngest has been truly forced to like it. Youngest hates bugs too!

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi is about a little boy taking care of a naughty dog that runs away. The dog is probably the reason this story captured Youngest’s attention. But Allsburg puts a little twist in the last page that makes the story really fun for everyone and asking: do you believe? I'm sure both of the girls didn’t really understand this last part, but it still was enjoyable for them.

The Z Was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts was good for both girls. They know their alphabet and enjoyed this book’s pictures and statements under each letter. In college I had read this story while taking a Children’s Illustration course and found this book strange. I remember thinking that Allsburg had just gotten a little fame under his belt and probably decided to try and write something for a younger audience. Reading this years later, I know this isn’t true, but that it has adult humor- or more advanced humor, probably just for those adults that might get bored with children’s books (I really don’t think this is possible if you research good book though!) and for the children that are very advanced.

Two Bad Ants always reminds me of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, a 1989 comedy film. This is probably just because it’s in the ant’s perspective. But this book gives children a chance to think about what it must be like to be an ant, and then a little humor when the ants are ‘Bad’ and stay behind in their euphoria of a sugar pot. I guess an endless supply of sugar is something most children can relate to, like James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

Probuditi!- This one surprised me! Oldest really understood that the little sister had played a big trick on her older brother and his friend. I don’t think she understood getting hypnotized, but she did understand that the little sister had tricked them and eaten his ice cream. I liked this story because it really brought back that feeling of being a kid again and the troubles you might get into with your siblings and parents. The illustrations are really beautiful and not the normal lithography technique most of his illustrations are done in.

Jumanji also surprised me in the fact that both girls hated it. They were too young to follow it. The idea of a board game coming to life, they just couldn’t get the concept I think. But again, the pictures are beautiful if you just want to look at jungle animal. Personally, I’m surprised that of all of Chris VanAllsburg’s books, that this is the one they made into a movie. It must have been the adventure part they thought would make a good movie.

We did not read The Polar Express. The library didn’t even have a copy! But I know that when we visit G&B at Christmas, I have a copy there, and we will read it them! Which will be the perfect time.

This month-October will be Dr. Seuss!!! This will not be hard at all, the girls love his books already. It will be hard for me though, his books are on average, VERY LONG!!! And then I’ll be rhyming all day long at work.


Take care,

Julia

Delicious Vietnam #6, Hubster's Che with Tapioca, Corn, and Lotus Seeds

Che is the Vietnamese equivalent of pudding in the western world with a terrific twist on it! Instead of western flavors like creamy, sweet chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, and raspberry to name a few, Vietnamese Che is a combination of ingredients such as: coconut milk, beans (all sorts), banana, corn, seaweed, lotus seeds, and basil seeds.

For those of you who are reading this and have not been exposed to such combinations, please don't be afraid or turned off. Che is pure genius! Each bit gives variety, a mixture of textures, and those ingredients I just named above, well, except for a little fat in the coconut milk and the sugar, there are no preservatives! It's usually eaten as a little snack. Hubster tells me of his childhood when he would have some extra money and splurge on his way home from school for some. He also made a point on one of our trips to Vietnam for us to spend an afternoon at the Ben Thanh Market, sampling every type of Che we could! (I'd recommend this to anyone visiting Ho Chi Minh City.)

So here I share Hubster's recipe for the Che I first learned to make. (Not that it is at all difficult!)
For me it also brings back memories of when Hubster and I were first getting to really know each other. We had driven to Maine together for a vacation with my family. Hubster brought all the ingredients we might not have in a small Downeast Maine town; large tapioca, and dried lotus seeds. He showed me how to make it one afternoon and served it for dessert that evening.

Hubster's Tapioca, Corn, and Lotus Seed Che

2 cups dried lotus seeds
1 cups large tapioca or a combination of zigzag tapioca and pearls
4 cans creamed corn
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped, salted peanuts
1 can coconut milk

Preparation: Soak the tapioca 2 hours before cooking. Soak 2 cups lotus seeds overnight.

Directions: Bring the creamy corn to a boil with sugar. Add lotus seeds and tapioca.
Cook and stir for 30-45 minutes over medium heat.
In a different pot, bring coconut milk to a boil.
Chop salted peanuts.

Serve: Place the corn mixture in a serving dish. Spoon 3-4 teaspoons of coconut
milk on top. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve chilled or warm.




I hope everyone enjoys this sweeter side of Vietnamese Cooking. This will be my second entry to Delicious Vietnam #6. Congratulations to the host, Javaholic this month! Please take some time to enjoy and become inspired by the other entries.

Potty Training: 101

Potty Training has been really easy in our house. My Mom told me that when a child is ready, they will let you know.

Oldest was the Flower Girl in my Cousin's Wedding at age two and a half. Right before she was about to walk down the isle, she told me she needed to use the potty! So we rushed to the potty and Oldest took off her Pull-up.

I told her, "No!, you have your pretty dress on and your tights, you've got to put your Pull-up back on." I was all flustered and hurried about getting back to the line-up in time, and Oldest was unusually fussy about putting the Pull-up back on!

In haste, I threw the Pull-up in the trash, grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye, and said in a low voice, "Now Oldest, you only have tights on, you must remember to ask Mommy to use the Potty when you need to go, I don't want you to have an accident on your pretty clothes."

The ceremony went by, and then the reception went late into the night. Oldest never put a Pull-up on again. And really never needed one at night, but I just insisted as a safeguard.

Looking back on the moment-"when she let me know", was a VERY, split second decision for me. I'm glad I saw the time to make a decision. My Mom was right!

Potty Training 101: Watch, Converse, and Listen!

Taking Baby Steps,

Julia

August's Children's Literature Review

August

Author: Tomie dePaola

(The children behind this experiment.)

It has now been about a month. We read as many Tomie dePaola books that our attention could pay. I loved all the books we read, but Oldest and Youngest appreciated some much more than others. Let me spotlight on the books we signed out of our local library:

1.) Strega Nona: Her Story by Tomie dePaola

2.) Strega Nona's Magic Lessons by Tomie dePaola

3.)Strega Nona Meets Her Match (Paperstar) by Tomie dePaola

4.)Big Anthony: His Story by Tomie dePaolo

5.)Strega Nona's Harvest by Tomie dePaola

6.)Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

On the night we started with our new, August selection of Library Books, for some reason Youngest ended up reading with me (Usually Youngest reads with her Daddy, so this was an odd switch around). Oldest was stuck on her old favorites and wanted to read with her Daddy. So off in the Study they read what she wanted.

Youngest was ready for the new books, I read the original Strega Nona to her. She was very quiet, and listening, and then when Strega does her magic on the pot and sings the little song with three kisses, Youngest was singing the song and throwing kisses into the sky! She really got it. I worried this might be above her comprehension level. And so then the next night we read it again with Oldest present and Youngest seemed to know she had one up on Oldest since she knew the song and the Kiss part.

I'd say this was a good hit with them, but I did notice that they never say, "Mommy, this one tonight". Since favorites are the ones they do this with, I don't know if this is a true favorite, but they liked it for sure. They read it about three times.

The next week I had some time off in the middle of the week and so I read them in the afternoon, Strega Nona: Her Story. Both girls were ready to listen to the story. They seemed to get side tracked away from the story in the beginning when they saw Strega Nona as a Baby. The girls stopped listening and just wanted to look at all the pictures. So we did. Strega was a cute little baby!

Another night we attempted Strega Nona: Her Story, but again those illustrations of Baby Strega Nona took their attention off the story.

Then I read during the day again to Youngest. Oldest wasn't ready to sit down and listen to a story. I was beginning to feel that Youngest was getting these characters figured out and really enjoying Strega Nona. We read, Big Anthony: His Story. Big Anthony is the character that never listens, does things his way and always gets in lots of trouble. Youngest likes that he is naughty- so it was a hit! Oldest may have been listening, she came over to look at some pictures now and then, but really I don't think she really cared about the story.

Strega Nona Meets Her Match and Strega Nona's Magic Lessons just never held their attention. So I read they on my own. I thought they were really cute, but I think these are just a hit or a miss with 2-3 year olds.

The last book we had was, Strega Nona's Harvest. This was a hit with both girls. Mostly since we are a gardening family and they have all planted seeds before. All through the story they counted vegetables, talked about what color vegetables were, and what the names were of all the vegetables they looked at. So this book provided lots of entertainment, learning, and enjoyment to them. This was the BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH!

The girls and I seem to really be enjoying our reading. We have already started the month of September. The author is Chris Van Allsburg. He writes and illustrates.

When I was reading about his decision to go to college I laughed how he basically conned the college recruiter into letting him into art school. This persona comes out when I read his books. You always think you understand the story and then he will put in one little line, or even a word, that will change the whole story! You can read more about him at his Official Site: http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/flash.html

Again I'm worried some of these may be a little advanced for the girls. But what is life without exposure.

1.)The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg

2.)Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg

3.)Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

4.)The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

5.)Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg

6.)The Z Was Zapped: A Play in Twenty-Six Acts by Chris Van Allsburg

My thought for the day is: A picture is not a picture until it is exposed.

Award Winning 2009 National Festival of Breads

Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Filled Pane Bianco

~makes 2 loaves

Last week I was looking over my e-mails and had one from King Arthur about the 2011 National Festival of Breads Competition. On the main page was the 2009 Gold winner, for a Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Filled Pane Bianco. It just looked sooooo good!

The second I got off work I dropped by the grocery store and bought the ingredients I needed. Then I went home and baked it up. Yes, I picked up my two, crazy, little girls from daycare, went home to get Hubster and them dinner, and to make bread! (Very motivated I was by this bread.)

Well, I guess it is a winner. For such an advanced bread making recipe, it was very easy to do. Plus the recipe makes enough for two loaves! I was very happy to add this to my recipe box. It's a keeper. If I was to complain about anything, it would be that the dough could rest longer to develop a little more flavor. But I put this together exactly as the recipe said and was pleased with first time results.

I'm thinking of entering the 2011 National Festival of Breads Competition this year. (For some reason it appears that 2010 was skipped). But they are taking entries now if you would like to participate: http://www.nationalfestivalofbreads.com/enter/default.aspx

Oh, and one thing, I forgot on my first loaf was to tent it after 10 minutes with foil- so my picture shows a more browned bread.

And as Sam-I-Am says in Green Eggs and Ham, "Just try it, you might like it!" And I say, "I do. I do like this." It is extra good with Laughing Cow Cheese spread on top.

See Link to Recipe: http://www.nationalfestivalofbreads.com/recipes/detail.aspx?id=8

Waiting 11 years to try Canh Chua Ca again..... (My 1st Entry to Delicious Vietnam)

Canh Chua Ca (Sweet and Sour Soup with Mahi-mahi)

Eleven years ago, Hubster and I moved in together. We come from very different backgrounds. He emigrated to the the U.S. from Vietnam as a teenager and was raised half of his adolescent years in foster care and I'm a small town, Vermonter, that was raised with the Earth as our Mother, snow, and knowing almost everyone in the area since I was born (this being a fact of life since my Birth Mother, was a school teacher and knows almost everyone!).

After a few weeks of living together I was very excited to try out some Vietnamese Recipes. I had three Vietnamese Cookbooks, had read then cover to cover, and was sure I was armed with all the literature I needed to make a great Vietnamese meal. So, all on my own I decided to make Canh Chua Ca.

I went to the Asian market and got everything I thought I needed. Well I didn't get the Rice Paddy Herb. In the recipes I had reviewed, it described Rice Paddy Herb as being strong tasting like Cilantro, and some said it could be substituted. Everything went together nicely and I was so excited for Hubster to eat my new creation!

And this is what he said, "Where is the ngo om? YOU can't make Canh Chua Ca without ngo om. It's like making peanut butter and jelly and leaving out the JELLY!! Why would you even attempt to make a dish if you didn't have all the necessary ingredients?!"

I was crushed and hurt, but understood his feelings even though I thought it was still good. Since that time I've made many different Vietnamese Dishes, but I had NEVER made Canh Chua again until.........LAST WEEKEND.

Hubster was looking at my lovely Gigantic Elephant Ear plant (from the Taro family) growing beside our front porch. He commented on wondering if we could eat them and that looking at them made his mouth water for Canh Chua Ca. He even suggested we harvest some and make a small pot. But I knew better and told him I wasn't eating any plant I wasn't definite about the genus and species.

So we spent about an hour reading all these horror stories of people thinking they were eating Taro stalk (bạc hà) and having it not be the right species! Stories about a half an hour after finishing their dinner their mouths were burning with pin prickling sensations that lasted for up to an hour!!! Not FUN!!

The moral of this is: buy your Taro stalk from a reputable grocery store, and to never eat it raw because all Taro contain raphides, or needle shaped crystal that are calcium oxalate. Basically poisonous! The cooking process minimizes these toxins so we can eat them.

Hopefully now I haven't scared you, but educated you for great success in making Canh Chua Ca.

~Canh Chua Ca~

(Sweet and Sour Soup with Mahi-mahi)

Ingredients:
2 pounds Mahi-mahi fillets
water to cover fish
3 cups Taro stalks, sliced bite size
12 fresh Okra, cut bite size
3 tomatoes, wedged
1 large pineapple, cut bite size
1/4 c. tamarind paste
Nice handful of cut up Rice Paddy Herb
sugar
fish sauce
caramelized scallions, and bean sprouts (optional)

Serve on serving of rice in bowl.


Directions:
Place fish in large pot and cover with water until the fish is submerged one inch underwater.
Boil fish in water for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Spoon off the foam that appears on the top surface to keep broth very clear. Remove the cooked fish from pot. Add Taro Stalks, Okra, and Pineapple. Cook for 15 minutes. Then put in the tomatoes and cook until desired texture (firm, but not mushy). Add the tamarind paste and taste for flavor. Then add about 3 Tablespoons of sugar and taste again. Now salt the broth with fish sauce, about 1/2 cup, and taste to see if adjustments are needed. Add the fish back to the pot and then drop in the Rice Paddy Herb -right before serving on top of a large spoonful of Jasmine Rice. Add caramelized scallions and bean sprouts when serving if desired. The Rice Paddy Herb will soften up by the time the dish reaches the table and will enhance the aroma and color of the dish. Enjoy!


Now eleven years have passed and I have defeated all my hurt feelings of trying to make Canh Chua Ca. And Hubster's words were,"Man this is really good honey, you nailed this one, and the Mahi-mahi is great in this dish! Nice Job!"


I would also like to say I am very excited to be taking part in the Delicious Vietnam Blog Event for the first time. I have enjoyed reading all the past entries and getting wonderful and inspirational ideas. Many thanks to the very talented creators, blogs: Host Anh from A Food Lover's Journey , and Ravenous Couple

Summer's End

It's been a very busy summer. The weather has been extremely HOT! The peppers did the best this summer. Yes, there is one poor, little tomato in the picture. I think this was #3. All were stunted by the heat this year. Wishes for better gardening next year!

Getting to Know the Authors and the Literature Our Children Enjoy

I have a longer compute to work everyday than I desire. Sometimes this is a good thing; unwinding problems and difficulties, having good conversations on the phone with family and friends, and sometimes even day dreaming about everything I just want to get done in life.

Well, the other day I had this daydream about what my children get out of story time. Seeing my kids pick out a book every night and then seeing their expressions and listening to their questions just really gets me. It’s such special quality time spent together.

I began to feel sorry that we missed out on the Summer Reading Program at the library this year. July just came and went so fast! I was also possibly getting a little tired of our personal collection.

Last summer we did summer reading at our local library. The library’s goal was to record the books you read. The children had to be accountable with the librarians, coming back every week to check in on their reading. At check in time they would get free prizes or coupons and depending on the child’s age they may have a special program to encourage age appropriate stories. It was a great program, but sadly we only got to attend about three sessions with my crazy work schedule and a vacation demand from work.

My girls had a long list of books from their summer reading. However, I was disappointed that none of these books became favorites. None of these books were even deemed “good-enough” to buy a personal copy. So over the winter I reverted back to our personal assortment of children’s books, which I have to say are all really good ones.(Probably because they are either personal copies I had as a child or new ones my Mother had knowledge about, having been an elementary school teacher for years.) Now we have read the ones on the shelves MANY times. This feels wonderful to me! These books are friends. We know them well, even though we may be more partial to one for a few weeks, we always go back and revisit. We love our collection and are selective with our ever growing collection.

So my daydream carried me to working on finding better reading material for my girls. I decided I needed to scour the internet. So I did a bit of research and found some new things I wanted to investigate further. I brainstormed a little experiment. I desire to know the literature and more about the author of these great books I read my children. So I’m going to read, read, read, as always, but to specialize in one author a month and their literature. I have made this list in no particular order, but most books I know my girls would enjoy/or have already, and we would like to read more of their works.

The Month of August we will investigate Tomie dePaola
Library Books:
Strega Nona
Strega Nona Meets Her Match
Strega Nona’s Harvest
Big Anthony: His Story
The Knight and the Dragon

My short biography of Tomie dePaola is that he an award decorated author and illustrator. For more than 40 YEARS he has worked on over 200 books. Now that’s what I call experience! Read more about him at http://www.tomie.com/ .

At the end of the month I will return with a complete report on how each book read was received and the next months featured author and book list. Happy Reading!!

Kid Pleasers

Slightly frozen, dairy and milk- What's not to love? It's mid-summer and one thing I have noticed this season is the Smoothie Rage. McDonald's restaurants have them to go along with there new coffee drink line, the 7-Eleven gas chains have more choices than ever with frozen smoothie-like drinks, The Fresh Beat Band; (the preschool sitcom from Nick) seems to write the tasty smoothie drinks into their creative shows whenever possible, also when I went to Walmart to buy more frozen fruit; they sell a smoothie- frozen in a bag, and lastly, the King Arthur Blog had a post about homemade yogurt and making smoothies this week! They are everywhere this season!!!

My girls love the idea of homemade smoothies. We have these little juice glasses that remind me of the "cup" part of a cupcake. In fact, the first batch I whipped up with Oldest in the kitchen must have looked like cupcake batter. Since she said, "Mommy, is it my birthday?"

I answered, " Well it's Youngest's and yours 'Un-Birthday'. Do you know what that means? It's just a special day- a day to have Smoothies!!"

If made right, they are better for them than ice cream, and to tell you the truth- they are a whole lot less messy!

Strawberry-Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Here is the recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup yogurt
• 3 T sugar
• splash of milk

-Combine in blender, food processor, or small chopper/mixer. Put in freezer for 30 min. Stir and enjoy!

I have been using this basic recipe with all the other fruit we have in the house this time of year. They all come out so delicious! Give them a try and you will be hooked!

Money Meals and Steals- #1

~Dinner at my house~

Finally! I’ve been meaning to start posting weekly dinner ideas of a long time. But here I goooooooo……..!

This week 5 homemade dishes (actually 4- since meatballs will be eaten with bread and later pasta) will get my family through the week with one day out, most likely on the weekend.

The dishes this week will be:

Marinated Pork Chops-served with rice
Panini BLTs- served with Peanut Butter Twist and Carrot Sticks
Meatballs and Crusty Bread
Meatballs and Spaghetti
Taco Meatballs with Fry Bread Tortillas

I will start personally reviewing and linking recipes as my blogging techniques improve. But in the mean time, if there is something I post and later do not review that you want to know more about, please let me know in the comment section of the blog and I will forward the details.

Enjoy every meal,
Julia

Yes, I'm Still Here!

June 23, 2010 is the birth date of this blog. So yes, I have neglected it a wee bit lately- I would explain in detail, but it’s complicated and I’m not ready to tell the whole world everything. No new postings have been made. In fact one posting was even deleted since I decided it wasn’t appropriate subject matter. This month, I’ve been brainstorming and reading other blogs, learning what blogging could really offer me! –In conclusion, I have a ton to learn and I’m getting hooked!

Now for the, My Big News Report:

The Couch to 5K is still happening. In an odd sort of way, I was “sick” and had to stop one week –maybe even a little into the next week. But with Patient First’s excellent medical care, I’m back! Surprised I was to find that I didn’t have to start back at the beginning of the program. But I’ve had trouble with remembering where I am in the program, so I wrote out this schedule:

Week	Monday	Wednesday	Friday
1	5 min. walk 60 sec. jog 90 sec. walk Total= 20 min.	5 min. walk 60 sec. jog 90 sec. walk Total= 20 min.	5 min. walk 60 sec. jog 90 sec. walk Total= 20 min.
2	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 120 sec. walk Total= 20 min.	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 120 sec. walk Total= 20 min.	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 120 sec. walk Total= 20 min.
3	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 90 sec. walk (all x2) 3 min. jog 3 min. walk	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 90 sec. walk (all x2) 3 min. jog 3 min. walk	5 min. walk 90 sec. jog 90 sec. walk (all x2) 3 min. jog 3 min. walk
4	5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog 2.5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog Total= 30 min.	5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog 2.5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog Total= 30 min.	5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog 2.5 min. walk 3 min. jog 90 sec. walk 5 min. jog Total= 30 min.
5	5 min. walk 5 min. jog 3 min. walk 5 min. jog 3 min. walk 5 min. jog Total: 30 min.	5 min. walk 8 min. jog 5 min. walk 8 min. jog	5 min. walk 20 min. jog (No Walking)

Since being ‘sick’, I’ve started back at Week 3 this week. I might even do this next week depending on how strong I feel. Also, I only posted up to week 5-Half way to the end of the program!

One of the beginner running pages' followers talk about setting a goal. As you know my first goal is to run a 5K in the blink-of-an-eye, but the next would be another 5K benefit race or possibly a longer one! At the YMCA I saw a posting on the bathroom stall for an 8K race in September. Maybe it’s a possibility, we’ll see.

The next piece of My Big News, is that Youngest is wearing real underwear these days! She’s loving it too! I do still buy Pull-Ups, but I think we might actually have purchased the last package we will ever buy. She’s still in Pull-Ups at night for “wet bed protection” though. Fact: Working Moms have no time for extra laundry.

And that’s a wrap of- My Big News.

Getting back to my self-education in blog culture, I’ve decided the best blog are ones that are VERY focused. I will stay on my first objectives: Running, Motherhood, and Scheduling.

Then, next to content, I need to address structure, visuals, and references. So these are the upcoming goals in my blogging adventure.

Take care all,

Julia

Early Saturday Morning

Juice box in hand, Oldest and I were setting a Saturday morning record for getting out of the house! It seems that Oldest and I waste valuable time every Saturday morning watching cartoons.

So I thought, Grocery Shopping! It hadn't gotten done on Friday. Off to Walmart to run around in great speed. But we did spend some extra time in the toy section to pay our respects. It had been a fast trip, but then I remembered I'd like to make one more stop. Victoria's Secret had sent me a ten dollar off purchase card for my birthday that was about to expire.

"Oldest, is it okay if we make one more stop?"

"Yeah, aaaaaa... sure Mom." (yes- this is how Oldest talks at 3 years old, always with great thought to her replies)

I think of myself as extra lucky with my birthday and this store. They always send out birthday cards and because they are having their Semi-Annual Sale at this time, I get double the free stuff!! Otherwise, I would probably never shop here.

Once in the store I ask the Clerk about the print on the back of the card. There is no need for me to get my heart set on something and then find out that I can't use the card! They admit to me that it's pretty confusing, but I know it really just how managing the manager cares to be. The clerk double checks for me and sure enough, anything more or less!

With this answer a huge game is opened for me. I'm not letting VS luer me into their store for $10 to get any of my money! So usually I will get a pair of panties or some body care products.

Oh! Did I tell you that we had 9 minutes left on the meter when we pulled up and that I refused to feed it?

While wondering around the store, Oldest is intoxicating herself with a sweet assortment of lotion blending. (If you have to fart, don't worry, Oldest is your little air freshener) Finally I have narrowed my quest down to either panties, or you guessed it, body care products!

But then my little girl has a loud announcement to make to the shoppers of VC, "Mommy? I need to go Poop! Poopy Mommy!" (Note to self: got to work on her manners of statements to the world!)

Everyone, weather it's hold'n it up, or hold'n it down, it's a universal fact that all Mommies begin to perspire when they hear reference to these actions come out of their child's mouth. (Dads sweat and run!)

So I pick up speed and promise her we are just about done, when she has another thing to tell everyone, "Mommy?, I want to go to the bathroom back there!"

What? Where? You think there is a bathroom in VS- 'ell NO! But I have to look to where she is pointing since everyone else is wondering where they could pop-a-squat. It's right next to the checkout counter where some hat boxes are piled up. (#2 Note to self: Carry hat box with young children for instant potty, look stylist and sophisticated while sporting the Victoria Secret Name.)

"Quick, lets get in line"

Then there is one more thing she has to say. I feel the scowl and cringe in my face of what might next be on the tip of her tongue-

"Mommy?, I want to go home and watch T.V...."

"Ahhhh"..... I sigh, that was a freebie in the Mommy world.

"O.K., Baby we will."

I'm feeling a shade darker pink and my deodorant is kicking in when I place my purchases on the counter for the clerk. I reach in my pocket to pull out my last "little birthday gift for self", when there is no card in my pocket, or back pocket,..... or purse! What the *#@&*??!

I grab Oldest and swing her 'round the store once more as I teach her a good lesson on how to run people over. (Why am I so absent minded like this?! I'm so ticked off at myself!!!)

That little voice says, "Mommy? You lost it?" (Wait, did she mean physically or mentally?)

I feel that little hand in mine.

"Yes Oldest." I know she knows my disappointment.

But then that little hand puts the thought in my mind to pull myself together. I tell myself, if you don't listen to Oldest, you'll be even more embarrassed, and is twenty dollars of VS stuff really worth all this to you? BE REAL SELF!!!!

Then there is this bright light and a smiling, friendly face. It's the clerk I showed the card to in the beginning. There is a halo around her head, she might even of had some wings and the l'eur de Heaven (VS sent) perfuming herself.

"I lost my card", I tell her.

"You did??! Well I saw it! Let me tell my manager."

And just like that I was checked out and out the door.

"Oldest, You still need to use the bathroom?"

Oldest,"Aaaaa.....no."


Motherhood.

Gotta luv it!

~Julia