Something new to try with old bananas! These were super good hot off the griddle! Batter didn't taste like much, but the fried result was fabulous! The "Ghee Guy" in the video is right, these are healthier with ghee, but if you don't have any, just use butter!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Banana Dosai
WigWorld
Has the whole world gone to pot? Everything is more expensive, yes we know, but I didn't know that not only are we getting less but it's an inferior quality! THREE things we have bought in the last month have been defective and we've had to call and get a replacement or refund: a sippy cup that fell apart, diapers we've used for almost a year also falling apart, and our beloved Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats, cucky and stale. Thankfully, the latter seems to be a one time event as subsequent boxes have been just fine. But really! The elastic on one side of the diaper inside it was coming off (probably 12 out of 15 diapers) and giving my poor son a wedgie! Not cool! And the sippy cup simply came out of it's casing. What IS the world coming to?
In much much brighter news, our dear friends, Matt and Molly, were finally able to visit (third try was the charm). Matt flew in all the way from Utah and we had a lovely time the four of us Saturday evening. Unfortunately, most of the pictures I took were blurry and since the flash was bothering everyone's cones and rods I didn't get too many good ones. So, you two will have to come back for more pictures, 'cause this is all I got:
In other good news, my Mom is coming this Friday to keep me company while Ben goes away for a certification training in Tennessee for a week. It's really neat, we were just talking about when I'd see them next, I mentioned I'd be alone for a week and they called (my cell!) from Germany to tell me that she could come (with just two weeks notice!). Not sure what that'll look like on the cell phone bill, but it's worth it, I'm super excited she's coming!
And now, a confession. It may be noticeable from the last few month's posts, but I've had quite the appetite for yummy food. Well, after doing the bills, it was clear that we (meaning I) have been spending too much at the grocery store. Like, way too much. So, to get back on budget, the plan is to stop spending all together and eat the food we have (just buying the necessities). THEN, once the food is all gone, which may take a while since I've stock-piled like the "Mid-Winter Jicker" is coming, we're thinking of trying something new. Ben heard about e-mealz.com on a Dave Ramsey radio show that can help people get back on budget with their grocery spending. It costs $5 a month, but wait! The meal plan option for 2-3 people from Wal-Mart (where I often have to shop anyways, sadly), costs on average $30-$40 a week for five meals. Anyways, it sounds neato, check it out and tell me what you think!
Thanks so much to those that prayed for us, our song went well, we even led a worship song too at the pastor's request. The special music song we did is called, "Around My Neck," by 100 Portraits. Those of you who went to LeTourneau with us might remember Robin singing it in concert there about 11 years ago. If you like this, please support them! For $8.40 you get an entire album on MP3 downloaded to your computer in minutes, which you can then use to make yourself a CD, play on your computer, or put on an IPod or MP3 player. Go to this link and pick your MP3 album. The song we did is on the "Five Wise Virgins" album, but I also highly recommend the first and third "Enter the Worship Circle" albums.
In much much brighter news, our dear friends, Matt and Molly, were finally able to visit (third try was the charm). Matt flew in all the way from Utah and we had a lovely time the four of us Saturday evening. Unfortunately, most of the pictures I took were blurry and since the flash was bothering everyone's cones and rods I didn't get too many good ones. So, you two will have to come back for more pictures, 'cause this is all I got:
In other good news, my Mom is coming this Friday to keep me company while Ben goes away for a certification training in Tennessee for a week. It's really neat, we were just talking about when I'd see them next, I mentioned I'd be alone for a week and they called (my cell!) from Germany to tell me that she could come (with just two weeks notice!). Not sure what that'll look like on the cell phone bill, but it's worth it, I'm super excited she's coming!
And now, a confession. It may be noticeable from the last few month's posts, but I've had quite the appetite for yummy food. Well, after doing the bills, it was clear that we (meaning I) have been spending too much at the grocery store. Like, way too much. So, to get back on budget, the plan is to stop spending all together and eat the food we have (just buying the necessities). THEN, once the food is all gone, which may take a while since I've stock-piled like the "Mid-Winter Jicker" is coming, we're thinking of trying something new. Ben heard about e-mealz.com on a Dave Ramsey radio show that can help people get back on budget with their grocery spending. It costs $5 a month, but wait! The meal plan option for 2-3 people from Wal-Mart (where I often have to shop anyways, sadly), costs on average $30-$40 a week for five meals. Anyways, it sounds neato, check it out and tell me what you think!
Thanks so much to those that prayed for us, our song went well, we even led a worship song too at the pastor's request. The special music song we did is called, "Around My Neck," by 100 Portraits. Those of you who went to LeTourneau with us might remember Robin singing it in concert there about 11 years ago. If you like this, please support them! For $8.40 you get an entire album on MP3 downloaded to your computer in minutes, which you can then use to make yourself a CD, play on your computer, or put on an IPod or MP3 player. Go to this link and pick your MP3 album. The song we did is on the "Five Wise Virgins" album, but I also highly recommend the first and third "Enter the Worship Circle" albums.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Easter Greetings
Well, we had a nice Easter, below is our attempt at a traditional Easter picture. Z had a super cute Easter dress shirt on with khakis but had to be changed into Easter outfit 'B' after the great Easter poo of 2008. It took both Daddy and Mommy to clean that one up. I was sad our phone wasn't working for Easter thus making contact with family a bit difficult, but we got our Vonage box in the mail Monday and are now in business. Our number will be transferred by April 2nd so all should be well after that. We have a temporary number until then, e-mail me if you're in need of it or just call our cells.
We went to Agland's, a pet and farm supply store, to visit the Easter Bunny (who was too skinny and just a little scary) and some real bunnies. I got all itchy just from being near them, I'm SO allergic! Z doesn't seem to share my allergies...yet.
We're still doing swim classes at the Y. Daddy usually gets in with him as I can't be bothered to get all wet for just a half hour, so I'm the helper before and afterwards. Z is getting so much more comfortable in the water. Ben's started letting him fall in when he jumps before Ben counts him in. He goes under, looks up at you from under the water, then bobs up. He's kicking, using his arms, turning around to climb in, and today he climbed out all by himself. He loves to inch along the side wall all by himself.
Daddy was being silly decorating our son, who loved it. We were both shocked when a letter floated by and Z said, "T", which it was! We were so proud! We do A LOT of alphabet work, so it's nice to have a little reward like that once in a while.
I call this one, "Finale."
Well, if you think of it, pray for us this Sunday. We're singing at church for a little "talent show" they're having. It's been years and years since we sang for an audience. For those that don't know, we led a worship team at our college for about three years then started a youth group band at a youth group we volunteered with after college for two years. So, it's been about eight years and it's exciting and scary all at the same time.
We went to Agland's, a pet and farm supply store, to visit the Easter Bunny (who was too skinny and just a little scary) and some real bunnies. I got all itchy just from being near them, I'm SO allergic! Z doesn't seem to share my allergies...yet.
We're still doing swim classes at the Y. Daddy usually gets in with him as I can't be bothered to get all wet for just a half hour, so I'm the helper before and afterwards. Z is getting so much more comfortable in the water. Ben's started letting him fall in when he jumps before Ben counts him in. He goes under, looks up at you from under the water, then bobs up. He's kicking, using his arms, turning around to climb in, and today he climbed out all by himself. He loves to inch along the side wall all by himself.
Daddy was being silly decorating our son, who loved it. We were both shocked when a letter floated by and Z said, "T", which it was! We were so proud! We do A LOT of alphabet work, so it's nice to have a little reward like that once in a while.
I call this one, "Finale."
Well, if you think of it, pray for us this Sunday. We're singing at church for a little "talent show" they're having. It's been years and years since we sang for an audience. For those that don't know, we led a worship team at our college for about three years then started a youth group band at a youth group we volunteered with after college for two years. So, it's been about eight years and it's exciting and scary all at the same time.
Friday, March 21, 2008
My Easter Story
I grew up Protestant. We mainly protested against Catholics. So, of course, when I finally hit my rebellious years in my twenties, my husband and I were drawn toward Catholicism. It helped we lived (and still live) in a primarily Polish and Italian area, where most people are Catholic. It also helped that Ben's parents were going through a long, yucky divorce that fueled our anger toward what we had grown up with. Oh, and that the church we had become leaders at (young adults Sunday school, teens Sunday school, youth group band leaders, small group leaders, etc.) had become so "Seeker Friendly" we weren't benefiting Spiritually at all. Anyways, after toying with the idea of joining the Catholic church and intermittently attending Mass for a year or two, we finally decided not to join. Mainly because our reason was to spite others (parents included, sorry...), and we realized that was a bad reason to join. We remained churchless for about seven years. We weren't Godless, however, and grew a great deal during this sabbatical. There are a few things that we took, however, from that experience of dabbling in Catholicism.
The biggest lesson I learned was that it is very likely that there are just as many "saved" people in a Catholic mass as there are in a Protestant congregation. Take that either way you want. I didn't realize how many awesome Catholic Christians there are out there. What's nice about them is that they don't have the same annoying hang-ups that we Protestants do, like our tendency to be Pharisaical and judgmental. They have different ones and that was refreshing. I'm only gonna pick on my own kind for now. Overall, I had a good experience, learned to stop hating Catholics for no good reason, recognized some differences that won't keep me from loving my fellow Christians in the Catholic Church, but doesn' t make me want to join them, and finally realized that perhaps everything I grew up with wasn't all that bad after all.
It really took me all this to just say, when someone invited me to do Lent with them last year, I was open to it. Why not? Jesus suffered for 40 days and 40 nights, I can suffer a little in remembrance. I gave up TV during the day. Doesn't sound like much, but being home all day with a little guy when it's too cold to go outside, it was something to me, and I had been feeling a little convicted about watching so much TV. I was religious about it and when Easter came I was surprised to feel actual relief and thankfulness. Such a little sacrifice for 40 days with Jesus' resurrection as a finale was overwhelming. What a humbling reminder of how much I need that grace and forgiveness.
Even more powerful was my experience this year. I had morning sickness when Lent began so I had the sneaky idea that I'd give up desserts and chocolate. I couldn't eat anything sweet anyways! Totally made me sick. Thankfully, my morning sickness went away a couple weeks later, and then I had to tame my overwhelming desire to compensate for the month of sickness by eating everything in sight. If you've read our family blog in the past month or two, you'll see it's filled with tons of recipes and pictures of food. That's how I coped with not being able to eat my sweets, eating everything else that sounded good. I was being pretty strict at first even though my "sacrifice" was pretty broad in scope. Then I heard that many Catholics take Sundays off or just offer a sacrifice of prayer when they "screw up". The idea of grace is a familiar one that I've revelled in for many years now, and since it resonated with me I gave myself a little grace. Sundays I'd have a treat, just not chocolate or cake. Only ice cream or cookies. Not both. I wasn't cheating too badly! OK, occasionally I had to offer up the sacrificial prayer in lieu of being faithful to the fast from sweets. Well, here it is, Easter is upon us, and I am more humbled than ever.
Wednesday I blew it. Not with the sugary stuff, but my temper. About three weeks ago Z drew all over our leather ottoman with ink pen. I panicked, Googled "ink on leather", tried a little hand sanitizer on it, the ink came up but so did the leather's color, I reached for the fancy cleaner kit that came with the couch set and found....an insurance policy for the leather! I called, it doesn't expire until December this year. I didn't even remember we had it! I was so thankful! We completed the claim forms, were totally up front about everything, then Wednesday, I got their response in the mail. They wouldn't help us because of the color loss that happened when I tried to clean it. Now, without rabbit-trailing too much: The area that Z scribbled on is 19.5" x 10" , the area I attempted to clean with a Q-tip is about a half inch square. I was infuriated! I ranted and raged around the house like a mad woman for about a half hour after I called the insurance lady and yelled at her. She was not helpful. Thankfully, I only called Ben in the midst of this and no one else had to suffer from it. I deescalated and told Ben I was going to be OK and even called the lady back and apologized to her for my rudeness. I'd like to blame hormones, I always would like to blame hormones, but I had been sane all day until then.
It just reminded me of how I tried to cut out sweets as a sacrifice to God, then took the first opportunity to rationalize cookies, ice cream, birthday treats, etc. Here I'm supposed to be a new creation in Christ, meaning, I can turn to Him in everything and not lose it like I'm lost. I know where to go, I know what the Bible says to do, and I find every rationalization that fits my circumstances when I need to. What's worse is I'm super proud of myself when I occasionally do things just right (like return kindness for evil).
I sheepishly asked God to rip out all my stingy pride, hateful greed and anything else that keeps me from loving others, knowing His answer might be painful. Right now, I'm just feeling like a wounded soldier that got hurt from running the wrong way. I'd really like to get it all just right, like I did last year for Lent, but I'm ever so grateful for this picture that screams to me of my need for a loving Savior that makes everything just right in spite of me.
The biggest lesson I learned was that it is very likely that there are just as many "saved" people in a Catholic mass as there are in a Protestant congregation. Take that either way you want. I didn't realize how many awesome Catholic Christians there are out there. What's nice about them is that they don't have the same annoying hang-ups that we Protestants do, like our tendency to be Pharisaical and judgmental. They have different ones and that was refreshing. I'm only gonna pick on my own kind for now. Overall, I had a good experience, learned to stop hating Catholics for no good reason, recognized some differences that won't keep me from loving my fellow Christians in the Catholic Church, but doesn' t make me want to join them, and finally realized that perhaps everything I grew up with wasn't all that bad after all.
It really took me all this to just say, when someone invited me to do Lent with them last year, I was open to it. Why not? Jesus suffered for 40 days and 40 nights, I can suffer a little in remembrance. I gave up TV during the day. Doesn't sound like much, but being home all day with a little guy when it's too cold to go outside, it was something to me, and I had been feeling a little convicted about watching so much TV. I was religious about it and when Easter came I was surprised to feel actual relief and thankfulness. Such a little sacrifice for 40 days with Jesus' resurrection as a finale was overwhelming. What a humbling reminder of how much I need that grace and forgiveness.
Even more powerful was my experience this year. I had morning sickness when Lent began so I had the sneaky idea that I'd give up desserts and chocolate. I couldn't eat anything sweet anyways! Totally made me sick. Thankfully, my morning sickness went away a couple weeks later, and then I had to tame my overwhelming desire to compensate for the month of sickness by eating everything in sight. If you've read our family blog in the past month or two, you'll see it's filled with tons of recipes and pictures of food. That's how I coped with not being able to eat my sweets, eating everything else that sounded good. I was being pretty strict at first even though my "sacrifice" was pretty broad in scope. Then I heard that many Catholics take Sundays off or just offer a sacrifice of prayer when they "screw up". The idea of grace is a familiar one that I've revelled in for many years now, and since it resonated with me I gave myself a little grace. Sundays I'd have a treat, just not chocolate or cake. Only ice cream or cookies. Not both. I wasn't cheating too badly! OK, occasionally I had to offer up the sacrificial prayer in lieu of being faithful to the fast from sweets. Well, here it is, Easter is upon us, and I am more humbled than ever.
Wednesday I blew it. Not with the sugary stuff, but my temper. About three weeks ago Z drew all over our leather ottoman with ink pen. I panicked, Googled "ink on leather", tried a little hand sanitizer on it, the ink came up but so did the leather's color, I reached for the fancy cleaner kit that came with the couch set and found....an insurance policy for the leather! I called, it doesn't expire until December this year. I didn't even remember we had it! I was so thankful! We completed the claim forms, were totally up front about everything, then Wednesday, I got their response in the mail. They wouldn't help us because of the color loss that happened when I tried to clean it. Now, without rabbit-trailing too much: The area that Z scribbled on is 19.5" x 10" , the area I attempted to clean with a Q-tip is about a half inch square. I was infuriated! I ranted and raged around the house like a mad woman for about a half hour after I called the insurance lady and yelled at her. She was not helpful. Thankfully, I only called Ben in the midst of this and no one else had to suffer from it. I deescalated and told Ben I was going to be OK and even called the lady back and apologized to her for my rudeness. I'd like to blame hormones, I always would like to blame hormones, but I had been sane all day until then.
It just reminded me of how I tried to cut out sweets as a sacrifice to God, then took the first opportunity to rationalize cookies, ice cream, birthday treats, etc. Here I'm supposed to be a new creation in Christ, meaning, I can turn to Him in everything and not lose it like I'm lost. I know where to go, I know what the Bible says to do, and I find every rationalization that fits my circumstances when I need to. What's worse is I'm super proud of myself when I occasionally do things just right (like return kindness for evil).
I sheepishly asked God to rip out all my stingy pride, hateful greed and anything else that keeps me from loving others, knowing His answer might be painful. Right now, I'm just feeling like a wounded soldier that got hurt from running the wrong way. I'd really like to get it all just right, like I did last year for Lent, but I'm ever so grateful for this picture that screams to me of my need for a loving Savior that makes everything just right in spite of me.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Gettin' Wiggy!
We had some beautiful weather this past week and we took full advantage of it! There was still snow from the great blizzard of 2008 the weekend before, but that didn't stop us from taking an hour and half walk one day, just Z and I, without the stroller! We were almost home when Daddy came home and wanted to play outside with Z too! Boy was he tired that night! The next few pictures are ones Ben took during their time playing outside...
Ben and I have been just smitten with this little boy, lately.
Here, Ben said Z saw an airplane in the sky, leaned out of his car and waved, "Hi"!
This is from Friday night when Mommy was working, Z helped Daddy do the dishes. After this, he thought he got to help every time there was water in the sink and was very disappointed when Mommy wasn't as fun as Daddy.
Looking up to Daddy...oh, and wearing his shoes.
Family Bed
I just wanted to share with y'all what our gianormous family bed looks like! It's almost more than the camera could capture. Ben and I sleep on the King size bed that's at the bottom. Z (seen in the distance) sleeps on the far side of the full size mattress that's next to it. Both beds are on the floor, ours doesn't need a boxspring, but his does to reach the height of ours. We have single down comforters on all three so we can crawl out of our respective spots when needed (I'm up 1-2 times a night these days!). We've found that Z sleeps better in his own bed, but likes to look up and see if we're around when he wakes up at all hours of the night. It's also easier to comfort him when he needs his bottom patted back to sleep. Just thought you'd like to see a bed that was almost 11 feet in width!
Money for Nothin'!
Yes, you too can get coupons like this! Here's my third installment of "Money for Nothin'". Our good friend, Matt O'Brien, shared this one with us a good year or two ago. He said that all Hanes products were GUARANTEED for life! He realized this from reading the back of the package, who'd have thunk it!? Turns out, if you buy, or better yet, have already bought any Hanes underwear (boxers OR briefs) or socks or really anything else they might sell, and it has a hole in it, you're in luck! We've sent back packages of holey old underwear and socks twice now. The first time Ben weighed the package at work, they sent him a mailing label then we got a package of socks in the mail and a check for the underwear! The second time, Ben called them and they said they didn't even need the old holey stuff mailed and that they'd send us coupons to replace them. Sure enough, you can see the picture to prove it! It's so happy! If you aren't so fortunate as to have already holey underwear and socks in your dresser drawers right now, don't panic. You can just make a point of buying Hanes brand the next time you're in the market for socks and undies! Tee hee! For more info on how to get your Hanes goods replaced, I found this on their website:
For questions regarding a purchase you made at a retail store or to arrange the
return of a Hanes® product you purchased at a retail store:
Contact Retail Customer Service:
1-800-994-4348
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Eastern Time
These, my friends, are called "SmartWool" socks. The ones above are two of Ben's, I realize the picture is misleading, Smartwool socks come matching, I just wanted to show you two examples. You can learn a lot about them on the SmartWool website, but I'll summarize for ya. Made from fancy Merrino sheep wool from New Zealand, they keep you warm when you need, cool when you need, dry all the time, and stink free! They're also super soft and comfy. I especially like how snugly they fit. Mine are longer. Secretly, I sometimes find myself thinking, "We must be rich! Ben has four pairs of SmartWools, I have two and Z even has a pair!" We were given at least three of our pairs. They're not your economical Hanes as they go for $10 for a pair of footies up to $22 for boot socks online. We've found them cheaper at climbing stores like Appalacian Outfitters, but that was a long time ago, when I was working, so maybe their prices went up. I believe Ben's business partner at the airport, Eric, found SmartWools on ebay in bulk before. Anyways, I found myself thankful for my SmartWools this week and thought I'd include them in Becca's Favorite Things.
Not among Becca's Favorite things this week: VOIP! (Voice over internet Protocol). There's some voice over internet phone services that may be just fine, but we have not been happy with VOIP the carrier. We're thinking of switching to Vonage. Any bad experiences out there? We've had no working phone for six days out of the last two weeks. Again, if you need to contact us, call our cells or e-mail us! Thanks!
Ben and I have been just smitten with this little boy, lately.
Here, Ben said Z saw an airplane in the sky, leaned out of his car and waved, "Hi"!
This is from Friday night when Mommy was working, Z helped Daddy do the dishes. After this, he thought he got to help every time there was water in the sink and was very disappointed when Mommy wasn't as fun as Daddy.
Looking up to Daddy...oh, and wearing his shoes.
Family BedI just wanted to share with y'all what our gianormous family bed looks like! It's almost more than the camera could capture. Ben and I sleep on the King size bed that's at the bottom. Z (seen in the distance) sleeps on the far side of the full size mattress that's next to it. Both beds are on the floor, ours doesn't need a boxspring, but his does to reach the height of ours. We have single down comforters on all three so we can crawl out of our respective spots when needed (I'm up 1-2 times a night these days!). We've found that Z sleeps better in his own bed, but likes to look up and see if we're around when he wakes up at all hours of the night. It's also easier to comfort him when he needs his bottom patted back to sleep. Just thought you'd like to see a bed that was almost 11 feet in width!
Money for Nothin'!
Yes, you too can get coupons like this! Here's my third installment of "Money for Nothin'". Our good friend, Matt O'Brien, shared this one with us a good year or two ago. He said that all Hanes products were GUARANTEED for life! He realized this from reading the back of the package, who'd have thunk it!? Turns out, if you buy, or better yet, have already bought any Hanes underwear (boxers OR briefs) or socks or really anything else they might sell, and it has a hole in it, you're in luck! We've sent back packages of holey old underwear and socks twice now. The first time Ben weighed the package at work, they sent him a mailing label then we got a package of socks in the mail and a check for the underwear! The second time, Ben called them and they said they didn't even need the old holey stuff mailed and that they'd send us coupons to replace them. Sure enough, you can see the picture to prove it! It's so happy! If you aren't so fortunate as to have already holey underwear and socks in your dresser drawers right now, don't panic. You can just make a point of buying Hanes brand the next time you're in the market for socks and undies! Tee hee! For more info on how to get your Hanes goods replaced, I found this on their website: For questions regarding a purchase you made at a retail store or to arrange the
return of a Hanes® product you purchased at a retail store:
Contact Retail Customer Service:
1-800-994-4348
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Eastern Time
Becca's Favorite Things
These, my friends, are called "SmartWool" socks. The ones above are two of Ben's, I realize the picture is misleading, Smartwool socks come matching, I just wanted to show you two examples. You can learn a lot about them on the SmartWool website, but I'll summarize for ya. Made from fancy Merrino sheep wool from New Zealand, they keep you warm when you need, cool when you need, dry all the time, and stink free! They're also super soft and comfy. I especially like how snugly they fit. Mine are longer. Secretly, I sometimes find myself thinking, "We must be rich! Ben has four pairs of SmartWools, I have two and Z even has a pair!" We were given at least three of our pairs. They're not your economical Hanes as they go for $10 for a pair of footies up to $22 for boot socks online. We've found them cheaper at climbing stores like Appalacian Outfitters, but that was a long time ago, when I was working, so maybe their prices went up. I believe Ben's business partner at the airport, Eric, found SmartWools on ebay in bulk before. Anyways, I found myself thankful for my SmartWools this week and thought I'd include them in Becca's Favorite Things.Not among Becca's Favorite things this week: VOIP! (Voice over internet Protocol). There's some voice over internet phone services that may be just fine, but we have not been happy with VOIP the carrier. We're thinking of switching to Vonage. Any bad experiences out there? We've had no working phone for six days out of the last two weeks. Again, if you need to contact us, call our cells or e-mail us! Thanks!
Monday, March 10, 2008
A big meal!
This slideshow has pictures from this past weekend, playing in the snow and enjoying time with our former foster daughter, Kim, her son, Tristan and my cousin who lived with us for a year, Jamie. Jamie is still in the Navy and will be for at least three more years. She lives on a small ship on the East Coast. Kim also lives near Norfolk, Virginia and was able to catch a ride with Jamie to visit. She starts a cleaning job tomorrow and otherwise stays home with her 9 month old. Her husband, Paul, works for the Navy on a different ship in the Atlantic. Below are pictures from our yummy dinner we had Saturday night. So sorry to our friends, Matt and Molly who were to join us, but were prevented by the blizzard we had.
As a side note, our VOIP (voice over internet phone) isn't working...again. Not happy with them at all! It's been down for four days now. We're looking at our alternatives. So, if you need to reach us call our cells or e-mail or something. Thanks!
This is Bulgogi. It's a Korean dish we'd order in a lot when I was a kid living in Maryland. I found all the ingredients at the Oriental Food store in Canton. We buy special beef there that is sliced super thin, marinade it in half a jar of "Assi" brand, "BBQ sauce for beef" aka Bulgogi sauce for 24 hours. Ben grills the beef (yes in a blizzard), then I add it to steamed veggies which Jamie helped chop, toss and add a little more sauce. We serve it over rice. Truly a family favorite. The girls always ask for this or my coconut chicken when they come home to visit. I just looked through all my old posts and I've never shared the latter recipe. Definitely, someday I'll do that! It's sounding yummier the more I think about it!
English oranges. This is my mom's recipe:
I'm not a big fan of rice pudding, I prefer tapioca. However, if I'm gonna have rice pudding I want it to have coconut milk and heavy cream in it! Yum! I found several recipes for Indian Rice pudding, or Kheer, before finding this one which I've made twice and definitely deem a winner! Thanks for making it for us, Jamie! You were such a help!
Finally, we have my favorite cookie, I think of all time! Perhaps that's a tough call, but still, these are a must to try especially if you like coconut! Check out this Easy Chocolate Macaroons Recipe!
As a side note, our VOIP (voice over internet phone) isn't working...again. Not happy with them at all! It's been down for four days now. We're looking at our alternatives. So, if you need to reach us call our cells or e-mail or something. Thanks!
This is Bulgogi. It's a Korean dish we'd order in a lot when I was a kid living in Maryland. I found all the ingredients at the Oriental Food store in Canton. We buy special beef there that is sliced super thin, marinade it in half a jar of "Assi" brand, "BBQ sauce for beef" aka Bulgogi sauce for 24 hours. Ben grills the beef (yes in a blizzard), then I add it to steamed veggies which Jamie helped chop, toss and add a little more sauce. We serve it over rice. Truly a family favorite. The girls always ask for this or my coconut chicken when they come home to visit. I just looked through all my old posts and I've never shared the latter recipe. Definitely, someday I'll do that! It's sounding yummier the more I think about it!
English oranges. This is my mom's recipe:8 juicy oranges
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
Peel 2 oranges with sharp knife. Cut peel into thin matchsticks. Simmer matchsticks for five minutes in boiling water, drain. Pour cold water over. Peel other oranges, seed if necessary. Chop pieces in half. Put into serving bowl. Slowly heat sugar and half of water. Boil until like syrup. Pour in rest of water. Bring to boil again. Allow to cool. Stir frequently as it cools. If it hardens, add a little water and reheat. After syrup has mostly cooled, pour over oranges, stir. Add half the matchsticks, stir. Decorate with other half of matchsticks on top.
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
Peel 2 oranges with sharp knife. Cut peel into thin matchsticks. Simmer matchsticks for five minutes in boiling water, drain. Pour cold water over. Peel other oranges, seed if necessary. Chop pieces in half. Put into serving bowl. Slowly heat sugar and half of water. Boil until like syrup. Pour in rest of water. Bring to boil again. Allow to cool. Stir frequently as it cools. If it hardens, add a little water and reheat. After syrup has mostly cooled, pour over oranges, stir. Add half the matchsticks, stir. Decorate with other half of matchsticks on top.
I'm not a big fan of rice pudding, I prefer tapioca. However, if I'm gonna have rice pudding I want it to have coconut milk and heavy cream in it! Yum! I found several recipes for Indian Rice pudding, or Kheer, before finding this one which I've made twice and definitely deem a winner! Thanks for making it for us, Jamie! You were such a help!
Finally, we have my favorite cookie, I think of all time! Perhaps that's a tough call, but still, these are a must to try especially if you like coconut! Check out this Easy Chocolate Macaroons Recipe!at the bottom of the page.
Well, it was a lot of cooking and baking for one meal, but it was fun and super yummy. I think we'll just have left over oranges and sloppy joes tonight. I'm storing my energy back up to make some fancy meatballs for spaghetti. Recipes welcome!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
the bump
After playing in the snow today, had to get a picture
I was so proud I still fit into my old snow suit!
I was so proud I still fit into my old snow suit!
What makes me think it could be a girl: I'm carrying a bit higher than last time (as evidenced by comparing measurements from the first pregnancy to the second), and I had nausea and fatigue like I never had the first time. What make me think it's a boy: I have pregnancy acne again like with Z and I'm told a higher heart rate is indicative of a boy too and it was just as high as Z's was. Any thoughts on this? I ask my mother-in-law and she says, "It's definitely a baby."I have lots of new pics and stuff to post, but blogger isn't wanting to upload more than one photo at a time today, so it'll have to wait. Come back soon!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Food, Food, Food!
Perhaps it's the heightened sense of smell that accompanies pregnancy, whatever it is, I've been in love with food lately. Have you noticed from my recent posts? Well, this is no exception. Everything in this post is completely and utterly about FOOD, and my observations of it. Hope you enjoy!
I'm sure this food craze is just a phase, but at least my cooking skills are improving from it! I didn't know how to make anything when we got married 10 and a half years ago!
Growing food inside of food!
I found this super cute idea from the mag, "Wonder Time." Basically, if you don't have starters going yet, their idea is to use an egg shell (use a spoon to crack just the top off) to grow starters. Rinse the egg out with soap and water, use a pin to poke a hole in the bottom. Fill with dirt (I used dirt from my garden and a baby spoon), then poke your seeds in and pat down! They said to spray with a spray bottle to water. I've been using drips from my faucet. The best part about this is that you can plant the eggs directly in the ground! You can use an egg carton to hold them all. Another super cute idea they had is to draw a face on the egg, then plant, say, grass seed and it'll grow hair! My friend, Melissa, suggested using a candle holder to hold the egg too. All sorts of ideas! I've got spinach growing in mine. Can't wait!
I found this super cute idea from the mag, "Wonder Time." Basically, if you don't have starters going yet, their idea is to use an egg shell (use a spoon to crack just the top off) to grow starters. Rinse the egg out with soap and water, use a pin to poke a hole in the bottom. Fill with dirt (I used dirt from my garden and a baby spoon), then poke your seeds in and pat down! They said to spray with a spray bottle to water. I've been using drips from my faucet. The best part about this is that you can plant the eggs directly in the ground! You can use an egg carton to hold them all. Another super cute idea they had is to draw a face on the egg, then plant, say, grass seed and it'll grow hair! My friend, Melissa, suggested using a candle holder to hold the egg too. All sorts of ideas! I've got spinach growing in mine. Can't wait!Soup du jour
I've been on a soup kick for lunches. The above are actually all duds but the last one. The peas were too dry and hard in the green split pea soup, the garden vegetable was salvageable with some Pappy's seasoning, but it took some work, same with their minestrone. Who needs garbanzo beans in their minestrone? Who needs garbanzo beans ever? The Campbells minestrone gets two thumbs up! Didn't even need Pappy's seasoning. Also, not pictured (recycling must have taken it already), Campbell's Italian Wedding soup. Very good! I'm usually not a fan of canned meats, but that wasn't half bad. All the Chunky meat soups I tried were awful.
Pizza Dough knead off!
This is pizza dough for tonight's supper. On Valentine's Day I made two different elaborate pizza doughs by hand and we had a taste test to see which we liked more. I had googled, "Papa John's pizza dough recipe" to get the two recipes I tried. We're big fans of their crust. Honestly, neither dough ended up flakey like theirs, but to their credit they were both very good in their own right. The first one was so totally poofy it grew huge, Ben said it was the lightest crust he'd ever tasted, but he didn't like working with it. I make the dough, he makes the pizza. So, that one was out. The second was slightly more dense and super easy for him to work with. So, today I made it again plus the seasonings it called for. We did not cook it at 550 degrees for five minutes like the weirdo said to. Honestly, I made the yeast mixture ahead of time, threw all the dry ingredients together in the above bowl, added the yeast mixture and kneaded it in the bowl until it looked good and mixed. Then I covered it with a towel and it's risen twice like the above picture and probably will again before we make it. Much easier than all that he said to do.
Do the Mu-shu!
...er, well, maybe don't. What we do is make stir fry vegetables, rice in a rice maker and top it with one of the above sauces. Teriyaki is probably better as a marinade, General Tso's gets an A+ for best stir fry topper (has a little kick so watch out Grandma and Grandpa!), Mu-Shu gets a C-, Sweet and Sour is totally mild and fabulous (this is our favorite brand), finally, this is the soy sauce we buy from our Oriental Food store in Canton, Ohio. The owner recommended it to me and as you can see I use it on everything I can! I just bought another bottle for $3. It's so perfect as my mom likes to say, "you could just drink it!" Since you can't read the bottle very well, let me tell you that it says, "Sempio Soy Sauce" on the front and "Soy Sauce Jin Gold" on the back. Sempio is the brand. The best part? No msg!
Ooooh, I almost forgot amidst all the saucey fun, to mention my new favorite veggie combination for stir fry! I read on this fabulous vegetable website a recipe for plain old sauteed asparagus and leeks. Well, I wanted to make an actual dinner, not just a side, so I steamed leeks, asparagus, and broccoli together, then fried them a bit in some oil with some cubed chicken. [slight diversion...I buy chicken in bulk from my local butcher (all natural!), grill it, cube it, freeze it in baggies so I can make a quick chicken stir fry (frozen veggies make my easy meal!), or burritos, or chicken casserole.] So, anyways, back to my dish, I had this wonderful asparagus, broccoli, leeks and chicken stir fry served over Jasmine rice and Ben said it was as good as a restaurant! We both agreed the General Tso's sauce was just divine on it.
......sooooo, tonight my ex-foster daughter, Kim, and my cousin who used to live with me, Jamie, arrive for the weekend! I'm so excited. I let them pick any meal they wanted for us to have while they were here and they chose my Korean dish, "Bulgogi." There are probably people out there who make their own bulgogi sauce and slice their own beef, but I cheat and buy all of it from the aforementioned Oriental Food store. We marinate the beef in the sauce for 24 hours, then Ben grills it, then stir fries it with lots of yummy veggies, then we serve over rice. Also on the menu, English oranges (oranges marinated in a yummy syrup!). For dessert, Indian Kheer (rice pudding with coconut milk and real cream), and all American chocolate macaroons. I'm so excited! I'll definitely take pictures and share!
I've been on a soup kick for lunches. The above are actually all duds but the last one. The peas were too dry and hard in the green split pea soup, the garden vegetable was salvageable with some Pappy's seasoning, but it took some work, same with their minestrone. Who needs garbanzo beans in their minestrone? Who needs garbanzo beans ever? The Campbells minestrone gets two thumbs up! Didn't even need Pappy's seasoning. Also, not pictured (recycling must have taken it already), Campbell's Italian Wedding soup. Very good! I'm usually not a fan of canned meats, but that wasn't half bad. All the Chunky meat soups I tried were awful.Pizza Dough knead off!
This is pizza dough for tonight's supper. On Valentine's Day I made two different elaborate pizza doughs by hand and we had a taste test to see which we liked more. I had googled, "Papa John's pizza dough recipe" to get the two recipes I tried. We're big fans of their crust. Honestly, neither dough ended up flakey like theirs, but to their credit they were both very good in their own right. The first one was so totally poofy it grew huge, Ben said it was the lightest crust he'd ever tasted, but he didn't like working with it. I make the dough, he makes the pizza. So, that one was out. The second was slightly more dense and super easy for him to work with. So, today I made it again plus the seasonings it called for. We did not cook it at 550 degrees for five minutes like the weirdo said to. Honestly, I made the yeast mixture ahead of time, threw all the dry ingredients together in the above bowl, added the yeast mixture and kneaded it in the bowl until it looked good and mixed. Then I covered it with a towel and it's risen twice like the above picture and probably will again before we make it. Much easier than all that he said to do.Do the Mu-shu!
...er, well, maybe don't. What we do is make stir fry vegetables, rice in a rice maker and top it with one of the above sauces. Teriyaki is probably better as a marinade, General Tso's gets an A+ for best stir fry topper (has a little kick so watch out Grandma and Grandpa!), Mu-Shu gets a C-, Sweet and Sour is totally mild and fabulous (this is our favorite brand), finally, this is the soy sauce we buy from our Oriental Food store in Canton, Ohio. The owner recommended it to me and as you can see I use it on everything I can! I just bought another bottle for $3. It's so perfect as my mom likes to say, "you could just drink it!" Since you can't read the bottle very well, let me tell you that it says, "Sempio Soy Sauce" on the front and "Soy Sauce Jin Gold" on the back. Sempio is the brand. The best part? No msg!Ooooh, I almost forgot amidst all the saucey fun, to mention my new favorite veggie combination for stir fry! I read on this fabulous vegetable website a recipe for plain old sauteed asparagus and leeks. Well, I wanted to make an actual dinner, not just a side, so I steamed leeks, asparagus, and broccoli together, then fried them a bit in some oil with some cubed chicken. [slight diversion...I buy chicken in bulk from my local butcher (all natural!), grill it, cube it, freeze it in baggies so I can make a quick chicken stir fry (frozen veggies make my easy meal!), or burritos, or chicken casserole.] So, anyways, back to my dish, I had this wonderful asparagus, broccoli, leeks and chicken stir fry served over Jasmine rice and Ben said it was as good as a restaurant! We both agreed the General Tso's sauce was just divine on it.
I'm sure this food craze is just a phase, but at least my cooking skills are improving from it! I didn't know how to make anything when we got married 10 and a half years ago!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The story of two apples
The Story of Two Apples
This is the story of a little boy and two apples. One morning the mother of the little boy found him with two very nice apples. Everywhere he went, the apples did as well. The apples were quite helpful in keeping the little boy entertained as he watched his mother go about her business in the kitchen and as he got his diaper changed. Well, except when managing two apples in the air as he laid on his back became a little too much and one fell on his face and made him cry. But, mostly, he rolled the apples down his slide and pretended to feed them to his toy dog.
As the day wore on and the little boy got sleepier he seemed to cling to the apples even more and had some difficulty getting dressed for bed with two apples in his hands. He was able to hold both apples with his left arm and hand so he could put his right arm through the sleeve, but he couldn't switch the apples over to the right side and cried when they fell.
When his bedtime came, the little boy took the apples with him and his Daddy rocked them all to sleep. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there. In trying to lay the little boy and his apples down, the apples woke the boy up! What's worse is he refused to let go of those apples that kept him awake and cried if anyone touched them!
His Mommy heard his cries and came to help. Thankfully, the little boy had found a way to get comfortable with the apples by using one as a pillow and cuddling with the other, so he was very ready to go to sleep when he heard his favorite bedtime story and Bible verse.
The Mommy was very careful to wait until the little boy was sound asleep to move the apples so they didn't wake him up again. She put them in a safe place so he could wake up and find them again and take them where ever he should go. The End.
(The above was written in the journal I keep of Z and his adventures)As the day wore on and the little boy got sleepier he seemed to cling to the apples even more and had some difficulty getting dressed for bed with two apples in his hands. He was able to hold both apples with his left arm and hand so he could put his right arm through the sleeve, but he couldn't switch the apples over to the right side and cried when they fell.
When his bedtime came, the little boy took the apples with him and his Daddy rocked them all to sleep. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there. In trying to lay the little boy and his apples down, the apples woke the boy up! What's worse is he refused to let go of those apples that kept him awake and cried if anyone touched them!
His Mommy heard his cries and came to help. Thankfully, the little boy had found a way to get comfortable with the apples by using one as a pillow and cuddling with the other, so he was very ready to go to sleep when he heard his favorite bedtime story and Bible verse.
The Mommy was very careful to wait until the little boy was sound asleep to move the apples so they didn't wake him up again. She put them in a safe place so he could wake up and find them again and take them where ever he should go. The End.
Eatin' yoghurt on apple day
I've been feeling creative in the kitchen lately and can't say that I endorse the above recipe 100%...unless, that is, you LOVE bacon, broccoli AND gnocchi (potato dumpling like pasta). That's pretty much all there is to this (plus some onions, I used leeks) and it's really rather unusual for a dinner at least around here. Indian food, Korean food all par for the course, but this? When I went to Italy I ordered gnocchi at a fancy restaurant, and it was marvellous, as was this gnocchi I bought in a vacuum pack from the grocery store. Interestingly, they served it plain. I never know what to put with gnocchi (not red sauce!), and I go to Italy and they serve it plain. So, this recipe helped me dress it up a bit and share it with my husband. He liked the dumpling texture of the gnocchi and all the bacon, but we had to giggle when we talked about who would eat the leftovers (seen above) for dinner the next night. I got that privilege and me thinks once was enough.Randomness
I've been setting off the alarms at Kohls almost everytime I go for a long time now (specifically, since my parents bought it for me at Kohls last FALL!). It made me not want to go there, even though the associates didn't seem to care and usually waved me through. Once, they told me it was my cell phone. That didn't make sense because ONCE I had my cell phone and it didn't go off. The one time the alarm didn't go off. Finally this week, I asked a sales associate, one that I thought looked like she knew what she was doing, "Why do I set the alarms off everytime I come here?" "Oh," she says, "it's probably a tag in your coat, you can cut it out." I said, "What?" and took my coat off, "show me!" And she did! There in my coat was a little tag that looked like a tag they'd put, "Dry clean only" on, that really said, "Remove this tag." The lady offered to cut it for me and I said, "Yes, yes! Do it!" And my problem came to a sudden end.We have earned $17.67 now on our Discover card. Just $2.33 more and we can have that as cold hard cash!
Hotdogs on a stick (previously from a corndog) make them oh such a treat to my son, who likes to dip anything in ketchup. Let me just say Hebrew National Hotdogs are a family favorite. Nothing says, "I love you" like processed kosher meat.
I have begun to add labels to my 75 previous posts. It's a work in progress, needless to say, and I should have been labeling all along. But I didn't. So, for your added convenience, you can see a growing list of my labels on the side bar, click on recipes or topics you like and find them more easily. Yay!
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